Times of Oman - August 25, 2016

THURSDAY August 25, 2016 21 Dhul Qa’ada 1437 AH

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FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTY THE SULTAN MORNING MINUTE

On the occasion of the 13th National Day, 1983

‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’ The role of young generation now is to prepare themselves in the educational and cultural fields, and set an example in shouldering the responsibilities of the future.

Founded 1975 . Volume 41 No. 156 | 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

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His Majesty sends greetings MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable of congratulations to Dr. President Tabare Vazquez of Uruguay 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 Vazquez and the Uruguayan people. -ONA

MUSCAT: Are you one of our 430,000 plus followers on Facebook, or do you like to keep up to date on the latest news on your smartphone? Well here’s something you will like.

Times of Oman has now launched Facebook’s Instant Articles. This means that if you like our Facebook page, as hundreds of thousands already have, and spot a story you’re interested in while browsing on your phone you can

Times of Oman has launched Facebook’s Instant Articles.

now read it in a flash. Just look for the lightning logo on any story in our facebook feed and it will load instantly.

Chief Executive Editor Scott Armstrong said: “We know that more than 60 per cent of our audience for timesofoman.com come to us on their smartphones. We also know that we have the single biggest following inside Oman on Facebook, as well as having the second largest overall following home and abroad of any company in the Sultanate. >A6

mercial Officer from the Oman Global Logistic Group (OGLG), during a press meet introducing the new company.

“As you know, when we were developing the rail project, the key starting point of every presentation is that the rail network is going to connect the three major ports and to integrate those ports with the GCC rail networks,” he said.

He added that the GCC rail network has slowed down due to the financial situation and has been reassessed.

“There will be a meeting with the ministers during the fall (au-

tumn) at which time they will assess the new targets for the GCC rail project,” Lesniewski added.

“We will align our Oman rail project with the GCC but the rail project is still going ahead and we are working on it. It is a vital part of the logistics grid that the country will need to be successful,” he said.

“Now, with all this being grouped under one large project, we are definitely coordinating all of our efforts on the sea side and land side. It’s actually an expansion of the project and the scope of our solution, so we are very happy with this development,” said Lesniewski. Oman Rail is a subsidi-

ary transportation company under OGLG, which is a holding firm.

OGLG plans to align stakeholders such as OGL internal, group companies, management and staff under one roof and establish OGLG as an operating business.

They are also helping underperforming businesses improve by identifying improvement opportunities with the company’s management and support.

Integrating mindsets and people as well as developing an innovative and performance driven culture is also part of their plans, including integrating the growing logistics business. >A6

Times News Service

Oman is a very good market for us: Sanjeev Kapoor

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Economic crisis has forced Gulf neighbours to stop the project which was due for completion in 2018

OMAN RAIL ‘STILL ON TRACK’ SAY OFFICIALS Despite the downturn, Oman is continuing with its rail project to link all three major ports

TARIQ ZIAD AL HAREMI

tariqh@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Oman’s ambitious rail link plan has not been shelved, according to the government body which has now taken charge of the project.

While a rail link aiming to conTOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

OMAN

‘SMEs need better health insurance’

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SMEs in Oman need better health insurance cover options to attract the best staff, employers say. Currently, insurance companies in Oman do not provide health insurance cover to firms with less than 10 employees as it is not considered profitable. >A3

nect the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has been put on hold following the dip in global oil prices, Oman’s own internal rail network plan is still on track, the government’s logistics group said.

The multi-billion GCC Railway Network - a huge railway system of

2,117 km designed to connect Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE and Oman - was earlier slated for completion in 2018.

The oil price dip has forced some partner countries in the Gulf to shelve plans for the time being.

The Oman Railway Project is designed to link all three major ports in the country: Salalah, Sohar and Duqm – and would when completed be a vital logistics boost for the country.

“The rail project is still going ahead - we are still working on it. Our engineers are still working on the rail project,” said John Lesniewski, Group Chief – Com-

BOOMING TOURISM

Muscat Hills hotel groundbreaking work begins

WORLD

73 killed in Italy earthquake

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A powerful earthquake devastated a string of mountain towns in central Italy on Wednesday killing at least 73 people and leaving thousands homeless. The quake struck in the early hours of the morning when most residents were asleep. >A12

SPORTS

Oman swimmers bag three medals

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Oman swimmers bagged three medals, including one gold and two silver, at the 26th GCC Swimming Championships in Damman.

Isa Al Adawi and Mohammed Al Khadouri finished one-two in the 800m freestyle race. >C1

NEW ADDITION: Muscat Hills Intercontinental Hotel Resort and Spa will be the new addition to the booming hospitality sector.

Times News Service MUSCAT: Preparatory work for the new five star Muscat Hills Intercontinental Hotel Resort and Spa commenced on Wednesday.

This includes hoarding and site access gate, levelling of ground to receive building foot print soon.

The proposed duration of the project is up to end of December 2018. With Oman’s tourism sector witnessing a strong growth, the Muscat Hills Intercontinental Hotel Resort and Spa is the new addition to the booming hospitality sector.

The hotel will feature about 250 guest rooms, leisure facilities

with swimming pools and spa facilities with enhanced club house, gymnasium and treatment rooms, restaurants, a ballroom and fully equipped meeting facilities and enhanced business services.

The concept to develop a hotel within a prestigious 18 holes golf resort located in the “new downtown” area of Muscat was at the forefront of the original planning.

Residents, however, are worried. “Right now there is too much dust and noise pollution outside the property and we don’t know how much problems this construction work will create inside the complex ,” a resident who lives in Muscat Hills said.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2016

OMAN I - C O M M I T C A M PA I G N

PAEW urges people to conserve water Staff Reporter

ADVICE: The advert on a local radio station issued by the PAEW transmitted an awareness message about the importance of water and preserving the natural resource.

MUSCAT: Efforts to encourage people to save water will continue as the Public Authority of Electricity and Water (PAEW) are pushing to make it happen via their I-Commit campaign. “One child dies every 15 seconds due to the lack of clean water,” said a PAEW Advertisement.

“Water will become scarce in two thirds of the world by 2025,” it continued saying. It goes on to say that the demand for water in the Sultanate increases by 20 per cent every year and will continue to encourage saving water and treating it as an invaluable source.

CLARION CALL: DHL Express country manager in Oman said the industry is going to get bigger and bigger, so there should be a process for educating local people about logistical processes, systems, tools and everything.

With more skilled labour Oman can take on world Although universities and colleges in Oman offer a variety of programmes, they are not enough, according to major industry icons

Staff Reporter MUSCAT: Oman needs skilled labour to work in infrastructure, industry and logistics facilities, experts say.

Although universities and colleges in Oman offer a variety of programmes, they are not enough, according to major industry figures. Shadya Al Ismaili runs a fine

jewellery and chinaware business, and says that one of her largest challenges is hiring skilled workers for her manufacturing facility.

“We are not able to get skilled people to work in the manufacturing projects. We still don’t have any plants manufacturing chinaware in the country, and we lack that expertise.

“If we think we might start

manufacturing, we will have to bring the entire team from the outside,” said Al Ismaili.

Some say vocational training could be instrumental in bridging this employment gap.

Vocational training “I think vocational training Is very important. If you look at the UK, where I come from, vocational training plays a big role in the logistics industry, where colleges teach you theories and ideas. But logistics is about dirty hands work- lifting boxes and driving trucks, so it is important that people learn that side, as well,” noted Chris Clark, International Development Manager of MedServ.

Imad Al Khaduri, General Man-

ager of Business Development at the Oman Global Logistics Group SAOC, noted, “There is the human capital side, which is looking at developing the caliber of Omanis, and you can do that by tapping into colleges and institutes, and draw upon a transport academy or specific programmes that can improve the ability of young Omanis in the logistics industry.”

Organised by Ithraa Industry officials will be part of the panel discussions, entitled “Made in Oman” and “Urban Logistics” during the ‘Inside Stories’ event organised by Ithraa on September 21 and 26 at Bank Muscat’s headquarters.

The public can register to attend at ‘events.ithraa.om’.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2016

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SMEs staff need better health insurance cover Insurance companies do not have any packages for start-ups and therefore they have to either look at giving their employees no health cover or an expensive individual cover, which can prove to be very discouraging for a start-up company, said Sherry Colbourne, managing partner at Startup Oman

Currently, insurance companies in Oman do not provide health insurance cover to firms with less than 10 employees as it is not considered profitable

SYED HAITHAM HASAN

Haitham@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Oman need better health insurance cover options in order to attract the best staff, employers say.

Currently, insurance companies in Oman do not provide firms with less than 10 employees health insurance cover as it is not considered profitable to the insurer.

That leaves small business owners facing the dilemma of opting out of health cover for staff or

selecting individual packages – at greater cost.

Some have even banded together to meet an insurer’s requirement that there must be a minimum of 10 employees but this can also add to premiums.

Sherry Colbourne, managing partner at Startup Oman,: “Insurance companies do not have any packages for start-ups and therefore they have to either look at giving their employees no health cover or an expensive individual cover, which can prove to be very discouraging for a start-up company.”

According to several entrepreneurs, the Omani business

environment needs to become more attuned to nurturing new companies. Hashar Al Mandhari, director at the Alamri marketing company, noted that it is hard for start-ups to grow in an environment where basic regulations hinder growth. “Oman needs a better business model to allow SMEs’ development, or else it will be very hard to grow.”

Both Colbourne and Al Mandhari suggested a similar approach to overcoming this problem. They urged Riyada, the public authority for SME development, to intervene and create a large number of SMEs, which can be provided

with an insurance cover under the same umbrella.

According to Philip K. Philip, chief executive officer of Muscat Insurance, there is no health insurance cover for companies with less than 10 employees.

They would be forced to go for expensive international coverage provided by just a handful of companies.

He added that insurance companies do sometimes compromise and give insurance cover when the number of employees is less than 10, provided that company has all its insurance business with the insurer.

BOOST TO ECONOMY

New tourist project opens in Jebel Akhdar

OUTLETS: The project includes operation of six kiosks in various locations in Jebel Akhdar.

JEBEL AKHDAR: Tourist Services Station project was opened at Jebel Akhdar in Governorate of Dakhiliyah on Tuesday under the patronage of Sheikh Khalifa bin Saleh Al Busaidi, Deputy Wali of Nizwa.

The project was built within the framework of cooperation under the supervision of the Ministry of Tourism and funded by

Oman Oil Company (OOC).

The project aims to support tourism initiatives and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that contribute to the development of tourist sites in the Sultanate and provision of services needed by tourists.

The project includes operation of six kiosks in various locations in Jebel Akhdar. Two of the kiosks

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have been allocated for the sale of fruits and agricultural products of Jebel Akhdar, two others to sell and serve Omani dishes, one for the sale of craft products and another to provide tourist services.

Locals to operate The employees to operate the kiosks were chosen from residents of Jebel Akhdar. - ONA

CRIME

ROP arrests expats, national involved in criminal activities MUSCAT: Police arrested 17 Asian expatriates in Al Ghubra on charges of gambling.

A source at Royal Oman Police (ROP) said that officials received an information about the workers who were caught red-handed with illegal cigarettes in their possession. Some of them were violating the labour and residential laws.

Additionally, a gang of five was arrested for allegedly trafficking drugs in Muscat governorate, the ROP reported.

They were found with 87 cap-

sules of morphine, three rolls of hashish and a roll of morphine, all weighing around 1.5 kilograms.

Robbery Furthermore, police arrested an Omani national for allegedly threatening an Asian expatriate and robbing him in Muttrah, according to ROP. The Omani had asked the worker to show him his resident card, and when the victim took out his wallet, the accused robbed him and stole money from the wallet. — ONA

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2016

OMAN

Fund collection campaign for Ghala village revamp

H E A LT H W O E S

Expatriates returning from Asia to undergo check-up Times News Service MUSCAT: Expatriates returning to Oman from Asian countries and feeling unwell should immediately consult a doctor, medics said on Wednesday.

The urgency to get medical help stems from news about several Asian countries reeling under the impact of dengue, malaria, typhoid fever, hepatitis A and food-borne illnesses.

“It is always better to go for a check-up if people are experiencing high fever, loose motion or vomiting tendencies,” said Dr Pradeep Maheshwari, specialist in Internal Medicine at the Atlas Hospital, Ruwi.

He added that this should be done as soon as possible to prevent the spread of diseases in Sultanate. “This is especially important for those, who have been to India, where a large number of dengue and malaria cases have been reported.”

Residents of the Sultanate can be vulnerable to infectious diseases when travelling as they are generally not present in the Sultanate.

“This is simply because we don’t have these diseases here,” another doctor at a private hospital said.

The elderly and the young have been especially cautioned as they are much more vulnerable to such attacks.

“The best thing to do this season is to practice good hygiene and wash your hands often as a good hand wash will kill the virus,” doctors said.

Interserve Employee Foundation project initiated by RMD KWIKFORM, OHI Douglas and The Oman Construction Company is gathering funds through a series of sporting events to collect money to beautify a natural spa located in the village

DEEBA HASAN

deeba@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: “Buy a t-shirt worth OMR5, and help revamp the natural spa in Ghala village.”

An Interserve Employee Foundation (IEF) project initiated by RMD KWIKFORM, OHI Douglas and The Oman Construction Company (TOCO) is gathering funds through a series of sporting events to collect money to beautify a natural spa located in the village.

According to an official at RMD KWIKFORM, the spa is currently used by the villagers, military camp trainees, as well as outsiders.

“Our CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) project called ‘Beautification of Ghala Village’ is a two-week programme that will allow our staff to participate on a staggered basis.”

“The objective is to promote employee volunteering (Give a Day of your time) and to positively impact the environment through awareness and/or activity in communities, where Interserve operates.”

“We want to promote the Ghala village hot spring as an attractive tourist destination, with wellmaintained facilities, which in return could boost the local economy of the village and to promote ‘waste management and/or recycling,’ which is linked to our sustainability plan.”

Collect funds A sports fest is being organised from August 18 to September 9 to collect funds for this project, which will be implemented in October.

This includes badminton, volleyball, chess, bowling and cricket. The aim of IEF is to improve the quality of life for people in the communities, where it operates enlisting the skills, capabilities, resources and enthusiasm of its employees.

FINAL EXAMS

Pakistan School Sohar pupils excel in board results Times News Service

ON A MISSION: A sports fest is being organised from August 18 to September 9 to collect funds for the project to revamp the natural spa in Ghala village, which will be implemented in October

SOHAR: Pakistan School Sohar’s students have made their school and teachers proud by securing excellent results in their final board examination.

Maira Saleem, a student of the Pre-medical group secured 88 per cent to bag the first position amongst all branches of the Pakistan School system in Oman, while Kamil Javed from the Preengineering group stood second after scoring 86.3 per cent.

Apart from the individual records, Pakistan School Sohar also bagged the overall best passing percentage at 92 per cent. Principal Lt. Col. Zahir Hashmi credited the students and their teachers and delivered a message for them.

“Dear students, we are proud of you. It takes special dedication and perseverance to get through such a demanding course of study. We congratulate you on your distinctive accomplishments and wish you the best as you embark on your next educational adventure. Your achievement is exemplary for all.

May your future efforts be equally successful and rewarding.”

INTERVIEW

Chef Sanjeev Kapoor to open more restaurants in Oman MOBIN MATHEW BLESSON

mobinmathew@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: The Yellow Chilli, a casual dining restaurant known for its unique menu and spearheaded by Indian Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, will open more outlets in Oman soon.

“Oman is a very good market for us and we are looking to open more outlets in Oman soon,” the celebrated chef told the Times of Oman in an exclusive interview.

Oman is the most beautiful country in the region, Kapoor said.

“Oman has more natural beauty than any other country in the region and I feel like I am in India.

Oman has always been in my mind as an India friendly country and we don’t have many places, about which we can say this,” he added.

According to him, the iconic signature dish of Oman is Shuwa

We are getting a good response from the people of Oman at our two outlets; one is at The Wave Muscat and the other at the Panorama Mall Sanjeev Kapoor, Indian Master Chef

and Kapoor said he would like to experiment with Shuwa with Indian spices. “We are planning to do some experiments with Omani dishes and it will be available at our outlets,” Kapoor asserted.

Something unique Speaking about how he entered the culinary field, Kapoor said, “I wanted to do something unique, which was not done by my relatives or neighbours; at that time,

many people were not interested in getting into it and I thought it will be a smart choice.”

He describes his 30 year-long career as a dream.

Travelling around the globe has

inspired him to experiment with new dishes.

“Travelling has inspired my cooking a lot, it helped me to see and experience new things, which are always a good inspiration.”

“If we want to learn, experiment and create more, we have to have more exposure,” he added.

Speaking about the reasons for his success, Kapoor said, “I am bold, I experiment a lot, I am ready to learn every day and I am ready to take risks.”

“My passion for making Indian cuisine the number one in the world is the main driving force. Because my goal is so clear, my path towards it is marked out, whatever hurdles may come my way are then taken care of,” he added.

His advice for aspiring young chefs is to have an open mind and be willing to experiment and learn more. His daughters are the biggest critics of his cooking in his family, according to Kapoor.

“Everybody in my family is good at cooking and my daughters are the biggest critics,” he concluded.

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Enjoy Oman’s true natural wonder from next month

GULF COLLEGE

Courses for hearing impaired to start soon Times News Service

NATURAL ASSETS: The first tourist cave to open in the Gulf Cooperation Council, the facilities at Al Hoota have undergone significant change and will be opened for visitors ahead of the Eid Al Adha holiday. –Supplied picture

A completely refurbished Al Hoota Cave will improve visitors’ flow throughout the year

MUSCAT: Al Hoota Cave, Oman’s most popular natural tourist destination, will reopen to the public on September 5, 2016.

The first tourist cave to open in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the facilities at Al Hoota have undergone significant improvements and will be opened for visitors ahead of the Eid Al Adha holiday.

The cave system is one of Oman’s true natural wonders,

with Al Hoota experiencing around 75,000 visitors a year before it closed for renovation.

The enhanced Al Hoota experience will enable people to get the most from their visits.

The ability to plan a visit online means people can book the elements of the visit they want, creating a bespoke experience.

Before even reaching the cave, visitors will get to experience Oman’s only electric train, which

runs from the visitor centre right into the cave.

A completely refurbished destination will improve visitors’ flow throughout the year, as well as enable visitors to discover more about the history of the caves at an interactive geological museum.

Families will be catered for, with a children’s play area and a gift shop on the site. A new res-

taurant adds to the well-rounded experience. Eng. Khalid Mirza, Director of Projects Development at Omran, said: “Al Hoota is the first tourist cave to open in the GCC, first opening to the public in November 2006. It was critical that maintaining such an important and precious natural attraction was done comprehensively, especially to address areas of the cave that had been affected by floods. Omran has worked closely with the Ministry of Tourism to enhance the natural assets of the cave to create a top class tourist experience.”

He added: “International, regional and Omani visitors will all enjoy a truly authentic and memorable experience, and we are really proud to reopen one of

Oman’s incredible natural assets to the public. We’re expecting a lot of visitors to come and discover the caves during the Eid Al Adha weekend, whether for the first time or for a return visit!”

Geological museum The cave system stretches more than 4.5km, with only 500m publicly accessible, however visitors can discover a lot of the systems’ history and features in the geological museum, which showcases of over 150 items of rock, wood, corals and other unique materials.

The exhibition also provides four interactive stations with a live show of each phenomenon to allow visitors to learn about the formation of this stunning natural phenomenon. -ONA

MUSCAT: Around 100 students with hearing disabilities will be studying in bachelors degree programmes in Business Management, Human Resources, Accounting and Finance and Information Technology at the Gulf College this October.

An admissions department employee at the Gulf College told the Times of Oman, “We have approximately 100 students, who will be studying in the bachelors programmes in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance and IT from October 16 this year.”

Recently, the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) had met with officials from the “Omani Society for the Hearing Impaired” and some students with the disability to discuss plans on how to improve and follow up with the academic development of the students.

It is worth noting that the Gulf College is the only college in the country, which offers courses for students with hearing impairments; many students have also graduated with these degrees previously.

THREE-MONTH

Shrimp season from September 1 MUSCAT: Shrimp-fishing season will begin from September 1 in the coastal areas of the Sultanate from and will continue until the end of November 2016.

The three-month Shrimp-fishing season has economic values for fishermen in the Governorates of Al Wusta, South A’Sharqiyah and Dhofar where shrimps are found in abundance. The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries have completed advance preparations. -ONA

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OMAN

Sultanate media objective, reliable, neutral: Minister

RICH HERITAGE: Visitors to the pavilion expressed their admiration for the photos taken by Omani photographers who have captured some major photography awards.–ONA

The pavilion depicts a comprehensive picture of the Oman’s history and culture through ages

AMMAN: “Sultanate’s media is responsible and stays focused.

It is also reliable, objective, neutral and keeps pace with modern developments,” said Dr. Abdul Mon’em bin Mansour Al Hassani, Minister of Information.

Omani Night was organised at the third edition of Jordan Fes-

tival for Arab Media in the presence of Dr. Abdul Mon’em bin Mansour Al Hassani, who is leading the Sultanate’s delegation at the festival.

He hailed the Omani-Jordanian deep-rooted relations, which are based on respect and common understanding.

He then honoured several prominent Jordanian media personalities namely Dr. Amjad Al Qadi, Director General of Audiovisual Media Commission, Mohammed Al Tarawneh, Director General of Radio and Television Corporation, Faisal Al Shboul, Director General of Jordan News Agency (Petra), Saleh Artima, Eng. Mohammed Al Ajloni, Tareq Al Momani, President of the Jordan Press Association, Mohammed Al Adhailah and Sultan Al Hattab. At the conclusion of the

S U P E R FA S T

< FROM

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NRAA Dr. Abdul Aziz bin Hilal Al Kharousi, Director of Research and Studies at the National Records & Archives Authority (NRAA) gave a lecture on the efforts made by NRAA to archive and preserve documents.

At his working paper titled “Oman at the Arab and World Journalism,” he said that the real presence of the Omani Media was in 1911 when issue No. 1 of “Al Najah” newspaper was published.

The newspaper continued up to 1914. He added that distribution of “Al Falaq” newspaper, which was published in 1920 reached Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, India and Europe.

Inaugurated Omani pavilion was inaugurated

by Dr. Abdul Mon’em bin Mansour Al Hassani, Minister of Information at the third Jordan Festival for Arab Media.

The minister of information was accompanied by Dr. Jawad Al Anani, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply in Jordan.

History and culture The pavilion depicts a comprehensive picture of the Sultanate’s history and culture through ages.

The pavilion includes exhibitions for photography, national documents, silver works, traditional costumes, books published by the Ministry of Information and products made from date palm fronds.

The pavilion was launched on the occasion of selecting the Sultanate as a Guest of Honour of the festival.

The book exhibition includes a collection of publications by the Ministry of Information and other organisations on the Sultanate’s history, culture and the Renaissance, as well as development of media.

Visitors to the pavilion expressed their admiration of the photos taken by Omani photographers who have captured some Arab and international photography awards.

Guest of Honour The Sultanate is taking part as a Guest of Honour and its participation is considered as a qualitative achievement for Arab cooperation and coordination. -ONA

Oman to A1 become logistics hub < FROM

By making the Sultanate the logistics hub in the region, it would serve as a tie between the Far East, India and the Middle East due to its geographic location, and would attract investors which will contribute positively to the Gross Domestic Project.

Logistics sector Ambitious as it may seem, OGLG plans to raise the Sultanate’s GDP to OMR14 billion by 2040 from a little over OMR1.5 billion currently and employ far more Omanis in the logistics sector than the current 35,000 figure.

Nabil Al Bimani, Executive Director – Logistics Strategy, said that they want Oman to be in the top 10 of the World Bank Logistics Performance Index, where this year Oman ranked 48 up from 59 in 2015.

Best locations “Oman’s geography is considered one of the best locations for trade.

We have three of the best ports in the world and we have a history of trading. So, making Oman the logistics hub will be beneficial to us and our investors as we would be able to connect the Middle East with the Far East,” said Al Bimani.

Trade will be facilitated by building a standard procedure across all departments in clearance, approvals and cargo handling.

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festival on Thursday, winners of Al Quds Al Sharif, Radio and TV competitions will be unveiled.

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UN special envoy hails Sultanate’s efforts in solving Yemeni dispute implementation of the things on which there has been a consensus whether they are initiatives by the Security Council or the Gulf initiative or the issues related to national dialogue and its outputs.

All these issues are presented on the table for discussion.

He hoped that the meeting will witness renewal of support by the GCC states in the presence of two important partners and two permanent members at the UN Security Council namely the United States of America (USA) and United Kingdom (UK).

MUSCAT: Oman’s efforts and its positive role in settling the dispute in the Yemeni Republic was hailed by Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, Special Envoy of the United Nations (UN) for Yemen.

He expressed his thanks and appreciation to the Sultanate’s government under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said.

On his departure, he pointed out in a statement to Oman News Agency (ONA) that his recurrent visits to the Sultanate are due to the positive and neutral role played by the Sultanate as it had facilitated many meetings in Muscat.

Consultations He added that the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon had visited the Sultanate to thank for its efforts in promoting peace.

He further said that the more than 90 day-long consultations in Kuwait have covered all the issues that have become very clear for us today. “We cannot say that the Kuwait talks have failed. The role of the mediator is to understand the stances, differences and issues on which we can build. We have reached this level,” he added.

He pointed out that the GCC Foreign Ministers will meet on Thursday in Jeddah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the pres-

MEDIATOR: Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, Special Envoy of the United Nations (UN) for Yemen thanked the Sultanate’s government under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. -ONA

ence of John Kerry, US Secretary of State as the US has been invited to be briefed on the talks in Kuwait. The UN Special Envoy for Yemen affirmed that the GCC

states support reaching a comprehensive and complete solution for this crisis. He noted that the solution should be through a way that allows chain of events and

Meets Alawi Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs and a number of officials in the Sultanate met in Muscat yesterday with Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen, within the framework of efforts being exerted by the UN to peacefully settle the conflict in the Yemeni Republic. UN Special Envoy for Yemen stressed the efforts exerted by the Sultanate for the peace.

He pointed out that Muscat remains an important destination in achieving this purpose, thanks to its status and positive role with all parties.

Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed was seen off by some officials at the Foreign Ministry. -ONA

RAIN IN AL BURAIMI The wilayat of Mahdha and the Niyabat of Al Rawdha in the Governorate of Al Buraimi received, yesterday, moderate to heavy rains leading to overflow of the wadis in the area.—ONA

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REGION ECONOMIC PRESSURE

Hadi’s government risks catastrophe to cut off central bank DUBAI: In Yemen’s war of attrition, the Saudi-backed exiled government has now decided that the central bank is an easier target than the capital, shielded from its troops by 60 kilometres (40 miles) of daunting mountains teeming with fighters.

A decree this month to cut the bank from the outside world is aimed at using economic pressure to vanquish the Houthi fighters, who have ruled the capital and most of northern Yemen for nearly two years.

It means the Houthis may struggle to pay state employees, including teachers, doctors and the soldiers from an army that mostly fights on their side in the civil war.

But it also means that millions of people in territory controlled by both sides will become poorer, and a country that imports 90 per cent of its food may have no way to feed itself. Diplomats, economic experts and employees of the central bank itself say the move risks destroying the lifeline for millions of impoverished Yemenis and pushing the Arabian Peninsula’s poorest coun-

try to the edge of starvation. “There is a trend... that what could not have been achieved by military means can be achieved through the economy, through an economic war,” Rafat Al Akhali, a former cabinet minister, told Reuters.

The moves against the central bank were part of a new strategy: to “allow the economy to fail, and that’s going to put more pressure on the Houthis” and their ally, ousted former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, he said.

Yemen’s central bank, under veteran governor Mohamed Bin Humam, is one of the last state institutions to survive the rift that split the country when the Houthis took over the capital and forced President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to flee.

Saudi Arabia and its allies accuse the Houthis of being pawns and launched a military intervention to restore Hadi to power. The Houthis have held on, having made an alliance with Hadi’s predecessor Saleh, who enjoys the support of most of the military. Despite meagre means, the bank has con-

LIFELINE FOR MILLIONS: Soldiers guard the gate of the Central Bank of Yemen in Sanaa on Wednesday. – Reuters

tinued to provide lines of credit guaranteeing imports and to pay the salaries of state employees, including troops in units that have fought on both sides of the conflict.

However, with the Houthis in control of most population centres and state organs, and enjoying the support of most of the army, the bank’s activities disproportionately benefit them. Hadi’s own hastily recruited forces have struggled to push back the Houthi-allied forces

Turkish forces push IS out of key Syria town A column of at least nine Turkish tanks crossed into Syria with Arab and Turkmen rebels to drive IS out of Jarablus and surrounding villages

KARKAMIS/ANAKRA (TURKEY): Syrian rebels backed by Turkish special forces, tanks and warplanes entered one of IS militants group’s last strongholds on the Turkish-Syrian border on Wednesday, in Turkey’s first major US-backed incursion into its southern neighbour.

A column of at least nine Turkish tanks crossed into Syria with the group of largely Arab and Turkmen rebels to drive IS out of Jarablus and surrounding villages. A Reuters reporter at the border witnessed intense bombardments, with palls of black smoke rising around the town.

President Tayyip Erdogan said the operation was targeting both IS and the Kurdish PYD party, whose gains in northern Syria have alarmed Turkey. Ankara views the PYD as an extension of Kurdish militants fighting an insurgency on its own soil, putting it at odds with Washington, which sees the group as an ally in the fight against IS. “This morning at 4am (0100 GMT) an operation started in

OFFENSIVE: Smoke rises from the Syrian border town of Jarablus on Wednesday. – Reuters

northern Syria against terror groups which constantly threaten our country, like Daesh (IS) and the PYD,” Erdogan said in a speech in Ankara.

US Vice President Joe Biden, who arrived in Turkey, said Washington had made clear to Kurdish militia fighters that they should return east of the Euphrates river again - a red line for Turkey - after helping to capture the city of Manbij south of Jarablus from IS this month.

The offensive, dubbed “Euphrates Shield”, is Turkey’s first major military operation since a failed July 15 coup shook confidence in its ability to step up the fight against IS. Syria’s foreign ministry condemned what it said was a breach of its sovereignty and accused Ankara of launching the incursion to replace IS with “other terrorist groups”. Russia said it was deeply worried by the escalation of tension after Turkey’s move.

A rebel commander with the Failaq Al Sham group, who requested anonymity, told Reuters that most of the IS militants in Jarablus had pulled out, some of them surrendering. A second rebel commander estimated up to

50 per cent of the town was now under control of the Turkishbacked rebels.

Many of the rebels were from Jarablus itself and were jubilant over what they saw as a long overdue intervention. Amateur video footage from one rebel source seen by Reuters showed little sign of heavy fighting in the town centre, suggesting IS had pulled out with little resistance. Reuters could not independently authenticate the video.

“Euphrates Shield” was the first time Turkish warplanes have struck in Syria since November, when Turkey downed a Russian jet near the border, and the first significant incursion by Turkish special forces since a brief operation in February 2015.

But for Turkey, it also preempts any attempt by Syrian Kurdish militia fighters, who play a critical part of the US-backed campaign against IS, to take Jarablus.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Kurdish fighters must return east of the Euphrates or Turkey would “do what is necessary”. He said the operation was a turning point and would accelerate removing IS from Syria’s Aleppo region. — Reuters

as frontlines have barely budged in more than a year.

Sources in Hadi’s administration have said the president was looking to name a new board for the central bank and a new governor to replace Bin Humam, and to relocate the bank to the southern port city of Aden, which is under government control.

Farea Al Muslimi, an analyst with the Middle East Institute in Washington DC, said action

against the central bank would cut “the only artery” holding the country together. “It is ridiculous to think that you can clone the central bank so quickly in Aden,” Muslimi said.

The security situation in the city, which had seen repeated suicide bombings targeting senior officials, including the city governor and police chief, makes Aden unsuitable for the bank, he said.

A spokesman for Hadi’s government did not reply to a question on the issue. The government has said in the past its decisions over the bank are guided by the need to protect public funds that rightly belong to the Yemeni people.

Hadi’s government asked international financial institutions on August 6 to block the central bank from accessing state funds abroad, accusing it of guiding $4 billion in foreign exchange reserves toward the Houthi war effort.

The bank denies that. Diplomats say Yemen’s foreign exchange reserves are kept abroad and could not be readily pilfered or paid out to fighters in the country.

Nevertheless, the bank’s reserves have eroded as the war has ground on, eliminating revenue from oil sales and other sources.

According to an internal document seen by Reuters, the gross reserve balance had fallen as low as $1.318 billion by the end of June 2016 from $2.085 billion at the end of December 2015.

A central bank official in Sanaa argued in June that the bank remained independent in its effort to mitigate the economic fallout of the conflict and accused the exiled government of seeking to foment instability and even revolt in Houthi areas. “If there were no central bank in Yemen operating like this, the effects of the war could be much worse, and that’s what they (the exiled government) want,” the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters.

“They want people to be angry inside Yemen, they want people to go out on the streets and try to push them to change the Houthis.”

Hadi’s government has already started to shun the central bank. — Reuters

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2016

INDIA UNREST

1 killed in fresh clashes as Rajnath reviews security situation in J&K

WARM WELCOME: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh being received by the Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Nirmal Kumar Singh on his arrival at the airport in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. - PTI

SRINAGAR: Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir after arriving here on a two-day visit during which he would hold talks with various stakeholders in the Valley and invited all those who believe in ‘Kashmiriyat, Insaniyat and Jamhooriyat’.

Singh was briefed by top civil, army, police and paramilitary officials about the prevailing situation in the Kashmir Valley, which has been witnessing unrest for the last 47 days after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani on July 8.

The home minister was conveyed that there has been improvement in situation on the ground,

there is no scarcity of essential commodities and health services are functioning, official sources said. As many as 66 persons, including two police personnel, have been killed and several thousands injured ever since the turmoil began. Among them is a youth who was killed in fresh clashes in Pulwama on Wednesday.

Before leaving for Kashmir, the home minister said he will hold talks with all stakeholders and those who believe in Kashmiriyat, Insaniyat and Jamhooriyat’ are welcome. Singh said he would be staying at Srinagar’s Nehru guest house where he will interact with cross section of people on Kashmir issue.

“I shall interact will civil society

groups, political parties and other stakeholders,” he said on Twitter.

“Those who believe in Kashmiriyat, Insaniyat and Jamhooriyat are welcome,” he added.

He will also hold meetings with Governor N. N. Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.

Second visit This is the second visit of the home minister to the Kashmir Valley since the trouble began.

The home minister had said the Centre wants an emotional relationship with the state and not just need-based.

Singh had said the central government will talk to whosoever needed once peace and normalcy is restored in the state.

India probes damage from French submarine data leak The leak, which was first reported in The Australian newspaper, contains more than 22,000 pages outlining the secret capabilities of six submarines that French builder DCNS has designed for the Indian Navy

SYDNEY/NEW DELHI: India is investigating the extent to which secrets about French Scorpene submarines being built in the country have been compromised, its defence ministry said on Wednesday, after a leak of documents relating to its combat capabilities.

The leak, which was first reported in The Australian newspaper, contains more than 22,000 pages outlining the secret capabilities of six submarines that French builder DCNS has designed for the Indian Navy.

“I understand there has been a case of hacking,” Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar told reporters. “We will find out what has happened.”

The submarines are being built at a state-run shipyard in Mumbai and the first one was expected to go into service by the end of the year, the first step in the Indian navy’s effort to rebuild its dwindling fleet. The massive leak has also raised doubts about the security of DCNS’s submarine project in Australia where it won a A$50 billion ($38.06 billion) contract to build the next generation of the submarines. DCNS beat out Germany’s ThyssenKrupp AG and

DWINDLING FLEET: File photo of Indian Navy’s Scorpene submarine INS Kalvari being escorted by tugboats as it arrives at Mazagon Docks Ltd, a naval vessel ship building yard, in Mumbai, India, on October 29, 2015. The submarines are being built at a state-run shipyard in Mumbai and the first one was expected to go into service by the end of the year, the first step in the Indian navy’s effort to rebuild its dwindling fleet. - Reuters file photo

Congress demands security audit of submarine project NEW DELHI: Terming as “scandalous” the Scorpene submarine project leak, the Indian National Congress on Wednesday demanded a complete security audit of the Defence Ministry by a sitting Supreme Court judge even as it accused Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar of launching an “operation cover-up”.

The audit could be in the form of a commission of inquiry and should fix responsibility of the political executive, including that of the Defence Minister

a Japanese-government backed bid by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, in a blow to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s push to develop defence export capabilities

and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the party’s chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told reporters here.

Insisting that the inquiry should probe the defence minister and the Defence Ministry to see whether they had abdicated their responsibility, he said the leak has put a question mark on India’s maritime security.

Dubbing it as the “biggest defence disaster” of recent time, he said it has jeopardised the sole initiative to

as part of a more muscular security agenda.

The leaked documents cover the Scorpene-class model and do not contain any details of the vessel currently being designed for

build six Scorpene submarines in collaboration with French company DCNS at a cost of $3.5 billion (Rs 23,500 crore approximately) by government-owned Mazagaon Dock Ship Builders Ltd at Mumbai.

“Despite the ‘Himalayan blunder’ that has deeply hurt India’s defence preparedness, the Modi government/Defence Minister are indulging in ‘operation cover-up’ instead of fixing responsibility,” he alleged. - PTI

the Australian fleet. DCNS said it could not immediately authenticate the documents, but would not rule out that the leak was part of an “economic war” waged by the competitors it beat in the contest

for the Australian contract.

“For now we don’t know if the information is correct,” a DCNS spokeswoman said.

“The competition is more and more hard and all means can be used in this context. “There is India, Australia and other prospects, and other countries could raise legitimate questions over DCNS. It’s part of the tools in economic war,” she said.

Thales, which owns 35 per cent of the shipbuilder, could not immediately be reached for comment. The breadth of detail in the documents creates a major strategic problem for India, Malaysia and Chile, all of which operate the same submarine, an Australian political source with decades of experience in the global arms industry told Reuters.

Excerpts published in redacted form on the newspaper’s website contained highly sensitive details of the submarine including technical manuals and models of the boat’s antennae.

“If it’s 22,400 pages, it’s a major stuff-up,” the source said. “It’s a huge deal. “It allows them to understand everything about the submarines. What speeds it can do; how noisy it is; what speeds the mast can be raised at ... all of that is just devastating.”

The Indian Defence Ministry said it was investigating the impact of the leak on the submarine programme which it said had occurred from abroad. It gave no details.

“The available information is being examined at Integrated Headquarters, Ministry of Defence (Navy) and an analysis is being carried out by the concerned specialists,” it said in a statement.

“It appears that the source of leak is from overseas and not in India.” Uday Bhaskar, a former naval officer, said that if the leak was established, it would amount to a significant compromise of the credibility of the submarines.

India has a fleet of 13 ageing submarines, only half of which are operational at any time, opening up a major gap with China which is expanding its maritime presence in the Indian Ocean. - Reuters

“As far as Government of India is concerned, I want to make it clear that we don’t just want need-based ties, but to build an emotional relationship with Kashmir,” he had said, reaching out to the people in the Valley while making a fervent appeal to them to help restore peace and normalcy in the state.

‘Deep concern and pain’ On Monday, while meeting a joint opposition delegation led by former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed his “deep concern and pain” over the situation there and asked all political parties to work together to find a “permanent and lasting” solution to problems in Jammu and Kashmir. -PTI B I L AT E R A L T I E S

Abdel Fattah Al Sisi

Sisi to visit India from September 1 NEW DELHI/CAIRO: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi will undertake a landmark visit to India from September 1 during which he will hold talks with the top Indian leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on key issues like terrorism and deepening economic engagement.

Announcing the three-day visit on Wednesday, the Ministry of External Affairs said Sisi will be accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising of ministers, officials and business leaders.

Sisi will also discuss ways to give fresh momentum to the already strong partnership between the two countries.

During the visit, which comes at the invitation of President Pranab Mukherjee, Sisi will meet Prime Minister Modi, Vice President Hamid Ansari and a host of other leaders. President Sisi’s visit will be a landmark and it will give further momentum to the already strong partnership between the two countries, India’s Ambassador to Egypt Sanjay Bhattacharyya said in Cairo.

The bilateral relations between the two countries have three pillars which are political, economic and cultural exchanges and the discussions during the visit would cover those three areas, Bhattacharyya said.

Prior to the Egyptian president’s visit, a lot of preparatory work has been done, the envoy said.

Also, the joint business council will take place just before the presidential visit, he said. During the visit, the president is expected to meet business leaders from India and Egypt. - PTI

U T TA R P R A D E S H

BJP workers stall Assembly proceedings, bring city to halt LUCKNOW: Normal life was thrown out of gear here on Wednesday as the Bharatiya Janata Party workers protested against alleged deterioration in law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh, even as the issue was raised vociferously in the north Indian state Legislature leading to washout of Question Hour in both the Houses.

BJP workers were lathi-charged by police, who also used water cannons when the workers rushed menacingly to gherao Vidhan Bhawan where the proceedings of the Legislature were on.

Outside the Legislature complex, party workers virtually laid siege to the arterial thoroughfares creating massive traffic snarls and affecting movement of ambulances and school vans. Heavy police force and barricading was seen in and around Hazratganj, the busy commercial area in the state capital, and GPO complex close to the Assembly building.

However, determined BJP

workers, led by some party MPs and MLAs, broke the security cordon forcing police to use water cannons to disperse them.

The issue had an echo in both state Assembly and Council where the Question Hour was stalled amid uproar created by BJP members, who stormed the Well to raise law and order and other issues.

As soon as the Assembly met at 11am (local time), BJP members trooped into the Well raising slogans against the Samajwadi Party government.

They held placards and banners highlighting issues like “poor” law and order, power crisis and sugarcane dues of farmers.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Legislature Party leader Gaya Charan Dinkar also sought to corner the state government on the law and order front.

Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey tried to pacify the members and asked them to return to their seats but as his plea went unheeded, he

adjourned the House till 12.20pm local time.

When the House reassembled, similar scenes were witnessed and in the prevailing commotion, the Chair took up the supplementary budget and the related appropriation bill.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, in his speech, accused the Centre of not providing adequate funds to the state.

“BJP members should gherao Parliament as the Centre is not giving due share to UP,” he said.

After the Budget was passed by voice vote, the Speaker adjourned the House for the day.

The Council too witnessed turmoil as BJP members stormed into the Well and raised antigovernment slogans, leading to its adjournment initially for one hour, then till 3pm and finally for the day.

Amid the uproar, the supplementary budget, as passed by the Assembly was tabled and later returned without discussion. -PTI

PROTEST: Police baton charge BJP workers who were staging a protest in front of Vidhan Bhawan in Lucknow on Wednesday. -PTI

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PAKISTAN

Karachi’s next mayor to run city via ‘video link’ from behind bars Altaf hands over complete power to Rabita Committee

Waseem Akhtar will open an office in jail and via video link he

KARACHI: Hours after the Muttahida Qaumi Movement cut off all ties with party chief Altaf Hussain, he officially handed over complete power to the Rabita Committee.

“I am handing over complete power related to policy making, decision making as well as organisational authority to the Rabita Committee,” the MQM chief said while praying to God to grant Rabita Committee the ability to serve the country and its people, as best as possible.

“Leader Altaf Hussain endorses Rabita Committee’s presser; tasks RC to deal with organisational/political issues,” MQM convenor Nadeem Nusrat said on Twitter.

will conduct council sessions, Mahfooz Yar Khan, Akhtar’s lawyer, told reporters outside the council building as his client voted inside

KARACHI: The imprisoned politician who is almost certain to be the next mayor of Pakistan’s largest and richest city of Karachi will run the teeming metropolis via “video link” from his prison cell, his lawyer said on Wednesday.

Waseem Akhtar, who was arrested last month on suspicion of aiding alleged militants, arrived in an armoured police vehicle at the British-era Karachi Metropolitan Corporation building to cast his vote in the final round of elections that has his party in an unassailable lead.

Akhtar is a member of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), which swept local elections in December, but he could not take office because of legal challenges that prevented members of the city council from casting their vote. MQM controls the council.

“He will open an office in jail and via video link he will conduct council sessions,” Mahfooz Yar Khan, Akhtar’s lawyer, told reporters outside the council build-

MAYOR NOMINEE: Waseem Akhtar, mayor nominee of Muttahida Qaumi Movement MQM, gestures from an armoured personal carrier while being taken to jail after his arrest from Anti Terrorism Court (ATC), in Karachi, Pakistan, on July 19, 2016. - Reuters file photo

ing as his client voted inside.

“He can run Karachi via video link for five years.”

Power struggle The election of an imprisoned politician as mayor is symbolic of the ongoing power struggle for control of Karachi, a port city that is home to 20 million people, the stock exchange, central bank, as well as militants and gangsters.

Akhtar’s secular MQM has dominated politics and commerce in the city for decades, but a paramilitary crackdown on crime since 2013 has undermined its power base.

On Tuesday, police lodged a

case of treason against MQM’s firebrand London-based leader, Altaf Hussain, and sealed the party’s headquarters after Hussain had incited supporters to attack the office of a TV channel in clashes that left one dead.

How Akhtar will manage to run the city is far from clear, with the courts not expected to release him before he likely takes oath on August 30. MQM officials have said they will ask authorities to provide him with a well-furnished office. Police will escort him to any meetings he is allowed to attend on the outside.

Security forces have arrested scores of MQM members in the

last year and accuse them of torture, murder and racketeering in a bid to keep their grip on the city.

MQM denies any link to crime and accuses paramilitary forces of a series of extra-judicial killings of its members. Akhtar was arrested on July 19 on suspicion of sheltering and providing medical treatment to alleged militants and criminals. He also faces earlier charges of inciting riots. - Reuters

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Triggered uproar As Hussain’s anti-Pakistan speech triggered countrywide uproar and widespread condemnation, his senior aides ‘completely disowned’ his remarks and disavowed the London-based decisionmaking body of the party.

“What was said against the state, the slogans raised (against Pakistan) were never a part of MQM’s policy from day one,” Farooq Sattar told journalists at the Karachi Press Club (KPC) where he was not allowed to speak by the Rangers a day earlier.

He was flanked by other senior party colleagues including Nasreen Jalil, Khawaja Izharul Hassan and Amir Liaquat Hus-

sain. Sattar accused Hussain of repeatedly embarrassing the party.

“We have decided to address his mental tension, illness or whatever condition he is suffering from,” he said.

“I urge MQM’s party members, respective leaders, workers and supporters to support the Rabita Committee by making it stronger. Meanwhile, following the committee’s advice, I will focus on improving my health,” Hussain’s statement read.

Reiterating his apology for the uproar which his speech stoked, the MQM chief said, “Pakistan was, is and will always remain my country.” He further added he was undergoing severe mental stress as a result of a series of events and disturbing news.

“The MQM cannot afford to suffer this damage time and time again,” Sattar said on Tuesday.

Unlike the past when Altaf made similar remarks only to regret them later, Sattar said this time the public was questioning party policy. On Monday, following Hussain’s provocative address, scores of MQM activists ransacked an ARY News office before clashing with police, leaving at least one person dead and over half a dozen injured. Whatever happened yesterday should not have happened, we condemn it,” he said. - Express Tribune

TO REDUCE CARBON FOOTPRINTS

Pakistan’s first motorcycle taxi service launched in Islamabad ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s first motorcycle taxi service launched on Monday in Islamabad.

Cargar, a ride sharing motorcycle service, aims to provide an affordable solution to heavy traffic congestion.

Initially launched in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Cargar aims to reduce carbon footprints by providing a motorbike-taxi service.

“Cargar is an innovative start-up aiming to provide customers with

smart solutions to over-charging, traffic congestion and intensifying of carbon footprints.

Efficient transport With Cargar, you’ll experience secure, inexpensive and efficient transport which shall not only reinvigorate the road infrastructure of twin cities but also reduce civic issues,” a statement on their website said.

Much like Careem and Uber, Cargar aims to launch a similar

app-based platform for bookings.

For now, Cargar has a taxi point at the G-9 and F-8 Kachehry Metro Stations. Cargar charges Rs15 per kilometre and an extra Rs20 for service charges.

“Cargar aims to provide maximum safety for its customers with helmets made mandatory for all riders and passengers,” Cargar CEO Faran Ahmed told The Express Tribune.

After settling in Islamabad, Cargar aims to expand towards Lahore

and Karachi, he said. Pakistan’s ecommerce sector has been recently witnessing exceptional growth spurred by the advent of 3G and 4G services that have revamped the way global companies look at the country as a viable investment destination.

Pakistan has also seen a rise of ride sharing services with the introduction of Careem and Uber in the country followed by the launch of Rixi and Travly, rickshaw ride sharing platforms. - Express Tribune

I N C R E A S E A D D I T I O NA L G E N E R AT I O N C A PAC I T Y

ADB approves $810m loan to improve power infrastructure in the country ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a $810 million loan facility for Pakistan to help the country improve its dilapidated power transmission infrastructure not capable of lifting additional power generation load.

The $810 million multi-tranche financing facility will help Pakistan develop its power transmission system, improve reliability and quality of energy supply and meet the increasing demand for electricity, according to a handout issued by the local office of the Manila-based lending agency.

The loan will be distributed over a period of ten years with the first tranche of about $150 million coming this year.

The tranche-I will be utilised for extension of transmission system in Sahiwal, Lahore, Rewat, Faisalabad and Guddu.

The total cost of Power Transmission Enhancement Investment Programme-II is over $1 billion that includes self-financing of $200 million by Pakistan.

Out of the 12 proposed subprojects under the multi-tranche facility, as many as four grid stations will be set up in Balochistan, seven in Sindh and one in Punjab.

The loan will be used to lay down infrastructure to increase additional generation capacity currently planned or under construction, meet network safety and security requirements, and

GROWING DEMAND: General view of the K-Electric’s Power Plant located in Bin Qasim on the outskirts of Karachi, August 11, 2016.

The loan will be distributed over a period of ten years with the first tranche of about $150 million coming this year. - Reuters file photo

reduce system losses.

“A reliable and sustainable power sector is critical to the economic growth and wellbeing of Pakistan,” said ADB’s Central and West-Asia Department Energy Specialist Megan Wolf.

He said that fast implementation of this facility and related reforms to alleviate power shortages will improve prospects for the economy. The loan facility will help develop a more transparent and efficient power sector by promoting reforms in the National Transmission and Dispatch Company Limited (NTDCL), and the sector’s newly established commercial operator, the Central Power Purchasing Agency (Guarantee) Limited. ADB’s facility will be delivered in tranches, implemented from 2016 to 2026.

“The PML-N government has undertaken over 10,000 megawatts power projects in its efforts to end load shedding by 2018.

However, the country’s transmission system at present is not capable of lifting the additional load,” said the officials of NTDC. The loan will consist of staged physical investments in the high-voltage transmission system, including the rehabilitation, augmentation and expansion of transmission lines, substations and supporting infrastructure.

“Power shortages are a major obstacle in Pakistan’s economic development. With demand for electricity outpacing supply, inefficient and inadequate transmission and distribution systems are key bottlenecks in the development of the energy sector that is

stifling growth and threatens social strife,” said the ADB. ADB is Pakistan’s largest development partner in the energy sector with investments including five multi-tranche financing facilities, as well as providing support for policy reforms, energy planning, preparation of feasibility studies, capacity development, and promotion of regional power and gas trading initiatives.

Most of the 500 & 220 kV grid stations located in southern areas of the country; particularly in Sindh and Baluchistan Provinces are in operation since long.

Some of the equipment installed at these grid stations, particularly the circuit breakers, isolators, current transformers and power transformers have been out dated and irrepairable as they have completed their life and need replacement.

Moreover, improvement in protection system of these grid stations is also required to avoid frequent tripping. Keeping in view the above, the rehabilitation of various 500 kV and 220 kV grid stations in south area of NTDC system includes replacement of the out-dated equipment, installation of shunt reactors, additional protection equipment including protection relays, fault recorders, fault locators and event recorders for improvement in system reliability to overcome constraints. - Express Tribune

INNOVATIVE START-UP : For now, Cargar has a taxi point at the G-9, F-8 Kachehry Metro Station. - Express Tribune

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2016

WORLD North Korea fires ballistic missile from submarine Tokyo protests as missile flies around 500km and landed in Japan’s air defence identification zone

SEOUL: North Korea fired a submarine-launched missile on Wednesday that flew about 500km (311 miles) towards Japan, a show of improving technological capability for the isolated country that has conducted a series of launches in defiance of UN sanctions.

Having the ability to fire a missile from a submarine could help North Korea evade a new antimissile system planned for South Korea and pose a threat even if nuclear-armed North Korea’s land-based arsenal was destroyed, experts said.

The ballistic missile was fired at around 5:30am (2030 GMT) from near the coastal city of Sinpo, where a submarine base is located, officials at South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Defence Ministry told Reuters.

The projectile reached Japan’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ) for the first time, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a briefing, referring to an area of control designated by countries to help maintain air security.

The missile was fired at a high angle, South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported, an indication that its full range would be 1,000km (620 miles) at an ordinary trajectory. The distance indicated the North’s push to develop a submarine-launched missile system was paying off, officials and experts said.

North Korea’s “SLBM (submarine-launched ballistic missile) technology appears to have progressed,” a South Korean military official told Reuters.

Jeffrey Lewis of the Californiabased Middlebury Institute of International Studies said the test appeared to be a success.

“We don’t know the full range, but 500km is either full range or PUBLISHER’S KILLING

Bangladesh arrest militant DHAKA: Police in Bangladesh have arrested the main suspect in the killing of a publisher who was hacked to death by militants last October, the head of the police counter-terrorism unit in Dhaka said on Wednesday.

A reward of 200,000 taka ($2,564) had been offered for information leading to the capture of Moinul Hasan Shameem, who police say had led the attack on the publisher by members of a banned group, Ansar Al Islam.

The victim, Faysal Arefin Dipon, was regarded as secular in outlook and had published books written by his friend Avijit Roy, a US citizen of Bangladeshi origin. Roy was killed in February last year. He was also hacked to death by militants.

On the same day that the publisher was killed, militants also attacked another publishing house, seriously wounding three people.

Police said Shameem, 24, took orders from a former army major, Syed Mohammad Ziaul Haque, who has emerged as a leading figure in Ansar Al Islam. — Reuters

TECHNOLOGICAL CAPABILITY: A man watches a television news showing file footage of a North Korean missile launch at Incheon airport, west of Seoul, on Wednesday. North Korea test-fired a submarine–launched ballistic missile, days after threatening a nuclear strike in retaliation at the start of large-scale South Korea-US military exercises. – AFP

a full range on a lofted trajectory.

Either way, that missile works.”

The launch came two days after rival South Korea and the United States began annual military exercises in the South that North Korea condemns as a preparation for invasion, and has threatened retaliation.

Anger Beijing is Pyongyang’s main ally but has joined past UN Security Council resolutions against the North. It has been angered by what it views as provocative moves by the United States and South Korea, including their July decision to base the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defence) antimissile system in South Korea.

China opposes North Korea’s nuclear and missile programme as well as any words or deeds that

cause tension on the Korean peninsula, its foreign minister, Wang Yi, said on Wednesday at previously scheduled meeting with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts in Tokyo.

Grave threat South Korea’s Foreign Ministry condemned the launch and warned of more sanctions and isolation for its rival that “will only speed up its self-destruction”.

“This poses a grave threat to Japan’s security, and is an unforgivable act that damages regional peace and stability markedly,” Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters, adding that Japan had lodged a stern protest.

North Korea has become further isolated after a January nuclear test, its fourth, and the launch of a long-range rocket

in February which brought tightened UN sanctions. It has launched numerous missiles of various types this year, including one this month that landed in or near Japanese-controlled waters.

Joshua Pollack, editor of the US-based Nonproliferation Review, said claiming to have mastered SLBM technology is as much about prestige as a military breakthrough, a status enjoyed only by six countries including the United States, Russia and China.

“I think it’s meant foremost as a demonstration of sheer technical capability and a demand for status and respect,” Pollack said.

South Korea believes the North has a fleet of more than 70 ageing, limited-range submarines - a mix of Chinese, Russian and locally made boats. Acquiring a fleet of submarines large and qui-

et enough and with a longer range would be a next step for the North, experts said.

“They keep conducting nuclear tests and SLBMs together which means they are showing they can arm SLBMs with miniaturised nuclear warheads,” said Moon Keun-sik, a retired South Korean navy officer and an expert in submarine warfare.

North Korea said this year it had miniaturised a nuclear warhead to fit on a ballistic missile but outside experts have said there is yet to be firm evidence to back up the claim.

Tensions on the Korean peninsula were exacerbated by the recent defection of North Korea’s deputy ambassador in London to South Korea, an embarrassing setback to the regime of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. — Reuters

A L L E G E D B R U TA L I T Y

Zimbabwe police teargas opposition youth rally HARARE: Zimbabwean police used teargas, water cannon and batons on Wednesday to disperse opposition youths who were demonstrating in the capital against alleged brutality by security agents.

More than 200 youths from the main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), had taken to the streets two days before a planned march by all opposition parties to try to force President Robert Mugabe to implement electoral reforms ahead of the 2018 vote.

Police intercepted them and fired teargas at the protesters who were planning to hand a petition at the offices of the Ministry of Home Affairs, which is in charge of the police. Some protesters threw back the teargas canisters, as well as rocks, towards the police, who chased them with water cannon and fired more teargas outside the MDC headquarters, forcing pedestrians and people standing in nearby bank queues to flee. The youths had marched through the streets of the capital denouncing the police for beating up protesters and called on Mugabe to step down, accusing him of running a dictatorship. “We have been seeing a deliberate attempt by the police to intimidate, harass and silence the people of Zimbabwe,” MDC Youth Assembly secretary general Lovemore Chinoputsa told Reuters TV during the march.

Chinoputsa said police had refused to sanction the march, saying that it would degenerate into violence. Police spokeswoman Charity Charamba said she could not immediately comment. The police routinely deny charges of brutality and instead accuse the opposition of using “hooligans” during protests to attack officers.

The southern African nation has a history of violence against opponents of Mugabe, where police have in the last few months crushed demonstrations against high unemployment, acute cash shortages and corruption.

A trauma clinic in Harare last month recorded a list of cases of people who had been caught up in a police crack down during anti-government protests. The MDC’s leader Morgan Tsvangirai and former vice president Joice Mujuru are expected to lead Friday’s march. — Reuters

INSURGENCY

Blasts kill one, injure 30 in southern Thailand BANGKOK: One Thai person was killed and 30 wounded when two bombs exploded late on Tuesday near a hotel in the southern Thai coastal town of Pattani, police said, less than two weeks after a wave of unexplained bombings hit the south.

The first blast in a parking lot behind the Southern View Hotel caused no casualties, Police Lieutenant Colonel Winyu Tiamraj told Reuters on Wednesday. He said all the casualties were Thais.

“The second explosion came from a truck parked at the hotel entrance, opposite a karaoke bar and a massage parlour, resulting in one death and 30 injuries,” he said.

Colonel Yutthanam Petchmuang, a spokesman for the military’s Internal Security Operations Command, said the car used for the second bomb was a stolen hospital pick-up truck that had been mistaken for an ambulance.

The blasts came less than two weeks after a series of explosions targeting high-profile beach resorts hit seven Thai provinces in the south, killing four people and

WAVE OF BOMBINGS: Damage is seen after a blast outside a hotel in the southern province of Pattani, Thailand on Wednesday. – Reuters

wounding dozens. Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan quickly ruled out any link between those attacks and the latest bombings.

“I am sure that the incident in Pattani last night has nothing to do with the seven provinces at-

tacks,” Prawit told reporters at Bangkok’s Government House, without giving any further details.

Tourism is one of the only growth sectors in Thailand, and accounts for 10 per cent of an economy that has struggled under

the stewardship of a military government that seized power two years ago.

No group has claimed responsibility for the wave of bombings on August 11 and 12, but some security experts noted at the time that

southern insurgent groups have a track record of carrying out coordinated bombing attacks.

Since 2004, a low-intensity but brutal war between government troops and insurgents has killed more than 6,500 people in the southern provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat that border Malaysia. The three provinces soundly rejected a referendum earlier this month on the new military-backed constitution, which passed convincingly in most of the rest of the country. Peace talks between the government and a handful of insurgent groups began in 2013 under the civilian government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, but have stalled since the military overthrew her in 2014.

Prawit said the military government would not enter talks with separatist groups until there was peace in the region. “It has to be peaceful first and then we can discuss,” Prawit told reporters. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said after his weekly Cabinet meeting on Tuesday that there were “no quick fixes in the south”. — Reuters

S PAC E E X P L O R AT I O N

China releases first images of Mars rover, aims for 2020 mission

AMBITIOUS PROGRAMME: Concept portrayal of China’s Mars rover and lander released on Tuesday. – China Daily/via Reuters

BEIJING: China has showed off its first images of a rover it plans to sent to Mars in mid-2020, which is designed to explore the planet surface for three months, state media said, the latest aim of China’s ambitious space programme.

China in 2003 became the third country to put a man in space with its own rocket after the former Soviet Union and the United States.

It has touted its plans for moon exploration and in late 2013 completed the first lunar “soft land-

ing” since 1976 with the Chang’e-3 craft and its Jade Rabbit rover.

China’s latest manned space mission is due in October and is aiming for a manned moon landing by 2036.

State news agency Xinhua, in a report late on Tuesday, said the 200kg (441 lb) rover would have six wheels and be powered by four solar panels, two more than the rover China shot to the moon and 60kg (132 lb) heavier.

“The challenges we face are un-

precedented,” Zhang Rongqiao, chief architect of the Mars mission, said, according to Xinhua.

The probe would carry 13 payloads including a remote sensing camera and a ground penetrating radar, on what is expected to be a three-month exploration mission blasting off in July or August 2020, the report added.

“The lander will separate from the orbiter at the end of a journey of around seven months and touch down in a low latitude area in the

northern hemisphere of Mars where the rover will explore the surface,” it said.

The Beijing News added that the northern hemisphere was not as good a place to utilise solar power as the equator, but that the geographic conditions were better.

Advancing China’s space programme is a priority for Beijing, with President Xi Jinping calling for the country to establish itself as a space power.

China insists its programme is

for peaceful purposes, but the US Defence Department has highlighted China’s increasing space capabilities, saying it is pursuing activities aimed to prevent adversaries from using space-based assets in a crisis.

Apart from its civilian ambitions, Beijing has tested anti-satellite missiles, and the US Congress has banned NASA from engaging in cooperation with its Chinese counterpart due to security concerns. — Reuters

THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2016

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WORLD

Chorus grows for Clintons to shutter charitable foundation The Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, a nonprofit, funds aid programmes in developing countries, including helping to treat people with HIV/AIDS

WASHINGTON: The foundation started by Hillary Clinton and former president Bill Clinton should shut down despite its good work, two major newspapers said in editorials on Wednesday, calling for its closure to avoid perceptions of “pay-for-play” amid the US presidential campaign as critics step up their attacks over the issue.

Despite plans announced earlier this week to reorganize the foundation if Hillary Clinton wins the White House in November, USA Today said the global charity must close for the Democratic presidential candidate to avoid any appearance of unethical ties.

FUNDRAISER: Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton preapres to greet supporters after attending a fundraiser on Tuesday in Piedmont, California. Hillary Clinton is attending fundraisers in California. - AFP

“The only way to eliminate the odor surrounding the foundation is to wind it down and put it in mothballs, starting today, and transfer its important charitable work to another large American charity such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,” the paper’s editorial board wrote.

The Washington Post said in its

editorial that the planned steps unveiled on Monday to rename the foundation, end foreign and corporate donations and have Bill Clinton resign from the board should have happened sooner — before his wife served as secretary of state — and still fall short.

“The foundation undoubtedly does worthwhile work.

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Should Clinton win, all of that work and all of the foundation’s assets should be spun off to an organisation with no ties to the first family,” the Post’s editorial board wrote.

The call from two leading US news organisations came as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and other critics

have upped their attacks against Clinton over the foundation and called for a special investigation in hopes of creating a rallying cry for fellow Republicans ahead of the November 8 US election.

While Republicans see attacking Clinton over the organisation as a way of unifying conservatives divided over Trump, a political outsider, Democrats hope the controversy comes too late to make a difference in the election, in which most national public opinion polls show Clinton ahead.

The Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, a nonprofit, funds aid programmes in developing countries, including helping to treat people with HIV/AIDS. The foundation has said Hillary Clinton was not involved with the group while serving as the nation’s top diplomat. The Clinton campaign denies Clinton ever took any action because of donations to the foundation.

Clinton campaign spokesman Robby Mook told MSNBC on Wednesday that Clinton does not have a conflict of interest with charitable work, and pointed to her rival’s tangled business interests with Wall Street, China and Russia.

“Donald Trump and his bottom line and his networks are directly connected to all kinds of international entities ... and nobody’s asking him to disclose or divest,” Mook said of the New York businessman. - Reuters

FIRST OVERHAUL

National crisis plan unveiled in Germany BERLIN: Germany has told its citizens to stock up on water and food in the event of a terrorist attack or national catastrophe and may even consider re-introducing conscription in its first overhaul of civil defences in two decades.

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cabinet approved the 70-page plan at a time when Germans are particularly on edge after two attacks in July and several much largerscale attacks in France and Belgium this year.

The German word for stocking up on provisions in case of an emergency is “Hamsterkaeufe” and some media have mocked the plan for encouraging Germans to hoard like the small, furry pets.

Although the report was commissioned in 2012, security is shaping up into a major campaign issue before two regional votes next month and next year’s federal election. Proposed measures include boosting spending on police and a ban on the burqa (veil).

Strategy The strategy unveiled on Wednesday outlines precautionary steps for scenarios such as terrorism and chemical weapons and cyber attacks. The Interior Ministry says it is not linked to an immediate threat.

“The plan outlines the framework for adjustments needed in a changing security climate and the demands for civil defence and emergency provision,” said the report, last published in 1995. - Reuters

AIRLANDER 10

World’s longest airship crash-lands in England on test flight LONDON: The world’s longest aircraft, the Airlander 10 airship, has crash-landed after a test flight in Bedfordshire, central England, its British manufacturer Hybrid Air Vehicles said on Wednesday.

The airship, which is bigger than the size of six double-decker buses, sustained damage on landing from its second test flight, Hybrid Air Vehicles said, adding that all crew were safe and well following the incident.

Privately owned Hybrid Air Vehicles denied a report on the BBC that the airship had hit a telegraph pole. “No damage was sus-

tained mid-air,” the company said on Twitter. Hybrid Air Vehicles was not immediately reachable by telephone.

The 92-metre Airlander 10 made its first test flight earlier this month and the company had posted photographs of it up in the air before Wednesday’s incident.

Once the concept is proven, Hybrid Air Vehicles hopes the helium-filled giant will be able to stay airborne for up to two weeks, and that potential customers might want to use it to carry cargo or deliver aid, for surveillance, communications or leisure purposes.

It can carry 48 passengers.

The Airlander can take off and land vertically meaning it does not need a tarmac runway. It can also operate from open fields, deserts, ice or water.

Airships have a long history stretching back to the 19th century, although their popularity dipped in the face of competition from aeroplanes in the 20th century and high-profile accidents such as the Hindenburg disaster in 1937. Hybrid Air Vehicles told Reuters in March that it aimed to be building 12 airships a year by 2018. - Reuters

EXTRADITION DEMAND

US has ‘no excuse’ to keep Turkey coup suspect Gulen, says Erdogan ANKARA: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday he would tell US Vice President Joe Biden that Washington has “no excuse” for not handing over a Pennsylvania-based cleric that Ankara blames for last month’s failed coup.

Erdogan, who was due to meet Biden in Ankara later in the day, said Turkey would continue to provide US officials with documents to demand the extradition of Fethullah Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States since 1999.

Gulen, once an Erdogan ally, denies any involvement in the July 15 coup attempt and has condemned it. But Turkish officials say a network of Gulen supporters infiltrated Turkey’s military and public offices for years to create a “parallel state”. “We will tell him that FETO’s leader is in your country,” Erdogan said, using an acronym for the Gulenist Terror Organisation, the name Ankara has given Gulen’s network.

“If a country wants a criminal in your country to be extradited, you have no right to argue with that.” Erdogan said Ankara and Washington were strategic partners and keeping Gulen would not benefit the United States. Ankara will probably send the United States a coup-related extradition request for Gulen next week, the Turkish justice minister said on Wednesday.

Needs clear evidence Washington has said it needs clear evidence to extradite Gulen.

Its failure to do so, and the perception of a slow response to the coup from Western allies, has angered Erdogan and chilled relations with Washington and the Europe-

MAKING A POINT: Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, right, and US Vice President Joe Biden, left, hold a joint press conference following their meeting on Wednesday at the Cankaya Palace in Ankara. - AFP

an Union. The US State Department said this week that documents submitted so far by Ankara constituted a formal extradition request, although not on issues related to the coup. Biden, who arrived in Turkey on Wednesday, was guided by Turkish officials around the parliament, which was bombed during the coup attempt. He is also expected to meet the prime minister.

Rogue troops commandeered tanks, jets and helicopters to attack state institutions in Istanbul and Ankara in the failed coup bid that killed 241 people and prompted a purge of thousands of suspected Gulen followers in the armed forces and civil service.

Since the coup attempt, Western allies have been concerned that Erdogan is using the crackdown to curb broader dissent.

More than 80,000 people have been dismissed from public sector jobs. Nearly 40,000 peo-

ple have been detained. Turkish authorities fired more than 2,800 judges and prosecutors on Wednesday, in the latest purge related to the coup, broadcaster CNN Turk reported.

Turkey is both a NATO member and part of the US coalition in the fight against IS in Syria and Iraq. But US-Ankara relations have been complicated by that conflict.

Biden said on Wednesday the United States was cooperating with Turkey in evaluating evidence against the cleric Ankara wants extradited following an attempted coup, but that legal standards must be met.

Speaking during a visit to Ankara, Biden said the United States would continue to cooperate as Turkey brings forward additional information about cleric Fethullah Gulen, blamed by Ankara for orchestrating the July 15 coup attempt. - Reuters

SUFFERED COCKPIT DAMAGE: This file photo taken on August 17, 2016 shows the Hybrid Air Vehicles HAV 304 Airlander 10 hybrid airship in the air over a road on its maiden flight from Cardington Airfield near Bedford, north of London. The world’s largest aircraft suffered cockpit damage on Wednesday after nosediving while landing on its second test-flight. - AFP

A 12

THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2016 Aerial photographs showed whole areas of Amatrice, voted last year as one of Italy’s most beautiful historic towns, flattened by the 6.2 magnitude quake.

WORLD

Quake hits central Italy, 73 killed The 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck in the early hours of the morning when most residents were asleep, razing homes and buckling roads

ACCUMOLI (ITALY): A powerful earthquake devastated a string of mountain towns in central Italy on Wednesday, trapping residents under rubble, killing at least 73 people and leaving thousands homeless.

The quake struck in the early hours of the morning when most residents were asleep, razing homes and buckling roads in a cluster of communities some 140km (85 miles) east of Rome. It was powerful enough to be felt in Bologna to the north and Naples to the south, each more than 220km from the epicentre.

A family of four, including two boys aged 8 months and 9 years, were buried when their house in Accumoli imploded.

As rescue workers carried away the body of the infant, carefully covered by a small blanket, the children’s grandmother blamed: “He took them all at once,” she wailed.

The army was mobilised to help with special heavy equipment and the treasury released 235 million euros ($265 million) of emergency funds. At the Vatican, Pope Francis cancelled part of his general audience to pray for the victims.

Rescue workers used helicopters to pluck trapped survivors to safety in the more isolated villages, which had been cut off by landslides and rubble.

Aerial photographs showed whole areas of Amatrice, voted last year as one of Italy’s most beautiful historic towns, flattened by the 6.2 magnitude quake. Many of those killed or missing were visitors. “It’s all young people here, it’s holiday season, the town festival was to have been held the day after tomorrow so lots of people came for that,” said Amatrice resident Giancarlo, sitting in the road wearing just his underwear.

“It’s terrible, I’m 65-years-old and I have never experienced anything like this, small tremors, yes, but nothing this big. This is a catastrophe,” he said.

The national Civil Protection Department gave the official death toll of 73 after the pre-dawn quake struck. Scores more will still believed unaccounted for, with the presence of the summer holidaymakers making it difficult to tally.

Patients at the badly damaged hospital in Amatrice were moved into the streets.

“Three quarters of the town is not there anymore,” Amatrice mayor Sergio Pirozzi told state broadcaster RAI. “The aim now is to save as many lives as possible.

There are voices under the rubble,

DEVASTATED: A handout image grab released by the Italian firefighters Vigili del Fuoco shows an

aerial view of the Italian town of Amatrice after a strong earthquake on Wednesday.

we have to save the people there.”

Stefano Petrucci, mayor of nearby Accumoli, said some 2,500 people were left homeless in the local community, made up of 17 hamlets. Residents responding to wails muffled by tonnes of bricks and mortar sifted through the rubble with their bare hands before emergency services arrived with earthmoving equipment and sniffer dogs. Wide cracks had appeared like open wounds on the buildings that were still standing.

Survivors The national Civil Protection Department said some survivors would be put up elsewhere in central Italy, while others would be housed in tents that were being dispatched to the area.

Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said he would visit the disaster area later in the day: “No one will be left alone, no family, no community, no neighbourhood. We must get down to work.. to restore hope to this area which has been so badly hit,” he said in a brief televised address.

A spokeswoman for the civil protection department, Immacolata Postiglione, said the dead

were in Amatrice, Accumoli and other villages including Pescara del Tronto and Arquata del Tronto. Most of the damage was in the Lazio and Marche regions. Neighbouring Umbria was also affected.

The US Geological Survey, which measured the quake at 6.2 magnitude, said it struck near the Umbrian city of Norcia, while Italy’s earthquake institute INGV registered it at 6.0 and put the epicentre further south, closer to Accumoli and Amatrice.

INGV reported 150 aftershocks in the 12 hours following the initial quake, the strongest measuring 5.5. The damage was made more severe because the epicentre was at a relatively shallow 4 km below the surface of the earth.

Residents of Rome were woken by the tremors, which rattled furniture, swayed lights and set off car alarms in most of central Italy.

“It was so strong. It seemed the bed was walking across the room by itself with us on it,” Lina Mercantini of Ceselli, Umbria, about 75 km away from the hardest hit area, told Reuters.

Italy sits on two fault lines, making it one of the most seismically active countries in Europe. — Reuters

– AFP/Vigili Del Fuoco

RELIEF WORK: (Top to bottom) Rescuers work in Pescara del Tronto, and central Italy. Rescuers walk next to collapsed buildings in Amatrice, central Italy. An injured person is rescued by a helicopter at Pescara del Tronto, central Italy, on Wednesday. – Reuters

RESCUED: An injured woman is carried away following an earthquake in Amatrice, central Italy, on Wednesday. – Reuters

T R E M O R S I N PA R T S O F A S I A

Three dead as 6.8 magnitude earthquake strikes Myanmar YANGON: A powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake shook central Myanmar on Wednesday, killing at least three people including two children, local officials said, and damaging some of the famous pagodas in the Southeast Asian nation’s ancient capital of Bagan.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake hit near the town of Chauk, southwest of Mandalay.

Tremors were felt as far away as Thailand, where witnesses reported high rise buildings swaying in Bangkok, and the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka.

The earthquake also struck several parts of east and northeast India including Bihar, Odisha, Assam, West A fire department official from regional capital Magwe said two young girls were killed when a riverbank gave way in Yenanchaung township, south of Chauk.

One person was killed and another injured when a tobacco processing factory collapsed in the town of Pakkoku, to the north,

DAMAGED: A damaged temple in Bagan, Myanmar. – AP/PTI

the duty officer at the local fire department said. “My house shook during the quake. Many people were scared and they ran out of the buildings,” said Maung Maung Kyaw, a local official of the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party.

“Some of the old buildings have cracks. The biggest damage is to the bank building in the town. The damage to other buildings isn’t that significant.”

The quake struck at a relatively deep 84 km (52 miles), the USGS said. Yangon-based travel agent Amy Saw, who had been in touch with her firm’s Bagan office, said some of the pagodas there had been damaged, and the Ministry of Religious Affairs put the number sustaining some kind of damage at 65. “So far as we heard from our local staff, a three-storey building collapsed in Chauk and a pagoda was badly damaged in a Yenanchaung,” a fire department official in Magwe told Reuters.

The quake shook buildings in Myanmar’s biggest city of Yangon and in other towns and cities, witnesses said.

Office buildings in the Thai capital Bangkok, to the east of Myanmar, shook for a few seconds, residents there said.

The quake was also felt in Bangladesh, to the west of Myanmar, where some people ran out into the street as buildings shook, residents said.

Tremors were also felt in several parts of north India. — Agencies

THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2016

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e are floating at 33°14’88.8” North, 13° 22’51.8” East, in the Mediterranean sea, about 20 nautical miles east of Tripoli, Libya. Out of my porthole I can see another magnificent sunset; the sea reflecting the sun’s dying rays to create a deep, orange glow. Up on deck there is nothing but sea in every direction.

I am on board the Merchant Vessel Aquarius, run in partnership between Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and SOS Mediterranee to search for, and rescue people who would otherwise lose their lives at sea. We are conducting our operations in the stretch of water between Libya and Sicily.

As a logistician, my role is to make sure all those rescued have the supplies to keep them warm and fed, to ensure we have a functioning medical facility on board, and the means to safely transport people to the Sicilian shore, and to pull people out of the sea. Planning for supplies and keeping people warm and fed may sound straightforward.

However, taking care of 650 people on a vessel with a capacity for just 350 is no mean feat, especially over 72 hours. It’s worth bearing in mind that the Aquarius was not designed as a search and rescue ship, but as a research vessel – in this situation we work with what we have.

Before the Aquarius, I was working with MSF in South Sudan. My priorities there were things like making sure the generators for our operating rooms in the field kept running, water sanitation, and updating evacuation plans for staff and patients in case of sudden armed clashes. Working on a search and rescue ship in the Mediterranean is very different, but the underlying needs are the same. MSF only works in areas where there is a desperate need for emergency medical assistance. The only real difference here, is that people are drowning, instead of dying because of war, famine, Malaria or a lack of access to health care.

Aside from the geographical differences, this is one of the toughest and most intense things I’ve ever done. Each day we have people on watch, spotting boats on the horizon. We also work closely with the Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre. We share information on the coordinates of boats we find, and whoever is best placed will conduct a rescue. When it’s us, we head to the right coordinates and our search and

rescue team scramble for our small motorboats to intercept dinghies or wooden boats in distress.

They are always overcrowded.

Recently we had one of our longest days. We conducted three search and rescue operations before sundown. Everyone was exhausted. But as it began to get dark we received another distress call. We headed to the right coordinates, and managed to find a boat full of people in clear distress, but as the distance closed, we lost them in the dark. You can’t imagine how it feels to lose 125 people in the middle of the sea. We searched for nine hours, with the ship’s massive floodlights sweeping the water in every direction. Truly it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Our boat was already full of people who needed to be brought to shore, and the supplies wouldn’t last forever. But by chance, a small flicker appeared on our radar. It disappeared several times, but eventually we found them: A boat full of exhausted people without food or water, including 29 who were under 18 and five under fives – it was actually the first birthday of one of the little boys.

The reactions of people we rescue range from euphoria to total collapse. Often people are acutely confused and incoherent from the inhalation of petrol fumes – many are in need of medical attention. Most of the people we rescue have nothing at all. Some only have the shorts and t-shirts they wore to make the journey.

I am no expert on Libya, or the politics of the situation there. But what I see is the physical condition of the people fleeing, many of them bear the marks of captivity, of brutality. Among one of the groups we rescued were three boys aged eight, 10 and 12. It’s hard to forget them. They had crossed countries together and a sea crossing without parents or guardians. When I was their age, I struggled to get the train alone.

Two things have surprised me while I’ve been here. The first is the number of children making this crossing. From babies to unaccompanied minors. The second is that despite their hunger, exhaustion and condition, so many of the people we rescue say. — Exclusive to Times of Oman

CLIPPINGS FROM OUR ARCHIVES AUGUST 2001 Muscat Festival from Jan. 3 MUSCAT: The Muscat Festival will be held from January 3 to 31, 2002. Engineer Abdullah bin Abbas bin Ahmed, president of the Muscat Municipality, said that the date had been set after a long discussion. He was of the view that January is the ideal month to conduct the festival owing to the half-year holidays in the Sultanate as well as in AGCC countries. The Muscat Municipality president disclosed that the next year’s slogan is ‘Yes to Oman’.

Scan this QR for full article.

PICTOGRAPH

POPULATION OF MUSANDAM May

42,854 27,087

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

Omani

42,786 27,150

0.11%

15,767

TODAY IN HISTORY

June

Total

Expatriate

15,636

-0.10%

1758: The Prussian army defeats the invading Russians at the Battle of Zorndorf..

1875: “Captain” Matthew Webb becomes the first man to swim across the English Channel.

1941: The Allies complete the occupation of New Georgia.

1980: Zimbabwe joins the United Nations.

Source National Centre for Statistics & Information

A14

THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2016

LIFESTYLE CULTURE

It is only a matter of time before Maitham Al Musawi, a doctor by profession, stamped his authority in the Arab film world.

Story: Mohammed Shafeeqe Photos: Supplied

isuals have always been a passion for Maitham. First it was still images. He began to capture every moment in life through a camera. Later on he moved to shoot videos and started filming thematically and uploading it in YouTube. Those were simple things such as ‘how you are doing in college’ and all. A graduate of Oman Medical College and working for the Ministry of Health as an orthopaedic surgeon, Maitham Al Musawi has been pursuing his passion. He was into writing, directing and editing home made films in 2004 and his family and friends gave him the much needed support for his passion. “I got some momentum of applause after people told me they liked my work on You Tube. At that time Omani filmmaker Amir Al Rawas, who is working with Oman TV, called me after watching my videos online and told me that ‘we can together do some films’ and I started that way.” Maitham had his first break when his film Reminiscence, a horror film, won the 4th best film in the 2nd edition of Sheikh Majid Youth Media Awards in Dubai.

Maitham’s next big project was a short adventure/drama short called Raneen.

“The film is a short narrative which talks about a little boy who spends his whole life in a hospital. It is about a boy meeting a sick girl in hospital and she helps him recover. The story is about deserted kids in

hospitals. It was inspired by true events.

There are cases of kids being abandoned in hospitals. When I was studying medicine we got an abandoned child from the Emergency ward of the hospital and we at the Paediatric section raised him, taking shifts to look after him until two years of age. Later he was shifted to an orphanage. The film was helping address an issue which is a taboo in our society,” he said. The film was well received around the region and also shown in international festivals in Abu Dhabi, the US and Europe along with The International Film Festival for Peace Inspiration & Equality in Indonesia and in Hong Kong. The eightminute film has bagged three awards in the 7th Muscat International Film Festival in 2011 including, Best Scenario, Best Actor and Best Film to win the Golden Dagger Award in the Omani Short Narrative category. Raneen means ringing sound.

Popcorn came in 2012. It is an experimental film with a narrative craft of symbolism; it talks about the four stages of life.

It starts with the Omani tradition of Hol Hol, the first birthday of a kid. “We have a special celebration. We cover the baby boy with cloths. It’s a tradition and in the movie the boy gets transported into the future under the veil of the tradition. He sees himself go up growing from an infant, to, adulthood, and become old. The movie talks about the life cycle and I used symbolism and special colours to depict the nature of the Omani life. It didn’t get a lot of attention because it was difficult to un-

derstand owing to the symbolic narrative used.” Maitham bagged the Best Young Director Award for Popcorn at the third Malmo Arab Film Festival in Sweden.

Popcorn had won rave reviews when it was screened at the San Francisco Film Festival, Oregon film Festival and the Gulf Film Festival. Moreover, it became the first Omani film to be selected for the famous Soifa Menar Film Festival in 2014.

Another important work of Maitham is a documentary, Living with Thalassemia, on a doctor who has thalassemia, a blood disorder in which the patient needs blood transfusion three days in a week. The fiveminute film deals with how the doctor is coping with the disease and being as a doctor as well. The next big step was Reflection made in 2014, a short narrative which had won six awards, including the one in Muscat International Film festival. It talks about a homeless girl living in the streets of Muttrah and gathering metal cans to make a living for her sick mother.

Most of Maitham’s films are focused on the emotional aspects of children. “Children are representation of innocence and the society. Also they depict one of the purest forms of emotions,” he says.

Maitham says, “In the beginning it was a one man show. I write, direct, shoot, edit and publish. But later on I got some assistance in the form of photographers and editors. A Bahraini friend I met once in a film festival later helped me edit one of my films. But mostly I am doing it on my own.

And I upload it on YouTube and get the re-

sponse from my viewers.” But, Maitham is not a satisfied soul. “I always think that I can do much better. I am very restricted owing to my medical career and for me filmmaking is a hobby. I actually want to be a full-time filmmaker, but in Oman it is difficult to live with filmmaking as we don’t have a cinema culture. As of now my medical career supports my film career,” Maitham smiles.

As an artist Maitham is always experimenting with his craft. “But in the next five or ten years I will make a full length movie.”

This young Arab filmmaker, who has many laurels, never had been to a filmmaking course to learn it. He learned the art, the camera, the making process on his own watching YouTube videos and movies.

“Movies are like poetry. You don’t need to learn how to write poetry attending a course. Watching more movies is a great way of learning. Even the great director Quentin Tarantino didn’t learn filmmaking from an institute. Actually he was a dropout from such an institute. He is a role model for me in filmmaking,” Maitham added. —shafeeq@timesofoman.com

FILMOGRAPHY Raneen (2011) Popcorn (2012) Crossing (2013) Living with Thalassemia (2014) Reflections (2015)

THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2016

WEATHER

TEMPERATURE

HUMIDITY

40 - 26 58-25% 0

0

PRAYER TIMINGS

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

12.14pm 3.41pm 6.37pm 7.50pm 4.28am

CINEMA SCHEDULE

HISTORICAL FACTS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT MUSCAT interesting facts to get you more acquainted with the capital city of the Sultanate.

STORY FULLAH SUNSHINE

permission from the wali. The third door, Bab Mathaeeb was most of the time closed, and was only used for larger vehicles going from Muttrah to Muscat exclusively, and only if they had been granted permission beforehand.

As well, until 1929, Muscat was only accessible by boat or following the mountain footpaths.

About its access Most of the people know that the town walls around the city were built during the Portuguese times to protect the city, with three gates to give access to it.

But what many people do not know is that each door was used for different entrees. Bab Alsaghir (the small door) was to be used only for pedestrians and donkeys.

Bab Alkabeer (or the big gate) was for the use of small vehicles. This door was closed three hours after sunset, after this time it could only be opened with a special

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

@ PANORAMA MALL

SHATTI Mechanic: Resurrection – 2D (PG12+) Action | Crime |Thriller Cast: Jason Statham, Jessica Alba, Tommy Lee Jones 3:30, 7:15, 9:30, 11:30 PM A Flying Jatt – 2D (PG12) Hindi | Action | Cast: Tiger Shroff, Jacqueline Fernandez, Nathan Jones 9:00 PM Don’t Breathe – 2D (15+) Horror | Thriller Cast: Stephen Lang, Jane Levy, Dylan M. 11:45 PM Skiptrace – 2D (PG12) Action Cast: Jackie Chan, Johnny Knoxville 5:45, 9:45, 11:45 PM War Dogs – 2D (12+) Comedy Cast: Jonah Hill, Miles Teller, Steve Lantz 6:45 PM The Secret Life of Pets – 3D (PG) Cast: Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet 3:15 PM Space Dogs Adventure to the Moon – 3D (U) Animation | Family Cast: Alicia Silverstone, Ashlee Simpson, 5:30 PM Genius – 2D (PG12) Biography| Drama Cast: Colin Firth, Jude Law, Nicole Kidman 3:45, 7:45 PM Swiss Army Man – 2D (15+) Adventure Cast: Paul Dano, Daniel Radcliffe, Mary Elizabeth Winstead 5:00 PM

city, which was once a ‘place of anchorage’. Here are some

About its port Did you know that “Muscat” originally meant “place of anchorage”? In fact, the story of Muscat has always been linked to its role as harbour. The ancient Greek sailors called it “the hidden port” and it is one of the few natural ports of Oman.

LIFESTYLE

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

Little is known about the earlier days of this beautiful harbour

About its history Muscat has not always been the capital. Oman’s capital shifted along history: Qalhat, Bahla, Sohar, Nizwa, Rustaq… all had their minute of fame. Muscat was appointed capital in 1786. As well, before 1970, Muscat was a separate entity from Oman and the country was known as the Sultanate of Oman and Muscat. Oman was referred as the interior part of the country whereas Muscat was referred to the coastal strip around Muscat.—lifestyle@ timesofoman.com

A15

Mechanic: Resurrection - (2D) (Action | Crime |Thriller) (PG12) VIP LOUNGE Cast: Jason Statham, Jessica Alba 3:45, 9:30 & 11:30PM 3:45PM A Flying Jatt - (2D) (Hindi) VIP LOUNGE Cast: Tiger Shroff, Jacqueline Fernandez 6:30PM (PG12) A Flying Jatt - (2D) (Hindi | Action )(PG12) 10:45PM War Dogs - (2D) (Comedy|War) (12+) 3:00, 9:30 & 11:45PM Skiptrace - (2D) (Action | Comedy (PG12) 5:15, 9:45 & 11:30PM The BFG - (4D) (Action) (PG) MX4D 3:15 & 07:15PM Suicide Squad - (3D) (Action) (12+) Cast: Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot 7:15PM Ice Age: Collision Course - (3D) (Animation | Adventure | Comedy) (PG) 6:00PM Ice Age: Collision Course - (3D) (PG) MX4D 5:30PM

MUSCAT GRAND MALL Mechanic : Resurrection (2D) (PG12) Cast: Jason Statham, Tommy Lee Jones 12:45, 9:30, 11:30PM Mechanic : Resurrection (2D) Gold 3:00, 7:15, 11:15PM (PG12) Skiptrace (2D) (PG12) 2:45, 7.15, 11.45PM Skiptrace (2D) (PG12) Gold 5:00PM Genius (2D) (PG12) Cast: Colin Firth, Jude Law, Nicole Kidman 3.45PM Genius (2D) (PG12)Gold 9.15PM The Legend of Tarzan (3D) (PG12) Cast: Alexander Skarsgård, Rory J. Saper 5:00PM Space Dogs Adventures of the Moon Cast: Alicia Silverstone, Ashlee Simpson 12.15, 2.00, 7.30PM (3D) (U) The Secret Life of Pets (3D) (PG) Cast: Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet 5.45PM A Flying Jatt (Hindi) Cast: Tiger Shroff, Jacqueline Fernandez, Nathan Jones 9.00PM PANORAMA MALL Mechanic: Resurrection - (2D) (Action | Crime |Thriller) (PG12) VIP LOUNGE Cast: Jason Statham, Jessica Alba, Tommy Lee Jones 3:45, 9:30 & 11:30PM Mechanic: Resurrection - (2D) (Action) 3:00, 6:45, 8:45 & 11:45PM (PG12) Genius - (2D) (Biography| Drama) (PG12) Cast: Colin Firth, Jude Law, Nicole Kidman 4:45 & 9:30PM Swiss Army Man - (2D) (Adventure |Comedy| Drama) (15+) Cast: Paul Dano, Daniel Radcliffe 7:45PM Mr. Fuzzypants - (2D) (Comedy) (PG) Cast: Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Garner

AZAIBA The Secret Life of Pets (3D) (PG) 5:15 PM Mechanic: Resurrection (2D) (Action | Crime | Thriller) (PG12) Cast: Jason Statham, Jessica Alba 3:15, 6:30, 11:45 PM Skiptrace (2D) (Action | Comedy) (PG12) Cast: Jackie Chan, Johnny Knoxville 7:00, 9:00 PM A Flying Jatt (Hindi) (2D) (Action ) (PG12) Cast: Tiger Shroff, Jacqueline Fernandez 3:00; 5:45, 8:30, 11:15 PM Rustom (Hindi) (2D) (Action) (12+) Cast: Akshay Kumar, Ileana, Esha Gupta 3:45, 6:00, 10:30 PM Mohenjo Daro (Hindi) (2D) (PG12) Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Pooja Hegde 3:00, 8:50, 11:00 PM Kismath (Mal) (2D) (Romance ) (PG) Cast: Shane Nigaam, Sruthi Menon, Vinay Forrt 8:30 PM RUWI Screen 1 A Flying Jatt - (2D) (Hindi | Action) (PG12) Cast : Tiger Shroff, Jacqueline Fernandez, Nathan Jones 2.30, 5.30, 8.30, 11.30 PM Screen 2 Mohenjo Daro (Action/ Drama ) –PG12 Cast : Hrithik Roshan, Pooja Hegde 3.00, 8.45 PM Rustom (Action/Thriller) –12+ Cast : Akshay Kumar, Ileana, Esha Gupta 6.00, 11.45 PM Screen 3 Rustom (Action/Thriller) –12+ 3.15, 9.00 PM

Mohenjo Daro (Action/ Drama ) –PG12 6.00, 11.45 PM

@ RUWI

SUR Mechanic : Resurrection (Action(PG12 ) 3:45, 9:45, 11:40 PM A Flying Jatt (Hindi) ( Action | Sci-Fi) 3:15, 9:15 PM (TBC ) Don’t Breathe ( Horror | Thriller ) (15+) Cast : Stephen Lang, Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette 6:00, 11:55 PM Kismat ( Mal Romance) ( PG ) Cast : Shane Nigaam, Sruthi Menon 7:45 PM The Secret Life of Pets (3D) (Animation 5:40 PM Skiptrace ( Action | Comedy) ( PG12 ) 7:20 PM

A Flying Jatt - (2D) (Hindi | Action) (PG12) Cast : Tiger Shroff, Jacqueline Fernandez, Nathan Jones 2.30, 5.30, 8.30, 11.30 PM

SOHAR Mechanic: Resurrection – 2D (Action) 3:00, 6:45, 8:45, 11:30PM (PG12) Mr. Fuzzypants -2D (Comedy) (PG) Cast: Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Garner 5:00PM Genius-2D (Biography/Drama) (PG12) 3:15, 7:15PM Skiptrace – 2D (Action/Comedy) (PG12) 5:15, 9:30, 11:45PM War Dogs– 2D (Comedy/Drama) (12+) Cast: Jonah Hill, Miles Teller, Steve Lantz 3:00, 7:15PM Swiss Army Man- 2D (Adventure) (15+) Cast: Paul Dano, Daniel Radcliffe 5:15PM Don’t Breathe - 2D (Horror/Thriller) (15+) Cast: Stephen Lang, Jane Levy 11:45PM Rustom-2D (Hindi/ Action/Thriller) (12+) 9:00PM Mohenjo Daro - 2D (Hindi) (PG12) 3:45PM A Flying Jatt- 2D (Hindi/Action/) (PG12) 6:45, 10:45PM Kismath - 2D (Mal/Romance) (PG) 9:35PM BURAIMI Mohenjo Daro PG12 (Hindi) (Adventure) 8.20 PM A Flying Jatt TBC (Hindi) (Action | Sci-Fi ) 3.30 & 11.15 PM The Secret Life of Pets (3D) PG 5.45 PM Skiptrace PG12 (Action) Cast: Jackie Chan, Johnny Knoxville 3.45, 7.15 & 9.30 PM Mechanic: Resurrection 12+ (Action ) 3.45, 6.30, 9.45 & 11.45 PM Kismath PG (Malayalam) (Romance) 7.30 PM Don’t Breathe 15+ (Horror | Thriller) 5.30 & 11.30 PM SALALAH Mechanic: Resurrection (2D) (PG12) 12:45, 2:15, 5:00, 9:15, 11:45PM Space Dogs Adventure to the Moon (3D) (U) (Animation | Comedy) 1:00, 5:40PM Genius (2D) (PG12) (Biography| Drama) 6:30PM The Legend of Tarzan (3D) (PG12) 7:00PM A Flying Jatt (2D) (PG12) (Hindi) (Action) 2:45, 11:15PM War Dogs (2D) (12+) (Drama | War) 4:15PM Skiptrace (2D) (PG12) (Action | Comedy) 3:00, 9:30, 11:30PM Kismath (2D) (PG) (Mal) (Romantic| ) 7:15PM Mohenjo Daro (2D) (PG12) (Hindi) Adventure| Romance) Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Pooja Hegde 8:30PM

BAHJA CINEMA Film information 24540856 / Advance Booking 24540855 Website: www.albahjacinemaoman.com Mechanic: Resurrection (Action) Cast: Jason Statham, Jessica Alba 4.00, 8.00, 10.00 & 11.55 p.m.

CP No : 2055 (PG12) Mr. Fuzzypants (Comedy / Fantasy) Cast: Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Garner 2.00, 8.00 & 10.00 p.m.

CP No : 2056 (PG) Space Dogs 2 (Animation / Family) Cast: Alicia Silverstone, Ashlee Simpson 2.00 p.m. & 6.00 p.m.

CP No 2057 (U) War Dogs (Comedy / Drama) Cast: Jonah Hill, Miles Teller 6.00 p.m.

CP No : 2041 (12+) Life on the Line (Action) Cast: John Travolta, Kate Bosworth 11.55 p.m. CP No : 2043 (PG12) The Secret Life of Pets (Animation) 4.00 p.m. (PG)

STAR CINEMA Film information 24791641 / 24786776 Website: www.isurf.co.om Kismath (Mal ) ( PG ) ( Rom/Com ) Cast : Vinay Forrt, Shane Nigam 3-00, 6-30 Cinema Main ; 8-30 & 10-30pm Cinema -2 A Flying Jatt (PG12 ( Hindi ) (Action) Cast : Tiger sheriff, Jacqueline Fernandes 3-30, 6-30 pm Cinema -2, 10-00pm Cinema Main Dharma Durai (Tamil) (Act) (PG) Cast: Vijay Sethupathi & Tamannaah 3-45 , 6-45 & 9-45 PM Cinema -3 Idi ( Mal) ( Act/Drama) ( PG 12 ) Cast: Jayasurya,Ssihvada & Joju George 3-45 , 6-45 & 9-45 pm Cinema -4 Next Change: Janatha Garage (Telugu) Akira (Hindi) Programmes are subject to change

IN THE NEWS

WATCH

Photo Supplied

Mrunal’s Boutique has announced the exclusive showcase of Vidhi Singhania’s huge collection of embroidered and hand-woven saris just in time for Eid and the festive season in Oman.

Reinforcing her passion to bring the finest names in the international fashion scene to Muscat, Mrunal Khimji, designer and owner of Mrunal’s Boutique said, “Our motto has always been to collaborate with best fashion houses and designers from around the world, to bring home the latest trending fashion that matches the expectation of our patrons.

“Vidhi Singhania’s design epitomises the perfect blend of tradition and contemporary fashion. We are thrilled to dis-

play her exquisite handwoven collections right here in Muscat,” she added.

From Banaras silk sarees and emsembles to embroidered georgette saris, traditional and classic Kotas to a wide variety of batuas and blouses, designer Vidhi Singhania, is best known for her beautiful hand-spun creations.

She has endeavoured to revive and keep the traditional art of weaving alive and turn Kota into an Avant-garde style statement.

The location of the boutique can be found at mrunalsboutique.com Call: +968 2456 7599

Her designs are renowned for the intricate karigari that goes into transforming the weave into a piece of art complete with meticulous embroidery, hand painting, butis, motifs and zari.

Today her clientele includes customers both in India and overseas, establishing her as a nonpareil in handloom designer wear.

Mrunal’s Boutique, a pioneering force for fashion in Oman, has been promoting the unique culture and heritage from India and around the world, will now showcase Vidhi’s exclusive collection on September 2nd and 3rd at Mrunal’s Boutique, Qurum, from 10.30am to 7pm.

—lifestyle@timesofoman.com

DO WEEKEND UPDATE

Mrunal’s Boutique to Unveil Vidhi Singhania’s Designs for this Eid

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WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM THU RS DAY, AUGUST 25, 2016

OMAN CRUDE EDGES UP

MARKE

Oman Crude (October delivery) rose 41 cents to $46.07 per barrel, according to Dubai Mercantile Exchange. The average price of Oman Crude (September delivery) was $43.40, $3.20 lower than August delivery 2016. – ONA

SCAN THIS QR CODE TO INSTANTLY LAUNCH THE VIDEO

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

Muscat 5,853.29 + 3.87 + 0.07%

Dubai 3,480.46 - 53.37 - 1.57%

Abu Dhabi 4,513.16 - 22.24 - 0.49%

Kuwait 5,435.53 - 13.33 - 0.24%

Saudi Arabia

6,074.59 - 21.30 - 0.35%

Bahrain 1,152.69 - 0.47 - 0.04%

Qatar 11,186.14 + 69.72 + 0.63%

CRUDE OIL PRICE

CURRENCY RATES*

DRAFT RATES (OMR1)*

GOLD PRICES*

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

Forex rates vs OMR1* US Dollar ................................. 2.58 Euro ............................................ 2.27 Pound ...........................................1.95 Indian Rs ............................. 174.22 Pakistan Rs ........................ 267.74 Bangla Taka......................200.92

Indian Rs ...................................174.20 Pakistan Rs .............................272.00 Sri Lanka Rs .................................. N/A Bangla Taka........................... 203.50 Phil Peso ....................................120.70

Muscat 24ct per gm (OMR) ....... 17.50

Oman Crude............. (Spot) ........ $45.97 Dubai Crude ............. (Spot) .........$46.12 Murban Crude ........ (Spot) .........$47.32 Arabian Light ......... (Spot) ........$46.24 N.Sea Brent............... (Spot) ........$49.35 West Texas Int ....... (Spot) ..........$47.21

The reason for the growth in personal loans was attributed to the rise in the number of people taking loans due to fear that the interest may rise

MUSCAT: Oman’s conventional banks have posted a robust 10.44 per cent growth in aggregate personal loans, or consumer loan portfolios, which stood at OMR7,680.96 million by the end of June 2016.

The reason for the growth in personal loan was attributed to the tendency of more and more customers availing of loan due to fear that interest rate may rise.

‘Times of Oman’ on Wednesday reported that the loan default cases are growing in the Sultanate, mainly due to financial difficulties faced by borrowers amid an economic slowdown.

“More and more people are taking loan as customers think that

the interest rate may go up (in the coming months),” said Loai B. Bataineh, general manager and head of investment banking group at the Oman Arab Bank. The maximum interest rate ceiling of personal loans remains fixed at 6 per cent per annum. The majority of Omani banks are offering personal loans at the ceiling rate, or at less than 6 per cent.

“Besides, a lot of people take personal loan to fund their small businesses since it is faster to get consumer loan (compared to bank funds for business purpose),” he added.

The aggregate personal loan portfolio of Omani banks constitutes 39.7 per cent of total bank credit of OMR19,348.14 million, as of the end of June 2016, according to the quarterly report

MORE LOANS: The aggregate personal loan portfolio of Omani banks constitutes 39.7 per cent of total bank credit of OMR19,348.14 million, as of the end of June 2016. – Times file picture

released by the Central Bank of Oman (CBO) on Wednesday.

The CBO report said that on an incremental basis, the flow of credit to consumers resulted in an additional disbursement of OMR725.95 million in the last 12-month period ending in June 2016.

Double-digit growth Bataineh said that people are used to take consumer loan in the country as their income is not enough to meet their monthly expenses. People are not taking loan for buying cars, as it is evident from slowdown in car sales in the recent past.

Ironically enough, the growth

Dubai 24ct per gm (Dh) ............162.25 Dubai 22ct per gm (Dh) .............152.25 * Rates as of August 24

* Rates as of August 24 Source: Oman UAE Exchange

* Rates are as of August 24 Source: Bank Muscat

Personal loans of Oman banks register 10% growth

Times News Service

Muscat 22ct per gm (OMR) .......16.35

in demand for personal loans was in the double digits, although new employees taking up jobs declined in the aftermath of an economic slowdown caused by sluggish oil prices. By the end of December 2015, the aggregate personal loan portfolio of Oman’s conventional banks was OMR7,333.80 million, or 40 per cent of total credit.

In fact, personal loans are the key revenue drivers for the Sultanate’s financial institutions due to their high interest margins.

CBO stipulates an upper ceiling of 35 per cent of a bank’s total credit portfolio as personal loans, and another 15 per cent as mort-

gage financing. The apex bank also lowered the debt burden ratio a number of years ago, defined as the portion of salary that is applied for loan repayments of borrowers to 50 per cent and 60 per cent for personal and housing loans, respectively.

The banks, which have already reached their upper ceiling, cannot grow their retail portfolios, which is generally a high margin business. However, if corporate loans grow at a faster pace, banks will be able to increase their personal loan portfolios as well.

Joice Mathew, head of research at United Securities, earlier this month said that growth might decline in the coming months.

“The growth may slow down in the coming months. We are seeing some slowdown in loan growth on a quarter-on-quarter basis.” A slowdown in the growth rate was witnessed in the second quarter, which could accelerate further in the remaining quarters of the year.

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

Source: Malabar Gold & Diamonds

CRUDE OIL

Opec chief to visit Iran and Qatar before talks in Algeria LONDON: Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries’ (Opec) secretary-general will visit members Iran and Qatar next month, just weeks before the group holds informal talks in Algeria, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter.

Mohammed Barkindo, who became the organisation’s chief diplomat this month, met earlier this week with Venezuelan Energy Minister Eulogio Del Pino, said the person, who asked not to be identified as the discussions were private. Del Pino, who has pushed the group to take action that would revive crude prices, has been touring oil-producing countries.

The Opec will meet in Algiers during an industry conference scheduled for September 26 to 28.

Oil prices have gained 13 per cent in the past two weeks on speculation the group could revive an agreement to freeze production with non-members such as Russia, after a similar initiative collapsed in April this year.

Barkindo’s visits were earlier reported by the Wall Street Journal. Oil resumed its drop after industry data showed US stockpiles rose, keeping inventories at the highest seasonal level. - Bloomberg News

B2

THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2016

MARKET MSM index ends higher

OMAN STOCKS

MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ........................................5,855.32 .............. 5,846.98 ................... 5,853.29 ...................5,849.42....................3.87 ................... 0.07 Financial Index ..................................... 7,506.15 ...............7,495.44 ................... 7,503.25 ................... 7,496.69....................6.56 ...................0.09 Industrial Index .................................... 7,587.42 ................7,571.13 ....................7,579.65 ....................7,587.42...................-7.77 .................. -0.10 Services Index .......................................3,170.48 ...............3,166.45 ....................3,167.99 ....................3,167.68.................... 0.31 ................... 0.01 MSM SHARIAH INDEX.......................896.42 ..................895.32 .......................895.62 ...................... 895.39....................0.23 ...................0.03 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 6,379,944 ....................1,642,519 .....................514 ................17,241,807,607 .................. 9 ........................7 ....................24 .........................40

Al Madina Takaful, up by 0.65%, was the day’s top gainer while Oman National Engineering,

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24

which lost the most, declined by 4.44% ISIN ......................................SECURITY NAME ..................................................................VOLUME..... TURNOVER............TRADES ......OPEN PRICE......HIGH ............. LOW ........ CLOSE PR. ...PREV. CLOSE...DIFF (RO).........DIFF % .............LAST PR.....LAST BID .............LAST OFFER ........MARKET CAP.PAR VALUE

MUSCAT: Weak sentiments continue to affect trading volumes with the MSM 30 Index closing at 5,853.29 points, up by 0.07 per cent. The MSM Sharia Index increased by 0.03 per cent to close at 895.62 points.

Bank Sohar was the most active stock in terms of volume, while Oman Telecommunications Company (Omantel)-led turnover-wise. Al Madina Takaful, up by 0.65 per cent was the day’s top gainer while Oman National Engineering was the top loser, down by 4.44 per cent.

As many as 514 trades were executed on Wednesday, generating turnover of OMR1.64 million with 6.4 million shares changing hands. Out of 40 traded securities, nine advanced, seven declined and 24 remained unchanged. Omani investors were net buyers to the tune of OMR233,000 worth of shares, followed by foreign investors at OMR43,000. Arab and GCC investors, who switched to be net sellers, sold shares amounting to OMR276,000.

Financial Index closed at 7,503.25 points, up by 0.09 per cent. Al Madina Takaful, Bank Sohar, Al Batinah Development and Gulf Investment Services declined by 1.39 per cent, 1.21 per cent, 1.09 per cent and 0.83 per cent, respectively. Al Madina Investments, down by 1.59 per cent, was the only loser.

Industrial Index declined by 0.10 per cent to close at 7,579.65 points. Al Hassan Engineering and Al Jazeera Steel gained by 1.35 per cent and 0.41 per cent, respectively. Oman Fisheries, Gulf International Chemicals and Raysut Cement fell by 1.59 per cent, 1.49 per cent and 0.32 per cent, respectively.

Services Index was stable at 3,167.99 points, up by 0.01 per cent. Ooredoo Oman, Port Services and OIFC increased by

1.10 per cent, 0.89 per cent and 0.51 per cent, respectively. Oman National Engineering, Phoenix Power and Oman Telecommunications Company declined by 4.44 per cent, 0.68 per cent and 0.31 per cent, respectively.

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

OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL...............................................13,000 ..................949........................2 ........... 0.073 ........... 0.073 ...........0.073........... 0.073 .............0.072 ............0.001 ............. 1.389 ................0.073..............0.072...................0.073...................12,775,000 .........0.100 OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR................................................................ 873,410..........146,208..................... 48 ............0.166 ........... 0.170 ...........0.166 ............0.167 ............. 0.165............ 0.002............. 1.212 ................0.170 ..............0.168...................0.170..................267,951,390 ........0.100 OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO........................................................................ 80,000 ............ 58,880..................... 10 ............0.736 ........... 0.736 ...........0.736 ........... 0.736 .............0.728............ 0.008............. 1.099 ................0.736 ..............0.728...................0.736..................479,094,953 .......0.100 OM0000002366 ...........AL BATINAH DEV. INV. HOLDING ........................46,705 .............. 4,344........................7 ........... 0.093 ...........0.093 ...........0.093........... 0.093 .............0.092 ............0.001 ............. 1.087 ................0.093..............0.092...................0.093....................2,790,000 ..........0.100 OM0000001145 ............PORT SERVICES CORPORATION ........................ 38,000 ...............8,606........................5 ........... 0.226 ...........0.227 ...........0.226........... 0.226 .............0.224 ........... 0.002............. 0.893 ................0.227..............0.227...................0.228 ..................21,479,040 .........0.100 OM0000002820 ...........GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES ...........................89,000 .............10,769........................7 ............0.121 ........... 0.121............0.121 ............0.121 .............0.120 ............0.001 ............. 0.833 ................0.121 .............. 0.119................... 0.121 .................... 7,120,029 ..........0.100 OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE.............. 200,000........... 39,600........................1 ............0.198 ........... 0.198 ...........0.198 ........... 0.198 ............. 0.197.............0.001 ............. 0.508 ................0.198 ..............0.196...................0.198...................39,600,000.........0.100

Emerging stocks fall Emerging markets fell to the lowest levels in more than two weeks as political and security concerns resurfaced in South Africa and Turkey, sapping appetite for riskier assets before a muchanticipated address by United States Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen.

The MSCI Emerging Markets Index lost 0.9 percent, the most on a closing basis since August 3, to 897.97 in London. A gauge tracking financial stocks led losses in all 10 industry groups as markets from Turkey to Dubai slid at least 1.5 per cent.

The Borsa Istanbul 100 Index suffered its biggest slide since a selloff on July 21 that happened as Turkey entered a state of emergency in the wake of a failed coup attempt.

The retreat comes as airstrikes around the town of Jarablus, reported by the prime minister’s office, were backed by Turkish special forces soldiers on the ground, according to CNN-Turk.

While the FTSE/JSE Africa All Shares Index in Johannesburg advanced, a gauge of banking shares slumped 5.3 per cent, the most since December 11 on a closing basis. Gordhan received ‘correspondence’ from the Hawks police unit and is getting legal advice, Treasury spokesman Phumza Macanda said after the Daily Maverick reported on Wednesday the finance minister and four former tax officials had been asked to report to their office on Thursday.

The DFM General Index retreated.– United Securities/Bloomberg News

OM0000002176 ............AL JAZEERA STEEL PRODUCTS ........................ 165,430............40,262.....................20 ........... 0.240...........0.244 ...........0.240 .......... 0.243 .............0.242 ............0.001 ............. 0.413 ................0.243............. 0.242...................0.243 ..................30,350,204.........0.100 OM0000001483............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN .................................. 50,000 .............12,750........................2 ........... 0.255 ........... 0.255 ...........0.255........... 0.255 .............0.255 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.255..............0.231...................0.255..................376,069,225........0.100 OM0000001681 ............OMAN AND EMIRATES INV. HOLDING.............45,634 ...............6,526........................5 ............0.143 ........... 0.143 ...........0.143 ........... 0.143 ............. 0.143............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.143 ..............0.140...................0.142................... 17,428,125 .........0.100 OM0000001749 ............OMAN CEMENT .......................................................... 100,000 ...........48,200........................6 ........... 0.482 ...........0.482 ...........0.482........... 0.482 .............0.482 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.482..............0.472...................0.482 .................159,480,646........0.100 OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 192,997 ........... 36,863......................19 ............0.191 ........... 0.192 ...........0.191 ............0.191 ............. 0.191 ............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.191 ..............0.190................... 0.191 ...................33,425,469 .........0.100 OM0000002200 ...........AHLI BANK .................................................................... 100,000 ............18,998........................4 ............0.189 ........... 0.190 ...........0.189 ........... 0.190 .............0.190 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.190..............0.182...................0.190..................270,756,867........0.100 OM0000002226 ...........AL JAZEERA SERVICES .......................................... 430,417 ............81,882......................61 ............0.190 ........... 0.193 ...........0.190........... 0.190 .............0.190 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.191 ..............0.190................... 0.191 ................... 11,628,812 .........0.100 OM0000002275 ...........SHELL OMAN MARKETING ..................................... 5,030 ...............9,557........................5 ........... 1.900 ........... 1.900 ...........1.900........... 1.900 .............1.900 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................1.900..............1.900...................1.940..................180,500,000 .......0.100 OM0000002341............OMAN CHLORINE..............................................................605 .................. 286........................2 ........... 0.472 ........... 0.472 ...........0.472........... 0.500 .............0.500 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.472............. 0.000...................0.472...................34,051,830 .........0.100 OM0000002440 ...........AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING ........... 488,361 ........... 64,936..................... 36 ............0.135 ........... 0.135 ...........0.132 ............0.133 ............. 0.133............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.133 ..............0.132...................0.133...................11,970,000 .........0.100 OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 662,695 .........261,097..................... 87 ........... 0.394 ...........0.394 ...........0.392........... 0.394 .............0.394 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.394..............0.392...................0.394 ................ 983,522,602 .......0.100 OM0000003125 ............GLOBAL FINANCIAL INVESTMENT ....................4,500 .................. 743........................1 ............0.165 ........... 0.165 ...........0.165 ........... 0.170 ............. 0.170............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.165 ..............0.166...................0.170.................. 34,000,000 ........0.100 OM0000003224 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES .........................................5,000 ............... 1,325........................1 ........... 0.265 ...........0.265 ...........0.265........... 0.266 .............0.266 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.265............. 0.260...................0.264 ..................79,474,862 .........0.100 OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 235,020 ........... 24,669......................17 ............0.104 ........... 0.105 ...........0.104........... 0.105 .............0.105............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.105 ..............0.104...................0.105...................30,447,967 .........0.100 OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY .....................................................20,303 ...............9,298........................5 ........... 0.458 ........... 0.458 ...........0.456........... 0.458 .............0.458 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.458..............0.456...................0.458...................27,709,000 .........0.100 OM0000004925 ...........AL BATINAH POWER.................................................. 16,573 ...............3,298........................2 ............0.199 ........... 0.199 ...........0.199 ........... 0.199 ............. 0.199............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.199 ..............0.199...................0.205 .................134,302,599........0.100 OM0000004933 ...........AL SUWADI POWER .................................................... 21,381 ...............4,276........................3 ........... 0.200...........0.200 ...........0.200 .......... 0.200 .............0.200 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.200 ............ 0.200...................0.205 .................142,881,268........0.100 OM0000005005 ...........ALMAHA CERAMICS ................................................ 250,000 ......... 120,100......................21 ........... 0.482 ...........0.482 ...........0.480........... 0.480 .............0.480 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.480..............0.472...................0.480 ..................25,200,000 ........0.100 OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ........................ 199,215 ..........322,839..................... 23 ............1.625 ........... 1.625 ........... 1.615 ........... 1.620 ............. 1.625............-0.005 ........... -0.308 ............... 1.615 ...............1.615...................1.620................1,215,000,000 ......0.100 OM0000001418 ............RAYSUT CEMENT ....................................................... 90,404 .......... 138,688..................... 26 ............1.530 ........... 1.540 ...........1.530 ............1.535 .............1.540 ...........-0.005 ........... -0.325 ...............1.530 ..............1.480...................1.525 ................. 307,000,000 .......0.100 OM0000002028 ...........GULF INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS ..............10,000 ...............2,650........................1 ........... 0.265 ...........0.265 ...........0.265........... 0.265 .............0.269 ...........-0.004 ............-1.487................0.265............. 0.260...................0.269 ...................5,565,000 ..........0.100 OM0000001962............AL MADINA INVESTMENT .................................... 22,000 ...............1,364........................2 ........... 0.062 ...........0.062 ...........0.062........... 0.062 .............0.063 ...........-0.001 ............-1.587................0.062..............0.062...................0.063...................12,843,386 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 4,455,680...1,479,963...................429 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......29........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

OM0000002564 ...........AL HASSAN ENGINEERING................................... 42,266 ............... 3,168........................9 ........... 0.074 ........... 0.075 ...........0.074........... 0.075 .............0.074 ............0.001 ..............1.351.................0.075..............0.075...................0.076....................5,640,600 ..........0.100 OM0000001368 ............CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IND. ....................45,903 ............... 1,469........................7 ........... 0.032 ...........0.032 ...........0.032........... 0.032 .............0.032 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.032.............. 0.031...................0.032 ...................2,720,000 ..........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 ................................................................ 276,834 ............20,763........................8 ............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.............................................. 772,842 ............51,069......................15 ........... 0.067 ...........0.067 ...........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 ................................5,000 ..................600........................1 ............0.120 ........... 0.120 ...........0.120........... 0.128 .............0.128............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.120............. 0.000...................0.120...................12,800,000.........0.100 OM0000005963 ...........PHOENIX POWER ...................................................... 393,361.............57,986......................21 ............0.148 ........... 0.148 ...........0.146 ............0.147 .............0.148............-0.001 ........... -0.676 ...............0.148 .............. 0.147...................0.148..................215,002,415 ........0.100 OM0000001566 ............OMAN FISHERIES ..................................................... 355,214.............21,966......................17 ........... 0.062 ...........0.063 ...........0.061 ........... 0.062 .............0.063 ...........-0.001 ............-1.587................0.062..............0.061...................0.062 ................... 7,750,000 ..........0.100 OM0000001152 ............OMAN NATIONAL ENGINE. INVT. ......................31,000 ...............5,320........................4 ............0.175 ........... 0.175............0.170 ............0.172 .............0.180 ...........-0.008 ........... -4.444 ...............0.170 ..............0.162...................0.170...................17,200,000 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 1,922,520...... 162,381..................... 83 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........ 9........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

OM0000004867 ...........BANK MUSCAT C C B 4.5 .................................................866 .....................92........................1 ............0.106 ........... 0.106 ...........0.106........... 0.106 .............0.106 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.106..............0.106................... 0.115 ...................33,882,124 .........0.100 OM0000005971 ............B.MUSCAT COMPL. CONVR. B.B.3.5 ...........................878 .....................83........................1 ........... 0.095 ........... 0.095 ...........0.095........... 0.095 .............0.095 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.095..............0.096...................0.098...................30,795,353 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: .......................................................................................1,744 ...................175........................2 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........2........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

INDIAN MARKETS

D E L E G AT I O N

Qatari bank team visits Sharakah to explore collaboration with SMEs Times News Service MUSCAT: Sharakah has welcomed a delegation from Qatar Development Bank (QDB) as part of the visit programme in Oman to meet with small and medium enterprises (SMEs) development organisations.

The Qatari delegation was headed by AbdulAziz Nasser Al Khalifa, chief executive officer of Qatar Development Bank and accompanied by senior officials of the bank. The objective of the visit is to explore opportunities for collaboration in the area of SME development.

The delegation was received by Abdullah Al Jufaili, general manager of Sharakah and other senior officials. Mohamed Al Lawati, Sharakah’s marketing specialist delivered a presentation where he highlighted what Sharakah offers to SMEs, its achievements in the past 5 years and some examples of the SMEs supported.

The discussion then focused on areas of mutual interest.

Exchanging knowledge Commenting on this, Mohamed Al Lawati said, “We are delighted to welcome Qatar Development Bank delegation to Oman and Sharakah. We believe that such visits provide an opportunity to exchange knowledge, share best practices and open opportunities for collaboration.”

Likewise, Mohammed Al Mansouri, head Of SME’s networking and matchmaking at Qatar Development Bank said, “We are pleased to have met with our counterparts in Oman and delighted to learn more about Sharakah. Our objectives for this visit are to share experiences in SMEs development, discuss and exchange best practices, discuss how to facilitate SME access to the local market and explore best practices in supporting the local community.”

WARM WELCOME: The Qatari delegation was received by Abdullah Al Jufaili, general manager of Sharakah and other senior officials. – Supplied picture

Sensex edges up; rupee depreciates MUMBAI: In yet another volatile session, the BSE Sensex on Wednesday settled nearly 70 points higher, breaching the 28,000-level on mild buying in pharma, IT and public sector unit counters, but broader market sentiment remained edgy awaiting cues on United Stats interest rate hike this year.

However, covering-up of short positions ahead of Thursday’s expiry of August series in the derivatives segment gave equities a slight push. Globally, investors’ focus is on US Federal Reserve chair Janel Yellen’s speech at the bankers’ gathering in Jackson Hole later this week.

During the day, after shuttling between 28,108.39 and 27,959.87, the BSE Sensex settled 69.73 points, or 0.25 per cent, higher at 28,059.94.

The gauge had edged up by 4.67 points in Tuesday’s choppy session.

The NSE Nifty ended at 8,650.30, showing a gain of 17.70 points or 0.21 per cent, after hover-

ing between 8,661.05 and 8,620.90.

Shares of drug firm Aurobindo Pharma jumped 6.96 per cent to Rs 787.55 after the company on Tuesday reported a 23.81 per cent rise in consolidated net profit for the first quarter ended on June 30.

Rupee ends weak The rupee turned shaky against the US dollar and depreciated by five paise to end at 67.11 after a brief overnight recovery due to some demand for the American currency. A modest rebound in the greenback also weighed on trade.

Firming trend in local equities, however, capped the rupee fall to some extent. The domestic currency resumed substantially lower at 67.14 a dollar compared to Tuesday’s closing value of 67.06 at the forex market and weakened further on bouts of dollar demand from importers and banks.

The rupee largely traded in a range of 67.0850 and 67.16 in the absence of supportive cues. - PTI

THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2016

B3

MARKET STOCK MARKET

Oman gears up to promote its products in Iran market

Muscat bourse resumes trading of Galfar shares

The sixth edition

Times News Service

scheduled to be held

MUSCAT: Muscat bourse on Wednesday resumed trading of Galfar Engineering and Contracting Company’s shares, after the company posted a detailed disclosure statement on the Muscat Securities Market on its compensation from Oman Wastewater Services Company (Haya Water).

“We would like to correct the record that the total amount awarded is OMR3,588,180 (inclusive an award for arbitration costs) and not OMR3,636,311 as revealed in our aforementioned disclosure,” Galfar said in a disclosure statement on Wednesday.

“For clarification, the amount of OMR3,479,849 was awarded against our claims of OMR3,881,464 and this award is in line with the amount already taken in receivables. The remaining disputes are currently under arbitration in separate proceedings,” added the statement.

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

in Tehran, Iran from

of Omani Products Exhibition (OPEX) is

September 26 to 30

Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman’s government started its marketing efforts to promote Omani products in Iran, ahead of a trade exhibition next month in Tehran.

The sixth edition of Omani Products Exhibition (OPEX) is scheduled to be held in Tehran, Iran from September 26 to 30 as the organising committee of OPEX has begun its marketing campaign in the Iranian capital to promote the upcoming event.

This was informed at a coordination meeting with business owners on Wednesday in the Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM).

The meeting discussed the latest updates of the preparations for the exhibition, and the business owners and industrialists were briefed about the participation process, participation advantages, the Iranian market, and the

MARKETING DRIVE: Omani Products Exhibition will also provide an opportunity for networking with the Omani government authorities responsible for promotion and export development of Omani products. - Supplied picture

provided support.

As per the marketing plan, advertisements and appearance on the Iranian media will be extensive before the exhibition begins.

A press conference will be organised in Tehran next month to brief the Iranians on the exhibition and its objectives.

SHOPPING

Addressing the businessmen, Ayman Al Hasani, vice-chairman for Economic and Branches Affairs at Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) and chairman of the OPEX Organising Committee, emphasised on the significance of the Iranian market which constantly hosts interna-

tional exhibitions.

“By organising the next OPEX event in Tehran, we do not only aim at showcasing the Omani products but also to get familiarised with the manufacturing, investment and export opportunities in the Iranian market and the surrounding markets alike,” Al Hasani pointed out.

“The support that OPEX receives from the government is essential, and Dr Ali bin Masoud Al Sunaidi, minister of commerce and industry has always been close and involved during the preparations for these exhibitions, which has greatly contributed to solving many challenges facing the Omani business owners and investors in the various markets where OPEX was organised. This shall also be ensured in OPEX in Iran through cooperation between the various bodies in the two countries,” Al Hasani said Visa support “Besides, the committee is working towards providing facilities and services for the participating companies during the exhibition including logistics matters, hotels and translation services. Coordination is also underway to organise B2B meetings between the investors from the two countries during the event. There is also a continuous coordination with the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Sultanate to facilitate visa issuance for the participants,” he added.

NON-OIL REVENUE

RETAIL OUTLETS: As a key tenant, Landmark Group will occupy a total retail area close to 200,000 square feet within Reem Mall, spread throughout the iconic project. – Supplied picture

Landmark and Reem Mall sign deal to open 23 outlets in UAE Times News Service MUSCAT: Twenty-three new stores will be opened in the UAE capital in 2018 as Landmark Group, the region’s leading retail and hospitality conglomerate, on Wednesday announced a major agreement with Reem Mall, Abu Dhabi’s latest retail and leisure destination.

As part of the agreement, the two-million-square-foot mall, located on Reem Island, will host some of Landmark Group’s most popular concepts, including Centrepoint, Home Centre, Max, Iconic, Sports One and Shoexpress.

The groups’ popular franchise brands such as New Look, Reiss, Adidas Kids, Ecco, Koton, Yours London, Lipsy, Steve Madden, Carpisa, Nose, Pablosky, Aerosoles, Kurt Geiger, Stride Rite, Puket, Blocco 31, Kazar and Loriblu will add further to the mall’s retail offering.

As a key tenant, Landmark Group will occupy a total retail area close to 200,000 square

feet within Reem Mall, spread throughout the iconic project.

“Reem Mall is set to transform the retail landscape in Abu Dhabi, and this significant new agreement with Landmark Group brings some of the world’s most popular brands to one convenient location,” said Shane Eldstrom, chief operating officer for Reem Mall.

“Landmark Group shares our passion and commitment to the highest quality standards in retail and customer care, which makes them the perfect partner to help bring Abu Dhabi’s most anticipated mall to life. We look forward to continuing our successful collaboration into 2017 and beyond,” he added.

Vibrant shopping Manu Jeswani, director pf Landmark Group, said: “Abu Dhabi’s impressive mall development offers great potential for retail growth. Its vibrant shopping, arts and entertainment culture is a great attraction for both residents and tourists, and as the offering

grows, it increases opportunity for the retail industry. Landmark Group is strategically expanding its presence in Abu Dhabi and our partnership with Reem Mall will enable us to bring our offering even closer to our customers. We look forward to working with the mall team on the launch of this great new project”.

450 stores Located within one of Abu Dhabi’s most vibrant communities, Reem Mall will bring a new experience in retail, leisure and entertainment. It will house 450 stores including 85 food and beverage outlets as well as popular edutainment and entertainment anchors.

Reem Mall, developed by NREC and UPAC began construction in 2015 and is expected to open in 2018. In addition to leading international and regional retail and restaurant brands, the mall will also house a wide range of entertainment options including the world’s largest indoor snow-play park.

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BRIEFS

Saudi prince to discuss reforms in Japan, China DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s powerful Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will discuss the Kingdom’s drive to cut its reliance on oil exports in visits to China and Japan that begin next week, Saudi media and sources said on Wednesday.

In April, Prince Mohammed launched economic reforms designed to develop non-oil industries in Saudi Arabia and attract billions of dollars of foreign investment. Chinese and Japanese banks and companies are expected to play major roles.

The prince will visit China early next week for talks on economic ties as well as security issues, the Saudi Gazette reported.

He will then visit Japan from August 31 to September 3, meeting Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Japan’s chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters.

From Japan, Prince Mohammed will return to China to chair Saudi Arabia’s delegation to the September 4-5 summit of leaders of the world’s 20 biggest economies in the eastern city of Hangzhou, the Saudi Gazette said.

It should be noted that Iran enjoys dynamic local markets and a significant population touching around 77.45 million people according to 2013 census. The event aspires at enhancing trade ties between Oman and Iran following the lifting of international sanctions on the latter.

Organised by a committee formed by Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE), Public Authority for Investment Promotion and Export Development (Ithraa), and Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), the exhibition to be held in Tehran, will provide an apt avenue for Iranian importers, agents, distributors, re-exporters of products with an excellent opportunity to meet, network and sign up with the exporters directly. The event will also provide an opportunity for networking with the Omani government authorities responsible for promotion and export development of Omani products.

Building upon the success of the fifth OPEX held in Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Doha, Riyadh, the exhibition showcases Omani manufacturing companies highlighting and introducing a variety of high quality products and services from a range of industries.

Economic diversification A Saudi source familiar with the trip said Prince Mohammed would present to the G20 his economic reform plan, which envisages state spending of around 270 billion riyals ($72 billion) in the next five years on projects to diversify the economy.

Prince Mohammed’s father, The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, led the Saudi delegation to last year’s G20 summit in Turkey; heading this year’s delegation would be a fresh political boost for the 31-year-old prince, who rose to prominence when his father took the throne in January 2015.

Saudi officials will discuss energy cooperation agreements with China and Japan, including a plan to cooperate with China in storing crude oil, the Saudi cabinet said on Monday.

Saudi Arabia has traditionally accounted for most of Asia’s crude imports, but Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries’ (Opec) top producer has lost ground in a number of major markets. - Reuters

Oman Flour Mills recommends 45% cash dividend MUSCAT: Oman Flour Mills Company’s board has recommended a 45 per cent cash dividend to its shareholders. An annual general meeting of the company scheduled to be held on September 28 will finalise the dividend. The board also approved the audited financial statement of the group and parent company for the year ended June 2016, according to a disclosure statement posted on MSM website.

Qatari tourists top UK spending LONDON: International taxfree shopping in the UK rose 7 per cent in July from a year earlier as the pound’s postBrexit-vote slide reduced costs for foreign tourists, according to Global Blue. While the Chinese are normally big spenders, a crackdown on extravagance held them back. This time visitors from Qatar had the highest average spend per transaction while Japan, Indonesia and the US accounted for the biggest increases in purchases. - Times News service/Agencies

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2016

FEATURE

THE COUNTRY’S LARGEST POWER EXCHANGE, INDIAN ENERGY EXCHANGE, IS LOOKING TO ROLL OUT A DEDICATED PLATFORM FOR THE TRADE OF CLEAN ELECTRICITY IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS. THE PUSH FOR A BETTER WAY TO BUY AND SELL CLEAN ELECTRICITY COMES AS INDIA ANTICIPATES AN INFLUX OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SPURRED ON BY GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

s loss-laden power distribution companies delay millions of dollars in payments for clean-energy capacity, India is looking to create a dedicated green energy trading platform in a bid to give the renewable sector more selling options.

The country’s largest power exchange, Indian Energy Exchange, is looking to roll out a dedicated platform for the trade of clean electricity in the next six months, Rajesh K. Mediratta, a director at the exchange, said in an interview in New Delhi.

“Power purchase agreements with a long period of 25 years won’t be viable for all of the 100 gigawatts of solar capacity that the country envisages,” Mediratta said, adding that he will soon send the proposal to the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, India’s power regulator.

The push for a better way to buy and sell clean electricity comes as India anticipates an influx of renewable energy spurred on by government support. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi aims to install 100 gigawatts of solar, 60 gigawatts of wind and 15 gigawatts of other types of clean energy by 2022 at an estimated cost of $200 billion.

LOSSES Power distribution companies, facing accumulated losses that the government puts at Rs3.8 trillion, have been slow to embrace solar and wind over cheaper coal-fired plants.

Indeed, the distribution companies, also known as discoms, are finding it difficult to buy green electricity generated from a modest current base of 8 gigawatts of solar and 27 gigawatts of wind capacity.

Some of India’s clean-energy companies, including foreign firms, say they have not received payment for the electricity they generate for more than 10 months. A green power exchange would help by providing a fall-back mechanism for power sellers, they say.

“Once it is allowed to sell power to any third party in case of default or a delay in payments from discoms, the seller has an option to sell its electricity through an exchange, subject to enabling open access requirements, and hence recover its return in part or full,” Sanjay Aggarwal, managing director at the Indian arm of Finnish utility Fortum OYJ, said in an e-mail.

REDUCE RISK This may help reduce the risk of delays in payment by distribution companies to some extent, Aggarwal added. In January, Fortum won the right to develop 70 megawatts of solar capacity at a record-low bid of Rs4.34 a kilowatt-hour at a government auction.

Indian Energy Exchange’s Mediratta plans for both a dayahead market, where buyers and sellers decide on a transaction a day ahead of green electricity supply, and a spot or intra-day market. “Not only will developers be encouraged to build extra capacity, as lenders will be assured of off-take, no one will be stranded without options,” he added.

According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, the spot sale of power opens up a project to fluctuating revenue driven by daily demand and supply as opposed to a fixed revenue stream assured by power purchase agreements.

“This could make it difficult for developers to get projects financed andonly some portion of a project’s generation may, therefore, be seen sold on the exchange,” said Ashish Sethia, head of Asia-Pacific gas and power analysis at BNEF. At present, clean energy developers sign a 25-year power purchase agreement with the government, where the tariff for solar projects is discovered and fixed through auctions, while wind is a feed-in-tariff determined separately by each state.

The IEX’s spot power market saw the highest-ever monthly trade in the month of July, up 14 per cent over the same period last month, according to a news release. — Bloomberg News

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Geely’s Emgrand GT V6 comes with new features A front wheel drive car, the GT is powered by a 3.5L V6 engine with 6 speed automatic transmission and is available in 2 versions – Emgrand GT Elegance and Emgrand GT Luxury

MUSCAT: The Emgrand GT V6, Geely’s first flagship super saloon powered by Geely’s first 3.5L V6 engine, is the most innovative and advanced vehicle Geely has ever produced.

Equipped with exciting new features, luxuries and technological advances, the Emgrand GT 3.5L V6 represents the Chinese automaker’s vision and commitment

towards making refined cars that are affordable. In Oman, this #SuperSedan is exclusively available at Towell Auto Centre (TAC) – a leading automobile distributor in Oman, says a press release.

A front wheel drive car, the GT is powered by a 3.5L V6 engine with 6 speed automatic transmission and is available in 2 versions – Emgrand GT Elegance and Emgrand GT Luxury. The 3.5L engine produces an impressive 285 BHP and 326 Nm. A senior spokesperson of TAC commented: “The all-new Geely Emgrand GT with 3.5 L V6 engine

offers an excellent package of quality, comfort, design, safety, never before-seen performance along with a reasonable price. Much of the technology and safety of the Emgrand GT has been undersigned by Volvo cars, which is the wholly owned subsidiary of the Chinese automaker. The Emgrand GT meets Geely Total Safety Management System (GTSM) requirements and puts safety at the forefront with regards to both passive and active safety systems. This guarantees safety and peace of mind to the driver and the passengers at all times.”

ISLAMIC FINANCE

As for the feature list, the 2016 Geely Emgrand GT does boast quite a lot. There is electric power steering for better handling, 4 ways electric steering wheel, dual, side and curtain air bags, reverse camera, electronic parking brake & auto hold, ABS and EBD, alloy wheel 18” inch, panoramic moonroof, electric folding side mirrors, dual climate control a/c, touch screen radio, USB+AUX , bluetooth and navigation. In the Emgrand GT Luxury variant, certain extra features such as knee air bags, 12 parking sensors, head up display, blind spot detection, parallel semi-automatic parking, rear AC controls, VIP seat adjuster, rear windshield sunshade electric adjustment are available.

By bringing the Geely range to the Sultanate, TAC has reinforced its commitment to provide highquality products and services to its customers in Oman. Moreover, TAC is offering first three years 24hour AAA roadside assistance for added assurance and three years/100,000km warranty on purchase of Geely cars.

With a network of 11 showrooms, 13 service outlets and 10 parts outlets spread across Oman, TAC is one of the leading automobile distributors in the region.

M A JA N E L E C T R I C I T Y C O M PA N Y

MJEC conducts HSE workshop MUSCAT: The HSE department of Majan Electricity Company (MJEC) organised a HSE engagement workshop recently for Majan contractors.

The aim of the workshop was to engage the contractors on HSE management and creating an awareness in them that HSE initiative should reach the work sites in order to avoid incidents as a number of non-compliances were spotted during site visits, says a press release.

MJEC CEO presented HSE performance of Majan and contractors and was delighted that so far its performance was good and that 774 days were achieved by the end of July 2016 without Lost

INTERACTIVE SESSION

Kerala Wing to conduct safety seminar on Sept 2

MUSCAT: Bank Nizwa, in collaboration with Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), is offering a summer programme on the fundamentals and principles of Islamic finance.

The two-week programme which started on August 21, will include a series of lectures and workshops conducted in association with experts and industry veterans from the bank. A number of field visits will also be organised for the students to visit the Central Bank of Oman (CBO), Capital Market Authority (CMA), Collage of Banking and Financial Studies (CBFS) and the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs among others, says a press release.

Dr Ashraf Nabhan Al Nabhani, general manager Corporate Support at Bank Nizwa, said, “Through this collaboration with SQU, we are aiming to bring Islamic finance to a new generation of Omanis and provide them with a solid understanding and overview of the industry and what it offers whether on a personal or professional front. With 50 per cent of Oman’s population under the age of 25, it is essential to harness the power of youth in order to fully maximise the potential of the Sultanate’s growing Islamic finance industry.”

The programme will provide a complete overview of Islamic finance, its concepts, values and instruments. Topics will include

MUSCAT: Indian Social Club (ISC) Kerala Wing under its community welfare wing is organising a safety seminar on Friday, September 2 at the ISC Darsait.

The programme would be conducted in technical collaboration with Occupational Training Institute (OTI), Oman.

OTI is one of the majors in Oman providing health, safety and environment training sessions for individuals as per the curriculum approved by crowned industrial houses of Oman in the fields of hydrocarbon, exploration, construction and restoration, says a press release.

“OTI is excited to present the safety tutorial to general public,” said Steven Hickey, general manager OTI. “It would be an opportunity for a training institute like ours for cross learning from civic society than tailored class room sessions,” he added.

Aspects of safety; be it of any category such as home, traffic, fire or water etc., cannot be ignored in one’s social as well as private life.

The repercussions of negligence would end up in hefty penalties such as the loss of limps or life, asset damage, reputation and goodwill.

Kerala Wing is organising a number of promotional sessions for the programme on Friday, Au-

spite the industry being only three years old, it had gross assets touching OMR2.25 billion at the end of 2015 and is on course to capture 10 per cent market share of the banking industry by 2018, according to the CBO. With that in mind, Islamic finance has the potential to play a very important role in Oman’s future, making it important for students to have a clear understanding of the industry.”

Bank Nizwa has been dedicated to raising awareness on Islamic finance through seminars, courses and roadshows since its inception three years ago. The bank has launched many initiatives to share the principles and values of Sharia-compliant banking with the public including the ‘Islamic Finance News Oman Seminar & Dialogue 2016’ and the ‘Islamic Finance Knowledge Series’.

Time Injury (LTI) or fatality.

He emphasised the importance to follow HSE rules and procedures, in particular to lifesaving rules.

The HSE team presented MJEC HSE requirements and explained lifesaving rules that is being built around HSE critical activities. It was stressed during the meeting the importance to adhere to these rules.

DOM and PMO teams presented unsafe ‘observations’ being spotted at contractors’ work sites. Contractors were reminded and requested to fully comply with HSE and they were briefed on the AER HS Audit to take place on August 28.

LOSS TIME INCIDENT

Bank Nizwa partners with SQU to offer summer programme

detailed analysis of Islamic based accounting, the differences between conventional and Shariacompliant economics, investments under Islamic finance, Sukuk, as well as the role of Sharia Advisory Boards in Islamic banks to name but a few. In addition, the field visits will facilitate first-hand experience on the operations of an Islamic finance organisation, providing students with the opportunity to network and learn from Oman’s leading financial experts.

Dr Majida bint Taleb Al Hinai, head of the Independent Learning Center at SQU also commented on the programme, saying, “Islamic finance is one of the fastest growing sectors in the world economy, becoming systematically important and influential throughout the Middle East, Asia, Africa and even Europe. Right here in Oman, de-

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gust 26 as an event pilot. Contests on poster design and essay writing for students and open categories based on the topics of safety will be organised.

In 2015 April, Kerala Wing has conducted a similar session on road traffic safety at Indian Social Club presented by ORSA (Oman Road Safety Association).

It was a special initiative with extreme contemporary relevance at the wake of number of road traffic incidents involving school buses and fatalities of pupils.

“The session is arranged with live demo models with expert trainers of OTI. It is always a unique gesture by Kerala Wing to induct safety training to public which is reflection of its commitment towards community welfare,” said Rejilal Kokkadan, convener, Kerala Wing.

“The session on August 26 and key demo session of 2 hours on September 2 is open to public; people should make use of the opportunity at the maximum,” Rejilal added.

An interactive session rather than classroom lecture is expected to elevate awareness threshold on safety practices.

Kerala Wing plans to conduct a number of knowledge aiding sessions to expatriate and local population of Oman in the near future, organisers added.

Al Hassan achieves 11m LTI free man hours at SRIP MUSCAT: Al Hassan Engineering Co. (AHEC) has achieved 11 million Loss Time Incident (LTI) - free man hours at Sohar Refinery Improvement Project (SRIP), says a press release.

In August 2014, AHEC was awarded the project to carry out civil and underground piping work at the Sohar Refinery Improvement Project in Oman.

The company has been employed by the Daelim-Petrofac joint venture.

The refinery, which is based in Sohar around 230km north west of Muscat, was originally opened in 2006. The improvement work includes the addition of new refinery units.

Once complete, it will increase the capacity of the refinery by over 70 per cent.

Al Hassan Engineering Co. gives the highest priority to Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) so as to protect and keep safe its employees and the work place as well as to strive to achieve world class standards in HSE. Keeping this in mind, AHEC has executed a number of projects in oil & gas, petrochemicals, power and water sectors without any lost time incidents.

B6

THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2016

ROUND-UP

MoT, Bank Muscat initiative to host social media icon pays rich dividends

The initiative, aimed at unleashing the potential of social media in showcasing the country’s diverse tourist attractions, hosted Sheikh Majed Al Sabah, renowned social media celebrity, on a unique ‘Discover Oman’s Beauty’ programme

MUSCAT: A joint initiative by the Ministry of Tourism and Bank Muscat, the flagship financial services provider in the Sultanate, to promote Oman as a distinct tourist destination has paid rich dividends.

The initiative, aimed at unleashing the potential of social media in showcasing the country’s diverse tourist attractions, hosted Sheikh Majed Al Sabah, renowned social media celebrity, on a unique ‘Discover Oman’s Beauty’ programme as the country’s appeal swept across to grab the attention of social media enthusiasts across the world. During the week-long stay, Sheikh Majed explored Oman to discover the country’s well-kept secrets covering natural attractions, vibrant heritage and culture, says a press release.

Sheikh Majed discovered outof-the-ordinary people and places as he embarked on the trail of adventure and excitement across Oman, covering the National Mu-

seum, Majlis Al Jinn cave, Bedouin settlements in Al Sharqiyah sands, Dhofar mountains and the Royal Opera House. Sheikh Majed’s spectacular portrayal of Oman evoked tremendous response among social media followers.

An avid traveller, Sheikh Majed has over six million followers on social media channels, especially Snapchat, Twitter and Instagram.

During travels, Sheikh Majed engages in open communication with people through social media posts to highlight unique Arab traditions and values as well as remarkable social and economic developments across the world.

Bank Muscat hosted a reception in honour of Sheikh Majed at the head office, attended by dignitaries led by Maitha Al Mahrouqi, undersecretary at the Ministry of Tourism, senior management team of the bank, social media enthusiasts and bloggers.

The event showcased the country’s folklore music, traditional crafts and costumes, offering the opportunity for Sheikh Majed to interact with veteran craftsmen pursuing some of the country’s popular traditional crafts. Fashion designers engaged in designing traditional costumes for men and women also presented their latest offerings at the event. In his char-

acteristic vibrant style, Sheikh Majed exchanged courtesies with the audience to whip up an air of friendship and bonhomie.

Commenting on the visit of Sheikh Majed, Maitha Al Mahrouqi said: “Oman is proud to host Sheikh Majed Al Sabah whose lively impressions and unique coverage of the country have helped to capture the attention of millions of people across the world. Such initiatives open up new avenues to attract the world to the Sultanate to experience the distinct tourist attractions and vibrant heritage and culture. It was a great opportunity to partner with Bank Muscat and Sheikh Majid to showcase Oman, which undoubtedly will give the Sultanate’s tourism promotion added value on social media. We are confident that this initiative will continue to yield rich dividend in promoting Oman as a unique tourist destination in the region.”

AbdulRazak Ali Issa, chief executive, said: “Bank Muscat in association with the Ministry of Tourism is delighted to organise the visit of Sheikh Majed within the framework of promoting the Sultanate’s sustainable tourism industry. Bank Muscat is closely involved in the country’s tourism development projects, complementing the government endeav-

Despite time constraints and long distance between the regions, I enjoyed the excellent programme and scenic beauty of Oman. I am overwhelmed by the Omani hospitality which is not strange to this country and its people. What caught my attention in the Sultanate is its geographical composition and diversity of scenic attractions comprising majestic mountains, golden beaches and sand dunes as well as the green oasis of Salalah Sheikh Majed Al Sabah Renowned social media celebrity

ours to promote Oman as a unique destination and boost the national economy.”

AbdulRazak Ali Issa added: “With the entry of social media, the dynamics of communication has changed dramatically. Social media plays a significant role to connect people across the world, facilitating exchange of informa-

tion on important developments.

Bank Muscat pursues an active social media policy to engage with the largest banking family in Oman. We believe social media has a unifying role as evident from the portrayal of the country by Sheikh Majed. We thank him for accepting the invitation to visit Oman and showcasing the country in a

league of its own.”

Rated among the most influential personalities in social media, including Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter, Sheikh Majed engages with his followers in a funloving way. With his charming and witty personality, Sheikh Majed has changed the perception of using Snapchat. His “snaps” are fun and informative and his views as a world explorer help followers gain knowledge from different cultures around the world. Due to his active participation on Snapchat, he was selected as one of the 50 most effective personalities worldwide.

Sheikh Majed belongs to the Kuwaiti Royal Family and is a businessman. He owns one of the most successful fashion businesses called “Villa Moda”, and the wellknown TFK brand of perfumes, which led to his collaboration with Tom Ford to create the famous “Arabian Wood Oud”.

Sheikh Majed said: “Despite time constraints and long distance between the regions, I enjoyed the excellent programme and scenic beauty of Oman. I am overwhelmed by the Omani hospitality which is not strange to this country and its people. As for the organisation, I must say it was excellent. What caught my attention in the Sultanate is its geographical composition and diversity of scenic attractions comprising majestic mountains, golden beaches and sand dunes as well as the green oasis of Salalah.

The arrangements to visit the various attractions were superb and the experience richly rewarding, especially in some of the most luxurious properties in Oman from Al Bustan Palace Ritz Carlton Hotel in Muscat to Al Fanar in Salalah and Alila Jabal Akhdar.”

Sheikh Majed thanked the Ministry of Tourism and Bank Muscat for facilitating the unique opportunity to experience the wonderful Omani hospitality and discover the country’s unique attractions, rich heritage and culture.

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ROUND-UP

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

RABEEULLA PROVIDES FINANCIAL AID TO AL HOORA CHARITY Dr K. T. Rabeeulla, chairman of Shifa Al Jazeera Group and philanthropist, handed over 10,000 dinars as financial aid to Al Hoora Charity, a leading charitable organisation in Baharin. Adel Al Asoomi, Baharin Member of Parliament, received the donation. The contribution was made during the awarding ceremony of ‘Pravasi Mitra’, instituted by Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam. — Supplied picture

Khimji Ramdas supports Heel’s mosque construction project

Diaverum opens renal care centre in Muscat Global renal care provider Diaverum brings its first stateof-the-art clinic to Bausher with the optimal capacity to treat 84 renal care patients

MUSCAT: Leading global renal care provider Diaverum in partnership with Mustafa Sultan Science & Industry (MSSI) Co. is opening its first renal dialysis clinic in the Sultanate of Oman in Bausher.

The new facility will provide renal care to 84 patients, thus delivering lifesaving treatment to an increasing number of kidney patients in Oman.

With the increasing prevalence of diabetes and hypertension in Oman, the number of renal failure patients is rapidly growing.

For patients who cannot undergo a kidney transplant, there is no alternative apart from dialysis.

At Diaverum clinic these patients will receive first-class dialysis care with the highest quality and safety standards and state-ofthe-art equipment in a pleasant, comfortable and modern environment, while being attended to by the Diaverum staff trained at the d.Academy, a state-of-the art education programme that ensures highest education level.

On this occasion Eng. Ziyad Kabli, Middle East managing director, said: “To stay true to our commitment of caring for more renal patients in the Middle East, Diaverum’s first clinic in Oman is now open and ready to treat patients. Our goal is to make our patients feel revitalised after their treatment in order to live a life as normal as possible and at the same time complement the efforts of the government in the provision of quality health services in the Sultanate.”

Diaverum offers well established practice based on compre-

hensive policies and procedures, while centrally defined and locally tailored standards of care are the basis for high quality of care.

All employees are versatile in dealing with any given situation, from meeting a patient for the first time to dealing with an emergency situation. The policies and procedures also serve to ensure compliance with international and national standards and to enhance efficiency and reliability.

They are continuously updated to reflect the latest advances in terms of regulatory changes and

Idrees Al Jabri, Supervisor from Jaama Heel, said, “We are extremely grateful to the Khimji Ramdas Group for their warm and generous gesture towards the Jaama Heel construction project. By lending their support to our project, the Khimji Ramdas Group is not only aiding us financially but also showing great respect and appreciation for local customs and practices.”

Wahab Al Jabri, Supervior from Jaama Heel, added, “The people of Heel Village join me in thanking the Khimji Ramdas Group for their kindness and generosity. We are fortunate to have their continued support during all our endeavours.”

Abdul Karim Al Jabri an official from the KR Group presented the cheque to officials from Jaama Heel. The project signifies remarkable progress on the part of KR Group to transform Sumail into self-reliant microcosm.

MUSCAT: The Khimji Ramdas (KR) Group continues to prioritise community development as part of its commitment to initiatives of social emphasis. Most recently, the company made a generous contribution towards the construction and completion of the Heel’s Jaama (mosque) at Heel Village in the wilayat of Sumail, says a press release.

Nailesh Khimji, director, Khimji Ramdas, said: “It has always been our priority to actively engage in any event that helps build sustainable communities. Over the years our strategy for social and community development has been effective in successfully establishing progressive and selfsustaining societies. This strategy includes areas of interior Oman of which Sumail is an important point of focus as part of our planned community projects for the year 2016.”

scientific discoveries.

The clinic evaluation tool, which has been created centrally by the corporate medical office, is used to perform internal audits of all kidney centres at least once a year, ensuring that policies and procedures are correctly practiced. Most importantly, these activities result in efficient operations which ultimately benefit the patients. After recognising unparalleled standards, in compliance with the Oman government’s requirements, the Ministry of Health granted Diaverum its license to operate in May 2016.

The clinic reflects Diaverum’s core values — competent, passionate and inspiring — as well as the company’s European roots, the international feel, a positive and family ambience. This is all geared towards securing patient well-being and satisfaction. The clinic is divided into four areas – customer welcoming area, customer treatment area, staff area and technical facilities – and each area is equipped

differently to reflect its diverse functions. With this approach, Diaverum has created a warm environment, rather than ‘cold’ hospital feel, providing patients with a revitalising experience.

As a private entity recognised for its continuous efforts to improve the quality of life for renal patients worldwide, Diaverum also offers holiday dialysis where treatment can be facilitated at any of its dialysis centres in 20 countries worldwide for any patient wishing to take a revitalising vacation. This way patients can receive the same quality of service as back home, regardless where they are.

With the opening of the clinic in Bausher, Oman has joined the list of holiday dialysis countries and will be able to offer to renal failure patients memorable holidays at the Arabian Peninsula known for its warm weather, beautiful mountain landscape, greenery and beaches, but most of all the friendly and welcoming Omanis.

EXPERIENCED

Oman Private School appoints Michael Byrne as its new principal MUSCAT: Oman Private School appointed Michael Byrne as its new principal.

Michael Byrne has spent more than 30 years in education in Alberta, Canada, serving as teacher, lead teacher, department head, vice-principal and principal in several different school settings.

He has experience teaching elementary, junior and senior level students. Byrne also has experience in the international field as the principal of the Canadian Trillian and last year he was the director of curriculum and programming here in Oman. He earned his Bachelor of Education degree and worked on his Masters degree at the University of Alberta, says a press release.

Byrne brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to Oman Private School and we look forward to having a very successful year.

“I am very proud of our Alberta, Canadian curriculum as it is among the most successful curriculums in the world. Canadian students have ranked continuously among the top five performers,” said Byrne.

An international study revealed Alberta students are among the best in Canada and the world when it comes to solving complex problems. Alberta’s excellent system, based on an intensive study of core knowledge is the reason Alberta continues to score highly on tests such as the international PISA exam on complex problem solving.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2016

ROUND-UP

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Toyota’s ‘Festival of Joy’ promotion begins

C U S T O M E R F R I E N D LY P R O D U C T S

Customers endorse Alizz Islamic Bank for providing excellent banking experience

The promotion is offering customers up to OMR2,200 as a cash gift

MUSCAT: “This is the time; this is the easiest way to own the Toyota of your dreams.

So wait no more. Make the most of this wonderful opportunity,” said a Toyota spokesperson.

Indeed, it has been announced that Toyota’s Festival of Joy is on.

The promotion is offering customers up to OMR2,200 as a cash gift, says a press release.

“This makes it so easy to own a Toyota,” remarked an enthusiast and added, “People who have been looking to buy a Toyota…can you imagine how overjoyed they will be to see that the promotion is making their favourite models so easy to own.”

In fact, most of the Toyota models are now available with attractive cash gifts. The amount varies between model, model variants and model year. Comprehensive 1-year insurance or service package up to 3-years/30,000km are also being offered on select models during the campaign period.

Customers are free to avail cashback in lieu of the service/ insurance benefit as applicable for respective models.

In case a customer chooses service, insurance (as applicable), they will not be eligible for ‘cash in lieu of benefits’. Other conditions may also apply on the ‘Festival of Joy’ campaign benefits.

The Festival of Joy campaign that has begun from August 21 ends on October 20. “So hurry and make the most of it,” remarked the spokesperson, “This is the time to bring your Toyota dreams to life… visit the showroom and get yourself a lovely deal…!”

A worthy choice, the Toyota Yaris hatchback represents a remarkably clever transportation solution. Its bold and youthful looks set it apart in a crowd. Com-

pleting its bold stance are many style and convenience features, which together with its high safety, enhance the appeal. The Yaris Hatchback has never been so easy on the pocket, with the introduction of two new grades - ‘E’ & ‘S’, it is a worthy option to consider.

Toyota’s Yaris Sedan is a familiar sight on the roads and highways. Its stylish and sleek profile can be spotted zipping deftly across the highways. Vigorous and responsive 1.5 & 1.3 Litre engine variants power Yaris sedan. Not only do the engines deliver a great performance, they do so with high fuel efficiency, delivering a very economical cost of ownership.

The Toyota Corolla is a pride to own and a joy to drive. It offers two engine variants. Customers can choose a powerful 2.0 L Engine with maximum power of 143 HP (Net). The second option is a 1.6 L engine delivering 121 HP (Net).

Both are mated to the new efficient Multi Drive 7S continuous variable transmission, which delivers one of the class leading fuel economy figures.

The 2017 YM Toyota Camry has raised the bar yet again in the mid-size sedan segment with subtle chrome elements to the popular bold design to open a new chapter in the illustrious history of the world’s most popular mid-size sedan. With a striking design, and dynamic handling, the Toyota Camry is truly in a league of its own.

The Prado has been a favourite among the Toyota enthusiasts for decades and continues to be so.

Born with the Land Cruiser DNA, it takes Toyota’s enviable 4WD legacy way further.

TA K A F U L I N S U R A N C E P R O V I D E R

Al Madina launches Haj, Umrah travel insurance for accidental death and permanent total disability, emergency medical expenses, sickness and hospitalisation abroad, medical evacuation and loss of baggage and passport for a period up to 45 days, while performing Haj and Umrah.

“The holy pilgrimage of Haj and Umrah is a time of peace, reflection and prayer and this insurance is an assurance of peace on this journey of faith. We are delighted to contribute in a meaningful way and add value with products and services such as this,” said Usama Al Barwani, acting CEO, Al Madina Takaful.

MUSCAT: Al Madina Takaful, Oman’s first Takaful insurance provider, launched the Haj and Umrah Travel Insurance.

This Sharia-compliant insurance is exclusively designed to cater to the needs of those travelling on a pilgrimage for Haj and Umrah, says a press release.

As the winner of the Oman Insurer of the Year 2016 and General Takaful Company of the Year 2015, Al Madina Takaful has been looking at ways to bring about industry-leading services and products in the Sultanate and this is yet another first of its kind in Oman.

This policy provides coverage ISLAMIC BANKING SERVICES

MUSCAT: Alizz Islamic Bank, one of the first Islamic banks in the Sultanate, has won acclaim from its customers for providing an excellent banking experience and customer friendly products and services utilising the latest technology.

“The bank makes my life easier with its smooth transaction process. As an Alizz Islamic Bank customer I can perform any banking transaction online without having to visit any of the branches,” Saif Al Maawali, an employee of the Ministry of Education stated when responding to the customer service interview conducted over the phone.

All the customers interviewed highlighted the positive experience that they have had with the bank, especially the steady introduction of new services and products along with the seamless transaction procedures adopted by the bank, says a press release.

“I love how professional the bank’s social media team is. I can ask any question on my social media platform of choice and get a swift and clear response to my inquiry immediately. This is one of the features of outstanding service provided by Alizz Islamic Bank that really stands out for me and make it one of the most customer friendly financial institutions,” added Al Maawali.

Describing her customer experience with Alizz Islamic Bank, Azza Al Hamadiya, a curricula development expert at the Ministry of Education, said she was highly impressed by the high quality of services and the warm welcome she received when she visited the Al Khoudh branch of the bank to open her account.

“I was surprised when I was told that all bank transactions at Alizz Islamic Bank are processed on the same day and that I will receive my debit card embossed with my name within 10 minutes of opening the account.

Additionally I really like how I am immediately notified through

B L A C K B E LT TA E K W O N D O C H A M P I O N S

Maisarah conducts bi-monthly grand prize draw in Salalah SALALAH: Maisarah Islamic Banking Services, one of the fastest growing Islamic banking services in the Sultanate of Oman, recently conducted the bi-monthly and weekly prize draws at the Salalah Tourism Festival grounds.

The event was held under the patronage of Mohammed Omer Al Rawas, the general supervisor of Salalah Tourism Festival, and was attended by senior representatives from the bank and a large crowd of the audience. During the event, Maisarah customer from Sohar Branch was announced the winner of the bi-monthly grand prize of OMR5,000 while the weekly prizes went to customers from Maisarah’s branches in Azaibah, Al Hail, Salalah, Sohar, Birkat Al Mouz, Greater Muttrah, Al Khuwair, Sur, New Salalah and Araqi, says a press release.

Jamsheed Hamza, head of Retail, commented on the event and highlighted Maisarah’s ongoing effort to promote the culture of saving among the Islamic banking window’s customers.

“The Prize Account is part of a bigger savings scheme that is based on the Islamic Mudarabah principle, wherein customers share attractive expected profit.

Along with the profit paid on monthly basis, the account allows customers to get cash prizes every week and every two months as a gift from the shareholder’s fund.

We aim to encourage the culture of saving and to promote good financial management habits among the public,” he said.

As per the Prize Account scheme, each OMR100 gives cus-

a chance to enter the draw, thus multiplying the chances based on the balance maintained. Winners will be randomly selected by an automated system in line with the approved procedures for the prize draw,” he added.

The Prize Draw came as part of Maisarah’s activities at Salalah Tourism Festival. The Islamic banking window has also participated in the festival with a pavilion at the festival grounds, encompassing 24 hours cash withdrawal facility and customer support services during festival hours. As part of its community involvement, the BankDhofar has distributed tents to restaurants and coffee shops in touristic areas. The initiative aims to enhance the facilities available for visitors and residents of Salalah during the high season.

R A F F L E D R AW

Nabil biscuits launches new promotion

Omani team claims 7 medals at London International Open

tomers the chance to win a cash prize, with a total value of over OMR200,000 cash prizes and a total number of 374 winners this year. One customer from each of the 10 Maisarah branches wins OMR500 every week and one customer pan Oman wins the grand prize of OMR5,000 every two months.“The Prize Account also aims to fulfil the needs and requirements of the market for Shariacompliant solutions. The product is available for retail customers, including adults and minors. Additionally, Maisarah customers can use other banking services and alternate channel services provided by the Islamic window. All account holders who maintain a minimum balance of OMR100 for 60 days are eligible to enter the the bi-monthly draws. For every OMR100 they get

an SMS of any transaction that I conduct using my Debit Card, which shows the level of security measures adopted by the bank to ensure trustworthy services,” she said.

Azzan Al Bimani, who runs his own business, said he opted to bank with Alizz Islamic Bank rather than with other conventional banks and Islamic windows because of the banks highly efficient electronic applications such as the Interactive Teller Machine, the banks smart phone application and the Alizz Express service, which enables him to save the time and effort required to visit a branch.

“Almost 95 per cent of my transactions, including local and overseas transfers and electronic account statements, are carried out through the Alizz Mobile Banking smart phone application and whenever I need help or guidance on anything the call centre employees at Alizz Islamic Bank are on hand 24/7 to guide me through the process” he said.

Attributing the positive customer experiences to the bank’s Customer Experience strategy, Moosa Al Jadidi, chief operating officer at Alizz Islamic Bank, said the bank is focused on maintaining a close relation with its customers and providing all segments of the society with innovative and unique products.

“We deliver nothing but premium products and services to our customers and the positive customer testimonials we have received are an indication that we are moving in the right direction and they makes us double our efforts to offer the best customer experience in the Sultanate,” he stressed.

Alizz Islamic Bank offers over 26 Sharia-compliant products that satisfy the needs of individual customers and businesses as well as all segments of society.

They are designed to add value to all customers.

MUSCAT: An Omani contingent of nine black belt taekwondo champions have made their country proud by winning a total of seven medals at the recently concluded London International open.

This event was organised by the Universal Taekwondo foundation. Oman Flour Mills as a part of its corporate social responsibility programme had sponsored the Professional Taekwondo Academy for the London International Open Competition, says a press release.

The event that was held at Rivermead leisure complex saw athletes from over 15 countries participate. The competition was spread across 4 weight categories.

Omar Yosuf Al Amri won a gold medal in the under 54kg category.

Khalifa Abdullah Al Hajri won a gold medal in the above 86 kg category. Nibras Mohammed Al Tooqoi won 2 gold medals in the under 26 and under 23kg weight category. Zaid Ahmed Al Habsi won a silver medal in the under 74kg category.

Haytham Mohammed Al Na-

manni won a silver medal in the under 64kg category. Khalid Zaher Al Mahmoodi won a broze medal in the under 68 category.

The team was founded and is being trained by Harid Al Abadali. He was among the first group to receive a black belt in Taekwondo in Oman where he started training in 1990. He now holds 6 Dan and is considered the highest ranked instructor in Oman.

“We would like to express our gratitude to Oman Flour Mills for sponsoring the event. The support received from Oman Flour Mills had immensely helped us prepare for this event,” said Zaid Al Habsi, member of the Omani Taekwondo team.

“We are extremely proud of our team and thrilled with the remarkable achievements at the London International Open. We will continue to extend our support for such causes that help develop the talent in the country,” said an exuberant Ahmed Al Murazza, chief officer - Human Resources and Corporate Affairs, Oman Flour Mills.

MUSCAT: National Biscuit Industries Ltd, the makers of the brand ‘Nabil’ range of biscuits, wafers and snacks, announced its mega ‘Back to School’ consumer offer.

The theme of this year’s promotion is ‘Nabil makes learning fun’. The consumer promotion is applicable on the entire range of Nabil Snackits, Nabil Cream Wafers 20gm and Big Crunch wafers 20gm. The promotion that began from August 15 will last until October 15, says a press release.

On purchase of every pack, customers need to look for their unique code on the inner side of the pack. This unique code can be registered on www. winwithnabil.com.

Exciting gifts in the form of 50 Samsung Tablets and 5 Lenevo laptops will be handed over to the lucky winners through a raffle draw.

To make the promotion more exciting there will be weekly draws beginning from August 25, wherein every week a minimum of four lucky winners will be announced.

Unnit Mankodi, head of Sales and Marketing at National Biscuits said, “The theme of the promotion was created keeping in mind the new generation of consumers who are technologically savvy and use electronic gadgets to gain knowledge and also have fun. We urge the consumers to rush to their nearest outlet and buy the listed products. The more they buy and register, more are their chances of winning.”

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WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM THU RS DAY, AUGUST 25, 2016

SECTION

ENGLAND WON’T FORCE PLAYERS TO TOUR BANGLADESH, SAYS MORGAN >C2

SPOR YOUR GAME

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HAMILTON HAS 50TH WIN IN HIS SIGHTS Lewis Hamilton can become only the third driver to win 50 grands prix when Formula One returns from its month-long August break and gets back to business at Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix. >C3

Almouj Muscat, Oman Sail join hands with MRR to boost Muscat Marathon The next edition of popular Marathon, which is scheduled to be organised on January 27 in 2017, will mark the start of an exciting new era for the race with Almouj Muscat, Oman’s lifestyle destination, already committed to the event as title sponsor

MUSCAT: The popular Muscat Marathon is poised to receive worldwide attention after organisers Muscat Road Runners (MRR) joined forces with Oman Sail and Al Mouj Muscat in a bid to develop the annual event into a ‘must-do’ marathon with global appeal.

Now in its sixth year, the Muscat Marathon has grown steadily in popularity. In January this year,

PLANS FOR A BIGGER EVENT: Oman Sail CEO David Graham, centre, speaks during a press conference organised to announce the 2017

Muscat Marathon details.

around 600 runners took to the roads around the Sultanate’s capital city, on routes that showcased Muscat’s most striking locations.

With more and more people using long distance running as a platform for leisure travel, the international marathon circuit is flourishing. Muscat Marathon on January 27 in 2017 will mark the start of an exciting new era for the race with Almouj Muscat, Oman’s lifestyle destination, already committed to the event as title sponsor.

Oman Sail, experienced sports

FOOTBALL

event managers with an outstanding track record of attracting and organising world-class global sporting events, will team up with Muscat Road Runners to focus on boosting the marathon further by increasing entries, raising its profile via international exposure and making it sustainable.

“Sponsoring the Muscat Marathon reflects our trust on the significance of supporting sports tourism as a key contributor to boost tourism sector in the Sultanate and an ideal way to showcase

the beautiful Oman and what has to offer. We are delighted to be taking part in an initiative that will promote Oman as a worldwide destination for tourism and sports as well as provide a new opportunity for young Omanis to excel in different fields”, said Nasser bin Masoud Al Sheibani, Acting CEO of Almouj Muscat.

The Ministry of Tourism’s comprehensive 2040 strategy indicates that one of Oman’s target sectors is the sports tourist. Statistics worldwide demonstrate

the significant economic impact of hosting an internationally renowned marathon.

Speaking about the importance of Sports Tourism, Salim bin Adey Al Mamari, Director General of Tourism Promotion, Ministry of Tourism, said: “Sports tourism has great potential as a significant contributor to the economy, and therefore is a key aspect of our tourism strategy. We are confident that the international competitors will use this as a reason to come on holiday to the Sultanate – this is our strategy in action.”

The Muscat Marathon will feature three event distances: the marathon, half-marathon and a 10km run, with routes for all three expected to be announced in the coming weeks. “The Muscat Marathon is really well organised by the Muscat Road Runners as we have seen from the impressive feedback from participants,” said David Graham, CEO of Oman Sail.

“These foundations provide an opportunity to use the expertise of our teams to take this event to the next level. The Ministry of Tourism has pledged to be fully supportive and we are delighted that Almouj Muscat has come on board as title sponsor. Our main objective is to create a successful event that is in line with the Ministry of Tourism’s strategy of attracting sports tourists to the country and we are confident that we’ll be able to achieve that through our joint partnership with Muscat Roadrunners and Almouj Muscat.”

Ahmed Al Malki, Chairman of the Muscat Road Runners, added: “We are very excited to team up with Oman Sail and Almouj Muscat because we realise there is so much potential with the Muscat Marathon and feel they are ideal partners to develop the race. We look forward to seeing the marathon develop significantly in the next few years, and are delighted to have the opportunity to work with two organisations that possess the experience to ensure that future marathons are a resounding success.”

O N E - D AY S E R I E S

Oman beat Bahrain in U-23 GCC Cup MUSCAT: Oman junior team began their campaign in the Under-23 GCC Cup football championship with an emphatic victory over Bahrain in Qatari capital of Doha on Wednesday.

According to information received here, Hamad Al Azzanicoached Oman defeated Bahrain 3-1 to earn full points. In another match, the UAE beat hosts Qatar by a solitary goal.

After a day’s rest, the competition resumes on Friday when Saudi Arabia play the UAE and Oman take on Qatar.

Oman face Iran in final Oman will take on Iran in the final of the Continental Beach Soccer Tournament in the Chinese city of Ordos on Thursday.

According to beachsoccer.com website, Oman and Iran proved too strong for Lebanon and Bahrain on the opening day and both maintained their impressive form to knock out Vietnam and Japan respectively in the semifinals on Wednesday.

In the semifinals, Iran defeated Japan 5-1 and Oman outplayed Vietnam 7-3.

GCC SWIMMING

Sultanate bag three medals in Dammam MUSCAT: Oman swimmers bagged three medals, including one gold and two silver, at the 26th GCC Swimming Championships in Saudi Arabian city of Damman on Wednesday.

According to information received here, talented Omani swimmers Isa Al Adawi and Mohammed Al Khadouri finished one-two in the 800m freestyle race.

Isa Al Adawi clocked eight minutes and 52.80 seconds to better his previous mark and take the gold, while Al Khadouri timed 9:05.94 to clinch the silver medal.

Oman’s second silver medal came in the 200m medley where Abdulrahman Al Kulaibi completed the race in 2:14.93.

Taha bin Sulaiman Al Kishry, chairman of Oman Swimming Association, expressed delight over the achievements of Omani swimmers.

The Omani official also hailed the organising committee for excellent arrangements at the championships.

Meanwhile, Oman coach Kamal Khamri said: “Congratulations to the boys for winning the three medals. We are all working hard to overcome all the challenges in the championships and I am expecting more such achievements from our boys.”

A total of 13 Omani swimmers are taking part in the championships, which run till Saturday.

ON THE PODIUM: Oman’s Isa Al Adawi, centre, and Mohammed Al Khadouri, second left, pose on the podium along with Oman Swimming Association chief Taha Al Kishry in Dammam. – Supplied photo

BAD DAY: Australia’s captain Steven Smith walks back to the pavilion after his dismissal during the second One-day International cricket match against Sri Lanka at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. – AFP

Sri Lanka down Australia to level series as Faulkner hat-trick in vain COLOMBO: Australia’s James Faulkner claimed his maiden hattrick but could not deny Sri Lanka a series-levelling 82-run victory in the second one-day international on Wednesday.

Faulkner dismissed Kusal Perera, Angelo Mathews and Thisara Perera to achieve the feat but ended up on the losing side as Australia, chasing 289 for win, were all out for 206 in 47.2 overs.

Matthew Wade top-scored for the touring side with a fighting 76 but Sri Lanka’s biggest win over Australia in terms of runs means the teams move to Dambulla for Sunday’s third one-dayer with the five-match series level at 1-1.

Australia needed a strong start to chase down such a big total but Thisara Perera (3-33) dismissed openers David Warner and Aaron Finch to reduce the tourists to 16 for two. Skipper Steve Smith (30) rekindled Australia’s hopes of a

fightback and Wade showed tremendous grit down the order but it was not enough to complete what would have been a record chase at the ground. Left-arm spinner Amila Aponso was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowler, claiming 4-18 in his second one-day international.

Sri Lanka posted 288 before being all out in the 49th over, losing their last five wickets for 27 runs.

After opting to bat, Sri Lanka lost openers Danushka Gunathilaka and Tillakaratne Dilshan off successive deliveries inside the first 19 balls. Kusal Mendis (69) and Dinesh Chandimal (48) revived the hosts with a 125-run stand. Mendis cruised to his second successive fifty but Adam Zampa (3-42) dismissed both batsmen.

Kusal Perera (54) added 103 runs with skipper Mathews (57) to consolidate Sri Lanka’s position but Faulkner and Mitchell Starc (3-53) ripped out the lower order. — Reuters

SCOREBOARD

SRI LANKA D. Gunathilaka b Starc 2 T. Dilshan b Lyon 10 K. Mendis lbw b Zampa 69 D. Chandimal lbw b Zampa 48 A. Mathews c Henriques b Faulkner 57 D. de Silva c Smith b Zampa 7 K. Perera lbw b Faulkner 54 T. Perera b Faulkner 12 S. Prasanna not out 2 D. Perera b Starc 5 A. Aponso b Starc 2 Extras (b-4, lb-7, w-9) 20 Total (all out, 48.5 overs) 288 Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-12, 3-137, 4-146, 5-158, 6-261, 7-279, 8-279, 9-286, 10-288 Bowling: M. Starc 9.5-0-53-3 (w-2), N. Lyon 9-0-49-1 (w-2), J. Faulkner 9-0-45-3 (w-1), T. Head 4-0-41-0 (w-2), A. Zampa 10-0-42-3 (w-1), A. Finch 2-0-7-0, M. Henriques 5-040-0 (w-1) AUSTRALIA D. Warner c Chandimal b T. Perera 1

A. Finch b T. Perera 4 S. Smith c D. Perera b Aponso 30 G. Bailey b Aponso 27 M. Wade c Gunathilaka b T. Perera 76 M. Henriques st Chandimal b Prasanna 4 T. Head c Dilshan b Mathews 31 J. Faulkner lbw b Aponso 13 M. Starc c&b Mathews 0 A. Zampa c Dilshan b Aponso 5 N. Lyon not out 4 Extras (b-1, lb-3, w-7) 11 Total (all out, 47.2 overs) 206 Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-16, 3-41, 4-102, 5-118, 6-182, 7-184, 8-185, 9-202, 10-206 Bowling: A. Mathews 6-0-17-2, T. Perera 5-0-33-3, A. Aponso 9.2-0-18-4 (w-1), S. Prasanna 8-1-48-1 (w-3), D. Perera 10-043-0 (w-1), T. Dilshan 5-0-23-0, D. de Silva 4-0-20-0 Umpires: Michael Gough and Raveendra Wimalasiri TV umpire: Aleem Dar Match referee: Javagal Srinath

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2016

SPORTS

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FRESH PROGRAMME

Royal Horse Racing Club new season to begin in October MUSCAT: Horse races at Al Rahba Farm in the Wilayat of Barka, organised by the Royal Horse Racing Club, will start middle of October 2016 and continue up to April 2017.

The season comprises 20 races including three classic events. Brigadier Abdul Razaq bin Abdul Qadir Al Shahwarzi, Commander of the Royal Cavalry, said that the first classic race will be mid-November (National Day Cup), followed by the Derby of Oman in January 2017.

Then the club will organise the Sheikha Fatma Cup annual races in Muscat, followed by the final classic race that will be held in April, 2017. Revealing the details of the new season, Brigadier Al Shahwarzi said that preparations are underway to ensure readiness of Al Rahba Farm race track. He pointed out that the achievements made at the previous seasons were recognised by international experts

First classic race will be the National Day Cup and Derby of Oman is scheduled for January 2017

and led to hosting international horse races during the season, such as races of International Federation of Gentlemen and Lady Riders (FEGENTRI) and Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Festival for Arabian Horse Races.

As for the technical support, he also pointed out that international experts and trainers will be available to give advice and guidance to horse riders before the race. - ONA

UNSUITABLE GROUND: The umpires inspect the playing surface in Durban. – Reuters

ICC sanctions loom over ‘poor’ Kingsmead, Queen’s Park Oval a damp draw on Tuesday without a ball being bowled over the final three-and-a-half days due to a sodden outfield at Kingsmead.

Match referees Andy Pycroft and Ranjan Madugalle submitted reports to the ICC, expressing concerns over the quality of the outfields at Kingsmead and Queen’s Park Oval respectively

DUBAI: Durban’s Kingsmead and Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain risk sanctions after outfields at both venues were rated as “poor” by match referees follow-

ing drawn Tests this week, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Wednesday.

The first Test between South Africa and New Zealand ended in

Probe lauched Also on Tuesday, the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board 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.

The lack of action meant India clinched the four-Test series 2-0 but surrendered top spot in test rankings to Pakistan, less than a week after taking over the number one position from Australia.

Match referees Andy Pycroft and Ranjan Madugalle submitted reports to the ICC, expressing concerns over the quality of the outfields at Kingsmead and Queen’s Park Oval respectively.

“The reports have been forwarded to Cricket South Africa (CSA) and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), who now have 14 days to provide their responses,” the ICC said in a statement on Wednesday.

According to ICC regulations, the maximum punishment for a venue which incurs the “poor” rating for the first time is a $15,000 fine, along with a warning and a directive for appropriate corrective action. - Reuters

CRICKET

England won’t force players to tour Bangladesh: Morgan LONDON: England will not force any player to tour Bangladesh, limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan said, in the wake of the July 1 attack on a Dhaka cafe in which 22 people were killed.

England’s one-day squad will receive a briefing on Thursday from a three-member panel which toured Bangladesh to assess security for the series, com-

prising three one-dayers and two Tests there in October.

“I don’t think anybody will ever be forced to go on a particular tour,” Eoin Morgan told BBC Radio 5 live.

“I think it’s important for us to get together as a group, and be informed by people who we trust in order to make the right decisions and go from there.”

Australia pulled out of their tour of Bangladesh last year over security concerns and did not compete in the under-19 World Cup in the south Asian country for the same reason.

Full faith England’s one-day team is scheduled to leave for Bangladesh on September 30 and Morgan

had full faith in the wisdom of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

“I’m pretty open-minded,” Morgan said. “You can’t really rule out anything until you hear from the people that you trust.

“The ECB have made decisions over the years that have held us in good stead -- we’ve never been in any danger before.” - Reuters FOOTBALL

SMARTEN UP DRIVE SAFE

‘Rooney would be great for MLS’

A TIMES OF OMAN HANDS-FREE DRIVING INITIATIVE

LONDON: Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney would be a “great signing” for Major League Soccer, Portland Timbers owner Merritt Paulson has said, adding that the 30-yearold still has plenty to offer.

Former England midfielders Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, Italy’s Andrea Pirlo, Spain striker David Villa and Brazilian Kaka are among the bigname players who have joined the MLS in recent years.

“I would argue he (Rooney) still has some good soccer ahead of him. I think he would be a great signing for MLS - 100 percent MLS would be attractive for him,” Paulson told the Mirror.

“Keeping in mind that is a very talented footballer, who has quality soccer ahead of him, you are not talking about a 34 or 35-yearold. “I get excited about the impact he would have in the MLS more than a guy who is coming in later in his career.”- Reuters

THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2016

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SPORTS MIND GAME

Indian expert to talk on chess at ISC MUSCAT: The Indian Social Club (ISC) will organise a talk on chess at the club hall on Friday. The event will start at 6.00 p.m. According to a press statement issued by the ISC, V.U. Diwakar, an experienced coach from India, will address chess enthusiasts and share his experiences.

“If time permits, a short blitz tournament will be conducted,” the club statement added.

Diwakar played in the Indian National Chess Championships in 1992 and he went on to serve as the president of the Chess Association of Hyderabad for 15 years. He also worked as a TV commentator for Viswanathan Anand vs Gata Kamasky International Chess Championship match held in Hyderabad. He also commentated on World Chess Cup held in Hyderabad.

“Chess enthusiasts of all ages, the ISC members and nonmembers are welcome to attend the talk,” the statement added.

Chess lovers interested in attending the event can email at indianscmuscat@gmail or get in touch with the organisers by telephone (Ph: 24701347) after 11.00 a.m.

FOOTBALL

Dragovic signs for Leverkusen LONDON: Bayer Leverkusen have completed the signing of defender Aleksandar Dragovic from Ukrainian club Dynamo Kyiv on a five-year contract, both clubs announced on Tuesday. Austrian Dragovic was also heavily linked with a potential move to Leicester City. “Kyiv was the right club for me but now I’m attracted to the Bundesliga as one of the best leagues in the world,” Dragovic said. - Reuters

Rejuvenated Hamilton has 50th triumph in his sights Hamilton’s win in Germany last month was number 49, and only Michael Schumacher (91) and Alain Prost (51) have reached the half century

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS: Lewis Hamilton can become only the third driver to win 50 grands prix when Formula One returns from its month-long August break and gets back to business at Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix.

The triple world champion ended the first half of the season in blistering form, opening up a 19-point lead in the standings over Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg with six wins — four in a row — from the last seven races.

His win in Germany last month was number 49, and only Michael Schumacher (91) and Alain Prost (51) have reached the half century.

Hamilton, who trailed Rosberg by 43 points after May’s Spanish Grand Prix, is determined not to ease off.

“The first half of the season was a bit of a rollercoaster, so it’s great to be in the position I’m in with more than half of the races behind us,” said the Briton, who spent his break in the Caribbean, Costa Rica and the United States.

“I’m feeling refreshed, re-energised and ready to go after a fun few weeks off, so hopefully everyone else has had a good rest too and we’ll come out fighting.”

BACK HOME

Warm welcome for Chinese Olympians on Brazil return BEIJING: China’s Olympic team were given a warm welcome from big crowds waving banners and photographs at Beijing airport on Tuesday upon their return from a disappointing Rio Games.

China’s largest overseas Olympic delegation of 416 athletes managed 26 golds, their lowest tally since the 1996 Atlanta Games, and 70 medals overall in

The first half of the season was a bit of a rollercoaster, so it’s great to be in the position I’m in with more than half of the races behind us Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes

Brazil. Surprise failures in traditionally strong sports such as badminton, shooting and gymnastics left China third in the medals table, behind the United States and Britain.

Speaking in Rio, Team China’s chief Liu Peng said the poor showing had exposed problems that they will seek to address in time for the next Olympics. - Reuters

Rosberg won the opening four races of the season but has scored only three podiums since Hamilton hit his stride.

The break, spent with his wife and baby daughter in Ibiza, could be the reset he needs with nine of a record 21 races still to run.

It will be crucial that the German does come back strongly, as even finishing second behind Hamilton this weekend will see him drop 26 points behind the Briton, who is

likely to have engine-related penalties at the next race in Italy.

The 7km Spa circuit is an enduring favourite of drivers, with its flatout blasts and undulations harking back to the sport’s golden age.

Closest to home For 18-year-old Dutch driver Max Verstappen, the track is the closest he has to a home venue.

Verstappen, whose victory on his Red Bull debut in Spain in May

helped the team move up to second in the standings ahead of Ferrari, was born in Belgium to a Belgian mother and can count on strong local support.

His teammate, Daniel Ricciardo, won in Belgium for Red Bull two years ago after Hamilton and Rosberg collided.

With little risk of a repeat after Mercedes imposed tighter rules of engagement, Verstappen can pin his hopes on the capricious

Spa weather to shake things up instead. French teenager Esteban Ocon will make his Formula One race debut this weekend, replacing Indonesian Rio Haryanto at backmarkers Manor.

Making his debut at Spa, as boyhood idol Schumacher once did, Ocon will join fellow Mercedesbacked youngster Pascal Wehrlein with both aiming to impress with Manor in their bid for a future Mercedes seat. - Reuters

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2016

SPORTS

VISITORS AND HOSTS: The Pakistan International Airlines, left, and Oman national teams pose for group photos during the Independence Cup exhibition hockey match at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex on Tuesday night. – ISMAIL AL FARSI/Times of Oman

PIA and Oman produce thrilling hockey at Independence Cup tie day’s honours after a thrilling penalty shootout.

As expected both the PIA and Oman teams played attacking and attractive hockey to entertain a large gathering of hockey lovers

INTRODUCTIONS: Rashad Al Hinai, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Sports Affrairs, being introduced to the PIA players at the Independence Cup hockey exhibition match at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat. – ISMAIL AL FARSI/Times of Oman

MUSCAT: The visiting Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) team and Oman national squad produced thrilling hockey at the Independence Cup exhibition match at

the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex on Tuesday night.

The Pakistan Social Club (PSC) organised the match in co-operation with Muscat Beach Trading

FOOTBALL

and Oman Hockey Association (OHA) as part of PSC’s celebrations to mark the 70th Independence Day of Pakistan.

As expected both the PIA and

Oman teams played attacking and attractive hockey to entertain a large gathering of hockey lovers though it was the visitors who outlasted the hosts to take the

Brilliant fightback However, it was the young Omani talents who dictated the terms with a dominant display to take a 3-1 lead after the teams were tied 1-1 at the end of first half.

But the experienced PIA team fought back brilliantly to level the scores and take the match into the tie-break.

The evening’s proceedings as well as an impressive presentation ceremony that followed were attended by Rashad bin Ahmed Al Hinai, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Sports Affairs, Redha bin Juma Al Saleh, vice-chairman of Oman Chamber of Commerce, Ali Javed, Ambassador of Pakistan, Mian Mohammed Munir, Chairman PSC, Adnan Shahzad, Chair-

2020 GAMES

FOOTBALL

‘Sunderland struggling to match rivals financially’ LONDON: Sunderland are finding it difficult to compete financially with their Premier League rivals in the transfer window, manager David Moyes has said, as he aims to bolster his fragile squad in search of their first Premier League win.

Atletico Madrid defender Javier Manquillo, Barnsley centre back Alfie Mawson and midfielder Yann M’Vila, who spent the last season on loan with Sunderland, have all been linked by British media over a potential move to the Stadium of Light.

Papy Djilobodji, Paddy McNair, Donald Love, Adnan Januzaj, and Steven Pienaar have been the additions to the squad, which has been hampered by injuries.

“I’ve got full faith in the owner (Ellis Short). But there’s no doubt that our budget is not at the level

of many other clubs you see buying players at the moment,” Moyes told British media.

“I’m confident we’ll get a few in before September 1 but the quality of the players that Sunderland can get at the moment is probably not what I’ve had in the Premier League. Not even close.

“You look at our competitors and what they’re spending and we’re having to deal differently.”

Moyes added that centre back Lamine Kone will stay at the club, amid British media reports linking him with a move to Moyes’ former side Everton.

“Kone will stay. The offer’s been rejected by me, yes,” Moyes added. “Given the prices, it would be very difficult to replace Lamine. Unless we could get a suitable replacement, I would never do the deal.” - Reuters

WA L E S M A NA G E R

Coleman eyes job in Europe LONDON: Wales manager Chris Coleman has distanced himself from a return to the Premier League, indicating that he might prefer to work in Europe when his time in charge of the Euro 2016 semifinalists ends.

Coleman, who has had previous spells in charge of Spanish

side Real Sociedad and AEL in Greece, has been linked with the vacant position at Hull City in the Premier League.

The newly promoted side made an official approach to the Football Association of Wales (FAW) in the summer but were refused permission to talk to Coleman. - Reuters

man BOD of Pakistan Schools, Aslam Nawab of Muscat Beach Trading, and chief coordinator Syed Aftab Gilani.

Meanwhile, the organisers said ‘Muscat Beach Trading and their team of dedicated workers put in their best to put up a grand show ever organised by the community in the past’.

The PSM students added colour to the opening ceremony. The venue was beautifully decorated with flags of Oman and Pakistan, and banners of the sponsoring companies — Habib Bank, PIA, Mian Mohammed Riaz & Partners, Oasis Water, Haveki Restaurant, Bright Travels, Royal Holidays and OPN. The organisers thanked the Oman Hockey Association, Ministry of Sports Affairs, ROP, PSC, PSM, sponsors and team of dedicated volunteers.

Bale targets Champions League final in Cardiff

READY FOR 2020: Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike waves the Olympic flag as Japan Olympic Committee President Tsunekazu Takeda, second left, looks on at Haneda Airport in Tokyo on Wednesday. – AFP

Olympic flag arrives in Tokyo, governor Koike calls for unity TOKYO: Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike brought the Olympic flag to Japan from Brazil on Wednesday and called for all parties to work together to host a successful Summer Games in 2020.

Koike, who was elected last month after two predecessors stepped down over scandals that clouded the city’s Games preparations, was given the flag at the Rio Games closing ceremony on Sunday.

“Let’s work together with everyone to hold a great Olympics and Paralymics as the Olympic flag, which just arrived, is a symbol of,” she told reporters after waving the flag upon stepping off the flight at Haneda airport.

The Tokyo Games have been hit by series of issues including the scrapping of plans for the main stadium, which lead to delays in construction, and plagiarism alle-

gations which forced organisers to ditch the original logo for the Games.

Koike was joined on the flight by Japanese athletes who took part in the Rio de Janeiro Games, where Japan won 12 gold medals — their best tally since 2004 — and a record 41 overall.

Keisuke Ushiro, who took part in the decathlon in Brazil, followed Koike off the plane waving a Japan Olympic Committee flag. - Reuters

LONDON: Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale said on Wednesday he has an extra incentive to reach a third Champions League final in four years because the title game will be played in his hometown of Cardiff.

“This is the reason I came to Madrid — to play in the Champions League, to win the Champions League,” the 27-year-old Bale said in an interview with UEFA. com. “To have the Champions League final in my home town is an even bigger motivation.”

The Wales international helped Real beat Atletico Madrid on penalties to march to their 11th European title and his second with the club in the 2015-16 campaign before playing for his country at Euro 2016.

“Two in three years is an amazing achievement,” he said.

“Now we want to look to the next one.”

Injuries limited Bale to 30 appearances in all competitions for Real last season but the former Tottenham star still scored 19 goals and provided 10 assists.

Bale is on a 10-man shortlist for UEFA’s Best Player in Europe award. The winner will be announced on Thursday in Monaco during the 2016-17 Champions League draw. - 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

W E D N E S DAY, AU G U S T 2 4 , 2 0 1 6

D5

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.