Times of Oman - August 24, 2016

WEDNESDAY August 24, 2016 20 Dhul Qa’ada 1437 AH

6 085010 120010 FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTY THE SULTAN

On the occasion of the 13th National Day, 1983

‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’ When one is young, one must think and plan with ambition for the future. It is a time for imagination, expectation and hope, but young people must waste no time in getting down to the practical work of carrying out their national obligations.

Founded 1975 . Volume 41 No. 155 | 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

YELLOW CHILLI OMAN

UKRAINE

Sanjeev Kapoor to judge culinary show live on Times TV

HM sends greetings MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable of congratulations to President Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine on the occasion of his country’s Independence Anniversary.

In his cable, His Majesty the Sultan has expressed his sincere congratulations and best wishes to President Poroshenko and the Ukrainian people. -ONA SINGAPORE

HM sends condolences MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable of condolences to President Dr. Tony Tan Keng Yam of the Republic of Singapore on the death of the former Singaporean president Sellapan Ramanathan .

In his cable, His Majesty the Sultan has expressed his sincere condolences and sympathy to President Keng Yam, the Singaporean people and the deceased’s family. -ONA TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

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TRA warns against SIM card misuse

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TRA has warned people against buying mobile SIM cards for others. >A4

PAKISTAN

Pakistani forces seal MQM headquarters

EYE ON TALENT: Celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor will judge the final of the cooking competition at Panorama Mall.

Times News Service

BORROWING TOO MUCH LANDING MANY IN DEBT DEEBA HASAN

deeba@timesofoman.com

Experts are

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advising people to

MARKET

as extravagance

Hospitality market set to touch $1b

may land them in

Pakistani forces raided the headquarters of MQM party in Karachi . >A9

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Oman’s hospitality market is expected to reach $1b in 2020. >B1

borrow sensibly

deep trouble and ruin their life

MUSCAT: Some borrowers in Oman have got themselves in so much debt they are asking banks to take them to court so that they can go to prison to eat.

The worrying state of affairs for some was revealed to Times of Oman by a recovery department official at a local Omani bank, who also said his bank had seen an increase in debt defaulters this year as

FROM NEXT MONTH

Labour complaints portal to open for all Times News Service

MORNING MINUTE

MUSCAT: Omani and expat workers all across the country will be able to submit labour complaints against their employers online to the Ministry of Manpower starting from September. The web portal will be

launched on a two-month trial basis, and will be open for all the governorates of Oman, the ministry tweeted on Tuesday.

Currently, the service is available to workers registered with companies operating in Muscat only. It is available in both in Arabic and English.

O M A N T E L L E A D S T H E WAY

Remote areas to get internet access through hot air balloons Staff Reporter MUSCAT: Oman is conducting ground-breaking research with the test launch of a hot air balloon that provides 4G and WiFi connections to people on the ground.

The cutting edge communications breakthrough combines one of the world’s oldest forms of travel with one of the fastest ways to surf.

Omantel - the Sultanate’s telecoms provider - tied up with researchers at Sultan Qaboos University to put WiFi in the sky.

An Omantel spokesman said they hoped to provide coverage to many more people and tap remote regions using the new technology.

“It will also be very useful

where there is a large gathering of people, ensuring uninterrupted access to the web.”

Raed Qassim Al Zaffari, head of Portable Solutions at Omantel said, “The concept of such an air balloon in not entirely new, but it’s happening globally, however this is the first time it has come to Oman. It will provide high quality

services because there are no obstacles of mountains or buildings, and you can depend on it in cases of emergencies and it can be utilised for different purposes, such as aerial photography, live TV broadcasts, and others.”

The first successful trial of this exciting prospect was launched yesterday at the Sultan Qaboos University’s premises by Omantel, in cooperation with the university to provide mobile coverage and support science, research and innovation. This project will help find alternative solutions to provide communication during emergencies and to expand them across geographical locations that doesn’t allow access to traditional services. >A5

economic conditions in the Sultanate tighten.

Bank officials, charities, religious leaders and financial advisers have called on the public to borrow responsibly and consider whether they can afford repayments before getting into money trouble.

It comes after a recent IMF (International Monetary Fund) report which warned that low oil prices could lead to a rise in nonperforming loans across the Gulf. >A4

MUSCAT: Celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor will crown Yellow Chilli Oman’s Kitchen Master of 2016 on Wednesday - and speak exclusively live with Times TV on Times of Oman’s facebook page from noon onwards.

Yellow Chilli Oman has invited cooking enthusiasts to battle it out at Panorama Mall and win the coveted title. The mall space is going to be turned into a culinary battlefield.

Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, who is the most celebrated face of In-

dian cuisine, will be in Oman on Wednesday at the same venue to judge the much-awaited finale of the cooking competition where the winner will be crowned the Yellow Chilli Kitchen Master 2016.

Cooking show host, Master chef judge, cookbook author and restaurateur, Sanjeev Kapoor has been a household name for most Indians for almost two decades now.

Watch him this Wednesday in an exclusive interview with Times TV live on Times of Oman’s facebook page.

Fahad Al Hasni voted Seahorse Sailor of the Month

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

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TRA wants to educate subscribers in Oman that they need to protect themselves from abuse, identity theft, and the legal and financial implications of parting with one’s SIM ‘Don’t lend your SIM’ >A4

Indian defence delegation visits State Council

The two sides exchanged viewpoints and discussed several matters of common concern

Times News Service MUSCAT: An Indian delegation from the prestigious National Defence College (NDC), which is currently visiting the Sultanate, was received at the State Council on Tuesday.

Yahyya Rasheed Rashid Al Juma, bureau member and Sheikh Nasser bin Said Nasser Al Haddabi, member of Legal Com-

mittee at the State Council, greeted the NDC delegation headed by Maj Gen Satinder Singh, senior faculty, upon their arrival.

At the outset of the meeting, Al Juma wished them a pleasant stay in the Sultanate, success in their desired objectives and wished enhancement in the bonds of bilateral cooperation between the two friendly countries. He praised the existing relations and link between the Sultanate and India.

Discussions The two sides exchanged viewpoints and discussed several matters of common concern.

On his part, Maj Gen Singh expressed deepest thanks and appreciation to the Council members for their warm hospitality and added that they consider the visit as very important for current and future relations.

They praised the development evolution witnessed by the Sultanate under the leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said

and prayed for his good health and happiness and further progress and prosperity of the Sultanate.

The visit included a tour of the Council’s premises and a presentation dedicated to the State Council’s profile, conducted by Altaf Omar Said Al Mahroon, director of the Economic and Financial Research Department at the Research Centre of the Council.

Detailed explanation The delegation received a detailed explanation about the functions and powers of the Council, and the tasks and responsibilities entrusted to it and gained a vital understanding of Oman’s Parliamentary process. The presentation also included a detailed explanation of the organisational setup of the State Council, the various organs that it is comprised of, and the responsibilities and tasks assigned to it. The visit ended with an exchange of souvenirs, and tour of the Council building to view its facilities.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

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CHARITY

‘Big Book Sale’ of Dar Al Atta’a to be held on August 27

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Don’t wait for VAT law, act now: Tax expert

Times News Service MUSCAT: Dar Al Atta’a, the leading charity organisation in Oman, is holding its ‘Big Book Sale’ on August 27 from 10am to 1pm.

The sale will be held at Let’s Read, Dar Al Atta’a’s charity bookshop, located in the Qurum Complex.

There will be a 50 per cent discount offered on books.

According to Dar Al Atta’a, hundreds of books will be available to choose from for both adults and children.

The price of books will be 500 baisas to OMR 1.

The Let’s Read campaign is designed to encourage reading amongst people in Oman. Dar Al Atta’a has successfully held this event before, in which scores

Businesses and individuals need to

Businesses would also need to build an appropriate input tax credit allocation model, particularly when they have both exempt and taxable supplies

VAT-proof their lives and livelihoods as the new tax—likely to be around 5 per cent— will directly impact almost all aspects of of book lovers from all ages and nationalities gather to purchase books. For more information contact letsreadoman@gmail. com or call 99314230

buying and selling

A E JAMES

businesseditor@timesofoman.com EMBASSY

Philippines voter registration notice Times News Service MUSCAT: Philippines’ expatriates living in Oman, who are not otherwise disqualified by law and are at least 18 years of age on May 13, 2019, and who are registered overseas voters, may vote for senators and party list representatives in 2019, according to a notice issued by the Philippines Embassy in Muscat.

According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information’s (NCSI’s) data, in June 2016 the number of Philippines expatriates in Oman stood at 38,309, of which 25,293 are females.

The notice stated that expats can start filing their applications for registration from December

1, 2016, with the deadline being October 31, 2018. “The 30-day voting period will commence on April 13, 2019 and continue till May 13, 2019 (Philippine time) at the Philippines Embassy in Muscat. The time of voting will be announced later,” it said.

To register, all applications must personally appear at the Philippines Embassy in Muscat for biometrics capturing.

“While coming for biometrics, they should bring a photocopy of the valid passport or if they are a dual citizen, a copy of the oath of allegiance or proof of Philippine citizenship from the Bureau of Immigration; or for seamen and a copy of the seaman’s book,” the notice explained.

MUSCAT: Omani companies are adopting a wait-and-see approach towards value added tax (VAT), instead of tackling it head on, and lagging behind other Gulf countries as a result, according to financial analysts.

The Gulf Cooperation Council needs to prepare for the proposed introduction of VAT, which is expected in January 2018, according to KPMG. Businesses and individuals need to VAT-proof their lives and livelihoods as the new tax—likely to be around 5 per cent—will directly impact almost all aspects of buying and selling.

Not proactive Ashok Hariharan of KPMG noted that in Oman, businesses have not been as proactive as some of the larger businesses in the United Arab Emirates in terms of getting ready for VAT implementation.

“Given that there will be significant constraints on information technology vendors, as well as VAT consultants, it is important that

TOURISM

Salalah Airport welcomes 93,000 Khareef visitors

Times News Service MUSCAT: Salalah Airport welcomed more than 284,000 Khareef visitors from 15th June to 15th August, according to the latest visitor data published by the National Center for Statistical Information (NCSI).

The statistical centre reported that of the 529,000 people who visited the region during the Khareef season, 93,000 arrived at Salalah Airport, travelling on 2,263 local and international flights.

Salim bin Awadh Al Yafaei, Salalah Airport General Manager, noted that the terminal experienced an unprecedented number of passengers and put measures in place to accommodate the high number of arriving visitors.

“Despite the large numbers, the airport staff welcomed travellers with the highest levels of professionalism, ensuring smooth and efficient immigration, customs and baggage procedures. Overall, passengers to Salalah Airport experienced short waiting times, which is clear evidence of the professionalism and readiness of the airport staff, despite the airport only becoming operational in June 2015,” said Al Yafaei.

Further, Salalah Airport’s Operations Manager, Ali Bakhet-

Fadhel, noted, “In a high pressure environment, professional and responsive airport staff are key to ensuring that procedures and protocols are followed smoothly, and thus preventing any delays for passengers. Our staff conducted their work according to the highest international standards, welcoming thousands of passengers each day and ensuring their experience at the airport is as pleasant and brief as possible.”

Pleasantly surprised Speaking about his experience at Salalah Airport, Hisham Abdulmajeed from UAE said, “I travel regularly for work, and often with my family, so I understand that sometimes there are delays at immigration and baggage counters after flights. When I travelled to Salalah, however, I was pleasantly surprised by the speed and professionalism of the airport staff to ensure all passengers proce-

dures were completed quickly so visitors can make the most of the beauty Salalah has to offer.”

Also, a regular traveller to Salalah, Omani national Mohamed Al Hadhrami, commented, “The Khareef season is a permanent fixture in my yearly travel schedule, and I visit Salalah every year at this time. Because of the distance involved, I prefer to travel by plane, rather than by car. When I arrived this year, I was astounded by the friendly reception and personal service provided by the airport staff. I would like to thank the airport management for their efforts in delivering professional and friendly services, which are fantastic, considering the large footfall during this season.”

Gateway to the Dhofar region, Salalah Airport began operating in June 2015 as Oman’s second major passenger airport. Spanning over 65,000 sqm and inspired by traditional Omani architecture, the airport houses 28 counters and self-service booths, eight airline bridges, multiple retail stores and restaurants, a VIP lounge and a car park with as many as 1,957 parking spaces.

The airport has a current capacity of 2 million passengers each year,with future expansions planned to cater to up to 6 million passengers annually.

Ashok Hariharan KPMG

businesses start planning for VAT implementation now rather than wait for relevant legislation to be issued,” he stated.

“Businesses would also need to build an appropriate input tax credit allocation model, particularly when they have both exempt and taxable supplies.”

January 1, 2018 deadline The GCC countries have been maintaining that VAT would be implemented from January 1, 2018.

If this target date is met, then businesses will have only around 16 months to be VAT savvy.

A number of large business groups and multinational companies in the region are already taking steps to get ready. While the GCC framework agreement and the individual country VAT legislations are yet to be finalised, there

are a number of things businesses could do now to get ready for VAT implementation, according to the report.

As far as GCC governments are concerned, apart from the legislation, each GCC country would need to ensure that sufficient personnel are recruited for administering VAT and they are sufficiently trained so that they are able to assist businesses implement VAT efficiently.

“Further, each GCC state would need to ensure that appropriate IT systems are put in place to handle VAT returns and refunds as a manual filing process will not work for VAT. “If a particular GCC country concludes that the target of January 1, 2018 cannot be achieved, then their implementation would be delayed by a few months or even a year.”

5 per cent VAT Hariharan explained that VAT is likely to be introduced at the rate of 5 per cent and it will apply to supplies of all goods and services.

As far as goods are concerned, it would be a tax over and above the customs duty, which is currently paid on the import of goods. There are likely to be certain supplies, for example basic food, which would be taxed at a zero rate.

Sherry L. Colbourne, managing partner, Start up Oman, said: “No, SMEs are not prepared for VAT. SMEs would have to work with their accountants to understand the impact and then implement changes in their IT infrastructure in order to ensure that VAT is executed properly. I’m hoping the government would work to create information sessions that would help SMEs understand the implication of VAT on various sectors.”

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

OMAN

50%

of bank loans go to retail consumers in the form of personal loans, housing and car loans, and people are given long term repayment periods, so there is a tendency to over borrow

A VILLAGE WHERE THE PAST AND THE PRESENT LIVE IN HARMONY Misfat Al Abriyeen, a village in the Al Hajar Mountain Range, is a historically important village that is accessible without an SUV unlike most other places in the Al Hajar Mountains. The village has an old irrigation system, narrow unpaved pathways and scenic suroundings along with an ancient fort that stands guard over the village, which some call a small paradise surrounded by palm trees. The village has opened itself up to outsiders recently and shows no signs of any modern infrastructure. For visitors, it is possible to stay in the restored mud brick house with every amenity available, allowing people to get a taste of the ancient lifestyle.

‘Don’t lend your SIM’ The legal liability in case of a SIM misuse is the subscriber’s

Times News Service MUSCAT: People who buy mobile phone SIM cards to give to others are liable for the numbers registered to them, the TRA has warned.

People leaving the country for good should cancel their SIM card before leaving so that it cannot be misused, the official said.

Speaking to the Times of Oman, Hilal Al Siyabi, media and events manager at TRA, said mobile subscribers in the Sultanate should be responsible for their own SIM cards and bear all the consequences in case any of them is misused.

“TRA wants to educate subscribers in Oman that they need to protect themselves from abuse, identity theft, and the legal and financial implications of parting with one’s SIM,” he stressed.

This is being done to curb the phenomenon of using new mobile phone numbers and leaving them for others to use.

He also said that the “My Number, My Identity” campaign, which TRA has launched, is also producing good results. “The campaign was launched in collaboration with leading telecom operators to increase awareness following a growing number of complaints about fake IDs, impersonation and other forms of abuse related to SIM cards. The campaign will educate mobile users to use registered and identified SIM cards only. Users should also understand

Hilal Al Siyabi

the legal liability, which may arise from them giving their SIM cards to others. Fake SIM cards might be used to disturb others,” Al Siyabi explained.

“The goal of the campaign is to spread awareness among users of telecom devices on not using, selling or transferring phone numbers that are not registered under their names, avoid transferring numbers to other users when leaving the Sultanate, and striving to uphold the number allocation policy,” he added. Al Siyabi also cautioned subscribers who leave the country or switch to another service to cancel their SIM card’s registration with the service provider.

Regarding the maximum number of SIM cards allowed per subscriber in the Oman, he said mobile users can subscribe to up to 10 SIM cards per operator, but they should use them responsibly.

“The mobile subscribers’ role is to protect their SIM cards and to maintain their privacy; these should not be given to other users to avoid any misuse that may occur since the registered owner of the number will be legally and financially accountable,” Al Siyabi reiterated.

ECONOMY

< FROM

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Rise in number of loan defaulters

The bank official, who preferred not to be named, said, “Some are in such desperate conditions, they literally ask us when we are taking them to court, so that they can go to prison and at least get food to eat there.

Extravagant “We have lots of debt defaulters from last year because along with companies cutting jobs, people have also spent the borrowed money on essentials, some have also been extravagant using them for travel and other such things, and there is hardly any income.”

The official spoke of a debtor in his late twenties who took a loan of OMR20,000 and has not paid anything back for two years.

“His monthly instalment to us was OMR200 and he is now offering to pay us OMR50 per month, which is not acceptable. At the time of taking the loan, his salary was OMR400 and the reason he is not able to pay any of his instalments now is because he is jobless and has to support his wife and children.”

Struggling to pay back Rashid, an Omani spoke about his cousin who took a bank loan to get married, “My cousin took a big loan to prepare for the wedding and the honeymoon. He and his wife decided to divorce once they got back. He is struggling to pay his loans back with the help of his family now because his income is not great and the current economic crisis has had an impact of his salary too.”

It’s not just debtors struggling to pay banks who are getting into trouble, one charity revealed how some hard-up families were borrowing from friends and family to make ends meet. Dar Al Atta’ a local charity which helps underprivileged families, has a file which only records cases of people who seek help to pay back their loans.

“We usually we don’t accept cases of people taking loans from

banks because that involves interest. So we deal with those who have borrowed money from someone to pay their rents or bills or to buy something for their children and the amount varies from OMR600 to OMR2,000, and we don’t accept applications for higher amounts.

“This year we have received 50 applications so far and we might get more through the course of the year, only 16 applications have been approved until now.” said May Al Bayat, marketing manager at Dar Al Atta’a.

Sheikh Hilal Al Rashdi, advisor at the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs, advised people to consider carefully if they can afford to repay before taking loans from anyone.

“I don’t advice people to take loans if they don’t have enough money to repay later and this leads to the legal issue of ‘harming yourself’, so it’s advisable to not take loans,” he said. The bank official said that financial institutions in Oman try to be understanding of people’s circumstances, and prefer to work with those in debt to find a solution.

He said, “It is true that some people have nothing to give us, and according to our policy after the third instalment is not paid and when it’s time for the fourth, we can take legal action. However we give some people with genuine reasons extra time and hunt for the ones who are dodging us.”

Consequences “People change their jobs because the companies are registered with the bank and so we take half the person’s salary when it is deposited. So some people think it is better for them to move to another company and give a different bank account there and open a new number, sometimes they even change their houses to escape.”

The official said that people need to be made aware about the consequences of taking loans,

Borrow responsibly: Experts Times News Service MUSCAT: Financial experts in Oman also warned that this year people could find themselves in serious debt if they don’t borrow responsibly, in line with the IMF warnings.

“There is a likelihood of increase in the number of debtors especially when there is a fall in economy.

Banks should be cautious and frequently review trends in defaults of these borrowers.” said a financial expert based in Oman.

“It is also very much possible that people are borrowing more than once to pay back their previous debts, I don’t want to rule that out.”

He has also observed that expat remittances have dwindled. “The other day I was standing at a remittance centre, and seeing fewer people I asked them why no crowd, so they replied that this has been the phenomenon for many days. This indicates that expat remittances have dwindled which means companies are cutting jobs and reducing salaries and all this cumulatively will

they need to be educated to borrow responsibly.

“Institutions and Ministries need to take up the responsibility of advising people to make them understand that if they have a financial problem, they manage it and not take loans,” he said.

Roma Fernandes, clinical psychologist at the Whispers of Seren-

have an impact on the paying capacity of the borrowers.

He further went on to speak about high inclination of the tendency to borrow in Oman.

“About fifty per cent of bank loans go to retail consumers in the form of personal loans, housing and car loans, and people are given long term repayment periods, so there is a tendency to over borrow due to the sort of consumerism, that’s prevailing in Oman because of the very lenient pricing structure and long term repayment structures.”

Another financial expert, Jose Chacko says that the rise in non-payment of individual debts is a recent phenomenon. “I believe this is something which I believe has started very recently, in maybe the last two months, where people are not able to pay back their borrowings from banks. Reasons concern the economy, there are job cuts due to smaller budgets, benefit cuts, sub contractors are not being paid by the main contractors, people are also not getting more projects to work on because of the budget cuts.”

ity Clinic, said: “We do see clients on a regular basis who are stressed due to non-payment of debt.

“Many times debt is like a cycle, and when a person can’t get rid of loans, they develop depression and frustration. This creates a pattern of negative thinking, which causes depression, anxiety disorder and stress.”

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N E W FA C I L I T Y O P E N S

British ambassador stresses importance of vocational training Times News Service MUSCAT: British Ambassador to Oman, Jon Wilks highlighted the importance of vocational training at the opening of the new training facility of the National Training Institute (NTI).

The new training facility in Ghala was inaugurated under the auspices of Sayyid Tarik bin Sha-

bib, by Raoul Restucci, managing director of Petroleum Development Oman and the British Ambassador to Oman.

Talking about the potential this nation has to offer, Wilks said: “I can see that the future of the Sultanate looks so bright looking at the investment that is going into developing the local talent, especially in the oil and gas sector. I

am happy that a British company (Babcock Oman) is playing a pivotal role in building the potential of this nation and we at the British Embassy are committed to playing our part in it.”

Lawrence Alva, chief executive officer of NTI said, “The facility is a testimony of NTI’s commitment to building the competency of the nation’s employees and creating

100 bed dialysis facility opens in Shinas wilayat The unit has been set up for people in the Al Batinah region, who were earlier forced to travel much longer distances for dialysis

Times News Service MUSCAT: About 100 patients can now benefit from the new dialysis facility established and operated by the Ministry of Health (MoH) in the Wilayat of Shinas every day. The unit has been put in place for people in the Al Batinah

region, who were earlier forced to travel much longer distances for getting a dialysis.

Establishing this facility will reduce pressure on other health institutions in the governorate, and make renal dialysis services more accessible to people.

Project cost The total cost of the project is about OMR1 million, according to a press release.

In a previous interview with the Times of Oman, Dr. Issa Al Salmi, head of Renal Services at the Royal Hospital in Oman said there are more than 1,600 people on dialysis in Oman, and those who are waiting for kidneys.

“The government is currently spending OMR2,000 per month on one patient to cover the cost of their dialysis, and so organ donation, which costs between OMR4,000 and OMR5,000 for one transplant, is considered a much cheaper approach to cut-

ting costs and improving individual lives, Al Sami explained.

“MoH pays OMR125 for one session of dialysis and in a week people need three here, so that is OMR375 a week, so roughly OMR1,500 per month, which is a huge amount, so they need to have a proper programme in place where they can cut the costs and not only costs, this is about the life of the individuals, who are bound to hospital beds,” he added.

Facilities The total number of patients at the new unit is 25, coming from the Wilayats of Shinas and Liwa.

The new centre has a treatment room, isolation rooms, a store, waiting areas for both men and women, offices for doctors and nurses, staff lounges and other public services facilities.

About 250 kidney transplants have taken place in Oman in the last five years, and another 160 have been carried out abroad.

TOUR

South African general visits National Museum Times News Service MUSCAT: Lieutenant General Lindile Yam, Chief of the South African Army accompanied by the military delegation from South Africa, and (Maj Gen) Lungile TECHNICAL ISSUES

Qatar Airways flight diverted to Muscat Times News Service MUSCAT: A Qatar Airways flight from Delhi to Doha was diverted to Muscat on Monday after it developed “problems”, according to a senior official.

Flight QR579 arrived at Hamad International Airport in Doha around 12 hours late after the re-routing.

“As it developed some problems, the aircraft was brought to Muscat and the passengers were disembarked. Then an empty Qatar Airways jet was brought from Doha to Muscat and the passengers were sent back in that flight as passenger safety is our biggest concern,” the Qatar Airways official said.

The aircraft which developed problems was sent back to Doha on Tuesday morning.

QR579 departs from Delhi at 3:30am and lands at Doha at 4.45am local time every day.

INTERNET

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Affordable

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“The main idea behind this project is to find a practical and affordable solution to provide communications and internet services of high quality in places where traffic and demand are high, such as festivals, major sporting events, conferences and so on,” added Al Zaffari.

He also explained that the technology is eco-friendly, affordable, easier and cheaper to maintain when compared with traditional networks.

Chris Pepani, the Ambassador of South Africa to the Sultanate visited the National Museum.

The guests were received by Jamal bin Hassan Al Moosawi, Acting Director-General of the National Museum and were tak-

en for a tour of the the Maritime History Gallery, Arms and Armour Gallery, Civilisation in the Making Gallery, Prehistory and Ancient History Galleries, Splendours of Islam Gallery, Oman and the World Gallery.

the future work-pool of the Sultanate. Through the new centre, we aim to raise the bar in training excellence by consolidating all our operations into one integrated, state-of-the-art facility.”

He continued, “NTI’s commitment to ‘continuous improvement’ and the setting of new benchmarks is reflected in our Quality Management System, ISO 9001:2008

certification and various international accreditations. At NTI, we design curricula and programmes that incorporate practical training delivery, thus making us a preferred and proficient training partner—a skills assurance partner in the Sultanate.”

Raoul Restucci, managing director of Petroleum Development Oman, said, “It is an honour to be

a part of the event and we are very proud of our 25-year long association with NTI. They have been a key player on so many fronts, particularly our collaboration in the National Objectives programme as part of In-Country Value. We would like to commend NTI for their commitment to the development of Omani manpower and will continue to extend our support.”

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

OMAN ON BEHALF OF HIS MAJESTY

Sayyid Haitham bids farewell to Brunei Darussalam ambassador

END OF TENURE: His Highness Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq Al Said received yesterday Dato Dr Haji Besar Hj Abu Bakar, Ambassador of the Brunei Darussalam. – ONA

MUSCAT: On behalf of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, His Highness Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq Al Said received in his office on Tuesday Dato Dr Haji Besar Hj Abu Bakar, Ambassador of the Brunei Darussalam to the Sultanate to bid him farewell at the end of his tour of duty.

The Brunei Darussalam ambassador expressed his utmost thanks to His Majesty the Sultan for the support extended to him during his tour of duty in the Sultanate of Oman from His Majesty the Sultan, the government and the Omani people, which enabled

NINE OMANI FISHERMEN RESCUED Nine Omani fishermen on a stranded boat were rescued

by Royal Navy of Oman, Oman News Agency reported.

The boat was stranded in Ras Al Hadd waters after engine failure. The RNO team rushed to the spot, rescued the fishermen and towed the boat to Sur coast. -ONA

him to carry out his duty.

He wished His Majesty good health, happiness and long life, and the Sultanate further progress and prosperity under the wise leadership of His Majesty the Sultan .

Progress Sayyid Haitham thanked the ambassador for the efforts he exerted in boosting the relations between the Sultanate and Brunei Darussalam, wishing him permanent success, and the people of Brunei Darussalam further progress and prosperity. -ONA

‘Festivals enhance ties among Arab countries’

GUEST OF HONOUR: The third edition of Jordan Festival for Arab Media was inaugurated under the auspices of Dr. Jawad Al Anani, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply in Jordan. -ONA

The festival includes an Omani night that will include a speech by Oman’s Minister of Information

AMMAN: Media has become a basic component in our life and it has the biggest impact on listeners, readers, and viewers, said Dr. Abdul Mon’em bin Mansour Al Hassani, Minister of Information, head of the Sultanate’s delegation RAFO

Woman rescued BAHLA: A helicopter affiliated to the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) conducted a rescue operation yesterday for a woman who fell from the top of Mount Al Kour in the wilayat of Bahla.

The woman was transported to Ibri Referral Hospital for treatment. —ONA

during the opening ceremony of Jordan Festival for Arab Media on Monday night.

He added that the festival represents an important value in the contemporary media world, which is characterised by rapid development.

He pointed out that such festivals extend bridges of understanding and enhances bonds among Arab countries especially in the field of media.

He affirmed that the OmaniJordanian relations are distinguished in many fields and that such relations are enhanced through the continuous communication between His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said and King Abdullah II of Jordan.

Dr. Jawad Al Anani said that media plays a basic role in fighting all forms of terrorism through

raising awareness of truth about such terrorist groups and highlighting the tolerant picture of Islam.

Arab cooperation Al Anani hailed the Sultanate as a Guest of Honour and considered its participation as a qualitative achievement for Arab cooperation and coordination.

The Organising Committee honoured Dr. Al Hassani alongside with some Arab officials, media men and artists including Salim bin Ali Al Maqrashi from Oman.

Al Anani, accompanied by Dr. Al Hassani toured Omani pavilion, which included an exhibition for photography, national documents, silverworks, traditional costumes, books published by the Ministry of Information and

products of date palm fronds.

The festival includes an Omani Night that will include a speech

by Minister of Information. During the Oman night, many Arab media men will be honoured and a documentary on the Sultanate will be displayed.

The Omani night will also include Oud performances, folklore dance shows and a lecture on the development of Omani media.

The third edition of Jordan Festival for Arab Media in which the Sultanate is taking part as a Guest of Honour, was inaugurated under the auspices of Dr. Jawad Al Anani, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply in Jordan.

The festival will continue up to August 25. -ONA

D ATA

Number of planned plots of land declined 8% last year MUSCAT: Number of planned plots of land in the Sultanate in 2015 declined 8 per cent to 49,520, compared with 2014, while issued plots increased 45 per cent to 42,837, according to the latest data released by the National Centre for Statistics and information (NCSI).

Further, the NCSI bulletin on housing statistics listed the Governorate of Al Wusta as having the largest number of planned plots, at 10,999.

Additionally, the Governorate of North A’Sharqiyah ranked second with 10,752 planned plots, followed by the Governorate of A’Dakhiliyah with 8,005 plots of land. The Governorate of North Al Batinah had 7,471 planned plots, while the Governorate of Dhofar had 3,384 planned plots of land.

The highest decrease in the number of planned plots was recorded in the Governorate of Al Buraimi, which recorded a decline of 91 per cent, reducing the number to 255 last year, from 2,732 planned plots in 2014. The Governorate of South Al Batinah witnessed a decrease of 80 per cent in the number of planned plots during the period, with 2,604 plots last year.

Meanwhile, the number of planned plots of land in the Governorate of Musandam stood at 887,000, while the Governorate of Muscat had 1,843 plots of planned land. The Governorate of A’Dhahirah and Governorate of South A’Sharqiyah had, respectively, 1,520 and 800 pieces

of planned land last year.

The number of issued plots registered a 45 per cent growth last year, compared with 2014, which went up to 42,837 plots from 29,636 plots of land granted in the prior year.

The Governorate of South Al Batinah received the largest share of issued lands last year, with 10,214 plots, followed by the Governorate of A’Dakhiliyah with 8,861 plots, and the Governorate of North A’Sharqiyah with 5,021 plots of land issued.

The Governorate of Dhofar registered the highest percentage increase in issued land, at 1,446 per cent, with the number of granted plots reaching 4,482 last year, from just 290 plots in 2014.

The Governorate of Al Wusta witnessed the highest decline in allotted land, at 65 per cent, with numbers falling from 1,688 land plots in 2014 to 594 in 2015.

Musandam In the Governorate of Musandam, the number of granted plots decreased by 27 per cent, from 180 plots in 2014 to 131 plots in 2015.

The number of plots issued in the Governorate of North Al Batinah stood at 4,071 and the Governorate of South A’Sharqiyah issued 3,353 pieces of land. The Governorate of A’Dhahirah issued 2,935 plots, while the Governorates of Muscat and Al Buraimi issued 2,382 and 793 plots of land, respectively, last year.

Plots developed for residential use formed the largest segment of planned plots, with their num-

bers reaching 40,589 in 2015 and making up 82 per cent of the total planned plots.

Plots for government use came in second, at 5,276 planned plots, with a share of 10.6 per cent . Plots for commercial use accounted for 3.49 per cent of the total planned plots, at 1,726 plots, while those for residential and commercial use formed 3.39 per cent of the planned plots, at 1,376 plots. As many as 544 plots were designated for industrial use, accounting for 1.3 per cent of the total planned plots, while 9 plots were set aside for agricultural use.

Residential use The number of plots issued for residential use reached 39,267, marking a share of 91.6 per cent of the total plots issued, followed by 1,931 plots for the government to use (4.5 per cent) and 694 plots for residential-commercial use (1.6 per cent).

Plots granted for commercial and industrial uses numbered 463 and 398, respectively, with a corresponding share of 1.8 per cent and 0.9 per cent of the total plots granted. The number of plots dedicated for agricultural use stood at 84.

The number of registered plots of land in 2015 stood at 52,672, of which 47,652 plots were for residential use. Plots registered for residential commercial use numbered 1,777, while agricultural plots numbered 1,528 plots.

Plots registered for industrial use stood at 728, while plots for government use reached 183. -ONA

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

A7

REGION Juba told to implement peace deal or face curbs US Secretary of State John Kerry warned

If they choose not to do that, then we, who have been the largest donor in the world to the government of South Sudan, will have to rethink what we’re doing

leaders of South Sudan to do things they have promised to stabilise the country or face UN arms embargo and sanctions

NAIROBI: US Secretary of State John Kerry has urged South Sudan’s leaders to “get the job done” by fully implementing a peace deal or face a UN arms embargo and sanctions.

His warning followed meetings in Nairobi on Monday with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and foreign ministers from Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan to discuss escalating violence in South Sudan and the deployment

John Kerry US Secretary of State

of a UN protection force. “It’s really up to the people, the leadership of South Sudan to lead and to do the things that they’ve promised to do,” Kerry said in an interview with South Sudan’s “Eye Radio” broadcast on Tuesday morning.

“If they don’t, then obviously it

OCCUPIED WEST BANK

Israel blamed as water shortages hit Palestinians HEBRON (OCCUPIED WEST BANK): At the peak of a searing summer, Palestinians living in parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank are suffering from severe water shortages, prompting a war of words between Palestinian and Israeli officials over who is responsible.

The Palestinians say Israel is preventing them from accessing adequate water at an affordable price, and point out that nearby Israeli settlements have plentiful water supplies. Israel says the Palestinians have been allocated double the amount they were due under an interim 1995 agreement, and have refused to discuss solutions to the current problem.

For Palestinian Nidal Younis, the head of the Masafer Yatta village council near Hebron, in the south of the occupied West Bank, getting hold of water has become prohibitively expensive.

“The cost of a cubic metre for residents is 12 times higher than the normal price,” he said, shaking his head. “When water is available, it normally costs four shekels (about $1) per cubic metre, but now it costs 50 shekels.”

Israeli settlements are scattered on hillsides all around Masafer Yatta, a low-stone village on dry, rocky land. The settlements, with gardens and greenery, receive water from the Israeli utility provider via dedicated pipelines.

Younis said there was water in the ground near his village, home to around 1,600 people and many animals. But he said Israeli authorities prevented villagers from accessing the water by denying them permits to dig. Israel says unregulated digging of wells would do severe damage to the water table.

The villagers have approached the Palestinian Water Authority, which said it had made appeals to the Israelis, but the requests were apparently unanswered.

Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, a branch of the military that administers Palestinian civil issues, said Israel provides 64 million cubic metres of water to the Palestinians annually, even though under the 1995 Oslo accords it is only obliged to provide 30 million. Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said the Palestinians had consistently refused to meet to discuss water issues or work to resolve the long-standing problem. “The Palestinian allegations... are simply a lie,” he said. “Under the Oslo accords we agreed to establish together a joint working committee on water. Unfortunately, the Palestinian side has refused systematically to participate.”

He added that the water needs

HARD HIT: Palestinian children carry water bottles near their house on the outskirts of the occupied West Bank village of Yatta, south of Hebron. – Reuters

in the occupied West Bank, which the Palestinians want for a state together with occupied East Jerusalem and Gaza, are greater than the infrastructure can handle. Mazen Ghuneim, head of the Palestinian Water Authority, said the Palestinians had halted water negotiations with Israel five years ago because Israel had not frozen settlement building.

At risk The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), which is working with the Palestinian Authority and Italian aid agency GVC to provide water to impoverished areas, has warned that up to 35,000 Palestinians are at risk because of the shortages.

Gregor von Medeazza, the head of UNICEF’s water programme, said Israel had prevented villagers from building water-retention facilities and that 33 such structures had been demolished this year because they were built without permits.

Palestinians living furthest from urban areas have been the hardest hit, he said, often having to pay large sums to get private companies to truck water to their villages. Some Israeli settlers have grown concerned about the lack of water available for Palestinians. “Israel has not... made an effort to plan a long-term programme for the next 10, 20, 30 years that will take into consideration population growth,” said Yochai Damari, head of the Mount Hebron Regional Council, a settlement body. — Reuters

may be that the UN arms embargo and sanctions are going to be the tools of last resort. It’s not what people wanted to have to do, but our hope is that the government, the transition government will seize the bull by the horns here and get the job done,” he added.

Fighting in the capital Juba last month has raised fears that the five-year-old nation could slide back into civil war. The violence prompted the United Nations to authorise the deployment of 4,000 extra UN troops to bolster a UN mission there, warning South Sudan it would face an arms embargo if it did not cooperate.

South Sudan’s government initially said it would not cooperate with the new UN troops which will be under the command of the 12,000-strong UNMISS mission.

But since then it has said it was still considering its position.

Kerry said the force was not an intervention force that would challenge the sovereignty of the country. Its main task would be to protect property and civilians in Juba.

Ask whether the United States was willing to help South Sudan’s economy recover, Kerry said it would only do so if the nation’s leaders implemented a peace agreement and was doing whatever necessary to stabilise the country. “If they choose not to do that, then we, who have been the largest donor in the world to the government of South Sudan, will have to rethink what we’re doing,” he added. — Reuters

D E AT H O F PA L E S T I N I A N D E TA I N E E

Protests erupt in Nablus NABLUS (OCCUPIED WEST BANK): Nablus, the second largest city in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, was gripped by violent protests on Tuesday after the death of a Palestinian detainee shortly after he was seized by Palestinian security forces.

Hundreds of protesters, some throwing stones, marched through the city to denounce the death of

Ahmed Halawa, who was seized during a police raid on suspects linked to the death of two police officers last week.

“Security forces detained Ahmed Izz Halawa during a complicated and delicate security operation in Nablus,” Adnan Al Dmairi, the spokesman for the Palestinian Authority’s security services, said in a statement. — Reuters

A8

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

INDIA Congress roots for dialogue to calm down unrest in J&K The remarks came close on the heels of former union minister P. Chidambaram batting for sending an all-party delegation to Jammu and Kashmir

NEW DELHI: Congress on Tuesday made a strong pitch for initiating talks to calm down the situation in the state which is on the boil for the past 45 days.

“PM should initiate talks. Unless they take a step forward, situation in J&K won’t improve,” the party tweeted quoting Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha,

Ghulam Nabi Azad, on Tuesday.

The remarks came close on the heels of former union minister P. Chidambaram batting for sending an all-party delegation to the Valley.

Chidambaram said earlier on Tuesday the meeting between a delegation of J&K opposition parties and Prime Minister Narendra

Modi on Monday must be welcomed if it is the first sign of “fresh thinking”.

“Yesterday’s meeting between PM & J&K opposition parties: if it is the first sign of fresh thinking, we must welcome it. Next step should be sending All Parties Delegation to J&K,” the senior Congress leader said on the microblogging site.

On Monday, Congress had dismissed as “shooting from the hip” the prime minister’s call for a dialogue to find a lasting solution to the unrest in Kashmir Valley.

“It looks that the prime minister’s words keep changing. What he said at the all-party meeting, his remarks in the Independence Day address and today he is talking of dialogue, but dialogue with whom? There is a suspicion that

these are mere words, mere empty rhetoric for the prime minister.

He is unfortunately shooting from his hip and merely shooting the breeze,” party spokesman Manish Tewari had said.

Meeting Modi had a 75-minute-long meeting with a joint opposition delegation led by former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah on Monday.

The prime minister emphasised on the need for dialogue to find a “permanent and lasting solution” within the framework of the Constitution and also asked all political parties to work together to find a solution to the problems in Jammu and Kashmir.

Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said he will review the situation in Jammu and Kashmir during

his two-day visit there beginning Wednesday, and may hold talks with cross sections of people.

This is the second visit of Singh in a month to the Valley which has been witnessing unrest since July 8 when Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces.

Meanwhile, over 500 cases have been lodged against “rioters and anti-national elements” in the four districts of south Kashmir in the last 44 days, with 381 “miscreants” arrested, officials said.

All the police stations and posts in south Kashmir (comprising Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian districts) are fully functional and are working round-theclock, along with the other security agencies, to bring the situation under control. - PTI

S PAT E I N R I V E R S

22 killed in Bihar floods PATNA: At least 22 persons have been killed while 2.37 million people affected in the Bihar floods with many areas, specially the riverine belt of 12 districts badly reeling under water in the state.

The floods caused by a spate in rivers Ganga, Sone, Punpun, Burhi Gandak, Ghaghra and Kosi have affected 2.37 million people in 1,115 villages under 362 panchayats in 12 districts of the state, a Disaster Management Department statement said. Bhojpur district, which accounted for the maximum number of deaths, reported 12 deaths followed by Vaishali (6), Bhagalpur (2) and one each in Buxar and Lakhisarai district.

Ganga was flowing above danger mark at seven places in various parts of four districts — Digha ghat, Gandhi ghat, Hathidah in Patna, Bhagalpur and Kahalgaon in Bhagalpur district, Munger district and Buxar district. - PTI

MEETING

India’s progress incomplete without infrastructure expansion, says Modi NEW DELHI: India’s progress is incomplete without rapid expansion and upgradation of basic infrastructure, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday while underlining that his government’s efforts are characterised by speed and scale to usher in “an era of historic growth”.

Modi, who chaired a meeting here on Monday to review the progress in core infrastructure sectors, said it was noted that there has been “phenomenal progress” in vital sectors such as renewable energy and railways.

“On 22nd August 2016, I chaired a marathon meeting to review the progress in core infrastructure sectors. I have been holding such meetings very often because India’s progress is incomplete

without the rapid expansion and upgradation of our basic infrastructure,” he said in a statement.

“The development journey of India is special. Our sustained efforts are characterised by speed and scale, which can usher an era of historic growth,” he added.

The prime minister underlined that the India story is also about resilience.

“When the world economy is weakening and slowing down, India is a ray of hope,” he said. Contending that doing business is easier today than it was, Modi said, “Big level corruption and bottle necks are becoming history.”

He noted that the country went through two drought years but agriculture production has not decreased. “Our endeavours to give

our farmers an expansive market and more money for their produce continue,” he said.

“I am certain that we will continue building on this progress and achieve our aim of transforming India,” he said.

Referring to the various subjects discussed at Monday’s meeting, the prime minister talked about new and renewable energy sector and said the cumulative installed capacity has crossed 44 GigaWatts.

“Targets have been met for various components and projects under Centre and State policies.

A part of the discussion included the way ahead in enhancing solar energy production, including via rooftop generation,” he said.

“In the aviation sector, we had

comprehensive deliberations on improving safety, connectivity and customer satisfaction at our airports,” Modi said.

He said regional connectivity assumes great importance because the more the smaller towns get connected, better opportunities will be available for people in those towns.

“You would be happy to know that 8 Indian airports are ranked among the top 5 globally in their respective categories,” he said.

As far as the railways are concerned, Modi said it has achieved its target of daily passenger movement and 40 unmanned crossings have been eliminated in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, which is important keeping in mind the safety aspect. - PTI

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PAKISTAN

MQM headquarters sealed in Karachi Supporters of Muttahida Qaumi Movement rushed to the office of ARY News on Monday after their leader Altaf Hussain criticised the Pakistani media for failing to report on his workers’ recent

ON GUARD: A policeman guards a roundabout, adorned with the pictures of Altaf Hussain, leader of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) political party, after paramilitary forces sealed the party headquarters in Karachi,on Tuesday. - Reuters

hunger strikes

KARACHI: Pakistani paramilitary forces have sealed the headquarters of a powerful political party in the commercial hub of Karachi and detained five of its top leaders, after supporters of the party stormed the office of a television channel.

Supporters of Muttahida Qau-

mi Movement (MQM) rushed to the office of ARY News on Monday shortly after their leader Altaf Hussain, who lives in exile in London, had in a telephone address sharply criticised the Pakistani media for failing to report on his workers’ recent hunger strikes.

Crowds of MQM workers then attacked the television office, firing shots and smashing the premises. They later clashed with

police outside, leaving one person dead and several wounded.

“We have sealed the MQM headquarters, their media office and (their) hostel, some weapons have also been recovered,” Khurram Shahzad, the sector commander for the regional paramilitary Rangers force told reporters on Tuesday.

MQM said five of its leaders had been taken into custody. Hussain

E F F O R T S T O R E D UC E I M PAC T O F F L O O D I N G

Pakistan expands monitoring of glaciers to cut disaster risk ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will invest $8.5 million to expand a network of glacier monitoring stations tracking the pace of glacial melt in the Hindu Kush, Karakoram and Himalayan mountain ranges, in an effort to strengthen early warning systems and reduce the impact of flooding in the South Asian country.

Almost half of Pakistan’s 5,000 glaciers, covering around 15,000 square kilometres, are in rapid retreat, scientists say. The rate of glacial melt, which has risen by about 23 per cent in the previous decade, is among the fastest in the world, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department.

Last month, the government approved Rs892.5 million for a four-year project to expand the network of monitoring stations as officials seek more accurate data on temperature, humidity, changing rainfall patterns and wind speed, while tracking the rate at which glaciers are melting.

“The initiative is indispensible for enhancing the country’s climate resilience, and vital to the meteorological department’s ability to timely release warnings about the flood risk,” Ghulam Rasul, director-general of the meteorological department, said.

“Based on data from these weather stations, timely warnings will be issued to provide a lead time of 60 to 90 minutes to

PLAN: In this photograph taken on August 7, 2014, a sign indicates a view of Nanga Parbat (background), the mountain on The Karakoram Highway in Gilgit. Pakistan will invest $8.5 million to expand glacier monitoring stations in the Hindu Kush, Karakoram and Himalayan mountain ranges. - AFP file photo

communities in flood-prone areas to respond effectively to early flood warnings,” he said. Pakistan is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. In 2010, the country suffered the worst floods in a generation with more than 1,600 killed and over 14 million affected as floodwaters inundated over a third of the country.

Investing in disaster preparedness not only saves lives but also money with each $1 spent saving $7 in tackling the aftermath of disasters such as floods, development experts have said.

Pakistan’s meteorological department also has submitted a six-year plan to modernise the country’s aging weather forecasting system — at a cost of Rs16.6

billion — to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for approval.

The plan proposes installing 22 meteorological radar stations across the country and 400 advanced automatic weather stations, while overhauling community-based weather observatory stations in 98 districts.

“Our radar network - comprising seven flood warning radars — is now very poor and obsolete,” Ghulam Rasul said. Besides expanding early warning systems, disaster management officials are focusing on getting early warnings to as many people as possible as quickly as possible, said Ahmad Kamal, a spokesman for the National Disaster Management Agency. - Thomson Reuters Foundation

A9

is known for his fiery addresses to his supporters in Karachi though a loudspeaker connected to a telephone in his London home.

His hold on parts of the sprawling and crime-ridden metropolis is so strong that he can bring entire areas to a standstill and disrupt life for millions in the city.

In a statement issued from London, Hussain asked for forgiveness from the army and Rangers chiefs. “From the depth of heart, I beg pardon from the Pakistani establishment,” he said. “I was under severe mental stress over extra-judicial arrests and precarious condition of my workers sitting at hunger striking camp.”

Law enforcement agencies and its opponents accuse MQM of racketeering, abduction, torture and murder in its bid to maintain power. The party, which denies any link to crime, has accused the Rangers of carrying out dozens of extra-judicial killings of its members since a crackdown on crime in Karachi in 2013. - Reuters

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PIA airhostess held over gold smuggling attempt LAHORE: The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) claimed on Tuesday to have arrested a senior Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) airhostess from Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport in connection with an attempt to smuggle gold to the United States. A case was registered against Nuzhat Bukhari, a senior airhostess of the national flag carrier, after two kilogrammes of gold were recovered from her luggage during a routine search at the airport, sources told The Express Tribune.

The suspect reportedly confessed that she was trying to smuggle gold from Lahore to New York

via PIA flight PK-721.

The woman was later handed over to Customs officials for further investigation.

The incident came just a day after the ANF claimed to have arrested a family, including two children, from Lahore airport and recovered one kilogramme of heroin from their luggage.

The suspects were identified as Zahoor John Samuel son of John Samuel, Asma Mazhar, four-yearold Shan Mazhar and five-year-old Ayan Mazhar. Last week, the ANF had apprehended a PIA official for allegedly smuggling heroin on various flights. - Express Tribune

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

WORLD B R E AT H I N G P R O B L E M S

Toxic gas leak at fertiliser unit in Bangladesh’s port city sickens 250 DHAKA: About 250 people, including children, have fallen sick and hundreds of residents have been evacuated from their homes after a toxic gas leak from a fertiliser unit in Bangladesh’s port city of Chittagong, officials said on Tuesday.

Di-ammonium phosphate (DPA) leaked from the DAP Fertiliser Company Limited on the bank of Karnaphuli river last night and firefighters battled until late morning to plug the leakage.

DPA is one of a series of watersoluble ammonium phosphate salts that can be produced when

ammonia reacts with phosphoric acid. Reports quoting officials said one of the gas tanks with 500 tonne capacity leaked at around 11:30pm on Monday night.

The gas quickly spread across large parts of the city.

Strong winds blew the gas across a 10-kilometre radius and reports suggested that people felt breathing problems at the southern city’s international airport.

“The gas spread from the unit causing breathing problems to the people across several kilometres,” officer-in-charge of the nearby po-

lice station said. Of the nearly 250 taken ill, 56 people, including more than 10 children, were admitted to hospitals in the port city. All the people being treated were stated be out of danger. Hundreds of residents were evacuated from their homes near the plant, police and fire officials said.

“Several people reported to doctors just because of panic,” the city’s civil surgeon Azizur Rahman Siddique said. Chittagong’s Deputy Commissioner Mesbahuddin Ahmed said the situation was under control as leakage has been

plugged. The reason behind the leak could not be known immediately. Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC), which runs the unit, formed a 10-member committee to investigate the incident, while the district administration has formed a three-member panel to probe the leak.

At the time of the incident, the amount of ammonia in the air was recorded at 600ppm (parts per million) whilst workers at the factory can tolerate conditions with ammonia gas up to 25ppm, the environment department said. - PTI

PROBE ON: A resident, right, is treated in hospital following an explosion at a chemical factory in Chittagong on Tuesday. - AFP

Philippines’ president seen setting up economic boom estimate, there were more than 20,000 people in outsourcing jobs in the city in 2013, and this sector was growing at more than 20 per cent a year. Duterte’s reputation of carrying out his promises has given businesses plenty to look forward to — for instance his vow to make spending on infrastructure a priority.

“I believe infrastructure is going to grow very fast and it will have a double or triple effect,” said Henry Schumacher of the European Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines. “Money will be available. An iron fist is going to be behind it.”

Duterte has a 91 per cent approval rating in the latest public survey and businesses are lining up to announce expansion plans.

The mainstays of the economy — remittances and the outsourcing sector — are flourishing and boosting domestic

APPROVAL RATING SOARS: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in Davao city, southern Philippines on Sunday. Duterte’s reputation of carrying out his promises has given businesses plenty to look forward to — for instance his vow to make spending on infrastructure a priority. - Reuters file photo

consumption

MANILA: Less than two months in office, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte is getting high marks from the business community for policies that could engineer an economic surge and companies say they are making new investments as a result.

While Duterte may be getting headlines for a bloody war against drug dealers and users, less attention has been paid to one of Asia’s few economic success stories.

The groundwork was laid by Duterte’s predecessor, President Benigno Aquino, who took growth above 6 per cent over his six-year term, but executives are also cheering the new administration’s focus on building new infrastructure and say it could spell the start of a long-term boom. Some even see Duterte’s violent and highly controversial anti-drugs campaign as potentially positive.

“We are in a very good spot,” said Antonio Moncupa Jr., presi-

dent and CEO of East-West Banking Corp, one of the top 10 lenders in the country.

“The pronouncement of government prioritising infrastructure spending, accelerating it and cutting red tape, solving peace and order, I think all point to very good prospects ahead.”

Fastest growing Last week, the government announced that the Philippines’ economy grew at 7 per cent in the second quarter from a year earlier, its highest level in three years. It makes the Philippines the fastest growing among all countries that have reported so far for the second quarter. When Duterte won the May presidential election, there were questions marks over how he would handle the economy Duterte, who is nicknamed “the Punisher”, has been unapologetic over unleashing the police on drug users and dealers.

Philippine National Police Chief Ronald Dela Rosa said on Monday that there have been

1,800 drug-related deaths since Duterte took over as president, with 712 of those at the hands of the police. The new president has launched a crackdown on online gambling, vowed to destroy oligarchs, warned that the country could live without a mining industry if environmental standards were not met.

But Duterte has a 91 per cent approval rating in the latest public survey and businesses are lining up to announce expansion plans.

The mainstays of the economy —remittances and the outsourcing sector — are flourishing and boosting domestic consumption.

Jollibee Foods Corp, the biggest fastfood chain in the country, plans to open 200 more domestic stores this year. So does Robinsons Retail, taking its total to over 1,500. BDO Unibank Inc, the country’s biggest lender, plans to open 50-100 new branches this year.

“We are supportive and encouraged by the new administration’s socio-economic agenda, which has a holistic approach for the

benefit of all, including JFC,” said Jollibee investor relations officer Cossette Palomar.

However, the Philippines has a worrying precedent of a strongman leader.

In the 1960s, when the country had one of the highest per capita incomes in Asia, Ferdinand Marcos took over as president. Two decades of dictatorship, corruption and plunder by Marcos left the Philippines in a shambles.

“Business will be good under this administration,” BDO Unibank executive vice-president Luis Reyes said of Duterte. “Concerns centre more on the extrajudicial killings.”

Supporters of Duterte say even as the long-term mayor of the southern city of Davao, where he earned his reputation for busting crime, he created the conditions for business to flourish.

Government data show that the Davao region’s economy grew by 6.6 per cent on average in 2010-14 compared with 6.3 per cent for the whole country. According to one

Plan In May, Duterte told the country’s main telecom providers to speed up the internet, or he would junk laws that prohibit foreign competition. Duterte’s economic plan also includes lowering corporate and income taxes and a commitment to invest in education, to reap the demographic dividend of the country’s young population.

About two-thirds of the Philippines’ 100 million people are of working age, between 15 and 64, rising from about 56 per cent of the population in 1990. In 2030, about 70 per cent of the 125 million people will be of working age, the government has projected.

“This is another advantage given other neighbours in the region, most of Northeast Asia and some in Southeast Asia, have populations that are ageing and are therefore facing labour supply constraints,” said Euben Paracuelles, an economist at Nomura.

Still, Joanne Burgonio, a 27-year-old software analyst in Manila, said it was too early to say what a Duterte presidency would bring.

“My concern is transportation,” she said, adding that she waited two hours for a bus home the previous evening. His focus now is (on) drug pushers, hopefully the focus will be on infrastructure. I am optimistic because whatever he promised before he was elected, he is doing.” - Reuters

WA R - T O R N C O U N T RY

Roadside bomb kills US soldier in Afghanistan LASHKAR GAH: A roadside bomb killed a US soldier in Helmand, a province in southern Afghanistan that has seen an upsurge in violence in recent weeks.

The bomb also wounded another US soldier and six Afghan soldiers, coalition forces said in a statement on Tuesday.

The wounded soldier was in stable condition, the statement said.

Around 100 US troops were deployed in Helmand at the weekend to support Afghan security forces struggling to contain a resilient Taliban insurgency, the US military said. Afghan officials in Helmand said the newly deployed US troops are helping Afghan troops to retake the area around Lashkar Gah, the capital of the province.

Government troops lost the area to the Taliban in intense fighting over recent weeks.

Around 10,000 US forces are operating in Afghanistan, divided between a NATO training and assistance mission and US counterterrorism operations against militant groups.

Since international troops began to leave the country in 2014, fatalities among coalition forces have dropped significantly.

One US soldier was killed and two wounded when they came under fire in Marjah district of Helmand on January this year.

Last month, five US special operations troops were wounded in an operation against IS in eastern Afghanistan. Taliban fighters have made major gains across Helmand in the past year, forcing government troops to abandon some bases and checkpoints.

Afghan troops have pushed the Taliban back a few kilometres from areas near Lashkar Gah, but officials say the militants remain within four to 10 kilometres of the city. Government forces say the Taliban have deployed a ‘special forces’ unit to fight Afghan forces in the front line, said to be equipped with advanced weaponry, including night vision scopes, heavy machine guns and US-made assault rifles. - Reuters

GROWING RESENTMENT

Lee’s health scare exposes Singapore’s leadership uncertainty SINGAPORE: One of Singapore’s greatest strengths is its predictability: in a region where coups and economic meltdowns are not uncommon, it has long been a haven of stability for investors and businesses.

But when Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong almost collapsed during a National Day speech on Sunday, it brought into focus concerns that have been simmering for months about the future of the wealthy city-state.

The economy has lost some of the zest it had under the open trade-oriented model created by founding father Lee Kuan Yew, whose death last year for many marked the end of an era.

Vulnerable to attacks Doubts have also started to emerge about Singapore’s position as one of the world’s leading financial capitals. Singapore is vulnerable to attacks by militants: just this month, two Singaporeans were detained before they could join IS in Syria and Indonesian police foiled a plot to attack the island nation with a rocket.

And, now, Lee’s stumble at the podium has exposed the apparent lack of a chosen successor, a remarkable state of affairs for a

country where politics has been carefully managed since independence half a century ago under one powerful party.

Lee Kuan Yew’s successor, Goh Chok Tong, was identified at least five years in advance. Lee Kuan Yew’s son Lee Hsien Loong was groomed to become the next leader long before he took office in 2004. “Singapore is indeed going through one of the toughest times with the economy faltering and the threat of terrorism,” said Inderjit Singh, a former lawmaker for the People’s Action Party (PAP), which has ruled without interruption since 1965.

“It is a concern that we are quite late in putting in place the fourthgeneration leadership.” Few see Singapore heading into a crisis, however. In last year’s election — held months after the death of patriarch Lee Kuan Yew — the PAP won almost 70 per cent of the popular vote and swept all but six of parliament’s 89 seats.

It was not the ruling party’s highest-ever vote. But it came as a huge relief after the 2011 polls in which the party scored its lowest vote since independence. The vote also belied growing resentment over a widening wealth gap, a high cost of living, and a flow of

CAUSE FOR CONCERN: Secretary-General of the ruling People’s Action Party Lee Hsien Loong speaks at a lunchtime rally in the central business district in Singapore September 8, 2015. - Reuters file photo

foreign workers who now account for nearly a quarter of the island’s 5.7 million people.

Doctors say that Lee, 64, has no serious health concerns. Still, when he returned to the stage an hour after his turn, Lee said: “what just happened makes it even more important” to talk about succession. Lee then mentioned Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat, who he said would soon resume his duties following a stroke earlier this

year. Heng had been touted by local media as a potential successor, although doubts remain about his long-term health.

Gillian Koh, deputy director at the Singapore think-tank Institute of Policy Studies cited other candidates, including: Chan Chun Sing, a minister in the prime minister’s office; Tan Chuan-Jin, a former army chief and now minister for social and family development; Ong Ye Kung, acting minister for educa-

tion and senior minister of state for defence; and Lawrence Wong, the newly appointed second minister of finance. Other analysts mention combinations of the same names.

What qualifies them for this unofficial shortlist is their experience in key roles in finance, education or defence as well as a track record of community work - much like the prime minister himself.

Another potential successor is Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, some analysts said, though he has repeatedly denied interest in the job. Tharman is an ethnic Tamil and few believe that despite its multi-culturalism Singapore is ready for a prime minister who is not ethnic Chinese. No matter who the next leader is, the recruiting and promotion system put in place by Lee Kuan Yew for the PAP will prevent radical shifts in policy, said Garry Rodan, director of the Asia Research Institute at Murdoch University.

“No maverick is going to come through this process. It’s incredibly thorough and institutionalised,” Rodan said. “There is less likelihood of any radical shift from any leader in the PAP compared with most other governments anywhere in the world.”

Furthermore, the opposition is

widely seen as too weak to dislodge the PAP in the foreseeable future.

Singapore’s political stability is key to investors’ trust in the country. “A smooth succession and policy framework is particularly credit-relevant for our assessment of the country’s susceptibility to event risk, given that Singapore’s political stability has never been tested through a transition away from the ruling PAP,” said Moody’s analyst Anushka Shah.

Under criticism With growing use of social media, Lee’s government has come under more criticism than his father ever allowed, including from his younger sister, who has called his cabinet “authoritarian”.

Some analysts say an economy growing at only 1-2 per cent, well below the rates that turned a seedy colonial port into an island bristling with hundreds of glassand-steel towers, could increase popular discontent with the ruling party. But unease about the succession can be felt at street level.

“In terms of having a stable leadership, it is important for me,” said 29-year-old marketing consultant Delon Wong. “There’s no clear candidate ... right now and that worries me.” - Reuters

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

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WORLD

Europeans seek guns in growing number after series of attacks Gun permit applications are rising in European countries as attacks in France, Germany and Belgium add to feeling of vulnerability

ZURICH/BERLIN: Europeans in a number of countries are seeking to arm themselves with guns and self-defence devices in growing numbers following a series of attacks by militants and the mentally ill.

Some weapons sellers also link their increased business to the arrival of huge numbers of migrants in Europe, although a German police report stated that the vast majority do not commit crimes of any kind in the country.

The picture is patchy, with no up-to-date data available at a European level, leaving national and regional authorities to release statistics that are far from comprehensive and not always comparable. Reasons also vary for civilians to own guns legally, including hunting and sport as well as selfprotection. Nevertheless, applications for gun permits are climbing in Switzerland, Austria and the Czech Republic.

Their larger neighbour Germany has not followed the trend in lethal firearms, but permits for carrying devices designed to scare off assailants, such as blank guns and those that fire pepper spray, have risen almost 50 per cent.

Little research into the reasons for the recent apparent trend has yet been published, but the assumption is that attacks in the past year including in Paris, Brussels, Nice and Munich have stirred fear among some citizens.

“There’s no official explanation for the rise, but in general we see a connection to Europe’s terrorist attacks,” said Hanspeter Kruesi, a police spokesman in the

INCREASED BUSINESS: Handguns and sporting guns are displayed at Wyss Waffen gun shop in the town of Burgdorf, Switzerland. Hanspeter Kruesi, a police spokesman in the Swiss canton of St. Gallen, said, “There is no official explanation for the rise, but in general we see a connection to Europe’s terrorist attacks.” – Reuters

Swiss canton of St. Gallen. Kruesi advised against buying weapons, saying they did little to improve citizens’ security while presenting problems over safe storage and raising legal questions over their proper use in a conflict. “People could actually make themselves criminally liable,” he said.

After he spoke to Reuters, the canton was the scene of an attack aboard a train this month. The suspect and a woman victim died later, although police said his motive was unclear.

Feeling of insecurity One Swiss resident who has just bought his first ever weapons - a pistol and a pump-action shotgun pinned his decision on a feeling of insecurity created by the attacks combined with criminality that he blamed on north Africans, as well as concern over recent break-ins in his neighbourhood.

“Buying weapons for self-defence won’t protect you from terrorist attacks,” said the 55-yearold who lives in a town near the capital, Bern.

“Nevertheless these attacks are contributing to a subjective sense of threat, as is the rising pressure from migration and the high crime rate among migrants from the Maghreb,” he said, requesting

anonymity due to concerns about his safety.

Figures are hard to come by on whether the rate of crime, serious or petty, is higher among migrants than the general population in Europe. The report from the BKA federal police in Germany - where more than a million people fleeing violence and poverty arrived last year - said migrants committed or tried to commit about 69,000 crimes in the first quarter of 2016.

However, it did not say how this compared with the overall number of crimes.

Like Kruesi, authorities in Europe - where levels of gun ownership are comparatively low and controls are often tight - have avoided encouraging their citizens to buy weapons.

But Czech President Milos Zeman broke ranks after an 18-yearold with a history of mental illness killed nine people in Munich in July. “Citizens should be able to arm themselves... in order to be able to act against these terrorists,” he told TV Nova.

Czechs may already be doing so. Gun permit holders grew by almost 6,000 to close to 300,000 in the first five months of 2016 after several years of declines.

In Switzerland, the land of the legendary crossbow marks-

M I L I TA RY C O U R T

CHARGED: Eight people charged with ridiculing junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha arrive at the military court in Bangkok, Thailand, on Tuesday. – Reuters

Case against eight for ridiculing Thai junta leader on Facebook BANGKOK: A Thai military court accepted a case on Tuesday against eight people charged with ridiculing junta leader Prayuth Chanocha on Facebook, extending a crackdown against dissent after Thais voted earlier this month to accept a military-backed charter.

The outcome of the August 7 referendum bolstered the credibility of the military government, say analysts, but the overwhelming vote in favour of the new constitution was unsurprising given the curbs on free speech ahead of the vote.

Campaigning for or against the constitution was banned, though major political parties and other groups, had criticised the charter.

They said the charter enshrined the military’s influential role in Thailand and would constrict democracy even though it paves the way for an election by the end of

2017. Angered by a Facebook page titled ‘We Love General Prayuth’, that parodied the junta leader, the military arrested the eight defendants in a series of raids on April 27 in the capital Bangkok and the northeastern province of Khon Kaen.

They were charged with sedition, an offence which carries a sentence of up to seven years in jail, and with violating a law covering computer crimes.

Bail Winyat Chatmontree, a lawyer for the eight, said he has posted bail of $5,777.01 (200,000 baht) for each detainee, which the court approved.

“The military court accepted the case against the eight administrators of the ‘We Love General Prayuth’,” he said.

“The court approved bail. They

will be temporarily released.

Probably this evening,” said Winyat. All eight deny the charges against them.

The junta clamped down on dissent after seizing power from an elected civilian government more than two years ago.

More than 900 people, including activists, journalists and politicians, have been summoned by the military for so-called ‘attitude adjustment’ sessions lasting anything between a few hours to one week, according to iLaw, a legal monitoring group.

Two of the suspects, Natthika Worathaiyawich and Harit Mahaton, face additional charges for posting commentary considered offensive to Thailand’s monarchy.

“I have said all along that I am not guilty and that I will fight this case,” Natthika told Reuters. “I am not worried.” — Reuters

man William Tell, a rising trend emerged last year. Of the country’s 26 cantons, the 12 that responded to a Reuters inquiry all reported higher 2015 applications for permits entitling people to buy guns.

Interim 2016 figures show a further rise. While those from people with serious criminal convictions or suffering from mental illness are rejected, most are granted.

“Nobody says directly: I’m buying a gun because of the attacks in Nice or Munich,” said Daniel Wyss, president of the Swiss weapons dealers’ association who runs his own gun shop. “But the sum of these events has fostered a general feeling of vulnerability.”

Switzerland’s defence relies heavily on tens of thousands of citizen soldiers who store their automatic rifles at home, but almost no civilians have the right to carry loaded guns in public.

Some people want this changed.

Jean-Luc Addor, a parliamentarian and member of the Swiss gun lobby, aims to introduce legislation in September to ease the restrictions. Addor contends that more armed civilians mean safer streets. “The state is not equipped to guarantee public safety,” he said.

“Sometimes citizens - not every citizen, but those who have appropriate training - should be given

means to protect themselves and their families.”

Suggestions that governments might be falling short in their duties have also surfaced in Germany.

Ingo Meinhard, head of the German association of gunsmiths and specialist gundealers, said demand for blank guns and pepper spray jumped after sexual assaults on women at New Year in the city of Cologne. These were blamed largely on migrants.

Meinhard said demand subsequently fell off but rose again after three fatal attacks in July, including by an IS sympathiser who detonated a bomb near a German music festival. “We’re now noticing high demand in urban areas,” he added. Police drew heavy criticism for failing to prevent the Cologne incidents, since which an Iraqi and an Algerian have been convicted of physical assault.

German permits for firearms possession have fallen marginally in the past year, while those for scare devices jumped 49 per cent in the year to June to 402,301.

No permit is required for pepper spray aerosols marketed as a protection against animals such as aggressive dogs, though officials say anyone who uses them on humans could get into trouble with the law.

Dagmar Ellerbock, a history

professor at Technische Universitaet Dresden, said the New Year incidents may have prompted Germans to question the authorities’ competence. “This trend towards self-defence could be a reason to worry if it signals an erosion of trust, that citizens who experienced the assaults in Cologne no longer feel safe or protected by the state,” she said.

Gun sellers said weapons interest grew in Austria after large numbers of migrants arrived in the country at the northern end of the now closed ‘Balkan Route’. “Fear is very much a driving force,” said Robert Siegert, a gunmaker and the weapons trade spokesman at the Austrian Chamber of Commerce “That’s what we keep hearing from salespeople in shops.”

Gun ownership remains low in Europe. According to the Genevabased group Small Arms Survey, the United States easily surpasses the continent in per capita terms.

There are over 100 guns per 100 US residents, more than twice the figure for Switzerland and three times that for Austria, Germany and France. France requires background checks for those seeking a weapon for the two purposes it considers legitimate: hunting or joining a shooting club. This scrutiny can take more than a year.

Consequently, it is unlikely that legal French gun ownership has changed much since 2015, said Thierry Coste, secretary general of the Comité Guillaume Tell (William Tell) lobby group. “Gun ownership is extremely regulated, getting there is like an obstacle course,” he said. “We don’t have the same mindset as Americans.”

Gun control laws in Britain, which has also experienced a number of Islamist militant attacks in recent years, have been strict since a school massacre in 1996.

Licensed firearms numbers in England and Wales have remained relatively stable in the past year.

Even in the self-defence business, some doubt the benefits of a personal arsenal. Marco Schnyder, who runs a training centre in Zurich, said knowing how to restrain an assailant was better.

“I have people in my shooting classes who want to protect their families or themselves,” he said.

“They would be better served getting a watchdog or an alarm system. I tell them that, too.” — Reuters

A 12

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

WORLD SECURITY PLANS

BID TO CALM UNEASE: US Vice President Joe Biden, Latvia’s President Raimonds Vejonis, second right, Lithuania’s President Dalia Grybauskaite, left, and Estonia’s President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, right, pose for a picture in Riga castle, Latvia, on Tuesday. — Reuters

Kurdish win in Syria town sets alarm bells in Turkey The Kurdish YPG militia, a critical part of the USbacked campaign against IS, already

Biden tells Baltic states not to take Trump seriously

controls swathes of northern Syria where Kurdish groups have established de facto autonomy since the start of the

RIGA: US Vice President Joe Biden told Baltic leaders on Tuesday not to take seriously comments by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump that called into question the US commitment to protect NATO allies in the face of Russian aggression.

On a trip to Latvia, Biden suggested Trump, who has never held elected office, did not understand NATO’s mutual defence guarantee, known as Article Five.

“I want to make it absolutely clear to all the people in Baltic states: we have pledged our sacred honour, the United States of America ... to the NATO treaty and Article Five,” Biden, a Democrat, said in the Latvian capital.

“The fact that you occasionally hear something from a presidential candidate in the other party, it’s ... nothing that should be taken seriously,” Biden said.

Biden’s visit comes amid heightened tensions with Russia in the region and some nervousness among allies about Trump, who has suggested he might abandon NATO’s pledge to defend all alliance members automatically if elected.

Commitment to NATO Both Democrats and Republicans supported the NATO pledge, said Biden, who made his remarks during an appearnace with the leaders of all three Baltic states in Riga.

“There is continued overwhelming bipartisan commitment in the United States of America in both political parties to maintain our commitment to NATO,” Biden said. Trump is running against Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, who has also affirmed her commitment to NATO. Clinton is ahead in polls.

Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, the three Baltic states which regained independence in the early 1990s a half century after being annexed by the Soviet Union, see themselves on the frontline of any potential conflict with Russia.

NATO leaders agreed last month to deploy military forces to the Baltic states and eastern Poland for the first time and increase air and sea patrols to reassure allies in the region worried about the threat from Moscow. — Reuters

Syria war in 2011

HASAKA (SYRIA)/BEIRUT/ AMMAN: Syrian Kurdish forces took near complete control of Hasaka city on Tuesday as a ceasefire ended a week of fighting with the government, consolidating the Kurds’ grip on Syria’s northeast as Turkey increased its efforts to check their influence.

The Kurdish YPG militia, a critical part of the US-backed campaign against IS, already controls swathes of northern Syria where Kurdish groups have established de facto autonomy since the start of the Syria war in 2011.

Their growing sway has alarmed Turkey, which is fighting an insurgency among its own Kurdish minority.

Syrian rebels backed by Turkey said they were in the final stages of preparing an assault from Turkish territory on the IS-held Syrian border town of Jarablus, aiming to preempt any YPG attempt to take it.

The battle over Hasaka marked the most violent confrontation between the YPG and Damascus in more than five years of civil war, with the Syrian air force used against the US-backed Kurdish forces for the first time last week.

On Tuesday Hasaka’s remaining government officials were confined to a few buildings known as the security quarter, while the rest of the city was under Kurdish control. The Kurds held around 70 per cent of Hasaka prior to the latest fighting.

“Even if they (pro-government militias) keep a symbolic presence, it is a big defeat for the regime in Hasaka,” said Rami Abdulrahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which reports on the war.

Ceasefire The terms of the ceasefire that came into effect at 2 p.m. (1100 GMT) on Tuesday included the withdrawal of the Syrian army and allied militia from Hasaka city, Kurdish officials said.

The YPG would hand over all seized areas to an affiliated Kurd-

VICTORY: A Kurdish fighter stands with his weapon on the entrance of Hasaka Prison in the Ghwairan neighborhood of Hasaka, Syria, on Tuesday. — Reuters

Even if they (progovernment militias) keep a symbolic presence, it is a big defeat for the regime in Hasaka Rami Abdulrahman Director of Syrian Observatory for Human Rights FLEEING TO SURVIVE: Syrian civilians flee the northeastern city of Hasaka on Monday.— AFP

ish police force, the Asayish.

Government policemen would be left to secure the one remaining area under state control.

Prisoner swap Details reported by state TV included a prisoner swap, handing over the wounded and bodies of the dead, and opening the roads to Syrian army positions inside and outside the city. Reuters could not immediately obtain a full text of the agreement. One of the Kurdish officials said the deal was concluded on Monday evening “via international parties”.

YPG-controlled areas of northern Syria include an uninterrupted 400 km (250 mile) stretch of the Syrian-Turkish border from the eastern frontier with Iraq to the Euphrates river, and a pocket of territory in northwestern Syria.

Turkey is currently focused on preventing the YPG or its allies building on recent advances against IS by capturing the town of Jarablus.

The US-backed Syria Democratic Forces alliance (SDF), including the YPG, captured the city of Manbij, just south of Jarablus, from IS earlier this month.

Turkey has been shelling IS positions in Jarablus as part of an effort to help allied Syrian rebels secure it.

Rebel sources say they have been mobilising in Turkey, ready to cross into Jarablus.

A Syrian rebel with one of the Turkey-backed groups said the fighters were waiting for the signal to enter Jarablus.

“The Turkish artillery has not stopped ... this is to create the right atmosphere to start the battle of liberating Jarablus,” said the rebel, who declined to be identified.

A second rebel familiar with the

preparations said around 1,500 fighters were now gathered at a location in Turkey to take part.

“The plan is to take Jarablus and expand south ... so as to abort any attempt by the Kurds to move north ... and so that Kurds don’t take more villages,” he said.

The leader of the newly declared “Jarablus military council”, set up with the aim of mounting its own campaign to seize Jarablus with SDF support, was assassinated on Monday, the Observatory said. A Kurdish official said two “agents of Turkey” had been detained over the killing. — Reuters

A S S A U LT O N I S - H E L D C I T Y

UN readies for refugee exodus from Iraq’s Mosul GENEVA: Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis in and around Mosul could be uprooted by the military assault to retake city from IS, the UN refugee agency UNHCR said on Tuesday.

“In Mosul we believe the displacement situation may be about to dramatically worsen,” UNHCR spokesman Adrian Edwards told a briefing, saying the agency needed more land for camps.

“The humanitarian impact of the military offensive is expected to be enormous, up to 1.2 million people could be affected.”

About 3.4 million people have already been forced by conflict to leave their homes across Iraq, taking refuge in areas under control of the government or in the Kurdish region, east of Mosul, IS’ de facto capital. With a population at one time as large as 2 million, Mosul is the largest city under the group’s control in either Iraq or Syria.

Iraqi and Kurdish forces are gradually closing on the city 400

km north of Baghdad, with air and ground support from a USled coalition. Its fall would mark the effective defeat of the ultrahardline militants in Iraq, according to Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi. The Iraqi army is battling its way up the Tigris river and has 60 km left to reach the outskirts of Mosul, while Kurdish Peshmerga forces are deployed 30 km east of the city.

Mass killing Meanwhile, the United Nations said thirty-six men hanged in Iraq for a sectarian mass killing of soldiers were denied a proper legal defence at their trials and the executions appeared to have been “fuelled by vengeance”.

The hangings were carried out on Sunday at a prison in southern Iraq, state TV said. Those executed were suspected minority sect militants convicted in the killings of as many as 1,700 soldiers, mostly of the majority sect, after they were taken captive by IS in-

surgents two years ago.

“The individuals who have been executed were convicted only on the basis of information provided by secret informants or by confessions allegedly extracted under duress,” UN human rights spokeswoman Cecile Pouilly told reporters in Geneva.

She said the defendants’ courtappointed lawyer did not intervene during the proceedings apart from a three-minute statement just before the verdicts were delivered. The United Nations, she said, had urged Iraqi authorities “to ensure that any trial conducted in connection with the massacre respects due process ... rather than be fuelled by vengeance.

Unfortunately, this (36 hangings) was not the case”.

In a recent report, Amnesty International said one of the hanged men had told its researchers that the defendants were beaten into making confessions, but that his complaint was ignored and not investigated. — Reuters

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

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READERS’ FORUM Indian officials should not treat sports like a joke I refer the story, Why do India’s athletes under perform at the Olympics games? ( August 22). India performed up relatively poorly in terms of medals won, not only compared to the developed Western countries, but also compared to other developing nations like China, Brazil and even to smaller African nations . While India is still a developing country, but certainly it has the resources to fund at least a programme capable of delivering up a moderate number of medals. India’s large middleclass can surely produce winners. The most important thing is that Indian Olympic committee officials Scan this QR code and the sports bodies under it should not to send letters to the treat sports like a joke and the Olympic Readers’ Forum, games as a way to take an extended vacation containing not more than 200 words with to an exotic locale at the cost of the athletes. full name, address To the utmost surprise the participating and telephone athletes in Rio Olympics were not even pronumber, may be sent vided kits on time and what to say of their by e-mail (akhtar@ timesofoman.com). travel comfort and other necessary facilities of preperations which the athletes’ must get. A country with over a billion population can surely win more than a handful of medals provided the Sports Ministry creates a sports culture through investing more at school levels in the form of stadiums in small towns and cities. — Mohammad Osama Rawat, Ruwi

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Global education roadmap to 2030

YANIS VAROUFAKIS

In market economies, money is the measure of the value of goods and services. And the interest rate is the price of that metric – of money itself. When the price is zero, it makes no difference whether money is kept under a mattress or lent, because there is no cost to holding or borrowing cash

W

hen I visited the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan earlier this year, I met with children who told me what education means to them. For Syrian youths who have been forced from their homes and have lost everything, education is about more than qualifications or test scores; it embodies their hope for the future.

Children like those in Zaatari, and millions of others around the world, are central to the work of the International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity, which I joined last September. This commission is committed to the fourth United Nations Sustainable Development Goal, which aims, by 2030, to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.”

This goal is still a distant prospect for far too many children. With so many development issues demanding our attention, policymakers should bear in mind that education is not just a good in itself; it is also a catalyst for many other development gains. As the old African proverb goes, if you educate a girl, you educate an entire nation. Ensuring access to quality education for children, especially girls, will lead to fewer child marriages and less child labour and exploitation.

And education has long-term societal benefits: aside from increased political engagement, educated children contribute intellectual capital and pursue entrepreneurial opportunities when they grow up, boosting economic growth.

Tackling the education challenge needs to start from two principles embedded in the goal.

First, “for all” means that we must focus on the children who have been left behind. Millions of children are out of school or are receiving a substandard education because of who they are or where they live. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, refugee children are five times more likely to be out of school than other children in the countries to which they’ve been displaced. And in all but two African countries, girls remain less likely than boys to complete a primary education. Getting these children into school will require new approaches that directly address their exclusion and make schooling genuinely accessible and relevant.

Second, “quality”: Education must be effective, so that children actually learn. For the 61 million children who are out of primary school, formal education is beyond reach. But, just as urgently, more than one-third of children of primaryschool age – 250 million – are not learning the basics, according to the UNESCO Education for All Global Monitoring Report. Half of these children have been in school for at least four years.

We must address the barriers to learning, both in the classroom and at home, by improving the quality of teaching and classroom conditions and teaching parents how they can support their children’s education.

Upholding these two principles will require increased investment. Last year, UNESCO calculated that governments must double education spending as a share of national income to achieve the 2030 goals. This will require increased revenue from taxation and stronger efforts to collect what’s owed. Donors also need to live up to their aid commitments and target aid more effectively.

For example, less than one-third of education aid goes to Africa, even though the region accounts for almost two-thirds of out-of-school children.

Moreover, at the moment, education budgets are often regressive, with almost half of spending in the poorest countries allocated to the most educated 10 per cent of the population.

Fixing education investment requires action in two key areas. First, we need equitable financing, with more investment in early childhood care and development, where there is the biggest potential for returns. Budgets must be focused on the most excluded children, and primary education must be free at the point of use, so that every child can learn. We also urgently need more transparency and accountability, so that budgets are visible and communities have a say in school governance.

Second, we need to strengthen domestic education systems so that governments see themselves as the guarantor of accessible, quality schools for their citizens, rather than abdicating that role to outside development agencies. - Project Syndicate

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PICTOGRAPH

POPULATION OF DHOFAR

FROM OUR ARCHIVES AUGUST 2001 Hamed ready to excel in Finland MUSCAT: From the Lands of Thousand Lakes, the 51st edition of the Finland rally, the ninth round of the World Cup Rally Championship, is set to flag off today with more than 170 enthusiastic entrants including the Oman’s international rally ace Hamed Al Wahaibi, taking part in this demanding event. Hamed who puts in the FIA record his 30th world rally and third successive appearance in the Fin show, finished earlier on Wednesday the reconnaissance with his co-driver Tony Sircombe.

May

420,836

June

Total

421,581

Expatriate 218,138

217,874 0,12%

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

1891: Thomas Edison files a patent for the motion picture camera.

1912: By an act of Congress, Alaska is given a territorial legislature of two houses.

202,962

203,443 Omani 0.22%

1954: Congress outlaws the Communist Party in United States.

2006: Pluto is downgraded to a dwarf planet.

Source National Centre for Statistics & Information

A14

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

LIFESTYLE LEISURE

STORY SCOTT ARMSTRONG • PHOTOS SUPPLIED

s it really possible to recreate Venice in the Arabian Gulf?

It’s an ambition so grand that only the hoteliers in the United Arab Emirates, which already had the audacity to bring the Louvre to Abu Dhabi, would even attempt it.

But Venice? Teaming up with the Ritz-Carlton on a mega-hotel project that sits in the shadow of the stunning Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the emirate’s most revered architectural treasure, the Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal aims to bring the glory of 17th century renaissance Italy to the GCC, trading the canals

of Venice for the waters of Al Maqta’a Creek.

It’s a glorious conceit, and anyone who has ever visited Venice knows that it is also an impossibility. However, while the RitzCarlton and Abu Dhabi may not have replicated that ancient town, the sheer amount of luxury that has been poured into the 447room property (combined with Ritz-Carlton’s light-touch sophistication) ensured that the Grand Canal was anything but a tacky Vegas-esque themed resort, but a beautiful destination hotel in its own right. Perhaps the best way to appreciate the sheer scale of this

project is to walk to the water’s edge and look back on the hotel, which is in fact ten separate (but connected) buildings which form a crescent around the huge swimming pool. It’s then you see the passing resemblance to a Venice waterfront and also that you appreciate the architect of this particular hotel for creating such an impressive resort.

It’s not just physically large thanks to the number of buildings, its grounds are also dramatic with manicured lawns and water features honouring the spirit of the renaissance if not the exact classical definition of it. Private

villas, which can also be rented, punctuate these gardens creating a wonderful space to wander through, especially at dawn as the sun is rising (said the father of a baby girl strolling around far too early for his liking). And, as you might imagine, acres of stunning marble have been used to create a lobby with real punch, delivering on that slack-jawed effect that one assumes is given at all RitzCarlton properties.

So it’s beautiful, but what is it like to stay there? The danger of operating such a large resort is that the service levels we have come to expect along with the

marbled foyers of Ritz-Carlton properties, can be diluted, and thus the guest experience as well.

Ultimately, with five-star properties you know there is a certain comfort level to be expected, but what Ritz-Carlton consistently delivers on is the well-trained staff who make sure your experience is exceptional. At the Grand Canal those staff included the affable but astoundingly competent Adrian Almirante, the Assistant Director of Rooms and the team at the hotel’s fabulous Asian restaurant, Li Jiang, where the food is almost surpassed by the service.

Continue to Page A15 >

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

WEATHER

TEMPERATURE

HUMIDITY

42 - 28 47-15% 0

0

PRAYER TIMINGS

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

12.14pm 3.41pm 6.37pm 7.51pm 4.28am

A15

LIFESTYLE < From page A14

Of course, service aside, a traveller wants to know what kind of room they can expect. Well if they spring for the Ritz-Carlton suite, they can’t go far wrong. This expansive suite clocks in at 126sqm, featuring a living room, a grand dining room, a kitchen, spacious bedroom adjoined by a cavernous en-suite bathroom awash with marble with separate dressing areas, plus a bath and monsoon colour therapy shower. Add to that two balconies overlooking the pool, the creek, and the city beyond and you have a room with major wow factor.

Views, whether on a morning walk or sitting on your balcony, are one of the many splendours of this property. Wherever you are in the Grand Canal you are never far from that mesmerising view of the mosque, one of the architectural wonders of the Gulf. This iconic building provides the grandest backdrop any hotel could hope for, and is a must visit for any guest.

When it comes to dining, of all the restaurants, Li Jiang really is where it’s at. Dark and intimate décor set the mood while deft and intelligent service delivers delicious oriental fare. Their dumplings are simply amazing. The Grand Canal also has its Venetian Village, a lively al fresco promenade featuring all manner of cuisine, perfect for winter months when temperatures allow diners outside again.

And for ultimate relaxation, the Grand Canal also features an ESPA spa where jacuzzis, saunas and massage therapists wait to soothe your troubles (if it is possible to have any after checking into the Ritz-Carlton suite). A session there will leave you revived and ready for more fine dining or some action in the Sorso sports lounge.

Should you really feel the need to leave the resort in search of food, just across the creek is the Souk Qaryat Al Beri, a lively spot with all manner of local eateries, a mere five-minute taxi ride away.

Alternatively, you can hop on an abra and cross the river directly from the Ritz-Carlton.

Is it Venice? Of course not. But does it matter? Not in the least.

Abu Dhabi’s homage to the renaissance has created a spectacular property that delivers a distinctive experience in an emirate awash with five-star choice.

BOOK YOUR STAY RITZ-CARLTON ABU DHABI, GRAND CANAL ABU DHABI +971 2818 8888 RITZCARLTON.COM

— scottarmstrong@timesofoman.com

CINEMA SCHEDULE

O N A R OU N D M U S C AT

Millennium Resort Mussanah announces first Millennium Triathlon

Millennium Resort Mussanah, in association with the Muscat Triathlon Club, will be hosting the inaugural Millennium Triathlon on October 7, 2016, a one of a kind multisport race set to attract athletes from across the region. With its state-ofthe-art marina and worldclass grounds fully prepared to challenge even the fastest finishers, the resort is inviting participants of all levels and everyone who loves athletics to a day filled with fun, speed and sportsmanship. Christoph Schleissing, General Manager of the Millennium Resort Mussanah, said, “Our resort has a history of hosting major sports events at the local, regional, and international levels that capture the imagination of audiences and participants alike. Every inch of our athletic facilities has been designed to bring out the best in athletes and provide viewers with pulsating excitement they won’t soon forget. With the Millen-

nium Triathlon, we are going to deliver an unrivalled experience full of the thrills and action everyone has come to expect from an event hosted by Millennium Resort Mussanah.” The Millennium Triathlon will be divided into two races comprising the Sprint Distance and Olympic Distance categories. The Sprint competition will include a 750 metre swim, 20 kilometres of cycling, and a 5 kilometre run to the finish line.

The Olympic category on the other hand will put competitors to the ultimate test with a 1,000 metre swim and 40 kilometres of cycling before ending with a 10 kilometre run. The

The Millennium Triathlon is open to 80 racers.

Aspiring participants are encouraged to sign up at www.premieronline.com/ event/Millennium_Hotel_ Triathlon_2016_1936

event will start and finish at the resort’s Event Plaza, with the swim conducted in its Marina, where kayaks and sighting buoys will be used to ensure the safety of all participants. Support stations and transition points have also been set up.

Meanwhile, event coordinators and marshals from the Royal Oman Police will be on hand to cordon off all cycling routes and watch over the event. Schleissing added, “After the event, our visitors are welcome to join us and unwind with our latest leisure offerings.

We are fully equipped with a comprehensive range of services and facilities that include our Zayna Spa and its rejuvenating treatments, two infinity swimming pools, a 50 metre swimming pool and in addition an exclusive family pool. With a Kidzone for the little ones, a Fitness Club, and exceptional food, there is something for everyone at our resort.”

-lifestyle@timesofoman.com

CHILDREN BELOW THE AGE OF 3 YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE CINEMA | BOX-OFFICE COUNTER OPENS 30-MINUTES PRIOR TO THE SCREENING OF THE FIRST SHOW

CITY CINEMA Contact (10 am to 6PM) 24567664 | 68 www.citycinemaoman.net facebook.com/citycinemaoman SHATTI Skiptrace – 2D (PG12) Action Cast: Jackie Chan, Johnny Knoxville 3.00, 7.15, 9.30, 11.45 PM Ice Age: Collision Course – 3D (PG) 5:15 PM Mohenjo Daro – 2D Hindi | Romance Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Pooja Hegde 8:45 PM (PG12) War Dogs – 2D (12+) Comedy Cast: Jonah Hill, Miles Teller, Steve Lantz 3.15, 9.15, 11.30 PM Cell – 2D (12+) Horror| Sci-Fi Cast: John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson 5:30, 11:45 PM Life on the Line – 2D (PG12) Action Cast: John Travolta, Kate Bosworth 4:45, 7:25 PM The Secret Life of Pets – 3D (PG) Cast: Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet 3:00, 6:45 PM MUSCAT GRAND MALL Skiptrace (2D) (PG12) 12:15, 9:15, 11:30PM Skiptrace (2D) (PG12) Gold Cast: Jackie Chan, Johnny Knoxville 3:00, 6.45, 11.15PM War Dogs (2D) (12+) Cast: Jonah Hill, Miles Teller, Steve Lantz 2.30, 7.00, 11.45PM War Dogs (2D) (12+) Gold 9.00PM The Legend of Tarzan (3D) (PG12) Cast: Alexander Skarsgård 4:45PM The BFG (3D) (PG) Cast: Mark Rylance, Ruby Barnhill 4:30PM Mohenjo Daro (Hindi) (2D) (PG12) Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Pooja Hegde 8.30PM The Secret Life of Pets (3D) (PG) Cast: Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet 12.30, 2.45, 6.45PM The Secret Life of Pets (3D) 5.00PM; (PG) Gold PANORAMA MALL War Dogs - (2D) (12+) VIP LOUNGE Cast: Jonah Hill, Miles Teller 6:45PM War Dogs - (2D) (Comedy) (12+) 3:30, 9:30 & 11:45PM Skiptrace - (2D) (PG12) VIP LOUNGE Cast: Jackie Chan, Johnny 3:45, 9:00 & 11:15PM Skiptrace - (2D) (Action ) (PG12) 2:45, 6:45 & 8:45PM The Secret Life of Pets - (3D) (PG) Cast: Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, 2:45 & 6:00PM UNindian - (2D) (Comedy | Drama) (12+) Cast: Brett Lee, Tannishtha Chatterjee 7:45PM Life on the Line - (2D) (Action) Cast: John Travolta, Kate Bosworth 4:45 & 9:45PM (PG12) The BFG - (4D) (Action) (PG) MX4D 3:15 & 7:15PM Rustom - (2D) (Hindi | Action) Cast: Akshay Kumar, Ileana 8:45PM (12+) Mohenjo Daro - (2D) (Hindi | Romance) Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Pooja Hegde 10:45PM (PG12) Suicide Squad - (3D) (Action, Fantasy) Cast: Will Smith, Jared Leto 4:30 & 11:45PM (12+)

@ PANORAMA MALL

UNindian - (2D) (Comedy) Cast: Brett Lee, Tannishtha Chatterjee (12+) 7:45PM

Ice Age: Collision Course - (3D) (PG) Cast: Ray Romano, Denis Leary 7:00PM Ice Age: Collision Course - (3D) (Animation | Comedy) (PG) MX4D 5:30PM AZAIBA The Secret Life of Pets (3D) (PG) 3:00, 4:45, 6:30 PM Skiptrace (2D) (Action | Comedy) (PG12) Cast: Jackie Chan, Johnny Knoxville 3:45, 6:00, 11:15 PM Happy Bhag Jayegi (Hindi) (2D) (TBC) Cast: Jimmy Shergill, Abhay Deol 6:35, 11:00 PM Rustom (Hindi) (2D) (Action) (12+) Cast: Akshay Kumar, Ileana, Esha Gupta 3:00, 9:00, 11:30 PM Mohenjo Daro (Hindi) (2D) (PG12) Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Pooja Hegde 5:45, 8:35, 10:30 PM Idi (Mal) (2D) (Action | Comedy) Cast: Jayasuraya, Suryalekha Nair 8:00 PM (TBC) Dharma Durai (Tamil) (2D) (Romance) Cast: Vijay Sethupathi, Tamannah 8:45 PM (PG) RUWI Screen 1 Happy Bhag Jayegi (Comedy) –PG12 Cast : Jimmy Shergil, Abhay Deol, Diana Penty 3.30 PM Mohenjo Daro (Action/ Drama) –PG12 Cast : Hrithik Roshan, Pooja Hegde 6.30 PM Rustom (Action/Thriller) –12+ Cast : Akshay Kumar, Ileana, Esha Gupta 9.30 PM Screen 2 Rustom (Action/Thriller) –12+ 3.45, 6.45 PM Happy Bhag Jayegi (Comedy) –PG12 9.45 PM Screen 3 Mohenjo Daro (Action/ Drama) –PG12 Cast : Hrithik Roshan, Pooja Hegde 3.45, 9.45 PM Happy Bhag Jayegi (Comedy) –PG12 Cast : Jimmy Shergil, Abhay Deol, Diana Penty 6.45PM SUR Rustom (Thriller- Hindi)(12+) Cast: Akshay Kumar, Ileana, Esha Gupta 6.40 PM Mohenjo Daro (Adventure – Hindi)(PG12)

8.55 PM The Secret Life of Pets ( 3D)(PG) Cast: Louis C.K, Eric Stone street 5.00 PM War Dogs (Drama)(12+) Cast: Jonah Hill, Miles Teller, Steve Lantz 4.45, 11.45 PM Skiptrace (Action )(PG12) Cast: Jackie Chan, Johnny Knoxville 7.00, 9.20 PM Idi (Action – Malayalam)(TBC) Cast: Jayasurya, Suryalekha Nair 11.15 PM SOHAR Life on the Line – 2D (Action) (PG12) Cast: John Travolta, Kate Bosworth 7:15PM The Secret Life of Pets -3D (PG) 3:00, 5:30PM Cell -2D (Horror/Sci-Fi) (12+) 4:45, 11:55PM Skiptrace – 2D (Action) (PG12) Cast: Jackie Chan, Johnny Knoxville 3:30, 6:45, 8:45, 11:30PM War Dogs – 2D (Comedy/War) (12+) Cast: Jonah Hill, Miles Teller, Steve Lantz 3:45, 9:15, 11:45PM Idi - 2D (Malayalam/ Action) (TBC) Cast: Jayasuraya, Suryalekha Nair 9:15PM Rustom-2D (Hindi/ Action/Thriller) (12+) 3:30, 11:00PM Mohenjo Daro - 2D (Hindi) (PG12) 6:30PM Happy Bhag Jayegi - 2D (Hindi) (TBC) 9:30PM Dharma Durai - 2D (Tamil/Romance) Cast: Vijay Sethupathi, Tamannah 6:30PM (TBC) BURAIMI Mohenjo Daro PG12 (Hindi) (Adventure) 8.25 PM War Dogs 12+ (Comedy| Drama | War) Cast: Jonah Hill, Miles Teller, Steve Lantz 5.00 & 11.45 PM The Secret Life of Pets (3D) PG Cast: Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet 6.45 PM Skiptrace PG12 (Action) Cast: Jackie Chan, Johnny Knoxville 4.45, 9.30 & 11.30 PM Rustom 12+ (Hindi) (Action) 11.15 PM Idi (Malayalam) (Action| Comedy) TBC Cast: Jayasuraya, Suryalekha Nair 7.30 PM Life on the Line PG12 (Action| Drama) 5.15 & 10.00 PM Happy Bhag Jayegi TBC (Hindi) Cast: Jimmy Shergill, Abhay Deol 7.10 PM SALALAH The BFG (3D) (PG) (Action ) 3:00PM The Secret Life of Pets (3D) (PG) 12:30, 5:10PM Cell (2D) (12+) (Horror| Sci-Fi ) 7:00PM War Dogs (2D) (12+) (Comedy) 2:30, 9:00PM The Legend of Tarzan (3D) (PG12) 12:45, 11:45PM Skiptrace (2D) (PG12) (Action ) 1:00, 5:00, 9:40, 11:55PM Happy Bhag Jayegi (2D) (PG) (Hindi) 7:10PM Rustom (2D) (12+) (Hindi) (Action) 9:00PM Mohenjo Daro (2D) (PG12) (Hindi) 3:30, 11:15PM Idi (2D) (TBC) (Malayalam) (Action) Cast: Jayasuraya, Suryalekha Nair 6:30PM

@ SHATTI

Cell – 2D (12+) Horror| Sci-Fi Cast: John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson, Isabelle Fuhrman 5:30, 11:45 PM

BAHJA CINEMA Film information 24540856 / Advance Booking 24540855 Website: www.albahjacinemaoman.com War Dogs (Comedy / Drama) Cast: Jonah Hill, Miles Teller 2.00, 6.00 & 10.00 p.m.

CP No : 2041 (12+) Mechanic: Resurrection (Action) Cast: Jason Statham, Jessica Alaba, Tommy Lee Jones 11.55 p.m.

CP No : 2055 (PG12) Cell (Horror / Sci-Fi / Thriller) Cast: John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson 4.00, 8.00 & 11.55 p.m.

CP No :2042 (12+) Life on the Line (Action) Cast: John Travolta, Kate Bosworth, 4.00, 8.00 & 10.00 p.m.

CP No : 2043 (PG12) The Secret Life of Pets (Animation) Cast: Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet 2.00 & 6.00 p.m. CP No :2044 (PG)

STAR CINEMA Film information 24791641 / 24786776 Website: www.isurf.co.om Idi ( Mal ) (Act \ Drama) Cast : Jayasurya, Sihivada & Joju George 3-30 & 9-30 pm Cinema Main; 6-45 pm Cinema -3 Babu Bangaram (Telugu ) (Act) (PG ) Cast : Venkatesh & Nayantara 3-45 PM Cinema - 4 Anuraga Karikkin Vallam (Mal) (Comedy) (PG 12) Cast: Biju Menon & Asif Ali 3-30, 6-30 & 9-30 pm Cinema - 2 Rustom (Hindi) ( Act) ( 12 +) Cast : Akshay Kumar & Ileana Dcruz 6-45 & 9-45 pm Cinema -4 Dharma Durai (Tamil) ( Act)( PG) Cast : Vijay Sethupathi & Tamannaah 3-45 & 9-45 pm Cinema-3; 6-30 pm Cinema Main Next Change : A Flying Jatt (Hindi); Aatadukundam Raa (Telugu); Kismath (Mal) Programmes are subject to change

A16

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

LIFESTYLE

GPS LOCATION 19°11’30.6”N 57°45’31.0”E PHOTOGRAPHY SHABIN E

T

he beach at Ras Al Markaz, near Duqm, is picturesque and an undisturbed beauty. Though the area has been identified as an important place for oil exploration in recent years, it has not affected the unique beauty of the beach’s deserted white sands. It is difficult, almost impossible, to find Ras Al Markaz in the many guidebooks available on Oman.

It’s a hidden paradise for many explorers of nature in Oman. Ras Al Markaz has great cliffs with sedimentary rocks, which has its unique coloured layers, and a calm sandy beach down the cliffs and it is a great spot for angling, swimming, and snorkelling. It is also a great place for camping as the 40-metre cliff casts a beautiful shadow over the beach area. Take a pair of binoculars with you if you are visiting this place in winter, as migratory birds are abundant this season.

During stormy weather there will be huge waves. The patches of mud flats on the beach make a 4X4 essential to access the beach.

Also beware of flash floods during rainy season. Prepare for some adventure when taking the 500-km trip down to Ras Al Markaz from Muscat, but that is part of its attraction.

How to get there From Muscat, take the expressway, and then take Route 15, Route 23, Route 27 and Route 32. When you reach Duqm, drive in the direction of Hayma. After 17km, head straight for Al Jazar. The turning for Ras Al Markaz is 49km from the petrol station. Take the dirt road and continue for 14km to reach the beach.—lifestyle@timesofoman.com

B

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM W EDN ES DAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

OMAN CRUDE DECLINES

MARKE

Oman Crude (October delivery) declined by $1.21 to $45.66 per barrel on Tuesday, said Dubai Mercantile Exchange. The average price of Oman Crude (September delivery) was $43.40 per barrel -$3.20 lower than August delivery. – ONA

SCAN THIS QR CODE TO INSTANTLY LAUNCH THE VIDEO

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

Muscat 5,849.42 - 24.38 - 0.42%

Dubai 3,533.83 - 2.46 - 0.04%

Abu Dhabi 4,535.40 + 24.85 + 0.55%

Saudi Arabia

6,074.87 - 34.90 - 0.57%

Kuwait 5,448.86 + 5.66 + 0.10%

Bahrain 1,153.16 + 1.38 + 0.12%

Qatar 11,137.15 - 76.70 - 0.68%

CRUDE OIL PRICE

CURRENCY RATES*

DRAFT RATES (OMR1)*

GOLD PRICES*

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

Forex rates vs OMR1* US Dollar ................................. 2.58 Euro ............................................ 2.26 Pound ...........................................1.96 Indian Rs ............................. 174.25 Pakistan Rs ........................ 267.74 Bangla Taka......................200.96

Indian Rs ....................................174.10 Pakistan Rs .............................272.00 Sri Lanka Rs .................................. N/A Bangla Taka........................... 203.50 Phil Peso ................................... 120.55

Muscat 24ct per gm (OMR) ....... 17.05

Oman Crude............. (Spot) ........$45.30 Dubai Crude ............. (Spot) ........$45.45 Murban Crude ........ (Spot) ........$46.65 Arabian Light ......... (Spot) ........ $45.57 N.Sea Brent............... (Spot) .........$48.77 West Texas Int ....... (Spot) .........$47.05

* Rates are as of August 23 Source: Bank Muscat

* Rates as of August 23 Source: Oman UAE Exchange

Muscat 22ct per gm (OMR) .......16.35 Dubai 24ct per gm (Dh) ........... 162.00 Dubai 22ct per gm (Dh) .............152.25 * Rates as of August 23 Source: Malabar Gold & Diamonds

Oman’s hospitality market set to touch $1b in 2020: Report This growth is attributed to a 5.3 per cent annual rise in hotels and serviced apartment room inventory and a 6.3 per cent increase in international tourist arrivals, according to the Alpen Capital Industry report Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman’s hospitality market is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.2 per cent from 2015 to reach $1 billion in 2020.

This growth is attributed to a 5.3 per cent annual rise in hotels and serviced apartment room inventory and a 6.3 per cent increase in international tourist arrivals, according to the GCC Hospitality Industry report published by Alpen Capital, an investment banking advisory firm.

The report said that Oman government’s tourism plan to double

tourist arrivals by 2040 by developing tourist spots and encouraging private investments is likely to boost demand.

Thus, increase in tourist arrivals is likely to result in occupancy rates and average daily rates (ADRs) in the Sultanate’s hotels and serviced apartments to grow by 1 percentage points and 0.3 per cent CAGR, respectively, during 2015 to 2020.

The slow growth is primarily due to the decline anticipated in 2016, after which the country’s key hospitality indicators is expected to grow steadily. As a result, the aggregate revenue per available room (RevPAR) of hotels and serviced apartments is projected to grow at a CAGR of 0.6 per cent to reach $132 by 2020.

Key growth drivers As a part of the 2040 tourism strategy, Oman’s Ministry of Tourism plans to invest $35 billion to develop the sector with an aim to double tourist arrivals to five million by 2040. The ministry is pushing on the redevelopment of Muscat International Airport and fleet expansion of Oman Air to accommodate the anticipated rise in passengers. Further, it intends to increase hospitality capacity to 80,000 keys by 2040, of which 30,000 will be holiday homes, 17,000 smaller housing units and 33,000 hotel rooms. With the expected launch of the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre in the second half of 2016, the Oman government is looking to become a major regional centre for meeting, incentives, conference and exhibi-

MEGA PLAN: As a part of the 2040 tourism strategy, Oman’s Ministry of Tourism plans to invest $35 billion to develop the sector with an aim to double tourist arrivals to five million by 2040. - Times file picture

tion (MICE) events. An increase in events hosted at the convention centre is likely to attract more business travellers, thus benefiting the hospitality sector.

Oman offers a range of cultural and sports activities like scuba diving, boat trips, dolphin watching, Royal Opera House, and the national museum. The upcoming Duqm tourist complex featuring a mall, hotels, entertainment centre, and water theme park is likely to have a large impact on tourism.

“Backed by an active tourism market, the GCC hospitality in-

dustry remains firm on its growth trajectory. Though drop in oil prices and currency depreciation is currently affecting demand, the sector’s long-term outlook remains strong,” said Sameena Ahmad, managing director of Alpen Capital (ME) Limited.

“The GCC is witnessing a significant growth in hotel properties, despite the region’s macroeconomic challenges. Several international hotel chains have established significant presence in the region to capture a slice of the burgeoning tourism industry. Mas-

AUGMENTED REALITY GAME

sive infrastructure developments and hotel projects are underway to meet the demands of the tourist inflow expected into the region for the upcoming mega events such as Expo 2020 in Dubai and 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar,” added Sanjay Bhatia, managing director of Alpen Capital (ME) Limited Industry outlook According to Alpen Capital, the GCC hospitality market is expected to grow at a 7.6 per cent CAGR from an estimated $25.4 billion in 2015 to $36.7 billion in 2020, de-

spite a slowdown in 2016. However, it is anticipated to recover in the long-term with upcoming events, robust fundamentals and government efforts, driving the continual rise in tourist arrivals and a robust pipeline of hotels and serviced apartments. The key operating metrics of the sector is expected to remain under pressure in the short-term, mainly in the UAE and Qatar, but is likely to rebound in the long-term supported by growing demand.

Between 2015 and 2020, occupancy rates at hotels and serviced apartments are anticipated to grow by 3 percentage points to 70 per cent and average daily rate is likely to increase at a 1.4 per cent annualised rate during the period.

As a result, the aggregate RevPARof hotels and serviced apartments in the GCC is projected to grow at a CAGR of 2.3 per cent to $133 by 2020.

From 2015 to 2020, the hospitality markets of Qatar and the UAE are expected to demonstrate the fastest annualised growth of over 10 per cent, owing mainly to tourism-related developments ahead of landmark events to be held in these countries.

Bahrain is likely to deliver growth in line with the regional average backed by tourism promotion activities and recovery in oil prices. Rest of the GCC nations is likely to register growth in the range of 5 per cent to 6 per cent.

During the forecast period, the total room supply in the GCC is expected to grow at a 4 per cent CAGR, slower than 5.7 per cent expansion in international tourist arrivals.

CENTRAL BANK OF OMAN

‘Pokemon Go popularity fading in US’ Oman issues treasury

LOSING GAMERS INTEREST: As it turns out, however, more recent numbers show that Pokemon Go has started to lose some of its inertia. — Bloomberg file picture

H M D S H I P YA R D O F H Y U N D A I

HOUSTON: Location-based augmented reality game Pokemon Go has started fading in terms of popularity in the US, after becoming the most downloaded mobile gaming app in modern history, according to reports.

At its peak, estimates said Pokemon Go reached more than 40 million daily active users.

In the past a few weeks, Pokemon Go had been breaking one record after another and in less than a month following its launch, it became the most downloaded mobile game in modern history, according to a series of reports from various app/market intelligence firms.

But it was more than the raw number of downloads that caused concern for investors and executives from the world’s mobile giants.

In essence, Pokemon Go was borrowing a lot of active users and a large portion of their mobile usage time from giants such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter.

As it turns out, however, more recent numbers show that Poke-

mon Go has started to lose some of its inertia.

A fresh Bloomberg report quotes analysts from Sensor Tower, Apptopia, and Survey Monkey, all of which claim that the locationbased augmented reality game is currently losing daily downloads, active users and in-app time.

For the moment, developers Niantic have no cause for concern; their app is still a hit in multiple corners of the world and their current numbers are still very impressive, especially so for a new product.

In the US, the bloom is off the game. It is still sitting atop the top grossing chart as it has for some time, but no longer among the top 10 free apps in downloads, possibly because darn near everyone who wants it already has it.

But while it may no longer be the all encompassing phenomenon it was in July and early August in the US, it is as big as ever in some other countries — maybe even bigger, if that’s possible.

Pokemon Go is still number one mobile game in Singapore. — PTI

bills worth OMR15m

MUSCAT: A tender for government treasury bills was held at the Central Bank of Oman (CBO) this week.

The total value of the allotted Treasury bills amounted to OMR15 million, for a maturity period of 364 days from August 24, 2016 until August 23, 2017.

The average accepted price reached 98.645 for every OMR100 while the minimum accepted price arrived at 98.635 per OMR100. The average discount rate and the average yield reached 1.35872 per cent and 1.37739 per cent respectively.

The interest rate on the Repo operations with the central bank is 1.02217 per cent for the period from August 23 to August 29, 2016 while the discount rate on the treasury bills discounting facility with teh Central Bank of Oman is 1.77217 per cent for the same period.

The treasury bills are shortterm highly secured financial instruments issued by the CBO on

– Times file picture

behalf of the Government, which helps the licensed commercial banks to gainfully invest their surplus funds, with added advantage of ready liquidity through discounting and repurchase facilities (Repo) offered by the Central Bank.

Furthermore, the Treasury Bills promote the local money market by creating a benchmark yield curve for short-term interest rates. Additionally, the government may also resort to this instrument whenever felt necessary for financing its recurrent expenditures. — ONA

SELECTS ISSUE MANAGERS

Oman Shipping Co. India’s top bourse plans initial public offering receives two tankers MUSCAT: Two MR tankers named ‘Dhank Silver’ and ‘Madha Silver’ joined the fleet of Oman Shipping Company (OSC), as the company’s fleet stand at 50 vessels of different types.

The two tankers were built on HMD shipyard of Hyundai in Ulsan, South Korea.

The two tankers are the sev-

enth and eighth tankers of the Silver Project, which was executed by Oman Shipping Company with Shell International to build 10 medium-sized with capacity of 50 thousands deadweight tonnage (DWT) each.

The new vessels equipped with the latest navigation and safety systems. — ONA

MUMBAI: National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) has appointed bankers, including Citigroup and Morgan Stanley, as the nation’s largest bourse prepares to go public early next year.

The NSE also hired JM Financial Institutional Securities and Kotak Mahindra Capital to help sell shares in an initial public offer, the exchange said in a statement on Tuesday. The bourse said it will consider appointing more banks

for additional roles. “With these steps, National Stock Exchange expects the listing process to gain further momentum,” the exchange said in a statement.

Draft offer document The NSE will file a draft offer document with the market regulator for a domestic listing by January and by April for selling shares overseas, it said in a statement in June. The bourse will stick to

its plan of listing locally by early 2017 so it can give shareholders a chance to exit, Chief Executive Officer Chitra Ramkrishna said in an interview last month.

As many as 10 existing investors, including Tiger Global Five Holdings, Norwest Ventures Partners X FII - Mauritius and State Bank of India, have urged the NSE to accelerate plans to go public.

Other shareholders include Goldman Sachs Strategic Investments,

Morgan Stanley Strategic (Mauritius) and Citigroup Strategic Holdings Mauritius, according to the NSE’s website.

The Multi Commodity Exchange of India, the nation’s only listed exchange, is valued at $759 million at current prices. IFCI on July 4 said it had sold part of its stake in NSE at Rs3,950 per share, valuing the bourse at Rs177.85 billion, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. — Bloomberg News

B2

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

MARKET Opec output freeze could be self-defeating, says Goldman Opec deal to freeze output may only deepen the global oversupply.

Oil entered a bull market last Thursday, having climbed more than 20 per cent since dipping below $40 a barrel earlier in the month. Crude was driven higher partly by speculation that discussions among members of the Opec may lead to action to stabilize the market. Prices subsequently retreated as Iraq sought to increase exports and Nigerian militants called an end to hostilities, potentially boosting supply.

A production cap would likely prove counter-productive for the Opec if it led to further price gains and an increase in supply from other producers, Goldman Sachs analyst said

LONDON: Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and some producers from outside the group may agree to freeze output during informal talks next month, which could prove ‘selfdefeating’ because it would benefit other suppliers, according to Goldman Sachs.

A deal would show signs of cooperation from Saudi Arabia’s new energy minister after six failed attempts, Goldman analysts including Damien Courvalin said in a report dated August 22.

An output cap would likely prove counterproductive for the Opec if it led to further price gains and an increase in supply from other producers, it said.

“Thawing relationships between parties in conflict in areas of disrupted production would be

DEMAND AND SUPPLY: Saudi Arabia and Iran continue to focus on market share and appear unlikely to unilaterally accept a freeze, Goldman said. Supply will remain the driver for oil prices in coming weeks, with no evidence demand growth is weakening. – File picture

more relevant to the oil rebalancing than an Opec freeze, which would leave production at record highs,” Goldman said. “A production freeze would also likely prove self-defeating if it succeeded in supporting oil prices further, with the United States oil rig count up 28 per cent since May.” Oil climbed more than 20 per cent to enter a bull market on Thursday amid speculation talks in September may lead to action to stabilise the market. Opec is on course to agree to a freeze because its biggest members are pumping flat-out, according to Chakib Khelil, former president of the group.

A similar plan was proposed in February, but a meeting in April ended with no accord.

Saudi Arabia and Iran continue to focus on market share and appear unlikely to unilaterally accept a freeze, Goldman said. Supply will remain the driver for oil prices in coming weeks, with no evidence demand growth is weakening, the bank said. Uncertainty about the sustainability of supply gains from Iraq, Libya and Nigeria and the magnitude of these improvements ‘remain large’.

Goldman maintained its $45 a barrel to $50 a barrel forecast through next summer and reiter-

ated that the price and fundamental recovery remain fragile.

West Texas Intermediate extended losses for a second day on Tuesday, falling as much as 1.7 per cent to $46.62 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, while Brent crude slid as much as 65 cents to $48.51. WTI capped a 16 per cent advance over seven sessions on Friday.

US supplies West Texas Intermediate for October delivery lost as much as 79 cents to $46.62 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange and was at $46.81 in London. The September contract expired on Monday after dropping $1.47 to close at $47.05, the biggest decline since August 1. Total volume traded Tuesday was about 36 per cent above the 100-day average.

Brent for October settlement lost as much as 66 cents, or 1.3 per cent, to $48.50 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange, having slipped 3.4 per cent on Monday. The global benchmark crude traded at a $1.78 premium to WTI. US gasoline stockpiles shrank by 1.5 million barrels for a fourth week of declines. - Bloomberg News

Oil extends loss Oil extended its biggest loss in three weeks before the release of United States. crude inventory data on Wednesday, while Goldman Sachs. cautioned that any

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STOCK MARKET

MSM suspends trading in Galfar shares Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman’s Muscat Securities Market (MSM) on Tuesday suspended trading in Galfar Engineering and Contracting Company shares in view of lack of full details about the arbitration award disclosure.

The company on Monday said that it received a compensation of OMR3.64 million from Haya Water for disputed claims between the two parties in Al Seeb Sewage project contract three.

The Muscat Securities Market has been taking stringent action against companies for lack of disclosure information regarding various corporate dealings, including compensation.

BRIEF

Al Jazeera Steel to pay 14 per cent interim dividend MUSCAT: Shareholders of Al Jazeera Steel Products approved the proposal of the board of directors for the payment of interim cash dividend of 14 per cent of (14 baisas per share) for the period ending June 30. The dividend is subject to clearance by company’s external auditors as was decided at the ordinary general meeting on August 22, according to a filing. - Times News Service

S O F T WA R E

Microsoft buys artificial intelligence startup Genee HOUSTON: Software giant Microsoft has bought a smart scheduling app Genee, as part of its effort to embed artificial intelligence (AI) to compete with the likes of Google Now and Apple.

The start-up, which was founded in 2014, will shut down its service on September 1. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed by Genee founders Ben Cheung and Charles Lee, who will join Microsoft.

Genee specialises in using machine smarts to handle the timesucking task of scheduling meetings. It is unclear whether the duct will be integrated with any of Microsoft’s existing applications, but comments from the company suggest Genee’s expertise could be used across Microsoft’s Office 365 suite of products.

“As we continue to build new Office 365 productivity capabilities and services our customers value, I’m confident the Genee team will help us further our ambition to bring intelligence into every digital experience,” Rajesh Jha, Microsoft’s corporate vice president of Outlook and Office 365, said in a blog post announcing the deal.

Scheduling meetings Scheduling meetings can often involve a lot of back and forth over emails, something Genee solved with its solution. A user sends an email to the person they wanted to set up a meeting with and copy in Genee, like a personal assistant.

Genee claims to understand the details of the meeting, including the date and location of the meeting. The app then emails the recipient directly with options that

INNOVATIVE: Genee claims to understand the details of the meeting, including the date and location of the meeting. The app then emails the recipient directly with options that fit the user’s calendar and preferences. – Bloomberg News

fit the user’s calendar and preferences. Genee can do this because it uses natural language processing, according to the company.

Computers traditionally found it hard to understand normal language, but improvements in AI have now made it possible.

So Genee can understand if you want a coffee or lunch and can

also make sense of the time of day you’d like it.

Major technology firms are focusing on bolstering the capabilities of their digital personal assistants. Genee’s expertise could be used to improve capabilities of Microsoft’s Cortana as it competes with the likes of Google Now and Apple’s Siri. – PTI

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

B3

MARKET UAE deposits $1b in Egypt to shore up IMF loan deal Egyptian President sets stage for tough measures

Egypt has secured an initial agreement with the lender, but the IMF’s board will not consider the loan deal before the country secures commitments of $6 billion from

UAE HELP: The United Arab Emirates agreed to deposit $1 billion

bilateral creditors

with Egypt’s central bank to help the North African nation meet the requirements for a $12 billion loan deal with the International Monetary Fund. – Bloomberg News

CAIRO: The United Arab Emirates agreed to deposit $1 billion with Egypt’s central bank to help the North African nation meet the requirements for a $12 billion loan deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Egypt has secured an initial agreement with the Washingtonbased lender, but the IMF’s executive board will not consider the loan deal before the country secures commitments of as much as $6 billion from bilateral creditors.

The deposit has a six-year tenor, the UAE’s state-run WAM news agency reported, without saying whether the money has arrived in Cairo.

Egyptian central bank officials did not immediately answer calls

and messages seeking comment.

With foreign investors staying away and the country in the throes of a hard currency shortage, the three-year IMF loan is crucial to Egyptian efforts to rally the economy. Prime Minister Sherif Ismail said last week that he expects Egypt’s Arab allies to provide the financial backing the IMF requires to go ahead with the deal.

Gulf aid The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have already given Egypt tens of billions of dollars in aid since the 2013 military-led ouster of president Mohamed Mursi.

Still, the country continues to suffer from a crippling hard currency shortage that has kept

investors away. International reserves stood at $15.5 billion in July, equivalent to about three months of imports.

Along with the IMF’s $12 billion loan, Egypt is targeting $9 billion over three years from other creditors, including the World Bank and African Development bank.

The country also plans to issue $3 billion to $5 billion in dollar bonds during the fiscal year ending June 30, with the first sale expected in 2016. - Bloomberg News

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TECHNOLOGY

Google to recruit web stars, Hulu for virtual reality push LOS ANGELES: Google is investing hundreds of thousands of dollars apiece in virtual-reality films and programmes, part of a plan to line up exclusive content for the debut of its new Daydream service in the coming weeks, according to people familiar with the matter.

Google will help promote projects from Hulu and fund the production of 360-degree videos with YouTube stars like the Dolan twins and Justine Ezarik, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private deals.

The division of Alphabet has also partnered with video-game producers and sports leagues to boost its biggest virtual-reality initiative.

“It’s apparent they’ve spent a lot of money internally,” said Finn Staber, co-founder of TheWaveVR, a virtual-reality startup developing a music app for Daydream.

The company is relying on apps, shorts and games to promote Daydream, a hybrid store and software service that Google hopes will be the dominant way people engage in virtual reality, much like Android is for smartphones.

An update to Android software that will support Daydream began rolling out Monday. The idea is to encourage the growth of the technology and ensure Google maintains a central role in helping people find things to watch.

Google is entering what has quickly become a crowded marketplace, with products from Facebook, Sony, Samsung and HTC. Whereas Sony’s Morpheus headset is tethered to its PlayStation video-game console, Google is focused on mobile-based VR,

MOBILE VIRTUAL REALITY: The company is relying on apps, shorts and games to promote Daydream, a hybrid store and software service that Google hopes will be the dominant way people engage in virtual reality. – Bloomberg News

whereby consumers snap their phones into a visor or headset.

With the headset on, Daydream presents users with an array of apps, from YouTube to HBO Now. Virtual reality equipment “Google’s Daydream will help advance mobile virtual reality,” said Oren Rosenbaum, a digital media agent at United Talent Agency who spearheads its VR effort.

“Mobile virtual reality is what’s going to get the most people to strap things on their head.”

While competitors are targeting users willing to spend hundreds of dollars for top-notch VR equipment, mobile will reach

mass audiences, Staber said. In June, he watched a live performance at the video-game expo E3 in Los Angeles from the comfort of his Austin home.

“It’s revolutionary,” Staber said, adding he and his partners had been collaborating with Google’s VR team over the past few months.

Google’s growing investment in virtual reality tantalizes filmmakers eager for more resources.

While Facebook has spent millions of dollars on individual projects, most large media companies have been circumspect about investing too much money in a new storytelling medium with a small audience. - Bloomberg News

CAIRO: Egypt is moving to end its dollar exchange rate problem within months, President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said, warning that the Arab world’s most populous nation could no longer put off tough measures if it hopes to revive its economy.

In an interview with three state-run newspapers published on Tuesday, the Egyptian leader said officials had waited too long to act, and that piecemeal measures taken over the years were no longer tenable.

His comments offered some of the strongest indications yet that Egypt was moving to free its exchange rate or devalue its pound.

“The size of the challenges is beyond imagination, and the responsibility for coping with them doesn’t fall solely on my shoulders but is a responsibility shared by Egyptians as a whole,” ElSisi told state-run Al-Ahram.

“The future of the nation is at stake.”

Economists expect the central bank to devalue the local currency or adopt a flexible exchange rate regime

Abdel Fattah El Sisi

to try to attract investments and ease a crippling dollar shortage that’s hampering economic growth. Officials have worried that a sharp devaluation, coupled with the lifting of subsidies on key items such as fuel, could lead to a spike in inflation and trigger unrest.

At the same time, with the decline in foreign reserves to $15.5 billion in July, the government’s ability to defend the currency has become increasingly limited.

The Egyptian currency is currently selling on the black market at a roughly 30 per cent discount to its official rate.

Egypt has struggled to spur economic growth and attract investments. - Bloomberg News

STOCK EXCHANGE

Singapore set to review minimum trading price rule SINGAPORE: Singapore Exchange (SGX) is reviewing a minimum trading price rule aimed at cutting excessive speculation, less than six months after it was introduced.

Southeast Asia’s biggest exchange operator is proposing scrapping the S$0.20 ($0.15) minimum trading price rule for companies listed on its largest venue that have a market value of at least S$40 million. Such shares have greater liquidity and lower volatility than those with a lower capitalization, according to SGX. “We only introduced this in March so it’s something that we’re still monitoring,” Tan Boon Gin, the exchange’s chief regulatory officer, told reporters on Tuesday.

The rule “was a big policy change for us, and as with any other policy change, after implementation with the benefit of feedback and experience, there are opportunities to improve.”

Minimum trading price Singapore Exchange in 2014 announced new rules in the wake of an October 2013 penny-stock crash that wiped out $6.9 billion in market value over three days.

The minimum trading price rule was introduced to curb excessive speculation and potential market manipulation in penny stocks. The bourse also started circuit breakers to protect investors from extreme price swings.

No new companies will be added to its minimum trading price watch list pending a public consultation, Tan said.

Companies placed on the list have three years to meet the trading price requirement or be forced to delist. - Bloomberg News

B4

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

MARKET OMAN STOCKS

MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ....................................... 5,873.80 .............. 5,849.42 ................... 5,849.42 ...................5,873.80............... -24.38 .................. -0.42 Financial Index .....................................7,525.80 ...............7,496.69 ....................7,496.69 ................... 7,525.80................ -29.11 .................. -0.39 Industrial Index ....................................7,623.25 ...............7,586.66 ....................7,587.42 ................... 7,622.95................-35.53 .................. -0.47 Services Index ....................................... 3,179.81 ............... 3,167.66 ....................3,167.68 ....................3,179.81................ -12.13 .................. -0.38 MSM SHARIAH INDEX....................... 896.91 ..................895.39 .......................895.39 ....................... 897.11...................-1.72 .................. -0.19 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 8,472,299 ....................1,916,949 .....................522 ................17,239,965,778 .................. 2 ......................17 .................... 19 .........................38

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR TUESDAY, AUGUST 23 ISIN ......................................SECURITY NAME ..................................................................VOLUME..... TURNOVER............TRADES ......OPEN PRICE......HIGH ............. LOW ........ CLOSE PR. ...PREV. CLOSE...DIFF (RO).........DIFF % .............LAST PR.....LAST BID .............LAST OFFER ........MARKET CAP.PAR VALUE

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

OM0000001418 ............RAYSUT CEMENT ....................................................... 25,000 ............ 38,500........................4 ............1.540 ........... 1.540 ...........1.540........... 1.540 .............1.540 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................1.540..............1.500...................1.535 ................. 308,000,000 .......0.100 OM0000001483............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ................................. 100,000 ........... 25,500........................3 ........... 0.255 ........... 0.255 ...........0.255........... 0.255 .............0.255 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.255..............0.232...................0.255..................376,069,225........0.100 OM0000001517 ............HSBC BANK OMAN .................................................... 245,100 ........... 24,665........................7 ............0.101 ........... 0.101............0.100............0.101 ............. 0.101............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.100..............0.100...................0.103..................202,031,592 .......0.100

Muscat Securities Market. – Times file picture

OM0000001749 ............OMAN CEMENT .......................................................... 100,000 ...........48,200........................4 ........... 0.482 ...........0.482 ...........0.482........... 0.482 .............0.482 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.482..............0.480...................0.482 .................159,480,646........0.100 OM0000001962............AL MADINA INVESTMENT .......................................... 500 .....................31........................1 ............0.061 ........... 0.061 ...........0.061 ........... 0.063 .............0.063 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.061 ..............0.061...................0.064 .................. 13,050,537 .........0.100

MSM index ends lower

OM0000002200 ...........AHLI BANK .................................................................... 100,000 ............19,000........................3 ............0.190 ........... 0.190 ...........0.190........... 0.190 .............0.190 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.190..............0.182...................0.190..................270,756,867........0.100 OM0000003141 ............ACWA POWER BARKA .............................................. 50,000 ............ 35,400........................3 ............0.708 ........... 0.708 ...........0.708........... 0.708 .............0.708 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.708..............0.640...................0.708..................113,280,000........0.100 OM0000003281............TAAGEER FINANCE ................................................. 850,100 ..........103,712........................6 ............0.122 ........... 0.122 ...........0.122........... 0.122 .............0.122 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.122..............0.120...................0.122...................30,937,980 .........0.100 OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY .....................................................41,269 .............18,901........................8 ........... 0.458 ........... 0.458 ...........0.458........... 0.458 .............0.458 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.458..............0.458...................0.466...................27,709,000 .........0.100 OM0000004925 ...........AL BATINAH POWER................................................ 136,759 .............27,215........................8 ............0.199 ........... 0.199 ...........0.199 ........... 0.199 ............. 0.199............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.199 ..............0.199...................0.204 .................134,302,599........0.100 OM0000004933 ...........AL SUWADI POWER .....................................................19,131 ...............3,826........................3 ........... 0.200...........0.200 ...........0.200 .......... 0.200 .............0.200 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.200 ............ 0.200...................0.202 .................142,881,268........0.100 OM0000005005 ...........ALMAHA CERAMICS ................................................. 50,000 ............24,000........................7 ............0.478 ...........0.480 ...........0.478........... 0.480 .............0.480 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.480..............0.476...................0.480 ..................25,200,000 ........0.100 OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ........................ 154,166 ..........250,880.....................22 ............1.630 ........... 1.630 ...........1.625 ............1.625 ............. 1.630............-0.005 ........... -0.307 ...............1.625 ..............1.620...................1.625 ................ 1,218,750,000 ......0.100 OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING.................................................21,956 ...............4,195........................9 ............0.192 ........... 0.192 ...........0.191 ............0.191 .............0.192............-0.001 ........... -0.521................0.191 .............. 0.191...................0.192...................33,425,469 .........0.100 OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR................................................................ 680,000..........112,385.....................24 ............0.166 ........... 0.166 ...........0.165 ............0.165 ............. 0.166............-0.001 ........... -0.602 ...............0.165 .............. 0.165...................0.166..................264,742,391........0.100 OM0000001681 ............OMAN AND EMIRATES INV. HOLDING........... 1,156,568....... 165,806......................13 ............0.144 ........... 0.144 ...........0.143 ........... 0.143 .............0.144 ...........-0.001 ........... -0.694 ...............0.143 ..............0.140...................0.143................... 17,428,125 .........0.100 OM0000002820 ...........GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES ......................... 232,800............27,868......................21 ............0.120 ........... 0.122 ...........0.119 ........... 0.120 ............. 0.121............-0.001 ........... -0.826 ...............0.119 .............. 0.118...................0.120.....................7,061,186 ..........0.100

The only gainer was Oman Flour Mills, up by 0.65 per cent, while Al Jazeera Steel was the top loser, down by 6.92 per cent.

OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE.............. 202,000 ...........39,794........................5 ............0.197 ........... 0.197 ...........0.197 ............0.197 ............. 0.199............-0.002 ........... -1.005 ...............0.197 .............. 0.195...................0.197...................39,400,000.........0.100 OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 563,304 ........ 222,308...................109 ........... 0.394 ...........0.396 ...........0.394........... 0.394 .............0.398 ...........-0.004 ........... -1.005 ...............0.394..............0.392...................0.394 ................ 983,522,602 .......0.100 OM0000002366 ...........AL BATINAH DEV. INV. HOLDING ...................... 110,300.............10,148..................... 10 ........... 0.092 ...........0.092 ...........0.092........... 0.092 .............0.093 ...........-0.001 ............-1.075................0.092..............0.091...................0.093....................2,760,000 ..........0.100 OM0000003125 ............GLOBAL FINANCIAL INVESTMENT ..................21,386 ...............3,636........................2 ............0.170 ........... 0.170 ...........0.170 ........... 0.170 ............. 0.172............-0.002 ............-1.163................0.170 ..............0.170...................0.172.................. 34,000,000 ........0.100 OM0000002440 ...........AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING ........... 302,823 ........... 40,253..................... 33 ............0.135 ........... 0.135 ...........0.132 ............0.133 ............. 0.135............-0.002 ............-1.481................0.132 ..............0.132...................0.133...................11,970,000 .........0.100 OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO....................................................................... 264,400......... 192,750..................... 10 ............0.736 ........... 0.736 ...........0.728........... 0.728 .............0.740 ...........-0.012 ........... -1.622 ...............0.728 ..............0.728...................0.736..................473,887,399........0.100 OM0000001533 ............OMINVEST ..................................................................... 50,000 ............ 27,800........................2 ............0.556 ........... 0.556 ...........0.556........... 0.556 .............0.566 ...........-0.010 ............-1.767................0.556............. 0.000...................0.556..................353,499,734 ........0.100 OM0000003711 ............SOHAR POWER.................................................................7,410 ...............2,021........................5 ........... 0.272 ........... 0.273 ...........0.272........... 0.273 .............0.280 ...........-0.007 ........... -2.500 ...............0.272..............0.272...................0.273...................60,335,730 .........0.100

MUSCAT: Muscat shares continued its negative trend to close at 5,849.42 points, a loss of 0.42 per cent. The MSM Sharia Index declined by 0.19 per cent to close at 895.39 points. Oman & Emirates Holding was the most active stock in terms of volume while Oman Telecommunications Company (Omantel) led turnover-wise. Tuesday’s only gainer was Oman Flour Mills, up by 0.65 per cent, while Al Jazeera Steel was the top loser, down by 6.92 per cent.

As many as 522 trades were executed on Tuesday, generating turnover of OMR1.92 million with 8.47 million shares changing hands. Out of 38 traded securities, two advanced, 17 declined and 19 remained unchanged.

GCC and Arab investors were net buyers for OMR101,000 while Omani investors were net sellers for OMR64,000 followed by foreign investors for OMR37,000

worth of shares. Financial Index retreated 0.39 per cent to close at 7,496.69 points.

Ominvest, Al Sharqia Investments, Global Financial Investment, Al Batinah Development and Bank Muscat declined by 1.77 per cent, 1.48 per cent, 1.16 per cent, 1.08 per cent and 1.01 per cent, respectively.

Industrial Index closed at 7,587.42 points, down by 0.47 per cent. Oman Flour Mills, up by 0.65 per cent was the only equity gainer.

Al Jazeera Steel and Al Hassan Engineeering declined by 6.92 per cent and 1.33 per cent, respectively.

Services Index ended at 3,167.68 points, down by 0.38 per cent. Al Jazeera Services, Sohar Power, Ooredoo, Phoenix Power and OIFC declined by 2.56 per cent, 2.50 per cent, 1.62 per cent, 1.33 per cent and 1.01 per cent, respectively. — United Securities

OM0000002226 ...........AL JAZEERA SERVICES .......................................... 225,254 ........... 42,703......................41 ............0.194 ........... 0.194 ...........0.188 ........... 0.190 ............. 0.195............-0.005 ........... -2.564 ...............0.190..............0.190...................0.194................... 11,628,812 .........0.100 OM0000002176 ............AL JAZEERA STEEL PRODUCTS ........................ 656,050 ..........159,091..................... 83 ........... 0.244...........0.244 ...........0.238........... 0.242 .............0.260 ...........-0.018 ........... -6.923 ...............0.242............. 0.240...................0.242 ..................30,225,306.........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 6,366,276 ...1,670,585...................446 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......27........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

OM0000001400 ...........OMAN FLOUR MILLS .................................................21,470 .............13,397........................2 ........... 0.624 ...........0.624 ...........0.624........... 0.624 .............0.620 ........... 0.004............. 0.645 ................0.624..............0.620...................0.624 ..................98,280,000 ........0.100 OM0000001566 ............OMAN FISHERIES .........................................................2,330 ...................147........................3 ........... 0.063 ...........0.063 ...........0.063........... 0.063 .............0.063 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.063..............0.062...................0.063.................... 7,875,000 ..........0.100 OM0000001590............MUSCAT FINANCE......................................................15,000 ...............1,830........................5 ............0.122 ........... 0.122 ...........0.122........... 0.122 .............0.122 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.122..............0.122...................0.123...................32,539,301 .........0.100 OM0000002689 ...........OMAN CERAMIC COMPANY ........................................100 .................... 40........................1 ........... 0.400...........0.400 ...........0.400 .......... 0.400 .............0.400 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.400..............0.370...................0.400 .....................756,878 ............1.000 OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA ................................................................ 828,199 ............62,115..................... 28 ............0.075 ........... 0.075 ...........0.075........... 0.075 .............0.075 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.075..............0.074...................0.075..................112,500,000........0.100 OM0000004511 ............ALIZZ ISLAMIC BANK................................................83,534 ............... 5,513........................3 ........... 0.066 ...........0.066 ...........0.066........... 0.066 .............0.066 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.066..............0.066...................0.067...................66,000,000 ........0.100 OM0000004776 ...........TAKAFUL OMAN INSURANCE ................................ 2,720 .................. 348........................1 ............0.128 ........... 0.128 ...........0.128........... 0.128 .............0.128............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.128 ..............0.124...................0.127...................12,800,000.........0.100 OM0000002564 ...........AL HASSAN ENGINEERING.................................. 103,518 ............... 7,664........................7 ........... 0.074 ........... 0.075 ...........0.074........... 0.074 .............0.075 ...........-0.001 ............-1.333................0.075..............0.074...................0.075.................... 5,565,392 ..........0.100 OM0000005963 ...........PHOENIX POWER ...................................................... 1,040,544......154,422.....................24 ............0.149 ........... 0.150 ...........0.148 ........... 0.148 .............0.150............-0.002 ............-1.333................0.148 .............. 0.147...................0.148..................216,465,016 ........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 2,097,415 ......245,476..................... 74 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........ 9........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

OM0000004867 ...........BANK MUSCAT C C B 4.5 ..............................................6,381 .................. 676........................1 ............0.106 ........... 0.106 ...........0.106........... 0.106 .............0.105.............0.001 ............. 0.952 ................0.106..............0.106................... 0.115 ...................33,882,124 .........0.100 OM0000005971 ............B.MUSCAT COMPL. CONVR. B.B.3.5 .......................2,227 .................. 212........................1 ........... 0.095 ........... 0.095 ...........0.095........... 0.095 .............0.095 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.095..............0.095...................0.100...................30,795,353 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: ...................................................................................... 8,608 .................. 888........................2 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........2........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

SMARTPHONE BUSINESS

A G R I C U LT U R A L I N D U S T R Y

Apple, Samsung still dominate where Bayer and Monsanto it matters in smartphone market share move closer to deal as talks advance

NEW YORK: The smartphone business is cutthroat, and no one can stay on top for long. Even technology industry die-hards would have had trouble predicting that two Chinese upstarts, Oppo and Vivo, would come out of nowhere to collectively sell one in 10 new smartphones worldwide, as they did this spring.

My Gadfly colleague Tim Culpan wrote a compelling column about how Chinese smartphone brands have their sights set on the US and will inevitably steal sales in a country where Apple and Samsung sell a majority of smartphones — a much larger market share than they have in other parts of the world. I’m not sure Tim is right. It’s hard for relatively unknown brands to catch on in the US, at least not without expensive marketing campaigns or buying a brand already well known, as Lenovo did by purchasing IBM’s ThinkPad laptop business a decade ago.

If Tim is correct in predicting a shake-up in the US smartphone sales ranks, it still won’t budge the profit picture, which has been as reliable as a metronome despite the ups and downs in the tumultuous industry. When it comes to what matters, Apple and Samsung rule, and they’re unlikely to be dislodged soon. Mike Walkley at Canaccord has been keeping close tabs on the communications technology industry for more than 15 years. And according to his data, since early 2012 — practically an eternity in the smartphone business — Apple and Samsung together have generated 100 per cent or more of all operating profits among makers of premium-priced smartphones, which grab enough buzz to lift an en-

ROBUST DEMAND: When it comes to what matters, Apple and Samsung rule, and they are unlikely to be dislodged soon.

— Bloomberg file picture

tire brand. Yup, that means every other competing company barely breaks even on what should be a high-margin product or is bleeding money. There are a few important caveats in the Canaccord profit data. It doesn’t include some important private companies, including China’s Huawei and Xiaomi, which are selling a bigger chunk of the world’s smartphones both in their home country and in fast-growing smartphone markets like India. Still, those companies aren’t likely making much of a profit and certainly not enough to alter the picture of Apple and Samsung’s profit dominance of higher-priced phones.

The bigger question mark is how the changing complexion of the smartphone market will dent the Apple and Samsung profit duopoly. Most of the volume and nearly all of the growth in smart-

phone sales is happening in places like India, Indonesia and the Middle East, where lower-cost smartphones rule.

India in particular seems up for grabs, and Apple is trying desperately to make India a foundation for future iPhone sales as the country nears passing the US as the world’s second-biggest buyer of smartphones behind China.

But it’s unclear whether premium-priced phones will ever catch on among India’s consumers. The average smartphone sales price there is expected to be $102 by 2018, according to research firm IDC, while an iPhone sells for an average price of nearly $600.

What’s happened in the high volume end of the smartphone market hasn’t eroded profits at the luxury end — at least not yet.

But it’s easy to imagine that Apple and Samsung will need to

concentrate less on their flagship iPhones and Galaxy phones, and more on the lower-priced tier to the point where their profit advantage erodes. Already the average iPhone sale price slipped to a two-year low in the June quarter after Apple introduced a lowerpriced iPhone for the masses.

Even as the smartphone industry shifted from hyper-growth to barely budging, Apple and Samsung have continued to gorge all available profits at the fat end of the market. The question is whether the dominance its rivals can’t shake might be undone by the slow-growth, more profitconscious smartphone market that we’re entering now.

That said, I can’t wait to see what Huawei, Xiaomi and other prominent Chinese smartphone makers do if they make serious sales efforts in the US Chinese companies in particular are making good smartphones packed with some interesting features battle-tested in competition with hundreds of other domestic smartphone makers. Xiaomi has been clever about stoking demand through limited-time online sales and other marketing tactics we don’t see in the US, where most sales happen through phone carriers. And no one should discount the disruptive ability of Huawei, an impressive company that wreaked havoc on the entire global industry for telecom equipment. It’s interesting to see the swapping ascendant periods of Samsung and Apple show up in the profit picture. At times when Apple is stuck in a slow-growth period, as it is now and was in Samsung manages to find its stride. The reverse is also true.

— Shira Ovide/Bloomberg News

NEW YORK: Negotiations between Bayer and Monsanto are advancing toward a deal after the companies made progress on issues including the purchase price and termination fee, people familiar with the matter said.

Bayer CEO Werner Baumann and his US counterpart Hugh Grant have had a series of constructive meetings in recent weeks, said the people, who asked not to be identified because talks are private. The companies, in talks to create the world’s largest producer of seeds and pesticides, could reach an agreement in the next two weeks, said the people, who cautioned that negotiations could still fall apart or be delayed.

Leverkusen, Germany-based Bayer has been examining Monsanto’s financial accounts as it weighs a new offer, people familiar with the matter said earlier this month. Monsanto in July rejected Bayer’s improved $55 billion bid, describing the $125-a-share proposal as “financially inadequate.”

An agreement would end months of back-and-forth that followed Bayer’s initial offer in May. Representatives for Bayer and St. Louis-based Monsanto declined to comment.

Bayer shares fell 0.6 per cent to 95.32 euros as of 9:28am, valuing the company at about $90 billion.

Shares of Monsanto, which has a market value of about $46 billion, rose 0.3 per cent to $104.5 in New York on Monday.

The global agricultural industry is being reshaped as farmers, hurt by lower commodity prices, spend less, pushing seed and chemical makers to consolidate. Dow Chemical and DuPont announced

– Bloomberg file picture

a plan in December to merge and then break into three entities, including a Monsanto-sized agriculture company. China National Chemical Corp. on Monday received approval from US national security officials for its takeover of Swiss agrochemical and seeds company Syngenta, seen as the biggest regulatory hurdle that the $43 billion acquisition faces.

Approval for ChemChina’s purchase of Syngenta from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US has given fresh impetus to Bayer’s pursuit of Monsanto.

Given that all three agricultural deals will need antitrust approval, there’s an incentive not to be the last one seeking clearance as the market will already have been consolidated by the other deals.

Dow and DuPont face months of haggling with European Union regulators who opened an indepth probe to check whether the combination may reduce competition in areas such as crop protection, seeds and certain petrochemicals. Syngenta said on Monday it’s working closely with “numerous regulators around the world,” and discussions remain “constructive.” — Bloomberg News

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beIN announces two new packages for subscribers The first package is ‘Elite package’ and the second is ‘Elite Duo’ package

MUSCAT: Mustafa Sultan Electronics (MSE), the authorised Distributor of beIN, announced that beIN Media Group, a major player in global sports rights through its beIN Sports brand has introduced two new packages for its subscribers, says a press release.

The first package is the ‘Elite package’. Within this package, cus-

tomers will get all channels on Complete Package plus free beIN Media Server Hardware plus free Connect and free access to all events (World Cup 2018 or any other event offered). This package offers amazing content and absolute convenience.

Elite package is a great combination of all the beIN content, best hardware and multiple add-ons that beIN has to offer. This is an “all-in” package from beIN for the most discerning customers who want total peace of mind.

The second package is the ‘Elite Duo’ package. Elite Duo is the only multi-room package from beIN. With Elite Duo, customers get beIN in two rooms. In one room they get Elite package with free beIN Media Server hardware and in the other room they get Top Entertainment Package with a free

beIN HD Box Hardware.

This package is great for families who want beIN in two locations within their house.

The package also offers access to Connect subscription, best in class hardware for both rooms along with multiple add-ons. beIN media group has also recently launched two new boxes, beIN 4K Media Server and beIN Media Server. beIN 4K Media Server offers complete PVR functionality and will be able to broadcast TV signal at 3,840 pixels (horizontally) x 2,160 lines (vertically).

This resolution is four times better than conventional HD resolution, offering beIN audience an unprecedented TV experience. beIN media server delivers performance through wireless connectivity and 3D graphics capability with 1TB

B5

hard disk drive for media storage.

It is designed to provide a platform for the delivery of content in the connected home across a diverse range of media devices.The new boxes are available with MSE showroom in Al Khuwair.

Mustafa Sultan Enterprises Entertainment Factory (Pay-Tv) division is pioneer in Pay TV business for more than 20 years and is the distributor for OSN in Oman.

Besides OSN, MSE-EF is a leading distributor for beIN Sports. It has a showroom in Al Khuwair and six kiosks at Muscat City Centre, Qurum City Centre, Muscat Grand Mall (MGM), Panorama Mall, Nizwa Grand Mall and Sohar Safeer Mall. MSE-EF also offers the Pay TV services through their sub dealers spread across in all major towns of the Sultanate.

H U M A N VA L U E S

Indian School Muladha introduces Charity Club

TECHNOLOGY SEMINAR

Infoline, WMS Middle East launch SAP Business One solution in Oman

MUSCAT: Infoline, the leading BPO and IT enabled service provider in Oman, along with its technology partner WMS recently organised a seminar on SAP Business One solution at Crowne Plaza Muscat.

They presented SAP Business One solutions designed exclusively for organisations wanting to fully integrate their business operations and increase their profitability. Developed through strong co-innovation with SAP partners, the new release helps speed time to value, gain real time insight and increase ease of use and affordability, says a press release.

At the event, Infoline announced its partnership with WMS Middle East, one of the leading SAP part-

ners in the region to implement SAP Business One for SAP HANA. WMS Middle East is a gold partner of SAP and master value added reseller for SAP Business One in Mena region. WMS adds a lot of values to its customers and partners in terms of providing industry best practices which are adopted in local and international markets.

Commenting on this partnership Manoj Mahanta, senior vice president for Infoline said, “WMS Software is an established and respected software services company and will bring a wealth of experience and expertise to SAP Business One channel expansion programme.

“We are confident that over the coming months we foresee a

rapid adoption of innovative ERP solutions like SAP Business One within this strategic market place.

This exciting new partnership is part of Infoline’s strategic growth of our global partner community, reflecting the growing demand for Infoline solutions.

“We are particularly pleased to work with our partner WMS, to satisfy the needs of different industry verticals in Oman. We look forward to delivering continued innovation and value to customers in this market.”

“SAP Business One on HANA will add significant value to the overall SAP Business One proposition and therefore we are expecting a significant uptake of the product by the SAP Business

One partner community,” said Prashant Kulshrestha, managing director for WMS Software.

Among the key benefits that SAP Business One for SAP HANA will provide are more accurate reporting, efficient warehouse management, swifter deliveries and shorter lead times.

The solution also offers easier access to real-time business data for more informed decision making and proactive management of stocks and timely customer deliveries that significantly increases customer loyalty.

SAP Business One is multi-lingual and is also available in Arabic language. It has features for HR and Payroll based on the rules and regulations in Oman.

MUSCAT: School social works and philanthropic activities had always been an integral part of Indian School Muladha and it now provides an open platform for the students to involve in social activities with a positive attitude for rendering boundless service to the society.

Charity begins at home is a statement that the school has taken to its heart and soul. A Charity Club is introduced in the school as a part of the silver jubilee celebrations of the school to create awareness in the minds of the students about the life of the people around them and also for giving their small contributions to society, says a press release.

On August 15, the 70th Independence Day of India, Siddique Hassan, president of the School Management Committee, inaugurated the Charity Club of the school, says a press release.

Yakoob bin Al Braikki, Felix Vincent Gabriel, Sundaram Miller and Margaret Rodrigues, members of the School Management Committee, S. I. Shareef, principal, V. S. Suresh, vice principal, Dr Lekha O. C., Co-curricular and Extra Curricular Coordinator, Harish T., Academic Supervisor, heads of various departments, staff, students and parents attended the function.

Hassan and Shareef have taken a keen interest to form the club in the school and it is their intense efforts with the support of the In-

dian School Muladha family that made the club a reality.

The objective of the Charity Club was briefed by the Student Counsellor Priya John.

The main aim of introducing the Charity Club in the school is to inculcate the value of humanity, generosity and good heartedness among all and to extend a helping hand for those who need financial support at crucial times.

The Charity Club is dedicated to service and the team plans to implement a variety of charitable events and fundraising programmes.

During the school annual exhibition, various departments of the school collected contributions around OMR105 by conducting various fun games and sale of food items. This amount was officially dropped into the donation box by Yakoob Al Braikki, Shareef and Hassan. The dignitaries on dais, parents, teachers and students also donated to this noble venture.

It is a new beginning for the students who would like to be a part of this generous movement by making their contributions on all special occasions like birthdays and other important days.

Donation boxes will be kept on the school premises where the students can contribute their amount to the charity fund. This initiative will definitely be a team work of parents, teachers and students towards a noble cause.

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

ROUND-UP Kia Sportage 1.6L comes with exciting Eid offers Kia Sportage has a sturdy chassis and body, best-in-class interior space utility, high-end technology and a variety of features to create customer delight

MUSCAT: The ubiquitous Kia Sportage is credited with giving birth to the CUV (Crossover Utility Vehicle) category.

In its 4th generation, the Sportage has a sophisticated and sporty design – attributed to Peter Schreyer, Kia’s famous design chief. It has a sturdy chassis and body, best-in-class interior space utility, high-end technology and a variety of features to create customer delight.

Now, the 1.6 L 4 Cylinder, GDI Engine Sportage is available in Oman. It comes with an Eid offer that includes a cash gift of OMR1,100. However, in lieu of this, customers may opt for 1 year insurance, service for two years/30,000km (whichever

comes earlier) and a cash gift of OMR550, says a press release.

A wonderful vehicle, the Sportage offers 130 hp / 6300rpm of power along with a 16.4kg.m/4850rpm oftorque. It has a 6-Speed Automatic Transmission and is a two-wheel drive.

Decked with a 5-star NHTSA NCAP crash safety rating, the 1.6 L Sportage is studded with safety features that include Antilock Braking System (ABS), Dual Airbags & Active Headrests, ESC (Electronic Stability Control), HAC (Hill-start Assist Control) & DBC (Downhill Brake control) and Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, amongst others.

Other heart-warming features of the Kia Sportage include 17” alloy wheels, day time running

light (bulb type/DRL), keyless entry system, CD MP3 player with USB and AUX+ with 6 speakers.

The steering has controls for the cruise, the bluetooth/audio remote and the trip computer.

Kia Sportage is also available in 2.4L & 2.0L engine sizes.

The shape of the Sportage comprises straight and strong lines with voluminous accents that create a unique and powerful look.

The bold hood character lines and sharp headlamps accentuate its strong facial image. Pursuing flawless performance is a prime strength of the Sportage.

The design ensures a low drag coefficient of 0.33, which delivers a high level of driving stability and quietness to the best-in-class levels. Cutting-edge technology is

depicted via Sportage’s exemplary features such as Blind Spot Detection, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Lane Change Alert.

These are but a few of the many amazing features packed into the Sportage, making it truly a pride to own and a joy to drive.

Indeed, it is more than just a remarkable CUV - the Sportage in fact sets itself apart with its stunningly unique looks and sophisticated combination of clever technologies. It also offers an evolutionary performance and revolutionary design.

Kia in Oman is ranked amongst the top distributors in the world.

Reliable International Automotive (RIA), the distributor for Kia in Oman provides a rewarding ownership experience for customers.

Excellent product attributes and unmatched facilities easily ensure their absolute satisfaction, every mile of the way. No wonder then that Reliable International Automotive has been ranked amongst the top Kia distributors worldwide and has been honoured with prestigious accolades including the ‘Good Partnership award, ‘Family Like Care’ Service award’, and ‘Kia ‘Distributor of Distinction’ award.

The prestigious ‘Kia Award for Overall Excellence and Outstanding Performance’ amongst Kia distributors worldwide was bestowed most deservingly. RIA was also honoured with Kia’s ‘Global Sales Customer Satisfaction Excellence’ award 2016.

SPECIAL OCCASION

Independence Day celebrations set to be held at ISC Salalah tomorrow MUSCAT: Indian Social Club (ISC) Salalah is all set to celebrate in a grand way, the 70th Independence Day of India, on the club premises.

Indra Mani Pandey, ambassador of India to Oman will be the chief guest on this occasion, says a press release.

Manpreet Singh, chairman of ISC Salalah, stated: “The preparation and rehearsals are in full swing to make India’s 70th Independence Day celebration grand

and memorable.

The artists, choreographers and participants are putting their best to enthral the audience by their excellent performance.”

“Expecting the inclement weather conditions of Khareef season, the functions are going to be held in Sultan Qaboos multipurpose indoor hall,” he added.

He requested the Indian community of Salalah to make their presence on the club premises by 8.30pm tomorrow.

MALABAR GOLD RAFFLE WINNER The raffle draw winner of ‘Win up to 10 kilos of gold’ campaign, Viswanath receiving the prize of quarter kg gold from Najeeb K., regional head and Muhsin P, branch head, Malabar Gold & Diamonds in the presence of other officials from Malabar Gold & Diamonds.

— Supplied picture

WHOLESALE SUPERMARKET

Zubair SEC, Oasis Logistics launch Biladi Mart for DSP winner MUSCAT: In collaboration with Zubair Small Enterprises Centre (Zubair SEC), Oasis Logistics launched its first Biladi Mart wholesale shop located in Bidiyah to be owned and run by Zubair SEC member, Naser Said Mohammed Al Hajri, who is a partner at Modern Nature World.

Al Hajri is among the winners of the 2016 edition of Zubair SEC’s Direct Support Programme (DSP).

The Biladi Mart wholesale shop was inaugurated by Hani Muhammad Al Zubair, board member of The Zubair Corporation and chairman of Zubair Automotive Group. It was also attended by important local community members, management executives from The Zubair Corporation, Oasis Logistics, and Zubair SEC, says a press release.

Biladi Mart is dedicated to sell wholesale FMCG products of Oasis Logistics, a Zubair group company focusing on the distribution of a gamut of branded FMCG products both in food and non-food categories. Oasis Logistics established a wide distribution network with depots at Muscat, Batinah, Dhofar, Sharqiyah and Dakhliyah regions.

As per the business development plan of Zubair SEC and Oasis Logistics, the concept of Biladi Mart will be used to launch similar

wholesale shops.

Oasis Logistics has committed to extend this opportunity to Omani small enterprise owners as part of Zubair SEC’s yearly Direct Support Programme.

The business model, feasibility study, designing, structuring, branding, and implementation of the Biladi Mart wholesale shop has been executed by Zubair SEC in collaboration with Oasis Logistics and Modern Nature World following the announcement of the winners of this opportunity in February 2016.

Praising the concept, Hani Muhammad Al Zubair said, “Biladi

Mart reflects an ideal example of business development collaboration between large companies, SMEs and entrepreneurship support entities such as the Zubair SEC. This is a role model of how right collaboration could result in tangible results that are both scalable and sustainable as they capitalise on the expertise and capabilities of multiple market and sector players.”

N. Janardhan, chief operating officer – Manufacturing, at The Zubair Corporation said, “The key for sustainable development is to improve the performance and continuous growth of local entre-

preneurs and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that represent the backbone of the nation’s economic activity. SMEs in Oman have been the topic of emphasis over the last several years as the government is seeking to raise its influence to the economy through several activities.

“Biladi Mart is one such initiative of our organisation that is focused on creating measurable business value that intersects with our business by addressing the society’s needs, as we are committed to promote sustained and inclusive economic growth and social development, thereby to benefit

the nation. It has the potential to create more jobs and entrepreneurs as it grows building a chain of exclusive outlets.”

Expressing his gratitude for this opportunity, Naser Said Al Hajri said, “I am incredibly appreciative of the generous support by Zubair SEC and Oasis Logistics. Zubair SEC is truly dedicated to generating a competitive business environment for start-ups, which will support sustainable job creation and heathy growth.

“My partner and I will use the benefit of the local knowledge and insight we have to the best of our ability to ensure success of the first

Biladi Mart shop.”

Zubair SEC, a social responsibility initiative of The Zubair Corporation, has been keenly investing in business development opportunities for its members by collaborating with the Zubair Group companies in many cases and other leading organisations in the Sultanate. Demonstrating good will, many Zubair Group companies have joined forces with Zubair SEC to explore collaboration in support of SMEs in the Sultanate. So far, more than 10 business opportunities have been secured by Zubair SEC for its active members.

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ROUND-UP

Indian ambassador to inaugurate HDFC Home Fair on September 2 The pan-India presence of properties ensures that there is something in store for all Indians who are staying in the Sultanate. Entry to the exhibition is free and the public can view the stalls from 10am onwards on September 2 and 3

MUSCAT: HDFC, India’s largest home loan bank, is organising a two-day property show India Home Fair at Al Falaj Hotel on September 2 and 3.

This larger-than-life scale property show with 30 reputed builders will showcase dream homes adding excitement to the Indian public in Oman. India Home Fair will be inaugurated by Indra Mani Pandey, ambassador of India, Embassy of India, says a press release.

The pan-India presence of properties ensures that there is something in store for all Indians who are staying in the Sultanate.

Entry to the exhibition is free and the public can view the stalls from 10am onwards on both the days.

It goes without saying that HDFC has been an active player and supporter of the success story of the Indian real estate sector.

Bridging the gap between developers and customers by pooling its resources for the betterment of the real estate sector that NRIs have always been looking at. HDFC strongly believes in creating the right avenue and right investment

RECRUIT

QUOTES Personal development is not a contest. It’s not a race to see who can get there first, if for no other reason than the fact that there is no finish line.

— Ches Moulton A good garden may have some weeds.

— Thomas Fuller

opportunities for the Indian Diaspora, that comes to life at this India Home Fair.

Abhimanyu Kukreja, Business head, Oman - said: “The event is being organised to provide a platform where customers can meet all these developers showcasing more than 500 projects and choose a home for themselves.

Apartments with one-to-three bedrooms, ‘mass housing’ and vil-

las will be on display.”

It goes without saying that HDFC has been one of the driving forces behind the success story of the Indian real estate sector. The largest home loan bank in India, offering support to builders and their customers at the same time.

Indian Home Fair 2016 is the right avenue for Indians in Oman to choose their dream properties as more than 30 reputed builders

from different parts of the country are participating in the exhibition.

Interesting to note that HDFC is also bringing builders as added attraction from Tier II & III cities such as Nagpur, Lucknow Calicut, Kochi, Trichur, Coimbatore, Trivandrum and Panaji . This will help customers to buy projects in mega cities and local places, suiting to their style and taste.

As one of the developers said, “There is no better investment option than real estate, as the economic scenarios of the last few years have shown.

This is the best time to buy property, especially in markets like Bangalore, Pune, Coimbatore, since prices have now started rising due to sustained buying.”

This is particularly true because of the volatility in the global and Indian stock markets, mutual funds and other investment options.

Real estate is now being perceived as a safe haven for investment with decent returns on the investments for the NRIs. The overall macroeconomic indicators in India also remain fairly robust - many Indian

professionals settled abroad are looking to return, given the business opportunities as well as the improving lifestyle choices available to them.

Lijihas Hussain, director of Molecules International, which is organising the property exhibition along with East Expo, added, “We are very excited in having this property exhibition in Muscat. We believe that all our exhibitions do provide our customers with attractive offers, luxurious living spaces, large residential townships and contemporary lifestyle in a green and natural environment. There is no better investment option than real estate, as the economic scenarios of the last few years have shown. Going back to your dream home is the dream and desire for any Indian residing in Oman.”

Visitors at the India Home Fair will get free advice and information on various aspects such as existing property and tenancy laws, rate of return, finance options, etc. The exhibition is specially designed to meet the needs of Indians in Oman.

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

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MGM inks pact with Landmark Group Under the purview of this agreement, Landmark Group will operate outlets of some of its most popular brands in the mall; these will include BabyShop, Splash, Lifestyle, Max, Shoexpress, Steve Madden and Carpisa

MUSCAT: Marking a strategic collaboration in the Sultanate’s retail landscape, Muscat Grand Mall (MGM) has signed an agreement with Dubai-based multinational conglomerate, Landmark Group to open outlets in the new mall expansion space.

The agreement was sealed at an official signing ceremony held at Muscat Grand Mall attended by Hassan Jaboub, general manager of Tilal Development Company, and Clive Freeman, chief operating officer of Landmark Group.

Under the purview of this agreement, Landmark Group will operate outlets of some of its

most popular brands in the mall; these will include BabyShop, Splash, Lifestyle, Max, Shoexpress, Steve Madden and Carpisa, says a press release.

Hassan Jaboub said: “This is a very exciting time for us at Muscat Grand Mall. With the expansion of the mall and added retail space as a result, MGM will draw new and internationally prominent flagship stores of the world’s most renowned brands, such as those in Landmark Group’s portfolio - thereby expanding the wide array of choices available to our customers.”

“Today’s agreement marks a significant milestone for us at Muscat

Grand Mall, as we join hands with one of the largest retailers in the Middle East – Landmark Group.

We are confident that with the new brands that will be brought in by this partnership, not only will footfalls grow but Muscat Grand Mall will truly become the nucleus of all

events and activities within Oman.”

With the second phase of expansion, Muscat Grand Mall is adding additional space and a new perspective for shoppers in the Sultanate. The growth plans also include doubling the parking space area which has already been

B A N K M U S C AT S C H E M E

opened to public and expanding the entertainment options in order to deliver a truly world-class shopping and entertainment destination in the Sultanate.

Commenting on the association, Clive Freeman commented, “It gives us great pleasure to partner with Muscat Grand Mall – one of the most eagerly anticipated shopping destinations in the Sultanate. The Landmark Group is strategically expanding its presence across Oman, and this partnership will enable us to bring our offering even closer to our customers. We are proud to bring six of our most popular brands to the new, expanded space at the mall.”

Following the completion of the expansion, Muscat Grand Mall will house new retail outlets, bringing more global brands to Oman for the first time and increasing the total number of stores, as well as providing more parking spaces for visitors.

Hassan also shared, “The expansion will also have a positive impact on job creation. New brands entering the market and new stores opening translate to new employment opportunities for Omanis.

The chance to work at Oman’s pio-

neering retail destination is a very exciting prospect indeed.”

Muscat Grand Mall is located within the Tilal Complex in Bausher and has gained a reputation as a world class project and a premiere retail and lifestyle destination.

Given the continuing growth in tourist visitors to the Sultanate, and the upcoming Muscat International Airport, projects such as the Grand Millennium Muscat Hotel and the residential complex

by Tilal Development Company have pioneered the concept of mixed-use developments and are well placed to capitalise on the increasing demand for quality retail and lifestyle destinations in Oman.

Recently, as part of the third extension phase of the mall, an additional 500 new car parking spaces were added in order to accommodate more visitors.

The new parking area is connected with the mall via fully covered and air conditioned tubes to enable mall visitors to access the mall easily and with comfort. The mall visitors who park in the new parking will also be provided with an opportunity to receive a free cleaning service for their cars.

SALALAH BRANCH

al Mazyona bonus salary scheme sustains reward momentum MUSCAT: At a time when financial resources supplementing one’s regular income is valued at premium, the double-your-salary scheme from Bank Muscat has sustained momentum to reward the largest banking family in Oman.

Launched as part of the 2016 al Mazyona savings scheme offering the biggest prize money of OMR10 million, the unique scheme entitles customers maintaining a salary account with the bank to win a free bonus salary every month, says a press release.

The double-your-salary scheme entitles customers maintaining a salary account with the bank to win a free bonus salary month after month with no maximum cap on the salary amount. The salary prize scheme is open to all customers with a minimum monthly salary of OMR500. For instance, a customer whose salary is OMR500 can win an additional salary prize of OMR500 whereas a customer whose salary is OMR3,000 can win back an equivalent bonus salary of OMR3000 and so on. In all, there will be 30 winners every month who will gain a bonus salary with al Mazyona savings account.

All customers who transfer their salary to Bank Muscat get a chance to double their salary through the bonus salary prize. While custom-

ers may earn their salary only once a month, with Bank Muscat they have a chance to win an additional bonus salary every month.

Continuing with the tradition of exclusive and innovative financial products and services, Bank Muscat offers high value proposition aimed at inculcating a strong savings culture in Oman. With the biggest prize money of OMR10 million in 2016, al Mazyona offers more for everyone to share.

Reaching out with a powerful call for savings, al Mazyona offers exclusive prizes for different segments, including women, children, youth and high saving customers. As on date, al Mazyona savings scheme guaranteeing more for everyone to share is the biggest prize money in Oman and the region with prizes ranging from OMR1,000 a week to OMR10,000 a month and OMR100,000 every quarter, in addition to special and

year-end prizes.

Adding excitement to festivals and national celebrations, the 2016 savings scheme also rewards customers with special prizes, besides aspirational prizes of OMR1 million to be shared by two customers at the end of year.

An exclusive draw for Zeinah women customers coinciding with Omani Women’s Day is a highlight in which 10 customers will be rewarded with OMR10,000 each. On the occasion of the National Day, a special draw will be held offering OMR10,000 each for 10 winners.

The exclusive prizes for asalah Priority banking customers include two monthly prizes of OMR50,000 each, two quarterly prizes of OMR250,000 each and the year-end jackpot prize of OMR500,000 for one customer.

The bank also offers special prizes to al Jawhar Privilege Banking customers, including two monthly

prizes of OMR25,000 each and two quarterly prizes of OMR50,000 each. Premier banking customers can also participate in all other al Mazyona weekly, monthly, quarterly and special prize draws.

The eligibility for al Mazyona prize draws is to maintain a minimum balance of OMR100 which entitles customers to win OMR1,000 every week. By maintaining a minimum balance of OMR1,000, customers are eligible win the OMR10,000 monthly prize, OMR100,000 quarterly prize and the grand prize of OMR500,000 at the end of the year.

For every OMR100 balance, customers get 1 chance to win – so with OMR1,000, they get 10 chances to win. The more the saving, the better the chances to win. al Mazyona continues to be the only savings scheme to recognise and reward loyalty for customers based on their association with the bank. For example, if a customer has been saving for 5 years, his chances of winning get multiplied by 5 times and similarly if he has been maintaining al Mazyona savings account for 20 years, his chances get multiplied 20 times and so on.

This benefit is unique only to al Mazyona savings scheme holders and no other bank offers this loyalty reward.

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

NBO hosts Al Kanz draw at Salalah Festival

MUSCAT: National Bank of Oman (NBO) held its flagship Al Kanz draw during the annual Salalah Tourism Festival yesterday.

The Al Kanz draw was established to help engender a savings culture by enabling customers to potentially win cash without risking their capital, with OMR3 million to give away this year.

This month four customers won a prize of OMR25,000 each. In addition, four Youth Banking customers each won a OMR300 cash prize to invest in their futures, says a press release.

This month’s draw took place at the Salalah Tourism Festival, under the patronage of chief guest Sheikh Salim bin Ufait Al Shanfari, the chairman of Dhofar Municipality, in the presence of an audience of invited dignitaries from the local community, as well as members of NBO’s Retail Banking team.

Commenting on the ceremony, John Chang, general manager and chief retail banking officer at NBO, said: “As the bank of choice in

The Al Kanz draw was established to help engender a savings culture by enabling customers to potentially win cash without risking their capital, with OMR3 million to give away this year. This month four customers won a prize of OMR25,000 each Oman, we are excited to once again participate in the Salalah Tourism Festival, which is one of the biggest events in the country and is the

perfect location to host our popular Al Kanz draw. As a way to give back to our customers, we ensure that there are guaranteed winners

from each region of Oman, further incentivising people across the country to grow their savings.”

All NBO customers who maintain a minimum monthly average balance of OMR100 or above are eligible to participate in the monthly prize draws. Opening an account is easy and the earlier a customer makes a deposit and longer they retain it, the higher the chance they have of winning.

With over 300,000 visitors annually, the Salalah Tourism Festival is one of the largest attractions in Oman for tourists and residents alike.

Bank Sohar extends support to Al Noor Association for Blind MUSCAT: Marking its 12th contribution under the umbrella of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, Bank Sohar has once again extended its support to the Salalah branch of the Al Noor Association for the Blind.

Having already supported the Al Dakhiliya branch earlier this year, this donation not only marks its second contribution to the Al Noor Association this year alone but also its third consecutive year of support to its Salalah branch.

This latest donation will contribute towards the purchase of several iPhones to be used by the association’s beneficiaries through the phone’s built in ‘VoiceOver’ feature, says a press release.

The donation cheque was handed over at Bank Sohar Salalah Branch to Awadh Rajab Bait Shruba, chairman of the Salalah chapter of Al Noor Association,

by Mazin Mahmood Al Raisi, senior AGM and head of Marketing and Customer Experience at Bank Sohar, in the presence of Sheikh Amor bin Salim Kashoub, Wali of Al Mazyona, and Amur Said Al Amri, senior chief branch manager of the Salalah branch.

Commenting on the bank’s contribution to the association.

Munira Abdulnabi Macki, GM of HR and Corporate Support at Bank Sohar said, “At Bank Sohar we embrace technology and are always on the lookout for ways in which recent advancements can be used to better the lives of the communities in which we operate. These phones, with their ‘VoiceOver’ feature, is a perfect example of this, where advancements have made the device easier to operate for people with low vision capabilities; reading out to them what’s displayed on the screen including buttons, icons, links, and other interface elements. As a result of our past contributions to the association, we have witnessed first-hand the positive impact these phones have had in the lives of their beneficiaries. As such, we are pleased to offer our support in purchasing more of them yet again and sincerely hope they have just as much of a positive impact this year as they did in the past.”

Thanking Bank Sohar for its support, Awadh Rajab Bait Shruba said, “These phones, with

At Bank Sohar we embrace technology and are always on the lookout for ways in which recent advancements can be used to better the lives of the communities in which we operate.

These iPhones, with their ‘VoiceOver’ feature, is a perfect example of this Munira Macki GM of HR, Corporate Support at Bank Sohar

their ‘VoiceOver’ feature, have become an invaluable asset to our beneficiaries; helping them become more self-reliant and independent. We are extremely grateful to Bank Sohar, not just for this contribution, but also for all their previous contributions to our various branches across the country. As a matter of fact, Bank Sohar has been a strong supporter of our organisation right from the bank’s very inception. It comes as no surprise then that their support over these past years has helped us make lasting positive changes in numerous people’s lives.”

Bank Sohar strives to ensure that its contributions are carefully planned and evaluated in order to diversify and reach out to the maximum number of people especially those in most need of it, offering recipients positive support and making a meaningful change.

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KOHLI IS STILL SAME AS HE WAS AT AGE 10: COACH For Rajkumar Sharma, a coach is no different from a parent and that’s why he has been “protective” about Virat Kohli, keeping a close watch on the progress of his “son” during his formative years. >C3

Oman’s Fahad Al Hasni voted Seahorse Sailor of the Month Fahad was nominated for one of the most coveted awards in world sailing for the part he played in Musandam-Oman Sail’s success in setting records in recent years such as the Round Britain and Ireland and in particular the new Round Ireland record earlier this year

MUSCAT: Oman’s leading offshore sailor Fahad Al Hasni has joined one of professional sailing’s most elite clubs after he was voted Seahorse Sailor of the Month.

He was nominated for one of the most coveted awards in world sailing for the part he played in Musandam-Oman Sail’s success in setting records in recent years such as the Round Britain and Ireland and in particular the new Round Ireland record earlier this year.

And as soon as his nomination was announced, sailing colleagues and his fans in Oman took to their keyboards to cast their vote to make him one of the most popular

VOTED THE BEST: Fahad Al Hasni attracted maximum votes to become one of the most popular winners in the award’s history.

winners in the award’s history.

“It is always such a thrill when a relatively young racing nation piles in en masse to support one of their emerging new stars,” said Editor of Seahorse International Sailing, Andrew Hurst.

“And how Fahad’s fellow Omani sailors rushed in to support him!

One of the best responses to the Seahorse Sailor of the Month contest we have ever had.

“Oman has a wonderful mari-

time heritage and it is particularly exciting to see that long and great history now translating into the most modern of offshore racing disciplines. Well done Fahad!”

Al Hasni said he was proud and honoured to have joined the distinguished band of Seahorse Sailor of the Month winners, including Sir Ben Ainslie, Dee Caffari, Brian Thompson and Tom Slingsby.

“This Seahorse Sailor of the Month Award is a great honour,”

said Al Hasni. “When you look at who has won the award, the list reads like sailing’s hall of fame of all the true legends in the sport so I am humbled to be nominated and thank everyone who voted for me.

“Representing Oman on the international race track always fills me with great pride and to win this award for my country so early in my career means so much. It inspires me to keep working hard and I hope it will inspire our young

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Omani youth squad at home to keep pushing!”

In July, Al Hasni helped Oman Sail’s MOD70 Musandam-Oman Sail break the Round Ireland record they themselves had set the previous year. They completed the 2016 Volvo Round Ireland Race in 38 hours 37 minutes and 7 seconds after a dramatic game-changing final mile.

This was two hours faster that the extraordinary record they set the previous year when they

slashed four hours off Steve Fossett’s Lakota record, which remarkably had stood for 22 years.

Al Hasni’s skipper and mentor Sidney Gavignet was thrilled for his Omani crew member, who first raced with him in the MOD70 Krys Ocean Race across the Atlantic in 2012. “I am very happy for Fahad,” said Gavignet. “He is only at the beginning of what will be a long sailing career but he is progressing well and he is a great ambassador to promote offshore sailing in Oman and the Middle East.”

Al Hasni only took up sailing in 2010 but his progress in offshore racing has been impressive, collecting countless speed records and race wins as a member of Gavignet’s MOD70 crew. In 2012 he became the first Omani (along with Mohsin Al Busaidi) to race across the Atlantic and ever since, has been one of Gavignet’s key assets. Helming has become one of Al Hasni’s trademark skills, his control, pace and powers of concentration earning special mention.

He was also part of the BAE Systems sponsored team that finished fifth in the 2011 Tour de France a la Voile, and third in 2014 and has twice been skipper of Team Renaissance’s Farr 30 in Sailing Arabia The Tour, missing out on a podium place in 2016 by a single point.

David Graham, CEO of Oman Sail, congratulating Al Hasni said: “We are delighted for Fahad – he thoroughly deserves this recognition. Gaining respect in the world of international offshore racing requires commitment, exceptional skill levels, a lot of hard work and focus so for Fahad to win this award after just six years is an amazing testament to his efforts.

“He is also one of the nicest guys in the business and a great ambassador for Oman Sail and his country.”

TEST SERIES

Durban Test drawn as sodden outfield prevails at Kingsmead

HURRAH: Pakistan cricket’s climb to the top has been a long and arduous journey.

Pakistan team’s rise completes journey from isolation to triumph LONDON: Pakistan have long been regarded as a talented yet inconsistent side, but through a combination of sheer hard work, application and a little help from some inclement Caribbean weather, the South Asian side sit atop the Test rankings for a first time.

Misbah-ul Haq’s men thrashed hosts England at The Oval, the venue of one of the country’s darkest moments in cricket, earlier this month to earn a 2-2 draw in the fourTest series and prove to many that they can compete on any surface.

Last Wednesday, Sri Lanka completed a 3-0 whitewash of table-topping Australia to allow India to go top of the ICC rankings and when four straight days of rain

denied the Indians a 3-0 series win in the West Indies, Pakistan were elevated to the top of the pile without bowling a ball.

“This is what cricketers play for and want to achieve in their careers. It is a reward for something we had planned as a group a few years ago and have worked extremely hard to achieve it,” Misbah told reporters of the rise to the top.

Unable to play at home since a 2009 militant attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore and shorn of bowling prospect Mohammed Amir in the wake of a damaging spot-fixing scandal at The Oval in 2010, Pakistan have ploughed a lonely furrow in cricket’s wilderness.

Undaunted by the isolation, Amir has returned after serving a five-year ban and immediately added fire to a formidable pace attack that, supplemented by the guile of imposing leg-spinner Yasir Shah, can run through any batting order.

Led by the evergreen Misbah and his able aging cohort Younis Khan, their vital experience has enabled a younger generation of batsmen to shine as Pakistan have capitalised on the dust bowl pitches in their UAE surrogate home to see off all-comers.

In the last two years, Pakistan have beaten Australia and England at home, drawn with New Zealand, and earned impressive away series wins in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh

before the 2-2 draw against the English gave the world notice of their class.

“For us, the number one ranking is not a destination but part of a journey,” Misbah added.

“Our long-term objective and strategy is to remain competitive, continue to challenge the top sides with good cricket and once again become the most followed side like the Pakistan teams of yesteryear.”

While climbing to the top has been a long and arduous journey, the real challenge for Pakistan is staying there and Test series in New Zealand and Australia at the end of the year will be the biggest indicator of just how far they have come. - Reuters

DURBAN: The first Test between South Africa and New Zealand ended in a damp draw on Tuesday without a ball bowled over the final three-and-a-half days due to a sodden outfield at Kingsmead.

Only 100 overs were possible in the match with New Zealand frozen on 15 for two wickets in their first innings for 11 sessions after the players left the field prior to lunch on the second day never to return.

The tourists were replying to South Africa’s first innings total of 263 all out on a difficult batting surface in what was the first winter test to be played in Durban.

South African captain Faf du Plessis backed the decision to call off play. “There were a few areas that were muddy and loose underfoot, so the umpires were worried that if you had to make a sudden movement or sprint, you could get badly injured,” he told reporters.

“We respect the decision. From a captain’s point of view, if one of your fast bowlers runs around the boundary and gets injured, you’d be pretty upset.”

New Zealand coach Mike Hes-

son also felt it was the right decision. “It’s very clear that both teams were very keen to play, but we also respect that umpires are in charge of ground, weather and light,” he said.

“Even from the time we arrived at this venue, we knew that the outfield was in a poor state and obviously it couldn’t handle the rain.”

The debacle will now place the spotlight on cricket South Africa’s decision to play the game at Kingsmead, with no play possible for three days despite no rain.

Work was done to improve the outfield — removing sand and grass and relaying it — after both teams complained that it was too hard when they played a one-day International at the venue last year.

The work was completed on July 1 but recent flooding and a lack of sunshine has not helped the grass to properly recover, leaving it soft underfoot and patchy. The latest rains have exacerbated the situation.

The timing of the work is now under question as a similar process in Pretoria, where the second and final Test is to start on Saturday, was completed in April. - Reuters

SOGGY END: New Zealand players look from the players room

while the umpires and ground staff inspect the playing surface during their first Test against South Africa in Durban. – Reuters

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

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Easy money is spoiling cricketers: McGrath CHANDIGARH: Quick bucks made through popular Twenty20 leagues are spoiling fast bowlers across the world as they stop working hard after initial success, laments Australian pace legend Glenn McGrath.

“Biggest issue which I find, probably not just in India, probably around the world is how hard they are prepared to work. And if they do get little bit of success playing in IPL (Indian Premier League) or Big Bash in Australia is that they get to that level and they think they have made it and they stop working hard and they stop training as much,” McGrath said after a clinic for Under-23 pacers at PCA stadium here.

“Young bowlers have to be prepared to work hard and then work even harder to stay there. There are no easy options or short cuts.

Sometimes, I see young cricketers reach a certain standard, all of a sudden they get paid good money and they stop work.

“I think money should always be secondary. It’s great that cricketers are earning good money. But if money is secondary and it’s all about going out there, performing at their best and keeping themselves in best condition. Then that money will be there all the time.”

With the cricket boards opening to the idea of day-night Test with the Pink ball McGrath said the “pink ball adds a new dimension to the game.”

McGrath said the bowlers, specially the pacemen, will have a clear advantage in the contest. - PTI

Expected a good return from this series: Ashwin Ashwin led the charts with his 235

Trinidad board launches probe after farcical washout

runs, including two centuries, and 17 wickets, comprising two five-wicket hauls, that earned him the man-of-thematch award

PORT OF SPAIN: Ravichandran Aswin rounded off the four-Test series with two centuries and 17 wickets and the India spinner said he had expected a handsome return from the tour of West Indies, which India wrapped up with a 2-0 win after the fourth match was abandoned.

The fourth Test ended in a frustrating draw on Monday with rain and wet outfield allowing no play on four consecutive days at the Queen’s Park Oval. “Personally I would say that I expected this kind of series,” said Ashwin.

“Not necessarily one where I expected two hundreds but I knew batting contributions would be very important. I had no idea that I would be batting at number six before I got here. But I put in the hard work without any expectations back home for a month and half. And it really paid off.

“Expectations are something that help you reach greater heights. Going forward I think being Indian cricketers, expectations are something that you always expect and I hope I can live up to the expectations and keep winning games for the country,”

PORT OF SPAIN: The Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board has launched an investigation after only 22 overs could be played over five days in the fourth and final test between West Indies and India at the Queen’s Park Oval due to a soggy outfield.

“As hosts, the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board and QPCC (Queen’s Park Cricket Club) regret that limited play was possible in the 4th Test Match between WI and India at the Queen’s Park Oval,”

he added. Ashwin led the charts with his 235 runs, including two centuries, and 17 wickets, comprising two five-wicket hauls, that earned him the man-of-thematch award.

It was the sixth time he has earned this in a Test series, the most by an Indian cricketer, moving ahead of Virender Sehwag.

“I need to give West Indies a bit of credit. They get the top order quickly and allow me the time and opportunity. Most of the other teams give hundreds to the top order. It’s a psychological thing I reckon,” he said, with a smile.

“In this Test I was trying to get a good bowl in this match because personally I enjoy my five-wicket hauls more than my hundreds. I am not just saying for the sake of it. I really do mean it.

“The one hundred I would really relish and put it past a fivewicket haul is the one I got in Kolkata, and probably the one in St.Lucia. It is about the context

TTCB President Azim Bassarath said. “We have jointly launched an investigation to determine what occurred with a view to remedying the situation so that this does not occur in the future. “Once this has been done, it will be presented to the WICB (West Indies Cricket Board).”

The abandonment and lack of modern equipment has been panned by critics and former cricketers as the Test format struggles to attract spectators. - Reuters

of the game rather about getting runs or taking wickets,” he added.

However, the 29-year-old from Chennai did miss out on the 200-wickets mark in Test cricket, and also missed on becoming the joint quickest to get there, along with Australia’s Clarence Grimmette who got there in 36 Tests.

Ashwin now has 193 wickets in similar number of matches.

“To be honest I wasn’t close to it, just on the cusp of it. So I cannot really say how I would have felt about it. But now that’s gone and is under the carpet,” Ashwin said.

“Even if I didn’t achieve it, I tried and went in the pursuit of excellence. So maybe not 200, let me go for the quickest 300,” he quipped.

When asked about the changes in the playing eleven for this match, and the changed batting order, Ashwin said, “There was clear communication that they wanted to play seven batsmen in terms of trying to see how the combination would go. - PTI

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

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SPORTS Virat is still the same as he was at 10: coach were raised about his focus.

“Every coach has a duty just like a parent to keep a check on the progress of his ward. There was phase and he was only 19 years old. Instant stardom after U-19 World Cup victory and a contract with RCB, it can happen with kids.

“It’s at that point when the coach’s role comes into play. You have to give the boy right guidance. It was my duty as he is like my son,” said Sharma, who has played nine Ranji Games as an offspinner for Delhi.

Rajkumar Sharma, who will be conferred with India’s prestigious Dronacharya Award, has been the Indian Test captain’s coach since he was a 10-year old

NEW DELHI: For Rajkumar Sharma, a coach is no different from a parent and that’s why he has been “protective” about Virat Kohli, keeping a close watch on the progress of his “son” during his formative years.

Sharma, who will be conferred with the prestigious Dronacharya Award, has been the Indian Test captain’s coach since he was 10 years old.

“It’s a huge honour which increases your responsibility to produce not one but many more Virats. I still remember the day when a 10-year-old Virat came to my coaching camp. Today as an Indian captain when he comes for a net session, I don’t find any difference. He is still the same old little Virat for me. Nothing has changed for him,” the 51-year-old former first-class cricketer said.

The 51-year-old’s name has been sent to the Dronacharya Awards committee on a number of occasions but he only got lucky this time. In fact, the Indian skipper called him from Port of Spain to congratulate him.

“When Virat got the Arjuna Award in 2013, I was there at the

‘Same old little Virat’ Kohli

Kohli congratulates Rajkumar NEW DELHI: India’s Test captain Virat Kohli on Tuesday congratulated his childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma on being selected for the Dronacharya award.

“Congratulations Raj

Rashtrapati Bhavan and he told me then next time I would be receiving Droancharya and he would be applauding from the audience. Wish Virat did not have international commitments (he will be on his flight back from the

ODI SERIES

England likely to play three spinners against Pakistan LONDON: England could play three spinners in the first game of their five-match series against Pakistan in Southampton on Wednesday, said one-day captain Eoin Morgan.

A fixture guaranteed to make history, because the third umpire will call front foot no-balls, will take another interesting twist if England field Liam Dawson alongside Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid.

The Hampshire left-arm spinner is hoping to play on his home ground, particularly in dry conditions in the day-night game at the Ageas Bowl. “Having Liam Dawson brings the option of playing three spinners and that is something we might have to take into

consideration as we look ahead to the winter tours of Bangladesh and India,” said Morgan.

All-rounder Ben Stokes and his Durham teammate Mark Wood are back from calf and ankle injuries respectively although the former will play as a batsman only for the first two games.

Pakistan look to improve a dismal recent record against opponents who have beaten them in eight of their last nine games.

“We have very good potential in one-day cricket also, we’ve certainly got belief,” Azhar Ali, who has replaced Test captain Misbah-ul Haq as skipper, said.

“If we bring our A game we definitely will compete.” - Reuters

Kumar Sir. All the hard work behind the bigger picture never gets noticed,” Kohli, who is in the West Indies, tweeted. “I am delighted for you on getting the Dronacharya Award.” - PTI

US) and he would be have been there at Rashtrapati Bhavan on August 29,” said Sharma.

There was a point in time after Kohli’s U-19 World Cup exploits and a subsequent IPL contract with the RCB, when questions

Remarkable transformation But for Sharma, Virat has had a remarkable transformation where youngsters are now looking upto him not only as a cricketer but as a role model also.

“Maturity comes with age.

There are a lot of things that a coach can’t do. There is a process of self realisation and the person knows what is right for him. Virat went through that process on his own and let me tell you I had no role in that process. The transformation from a teenager to responsible young man has happened because he knew what he needed to do,” said Sharma.

“Even today when he is considered among the best batsmen in world cricket, he will intently listen when I speak to him about his feet movement or backlift. When you find that he is still ready to listen then you know that the head and the heart is in right place.”

Next batch For Sharma, the focus is on producing the next batch of good competent cricketers who will catch the attention of the cricket lovers.

“My student Pulkit Narang, a spinner has already made his senior state debut. There is a 12-yearold boy called Ram Dev, in whom I see the spark that I saw in Virat years ago.Let’s hope that they blossom into good solid cricketers,” said Sharma. - PTI

SMARTEN UP DRIVE SAFE A TIMES OF OMAN HANDS-FREE DRIVING INITIATIVE

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

SPORTS Brazil didn’t mess up Games, nor did it make most of them

FOOTBALL

The sight of the Maracana stadium brightly illuminated for the closing

NOT ENOUGH: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola with Sergio Aguero. – Reuters

ceremony while a power cut plunged

Aguero cannot ‘disappear’ when City lose possession, says Guardiola

neighbouring streets into darkness epitomised the lopsided benefits of the Games

RIO DE JANEIRO: As the Olympic hoardings are taken down in Rio de Janeiro and the Carnival atmosphere subsides, there is relief that cash-strapped Brazil avoided making a mess of the Games but also a nagging suspicion it did not make the most of them either.

Brazil overcame fears over the Zika virus, a painful recession that left government coffers bare, and the suspension of its president just three months before the opening ceremony of the first Games in South America. Two years ago, a senior member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) warned that Brazil’s preparations were the worst he had ever seen.

Yet a last-minute scramble meant that venues and a new metro line to the Olympic Park were ready in time. Security fears, which prompted the deployment of 85,000 police and security for the Games, were also proved wrong — there was no major attacks of the kind seen recently in Europe.

Yet in terms of the long-term benefits to residents and the image of Rio to the outside world, the Games could have been so much more.

“If we’re content to call the absence of catastrophe an Olympic success, then I suppose it was a success but if that is the case we are setting the bar too low,” said Jules Boykoff, a professor at Pacific University in Oregon and author of a book on the political history of the Games.

“From the point of view of the lives of ordinary people in Rio, it was not a successful Games. It was a massively missed opportunity.”

FOOTBALL

Aston Villa sign Ritchie De Laet from Leicester LONDON: Aston Villa have signed defender Ritchie De Laet from Premier League champions Leicester City on a threeyear contract.

“I’m pleased to have brought Ritchie to the club,” manager Roberto Di Matteo told secondtier Villa’s website on Tuesday.

“He is ... a player who not only has Championship experience but has also played a part in helping a team win promotion back to the Premier League,” Di Matteo added.

The 27-year-old Belgian fullback, who made 129 appearances for Leicester after leaving Manchester United in 2012, moved to Middlesbrough on loan in January and helped them finish second in the Championship. - Reuters

LOPSIDED BENEFITS: A boy watches fireworks over Maracana Stadium from Mangueira favela during the Rio Olympics closing ceremony in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday. – AFP

In 2009, when a triumphant Brazil won the right to host the Games by a landslide at an IOC meeting in Copenhagen, a tearful President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said it would seal Brazil’s entry into the club of “first-class” nations.

“The world has recognised that the time has come for Brazil!”

Lula said, predicting the Games would showcase the nation’s improved governance and booming economic growth.

Seven years later, the Games arrived at just the wrong moment for Brazil. Its economy has been ravaged by a commodities collapse while a sweeping corruption scandal has ensnared the construction companies building infrastructure for the Games and swept Lula’s leftist Workers Party from power.

The run-up to the Games, an unrivalled moment to showcase Brazil’s most picturesque city, was dominated instead by headlines over the impeachment of Lula’s successor, Dilma Rousseff, the spread of Zika, and resurgent crime levels in the city’s slums due to rising unemployment and under-funded police.

The enduring images of the Games will be not just the great sporting achievements — from U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps’ 28th Olympic medal to Usain Bolt’s historic sprint ‘triple triple’ — but also the organisational problems, empty seats and crime.

Locals’ angry reaction to U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte, who made up a story about being robbed at gunpoint, was partly due to the knowledge their nation was being tarnished internationally.

“The country put its image at risk in bidding for the Games and the risk did not work out because it became brutally obvious Brazil has not resolved its problems,” said Christopher Gaffney, an Olympic expert and geographer at the University of Zurich who lived in Rio until last year.

‘Legacy’ melting away The spirit of discontent among some residents was represented by an ice sculpture on Rio’s seafront boulevard spelling out “legado” — “legacy” in Portuguese.

In the heat of the tropical sun, it quickly melted away.

Rio’s outspoken mayor, Eduardo Paes, accepts that, while progress was made, the Games fell far short of their original target in terms of tackling environmental issues like water pollution. Roughly half the city’s sewage still flows untreated into Guanabara bay.

A Reuters study showed that pledges on reducing air pollution were also missed.

Campaigners railed against the relocation of tens of thousands of people to build infrastructure for the Games.

The decision to focus new transportation routes on the wealthier Western districts, where the Olympic Park was built, meant they would do little to curb the long daily commutes of the poor from Rio’s sprawling northern slums.

The sight of the Maracana stadium brightly illuminated for the closing ceremony while a power cut plunged neighbouring streets into darkness epitomised the lopsided benefits of the games. Local media has reported that electricity tariffs will need to be raised to cover the cost of lighting the Games.

One major uncertainty for Bra-

FOOTBALL

FOOTBALL

Allardyce open to talks with Terry over England return LONDON: England manager Sam Allardyce has said he may consider holding talks with defender John Terry on a possible return to international football, but added he was not aware of the “political” issues that may arise as a consequence.

Terry won the last of his 78 England caps in 2012, before quitting the national team after the Football Association pursued a case against him following accusations of racially abusing Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand.

John Terry

Wait and see The Chelsea defender was subsequently banned for four matches by the FA, despite being cleared of the allegation in a London court.

Allardyce did not rule out a return for the former England captain.

zilians is the size of the final bill for the Games, in the midst of the country’s deepest economic recession since the 1930s.

The government has already said it will need to put in more public money to balance the books, yet it is resisting calls to make the Games’ accounts public. Many observers expect the official $12 billion price tag to be exceeded.

For many in Brazil, the Games will be remembered as a success for one moment — when footballer Neymar clinched the gold medal with the final penalty of the match against Germany.

Yet residents like Luciana Cabral, a 25-year-old advertising student, said the Games appeared to have done little to improve the everyday life of ordinary people in Rio. “On top of that, we still don’t know what the real cost of the infrastructure will be, so we have to wait and see,” she said in downtown Rio, on a street left deserted by a city holiday on Monday.

“I don’t want to say the whole thing was a failure but there were a lot of things that weren’t done well.” - Reuters

LONDON: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has urged striker Sergio Aguero to help his side maintain pressure on opponents and not “disappear” when his side do not have possession of the ball.

The Argentine scored twice in City’s 4-1 win against Stoke City on Saturday to take his season’s tally to six goals in all competitions. The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager said Aguero must help his team mates with his movements off the ball.

“It’s not enough to receive the ball from his teammates, he has to help us in the first pressure and run a lot and help us a lot with movement,” Guardiola told British media.

“You cannot be brilliant when you disappear when you (don’t) have the ball. It’s impossible.

“Until now he’s doing it and, when that happens, you are involved in defensive tasks and the offensive.”

Guardiola also praised young striker Kelechi Iheanacho, who came off the bench and proved influential in City’s third and fourth goals against Stoke.

“He (Iheanacho) is always ready,” Guardiola added. “We will need him. Sergio can’t play all season and Kelli is going to play.

“We can’t achieve anything with just 11 or 12 players. We need everybody and I hope they realise that.”

City next face Steaua Bucharest in the second leg of their Champions League playoff on Wednesday, before hosting West Ham United in their next league clash on Sunday. - Reuters

“Maybe so. I think it depends on what John said. Maybe if I get the opportunity, I might have to give him a ring,” he told British media.

“But until I come to that selection

or that process, we’ll wait and see.

“I don’t know what the political side of that might mean, if there is a political side. I’ll have to have that conversation if I feel that John Terry may be a possibility.”

Allardyce said John Stones will benefit from working under manager Pep Guardiola at Manchester City and the defender has a great opportunity to cement his place in England’s defence.

“Potential is something that’s going to be great in the future. I want it right now and he’s (Stones) got a great chance of becoming it right now with working with Manchester City,” he added.

Allardyce will name his squad on Sunday for their first World Cup qualifier against Slovakia on September 4. - Reuters

Bravo’s impending City arrival signals Hart exit LONDON: Claudio Bravo was pictured leaving Barcelona Airport on Tuesday and his expected move to Manchester City is likely to trigger the departure of England goalkeeper Joe Hart.

The 33-year-old Bravo is set for a medical this week at the Etihad Stadium where he will team up again with Pep Guardiola, his former manager at Barca.

The Spanish champions said on Saturday they had reached a “preliminary agreement with City” for the sale of the Chile captain.

Guardiola confirmed Bravo’s imminent arrival when asked about Bravo at a news conference on Tuesday, saying: “I cannot deny what everyone knows”.

Argentine Willy Caballero has been preferred to Hart in City’s three games this season but England’s number one could yet fea-

ture in Wednesday’s Champions League playoff second leg against Steaua Bucharest.

“Yes, he has a chance to play,” said Guardiola. “I have an excellent relationship with Joe, him with me.”

City go into the second leg holding a 5-0 lead over Steaua.

Hart’s transformation from City’s number one for eight seasons to second, and possibly, third choice represents a remarkable turnaround for the 28-year-old.

He has made 266 appearances for the club and been a mainstay of their rise to become one of England’s major forces.

Guardiola is determined to start moves at the back with a goalkeeper who is “able to play with the ball” and has explained that Hart is free to leave if he is unhappy. - Reuters

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W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M W E D N E S DAY, AU G U S T 2 4 , 2 0 1 6

SECTION

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

RENT

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VACANCY

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CARGO

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*Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be

done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

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W E D N E S D AY, AU G U S T 2 4 , 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

CAMP FOR RENT IN GHALA 350 labours & staff can stay With all facilities, near by Express way.

Contact

99364765 / 92699949

FOR SALE

Flat for rent in Al Mawaleh South 3, 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, hall, kitchen & store with air condition.

Contact 98575157

* 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.

FOR RENT Showroom & Labour camp in wadi Al kabir for rent. brand new building 1BHK/Basement/ Showroom & offices in Ruwi for rent

Studio flat at MBD Ruwi.

Contact : 95698714.

Contact: 91155779 hrm_gh@live.com

1 bedroom, 1 sitting room, 2 bathrooms in Azaiba.

Contact 96788070

4 bedroom villa available in Muttrah / Madinat Illam and Mabela.

Contact: 95915154 1BHK at Ghubra RO 240.

Contact: 92144045 / 97799175 2 BHK at Mawaleh North near Dubai Store (souq) Mosque Sadiq Al-Amin. Contact: 99224748 / 99332297 2 BHK B-5145, S- 4470 Azaiba North. Contact: 99224748 / 99332297 3 bedroom flat in Wadi Kabeer, 2 bed room villa in Sidab.

Contact : 95755953 / 95555162 Shop for rent at good location on main road behind Wholesale Al Amerat space 11 mt lomg 4 mt wide. Contact: 92877449 Apartment for rent in Mabella first floor 210 square meters 4 rooms, 3 toilets, Kitchen & store RO 400.

Contact: 99606884 2 bedroom flat near Riyam Park, Corniche. Contact 24714625 / 91173997

Deluxe 1 & 2bedroom flats, ideal for office / residence at Qurum near PDO. Contact: 97721313 / 9507 0421 2 BHK Ghubra RO 300/-.

Contact 92144045 Flats 2 bedroom and1 bedroom in Al Khuwair way No 4114 building No 1135. Contact: 90991079 / 98003444 1,2 BHK in Mumtaz.

Contact 92144045 2 BHK in Darsait RO 260/-.

Contact 92144045 2,3 BHK at Al Khuwair RO 350/-.

Contact 92144045 Shops office space for rent at Barka Highway Souq.

Contact 99530405 2 bedroom, 1 bedroom available for rent at Al Khuwair Madinat Qaboos, 375 & 300.

Contact 99530405 Commercial space shop/ Showroom/ Godown at just 1.500 RO /m2 location Seh Al Ahmer 15 minutes from Rusail Industrial Estate.

Contact: 97714433 / 93437982

Flats for rent at Al Hail, near Dubai Hypermarket, 1BHK- RO180. 2BHK RO 240/-.

Contact: 94030761 2 bedroom centrally air conditioned flat in CBD near Central Bank.

Contact 24714625 / 91173997 Warehouse with office, water and electricity for rent at Ghala Ind. Area. 800 &2500 sqms approx.

Near Hotel Al Madinah, Ghala.

Container can enter the warehouse.

Immediate access to road and highways. Contact 94583320 30 New Deluxe Flats & Shops in Al Khoud. Contact 99738881 Flats 2 bedrooms in Mumtaz wWay No 3352 building No 3447.

Contact: 90991079 / 98003444 Flats 1 bedroom/2bedrooms in Ghubra near Indian School building No 4250 way No 4042 building No. Contact: 90991079 / 98003444 1BHK At Al Ghubra with AC + water R.O 230, 2BHK at Azaiba with AC RO 320. Contact: 92811110 Office or storage Space Available for 200/-, opposite Haffa house.

Contact 96680480 Flat for rent. Contact : 99353433

2BHK flats for rent @RO 160 per sqm, location Seh Al Ahmer 15minutes from Rusail Industrial Estate.

Contact: 97714433 / 93437982 2 bedroom flat – luxury fully furnished at Al Khuwair, 2 bedrooms at the Wave, 3 bedrooms at Azaiba, 2 bedrooms at Al Walja, 600 sq. mt Warehouse – Sinaya, Ghala for short or long term contract. Contact Atlas Real Estate & Rent a Car LLC. Contact 99436312 / 92888376 / 94617563 2 B/R flats with split A/cs & free internet. 2 BR flats fully furnished available at Al Khuwair, near KM Hypermarket. Contact 99460330 Shop for rent in Al Amerat 46 metres good location.

Contact: 91141097.

For Rent Opp. Sheraton hotel Office/showroom + Mez floor 130 sqm Basement/storage space 190 sqm contact 99046569/99795795 Villa for rent in Amerat 5/1 5 rooms, 7 bathrooms, kitchen, hall & Majlis with air conditioning.

Contact : 99203458

House in Darsait 3 rooms, 1 bathroom with A/C. Contact: 95522405.

Flats, shops for rent in Ruwi Mumtaz, MBD area Honda road.

Contact : 97293708 / 92433127 / 96291778 Flats for rent in Wadi Kabir 1BHK 170 R.O & Studio 120 R.O Contact : 99376454 .

2 houses for rent Al- Mawalah, behind City Centre, 2B/R, 1hall, 2 toilets, 1 kitchen &1room,1majlis,1toilet, 1kitchen. Contact: 93930352 Spacious 3 bedroom villa with maid room at Azaiba beach.

Contact 24566217 / 24564686 / 99353921 Furnished room in CBD for Executive bachelors WIFI free, advance deposit. Contact: 90631572 Spacious 2-&3 bedroom flats available at Qurum Alasfoor Plaza Commercial &Residential Building. Contact : 24566217 / 24564686 / 99353921 .

MV SALE Kia Sportage, 2008 4 CYL, excelent condition.

Contact 99378397 2012 Camry GL, 56000 km.

Contact: 98054940 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LIMITED 5.7 PANORAMA top-ofthe-range 2014 model, 16,500 kms, purchased in March 2015 and financed by Al Omaniya.

Interested parties, please Contact 97199108.

Hyundai Sonata 2011 model registered 2012.

Contact : 95698714 Prado 2011.

Contact : 99336093 2015 Chrysler 300 S, Special Edition, Hard to find, 19000 km, single owner.

No Accident, beautiful Red, Full option. Contact 98960915 2015 Toyota Camry SE, single Owner.

No Accident 27000 km, All power. Contact 98960915 2015 Mazda 3i Sport, Single owner. No Accident , 22000 km, 2.0 Engine.

Contact 98960915

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DAILY GUIDE

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

BUYING Bobcat available for rent.

Contact 97623299 Buying cars for cash.

Contact 90202090

FOR SALE Shop for sale. Contact: 99037008 / 99348582 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 3 Nos Pallet Trailer Trolley on SALE- 8 oallet capacity, Maximum load capacity -12000 kgs, Both front & rear Axle turning / Short turning angle, forklift easily connected with towing, made in Belgium, available on as it is condition - Interested buyer may contact +968-92371721 Spacious villa for sale at Qurum.

Contact 99530405 Shop for sale at Honda Road.

Contact 99608165 Shop for sale at Azaiba 45sqm.

Contact : 99789125 / 94460845 Shop near Camelia Cafeteria.

Contact 92868123 / 92841089 Laundry for sale, near Camelia Cafeteria. Contact 92868123 / 92841089 Industrial land in Rusail. 4000 sqm. Contact: 99323957 / 95490842.

Running Restaurant for sale at Ruwi’s heart, 90+ chairs minimal rent 7 visas. Contact : 94909192 Coffee shop for sale at Al Khuwair 33. Contact: 92994415

ACC. WANTED One single furnished room with attached bathroom required for a Indian decent Executive bachelor non cooking, in MBD, CBD, Rex road, Ruwi, Hamriya Area. #96328687

ACC. AVAILABLE Furnished room in ruwi and azaiba for rent for executive bachelors. Gsm 99058344 Accommodation available in a villa for South Indian family, 1 bedroom, hall, kitchen at North Ghobrah. Contact : 99209160 Big room with attached bathroom available at Honda Road, Ruwi for Executive bachelor.

Contact 95527969 Furnished rooms with kitchen at Ruwi. Contact: 91214897 / 98049288 Large room furnished sep/ entrance in Wadi Kabir.

Contact: 99336206 Hall, kitchen & bath in Al Khuwair.

Contact: 99169512

FOR SALE A reputed Muscat based logistics Company owned and well maintained MAN Prime-mover (2011) & Trailer (40 ton) available for sale. model year 2011, done 760000 kms and in excellent condition. For buying enquiry and inspection of the vehicle,

Call Mr. Antony on 92829020 on or before 3 pm of 31st August 2016

DRIVING

MANPOWER

TRANSPORTATION

GOOD NEWS

SITUATION WANTED BUSINESS

Rooms for rent in Ghubra North.

Contact 96420432 Single room with bath & kitchen for Indian bachelor or small family RO 90/-. Contact 95187974 Family sharing Ruwi at high street, Raymond building, 1 or 2 rooms. Contact 97380459 A big room available near Hamriya round about for Muslim couple / small family / Executive bachelor rent 125/- per month including W+E. Contac: 99495131

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

WANTED Labour camp required at Barka / Rumaiz location to accommodate 800 workers with kitchen, dining & training hall facility.

Contact 968 95207700 Urgently required looking to immediately buy used Grit blasting & airless spray equipment 1 No each. Contact: 968 24810930 / 93203772 / 93203773 / 93203778

Transportation required with any office employee or taxi going daily from Muttrah to al Mawaleh or Al Khoud at around 7am, kindly contact me urgently. Will pay the charges. 91760524.

Transport available for Office Drop and Pickup. Contact: 97986787 Transportation. Contact 92126933 / 98518979 Transportation. Contact: 95190627 Transportation. Contact :96538078 Transportation Engage.

Contact: 92711421 Transportation. Contact 92015894 Transportation. Contact 94510847

WANTED IELTS Coaching (academic) required nearby wadi Kabir area. Please call on mobile or msg on Whats up. Contact 92927880/99012165

Coming Eid appointments special offer on all beauty treatments, Varkey’s Gents Spa. Contact: 92935679 Ayurvedic treatment for joint pain, backache, paralysis, massage, steam bath, obesity, Spondylitis. Ideal Care Ayurvedic Clinic, 18 November Street, Ghubra.

Contact: 99639695 / 97397320

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

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 you are away on vacation. Taking very good care of your car, trust us.

Contact: 96964767 Ayurvedic treatment for backache, paralysis, arthritis etc & massage, All Season (Vaidyaratnam). Contact: 24475280 / 95371664 / 92504980 www.siddhayur.com *Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

Partner available, if u have an established business & looking for partner for expanding or open new branch. Contact: 92010247 Investment opportunity For business in lighting building materials and decoration.

Contact : 99421513

Do u want to market your product.

Contact :92162623

LOST Nasrin Akter Abdu Malek has lost Bangladeshi Passport No. BC0275757.

Finder please handover to ROP.

CHANGE OF NAME I Murli (holder of Indian passport No. K0869169) son of Bachumal Aswani having permanent residence in B.M.Aswani H.No. 348 / 24 Chand Bawri Ajmer Crato (complete postal address in India) and presently residing in Al Maya Markets, Wadi Kabir, P.O. Box 1064, PC 130, Al Azaiba (complete postal address in Oman) intend to change my name from Murli (old name) to Murli Bachumal Aswani (new name) for all practical purpose.

Any objection towards my name change may please be communicated to Embassy of India, Muscat, Diplomatic Quarters, Al Khuwair, P. Box No. 1727 Postal Code 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman.

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W E D N E S D AY, AU G U S T 2 4 , 2 0 1 6 Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classifieds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT Required male, female GP, Dentist, Administrator, Nurses, Pharmacist, Lab Technician for a Polyclinic at Ibra.

Contact 71100596, joharaajmal2016@gmail.com

Business Dev Manager Strong contacts in Oman with Oil & Gas cos., Main Contractors, Owners of Crushers, Heavy equipment & Cranes for marketing of Hydraulic Spare parts A-Z.

SITUATION VACANT

alamerllc@gmail.com

A WELL REPUTED LLC COMPANY IN OMAN URGENTLY REQUIRED THE FOLLOWING VACANCIES TO THEIR SPARE PARTS AND TOOLS, DIVISIONS.

Contact - 99086888

01. SALESMAN (AUTO SPARE PARTS) 02. SALESMAN (TOOLS, HARDWARE, BUILDING MAT ETC

WANTED STORE CO-ORDINATOR

GRADUATE /DIPLOMA WITH 5 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN RELEVENT FIELD, GOOD COMMUNICATION AND NEGOTIOATION SKILL COMPUTER KNOWLEDGE. AGE NOT MORETHAN 35 YEARS. ARABIC SPEAKING IS AN ADDITIONAL ADVANTAGE. INTERESTED CANDIDATE MAY SEND THEIR CV’S WITH RECENT PHTOGRAPH TO

info@gapmct.com

3-5 years experience preferably in Ceramic division (tiles).

Should be with degree, technical knowledge & English fluency.

Send CV to tajallulu.abubaker@gmail.com

SITUATION VACANT Planning Engineer: Civil Eng.Degree, 5 yr exp in Primavera/STAAD.

Procurement Engineer: Civil Eng .Degree, Good communication skills, 8 yrs GCC Exp as same.

Send Your CV to surcivilmep@surunited.com

URGENTLY REQUIRED A leading Electrical Contracting Company in Oman urgently required well experienced Electrical Engineer with 4 to 6 years experience in Substation work & valid Oman driving license is mandatory.

Email : careermuscat2016@gmail.com

VACANCIES Interior Designer • Qualified interior designer with minimum 5 years experience • Should have knowledge in quantity survey

SITUATION WANTED

Production incharge • 7 to 10 years experience in wood working business related to joinery and machineries involved

Marketing • 5 to 10 years experience in furniture manufacturing industry

Email: snp.hr2012@gmail.com ACCOUNTS Required urgently – A public listed company in Sohar requires Stores & Logistical Supervisor– Candidate Profile- Degree in Accounts / Commerce, 2-5 years experience in similar field, good knowledge of MS Office & ERP, Age below 30 years, NOC is a must.

Please apply to mgglass@omantel.net.om within 10 days.

Wanted Accountant experiences with 5 yrs experience in Oman, Indian only. Contact 95337795

BEAUTY 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 Urgently required Gulf experienced Cook in Arabic food for an Omani family. Contact: 93232956 Urgently required a well experienced Manager for a group of vegetarian restaurants in Oman.

Attractive salary offered.

E -mail: md@royalgroupoman.com

DRIVER Sales driver with light driving license. Contact: 99169512 Omani driver required for 3 ton truck. Contact: 99169512 Required an Indian Driver with Oman driving license to work in a school in Ruwi. Residence available. Contact 24705605 Abdul Rahman from 8 AM to 1 pm

DOMESTIC HELPER Wanted full time Housemaid preferably Tamilian / Malayalee for Tamil Family at Wattayah, Muscat. Contact 94043238

EDUCATION/TRAINING Teachers required with BA. B,Ed, B.Sc, B.Ed Art for private school in Oman North Al Hail.

Contact : 95825772 .

Email : fairozhuded13@gmail.com A well known bilingual private school require Teachers for English, Maths, Science, Computer & kindergarten.

Contact 96910649 Email : staffing.oman@gmail.com.

A bilingual private school in Saham require Teachers for English, Maths, Science & kindergarten. Email : recruitment.saham@gmail.com, mobile : 98258978 / 93477668

EDUCATION/TRAINING Required Teacher for Madinat Qaboos near Pakistan Embassy for 7th Standard CBSE ISM boy all subjects Maths, Science, Social Studies & Hindi. Contact 98575400

ENG./TECHNICIAN Wanted Construction Manager having civil Engineering back ground with Oman driving license to run a medium size construction company with salary & incentive basic. Send CV: civilworks2016@gmail.com Project Engineer-Mechanical Engineer / BE/B.Tech) having 8+ years in structural steel works -PEB / Hangars /pipe racks.

Contact 99219499 / hrdptss2016@gmail.com Erection Engineer having 8+ years experience in structural steel erection for -PEB / Hangars / pipe racks / heavy equipments.

Contact 99219499 / hrdptss2016@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

MEDICAL Wanted Dentist with MOH license for a clinic in Sur. Contact 97475816 STAFF NURSES ( Female) - With or without MOH License for a medical complex. Excellent Salary and Accommodation.

Phone: 99006915 , Email: alhinaee.clinic@yahoo.com GP & Gynecologist for Polyclinic Muscat, with postgraduate diploma degree, prometric & dataflow. Attractive package as per CV, forward on dsm.requirement@gmail.com AlFarooq Polyclinic Barka requires experienced qualified Male & Female GPs. Contact 99526926, 99754628 Wanted Nurse for a Dental Centre in capital area. Contact 93431024 or send CV : drasyanaseem@gmail.com

MANAGER Required Work shop Supervisor with good mechanical experience at Naseem auto workshop Ghala.

Contact: 99349311 Urgently required for a well reputed company in Sohar - Camp supervisor 3 No’s, Canteen Supervisor 2 No’s, Camp foreman 2 No’s, Labour Coordinator 2 No, Marketing specialist 1 No, Receptionist female 1 No .

Contract No’s 94532131, 98317698, office no 22092638, Email nitsohar@gmail.com

WANTED Female Gynaecologist, Female GP- Two Female Staff Nurse (From India or Pilipino)and One Female Dental Assist and Female Lab Technician.

With MOH Licence and Data Flow for Al Saadi Specilised Medical Centre, Musanna.

Contact # 92025033, Email : dr.srininvas76@gmail.com

SALES / MARKETING Required Marketing Executives with D/L & office/ Accounts Assistant. Mail your resume to: ocean@omantel.net.om Earn upto RO 1000 in Sales, expats required in Salalah on commission basis only. Contact 92760281 Required min 2 years marketing experience with ODL. Send CV : info@DoOdleZz.com

SALES / MARKETING Looking for a Sales Executive for an aluminum fabrication company in Muscat, during license is must.

Contact : 96096212 / 91261569.

Require experienced female Insurance Underwriters & Marketing Executives with fluency in English (Oman Expatriates).

Apply to: insure@dotintl.com Urgently required marketing personals for water bottling and distribution company.

Contact 98598099 or email. apsasidharan@yahoo.com Required Marketing Executives with experience in advertising and printing services. Omani driving license is must. Apply : vacancyoman@gmail.com

ACCOUNTS Chief / Senior Accountant, having 12 years Oman experience looking for a job NOC / Release with D/L available. Contact: 97385562 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 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 ACCA member with 6 yrs of experience in Oman looking for a suitable job in finance.

Contact: 99284193

SITUATION WANTED ACCOUNTS Accountant Part time up to finalization on monthly basis by 10 plus years Oman experienced Indian CA. Audit works, Backlog accounting, Feasibility Study, Bank loan help, Tax & Internal Audit.98679664 A young CA (ACA & ACCA) with 4 yrs experience currently working as Assistant manager in one of the top firms in UK seeks suitable placement in Oman. Will be available in Oman on August 23rd & 24th. hkamran@gmail.com, Contact 0968 95925739 / 93595050 Indian male (25 yrs) with B.com degree and Omani driving license on visit visa looking for simple opportunities in the field of Accounting. Please call 96324484.

Male 36 MBA finance 7yrs GCC exp. knowledge of Qbooks + tally+ SAP with D/L & NOC . Contact 96763275 fazee1980@gmail.com Urgently looking for a situation in Banking Male / BBA/ Pakistani /age 30, 8 years Banking experience. mobile 94453122 e-mail-kashif.naqvi86@gmail.com Sri Lankan Chartered Accountant (female) Graduate 3 com sp 2 visa work experience in Accounting . banking sectors looking for a satiable position in Muscat.

Contact : 96356974 – 97488363 hansikamail@yahoo.com.

Indian (M), B. Com, MBA in Finance in GCC for 26 years, well experienced in Accounts & Finance, 4 years in L&T, speaks Arabic, having Driving License & NOC. Contact: 95588565 Indian male, 23 yrs, MBA, fresher in Finance/ HR looking for suitable placement joining immediately.

Contact 93971850 Indian Accountant with 4 yrs of Oman experience upto finalization looking for job, valid D/L & NOC available. Contact 91119420, Email : ssarfaraz48@yahoo.com Indian female M.Com.DCA,10 yrs exp in Oman as an Accountant up to finalization having Oman driving license seeking suitable job.

Contact: 91609799 Indian male 31 yrs, 4 yrs exp in cashier and accounts experience in Money exchange in UAE and Center point in KSA, currently on visit visa in Muscat. Contact: 94988102.

Email: fadaludheenkm@gmail.com Part time Accountant 13 years experience hourly, daily & contract base accounting upto finalization Contact 79002093 Accountant 8Years Experience with D/L and NOC. Contact 97712084

Finance Manager 16 years experienced chartered accountant (Sri Lankan) looking for a suitable post.

NOC available. Contact 92194926 Email: manomuscat@gmail.com

Indian male MBA finance more than 6 years of experience in Accounts proficiency in various A/C Software, SAP (F1/ CO) seeking for suitable placement.

Contact : 95920740 email : abdulhameed1527 @gmail.com

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

Bangladeshi 25 yrs, male, BBA/ finance & banking 3 months work exp in bank,1 year work experience as Trainee Merchandiser, on visit visa seeks placement.

Contact: 97678385, E mail: sarwar_stone@yahoo.com

B.Com Graduate with computer literate and holding D/L seeks job in Accounts / Office Assistant Contact: 95041489 Indian (M), 26 yrs B Com, 6 yrs of experience in accounts and finance, 3 yrs in Muscat, Construction Division. NOC Available M:98390113, Email Id: shadabmustafa1990@gmail.com Indian (M), 31 yrs, M Com 9 yrs experience in Oman, looking for Manager or Executive position in Fin & Accounts, NOC Available.

Contact: 968 96166178/ +919768537435: mohammednajeem@yahoo.com Indian female 26 yrs, MBA finance 2 yrs exp with MNC. Email: rilooozmali@gmail.com.

Contact : 90551366.

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 Accounts part time services available to handle all accounts up to finalization on monthly basis.

Finalization and audit works.

Contact : 96247295 Indian male 34 Yrs, Dual MBA Finance and marketing with IT skills, 7+ yrs of experience, Looking for suitable placement.

Contact 94879615, Emailsajan_chacko1981@yahoo.com Indian, Kerala Male B.COM & B.PE, Currently on Visit Visa. Looking for a suitable job in Accounts, Store Keeper, Sales etc. Ready to join as early as possible.

Contact 96988923 email:- sajith3969@gmail.com 28/male/MBA - finance/B.Com Accountant with 4 years of Dubai/ India experience looking for a suitable placement.

Contact 90187483 shobinkarikkan1987@gmail.com

Indian/MBA/male Chief Accountant 18Yrs Experience, MIS, C.Flow, Budgeting, ERP, Cost accounting &Liasing with auditors. NOC available.

Contact: 92254691/97826674 email: khader2305@gmail.com Qualified and experienced MBA post graduate with proven work exposure in Middle East & India, having more than 5.5 years of rich experience in accounts , project coordination and administration in (3.5 years UAE experience) oil and gas projects is currently looking for suitable job. Contact 93953613, Email-allen.mathew83@gmail.com Indian female, M.Com, 4 yr’s experience in Accounts looking for Accountant/Asst. Accountant job.

Contact: 98418533 / 99338639 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 (M), 31 yrs, M Com 9 yrs experience in Oman, looking for Manager or Executive position in Fin & Accounts, NOC Available.

Contact: 968 96166178/ +919768537435: mohammednajeem@yahoo.com 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 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 Senior Accountant, M.Com, Indian, 12 yrs experience Accounts upto finalization(5 yrs in Dubai) (5 yrs Oman), NOC available. Contact 95577419, azifinj@gmail.com Accountant available with NOC, 7 years experience in Oman.

Ready to join immediately.

Contact 98263394 Accountant B.com Indian male 12 yrs exp seeks suitable job.NOC available . Contact : 91212471 Email: rennyj6@gmail.com Indian female 28 yrs B.Com 4 yrs experience in MNC’s currently in Muscat seeking suitable placement in Finance / Admin.

Contact :94743790

ARCH./ INTERIOR DEC. Architecture Graduate in Urban planning & architecture, 9 months experience in interior design & architecture. CAD skills: AutoCAD, Rhino, Illustrator, Indesign. NOC available.

Contact 96926903, Email : nikcherian9@gmail.com Iranian Architecture interior designer AutoCAD 3DS Max, 2 yrs experience. Contact 97309545

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DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED Indian female, MBA, Finance, B.Com & PGDM 2 years experience as Financial Analyst looking for suitable position in Accounts Administration or Executive positions, presently available in Oman.

Contact 96126736 / 95629821 Email: ppreethi006@gmail.com

Indian Male MBA (UK),

PROJECT MANAGER,

9 years experience in Dubai/London/ Mumbai in Management Consulting, Sales & Marketing, Business Development for Real Estate/Banking seeks similar placement with D/L.

B.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/

Contact- 00968-94731728/ josececy25@gmail.com

Contact: 95168205

Indian female 25 yrs M.Sc Biotechnology

Indian male, MBA,

Hotel/Restaurant/ Hospitality

6 yrs experience in Sales & Marketing, Export / Import, logistics (general trading), holding Oman driving license, presently on visit visa, looking for suitable jobs.

Professional with 21 years of rich experience as CEO/General Manager, in managing business operations/ revenue expansions in hospitality/hotel sector with MBA in Hotel Management and possessing strong business acumen with excellence in executing a wide range of strategies for profitability looking for challenging career opportunity as VP/GM/CEO.

Experienced Software Professional over 20 years in Oman. Involved in system analysis, design, testing and implementing new applications, provide training and helpdesk.

Best suited to produce cost centre, consolidated, MIS reports from various applications. Manage Software, Hardware, Network resources, Wi-Fi/Biometric/CCTV Devices. Expertise in SQL, Crystal Reports, MS Office, Foxpro.

With 2 yrs experience in Scientific Analysis looking for suitable placement interested in Quality Control in food processing sector & Medical Sector also.

Contact - 91544858

Call 9785 5160

Contact # 92839516

Contact - 98842135, 98030818

ARCH./ INTERIOR DEC.

SENIOR JOINERY ESTIMATOR

Senior Accountant

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.Com, 18 yrs experience abroad, 12 years in Oman with an excellent grade construction company, handling day to day activities upto finalization, proficient in Microsoft GP, knows AX – 2012, valid D/L, looks for suitable placement in Accounts / Admin. Local release available.

DOMESTIC HELPER

ENGG. / TECH./MECH.

Housemaid job required part time or full time in Ruwi, Darsait, Al Khuwair. Contact 98197872

Quantity Surveyor, Srilankan, male, 25 yrs, B.Tech, HND QS (Civil & MEP), AutoCAD with 5 yrs experience, looking for a suitable placement. Contact 92032632, haseebmursaleen@gmail.com

Architect Engineer seeking for suitable job, 8 years experience.

GSM : 96075000, Email : haytham_201046@yahoo.com

Contact: 968 97702648

ADVOCATE Egyptian legal adviser experience in arbitration and contracts and labor law, looking for a work in a Company.

Contact 99664890

ADMIN DRIVER Indian (M), MBA, 29 Yrs, 4+ yrs HR Payroll and Admin Experience in Muscat Oman, NOC Available, Contact - 97862240.

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 Expat lady with 17 years experience in Oman having thorough knowledge in HR policies, ISO procedures, Oman labour law and General Office Administration looking for opening with reputed offices.

Please call 94542525.

Looking for driving part time job with car. Contact : 93650209 Driver looking for job.

Contact : 95893044 Driver looking for job.

Contact : 95371235 Exp. Heavy duty driver looking for job. Contact : 97363138 2 yrs experience, light duty driver seeks placement.Contact 92789805 4 yrs exp D/L driver seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 96251983

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

Light duty Driver 3yrs experience seeks placement. Knows Hindi, Arabic & Urdu, 10 yrs exp Saudi and 3yrs in Oman. Contact :97762303

MBA 6 year Multi fields Experience, Marketing, Strategic planning, Administration skills. Having Driving Licenses, NOC Available Seeking for Job, fouzang@hotmail. com Contact 97468157, 92521080.

Driver looking for job.

Contact 95892363

Egyptian woman resident, considerable experience in the Administration and Secretarial Executive for company.

Contact : 97221126 Filipino HRD especialist / material controller supervisor with 18 yrs experience looking for suitable job in Oman. Contact: (+968) 98037142 / (+968) 92659817

DESIGNER/ DRAUGHTSMAN Free lance / part time autocad works / make boq 2d /3d arch , structural, shop drawings interior drawings. Contact 97103168 M/40/Indian, Senior Draftsman, (Civil) 18 yrs Oman exp in Architectural Consultancy, seeking suitable placement. NOC available.

Contact : 92510920 email: pgrajesh25@gmail.com

Light driver exp 4 yrs Knows English, Arabic. Hindi, Graduate.

Contact 98522914

Light Driver looking for job.

Contact 94591088 Bangladeshi male light vehicle driver 3 yrs exp. Contact: 90923748 Looking for job Light driver.

Contact : 98503237.

Indian light driver seeks job.

Contact : 96693613 Driver looking for job.

Contact 90524610 Light vehicle driver 9 yrs exp in Oman. Knows - Arabic, English & Hindi. Contact: 99505887 Bangladeshi male, light vehicle driver, 5 yrs Gulf experience.

Contact 90209473 Pakistani, light duty driver seeks job. Contact 94356465 / 93782166 Driver available, light duty driver, exp 6 yrs. Contact: 94435912 / 92439315.

CIVIL D/MAN 3D MAX 1yr EXP. PH : 96276106

Driver with car seeks placement.

Contact 93346085

CAD/GIS Draughtsman with 15 years experience. Contacts: 94001764 / Email: jaisonckm@gmail.com

Driver job wanted.

Contact : 96393082

Revit, Autocad D/man, expected salary 200 OMR PH :92279784 Architectural Draftsmen diploma in construction technology with 6 years experience in drafting and detailing as per British standard in Oman with valid Omani license looking for suitable opportunity Noc available. Call 94375897.

Light Driver. Contact 92703258 / 99617026

EDUCATION/TRAINING Masters with two years of teaching experience looking for suitable teaching opportunities in Salalah.

Ph: 90125347 Experienced Maths teacher bilingual AS, A, IB Thanwia Aamaa. Contact: 98016336.

Electrical Engineer (DEE) having 17 yrs experience (14 yrs in Gulf) experts in estimation, design, planning & construction activities of MEP work, seeks similar placement with D/L & NOC available.

Contact 97007489 BE Civil Engineer, 21 Yrs. Exp in Apartments, Malls, Industrial, Educational, Infrastructure and Fit out Projects. Have DL & NOC Contact: vsssmblr@gmail.com / 97195260 M.Tech Electrical Engineer, female Indian. Now residing in Oman looking for suitable placement in Muscat area. Email Id:neethusprakash@gmail.com, GSM: +968 93733627 B. Sc Civil Engineer, 7 yrs exp. in Oman, total 9 yrs G.C.C D/L & local release available.

Contact: 98628515 Email:sofiq.sohel02@gmail.com Indian Automobile Engineer 25 yrs, with 4 yrs exp on service field, now in Muscat on visit visa seeking suitable job. Contact: 92077172 B.E. Graduate with 1 year and ten months experience in CCTV, Access control & fire alarm looking for suitable job on visiting visa.

Contact : 93253160 Indian male (25 yrs) - HSE Officer - NEBOSH & IOSH - 5 yrs exp with GCC D/L seeks placement - NOC available - 95860843 / bichubabuhseo@gmail.com Female Chemical Engineer with 1yr exp as a lab technician.

Contact: 90920081

IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE WITH NOC HR & ADMINISTRATION PROFESSIONAL With 14 years of Oman experience in Omanization, well familiar with Oman labor laws, employee relations / welfare, Liasion & Coordination, Strategic HR Planning, performance Appraisal & General Administration.

Contact - 96501189 ENGG. / TECH./MECH. Procurement & Proposal Engineer, 7 yrs Projects exp in Oman, from oil & gas sector, with Oman D/L seeks suitable placement.

Contact 99105049 / 97054083, Email:shahabalikhan@hotmail.com Sales Engineer (male), 7 yrs exp in Oman, from Oil & Gas sector, with Oman D/L seeking suitable placement. Contact 99105049 / 97054083, E mail: madihanaaz316@gmail.com.

Civil Engineer, B-tech, Indian, 30yrs, Having 8yrs experience in building projects looking for suitable position. Contact: 99819639, email: 999saira@gmail.com

Civil Engineer 8 years experience Structural buildings marine.

Available NOC release.

Contact 92451323.

Email: zubairali134@yahoo.com

MEP, HVAC Engineer with about 3 years experience, now working in Dubai seeks job opportunity in Oman. GSM +97155285054 Mail id: sreejeshmech123@gmail.com

B.E Electrical 3 yrs Oman Elect / MEP LV& HV/ oil & gas commission fire fight HVAC telecom projects with NOC. Contact : 96335725

Construction Machinery repairs Engineer, 5 years, driving license, Contact - 94001961

Indian male 24yrs B. Sc Electronics & communication M.B.A (U.K) having 3 yrs exp in sales & operation of banking & financial products with Oman D/L seeking suitable placement NOC available.

Contact: 96428822 B.Tech Electrical Pakistani male 2 yrs exp with D/L looking for suitable post. Contact : 96752080

Indian male, B. Tech (Electronics & communications) seeking job in the stream of electronics & communication, now at Muscat in a visiting visa for a period of one month. 91973503

35 yrs, male, B.A, 4 yrs experienced HSE officer advanced Diploma in fire & safety ISOH NEBOSH course completed seeks suitable job (fluency Arabic). Contact 98973566, saresh10@gmail.com

B.Tech Chemical Engineering, 5 yrs experience in oil & gas petrochemicals plant simulation worked in companies like Honeywell & Aditya Birla Hindalco, looking for immediate joining in similar profile related to simulation & chemical Engg. Contact 71121608, seemi.alam@gmail.com

Indian male 29 yrs B. Tech FTTH Engineer 2 yrs experience in Dubai, with UAE license CCTV projects, Autocad, CCNA now in Dubai seeks placement.

E mail: nikhilps87@gmail.com cont : 00971522504047.

Female B. Ed English teacher, 7 yrs exp seeking suitable placement. # 99739415 / 92091528

Project Manager B.Tech with 24 yrs Oman experience in sewerage network approved by Haya available for placement contract.

Contact 96158934

Filipino Senior Revit/AutoCAD Draftsman with 20 years professional experience is looking for suitable job in Oman.

Please Contact: 96489798, (+974) 66653780.

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.

Indian female 32 yrs PG in Eng having 6 yrs exp in MNCs (Tech.

M IBM TCS) looking for suitable placement on visit visa.

Contact: 91063848.E mail: rumpachatterjee21@yahoo.com

Civil Engineer diploma, 4 yrs exp seeks suitable position in a reputed company. NOC available.

Contact 96789711

Indian Male 28 yrs, B.E with 6 yrs exp in Marketing Research and business strategy providing PR services looking for suitable placement. Contact: 90801510.

E mail:bijudotson@gmail.com

23 yrs female Biomedical Engineer with 1 year experience looking for any kind of suitable job in Muscat. Contact 94144084 / 92967174, sujimol.m.s@gmail.com

Interior Designer AutoCAD Draftsman 3D Max, now in Muscat on visit visa. Contact 92714377 / 90865342

Diploma in Mechanical Engg, 10 years exp in steel fabrication site work with valid Oman driving license. Contact: 94696192

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

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

Indian Project Manager with 23 yrs experience in Construction of residential & commercial buildings Mosque schools factories warehouses etc approved by authorities available for placement.

Contact 99608299

Indian male Civil Engineer 1.6 yrs exp, having Omani D/L, looking for suitable position. NOC available.

Contact – 92157694 / mohammedamair.bin@gmail.com

Sales Manager having 25+ yrs of G.C.C exp looking for suitable position. Contact: 95593795 / 93816464 Engg/ Tech/ Mech 24 m, MBA /B. Tech 2 yrs HVAC-fire fighting experience seeking placement.

Contact : 90924711, E mail : prasith.k.aniyan@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 B-tech 8 years experience as senior electrical project engineer / QC engineer on visit visa seeks suitable placement.

Contact 94094543 Email: anwar425@gmail.com Site Supervisor, Diploma in Civil Engg (cert attested) knows autocad revit, salary exp: 250 Ph : 92279784

SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER EDI GIS Indian male, 32 yrs, B.Tech, PGDIT, IBM Sterling Integrator, having 9 yrs experience from IBM, Cognizant & Emphasis, Oman driving license looking for suitable placement.

Contact - 93221395

ENGLISH TEACHER Indian FM, B.A, B.ED English Lit, 4 yrs Teaching experience in Oman and 2 yrs in India, immediate joining.

Contact - 94202122 ENGG. / TECH./MECH. 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 An Iraqi civil with more than 30 years experience in (Iraq and G.C.C) looking for a job, (N.O.C) available. Contact: 96561306 Email: iq.bgd.mnsr@gmail.com Indian male, Mechanical Engineer having 1year experience, on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact: 97416564, Email:jovinmathias@gmail.com Civil Engineer 8 years experience in Oman as a project engineer for governmental & private projects.

Contact – 90164912 Young Indian, Engineering in Bio-technology, Bio-chemical and Chemical, looking for a challenging placement in Oman.

Contact 97607000. Email: sivasankarjayakumar@gmail.com Mechanical/ Piping Engineer (B.Tech.) on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact 94703350 mail: nadeembcoolboy@gmail.com Indian male, Structural Engineer looking for job in structural design field. Having 6 years of experience in design field. Residing in Muscat. Contact: 91176187 Email: syam036@gmail.com Electrical & Electronics Engr, knows autocad & revit.

PH: 93837973 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

Mechanical Engineer, Indian, Male, 30yrs. Experienced in Steam turbines and Thermal Power house seek employment.

Contact - +91 8130553668 or mohamedshah7@gmail.com

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

Pakistani male Diploma Civil Engineer 4yrs exp in Oman bulling & mega projects, valid license Oman. Contact: 98921022

HOSPITALITY

Electronics and Communication Engineer with 2 years experience in Telecom Sector as RF Engineer (drive test, RF & LOS survey).

Contact: 93919943 Email: agneljerin@yahoo.com Electrical Engineer having 16 years experience in Switchgear / transformer / over head lines & lines & trading for sales /procurement & project execution, valid Oman D/L. Contact: +968- 95994727, Email : qurm340@gmail.com Electrical Engineer: Indian male 30 years, having 5 years of experience in industrial automation & utility maintenance in India, holding valid Oman D/L. #92789995 Email: akhilabrahamlktr@gmail.com Civil Engineer (Indian male) 5 years experience in Oman with valid Omani driving license & NOC looking for suitable opportunity.

Contact: 93101283 Seeking suitable job male 33 yrs Expat over 13 yrs exp with PDO as Project Service Engineer, Omani driving license, NOC available.

Contact: 92734174.

Housekeeping Supervisor, Hotel Industry seeks placement.

Contact 96152305

IT Indian male, 24 yrs, BCA, CCNA,1 yr experience as Software Trainer, looking for job, on visit visa in Salalah. Contact 91757984, email : rayjazzeer@gmail.com IT Support Engineer, Exp 3 years in Oman 2 years in India.

Contact: 94672759 Indian / Female (27) married MCA, 2+years of experience in software development in leading MNC – Accenture, Bangalore. IT skills include Dot Net, SQL server 2008, ASP.Net, HTML, CSS, excellent communication skills looking for a suitable job, With Oman Driving License. Mobile: 94057790; Email: geetika.pesit08@gmail.com 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

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W E D N E S D AY, AU G U S T 2 4 , 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

IT

MISCELLANEOUS

SALES / MARKETING

Indian male 4 years experience in IT as Programmer / Web Support/ CCNA/ Network on visit visa seeking placement.

Contact: 93069694 Email: mrabrar14@gmail.com

BS in Electrical Engineering, Experience: 5 years(Power Plants).

Contact: 92475206 Email: zahaibzafar007@gmail.com

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, B.Tech IT, 4 years Oman Experience in IT & NETWORKING, holding Oman D/L, seeks suitable placement. NOC available. Contact: 92462578 IT field 3 years of experience, female seeking suitable job in Oman.

Contact: 96350234 Email: greeshmavkannan@gmail.com Indian female M.Sc Computer Science seeking suitable placement in Muscat area.

Contact: 98660672 Indian Male, MCA Graduate, 15 yrs exp in ERP, CSM Certified, seeking suitable role.NOC Available.

Contact : GSM : 90189284 Email: meetlibran@gmail.com

MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR Experienced in Purchase and Finance,8+ years of Gulf Experience, Valid Oman Driving License, looking for suitable job, NOC Available Contact:-90978547, Email: rajakmani66@gmail.com CEO, CEO Assistant looking for senior management position with more than 25 yrs Business developing experience Marketing business planning U.S.A, Africa, Kazakhstan, Saudi & Qatar MBA, TEXAS A &M – USA University.

Contact: 92010247

MEDICAL Srilankan female qualified in UK with B.Sc (Hons) Pharmacology and M. Sc Pharmaceutical- Science with management studies having 1.5 yrs exp in UK and Srilanka in clinical-research and regulatory, currently on visit, looking for suitable post in Pharmaceutical, clinical research or health care organizations. Contact: 71148320 Lecturer, MSC Nursing(OBG), 2years experience with valid IELTS,ACLS & BLS and Saudi prometric, looking for suitable opportunities in Salalah. Ph: 90125347 Iraqi Dentist female, MOH license seeks suitable job in clinic in Muscat. Contact 97891219 Filipino male Medical / Sales representative with 3 yrs experience is looking for suitable job in Oman.

Contact: 92610394 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

MISCELLANEOUS 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. Pls. Call 79042628.

Sudanese male bachelor geology and mining with 3 years experience in MUD logging and training in soil investigation. Contact 92956848

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 B.Sc in Geology, fresher, need job training, on visit visa for 3 months, can speak Arabic and English.

Contact :71125541 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

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE Looking for part time job Secretarial / Data Entry / Documentation available every day after 5:00 pm Friday / Saturday full day area preferred Ruwi/ CBD/ MBD / Al Khuwair. Contact: 90414827 Lady Secretary / Sales Co-coordinator 12 years experience in Oman in reputed companies, seek immediate Employment. Call: 95244761

SALES / MARKETING Indian male with 6 years experience in sales in oman. NOC available, looking for suitable placement. Contact 95364128 Indian male with 15 yrs of rich experience in business development and marketing 7+ yrs in Oman looking for a suitable opportunity.

Contact : 98652962 Indian male, MBA Marketing with 4 yrs exp in marketing and sales, having GCC driving license, looking for suitable job opportunities, now on visiting visa. Contact:98666324, E mail:ajithvjames@gmail.com Indian male 26 yrs, B.Com 2 yrs exp Sales and Marketing in India and 2 yr Salesman in Oman.

Contact : 90925545 22 yrs, BBA Graduated Indian lady looking for suitable job in a reputed firm. Contact 97228541 MBA (Marketing & Finance) with 15+ Years of Rich Work Experience in Retail Sales, Life Insurance & Telecom domains. Looking for a right job opportunity in Oman.

Core Competence Area: Sales & Marketing, Business Development, Distribution Channel Development, Strategic Planning, People Management, Revenue Generation, Team Building, Presentation & Communication Skills. Available in Muscat for personal interaction / meeting.

Contact 93985519 or mail on anshuman28@hotmail.com 23 yrs experienced Sales Management (FMCG) all over GCC looking for suitable placement, currently working in MNC, Noc available.

Contact 99025200, Email: rejymb@gmail.com Smart & energetic Sales Manager with over 10 yrs of Technical experience seeks suitable placement.

Contact 79063761 Indian female having 10 yrs experience in logistics & sales coordinator, exp. in SAP, MS Office valid Oman D/L, currently on visit visa looking for suitable placement.

Contact : 95251911

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 Indian male 26 years of experience of sales & marketing in surgical and laboratory equipments.

Looking for good replacement.

Contact – 92015894 /95774854 Resident in Oman 18 years, 10 years experience in setup marketing plans and strategies, sales, import & logistics, procurement, Omani government tenders, organizing projects & events, import fireworks for festivals, NOC available, have car. Contact 94123939.

Email: 002015r@gmail.com Indian (M), 29 Yrs B Com, 5 yrs experience, 2 yrs in Oman as Document Controller seeking similar jobs or in sales. NOC Available.

M: +919773310782 Email Id: sajid.shaikh2123@gmail.com

SKILLED / UNSKILLED Indian, looking for a suitable post 25 yrs exp in Carpentry Foreman with valid D/L seeks placement.

Contact: 95868469 Office boy & watchman 8 yrs exp in Dubai looking for job.

Contact: 97636513

MISCELLANEOUS Chief Accountant , 7 years experienced (out of 25 years experience in accounts) worked in reputed group companies. Currently procuring MBA finance and having Omani Driving License seeks suitable openings from reputed companies. # 98803439 / 97413784 Building foreman, Experience : More than 20 years with 12 years in Saudi Arabia 4 years in Oman and 4 years in Pakistan with D/L. Contact : 968 94153911, Email : iqbalsaleem10777@gmail.com B. Tech Comp Science 3+ yrs, looking for administration or IT / Management or other profile with flexible timings. Contact 95761562 3 years experience in production industry, B tech in Mech engg, Proficiency in AutoCAD, Primavera certified. Contact Email: arn9895@gmail.com, Mob 00919895233155

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 6 years exp as Sales Executive with valid Oman driving license, languages known Hindi and English, looking for any good job. Contact 95642297

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

Diploma in Civil Engineering, B. Tech in Civil engineering from Kurukshetra university, persuing M. Tech Structural Engineering distance mode from Kurukshetra University, more than 07 years experience. Contact+96891431483 mohsinyousuf86@rediffmail.com

Oil & gas experienced Indian lady with 6 years in sales & marketing to PDO and having valid Omani driving license. # 96143430 / 99875919 Indian male 14 yrs exp in business development, Sales & Marketing, 4 yrs in building material in Oman Contact: 93956234.

Indian male 35 years, B.com and 9 years GCC experience in Sales & Marketing (Transport & Logistic). Having GCC driving license, looking for suitable placement. Contact: 92634281 email: shinojkk1224@gmail.com Indian male Graduate with 18 years of Marketing experience presently in Oman on family visit visa, looking for best opportunity.

Contact: 96168687 Email: dhibupaul@gmail.com Indian Male, 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 37 years MBA graduate in marketing with 9yrs of experience in UAE in field of brand promotions & marketing with UAE D/L on a visit seeking suitable position. Conatct 95792820 Indian male 1 yr exp in sales automotive (TBL) looking for best opportunity , NOC available.

Contact: 97793879 Email: shyampkn@gmail.com

MECHANICAL/PRODUCTION ENGINEER, 3 years’ experience in production industry, B tech in Mech engg, Proficiency in AutoCAD, Primavera certified, Contact Mob 00919895233155 mail: arn9895@gmail.com Indian male, 28 YEARS Msc Bed Chemistry 2 years, experience In Teaching In India seeking suitable Job. Mob No-00919505671750, Email;bbroshini53@gmail.com INDIAN male, 33 yrs, BSC Chemistry 8years, experience as Medical Representative In Zydus company in India, seeking suitable Job. Contact -00919505671750, Email; bbroshini53@gmail.com Regin accountant, male Indian, 2 years of experience doing accounts in tally and excel searching for suitable job.

GSM no: 7373387282 E mail: regin1690@gmail.com Indian female 23 Oracle ERP technical consultant 2+exp skills: oaf, forms & reports, bipublisher email: ramyaoracleapps02@gmail. com, Contact: 91156571 Electrical Foreman, 25 years’ experience, Indian male currently in Oman looking for suitable position.

Gsm – 96718013, Email : manikandan1196@gmail.com Indian Male, 22, Diploma in Automobile Engineering (DC), Experience In Restaurant Management and in sales looking for suitable position.

Contact: 90801420, Email: anwaar223969@gmail.com B.E Engineer and also did NEBOSH (IGC), Fire and Safety (HABC) First Aid.3 year of Gulf experience As a Safety Engineer looking for job. Available to join respective firm. Contact number# 94618504 Email: shan37yousfani@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 Male, Electrical Engineer, 4 years of experience in India /Oman. NOC available. Contact Mob: 94579857, mail: zahirpb@gmail.com, Sr Project Engineer, 30 Years, Mechanical, 8 Yrs. experience in Oman & Qatar, Qatar Petroleum approved, Experienced in EPIC Projects Tanks, Vessels, Piping, Steel structures.

Ph-00974 66772193 Mail;snu057@gmail.comIndian

MISCELLANEOUS Indian male 21 (B.Com 2Years) having experience in Sales looking for suitable entry-level position.

Contact: 94562777, E-mail: Hammadakrami61@gmail.com MECHANICAL ENGINEER ( B.E.,)Indian male, 7 Years of experience in thermal power plant, Pump station and utilities piping Erection & commissioning. Contact: madhavansakthi@gmail.com, Cell No: +968 98208500 Indian male: 24 years, diploma in computer science and B.E (CSE) having experience in hardware and networking seeking for the suitable job. Contact: 91170912, Email id: sales2@witoman.com Pakistani male looking for House boy and cleaning work.

GSM:96710189 Indian male, 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 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 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 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 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 4 years experience in IT Executive .i come on a visit visa seeking placement contact 94948622.

Email Jarar.haider@yahoo.com whatapp 00923142195074 Indian male looking for part time job. Preferred time from 8 am to 12.30 pm. Contact: 79062787 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 Post graduate Dentist with 18 plus years experience with MOH Oman. Fluent in Arabic too.

Contact : 96689064/ amal_sam48@hotmail.com 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 Indian male 23 diploma in automobile engineering have experience in handling accounts and good marketing skill searching for new suitable job. Contact: 90801420, Email: anwaar223969@gmail.com

B.E Engineer and also did NEBOSH (IGC), Fire and Safety (HABC) First Aid.3 year of Gulf experience As a Safety Engineer looking for job.

Available to join respective firm.

Contact # 94618504, Email: shan37yousfani@gmail.com Indian Male 30 Yrs with 4 years Oman experience in Mechanical & QA QC and Construction Projects.

Valid Oman Driving License and NOC has available. Looking for suitable placement. Contact: +968 97358342, +968-93992560.

Email : Kuldeepbina@yahoo.com Senior sales/marketing executive.

Experience in trading industries and thorough knowledge of Oman market. Driving license and NOC available, seeks senior position.

Contact: 98487311 Chief Accountant , 7 years experienced ( 25 years experience in accounts) worked with reputed group companies , handling accounts, auditing, tax work, budgeting & banking facilities , seeks openings Contact 98803439 / 97413784 Indian male 37years btech civil engineer,13years oman experiense in buildings and infrastructure(steel) having d/l and noc is now in oman on visit visa,ready to join immediately.

Contact : 93641216 , EMAIL: shalabha02@yahoo.com Mechanical Engineer (B.E), Indian, 21 yrs, Fresher, Looking for suitable job in the field, Contact- 92291955 / vishusav@hotmail.com Civil Engineer with 6 yrs exp. in construction and all related works having Omani license & NOC. looking for job. 94520994 Indian male B.Tech, DCE Civil Engineer 14 years Gulf experience.

Contact 97045409 Male Indian current job : call center job, B.E (ECE) searching for suitable job, email: amirraj11691@gmail.com. mobile: +919677642346 / +918428617572 Indian male, 11 years exp. in accounting, knowledge in tally also. looking for a part time job.

Contact . 98983122 Indian male 23 yrs, Diploma in Automobile Engineering have experience in handling accounts and good marketing skill searching for new suitable job. Contact 90801420, Email: anwaar223969@gmail.com Indian/male (25)/ MBA/3 years experience in administration, sales and marketing with driving license. Fluent in English, Hindi, Arabic. Contact 97291114, MAIL: jawadazeez123@gmail.com Senior sales/marketing executive.

Experience in trading industries and thorough knowledge of Oman market. Driving licence and NOC available. Seeks senior position.

Pls contact: 98487311 B.Com Pakistani, 6 years experience of marketing NOC and D.L is available 0096898895739 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.

MBA with 18 years of experience in Procurement, 2 years in Sohar, Oman driving license, looking for suitable position.M:92507430, ahmed16071974@gmail.com, NOC available Indian/male(26)/MBA/2 years experience in procurement, coordination and distribution management, with valid oman license available for immediate joining.

Contact 92536194 email:suhailbs@gmail.com Experienced Restaurant Manager/ supervisor, direct sales searching for suitable position Indian male 23 Diploma in Automobile engineering. Contact: 90801420, Email: anwaar223969@gmail.com Sr Project Engineer, 30 Years, Mechanical, 8 Yrs. experience in Oman & Qatar, Qatar Petroleum approved, Experienced in EPIC Projects Tanks, Vessels, Piping, Steel structures Mail; snu057@gmail.com, Ph-00974 66772193 Indian female, M.Com, 4 yr’s experience in Accounts looking for Accountant/Asst. Accountant job.

Contact: 98418533 / 99338639

W E D N E S DAY, AU G U S T 2 4 , 2 0 1 6

D7

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED CARGO

RENT A CAR

SITUATION WANTED Indian 30 years, Autocad Draftsman 10 years experience in India.

2 years Oman experience in MEP Drawings and QS Estimation.

Contact: 9353 1192, 9086 4988 MECHANICAL/PRODUCTION ENGINEER, 3 years’ experience in production industry, B tech in Mech engg, Proficiency in AutoCAD, Primavera certified, Contact- arn9895@gmail.com Mob 00919895233155 MECHANICAL ENGINEER, Indian Male,26 years, 3 Years’ experience in Projects of Tanks, Boilers and Steel structures, Aware of int.

Standards,B tech in Mech engg.

Contact-rahulkunnath23@gmail. com, Mob-00917350860889 B.E Engineer and also did NEBOSH (IGC), Fire and Safety (HABC) First Aid.3 year of Gulf experience As a Safety Engineer looking for job.

Available to join respective firm.

Contact number# 94618504, Email: shan37yousfani@gmail.com Civil Engineer with 6 yrs exp. In construction and all related works having Omani license & NOC. looking for job. Contact 94520994 23 Male Indian 3 year experience in restaurant manager & accountant job & marketing experience looking for suitable job. Contact:90801420 , WhatsApp no :+917411062397, E-mail: anwaar223969@gmail.com TEKLA & AutoCAD.5 years Oman experience in project execution and detail drawing of Steel structures, site and shop erected tanks.

Diploma in mech.Engg.

Mob: 98486585 sinoshcs@gmail.com.

4 years experience in IT Executive and also ticketing staff, seeking placement Contact 94948622.

Email Jarar.haider@yahoo.com Indian Male 23 Photographer searching for suitable job.

Contact: 90801420 WhatsApp: +917411062397 for my sample shots, Email: anwaar223969@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 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, 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, mob00917350860889 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 Graduate (C.M.A & B.Com) having 4 yrs experience in U.A.E & Pakistan in accounts/ Audit now in Oman immediate available.

Cell # 94973273 (call & Whatsaap) Female, 25yrs old with 4 yrs experience in admin, HR and Secretary position looking for a job.

Contact neslinmoras@gmail.com 99265759.

Indian Female 23 Years, B.Sc Nursing , Seeking for Nursing Jobs , Good Communication Skill Contact 96723359, 97470727 E-mail : anaswara271@gmail.com Indian male 23 Diploma in Automobile engineering Experienced restaurant manager/supervisor and Marketing knowledge searching for suitable position in your company currently on a visit visa.

Contact: 90801420, Email:anwaar223969@gmail.com 4 years experience in IT Executive and also ticketing staff, seeking placement contact 94948622.

Email Jarar.haider@yahoo.com

INDIAN FEMALE 28 yrs, M.Sc B.ed Science, Experience 2Years In Teaching In India, seeking suitable Job. Contact 0091 9676814123, Email;bbroshini53@gmail.com Pakistani Male having 7 years Experience Valid Omani Driving license working as a Transport Manager looking for a suitable position. Salary is negotiable. Email: mohdnaveed043@gmail.com, Mob: +96893363316 / 94202746 Indian 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, 28 Years - MSc Microbiology, Quality checking food industry, Looking for suitable job. Contact 98170510 Email: lasyapriyaprasanth@gmail.com Indian senior Mechanical Engineer experienced in EPC projects in crushing, construction chemical, concrete products etc. # 9109 6940 E: kpopragmatic@gmail.com Electrical Engineer, 24 yrs, Indian Male Fresher, Training Undertaken in Electrical Draughtsman, Fire Alarm and Fire Fighting. Salary expected negotiable.

Contact 94989767, Email: Junaiz987@gmail.com 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

Search job as light driver, experience 3 years language Hindi, English, Arabic. Contact: 97941771 IT professional, BE. in IT, CCNA, MCSA, MCSE, 3yrs exp. in it, valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in it/network/server support/ retail sales. Contact 91496939.

Part- Time Accountant, well experience senior accountant, doing all type of accounting works, Finalization, Budgeting available.

Contact 98803439 Mechanical, 8 Yrs. experience in Oman & Qatar, Qatar Petroleum approved, Experienced in EPIC Projects, Tanks, Vessels, Piping, Steel structures. Ph-00974 66772193 Mail;snu057@gmail.com 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 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 B.E Engineer and also did NEBOSH (IGC), Fire and Safety (HABC) First Aid.3 year of Gulf experience As a Safety Engineer looking for job.

Available to join respective firm.

Contact number# 94618504, Email: shan37yousfani@gmail.com

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

Indian male 25, Graduate in commerce (B.com) having 4 years of experience in Office Administration (admin) looking for a suitable placement presently on a visit visa.

Contact : 97939084 / 97351786, E-mail : mohammednsr126@gmail.com

Sr Project Engineer, 30 Years, Mechanical, 8 Yrs. experience in Oman & Qatar, Qatar Petroleum approved, Experienced in EPIC Projects Tanks, Vessels, Piping, Steel structures. Ph-00974 66772193, Mail: snu057@gmail.com

Indian male Accountant.

Completed MBA with 1 year experience, good working knowledge in Tally & Excel. Searching for suitable job. Contact : 919715874548 , 918015907437, Email : jovin8910@gmail.com

Well-qualified Indian Female with 8 years Oman experience in Procurement Supply Chain from reputed Companies in Oman seeks placement, Contact – 95423692 3 years’ experience in production industry, B tech in Mech engg, Proficiency in AutoCAD, Primavera certified. Contact arn9895@gmail. com, Mob 00919895233155 Looking for Land surveyor job 5 years experience in Oman fully know autocad GPS and latest total station instruments NOC available:+96894144052 wasifnaz313@Yahoo.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 B.E Mining Engineer and also did NEBOSH (IGC), Fire and Safety (HABC) First Aid.3 year of Gulf experience looking for job. Available to join respective firm.

Contact 94618504 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 MBA in HR & Finance with 2 years experience in HR seeking for a suitable post, presently in family joining visa. Contact : 9058 7631 Electrical Engineer, Indian male 4 years of experience in India / Oman.

NOC available Looking for job in electrical field, Having good academic records and good communication skill. GSM: 94579857 Email: zahirpb@gmail.com Filipina, 33yrs old, with Bachelors Degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management, with experience as Senior Housekeeping Supervisor in famous hotels and resorts looking for suitable job in Muscat. Please contact 97943735/96489798.

25 - 50 seater bus with PDO & BP specification for monthly rent & small car with driver.

Contact 99839898

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED Driver with car available.

Contact : 90139903 Iraqi Civil Engineer 25 years experience in governments building and construction projects resident in Oman. speak And write English Contact: 98930502.

Email: aminaloraiby@gmail.com Airfreight/logistics Manager, male 35, MBA, Indian, 5 years experience in Oman seeks job. # 0091-9526166169 / 99630159, E mail - bijoabyjohns@yahoo.co.in Indian male 25, Graduate in commerce (B.com) having 2 years of experience in purchase (supply chain management) looking for a suitable placement presently on a visit visa.# 97939084 / 97351786, mail: mohammednsr126@gmail.com B.E(Mechanical) 12years industrial sales one year Muscat experience, presently in India , Immediately ready to join ,Mobile no :917338899372 , email id : ganesh2008sep@gmail.com Indian Female 10 years exp as cook in Oman, South Indian & Gujarati special .looking for job, Contact 95795971 Airfreight/logistics Manager, male 35, MBA, Indian, 5 years experience in Oman seeks job. Contact0091-9526166169 / 99630159 , e mail - bijoabyjohns@yahoo.co.in 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

D8

W E D N E S D AY, AU G U S T 2 4 , 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 COMPUTER/WEB./ EDU./CLASSES

TOURS

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

in Azaiba and Ruwi

• Learn in two months • Satisfaction guaranteed

Tel: 95244310

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

We arrange tours & accommodation at all the beautiful places in Oman. Contact 99839898

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

SERVICES

SIT.WANTED

We Provide Cleaners, Office boys, Cleaning Contracts, General cleaning etc.

Al Mudakhir National Est. LLC Contact : 94277020

4 Years experience as Electronics Service Engineer. Knowledge in all type of Electronics items, looking for suitable placement.

GSM- 99105043

MATRIMONIAL NAIR GIRL, B.Tech., 25/163cm Uthradam, working in MNC in India, ISG student, seeks suitable alliances from parents of boys working abroad and having M.S.in Engg. Parent Contact: 98584850 ITI electrical, SSLC, PDC, Christian, 36 yrs, second marriage seeks alliance. Contact 97368596 Looking bride for South Indian Boy, 35 years, B.E.,(MS), working in London as a Software Engineer, Christian, Height 5’5 , Ref: Profile ID. 1049, Mobile: 99091975 , whatapps :93485778 www.muscatmatrimonial.com, mail: matrimonialmuscat@gmail.com

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 RENAISSANCE CATERING & SERVICES LLC PEST CONTROL Control of cockroaches, bedbugs,ants etc..

Odourless and harmless Trained and experienced staffs Quality service in reasonable charge we use quality products approved by Oman Govt. we undertake yearly contracts for commercial & residential bldgs

SIT.WANTED

WE SERVE OMAN

CALL: 99040032

GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/ 24792998 MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble. Contact 24793614/ 99314807

Window & split unit A.C servicing & repairing. Contact: 99557080 Split unit & window unit A.C servicing & maintenance. #96236476 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 Water proofing ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722

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 years, 3 Years’ experience in Projects of Tanks, Boilers and Steel structures Aware of int. Standards, Btech in Mech engg. Contact- 00917350860889 rahulkunnath23@gmail.com Indian male 33 yrs, MBA-HR, worked on Recruitments, Training, OD, PMS, Site-HR, Omanisation and development plans of nationals ,10.yrs exp. seeking a job.NOC avl.

Contact 94179499 saiprasad_18@yahoo.com

Mathematics Lecturer Indian Female, M. Phil in Mathematics with 5 years of experience in school and colleges. Now in Oman on Visit Visa. Contact- 92119428, 96714746

Indian female 23 ORACLE ERP Technical consultant 2+exp skills: oaf, forms reports and bipublisher.

Contact - 91156571 email: ramyaoracleapps02@gmail.com

Indian Male, 22, Experienced, Looking for job in sales (no DL).

Contact: 90801420; Email: anwaar223969@gmail.com

Indian Male B-Com graduate 2 year experience in various Fields Valid Oman Driving License.

Looking for any suitable post.

Please contact: 94409500

Buildings & painting in and out, best material & good price

by Iranian material.

Contact : 96596487

Indian Male 24 years, HSE , 3 years Experienced as WELDING SUPERVISOR, PIPE FITTER, NONDESTRUCTIVE TEST, ASNT-NDT level II, per SNT-TC-LA (Radiographic Testing (RT)Penetrate testing (PT) Magnetic Particle Testing(MT)Ultrasonic Testing (UT)RTFI, looking for a suitable job. Contact 99334770

Cleaning services sofa, carpet shampoo old house or new house.

Contact: 92179395

Heavy Driver available with Oman Driving License.

Contact: 94190541

Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS- 99320217 /24788722

Indian male, 24 yrs Civil Engineering Graduate, on visit visa looking for a suitable placement.

Contact 92724814

Male 25, Graduate in commerce (B.com) having 2 years of experience in Sales & Marketing looking for a suitable placement presently on a visit visa. # 97939084 / 97351786, mailmohammednsr126@gmail.com

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

House shifting packing.

Contact: 99657644/98518013

Sr Project Engineer, 30 Years, Mechanical, 8 Yrs. experience in Oman & Qatar, Qatar Petroleum approved, Experienced in EPIC Projects Tanks, Vessels, Piping, Steel structures. Ph-00974 66772193 Mail: snu057@gmail.com.

Electrical Foreman, 25 years experience, Indian male currently in Oman looking for suitable position.

Gsm – 96718013 Email: manikandan1196@gmail.com Master in Aeronautical Engineering (PhD) having 4 years experience.

Seeking job in universities, colleges, schools and industries. #98259462 binoaero87@gmail.com Female Architect on visiting visa, two years’ experience, graduated from School of Planning and Architecture (under MHRD). Proficient in AutoCAD, Google Sketchup and creative visualization. Email saatvika.frozenmusic@gmail.com.

Contact 00968-94057427.