Times of Oman - December 25, 2016 by Muscat Media Group

SUNDAY December 25, 2016 25 Rabi Al Awal 1438 AH

6 085010 120010 FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTY THE SULTAN

Four pages special supplement on JAPAN DAY with this edition

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

‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’ We must attach great importance to the enhancement of our human resources through improving general and technological education, so that our Omani people can further equip themselves so as to undertake tasks greater than in the past.

Founded 1975 . Volume 41 No. 250 | 40 Pages . Baisas 200 . Subscription OMR63 | ISO 9001:2008 Certiﬁed Company | Chairman/Editor-in-Chief: Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali | Printed & Published by Muscat Media Group

INSPECTION

PRAYERS ON CHRISTMAS EVE AT DARSAIT CHURCH A candlelit service at Darsait Church in Muscat on Christmas Eve was the perfect setting to welcome Christmas Day for young and old alike. The ‘Times of Oman’ wishes everyone a peaceful Christmas Day. — Photo by Purusothaman K/TIMES OF OMAN

Preparations for today’s municipal elections complete Times News Service MUSCAT: Preparations are complete for the holding of second municipal council elections at different centres in the Sultanate today. Sayyid Hamood bin Faisal Al Busaidi, Minister of Interior visited election centres in the Governorates of Musandam and Al Buraimi yesterday to oversee the preparations for the elections. Sayyid Hamood inspected the election centre at Al Nasr Basic Education School in the wilayat of Madha, Musandam Governorate. In the Governorate of Al Buraimi, Sayyid Hamood visited the elections centre at Al Sinaina Basic Education School in the wilayat of Al Sinaina. During the visits, he met with the governors and walis, chairpersons of the elections committees. Sayyid Hamood was accompanied by the undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior who is the chairman of the Main Elec-

Sayyid Hamood bin Faisal Al Busaidi, Minister of Interior visits election centres. – ONA

tions Committee (MEC) and a number of MEC members. Voting will take place from 7am to 7 pm and all results are expected by 10pm. Results will be available on the election website and the mobile app. In all, 107 election centres are ready to receive the voters to elect 202 members for 11 municipal councils. There are 731 candidates, including 23 women, in the fray.

Bangladeshi expats now top migrant numbers 694,449

As Bangladeshis are cheapest to hire, they

was the number of Bangladeshi workers by November-end, making them the biggest expat group in Oman

have surpassed workers of other nationalities

RAHUL DAS

rahuldas@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: For the ﬁrst time, there are now more Bangladeshis in Oman than any other nationality, government statistics have revealed. For decades, Indians have made up the bulk of migrant workers in the Sultanate, but despite police restrictions on the numbers

of Bangladeshis allowed to enter Oman, as of November, their numbers had overtaken the Indian migrant numbers. A Bangladesh Embassy spokesman said their workers were preferred for major projects in the Sultanate while a spokesman for the Indian community here said more Indians were choosing to stay at home as pay and conditions in India are improving.

According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), as of November-end, 2016, the number of Bangladeshis stood at 694,449, with Indians second highest at 691,775 with the number of Pakistani expats standing at 231,685. TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

OMAN

Oman airspace can handle 1,500 flights

Oman’s airspace will now be able to handle 1,500 ﬂights daily with the launch of new air traffic control centre, said the chief of Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA). The PACA launched the Muscat Air Traffic Control Centre on Thursday. >A3

Omani band members get applause at US event

F I V E - V E H I C L E I N V O LV E D

Six injured as cars pile-up near airport Staff Reporter MUSCAT: Six persons were injured in a ﬁve-vehicle pile-up on the Sultan Qaboos Highway near the airport. The accident created a gridlock for almost an hour. One of the vehicles involved in the accident knocked out a lampost. Subsequently, the Royal Oman Police closed the road for some time to clear the debris. Traffic was also backed up on the opposite carriageway as debris spilled over the median and

WORLD

Woman, teen blow themselves up

A woman and a teenage boy blew themselves up in Dhaka when police’s elite counter-terrorism unit raided a building where armed militants, belonging to an Islamist group blamed for the deadly cafe attack, were hiding. >A12

MARKET

Sultanate developing fishing harbours, ports

3 motorists slowed down to have a look at the crash site. A Royal Oman Police spokesman said the officers supervised the clear-up operation.

Oman is in the process of developing eight more ﬁshing harbours and ports of varying sizes with a sizable investment as part of a comprehensive plan to strengthen the ﬁsheries sector and create additional job opportunities. >B1

In the month of November 2016, the numbers of Bangladeshis and Pakistanis increased by 9,424 and 1,287, respectively, while the number of Indians here dropped by 1,607. This time last year, there were 590,170 Bangladeshis and 669,882

Indians, according to the NCSI. Three years ago, in November 2013, Bangladeshis in Oman numbered 496,761 while Indians numbered 600,349. In a three-year burst, Bangladeshis increased by 197,688 while that of Indians increased by 91,426. Speaking to the Times of Oman about the growth of Bangladeshi workers in the Sultanate, Zahed Ahmad, counsellor of the labour wing of the Bangladesh Embassy in Muscat, said most Bangladeshis coming to the Sultanate were blue collar workers. “The Omani sponsors are also very happy with the Bangladeshi workers and this helps us employ more workers,” he added. >A6

MORNING MINUTE

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016

THE BRIEFING OMAN

Two boat crash victims rescued, search on for third Two people injured in a boat crash were rescued while divers are searching for another sailor who had gone missing after the incident in Khasab, the Public Authority of Civil Defence and Ambulance (PACDA) reported on Friday night. The search operations for the missing sailor continued on Saturday evening, the PACDA said. >A6

INDIA

Dishonest to face ruin after December 30, warns Modi

OMAN

HM confers medals on officers, soldiers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday warned of ruin for the dishonest after the expiry of December 30 deadline for depositing scrapped currency and said they should not underestimate the mood of the country against corruption. “Dishonest people, you should not underestimate the mood of 125 crore people. You will have to be afraid of it... Time has come for ruin of dishonest people. This is a cleanliness campaign,” Modi said. >A8

SQU medical journal indexed by US library

World

South Koreans continue to protest A large crowd of South Koreans took to the streets of central Seoul on Saturday for the ninth weekend in a row to demand the immediate resignation of President Park Geun-hye, who has been impeached by parliament over a corruption scandal. About 200 young people dressed as Santa Claus gave out gifts to some of around 200,000 people taking part in the rally, many of whom brought their children. >A10

A medical journal by the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) has been officially indexed by the United States National Library of Medicine for the MEDLINE/PubMed database. The journal is an internationally peer-reviewed multi-disciplinary medical journal, published quarterly. It aims to be an internationally recognised regional medium of biomedical communication, encourage medical research and publication in Oman and create awareness among health professionals in Oman and beyond.. >A5

Participants in the Whispers of Serenity’s ﬁrst ‘Not Alone’ convoy discussed bullying, stress and mental health ﬁrst aid at the Omani Women’s Association in Seeb recently. Schoolgirls, women from the neighbourhood and members of the Omani Women’s Association (OWA) in Seeb participated in the sessions that discussed a range of issues concerning mental health.“The aim of this convoy is to reach those who can’t otherwise come to us for therapy and counselling. There is still so much stigma attached to this issue and it is hard for people to even acknowledge that they may be struggling with certain areas in their life,” said Her Highness Sayyida Basma Al Said, mental health expert and Owner and Founder of the Whispers of Serenity Clinic. >A4

SPORTS

Seeb Club to launch hockey academy

Security was heightened for the Christmas weekend in Italy and at the Vatican on Saturday after Italian police killed the man believed to be responsible for the Berlin market truck attack while other European cities kept forces on high alert. >A12

Oil marketing ﬁrms open 24 petrol stations

OMAN

‘Not Alone’ convoy discusses stress, bullying, mental health

High alert in Europe on Christmas

BUSINESS

His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, conferred the excellent service and royal commendation medals on commissioned and non-commissioned officers and personnel at the Ministry of Defence, the Sultan’s Armed Forces (SAF) and the Royal Guard of Oman (RGO) in appreciation for their dedication in serving their country and carrying out the sacred national duty. >A6

OMAN

WORLD

REGION

Iraqis celebrate ﬁrst Christmas near Mosul

Several hundred Iraqi Christians ﬂocked on Saturday to a northern town recently retaken from IS, celebrating Christmas for the ﬁrst time since 2013, their joy tainted with sadness over the desecration of their church. Once home to thousands of Christians, Bartella emptied in Aug. 2014 when it fell to IS’s blitz. >A7

After the official opening of their state of the art hockey stadium, which is currently nearing completion, Seeb Club will launch their ambitious project — a modern hockey academy in the New Year. >C1

SPORTS A total of 24 new petrol stations were opened by three petroleum retailers — Oman Oil Marketing, Shell Oman Marketing Company and Al Maha Petroleum — in the ﬁrst eleven months of this year, according to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. It said 11 licences were issued to LPG warehouses between January and November 2016 in the Governorates of Muscat, Al Dakhiliyah, North Al Batinah, North Al Sharqiyah and Al Buraimi. >B3

Unbeaten Assarain retain T20 crown Assarain capped another season of their dominance in the Oman Cricket Premier Division Twenty20 competition with back to back victories. After sealing the title with a comfortable victory over Enhance Oman on Friday, Assarain put an icing on the cake of their title celebrations with a comprehensive win over Muscat CT on Saturday. >C4

BUSINESS

Bond issue evokes tremendous response Oman’s central bank said bids worth OMR267.98 million were received against recently issued bonds worth OMR150 million. The average yield equivalent per cent to the accepted price was 5.57 per cent at a price of OMR99.47. >B3

INDIA

LIFESTYLE

Development and good governance have been ousted from Uttar Pradesh by the successive governments of BSP and SP and these will be brought back if BJP is voted to power, senior party leader and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Saturday here. Singh, while participating in the last of the party’s four ‘Parivartan Yatras’ which had started on November 5, said there were clear indications that people of the state want a change. >A8

A preoccupation with food becomes a way to gain control over one aspect of their lives. Although it may start out as simply eating a bit more or less than usual, the behaviour can spiral out of control and take over the person’s life. Eating disorders are a serious medical problem that can have longterm health consequences if left untreated. It’s common for people with eating disorders to hide their unhealthy behaviours, so it can be difficult to recognise the signs of an eating disorder, especially early on. Eating disorders are diseases that cause a lot of physical and emotional suffering but can be diagnosed and treated. >A14

BJP will bring back development, good governance to Uttar Pradesh: Rajnath

Table Wars: Battling Eating Disorders

CABLE

Don’t litter a beautiful country like OMAN.

Thanks for civil aviation meeting

Ensure proper disposal of garbage. MUSCAT: The chairpersons of the civil aviation authorities in the Arab countries who are members to the Executive Council of the Arab Civil Aviation Commission, their accompanying delegations and representatives of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, representatives of the Arab League and the representative of the Arab Civil Aviation Commission have sent a cable of thanks and gratitude to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said on the conclusion of the meeting . The 55th session of the Executive Council of the Arab Civil Aviation Commission hosted by the Sultanate, represented by the Public Authority for Civil Aviation was organised on 21 and 22 December. The participants thanked and praised the Almighty Allah for bestowing good health and wellbeing on His Majesty the Sultan and for the hospitality extended to them and praised the role of the Sultanate for the success of the meeting. The participants also reafﬁrmed the success of the 55th session of the Executive Council of the Arab Civil Aviation Commission which is reﬂected in the recommendations of the technical committees concerned with air transport, air navigation and air safety. -ONA

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016

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NEW AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTRE

Oman airspace can now handle 1,500 ﬂights TARIQ AL HAREMI

tariq@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Oman’s airspace will now be able to handle 1,500 ﬂights daily with the launch of the new air traffic control centre, said the chief of the Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA). The PACA launched the Muscat Air Traffic Control Centre on Thursday, under the auspices of Dr. Yahya bin Mahfouz Al Mantheri, head of the State Council, making it the biggest and technologically most advanced air control centre in the region, developed at a cost of OMR25 million. Dr. Mohammad bin Nasser Al Zaabi, the CEO of PACA, said with the new centre, the Sultanate would be able to handle 1,500 airEMPLOYEES’ INTERESTS

Trade union chief calls for dialogue to resolve disputes

Nabhan bin Ahmed Al Battashi

MUSCAT: Nabhan bin Ahmed Al Battashi, Chairman of the General Federation of Oman Trade Union (GFOTU), advocated that all segments of society should encourage the tripartite social dialogue among stakeholders, especially where employees’ interests are involved. The GFOTU, he added, was able to resolve many labourrelated problems and brought them many benefits through social dialogue. He hoped that necessary measures would be taken to find suitable solutions to all labour issues. He affirmed that the GFOTU always encourages dialogue among stakeholders on opposite sides in any dispute. Al Battashi pointed out that compared to Singapore’s experience, the tripartite stakeholders in the Sultanate need to believe in the importance of dialogue and grant certain powers to the GFOTU. He noted that the syndicate work in the Sultanate has been strong and progressed well, thanks to the cooperation extended by all stakeholders. As for the Omani Labour Law, the GFOTU Chairman noted that stakeholders have had a tripartite comprehensive social dialogue about this law and other parties should commit to the agreement reached during the dialogue. “The trade union experience in the Sultanate is still nascent. The GFOTU had been focussing on training the unions’ members. The Sultanate now has more than 236 trade unions with the number expected to reach 300 syndicates in 2018, the trend reflecting the growth in the key sectors and major organizations,” he added. In response to a question about establishing sectoral unions, Al Battashi pointed out that the law allows the setting up of sectoral unions which may act as the main arms for the GFOTU. This will reduce the pressure on GFOTU. As of now, there are a number of sectoral unions in various sectors, such as oil and gas, tourism, industry, education and construction. There are plans to set up unions for auto, retail and banks in the upcoming period. As for the challenges facing the GFOTU, Al Battashi named lack of awareness, reluctance of the other party to the syndicate’s work, legislation, working environment in the private sector and financial subsidy. “There is an investment plan to make the GFOTO self-sufficient in the future by allowing subscriptions. Currently, the government provides financial subsidy,” he concluded. -ONA

craft ﬂying in Omani airspace as it will enable a broader view of air traffic and facilitate managing the ﬂow of aircrafts more efficiently. “By launching this centre, the Sultanate will be able to handle more than 1,500 aircraft. Their number will increase by 11 per

cent each year based on the Omani airspace’s excellent astronomical position,” said Al Zaabi. “It connects the most important airports, including those in Australia, Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa,” he added, explaining the importance of the

Sultanate’s location. Considered the most advanced air control centre in the Middle East, it will be able to handle flights up to 47,000 feet (14 kilometres) using 34 screens measuring 56 inches, the largest of its kind deployed at air traffic control centres. Mohammad Khalifa Rahma, Regional Director of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Middle East Regional Office, said, “One of the challenges that the Middle East is facing is the congestion of air traffic. “With advancements in technology, we can ensure that all aircrafts are safe.” According to Rahma, currently 10 million passengers travel in 100,000 flights daily along international air routes.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016

OMAN

Passenger numbers at airports rise in 2016 Increases were recorded at all the airports of Oman

TARIQ ZIAD AL HAREMI

tariqh@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: All the airports in the Sultanate registered an increase in passenger numbers as of November-end, 2016, according to data with the Oman Airports Management Company. The Muscat International Airport recorded a 17 per cent increase in the number of passengers from the beginning of the year until the end of November 2016. Of these, 10,925,795 passengers passed through the airport, compared to 9,321,617 passengers during the same period last year. In November alone, 979,731 passengers passed through the capital’s airport compared to 854,644, reflecting a 15 per cent increase. Civil aircraft movements also increased to 8,751 in November 2016, 8 per cent up from 8,078 in the same month last year. It is worth mentioning that cargo and mail registered a 21 per cent increase in November when 14,105,541 kilogrammes of cargo landed in Muscat, compared to 11,616,179 kg in the same month last year. The Salalah Airport also witnessed a 17 per cent increase in total passenger movement between January and November 2016. A total of 1,105,897 passengers travelled through the airport, compared to 943,701 in 2015. A total of 88,477 passengers travelled through Salalah Airport in November alone, compared to 78,364 last year in the same month, thus accounting for a 13 per cent increase. Civil aircraft movement, however, fell by 2 per cent in November with 776 aircrafts travelling to Salalah, compared to 790 in 2015. The drop in aircraft movement is a result of the airlines now using larger aircrafts to transport more passengers in fewer flights. Total movement The Duqm Airport also witnessed an increase of 49 per cent in total passenger movement since the start of the year until the end of November 2016 with 22,304 passengers registered, compared to 14,921 for the same period last year. Civil aircraft movement during these eleven months remained stable with 374 aircrafts flying to Duqm.

Duqm Airport

OMAN AIRPORTS STATISTICS: NOVEMBER 2015-2016

Passengers

Flights

November

2015

2016

2015

2016

2,073

OAMC is managing and operating Muscat International and Salalah Airports, and the regional airport in Duqm

1,815 15%

-6%

Passengers

Flights

January - November January - November

2015

Key

The decrease in the number of ﬂights of the national carrier to Salalah is caused by bigger aircraft being deployed on the route.

Total number of passengers Civilian aircraft movements Cargo & mail (in kilogrammes)

14,921

2016

2015

2016

22,304

374

49%

Muscat International Airport Salalah Airport Passengers

Flights

Cargo

Passengers

Flights

Cargo

November

2015

2016

2015

2016

2015

8,078

8,751

11.62M

979,731 854,644

2016

2015

14.11M

15%

21%

Passengers

Flights

Cargo

78,364 88,477

January - November January - November January - November

2015

2016

2015

2016

2015

2016

9.32M 10.93M

86,780 94,230

123.17M 143.82M

17%

2015

2016

790

776

2015

2016

99,958 104,262

13%

-2%

Passengers

Flights

Cargo

January - November January - November January - November

2015

2016

2015

2016

2015

2016

943,701

1.11M

9,969

9,463

1.45M

1.24M

17%

-5%

H E A LT H AWA R E N E S S

‘Not Alone’ convoy discusses stress, bullying and mental health DEEBA HASAN

deeba@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Participants in the Whispers of Serenity’s first ‘Not Alone’ convoy discussed bullying, stress and mental health first aid at the Omani Women’s Association in Seeb recently. Schoolgirls, women from the neighbourhood and members of the Omani Women’s Association (OWA) in Seeb participated in the sessions that discussed a range of issues concerning mental health. “The aim of this convoy is to reach those who can’t otherwise come to us for therapy and counselling. There is still so much stigma attached to this issue and it is hard for people to even acknowledge that they may be struggling with certain areas in their life,” said Her Highness Sayyida Basma Al Said, mental health expert and Owner and Founder of the Whispers of Serenity Clinic. The panel was headed by Her Highness Sayyida Basma, and Her Highness Her Highness Dr. Sayyida Taghreed Al Said from the Sultan Qaboos University’s Department of Education and founder of ‘My Book and Me’. “Our kick off convoy for ‘Not Alone’ was really nice. The topics were very interesting, and we talked about bullying in case of children, stress in case of kids, about ‘Psychological and mental health first aid for all,’ the theme set by the World Health Organisation for this year. “The panel had experts from different fields who made it all the more valuable, but I must say I would have liked it if there was more participation from males. We are looking forward to the rest of the convoys to have that kind

of participation. “Our volunteers played a huge role in organising things. They are also learning a lot and we hope that our next stop at Musandam turns out to be as successful or even better with more male participation. “The participants asked a lot about bullying, dealing with envy, ways to be positive, dealing with teachers who they feel are bullying their children, dealing with anxiety and depression. We talked about creating a mental health first aid box, which is something we started speaking of only recently.” Fatma, who heads the medical committee at the OWA in Seeb, was appreciative of the awareness sessions, and hailed the role of the clinic and the volunteers in trying to spread awareness about mental health issues. “I think it was a wonderful session. We did have some serious discussions on things which bother us and this was an open platform for such talks. “We also received the right kind of advice from the panellists. We will now try and do our part by coordinating with local women and clinics for treating cases of mental health.” All the participants, including the school children, were made to fill out a form which will help bring out any mental health issue they might be facing. Badriya Al Owaisi, a senior member at the OWA Seeb, said she was very satisfied about the open discussions and would like to see more such events happening in the country. “We learnt about dealing with bullying in school. Now we can go to our children and speak to them about these issues and ways to overcome them.”

-14%

Source: Airport Statistics 2014-2015, Oman Airports Managment Company

Graphics

Oman Airports Managment Company is a government-owned company, responsible for the management and operation of the civilian airports in the Sultanate of Oman. The infrastructure of the airports such as the terminal buildings, cargo buildings, runways, aprons, car parking and other facilities are directly under the OAMC’s management.

OUR PURPOSE

2015, Airport Excellence, New Salalah Airport (OAMC)

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OUR VISION “To be among the top 20 airports of the world by 2020”

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CONCERN: Schoolgirls, women from the neighbourhood and members of the Omani Women’s Association (OWA) in Seeb participated in the sessions that discussed a range of issues concerning mental health.

RE-ISSUANCE

Ruwi Hotel is all set New rules make it easier for divorced, separated Indians to get passport to welcome 2017 Staff Reporter MUSCAT: Ruwi Hotel is all set to welcome 2017 with a gala dinner and a live musical show. Sri Lankan band “Balalaika” will be performing live at the Ruwi Hotel in Muscat as part of the 2017 New Year celebrations on December 31. The band, comprising three male artistes and one female artiste, will play western and Bollywood songs. “Their special feature, the Great Indian Tabla fusion music, will entertain you,”

the hotel officials said. “A gala dinner will also be served during the New Year celebrations on the hotel’s pool terrace,” the officials added. The Ruwi Hotel, Muscat, is located in the heart of the city, overlooking the capital’s main business and banking district. Renowned as one of the best 3-star hotels in Muscat, Ruwi Hotel is managed by the Aitken Spence Hotels portfolio and has a reputation for friendly services offering its clientele a whole range of facilities.

C U LT U R E , A R T S A N D L I T E R AT U R E

Board of trustees meeting convened MUSCAT: Sultan Qaboos Award for Culture, Arts and Literature’s Board of Trustees held its ﬁrst meeting on Thursday under the chair of Sayyid Khalid bin Hilal bin Saud Al Busaidi, Minister of the Diwan of Royal Court, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at his office in Muscat. Sayyid Al Busaidi welcomed the members at the beginning of the meeting, wishing them success in the coming tasks, hoping for collaboration of efforts in a

bid to upgrade the precious award to achieve its goals and the Royal vision of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said since its inception. The meeting reviewed the history of the award, its ﬁelds, the winners and the accompanying cultural events and media campaigns during previous sessions. The meeting discussed the board’s responsibilities, and the work mechanism in the future in preparation for the sixth session of 2017 Year Award. —ONA

REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Indians born before January 26 1989 no longer have to submit birth certificates as proof of date of birth while applying for passports, the new passport rules say. “The applicants can take passports by submitting either birth certificate or PAN Card, Aadhar Card, Driving License, Election Identity card,” the new rules say. According to the statutory provisions of passport rules, 1980, all applicants born after 26/01/1989 have to submit a birth certificate in order to receive their passports. The minister of state for external affairs, General VK Singh (retd), announced the new rules. Another key step aimed at simplifying the process is that attestation by magistrate or notary will no longer be necessary. Self declaration on plain paper will do. Single parents, divorced or separated people and adopted children also stand to benefit from the changes. Singh said the changes had been introduced after the government accepted the report of a three-member panel tasked with examining issues relating to cases where the mother or child did not want the father’s name mentioned, children of single parents and adopted children. Officials from the MEA and women and child development ministry were on the

NO SUBSTITUTE REQUIRED: According to new rules, Indians born before January 26, 1989 no longer have to submit birth certiﬁcates as proof of date of birth while applying for passports.

panel. The online passport application form now requires the applicant to provide the name of only one parent. Married applicants won’t be required to furnish a marriage certiﬁcate. For domestically adopted children, there will no need to submit a registered adoption deed. The applicant may give a declaration conﬁrming the adoption. The number of annexes prescribed in the Passport Rules, 1980, has been trimmed from 15 to

nine. The foreign ministry said the change in rules would enable it to deliver passport-related services in a timely, transparent and more accessible manner. The rules also have a provision for government employees who are not able to a get no objection certiﬁcate from their employer but need to get the passport urgently. They can get the passport by submitting self-declaration papers informing that they have sent a prior intimation letter to the employer.

Minister Singh launched a Twitter service for quicker resolution of visa and passport queries. The handle will be supported by 198 Twitter accounts of Indian missions abroad and 29 regional passport offices. The new passport rules were reportedly formulated on the basis of a report of a three-member committee. The committee was comprised of officials of the MEA and the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

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Omani band gets praise at Ohio show

Two members of Red Khanjers performed at the Ohio University campus as part of Oman’s 46th National Day celebrations

Staff Reporter MUSCAT: Two members of Red Khanjers, a musical band based in Oman, performed at the Ohio University campus as part of Oman’s 46th National Day celebrations, as audiences immersed in the multi-cultural and multilingual musical strains. “It was only a 90-minute performance. But our intonations, passionate renditions and rhythmic beats wowed the audience,” Haitham Al Balushi, the lead vocalist of Red Khanjer, said. Adjudged the winner of Muscat Idol 2012 and Muscat Icon 2013, Haitham is at ease with any musical piece. He has done many LARGEST REPOSITORY

SQU medical journal indexed by US library Times News Service MUSCAT: A medical journal by the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) has been officially indexed by the United States National Library of Medicine for the MEDLINE/PubMed database. The journal is an internationally peer-reviewed multi-disciplinary medical journal, published quarterly. It aims to be an internationally recognised regional medium of biomedical communication, encourage medical research and publication in Oman and create awareness among health professionals in Oman and beyond. The database is the largest repository of life sciences and biomedical articles in the world and comprises more than 26 million citations. The National Library of Medicine is the largest library in the world and indexes only those journals which meet their rigorous high standards, conform to best practices and consistently publish high-quality scientiﬁc content. There are currently only 5,634 journals worldwide indexed for MEDLINE and SQU medical journal is the ﬁrst journal in Oman to have achieved this milestone. The decision by the National Library of Medicine to index the medical journal is a tremendous achievement for the journal, the Sultan Qaboos University and the entire country and is indicative of the substantial progress the journal has made over the last several years.

shows in Dubai, Bahrain and Kuwait and has proved his mettle in music. His father, Mohammed Raﬁ, is a well-known singer in Oman and his sister, Asma Mohammed Raﬁ, wowed Zee TV viewers in the Music Competition Sa Re Ga Ma 2009. Santrupth G.R.Vedanti, who

accompanied Haitham to Ohio as acoustic drummer, said performing in Ohio was an exciting experience. “I was a little worried about performing in Ohio, but we did well and the audience encouraged us with their applause,” Santrupth said. “Moreover, I felt elated while performing on Oman’s National Day in Ohio,” Santrupth added. Santrupth achieved Grade 8 in Drums from the Trinity College of Music, London. A student of Class X, Santrupth has played with Gino Banks, Dilip Doshi and Arun Kumar, the renowned trio from the world of drumming. Santrupth has also performed with A.R.Rahman and has successfully completed a programme at Berklee College of Music, Boston in the US. Red Khanjers was formed in 2015. Homogeneity in their ensemble has enabled them to strike powerful chords in music. Their strong forte lies in their endeavour to spread music far and wide. Their musical scores are in English, Hindi and Arabic languages.

OMAN YOUR BIGGEST ROAD HAZARD IS IN YOUR HAND A TIMES OF OMAN HANDS-FREE DRIVING INITIATIVE

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016

OMAN EXCELLENT SERVICE

TWO BOAT CRASH VICTIMS RESCUED, SEARCH ON FOR THIRD Two people injured in a boat crash were rescued while divers are searching for another sailor who had gone missing after the incident in Khasab, the Public Authority of Civil Defence and Ambulance (PACDA) reported on Friday night. The search operation resumed on Saturday after it was suspended on Friday evening, the PACDA said. — PACDA

HONOUR: The excellent service and Royal commendation medals were conferred at Bait Al Falaj Camp by Sayyid Badr bin Saud bin Harib Al Busaidi, Minister Responsible for Defence Affairs. -ONA

HM confers medals on officers, soldiers MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, conferred the excellent service and royal commendation medals on commissioned and noncommissioned officers and personnel at the Ministry of Defence, the Sultan’s Armed Forces (SAF) and the Royal Guard of Oman (RGO) in appreciation for their dedication in serving their country and carrying out the sacred national duty. The excellent service and Royal commendation medals were conferred at Bait Al Falaj Camp by Sayyid Badr bin Saud bin Harib Al Busaidi, Minister Responsible for Defence Affairs. Sayyid Badr congratulated the officers and personnel for this Royal honouring. He urged them

to exert more efforts to develop this dear country under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. The medals presentation ceremony was attended by Lt.Gen Ahmed bin Harith Al Nabhani, SAF Chief of Staff, Maj.Gen Mattar bin Salim Al Balushi, Commander of the Royal Army of Oman (RAO), Air Vice Marshal Mattar bin Ali Al Obaidani, Commander of the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO), Rear Admiral Abdullah bin Khamis Al Ra’eesi, Commander of the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO), Maj.Gen Salim bin Musallam Qatan, Commandant of the National Defence College and Brigadier Mohammed bin Yousef Al Harthy, Senior Staff Officer at the RGO. -ONA

Creative artworks on display in Sohar The exhibition saw the participation of 31 artists and around 70 artworks have been displayed

SOHAR: An exhibition for its members was organised by the Fine Arts Division in the Wilayat of Sohar. The organisation is affiliated to the Omani Society for Fine Arts at the Sultan Qaboos Centre for Culture and Arts. The function was organised under the auspices of His Highness Sayyid Fatik bin Fahar Al Said, Secretary General of the Ministry of Heritage and Culture in the presence of Sheikh Mohana bin Saif Al Lamki, Governor of North Al Batinah. The exhibition saw the participation of 31 artists and around 70 artworks have been displayed.

ON DISPLAY: The function was organised under the auspices of His Highness Sayyid Fatik bin Fahar Al Said, Secretary General of the Ministry of Heritage and Culture. – ONA

The artworks covered all fine arts spheres, including photography, acrylic art, drawing, engraving, pottery work and other works. Sayyid Fatik said that the opening of the second exhibition has introduced creative artwork of the members of the fine arts division in Sohar. The exhibition reflected the

tremendous efforts of the participants, he added. Khalifa bin Mohammed Al Balushi, administrator at the Omani Society for Fine Arts spoke on the signiﬁcance of the ﬁne arts division and its efforts since inception. He also pointed to the role it plays in execution of the pro-

grammes and activities of concern to the members. The chief guest honoured the participants and those who contributed to the success of the event. It is worth mentioning that the exhibition would continue until December 27 and would be open for the public from 8am to 8pm every day. —ONA

RISING NUMBERS

< FROM

A1 ‘Bangladesh workers cheaper compared to other expatriates’ A large number of the Bangladeshis who come to Oman earn a salary of around OMR90 to OMR100 a month. “In this salary range, it is hard to hire people from other countries. It is one reason more Bangladeshis are coming to Oman,” Zahed Ahmad said. OCCI member Ahmed Al Hooti said Bangladeshis are overtaking Indians in numbers since it is hard to find Indians for small jobs. “Indians are now looking for mid-level jobs. Bangladeshi workers are filling that gap in the agriculture sector and in small scale industries. So, most of the companies are hiring people from Bangladesh,” he said. Mohammed Shafiqul Islam Bhuiyan, president of the Bangladesh Social Club, said most of the Bangladeshis coming to the Sultanate work in sectors like construction, agriculture, household and restaurants. “Efforts by the Bangladesh government to promote migration are adding to the Bangladeshi

An analysis of the data indicates that expat numbers in case of communities other than the Bangladeshis are not rising at the same pace

migrant workers’ number in the Sultanate. Moreover, Oman now needs more manpower for a number of projects. As our people are capable of taking up the responsibility, they are being preferred,” he said. Dr Sathish Nambiar, the Indian Social Club chairman, said a lot of Indians now prefer to work in India as economic conditions back

home are improving. “Besides, salaries are increasing to a level on a par with other countries, and hence, they are migrating less,” he told the Times of Oman. As per the NCSI data, in contrast to other expatriate workers, those with only preparatory level education are topping the list. The NCSI’s recent data revealed that 670,750 expatriates out of 1,845,384 only had preparatory level education. An analysis of this data indicated that expat numbers in case of communities other than Bangladeshis are not rising at the same pace. For instance, in the last 11 months, the number of Pakistanis coming to Oman has largely remained stable. In December 2015, the number of Pakistanis stood at 220,112 while the number at the end of November 2016 stood at 231,685. The other main expat communities in Oman are Ethiopians, Indonesians, Filipinos, Egyptians, Nepalese and Sri Lankans.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016

REGION Iraqis celebrate first Christmas near Mosul

EGYPT

Military accounts for 1.5-2 per cent of economy: Sisi CAIRO: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi said on Saturday that the military’s economic activity accounted for no more than 2 per cent of the country’s output, dismissing suggestions that the military could control as much as half of the economy. Speaking at an event celebrating the expansion of a military-owned company, Sisi said the military made up 1.5-2 per cent of economic output which he said was 3-4 trillion Egyptian pounds ($160 billion-$213 billion). That would put the military’s share of economic activity at between $2.39 billion and $4.26 billion. “It has been said that the military’s economy is worth 20 or even 50 per cent of the economy. I wish. We have nothing to hide; the military accounts for between 1.5 to 2 per cent of the economy,” Sisi said,

FIRST TIME AFTER IS PUSHED OUT: Iraqis hold candles as they celebrate Christmas Eve at the Mar Shemoni church in the town of Bartella east of Mosul, on Saturday. – Reuters

Once home to thousands of Assyrian Christians, Bartella emptied in August 2014 when it fell to IS’s blitz across large parts of Iraq and neighbouring Syria

BARTELLA (IRAQ): Several hundred Iraqi Christians flocked on Saturday to a northern town recently retaken from IS, celebrating Christmas for the first time since 2013, their joy tainted with sadness over the desecration of their church. Once home to thousands of Assyrian Christians, Bartella emptied in August 2014 when it fell to IS’s blitz across large parts of Iraq and neighbouring Syria. Iraqi forces took it back in the first few days of the US-backed offensive that started in October. Women holding candles ululated as they went into the town’s Mar Shimoni church, expressing their joy at returning to the place where many of

them said they had been baptised. “This is the best day of my life. Sometimes I thought it would never come,” said Shurook Tawﬁq, a 32-year-old housewife displaced to the nearby Kurdish city of Erbil. The church was badly damaged during IS’s time in control of the town, with crosses taken down, statues of saints defaced and the chancel burnt. A new cross has been affixed on top of the chapel, while a decorated plastic Christmas tree now stands near the massive gate. Soldiers stood guard nearby and others were posted on rooftops. A peal of festive bells rang out over the town, which is still

largely empty, with many houses reduced to rubble by the fighting that raged two months ago. “It is a mix of sadness and happiness,” Bishop Mussa Shemani told Reuters before celebrating the Christmas Eve Mass. “We are sad to see what has been done to our holiest places by our own countrymen, but at the same time we are happy to celebrate the first Mass after two years.” The region of Nineveh is one of the most ancient settlements of Christianity, going back nearly 2,000 years. At Mar Shimoni, the congregation sang and prayed in Syriac, a language close to the one spoken by Jesus. “It’s the church where I was baptised, where I was educated, where I was taught the faith,” said Bahnam Shamanny, the editor of Bartelli Al Syriann, a monthly local newspaper. IS targeted all groups living under its rule and inflicted harsh punishment who would not abide by its extreme interpretation of religion. The region’s minorities were given an ultimatum: pay a tax, convert, or die by the sword. Most of them fled to the autono-

SYRIA

JUBILANT: A Syrian man gestures in the former rebel-held Salaheddin district in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on Friday after Syrian government forces retook control of the whole embattled city. – AFP

Turkey-backed rebels kill 68 IS militants near Al Bab ANKARA: Syrian rebels backed by Turkish warplanes killed 68 IS militants in northern Syria overnight, the Turkish military said on Saturday, as intense ﬁghting around the town of Al Bab continued. Rebels supported by Turkish troops have laid siege to the ISheld town for weeks under the “Euphrates Shield” operation launched by Turkey nearly four months ago to sweep the hardliners and Kurdish ﬁghters from its Syrian border. Fighting around Al Bab has escalated this week with Turkish

soldiers and 138 militants killed in clashes on Wednesday in the deadliest day since the start of Turkey’s Syrian incursion. Sixty-eight IS militants have been “neutralised” in ﬁghting and air strikes near Al Bab since Friday night, the military said in a statement. A total of 141 IS targets were hit in the attacks and one of its military headquarters was destroyed, the military said, adding that two of the Turkish-backed rebel ﬁghters had been killed and one wounded. Defence Minister Fikri Isik said on Friday that the area

around a hospital used as a command centre and ammunition depot by IS had been cleared of militants, marking a breakthrough for the rebels. Speaking in Kocaeli province, near Istanbul, Isik also said authorities had information three Turkish soldiers had been captured by IS but nothing else had been conﬁrmed. IS in Syria released a video on Thursday purporting to show two captured Turkish soldiers being burned to death, according to the US-based SITE Intelligence Group which monitors militant groups online. — Reuters

mous Kurdish region, across the Zab river to the east. It will be some time before people can return and start repairing their houses as the town lacks services and the whole area remains a war zone. “The whole town would have come to the church if they had the means,” said Shamanny. Those who attended the Mass came in a special convoy of buses from Erbil. The front line in the battle has moved to Mosul, IS’s last major stronghold in Iraq, 13 kilometres (8 miles) to the west. There, militants are dug in among civilians, ﬁghting off the advance of elite Iraqi units with suicide car bombs, mortars and snipers. More than one million people are estimated to live in areas of the city that remain under militant control, complicating the war plans of the Iraqi army and the US-led coalition providing air and ground support. “This is a dark cloud over Iraq,” Bishop Shemani told the assembly in his Christmas Eve sermon in Bartella. “But we will stay here in our land no matter what happens. God is with us.” — Reuters

adding that the military paid taxes on all projects and that they were subject to regulations and auditing. “We would love for it to be 50 per cent.” Sisi, a former general who took office in 2014, has promised to revive the economy, which has struggled since a 2011 uprising scared away investors and tourists, Egypt’s main sources of foreign currency. He has called in the military to assist in major infrastructure projects and with distribution of subsidised commodities to keep a lid on rising prices amid an acute shortage of dollars. The economic weight of the military, which produces everything from bottled water to macaroni, has long been a topic of speculation in Egypt but official comment on the scope of its economic activities is rare. — Reuters

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016 On one side are the one per cent rich comprising 50 families who have private aircraft and big buildings and on other side, there are 99 per cent honest people of India — the farmers, labourers and the middle class who built this country with their sweat and blood. You tried to divide the people of the country Rahul Gandhi, Congress vice president

INDIA

Dishonest to face ruin after December 30, warns Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi said after 50 days (from November 8), the troubles of honest people will start to reduce and the problems of dishonest people will begin to increase

MUMBAI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday warned of ruin for the dishonest after the expiry of December 30 deadline for depositing scrapped currency and said they should not underestimate the mood of the country against corruption. “Dishonest people, you should not underestimate the mood of 125 crore people. You will have to be afraid of it... Time has come for ruin of dishonest people. This is a cleanliness campaign,” Modi said. “After 50 days (from November 8), the troubles of honest people will start to reduce and the problems of dishonest people will begin to increase,” Modi said. The prime minister was addressing a gathering at MMRDA ground in the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) here after laying foundation of various big ticket infrastructure projects. Corruption “We took a big decision against black money and corruption on November 8 and 125 crore Indians endured pain but did not stop sup-

SPELLING OUT: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the two metro corridors and other projects, at Bandra Kurla Complex, in Mumbai on Saturday. - PTI

Note ban ‘ﬁrebombing’ on cash economy, poor: Rahul DHARAMSALA: Escalating the attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over demonetisation, Rahul Gandhi on Saturday accused him of dividing the country between the rich and the poor and dubbed the move as “ﬁrebombing” on cash economy and farmers and labourers. Addressing a public rally here, the Congress vice president said the prime minister with his note ban decision has removed the “hat” of Himachal Pradesh as it has hit hard the state’s

porting me. I want to assure people of the country that this battle won’t end till we win it,” he said. Hitting out at parties opposing demonetisation, he said, “this is not a simple battle. Those who

horticulture, agriculture and tourism sectors. “Himachal’s brave soldiers carried out the surgical strikes, but Modiji thought of launching a new drama. He launched the surgical strike on corruption. “On one side the brave give away their blood and life, but here he did surgical strike on black money and corruption. Modiji this is not a surgical strike on black money and corruption. This is a ﬁrebombing and economic-bombing on the poor, farmers and labourers,”

have consumed malai (cream) did not leave any stone unturned to foil this (demonetisation).” “The corrupt have made all efforts to defeat the decision (demonetisation). They even thought

he said. Accusing Modi of dividing the country between the rich and the poor, Rahul said, “Modiji you have tried to divide India into two parts.” “On one side are the one per cent rich comprising 50 families who have private aircraft and big buildings and on other side, there are 99 per cent honest people of India — the farmers, labourers and the middle class who built this country with their sweat and blood. You tried to divide the people of the country,” he said. -PTI

of managing bank officials to get their black money converted into white. And that’s how many of them got caught,” he said. “I said there will be pain for 50 days (after demonetisation an-

nouncement),” he said, adding people are ready to bear the pain in the country’s interest. “People have borne the troubles in the country’s interest and are willing to do so in future too,” the PM said. Modi alleged that those who beneﬁted from corruption during the earlier regimes “in last 70 years” did all they could to ensure the demonetisation move by him does not work. “Those who are used to a certain type corrupt practices for last 70 years, will have to pay the price of their acts,” he said. “Time has changed and after a gap of 30 years, a government with full mandate is in power. One should not forget it. The country will change, will move forward and will hold its head high before the world,” the PM said. Modi, who earlier laid the foundation of the Shivaji Maharaj memorial off Mumbai coast, said the Maratha king was a multi-faceted personality “which inspires us” “I am grateful to the Maharashtra government that I got the chance to perform jalpujan of Shivaji Maharaj,” the PM said. When the memorial is complete, people will admire the iconic building, he said, adding Shivaji Maharaj “is an inspiration for all of us” and remains a torch bearer of good governance. “If India is projected in the right manner, it has the potential to attract global tourism,” he said. “After independence, had we adopted the path of development, the problems we face today wouldn’t have been there,” Modi said. Development should be sustainable and should help the poor realise their dreams, Modi said. The PM also dwelt on the various development initiatives of his government. “Our efforts is to ensure affordable medicine to the poor. When we came to power, there were 18,000 villages without power. We decided to provided electricity to them in 1000 days,” Modi said. - PTI

A S S E M B LY P O L L S

BJP will bring back development to UP: Rajnath LUCKNOW: Development and good governance have been ousted from Uttar Pradesh by the successive governments of BSP and SP and these will be brought back if BJP is voted to power, senior party leader and Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Saturday here. Singh, while participating in the last of the party’s four ‘Parivartan Yatras’ which had started on November 5, said there were clear indications that people of the state want a change. The north Indian state is currently ruled by Samajwadi Party and the next Assembly elections are due in few months. “Development and good governance which were exiled by the SP and BSP will be brought back through the BJP government after the coming Assembly polls in the state,” said the Lok Sabha member from Lucknow. “Parivartan yatras are ending in Lucknow..I too have got a chance to take part in public meetings during the yatras..on the basis of the information I have got from different sources, I can say that the amount of love people of UP have given to these yatras had never come BJP’s way in any of the yatras in the past,” he said. He added, “The surging crowds in these yatras have clealy indicated that people of the state want a change.” Justifying demonetisation, Singh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi took this decision in national interest and increased its respect at the global level. Accompanied by drum beaters and slogan shouting supporters, the yatra took form of a road show in the state capital on Saturday. The yatra which touched all the 403 assembly segments of the state covered a distance of more than 17,162 km. Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati and Congress termed BJP yatras as ‘divert attention yatras’ from the “unfulﬁlled promises” of the BJP. - PTI

MUMBAI

Two drown as boat capsizes in lake MUMBAI: Two persons drowned while another went missing after their boat capsized in Powai lake here, police said on Saturday. The incident took place on Friday night. Eight persons had ventured into the lake in the boat, on which they were partying. Five persons were rescued after the boat capsized, they said. The deceased have been identi-

ﬁed as Mehamood Rasool Khan (44) and Atik Latif Khan (22). Their bodies were ﬁshed out of the lake on Saturday evening and sent for postmortem. Rescue operation launched Search was going on for 27-yearold Dinesh Bhoir, Bhai Mahadeshwar, senior inspector of Powai police station said. The incident took place

when the boat hit the rock and tipped over. Only two of the eight persons managed to reach shore. A rescue operation was launched by the police and ﬁre brigade with the help of locals, he said. As per the officer, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Navy divers were roped in for the rescue operation. - PTI

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PAKISTAN

Pakistan politics heats up after Zardari returns from ‘exile’ Zardari landed at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport on Friday ending his 18-month-long selfimposed exile

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s former president Asif Ali Zardari has returned to the country, ending his 18-month- long self-imposed exile, amidst speculations about his future role in the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which has threatened a major protest against the Nawaz Sharif government.

HOMECOMING: Asif Ali Zardari, centre, (in traditional cap), former president of Pakistan and co-chairman of Pakistan People’s Party, gestures to his supporters after returning from Dubai, at the airport’s old Jinnah terminal in Karachi, on Friday. - Reuters

The party has asked the government to change the interior minister and appoint a full-time foreign minister, among other demands, before December 27 or face street demonstrations. So far, none of the demands have

been fulﬁlled. Zardari landed at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport on Friday afternoon and later addressed a huge rally criticising Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. But local media was not sure about the role of Zardari who with

B A L O C H I S TA N

REPORT

US approves sale of night vision equipment to Pakistan ISLAMABAD: The US Department of Defence has awarded a $284.6 million contract to Lockheed Martin to produce infrared target sight systems for the US Navy and Pakistan, a media report said on Saturday. The system will be used for the AH-1Z Cobra attack helicopters, which have proved very effective in combats against militants, particularly in difficult terrains. In the US, the AH-1Z Cobra attack helicopter is used by US Marine Corps expeditionary forces, the Dawn reported. The TSS incorporates a thirdgeneration forward-looking infrared sensor that provides target sighting in day, night, or adverse weather conditions. A Pentagon press release describes the TSS system as a largeaperture mid-wave forward-looking infrared sensor with a laser designator/rangeﬁnder turret. It provides the capability to identify and laser-designate targets at maximum weapon range,

his son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is the co-chairman of the PPP which is the largest opposition party and also rules province of Sindh. “Will Zardari take back the reins of PPP? Will he change the party’s strategy in dealing with the ruling PML-N? Will his son take the back seat? These are the questions making the rounds in political circles as Zardari returned to Karachi,” the Express Tribune reported. The answer to all these questions is ‘no’. This is at least what the Express Tribune has learnt from top PPP officials in background interviews. They say Bilawal will remain the face of the party, while Zardari will act as a ‘patriarch’. Zardari, known for his wheeling and dealing, will use his political acumen to win over other political groups with his quintessential policy of political reconciliation. The objective will be to improve

The government of Pakistan will pay about 12 per cent of the total cost through an arrangement with the US under the Foreign Military Sales programme

signiﬁcantly enhancing platform survivability and lethality. The company’s Orlando-based missile and ﬁre control unit will produce the sight system in Orlando and Ocala, Florida, through January 2022 for the US Navy and Pakistan under the foreign military sales portion of the award, the paper said, citing the Pentagon release. The contract has a base value of $150.96 million but its accumulative cost would go up to $284.6 million. The government of Pakistan will pay about 12 per cent of the total cost through an arrange-

ment with the US under the Foreign Military Sales programme. In January, Lockheed Martin received a smaller contract of $14 million to provide the same target system for Pakistan. The contracts include software development and testing, system modiﬁcation, and installation requirements to integrate the TSS into the Cobra helicopters. The TSS provides target information and tracking data for the helicopter, in addition to passive targeting for integrated weapons. Work on the ﬁrst contract, performed in Florida, would be completed by December 2017. - PTI

Nine children die of measles QUETTA: At least nine children, including four girls, died as a new wave of measles hit Balochistan’s Zhob district on Saturday. District Vice Chairman Zhob district Maulvi Jarullah said that the disease broke out in the Tansara Union Council and affected the areas of Bayan Zai, Zakariya Zai and Kakshaim. Immediate measures are required to contain the epidemic, he added. District Health Ofﬁcer (DHO) Zhob Dr Muzaffar Shah also conﬁrmed the spread of the disease. Earlier, provincial secretary health Noorul Haq Baloch dispatched teams of experts to the affected district. - Express Tribune

the party’s numerical strength in the legislatures of smaller provinces in the next general elections. Bilawal, meanwhile, would continue to take on political rivals aggressively, mainly in Punjab, the province which decides who will rule in the Centre as almost half of the members of the National Assembly are elected from here. Public perception of Zardari is not good. And the PPP, which is evolving under Bilawal, knows it full well. This was the reason PPP’s inner circles had weighed the pros and cons of Zardari’s homecoming, it said. Some political analysts, however, see Zardari’s return in the backdrop of the change in the military’s high-command. Before leaving the country in June last year, Zardari had made a hard-hitting speech at a function in Islamabad. Apparently, his target was the powerful military establishment, especially the then

army chief, General Raheel Sharif. It was reported that Zardari was angered by the Rangers’ actions against PPP leaders as part of the operation in Karachi. Zardari was quick to call up the new army chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, to felicitate him soon after he had received the baton of command from Gen Raheel last month. Insiders say the PPP is in the process of deﬁning Zardari’s new role as the ‘patriarch’ of the party to beneﬁt from his political acumen while he stays behind the scenes. “He would be particularly helpful in consolidating PPP’s position in the smaller provinces. The party wants to utilise his experience in traditional politics,” says a senior PPP leader. Zardari would leave Punjab to an increasingly aggressive Bilawal. He has already delegated the party’s organisational matters to his son, he said. - PTI

A 10

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016

WORLD D E AT H I N C U S T O D Y

SANTA FEEDS FISH A diver dressed in Santa Claus costume feeds animals at an aquarium ahead of Christmas day in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, China, on Saturday. — Reuters

China drops charges against policemen SHANGHAI: Chinese prosecutors have dropped charges against five policemen following the death of an environmentalist in custody in May, the official China Daily said on Saturday, a case that sparked public disquiet about China’s law enforcement methods. Lei Yang, 29, was arrested in a massage parlour as part of a police operation against prostitution and died hours later after choking on his own vomit. While no charges will be pressed against the police officers, the Beijing People’s Procuratorate accepted they used excessive force to arrest Lei, and ruled that their misconduct had a “direct causal relationship” with his death, the China Daily said. The officers also failed to perform emergency lifesaving procedures or take Lei to hospital and obstructed an enquiry by falsifying evidence, but prosecutors ruled that their misdemeanours were “minor”. Four of the suspects had been released on bail, while a fifth remained in custody, the newspaper said. It cited Beijing police as saying that the five officers would be punished in accordance with regulations. The case sparked a public outcry earlier this year when Lei’s wife cast doubt on the results of a police investigation into her husband’s death. — Reuters

TRAINING AND TESTING MISSION

Drill by China’s aircraft carrier BEIJING: China’s ﬁrst aircraft carrier has carried out exercises in the Yellow Sea, amid increasing tensions between Beijing and Washington over Taiwan and the disputed South China Sea. A naval formation consisting of aircraft carrier Liaoning, several destroyers and frigates was on training and testing missions last week, state-run Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday,

quoting military officials. The activities involved several J-15 carrier-borne jets and helicopters. J-15 is the new ﬁghter jet being developed by China to operate from the deck of the carrier. On Friday, several J-15 took off from the Liaoning, carrying out assignments including air refuelling and air confrontation in the Yellow Sea. The training was guided by the People’s Liberation Army

(PLA) Navy Commander Wu Shengli. The training “strengthened the synergy among different vessels in the formation and reﬁned its overall capability,” he said. The training and tests were normal arrangements in accordance with annual plan made by the navy. Since it was commissioned in 2012, the Liaoning has been carrying out the training and tests steadily. — PTI

South Koreans rally, demand Park to resign About 200 young people dressed as Santa Claus gave out gifts to some of around 200,000 people taking part in the rally UP IN ARMS: A child sits on his father’s shoulder holds a candlelight at a protest in Seoul, South Korea, on Saturday. – Reuters

SEOUL: A large crowd of South Koreans took to the streets of central Seoul on Saturday for the ninth weekend in a row to demand the immediate resignation of President Park Geun-hye, who has been impeached by parliament over a corruption scandal. About 200 young people dressed as Santa Claus gave out gifts to some of around 200,000 people taking part in the rally, many of whom brought their children. Like previous rallies, the event was held in a festive mood, with music and speeches from a stage set up in a large square a few blocks from the presidential Blue House. “It’ll be a Merry Christmas if Park Geun-hye steps down!” the crowd chanted. Park Chans, a 25-yearold office worker in a Santa costume, said the aim was to see the

end of Park’s presidency and bring in a new year for the country with those accused of corruption being held responsible. “I hope that in the new year, this country will be a better to place to live for the youth,” he said. Earlier on Saturday, a special prosecutor probing the scandal summoned a friend of Park at the centre of the crisis, Choi Soonsil, for questioning on charges including bribery and embezzlement, according to an official. Choi and former presidential aides were charged in November with abuse of power and fraud, but Park has immunity from prosecution as long as she is in office even though her powers are suspended. The special prosecutor, with

a large team of investigators, has taken over the investigation from government prosecutors and is likely to probe the role of Park and others who have yet to be indicted in the case. “The charges in the indictment (against Choi) are but a very small part of the 14 points under investigation by the special prosecutor,” said Lee Kyu-chul, a spokesman for the team. Choi will be questioned on charges of bribery and transferring embezzled assets abroad, Lee told a brieﬁng. Choi, wearing a grey prison uniform and a surgical mask, was brought in to the special prosecutor’s office from a jail where she is in detention, pushed by a throng of correctional officers through a media scrum. — Reuters

A 12

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016

WORLD High alert in Europe on Christmas after truck attack in Berlin market In France, Britain and Germany, which have all been targets of militant attacks, police increased their presence at tourist spots in major cities and other densely populated areas

ROME: Security was heightened for the Christmas weekend in Italy and at the Vatican on Saturday after Italian police killed the man believed to be responsible for the Berlin market truck attack while other European cities kept forces on high alert. In France, Britain and Germany, which have all been targets of militant attacks, police increased their presence at tourist spots in major cities and other densely populated areas. Anis Amri, a 24-year-old Tunisian suspected of carrying out the truck attack which killed 12 people, was shot dead in a town near Milan early on Friday after he pulled a gun on police during a routine check. He had travelled undetected to Italy from Germany via France, taking advantage of Europe’s open-border Schengen pact. As investigators sought to determine if Amri had accomplices in Italy, and associates were being arrested in his home country of Tunisia, national security officials in Italy beefed up security at sensitive spots. Ban Rome authorities banned vans or trucks from entering the city centre and anti-terror police wearing masks and wielding machine guns set up roadblocks on routes leading to famous tourist sites or areas where crowds traditionally gather. At the Vatican, where Pope Francis was due to celebrate Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter’s basilica on CRACKDOWN

TRIBUTES: A man, bottom right, places a candle on the memorial at the Christmas market near the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedaechtniskirche (Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church) in Berlin on Saturday. – AFP

Campaign raises $170,000 for family of ‘heroic’ Polish driver WARSAW: A crowdfunding campaign has raised over $170,000 for the family of Polish truck driver Lukasz Urban who was murdered as he apparently tried to seize back control of his vehicle as it was used in an attack on a Berlin Christmas market on Monday. The campaign was started by British truck driver Dave Duncan on Tuesday, a day after

Saturday evening, police cars and military jeeps stood about every 100 metres (yards) along streets leading to the Vatican. Security was also stepped up in central Milan and other Italian cities, particularly near major churches where the faithful were attending Christmas services.

a man believed to be Anis Amri - shot dead by police on Friday - attacked Lukasz and ploughed the Polish man’s truck into a Christmas market, killing 12 people. Lukasz, 37, was found dead in the cabin of the truck with multiple stab wounds and a gunshot wound, Urban’s cousin Ariel Zurawski said. Germany’s Bild newspaper reported that Urban’s autopsy

In France, where militants killed 130 people in shooting and bomb attacks in Paris in November 2015, authorities said more than 91,000 policemen and soldiers would be deployed, with additional security measures being enforced at churches. Emergency rule has been in

indicated he was stabbed while still alive, apparently trying to grab the steering wheel to prevent his attacker from driving the truck into the crowded market. “I started this with the intention of raising a few hundred pounds for the family from good hearted British truck drivers,” Duncan said on the GoFundMe fundraising website. “Amazing generosity from

place since the Paris attacks, and French soldiers patrol the capital’s streets. Police have been given wider search and arrest powers to target suspects considered a threat to security. In Germany, federal police reinforced armed patrols at airports and rail stations, officials said.

everybody literally all around the world.....incredible.” The amount raised so far is around 20 times the average annual net salary in Poland. On Friday, Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo said Urban’s teenage son and wife would receive a special pension, calling the driver “heroic”. Amri, a Tunisian, was shot dead by police in Italy. — Reuters

They have also reintroduced spot checks on people coming into Germany along a 30-km (19 miles) corridor inside the international frontiers. German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere has said the danger of an attack in Germany remains high despite the death of the suspected attacker.

C A F E AT TA C K

More than 100 investigators would be working through the holidays searching for any accomplices or support network for Amri. “The level of threat remains high,” he told reporters late on Friday. Britain is on its second-highest threat level, meaning an attack by militants is considered highly likely. Police there have increased security at a number of popular tourist attractions, including around Queen Elizabeth’s London residence, Buckingham Palace. Armed officers patrol major shopping centres, Christmas markets and places of worship. After reconstructing Amri’s movements since he drove a truck through a festive market in Berlin on Monday, police are investigating whether he was seeking shelter from comrades in Italy or was en route to another country. The town near Milan where Amri was killed, Sesto San Giovanni, is home to a sizeable Muslim community and is a departure point for buses to southern Italy, eastern Europe and the Balkans. In a video released on Friday after his death, he is seen pledging his allegiance to militant group IS leader Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi. Tunisian security forces on Saturday arrested three suspected militants, including Amri’s nephew, who had been in touch with Amri by social media messaging. Spain’s interior minister Juan Ignacio Zoido said its intelligence services were investigating a possible connection via Internet between Amri and a Spanish resident on December 19. Amri originally came to Europe in 2011, landing with other migrants on the island of Lampedusa, and spent four years in an Italian jail for trying to set a school on ﬁre in Sicily. German authorities have complained they were unaware of Amri’s criminal past. “Convicted criminals from all countries need to be listed in a European database so that we know when and where they are when they cross our borders or ask for asylum,” Germany’s de Maiziere told Bild am Sonntag newspaper. Italians have been moved by the story of 31-year-old Fabrizia di Lorenzo, who survived two heart operations only to be killed in the truck attack in Berlin, where she was living. — Reuters SUCCESS

Turkey probing 10,000 social media users

Woman, teenage boy blow themselves up during police raid in Bangladesh

ANKARA: Turkish authorities are investigating some 10,000 people on suspicion of using social media to support terrorism, the interior ministry said on Saturday, part of a wide crackdown that has alarmed rights groups and some Western allies. Turkey, which faces security threats from Kurdish and leftist militants and IS, has sacked or suspended more than 100,000 people following an attempted military coup in July. It says the measures are necessary to root out supporters of the putsch and other terrorists. Rights groups and some European countries have said President Tayyip Erdogan is using the current state of emergency to quash dissent. Since the coup, more than 150 media outlets have been shut down and 140 journalists arrested. The interior ministry said on Saturday the ﬁght against terrorism was being carried out “with determination” in social media. In the last six months, authorities have detained 3,710 people for questioning, the ministry said. Of those, 1,656 have been formally arrested and 84 are still being questioned. The remaining 1,970 have been released, although 1,203 of those are still being monitored, it said. Access to social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook is commonly blocked, particularly after bombings or other deadly attacks, internet monitoring groups have said. Turkey denies that it blocks the internet, and has previously blamed outages on spikes in usage after major events. Technical experts at watchdog groups say the blackouts on social media are intentional, aimed in part at stopping the spread of militant images and propaganda. — Reuters

DHAKA: A woman and a teenage boy on Saturday blew themselves up in Dhaka when Bangladesh police’s elite counter-terrorism unit raided a three-storey building where heavily-armed militants, belonging to an hardline group blamed for the deadly cafe attack, were hiding The counterterrorism unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) cordoned off the building at the capital’s Ashkona early in the morning. They laid siege to the building, called out the militants to surrender after evacuating residents. The police did not try to storm the building as militants had a lot of explosives. “We have wrapped up the operations (raid) this afternoon as two of them (militants), including a woman, were killed and another two women surrendered along with two minor children,” an official of the unit told PTI. “The woman, in a burka, came outside with a child and detonated the explosives tied to her waist,” senior counterterrorism officer Sanowar Hossain told the media. As police approached the building after lobbing tear gas shells, they were fired upon and then heard another explosion as the teenage boy holed up inside blew up his suicide vest. A minor girl, who suffered minor injuries when the woman killed herself, has been taken to the hospital. An official familiar with the raid said the slain boy was the son of a fugitive leader of NeoJamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (neo-JMB) while the woman was the wife of another kingpin of the outfit. “The inmates have vowed to fight us with grenades... we are re-

LAYING SIEGE: Bangladesh police officials stand alert as bystanders gather at the scene of an operation to storm an alleged militant hideout in Dhaka on Saturday as a team from the counterterrorism unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police cordoned off a three-storey building in the capital. – AFP

peatedly asking them to give up,” Dhaka’s police commissioner Asaduzzaman Mian earlier told reporters. Neo-JMB was behind the July 1 terror attack on the Dhaka cafe in which 22 people, including 17 foreigners, were killed. Sounds of several explosions and gunshots were heard in the areas since afternoon. Law enforcers lobbed several rounds of tear gas canisters targeting the building after the blast, reports our staff correspondent covering the raid from the spot. — PTI

Army has captured key Boko Haram camp: Buhari ABUJA: Nigeria’s army has captured a key Boko Haram camp, the militant group’s last enclave in the vast northeastern Sambisa forest that was its stronghold, President Muhammadu Buhari said on Saturday. Boko Haram has killed 15,000 people and displaced more than two million during its seven-year insurgency to create a state governed by a strict interpretation of law in the northeast of Africa’s most populous nation. The militant group controlled an area in the northeast around the size of Belgium in early 2015 but has been pushed out of most of that territory over the last year by Nigeria’s army and troops from neighbouring countries, moving to a base in the Sambisa forest, a former colonial game reserve. “I was told by the Chief of Army Staff that the camp fell at about 1:35pm on Friday, December 23, and that the terrorists are on the run, and no longer have a place to hide,” Buhari said in an emailed statement. Final crushing Buhari said the capture of Camp Zero marked the “ﬁnal crushing of Boko Haram terrorists in their last enclave in Sambisa forest”, which is in northeast Nigeria’s Borno state. It follows a large-scale offensive in the forest by the Nigerian military in the last few weeks. Reuters was unable to independently verify whether the camp had been captured. The military has said in the last few days that Boko Haram ﬁghters are running away from the forest into surrounding areas and people have been told to be vigilant. — Reuters

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READERS’ FORUM None of the conflicts have achieved anything positive This refers to the online report Aleppo sees shelling, air strikes again as Assad urges peace talks (December 24). The call for a political solution for Syrian crisis is quite irrelevant to the genuine situation in Aleppo during the past few days. After killing thousands of people during the more than five years of conflict, it is yet to clearly envisage what exactly it means to - a political solution expected immediately. The recent experience is that none of the conflicts have achieved anything positive in terms of its original demands of either party Scan this QR code involved in the struggle. On the contrary, the to send letters to the conflict has had a devastating impact on the Readers’ Forum, life of those remaining and to the economy containing not more than 200 words with as a whole. Eventually such crisis will also full name, address complicate the economic situation for the and telephone rest of the world which is already facing an number, may be sent ambiguous situation due to low oil prices. by e-mail (akhtar@ timesofoman.com). Aleppo, one of the oldest cities in the world, being a place of richness in every aspect and was once dominated by Christians, this Christmas offers those left the city with little peace. Warmongers must have a faith in seeing the life of those who support them to remain at the helm for years and decades, and no military might be able to conquer their minds and beliefs. — Ramachandran Nair, Ruwi

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Demonetisation on five continents

CHRISTOPHER SMART

Investors, like astronomers or anthropologists, rely on intellectual models to make sense of a complicated universe, guide immediate choices, and set priorities for further inquiry. But, every so often, a freak occurrence forces a reappraisal of what we think we know. It could be a black hole. It could be a strange fossil.

round the world, several countries are currently undergoing “demonetisation,” or currency reforms in which the government removes banknotes of a certain denomination from circulation and replaces them with new notes. Governments pursue demonetisation for a variety of reasons, and some of the recent initiatives are going better than others. When demonetisation is particularly dramatic and disruptive, it is often a signpost on the road to hyperinflation. This seems to be the case in Venezuela, where President Nicolás Maduro recently recalled the 100-bolivar note, and will replace it with new notes denominated at 500-20,000 bolivars. Economists define hyperinflation as a pattern of monthly price increases that exceed 50 per cent, which may happen in Venezuela in the next few months. Hyperinflation has been much rarer this century than in the twentieth century, and Venezuela will be the first country to experience it since Zimbabwe in 2008-09. The current Venezuelan episode continues a long tradition of gross currency mismanagement in Latin American and former Soviet-bloc countries, where past governments used demonetisation to transfer wealth from the public to themselves. In each case, the fundamental problem is that the government cannot finance its unsustainable spending through taxation or borrowing, so it resorts to debasing the currency. The Venezuelan government’s latest “currency reform” may ostensibly be aimed at curbing high inflation. But fundamental macroeconomic reform requires that the government rein in its excessive primary budget deficits, so that it does not have to keep printing money. Barring that, each new demonetisation scheme only furnishes more evidence of mismanagement. But governments also decommission and replace bills for more benign, technical reasons, such as to remove unpopular notes; introduce new counterfeit-proof bills; switch national currencies, such as when a country enters the eurozone; or honour a national hero. For example, in April, United States Treasury Secretary Jack Lew announced that the $5, $10, and $20 bills will be replaced with new designs that include women and civil-rights leaders. With this form of demonetisation, citizens are given enough time to trade in the old bills for the

new, and the monetary authorities plan ahead, so that they have plenty of the new currency available. In these scenarios, there is minimal economic and social disruption. When Lithuania left the litas and adopted the euro in 2015, its currency transition went smoothly, as did Germany and France’s adoption of the euro in cash form in 2002, and so on with all 19 countries that have joined the eurozone. A third form of demonetisation is embodied in Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s November 8 announcement that 500- and 1,000-rupee bills – constituting 86 per cent of the cash in circulation in India – would no longer be considered legal tender and should be exchanged for newly issued bills by the end of the year. Since then, the country has been reeling. Indians have been waiting in long lines at banks, only to discover that the banks had not received enough new bills. Some businesses are unable to operate. India’s demonetisation plan was intended as a way to crack down on illegal activities. But its abrupt implementation has inﬂicted unnecessarily high costs on the Indian economy. The US had similar motives when it phased out bills denominated at $500 and above, in 1969. So, too, did the European Central Bank, when it commendably decided in May to phase out the €500 note. Highdenomination notes are often used for tax evasion, bribery, drug trafficking, and even terrorism, so governments use demonetisation to frustrate criminal enterprise. As it happens, such prominent observers as Kenneth Rogoff, Larry Summers, and Peter Sands think the US should even phase out $100 bills, too. This form of demonetisation is typically carried out gradually, and in some cases, indeﬁnitely, by simply letting targeted notes wear out on their own. If leaders are brave and want to invalidate a high-denomination note in less than one year, they can ask tough questions of anyone who tries to exchange a large quantity of them. Rather than just making future illegal activities more difficult, they can also strike a blow against people who stockpiled cash from past illegal activities. - Project Syndicate

CLIPPINGS FROM OUR ARCHIVES DECEMBER 2001 New mobile telephone exchange in Nizwa MUSCAT: Oman Telecommunications Agency (Omantel) has launched a new mobile telephone exchange in the wilayat of Nizwa, according to a company source. He said the exchange, launched during the Eid Al Fitr holidays would serve Dakhiliyah, Sharqiyah and Dahirah regions and reduce pressure on the service in the governorate of Muscat.

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1939: Finnish troops enter Soviet territory. 1944: Prime Minister Winston Churchill goes to Athens to seek an end to the Greek civil war. 1976: Over 100 Muslims, returning from a pilgrimage to Mecca, die when their boat sinks. 0

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LIFESTYLE WELLNESS

B AT T L I N G E AT I N G D I S O R D E R S Story Jishy Seby ating disorders are a type of mental health disorders, which affect a person’s thoughts and behaviours regarding food and body image. They are a group of conditions marked by an unhealthy relationship with food. There are three main types of eating disorders — Anorexia nervosa, Bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. Anorexia nervosa is characterised by weight loss, often due to excessive dieting and exercise, sometimes to the point of starvation. People with anorexia feel they can never be thin enough and continue to see themselves as “fat” despite extreme weight loss. Anorexia nervosa can lead to complications, including emaciation, low heart rate, low blood pressure, dry scaly skin, brittle hair and nails, digestive and menstrual disruptions, abnormal laboratory tests and low bone density, leading to fragile bones and a likelihood of getting fractures. Anorexia nervosa is often associated with other mental disorders such as anxiety, mood disorders, impulse control, conduct disorders, and substance abuse. Patients who suffer from anorexia nervosa need to be treated by a team of experienced professionals, most often as an outpatient. Very sick patients, however, need admission to hospital. Bulimia nervosa is marked by cycles of extreme overeating, known as bingeing, followed by purging or other behaviours to compensate for the overeating. It is also associated with feelings of loss of

control about eating. Bulimia is more common in women and is characterised by eating very large amounts of food at one time. Those patients cannot stop eating or control what and how much they are eating. Patients with bulimia nervosa compensate for the abnormal amounts of food they eat purging, including self-induced vomiting, inappropriate use of medications such as laxatives and diuretics, fasting, and excessive exercise. These behaviours allow them to maintain a normal weight. Persistent vomiting can cause complications, including dehydration, electrolyte disturbances, menstrual irregularities, esophageal tears, and eroded teeth. As in anorexia, patients with bulimia can have other mental diseases that need to be addressed. The treatment includes nutritional rehabilitation and psychotherapy and, sometimes medications, and should be provided by a team of professionals experienced in eating disorders. Binge eating disorder is characterised by regular episodes of extreme overeating and feelings of loss of control about eating. Those patients typically feel guilty, ashamed, embarrassed or depressed after their binges, so they usually eat alone. In contrast to people with bulimia, they do not purge and are consequently overweight or obese. Binge eating disorder is associated with the complications of obesity such as chronic pain, diabetes, and high blood pressure. These patients are also more predisposed to mental diseases such as phobias, anxiety, depression, attention deﬁcit hyperactivity disorder, alcohol use, and personality

disorders. Binge eating disorder is treated with psychotherapy — both cognitive behavioural and interpersonal therapy help — and behavioural weight loss therapy. Medications can be used if psychotherapy is inconvenient, inaccessible or too expensive, but they work less well than counselling. Binge eating can be controlled by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, getting engaged in creative work, avoiding junk food, alcohol and smoking, and eating balance diet in intervals. Eating disorders tend to develop during the teenage and young adult years, and they are much more common in girls and women. No one knows the precise cause of eating disorders, but they seem to co-exist with psychological and medical issues such as low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, trouble coping with emotions, and substance abuse. For some people, a preoccupation with food becomes a way to gain control over one aspect of their lives. Although it may start out as simply eating a bit more or less than usual, the behaviour can spiral out of control and take over the person’s life. Eating disorders are a serious medical problem that can have long-term health consequences if left untreated. It’s common for people with eating disorders to hide their unhealthy behaviours, so it can be difficult to recognise the signs of an eating disorder, especially early on. Eating disorders are diseases that cause a lot of physical and emotional suffering but can be diagnosed and treated. — lifestyle@timesofoman.com Jishy Seby is diet consultant at KIMS Oman Hospital.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016

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How to Stay Healthy in 2017 From obligations at work to errands and chores and making time for family and friends — your plate is fuller than ever and, unfortunately, getting sick can throw a major wrench into your marathon of activities and greatly hamper your productivity. Despite how frustrating it can be, your busy life doesn’t come to a halt when you’re sick. That’s why you need to do everything you can to start feeling better faster so you don’t fall too far behind. Here are a few simple things you can do to stay healthy in 2017: Get plenty of sleep With all of the hustle and bustle of your day, taking the time for sleep may seem impossible, but an established sleep schedule is one of the most important things you can do to support your health. Getting eight hours of sleep is always optimal especially when sick. However, sickness can often disrupt our sleep. To help combat symptoms like sinus pressure or a stuffed nose from keeping you up, you can make easy changes like propping yourself up in bed and moisturising the air with a humidifier or vapouriser. You may find you breathe, and sleep, easier. Combat your worst symptoms When your cold and flu symptoms become too much, get some real relief. The best plan of action? Turn to your doctor for expert advice and medicine recommendations. Don’t be afraid to exercise If your symptoms are primarily in your head and neck, you’re generally still healthy enough to exercise. Nevertheless, consider a lighter workout to get the benefits of exercise without putting too much stress on your already-suffering body. A brisk walk for 30 to 45 minutes each day while sick is recommended to help you recover. However, be sure to dress appro-

priately for the climate. Binge on super foods We all know about the beneﬁts of getting plenty of Vitamin C when sick, but you can also complement its effects by increasing your intake of Vitamins A, E and B6, as well as iron and zinc to help you recover faster. These helpful nutrients can be found in fruits and veggies, like sweet potatoes and carrots, whole grains and lean meats or ﬁsh, so don’t be afraid to add more of these foods to your diet when you don’t feel well.

Drink up Water, broth or herbal tea — the more hydrated you stay, the better. Fluids not only soothe your throat, but they also ward off dehydration, thin out your mucus and help your body systems function adequately — which, in turn, helps your immune system function at its best. With that said, not all drinks are created equal; stay away from caffeinated or alcoholic drinks. These beverages will actually increase dehydration, not relieve it. — BPT

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LIFESTYLE

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LIFESTYLE

t can be easy to overeat during the Christmas season, and a lot of people find themselves a few pounds heavier come the New Year. You may have noticed higher numbers of people at your local gym in January, but if you make healthy choices and eat sensibly throughout the festivities you won’t have anything to regret once the Christmas tree comes down. Healthy eating over Christmas may sound frightfully boring, but you can still treat yourself — the key is just to not go overboard. Being tempted by all of the delicious cakes and sweeties in the supermarkets is only natural, but you don’t have to eat them all at once. There are a number of ways that you can eat well over Christmas while keeping things healthy, and here are a few ideas: 1) Serve veggies with your Christmas meal When you are planning your Christmas dinner, don’t forget the vegetables. These don’t have to simply consist of Brussels sprouts, there are loads of seasonal vegetables for you to choose from. You could cook roasted parsnips, artichokes, spinach, carrots, peppers, courgettes, mushrooms, cauliﬂower or asparagus. Also, steaming or roasting the vegetables for your Christmas meal will make them healthier.

2) Eat your breakfast One of the best ways to stop yourself from eating too many treats on Christmas Day is to make sure you eat breakfast. This will set up for the day and, with breakfast, you won’t feel like tucking into too many sweets. 3) Stick with the turkey Turkey is lower in fat than other poultry, and is therefore the ideal choice for your Christmas meal. Most people would’ve have planned on buying a turkey for Christmas dinner anyway, so you don’t have to change any of your plans when it comes to dinner. 4) Reduce cake portion sizes If you do want to treat yourself to a slice of cake over Christmas, keep the portion sizes reasonable. Most foods now have serving size suggestions and nutritional information that you can follow to help watch your calorie intake. 5) Go for a Christmas walk A lot of people stay inside on Christmas Day, seeing it as the time to lounge on the sofa and watch TV. You should still make sure you get some exercise though, so take the whole family out for a brisk walk. If this is not your fancy, why not have a party and do some dancing, as this can be incredibly effective at burning calories. -lifestyle@timesofoman.com

FOOD NOTE

Foods for the Winter Months

Winter is a great time to be together with the family and enjoy Christmas and New Year, but that does not mean that you don’t pay attention to your health. Research has shown that more people fall sick and are prone to different health problems during winter. Therefore, one must take good care to ensure that health is not compromised under the excuse of having fun. You can certainly enjoy some of your best days in winter, but you can only enjoy them better if you are healthy and ﬁt. Winter can bring different viruses and bacteria that can harm your body and you should therefore keep your body warm. You can certainly turn on the heater, but there are some foods that can help you keep you warm from within so let’s take a closer look at what you should eat and avoid during winter. Certain foods are an easy cure for health issues, as compared to related to artiﬁcial and synthetic medicines, that

can lead to side effects. Garlic must be added in sufficient quantity to food for heart patients. Because it has a strong aroma, garlic may not be liked by everyone, but you cannot underestimate the power and potential behind garlic. Garlic contains allicin, that helps increase the body’s immunity, which is very crucial during the winter months. The presence of garlic in food also helps reduce the risk of diseases such as heart attacks and cancer. Ginger is another natural food that you must add to your food, because it is naturally thermogenic. It can help you to stay warm from within during severe winters. Ginger is an excellent food to consume during the colder periods, because it keeps blood circulation in check and eases congestion in your throat and lungs, which keeps the common cold and ﬂu at bay. Onions are also very good items for intake during winter apart from ginger and garlic,

as they help in maintaining body immunity. However, if you aren’t interested in eating onions or the other aforementioned food items, you must eat fruits such as plums, oranges and vegetables such as beetroots and carrots. But certain food items such as rice and butter have to be avoided in winter. They contain plenty of starch and fat, which could choke the wind pipe, causing difficulties in breathing. Avoiding fried foods and alcohol during winter is also essential, as it could increase the LDL cholesterol levels within the heart, which is unhealthy. Though some sandwiches can be considered healthy, they contain cucumber and bread, which are very cold and must therefore not be taken during winters. Drinking coffee or tea is good for keeping yourself warm during winter, but you should keep consumption of such stimulants under control. — Artipot

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM S U N DAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016

BELGIUM’S RATING Fitch Ratings on Saturday downgraded Belgium’s credit rating for the ﬁrst time in almost ﬁve years as the government struggles to reach its goal of returning to a balanced budget.

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Oman developing eight new fishing harbours and ports By 2020, as many as 30 ﬁshing harbours or ports are expected to be operational, against 20 ports operational now.

A E JAMES

businesseditor@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Oman is in the process of developing eight more ﬁshing harbours and ports of varying sizes with a sizable investment as part of a comprehensive plan to strengthen the ﬁsheries sector and create additional employment

opportunities for the youths. By 2020, as many as 30 fishing harbours or ports are expected to be operational, against 20 such ports now, Dr. Hamed Said Al Oufi, undersecretary of fisheries wealth at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, told the Times of Oman. “(However) the total number of ports will depend on the availability of funds for developing these projects. We expect the oil prices to recover, which will enable us to finance these projects,” added Dr Al Oufi. “We have completed Barka fishing harbour while two other harbours — Al Musanna and Liwa — are under construction and are in an advanced stage of completion. Also, we have five other fishing harbours in the pipeline, which include Masirah, Mahout and Shuwaimiya,” noted Dr Al Oufi. The undersecretary also said several existing fishing harbours, including Dibba, Mirbath and

Khabura, will be modernised or upgraded to help fishermen across the country. 500,000 tonnes target The Sultanate’s fish catch, including production through aquaculture, is expected to touch 500,000 tonnes per annum by 2020, from 270,000 tonnes of fish in 2015. The over all plan to develop the fisheries sector, applicable from 2013 to 2020, included massive fleet expansion, additional harbours, development of fish markets, support to fishermen, aquaculture development and additional fish processing and logistics services. Oman, with a long coastal line of 3,262 km, has a great potential to develop the fisheries sector to serve global markets. Fisheries sector is one of the promising sectors in diversifying sources of national income, creating job opportunities and ensuring high value-added products.

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

Dr. Hamed Said Al Ouﬁ. — Times picture

“We expect fishermen to acquire 500 more fishing boats of varying sizes in the next three to four years. As of now, the fishermen in the country have more than 20,000 fishing boats,” added the undersecretary. These fishing vessels include small fishing boats, traditional fishing boats, coastal fishing vessels and commercial fishing vessels.

Employment potential Dr Al Oufi expects an additional 10,000-15,000 new employment opportunities to be created by 2020. “It will depend on the speed at which these projects come up.” Currently, the Sultanate has 46,000 people who depend on fishing for their livelihood. The new employment opportunities will be available in different areas like fishermen, crew, processing plants, fish marketing firms, feed production, export agencies and aquaculture fields. Dr Al Oufi said as part of the whole strategy, training will be provided to fishermen on environmental issues, use of modern technology and ways to cut costs. Training will be provided under extension programmes in coastal villages and by creating awareness through media. Another major focus is to manage the fisheries sector in a proper way by avoiding over fishing. “We

have a plan to make sure that our fish stock is sustainable and productive to maximise benefits.” Duqm integrated zone Referring to the plans for developing the Middle East’s biggest fishing harbour and an integrated processing zone in Duqm, he said the upcoming facility will include a major harbour, facilities for sea food processing and packaging, facilities for storing raw materials and deep freezers for exports. The Duqm fishing harbour and integrated processing zone is being developed by the Special Economic Zone Authority at Duqm (Sezad) in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. “We expect something like 60 processing plants (to come up) in one place.” The integrated processing facility, which is coming up close to the harbour, is in the design stage now.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016

MARKET Mining forum to highlight investment opportunities Key conference aims at attracting international ﬁrms operating in the mining sector with a view to showcase experience and expertise owned by these companies as well as the development of sustainable investment programmes that will develop the mining sector in the Sultanate.

MUSCAT: The second edition of Oman Minerals and Mining Conference and Exhibition will begin on January 16, 2017 at Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre. The three-day event is organised by Oman Expo and Awtad Geological Consulting, in cooperation with the Public Authority for Mining (PAM). The conference aims at attract ing international companies operating in the mining sector with a view to showcase experience O I L A N D NAT U R A L G A S C O R P.

India’s leading oil producer invests $1.2b to buy gas block MUMBAI: India’s biggest oil and gas producer will pay as much as $1.2 billion to buy a majority stake in a gas field off the country’s east coast, aiming to boost production as the country seeks to cut energy imports. State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp. Ltd.’s (ONGC’s) board approved the purchase of an 80 per cent stake in Gujarat State Petroleum Corp.’s deepwater block in the Krishna Godavari basin, it said in a statement on Friday. The New Delhibased company will pay $995.26 million for the Deen Dayal West Field, the largest discovery in the KG-OSN-2001/3 block, with estimated natural gas reserves of 1.1 trillion cubic feet. It will pay another $200 million for six other discoveries in the block located in the Bay of Bengal. The block has likely total reserves of at least 11.2 trillion cubic feet, according to GSPC’s annual report for the year ended March 31. “The acquisition fits well with the strategy of ONGC to enhance natural gas production from domestic fields on a faster pace,” the company said, adding that trial gas production from Deen Dayal West Field has already started. The deal will help expedite production of gas from the block critical to achieve Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s goal of reducing import dependency of hydrocarbons by 10 percent by 2022. The companies will share infrastructure and reduce costs in an area where both have spent or plan to spend at least $3 billion each. — Bloomberg News

and expertise owned by these companies, inviting the participants from ﬁnancial, investment, trade and regulatory sectors at the local and international levels share ideas and proposals, as well as the development of sustainable investment programmes that will develop the mining sector in the Sultanate and support its economy. The conference also aims at reviewing mining opportunities in the Sultanate, ways to invest and to include them in the

global industry map, in addition to the role of industry in providing job opportunities for Omani job-seekers. It also aims to highlight the Sultanate as a mining attraction at both local and global levels, the expansion of mining investments in line with recent government orientations aimed at to pay attention and support to this sector to be an important tributary that enriches the national income and contribute to enhancing the

status of the Sultanate as a mining destination, in addition to marketing the national product in the ﬁeld of mining on a global scale providing that would results in the establishment of a sustainable mining industry. The conference will discuss many topics of interest to the Sultanate and the increase of its added value through the transfer of practical experience, advanced technology and reduction of the environmental impact of the minor sector. International experts specialised in the various mining areas will take part in the conference. An exhibition will be held on the sidelines of the conference. The exhibition will showcase the local mining products, their regional and international marketing, as well as learning about the latest technological developments in geological survey, mineral exploration and extraction, implementation of the economic

feasibility studies for mining projects, open the door for companies operating in this sector in the Sultanate to provide logistic services, technical and ﬁnancial consulting which would increase the purchase power and the establishment of a regional business that supports the mining sector in the Sultanate on a long-term base. The conference is an opportunity to enable the mining industry of meeting in one place to identify investment opportunities and business deals, enhancing the existing mining and promising investment opportunities in the Sultanate. More than 54 companies are expected to participate in the exhibition. They will represent several international countries, along with the Sultanate, among them are the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Jordan, Germany, Turkey, Iran, India, Malaysia and Singapore. — ONA

CRUDE SUPPLIES

Investors betting on oil price drop ﬂee as Opec production cuts near NEW YORK: Oil investors seem to have less reason to doubt that Opec and other producers will make the cuts needed to balance the market. Money managers trimmed bets on falling West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude prices to the lowest level since August 2014 as the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and other crude-exporters prepare to start curbing output in January. Oil market volatility dropped to the lowest level in more than two years on December 20 and futures settled at a 17-month high on Friday. “People are excited that Opec is going to hold ﬁrm and there will be a substantial reduction in inventories,” Michael Lynch, president of Strategic Energy & Economic Research in Winchester, Massachusetts, said by phone. “The market should rebalance in 2017.” Hedge funds reduced short positions, or wagers WTI will drop, by 10 per cent in the week ended on December 20, US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) data show. WTI declined 1.4 per cent to $52.23 a barrel in the report week. Prices settled at $53.02 a barrel in New York on Friday, the highest close since July 2015. Opec agreed to reduce its supplies by 1.2 million barrels a day, while 11 non-members including Russia and Kazakhstan pledged to curb output by almost 600,000 a day. “The market is fulling embracing the Opec, non-Opec agreement,” John Kilduff, a partner at Again Capital, a New York-based hedge fund that focuses on en-

VOLATILITY DROPS: Oil market volatility dropped to the lowest level in more than two years on December 20 and futures settled at a 17-month high on Friday. — Bloomberg ﬁle picture

ergy, said by phone. “They are being given the benefit of the doubt now. The big test will come with the new year when we’ll see if they make the promised cuts.” Confident ministers Oil prices are set to recover next year as Opec fulfills its output agreement, Saudi Arabia’s Energy Minister Khalid Al Falih said in Riyadh on December 22. Al Falih’s outlook was echoed by comments made by his counterpart from the United Arab Emirates, Energy Minister Suhail Al Mazrouei, who also predicted the same day from Abu Dhabi that Opec’s actions will result in higher prices in 2017. Money managers’ short position in WTI dropped by 5,699 futures

and options to 50,613, a ﬁfth week of decreases. Longs, or bets the benchmark will rise, slipped 0.8 per cent. The resulting net-long position climbed 1 per cent to the highest level since since July 2014. “This represents the market being in an overbought situation,” Tim Evans, an energy analyst at Citi Futures Perspective in New York, said by phone. “They are very well prepared for a rise in prices, but are left vulnerable for any negative shocks.” In fuel markets, net-bullish bets on gasoline rose 11 per cent to 42,879 contracts, the highest since February 2015, as futures advanced 2.8 per cent in the report week. Money managers increased net-bullish wagers on

ultra low sulphur diesel by 1.6 per cent to 27,406 contracts, the highest since July 2014, as futures slipped 0.4 per cent. US oil companies had been using the rally to hedge their price risk for the next two years, potentially boosting output next year. Producers’ short positions, protecting against a drop in prices, decreased to 622,395 contracts, the first decline in four weeks. The number of bearish wagers had climbed to the highest since August 2007 in the prior week. “The shale producers rushed in at the first sign of viability,” Kilduff said. “They locked in their profits and are now waiting to see what happens before hedging more.” - Bloomberg News

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

Deutsche Bank, Credit Suisse settle subprime probes in US ZURICH: Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse Group agreed to pay a combined $12.5 billion to resolve US investigations into sales of the toxic debt that fuelled the financial crisis, putting behind them a major dispute that undermined confidence in the banks and raised questions about their turnarounds. Deutsche Bank will pay $7.2 billion and take a $1.2 billion pretax charge this quarter, while Credit Suisse agreed to a $5.3 billion deal and will recognise a $2 billion hit to earnings, the banks said in separate statements early on Friday. Their announcements came hours after Barclays, which is being probed in a related case, was sued for fraud by the Justice Department after it balked at paying the amount the government sought in negotiations. The settlement costs will probably lead Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse to second straight annual losses and prompt continued questions over whether the German lender will raise capital through a share sale. The Obama administration is pressing to wrap up investigations of Wall Street firms for creating and selling the subprime mortgage bonds that fueled the 2008 financial crisis. Before the two deals on Friday, authorities had already extracted more than $46 billion from six US financial institutions over their dealings in mortgage-backed securities. “For Deutsche it was certainly quite positive” because the hit to capital is “modest,” said Kyle Kloc, a portfolio manager at Fisch Asset Management in Zurich who holds Deutsche Bank bonds. “With Credit Suisse it is more complicated. Yes, it reduces uncertainty but it is toward the high end of what people expected.” The Justice Department declined to comment. Deutsche Bank rose as much as 5 per cent and traded 0.8 per cent higher in Frankfurt. Credit Suisse fell 0.8 per cent after taking a bigger-than-expected provision. The stock earlier gained as much as 2.2 per cent. Barclays fell 0.9 per cent in London. Deutsche Bank’s settlement “might help in the short run because a major source of uncertainty has been cleared,” said Michael Huenseler, an investor at Assenagon Asset Management, which holds about 0.8 per cent of Deutsche Bank’s shares. “But it’s still higher than many have expected and it will pose a long-term drag on profitability.” Deutsche Bank will pay a $3.1 billion civil penalty and provide $4.1 billion in relief to consumers. The bank had set aside 5.9 billion euros for all of its outstanding legal costs as of September. 30. The consumer relief doesn’t have to be provisioned in the same way as the civil penalty because it will be provided through loan modifications or other assistance over five years or more. — Bloomberg News

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016

MARKET COMPETITIVE BIDS

Oman’s bond issue evokes tremendous response MUSCAT: Oman’s central bank said competitive bids worth OMR267.98 million were received against recently issued bonds worth OMR150 million. Accepted price The average yield equivalent per cent to the accepted price was 5.57 per cent at a price of OMR99.47 while the highest yield equivalent was at 5.68 per cent for OMR98.64 and the lowest was at 5 per cent for OMR103.90. The 10-year bond will be issued on December 27, 2016 and will mature on December 27, 2026, carrying a coupon rate of 5.5 per cent per annum. –ONA

Oman Shipping to ‘internalise’ management of VLCC fleet Oman Shipping Company will internalise the commercial management of its very large crude carrier (VLCC) ﬂeet to meet the company’s legitimate growth aspirations in every functional area. Times News Service MUSCAT: Navig8 Group, the world’s largest provider of maritime services, last week said it has been advised by Oman Shipping

BRIEFS

Ministry approves 81 industrial licences MUSCAT: As many as 81 industrial licences in various governorates of the Sultanate were registered through ‘InvestEasy’ portal with a cost of OMR9.37 million since the beginning of April 2016 and until December 20. Eng. Mohammed bin Rashid Al Qutaiti, Acting Head of Industrial Licenses and Records Department in the Directorate General of Industry, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, said that the ‘InvestEasy’ portal is aimed at facilitating registration process for investors and follow their applications with ease as the Ministry of Commerce and Industry continues to simplify and facilitate procedures for investors and entrepreneurs.

Al Hassan to convene EGM to address erosion of capital MUSCAT: Al Hassan Engineering Company said that it is convening an extraordinary general meeting on January 17 at the company’s headquarters to discuss on the erosion of capital and take appropriate measures to address the ﬁnancial situation. The company’s board has taken the decision recently. According to the Articles of Association of the company, any shareholder has the right to authorise in writing any other person to attend the meeting and vote on decisions made on his behalf. Provided that the authorisation should be on the authorisation form attached on the invitation letter.

Oman Fiber plans to change status to close joint stock ﬁrm MUSCAT: Oman Fiber Optic said that the company’s board has decided to convene an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders to discuss a proposal to change the company’s legal status to a close joint stock company from public joint stock company on March 1.

Export credit agency clears OMR2.76m worth of credit MUSCAT: The Export Credit Guarantee Agency Oman (ECGA) has approved OMR2.76 million worth of credit. The decision was made at the ECGA Executive Committee’s meeting presided over by Said bin Saleh Al Kiyoumi, chairman of both Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) and ECGA board. The share of the local credit stood at OMR1.38 million compared to OMR1.38 million for export credit. The committee also approved applications for credit policies by several Omani companies in a bid to encourage Omani exports. It also approved the compensation against loss for one of policy holders. The ECGA’s insurance programme aims at encouraging the Omani exports to reach all countries of the world without any risk. - ONA

Ministry organises training course on trade policies MUSCAT: Experts attended a regional training course titled ‘Middle East and North Africa (Mena) Trade Policies’ have discussed many trade issues. The course was hosted by the Sultanate’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry in cooperation with the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) and World Trade Organisation (WTO) for the third time with participation of 23 government officials representing eight Arab countries. Dr. Hussein Al Bughanmi, Academic Coordinator of the course, head of WTO chair at the Department of Natural Resource Economics at the College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences in Sultan Qaboos University, said that the main aim of the course is to create awareness among World Trade Organisation members, as well as the states wishing to join the implementation of World Trade Organisation agreements in terms of the trade policies. – ONA

Company (OSC), one of the leading international shipping companies owning and operating a well-diversiﬁed and young ﬂeet of 51 vessels, mainly comprising tankers, that they have decided to internal-

ise the commercial management of their very large crude carrier (VLCC) ﬂeet which had been hitherto in the VL8 pool. The VL8 pool is one of the largest VLCC tanker pools in the world and one of the 16 shipping pools managed by Navig8, said a company release. The company’s 16 shipping pools bring together multiple, like-minded owners with vessels of similar type and characteristics, into distinct pools. Each pool is managed by the Navig8 as a single, cohesive ﬂeet, allowing owners to leverage Navig8’s leading network of charterer relationships and strong cargo base. The aggregation of pool revenues, diversity of pool

member base, quality of counterparties and Navig8’s robust risk management framework, heavily mitigates counterparty risks for the pool members. The OSC is a quality ship owner of repute, having an array of topnotch customers and operating worldwide a fleet of 51 vessels including 44 owned vessels. Among the fleet, 33 vessels are tankers, including 16 VLCCs. Out of 16 VLCCs owned by the OSC, 15 have been placed in the VL8 shipping pool by the OSC since 2010. “We have enjoyed a mutually beneficial and close cooperation with Navig8 Group since we joined the VL8 pool as a founding member in 2010,” said Tarik

Al Junaidi, chief executive officer of the Oman Shipping Company. “Despite the many benefits we have received from our vessel participation in the VL8 pool, we have made the decision to internalise the commercial management of our VLCC fleet to meet our legitimate growth aspirations in every functional area under the OSC brand.” “Navig8 is grateful to Oman Shipping for placing their VLCCs with us for commercial operations, while they built their own internal capabilities,” said Nicolas Busch, chief executive officer of Navig8 Group. “We look forward to maintaining our close relationship with Oman Shipping and its affiliates.”

P E T R O L E U M R E TA I L E R S

Oil marketing firms open 24 new petrol stations in the first 11 months of 2016 MUSCAT: A total of 24 new petrol stations were opened by three petroleum retailers — Oman Oil Marketing, Shell Oman Marketing Company and Al Maha Petroleum — in the first eleven months of this year, according to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The ministry said 11 licenses were issued to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) warehouses between January and November 2016 in the Governorates of Muscat, Al Dakhiliyah, North Al Batinah, North Al Sharqiyah and Al Buraimi. ECONOMY

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry statement also noted that the sale of cylinders of liqueﬁed petroleum gas (cooking gas) is an area that enables gas ﬁlling companies to create new jobs in the private sector. This objective is in line with the important Omanisation plan followed by the private sector. These companies are considered as being among the medium and small enterprises (SMEs) that help create many jobs for Omani youth and provide them a good income without relying on government jobs. – ONA

GROWING OUTREACH: The ministry said 11 licenses were issued to LPG warehouses between January and November 2016 in the Governorates of Muscat, Al Dakhiliyah, North Al Batinah, North Al Sharqiyah and Al Buraimi. - File picture

P R E C I O U S M E TA L S

S TAT E M E N T O N M S M

Consumer sentiment in US at 12-year high

Gold posts longest run of weekly losses

WASHINGTON: Consumer confidence jumped to the highest level since 2004, extending a surge in Americans’ optimism for their finances and the US economy following Donald Trump’s election victory. The University of Michigan said on Friday that its final index of sentiment rose to 98.2 from 93.8 in November. The median projection in a Bloomberg survey called for 98, equal to the preliminary reading released earlier this month. Inflation expectations for the next five to 10 years fell to a record low. A record share of respondents “spontaneously mentioned” the expected impact of Trump’s policies, more than double the number when Ronald Reagan took office in 1981, according to the report. While Trump’s promises of tax cuts and job gains have helped drive increases in consumer confidence, the honeymoon may fade in coming months unless actual economic conditions show improvement. Sentiment has leveled off since the election and is likely to decline in the coming months, Curtin said. Over the next five to 10 years, respondents project a 2.3 per cent rate of price growth, down from 2.6 per cent in the prior month. Such low inflation expectations helped offset “quite meager” projected gains in wages, Curtin said. - Bloomberg News

LONDON: Gold futures capped the longest run of weekly losses in 12 years as investors ﬂee bullionbacked funds on bets stronger economic growth will bolster the Federal Reserve’s case to raise US interest rates. A rebound on Friday wasn’t enough to avoid a seventh weekly decline, the longest stretch since May 2004. The central bank indicated last week it may raise rates three times in 2017, moves that could be bolstered by a report Thursday showing the US grew at the fastest pace in two years. Holdings in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) backed by bullion fell a 30th day. Erratic year It was an erratic year for gold, with the biggest ﬁrst-half rally in almost four decades giving way to a retreat as focus shifted from political uncertainty on the Brexit vote

to United States monetary policy. Holdings in exchange-traded funds have shrunk continuously since Donald Trump won the US election, fuelling optimism ﬁscal stimulus will energise the economy and driving a gauge of the dollar to the highest levels since at least 2005. Gold futures for February delivery rose 0.2 per cent to settle at $1,133.60 at 12:37pm on the Comex in New York, paring its loss this week to 0.3 per cent. Bullion increased on Friday as the dollar reversed gains and some chartfollowing traders saw supportive momentum indicators, Tai Wong, director of commodity products trading at BMO Capital Markets in New York, said by telephone. Gold for immediate delivery declined 0.2 per cent this week, also marking a seventh weekly decline, the longest stretch since August 2015. — Bloomberg News

Galfar associate firm’s arbitration settlement MUSCAT: Galfar Engineering and Contracting Company said that its associate firm International Water Treatment (IWT) has complied with award decision in arbitration proceedings with its client Muscat City Desalination Company and paid the applied delay penalty as liquidated damages and associated costs adjudged by the award. Galfar has 30 per cent shareholding in IWT, and the remaining partners are Cadagua (Spain) and Wabag (India). “The final impact on the consolidated accounts of Galfar for this award in the current year will be OMR3.121 million which is in excess of what was estimated at the time of our previous disclosure of OMR2.426 million (being 30 per cent share of $21.0 million net impact),” Galfar said in a disclosure statement posted on Muscat Securities Market website. — ONA

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016

FEATURE

ocoa prices are spiraling lower, making chocolate cheaper just in time to stuff those seasonal stockings even more full of treats. Futures in New York have tumbled to a three-year low as rains improve crops in West Africa, which grows more than two-thirds of the world’s cocoa each season. The output gains mean the market is shifting from a production deﬁcit to the biggest surplus in six years, according to Citigroup Inc. Adding to the overhang, people are eating less chocolate. In the US and Europe, the largest consuming regions, snackers are seeking out healthier options. At the same time, confectioners have reduced the size of sweets and are using more ﬁllers, the result of cost-cutting measures when cocoa surged in the four years through 2015. Investors are betting on ample supplies, reducing their net-bullish position to the smallest since 2012. Demand-supply mismatch Less demand and more supply is “a double punch for cocoa,” said Lara Magnusen, a La Jolla, California-based portfolio manager for Altegris Advisors, which oversees $2.47 billion. “Prices will likely stay depressed for fundamental reasons.” Hedge funds cut their cocoa net-long position, or wagers on price gains, by 36 per cent to 3,599 futures and options in the week ended December 6, according to US Commodity Futures Trading Commission data released three days later. That was the smallest since June 2012, when the investors had a net-short holding. On ICE Futures US in New York, cocoa plunged 9.4 per cent last week to $2,170 a metric tonne, the biggest loss since 2009. It is down by 31 per cent for the year, the biggest decline among the 24 commodities tracked by the Standard & Poor’s GSCI Index. The recent drop for cocoa is a boon for chocolate fans. Retail prices for the confections dropped 16 per cent in the four weeks through November 6 from the prior four-week period, according to data from Chicago-based researcher IRI compiled by Bloomberg Intelligence.

Costs are falling amid the peak period for demand in the US. The chocolate holiday season started with Halloween, celebrated on October 31, and is followed by Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Easter, according the Washington-based National Confectioners Association. Price reversal The losses are a reversal from just last year, when cocoa traded in New York capped a fourth straight annual gain that took prices up more than 50 per cent over the period. At the same, prolonged drought in West Africa had hurt plants. The good news for chocolate addicts is that there are signs of relief from high prices are here to stay. In the week ended December 4, cocoabean arrivals from Ivory Coast, the top producer, surged 49 per cent from a year earlier. That is the third year-on-year gain in the past four weeks. Many analysts have reduced their expectations for the deficit in the 12-month crop year that ended on September 30, and Citigroup forecasts a surplus of 220,000 metric tonnes in the current season. That would be the “loosest” balance since 2010-2011 as output rises 9 per cent and demand drops, the bank said in a report last week. “European demand has been pretty sclerotic,” said Edward George, the London-based head of research at Ecobank Transnational Inc. “Demand is flattening out in developed markets. And while it is growing in emerging markets, that’s coming from a tiny base.” One hope for bulls is that the recent rout could help to revive demand from chocolate makers. As costs drop and margins improve, some processors could start adding back more cocoa to their recipes and using fewer fillers and substitutes. Bean grinding, a measure of demand, rose during the third quarter in North America, Asia and Europe. “Prices are overdue for a rally,” said Judy Ganes-Chase, president of J Ganes Consulting in Panama City, Panama. “My views are grind driven due to attractive margins,” and not because of demand from “the average consumer doubling his intake of Godiva chocolate bars,” she said. – Bloomberg News

Lowering cocoa prices brings smiles on chocolate lovers

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ROUND-UP

MoT undersecretary to be chief guest at Al Mar’a

SPECIAL OCCASION

This one-of-its-kind event to felicitate and laud the achievements of Omani women from

ISWK celebrates its 27th Founder's Day MUSCAT: Indian School Wadi Kabir (ISWK) held its 27th Founder's Day on the Primary Wing premises. Flowering scholars from the primary classes welcomed Siddiqa Abdul Majeed Al Lawatiya, director, International Schools Office, Ministry of Education, the chief guest for the soirée, with a bouquet of ﬂowers. Both the National Anthems of Oman and India heralded the beginning of an eventful evening. In his address to the gathering, Harshendu Shah, president of the School Managing Committee, mentioned the time-honoured contribution of the school to the Indians living in Oman, which has already come a long way since more than 75 years, in both scholastic as well as co-scholastic ﬁelds, says a press release. A melodious composition presented by the Hindustani Music choir enthralled the audience with their rendition. The principal’s report presented by the principal, D. N. Rao, projected a slideshow featuring excerpts of key events that took place between April and December 2016. Excellence in teaching Then came the felicitation of staff on completion of service for a period of 10, 20 and 25 years. Ernst George Schwan, vice principal of the primary wing (afternoon shift) who received the coveted ‘Excellence in Teaching Award’ was also felicitated by the SMC. This was followed by a dance and a welcome song by the kindergarten students, titled ‘Fascinating Dreamland’, where they urged the parents to spend quality time with their kids and stay connected. ‘Splendorous Wonder Work’ by the primary section highlighted the wonders of creation and man’s unique place in it. The presentation also emphasised the sensitivity toward maintaining balance in nature and its protection for better living. The afternoon shift of the primary school in its production ‘The Mystical Forest’ portrayed the importance of sustainability as the only Paraiso – the paradise is our own planet itself. It refreshed our memory to go more and more sustainably. Our cohab-

itants on this living planet are the must-have to complete the circle of life and it is indeed our responsibility to preserve them and to live together with them. Presentation of awards went on in admiration of Vishaal Udandarao, the GCC Topper in Class XII Science stream and Keziah Elizabeth Johnson, the Oman topper of Commerce stream who were felicitated for achieving the positions in All India Senior Secondary Certificate Examination evaluated by Central Board of Secondary Education, New Delhi. Eighty eight students who got Cumulative Grade Point Average of 10 out of 10 in Grade X examination also received awards from the chief guest. In addition to these toppers, the special achievers’ prizes were given away to boys and girls who represented Oman in cricket, winners of the Times of Oman and ‘Exquizit’ quiz competitions, Shastra Pratibhas (Science) and to those who rendered technical support in software development and designing. The Cock House trophy went to the Tagore House. It was followed by a performance by the matinee idols of ISWK when the Senior section came with their dazzling dance ‘Amazing India’ to showcase the evergreen unity in diversity of India. It reiterated the theme of the evening. It reaffirmed that the inner peace can gradually spread from an individual domain to the national arena. The audience experienced a captivating moment when the curtain was raised for the grand finale which was presented by the Western music choir comprising of 50 violinists and more than 100 singers. The standing ovation all the way through evidenced the talents of these teens. This was a true combination of musical pieces and choral styles to soar the evening’s programme to a high crescendo. Anil Khimji, patron, Members of the Board of Directors of Indian Schools in Oman, members of the Indian Merchant Community, principals of other Indian schools, members of the School Managing Committee of ISWK, and other dignitaries attended the occasion.

different ﬁelds will be held on January 9 at Muscat Hills

MUSCAT: Maitha Al Mahrouqi, undersecretary at the Ministry of Tourism, will be the chief guest at the Al Mar’a Excellence Awards. This one-of-its-kind event to felicitate and laud the achievements of Omani women from different ﬁelds will be held on January 9 at Muscat Hills, says a press release. The exhaustive nomination process saw a large number of nominations pouring in, with a number of women nominating themselves or others they thought were deserving of the awards. The judging

process spearheaded by an eminent panel of judges is now underway. The ﬁnal ranking process will be appraised by Ernst & Young, following which the winners will be announced at the red carpet event early next year. The Al Mar’a Excellence Awards has partnered with a number of organisations that support the cause of women’s empowerment and growth in the Sultanate. This year, Al Jarwani Hospitality presents the Al Mar’a Excellence Awards, a one-of-its-kind

event to inspire women throughout Oman to live their dreams and excel in all spheres of life. On board also are strategic partner – BMW; support partners – Oman Oasis, Al Imtiaaz rice and Khimji Permoglaze paints; venue partner – Muscat Hills; trophy partner – Voltamp; validation partner – EY; media partners – Times of Oman and Al Shabiba; print partner - Ruwi Modern Printers; light and sound partner BIG and The Catering Partner are the caterers for the event. The Al Mar’a Excellence Awards, now in its sixth year, exempliﬁes the essence of the Al Mar’a magazine - celebrating different shades of a woman. Ultimately, the event is not just about the awards - it’s about inspiring and motivating women to go the extra mile, dream big and achieve great heights of success. Over the past six years, it has also brought to the fore achievers who have made their mark through sheer grit, determination and courage and have become role models for the younger generation to emulate. The awards range across many categories, namely: corporate leadership, fashion design, performing

arts, ﬁne arts, educational services, entrepreneurship and innovation, health services, science and industry, technology, sports, petroleum services, SME sector and social responsibility. Apart from these, two women will also be the recipients of the prestigious Woman of the Year and Most Promising Woman of the Year Awards. “For us at the Al Mar’a Excellence Awards, every year is a learning experience. As we continue to grow, we are also witness to the growth of women in the Sultanate. We are also witness to their incredible achievements and how far they have gone to achieve what was thought impossible. The sixth edition of the Al Mar’a Excellence Awards, like in previous years, will be an evening of celebration of women and a salute to their neversay-die spirit,” said Alpana Roy, Executive Vice-President – UMS Publishing; the publishers of Al Mar’a magazine. The event will deﬁnitely be an evening to remember. Apart from the glittering awards function, there will be entertainment to keep the audience enthralled. It will be a lively and interactive evening.

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

HTC partners with MG-Group to launch new products, solutions

MUSCAT: HTC, the global leader in innovation and technology, has joined hands with MG-Group the sole and strategic partner to launch the latest range of products and solutions in Oman. At an event attended by more than 120 members of mobility channel industry, retail and public sectors in Sheraton Hotel, Oman, HTC unveiled Desire 10, Desire 10 Pro and Lifestyle, says a press release. “Being one of the oldest and reputed distributor for ICT in Oman, MG-Group is a strategic partner for us and the exclusive after sales service provider to drive our sales performance in Oman. Oman is a fast growing market for consumer electronics and mobility products; and our partnership with MG-Group will help us to reach out to more

customers in Oman and provide world class service,” said Yousef Shouman, the sales head LGM. HTC brings brilliance to life through leading innovation in smart mobile device and experience design. Beginning with a vision to put a personal computer in the palm of its customers’ hands, it has led the way in the evolution from palm PC to smartphone. The Pursuit of Brilliance is at the heart of everything they do, inspiring best-in-class design and gamechanging mobile experiences for consumers around the world. At HTC, the Pursuit of Brilliance is the impulse to create, to venture into the unknown with an unwavering dedication to bring innovative design to life. It pushes them to re-imagine new ways to connect the world, our consumers, and

The company’s immense credibility, reach and understanding of the local consumer will prove valuable as HTC continues to launch more innovative products while consolidating its presence within Oman’s market place, which is another milestone in our success stories Mohamed Yassin CEO of MG-Group

their pursuits in ways never before thought possible. Mohamed Yassin, CEO of MGGroup said, “MG Group is one of Oman’s ﬁrst national IT distributor in Oman with extensive market expertise in providing a comprehensive product line from a single source. The company’s immense credibility, reach and understanding of the local consumer will prove valuable as HTC continues to launch more innovative products while consolidating its presence within Oman’s market place, which is another milestone in our success stories." “The latest technologies in Oman are showing strong upward momentum driven by the consumerisation of mobility. HTC is a top global technology brand known for innovation, quality and performance and we are proud to add HTC products to our portfolio and be its exclusive distributors in the Sultanate region with an authorised after sales service centre exclusively for it. We look forward to a lasting relationship with HTC as the company continues to launch more innovative products while strengthening its presence in Oman.” Yassin added. HTC is committed to partner with leading suppliers and distributors to enhance customer experience through greater market reach and after sales service.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016

ROUND-UP Lincoln aims quiet luxury with Navigator concept The Navigator concept reinforces Lincoln’s commitment to give every Lincoln client quiet luxury – vehicles and experiences that are elegant, effortlessly powerful and serene

MUSCAT: Lincoln years ago introduced full-size luxury SUV with the Navigator making it an instant success in markets around with world. Now with a concept of the new Navigator, Lincoln aims to take quiet luxury to an all new level. The Navigator concept reinforces Lincoln’s commitment to give every Lincoln client quiet luxury – vehicles and experiences that are elegant, effortlessly powerful and serene. This kind of quiet luxury sets Lincoln apart, says a press release. Lincoln invented the large luxury SUV in 1997, and now is reimagining Navigator for modern clients interested in better performance, more space and further reﬁnement. Lincoln’s design team drew inspiration from luxury sail-

boats and yachts when designing the new concept. This influenced everything from the clean, modern lines and Storm Blue paint on the exterior that mimics the greys and blues of sea and sky, to the teak finishes, custom gear and wardrobe management system found inside. The Navigator concept is engineered to provide drivers peace of mind. It features a 3.5-litre twinturbo V6 engine and smart new technologies to make this SUV even more sure-footed on different road surfaces and in changing weather conditions. Drivers can choose several drive modes to improve ride and handling and to find the drive experience that best suits their mood – including steering, suspension and noise levels. Each mode is accompanied by a matching digital

animation in the cluster. Navigator concept provides the nameplate’s most spacious interior ever – a key want among buyers of large SUVs – delivered with a reﬁnement that leapfrogs competitors. The leatherwrapped interior is rendered in a light blue. Six Lincoln-patented Perfect position seats adjust 30 ways to best support occupants’ different body types. The driver’s seat, for instance, includes independent deployable thigh supports for maximum comfort. A custom wardrobe management system holds gear chosen for a day on the water, while Lincoln’s Revel audio system has been speciﬁcally tuned to create the highest level sound and visual quality. All of this is accessed through power gullwing doors and deployable I N C R E A S E D C A PAC I T Y

LECTURE

concertina steps. A special lighting sequence welcomes passengers for every journey – a signature Lincoln feature. The navigator concept features pre-collision assist with pedestrian detection, which uses radar and camera technology to scan the road ahead. If a collision risk with a vehicle or pedestrian is detected, the system provides a warning to the driver. If the driver does not respond in time, it automatically can apply up to full braking force to help reduce the severity of, or even eliminate, some frontal collisions. Pre-collision assist can help drivers avoid rear end collisions with other vehicles at all speeds, while pedestrian detection can help the driver avoid pedestrians at lower speeds. Both systems can reduce the severity of forward collisions, or even prevent certain forward collisions. A 360-degree camera and enhanced park assist features take the stress out of parking, exiting a parking spot and manoeuvring. The system seamlessly integrates views from four cameras – creating an overhead image that allows drivers to see all around the vehicle. On the road, a lane-keeping system vibrates the steering wheel to alert drivers they are straying from their lane and provides mild steering input to encourage them to steer back toward the centre of the lane. In the cabin, head restraint monitors provide passengers WiFi connectivity, allowing them to wirelessly share music and content from personal devices. In Oman, Lincoln vehicles are brought to you by Arabian Car Marketing Co.

FUN-FILLED OCCASION

Spicy Village all set to celebrate New Year in style MUSCAT: It is that exciting time of the year which is full of promises for the next year. It’s a time to reﬂect, a time to release old thoughts and beliefs and forgive old hurts and be thankful for the blessings of the past year and look forward to the New Year with a fresh beginning. Spicy Village is geared up to welcome the New Year in style with a bigger and grander setting to please its customers. The New Year’s Eve celebrations start in the evening on December 31 at Spicy Village Rusayl. The New Year eve at Spicy Village promises to be a fun-ﬁlled occasion for the entire family, says a press release. A good party ambience with decorative lighting and LED lights as well, an exhaustive buf-

fet, live cooking stations, special menu for the kids in the kids’ corner where games are organised separately for kids while parents will have great time enjoying rest of the evening with various entertainment like Tanoura dance, magic illusion show, professional dance troupe and much more and not to forget the DJ playing hit numbers to tap your feet on the dance ﬂoor. Spicy Village Group of Restaurants, which is part of the Manappat Group, has been consistently recognised as one of the most popular restaurants in Oman by its customers. For over two decades, the restaurant chain has enjoyed the reputation of being a place that serves gourmet-style meals at affordable prices in a welcoming and congenial ambience.

PROMOTION

Morocco to join Emirates A380 network

WCAS conducts session on general health awareness MUSCAT: Health and safety are given top priorities at Waljat College of Applied Sciences (WCAS) along with quality education and safe working environment. In view of this, Waljat College of Applied Sciences Health & Safety Committee organises workshops, guest lectures, training programmes on health and safety related issues to create awareness among staff as well as students on WCAS campus. In line with the commitment to ‘Healthy & Safe’ education and working environment, WCAS Health & Safety committee, organised a guest lecture on ‘General Health Awareness & Prevention’ for staff on the college premises recently, says a press release.

The resource person for the guest lecture was Dr Ashok Rathod of Lama Polyclinic Al Khuwair, Muscat. He explained in detail the principles of Ayurveda and its origin apart from providing solutions, focusing on information dissemination and preventive healthcare practices. Dr. Rathod also discussed about the main causes of illness which we may not notice due to ignorance. The session was very interactive and participants made queries on how to keep ﬁt in our day to day working environment and stressful conditions. More than 25 staff participated in the session and beneﬁted from Dr Rathod’s suggestions and informative presentation.

DUBAI: Emirates, voted the World’s Best Airline in the 2016 Skytrax World Airline Awards, announced that it will operate the first ever commercial Airbus A380 flight to Morocco and North Africa, when it takes the iconic double decker aircraft to Casablanca on 26 March 2017. The airline’s flagship aircraft, which continues to excite travellers and aviation enthusiasts alike, will replace the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft currently used on the Dubai-Casablanca route, offering increased seat capacity across all three cabin classes and an enhanced premium product experience, says a press release. The switch to the A380 offers a total of 1834 additional seats per week, meeting a growing demand from travellers on the route, with 14 private suites in First Class, 76 lie flat seats in Business Class and 401 seats in spacious Economy Class cabin.

BAIC offers attractive benefits MUSCAT: Making it easier for customers to own BAIC vehicles, Gulf Great Sands (GGS), the exclusive importer of BAIC in Oman, has announced a special introductory offer extending a host of benefits including low EMIs. Customers can now own a vehicle with low EMI.After adjusting the assured cash gift, EMIs for the various models start from: • OMR57 on A115 sedan • OMR99 on X65 crossover • OMR82 on Grand Tiger TUV Double cabin 2WD Pickup Customers can avail above EMI rates by paying twenty percent down payment and six years finance for BAIC models/ variants.

Subject to credit approvals from banks and ﬁnance companies. BAIC Oman is offering buyers a value propositions on all its models • Assured cash gift upto OMR1,500, which can be used as a part of down payment if required • Free registration • Free two years or 30,000km PMS service and • Manufacturer’s warranty up to 5 years/100,000km, the offer promises great peace of mind for the customers of A115 sedan and X65 crossover, manufacturer’s warranty for Grand Tiger Pickup is three years/100,000km whichever is earlier The introductory offer which has already started will be valid

till January 8, 2017. “BAIC models already are quite easy and affordable to own, and this introductory offer makes the process of owning a BAIC model even more exciting. BAIC models stand out for their quality, interesting design and novel features which are much appreciated by masses. With the unlimited benefits on offer, we are confident that more and more customers will opt for BAIC vehicles,” commented a GGS spokesperson. BAIC offers five years or 100,000km manufacturer warranty on all passenger vehicles and three years/100,000km manufacturer warranty on commercial vehicles in Oman.

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ROUND-UP

Students from Singapore varsity visit Bank Nizwa National University of

Waljat College inks pact with SMEF MUSCAT: Steering ahead and taking forward the concept of promoting entrepreneurship in Oman, Waljat College of Applied Sciences (WCAS) recently signed an MoU with SMEF for starting a campus company to be opened on the college premises. The MoU was signed by the Dean Dr S. L. Gupta and Raphael Parambi, CEO - SMEF. It was witnessed by various staff from both the sides. According to MoU, SMEF shall provide the maxi-

mum amount of OMR2,000 to the students for starting the company, says a press release. An area of approximately 400 Sq. ft has been identiﬁed at the Student Centre for this purpose. The campus company shall be operated by a group comprising 6 students under the mentorship of Dr G. P. Mishra, Professor In Charge Entrepreneurship Club who motivated and guided these students right from the start to open the campus company.

H O M E PAC K AG E

New customers flock to Awasr as Fibrenet package campaign picks up momentum MUSCAT: Awasr,Oman’s premier provider of specialised broadband internet services, is excited at the surge in new customers since the launch of a subscription campaign for its high speed Fibrenet home packages. As part of the campaign, Awasr is offering new subscribers opportunities to win fabulous prizes, including 50 inch smart TVs with Apple TV, each week until December 31. Its competitively priced packages are currently available in Al Khoud, Mabelah, Al Hail South, Al Seeb, Al Mawaleh, and Shatti Al Qurum regions in the capital area, says a press release. “The positive response to the subscription campaign for Awasr’s Fibrenet Home packages reflects the confidence of

our customers in the company’s capability to offer them world class internet services. As an Omani company committed to the service of the people of this country, we are keen to ensure the best for our customers. We believe the ongoing campaign will help us take our relationship with the community to the next level,” said Issam Al Ismaily, head of Marketing, Awasr. The last few weeks have been an exciting time for Awasr as subscribers came forward to join its ultra high speed internet services that come with exceptional features. New subscribers to the Awasr packages have been offered as many as 10 chances to enter raffle draws every week during the ongoing campaign period.

Singapore students’ time with Bank Nizwa included a trip to its Qurum branch, where they saw Islamic ﬁnance in practice

MUSCAT: Bringing Sharia-compliant banking to the next generation, a group of 25 students from the National University of Singapore visited Bank Nizwa’s head ofﬁce to gain insight into Oman’s Islamic ﬁnance sector and the bank’s pioneering role in growing it since its inception. The delegation was welcomed by Khaled Al Kayed, Bank Nizwa’s Acting CEO, before participating in an interactive presentation on S AV I N G S A C C O U N T

ahlibank picks MyHassad daily winners of OMR1,000 MUSCAT: ahlibank announced the names of the MyHassad daily prize draw winners. Salim Sulaiman Musallam Al Hudaiﬁ from Main branch, Ruqaiya Issa Ali Al Obaidani from Nizwa branch, Khalid Mohammed Said Al Ghailani from Avenues mall branch and Qais Abdul Rahman Mohammed Al Zadjali from Seeb branch, were the lucky winners of OMR1,000 each for the week, says a press release. MyHassad savings account continues to successfully satisfy the existing customers and attract new ones. It was introduced in July 2008 as an extension of the bank’s tradition of product innovation.

the principles and development of Islamic finance conducted by Mohammed Sajari, head of Sharia structuring, says a press release. The students, who were all business and political science undergraduates, were visiting Oman as part of a tour of the region. Their time with Bank Nizwa included a trip to its Qurum branch, where they saw Islamic finance in practice. Bank Nizwa was the only financial institution they visited during their stay, highlighting the bank’s growing profile as the Sultanate’s leading full-fledged Islamic finance provider.

Khaled Al Kayed said, “As Oman’s ambassadors of Islamic finance, we are committed to spreading knowledge of the sector and highlighting its numerous benefits to as many people as possible. These initiatives are a great opportunity to share our expertise and journey with people from all over the world, raising awareness on Islamic finance and providing the next generation with a window into its principles and practices.” Since opening its doors three years ago, Bank Nizwa has been committed to spreading awareness of Islamic finance through

dialogue, seminars and roadshows. The bank has launched the ‘Islamic Finance Knowledge Series’ to educate local communities across the Sultanate on the beneﬁts of Islamic banking and this visit is a continuation to its strategy to grow the industry and understanding of its core principles to audiences in Oman, the region and internationally. Bank Nizwa has also hosted various international delegations including the University of Washington, Dauphin University, and the Right Honourable Alderman Alan Yarrow, Lord Mayor of London, to name but a few.

FESTIVE TIME

IS Muladha celebrates Christmas MUSCAT: Indian School Muladha celebrated Christmas and New Year recently at the School Kid’s World. The hall was decked up and decorated with neon lights, fluorescent stars, pom-poms, Christmas tree and other decorative items. The programme had a serene beginning with a prayer song by the school choir. The charming and enthusiastic students of Classes III & IV enacted the nativity skit of Jesus Christ spreading the message of love, joy, peace and prosperity. This was followed by the rendition of the melodious Christmas carols by the students which awoke the true spirit of Christmas and added the real Christmas fervour to the assembly. S. I. Shareef, principal in his message, stressed the sacrificial mindset of Jesus Christ and reflected on his teachings of righteous tolerance. He also reminded the students of the importance

and signiﬁcance of Christmas celebration and he wished everyone a merry Christmas and Happy New Year. V. S. Suresh, vice-principal and Dr Lekha O. C., Co-curricular and extracurricular Coordinator, teachers and students attended the function. Santa Clause made his jubilant entry, jingling along and by throwing the gifts at the young ones

gathered in the hall. The excited audience welcomed Santa with great mirth and joy. The assembly was so delightful and jovial, that each child present in the auditorium became part of it. The message of Christmas too was shared very well through this function. The function came to an end with the vote of thanks proposed by Priya John, school counsellor.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016

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Meethaq Sharia Board reviews performance, growth strategy The Meethaq Sharia Supervisory Board meeting reviewed 2016 performance and new products and services in the pipeline for 2017, ﬁnance for corporate projects as well as audit report for the fourth quarter of 2016

MUSCAT: The Bank Muscat Board of Directors and Meethaq Sharia Supervisory Board led by respective chairmen Sheikh Khalid bin Mustahail Al Mashani and Sheikh Dr Ali

Qaradaghi held a meeting to review the 2016 performance and growth strategy for 2017 of Meethaq, the pioneer of Islamic banking in Oman from Bank Muscat.

The Meethaq Sharia Supervisory Board also held the fifth meeting of 2016 to review the fourth quarter performance and growth strategy for 2017. The two meetings were held at Bank Muscat head office in the presence of board members and top management team members, says a press release. The Meethaq Sharia Supervisory Board meeting reviewed 2016 performance and new products and services in the pipeline for 2017, finance for corporate projects as well as audit report for the fourth quarter of 2016. Sulaiman Al Harthy, deputy chief executive officer – Meethaq Islamic Banking, said: “The Meethaq Sharia Supervisory

Board discussed many important topics to consolidate the leading position of Meethaq Islamic Banking. Meethaq is focused on developing as a benchmark for Islamic banking and finance in Oman and the region. Within just three years of operations, Meethaq has attained the leading position in the Islamic banking industry in Oman in terms of financing receivables, branch network, products and services, IT infrastructure and human resources development. The Meethaq Sharia Supervisory Board has made valuable contributions in establishing Meethaq as the leading Islamic banking service provider in Oman.” Meethaq Islamic financing re-

ceivables rose to OMR782 million as of 30 September 2016 compared to OMR482 million in the same period of 2015. Islamic customer deposits touched OMR746 million as of 30 September 2016 compared to OMR549 million reported for the same period in 2015. The Meethaq network has grown to 16 branches across the Sultanate since inception of operations in 2013. The banking sector in Oman is witnessing the consolidation of Islamic banking and the state-ofthe-art branch network reﬂects Meethaq’s focus to redeﬁne Islamic banking operations in Oman. Meethaq plans to expand the branch network as well as launch

new products and services to complement the unique Islamic banking experience. Meethaq offers a full suite of Islamic banking products and services, including savings account, current account, home finance, auto finance, credit card, mobile banking and internet banking. The bank has invested in staff, systems and controls to ensure the service is delivered in a professional, segregated and fully Sharia compliant manner. Meethaq has adopted the best practices in Islamic banking and finance worldwide to combine a robust model which protects customers and complements the Islamic banking industry.

OMAN MEDICAL COLLEGE

OMC holds White Coat ceremony for pharmacy students MUSCAT: Oman Medical College (OMC), Bausher campus organised a White Coat ceremony for B.Pharm ﬁnal year students recently. The symbolism of the ‘White Coat’ to health professionals stresses professionalism for the pharmacists and physicians as these students begin their clinical rotations. Dr Sultan bin Ya’arub bin Qahtan Al Busaidi, adviser of Health Affairs, Ministry of Health was the chief guest for the ceremony. Khulood Mohammed Rashid Al Fannah Al Araimi and Mohiuddin P. Mohd. Ali, directors, Oman Medical College were also present during the ceremony. Dr Mohamed Hamdan Rubaie, director general of Pharmaceutical Affairs and Drug Control and Dr Saif Al Abri, senior consultant Royal Hospital were among the dignitaries, says a press release. Welcoming the gathering, Dr Yaseen Moosa Malallah Al- Lawatia, Vice Dean, Oman Medical Col-

lege, Bausher campus pointed out that though this ceremony originated in the United States, many medical schools across the world follow this tradition to infuse a sense of responsibility and professionalism in the students. He also emphasised the role of pharmacy and the importance of pharmacists in the health care sector. The keynote address was given by Ph. Batool Jaffer Suleiman, director of Rational Drug Use, Ministry of Health. She emphasised that the institutions of higher learning are the major providers of a nation’s knowledge, knowledge work-force and innovative technologies. She stressed that the pharmacist of today is required to be professionally competent, pro-active and prepared to undergo the process of rapid metamorphosis to acquire the skills that are useful in advancing the level of pharmacy practice. With the advent of potent and highly

speciﬁc therapeutic agents and emergence of wide spectrum of drug delivery systems, the pharmacist of today is required to keep pace with the rapid changes taking place in pharmacy practice. The talks were followed by a formal ‘robing’ ceremony in which the students received the white coats traditionally worn by physicians and health professionals. A total of 83 students received white coats marking their entry into practical training in pharmacy. They were cloaked by Vice Dean

Dr Yaseen Moosa Malallah AlLawatia and Professors Dr Alka Ahuja and Dr A. R. Mullaicharam. Ph. Nasra Said Al Sharji, Director of Pharmacy & Medical Stores, Al Nahdha Hospital, Ministry of Health administered the oath of a Pharmacist to the students after they received their white coats. She was full of admiration for the excellent opportunities for learning and research provided at the Oman Medical College. Ruqaiya Said Abdullah Al Rashdi on behalf of all the ﬁnal year stu-

dents expressed gratitude to the parents and teachers. She recalled the journey that had brought them this far in their academic life and vowed to strive to do their country and families proud in the future. Ph. Khalid Shaﬁ Khalid Al Habsi from Khoula hospital, MOH and Alumni of Oman Medical College talked about his journey at Oman Medical College and how his education had positive impact in pharmacy care profession. Dr Mullaicharam spoke on the steps taken by OMC towards the accreditation process and how OMC is working hard to maintain the quality standards and providing quality education to the students. Best Alumni Awards 2016 were given to Ph. Khalid Shaﬁ Khalid Al Habsi and Ph. Shurooq Nasser Saif Al Wahibi for their support to Oman Medical College from time to time. OMC also honoured the institutions supporting internships for

the Pharmacy students. Mementos were presented as a token of appreciation to the Departments of Pharmacies of SQU hospitals in Muscat and Salalah., Royal Hospital, Khoula Hospital, Al Nahdha Hospital, Armed Force Hospital, Sohar, Sur, Nizwa and Ibra hospitals, Muscat Private Hospital, Bader Al Sama hospital, Star care hospital, Al Raffah hospital, companies like National Pharmaceutical Industries, Oman Pharmaceutical Products Ltd, several pharmacies namely Muscat Pharmacy, Scientiﬁc Pharmacy, AlHashar Pharmacy, Balqees pharmacy, Al Waleed Pharmacy and Taiba Pharmacy for their support in training of the students. The programme ended with a vote of thanks by Dr P. Jayasekhar, Professor and HOD, Pharmacy Programme at OMC. He traced the development of the pharmacy course in his speech thus bringing the solemn function to its completion.

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM S U N DAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016 016

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PRIORITY IS PLUGGING LEAKS AT PALACE: SAM Plugging the leaks in Crystal Palace’s y porous defence will be the ﬁrst priority ger for the south London club’s new manager Sam Allardyce’s as he looks ahead to a hectic Christmas period. >C4

Seeb Club planning to launch hockey academy in New Year The club had come forward with an

The modern hockey facility will be a great addition to Seeb Club

ambitious plan to build the hockey stadium and the academy with the funds from the Royal grant of OMR 1 million

MUSCAT: After the official opening of their state of the art hockey stadium, which is currently nearing completion, Seeb Club will launch their ambitious project —

a modern hockey academy in the New Year. The Seeb Club’s hockey stadium will be the ﬁrst of its kind in the Sultanate with all the ultra modern facilities. According to club’s vice-chairman Yousuf bin Abdullah Al Wahibi, Seeb Club had set aside half

CRICKET

Criticism of team, Smith just ‘bizarre’, says David Warner

BACKING THE SKIPPER: Australia’s David Warner, left, came out in support of captain Steve Smith.

MELBOURNE: Australia vicecaptain David Warner has found it “bizarre” that pundits and fans continue to criticise the team despite winning their last two Test matches after a run of five losses. Australia beat Pakistan by 39 runs in a thrilling finish in the first Test in Brisbane last week. Misbah-ul Haq’s side were dismissed for 450 on the final day at the Gabba, chasing a victory target of 490, having counter-attacked late on the fourth evening of the day-night Test. They were within sight of the world’s largest successful run chase when Mitchell Starc ended a 71-run ninth wicket stand between Asad Shafiq and Yasir Shah that effectively ended the game. Critics, however, suggested that Australia captain Steve Smith was not ruthless enough when he failed to impose the follow-on when Pakistan were skittled for 142 in their first innings, 287 runs short of Australia’s total. His cautious field settings on day five, with Pakistan still needing 108 runs for victory with only two wickets in hand, were queried by former captains Michael Clarke and Mark Taylor and slammed as “ridiculous” by former England skipper Michael Vaughan. “It’s bizarre people are mentioning things about the way he went about the game with his field placements, his bowling changes, the way he used Gazza (Nathan Lyon),” Warner told reporters ahead of the second Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. “At the end of the day we did win the game. There would be a lot more talk if we didn’t.” The victory was the second for a revamped side after selectors swung the axe following a run of five successive Test losses and Warner dismissed any notion the visitors’ fifth-day performance had given them the momentum heading into the Test.

Yousuf Al Wahibi

RIGHT TIME: The announcement of work on the hockey facility nearing completion comes just days after Seeb Club won the record 11th His Majesty’s Cup Hockey Championship trophy.

Steve Smith’s cautious field settings on day five, with Pakistan still needing 108 runs for victory with only two wickets in hand, were queried by former captains Michael Clarke and Mark Taylor and slammed as ‘ridiculous’ by former England skipper Michael Vaughan “Pakistan played very well,” Warner said. “They backed themselves and played their shots. They got into a fantastic position to win the game. But we know that test match cricket comes down to that last day, that last hour ... and that delivery from Starcy was right on the money. “But if they can take conﬁdence out of losing I don’t know. We won the game.” Warner did not give any hints as to the make-up of the side, with suggestions that all-rounder Hilton Cartwright could come into the team for batsman Nic Maddinson. Cartwright could take some of the workload off the team’s pace trio of Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Jackson Bird bowled 113 overs in Pakistan’s second innings. Warner, however, was not concerned with their workload. “All the monitoring and workload is left to the experts and you have to respect their decision, they’re analysing all the data,” Warner added. “If they think someone is going to break down then it’s up to them.” - Reuters

a million Omani rials to construct the hockey facilities. “Work is underway at the hockey pitch. The stadium that will be officially opened soon at a special gala event beﬁtting its status as the ﬁrst of its kind hockey stadium in the Sultanate,” he said. The club had come forward with

Seeb Club vice-chairman

an ambitious plan to establish a full-ﬂedged hockey stadium and an academy with the funds from the Royal grant of OMR 1 million awarded to each club by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos in July 2013. The club’s announcement of work on the hockey facility nearing completion comes just days af-

ter Seeb Club won the record 11th His Majesty’s Cup Hockey Championship trophy. “The modern hockey facility will be a great addition to Seeb Club stadium in both the technical and aesthetic point of view,” Al Wahaibi said. “We should take advantage of

this stadium to develop Oman hockey and Omani hockey players,” he added. The club official explained that the idea of establishing the hockey academy came after consultations with the trainers and technicians. “The aim is to spread hockey, and to enable the players and technicians to develop their skills as there is huge interest in the game and a number of players practicing hockey in the Seeb area,” the club official explained. Al Wahaibi also explained that the club has been in constant touch with the international experts and has been chalking out plans on the means and ways to establish the academy with the help of experts. “We are also in touch with world famous hockey clubs and we would like to learn from their experience. And in the co-operation with the Ministry of Sports Affairs and Oman Hockey Association we hope to establish a modern hockey academy,” he said. - ONA

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016

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IAAF chief Coe wants athletics to be among top-four sports NEW DELHI: International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) President Sebastian Coe feels the sport will rise from the unprecedented Russian doping crisis to be among the world’s top-four alongside football, tennis and Formula One in the next three years. Coe, a double Olympic gold medallist, said he is hopeful that the 15-point reforms agenda, which was accented to by the IAAF Special Congress this month, will help athletics get back the trust of clean athletes and the public after the doping scandal. “The need to reform was much more on the basis of what the modern sport (athletics) required for the vision I have set. The vision is within the next three-four years, our sport should be the among the top four sports, not the top four Olympics sports,” Coe, who took charge as IAAF chief in August last year, said from London in a telephonic interview. “As you know our challenge will be with football, tennis, formula one, that is the true competition, and our competition is not with

The need to reform was much more on the basis of what the modern sport (athletics) required for the vision I have set. The vision is within the next threefour years, our sport should be the among the top four sports, not the top four Olympics sports Sebastian Coe IAAF cheif

swimming and gymnastics,” he said. Asked to review the past athletics season, Coe admitted that the Russian doping crisis which led to their track and ﬁeld athletes being barred from competing in the

Rio Olympics was the “underlying challenge of the year.” “It has been a tough year and also an important year for our sport. Obviously the highlights are the successful showing by athletes

in Rio Olympics where athletics re-asserted as the number one Olympic sport. We had four world championships which were of extraordinarily high standard,” the 60-year-old Coe, who won a gold

medal in 1500m in both 1980 and 1984 Olympics, said. “But that does not mask us from the underlying challenge of the year, away from the competitive arena, which will need a long time to build the trust (of clean athletes and public) and that process has started with the reforms we got accented by the Special Congress,” he said. A radical governance structure reforms package was passed by the IAAF in a Special Congress in Monaco this month, with 182 member federations voting for it out of 197 present. The 15-point reforms package includes placing more governance power in the hands of the IAAF Executive Board, limiting the number of terms of office for President to three of four years each. But Coe, who also served as the head of 2012 London Olympics Organising Committee, said there was no reduction in the powers enjoyed by the president even though there would be more checks and balances. “It’s not diminishing of power of president. It’s just re-balancing. The problem was too much power

was given to too few people without enough checks and balances. It’s not really the president has less powers, it’s that there are checks and balances to make sure the president for the very ﬁrst time alongside the Chief Executive and General Secretary has a proper role and properly quantiﬁed set of responsibilities. But the member federations and ultimately the congress will be able to judge us,” he said. Explaining the rationale behind the sweeping reforms, he said: “The issue we have to deal with is very clear to me. First of all, the constitution was outdated and not relevant enough for the circumstances the modern sport has to deal with. Secondly and pre-eminently, our governance structure was not strong enough.” Asked if he was disappointed at not getting Jamaica, an athletics power, on board, Coe, said: “I can’t answer that question. Frankly, you should ask those questions to the associations of these countries. I am very pleased that 95 percent of the federations supported the reforms including India.” - PTI

New Zealand to manage Boult, Southee workload New Zealand begin a three-match oneday series against Bangladesh in Christchurch on Monday, before they play three Twenty20 internationals ahead of two Tests

CHRISTCHURCH: New Zealand’s frontline seamers Trent Boult and Tim Southee will have their workloads managed through the limited-overs portion of their series against Bangladesh to ensure they are fresh for the rest of the international programme, coach Mike Hesson has said. New Zealand begin a threematch one-day series against Bangladesh in Christchurch on Monday, before they play three Twenty20 internationals ahead of two Tests.

BALANCING ACT: New Zealand coach Mike Hesson said it’s always a balancing act with guys that play all three forms, especially the bowlers.

Boult will not play the final one-day match in Nelson on December 31 and miss at least the first Twenty20 match in Napier on January 3, while Southee will miss the entire Twenty20 series ahead of the first Test in Wellington that starts on January 12. “It’s always a balancing act with

guys that play all three forms, especially the bowlers,” Hesson told reporters in Christchurch on Saturday. “We’ll give them a chance to get their loads up so they’re ready to go for the Test match.” Both played domestic limited overs cricket upon New Zealand’s return from Australia, where

they were thumped 3-0 in their Chappell-Hadlee one-day series against Steve Smith’s side. Most of the team had returned to their domestic sides since, with Boult, Southee and spinner Mitchell Santner all playing on Friday in Hamilton before joining the national side. Tom Latham, Matt Henry, Neil Broom and Jimmy Neesham all played for their respective teams in a Twenty20 match in Christchurch on Friday. “I think it’s been good the guys have had 10-12 days home playing some domestic cricket,” Hesson said. “(They’re) getting some conﬁdence back.” Captain Kane Williamson, however, had not played any cricket at all, Hesson said, with the coach restricting all contact with the 26-year-old. “It’s been nice to be able to give him a break, it’s a tough ask playing all three forms of the game and you’re captain as well. I’ve left him alone to be fair to enjoy his break rather than getting annoying phone calls from me all the time. He’s certainly fresh and ready to go.” New Zealand host Australia for three one-day matches after the Bangladesh series before South Africa arrive for a full tour that includes a Twenty20 international, ﬁve one-day matches and three Tests. - Reuters

OSA BOARD MEMBERS HOLD FIRST MEETING The recently-elected board members of the Oman Swimming Association held their ﬁrst meeting under the chairmanship of Taha bin Sulaiman Al Kishry at the Oman Olympic Committee (OOC) Headquarters last week. During the meeting, Taha Al Kishry, who is also the secretary-general of the OOC, expressed his thanks to the officials of the Ministry of Sports Affairs and the members of the general assembly for their role in the success of the general assembly meeting and the elections. During the meeting, treasurer Mumtaz bin Faqir Al Balushi briefed the members on the ﬁnancial situation of the association. — Supplied photo

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016

SPORTS South Africa favourites to beat visiting Sri Lanka Even without leading trio AB de Villiers,

People expect us to beat Sri Lanka but that’s not certain. They have played really good cricket over time

Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, South Africa are expected to defeat Sri Lanka who have lost eight of their 10 previous Tests in South Africa

Faf du Plessis South Africa captain CAPE TOWN: South Africa will look to produce a dominant series display against Sri Lanka, starting with the ﬁrst Test match in Port Elizabeth on Monday, to build on last month’s triumph in Australia. Even without leading trio AB de Villiers, Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, the hosts are expected to defeat their island opponents who have lost eight of their 10 previous Tests in South Africa. A 2-1 series victory in Australia in November boosted morale for Faf du Plessis’ side, who were

badly beaten in India 13 months ago and then lost a home series to England during which captain Hashim Amla stepped down. De Villiers took over but missed the home series win over New Zealand in August and the trip to Australia with an elbow injury, giving way to Du Plessis. “People expect us to beat Sri Lanka but that’s not certain,” Du Plessis told reporters in the build-

up to the ﬁrst Test. They have played really good cricket over time. They have also lost some key players...but they are a quality cricket team, they’ve got exceptional spin bowlers.” An injury-hit Sri Lanka team warmed up with a series win in Zimbabwe last month. Captain Angelo Matthews and deputy Dinesh Chandimal return for the tour in South Africa. Flatter tracks are

likely to dilute Rangana Herath’s impact. The spinner is especially dangerous at home and bowled superbly in the 3-0 whitewash of Australia in July and August. “I don’t think I will have much help in South Africa from the wickets,” said Herath. “It will be much better for the seamers.” The second Test is in Cape Town and the last match in Johannesburg. - Reuters

BASKETBALL

Olympic Solidarity coaches course concludes

MUSCAT: The three-day Olympic Solidarity basketball coaches course organised by Oman Basketball Association (OBA) in cooperation with the Oman Olympic Committee and International Olympic Committee (IOC) concluded on Saturday. The concluding ceremony was

organised under the auspices of Younis bin Khamis Al Zadjali, member of Oman Basketball Association (OBA) who is also the chairman of the technical committee of the AGCC Organising Committee in the presence of American expert Robert Tailor and the coaches who took part

BASKETBALL REFEREES COURSE BEGINS A basketball referees course organised by Oman Basketball Association in cooperation with the Asian basketball body, FIBA Asia began at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex on Saturday. The course comes within the plans of the OBA Referees Committee and as part of a number of sessions and training workshops aimed to further develop the level of referees, said Ahmed bin Darwish Al Balushi, Chairman of the OBA Referees Committee. The course has attracted 30 referees.

in course Muscat Governorate. The training was organised at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher. The training session focused on defence methods in basketball. The training session was attended by a number of coaches including Ghassan Al Busaidi, Sayyid Ta-

lal bin Taimour Al Said, Mehdi Al Busaidi, Ahmed Mohammed Abu Hamar, Tamir Ali Mahmoud, Tamir Al Najar, Haitham Al Ghusaini, Khalid Al Zadjali, Hatem Al Tijani, Dr. Fatima Abdurahman Al Haj, coach Nidhal Al Mughairy, Rua Al Suwaidi and Zaki Said Al Mashari.

FOOTBALL

United have moved away from traditions on transfers: Moyes LONDON: David Moyes has questioned his former club Manchester United’s transfer policy as he prepares Sunderland for Monday’s Premier League clash at Old Trafford. United have splurged about £500 million ($614.50 million) in the transfer market since Alex Ferguson ended his 26 trophy-laden years in charge in 2013. Despite the vast outlay they have failed to add to their record 20 English league titles and are already 13 points off the pace this season under Jose Mourinho. Moyes, who replaced Ferguson but lasted less than a season despite signing the likes of Chelsea midﬁelder Juan Mata for £37 million and Marouane Fellaini for 27 million, said United have moved away from their traditions. “They were a football club who enjoyed traditions with the way they spent,” Moyes, whose Sun-

derland side are third from bottom, told the BBC. ‘Bought wisely’ “They didn’t try to compete with all the other clubs. They did what they thought was the right thing to do and spent the right way. “Maybe that has had to change because of the current situation. (But) Sir Alex (Ferguson) went out and bought wisely and correctly in the transfer market and what he thought he needed to do.” Mourinho’s arrival at Old Trafford signalled another huge transfer outlay, with Paul Pogba arriving from Juventus for a world record £89 million and the likes of Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Eric Bailly also joining for large fees. “There have been a few changes at Manchester United but that’s the way they have chosen to go,” Moyes said. - Reuters

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016

SPORTS Unbeaten Assarain team retain Premier Division T20 crown While Friday’s comfortable victory over Enhance Oman ensured Assarain retained the T20 crown, Saturday’s comprehensive win against Muscat CT came as an icing on the cake in the team’s celebrations

MUSCAT: Assarain capped another season of their dominance in the Oman Cricket Premier Division Twenty20 competition with back to back victories. After sealing the title with a comfortable victory over Enhance Oman on Friday, Assarain put an icing on the cake of their title celebrations with a comprehensive win over Muscat CT on Saturday. The unbeaten champions ended the T20 season with 28 from maximum available points of 30 and an all-win record. Their 49-run win over Enhance Oman at the Ministry of Sports of Affairs Ground I on Friday had ensured Assarain retained the T20 crown they ﬁrst lifted in the inaugural edition during the last season. Assarain stamped their authority on Enhance thanks to an all-round team effort, the highlight of which

UNBEATEN CHAMPIONS: Assarain team retained the Oman Cricket’s Twenty20 Championships trophy with an unbeaten record. – Supplied photo

was a whirlwind 40-run knock off just 11 balls by Naseem Khushi. After electing to bat ﬁrst, Assarain were given a good start by opening batsmen Zeeshan Maqsood and Arun Poulose, the former scoring 33 off 24 with two fours and two sixes and the latter making 45 in 36 with four fours and two sixes. Later, Gustav Burger and Mohammed Nadeem contributed 32 and 22 runs respectively. But it was Naseem Kushi’s swashbuckling knock that powered Assarain to a total of 184 for six in 20 overs. Naseem Kushi’s 11-ball 40-run

Dhamba contributed 31, 25 and 21 respectively.

innings included four fours and three sixes. For Enhance, Vishnu Mohandas claimed four wickets while Sufyan Mahmood and Nester Dhamba took one wicket each. Assarain then restricted Enhance to 135 for nine in 19.2 overs

with Kaleemullah and Sindo Michael taking three wickets each. Mohammed Nadeem and Ahmed Raza claimed one apiece. Khawar Ali with 32 runs was the top scorer for Enhance while Babar Ali, Noorul Riaz and Nester

OMAN CRICKET

Icing on the cake On Saturday, Assarain defeated Muscat CT by nine wickets. After electing to ﬁeld ﬁrst, Assarain bowled out Muscat for 108 in 18.4 overs with Mohammed Nadeem claiming three wickets and Shahan Akram and Zeeshan Maqsood taking two each. Aaqib Sulheri was the top scorer for Muscat with 30 runs. In reply, Assarain raced to 109 in just 12.4 overs, losing only one wicket in the process. Zeeshan Maqsood smashed an unbeaten

51 off 30 balls with three fours and three sixes. Arun Poulose made 47 in 30 balls with four fours and three sixes. Brief scores: Assarain 184 for 6 in 20 overs (Arun Poulose 45; Vishnu Mohandas 4/22) bt Enhance Oman 135 for 9 in 19.2 overs (Kaleem Ullah 3/18). Points: Enhance Oman – 0, Assarain – 5. Brief scores: Muscat CT 108 in 18.4 overs (Aaqib Sulheri 30; Mohammed Nadeem 3/24) lost to Assarain 109 for 1 in 12.4 overs (Zeeshan Maqsood 51 n.o., Arun Poulose 47).

FOOTBALL

Allardyce’s priority is plugging leaks at Crystal Palace

A DIVISION: Salman Stores players celebrate their victory over IT Work. – Supplied photo

Al Turki defeat Passage to India MUSCAT: Al Turki recorded a 70-run win over Passage to India (PTI) in an Oman Cricket Premier Division T20 match on Friday. Batting ﬁrst, Al Turki put on 136 for six in 20 overs. Ajay Lalcheta and Gulam Shaikh top scored with 29 runs each. In reply, PTI were all out for 66 in 18.5 overs. Jay Odedera, Gopenedra Bohara and Rohit Malik were the pick of Al Turki bowlers, claiming two wickets each to claim the bonus point win. Brief scores: Al Turki 136 for 6 in 20 overs (Ajay Lalcheta 29, Gulam Shaikh 29) bt Passge to India 66 in 18.5 overs (Jay Odedera 2/9). Points: Al Turki – 5, PTI – 0. Easy for Salman Stores In an A Division match, Salman Stores defeated IT Work by 131 runs. Batting ﬁrst, Salman Stores

(Usman 58; Imran Haider 3/14). Points: IT Work – 0, Salman Stores – 3.

FAIRTRADE STARS: Vijayanand, left, and Raza Mohsin. – Supplied photo

piled up 251 for nine in 40 overs. Imran Haider top scored with 77. Irfan Khalid claimed three wickets for IT Work. In reply, It Work were bowled out for 120 in 27.3 overs. Usman

top scored with 58. Imran Haider claimed three wickets for Salman Stores to claim the bonus point win. Brief scores: Salman Stores 251 for 9 in 40 overs (Imran Haider 77) bt IT Work 120 in 27.3 overs

Fairtrade win In a B Division match, Fairtrade defeated SARCO by 62 runs. Batting ﬁrst, Fairtrade were all out after putting up 212 in 29.4 overs. Vjayanand top scored with 117. Zaheer Khan and Praveen Achary claimed three wickets each for SARCO. In return, SARCO were bowled out for 150 in 25.1 overs. Mohammed Moshin claimed four wickets for Fairtrade to enable the bonus point win. Brief scores: Fairtrade 212 in 29.4 overs (Vijay Anand 117; Zaheer Khan 3/31) bt SARCO 150 in 25.1 overs (Mohammed Moshin 4/29). Points: Fairtrade – 3, SARCO – 0.

LONDON: Plugging the leaks in Crystal Palace’s porous defence will be the ﬁrst priority for the south London club’s new manager Sam Allardyce as he looks ahead to a hectic Christmas period. Former England boss Allardyce replaced the sacked Alan Pardew on Friday with Palace just above the relegation zone with the third-worst defensive record in the Premier League. “We have a very important job of stopping the goals going in at the other end,” Allardyce, said in a video on Palace’s website (www. cpfc.co.uk). “Attacking players when you are in possession are fantastic this season. The strengthening in that area by the club and by Alan has brought a lot of ﬂair to the team and I think that has brought quite a lot more goals. “But the other side is that when we are not in possession we have got to stop conceding and make sure that those goals we score win us games. It sounds simple but it’s not that easy.” Allardyce is seen as one of the best managers in English football when it comes to surviving a relegation scrap. The experienced 62-year-old was available to Palace after his short reign as England manager ended after just 67 days in September following comments he made in a newspaper sting about “getting around” FA rules

We are certainly trying to make the squad a bit bigger with more strength in depth. The players are good enough but if we can add to that let’s try Sam Allardyce Crystal Palace manager on player transfers. Allardyce is hoping to bolster the squad by signing some players in the January transfer window. “We are certainly trying to make the squad a bit bigger with more strength in depth,” he said. “The players here are good enough but if we can add to that let’s try and do it.” Palace have been in the top ﬂight since 2013 but only one win in their last 11 league matches has seen them slide into danger near the foot of the table. They are fourth from bottom, one point above Allardyce’s former club Sunderland, ahead of Monday’s match at Watford. - Reuters

W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M S U N DAY, D E C E M B E R 2 5, 2 0 1 6

SECTION

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

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S U N DAY, D E C E M B E R 2 5, 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDE

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WANTED Urgently required looking to immediately buy used Grit blasting & airless spray equipment 1 No each. Contact 968 24810930 / 93203772 / 93203773 /93203778

BUYING Buying cars for cash. Contact: 90202090

ACC. AVAILABLE Room for rent near Hamriya R/A for executive bachelor, Sharing kitchen. Contact 99640850, 97983501, 97443614 Furnished rooms with kitchen at ruwi. Contact : 91214897 Sami furnished sharing Accommodation, 2 rooms with Ac, attached bath for a small Muslim family. Only 150/RO. At Wadi Kabir in front of Baladia Masjid, Contact #: 92758923 Master bedroom with big kitchen for family near ISM. #92120492 Furnished attached room in Mumtaz area. Contact: 99743709 Single room with kitchen & bathroom MBD Ruwi. #95698714 Spacious room with WiFi available for Family/Bachelor near Al Falaj - NBO bank branch. Contact 92194086 Family sharing Ruwi Raymond Building, high Street.# 97380459 Room for Rent for Filipinos, New Building near City Seasons Hotel, KM and Teejan Furnishing Spacious and safe. Accessible to public transport. Call 97728418 Rooms available in Azaiba for family or Bachelor. Contact: 92887809 / 93211417

Furnished room sep / entrance Wadi Kabir Executives. #99336206 Room for rent available at Al Khuwair. Contact: 91512037 Furnished room in ruwi and azaiba for rent for executive bachelors. Gsm 99058344 Sharing accommodation available with W/E at Al Khuwair 33. For a small family or non-cooking bachelors. Contact - 92834145 Furnished room for non cooking bachelor near Softy Ice cream, Ruwi. #91107383 / 93120054

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

MV SALE Nissan Pathﬁnder, 2015 Model brown colour, 65k Mulkiya valid till 21 Aug 2017 for immediate sale. Contact: 92820174

Single room with separate bathroom for cooking bachelor in Rex Road. Contact: 98209132

Toyota Corolla 2016, white colour 8000 km, 4300 R.O. #: 92811110

Spacious bedroom, toilet & kitchen, near ISWK (KG). Contact: 96098443

2015 Model Mitsubishi Pajero 3.8 (12,500 Kms) & Kia Rio (15,000 Kms) for Sale. Contact: 91257475

Sharing accommodation in W/K. Contact: 94986587

Honda Accord 2008 model, 4 cylinder, number 1 full options with navigation/ camera, full insurance. No accident history, 1640000 km, well maintained. OMR 3300/-. Contact –95919059

Spacious semi furnished room with separate bathroom for Executive bachelor Opp. O.C. Centre Ruwi. Call : 90611670 Furnished single room with toilet at Al Khuwair, Kabab factory Ronald. Contact: 99568122

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

S U N D AY, D E C E M B E R 2 5, 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 an experienced Sales Engineer

SITUATION WANTED

ACCOUNTANTS – 2 Nos. 3-4 years experience, with a reputed trading and manufacturing company based at Nizwa.

for an Oil & Gas Company, should be self- starter with minimum 6 years experience in sales & marketing. You will have knowledge of oilﬁeld products and posses of valid Oman driving license and must be a degree holder of Mechanical Engineer.

nizwaindustrial@gmail.com

With fluent English, for sales and marketing of medical consumables, interiors and events with Oman D/L. Visa available. Contact:+968-90656997

Male / Female job opportunities

VACANCIES

Mail resume :

Interested candidates please forward CV on: job.muscat@gmail.com

SMART MARKETING EXECUTIVE

An IATA travel agency announces the following jobs 1. Reservation & Ticketing Staff 2. Sales Executive The candidate must be qualified / computer skills / experienced. Send your CV to : vacancy2017job@hotmail.com

Printing Press requires experience

Graphic Designer, Digital Printing. Interested send CV on jobavailable2016@hotmail.com

URGENTLY REQUIRE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER An Omani Road Construction Company seeks Business Development Manager with Oman experience in the similar ﬁeld.

Contact: info@anwaarfahud.com

ACCOUNTS Urgently required for group co. Chartered Accountant with minimum 4 years experience as Senior Accountant with tally knowledge, driving license and NOC. Email: hr@cityvago.com Graduate in Commerce with 10 years experience, must have Oman working experience with valid Oman driving license. Interested candidates send resume to hr@aljood-oman.com Accountant 2-3 years experience. Candidate should be Indian, English speakers. NOC is a must. Email: mohammad.jwabreh@ bearingcitysc.com. Fax: 24509312

BEAUTICIAN Urgent required Mehandi / Henna, artist & designer salon 1 or 2 years experience, visa & accommodation free, location: Sohar, female candidates only apply. Contact: 95089844

CATERING A well reputed restaurant, urgently required seafood & Arabic biryani chef & a waiter, should be ﬂuent in English only, experienced candidates can contact for more Details 99364735/ 93141672 Forward your Resume to cafechefa2013@gmail.com

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

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

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

ENGINEER SURVEYOR /DRAFTSMAN ITI Surveyor with 2 years experience in Oman in OHL transmission lines with valid D/L and knowledge in drafting preferred Contact 93339586 Email: hromancv@gmail.com Required Civil Engineer & Commercial Secretary (UK, USA, Germany), Mechanical Engineer, MEP Engineer, HVAC Technician, Plumbers. Email : joboman2017@gmail.com

SITUATION VACANT Experienced Boatman wanted, in charge of Boat & Jet skies. Technical background in engine and boat systems.

PHYSICS TEACHER Required to give private lessons to 16 years girl living in Muscat.

Please contact : 99333095

Contact 99466062

with Omani driving license

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

ENGINEER

Required urgently B.E. / Diploma having good experience in Automobile & Engineering workshop. Contact: 99439701 Email: nnoe11977@gmail.com

MEDICAL Required male female GP, Dentist, Administrator, Nurses, Pharmacist, Lab Technician for a Polyclinic at Ibra. Contact 71100596, joharaajmal2016@gmail.com Care Medical Centre (Al Seeb) requires General Practitioners & Pharmacists. Email : muscat.medicalcarecentre@gmail.com Al Farooq Polyclinic Barka requires experienced Male & Female GPs & Gynecologist. Contact 99754628 Wanted female & Male Nurse with or without license (good salary, food & accommodation with other beneﬁts. Contact 92989109, Email: medicoport@gmail.com Required Optometrist for a leading Optical group in Oman. Email : albasilopticals@gmail.com Contact 93822557 Muscat wants GP, staff Nurse holding MOH license & Receptionist (Omani) Contact 97698004 email: medicare@fusionlogicoman. com

MISCELLANEOUS Urgent required : Store labors. Candidate should be Indian, English speakers. NOC is a must. Email: mohammad.jwabreh @bearingcitysc.com, Fax: 24509312

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

Experienced Indian female 23 B.Com with computer application on visit looking for suitable position. Contact: 94964860 / 92436404

Indian (M), Qualified CPA, CMA, CIA (USA), MBA (Finance) & M.Com, 15 years’ experience in Finance, Accounting & Audit, (3 years in Oman) looking for suitable Senior/Middle level position in Finance/Accounting/Audit. NOC available. E-mail soji_ansu@yahoo.com, mob – 91595436 Senior Accountant 16 years experience handle accounts up to finalization MIS cash flow, NOC &, D/L available. Contact: 94117616 Email: praveen78oman@gmail.com Experienced business development and investment consultant with 10 years experience in the financial management field. Holds a masters degree in finance and management from the UK. Contact : 90157073 Qualified Chartered Accountant & ACS 10 +years Managerial experience, working in Bank, looking for suitable opening, Open to any GCC, MBL: +968-90788509, Email: kartirevy@gmail.com

Accountant with experience in Tally and ﬁnalization independently. Good English communication skill. Send CV to arabhealth@alhakkim.com

Electrical Engineer with 3 years experience & knowledge in AutoCAD. Contact: 93881787. Email: babualsahil@yahoo.com

A Well known bilingual private school is in need of Computer, English, Mathematics, Science and Kindergarten teachers. Contact: +968 71168943 Email: staffing.oman@gmail.com

Indian male MBA (ﬁnance) Accounts, Customer service, 2 yearsExperience.(Dubai Airport) Iran Airlines. GCC driving licensevalid till 2025. On Visit Visa (Till 20 Dec 2016).Looking for suitable job. Contact – 71093532. Emailmirzahassanbaig89@gmail.com

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

Contact - 90372638

EDUCATION/TRAINING

MBA ( Finance) Australia, 14 years experience (world bank, U.S Based company) specialized in cost cutting , revenue maximization, ﬁnancial model, budget & forecasting, internal control, risk management, Omani driving license. Contact: 93978614 Email: sjamil72@yahoo.com

Part time Accountant Indian B.Com Senior Accountant more than 25 years experience in Oman upto ﬁnalization of Accounts and training accounts through tally soft ware. Contact: 93064975

Reputed mineral water company required the following HEAVY/LIGHT DUTY DRIVERS VAN SALESMAN

Required Urgently Engineer with Driving License & Foreman for construction company in Suwaiq, Al Batinah Contact: 96322202 / 93677795, mail your cv’s to: unionnationalhouse@gmail.com

ACCOUNTS

Accounts part time services available to handle all accounts up to ﬁnalization on monthly basis and ﬁnalization works. Contact: 96247295

MISCELLANEOUS

SALES / MARKETING

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

Wanted Sales Executive with GCC D/L & NOC for a company deals with automatic doors in Salalah. Email CV to: accounts@alatonoman.com or Fax: 24700408

Candidates with the following should apply: Previous experience in a similar, working for a security company Proven experience of designing and estimating large integrated CCTV, Access Control, and Perimeter detection systems. Detailed technical knowledge of database and operating security systems associated with CCTV, access Control, with Oman license. Send CV by mail info@sahabit.com

SALES / MARKETING Looking for a Filipino Salesman, in retail sector/food items, Muscat. hold a bachelor’s degree, 5 years’ experience, age: less than 30, ready to start immediately. Contact 24502662 or send CV to: receptionist@mescooman.com Looking for Salesman with GCC D/L printing press experiences. Email: info@alsahib.net Required Marketing / Sales person with oil & gas field experience of 2 years minimum. Send CV : watad.llc@gmail.com Require sales man for hydraulics and oilfield sector. Contact 99221683 / 92830110 Sales man & designer for Offset printing press. Contact: whatsapp 94756618 Required well experienced dynamic candidate in Real Estate Evaluation Field beside Building Management Techniques. Contact 91246444, Email: rescooman@gmail.com Looking for an Expat staff, with experience in Oman in real estate field. Email: aburashid94dd@gmail.com

SKILLED LABOUR Tailoring Foreman (Female): should have good experience in Measurement, Cuttings, Needlework & embroidery on Ladies Dress and Gowns(Abaya). Should able to handle a small team independently (preferably from Goa). Contact: 98256531 Required Experienced Auto Electrician and Automobile Mechanic for a reputed service station. Contact : 91232638 hashim@ramainvestment.com

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

Accounts job required, I have done MBA(Finance) and having 5 years banking experience and 1 year accounts experience(Part-Time) of Oman. My Contact# 94478099, Email:sumbalmehreen@yahoo.com Indian male 22 B.Com looking for job in accounting or data Operation special interest in accounts will be happy to hear from you. Contact: 90758030 Email: uttiawesome@gmil.com Chartered Accountant Indian B.Com, CA , CIA 10+ years experience Tally, Focus, Sap, Oracle. Contact: 94641805 Finance Manager B.Com, CA, CIA, 10+ years experience Indian. Contact: 94641805 Indian male, 27 yrs, Asst. Audit Manager 3 years experience in accounts & audit in India B.Com + CA (Inter) 1st Group qualiﬁed looking for a suitable job. Contact: 0091 8281358224 / 00968 90687772 Email: pradeepsasidharan4@ rediffmail.com Indian male 34 yrs looking for Accounts Asst job, Oman with valid driving license Cont. 92092486, email: sagarjohn28@gmail.com

MBA Finance Indian 25 Male 2 years experience seeking opportunities in Finance sector. Immediately available.contact:92498840 sachu_0318@yahoo.com Indian male, B.Com, MBA in Finance, 4 yrs in Larsen & Tourbo, 26 yrs in Oman, English/ Arabic speaking with driving license. NOC available. Contact 95588565 Indian male 25 yrs, Graduate in commerce, overall 5 yrs exp in accounts/ finance field. On visit visa. Immediately available. Contact 92836216 / muhammad.tausif623@gmail.com Indian male 45 looking for a job in Car driving. Oman License from last 20-22 years. #9961 3513, Email : Miqbal.kaa@gmail.com General Accountant, MBA (Financial Management) Having 8+ Year Experience in Accounts of UAE. Qualified Accounting Software TALLY, QUICK BOOK ETC. On Visit. Contact 9526 8360, Email. Sheikhs786.qh@gmail.com Indian male 26 years Graduated having over all 5 years experience in Accounts ware house fields sales & marketing, NOC available. Contact 95307619 / 92237173 Part time qualified experienced Accountant available. #1126314 Part time Accountant, 7 yrs Gulf experience available 8.00 AM to 1.00 PM FRI &SAT. Contact: 97895741 ACCA member with 6 yrs of experience in Oman looking for a suitable job in finance. Contact 99284193 Accountant & Admin 18 years exp (7 yrs in UAE) good knowledge of accounting software’s & English. Contact: 91729724 Accountant 8 Years Experience with D/L and NOC. #97712084 Indian, Kerala Male B.COM & B.PE, Currently on Visit Visa. Looking for a suitable job in Accounts, Store Keeper, Sales etc. Ready to join as early as possible. #96988923 email:- sajith3969@gmail.com 8 yrs exp. in Admin & Accounts (3 yrs in Oman), MBA, exp. in Tally ERP 9, Indian (F) seeks placement. Contact 97243806 Indian, Kerala, CMA-USA, ICWA, Mcom 10+Years Experience Budgeting Planning MIS Accounts&finance.Cont.94064931shijupnarayanan@gmail.com Sudanese Accountant, Alexandria University Graduate bachelor of commerce Diploma of Marketing professional photographer worked in PR and social media for 2 years looking for a job in public relations media, social media or marketing. #96976240 Accountant available with NOC, 7 years experience in Oman. Ready to join immediately. Contact 98263394 Indian female 28 yrs B.Com 4 yrs experience in MNC’s currently in Muscat seeking suitable placement in Finance / Admin. Contact :94743790

Accounts & Admin 3 years experience in GCC, BBA Graduate, Indian male 29 yrs. Contact: 79103778

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

Electronics & Communication Engineer, 23-year-old Indian on family visa, BE-ECE graduate looking for suitable placement in networking, hardware and electronics ﬁeld. #95148894, 99726963. Email: sadathali0003@gmail.com

Finance manager, MBA ﬁnance 21 yrs of MNC contracting experience, looking for a job thorough knowledge in MIS Ext/ Int Audit, tax budget, trade ﬁnance, system implementation etc. Contact: 94652975 Email: ramu2587@hotmail.com

Indian female, 26 years,brought up in oman,M.COM(FINANCE) CA Foundation(CPT),CA , INTER (DOING) presently on family visa seeking for immediate and suitable placement. Contact -97174201/99663957 Email-anishasasi@gmail.com

Indian male 22 B.com looking for job in ACCOUNTING OR DATA OPERATION special interest in Account’s will be happy to hear from you. C#+968 90758030, Email : uttiawesome@gmail.com

Certiﬁed Public Accountant (Filipino, Male, 27-yrs-old) with four years experience, seeking suitable placement in accounting/audit, currently on visit. Contact 94959606, email: czesar.42@gmail.com

Indian male 34 Yrs, Dual MBA Finance and marketing with IT skills, 7+ yrs of experience, Looking for suitable placement. Contact 94879615, Emailsajan_chacko1981@yahoo.com

Indian male Staff Nurse completed BSc nursing, having three years of experience in medical ICU having Oman license and NOC, seeking suitable situation. Contact 94932245

Indian male 22 years B.com with 1 year experience as an Accountant, looking for suitable opening. Contact: 91247507

S U N DAY, D E C E M B E R 2 5, 2 0 1 6

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

Please contact: 931 42923 ADMIN

ACCOUNTS Qualified and experienced MBA post graduate with proven work exposure in Middle East & India, having more than 5.5 years of rich experience in accounts , project coordination and administration in (3.5 years UAE experience) oil and gas projects is currently looking for suitable job. Contact 93953613, Email-allen.mathew83@gmail.com Indian male age 26, Accountant one year experience in accounts looking for suitable job. Contact Email: anishkhan991867@gmail. com Mobile: +968 9565 9415 Part time Accountant up to finalization auditing. # 93598736 Looking for a job Assistant Accountant. Contact: 90119212 Senior Accountant Jordanian Nationality looking for suitable position – accounts up to finalising. NOC available. Contact : 91702073 28/male/MBA - finance/B.Com Accountant with 4 years of Dubai/ India experience looking for a suitable placement. #90187483 shobinkarikkan1987@gmail.com Accountant B.com Indian male 12 yrs exp seeks suitable job.NOC available . Contact : 91212471 Email: rennyj6@gmail.com Omani female Accountant, 32 years, having 10 years exp in admin/accounts seeks suitable placement. Contact: 93295953 Indian male 34 Yrs, Dual MBA Finance and marketing with IT skills, 7+ yrs of experience, Looking for suitable placement. Contact 94879615, Emailsajan_chacko1981@yahoo.com Indian (M), 31 yrs, M Com 9 yrs experience in Oman, looking for Manager or Executive position in Fin & Accounts, NOC Available. Contact 96166178/+919768537435: mohammednajeem@yahoo.com Finance Manager, 17 + years Gulf exp. in Accounts, MIS, budgets, strategic planning, cost control, cash flow management, seeks job. Contact 99489784, E mail :- vijay.564@hotmail.com

ADMIN Omani male (HR or PRO) having 06 years experience and have diploma in business management looking for a suitable position. Contact: 99460164 7 years experienced in Administration & Sales with valid Oman driving license searching for a suitable job. Contact: 93347156 Indian male having 25 years of experience working as Stove Incharge in a leading automobile dealer, seeks suitable job. # 99730141 MBA, HR Managerial professional, 10 yrs, International Comprehensive exp (8 yrs in GCC) in developing / managing HR systems in MNC organizations competency areas: recruitment, organizational, development, performance management, compensation & beneﬁts, polices, operations, strategy, GCC Law & HRIS, available to join immediately. Contact: 00974 (Qatar) 55375005 Email: shabeermalik@yahoo.com Indian male 24 years BBA currently on visit visa looking for suitable job in accounts Administration customer logistic operations etc ready to join as early as possible. Contact: 96987802 | Indian female, MBA HR & ﬁnance, 4 years experience in MNCs looking for good job. Contact: 95299271 / 95124289 8 Years Experienced Graduate Omani Female presently working as Administration Manager in a reputed group Company, supervising HR and other administration activities, liaisoning with Ministries and other Government departments looking for suitable opening in a progressive professional organization. Contact: 91727742

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 Administrator B.Com with D/L on release, 30 years India & Gulf experience in office. project documentation & logistics. Contact: 92324789 / 97281023 Omani experience on reception, admin PRO seeks job. Contact: 96495545 / 96184616 Filipino HRD especialist /material controller supervisor with 18 yrs experience looking for suitable job in Oman. Contact: (+968) 98037142 / (+968) 92659817 8 years experience in administration and guest relations department in Oman With valid omani driving licence. Seeking suitable jobs. Ph: 98145825 email: getcb@rediffmail.com Egyptian woman resident, considerable experience in the Administration and Secretarial Executive for company. Contact : 97221126 Omani, male, 26 yrs experience looking for job in reputed Companies as PR, having experience at airport / Emigration, Ministries/ Manpower with Oman D/L. Contact 95445779 Young Omani male have experience 12 years as P.R.O, CLERK Helper Supervisor Admin Supervisor, H.R Manager have vocational M.B.A diploma in H.S.E, IT and P.D.O license, looking for H.R position or P.R.O part time or full time. Contact: 95933288

ARCH./ INTERIOR DEC. Iranian Architect, 3 Ds max, Photoshop interior design expert 3 years experience Omani D/L. Contact: 97309545 Architect 11 years experience & 9 years in Oman seeks urgent job having driving license & limited time till 12th Jan 2017 Architectural consultancy & construction engineering. Contact: 969 95913761 Architect Engineer seeking for suitable job, 8 years experience. GSM : 96075000, Email : haytham_201046@yahoo.com

DRIVER 20 years experience, educated driver, Keralite. Contact: 99062400 Light duty Driver with car Honda Civic, 2005, 6 years experience. Contact: 91898658 / 90744740 Pakistani light driver job, 7 yrs exp. Contact: 92754283 Driver with car, 6 years experience. Contact: 93961503 / 96448004 Searching job for light driver, with 1 yr experience. Contact: 94496620 Indian male, age 29 looking driver job. Contact: 97614837 Male 40 yrs, 15 yrs exp, D/L seeking job (Sales & driving) English, Hindi, Arabic. Contact: 97003340 Searching job for heavy duty driver, having 4 yrs experience. Contact 94752728 1 years exp D/L male 28 yrs, looking driver job. Contact: 94338977 Driver job wanted. Contact: 96393082 Driver seeks job, with driving license & salesman. Contact: 94235254 Indian male 42 yrs UAE , QTR 24 years road work experience looking for good post, with driving license, on visit visa. Contact: 91177203 Light driver looking for job. Contact: 94397006 Driver with car have good experience in Oman. Contact: 94039796 Driver with 2 years experience in job looking for job. Contact: 93374969 / 93721242 Driver with license & car. Contact: 99158913 Light duty driver looking for job with 5 years experience. Contact: 97380787 Looking for job light driving. Contact: 93779819 Looking for job exp having driving license. Contact: 97363138 Driver looking for job. Contact: 95892363

DESIGNER/ DRAUGHTSMAN

Bangladeshi male light driver exp 16 years looking for job. Contact: 99165961

Free lance Autocad works experienced (arch, struct, MEP, shop drw) rate a0/a1 sheet ( 10-17 OMR) ph : 97103168

Light duty driver 5 yrs Dubai, 1 yr Oman experience seeks placement knowing English, Arabic & Hindi. Contact: 90271794

Free lance / part time autocad works / make boq 2d /3d arch , structural, shop drawings interior drawings. Contact 97103168 mkgroupoman@gmail.com

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

Revit, Autocad D/man, expected salary 200 OMR. PH : 92279784 Looking for Part time/full time Civil Autocad & Quantity Surveying jobs. Prepare all types of Civil drawings, 3D Modelling and taking up quantities. Please cont. 93480346. email : esdeeoman@gmail.com AutoCAD Draughtsman 9 years Gulf experienced. Contact: 93528255 AutoCAD Draughts man Indian male with 10 years working experience (9 years experience in GCC) & well experience in Architectural & civil ﬁeld looking for a suitable placement. Contact: 91598043 Email: mu5495608@gmail.com Interior designer seeking job in Muscat with 6 years of related experience as an interior designer with a strong background in work place interiors. Contact: 91291502 Email: ahmad.jassem025@gmail.com Filipino Senior Revit/AutoCAD Draftsman with 20 years professional experience is looking for suitable job in Oman.Please Contact: 96489798, (+974) 66653780.

DRIVER Looking for driving job. Contact: 95396905

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. Indian male, B.E Mechanical with 2 years experience as Maintenance Engineer in Cochin Refinery and 1 year experience in Chevrolet seeking job. Ph number: 97964862, Email: jossyabraham20@gmail.com Indian male, Structural Engineer looking for job in structural design field. Having 6 years of experience in design field. Residing in Muscat. Contact - 91176187 Email: syam036@gmail.com 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

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. 12 Years experience, Indian CIVIL/ STRUCTURAL ENGINEER, Roads and Building, ETABS, SAFE, STAAD, Driving license with NOC. 90232011, rashtomi@yahoo.co.in Indian male BE mechanical engineer CSWIP, 4 years gulf experience in visit visa having Qatar driving license. Contact: +968 96550807 Email: vishnusohanlal@gmail.com Electronics Engineer in project & sales with 4 years GCC experience having Oman driving license looking for a job. Contact: 92103711 Master in Civil Engineering with 5 years Gulf exp. Contact: 96658456 Mechanical Engineer (B.E) with 5+ years experience in Gulf and India (oil & gas projects). Contact: 91987143 Email: jebilk212@gmail.com Indian male 26 years Mechanical Engineer with 2 yrs exp in Oman. Looking for suitable placement. Contact - 91328079 Civil Engineer 8 years experience Structural buildings marine. Available NOC release. #92451323. Email: zubairali134@yahoo.com Mechanical Engineer with 6 years Gulf experience, NOC & D/L available. Contact :92730137 Arch’l Site Engineer more than 15 years exp in Saudi Arabia & Oman (finishing & marble field). Contact: 91220168 Oil & Gas experienced Indian engineer available in Oman for business development, sales, marketing, with 10 years experience handling multinationals in Oman. Previously 10 years experience in PDO. Contact- 9490 2691 B.Tech Chemical, female Engineer with five years of experience from Hindalco and Honeywell looking for suitable job related to Chemical Engineering & teaching. Contact: 71121608 or seemi.alam@gmail.com Indian female M.Tech biotechnology seeks suitable placement. Contact: 91287047 Email: valliammai1000@gmail.com Electrical Engineer with experience, 9 years in Oman. Contact: 98148034 Telecom Engineer exp in CCTV camera & Security systems, D/L available. Contact: 93513927 Keralite (m) Electrical engineer seeks placement. Contact: 92757534 Email: arundevd588@yahoo.com Pakistani male 26, Civil Engineer D.A.E diploma holder with 3 years experience in Pakistani 1 year experience in Oman, seeking placement. Contact: 90617305 Email: wasimiqbal324@gmail.com 10 years of experience in all kind of electronics service & repair and electrical & plumbing work. Contact 93980952 Looking for Civil Engineer job, with 5 years experience in ministry project, good command in AutoCAD MS Excel and establishing BOQs. Contact: 97478804 HSE / Safety professional having more than 15 years of experience in oil & gas airport & building construction safety seeking suitable position in HSE. Contact: 99206389 Graduate female, 36 yrs, with driving license, looking for a suitable position. Contact: 96234434 Civil Engineer, B.Tech, Indian with 1 year experience in Oman seeking suitable placement, NOC available from sponsor. Contact: 91702450 Email: tijoct2015@hotmail.com Electronics Systems Engineer (UK Graduate) with skills in Robotics programming languages IC, PCB designing seeking suitable position Indian female on visiting visa. Contact: 95806296 Email: s.dinesh1508@gmail.com Civil Engineer holder a master degree with +3.5 years experience in gray & Jordan. Contact: 94592122 Email: m_f_h88@yahoo.com

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. Indian male Civil Engineer 1.6 yrs exp, having Omani D/L, looking for suitable position. NOC available. Contact – 92157694 / mohammedamair.bin@gmail.com Diploma in Mechanical Engg, 10 years exp in steel fabrication site work with valid Oman driving license. Contact: 94696192 Civil Engineer diploma, 4 yrs exp seeks suitable position in a reputed company. NOC available. Contact 96789711 B.E Mechanical Engineer, age 24 with almost 1 year experience as Production Shift Engineer, has achieved training on HVAC Engineering design and has good hands on software like AutoCAD and HAP.Currently in Oman on a visit visa, looking for a suitable placement.Contact: 95065955 email: mjs.jazeb@gmail.com B. Tech Mechanical HVAC site Engineer 4 years experience, currently on visit. Contact 92837696 / mdabdulather@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 Mechanical Engineer, B.Tech, male, Keralite, having 1 year experience, certified in Primavera and catia, on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact+ 968 94959233 / +968 97474225 Email: anandsunil94@gmail.com Indian male 24 B.E Mechanical Engineer, 1 year experience, on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact: 98530806 / 99362006 Civil engineer D.A.E Civil, B.Tech Civil, having four years experience on visit visa. Contact: 97248565 / Whatsapp 94996896 Indian male 23 years Mechanical Graduate, looking for job in mechanical field also completed diploma in Mechanical Engineering. Contact: +968 98812608, Email : mesahad@gmail.com Civil Engineer experience 10 yrs, 8 years in Oman. Contact: 97201504 / 98047527 Civil Engineer diploma 6 yrs of exp 3 years Oman seeks suitable position in a reputed company NOC available can join immediately. Contact: 97912853 Mechanical Engineer with 3 years experience in RO plant maintenance of boilers, breakdown maintenance, pumps, control valves and air compressor etc currently in Oman looking for suitable placement. Contact: 95632276 Email: jassinsudhakaran797@gmail.com Civil Engineer 10 years experience working in International company, Infrastructure & building construction having Omani driving license. Contact: 96616396. Purchasing professional having 7 years experience in power, water construction projects seeking job. NOC available. Contact: 96518316 mail: vineethsubashpillai@gmail.com Professional land surveyor available with total station vehicle NOC 9 years experience in building construction bridges topography survey roads available to join or higher. Contact: 96287425 Email: ihtisham.tkm@gmail.com Mechanical/ Piping Engineer (B.Tech.) on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact 94703350 Email: nadeembcoolboy@gmail.com Looking for suitable placement. Indian Male 36 yrs Machineshop sales and service, repair and maintenance mechanical equipments & jobs. Noc available, Oman D/L Available Working in Oman for 5+ years. 98481039, anand27kumar@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer Pakistani form N.E.D University 15 years experience of operation maintenance installation of CNH comp, gas engineer generative fiber optic FTTH & LTE projects in Oman. Contact: 00968 95196597 Email: s_atif76@hotmail.com Sudanese civil Engineer master holder with 6 years experience. Contact: 99636424

Civil Engineer 8 years experience in Oman as a project engineer for governmental & private projects. Contact – 90164912 Indian male Electrical Engineer, having 6 years gulf experience in designing, assembling, commissioning execution etc having valid GCC license too looking for a suitable. Contact: 00968-98052942 Email: azamjeelani78@gmail.com Civil Engineer (B.Tech), Indian male 24 years with 1+years Indian experience,(Certified in Staad Pro/ Quantity Survey/ Auto Cad).Looking for a Suitable position. Available In Sultanate of Oman (Muscat) on Visit Visa. Contact: 92157694. E-mail: mohammedamair.bin@gmail.com Fresher cloud Engineer. Contact: 98207829 Indian female, 22 yrs, BE (Electronics & Communication) searching for suitable placement. Contact 96008324 Looking for job in construction industries, office coordinator, document controller, Administration B.A with good computer skills 10 years experience. Contact: 95399753 / 93892877 Email: dhananjayam0@gmail.com Indian male, B.E Mechanical with 2 years experience as Maintenance Engineer in Cochin Refinery and 1 year experience in Chevrolet seeking job. Contact : 97964862, Email:jossyabraham20@gmail.com Need for job industrial Electrical technician with Oman driving license, earlier experience in the oil field. Contact: 91285302 / 96348016 Electrical Engineer Indian male 30 years, having 5 years of experience in industrial automation and utility maintenance in India, holding valid Oman D/L. Contact: 92789995 Email: akhilabrahamlktr@gmail.com Experienced auto mobile Engineer seeking job. Contact: 91487747 Mechanical Engineer, 3 years experience, 1 year in Oman, with driving license & NOC. Contact: 94887665 Email: mechatron_mt@yahoo.com Construction Machinery repairs Engineer, 5 years, driving license, Contact - 94001961 Sr. Electrical Engineer with17+ yrs of exceptional exp in spear heading strategic planning and project management initiatives & executing various high rise residential & commercial building as well as roads and highway project with proficiency in installation, seeking a challenging position in a dynamic organization. Contact 96570891 Civil Engineer (Indian male) 5 years experience in Oman with valid Omani driving license & NOC looking for suitable opportunity. Contact: 93101283 Electrical Engineer, 24 yrs, Indian Male, Fresher, Training Undertaken in Electrical Draughtsman, Fire Alarm, Fire Fighting and Industrial Automation. Contact: 94989767, Email: Junaiz987@gmail.com Site Supervisor, Diploma in Civil Engg (cert attested) knows autocad revit, salary exp: 250 Ph : 92279784 Electrical & Electronics Engr, knows autocad & revit. Contact: 93837973 Pakistani male Diploma Civil Engineer 4yrs exp in Oman bulling & mega projects, valid license Oman. Contact: 98921022

EDUCATION/TRAINING Indian female 24. Masters in Computer science engineering, seeking job in colleges, schools and institutes. Having in good skill in teaching and advanced technologies. Contact : 93356858 Email id : annielino11@gmail.com Masters (M.Sc) in applied Psychology, specialization in counseling, Indian female, 24 years, good caliber in teaching and counseling, with reasonable practical experience in some reputable schools and colleges looking for an appropriate opportunity in related ﬁeld. Contact 99133896, afsh.shariff@gmail.com

S U N D AY, D E C E M B E R 2 5 , 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 EDUCATION/TRAINING Female B. Ed English teacher, 7 yrs exp seeking suitable placement. Contact 99739415 / 92091528 Indian Female, Phd in Chemistry having 3.5 yrs of Experience in India. Staying here on Family Visa & seeking for a suitable placement. Contact – 99675828, Email anupam.tiwari67@gmail.com

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

IT Indian / Female (29) married. MCA, 2+years of experience in software development Accenture, Bangalore. IT skills include Dot Net, SQL server 2008, ASP.Net, excellent communication skills with Omani DL looking for a suitable job. Mb: 94057790; Email: geetika.pesit08@gmail.com IT Support Engineer, 6 yrs experience with NOC available seeking placement in IT system & server Administration. Contact: 93200454 Email: pandiyanraj85@gmail.com IT Engineer male, 28 yrs, over 7 yrs experience with NOC, D/L available seeking placement in IT / Network / Telecom field. Contact 93563297 Email: monuzv24@gmail.com Looking for IT &Administration job, more than 5 years experience. Contact: 97619211 A telecommunication and Network Engineer with 3 years experience in the field. Contact : + 968 98832649 Email: mohammed.abutamam@gmail.com Indian Male, MCA Graduate, 15 yrs exp in ERP, CSM Certified, seeking suitable role.NOC Available. Contact : GSM : 90189284 Email: meetlibran@gmail.com Indian female M.Sc Computer Science seeking suitable placement in Muscat area. Contact 98660672 27, Indian male: Software Developer having 5years+ experience in oracle forms & reports 10 g, BI publisher. Contact:91156571 IT Support Engineer, Exp 3 years in Oman 2 years in India. Contact 94672759 CFA level 1 cleared (pursuing level 2) MBA operations research, female, 5 yrs experience as Analyst, have a valid Oman driving license, looking for related openings.Contact 95818892 Indian male 4 years experience in IT as Programmer / Web Support/ CCNA/ Network on visit visa seeking placement. Contact 93069694 Email: mrabrar14@gmail.com Indian male 4 years experience in IT as Programmer / Web Support/ CCNA/ Network on visit visa seeking placement. Contact 93069694 Email: mrabrar14@gmail.com Female, master in mass communication, B.Ed, experience in media channel and teaching PH : 99362024

MISCELLANEOUS B.Com,IICL Certiﬁed Container Inspector (No.150850),Visit Visa, Six months experience, need placement. # 90880935, 99023279, Email solexyesudas@gmail.com Sudanese male bachelor geology and mining with 3 years experience in MUD logging and training in soil investigation. Contact 92956848 BS in Electrical Engineering, Experience: 5 years(Power Plants). Contact: 92475206 Email: zahaibzafar007@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS

MANAGER / SUPERVISOR

British National, 34, M.B.A young & energetic male, looking for any managerial position in Oman, having 12 years of experience in managing different types of businesses. Contact: 96056963 Email: asim_shah199@yahoo.com

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

Omani male, 21 years graduate, (bachelor in management studies) seeks suitable placement. Contact: 97904200 21, Indian female B.com graduate on family visa looking for immediate and suitable placement. Holds valid Omani Driver’s license. Contact: 97208869 Indian male, 28, post graduate, 6+ yrs exp in Oman in sales (back office) & credit control with valid Oman D/L looking for suitable placements. NOC available. Contact: 92066 523 9 year experienced industrial painter and sand blaster with Oman driving licence. NOC available. Seeks suitable placement. Contact Zakeer Hussain 96681934.

MEDICAL Female Indian (Kerala) Dentist, BDS with 5 years experience & MOH License looking for a suitable job in Muscat. Data Flow completed. Contact: 93830963, Email: shereenashefin@gmail.com Indian lady, BSC Nurse with MOH seeking job. Contact: 92726762 Indian female Staff Nurse, more than 20 years experience in maternity wards, delivery suit and medical wards M.O.H license and N.O.C available. Seeking for a suitable job in Muscat. Contact: 92035268 Email: rosemathew2015@gmail.com Indian female Assistant Pharmacist 4 years experience in Oman seeking suitable placement in Muscat area. Contact 93391910, 97498809 Homeopathy Doctor Indian female with MOH license looking for a suitable placement. Contact: 94541830 Email: homeo64319@gmail.com Indian female MOH Dietitian working in Muscat NOC available well experienced. Contact: 90996037 Email: nabanitasaha12@gmail.com Female dentist Pakistani prometric pass (66%) dataflow in process 10 years of experience in Malaysia & Pakistan, looking for in Muscat. Contact: 96173783 Email: humerasafdar@hotmail.com Male Staff Nurse (Indian 26 years old) having MOH license NOC & 3 year’s experience, seeking suitable placement. #94932245 / 95068075 Iraqi Dentist looking for job in Muscat with MOH license & NOC 6 years experience and half. Contact: 96907572 Dr.Ayman Abduljalil Ali, E.N.T Specialist (Otolaryngologist), Yemeni-male, looking for job. Mobile: 00201096542706, Email: aymanjalilorl@gmail.com Female Staff Nurse, with 6 yrs experience MOH license and NOC available date flow completed looking for a suitable job in Muscat. Contact: 97440718 Indian Male Dentist BDS with MOH license seeks for a job. Contact 94397499 Female Dentist Indian with MOH license & NOC looking for a job in Muscat. Contact-96035981 Indian male Nurse with 7 years seeking for a suitable job in Muscat. Data flow, prometric completed. Contact: 93519957 / 98275068 Email: mammenv24@gmail.com Filipino male Medical / Sales representative with 3 yrs experience is looking for suitable job in Oman. Contact: 92610394 Indian male Nurse, with well experience in profession and working in Oman. Seeking for a suitable placement. (Preferring opportunity in as Rig Medic). Has BLS and ACLS. Contact : 97236545 Veterinary Doctor: Indian Female looking for a suitable placement. Contact: 96906534 /99014885, Email: monishmajeed@gmail.com

Indian male (40 yrs), looking for warehousing /logistics supervisor position, having 12 yrs Oman Exp with D/L, currently with a leading distribution company in Oman, NOC available - PH: 94337320 ; Email: truefails@rediffmail.com Indian male MBA with 8 years of exp as Assistant Manager in investment banking sector. Looking for suitable position, currently on visit visa. Contact – 98685704, WhatsApp 919000676512 Email – suhelpashaa@gmail.com General Manager Indian National With 20 yr Experience In managing Civil Construction Business Seek Opening in reputed Civil Company. Contact-97464650.

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE Secretarial & Office: Indian(F), MBA in Finance, 2 years experience as Associate in Branch Operations (Record Keeping, Desk job)on family visa. Ph: 93186865 ; email: ddthoppil@gmail.com 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 India PG diploma in Business Administration, 24 year experiences (22 years in Oman) in diverse ﬁeld handling office administration independently, Sales and Marketing, highly motivated, hard working skillful and willing to work in hallenging environments seeks suitable placement. Having valid Omani driving license. #99120500 Lady Secretary / Sales Co-coordinator 12 years experience in Oman in reputed companies, seek immediate Employment. #95244761

SKILLED LABOUR 7 years experience in aquaculture shrimp farming construction light license NOC. Contact: 92635313 Male 42 electricians & plumber, looking for job NOC available. Contact: 98081227 Watch repair and service looking for job, 24 yrs experience. Contact: 99530405

SALES / MARKETING Indian male with 15 years of rich experience in business development & marketing 7 + years in Oman , looking for a suitable opportunity. Contact: 98652962 Indian male Keralite post Graduate Diploma & Graduate have 6 years experience in Sales and Marketing, have experience in Ecommerce, IT, Customer services & FMCG. Contact: 93988511 Email: vimalkanjhlar@gmail.com 27 years Indian male looking for outdoor sales with 5 years of experience in G.C.C & having Oman driving license presently working in electronic base company. N.O.C available. Contact: 94048369 / 97209329 Indian male (28) B.Com last position 6+ yrs experience in sales & business development immediate joining, on visit visa. Contact: 92686168 W.H.APP +918087894270 Email: fernandesjackson_john@yahoo.com Indian male, 6 yrs experience in oman as Business Analyst / Business Support, Seeking suitable position. NOC Available. Contact-95882930 5 years Oman sales experienced Indian with valid Omani & UAE driving license. Contact: 92507253 / 99414642 Sales professional (Graduate) with additional qualiﬁcation MCSE & CCNA having more than 10+ yrs of experience in handling IT hardware, Networking & Security Products (project based) and experience in education and training industry in Oman, seeking employment in relevant IT companies. Contact: 99354209 3 years experience in sales in Oman, looking for suitable vacancy, NOC available-96983324

SALES / MARKETING BBA Bachelor of business administration exp in custom clearance procedure, also done international logistics management & Nimb National Institute business management (US) certification all documentation work related logistics. contact – 91949050 / akram.chaush001@gmail.com Indian male, looking for sales & marketing job, Oman license holder. Contact: 95642740 Email: shaijichakkara@gmail.com Indian male, 27 years 2+ completed, 2 years Muscat experience looking for suitable placement (supermarket shop etc). Contact: 95128634 Email: sabuthoams@gmail.com B.com graduate from India with 6 months of experience in billing and sales in one of the largest retail chain company in India is looking for a suitable position. Currently in visit visa 99610602 or hashim.hashi@yahoo.in 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, 26 M.Com with 4 yrs of Experience in Accounting & Administration in a Financial Company in India, seeks suitable job, Currently in India. +918907212253 Akhil:-93626288, Email: Sumeshpsmkr1989@gmail.com Indian male masters in Petroleum Engineering with 1 yr Oman exp in sales & marketing holding D/L, currently on visit visa looking for oil / gas industry field related or sales related job. Contact : 93789123 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 26 yrs, Indian male, M.S.C IT having 2 years of experience in sales & Marketing seeking job in sales. Contact: 93703185 Marketing Executive with 10 years experience in Gulf on visit visa. Contact: 90116693 India PG diploma in Business Administration, 24 year experiences (22 years in Oman) in diverse field handling office independently administration, Sales and Marketing, highly motivated, hard working skillful and willing to work in challenging environments seeks suitable placement. Having valid Omani driving license. Contact 99120500 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 INDIAN male, BBA with 4 years experience in SALES & MARKETING, holding omani driving license. seeks suitable placement. Contact: 95607037 Email: raaz0jannat@gmail.com. Freight forwarding Graduate with 8 years experience in freight forwarding (Govt. of India) seek suitable placement. Contact: Shaji 99102497 / 98637889 Oil & gas experienced Indian lady with 6 years in sales & marketing to PDO and having valid Omani driving license. Contact 96143430 / 99875919 Graduate Indian male 26 yrs, 3 yrs experience logistics & management seeking suitable opportunity in reputed organization. # 98847095 Indian female 29 years Post Graduate with computer Knowledge 2 years of Oman experience in coordinator & 5 years of experience in customer service, client relation officer with excellent communication skill seeks suitable placement. Contact: 95337665 Key Accounts Manager of sales.. with an experience of 13 yrs, across the country. Bsc, MBA seeks suitable placement. Contact- 92100116 Egyptian male experienced sales executive with 12 years sales experience in Egypt, KSA and Oman with leading FMCG companies. Holds Omani driving license. Tel: 96202040, Email: ahmedghoniem618@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS

Indian male MBA and Diploma in management from Australia. On visit visa, looking for a suitable job in sales & marketing. Contact 71189884

Indian male 23 Fresh Mechanical Engineer looking for job in Mechanical ﬁeld special interest in HVAC & MEP. Contact : 9586 1251, Email : mdajaib@yahoo.com

Indian male with 6 years experience in sales in oman. NOC available, looking for suitable placement. Contact 95364128

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

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. Conatct 96001877 Client Relations and Sales Professional with 8 years in the Business Process Outsourcing industry, looking for suitable opportunity in Muscat. Contact +96879050752 Indian male 1 yr exp in sales automotive (TBL) looking for best opportunity , NOC available. Contact# 97793879 Email: shyampkn@gmail.com Indian male 26 years of experience of sales & marketing in surgical and laboratory equipments. Looking for good replacement. Contact – 92015894 /95774854

TRAVELS/TOUR Reservation & ticketing staff, IATA passed 24 yrs, Oman 1 year experience, 3 years experience in India. Contact: 94791341 & 0091 11 9656724483 Email: anasp555@gmail.com Reservation & ticketing female one & half experience in travel & tour ism industry visit visa exp, looking for a job. Contact: 97183575 /99015735 Email: aneesayoosufss@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS Indian male 23 Fresh Mechanical Engineer looking for job in Mechanical field special interest in HVAC & MEP. Contact : +968 9586 1251, Email : mdajaib@yahoo.com INDIAN male, BBA graduate and diploma in IATA Cargo Supply Chain and Transport Modes with DGR Initial Category 6.Holds Omani driving license. Presently in family visa, seeks suitable placement in Cargo section. Contact :-96370022 Indian Male (25), BSc Electronics, M.B.A seeking suitable openings, Having 3 years’ experience in, sales and Marketing of financial products with Oman Driving License. Contact 94774550 Indian Male age 23) an i am looking for suitable job my qualification is Diploma in Electronics an i am having 3 years of experience in the hardware an networking field an i am having Gulf driving license you can contact me on : - +96897017866. Indian/male (26)/CA finalist and b.com/3 years experience in audit & assurance services, financial reporting & analysis on visit visa. available for immediate joining. Contact: 98078321, email: shahir.usman.su@gmail.com Indian Male, 26 years. B. Tech ( Civil ) Having 4 years experience as Project Engineer ¸ Site Engineer & Quantity surveyor. Good knowledge in Planning and arranging works and sites. Estimation, drawing, Billing and project management. AUTO CADD, STAAD, MS Office and various software packages. Contact : 99334770/ 997 43 709 Mechanical Engineer/ HVAC/ Indian: 1year experienced mechanical engineer with piping engineering & quality control certification, on visit visa. email:nishadphoenix@gmail.com Contact: 90957740, email: nishadphoenix@gmail.com Indian/male(26)/ca finalist and b.com/3 years experience in audit & assurance services, financial reporting & analysis on visit visa, available for immediate joining. Contact: 98078321 email: shahir.usman.su@gmail.com A Filipino female searching for a job, with 3month visit visa.exp January 2017.hospitality and sales job will be a Good offer to me. Contact no:98271658

Indian female, 27 years, MBA in Finance, currently pursuing ACCA, having 10 months voluntary job experience as accountant looking for suitable placement. #94388910, E- mail Id: sowmya.vs1989@gmail.com Fresh B.Com Graduate in visit visa looking for a job. CONTACT: 93518923 / 99075027. Email: sheikcok@yahoo.com Indian male 34 yrs, MBA-HR with 10.9 yrs.exp. in Recruitmen t,Training,PMS,OD,Sites-HR and Omani nationals development, seeking a job, NOC available. Contact saiprasad_18@yahoo.com 94179499 33 years Indian Male MBA-HR & MSC having 8.9 yrs Exp (HR- operation/ SAP/ Admin) with Oman Driving License. Seeking suitable opening in Human Resource, Payroll & Admin/backend jobs. Contact:+968 99322978 /94129291 Indian male, M.Com, B.Com, looking for suitable opening, now on visiting visa. Contact79103798, email- malikfaheem284@gmail.com Looking for a part time accounting & admin job, having 32 years of experience. Contact 9919621. Indian male BE Mechanical Engineer with two and a half years experience in production department, searching suitable job. Contact no: 9500927480 Male Accountant, MBA (Finance) 5 years Experience including UAE and India up to ﬁnalization Available immediately (On Visit). Contact: 91704866, Email: anees0989@gmail.com Indian Male,B.COM having 4+Years of experience in OMAN with Valid Oman Driving License. Experienced in Accounts & Sales, looking for an opportunity in Sales or Accounts. Mob:- 94106834 email:- jobhuntmuscat@gmail.com. Indian Male 15 years gulf experience in HR / Admin Assistant, Purchase, Office Coordinator with good computer skills seeking employment for suitable position. Holding valid Oman Driving license. Contact 99709336 Indian Male 29 years MBA, B.Com having 8 years experience in Gulf and India as a HR and Admin looking for suitable placement. Contact :97914340. Email: kvraj30@gmail.com Good knowledge in Planning and arranging works and sites. Estimation, drawing, Billing and project management. AUTO CADD, STAAD, MS Office and various software packages #99334770/997 43 709 Electrical and electronics engineering graduate, 23yrs Indian male, NOC available, 2 yrs site experience in industrial and commercial building sites(MEP ELECTRICAL), expert in autocad, etap, ms office, electrical engineering design, ﬂuent in English and Hindi, exp in handling a team of 20 workers, ph:92201939. Indian, male, BBA graduate and diploma in IATA Cargo Supply Chain and Transport Modes with DGR Initial Category 6.Holds Omani driving license. Presently in family visa. Seeks suitable placement in Cargo section. Contact :-96370022 Indian/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 Accountant. Having 9 years experience in accounts in reputed companies. Presently working in Muscat (NOC Available). GSM. 00968-93528057, Email waheed.murtaza@yahoo.com Indian male 34 yrs, MBA-HR with 10.9 yrs.exp. In Recruitment, Training, PMS, OD, Sites-HR and Omani nationals development, seeking a job, NOC avl.contact 94179499 saiprasad_18@yahoo.com

S U N DAY, D E C E M B E R 2 5, 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED CARGO

RENT A CAR

SITUATION WANT- SITUATION WANTGOOD NEWS SIT. WANTED Pakistani male 25 y, fluent in English, valid oman driving license experience of pak. & oman. Needs suitable replacement like teaching, administration, documents controller, sales and marketing, rent a car field and personal Assistant etc. aamirkhan_7860@yahoo.com. Contact 94908725 Indian male B-com Graduate1.5 Year exp. in various office works, valid Oman driving license. Looking for any suitable post .Please contact: 95322175 / 91987965 INDIAN MALE (26)/CA-inter and b.Com/3 years expereince in audit & assurance services, financial reporting & analysis on visit visa. Available for immediate joining. Contact: 98078321 EMAIL: shahir.usman.su@gmail. com A Filipino female searching for a job, with 3month visit visa.exp January 2017.hospitality and sales job will be a Good offer to me. Contact no:98271658 Indian male, 26 years, B-Tech Graduate with 3 years experience in Oman& 2 Years experience in india as Civil Engineer in a reputed construction company. Looking for suitable jobs.NOC available. Seeking immediate placements. Contact: 96179737/ 97076972, email:robinsj.sj@gmail.com

ENJOY YOUR VACATION!!! worrying about your car? Here is a solution for safe parking and cleaning your car when you are away on vacation. For people travelling from distant location, you can just drop oﬀ your keys to the car care team and peacefully check into the airport. Your vehicle will be waiting at the airport on your return.

Contact: 96964767 Ayurvedic treatments & massage – Ayurvedic Clinic Al Khuwair. Contact 97263637 /93309131

MATRIMONIAL Sunni Muslim (Urdu) girl B.E, M.B.A 26 years invites alliance from Tamil Nadu Bengaluru. Contact: 99502581

Ayurvedic treatment for joint pain, backache, paralysis massage, steam bath, obesity, spondylitis, Ideal Care Ayurvedic clinic, 18th November Street Al Ghubra (North). Contact 99639695 / 97397320

Keralite Muslim boy, 33 years, height 5’ 9” cm working as Marketing Executive (MBA) in Muscat invite suitable proposal. Contact: 99179693 / 99449341

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED

Keralite Nair boy, 31 yrs, working in Muscat, looking suitable alliance from Nair family. Contact: 93764602

B. Tech in electrical and electronics engineering, 23yrs Indian male, 2yrs exp (MEP ELECTRICAL ), NOC available, expert in electrical engineering design, autocad, ETAP, MS Office. Contact ph:92201939 email:nabilism4@gmail.com

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

Indian male, 23 yrs, looking for suitable job my qualiﬁcation is Diploma in Electronics an i am having 3 years of experience in the hardware an networking ﬁeld an i am having Gulf driving license you can contact me on : - +96897017866.

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

25 - 50 seater bus with PDO & BP speciﬁcation for monthly rent & small car with driver. Contact 99839898

4 WD Pagero with driver. Contact: 98031620

TRANSPORTATION

Transportation. Contact92015894

Transportation. Contact94087276

S U N D AY, D E C E M B E R 2 5 , 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION WANTED TOURS

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We arrange tours & accommodation at all the beautiful places in Oman. Contact 99839898

WE SERVE OMAN

Pest control & Building cleaning all kinds of pest control building. Cleaning tiles / Marble polishing monthly/ Yearly contracts available. Contact: 98814733 /98814740 Al Husn Cleaning L.L.C

SITUATION WANTED COMPUTER/WEB./ EDU./CLASSES

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

in Azaiba and Ruwi

• Learn in two months • Satisfaction guaranteed

Tel: 95244310

BUSINESS

MANPOWER

Attention to Traders : we have our office in China we can import any thing you require directly from Chinese manufactures we insure prompt delivery with very low prices. Contact99742983 / 95226989.

CHANGE OF NAME

Pest Control Treatments. Ocean Center L.L.C. Contact 99344723 Water prooﬁng ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722 Caret & Sofa Shampooing General Cleaning & Polishing. Ocean Center L.L.C. # 24707833 Marble Crystallization & Grinding, Ocean Center L.L.C. Contact: 92705130 House shifting packing. Contact: 99657644 / 98518013 A/C maintenance & Servicing, Fridge / Washing Machine / dish washer repairing, 2) Painting and cleaning service, Electrical & Plumbing. Contact 94147874 / 24504281, mail : globalaccessunited@gmail.com

Carpet Shampoo, marble & tile polishing, pest control & anti-termite treatment, general cleaning painting, Plumbing, Electrical, shifting. Contact Mundhir Al-Rizaiqi trading. L.L.C. # 24810137, 99450130 Installation & maintenance for Modular Kitchen, UPVC Doors & Windows, Furniture, Electrical & Air-conditions Contact @ 92383882/91443786

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

DRIVING

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

TRANSPORTATION Transportation. Contact: 97128083

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

Picking & drop Ruwi to Rusail. Contact: 98957524 / 91287470 Transportation. Contact: 99099714 Specialist for road test drum and slope. Contact 94022250

Transportation. Contact: 94297820

We Rudranarayan Biswal (name of father as per the passport, holder of Indian passport no. J 3704672 and Somalina Biswal (name of mother as per the passport holder of Indian passport no. H 3186955) having permanent address in AT /PO : Babandha, Dist : Dhenkanal, Odisha, Pin – 759019 (Complete postal address in India) & presently residing at the following address in Muscat, P.B No. 880, P.C No. 112, Sultanate of Oman, hereby solemnly affirm and declare to change the name of our child Master Aayan Aneek (name as per passport), holder of Indian passport No. L 1160474 date of issue 07/05/2013 issued at Muscat. The name of our child will be henceforth known as Aaryansh Biswal (new name for all purposes). Any objection towards change of name of our minor child may please be communicated to Embassy of India, Muscat, Diplomatic Quarters, Al Khuwair, PB No. 1727, PC 112, Ruwi , Sultanate of Oman.

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

CHANGE OF NAME I Razakh Alakkadan (name exactly as in present passport) son of Mohammed Alakkadan presently residing at Buraimi, Sultanate of Oman and having permanent address in India Al Alakkadan House, Kerala Estate PO Malappuram, Kerala , 676525 (as per present passport), holder of Indian passport No. H3658008 date of issue 15/04/2009 place of issue Malappuram hereby solemnly affirm and declare that, Noorjahan (name of my wife appearing as my passport) and name of wife Baby Noorjahan Kainottil appearing as per her Indian Passport No F 7321987 are the same individuals and not two different Individuals. Any objection towards name change of my wife may please be communicated to Embassy of India, Muscat, Diplomatic Quarters, Al Khuwair, P. Box No. 1727. Postal Code 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman.

I N S I D E

Greetings to His Majesty, Emperor Akihito on the occasion of his 83rd birthday > page 2

Economic and technical cooperation between Japan and Oman

TIMES OF OMAN SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

> page 3

Warm greetings to you all. It is my honour to address you as Ambassador of Japan on the auspicious occasion of the National Day of Japan.

Mitsugi Saito Ambassador of Japan to the Sultanate of Oman

83RD NATIONAL DAY OF JAPAN

ur National Day observes the birthday of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan. 23rd December 2016 is His Majesty Emperor Akihito’s 83rd birthday. His Majesty has been active in fulﬁlling his duties over the past 28 years. The Imperial Family of Japan and the Royal Family of Oman enjoy a warm, long standing friendship. I would like to express my deep gratitude to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, and the government and citizens of Oman, for their support and effort in deepening the strong friendship between Japan and Oman. Since my arrival here one year ago, I have been trying to do my best efforts to enhance bilateral relations between Japan and Oman. Last year I said, “There are a limited number of Japanese people who are familiar with Oman, and I would like to change it”. To achieve this goal, this May I have invited Japanese travel agencies in Thailand, where over 60,000 Japanese are working, and in collaboration with Oman Air and Omani travel agency, they are impressed by Oman’s abundant nature and rich culture. As a result, the ﬁrst ever Oman tour package for Japanese from Thailand was introduced, and Japanese tourists are visiting Oman from Thailand during this tourism season. This might be a small step but > continued page 2 P O P C U LT U R E

Omani students laud Japanese Anime Day

On January 17 and 18, the Embassy of Japan hosted ‘Japanese Anime Day’ for the Omani students and others interested in animation on the embassy’s premises. One of Japan’s most experienced Anime directors, Osamu Kobayashi, who has worked on numerous Anime productions as a director, animator, and illustrator gave the audience a lecture and workshop on Anime. The director is well known for his work on Anime productions ‘BECK’, ‘Paradise Kiss’, ‘Someday’s Dreamers’, ‘Sora’ and others. During the workshop, the participants learned how animation is drawn and the drawings are converted into animation using the latest technology from Japan’s anime industry. In the opening remarks, Ambassador Mitsugu Saito said, “Along with traditional Japanese culture, Japanese popular or ‘pop’ culture is something we proudly and enthusiastically showcase to the world, because it shows the diversity and depth of our culture.”

SUNDAY, 25 DECEMBER 2016

TIMES OF OMAN SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

> from page 1

I will work to further strengthen Japan-Oman bilateral relations I would like to contribute further to increase the number of Japanese visitors to Oman. I would like to emphasise that Japan and Oman enjoy long and historic relations in various domains and of course, the economic field is not an exception. It is of my great pleasure to see that the Japanese companies are contributing to the development of Oman. For example, 60% of the electricity and 20% of water supply in Oman are generated by Japanese led consortiums. I am confident that the Sultanate of Oman, with its strategic location and political stability under the thoughtful leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, has great potential as an economic hub in the region. In addition, Oman has rich tourism and fisheries resources. Oman is located at the southeastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula and holds the Strait of Hormuz as well as a number of great ports by the Indian Ocean, which makes Oman a very strategically important country for Japan’s energy security. Furthermore, the Sultanate’s foreign policy proactively contributes to the peace and the stability in the Middle East. As ambassador, I will dedicate myself to further strengthening mutual understanding and closer relations between Japan and Oman. I would like to express my deep thanks and appreciation to the government and people of Oman for their continued support and to wish further enhance and development for the bilateral relations between Japan and Oman in all fields. I hope you enjoy the overview of the Embassy of Japan’s 2016 activities in this special supplement. I look forward to meeting many of you in the coming years, and humbly thank you in advance for your cooperation and friendship. — (Ambassador Mitsugu Saito is an expert on the Middle East region, having previously been ap-

Greetings to His Majesty, Emperor Akihito on the occasion of his 83rd birthday

n behalf of the Members of the Board, Oman Japan Friendship Association (OJFA), it is an honour to convey my humble greetings to His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Akihito of Japan, on the auspicious occasion of his 83rd birthday. It is heartening to note that this year our beloved Sultanate of Oman witnessed a historic event, marking the 46th Anniversary of the Blessed Renaissance, under the wise and visionary leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. This is indeed a glorious and significant moment for all of us here in Oman. Today, on this memorable occasion, we at the Oman Japan Friendship Association reaffirm our commitment to the spirit of everlasting friendship, cooperation and further strengthening of the remarkable bonds that bind Oman and Japan. The Oman Japan Friendship Association plays a modest role in bringing together the people of Oman and Japan by promoting mutually beneficial opportunities in fields as diverse as commerce, education, culture, arts, tourism, sports and more. The historic ties between Oman and Japan are deep-rooted and have come a long way through the years. It is delightful to notice the growing interest for Japan, its culture and history among the people of Oman. Similarly the people of Japan appreciate and admire the natural quality and beauty of the Sultanate of Oman, its rich culture and heritage, and the rapid progress the Sultanate

has made over the years. Oman and Japan share a very impressive economic relationship which has grown steadily over the years in various fields such as oil refinery, desalination plants, imports of various products and more. Due to Oman’s attractive and dynamic market conditions, and easy availability of local talent, investments from Japan too have risen steadily in diverse sectors. Likewise Oman continues to remain one of the largest exporters of oil and natural gas to Japan. Other commodities include non-oil imports like fishery which is a rapidly growing industry in Oman. Since its inception, the Oman-

Japan Friendship Association has played an important role in promoting friendship and cooperation between the two countries. Over the years, the association has whole-heartedly conducted several cultural programmes that have encouraged and enhanced people-to-people contacts, working in close association with the Japanese Embassy. Recently the Embassy of Japan in Oman, held a book donation ceremony to donate more than 120 books including Japanese textbooks, and cultural books to OJFA. The books were handed over by Mitsugu Saito, the Ambassador of Japan to Oman.

In September this year, the Oman Japan Friendship Association in cooperation with the Embassy of Japan in Oman introduced the third Japanese Language Course – a specialised language programme for Japanese language enthusiasts. The course was conducted by a specially assigned, very talented and immensely experienced native teacher – Yuka Kawai. In May this year, the ambassador hosted a fashion designing workshop, presented by Tamae Hirokawa, a renowned Japanese fashion designer. In the days to come, the Oman Japan Friendship Association will continue to passionately plan

and organise many more memorable events that will draw people of both the nations to enjoy and cherish lasting relationships. On behalf of all the board members of the Oman Japan Friendship Association, I convey sincere greetings to His Imperial Majesty Emperor Akihito on the occasion of his 83rd Birthday. May God Almighty grant him good health and prosperity, and may the bonds of friendship between Oman and Japan grow to reach even greater heights. Mohammed Saud Bahwan, Chairman of the Board Oman Japan Friendship Association

pointed to various countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.)

C U LT U R A L U N D E R S TA N D I N G

Donation of Japanese books to Sultan Qaboos University ON DECEMBER 15, Saito met Dr Ali bin Saud Al Bimani, vicechancellor of the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU). During the meeting, the ambassador of Japan donated more than 150 books including Japanese text books, cultural books and literature to the SQU to introduce Japanese culture and its language to the students, and boost mutual understanding between two nations.

Highlights The year 2016 saw a host of activities being organised and facilitated by the Embassy of Japan to boost cultural and political relations between Oman and Japan. Here is a summary of some of those events and activities: Visit to Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force Vessel in Salalah On January 21, Saito paid a courtesy visit to Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force destroyer ‘Suzunami’ which paid a routine visit to Port Salalah. Saito offered the highest encouragement to the personnel on board, and received a briefing about their duties. ‘Suzunami’ was dispatched to the Gulf of Aden for a counter-piracy mission off the coast of Somalia, along with another vessel ‘Makinami’. Welcome ceremony for ambassador On February 23, Saito hosted a welcome ceremony at his residence to introduce himself after his assuming the post recently. A large number of guests, including Omani officials, diplomats and from private sectors attended the ceremony. In the opening remarks, the ambassador said, “I enjoy my official duty and also my private life in Oman and the amiability of its people. I am also impressed by such a rapid but well-balanced development of the Sultanate of Oman just in 45 years under the distinguished leadership by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. Taking this opportunity, I would like to express my sincere thanks to the Omani government and people for their kind and continued support.” Participation at the 21st Muscat International Book Fair From February 25 to March 5, the Embassy of Japan participated in the 21st Muscat International Book Fair at Muscat International Exhibition Centre in cooperation with the Japan Foundation and Publishers Association for Cultural Exchange. 223 Japanese books in Japanese, English, and

Arabic from various sections were displayed at the Japanese booth. Visit of Miki Yamada, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Japan On March 23, Miki Yamada, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs paid an official visit to Oman to attend the 5th Oman Economic Forum to deliver a key note speech at the event. Yamada also paid a courtesy call on Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs as well as Dr Ali bin Masoud Al Sunaidy, Minister of Commerce and Industry. Visit to Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force Vessel ‘Uraga’ On May 1, Saito paid a visit to Japan Maritime Self Defence Force ship JS ‘Uraga’ which called at the Port Sultan Qaboos. At the same night, the ambassador hosted a reception for Captain Takaiwa and his officers as well as Omani Armed Forces officers and representatives of the Japanese community in Muscat at his residence. Fashion designing workshop On May 15, Saito hosted a fashion designing workshop at his residence. The workshop was presented by Tamae Hirokawa, one of the leading fashion designers in Japan who has achieved great suc-

cess in creating a link between traditional and modern clothing style. Hirokawa established her own studio ‘Soma Design’ in March 2006 which deals in fashion and graphic designing, sound creating and visual directing. She also established her own designing project ‘Somarta’ at the same time. Hirokawa is a renowned and leading Japanese fashion designer, artist and creative designer. She is famous for her creativity and innovation. She has obtained several renowned awards for her novel works and projects which were displayed all over the world, including the US and Europe. In the opening remarks, the ambassador said, “This fashion design workshop will be a good opportunity for the guests to get an idea about the fusion of the modern and tradition in the Japanese fashion industry. I believe that such events would further deepen mutual understanding between Japan and Oman.” Visit of Japanese tourism delegation On May 26, Saito hosted a reception for the Japanese tourism delegation visiting Oman. The delegation comprised Japanese tourism agencies and Japanese free paper editors in Bangkok. The visit was arranged by the Embassy of Japan. > continued page 3

TIMES OF OMAN SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

SUNDAY, 25 DECEMBER 2016

Economic and technical cooperation between Japan and the Sultanate Oman-Japan economic cooperation Japan and Oman enjoy a robust economic relationship that has been built upon a solid foundation of a trusted trade partnership that the two countries have nurtured over the past few decades. The relationship has been further enhanced and augmented in recent years with the diversification and rapid development of the Omani economy, opening up more opportunities for Japanese companies to participate in a wider range of economic activities in the Sultanate. Japan’s multilateral cooperation is expected to grow and further strengthen Japan-Oman economic relations. Trade relations Japan and Oman have a longstanding excellent trade partnership that serves as the foundation of their successful economic relationship. Japan is one of the first and largest importers of crude oil and natural gas from Oman. Japan also imports vegetables such as green beans as well as fish and fisheries products including big eye tuna and cuttlefish from Oman. More than 90% of the fresh green beans in the Japanese winter market today are imported from Oman. Oman, on the other hand, imports from Japan a large array of consumer products including automobiles, machinery, electric and electronic appliances. New investment Japanese companies are showing growing interest in new investment opportunities in Oman, especially in the high potential utilities sector. Sojitz Corporation and Shikoku Electric Power Company are involved in the prestigious Barka-3 and Sohar-2 Independent Power Projects (IPPs) as part of the multinational consortium that was awarded the BOO (Build, Own and Operate) contract in May 2010, and they achieved full commercial operation respectively in April 2012. Both plants have a capacity of 744MW each, so the projects add almost 1,500 MW of power to Oman. Marubeni Corporation and Chubu Electric Power Company also won the much coveted Sur IPP project in July 2011, which generates enormous 2 GW of electricity from April 2015 and accounts for around 30 percent of Oman’s total electricity generation capacity. Furthermore, Sumitomo Corporation consortium won the contract of the Ghubra IWP expansion project in November 2012 and started its full capacity opera-

tion from March 2016. The project is to produce 190,000 cubic metres per day of water, which significantly contribute to the growing water demand in Muscat. Mitsui Corporation consortium won the contract of the Salalah 2 IPP in April 2015. Acquiring the current plant in Salalah, which generates 273 MW, Mitsui will operate two plants which will generate 673 MW in total. Mitsui Corporation consortium also won additional power plant projects, Ibri IPP and Sohar 3 IPP in March 2016. In total they will add 3,150 MW of power to Oman. Not just power plants but Mitsui also won the engineering, procurement and contracting package of natural gas liquids extraction facilities to be built at Liwa Plastic Industries Complex in Sohar. Itochu Corporation, which has one of longest trade relationship with Oman, won Barka IWP with consortium in March 2016. The project is to produce 281,000 cubic metres per day of water, which will be another contribution to water demand in Oman. Financial cooperation The Government of Japan has been taking an active part in the ﬁnancing of high-priority projects in Oman through its ﬁnancial aid institution Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC).

The bank has cooperated with the Sultanate for a number of important infrastructure development projects, including the development and expansion of Sohar Industrial Port, construction of the Sur-Quriyat road and LNG tanks, the development of Duqm Port, among many others. Investment cooperation in the oil & gas sector Aware of the importance of the LNG industry for Oman’s economy, Japan entered into a longterm partnership with both Oman LNG (OLNG) and former Qalhat LNG (QLNG) from an early stage of their development respectively. Japan’s leading business houses; Mitsubishi, Mitsui and Itochu, have acquired shares in OLNG. In addition, Mitsubishi, Itochu and Osaka Gas had a joint total of 9 percent of extra shares in QLNG, each holding 3 percent of the shares in the company. Meanwhile, Mitsui has been operating a successful joint venture project in exploration and production of oil and gas in northern Oman through subordinate company called Mitsui E&P Middle East (MEPME). Cooperation in shipping sector Japan and Oman have successfully established and developed a partnership in the new and prom-

Japan and Oman have a long-standing excellent trade partnership that serves as the foundation of their successful economic relationship

ising shipping sector of Oman. Reputed for the most advanced shipbuilding technologies, Japanese shipyards have been awarded contracts to build a number of vessels for Oman Shipping Company (OSC). Five LNG tankers owned by OSC; namely, ‘Muscat LNG’, ‘Sohar LNG’, ‘Nizwa LNG’, ‘Ibri LNG’ and ‘Barka LNG’, have been built by Japanese shipyards, in addition to a number of tankers, including very large crude carriers (VLCCs). These vessels are already in operation, transporting LNG, crude oil and petrochemical products from Oman to international markets. Japan’s cooperation in the

shipping industry of Oman is not limited to shipbuilding alone. Several Japanese companies have entered into joint ownership of the ﬂeet of OSC vessels holding substantial shares in all LNG tankers and others. Among them, Mitsui OSK Line has been working closely with OSC since its incorporation, playing an active role in all areas of the shipping industry of Oman, including corporate management of OSC, operation of the ﬂeet of vessels and crew training. Investment cooperation in agricultural sector In 2015, Japan has successfully launched a new investment structure with GCC nations called the ‘Gulf Japan Food Fund’, which contributes to the goals of both the Government of Japan and the Government of Oman, in cooperation with Japan’s Mizuho Bank and Norinchukin Bank. Japan’s Abe administration strongly supports the growth of Japan’s food and agriculture industry as an export-oriented industry, while Oman and other GCC countries are focusing on the improvement of their food security and the development of new industries, alongside oil and gas. Japanese companies and organisations Twelve Japanese companies are

currently operating in Oman. Six of them are major business houses, and playing central roles in Japan-Oman economic cooperation through their active participation in wide-ranging economic activities in Oman. These include general trading, shipping and investment, among others. The Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), affiliated to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, also plays an important role in enhancing Japan-Oman economic cooperation. JETRO Dubai office follows economic activities in Oman and provides necessary information and support to Omani companies that are looking for Japanese business partners and ways to enter the Japanese market. In November 2012, a JETRO Business Delegation visited Oman with the cooperation of the Embassy of Japan, and visited the Sohar Industrial Port and Ministries. JETRO and the Japan Cooperation Center for Middle East (JCCME) jointly hosted Oman Investment Forum in Tokyo in October 2014 with Ithraa and Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman in Japan. The forum is an outcome of joint communiqué by the two governments on the occasion of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to the Sultanate in January 2014 and received very favourable response. Technical cooperation between Japan and Oman Public sector cooperation by JICA Based on the policies of the Japanese Government, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) commenced its technical cooperation programme with Oman in the late 1970s, focusing based on the policies of the Japanese government on capacity building, strengthening of government organisations, and human resources development with the aim of fostering self-reliance in the development process of Oman. JICA has since implemented a great number of technical cooperation programmes, mainly in the forms of development studies, dispatch of experts, and training courses. JICA training programme Until early 2010s, the Government of Japan has invited to Japan a large number of Omani ofﬁcials from different ministries and government organisations to > continued page 4

HIGHLIGHTS

Statement on the occasion of 46th National Day of Oman On October 6, Saito made a statement on the occasion of 46th National Day of the Sultanate of Oman to congratulate His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. In the statement, the ambassador extended his sincere felicitations to His Majesty the Sultan and the government and people of Oman on this auspicious occasion. He also expressed his sincere gratitude to all of them for their continued support and efforts to further deepen the bonds of friendship between Japan and Oman. “May His Majesty the Sultan continue to be blessed with the best of health, happiness and long life and the nation of Oman continue to ﬂourish in peace, prosperity and harmony under His Majesty’s wise leadership,” he added. Third policy dialogue consultation On October 8, Kentaro Sonoura, State Minister for Foreign Affairs chaired the third policy dialogue consultation with Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Al Busaidi, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Bilateral relations as well as regional and international situations were discussed.

Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star On November 8, the Government of Japan conferred ‘The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star’ on Dr Ali Al Sunaidy, Minister of Commerce and Industry, in recognition of his substantial contribution in promoting bilateral economic relations and mutual understanding between Japan and the Sultanate of Oman. The Order was presented by Shinzo Abe, the Prime Minster of Japan in person at the award ceremony held at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. The recipients including the minister were given an audience by His Majesty the Emperor of Japan. The Order of the Rising Sun was established in 1875. It was the ﬁrst national decoration awarded by the Government of Japan featuring the rays of sunlight from the Rising Sun. It is one of the most prestigious Japanese decorations conferred on non-Japanese recipients since 1981. Japan’s National Day reception On December 4, Saito hosted Japan’s National Day reception at his residence, attended by His Highness Sayyid Kamil bin Fahd Al Said, assistant to the Secretary General of the Office of Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers as the guest of honour.

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TIMES OF OMAN SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

Maritime security cooperation between Japan and Oman

> from page 3 participate in wide-ranging training courses conducted by JICA since mid- 70s and over 500 Omani officials have benefited from the programmes to date. Many of them assume important positions in the government and private sectors in Oman and they play vital roles in their professions and society as well promoting a multilateral relationship between Japan and Oman. Dispatch of JICA experts JICA dispatches highly qualified and well-experienced Japanese experts to assist in the planning and implementation of specific development projects in Oman as well as in transferring Japan’s experience and expertise to their Omani counterparts. Since 1986, JICA has dispatched more than 150 experts to Oman in many different fields at the request of the Government of Oman. JICA development studies JICA has conducted more than 30 development studies in Oman since 1977, in collaboration with the Government of Oman. The studies’ results are highly regarded and used to draw development strategies and plans in the ports, roads, agriculture, fisheries, industry, mining and environmental sectors of Oman.

IN ADDITION to the long-standing robust economic and political bilateral relations between Japan and Oman, we are witnessing an increased level of mutual cooperation in the ﬁeld of maritime security. Currently, the Government of Japan is deploying Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) vessels with Japan Coast Guard (JCG) service personnel on board and JMSDF aircraft off–the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden for its own counter-piracy operations there. It is worthy of mentioning that the Government of the Sultanate of Oman has been extending its full support and cooperation by

providing anchorage and other necessary assistance for not only above Japanese task forces, but also for other international coalition forces those are engaged in these important missions. Mutual training courses Additionally, working level ofﬁcers of maritime security have been exchanging their knowledge, skills and experience through mutual training courses and visit to promote understanding and goodwill between Japan and the Sultanate of Oman. In March 2016, National Defence College delegation has visited Japan around for a week

and exchanged view point about National Security matter from the aspect of Academic field with their Japanese counterparts. In October, Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) officer has joined Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) Ship Rider Program from Sri Lanka to Philippines on JS Ship. And other RNO officer has attended Short Term Exchange Programne for Officers of the Next Generations in Tokyo. Also JCG has decided to invite ROP Coast Guard Officer to International Advanced Boarding officer’s Course (IABOC) in January 2017 in Malaysia. At the course, the officer is hoped to be

able to enhance his conducting law enforcement capability with other officers from African countries through joint exercise. On the other hand, in April, JMSDF minesweeper and her tender, led by Captain Toshihiro Takaiwa, Commander of Minesweeper Division Fifty One of JMSDF have docked Port Sultan Qaboos. In May, Vice-Admiral Yasuhiro Shigeoka, Commander-in-Chief, Self Defence Fleet, paid a visit to Muscat and exchanged views on bilateral cooperation with the authorities concerned in Oman, to promote mutual understanding between the two countries.

Cost-sharing technical cooperation Although JICA ceased new activities after 2010, the Sultanate of Oman and Japan agreed in early 2014 to introduce cost-sharing technical cooperation, as mentioned in the joint communiqué issued by the two governments in January 2014. Through this scheme, JICA will continue to dispatch experts to Oman, and invite Omani officials to Japan to participate in training courses in various areas. Joint research programme The Joint Research programme was introduced to Oman upon

the initiative of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, with a view to promoting “Equal Partnership” through exchange of knowledge and expertise at expert levels for the mutual benefit of Japan and Oman. Under this programme, Treatment and Utilisation of the Oilfield Produced Water in Oman was conducted in Oman between SQU, PDO and Shimizu Corporation, under the sponsorship of the Japan Cooperation Centre, Petroleum (JCCP) which is a semi-governmental organisation for the downstream sector of the oil industry. In addition, JCCP signed an agreement with Orpic to implement a new joint project, Study for Environmental Improvements of Equipment and Operations in Mina Al Fahal Refinery of Oman in 2012, Technical Cooperation for Investigation of a New Absorbent for Mercury Removal in November 2013 and Improvements of Operations and Maintenance in Refinery of Oman in 2015. In 2014, JCCP launched another joint project with SQU, Study on Oily Waste Treatment in Oman. The project will be conducted over two years and examine treatment of wastes including oil tank sludge, oil-based mud and contaminated soil. The New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation of Japan is implementing a joint research programme to study the feasibility of treating and reusing industrial waste water for industrial use in the Sohar Industrial Port area. Meanwhile, the Japan Cooperation Centre for the Middle East a specialist semi-governmental organisation for promoting cooperation with Middle Eastern countries, organised a seminar on renewable energy and energy conservation in Muscat in 2013. The seminar concluded successfully and provided opportunities for both Japanese and Omani companies to explore the possibility of establishing new joint business projects.