Times of Oman - September 21, 2016

WEDNESDAY September 21, 2016 19 Dhul Hijja 1437 AH

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FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTY THE SULTAN

On the occasion of the 1st National Day, 1971

‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’ As far as domestic policy is concerned, our plan is to build our country and provide all its people with a prosperous life.

Founded 1975 . Volume 41 No. 174 | 36 Pages . Baisas 200 . Subscription OMR63 | ISO 9001:2008 Certified Company | Chairman/Editor-in-Chief: Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali | Printed & Published by Muscat Media Group

I N D E P E N D E N C E A N N I V E R S A RY

The accused had smelted the gold and planned to smuggle it out of the country

Muttrah traders demand more security and night patrolling

BLOWTORCH GANG’S OMR1.4M GOLD HEIST Photo by Purushothaman K/TIMES OF OMAN

Shopkeepers avoid insurance due to high cost but ready to pay for night vigil

FAHAD AL GHADANI RAHUL DAS

fahadnews@timesofoman.com rahuldas@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: A gang of robbers who stole gold worth OMR1.4million from jewellers across Muscat have been arrested, according to the Royal Oman Police (ROP).

The gang used blowtorches to

gain access to stores before raiding them in night-time break-ins.

A worker at one of the targeted jewellery stores – United Al Naseem Jewellers in Muttrah Souq – confirmed they had lost OMR1.2million in the raid.

Those arrested confessed they smelted the gold in a Muscat apartment and were planning to smuggle it out of the country.

Jewellery stores in Muttrah and Seeb were targeted by the gang.

One store in Muttrah, owned by an Iranian, had its security gates blowtorched off during the raid.

Those arrested are of Asian nationality, the ROP said.

Now jewellers in Muttrah Souq are considering more security patrols. Many of them told Times of Oman they have no insurance as the premiums are too high.

A worker at one of the shops targeted by the gang, said that the theft happened on August 4 in Muttrah gold market in the early hours of the morning.

“Some criminals broke open the main door and robbed most of the jewellery that was in the store.

OMAN

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More than 250 Labour Law violators were arrested last week, according to the Ministry of Manpower. >A4

RAHUL DAS

rahuldas@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: For the first time in 17 years, the tax on tobacco products, such as cigarettes, has increased in Oman by about 20 per cent, according to a senior official

WORLD

Angelina seeks divorce

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Actress Angelina Jolie has filed for a divorce from actor Brad Pitt, her attorney said in a statement on Tuesday. >A12

MARKET

Mining firm to float IPO Hadi briefs Alawi on efforts to end conflict in Yemen

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SECRET IS SALAD

Shedding 33kg no big deal for this Omani, wants to lose more HASAN SHABAN AL LAWATI

hasan@times ofoman.com MUSCAT: Only nine months ago, Mohammed Darweesh weighed 162 kg and suffered from health complications and chronic fatigue.

Worried about his future and the possibility of contracting a serious disease, the 31-year-old man decided to challenge his unhealthy eating habits with a “life changing” diet.

In a matter of six weeks, Mohammed lost 33kg. Around 15 employees of W J Towell participated in a competition to shed their weight. W J Towell is known for its health initiatives as it conducts its ‘Towell Health Week’ every year.

Mohammed said that he has improved the quality of his life,

MORNING MINUTE

Tobacco tax raises cigarette prices

250 illegals arrested

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Big loss The shop was closed for 27 days following the robbery. “It’s a big loss. The total amount of stolen jewellery value is almost one million and two hundreds Omani rials,” said the shop worker.

He added that the gold market needs more security measures.

“We invest here millions of rials but the security level is quite low.

Such markets have more security around the world,” said the shop worker.

He added that there were CCTV

cameras installed in the shop. “We handed everything to the police,” he said.

Following the robbery, the shop increased its security in terms of increasing the number of CCTV cameras and doors. “But we don’t have any insurance as this may cost us more,” he said.

Another jewellery shop owner in Muttrah Souq also said something should be done regarding security in the market.

“Such markets should be watched by night shift security.

All the crimes take place after midnight. Shops here are ready even to pay in order to get their shop watched at night,” said the shop owner. >A6

MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable of congratulations to President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca of the Republic of Malta on the occasion of her country’s Independence Anniversary.

In his cable, His Majesty the Sultan has expressed his sincere congratulations and best wishes to President Preca and the people of Malta.

His Majesty the Sultan has also sent a cable of congratulations to President Serzh Sargsyan of the Republic of Armenia on the occasion of his country’s Independence Anniversary.

In his cable, His Majesty the Sultan has expressed his sincere congratulations along with his best wishes to President Sargsyan and the people of his country.

His Majesty the Sultan has sent a cable of congratulations to Colville Young, Governor General of Belize on the occasion of his country’s Independence Anniversary.

In his cable, His Majesty the Sultan has expressed his sincere congratulations along with his best wishes to Colville Young and the friendly people of his country. -ONA

20 PER CENT HIKE

TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

Mining Development Oman plans to float an IPO on the Muscat Securities Market. >B1

They closed down the main door before leaving. We discovered that in the morning when we opened the door,” he said.

His Majesty sends cables of greetings

Mohammed Darweesh.

he has more fun playing with his child and has received a healthy medical report. Showing the results of his latest checkups, Mohammed’s blood pressure is 140/80 compared to 180/100 nine months ago.

“The secret is in the salad,” the

Omani financier said, adding that his diet is very flexible and easy to follow. “Rice, soft drinks, red meat and white bread were removed from my daily menu,” he said.

Only ten days after starting his new diet in January, he lost six kilograms.

He explained that he only walks from 30 minutes to one hour, three times per week.

“I used to eat ten shawarma sandwiches per day before the new diet, but now two are too filling for me,” he said, admitting that he cheated on Eid day by having some Shuwa, a meaty, high-calorie, Omani dish.

He told the Times of Oman that his target is to reach a weight of 80 kg. But despite his dedication and strong will, he said that he is keeping his old wide shirts in his closet “just in case.” >A6

at the Ministry of Health.

Dr Jawad Al Lawati, senior consultant and rapporteur for the National Tobacco Control Committee at the Ministry of Health (MoH) said the prices of tobacco products have been raised after a long time. “The prices were last

raised in 1999,” he revealed.

The tax, which was earlier 20 per cent of the retail price of tobacco products, is now 40 per cent.

“The higher tax on tobacco was announced after Bahrain raised it in January and Saudi Arabia in March 2016,” Al Lawati said.>A6

www.bankdhofar.com

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W E D N E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 1 , 2 0 1 6

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Residents in close proximity of the trees complain about the amount of insects and snakes in their area as it poses health risks and harm Salem Al Ghammari, Municipal Council member

DEVELOPMENT

KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN

Sayyid Kamil gets award for voluntary work MANAMA: His Highness Sayyid Kamil bin Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, Assistant Secretary-General for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for Cabinet Affairs received yesterday the voluntary work award during the honouring ceremony in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain under the patronage of Shaikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa, in the presence of a group of prominent Arab world personalities.

Expressed happiness Sayyid Kamil expressed his happiness to visit Bahrain, which the Sultanate cherishes appreciation and reverence to its leadership and its people, pointing out that the royal care enjoyed by all segments of Omani society from His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has an ac-

tive role in supporting the associations aiming at humanitarian service and providing a decent life to all citizens.

Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain received Sayyid Kamil bin Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said and the honorees.

SYED HAITHAM HASAN

Service of society The prime minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain praised the leading role they are doing in the field of voluntary work at all levels in the service of society.

Sayyid Kamil bin Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said had arrived in Bahrain this morning and was greeted at the airport by Sheikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa. -ONA

haitham@timesofoman.com

HONOUR: Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister

of the Kingdom of Bahrain received Sayyid Kamil bin Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said and the honorees. – ONA

Municipal move to get rid of Mesquite trees The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries is stepping up efforts to remove the Mesquite trees which not only serve as habitable zones for insects and reptiles, but also prevent other plants from growing nearby

TARIQ ZIAD AL HAREMI

tariqh@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Municipal authorities are considering ways and means to tackle the Mesquite tree nuisance amid calls for better monitoring of nurseries selling plants in Oman.

The Health, Social and Environmental Committee at the Municipal Council held a meeting on Monday to discuss the problem and stressed on the importance of removing these trees from highly populated locations.

Mesquite, also known as Invader Tree, is a type of giant weed which emits highly noxious chemicals into the ground, which prevents other plants from growing in the vicinity. Salem Al Ghammari, a member of the Municipal Council, said that residents complain about these trees and pointed out that they also serve as habitable zones for insects and reptiles.

“Residents in close proximity of the trees complain about the amount of insects and snakes in their area as it poses health risks

and harm,” said Al Ghammari.

“The trees also prevent other plants from growing nearby which also causes an environmental issue. The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries is stepping up efforts to remove the trees at the moment,” he added.

He said that Dhofar, Al Batinah and Quriyat are among the places

most infested with the trees and said that they should be removed as soon as possible due to the high human population.

Farmers are also facing trouble as well as shepherds and livestock owners, said Al Ghammari.

“The farmers aren’t able to plant anything they want.

“The earth won’t even be suitable for them to grow anything for seven years after the trees’ removal,” said Al Ghammari.

He also advised national and residents to buy plants that can adapt and handle the Omani climate. He warned against planting Kuwaiti trees, which is not permitted in the Sultanate, due to its notorious qualities.

The roots of the trees grow to find and follow any source of water – they are known to appear in toilet seats as well.

Al Ghammari called for the monitoring of nurseries to ensure the plants sold are safe. He said that some plants pose a risk to the people, environment and animals as well.

AV I AT I O N

MUSCAT: Oman plans to become a global innovation hub for the healthcare sector, according to Dr. Yusuf Al Balushi, head of Technology Transfer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Speaking at the Health Expo 2016, Al Balushi said Oman, with its strategic international partnerships, plans to bring Research and Development (R&D) centres into Oman for the concept and development stages, which will be followed by commercialising these centres.

“Oman has recently signed a partnership with the United States, a groundbreaking synergy that would position Oman as a global innovation hub in the healthcare sector,” he noted.

Most research projects in Oman struggle to find their way out of the labs and Al Balushi stressed there is an urgent need to drive these potential projects, which is only possible through an open innovation system.

“Previously, we had focused a lot on closed innovation systems, a type of research where only local organisations were involved, however, now we plan to focus on an open system, where concepts outside can be bred and commercialised in Oman,” he explained.

Intellectual property Oman is already moving towards an innovation-based economy, with the development of several high-calibre projects, such as Innovation Park Muscat, Science and Technology Park and the Sultan Qaboos University incubators. These state-of-the-art facilities are in development stages and directly appeal to R&D companies worldwide due to their tax free and subsidised environment, along with providing organisations the luxury of not having to invest into new research labs.

Zahid Al Mandhari, deputy director of the National Oncology Centre said Oman is already on its way to advancements in the development of dedicated research-oriented organisations.

“Projects, such as the University of Oman and Innovation Park, have already started. Companies have already broken ground in the Innovation Park Muscat and the first batch of students from the University of Oman had begun higher education,” he noted.

He also mentioned that even though such facilities are available in a few other countries in the region, Oman’s location, political stability and local workforce are the reasons for Oman to be a preferred location for foreign investment.

Challenges ahead Even though Oman was ranked eighth on a list that captures the number of research studies carried out by a nation, the studies were ranked 81st on the index, which measures the quality of research, underscoring the grave lack of quality in the research papers.

Dr. Abdullah Al Maniri, head of Research and Study at the Oman Medical Specialty Board, expressed concern over the area of focus of these research papers and the challenges being faced by researchers currently.

“There is currently no area of focus for researchers in Oman as they are driven mainly by materialistic goals, such as money and recognition, instead of the process itself. Lack of strategy, negligible private sector support and fragmentation of institutions and individuals hinders growth of R&D in Oman.

He also highlighted the importance of international collaboration for research projects and local need-driven research projects being the key to success for quality research projects.

MINISTRY OF MANPOWER

Emirates airline to charge passengers for selecting a seat before check-in begins Staff Reporter MUSCAT: Starting October 3, Dubai-based Emirates airline will charge a fee for reserving seats in advance of the usual check-in procedure, currently fixed at 48 hours before take-off.

The airline has confirmed that the fee will be applicable only for select seats, where passengers would like to book their seat before the 48-hour check-in window opens for a flight. “Emirates

Plan to make Oman a hub for innovation in healthcare

can confirm the introduction of a minimal charge for those looking to select their Economy Class seat in advance, for tickets issued on or after October 3,” a spokesperson

for Emirates said in a statement sent to the Times of Oman.

Variable The charge is only applicable on

Special and Saver fares in the Economy Class and will vary depending on the duration of the flight.

Children below the age of two and accompanying passengers on the same booking will be exempted from the fee.

“This charge is also not applicable once online check-in opens, which is 48 hours before flight departure. At this stage, seat selection is free,” the spokesperson added.

278 Labour Law violators arrested Times News Service MUSCAT: More than 200 Labour Law violators were arrested last week, according to the weekly index issued by the Ministry of Manpower.

Statement “278 labour law violators were arrested during the period between September 4 and 10.

Among them are 213 commercial workers, 28 agricultural and 37

domestic workers,” a statement from the ministry said. Out of those arrested, 211 turned out to be absconding workers.

165 deported The Muscat governorate has recorded the highest number of violators at 85, followed by North Al Batinah from where 46 labourers were arrested.

Meanwhile, 165 workers were deported last week, the ministry reported.

ECONOMY

Ithraa event today to focus on boosting local manufacturing Times News Service MUSCAT: Manufacturing will be the focus of discussion at Wednesday evening’s Inside Stories session organised by Ithraa.

“We see a promising future for Omani manufacturing. In fact, many believe Oman-made products have the perfect combination of quality, safety and good value for money,” said Taleb Al Makhmari, Ithraa’s acting director, General of Marketing and Media and organiser of the annual Inside Stories initiative.

Manufacturing is the engine that drives innovation, it transforms research into new products and production processes that generate profits and make the world a better place.

It has been helping power economic growth, create jobs and raise living standards for almost three centuries.

It has created new and vital industries and products ranging from PCs and mobile phones to biotechnology and solar power.

Today, Oman is enjoying and benefiting from a surge in manufacturing, the production of worldclass and highly sought after goods

LOOKING AHEAD: Session will also focus on the public’s perception of manufacturing, one that still often involves large factories, long production lines and heavy dangerous machinery. – Supplied photo

is soaring, amongst them are batteries, plastic, marble, cables, fragrances, steel to hand-made chocolate and ceramics to women’s fashion to precision engineering.

Indeed, innovation in design is creating Omani products that are capturing the consumers’ attention domestically and internationally.

In 2015, the Sultanate’s non-oil exports hit $8 billion, up from $650 million in 2002 and locally pro-

duced goods are today exported to 140 countries worldwide.

Logistics advantages “Given our geographic position and advantages in logistics, talent and infrastructure, Oman’s manufacturers are well positioned to compete internationally. Our manufacturing sector is a truly global business that is essential for the long-term health of the Sultan-

ate’s growing economy,” explained Al Makhmari.

Along with examining the use of sensors, intelligent robots and big data analytics, the session will also consider the rise of middle class consumers in the emerging markets of Asia and Africa. Research estimates that by 2030, Asia will represent 66 per cent of the global middle class population and 59 per cent of middle-class consumption.

In addition to Asia, the number of middle class households in 11 key sub-Saharan African countries, excluding South Africa, are set to triple to 22 million by 2030. “This offers Omani manufacturers huge export opportunities,” pointed out Ithraa’s Al Makhmari.

Wednesday’s evening session will also focus on the public’s perception of manufacturing, one that still often involves large factories,

long production lines and heavy dangerous machinery.

The global recession of 20082009 and the collapse, for example, of Detroit’s world-renowned automobile industry reinforces such stereotypical images of manufacturing. Indeed, the ordinary citizen could be forgiven for believing that it is inevitable that we have seen the back of manufacturing.

“Rather than a dirty, dangerous and disappearing industry, Omani manufacturing must be seen as a mechanism for driving innovation.

It is a sector that should be viewed as smart, safe, sustainable and surging. One that is attracting significant inward investment, powering exports and creating jobs,” stressed Al Makhmari.

Held at Bank Muscat’s head office in Airport Heights, Wednesday’s session begins at 7:30 pm and will be moderated by Dr. Wail Al Harrasi, corporate technology advisor, Petroleum Development Oman.

The panellists include: Shadya Al Ismailiya, founder, Deema Oman; Nicolas Barakat, chief executive officer, Octal; Abdullah Al Wahaibi, business development manager, Voltamp Energy SAOG; and Shatha Abbas, director, The Nejd.

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OMAN

Oman set for faster internet Awasr is upbeat about providing higher internet speeds following the launch of its fibre optic network-based services

Times News Service MUSCAT: Following the official launch of Awasr in the first quarter of this year, the Sultanate’s telecommunications sector is expected to undergo a major transformation, especially in terms of higher average internet speeds.

A number of recent regional

and global studies have shown that Oman’s average internet speed is significantly lower than the global average and the lowest in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.

A recent report by networking firm Akamai pegged Oman’s average internet speed at only 3.1 Mbps (Megabytes per second),

against the global average of 5.6 Mbps, and significantly lower than other Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates (6.9 Mbps), Saudi Arabia (3.4), Kuwait (4.6) and Qatar (6.7 Mbps).

Upbeat Awasr is upbeat about providing higher internet speeds following the launch of its fibre optic network-based specialised broadband services. Awasr’s fast fibre packages start from 20 Mbps, reflecting the growing demand from consumers and businesses alike for faster access.

Issam Al Ismaily, head of Marketing at Awasr, emphasised the close relations between internet speed and high economic growth

NAT I O NA L F E R R I E S

New ferry service to Bandar Abbas MUSCAT: National Ferries Company will launch, on Sunday, its second service to Bandar Abbas in Iran from Khasab Port, in the presence of Dr. Ali bin Masaud Al Sunaidi, Minister of Commerce and Industry.

Sunaidi is also the chairman of the Omani side in the Omani- Iranian Joint Committee, a number of businessmen and representatives of travel and tourism companies in Oman.

The company’s launch of its second regional service to Bahonar Port in Bandar Abbas is preceded by the company’s launch of its first regional service to Qeshm Island in Iran. —ONA R O P, U S N AV Y

Joint drill for evacuation MUSCAT: Within the framework of security cooperation and coordination between Oman and the United States, the US Navy will carry out on Wednesday in collaboration with the ROP a joint naval exercise to evacuate civilians from the Embassies neighbourhood in Muscat. The exercise will simulate a situation where Oman is affected by climatic conditions during which a number of civilians of various nationalities are evacuated. -ONA

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

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rates.

“Awasr is one of the first companies to provide high speed internet in the Sultanate, and is putting in sustained efforts to expand its services to other areas throughout the Sultanate at affordable rates to enable residents and businesses to enjoy better broadband infrastructure and high speed internet.

“This will ultimately contribute to achieving more growth in the business sector and much sought-after sustainable economic growth for the country as a whole.”

A Forbes report in 2012 supported Al Ismaily’s viewpoint.

The report quoted a study by Ericsson, Arthur D. Little and Chalmers University of Technology in 33 OECD countries (countries that

signed the convention on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) that shows that doubling the broadband speed for an economy increases gross domestic product by 0.3 per cent.

The study also showed that additional doubling of speed can yield growth in excess of 0.3 per cent.

Awasr was recently awarded a Grade 1 Licence by the local Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) of Oman, enabling it to provide public and fixed line services to home and business segments across the Sultanate.

Building on its robust highly-advanced infrastructure, Awasr has launched its latest optic fibre Internet package, offering up to 1 Gigabytes per second (Gbps) speed.

S T R AT E G I C PA R T N E R

Riyada, Omantel sign agreement MUSCAT: Public Authority for the Development of Small and Medium Enterprises “Riyada” has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Oman Telecommunications Company “Omantel” to be the strategic partner to support and implement the Entrepreneurship Award at its third edition at Omantel main building .

Khalifa bin Said al- Abri, CEO of ‘Riyada’ and Talal bin Said al- Ma’amari, CEO of Omantel signed the memorandum. Al Abri explained that ‘Riyada’ and to achieve its strategic objectives seeks to build genuine partnerships with a number of private sector organizations to implement programs and initiatives. -ONA

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W E D N E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 1 , 2 0 1 6

OMAN Parents want kindergarten students load lessened too

INCIDENT

Ethiopian Airlines probes arrest of Omani student Times News Service

Welcoming the Indian Central Board of School Education’s directive on Class 1 and 2 students, parents want kindergarten students covered too

Times News Service MUSCAT: Parents of students studying in Indian Schools have welcomed the Central Board of School Education’s (CBSE’s) latest directive on students of Classes 1 and 2 not having to carry schoolbags or be assigned homework.

However, the parents said CBSE should also include kindergarten (KG) students of Grades 1 and 2 in this directive.

“I don’t see why this move should not involve the kindergarten students of Grades 1 and

2,” asked S Bhowmick, who is the mother of a 4-year-old.

Stressing that the KG students from Grades 1 and 2 are much younger than Class 1 and 2 students, Jagadish, another parent said: “This move should involve the KG 1 and KG 2 students initially and then be slowly introduced for middle-level classes,” he said.

When contacted, Wilson V. George, chairman, Board of Directors of Indian Schools, said they will look into this aspect. “We will follow the guidelines of CBSE.”

TECHNOLOGY

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: WhatsApp has added the ability for users in group chats to tag other participants, so they receive a notification even if they’ve muted the conversation.

The feature works on Android and iOS, but not on the desktop app. However, no official notification about the new feature has been uploaded on its website or on its social networking accounts.

To tag someone, the user has to simply enter the ‘@’ symbol, followed by their name; which can be chosen from the menu that pops up.

The user can tag multiple contacts in a single message. It also

works with contacts that the user haven’t saved to his address book, but are part of the same group chat. WhatsApp previously added a feature that allowed the user to quote messages in group chats to make it clear what you’re responding to.

It also expanded group sizes from 100 to 256 participants.

On August 25, WhatsApp updated its terms and privacy policy for the first time in four years, as part of their plans to test ways for people to communicate with businesses in the months ahead.

They rolled out new features, like end-to-end encryption, WhatsApp Calling, and messaging tools like WhatsApp for web and desktop.

P R AVA S I B H A R AT I YA D I VA S

Indian expat meet registration opens Times News Service MUSCAT: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver the keynote speech at next year’s 14th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention.

Online registration for the convention is now open, the Indian embassy in Oman said.

The convention will be held from January 7 to 9, 2017 in Bengaluru. “Online registration is open at the website www.pbdindia.gov.in which also contains details of the programme. Registra-

While most of the parents are happy with the new rule, some of them have expressed doubts about its strict implementation in all CBSE-affiliated schools.

Many said that while some

schools were making genuine efforts to stop students from carrying heavy bags, such rules are being completely ignored at other schools. “Students are overloaded with studies during childhood

MUSCAT: Ethiopian Airlines in Muscat launched an enquiry after an Omani was arrested onboard an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft at the Dar-es-Salaam airport, recently.

“We have sought details from our headquarters in Addis Ababa,” Sami Muctar, area managerOman, Ethiopian Airlines, said.

The Omani student was travelling with his father on the flight when he reportedly locked himself in the aircraft toilet for a long time, which forced airport security to storm into the plane.

Later, the boy complained of diarrhoea and a loose stomach, which he said had forced him to stay inside the aircraft toilet for a long time.

The boy is now under police custody and awaiting court charges, after being accused of damaging the aircraft toilet’s door.

C O M M E M O R AT I V E B A N K N O T E

YOUNG CHILDREN

WhatsApp adds tagging option REJIMON K

BYE TO BAGS: While most parents are happy with the new rule, some have expressed doubts about implementation. –Shabin E

years when they are expected to play and enjoy life. There should be a balance between study and play,” one of them said.

Another anxious parent said: “They will not be able to compete with students in India if they are not given homework. But at the same time I have seen students are being made to carry all text books on a daily basis and that is increasingly impacting their health.”

Some even advised that teachers can scan textbooks and transfer them to a pen drive and have the students bring these to school.

“This will help in projecting lessons in classrooms and reduce the weight added due to heavy textbooks,” one of them said.

Pupils studying in Classes 1 and 2 should not carry schoolbags or be assigned home work, India’s Central Board of Secondary Education stated in a circular recently. There are 19 Indian Schools in Oman, with about 9,000 students studying in Classes 1 and 2.

tion of all delegates is through an online process, which includes payment of registration fee,” the Indian embassy added.

NRIs For young Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Person of Indian Origins and for group registrations, a discounted registration fee option is available.

The last date for registration online is December 7, 2016.

The theme of the 14th PBD is “Redefining Engagement with the Indian Diaspora”.

Gym to promote early learning DEEBA HASAN

deeba@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: An experiential learning and physical development centre for children aged between four months and one year will be opened in Al Azaiba today.

Called ‘The Little Gym,’ the centre will combine weeklythemed gymnastics, music and games, and offer progressively structured classes, creating opportunities for children to try new things and build self confidence.

“The Little Gym started with a soft opening this summer and the response from parents and children has been extremely positive.

The summer camps were sold out and the current class schedule is filling quickly. In the Gulf, there are other branches (of The Little Gym) that are very successful, which shows that this concept is multi-cultural and is needed for the children of Oman.”

“The classes evolve with each

CBO issues uncut sheets of banknotes CATCH THEM YOUNG: The gym is different from other such places because it will offer three-dimensional learning. – Supplied photo

stage of a child’s motor skills and cerebral development, building skills and confidence in a lively and safe environment,” said Nashia Nasib, co-owner of The Little Gym. Owners Nashia and Natasha Nasib said the gym is different from other such places because it will offer three-dimensional learning. “We can differentiate ourselves from our competitors in that we will embrace a proprietary philosophy called “Three-

Dimensional Learning,” in which physical activity is a conduit for nurturing the whole child. “‘Get moving’ focuses on developing flexibility, strength, balance and coordination through varied physical activities. ‘Brain Boost’ nurtures listening skills, concentration and decision-making that benefits the child well beyond the gym and ‘Citizen Kid’ promotes sharing, teamwork, cooperation and leadership through spending time with friends and peers.”

MUSCAT: Central Bank of Oman (CBO) announced the issue of uncut sheets of 100 baisa, half rial, one Omani rial commemorative banknote of 2005, new one Omani rial commemorative banknote of 2015 and OMR5 for collectors.

The banknotes in these sheets are legal tender for their face value; these sheets are available for sale at the CBO. -ONA

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JEWELLERY THEFT

< FROM

A1 Muttrah traders demand better security He added that the jewellery shops in Muttrah are not insured. “Such insurance will cost the shops a lot of money and therefore the profits of months will be paid in one insurance instalment,” said the shop owner.

The official Royal Oman Police report states: “A gang of thieves were arrested after stealing OMR1.4 million worth of jewellery from shops in Muttrah and Seeb.

“The Directorate General of Inquiries and Investigations in Muscat Governorate were able to arrest a gang of thieves of Asian

nationality for stealing jewellery estimated to be worth OMR 1.4 millions from several ornament shops in Muttrah and Muscat.

“Police stations received reports of unidentified individuals breaking in to the stores by cutting the chain which holds the metal gate with a blowtorch.

“The thieves entered the stores and stole gold jewellery.

“An investigation team was formed by the police and promptly arrested the suspects and seized the stolen jewellery.

“Upon questioning, the suspects

confessed to their crimes as well as admitted to robbing another jewellery store in Seeb, hence storing the gold in their residence with the aim of smuggling it out of the Sultanate.”

CCTV cameras “We need more patrolling and CCTV cameras installed in various locations of the Souq,” an Omani shop owner told the Times of Oman.

He added that the Muttrah Souq is the biggest gold souq in the country and it deserves better security.

T O B A C C O TA X

Shabib, another jewellery shop owner, argued that the security cameras are currently installed by the owners themselves and they are not controlled by the ROP. “Surveillance cameras cost me OMR500 to OMR600 depending on the quality and they are not efficient since they are not linked to the ROP,” he said, adding further that the range of the camera is very narrow.

He stressed that Muttrah Souq and the gold souq need higher security measures and day and night patrolling.

WEIGHT BLOSS

Firm ‘Second price hike A1 awards A1 OMR800 expected soon’ < FROM

< FROM

Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kuwait are yet to implement the new taxes.

Citing examples, dealers said the Marlboro Red brand of cigarettes, which earlier cost OMR1 is now priced at OMR1.2, Rothmans Royals, which was 550 baisas now costs 700 baisas.

“The new rates have been approved by the PACP (Public Authority for Consumer Protection),” a dealer said.

Al Lawati also hinted that cigarette prices may be increased further. “This is the first raise, the second one will happen soon,” he noted.

According to a survey conducted by MoH, while 15 per cent of Oman’s male population uses tobacco products, 0.5 per cent of the female population uses tobacco products.

Citing records, officials also pointed out that 60 per cent of deaths in Oman are due to noncommunicable diseases, such as cardio-vascular conditions, in-

“My relatives and friends were shocked and thought I was sick after seeing my transformed body,” Mohammed said proudly.

The company awarded Mohammed OMR800 for being the “biggest loser” among his peers.

“A better shape boosts a person’s confidence,” said Faisal, the person who inspired Mohammed to enter the challenge.

Faisal lost 15kg in just six months, but he said it was hard to compete with Mohammed’s strong will. “Earlier, I used to take a rest in my car after walking to it from my office. I used to spend most my time lying on the couch, watching TV and struggling to sleep,” Mohammed recalled.

But now, Mohammed plays sports with his four-year-old son and swims at the beach like any healthy man.

Mohammed said that he is keen to educate his family about his new diet and show them how it can dramatically change their quality of life. The diet programme was made by Apollo Clinic for Diabetics (Sugar).

cluding coronary heart disease and cancers.

Earlier, several members of the Majlis Al Shura had requested the government to implement a proposal prepared by Ministry of Health to impose local taxes on tobacco.

“We have to raise them so that it remains beyond the reach of children,” one of them had said.

According to him, countries that had previously raised taxes on tobacco have been able to significantly reduce the impact of tobacco use.

“We hope that the price of a pack [of cigarettes] will be higher, and rise to a level that can help reduce consumption (significantly),” he said.

Comparative prices of a packet of Marlboro Red cigarettes Saudi Arabia – SAR12 (OMR1.2), Oman – OMR1 earlier, now OMR1.2, Bahrain – BHD1.3, Qatar – QAR10, UAE – AED10, Kuwait – KWD0.75 - Source: Cost of Living

W E D N E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 1 , 2 0 1 6

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OMAN NAT I O NA L C E O P R O G R A M M E

35 top executives to visit Switzerland for training Times News Service

DISCUSSION ON YEMEN: Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs with Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Yemen in New York on Tuesday. – ONA

Hadi briefs Alawi on efforts to end conflict in Yemen Alawi met the Yemeni president in New York on the sidelines of the 71st session of the UN General Assembly yesterday

NEW YORK: President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi of the Yemeni Republic received Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs in

New York yesterday, on the sidelines of the 71st session of the UN General Assembly They discussed the latest developments in Yemen. President Hadi gave bin Alawi a briefing on the international exerted efforts to reach a peaceful solution among the conflicting parties and the importance of restoring serenity and stability in Yemen.

Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs also received on the sidelines of the 71st session of the United Nationa General Assembly, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Yemen.

The two leaders discussed the developments in Yemen and ways to reach a peaceful solution of the Yemeni crisis.

The meeting is considered a

part of the talks under the UN aegis with the Sultanate, the GCC imitative and the disputing parties in Yemen.

Belgium Bin Alawi also received Didier Reynders, Foreign Minister of Belgium. The two sides reviewed the bilateral relations between the two countries and the importance of promoting them within the economic and investment fields.

Within the framework of the mutual relations between the Sultanate and Costa Rica, bin Alawi also met with his counterpart Manuel Gonzalez, Costa Rican Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The two leaders discussed issues of common concern and means of enhancing them in various fields. -ONA

PETROLEUM ECONOMIST

Oman LNG gets CSR award SUR: Oman LNG has captured the best Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Programme of the Year Award 2016, presented

by Petroleum Economist.

The prestigious Award, presented by one of prestigious

and elite awards in oil and gas field, comes in recognition of the company’s prominent role in corporate social responsibility and the international and accurate criteria it applies in assessment, follow up and su-

pervision of its initiatives. The award has been presented to the company at a special gala ceremony in London in the presence of a large number of representatives of major oil and gas companies. -ONA

MUSCAT: Following the rigorous selection of 35 high-calibre executives by a globally-reputed independent HR consultancy, the National CEO Programme (NCP) has launched its second learning journey.

On its mission to build the capabilities of world-class Omani CEOs, the NCP’s second annual intake has embarked upon an 11day placement at the International Institute of Management Development (IMD), one of the world’s premier business schools in Lausanne, Switzerland.

As programme partner of NCP, IMD will deliver its opening module on the topic of “Leadership and Innovation.”

“Tapping into the potential of the nation’s leading business talent is the key to generating an increasingly competitive and sustainable contribution from the Omani private sector, and thus enhancing our economic performance on a global scale,” said Dr Khamis bin Saud Al Tobi, acting director general of the Institute of Capability Development at the Di-

wan of Royal Court, said.

NCP’s first module will focus on identifying global trends and how Oman’s future CEOs put their personal leadership into practice to enhance business performance.

Balancing theory with operational prudence, participants will cover a broad range of executive topics under the theme of “Leadership and Innovation.”

This will give each individual the space to develop their full leadership potential to compete at the global level.

Strategic mission Dr Khamis bin Saud Al Tobi added, “The launch of Module 1 marks a milestone in our strategic mission to drive leadership, innovation and marketing as the three key fundamentals of globally competitive business; all of which are of great importance to Oman as an emerging economy. As the NCP transforms individuals, companies and key sectors of the Omani economy, we will see the impact of the program filter down from our talented future CEOs, as their leadership potential inspires development across the national workforce.”

The NCP’s initial group comprised of 30 executives, representing small, medium and large-scale enterprises in sectors of economic importance. As NCP alumni they have quickly showcased their sharpened business acumen by delivering project proposals of national significance.

These ‘live breakthrough projects’ from the first group of the NCP promises strong economic returns and has already generated a high level of interest from foreign investment funds.

NCP’s second cohort will continue this success by focusing on their own “live breakthrough projects,” which will be of critical importance to the key strategic sectors of Oman’s economy today.

Throughout the programme, participants will benefit from cutting-edge business insights, combined with experiential learning, one-to-one team leadership coaching and live project management.

The NCP’s unique approach is steadily growing a community of Omani CEOs capable of delivering world-class performances for Oman in the global economy.

LEADERSHIP TRAINING

BP Oman, Oman Sail to train students MUSCAT: BP Oman and Oman Sail have signed a new agreement to provide leadership training and development to students from across Oman in an exciting initiative, the Khazzan Young Leaders’ Programme.

The students, made up of male and female students in equal parts, will be selected from different universities and colleges around the Sultanate and will each spend an intensive three days in Al Mussanah, home to Oman Sail’s leadership and development centre.

The programme has been launched as part of BP’s Social

Investment initiatives in collaboration with BP’s partner Oman Oil Company for Explorations and Production (OOCEP) and follows on from last year’s hugely successful BP Young Leaders Programme—another joint initiative with Oman Sail—where 1,400 young people took part in experiential, multi-activity programmes, including sailing, designed to enhance and develop interpersonal skills through land and sea-based outdoor education.

Students selected for the Khazzan Young Leaders’ Programme will be trained in a similar for-

mat by eight young apprentices previously sponsored by BP. BP’s support of these apprentices has enabled them to earn valuable employment with Oman Sail; they now have a full-time job and are benefitting from taking part in a variety of Oman Sail’s schools, youth and corporate training programmes.

Participants will learn how to set goals, build teams, manage challenges and make difficult decisions, which are key skills to raise their employability and ease the transition from the academic to the working environment. -ONA

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W E D N E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 1 , 2 0 1 6

REGION UN suspends aid supplies in Syria after attack on convoy Russia and the Syrian government denied that their air forces were responsible for destroying a convoy unloading aid

GENEVA/BEIRUT: The United Nations suspended all aid shipments into Syria on Tuesday after a deadly attack on a convoy carrying humanitarian supplies, while Washington, expressing outrage at the attack, said a week-old ceasefire was not yet dead.

The attack, described by the United Nations, Red Cross, Western countries and rescue workers on the ground as an air strike, drew condemnation from much of the world. Russia and the Syrian government denied that their air forces were responsible for destroying a convoy unloading aid. Moscow presented an entirely different explanation, saying it believed the convoy had not been struck from the air at all but had been destroyed by fire, and suggesting that rescue workers who filmed the aftermath were somehow to blame. The Syrian Red Crescent said the head of one of its local offices and “around 20 civilians” were killed. Other death tolls differed.

The incident appeared likely to deliver a mortal blow to the ceasefire, the latest attempt to halt a war now in its sixth year, which has killed hundreds of thousands of people and made a mockery of all previous peace efforts. Still, US Secretary of State John Kerry, who personally negotiated the truce

DESTROYED: Aid is seen strewn across the floor on the western outskirts of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on Tuesday morning after a convoy delivering aid was hit by a air strike. – AFP

during months of intensive diplomacy with Russia despite scepticism from other senior figures in the US administration, told reporters: “The ceasefire is not dead.”

He spoke after emerging alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov from a meeting of foreign ministers of 20 countries, gathered to discuss Syria in New York. The United Nations peace envoy, Staffan de Mistura, said the ceasefire was in effect until its cosponsors Moscow and Washington declared it over, and neither had done so at Tuesday’s meeting.

The state department said the ministers agreed at the meeting of the Syria Support Group to continue pursuing the ceasefire under the US-Russian plan.

“As an immediate security measure, other convoy movements in Syria have been suspended for the time being pending further assessment of the security situation,” Jens Laercke, a UN hu-

manitarian aid spokesman, told a briefing. The attack on the convoy of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent destroyed 18 of 31 trucks.

“If this callous attack is found to be a deliberate targeting of humanitarians, it would amount to a war crime,” UN aid chief Stephen O’Brien said in a statement. Peter Maurer, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) called it a “flagrant violation of international humanitarian law”.

Among those killed was the head of the Syrian Red Crescent for the area, Omar Barakat. The team on the ground was “in shock,” said ICRC’s Middle East chief, Robert Mardini. Washington was “outraged”, said US State Department spokesman John Kirby. “The destination of this convoy was known to the Syrian regime and the Russian federation and yet these aid workers were killed in their attempt to provide relief to the Syrian people,”

he said in a statement.

The contrast with Moscow’s version of the events shows how difficult it has been for the sponsors of opposing sides to agree on what is taking place on the ground.

“We have studied video footage from the scene from so-called ‘activists’ in detail and did not find any evidence that the convoy had been struck by ordnance,” Igor Konashenkov, a spokesman for Russia’s Defence Ministry said in a statement. “There are no craters and the exterior of the vehicles do not have the kind of damage consistent with blasts caused by bombs dropped from the air.”

He said the damage to the convoy visible in footage was caused by its cargo catching fire. It had occurred at the same time as militants from the group formerly called the Nusra Front had started a big offensive in nearby Aleppo, he said, appearing to point the finger at rescue workers from a group

called the “White Helmets” who filmed the aftermath.

“Only representatives of the ‘White Helmets’ organisation close to the Nusra Front who, as always, found themselves at the right time in the right place by chance with their video cameras can answer who did this and why.”

The United Nations and Red Crescent spoke of relentless air strikes they were powerless to stop. “The UN in Syria was informed of the air strikes as they unfolded,” the UN Syria and regional humanitarian coordinators Massimo Diana and Kevin Kennedy said in a joint statement.

“Despite our efforts and communications with parties to the conflict, further air strikes continued throughout the night, hampering efforts to reach and attend to the wounded.”

Hussein Badawi, head of the White Helmets in the town, said he was 100 metres (yards) from the aid depot when the attack took place and was injured by shrapnel in the hand. “There were fires, martyrs, wounded people. We were able to pull out four survivors and five dead bodies at first,” Badawi said. “The bombardment was continuous, continuous. The rescue teams weren’t even able to work. Those who arrived in ambulances couldn’t come in.”

The ceasefire deal was a gamble on unprecedented cooperation between the United States and Russia, despite trust between the two Cold War-era foes being at its lowest point for decades.

Following the attack, a senior Obama administration official said of the ceasefire: “We don’t know if it can be salvaged.”

“At this point the Russians have to demonstrate very quickly their seriousness of purpose because otherwise there will be nothing to extend and nothing to salvage,” the official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity, added. — Reuters

A N T I - S TAT E A C T I V I T I E S

Iran sentences Lebanese man to 10 years in prison: Lawyer WASHINGTON/DUBAI: Iran sentenced Nizar Zakka, a Lebanese citizen with permanent US residency, to 10 years in prison and a $4.2 million fine after he was found guilty of collaborating against the state, his US-based lawyer announced on Tuesday.

Zakka, an information technology expert, was invited to Iran by a government official a year ago, but then disappeared after attending a conference in Tehran.

State media announced in November that he had been detained

by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, and reported that he had ties to US military and intelligence services.

Zakka’s supporters and his US lawyer Jason Poblete have said that he is innocent of any wrongdoing. “Nizar doesn’t recognise this process,” Poblete said in a telephone interview. “He was there at the invitation of the Iranian government, and he was pulled over on the side of the road by a bunch of men. He’s been treated as a hostage ever since.”

Verdict Poblete said Zakka had learned of his verdict last Wednesday, and his Iranian lawyer was told on Sunday. “It’s 10 years in prison and a $4.2 million” fine, Poblete said of the 60-page verdict. The Virginia-based lawyer said he has not seen the document but was informed of its contents by Zakka’s Iranian lawyer.

Zakka was charged under Article 508 of Iran’s penal code, Poblete said. The code states that anyone found cooperating with a foreign state against the Islamic Republic of Iran faces a prison sentence of up to 10 years. Iran’s vice president for women and family affairs, Shahindokht Molaverdi, invited Zakka to attend a conference on women’s entrepreneurship in September 2015, according to a copy of a signed letter from Molaverdi provided by Poblete. — Reuters

DESERT CRIMINAL GANG

Italians, Canadian kidnapped in Libya TRIPOLI: Two Italians and a Canadian have been kidnapped in Libya’s southwestern desert, possibly by a criminal gang, authorities said.

The three, who were working on airport projects, were abducted between the towns of Ghat and Tahala, near the border with Algeria early on Monday, Ghat’s mayor Gomani Mohamad Saleh told Reuters.

“The two Italians were working on a runway project at the airport but the Canadian was working on installing air aviation system,” he said on Tuesday. “The security authorities are following the incident closely... That’s all the information we have so far.”

Numerous criminal and armed groups are active in Libya’s vast southern desert, and Al Qaedalinked militants have long had a presence across the border between Libya and Algeria.

The Italian foreign ministry said late on Monday that two of its citizens had been abducted in

GARBAGE PILES UP IN BEIRUT Rubbish bags piled up on the side of the road in the Jdeideh neighbourhood, north of Beirut, Lebanon. — AFP

the Libyan desert, without giving further details.

The Canadian government said it was aware of a “troubling yet unconfirmed report of the abduction of a Canadian citizen in Libya”.

Local media reports said the three were working for the Libyan branch of Italian firm Contratti lnternazionali Costruzioni SpA. The company declined to comment when contacted.

Meanwhile, six people were killed when a military helicopter operated by armed forces loyal to Libya’s eastern government crashed late on Monday, a military source said.

Among those killed was Colonel Idris Younes, an adviser to the head of Libya’s eastern parliament, the source said, adding that two passengers survived.

He said the crash occurred about 65km (40 miles) from Tobruk, where the eastern parliament is based. The cause of the crash was not clear. — Reuters

SOUTH OF MOSUL

Iraqi forces launch operation to drive IS from town of Shirqat TIKRIT: Iraqi forces launched an operation on Tuesday to retake the northern town of Shirqat from IS, a stepping stone in their campaign to recapture the militants’ stronghold of Mosul before the end of the year.

Shirqat, which lies on the Tigris River 100km (60 miles) south of Mosul, has been surrounded by Iraqi troops and militias allied to the government.

Tens of thousands of civilians are thought to be trapped there.

Officials have warned for months of a humanitarian disaster inside, where residents living under IS’s harsh rule say food supplies have dwindled and prices soared.

Iraqi troops, backed by local police and tribal fighters, took up positions along five axes on Tuesday and advanced through five villages but by midday were still around

13km from the town centre, said the mayor and a source in the Salahuddin Operations Command, which oversees military operations in the area.

They said there was little resistance so far, aside from some bombs planted along the road.

State media said the security forces had disabled several car bombs and snipers.

Television footage of an airstrike near a residential compound south of Shirqat showed plumes of light grey smoke emanating from a sparsely populated valley.

Iraqi forces are also moving to retake two areas in the western province of Anbar, Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi said in an televised message from New York, where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly.

“These operations pave the way

ALL SET FOR BATTLE: Shabak fighters undergo training before the upcoming battle to recapture Mosul in Diyala province, Iraq. – Reuters

for cleansing every inch of Iraqi land and, God willing, its end will be the liberation of Mosul city,... the liberation of all Iraqi lands and the end of Daesh (IS),” he said.

He has pledged repeatedly to retake Mosul by year’s end, and Iraqi commanders have indicated the push could begin by late October, though doubts remain that the

necessary troops will be ready.

After meeting with Abadi in New York on Monday, US President Barack Obama said he hoped for progress on Mosul by the end of the year. The top US general later said Iraqi forces would be ready in October, but the timing was up to Abadi. Lise Grande, the UN humanitarian coordinator for Iraq, on Monday appealed for more funding to help people displaced by the conflict. “We’re very worried that we won’t be able to prepare in time” for the Mosul battle, she said in a statement. US and Iraqi officials are also concerned there has not been enough planning for how to manage Mosul, Iraq’s secondlargest city and a mosaic of ethnic and sectarian groups, if and when IS is kicked out.

The city fell to the militants in 2014 after Iraq’s army and police

dropped their weapons and fled, despite having received billions of dollars in aid since a US-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003. The disposition of forces and the treatment of Shirqat’s residents, who have been living under IS for more than two years, will be closely watched by the residents of Mosul, who have a historic mistrust of the forces of successive governments in Baghdad.

Militias did not look set to participate in Shirqat but could join in at a later stage. The factions were critical in rolling back IS in the immediate aftermath of its surge through northern and western Iraq towards Baghdad two years ago. Hawija, east of Shirqat, is the other remaining IS bastion south of Mosul. The group also controls the city of Tel Afar, west of Mosul towards the Syrian border. — Reuters

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INDIA

SUMMIT FOR REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS

‘Terrorism an existential threat, hypocrisy towards it will not do’ NEW YORK: Describing terrorism as an “existential threat”, India has said that “hypocrisy” towards the menace is unacceptable and underlined that terrorism is the “principle cause” of the large-scale refugee movement.

“It is important to stress that today the geo-politics of the crisis points and proves that terrorism is the principle cause of refugee movements. Can we ignore this fact, we cannot. We do so at our peril,” Minister of State for External Affairs M. J. Akbar said in his address to the UN General Assembly’s first-ever Summit for Refugees and Migrants here on Monday.

Akbar asserted that terrorism is an “existential threat” and “hypocrisy towards this crisis will not do.”

He underscored that for the millions of people fleeing conflict, war and poverty, terrorism is not characterised as good or bad.

“There is no good terrorism or bad terrorism and if you do not know the answer to this question, all you have to do is ask the refugee if he considers any terrorism to be good or bad,” Akbar said.

Stressing that terrorism is the “biggest danger” to human rights, Akbar said large movements of

people across borders serve as a reminder that the world has become a global village.

“We can only prosper or perish together, it is best that we learn to live in peace, prosperity and amity,” he said.

Underlining that “prevention is better than cure”, Akbar said the international community has to address issues like terrorism, prevent armed conflict and facilitate development, which will help ensure people are not forced to flee their homeland.

Refugee crisis “We have to find out what drives them towards seeking refuge. Prevention is better than cure. Perhaps prevention is the only cure,” he said adding that preventing armed conflict, countering terrorism, building and sustaining peace to facilitating sustainable development and governance will prevent people from being forced to leave their homeland.

Terming the present refugee crisis as “unprecedented,” Akbar said the number of people on the move globally is estimated at close to 250 million or one in every 30 persons and three-fourths of all refugees come from just 11 countries.

There is no good terrorism or bad terrorism and if you do not know the answer to this question, all you have to do is ask the refugee if he considers any terrorism to be good or bad M.J. Akbar Minister of State for External Affairs

Akbar noted that it is disconcerting that just seven countries host more than half of all refugees and now almost 90 per cent of all refugees are hosted in developing nations.

He said it is wrong to assume

that host nations do not want refugees. “It is assumed that only host nations do not want refugees. I ask do refugees also want to become refugees. They don’t,” he said.

He said the problem of the refugee crisis has been with the world

for a very long time.

“Refugees are as old as war. The first consequence of war is death and the second is refugees. There is another kind of person seeking a new haven — the migrant driven by a second cruelty, hunger or economic aspiration, and both phenomenon are visible in the present crisis.”

Akbar referred to India’s “long history” of welcoming people seeking refuge from conflict, war, tyranny and poverty.

“India offers refuge not because it has a large bank balance but because it has a large heart,” he said.

He cited the tumultuous year of 1971 when Bangladesh was fighting for independence and more than a million people from the neighbouring nation took refuge in India to escape the “genocide” that they were facing at home.

“People seeking shelter in our country have never been turned back. Our record has been unique,” he said.

Akbar said nationalism is the “contemporary architecture” of stability and “we understand its importance.

“The intersection of human need in a refugee crisis and national imperatives make this a com-

One soldier killed as army foils two infiltration bids The infiltration bids and the ceasefire violation came two days after four militants of terror outfit Jaish-eMohammad stormed an army base in Uri Sector, killing 18 soldiers and injuring several others STRICT VIGIL: An Indian army soldier stands guard alongside a street on the outskirts of Srinagar on Tuesday. - Reuters

URI/ NEW DELHI:Two infiltration bids were made from across the border in Indian-administered-Kashmir on Tuesday but army foiled the attempts killing some of the terrorists while losing a soldier, barely two days after the terror attack in Uri. The attempts to cross the Line of Control(LoC) in Uri and Nowgam sectors came even as Pakistani troops violated ceasefire and fired at Indian positions in Uri sector.

“Two infiltration bids by militants from across the Line of Control(LoC) have been foiled in Uri and Nowgam sectors today.

At both places the operations are in progress,” an army spokesman said in Srinagar on Tuesday.

The spokesman refused to comment on the number of militants killed in the ongoing operations so far, saying details will be made public in due course.

He, however, said one soldier was killed in the operation in Nowgam sector.

Army sources in Delhi which had initially put the number of terrorists killed at 10 later clari-

Western Army Commander visits border areas of Jammu, asks troops to remain alert JAMMU: Amid heightened tension at the border, Western Army Commander Lt Gen Surinder Singh on Tuesday visited border areas of Jammu region and asked troops to ensure high degree of alertness and operational preparedness.

During the visit, he took stock of the security apparatus in the sensitive areas and complimented the forces in

fied that the extent of casualties can be ascertained only after the retrieval of the bodies from the dense jungles and that the operations were still underway.

The sources said a group of 15 terrorists had attempted to infil-

successfully maintaining a high state of vigil, a defence spokesman said here.

The Army Commander reviewed the deployment in the entire region and appreciated efforts being made by all the security agencies to enhance the levels of preparedness, he said. Gen Singh, who took over as General Officer Commanding-in -Chief of

trate into Indian territory through the LoC. As the government mulled various options on India’s response to the cross-border terror attack on Sunday in which 18 jawans were killed, a crucial meeting of the Cabinet Committee on

Western Command only three days back, emphasized on the need for ensuring high degree of alertness and operational preparedness, the spokesman said. He also stressed upon the need to coordinate the intelligence network of all agencies in the region so that prompt actions can be undertaken to defeat the nefarious designs of adversary. - PTI

Security(CCS) has been convened for Wednesday.

On the ceasefire violation incident, an army official in Srinagar said the firing from across the LoC took place between 1.10pm and 1.30pm. However, there was no

damage in the incident, he said.

“Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing by small arms towards Indian positions in Uri sector this afternoon,” the official said in Srinagar, amid reports that the firing took place apparently to give cover to terrorists trying to sneak into the Indian territory.

The official said while there were no reports of any casualty in the firing, further details of the incident were awaited.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh again reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir at a meeting in Delhi with top officials, including NSA Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar.

The infiltration bids and the ceasefire violation came two days after four militants of terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad stormed an army base in Uri Sector, killing 18 soldiers and injuring several others. At the meeting convened by Rajnath Singh, Doval and top officials of the ministries of Home and Defence, paramilitary forces and chiefs of intelligence agencies briefed him on the prevailing situation in the Kashmir Valley as well as along the LoC, official sources said.

Meanwhile, an emotional farewell was given on Tuesday to Uri martyrs with the last rites of the fallen soldiers being performed in their native villages with state honour.

Amid slogans by villagers who took out processions, tearful family members bid goodbye to their loved ones as the bodies of army personnel killed in the terror attack at Brigade headquarters in Uri on Sunday, were brought to their respective villages.

Rich tributes were paid in Maharashtra to Sandip Somnath Thok from Nashik district, Chandrakant Shankar Galande (Satara), Vikas Janardhan Kulmethe(Yavatmal) and Panjab alias Vikas Janrao Uike (Amravati) as their mortal remains were brought. They were given a gun salute. - PTI

plex issue,” he added.

Akbar also recalled Mahatma Gandhi’s “seminal contribution” to abolishing indentured labour 100 years ago.

He said in more recent times, Indian migrants, including a cross section of professionals, skilled and less-skilled workers, have migrated to countries around the world and offered a “positive contribution to the diaspora”.

He voiced India’s commitment to working with all partners beginning next year in developing a global compact to ensuring a safe and orderly migration that is in the interest of all people.

Akbar also held meetings with Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim Al Jaafari, Bulgaria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Daniel Mitov and Guyana Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge on the sidelines of the 71st session of the UN General Assembly on Monday.

Sources said that discussions during the meetings focussed on the issue of terrorism, refugees and migrants and the situation in the Middle East.

The ministers also discussed the need for the early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. - PTI JOINT VENTURE

BLAST OFF: Long Range Surface to Air missile lifts off after it was test-fired at the integrated test range at Chandipur off Odisha coast on Tuesday. - PTI

India test-fires two missiles successfully BALASORE (Odisha): In a major achievement aimed at galvanising its air defence capability, India on Tuesday successfully test-fired two long range surface-to-air missiles (LRSAM) jointly developed with Israel from a base off Odisha coast.

The sophisticated missile, a product of joint venture between India and Israel, was first test launched from a mobile launcher in the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur at around 10.13 hours, while the second LRSAM was test-fired at about 14.25 hours, defence officials said.

“Both the trials were successful as the missiles hit the target directly,” said a scientist associated with the project. In both the tests, the state-of-the-art missiles destroyed the aerial target, he said.

Apart from the missile, the system includes a Multi Functional Surveillance and Threat Alert Radar (MF-STAR) for detection, tracking and guidance of the missile, officials said, adding the missile along with MF-STAR would provide the users the capability to neutralise any aerial threats.

Earlier, between June 30 and July 1, 2016, three consecutive test firing of the medium range surfaceto-air missile, jointly developed

by India and Israel were conducted from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) base at Chandipur. - PTI

PEW RESEARCH CENTRE

Modi, BJP continue to get high favourable ratings: Survey NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP continue to enjoy high favourable ratings while Congress President Sonia Gandhi also gained slightly in popularity, according to a new survey, findings of which were released on Tuesday.

The Spring 2016 Global Attitudes Survey conducted by the US-based Pew Research Centre (PRC) found that 81 per cent of the respondents had a favourable view of Modi and 80 per cent of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The survey was conducted among 2,464 respondents in India be-

tween April 7 and May 24 this year.

“Our aim is to provide a snapshot of public opinion,” Bruce Stokes, Director of Global Economic Attitudes at PRC, said while releasing the survey findings here.

PRC is a non-profit, non-partisan, non-advocacy fact-tank based in Washington.

Sonia Gandhi’s favourable ratings rose to 65 per cent from 58 per cent last year while that of Rahul Gandhi remained unmoved at 63 per cent. Around 65 per cent of the respondents were satisfied with the economy in the country and 35 per cent find the economy “very good”.

“Around 72 per cent feel that children in India today will be financially better off when they grow up than their parents,” Stokes said.

“That is not the case in the US and Europe,” he stated.

Around 68 per cent feel that India is playing a more important role in the world than 10 years ago.

India’s involvement in the global economy is seen as good by 52 per cent of those surveyed.

“Modi’s leadership style is also largely seen in positive light,” Stokes said. While 62 per cent approve Modi’s helping of the poor,

59 per cent approve his handling of corruption and 61 per cent his handling of terrorism.

Interestingly, 62 per cent of the respondents felt that overwhelming use of military force was the best way to deal with terrorism and 63 per cent were in favour of increase in defence spending.

As for other countries, 56 per cent hold a favourable view of the US while the number is only 14 per cent in the case of Pakistan.

China also formed an important factor in the survey. Around 45 per cent of those surveyed were very seriously concerned about China’s

economic impact on India.

While 48 per cent were concerned about China’s relationship with Pakistan, 45 per cent were worried about China’s territorial disputes with India.

Interestingly, crime (82 per cent) topped the list of problems that concern Indians. This was followed by corrupt officials (80 per cent), terrorism (78 per cent) and communal relations (54 per cent).

Around 52 per cent feel that the quasi-state terror outfit is a major threat to India while 53 per cent see global climate change as a major threat to the country. - IANS

Narendra Modi

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PAKISTAN E X T E N D E D F U N D FA C I L I T Y

Lagarde to discuss post-loan agenda in Pakistan ISLAMABAD: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) managing director Christine Lagarde will visit Pakistan next month to discuss the post-loan agenda with authorities amid disagreement among domestic stakeholders over the real impact of the assistance on national economy.

Lagarde and Asian Development Bank President Takehiko Nakao would visit Pakistan next month, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance on Monday.

It will be for the first time in over 10 years when the head of the global lender will come to Pakistan.

Lagarde is expected to arrive on October 23, almost a month after the end of IMF’s $6.2 billion three-year Extended Fund Facility for Pakistan.

Loan tranche On September 28, the IMF Executive Board is going to approve the last remaining loan tranche of about $102 million in addition to

approving the 12th review of Pakistan’s economy for the period April-June 2016.

Even in the last review, the IMF board would have to ease some conditions for clearing the loan as the government has missed two key targets.

“Pakistan has invited the MD and she has provisionally accepted the invitation,” said Tokhir Mirzoev, IMF Resident Representative in Islamabad, while talking to The Express Tribune.

He said it was expected that she would have discussions with Pakistani authorities, business community and other stakeholders on economic policies for the country in particular and on global economy in general.

In September 2013, Pakistan obtained a three-year IMF package aimed at avoiding default on international debt repayments and introducing structural reforms in energy, taxation and fiscal areas.

At the end of the programme, the government has claimed victory.

FIRST VISIT: IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde is expected to arrive on October 23, almost a month after the end of IMF’s $6.2 billion three-year Extended Fund Facility for Pakistan. - Reuters file photo

The finance ministry has said that the budget deficit has been lowered from 8.2 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2013 to 4.6 per cent by the end of fiscal year 2015-16, foreign currency

reserves of the State Bank of Pakistan have increased to $18 billion and the economy has grown at a decent pace of 4.7 per cent.

However, independent experts question these achievements as

the government has abandoned the privatisation programme, could not address the energy sector circular debt and has failed to broaden the tax base.

Dr Hafiz Pasha, prominent economist and former finance minister, has highlighted how the government played with the data.

In a newspaper article, he pointed out that to claim that the budget deficit had been reduced to 4.6 per cent, the government declared a Rs212-billion statistical discrepancy in last year’s fiscal accounts.

Over the last three years, the cumulative discrepancy was a colossal Rs605 billion.

“This has never happened before and reflects a virtual breakdown of the budgetary process … the IMF staff mission has preferred to ignore this failure,” wrote Pasha. He further wrote that a more realistic estimate of the budget deficit was Rs1.511 trillion, equivalent to 5.1 per cent of GDP. This indicates that the process of fiscal stabilisation has been

‘FBR’s tax notices in Panama Papers leak flawed procedure’ The divergent opinions come as the Public Accounts Committee prepares to hear about developments related to the Panama Papers from relevant government departments

ISLAMABAD: As the process of serving notices to people named in the Panama Papers remains painstakingly slow, independent experts and chartered accountants representing these people claim that tax authorities have adopted a flawed procedure that may stall the entire exercise.

The divergent opinions come as the Public Accounts Committee prepares to hear about developments related to the Panama Papers from relevant government departments on Tuesday.

So far, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has served tax notices to about 220 people who had been named in the Panama Papers and owned offshore companies.

The FBR is serving notices under Section 176 of the Income Tax Ordinance, which empowers tax officials to seek information about any transaction.

“The nature of the tax notice does not fall under Section 176; the

OFFSHORE HOLDINGS: In April this year, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists published a fraction of data leaked under the Panama Papers investigation, naming about 640 Pakistanis as beneficiaries of offshore holdings. - AFP file photo

notices should have been served under Section 111 or Section 122(5) of the income tax law,” said Syed Shabbar Zaidi, senior partner at AF Ferguson & Co, a leading chartered accountancy firm.

He said the scope of Section 176 was limited and it dealt with the taxes imposed in Pakistan.

However, the information sought through the notice was not limited to Pakistan. The director headquarters of FBR’s Intelligence and Investigation (I&I) wing of Inland Revenues has served the notices.

Theoretically, the FBR’s respective field formations should have issued the notices, said Zaidi.

According to the directorate general I&I’s core functions, the wing will comprise a director gen-

eral, director headquarters and three directors based in Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad.

The director Karachi will cover Sindh and Balochistan, director Lahore will cover Civil Divisions of Lahore, Gujranwala and Sahiwal in Punjab and director headquarters will look after the Islamabad Capital Territory, Civil Division of Rawalpindi and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in addition to his assignment at the headquarters. Independent experts said the director headquarters could not serve these notices.

“The Panama Papers issue will not die down due to its political and social dimensions but the matter could not be resolved in this manner,” said Zaidi.

Divergent opinions The opinion of chartered accountants and some other independent experts indicates that the FBR will not be in a position to take a meaningful action in the near future. There is a possibility that most people would not respond to these notices.

However, the FBR says if recipients of the notices did not respond, it can penalise them under Section 191 of the income tax law, which talks about imposing a fine and imprisonment of up to one year. FBR spokesman Dr Mohammad Iqbal said the jurisdiction was an administrative matter that would not have adverse implications for the notices.

In April this year, the Inter-

national Consortium of Investigative Journalists published a fraction of data leaked under the Panama Papers investigation, naming about 640 Pakistanis as beneficiaries of offshore holdings.

Of these, 155 have been identified by the Securities and Exchange Commission owning 600 companies in Pakistan.

The FBR notice seeks information about beneficiaries of the offshore companies, details of assets held directly or indirectly by the offshore company trust or entity, details of total investment along with the source and year-wise breakdown of investment made in these companies.

The FBR also sought details about any other moveable or immovable assets held abroad by these persons.

However, Zaidi said the FBR could not seek information about other assets until it had definite information.

The FBR has also asked about the investment made out of the income earned in Pakistan and the income, if any, being derived from the offshore company, trust, entity or asset and whether this income has been declared in Pakistan.

Experts said two kinds of investments were made in offshore companies.

One made through illegal channels and the other through legal sources but due taxes were not paid. They said in the second case, the government may have to offer an amnesty scheme to settle the issue.

They were also of the opinion that in most cases the tax authorities were unlikely to achieve anything through these notices.

Non-resident Pakistanis who do not have a source of income in Pakistan would not be bound to reply to these letters. - Express Tribune

slow. The deficit has declined by only 0.4 per cent of GDP in three years compared to the expectation that the deficit would be brought down to 3.5 per cent by 2015-16.

Instead, it has remained higher by almost 1.6 per cent Earlier, Pasha also countered the government’s claim of achieving 4.7 per cent GDP growth, saying the pace of growth was less than 3.5 per cent .The public debt has risen to almost 68 per cent of GDP in the past three years.

Cumulatively, in three years of the PML-N government, the rise in public debt is Rs5.476 trillion.

Consequently, the public debtto-GDP ratio has gone up from less than 65 per cent of GDP in 2012-13 to almost 68 per cent in 2015-16.

Similarly, the government has built foreign currency reserves by borrowing over $11 billion instead of increasing reserves through non-debt creating instruments like enhancing exports and attracting foreign direct investment (FDI). - Express Tribune W R E S T S E AT F R O M P T I

PML-N wins Chichawatni by-election SAHIWAL: The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Monday won a major political victory by taking the Chichawatni constituency that was previously held by its arch-rival – the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Rai Hassan Nawaz who was disqualified by courts for asset concealment.

The PTI lost the by-election in the National Assembly constituency NA-62 (Chichawatni), but not before giving a run to the ruling party for its money.

It is the third consecutive legislature victory in which the PML-N’s candidates returned as winner. The PML-N had also won by-elections in NA-63 (Jhelum-II) and the Punjab Assembly’s PP-232 (Vehari-I). In Chichawatni, PTI candidate Rai Murtaza was outnumbered by PML-N’s Muhammad Tufail Jutt with a margin of 13,369 votes in the unofficial results of 293 polling stations.

Morale booster PML-N’s Jutt secured 76,580 votes, PTI’s Murtaza (63,211) while Shahzad Saeed Cheema of the PPP came third with 15,873 votes. The victory would serve as a morale booster for the ruling party that is involved in a kind of ‘pitched battle’ with the PTI over allegations of rigging and corruption in the wake of the Panama Papers revelations. Rai Hasan Nawaz won the seat on the PTI ticket in 2013. He challenged his disqualification in the Supreme Court. As the court did not take up his case on the last hearing on September 5, he decided to go ahead with Rai Murtaza as the PTI candidate.

Meanwhile, polling that started at 9am continued till 5pm in a largely peaceful way. Besides police, contingents of army and Rangers were also deployed in the constituency to prevent any untoward incident. - Express Tribune

R E I N V E S T I G AT I O N

ATC summons Baldia garment factory owners in fire case KARACHI: The anti-terrorism court (ATC) conducting the trial of the Baldia factory fire case has rejected in its initial order the police move to save the factory owners, manager and others.

The order, passed on September 16 and made public on Monday, read that “serious allegations are levelled against the factory owners that they had locked (the) emergency gates which resulted in the death of 259 workers.”

The death toll in the fire at Ali Enterprises garments factory in Baldia Town on September 11, 2012 has, however, reached 260 after a girl succumbed to her wounds in December two years ago.

The ATC-II judge stated that “I have gone through this challan (charge sheet) as well as the JIT (joint investigation team) report and do not agree with the IO (investigation officer) who has shown accused number one to 13 in blue ink (specific colours define different kinds of suspects such as those in custody, absconding and released) as there is no evi-

dence against them.” The 13 people who were given a clean chit recently are the factory owners Abdul Aziz Bhaila, his sons Arshad and Shahid, manager Muhammad Mansoor, gatekeepers Fazal Ahmed, Arshad Mehmood and Ali Muhammad, another employee Shahrukh, Hyderabad-based businessmen Ali Hassan Qadri and Umar Hassan Qadri, Zubair alias Charya, Dr Abdul Sattar and Iqbal Adeeb Khanum.

The judge observed that the owners and the manager allegedly closed or ordered closure of the factory’s gates which resulted in the mass deaths.

Regarding the other suspects, the judge observed that they allegedly abetted the crime one way or the other by extorting money on the pretext of distributing it among the victims’ families.

The extortion factor surfaced following the revelation of an under-trial prisoner who reportedly said that the factory was set on fire over non-payment of extortion money to the Muttahida Qaumi

ILL-FATED UNIT: A total of 260 people were killed in the inferno at Ali Enterprises garments factory in Baldia on September 11, 2012. -Express Tribune

Movement (MQM). This led to a reinvestigation of the case and the role of more people came to the forefront.

According to the JIT report, the then Karachi Tanzimi Committee in-charge of the MQM, Hammad Siddiqui, Baldia Town sector incharge Rehman alias Bhola and Farooq Saleem demanded Rs200

million as protection money from the owners which they were refused. In reaction, the factory was set on fire.

The workers were trapped inside the two-storey building as there were no emergency exits and the main gate was locked. After the incident, the owners were harassed by an MQM minister.

Meanwhile, the Qadri brothers, who had contacts with the then MQM deputy convener Anis Kaimkhani, brokered a deal with the party for the owners.

Around Rs60 million was deposited in the bank account of Dr Sattar, said to be a close confidant of Kaimkhani.

The amount, as per the deal, was supposed to be distributed among the victims’ families through the party platform as aid, but this never happened.

Instead, a bungalow was purchased in Hyderabad with that money in the name of Khanum.

Contrary to the facts mentioned in the JIT report, the charge sheet is silent on many points like the name of the MQM minister involved.

It has also not upheld Kaimkhani as a suspect.

Moreover, the roles of a former prime minister belonging to Pakistan Peoples Party who helped the factory owners secure protective bail from the Lahore High Court and a leader of the same party

who allegedly took Rs150 million to settle the case have not been described in detail, nor have they been implicated.

Rejecting the police report, the ATC has taken cognisance of the crime against the 13 people.

It has summoned the factory owners and the manager for their statements while issuing nonbailable warrants of arrest for the remaining suspects.

The Ali Enterprises Fire Affectees’ Association and those supporting the victims’ families like the National Trade Union Federation and European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights have called the order a ‘remarkable decision’. The development has taken place a week after international actors, such as the International Labour Organisation and the German government, facilitated a compensation deal of more than $5 million for the victims with the German clothing retailer KiK, which procured more than 70 per cent of the products made at the ill-fated factory. - Express Tribune

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THAILAND

British rights activist found guilty of defamation BANGKOK: A British rights activist was found guilty by a Thai court on Tuesday of criminal defamation and given a three-year suspended sentence, a move rights groups said sets a worrying precedent.

The Bangkok South Criminal Court found Andy Hall of the Migrant Worker Rights Network guilty of defaming Natural Fruit Company, a large pineapple wholesaler that supplies the European Union, over a report published in 2013 that he helped author for Finnwatch, a Finland-based watchdog group.

The report alleged labour abuses at a processing plant owned by the firm and led to several companies terminating their contracts with Natural Fruits. The court found Hall guilty of criminal defamation and computer crimes and sentenced him to four years in prison, but reduced the sentence by one year “due to his history of doing public good and his record as a rights defender”, a judge said.

The court will suspend the sentence, the judge said, meaning Hall will be free unless he breaks the law during that period.

The court said in its ruling that Hall did not interview a large enough sample size in his report for Finnwatch. It said the investigation by state auditors found no widespread abuses at Natural Fruit Company and that Hall did not give the company enough time to respond before submitting the report to Finnwatch. Natural Fruit chairman Wirat Piyapornbaiboon said he was pleased with the verdict. — Reuters

WORLD

‘North Korea’s ground test of rocket engine a success’ North Korean leader Kim Jong Un asked scientists and engineers to make preparations for launching the satellite as soon as possible on the basis of the successful test

SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised a ground test of a new rocket engine to launch satellites, the North’s state media reported on Tuesday, the latest in a rapid succession of missile-related tests this year by the isolated state.

Kim asked scientists and engineers to make “preparations for launching the satellite as soon as possible on the basis of the successful test,” the official KCNA news agency said, indicating the North may soon launch another long-range rocket.

The test was conducted amid global condemnation of the North’s fifth nuclear test earlier this month and a call by the United States, Japan and South Korea this week for greater pressure on Pyongyang over its disregard

GUIDING THE TEST: A man watches a television news report showing North Korean leader Kim JongUn looking at the country’s latest ground test for a rocket engine, at a railway station in Seoul, on Tuesday. – AFP

for United Nations resolutions banning missile and nuclear programmes. North Korea has been testing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles at an unprecedented rate this year under Kim’s direction, including the launch of a satellite in February that was widely seen as a test of long-range ballistic missile technology.

The North’s Rodong Sinmun newspaper carried photographs of Kim on a podium overlooking the vertical test stand that housed a rocket engine which blasted a column of flame.

A spokesman for South Korea’s

military, Jeon Ha-gyu, said it was likely to have been a test for a new engine that can be used for a longrange missile.

Preparations A satellite image dated September 17 provided to Reuters by 38 North, a Washington-based website devoted to analysis of North Korea, showed preparations for an engine test, including a heavy crane over the vertical engine test stand and a shelter that would house the rocket engine.

“This test is another important development pointing to the first

launch of a bigger, better space vehicle to place satellites in higher orbits, which could happen in the not too distant future,” said Joel Wit, founder of the 38 North website. North Korea claimed after its nuclear test this month that it had mastered the ability to mount a warhead on a ballistic missile, a worrying prospect for neighbours South Korea and Japan.

Developing an effective intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) would put the continental United States in range of the North’s nuclear weapons.

Joshua Pollack, editor of the

TENSIONS FLARE

POOR LIVING CONDITIONS: Migrants queue next to burned tents at the Moria camp on the Greek island of Lesbos, following the overnight fire, on Tuesday. – AFP

following a rumour that hundreds of people would be deported.

Roland Schoenbauer, UNHCR’s spokesman in Greece, said people were “sick of waiting” in the camps. “They don’t know when

their asylum claims will be processed. Some people feel they don’t have enough information,” he said. A police official in Athens said two riot police squads had been deployed to the island.

T H R E AT E N E D

Australian forced off French beach over burkini ban MELBOURNE: An Australian woman was forced off a beach on the French Riviera after beachgoers objected to her wearing a full-body swimsuit, or “burkini”, images broadcast on Australian television showed.

Zeynab Alshelh travelled from Sydney several weeks ago with her parents to show solidarity with Muslims in France, equipped with Australian-designed burkinis in the French national colours to give away. As she and her mother, clad in blue burkinis, and her father settled down under a large pink beach umbrella, a man threatened to call police and a blonde woman gave the family a thumbs-down, the footage from Australia’s Channel Seven showed. “It’s upsetting, it’s not fair,” she told the programme that aired on Sunday.

“We were threatened by locals to leave the beach and if we didn’t, they were going to call the police.

They weren’t happy with us being there. They are seeing something that is not there.” Channel Seven

US-based Nonproliferation Review, said North Korean media’s description of a rocket engine with 80 tonnes of thrust would make it “a very powerful rocket, well beyond anything the North Koreans have shown the world before.”

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang was asked at a regular briefing on Tuesday whether China considered the test part of a peaceful space programme or a violation of sanctions.

“Regarding North Korea’s ballistic missile launch activities, at present the Security Council has explicit stipulations. So we hope all parties can honour the relevant UN resolutions,” Lu said.

China is North Korea’s main ally but has supported UN sanctions against its nuclear and missile programmes.

North Korea earlier this month fired three missiles that flew about 1,000 km (600 miles) each and in August tested a submarinelaunched ballistic missile (SLBM) that international experts said showed considerable progress.

It also launched an intermediate-range missile in June that experts said marked a technological advance for the isolated state after several test failures.

“Kim Jong Un... visited the Sohae Space Center to guide the ground jet test of a new type highpower engine of a carrier rocket for the geo-stationary satellite,” KCNA said on Tuesday.

The Sohae centre is the North’s newly upgraded rocket station where the February satellite launch and other rocket tests have been conducted. — Reuters WITS UNIVERSITY

Thousands flee Greek island migrant camp fire ATHENS: Thousands of people fled a migrant camp on the Greek of Lesbos on Monday night after fire swept through tents and housing cabins during violence among residents, police said.

The fire was over by mid-day on Tuesday at the Moria camp which houses the 5,700 migrants on the island and many people had returned, though children had been transferred to other facilities, police said. No casualties were reported from the fire and its cause was not clear. The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, linked the fire to poor living conditions and a sense of insecurity among many of the residents.

Refugees and migrants on Lesbos are stranded there by a European Union deal with Turkey preventing them going beyond the island until their asylum claims have been processed. Those who do not qualify will be deported to Turkey. Tensions have boiled over at overcrowded camps on Greece’s islands as the slow processing of asylum requests adds to frustration over tough living conditions.

Greek media said the clashes on Monday erupted among residents

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Zeynab Alshelh travelled from Sydney to show solidarity with Muslims in France, equipped with Australian-designed burkinis in the French national colours to give away

did not immediately respond to a request from Reuters for comment. A judge in the Mediterranean city of Nice this month declared the prohibition of the full-body swimwear to be illegal

there, in the latest setback to attempts to ban burkini-clad women from the beaches of the Riviera.

Nice was one of about 30 towns in the largely right-wing part of the country to ban the burkini on the grounds that it presented a threat to public order. “I thought the ban was ridiculous. It just doesn’t make sense to me, there’s no connection at all between the burkini and these terrorist acts,” the Australian woman said.

The Australian designer of the burkini told Reuters last month that sales of the garment had increased after three French cities banned it. “Why would they ban something when I designed a swimsuit that was part of integration with the Australian lifestyle?” the designer, Aheda Zanetti, told the programme. Zanetti estimated that 40 per cent of her sales go to non-Muslim women, with cancer survivors, body conscious mothers or women who want to protect their skin from the sun among them. — Reuters

Nearly 60 per cent of the Moria camp, including tents and metalroofed cabins, had been destroyed by the fire, a police official said.

Work was underway on Tuesday to set up new tents, Police Min-

ister Nikos Toskas said. At least nine people were arrested on accusations of damaging property and causing unrest and were expected to appear before a prosecutor, a police official in Athens said.

Panos Navrozidis, Greece director of aid agency International Rescue Committee, said the camp had been operating at over-capacity for months, with people crammed into the facility with limited access to water, and in conditions that do not meet humanitarian standards. He criticised the system to process claims as “opaque and inconsistent” and said preferential treatment based on nationality led to tensions within the community.

Thousands have applied for asylum and the wait is long, ranging from weeks to months. Just over 500 people have been deported to Turkey since March but none of those who have requested asylum were among those, Greece says. Despite a slowdown in arrivals from Turkey compared to last year, more than 13,500 migrants and refugees are now living on eastern Aegean islands, nearly double a capacity of 7,450. — Reuters

South African police clash with protesters JOHANNESBURG: South African police fired stun grenades and arrested 31 students in clashes at Johannesburg’s University of the Witwatersrand on Tuesday, as countrywide protests demanding free tertiary education entered a third week.

The current protests were triggered by a government recommendation that 2017 tuition fee increases be capped at 8 per cent - above South Africa’s current inflation rate of 6 per cent.

Several students hurled rocks at the main building of the university known as “Wits”, shattering windows, after they were prevented from entering by private security guards who retaliated by throwing rocks back at the students.

The students later discarded their rocks and entered the building under heavy police presence, where they gathered in a hall seeking an audience with university authorities. — Reuters

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W E D N E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 1 , 2 0 1 6

WORLD IRRECONCILABLE DIFFERENCES

Power couple splits as Angelina Jolie files for divorce from Brad Pitt

BREAKING THE KNOT: Actor Brad Pitt and actress/director Angelina Jolie pose at the AFI Awards 2014 honouring excellence in film and television in Beverly Hills, California, US, on January 9, 2015.

— Reuters/Kevork Djansezian/File Photo

EMERGENCY TEAM

SHARING EXPERIENCE: Britain’s Prince William sits in the cockpit of his East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) H145 helicopter, in this photograph released in London, on Tuesday. — Olivia Howitt/ Courtesy of BBC/Handout via Reuters

LOS ANGELES: Actress Angelina Jolie has filed for a divorce from actor Brad Pitt, her attorney said in a statement on Tuesday, signaling the end of one of Hollywood’s most glamorous and powerful couples.

“This decision was made for the health of the family. She will not be commenting, and asks that the family be given its privacy at this time,” attorney Robert Offer said in the statement.

Jolie filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, citing irreconcilable differences as grounds for the split, court documents showed. She sought full physical custody of their six children, and Pitt asked for visitation rights.

Jolie cited their separation date as September 15.

Entertainment website TMZ, citing a legal filing, said Jolie “was extremely upset” by Pitt’s parenting methods.

Jolie and Pitt, known collectively as “Brangelina,” were one of the entertainment world’s most visible couples, due to their good looks, successful films and activism. They married in 2014 after 10 years together.

Jolie, 41, who won a best-supporting actress Oscar for “Girl, Interrupted” in 2000, was previously married to actors Jonny Lee Miller and Billy Bob Thornton.

Pitt, 52, one of Hollywood’s leading men, was married to actress Jennifer Aniston in 2003 when he and Jolie began filming Mr. & Mrs. Smith, the story of two professional killers who have unknowingly been assigned to kill each other. There were reports of an affair during that time, but Jolie told Vogue magazine they were only “very, very good friends” until Pitt and Aniston split in 2005.

Jolie, the estranged daughter of

actor Jon Voight, had a bohemian reputation early in her career but more recently has taken on humanitarian causes and was named a special envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

She frequently went countries such as Afghanistan, Sudan, Tanzania, Iraq and Jordan to call attention to the plight of refugees and the underprivileged.

Adopted children Pitt joined Jolie on some of her trips and started a foundation to finance reconstruction of homes in New Orleans after the city was flooded by Hurricane Katrina. Together they started the Jolie-Pitt Foundation in 2006 to help charities worldwide.

Their children include sons adopted from Cambodia and Vietnam and a daughter adopted from Ethiopia.

New York bomber Rahami’s foreign travel being probed Afghan-born naturalised American citizen

William talks of sad, dark moments in air ambulance piloting work

was suspected in weekend bombings, including a blast on Saturday night in New York’s crowded Chelsea

LONDON: Britain’s Prince William has spoken of “very sad, dark moments” he has faced as an air ambulance pilot in an online video and photo report looking at the emergency team he works with.

The Duke of Cambridge, 34, joined the East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) last year, working both day and night shifts.

He is known as Pilot William Wales to his colleagues, according to BBC website BBC Future which published photos and video of the EAAA service as part of National Air Ambulance Week.

“When I put my air ambulance hat on, and I come here and I fly, I’m one of the team...I want to get the job the done, and at the end of the day feel like I’ve made a difference and a contribution to whatever it is I’ve done that day,” William said.

“There are some very sad, dark moments. We talk about it a lot, and that’s the best way of dealing with some of these situations. But it’s hard...

“It can be quite difficult.”

William, who is second in line to the British throne, was previously a search and rescue pilot with the Royal Air Force. — Reuters

neighborhood that wounded 29 people, and two in suburban

ACT OF TERROR: A still image captured from a video from WABC television shows a conscious man believed to be New York bombing suspect Ahmad Khan Rahami being loaded into an ambulance after a shootout with police in Linden, New Jersey, US, on Monday. — Courtesy WABC-TV via REUTERS

New Jersey

LINDEN (US): US investigators sought clues on Tuesday to why an Afghan-born naturalised American citizen might have planted bombs in New York City and New Jersey over the weekend, including whether he had accomplices or was radicalised overseas.

“The investigation is active and ongoing, and it is being investigated as an act of terror,” US. Attorney General Loretta Lynch said in Lexington, Kentucky. Ahmad Khan Rahami, 28, was arrested on Monday in Linden, New Jersey, after a gun battle with police.

Police were summoned by a neighbourhood bar owner who thought the bearded man sleeping against his closed tavern’s front door in pouring rain resembled the bombing suspect.

Rahami, who lived in New Jer-

sey, and two police officers were wounded in the exchange of gunfire.

The events put New York, the largest US city, on edge and fueled a political debate about US security seven weeks before the presidential election, with candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton clashing once again on Monday about the threat posed by extremist militants.

Rahami was suspected in weekend bombings, including a blast on Saturday night in New York’s crowded Chelsea neighborhood that wounded 29 people, and two in suburban New Jersey including one earlier on Saturday near a Marine Corps charity run in Seaside Park that caused no injuries.

He lived with family members above their storefront First American Fried Chicken restaurant in Elizabeth, New Jersey, near New York City.

Two US officials said Rahami

had traveled to Afghanistan and to Quetta, Pakistan.

The official, and other US security sources, said Rahami underwent secondary screening upon returning from abroad but passed on every occasion. One of the officials, who specialises in counter-terrorism, said the screening consisted of asking Rahami where he had gone and for what purpose.

“There could have been a more intensive holding and screening in that situation,” US. Senator Angus King, an independent from Maine, told CNN. “The problem is what happened next didn’t really go into any depth.”

Rahami’s wife left the United States a few days before the bombings, CNN reported on Tuesday, citing a law enforcement source.

Authorities did not offer any immediate information on the possible motives of Rahami.

Union County prosecutors

charged Rahami with five counts of attempted murder in the first degree and two second-degree weapons charges.

More charges were expected to be brought against Rahami in federal court.

He was listed in critical but stable condition as a result of his wounds, and police had not yet been able to interview him in depth, New York Police Department Commissioner James O’Neill said. O’Neill, who was sworn in as commissioner on Monday, said he was encouraged that officers found Rahami hiding alone.

“It’s a good sign that we found him in a doorway,” O’Neill told “CBS This Morning.”

“Hopefully that means he had nowhere to go.” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio also called the Saturday night bombing “an act of terror.”

MANILA AIRPORT

Rahami is also suspected of planting a bomb that exploded on the New Jersey shore on Saturday, a device found near the New York blast, and up to six more devices found near the Elizabeth train station on Sunday night.

All of the people injured in Saturday night’s blast in Manhattan have been released from hospitals.

Democratic US Representative Albio Sires, whose congressional district includes Elizabeth, said Rahami contacted his office in 2014 because he wanted help in facilitating his wife’s immigration to the United States from Pakistan.

Sires told MSNBC on Monday, “At the time, she was pregnant. ...

In Pakistan, they told her that she could not come over until she had the baby. But she had to get a visa for the baby.”

Rahami had not previously been identified as dangerous, but Elizabeth police knew of his family because of late-night noise and crowd complaints at the friedchicken restaurant.

The bombings and subsequent manhunt prompted even greater security in New York, a city already on high alert for a gathering of world leaders at the United Nations for the annual General Assembly this week.

An additional 1,000 officers were deployed.

The blasts, the manhunt and an apparently unrelated stabbing attack in Minnesota over the weekend created tensions similar to those that followed other recent attacks, such as the mass shootings in Orlando and San Bernardino, California. — Reuters

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

P O S T - FA I L E D C O U P

Saudi plane isolated after false hijack alarm MANILA: A Saudi Arabian Airlines plane was temporarily isolated after landing at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Tuesday following a false hijack alarm, airline and airport officials said.

Passengers were taken off the aircraft and transported to the airport’s main terminal while Philippines security personnel carried out checks of the plane.

Earlier, the airport’s control tower received a warning that flight 872 from the Saudi city of Jeddah to Manila was “under threat”, apparently triggered by someone pressing an alarm button in the cockpit. “We instructed (the) aircraft to proceed to (the) isolated area,” the airport’s general manager Edmund Monreal told reporters.

Never play around “It is fortunate that upon landing... the crew said they made a mistake. However, we can never play around with safety and security. It (the button) was unintentionally pushed. But the problem is it was pushed twice.” — Reuters

To encourage other women to explore their options, Jolie spoke out publicly about her elective surgeries in 2013 and 2015 to have her breasts, ovaries and fallopian tubes removed as a preventive measure due to a family history of cancer.

In addition to her Oscar win, Jolie was nominated for an Academy Award for Changeling in 2008.

She also starred in two Lara Croft action films, The Good Shepherd, A Mighty Heart and The Tourist.

Pitt’s breakout role came in a supporting part in Thelma & Louise in 1991. His other films include Kalifornia, Legends of the Fall, Se7en, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Moneyball, The Big Short and the Ocean’s 11 films.

Jolie and Pitt also starred together the marital drama “By the Sea,” a 2015 movie that she wrote and directed. — Reuters

SCARE: This handout photo taken on Tuesday, released by the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) shows passengers of Saudi Arabian Airlines plane disembarking after one of the plane pilots released a distress signal prior to landing at at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport. — AFP PHOTO /MIAA

Turkey’s opposition decries purge injustices ANKARA: The head of Turkey’s main opposition said tens of thousands of people had suffered injustices in government purges since a failed military coup, and announced he was setting up a special team to help them.

The comments from Kemal Kilicdaroglu could anger President Tayyip Erdogan and threaten the fragile unity that has existed between the government and much of the opposition since the failed July putsch. Turkish authorities have sacked or suspended some 100,000 members of the military and civil service, including teachers, prosecutors and police officers for suspected links to US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara blames for the plot.

Kilicdaroglu, head of the secular Republican People’s Party (CHP), told broadcaster CNN Turk in an interview late on Monday all action should be conducted within the framework of the law. — Reuters

W E D N E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 1 , 2 0 1 6

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TIMESOFOMAN.COM/TIMESTV Eli Lake A senior ministry official has stated that there is no ban on expat women working in Oman.

The UN currently is falling short of providing effective support to member states, migrants, and the societies that host them.

Governments need to agree on universal principles to establish a framework for dealing with migration, and it should make governance of migration one of its central missions

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READERS’ FORUM Car seats limit space in vehicles I read the story Appeal for funds to provide free child car seats in Oman (September 20). I’ve recently noticed more and more Omani families that are using car seats. It takes time, education and guidance to introduce a population into doing things they are not used to doing. I have never heard anyone complain about the cost of a car seat here though I am not in Muscat, but people complain that if they use car seats they could never fit their entire family in the car when it’s time to go somewhere. — Ami Hester, via Facebook Scan this QR code to send letters to the Readers’ Forum, containing not more than 200 words with full name, address and telephone number, may be sent by e-mail (akhtar@ timesofoman.com).

Stars’ relationships just like that in the movies This refers to report , Angelina Jolie files for divorce from Brad Pitt (September 20).

This is normal with stars as their relationships are also like movies. Not a big issue they will find another love.

— Azaan Rashid, via Facebook

NOAH FELDMAN

Snowden’s disclosures have entered the historical record.

Courts have even relied on them.

That doesn’t mean Snowden should be pardoned for violating the law. We don’t want every person with access to classified information to be able to reveal national security secrets with impunity

Children suffer the most This refers to report , Angelina Jolie files for divorce from Brad Pitt (September 20). As a result of such divorces the children are the ones who suffer the most. People do not work on relationships anymore. — Debbie Strick, via Facebook

NEW INDIA ASSURANCE

“Insure with New India and be secure”

Tel: 24838800 | Fax: 24838899 | Email: niamct@omantel.net.om | Website: www.newindiaoman.com Always acknowledge a fault. This will throw those in authority off their guard and give you an opportunity to commit more.

MARK TWAIN

Why this neocon spy chief is advising Trump W

hile most Republican politicians have accepted their party’s nominee, Donald Trump, the tribe of policy intellectuals and journalists known as neoconservatives have been, for the most part, admirable holdouts.

It’s easy to understand why. Trump has accused George W. Bush of lying the country into the Iraq War. He has adopted the old slogan of pre-Pearl Harbor neutralists, “America First.” Trump lavishes praise on Russian strongman Vladimir Putin.

The names of the NeverTrump neos are well known. They include the editor of Commentary, John Podhoretz, his Weekly Standard counterpart, William Kristol, as well as the influential writer Robert Kagan.

Eric Edelman, a former senior adviser to vice president Dick Cheney and ambassador to Turkey, told me there are three distinct neocon positions this election season. “There are the Never Trump, Never Hillary and I don’t care people,” he said.

“Then there are the ‘I’m with her’ people. Then there is a third group who will hold their tongue, but support Hillary quietly and vote for her.”

But there is also a fourth group this election cycle, those who will actually take the plunge for the candidate promising the kind of reset with Putin that neocons opposed when Hillary Clinton tried it in 2009 and 2010. These include Norman Podhoretz, John’s father, who recently said Trump would be better than Clinton and Dick Cheney, who said earlier this year he would support his party’s nominee, breaking with his former boss, George W. Bush, who is sitting out the current election.

And now this group also includes James Woolsey, Bill Clinton’s first director of central intelligence.

Woolsey has the classic characteristics of the neoconservative, in that he migrated from left to right, much like Irving Kristol and Norman Podhoretz. In 1968, he was the head of Yale Students for Eugene McCarthy, and led the campus anti-Vietnam War movement. By 2002, he was a leading voice advocating for the Iraq War. Last week, Woolsey made headlines when the Trump team announced that he would be advising the campaign in the homestretch of the election. In an interview Monday, Woolsey told me that he did not technically endorse Trump. “I agreed to advise the candidate,” he told me. “I don’t think of myself as someone who puts an imprimatur on candidates.”

Rather, Woolsey said, he sees himself akin to a lawyer willing to advise a client.

That said, Woolsey did make clear that in a choice between Clinton and Trump, he favoured Trump.

“Unless you are going to sit at home and twiddle your thumbs on Election Day, you are either going to vote for him or vote for her, and I disagree with a lot of what Hillary has done,” he said.

But Woolsey also disagrees with a lot of what Trump at least says. To start, there is the issue of the Iraq War. In the South Carolina debates in February, for example, Trump said Bush knew there were not weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and invaded the country anyway, a line often repeated by left-wing groups such as Code Pink and the Answer coalition.

Woolsey begs to differ. He first told me that he believed Saddam Hussein was the primary liar about such weapons because he made it appear that he had something to hide, apparently in order to dissuade Iran from attacking him. (This view is supported by an analysis of Iraqi captured documents and interviews with Saddam loyalists.)

He added that Trump “has a kind of shtick and sometimes people say he shouldn’t have said this or that, but look back, he beat his 16 opponents.”

Then there is Putin. At a talk Woolsey gave Monday at a conference for the Israeli legal advocacy group known Shurat HaDin, Woolsey spoke about how Putin today was behaving like former Soviet leaders. When asked about Trump’s praise of Putin as a strong leader, Woolsey offered: “He has said some things I would have said differently. But he’s the one who is the presidential candidate, it doesn’t matter much what Woolsey says.”

Woolsey also noted that Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a president he admires, made a pact with Josef Stalin to defeat Hitler. While Woolsey said it would be wrong to pursue a formal alliance with Russia today against extremists, it would be wise to avoid a confrontation with Russia, particularly at a moment when the US needed to rebuild its military.

One of the more surprising things about Woolsey’s decision to advise the Trump campaign has been his own history on the issue of immigration. -Bloomberg View

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PICTOGRAPH CRUDE OIL AND GAS SECTOR

FROM OUR ARCHIVES SEPTEMBER 2001 Oman set to take on Qatar today MUSCAT: Oman will have only pride to play for as Qatar try to put their campaign back on track with a victory at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in their World Cup 2002 Group B Asian qualifiers match today. Qatar, in third place in the group, face an Omani side that have scored just one goal in four matches and secured only two points so far.

The first of those points came in the corresponding match in Doha in the first week but much has changed for both teams since.

OIL PRODUCTION in thousand BBL (oil barrels)

April

29,829

2016 May

30,995

June

30,370

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

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

1915: Stonehenge is sold by auction for 6,600 pounds sterling ($11,500) to a Mr. Chubb, who buys it as a present for his wife. He presents it to British nation three years later.

1929: Fighting between China and the Soviet Union breaks out along the Manchurian border.

1941: The German Army cuts off the Crimean Peninsula from the rest of the Soviet Union.

0 Source National Centre for Statistics & Information

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W E D N E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 1 , 2 0 1 6

LIFESTYLE LEISURE

THE MEMORABLE CHANGDEOKGUNG PALACE Story Mobin Mathew Blesson

T

he Changdeokgung Palace had a longer reign than any king ever ruled in South Korean history.

Around 270 years, it served the regime and was the royal residence for the Joseon Dynasty.

Actually, Changdeokgung Palace is the longest serving royal residential palace. Out of all the royal palaces in South Korea, it has its original features intact and in good shape unlike other palaces.

In 1405, King Taejong, the third Joseon Dynasty king to rule the nation, was responsible for building the Changdeokgung Palace at the foot of Mount Eungbongsan in Hanyang, or the present-day Seoul, the capital city of South Korea.

In the early period, Changdeokgung Palace was considered as the subsidiary to the main palace of Gyeongbokgung Palace until the Japanese invaded Korea from 1592-1598, and had Gyeongbokgung Palace burnt to the ground.

From there, Changdeokgung took over as the new home of the Joseon Dynasty, becoming a national symbol to the Koreans during the years of invasion.

Centuries later, the palace was destructed by the Japanese during its attack in 1910-1945. It was neglected for years after that, but was finally restored in 1991.

Today, Changdeokgung is one of the most beautiful palaces in Seoul and is filled with tourists — foreign and Korean.

The palace’s design was considered as progressive at that time; the architecture takes its lead from its

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WEATHER

TEMPERATURE

HUMIDITY

38 - 27 73-38% 0

0

PRAYER TIMINGS

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

12.05pm 3.31pm 6.10pm 7.20pm 4.40am

Hobbyist Bincy Lee Binu

Hobby Painting

Why do you love painting?

Painting gives me a sense of relaxation, helps me forget my worries, releases my thoughts and memories onto the canvas and finally, gives life to it on completion.

How did you get into it?

I started with simple pencil sketches and then gradually started filling colours into it on natural impulse and then explored further.

How can one get into it?

Start with sketching your thoughts and imagination no matter how simple they are. Later you realise how the sketch can be painted. A true artist does not limit herself to a favourite topic. One should try the experimentation with brush.

What’s your pro-tip on painting?

Explore the various kinds of painting methods and mediums. Not everyone can brush paint, some may be good at knifing or nibbing (nib painting).

Contact info/resources for learning painting in Muscat Omani Society for Fine Arts +968 2469 4969 osfa.gov@gmail.com

VISIT THE PALACE Entry: Entrance fee for the palace is 3000 Won (free if over 65) and 8000 with the secret garden. Children and teenagers (ages 24 and under) are free.

English tour (free) at 10.30am, 45 minutes for the palace and at 11.30am for the secret garden.

Visit during spring or autumn, and don’t miss the Moonlight Tour. People spend approximately 2 hours here.

Timings: Feb-May, Sept-Oct 09:00-18:00, June-Aug 09:0018:30, Nov-Jan 09:00-17:30 Closed on Mondays Flights: From Muscat to Seoul Oman Air, Etihad via Abu Dhabi, Duration 11 hours Oman Air, Korean Air via Dubai, Duration 11 hours 10 minutes

immediate surroundings. Complementing its landscape and keeping the indigenous tree cover intact, its royal residents and nature co-existed in harmony, and the buildings of the palace had very little artificial features.

The Changdeokgung Palace itself was a stellar example of Far Eastern palace architecture that was shaped by its environment.

Upon entering the main gate of the palace, we encounter the stone pillars standing firm on the sides of the path leading to the main building.

Hundreds of years ago, the dynasty’s high-ranking officials flocked behind each of their designated pillars to have an audience with the king.

Now, travellers from all around the globe gather around these lonely monuments from the past to envision the luxurious lives of the palace.

The throne hall of Changdeokgung was used for major state events - the coronations of eight kings of the Joseon Dynasty were hosted there.

It’s also known as the Injeongjeon hall, was built along with Changdeokgung from the start, but, like the Changdeokgung, has seen numerous attacks by fire — it was destroyed by fire twice in 1592 and 1803, and subsequently rebuilt.

Injeongjeon hall has been declared as a national treasure, along with other buildings in the palace, such as the Seonjeongjeon hall and Huijeongdang hall.

The other attraction in the palace is the secret garden, Huwon, which is tucked away behind the palace, making up about 60 per cent of the Changdeok-

gung Palace with its sprawling grounds, is also an example of the type of classical garden design to be found during its time.

It is South Korea’s only royal garden that was erected at the rear of the palace.

Buyongji, a giant lotus pond, is found in the middle of the garden along with the two other pavilions of Buyongjeong and Juhapru.

A cross-shaped roof and two supporting pillars that emerge from this pond make the design an even more distinctive one.

The Juhapru pavilion, with its royal library, was a conductive study for the king and his courtiers. It also served as the resting place for royal family members.

With the huge influence it had in developing the architecture, landscape planning and garden planning of South Korea, the Changdeokgung Palace has emblazoned a position in the Unesco’s World Heritage Site list in 1997. Unesco describes the palace as “an outstanding example of Far Eastern palace architecture and garden design, exceptional for the way in which the buildings are integrated into and harmonised with the natural setting, adapting to the topography and retaining indigenous tree cover”.

Some people say that autumn is the best time of year to discover the true qualities of the palace but, others say, a winter walk in the garden admittedly brings a pleasure of discovering its amicable harmony with the nature.

But in the 1880s, it was empty and abandoned because many believed it was haunted by the evil acts of the Korean nobility.

—mobinmathew@timesofoman.com

W E D N E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 1 , 2 0 1 6

LIFESTYLE STREET ART

Mesmerising 3D Art at Al Mouj Muscat

Walkers at Al Mouj Muscat were left spellbound with the 3D art made with special homemade chalks and done by artists, Philip Battle and Catherine McMahon. The paintings will remain intact for about three weeks. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss it.

Photography: Hasan Shaban Al Lawati; supplied

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B OMAN CRUDE PRICE FALLS Oman Crude (November delivery) declined by 49 cents to $42.56 per barrel, said Dubai Mercantile Exchange (DME). The average price of Oman Crude (October delivery) stabilised at $44.40 per barrel, 62 cents higher than September delivery. – ONA

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM W EDN ES DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 1 , 2 0 1 6

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SCAN THIS QR CODE TO INSTANTLY LAUNCH THE VIDEO

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

‘New mining company plans share offering by year-end’ end of the year,” Al Salmi said.

The issue size could be even more since the promoters may raise OMR60m from the public and bring in OMR40m as promoters’ equity, a senior executive of CMA said

A E JAMES

businesseditor@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Mining Development Oman plans to float an initial public offering (IPO) on the Muscat Securities Market before the end of the year, a top-level official at the Capital Market Authority, told the Times of Oman.

The newly formed company, which was promoted by four investment arms of the Oman N C S I D ATA

Oman’s August inflation rises MUSCAT: Oman’ inflation rate, based on consumer price index, stood at 1.34 per cent in August, compared to the same period of 2015. This was driven mainly by a 7.25 per cent rise in prices in the transport sub-segment, and a 0.83 per cent rise in the housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, according to the latest report by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

Foods and non-alcoholic beverages prices went down by 1.12 per cent, while tobacco prices rose by 0.38 per cent in August compared with the same month last year. Clothing and footwear fell by 0.61 per cent, while Furnishings, household equipment & routine household maintenance went up by 0.61 per cent.

Health prices increased by 0.94 per cent. Education registered a rise of 3.03 per cent and communication prices on the other hand declined by 0.26 per cent. Recreation and culture fell by 0.46 per cent, while restaurants and hotels set saw prices fall by 0.26 per cent. Miscellaneous goods and services logged a price rise of 0.51 per cent in the month of August as compared with last year.

Bread and cereals fell 2.57 per cent, while meat prices went up by 0.16 per cent. Fish and seafood prices declined by 4.83 per cent, even as milk, cheese and eggs prices fell by 0.65 per cent.

Oils and fats prices rose by 0.03 per cent. Fruit prices registered a 0.3 per cent fall in August, while vegetables dropped by a significant 2.68 per cent. Sugar, jam, honey and confectionary set saw a price rise of 0.08 per cent. Other food products logged a fall of 0.36 per cent.

Non-alcoholic beverages prices went up by 0.60 per cent. — ONA

Sheikh Abdullah Salem Al Salmi. — Times file picture

government—the State General Reserve Fund (SGRF), Oman Investment Fund (OIF), Oman Oil Company and Oman National Investments Development Company (Tanmia)—had said in March that the promoters will bring in OMR60 million and the remaining OMR40 million will be raised from the investing public through an IPO. Sheikh Abdullah Salem Al Salmi, executive president of the Capital Market Authority, told the Times of Oman that the issue

size could be even more since the promoters may raise OMR60 million from the public and bring in OMR40 million as promoters’ equity. The promoters of Mining Development Oman are yet to take a decision on the size of the public issue.

“Initially, the company intended to come to the market in July.

But due to certain issues, there was a delay. We hope to see Mining Development Oman coming to the market, hopefully before the

Holding firm structure Elaborating on the strategy of the new mining firm, Al Salmi said Mining Development Oman will be a holding company, which will create subsidiary firms for developing different types of metal ores/minerals, such as copper, limestone and gypsum. These subsidiary firms will have partners, who have expertise in developing different types of minerals.

Mining Development Oman will carry out both downstream (such as mining) and upstream activities, which include an exploration and extraction process. The company also plans to collaborate with the Omani private sector, whether as a partner, contractor, supplier or promoter of projects.

The formation of a major firm for developing the mining sector is part of a major government strategy since mining is expected to drive non-oil income, which is part of the diversification plan of the government during the ninth five-year plan period.

Besides, it complements two other important sectors—the logistics sector and downstream industries. Oman also has facilities at the Sohar and Salalah ports

D I S C L O S U R E S TAT E M E N T

that would enable companies to export minerals.

Kunooz Oman Meanwhile, Kunooz Oman Holding, a leading player in mining, quarrying, transportation and construction materials sectors in the country, also plans to float an IPO during the first half of 2017.

The company had said earlier this month that it has obtained an initial approval to offer at least a 25 per cent stake in Kunooz Oman to the investing public through a share offer on the Muscat Securities Market. Oman Investment Fund, a sovereign wealth fund, recently acquired 20 per cent of shares in Kunooz, which has a paid up capital of OMR16 million.

A successful IPO can improve Kunooz Oman’s access to capital, offer new mining opportunities both in Oman and internationally, which is also in line with Oman’s strategy to reduce its dependence on hydrocarbon resources.

Kunooz Oman is one of the largest mining companies in Oman and comprises of Al Rawas Mining, Mihwar Al Wifaq, Al Rawas Marble and Granite, Salalah Readymix and Al Rawas Transport. Two associate companies of the group are Majan Mining and Carmeuse Majan.

– Times file picture

Shares of Port Services Corporation transferred Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman’s Capital Market Authority (CMA) has recently approved the transfer of the Government’s shares in Port Services Corporation to Oman Investment Fund. As per the agreement signed between the Ministry of Finance and the fund, the ownership of 33,736,300 shares at a nominal value of 100 baisas per share representing 35.497 per cent of the corporation’s capital has now been fully transferred to Oman Investment Fund, according to a disclosure statement posted on MSM website.

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W E D N E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 1 , 2 0 1 6

MARKET PROMOTION

Glaxo names Emma as new CEO to succeed Andrew Witty LONDON: GlaxoSmithKline promoted Emma Walmsley to be the new chief executive officer of the UK’s largest drugmaker and succeed Andrew Witty when he retires, a move that will make it the only major global pharmaceutical company with a female head.

Walmsley currently runs Glaxo’s consumer-health business. She will join the board on January 1 and take over as chief executive officer on March 31, the company said in a statement on Tuesday.

Previous experience She joined the drugmaker in 2010 from French cosmetics giant L’Oreal where she spent 17 years, holding marketing and general management roles in China, the United States, Europe and the United Kingdom.

Walmsley has been working in Glaxo’s over-the-counter products business, first as president and then as chief executive officer in 2015, following a three-part transaction with Novartis.

Walmsley will join an extremely small pool of female chief executive officers at global pharmaceutical companies. Among them are Heather Bresch, who heads the much smaller Mylan. - Bloomberg News

India plans anti-dumping duty on more steel products The Steel Ministry is likely to levy anti-dumping taxes on some of the 66 products that are currently covered by the minimum import price rule before it expires on October 4 STEEL GLUT: A global steel glut and a deluge of lower-priced imports from countries like China, Russia, South Korea and Japan have led India to tighten restrictions on inbound shipments to aid domestic producers. – Fle picture

MUMBAI: India is considering expanding the basket of steel products that attracts an antidumping tax to stem inflows of cheaper supplies into the world’s third-biggest producer.

The Steel Ministry is likely to levy anti-dumping taxes on some of the 66 products that are currently covered by the minimum import price rule before it expires on October 4, Steel Secretary Aruna Sharma told reporters in New

Delhi on Tuesday. In August, India imposed anti-dumping duties on some hot and cold rolled products.

A global steel glut and a deluge of lower-priced imports from countries like China, Russia, South Korea and Japan have led India to tighten restrictions on inbound shipments to aid domestic producers. Imports have slowed in the financial year beginning in April after rising to a record 11.7 million

metric tons the previous year.

“We are not against imports.

But if any country is resorting to dumping at less than cost of production then definitely it’s an issue,” Sharma said.

“Minimum import price is an emergency measure. It can’t be a regular measure.”

At the same time, Indian steel companies have to be aggressive in marketing their products

and boosting local consumption, Sharma said.

“About 60 kilogrammes per capita is literally rock bottom for a country with a good trajectory of growth,” she said.

India’s per capita consumption should at least double to 120 kilogrammes to absorb an expansion in capacity from 118 million tons to a target of 150 million tons by 2018, she said.

The Steel Ministry will be meeting with banks and banking associations to discuss stressed assets in the sector within the next two weeks, Sharma said. - Bloomberg News

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

FOURTEEN MONTHS

Swiss watch exports fall as global demand wanes ZURICH: Swiss watch exports fell in August as demand weakened from Japan to the United States, extending the industry’s slump to fourteen months.

Shipments dropped 8.8 per cent to 1.4 billion francs ($1.4 billion), the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry said in a statement on Tuesday.

The slowdown has spread from Asia to Europe and the US in recent months, leading Cie. Financiere Richemont, the maker of Cartier and IWC Schaffhausen timepieces, to cut jobs, buy back unsold inventory from retailers and refocus on more affordable pieces.

Richemont’s earnings Richemont warned that first-half earnings will decline about 45 per cent, following Swatch Group’s 54 per cent drop in first-half profit.

In Europe, terrorist attacks have cut the numbers of free-spending tourists who make up a big chunk of sales.

“We remain concerned about continued disruption in Hong Kong, while mainland China continues to show improving trends, albeit at the expense of weaker tourist demand in Europe and Japan,” Thomas Chauvet, an analyst at Citigroup, said in a note.

Exports to Hong Kong fell 29 per cent, while shipments to

SLOWDOWN: Exports to Hong Kong fell 29 per cent, while shipments to Germany slid 15 per cent, the federation said. The United States and Japan showed declines of 12 per cent and 27 per cent, respectively. – Bloomberg News

Germany slid 15 per cent, the federation said. The US and Japan showed declines of 12 per cent and 27 per cent, respectively.

Mainland China saw exports rise by 29 per cent, helped by a favorable comparison base from a year ago. One bright spot was the U.K.,

where shipments increased 24 percent after the Brexit-induced tumble in the value of sterling.

Some brands have already increased prices in the UK by at least 10 per cent, Citigroup’s Chauvet said, so the currency effect is unlikely to last. – Bloomberg News

W E D N E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 1 , 2 0 1 6

B3

MARKET OCTOBER 4

Google to unveil

new hardware, smartphones CALIFORNIA: Google sent invitations for an October 4 event in San Francisco, where the web company is expected to introduce new smartphones and home-automation hardware, along with other new product upgrades.

The text of the letter, which includes the phrase ‘Ok Google, add to calendar’, suggests a bigger role for the Google Now voice assistant. The invitation also features an animated graphic showing a search bar that morphs into the shape of a smartphone.

The product unveiling by Google, part of Mountain View, California-based Alphabet, follows a eventful period for the global smartphone market. Apple’s new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, which no longer feature a headphone jack, went on sale last week.

Samsung Electronics, the biggest maker of phones that run on Google’s Android software, has been embroiled in a recall involving its Note 7, which are prone to overheat and burst into flames.

While the timing of Google’s new hardware isn’t a departure from the past, there’s a risk it could be overshadowed.

Google may also introduce a higher-resolution upgrade to its Chromecast media streaming device. - Bloomberg News

NBC, Riyada incubated firms explore investment in Khazaen Khazaen represents the ideal logistics, warehousing, light industrial and commercial hub linking the main modes of transportation in and out of Oman

Times News Service MUSCAT: National Business Centre’s (NBC) initiative called ‘Reyooq’ has highlighted the vision, mission and investment opportunities available in Khazaen, which was founded to be a model for future cities, linking logistics with promising investment opportunities and creating a unique work and lifestyle environment.

The event took place on Tuesday in the presence of NBC and Riyada-incubated companies, and officials of South Al Batinah Logistics Area (Khazaen).

Served by major transportation infrastructure such as the Batinah Expressway, Oman Rail, and the Muscat International Airport, Khazaen represents the ideal logistics, warehousing, light indus-

trial and commercial hub linking the main modes of transportation in and out of Oman.

Khazaen aims to be the centre of the logistics movement in Oman showcasing a world-class urban plan, infrastructure and services, which motivates everyone to achieve their aspirations for the greater benefit of the society.

Officials at Khazaen highlighted its mission in developing a worldclass urban plan with integrated infrastructure to support the four key sectors - logistics, industrial, commercial and residential; connecting Khazaen with the most densely populated areas of the Sultanate and the main logistics centers such as the ports, airports, road and rail network; attracting local and international investments in the logistics sector and related

LOGISTICS CENTRE: Khazaen aims to be the centre of the logistics movement in Oman showcasing a world-class urban plan, infrastructure and services. - Supplied picture

sectors by providing incentives and privileges, flexibility and ease, and a distinctive strategic location locally, regionally and globally.

Sustainability Besides, the mission of Khazaen also includes applying the highest international standards and practices in terms of sustainability to ensure care for environment, surrounding community and

the development of the national economy; applying the policies and procedures that ensure the highest quality and efficiency of service standards in order to establish long-term relationships with investors, partners and customers; attracting qualified human resources that will be dedicated to the vision, and will create a stimulating work environment; and maximising the use of alter-

native energy and efficient energy utilisation It should be noted that NBC’s initiative ‘Reyooq’ consists of monthly visits to high-profile Omani companies and factories in cooperation with Riyada to meet with the CEOs and decision-makers of these companies.

The incubated companies at National Business Centre shall get acquainted with various opportunities available for entrepreneurs.

NBC is an initiative launched

by Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE) at the Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM) to offer promising Omani entrepreneurs a platform to develop their business ideas and advance them into growing ventures.

The centre offers a premier platform for Omani entrepreneurs by providing business development support and guidance, training and mentoring, access to markets and industry experts, and state-ofthe-art and fully equipped office space, meeting rooms and presentation facilities.

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

GROWTH PLAN

Kuwaiti group KEH buys 23% stake in WH Ireland for $11m KUWAIT CITY: Kuwaiti European Holding Group (KEH) said on Tuesday that it had spent £8.45 million ($11.03 million) to buy a 23.1 per cent stake in British financial services firm WH Ireland Group, to help serve financial services clients across the Middle East and Britain.

KEH, an investment company focused on property, health and leisure businesses, said WH Ire-

land’s business model and strategy was ‘highly complementary’ to that of KEH’s financial services businesses - Armila Capital and Al Fouz Investment Company.

“This partnership will allow the companies to provide cross-market corporate and capital markets advisory and capital raising services to their respective clients,” KEH said in a statement.

As part of the deal, KEH chief

executive Humphrey Percy will become a representative on WH Ireland’s board, the Gulf company said.

Financial services “An important component of KEH’s strategy is to build out a financial services division that can develop a true bridge between investors in Kuwait and elsewhere in the Middle East, and financial markets in Europe, particularly in

London,” Percy said.

WH Ireland, which offers private wealth management, wealth planning and corporate broking services, said it would work with KEH Group to accelerate its growth opportunities.

“KEH Group has an exciting plan for growth within its existing financial services companies in the Gulf states and the UK,” WH Ireland chief executive Richard

Killingbeck said.

WH Ireland expects to be able to help support this growth, Killingbeck said. WH Ireland’s regulatory filing did not disclose from whom KEH bought the stake.

The news follows a Sky News report on Saturday that KEH Group was close to announcing a deal to buy a stake in WH Ireland, and may also consider acquiring the London-listed company entirely.

WH Ireland held £2.7 billion ($3.52 billion) in assets under management as of May 31. The British stockbroker would not be the first to attract investment from the Middle East.

The biggest shareholder in WH Ireland’s rival Panmure Gordon is Qatari investment bank QInvest, with a 43.43 per cent stake, according to Thomson Reuters data.

- Reuters

B4

W E D N E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 1 , 2 0 1 6

MARKET MSM index ends lower

OMAN STOCKS

MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ........................................ 5,765.81 ...............5,749.80 .................... 5,752.11 ................... 5,762.74................ -10.63 .................. -0.18 Financial Index ..................................... 7,387.87 ...............7,359.68 ....................7,359.68 ................... 7,378.42................ -18.74 .................. -0.25 Industrial Index ....................................7,421.69 ............... 7,401.21 ....................7,401.21 ....................7,416.58................ -15.37 .................. -0.21 Services Index .......................................3,137.94 ...............3,132.67 ....................3,135.99 ................... 3,137.94...................-1.95 .................. -0.06 MSM SHARIAH INDEX.......................882.61 ..................878.95 .......................879.03 .......................881.05..................-2.02 .................. -0.23 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 7,477,401 ..................... 1,397,041 .................... 450 ............... 17,247,863,384 .................. 3 ......................14 .................... 21 .........................38

Top gainer was United Finance, up by 1.94 per cent, while National Finance was the top

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

loser, down by 4.35 per cent.

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

MUSCAT: Share prices on the Muscat bourse fell amid thin trading. The MSM30 Index ended lower amid lower trading activity at 5,752.11 points, down by 0.18 per cent. The MSM Sharia Index declined by 0.23 per cent to close at 879.03 points.

Oman Fisheries was the most active in terms of volume while Bank Muscat was the most active in terms of turnover. The top gainer was United Finance, up by 1.94 per cent while National Financewas the top loser, down by 4.35 per cent.

As many as 450 trades were executed on Tuesday, generating turnover of OMR1.39 million with 7.47 million shares changing hands. Out of 38 traded securities, three advanced, 14 declined and 21 remained unchanged.

Omani investors switched to net buyers for OMR367,000 while foreign investors were net sellers for OMR317,000 followed

by GCC and Arab investors for OMR50,000 worth of shares.

Financial Index eneded the session at 7,359.68 points, down by 0.25 per cent. United Finance remained as the sector gainer and was up by 1.94 per cent to close at OMR0.158.

National Finance, Taageer Finance, Dhofar Investment and Al Sharqiya Investment Holding declined by 4.35 per cent, 2.54 per cent, 2.50 per cent and 2.29 per cent, respectively.

Industrial Index down by 0.21 per cent to end at 7,401.12 points.

Oman Fisheries and Voltamp Energy were up by 1.64 per cent and 0.89 per cent, respectively. Oman Cement, Galfar Engineering and Jazeera Steel Product declined by 1.70 per cent, 0.96 per cent and 0.86 per cent, respectively.

Services Index ended the session at 3,137.94 points, down by 0.06 per cent. OIFC and Al Suwadi Power fell by 0.50 per cent each, respectively.

Indian shares fall Indian equities ended a four-day advance as investors awaited policy decisions from the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan.

Technology and consumergoods companies countered advances in metal producers, while a gauge of developers fell the most among 10 industry indexes.

Volume in a gauge of top 50 companies was 29 percent below a 30-day average. Indian equities have climbed in seven of 12 sessions in September as investors weighed chances that two of the world’s most influential central banks will continue policies that have supported demand for riskier assets. Economists surveyed

by Bloomberg expect the Fed to keep rates unchanged, while strengthening guidance about its intentions to raise borrowing costs soon.

“The undertone of the market is strong, save for the near-term concerns about the BoJ and Fed meetings,” Rajesh Agarwal, the head of research at AUM Capital Market Pvt, said by phone from Kolkata. “The market will rally if the central banks maintain the status quo.” He’s advising investors to buy shares of state-owned lenders as an improving economy moderates the risk to the nation’s banking system.

Bad-loan formation The pace of bad-loan formation in India will slow over the next 12 to 18 months as the banking industry is moving past the worst point of its asset quality down cycle, Moody’s said in a statement on Monday. The operating environment for lenders is supported by a stabilising economy, the rating company said. Gross domestic product grew 7.1 percent in the April-to-June period from a year earlier, the fastest pace among large economies.

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

OM0000002374............UNITED FINANCE ...................................................... 25,000 ...............3,950........................2 ............0.158 ........... 0.158 ...........0.158 ............0.158 ............. 0.155............ 0.003............. 1.935 ................0.158 .............. 0.155...................0.158...................51,555,904 .........0.100 OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY ..................................................... 93,170 .............42,313........................7 ........... 0.450 ...........0.460 ...........0.450........... 0.454 .............0.450 ........... 0.004............. 0.889 ................0.460..............0.450...................0.460 ..................27,467,000 .........0.100 OM0000001087............OMAN UNITED INSURANCE .................................60,588 .............17,025........................5 ............0.281 ........... 0.281 ...........0.281........... 0.281 .............0.281............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.281 ..............0.281...................0.282 ..................28,100,000.........0.100 OM0000001418 ............RAYSUT CEMENT ....................................................... 25,000 .............37,500........................5 ............1.500 ........... 1.500 ...........1.500........... 1.500 .............1.500 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................1.500..............1.450...................1.500................. 300,000,000 .......0.100 OM0000001707 ............OMAN CABLES INDUSTRY........................................ 3,650 ............... 6,169........................5 ............1.690 ........... 1.690 ...........1.690 ........... 1.680 .............1.680............ 0.000.............0.000 ................1.690 .............. 1.675...................1.700 ..................150,696,000........0.100 OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 279,199.............51,949..................... 10 ............0.188 ........... 0.188 ...........0.185 ........... 0.186 ............. 0.186............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.187 .............. 0.187...................0.188...................32,550,457 .........0.100 OM0000002168............AL ANWAR CERAMIC TILES ...................................5,000 ...............1,040........................2 ........... 0.208...........0.208 ...........0.208 .......... 0.206 .............0.206 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.208............. 0.202...................0.205 ..................61,020,018 .........0.100 OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 810,766 ...........314,195................... 147 ........... 0.386 ...........0.388 ...........0.386........... 0.388 .............0.388 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.386..............0.386...................0.388..................968,545,100........0.100 OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ..........................93,841 .......... 148,061..................... 29 ............1.580 ........... 1.580 ...........1.570 ........... 1.580 .............1.580............ 0.000.............0.000 ................1.580 ..............1.580...................1.585 ................1,185,000,000 ......0.100 OM0000003711 ............SOHAR POWER................................................................2,660 .................. 686........................2 ........... 0.258 ...........0.258 ...........0.258........... 0.258 .............0.258 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.258..............0.258...................0.000 ..................57,020,580 .........0.100 OM0000004925 ...........AL BATINAH POWER..................................................25,554 ...............5,085........................3 ............0.199 ........... 0.199 ...........0.199 ........... 0.199 ............. 0.199............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.199 ..............0.199...................0.200 .................134,302,599........0.100 OM0000005005 ...........ALMAHA CERAMICS ................................................ 100,000 ........... 47,800........................2 ............0.478 ........... 0.478 ...........0.478........... 0.478 .............0.478 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.478..............0.478...................0.490 ..................25,095,000.........0.100 OM0000005963 ...........PHOENIX POWER ........................................................ 16,895 ...............2,450........................3 ............0.145 ........... 0.145 ...........0.145 ............0.145 ............. 0.145............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.145 .............. 0.145...................0.147..................212,077,212 ........0.100 OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE.............. 220,625 ............43,712......................11 ............0.195 ........... 0.199 ...........0.188 ........... 0.198 ............. 0.199............-0.001 ........... -0.503 ...............0.199 .............. 0.196...................0.198...................39,600,000.........0.100 OM0000002820 ...........GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES ...........................47,000 ...............5,452........................7 ............0.116 ........... 0.116............0.116 ............0.116 ............. 0.117 ............-0.001 ........... -0.855 ...............0.116 ...............0.115................... 0.117 .................... 6,825,813 ..........0.100 OM0000002176 ............AL JAZEERA STEEL PRODUCTS ......................... 30,040 ...............6,928........................7 ........... 0.232 ...........0.232 ...........0.230............0.231 .............0.233 ...........-0.002 ........... -0.858 ...............0.230..............0.228...................0.230 ..................28,851,429 .........0.100 OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL............................................. 213,547............ 14,948..................... 10 ........... 0.070 ...........0.070 ...........0.070........... 0.070 ............. 0.071............-0.001 ........... -1.408 ...............0.070..............0.070...................0.071...................12,250,000.........0.100 OM0000001483............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ................................. 246,675 ........... 59,285......................14 ........... 0.240........... 0.241 ...........0.240 .......... 0.240 .............0.244 ...........-0.004 ............-1.639................0.240 .............0.239...................0.240 .................353,947,506........0.100 OM0000001962............AL MADINA INVESTMENT .................................... 60,000 ...............3,600........................2 ........... 0.060 ...........0.060 ...........0.060........... 0.060 ............. 0.061............-0.001 ............-1.639................0.060............. 0.000...................0.060 ..................12,429,083 .........0.100 OM0000001749 ............OMAN CEMENT .......................................................... 207,787.............95,916......................19 ........... 0.468 ...........0.468 ...........0.460........... 0.462 .............0.470 ...........-0.008 ............-1.702................0.460..............0.458...................0.460 .................152,863,192 ........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 2,566,997......908,064...................292 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ..... 20........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

OM0000001566 ............OMAN FISHERIES ..................................................... 1,537,715 .........94,882......................61 ............0.061 ...........0.062 ...........0.061 ........... 0.062 ............. 0.061.............0.001 ............. 1.639 ................0.061 ..............0.060...................0.061.................... 7,750,000 ..........0.100 OM0000001152 ............OMAN NATIONAL ENGINE. INVT. ........................ 1,000 .................. 160........................1 ............0.160 ........... 0.160 ...........0.160............0.155 ............. 0.155............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.160.............. 0.145...................0.160...................15,500,000 .........0.100 OM0000001400 ...........OMAN FLOUR MILLS ...................................................5,000 ...............3,180........................1 ........... 0.636 ........... 0.636 ...........0.636........... 0.632 .............0.632 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.636..............0.632...................0.640 ..................99,540,000.........0.100 OM0000001517 ............HSBC BANK OMAN .................................................... 1,248,696 ......122,569......................13 ........... 0.098 ...........0.099 ...........0.098........... 0.098 .............0.098 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.099..............0.098...................0.099..................196,030,653 ........0.100 OM0000001681 ............OMAN AND EMIRATES INV. HOLDING...............5,000 .................. 675........................1 ............0.135 ........... 0.135 ...........0.135 ............0.135 ............. 0.135............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.135 .............. 0.135...................0.137 ................... 16,453,125 .........0.100 OM0000002200 ...........AHLI BANK .................................................................... 100,000 ............19,000........................2 ............0.190 ........... 0.190 ...........0.190........... 0.190 .............0.190 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.190.............. 0.183...................0.190..................270,756,867........0.100 OM0000003000 ...........ALMAHA PETROLEUM PRODUCTS MAR. .......15,000 .............21,975........................1 ............1.465 ........... 1.465 ...........1.465 ............1.465 ............. 1.465............ 0.000.............0.000 ................1.465 ..............1.440...................1.470..................101,085,000........0.100 OM0000003265 ...........NATIONAL DETERGENT ........................................ 20,000 .............13,440........................1 ........... 0.672 ........... 0.672 ...........0.672........... 0.672 .............0.672 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.672..............0.672...................0.000 ..................11,432,400 .........0.100 OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA ................................................................ 814,572 ............61,915..................... 10 ........... 0.077 ........... 0.077 ...........0.076........... 0.076 .............0.076 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.076..............0.076...................0.077..................114,000,000........0.100 OM0000004511 ............ALIZZ ISLAMIC BANK.............................................. 180,800 ............ 11,577........................7 ........... 0.065 ...........0.065 ...........0.064........... 0.064 .............0.064 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.064..............0.063...................0.064 ................. 64,000,000 ........0.100 OM0000004933 ...........AL SUWADI POWER ...................................................... 7,500 ............... 1,493........................1 ............0.199 ........... 0.199 ...........0.199 ........... 0.199 .............0.200 ...........-0.001 ........... -0.500 ...............0.199 ..............0.199...................0.200 .................142,166,862........0.100 OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 231,970 ........... 23,847......................21 ............0.103 ........... 0.103 ...........0.102........... 0.103 .............0.104 ...........-0.001 ........... -0.962 ...............0.102..............0.102...................0.103...................29,868,006.........0.100 OM0000002366 ...........AL BATINAH DEV. INV. HOLDING .......................... 5,550 .................. 477........................1 ........... 0.086 ...........0.086 ...........0.086........... 0.086 .............0.088 ...........-0.002 ........... -2.273 ...............0.086..............0.086...................0.088....................2,580,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002440 ...........AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING ............. 16,276 .............. 2,090........................3 ............0.131 ........... 0.131............0.128........... 0.128 ............. 0.131 ............-0.003 ........... -2.290 ...............0.128 ..............0.128................... 0.131 ...................11,520,000 .........0.100 OM0000001509............DHOFAR INT.DEV.AND INV. HOLD.................... 100,000 ........... 39,000........................3 ........... 0.390 ...........0.390 ...........0.390........... 0.390 .............0.400 ...........-0.010 ........... -2.500 ...............0.390..............0.380...................0.390 ..................96,096,000.........0.100 OM0000003281............TAAGEER FINANCE ................................................. 429,500 ........... 49,582......................18 ............0.118 ........... 0.118............ 0.115 ............0.115 ............. 0.118............-0.003 ........... -2.542 ...............0.115 .............. 0.114................... 0.115 ...................29,162,850 .........0.100 OM0000002648 ...........NATIONAL FINANCE ............................................... 155,544............ 20,467........................8 ............0.133 ........... 0.133 ...........0.131 ........... 0.132 ............. 0.138............-0.006 ........... -4.348 ...............0.131 ..............0.130................... 0.131 ...................35,788,548 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 4,874,123 ......486,329................... 153 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ...... 17........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

UNDER MONITORING MARKET ..................................................................................................................................................................

OM0000002564 ...........AL HASSAN ENGINEERING....................................36,281 ...............2,649........................5 ........... 0.073 ........... 0.073 ...........0.073........... 0.073 .............0.073 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.073..............0.073...................0.074.................... 5,490,184 ..........0.100 .............................................SUM: ....................................................................................36,281 ...............2,649........................5 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. .........1........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

– United Securities/Bloomberg News

P U B L I C E S TA B L I S H M E N T F O R I N D U S T R I A L E S TAT E S

THREE-PRONGED PLAN

Iranian business delegation in Oman RAKtherm gears up to explore investment opportunities to meet demand in

key piping solutions

Times News Service MUSCAT: An Iranian business delegation visited the headquarters of the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE) at the Knowledge Oasis Muscat on Tuesday.

The delegation, which represents commercial, industrial and tourism sectors, was acquainted with the existing investment opportunities in the various industrial estates which fall under the umbrella of PEIE in the different governorates of the Sultanate, and the value adding services offered by PEIE for the investors.

Eng. Musallam bin Mohammed Al Shehri, Assistant Chief Executive Officer of PEIE for Operations welcomed the delegation.

Al Shehri briefed the Iranian delegation on the vision of PEIE, which is to enhance the Sultanate’s position as a leading regional centre of manufacturing, ICT, innovation and entrepreneurship excellence, and its mission in attracting industrial investments

Times News Service

MAKING A POINT: Eng. Musallam bin Mohammed Al Shehri, Assistant Chief Executive Officer of PEIE for Operations, welcomed the delegation. — Supplied picture

and providing continued support, through regionally and globally competitive strategies, good infrastructure, value adding services, and easy governmental processes.

The delegates were also acquainted with the objectives of PEIE, which comprise attracting foreign investments to the Sultanate and localising the national capital, contributing to stimulate the private sector to achieve sustainable economic and social development, strengthening relations with the concerned authori-

ties to ensure the flow of investment process and overcome any obstacles faced by investors, reinforcing cooperation with related international and regional organisations to boost the exchange of experience, knowledge and techniques used, developing employees’ skills and performance through a set of training programmes, contributing to create new job opportunities, encouraging exports and the establishment of export industries, increasing the market share of locally manu-

factured products, stimulating the economic sectors in the Sultanate including transport, tourism, banking, among others.

PEIE officials mentioned that PEIE offers a variety of value adding initiatives for business owners and investors in the industrial estates, which comprise the National Business Centre, Industrial Innovation Centre, Human Resources Development Centre, the national campaign of promoting Omani products (Origin Oman), and Communication and Investor Service Centre.

SERVICE PORTFOLIO

QBG focuses on business management solutions Times News Service MUSCAT: Qurum Business Group (QBG) highlighted its wide services portfolio of integrated business management solutions at the recently concluded 15th annual real estate exhibition ‘Cityscape Global’.

As an international diversified business group, QBG joined more than 300 exhibitors in the region’s largest real estate investment

exhibition, which saw industry professionals share knowledge and engage in productive trade discussions.

“We are pleased that Cityscape Global delivered a platform not only for the real estate industry, but also for supporting industries such as facilities management and staffing solutions,” said Saud Al Busaidi, group marketing manager of Qurum Business Group.

“With the global facilities man-

agement market set to reach $50 billion by 2020, QBG is always adamant on participating in such events to demonstrate the growth of our operations, showcase our product portfolio, and to create strategic business partnerships,” he added.

“We built on the success of our participation in the last two editions to connect with our stakeholders and focus on what we can offer them as the partner of choice

for business management solutions,” he added.

QBG employs more than 7,000 professionals throughout its operations that extend beyond its borders to the Middle East, Europe and Indian sub-continent.

Rooted in Oman, QBG has grown into a leading diversified services enterprise in bringing management expertise, local knowledge and targeted investments to a range of business sectors.

MUSCAT: RAKtherm, a leading and internationally certified brand of innovative polypropylene (PPR) and crosslinked polyethylene (PEX) piping systems has devised a growth plan to further increase its international footprint in response to growing global market demand for high technology piping solutions.

The three-pronged plan comprises investment in capital expenditures, market dominance strategies, and product innovation which has resulted in a 34 per cent increase in production capacity.

This has ensured adequate global supply, strengthening of resources for wider market penetration and reinforced an already extensive distribution network in 35 countries worldwide.

“Having established ourselves as market leaders in the global arena with a portfolio that boasts the world’s most versatile and comprehensive piping systems to provide the luxury of piping systems to worldwide, we have realigned our focus this year to leverage the potential of global markets. The demand for high-tech, high performance piping solutions that conforms to the highest international standards to support largescale construction projects is immense,” said Ali Hashim, chairman of Hashim Group.

“We are preserving and expanding our market territories by developing the latest MEP technology solutions to meet plumbing challenges. We continue to focus on achieving our operational excellence by implementing the right mechanisms to achieve and sustain our industry leadership

position. Furthermore, in 2017, we will be launching the new range of piping systems developed by RAKtherm,” he added.

“Investments to the tune of $200 million in capital expenditures which we announced last year is for technology enhancement, equipment modernisation, and for launching of the new innovative piping systems from RAKtherm” said Ali Hashim.

RAKtherm utilises advanced German technology and the inhouse engineering teams’ expertise to deliver the most modern high-performance piping systems with a service life of 50 years to support major Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) projects across Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), North and South Africa, South and East Asia, and Europe gaining an impressive global market presence.

Market dominance strategy aims for consistent extensive distribution to broaden and control geographical network, this sustained momentum allowed RAKtherm to position their brand globally. In support of this strategy, RAKtherm has obtained CSTB (quality of building) French certification emphasising the highest technical standard of its products, and opening up new avenues with countries that require this particular quality standard. This has readily positioned RAKtherm to entirely saturate the global mainstream market. “We are heightening our distribution effectiveness through technical product certification globally to objectively demonstrate that RAKtherm fully meets the level of quality across the world,” Hashim added.

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LITTLE FINGERS 2016

Kalabhavan to hold 'Save the planet' art contest in October MUSCAT: Kalabhavan School of Music & Arts, a franchisee of Kochin Kalabhavan, will be conducting an open art competition titled Little Fingers 2016 on Saturday, October 22 at Al Maha International Hotel, Al Ghoubra.

Students of all communities in the age group of 5 to 13 can participate in the competition. Contestants will be divided into two categories as sub-junior and junior.

Three contestants in each category will be selected as winners, says a press release.

The competition, supported

by Shifa Al Jazeera Medical Services, one of the largest healthcare providers in the Middle East, is open to all students residing in Oman. The winners will be honoured with a certificate and a prize during Kalabhavan’s Founders Day programme which is scheduled to be held on October 28, 2016.

The theme of the art competition is ‘Save the Planet’.

“We have a responsibility to take care of our planet earth and preserve its beauty as we live on planet earth. We get everything for our life from mother earth.

We should save our planet to ensure that our future generations get a safe environment.

This topic has been selected as part of our social commitment to the society and to inculcate good values among the children”, said an official spokesperson.

Pre-registration is required to enroll for the competition. The registration forms are available with the institute across all its branches and also it is uploaded in Kalabhavan’s facebook page under ‘Muscat Kalabhavan’.

The institution will provide drawing sheets to children and the contestants can use any medium of art materials to draw and adhere to the relevancy of the theme. The closing date to submit the registration form is October 15, 2016.

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Jaguar backs Dubai Opera performance arts show The collaboration with Dubai Opera gives Jaguar a powerful stage to continue delivering unforgettable sensory experiences that the automotive brand is renowned for

DUBAI: Premium automotive manufacturer Jaguar Middle East and North Africa has announced a strategic partnership as the Official Vehicle Partner of the definitive destination for performing arts in Dubai.

Located in Downtown Dubai,

POPULAR BRAND

billed as ‘the most prestigious square kilometre in the world’, Dubai Opera will produce and host the finest and most engaging performing arts experiences from Dubai and all over the world, says a press release.

As the latest extension of Jaguar’s ‘The Art of Performance’ creative communications platform, the long term partnership represents the ultimate medium to express the automotive brand’s commitment to recognizing creativity and performance that excites the senses and pushes past the limits

of convention to become art.

The collaboration with Dubai Opera gives Jaguar a powerful stage to continue delivering unforgettable sensory experiences that the automotive brand is renowned for. As the Official Vehicle Partner of Dubai Opera, Jaguar will activate a number of interactive experiences and events over the course of the next three years, to bring to life ‘The Art of Performance’ in new and captivating ways.

Commenting on the partnership, Jasper Hope, Chief Executive at Dubai Opera said, “Dubai

Opera is poised to take centre stage as the region’s definitive home for live performance.

Through their unwavering commitment to arts and creativity in the region, Jaguar Middle East and North Africa is an optimum partner to help us bring arts and music to life like never before. We are thrilled to be working hand in hand with them to create, curate and share new and captivating experiences over the next few years.”

Reinforcing the relevance of the strategic partnership, Christopher Wilde, brand director at Jaguar Land Rover MENA, said, “There are clear synergies between Dubai Opera, Jaguar’s brand values and Jaguar’s ‘The Art of Performance’ platform. From its stunning, world-class architecture and heritage to its innovation and enchanting, modular interior design, Dubai Opera delights the senses through technical artistry. We are delighted to be able to harness this opportunity to shine a spotlight on performing arts and create immersive moments that excite the senses and take breaths away.”

D E A L E R S H I P AWA R D

OLX celebrates a decade of success in online classifieds MUSCAT: OLX, the world's leading online classifieds platform operating in high-growth markets across the world, is celebrating 10 years of connecting millions of buyers and sellers of second-hand goods. With more than 1.7 billion monthly visits to its sites and apps globally, OLX is among the top online global consumer brands by audience. Since its initial launch in Argentina in 2006, OLX has grown globally to become the #1 online classifieds platform in high-growth markets across Asia, Latin America, Middle East, Africa and Eastern Europe including leading positions in markets such as India, Poland, Ukraine, Colombia, Indonesia, Brazil, Portugal and more.

With OLX, everybody wins Buyers win with access to great deals on a huge selection of items Sellers win by being able to turn items that no longer fit their lives into cash (everything sells) Local Communities win with local trade and economic value staying within the local community The Environment wins, as second-hand items receive new life reducing waste, disposal and saving the energy required for producing new goods OLX is an exciting and diverse marketplace that is home to a global community of buyers and sellers: There are 54 million new listings per month across OLX sites and mobile apps.

OLX is the #1 app [1] in more than 20 countries. [1] Google Play Store #1 shopping/lifestyle categories app in more than 20

countries (2016).

Every single second on average, three houses and two cars are listed for sale on OLX. OLX Oman doubled the number of listings in all categories, recorded a 72% growth in the number of visits to its platforms and a 30% increase in monthly active users, in the period between January and June 2016 as compared to the last six months of 2015 (July to December 2015).

OLX Oman has now over 690K monthly active users on its platforms. On average, a visitor to the platform is estimated to spend 10 minutes on it. Each listing receives an average of 23 inquiries per listing across all categories. Abdallah Touqan, director of PR and communications at OLX MENA says, “While OLX has only been around in Oman since August 2015, the year 2016 marks a special milestone for us as a global brand. For 10 years, OLX has empowered millions of people across the world by helping them to connect to buy and sell goods and services. OLX has grown from an idea in Argentina in 2006 to a global online community of local people coming

together to trade.”

Over the past decade dubizzle has built a popular online brand in the Middle East. In August 2015, dubizzle became part of the Global OLX group, and the name was rebranded. This step is a testament to the amazing decade dubizzle had in this region, a success that has reached new levels, being globally recognized as part of the OLX family.

The objective of becoming an OLX company is to stay connected with and become part of the world’s leading network of online classifieds platforms. Already millions of people around the world have used OLX to sell their things within local communities in places like India, Brazil, Portugal and now the Middle East.

From selling an old mobile phone to pay for a newer model, to getting a great deal on a baby stroller. OLX helps you find the item of your dreams, or sell something that someone else needs to achieve theirs.

OLX sites also play host to amazing opportunities - people have secured jobs, friends and new lifestyles by joining the OLX community.

EINT Automotive named best distributor for Primax Batteries MUSCAT: Quality products, industry experience and dedication to customer service have made EINT Automotive a leader in the automotive aftermarket segment.

A part of the WJ Towell Group, EINT Automotive has earned significant recognition locally and is viewed as a strong partner internationally.

With an exclusive division catering to one of the most critical elements of the industry, EINT Automotive is the proud dealer of the world-acclaimed Primax batteries and was recently honoured as the ‘Best Distributor of Primax Batteries’. Following a similar award last year where EINT Automotive was recognized for its excellent efforts in marketing Primax batteries in Oman, this recent recognition once again goes to prove that EINT Automotive has upheld this ongoing endeavor. Partnering with EINT Automotive, Primax had also won the title of ‘Customers’ Preferred Choice’ in its segment earlier, says a press release.

The popularity of this brand is no surprise. Primax batteries are

superior quality products especially designed keeping in mind the climatic conditions of the Middle East. Their ability to withstand heat and perform even in the harshest summer weathers makes them a durable, reliable and therefore a favourite among customers.

Their range of calcium maintenance-free batteries which is designed to maximize energy capacity has been very well received in the local market.

With an assurance for lasting performance, the batteries are protected against battery failure, helping vehicle batteries stay strong and perform longer. Primax offers a wide range of battery technologies which are suited for all Japanese, Korean, European and American vehicles.

Maintaining close contact with the local dealers, the suppliers of Primax batteries take keen efforts to understand the demands of different markets.

Working on popular demands, they then come up with the most advantageous solutions for each individual market. Taking the

same course for the Oman market, Primax batteries has found an equally efficient partner in EINT Automotive thereby successfully reaching out to its customers in the Sultanate.

“We have always enjoyed strong support from the Primax team thus enabling us to better market Primax batteries in Oman,” said Shajahan Azeez, business unit head, EINT Automotive - PLB division. “We are indeed honoured to have received this recognition; this will further encourage our team to keep up their outstanding efforts. As dealers of Primax batteries, we have capitalized on the far-reaching benefits, qualities and reliability this product is reputed for and complemented it with our excellent service, market know-how and strong resources to ensure that the demand for these premium batteries are always at its peak.”

EINT is also the dealer of numerous world-class products and has kept up its reputation as a reliable center offering high quality auto products at affordable prices.

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ROUND-UP Unbeatable value offer on Jinbei Haise H2 bus It offers dependable performance, comfort, safety, and finally good profits

MUSCAT: Al Hashar has announced a special value for money offer on Jinbei Haise H2 2016 model year buses. The high roof wide body 16 seater bus is now available for an unbeatable price of OMR7,300. In addition the limited period scheme also offers 2 years/50,000 kms free service, 3 years/100,000 kms warranty and free registration for complete peace of mind.

The 2016 Jinbei Haise H2 high roof wide body bus comes with two new additional features, dual airbags for additional safety and a DVD player for passenger entertainment. Powered by a 2.4 litre engine the Jinbei Haise H2 bus has many versatile features that

LIMITED TIME OFFER

Dar Al Atta’a distributes Eid clothes, ‘Udhiya’ to children, needy families MUSCAT: As a celebration of Eid Al Adha and the association’s management belief in the importance of giving and providing a better life for the less fortunate, Dar Al Atta’a (DAA) had recently distributed Eid clothes coupons in addition to ‘Udhiya’ to many families registered with DAA in most of the governorates of the Sultanate, says a press release.

Number of beneficiaries of

the Eid clothes for this year was more than 1,077 children at an estimated cost of OMR10,770 and the number of ‘Udhiya’ beneficiaries are 280 families at a cost of OMR12,600. DAA extended its gratitude to all restaurants and individuals who had contributed to the Eid clothes campaign and a special thanks to Daleel Petroleum for its generous donation to support this programme.

TOP HONOUR

Pizza Hut’s ‘Triple Treat Box’ is back MUSCAT: Pizza aficionados across Oman have the chance to savor yet another exciting product from the Pizza Hut legacy - Pizza Hut’s ‘Triple Treat Box’, a uniquely-packaged pizza box that features pizzas, sides, desserts and more, that is back on popular demand.

The ‘Triple Treat Box’, in addition to some of Pizza Hut’s signature dishes, includes all-time favorites and is perfect for the entire family with each of the three sections revealing much-loved treats, says a press release.

Valid until October 31, 2016 (or until stocks last), the tri-level ‘Triple Treat Box’ includes two medium pizzas (classic and pan), potato wedges, wing street boneout chicken wings (with different flavour options) with two dips, a 2.25 litre Pepsi and a Hershey’s double chocolate chip cookie, all for just OMR8.5 (Taxes extra).

While father and mother make merry with the pan and classic pizza, the last section is perfect for children, courtesy the lip smacking ‘Hershey’s double chocolate cookie’ and kid favorites such as french fries, chicken wings and two dips.

“Designed to keep everyone happy, the ‘Triple Treat Box’ is a delicious, easy meal to share with family and friends; and while it is always fun to get pizza, getting pizza in a special super-sized box can add a little more excitement to pizza meals”, explained Sachin Malhotra, COO, Khimji Ramdas Lifestyle Group.

“Whether you are picnicking with family and friends or throwing a party, the ‘Triple Treat Box’ makes meal time easy and fun for all”, he added.

Ideal for a family or group of

include central locking, rear foldable seats, reverse parking sensors, rear defroster, rear wipers and ABS+EBD for enhanced safety.

For business, the 16-seater Jinbei Haise H2 high roof wide body bus is like a ‘Work-horse’. It offers dependable performance, comfort,

safety, and finally good profits, says a press release.

Manufactured in China by Brilliance Auto, a leading automobile manufacturing enterprise listed on New York Stock Exchange. The company manufactures worldclass products for today’s discerning customers. It has many awards and accolades, including the prestigious ISO 9001:2000 certification. Jinbei range enjoys domestic market leadership on the strength of technology, quality, and safety not to mention - outstanding value for money.

A favourite in particular amongst businesses that value their proven profit-making qualities the Jinbei buses are available across Oman from all Al Hashar showrooms in Muscat, Sohar, Ibri, Sur and Salalah. The 3S facilities across these locations provide complete support.

CHARITY DRIVE

friends, the ‘Triple Treat Box’ is valid on dine-in, home delivery and take-away and can be complemented with a variety of other crust flavors as well as salad, for an additional charge. That is not all, Pizza lovers can also top their single-topping pizzas with any of the following fresh ingredients: black olives, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, sweet pineapple, jalapeno, and tomatoes as well as beef, pepperoni, meatballs, grilled chicken, cottage cheese to name a few.

Yogesh Shah, general manager, Khimji Restaurant Division averred, “Pizza Hut is known around the world for delighting customers with its long heritage of breakthrough innovation in food and beyond. In keeping with this, the popularity of the ‘Triple Treat Box’ made it imperative for us to bring it back to Oman. In addition to being a visual treat with its innovative packaging, the box is also ‘big’ on taste and is sure to delight our customers a second time around.”

It is noteworthy that Pizza Hut’s double chocolate chip cookie is loaded with Hershey’s semi-sweet chocolate chips, and can also be purchased separately under the limited time offer for just OMR1.7 (Taxes extra).

Oman LNG receives international CSR recognition LONDON: Attesting to company’s high degree of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices, thorough standards of review and implementation, Petroleum Economist has adjudged Oman LNG, the ‘Best Corporate Social Responsibility Programme of the Year.’

The Petroleum Economist Awards 2016 ceremony took place at the Banking Hall, City of London, United Kingdom, in the presence of major global companies’ senior representatives.

The award makes Oman LNG, Oman’s primary producer and exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG), the first company in the country ever to win the prestigious Petroleum Economist’s recognition for an exemplary CSR programme.

The Petroleum Economist Awards are considered the highest and most prestigious of international awards in the oil and gas industry – an association by whom many key companies in the industry aspire to be recognised by, says a press release.

Oman LNG has an ambitious vision and dedication towards CSR through the Oman LNG Development Foundation. The foundation addresses many areas of social development in Oman, but in general

comprises a community fund targeting initiatives related to the Sur community where its world-class, three-train liquefaction plant is located; a national fund that covers a wide swath of the company’s social development programmes across the nation; a reserve fund to address the sustainability and continuity of the company’s CSR programmes; and finally a centre of excellence to develop lasting CSR initiatives through partnering, knowledge sharing, funding and investments.

“We are delighted to be receiving this award which is a testimony of our continuous CSR efforts exerted since the inception of our company and exemplifies the value we bring to the area of CSR

and the development of lasting and sustainable programmes and initiatives, ” said Harib Al Kitani, chief executive officer of Oman LNG. “It also recognises the value of the establishment of Oman LNG Development Foundation (ODF), all of which comes timely as ODF celebrates its first year of successful business,” he added.

This award is yet another international recognition for Oman LNG’s CSR efforts. Two other awards were recently received; the Asia Best Corporate Responsibility Practices Award and the Asia Best Community Development Award at the Asia Best CSR Practices Awards 2016; an event sponsored by CMO Asia Council, CSR World Congress and Asia Confed-

eration of Businesses. Astounded by the breadth and scale of Oman LNG’s CSR initiatives and sustainable formulae, the partners in the oil and gas industry acclaimed ODF as the new model upon which to build CSR in the Asia Pacific region; a true honour for Oman LNG. Receiving these awards from reputable associations such as the Petroleum Economist and CMO Asia, means Oman LNG – and Oman at large – are being accredited and acknowledged internationally as having an exemplary CSR model to develop and execute CSR efforts. The international recognition of these awards reaches beyond Oman LNG; and touches Oman LNG’s joint venture shareholder partners, the government of Oman and other stakeholders who helped to establish the vision of its CSR programme and creation of ODF. “We are very proud and humbled by receiving these prestigious awards”, said Khalid Al Massan, CEO of Oman LNG Development Foundation “It extensively reflects our determination and unremitting efforts to contribute to the development of our beloved Oman and encourages us to go further and do more in the future”.

E N T E R TA I N M E N T S H O W

ASAAS brings festive cheer during Eid Al Adha MUSCAT: Muscat National Development and Investment Company (ASAAS) brought smiles to hundreds of children and their families this Eid by hosting a twoday fun-filled event with performances from Circus Spectacular and Aladdin.

Organised in collaboration with Muscat Grand Mall, the initiative

comes as part of the company’s commitment to create social value and enrich the lives of people in

Oman, says a press release.

Coming all the way from London, the performances captivated

children who saw some of their favourite characters such as Aladdin, Princess Jasmin and the Genie come to life before their eyes.

Keeping them on their little toes, the festivities also included some jaw-dropping circus and cabaret acts and shows. Not forgetting the little ones, organisers arranged some colourful treats.

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Q UA L I T Y FA M I LY T I M E

The Happy Box now in Oman MUSCAT: Sharing the notion that ‘happiness should be universal’, the founding duo behind The Happy Box (THB) came up with this incredible concept over a breakfast of French toast. As a solution to their troubled predicament of not being able to spend quality time with their family, the pair set out to establish a business geared towards spreading joy in this world by means of strengthening family ties.

Since then what started off as an idea over an early morning meal has become one of the most successful ventures and an award winning household name. THB now boasts a thriving network of retailers and exclusive partners in the region alongside franchise locations in Bahrain, KSA (Eastern Province) and Qatar. This is in line with the founders Jumana and Linda Al Darwish to make their merry mandate accessible to a global audience.

All set to realise this vision further, the company has already opened doors in Oman operating through a franchise, starting September. The launch event took place at Funtazmo Kids, Oman Avenues Mall Level 1 from 5 pm to 8 pm and was a great success with the support of partners Funtazmo, My Book and Me, Happy Kid Clinic, Cake Heaven and Boutqique Muscat.

The Happy Box is an exciting opportunity for all those in the country looking for a dash of hap-

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ROUND-UP

ahlibank named Best Performing Company This honour is an acknowledgement of ahlibank’s strong financial performance

piness and a means to connect with their children, investing in some enjoyable yet meaningful time with them. Expanding on the cheerful mandate Luluwa Al Ismaili, the owner and manager of the franchise, is committed to maintaining the brand’s image and ethos while extending the happy message.

Besides being fun, the boxes are designed to be educational and help with the development of your child’s cognitive and motor skills. Each package is carefully created to incorporate 8 activities and a book surrounding a specific theme. Ensuring child safety, the materials used to create the activities are non-toxic and carefully sourced high quality materials. The company also follows a 1 for 1 model, for every box purchased, The Happy Box donates a box to a child in need.

Established in 2014, The Happy Box is an educational company that offers monthly subscription activity boxes designed to provide families with a medium to bond and engage in.

RECRUIT QUOTES The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.

— Steve Jobs The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.

— Amelia Earhart

and its adoption of long-term prudent business strategies

MUSCAT: In recognition of its consistent performance, soundness of strategy and commitment to strive ahead, ahlibank was recognised with the AIWA Best Performing Company Awards for large cap companies recently.

The eighth edition of AIWA Awards for Oman’s Best Performing Companies held at the Al Bustan Palace recently saw top performing firms being recognised and celebrated for their excellence, growth and efficiency.

Instituted by Oman’s fortnightly Arabic business magazine, AIWA Awards are organised in association with the Capital Market Authority (CMA) to honour Oman’s best performing listed companies.

The event was held under the auspices of Dr. Rasheed bin Al Safi

al Huraibi, chairman of the Tender Board, and attended by Shaikh Salim bin Mustahil bin Ahmed Al Mashani, adviser at the Diwan of Royal Court, says a press release.

Lloyd Maddock, chief executive of ahlibank, said: “We are very honoured to receive this prestigious award. I would like to express my gratefulness to our clients for their loyalty and to our colleagues for their commitment.

These awards reflect the strength of our varied and unified business model which helped us to achieve this recognition.”

This honour is an acknowledgement of ahlibank’s strong financial performance and its adoption of long-term prudent business strat-

egies. The bank has also devised formidable risk management policies and procedures enabling it to focus on its asset quality.

Stressing that the bank will continue to focus on strengthening its brand to maintain its position as one of the leading banks in Oman, Lloyd Maddock said, “We have always delivered attractive products backed by excellent service.

The recognition we have received speaks greatly for our reputation and the success of our strategy as one of the nation’s premier financial institution.”

He added, “We will continue to expand our banking footprint to further increase our businesses locally as well as regionally.

We intend to continue to drive profitability across business segments. We will work to deliver innovation and consistent financial performance year on year for our shareholders.”

Established in 2008, ahlibank has always been closely associated with the progressive march of the nation. A keen understanding of customer requirements has enabled the bank to develop innovative products and services in line with the current and emerging needs. The power of its fully integrated business, the strength of its performance and the commitment to customers has made ahlibank has emerge a bank of choice in Oman.

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Meethaq’s Shari’a Board reviews strategy for 2016 The bank has invested in staff, systems and controls to ensure the service is delivered in a professional, segregated and fully Shari’a compliant manner

MUSCAT: The Shari’a Supervisory Board of Meethaq, the pioneer of Islamic banking in Oman, conducted its fourth meeting of 2016 under the chairmanship of Sheikh Dr. Ali Qaradaghi at Bank Muscat head office, in the presence of members and Sulaiman Al Harthy, deputy chief executive officer – Meethaq Islamic Banking.

The board reviewed the Meethaq strategy for 2016, especially new products and services in the pipeline, contracts and agreements for the treasury department, and development of sukuk market, says a press release.

Sulaiman Al Harthy said, “The Meethaq Shari’a Supervisory Board discussed many important topics to consolidate the leading position of Meethaq Islamic Banking. Meethaq is focused on developing as a benchmark Islamic financial institution in Oman and the region. Within just three years of operations, Meethaq has attained the leading position in the Islamic banking industry in Oman in terms of financing receivables, branch network, products and services, IT infrastructure and human resources development.

Meethaq is proud to have on board some of the brightest minds on Islamic finance to chart the way forward. The Shari’a Board has made valuable contributions in establishing Meethaq as the leading Islamic banking service provider in Oman.”

Meethaq recorded a net income of OMR11.76 million from Islamic financing for the six months of 2016 compared to OMR9.21 million for the same period of 2015, an increase of 27.7 per cent. Islamic financing receivables amounted to OMR749 million as of June 30, 2016 compared to OMR465 million in the same period of 2015. Islamic customer deposits amounted to OMR733 million as of June 30, 2016 compared to OMR510 million reported in June 30, 2015.

Meethaq is the leading Islamic

financial services provider in the Sultanate with many achievements contributing to the growth and development of the Sultanate’s economy. Meethaq extends support to all key economic sectors with innovative Shari’a based products and is well positioned to provide Islamic financial expertise and thereby promote the good of society as a whole.

Meethaq offers a full suite of Islamic banking products and services, including savings account, current account, home finance, auto finance, credit card, mobile banking and internet banking.

The bank has invested in staff, systems and controls to ensure the service is delivered in a professional, segregated and fully Shari’a compliant manner.

Meethaq has adopted the best practices in Islamic banking and finance worldwide to combine a robust model which protects customers and complements the Islamic banking industry. Every Meethaq product goes through the process of Shari’a compliance certification by the Shari’a Supervisory Board and is created in line with the guidelines of the CBO.

NAT I O NA L P R O G R A M M E

BankDhofar takes part in programme to enhance economic diversification MUSCAT: Cementing its position as one of the leading organisations in the Omani private sector and as a key contributor to the growth and development of the national economy, BankDhofar has participated in the National Programme for Enhancing Economic Diversification (Tanfeedh). The six-week execution programme comes within the framework of the 9th Five-Year Development Plan 2016-2020 and it aims to support the country’s vision of economic diversification.

Represented by Hani Macki, AGM and head of strategy & planning, BankDhofar will take part in the discussion panels and workshops that highlight the challenges and obstacles facing the private and public sectors, and will help outline detailed measurable plans towards a diverse economy, says a press release.

Commenting on the initiative, Abdul Hakeem Oman Al Ojaili BankDhofar’s acting CEO, hailed the collaborative efforts by various public departments and private sector organisations that aim at strengthening the national econo-

my and reducing the dependency on the oil and gas sector. “Our involvement in this national-scale initiative reaffirms our commitment to contribute to the comprehensive development of the Sultanate through enriching different economic sectors,” he said.

The programme addresses budget limitations and discusses new sources of revenue and capital projects funding. It is meant to accelerate the pace of executing economic diversification plans and will provide a roadmap to increase foreign and domestic investments in the Sultanate. The programme

also aims to drive the growth of the national GDP and to enable the Sultanate to upgrade its competitiveness in various industries.

BankDhofar has been at the forefront of driving the growth and development of the Sultanate’s economy. The bank’s proactive approach and strategic business plans do not only focus on providing best financial solutions and adding up to the banking industry but also revolve around building the nation and setting the foundation for a sustainable economy. In recognition of such remarkable efforts and resound-

ing achievements, the bank has received a number of prestigious awards from local and international institutions this year, including, the ‘No. 1 in Large Sized Banks’ award at Best Banks Report

by Oman Economic Review, ‘Best Bank Performance’ award at the Al Roya Economic Award, ‘Best SME Bank’ by Global Business Outlook, ‘Best Contact Centre Experience in Oman’ at the customer experience benchmarking index by Ethos Integrated Solutions, ‘Best Mobile Banking Implementation in the Middle East’ at the Asian Banker Technology Implementation Awards, ‘Mobile Banking and Digital Banking Initiative of the Year’ at the ABF Retail Banking Awards, ‘Oman Domestic Technology and Operations Bank of the Year’ award at the ABF Wholesale Banking Awards, ‘Best Retail Bank in Oman’ by The Banker Middle East, ‘Best Bank for Human Resources Oman’ by Global Business Outlook, ‘STP’ award for financial payments in Euro by Commerzbank and ‘STP’ award for financial payments in USD by Citibank.

PROMOTION

Attractive pricing available on 2016 Mitsubishi Attrage

MUSCAT: General Automotive Company (GAC), the official distributor of Mitsubishi vehicles in Oman, is offering the 2016 Mitsubishi Attrage at an extremely attractive starting price of just OMR3,995. The promotion, which ends on October 21, allows potential buyers to purchase the Attrage at this low price whilst also enjoying the benefits of Mitsubishi’s six years unlimited mileage warranty and six years roadside assistance, says a press release.

Commenting on the offer, Manoj Ranade, the GM of General Automotive Company, said, “Stylish, fun and mechanically advanced, while at the same time reducing the environmental impact while maximising driving exhilaration, the Attrage makes for a very affordable and attractive entry point into the Mitsubishi range. With this offer we are taking its affordability to the next level by offering the lowest price we have ever had on the Attrage to date.”

Launched in 2014, the Attrage saw Mitsubishi re-enter the booming subcompact market

after a 19 year hiatus in Oman.

The Attrage is a global car platform developed on the concepts of high fuel efficiency, affordability and compactness. It boasts true ‘Green’ credentials, with class leading fuel economy and a low environmental footprint, together with exceptional value for money and, most of all, a fun and easy to drive vehicle.

It is powered by a highly efficient 1.2-litre inline-three cylinder gasoline engine, with MIVEC variable valve timing, and boasts a healthy output of 77bhp and 100Nm. Available with either a five-speed manual or CVT gearbox, the spacious yet compact sedan is ideal for first time buyers and families alike.

“Aside from the special price on the Attrage, we also have an ongoing offer on our L200, Lancer EX, Pajero, Outlander, and Montero Sport models; each of which are being offered with a range of cash back benefits and free service packages. This is why we encourage everyone to make the most of this offer before it also comes to a close on October 21,” added Manoj.

DRIVING PLEASURE

O AT H TA K I N G C E R E M O N Y

Mazda2, Mazda3 and Mazda6 sedans resonate brand slogan ‘Driving Matters’ PSM installs new student council MUSCAT: One of the many aspirations of Pakistan School Muscat is to inculcate the leadership qualities and a sense of responsibility in its students, for the success at any level requires one to be responsible and focused in life. Living up to the spirit of duty and obligation, a very vibrant oath taking ceremony was held at the A.Q Khan Hall, Pakistan School Muscat, in which the captains, vice-captains of the respective houses, school’s proctors, and school’s head boy and head girl from both the junior and the senior sections took oath and pledged to commence and fulfill their duties with honesty, dedication and complete fervor and responsibility.

The formal function of the oath taking ceremony started with the recitation from the Holy Quran. The senior principal Atta Ullah Niazi presented the welcome note. He welcomed the chief guests Rizwan Aziz, director event management, Adnan Shehzad chairman BoDs, Hafeez

Ahmed, director finance and the dignitaries. He stressed the importance of the hard work and an honest, dedicated role to be played on the part of the students towards their assigned duties and responsibilities.

He also lifted the spirit of the students by humming the national song on this occasion.

The welcome note by the principal was followed by a very presentable and reverberant video. The chief guest Rizwan Aziz and the chairman BoDs Adnan Shahzad presented the sashes to the junior proctors, senior girls and boys proctors, head boy, head proctors and deputy head proctor,and the captains and vice captains of the houses respectively.

The much awaited oath taking ceremony was steered and led by the principal, Pakistan School Muscat, Khalid Jadoon.

The programme ended on a positive note with the national anthem followed by group photographs and refreshments at the end.

MUSCAT: Mazda, known throughout the 21st century as the ‘Zoom-Zoom’ car company, has a new message for its car buyers: ‘Driving Matters’. Its new slogan resonates well with automobilists in this age of increasingly autonomous, electrified vehicles. Moreover, its motto shows in every car it builds and particularly in its sedans that are among the most fun to drive and reliable models.

The Japanese automaker has repeatedly been named the most efficient car company in America, despite having no hybrids or electric cars. It has carved out a niche for itself as an automaker that offers both sporty driving and fuel efficiency, says a press release.

Mazda2 #SuperStriker The award-winning all-new Mazda2 is bigger in size than its predecessors, thanks to an 80mm increase in wheelbase and offers a lot more space, comfort, safety and stability for both driver and passengers. Available in comfort and prestige sedan and hatchback models in Oman exclusively at Towell Auto Centre (TAC), the all-new Mazda2 #SuperStriker has won immense customer appreciation because of its high level of functionality and added-values that exceeds the expectations for a car of this class.

The small Mazda2 is big on performance and comfort. It has a chic style and its SKYACTIV technology provides quick-witted agil-

The new Mazda3 delivers low fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, yet lives up to its sporty label. It is available in 1.6L and 2.0L engine variants.

ity and outstanding fuel economy.

Its elegantly flowing KODO – Soul of Motion design reflects the dynamic beauty of an animal leaping into action. The fourth-generation Mazda2 with the 1.5L SKYACTIV engine 6 Speed Activematic Transmission has a compression ratio of 12:1 that offers excellent fuel economy and performance.

The Prestige model comes with some exciting features such as Bluetooth with voice command control on the steering, Steering Mounted Cruise Control, Commander Switch Controls and Rear parking camera with static line indicators. Sport Shift Gear Switch, Push Button Start / KL Entry with Boot Access, Traction Control System and Type Pressure Monitoring System and many other features are available in both Comfort and Prestige models.

Mazda3 #GameChanger Available as a sedan or a hatchback, this car is a big achiever. An

award-winning model, the allnew Mazda3 features the MZD Connect, the company’s new invehicle connectivity concept and the ground-breaking SKYACTIV technology that offers an unbeatable combination of efficiency and driving performance.

It combines active safety technology with its occupant and pedestrian-focused passive safety concept. Its safety features are considered the best in its class.

Features include: radar cruise control, rear vehicle monitoring system, Lane departure aid, AntiTheft System, smart brake support, among others.

With its SKYACTIV technology in 2.0 litre line-up of efficient, lightweight engines and transmissions on a proven body and chassis system, Mazda3 offers a level of performance and driving dynamics mirrored by its looks.

Mazda’s engineers have managed to make extreme compression both effective and economical.

Mazda6 #Headturner The Mazda6 is the company’s beautifully sculpted mid-size sedan that is a pure form of excitement, craftsmanship, sports driving and proactive safety.

Available in 2.0L and 2.5L SKYACTIV engine, the all-new Mazda 6 has 6-speed activematic transmission, 19” alloy wheels, 6 airbags, cruise control, ABS power steering and power windows. It also includes the adoption of Mazda Connect, Mazda’s next-generation car connectivity system, an Electrical Parking Brake (EPB) and a Sport mode for people looking for that extra Zoom-Zoom.

The 2016 Mazda6 offers a wide variety of advanced safety technologies and further strengthens safety performance. These include Mazda’s Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) that detects vehicles approaching from the blind spot areas at the sides and rear. BSM also incorporates Mazda’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) function, which alerts the driver when it detects vehicles approaching from either side as the driver backs up.

Smart Brake Support (SBS) feature is also available that helps avoid frontal collisions or minimize damage when traveling midto high-speed.

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WASIM ALI TO LEAD OMAN IN ICC U-19 WORLD CUP ASIAN QUALIFIER >C3

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ENRIQUE, SIMEONE UNITE TO DEFEND NEYMAR Barcelona coach Luis Enrique and Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone have launched impassioned defences of Neymar after the Brazilian’s showboating again came under the spotlight. >C4

Mutassim to seek another term as Oman Tennis Association chief If Mutassim Al Zadjali succeeds in his endeavour it will be his second term as the ‘elected’ chairman of the Oman tennis governing body

A. SESHAGIRI RAO

raoas@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Mutassim Al Zadjali is hoping to continue as the chairman of the Oman Tennis Association (OTA) for another four-year term with the main objective of carrying on the good work done by CRICKET

Afridi deserves farewell match, says Inzamam KARACHI: Pakistan’s chief selector Inzamam-ul Haq believes that flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi deserves to be given a farewell match after serving the country for almost two decades.

Inzamam told Pakistani reporters in Dubai last night that Afridi had been a stellar performer and deserved a proper farewell and retirement.

“In my opinion Shahid deserves to be given a farewell match so that he can announce his retirement properly and retire in a befitting manner,” the former captain said.

Inzamam played a key role in convincing the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to allow the selectors to pick Afridi as the 16th player for the T20 series against the West Indies so that he could play in a match or two and than announce his retirement but the plan has now been dropped by the board.

Afridi for the time being has apparently taken up a new role of an expert for the state owned television sports channel for the limited over series against the West Indies which begins on Friday.

The chief selector also felt that there were lot of things to be put right in Pakistan cricket and this could not happen in three months time.

“There is a lot to be done in Pakistan cricket and things can’t change in a few months time. It will take time and patience to put our cricket on the right path but it will happen,” he said.

Inzamam, who played in 120 Tests, said that he was optimistic about the future as the quality of talent being uncovered in domestic cricket was encouraging.

He admitted that lot of hard work was required to improve Pakistan’s standing in one-day and T20 internationals where the national team is languishing at number nine and eight positions.

“This selection committee has just worked for three months and we have identified lot of improvements that need to be made to our cricket system and structure. But all this will take time and commitment for us to move forward and there will be highs and lows in this path,” he added.

Inzamam is in Dubai to discuss with head coach Mickey Arthur the formation of the Pakistan one-day and Test squads for the series against the West Indies in which three ODIs and three Tests, including a day and night match, will be played in September and October.

Inzaman said the series against the West Indies would be a tough one for Pakistan since they had some good players and were also the World T20 Champions. - PTI

the current board members for the development of Oman tennis.

The Sultanate’s tennis body is set to organise the General Assembly on November 17 when the members will also elect the new board members for the 2016-20 term.

The OTA has already started the process to conduct the elections by accepting the nominations for the various posts from Sunday.

With the filling of nominations set to end on September 27, Mutassim Al Zadjali has expressed his desire to continue as the chairman for another four years.

Speaking to Times Sport on Tuesday, Mutassim said: “I have decided to seek another term as the OTA chairman.”

Mutassim, who will be filing his nominations in a day or two, said: “I hope to win the confidence of clubs and the general assembly members.”

“We would like to carry on the good work we have been doing as a team in the past and work for the

sim has endeared himself with not just the association officials but also with those in the clubs.

Mutassim Al Zadjali.

CANDIDATE: Abdullah bin Ali, left, who is aspiring for vice-chairman’s post hands over his papers to OTA’s Salman Al Balushi.

further development of Oman tennis,” he added.

If Mutassim succeeds in his endeavour it will be his second term as the ‘elected’ chairman of the Oman tennis governing body.

Mutassim, an experienced sports administrator who had worked for various sports com-

mittees including as the treasurer of Oman Olympic Committee, also served as the acting chairman of the OTA before being elected as chairman for the current term.

Asked whether he is expecting any challengers, Mutassim said: “There is a talk but officially I have not heard of anyone contesting for

SEEKING ANOTHER TERM:

the post. Let’s us see what happens in the next few days.”

According to sources, there are two candidates who are hoping to challenge Mutassim.

But it remains to be seen, in case they finalise their plans, if they will be able to unseat the incumbent as amiable and soft-spoken Mutas-

Fierce contest While it is to be seen if anybody will come forward to challenge Mutassim for the chairmanship, the indications are the contest for vice-chairman’s post is going to be a fierce one.

According to information received from OTA, Abdullah bin Ali, a member of the current board, has decided to contest for the post of vice-chairman. Abdullah, who is also the chairman of the OTA Marketing and Media Committee, has already filed his nomination papers.

According to sources, he will be challenging the current vicechairman Salim Abubacker.

A representative of Al Nasr Club, Salim Abubacker, who was elected unopposed last time, is expected to file his nominations in the coming days.

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India embark on bumper home season with eye on top ranking Making India the top Test team was one of

It is a given that home conditions will favour the home team where spin is a dominant force, but not where (from) the first ball you have dust coming off

the key goals listed in Anil Kumble’s presentation before he landed the head

Anil Kumble

coach’s job but he said he is not someone who would call up the curator and order a dustbowl to achieve the target NEW DELHI: There’s no place like home if you are looking to scramble back to the top of the world rankings and that appears to be India’s mantra as they kick off a bumper Test season against New Zealand in Kanpur on Thursday.

The world’s richest cricket board has long been accused of ig-

noring the game’s longest format, a wrong they decided to right in June by scheduling a whopping 13 Tests in the 2016-17 calendar.

All of them being on home soil also dovetailed perfectly with India’s ambition to regain the top Test team’s billing after grudgingly handing over the honour to archrivals Pakistan following a washedout Test in the West Indies.

New Zealand will bear the brunt of it as Kane Williamson’s men prepare for a trial by spin over the next three weeks from the world’s No. 2 Test team in their threematch series. Making India the top Test team was one of the key

goals listed in Anil Kumble’s presentation before he landed the head coach’s job but the former spinner has said he is not someone who would call up the curator and order a dustbowl to achieve the target.

“No, it is the job of the curator,” Kumble said in a recent interview.

“It is a given that home conditions will favour the home team where spin is a dominant force, but not where (from) the first ball you have dust coming off.”

It did exactly so when they hosted South Africa in their last home series, a four-Test rubber, last year.

Ravichandran Ashwin and his spin partners wreaked havoc on

raging turners and the Proteas managed to take a Test into the fifth day only once, that too after a record-shattering stonewalling by Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers and Faf Du Plessis in Delhi.

“It’s a tough place to play, particularly in recent years,” Williamson said on his arrival in India. “The pitches have been very tricky and you throw in world class spinners, the challenge is very tough.”

Bowling headaches Containing an Indian batting lineup, led by Virat Kohli, would be no less a headache for the tourists who are already short on bowling

SMARTEN UP DRIVE SAFE A TIMES OF OMAN HANDS-FREE DRIVING INITIATIVE

resources since landing here.

Paceman Tim Southee’s ankle injury has robbed them of their most experienced Test bowler, while all-rounder Jimmy Neeshan has been ruled out of the Kanpur contest, which will be India’s 500th Test match, with a rib injury.

Their batting is not in apple-pie order either, with Martin Guptill repeatedly failing to replicate his limited-overs heroics in test arena and Luke Ronchi’s brisk century in the warm-up match in Delhi intensifying their selection dilemma.

Onus will be on Williamson and Ross Taylor to share their India Premier League (IPL) experience with others to help them familiarise with the conditions, which would be starkly different from what they experienced in their recent tour of South Africa.

Taylor suggested going down on bended knees against the Indian spinners, strictly literally though.

“Anytime you are playing in the sub-continent you need to be able to play the sweep shot or the cut shot,” the 32-year-old said in Delhi.

“A lot of the guys are practising during training and we will talk about it with the team.”

Test fixtures: Sept 22-26: 1st Test, Green Park, Kanpur; Sept 30-Oct 4: 2nd Test, Eden Gardens, Kolkata; Oct 8-12: 3rd Test, Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore. - Reuters

CRICKET

Ishant Sharma out of first Test against Kiwis KANPUR: India’s senior most fast bowler Ishant Sharma has been ruled out of the first Test match against New Zealand starting on September 22 as he is recovering from chikungunya, a viral that has been prevalent in the national capital region, India’s chief coach Anil Kumble intimated the mediapersons on Tuesday.

“Ishant Sharma is recovering from chikungunya and will not be available for the first Test match,” chief coach Anil Kumble told the media after the training session.

“We have not asked for any replacement and will choose our first elevan from the available 14 players,” the former legspinner added.

Chikungunya fever has affected a lot of people in Delhi and adjoining areas with state’s health department issuing alerts for the citizen.

Ishant, a resident of West Delhi’s Patel Nagar area, is the most experienced of India’s four pacers with 209 wickets from 72 Test matches.

If India happen to go in with two pace bowlers, then the likely choices will be Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. - PTI

GCC SWIMMING ORGANISING COMMITTEE HOLDS MEETING The GCC Swimming Organising Committee held its regular 62nd meeting under the chairmanship committee’s head Taha bin Suleiman Al Kishry, who is the chief of both the Arab and Oman swimming associations who is also the chairman of the GCC Swimming Organising Committee. In his speech, Taha Al Kishry spoke about the challenges facing aquatic sports in the GCC region while hailing the activities organised in the recent past. The members then discussed the programme of the committee for the year and the criteria for participation of swimmers in the GCC championships. They also reviewed the general programme of the activities and championships of the GCC Swimming Organising Committee for 2017 and 2018 as well as the financial report of the committee. — Supplied photo

HOCKEY

Pakistan rout Oman 8-3 to clinch U-18 hockey series MUSCAT: Pakistan outplayed Oman for a 8-3 victory in the fourth and final match of the Under-18 Hockey Test series in Lahore on Tuesday.

The victory helped, Pakistan clinch the series 3-1. Oman, who are camping in Pakistan as part of their preparations for AHF U-18

Asia Cup, began their tour with a well-deserved 2-2 draw in the first match. But the hosts routed the visitors 6-1 in the second match and then eased to a 3-0 win in the third on Monday night.

The AHF U-18 Asia Cup takes place in Bangladesh from September 24 to 30.

W E D N E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 1 , 2 0 1 6

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SPORTS Wasim Ali to lead Oman in ICC U-19 World Cup Asian qualifier The ICC Under-19 World Cup Asia Qualifier Division 2 competition will take place in the Malaysian capital from September 25 to October 7

MUSCAT: Oman Cricket has selected Wasim Ali to lead the Sultanate squad in the ICC U-19 World Cup Asia Qualifier Division 2 competition to be organised in Kuala Lumpur.

The qualifying tournament will take place in the Malaysian capital city from September 25 to October 7.

The other players in the 14-member Omani team, coached

by Nilesh Parmar and his assisstant Parvez Al Balushi, are Paritosh Hitesh Kumar (vice-captain), Vivek Shreeraman Iyer, Suhail Hakim Al Balushi, Muhannad Said Haidar Al Balushi, Mohammed

NEW CHALLANGES: Oman team manager Dad Mohammed Al Balushi and captain Wasim Ali.

Salman, Hemil Maaheshkumar, Ivan Joseph Manjila, Mohit Kanaiyalal, Mohammed Mohsin, Vikram Nabira, Indunil Udara, Prathyosh Sivakumar and Ubaid Ullah.

In the 10-team qualifying event, Oman are placed in Group B along with UAE, Kuwait, Hong Kong and Thailand while Group A comprises Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and Singapore.

Oman Cricket board member Dad Mohammed Al Balushi will accompany the Omani delegation

as the team manager. The delegation also comprises Dr. Margasahayam Manjunath (trainer).

Oman squad: Wasim Ali (captain), Paritosh Hitesh Kumar (vice-captain), Vivek Shreeraman Iyer, Suhail Hakim Al Balushi, Muhannad Said Haidar Al Balushi, Mohammed Salman, Hemil Maaheshkumar, Ivan Joseph Manjila, Mohit Kanaiyalal, Mohammed Mohsin, Vikram Nabira, Indunil Udara, Prathyosh Sivakumar and Ubaid Ullah.

Officials: Dad Mohammed Al Balushi (manager), Margasahayam Manjunath (trainer), Nileshkumar Parmar (coach), Parvez Abul Qadir Al Balushi (assistant coach).

Groups: Group A: Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Singapore. Group B: UAE, Kuwait, Hong Kong, Thailand, Oman.

Oman fixtues: Sept 27: Oman vs Thailand; Sept 29: Kuwait vs Oman; Oct 1: UAE vs Oman; Oct 2: Hong Kong vs Oman; Oct 4: Playoffs); Oct 5: Semifinals; Oct 6: Final.

CRICKET

ICC rubbishes media reports of signing deal with proposed ICL DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday rejected media reports of having signed a deal with the newly floated Indian Champions League (ICL) Twenty20 tournament comprising of retired former cricketers, scheduled to be held in the United Arab Emirates.

The league’s promoters Magpie Group had claimed that they had signed a three-year deal with ICC but the world cricket’s global body has categorically rejected any such claims.

No authority “Reports claiming that the ICL has signed a three-year deal with the ICC are baseless and factually inaccurate,” an ICC spokesman said on Tuesday.

“The ICC has neither given permission to the ICL to stage the event in the UAE nor it has the authority to sanction such events,” the spokesman added.

“The ICL, as explained previously, needs to contact the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) for permission, if it has any plans to stage any tournaments in the UAE,” he added. - PTI

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

FOOTBALL

Guardiola demands apology before Toure plays again LONDON: Yaya Toure will not play for Manchester City again until he apologises to the Premier League club for comments made by his agent, manager Pep Guardiola said on Tuesday.

The 33-year-old Ivory Coast midfielder’s agent Dimitri Seluk had said Toure felt “humiliated”

by Guardiola after being left out of City’s Champions League squad.

“He must apologise. If he doesn’t, he won’t play,” Guardiola told reporters. “It was difficult to leave him out of the Champions League squad but (the) day after, his (agent) went to the media. (Toure) has not had the courage to call me.

From that moment he was out.”

Toure, four-time African Footballer of the Year, has been a mainstay of City’s midfield since joining from Guardiola’s Barcelona in 2010. He has only played once this season, in the second leg of a Champions League playoff tie against Steaua Bucharest when City had a 5-0 lead from the first game.

Guardiola and Toure also clashed at Barcelona, with the player saying in a 2011 interview with a Spanish radio station that he felt forced out.

“He pretty much ignored me

until City’s offer came in. That’s why I eventually opted to leave.

I didn’t speak to Guardiola for a year,” Toure said at the time.

“I did not want to go and wanted to end my career at Barcelona.

However, he had no faith in me.”

Guardiola subsequently disputed the player’s version of events and said he had tried to convince him to stay.

Toure, who has a year left on his City contract but had been tipped to leave after Guardiola joined from Bayern Munich in the close season, had announced earlier on Tuesday his retirement from international football.

“Writing this note was probably ‘the most difficult match of my life’,” he said in a statement on his website.

He said the decision was not to do with his age, the intensity of training or number of games.

“Football is everything to me.

It gave me so many things in my career that now I don’t feel able to set new goals, as a player with the Elephants of the Ivory Coast.”

Toure scored 19 goals in more than 100 appearances for Ivory Coast and captained his country to their first African Nations Cup win for 23 years in 2015. - Reuters

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SPORTS SATT 2017 to open up dynamic new opportunities for global sailing teams Five offshore legs, starting in Muscat and finishing 763 miles later in Dubai, combined with three in-port showdowns in Oman, Doha and Dubai is likely to make Arabia’s leading offshore race one of the most competitive yet

MUSCAT: Changes to EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour (SATT) 2017 are set to broaden this unique annual race’s appeal with the announcement of a new route and the launch of attractive ‘rock up and race’ campaign packages.

Five offshore legs, starting in Muscat and finishing 763 miles later in Dubai, combined with three in-port showdowns in Oman, Doha and Dubai is likely to make Arabia’s leading offshore race one of the most competitive yet, confirming its status as the most highly regarded sailing event in the region and a recognised tourism platform for showcasing the Gulf and its maritime heritage.

In response to the extensive feedback collected after each edition, teams can now invest in turnkey campaign packages from event organisers Oman Sail, comprising bespoke branded Farr 30s, on board safety equipment, commuFOOTBALL

Ronaldo, Bale to make Real return against Villarreal BARCELONA: Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale will return to action for Real Madrid’s La Liga game with Villarreal on Wednesday, coach Zinedine Zidane said.

Ronaldo, Real’s all-time top scorer, missed Sunday’s 2-0 win at Espanyol with a sore throat while record signing Bale was out with a hip injury sustained in the Champions League win over Sporting Lisbon.

“They are both well, they trained normally and are both 100 percent,” Zidane told a news conference on Tuesday ahead of game with Villarreal, who are unbeaten this season having won two and drawn two of their four games.

The return of Bale and Ronaldo means Zidane will be able to start with his first choice front three —Bale, Ronaldo and Karim Benzema — for the first time in a league game this season. Veteran defender Pepe, however, will miss out after finishing the Espanyol game injured and goalkeeper Keylor Navas has still not recovered from surgery on his Achilles.

Real are top of La Liga and are the only team in the top flight to have won all four of their opening games. Despite equalling a La Liga record of 16 consecutive wins last Sunday in beating Espanyol, however, Zidane’s side have been criticised by Spanish media for their uninspiring performances. - Reuters

UNIQUE RACE: Changes to the 2017 edition of EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour are set to broaden this unique annual race’s appeal with the announcement of a new route and the launch of attractive ‘rock up and race’ campaign packages. – Supplied photo

nications and logistical support and even a crew if needed.

According to Dee Caffari, the Volvo Ocean Race sailor who skippered the first women’s entry in EFG Sailing Arabia — The Tour in 2012 and has now competed in four editions, this opportunity has immediately created more interest among teams who have never sailed in the region before.

“We were in Sweden recently at the Farr 30 International Regatta and quite a few of the teams were very interested in SATT when they realised they could turn up and race without any drama,” she said.

“It means they can come to a region they might be unfamiliar with and know they can be competitive with the full support of the organisers.”

“Being unique as the only annual event in the world to combine the challenge of offshore and inshore racing was also a massive draw,” Caffari added.

“You have to have a variety of skill sets for this race — the ability to race around the cans on tight courses and the ability to sustain it offshore between the stages so you need to be clever about your crew selection.

“This gives the event more substance because it is different. You

see new places and countries, you get to sail overnight with a few action packed race days in the venues so there is a little bit of everything which is more appealing to a lot of us sailors, especially in a winter training environment where you get to sail in a pair of shorts!”

So in February 2017, the fleet of identical Farr 30s crewed by a mix of professional and amateur sailors will gather in the warm waters of Muscat where they have up to five days of training before opening their accounts in the first in port race at Almouj.

They will then head north on the

LA LIGA

first overnight leg (105nm) to Sohar where the International Maritime College will once again host a day of culture, entertaining the teams with Omani food, dance and ancient traditions.

The second leg (140nm) takes them through some of the most spectacular coastal scenery in the Middle East, as they pass rocky mountains dropping directly into fjords to Khasab, the capital of the Musandam Peninsular which made its debut on the Tour last year.

It will be back to sea for the testing 153nm snakes and ladders course to Abu Dhabi before the

penultimate leg (160nms) to Doha for a chance to cause an upset in the second set of in port races.

The final leg to Dubai is the longest (205nm) and with chances for point scoring running out, likely to be the most intense though the final round of in port racing could easily prove to be the decider.

Three times EFG Sailing Arabia — The Tour winner Sidney Gavignet makes no secret of his passion for the race and is set to return to defend his 2016 title.

“One of the things I enjoy most about the SATT challenge is putting a team together because to compete successfully over 10 days of intense one design racing requires a certain type of sailor,” he said.

“They need to have endurance and stamina and a little bit of aggression because the competition each year becomes stronger. For those that have never done EFG Sailing Arabia — The Tour before, it is a real voyage of discovery because we see some amazing sights.”

For entrepreneurial teams, the networking and business opportunities are far reaching with guest sailing opportunities, VIP Hospitality, networking events and large scale media support with $6.95 million total media value achieved in 2016.

“This is not just a sailing regatta — it is so much more,” said Fahad Al Hasni, skipper of the all-Omani crew on Renaissance Services in 2016. Even though the Straits of Hormuz are home waters to us, the challenges are huge and we learn something new every time we leave port. Each year, we feel like we are hosting new visitors and guests who are wanting to find out more about the countries in our region and our culture and that makes us very proud,” he added.

EFG Sailing Arabia – the Tour 2017 gets underway at the Almouj Marina in Muscat on February 14, 2017 and finishes with a prizegiving celebration in Dubai on March 1, 2017.

I S C TA B L E T E N N I S

Enrique and Simeone unite to Allan, Sanskar, Arjun, defend ‘spectacular’ Neymar Dhruv enter last four BARCELONA: Barcelona coach Luis Enrique and Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone have launched impassioned defences of Neymar after the Brazilian’s showboating again came under the spotlight.

Former Barcelona great Michael Laudrup lambasted the Brazil international for “provoking” the opposition in Saturday’s 5-1 win at Leganes and Neymar’s flamboyant style will be scrutinised again on Wednesday when Barcelona host Atletico.

Commentating on Saturday’s game at Leganes for BeIN sports, Laudrup said he understood why Lluis Sastre kicked out at Neymar during the game.

“Why are you taking the ball across your own half? You’re provoking the opposition. When it’s 4-0 you can’t be showboating and provoking your opponents,” Laudrup said.

Neymar’s penchant for trying to embarrass opponents with flicks and tricks has prompted criticism in Spain before, with Luis Enrique once declaring he sympathised with Athletic Bilbao players for fouling Neymar in the 2015 King’s Cup final.

The coach, however, took his player’s side when questioned about Laudrup’s comments.

“He has his own style and I think it’s spectacular for football.

We enjoy his play a lot at Barca,” Luis Enrique told a news confer-

BACKING NEYMAR: Barcelona’s coach Luis Enrique speaks during a press conference at the Sports Center FC Barcelona Joan Gamper in Sant Joan Despi, near Barcelona on Tuesday. – AFP

ence on Tuesday. “We know what world we live in and what people focus on, but I like his concept of football, and no-one in La Liga can be surprised by it now.

“Perhaps it’s better to criticise things that are against the rules, as there is nothing saying you cannot do spectacular tricks.”

Atletico coach Simeone also defended Neymar when asked if he would be bothered if Neymar attempted similar tricks against his side on Wednesday.

“He has a particular style of play, like everyone else, but I love

it,” Simeone said on Tuesday.

“He has been criticised and they have exposed his private life.

He has fun, he sings, he dances and he destroys opponents. They can keep criticising him. He needs to respond on the pitch.”

Simeone added: “He’s extraordinary. He went to the Olympics and won gold, he has found his place at Barcelona to showcase his talent, he has just come back from holidays and he’s still playing just as well. He has a personality that allows him to do all that, and I love watching him.” - Reuters

MUSCAT: Allan Thiyagaseelan, Sanskar Dubey, Arjun Sriram and Dhruv Dhinak advanced to the semifinals of the boys under-13 singles event at the Villeroy & Boch + Hansgrohe Open Table Tennis Tournament organised by the Indian Social Club and sponsored by Al Amana Building Materials LLC. Allan displayed an impressive all-round game and stunned fancied Aditya Sairam in straight games 11-9, 11-6, 11-6 to advance to the quarterfinals where he coasted to a 11-5, 11-4, 11-3 victory over Abshished Sondhi.

Sanskar Dubey also put in an impressive display and defeated Mustafa Mahmoud 11-5,11-6, 11-5 and overcame Niel Joseph 11-7, 11-0, 11-7 in the quarterfinals.

Arjun Sriram first blanked newcomer Allan Joseph Nibu 11-0, 11-0, 11-0 and in the quarter finals faced some anxious moments before downing Anirudh 11-9, 11-7, 12-10 and Dhruv Dhinak completed the semifinal line-up when he rallied to defeat Adyatm Sharma 9-11, 11-7, 12-10, 11-5 in the pre quarters and then defeated Ahmed Mahmoud in the last eight 11-5, 11-9, 11-3.

Defending men’s champion Mohamed El Naggar opened his campaign with a comfortable 11-2, 11-3, 11-2 win over Jayanta Mazumdar, second seed Asad Al Raisi coasted to a 11-6, 11-8, 11-3 win over Vijay James, third seed

Al Khalil Al Brashdi sailed to a convincing 11-3, 11-2, 11-2 win over HP Perera and fourth seed Anwar Al Balushi defeated veteran R. Murali 11-2, 11-5, 11-8.

In other first round matches of the men’s singles, Maher Al Jabri downed Imran Ahmed 11-7, 11-8, 11-7, Ayman Al Farsi got the better of Vivek S. Kumar 11-7, 11-6, 12-10, Jihad Al Riyami beat Shrikant Kelkar 11-8, 11-2, 15-13, Subash Pillai beat Nikhil Rajput 11-8, 11-8, 11-4, Ismail Al Suleiman of Nizwa downed Spaniard Jorge Lopez 11-3, 11-8, 11-8, R. Subramanian scored a convincing 11-1, 11-5, 11-5 win over Manikandan.

Also winning their way to the second round are Abdul Salam Al Kindi who held his nerves to overcome Italian Marconi Leonardo 13-11, 12-10, 11-3, Haitham Al Manthari downed Priyanka Nuwan 11-4, 12-10, 11-7, Sami Al Jabri deeated Mahmoud Sami 11-7, 11-6, 11-6, teenager MV Sai scored a comfortable 11-1, 11-5, 11-4 win over Basil Al Habsi and Hamed Al Wahaibi defeated Vinayak Narayan 11-5, 11-7, 11-5.

The outstanding match of the evening was the one between P. Sai Saran and Bilal Al Rashdi which went the distance before the latter scraped 9-11, 11-5, 11-8, 10-12, 12-10. It was high quality table tennis in which schoolboy P. Sai Saran exhibited nerves of steel to level the match before going down narrowly.

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

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VACANCY

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CARGO

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FOR RENT ͻ KĸĐĞ ^ƉĂĐĞ Ăƚ Ă ƉƌŝŵĞ ůŽĐĂƟŽŶ ŽĨ ů <ŚƵǁĂŝƌ ;'ƌŽƵŶĚ н ŵĞnjnjĂŶŝŶĞͿ ʹ ;ϲϱϬ ƐƋŵͿ ;Z͘K ϳ͘ϱ ƉĞƌ ƐƋŵͿ ͻ KĸĐĞ ƐƉĂĐĞ Ăƚ ů YƵƌƵŵ Ͳ ϱϬϬͲϰϬϬϬ ƐƋŵ ŽƉƉŽƐŝƚĞ ŽĨ YƵƌƵŵ ŝƚLJ ĞŶƚĞƌ ;Z͘K ϳͲ ϵ ƉĞƌ ƐƋŵͿ ͻ ƵŝůĚŝŶŐ ĐŽŵƉŽƐĞĚ ŽĨ ϰϭ ŇĂƚƐ ĨŽƌ ƌĞŶƚ EĞĂƌ ƵďĂŝƌ Ͳ ůŽŽŬŝŶŐ ĨŽƌ ŽŶĞ WĂƌƚLJ͘ ͻ ϭ ,< Ăƚ 'ŚĂůĂ ;EĞǁ ůŐͿ ;Z͘Ž ϮϳϱͿ ʹ ϱϲ ŇĂƚƐ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ ͻ ϭ ,< Ăƚ ů <ŚƵǁĂŝƌ ;Z͘Ž ϮϱϬͿ ͻ ϭ ,< WĞŶƚŚŽƵƐĞ EĞĂƌ dĞĐŚŶŝĐĂů ŽůůĞŐĞ ;Z͘Ž ϮϱϬͿ ͻ Ϯ ,< ƐƉĂĐŝŽƵƐ ŇĂƚ Ăƚ ĂƌĞĞƋ ů ^ŚĂƫ Ăƚ ^ŚĂƫ ů YƵƌƵŵ ;ĨƌŽŵ Z͘K͘ ϲϬϬͿ ͻ Ϯ ,< &ůĂƚ &Žƌ KĸĐĞ hƐĞ Ăƚ ů <ŚƵǁĂŝƌ ŽƉƉŽƐŝƚĞ ^ĂĨĞĞƌ ŝŶƚĞƌŶĂƟŽŶĂů ,ŽƚĞů ;Z͘K ϯϲϱͲϰϬϬͿ ͻ Ϯ ,< Ăƚ 'ŚƵďƌĂ ;Z͘Ž ϯϬϬͿ ŶĞĂƌ <Śŝŵũŝ ^ŚŽǁƌŽŽŵ ͻ Ϯ ,< Ăƚ ů <ŚƵǁĂŝƌ EĞĂƌ dĞĐŚŶŝĐĂů ĐŽůůĞŐĞ ;Z͘Ž ϯϬϬͿ ͻ Ϯ ,< Ăƚ 'ŚƵďƌĂ EĞĂƌ /ŶĚŝĂŶ ƐĐŚŽŽů ;Z͘K ϯϭϱͿ ͻ Ϯ ,< Ăƚ tĂĚŝ <ĂďĞĞƌ Ͳ EĞĂƌ ĂŶŬ DƵƐĐĂƚ ;Z͘K ϮϳϱͿ ͻ Ϯ ,< Ăƚ ů <ŚƵǁĂŝƌ EĞĂƌ <ĂďĂď &ĂĐƚŽƌLJ ǁŝƚŚ ͬĐ ;Z͘K ϯϯϬͿ ͻ ϯ ,< Ăƚ ů <ŚƵǁĂŝƌ ϯϯ ;Z͘K ϯϲϬͿ ͻ ϲ ,< dǁŝŶ ǀŝůůĂƐ Ăƚ ƵnjĂŝďĂ ǁŝƚŚ ͬĐ ;Z͘K ϭϬϬϬͿ ͻ ^ƚŽƌĞ Ăƚ DŝƐĨĂ ;ϯϬϬϬͿ ƐƋŵ EĞĂƌ KŵĂŶ Žŝů ;Z͘K Ϯ͘ϱ ƉĞƌ ƐƋŵͿ͘ ͻ ^ŚŽƉƐ Ăƚ ŵĞƌĂƚ ĨŽƌ ƌĞŶƚ ; Z͘K ϭϱϬͲϲϬϬͿ

QUALITY APARTMENTS FOR RENT t#SBOE OFX #3 øBU BU "[BJCB XJUI 4QMJU B D T ! 3 0 t#SBOE OFX #3 øBU BU .BCFMMBI XJUI 4QMJU B D T ! 3 0 t#SBOE OFX #3 øBUT BU "[BJCB OFBS ;VCBJS "VUPNPUJWF XJUI 1PPM (ZN 3 0 t#SBOE OFX #3 øBUT BU #PXTIFS OFBS "M "NFFO .PTRVF ! 3 0 t #3 øBU BU (IPCSB OFBS *OEJBO 4DIPPM (IPCSB ! 3 0 t #3 øBUT BU "M ,IVXBJS CFIJOE 1IJMJQT 4IPXSPPN ! 3 0

For Inquiry Dial 99441516

t #3 øBUT XJUI 4QMJU B D T BU "M ,IVXBJS CFIJOE $FOUSF 1PJOU ! 3 0

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t #3 øBUT BU (IPCSB XJUI EVDUFE 4QMJU B D T OFYU UP 0NBO "SBC #BOL ! 3 0 t #3 øBUT BU 2VSVN XJUI 4QMJU B D T OFBS & : CVJMEJOH ! 3 0

For Inquiry Dial 98082138

t #3 øBUT BU "M ,IVXBJS XJUI 4QMJU B D T OFBS #BES "M 4BNB $MJOJD ! 3 0 t #3 øBUT BU .BXBMFI XJUI 4QMJU B D T OFBS )PMJEBZ *OO )PUFM ! 3 0 t #3 øBUT BU "M )BJM 4PVUI OFBS $BMFEPOJBO $PMMFHF ! 3 0

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

Please call : 24 702 666 to view the property Email: manju@alhabib.om

* Subject to space availability

8 Porta cabins, 2 Ablution units each units have 10 WC and 10 Showers and 2 Ashok Leyland Buses and One Mitsubishi Rosa Bus as well Located in Our Barka Camp. All are in excellent condition to use.

CONTACT PERSON:MR. PRAKASHGSM NO:- 94048497

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W E D N E S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 1 , 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

FOR RENT

FOR SALE * 6BR Villa in Al Ghobra Facing the beach for sale. * Commercial & Residential Land in Al khuwair for sale. * warehouse in Wadi Al kabir for sale.

OFFICE & ACCOMMODATION FACILITY

FOR RENT Showroom & Labour camp in wadi Al kabir for rent. brand new building 1BHK/Basement/ Showroom & offices in Ruwi for rent

Ready to Occupy Office Facility ( 275 Sq. Mtr) & 8 No. Studio Flats at Ghala (Opp. Riyam Signs)

Contact: 91155779 hrm_gh@live.com

Contact : 95697401 / 95496379

RUNNING FACILITY available for rent, suitable for Automotive Workshop / Warehouse / FMCG delivery outlet with 20 to 25 vehicles free parking (approx. area 3,000 sqm) and accommodation with 13 rooms available for rent at Ghala.

Contact 99440518 / 99230118 Villa for Rent behind mazoon mousge . contuct 95150807 for 750 R.O nogotiabla One room with bathroom in Bowsher for rent. Contact: 91153933 Furnished apartment for rent in Bowsher, 1 bedroom & living room.

Contact: 91153933 2 BHK flat near Indian school, Wadi Kabir. Contact: 24714625 / 91173997 2 Bedroom centrally air conditioned flat in CBD near Central Bank. Contact: 24714625 / 94460790 2BHK available in Mumtaz area Ruwi. Contact: 99269751 3BHK flat, Ghubra, Close to ISG, Indian Family. Contact 99319880 3BHK Flat Azaiba, opp Sultan centre. Contact: 99261522/99857332 2BHK flats at Wadi Kabir behind pioneer hotel apartment. Contact: 99261522/ 99857332 1000.00 sqm industrial plot with compound wall & 2 rooms at Misfa Industrial area. Contact:99342733 / 91118706 1 BHK flat for rent in Darsait.

Contact: 99357586 / 97500025

1+2 BHK Wadi Kabir. Contact: 99024730 New deluxe flat available at Azaiba near Al Sahwa tower, 2 BHK with balcony. Contact: 98294753

Flat for rent in Ruwi, 3 bedrooms, living room, dining room, 2 bathrooms & kitchen. Contact: 92873636

2 apartments for rent in Southern Al Hail behind Tejan. Apartments are well located in a very peaceful area and calm they are in ground floor of the building having 2 bedrooms, living room, Majlis, 3 bathrooms and a kitchen. For more information please contact 99462401 /99243291 2 bedroom flat luxury fully furnished at Al Khuwair, 2 bedroom – the Wave. 3 bedroom at Azaiba.

2 bedroom at Al Walja, 600 sq. mt Warehouse – Sinaya, Ghala. For short or long term lease contract contact Atlas Real Estate & Rent a Car LLC. Contact 99436312 / 92888376 / 94617563 Flat for rent in Al Mawaleh South 3, 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, hall, kitchen & store with air condition.

Contact 98575157

A spacious 2 Bedrooms flat with splits unit AC, located in Wattaya behind Mughlai Restaurant.

Contact: 98802343

2 workshops in Al Maabela Industrial for rent.

Contact 94758394

1 bedroom attached kitchen, toilet for family in Al Khuwair RO 130/-.

Contact: 95154331

1 bedroom, bathroom, kitchen in Al Hail South RO 120/- per month.

Contact 93993354

1 and 2 BHK flat for rent at MBD, Hallat Sad, opp. Al Nahda Hospital, Al Khoudh and Mabella. Shop at Al Khoudh . Contact: 93994401 / 24834644

Fully furnished luxury 2 Bedroom flat rent for short or long term basis at Ghala, Rent R.O 450/- (Negotiable). Contact : 97762321 / 99881653

1 & 2BHK flat for rent at Wadi Adai Opp. Al Nahda Hospital, MBD Al Khoud , Mabela & shop at Al Khoud. Contact: 24334644 / 93994401 / 02 / 03.

2BHK flats for rent @RO 160 per sqm, location Seh Al Ahmer 15minutes from Rusail Industrial Estate. # 97714433 / 93437982 2 BHK flat available at a prime location in Amerat. For more details please contact 98294361, 93496979 Stores in Ghala/Al Hail.

Contact: 99776071 / 99057348 1 BHK for office / residence in Mawaleh near Bahaja / 2-3 BHK flat in Al Khuwair, villas. Contact: 99776071 / 99057348 Flat for rent 2BHK split A/c near Kuwaiti Mosque in Wadi Kabir.

Contact: 97007934 / 92629232 2 BHK Azaiba North near Masque Rehan. Contact: 99224748 / 99332297

Room at Al Khuwair R.O 130/-.

Contact: 92144045

FOR SALE Room in Azaiba. Contact: 99555843 1,2,3 BHK flats. Contact: 92144045 2 bedrooms apartment, sitting room at Al Ansab RO 270/- monthly. Contact 93993354 Villa in Al Khuwair 33, 6 bedrooms, hall, sitting room RO 850/- monthly. Contact 93993354 Flat for rent near I.S.M- 2BH-1BH. Contact: 95158570 Flats & office in Ruwi, CBD area, Awfait building.

Contact 95135465 New flat at Al-Wadi kabir.

Contact 96130797 / 92130703 30 New Deluxe Flats & Shops in Al Khoud. Contact 99738881 Flat for rent. Contact : 99353433

Spacious 3 bedroom villa with maid room at Azaiba beach.

Contact: 24566217 / 24564686 / 99353921

3 BHK Al Khuwair RO 350/-. Contact: 92144045

3 bedroom well maintained flat (villa type-only 2 flats in one bldg) in Al Khuwair, behind Al Akhtam Restaurant, Villa no. 1839, Way No. 3922, block no. 239. #99462980

2 BHK Al Khuwair. Contact: 92144045

2 workshops for rent in Al-Mabela. Contact: 94758394 Villa for rent in Al Khoud , 6 rooms & hall. Contact: 91153933 Flat for rent in Al Ghubrah, 2 rooms & hall. Contact: 91153933 For rent villa in Bowsher 5 rooms & hall. Contact : 91153933

Shop for sale or investment Building materials, sanitary &electrical showroom including stocks. Prime location at Almusanna. Invested working partners also invited. Contact 00968 93797900, 96347070.

2 BHK Ghubra. Contact: 92144045

2 BR apartments available for rent, close to Muscat Grand Mall, next to Diwan’s Office, South Ghubra. Contact: 2456256 / 99833747 Commercial space shop/ Showroom/ Godown at just 1.500 RO / m2 location Seh Al Ahmer 15 minutes from Rusail Industrial Estate.

Contact: 97714433 / 93437982 Flat for rent 2BHK with split A/c near Oman house in Muttrah .

Contact: 97007934 / 92629232

Building Materials Shop (running for 16 years) for sale at Falaj Al Qabail. Interested persons may contact : 99462870 or Email: alfalajram@ rediffmail.com Clinic (running for 26 years) for sale at Falaj Al Qabail. Interested persons may contact: 99462870 or Email: alfalajram@rediffmail.com Building material shop for sale with visa serious buyers. Contact: 93606790 Industrial land in Rusail. 4000 sqm. Contact 99323957 / 95490842.

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DAILY GUIDE

Company for SALE at Wadi Al Kabir Manufacturing of Steel & Stainless Steel, & cast Aluminium products. Running company for sale. with all the machines and equipments also with 15 nos. of skilled workers.

Serious buyers can contact at 93132208 / 79065540

VILLA / BUILDING FOR SALE 1. 2 Nos. residential twin villas G + 2 used for commercial purpose for sale at 18th November Street, Azaiba, on the main road fetching good rentals.

2. Residential / Commercial Building in Sara Al Khadina, Buraimi, G+2 having occupancy in 12 flats, mix of one/ two bedrooms with 5 shops.

FOR SALE

SITUATION WANTBUSINESS

Serious buyers can email alhozrealestate@gmail.com

for

more

details

at

Colour Machine for sale in good condition. Contact: J. Vijeyan 99148818 Good Condition Sanyo washing machine, semi automatic, RO 40 for sale in MBD Contact; 99737812 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 BUILDING MATERIAL SHOP FOR SALEWell-furnished running building material-electrical shop (4 shutter / 200sqm) in Al- Khoudh- 6, for immediate saleshop with stock or stock only.

Serious buyers may please Contact: 94320909

INVESTOR PARTNER REQUIRED For a successfully Catering Restaurant Investor cum Partner is required.

Investor with fixed returns also welcome.

Please contact – 95213273

Email: muscatcoffeeshop@gmail.com

AVAILABLE

Available 3BHK fully furnished flat on short term lease in Jasola Pocket II, near Apollo Hospital, New Delhi, India.

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

Contact 95792918 / 92801055 DRIVING

No need to wait for Taxi please call from anywhere in Muscat.

Contact: 96009655

ACC. AVAILABLE Single room available at Al Khuwair with AC, bed, cupboard table, chair with sharing, kitchen & toilet CTC. Contact: 99378652 Sharing accommodation available for an executive bachelor at Al Khuwair near Zawawi Mosque.

Contact: 92144412 / 95247578 Furnished rooms available at Ruwi. Contact: 91214897 Well furnished single / sharing for EXE, bachelor at Rex Road (Kannada, Telugu and Tamil).

Contact: 92873832 Separate room with attached bathroom & A/C Available near W/A single. Contact: 92148188 Furnished room in ruwi and azaiba for rent for executive bachelors. Gsm 99058344 Single room with A/C and attached bathroom, sharing kitchen for executive bachelor/couple near Saud Bahwan Hill view Tower accommodation and Opp: Shell filling station. Contact 99024362, 93166353 Fully furnished 2BHK sharing flat for Indian Executive near Sheraton CBD. Contact 99219337 Rooms for rent in Ghubra North.

Contact 96420432

BUYING Buying cars for cash.

Contact 90202090

TRANSPORTATION

Transportation. Contact 92126933 / 98518979 Transportation. Contact: 95190627 Investment opportunity For business in lighting building materials and decoration. Contact 99421513

GOOD NEWS

MV SALE Toyota corolla model 2000 one year insurance bone for sale 800/-.

Contact: 92765203

Transportation. Contact 92015894 Transportation. Contact 94510847

MATRIMONIAL All Pooja items- idols – fresh flowers – marigold – roses – jasmine – lotus – rose petals- garlands & all decoration items. Sweets &modak.

HaridasNensy& Co. Ruwi 24750784 / 23291825 Car care, care for your car stop worrying about your car. Enjoy your vacation peacefully. Here is a solution for safe parking and cleaning your car when your car when you are away on vacation. Taking very good care of your car, trust us. Contact: 96964767 Ayurvedic massage, backache, joint, neck pain etc.

Contact: 98254909 Ayurvedic treatment for joint pain, backache, paralysis, massage, steam bath, obesity, Spondylitis. Ideal Care Ayurvedic Clinic, 18 November Street, Ghubra.

Contact: 99639695 / 97397320 Ayurvedic treatment for backache, paralysis, arthritis etc & massage, All Season (Vaidyaratnam). Contact: 24475280 / 95371664 / 92504980 www.siddhayur.com

Nissan Sunny 2013 KM 1.20000, Automatic. Contact: 99781671 Toyota Yaris 2012 KM 95000, automatic. Contact: 99434610 Tata Novus, sewage tanker, 5000 gallons, model 2012, excellent condition, immediate sale. Contact: 99448197

Marriage makers new, divorce/ widow for Indian Muslims.

Contact: (Whatsapp) 00968 98796982 / Call: 98604960 Kerala Christian boy 43 Y, 170 H, working as Salesman in Muscat seeks suitable alliance. #92066764

Nissan Sunny 2012, automatic, Km 1,18000, R.O 2250/- .

Contact: 92030516

Ezhavaboy age 28 height 174cm Star anizhamBTech working in Oman Seeks suitable alliance.

Contact 99430227

2015 Chrysler 300 S ,Special Edition, Hard to find,19000 km, single owner. No Accident, beautiful Red, Full option.

Contact 98960915

Kerala RC Boy 32y 168h Thrissur working as an accountant in reputed company in Muscat seeks suitable alliance.

Contact: +968-98169190

2015 Toyota Camry SE, single Owner. No Accident 27000 km, All power.

Contact 98960915

ITI electrical, SSLC, PDC, Christian, 36 yrs, second marriage seeks alliance. Contact 97368596

2015 Mazda 3i Sport, Single owner, No Accident ,22000 km, 2.0 Engine. Contact 98960915

TRANSPORTATION Transportation. Contact 94087276

Alliance invited for a Hindu Ezhava girl 26 years, fair, slim, B. Tech, MBA (Star Markayerium, one and half dosham) , currently working with a MNC at Kerala, reputed family of Thrissur Dt currently settled in Muscat , from parents of well educated & employed Ezhava boys preferably from Thrissur, Ekn, Palakkad. Contact: 99329606

LOOKING FOR SUB CONTRACTING JOBS

MANPOWER

An SME’S excellent grade construction company is looking for civil subcontracting jobs.

We are specialized in interlocking, block work, plaster work etc.

Contact 91433508, Email : business@aljammaza.com

WANTED Urgently required looking to immediately buy used Grit blasting & airless spray equipment 1 No each. # 968 24810930 / 93203772 / 93203773 / 93203778

LOST Aklema Molk Miah has lost Bangladeshi Passport No. AE 4451653.

Finder please handover to ROP. Abhilash Sisupalan has lost Indian passport No M 6999075.

Finder please handover to ROP.

SITUATION WANTFOR LADIES

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

DAILY GUIDE

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED

SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT WANTED Female Gynaecologist, Female GP- Two Female Staff Nurse (From India or Pilipino)and One Female Dental Assist and Female Lab Technician.

Sales Executives/ Pre Van Sellers are urgently required for a reputed Foodstuff Company in Oman.

With MOH Licence and Data Flow for Al Saadi Specilised Medical Centre, Musanna.

Oman Driving License is required for Sales Executives.

URGENTLY REQUIRED

Contact # 92025033, Email : dr.srininvas76@gmail.com

URGENTLY REQUIRED BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Candidate with minimum 15 years of experience in handling diversified business, in Hospitality, Restaurants & Coffee Shops, Catering, Trading & Real Estate. Should be well versed with the market locally and internationally. Should be a go getter and identify new business ventures and manage the existing business. Interested candidates with relevant qualification and valid GCC driving license may email their resume on omanjobsdcg@gmail.com

Urgently required Accountant ,

Minimum experience – One year.

Cashier – Smart , Honest Philipino lady Contact 91067751, email: georgyjacob7@gmail.com

Experienced lady beautician,

expert in hairstyle and Mehandi artist. Proficiency in English and Arabic language preferred. Location Salalah. Contact 97494937 Urgently required a Gulf experienced professional Hair Dresser cum Beautician (Lady) for a reputed Beauty salon. Immediate appointment Contact : 99816262 / 98557585,fax : 24796211, email: skin. hair.makeup@gmail.com

CATERING Cook and waiter required can speak English at wadi bini khalid 95810797 Seafood specialist Chef and Waiter for a reputed restaurant in Muscat.

Those who have experienced in similar field only can forward your resume cafechefa2013@gmail. com for more details please contact: 99364735 / 93141672

DRIVER Wanted Driver for heavy (sewage vehicle) and light vehicle with valid Oman driving license.

Contact: 97991654 / 97991652 Kindly send CV at Email: construction@remasalseeb.com / remaschandran2020@gmail.com

ENG./TECHNICIAN Required Civil Diploma Engineer with 5 plus years experience in Oman preferably with D/L as Site Engineer for ministry projects.

Send CV at alrkhadev@hotmail. com Contact: 94148220 Sales & Service Engineer – air conditioning, experience: minimum 4 - 5 years, should have knowledge about Oman market valid Oman driving license must. Forward CV: muscatjobs2001@gmail.com Wanted Civil Engineer with minimum 3 years experience with valid GCC / Oman driving license.

Contact: 97991654 / 97991652 Kindly send CV at Email: construction@remasalseeb.com / remaschandran2020@gmail.com Required Civil Engineers experience more than 5 years.

Email : towershr70@gmail.com, Contact 24548382

MEDICAL Wanted a nurse with MOH license for a clinic at Falaj AL Qabail.

Interested persons may send documents with photograph to PO 128; Falaj Al Qabail, PC 327, Sultanate of Oman or Email us at : alfalajram@rediffmail.com Urgently required Internist, General Practitioner, male Nurse, Orthodontist for a reputed medical center in Salalah. Email: hrmdimc2010@ gmail.com Required Staff Nurse for a reputed clinic in Ruwi. Send CV to: farayil@hotmail.com #92520054 Required Doctors available experience - GP- ladies + Gents.

Email : towershr70@gmail.com, Contact 24548382

Civil/Mechanical Eng. Degree, Good communication skills, 8 yrs GCC Exp in the same field.

Contact : Mr Shinu George Mob : 97442887 Email: info@whiteintl.com

Send Your CV to surcivilmep@surunited.com

SITUATION WANTED SIT. WANTED ADMIN Omani male fluent in English looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 94700691

Indian male 25yrs, B.Com, MBA, SAP (level 1) certified, 1yr exp in Office Administration, on visit visa looking for placement in Accounts, Sales & Marketing, Storekeeper, Logistics. Contact: 97914014

BEAUTY

MEDICAL Fusion Medicare Polyclinic, Muscat wants GP, staff Nurse holding MOH license & Receptionist (Omani) #97698004 / email: medicare@fusionlogicoman.com Wanted female & Male Nurse with or without license (good salary, food & accommodation with other benefits.

Contact 92989109, medicoport@gmail.com

Indian male MSW Management professional with 14 yrs experience in HR & Administration seeks suitable placement. Contact 92438185 B.Com Graduate Keralite looking for a suitable job in Muscat having 1 year experience in both Admin & operations. Contact (968) 90931930 Email: shijin.p450@ gmail.com

Urgently required a GCC experienced electrical or building material marketing executive with valid driving license. Candidates may send their resume at ho@ ddtoman.com Require Marketing Executive for building material shop located in Saham. We are looking for a person with Oman Driving license having good experience in marketing and fluent in English.

Contact: 91339401 / 99352829 Indian Salesman indoor, knowledge in English & Arabic.

Contact: 93326636 MAGIC LAUNDRY OMAN seeks a part time SALES EXECUTIVE on commission basis. Interested candidates may please forward their resume to magiclaundryoman@gmail.com Dynamic Outdoor Sales Executive required for a building materials company in Ghubrah.

Candidates with release preferred.

Mail your resume to buildingmaterialsales007@gmail. com Required sales and marketing executive for a 4-star hotel in muscat. candidate with excellent communication skills and having 3+ years experience need apply. driving license will be an advantage. email: hoteljobsmuscat@gmail.com

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED ADMIN Indian (F) MBA HR & Finance 3yrs Exp. in HR/Admin/Purchase, NOC available for immediate placement.

M: 99791008 / 93888576 Indian male 25 yrs , B.com , MBA , SAP (level-1) certified , 1 yrs experience in office administration on visit visa looking for placement in accounts , sales & marketing , logistics , storekeeper. Contact: 97914014 Male 24 y, B.Com, MBA (Marketing & HR) fresher looking for administrative, logistics, operation role or any similar post. id-josinjosecl350@gmail.com ph:95762511

ACCOUNTS Indian male 25 yrs, Graduate in commerce, overall 5 yrs exp in accounts/ finance field. On visit visa. Immediately available.

Contact 92836216 / muhammad.tausif623@gmail.com Qualified and experienced MBA post graduate with proven work exposure in Middle East & India, having more than 5.5 years of rich experience in accounts , project coordination and administration in (3.5 years UAE experience) oil and gas projects is currently looking for suitable job.

Contact 93953613, Emailallen.mathew83@gmail.com Part time accountant, accounting auditing available after 4 pm.

Contact: 91126314 SENIOR ACCOUNTANT/Ast. Finance Manager-MCom FinanceIndian with 8 years experience in Finance & Accounts Dpt and Banking & Facilitation. Having D/L & NOC. Mob:94122464, cammk13@gmail.com

Filipino HRD especialist / material controller supervisor with 18 yrs experience looking for suitable job in Oman. Contact: (+968) 98037142 / (+968) 92659817

Indian male B.Com currently on visit looking for a suitable job in accounts, storekeeper or supervisors ready to join as early as possible. Contact: 96048035 Email: syedshahaabuddin7786@ 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

Accountant 10 years experienced Indian male with D/L and also doing computerization of accounts with Tally ERP 9 or focus. Contact: 99622639

Egyptian woman resident, considerable experience in the Administration and Secretarial Executive for company. Contact : 97221126

Indian male 28 years B.COM, PGDM (Banking & Insurance) with 3 years experience in banking as Assistant Manager on visit visa looking for suitable jobs. Contact: 93418265 Email: arjunnair19@ yahoo.in

Indian male 27 years, Masters in Hospital Administration with 3 years experience in quality assurance and JCI Implementation currently working with Aster group as Asst Manager in Quality Assurance. Contact : 98431213 vishnuvijjay14@gmail.com

Indian male 33 yrs B.com having 8 years accounts experience in Oman looking for suitable placement local release, NOC & valid Oman D/L are available. Contact: 98093515 / 97494322

SALES / MARKETING Medical Equipment trading company looking for Sales Representative, Maintenance Engineer and Technician to work in Muscat.

Contact : 968 79055971 Email: medioman3@gmail.com

1)Procurement Engineer:

Minimum 4 Years experience in Oman Market is mandatory.

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

ACCOUNTANT

SITUATION VACANT

ACCOUNTS 12 yrs Oman experienced Chief/ Senior Accountant seeks job, immediately available with release /NOC and D/L. Contact: 97385562 Indian male 3 yrs. exp. in India, knowledge in tally, sap, MS-office, now at Muscat in visit visa Gsm: 98328684 CPA 13 years experience (10 years in Oman) as Finance Manager, Chief Accountant, Senior Accountant, Cost Accountant & Internal Auditor, local transfer available.

Contact: 97220505 Accountant 13 years experience looking for suitable job full time/ part time. Contact: 95571165 Indian female, senior Accountant /ast.Finance manager having 15 years oman experience with d/l and noc looking for a suitable placement. Contact : 94838231 Indian male, B.Com, MBA in Finance, 4 yrs in Larsen & Tourbo, 26 yrs in Oman, English/ Arabic speaking with driving license. NOC available. Contact 95588565 Indian male age 26, Accountant one year experience in accounts looking for suitable job. Contact Email: Anishkhan991867@gmail.

Com Mobile: +968 9565 9415 Indian/MBA/male Chief Accountant 18Yrs Experience, MIS, C.Flow, Budgeting, ERP, Cost accounting &Liasing with auditors. NOC available.

Contact: 92254691/ 97826674 email: khader2305@ gmail.com

Indian (M) MBA (F) more than 6 years of experience in accounts proficiency in various A/C software , SAP(F1/CO) seeking for suitable placement. Contact: 95920740 Email ID: abdulhameed1527@gmail.com Indian female, MBA (Finance & HR) 4+ experience in MNCS as a research analyst, looking for good job. Contact: 95299271 / 95124289 Exp in Internal Audit/ Accounts having 7+ yrs of work experience and 2+ Gulf Experience having valid Driving license looking for a job in Oman/Qatar/UAE. Contact:-+96890585685 or jobsingcc2016@gmail.com Sri Lankan Accountant B.Sc degree and CASL intermediate seeks suitable job vacancy. NOC available. Contact: 99649013 Accountant 8Years Experience with D/L and NOC. Contact 97712084 Accounts part time services available to handle all accounts up to finalization on monthly basis and finalization works.

Contact: 96247295 Indian female M. Com/CA lnter yrs experience. Contact: 94863876, E mail: jinumanickath@yahoo. com Indian female 26 yrs, MBA finance 2 yrs exp with MNC. Email: rilooozmali@gmail.com.

Contact : 90551366.

Indian, Kerala Male B.COM & B.PE, Currently on Visit Visa. Looking for a suitable job in Accounts, Store Keeper, Sales etc. Ready to join as early as possible. Contact 96988923 email:- sajith3969@ gmail.com

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED MISCELLANEOUS Indian Male 23, BE. Mechanical Engineer currently on visit visa Seeking for suitable Job. Software Proficiency AUTOCAD, CATIA, ANSYS, SOLIDWORKS. Contact No: 90924672 / 98859557, tsprakash01@gmail.com 28 years, Indian (Kerala )lady seeking job as a primary teacher . Qualifications : +2 , TTC and Graduation in Sociology. She has 4 years experience in the Teaching field. Contact +968 94743882

MISCELLANEOUS Indian senior Mechanical Engineer experienced in EPC projects in crushing, construction chemical, concrete products etc. contact 9109 6940 E: kpopragmatic@gmail.com Indian male, 26 years, 3 years’ experience in projects of tanks, boilers and steel structures, aware of int. standards, b tech in Mech engg. contact-00917350860889 rahulkunnath23@gmail.com B.E Engineer Indian male with total 7+ years experience in the field of telecom projects, operations and sales, 3 years experience in Oman, with license and NOC seeks suitable placement. GSM- 92961033 E MAIL -joalappa77@gmail.com Indian male Executive Secretary having vast experience in admin, logistics & procurement well versed with computer seek suitable placement. Contact : 99514286 email: azimmohd@yahoo.co.in

Search job as light driver, experience 3 years language Hindi, English, Arabic. Contact: 97941771

B.E Engineer and also did NEBOSH (IGC), Fire and Safety (HABC) First Aid.3 year of Gulf experience As a Safety Engineer looking for job. Available to join respective firm. Contact 94618504, Email: shan37yousfani@gmail.com

ACCOUNTS

ARCH./ INTERIOR DEC.

21, Indian female B.com graduate on family visa looking for immediate and suitable placement. Holds valid Omani Driver’s license.

Contact: 97208869 Accountant Srilankan National Inter CA 3 yrs exp in finance on visit visa. Contact: 79049355.email: ahmedfiham777@gmail.com Finance Manager 16 years experienced chartered accountant (Sri Lankan) looking for a suitable post. NOC available.

Contact 92194926 Email: manomuscat@gmail.com Sudanese Accountant, Alexandria University Graduate bachelor of commerce Diploma of Marketing professional photographer worked in PR and social media for 2 years looking for a job in public relations media, social media or marketing.Contact: 96976240

Architect Engineer seeking for suitable job, 8 years experience.

GSM : 96075000, Email : haytham_201046@yahoo.com

DRIVER Looking for a job as a Driver, with more than 5 years experience in Oman knows all the roads in Muscat, NOC available. Contact: 96685534 Light driver exp 4 years knows English, Arabic and Hindi. Education B.A. Contact: 985522914 Experience driver Pakistani 10 years in Doha seeks suitable placement as household Driver. Contact: 97213618 Indian male looking for job driving 8 years experience in Oman license (All Oman) language Arabic, Hindi. No need (NOC). Contact: 93426858 / 90915942

Indian female 28 yrs B.Com 4 yrs experience in MNC’s currently in Muscat seeking suitable placement in Finance / Admin.

Contact :94743790

Looking for job exp having driving license. Contact: 97363136

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

Driver 2 yrs experience D/L , seeking suitable placement. Contact : 95938663

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

Driver available for job. Contact: 96381406

Looking for driving job. Contact: 98219182

Looking for job with car. Contact: 99154473

Light vehicle driver 8 years experienced. Contact: 94566432 Light driver. Contact: 99141481

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 Accountant available with NOC, 7 years experience in Oman.

Ready to join immediately.

Contact 98263394 Indian (M), 31 yrs, M Com 9 yrs experience in Oman, looking for Manager or Executive position in Fin & Accounts, NOC Available. # 968 96166178/+919768537435: mohammednajeem@yahoo.com Accountant B.com Indian male 12 yrs exp seeks suitable job.NOC available . Contact : 91212471 Email: rennyj6@gmail.com ACCA member with 6 yrs of experience in Oman looking for a suitable job in finance. Contact: 99284193 28/male/MBA - finance/B.Com Accountant with 4 years of Dubai/ India experience looking for a suitable placement.

Contact 90187483 shobinkarikkan1987@gmail.com 7 Years experience as Financial Analyst, MBA in finance. Responsibilities- research contributor, financial statement analysis, generating MIS & efficiency report, managing TAT, business & clients.

On visit visa in Muscat.

Contact 90191628 / 96175780

Driver light 4 years exp, seeks job, English, Arabic, Urdu & Hindi.

Contact: 94356465 Driver with Car. Contact: 96048707 / 99716938 Driver looking for job.#95892363 Looking for job Light driver.

Contact : 98503237.

DESIGNER/ DRAUGHTSMAN Free lance / part time autocad works / make boq 2d /3d arch , structural, shop drawings interior drawings. Contact 97103168 Architectural Draftsman (4 yrs) experience seeking job.

Contact: 97706515 Omani categorize obtained bachelors degree Graphic design, 3 years experience in graphic design and Secretarial and 2 years in the organization of exhibitions.

Contact: 95676995 Architecture draftsman Diploma in Construction technology with 2 years experience in drafting and detailing looking for a suitable opportunity, ready to join as early as possible. Contact: 71166130 Email: syedfairoz864@yahoo.com Graphic web designer, Indian male, looking for suitable vacancies having NOC and release.

Contact: 98461278

W E D N E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 1 , 2 0 1 6

D5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED PROJECT MANAGER,

DESIGNER/ DRAUGHTSMAN

Contact- 00968-94731728/ josececy25@gmail.com

Indian Male MBA (UK)

IT

MEDICAL

9 years experience in Dubai/ London/Mumbai in Management Consulting, Sales & Marketing, Business Development for Real Estate/ Banking seeks similar placement with D/L.

Young Omani IT Engineer looking for any job in IT or Admin have knowledge in IT support creating websites, networking, programming fresh graduate. #96502352

Nurse with MOH license more than 10 yrs of experience looking for job in Muscat. Contact: 90554377 / 92104033

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.

EDUCATION/TRAINING Female B. Ed English teacher, 7 yrs exp seeking suitable placement. Contact 99739415 / 92091528 Mathematics Lecturer , Indian Female, M Sc Mathematics from a Prestigious University, B.Ed qualified, distinction holder with 6 yrs teaching experience in colleges.

Contact: 91360147.

Experienced Maths teacher bilingual AS, A, IB Thanwia Aamaa. Contact: 98016336.

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. Mechanical/ Piping Engineer (B.Tech.) on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact 94703350, Email: nadeembcoolboy@gmail. com MEP engineer 49 years Indian male with Omani driving license having 14 years experience in Oman seeking suitable placement. Contact: 91268250 releases available Indian male 21 yrs, 1 yr exp in electronics & telecommunications seeks suitable placement. Contact: 94191684 Engineer B.Tech (EEE) Indian male with Auto CAD, ECADD very hard working quick learner, highly talented currently working in a reputed company in Oman seeking opportunities Ready to join immediately. Contact: 92907983 / 99346546 Email: aflahkalathil@ gmail.com Indian male, 30 Yrs, BE (Electronics & Telecom Engineer), MBA, 7 yrs exp in Oman in Sales, Marketing & projects, looking for suitable placement with valid Oman D/L, NOC available. Contact: 98518776 Site Engineer (roads) Indian male Diploma working in consultancy 10 years experience in Oman, knows quantity survey having Oman D/L. Release / NOC available. Contact: 92478243 Email: jomonprojects@ gmail.com B.Tech ECE, 3 years experience in industrial automation, manufacturing, switchgears, design, estimation, testing, commissioning, on visit visa. Contact: 90827446 / 93890490 Email: infoanishantony@gmail.com Civil Engineer having 23 years experience in construction work, Supervision & Estimating in Gulf 13 years experience, looking for suitable job. Contact: 90247456 Civil Engineer 8 yrs exp in contracting & consulting field with Auto cad & D/L. #93060770 Indian male Civil Engineer from Central University, available on visit visa looking for suitable position. Contact 95621425 Emailmudabbirsjc@gmail.com Expat Female Graduate in BEElectronics & Communications seeks suitable placement. Contact 99119908 Indian Male, MSc Electronics, CCNA, MCITP (Server 2008r2), Hardware and Networking, Accounting Software Tally ERP9 with over 2 years experience in IT support, seeks suitable placement.

Has valid transferrable Saudi license and on visit in Oman. Contact 94513351 or obinkavumkal@ gmail.com B.E electrical 3 yrs Oman experience in construction MEP/ LV & HV lines, HVAC/ fire fight erection commission with NOC. Contact: 96335725 Mechanical / production engineer ( B.E) with 2 years exp as 3D CAD engineer skills , AutoCAD , solid works , 3D via composer , Pro E , Cad , Solid edge , presently in Muscat seeks placement. Contact: 92012405 / 97041071 Email: vishalpurushotham93@gmail.com Indian Automobile Engineer, 25 yrs with 4 yrs experience seeking suitable job, now in Muscat on visit visa. Contact 92077172

SENIOR JOINERY ESTIMATOR Indian male, 11 yrs experience in Oman looking for suitable placement in joinery/ fitout estimation or marketing.

Local release available.

Contact - 94541830, Email: estimator64319@gmail.com

B.Tech, MBA, PRINCE-2, British Citizen now available with NOC in OMAN. 25 yrs. exp in EPC Project Management of Oil & Gas, Pipelines, Refineries & Power Plants. Seeking job immediately/

ENGG. / TECH./MECH.

Contact: 95168205 ENGG. / TECH./MECH. Civil Engineer 8 years experience Structural buildings marine.

Available NOC release.

Contact 92451323.

Email: zubairali134@yahoo.com Indian male Civil Engineer 1.6 yrs exp, having Omani D/L, looking for suitable position. NOC available.

Contact – 92157694 / mohammedamair.bin@gmail.com Diploma in Mechanical Engg, 10 years exp in steel fabrication site work with valid Oman driving license. Contact: 94696192 Civil Engineer diploma, 4 yrs exp seeks suitable position in a reputed company. NOC available.

Contact 96789711 B.E Mechanical Engineer, age 24 with almost 1 year experience as Production Shift Engineer, has achieved training on HVAC Engineering design and has good hands on software like AutoCAD and HAP.Currently in Oman on a visit visa, looking for a suitable placement.Contact: 95065955 email: mjs.jazeb@gmail.com An Iraqi civil with more than 30 years experience in (Iraq and G.C.C) looking for a job, (N.O.C) available. Contact: 96561306 Email: iq.bgd.mnsr@gmail.com

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

Contact – 90164912 Indian male Electrical Engineer, having 6 years gulf experience in designing, assembling, commissioning execution etc having valid GCC license too looking for a suitable. Contact: 00968-98052942 Email: azamjeelani78@gmail.com Civil Engineer (B.Tech), Indian male 24 years with 1+years Indian experience,(Certified in Staad Pro/ Quantity Survey/ Auto Cad).Looking for a Suitable position. Available In Sultanate of Oman (Muscat) on Visit Visa. Contact: 92157694. E-mail: mohammedamair.bin@gmail.com Indian male, Mechanical Engineer having 1year experience, on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact: 97416564, Email:jovinmathias@gmail.com B.E / B.Tech, Civil Engineer 4-5 yrs experience.

Contact 93850875 / 95031239 BE mechanical engineer Indian male age 24, 2 yrs exp as piping supervisor has achieved QA/QC( level-2) in PE available in Muscat on visit visa. Contact: 92096389 Email: nithiner1992@gmail.com

Young Indian, Engineering in Bio-technology, Bio-chemical and Chemical, looking for a challenging placement in Oman.

Contact 97607000. Email: sivasankarjayakumar@gmail.com

Civil Engineer with 2 years experience looking for job. #94771525

Indian female B. Tech 5 yrs exp in MNCs currently in Muscat, seeking suitable job in Sql & Plsql domain. Contact: 93262829

Indian male B.Tech instrumentation Engg with 4 years experience on visit visa. Contact: 95120545

B.Tech Electrical, Indian male 4 yrs exp in electrical field seeking suitable position. Now in Muscat on visit visa. Contact: 93528963 Email: lenish.kl@gmail.com.

Sudanese civil engineer with 3 years experience looking for job.

Contact: 95634888 Mechanical Engineer Indian, 8 yrs Oman exp in maintenance, QA/ QC, projects with D/L. Contact: 968 94252769 Email: rami.mech@ gmail.com Indian, Male, 24 Years, BE Aeronautical Engineer having 2 years experience seeking suitable placement. Contact : 94132255, Email ID : 13manu007@gmail.com Diploma Civil Engineer Indian male, 14 yrs GCC experience, valid Oman D/L, NOC available, seeking suitable placement. #99794456 Indian, MSc in Petroleum & Gas engineering from UK and BE Mechanical engineering seeking a suitable position. Contact ph: 0091 9746253071.

Civil Engineer, project manager having 14 yrs experience. 11 years in Oman. pmp, fidic contract management experience, independently handling civil works, familiar with oman regulations, looking for senior level position. release available, can join immediately.

Contact- 98826815 Indian male mechanical engineer having 4.5 yrs experience in oil field jobs (both structure and piping.) Designing, fabrication, quality control and inspection etc. also having cswip 3.1 welding inspection level-2, primavera, and good knowledge in designing software like Stadd pro, tekla, auto spool, AutoCAD. Contact: 96071081, rahulvarikkat@gmail.com

Lebanese Civil Engineer with 2 years experience looking for job.

Contact: 79079765

Structural Engineer Indian female 12 yrs experience in bridges buildings design seeking suitable openings NOC available. Contact: 98923804 Indian male electrical engineer (MEP) design supervision consultant 12 yrs experience seeking suitable opening NOC available.

Contact: 96798962 Indian male 26 years on express visa seeking suitable position qualification automation system engineer BSC. Physics computer application aircraft maintenance engineering. Contact: 92469429 Email: appulalps@hotmail.com MEP Engineer 49 years Indian male with Omani driving license having 14 years experience in Oman seeking suitable basement, releases available.#91268250 Omani seeks HSE position.

Contact 99326700, Email: jeeba23000@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer, Indian, Male, 30yrs. Experienced in Steam turbines and Thermal Power house seek employment.

Contact - +91 8130553668 or mohamedshah7@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer: Indian male 28 years.6 years UAE experience in the field of MEP with valid UAE driving license.

Currently in Oman on visit visa.

Contact: 00968 98953932 shamnas.shaanukm@gmail.com 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 Electrical & Electronics Engr, knows autocad & revit.

PH: 93837973

Indian male 24 yrs, Mechanical Engineer, Diploma in MEP design, AutoCAD 6 months exp in automobile sales, worked as Supervisor in steel fabrication firm, on visit visa. email:advith.21@gmail.com Contact: 99077031 Indian female 30 yrs B Tech, MBA - IT 6 yrs work exp. in India & Oman, exp in conducting video conference, configuring automated solution systems, seeking suitable placement. Contact: 92689823. email:jobymees2014@gmail.com Sr. Electrical Engineer with17+ yrs of exceptional exp in spear heading strategic planning and project management initiatives & executing various high rise residential & commercial building as well as roads and highway project with proficiency in installation, seeking a challenging position in a dynamic organization.

Contact 96570891 Indian male 24 ,B.E ( E.C.E ) graduate with 3 years of experience in the fields of BMS and Low current systems and has good knowledge about Electronic Security Systems, currently working in Oman, NOC Available.

Contact:- 94737033/ mohdmuhafez45@gmail.com Site Supervisor, Diploma in Civil Engg (cert attested) knows autocad revit, salary exp: 250 Ph : 92279784 Electrical Engineer, 24 yrs, Indian Male, Fresher, Training Undertaken in Electrical Draughtsman, Fire Alarm, Fire Fighting and Industrial Automation. Contact: 94989767, Email: Junaiz987@gmail.com Pakistani male Diploma Civil Engineer 4yrs exp in Oman bulling & mega projects, valid license Oman. Contact: 98921022 Construction Machinery repairs Engineer, 5 years, driving license, Contact - 94001961 Indian male, Structural Engineer looking for job in structural design field. Having 6 years of experience in design field. Residing in Muscat. #91176187 Email: syam036@gmail.com Civil Engineer (Indian male) 5 years experience in Oman with valid Omani driving license & NOC looking for suitable opportunity.

Contact: 93101283

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

Contact: 94672759 Indian female M.Sc Computer Science seeking suitable placement in Muscat area. #98660672 CFA level 1 cleared (pursuing level 2) MBA operations research, female, 5 yrs experience as Analyst, have a valid Oman driving license, looking for related openings.

Contact 95818892 Indian male 4 years experience in IT as Programmer / Web Support/ CCNA/ Network on visit visa seeking placement. #93069694 Email: mrabrar14@gmail.com

LOGISTICS Indian female 24 years B.com & MIB supply chain & logistics, 2.5 years experience U.S.A Air force, U.S.A Embassy’s procurement, supply chain on visit visa. Contact: 92417260 Email: seiramthomas@ gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS Filipino Male, 28 years Old. Looking for job, Have experience in Rent a Car/ Cargo & Logistics / Real Estate/ Customer Care Executive / Sale Executive & Marketing/ Shop In- Charge. Hard working w/ good computer and communication skill.

GSM: 97761075 Filipino Graphic Designer / I.T. looking for a suitable job with 10 years experience. Very good in Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Photography, Knowledge in CCTV & Access Controls.

Call 79042628.

9 year experienced industrial painter and sand blaster with Oman driving licence. NOC available. Seeks suitable placement.

Contact ZakeerHussain 96681934.

Transport expert: Oman well experienced in automobile field with various capacities. Experienced in Transport operations, repair maintenance, vehicle registrations, traffic accidents, insurance driver’s safety trainings, IVMS ETC. Contact: 93215759 27 years Indian B.Tech/ BE holder, 2 years experience in teaching & 2 years experience in Networking field now on visit, seeking opportunities in both fields.

Fluent in English.

Contact: 94540639 Email: rajeeshchandran88@gmail.com

B.sc M.L.T, 17 yrs experience lab technician male having Oman MOH license. Contact: 97947123 Indian female Dentist looking for suitable placement, dataflow completed. Contact: 96410448 / 99606013 Iraqi Dentist female, MOH license seeks suitable job in clinic in Muscat. Contact 97891219 Pharmacist (female) passed Prometric 80% marks and dataflow completed having 3 yrs experience in Retail and Hospital Pharmacy, education Doctor of Pharmacy seeks job in Muscat.

Contact 95575270.

Veterinary Doctor: Indian Female looking for a suitable placement.

Contact: 96906534 /99014885, Email: monishmajeed@gmail.com

MANAGER Business Development Head, MBA Marketing & HR Indian Male available in Dubai with Qatar D/L over 16 Years of Diversified, Multiple Location GCC & Africa Work Exposure, Handled Multi Brand Division in Electronics & Home Appliances, FMCG domain at profit center Head Level, Admin, Retail, Seeking job in Trading , Manufacturing Organizations. Kindly Call: +971 544545136, chandraqatar@ gmail.com Male -MBA , qualified ,10 years Managerial experience in GCC / OMAN in FMCG looking for Divisional Manager /BDM position .

NOC and driving license available.

Contact -92405181

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Graphic Designer with NOC (BTech) Hands on Experience in Designing, Media, Publication and Advertising available for interview in Oman (94743460/92300246) tafstafs@gmail.com

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE Looking for part time job Secretarial / Data Entry / Documentation available every day after 5:00 pm Friday / Saturday full day area preferred Ruwi/ CBD/ MBD / Al Khuwair. Contact: 90414827 Lady Secretary / Sales Co-coordinator 12 years experience in Oman in reputed companies, seek immediate Employment. #95244761

SKILLED LABOUR Mechanical/ Piping Engineer (B.Tech.) on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact 94703350 mail: nadeembcoolboy@gmail.com Indian female seeking Software Engineer job, having 2 yrs exp in . NET staying in Oman at resident visa. Contact: 95473758

IT Indian male, BTech (CSE), MCSE, 25, with two years’ experience in IT support and system administration in a multinational firm, on visit visa seeks suitable opportunity, Contact 92655401, e-mail tonysamthomas@gmail.com Oracle / SAP Developers with 6 yrs exp in IT, banking, and Administration domain skill: SQL, PLSQL, SAP BO / BI, SQL server, JBOSS currently in Muscat seeks placement. Contact: 92012405 / 97041071 Sandhya.p4@gmail.com Over 9 years experienced IT support professional looking for suitable opportunities (NOC available).

Contact: 97689128, Email: dd_mcp@hotmail.com Indian Male, MCA Graduate, 15 yrs exp in ERP, CSM Certified, seeking suitable role.NOC Available.

Contact : GSM : 90189284 Email: meetlibran@gmail.com

Industrial microbiologist, 28, female, PG in industrial microbiology, diploma in HACCP, seeking for an opportunity in a well reputed firm.

Contact no. 93850928 email: sre143@gmail.com B.Com,IICL Certified Container Inspector(No.150850),Visit Visa, Six months experience, need placement. Phone 90880935,99023279, Email solexyesudas@gmail.com.

Indian male, 28, post graduate, 6+ yrs exp in Oman in sales (back office) & credit control with valid Oman D/L looking for suitable lacements. NOC available.

Contact 92066 523 Sudanese male bachelor geology and mining with 3 years experience in MUD logging and training in soil investigation. Contact 92956848 BS in Electrical Engineering, Experience: 5 years(Power Plants).

Contact: 92475206 Email: zahaibzafar007@gmail.com

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

Contact: 92610394

Indian male 31 yrs, 5 yrs experience in store keeping & machine operating currently on visit visa looking suitable position. Contact: 94682740 Email: lachul31@gmail.com Indian male looking for job in plumbing, fire fighting & Supervisor.NOC available 17 yrs Gulf exp Contact: 94037530 / 91608797, E mail: jeetusingh500@yahoo.com 6+ yrs experienced Electrical Supervisor, experienced in HT,LT, on visa release available in Oman.

Contact: 95280565

SALES / MARKETING Indian male with 6 years experience in sales in oman. NOC available, looking for suitable placement. Contact 95364128 Indian male 26 years holding MBA with 2 years experience in Sales & Marketing (FMCG) looking for suitable position. Currently on Visit Visa.

Contact: 79050204, Email: jerin.kottanadan@gmail.com Indian male 35 years, B.com and 9 years GCC experience in Sales & Marketing (Transport & Logistic).

Having GCC driving license, looking for suitable placement. #92634281 email: shinojkk1224@ gmail.com

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W E D N E S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 1 , 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION WANTED

MISCELLANEOUS

SALES / MARKETING 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 BE Mechanical Engineer, male, 4+ years sales experience in India and Australia, seeking suitable placement. Immediately available/ salin. sahadevan87@gmail.com, mobile: +968 9426 5550 Immediately available (Indian male) Sales Executive with 7 years experience valid Oman driving license, release / NOC available.

Contact: 92903099 / 99253159, shinethomas1230@gmail.coms Graduate degree 4 years experience as marketing and merchandising in Oman with D/L & NOC available looking for a suitable placement. Contact: 98281478 Email: omerali1478@gmail.com Indian Keralite, male, 30 yrs, 5 years experience as office assistance, out door sales in Saudi Arabia with GCC license Can speak Arabic, English any suitable job currently on visit visa. #99625202 Email: sknr6165@gmail.com B.Com Graduate Indian male having 1 years experience in Oman looking for job in purchase department or in sales deportment with valid Oman driving license.

Contact: 98093949 Indian male 26, MBA in marketing with 4 years experience in marketing and sales looking for suitable opportunities now in visiting visa, having valid GCC D/L. Contact: 98666324 / 98340790 Email: ajithjames@gmail.com Indian male 36 having 14 years experience GCC market in Sales, marketing holding Oman driving license (NOC available) looking for suitable opportunities.

Contact : 94261186 BBA Graduate looking for placement in sales & marketing having valid Omani driving license.

Contact: 96014839 / 99048052 Indian male 1 yr exp in sales automotive (TBL) looking for best opportunity , NOC available.

Contact: 97793879 Email: shyampkn@gmail.com Immediately available with NOC Indian MBA Graduate (male) with 4 years experience in sales & marketing looking for suitable position.

Oman D/L available. #97436706 Email: ansam0691@gmail.com 43 Yrs (Indian Male) MBA - Marketing; 20 years of work experience in Sales, Marketing, Operations & Management. Currently in Muscat on visit visa. Searching for a good job opportunity. #93985519, Email: anshuman28@hotmail.com Indian Male,25 years, born and brought up in Oman,B.COM (Finance),MBA(Pursuing),with valid Omani driving License, presently on visit visa, fluent in English, Arabic(spoken),seeking suitable placement. #92141645,arosh1991@ yahoo.com BBA Bachelor of business administration exp in custom clearance procedure, also done international logistics management & Nimb National Institute business management (US) certification all documentation work related logistics. #– 91949050 / akram.chaush001@gmail.com

Lebanese, 38 yrs, MBA Master in Business Administration in Marketing, sales experience in GCC, UAE, Qatar. 17 yrs experience in Projects Management & companies, GCC driving license.

Contact 79045232, dr.sheaitani@gmail.com Indian male 26 years of experience of sales & marketing in surgical and laboratory equipments.

Looking for good replacement.

Contact – 92015894 /95774854 Indian male 37 years MBA graduate in marketing with 9yrs of experience in UAE in field of brand promotions & marketing with UAE D/L on a visit seeking suitable position.

Conatct 95792820 Business Development Manager Industrial commercial 7 yrs experience in Marketing, Sales, General Administration, well aware of Oman laws, Arabic Nationality with Architectural interior design back ground. Contact: 91308588 Indian male age 24, B.Com. having 2 year experience and currently in visit visa. Looking for suitable placement in Sales, Marketing & finance. Contact: 90766307 Email: shhaazz.007@gmail.com Oil & gas experienced Indian lady with 6 years in sales & marketing to PDO and having valid Omani driving license. #96143430 / 99875919 Indian male Engineering Graduate 6 years experience in Sales & Marketing in Oman with D/L & NOC seeking suitable openings.

Contact: 94386894 Email: tonykuravackal@gmail.com Indian male 42 yrs searching for suitable job, experience in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Saudi D/L holder, fluent in Arabic, English, Hindi Gulf experience 20 yrs manpower co-ordinator, sales & marketing, logistics. Contact: 90518114 Indian Male, MBA marketing 5 yrs exp. in sales & 4 yrs in FMCG sector, looking for best opportunity.

NOC available. Contact: 96001877 Indian Male, 26 M.Com with 4 yrs of Experience in Accounting & Administration in a Financial Company in India, seeks suitable job, Currently in India.

Contact India:-+918907212253 Akhil:-93626288, Email: Sumeshpsmkr1989@gmail.com Indian male Graduate with 18 years of Marketing experience presently in Oman on family visit visa, looking for best opportunity. # 96168687 Email: dhibupaul@gmail.com Indian female 29 years Post Graduate with computer Knowledge 2 years of Oman experience in coordinator & 5 years of experience in customer service, client relation officer with excellent communication skill seeks suitable placement. Contact: 95337665

TOURS & TRAVELS Indian female 25 yrs, Bachelor in Travel & Tourism and 2 year exp in Oman as ticketing executive .GDS-Sabre, Amdeus. Noc Available. contact- 95883404

HOSPITALITY Immediately available with NOC Indian male with 29 years of experience in hospitality industry. Contact : 92459737 Email: edrich31@ gmail.com

B.S.C in electrical, Experience:6 years in factory installation and maintenance and road lighting design and installation. Contact: 99817032, Email:engmmg24@ yahoo.com

26 yrs old, male, Filipino, single, bachelor of science in information technology, looking for a job in any position around Muscat.

Contact 90672737 / 95721841.

Email : cianchay@yahoo.com

B.Com, 2 yrs experience in Oman, Indian Male, 25 yrs with Driving License. Handling day today accounts activities upto finalization.

Proficient in Tally. Looking for suitable placement. Ph. 91470665

7 yrs hotel experience in customer service and sales. 2 years in call center customer service and sales looking out for job in retail for counter sales. Contact 71121806, e-mail:- joe.pet17@gmail.com

B.E Engineer and also did NEBOSH (IGC), Fire and Safety (HABC) First Aid.3 year of Gulf experience As a Safety Engineer looking for job.

Available to join respective firm.

Contact 94618504, Email: shan37yousfani@gmail.com

Indian male Network Cabling technician (19-years Gulf experience) seeking for suitable placement. Contact : 0091-8089909265 (India),mail: mohithavp@gmail.com

7 years experience in banking sector in leasing department, having NOC, can work in leasing, HR, Admin , Accounts, storekeeper, logistic, operations. Contact 94971640,nawab khan from Pakistan Indian Male Cook, have more than 10 years experience in Bakery and hotel field searching for suitable job. Gsm : +968 91894487, Phone : +919894424197 , contactanand31@gmail.com Diploma(Electrical Engineering) From Government polytechnic.

27years, 6 years Experience in Maintenance, troubleshooting and managing and Technical in substation as a Electrical Engineer seek suitable placement. Contact 92995899,a.abbas31@gmail.com Indian Male, Over 9 years of experience in IT support and Accounting with Gulf experience. Now in Oman on visit visa. #92097096.

Indian male 23 undergraduate having experience in restaurant field and having computer and internet skills searching for suitable position in sales, data entry operator etc. Contact:90801420 Gmail:anwaar223969@gmail.com Indian male Accountant.

Completed MBA with 1 year experience, good working knowledge in Tally & Excel. Searching for suitable job. Email: jovin8910@gmail. com, Contact : 919715874548 , 918015907437 33 years, Indian Male MSC, MBAHR having 8 yrs exp. (HR / Payroll / Admin) with Oman valid DL seeking suitable opening in Human Resource, Payroll & Admin/ backend jobs. Contact:00968- 99322978 Indian male 23 years completed BE in electrical engineering Looking for suitable placement.

Contact:alamalsuhail@gmail.com, Contact:+968 9968 2689 Indian male, 23 yrs. looking for suitable job my qualification is Diploma in Electronics, having 3 years of experience in the hardware and networking field.

Contact : - +96897017866.

Bangladeshi Electrical Engineer searching job in Oman. Contact 91997605, e-mail: mohamednazrulislam2@gmail.com Indian male AutoCAD Draughtsman (civil) 8 years experience seeking for part time job.

Contact no: 0096899070584, email: remluvp@gmail.com India, education is bachelor of commerce, experience in India & Oman as Sales & management. looking for a good position any kind of field. languages English, Arabic, Hindi. #968 98718428

Indian male BBA Graduate, looking for any suitable post.

Contact: 97691779 Electronic Systems Engineer (UK Graduate) with skills in Robotics, Programming Languages, IC, PCB Design seeking suitable position, Indian female on Visit Visa.

Contact: 97848075 s.dinesh1508@gmail.com Indian male, MBA Finance & Marketing 28 yrs,6+ Exp, with oman D/L & NOC, Hospital ,Pharma, Herbal ,FMCG, F&B Marketing ,construction A/c & sales. #93379044 Indian male looking for job with driving license any field as driver also. Contact :90559292 10 years’ experience Lady Secretary, Worked in Oman leading companies seeks immediate employment. Call: 93095425 or 24791145 Looking for part time accounting, reconciliation, internal audit, capable of handling any accounts work up to finalization in most of the software independently, 4 yrs experience,contact:97654769 Indian male 26, Having 4 years of experience in Store Supervision & Store In charge looking for a suitable placement having N.O.C ready to join immediately.

Contact : 96671102, E-mail : parvez.mohammed16@gmail.com

Egyptian dentist search about job 13years experience MOH No:10957.

Contact 91146961 Indian male 23 undergraduate having experience in restaurant field and having computer and internet skills searching for suitable position in sales, data entry operator etc. Contact:90801420 Gmail:anwaar223969@gmail.com 33 years, Indian Male MSC, MBAHR having 8 yrs exp. (HR / Payroll / Admin) with Oman valid DL seeking suitable opening in Human Resource, Payroll & Admin/ backend jobs. Contact:00968- 99322978 Male, 23 years with M.Sc degree looking for office job. #99757425 Indian male, age 23, B.E in Mechanical Engineering looking for suitable job. Contact : 91504101 mail: nickfaiz93@gmail.com An Indian senior mechanical engineer capable to start business or enhance existing business locally and internationally is interested to associate. Contact financially sound and decision makers only : 00968 9109 6940. kpopragmatic@gmail.com Indian, 22 yrs, looking for a job in Sales. NOC Available. #90463953, Email: sayyan44@hotmail.com Indian male, 26 years, 3 Years’ experience in Projects of Tanks, Boilers and Steel structures, Aware of int. Standards, B tech in Mech engg. Contact-0091 7350860889 rahulkunnath23@gmail.com, Indian male 21 (B.Com 2Years) having experience in Sales looking for suitable entry-level position.

Contact: 94562777, E-mail: hammadakrami61@gmail.com Mechanical/Production Engineer, 3 years’ experience in production industry, B tech in Mech engg, Proficiency in AutoCAD, Primavera certified.

Contact 0091 9895233155, arn9895@gmail.com

Indian male, 28years, B.techmechanical engineering with 6 years experience as project executive. holds valid UAE driving license. GSM: 93952127

Sr Project Engineer, 30 Years, Mechanical, 8 Yrs. exp. in Oman & Qatar, Qatar Petroleum approved, Experienced in EPIC Projects Tanks, Vessels, Piping, Steel structures. Contact 00974 66772193 Mail;snu057@gmail.com.

Indian Male, 23 yrs, looking for any professional job vacancy my qualification is Diploma in Electronics an i am having 3 years of experience in the hardware and networking field an you can contact me on : - 97017866.

B.E Engineer and also did NEBOSH (IGC), Fire and Safety (HABC) First Aid.3 year of Gulf experience As a Safety Engineer looking for job.

Available to join respective firm.

Contact 94618504, Email: shan37yousfani@gmail.com

Indian male Accountant. Completed MBA with 1 year experience, good working knowledge in Tally & Excel. Searching for suitable job. Email: jovin8910@gmail. com, Contact : 919715874548 , 918015907437

Mechanical Engineer (B.E), Indian, 21 yrs, Fresher, Looking for suitable job in the field, Contact- 92291955 / vishusav@hotmail.com

Electrical Engineer (DEE), Having 17 year Experience (14 year in Gulf), Experts in Estimation, Design, Planning and construction activities of MEP work, seek Similar Placement with D/L & NOC Available. Contact: 97007489 Indian, bachelor of Commerce, experience in India & Oman as Sales & Management looking for a good position any kind of field. languages English, Arabic & Hindi.

Contact 98718428 Indian male 21 bachelor’s of commerce (B.com) having 1 year experience as a salesmen in denhillz international and looking for job as a salesman in Oman.

Contact: 94562777 Email: hammadakrami61@gmail.com Bangladeshi male 22 years, education: Pre - sea marine Engineer searching job in Oman. Cell: +8801715600971, e-mail:saifur6264@gmail.com Experience in managing and supervising a restaurant having computer, commercial, and marketing Skills looking for job in Oman. Contact :90801420, Email: anwaar223969@gmail.com Mechanical Engineering, Indian Male, 23, 6 months experience, done piping engineering course, on visit visa, seeks suitable job. Contact: 95427632, email:kausthubnarayan@gmail.com Indian male 23 years completed BE in electrical engineering, looking for suitable placement.

Contact: alamalsuhail@gmail.com, Contact:+968 9968 2689

Electronics Technician , 4 Years experience as Electronics service engineer. Knowledge in all type of Electronics items. Looking for suitable placement. GSM- 99105043 BS in Civil Engineering, experience: 8 Year (Road Projects), Omani license: 9 Years.

Contact: 97427701, Email: hassanrvc1989@gmail.com Indian male 33 yrs, MBA-HR with 10.6 yrs.exp. in Recruitment, Training, PMS, OD, Sites-HR and Omani nationals development,seeking a job, NOC avl. Contact 94179499 Email: saiprasad_18@yahoo.com Looking for a job as Sales man or any suitable job. Contact 94401228.

Indian male 23 undergraduate having experience in restaurant field and having computer and internet skills searching for suitable position in same field.

Contact:90801420 Gmail:anwaar223969@gmail.com 3 years’ experience in production industry, B tech in Mech engg, Proficiency in AutoCAD, Primavera certified, Contact arn9895@gmail. com. Mob 00919895233155 Indian male looking for part time job. Preferred time from 8 am to 12.30 pm. Contact: 79062787 Indian Male,26 years, 3 Years’ experience in Projects of Tanks, Boilers and Steel structures Aware of int. Stds,B tech in Mech engg.

Contact-Mob-00917350860889 rahulkunnath23@gmail.com Indian male, 23 yrs, BE in Mechanical Engineering looking for suitable job. Contact : 91504101 mail: nickfaiz93@gmail.com

Indian Male, Accountant, 10 years Oman experienced having release letter presently in oman seeking for a suitable placement.

Contact : 99334770/ 99743709 Indian female 10 years as cook in Muscat, Oman . South Indian, Gujarati special food ,Looking for part time. Contact 95795971 Fire & Safety Officer, 22 Years old, Indian expatriate seeking for a suitable placement. 2 years of experience. Ready for immediate joining. Contact : +968-97682273, Email: maniavbah555@gmail.com MECHANICAL ENGINEER ( B.E.,)Indian male, 7 Years of experience in thermal power plant, Pump station and utilities piping Erection & commissioning. Contact: madhavansakthi@gmail.com, Cell No: +968 98208500 Indian male: 24 years, diploma in computer science and B.E (CSE) having experience in hardware and networking seeking for the suitable job. Contact: 91170912, Email id: sales2@witoman.com Pakistani male looking for House boy and cleaning work.

GSM:96710189 Indian male BBA Graduate, looking for any suitable post.

Contact: 97691779 6 years experience in Admin, Accounts & Marketing B.com Qualification NOC & D.L is available. 98895739 Mechanical Engineer (B.E), Indian, 21 yrs, Fresher, Looking for suitable job in the field, Contact- 92291955 / vishusav@hotmail.com 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, 11 years exp. in accounting, knowledge in tally also. looking for a part time job.

Contact . 98983122 Internal Auditor/Accountant : BCOM /CA INTER having 7 years experience under Chartered Accountant in India and 10 years as internal auditor/ Accounts manager in Oman , well versed with Tally and MS office , seeks suitable placement.

Contact : 93214484/91358384 1.5 years experienced, 6 months in Oman, electrical engineer/ project engineer, experience in sub-station, MV, LV systems. power and oil & gas projects. NOC available. Contact : 94669679 mail:prsabarish@gmail.com Electrical Engineer (DEE), Having 17 year Experience (14 year in Gulf), Experts in Estimation, Design, Planning and construction activities of MEP work seek Similar Placement with D/L & NOC Available. Contact: 97007489 4 years experience in IT Executive .i come on a visit visa seeking placement contact 94948622.

Email Jarar.haider@yahoo.com whatapp 00923142195074 Indian Female, 28 Yrs, M.Sc Comp Science having 3 years experience as a Lecturer/Teacher/IT Support with excellent computer skills, on family visa looking for suitable position. Pls Contact 92857417.

Indian male 25, Graduate in Civil Engineering (B.E) having 3 years of experience in Site Execution & Quantity Surveyor looking for a suitable placement having Visa Release & Valid Driving License Contact : 96240153 / 97490311, E-mail : mdmosin33@gmail.com BE Electronic & Telecom Eng. 2yrs Exp in telecom copper and fibre cables, able to do project sales & support. Project installation & Commissioning, Exp in telecom related civil job. Contact 97423932, Email: mzeeshanshaikh89@gmail.com Indian male 23 diploma in automobile engineering have experience in handling accounts and good marketing skill searching for new suitable job. contact 90801420, Email: anwaar223969@gmail.com B.Com Pakistani, 6 years experience of marketing NOC and D.L is available 0096898895739

W E D N E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 1 , 2 0 1 6

D7

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED CARGO

RENT A CAR

RENT A CAR

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED Economics Specialist: Female , MA & M.Phil/PhD_ in ECONOMICS .

10 years experience Banking/Lecturer/Customer Service/Trainer currently Looking for job contact cell:97457248 Indian male diploma electrician (EEE) and fire and safety officer course. six months good experience searching for suitable job.

Gmail:benatvinith@gmail.com, Mobile number:8098221471 / 7639675548 Petrochemicals specialist , MBA 18 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN OIL FIELDS COM/plastics /Automobile/ construction/Polymer/Packaging, e-procurement /COMMERCIAL/ PURCHASE / LOGISTICS / SCM NOC available .Contact: vved76@gmail.com and cell:97813849 B.Com Graduate, Keralite with 4 years Gulf experience in Basic accounts and Office Administration is looking for a suitable job in Stores / Office Administration / Indoor Sales or as Accounts Asst. Presently working as Office Administrator-cum-Accounts Asst. in Oman. NOC available. Contact: 97375439.

B.E Engineer and also did NEBOSH (IGC), Fire and Safety (HABC) First Aid.3 year of Gulf experience As a Safety Engineer looking for job.

Available to join respective firm.

Contact # 94618504, Email: shan37yousfani@gmail.com Senior sales/marketing executive. Experience in trading industries and thorough knowledge of Oman market. Driving license and NOC available, seeks senior position. Contact: 98487311 Chief Accountant , 7 years experienced ( 25 years experience in accounts) worked with reputed group companies , handling accounts, auditing, tax work, budgeting & banking facilities , seeks openings Contact 98803439 / 97413784 Indian male Post graduate Dentist with 18 plus years experience with MOH Oman. Fluent in Arabic too.

Contact : 96689064/ amal_sam48@hotmail.com Indian male B.Tech, DCE Civil Engineer 14 years Gulf experience.

Contact 97045409

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED Indian male 37years btech civil engineer,13years oman experiense in buildings and infrastructure(steel) having d/l and noc is now in oman on visit visa,ready to join immediately.

Contact : 93641216 , EMAIL: shalabha02@yahoo.com Indian male, 25 years, diploma in computer science and B.E(CSE) having experience in hardware and networking seeking for the suitable job. Contact: 93879828, Email id: santoshannathurai@gmail.com Indian/male (25)/ MBA/3 years experience in administration, sales and marketing with driving license. Fluent in English, Hindi, Arabic. Contact 97291114, MAIL: jawadazeez123@gmail.com Indian 30 years, Autocad Draftsman 10 years experience in India.

2 years Oman experience in MEP Drawings and QS Estimation.

Contact: 9353 1192, 9086 4988 Senior sales/marketing executive.

Experience in trading industries and thorough knowledge of Oman market. Driving licence and NOC available. Seeks senior position.

Pls contact: 98487311 MBA with 18 years of experience in Procurement, 2 years in Sohar, Oman driving license, looking for suitable position.M:92507430, ahmed16071974@gmail.com, NOC available B.E Engineer and also did NEBOSH (IGC), Fire and Safety (HABC) First Aid.3 year of Gulf experience As a Safety Engineer looking for job. Available to join respective firm. Contact number contact 94618504, Email: shan37yousfani@gmail.com

25 - 50 seater bus with PDO & BP specification for monthly rent & small car with driver.

Contact 99839898

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED Indian male 23 yrs, Diploma in Automobile Engineering have experience in handling accounts and good marketing skill searching for new suitable job. #90801420, Email: anwaar223969@ gmail.com Male Indian current job : call center job, B.E (ECE) searching for suitable job, email: amirraj11691@gmail.com. mobile: +919677642346 / +918428617572

SITUATION WANTED SIT. WANTED MECHANICAL ENGINEER, Indian Male,26 years, 3 Years’ experience in Projects of Tanks, Boilers and Steel structures, Aware of int.

Standards,B tech in Mech engg.

Contact-rahulkunnath23@gmail. com, Mob-00917350860889

Indian/male(26)/MBA/2 years experience in procurement, coordination and distribution management, with valid oman license available for immediate joining.#92536194 email:suhailbs@gmail.com

23 Male Indian 3 year experience in restaurant manager & accountant job & marketing experience looking for suitable job. Contact: 90801420 , WhatsApp no :+917411062397, E-mail: anwaar223969@gmail.com

Experienced Restaurant Manager/ supervisor, direct sales searching for suitable position Indian male 23 Diploma in Automobile engineering. Contact: 90801420, Email: anwaar223969@gmail.com

TEKLA & AutoCAD.5 years Oman experience in project execution and detail drawing of Steel structures, site and shop erected tanks.

Diploma in mech.Engg. Contact 98486585, sinoshcs@gmail.com.

Sr Project Engineer, 30 Years, Mechanical, 8 Yrs. experience in Oman & Qatar, Qatar Petroleum approved, Experienced in EPIC Projects Tanks, Vessels, Piping, Steel structures Mail; snu057@gmail.com, Ph-00974 66772193

Diploma in Surveyor, experience: 7 years. Contact: 91704969 Email: mohammedgharib1277@gmail.com

4 years experience in IT Executive and also ticketing staff, seeking placement Contact 94948622.

Email Jarar.haider@yahoo.com Part Time accounting works up to finalization, on monthly basis & yearly finalization works.

Contact.94216296./tchacko971@ gmail.com

Indian Male 23 Photographer searching for suitable job.

Contact 90801420 WhatsApp: +917411062397 for my sample shots, Email: anwaar223969@gmail.com MECHANICAL/PRODUCTION ENGINEER, 3 years’ experience in production industry, B tech in Mech engg, Proficiency in AutoCAD, Primavera certified, Contact- arn9895@gmail.com Mob 00919895233155

INDIAN FEMALE 28 yrs, M.Sc B.ed Science, Experience 2Years In Teaching In India, seeking suitable Job. Contact 0091 9676814123, Email;bbroshini53@gmail.com Indian male 32 years (MBA) Having 7 years experience in Oman, Seeking for Business Development/ Business Support job, having Valid Oman Driving License.

Mobile No : 00968 98403599 Indian female B.E (I.T): Good experience in documentation and CRM. Having good communication skills. Seeking for job from reputed organization. Previous experience in Oman and India. Contact - 97301058, 97136975.

Indian male (B.com.ca) Accountant 2years Good Working Experience Doing Microsoft XL, Tally ERP9 Better Knowledge in Accounting System searching For suitable job.Email:francissing45@ gmail.com Contact Number: +917402071947/+919894022811 Indian Female, 36 years with 6 years of proven experience in Administrative/Secretarial and Teaching proficiency having excellent Computer & Communication skills. Possess a valid Driving License. Seeking immediate placement. NOC Available - 79065320, 99363159

Indian Male ,MBA Finance & Marketing 28 yrs,6+ Exp, with oman D/L & NOC, Hospital ,Pharma ,Herbal ,FMCG, F&B Marketing ,construction A/c & sales , 93379044 Indian Male, 37 Yrs Age, M.Com looking for Job any reputed organization. Having more than 9 years in Muscat in the area of HR & Admin seeks suitable position. Contact: 95218424 / 9610 6604. NOC shall be provided by Current Co. Indian female, B.com Graduate with 1 year of exp. in same field, holding valid Oman driving license. Contact: 94194031 / 96357976 Indian male 25, Graduate in commerce (B.com) having 2 years of experience in Accounts looking for a suitable placement presently on a visit visa. Contact : 97939084 / 97351786 E-mail : mohammednsr126@gmail.com B.E Engineer and also did NEBOSH (IGC), Fire and Safety (HABC) First Aid.3 year of Gulf experience As a Safety Engineer looking for job.

Available to join respective firm.

Contact # 94618504, Email: shan37yousfani@gmail.com Part- Time Accountant, well experience senior accountant, doing all type of accounting works, Finalization, Budgeting available.

Contact 98803439

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W E D N E S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 1 , 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 TOURS

SITUATION WANTED COMPUTER/WEB./ EDU./CLASSES

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

We arrange tours & accommodation at all the beautiful places in Oman. Contact 99839898

SITUATION WANTSERVICES

in Azaiba and Ruwi

• Learn in two months • Satisfaction guaranteed

Tel: 95244310

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

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

Pest control & Building cleaning all kinds of pest control building. Cleaning tiles / Marble polishing monthly/ Yearly contracts available.

Contact: 98814733 /98814740 Al Husn Cleaning L.L.C

SITUATION WANTSERVICES

SERVICES We Provide Cleaners, Office boys, Cleaning Contracts, General cleaning etc.

Al Mudakhir National Est. LLC Contact : 94277020

Window & split unit A.C servicing & repairing. Contact: 99557080 Split unit & widow unit A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact 95323517 / 93769089 Carpet Shampoo, marble & tile polishing, pest control & anti-termite treatment, general cleaning painting,Plumbing, Electrical, shifting. Contact Mundhir Al-Rizaiqi trading. L.L.C. Contact: 24810137, 99450130

GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/24792998 For building maintenance plumbing, painting and electric works contact Midawa trading & cont, EST. Contact: 98937266 Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance.

Contact ABU QABAS- 99320217 /24788722

MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble.

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