Times of Oman - January 27, 2015

WEDNESDAY

January 27, 2016 17 Rabi Al Thani 1437 AH

FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTY THE SULTAN

To the students of Sultan Qaboos University, 2000

‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’ Quest for knowledge was — and is — always a legitimate aspiration.

Founded 1975 . Volume 40 No. 287 | 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

Jail sentence planned for ‘driving and phoning’ esty the Sultan for promulgation.

In case of any amendment by Majlis Oman on the draft law, His Majesty may refer it back to the Majlis for reconsideration of the amendments and then for re-submission to His Majesty the Sultan.

The Majlis Al Shura has approved a jail sentence of up to two years under amendments to the new traffic laws

REJIMON K TARIQ AL HAREMI

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Majlis members to disclose assets

MUSCAT: Drivers caught using their phones could be jailed for up to two years as well as end up paying a fine of OMR300 under tough new rules under discussion by the officials in Oman.

A jail sentence from one month to a maximum of 24 months, plus the tougher fine, are among the main amendments approved by the Majlis Al Shura in the draft Traffic Law on Monday.

“The use of cell phones while driving is a punishable crime. The violator will have to pay OMR300 fine and has to serve a jail term for a period ranging between one month and two years,” Dr Mohammed Al Zedjali, the head of legal committee in Majlis Al Shura, who led the discussion of the amendment told Times of Oman.

The draft was approved during the last term of Shura and was forwarded to the State Council. From there it was sent to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. It was sent back to Shura for revision by His Majesty the Sultan.

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Majlis Al Shura members have decided to disclose details of their financial assets to the government. >A2

Golden opportunity to win free tickets to Russell Peters show

National had MERS symptoms in Oman

Times News Service

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An Omani tested positive in Thailand had symptoms of MERS while admitted in a hospital in Oman. >A5

MARKET

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Crude oil prices are expected to start recovering marginally towards the end of year. >B1

“We are still reviewing it,” the head of the legal committee said.

According to Article (58) (bis 35), draft laws prepared by the government shall be referred to Majlis Oman for approval or amendment, and then they shall be directly submitted to His MajFEBRUARY 1

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‘Crude prices to recover marginally’

Dr Mohammed Al Zedjali, the head of legal committee in Majlis Al Shura.

Different punishments In addition to proposing stricter punishment for using cell phone while driving, the Shura has proposed different punishments for damages caused due to carelessness and intentionally on roads.

“An accident, which causes injury to the second party due to negligence, is also punishable.

For such accidents, the violator should pay OMR2,000 fine and jail terms for periods ranging from three months to one year. The fine and jail term depend on the seriousness of the injury. “There is a difference between injuries caused by negligence and intentionally, so we can’t have one law for both. This has led for amend-

ment,” the Shura member added.

Mark Pudwell, Business Development and Training Manager of Competence HR, said that he welcomed the new laws which clearly demonstrates the determination of His Majesty and his government to eradicate this wholly unacceptable behaviour.

“The introduction of any new law of this nature also requires a review of the policies and procedures for its enforcement. The law does not discriminate against or offer advantage due to nationality or status and once this has been seen to be the case, everyone will understand its intentions and the outcomes of not adhering to it,” Mark said.

According to Mark, much has been achieved in reducing the numbers of fatalities on Oman roads but we should not forget those many thousands who have been injured or have suffered as an indirect consequence of careless driving. >A6

A banker with a thirst for photography

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MUSCAT: So the countdown is truly on, with popular stand-up comedian Russell Peters due to take the stage in Muscat on February 1. As part of his new “Almost Famous World Tour”, Peters will perform at the Shangri La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa Amphitheatre and tickets are selling fast.

Once again Times of Oman, in association with organisers Alive Entertainment, is giving away tickets worth OMR75, OMR55 and OMR30 To win the show tickets, all you

have to do is to send us a 15-second video of your best jokes via Times of Oman’s Facebook Messenger and you stand a chance of winning!

Tickets on sale Of course if you don’t want to leave it to chance, tickets are still on sale at the Mackenzie’s Café & Deli, OUA Retail (Madinat Qaboos), Mitsubishi Showroom (Azaiba) for what promises to be a sell-out show.

Russell Peters show is being organised by Alive Entertainment in association with HI FM.

Stand-up comedian Russell Peters. – Supplied photo

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By this move, we want to inspire government officials to voluntarily disclose their financial status. This will build confidence among the public Mohammed Al Busaidi, Majlis Al Shura member from Bausher

Majlis members to disclose assets Majority of the members voted yes for the move during the Shura meeting

REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Majlis Al Shura members have decided to voluntarily disclose their financial assets details to the government as part of transparency measures, a Shura member said.

“On Monday, we decided to dis-

close the details of our financial assets to government auditors to bring in more transparency. This will help the government in the future to find if there are any financial irregularities,” Mohammed Al Busaidi, a Shura member from Bausher, told the Times of Oman.

The majority of the members voted yes for the move during the Shura meeting.

According to law, government officials are bound to disclose their financial status upon the request of government auditors.

“By this move, we want to inspire government officials to voluntarily disclose their financial status. This will build confidence among the public,” the Shura member added.

The latest Transparency International’s Corruption Perception

Index placed the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the top in the region at the 25th rank, followed

by Qatar at 26, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia at 55, Oman at 64 and Kuwait at 67.

Last November, in a move to combat corruption, a special court was established in Muscat to investigate bribery claims, worker abuse and public spending abuse.

The Public Funds Court, the first of its kind in Oman, aims to combat financial and administrative corruption.

In 2013, Oman’s membership of the United Nations’ Convention against Corruption was ratified.

As a result, significant efforts have been made to ensure that the Sultanate is fulfilling its obligations under the terms of the convention.

GOVERNMENT

Majlis Al Shura committee for changes in fishing law Times News Service MUSCAT: A gamut of issues regarding the welfare of the nation and its citizens were discussed at separate meetings heald by several Majlis Al Shura committees.

The Food and Water Safety Committee hosted a meeting, which included experts from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs to discuss the importance of amending the fishing law and protecting marine wealth.

This was the panel’s 6th regular meeting of the 1st annual sitting of the 8th term.

During the meeting, it was suggested that amendments should be made that do not conflict with other laws related to marine fish-

ing, as well as agreements that the Sultanate has signed with regards to international, regional and national standards be followed.

Hilal Al Yahyai, head of the committee said, “Amending the current law of 34 years is of great importance to keep in line with the developments and improvements in the marine fishing industry in the Sultanate.”

He added that amending the Law on Marine Fishing and Protection of Living Aquatic Resources has become an urgent necessity in light of the developments and changes witnessed by the fisheries and aquatic resources sectors in the Sultanate.

He also stressed that the amendment will serve public ben-

efit, which is also in line with the ninth five-year plan for 2020.

Private museums Meanwhile, the Media and Culture Committee of the Shura Council also hosted a meeting, with some government officials discussing their research updates regarding regulating private museum work.

They highlighted the efforts of private museums and discussed the importance of their contribution towards tourism.

The committee also addressed museum owners in order to determine the challenges they face, as well as offered advice and suggestions to further enhance the sector.

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MINISTRY OF MANPOWER

Online job contract system soon TARIQ AL HAREMI

tariqh@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Job seekers and employers will soon be able to handle contract documents via an electronic employment system on the Ministry of Manpower’s website.

An e-Employment contract, as it is called, is a system implemented by the ministry for the national

workforce in order to facilitate the process of employment.

Company representatives and job seekers won’t need to visit the ministry to complete the process but would do it electronically.

“The company won’t need to come to the ministry to sign a contract, as well as bring the job seeker to do so,” said a senior Ministry of Manpower official.

“When the employer and job seeker agree on things, such as benefits and wages, the contract will be sent electronically to the job seeker where he will approve, depending on the case.

The contract will then go back to the employer for his approval and hereafter to the ministry, where it will be saved in the system,” he explained further.

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For detailed coverage log on to www.timesofoman.com

BIG HIT: Some parents believe there should be more places like Naseem Garden and Amerat Park for entertaining children. – Tariq Al Haremi

Favourite holiday haunt of children TARIQ AL HAREMI

tariqh@timesofoman.com

The amusement park in Naseem Garden has offered children irresistible attractions

MUSCAT: Children can’t seem to hide their joy after seeing the many attractions that the Muscat Festival is offering this year as they take advantage of their school holidays for playtime and fun.

The amusement park in Naseem Garden has offered children various attractions, such as roller

coasters, a Ferris wheel, bumper cars, trampolines and giant slides among others, where parents are also happy to see their children enjoying their holiday.

“Having the Muscat Festival once a year is important for the children; and since it’s their holiday this time of the year, we take them out to have fun,” said Saleh Al Saadi, one of the parents.

Some parents believe there

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should be more places besides Naseem Garden and the Amerat Park for entertaining children.

Mohammad Al Ghafri, a father of three told Times of Oman, “Most

of the festival activities occur in Naseem Park and I believe it would be better to see two or three extra places than the ones already available for the children.”

Question Since the Muscat Festival is the place to be for children and family during the holidays, summer holidays offer three months of free time to the children and that

raises the question of whether to have some festival-like entertainment dedicated to the children at that time. However the case may be; parents would rather enjoy the summer holidays away from the Sultanate as it gives them the opportunity to travel given the considerable amount of time to do so.

“We take advantage of the summer holidays to travel,” said Al Saadi.

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Oman hospital ITA launches Electronic had confirmed Certificate service ‘Tam’ MERS in citizen I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H R O P

HASAN SHABAN AL LAWATI

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The Omani patient was suffering from acute pneumonitis as well as diabetes and had left the hospital against the advice of medical staff, and travelleld to Thailand

DEADLY VIRUS: The health condition of the Omani, infected with

MERS is now improving in Thailand.

REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: An Omani person, who has tested positive for (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) MERS in Thailand, had similar symptoms while he was admitted in a hospital in Oman, says the Ministry of Health.

Commenting on the Thai Health Ministry statement, the Omani Ministry of Health said in a statement uploaded on its official facebook account that samples taken from the patient in an Omani hospital earlier in January, showed he was suffering from MERS. At the hospital, he was suffering from acute pneumonitis as well as diabetes. The patient had left the hospital against the advice of medical staff, and travelled to Thailand.

Follow instructions The Ministry of Health has called upon everyone to follow the instructions given by medical staff.

Meanwhile, the health condition of the Omani man who was found infected with MERS in Thailand, is now improving, Thai media reported quoting a senior official of the health ministry.

“His fever is lower. He can sit up and eat food,” Public Health Ministry’s permanent secretary Dr Sopon Mekthon was quoted as saying.

The 71-year-old Omani, along

with his son, had travelled to Thailand last Friday abroad an Oman Air flight.

Thai health authorities also said they had placed 33 people in quarantine after the Omani man seeking medical help in the country tested positive for MERS. “There are 33 people under observation,” the health ministry said in an update on Tuesday.

According to Thai authorities, there were at least 40 people who came in contact with the man and hence were deemed to be at high risk, including 22 passengers on his flight, two taxi drivers, four hotel staff, 11 hospital staff and one relative.

Issue of visa Meanwhile, a senior official from Thai embassy in Muscat said that VISA issuance and probe on travel to Thailand, have not been affected since the news broke about the Omani MERS patient.

“There is no problem at all.

Everything is as usual. We are not getting any concern calls.

Even though we don’t have any screening process here, officials in Thai do it at all entry points. I have been updated from Thailand that tourism will not be affected,” Veerasakdi Prem-Aree, Counsellor at the Thai embassy, told the Times of Oman.

Thailand is a major regional tourist hub and many people also fly there to seek medical treatment.

It is particularly popular among wealthy Middle Eastern patients with many of the top Bangkok hospitals providing Arabic language services.

Last year too, an Omani had tested positive for MERS, leading to the quarantine of more than 170 people. He was successfully treated and sent home.

Oman Air flight On Tuesday, Oman Air in a travel advice said that the passenger travelled from Muscat to Bangkok on January 22, 2016 aboard Oman Air flight WY815.

“Oman Air is liaising closely with all the relevant health and aviation authorities and has been advised that any risk posed to the health of fellow passengers is minimal. However, anyone who was aboard the same flight may, as a precaution, wish to visit a medical professional and request that their health status be checked,” the statement said. “If, within the next two weeks, any passenger from the same flight experiences severe acute respiratory illness, including fever, cough, and shortness of breath, we urge them to seek immediate medical advice,” the statement added.

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MUSCAT: Omanis and expatriates can now access all e-Government services thanks to a new Electronic Certificate service, which provides each person with a digital identity and has been launched by the Information Television Authority (ITA) in cooperation with the Royal Oman Police (ROP).

The service called ‘Tam’ allows registered citizens and residents to use government electronic services and finish transactions in a fast and secure way.

Businessmen and job seekers can benefit from Tam simply by visiting ITA’s booths in Qurum and the Muscat City Centre.

It is also possible to register using a mobile SIM card, which is available at Omantel and Ooredoo’s outlets.

The new service is protected by Oman’s e-Transaction Law and provides clients with highest levels of trust and legality.

After getting the Tam’ service,

SECURE TRANSACTION: Businessmen and job seekers can benefit from Tam simply by visiting ITA’s booths in Qurum and the Muscat City Centre. – Supplied photo

users can have their personal data secured, will be able to sign any document of application electronically and have 24/7 access to services provided by many government organisations, including the Muscat Municipality, Ministry of Manpower, Ministry of Health, the Public Prosecution, the

Al Raffad Fund and others.

Free service However, people with IDs that have an expiry date before July 14, 2018 will not be able to register for ‘Tam’. ITA had launched a campaign to promote the free service on December 22, 2015.

C A P I TA L M A R K E T AU T H O R I T Y

Agricultural insurance to be discussed in March forum Times News Service MUSCAT: Development of agricultural insurance will be the topic for discussion between the Capital Market Authority and insurance companies in March, a press release from the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry said.

On Monday, a meeting took place at the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry between the Chamber, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Capital Market Authority to discuss proposals

to activate agricultural insurance by implementing recommendations issued at a forum organised by the Chamber last December.

These recommendations were established with the cooperation of leaders and specialists in both the government, as well as the private sector, the press release said.

The importance of agricultural insurance for the sake of development and growth of the sector was discussed during the meeting, as well as support for companies

working in the agricultural sector and establishing full insurance for companies and workers in the sector.

In March, the Capital Market Authority will hold a meeting with all the insurance companies.

The Ministry of Agriculture meanwhile, will present a working paper on the infrastructure of the insurance.

The Capital Market Authority will prepare a survey among the insurance companies on their wishes, according to the press release.

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I travelled to India and started to capture street life and the faces of people. Slowly, I realised that capturing faces is my forte Haitham Al Farsi, Omani banker

Banker with thirst for photography Having 270 global and four local photography awards in his kitty, Al Farsi started his journey as a photographer in 2013, when he bought his first camera, a Canon 550 D, from a mall in Oman while doing window shopping

FACES IS THE FORTE: Haitham Al Farsi, a 28-year-old Omani, is banker by profession and has passion for photography. – Supplied photo

REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Haitham Al Farsi, a 28-year-old Omani, is banker by profession. But photography is his passion, for which he spends seven to eight hours daily on honing his skills and 30 to 40 per cent of his annual salary to quench the thirst for capturing good pictures.

Having 270 global and four local photography awards in his kitty, Al

Farsi started his journey as a photographer in 2013, when he bought his first camera, a Canon 550 D, from a local mall in Oman while doing window shopping. “I bought that camera purely out of curiosity. However, purchasing it changed my life. Slowly, by following YouTube and other social networking sites, I got acquainted with the basics of photography. Later on, I attended the Photography Society of

Oman’s workshops, where I learnt the nuances of photography from the masters. Now, after three years, I feel happy and enthused to capture more,” said Al Farsi, who also attributes his success to his father who shares the passion.

During the initial days, Al Farsi used to capture landscapes and follow fashion photography. However, travelling to different places changed his priorities.

“I travelled to India and started to capture street life and the faces of people. Slowly, I realised that capturing faces is my forte. I have spent hours and hours to get the perfect shot. But spending time is worth it.

I have not felt bad about it ever, especially after seeing the final shot,” Al Farsi added.

Recently, he got the Sofia Photography Award from Bulgaria for capturing a young girl carrying water in

Nepal. “The picture was captured in 2014. I took three shots only. But it turned to be one of my favourite pictures,” Al Farsi added.

Al Farsi said he wished to meet that young girl again, as she has brought him these accolades. “I travelled in 2015 again to find her.

But couldn’t. I will travel to find her again. It is said that patience pays off in photography. I am sure that I can find her again,” Al Farsi added.

E M P L OY M E N T S T R AT E G I E S

34% Omanis view entrepreneurship as ideal profession Times News Service MUSCAT: Around 34 per cent of Omanis ranked “running my own business” as their ideal job, according to Oxford Strategic Consulting’s latest Oman Employment Report: Insights for 2016.

Similar views on entrepreneurship as an ideal job role were reflected in Qatar (41 per cent) and Saudi Arabia (37 per cent), however, only 11 per cent of Emiratis surveyed viewed “running my own business” as an ideal role.

This inclination toward entre-

preneurship in the Sultanate can help Omanis in transitioning away from public sector roles and towards private sector enterprises.

The report’s findings revealed the following innovative employment strategies for entrepreneurs and future business leaders in

Oman. Nearly three out of four Omanis listed money (76 per cent) as a top motivator, with challenge (28 per cent) and travel (28 per cent) being the next closest motivators.

Yet, more than a third of Omanis consider entrepreneurship to be

their ideal job. Rather than simply increasing public and private sector wages, Oxford Strategic Consulting recommended that the government should provide additional, targeted support for budding Omani entrepreneurs, including perhaps government

US COMMANDER

BACHELOR THESIS

GUtech students get Aachen varsity study scholarships Fair for students Times News Service

SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS: All the students have visited RWTH Aachen University and studied German for at GUtech. – Supplied photo

Times News Service MUSCAT: A group of fourthyear students have been awarded study scholarships for conducting their Bachelor thesis in Engineering, Geosciences, Urban Planning and Architecture at the RWTH Aachen University (Germany). All these students have already visited RWTH Aachen University during study excursions in the past years and have studied German for three semesters at GUtech.

“We are very happy to send these five students to our partneruniversity. The students have passed a selection process and were the most successful. To enhance cooperation with the German universities, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is sponsoring GUtech students and excursions regularly,” said Andrea Cornelissen, a DAAD representative in Oman and German lecturer at GUtech.

Three students will receive funding from DAAD, one student

employees themselves.

In order to maximise investment in entrepreneurship, highpotential entrepreneurs, who actually contribute to employment growth, known as “Gazelles,” should be identified and supported by the government.

will be sponsored through a research grant and another student will be self-sponsored. The students are currently passing some final exams and are preparing for their studies abroad.

“Studying Engineering at RWTH Aachen is great, there are many well-equipped laboratories,” said Nouf Al Salmi, a Process Engineering student, who holds a scholarship from Petroleum Development Oman (PDO).

Al Salmi and her engineering study-colleagues and professors had visited RWTH Aachen during a three-week excursion last year.

Balaj Faisal is also studying Engineering. He will write his Bachelor thesis on “Modelling of Steel Production,” at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at RWTH Aachen. Faisal also did an internship at a steel company in Italy last year, where he studied at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Brescia for several months. He was also part of a Summer School at the Veolia head offices in Paris,

MUSCAT: Sixty students from different departments presented a total of 22 business ideas to staff and students, as the German University of Technology in Oman (GUtech) held its First StudentEntrepreneurs Fair in the university’s premises in Halban recently.

The fair was part of the “Entrepreneurship Course” conducted for all 4th year students and was held in cooperation with the SME Development Fund (SMEF).

along with only 20 other international students. “My participation in the Shell Eco-Marathon last year, helped a lot in getting accepted for the Veolia Summer School,” he said. After the Bachelor’s thesis, Balaj would like to gain some work experience with Veolia, especially in the field of renewable energies and then continue with an MSc programme.

“I know I will learn a lot and become more independent while studying in Germany,” said Rawan Bassett, who will conduct her Bachelor thesis on an urban design project in the city of Aachen.

Minister receives Sri Lanka envoy MUSCAT: Gen. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Nu’mani, Minister of the Royal Office received in his office M. K. Pathmanathan, ambassador of Republic of Sri Lanka to the Sultanate.

The two sides exchanged cordial conversations and reviewed the bilateral relations between the Sultanate and Republic of Sri Lanka, as well as means of enhancing them in various fields for the joint interest of both sides. Gen. Al Nu’mani, also received in his office Gen. Lloyd J. Austin, Commander of the US Central Command and his accompanying delegation, within the framework of his current visit to the Sultanate.

The guest expressed his delight to visit the Sultanate. The two sides exchanged cordial conversations and discussed a range of topics of concern to the two countries.

The two sides reviewed the bilateral relations binding the Sultanate with the United States to achieve the joint interests, in addition to touching issues of mutual concern. -ONA CELL PHONE USE

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facilities

“All modern cars are equipped with technology that allows hands free use of cell phones but everyday we see people ignoring those facilities in favour of holding the phone. The law says it’s illegal, punishable with jail or can invite fines. Now it has to be enforced. There were still 618 deaths too many last year,” Mark added.

Oman has registered a 14.9 per cent dip in road accidents in 2015, according to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

There were 5,254 accidents recorded in 2015, down from 6,171 road accidents in 2014.

618 people died in car accidents in 2015, down from 760 fatalities in 2014.

Traffic awareness campaigns and more speed radars have contributed to the drop in the number of road accidents.

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Let us all commit ourselves today to do our best to make India a great and exemplary nation.

Let us rejoice together and march ahead Indra Mani Pandey, Ambassador of India to Oman

Indian expats in Oman celebrate Republic Day

2 N D E N T R E P R E N E U R S H I P AWA R D S

21 entrepreneurs feted by Riyada Times News Service MUSCAT: Hosting its second annual celebration of Oman’s entrepreneurial success, Riyada, Public Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises Development, held the closing ceremony for the second edition of the Entrepreneurship Award on Tuesday.

A total of 21 winners were honoured at the ceremony, having been divided into three main categories, including the Entrepreneurship Award, the Entrepreneurship Award for Small and Medium Enterprises (SME), and Entrepreneurship Award for

Hundreds of Indian expatriates joined the celebratory event held at the Indian Embassy in Muscat to mark the occasion

Times News Service MUSCAT: Led by the Indian Embassy in Oman, expatriates from the South Asian country celebrated the 67th Republic Day of India all over the Sultanate with patriotic fervour and gaiety on Tuesday.

Hundreds of members of the Indian community joined the celebratory event held to mark the occasion at the Indian Embassy where Indra Mani Pandey, ambassador of India to the Sultanate of Oman, unfurled the Indian National Flag and read out the Address of the Honourable President of India to the Nation.

Students from the Indian School Al Ghubra led the gathering in singing the National Anthem, followed by other patriotic songs. Addressing the Indian community, the Ambassador said, “On the auspicious occasion of 67th Republic Day of India, I wish all fellow Indians living in Oman a very happy Republic Day. “The Indian community in Oman has been making immense contribution to social progress and the economic development of India. While we all should be aware of the challenges we face, we should also have pride in our achievements since we attained independence.

“The Government of India is

CELEBRATIONS: Indra Mani Pandey, ambassador of India to the Sultanate of Oman, unfurled the Indian National Flag at a celebratory event held at the Indian Embassy in Muscat to celebrate the country’s 67th Republic Day and read out the Address of the Honourable President of India to the Nation. – Supplied photo

committed to ensuring the welfare of Indians living abroad and the Indian Embassy in Muscat has been making efforts to deliver passport, consular and community welfare services in an efficient and timely manner and to reach out to various segments of the In-

dian community living in different regions.

“We seek the community’s understanding and cooperation in achieving our goals. Let us all commit ourselves today to do our best to make India a great and exemplary nation. Let us rejoice to-

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gether and march ahead.”

Earlier, the Ambassador unfurled the tricolour at the Indian School Darsait in the presence of thousands of students, teachers and parents.

The occasion was celebrated in other Indian schools as well.

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Supporting Organisations.

The ceremonial event was held under the patronage of H.E. Mohammed bin Al Zubair, Adviser for Economic Planning Affairs to His Majesty. The event saw a broad range of distinguished guests in attendance; including delegates from the State Council and Majlis Al Shura, as well as government officials and private sector leaders.

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REGION

If we want to combat extremism in the world, if we want to fight terror, one of the roads before us is providing growth and jobs. Lack of growth creates forces for terrorism. Unemployment creates soldiers for terrorists Hassan Rouhani, Iran’s President

Rouhani presents Iran as hub of Middle East trade and stability for planes from Finmeccanica.

Industry Minister Federica Guidi told la Repubblica newspaper that the total value of the contracts could exceed the 17 billion euros initially indicated by the government.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says boosting Middle East

Business delegations Two large Italian business delegations went to Tehran soon after the nuclear deal was inked last year.

Another such group is scheduled to visit Iran from February 8 to 10.

Pope Francis met Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in the Vatican on Tuesday and urged Tehran to work with other Middle East states to promote peace and stop the spread of terrorism and arms trafficking in the region.

A Vatican statement spoke of the “important role Iran is called on to play, along with other countries in the region, to promote adequate political solutions to the problems that afflict the Middle East, combating the spread of terrorism and arms trafficking”.

“I thank you for your visit and I hope for peace,” Francis told the Iranian leader at the end of a 40-minute meeting in the pope’s private study in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace.

economy key to beat extremism, meets Pope Francis

ROME: Generating economic growth in the Middle East is crucial to defeating extremism, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday, putting forward his country as a regional trade hub and pillar of stability.

Rouhani is on a four-day trip to Italy and France, looking to rebuild Iranian relations with the West some two weeks after financial sanctions on Tehran were rolled back following the implementation of its nuclear deal with world powers.

Italy announced some $18.4 billion (17 billion euros) of business deals with Iran on Monday. Mega contracts are also in the offing in France, reflecting EU countries’ keenness to cash in on the diplomatic thaw with Iran.

Underscoring the growing warmth, Rouhani said he expected Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi to visit Iran in the coming months to help boost bilateral economic alliances.

Welcome “We are ready to welcome investment, welcome technology and create a new export market,” Rouhani told a business forum on the second day of his visit to Rome, saying Iran had ambitions to develop its own economy after years of curbs and hardship. “Under the new conditions, we want to export

WARM WELCOME: Pope Francis, right, welcomes Iranian President Hassan Rouhani for their private audience on Tuesday, at the Vatican.

Pope Francis met Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in the Vatican on Tuesday and urged Tehran to work with other Middle East states to promote peace and stop the spread of terrorism and arms trafficking in the region. – AFP

30 per cent of what we produce in Iran,” he said, calling for rapid investment in “the most secure and stable country in the region”.

Italy has rolled out the red carpet to Rouhani and his 120-strong delegation of business leaders and government ministers, seeing

WA R W I T H I N NAT I O N

diers for terrorists,” Rouhani said.

“We are not looking at simple reactivation of our cooperation with Iran, but rather a comprehensive relaunch of a strategic alliance,” Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni told the business conference. Among the deals signed on

Monday were a $4 billion contract for oil services group Saipem, up to 5.7 billion euros in contracts for steel firm Danieli, up to 4 billion euros of business for infrastructure firm Condotte d’Acqua, 4 billion euros for rail and road company Gavio and 400 million euros

A S S E M B LY O F E X P E R T S E L E C T I O N S

Bombing kills 24 in Syria’s Homs BEIRUT: A bomb attack claimed

by IS militant group in the Syrian government-controlled city of Homs killed at least 24 people on Tuesday. The governor of Homs said the first of two explosions was caused by a car bomb which targeted a security checkpoint. A suicide bomber then set off an explosive belt, state media reported.

“We know we are targets for terrorists, especially now the (Syrian) army is advancing and local reconciliation agreements are being implemented,” the governor told Reuters by phone.

Seventeen people are still in hospital, one of whom is in a critical condition, the governor said.

Tehran as a possible partner in the battle against IS militant group.

“If we want to combat extremism in the world, if we want to fight terror, one of the roads before us is providing growth and jobs. Lack of growth creates forces for terrorism. Unemployment creates sol-

Separate talks Rouhani, who wore a white turban and black robe, asked the pope to “pray for me”. He then held separate talks with top Vatican diplomats.

It was the first state visit by an Iranian president to the Vatican since 1999, although former president Mohammad Khatami was among the many world leaders who attended the funeral of Pope John Paul in 2005.

Pope Francis has several times praised last year’s deal that aims to curtail Tehran’s atomic ambitions.

He told the UN General Assembly last September it was “proof of the potential of political good will” in the international community. — Reuters

Syrian state TV earlier reported 22 people had died and more than 100 people had been injured.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group put the death toll at 29. It said those killed in the explosions, which took place in a mostly Alawite district, included 15 members of government forces and pro-government militiamen.

IS said in a statement its attack had killed at least 30 people.

The Syrian army and allied forces have been battling IS in areas to the east and southeast of Homs city. They recently took back several villages including Maheen southeast of the city. — Reuters

Iran approves 166 of 801 candidates DUBAI: Four-fifths of candidates for the body that will choose Iran’s next Supreme Leader have withdrawn or been disqualified including a grandson of late Ayatollah Khomeini.

The 12-member Guardian Council, a clerical body that oversees elections and legislation, approved just 166 of the 801 candidates for the Assembly of Experts, electoral commission spokesman Siamak Rahpeik was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA on Tuesday. Among those excluded was Hassan Khomeini, grandson of the Islamic Republic’s first Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, his son Ahmad said on Instagram. Hassan Khomeini, the first member of his family to stand

the activities of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and will choose his successor. Elections to the 290-seat parliament are being held on the same day. Last week, the Guardian Council disqualified more than 7,000 of the 12,000 parliamentary candidates.

BARRED: Hassan Khomeini has been excluded from contesting next month’s Assembly of Experts election, his son said. – AFP

in elections, is seen as politically moderate and is popular among Iran’s reformists.

Elections to the 88-member Assembly of Experts fall on February 26. The Assembly oversees

Criticised President Hassan Rouhani criticised the disqualification of parliamentary candidates and may also oppose the mass exclusion of Assembly of Experts candidates. But Khamenei called for candidates to be strictly vetted, and Guardian Council Chairman Ahmad Jannati assured him the council would “not be affected by any pressure”.

The Guardian Council can dis-

qualify candidates on a diverse range of technical and ideological grounds including gender, level of education, and commitment to religion and the constitution.

Ahmad Khomeini said his father, a 43-year-old mid-ranking cleric, had been disqualified on the grounds of his religious credentials despite the testimony of dozens of senior religious figures. Hassan Khomeini said he would issue a response in the coming days.

Khamenei initially approved Khomeini’s candidacy, but warned him not to damage the family name. Hassan Khomeini formed an informal alliance of political moderates with Rouhani and former president Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. — Reuters

R E B U I L D I N G A I RWAY S

Iran seeks foreign investment to overhaul dilapidated aviation sector TEHRAN: Iran courted Western aviation firms this week with a blueprint of regulatory reforms aimed at setting aside 40 years of sanctions and rebuilding its airways with new jets.

But despite talk of a major plane order from Airbus, a raft of legal, financial and regulatory hurdles remain as Iran seeks foreign investor backing for plans to overhaul its dilapidated aviation sector.

“We are seeing massive opportunities in Iran,” said Peter Harbison, chairman of the Centre for Aviation (CAPA), an Australian consultancy, adding that Tehran needed funding, organisation and manpower to do everything its airlines intend.

Ingredients “Without each of those ingredients, the growth is going to be much less than optimal,” he said after chairing a major Tehran aviation conference.

A shopping list for over $20 billion of Airbus jets carried to Europe by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani this week is seen as a test case for post-sanctions trade because of the sums involved and state-of-the-art financing used in

the jet market. Although Boeing jets are not involved, completing the Airbus deal depends on the approval of the US Treasury, which must approve sales to Iran of jets with over 10 per cent US parts.

Even then, Iran must work out how to pay for the jets, delegates at the Iran Aviation Summit organised by CAPA said.

Iran on Monday urged Washington to remove any lingering obstacles to implementation of the accord under which sanctions were lifted in return for curbs on its nuclear activities.

“I expect a very short process.

Actually we expect them to expedite all these efforts to.. open the way for legal business cooperation between Iranian and foreign entities,” deputy foreign minister Abbas Araqchi told reporters at the CAPA event.

Washington has said Iran may still not use its financial system, raising potential difficulties for jet deals denominated in dollars. If Iran pays for its planes in euros, any money subsequently converted into dollars may create problems. A senior Iranian official said Tehran was in touch with the US Treasury to clarify the status

SEEKING COOPERATION: Iranian minister of transportation Abbas

Ahmad Akhoundi, right, speaks during the CAPA 2016 Iran Aviation Summit in the capital Tehran. – AFP

of such transactions. US officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

Iran meanwhile faces warnings that Western banks may hold off from backing aircraft and other deals until rules are clear.

“I think we need much more clarity on what (the US Treasury) is going to authorise or not,” said Bertrand Grabowski, a managing director at Germany’s DVB Bank.

In a further twist, Iranair remains locked out of a dedicated global financial system for air tickets because it is based on laws of Canada, which has not lifted sanctions on Iran.

“To have Western banks effectively financing directly aircraft to Iranian airlines is going to be a tough call. This isn’t going to happen in the next 18 months,” Grabowski said.

However, he said some banks may be more willing to support the activities of leasing companies working in Iran.

Aircraft leasing companies, who control about 40 per cent of the world’s fleet, eagerly touted for business at the Tehran event, joined by suppliers from 35 nations offering Iran badly needed wares from avionics to airports.

“We are behind, we admit that,” Deputy Transport Minister Asghar Fakhrieh Kashan said.

“Therefore we have decided to... look for the solutions and try to find proper responses to any questions” on funding.

Kashan said Iran was looking at joining the 2006 Cape Town Convention, a treaty of more than 60 nations designed to boost trade by protecting aircraft owners in return for cheaper financing.

Positive signal “That is a very positive signal for me,” said Dick Forsberg, head of strategy at Dublin-based leasing company Avolon, while warning investors Iran would not be a “gold rush”.

Privately, some foreign delegates said doing business in Iran

was still a complex puzzle, further obscured by upcoming elections.

President Rouhani has been trying to attract technology and investment to bolster Iran’s shattered economy. But some analysts say political in-fighting, and the possibility of fresh sanctions if Iran violates the deal, worry investors. While Iranian officials gave assurances that they would respect foreign investors’ ownership rights, some delegates at the aviation conference saw potential sticking points over Iran’s attitude to collateral on some transactions.

Britain’s export credit agency said last week it was open to doing business in Iran, boosting the prospect of aircraft sales. But such agencies typically demand security on the jet even if the buyer is government controlled and can put up a state guarantee to pay money owed.

That may be a problem for Iran, which regards its sovereignbacked guarantees as word enough and is reluctant to offer collateral on the asset as well, delegates said.

Grabowski said Iran had reassured investors but “they need to deliver, and this is where it is going to be difficult”. — Reuters

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016

INDIA

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Patriotic fervour grips Indians worldwide on Republic Day LONDON/BANGKOK: India’s vibrance was on full display on the world stage on Tuesday, with hundreds of Indians celebrating the 67th Republic Day at Indian missions where the tricolour fluttered proudly amid melodious strains of the national anthem.

Cultural festivities were held as the mellifluous ‘Jana Gana Mana’ played and the unfurling of the national tricolour accompanied by falling rose petals took place at Indian embassies and high commissions.

In London, the occasion was marked by a ceremonial flag hoisting at the Indian High Commission by the high commissioner, Navtej Sarna, who recently as-

sumed charge. Britain’s Indianorigin Cabinet minister Priti Patel offered greetings to Indians, describing the day as “deeply significant” in India’s history.

The UK employment minister, who also serves as British Prime Minister David Cameron’s Indian diaspora champion, said: “Republic Day is a hugely important occasion where we can all reflect on our hard work, success and achievements so far, as well as looking to the bright and prosperous future.

“Today we are celebrating our vibrant culture, heritage and aspirations, and uniting as one global Indian community.”

In Cairo, Indian community members as well many Egyptian

friends of India attended the celebrations despite the cold and rainy weather as they watched India’s Ambassador to Egypt Sanjay Bhattacharyya hoist the tricolour in the India House premises and read out President Pranab Mukherjee’s message to the country.

Enthused “I think I’m very enthused by the fact that a lot of Egyptians showed very active interest in this event.

People have been very excited about this event,” Bhattacharyya said. In Kathmandu, India gifted 40 ambulances and eight buses to different organisations in Nepal on the occasion.

India’s Ambassador to Nepal

Ranjit Rae handed over keys of 33 ambulances and six buses to different charitable organisations and schools during a function held inside the Indian Embassy premises and attended by over 2,500 people.

Addressing a gathering in Colombo on the Republic Day, Indian High Commissioner Y K Sinha said Sri Lanka is a key part of India’s “neighbourhood first” policy as New Delhi has an abiding interest in the country’s security and remains committed to its unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity. An important element in strengthening bilateral ties will be deepening economic and commercial relations, he added.

Across the entire South East Asia - in Bangkok, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Indo esia, patriotic fervour gripped Indians who turned out in large numbers to mark the celebrations.

In Bangkok, more than 550 Indian nationals and friends of India, braved the sudden drop in temperature to attend the function at the Indian embassy premises.

The flag was unfurled by ambassador Bhagwant Singh Bishnoi, who took over recently from Harshvardhan Shringla.

Bishnoi also read out excerpt from the President’s address.

Later, schoolchildren sang

Republic Day passes off peacefully amid tight vigil

songs to regale the audience following which Bishnoi presented some gifts to them as a token of appreciation.

In Hanoi, India’s Ambassador to Vietnam Preeti Saran hoisted the national flag, with at least 200 members of the Indian community in attendance despite the cold weather and rains.

In Kuala Lumpur, India’s High Commissioner to Malaysia T S Tirumurti unfurled the tricolour, which was followed by singing of the national anthem in chorus by all the guests assembled at the India House.

Despite being a working day, the function was attended by about 300 people. - PTI HONOUR

French army soldiers create history on Rajpath

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The national capital

W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N .C O M

was brought under an unprecedented ground-to-air security cover with thousands of armed personnel keeping a tight vigil for the celebrations where French President Francois Hollande was the chief guest PARADE: A view of the 67th Republic Day parade at Rajpath in New Delhi on Tuesday.

NEW DELHI: With intelligence inputs warning of a possible terror strike, unprecedented security measures were put in place across the country for Republic Day celebrations that passed off peacefully on Tuesday.

However, a few incidents including an encounter in Indianadministered-Kashmir where an unidentified militant was killed, and a bomb scare sparked by an unclaimed bag at a Pathankot railway station set off alarm.

The national capital was brought under an unprecedented ground-to-air security cover with thousands of armed personnel keeping a tight vigil for the 67th

Republic Day celebrations where French President Francois Hollande was the chief guest.

The area around Central Delhi was turned into a virtual fortress in view of intelligence inputs that terror groups may target some important installations in the city.

The measures were adopted in the aftermath of the terror attack on the Pathankot airbase.

Terror module busted Ahead of the Republic Day celebrations, central security agencies and NIA busted a module by arresting 14 militants linked to terror group IS, who, officials claimed, had planned to carry out

strikes at important installations.

Commandos with light machine guns were deployed at 10 strategic locations and anti-aircraft guns remained positioned at two vantage points in the capital.

The entire region of Central and New Delhi had nearly 50,000 security personnel drawn from Delhi Police and central security forces guarding every nook and corner.

Special arrangements were made at the historic Rajpath where India’s military might was on display.

Hollande was seated along with President Pranab Mukherjee and host of VVIPs including

- PTI

Vice President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The VVIP enclosure was put under a multi-layer security ring with Presidential Guards and officials of SPG and NSG guarding the two inner-most orbits and Delhi Police entrusted with guarding the outermost circle, said a senior official.

Senior officials said snipers have been put atop 45 buildings overlooking Rajpath besides providing a similar cover along all the buildings along the parade route.

Gunners have been given clear instructions to bring down any aerial object flying without permission.

A ‘NOTAM’ (Notice to Airmen) has been declared from 10.35am to 12.15pm during which no flight will land or take off at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

A special control room has been monitoring as many as 15,000 CCTV cameras installed across Central and New Delhi, with 200 high-tech digital cameras installed in the parade route, an official said.

As many as 1,000 traffic officials have been issued revolvers so that they can deal with any untoward incident amid heavy security arrangements across the city involving around 25,000 police officials.

In Punjab, additional personnel were posted at bus stands, railway stations and government buildings. Similar arrangements were in place in Haryana and the Union Territory of Chandigarh.

However, in Pathankot, an unclaimed bag at a railway station sparked a security scare in the district where police and agencies are on high alert following the terror strike at air base early this month, in which seven security personnel were killed.

People were swiftly evacuated from the area and rail traffic had also been halted or diverted for the time being on the route, police said.

Bomb disposal and dog squads were summoned to identify the contents of the bag, which has been covered by sand bags, they said. - PTI

OLDEST REGIMENT: A French army contingent marches during the 67th Republic Day parade at Rajpath in New Delhi on Tuesday. - PTI

NEW DELHI: French Army soldiers on Tuesday created history by marching down the Rajpath during the Republic Day parade, becoming the first foreign military contingent to take part in the celebrations.

Led by Lt Colonel Paul Bury of the French Army’s 35th Infantry Regiment, one of the oldest regiments of France, the 76-member contingent marched before an audience that included President Pranab Mukherjee, visiting French President and Chief Guest Francois Hollande and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Forty-eight members of ‘The Music of the Infantry’, a ceremonial band based in Lyon in France, played two military tunes at the parade as the spectators cheered them.Talking about the Republic Day, Bury, who has twice served in Afghanistan, has said it was a matter of pride and honour for his men to participate in the celebrations and the march past on the Rajpath.

Maj Gen Rajesh Sahai, Chief of Staff Delhi Area of Indian Army, said the parade was evolving, and added that a foreign contingent should be a regular affair. - PTI

EXEMPLARY COURAGE

Fear is the last thing in the minds of Indian bravehearts NEW DELHI: They are young, energetic, brave and are even willing to risk their lives to save that of others.

They are the special 25 brave sons and daughters of India, who saved several lives while putting themselves in life-threatening situations and not worrying about their own well-being.

Hailing from different parts of the country, they received the National Bravery Awards for 2015 from President Pranab Mukherjee at the Rashtrapathi Bhavan on Friday evening for showing exemplary courage without expecting anything in return.

On Tuesday, these bravehearts were part of the Republic Day parade on the magnificent Rajpath, with the president taking the salute and his French counterpart Francois Hollande the chief guest.

Gaurav Kawduji Sahastrabuddhe (15), Shivampet Ruchitha (8), Arjun Singh (16), Aromal S.M. (12), Ramdinthara (15), Rakeshbhai Shanabhai Patel (13), Nilesh Revaram Bhil (9), Joena Chakraborty (10), Bhimsen alias Sonu (10), Kashish Dhanani (10), Vaibhav Rameshwar (9), Dishant Mehndiratta (12), Chongtham Kuber Meitei (12), Angelica Tynsong (13), Mohit Mahendra Dalvi (14), Nithin Philip Mathew (13), Sarwanand Saha (15), Beedhhovan (14), Anandu Dileep (14), Maurice Yengkhom (14), Abhijith K.V. (15), Sai Krishna Akhil Kilambi (14), Muhammad Shamnad (14), Abinash Mishra (17) and Shivansh

BRAVE SONS AND DAUGHTERS: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi with the awardee children and their parents, at the National Bravery Awards 2015 function in New Delhi on Sunday. - PTI

Singh (13) are the courageous children who saved lives of others without fearing for their own.

Two of them — Gaurav Kawduji Sahastrabuddhe of Maharashtra and Shivansh Singh of Uttar Pradesh — were honoured posthumously as they died while helping others in trouble.

Sahastrabuddhe died on June 3, 2014 while trying to save four boys from drowning in a lake. They were playing near Ambazari lake

in Nagpur district when one of them slipped and fell into it.

On seeing this, the other three dived into the water to rescue him but they too started drowning. Sahastrabuddhe then jumped into the lake and saved them one by one but he himself got so tired in the process that he could not save himself and died.

Similarly, Shivansh Singh died while trying to save his friend Vivek, who fell in the Saryu river

while bathing. Vivek was in deep water and was drowning when Shivansh Singh reached there to help him. He tried his best and brought Vivek near the shore.

However, Vivek had died by that time and Shivansh Singh also died after a while as he got very tried in the process. Their mothers received the award from the president on behalf of their brave sons.

The bravehearts, who looked cheerful after receiving their

awards, had one sentiment in common that they would serve the country or would continue helping people in need as they grow up.

“I would like to serve the nation as I grow up,” Rakeshbhai Shanabhai Patel said, adding: “We all should help each other in whatever way we can.”

“Serving the nation is my dream.

I think we should continue to serve our country in whatever way we can,” he said.

Patel had saved a boy from drowning. He struggled for over 35 minutes in a well that the boy had fallen into while playing.

Joena Chakraborty helped her father retrieve his mobile phone from a miscreant as she caught him the leg while he was trying to run away after snatching the device. “Anybody who has done something wrong is to be challenged,” Chakraborty said.

“The moment I realised that my father’s mobile phone was snatched by a man, I, without loosing a second, started chasing him.

He had a blade in his hand but it did not deter me to grab him by his legs,” she said.

Passers-by caught the snatcher and handed him to the police.

Sarwanand Saha of Chhattisgarh, who saved a man from drowning in flood water, said that helping others in difficult situations should come naturally to people.

“I was returning from school when I saw a man drowning. I immediately jumped into the water and pulled him out of it,” he said, adding that he did not fear for his own life as “it all happened without any warning”. On what he would like to do after completing his education, Saha said serving the nation was his dream and he will try to join the defence forces.

He, however, also believed that one can serve the country even without being in the forces as “serving the less privileged could also be very satisfying”. - IANS

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016 Since their relationship lasted over many years, it was multi-faceted, I imagine. In many aspects they held similar views, in others their views differed Dr Anita Bose Pfaff, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s daughter

INDIA N E W R E P R E S E N TAT I V E

India strongly committed to United Nations: Akbaruddin NEW YORK: Pledging India’s commitment to the UN, new permanent representative Syed Akbaruddin assured Secretary General Ban Ki-moon of his support in helping the world body achieve its goals.

While presenting his credentials to Ban as India’s new permanent representative to the UN, Akbaruddin also promised him of his fullest support in the body’s quest for peaceful political solutions for all the problems.

Receiving the credentials, Ban welcomed his appointment as the top Indian diplomat to the UN and appreciated the significant role India plays at the powerful world

body as a long-trusted partner of multilateral system.

The former high-profile spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs reiterated India’s commitment to the UN and assured the secretary general of his support in helping the UN achieve its ideals and priorities Ban had set out for 2016, including that of Agenda 2030 and the quest for peaceful political solutions for all problems, an official statement said.

Akbaruddin, a 1985 batch IFS officer, is India’s 21st Permanent Representative at the UN and succeeds Asoke Mukerji who demitted office on December 31.

Akbaruddin had previously

capacities, promoting friendly ties across the globe.

He has also served as an international civil-servant at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna from 2006-2011.

In that capacity, he worked as Head of External Relations and Policy Coordination Unit and also as the Special Assistant to the Director-General of the IAEA. In his first few speeches soon after this arrival early this month, Akbaruddin urged the UN to show a common resolve to rise above semantic definitional differences and work on the long overdue Comprehensive Convention on International terrorism. - PTI

served at the Indian Mission to the United Nations as First Secretary during 1995-98 and focused on the UN Security Council Reform and Peace-Keeping.

Prior to this appointment, he was the chief coordinator of the India-Africa Forum Summit — a milestone event with participation of all 54 African states held in October, 2015 in New Delhi.

Immediately before that, he was the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs from 2012 to 2015.

He is known for his effective use of social media for diplomacy outreach. Akbaruddin has represented India’s interests in various

PRESENTING CREDENTIALS: Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin, right,

the newly appointed Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, presents his credentials to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at UN headquarters in New York, on Monday. - Reuters

‘Attacks in Paris, Pathankot against fundamental values’ corded the honour of being chief guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations for the fifth time.

When the French Infantry troops march in step with Indian troops in the parade (today), they will make history yet again by being the first-ever foreign contingent to do so, he said.

“This is not just history in the making, it is a testimony to the enduring bonds between our two civilisations and our two people, it is a tribute to our long-standing and strategic partnerships.

“It is emblematic of our two national mottos: “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” and “Satyameva Jayate”, coming together, with the power to inspire the world to achieve the universal ideals of peace and justice,” the president said.

President Pranab Mukherjee said the dastardly terror attacks in Paris and Pathankot have underlined the urgency for countries like India and France to jointly combat this existential threat to humanity and human civilisation

NEW DELHI: President Pranab Mukherjee has said that terror attacks on Paris or Pathankot are against fundamental values of liberty and freedom.

The president made these comments at a banquet he hosted in honour of French President Francois Hollande at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday.

Appreciating the French President for his leadership and resolute action in the wake of the dastardly terror attacks in Paris in November last year, a Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson quoted Mukherjee as saying that these determined steps show France will “not let terrorists succeed.”

“India appreciates the support and solidarity expressed by France for India in the wake of the attacks in Pathankot.

“Whether in Paris or Pathankot,

AT-HOME RECEPTION: President Pranab Mukherjee with French President Francois Hollande and Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves during an At-Home reception hosted by him on the occasion of 67th Republic Day at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Tuesday. - PTI

terrorist attacks on democracies such as India and France are an attack against fundamental values of liberty, freedom and universal brotherhood.

“Terrorism is a global threat and it poses a threat to all nations.

No cause can justify terrorist acts.

It is imperative that the world act in unison against terrorism, without political considerations,” the president said.

Intolerance The president, the spokesperson said, added the two countries must fight resolutely for freedom against the forces of intolerance, extremism and terrorism.

“The dastardly terror attacks in Paris and Pathankot have underlined the urgency for countries like India and France to jointly combat this existential threat to

M Y S T E R I OU S D E AT H

humanity and human civilisation,” he said.

Mukherjee added that the growing strength of India-France strategic partnership in defence, space, civil nuclear energy and security “demonstrates high mutual trust and understanding” between the two countries. The president said friendship between India and France is driven by a remarkable similarity in the ideals and aspirations of our people.

“Our civilisations have interacted with each other over the centuries, united by a shared vision of the world we want to live in- a world that is premised on individual liberty, freedom and equality, a world that respects pluralism and democracy, a world that seeks tolerance and peaceful co-existence,” Mukherjee said.

He said the deep bonds of our

time-tested friendship are only set to strengthen in the years ahead anchored as they are in this rich, unshakable foundation.

Cooperation The president said while mutual cooperation between the two nations in science and research and other sectors is growing, he was glad that the French government and captains of their industry are actively partnering India “in our ambitious developmental initiatives, infrastructure, smart cities, clean energy, railways and skill development.”

He also talked about Hollande’s visit to the country as the chief guest of the Republic Day parade and the importance India attaches to the invited country.

The president said France was the only country to have been ac-

Challenges He said India has begun the New Year “with fresh hopes and dreams and a resolve to jointly overcome the challenges facing us.”

“We live in difficult times characterised by violence, fundamentalism and inequality. But, we also live in times of brilliant innovation, of great creativity, of unparallelled global interaction,” he said adding the French President’s visit “heralds new beginnings in scaling new heights in India-France bilateral relationship and in the common quest for peace, stability and prosperity for all.”

Mukherjee congratulated Hollande on the successful organisation of the Paris climate summit as he recalled that thousands of Indian soldiers hailing from Punjab and Haryana fought France’s battle during the First World War and close to ten thousand of them today lie buried in scattered cemeteries in France, having made the supreme sacrifice for the freedom of France. - PTI

DETECTED BY IAF RADAR

Mysterious balloon-shaped object shot down in Barmer

INVESTIGATE: Police men

investigate after an unidentified balloon-shaped object picked up by the Indian Air Force’s radar was intercepted and shot down over Barmer on Tuesday. - PTI

JAIPUR/NEW DELHI: A mysterious balloon-shaped object was on Tuesday shot down by a Sukhoi-30 fighter aircraft in Rajasthan’s Barmer district, bordering Pakistan, after the IAF radar detected it on a day the country was celebrating the Republic Day. Indian Air Force officials said the object was flying in from the western sector and was shot down Tuesday morning.

“Between 1030 and 1100 hours today, an unidentified balloon shaped object was picked up by IAF radar. An IAF fighter was launched which intercepted the object and brought it down. Further investigation is underway,” an IAF spokesperson said.

No one was hurt nor was any damage caused to the property in the area, IAF spokesman said in Jaipur.

The incident happened in Barmer, nearly 500km from Rajasthan capital Jaipur, where some villagers have reported an incident of certain metal pieces falling down from the sky.

Police said a team led by Additional SP Jassaram Bose found about five pieces of a triangle kind of metallic objects but it was not an explosive material.

These pieces were handed over to IAF, police said. - PTI

S I G N E D P R O C L A M AT I O N

Netaji’s daughter wants Arunachal comes under President’s rule DNA test of ashes kept in Renkoji temple NEW DELHI: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s daughter Dr Anita Bose Pfaff wants a DNA test to be conducted to establish whether the ashes kept in a Japanese temple are her father’s, but believes that the 1945 aircrash in Taipei was the “most likely cause” of his death.

“I believe that the plane crash is the most likely cause of his death,” Pfaff said when asked whether she believes in the theory that her father died in an air crash near the Taihoku aerodrome in Taipei on August 18, 1945.

However, she said she wants a DNA test of the ashes kept in an urn at a Buddhist temple in Tokyo to ascertain whether the remains belong to the freedom fighter.

“A DNA test could provide proof, provided that the bones are not too badly charred for extracting DNA,” Pfaff, the only child of Subhash Bose and Emilie Schenkl, said in an interview from her home in Stadtbergen, Germany.

Bose family sources said the 73year old German economist, who is likely to visit India next month, may urge the government here to talk to Japan for conducting DNA test of the remains kept in the Ren-

koji temple in Tokyo. On whether the recently declassified documents sufficiently proved Netaji’s death in the aircrash, Pfaff said “while I have only looked at a few files, I get the impression that a death certificate is not contained.”

Asked about her opinion that Bose was not treated with as much respect as were leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, Pfaff said: “That certainly seems to be the case for the official treatment. But the general public, the so-called man in the street, however, seem to have kept his memory alive in a very touching way. It was a shame how the Indian government treated the INA veterans for decades.”

To a question about Nehru’s approach towards Bose, she merely said, “Since their relationship lasted over many years, it was multi-faceted, I imagine. In many aspects they held similar views, in others their views differed.”

On whether Netaji’s birthday should be declared a national holiday, she said, “I believe there are better ways of keeping Netaji’s memory alive than a national holiday.” - PTI

NEW DELHI: Arunachal Pradesh on Tuesday came under central rule with Indian President Pranab Mukherjee giving assent to the Union Cabinet’s recommendation on such a course following political instability in the state.

Official sources said the President signed the proclamation two days after the cabinet held an unscheduled meeting on Sunday to recommend that the northeasten border state be brought under central rule.

Minister of State for Home Kiran Rijiju had said the cabinet was forced to take the decision because of a Constitutional breakdown as six months had lapsed between two sessions of the state Assembly.

On Monday, Mukherjee called Home Minister Rajnath Singh and put some queries to him on the need for the imposition of President’s rule even as Congress, the ruling party in the state, met him and opposed the cabinet decision.

The party urged the President not to give assent to the cabinet decision saying the issue was before the Supreme Court which has decided to hear the Congress petition on Wednesday.

Other major opposition parties had also attacked the Centre’s decision saying it amounted to “murder” of democracy while the BJP said the crisis was of Con-

POLITICAL INSTABILITY: Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge with party lead-

ers Ghulam Nabi Azad, Kapil Sibal and V. Narayanasamy submitting a memorandum to President Pranab Mukherjee on Arunachal Pradesh issue, in New Delhi on Monday. - PTI

gress’ making because it had lost numbers in the Assembly.

Arunachal Pradesh has been rocked by a political crisis since December 16 last year when 21 rebel Congress MLAs joined hands with 11 of BJP and two independents to ‘impeach’ Assembly Speaker Nabam Rebia at a makeshift venue, in a move branded as “illegal and unconstitutional” by the Speaker.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court decided to hear on January 27 the Congress plea challenging the Cabinet decision.

The petition seeking urgent

hearing was mentioned before Chief Justice T. S. Thakur, at his residence, who directed the matter to be listed for hearing on Wednesday.

The Union Cabinet’s decision was based on state Governor Jyoti Prashad Rajkhowa report.

Up in arms against Tuki, 21 rebel party MLAs, including 14 disqualified a day before, with the help of BJP and independent legislators, congregated at a community hall after the state Assembly complex was ‘sealed’ by the local administration, and ‘impeached’ Rebia in an impromptu session

chaired by Deputy Speaker T Norbu Thongdok.

Twenty seven MLAs in 60-member Assembly, including the Chief Minister and his ministerial colleagues, boycotted the proceedings.

A day later, in a bizarre turn of events, opposition BJP and rebel Congress MLAs congregated in a local hotel to “vote out” Chief Minister Nabam Tuki and to “elect” a rebel Congress MLA in his place but the Guwahati High Court intervened to keep in “abeyance” decisions taken at the rebel “session”. - PTI

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PAKISTAN

ENERGY CRISIS

Plan afoot to build 2,000MW nuclear plant

INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMS DAY

A man burns confiscated contraband during a campaign marking the International Customs Day in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Tuesday. — Reuters

ISLAMABAD: A mega nuclear power plant is to be set up in Pakistan, the first in the country’s history, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said on Tuesday.

“It will be the first time in the history of the country that a mega nuclear power plant would be set up with power generation capacity of 2,000 megawatts,” the minister said in an interview, according to Radio Pakistan.

Thar coal deposits Iqbal added that Thar is enriched with natural coal deposits and the government is committed to utilising the resources for producing electricity, to overcome the power shortage in the country.

“Super critical technology will be used in the coal power plant, which will be established with the financing of the Asian Development Bank in Jamshoro to ensure a safe environment,” he added.

Despite many difficulties, Pakistan has steadily continued its nuclear energy programme.

Towards the end of last year, a report by a top US think tank predicted that Pakistan could turn into the fifth largest nuclear weapons state in the world by 2025. — Express Tribune

Charsadda varsity to stay shut till security beefed up self-defence, a suggestion that is rejected by other teaching members and has reignited a debate about arming school staff.

Four Pakistani Taliban gunmen

Common target Educational institutions have become an increasingly common target for the militants waging war against the Pakistani state.

In December 2014, gunmen killed 134 children at an armyrun school in the city of Peshawar, about 30 km (19 miles) from the site of last week’s attack.

Authorities say last week’s assault was planned and carried out

by Pakistani Taliban militants based in neighbouring Afghanistan. Five suspects have been arrested in Pakistan for acting as “facilitators”.

killed 21 people at Bacha Khan University in Charsadda in the country’s northwest on Wednesday

PESHAWAR: The Pakistani university attacked by Taliban militants in a deadly assault last week will remain closed indefinitely until security is beefed up, staff said on Tuesday, as some teachers demanded the government issue them with weapons.

Four Pakistani Taliban gunmen killed 21 people at Bacha Khan University in Charsadda in the country’s northwest on Wednesday after scaling its rear walls, battling security guards and then firing into packed classrooms and hostels.

INDEFINITE CLOSURE: A relative of a 2014 Peshawar school attack victim shows her son’s pictures to a student victim, left, of the Bacha Khan University attack at a hospital in Charsadda on January 21, 2016. — AFP

University staff and students met on Monday, after briefly reopening the campus, to review security as at least 200 students protested outside to demand the

government protect them.

“We decided to keep the university closed for some time so we can repair the damaged building and further improve the security

situation,” Fazal Rahim Marwat, a professor at the university, told Reuters.

He said some teachers had demanded licensed weapons for

Crackdown Pakistan has launched a major crackdown against militants holed up along its porous border with Afghanistan, but the university attack shows they retain the capacity to launch deadly raids, particularly against targets where security is relatively weak.

The Pakistani Taliban commander who says his fighters were behind the Bacha Khan assault released a video last week vowing more attacks on schools. — Reuters

INCONVENIENT

Punjab closes all schools due to severe cold weather LAHORE: Pakistan’s most populous province has ordered schools shut for five days and told 22.5 million students to stay at home not because of security fears after gunmen attacked a university but because of cold weather, an official said on Tuesday.

Punjab province Education Minister Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan said a large number of children were catching flu and pneumonia as temperatures fell to as low as four degrees Celsius in the capital, Lahore, and a severe shortage of gas left schools unable to heat themselves.

“Two days ago, parents complained about the harshness of weather and diseases to children,” Khan told Reuters.

“The meteorological office, too, told the government that the wave of extreme cold would continue for another three to four days.

We took all stakeholders in confidence and made the decision to announce holidays.”

Militant threats Khan denied that the province’s more than 100,000 schools were shut because of militant threats, despite recent warnings that militants were planning to attack educational institutions. — Reuters

HOBBY

Reaching for the skies: Gilgit’s very own Wright brother GILGIT: Kabir Khan always dreamed of becoming a pilot and soaring over the towering mountains surrounding Gilgit city.

That dream could not become reality, but he found another way to satiate his thirst for touching the skies.

Over the past two years, Khan has single-handedly made 10 different kinds of aircraft using various kinds of material, including plywood and aluminium frames.

“This is a passion and a way to satiate my thirst for flying,” he said on Tuesday.

Khan does not have a professional degree in and currently serves in a government office as a computer operator.

Human resource “It was my desire to make aircraft but it wasn’t an easy task given that it required time, money and material besides some human resource,” says Khan.

“I design the aircraft by downloading images from the internet,” he said, while explaining the four to six-month long process of completing one project. “I use raw

material wherever possible to give it shape.”

The first plane he made was a Cessna 182, which took him about five months to prepare and cost about Rs25,000. Unfortunately, it crashed the same day while landing.

Khan, however, didn’t lose heart.

He immediately began making another, even better plane. It was a Falcon 25, which suffered the same fate after flying for five minutes.

Maiden success The failures, however, didn’t deter Khan’s efforts. He then made a Wing Dragon which finally proved to be his maiden success.

“It flew for more than five minutes and as high as 1,000 feet,” said the architect, adding that the plane wings measured a combined 48 inches.

At present, more than seven planes are in Khan’s fleet, which also include two jet planes (Raptor F22) measuring seven and three feet, respectively.

A Quadcopter is also part of his collection of aircraft in his room, which serves as a hanger. “The

expenditure incurred on it was more or less Rs25,000,” he said of the Quadcopter, which is similar to a drone camera used widely by media outlets and enthusiasts these days.

A lack of open space for flying, coupled with financial implications, make Khan’s work a challenge. He flies his aircraft in playgrounds and parks but feels that it is hardly sufficient or safe enough for take-off and landing. “The results and performances would be better if I get a good runway strip.”

Own pocket Moreover, Khan finances his hobby from his own pocket. “I save up to Rs5,000 from my salary every month and when I have enough at my disposal, I start work.”

One day, he plans to make a single-seat plane for himself. But his elder brother, Nadeem, says to do that they’d have to face the biggest hurdle yet: permission from their mother. “Our mother fears for his life and that is perhaps the biggest reason my brother has yet to embark on that adventure,” said Nadeem. — Express Tribune

DETERMINED: At present, more than seven planes are in Kabir Khan’s fleet, which also include two jet planes (Raptor F22) measuring seven and three feet, respectively. — Express Tribune

A12

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READERS’ FORUM Foreign investment law will lead to positive changes This refers to the report ‘Foreign investment law to create jobs, woo investors to Oman’ (January 26). I am glad to know that the proposed change would help in bringing more prosperity to the country, especially as it has more value during this time of austerity in all aspects of life. As Oman has been enjoying a steady growth in all spheres of development, the investment opportunity for local and foreign business groups would help bring success in a number of areas under focus. Since the government has been unveiling large scale developmental projects, the investment Scan this QR code prospects can extend to creating fresh jobs to send letters to the for potential candidates as well as qualified Readers’ Forum, expatriate job-seekers. It was a similar containing not more than 200 words with decision India has taken a few decades full name, address ago by opening up its potential to foreign and telephone investments, which created numerous job number, may be sent opportunities and apparently helped to by e-mail (akhtar@ timesofoman.com). flourish industry and created a competitive trade and work environment in that country. The proposed foreign investment map can bring large scale changes to the perceptions of the youth, and it gives them the opportunity to showcase their talent with a wider choice. As Oman has a great potential in human and natural resources, the new proposal can help take the country to higher growth. — Ramachandran Nair, Ruwi

Educating the parents of Pakistani schoolchildren

LEONID BERSHIDSKY

As the speech meandered, Republican front-runner Donald Trump supporters started milling about and talking to one another.

The other candidates I’ve seen in Iowa — the Democratic frontrunners, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders — had kept their audiences riveted bit.ly/givingitstraight

W

hen it comes to higher education in Pakistan, two fundamental ground realities need to be appreciated. First, there is a severe lack of understanding about what various disciplines mean, in terms of knowledge, career options and the potential impact on society. There is a substantial gap between the needs of society and adequate workforce present to address those challenges. Society as a whole does not understand what the role of numerous disciplines in shaping a better and a more sustainable future is.

The second fact, whether we like it or not, relates to the strong roles parents of students play in choosing their higher education paths. The pressure to become a doctor or an engineer is often not based on the thought, passion or ideas of the student.

Instead, social pressures, ranging from persuasion to threats to coercion, dictate the choice. The result is a graduate who lacks passion, desire to innovate and the ability to make lasting contributions. In their defence, parents would argue that their decision comes from economic arguments and their experience. Yet, as economic realities of the world have evolved, so have education models. The insistence on pursuing particular degrees, and in institutions that have failed to evolve with time, does not create engaged citizens that society needs.

The parents of students, on the one hand, are unable to understand why we need to emphasise problem-based learning, openended questions and creative thought, and on the other, fail to appreciate the need for science students to understand history, ethics and tools in social sciences to become effective in their own disciplines. University education that takes the student into the foray of broad education, on written and oral expression, ethical decisionmaking and creative process and inquiry, are therefore met with deep suspicion. The irony is that what we offer the students is based largely on models developed in Europe a century ago, and the so-called creators of these narrow models of education shunned these ap-

proaches and moved on long ago.

Recognising that parental pressure comes with good intentions and is not going away anytime soon, the responsibility lies on the university to educate parents about why they are moving away from the tunnel-vision model of education and why this change is desperately needed. Universities have to educate the parents of prospective students through seminars, outreach, debates and discussions to illustrate why a graduate of a university, be it in the natural or social sciences, needs to be prepared to deal with complex issues of our time and be globally competitive, not just in core knowledge but also in understanding ethical, social, aesthetic and technical grand challenges of our time. The parents will, and rightfully so, be concerned about the career opportunities for their children. Here, the university should take a multi-pronged approach.

First, the university should emphasise the need for knowledge and inquiry, not just information. Second, the university should also make a case that the sole purpose of going to a university, cannot, and should not, be to get a job. Instead, it is to enlighten the mind and the soul, to create a more mature, rational and engaged citizen. Third, the university should illustrate that modern society in Pakistan and on a global scale does not just need doctors and engineers, but professionals in a spectrum of disciplines, in social and natural sciences. Finally, perhaps the strongest argument the university should make is about innovation. A good graduate is not bound by the career options that already exist, but is ready to create one (or many) that bring out the best in him or her.

Engagement with parents is not just needed to break the mental silos of our time; it is also needed to bridge the gulf between academia and society.

As the academics will engage with parents, they will also get to understand the socioeconomic challenges that are worthy of intellectual pursuit and inquiry.

The university will then, hopefully, be able to get closer to its mission of creating a better society, and not just regurgitating what is already in the textbooks. - Express Tribune

CLIPPINGS FROM OUR ARCHIVES JANUARY 2001 SQU to hold symposium on advanced medicine MUSCAT: Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) will hold a symposium on advanced medicine on January 31 and February 1. As many as five scientists from the UK, a Swedish scientist and experts from Oman Council for Medical specializations will take part in the symposium.

The participants will introduce the latest pathological developments with regard to the most widespread diseases in the Sultanate, including the management of diabetic heart disease, congestive heart failure, hypertension and the advantages of intensive insulin treatment of diabetics who have heart attacks.

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Sep

Oct

3,186

Nov

2,919 2,354

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ELMER G. LETTERMAN

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

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1825: Congress approves Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma), clearing the way for forced relocation of the Eastern Indians on the “Trail of Tears.”

1905: Russian General Kuropatkin takes the offensive in Manchuria. The Japanese under General Oyama suffer heavy casualties.

1918: Communists attempt to seize power in Finland.

0 Source National Centre for Statistics and Information

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016

ASIA

The AG’s statement today pretty much allows the government to move on ... As far as things are legally concerned, the prime minister is in the clear Ibrahim Suffian, Merdeka Centre director

Malaysian premier cleared of graft charges in funding scam Najib was buffeted last year by allegations of graft and mismanagement at the debt-laden state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad and by a revelation that about $681 million was deposited into his personal PROBE CLOSED: Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak, centre, walks towards his car after attending

bank account

a parliament session in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday. - AFP

Denounced Opposition party leaders denounced the finding, saying the appointment of the attorneygeneral by the prime minister in the midst of the crisis suggested a conflict of interest.

But analysts said it was a victory for Najib that would allow him to focus on winning the next election in 2018.

“The AG’s statement today pretty much allows the government to move on ... As far as things are legally concerned, the prime minister is in the clear,” said Ibrahim Suffian, director of independent opinion polling firm Merdeka Centre.

Apandi told a news conference no criminal offence had been committed by Najib in relation to

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s attorney-general cleared Prime Minister Najib Razak of any criminal offences or corruption on Tuesday, closing investigations into a murky multi-million-dollar funding scandal that his opponents had hoped would bring him down.

Najib was buffeted last year by allegations of graft and mismanagement at the debt-laden state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and by a revelation that about $681 million was deposited into his personal bank account. But Attorney-General Mohamed Apandi Ali said the transfer was a gift from Saudi Arabia’s royal family, adding that no further action needed to be taken on the matter.

three investigations submitted by Malaysia’s anti-graft agency.

“I am satisfied with the findings that the funds were not a form of graft or bribery,” he said.

“There was no reason given as to why the donation was made to PM Najib, that is between him and the Saudi family,” he said.

The involvement of the Saudi royal family is an unexpected twist in the saga over the funds transfer and the troubles of 1MDB, whose advisory board Najib chairs.

Najib denied any wrongdoing and said he did not take any money for personal gain. His office declined to make any comment on the attorney-general’s findings.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission had earlier said only that the funds were a politi-

A1 3

cal donation from an unidentified Middle Eastern benefactor.

Apandi said $620 million was returned to the donor in August 2013, about five months after the transfer, because it had not been utilised. He did not clarify what happened to the remaining $61 million that was not returned or explain why it had taken so long for news of the return of the funds to be released.

Najib, enjoys the backing of most of the powerful division chiefs in the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) party. Even his fiercest internal critics, such as influential former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, accept that he cannot be unseated.

Najib now needs to put aside

the scandal and build support ahead of the 2018 election, after scraping to only a narrow victory in the last polls.

“There is still a large public opinion out there that is still sceptical and critical of government,” Suffian said.

The scandal has shaken investors in Southeast Asia’s thirdbiggest economy and rocked confidence in the coalition led

by UMNO, which has held power since independence in 1957.

The ringgit slumped by more than 20 per cent in 2015 and has continued its slide this year, weighed down by global oil prices and political uncertainty.

“The attorney-general is satisfied with the findings, but it remains to be seen whether the public is satisfied and will put the 1MDB scandal to rest,” said Hak Bin Chua, ASEAN economist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

After the scandal broke in mid2015, then attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail — who had led investigations of 1MDB — was replaced

by Apandi, a former judge with strong ties to UMNO. “The attorney-general should not have been involved in the decision affecting the PM because he was appointed by the PM,” said Lim Kit Siang, parliamentary leader of the opposition Democratic Action Party.

Two of the anti-corruption commission papers that Apandi reviewed related to SRC International, a former 1MDB subsidiary that is being investigated for an alleged misappropriation of funds.

1MDB is under investigation by law enforcement agencies in Switzerland, Hong Kong and the United States, media and other sources have said. - Reuters

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

10 Afghan policemen shot dead in insider attack KANDAHAR (Afghanistan): A rogue policeman collaborating with insurgents in southern Afghanistan shot dead 10 colleagues on Tuesday after first poisoning their food, an official said.

The latest in a long series of socalled insider attacks took place at a checkpoint in the Chenartu district of the volatile southern province of Uruzgan, district chief Faiz Mohmmad said.

He said security forces were looking for the policemen and the presumed Taliban allies who joined him in shooting his colleagues in the early hours of Tuesday.

“After the shooting, the policeman and Taliban stole their weapons and burnt the checkpoint and a police vehicle,” Faiz Mohmmad said.

The Taliban have not claimed responsibility for the attack.

Uruzgan, which borders the traditional Taliban strongholds of Helmand and Kandahar provinces, was the scene of a similar incident last week when four police shot and killed nine colleagues before joining the Taliban with weapons and equipment.

Low morale Insider attacks have been a major problem among security forces struggling with low morale and high desertion rates and there have been repeated instances of police and soldiers going over to the Taliban.

The Taliban, ousted from power in 2001 by US-led forces, have stepped up their insurgency since the withdrawal of most foreign troops in 2014 and have launched a concentrated campaign in Helmand and other southern provinces. - PTI

MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE

Malaysia says metal debris on Thai beach not from Flight 370 assembly number, wire bundle number and bolts part number do not match those of a Boeing 777,” said the transport ministry in a statement.

Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said the part numbers found on the recovered debris were not listed in the MAS B777 Illustrated Parts Catalogue manual.

“Based on these identifying details, the team has confirmed that the debris does not belong to a B777 9M-MRO aircraft (MH370),” Liow said in the statement.

A large piece of curved metal had washed ashore in Nakhon Si Thammarat province in Thailand

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia on Tuesday said the metal debris found washed up on a beach on Thailand’s southern coast was not from Flight 370 that disappeared mysteriously about two years ago, yet again dashing hopes of families seeking a closure to the fate of the 239 people on board the plane.

Malaysia’s transport ministry said the team of experts sent to Thailand found that the debris — covered in barnacles and measuring two metres wide and three metres long — did not match those of the missing MH370.

“From their detailed report, they have ascertained that the part

on Saturday where villagers reported it to authorities, stirring speculation that the debris may be part of MH370 that vanished on March 8, 2014 with 239 people — including five Indians — on board en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Investigators believe the plane went down in a remote part of the Indian Ocean.

But the cause of the disappearance remains a mystery. In July 2015, a two-metre-long flaperon wing part washed up on a beach on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion and was confirmed to be from the flight, marking the first concrete evidence that it crashed.

NAT I O NA L S E C U R I T Y C H A R G E S

China expels detained Swedish NGO worker STOCKHOLM: China expelled a Swedish national taken into custody this month on suspicion of acts detrimental to the country’s national security, China’s Foreign

Ministry said on Tuesday.

Three weeks ago, it detained Peter Dahlin, a 35-year-old cofounder of the Chinese Urgent Action Working Group that

worked with Chinese human rights lawyers. Dahlin’s girlfriend, Pan Jinling, who had been detained around the same time, had also been released. - Reuters

Nothing has been found since, despite more than 80,000 square kilometres of the seafloor being searched, based on satellite analysis of the jet’s likely trajectory after it diverted from its flight path.

Speculation on the cause of the plane’s disappearance has focused primarily on a possible mechanical or structural failure, a hijacking or terror plot, or rogue pilot action.

“We will continue to keep the next of kin and public updated on any latest developments of MH370. We remain committed to continue the ongoing search in the southern Indian Ocean,” minister Liow said. - Reuters

WRECKAGE: People stand next to a piece of suspected plane

wreckage which has been found off the coast of southern Thailand in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, on Sunday. - Reuters

A 14

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016

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Denmark ‘jewellery bill’ to seize valuables of refugees Under the bill, refugees could keep possessions amounting to 10,000 Danish crowns ($1,450), raised from 3,000 crowns after criticism from human rights organisations

COPENHAGEN: Denmark’s parliament passed measures on Tuesday aimed at deterring refugees from seeking asylum, including confiscating valuables to pay for their stay, despite protests from international human rights organisations.

The measures, which also include extending family reunification among refugees from one year to three years, are the latest sign that the Nordic welcome for

FACING DEAD ENDS: A man carries a child on his shoulders as migrants and refugees wait in line for a security check after crossing the Macedonian border into Serbia, near the village of Miratovac, on Tuesday. — AFP

refugees is waning as large numbers flee war in Africa and Middle East for a better life in Europe.

The “jewellery bill” is the latest attempt by Denmark’s minority centre-right government to curb immigration to a country that took in a record 20,000 refugees last year.

Under the bill, refugees could keep possessions amounting to 10,000 Danish crowns ($1,450),

raised from 3,000 crowns after criticism from human rights organisations.

Valuables of special emotional value such as wedding rings will be exempt.

The Liberals Party government has just 34 out of 179 seats in parliament and depends on support of rightist parties, including the anti-immigration Danish People’s Party (DF), to pass laws.

During a three and a half hour debate, dissenting voices from small leftwing parties were heard including from Red Green Alliance.

But the bill passed with an overwhelming majority, backed by the main centre-left opposition party Social Democrats, highlighting a shift to the right in Denmark’s political landscape thanks to DF’s popularity and rising concern over refugee numbers.

“I wouldn’t say that I have become racist or anything,” said Poul Madsen, a taxi driver, before the bill was passed.”But I may be more aware of the fact that this has some downsides and may be a potential problem for our society and our economy.”

Denmark is not the only one Nordic country trying to shut its doors to migrants.

Sweden, which took in over 160,000 refugees last year, the most per capita in Europe, introduced checks on its border to Denmark at the start of the year.

Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven promised on Monday more resources for police after an employee was stabbed to death at a refugee centre for unaccompanied minors.

A minor was arrested on

suspicion of murder or manslaughter after the incident in western Sweden, local TT news agency reported.

A poll on Monday showed support for Lofven’s Social Democrats at its lowest for nearly 50 years, in part due to a sense the government was unable to cope with the refugee influx.

Norway, meanwhile, has been trying to send back refugees who crossed over from Russia.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday Moscow would not take them back.

Denmark is also not alone in targeting migrants’ valuables.

Switzerland has started taking valuables from asylum seekers over 1,000 Swiss francs ($985), the German state of Baden-Württemberg valuables above 350 euros ($380), while other southern states have been reported to do the same.

“Most (refugees) have lost everything and yet this legislation appears to say that the few fortunate enough to have survived the trip to Denmark with their few remaining possessions haven’t lost enough,” the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said, mirroring criticism from many organisations. — Reuters

RIFTS

Merkel ally threatens legal steps over migrants BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Bavarian allies, deepening a coalition rift over refugee policies, threatened on Tuesday to take her government to court if their demand to stem the flow of asylum seekers is not met.

Horst Seehofer, leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU) “sister party” to Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU), wants Merkel to set up centres on the Austrian frontier to speed up deportation of migrants deemed unqualified for political asylum.

The letter with the threat of court action was faxed to Merkel on Tuesday, the Bavarian chancellery said, and she had until Friday to respond before Seehofer would publish it.

Thomas Oppermann, parliamentary leader of the Social Democrats (SPD), Merkel’s junior coalition partner in Berlin, called Seehofer’s written threat an “announcement of the break within the coalition. In order to govern, the CSU is not a prerequisite.

Merkel’s coalition with the SPD would maintain its large majority in parliament even without the CSU, which governs in Bavaria, the main entry point for arriving migrants. — Reuters

CRISIS

OUT OF CONTROL: A municipal worker prepares insecticide to

be sprayed at Sambodrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Tuesday.

The operation is part of the city’s effort to prevent the spread of Zika’s vector, the ‘Aedes aegypti’ mosquito, according to a statement from Municipal Health Secretary. — Reuters

Treatment for Zika exposed babies pointed out by US CHICAGO: US health officials on Tuesday issued interim guidelines for health care professionals in the United States caring for infants born to mothers who travelled or lived in an area with Zika virus transmission during pregnancy.

The guidelines from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention call for paediatricians to work closely with obstetricians caring for pregnant women exposed to the virus during pregnancy, monitoring fetal ultrasounds and testing infants with signs of a birth defect called microcephaly marked by small head size.

The guidelines come after thousands of infants in Brazil were born with microcephaly,

which was believed to be linked to Zika infections. In studies of the current outbreak in Brazil, genetic material from the Zika virus has been identified in studies of brain tissue, placenta and amniotic fluid from several infants with microcephaly and from miscarried fetuses from women infected with the virus.

In the interim guidelines for pediatricians, the CDC recommends that infants with microcephaly born to women exposed to Zika while pregnant should be tested for the virus.

For infants without microcephaly but whose mothers received a positive or inconclusive test for the virus, the guidelines call for the child to be tested for possible Zika infection. — Reuters

R E S I S TA N C E

2 Libya leaders may be sanctioned by EU BRUSSELS: The European Union is discussing imposing travel bans and asset freezes on at least two Libyans it sees as blocking efforts by the United Nations to form a government of national unity, diplomatic sources said on Tuesday.

While European governments have threatened sanctions for many months, the rejection of the unity government on Monday is forcing the 28-nation bloc to act, sources said, as frustration grows in Brussels after a string of delays.

Nouri Abusahmain, the head of Libya’s General National Congress, one of two rival parliaments, and Khalifa Al Ghwell,

who heads one of Libya’s two rival governments, could face the sanctions early next month if diplomats reach agreement soon, the sources said.

Other names are also being discussed, according to the sources, including the president of Libya’s internationally recognised parliament, Aguila Saleh, whose eastern-based House of Representatives rejected the UNbacked plan on Monday.

“We want the political process to go forward but we are also ready to penalise those who want to obstruct it,” said one person close to discussions who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue. — Reuters

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016 District of Columbia city government and most local governments in the Washington and Baltimore region are set to reopen after round-the-clock cleanup from the weekend snowstorm that killed at least 35 people in 10 states and the US capital.

WORLD

UN envoy sends invitation to Syrian groups for talks US envoy urges Syrian opposition to attend the Geneva talks as opposition wants conditions to be met

AMMAN/BEIRUT: The United Nations invited Syria’s government and opposition to peace talks in Geneva on Friday.

The UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, sent out invitations to the delayed talks on Tuesday, without saying who had been invited or how many groups might participate.

Earlier, the opposition cast doubt on whether it would go to Geneva, accusing the United States of adopting unacceptable ideas for solving the conflict.

Opposition official Asaad Al Zoubi told Arabic news channel Al Hadath that he was pessimistic, though the final decision would be taken at an opposition meeting in Riyadh. The Geneva talks are expected to last for months, with diplomats shuttling between rival delegations in separate rooms.

The Syrian government, which is clawing back territory from the rebels with the help of Russian air strikes and foreign ground forces, has already said it will attend.

Call to halt bombing The opposition comprising the recently formed High Negotiations Committee (HNC) has however repeatedly said the government and its allies must halt bombardments and lift blockades of besieged areas before it will join talks. Zoubi, who is due to head the

CONFLICT: Syrian pro-government troops hold positions in the Syrian town of Ain Al Hanash near

Al Bab in Aleppo’s eastern countryside on Tuesday as regime forces have recaptured the area from militants. – AFP

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opposition delegation, told Reuters that without the implementation of goodwill steps including the release of detainees “there will be no negotiations”. “This is what the HNC has laid down,” he said.

Reflecting opposition misgivings about the process, he told Al Hadath that US Secretary of State John Kerry had tabled foreign countries ideas about Syria at a recent meeting with opposition leader Riad Hijab.

“It was not comfortable for us for America - even in theory or partially - to adopt what came in

the initiatives,” Zoubi said.

He also heaped criticism on de Mistura, saying the UN Syria envoy “cannot impose conditions” on the opposition.

The US Special Envoy for Syria, Michael Ratney, urged the opposition to attend the talks. “Our advice to the Syrian opposition is to take advantage of this opportunity to put the intentions of the regime to the test and to expose in front of international public opinion which are the parties serious in reaching a political settlement in Syria and which are not,” he said.

A Western diplomat said the aim was to get the talks started without further delay. “There is a little bit of fear that if the talks don’t start soon they’ll never really get going.”

The United States has sup-

ported the opposition to Assad, who it says has lost legitimacy and must leave power. But the opposition has been increasingly critical of US policy. Hijab said earlier this month the United States had backtracked on its position over Syria, softening its stance to accommodate Russia.

Diplomacy has repeatedly failed to resolve the conflict that has killed 250,000 people and forced millions from their homes, spawning a refugee crisis in neighbouring states and Europe.

De Mistura is the third international envoy for Syria. His two predecessors - Kofi Annan and Lakhdar Brahimi - both quit.

Preparations for the talks have been beset by problems including a dispute over who should represent the opposition.

A1 5

Russia has sought to expand the opposition delegation to include a powerful Kurdish faction that controls wide areas of northern Syria. The opposition say the Kurdish PYD party should be part of the government delegation.

PYD leader Saleh Muslim told Reuters he expected his party to be invited to Geneva, though it was unclear in what capacity.

De Mistura has said the Geneva meeting will aim to kick off six months of talks, first seeking a ceasefire, later working towards a political settlement.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday it would be impossible to reach a peace agreement in Syria without inviting Kurds to take part in the negotiating process.

The Syrian Kurds say the autonomous government they have established in the northeast is a decentralized model for how to resolve the war that has splintered the country.

Turkey, a major sponsor of the insurgency, however said it was against the participation of the Kurdish YPG militia which is affiliated to the PYD. The YPG has become an important partner in the US-led fight against IS. Turkey views the YPG as an extension of the PKK, which it sees as a terrorist organisation.

The Syrian government and its allies have made significant gains against rebels in western Syria in recent weeks.

On Monday they captured the rebel-held town of Sheikh Maskin in southern Syria near the border with Jordan. It was the first significant gain for Damascus in that area since the start of the Russian intervention on September 30.

In recent weeks government forces and their allies have also captured two strategic towns in the northwestern province of Latakia, where they are trying to seal the border to cut insurgent supply lines to Turkey. — Reuters

I N C L E M E N T W E AT H E R

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WASHINGTON: The snowbound Washington area was resuming partial business on Tuesday as trains and buses restarted near-normal service, while federal offices remained closed following a massive blizzard that hammered the US East Coast.

District of Columbia city government and most local governments in the Washington and Baltimore region are set to reopen after round-the-clock cleanup from the weekend snowstorm that killed at least 35 people in 10 states and the US capital.

New York was largely back to normal on Monday despite near-record snowfall, with public schools and the New York Stock Exchange open. But Washington and its sprawling Maryland and Virginia suburbs were mostly at a standstill from the blizzard that dumped more than 2 feet (60 cm) in the area. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers stayed at home on Monday as the subway system, the second-busiest in the United States, and roads were cleared.

Federal offices will be closed again, but emergency and telework employees should adhere to their agencies’ policies, the US Office of Personnel Management said late on Monday. Federal offices closed at noon on Friday ahead of the storm. District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser told reporters that public schools would stay closed until Wednesday but city offices would open as normal. Many school districts in the Baltimore area, which received a record 29.2 inches (74.2 cm) of snow, and in the Washington region were set to be closed on Tuesday, according to local media websites. — Reuters

B

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016

MARKE

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

Muscat 4,934.23 - 31.58 - 0.64%

Dubai 2,698.43 - 5.47 - 0.20%

Abu Dhabi 3,800.02 - 14.83 - 0.39%

Saudi Arabia

5,623.07 + 12.62 + 0.22%

Kuwait 4,936.51 - 1.71 - 0.03%

Bahrain 1,155.83 + 5.35 + 0.47%

Qatar 8,748.62 - 100.24 - 1.13%

CRUDE OIL PRICE

CURRENCY RATES*

DRAFT RATES (OMR1)*

GOLD PRICES*

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

Forex rates vs OMR1* US Dollar ................................. 2.58 Euro ............................................ 2.36 Pound ............................................1.81 Indian Rs ............................. 175.53 Pak Rs .................................... 267.81 Bangla Taka........................201.17

Indian Rs ....................................176.10 Pakistan Rs .............................272.25 Sri Lanka Rs ............................ 371.75 Bangla Taka........................... 203.20 Phil Peso ................................... 124.25

Muscat 24ct per gm (OMR) .......14.30

Oman Crude............. (Spot) ........ $24.97 Dubai Crude ............. (Spot) ........ $24.47 Murban Crude ........ (Spot) .........$27.63 Arabian Light ......... (Spot) ........$23.30 N.Sea Brent............... (Spot) ........ $29.76

* Rates are as of Jan. 26 Source: Bank Muscat

West Texas Int ....... (Spot) ........$29.62

* Rates as of Jan. 26 Source: Oman UAE Exchange

‘Crude prices to recover marginally by year-end’ My hope is that oil prices will start recovering during the end of the year. But I don’t expect that we are going to see significant improvements in oil prices in 2016, said a senior executive of Occidental Petroleum

A E JAMES

businesseditor@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Crude oil prices are expected to start recovering marginally towards the end of the year, said a top-level official of the US-based Occidental Petroleum Corporation.

“My hope is that oil prices will

start recovering during the end of the year. But I don’t expect that we are going to see significant improvements in oil prices in 2016.

(Also) may be a slight, not significant, improvement in 2017,” Occidental president and chief operating officer (COO) Vicki Hollub, told the Times of Oman in an exclusive interview.

Vicki Hollub — Picture by Jun Estrada/ Times of Oman

Crude oil prices in the international markets touched a 12-year low recently. Oman Crude (February delivery) was quoted at $24.97 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) traded at $29.62 a barrel on Tuesday.

She said that in view of the crude oil prices, Occidental is trying to adopt a conservative approach.

“When we look at the future, we

are not expecting to see high oil prices in the next two to two-anda-half years or so.” However, Hollub said, as a company “we take a long-term view. This is a cycle prone industry. When the cycle comes, you have to adjust, you have to make sure that you are prudent with the cash you have.”

Hollub also said the plunge in oil prices started with a demand issue, which was complicated by oversupply. The oversupply in the market was from multiple sources, including the Middle East region, the United States and some other parts of the world.

The US energy giant has a substantial portfolio of hydrocarbon assets in Oman, which include the Mukhaizna oil block. Occidental, which has been operating in Oman for more than three decades, is the single largest independent oil producer in the country.

Muscat 22ct per gm (OMR) .......13.80 Dubai 24ct per gm (Dh) ............ 133.75 Dubai 22ct per gm (Dh) ............. 126.75 * Rates as of Jan. 26 Source: Malabar Gold & Diamonds

STOCK MARKET FILING

National Bank of Oman plans to pay 27% dividend Times News Service MUSCAT: National Bank of Oman (NBO) said that the bank’s board has recommended a cash dividend of 17 per cent and stock dividend of 10 per cent (or one share for every 10 shares held) for 2015 to its shareholders.

The dividend proposal is subject to the approval of shareholders of the bank at the annual general meeting to be held on March 27, 2016, according to a stock market filing.

Financial results approved The board also approved the bank’s financial results. The financial results are subject to approval of the Central bank of Oman and shareholders.

National Bank of Oman earlier reported a 20 per cent surge in

net profit to OMR60.11 million in 2015, up from OMR50.27 million posted in the previous year.

The bank said in a stock market disclosure that the net interest income and income from Islamic finance grew 16 per cent to OMR94.74 million in 2015, from OMR81.46 million in year before.

Also, net loans and advances reflected a nine per cent growth to OMR2.53 billion from OMR2.31 billion during the period under review. However, customer deposits grew at a slower pace of three per cent to OMR2.25 billion by end-December 2015, from the previous year.

The total assets of the bank also grew by 10 per cent to OMR3.26 billion from OMR2.98 billion.

The bank will publish its complete set of financial statement on or before March 31.

B2

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016

MARKET Iranian firms eyeing larger slice of trade with Sultanate Iranian companies are exploring ways to expand or establish their presence in Oman through the platform provided

by Iran’s second solo exhibition in Muscat

H. N. Ravindra, country manager – Oman Iran Insurance

ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI

elham@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Iranian companies are seeking to establish or expand their presence in Oman after the lifting of the economic sanctions against Iran, through the platform provided by Iran’s second solo exhibition in Muscat.

A number of companies active in various fields such as car, steel, cement and foodstuff production, are participating in the exhibit, which opened on January 26 and runs until January 30 at the Oman International Exhibition Centre.

The exhibition will be officially inaugurated on January 27.

Speaking to ‘Times of Oman’, H. N. Ravindra, country manager – Oman Iran Insurance Company (Bimeh Iran), said that their activities are expected to increase after the lifting of the economic sanctions against Iran and the company is keen to offer its services to Iranian and Omani investors.

Iran Insurance Company was established in Iran in 1935 as the first-ever national insurance enterprise and, thus, the founder of the country’s insurance industry.

It has several overseas branches and agencies.

The company is the only Iranian

A number of companies active in various fields such as car, steel, cement and foodstuff production, are participating in the exhibition, which opened on January 26 and runs until January 30 in Muscat. The exhibition will be officially inaugurated on January 27

insurance company established in Oman, Ravindra said, adding that an increase in investments is expected by both Iranians and Omanis in each other’s countries.

“Being an Iranian insurance company established in Iran and also in Oman, we can play a dual role,” the official said. The company will be the first point of contact for Iranians who want to invest in Oman as most of them would have already been working with the company in Iran, Ravindra said.

This is important given Iran’s planned investments especially in Duqm and the plans to enhance shipping services between the two countries, he added, noting that assistance can also be offered to potential Omani investors in Iran.

Motogen Another exhibitor, Motogen, a manufacturer of household and industrial electromotors, is seeking to establish its presence in the Sultanate of Oman.

Gholamreza Abdi Rahmani, Motogen’s quality control manager, said that the company’s products, which are of high quality and meet the international standards, can be used for various purposes and are available in different sizes.

He said that the company’s products were being exported to European countries such as Italy and Germany before economic sanctions were imposed on Iran and currently Motogen exports its products to a number of countries including Iraq and Sudan.

Iraj Rahimpour, export manager of Motogen, said that the company has not exported its products to Oman yet and plans to find an Omani partner or agency to enter the Sultanate’s market through the opportunity provided by the exhibition and with the cooperation of the Iranian embassy.

He also noted that the company would welcome any invest

by Omani investors in Iran, adding that Motogen is interested in sharing its knowledge and experience with Omani companies.

Rahimpour also sees potential for the re-export of their products to other countries through Oman considering Motogen’s production capacity.

Khouzestan Steel Khouzestan Steel Company, the second largest crude steel producer in Iran, has also participated in the exhibition to explore new ways to enhance cooperation with Oman after the lifting of the economic sanctions against Iran.

Bahman Tajallizadeh, a deputy in charge of sales and marketing at Khouzestan Steel Company, said that Oman is a major market for the company and its exports to Oman account for more than 20 per cent of the company’s total exports.

The company was established in 1973 and is the first producer of iron and steel in Iran based on direct reduction method and electric-arc furnaces technology (EAF).

It has three main production units, namely pelletising plants, direct reduction plant and steelmaking plant.

Tajallizadeh said that the company’s capacity is around 4 million tonnes per year and is expected to reach to 5 million tonnes in around a year and a half considering its expansion projects.

The official noted that their products are being purchased by a number of companies in Oman, which are based in Muscat and Sohar.

Omani investors can invest in the company’s production activities in Iran such as the production of sponge iron, he said, adding that Khouzestan Steel Company has already been cooperating with Omani companies in terms of the transfer of knowledge and technology.

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ECONOMY

India less vulnerable to external shocks: S&P NEW DELHI: Indian economy is less vulnerable to external shocks as it is mainly driven by household consumption and government spending, and not dependent on hot money which can move out quickly, Standard & Poor’s Rating Services said on Tuesday.

The United States-based rating agency expects the current account deficit, which is the difference between inflow and outflow of foreign exchange, to remain at a modest level of 1.4 per cent at the end of current fiscal and would continue at similar level till 2018.

“We see India as having limited vulnerability to external economic or financial shocks. This is because growth in the economy is mainly driven by domestic factors, such as household consumption and government spending.

“At the same time this is a country that has low reliance on external savings to fund its growth. In other words, the banks are mainly deposit funded and don’t rely on wholesale funding to grow their loan books,” S&P Rating Services India Sovereign Analyst Kyran Curry said.

Capital markets He said India’s capital markets are diversified and deep enough for companies to raise funding.

“Another favourable aspect of India external settings is that it is generally not subject to hot money inflows that can turn into outflows with shifts in investor sentiment.

As such we see the external risks for India to be relatively contained,” Curry said.

He said while export growth may be disappointing, the current account deficit likely to be a modest 1.4 per cent in 2015, with similar levels through 2018.

The current account deficit in the first half of current fiscal stood at 1.4 per cent of growth domestic product, lower than 1.8 per cent in the same period last fiscal. - PTI

NEW BUILDING

Tender floated for building new Omantel headquarters in Seeb Times News Service MUSCAT: State-owned Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran) has floated tender inviting qualified contracting firms to build the headquarters for Oman Telecommunications Company (Omantel).

The new head office building is coming up within the mega business park of Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre in Seeb. The tender comprises the construction of two office towers above a podium and housing three

levels of basement car parking.

Omantel sources earlier said that the proceeds of its OMR50 million-sukuk (Islamic bond) issue would be used for building the

headquarters building.

Tender document will be distributed between January 25 and February 8. The last date for submission is March 2.

HONING SKILLS

Market regulator conducts training for insurance staff Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman’s Capital Market Authority (CMA), in collaboration with the College of Banking and Financial Studies (CBFS) and Queens Smith School of Business (QSSB), Canada, has recently conducted a senior leadership training programme for employees of various insurance companies in Oman.

The three-day programme, held locally from January 19 to 21, enabled participants to develop a personal action plan to engage teams, drive communication and create a high-performance culture within their organisation duly considering the changing composition and expectations of an increasingly younger workforce.

The intensive training enhanced participants’ management and

strategic skills as well as allowed for analysis and reflection on personal leadership styles.

The programme was facilitated

by Dr Bill Blake, professor of Organisational Behaviour at Queens Smith School of Business, who has extensive professional and academic experience in leadership and the relationship between cultural adaptability and leadership effectiveness.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016

B3

MARKET

Oil prices take toll on share offerings in Gulf

INVESTMENT PLAN

In the fourth quarter of 2015, Saudi Arabia ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION: Khalid Al Falih, chairman of Saudi Aramco, said that it is going to switch from simple quantitative growth based on commodity exports to qualitative growth that is evenly distributed across the economy. – File picture

witnessed the only IPO by Alandalus Property, which

Saudi unveils plans to lure global investors RIYADH: Saudi Arabia outlined ambitious plans on Monday to move into industries ranging from information technology to healthcare and tourism, as it sought to convince international investors it can cope with an era of cheap oil.

A meeting and presentation at a luxury Riyadh hotel was held against a backdrop of low oil prices pressuring the kingdom’s currency and saddling it with an annual state budget deficit of almost $100 billion — the biggest economic challenge for Riyadh in well over a decade.

Top Saudi officials said they would reduce the kingdom’s dependence on oil and public sector employment. Growth and job creation would shift to the private sector, with state spending helping to jump-start industries in the initial stage.

“It’s going to switch from simple quantitative growth based on commodity exports to qualitative growth that is evenly distributed” across the economy, said Khalid Al Falih, chairman of national oil giant Saudi Aramco.

More than 2,400 people, including local and foreign officials, business, consultants and academics, registered for the event, staged by the government’s in-

vestment promotion agency.

Commerce and Industry Minister Tawfiq Al Rabiah said Saudi had been a victim of the ‘Dutch disease’ — a condition in which the oil sector had crowded out other parts of the economy — but was now working to correct that.

Healthcare system Under the reforms, parts of the national healthcare system would be converted into independent commercial companies, officials said.

Participants in the conference, including the chief executives of United States aerospace firm Lockheed Martin and Pepsico, discussed subjects ranging from how to foster entrepreneurs to ways of developing dynamic cities and increasing the role of Saudi women in the business world.

Obstacles The heavy presence of foreign business representatives suggested many saw opportunities in the Saudi strategy. Although Riyadh is burning through its foreign assets to cover the budget gap, it still had $628 billion in November, enough to finance years of new projects.

Some participants expressed doubt about the scale of the planned change. - Reuters

raised $101 million

Times News Service MUSCAT: Fourth quarter of 2015 echoed the sluggish initial public offering (IPO) performance in the third quarter proving that the year was a volatile year for share offers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), according to PwC Middle East Capital Markets and Accounting Advisory Services team.

The theme of uncertainty and negative market sentiment materialised in the second half of 2015 on the back of fluctuations in oil prices and ongoing regional and global political and economic instability, the PwC note said.

Saudi Arabia witnessed the

LESS ACTIVITY: Total proceeds in 2015 stood at $1.4 billion from 6 deals compared to $10.8 billion raised from 16 deals in 2014 and $702 million from 9 deals in 2013. - Times file picture

only IPO in the fourth quarter of 2015 by Alandalus Property, which raised $101 million from the deal.

The IPO was oversubscribed and marked the first real estate sector offering on the Saudi Stock Exchange in five years.

Third quarter blank The third quarter of 2015 saw no IPOs, while the second quarter proved to be the strongest quarter in terms of the number of offerings (4) and the money raised at $1.2 billion. Looking at IPO performance in the fourth quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014, the number and money raised was considerably

higher in the prior year with $7.3 billion from a total of 5 floats, mainly driven by the largest IPO in the GCC in 2014 by National Commercial Bank.

With there were no IPOs in the third quarter of 2015, the total money raised in the second half of 2015 was $101 million from one offering while $1.3 billion was raised from 5 IPOs in the first half driven by a stronger second quarter performance during the year. In terms of performance in the second half of 2015 compared to the prior year, a total of 7 IPOs raised $8.9 billion in the second half of 2014. Therefore, in many ways the fourth quarter of 2015 was a disappointing

quarter for IPO performance.

Total proceeds in 2015 stood at $1.4 billion from 6 deals compared to $10.8 billion raised from 16 deals in 2014, $702 million from 9 deals in 2013, $1.7 billion from 9 deals in 2012, $789 million from 9 deals in 2011 and $2 billion from 12 deals in 2010, proving that although 2015 was the lowest year in terms of number of offerings over the past 5 years, the total value of offerings improved.

Largest IPO Furthermore in the same period, excluding 2014, the average offering value of IPOs in 2015 was the highest. The Saudi Ground Services offering back in June marked the largest IPO during 2015 raising $752 million.

In the GCC, Saudi Arabia dominated the IPO market in 2015 in terms of number of offerings (6) accounting for 67 per cent of the total proceeds raised ($1.1 billion).

The two other offerings were in Oman by Phoenix Power and on Nasdaq Dubai, United Arab Emirates by Orascom Construction.

Debt market in GCC continued to be muted mirroring performance in the previous quarter and underlying the recurring theme witnessed in the equity markets.

B4

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016

MARKET OMAN STOCKS

MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ....................................... 4,958.48 ..............4,934.23 ...................4,934.23 ................... 4,965.81................ -31.58 .................. -0.64 Financial Index ..................................... 5,891.91 .............. 5,848.40 ................... 5,858.23 ...................5,900.72............... -42.49 .................. -0.72 Industrial Index ................................... 6,435.84 ...............6,413.56 ....................6,415.95 ...................6,435.84................ -19.89 .................. -0.31 Services Index .......................................2,849.18 .............. 2,839.89 ................... 2,840.14 ...................2,848.48..................-8.34 .................. -0.29 MSM SHARIAH INDEX.......................805.72 ..................800.61 .......................801.99 ...................... 806.19..................-4.20 .................. -0.52 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 17,496,429...................3,763,241 .................... 484 ............... 15,241,410,569 .................. 6 ......................13 .................... 13 .........................32

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR TUESDAY, JANUARY 26 ISIN ......................................SECURITY NAME ..................................................................VOLUME..... TURNOVER............TRADES ......OPEN PRICE......HIGH ............. LOW ........ CLOSE PR. ...PREV. CLOSE...DIFF (RO).........DIFF % .............LAST PR.....LAST BID .............LAST OFFER ........MARKET CAP.PAR VALUE

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

OM0000001145 ............PORT SERVICES CORPORATION ........................ 30,280 ...............3,624........................3 ............0.120 ........... 0.120 ...........0.119 ........... 0.120 ............. 0.115 ............ 0.005.............4.348 ................0.120...............0.115...................0.120...................11,404,800 .........0.100

Muscat Securities Market – Times file picture

OM0000004735 ...........SEMBCORP SALALAH.................................................. 1,000 .............. 2,420........................1 ........... 2.420...........2.420 ...........2.420 .......... 2.420 .............2.395 ............0.025 ............. 1.044 ................2.420..............2.395...................2.420 .................231,006,412........1.000 OM0000002028 ...........GULF INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS ..............16,500 ...............4,269........................5 ........... 0.260...........0.260 ...........0.258........... 0.259 .............0.257 ........... 0.002............. 0.778 ................0.258..............0.258...................0.259....................5,439,000 ..........0.100 OM0000004925 ...........AL BATINAH POWER................................................ 10,537,739 .2,012,170......................17 ............0.190 ........... 0.191............0.190........... 0.190 ............. 0.189.............0.001 ............. 0.529 ................0.191 ..............0.188...................0.000 .................128,228,612........0.100

MSM index ends lower

OM0000001160 ............NATIONAL GAS .............................................................10,000 ...............2,948........................3 ........... 0.294 ...........0.302 ...........0.294 .......... 0.295 .............0.294 ............0.001 .............0.340 ................0.302..............0.294...................0.302 ..................14,750,000 .........0.100 OM0000001483............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ................................. 978,191 .......... 215,472..................... 38 ........... 0.230 ...........0.230 ...........0.218........... 0.220 .............0.220 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.220 .............0.219...................0.220 .................294,956,255 .......0.100 OM0000001533 ............OMINVEST ......................................................................53,667 ............ 24,150........................6 ........... 0.450 ...........0.450 ...........0.450........... 0.450 .............0.450 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.450..............0.450...................0.470..................248,787,739 ........0.100 OM0000002200 ...........AHLI BANK ........................................................................... 200 .....................37........................1 ............0.186 ........... 0.186 ...........0.186 ........... 0.188 ............. 0.188............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.186 ..............0.180...................0.186..................267,906,795 ........0.100 OM0000002374............UNITED FINANCE .......................................................26,700 ...............2,850........................7 ............0.106 ........... 0.107 ...........0.106........... 0.107 .............0.107............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.107 ..............0.107...................0.108...................33,251,849 .........0.100 OM0000002440 ...........AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING .................. 200 ..................... 17........................1 ........... 0.087 ...........0.087 ...........0.087........... 0.087 .............0.087 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.087..............0.081...................0.087....................7,830,000 ..........0.100 OM0000003141 ............ACWA POWER BARKA .................................................3,400 .............. 2,203........................1 ........... 0.648 ...........0.648 ...........0.648........... 0.652 .............0.652 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.648..............0.594...................0.652................. 104,320,000 .......0.100 OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 696,688 ............36,136.....................20 ............0.051 ........... 0.053 ...........0.050........... 0.052 .............0.052 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.052.............. 0.051...................0.053...................15,078,993 .........0.100 OM0000004933 ...........AL SUWADI POWER .................................................. 335,000 ........... 63,650..................... 10 ............0.190 ........... 0.190 ...........0.190........... 0.190 .............0.190 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.190..............0.188...................0.000 ................. 135,737,205 ........0.100 OM0000005005 ...........ALMAHA CERAMICS ..................................................55,300 ............ 18,802........................6 ........... 0.340...........0.340 ...........0.340 .......... 0.340 .............0.342 ...........-0.002 ........... -0.585 ...............0.340............. 0.340...................0.344 ..................17,850,000 .........0.100

Port Services Corporation, up by 4.35 per cent, was the top gainer while Al Anwar

OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR....................................................................6,900 .................. 856........................1 ............0.124 ........... 0.124 ...........0.124........... 0.124 ............. 0.125............-0.001 ........... -0.800 ...............0.124.............. 0.121...................0.124..................178,738,560 ........0.100 OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO.........................................................................88,649 ............ 54,837........................9 ........... 0.624 ...........0.624 ...........0.612 ........... 0.620 .............0.628 ...........-0.008 ............-1.274................0.612 ..............0.604...................0.620 .................403,585,423 .......0.100 OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ..........................63,948 .............91,223......................15 ............1.440 ........... 1.440 ...........1.410 ............1.425 ............. 1.445............-0.020 ........... -1.384 ...............1.410 .............. 1.410...................1.420................1,068,750,000 ......0.100 OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL............................................. 124,700 ..............8,729......................13 ........... 0.070 ...........0.070 ...........0.070........... 0.070 ............. 0.071............-0.001 ........... -1.408 ...............0.070..............0.069...................0.070...................12,250,000.........0.100

Holding was the top loser, fell by 5.30 per cent

OM0000001319 ............NATIONAL ALUMINIUM PRODUCTS ............... 37,950 ................7,631......................14 ........... 0.202...........0.202 ...........0.201........... 0.201 .............0.205 ...........-0.004 ............-1.951 ................0.201..............0.196...................0.200 ....................6,747,861...........0.100 OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 2,019,694 ......808,262................... 133 ........... 0.402 ...........0.402 ...........0.400 .......... 0.400 .............0.408 ...........-0.008 ............-1.961................0.400............. 0.400...................0.402 .................916,729,039 ........0.100 OM0000001707 ............OMAN CABLES INDUSTRY......................................94,790 ...........141,985......................17 ............1.500 ........... 1.500 ...........1.450 ........... 1.500 ............. 1.535............-0.035 ........... -2.280 ...............1.450 ..............1.450...................1.500..................134,550,000........0.100

MUSCAT: Regional headwinds weighed on local markets as the MSM30 Index declined by 0.64 per cent to 4,934.23 points.

The MSM Sharia Index closed at 801.99 points, down 0.52 per cent. Al Batinah Power was the most active in terms of volume as well as turnover. Port Services, up 4.35 per cent was the top gainer while Al Anwar Holding was the top loser, down 5.30 per cent.

As many as 484 trades were executed on Tuesday, generating turnover of OMR3.76 million with 17.4 million shares changing hands. Out of 32 traded securities, six advanced, 13 declined and 13 remained unchanged.

Omani Investors were net buyers for OMR450,000 followed

by GCC & Arab Investors for OMR113,000 while Foreign Investors remained net sellers for OMR564,000 worth of shares.

Financial Index reversed course to finish at 5,858.23 points, down 0.72 per cent. Al

Anwar Holding, Oman United Insurance, Bank Muscat, Al Izz Bank and Al Madina Takaful declined 5.30 per cent, 2.38 per cent, 1.96 per cent, 1.79 per cent and 1.41 per cent respectively.

Industrial Index retreated 0.31 per cent to close at 6,415.95 points. Gulf International Chemicals, up 0.78 per cent was the only gainer. Oman Cables, National Aluminium and Al Maha Ceramics declined 2.28 per cent, 1.95 per cent and 0.58 per cent respectively.

Services Index closed negatively at 2,840.14 points, down 0.29 per cent. Port Services, Sembcorp Salalah, Phoenix Power, Al Batinah Power and National Gas gained 4.35 per cent, 1.04 per cent, 0.76 per cent, 0.53 per cent and 0.34 per cent respectively. Renaissance Services, OIFC, Omantel and Ooredoo decreased 3.42 per cent, 2.38 per cent, 1.38 per cent and 1.27 per cent respectively. — United Securities

OM0000001087............OMAN UNITED INSURANCE .................................46,609 ...............7,642........................3 ............0.164 ........... 0.164 ...........0.162 ........... 0.164 ............. 0.168............-0.004 ........... -2.381 ...............0.162 ..............0.162...................0.164...................16,400,000.........0.100 OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE.............. 264,782 ........... 43,502..................... 30 ............0.165 ........... 0.166 ...........0.162........... 0.164 ............. 0.168............-0.004 ........... -2.381 ...............0.166 ..............0.164...................0.165 ...................32,800,000 ........0.100 OM0000003224 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES ..................................... 134,100 ............15,140........................8 ............0.117 ........... 0.117............0.112 ............0.113 ............. 0.117 ............-0.004 ............-3.419................0.112 ...............0.113................... 0.117 ...................32,843,565.........0.100 OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 532,825 ........... 76,370..................... 36 ............0.143 ........... 0.145 ...........0.142........... 0.143 ............. 0.151 ............-0.008 ........... -5.298 ...............0.143 ..............0.144...................0.145...................21,460,725 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 16,159,812.......3,644,924 .............398 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......25........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

OM0000005963 ...........PHOENIX POWER ...................................................... 583,777............. 77,561..................... 33 ............0.132 ........... 0.133 ...........0.132 ............0.133 .............0.132.............0.001 ............. 0.758 ................0.133 .............. 0.133...................0.134..................194,525,994........0.100 OM0000001368 ............CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IND. ......................... 500 ..................... 15........................1 ........... 0.030 ...........0.030 ...........0.030........... 0.029 .............0.029 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.030..............0.028...................0.030 ...................2,465,000 ..........0.100 OM0000001566 ............OMAN FISHERIES ..................................................... 270,600 ............12,454..................... 29 ........... 0.046 ...........0.047 ...........0.046........... 0.046 .............0.046 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.046..............0.045...................0.046 ................... 5,750,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002564 ...........AL HASSAN ENGINEERING...................................... 1,000 .....................60........................1 ........... 0.060 ...........0.060 ...........0.060........... 0.060 .............0.060 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.060..............0.060...................0.065....................4,512,480 ..........0.100 OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA ................................................................ 243,200............15,267......................11 ............0.061 ...........0.063 ...........0.061 ........... 0.063 .............0.063 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.062..............0.061...................0.062 ..................94,500,000 ........0.100 OM0000004511 ............ALIZZ ISLAMIC BANK.............................................. 237,400 ........... 12,946..................... 10 ........... 0.054 ...........0.056 ...........0.054........... 0.055 .............0.056 ...........-0.001 ............-1.786................0.055..............0.054...................0.055...................55,000,000.........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 1,336,477 ...... 118,302..................... 85 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........ 6........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

OM0000004628 ...........BANK SOHAR BONDS 4.5 ................................................140 ..................... 15........................1 ............0.109 ........... 0.109 ...........0.109........... 0.109 .............0.109 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.109..............0.095...................0.110 .................... 7,793,500 ..........0.100 .............................................SUM: ..........................................................................................140 ..................... 15........................1 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. .........1........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

IRAQ’S VIEW

STOCK MARKET

Saudi and Russia are more flexible on oil output cuts KUWAIT: Saudi Arabia and Russia, the world’s biggest oil producers, are now more flexible about cooperating to cut output as crude prices have fallen to levels that hydrocarbon-rich nations didn’t foresee, Iraq’s Oil Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said.

“This flexibility should be finalized, and we should hear some solid suggestions coming from all parties,” Abdul Mahdi told reporters at a major conference in Kuwait City.

He didn’t give details about what the increased Saudi and Rus-

sian flexibility entailed, nor did he say how he knew about it. Benchmark Brent crude dropped for a third year in 2015 and is down 19 per cent this year. Opec abandoned production limits in December and is continuing to pump into a glutted market. — Bloomberg News

Chinese shares hit 14-month lows SHANGHAI: Chinese shares plunged more than six per cent to 14-month lows on Tuesday after oil prices dropped again, reviving concerns about global growth and prompting a sell-off in the world’s equity markets.

Battered by a late selling frenzy, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index ended down 6.4 per cent at 2749.79 points, its lowest close since December 1, 2014.

The CSI300 index of the largest listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen dropped six per cent to 2940.51, also its lowest since the beginning of December 2014.

After a rebound on Friday and early Monday, crude prices fell back below $30 a barrel, not far from last week’s 12-year lows, ending a couple of days of gains for Wall Street stocks.

China’s fickle stock markets have now slumped about 22 per cent so far this year on concerns about the slowing economy and confusion over the central bank’s foreign exchange policy.

Many investors have lost the stomach for the market after a wild ride since last summer,

when shares crashed 40 per cent.

Beijing intervened to stem that rout and orchestrate a recovery of sorts, but anyone who mistook that for a bottom and bought in will have lost their shirt again in January.

“We’ve seen another stampede driven by panic,” said Yang Hai, analyst at Kaiyuan Securities.

“There’s no good news in sight while investors are being affected by the global ‘risk-off’ mood.”

The slump has triggered a lot of forced liquidation, he added.

Indeed, China’s outstanding margin loans — money investors borrow to buy stocks — declined for 16 consecutive sessions to January 22, the longest losing streak on record, with 209 billion yuan ($32 billion) worth of leveraged bets unwound during the period. “Volume is getting very thin, as there are hardly any fresh inflows, and the process of deleveraging is continuing,” said Chang Chengwei, analyst at brokerage Hengtai Futures.

Wang Baoan, chief of the National Bureau of Statistics, sounded a solitary voice of confidence in

the market, while trying to reassure investors that the volatility would have a limited impact on the real economy.

Wang also reiterated Beijing’s line that there was no basis for further yuan depreciation given China’s economic fundamentals.

Yuan strains Investors nevertheless remain wary about further weakness in the yuan, though the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) has kept the yuan’s daily midpoint fixing little changed since the market’s bearish reaction to its early January depreciation.

Spot yuan was at 6.5810 on Tuesday, weakened slightly from Monday’s close, while offshore it slipped to 6.6115, a 0.5 per cent discount to the onshore rate.

In a move that could help ease market strains, Japan and China, Asia’s two largest economies, said on Tuesday they were working to create a new framework to discuss economic policy coordination, such as steps to stabilise the yuan, media report said.

— Reuters

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B5

ROUND-UP

Bank Sohar enhances Easy Instalment Plan

READY TO COOK

For the first time in Oman, Bank Sohar

A’Saffa Foods' barbecue, grill products a favourite among food lovers

has introduced webbased 0% interest Easy Instalment Payment Plan

MUSCAT: Further improving the ease and convenience for its customers when using its credit card purchase facilities, Bank Sohar has now enhanced its popular ‘Easy Instalment Plan’ with an online via SMS purchase registration service.

This new service allows customers to process their request for availing of the 0 per cent interest instalment plan, says a press release.

The Bank Sohar Credit Card instalment plan allows the bank’s Internet, Classic, Gold and Platinum Credit Card customers to make worry-free purchases from any POS or the Internet and spread the total purchase price up to 3, 6 or 12 month interval in easy monthly instalments at 0% interest. Making use of the new facility, customers

will now receive an SMS on completing a purchase with a personalised link.

Should they choose to avail of the service, customers need only click on the link to go online and register the purchase for the service. Previously, this was done by following a more time consuming registration formality with the bank’s call centre after the purchase had been made. The new system not only speeds up, but also simplifies the entire process for the customer.

Commenting on the service, Khamis Masoud Al Rahbi, Sr. AGM Branches & Retail Sales at Bank Sohar commented, “Given the significant advancements and ready availability of hand-held technol-

ogy, many of our customers have begun to prefer the use of self-service channels like online banking.

In order to cater to this requirement and offer a simplified and convenient banking service, we continue to make enhancements to our online banking experience, while at the same time adding similar facilities to other products and services. In doing so we better provide our customers with additional options for conducting their financial transactions when and how they please to. Enhancements such as the addition of this SMS processing service for our instalment plan showcase our commitment towards customising our products, services and promotions to suit our client’s requirements

LUXURY TIMEPIECE

while continually improving their overall banking experience.”

Aside from its instalment plan, Bank Sohar Excel Credit Cards also provide an array of other benefits to customers including Travel Insurance, Purchase Protection, Zero Lost Card Liability, Free Priority Pass and online shopping security via Verified by Visa and more. Furthermore, Bank Sohar’s credit cards are also accepted for making payments or purchases in Oman and abroad and can also be used for cash withdrawals at more than 800,000 ATMs worldwide.

Together with the Bank’s best-inclass services, this latest service will add to the appeal of Bank Sohar credit cards as among the most sought-after in the country.

MUSCAT: Outdoor cooking, backyard parties and barbecues are common during the winter season in the Sultanate, and what better way to celebrate the winter season with your family, than a barbecue feast with A’Saffa products.

A’Saffa Foods, Oman’s leading poultry and value-added processed food producer has an appetising and tasty range of ready-to-cook products for barbecue and grill food lovers across Oman with its A’Saffa Seekh Kebabs, A’Saffa Shish Taouk and A’Saffa Chicken Tikka, which are quick and convenient to cook and are available at retail outlets across the country, says a press release.

“Our expertise in poultry and

food production, processed food technology, and innovative food recipes helps us to deliver new, flavourful choices that consumers can enjoy anytime,” said Sidhartha Lenka, head of Marketing and Sales, A’Saffa Foods.

“As a market leader, it is our promise to provide consumers with food products that are wholesome and processed hygienically from pure, tasty, premium, natural, healthy ingredients and aromatic spices.

"Whether it’s a barbecue at the park or beach, or a quick backyard dinner on a busy evening, A’Saffa products provide families with a variety of options - all you have to do is put them on the grill and within minutes, a delicious A’Saffa meal is ready to enjoy.”

ENCOURAGING ARTISTS

Khimji’s Watches showcases Oris Thelonious Monk Limited Edition MUSCAT: Khimji’s Watches, the home of luxury in Oman, is now showcasing Oris Thelonious Monk Limited Edition timepieces at its magnificent showroom in Shatti Al Qurum, says a press release.

The Oris Thelonious Monk Limited Edition is a tribute to the incomparable talents of Thelonious Monk, one of America’s finest jazz pianists and composers.

The revolutionary pianist Thelonious Monk (1917 - 1982) was one of the guiding lights of modern jazz. He is remembered in particular for his use of dissonance in his music and for the unorthodox approach to the piano, which combined a highly percussive attack with abrupt, dramatic use of silences and hesitations.

In 1944, he wrote Round Midnight, which has since become the most recorded jazz standard composed by a jazz musician.

The Oris Thelonious Monk Limited Edition is a celebration of Monk’s distinctive style and

talent. The 40mm steel watch has a sunray finished smoke blue dial with polished dots and has the uncommon arrangement of 11 minute markers between the 10 and 12-hour markers, a nod to Monk’s dissonant technique.

On the reverse, the case back is engraved with the words ‘Monk Always Know’, referring to one of Monk’s many memorable quips inspired by the letters on his custom-made ring. To audiences, the ring appeared to say ‘Know’, but when approached, he would explain it read ‘Monk’.

The movement of choice is the Oris 733 self-winding movement, based on Sellita SW 200, beating at 28,800 vph with a power reserve of 38 hours. A black leather strap with stainless steel folding clasp completes the watch. A limited edition of 1000 pieces, the Oris Thelonious Monk is presented in a wooden box with a satin grey lacquer finish.

Khimji’s Watches is one of Muscat’s leading franchisees for luxury

Art Utsav staged by ISWK displays creative talents of students, adults

watches, jewellery, accessories and writing instruments. Set up in 1973, Khimji’s Watches offers a range of global designs from the world’s best brands such as Rolex, Cartier, Chopard, Piaget, Mikimoto, Girard Perregaux, Tudor, Oris, Frederique Constant, Bell&Ross,

MUSCAT: A wealth of fabulous art displays and creative masterpieces adorned the venue at Indian School Al Wadi Al Kabir (ISWK) at a an impressive Art Utsav envisaged, planned and executed by the Department of Art and well supported by the staff of ISWK. The premier objective of the event was to inspire and encourage artists and creative minds - both students and adults alike, to converge at a common venue to demonstrate and display their interest and proficiency in creative and imaginative skills, says a press release.

Armed with expertise, experience and exposure it was most

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

befitting to have Heena Kothary, an art enthusiast majoring in ‘Portrait & Abstract’ with a diploma in drawing and painting as chief guest to do the honours for the day.

Accompanied by the members of the school management committee and the staff of the school, the inauguration announced a welcome opening to the event.

The Utsav that was organised at two levels i.e. the participation and the competition level, had entries invited for an array of art and creative forms viz. drawing and painting, flower making, cartoon drawing, glass painting, fabric painting, stencilling, calligraphy, collage making and Rangoli creation. The

participation of students from the other Indian schools in Oman added sheen to the event.

The manual proficiency of all the participants was evident when their dexterous fingers created colourful, decorative and awe – inspiring masterworks that were unique and singular to each of them.

As each of the artist was immersed in the intricacies of his/ her creation, the ambience was further enhanced by the live instrumental music on flute by Suhas Gadgila accompanied on the keyboard by Stanley Joseph which absorbed the rapt attention of every visitor.

TOP PERFORMERS

BP supports 220 trainees to benefit from important training programme MUSCAT: The My Profession training programme, sponsored

by BP and held in coordination with the Ministry of Social Development and the Public Authority for Crafts Industries, was recently concluded benefiting 220 trainees.

The trainees underwent a 2-month training programme that focused on helping them acquire new skills related to the development of traditional crafts work, says a press release.

The programme was conducted in 10 different wilayats across Oman and included activities like manual Kumah embroidery in the Wilayat of Adam, palm fibre products in Wilayats of Liwa, Quriyat and Khasab, wool weaving in the Wilayats of Al Buraimi, Muhoot and Ibra, paper packaging in the Wilayat Masirah, Textile (Klim) in the Wilayat of Dhank and Pottery in the Wilayat of Dhalkot. The result was noticeably significant with a total 220 beneficiaries with 22 participants in each wilayat.

The Omani Women’s Association played a pivotal role in this project by providing the proper venues and qualified trainers. This has contributed effectively in creating a suitable environment to interact with the trainees and elevate the overall outcome. Further, the women association’s venues were used as a marketing channel to showcase and sell the handicrafts made.

Explaining the goals of the programme, Abdul Wahhab Al Manthari, director general of Crafts Care at the Public Authority for Crafts Industries, said: “The programme aimed at training a number of individuals to gain knowledge and skills of designing and improving traditional crafts. We believe that with the skills they have learned, they would be able to enter the market with their own projects. This will bring back social benefits to themselves and their families.”

Khalfan Harib Al Jabri, director general of Planning and Studies at

the Ministry of Social Development, mentioned that such programmes will contribute in developing and increasing the productivity levels of those ladies and will contribute in reducing the number of job seekers in the local community.

Khalid Al Kindi, deputy general manager and ICV manager added: “BP is proud to support this programme for individuals with special needs. Through the programme, these individuals will learn entrepreneurial skills which will help drive the Omani economy.

We are committed to continuing to support programmes that enhance

the employability of all Omanis."

The implementation of this project was supervised by Sharakah.

Commenting on this, Fatma Al Kindi, Project Specialist at Sharakah, said: “Working together with the trainees to enhance their capabilities enriches our community and leads to a positive social development, building confidence and social welfare for all as they are the core entity of society.”

The trainees expressed their positive impressions about the quality of the programme, thanking BP and all the supporting organisations for the opportunity given to enrol in the programme.

Aisha Al Dhawi, a wool weaving trainer quoted: “Contributing to enhance such skills is a continuous and effective process for the trainee and the trainer both, allowing more room for improvements when it comes to creative designs.”

In addition, Rahma Al Wahebi, a trainee in Palm Fibre Product in Quriyat said that the programme is an opportunity to unleash the creativity and create valuable outcomes with a modern twist from Palm Fibre Products. Also, she is looking forward to get her crafts industries membership card.

BP aims through the efforts invested in such programmes to widen the scope of benefit with the value added activities and improve the skill levels of locals.

PSM Sports Day winners awarded MUSCAT: The prize distribution ceremony with regard to the sequel of the Sports Gala, 2016 was held in Pakistan School Muscat (PSM) recently.

The ceremony which was sponsored by Malabar Gold saw the presence of Aslam Gondal, president SMC, Pakistan School Musannah, as the chief guest whereas the other guests included Abdul Azeez from Al Jadeed Exchange, Nawaz, business Development Manager, Najeeb, Hafiz Faisal, Sheeraz Ahmad, Samina Khan, Principal Pakistan School Ibri and Munnaza Ghafoor – Principal Pakistan School Muscat (Junior Branch), says a press release.

The two final matches of basketball got the show on road for the audience. The first close match was played between senior girls students of Jinnah House and Sir Syed House which was finally nailed by the high-spirited students of Sir Syed House.

The boys of Sir Syed House and Johar House faced one another to bucket the ball with the highest number.

The players of both houses took the match to a nail biting finish though finally it ended with Sir Syed House winning the gold medal.

The medals were given away to the agile players of Junior school

by Khalid Jadoon, Principal Pakistan School Muscat, Samina and Munnazza.

Besides, Aslam Gondal, Abdul Azeez, M. Nawaz, Atta ullah Niazi, Senior Principal Pakistan School System, put the gold and silver medals at the disposal of the players of the senior school.

The trophies were also given to the winning teams of the cricket matches, football, badminton, table tennis, volleyball and basketball. Thus, the students of all the houses are looking forward to the final sequel of the sports which are the athletics competitions.

B6

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016

ROUND-UP Renault Symbol comes with Muscat Fest offer meet the needs of customers who want an elegant, spacious, lowmaintenance family car. Modern equipment specification and engine range ensure it has all the ingredients to make it a hit with customers in the region.

Customers will be entitled to receive assured cash gift of OMR500 on the Renault Symbol 1.6L along with other benefits

MUSCAT: The Renault Symbol is a status-enhancing yet affordable family sedan with the added advantage of an attractive offer during the Muscat Festival.

Its modern design and attractive equipment package, combined with its low fuel consumption make the new Renault Symbol the perfect sedan for families looking for value for money along with status and style. Competitive advantages such as roominess, boot space, modern equipment and engine displacement ensure it has everything required to make it a hit with customers in the region, says a press release.

Offer highlights Customers will be entitled to receive assured cash gift of OMR500 on the Renault Symbol 1.6L and other benefits include free registration, 6 years unlimited mileage

warranty and 2 years/30,000km free service (whichever is earlier).

Customers will also receive free AAA/Road Assistance card for the first year only and as supported by AAA Oman.

The scheme is applicable for all customers purchasing Renault vehicles for personal use only.

Smart from every angle Symbol is packed with topnotch technology and innovation. It offers an enjoyable ride, significant power while maintaining low levels of fuel consumption. It is fitted with an automatic gearbox and a 1.6L16V engine; placing it among the highest size of engines available on the B Sedan segment. The compact sedan offers as well spacious interior with seating for five adults, a 510 Litres bootspace, and the possibility to increase it up to 1,257 Litres with the rear benchseat folded.

The new Renault Symbol also offers plenty of safety features. It is equipped with front driver and passenger airbags, driver seatbelt

unlock alarm, ISOFIX attachments for child seats, three points rear seatbelts with three rear headrests in addition to a central locking system and a speed sensitive door lock. It also boasts as standard front fog lights, daytime running lights, and most importantly an antilock braking systems.

To top it all, Renault Symbol will be available in various colors to satisfy all customer preferences and desires. It comes with the new Radio Arkamys 3D Sound CD/ MP3/USB and Bluetooth, steering wheel controls, a cruise control and speed limiter. It is also furnished with an automatic air-conditioning system that was tested to meet the challenges of the region’s harsh climate conditions.

The new Media Nav multimedia system also gives easy access to highly practical features thanks to it 7” touchscreen: GPS, audio streaming music, as well as access to your phonebook and call history thanks to Bluetooth.

This new car in the Renault lineup has been specially designed to

SUPPORT FOR SPORTS

BIIT students come out with outstanding results in SAT 2 exams MUSCAT: The students from Oman who are undergoing coaching from Bahwan International Institute of Technology (BIITA Bahwan Cybertek Group) have come out with outstanding results in the SAT 2 Exams this year.

Some of the students have scored a full 800/800 in the various subjects. One of them scored 2390/2400 and is aiming for the full score of 2400/2400, says a press release.

BIIT is a premier institute in Oman, which launched coaching for IIT-JEE, SAT 2 and other competitive exams since 2014 with an aim to help students seek admissions in premier technical institutions in India and abroad.

BIIT provides training for students to build the basic foundations in core concepts and fundamentals in Science and Mathematics to help them solve complex problems from the Board and JEE syllabi.

Additionally, the coaching at BIIT will focus on developing analytical and reasoning ability of the students, which plays a critical role in attaining higher rankings in IIT – JEE and other competitive examinations. BIIT provides excellent study materials which are synchronised with school curriculum to supplement and expand upon the knowledge acquired in school.

Besides trainer-led classroom coaching sessions and comprehensive course materials, stu-

dents will be administered a series of tests, which helps them to assess their relative performance and continuously improve upon.

Besides, BIIT coaching also helps them to cope with the stress due to the intensive preparation required for the highly competitive examinations.

Karthik Sundararaman, head, BIIT said “We are very much happy with the overall progress of our students’ performance in the various exams. We have designed our coaching programme, methodology and courseware in a way that helps our students to perform very well in the exams with a good score.

“Our dedicated faculty with their rich experience and exposure have played a pivotal role in the success of our students.”

He further added that BIIT’s coaching classes are meant to strengthen the conceptual understanding of students and reorient their thinking towards problem-solving. The complexity of the IIT-JEE arises from the fact that the questions are always unique, and solving them requires applying concepts spanning different chapters across multiple subjects.

With BIIT’s intensive coaching, the students will be able to approach and solve various problems analytically.

This coaching, while making students to become stronger conceptually will also help them excel in their CBSE examinations.

PROMOTION

Bank Muscat extends lead support to Muscat Marathon MUSCAT: Bank Muscat, the flagship financial services provider in the Sultanate, has extended lead support to Muscat Marathon to be held on Friday, January 29 from 6am to 12pm. Over 600 long-distance enthusiasts from around the world have confirmed participation in the popular event hosted

by Muscat Road Runners, says a press release.

InterContinental Hotel is the start and finish point of the race comprising three events, including the 42km full marathon, 21km half marathon and a 10km marathon.

Muscat Marathon has received a

Main assets in brief Engine: The 1.6L 16V engine is among the highest size of engines available on the B Sedan category.

Bootspace: The bootspace has a capacity of 510 Litres, therefore placing the new Renault Symbol as the best-in-class choice for luggage transport in its category.

In addition, the capacity can be increased to 1,257 Litres with the rear benchseat folded.

Technology: The new Radio Arkamys 3D Sound CD / MP3 / USB is available with factory fitted Bluetooth and steering wheel control as standard from the first PE equipment level.

The new Media Nav multimedia system offering 7” touchscreen, GPS and audio streaming music comes along with the top of the range LE grade.

BA is largely committed to supporting Renault Oman’s growth in the Sultanate through major emphasis on customer satisfaction and by providing world-class after-sales services in Oman. With a national network of more than 80 outlets — showrooms, service centres and parts outlets, SBA has further built upon its legacy of trust, excellent customer service and providing value for money to each of its customers.

ACADEMICS

competitor rating of 90% in the Premier marathons website, making it the highest ranked sporting event in the GCC. Muscat Marathon has caught the attention of avid sports enthusiasts from across the world, which is helping to spotlight Oman as an attractive sporting destination. The marathon route takes in a large amount of Muscat’s beautiful scenery. The support for the marathon reflects the bank’s commitment to encouraging health, social interaction and integration through the promotion of sport and physical activity.

The attention given to healthy lifestyle reflects the level of development of people and nations.

Omanis are privileged as the Sultanate accords top priority to development of sports, encouraging all segments of society to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Running shows what can be achieved through motivation, hard work, dedication and a willingness to push personal boundaries.

As the flagship financial institution, Bank Muscat remains at the forefront in offering the required encouragement and support for sporting excellence in the country.

Customers continue to win big at Malabar Gold MUSCAT: Malabar Gold & Diamonds, the prominent jewellery retailer, will run the 5th edition of Malabar Gold & Diamonds Festival, one of the biggest jewellery events in GCC until January 31.

The festival will display distinctive pieces of jewellery from across the world and offers massive gifts and irresistible offers.

This much-awaited festival is one of the biggest jewellery events in GCC and the customers get unprecedented opportunities to win a total of 250,000 gold coins and up to OMR200,000 instant cash refund. Customers have already won over 1,25,000 gold coins through this promotion with the successful completion of the 35 days of the festival, the customers continue to win big across all the outlets of Malabar Gold &

Diamond. This great winning has created excitement among customers, says a press release.

For every purchase of gold jewellery above OMR200, the customers get a ‘Scratch & Win’ coupon through which they can win a guaranteed gold coin or up to 100 gold coins instantly. With every

ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING

H E A LT H C A R E

diamond jewellery purchase, the customers get a ‘Scratch & Win’ coupon for a guaranteed cash refund and get a chance to win up to 100% cash back.

The customers who buy diamond jewellery worth OMR200 or above are eligible to get both the coupons.

APPOINTMENT

alizz holds AML awareness lectures

Hans Van Bylen is new CEO of Henkel

Lifeline Hospital Sohar instals new advanced 1.5 Tesla MRI machine SOHAR: Sheikh Ali Ahmed Mashari Al Shamshi, Wali of Sohar, inaugurated the state-of-theart Philips Ingenia 1.5 Tesla MRI at Lifeline Hospital Sohar in the presence of dignitaries from Ministry of Health and other invited guests and hospital staff.

This ultra modern machine has a 70cm wide bore magnet which provides more space and helps to reduce anxiety in patients, especially claustrophobic patients. Improved software which is installed helps to reduce retakes and increase consistency and speed, says a press release.

This will result in less amount of time inside the MR machine.

Patient-perceived gradient noise is also reduced by more than 80% due to the advanced hardware and software incorporated in this machine.

“Lifeline Hospital Sohar was the first hospital in Al Batinah region to introduce open MRI facility as early as 2011 and this has greatly benefited patients from Buraimi and Aqr to Suwaiq who, otherwise, had to travel to Muscat to avail of such an accurate screening tool.

We are taking this one step further and have now installed an additional and more advanced 1.5 tesla machine to improve patient satisfaction,” stated Nousheer Alam, hospital manager, Lifeline Hospital Sohar.

MUSCAT: alizz Islamic bank, the most innovative Islamic financial institution in Oman, has given various Anti-Money Laundering (AML) awareness lectures to its staff at all branches.

The lectures focused on AML mechanisms and the broad definitions of money laundering, its indicators, its penalties and the relevant legal procedures, says a press release. “Money laundering has proven to be a global threat to economic growth and development in different countries,” said Saif Al Batashi, head of AML Compliance at the bank.

“It is an economic crime that has a negative impact on the economic cycles because it can largely contaminate financial and banking industry as well as societies.

By definition, it refers to the practice aiming to conceal the source of funds or hinder any attempt to track down the illicit source.”

Global financial institutions

have joined forces to curb the practice of money laundering and control its spread by adopting multiple unified mechanisms and procedures, Al Batashi noted.

The lectures reflect alizz Islamic bank’s strict compliance with global and regional anti-money laundering standards and the eagerness to raise staff members’ awareness levels.

They also seek to protect all financial institutions operating within Oman and help them achieve economic integration.

The United Nations said in a previous report that the funds that have been seized because of the volume of money laundering operations amounted to $1.6 trillion in 2009, the equivalent to 2.7% of the global GDP. This has resulted in the doubling of anti-money laundering efforts in global markets with a number of precautionary measures and strict procedures to enhance the work environments of financial

institutions put in place to deal with suspected money.

The security systems of banking transactions conducted through the Internet networks have also followed these procedures and have been strengthened, highlighting the importance of using modern technological means to monitor suspicious financial activities.

The avenues that are used to combat money laundering have been intensified by collecting information and data on any suspicious or unusual financial activities. This data is then analysed and submitted to the competent authorities to take the necessary measures and actions. As one of the pioneer financial institutions in combating anti-money laundering, alizz Islamic bank organises symposiums and lectures and distributes guidance booklets to the public on a regular basis in order to raise public awareness levels of this detrimental economic issue.

MUSCAT: Henkel, a multinational company active in consumer and industrial sectors, announced that CEO Kasper Rorsted, who has decided not to renew his current contract beyond 2017, will leave the company at his own request as of April 30, 2016. He served on the Henkel Management Board for 11 years, thereof 8 years as CEO. Effective May 1, 2016, Hans Van Bylen has been appointed as his successor, says a press release.

His successful career at Henkel started in 1984 and he serves as member of the Management Board since 2005, responsible for the Beauty Care business. The appointment to CEO already in spring will enable him to leading the development of the new strategy which Henkel will announce at the end of this year and driving its successful execution. “I am honoured by the confidence which is expressed through this appointment. I am looking forward to shape the future of our company together with my colleagues at the Management Board and an excellent global team,” said Hans Van Bylen.

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Kia launches exciting Muscat Festival offer ‘OMR199 is the amount payable by customer and the cash gift available in option 1 scheme can be used as the down payment,’ a Kia spokesperson said

MUSCAT: It almost sounds unbelievable, but it is true that during the Muscat Festival (from January 14 to February 13) any customer visiting the Kia booth can bring OMR199 and own a brand new

Kia, says a press release.

A Kia spokesperson explains, “You see, OMR199 is the amount payable by customer and the cash gift available in option 1 scheme can be used as the down payment.

This is valid only on select models of Cerato (15MY), Koup and Optima (15MY). Amounts payable may vary on other models/ grades.”

Other highlights of the scheme are upto OMR1,700 cash gift.

In lieu of this, customers can

choose any one option. i.e. a cash gift amount varying from OMR600 to OMR1,700 depending on the model variant and model year. No cash gift on K4000 and Kia Quoris. (cash gift not applicable on fleet deals, government and ministry purchases. Cash gift amount can be used as part of down payment.)

Alternatively, customers can go in for 1 year insurance + upto 100,000km / five years service (Insurance - 1 year comprehensive

(Oman Only) on all models except Kia Quoris and K4000. (For RAC, taxi and driving school purchases, insurance would be given to the extent applicable for private vehicles. Additional premium as per insurance norms would have to be paid by the buyer. Service benefit - 60 months/100,000km (max. 20 services) whichever is earlier on 14 MY models only. On 15/16MY upto 36 months/60,000km whichever is earlier (max. of 12 services).

No Service offer on K4000.

In Option 2, cash gift amount varies from OMR50 to OMR1,250 depending on the model variant and model year. No cash gift on Kia Quoris and K4000. Cash gift not applicable on fleet, government and ministry purchases. Vehicles specifications are subject to change without notice. Vehicles may also include some dealer installed accessories. Pictures and colours are indicative.) For further details, please visit your nearest Kia showroom.

LEARNING THROUGH FUN

Al Injaz organises fun day camp MUSCAT: To help students relax and enjoy with their school mates after the completion of semester 1 exam, Al Injaz Private School organised a one-day camp recently, for the students of Grades V, VI and VII, on its premises, says a press release.

The camp included an outing to the beach to enjoy and play beach games.

This was followed by many outdoor games, entertainment programmes, salad making competi-

RECRUIT QUOTES No great achiever – even those who made it seem easy – ever succeeded without hard work.

— Jonathan Sacks Greatness is sifted through the grind, therefore don’t despise the hard work now for surely it will be worth it in the end.

— Sanjo Jendayi Success is the good fortune that comes from aspiration, desperation, perspiration and inspiration.

— Evan Esar We are all motivated by a keen desire for praise, and the better a man is, the more he is inspired to glory.

— Cicero

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tion, clay modelling competition and foot tapping music on the school premises, which the students clearly enjoyed.

Prize distribution The camp concluded with prize distribution followed by dinner.

The students thoroughly enjoyed each and every moment of the camp.

Al Injaz conducts such camps every year as part of their programme of learning through fun.

PA R T N E R S H I P

Saraya Bandar Jissah supports Omanya Tour MUSCAT: Drawing attention to the pristine beauty of the Sultanate and its internationally acclaimed road infrastructure, Saraya Bandar Jissah announced its partnership with Supercars Club Arabia in conducting the first ever supercar and hypercar tour to Oman, says a press release.

The Omanya Tour was flagged off from Muscat on January 23 to end tomorrow in Dubai. The tour started in Oman and most of the 1,200km of driving will be done within the Sultanate. The participants are visiting Muscat, Sur and Nizwa, before crossing the UAE border and continuing to Jabal Hafeet in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, before concluding the journey in Dubai. On the second day of the tour, the participants visited the Saraya Bandar Jissah site to experience the scale and vastness of the project and to promote tourism and investment in the Sultanate.

Commenting on the rationale behind the sponsorship at the opening ceremony, Sheikh Hamood bin Sultan Al Hosni, CEO of Saraya Bandar Jissah remarked, “Since our inception, it has consistently been an area of focus for us to promote tourism in Oman by highlighting the unique aspects of the country and our association with Supercars Club Arabia in or-

ganising this unique event, simply resonates that belief.”

He added, “It is a matter of great pride for us to showcase the best in Oman through the Omanya Tour. The participants also visited the Saraya Bandar Jissah site to witness first-hand how the project preserves the natural beauty of the area, while also providing residents and tourists with the feeling of a close-knit yet spacious community. For a nation as passionate about automobiles as Oman, there could be no better place to start the Omanya tour. It is our great pleasure to welcome all the participants to the Sultanate and wish them the best of luck for the upcoming journey!”

Following the opening ceremony, the tour moved to Sur and then travelled to Nizwa on the next day.

On the fourth day of Omanya, the supercars will be driven to Jebel Hafeet after which they will visit the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. The event will come to a close tomorrow in a ceremony to be organised at Jumeirah Zabeel Saray in Dubai.

Sheikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, president of Supercars Club Arabia, mentioned, “The Sultanate of Oman is the most beautiful country in the GCC with nature.

Thanks to Saraya Bandar Jissah for their support.”

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Omantel wins coveted ISO certification ISO 9001 certification was awarded for outstanding corporate customer service

MUSCAT: Oman Telecommunications Company (Omantel) has achieved ISO 9001 certification for consistently delivering outstanding levels of service within their corporate customer services division, says a press release.

ISO 9001 is the world’s most

widely recognised Quality Management System (QMS).

The 9001 certification helps organisations consistently and reliably meet the expectations and needs of their customers, as well as strengthening and streamlining operational processes.

The quality certification comes as the company launches the ‘3.0’ transformative strategy to deliver an enhanced Omantel customer experience across all aspects of its operations, together with the launch of innovative digital smart home and business services to be introduced in 2016. The innovative transformative strategy positions Omantel as the digital partner of choice, in the consumer arena and for the public and pri-

vate sectors, enabling the digital society to flourish and grow across all sectors in Oman.

Meeting the stringent requirements of the ISO 9001 certification process took a holistic approach, says Dr Rashid Bahwan, manager, Fault Management Corporate, “To consistently and reliably de-

liver high quality services we recognised that an effective quality management system (QMS) was necessary. To achieve our goals, we committed to establish, maintain and continuously improve our QMS by regularly reviewing all our processes and assessing whether the desired customer outcomes were being achieved against specific quality objectives and targets.

This process involved comprehensive internal audits, customer feedback workshops and group wide staff training. The certification also involved reviewing and updating all our customer service processes and putting quality management key performance indicators (KPIs) in place.”

The QMS and new customer

processes at Omantel’s Corporate Unit reflects the company’s commitment to deliver consistently high quality services for fixed, mobile, broadband, connectivity solutions and other customized solutions within a customer friendly environment, services that satisfy the diverse needs of the growing corporate customer base.

He added: “The ISO 9001 certification will help the company apply increased levels of customer excellence to every single process within our organisation. This allows for a flexible and fast response to new market opportunities, supporting Omantel in researching and understanding customer needs and expectations more effectively, in addition to helping us measure

customer satisfaction levels and quickly acting on the feedback.”

Highlighting the key pillars of Omantel’s 3.0 strategy in regards to customer excellence, Dr Rashid Bahwan said: “The new 3.0 transformative strategy touches every aspect of our operational approach for the coming years, both for retail consumers and corporate clients.

The new ISO 9001 certification for our corporate unit underlines our commitment to elevate the customer experience.”

“At Omantel we deliver on our promises. We believe every time we deliver on our commitments, be they small or large, we are building long term trust with our customers, who are the greatest asset of Omantel,” Rashid concluded.

APPLE PREMIUM RESELLER

Don’t litter a beautiful country like OMAN.

Mi Store opens outlet in MCC

Ensure proper disposal of garbage.

MUSCAT: Apple Premium Reseller Mi Store opened recently at the Muscat City Centre (MCC) and offers customers the opportunity to learn and experience Apple’s innovative products and solutions including the Mac, iPhone and iPad with a wide range of accessories, says a press release.

“We are excited to open an Apple Premium Reseller in Muscat City Centre, where customers will receive a first class shopping experience,” said Dr Manmohan Singh Rehsi, CEO. “Customers who want to learn more about Apple products and other items can now get personal attention from our many dedicated Apple-trained consultants.”

At Mi Store, trained consult-

ants are available to help customers learn about all the latest products from Apple, including iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, the most advanced iPhones ever.

The store will provide information about iPad Pro, thin. light. epic; iPad Air 2, thin and powerful; iPad mini 4, now with Touch ID; the13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display with the all-new Force Touch trackpad; the 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K display with a breathtaking 14.7 million pixels; OS X El Capitan, the world’s most advanced desktop operating system. The hands-on environment provides customers the opportunity to test drive the products and Apple-trained staff are present to offer impartial advice to both consumer and professional customers.

SHOP AND WIN

Special Muscat Fest promotion starts at Muscat Grand Mall MUSCAT: As a participant sponsor of the Sultanate’s most anticipated annual festival — the Muscat Festival 2016, Muscat Grand Mall (MGM) announced its partnership for the 16th edition of the festival.

The mall also announced a special promotion running till February 13 which would include numerous entertainment acts for its visitors as well as the opportunity to shop at outlets offering lucrative sale prices, says a press release.

Held annually since 1998 by the Muscat Municipality, the Muscat Festival commemorates the past and present culture and heritage of the Sultanate.

Giving residents and visitors the opportunity to make the best of this festive season, outlets across MGM are running an exciting sale during this period, providing customers with the exclusive advantage of amazing discounts across a broad range of

international and local fashion, home-appliances and electronics outlets as well as the food and beverage brands that MGM has become renown for.

Bonus for visitors This year, the mall is adding a bonus for visitors who shop during the Muscat Festival period through a special ‘Shop, Win, Celebrate’ campaign. Under this promotion, between January 14 and February 13, customers are eligible for the coupon for every OMR20 purchase at any store within Muscat Grand Mall. With every raffle coupon shoppers will have the chance to enter the draw and win a grand prize of the impressive Nissan Patrol XE. During the period of the festival, the mall will also be host to a number of shows and performers who will keep guests entertained and showcase the spirit of Muscat Festival.

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Djokovic, Serena sail into semis

GREAT GOING: Serena Williams ease past Sharapova. – AFP

Australia Day fireworks were expected on court and off on Day Nine of the championships but Djokovic extinguished Kei Nishikori’s flame 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 and Williams doused every spark of a threat from Maria Sharapova to win 6-4, 6-1

MELBOURNE: Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams faced what were supposed to be their biggest challenges to date at this year’s Australian Open on Tuesday but both rattled off comfortable victories to march into the semifinals.

Australia Day fireworks were expected on court and off on Day Nine of the championships but Djokovic extinguished Kei Nishikori’s flame 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 and Williams doused every spark of a threat from Maria Sharapova to win 6-4, 6-1. The defending champions face very different hurdles in the last four, however, with Djoko-

vic moving on to face 17-times Grand Slam winner Roger Federer and Williams’s path to a seventh final blocked by the slight figure of Agnieszka Radwanska.

Federer eased past Tomas Berdych 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-4 while fourth seed Radwanska thrashed Carla Suarez Navarro 6-1, 6-3 to reach her second semifinal at Melbourne Park.

Djokovic has played five and had already booked a place in his sixth when the traditional festive fireworks lit up the skies over Melbourne to celebrate the national holiday. The 28-year-old, suppos-

POWER-PACKED: Novak Djokovic downs Kei Nishikori. – AFP

PERFECT PARTNERS: Sania Mirza & Martina Hingis on a roll. – AP/PTI

edly vulnerable to an upset after racking up 100 unforced errors in a five-set marathon against Gilles Simon in the fourth round, rolled on remorselessly.

Seventh seed Nishikori stunned the world number one the last time they met in a Grand Slam at the 2014 U.S. Open, but there was to be no repeat. Early breaks were enough to secure the first two sets for the Serbian, who later revealed he had not hit a single ball on Monday, and only after an injury timeout did Nishikori rediscover the aggression that got him to the last eight.

Asia’s number one raced to a 3-1 lead on the back of two breaks in the third set but Djokovic reined him in with two breaks of his own and grabbed a third before finishing the Japanese off with a crunching backhand winner after just over two hours.

the last four at Grand Slams.

Czech Berdych had triumphed in their last two meetings at majors but, after a tight opening set, was no match for the clinical Swiss.

Federer found the target with nearly 70 percent of his first serves and won 83 percent of those points, hit 48 winners and made only 26 unforced errors to smother the sixth seed in two hours and 16 minutes. “I think I played well overall,” he said. “I think the first set was definitely key to the rest of the match because I think it maybe might’ve taken some energy out of Tomas. Who knows? If not physical, also mental.”

Federer and Djokovic have played 44 times with the wins split equally between them, although the Serbian won their meetings in finals at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open last year. “We are big rivals, we played so many times against each other,” said Djokovic.

“There’s a lot of tension. There’s a lot at stake. I’m expecting a great fight in two days.”

Losing streak Williams faced her biggest threat in the first set of her contest against Sharapova, who had placed her hopes of ending a 12-year losing streak against the world number one on a rejuvenated serve.

The Russian had racked up a career-high 21 aces in her fourth-

TWENTY20 SERIES

Kohli, bowlers shine in India’s T20 victory against Australia ADELAIDE: Virat Kohli’s elegant unbeaten 90 and some crafty bowling by their spinners secured India’s comprehensive 37-run victory over Australia in the first Twenty20 International at the Adelaide Oval on Tuesday.

Put into bat, the tourists rode Kohli’s classy knock to post 1883 and then returned to skittle out Australia for 151 for a moraleboosting win barely six weeks before the Twenty20 World Cup at home.

Australia began well with Aaron Finch scoring freely before Jasprit Bumrah (3-23) dismissed David Warner (17) and then the Indian spinners took over.

Ravindra Jadeja (2-21) dismissed Steven Smith and Ravichandran Ashwin (2-28) sent back Finch (44) to derail Australia’s chase and the hosts eventually folded in 19.3 overs.

It was an inspiring bowling effort by the tourists after their repeated failures to defend 300-plus totals in the preceding one-day series, which Australia won 4-1.

Kohli’s unbeaten 90 was the bedrock of India’s innings after Australia captain Aaron Finch won the toss and opted to field.

Indian openers milked 40 runs of the first four overs before Shane Watson pegged them back with a double strike.

The 34-year-old blond dismissed the dangerous Rohit Sharma (31) with his first delivery and Shikhar Dhawan (five) with his fifth. Kohli and limited-overs specialist Suresh Raina (41) steadied ship with a 134-run stand spread over nearly three-fourth of the visitors’ innings.

Raina initially struggled to get going but Kohli displayed sublime touch that has been the hallmark of his batting of late.

James Faulkner castled Raina but Kohli remained unbeaten after a chanceless 55-ball innings that included two sixes and nine boundaries.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s hardhitting prowess has looked on the wane in the ODI series but the India captain drilled the first ball he

FINE KNOCK: India’s Virat Kohli celebrates his half century during the T20 International against Australia in Adelaide. – AP/PTI

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faced from Faulkner for a six and followed it with a boundary as India settled for a competitive total.

Playing his first international match in nearly five years, Australian paceman Shaun Tait began with a 150 kmh delivery but

sent down six wides and bled 45 runs in his four overs without any success.

India’s left-arm paceman Ashish Nehra, who like Tait had not played an international match since the 2011 World Cup, made a better comeback, claiming a wicket and taking a skier to dismiss Watson.

Melbourne hosts the second T20 International of the threematch series on Friday. - Reuters

SCOREBOARD

INDIA R. Sharma c Faulkner b Watson 31 S. Dhawan c Wade b Watson 5 V. Kohli not out 90 S. Raina b Faulkner 41 MS Dhoni not out 11 Extras (lb-3, w-7) 10 Total (3 wickets; 20 overs) 188 Fall of wickets: 1-40, 2-41, 3-175 Bowling: Shaun Tait 4-0-45-0; Kane Richardson 4-0-41-0; James Faulkner 4-0-43-1; Shane Watson 4-0-24-2; Cameron Boyce 3-0-23-0; Travis Head 1-0-9-0 AUSTRALIA A. Finch lbw b Ashwin 44 D. Warner c Kohli b Bumrah 17 S. Smith c Kohli b Jadeja 21 T. Head lbw b Jadeja 2 C. Lynn c Yuvraj b Pandya 17 S. Watson c Nehra b Ashwin 12 M. Wade c Jadeja b Pandya 5

J. Faulkner b Bumrah 10 K. Richardson b Nehra 9 C. Boyce c Pandya b Bumrah 3 S. Tait not out 1 Extras (lb-2, w-8) 10 Total (all out; 19.3 overs) 151 Fall of wickets: 1-47, 2-89, 3-89, 4-93, 5-110, 6-124, 7-129, 8-143, 9-149, 10-151 Bowling: Ashish Nehra 4-0-30-1; Ravichandran Ashwin 4-0-28-2; Jasprit Bumrah 3.30-23-3; Ravindra Jadeja 4-0-21-2; Hardik Pandya 3-0-37-2; Yuvraj Singh 1-0-10-0.

Toss: Australia, who chose to field T20I debuts: Travis Head (Australia); Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya (India) Player of the match: Virat Kohli (India) Umpires: Simon Fry and John Ward (both Australia) TV umpire: Paul Wilson (Australia) Match referee: Jeff Crowe (New Zealand) Reserve umpire: Gerard Abood (Australia)

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round match but her serve deserted her when she needed it most in the 10th game and Williams broke to win the first set before racing away with the second.

“I think if you’re serving maybe 180 (kph) against somebody else compared to Serena, that’s an ace,” said Sharapova. “Against Serena, as we all know, the return is one of her great strengths. She’s very explosive.”

Williams twice had treatment for the after-effects of food poisoning before securing an 18th successive win over the five-times Grand Slam champion.

The 34-year-old American has won all eight matches against Pole Radwanska but said she was taking nothing for granted as she continues her bid for a 22nd Grand Slam title. “Nothing’s guaranteed in sports,” she said. “I still have to win two matches against potentially two extremely tough opponents.”

Federer is also 34 and it has been quite some time since he was able to take for granted advancement to

Sania vs Paes Sania Mirza entered the women’s doubles semifinals and set up a high-intensity clash against Le-

ander Paes in the mixed doubles after both the Indians made the quarterfinals with their respective partners on Tuesday.

Sania and Swiss great Martina Hingis, seeded No.1, survived a mid-match slump to beat the 12th seeded German-American combine of Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Coco Vandeweghe 6-2, 4-6, 6-1.

The duo, who are on a record winning streak, will next face the 13th seeded German-Czech pair of Julia Goerges and Karolina Pliskova. Later, Sania and Croat Ivan Dodig, also seeded top, sailed past the unseeded Kazakh-Pakistani duo of Yaroslava Shvedova and Aisam-Ul Haq Qureshi 7-5, 6-2.

On the other hand, Paes and Sania’s women’s doubles partner Martina Hingis hammered the American-Dutch pair of Sloane Stephens and Jean-Julien Rojer 6-1, 6-2. As a result, Sania and Paes find themselves pitted against each other in the mixed doubles quarterfinals.

In the junior competition, fifth seeds Karman Thandi and Pranjala Yadlapalli entered the girls’ doubles quarterfinals after defeating China’s Siqi Cao and Jia Ren 6-4, 4-6 (10-2). - Reuters, PTI

C2

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016

SPORTS

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Red-hot Rabada rattles England The hosts needed little more than an hour on the final day to reduce England, who won the series 2-1, from 52 for three to 101 all out with Rabada returning match figures of 13-144 to confirm his rich potential MATCH HERO: South African bowler Kagiso Rabada (top) celebrates a wicket. – AFP

PRETORIA: Mercurial paceman Kagiso Rabada produced the second-best match figures by a South African to propel his side to a consolation 280-run victory over England in the fourth and final Test on Tuesday. The hosts needed little more than an hour on the final day to reduce England, who won the series 2-1, from 52 for three to 101 all out with Rabada returning match figures of 13-144 to confirm his rich potential.

The 20-year-old’s figures are second only to Makhaya Ntini’s 13-132 against West Indies in 2005 and Rabada became the youngest South African to take 10 wickets in a Test match.

Although the series had already been decided, the victory was a welcome one for South Africa after a run of nine games without success stretching back more than a year had caused them to be knocked off the top of the world rankings by India.

“The boys were fired up for this Test and we’ll enjoy the celebrations,” captain AB de Villiers said at the presentation ceremony.

“We showed a lot of character and hopefully we can build on this now.

There is a bright future for us.”

Chasing an unlikely victory target of 382 on a wearing wicket, England’s hopes of batting out the day were undone by a combination of rash stroke-making and excellent swing bowling.

James Taylor (24) got a snorter from Morne Morkel (3-36) that brushed his glove and was caught by wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock

SERIES WINNERS: England’s captain Alastair Cook, centre, and team pose with the series winning team Basil D’Oliveira trophy. – AFP

SCOREBOARD

S. Africa coach Domingo hopes win will quieten the noise PRETORIA: South Africa coach Russell Domingo hopes his side’s comprehensive 280run victory in the fourth Test against England will halt the criticism levelled at the side after successive series defeats knocked them off the top of the world rankings.

South Africa lost 3-0 in India last year before going down 2-1 at home to England, exposing weaknesses in the team’s batting line-up, in particular.

“The main thing I take out of it was the way side responded to a lot of noise that has come from the public and the media,”

to kickstart a procession of England batsmen. Joe Root (20), who had already been dropped by De Kock off Dane Piedt, drove wildly at the spinner and was caught at slip by Dean Elgar. Rabada then got in on the act as he was made to celebrate his record-breaking 10-wicket haul twice — first having Jonny Bairstow (14) caught at slip off a no-ball and then inducing another edge from the very next delivery to De Kock.

Man-of-the-series Ben Stokes (10) was caught at deep midwicket off Morkel as he fell into a short-

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Domingo told reporters on Tuesday. “When you have one or two bad series, everybody makes you sound like you are the worst players and the worst coaches in the world which is not necessarily the case.

Domingo said his players had maintained their composure really well through tough times.

“To play the way they have played these last couple of days

ball trap, before Rabada cleaned up the tail efficiently for innings figures of 6-32. “It’s been a disappointing five days with the way we have played,” England skipper Alastair Cook said.

“We haven’t quite been on it and had to try hang in there. Credit to South Africa, they played well.”

The teams will now play a fivematch one-day international series starting on February 3, followed by two Twenty20 games.

Steyn ruled out Dale Steyn’s injury woes contin-

makes the coaching staff really proud because it has been a tough series,” he said.

After a series of embarrassing batting collapses recently, including their two lowest Test innings totals since readmission to international cricket in 1991, the team have been criticised for being the only top nation without a batting coach.

“Everybody thinks we have not been looking for a batting coach but we’ve been trying for the last year,” Domingo said.

“Every team’s got it. England have got one, Australia have got one, India have got one.

ued on Tuesday as South Africa ruled him out of the five-match one-day international series against England shortly after they secured a consolation victory in the final Test.

The fast bowler, who has missed all but one innings of the four Tests against England and lost his ranking as the world’s best bowler, continues to battle with a shoulder injury, coach Russell Domingo said.

South Africa are now hoping the 32-year-old might be able to play in the two Twenty20 internationals which follow the five ODIs and

“We’ve offered the position to quite a few people and we offered the position whilst things were going well, not whilst we’ve been bowled out for 80 and 90.

Domingo said they had a candidate in mind.

“We’ve had a few people who said they were interested but they wouldn’t commit to it simply because travelling is not that fun when you are away from your family for a long time and when there is a lot of pressure and a lot of criticism you are faced with when things don’t go well,” he said. - Reuters

serve as a warm-up for the World Twenty20 in India in March.

Steyn hurt his shoulder in the first Test against England in Durban just after Christmas and has not been able to bowl since despite South Africa officials saying that a scan had revealed no obvious muscle damage. Fellow paceman Vernon Philander has also not recovered from an ankle injury suffered on tour in India in November.

Kyle Abbott, who suffered a hamstring strain during the fourth Test in Pretoria will miss the first ODI against England in Bloemfon-

South Africa 1st innings: 475 (Q. de Kock 129no, S. Cook 115, H. Amla 109; B. Stokes 4-86) England 1st innings: 342 (A. Cook 76, J. Root 76, M. Ali 61; K. Rabada 7-112) South Africa 2nd innings: 248 for 5 (H. Amla 96, T. Bavuma 78no) England 2nd innings: A. Cook c&b M. Morkel 5 A. Hales lbw b Rabada 1 N. Compton c de Kock b Rabada 6 J. Root c Elgar b Piedt 20 J. Taylor c de Kock b M. Morkel 24 B. Stokes c Cook b M. Morkel 10 J. Bairstow c de Kock b Rabada 14 M. Ali not out 10 C. Woakes c de Kock b Rabada 5 S. Broad c de Villiers b Rabada 2 J. Anderson lbw b Rabada 0 Extras (lb-2, nb-1, w-1) 4 Total (all out, 34.4 overs) 101 Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-8, 3-18, 4-58, 5-58, 6-83, 7-83, 8-91 ,9-101, 10-101 Bowling: M. Morkel 12-5-36-3, K. Rabada 10.4-2-32-6 (nb-1, w-1), K. Abbott 2-010-0, D. Piedt 7-2-11-1, D. Elgar 2-1-8-0, J. Duminy 1-0-2-0 Umpires: K. Dharmasena , Chris Gaffaney TV umpire: Rod Tucker Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle Result: South Africa won by 280 runs

tein next Wednesday.

Kagiso Rabada, who took 13 wickets in the final Test that South Africa won by 280 runs, and fellow paceman Morne Morkel will also be rested for some of the ODIs, Domingo told a news conference.

“We will look to bring one or two new fast bowlers in,” he said. - Reuters

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016

C3

SPORTS MRR all set to host ‘bigger, Assarain CT better’ Muscat Marathon delighted with CRICKET

Abbas show in Pakistan A win

The fifth edition of Muscat Marathon, which forms part of the annual Muscat Festival, has attracted 600 participants from within Oman and from outside. And the Muscat Road

POPULAR EVENT: Thanks to the good work done by Muscat Road Runners, the Muscat Marathon has

been growing in popularity over the years. – Supplied photo

Runners are all set to host another successful event on Friday

Muscat Marathon has been growing in stature over the years.

The numbers have been increasing since the first edition hosted five years ago

A. SESHAGIRI RAO

raoas@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Delighted with the ‘huge response’, the Muscat Road Runners (MRR) are gearing up to organise ‘a bigger and more successful’ Muscat Marathon this weekend. The fifth edition of Marathon, which forms part of the annual Muscat Festival, is scheduled for Friday.

According to MRR chairman Ahmed Al Malki, this year’s event received overwhelming response from within the Sultanate and from outside.

Speaking to Times Sport, Ahmed Al Malki said: “Our Muscat Marathon has been growing in stature since we have started organising it five years ago.”

“As one of the main sporting events of Muscat Festival it has been gradually growing and gaining in popularity,” he said. “The growing popularity can be gauged from the number of entries we have been receiving over the years. In fact, the numbers have been increasing since we hosted our first Marathon five years ago.”

Ahmed Al Malki

MRR chairman

“For example this year the Marathon is ‘sold out’. Requests for entries have been pouring in.

We have already accepted 600 entries, which is 20 percent more than last year,” he said while revealing that last year’s Marathon had attracted 500 entries.

“We have received entries from over 54 nationalities from within Oman and from outside.”

While most of them are from Oman and the neighbouring

countries as well as the Omanis loving abroad, a group of runners from Australia will be flying in to the Sultanate to take part in the Muscat Marathon.

Latest technology The MRR chief attributed the huge response to his team’s organisational ability and the event’s success. “It’s quite obvious that athletes want to take part in a successful event. And they like

the way we run the event. That’s the reason we have been receiving tremendous response,” a delighted Al Malki said.

“It will be no different this year too. In fact, we are gearing up to organise a bigger and better event,” he said. “We will also be using the latest technology... like individual time record chips.

There will be online results.”

Three categories Giving further details of the Marathon, he said: “There will be three categories: 10km run, Half Marathon and Marathon.”

This year’s event will be flagged off at Hotel InterContinental with the participants in the full Marathon starting at 6 a.m. The Half Marathon will begin at 7 a.m., while the 10km run will start an hour later at 8 a.m.

Like Muscat Festival and its accompanying events, Muscat Marathon is also aimed at showcasing the beauty of the capital city. The events route is designed in such a way the participants pass through some of the most picturesque locations of Muscat.

After the flag off at InterContinental, the participants will be passing through Qurm Corniche, Royal Opera House, the Ministries area and Grand Hyatt before finishing at InterContinental, depending on the categories they are taking part in.

EXTENDING THE SUPPORT

Bank Muscat extends support to Muscat Marathon MUSCAT: Bank Muscat, the flagship financial services provider in the Sultanate, has extended lead support to Muscat Marathon to be held on Friday According to a press release received from the bank, Muscat Marathon has received a competitor rating of 90 percent in the Premier marathons website, making it the highest ranked sporting event in the GCC. Muscat Marathon has caught the attention of avid sports enthusiasts from across the world,

which is helping to spotlight Oman as an attractive sporting destination. The support for the marathon reflects the bank’s commitment to encouraging health,

social interaction and integration through the promotion of sport and physical activity.

The attention given to healthy lifestyle reflects the level of de-

velopment of people and nations.

Omanis are privileged as the Sultanate accords top priority for development of sports, encouraging all segments of society to lead a healthy lifestyle. Running shows what can be achieved through motivation, hard work, dedication and a willingness to push personal boundaries. As the flagship financial institution, Bank Muscat remains at the forefront in offering the required encouragement and support for sporting excellence in the country.

MUSCAT: While amateurs and semi professionals of Oman cricketers are gearing up for their debut at ICC World T20, to be organised in India in March, another of their ilk is making news with the Pakistan A team.

Mohammad Abbas, who has been playing league cricket for Assarain CT in the Sultanate for the past few seasons, is turning up for the Pakistan A team in their ongoing unofficial One-day International (ODI) series against England Lions in Dubai.

The 25-year-old fast bowler took two crucial wickets on Monday as Pakistan A defeated the England Lions by 17 runs in the third match after losing the first two of the fivematch series.

Assarain team are obviously delighted with their player’s performance. “It’s good to see Mohammad Abbas performing well with the Pakistan A team,” said Assarain team manager Vinu Mathew.

Speaking about the player’s association with Assarain, Vinu Mathew said: “Mohammed Abbas has been with us for the last two

IN ASSARAIN COLOURS:

Mohammad Abbas.

seasons. And has done well and contributed to our team’s success.”

“We are hoping to have him back with us in the later stages of the current season... most probably after he completes his national team (Pakistan A) duties,” he added.

According to media reports, Mohammad Abbas was picked for Pakistan A team after his excellent performance with Khan Research Laboratories in the 2015-16 season when he claimed a total of 87 wickets.

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016

SPORTS NATIONAL GAS WIN FCC CUP

National Gas defeated South XI by six wickets to bag the title at the Future CC New Year Cricket Cup cricket tournament at National Gas Ground in Rusayl here recently. In the seven-overs a-side match, South XI after being asked to first, scored 32 runs for six five overs. National Gas chased the target in four overs scoring 33 for four wickets.

The tournament was sponsored by Morning Star Building Materials LLC, Roadstar Trading & Transportation Co. LLC and United National Projects LLC. — Supplied photo

Larson to lead Oman Air campaign in 2016 ESS The 44-year-old American’s appointment marks a welcome return to the Oman Sail squad after he campaigned the team to second place in 2012

MUSCAT: Morgan Larson will head up Oman Air’s campaign for the Extreme Sailing Series’ first foiling GC32 championship in 2016 that kicks off in Muscat on March 16, with an exciting new crew made up of familiar faces and fresh young talent.

For the 44-year-old American, one of the most experienced and accomplished skippers on the professional racing circuit, the appointment marks a welcome return to the Oman Sail squad after he campaigned Oman Air to second place in 2012 behind Leigh

McMillan’s The Wave, Muscat before moving to Swiss team Alinghi.

He has represented the USA in the Olympic 49er and 470 classes, been tactician with three America’s Cup campaigns and won three World Championships (Farr 40 and 505) and 15 National Championships as well as the coveted Extreme 40 trophy in 2014 for the Swiss. Last year, Larson campaigned Alinghi’s GC32 in the first Bullitt GC32 Racing Tour, losing out to overall winners Sultanate of Oman by a single point, and in 2016 will use his inspira-

EXCITED: Morgan Larson.

tional expertise and experience to give Oman Air their best chance of landing the first Extreme Sailing Series GC32 trophy.

“I feel like I made good friends with the Omani guys and have stayed quite close so it is exciting to be back with Oman Air,” he said.

“Even though the guys just won the 2015 Extreme Sailing Series, I don’t believe we will have a head start because these foiling boats are so different but I have a lot of

FOOTBALL

respect for the guys and feel it an honour to be working with them representing Oman Air.” Pete Greenhalgh, a member of McMillan’s three times champion crew on The Wave, Muscat, continues as boat captain while teammate Sarah Ayton, who became ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year in 2015, will take up the position of Oman Air coach. Omani bowman Nasser Al Mashari and Ed Smyth from Australia will return to action with newcomer James Wierzbowski, the 24 year-old Australian who has campaigned 49ers, Extreme 40s and GC32s.

Oman Air CEO, Paul Gregorowitsch, said: “It is with great pleasure that we announce another Oman Air Extreme Sailing Series campaign in 2016 and with anticipation that we welcome Morgan Larson back to the helm. The Series presents us with superb opportunities to raise awareness of our Oman Air brand and the attractiveness of the Sultanate of Oman in key markets around the globe.”

OMAN CRICKET

OFA to start new grassroots sessions Passage to MUSCAT: The Oman Football Association (OFA) Grassroots team will organise special weekly ‘L’aeeb’ sessions for children of six to eight years and nine to 12 years.

The first phase of the programme, to be conducted under the guidance of AFC Grassroots expert Jamie Houchen, is scheduled to be held on February 2 and 3 in Seeb.

According to information received from the OFA on Tuesday, the programme is aimed at providing the kids with the opportunities to learn the game in a fun and safe environment as well as play in weekly mini matches.

“Sessions will take place between 4.00 pm and 5.30 pm every week, and children of all abilities will enjoy the “mini match” experience playing with different teammates each week, while learning to play the game, socialise with new friends, and take responsibility for their own matches, including keeping scores and refereeing,” the OFA statement said.

The youngest group of players will be playing in four against four matches with level going up to six

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against six and eight against eight as per the age groups.

“Children will benefit from playing the game in a realistic yet scaled down version, and experience the thrill of scoring goals, making tackles, defending and attacking, all within a fun yet competitive environment with no pressure on winning or losing,” the statement added.

The OFA also informed that the association is committed to providing these sessions on a weekly basis free of charge, and are working with community clubs in the regions of Suwaiq, Sohar, Sur, Nizwa and Salalah to establish local OFA approved sessions in each of these communities with a target of 1,000 children playing L’aeeb each week from the ages of six and above.

“Free equipment will also be given to these clubs, provided

by the AFC, UEFA and FIFA acknowledging the OFA’s commitment to developing grassroots football,” the statement said.

“Talented players from these sessions will be offered the opportunity to progress to Club Skill Development Academies as part of the OFA talent development pathway, ensuring that Oman’s next generation of talent has the opportunity to flourish under the watchful eye of OFA coaches.”

Jim Selby, OFA Technical Director, said: “Initiatives like these are absolute key for the OFA, as we need to ensure children from the age of six are provided with quality playing opportunities, within a fun yet challenging environment. They will fall in love with the game, while playing with their friends in the community on a weekly basis, supported by coaches, who are happy for the children to “own” their game, and be supported by them, not restricted by them!”

For registration and other details, contact OFA coach Karim at 98095940.

India defeat Al Turki by six wickets MUSCAT: Passage to India recorded a six-wicket victory over Al Turki in a Muscat Pharmacy and Stores-sponsored Premier Division cricket match at the Ministry of Sports Affairs ground during the evening session on Sunday.

Batting first, Al Turki managed to score just 80 runs for the loss of nine wickets in 20 overs.

Bilal Khan claimed three wickets while Mohammed Bilal and Amir Kaleem claimed two wickets each for Passage to India.

In reply, Passage to India achieved their target in 17.1 overs scoring 82 for four. Benjamin top scored with 26 runs.

Brief scores: Al Turki 80 for 9 in 20 overs (Bilal Khan 3/2) lost to Passage to India 82 for 4 in 17 overs (Benjamin 26). Points: Passage to India 2, Al Turki – 0.

C

SECTION

LIFESTYLE

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016

Leisure WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM

When you feel the blues, get out there and let the sky, the crystal waters change the colours of your mind. Stand Up Paddling (SUP) is gaining popularity as a wonderful leisure sport in Oman over the last couple of years making them affordable to aspiring paddlers.

Story Mohammed Shafeeqe

J

ust toss the board on the water, climb on, paddle and enjoy the calm seawaters off Omani coast or the crystal clear waters in remote wadis. The word is spreading fast: Oman could be the most perfect country for SUP (Stand Up Paddling). While it is the fastest growing watersport in the whole world at present, this leisure sport is gaining momentum in the Sultanate, having taken off as a leisure activity in the early 2000s. Many in Oman are up on their feet with a thirst for fun and have realised this could be a social sport and a full body workout with an added opportunity to explore and enjoy the country.

Stand Up Paddling enables you to get to know the landscapes from a completely new perspective. It feels like walking or running on water. Its name is self-explanatory; the sport involves standing up on a specially designed board while using a paddle to steer and move you along. Often, it has been described as a combination between canoeing or kayaking and surfing.

The paddling boards are very similar to surfboards but they are a little bit longer and tilt-proof. They are similar to surf boards with the exception that you don’t lay on them paddling with your hands.

Instead you stand up and use a long paddle to push yourself across the surface of the water. Standing on top of a SUP board is very comfortable and you can move forward elegantly by using a long paddle.

This water sport is getting more and more popular every day as it is very easy to learn as it trains every single muscle of your body. It is suitable on lakes, wadi waters, and the sea.

Enjoy an unparallelled sense of freedom as you glide along waters while on a stand up paddleboard, with paddle in hand. This sport can be experienced in a number of stunning locations across the country, and will give you a unique, on-the-water perspective of Oman. “I think it is a perfect sport for Oman and specially for the Omani waters, it’s a fast growing sport and we see great potential for it,” says Murtadha Al Lawati, owner of Surf SUP which offers Stand Up Paddling facility in Oman. “In the region the water is perfect for such a sport. Oman in particular offers so many different options

from Wadi’s to beautiful coves and of course the abundance of the natural life. Take Qurum Park for example, we take so many people on tours inside the waterways in the mangroves and it takes you to a whole different side of Oman,” he said. Here in Muscat, besides Surf SUP, OmanSUP offer equipment hire and lessons. With these communities, you can learn to master the techniques required at a range of sites including the sea off Oman cost and pristine wadis, ideal for exploring.

The SUP boards of international quality which would have cost you between OMR500-1200 is now available for OMR300-400 and that too an Omani brand. “We have a great price range of every pocket starting from OMR300 and going up to OMR1000 for the more expensive carbon fibre boards. We pride ourselves on being the only stand up paddle board manufacturer in the Middle East and our boards are of the highest quality and are designed with precision to insure the best performance, says Murtadha.

“By using a paddle board surfers were able to enjoy the water and obtain some exercise simultaneously,” says Murtadha. “People now engage in stand-up paddling to enjoy the water, spend time with friends, and to improve their fitness level,” he explains.

SUP can provide you with a very good overall workout. You will make use of balance and strength in order to remain upright and propel yourself in the water. If you are paddling in the ocean and there are a lot of waves and an ocean current, your workout will be intense.

If you are simply drifting in relatively placid waters, it will not be so hard-core. An additional benefit that SUP provides is that it is a very low impact exercise. Therefore, it is unlikely that you will do damage to the tendons and ligaments of your joints, said Murtadha, adding, It is a very good sport to engage in if you are cross-training since it uses almost all the muscles in the body. SUP is a form of simultaneous aerobic and strength training.

“We have seen a steady growth in both Omani and non Omani ‘suppers’. It’s a great activity for families to enjoy and helps you get away from the hustle of life in a city and get in touch with nature,” he added.

—shafeeq@timesofoman.com

Tours by Surf SUP Qurum Nature Reserve Bander Khayran Nature Reserve Wadi Al Arbeyeen Yanket Cove Tour Price : OMR35 per person (excluding transport) Duration: 160 minutes You want to SUP? Surf SUP Insta : @surfsupoman Facebook/surfsupoman +968 9609 3939 Oman SUP Email: omansup@gmail.com +968 9322 0805

Photos: SurfSUP

Stand Up on Water

C6

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016

FIND-IT-ALL

PRAYER TIMINGS

@BAHJA

@SOHAR

@SUR

Gethu (Action / Thriller) – Tami - PG Cast: Udhayanidhi Stalin, Vikranth 6.45 PM SUR The Fifth Wave (Sci-Fi) (PG12) Cast: Chole Grace Moretz, Nick Robinson, Maika Monroe 5:50 PM Airlift (Hindi) (Drama |History) (12+) Cast: Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur 6:20, 9:20PM 2 Countries (Malayalam) (PG12) Cast: Dilip, Mamata Mohandas 10: 30PM The Boy (Horror | Thriller) (15+) Cast: Lauren Cohan, Rupert Evans 4:00, 8:35, 11.45 PM. Ride Along 2 (Adventure) (15+) Cast: Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, Tika Sumter.

4:30, 7:40PM.

CITY CINEMA Contact (10 am to 6PM) 24567664 | 68 www.citycinemaoman.net facebook.com/citycinemaoman SHATTI The 5th Wave (2D) (Adventure) (PG12) Cast: Chloë Grace Moretz, Nick Robinson 2:30,6:45,11:30 PM The Revenant (2D) (Adventure) (12+) Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy 8:30PM Ride Along 2 (2D) (Action) (15+) Cast: Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, Tika Sumpter 4:45, 9:45, 11:45PM The Hateful Eight (2D) (Crime) (12+) Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell 2:30PM Our Brand is Crisis (2D) (Comedy) (PG) Cast: Sandra Bullock, Billy Bob Thornton 5:45, 7:45PM Dirty Grandpa (2D) (Comedy) (15+) Cast: Robert De Niro, Zac Efron, Zoey Deutch 2:30, 6:45PM The Boy (2D) (Horror | Thriller) (15+) Cast: Lauren Cohan, Rupert Evans 11:30 PM Airlift (2D) (Drama | History | Thriller) (12+) Cast: Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur 4:15, 9:00PM MUSCAT GRAND MALL Dirty Grandpa (Comedy)(15+) Cast : Robert De Niro, Zac Efron, Zoey Deutch 12:15 & 7:30PM Airlift (Drama, History, Thriller) (12+) Cast : Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur 2:15,9:00 & 11:30PM Gold Class - 6:00PM Ride Along 2 (Action | Comedy) 15+ Cast : Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, Tika Sumpter 12:00, 7:00 & 11:30PM Gold Class - 3:30 & 8:30PM The 5th Wave (Adventure | Sci-Fi) PG12 Cast : Chloë Grace Moretz, Nick Robinson

Dirty Grandpa (Comedy) Cast: Robert De Niro, Zac Efron, Zoey Deutch 2.00, 6.00 & 10.00PM CP No : 124 (15+)

Min Dahar Ragel - 2D (Arb) (TBC) Drama Cast: Asser Yassin, Yasmin Raeis 5:50 PM

4:45 & 9:30PM Gold Class - 11:00PM Norm of the North (Animation) PG12 Voice over: Rob Schneider, Heather Graham 3:45PM The Peanut Movie - (Animation) PG Voice Over: (Noah Schnapp, Bill Melendez) 2:00PM The Good Dinosaur-3D (Animation) U 5:30PM PANORAMA MALL Our Brand is Crisis (2D)(PG) Cast : Sandra Bullock, Billy Bob Thornton 2:30 & 6:30PM Airlift (2D)(12+) Cast : Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur 3:30, 6:15, 8:45, 11:15PM Airlift (2D) (12+)-VIP LOUNGE 8:30PM Ride Along 2 (Action, Comedy)(2D)(15+) Cast : Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, Tika Sumpter 2:30, 4:30, 9:30, 11:30PM Ride Along 2 (Action)(2D)-VIP LOUNGE 6:30, 11:00PM The 5th Wave (ci-fi)(MX4D)(PG12)

FROM MUSCAT (RUWI)

2 Countries (Malaylam) – 2D (PG12) Comedy Cast: Dilip, Mamta Mohandas 8:25PM Wazir – 2D (PG12) Hindi| Action| Thriller Cast: Amitabh Bacchan, Farhan Akhtar 4:30, 11:30PM Bajirao Mastani – 2D (PG12) Drama, History Cast: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone 3:15 PM The Revenant – 2D (12+) Drama | Thriller Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy 3:15, 11:45PM

AZAIBA Airlift – 2D (PG12) Drama/ History/ Thriller Cast: Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur 3:00, 5:30, 6:30, 8:00, 10:30, 11:30PM Rajini Murugan (Tamil) – 2D (PG) Comedy Cast: Shivakarthekeyen, Keerthi Suresh 8:35PM Our Brand Is Crisis – 2D (PG) Comedy Cast: Sandra Bullock, Billy Bob Thornton 2:30, 6:15PM Gethu (Tamil) – 2D (PG) Action/ Comedy Cast: Udayanidhi Stalin, Amy Jackson 6:15, 9:00 PM

RUWI Screen 1 Airlift (Action / Thriller) –12+ Cast: Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur 3.30, 6.30, 9.30PM Screen 2 Wazir (Action / Thriller) – PG12 Cast: Amitabh Bacchan, Farhan Akhtar 3.45, 6.45, 9.45 PM Screen 3 Bajirao Mastani (Romance/Drama) – PG12 Cast: Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone 3.45, 9.45 PM

TO MUSCAT (RUWI) Arrival Operating time days

Dept time

Destination

Arrival Operating time days

FROM JAALAN-SUR-QURIYAT (ROUTE 36)

TEMPERATURE

15:00 15:00 15:00

05:30 05:30 05:30

Maximum

16:30 18:00 19:30

Daily Daily Daily

Sur Quriyat Ruwi

06:45 08:30 10:00

TO AL BURAIMI (ROUTE 41)

TO AL BURAIMI (ROUTE 41)

06:30 06:30 08:00 13:00 13:00 16.00 16.00

07:00 07:00 13:30 13:00 13:00 13:00 17:00

Sohar Buraimi Buraimi Sohar Buraimi Sohar Buraimi

08:50 Daily 11:00 Daily 14:30 Daily via Ibri 15:45 Daily 17:40 Daily 18.35 Daily 20:20 Daily

TO SINAW (ROUTE 52) 17:30

Sinaw

Nizwa Yanqul

20:50

Daily

Nizwa Al Araqi

16:50 19:30

Daily Daily

Sur Sur

10:20 12:30

Daily Daily

Fahud Yibal

Daily Daily

Salalah Marmul Salalah Salalah

Daily Daily

Marmul

20:00 20:30 23:30 07:40

Daily Daily Daily Daily

Dubai

16:50

Daily

07:00

Sohar Dubai Sohar Dubai Sohar Dubai

15:40 15:40

Nizwa Ruwi

17:55 20:20

Daily Daily

06:00 14:30

Ruwi Ruwi

10:45 19:00

Daily Daily

12:30 12:30

Fahud Ruwi

13:15 17:30

Daily Daily

07:00 10:00 10:00 19:00

Ruwi Marmul Ruwi Ruwi

19:50 13:15 22:30 07:30

06:00

Marmul

16:30

Daily

Daily

15:00

Salalah

07:00

Daily

Daily Daily Wed,Thur Wed,Thur Daily Daily

07:30 07:30 13:00 13:00 15:30 15:30

Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi

10:50 13:40 16:15 19:10 18:45 21:35

Daily Daily Thur-Fri Thur-Fri Daily Daily

TO DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH & SHARJAH (ROUTE 204)

FROM DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH/SHARJAH (ROUTE 204)

07:00 07:00 07:00

16:00 16.00 16.00

Fujairah Sharjah Dubai

11.45 13.30 14.00

STAR CINEMA Film information 24791641 / 24786776 Website: www.isurf.co.om

2 Countries (Mal) (Drama/Comedy) Cast: Dileep & Mamta Mohandas 3:00, 6:30 & 10:00PM Cinema Main Rajani Murugan (Tamil) ( Com /Rom) Cast: Sivakarthikcyan & Keertht Suresh 3:30, 6:30 & 9:30PM Cinema - 2 Dictator (Telugu) (Action/ Comedy) Cast: Balakrishna & Anjali 3:45PM Cinema -3 & 6:45PM Cinema -4 Airlift (Hindi) (Act\ Thriller) Cast: Akshay Kumar & Nimrat Kaur 6:45 & 9:45PM Cinema- 3 Gethu (Tamil) (Com\ Drama) Cast: Udhanidhi & Amy Jackson 3:45 & 9:45PM Cinema -4

Programmes are subject to change

Minimum

0

RELATIVE HUMIDITY

60-80%

DAKSHA DHARMIK K S January 27, 2009

PALAK RAWAT January 27, 2007

Send us a colour photograph of the child (below 16 years) whose birthday you are celebrating, along with his/her full name, date of birth, address, telephone number and parents’/your name to Times of Oman, With Love, PO Box 770, PC 112, Ruwi or through e-mail to extra@timesofoman.com

Daily Daily Daily

Sharjah Fujairah Ruwi

16:30 18.15 23.00

LISTINGS

ROYAL OMAN POLICE Emergencies and inquiries: 9999 General Directorate of Passport and Residence 24569603 Directorate General of Customs 24521109 Traffic violations inquiries 24510228 Public Relations Admin 24560099 EMBASSIES IN OMAN

Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO DUBAI (ROUTE 201) 08:30 11:30 15:30 18:30 17:35 20:55

SALALAH Dirty Grandpa (2D) (15+) (Comedy) Cast: Robert De Niro, Zac Efron, Zoey Deutch 10:30AM & 3:55PM Ride Along 2 (2D) (15+) (Action | Comedy) Cast: Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, Tika Sumpter 10:45AM, 2:00, 6:50, 9:15 & 11:45PM The Boy (2D) (15+) (Horror, Thriller) Cast: Lauren Cohan, Rupert Evans 5:10, 11:55PM The 5th Wave (2D) (PG12) (Adventure) Cast: Chloe Grace Moretz, Nick Robinson 12:30, 2:40, 7:05PM The Hateful Eight (2D) (12+) (Comedy) Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell 6:05PM Airlift (2D) (12+) (Drama, History, and Thriller) Cast: Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur 11:30AM, 2:45 ,9:15 & 11:15PM 2 Countries (2D) (PG12) (Malayalam) Cast: Dilip, Mamta Mohandas 8:50PM Our Brand is Crisis (2D) (PG12) (Comedy) Cast Sandra Bullock, Billy Bob Thornton 12:40, 4:45PM

SAI JANANI SUBBARAMAN January 27, 2009

Daily Daily

DUBAI TO SALALAH (ROUTE 102)

TO DUBAI (ROUTE 201) 06:00 06:00 13:00 13:00 15:00 15:00

08:40 11:00

TO MARMUL (ROUTE 101)

SALALAH TO DUBAI (ROUTE 102) 15:00

Nizwa Ruwi

TO SALALAH -MARMUL (ROUTE 100)

TO MARMUL (ROUTE 101) 06:00

06:00 06:00

Our Brand Is Crisis: (Comedy / Drama) Cast: Sandra Bullock, Billy Bob Thornton, Anthony Mackie 2.00, 4.00, 8.00 & 11.55PM CP No: 122 (PG) The Boy: (Horror / Thriller) Cast: Lauren Cohan, Rupert Evans, James Russell 4.00, 6.00, 10.00 & 11.55PM CP No: 123 (15+) Dirty Grandpa: (Comedy) Cast: Robert De Niro, Zac Efron, Zoey Deutch 2.00, 6.00 & 10.00PM CP No : 124 (15+) Ride Along 2: (Action / Comedy) Cast: Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, Tika Sumpter 8.00PM CP No: 112 (15+)

Daily

TO YIBAL - FAHUD (ROUTE 62)

10:30 11:15

TO MARMUL-SALALAH (ROUTE 100) 07:00 10:00 10:00 19:00

10:25

TO SUR (ROUTE 55) 12:00 18:45

TO FAHUD - YIBAL (ROUTE 62) 06:30 06:30

Ruwi

BURAIMI Ride Along 2– 2D (Action, Comedy) (15+) Cast: Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, Tika Sumpter 3:15, 5:15, 9:30, 11:30PM The Boy – 2D (Horror, Thriller) (15+) Cast: Lauren Cohan, Rupert Evans 5:00, 11:45PM The 5th Wave – 2D (Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller) (PG12) Cast: Chloë Grace Moretz, Nick Robinson 3:00, 6:00, 9:45PM Rajini Murugan– 2D (Comedy) (PG) Cast: Shivakarthekeyen, Keerthi Suresh 8:00PM Airlift – 2D (Drama, History, Thriller) (12+) Cast: Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur 3:30, 7:00, 11:00PM 2 Countries– 2D (Comedy) (PG12) Cast: Dilip, Mamta Mohandas 6:45PM

Film information 24540856 / Advance Booking 24540855 Website: www.albahjacinemaoman.com

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (ROUTE 54)

TO SUR (ROUTE 55) 07:30 14:30

07:00

BAHJA CINEMA

WITH LOVE

TO YANQUL (ROUTE 54)

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (ROUTE 54) 08:00 08:00

08:55 Daily 11:40 Daily 20:20 Daily via Ibri 14:55 Daily 17:40 Daily 19:20 Daily 22:15 Daily

26 18

Cast: Dilip, Mamta Mohandas 8:45 PM

0

TO SINAW (ROUTE 52)

TO YANQUL (ROUTE 54) 14:30 14:30

Sohar Ruwi Ruwi Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi

Daily Daily Daily

SOHAR The Revenant - 2D (12+) Adventure | Thriller Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy 3:00 PM The 5th Wave - 2D (PG12) | Sci-Fi | Thriller Cast: Chloë Grace Moretz, Nick Robinson 6:30, 9:30, 11:45 PM The Hateful Eight - 2D (12+) Comedy Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell 3:15 PM Ride Along 2 - 2D (15+) Action | Comedy Cast: Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, Tika Sumpter 5:00 , 11:30 PM Airlift - 2D (12+) Drama | History | Thriller Cast: Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur 3:45, 7:00, 8:45, 11:15 PM The Boy - 2D (15+) Horror | Thriller Cast: Lauren Cohan, Rupert Evans 3:00, 11:45 PM Min Dahar Ragel - 2D (Arb) (TBC) Drama Cast: Asser Yassin, Yasmin Raeis 5:50 PM Rajini Murugan - 2D (T) (PG) Comedy Cast: Shivakarthekeyen, Keerthi Suresh 8:30 PM Gethu - 2D (T) (PG )Action | Comedy Cast: Udayanidhi Stalin, Amy Jackson 6:15 PM 2 Countries- 2D (M) (PG) Comedy

WEATHER

QURIYAT - SUR - JAALAN (ROUTE 36) Quriyat Sur Jaalan

The Boy (Horror | Thriller) (15+) Cast: Lauren Cohan, Rupert Evans 4:00, 8:35, 11.45 PM.

Cast : Chloë Grace Moretz, Nick Robinson 3:45, 6:30,8:45, 11:00PM The 5th Wave (Sci-fi)(2D)(PG12) 4:30, 11:30PM The Hateful Eight (Comedy)(2D)(12+) Cast : Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell 6:30PM The Revenant (Adventure, Drama)(2D)(12+) Cast : Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy 8:30PM The Revenant (2D)(12+)-VIP LOUNGE 3:30PM

LONG DISTANCE BUS TIMINGS (OMAN NATIONAL TRANSPORT COMPANY SAOC) *SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Destination

12.24pm 3.32pm 5.54pm 7.08pm 5.31am

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

CINEMA SCHEDULE

Dept time

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

Daily Daily Daily

Afghanistan Algeria Bahrain Bangladesh Brazil Brunei China Cyprus Egypt France Germany India Indonesia Iran Iraq Italy Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya South Korea Kuwait

24698 791/4 24605 593 24 605 074/133 24 698 660 24640100 24 603533 24 696782 24 699815 24 600 982/411 24681 800 24835000 24684500 2469 1050 24 696 944/7 24603642 24693727 24 601 028 24692760/1/3 24 692418 24 697664 24 691490 24 699628

Lebanon Libya Malaysia Morocco Nepal Netherlands Pakistan Palestine Philippines Qatar Russia Saudi Arabia Senegal Somalia South Africa Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Switzerland Syria Tanzania Thailand Tunisia Turkey UAE United Kingdom United States Yemen

24 693208 24603466 24698329/643 24696152/3 24696177 24603706 24603439 24601312 24605335 24 691 153/2/4 24602894 24601705 24694139 24697977 24647300 24691101 24697841/2 24697875 24603267 24697904 24601 174 24 602684/5 24603486 24697050/1/2 24400000 24609000 24643400 24600815

PHARMACIES Round the clock Al Hashar Pharmacy, Ruwi 24783334

Apollo Medical Centre, Hamriya Muscat Pharmacy, Ruwi Salalah Atlas Pharmacy, Ghubra Muscat Region Apollo, Al Hamriya Muscat, A Seeb Market Muscat, Al Khuwair Muscat, Al Hail South Dhofar Region Muscat, Al Nahdha Road, Salalah

24782666 24702542 23291635; 24503585 24787766 24421691 24485740 24537080

23291635

HOSPITALS Al Amal Medical & Health Care Centre 24485052 Atlas Hospital Ruwi 24811743/ Ghubra 24504000 Al Musafir Specialised Medical Clinic 24706453 Hatat Polyclinic LLC, Ruwi 24563641 Azaiba 24499269 Sohar 2683006 Al Raffah Hospital 24618900/1/2 Al Massaraat Clinic & Laboratory 24566435 Al Makook Medical Coordinance Centre 24499434 Apollo Medical Centre,

Hamriya 24787766, 24787780 Capital Polyclinic 24707549 Badr Al Samaa Polyclinic, Ruwi 24799760/1/2 Capital Clinic, Seeb 24420740 Ceregem National Raak 24485633 Dr Harub’s Clinic 24563217 Elixir Health Centre 24565802 Emirates Medical Centre 24604540 1st Chiropractic Centre 24472274 Lifeline Hospital Salalah 23212340 International Medical Centre LLC 24794501/2/3/4/5 Kims Oman Hospital 24760100 24 Hrs Emergency 24760123 Lama Polyclinic, Sohar 26751128 MBD 24799077 Al Khuwair 24478818 Magrabi Eye and Ear Hospital 24568870 Muscat Private Hospital 24583600 Welcare Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, Al Khuwair 24477666 Al-Hayat Polyclinc LLC 22004000 AIRLINE OFFICES Muscat Airport Flight information (24 hours) 24519456/24519223 Aeroflot 24704455 Air Arabia 24700828 Air France 24562153 Air India 24799801

Air New Zealand 24700732 Biman Bangladesh Airlines 24701128 British Airways 24568777 Cathay Pacific 24789818 Egypt Air 24794113 Emirates Air 24404400 Ethiopian Airlines 24660313 Gulf Air 80072424 Indian 24791914 Iran Air 24787423 Japan Airlines 24704455 Jazeera Airways 23294848 Jet Airways 24787248 Kenya Airways 24660300 KML Royal Dutch Airlines 24566737 Kuwait Airways 24701262 LOT Polish Airlines 24796387 Lufthansa 24796692 Malaysian Airlines 24560796 Middle East Airlines 24796680 Oman Air 24531111 Pakistan International Airlines 24792471 Qatar Airways 24771900 Qantas 24559941 Royal Jordanian 24796693 Saudi Arabian Airlines 24789485 Singapore Airlines 24791233 Shaheen Air 24816565 SriLankan Airlines 24784545 Swiss International Airlines 24796692 Thai Airways 24705934

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016

C7

LIFESTYLE THE HOBBYIST Basil Munir Gamer

IN THE NEWS

HAPPY GAMING

Phuket, Pattaya Push Thai Economic Growth Thailand’s dependence on foreign tourists has risen as its exports slump to the lowest in five years.

Exports were about $212 billion last year, a decline of about 6 percent from 2014 and the least since 2010, according to calculations based on December data reported by the Ministry of Commerce.

By contrast, the number of foreign tourists rose 19 percent from a year earlier, to a record 29.9 million, according to the latest forecast by the tourism ministry.

Sparked by a surge in Chinese visitors to seaside resort cities including Phuket and Pattaya, Thai tourist arrivals have more than doubled since 2009. The central bank will give its tradedata report on Friday, in which some economic figures may be revised. — Bloomberg

Gaming has allowed more and more people to connect together

How did you get into it?

Being able to control Mega Man X4, the same hero whom I used to watch on television for 6-8 hours as a child and do all the awesome things that he did, just blew my mind away. I couldn’t wait for the next character. I was going to get my hands on whatever game and tried to do the same. That’s how I got into gaming.

How can one get into it?

Gaming has allowed more and more people to connect. We have a stigma for being lazy people who only play in their rooms and just sloppy all around. But honestly we aren’t. Most of us are doing well in studies, have a job, and are married. We just like to get together and pull out a trick or two in front of our friends so that we all can have fun.

What’s your pro-tip?

Watch someone who is having fun, someone who is trying to improve himself. If you can look at someone who genuinely enjoys what he is doing you’ll see that special sparkle in their

BOOK REVIEW

WARD 402

By Ronald J. Glasser

THE BLURB and the cover picture (old edition 1974) attracted me to this book, which otherwise would have been unnoticed. Ronald Glasser, a doctor by profession, gives his first hand experience that

he confronted in his life as an intern when appointed in Ward-402, the paediatric ward in a hospital.

He faces a lot of real life challenges both medically and morally.

The story starts with the admission of an eleven year old Mary Berquam as an advanced case of leukemia in Ward-402. Though anxious and distressed about their child’s health, her parents preferred a comfortable and painless treatment for her. His encounters with patients, their parent, and his colleagues make the skeleton work of the story. Flesh and blood is added with his deep and sincere relationship towards Mary. Towards the end of the story, he finds that, apart from “lab values, IVs, X-rays there were human concerns — grief and heartache, personal problems, economics, fears, and even anger”.

The doctor’s so called “ethics” is finally surrendered to the commanding words of his senior Dr. Prador and he is forced to obey

his boss. He removes the respiratory plug and allows Mary embrace death as wished by her father —’no more suffering, no pain, enough’.

A sensitive layman reader may find a tear drop as he completes the last page, but he may also find an obstruction in the flow of storytelling because of the frequently used “medical jargons”. Though written decades ago, this book will be a favourite of all times because of the relevance which the theme provides. -Reviewed by Riya Aravind ARE YOU A PROLIFIC READER? Which is your favourite book? Pick one and send in your thoughts on it.

Contact shafeeq@timesofoman.com

eyes. And if that doesn’t motivate you to get better, I honestly don’t believe anything will.

Where in Muscat one can go for gaming or learn it?

I would recommend one place in particular, a place where we game a lot. It is called Waha. It is a gaming zone which is right next to McDonalds in Al Khuwair. This place brought many of the best players in Oman together. There you’ll never leave without having some fun or learning something new about whatever game you’re playing, and who knows, you might even make a friend or two by the time you exit.

—shafeeq@timesofoman.com

Photography: Shabin E

Why do you love gaming?

Gaming makes me happy. If my day is going well, then it’s certainly going to get better. And if the day goes south, then I know I can enjoy a game or two before I get some sleep.

C8

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016

LIFESTYLE

THE 10 BUSIEST AIRPORTS

Over the past decade the number of airports has grown from around 10,000 to over 40,000 around the world including strips, fields, and heliports. The popularity of air travel and the lower budget flightsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; availability has caused an expansion in the number of airports during this time. According to the figures of Airports Council International, these are the top 10 busiest airports in the world by passenger traffic for the year 2015.

RANK

LOCATION/AIRPORT

CODE

TOTAL PASSENGERS

D

W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M W E D N E S DAY, JA N UA RY 2 7, 2 0 1 6

SECTION

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

RENT

D2

VACANCY

D4

CARGO

D7

D2

W E D N E S DAY, JA N UA RY 2 7, 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDE

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

FOR RENT

E t &ůĂƚƐ Θ ^ŚŽǁƌŽŽŵƐ ĨŽƌ ZĞŶƚ 1/2/3 BHK Flats & Showrooms at DƵƩ ƌĂŚ͕ ŶĞĂƌ KŵĂŶ Ň ŽƵƌ ŵŝůůƐ͕ ϭϬ ŵŝŶ͘ ĨƌŽŵ ĐŽƌŶŝĐŚĞ͘ ĞƋƵŝƉƉĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ ƐƉůŝƚͬ ĐĂƐƐĞƩ Ğ ƵŶŝƚ Ɛ͕ ŝŶƚĞƌŶĞƚ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ͕ ĨƌĞĞͲ ƚŽͲĂŝƌ ĚŝƐŚ ĐŽŶŶĞĐƟ ŽŶ͕ ds ŵŽŶŝƚŽƌĞĚ͕ ďĂƐĞŵĞŶƚ ƉĂƌŬŝŶŐ͘ ZĞŶƚ ZK͘ϮϱϬͬϯϱϬͬϰϱϬ ;EĞŐŽƟ ĂďůĞͿ ƉĞƌ ŵŽŶƚŚ͘

*Tourist visa arranged

ŽŶƚĂĐƚ ͗ ϵϵϮϮϵϮϲϯ͖ ϵϯϮϮϭϬϱϰ͖ ϵϱϮϭϱϮϴϵ

Luxury flat for rent in Bareeq Al Shatti building Spacious 2 BHK with sea view, split A/Cs, fixed wardrobes, kitchen appliance.

Near Opera Gallery.

Rent RO.900/- negotiable.

Contact - 94084335 / 96920789

Flat for rent in CBD area - Ruwi Two rooms and a large hall

FOR RENT 2BHK, 3 washroom Flat with Split Air Conditioners Near Lulu Darsait

•Office spaces for rent in Al Hail on the main road On the same building of Al Khamis Shoes at Al Hail •2 bed room flats in Qurum 29 for rent next to ABA New building -split AC - Good location

CONTACT :

Contact No: 96177505

Brand New 4-Bedroom Ground Floor House for Rent in Al-Ansab (Bousher) . Easy access to main road. House is constructed with high quality finishing and elegant doors design. 4 Bedrooms with in-situ bathrooms. Marble floor.

Specious kitchen. For rent @ 600 OMR/Month (Negotiable).

Please contact Mr. Ali 92755663.

93202733 Newly build luxury residential villas for rent in Al Khoud.

Contact: 98116480 / 99447002 & 99358724 Villa 2 room, 1 sitting room, 1 lobby, 2 bathrooms at South Mawalleh behind Discount Supermarket.

Contact: 92757673 / 99388138 Al Khuwair 17/2, 4 rooms, 4 bathrooms. Contact: 97300123

Al Khuwair 33, 3 rooms, 2 bathrooms. Contact: 97300123 Apartments & shops for rent in Al Amerat & brand new apartments & shops for rent in Al Amerat.

Contact: 95965445

1000 sqm industrial land with compound wall & two rooms at Misfah. Contact: 99342733 / 99795241 Flat in Hamriya.

Contact 99341112

Luxurious villa for rent in Al Athaiba, a new luxurious G+2 floors villa in Al Azaibs. All rooms W/ Splt unit ACs, close to Wave Muscat & shopping centers.

Contact: 95965445

02 BHK Commercial / Residential (with split AC) flat at Honda road.

Contact: 99342733 / 99795241 1BHK near Indian school Darsait Junior , 2 room , 2 bathroom , kitchen Monthly rent R.O 225/-.

Contact: 98320476/92459806 Villa for rent in Al Khuwair.

Contact: 96571151

W E D N E S DAY, JA N UA RY 2 7, 2 0 1 6

D3

DAILY GUIDE

FOR RENT

USED VEHICLES FOR SALE

FOR RENT

High quality Warehouses for rent at Mizfa 550 sqm to 3400 sqm.

&KZ Z Ed RUWI : Ware House - 630 M2 SPACIOUS -2 B H K FLATS

NEAR AL FALAJ HOTEL:

Contact

FURNISHED DELUXE 1 B/RM WITH 2 bathrooms, SPLIT A/C, BUILT IN ARDROBRE, PRIVARE TERRACE.

96046951 / 99332291

ŽŶƚĂĐƚ ͗ Ϯϰ ϳϬ ϯϬ ϲϬ

3 Bedroom flat in Wadi Kabeer.

Contact 95755953 / 95555162 BHK apartment for rent in Al Khuwair near Ibis Hotel.

Contact: 95124975 4 BHK with terrace near Raymond Ruwi in market on road.

Contact: 99065900/99354975 Sharing accommodation at Ruwi near family shopping center, please call after 6:00 pm .

Contact: 93394653 02 BHK Residential flat opposite to Al Nahdha hospital.

Contact: 99342733 / 99795241 Empty plot at Al Wadi Al Kabir industrial area 550 sqm.

Contact: 95909020 Bosher Rimal 1, building appt for rent 2BR, Maid room, sitting room, full appliance, kitchen, 4 toilets.

Contact: 99349910 Villa in Al Khoud for staff accommodation, like nurses or teachers can accommodate 30 to 35 people.

Rent RO.1200/-. Contact - 91178282 Single room attach bath with kitchen in Muscat 100/- R.O. Contact: 95094028 A big room available for Muslim couple / small family executive bachelor near Hamriya R/A rent 130/- OMR, including water / Electricity. Contact: 99495131 2BHK modern & spacious flats with split AC for rent in Qurum near PDO Gate No.2.

Contact: 94057023 Flat available in Muttrah Corniche near Gold Souq (4 rooms, 2 bathrooms, 1 kitchen with balcony).

Contact: 24707088 / 91405015

New Deluxe 1,2,3,4 bedroom villas flats Darsait, Ruwi, Al Khuwair.

Contact: 99369081 Family flats in Wadi AL Kabir, Hamriya, Muttrah, Al Khuwair, Ghubrah, Bowshar, Al Hail North & Al Seeb.

Contact: 95250300 / 92125648 New flat in Wadi Kabeer.

Contact: 98185135 Flats two bed room for rent in Al Khuwair. Contact: 96571151 Residential cum commercial 2BHK available in MBD at 280/-.

Contact: 96332793 1& 2 BHK flats for rent at Hamriya Wadi Adai, Al Khoud, Mabela & shop at Al Khoud & land line Contact: 24834644 GSM 93994401/02/03 3 lines Room, toilet and sharing kitchen for family near Azaiba Bank Muscat. Contact: 96755127 1&2 BHK flat in Walja.

Contact: 98218279 New flats for rent at Darsait near to ministry of sports, Mumtaz area the flats include 1 living room, 2 Bedroom, kitchen, 3 toilets every room with split A/C & high Quality finishing, rent per flat is R.O 340/-.

Interested candidates please Contact: 00968- 92225523 3BHK flat for rent in Ghubra.

Contac: 99328070 Flats shops & store for rent in Ruwi, MBD area & Honda road.

Contact: 92589235/ 94579531 Flats in Muttrah.

Contact - 94051789-97201688 Offices in Ghala.

Contact - 94051789-97201688

STORE FOR RENT 500 sqm store with 200 sqft office & 200 sqm covered shed for rent at Mabella Ind No-11 on main road, direct from owner.

CONTACT - 99278002 Commercial flats of 3 & 2 BHK in Al Ghobra North 18 Nov street RO.650/- & 450/Contact – 91776665 600 M2 showroom or office in Bousher in front of Dolphin complex. RO.3.5 per m2.

Contact – 91776665 Brand new 4 BHK villa in Al Fai compound Al Khoud. RO.475/Contact – 91776665 Luxury villa of 5 BHK in Al Khuwair 33 RO.650/Contact – 91776665 Villa of 3 BHK and sitting area in Al Ghobra North. RO.525/Contact – 91776665 Luxury and brand new semi furnished 2 BHK flat in Remalbowsher. RO.550/- Contact – 91776665 Spacious 1 BHK flat in Al Wattaya with all split A/C’s and parking.

RO.300/-Contact – 91776665 Flats in Darsait.

Contact - 94051789-97201688 Flats in WadiKabir.

Contact - 94051789-97201688 Fully Furnished apartments in Boucher (35) Contact - 94051789-97201688 Offices in Qurum opposite City Center. Contact - 9405178997201688 Brand new villas in Al Ansab.

Contact - 94051789-97201688 Offices & Showrooms in Muttrah.

Contact - 94051789-97201688 Mini Furnished Apartment in Qurum. Contact - 9405178997201688

2BHK flat for rent Darsait near ISM. Contact: 95158570 / 99102255 2BHK flats with split AC available for rent at Al Khuwair 33.

Contact: 94057023 Flats for rent 2BHK, 1 BHK with AC new building at Wadi Al Kabir behind Muscat Bakery.

Contact: 92103604

1. Toyota Land Cruiser. Model 2008 in good running condition.

Vehicle regularly serviced by authorized service dealer.

2. Hino 7T Tipper. Model 2010 regularly serviced and in running condition 3. Toyota Yaris. Model 2006 regularly serviced and in running condition Place of inspection: Barka.

Last date of submitting the quotation: 4th February 2016 Interested buyers may please contact on Phone: 26883543, Mobile : 99440306

Flats shops & store for rent in Ruwi MBD Honda road.

Contact: 92433127 / 97293708 Single bedroom flat behind German Embassy near to Al Nahdha Hospital and single bedroom flat near to Indian School Al Ghubrah. Contact: 99203954 2 bedrooms, kitchen, toilet, car park R.O 220/- & 1 bedroom, kitchen, toilet R.O 140 in Al Khuwair. Contact: 95154331

FOR SALE

FOR RENT

Flats available for rent at Al Ghubra. Contact 99876576 & 93656672

Duplex villa in Qurum 29. Contact - 94051789-97201688

2BHK new bldg for families Al Khuwair 17/2. Contact: 91403136

Offices & Showrooms in Al Khoud.

Contact - 94051789-97201688

Flat for rent (Walja) Ruwi 2 rooms, 2 toilets & kitchen for enquiry.

Contact: 95464608 or 95464607

2BHK Sitting room, 3 bathrooms, split AC big balcony 300/- R.O in Wadi Kabeer. Contact: 99324402

2 bedroom centrally air conditioned flat in CBD, Central Bank area. Contact: 24714625 / 99053493

3 BHK flat near Darsait ID medical.

RO 420/- Contact – 99358589 / 97079146 / 95570288

2 BHK near Khamis shoes Honda road Junction. Contact: 99737562 One flats for rent 2 bedroom all with bath al Ghobrah north near Indian school (hot burger restaurant) Tel. 9976610 Flats for rent in Wadi Kabir.

Contact: 99376454

BUILDING

FOR SALE MUMTAZ AREA (NEAR RUWI HOTEL)

CONTACT - 99353931

1BHK Mumtaz R.O 250/-.

Contact: 97799175 / 92144045 600 SQT commercial flat for rent opposite Oman flourmill Darsait more details. Contact:91214849/ 99364735 2 Room + hall & kitchen ,3 toilets in Bareeq Al Shatti 750 RO. Contact: 99314314

Brand new Twin Villas in Mawaleh South 4BR; 2Halls; External Kitchen and Maids room.

Contact: 99414106

7 Bedrooms villa in Ghobrah North. Contact - 96420432

Flat for Rent 1/2 BHK Flat at Muttrah, near Oman flour mills, 10 min. from Corniche.Equipped with split unit ACs, internet points, free-to-air dish connection, CCTV monitored, basement parking.

Rent RO.250/350 per month.

Contact:99229263; 93221054; 95215289

1,2 BHK Ghubra R.O 300/-, 325/& 350/-. Contact: 97799175

Profs/ Jack. Contact 93219378

1BHK flat near Star Cinema 220/Contact 99358589 /95570288 Single BHK flat available in Honda road Ruwi. Contact: 24833972/ 24833974/ 99367448

Household items & furniture in excellent condition for sale. Indian expat leaving for good.

Contact Ravi : 93380408 Beauty Salon for urgent sale in Azaiba prime location behind Al Fardan building. With sponsor and 1 staff and 1 ready visa clearance. Call: 95318629 / 95169411 Kingsize 7x7 double cot, dining table good as new.

Contact: 98796982 Restaurant items for sale.

Contact: 96772479 /98428507 Filling material for sale in Muscat. Contact: 93299940 CONTD on pg 6

D4

W E D N E S DAY, JA N UA RY 2 7, 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT Wanted female GP, female Gynecologist, female Staff Nurse, female X- Ray Technician With MOH license for Al Saadi Specialized Medical Centre in Musanna.

Contact -91262604 Email: chillapalli76@gmail.com

Well reputed Marble Company looking for

3 SALESMEN Requires minimum 3 years experience and valid Omani driving license.

Interested candidates please Fax your CV to 24601724 or Email on saab2803@gmail.com

SITUATION VACANT (Omani Candidates only) Required Store Keeper to manage an office store in Ghala Minimum 5 years experience handling stores with working knowledge of English

Send CV to oman.newvacancy@gmail.com

SALES / MARKETING Urgently required

SKILLED LABOR

Experienced Sales Man

Immediate Requirements for experienced Tailors (Designer wears, casual clothing). Please call for interview 99471085

for Al-Rawas Marble & Granite.

Located at Al Rusayl Industrial.

Please forward your cv at oure mail :

We are looking for Chief Financial Officer, Male 40- 45 years old, Bachelor of Science in Accountancy with 5 - 15 yrs. of experience. Contact: +968 24702133 Email: admin-dept@daud.om

BEAUTY Beauty expert required to work in Salon in Al Amerat.

Contact : 93336061

CATERING Chinese / Arab/ Grill, cooks.

Contact: 95529970 Wanted experienced English speaking Continental Cook for reputed house in Qurum.

Contact 99466062

DESIGNER FASHION DESIGNER specializing in western attire and traditional wear required for a Boutique in Capital area. Female candidates with 4 to 5 years experience in GCC are advised to revert at 9321 8210 or jiby@mpesllc.com

DOMESTIC HELP Housemaid required for Keralite family. Contact 95405033 Looking for housemaid urgently clearance available good salary yearly ticket. TEL 24446920 / 99238121, mail: ravi.ztc@omzest.com

DRIVER Wanted Driver. Contact: 91025698

DRIVER Required Full Time Light Driver for an Omani Family. Indian or Philippine national are preferred.

Send SMS only to 97711577 Reputed Construction Company require experienced light Vehicle Driver. Contact 95526871

ENGINEER/TECH/MECH Urgently required building Technician for inquiries.

Contact: 98111363 Civil Site Supervisor for telecom tower projects across Oman. Send CV to fyjo@spec-link.com or call +968 9946 7227 Required Maintenance Technician (male - 1) - should have knowledge of new devices & 3 years Oman experience.

Contact: 94441111 Send CV to email: gsheild9@gmail.com

MEDICAL Orthopedician, Nurses, Physiotherapist, Asst. Pharmacist, Gynecologists to work in a clinic at sur. M/F, any nationality with MOH license or prometric pass 60% and above can apply to rcsphysiotherapy@gmail.com

ADMIN

mahmood@rmgoman.com

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URGENTLY REQUIRED Qualified & experienced male B.SC holder

CIVIL ENGINEER ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED

With 10 -15 years experience for a Muscat based well known construction company.

Email: alfayafy@outlook.com Fax: 24479675 MEDICAL Require LAB TECHNICIAN ,The desired candidate must be a graduate/diploma in Civil Engineering with minimum experience of 3 to 5 years as Lab Technician having Experience of testing construction materials on Building/ Road projects. Send your CV to: rakesh@uniqueom.com.

Required X RAY Technician, Lab Technician, General Practitioner, Gynecology, Staff Nurses.

Contact: 95133572 Email: kunoozghala@gmail.com Wanted GP Doctor with MOH license, job location in Muscat with good salary and benefits.

Drop your cv at 0careerhr1972@gmail.com.

Wanted B- Pharmacist (female) for a pharmacy in Sohar.

Contact : 99767605 Wanted Manager and Doctor for 25 year old well running clinic in Amerat. Tel 99024340 E mail drtkjoseph50@ gmail.com Urgently required GP, Gynecologist, Dentist, Staff Nurse, Lab Technician, Pharmacist, For a medical centre in Muscat.

Tel: 92603863 Email : ruwistar@hotmail.com.

Urgently required Office Staff/ Manager for medical equipment import office in Ruwi.

Tel: 92603863 Email: ruwistar@hotmail.com Wanted Gynecologist, General Practitioner, Assistant Pharmacist for immediate appointment.

Contact 97884856/ mail CV to – sarita_h23@yahoo.com Wanted urgently lady Doctor GP or DGO for immediate appointment. Contact : 99310590 Email: tjmaluke@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS Urgently required for a reputed company in Oman (Tyre, Battery & Lubricant division) Sr. Executives/Executive-5 nos (Sohar, Nizwa & Muscat), Techno Commercial Professional-5nos, Driver (Omani)-1no. Required minimum 3-5 yrs experience in the same field with market exposure holding valid Omani driving license or GCC. Kindly fwd your CV’s to ashwin@taasintl.org Contact: (+968)93891700 Furniture company urgently required : 2 Outdoor sales people, 1 Interior designer. Previous experience in furniture field will be an added advantage. Interested candidates please send CV : Email : batrading2014@gmail.com Photographer lady with experience in Photoshop and editing video. Visa available.

Contact 92073780

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Urgent Requirement

SALES LADY For Jewellery Showroom 1. Two years experience in sales.

2. NOC is must.

3. Arabic speaking advantage.

(Send CV with current picture)

Email: vacancy299@gmail.com MISCELLANEOUS Sales Ladies wanted for Ladies Boutique. Age: 20-35 yrs. Al Khoudh. Call -91159905 Send CV to sameer916@hotmail.com

SALES / MARKETING Wanted Sales Supervisor with Oman experience in FMCG for a reputed company. Send your C.V to our email: recruityarek@gmail.com Salesman require for building material with driving license & 10 years working experience.

Fax your C.V 24833043.

(Mustafa Hardware Store) SALES CO ORDINATOR ( male/ female) Preferably Omani (For Private Trading Company Deals in to Oil & Gas Equipments). Candidate should be Graduate with 2 Years of Experience (Preferred) & Fluent in English with having strong written Communication Skills with sound knowledge of Computer. Send CVrecruit_54@yahoo.com OR Contact on gsm : 99681448 Required Philippine Sales lady for women’s shoes and bags store.

Arabic speaking advantage.

Send CV with current picture.

Email: markato.fashion@gmail.com Required Salesman for Electronic & mobile devices (male - 2) should have 3 years Oman experience. Contact: 94441111.

Send CV to email: gsheild9@gmail.com An excellent Grade company requires experience Salesman for indoor and outdoor with Oman driving license. Mail your CV to salesppeoman@gmail.com Sales for a printing press Whatsapp Only. Contact: 95955729

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE Required SECRETARY ( FEMALE) Preferably Omani (For Private Trading Company Deals in to Oil & Gas Equipments). Candidate should be Graduate with 2 Years of Experience (Preferred) & Fluent in English with having strong written Communication Skills and sound knowledge of Computer. Interested Candidate may apply to : recruit_54@yahoo.com OR Contact#: 99681448

Indian female, M.Tech electronics 6.5 IELTS experience as VLSI / Electronics project trainer & institute administration currently in family visa. Contact: 90195131 /24551290 Email: chinj.89@gmail.com Indian female Graduate 7 years as Secretary Office Assistant Admin seeks placement.

Contact: 99073789 Indian female PGDHRM MSW having 5+ experience in HR Assistant Administration customer support good computer skill DOA, CIT Tally now on family visit visa looking for suitable position. Contact: 95352527 Indian female 25 years Graduates in BBM (HR) currently on visit visa looking for suitable job.

Contact: 92065248 Email: bibinnj47@gmail.com young Omani male have experience 12 years as P.R.O , Clerk helper supervisor Admin supervisor , H.R Manager have diploma in H.S.E, IT and P.D.O license looking for H.R position or P.R.O license . Looking for H.R position or P.R.O part time or full time. Contact: 95933288 Indian having more than 10 years experience (7 years in UAE) as project secretary, document controller, site administrator, site store keeper on visit seek suitable placement. Contact 92196001 14 years of Gulf experience in HR/ Admin & logistics fluent in Arabic & English with D/L looking for suitable position, NOC available.

Contact: 95824598 Indian male MBA- UK 18 yrs Gulf exp in Administration/ HR & Public relationship. Fluent in Arabic/ English with D/L. Looking for suitable position. Contact - 99897280 Filipino male with 13 years HR and Administration managerial experience. MBA & CIPD holder. Currently looking for job in Oman. Interested employer pls call 97728418.

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

Contact: 90196235 Indian female 27 yrs with 5 yrs HR /Admin experience seeking suitable placement with valid Oman driving license.

Contact: 98236033 Indian female, Masters in HR, having 4 + years Oman experience in media management and HR, looking for openings in HR, Education, Admin, Corporate communications. Contact 98252030

ARCHITECT 20+ years experience Architect M.B.A 10 years Muscat experience (local transfer) looking for job opportunity. Contact: 91709408 / 92981814

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Total 24 yrs exp. 15 years served Oman LLC SAOG, SAOC Contracting, trading manufacturing company as Finance Commercial Manager looks after finance logistics, procurement, ERP, oracle, tally focus internal control implementation B.Com PGDBM, ICWA (Inter).

Contact: 91721545 / 95788723, mail: manojpanda111@hotmail.com Indian male, MBA (finance), 1 year experience in Oman having Oman D/L and NOC on visit visa looking for a suitable job.

Contact 94109375 Indian Male Accountant 10yrs Exp. in OMAN Retail & Furniture Co. (Release Available) GSM.92564955 Indian male MBA finance 12 years experience in Oman as Accounts / Admin manger, seeks suitable placement on visit visa. Can join immediately. Contact: 96055815 Email:shaikhussain111@gmail. com

SITUATION WANTED ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Part Time Accounting, Accounts Finalization as per IFRS, Audit Preparation, Cost Control and Management, Training for Accountants, Internal Audit, Accounting System for New Companies, Contact: 96975454, email:ibfc.gcc@gmail.com Indian male having good experience in accounts and in accounting and in accounting software’s ready to join immediately.

Contact: +91 9444965126 15 years experienced in finance & treasury management CPA, CMA, ACCA, MBA, qualified Chartered Accountant available for immediate joining as head of finance, financial advisor, financed consultant.

Contact: 94872345 Email: mfta27@gmail.com Indian male B.com accountant with 9 years ( 8 yr Oman) experience seeking suitable placement immediately ( NOC available ).

Contact: 98624850 Female Accountant Indian with 3 years exp in Oman looking for suitable job. Contact: 98418533/ 99338639 Chief Accountant Indian male 44 years B.Com Graduate PGDVA total 13 years in GCC, 7 years in Oman & knowledge in Tally, ERP9, Peachtree MS Office having NOC seeks placement Contact: 97060826 Email: tomnedum71@yahoo.co.in Accountant MBA (finance) masters (accounting) 2 yrs Exp looking for suitable placement, having NOC & valid D/L .

Contact: 92491009, Email: rasubiswas4@gmail.com Young 24, ACCA affiliate, Advanced diploma in Accounting and Business, seeking suitable placement in Accounts, Finance or audit With valid driving license.

Contact - 92430152, Email - rau_dey@yahoo.com Part time Accountant, up to finalization, looking for job after 5pm (location prefer – MSQ to Al Hail). Contact: 95694737 Finance & Accounts Indian male 35 years B.Com MBA (F) 7 years experience tally ERP9 with valid D/L family visa.

Contact: 93257426 / 95230114 Email: sibigeorgep@gmail.com Indian male B.Com with 1 year experience in Oman as Account having driving license seeks suitable placement.

Contact: 93415880 Email: nithin_thomas1992@hotmail.com Chartered Accountant with 1.5 years of experience looking for job. Currently in Oman on visit visa. Contact - 91520687 Email: murtazanmh@gmail.com Accounting Assistant, BBA, M. Com (pursuing), tally, peach tree, valid visa available.

Contact : 98269281 Indian male (25) B.com 6 years experience in accountant seeking suitable placement accountant, admin, sales visit visa.

Contact: 98437731 Email: faisadcpsy@gmail.com

Indian male, 28, Post Graduate, 6 years exp. in Oman in Sales and Credit Control , with valid Oman D/L looking for suitable placements.

NOC available. Ph: 9206 6523 Indian male good experienced in Accounts, ERP Tally 9 & Admin in India & Oman, presently on visit visa, looking for suitable placement.

Contact 94834687 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 Finance & accounts 25 years Oman experienced WHO can handle accounts up to finalization job costing, receivable payable age wise analysis and timely followers with D/L & NOC. Contact: 94070799 Indian Accountant well experienced in construction accounts (Financial and Cost) and also administration and HR seek suitable placement (Full/Part time) in Oman or UAE. Contact 98598099 Part time accounts qualified experience accountant.

Contact: 91126314 Accountant / account assistant, BBA, M.Com, Tally, Peach tree on valid visa in Oman. #98269281 SENIOR ACCOUNTANT-M. Com Finance-Indian with 7 years experience in Finance & Accounts up to finalization. Currently employed in Oman. Having D/L & NOC. Mob: 94122464, Email: cammk13@gmail.com 28/male/MBA - finance/B.Com Accountant with 4 years of Dubai/ India experience looking for a suitable placement. #90187483 shobinkarikkan1987@gmail.com SENIOR ACCOUNTANT, with 13yrs experience, 6 yrs Oman in manufacturing, trading & contracting Cos, capable of handling all accounting, finance, banking, L/C, import, export & finalization seeks placement. NOC Available.

Call+968-98932752, mail:jjohnmuscat@hotmail.com Financial Accounting Manager having working experience 24 years looking job in construction or manufacturing companies 8 years working in Muscat expecting family status with good compensation. Contact: 95919546.

Indian lady, bachelor degree in Preparatory Programme (BPP) and Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), completed training course in MS Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook from KTI looking for full time / part time job opportunity in Oman.

Contact 92437568, 96795853, Email: linda_navs@yahoo.com Part-time accounting, tax report, auditing & bank loan assistance.

Contact 91720465

CATERING Cooks (Arabic Indian) gulf exp looking job. Contact: 99531802

DOMESTIC HELP Looking full time job. # 99153378

W E D N E S DAY, JA N UA RY 2 7, 2 0 1 6

D5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED

Senior Management Executive With over 18 years of experience in Retail, Distribution, FMCG & Electronics across GCC markets seeks GM / VP / Vertical Head position for Group Companies Management and P&L deliveries.

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Contact +968 9791 2950 cxogcc@gmail.com

DRIVER Experienced Light Duty Driver, Fluent in English, Arabic Well knowledge of Oman Areas Seeking Suitable placement Contact 97950869 Bangladeshi driver want job.

Contact: 93822195 Looking for driver job with own car, education, B.A, can speak English, Arabic, Urdu & Hindi.

Contact: 96728056 / 98031620 Light driver looking for job experience in Oman 6 years & K.S.A 5 years’ education H.S.C. Contact: 93940319 Omani male need driver job for part time. Contact: 92296607 Light duty driver experience 4 years suitable job. Can speak English, Arabic & Hindi.

Contact: 98393692 Driver with car looking for job or part time. Contact: 96023492 Light driver need job knows English, Hindi & Arabic.

Contact: 92820309 Light driver need job 4 years exp English & Arabia speaking.

Contact: 94208089 Job for driving.

Contact: 98982410 27 years, 1 year experience, with D/L. Contact: 97369716 Indian young smart driver 5 years Oman exp speaking English Arabic, Hindi looking for job.

Contact: 94524433 Light driver Ruwi.

Contact: 95779594 Pakistani male light driver 10 yrs in UAE & 1 yr in Oman.

Contact: 93709393 Driver (light & heavy duty) valid gulf /Indian) looking job.

Contact: 95175192 Driver with new car looking for job.contact: 95873286 Light driver looking for job.

Contact: 95219183

DESIGNER/DRAUGHTSMAN Civil AutoCAD Draughts man 5 years experience on visit visa.

Contact: 99759284 Email: ahmedimran945@gmail.com A lady entrepreneur with BF Tech 1st Class (Fashion Technology) since 2006 in Kerala like to make change for better. Specialized in designing, Production Management, Fashion Art, Grading, Surface ornamentation, Garment Construction.

Email: prettyjinu08@gmail.com Mobile: +919539397097.

Interior designer Indian male with 4 years experience / 3Ds Max, AutoCAD .Now on visit visa seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 94886507 Email: vizhue07@gmail.com 25 years male BA. English , Qualified as mast in digital animation having 5 yrs ex in character animation specialized Auto Desk mago and motion building software knowledge, seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 97917357

EDUCATION Indian female masters in computer science and Engineering B.Tech in information technology , M.B.A ( Systems) 3 years experience teaching in college , having good knowledge in C++ , java oracle now on visit visa looking for openings in Educational institutions.

Contact: 91812419/96935426 Email: anorelindhinesh@gmail.com

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ENGG. / TECH./MECH.

B.Tech Mechanical, Diploma in industrial health and safety, NEBOSH (IGC) , working experience 4 years (Construction, oil and Gas) .

Contact: 94750413 Email: shilpaneapen@gmail.com Indian female (B.Tech/ Mechanical Engineering) 4 yrs Oman experience in project coordination in water, sewerage and infrastructure sector , Having valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement.

Local release available.

Contact: 95297449 B.Tech Chartered Electrical Engineer, AMIEI with 5 years of experience in electrical power transmission and distribution in industrial, residential & commercial sectors. Expertise in load designing BOQ, Estimations, transformer and switchgear selections. Leadership skills in project execution & management.

Contact: 94638744 Email: ceng.shaz@gmail.com Computer Network and Hardware Engineer with driving license and 20 years of experience in Oman looking for a suitable position.

Contact: 98388431 Email: nwengineer@outlook.com B. Sc Civil Engineer, having 27 yrs Oman experience as Project Manager, Structure Engineer looking for suitable placement, consulting, contracting co. NOC & local transfer available. Contact : 99399578 Email: farooqatm@hotmail.com Indian male 26 yrs BE- Mechanical Engineering, CSWIP 3.1 certified welding inspector + ASNT level in UT, RT, MPT, LPT with 3.5 yrs experience in QC InspectorWelding. Looking for a suitable job.

E-mail: rahmanmech2@gmail.com Sri Lanka (BSC) quantity surveyor, having 3 years GCC experience is looking for a suitable placement 1 such as QS/ Contract administrator / estimator / project coordinator has knowledge in Fidic and construction standard available in visit visa. Contact: 96301107 /94292198 Email: faisfareed@gmail.com Indian female Computer Science Engineer having two years experience in teaching and programming C .CCP Java VB HTML, Sql, Php currently on visit visa seeks suitable placement. Contact: 91168733 Syrian Civil Engineer graduated 2012, 1 year experience in Oman.

Contact: 92967785 Aeronautical Engineer with MBA in Operations Management having 4 yrs experience in reputed Aviation & Oil Companies, now on visit.

Contact 91864047 / 92791625 B.E .Mechanical Engineer Indian over 4 yrs of exp in HVAC design auto cad drafting on visit visa .

Contact 90305596. Email: shaikrizwan330@gmail.com 7 years teaching experience in Political Science at University level, 5 years experience as Intellectual property lawer 20 years experience of Arabic / English visa versa , translation / interpretation / Editing , 20 years of experience in management, Tri lingual (Arabic / English / French) Contact : 92175153 B.Tech Civil, 25 yrs female, 3 yrs exp in qty survey have valid GCC license. Contact: 91309475 Indian male 5 years experience in piping (Site Engineer / Supervisor) Indian and Oman (PDO Project) & looking for suitable post currently on visiting visa, NOC available.

Contact: 94258289 Email: nidhishgopinathan@gmail.com Road and Construction Engineer with 5 years exp in Oman.

Contact: 97667113 B.Tech Mechanical Engineer fresh graduate, on visit visa looking for job, who has done certification courses in quality control, basic pipeline engineering, ASNT NDT level ii , also good knowledge in HVAC. Contact:94743373 email:akasharavind1@gmail.com

Indian male Electrical Engineer with MBA (Mktg) having 4 and half years experience in technical commercial and marketing fields with valid GCC D/L, NOC available seeking placement.

Contact: + 968 96547828 Email: deva0234@gmail.com

Civil Engineer 8 years experience in Oman as a project engineer for governmental & private projects.

Contact – 90164912

Mechanical Engineer (B.Tech) with 2 and half years experience Indian male 24 years in visit visa. Contact: 96620482 / + 91 9605423272 Email: bijumonps@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: 92835952. E-mail: mohammedamair.bin@gmail.com

B.Tech (IT) Indian Male 2 years Oman experience in I.T & Networking, holding Oman Driving License, presently on employment visa, seeks for a suitable placement.

Ready to join immediately. NOC available. Contact: 92462578

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

Electrical & Instrumentation Engineer, Gulf Experience, 3 Year, Immediately available.

Contact- 95691800 Email: fasalf@gmail.com

Indian male electrical engineer having 3 yrs exp in industrial electrical machine maintenance & data center facilities management looking for suitable placement (NOC available). Contact :99381733 Email : shihab4eee@gmail.com

Civil Engineer 8 years experience Structural buildings marine. Available NOC release. Contact: 92451323.

Email: zubairali134@yahoo.com Civil Engineer diploma, 4 yrsexp seeks suitable position ina reputed company. NOC available.

Contact – 96789711 Sudanese Civil Structure Engineer, 3 years experience with residence and Omani license, good at AutoCAD Etabs Staad. Pro looking for suitable job. Contact: 97906770 Civil Engineer 3 years diploma holder having 7 years experience, building construction & oil & gas field with driving license.

Contact: 93294965 Mechatronics Engineer 26, MSc with 3 years industrial experience, looking for suitable placement.

NOC available. Contact 94887665 Email: mechatron_mt@yahoo.com Electrical Engineer Indian (29) , 7 years exp in Oman, 33KV, 11 KV projects in MZEC & MEDC having CEP 1 & NOC with D/L. Contact: 99822373 Sr.HSE Engineer (B.E Mech+ Diploma Safety + NEBOSH+OSHA) over 10yrs. Exp, (Visa Release/Transfer Letter (NOC) available), seeking suitable placement.

Contact - 97061817, Email: jayanammu1977@gmail.com Highly experienced mechanical/ steel structural fabrication engineer looking for suitable placement. NOC available.

Contact: 99860714, hussain20173@gmail.com.

Networking Engineer having 10 years experience with 3 years in Oman having valid driving license and NOC, presently in Oman needs immediate placement.

Contact - 95783383 10 years experience in Dubai & Bangladeshi as a BSC Engineer on structural designer & construction having Dubai municipality approval & driving license. Contact: 91206763 Future 008801758846027 Email: engr. masud.civil.@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer (B.Tech) Indian male, with good knowledge in HVAC on visit visa looking for suitable placement. Contact: 90154793 Email: sangu.vazhoor@gmail.com HSE & Fire Safety Engineer 4 years experience air port operational safety, power & chemical industry. Contact: 94374241 Electrical Engineer B.Tech with 4 yrs experience in India available on visit visa looking for suitable placement. Contact: 94741401 mail: sobinthomask05@gmail.com

Indian male Diploma Civil Engineer have 1 yr. experience, on visit visa looking for suitable job (certificate attested).

Contact: 92667406 / 99210411, Email : manojgvh@gmail.com Indian Male 23 years B.Tech Civil having 2 years experience in quantity survey and site management looking for suitable placement. Contact:- 95042656 Sudanese Telecom Engineer, 5 years experience, 3 years in Oman PMP certificate.

Contact: 93391008 Email: momen.awadallam@gmail.com Sudanese Structure Civil Engineer 2 years experience resident Omani license. Contact: 94393880 Civil Engineer / QS engineer, 9 years experience in Oman freelance visa, searching for a suitable job in Oman. Contact: 97299165 Need job for experienced mason, electrician & welder.

Contact: 93015630 Telecom Engineer and HSE Advisor with 6 years experience in Oman with PDO requirement, fluent in Arabic and English with valid driving license searching for job. Contact: 96355678 16+ yrs of Techno commercial experience in ELV systems seeking suitable position in mid management level. Local release available. Contact: 98143907 Email: mazher2005@yahoo.com M.Tech in Manufacturing Engineering with 2 years of experience, on visiting visa looking for a suitable job. Contact: 91417949 Email: dannyrangde@gmail.com BE Mech specialization welding technology 11 yrs quality cont Engineer by Steel Cons EPL Installation desalination plant (Gulf). Contact: 96603299 Electrical Engineer: Indian male, 30 yrs having 5 yrs of experience in industrial automation & utility maintenance in India (MRF tyres), holding valid Oman D/L. Contact 92789995, email : akhilabrahamlktr@gmail.com Instrument Engineer B.Tech Indian male, 24 yrs, 1 yrs experience in reputed oil & gas companies, currently on visit visa, seeks suitable job. Contact: 92007218 Email: ahmed0515@gmail.com Civil Engineer 6 yrs Exp in Oman with license. Contact: 98975518

7 Yrs Exp. PM in Mech. Engg in the field of Building Const. Oil & Gas Seeking Job.94625598

Civil Engineer (Diploma) having 11 years experience in building construction, looking for a suitable placement , having Oman driving license. Noc available.

Contact: 95075365 Email: azharraaz@gmail.com

Indian female civil engineer B.Tech having 3 years experience sound knowledge of software, REVIT STAD PRO structural detailing currently on family visa seeks suitable placement. Contact: 95345591

Civil Engineer diploma holder having 7 years experience of Site Engineer with valid Omani D/L looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 93294965 Email: hamza.nazeer717@gmail.com

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ENGG. / TECH./MECH.

IT

Civil Engineer 11 years experience in construction having driving license & NOC. Contact: 94194399 Email: shiblyrock@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer male 26 yrs, with 4 yrs of experience in manufacturing oil & gas retail, brand promoting, marketing, logistics having valid Omani D/L seeking for a suitable placement. Contact: 97098676 Email: ja237le@gmail.com Indian male, Mechanical Engineer having 1year experience, on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact:97416564, Email:jovinmathias@gmail.com Procurement Engineer (27 years single male with Oman Driving License) having 7 years experience (UAE 2, Oman 3) with expertise in MEP, Water, Electromechanical, Instrumentation seeking suitable placements. Contact 95852033, mail: hemal1988@gmail.com Indian Electrical Engineer Btech, female 24 seeking job, presently in oman having 2 year experience in design and estimation of Ht &Lt projects. Contact 968 97436557, Mail id : sibinanoop1@gmail.com Electrical Engineer with 18 years exp in UAE. Contact: 98148034 Email: shassalih66@gmail.com Diploma in Electronics, 2 years exp in telecommunication.

Contact: 94519571 Email: telecommunicationvishnumadhull @gmail.com Civil Engineer (BE) having total 5 years experience in building construction looking for a suitable placement. D/L available Contact# 94450270 Diploma in Mechanical Eng piping system in AutoCAD work, 21+ years experience with Driving license. Contact: 95267113 Email: rkakkaryil@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer M.Tech 2 years experience HVAC design & site Engg revit MEP Auto CAD. Contact: 90150913 Email: mahmanmechengg@yahoo.im Bachelor Civil Engineer 6 Years in Oman experience Valid Driving License seeks suitable placement Phone 97619722 Email – golamrob@yahoo.com Mechanical Engineer with 3 Yrs experience in international Oil & Gas company looking for job Contacts: Tel: 90164236 Email: mustafaoshi-62@hotmail.com Sudanese Architectural Engineer 2 years experience in Oman, Revit, AutoCAD 3Ds max Archicad looking for suitable job.

Contact: 94722356 Email: maya40999@hotmail.com Sri Lankan Engineer (27 Years old) – B.Sc Engineering (Hon) Mining / Geotechnical Presently in Muscat, 1.5 years experience.

Contact 91295802 / acmfaslan123@gmail.com Indian female, 31 yrs, 7 yrs experienced as AutoCAD civil draftsman (2 yrs experience in Oman) currently in Oman seeks suitable.

Contact 96789441 Email: simi5304@gmail.com

HOSPITALITY Indian male B.A Degree & diploma in hotel management with 16 years experience as restaurant & catering manager in Oman & Saudi with V/L Oman D/L seeks suitable placement. Contact: 92100141 Hospitality/Hotel/ Restaurants Dynamic result oriented hospitality professional with 20 years of international exp. MBA in Hotel Management, specializing in Hotel/Restaurant start ups, concepts & Franchise development with proven records. Seeking for Challenging positions in reputed groups as GM/COO/CEO/Business Head. (NOC available) #96059470

A young CA (ACA & ACCA qualified) with 4 years experience in one of top audit firms in UK & KSA seeks suitable placement in Oman. Contact: Kamran hkamran112@gmail.com, +44 7480 1196 74/ +968 93595050 Indian male B.E ECE 25 yrs with 2 years experience in Networking MCITP CISCO certified AutoCAD searching for suitable placement.

Contact: 90189537 Indian female MCA Graduate, holding valid driving license seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 99466062 Hardware & networking, 2 years exp. Contact: 96244031 Indian female (30 yrs) , BCA , MCA,ASP NET certification, SAP ABAP certification 2 yrs experience, seeking placement family visa. Contact: 99109121 Email: ashamaryphilip@gmail.com SAP consultant with experience in SD, MM & PM on visit visa in Oman searching for job.

Contact 92824632 Indian male 26 years with BBA, tally and hard ware networking, having 3 years of experience as an accountant, seeking for suitable placement. Contact: 98201244 5yrs experience in software and 1yr in admin, looking for a part-time or work from home jobs Contact: 91711326 Indian male (28) MCA 6 yrs experienced Oracle 10g, 6I, PL / SQL forms / reports seeking job in IT sector now on visit visa.

Contact 91475059 Email: maridurai19@yahoo.com Sudanese Network Administrator 1 year experience with (MCSA, CCNA, CCNP) have valid driving license. Contact: 92394485 Network Engineer degree Computer Science CCNA, MCSA experience NOC. Content: 92346191 Indian male 26 years BSC IT with 4 years experience currently on visit visa looking for IT support job knowledge of networking, programming languages, windows / Linux environment.

Contact: +968 95369856 / 24781651 Email: mark.tony.alphonso@hotmail.com Dynamics AX 2009 / 2012 R2/ R3 Microsoft certified professional MCA & BCA Having 15 yrs of total exp & 6 yrs of relevant exp seeking for suitable position. NOC is available. Contact: 93469493 Email: axcertprof@gmail.com Indian Male, IT System Engineer having 4 yrs of experience in system administration.CCNA,MCSE, Linux. Looking for suitable job.

Contact :91272867 10 years Oman experience ICT Sector, capable of handling large accounts, looking for suitable Senior Executive position.

Contact: 98987654

MEDICAL Male Indian Dentist BDS with 9 years experience, prometric exam cleared, looking for job.

Contact 97768187/ vermanikhil492@gmail.com.

Indian female BDS with MOH license looking for job.

Contact 95347894 Female Ayurvedic therapist.

Contact: 97263637 Male nurse MOH licensed having NOC completed BLS, ACLS total 6 yrs exp seeking suitable job, join at anytime .

Contact : 91322744 An experienced Sudanese female Dentist with MOH license looking for job. Contact 96436517 /97396088

D6

W E D N E S DAY, JA N UA RY 2 7, 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 MANAGER Procurement Manager / Commercial Manager / G.M Indian male having 26 years of experience in Import, procurement, logistics, Commercial activities, Warehousing, TRD & Sales.

Contact: 90502724 Email: tk.sasi@gmail.com Indian female having 17 years of Dubai work experience in Business Process Management & Quality Assurance (ISO 9001) is looking for job in Muscat (Full time/Part time/ Consultant). Experienced in developing, training & implementation of business process documentation, leading the organization to ISO 9001 certification, Quality Audits and Business process improvements & controls. Contact: 97903127. Email : ravichandran. mangala@gmail.com 25 years experienced Supervisor in plumbing & firefighting available, NOC & driving license.

Contact: 95703680 The Business Development Manager, Iraqi, Experience 15 Years Inside and outside Oman following activities: tenders& real estate& construction & marketing projects& investments & transportation & Marine services& companies management& develop business.

Contact :- 92385033 The Business Development Manager, Iraqi, Experience 15 Years Inside and outside Oman following activities: construction(Very strong and qualified to bringing business for civil work Or any type of the construction work for many million per year with a good experience in pricing and collect payment and cash management of the company & marketing projects & investments& tenders & real estate. Contact 92385033 Indian male, with experience in operations management, information security, purchase & stores mgmt, hold UAE driving license, on visit visa, seeks suitable job.

Contact 91904541 Email: naushers@yahoo.com MBA (marketing) with 17 years experience in freight forwarding/ logistics industry in GCC & Oman.

Presently working as branch manager in Muscat. Looking for a suitable position. Release and NOC available. Contact: 99856331

MISCELLANEOUS Sri Lankan (male) having 14 years experience as a Store keeper in an imports exports firm, looking for suitable position presently in Muscat. NOC available.

Contact: 91494225 Email: janath.lk@ymail.com Filipina lady very urgently looking job only in boutique, release available ready to join immediately.

Contact: 97122152 / 91240759 Looking for job with car education O level exp 6 yrs English, Arabic & Hindi. Contact : 99640986 Indian male having experience more than 13 yrs, 4 years in Oman as Store keeper, Procurement in reputed company looking suitable placement release available.

Contact: 92245926 Email: mohammedbasheer700@gmail.com Female business graduate from UK with four years corporate Experience in procurement purchasing expediting logistics and supply chains in UAE Seeks suitable placement. Contact: 99581399

MISCELLANEOUS Indian Female, 24 Years - MSc Biotechnology. Worked in International Crops Research Institute For The Semi Arid Tropics for project work as trainee. Looking for suitable job. Mobile: 92619048, Email: anusreeg1991@gmail.com 10 years experience in Oman in logistics / purchase have Oman D/L looking for suitable placement. Contact- 96410767 Email: harishkts@yahoo.com Purchaser, experience 9.5 years in Oman, Indian male, Driving License available with own car.

Currently working with ARDISEIS Oman Branch (Seismic work for PDO Oman) as a purchaser. Handling all type purchase, logistic, petty cash, stock, dispatch. Working with SAP application. Educational qualification - Post Graduate in MA (Economics) Salary – Negotiable seeks suitable Placement.

Contact 99458569 Email : nitesh.rane2015@gmail.com.

Indian female on visit MBA (International Business- Marketing & Logistics), BE (Computers & Science Engg.) Trained in SAP-BI/ BW with 1 year experience seeking for job Contact: 90228586 Email:fathimasha16@gmail.com Graduate, computer literate, experienced in sales, credit control, accounts, Omani D/L , seeks suitable placement. Gsm 98805474

LOGISTICS Indian having PG diploma Logistics and shipping management 3 years experience as Warehouse Executive experience in logistics, purchase and store.

Contact: 98473905

SALES / MARKETING Indian male 32, MBA (Marketing & Finance) with 10 years experience in Marketing of Banking Products & Insurance Industry. Seeking for a Job in Oman. Contact: 93576980, 97750460 Email: senthil.cbe83@gmail.com Indian sales marketing professional highly experienced in business development in ME India and Africa seeks suitable placement.

Contact: 97897611 Indian male, Graduate, 9 yrs experience in FMCG – UAE, valid GCC driving license on visit seeks suitable position. Contact 92419491 / 94881950, Email : pranilpp76@gmail.com Indian male, BBM, MBA, having 3 years experience in Sales looking for suitable job. Contact: 92796046 Indian male B.Sc Chemistry Graduate 6 years experience in India seeking suitable placement willing to work in any field currently on visiting visa. Contact: 94855667 / 92255983 BBA graduate /Valid Omani license/2 year experience/ Preferred role Marketing / Sales / Business development Executive.

Contact-94122944, raashidjabir@protonmail.ch Sales & Marketing Executive MBA with 3 years experience in sales looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 91345727.

Indian male 22 BBA Graduate one year experience in Oman with valid Oman driving license looking for a placement. Contact: 96357787

FOR SALE

SALES / MARKETING A dynamic professional, Female, with 8 years of experience in PURCHASE,SALES COORDINATION ,OFFICE ASSISTANT, residing in Oman with valid NOC from current company,looking for a suitable job, Ready to join Immediately”.

Contact:-shiji4123@gmail.com Phone:- 94157662 South Indian hold 12 years Omani residency – B.E, MBA, PGDM, MCIM, result oriented self starter - Techno commercial Executive 15 years core experience in business development/ marketing oil & gas (all streams) & manufacturing. seeking suitable placement. Contact 99277816/ myakram@hotmail.com B.Sc Graduate with 4.4 years work experience in Sales, Marketing and Business Development looking for a job. Currently in Oman and ready to join immediately.

Contact : 00968-95096284 Looking for immediate sales and marketing 3 years GCC experience with valid driving license now on visit visa till Feb 12.

Contact: 99642611 Email: kashif_iam@yahoo.com Pakistani male three years experience in Oman speaks excellent English, earlier worked as English speaking tourist guide.

Contact : 99120956 B.Tech Electronics Indian male experience in Technical & marketing 2 years Oman driving license.

Contact: 98627362 , email : shah9746099350@gmail.com A dynamic professional, female, with 8 years of experience in PURCHASE, SALES COORDINATION , OFFICE ASSISTANT, residing in Oman with valid NOC from current company, looking for a suitable job, Ready to join Immediately.

Contact:- shiji4123@gmail.com, Phone:- 94157662 Indian male 26, with more than 4 years experience in Sales and Marketing having valid GCC license on visit visa seeks suitable position. Contact: 92423161 Indian male Sales Engineer 18 years experience (pneumatics, electric, air compressor, garage equipments etc) including 5 years Gulf experience currently employed in Oman with D/L looking for suitable position, NOC available.

Contact 94425942 Email: kishorekumar.naik@yahoo.in MBA Indian male 2.5 yrs exp in marketing & sales presently on visit visa seeking immediate placement. contact :91725539.

Email: suhailahmad1489@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS

MBA graduate having 6 years exp in Sales & Marketing, 4 years with PEPSI, India, having international driving license permit seeks suitable placement. Cont : 95308167, Email : samir.pag@gmail.com

Electronics service Technician , 4 Years experience as Electronics service engineer. Knowledge in all type of Electronics items. Looking for suitable placement.

GSM- 99105043

Assistant Purchase Manager experience 9 years at Oman in Construction Company skills driving license.

Contact: 98894178 Email: amerfawzy2000@yahoo.com

Searching a land surveyor job fully know latest instrument of Survey GPS and Total station two year OMAN experience.NOC Available. Contact +96894144052, Email- wasifnaz 313@yahoo.com

Villas in Al Khoud. Contact 95056808-97201688

Indian male experienced material segregation with D/L seeks suitable placement. Contact: 92715032 Email: santhoshgeorge99@gmail. com

Beauty parlor for sale in good condition at Ghubra.

Contact: 98178135

Indian male, MBA Marketing having 2.5 years Sales experience immediately looking for a suitable position. Contact: 91415145, Email: shariqs88@gmail.com Sales Coordinator, BBA MBA (pursuing) tally on valid visa in Oman. Contact : 98269281 5 years experience in Sales currently looking for a placement.

Contact: 93458869 30 yr old experienced available with NOC & Oman driving license 6+years experience in chemicals Industry. Contact: 96675065 B.Com male 2 yrs experience in sales Computer knowledge, seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 98371144 email: nabilnazar22@gmail.com

SKILLED / UNSKILLED Mason, SH / carpenter, steel fitter gulf & Indian exp looking job.

Contact: 95175192

TECHNICIAN /MECH. Instrumentation & controls Technician with 2-3 years experience preferably in water sector and having valid driving license call Ph:+968 99450811 Send CV to shiju@spec-link.com

TOURS/TRAVELS Indian male 26, on vist visa, 2+ yrs of experience with UAE D/L, IATA-FIATA,BBA looking for any suitable job. Contact 91324567

MISCELLANEOUS 22, Indian BBA graduate, 1 year experience, presently on visit visa, looking for suitable placement.

Contact 91881053 Highly experienced mechanical/ steel structural fabrication engineer looking for suitable placement. NOC available. Contact: 99860714, hussain20173@gmail.com.

Indian male 26 years (MBA Finance) seeks suitable placement.

Contact: 92715032 Email: ajisd@yahoo.com D.M.E, Indian, 12 yrs experience in Oman, in Project Estimation, Execution, Quality & marketing working as Estimation Engineer in acid & water tanker, semi trailor company, with havin driving license & will get NOC, seeks suitable job in Oman.

Contact 98968495.

Indian male, 26 years, With 7 years of experience in Sales Field in shipping company in “Dubai” , looking for suitable placement. Experienced working in safety Marine equipment and well versed with MS Office. Contact: 90182494, manojmallya999@gmail.com

Dialysis Machine(DBO7) - Available 10 Units for Sale .

Contact : 94306662 or Email : ahdialysis1010@gmail.com

Luxury Apartments in Bousher (35). Contact - 9505680897201688

Master Chef restaurant Al Hail for sale 8 visas clearance available.

Contact: 91205000 3Ton Forklift, Special made for Oman market, Japanese Isuze C240 Engine, Cascade side shifter, High amount exhaust, 3m lifting height, Solid tyres, One year warranty. Contact: 98883445

ACC. AVAILABLE 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, sitting room, hall, kitchen with parking space for rent in Mawalah, behind City Centre. Contact 93930352 Fully furnished room with attached bath for Executive bachelor behind Al Meera Hyper market, Azaiba 150/- R.O. Contact: 99455735

Senior Accountant Indian male 35 Years with 13 Years of Experience (7 years in Oman) in Accounts & Finance having valid Omani Driving License. Looking for job in GCC Countries.

Contact: 96001918

Spacious room semi furnished with attached bath near Ruwi roundabout. Contact: 96612979

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

Accommodation available at Hamriya roundabout for executive bachelors (no kitchen, furniture and A/C) including water and electricity RO 130. Contact 98145825, 98949724.

Ghubra. Beautiful Room. Indian Lady/Couple/Bachelor. Non-cooking, Vegetarians. Contact 99283938

ACC. AVAILABLE

Spacious semi furnished room with separate bathroom for executive bachelor opposite OC centre Ruwi. Call: 92273779

Furnished room at Hilat Al Saad with TV, AC, fridge near main road.

Contact : 95714202

Single bedroom flat behind German Embassy, near Al Nahdha Hospital. Contact 99203954

Couple or bachelor room in Wadi Kabir. Contact: 91165580 / 95264549

Room available in Mumtaz area 1 room, 1 Bathroom, Kitchen & 1 room, common bathroom.

Interested please Contact: 92680041 Mr. Altaf

Semi furnished spacious room with attached washroom separate entrance near Indian school Al Ghobrah for non cooking Executive Indian bachelor.

Contact: 95146361/92657598

Indian marketing & sales professional for automobile, hotel & retail with over 7 years experience Indian & us on visit & seeking change/ suitable placement.

Contact: 99454425 Email: qamest@omantel.net.om

Purchase Executive Professional, Indian male having 6 Years of Experience in Oman Having Valid Driving Licence working as a Purchase officer, Looking for a suitable Position, NOC/LR Available.

Contact: 95132564/96456071, E-mail: naji1988@gmail.com

27 years old male MBA Graduate having 1.5 years experience in Marketing seeking for good opportunities in sales & marketing.

Contact: 90572132 Email: bibi4bibin@gmail.com

B.TEC ( IT) . 24 years, 2 Years of experience in technical support, software development, networking, troubleshooting and managing. seek suitable placement.

Contact GSM- 98184170

MBA Graduate (Indian) 2 years experience in Auto sales & marketing looking for suitable job in automatic industry.

Contact: 94676974 Email: dabdulmuqsit@gmail.com

Part- Time Accountant, well experience senior accountant ,doing all type of accounting works, Finalization, Budgeting available.

Contact 98803439

Single room for expat Indian bachelors near Al Aktham restaurant Al khuwair for RO 120.

Water and electricity included.

Contact 98803261

B.Com 5yrs experience good command on tally, Excel sheet on family visa. Contact: 98002428 Email: lubnakanwal36@gmail.com

Furnished room in new building for working Muslim lady/ Muslim couple only. Location AINT, Darsait. Contact - 99008069

Indian 15 yrs Marketing exp with visa D/L looking for senior job.

Contact: 90390862

Excavation contracts worth RO 2 million + Big Volvo Excavators & 2015 Astra 5 tippers for sale.

Contact: 99120532 / 98867530

Furnished room with a/bathroom in Al Khuwair33 for Indian Executive. Call: 95234062 Room available Walja.

Contact : 95382651 / 95382650 Spacious semi furnished room with separate bathroom for executive bachelor opposite OC centre Ruwi. Call: 92273779 Furnished room & bath Darsait R.O 140/-. Contact: 93289652

Room for rent with furniture.

Al Bustan villeage. # 93687466 2 rooms, toilet in Al Khuwair preferable for Indian couple or working woman rent R.O 190/- only include Ele & water. Contact: 99546410 Room , B/Room & Kitchen for Executive in Wadi Kabir.

Contact: 99336206 Furnished room available for executive bachelor in Ruwi area.

Contact: 99054542 Furnished room available with attached bath & balcony near MBD. Contact: 97636432 Room available for executive bachelor in MBD with kitchen on sharing basis. Contact: 96332793 New 1BHK fully furnished for R.O 275/- at Wadi Kabir near Al Hassan. Contact: 92577929 Hail Independent rooms RO 140/& 160/-. Contact 95529970

W E D N E S DAY, JA N UA RY 2 7, 2 0 1 6

D7

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED CARGO

TOURS

TOURS

SITUATION WANTBUSINESS ED

SITUATION WANTTOURS ED

DRIVING

RENT A CAR

Dolphin Watch, Dhow Cruise with Buffet, & Land Tours Al- Ainain Marine Tours contact 98029602, 92808636 We arrange tours & accommodation at all the beautiful places in Oman. Contact 99839898 An Investing partner needed for a printing press.

Contact 99498949

NRI Plot for sale Shadnagar Municipality, Mahboob Nagar District, walk able distance to existing colonies, national highway and basic amenities at reasonable price.

Contact – 0091 8686631669 One bedroom flat in Guruvayoor Kerala, 2 minutes walk to Guruvayoor temple direct owner.

Contact: 00968 99466800 3 bedroom flat for sale Kerala, EKM, Palarivattom. Contact: 00968 95993089/ 0091 9446845999/ 0091 4842422700 Jimmy Plot, propeties for sale in prime location in pune Contact 95272138, (+918390982975)

MATRIMONIAL Menon / Nair boy 30 years, looking for a girl, preferred from Ottapalam area. Contact: 99505473 Hindu nair age 64, looking for a suitable girl.

Contact: 0091 755900189 Nair boy 27 years Keralite working in Canada looking for qualified girl. Contact: 99361442

GOOD NEWS Genuine Ayurvedic treatments & massage, Ayurvedic clinic at AL Khuwair. Contact: 24478618 / 97263637 / 93309131 FREE INFORMATION ABOUT ISLAM. If you would like to know more about Islam, please call: 99425598, 99250777, 99353988, 99253818, 99341395, and 99379133.

For ladies: 99415818, 99321360, 99730723 Orvisit:www.islamfact.com

TRANSPORTATION We need transport from Mabella to Mawalleh for student & employee. Contact: 92757673 Transportation.Contact: 99099714 Transportation Al Khuwair.

Contact: 92711421 Transportation. Contact: 91310107

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

Transportation available Ruwi to Al Khuwair, Ghubra & Azaiba.

Contact: 91103909 Transportation. Contact:99664703

MV SALE Rav4 ,2015,38000 km No.2 O.R 8200. Contact : 96474787

Transportation. Contact 96173326 Transportation. Contact 94510847

Hummer H2 model 2006, 178000 km, Full options Number 1 Army edition.OMR 7200. #-99466773

Transportation taxi mini bus.

Contact: 93091106

Chaverlet Epica 2004 model RO -700, for sale. Contact 92194205

Transportation Contact: 99077395

BMW 318/ 2003 for sale.

Contact 96364990

BUYING Buying cars for cash.

Contact: 90202090

WANTED IELTS Coaching (academic) required nearby wadi Kabir area.

Please call on mobile or msg on Whats up.

Mobile no: 92927880/99012165

FOR HIRE Low bed Trailer (PDO – SPC) available monthly / daily for Rent.

Contact: 96633970

Silver car, car rental at good rate.

Contact: 96166155/93530540

FOR HIRE Bobcat available for rent.

Contact 97623299

Car available with driver on daily rent and Monthly. Contact: 96728065 / 98031620 25 - 50 seater bus with PDO & BP specification for monthly rent & small car with driver.

Contact: 99839898

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W E D N E S DAY, JA N UA RY 2 7, 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/CLASSES/TRAINING/COMPUTER/WEBSITE

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES > ' > ^ Zs/

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

Ŷ /ŶĚŝĂŶ ůĂǁLJĞƌ WƌŽǀŝĚĞƐ Ăůů ůĞŐĂů ƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ ŝŶ ĐŽŵƉĂŶLJ ŵĂƩ ĞƌƐ͘ >ĂďŽƵƌ ŝƐƐƵĞƐ͕ ĐŽŶƚƌĂĐƚƐ͕ ĂŐƌĞĞŵĞŶƚƐ͕ >> ĨŽƌŵĂƟ ŽŶ͕ ůĞŐĂů ŚĞůƉ ĨŽƌ ƐƚĂƌƟ ŶŐ ŶĞǁ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ŝŶ KŵĂŶ͕ ŝǀŝů͕ ĐƌŝŵŝŶĂů ĐĂƐĞƐ͕͘ƐĞƌǀŝĐĞ ŝƐƐƵĞƐ͘ /ďƌĂŚŝŵ ů DĂƐƐĂůŚŝ͘ůĞŐĂů ĐŽŶƐƵůƚĂŶĐLJ ^ĂƌĂĨƵĚŚĞĞŶ͕ >> ͕ D ͕ >ĞŐĂů ĚǀŝƐŽƌ MƵƐĐĂƚ͘ '^D͗ ϵϳϯϱϭϲϰϵ

in Azaiba and Ruwi earn in two months

tion guaranteed

Tel: 95244310

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

FURNITURE SHIFTING Maintenance, Dismantling, Packing, Shifting & Fixing furniture with expert technicians.

Contact: 99041337

^ Zs/ ^ tĞ WƌŽǀŝĚĞ ůĞĂŶĞƌƐ͕ Kĸ ĐĞ ďŽLJƐ͕ ůĞĂŶŝŶŐ ŽŶƚƌĂĐƚƐ͕ 'ĞŶĞƌĂů ĐůĞĂŶŝŶŐ ĞƚĐ͘ ů DƵĚĂŬŚŝƌ EĂƟ ŽŶĂů Ɛƚ͘ >> ŽŶƚĂĐƚ ͗ ϵϰϮϳϳϬϮϬ

WEB, ERP and Business Intelligence (BI) creation and management at rock bottom price.

Contact: http//webviewoman

MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble.Contact 24793614/ 99314807

Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS99320217 /24788722

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

A/C maintenance & servicing, fridge, washing machine & dish washer repairing, painting & cleaning services, electrical & plumbing.

Contact: 99447257 / 97014234 / 24504281

Split & window A/c servicing & maintenance. Contact 93769089 / 95323517 House shifting & transporting.

Contact 92490422 Water proofing ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722

For wooden Aluminum door, windows. Contact: 98796982

Pest Control Treatments.

Ocean Center LLC. Contact: 99344723 Cleaning & Carpet Shampooing, Ocean Center LLC. Contact: 99344723 Al farzdaq Al Fedi Trad and Cont Maintenance services electric, plumbing and A/C. Contact: 96524904 / 94285064

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

AVAILABLE Party & Wedding equipment rentals.

Full line, from Tables, Linen & Skirting, Chairs & Chair covers, Cutlery, Crockery, Glassware, Chafing Dishes, Ice Sculptures, to Large Sound Systems and spectacular lighting.

Call Andrea 9606 2222 for Catering and Croyden 9623 5555 for Sound & Light. ww.tunesoman.com, E-mail: info@tunesoman.com

SITUATION LOSTWANTUddin Rahel has lost Bangladeshi Passport No. AB 5350053.

Finder please handover to ROP

IELTS PREPARATION Target Band 8.0

Classes for Spoken English TOEFL / GRE / GMAT / SAT Excellent Guidance and Coaching Satisfaction Guaranteed EAGLES INSTITUTE 92325542 | 93657915 | 93657917 | Email: engominst@gmail.com