Times of Oman - December 19, 2016 by Muscat Media Group

MONDAY December 19, 2016 19 Rabi Al Awal 1438 AH

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HM RECEIVES THANKS

FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTY THE SULTAN

MUSCAT: Participants at the 5th India-Arab Partnership Conference “Partnership towards Innovation and Cooperation in IT” have sent a cable of thanks and gratitude to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. They expressed their sincere thanks and gratitude for His Majesty’s noble stances in serving issues of the Arab and regional region in relation to development aspect in general and the economic matter in particular to achieve safe and balanced development based on joint interests of countries and people. >A5

On the occasion of the 25th National Day Silver Jubilee, 1995

‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’ You have all played your part in the making of this new chapter in Oman’s history. Everyone has made his own contribution, according to his ability, in building this structure of our future.

Founded 1975 . Volume 41 No. 246 | 36 Pages . Bai Baisas aaiissas saas as 20 2 200 00 . Sub S Su Subscription ub u bscr sccrrip sc iipt pttiion p iooon n OM O OMR63 MR R63 R6 63 6 3 | ISO 9001:2008 Certiﬁed Company | Chairman/Editor-in-Chief: Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali | Printed & Publis Published by Muscat Media Group

‘CAR SEATS FOR CHILDREN SHOULD BE MADE LAW’ Experts have called for action against drivers who endanger infant lives in cars

HASSAN SHABAN AL LAWATI

hassan@timesofoman.com

MUSCAT: New traffic regulations are required that will outlaw children travelling unrestrained in cars, according to legal and road safety experts. Oman’s legal experts

and road roa safety campaigners have been raising awareness on the issue in awaren months. recent m Traffic laws Currently the Oman Penal Current outlaws endangerCode ou ment of children but there is nothing nothi speciﬁc in the country’s traffic laws on country the issue. issu Assistant AttorGeneral Nasser ney Gen Riyami said: “The Al Riya traffic law la needs a similar article tto the penal code 217. >A6 article 2

Car harn harness for children >A4

Photo by Shabin E.

FIRST QUARTER OF 2017

TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

OMAN

Pact signed for WiFi on Mwasalat buses Times News Service

MORNING MINUTE

MUSCAT: Passengers in Mwasalat buses will receive free unlimited access to WiFi by the end of the ﬁrst quarter of 2017, a senior official of Mwasalat has said. The service will enable passengers to surf the Internet through portable devices, tablets or smartphones, and process several tasks in transit, enabling them to save time. Speaking to the Times of Oman, Ahmad bin Ali Al Bulushi, chief executive officer (CEO) of Mwasalat, said that technicians

were now testing the devices to be set up in the buses. “Once the testing is complete we will able to roll out the new feature, which will be of great use for our passengers. Once it is ready, Mwasalat will publish details on how to use free WiFi on its buses,” he said. Earlier, Mwasalat and Omantel had signed an agreement worth OMR650,000 to provide free WiFi on all public transport buses. “Omantel will pay OMR650,000 to Mwasalat in the next ﬁve years and, in return, they will be able to advertise in Mwasalat buses and bus stops,” he said. >A6

Oman’s population

Oman’s total population is 4,550,538, to be precise at the end of November 2016. >A2

REGION

49 Yemeni troops killed

A suicide bomber killed 49 Yemeni soldiers gathered to receive their pay. >A7

MARKET Omanis cast vote in municipal elections

Solar consumers

A6 3

Regulatory framework might have incentives for renewable energy. >B1

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2016

OMAN

Population of Sultanate is now more than 4.55 million

D E L H I - M U S C AT F L I G H T

Oman Air jet makes emergency landing at Karachi airport

Omanis numbered over 2.46 million while expatriates stood at over 2.08 million, according SCARE: WY242 from New Delhi was diverted to Karachi, Pakistan, as a passenger onboard developed health issues.

to the latest data

Staff Reporter

for Statistics &

MUSCAT: A Delhi-Muscat Oman Air’s flight, which made an emergency landing in Pakistan, has departed from Karachi and is expected to arrive in Muscat at 1350 local time, the airline tweeted on its official twitter handle. “The Oman Air flight WY242 has departed Karachi and is expected to arrive Muscat at 1350 local time,” the airline’s tweet read. WY242 from New Delhi was diverted to Karachi, Pakistan, as a passenger onboard developed health issues. The flight was scheduled to arrive in Muscat at 12:30pm.

Information

released by the National Centre

MUSCAT: Total population of the Sultanate is 4,550,538, to be precise at the end of November 2016, marking a 0.3 per cent increase over September ﬁgures. Omanis numbered over 2.46 million while expatriates stood at over 2.08 million, according to the latest data released by the National Centre for Statistics & Information. Further, Omanis form 54.1 per cent of the total population of the Sultanate; while Omanis make up 34.7 per cent of the total population in the Governorate of Muscat. The Governorate of Muscat holds the largest population at over 1.47 million, comprising 962,479 expatriates and 511,868

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

NUMBERS: Omanis form 54.1 per cent of the total population of the Sultanate; while Omanis make up 34.7 per cent of the total population in the Governorate of Muscat

nationals, followed by the Governorate of North Al Batina with a population of 752,857, with expatriates and Omanis numbering 266,713 and 486,144 respectively. The Governorate of Dhofar recorded a population of 454,714 (248,367 expats and 206,347 Omanis), while Musandam’s population reached 44,421 (16,883 expats and 27,538 nationals).Mu-

sandam is the least populated governorate of Oman. Of the 113,087 people in the Governorate of Al Buraimi, 58,979 are expatriates while 54,108 are Omanis. The population in the Governorate of Dhakhiliya stood at 454,806 (116,386 expats and 338,420 Omanis).The Governorate of South Al Batina recorded

as many as 118,642 expatriates and 294,832 Omanis, taking the total population to 413,474. The population of the Governorates of South and North A’Sharqiyah reached 308,807 and 277,441 respectively. While the Governorate of South Sharqiyah showed 110,988 expatriates and 197,819 Omanis, the number of expatriates and Oma-

nis in the Governorate of North Sharqiyah stood at 106,239, and 171,202 in order. The 211,010-strong population in the Governorate of Dhahira is made up of 61,494 expatriates and 149,516 Omanis, while Al Wusta registered a population of 45,574, comprising 21,624 expatriates and 23,950 nationals, the NCSI bulletin states. — ONA

C O N TA I N S A N E L E C T R O N I C C H I P

e-passports with extra features for all Indians on the way REJIMON.K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: An e-passport featuring enhanced security features such as biometric details will be soon rolled out by the Indian government. Replying to a question in the Indian parliament, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said the government was in the pro-

cess of procuring devices for the e-passport. The e-passport is likely to secure data and curb the menace of fake passports. An e-passport contains an electronic chip. The chip holds the same information that is printed on the passport’s data page. “The government has plans to issue e-passports to the citizens. The government has given its ap-

proval for procurement of electronic contactless inlays for manufacturing of e-passports to India Security Press (ISP) Nasik. “In this regard, ISP Nasik, has been authorised to ﬂoat a global three-stage tender for procurement of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)-compliant electronic contactless inlays along with its operating system which is required for manufacture

of e-passports,” Singh said. He said manufacture of Epassports will commence on the successful completion of the tendering and procurement process by ISP, Nasik. According to the Indian government’s latest data, there are 31,737,358 Indians living abroad. Oman has 796,001 non-resident Indians, including 919 Person of India Origin. CRIME

Two arrested for setting cars on ﬁre in Oman

ARSON: The Directorate General of Inquiries and Investigations, representing North Al Batinah ROP, arrested two nationals for allegedly setting ﬁre to three vehicles.

Times News Service MUSCAT: Two Omani nationals were arrested by the Royal Oman Police in Wilayat of Shinas for setting fire to three cars inside the compound of a house. The Directorate General of Inquiries and Investigations, representing North Al Batinah ROP, arrested two nationals for allegedly setting fire to three vehicles. A senior official said, “The accused entered the victim’s house at night and set three vehicles on fire and after initial investigations with the suspects, they confessed their crime.” According to the Oman Penal Code, article 270 states, “Anyone who sets fire to public or private facilities, land, sea, or air transport means, oil fields or facilities, or inhabited or non-inhabited houses, either owned by him or not, or who deliberately sets fire to anything at proximity of the said places so as fire can easily extend thereto shall be sentenced to imprisonment from seven to fifteen years”.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2016

THE BRIEFING OMAN

Do a kind deed with City Centre’s festive campaign

As the nation heads into a time of caring and giving, starting this week visitors to City Centre Muscat and Qurum will be able to assist underprivileged children by donating books, toys and other goods. As part of this festive campaign, large, decorated boxes are being placed at both malls for people to donate items. >A4

REGION

LIFESTYLE

Ten policemen in Egypt charged with torturing man to death

2016 Porsche Cayenne GTS at a glance

BUSINESS

Alizz Islamic Bank opens new branch in Athaiba Delivering a suite of shariacompliant banking products and services to its growing customer-base across Oman, Alizz Islamic Bank has expanded its operations by opening a new branch in Athaiba making it the fourth branch in Muscat and seventh across Oman adding to the six existing branches which are already strategically located across the country. >B3

Ten policemen in Egypt have been charged with torturing a man to death at a police station in Cairo in November, a judicial source and the victim’s lawyer said on Sunday. Rights groups say police brutality is widespread in Egypt, enabled by a culture of impunity, and a string of incidents have triggered protests and riots in the past year. Anger at police was also major factor in setting off the 2011 uprising that ended President Hosni Mubarak’s 30-year rule. >A7

What makes the Porsche Cayenne GTS stand head and shoulders above the rest is the perfect combination of performance, athleticism, and style with its 440hp, high-performance chassis, and melodic engine sound. >A14

INDIA

Government misleading people on black money issue: Swaraj India

LIFESTYLE

Easy Way to Improve Your Fuel Efficiency

SPORTS

2017 Muscat Marathon attracts record entries More than 900 runners have registered for the popular Almouj Muscat Marathon in January signalling a marked increase on previous entries and a giant leap forward in the plan to position it in the top league of international marathons. >C1

SPORTS

OMAN

Amazing experience, says Oman cricketer Sufyan

OMAN

Registration for Indian school admission soon

Demand for taxis decreases as people prefer buses The earnings of taxi drivers fell sharply in 2016 as passengers increasingly chose to travel by bus. The drivers said that since the Oman National Transport Company (ONTC) began the intra-city bus service last year, the number of customers taking private taxis has halved, and that their proﬁts are diminishing with no end in sight to their distress. >A4

Online registration for admission to Indian schools will begin from January 8, the board of Indian Schools has said. Every year, the board receives more than 4,000 applications for admission to six Indian schools for classes KG I to IX. In 2016, the board received 4,700 applications. With 2,500 seats available every year, providing admissions to all the applicants is very challenging for the board. >A5

PAKISTAN

Sharmeen Chinoy wins duPont-Columbia Award

The Union government is misleading people with its “half-hearted” attempts to tackle black money and political parties were “functioning as conduits” in converting the illegal wealth, Swaraj India on Sunday alleged. The new political party led by former Aam Aadmi Party leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav said the NDA-led central government was “equally insincere” as the previous government of the UPA coalition in meeting the challenges of the black money. >A8

WORLD

Canadian killed in shootout in Jordan

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy has been experiencing one success after another. The Pakistani Cinema recently had 3 Bahadur: The Revenge of Baba Balaam hit the screens and prove to be an immense success and now, the ﬁlmmaker has bagged the Alfred I duPont-Columbia University Award for her Oscar-winning documentary A Girl In The River: >A9

WORLD

13 killed in plane crash An Indonesian air force transport plane crashed into a mountain, killing all 13 people on board, during a training exercise. >A10

There are a few simple ways you can improve your fuel efﬁciency without selling your car and buying a hybrid. To really see how much of a difference these changes are making for you, ﬁll your car up and make a note of the kilometre gauge. >A15

BUSINESS

Another gloomy year ahead for job seekers

A Canadian woman was killed and several other tourists were taken hostage by gunmen who holed themselves up in a medieval castle in southern Jordan on Sunday after killing at least four police officers in a shooting spree. >A12

After a challenging year amid global headwinds and cash-crunch back home, the job market is heading for yet another gloomy year with employers already on ‘wait and watch’ mode and pay hikes indicating a weak trend, say experts. As per month-on-month analysis, hiring saw lower growth this year. >B1

Amazing experience was what Oman’s all-rounder Sufyan Mahmood opined after returning from Doha, where he played alongside World Stars against Qatar Stars in an exhibition cricket match. his indeed was not for the ﬁrst time Sufyan was brushing shoulders with top cricketers who have made their mark internationally. Sufyan had also been part of the event held in United Kingdom a few months ago. >C1

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2016

OMAN Parents in Muscat air views on seat harness for children CHILDREN CAR SEATS Out of the six parents

Infant seat 0 - 3 years

interviewed, only one

150 100

Maximum price 105.000

Toddler seat 3 - 7 years

150

50 Minimum price

133.000

100

25.900 0

Booster seat 7 - 12 years

35.000

150

Times News Service

100 50 0

18.500 15.000

KHADIJA ALZADJALI

khadija@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Mothers and fathers at Qurm City Centre mall have told Times of Oman whether they use car seats and their reasons. Mother of four children Business owner and mother of four Clare Al Auﬁ believes it should not only be compulsory for parents to have their children in car seats, but for the staff also to be properly trained. “If you were to go into the shop I do not think there is anybody who would come out to your car and make sure it is placed properly. When you go to the car wash, for example, you have to remove the baby seat and put it back in. That was something I was really struggling with, especially with all the children. We are not trained to do that so we have to read the instructions. For me, it is not about the affordability but having the thing (booster seat) and putting it in use.” Mother of three children Medical professional and mother of three, Rani Cyril does not use a booster seat or a car seat with any of her kids despite knowing the dangers. Her youngest child is around two years old, and she told the Times of Oman that the child is strapped in during the entire ride. “I am not comfortable with taking the children with me when I am the only adult in the car. “When I have someone with me to take care of them then they ride in the car. Even when they are sitting in the back, I ask them to wear seatbelts. I am very aware of the dangers.” Mother of two children

Stay at home mother of two Nadiya Ramadhani has always buckled up her three-year-old and two-year-

Ministry to survey more than 9,000 families for diseases

Prices in OMR

didn’t use car seats

NAT I O NA L P L A N

Graphics

both the children and the parents. Carrying the child makes me tired and it makes them tired too. It also makes them more comfortable in the car, let alone safety, and is very convenient. We are just used to it. If none of my children are restrained, it makes me very nervous. I just got my licence a year back so I want everybody to wear seatbelts. Sometimes they refuse, but they know it is a must.”

old. “The roads in Oman are too fast so it is important for the children to be safe in the booster seat. I bought the car seat ﬁve years ago for the youngest and just bought a new one for the six-year-old recently. The bigger booster seat is much cheaper. It is difficult to make children stay in the seat but if you have toys and entertain them then it is easier to have them sit.” Mother of two children Janine Sleight works at PDO, is a mother of two, and has taught her two children, aged seven and ﬁve, the importance of car safety. Sleight believes that the safety campaigns should be more obvious, and in different languages. “It is not safe if they are just sitting in the cars with just a seat belt. They have had car seats since they were born. “Even my children cannot understand why children are standing up in the cars; they say ‘Mummy that is really not safe.’ Sometimes we see children standing outside of the sun roof and they scream ‘Mummy that is really dangerous!’ They think it is very silly. They will not let me set off unless they have got their seatbelts on.”

Mother of three children Um Khalid is an Omani mother of three. Although her generation did not have the option of car seats when they were younger, she has used them for her children over the

UPROAR OVER COMPITETION

last nine years. Um Khalid believes that play areas in malls and shopping centres are the best places to target children and their parents. “It is just the right thing to do. Using the seats makes it easier on

Father of two children Abu Hamid is the father of a 3-year-old girl and a 7-month-old boy. He has been using car seats since the birth of his daughter. “We use it for their safety. It is for their comfort and for ours. We learned about the importance of car seats from the campaigns and understood the dangers of not having one through our jobs. We were exposed to information on safety and how to protect them in the vehicle. “Even when we travelled to other countries, it was a law there to have them in car seats. I suggest every person that has a child to buy the proper car seats today, not tomorrow, to protect their children. A simple push of the breaks could affect the children.”

MUSCAT: More than 9,000 families will be surveyed in Oman as a part of a national plan to launch an accurate database on non-communicable diseases and nutrition, the Ministry of Health (MoH) has said. As part of the exercise, initiated by the ministry in co-ordination with the World Health Organisation and the United Nations Children’s Fund, officials will visit selected families across all governorates of the Sultanate for the survey. All the 9,053 families, who have been selected randomly, will be surveyed for non-communicable diseases, and 4,000 of them will also be asked questions on their nutrition. This means around 823 families will be surveyed in each governorate. The survey is expected to be completed by March. The survey on non-communicable diseases will target people over the age of 15 while the one on nutrition survey will focus on children below ﬁve and females aged 15 to 49. “The surveys will help to identify the morbidity cause, its risk factors and impact in the future,” a press release by the MoH stated. A specialised ﬁeld team is currently visiting the selected households to get their approval to participate in the national survey of nutrition by asking the authorised person within the family to complete the family and child questionnaires, as well as the individual questionnaire (for women of reproductive age). After receiving approval, blood samples of children and females for some families will be obtained. The MoH has urged everyone to co-operate with the teams in order to obtain the required data. Oman’s Studies and Research Centre will later conduct the national survey of non-communicable diseases and tobacco from January to March 2017.

UNDERPRIVILEGED CHILDREN

Demand for taxis decreases Do a kind deed with City Centre Oman’s festive campaign as people prefer buses Times News Service SYED HAITHAM HASAN

Haitham@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: The earnings of taxi drivers fell sharply in 2016 as passengers increasingly chose to travel by bus. Since the Oman National Transport Company (ONTC) began the intra-city bus service last year, the number of customers taking private taxis has halved, and cabbies have reported diminishing proﬁts with no end in sight to their distress. “I have lost more than half my customers and there is barely any money in this business. We have been completely put out of business,” said Yasser, a taxi driver. Most taxi drivers echoed Yasser’s discontent, and blamed Mwasalat for their woes. “The business is down. I could earn up to OMR70 a day just one year ago but now I barely earn OMR25. Everyone takes the buses and we are helpless,” said Ahmed, a minibus taxi driver. Most customers who travelled in taxis were those in a hurry to

reach their destination, he explained. He said that just a year ago his minibus would ﬁll in 10 minutes but now it took half an hour on average. Also, he said, most of the time he had to start plying even before the vehicle ﬁlled up due to passenger pressure. “It is a very bad situation for us, especially those who work full time as taxi drivers. How can we continue with this? The price of fuel is much higher than last year and there are no customers. Moreover, they want the same rates as Mwasalat. How can we give them that rate? It is impossible,” he added. Mohammed, an older taxi driver, said that in his entire career as a cabbie spanning nearly 20 years he had never seen such low demand for taxis in Oman as he had experienced this year. “I have driven taxis in Oman for a very long time and there were complaints that there are fewer taxis in Oman. “Some people said that we did not cover all the routes. However,

the new buses have taken over the business and only a few customers who need to travel fast ask for our services,” he said. Many taxi drivers now travel to routes where buses do not, a strategy they say has been working but still does not give them proﬁts like before. “We have shifted our routes. We travel to places where buses do not go. This helps our earnings but it is still a struggle to get passengers for the same place,” Mazin, a taxi driver. Others have a different strategy in sight. “I have increased my fare and you cannot blame me for that. Look at the fuel prices. We too need to survive,” said another cab driver. Passengers, on the other hand, said Mwasalat had eased the trouble they faced in catching a cab everyday but some said they still travelled by taxis as they were faster. “The difference in money is just a few hundred baizas, but for me time is more important so I mostly take taxis,” said Ali Haider, a Bangladeshi national.

MUSCAT: As the nation heads into a time of caring and giving, starting this week visitors to City Centre Muscat and Qurum will be able to assist underprivileged children by donating books, toys and other goods. As part of this festive campaign, large, decorated boxes are being placed at both malls for people to donate items. In an effort to put a smile on the faces of disadvantaged children, Majid Al Futtaim, parent company of City Centre malls, partnered with a group of leading non-government organisations in the Middle East to directly engage with unprivileged kids and ﬁnd out what they want the most this festive season. The children, aged between three and nine years, said stuffed toys, LEGO games, books and sporting goods, were gifts that would make their festive wishes come true. Apart from City Centre Qurum and Muscat, collection boxes will be placed in all 20 Majid Al Futtaim shopping malls in Bahrain,

Egypt, Lebanon, and the United Arab Emirates, to allow visitors to ‘take a moment to give a moment,’ so that those less fortunate can experience the joys of the festive season. Alain Bejjani, chief executive officer of Majid Al Futtaim – Holding, noted, “At Majid Al Futtaim, we pride ourselves on the moments we create – be it for customers, communities, businesses or,

in this case, those less fortunate. Each year, we look for exciting new ways to join our customers in sharing great moments during the festive season.” “This year, we are asking all visitors to our shopping malls to take just a moment of their time to buy and donate something that will create a special festive memory for a less fortunate child. We hope this will be one more step towards sharing memorable moments with those who deserve them most,” he added. After making a donation, people can visit givegreatmoments.com for more information about the campaign and to witness the impact of their donation on the children who receive them. They can also join the conversation about the campaign online using the festivethemed hashtag, #WrapAWish. In addition to the collection drive at many malls in the region, Najm card customers can donate cash, while Carrefour customers will be asked if they are willing to donate change due to them when they pay for their shopping. Visitors to Magic Planet and VOX Cinemas will be able to donate tickets.

FULL-TIME JOBS GUARANTEED

15 MoUs signed with PDO to create 50,000 non-oil sector jobs Staff Reporter MUSCAT: Fifteen Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) have been signed by Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) as part of its huge drive to create 50,000 jobs in the non-oil sector. “PDO is sponsoring the vocational training of 1,200 young Omanis and the jobseekers will be guaranteed full-time employment on successful completion of their

training in a variety of key economic sectors including industrial development, real estate, hospitality and fashion,” the state-owned oil production company said. Technical disciplines The MoUs include commitments for a total of 500 training-for-employment opportunities with the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates for technical disciplines such as welding, carpentry

and scaffolding. “One hundred and ﬁfty jobs for women at the Ark Garment Manufacturing clothing factory in Salalah will be offered. One hundred and thirty seven posts with nine of the Sultanate’s leading hotels – the Kempinski, the Hormuz Grand, the Intercontinental, the Crowne Plaza, the Grand Hyatt, the Shangri-La and the Al Bustan in Muscat, and the Anantara in Salalah and Al Jabal Al Akhdar - for work as chefs, food

service assistants, receptionists and front office staff also will be provided,” the PDO said. In addition to this, 112 employment opportunities with steel manufacturing company Hadid Majan, engineering ﬁrm Descon, and a joint venture between energy infrastructure services giant CB&I and engineering, procurement and construction concern CTCI, for trades such as electricians, scaffolders, pipeﬁtters, welders and

mechanics will also be provided. Training programmes PDO also signed a MoU with the Oman Real Estate Association to upskill 300 real estate brokers so they can be officially certiﬁed and licensed by the Ministry of Housing, enabling them to hire more staff. The training programmes will span 6-18 months, depending on the profession being pursued.

Once the courses, a mixture of practice and theory, have been successfully completed they will be qualiﬁed to international standards. The employment initiative was sealed at an official signing ceremony between the leading representatives of the participating organisations and PDO Managing Director Raoul Restucci at PDO’s Knowledge World Centre in Al Qurum.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2016

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OMAN

T H R E E - D AY V I S I T

Oman, Cyprus sign pact on visa MUSCAT: Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs met at the Foreign Ministry’s building yesterday with Ioannis Kasoulides, Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Republic of Cyprus and his accompanying delegation, within the framework of his official three-day visit to the Sultanate. During the meeting, the two sides discussed the bilateral relations between the two countries and means of promoting and enhancing them in various areas. The two sides also reviewed a number of regional and international issues of common concern.

At the end of the meeting, the two sides signed an agreement on mutual exemption of visas for diplomatic, special and service passports between the two countries. The meeting was attended from the Omani side by Mohammed bin Yousef Al Zaraﬁ, Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry for Administrative and Financial Affairs and a number of officials at the ministry, whilst it was at tended from the Cypriot side by Andreas Panayiotou, Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to the Sultanate and the official delegation accompanying the guest. -ONA

AGREEMENT: Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs with Ioannis Kasoulides, Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Republic of Cyprus. – ONA

Registration for Indian school admission soon and allied matters. Parents can access and ﬁll application forms and submit them online. They can also get to know the results of the selection process and it, thus, makes the system transparent and hassle free,” the board said. As of today, the total number of students in all Indian schools is a staggering 45,000, with a sizeable number of them enrolled in the six schools in the capital.

Indian schools in Oman will begin online registration for admission from January 8, 2017

Staff Reporter MUSCAT: Online registration for admission to Indian schools will begin from January 8, 2017, the board of Indian Schools in Oman has said. Every year, the board receives more than 4,000 applications for admission to six Indian schools in the capital area for classes KG I to IX. In 2016, the board received around 4,700 applications. 5TH INDIA-ARAB MEETING

A1 Thanks to HM < FROM

The participants expressed their pride over the remarkable renaissance clearly depicted in urban landmarks, economic, industrial, trade, scientific, cultural, social and tourist edifices covering all governorates in the Sultanate during the prosperous reign of His Majesty, thanks to the wisdom of His Majesty and will of the Omani loyal people. The participants also expressed their thanks, appreciation and gratitude to His Majesty, the Government and organisers of the 5th India-Arab Partnership Conference for the facilities and potentials provided to hold this conference in the Sultanate. Thus, the conference managed to achieve its objectives represented in building and developing investment and economic partnership among the Arab countries and the Republic of India for the interest of their people and countries. They prayed to Allah the Almighty to perpetuate blessings of health and wellbeing on His Majesty, the Sultanate further progress and prosperity. They also valued the Omani leading stances in supporting Arab, international, regional economic action. The 5th India-Arab Partnership Conference was hosted by Oman, represented by Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry during 14th and 15th December 2016. The conference involved participation of ministers of economy, trade and investment, as well as officials concerned with the economic and investment fields in the Arab countries and India. -ONA ROP

38 illegals held MUSCAT: The Royal Oman Police (ROP), in collaboration with other military and security departments, last week arrested 38 inﬁltrators of different nationalities in several wilayats for entering the Sultanate illegally. -ONA

With around 2,500 seats available every year, providing admissions to all the applicants is very challenging for the board. “But we managed to provide admissions to all candidates last year,” an official said. Parents will be informed about the school allotment and admission dates. “The vacancy status will be updated after the ﬁrst lot of admissions end, and wait-listed applicants will be considered for

the second draw, which will be held later,” the official said. The centralised system with online registration, introduced by the board of directors, has made the admission procedure easy for parents as wells as school authorities who had to face a ﬂood of applications in the past. “The objective of the online admission system is to facilitate parents to have easy access to information pertaining to admission

Demand for seats It has also been observed that the demand for seats is more in lower classes, from KG I to Standard II. “We have been waiting for months now,” said B Roy, an exasperated Indian expatriate who moved to Muscat from New Delhi six months back. Another mother, A P Chakraborty, said she never thought it would be so difficult here. “I was under the impression that admissions are very easy here, but really that is not the case,” she said.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2016

OMAN Omanis cast vote in municipal polls Voters in GCC countries ﬂock to polling booths

Voters in Dhofar and Musandam rushed to

MUSCAT: Voters of Oman residing in the GCC countries cast their votes to elect their representatives in the Municipal Councils 2nd Term Elections. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Omani citizens headed to Sultanate’s Embassy in Abu Dhabi to cast their votes. Plenipotentiary Minister Abdullah bin Hamoud Al Ma’awali, acting Charge D’affaires of the Sultanate’s Embassy in Abu Dhabi afﬁrmed that the voting process went on smoothly according to the procedures set by the Ministry of Interior. In Dubai, the Sultanate’s Commercial Representation office received a number of citizens, who cast their votes to select their representatives. In Kuwait, Hamid bin Said bin Salim Al Ibrahim, Sultanate’s Ambassador to Kuwait and members of the embassy, as well as the Omani citizens and students in Kuwait cast their votes at the Embassy’s headquarters. The Sultanate’s ambassador

the polling stations in the morning to exercise their voting rights

MUSCAT: Voters of the Governorate of Dhofar and the Governorate of Musandam, residing in the Governorate of Muscat and its nearby wilayat, yesterday cast their votes to elect their representatives at the Municipal Councils (2nd term). Members of the Main Committee and workers of the Election Committees in all wilayats also cast their votes. Voters from the Governorate of Dhofar and the Governorate of Musandam rushed to the polling stations at Al Ula Basic Education School in the Wilayat of Bausher (for males) and Thuraya Al Busaidiyah Basic Education School for (for females). The vote casting is scheduled to continue up to 6.00 pm this evening. Sayyid Hamoud bin Faisal Al Busaidi, Minister of Interior and members of the Main Committee for Elections accompanied by officials toured the two election centres at Al Ula Basic Education School in the Wilayat of Bausher (for males) and Thuraya Al Busaidiyah Basic Education School (for females) to ensure smooth running of electoral process.

VOTING RIGHT: Steps were taken to ensure that everything was in place for the smooth conduct of elections. – ONA

Measures were taken to ensure that everything is in place for the smooth running and success of elections. Eng. Khalid bin Hilal Al Busaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior, Head of the Main Committee for the Municipal Councils’ 2nd Term Elections said that elections went in a smooth way after the opening of the election centres at 8.00 am. “The election centres inside the Sultanate for voters of the Governorate of Musandam and the Governorate of Dhofar, as well as at the Sultanate’s embassies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia (KSA), Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait, in addition to the Sultanate’s Commercial Representation Office at Dubai will continue receiving voters up to 6.00 pm,” he added. As for the electronic system used in casting votes, Eng. Al Busaidi said that this is the third time

to use the e-voting system, which has been proved to be easy for use and efficient. He pointed out that the sorting out of votes will be automatically and that the system has been used at Majlis Al Shura 5th term elections. Nasser bin Sulaiman Al Sibani, Deputy Chairman of the Public Authority for Radio and Television (PART) Head of the Media Committee for Municipal Council Elections hailed the efforts of different printed, audio and visual media means, as well as Oman News Agency (ONA), which cover this important national event. He also praised the media coverage at the standardised election centres in Muscat and Salalah, as well as at the Sultanate’s embassies in UAE, KSA, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait, in addition to the Sultanate’s Commercial Representation Office at Dubai. Workers at the election committees and the sub-committees in

S P E C I A L O LY M P I C S O M A N A S S O C I AT I O N

ROP

Event to honour institutions, people for helping disabled MUSCAT: Special Olympics Oman Association (SOOA) will honour on Monday the supporting government and private agencies, institutions and individuals during its annual celebration to be held under the auspices of Sayyid Asa’ad bin Tariq Al Said at Al Shafaq Club in Muscat. His Highness Sayyid Faisal bin Turki Al Said, Chairman of SOOA

and member of the Advisory Committee of the Special Olympics International for the Middle East and North Africa said, “This is the second annual gathering to honour institutions that provide support to SOOA through which we were able to train our heroes. We are calling them heroes because they have succeeded in the participation and representation

different wilayats cast their votes at the offices of walis from 8.00 am to 2.00 pm to elect the municipal council representatives. This is due to the fact that they will be un-

of Oman in international forums and several sport events and tournaments for the Special Olympics and were crowned with medals”. The SOOA organises its programmes according to an annual plan, in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Development, and the Regional Office of the Special Olympics International for the MENA. -ONA

Coast Guard helps citizens SEEB: A source at Royal Oman Police (ROP) said the Coast Guard personnel in the Musandam governorate helped two citizens after their boat ran out of fuel off the coast of Seeb. The boat was towed to Seeb port. In the Governorate of South Al Sharqiyah the Coast Guard provided assistance to two citizens after glitches in their boat. The boat was towed to Sur port. -ONA

to Kuwait affirmed that the embassy was keen to raise the citizen’s awareness towards the importance of taking part in this elections, pointing out that the embassy briefed them with procedures of the elections. The Omani voters expressed their delight in casting their votes, looking forward to the members who will contribute in pushing forward march of the municipal work. In Riyadh, the citizens went to the polling stations to cast their votes and select their representatives. Sayyid Dr. Ahmed bin Hilal Al Busaidi, Oman’s ambassador to the KSA and members of the embassy cast their votes as well.

able to cast their votes on the election date scheduled on December 25 as they will be doing their work at the election centres. The heads of the municipal

Dr. Al Busaidi explained that the embassy was keen to complete the preparations for this occasion in a bid to ensure that the voting process will run smoothly. In Qatar, Omani citizens went to the embassy in Doha to cast their votes. Plenipotentiary Minister Mohammed bin Saleh Barham Ba Omar, Acting Charge D’afaires at the Sultanate’s Embassy in Qatar said members of the embassy cast their votes. In Bahrain also citizens headed to the headquarters of the Sultanate’s Embassy in Manama to cast their votes and select their representatives. -ONA

councils said that the voting process went on smoothly; thanks to the use of modern technology, which showed the pictures of the candidates to voters. -ONA

CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

Cancun conference MUSCAT: The Sultanate, represented by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs, participated in the 13th meeting of the Conference of the State Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and the 8th meeting of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. It also took part in the 2nd meeting of the Nagoya Protocol on access and beneﬁt sharing in Cancun, Mexico. The Ministry was represented in the confer-

ence by Eng. Sulaiman bin Nasser Al Akhzami, Director General of Nature Conservation and Eng. Saleh bin Naghmoosh Al Sa’adi, Director of Biological Diversity Development Department. The Conference of the State Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity discussed several issues pertaining to biodiversity, including the progress towards implementation of the Convention and the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011 - 2020. -ONA

PAC T W I T H O M A N T E L

< FROM

A1 WiFi to be available in local, intercity buses The WiFi will be available in both, local Muscat buses and intercity buses that travel outside Muscat. Mwasalat operates around 433 buses, including 46 in Muscat, 37 intercity buses, and 350 school and college buses. Additionally, Mwasalat will also name two bus stations after Omantel; One at Sultan Qaboos Street in Al Khuwair, Muscat, and the other in South Al Mawaleh, on the main road to the Al-Dakh-

iliyah region. “Besides, Omantel will able to advertise outside and inside Mwasalat buses in the next five years,” he revealed. “We believe that this partnership integrates the roles between the two national companies for the benefit of the customer. This step comes as part of the Mwasalat efforts to find alternative solutions to support public transport, which, in turn, will contribute towards reducing our reli-

ance on government support for the sector. We are pleased to have Omantel as our strategic partner, and provide us with the required telecom solutions. We expect to see an increased interest for our public transport service after launching this unique solution,” the CEO of Mwasalat said. Commenting on the move, Talal Said Al Mamari, the CEO of Omantel,said, “At Omantel, we realise the fact that everyone likes to

stay connected when they are on the move. This is why our Omantel 3.0 strategy is aimed at supporting the country’s transformation towards a digital society. Within this framework, our partnership with Mwasalat helps to achieve this objective by providing free internet for passengers who use public transport daily, while at the same time making travelling on Mwasalat a more attractive option within the society.”

SAFETY ON ROADS

A1 Experts call for penalty < FROM

“Any person allowing a child to sit in the front seat or letting them sit on laps, behind the steering wheel, must be penalised.” Road safety and legal experts have also called for parents who drive without strapping their kids into a car seat to be charged. The current Omani penal code, article 217, states that a person who puts a child below seven or a vulnerable person in a dangerous situation or abandons him/ her shall be jailed for a minimum period of three months and up to one year. The punishment is doubled if the offence was committed by the child’s parents or guardian. Al Riyami said it should be “compulsory” to fasten minors under the age of ﬁve into car seats. “I wonder how some drivers allow their children to play in the front seat. I have a 10-year-old daughter and I always make sure she is safely seated in the back seat,” Al Riyami said. Echoing the Attorney General, Ali Al Barwani, chief executive officer of Oman Road Safety Association, (ORSA) said that a new law is vital to combat child deaths in car crashes in Oman.

“Many Omanis abide by the ﬁrm laws in Europe, when travelling, by making sure to rent a vehicle that has a car seat inside it. Oman is a civilised country and it is an important step to enforce laws regarding traffic safety,” Al Barwani said. He pointed out that even minor accidents can kill or seriously injure a child. Yesterday, the heartbroken father of a four-month-old girl who died in a crash pleaded with Omani drivers to harness their children inside vehicles. The girl, who was not restrained, was thrown from the family car after it veered off the road and toppled over. Al Barwani added: “Recently, in Oman, a little boy was thrown from a car after his mother took a sharp turn. The windows were down and the boy was not fastened by a seat belt,” he said, explaining that such tragic stories can be avoided by buying a car seat. “Parents should learn how to love their little ones,” he stressed. “It is puzzling me that parents can afford OMR7,000 cars but are hesitant to purchase a OMR30

car seat,” he said, explaining that money “was never the problem”. ORSA is working closely with local hospitals to raise awareness among new parents about the importance of providing newborns with car seats, according to Al Barwani. “When a nurse educates new parents about how to take care of their baby, he/she must clearly state the importance of a car seat. Not only that, the hospital staff should make sure that there is a car seat in the vehicle which will deliver the baby home for the ﬁrst time,” he said. The ORSA CEO said that kids below the age of 12 need car seats and even some older ones might need it depending on the child’s weight and height. Asked if drivers will tolerate the upcoming law, Al Barwani said: “Society would welcome any law that protects children, thus, protecting the future of Oman.” “An uncompromising law will force parents to take care of Oman’s future. We understand there are challenges to enforce the law, but the children lives are our priority,” Al Barwani said.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2016

REGION EGYPT

10 policemen charged with torturing man to death CAIRO: Ten policemen in Egypt have been charged with torturing a man to death at a police station in Cairo in November, a judicial source and the victim’s lawyer said on Sunday. Rights groups say police brutality is widespread in Egypt, enabled by a culture of impunity, and a string of incidents have triggered protests and riots in the past year. Anger at police was also major factor in setting off the 2011 uprising that ended President Hosni Mubarak’s 30-year rule. Magdy Makain, a middle-aged street vendor died in custody at a police station in Al Amiriah in Cairo in November. He was taken in after a traffic argument with police but not formally arrested or charged with a criminal offence, according to local media. Photos purported to be of Makain’s body baring signs torture on his legs and face circulated on social media. Egypt’s public prosecutor ordered four of the policemen to be kept in custody. They also face charges of forging reports and using force against two other men held with Makain at the police station, the judicial source said. The six other policemen were released on a 3,000 Egyptian pound ($160) bail. If found guilty, the men could face the death penalty, said Mohamed Othman, Makain family’s lawyer. In February, a policeman shot dead a driver in a Cairo street in an argument over a fare, prompting hundreds of people to protest outside the security directorate. In April, a policeman shot three people in a Cairo suburb after an argument over the price of a cup of tea, killing one of them, which also caused a riot. There were also riots in the northern, Suez Canal city of Ismailia and southern Nile city of Luxor over the authorities’ handling of at least three deaths in police custody in a single week in November last year. — Reuters

Bombing claimed by IS kills 49 soldiers in Yemen At least 60 other troops were wounded in the attack, which occurred near Al Sawlaban military base in Aden’s Khor Maksar district

ADEN: A suicide bomber killed at least 49 soldiers gathered to receive their monthly pay in the southern Yemeni port city of Aden on Sunday, officials said, as IS claimed responsibility for the attack. Officials said at least 60 other troops were wounded in the attack, which occurred near Al Sawlaban military base in Aden’s Khor Maksar district, where another IS suicide bomber blew himself up a week ago killing 50 soldiers. Aden is the temporary capital of Yemen’s internationally recognised government in exile in neighbouring Saudi Arabia. It has been battling the armed Houthi movement since 2014. Al Qaeda and IS have exploited the war to carry out assassinations and bombings, mostly in lawless southern Yemeni areas nominally controlled by the government. In a statement posted via its Amaq news agency, IS said Sunday’s attacker, who it identiﬁed as Abu Hashem Al Radfani, detonated an explosive vest amid a crowd of soldiers. It posted what it said were pictures of the attack, one showing young man wearing a white vest as he stood next to the black and white IS ﬂag. The militant group put the death toll at more than 70. Saudi Arabia and its allies in

INCREASING LAWLESSNESS: People gather outside a hospital where soldiers injured in a suicide bombing are being treated in the southern port city of Aden, Yemen, on Sunday. Army patrols are seen on a street near the site of a suicide bombing. – Reuters

a mostly Arab military coalition have been bombing the Houthi movement in parts of the country under its control since it drove the government from power in March 2015. They have failed to dislodge the group from the capital, Sanaa. The top UN aid official in the country told Reuters that Yemen’s humanitarian catastrophe is set to worsen as the war has ruined the economy and is stopping food supplies getting through, driving the country to the brink of famine. “Throughout the whole of this country kids are dying,” said Jamie McGoldrick. UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen. In the latest setback, Yemen’s biggest traders have stopped new wheat imports due to a crisis at the central bank, documents seen by Reuters show. — Reuters

WA R A G A I N S T I S

CLASHES

Iraqi civilians not safe as casualties rise in Mosul ERBIL (IRAQ): Seven-year-old Anas lies in a hospital bed in the northern Iraqi city of Erbil, his little body wrapped in bandages following four surgeries to remove shrapnel that shredded his intestines. He is considered lucky for being alive. Two of his brothers did not survive the IS mortar attack three weeks ago on their family’s home in Mosul. One boy died immediately, the other after reaching the emergency room. “I saw them and then I fell to the ground and fainted,” Anas said in a strained whisper, sometimes wincing from pain. At the time of the attack, Anas and his family may well have believed they were ﬁnally safe after 2-1/2 years of deprivation and cruelty under the hardline rule. Their house was in an eastern neighbourhood the Iraqi government had declared “liberated” by its forces in their battle to recapture Mosul, IS’s last major stronghold in Iraq. But the military’s advance has been slow and punishing, and nine weeks in they have retaken just a quarter of the city. When elite army troops arrived in their districts and the militants beat a retreat, many residents ﬂed towards the relative safety of camps outside the city. But a growing number of civilians, like Anas and his brothers, are being dragged back into violence at the moment of their supposed deliverance. No statistics Iraqi authorities do not release statistics about those killed or wounded in the Mosul campaign in an apparent effort to maintain morale, but a month ago the United Nations warned that civilian casualties were overwhelming the capacity of the government and international aid groups operating in the area. Since then, the situation seems to have deteriorated. Iraqi security officials at the Erbil hospital where Anas is being treated say dozens of wounded people from the Mosul area arrive

STRIFE-TORN: Displaced Iraqi women and children from the embattled city of Mosul arrive on December 16, 2016, at the Sewdinan camp for internally displaced persons near the village of Hasan Sham, about 35km from Mosul. – AFP

each day, and that the majority are civilians. A Kurdish medical official said military personnel make up the larger portion. Reuters could not verify either account but patients at the Emergency Medical Center hospital include both civilians and members of the armed forces. Relatively peaceful Erbil, just an hour’s drive from the frontline, lies in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region. Its own peshmerga forces have pushed back IS across the north, expanding its territory and becoming a haven for evacuees. Nour, a little girl with blonde hair, sits in a wheelchair at the far end of a ward for women and children. Her left lower leg, concealed by a blanket, is held together by metal pins that stick out several centimetres. Nour’s aunt said her niece was hurt in an air strike two months ago on their village south of Mosul. Both the Iraqi military and a US-led coalition backing Baghdad are bombarding IS in the region. The international coalition, which is also bombing in Syria, has acknowledged killing 173 civilians since strikes started in 2014, signiﬁcantly lower than estimates made by other groups. The doctors say Nour needs

surgery abroad, but the cost is prohibitive so for now she subsists on painkillers. Her aunt was permitted to accompany her to the hospital, but her parents and siblings cannot visit because of restrictions on Arabs entering the Kurdish region, which has already accepted more than one million displaced people since IS seized large swathes of the country’s north and west in 2014. As soon as Nour’s condition improves she will most likely have to go live in a government-run camp in the Kurdish region or return home despite the continued presence of IS remnants there. As Nour and her aunt spoke to Reuters, a woman stretched out on a nearby bed began weeping. She was wounded in an explosion last month that killed her husband and blew the legs off her eldest son. “The army told us to go out to a safe place,” she whispered amid sobs. “We hadn’t moved even 100 metres and at the third house Daesh (IS) had planted a mine next to the door.” Iraqi security forces wounded in Mosul are stabilised at Erbil hospitals before being airlifted to Baghdad for further treatment. Many of their casualties come from snipers or suicide car bombs. — Reuters

Israeli forces kill Palestinian OCCUPIED RAMALLAH: Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian on Sunday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, after entering a village in the occupied West Bank where, the Israeli military said, they were confronted by stone-throwers. A military spokeswoman said an Israeli paramilitary policeman was injured and that troops ﬁred in the air to push back a crowd of about 50 people throwing rocks. She said the troops had been operating in the village, but gave no further details. The Palestinian Health Ministry said Israeli forces shot dead a 19-year-old Palestinian in the encounter. — Reuters

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2016

INDIA D E M O N E T I S I N G H I G H VA L U E C U R R E N C I E S

Government misleading people on black money issue: Swaraj India NEW DELHI: The Union government is misleading people with its “half-hearted” attempts to tackle black money and political parties were “functioning as conduits” in converting the illegal wealth, Swaraj India on Sunday alleged. The new political party led by former Aam Aadmi Party leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav said the NDA-led central government was “equally insincere” as the previous government of the UPA coalition in meeting the challenges of the black money. During a rally on the issue in central Delhi, the party alleged that the Centre was “misleading public with its half-hearted attempts” and said the truth was that “the ongoing proceedings against black money have been guarded by political parties”. Referring to black money as a 10-headed Ravan, Yadav said demonetisation only takes out one of the heads and to kill it, its navel — political corruption — has to be attacked. The party claimed that successive governments and all major political parties have “consistently deﬁed Election Commis-

sion’s plea” to follow standard accounting practices. Cash declarations by political parties till December 30 be made public and subject to a special audit, it demanded. “There is no way the government can prevent political parties from functioning as conduits of converting demonetised currency into white money,” the party claimed. “I had written to the prime minister in July 2014 suggesting him ways to curb black money... Instead of taking any action, existing laws and institutions that could prevent corruption and black money are being weakened,” Swaraj Abhiyan President Prashant Bhushan said. “Corrupt officials are being placed in key positions in anticorruption organisations. Three years have passed since the Lokpal bill was passed and yet no Lokpal has been appointed,” he said at the rally according to a statement. The party said it plans to launch a nationwide campaign demanding reforms in rules governing political funding. Meanwhile, BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian

Swamy on Sunday attributed the prevailing cash crunch to lack of preparedness by the Finance Ministry before demonetising high value currencies. “The Finance Ministry should have taken precautionary measures before demonetising Rs500 and Rs1,000 notes,” he told reporters here. “The government had decided to go for demonetisation in 2014 itself and the Finance Ministry ought to have done contingency plans. They have not done any preparation and the prime minister had announced (demonetisation), assuming that the things will be a smooth,” he said. Moreover, the size of new Rs 500 and Rs2,000 currencies was small to accommodate in the ATMs, which was another reason for the problem, he pointed out. “Along with demonetisation, the committee headed by me on the issue in 2014 had recommended abolition of income tax, so that the people get relief,” Swamy said. On stalling of Parliament proceedings, the BJP leader said, “We are not responsible for this, it is Congress which is responsible.”- PTI

RALLY: Sawraj Abhiyan party supporters during a ‘Halla Bol’ rally on black money at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Sunday. - PTI

Political row breaks out over army chief’s appointment still not issued an official notiﬁcation for the appointment of next Chief Justice of India even when the letter recommending the name was sent two weeks ago.

Congress leader Manish Tewari’s

Why does the army have to go through unnecessary bloodletting at the top? If it has been done, then reasons need to be put out in the public domain

comments came a day after the government appointed Vice Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Bipin Rawat as the new army chief

Manish Tewari

superseding his two

Congress leader

senior officers

NEW DELHI: A political slugfest on Sunday broke out over the new army chief’s appointment by superseding two officers with Congress and the Left asking Prime Minister Narendra Modi to spell out the “compelling reasons” for it even as BJP hit back saying they should not politicise an issue related to defence forces. Congress leader Manish Tewari slammed the government for “playing with institutions” and doing politics in the army even as he wondered if it was “whimsical cherry picking”. His comments came a day after the government appointed Vice Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Bipin Rawat as the new army chief superseding his two senior officers -- Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen Praveen Bakshi and Southern Army Command chief Lt Gen P. M. Hariz. CPI leader D. Raja also questioned the government’s move and

said appointments whether in the army, judiciary or those of CVC, acting CBI director and to Central Information Commission have become controversial. Condemned BJP condemned Congress for its attack on the government over the army chief’s appointment, saying there should be no politics on defence forces and asserted that Lt Gen Rawat has been elevated keeping in mind the current security scenario. BJP National Secretary Shrikant Sharma said the new army chief was picked up from a pool of ﬁve senior-most officers, who are all competent, and Lt Gen Rawat’s appointment should not be seen as a negative against others. Lashing out at the opposition party, Sharma said Congress by “politicising” the appointment of the army chief was showing its “frustration” after it has been pushed to the “margins” of na-

tional politics following successive electoral defeats. Tewari said, “While Lt Gen Rawat, who is being appointed the COAS, may perhaps have all the requisite credentials but the fact remains that in a hierarchy conscious organisation where the principle of seniority is almost sacrosanct, the supersession of three senior officers, Lt Gen Praveen Bakshi, Lt P. M. Hariz, and perhaps even Lt Gen B. S. Negi, raises extremely serious and critical questions of institutional integrity.” However, senior army officials said that Lt Gen Rawat has only superseded Lt Gen Bakshi, the senior most army commander and Lt Gen Hariz. The prime minister himself should spell out the “compelling reasons” behind this supersession, Tewari told reporters at the party office here. “Why the principle of seniority which has held the ﬁeld for two decades now not respected by the government. Is it that these offic-

ers who were superseded unqualiﬁed in any manner? Or is it whimsical cherry picking which has been done by the BJP-led NDA government,” he said. “Why does the army have to go through unnecessary bloodletting at the top? If it has been done, then reasons need to be put out in the public domain,” he said. ‘Very unfortunate’ Raja said, “Appointments in the army have become controversial, the appointments in the judiciary are already controversial, the appointments of CVC, CBI director and to Central Information Commission, all these top-level appointments are becoming very controversial.” Terming this as “very unfortunate”, Raja said it is not in the interest of democracy and the country. Holding that the government has made controversial appointments earlier also, Tewari questioned why the government has

Critical comments Responding to the Congress’ critical comments regarding the impending appointment of a new Chief Justice, BJP said the opposition party should not reach a premature conclusion and wait for an appropriate time. “If any party has ﬂouted the democratic norms most, it is the Congress party. BJP has always adhered to democratic norms,” it said. Asked whether Congress was trying to play politics, Tewari shot back saying, “The government is doing politics with the army. If the way supersession has taken place is not politics then what? “The government believes that if they are asked any question, then he/she is anti-national, if any legitimate question is also asked about armed forces, then that is sedition?” Tewari said, noting that it is the responsibility of the government to tell the country as to what were the circumstances which led to this supersession. “These are public appointments. The chief of the Indian army leads a million strong army. And, therefore it is legitimate to ask questions when such an unprecedented action takes place,” he said. He said the prime minister, whether it is demonetisation or any other issues, “believes he is not accountable to Parliament nor is he accountable to people of this country and every decision can be a ‘Tughlaki farman’ (diktat) taken at his whims and fancy”. Asked about Congress leader Shehzad Poonawalla’s tweet that Modi did not want Lt Gen Hariz, who he claims would have been the army chief after Lt Gen Bakshi and hence ﬁrst Muslim army chief, Tewari said it was “totally inappropriate”. - PTI

A N O N Y M OU S D O NAT I O N S

EC wants laws on Income tax exemption to political parties amended NEW DELHI: Seeking to check the use of black money and money laundering in politics, the Election Commission has recommended that the government amend laws to allow exemption from tax only to parties that win seats in elections and ban anonymous contributions of Rs2,000 and above to parties. Section 13A of the Income-tax Act, 1961 confers tax exemption to political parties for income from house property, income by way of voluntary contributions, income from capital gains and income from other sources. Only income under the head ‘salaries and income from business or profession’ are chargeable to tax in the hands of political parties in India. The Commission has now proposed that exemption of Income Tax should only be extended to political parties that contest elections and win seats in Lok Sabha or assembly polls. The Commission said, “There could be cases where political parties could be formed merely for availing of provisions of income tax exemption if the facility, that are at the expense of the public exchequer, is provided to all political parties.” There is also no constitutional or statutory prohibition on receipt of anonymous donations by political parties. But there is an “indirect partial ban” on anonymous donations through the requirement of declaration of donations under section 29C of The Representation of the People Act, 1951. But, such declarations are mandated only for contributions above Rs 20,000. As per the proposed amendment, sent by the Commission to the government, and made part of its compendium on proposed electoral reforms, “anonymous contributions above or equal to the amount of Rs2,000 should be prohibited”. - PTI

A L L E G E D AT TA C K O N A C H U R C H

Curfew in Imphal, mobile Internet snapped after violence IMPHAL: In the wake of heightened tension and violence, parts of Manipur capital Imphal were on Sunday brought under indeﬁnite curfew and mobile Internet services were snapped at various places to prevent spread of rumours over an alleged attack on a church. The curfew was imposed on Sunday noon and covers Porompat and Sawombung subdivisions of Imphal East district, said an order issued by the District Magistrate. It will continue till further directions. Earlier in the day, the state Cabinet decided to shut down mobile Internet services in Imphal West district with immediate effect, taking serious note on the prevailing situation here following three blasts on Friday.

The Imphal West District Magistrate issued an order directing telecom operators to shut down mobile data service in the district immediately until further orders. The action came in the wake of tensions following Friday’s blasts and an alleged attack on a church. Major areas of the state capital fall in Imphal West district where the three blasts had taken place within an hour on Friday evening. The Cabinet decision came after analysis of the prevailing law and order situation and to halt spreading of rumours through social networking sites, officials said. The move was preceded by a 24hour bandh called to protest hill based militants’ attacks on Manipur Police in the last few days in different parts of the state that left three policemen dead and 14

others injured. The militants also snatched several weapons from the IRB personnel. All measures were being taken to contain violence by deploying a large number of police personnel at sensitive areas of the state, a police officer said. The capital on Sunday saw violence by protesters who were agitating against the ongoing economic blockade in the state and a series of terrorist attacks. A number of vehicles were set on ﬁre or vandalised. The landlocked state has been experiencing severe hardship in supply of essential items since November 1 after United Naga Council (UNC) imposed an indeﬁnite economic blockade on the two national highways that serve as lifeline for the state.

The blockade was imposed following the state government’s announcement of formation of seven new districts, four of which have been formally inaugurated. Tension in the state heightened after suspected militants continued their violent attacks on Manipur Police and other state forces in the last few days that left three policemen dead and 14 others injured last Thursday. The attack was followed by triple bomb blasts at Nagaram area in Imphal West district allegedly by Manipur Naga People’s Front on Friday. In another incident, suspected militants overpowered a small outpost of Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) at Nungkao area on Saturday in Tamenglong district and ﬂed with nine service weapons. - PTI

IN FLAMES: Angry people set on ﬁre vehicles in Imphal East district on Sunday in protest against the United Naga Council (UNC)’s indeﬁnite economic blockade. - PTI

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PAKISTAN

PPP, PTI ask Nisar to resign over Quetta carnage report Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar has

The shocking level of inaction revealed in the Quetta Inquiry Commission Report is an indictment of the Balochistan and federal government as well as the NAP

rejected as ‘onesided’ the report of the one-judge judicial commission tasked to investigate the August 8 Quetta carnage and vowed to challenge it at every available forum

Sherry Rehman IN TROUBLE: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan addresses a

PPP senator

press conference in Islamabad on October 30, 2016. - AFP ﬁle photo

ISLAMABAD: Rejecting his news conference, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday demanded that Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan step down in the wake of a damning report on the August 8 killing of lawyers in Quetta. “The interior minister should have resigned after such stinging indictment by the Supreme Court Inquiry Commission but instead he has chosen to whitewash himself through a monologue on the media and rant against the opposition,” said the PPP spokesperson Senator Farhatullah Babar. Babar said any honourable person would be pained and shocked at the audacity of the interior minister in ‘regurgitating half-truths’ and ‘wagging his tongue’ against the opposition. Citing the report, PPP Senator Sherry Rehman condemned the failure of the National Action Plan and the government’s ‘inaction’ two years after the Army Public

School attack in Peshawar. “The shocking level of inaction revealed in the Quetta Inquiry Commission Report is an indictment of the Balochistan and federal government as well as the NAP,” Sherry said in a statement. She said the commission has unmistakably called out the Interior Ministry for its systematic failure in almost every aspect where it should have been acting to counter-terrorism. Bureaucratic paralysis “The details of the report reveal a trail of bureaucratic paralysis and criminal neglect in which the Interior Ministry also failed and delayed to proscribe terrorists. Upon reading the ﬁndings of this report, what further evidence of inaction do we need?” she questioned. In a statement issued by the PTI media wing, the party suggested that the minister take a ‘logical decision’ and hand in his resigna-

tion according to moral dictates and democratic norms. It said the apex court must take action against Nisar against Section 3-184 if he rejects to resign from his position. Meanwhile, the interior minister has rejected as ‘one-sided’ the report of the one-judge judicial commission tasked to investigate the August 8 Quetta carnage and vowed to challenge it at every available forum, including parliament and the Supreme Court. The commission’s report – compiled by Justice Qazi Faez Isa and released by the Supreme Court on Thursday – pointed out the ‘monumental failure’ of the interior ministry to combat terrorism. Based on investigations into the suicide bombing in which 70 people, mostly lawyers, were killed, the report stated that Nisar ‘displayed little sense of ministerial responsibility’ and that there was a continued delay on part of

R E L I G I OU S E D UC AT I O N

Absence of data on madrassahs shocks judicial commission ISLAMABAD: The Justice Qazi Faez Isa-led judicial commission on the August 8 Quetta carnage has reprimanded officials of the interior ministry as well as the religious affairs ministry for failing to provide satisfactory answers to questions about Islamic seminaries. The commission had asked whether any mosque or madrassah was directly or indirectly linked with either Jamatul Ahrar, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi or Lashkar-eJhangvi Al Aalmi militant groups. The religious affairs ministry said the matter was related to the interior ministry and provincial home departments and that the commission could obtain the information from the federal interior secretary and provincial chief secretaries. Justice Isa wondered why the religious affairs ministry did not have the basic data. According to the information provided by the umbrella organisations regulating madrassahs, there are 26,465 seminaries, but not all of them were affiliated with the ﬁve wifaqs. Surprisingly, there is no central depository of the basic data. And the exact number of madrassahs and their particulars are uncertain as no ministry or authority is even trying to obtain and collate this information, states the commission’s report

REGULATING MADRASSAHS: Students take their final exam at the largest Islamic Jamia Binoria seminary in Karachi. According to the information provided by the umbrella organisations regulating madrassahs, there are 26,465 seminaries, but not all of them were affiliated with the five wifaqs. - AFP file photo

submitted to the Supreme Court last week. The commission emphasised that the state needed to have complete record in this regard, adding that without such information it would not be possible to formulate and implement any strategy to block errant elements. The commission pointed out that the religious affairs ministry’s nomenclature was changed and it was now named ‘Ministry of Religious Affairs and InterFaith Harmony’. But the ministry appeared to have conﬁned itself, according to its own website, to “matters relating to Haj and Umrah”.It doesn’t attend to mat-

ters relating to religious education or inter-faith harmony, the report states. The commission stated that the ministry should strive to counter hate-speech and extremism on intellectual level. All ﬁve wifaqs responded to the commission’s queries, informing it that the Wafaqul Madaris-ul-Salﬁa regulated 695 seminaries, Wifaqul Madaris Al Arabia 14,590, Wifaqul Madaris Al Shia Pakistan 470, Tanzeemul Madaris Ahle Sunnat-Pakistan, 9,210, and Rabitaul Madaris Al Islamia Pakistan regulated 1,500 madrassahs. - Express Tribune

ACHIEVEMENT

Sharmeen wins duPont-Columbia Award ISLAMABAD: Sharmeen ObaidChinoy has been experiencing one success after another. The Pakistani Cinema recently had 3 Bahadur: The Revenge of Baba Balaam hit the screens and prove to be an immense success and now, the ﬁlmmaker has bagged the Alfred I duPont-Columbia University Award for her Oscar-winning documentary A Girl In The River: The Price of Forgiveness. The award was established in 1942 and administered since 1968 by the Columbia Uni-

versity Graduate School of Journalism in New York City. The Alfred I duPont-Columbia University Award is administered in recognition of those best in broadcast, documentary and online reporting. The winners will receive their awards in the Low Memorial Library, on January 25, 2017, at the awards’ 75th anniversary celebration. Sharmeen won an Oscar and the American Spirit Award for Activism in the Arts from The Common Ground earlier this year. -Express Tribune

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

his ministry to take steps against proscribed organisations. It also slammed the interior minister for holding a meeting with the leader of a sectarian outﬁt. Responding to the report and the opposition’s motion, Nisar told a news conference on Saturday that “the report is one-sided and released without including the narrative of the Ministry of Interior. In the report, personal attacks are carried out against me.” He said the apex court is the place where justice is dispensed and even the culprit is provided the opportunity to defend himself. “But after the report, I, my ministry, and the government are being bashed though the media.” Allegations Nisar said after allegations of his political rivals in the wake of the report, he had offered to resign in order to defend himself, “but the prime minister told me

that it is unacceptable”. Talking with reference to the commission’s questioning during its investigation, he said the commission had sent a letter to him on the address of the Punjab House and in this letter answers to ﬁve questions were sought. He said the commission had asked him why he had met a delegation of the Ahmed Ludhyanvi-led Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ). Nisar said he had replied that it was not correct that he had met an ASWJ delegation. “On October 21, I had a meeting a delegation of the Difa-e-Pakistan Council and many political parties, including the Pakistan Muslim League Quaid, Jamaat-eIslami and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam are part of it. General Hameed Gul and Sheikh Rasheed have also been part of the council,” he added. He said ASWJ leader Ludhyanvi was just a part of the 18-member delegation. “Ahmed Ludhyanvi had contested the 2013 elections and no objection was raised against him by the caretaker government, the Election Commission of Pakistan and any court,” he said, adding that the delegation had one-point agenda pertaining to blocking of CNICs. Nisar said the second question was why her allowed the ASWJ to hold a public gathering in Islamabad. “I replied that issuing permission for public gatherings is not my responsibility as this falls within the jurisdictions of the district administration. When I inquired from the district administration I was informed that neither the ASWJ had sought permission to hold the public gathering nor it was granted to it,” he said. Nisar said the Shuhada Foundation of a local mosque (Lal Masjid) had applied for holding a conference while neither the ASWJ requested nor it was allowed to hold the gathering. - Express Tribune

S TAT E B A N K O F PA K I S TA N

Value of large transactions through RTGS reaches Rs232t KARACHI: The volume and value of large value transactions through Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) reached 930,501 and Rs232 trillion during fiscal year 2016, up 21 per cent and 29 per cent in volume and value, respectively, compared with fiscal year 2015, according to State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) data. Though the volume of paper based transactions have decreased by 6 per cent during the year, they still constitute approximately 38 per cent of volume of total retail payments. The central bank said that payment systems in Pakistan have shown significant growth in key performance indicators during fiscal year 2016. “It is encouraging to witness consistent upward trend in volume and value of payments through digital/electronic channels which complement the SBP’s vision to promote digital payments in the country,” according to a press release. On the other hand, the use of e-banking channels has shown bullish trends as evident from increase of e-banking transactions by 16 per cent in volume and 4 per cent in value. Likewise, real-time online banking transactions also rose 135.4 million by volume and Rs32.3 trillion by value showing an increase of 19% in volume and 2 per cent in value of e-banking transactions during the period under review. The use of Alternate Delivery Channels (ADCs) such as ATMs, point of sale (POS) terminals, internet and mobile banking also showed rising trend as of June 2016 as 39.2 million transactions valuing approximately Rs200 billion were carried out at POS terminals compared with 32.1 million transactions valuing Rs172 billion, up 22 per cent in volume and 16 per cent in value compared with the previous year. Likewise, Internet and mobile banking also showed steady growth. - Express Tribune

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2016

WORLD ACCIDENT DURING TRAINING EXERCISE

13 killed as Indonesian air force plane crashes in Papua JAKARTA: An Indonesian air force transport plane has crashed into a mountain, killing all 13 people board, during a training exercise in the remote region of Papua, a search and rescue agency official said on Sunday. The Hercules C130 plane had taken off from the city of Timika before crashing near its destination of Wamena at around 6.15am local time (2315 GMT), said Ivan Ahmad Riski Titus, operational director of Indonesia’s Search and Rescue Agency. The crash site on Lisuwa mountain had been found and the bodies of the victims were being brought back to Wamena, he said. Air transport is commonly used in remote and mountainous Papua, Indonesia’s easternmost province, where land travel is often impossible. Indonesia has a patchy air safety record and President Joko Widodo promised a review of the country’s ageing air force ﬂeet last year after a military transport plane crashed, killing more than 100 people. — Reuters

THE CRASH SITE: Indonesian officials examining the Hercules military plane A-1334 that crashed in Wamena on Sunday. – AFP/Search and Rescue Team

D E A D LY V I R U S

China will return US drone; Trump says they can keep it China’s ministry of defence pledged an ‘appropriate’ return of the drone on its Weibo social media account

WASHINGTON: The Pentagon said China will return a US Navy underwater drone after its military scooped up the submersible in the South China Sea late this week and sparked a row that drew in President-elect Donald Trump, who said on Twitter the Chinese stole it, so they can keep it. “Through direct engagement with Chinese authorities, we have secured an understanding that the Chinese will return the UUV to the United States,” Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said in a statement on Saturday, referring to the unmanned underwater vehicle the US said had been operating in international waters. China’s ministry of defence pledged an “appropriate” return of the drone on its Weibo social media account, while also criticising the US for hyping the incident into a diplomatic row. It followed assurances from Beijing that the governments were working to resolve the spat, punctuated by a tweet from Trump denouncing the seizure as “unprecedented.” The drone incident was disclosed by the Pentagon on Friday. China’s ministry said the US “hyped the case in public,” which it said wasn’t helpful in resolving the problem. The US has “frequently” sent its vessels and aircraft into the region, and China urges such activities to stop, the ministry said in its

SEIZED: Crew members aboard the VOS Raasay recover US and British Royal Navy ocean gliders taking part in the Unmanned Warrior exercise off the northwest coast of Scotland, on October 8, 2016. A similar unmanned underwater vehicle was seized by the Chinese Navy in international waters off the coast of the Philippines on December 15, 2016. – AFP/US Navy/Cmdr. Santiago Carrizosa/File

Weibo message. Trump slammed the Chinese navy’s capture of the vehicle in a message to his 17.4 million Twitter followers. “China steals United States Navy research drone in international waters -- rips it out of water and takes it to China in unprecedented act,” Trump wrote on Saturday hours after the Chinese government said it had been in touch with the US military about the incident. In a follow-up Twitter message, the president-elect said: “We should tell China that we don’t want the drone they stole back -- let them keep it!” The tensions unleashed by the episode underscored the delicate state of relations between the two countries, weeks before Trump’s inauguration. Trump has threatened higher tariffs on Chinese products and questioned the US approach to Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of its territory. Meanwhile, China is growing more assertive over its claims to disputed sections of the South China Sea. “China and the US

are using their military channels to properly handle this case,” China’s foreign ministry said in a statement sent to Bloomberg earlier on Saturday. The Global Times, a newspaper affiliated with the Communist Party, cited a Chinese military official saying the drone was taken during a security check and predicted that the incident would likely be “resolved successfully.” Not everyone in Chinese was conciliatory, however. Sensitive waters People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the ruling Communist Party, said in a commentary on its WeChat account that the drone had been found in sensitive waters near Scarborough Shoal, and was conducting military operations. “No doubt that UUV was missioned to detect submarines, it might even have followed submarines,” the paper said in the article published late Saturday. “The region is a gray zone, and if the US Navy’s drone could come over, the Chinese could

capture and seize it.” Beijing could ask Washington to apologise because the drone was damaging the safety of Chinese people and ships, the newspaper said. “Hello United States, the Christmas gift that you left in the South China Seas has been received, please don’t worry.” The Defence Department said a Chinese naval ship unlawfully seized the small unmanned vehicle Thursday while the USNS Bowditch, a US Navy survey ship, picked up the drone in a routine operation 50 nautical miles (93 kilometers) northwest of Subic Bay in the Philippines. The seizure was “one of the most brazen actions that the PLA Navy has taken against US Navy for a very long time,” said Ashley Townshend, research fellow at the US studies center at the University of Sydney. “Against a background of rising tensions in the South China Sea and Trump’s increasingly hawkish comments on China policy, this incident will be a serious test for US-China relations.”

The unmanned underwater vehicle is an unclassiﬁed “ocean glider” system used around world to gather data on salinity, water temperature and sound speed, the Pentagon said. The Bowditch, which belongs to the US Military Sealift Command, was on a routine mission to retrieve the drones, according to the Department of Defence. The Bowditch made radio contact with the Chinese navy ship requesting the return of the vehicle, but the request was ignored, Cook said in a statement on Friday. He described the drone as a “sovereign immune vessel of the United States.” Typically the drones operate under their own power. The Chinese vessel was about 500 yards from the Bowditch when it launched a small vessel to retrieve the drone, according a Defence Department official who spoke on condition of anonymity because those details hadn’t been publicly released. “China is very sensitive about unmanned underwater vehicles because they can track our nuclear ballistic missile submarines ﬂeet,” said retired Major General Xu Guangyu, a senior researcher at Beijing-based research group the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association. “If one from the Bowditch can be detected and even snatched by a Chinese naval ship, it shows it’s getting too close to the sensitive water areas.” Scarborough Shoal, about 150 nautical miles from Subic Bay, is the closest disputed area of the sea from the drone incident. The last major confrontation between the US and China similar to Thursday’s happened in 2013, when a Chinese vessel cut in front of the USS Cowpens guided-missile cruiser from a distance of 100 yards, an incident that then-US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel called “irresponsible.” The two sides have since sought to improve communications with the intent of avoiding such incidents. — Bloomberg

Malaysia reports eighth Zika case KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia confirmed an eighth Zika virus case on Sunday, involving a 67-year-old man who first showed symptoms in late November. An online statement from the Health Ministry’s director general, Noor Hisham Abdullah, did not specify if the man from the state of Selangor contracted the case locally or overseas. The statement said that during November 14-28, the man was in Kuala Lumpur, in the Selangor city of Shah Alam and in Perak state, north of Selangor. “His family members were questioned and their blood and urine samples were taken as soon as he (the patient) tested positive for Zika,” said Noor Hisham. “Active case detection is being conducted in the patient’s residential area to detect if neighbouring residents have symptoms of Zika.” Malaysia confirmed its first Zika case in September, after a woman tested positive following a threeday visit to Singapore. — Reuters UNSC DECISION

North Korea curbs on five ships lifted UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations Security Council said on Saturday it had lifted sanctions on five ships that were blacklisted in March for ties to North Korea’s arms trade. The ships were among 31 vessels sanctioned by the council on March 2 because they were linked to Ocean Maritime Management (OMM), a North Korean shipping firm. The Council sanctions committee for North Korea decided the five vessels “are not economic resources controlled or operated by Ocean Maritime Management Company, Limited and therefore not subject to the asset freeze.” — Reuters

CHINA

Flights grounded, highways closed as smog blankets Tianjin BEIJING: Authorities in Tianjin grounded three dozen flights and closed most highways on Sunday after severe smog blanketed the city, one of more than more than 40 in China’s northeast to issue pollution warnings in the past 48 hours. Air quality index (AQI) readings at some monitoring stations in Tianjin, a port and industrial city southeast of Beijing, peaked above 400, state-run news agency Xinhua said. Anything above 300 is considered hazardous by the US Environmental Protection Agency. China’s environmental watchdog issued a ﬁve-day warning on Friday about choking smog spreading across the northeast and ordered factories to shut, recommended residents stay indoors and curbed traffic and construction work. Pollution alerts have

become increasingly common in China’s northern industrial heartland, especially during winter when energy demand - much of it met by coal - skyrockets. In addition, heavy winds force pollution from nearby provinces to the Beijing-Tianjin area where it remains suspended over the cities. By 10am on Sunday in Tianjin, 35 international ﬂights had been delayed or cancelled and all highways in and out of the city, with one exception, were shut, Xinhua said. With the density of pollutants expected to peak on Sunday and Monday, Tianjin’s environmental protection department had strengthened inspections to control sources of pollution including factories. Tianjin was placed on orange alert - the second highest level - on Sunday. On Saturday, 22 cities issued red alerts including

top steelmaking city Tangshan in Hebei province around Beijing, and Jinan in coal-rich Shandong province. Red alerts are issued when the AQI is forecast to exceed 200 for more than four days in succession, 300 for more than two days or 500 for at least 24 hours. In Beijing, the city’s Municipal Environmental Monitoring Centre showed air quality readings of above 300 in some parts Sunday afternoon, but in most the index was below 200. “When I went out yesterday I didn’t wear a mask and my throat really hurt and I felt dizzy. It was hard to breathe through my nose,” Chen Xiaochong, a hotel manager in the capital, told Reuters. “This pollution really is quite dangerous for people, so it’s important to protect the environment.” — Reuters

POLLUTION: People wearing masks stand in smog during a heavily polluted day in Beijing, China, on Saturday. – China Daily/via Reuters

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A11

WORLD

YEARS IN JAIL

Former Israeli president set for early release

LIGHT OF WISHES Participants release sky lanterns during the ‘Christmas light of wishes” event in Zagreb, Croatia, on Saturday. — Reuters

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Disgraced former Israeli president Moshe Katsav, who has been serving a seven-year prison sentence for rape, was on Sunday set for early release after five years behind bars, a parole board order said. But the release of Katsav has been delayed by at least a week while state prosecutors consider whether to appeal against the parole board’s decision. Katsav left office in 2007 and was convicted of raping an aide when he was a cabinet minister in the late 1990s. He was also convicted of molesting or physically harassing two other women employees during his 2000-2007 term as president. Katsav, a former member of the right-wing Likud party, was jailed in 2011. He had for a long time denied any wrongdoing and was turned down for early release on two previous occasions. In its decision on Sunday, the board wrote that since the first failed hearing, Katsav had “travelled a long path, had benefited from prison therapy services and had recognised and regretted his actions against the women and the pain he had caused them.” — Reuters

Scotland will unveil single market Brexit plan this week We will set out compromise proposals which, while not conferring the full beneﬁts of EU membership, would mitigate the Brexit damage, said Michael Russell

LONDON: Scotland will publish proposals this week for how it can remain in the European Union’s single market after Britain leaves the bloc, in order to avoid the “national disaster” of a “hard Brexit”, the Scottish government said on Sunday. British Prime Minister Theresa May has said she will trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, the formal process of leaving the EU, by the end of March to start two years of exit talks. However, her plans for those

TOUGH TALK: Scotland’s minister for EU negotiations, Michael Russell, speaks during an interview in Berlin, Germany, on November 17, 2016. – Reuters File

negotiations have been shrouded in secrecy and businesses and investors fear Britain might seek a “hard Brexit” where controlling immigration takes priority over access to the European single market. While the United Kingdom as a whole voted to leave the EU in June, Scotland strongly backed remaining in the bloc. The country’s devolved na-

tionalist government has said it wants to stay part of the EU when the rest of the UK leaves, and on Tuesday will put forward plans for remaining in the 500 millionconsumer single market should that prove impossible. “We will set out compromise proposals which, while not conferring the full beneﬁts of EU membership, would mitigate the

B R E X I T C A M PA I G N E R

Farage wants to be a bridge between UK and Trump LONDON: Leading Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage said on Sunday he wanted to be a bridge between the British government and the new US administration. Last month US Presidentelect Donald Trump said Farage - the former leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) - would be great as Britain’s envoy to Washington, but the British government dismissed the suggestion. “I can help to be a bridge between the government in this country, the new trade department in this country, and not just Donald Trump but his team, his administration, and I would like to do that,” Farage told BBC Radio. “If you wanted to get business from the biggest company in the world and there was someone there that had the contacts and connections, the ﬁrst thing you would do is to employ that person because that is how the world works.” Farage, who said he did not think he would get a role in the US

BOOSTING TIES: Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage – Reuters File

administration because he had a British passport, said Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May had banned members of her senior team of ministers from speaking to him. However, trade secretary Liam Fox said he had received no such instruction. “We have longstanding understandings of how we deal with incoming administrations... We don’t need anything as an adjunct to what the govern-

ment already does and has successfully done in the past,” he told BBC TV. “We have got a perfectly good ambassador in Washington at the present time.” Farage spent decades campaigning for Britain to leave the European Union and helped to force the then Prime Minister David Cameron to call the June referendum that brought the Brexit vote. — Reuters

Brexit damage,” said Michael Russell, the Scottish government’s minister for EU negotiations. “At the heart of our plan is a framework to keep Scotland’s place in the European single market.” Russell said such a plan faced “complexities” but a “hard Brexit” threatened 80,000 Scottish jobs over a decade. “That would be a national disas-

ter for Scotland,” he said. “Brexit presents everyone with an unprecedented challenge, and with political goodwill on all sides and a willingness to cooperate, these proposals can effect a solution for Scotland.” The plans also will outline further “substantial” new powers that should be handed to the devolved parliament in Edinburgh post-Brexit. May has promised to work with the devolved Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments to achieve a uniﬁed negotiating strategy for Brexit, which is further straining the centuriesold union between England and Scotland. Scots rejected secession in a 2014 referendum but the ruling Scottish National Party has warned it might hold a second independence vote. Former Scottish ﬁrst minister Alex Salmond told Sky News that could be prompted by Scotland being prevented from staying in the EU’s single market. “If that argument is dismissed, swept aside contemptuously... it is very likely there will be an independence referendum within the next two years,” said Salmond, now an SNP member of the British parliament at Westminster. — Reuters

EXPLICIT BOOK

Egypt court suspends author’s jail sentence CAIRO: Egypt’s highest court on Sunday ordered the freeing of an author who was jailed for public indecency when extracts from his explicit novel were published in a literary newspaper, his lawyer said. A chapter from Ahmed Naji’s novel Istikhdam Al Hayat, or Using Life, was serialised in a stateowned literary publication and a case was brought against him last year by a private citizen who claimed it had caused him distress including heart palpitations. Naji was initially acquitted in January this year but the prosecution appealed against that ruling and he was sentenced to two years in prison in a February retrial. The sentence was viewed by fellow authors, journalists, and human rights activists as an affront to freedom of expression and his lawyers appealed. The Court of Cassation temporarily suspended Naji’s sentence on Sunday but banned him from travel and scheduled another hearing for January 1, lawyer Negad Al Borai told Reuters. Naji has not been released yet but it is expected he will get out of prison later on Sunday, Borai said. The court will determine on January 1 whether to accept his appeal - setting in motion a second and ﬁnal retrial - or reject it and send him back to prison. — Reuters

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2016

WORLD Evacuation resumes in Aleppo city Pro-government forces agreed to the deal in exchange for people being allowed to leave two villages besieged by insurgents

BEIRUT/AMMAN: A number of buses containing fighters from east Aleppo and their families left the last rebel-held sector of the Syrian city on Sunday after a deal between rebels and pro-government forces allowed evacuations to resume. Pro-government forces agreed to the deal in exchange for people being allowed to leave two villages besieged by insurgents. The Aleppo evacuation ground to a halt on Friday after a disagreement over the villages of Al Foua and Kefraya. Syrian state television, citing its correspondent in the city, said on Sunday buses had started to leave east Aleppo where over 15,000 people gathered in a square to wait for the buses. Many had spent the night sleeping in the streets in freezing temperatures. Some buses and Red Crescent vehicles also arrived at the entrance to the two villages shortly after the deal was announced, according to Al Manar television. The broadcaster is affiliated to the Lebanese group Hezbollah, an ally of Damascus. However, five buses were attacked and burned on their way there, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Syrian state media said. State television showed pictures of flames coming from the green buses which have come to be synonymous with evacuations in Syria. Videos broadcast on social media showed men with guns

FOR SAFER PASTURES: Buses drive through the Syrian government-controlled crossing of Ramoussa, on the southern outskirts of Aleppo, on Sunday, during an evacuation operation of rebel ﬁghters and civilians from rebel-held areas. – AFP

cheering and shouting slogans as the buses burned. State media said “armed terrorists”, a term it uses for groups ﬁghting against President Bashar Al Assad’s rule, carried out the attack. Pro-Damascus Mayadeen television said the rebel group formerly known as the Nusra Front was behind the attack. Rebel officials said an angry crowd of people, possibly alongside pro-government “operatives”, was responsible. Aleppo had been divided between government and rebel areas in the nearly six-year-long war, but a lightning advance by the Syrian army and its allies began in midNovember following months of intense air strikes, forcing the insurgents out of most of the rebel-held territory within a matter of weeks. According to Syria’s Al Ikhbari-

ya TV news, about 1,200 civilians would initially be evacuated from east Aleppo and a similar number from the two villages. A document cited by Al Manar television and passed to Reuters by rebels and activists said the entire deal would see 2,500 citizens leave Al Foua and Kefraya in two batches, in exchange for the evacuation of people from east Aleppo in two corresponding batches. Following this, another 1,500 would leave Al Foua and Kefraya in exchange for the evacuation of 1,500 from the towns of Madaya and Zabadani near Lebanon, which are besieged by pro-government forces. Once evacuees from the villages have safely arrived in government areas, Aleppo ﬁghters and more of their family members will be al-

lowed to leave, in return for subsequent batches of people departing Al Foua and Kefraya, Al Ikhbariya TV reported. In the square in Aleppo’s Sukari district, organisers gave every family a number to allow them on buses. “Everyone is waiting until they are evacuated. They just want to escape,” said Salah Al Attar, a former teacher with his five children, wife and mother. Thousands of people were evacuated on Thursday, the first to leave under a ceasefire deal that would end years of fighting for the city and mark a major victory for Assad. The chaos surrounding the evacuation reflects the complexity of Syria’s civil war, with an array of groups and foreign interests involved on all sides. The United Nations Security

Council is due to vote Sunday on a French-drafted resolution aimed at ensuring that UN officials can monitor the evacuations from Aleppo and the protection of civilians who remain. Those who were evacuated on Thursday were taken to rebel-held districts of the countryside west of Aleppo. Turkey has said Aleppo evacuees could also be housed in a camp to be constructed near the Turkish border to the north. The draft UN text, seen by Reuters on Saturday, also “emphasises that the evacuations of civilians must be voluntary and to ﬁnal destinations of their choice, and protection must be provided to all civilians who choose or who have been forced to be evacuated and those who opt to remain in their homes.” A vote has been scheduled for

CITY OF KARAK

U N AT O M I C AG E N C Y

Canadian killed in shootout at Jordanian castle AMMAN: A Canadian woman was killed and several other tourists were taken hostage by gunmen who holed themselves up in a medieval castle in southern Jordan on Sunday after killing at least four police officers in a shooting spree. Police in the mountainous city of Karak freed 10 people, including foreign tourists, but some were still being held in the Crusaderera castle from where the gunmen shot at security forces who were surrounding it, a security source said. Prime Minister Hani al Mulki told parliament “a number of security personnel” had been killed and that security forces were laying siege to the castle. The Canadian government conﬁrmed one of its nationals had been killed. Violence Police said the violence began when gunmen starting shooting at officers patrolling the town before entering the castle, perched on top of a hill. The identity of the assailants was not immediately clear. — Reuters

Sunday morning, diplomats said. It was not immediately clear how Russia would vote. Before the draft was circulated to the council, Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said on Friday: “If it is a sensible initiative and we see it on paper, why not entertain this initiative?” Russia, an ally of Damascus that has provided military backing to Assad’s troops, has vetoed six Security Council resolutions on Syria since the conﬂict started in 2011. China joined Moscow in vetoing ﬁve resolutions. A crackdown by Assad on pro-democracy protesters in 2011 led to civil war and IS militants have used the chaos to seize territory in Syria and Iraq. Half of Syria’s 22 million people have been uprooted and more than 400,000 killed. — Reuters

SHOOTING SITE: Jordanian policemen and an ambulance in the vicinity of Karak Castle in the city of Karak, Jordan, on Sunday. – Reuters

‘Iran showing commitment to nuclear deal’ DUBAI: Iran has shown commitment to the deal on its nuclear programme agreed with world powers, the head of the United Nations atomic energy watchdog said on Sunday, following complaints by Tehran over what it calls a US violation of the accord. The White House said on Thursday that a bill extending US sanctions against Iran for 10 years would become law without President Barack Obama’s signature, adding this would not affect overall implementation of the nuclear agreement. “We are satisﬁed with the implementation of the (agreement) and hope that this process will continue,” IAEA director general Yukiya Amano was quoted as telling reporters in Tehran by the IRNA news agency. “Iran has been committed to its engagement so far and this is important,” Amano was quoted as saying after meeting Iran’s nuclear energy chief, Ali Akbar Salehi. — Reuters

ACCESS TO MEDIA

Polish opposition extends parliamentary protest after row WARSAW: Around two dozen members of Poland’s main opposition party extended their sit-in protest in parliament on Sunday after talks to resolve a dispute over proposed restrictions on media access failed to produce an agreement. New rules for journalists in parliament put forward by the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party have led to the biggest political standoff in years in the European Union state, with protests spreading across the country on Saturday. President Andrzej Duda was planning talks on Sunday to try to defuse the row, while powerful PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski also intervened to try to broker a resolution. PiS has tightened its grip on state media and the legal system since coming to power a year ago and been criticised by Western al-

lies over plans to reform the highest court which its opponents say is an attempt to contravene democratic standards. Kaczynski ordered a meeting between the speaker of the upper house of parliament and about a dozen media representatives at short notice late on Saturday. Consensus After the meeting, speaker Stanislaw Karczewski said that a consensus was reached to meet again on Monday and discuss concrete proposals. “No one has ever wanted to limit journalists’ access to important political events,” PAP news agency cited Karczewski as saying after the meeting. Members of the opposition Civic Platform (PO) began their protest on Friday, blocking the plenary hall podium ahead of a budget

vote. A small group of protesters held an overnight vigil in front of parliament until Sunday morning, with another demonstration scheduled in defence of the constitutional court later in the day and a pro-government rally afterwards. Prime Minister Beata Szydlo has said the protest was just whining by parties that lost an election in 2015 after eight years in government. However, there were signs of a more conciliatory approach from her office on Sunday. “It might be necessary... to admit that our politicians have inadequately communicated the proposed changes to the journalists, to our society and the opposition used this as a pretext,” Pawe Szefernaker, the secretary of state in the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, told the Radio ZET station. — Reuters

RALLY TO SAY THANKS: People shout slogans as anti-government protesters gather in front of the Constitutional Court to thank the outgoing head of court Andrzej Rzeplinski for his efforts to defend its independence, in Warsaw on Sunday. – AFP

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This week, after four and a half years of faithful service, I ﬁnally replaced my old laptop. I will not bore you with the litany of troubles that led to this decision. The only interesting thing about my decision to replace my old 15-inch Macbook Pro is what I chose to replace it with: a nearly identical Macbook, about four years newer.

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READERS’ FORUM Accreditation adds up more responsibility on hospitals This refers to the report on hospital getting certification on inspection control programme Apollo Hospital gets German inspection control accreditation (December 18). While such recognition adds up more responsibility on hospitals and associated services, it is also equally important to see a change in the approach of hospital staff. My experience is contrary to what is expected from clinics and hospitals, as some of the responsible staff have been seen deliberately arguing with patients. Accreditations should not be Scan this QR code just for hanging the certificates on the walls, to send letters to the as organisations of whatever business they Readers’ Forum, undertake must realise that customers are containing not more than 200 words with their existence. Hospitals being a critically full name, address significant place for life today, the responand telephone sibility of those organisations having certinumber, may be sent fications is that they behave more sensibly. by e-mail (akhtar@ timesofoman.com). As healthcare should be highly focused on patients’ safety, it is equally important to take care of them emotionally and offer a sigh of relief to cure their pain. I’m a person who had sent several reminder emails for a feedback on my concerns, but never received a response. It is their obligation to attend to each and every concern of patients, as third-party certifications add more responsibility on them . — Ramachandran Nair, Ruwi

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China has lately been facing a new wave of capital ﬂight, driven partly by concerns among entrepreneurs that President Xi Jinping’s anticorruption campaign – so far focused on corrupt government officials – could one day be redirected at them and their assets. After all, given that the laws and regulations governing business

n estimated quarter-million young people in Syria are missing out on college as a result of the civil war there. Now, thanks to the Institute of International Education, charities, philanthropists, and foundations have united to help refugee students find higher-education opportunities, and to provide safe havens for lecturers and professors persecuted by the Syrian regime. The Platform for Education in Emergencies Response will connect college-ready Syrian refugees with refugee-ready colleges. In time, PEER will serve as a conduit to higher education for displaced students worldwide, and it will cater to all education levels, by providing webbased information, points of contact, and muchneeded counseling and support. PEER is one project the Catalyst Trust for Universal Education – an education charity founded by former New York University President John Sexton – is now supporting. The Catalyst Trust is also looking at projects to rethink school auditing, spur social-impact investing in the education sector, and introduce curricula to encourage inter-faith coexistence. Any projects the Catalyst Trust supports will have to prove their scalability and share the goal of providing universal education, for the first time, to an entire generation of young people. With 260 million children not in school worldwide, education needs more champions to match the enthusiasm of advocates in, say, the globalhealth and environmental movements. There is more room for innovation in education than in any other international-development sector, especially as digital technologies and the Internet become more accessible even in the world’s poorest regions.The education sector has so far been too slow to adapt to our changing world. Despite momentous technological advances, classrooms – unlike workplaces or homes – have remained largely unchanged since the nineteenth century. It is past time for reforms that empower teachers and transform schools into twenty-firstcentury learning hubs. In recent years, private-sector funding options – such as venture capital, targeted-investment funds, and new asset classes – have opened up

countless new opportunities for education-sector social entrepreneurs. However, as with technology, the public and nonprofit sectors have been slow to keep up; both still need to recognise the value of social enterprises focused on education. This gap point to a unique opportunity to realise social enterprise’s underappreciated potential. To grasp this opportunity, we should first acknowledge that too many ideas emanating from the nonprofit sector are stillborn or unfeasible, often for lack of finance. So we should do more to provide seed capital for education start-ups like Catalyst, which can then help to scale up successful pilot programs. This strategy will create a virtuous cycle whereby initial innovations spur further innovations across the education sector. Reformers should take a lesson from Sir Ronald Cohen’s pioneering work in social-impact investing. And, indeed, the Catalyst Trust is already exploring how best to measure outcomes in developing countries’ school-assessment systems, and determining which metrics are most relevant to unique educational environments. A team of New York University professors – building on previous findings from UNESCO and the Brookings Institution – will work with a global network of researchers at local universities in several countries to examine the most appropriate methods for evaluating success and failure in education systems worldwide. In another effort, the Catalyst Trust is looking at pilot projects in human-rights education across Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the United States to determine how school curricula can best cultivate inter-faith understanding. It is time to counter the extreme idea, currently popular in Western politics, that coexistence is impossible. Schools are the first places where we can and should be promoting inclusive citizenship. A curriculum fostering inclusion must go beyond optimistic appeals to universal religious dictums such as “love thy neighbour” and the Golden Rule. To that end, the Catalyst Trust hopes to support the development of curricula that teach pupils the value of diversity for strengthening social cohesion and harmony. - Project Syndicate

CLIPPINGS FROM OUR ARCHIVES DECEMBER 2001 Eid festival lures big crowd MUSCAT: The festival of cultural, social and entertainment activities organised by the Muscat Municipality, began on the ﬁrst day of Eid at the Festival Square in Al Khuwair, attracted a large number of visitors. The festival includes a heritage village, a souq featuring Bedouin, coastal and rural environment, and a handicraft exhibition.

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PICTOGRAPH

NEW COMMERCIAL VEHICLES REGISTERED 2016 September

October

1,489

1,326

1944: During the Battle of the Bulge, American troops begin pulling back from the twin Belgian cities of Krinkelt and Rocherath in front of the advancing German Army. 1959: Reputed to be the last civil war veteran, Walter Williams, dies at 117 in Houston. 2001: Rioting begins in Buenos Aires, Argentina, during the country’s economic crisis.

0 Source National Centre for Statistics & Information

A14

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2016

LIFESTYLE GEAR

lthough Porsche’s hardearned reputation in the automotive world was built on the back of its reputation of high-performance, high-end sports cars, its bestseller is interestingly the Cayenne, a sport utility vehicle. While it is currently available in seven variants, today, we’re taking a sneak peek at the GTS. One of the most expensive in the SUV family, the Cayenne GTS is surely a brilliantly crafted vehicle. One that’s going to make you say “Wow, this thing drives like a gigantic sports car.” While the GTS is not the most powerful Cayenne in the stable, what makes it stand head and shoulders above the rest is the perfect combination of performance, athleticism, and style with its 440hp, high-performance chassis, and melodic engine sound. The engine in the GTS has been downsized for 2016 with a 3.6-litre V6 twin-turbo replacing the previous V8. However, the result is an increase in power with 20 extra hp and 85Nm of torque. Fuel economy has also been improved with the new engine. All models come with an eightspeed Tiptronic-S automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. This well-thought out system ensures power is transferred to the rear wheels and then routed to the front wheels as needed.

Story Mobin Mathew Blesson Photography Jun Estrada

Exterior Porsche have always followed their very own design language to design their exteriors, though whether you ﬁnd it to your liking is a highly selective matter of personal taste. From the outside you won’t ﬁnd anything on the Cayenne that sets it apart from the rest of the luxury automotive brands, but then again people don’t buy Porsche vehicles for the looks. Interior Leather interior panelling comes standard with the Cayenne GTS,

which I think many would consider a necessity or minimum requirement due to the hefty price tag this ride commands, but what does set the Cayenne ahead of its competitors is the roomy, practical interiors of the car, very suitable for a midsized SUV, and one that plays to the car’s advantage in this market. While the impressive array of buttons on the dash and centre console, do constitute a rocket scientist’s dream and add a modicum of geeky coolness, the operation of these bells and whistles is far from rocket science. The reason the Cayenne does so well is because it offers petrol heads the opportunity to imbue their family with the luxury, safety and performance that is so uniquely Porsche. After all, it does not make sense to ﬁt your children a 911. While you can enjoy space and practicality in abundance with the GTS, a ride up front is particularly un-missable, with deceptively comfortable sports seating, both in the front and rear. Unless of course, you are exceptionally tall. The same goes for the boot, which offers up a substantial 670 litres of space with the seats in place and up to 1,780 litres with them folded. You wouldn’t think you’d able to take this to your weekly shop, but there’s another advantage the Cayenne ﬁelds over other sports cars.

SPECIFICATIONS Engine Size: 3.6 litres Number of Cylinders: 6 Engine Power: Direct fuel injection Engine Type: Gasoline Full Tank (Litre): 85 Horsepower: 440hp @ 6000rpm Torque (NM): 600 Newton Meter @ 5000rpm Acceleration 0 - 100 KM/H: 5.2 Seconds Top Speed: 262 Km/h Transmission Type: Continuously Variable Transmission: 8 Speed Oman Authorised Dealer Porsche Oman Centre +968 2449 2544 porsche.com

On the road The Cayenne GTS exudes the motoring qualities that have made Porsche the byword for performance par excellence, with impressive body control and a chassis that manages the car’s size with impressive calm. Of the

three chassis modes, Comfort is best for long drives, Sport for everything else and Sport Plus for that rare excursion onto a track. Mirroring the behaviour of other SUVs, the steering of the Cayenne GTS is actually quite light by Porsche standards, which makes it easily manoeuvrable, with a directness and synchronisation that is well-matched to the speed of directional changes the car encourages when you’re pushing on. The GTS’ standard air suspension with Porsche’s Active Suspension Management (PASM) system allows it to sit 20mm lower than other models, allowing for a more compact and easily manageable ride. You would think an SUV such as this would sacrifice its sporting aspirations, but the GTS doesn’t trade in any of its off-road capabilities, with the switchable terrain modes of the Porsche Traction Management (PTM) retained. But the problem is that by ditching the 4.8-litre V8, some of the GTS’s charm has gone. The earthy eight-cylinder’s growl has made way for a more muted V6 soundtrack. The standard sports exhaust spices things up a bit, but after a while the noise becomes more of a buzz than a treat to listen to – a crucial part of a performance SUV. Safety The Cayenne GTS is not only a sizeable and very well built machine, it’s also going to go a long way to help you avoid a crash in the first place. The superb braking system, sophisticated suspension and substantial grip on offer means you stand a better chance of being able to avoid a kerfuffle, either on the road or off it. The Cayenne GTS is the best example of a practical and comfortable SUV that doesn’t leave you sacrificing your desire to have fun. It’s still huge fun to drive, arguably more relaxing. –mobinmathew@timesofoman.com

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2016

WEATHER

TEMPERATURE

HUMIDITY

28 - 17 67-36% 0

PRAYER TIMINGS

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

12.09pm 3.09pm 5.29pm 6.45pm 5.23am

A15

LIFESTYLE

DO IT YOURSELF

Story Felicia Campbell

ith the rising cost of petrol, we are all feeling the pain at the pump, but there are a few simple ways you can improve your fuel efficiency without selling your car and buying a hybrid. To really see how much of a difference these changes are making for you, ﬁll your car up and make a note of the kilometre gauge. When you are running close to empty again, note your kilometre reading, and check your owner’s manual for the total number of litres per tank. Do this three or four times to get a good, average reading of your current kilometres-per-litre. Then you can track your improvements from there. Or, if you don’t care about going that deep, just keep track of how many days you can go without ﬁlling up your tank. The more days, the better your fuel efficiency and cost savings. Try these tricks to save some petrol money. Keep it under 100 Ideally, closer to 70kmh. Engineering studies have shown that when you drive over 100kmh, your engine has to use more power and up to 15% more fuel than at speeds around 70kmh. Relax at the Light Zooming away from traffic lights will devour your petrol as does propelling yourself from a full stop into motion. So slow your roll as you approach lights (in hopes of

avoiding a full stop) and ease off the starting line, unless the thrill of roaring back into traffic is worth paying for at the pump. Re-route Avoiding traffic signals and stopand-go traffic will make for a much more fuel efficient commute, especially if those backroads keep you cruising around 70kmp. Pump it Up Keep your tyre pressure at 10% above the manufacturer recommended pressure, or at least at it, to decrease rolling resistance and improve fuel efficiency. When you fill up your tank, it is a good time to check your tyre pressure as well. Stay Regular Performing scheduled maintenance, like changing air filters and engine oil, on-time will ensure you aren’t burning extra fuel thanks to a gunky filter. Cut the Cooler Whenever the weather is bearable enough, turning off the AC will save a huge amount in fuel efficiency. Lose the Weight Take the camping gear, barbecue grill, and kayak out of your trunk when you aren’t headed for a weekend outing or you will pay for carrying around that extra weight the next time you fill-up. —felicia@timesofoman.com

A16

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2016

LIFESTYLE

ALL ABOUT APPS

his is a virtual haven for all book lovers. It is an app inspired by the Amazon Kindle devices that enables you browse, buy, download, and read e-books, magazines, newspapers among others. The app does exactly the same without having to buy the device. It gives you the option of choosing from over 4 million Kindle books right at your ﬁngertips with high resolution images and a user friendly interface. —shruthi@timesofoman.com

Launched: 2010 Why to Download Now: It is a go-to app for all books and helps keep you abreast with latest news and trends as it also has magazines and newspapers apart from books. You can also read the ﬁrst chapter of certain books before purchasing it to get a preview of it. It also has a number of free books available for users. If you want to read your ebook across different devices then the e-book let’s you sync it across windows, iOS, android and the likes. How does it help? You can continue reading the book from exactly where you left it and have the bookmarks, notes, among others visible on all devices.

Kindle

Pro Tip: Read about all of its features in detail before using it. For instance, they have an in-built dictionary that I didn’t know about. All you have to do is press the word for a few seconds and the dictionary meaning of the word will appear. They ask you for your credit card details even for free downloads. So don’t panic. Available for: Windows, iOS, Android Permissions Required: Access to full network and USB storage. Sign-in using your amazon account. If you don’t have an amazon account it will direct you to create a new one. Size: 9.1 MB

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM M ON DAY, DECEMBER 19, 2016

DENMARK STAKE SALE PLAN Denmark’s government, which owns stakes in 27 ﬁrms, is prepared to sell off everything that does not affect its ability to protect critical infrastructure. Though there are currently no concrete plans to move ahead with a speciﬁc divestment, the administration is open to selling ownerhip. – Bloomberg News Muscat 5,728.27 - 0.38 - 0.01%

MARKE

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Dubai 3,554.69 + 0.23 + 0.01%

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7,135.41 + 44.50 + 0.63%

Bahrain 1,188.70 + 0.35 + 0.03%

Qatar 10,224.13 - 134.86 - 1.30%

CRUDE OIL PRICE

CURRENCY RATES*

DRAFT RATES (OMR1)*

GOLD PRICES*

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

Forex rates vs OMR1* US Dollar ................................. 2.58 Euro ............................................ 2.45 Pound ..........................................2.06 Indian Rs ............................. 175.59 Pakistan Rs ........................ 267.74 Bangla Taka......................202.96

Indian Rs ................................... 175.75 Pakistan Rs ............................. 271.90 Sri Lanka Rs .................................. N/A Bangla Taka........................... 204.50 Phil Peso ................................... 129.40

Muscat 24ct per gm (OMR) .......14.50

Oman Crude............. (Spot) .........$51.20 Dubai Crude ............. (Spot) ........ $50.73 Murban Crude ........ (Spot) ........$52.49 Arabian Light ......... (Spot) .........$51.67 N.Sea Brent............... (Spot) ........$55.30

Plans to provide incentives for solar consumers ence. He said that the work has already been started and a new policy will be ready sometime early 2017. “It will give more clarity on renewable energy policy for consumers,” added Eng. Al Zeidi.

Oman’s Authority for Electricity Regulation is now working on revising the country’s regulatory framework for renewable energy for providing technical speciﬁcations for roof-top solar panels.

Eng. Khalil Ibrahim Al Zeidi. — Supplied picture

A E JAMES

businesseditor@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Oman’s electricity regulator is in the process of revising the country’s regulatory framework for renewable energy in an attempt to set the technical speciﬁcations for roof-top solar panels. Also, the regulatory framework might include incentives for renewable energy consumers for such projects.

* Rates as of December 18 Source: Oman UAE Exchange

* Rates are as of December 18 Source: Bank Muscat

West Texas Int ....... (Spot) .........$51.96

Regulatory framework The Authority for Electricity Regulation (AER) is now working on revising the regulatory framework to provide incentives for renewable energy consumers, and for technical speciﬁcations, Eng. Khalil Ibrahim Al Zeidi, acting manager of renewable energy at the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW) told Times of Oman on the sidelines of ﬁfth Arab-Indian Partnership Confer-

Renewable project tenders He added that commercial tenders for developing two renewable energy commercial projects in rural areas will be floated next year. Each project, which will be developed on an IPP model by the private sector, will have a capacity to generate 2-3 megawatt of electricity. Oman’s first commercial renewable power project is already in operation in Al Mazyunah in Dhofar region. This was the first renewable IPP project in the country on a build, own and operate (BOO) scheme for 20 years concession period, according to BEC website. 10 per cent target The national programme for enhancing diversification, called Tanfeedh, has set a target of 10 per cent contribution from renewable energy projects in the total power mix within ten years. The renewable energy projects are aimed at generating around 3 gigawatt – 2.5 gigawatt from solar and 0.5 gigawatt from wind plants. “A detailed plan will be submitted to the council of ministers.”

Muscat 22ct per gm (OMR) .......14.05 Dubai 24ct per gm (Dh) ............ 137.00 Dubai 22ct per gm (Dh) ............. 128.75 * Rates as of December 18 Source: Malabar Gold & Diamonds

EMPLOYMENT MARKET

Another gloomy year ahead expected for Indian job seekers NEW DELHI: After a challenging year amid global headwinds and cash-crunch back home, the job market is heading for yet another gloomy year with employers already on ‘wait and watch’ mode and pay hikes indicating a weak trend, say experts. As per month-on-month analysis, hiring saw lower growth this year as compared to 2015, and actual salary increase was lower than the projected figures of 20 per cent on the higher side, and above 10 per cent on average. The Centre’s demonetisation move and the election of Donald Trump as US President are the two factors likely to impact certain sectors in the New Year. “Consumer driven sectors like ecommerce, FMCG/CD and retail did well initially. However, the recent demonetization move has had a drastic impact on the sales and currently we are seeing a slack in hiring there as well for the next 2 years,” said Joseph Devasia, Managing Director of global executive recruitment firm Antal International India. The hiring outlook for India got a significant blow post-demonetisation and segments like real estate, construction, infrastructure and high-end automobiles will be impacted in the longer term, experts said. They believe however, that although demonetisation seems like a dampener as of now, it will eventually benefit the country and its youth by creating more formal jobs like never before. “A bold move which is definitely pro formal jobs. Such moves also

build confidence of external investors to set up shop and contribute to the economy,” staffing services firm TeamLease Co-Founder EVP Rituparna Chakraborty said. Moreover, sectors like fin-tech, digital payments and banks would be positively impacted by this move and would exponentially multiply their hiring projections. According to Willis Towers Watson, going ahead, only 31 per cent companies are positive about their hiring outlook in the next 12 months and employees are likely to see a single digit salary increase for the first time since 2011. Salaries projected to rise “In 2016 salaries were projected to rise by 10.8 per cent, but in reality rose just by 10 per cent. If that pattern continues in 2017, Indian employees could see a single digit salary increase for the first time since 2011,” Sambhav Rakyan, Data Services Practice leader, Asia Pacific at Willis Towers Watson said. According to global recruitment tendering platform MyHiringClub.com, though a majority of companies are giving increments this year across professions, the percentage increase is not very attractive and average increment will be just 9 per cent. “Current appraisal season salaries and bonuses in India are expected to rise only in single digit. Increments have been conservative at 9 per cent and bonuses have been 10 per cent, attributable to the prevalent market sentiment,” said Rajesh Kumar, CEO, MyHiringClub.com. “The increment and bonus per-

centages have decreased by one percentage point across levels compared to last year, with maximum impact at top management level. Another significant finding of the survey is the salary increment is lowest since the 2009 financial crisis,” he said. Though overall job market outlook looks a little bleak, top performers would have little to worry as companies would look at retaining talent as they would want to avoid cost incurred in hiring new talent, experts said. “As of now, 2017 looks like a ‘wait and watch’ scenario. Companies are hoping that cash crunch in the country will ease, people will go back to their usual spending and markets will bounce back,” Devasia said. The sectors that are likely to be in focus include IT, ITeS, BPO/ KPO, pharma and healthcare. Apart from these, data analytics, AI, fintech, and robotics will be big next year. The landmark government initiatives like Make in India, Ease of doing Business, Start Up India, Digital India, Smart Cities and GST will provide impetus to industries and the industrial sector and in turn job growth but “but it will take time to get the ball rolling”, leadership talent advisory firm Hunt Partners Managing Partner Suresh Raina said. Some experts said that with Trump’s emphasis on bringing jobs back to the US, his anti-immigrant stand and his stated aversion for H-1B Visa might have a negative impact on the Indian IT industry. — PTI

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2016

MARKET OMAN STOCKS

MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ........................................5,735.09 ............... 5,727.14 ................... 5,728.27 ................... 5,728.65.................. -0.38 .................. -0.01 Financial Index ..................................... 7,587.88 ............... 7,560.11 ................... 7,586.80 ...................7,562.00................. 24.80 ................... 0.33 Industrial Index ....................................7,368.50 ............... 7,357.34 ....................7,361.60 .................... 7,361.11....................0.49 ................... 0.01 Services Index ....................................... 3,071.74 ...............3,067.39 ................... 3,067.39 ....................3,071.76.................. -4.37 .................. -0.14 MSM SHARIAH INDEX.......................863.86 ..................862.18 ...................... 862.34 ...................... 862.65.................. -0.31 .................. -0.04 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 6,787,018 .....................1,439,391 .................... 427 ................17,341,709,848 ................ 10 ........................3 .................... 21 .........................34

MSM index ends lower

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18 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 ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... OM0000002168............AL ANWAR CERAMIC TILES ............................... 400,713............ 69,460..................... 46 ............0.173 ........... 0.175............0.172 ............0.173 ............. 0.171 ............ 0.002............. 1.170.................0.174 .............. 0.173...................0.174 ...................51,244,967 .........0.100 OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 482,630 ........... 91,500..................... 47 ............0.190 ........... 0.191............0.189 ........... 0.190 ............. 0.188............ 0.002............. 1.064 ................0.189 ..............0.189...................0.190...................33,250,467 .........0.100 OM0000002226 ...........AL JAZEERA SERVICES ............................................ 28,113 ...............5,654........................8 ........... 0.200...........0.203 ...........0.200 .......... 0.201 .............0.200 ............0.001 .............0.500 ................0.200 ............ 0.200...................0.202 ..................12,302,059 .........0.100 OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 729,900 .........323,590..................... 73 ........... 0.442 ...........0.448 ...........0.442........... 0.444 .............0.442 ........... 0.002............. 0.452 ................0.444..............0.442...................0.446 ................1,108,335,115.......0.100 OM0000001483............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ................................. 232,000........... 55,223........................7 ........... 0.239 ...........0.239 ...........0.238........... 0.238 .............0.238 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.238..............0.237...................0.238..................350,997,943........0.100 OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE.............. 105,944 ............ 21,719........................4 ........... 0.205 ...........0.205 ...........0.205........... 0.205 .............0.205 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.205............. 0.204...................0.205 ..................41,000,000.........0.100

HSBC Bank Oman, up by 1.74 per cent, was the

OM0000001749 ............OMAN CEMENT .......................................................... 314,120.......... 147,004......................13 ........... 0.466 ...........0.468 ...........0.466........... 0.468 .............0.468 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.468..............0.448...................0.468..................154,848,428........0.100 OM0000002176 ............AL JAZEERA STEEL PRODUCTS ..........................33,000 ...............8,085........................6 ........... 0.245 ...........0.245 ...........0.245........... 0.245 .............0.245 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.245..............0.243...................0.248 ..................30,600,000.........0.100

day’s top gainer while the top loser was Sohar

OM0000002374............UNITED FINANCE .......................................................29,750 ...............4,641........................9 ............0.156 ........... 0.156 ...........0.156 ............0.156 ............. 0.156............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.156 ..............0.150...................0.156...................50,903,297.........0.100

Power, down by 4.17 per cent.

OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ............................... 500 .................. 760........................1 ............1.520 ........... 1.520 ...........1.520............1.525 ............. 1.525............ 0.000.............0.000 ................1.520 ...............1.515...................1.525 ................ 1,143,750,000 ......0.100

OM0000002820 ...........GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES .......................... 46,000 ...............5,290........................6 ............0.115 ........... 0.115............ 0.115 ............0.115 ............. 0.115 ............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.115 ...............0.115................... 0.117 .................... 6,766,970 ..........0.100

OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR................................................................ 139,786 ............22,930........................7 ............0.165 ........... 0.165 ...........0.164........... 0.164 .............0.164............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.164 .............. 0.163...................0.164..................263,137,892 ........0.100 OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY ................................................... 100,552 ........... 49,270........................4 ........... 0.490 ...........0.490 ...........0.490........... 0.490 .............0.490 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.490..............0.490...................0.500 ..................29,645,000.........0.100 OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL............................................... 71,837 ...............5,100......................14 ............0.071 ........... 0.071 ...........0.071 ............0.071 ............. 0.071............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.071 .............. 0.071...................0.072...................12,425,000.........0.100

MUSCAT: Proﬁt-booking by both retail and institutional investors pulled down share prices on the Muscat Securities Market (MSM). The MSM ended on a ﬂat note to close at 5728.27 points, marginally down by 0.01 per cent. The MSM Sharia Index ended at 862.34 points, down by 0.04 per cent. Oman& Emirates was the most active in terms of volume while Bank Muscat led in terms of turnover. HSBC Bank Oman, up by 1.74 per cent, was the day’s top gainer while the top loser was Sohar Power, down by 4.17 per cent. As many as 427 trades were executed on Sunday, generating a turnover of OMR1.43 million with 6.8 million shares changing hands. Out of 34 traded securities, 10 advanced, three declined and 21 remained unchanged. Omani investors were net buyers for OMR73,000 while GCC and Arab investors were net sellers for OMR39,000 followed by for-

eign investors for OMR34,000 worth of shares. Financial Index gained 0.33 per cent to close at 7,586.8 points. HSBC Bank Oman, Bank Nizwa, Al Anwar Holding and Oman & Emirates increased by 1.74 per cent, 1.24 per cent, 1.06 per cent and 0.75 per cent, respectively. Industrial Index ended at 7,361.60 points, marginally up by 0.01 per cent. Al Anwar Ceramics, National Aluminium and Galfar Engineering gained by 1.17 per cent, 1.05 per cent and 1 per cent, respectively. Raysut Cement was the only loser in the sector and was down by 1.33 per cent to close at OMR1.480. Services Index closed at 3,067.39 points, down by 0.14 per cent. ACWA Power Barka and Jazeera Services gained by 0.57 per cent and 0.50 per cent, respectively. Oreedoo Oman and Sohar Power declined by 0.60 per cent and 4.17 per cent, respectively.

OM0000005005 ...........ALMAHA CERAMICS ..................................................29,339 .............13,949........................5 ............0.474 ........... 0.476 ...........0.474........... 0.476 .............0.476 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.476..............0.476...................0.480 ..................24,990,000 ........0.100 OM0000005963 ...........PHOENIX POWER ...................................................... 152,016 .............22,471......................11 ............0.148 ........... 0.148 ...........0.147 ........... 0.148 .............0.148............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.147 .............. 0.147...................0.148..................216,465,016 ........0.100 OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO.........................................................................60,589 ............ 40,363......................13 ........... 0.668 ........... 0.668 ...........0.664........... 0.668 .............0.672 ...........-0.004 ........... -0.595 ...............0.664..............0.664...................0.668..................434,830,746........0.100 OM0000001418 ............RAYSUT CEMENT ........................................................21,000 .............31,080........................3 ............1.480 ........... 1.480 ...........1.480........... 1.480 .............1.500 ...........-0.020 ............-1.333................1.480 ..............1.460...................1.500................. 296,000,000 .......0.100 OM0000003711 ............SOHAR POWER................................................................ 9,880 ...............2,269........................8 ........... 0.230 ...........0.230 ...........0.228........... 0.230 .............0.240 ...........-0.010 ........... -4.167 ...............0.228..............0.225...................0.230 ..................50,832,300.........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 2,987,669 ......920,360...................285 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......19........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

PARALLEL MARKET ................................................................................................................................................................................. OM0000001517 ............HSBC BANK OMAN .................................................... 1,087,782........126,851..................... 23 ............0.116 ........... 0.117............0.116 ............0.117 ............. 0.115 ............ 0.002............. 1.739.................0.117 .............. 0.116................... 0.118 ..................234,036,596 .......0.100 OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA ................................................................ 676,090 ............55,439..................... 34 ........... 0.082 ...........0.082 ...........0.082........... 0.082 ............. 0.081.............0.001 ............. 1.235 ................0.082..............0.082...................0.083..................123,000,000 .......0.100 OM0000001319 ............NATIONAL ALUMINIUM PRODUCTS ............. 225,920 ........... 43,409........................5 ............0.192 ........... 0.193 ...........0.192 ........... 0.192 .............0.190 ........... 0.002............. 1.053 ................0.193 .............. 0.193...................0.195 .................... 6,445,718 ..........0.100 OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 302,705 ........... 30,453.....................24 ........... 0.100 ........... 0.101............0.100............0.101 .............0.100 ............0.001 ............. 1.000 ................0.100..............0.100...................0.101 ...................29,288,044.........0.100 OM0000001681 ............OMAN AND EMIRATES INV. HOLDING........... 1,114,990 .......149,723..................... 26 ............0.136 ........... 0.136 ...........0.133 ........... 0.134 ............. 0.133.............0.001 ............. 0.752 ................0.133 .............. 0.133...................0.135 ................... 16,331,250 .........0.100 OM0000003141 ............ACWA POWER BARKA ...............................................15,000 .............10,620........................3 ............0.708 ........... 0.708 ...........0.708........... 0.708 .............0.704 ........... 0.004............. 0.568 ................0.708..............0.700...................0.000 .................113,280,000........0.100 OM0000001400 ...........OMAN FLOUR MILLS ................................................... 4,790 ...............3,353........................2 ........... 0.700 ........... 0.700 ...........0.700........... 0.700 .............0.700 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.700..............0.688...................0.700..................110,250,000........0.100 OM0000001897 ............MAJAN COLLEGE ..........................................................2,500 ...............1,300........................1 ........... 0.520 ...........0.520 ...........0.520........... 0.520 .............0.520 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.520............. 0.000...................0.520 ..................15,600,000 .........0.100 OM0000002077 ...........AL OMANIYA FINANCIAL SER. ............................... 1,000 .................. 279........................2 ........... 0.279 ...........0.279 ...........0.279........... 0.279 .............0.279 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.279............. 0.260...................0.279...................74,733,928 .........0.100 OM0000002275 ...........SHELL OMAN MARKETING .....................................2,000 ...............3,920........................1 ............1.960 ........... 1.960 ...........1.960........... 1.960 .............1.960 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................1.960.............. 1.910...................1.960................. 186,200,000 .......0.100 OM0000002333 ...........SALALAH PORT SERVICES .......................................3,000 ...............1,860........................1 ........... 0.620 ...........0.620 ...........0.620........... 0.632 .............0.632 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.620............. 0.000...................0.628.................. 113,657,237 ........0.100 OM0000003000 ...........ALMAHA PETROLEUM PRODUCTS MAR. .......12,860 .............18,462........................4 ............1.435 ........... 1.440 ...........1.435 ............1.435 ............. 1.435............ 0.000.............0.000 ................1.440.............. 1.435...................1.440...................99,015,000 .........0.100 OM0000004511 ............ALIZZ ISLAMIC BANK................................................62,453 ............... 4,517........................7 ........... 0.072 ........... 0.073 ...........0.072........... 0.072 .............0.072 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.073..............0.072...................0.073...................72,000,000 ........0.100 OM0000004776 ...........TAKAFUL OMAN INSURANCE ....................................750 ...................131........................1 ............0.175 ........... 0.175............0.175 ........... 0.180 .............0.180 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.175 .............. 0.175...................0.186...................18,000,000.........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 3,511,840 ...... 450,316...................134 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......14........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

– United Securities

ECONOMY

Scotland to unveil single market Brexit plan this week LONDON: Scotland will publish proposals this week for how it can remain in the European single market after Britain leaves the European Union in order to avoid the “national disaster” of a “hard Brexit”, the Scottish government said on Sunday. British Prime Minister Theresa May has said she will trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, the formal process of leaving the EU, by the end of March to kick off two years of exit talks. However, her plans for those negotiations have been shrouded in secrecy and businesses and investors fear Britain might seek a “hard Brexit” where controlling immigration takes priority over access to the European single market.

While the United Kingdom as a whole voted to leave the EU in the June 23 referendum, Scotland strongly backed remaining in the bloc. The country’s devolved nationalist government has said it wants to stay part of the EU when the rest of the UK leaves, and on Tuesday will put forward plans for remaining in the 500 millionconsumer single market should that prove impossible. “In line with our commitments to explore all options to protect Scotland’s interests, we will set out compromise proposals which, while not conferring the full beneﬁts of EU membership, would mitigate the Brexit damage,” said Michael Russell, the

Scottish government’s minister for EU negotiations. “At the heart of our plan is a framework to keep Scotland’s place in the European Single Market.” Russell said such a plan faced “complexities” but a “hard Brexit” threatened 80,000 Scottish jobs over a decade. “That would be a national disaster for Scotland,” he said. “Brexit presents everyone with an unprecedented challenge, and with political goodwill on all sides and a willingness to cooperate, these proposals can effect a solution for Scotland.” The plans also will outline further “substantial” new powers that should be handed to the de-

volved parliament in Edinburgh post-Brexit. May has promised to work with the devolved Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments to achieve a uniﬁed negotiating strategy for Brexit, which risks straining the centuries-old union between England and Scotland. Scots rejected secession in a 2014 referendum but the ruling Scottish National Party has warned it might hold a second independence vote. “Our intention now is that these proposals can be discussed and agreed in a UK context and then form part of the UK government’s overall negotiating position when Article 50 is triggered,” Russell said. — Reuters

2014 REFERUNDUM: Scotland rejected secession in a 2014 referendum but the ruling Scottish National Party has warned it might hold a second independence vote. — Bloomberg ﬁle picture

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2016

MARKET ANNUAL MEETING

Nama Group meets to evaluate performance Times News Service MUSCAT: Nama Holding organised an annual meeting for all group chairpersons, board members, chief executive officers, executive managers and programme managers at Grand Hyatt Muscat to discuss the group’s performance in 2016 and outlook for 2017. The meeting started with a welcome speech by Hassan bin Mohammed Al Lawati, chairman, Nama Holding. He expressed his appreciation for the operational and financial performance of Nama Group in 2016. The senior leadership team discussed important issues concerning HSE performance and the importance of reducing the lost time injury (LTI) frequency. In addition, they discussed the economic impact of the oil price on the electricity demand in the foreseeable future and the alignment of the overall group business plans accordingly. An overview was presented on the performance of technical and commercial losses during the last period and the investment projections to further improve performance. The meeting also covered a discussion on the achievements recorded by the customer service programme. The team reviewed a comprehensive plan to implement the latest technologies in customer service which has started delivering benefits with the launch of the new bill layout earlier this year. The new layout provides customers with a detailed overview of their consumption, and it includes fields which clarify the actual cost of consumption in addition to highlighting the government subsidy. As far as meter reading is concerned, Muscat Electricity Distribution Company (MEDC) signed new agreements with local companies to enhance the performance of the meter reading service. They also discussed the service reliability to cater for the growing customer numbers and increasing peak load by implementing the strategic programme to improve performance in asset management, human resources, customer services and communication. Moreover, the team discussed the ‘price control review’ for the next period, the latest update of MEDC’s privatisation process, stakeholder management and the group’s communication plan. Nama Group organises regular meetings with board members to discuss the financial and operational performance of the group and the latest updates on the strategic initiatives and projects. The group’s CEOs meet regularly to discuss opportunities and challenges to ensure cooperation and support where required. In conclusion, the chairman reiterated the importance of collaboration of the group companies in the coming years to provide safe and sustainable electricity to all customers.

SEVENTH BRANCH IN OMAN

Alizz Islamic Bank opens Athaiba branch Times News Service MUSCAT: Delivering a suite of sharia-compliant banking products and services to its growing customer-base across the Sultanate, Alizz Islamic Bank has expanded its operations by opening a new branch in Athaiba making it the fourth branch in the Muscat Governorate and seventh across Oman adding to the six existing branches which are already strategically located across the country. The bank’s Athaiba branch is located on 18th November Street, opposite Costa Coffee and the Sultan Centre. Salim Al Sinawi, acting branch manager, will lead the daily operations in the branch. The state-ofthe-art branch includes a branch manager’s office, assistant branch manager’s office, an interior ITM, three customer service representative desks, an exterior ATM and a conference room. It will be open from Sunday to Thursday, from 9 am until 1 pm, and from 2 pm until 5 pm.

The new branch officially opened on December 15, 2016 and includes retail banking services and dedicated relationship managers for Tharwa, Priority Banking customers. Official opening The new Athaiba branch was ofﬁcially launched under the patronage of Sheikh Muhana bin Saif bin Hamad Al Mawali, Wali of Bausher, in the presence of the banks chief operating officer the Salaam Al Shaksy and the banks chief operating officer Moosa Al Jadidi. The ceremony was also attended by senior officials of the Bank, prominent businessmen, as well as other dignitaries. Moosa Al Jadidi, Operating Officer, Alizz Islamic Bank said “Over the last three years, reaching as many customers across the Sultanate has been our primary focus. Each branch is strategically located to provide customers with the highest levels of accessibility and convenience. We will continue to remain committed to de-

veloping innovative ways to bring Islamic ﬁnance even closer to each and every one of our loyal customers. Our new presence in Athaiba is critical to achieve the ultimate objective of providing our customers with cutting-edge products and services in order to make their banking needs more convenient.” Important business hub “With Athaiba growing into an important business hub of Muscat, the branch is ideally positioned to provide Islamic ﬁnance solutions to customers in the surrounding and outlying areas as well. As part of our focus on the customer experience we have carefully studied and fabricated our in-branch design to create the friendly modern environment our customers and employees deserve,”Al Jadidi added. Members of the community are welcome to visit the new branch and learn more about Alizz Islamic Bank’s competitive Sharia compliant offerings which are carefully tailored for the market.

RIBBON-CUTTING: The new branch was opened on December 15, 2016 and includes retail banking services and dedicated relationship managers for Tharwa, Priority Banking customers. - Supplied picture

Uber’s Mideast rival company valued at $1b Board of Saudi Telecom Co. cleared the purchase of a 10 per cent stake in Dubai-based Careem

Careem has been working with Credit Suisse Group to raise as much as $500 million, people familiar with the matter said in September, adding that the company could be valued at more than $1 billion after the funding.

on Decemebr 15, according to a statement on Saudi Stock Exchange.

DUBAI: Government controlled Saudi Telecom Co. (STC) will invest $100 million in Middle Eastbased ride-hailing app Careem Networks, giving the four-yearold company a valuation of about $1 billion.

The board of STC, as the Saudi company is known, approved the purchase of a 10 per cent stake in Dubai-based Careem on Decemebr 15, according to a statement on the Saudi Stock Exchange on Sunday. STC will fund the deal from internal resources. The company is already an investor in Careem through its venture capital arm, STC Ventures, according to Careem’s website. Careem has been working with Credit Suisse Group to raise as much as $500 million, people

familiar with the matter said in September, adding that the company could be valued at more than $1 billion after the funding. Careem raised $60 million last year from investors including buyout ﬁrm Abraaj Group to expand in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. The investment is “in line with the company strategy to invest in the innovative digital world,” STC said in the statement. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which also holds a 70 per

cent stake in STC, invested $3.5 billion in San Francisco-based Uber in June. Investors in Careem’s earlier funding rounds include Dubaibased Wamda Capital and Saudi Arabia’s Al Tayyar Travel Group. More money is flowing into Middle Eastern technology start-ups as investors look to profit from the region’s high economic growth and smartphone penetration rates. Online marketplace Souq. com was one of the first companies in the region to reach unicorn status — a technology start up valued at $1 billion — with a fundraising round last year, people familiar told Bloomberg last March. Amazon.com Inc. is in talks to buy the online retailer, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg in November. Careem, which started in 2012, operates 47 cities in Turkey, Pakistan and across the Middle East and North Africa, according to the STC statement. — Bloomberg News

CRUDE OIL

Libya’s two oil ﬁelds not operational yet DUBAI: Libyan oil-facility guards prevented two of the country’s biggest fields from resuming production, days after the National Oil Corp. (NOC) reached an agreement to restart operations there to boost output in the politically divided Opec state.

Elephant, Sharara fields The El Feel, or Elephant, and Sharara fields still aren’t operational after they were shut more than a year and a half ago, an NOC official said on Sunday by phone, asking not to be identified for lack of authorisation to speak to news media.

A group of guards backtracked on their agreement to let oil ﬂow by pipeline from both ﬁelds, Khaled Hadloul, an engineer at Mellitah Oil & Gas, which operates Elephant, said by phone. “It’s not clear when the actual output will start,” Hadloul said. “Negotiations with the guards are

ongoing,” and the reasons why the guards reversed their position are unclear, he said. Hadloul said he knew that Repsol-operated Sharara, Libya’s largest ﬁeld, also has yet to restart because both ﬁelds in western Libya feed into the same pipeline network. Eni has a stake in Elephant. — Bloomberg News

ECONOMY

Japan wants more money in pockets of its workers TOKYO: Japanese workers put up with long hours and unpaid overtime under pressure from costsaving companies, and figures from government, which wants more money in workers’ pockets to boost consumer spending, appear to underestimate the problem. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is trying to enact labour reforms as part of his “Abenomics” plan to end decades of stagnant growth and deflation. His proposals include measures to cut working hours and limit overtime, raise wages for temporary workers and make things easier for employees with children. By law, both management and rank-and-file employees should get paid for extra work, but companies have been discouraging overtime claims for so long that employees accept it as normal. Government data shows that Japanese work an average of 14.2 hours of overtime a month, but 2,000 respondents in a recent survey by the Japanese Trade Union Confederation said they worked an average of 40.3 hours of overtime a month, and get paid for just 22.7. “Workers often face pressure from their superiors, sometimes in subtle, unspoken ways, to claim less overtime hours than actually worked,” said Toshiaki Matsumoto, chief executive of HR Strategy, a human resources consultancy. “Often I don’t bother claiming overtime because my projects would run over budget, and that would hurt my chances for promotion,” said one 38-year-old IT engineer who asked not to be named for fear of upsetting his boss. — Reuters

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2016

FEATURE

CHINA GOES HOLLYWOOD

TENCENT HUNTS FOR HOLLYWOOD DEALS TO SUPPORT CHINA’S FILM BOOM TENCENT Pictures, the ﬁlm unit of China’s biggest internet company, is looking for acquisitions that can accelerate plans to make its own blockbusters instead of just writing cheques for them. The potential targets could be in Hollywood and include companies on both the creative and production sides of movie making, chief executive officer Edward Cheng said in an interview. He would not elaborate except to say Tencent Pictures considers whether a target complements its own abilities and resources. “Investment is one of many ways to drive our business,” Cheng said. “We expedite our business development via suitable mergers and acquisitions. If it helps our growth at the right time, we are very open in that regard.” The company is clashing with fellow titans Alibaba Pictures Group and Dalian Wanda Group, both of which are spending big to gain an even larger share of China’s projected $10.4 billion in box-office receipts. Alibaba Pictures, part of the online emporium that made Jack Ma the richest person in China, invested in “Mission: Im-

possible — Rogue Nation” and acquired a stake in Steven Spielberg’s production company, Amblin Partners. Great Wall Dalian Wanda, run by billionaire Wang Jianlin, paid $3.5 billion for Legendary Entertainment and $1 billion for Dick Clark Productions this year alone. It is releasing “Great Wall,” a big-budget action fantasy starring Matt Damon, in China this month. “In the future, we will work with Hollywood, which has professional expertise, and better explore the global market,” Cheng said. “We will also actively look for opportunities.” Potential targets for Tencent Pictures could range from a Hollywood studio to a computeranimation company, said Billy Leung, a Hong Kong-based analyst at Haitong International Securities Co. “All these Chinese players, including Alibaba and Tencent, are trying to ramp up their self-production content,” Leung said. “It is just a competition of who spends more.” The Hollywood buying spree comes at a tense time in USChina relations, with President-

elect Donald Trump criticising China’s currency and trade policies, and some US lawmakers calling for increased scrutiny of Chinese takeovers of American companies. The Chinese Communist Party’s official newspaper responded on December 6 by urging the nation’s leaders to stay calm amid the “waves” of criticism. Deal spree Shenzhen-based Tencent Holdings, whose online games and WeChat messaging service fuelled its growth into Asia’s biggest technology company, has been involved in $20.8 billion of acquisitions and investments announced this year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Subsidiary Tencent Pictures is best known for investing in this year’s “Warcraft,” one of the most-popular movies in China, and the upcoming “Kong: Skull Island.” It recently announced 21 of its own projects as part of a $295 million spree that includes adapting Chinese-centric content for movie and TV screens around the world. “We will provide more of our input when we work with Hollywood partners,” Cheng said.

“There are many elements of Chinese culture that can be developed into films for the whole world and not just a Chinese audience.” Negotiations To help those efforts, the company is negotiating with David S. Goyer, a writer for the “Dark Knight” and “Man of Steel” franchises. Goyer’s movies have grossed a combined $4.88 billion worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. Cheng sees franchises — in the science-fiction, comic-book and adventure genres — as a natural fit for Tencent Pictures and Chinese moviegoers. The parent company bought the rights to more than 300 Japanese anime properties and cultivated others at home to tap into the hundreds of millions of users who come to its platform to read, watch and play games. Tencent wants to parlay those properties into a Marvel-like universe of cross-platform promotion, said Cheng, whose rapid-fire English was honed during stints at Procter & Gamble and Google. A linchpin project is “The Tibet Code,” which ticks all of

Tencent’s content boxes and is a mystery itself. What started as a 2008 adventure novel about an expert on the Tibetan mastiff dog blossomed into a 10-book series that’s been called an amalgam of “The Da Vinci Code” and “Harry Potter” series. The author uses the pen name “He Ma,” which recalls “Homer.” His real name hasn’t been publicised, and his prolific output prompted online speculation the series is produced by ghostwriters. Back surgery DreamWorks Animation announced in 2013 it would work with several state-run film companies to turn the epic into an animated movie, though that effort collapsed, the Los Angeles Times reported. Alibaba made the book into an online video series this year. Cheng read the books while recovering from recent back surgery. Tencent Pictures acquired the rights to make a TV show and a mobile game, and it’s exploring the opportunity to make a film, Cheng said. “We think ‘The Tibet Code’ has the potential to become a production for a global audi-

ence,” he said. “It’s about Tibet; it’s mysterious; it’s about treasure hunting — a little bit like China’s Indiana Jones.” China is on course to become the world’s biggest box office next year. Ticket sales are expected to grow 22 percent to $10.4 billion, according to the average of projections by IHS Markit and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Cheng is not taking the competition lightly. The CEO said he’s met with several dozen studios and companies in China and Hollywood to learn the business, and he studied the business at the University of Southern California. Tencent Pictures’ recruiting pitch includes promising better proﬁtsharing for producers and directors, though Cheng declined to elaborate. Cheng also is betting that creators will be attracted by Tencent’s massive distribution power — WeChat alone has more than 846 million active users. “We see that Hollywood wants to increase its collaboration with us,” Cheng said. “Although there’s a lot we can learn from Hollywood, there’s also something we can contribute, too.” — Bloomberg News

W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M M ON DAY, DECEMBER 19, 2016

SECTION

END CALL SAVE LIVES

E-

A TIMES OF OMAN HANDS-FREE DRIVING INITIATIVE

IMES TECH STUFF

Assassin’s Creed gives ‘a virtual reality twist’ headsets will ship globally this year (excluding the $15 Google Cardboard), according to Superdata Research. Of the more than 20,000 people expected to watch the Assassin’s Creed promotion, 99 per cent will probably be trying VR for the ﬁrst time, Knight says.

James Knight, who helped create the Assassin’s Creed experience as AMD’s virtual production director, says letting viewers become characters makes them feel

– Bloomberg ﬁle picture

part of the story and hopefully will drum up more interest in the full movie.

JING CAO

ssassin’s Creed, the movie version of the popular role-playing game that opens in the US on December 21, is being promoted with typical Hollywood bombast - trailers, posters, interviews with star Michael Fassbender. Then there is the virtual reality (VR) twist. At select AMC theatres, moviegoers can do an Oculus Rift VR headset from Facebook and become a (passive) character in a scene. Without giving too much away, the experience involves taking part in a dramatic escape, including sword ﬁghts, alongside Fassbender’s brooding Aguilar de Nerha. Big brands and start-ups alike are beginning to experiment with VR as a marketing medium. Yes, it’s still very expensive, and few con-

sumers own the pricey headsets required to watch. But chief marketing officers, banking on estimates that hundreds of millions of people worldwide will be using the technology by decade’s end, are willing to dip into money they have set aside to test new media platforms. Online marketplace The experiments run the gamut. Vroom, the online marketplace for used cars, has been testing a virtual shopping experience at malls. Diageo in November released an antidrunk-driving PSA using a version of the technology. Hormel Foods has even dabbled with a virtual reality bacon game that gives players the option of winning coupons or buying products online. “The brands that start to experiment in VR now will have the muscle memory to do so when it’s big—and they’ll have a competitive advantage,’’ says Noah Mallin, who handles social media marketing at advertising agency MEC North America. Producing a complex simulated world is expensive and beyond most CMOs’ budgets. Many companies opt for ads shot with multiple cameras recording in 360 degrees— a method known as 360-ﬁlm. Gen-

erally less costly, it’s currently as close as you can get to virtual reality without breaking the bank. The producers of Assassin’s Creed could afford to build a technically challenging, high-resolution experience in part because they teamed up with other companies, including chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices, which provided its graphics cards and expertise in exchange for associating its brand with a popular gaming franchise and VR technology. Proponents say VR means ad makers can create more visceral and emotionally resonant commercials. James Knight, who helped create the Assassin’s Creed experience as AMD’s virtual production director, says letting viewers become characters makes them feel part of the story and hopefully will drum up more interest in the full movie. Help popularise VR The promotion is unlikely to sell many more tickets or drive sales for AMD. But Knight says it could help popularise VR as an entertainment platform and prompt some consumers to buy the stillpricey headsets and associated hardware; only about four million

Immersive nature The technology’s immersive nature—especially when the user dons a wrap-around headset—also means viewers aren’t looking at anything else when a company is trying to sell them something. By contrast, people watching conventional TV commercials or seeing ads online are constantly bombarded with distractions—friends texting, news alerts, crying children and so on. With its PSA, Diageo was looking for an emotionally raw experience that would leave a lasting impression on consumers tempted to drink and get behind the wheel. The purveyor of Johnnie Walker and other brands also hopes the ad will burnish its reputation as a socially responsible company. In the 360-film, which can be watched online with a simple Samsung Gear VR, Google Daydream or even Google Cardboard, viewers experience a crash from the point of view of a passenger riding in a car—the drunk driver’s arms flailing, glass shards flying past and the vehicle flipping on its side. In a conventional ad, the viewer would be removed from the experience, says Dan Sanborn, Diageo’s senior vice president of entertainment marketing. “You can demonstrate the noise of the impact, the feeling of the impact and the visual devastation of the impact in VR, in 360, in a way you never could from a static image or from regular films,” says Sanborn, who adds that the video generated 3 million views in less than a month. “You’re essentially putting them into something that unless they were in an accident, they wouldn’t otherwise be able to experience.’” — Bloomberg News

MID-PRICE PHONE

Huawei Honor 8 offers value for money Times News Service MUSCAT: Honor 8, a sub-brand of the Chinese manufacturer Huawei, is the result of research and development efforts of the company in introducing the best technology for the end users. Most of the features are state-of-the-art aimed at meeting the growing expectations of aspiring customers. Honor 8, a likeable mid-price phone with some extra perks, features same dual rear camera setup like Huawei P9. It has an all glass design. The new smartphone, which is the successor to Huawei’s Honor 7, was launched from the second half of this year across the world. The Huawei Honor 8 is powered by 2.3GHz octa-core processor and it comes with 4GB of RAM memo-

ry. The phone packs 32GB of internal storage that can be expanded up to 128GB via a microSD card. As far as the cameras are concerned, the smartphone packs a 12-megapixel dual camera. The Huawei Honor 8 runs on Android 6.0 and is powered by a 3000mAh battery. Although the battery charges fast, the battery life is not that great. Honor 8 has an innovative design that looks similar to the rest of Huawei’s phones, but with plenty of attractive new elements to ﬁll in those boring gaps. There is a metal frame that sits in between two 2.5D sheets of glass and while many look the other way, one has to hold this device to feel the quality and craftsmanship that goes into it. The Huawei Honor 8 is a dual SIM smartphone that accepts Nano-SIM. Connectivity options in-

clude Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, NFC, USB OTG, FM, 3G and 4G. As far as display is concerned, the Honor 8’s 5.2 inch full screen is fairly good. It does not really get bright enough in the sun, viewing angles are very good if not outstanding, and colours are clearly oversaturated with no possibility to adjust the proﬁle. In short, the Honor 8’s screen gets the job done. It has built-in custom smart key functions that enable the users to customer their favourite applications in one click, two clicks or click and hold. Besides, the 3D ﬁnger print sensor provides one of the best security standards and protect privacy. All of these things are paired with Honor’s well known value for money proposition, so the smartphone is certainly very promising.

FACEBOOK ROLLS OUT NEW TOOLS Facebook is changing its powerful news feed in an effort to stamp out fake stories following a ﬁrestorm around the social network’s role in spreading false information. The new features, rolled out to select US users on Thursday, add options for readers and third-party fact checkers to ﬂag articles, tweak Facebook’s algorithm and provide more restrictions on advertising. — Bloomberg News

T E C H U P D AT E S

Super Mario Run’s strong debut clouded by revenue lag Super Mario Run, Nintendo’s first full foray into the world of mobile gaming, might be encountering some growing pains. The game was at the top of download rankings in 68 countries, but was the highest grossing game in only 14, according to researcher SensorTower. Nintendo shares closed 4.2 per cent lower in Tokyo, wiping out about $1.5 billion in market value. Partner DeNA Co., which helped develop the title, fell 6.8 per cent. The game, which features the company’s iconic plumber running across a scrolling landscape to rescue Princess Peach, provides free access to the first three levels, but requires a $9.99 payment to unlock the remaining 21 levels as well as other features. That is a departure from the world’s most profitable mobile games, which are free-to-play but encourage users to buy items. Super Mario Run also came out late in the day, and users aren’t expected to start paying until they finish the first levels. — Bloomberg News

‘Yahoo has failed to protect consumers from hacking’ Yahoo! allowed hackers to access personal and confidential information of its users and failed to warn consumers of a cybersecurity breach, a proposed class-action lawsuit claims. The suit followed within hours of Yahoo’s disclosure on Wednesday that a second major security breach may have affected more than 1 billion user accounts. The company said in a statement then it hasn’t been able to identify the “intrusion’’ associated with the theft, which occurred in August 2013. In September, Yahoo said the personal information of at least 500 million accounts was stolen in 2014, exposing data from a wide swath of its users. Yahoo said the attacker was a “state-sponsored actor’’ and stolen information may have included names, e-mail addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, encrypted passwords and, in some cases, encrypted-security questions and answers. “Yahoo failed, and continues to fail, to provide adequate protection of its users’ personal and confidential information,’’ New York consumer Amy Vail said in the complaint. “Yahoo users’ personal and private information has been repeatedly compromised and remains vulnerable.’’ Vail filed the suit as a class action, seeking to represent all US Yahoo users. Multiple lawsuits were filed after the first breach disclosure as well; those suits have been combined before one judge in San Jose, California. An initial case-management conference is scheduled for March 2. — Bloomberg News

Crash of Facebook’s drone blamed on autopilot The wing on Facebook’s experimental high-altitude drone broke last summer in Arizona after the massive aircraft hit an updraft and its autopilot overcompensated seconds before touchdown on its maiden flight, a US investigation has concluded. The end section of the right wing snapped off as the plane’s computerized flight controls made abrupt maneuvers to keep it on course, breaking the carbon-fiber structure, the National Transportation Safety Board said in conclusions posted online on Friday. There were no injuries or damage other than to the drone. The aircraft — which has the wingspan of a Boeing 737 — is designed to linger for months at high altitudes and beam the Internet to undeveloped regions around the world. In spite of the crash landing, it performed well and the flight was considered a success, Yael Maguire, head of Facebook’s Connectivity Lab, said in an interview. “I see it as more of a success that this structural failure happened,” Maguire said. The accident revealed a flaw in the autopilot that the team has since repaired and should be sufficient to prevent future failures, Maguire said. The accident highlights the risks that technology companies face when branching out into developing complex machines such as highly regulated aircraft. While software glitches can be discovered and fixed during private testing, US regulations require a public NTSB investigation after a drone accident. — Bloomberg News

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2016

ROUND-UP ‘Artistry’ at Malabar Gold from Dec.21 ‘Artistry’ - the branded jewellery show, providesthe customers a great opportunity to witness the rarest and ﬁnest collection of handpicked designs from over 20 countries, offering the jewellery lovers a different kind of experience, a visual treat for the connoisseurs of ﬁne art

MUSCAT: Malabar Gold & Diamonds, the leading jewellery retailer with over 160 outlets across the globe has launched an exclusive exhibition named ‘Artistry- Branded Jewellery Show’ from December 21 to December 31 2016 at its retail outlet in West Gate mall, Ruwi High Street, Muscat, Oman. ‘Artistry’ - the branded jewellery show, provides the customers a great opportunity to witness the rarest and ﬁnest collection of handpicked designs from over 20 countries, offering the jewellery lovers a different kind of experience, a visual treat for the connois-

seurs of ﬁne art. The show takes exquisite jewellery to the next level by showcasing breathtaking creations from all over the world and from the master craftsmen of Malabar Gold & Diamonds, says a press release. This exclusive showroom will also have special attractions displayed for their customers as well. The main attractions of the showroom include a gold attire which is handcrafted in 18 carat gold weighing 1.075kg. This stunning creation with intricate design required over 3,600 man hours to craft it to the perfection and 30 expert craftsmen dedicated 15 days

to make the design into a golden marvel. Gold lovers can also get a chance to witness a large gold bar in 24 carat weighing 160kg. Aristry showcases a fascinating range of jewellery under their brands Mine, Era, Precia, Ethnix, Starlet & Divine. Each item is a work of art, beﬁtting the elegant perception of a connoisseur adornments that accentuate grace, in tune with the aesthetic sense and attitude of today’s woman. Customers will be able to witness vast variety of products in diamonds with a gross of 1,000 carats having a total value of over OMR3 million under one roof, which will

SHARIA COMPLIANT

leave every one mesmerised. The showroom also displays skilfully crafted gold jewellery in 24, 22, 21 and 18 carat age, ranging from lightweight daily wear to bridal jewellery in traditional as well as contemporary designs.

Speaking on this occasion, Najeeb K., regional head, Malabar Gold & Diamonds said, “West Gate Mall, Ruwi High Street, Oman has seen an increasing demand for gold and diamond jewellery from its residents. This exhibition

which showcases vast collection of jewellery from wedding wear to daily wear will provide a great opportunity for people to get never before seen ornaments across gold, diamond, precious stones and platinum jewellery. “I urge the jewellery lovers in Oman to come and have a look at the amazing ornaments we have showcased for you in our Ruwi (West Gate mall) store.” To add customer’s delight, for every purchase of gold jewellery above OMR250; the customers get a ‘Scratch & Win’ coupon through which they can win a guaranteed gold coin or upto 100 gold coins instantly. There is also a guaranteed cashback with a purchase of diamond jewellery. The showroom exhibits a diverse and unique collection of branded jewellery with a distinctive, artful accent. The exclusive brands available at Malabar Gold & Diamonds includes Ethnix - Handcrafted Designer Jewellery, Era - Uncut Diamond Jewellery, Mine - Diamonds Unlimited, Divine- Indian Heritage Jewellery, Precia - Precious Gem Jewellery, Solitaire One – An exclusive solitaire brand, NV – Trendy 18K Gold Jewellery, Ago Bay – Pearl Jewellery and Starlet - Kids Jewellery.

PRE-OWNED CARS

Popular Pre-owned Cars offers Alizz Islamic launches all new SME banking services wide range of quality vehicles MUSCAT: As part of Alizz Islamic Bank’s dedication and commitment to provide Sharia compliant financial solutions to both retail and corporate customers, the bank has recently launched its all-new SME Banking segment, further reinforcing its position as the Islamic financial institution that puts the customer’s needs first and foremost. The bank believes that SMEs will be a key driver of sustainable economic growth in Oman. Alizz Islamic Bank SME Banking will include a comprehensive portfolio of financial services designed to address the growing needs of the sector, says a press release. Given the increasing funding needs of SMEs, Alizz SME Banking will focus on offering flexible and convenient business financing. This will be targeted specifically at businesses that have been in operation for atleast three years and need immediate financing for business expansion, working capital, business line diversifications and other business growth drivers requiring capital injection. The bank will also provide SMEs with a state-of-the-art e-banking platform that enables them to conduct their various business transactions anytime, anywhere. “Alizz Islamic Bank recognises that SMEs make a significant contribution to the economic growth and development of Oman, as well as being an important element for a competitive and efficient market. Our organisation is committed

Alizz Islamic Bank SME Banking solutions help local entrepreneurs and business owners achieve their strategic goals through an array of innovative Shariacompliant solutions Mohamed Al Lamki Head of SME Sales and Services to supporting the growth of small businesses and has therefore developed this dedicated segment to cater to them. Alizz Islamic Bank SME Banking solutions help local entrepreneurs and business owners achieve their strategic goals through an array of innovative

Sharia-compliant solutions, and our team of SME banking experts have developed a complete value proposition that is structured and designed to cater to the needs of Small and Medium Enterprises,” Mohamed Al Lamki, head of SME Sales and Services stated. Yasir Al Azzawi, head of Wealth Management and SME Banking said: “The launch of our SME Banking segment follows a detailed and meticulous study of the requirements of local entrepreneurs. The aim of this segment is to compliment the government’s stringent efforts in the development of this vital sector, and we sincerely believe that this will help SMEs flourish in the Sultanate” “Alizz Islamic Bank’s focus on developing the SME sector is aligned with the Royal directives of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, which have emphasised the need for sustained efforts to promote SMEs role in the development of the national economy, and we take great pride in adopting tangible steps aimed at implementing these Royal directives on SME development and benefiting the country in both the short and long term. Our business relationships go beyond simply offering products. At Alizz Islamic Bank, our vision is to partner with SMEs to help them identify the areas for growth and efficiency while recommending practical, cost-effective ways to make the most of the opportunities that arise,” Al Azzawi added.

MUSCAT: Popular Pre-owned Cars, one of the most renowned used cars buyer and seller, from the house of Suhail Bahwan Automobiles, offer a huge range of quality used cars starting from as low as OMR1,500. Apart from Nissan, Renault and Inﬁniti, which are the inhouse brands, Popular Preowned Cars also has an impressive range of Hyundai, Ford, Kia, Mazda, Honda, Jeep etc. make vehicles for sale. Located conveniently in the prime vicinity of Al Qurum, at Popular Pre-owned Cars, one will ﬁnd a perfect balance between price and quality. Popular pre-owned cars, can be counted on for reliability, quality and satisfaction so that the customer can drive away in that perfect car they’ve always dreamt about, says a press release. “We are committed to customer satisfaction and look forward

to build enduring relationships with all our customers. We aim to achieve that by offering them the best deals in terms of value, service and quality when it comes to buying or selling a pre-owned vehicle,” said a spokesperson at Popular Pre-owned Cars. Buying a pre-owned car is usually considered a risky business. But not when one is dealing with Popular. Popular offers smart deals, special discount, ﬁnancing offers along with comprehensive customer service in order to make the buying/selling process a more convenient and hassle-free experience. Vehicles here are put for sale only after going through rigorous inspections and quality checks. Financing a pre-owned vehicle is also quite easy with the in house ﬁnance facility. Popular Car also provides assistance in foreclosure of previous loan if any, and helps in processing insurance for its customers.

Popular provides smart deals, special discount, financing offers along with comprehensive customer service in order to make the buying/selling process a more convenient and hassle-free experience

Popular Cars has also revamped its website www.popularcarsoman.com. This new responsive site boasts latest software for best viewing in any kind of devices be it a desktop or a tablet or a handheld mobile phone. It contains almost everything relevant to pre-owned vehicles in a nice graphical manner and host of other useful features for the visitors. It has an impressive network of showrooms across major cities and towns in Oman. Currently Popular has used car counters at Sohar, Nizwa, Ibri, Muscat, Seeb, Barka, Salalah, Ibra and Sur.

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ROUND-UP

CASE Construction partners with IECC CASE Construction Equipment has appointed International Equipment and Contracting Co as its new dealer for the Sultanate of Oman, to meet growing demand for construction machinery from contractors, government organisations and rental businesses

MUSCAT: Public sector construction projects, gradually rising oil prices and government investment in energy, manufacturing, transportation and tourism, is set to lift up the construction equipment market in Oman. To meet this potential growing demand for machinery, CASE Construction Equipment has joined hands with International Equipment and Contracting Co (IECC), a part of Bahwan International Group Holding, says a press release. The CASE Construction Equipment was unveiled amidst media guests, international and local partners and select customers. The ceremony was held at the Hotel InterContinental Muscat, and was presided by Franco Invernizzi, director (Sales & Marketing) Africa and Middle East, Sheikh Ahmed Suhail Bahwan, chairman – Bahwan International Group Holding and Divyendu Kumar, managing director of Bahwan International Group Holding.

CASE Construction Equipment’s rich, proud history spans more than 170 years and continue to make history and help build legacies around the globe today. CASE has continued to develop a long line of industry ﬁrsts and has taken a leadership role in pioneering new products and solutions. Today, CASE produces more than a dozen lines of equipment, ranging from smallest compact excavators and skid steer loaders to one of the largest wheel loaders and mass excavators. Supported by manufacturing and sales in more than 150 countries, CASE combines the best in proven product performance and innovation to serve the needs of customers worldwide. IECC is committed to sell and support the full range of CASE construction machinery throughout the Sultanate, including heavy and compact line of products. The company has a dedicated and knowledgeable workforce, a substantial parts stockholding and fully trained technicians to provide service and

RECRUIT QUOTES Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe. — Albert Einstein To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children… to leave the world a better place… to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop. — Ovid

maintenance support to customers, at site or in IECC’s state-of-the-art workshop facility in Oman. IECC already has a strong relationship with CNH Industrial Group, as an IVECO commercial vehicle distributor and has established a diversiﬁed service and back-up network across the country. “Together we expect to see strong growth and the development of the CASE brand in this important market. IECC and CASE will become the preferred construction

equipment partners for companies working in a range of industry sectors throughout the Sultanate of Oman,” said Invernizzi. “IECC is committed to being an important player in Oman’s infrastructure through the supply of world-class high-end technology and best in class after sales support. We are conﬁdent that with the launch of the CASE brand, IECC’s product portfolio has become more formidable. With higher levels of technology, the

CASE range of equipment will be positioned not only to appeal to the existing customers in the region, but will also attract a new range of buyers looking for quality and enhanced performance,” said Sheikh Ahmed Bahwan. Divyendu Kumar added, “Since its inception, IECC has catered for the construction sector by supplying various types of construction equipment for road building, bridges and general construction, pipelines and infrastructure pro-

jects. IECC is privileged to represent CASE Construction Equipment in Oman, reaffirming the trust and value of the relationship that we have had with CNH Industrial Group over the last 10 years. We have built strong relationships with construction companies, contractors and rental organisations, by providing high quality equipment backed by excellent after sales support.” “IECC will continue to invest in developing high quality manpower through a series of structured training programmes and enhancing our infrastructure through new branch networks and mobile workshops. IECC aims to become a leading service provider by continuously adding value to CASE customers,” added Kumar. Commenting on the agreement, Franco Invernizzi, Senior Business Director for CNH Industrial Africa and Middle East said: “CASE Construction Equipment is committed to delivering the highest quality service and support throughout the Middle East and I am delighted that IECC has agreed to become our exclusive dealer for the Sultanate of Oman.” During an exclusive launch event to selected customers and the media in the capital Muscat, IECC displayed a range of popular CASE Construction Equipment, including 570T and 695ST backhoe loaders, a SR130 skid steer, a TX170 telescopic handler and the CX210B crawler excavator. All of these machines, which are popular in markets throughout the Middle East, are poised to become the new benchmark in construction equipment industry.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2016

ROUND-UP

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Oman Air recognises its successful cargo partners Oman Air Cargo

CASH GIFT

Offer on Kia Optima

Awards is a pan-Oman forum to recognise the success of the local air cargo industry that operates in partnership with the Oman Air cargo division

MUSCAT: Oman Air Cargo, one of the leading national air cargo carriers in the region, held its ﬁrst Oman Air Cargo Awards recently at the Crowne Plaza Muscat. The event was to recognise outstanding achievements among the cargo division’s local agencies, and to highlight its future development

plans, says a press release. Mohammed Al Musaﬁr, senior vice president, Oman Air Cargo – Commercial, said: “As the Sultanate of Oman makes rapid strides in all spheres of industry to further diversify its economy, the logistics industry has become an integral element of Oman’s future development plans. In turn, Oman Air has taken off on an ambitious growth strategy in our endeavour ‘To Become The Best’. It will see us expand our existing international network even further, increase the strength of our ﬂeet, delivering even more consignments to more destinations than ever before. “However, we at Oman Air Cargo recognise that our agencies, our core partners, are the corner-

stone of the accomplishments and growth that the cargo division has witnessed over a short span of eight years. “This award ceremony, will further strengthen the mutual relations between Oman Air and its cargo partners, by recognising our most successful partners over the course of 2016, and to look forward to a more fruitful cooperation.” Oman Air Cargo took the opportunity to present its future plans of wider product mix that includes Express Cargo, Perishables, Pharmaceuticals, Valuables, Dangerous Goods, and Live Animals, conforming to industry standards and also set a new benchmarks to further enhance the national carrier’s international operations.

Oman Air Cargo Awards is a pan-Oman forum to recognise the success of the local air cargo industry that operates in partnership with the Oman Air cargo division. As Oman Air Cargo looks to strengthen its presence in the market, the awards are a testament of its dedication to its partners, and the commitment towards continuous development. Winners at the 2016 Oman Air Cargo Awards are as follows: Agency of the Year: National Travel & Tourism Highest Growth Year-on-Year: Mezoon International Highest Yield Return: Eagle Freight Partnership Appreciation: Oman Air Sats Cargo.

HIGHER LEVEL OF PROFESSIONALISM

Dar Al Atta’a celebrates graduation of students of special, early education Montessori diploma

MUSCAT: Be wowed by the beauty and engineering genius that the Optima offers. A sleek fusion of bold style, heart-pounding performance and advanced technology, the Kia Optima conﬁdently pushes the boundaries of the midsize sedan, with plenty of attitude to spare. Now, this winsome sedan is available on a limited period offer, says a press release. According to the spokesperson, the highly desirable Kia Optima is now available with a tempting offer, but time is of the essence as the offer will end on January 5, 2017, “Those who are looking to buy the all-new Optima can get a cash gift of OMR1,300 or 1 year insurance and service of two years/30,000km + cash gift of OMR700.” The all-new Optima features a modern, new exterior, a bold interior design with more space for all occupants, an array of new technologies and a wide choice of efficient powertrains. Retaining the sporty image that has helped the Optima become one of Kia’s best-selling

models worldwide, the latest generation of the car offers greater reﬁnement, improved ride and handling and higher quality over the outgoing model, as well as a new high-powered Optima GT model. Conceived under the watchful eye of Peter Schreyer, President and Chief Design Officer of Kia Motors, the all-new Optima offers more road presence than ever, with its contemporary surface detailing, sharp body lines and creases, and a more elongated sedan silhouette. Evolutionary design keeps all-new Optima at the cuttingedge. The all-new Optima maintains the athletic identity that made it so popular, while making a conﬁdent leap forward to attract car buyers looking for something different. Reliable International Automotive (RIA), the distributor for Kia in Oman provides a rewarding ownership experience for customers. Excellent product attributes and unmatched facilities easily ensure their absolute satisfaction, every mile of the way.

INTERNAL MEDICINE

Specialist at Kims Oman highlights on Vitamin B12 deﬁciency and solution

MUSCAT: Dar Al Atta’a Association celebrated the graduation of a new batch of 18 students who joined the diploma course in Special and Early Education Montessori. They completed theoretical and practical curriculum in a period of 15 months of rehabilitation to understand the perspective of the Montessori education and special ﬁelds qualifying multiple areas such as communication, speech, behaviour modiﬁcation and functionality, as well as practice how to deal with children of different capabilities and prepare Montessori appropriate teaching materials for

the development and growth of children, says a press release. The Montessori diploma aims to deliver a high level of professionalism and efficiency by recognising the Montessori philosophy that enables trainees to prepare a full range of educational systems in addition to understanding of the psychology of a child’s growth well. The graduates come from ﬁve special centres for the disabled, AlWafa Rehabilitation Centres for Disabled Children in Bidbid and Al Amerat, Association of Early Intervention for Children with Disability, Childhood Care Centre in

Al Khoudh and the Handicapped Association in Al Seeb. The association ensured to incarnate the diploma theories in real at Al Wafa Centre for the disabled in Bidbid by furnishing and preparing a class that consists the entire Montessori tools needed to give the opportunity to the graduates to apply what they have learned with children of the centre directly. The ceremony was held under the auspices of Dr Yahya bin Badr Al Maawali, undersecretary at the Ministry of Social Development, and in the presence of DAA board members as well as officials from

the Ministry of Social Development and the parents of the graduates. Maryam bint Issa Al Zadjali, the chairperson of Dar Al Atta’a Association: “We are very proud of the graduates who worked very hard in the past 15 months.” She added, “The total cost of the project was OMR68,000 sponsored by Dar Al Atta’a and we are pretty sure that the information and experience gained by the graduates during their study will undoubtedly improve the level of services provided to the children with special needs and we wish them all the best.”

MUSCAT: Vitamin B12 is essential for the production of red blood cells and the proper functioning of brain and nervous system. Its deficiency can lead to anaemia; oral ulcers; abnormal sensations like tingling, burning, pricking or numbness; weakness and stiffness of muscles; difficulty to walk; unsteady gait; poor bladder or bowl control; and cognitive abnormalities like forgetfulness, impaired thinking or reasoning. This can lead to more serious neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Vitamin B12 deficiency can affect the development of the children born to women with the same condition. They are likely to have neurological problems at birth and those who are breast-fed by mothers with Vitamin B12 deficiency may develop anaemia, weakness, developmental delays, etc. Dr Shashiraj Eswarappa, Consultant, Internal Medicine and Medical Superintendent at Kims Hospital Oman said: “Diagnosing Vitamin B12 deficiency is easy and inexpensive. But since many of the symptoms are caused by other conditions as well, it is often misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed.” He continued saying that as it causes anaemia and many neurological or psychiatric symptoms, it may be mistaken for psychiatric or neurological conditions. He also added that as the liver can store vitamin B12 in sufficient quantities, symptoms

may appear gradually or may not be evident for several years after the onset of deficiency. Vitamin B12 deficiency occurs due to poor intake of animalsource foods so vegetarians are more prone to this condition. Impaired absorption of the vitamin can also be another reason for the deficiency. Impaired absorption occurs due to various reasons like advancing age, excess alcohol consumption, atrophic gastritis, regular use of some medications for acidity, diabetes, and epilepsy, pernicious anaemia and some diseases or surgeries involving stomach or intestine such as obesity surgeries and celiac disease. Dr Shashiraj said about the treatment for Vitamin B12 deficiency: “There are effective modes of treatment including Vitmain B12 injection and oral supplements. Vitamin B12 level should be rechecked periodically to monitor the response to treatment.”

CHILD CARE CHILDREN

Z-Corp Social Advisory Committee organises open house MUSCAT: Demonstrating concern for society’s welfare, The Zubair Corporation’s (Z-Corp) Social Advisory Committee organised an open house for the children of Child Care Centre in Al Khoud recently. This new initiative is among the many social responsibility projects undertaken by the Z-Corp’s Social Advisory Committee to serve the Omani society in a meaningful manner, says a press release. The Social Advisory Committee consists of a group of talented and committed Omanis who are active in their local communities, especially in the ﬁeld of volunteer work and community-based initiatives. Members and volunteers of Social Advisory Committee who come from all walks of life have been undertaking issues and serving the community in various areas such as social, cultural, health and oth-

ers. The open house programme organised for the children of the Child Care Centre included miscellaneous activities and entertainment events. The Child Care Centre, which comes under the supervision of Ministry of Social Development, offers care and protection to orphans. Dr Nadia Bint Ali Al Ajmi, director of Al Aman, Al Khoud said, “As part of our community investment initiatives, we always like to make valuable contribution to local communities. The Child Care Centre is home to over 100 children aged between 0 and 15 years and we feel that these children should be made to feel special. The open house programme was intended to provide these children support, hope, determination, and encouragement to be part of the society.” Madiha Al Suliemani a mem-

ber of Social Advisory Committee said, “We are strongly committed to socially inclusive development and this programme was aimed at that. We have gained rich experience from the work in these kind of community activities and we will continue to build on it. We want to positively impact on humanity by giving back to the society through effective social activities.” Staff at the Child Care Centre said the open house provided a valuable experience for the children. The staff said, “Everyone really enjoyed themselves and it was great to see them get so excited. We thank the Z-Corp for this gesture.” The Social Advisory Committee has been focussing on improving the well-being of the Omani society through community building initiatives and by encouraging socially sustainable practices for the society.

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM OM M ON DAY, DECEMBER 19, 2016

SECTION

INDIA’S RAHUL FALLS ONE RUN SHORT OF DOUBLE CENTURY >C2

SPOR YOUR GAME

2017 Muscat Marathon attract record entries The sixth Muscat Marathon, which is scheduled to take place on January 27, has already attracted 900 runners

MUSCAT: More than 900 runners have registered for the popular Almouj Muscat Marathon in January signalling a marked increase on previous entries and a giant leap forward in the plan to position it in the top league of international marathons. Among the current ﬁeld of runners is Iceland’s Asta Parker, winner of the Women’s Marathon for several years who also completed the 165km Oman Desert Marathon in Wahiba last month. Last year Parker completed the course in three hours and 16 minutes to take the female winners medal with British runner Charlotte Plouvier ﬁnishing second in the women’s category. The women’s contingent in 2017 is set to be a strong one with

POPULAR EVENT: Now in its sixth year, the Muscat Marathon has grown steadily in popularity. – Supplied photo

Jane Hodgson, who came second in the Super Veterans Marathon this year and Helen Graham also in contention. Helen came third in the Veterans Marathon in 2016. Young Omani runner Sami Al Saidi, 23, was the overall winner and the winner of the men’s event but among the 2017 contenders, Robert Ambrose, who ﬁnished second in the Super Veterans Marathon and Nick Conlan, second placed in this year’s half marathon, are likely to attract attention in the men’s classes as two of the highest proﬁle runners in the region. The Muscat Marathon will feature three event distances: the marathon, half-marathon and a 10km run with routes for all three expected to be announced shortly. Now in its sixth year, the Muscat Marathon has grown steadily in popularity with around 600 run-

ners, including 54 overseas participants, competing on a route around the Sultanate’s capital city earlier this year in January. The Muscat Road Runners’ move to team up with Oman Sail as joint organisers and sponsors Almouj earlier this year is designed to expand the Marathon’s potential by appealing to a larger regional and international audience, and tap into a ﬂourishing international marathon circuit. Oman Sail has become renowned in the region for organising world class sailing events including the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series Oman earlier this year, the Extreme Sailing Series hosted annually in Muscat and the Laser and RS:X world championships. These all involved complex logistics and the organisation of large numbers of international visitors

but their success has equipped Oman Sail to turn their hands to managing a wide range of events so preparations for the marathon were straightforward and on target, according to Oman Sail’s Chief Marketing Officer Salma Al Hashmi. “We are delighted with this record number of entries and there is still over a month to go before January 27, 2017, when the marathon takes place,” she said. “Our vision is to directly impact the economy of Oman by establishing the Sultanate as the region’s leading sports tourism destination, we seek to create direct in country value by working with SMEs and to inspire and train young Omanis to work in the sports tourism industry. “Our country’s natural environment gives us a competitive advantage and with more and more people using long distance running and sport in general as a platform for travel, we seek to put the Almouj Muscat Marathon at the heart of this strategy.” Every competitor in the Almouj Muscat Marathon will receive a ﬁnisher’s medal and for each category there will be a ﬁrst, second and third trophy, for which prize money will be available. All participants will receive a bib and technical shirt during Registration on January 26, 2017 between 16:30 and 20:30.

INDIAN SUPER LEAGUE

Atletico de Kolkata clinch second crown KOCHI: Atletico de Kolkata were crowned Indian Super League champions for the second time in three years after they edged out Kerala Blasters 4-3 in a nervewracking penalty shootout. Both sides were locked 1-1 after extra time that led to the shoot-out. No wonder ATK’s marquee coowner Saurav Ganguly along with Sanjeev Goenka were ecstatic beating a franchise which is co-owned

by Sachin Tendulkar. India international Jewel Raja successfully converted the ﬁfth penalty as the 55,000 capacity crowd at the Nehru Stadium were stunned into silence. Besides Jewel Raja, Sameehg Doutie, Borja Fernandez and Javier Lara found the target, while Iain Hume’s shot was blocked by Kerala goalkeeper Graham Stack. For Kerala, who came into the match after winning six times on

the trot before today’s match, Antonio German, Kervens Belfort and Mohammed Rafique scored while Elhadji Ndoye and Cedric Hengbart failed to find the target. The match was devoid of any extraordinary moments or twists and turns, which was there in the summit clash of last season. Kerala forwards CK Vineeth and Duckens Nazon failed to impress after a topclass performance till the final. - PTI

HOCKEY

India edge Belgium to win Junior World Cup LUCKNOW: India created history by winning the FIH Junior Hockey World Cup after a gap of 15 long years with a clinical 2-1 victory against Belgium in the final, here on Sunday night. The hosts scored two beautifully crafted field goals in the first half through Gurjant Singh (8th minute) and Simranjeet Singh (22nd) while controlling the proceedings for better part of the game to emerge as deserving winners. The team coached by Harendra Singh in association with senior team’s chief coach Roelant Oltmans accomplished what the ‘Class of 2001’ comprising of some of the best of their times like Gagan Ajit Singh, Yugraj Singh achieved then. Having finished a lowly 13th in the last edition of the tournament in New Delhi, it was a mission for the hosts to rewrite history and the hosts duly achieved that riding on its brilliant performance in the 11th edition of the event. It turned out to be a historic day for India as they reclaimed the title for the second time in the history of the tournament. India had last won the tournament way back in 2001 in Hobart. It was also the first time that a host nation had won the tournament since its inception. Cheered by a vociferous home crowd, the Indians produced a clinical performance - a “perfect game” which the team’s coaching staff was eying for in order to revive the fortunes of the game in a nation, which has boasted of a rich hockey tradition. Belgium scored a late consolation goal through Fabrice van Bockrijck’s penalty corner conversion in the 70th minute.

OVER THE MOON: Indian Junior hockey players celebrate with the winning trophy of the Junior World Cup Hockey 2016 after their victory over Belgium in Lucknow on Sunday. – PTI

With the title in sight, the Indians went on the offensive from the word go and put the Belgian defence under tremendous pressure with continuous raids. India’s relentless pressure on the opposition striking circle earned them two penalty corners in the opening six minutes but as has been the case in the tournament so far, the hosts wasted both the opportunities. But it didn’t take India too long to surge ahead as they drew the first blood in the eighth minute through Gurjant’s fantastic field strike. The goal was set up by brilliant scoop from Sumit from the deep which ricocheted from the Belgian goalkpeer’s chestguard on to Gurjant’s sticks and the lanky striker pounced on the opportunity and unleashed a fierce reverse hit from a tight angle to beat the Loic van Doren all ends up.

A minute later Nilkanta Sharma came tantalisingly close to hand India a two-goal advantage but his shot from top of the circle went just wide. The Indians kept up the pressure and doubled their lead in the 22nd minute through Simranjeet’s reverse shot from top of the circle after he was fed by a measured pass from Nilkanta. Stunned by India’s aggression with a partisan crowd to contend with, Belgium went for goals and in the process secured their ﬁrst penalty corner in the 30th minute but the opportunity went wasted as the hosts went into breather with a comfortable 2-0 lead. Earlier in the day, six-time champions and title holders Germany had to contend themselves with the bronze medal after outclassing Australia 3-0 in the third-fourth place play-off match.

CHAMPIONS: Atletico de Kolkata celebrate triumph. - AFP

AUSSIES TWO WICKETS FROM WIN OVER PAKISTAN Australia were two wickets from victory at the end of day four of the ﬁrst daynight Test against Pakistan on Sunday, but the tourists were buoyed by a feisty fourth innings chase and a brilliant unbeaten century from Asad Shaﬁq. >C3

CRICKET

ONE FOR THE ALBUM: Oman’s Sufyan Mahmood and other top cricketers of World Stars team at Doha. – Supplied photo

Amazing experience, says Sufyan after playing for World Stars at Qatar Fiesta T.K. MOHANDOSS sportseditor@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Amazing experience was what Oman’s all-rounder Sufyan Mahmood opined after returning from Doha, where he played alongside World Stars against Qatar Stars in an exhibition cricket match. This indeed was not for the ﬁrst time Sufyan was brushing shoulders with top cricketers who have made their mark internationally. Sufyan had also been part of the event held in United Kingdom a few months ago. “The experience was amazing playing alongside greats like Shahid Afridi, Abdur Razzaq, Saeed Ajmal, Wasim Jaffer and Mohammed Ashraful. It was like a dream come true. I am thankful to the International Cricketers Association to have given me the opportunities as the only Arab player,” Sufyan, who is known for his all-round contribution for the Oman national cricket team, said. “Never did I imagine to play alongside these players, especially those like Afridi, Razzaq, Ashraful, Wasim Jaffer and Lakshmipathy Balaji. These are the players whom I followed closely during my childhood,” he said claiming that the experience has been ‘worthy and mind boggling’. “I am also proud to have been part of the playing eleven, the best moment for me was the catch I took off Ajmal’s bowling. Excited I was when Afridi, Ajmal and Razzaq came to me and appreciated my effort,” said Sufyan,

Oman’s Sufyan Mahmood with Pakistan star Shahid Afridi.

who also mentioning that he did not get a chance to bowl, especially with the presence of fast bowlers Sohail Tanveer, Graham Onions and Abdur Razzaq. The Qatar Cricket Fiesta was scheduled to have two matches (T20 and One-day), but unfortunately Qatar cancelled their National Day celebrations and the one-day match was shelved. On what advise he got form the players, Sufyan said that Afridi, Ajmal, Onions and Ashraful had similar views. “They advised me to play to my strength and keep the basics right. They also mentioned that cricket is a game of ups and downs but one has to keep working hard and not to give up,” said Sufyan. “Sharing the dressing room with these stars was good learning experience.” Sufyan while thanking the International Cricketers Association said: “I wish I can get more opportunities like this. It really helped me a lot and it’s always good to share the stage with these stars.” “It has enhanced my cricketing knowledge on and off the ﬁeld,” said Sufyan and also thanked Oman Cricket for the support they have always given him.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2016

SPORTS

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Rahul falls one short of double ton The elegant righthander made 199 before throwing his wicket away and squatting at the crease, head-inhands, after the anticlimactic end to a stellar 311-ball knock

CHENNAI: India opener Lokesh Rahul fell agonisingly short of his maiden Test double century as he helped his team to 391 for four in a robust reply to England’s first innings total of 477 in the fifth and final Test in Chennai on Sunday. The elegant right-hander made 199 before throwing his wicket away and squatting at the crease, head-inhands, after the anti-climactic end to a stellar 311-ball knock. India, who have taken an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series, finished day three at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, on course for a first-innings lead. Karun Nair was batting on 71, his maiden Test fifty, at stumps with Murali Vijay, who dropped down the order following a shoulder injury, on 17 at the other end. Century-plus stands Rahul featured in century-plus stands with stop-gap opener Parthiv Patel and number five Nair to provide the bedrock of India’s reply. Resuming on 60 for no loss, the hosts got off to a solid start with

OH!WHAT DID I DO: India’s Lokesh Rahul reacts after being dismissed one run short of his maiden double century in Chennai. – Reuters

their make-shift opening pair of Rahul and Patel adding 152 runs. Rahul was particularly harsh on debutant Liam Dawson, twice stepping out against the left-arm spinner to hit him for sixes in the morning session. Parthiv Patel made a careerbest 71 before falling to Moeen Ali, having impressed as he and Rahul combined to forge India’s ﬁrst century-plus opening stand in 32 innings. Drafted into the side after the second Test to replace the injured Wriddhiman Saha, Patel kept wicket for over 157 overs and then returned to partner Rahul after regular opener Vijay sustained the injury.

SCOREBOARD

England 1st innings: 477 (M. Ali 146, J. Root 88, L. Dawson 66no, A. Rashid 60) India 1st innings: L. Rahul c Buttler b Rashid P. Patel c Buttler b Ali C. Pujara c Cook b Stokes V. Kohli c Jennings b Broad K. Nair not out M. Vijay not out Extras (lb-2)

199 71 16 15 71 17 2

England claimed two big wickets after lunch with Cheteshwar Pujara edging Ben Stokes and Stuart Broad dismissing the in-form Virat Kohli with a slow leg-cutter

Total (for 4 wickets, 108 overs) 391 Fall of wickets: 1-152, 2-181, 3-211, 4-372 To bat: R. Ashwin, R. Jadeja, A. Mishra, I. Sharma, U. Yadav Bowling: S. Broad 18-4-46-1, J. Ball 15-150-0, M. Ali 24-1-96-1, B. Stokes 9-1-37-1, A. Rashid 17-0-76-1, L. Dawson 23-3-72-0, J. Root 2-0-12-0 Umpires: M. Erasmus & S. Fry TV umpire: Bruce Oxenford Match referee: Jeff Crowe

which the India captain drove straight to short cover. Kohli made 15 and it was the ﬁrst time in the series that the Indian run-machine was dismissed

for a sub-40 score. Rahul hit Adil Rashid for his third six to race to 193 and collected his 16th boundary off the same leg-spinner to reach 199. Reckless shot Rashid followed it with a tossed up innocuous delivery way outside the off-stump and Rahul offered a reckless shot, lobbing the ball to Jos Buttler at cover point. “I will always have to live with it,” Rahul said of the shot. “I didn’t get a double hundred, I played a horrible shot. It will take some time to sink in. “I thought I would get a double hundred with ease. I just have to come back stronger,” he added. - Reuters

FOOTBALL

Southampton win south coast derby LONDON: Jay Rodriguez ended a near four-month Premier League goal drought with a double strike as Southampton recovered strongly from conceding an early goal to win the south coast derby at Bournemouth 3-1 on Sunday. Chelsea loanee Nathan Ake, who recently scored a last-gasp winner against Liverpool, headed the home side in front in the sixth minute from an excellent cross by Jack Wilshere. Southampton, who had made six changes amid their busy schedule, equalised eight minutes later with a low drive by England fullback Ryan Bertrand. An inspired halftime change brought on Steven Davis to set up Rodriguez, who then made sure of the win five minutes from the end with his second goal. The result sent Southampton to seventh, three points ahead of Bournemouth, who stayed 10th. Southampton were on the backfoot early on, however, and soon fell behind. The latest in a series of Bournemouth corners was cleverly worked short on the right before Wilshere crossed to the far post where Ake dived in front of Pierre Hojbjerg to head in. Yet Southampton were rarely in trouble for the rest of the game. They equalised within eight minutes when Bertrand scored past Artur Boruc. Two minutes into the second half, Davis played a neat one-two and set up Rodriguez to slide in his first league goal since August. Rodriguez’s second goal was an outstanding finish as he swivelled to beat Boruc with a fierce shot from 20 metres. - Reuters

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2016

SPORTS FOOTBALL

Ronaldo hat-trick helps Real win Club World Cup

CHAMPIONS: Real Madrid players and staff celebrate with their trophy after winning the Club World Cup football ﬁnal. – AFP

TOKYO: Real Madrid suffered an almighty fright before a Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick hauled them back from 2-1 down and gave them a 4-2 win over rank outsiders Kashima Antlers in the Club World Cup ﬁnal on Sunday. Two goals from Gaku Shibasaki stunned the European champions as the Japanese hosts took a 2-1 lead early in the second half

before a Ronaldo penalty brought Real level on the hour. The 11-times European champions then survived several more scares and a possible sending-off for captain Sergio Ramos before Ronaldo scored twice more in the ﬁrst period of extra-time. Real, who won the tournament for the second time in three years and were crowed champions for a ﬁfth time overall, appeared set for

Australia two wickets from victory over brave Pakistan Pakistan were 382 for eight at stumps, 108 runs short of their victory target, but having won admiration with the highest fourth innings total at the Gabba

BRISBANE: Australia were two wickets from victory at the end of day four of the first day-night Test against Pakistan on Sunday, but the tourists were buoyed by a feisty fourth innings chase and a brilliant unbeaten century from Asad Shafiq. Pakistan were 382 for eight at stumps, 108 runs short of their victory target, but having won admiration with the highest fourth innings total at the Gabba. Shafiq was 100 not out, after anchoring three stubborn partnerships, while Yasir Shah was

on four at the end of a rain-interrupted day. Shafiq will be key to Pakistan’s faint hope of stealing a famous victory, the tourists having been set an improbable chase of 490. Australia captain Steve Smith was berating himself for grassing two catches in the slips in the final session. The second, off Mitchell Starc’s bowling, would have dismissed Shafiq for 72 and left the tail-enders to fend for themselves. Smith demanded an extra eight overs to push for the win and was finally rewarded when the eighth wicket fell in the final over. He pouched a much harder chance in the slips when paceman Jackson Bird had Wahab Riaz nick behind after a swashbuckling 30 that featured two slog-swept sixes over the midwicket fence off spinner Nathan Lyon. Shafiq was majestic in his 140ball knock, cleaving boundaries to all corners of the ground and rotating the strike to defy Australia’s fatiguing attack. He shared in a doughty seventh wicket stand with Mohammed Amir before Bird broke the 92-run partnership when Amir nicked behind for 48. Left-arm seamer Starc, who ended a 91-run stand between Azhar Ali and Younis Khan, also halted a 47-run effort between Shafiq and wicketkeeper Sarfraz

GOLF

Bank Muscat supports Sayyid Abbas tourney MUSCAT: Bank Muscat, the ﬂagship ﬁnancial services provider in the Sultanate, in line with its ‘Let’s Do More’ vision and commitment to partnership in promoting Oman as a sporting nation, extended lead support to Sayyid Abbas Golf tournament – the oldest and most prestigious golf championships in Oman hosted by Ghala Golf Club. First initiated in 1979, the an-

nual winter golfing event is held in honour of Ghala Golf Club’s former chairman, late HH Sayyid Abbas bin Faisal Al Said. The two-day tournament witnessed strong interest from members of the golfing community. Bank Muscat is proud to be engaged in collaborative partnership with Ghala Golf Club to promote Oman as a golfing destination.

SCOREBOARD

STUBBORN: Pakistan’s Asad Shaﬁq celebrates century. –AP/PTI

Ahmed for the sixth wicket. The rangy Starc fired in a gem of a delivery to bowl Sarfraz through the gate for 24. Shafiq was dropped on 58 after smashing square to a diving Usman Khawaja and later slashed three runs to point off Bird to complete his stellar hundred. Bringing a dreadful run of scores, Younis batted himself back into form with a fighting half-century but he fell with an appalling dismissal for 65 when attempting a flamboyant reverse sweep that gave up an easy catch to Smith behind the wicket. The odds are stacked against

Australia 1st innings: 429 (S. Smith 130, P. Handscomb 105, M. Renshaw 71; W. Riaz 4-89, M. Amir 4-97) Pakistan 1st innings: 142 (S. Ahmed 59no) Australia 2nd innings: 202 for 5 decl (U. Khawaja 74, S. Smith 63) Pakistan 2nd innings: S. Aslam c Renshaw b Starc 15 A. Ali c Wade b Starc 71 B. Azam c Smith b Lyon 14 Y. Khan c Smith b Lyon 65 Misbah-ul Haq c Wade b Bird 5 A. Shaﬁq not out 100 S. Ahmed b Starc 24 M. Amir c Wade b Bird 48 W. Riaz c Smith b Bird 30 Y. Shah not out 4 Extras (lb-4, w-2) 6 Total (for 8 wickets, 123 overs) 382 Fall of wickets: 1-31, 2-54, 3-145, 4-165, 5-173, 6-220, 7-312, 8-378 To bat: R. Ali Bowling: M. Starc 30-8-97-3 (w-1), J. Hazlewood 35-11-78-0, J. Bird 296-94-3 (w-1), N. Lyon 26-3-100-2, N. Maddinson 3-0-9-0 Umpires: I. Gould & R. Illingworth TV umpire: S. Ravi Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle

Pakistan — no team has ever successfully chased more than 418 for victory — but the tourists head into the ﬁfth day with pride restored after their batsmen were routed for 142 in the ﬁrst innings. - Reuters

an easy victory when Karim Benzema gave them a ninth-minute lead but Shibasaki changed the story by levelling one minute before halftime. Real went ahead when Luka Modric’s volley was parried by Hitoshi Sogahata and Benzema tapped in the rebound. Shoma Doi’s cross found Shibasaki, whose ﬁrst touch was poor but he was gifted a second attempt

when Raphael Varane failed to clear and he smashed the ball into the net. Shibasaki struck again six minutes after the break and Real were facing defeat. Ronaldo converted a penalty to equalise and ended Kashima’s dream when he ﬁred past Sogahata and then settled the match six minutes later with an emphatic ﬁnish into the roof of the net. - Reuters

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2016

SPORTS

A DIVISION: NYDT officials honour their top performers.

C DIVISION: UKI Inspired after defeating Newrest Wacasco.

BAHIHI STARS: Guru Prasad, Samir Sheik, Saheer, Murad and Rahul.

Contrasting wins for Muscat, Al Turki 106 for six in 16 overs. Santosh Kumar top scored with 30. Brief scores: Al Ansari 104 in 17.5 overs (Vinod Nair 3/21, Ramsheela 3/11) lost to Douglas OHI 106 for 6 in 16 overs (Santosh Kumar 30). Points: Douglas OHI – 3, Al Ansari – 0.

Muscat CT defeated Raha CT by 76 runs while Al Turki scored a ﬁve-run victory over Sinha BANK MUSCAT HEROES: Nishanth Bhaskar, left, and Yousuf Al

MUSCAT: Muscat CT recorded a 76-run victory over Raha CT in an Oman Cricket Premier Division T20 match at the Ministry of Sports Affairs Ground I on Saturday. Batting ﬁrst, Muscat CT scored 156 for ﬁve in 20 overs. Rajesh Ranpura top scored with 50. In reply, Raha CT restricted to 80 for nine in 20 overs. Rajesh Ranpura claimed three scalps for Muscat CT.

Balushi. – Supplied photos

H DIVISION: Douglas OHI players celebrate their victory over Al Ansari. – Supplied photos

Brief scores: Majees 140 for 8 in 20 overs (Arvind Singh 4/22) lost to Khlasa United 142 for 5 in 16.2 overs (Sushil Kadam 37). Points: Khalsa United – 3, Majees – 0.

Brief scores: Muscat CT 156 for 5 in 20 overs (Rajesh Ranpura 50) bt Raha CT 80 for 9 in 20 overs (Rajesh Ranpura 3/9). Points: Raha – 0, Muscat CT – 5.

Sinha lose In another Premier Division T20 match, Al Turki defeated Sinha by five runs. Batting first, Al Turki put on 150 for four in 20 overs. Yogesh Patel top scored with 40. In reply, Sinha fell short of the target scoring 145 for five in 20 overs. Dhammika Premadasa top scored with 58. Jayesh Odedera claimed two wickets for Al Turki. Brief scores: Al Turki 150 for 4 in 20 overs (Yogesh Patel 40) bt Sinha 145 for 5 in 20 overs (Dhammika Premadasa 58; Jayesh Odedera 2/16). Points: Al Turki – 4, Sinha – 0.

NYDT beat OCT Muscat In an A Division match, National Youth Development Team (NYDT) defeated OCT Muscat by 16 runs. Batting ﬁrst, NYDT were all out for 185 in 38.5 overs. Yousuf Abdul Rahim top scored with 54 for NYDT. Shoaib Al Balushi claimed four wickets for OCT Muscat. In reply, OCT Muscat were bowled out for 169 in 33.1 overs. Faraz Al Balushi top scored with

Khalsa beat Majees In another H Division match, Khalsa defeated Majees by five wickets. Batting first, Majees scored 140 for eight in 20 overs. Arvind Singh, Prashamith Barma and Harminder Singh claimed two wickets each for Khalsa. In reply, Khalsa scored 142 for five in 16.2 overs. Sushil Kadam top scored with 37.

H DIVISION: Khalsa United players all smiles after defeating Majees.

J DIVISION: Design Group pose for a group photo after their win.

41. Jaspreet Singh claimed three wickets for NYDT.

put on 97 for six in 7.2 overs. Murad Khan top scored with 36. Hari Krishnan claimed three wickets for the Falcons.

Brief scores: NYDT 185 in 38.5 overs (Yousuf Abdul Rahim 54; Shoaib Al Balushi 4/38) bt OCT Muscat 169 in 33.1 overs (Faraz Al Balushi 41; Jaspreet Singh 3/18). Points: OCT Muscat – 0, NYDT – 4.

UKI Inspired win In a C Division match, UKI Inspired defeated Newrest Wacasco by 45 runs. Batting first, UKI Inspired piled up 206 for seven in 20 overs. Majid Rafique and Salman Khan scored 55 and 52 respectively. In reply, Newrest Wacasco were restricted to 161 for nine in 20 overs. Abdul Qayyum top scored with 56. Majid Rafique claimed three wickets for UKI Inspired. Brief scores: UKI Inspired 206 for 7 in 20 overs (Majid Rafique 55, Salman Khan 52) bt Newrest Wacasco 161 for 9 in 20 overs (Abdul Qayyum 56; Majid Rafique 3/25). Points: Newrest Wacasco – 0, UKI Inspired – 3.

Sayarti edge MARH In a thrilling D Division match, Sayarti overcame MARH challenge for a one-run wicket victory. Batting ﬁrst, Sayarti were all out for 142 in 18.1 overs. Aders Janardhan top scored with 39. Mohammed Irfan claimed four wickets for MARH. In reply, MARH scored 141 for nine in 20 overs with Mohammed Irfan top scoring with 58. Srinivasan Selvarajan and Parthiban Mohan claimed two wickets each. Brief scores: Sayarti 142 in 18.1 overs (Aders Janardhan 39; Mohammed Irfan 4/24) bt MARH 141 for 9 in 20 overs (Mohammed Irfan 58; Parthiban Mohan 2/25). Points: Sayarti – 2, MARH – 0.

Bahihi down Falcons In an E Division match, Bahihi defeated Enhance Eagles by four wickets. Batting ﬁrst, Enhance Falcons were all out for 96 in 18.4 overs. Guru Prasad claimed four wickets for Bahihi. In reply, Bahihi

Brief scores: Enhance Falcons 96 in 18.4 overs (Guru Prasad 4/20) lost to Bahihi 97 for 6 in 7.2 overs (Murad Khan 36; Hari Krishnan 3/27). Points: Enhance Falcons – 0, Bahihi – 3.

Mecamac Royals win In an F Division match, Mecamac Royals defeated Aptus Infotech by 41 runs. Batting ﬁrst, Mecamac Royals scored 177 for seven in 20 overs. Sajiv Sebastian top scored with 61. In reply, Aptus Infotech were all out for 136 in 19.3 overs. Mohammed Riyas claimed two scalps for the Royals. Brief scores: Mecamac Royals 177 for 7 in 20 overs (Sajiv Sebastian 61) bt Aptus Infotech 136 in 19.3 overs (Mohammed Riyas 2/24). Points: Aptus Infotech – 0, Mecamac Royals – 3.

Bank Muscat beat RK Group In a G Division match, Bank Muscat defeated Ramesh Khimji Group (RK Group) by for wickets. Batting ﬁrst, Ramesh Khimji Group were all out for 113 in 17.5 overs. Nishanth Bhaskar claimed four wickets for Bank Muscat. In reply, Bank Muscat scored 115 for six in 12.5 overs. Yousuf Al Balushi top scored with 31. Muneer Ahmad claimed three wickets for RK Group. Brief scores: RK Group 113 in 17.5 overs (Nishanth Bhaskar 4/23) lost to Bank Muscat 115 for 6 in 12.5 overs (Yousuf Al Balushi 31; Muneer Ahmad 3/28). Points: Bank Muscat – 3, Ramesh Khimji Group– 0.

Easy for Douglas OHI In a H Division match, Douglas OHI defeated Al Ansari by seven wickets. Batting ﬁrst, Al Ansari were all out for 104 in 17.5 overs. Vinod Nair and Ramsheela claimed three wickets each for Douglas OHI. In reply, Douglas OHI scored

Big win for Mani’s Azad In an I Division match, Mani’s Azad recorded a 61-run win over OCT Al Hail. Batting ﬁrst, Mani’s Azad scored 190 for eight in 20 overs. Saleem Salam top scored with 49. Rashid Rasool and Khalid Rahim claimed three wickets for OCT Hail B. In reply, OCT Al Hail B were bowled out for 129 runs in 20 overs. Qaisar claimed four wickets for Mani’s. Brief scores: Mani’s Azad 190 for 8 in 20 overs (Saleem Salam 49; Khalid Rahim 3/32) bt OCT Al Hail B 129 in 20 overs (Qaisar 4/25). Points: Mani’s Azad – 3, OCT Al Hail B – 0.

Design Group win thriller In a J Division match, Design Group posted a three-run win over Euro Poles. Batting ﬁrst, Design Group were all out for 148 in 19.5 overs. Hari Venkat top scored with 41. Michael Raj claimed three wickets for Euro Poles. In reply, Euro Poles were bowled out for 145 in 19 overs. Jacob Raja top scored with 41. Srinivas Annam claimed three wickets for Design Group. Brief scores: Design Group 148 in 19.5 overs (Hari Venkat 41; Michael Raj 3/31) bt Euro Poles 145 in 19 overs (Srinivas Annam 3/33). Points: Design Group – 2, Euro Poles – 0.

SALALAH CRICKET

Al Twarja, Ardaf, United Professional and Al Mamoorah post victories in Salalah MUSCAT: Al Twarja Trading, Ardaf Trading, United Professional and Al Mamoorah Land Ent recorded victories in the Oman Cricket Salalah-organised Pocari Sweat Salalah Cricket League. In a Group B match, Al Twarja Trading defeated Divin Trading by two wickets. Ardaf Trading recorded a 21-run win over Ahbar Trading in Group C. In Group E, United Professional posted a 20-run win over Gharbia Enterprises. In Group F, Al Mamoorah Land Ent defeated Al Aetimad Trading by 26 runs. Brief scores: Divin Trading 92 in 17.5 overs (Vishwanathan 34, Jamshed Scored 17; Asif Ali 5/7, Tauqeet 3/4) lost to Al Twarja

HM’S CUP HOCKEY

Ahli-Sidab edge Al Nasr to settle for third place TOP PERFORMERS: Asif Ali of Al Twarja Trading, Rajesh of Ahbar Trading and Gharbia Enterprises’ Shashika collect their man of the match awards. – Supplied photos

Trading 96 for 8 in 18 overs (Raji 27 n.o., Sanal 15; Pandey 2/14, Sujesh 2/37). Man of the match: Asif Ali (5 wkts). Ardaf Trading 141 in 20 overs (Shanbaz 31, Ali Zain 24; Rajesh 5/19, Franklin 2/19, Abhishek 2/30) bt Ahbar Trading 120 for 6 in 20 overs (Babu AK 45, Nandu 26; Qalib Shah

2/15, Shahid 2/31). Man of the match: Rajesh (5 wkts, 19 runs). United Professional 186 for 8 in 20 overs (Abubacker 56, Shabbeer 42; Shashika 2/32, Chantra Pala 2/36) bt Gharbia Enterprises 166 for 8 in 20 overs (Shashika 94, Noel 17; Munaf 2/16). Man of the match: Shashika

(94 runs, 2 wickets). Al Mamoorah Land Ent 148 for 6 in 20 overs (Wasim 77, Shafeeque 29; Shijil 2/28, Aqeel 2/30) bt Al Aetimad Trading 122 in 20 overs (Shamin 63 n.o., Javed 18; Mansoor 3/21, Musaffar 3/23). Man of the match: Waseem (77 runs).

MUSCAT: Indian recruit Rupinder Pal Singh struck twice to help Ahli-Sidab defeat Al Nasr 2-1 in a come-from-behind victory and clinch the third place in His Majesty’s Cup Hockey Championship at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex on Sunday. Al Nasr took the lead through Mohammed Hubeis as early as the ﬁfth minute. But Al Nasr

failed to defend their lead as Rupinder brought the score to parity with a penalty corner conversion in the 32nd minute. Rupinder went on to score the team’s second goal against run of play in the 50th minute to put the match beyond Al Nasr’s reach. In the ﬁnal to be played on Monday, Bausher take on Seeb from 7.00 p.m. at the same venue.

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

SECTION

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

VACANCY

HP 2130 3in1 Printer RO 10.900 only All Cartridges also available on UNBEATABLE prices All HP, Epson, Canon, Lexmark, Samsung Cartridges also available.

Ruwi: 24 792 792 Sohar: 2684 2420

GOOD PRICE!!!

Available on UNBEATABLE prices

GOOD PRICE!!!

RENT

GOOD PRICE!!!

CARGO

M O N D AY, D E C E M B E R 1 9, 2 0 1 6 Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classiﬁeds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

DAILY GUIDE FOR RENT

*Tourist visa arranged

AN EXISTING FARM FOR RENT in the Wilayat of Barka, with an area of 45 acres, out of which large area is planted with fodder and 7 acres are planted with vegetables. It has also 14 greenhouses as well as 3 artesian wells and a plowing tractor as well as cutting and bundling tools and plowing equipments with their accessories. The farm has a good financial income.

Contact: 99340378

FOR RENT - OPEN PLOT AVAILABLE 3500 SQM INDUSTRIAL/ COMMERCIAL PLOT WITH COMPOUND WALL SUITABLE FOR OPEN WAREHOUSING, HEAVY MACHINERY/ VEHICLE LOADING/ UNLOADING. PARKING FACILITY ALSO AVAILABLE ON BOTH SIDES

CONTACT : 99273774 - 99202278

OFFICE PROPERTY FOR SALE/RENT DAYS AWAY FROM DELIVERY - PREMIUM OFFICE SPACE AT PRIME LOCATION AT BAUSHER ON 2ND FLOOR BUILD UP AREA – 163 SQ. MTRS. SALE PRICE RO.1,050/- PER SQ. MTR -RENT PER MONTH RO.10/- PER SQ. MTR. OPTIONS WITH OR WITHOUT FURNITURE.

PREMIUM VILLA FOR SALE SANTINI A3 TYPE 2 STOREY VILLA WITH 4 BEDROOMS PLUS MAID ROOM AT AL MOUJ PHASE 4. GREAT LOCATION WITH CUL DE SAC FOR PARKING. PURCHASE OPEN TO NON-OMANIS AS WELL.

CONTACT NO. 91257475 One / Two, B/R ﬂats in new building near Dolphin near dolphin complex, Bausher directly from owner. Contact: 92158031 Flat for rent in Al Ghobra, 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 1 family sitting room, 1 kitchen. RO 400/Contact - 95919059 1BHK ﬂats at Al Khodh near NBO. Contact: 99224748 / 99332297 Flat for rent 2BHK split A/c near Kuwaiti Mosque in Wadi Kabir. Contact: 97007934 / 92629232 6 Bedroom villas available for rent at North Al Hail, near Wave, complex with swimming pool and Gym. Contact: 99833747

Reefer room/ cold room for rent – suitable for 4 - 40 feet container, can be used as chiller and freezer in wadi kabir with plug in spots and office room for store keeper. # 93620021 Flat for rent 2BHK split A/c near Oman house in Muttrah . Contact: 97007934 / 92629232 Well maintained spacious 2 BHK at Rex Road from 1st Jan 2017. Contact: 92227165 / 92545269 2 BHK Spacious Flat, Behind Bank Muscat Wadi Kabir. Tel: 99373290, 24815012.

Family ﬂats in Wadi Kabir MBD Hamriya Ruwi Al Khuwair, Ghubrah, Bowshar, Azaiba, Al Hail & Amerat. #95250300 / 92125648

One / Two, B/R ﬂats in new building near Dolphin near dolphin complex, Bausher directly from owner. Contact: 92158031

Flats family new to the Amerat behind Oman oil. Contact: 95250300 / 92125648/ 99119699 2 B/R & 3B/R furnished, unfurnished with split ACs a free internet available at Al Khuwair near KM hypermarket. Contact: 99460330

2 BHK with split / AC in Muttrah, Dar Al Maha. Contact: 96708000 Store for rent in W.K. #96708000

Flats for rent near Indian School in Wadi Kabir. Contact 99777122 Office space for rent in Muthana square, next to Atlas Hospital. Contact : 93620021 A well recognized steel workshop in Sohar is looking for long lease contract for its existing welders. Interested party can select welder skills as per their needs. If interested call GSM : 95852097 / 94805758

Room at Azaiba R.O 140/-. Contact: 99555843

1BHK Mumtaz R.O 200/-. Contact: 97799175 / 92144045 3BHK Flat, Ghubra ISG.#99319880

Room at Al Khuwair 110/-. Contact: 97799175 / 92144045 3 BHK villa M.Q, R.O 550/-. Contact: 97799175 / 92144045 2 BHK Wadi Kabir 250/- & 260/R.O. Contact: 97799175 / 92144045 2 BHK Ghubra R.O 325/-. Contact: 97799175 / 92144045 2BHK Azaiba. Contact: 97799175 / 92144045

Camp location in between Sohar Free zone & Industrial area ( Falaj& Liwa areas ) behind Gosoor compound & opposite to Sohar Seaport & sohar Orpic Reﬁnery it is occupied for 3000 people the ﬁrst step is ready for 1000 people. Contact :93992779 / 99369568/ 93880411 Flat in Mumtaz, 2 bedrooms, 2 toilets, big hall, kitchen & store. Contact: 92502241 / 95588678

For Rent. Studio TYPE Flats for rent R.O 160/- monthly near Oman house. Contact: 98075028 / 95501858 2BHK ﬂat in Wadi Kabir near the Indian Primary School with split A/Cs. Contact: 99367627

M O N DAY, D E C E M B E R 1 9, 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDE

JEWELLERY SHOP

- New Brand Building in Bowsher for sale

FOR SALE

For Sale: Running jewellery shop with furniture & settings in Ruwi High Street. Contact on 9945 9440 (Raza)

Flats & shops for rent at Ruwi Honda road Mumtaz area. Contact: 97293708 / 92433127 Room for rent in Qurum attached bathroom. Contact: 97128083 1 BHK near Medical Darsait Muttrah house R.O 180/-. Contact: 95070201 Office for rent in Shatti Al Qurum in Al Masa mall. Contact: 91153933 Two apartments for rent in the first Ansab consisting of 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, a living room, kitchen, 2 Balcony and the second consisting of 5 rooms and 5 bathrooms, a living room, kitchen and balcony with Split Air Conditioners. Contact 99319620 / 97771121 1 BHK Flat for rent in Darsait. Contact: 99357586 / 97500021 Villa complex for lease renovated deluxe villa complex with separate three flats, location Al Ghobra North (near tourist hotels) is available for lease. Contact: Ali: 99411607, Luoy : 92466266 2 BR apartments available for rent, close to Muscat Grand Mall, next to Diwan’s Office, South Ghubra. # 2456256 / 99833747 1 BHK New bldg with A/C curtains near Khimji mart MBD. Contact: 99061408 / 99024039 Villa for rent four spacious bath attached bed room, private swimming pool, gymnasium (common) with electrical equipment and free maintenance secured compound at Madinat Al Illam. #98027975 One room furnished Al Khuwair near Technology College. Contact: 99389989 Call after 5 o’clock pm. One BSK two bath room with split unit AC at Honda road. Contact: 91118706 / 99342733 Villa complex for lease renovated deluxe villa complex with separate three flats , location AL Ghobra north ( near tourist hotels) is available for lease. Contact: Ali : 99411607 , Luoy : 92466266 Flat in Wadi Al Kabir, 3 rooms with AC. Contact: 99333639 2 BHK near Oman house behind Khimiji, H.O. Contact: 95865686

- Commercial/ Residential khuwair for sale.

FOR SALE

New apartment flat for rent, 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms & kitchen, behind Indian School, short way to Lulu Darsait & Muttrah traditional Soqu. Contact or Whatsapp: 91013331 Flat for rent, 1 BHK in Bowshar. Contact: 91153933 Villa for rent in South Mabellah, 3 bedrooms, sitting room, family Lounge, kitchen, three Toilets Contact 92212212 between 10 AM to 5 PM New flats for rent at Darsait near to ministry of sports, Mumtaz area the flats includes 1 living room , 2 bedrooms, kitchen, 3 toilets, every room with split A/C & high quality finishing. Rent per flat is RO 320/-. Interested candidates please Contact: 00968 – 92225523 New flats for rent at Al Ghubra near to Atlas Hospital, opposite to Panorama mall. Interested candidates Contact: 00968 – 97093283 Room for rent in Bowshar. Contact: 91153933 Fully furnished room for executive bachelor in CBD area, WiFi internet free, advance deposit. Contact: 90631572 1Bedroom sharing K& T, family / ladies in Al Khuwair R.O 90. Contact 95154331

Land in Al

Contact Hood: 91155779

2014 MODEL VOLVO PENTA 650 KVA GENSETS (02NOS) 2000 KVA (01 NO) VOLTAMP TRANSFORMER CONCEALED PANEL SYSTEM FOR ABOVE. ALL ITEMS HARDLY USED IN A COMPLETED PROJECT OF 2YRS AND CAN BE REUSED. ONLY SERIOUS BUYERS CONTACT GSM :

FOR RENT New 3 story 4 bedroom villa in Al Hail near to radio station. The spacious master bedroom has a sea view. It has a maids room. All bedrooms have bathrooms and one extra bathroom between dining and sitting room. It has split A/c’s. 6 months advance payment required. Price is OMR 750 monthly. Telephone: 99333479 or 95215360 or 97509955. No Brokers Please.

- Twin villa in Azaiba & Ghubra for sale

92886778/99455690

FOR SALE Shop for sale at Al Khoudh. Contact: 92820541 Twin Villa for sale in Azaiba near Sultan Centre. Each side has three ﬂoors, ﬁve bedroom plus maid room. Each room has it’s own bathroom and one extra toilet between dining and sitting room. The villas are now about 5 years old and very clean and well maintained. It has split A/C’s. OMR 215,000 each villa. Telephone: 99333479 or 95215360 or 97509955. No Brokers Please. Nursery school furniture available for immediate sale in good condition. Contact: 92887809 / 93211417 Dental clinic for sale in Seeb. Contact: 92882209 / 96373097 400 square meters residential land in Al Ghubra south near Millenium Hypermarket. OMR 134 thousand. Telephone: 99333479 or 95215360 or 97509955. No Brokers Please. New building in Bowshar for sale. Contact: 91155779 Villa in MQ for sale. Contact: 91155779

FOR SALE 1. Porta Cabin 2. Book Loader (New Holland) 3. Water Tanker (Hino 2000 Gallon) 4. Roller (JCB 3 Ton) 5. Roller (JCB & Wacker, 1 Ton) 6. Scaﬀoldings 7. HDPE Duct Pipes (300 mm to 1800mm) 8. Tower Hoist

Contact 93990154 FOR SALE Beauty parlour for sale in Ruwi. Contact: 92430239 RESTAURANT for sale in Ruwi. Contact: 99378964

MV SALE Used vehicles – 3 Ton Double cabin Trucks- 12 Nos. Contact: 99417302. 2009 last, BMW X5, Expat owned grey colour Jenaibi Service history 97,000 K.M immaculate condition with brand new tyres R.O 8,650/-. Contact: 93597597 Honda Accord 2008 model, 4 cylinder, number 1 full options with navigation/ camera, full insurance. No accident history, 1640000 km, well maintained. OMR 3300/-. Contact –95919059 Prado 2014. Contact 99336093 FJ Cruiser 2009 GCC, yellow, 210000 KM, RO 6300/Contact: 92857111

Villa for Rent behind mazoon mousqe 7 bedroom, living room, dining room . Contact 95150809 for 750 R.O nogotiable

603 sq mtrs residential land in Al Hail North Block 45 NE near Radio station. OMR 96 Thousand. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 - or 97509955. No Brokers Please

Mercedes C155, 2008, white, 130000 KM, 10100/- R.O. Contact: 92857111

Room for rent behind Oman house Contact: 99025809

Farm in Barka for sale. Contact: 91155779

Dihatsu Terrios Trend 4WD, 2012 Registration, dealer service registration up to August 2017. Contact No: 92812144

New villa for rent in Azaiba 18 November Street. 6 Bedrooms, 2 kitchens & 7 toilets. To view the villa contact - 95919059 3 bedroom ground ﬂoor house for rent in South Al Hail behind Al Hail Hypermarket.Contact: 95047657

Ice cream Shop, Prime location, Ruwi for sale. Contact: 92150455

ACC.WANTED Used & refurbished porta cabins, toilets unit available for sales. Contact: 99215560 Email: omegaunitedoman@gmail.com

Room in Azaiba. #99555843

Villa for sale in Al Amerat 8/1 upscale ﬁnishes. Contact: 91153933

Spacious shop available for perfumes cosmetics, near Oman house. Contact: 92150455

Containers for sale Total 40 feet & quantity 70 Nos for more details, please Contact: +968 95068854

Two bed room ﬂat available near Honda Show room. Contact: 99022675

BUILDING MATERIAL SHOP FOR SALEWell-furnished running building material-electrical shop (4 shutter / 200sqm) in Al- Khoudh- 6, for immediate sale- shop with stock or stock only. Serious buyers may please Contact: 94320909

Wanted a single room for Senior Executive Bachelor in Ruwi area. Contact: 93708595 Wanted a family shared accommodation for Senior Executive Bachelor in Ruwi-Wuttayah area. Please contact: 93708595

WANTED

FOR SALE 7D Cenema for sale 6 seat hydraulic, 7D cenema full system for sale. Contact: 99737327 Coffee shop in Sohar daily income 350 O.R .Contact: 97044105 Primary school furniture for sale in good condition. contact 93211417

Industrial land in Rusail.4000 sqm. Contact 99323957 / 95490842. Land for sale in the village of Bimmah on the coastal road Qurayat/ Sur with a space of 604 square meters for an attractive price. Contact 92905222

Warehouse minimum 600 SQ. MTR for dry foodstuff storage between Muscat and Ghala. Contact: 99108171 Urgently required looking to immediately buy used Grit blasting & airless spray equipment 1 No each. Contact 968 24810930 / 93203772 / 93203773 /93203778

BUYING Buying cars for cash. Contact: 90202090

ACC. AVAILABLE Single room with separate bathroom for cooking bachelor in Rex Road. Contact: 98209132 Spacious bedroom, toilet & kitchen, near ISWK (KG). #96098443 Sharing accommodation for Executive bachelor, working lady (South Indians) spacious room / separate entrance, attached bathroom, near Al Nahdha Hospital, Ruwi. Contact: 93462307 Spacious semi furnished room with separate bathroom for Executive bachelor Opp. O.C. Centre Ruwi. Call : 90611670 Sharing accommodation in W/K. Contact: 94986587 Furnished single room with toilet at Al Khuwair, Kabab factory Ronald. Contact: 99568122 Furnished room sep / entrance Wadi Kabir Executives. #99336206 Room for rent available at Al Khuwair. Contact: 91512037 Furnished room in ruwi and azaiba for rent for executive bachelors. Gsm 99058344 Sharing accommodation available with W/E at Al Khuwair 33. For a small family or non-cooking bachelors. Contact - 92834145 Furnished room for non cooking bachelor near Softy Ice cream, Ruwi. #91107383 / 93120054 Sharing accommodation available at honda road Ruwi. #99040590

BUSINESS Attention to Traders : we have our office in China we can import any thing you require directly from Chinese manufactures we insure prompt delivery with very low prices. #99742983 / 95226989. New Year gifts dairy pens t -shirt with print. Contact: 98604960

AVAILABLE Bobcat available for rent. Contact 97623299 Party & Wedding equipment rentals. Full line, from Tables, Linen & Skirting, Chairs & Chair covers, Cutlery, Crockery, Glassware, Chaﬁng Dishes, Ice Sculptures, to Large Sound Systems and spectacular lighting. Call Andrea 9606 2222 for Catering and Croyden 9623 5555 for Sound & Light. ww.tunesoman.com, E-mail: info@tunesoman.com

NRI 2000 SQFT 3 bedroom, villa in gated colony for sale at thalore Trissur Kerala. Contact: 99725985 Malayalam movie partner invited for a Malayalam comedy ﬁlm ready to shoot talented artists also welcome. Contact: dffa.dffa@gmail. com or 0091- 95679 - 60329 or (92817797) Studio ﬂat for sale in IMA house Cochin behind the International Stadium, Kallor, now used as rental apartment by IMA. Interested parties Contact : 99322776 / 99325880

M O N D AY, D E C E M B E R 1 9, 2 0 1 6 Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classiﬁeds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT PROJECT MANAGER Project Manager required to develop a high end resort with good knowledge of local hospitality market and proven experience in developing similar projects from early stages, including pre opening

Email your CVs: ndevoman@gmail.com

Sales Executives Applicants are invited for existing vacancies in a leading information Technology company. Interested candidate should have the following criteria: - Background in marketing. (MBA is preferable) - 2-3 years experience in Oman for selling IVMS Products or Information Technology solution. - Well versed with Oman market. - Omani driving license is a must. - All Nationalities are welcome to apply.

Interested candidate may send CV to hr@kginfotech.com Reputed mineral water company required the following HEAVY/LIGHT DUTY DRIVERS VAN SALESMAN with Omani driving license

SALES SUPERVISOR/SALES COͳORDINATOR with Omani driving license HELPERS ͳ Experience 3 to5 years

Graduate in Commerce with 10 years experience, must have Oman working experience with valid Oman driving license. Interested candidates send resume to hr@aljood-oman.com Accountant 2-3 years experience. Candidate should be Indian, English speakers. NOC is a must. Email: mohammad.jwabreh@ bearingcitysc.com. Fax: 24509312

CATERING A well reputed restaurant, urgently required seafood & Arabic biryani chef & a waiter, should be ﬂuent in English only, experienced candidates can contact for more Details 99364735/ 93141672 Forward your Resume to cafechefa2013@gmail.com Excellent male cook w/ experience 200 Riyals salary + accommodation & food. Must be in Oman have own visa. Contact: Whatsapp: 95887572

DOMESTIC HELPER Full time Filipino lady Nurse or a lady helper to take care of a male patient visa, labour clearance available. Contact: 96103792

DESIGNER Urgently required a Graphic Designer with 3 years experience in graphic designing, Photoshop, Illustrator. Send CV to email: hr@cityvago.com

DRIVER Driver required, drivers with valid Oman light duty driving license. Contact: 95894258

DRAUGHTSMAN Draughtsman, PT/ FT. Send resume, work samples to zrarchitecture1@gmail.com.#96098443

ENGINEER SURVEYOR /DRAFTSMAN ITI Surveyor with 2 years experience in Oman in OHL transmission lines with valid D/L and knowledge in drafting preferred #93339586 Email: hromancv@gmail.com Required urgently B.E. / Diploma having good experience in Automobile & Engineering workshop. Contact: 99439701 Email: nnoe11977@gmail.com Required Urgently Engineer with Driving License & Foreman for construction company in Suwaiq, Al Batinah Contact: 96322202 / 93677795, mail your cv’s to: unionnationalhouse@gmail.com

MEDICAL Al Farooq Polyclinic Barka requires experienced Male & Female GPs & Gynecologist. Contact 99754628 Care Medical Centre (Al Seeb) requires General Practitioners & Pharmacists. Email : muscat.medicalcarecentre@gmail.com

ADMIN

SITUATION WANTED

SALES / MARKETING

Young B.Com Graduate with computer literate holding Oman D/L seeks placement in Administration or Accounts Assistant. contact 95041489

Urgently required licensed Pharmacist temporary or permanent for a reputed polyclinic. Contact 96721709 or send CV to : manageribnalhaitham@yahoo.com

Looking for an Expat staff, with experience in Oman in real estate ﬁeld. Email: aburashid94dd@ gmail.com

Indian female, MBA HR & ﬁnance, 4 years experience in MNCs looking for good job. Contact: 95299271 / 95124289

Wanted female & Male Nurse with or without license (good salary, food & accommodation with other beneﬁts. Contact 92989109, Email: medicoport@gmail.com

A leading trading Group is looking for outdoor Sales Executive with driving license & release / NOC. Fax: 24701683 or Email CV to alhajoil@omantel.net.om

Omani experience on reception, admin PRO seeks job. Contact: 96495545 / 96184616

Urgently required GP doctor with NOC for well known running clinic ready to work in Bidbid. Contact 96746460

Required Sales Executive – 3nos. for rental car, with Omani license. Contact: 90955777

Contact - 90372638 ACCOUNTS

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED

MEDICAL

A MOH license Staff Nurse needed to work in a clinic in Medha 400 Rial salary with accommodation. Contact: 94220240

Sales man & designer for Offset printing press. Contact: whatsapp 94756618 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

8 Years Experienced Graduate Omani Female presently working as Administration Manager in a reputed group Company, supervising HR and other administration activities, liaisoning with Ministries and other Government departments looking for suitable opening in a progressive professional organization. Contact: 91727742

ACCOUNTS Accounts Manager looking for job in accounts or ﬁnance, 4 years Oman exp with accountancy degree & Omani D/L with NOC available. Contact: 95661169 Email: moshin_zaman4u@hotmail.com

Male Accountant, MBA (ﬁnance) 5 yrs experience including UAE & India up to ﬁnalization available immediately (on visit) Contact: 91704866 Email: anees0989@gmail.com

Indian (M), Qualiﬁed CPA, CMA, CIA (USA), MBA (Finance) & M.Com, 15 years’ experience in Finance, Accounting & Audit, (3 years in Oman) looking for suitable Senior/Middle level position in Finance/Accounting/Audit. NOC available. E-mail soji_ansu@yahoo.com, mob – 91595436

10+ Years Experience in Accounts & Finance upto Finalisation, NOC & License available. Contact – 96239126

Indian, MBA Finance & Marketing with 4 years of experience in Finance & Accounts. With valid Oman D/L. Contact: +968 96321890

Indian male, B.C.A Graduate, having 4+ years experience in system administration & technical support available on visit visa & ready to join immediately. Contact: 92813630

Senior Accountant 16 years experience handle accounts up to ﬁnalization MIS cash ﬂow, NOC &, D/L available. Contact: 94117616 Email: praveen78oman@gmail.com

English/Arabic speaking Marketing Major with experience in sales. Please e-mail gccmedicalrecruitment@gmail.com

Administrator B.Com with D/L on release, 30 years India & Gulf experience in office. project documentation & logistics. Contact: 92324789 / 97281023

Indian female 22 years, B.Com, 1 year experience in India as Accountant / Clerk, looking for suitable opening. Now on visiting visa. Contact: 97754830

Muscat wants GP, staff Nurse holding MOH license & Receptionist (Omani) Contact 97698004 email: medicare@fusionlogicoman. com

Required well experienced dynamic candidate in Real Estate Evaluation Field beside Building Management Techniques. Contact 91246444, Email: rescooman@gmail.com

Indian Female, MBA-HR having 8+ experience in Administration/HR, Customer Support, Office Coordinator with good Computer skill, Now on Visit Visa, looking for suitable position.Contact 90196235

Indian male 34 yrs looking for Accounts Asst job, Oman with valid driving license Cont. 92092486, email: sagarjohn28@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS

SECRETARIAL / OFFICE

We are looking for Admin & Sales officer for our company. Send your CV to Email: alsarooj@omantel.net. om

Required female Graduate having knowledge in Tally & MS Office with good skills in English. Candidate may send CV to knsibi@electrotechoman.com Contact: 97984134

Arabic speaking doctor preferably with MOH License, internal medicine specialty would be a plus. E-mail gccmedicalrecruitment@gmail.com Required Optometrist for a leading Optical group in Oman. Email : albasilopticals @gmail.com Contact 93822557

Candidates with the following should apply: Previous experience in a similar, working for a security company Proven experience of designing and estimating large integrated CCTV, Access Control, and Perimeter detection systems. Detailed technical knowledge of database and operating security systems associated with CCTV, access Control, with Oman license. Send CV by mail info@sahabit.com Urgent required : Store labors. Candidate should be Indian, English speakers. NOC is a must. Email: mohammad.jwabreh @bearingcitysc.com, Fax: 24509312

MANAGER Urgently required Cold store experienced Manager & Staff. Email : almahadint@gmail.com, almahadint@yahoo.com

SALES / MARKETING Wanted Sales Executive with GCC D/L & NOC for a company deals with automatic doors in Salalah. Email CV to: accounts@alatonoman.com or Fax: 24700408 Wanted experienced Sales & Marketing Manager (with Oman driving license) for ﬁne dine restaurant in capital area. Fax 24565544 GSM / 99103777 & 97100892 Require sales man for hydraulics and oilﬁeld sector. Contact 99221683 / 92830110

TOURS Required female for travel agency preferable with license, Omani. Contact 90955777

SKILLED LABOUR Construction company looking for foreman with Gulf experience. Contact : 95758004 Required Experienced Auto Electrician and Automobile Mechanic for a reputed service station. Contact : 91232638 hashim@ramainvestment.com

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED Pakistani male 25 y, fluent in English, valid oman driving license experience of pak. & oman. Needs suitable replacement like teaching, administration, documents controller, sales and marketing, rent a car field and personal Assistant etc. aamirkhan_7860@yahoo.com. Contact 94908725 Indian male, 23 yrs, looking for suitable job my qualification is Diploma in Electronics an i am having 3 years of experience in the hardware an networking field an i am having Gulf driving license you can contact me on : +96897017866.

Indian male M.SW (HR) 2 years exp in India, 27 years age. Contact: 93353912 Filipino HRD especialist /material controller supervisor with 18 yrs experience looking for suitable job in Oman. Contact: (+968) 98037142 / (+968) 92659817 8 years experience in administration and guest relations department in Oman With valid omani driving licence. Seeking suitable jobs. Ph: 98145825 email: getcb@rediffmail.com Egyptian woman resident, considerable experience in the Administration and Secretarial Executive for company. Contact : 97221126 Omani, male, 26 yrs experience looking for job in reputed Companies as PR, having experience at airport / Emigration, Ministries/ Manpower with Oman D/L. Contact 95445779 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

ARCH./ INTERIOR DEC. Indian female Architect NIT Calicut pass out seeking for suitable job, 1 yr experience in design & coordination of residential & commercial buildings. Contact: 95293638 / Email: arayilakathsafa@gmail.com Architect Engineer seeking for suitable job, 8 years experience. GSM : 96075000, Email : haytham_201046@yahoo.com

Indian male 22 years B.com with 1 year experience as an Accountant, looking for suitable opening. Contact: 91247507 Accounts & Admin 3 years experience in GCC, BBA Graduate, Indian male 29 yrs. Contact: 79103778 Finance manager, MBA finance 21 yrs of MNC contracting experience, looking for a job thorough knowledge in MIS Ext/ Int Audit, tax budget, trade finance, system implementation etc. Contact: 94652975 Email: ramu2587@hotmail.com Indian MSC finance accounts & management (UK) seeking opening in accounts & finance available immediately with driving license. Contact: 97116798 Email: abin.mathew52@gmail.com Oman Experienced Finance & Audit Manager CPA, MBA-USA ACCA ,Expert in Profit Maximizations , Business Developments, All Banking Facilities , ERP- Accounting Software & Solutions of All Business Problems ,With NOC & Driving License Call 94886226 Part time Accountant up to finalization auditing. #93598736 MBA with 3 years experience. Contact: 98381784 Email: nustruggle@gmail.com Looking for a job Assistant Accountant. Contact: 90119212 Senior Accountant Jordanian Nationality looking for suitable position – accounts up to finalising. NOC available. Contact : 91702073 General Accountant, MBA (Financial Management) Having 8+ Year Experience in Accounts of UAE. Qualified Accounting Software TALLY, QUICK BOOK ETC. On Visit. Contact 9526 8360, Email. Sheikhs786.qh@gmail.com

Experienced business development and investment consultant with 10 years experience in the financial management field. Holds a masters degree in finance and management from the UK. Contact : 90157073 Indian male MBA (finance) Accounts, Customer service, 2 yearsExperience.(Dubai Airport) Iran Airlines. GCC driving licensevalid till 2025. On Visit Visa (Till 20 Dec 2016).Looking for suitable job. Contact – 71093532. Emailmirzahassanbaig89@gmail.com Experienced Indian female 23 B.Com with computer application on visit looking for suitable position. Contact: 94964860 / 92436404 MBA Finance Indian 25 Male 2 years experience seeking opportunities in Finance sector. Immediately available.contact:92498840 sachu_0318@yahoo.com Indian female, 12 years experience in Oman work an Asst. Finance Manager, looking for suitable position, NOC available. Contact: 92824146 Accountant male qualified /quick books package CA part qualified AAT, 6 years experience in Sri Lanka & 2 years experience in Maldives. #: 98187164 / 99107591 email: uwmprabhath@gmail.com Indian male 26 years Graduated having over all 5 years experience in Accounts ware house fields sales & marketing, NOC available. Contact 95307619 / 92237173 Part time qualified experienced Accountant available. Contact: 91126314 Part time Accountant, 7 yrs Gulf experience available 8.00 AM to 1.00 PM FRI &SAT. Contact: 97895741 ACCA member with 6 yrs of experience in Oman looking for a suitable job in finance. Contact 99284193 Accountant male holder of diploma Chartered Accountancy and student of CA institute inter CA, with 3 years experience in finance, available at Muscat ready to join immediately. Contact: 79049355 / 99220572 Email: ahamedfiham777@gmail.com Chief accountant Senior 16 yrs exp can handle accounts up to finalization, MIS, C. flow budgeting, ERP costing & leasing with auditing, NOC available, seeking job. Contact: 94885686 Email: zahid123368@gmail.com Accountant & Admin 18 years exp (7 yrs in UAE) good knowledge of accounting software’s & English. Contact: 91729724 Accountant 8 Years Experience with D/L and NOC. Contact 97712084

M O N DAY, D E C E M B E R 1 9, 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED B.COM GRADUATE With 30 years Oman experience in various fields like Accounts, Administration, Operation, Credit control etc. worked in reputed companies as Manager with Oman driving license and knowledge of basic Arabic language.

Experienced IT Professional

ACCOUNTS

Indian male MBA finance 31 years working as Admin Manager in Muscat since 2012, total 8 years experience in administration and accounts valid Omani driving license. NOC is available. Contact : 94030054 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 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, Email-allen.mathew83@gmail.com Indian male age 26, Accountant one year experience in accounts looking for suitable job. Contact Email: anishkhan991867@gmail. com Mobile: +968 9565 9415 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. #96988923 email:- sajith3969@gmail.com

Accountant B.com Indian male 12 yrs exp seeks suitable job.NOC available . Contact : 91212471 Email: rennyj6@gmail.com Omani female Accountant, 32 years, having 10 years exp in admin/accounts seeks suitable placement. Contact: 93295953 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 (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 Finance Manager, 17 + years Gulf exp. in Accounts, MIS, budgets, strategic planning, cost control, cash ﬂow management, seeks job. Contact 99489784, E mail :- vijay.564@hotmail.com

work cleaning / housekeeping, body / physiotherapy. #96725168

8 yrs exp. in Admin & Accounts (3 yrs in Oman), MBA, exp. in Tally ERP 9, Indian (F) seeks placement. Contact 97243806

Restaurant / Banquet Manager Indian male having 3 yrs Diploma in Hotel management & Catering technology, above 16 yrs work experience sin F& B service, Managerial position in reputed Star hotels at Gulf countries & India. Contact: 91164043 Email: mohanpriya1975@yahoo.com

Indian, Kerala, CMA-USA, ICWA, Mcom10+Years Experience Budgeting Planning MIS Accounts&finance.Cont.94064931shijupnarayanan@gmail.com 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. #96976240 Accountant available with NOC, 7 years experience in Oman. Ready to join immediately. Contact 98263394 Indian female 28 yrs B.Com 4 yrs experience in MNC’s currently in Muscat seeking suitable placement in Finance / Admin. Contact :94743790 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 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 Indian female, 26 years,brought up in oman,M.COM(FINANCE) CA Foundation(CPT),CA , INTER (DOING) presently on family visa seeking for immediate and suitable placement. Contact -97174201/99663957 Email-anishasasi@gmail.com

DRIVER Searching job for heavy duty driver, having 4 yrs experience. Contact 94752728 20 years exp, driver with own delivery van. Contact: 99062400 1 years exp D/L male 28 yrs, looking driver job. Contact: 94338977 Driver job wanted. #96393082 Driver seeks job, with driving license & salesman. #94235254 Looking for driving job 10 yrs exp, D/L UAE & Oman. Contact: 95918834 / 97098081 Light driver looking for job 3 years experience. Contact: 97468646 Indian male 42 yrs UAE , QTR 24 years road work experience looking for good post, with driving license, on visit visa. Contact: 91177203 Light driver looking for job. Contact: 94397006 Looking for driving job. Contact: 99775728

DOMESTIC HELPER

Accountant B.Com/ M.Com, Indian male 10 years exp seeks suitable job NOC available valid ROP driving license. Contact: 97375608 Email: vincentdsouza1979@gmail.com

MBA Finance having 6 years experience (4 years) in Oman as an Accountant, local release. NOC available can join immediately. Contact: 96742474

Contact # 96654216

Driver with car have good experience in Oman. Contact: 94039796

Houseboy available for house

Indian (m) MBA ( f) more than 6 years of experience in accounts, proﬁciently in various A/C software SAP ( F1/CO) seeking for suitable placement. Contact: 95920740 Email Id : abdulhameed1527@gmail.com

with over 20 years in Oman. Can manage ERP systems, Hardware, Network, Wi-Fi and Biometric Devices. NOC available.

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

Looking for light driver job experience 8 years Eng, Urdu & Arabic. Contact: 95658675 Looking for driving job. Contact: 98219182

CATERING

DESIGNER/ DRAUGHTSMAN Free lance Autocad works experienced (arch, struct, MEP, shop drw) rate a0/a1 sheet ( 10-17 OMR) ph : 97103168 Free lance / part time autocad works / make boq 2d /3d arch , structural, shop drawings interior drawings. Contact 97103168 mkgroupoman@gmail.com AutoCAD Draughtsman 9 years Gulf experienced. Contact: 93528255 AutoCAD Draughts man Indian male with 10 years working experience (9 years experience in GCC) & well experience in Architectural & civil ﬁeld looking for a suitable placement. Contact: 91598043 Email: mu5495608@gmail.com Piping designer Indian male 8 years experience in oil & gas currently in Muscat. Contact: 97212921 9 years experienced Interior designer seeking for suitable placement, Oman driving license holder. Contact: 98678225 Interior designer seeking job in Muscat with 6 years of related experience as an interior designer with a strong background in work place interiors. Contact: 91291502 Email: ahmad.jassem025@gmail.com Revit, Autocad D/man, expected salary 200 OMR. PH : 92279784 Filipino Senior Revit/AutoCAD Draftsman with 20 years professional experience is looking for suitable job in Oman.Please Contact: 96489798, (+974) 66653780.

DRIVER Indian male, age 29 looking driver job. Contact: 97614837 Male 40 yrs, 15 yrs exp, D/L seeking job (Sales & driving) English, Hindi, Arabic. Contact: 97003340

11yrs experience in Accounts & Finance in Gulf. 5years in reputed Oil & Gas company; Finalization & Consolidation FS, MIS, Audit, Budget, AP & AR, Tax, etc., Indian Male, Post-graduation, Oman D/L and NOC available.

Please contact: 931 42923

Contact - 98185350

ACCOUNTS

Sr. Accountant with SAP/ERP.

Looking for driving job. Contact: 98994832 / 94537614 Light driver with 5 yrs exp need job. Contact: 92024487 Driver with 2 years experience in job looking for job. Contact: 93374969 / 93721242 Driver with license & car. Contact: 99158913 Light duty driver looking for job with 5 years experience. Contact: 97380787 Light duty driver with valid Oman license available.#92686876 L-driver with valid Oman D/L, looking for suitable job. Contact: 95489480 Looking for job light driving. Contact: 93779819 Driver available for job. Contact: 96381406 Pakistani, 10 years experience in Saudi, Arabic, Hindi, Urdu, license 3 years in Oman. Contact: 94350734 / 97665807 Looking for job exp having driving license. Contact: 97363138 Driver looking for job. Contact: 95892363 Looking for light driver job. Contact: 93782166 / 94356465 Looking for job light driver 17 years exp Oman. #95541940 Light Driver with 7 years experience looking for job. #92617293 Looking for driving job. Contact: 94802988 / 94435912 Looking for driver job. Contact: 99578649 Want light driver job, 4 years experience. Contact: 91740910 Light duty driver 5 yrs Dubai, 1 yr Oman experience seeks placement knowing English, Arabic & Hindi. Contact: 90271794 Bangladeshi male light driver exp 16 years looking for job. Contact: 99165961 Looking for driving job. Contact: 95396905

Experienced driver available with 4WD willing to work fulltime / part-time, familiar with all tourist destinations in Oman. Contact: 24814231 / 91941545

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. Indian male BE mechanical engineer CSWIP, 4 years gulf experience in visit visa having Qatar driving license. Contact: +968 96550807 Email: vishnusohanlal@gmail.com Electronics Engineer in project & sales with 4 years GCC experience having Oman driving license looking for a job. Contact: 92103711 Master in Civil Engineering with 5 years Gulf exp. Contact: 96658456 B.Sc Civil Engineer 5+ years experience in Building construction & Steel structural building with having valid D/L. Contact: 93850440/ shahadat033@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer/ Indian Male with 1 Year experience looking for HSC officer male 29 years, 6 years experience seeking good opportunity. Contact: + 968 90595885 / + 968 71140487 Email: bipin.tkurian@yahoo.com Mechanical Engineer with 6 years Gulf experience, NOC & D/L available. Contact :92730137 Indian male 24 B.E Mechanical Engineer, 1 year experience, on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact: 98530806 / 99362006 Civil engineer D.A.E Civil, B.Tech Civil, having four years experience on visit visa. Contact: 97248565 / Whatsapp 94996896 Indian male 23 years Mechanical Graduate, looking for job in mechanical ﬁeld also completed diploma in Mechanical Engineering. Contact: +968 98812608, Email : mesahad@gmail.com Civil Engineer experience 10 yrs, 8 years in Oman. Contact: 97201504 / 98047527 Mechanical Engineer 22 years experience in manufacturing industries in Oman Efficient in all plant operations seeking managerial position. Contact: 98871548 / 98758606 Mechanical Engineer with 3 years experience in RO plant maintenance of boilers, breakdown maintenance, pumps, control valves and air compressor etc currently in Oman looking for suitable placement. Contact: 95632276 Email: jassinsudhakaran797@gmail.com Civil Engineer 10 years experience working in International company, Infrastructure & building construction having Omani driving license. Contact: 96616396. Purchasing professional having 7 years experience in power, water construction projects seeking job. NOC available. Contact: 96518316 Email: vineethsubashpillai@gmail. com Professional land surveyor available with total station vehicle NOC 9 years experience in building construction bridges topography survey roads available to join or higher. Contact: 96287425 Email: ihtisham.tkm@gmail.com Mechanical/ Piping Engineer (B.Tech.) on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact 94703350 Email: nadeembcoolboy@gmail.com Looking for suitable placement. Indian Male 36 yrs Machineshop sales and service, repair and maintenance mechanical equipments & jobs. Noc available, Oman D/L Available Working in Oman for 5+ years. 98481039, anand27kumar@gmail.com

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. an opportunity in Electro Mechanical ﬁeld of IMS/BMS/HVAC systems. on Visit visa. Contact: 99288700 E Mail: karthias1995@gmail.com

B. Tech Mechanical HVAC site Engineer 4 years experience, currently on visit. Contact 92837696 / mdabdulather@gmail.com

Mechanical Engineer (B.E) with 5+ years experience in Gulf and India (oil & gas projects). Contact: 91987143 Email: jebilk212@gmail.com

An Iraqi civil with more than 30 years experience in (Iraq and G.C.C) looking for a job, (N.O.C) available. Contact: 96561306 Email: iq.bgd.mnsr@gmail.com

Indian male 26 years Mechanical Engineer with 2 yrs exp in Oman. Looking for suitable placement. Contact - 91328079 Civil Engineer 8 years experience Structural buildings marine. Available NOC release. #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 Structure Engineer/civil BSC, worked in mega projects with 2 years experience, soft ware skills (Cad, staad, Revit, Robot, Sap, Hilti), Fluent Arabic, English. #:99814536 HSE Engineer having 10+ years experience in both Construction and Oil & Gas (PDO). Looking for suitable position, NOC & valid driving license available. Contact: 97717468 Diploma in Civil Engineer having 8 years experience Quantity Surveyor Civil in Oman looking for a job around 21 years experience in civil works. Contact: 97829710 Civil Engineer holder a master degree with +3.5 years experience in gray & Jordan. Contact: +968 94592122 Email: m_f_h88@yahoo.com Mechanical Engineer Pakistani form N.E.D University 15 years experience of operation maintenance installation of CNH comp, gas engineer generative fiber optic FTTH & LTE projects in Oman. Contact: 00968 95196597 Email: s_atif76@hotmail.com Sudanese civil Engineer master holder with 6 years experience. Contact: 99636424 Fresher cloud Engineer. Contact: 98207829 Civil Engineer diploma 6 yrs of exp 3 years Oman seeks suitable position in a reputed company NOC available can join immediately. Contact: 97912853 Looking for job in construction industries, office coordinator, document controller, Administration B.A with good computer skills 10 years experience. Contact: 95399753 / 93892877 Email: dhananjayam0@ gmail.com Mechanical Engineer with 6 years GCC experience in Petro chemical & Steel plant construction currently on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact: 93926488, Email: sanjuns89@gmail.com Need for job industrial Electrical technician with Oman driving license, earlier experience in the oil field. Contact: 91285302 / 96348016 MSc. Oil and Gas Engineer, 5 years experience in OMAN as Mechanical/Piping Engineer holding certificate in Piping and Primavera. In Oman on Visit, Contact: 92156892, arakkalskaran@gmail.com Civil Engineer (Indian male) 12 years of experience in construction field having Omani D/L and NOC looking for suitable job. Contact: 94194399 Email: saashibly@gmail.com Graduate female with 7 years experience in retail, looking for a suitable position. Contact : 96234434 BOQ available, site visiting inspection. Contact: 93850875 / 95031239

Indian male, Mechanical Engineer having 1year experience, on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact: 97416564, Email:jovinmathias@gmail.com Civil Engineer 8 years experience in Oman as a project engineer for governmental & private projects. Contact – 90164912 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 Electrical Engineer with DCRP Electrician license & Oman driving license, 10 years experience in Oman, seeks suitable placement. NOC / Release available. Contact: 97316979, Email: rajaneeshktr@gmail.com Indian female, 22 yrs, BE (Electronics & Communication) searching for suitable placement. Contact 96008324 Electrical Engineer Indian male 30 years, having 5 years of experience in industrial automation and utility maintenance in India, holding valid Oman D/L. Contact: 92789995 Email: akhilabrahamlktr@gmail.com Experienced auto mobile Engineer seeking job. Contact: 91487747 Mechanical Engineer, 3 years experience, 1 year in Oman, with driving license & NOC. Contact: 94887665 Email: mechatron_mt@yahoo.com Diploma Electrical Engineer 15 yrs experience in electrical, commercial & industrial field 3.5 yrs Gulf experience presently on visit visa. Contact: 97937868 Construction Machinery repairs Engineer, 5 years, driving license, Contact - 94001961 Electrical Engineer (B.Tech) male 12 years experience in MEP looking for job NOC available. Contact: 94743659 Sr. Electrical Engineer with17+ yrs of exceptional exp in spear heading strategic planning and project management initiatives & executing various high rise residential & commercial building as well as roads and highway project with proficiency in installation, seeking a challenging position in a dynamic organization. Contact 96570891 Civil Engineer (Indian male) 5 years experience in Oman with valid Omani driving license & NOC looking for suitable opportunity. Contact: 93101283 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 Electrical & Electronics Engr, knows autocad & revit. Contact: 93837973 Indian male, B.E Mechanical with 2 years experience as Maintenance Engineer in Cochin Refinery and 1 year experience in Chevrolet seeking job. Ph number: 97964862, Email: jossyabraham20@gmail.com 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 Pakistani male Diploma Civil Engineer 4yrs exp in Oman bulling & mega projects, valid license Oman. Contact: 98921022

M O N D AY, D E C 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 ENGG. / TECH./MECH.

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

IT Engineer male, 28 yrs, over 7 yrs experience with NOC, D/L available seeking placement in IT / Network / Telecom ﬁeld. Contact 93563297 Email: monuzv24@gmail.com

Indian male, B.E Mechanical with 2 years experience as Maintenance Engineer in Cochin Reﬁnery and 1 year experience in Chevrolet seeking job. Contact : 97964862, Email:jossyabraham20@gmail. com

Indian male on visit visa, Network Administrator with 5 years experience in IT ﬁeld seeking suitable placement immediately. Contact: 93926541 / 92703007 Email: 16.prasanth@gmail.com

Mechanical Engineer, Indian, Male, 30yrs. Experienced in Steam turbines and Thermal Power house seek employment. Contact - +91 8130553668 or mohamedshah7@gmail.com Site Supervisor, Diploma in Civil Engg (cert attested) knows autocad revit, salary exp: 250 Ph : 92279784 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

EDUCATION/TRAINING Indian female 24. Masters in Computer science engineering, seeking job in colleges, schools and institutes. Having in good skill in teaching and advanced technologies. Contact : 93356858 Email id : annielino11@gmail.com Masters (M.Sc) in applied Psychology, specialization in counseling, Indian female, 24 years, good caliber in teaching and counseling, with reasonable practical experience in some reputable schools and colleges looking for an appropriate opportunity in related ﬁeld. Contact 99133896, afsh.shariff@gmail.com Female Arabic Teacher well experienced looking for a suitable job for non native speakers. Contact: 96094116 Indian Female, Phd in Chemistry having 3.5 yrs of Experience in India. Staying here on Family Visa & seeking for a suitable placement. Contact – 99675828, Email anupam.tiwari67@gmail.com Female B. Ed English teacher, 7 yrs exp seeking suitable placement. Contact 99739415 / 92091528

HOSPITALITY Indian male having Diploma in Hotel Management with 16 years of experience in F x B Service at India, K.S.A & Oman, having valid Oman D/L, seeking for available placement. Contact 92100141 / 92221956 Indian male 31yrs old with hotel management degree,03 yrs experience in F&B services at 5 star hotel Dubai, 05 yrs in American 06 star cruiseliner has butler. Has oman driving license. Contact 99859150 Indian male, 24 yrs , Diploma in Hotel management, 2 years experience front office management in 4 star hotel Dubai, currently on visit visa. Contact: 97937504 Email: febinpalathingal01@gmail.com

IT Senior Network Engineer (USA Citizen) network design & implementation, network conﬁg and maintenance, CCNA, CCNP, CCIE (WR). Contact – 90350262/ Email- ammar.eng@gmail.com Indian / Female (29) married. MCA, 2+years of experience in software development Accenture, Bangalore. IT skills include Dot Net, SQL server 2008, ASP.Net, excellent communication skills with Omani DL looking for a suitable job. Mb: 94057790; Email: geetika. pesit08@gmail.com IT Support Engineer, 6 yrs experience with NOC available seeking placement in IT system & server Administration. Contact: 93200454 Email: pandiyanraj85@ gmail.com IT Engineer male 28 yrs over 6 yrs experience with NOC available seeking placement in IT net work Administration, software development. Contact: 94744858 Email: athulmundayad@gmail.com

Indian male Keralite Post Graduate Diploma and Graduate CCNA & MCSA certiﬁed have 5 years experience in software & hardware technical support. Contact : 93988511 Email: vimalkanthkv@gmail.com Technician Network Electrical CCTV, Indian male 27 yrs, 6 yrs of experience in Oman D/L seeking suitable placement. #93098436 B. Tech IT Graduate 5 years experience in web dev, networking have valid Oman license looking for suitable placement. contact 98825722 Email: ajaybin.joy@gmail.com Indian Male, MCA Graduate, 15 yrs exp in ERP, CSM Certiﬁed, seeking suitable role.NOC Available. Contact : GSM : 90189284 Email: meetlibran@gmail.com Indian female M.Sc Computer Science seeking suitable placement in Muscat area. Contact 98660672

MEDICAL

MANAGER / SUPERVISOR

Homeopathy Doctor Indian female with MOH license looking for a suitable placement. Contact: 94541830 Email: homeo64319@gmail.com

Joinery / Woodworking Production Supervisor, Indian, with knowledge in estimation, 18 years experience (5 years in Oman). Contact: 92975314, praveen777prabhakar@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

Indian male (40 yrs), looking for warehousing /logistics supervisor position, having 12 yrs Oman Exp with D/L, currently with a leading distribution company in Oman, NOC available - PH: 94337320 ; Email: truefails@rediffmail.com

9 years experience in Lube sales with Oman D/L looking for suitable placement in sales / driver. NOC available. Contact: 99263912

Male Staff Nurse (Indian 26 years old) having MOH license NOC & 3 year’s experience, seeking suitable placement. #94932245 / 95068075 Male Dentist BDS with MOH license seeks for a job. Contact - 9439499 Iraqi Dentist looking for job in Muscat with MOH license & NOC 6 years experience and half. Contact: 96907572 Indian female staff nurse, more than 20 years experience in maternity wards, delivery suit and medical wards M.O.H license and N.O.C available. Seeking for a suitable job in Muscat. Contact: 99058707 Email: rosemathew2015@gmail.com Female Dentist Indian with MOH license & NOC looking for a job in Muscat. Contact-96035981 Staff Nurse female Indian 26 yrs, 5 yrs experience in haemodialysis, has BLS and ACLS, MOH viva and prometric cleared staying here on visit visa, looking for suitable job. Contact: 92518629 Indian male Nurse with 7 years seeking for a suitable job in Muscat. Data ﬂow, prometric completed. Contact: 93519957 / 98275068 Email: mammenv24@gmail.com

Indian male, 26 yrs, 4 yrs work experience in M.N.C , IBM , ITIL foundation certiﬁed looking for suitable jobs in Training / learning / Development / HR/ MIS. Contact: 92306613 Email: michael.rinku@gmail.com

Female Staff Nurse, with 6 yrs experience MOH license and NOC available date ﬂow completed looking for a suitable job in Muscat. Contact: 97440718

27, Indian male: Software Developer having 5years+ experience in oracle forms & reports 10 g, BI publisher. Contact:91156571

Filipino male Medical / Sales representative with 3 yrs experience is looking for suitable job in Oman. Contact: 92610394

IT Support Engineer, Exp 3 years in Oman 2 years in India. Contact 94672759

Indian male Nurse, with well experience in profession and working in Oman. Seeking for a suitable placement. (Preferring opportunity in as Rig Medic). Has BLS and ACLS. Contact : 97236545

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. Contact 93069694 Email: mrabrar14@gmail.com Indian male 4 years experience in IT as Programmer / Web Support/ CCNA/ Network on visit visa seeking placement. Contact 93069694 Email: mrabrar14@gmail.com Female, master in mass communication, B.Ed, experience in media channel and teaching PH : 99362024

Indian male, Nurse with more 7 years experience MOH license, P.D.O license, dataﬂow, NOC available looking for job in Oman. Contact: 93604827 Email: subinraj37@gmail.com Veterinary Doctor: Indian Female looking for a suitable placement. Contact: 96906534 /99014885, Email: monishmajeed@gmail.com Dr.Ayman Abduljalil Ali, E.N.T Specialist (Otolaryngologist), Yemeni-male, looking for job. Mobile: 00201096542706, Email: aymanjalilorl@gmail.com

SKILLED LABOUR

LOGISTICS

Male 42 electricians & plumber, looking for job NOC available. Contact: 98081227

Procurement, Warehouse & Logistics, Pakistani Male, Graduate, Over 10 years experience, Looking for Suitable Placement, Currently on Visit Visa. Contact: 91257663

Watch repair and service looking for job, 24 yrs experience. Contact: 99530405

21, Indian female B.com graduate on family visa looking for immediate and suitable placement. Holds valid Omani Driver’s license. Contact: 97208869 Indian male, 28, post graduate, 6+ yrs exp in Oman in sales (back office) & credit control with valid Oman D/L looking for suitable placements. NOC available. Contact: 92066 523 B.Com,IICL Certiﬁed Container Inspector(No.150850),Visit Visa, Six months experience, need placement. Contact: 90880935, 99023279,Email solexyesudas@gmail.com Sudanese male bachelor geology and mining with 3 years experience in MUD logging and training in soil investigation. Contact 92956848 9 year experienced industrial painter and sand blaster with Oman driving licence. NOC available. Seeks suitable placement. Contact ZakeerHussain 96681934. BS in Electrical Engineering, Experience: 5 years(Power Plants). Contact: 92475206 Email: zahaibzafar007@gmail.com

CEO, CEO Assistant, Managing Director, Senior Level Manager, A senior level business developments executive with 18 Yrs of experiences in USA, Africa, GCC, with MBA from Texas A&M ,USA). Contact 92010247 General Manager Indian National With 20 yr Experience In managing Civil Construction Business Seek Opening in reputed Civil Company. Contact-97464650. Joinery / Woodworking Purchase Manager, Indian, with 12+ years experience in UAE, Qatar & Oman. Experience in Trading & Manufacturing divisions, having valid Omani D/L. Knowledge in Materials Management, Finance, Office Administration and Operations. Contact: 98040421, vinodthattayil@gmail.com.

SALES / MARKETING Indian male with 15 years of rich experience in business development & marketing 7 + years in Oman , looking for a suitable opportunity. Contact: 98652962 Indian male MBA (Marketing) with Oman D/L more than 10 years of experience in sales & marketing, seeks job, NOC available. Contact: 91939227 Indian male, 6 yrs experience in oman as Business Analyst / Business Support, Seeking suitable position. NOC Available.Contact-95882930 3 years experience in sales in Oman, looking for suitable vacancy, NOC available-96983324 26 yrs, Indian male, M.S.C IT having 2 years of experience in sales & Marketing seeking job in sales. Contact: 93703185 Indian male 35 years, BBM, 5 years experience as Sales Executive & key Accountant in Oman with NOC, D/L seeking immediate placement in Muscat area. Contact: 92683606 Email: abhi.abraham09@gmail.com

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE

Indian male 23, MBA (marketing) with 1year experience in India as Sales Executive searching for suitable job in marketing, sales, management, currently on visit visa. Contact: 95957278, Email: zeeshanhamdule.75@gmail.com

Secretarial & Office: Indian(F), MBA in Finance, 2 years experience as Associate in Branch Operations (Record Keeping, Desk job)on family visa. Ph: 93186865 ; email: ddthoppil@gmail.com

Indian male, 27 years 2+ completed, 2 years Muscat experience looking for suitable placement (supermarket shop etc). Contact: 95128634 Email: sabuthoams@gmail.com

India PG diploma in Business Administration, 24 year experiences (22 years in Oman) in diverse ﬁeld handling office administration independently, Sales and Marketing, highly motivated, hard working skillful and willing to work in hallenging environments seeks suitable placement. Having valid Omani driving license. Contact 99120500

20 years exp, driver / sales man with own van. Contact: 99062400

MISCELLANEOUS Omani male, 21 years graduate, (bachelor in management studies) seeks suitable placement. #97904200

Indian male MBA with 8 years of exp as Assistant Manager in investment banking sector. Looking for suitable position, currently on visit visa. Contact – 98685704, WhatsApp – 919000676512 Email – suhelpashaa@gmail.com

Lady Secretary / Sales Co-coordinator 12 years experience in Oman in reputed companies, seek immediate Employment. #95244761 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

MANAGER / SUPERVISOR Experienced business development and investment consultant with 10 years experience in the financial management field. Holds a masters degree in finance and management from the UK. Tel: 90157073

Indian male Bachelor of Science food technology 1.5 year experience. Now in Oman seeking for a suitable placement. #95727594 Email: subahanas@gmail.com Engineering Graduate having 5+ years of exp as Marketing Coordinator in advertisement company and as security system service engineer. Contact :79059197 B.com graduate from India with 6 months of experience in billing and sales in one of the largest retail chain company in India is looking for a suitable position. Currently in visit visa 99610602 or hashim.hashi@yahoo.in Purchase Manager / Officer Indian male having 16 years GCC experience in construction (Civil& MEP) looking for suitable placement, having Oman driving license (NOC available). contact 99109533 Sales man looking for a suitable placement with 2 years experience, NOC available. Contact: 71293044

SALES / MARKETING

Indian male masters in Petroleum Engineering with 1 yr Oman exp in sales & marketing holding D/L, currently on visit visa looking for oil / gas industry ﬁeld related or sales related job. Contact : 93789123 Indian male, Keralite Post Graduate Diploma and Graduate have 6 years experience in Sales and Marketing have experience in Ecommerce, IT, Security and FMCG Sales & Marketing. Contact: 93988511 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 Marketing Executive with 10 years experience in Gulf on visit visa. Contact: 90116693 INDIAN male, BBA with 4 years experience in SALES & MARKETING, holding omani driving license. seeks suitable placement. Contact: 95607037 Email: raaz0jannat@gmail.com. B.Com, Sales building material, accounts, marketing, 10 years experience in India. #92870992 Email: aboosheikh@yahoo.com Freight forwarding Graduate with 8 years experience in freight forwarding (Govt. of India) seek suitable placement. Contact: Shaji 99102497 / 98637889 Indian male around 7.5yrs technical product sales, new agency development experience in Oman B.E mechanical PGP.MKT , IB , Oman D/L urgent placement (m). # 91536968

Indian male MBA and Diploma in management from Australia. On visit visa, looking for a suitable job in sales & marketing. #71189884 Indian male with 6 years experience in sales in oman. NOC available, looking for suitable placement. Contact 95364128 Omani national, ﬂuent in English looking for suitable placement. Contact: 97173753 Egyptian male experienced sales executive with 12 years sales experience in Egypt, KSA and Oman with leading FMCG companies. Holds Omani driving license. Tel: 96202040, Email: ahmedghoniem618@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 male 25, MBA (marketing, ﬁnance) seeking for a suitable job having 1 year experience, currently on visit visa. Contact: 95469149 Email: surajar.inbox@gmail.com 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. +918907212253 Akhil:-93626288, Email: Sumeshpsmkr1989@gmail.com Indian Male, MBA marketing 5 yrs exp. in sales & 4 yrs in FMCG sector, looking for best opportunity. NOC available. Conatct 96001877 Client Relations and Sales Professional with 8 years in the Business Process Outsourcing industry, looking for suitable opportunity in Muscat. Contact +96879050752 Indian male 1 yr exp in sales automotive (TBL) looking for best opportunity , NOC available. Contact# 97793879 Email: shyampkn@gmail.com

TRAVELS/TOUR

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

Reservation & ticketing female one & half experience in travel & tour ism industry visit visa exp, looking for a job. Contact: 97183575 /99015735 Email: aneesayoosufss@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 29 years MBA, B.Com having 8 years experience in Gulf and India as a HR and Admin looking for suitable placement. Contact :97914340. Email: kvraj30@gmail.com

Graduate Indian male 26 yrs, 3 yrs experience logistics & management seeking suitable opportunity in reputed organization. Contact 98847095

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 male 26 years of experience of sales & marketing in surgical and laboratory equipments. Looking for good replacement. Contact – 92015894 /95774854 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 Key Accounts Manager of sales.. with an experience of 13 yrs, across the country. Bsc, MBA seeks suitable placement. Contact- 92100116 MBA (UK), raised in Oman & with 2 yrs work experience holding valid Oman driving license, seeks job in sales / business development. Contact: 99513132 India PG diploma in Business Administration, 24 year experiences (22 years in Oman) in diverse ﬁeld handling office independently administration, Sales and Marketing, highly motivated, hard working skillful and willing to work in challenging environments seeks suitable placement. Having valid Omani driving license. Contact 99120500

MISCELLANEOUS

Good knowledge in Planning and arranging works and sites. Estimation, drawing, Billing and project management. AUTO CADD, STAAD, MS Office and various software packages #99334770/ 997 43 709 Electrical and electronics engineering graduate, 23yrs Indian male, NOC available, 2 yrs site experience in industrial and commercial building sites(MEP ELECTRICAL), expert in autocad, etap, ms office, electrical engineering design, ﬂuent in English and Hindi, exp in handling a team of 20 workers, ph:92201939. Indian, male, BBA graduate and diploma in IATA Cargo Supply Chain and Transport Modes with DGR Initial Category 6.Holds Omani driving license. Presently in family visa. Seeks suitable placement in Cargo section. Contact :-96370022 Indian female, 27 years, MBA in Finance, currently pursuing ACCA, having 10 months voluntary job experience as accountant looking for suitable placement. Contact 94388910, E- mail Id: sowmya. vs1989@gmail.com

Omani female 6 years experience in management, ﬂuent in English & French searching for new opportunity. Contact: 90998255

Indian female, holds masters in business administration (MBA) & LLB, 2 yrs oman experience as hr & admin, seeks suitable placement in jobs @ Sohar, Falaj.#96541959

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

Accountant. Having 9 years experience in accounts in reputed companies. Presently working in Muscat (NOC Available). GSM. 00968-93528057, Email - waheed. murtaza@yahoo.com

M O N DAY, D E C E M B E R 1 9, 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED CARGO

RENT A CAR

CHANGE OF NAME

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED

We, Anuraj Aalackaparambil Sivan (name of father as per the passport holder of Indian passport No. N 0405639 and Lalcie Valiyaparambil Pushkaran (name of mother as per the passport holder of Indian passport No. M 6999410) having permanent address in Aalackaparambil House, South Vazhakulam P.O . Aluva, Ernakulam, Kerala 683105, India (complete postal address in India) and presently residing at the following address in Salalah, P.B No. 114 PC No. 211, Sultanate of Oman, hereby solemnly affirm and declare to change the name of our child Miss / Master Arjun Siva (name as per present passport), holder of Indian passport No. K 0870173 date of issue 06/05/2012 issued at Muscat. The name of our child will be henceforth known as Arjun Siva Aalackaparambil (new name) for all purposes. Any objection towards change of name of our minor child may please be communicated to Embassy of India, Muscat, Diplomatic Quarters, Al Khuwair, PB No. 1727, PC 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman.

Indian/male(26)/ca ﬁnalist and b.com/3 years experience in audit & assurance services, ﬁnancial reporting & analysis on visit visa, available for immediate joining. Contact: 98078321 email: shahir.usman.su@gmail.com

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED Mechanical Engineer/ HVAC/ Indian: 1year experienced mechanical engineer with piping engineering & quality control certiﬁcation, on visit visa. email:nishadphoenix@ gmail.com Contact: 90957740, email: nishadphoenix@gmail.com

Indian male 23 Fresh Mechanical Engineer looking for job in Mechanical ﬁeld special interest in HVAC & MEP. Contact : 9586 1251, Email : mdajaib@yahoo.com B. Tech in electrical and electronics engineering, 23yrs Indian male, 2yrs exp (MEP ELECTRICAL ), NOC available, expert in electrical engineering design, autocad, ETAP, MS Office. Contact ph:92201939 email:nabilism4@ gmail.com Indian male, 26 years, B-Tech Graduate with 3 years experience in Oman& 2 Years experience in india as Civil Engineer in a reputed construction company. Looking for suitable jobs.NOC available. Seeking immediate placements. Contact:96179737/97076972, email:robinsj.sj@gmail.com Indian male B-com Graduate1.5 Year exp. in various office works, valid Oman driving license. Looking for any suitable post .Please contact: 95322175 / 91987965 INDIAN MALE (26)/CA-inter and b.Com/3 years expereince in audit & assurance services, ﬁnancial reporting & analysis on visit visa. Available for immediate joining. Contact: 98078321 EMAIL: shahir.usman.su@gmail.com

4 WD Pagero with driver. Contact: 98031620 25 - 50 seater bus with PDO & BP speciﬁcation for monthly rent & small car with driver. Contact 99839898

LOST Narendra Bharadwaj has lost Indian Passport No. L 9756913. Finder please handover to ROP

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED Indian male 34 yrs, MBA-HR with 10.9 yrs.exp. In Recruitment, Training, PMS, OD, Sites-HR and Omani nationals development, seeking a job, NOC avl.contact 94179499 saiprasad_18@yahoo.com Indian male 45 looking for a job in Car driving. Oman License from last 20-22 years. #9961 3513, Email : Miqbal.kaa@gmail.com A Filipino female searching for a job, with 3month visit visa.exp January 2017.hospitality and sales job will be a Good offer to me. Contact no:98271658

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

M O N D AY, D E C E M B E R 1 9, 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDE

SITUATION WANTED COMPUTER/WEB./ EDU./CLASSES

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

SITUATION WANTED TOURS

We arrange tours & accommodation at all the beautiful places in Oman. Contact 99839898 Enjoy Camping in Wahiba desert & all over Oman & tour. Contact: 92226866

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

SITUATION WANTSERVICES

in Azaiba and Ruwi

• Learn in two months • Satisfaction guaranteed

Tel: 95244310 Karate and self defense classes at Azaiba 18 Nov Street. RO 10 per month twice a week Monday and Tuesday 6. 30 TO 7. 30. PM. Contact: 98294551

MANPOWER

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 WANTED SERVICES

DRIVING

Specialist for road test drum and slope. Contact 94022250

TRANSPORTATION

SITUATION WANTGOOD NEWS

Transportation. Contact: 97128083

ENJOY YOUR VACATION!!! Picking & drop Ruwi to Rusail. Contact: 98957524 / 91287470 Transportation. Contact: 99099714 From Ruwi to Ghala. Contact: 99562527 Transportation. Contact 94510847 Transportation. Contact 94297820 Transportation. Contact 92015894 Transportation. Contact: 94087276

MATRIMONIAL Nair boy, 26 yrs Revathy, Alleppy dist, B.Tech working as planning / project Engineer in Oman, 4 yrs seeks suitable alliance. Contact: 94232342 / 99065898

Enjoy your vacation peacefully without worrying about your car. Here is a solution for safe parking and cleaning your car when you are away on vacation. For people travelling from distant location, you can just drop oﬀ your keys to the car care team and peacefully check into the airport. Your vehicle will be waiting at the airport on your return.

Contact: 96964767 Ayurvedic treatments & massage – Ayurvedic Clinic Al Khuwair. Contact 97263637 / 93309131 Ayurvedic treatment for joint pain, backache, paralysis massage, steam bath, obesity, spondylitis, Ideal Care Ayurvedic clinic, 18th November Street Al Ghubra (North). Contact 99639695 / 97397320

SERVICES We Provide Cleaners, Oﬃce boys, Cleaning Contracts, General cleaning etc. Al Mudakhir National Est. LLC Contact : 94277020

Ayurvedic treatment for backache, paralysis, arthritis etc & massage, All Season (Vaidyaratnam). Contact 24475280 / 95371664 / 92504980 www.siddhayur.com

Maintenance Electrical, plumbing, painting A/C services installations gypsum. Contact: 96319522

SITUATION WANTSERVICES SITUATION WANTFOR LADIES Special packages, Facial, Pedicure, Eyebrow, only 10 RO. Al doom Beauty Parlour #99619409

We undertake new construction & maintenance & gypsum works. Contact 92711506, ammarayyub@gmail.com

House shifting with carpenter and transport. Contact: 96737158 Carpet Shampoo, marble & tile polishing, pest control & anti-termite treatment, general cleaning painting, Plumbing, Electrical, shifting. Contact Mundhir Al-Rizaiqi trading. L.L.C. # 24810137, 99450130

WE SERVE OMAN

Water prooﬁng ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722 House shifting packing. Contact: 99657644 / 98518013

A/C maintenance & Servicing, Fridge / Washing Machine / dish washer repairing, 2) Painting and cleaning service, Electrical & Plumbing. Contact 94147874 / 24504281, mail :globalaccessunited@gmail.com

Installation & maintenance for Modular Kitchen, UPVC Doors & Windows, Furniture, Electrical & Air-conditions Contact @ 92383882/91443786

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