Times of Oman - December 29 , 2015

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FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTY THE SULTAN

At the opening of the annual session of the Council of Oman, 2009

‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’ We are convinced that the country, in its blessed march, needs both men and women. This is because – and there can be no doubt about this - it is like a bird which relies upon both its wings to fly through the sky.

How could it manage to do so if one of its wings was broken? Would it be able to fly?

TUESDAY, December 29, 2015 / 17 Rabi Al Awal 1437 AH timesofoman.com

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JOINT RESPONSIBILITY

GOODS WORTH THOUSANDS GUTTED IN RUWI FIRE

Goods worth thousands of rials were destroyed in a fire that broke out in a Ruwi High Street building, on Sunday night. Fire fighters from the Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulances brought the blaze under control. See also >A3

Steps to rationalise expenditure will continue: Minister MUSCAT: Measures for rationalising expenditure are being taken and the ministries are cooperating fully as they understand the problem, Darwish bin Ismail Al Balushi, Minister Responsible for Financial Affairs, told reporters here.

Measures have been taken and will be taken to cover the budget deficit as deficit takes place every year, he added.

“These measures would continue as the current situation requires everyone to join hands as covering the deficit is a joint responsibility,” he said.

“Efforts to rationalise expenditure are going on,” he continued.

The minister denied that any secrecy was being maintained on the measures to rationalise expenditure saying that statements are issued every now and then and meeting are organised.

HELPING HAND

Oman-born actress, spouse donate $1m for Syrian children Times News Service MUSCAT: Isla Fisher, the Oman-born Australian actress, and her British-actor husband Sacha Baron Cohen, have donated a staggering $1 million (OMR384,500) to Syrian refugees, according to aid groups.

The donation was split equally between the ‘Save the Children’ and the ‘International Rescue Committee’ for the victims of the conflict in Syria, officials of ‘Save the Children’ confirmed on Monday.

The actress was born in 1976 to Scottish parents Elspeth Reid and Brian Fisher in Oman, while her father was working for the United Nations as a banker.

When Fisher was six, her family moved back to Scotland from Oman and later to Perth in Australia where she was brought up.

In a statement, Save the Children Chief Executive Officer, Justin Forsyth said the couple is trying to “highlight the tragedy” in Syria, which could provide succour to the vulnerable children.

“By allowing us to make their generous donation to Syrian children public, Sacha and Isla are helping highlight the tragedy of the Syrian refugee today. These are desperate times for Syrian families facing bombs, bullets and torture in Syria. The couple’s donation will save thousands of lives and protect some of the most vulnerable children,” Forsyth said.

55,000

There are also

citizens are currently employed in the construction sector

apprehensions that the new rules

44pc

for firms in the construction sector would further

of the total number of expatriates in the Sultanate work in the construction sector

build Omanisation pressure on small private companies

reji@timesofoman.com

B1

MUSCAT: Around 33,000 Omanis will get managerial jobs in the construction sector in the coming months, as the ministry has issued new regulations for firms in the industry, a top official from the Oman Society of Contractors (OSC) said.

“If implemented properly, 33,000 new managerial jobs will be created for Omanis in small companies in the sector, which either have a low Omanisation rate or are not following Omanisation policies,” Shahswar Al Balushi, chief executive officer (CEO) of OSC, told the Times of Oman.

However, just a few weeks ago,

Al Balushi had said that 55,000 Omanis in the construction sector are on the verge of losing their jobs due to oil price fluctuations.

“These jobs will be created at smaller companies, which are not connected to government projects and are not linked with oil price fluctuations,” Al Balushi added.

According to the new regulations, which will come into effect in the coming months, a construction company’s capital should not be less than OMR25,000 and one of the shareholders should be dedicated to the management of the company.

The new regulations have been devised for construction companies by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in collaboration

with a number of organisations to regularise the sector and limit hidden trade and duplication of records.

If none of the shareholders are employed in the company’s management, an Omani manager should be appointed and registered with the Public Authority for Social Insurance.

New jobs “If we go ahead with following the rules, then we can achieve 12 per cent Omanisation in the sector, which means that around 33,000 persons will get new jobs,” OSC CEO Al Balushi added.

The current Omanisation rate in the construction sector stands at 7.8 per cent, which comes to around 55,000.

S E L F - TAU G H T PA I N T E R

The new regulations, however, will exert further pressure on companies, industry bosses admitted.

“The new system will make it very difficult to work in Oman as there is less work and more pressure from the government to meet the Omanisation target,” said Mohammad Kabir Ahmed, managing director of United Dreams LLC. He also admitted that for the last couple of years, companies had not been getting visas for expat workers in the construction sector. “The government is providing us clearance only if it is a government project,” he said.

Another construction company boss said there aren’t enough people to work in the construction sector. >A6 TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

A workaholic who excels in painting Oman’s beauty MOBIN MATHEW BLESSON

ous forts in Oman, the old Muttrah of 1954 and many more. His collection continues to grow.

His personal all time favourite is the painting of Balad Sayt which he painted this year.

“Looking back, I could not have imagined its success. I painted it when I had to sleep in the streets but now I have everything I needed,” Nazir said.

mobinmathew@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Thirty-eight years ago, when Mohamad Nazir came to Oman as finance controller of one of the leading pharmaceutical companies, little did anyone know that he would one day become one of the famous painters in Oman.

Oman gave Nazir, who was undergoing an internal transformation, space to prove his talent and emerge as one of the highly paid artists in Oman.

Nazir, a south Indian painter living in Muscat, is being featured today in the Times of Oman’s campaign #OmanPride.

Nazir has now become a brand by himself in Oman. Painting enthusiasts are ready to pay thousands of Omani rials to own his pieces. Some of them consider him the world’s best artist and people from around the world are eager to see and buy his paintings.

“I was not a professional when I

Enhancing efficiency The minister added that focus is on enhancing the efficiency of expenditure.

The Ministry of Finance revises the expenses of the government and its units, and monitors expenditures at these units.

Based on such monitoring, the Ministry of Finance issues a number of circulars to urge and encourage these units to limit expenditure on unnecessary items.

‘The measures taken by the government are clear and tangible, and the relevant agencies are well aware of them,” he explained. -ONA

New rules set to create 33,000 jobs for Omanis

REJIMON K

Bank Sohar to fund OMR40m for Omran’s JW Marriot Hotel

Moreover, all officials involved in government affairs are briefed on the steps taken by the government to boost non-oil revenues or rationalise and cut government expenses.

started painting but through experience, I became what I am now,” he told the Times of Oman.

CREATIVITY ON CANVAS: Oman gave Nazir, who was undergoing

an internal transformation, space to prove his talent. - Photo: Shabin E

70 pictures He has portrayed more than 70 pictures of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. Almost all the ministries, such as the ministries of defence, finance, education, higher education etc own Nazir’s paintings of His Majesty which adorn their premises.

“I have drawn a painting of His Majesty’s mother and it was presented to HM,” Nazir said.

“His Majesty was happy with

my work and he gave me a gift but I was not able to have a glimpse of him. That is one wish that still remains unfulfilled,” he added.

He has sold around 3,000 paintings in his career so far. He has his own techniques to make colours to impart more energy to his work.

He uses a variety of knives to bring out his creativity on the canvas.

Nazir, who is a father of four

children, is very happy about his career and says he is going through the most beautiful phase in his life.

He loves to portray the landscape and the natural beauty of Oman and its culture, too.

Most of his paintings depict the natural beauty of Oman. He once painted the beautiful night view of Muscat cornice, the beauty of Sur and its sunset, the beauty of vari-

Self-taught artist Nazir is a self-taught artist whose journey to art is a path punctuated by insurgency, debate, redemption and a search for inner strength.

Even when he worked for the pharmaceutical company, he used to spend his evenings in the world of colours.

He resigned from his role as a finance controller after five years of service and became a full-time artist dabbling in the world of paintings. According to him, he spends nearly 17 hours in a day painting. >A6

OMAN

Sudan’s president meets Sheikha Aisha

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Sudan President received Sheikha Aisha bint Khalfan Al Siyabiyah. >A2

OMAN

Three humpback whales tagged

2

ESO has successfully completed tagging three Arabian Sea humpback whales . >A4

MARKET

Bank Muscat unveils top-level changes

3

Bank Muscat has made new organisational changes. >B3

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TU ESDAY, DECEMB ER 29, 2015

OMAN I N T E R NAT I O NA L S O C I A L R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y

His Majesty sends greetings to Bashir KHARTOUM: Field Marshal Omar Hassan Al Bashir, President of Sudan, received Sheikha Aisha bint Khalfan Al Siyabiyah, Chairperson of the Public Authority for Craft Industries (PACI), after she was presented with the Presidential Order of Merit “PremiumClass” as International Ambassador for Social Responsibility.

Sheikha Al Siyabiyah conveyed

the greetings of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said along with his best wishes of continuous health and happiness to President Bashir and the friendly Sudanese people further progress and growth.

On his turn, the Sudanese President asked Sheikha Al Siyabiyah to convey his greetings along with his best wishes of permanent health and a long life to His Maj-

esty and the Omani people further progress and prosperity.

This meeting comes on the sidelines of the 2nd Regional Forum for International Social Responsibility themed “United Nations Goals of Sustainable Development in 2030… Transforming Our World”.

The President of Sudan hosted a dinner in the honour of the in-

ternational ambassadors of social responsibility. Commemorative gifts were exchanged. Sheikha Al Siyabiyah handed over a commemorative gift to the Sudanese President.

Hassabo Mohamed Abdel Rahman, Vice-President of the Republic of Sudan, gave Sheikha Al Siyabiyah the award in Khartoum on Sunday. -ONA

COMMEMORATIVE GIFT: Sheikha Al Siyabiyah handed over a commemorative gift to the Sudanese President.– ONA

MAJLIS AL SHURA

Meeting on land transport pact with UAE MUSCAT: A study of the cooperation agreement between the Sultanate and the UAE’s government in the field of international land transport for passengers and goods was discussed by the Majlis Al Shura Services and Social Development Committee, at a meeting.

During the meeting, Eng. Salim bin Mohammed Al Nuaimi, undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport and Communications for Transport, and Brigadier Dr. Mohammed bin Awadh Al Rowas, Director General of Traffic at the ROP, were present. The meeting discussed the draft agreement, the fees, penalties and the difficulties that may face the implementation of some articles. They also covered the mechanism for following up the implementation of the agreement by the two parties.

Majlis Al Shura Services and Social Development Committee yesterday held its fifth meeting of the first annual sitting (2015/2016) of the 8th term (2015/2019) under the chair of Sheikh Hamoud bin Ahmed Al Yahyaie, head of the Committee.

The committee has earlier hosted a number of specialists from Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry Transport Committee and Land Transport Society. -ONA

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Fire in Ruwi destroys goods worth thousands The fire started in a building on Ruwi High Street on Sunday night

BRIEFS

Board of Directors meets to discuss major issues MUSCAT: Board of Directors of the Public Authority of Stores and Food Reserve (PASFR) held its 4th meeting in 2015 at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries on Monday under the chair of Dr Fu’ad bin Ja’afar Al Sajwani, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Chairman of the PASFR Board of Directors. The PASFR Board reviewed the implementation of decisions made at its previous meetings. It also discussed several items listed on the agenda, notably a report of the PASFR management in terms of administrative, commercial and statistical aspects for the fourth quarter of 2015.

The meeting was briefed on the steps taken on the possibility of investing some of the PASFR assets, in addition to the executive position on the proposed expansions in the departments of the Governorates of A’Dakhiliyah and Dhofar.

and a team of fire

New document system adopted

fighters from the

MUSCAT: Private document management system, tables of extended retention of documents, and their classification system, was adopted by Darwish bin Ismail Al Balushi, Minister Responsible for Financial Affairs, at his office on Monday, in the presence of Dr Hamad bin Mohammed Aa -Dhoyani, Chairman of National Records and Archives Authority (NRAA). Al Balushi said that the private document management system of the ministry’s system had been well adopted as a committee was formed in the Ministry of Finance, in coordination with NRAA.

Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulances arrived at the scene

BLAZE: Goods, such as an AC, television, refrigerator, dresses, beds etc. were destroyed in the fire.

— Picture by Jun Estrada/Times of Oman

and brought the fire under control

MOBIN MATHEW BLESSON

mobinmathew@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Goods worth thousands of rials were destroyed as a fire broke out in a building in the Ruwi High Street on Sunday night.

No causalities were reported.

The fire started around 9:30pm.

A team of fire fighters from the Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulances (PACDA) arrived at the scene and brought the fire under control. Workers at a nearby restaurant were staying in the top floor of the two-storey building, which caught fire. A mobile shop was running in the ground floor of the building, which is owned by the same owner of the restaurant.

According to the owner of the hotel, there were no workers in the room at the time of the fire. “We do not know the reason for the fire, as around thousands of rials worth of goods were destroyed,” the owner told Times of Oman (TOO).

Goods, such as an AC, television, refrigerator, dresses, beds etc. were destroyed in the fire. None of the documents, such as passports and the residence card of the

WA D I A L M A’AW E L

MUSCAT: A total 164 workers were found violating the Labour Law during the December 20-26 period, including 135 commercial workers, 10 farm workers and 19 housemaids and their equivalents, the weekly report of the joint inspection team of the Ministry of Manpower has pointed out. The inspection teams arrested 155 workers including 131 absconding workers, 14 astray workers and 10 workers for committing other violations. — ONA

HIGHER JUDICIARY INSTITUTE

Indian Christian priest Zacharias passes away Staff Reporter MUSCAT: An Indian Christian priest passed away on Sunday evening in the south Indian state of Kerala, where he was admitted after suffering cerebral haemorrhage, while he was returning from Muscat by a flight.

Zacharias Mar Theophilus Metropolitan (77) of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, was taken to the hospital from the airport where his condition remained critical until the end came on Sunday evening.

The body of Saffragan Metropolitan body was taken to the Mar Thoma Church at Pattoor for public viewing and later taken to Tiruvalla for burial on Tuesday.

PROTECTION: The project is designed according to technical specifications suitable to the nature of the location, which aims to protect the agricultural lands against land degradation, as well as protecting agricultural crops, particularly date palms. — ONA

protects the agricultural land against the harms resulting from rains and overflow of wadis.

Eng. Mohammed bin Hamoud al-Owaisi, Head of Land Protection Walls Department at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries said that the engineering

designs and technical specifications of the project were selected to be suitable with the nature of the wadi and climate conditions in this region.

He pointed out that natural stones available in this region were used for the project. — ONA

Outstanding visionary “The Saffragan Metropolitan was an outstanding visionary with deep concern for the sick and suffering. He had initiated a number of service projects, such as Karuthal (care projects) which provide solace to more than a thousand patients of cancer, kidney ailments and other terminally ill patients and their families. The eco-friendly Tharangam Mission Action Centre on the shores of River Pampa and the Shantigiri Ashram at Alwaye (Aluva) in Kerala, are the best examples of Saf-

S R I N I VA S A R A M A N U JA N B I R T H A N N I V E R S A RY

Indian School Salalah celebrates ‘Maths Day’ at colourful function Times News Service MUSCAT: The 128th birth anniversary of the legendary mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan was celebrated as ‘Maths Day’ on December 22, at the Audio Visual room of Indian School Salalah.

T.R. Brown, Principal, Omana Mathews vice-principal, Srinivasan, Assistant Vice Principal, heads of departments, Maths teachers, and 60 young and enthusiastic Maths club members attended the event.

A. Sabarina Samy welcomed the gathering. The talk on Srinivasa Ramanujan’s contributions was interesting and informative.

Apoorva Dinesh Singh stole the show with her well-articulated power point presentation on Fibonacci Numbers.

The properties of the sequence and how it is found abundantly in the nature made the audience spell bound. Her final statement, “Mathematics is not finding x, it is all about finding ‘y’ – the Why? – made everybody ruminate.

164 workers violate labour law

S A F F R A G A N M E T R O P O L I TA N

Wall to help protect farms near wadis from flooding WADI AL MA’AWEL: With the aim of protecting farms of citizens located on the sides of wadis against floods resulting from rains, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has begun constructing a wall in Mesalmat village in the Wilayat of Wadi Al Ma’awel in the Governorate of South Al Batinah.

The ministry is implementing the wall protection project for the agricultural lands in Mesalmat village. Eng. Nabil bin Hassan Al Bahrani, Director of Irrigation and Agricultural Lands Department at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, said that this is among the major projects being executed by the ministry.

He added that the project, which is worth OMR233,000, extends to 1420 metres.

He said the project protects agricultural lands whose area estimated by 120 acres. The project is designed according to technical specifications suitable to the nature of the location, which aims to protect the agricultural lands against land degradation, as well as protecting agricultural crops particularly date palms.

Eng. Amer bin Saif Al Barhi, Director of Agricultural Development Department in Barka said that implementing the project

workers were lost in the fire.

“The reason behind the fire is unknown; officials came to the spot and took some samples to find out the reason behind the fire,” he added. According to him, no severe damage was caused to the mobile shop. The high blaze, however, created fear among the people in the nearby shops. A fire and rescue team successfully put out the fire within an hour and half.

cracked the puzzle in an unbelievable timing of 25.17 seconds!!! in the senior category, while Akshay of VII H made it in 30.57 seconds in Junior Category.

FOND REMEMBRANCE: The Maths Club reached yet another mile-

stone when handwritten Maths magazine ‘SIGMA’ was released.

— Supplied picture

This was followed by ‘Maths Quiz challenge’ conducted by Narayanan Krishnamurthy HOD (Maths). The challenging questions were ably cracked by the dynamic minds. The Copernicus Team proved themselves cham-

pions among the four competing teams. The most exciting event of the day was the Rubik’s cube competition. The eight finalists twisted and turned the cube, to solve it in the shortest span of time.

Master Ahad Anzar of class VIII

Totally engrossed Students were totally engrossed for the next ten minutes in paper folding activities demonstrated

by Meena V. (Maths faculty).

Yet another mile stone of Maths Club was reached when handwritten Maths magazine “SIGMA” was released by the Principal T.R. Brown. Prizes were given to the winners of the competitions

by Brown, and Omana Mathews.

Principal in his speech announced that “ISS Maths Wizard” award will be given to a deserving candidate from the ensuing academic year.

The day’s proceedings were conducted by A. Sabarina Samy and Miss Juhi Josh.

The Maths day celebration came to a conclusion with vote of thanks proposed by Kalpana Jacob (Maths faculty).

Zacharias Mar Theophilus Metropolitan. — Supplied picture

fragan Metropolitan’s ecological vision. He left an indelible mark of his own in all his endeavours,” Abraham Thomas, the priest from Oman church, said. “He has left a legacy for the Church. May the Almighty help us to translate the tenets of his legacy into living tradition of service to the whole humanity,” added the priest.

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy condoled the death of the Saffragan Metropolitan.

In a message on Sunday, he pointed out that the Metropolitan’s defining characteristic was the close ties that he maintained with all religions.

Graduation ceremony celebrated NIZWA: The graduation of a new batch of judges, public prosecutors and administrative judges, was celebrated by Higher Judiciary Institute on Monday, under the auspices of Sayyid Badr bin Saud bin Harib Al Busaidi, Minister Responsible for Defence Affairs, in the presence of Sheikh Abdul Malik bin Abdullah Al Khalili, Minister of Justice, Chairman of the Higher Judiciary Institute Board.

The third and fourth batches of the judiciary, the first batch from the Court of Administrative Justice and the second batch of the public prosecutor graduated from the institute, totalling 78 graduates, 49 of them from the judiciary, 10 of the Administrative Justice and 19 of the Public Prosecutor.

Dr Mohammed bin Sulaiman Al Rashidi, Dean of the Institute said that when His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said ordered the establishment of the Higher Judiciary Institute, he was aware by his wise opinion and vision the important role to be played by this Institute, represented in the provision the Omani judiciary with judicial cadres, qualified theoretically and practically. — ONA

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TU ESDAY, DECEMB ER 29, 2015 The entire programme was based on the unforgettable charisma created by Amitabh Bachchan on screen Akshay Chowdhary, Director, Light and Shadow Enterprises

OMAN

‘Amitabh Aur Main’ mega show wows a packed house Besides Sudesh Bhosale, famous female playback singer Arpita Thakkar also performed along with Bhosale’s son Siddhant

Times News Service MUSCAT: Famous Bollywood playback singer Sudesh Bhosale delighted a packed house with his performance at the City Amphitheatre on Saturday evening.

Besides Sudesh Bhosale, famous female playback singer Arpita Thakkar also performed, along with Bhosale’s 21-year-old son, Siddhant. The “Amitabh Aur Main” concert, touted as one of the biggest shows in 2015, was organised by Muscat’s event management company, Light and Shadow Enterprises.

The event was a celebration and an ode to the living legend by Sudesh Bhosale.

Akshay Chowdhary, director, Light and Shadow Enterprises, said the entire programme was based on the unforgettable charisma created by Amitabh Bachchan on screen. “In the programme,

– Supplied picture

Sudesh Bhosale rendered some of the most popular songs and iconic dialogues of Amitabh Bachchan, which created the essence of all his performances till date in a capsule, apart from sharing his experience about working with Amitabh Bachchan during the time of recordings and live concerts,” he told the Times of Oman.

The show also included audio-

visual presentations with some amazing effects created on stage through the LED screens, light effects and dances.

Treat for all “We were bang on time on Saturday when the show started at 8pm and the concert was a treat for all Bollywood fans in Muscat,” Akshay Chowdhary said.

PERFUME COLLECTION

There was never a boring moment as Sudesh Bhosale had the audience dancing in their seats to the tunes of Jumma Chumma, Kajraare and Mere Angne Mein.

“Though Amitabh Bachchan did not come, the audience didn’t miss his presence, given the surprises and interactions that took place on the stage,” the organisers further said.

Bhosale also sang some of his old hits, such as Intehaan Ho Gayi, Intezaar Ki, prompting the audience to sing along with him.

This was followed by some duets between Bhosale and Thakkar, which put the house on fire and everyone was seen dancing in their seats.

“The hard work which went into putting an event of this scale was amazing,” Chowdhary said, adding that those who missed out on the show made a mistake.

“The next event will be announced soon,” he added.

Minara were the presenter of the event and the event was sponsored by Mitsubishi Oman.

ABT and Sony Experia, NABIL, Country Club, Sharaf DG, Raha and Cloud Nine, Allo, the Oman UAE Exchange, Oman Printers and Stationers, Jet Airways, AXA Insurance, Foodlands, Golden Oasis Hotel, and the Talentz Centre were the other sponsors of the event.

Times of Oman was the media sponsor for the concert. During the break time, raffle draws were conducted by Minara and Mitsubishi Oman.

FOURTH MEETING

Institute board meets to review key report on training activity MUSCAT: A report on the training activity of the Institute of Public Administration (IPA) in 2015, and the efforts exerted to meet the training needs of employees of the administrative apparatus of the state, was reviewed at a meeting.

The Board of directors of the Institute of IPA held its fourth meeting for 2015 at the Ministry of Civil Service under the chair of Sheikh Khalid bin Omar bin Said Al Marhoon, Minister of Civil Service and Chairman of the Board of Directors of IPA. The meeting reviewed the follow-up report on the implementation of the decision taken in the third meeting and the current meeting’s agenda.

The Board of Directors reviewed the Institute’s plan for 2016 in the areas of training, which includes 126 programmes (public and private) that cover the needs of many units of the administrative apparatus of the state.

The Board of Directors discussed a number of other topics on its agenda and took the appropriate decisions and recommendations.

The meeting was attended by Sayyid Salim bin Mussalim Al Busaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Civil Service for the Administrative Development Affairs, IPA Deputy Chairman, and members of IPA Board. — ONA

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ENVIRONMENT SOCIETY OF OMAN

BEARY launches four new fragrances, opens Barka outlet Times News Service MUSCAT: BEARY, a sister concern of Al Urooj International LLC, has opened its second outlet for perfumes at Souq Al Tayybin, right opposite the Barka Mall, in addition to the launch of eight new exciting fragrances.

Mohammed Arshad, general manager, said, “The new fragrances fit into the category of Parfum (concentrated perfumes) that are thoroughly inspired by the smells of Oud and Frankincense across Arabia and the Mediterranean.”

Abyss, Apocalypto, Elysium, Kryptonite, The Noire: are four of

– Supplied picture

the freshest new fragrances that BEARY has launched this fall.

Four blends of Oud line fragrances, including French fragrance and Arabic blends (Grandeur Collection) (Dunes of the Desert,

Jewel of Arabia, Tales of the Mediterranean and The Sultan’s Oud) marked the launch of BEARY’s signature collection.

The BEARY fragrances are richer, sultrier and more powerful than ever, and the fragrance’s woody intensity makes a bold statement on its release.

BEARY is also involved in the retail business of designer fashion, antique and sterling silver jewellery. It also retails in a wide variety of Oud and over 60 pure French and Arabic fragrance oils, and has plans to enter the cosmetics business in the middle of next year.

P R I VAT I S AT I O N P R O C E S S

Management of waste handed over to OESC Times News Service MUSCAT: The waste management sector is being handed over to Oman Environmental Services Holding Company (OESC), by the Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources.

The ministry has begun the proceedings at the Wilayat of Sur in the Governorate of East A’Sharqiyah, to be followed by the rest of the wilayats of the governorate, followed by other governorates within the scope of the supervision of the ministry in accordance with the schedule prepared for that.

The company shall provide services in the transport of municipal waste from collection containers to transfer stations and from there to the engineering landfills to get rid of them in sound scientific ways that maintain human health and protect the environment from the hazards of pollution.

Work on handing over of this sector is part of the Oman government’s plan to privatise some sectors including waste management sector in order to increase efficiency and quality of various municipal services provided in the waste management sector.

This project is being conducted in collaboration with a number of global organisations and governmental agencies. — Supplied picture

ESO conducts first satellite tagging of endangered whales Times News Service Muscat: Three Arabian Sea humpback whales have been successfully tagged by Environment Society of Oman (ESO), in the Gulf of Masirah, as part of a survey to better understand the ecology of the endangered species.

Sponsored by Renaissance Services SAOG and the Port of Duqm Company, the tags will allow the public to track the whales’ movements and assist the research team in further defining habitats important to their survival.

This project is being conducted in collaboration with a number of global organisations and governmental agencies, including the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Institute Aqualie, Five Oceans Environmental Services, the Wildlife Conservation Society and the University of Exeter.

Suaad Al Harthy, ESO’s Program Director, noted, “Obtaining a better understanding of these whales will play a key role in order to boost their welfare and efforts to conserve them. Saving wildlife

is at the core of ESO’s vision and this positive step takes us closer to that goal at a critical time, with less than 100 Arabian Sea Humpback whales left. Moving forward, I firmly believe that with the continued support of all stakeholders we will be able to save these very special animals and pass another one of Oman’s natural treasures to the next generation.”

The tagging, the first to be done in the Gulf of Masirah, was conducted by a ten-person team comprised of ESO staff, partnering agencies, and freelancers. Originally launched to understand where these elusive whales spend their time, the tags will transmit their location several times a day, allowing for the development of detailed habitat maps. The landmark whale tagging project, the first of its kind in the region, was begun in 2014, with the team providing annual reports to the International Whaling Commission Scientific Committee to support conservation efforts.

“I would like to thank our sponsors, Renaissance Services SAOG and Port of Duqm, for funding and supporting this project. I would also like to acknowledge our valued partners for their help, hard

work, and commitment. It is only through a united front and strategic approach that we will be able to provide the ecosystems within the Sultanate with the support they need,” said Lamees Daar, ESO’s Executive Director.

Andrew Willson, Senior Marine Ecologist and Field Project Manager at Five Oceans Environmental Services, also commented, “This has truly been a successful breakthrough, as we tagged each whale in only the first three days of our expedition.

Over 26 groups of whales were sighted during the survey, with more than 21 of these groups identified as humpback whales.

The tags are already showing the animals moving through areas facing rapid industrialization, including active oil and gas exploration. This makes our efforts twice as vital in supporting government and industry efforts to find suitable management and mitigation measures for this species.”

This was the third successful tagging conducted by ESO since their project to study and preserve the Arabian Sea Humpback whale began in 2011. The two previous tagging expeditions were undertaken in Dhofar.

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INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Oman Oil Company hosts entrepreneurs at major forum Times News Service MUSCAT: The government’s investment arm in the energy and energy related sectors, Oman Oil Company (OOC), hosted London Business School’s Sloan programme fellows from different countries, accompanied by a group of investors and entrepreneurs, at a business meeting held

in Al Bustan Palace Hotel in the presence of Eng. Isam Al Zadjali, CEO of OOC, and a number of senior officials.

This came on the sidelines of the delegation trip to the Sultanate which lasted for six days to experience Oman’s rich culture and its diversified nature as well as to explore potential investment opportunities.

Initiative organised by The OmanFEAT (Fun Entrepreneurial Adventure Trip) and aimed to be a great opportunity for the Omani entrepreneurs to meet, interact with Sloan fellows and possibly do business deals with each other.

The trip also provided an ample opportunity for Sloan fellows to experience Oman’s cultural and geographical diversity.

Entrepreneur shows the way on Omanisation Dover Middle East has more than 190 employees, a majority of them Omanis who graduated from the Technical College in Salalah, a company executive said

Fouad Eid, regional vice president of Dover Middle East.

— Supplied picture

in July 2011 at its facility in the Raysut Industrial Estate for product sales and services extended to oil field operations in Oman and the Gulf.

Times News Service MUSCAT: Five years ago, Dover Middle East (DME), an Omani company and subsidiary of the United States’ Dover Corporation did not exist. Now, it has more than 190 employees, with a majority of them being Omanis, who graduated from the Technical College in Salalah, Fouad Eid, regional vice president of Dover Middle East LLC, pointed out.

‘First of its kind’ Dover’s plant is a ‘first of its kind’ in the region and provides coiled sucker rod as a viable option for any artificial rod lifted field in the Middle East.

The extensive use of this infrastructure has allowed for the import of raw materials and exports to neighbouring countries of finished products that are proudly “Made in Oman.”

The product is widely used by Oman’s oil and gas companies and is also exported across the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Focus on Omanisation With a 90 per cent rate of Omanisation in field services, Eid emphasised that Omanisation is an opportunity, not a hindrance.

“We have Omanis working as engineers, technicians and operators,” he said, adding that Dover provides nationals with training courses in North America to NANOTECHNOLOGY

SQU hosts key forum MUSCAT: Activities of the Second Gulf Forum on Nanotechnology Awareness began at the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) yesterday under the patronage of Dr Madeeha bint Ahmed bin Al Shibaniyah, Minister of Education and Chairperson of Oman National Commission for Education, Culture and Science (ONCECS).

Two-day event The two-day event is being organised by ONCECS in collaboration with the International Organisation for Leisure Investment in Technology and Science. Experts from the Sultanate and abroad are attending the event.

The forum comes within the interest of the Ministry of Education in nanotechnology and the latest developments in this field. It also aims at benefiting from the international expertise in introducing the nanotechnology to the study curricula for the different study stages. — ONA

All plant raw material shipments are handled by an Omani SME logistics provider. In addition, any local purchases for supplies related to plant and field operations are sourced through local SME providers Fouad Eid

Regional vice president of Dover Middle East

boost and cultivate their skills.

Eid admitted that growth is an international concern. However, he said Dover will aim to expand its services whenever it is possible. Dover Artificial Lift began manufacturing coiled sucker rod

Networking is essential Commenting on how networking is essential for his business, Eid said networking events, such as B2B (back-to-business) provide an opportunity for like-minded people and industry captains to share their experience.

He added that such events also help leaders understand the dynamics of the economy and help keep an eye on the latest trends.

Billed as the most influential business networking event in Oman, B2B will be held on February 9, 2016, with this year’s special theme entitled, “Leadership.”

Dover Artificial Lift actively supports and does business with SMEs, both in Salalah and the rest of Oman.

“All plant raw material shipments are handled by an Omani SME logistics provider. In addition, any local purchases for supplies related to plant and field operations are sourced through local SME providers,” Eid said.

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Eng. Isam al Zadjali, Chief Executive Officer of OOC, said: “this is an excellent occasion for entrepreneurs and investors to explore investment opportunities available in the Sultanate.”

He affirmed OOC’s commitment to support entrepreneurship and develop local talent. He said the initiative will contribute to promote the culture of entrepreneur-

ial in addition to the promotion of knowledge exchange in entrepreneurship and investment fields.

Focusing on strategy, leadership, change and globalisation, London Business School’s Sloan Masters in Leadership and Strategy programme is specifically designed for senior, experienced, high-calibre professionals and executives. It also aims at enhancing

individual leadership skills, sharpening their strategic thinking and making them inspired to lead change in their organisation.

OOC spares no effort to encourage such initiatives aimed at building capacity of the Omani youth, as well as supporting In-Country Value and SMEs as they are considered among the main pillars of the company.

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TU ESDAY, DECEMB ER 29, 2015 The new construction sector regulations were announced two years ago Shahswar Al Balushi Chief executive officer of OSC

OMAN

MINISTER OF THE DIWAN OF ROYAL COURT RECEIVES QATARI, EGYPTIAN AMBASSADORS

Sayyid Khalid bin Hilal bin Saud Al Busaidi, Minister of the Diwan of Royal Court, received separately in his office on Monday Ali bin Fahad Al Hajri, Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Sultanate, and Sabri Majdi Sabri, Ambassador of Egypt to the Sultanate. During the meeting, cordial conversations were exchanged, besides reviewing the bilateral relations and the means of enhancing them in various areas. -ONA

Honey production sees sharp rise in Sultanate the exhibition, “which is something to feel proud of”.

He also commended the role played by the beekeepers to preserve traditional Omani heritage and hailed the locals’ efforts in using the state-of-the-art technology and science for breeding honeybees.

Oman produced 414,546kg of honey in 2014, up from 23,793kg in 2011, even as the number of breeders went up from 2,681 in 2011 to 4,116 in 2014

Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman has seen a sharp rise in honey production and the number of beekeepers, according to the Sultanate’s records.

The country produced 414,546kg of honey in 2014, up from 23,793kg in 2011, even as the number of breeders went up from 2,681 in 2011 to 4,116 in 2014.

According to the official data, the number of cells in 2014 was 69,091, compared with 61,721 in 2011.

Meanwhile, to boost honey production, about 40 beekeepers from different governorates of the Sultanate are participating in the 5th Omani Honey Market at the Muscat Grand Mall,

OMANI HERITAGE: About 40 beekeepers from different governorates of Oman are participating in the 5th Omani Honey Market at the Muscat Grand Mall, which opened on Sunday. – Supplied photo

which opened on Sunday.

The four-day souk (market) has been organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in cooperation with the PDO and with

the support of Said bin Khamis Al Ka’abi, chairman of the Public Authority for Consumer Protection (PACP). Earlier, Al Ka’abi said he was pleased with what he saw at

Marketing of honey The fifth Omani Honey Market is being seen as important step in the marketing of honey and an opportunity for consumers to get to know the group of distinguished beekeepers.

The market also offers opportunities to young beekeepers to be connected with veteran beekeepers. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has reserved a corner in the market to help beekeepers and to provide them with services and tools that are used for beekeeping.

The ministry officials also provided consultancy and support to beekeepers with cells and separators, as well as with bees to preserve Omani honey.

The opening ceremony was attended by Ahmed bin Nasser Al Bakri, undersecretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries for Agriculture and Hamad bin Said Al Oufi, undersecretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries for Fisheries and a number of officials and pecialists.-With inputs from ONA

NEW RULES

< FROM

Omanis capable A1 Enough of taking up new jobs “Some of the nationals available in the construction sector are interested in working in certain categories, such as drivers etc,” said a contractor from a leading firm.

Al Balushi, however, added that this would place additional pressure on small companies as most of them are involved in private projects, which are not dependent on oil price fluctuations.

New regulations “The new regulations were announced two years ago. However, two years leniency was announced. Now, the time has come to implement it,” Al Balushi noted. Recent data points out that the number of expatriates working in the construction sector, reflect an increase of workers.

Omanisation rate Meanwhile, 44 per cent of the total number of expatriates in the Sultanate work in the construc-

tion sector, which has an Omanisation rate of not higher than 7.8 per cent.

The number of Omanis working in the construction sector at the end of March 2015 decreased to 56,265, compared with 58,731 at the end of May 2014, showing a 0.6 per cent decrease.

The Omanisation rate in third and fourth-grade companies, where 300,000 expatriates work, is 0.9 per cent.

“Through the new rules, we will be able to bring in all small companies into the fold and provide protection for the customer. At present out of the 100,000 companies operating in the sector, only 18,000 are operating actively.

“The rest are either inactive or are following hidden trade. We want to avoid this and bring in good practices in the sector,” Al Balushi said, adding that there are enough Omanis, who are capable of taking up new jobs.

EXHIBITION

A1 Showcasing natural beauty of Oman < FROM

Mohamad Nazir is conducting an exhibition at the City Season Hotel on 6th of January next year, which will feature nearly 55 original paintings showcasing the natural beauty of Oman.

“My life’s best paintings are

going to be exhibited along the walls of the City Season hotel,” Nazir said.

His advice to any upcoming artist is to be yourself and create your own way of painting and make a mark in history.

T U E S DAY, D E C E MB E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5 The blasts, one from a car bomb and another from a suicide attack, struck the Zahra district in the middle of the city Syrian Observatory for Human Rights

REGION

Iraqi troops mark key victory over IS group Iraqi forces raise flag on Ramadi complex, as the government says that IS groupheld Mosul will be the next target

BAGHDAD: Iraq flew its flag above the main government complex in the western city of Ramadi on Monday, marking its military’s first major victory over IS militant group since the army collapsed in the face of the fighters’ shock advance 18 months ago.

Footage aired on state television showed a handful of soldiers approach a low-rise building and then emerge on its roof to hoist a small tri-colour banner above their heads. “Yes, the city of Ramadi has been liberated. The Iraqi counter terrorism forces have raised the Iraqi flag over the government complex,” joint operations spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Rasool said in an earlier televised statement. If the government retains control of Ramadi, which was seized by IS militants in May, it would become the first city recaptured by Iraq’s US-trained army since it fled from the hardline militants in June 2014. In previous battles since then, the Iraqi armed forces operated mainly in a supporting role beside militias. Soldiers were shown on state television on Monday publicly slaughtering a sheep in an act of celebration.

Gunshots and an explosion could be heard as a state TV reporter interviewed other soldiers celebrating the victory with their automatic weapons held in the air.

VICTORY CELEBRATIONS: A member of the Iraqi security forces gestures at a government complex

in the city of Ramadi, on Monday. – Reuters

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A separate plume of smoke could be seen nearby. US Army Colonel Steve Warren, a spokesman for a US-led coalition backing Iraqi forces, said in a statement: “The clearance of the government centre is a significant accomplishment and is the result of many months of hard work.”

He said the coalition had provided more than 630 airstrikes in the area over the past six months as well as training, advice and equipment to the army, counterterrorism forces and police.

The US-led coalition, which includes major European and Arab powers, has been waging an air campaign against IS positions in both Iraq and Syria since mid2014, after the fighters swiftly

seized a third of Iraq’s territory.

The Iraqi army was humiliated in that advance, abandoning city after city and leaving fleets of American armoured vehicles and other weapons in the militants’ hands. One of the main challenges of the conflict since then has been rebuilding the Iraqi army into a force capable of capturing and holding territory. Baghdad has long said it would prove its forces’ rebuilt capability by rolling back militant advances in Anbar, the province encompassing the fertile Euphrates River valley from Baghdad’s outskirts to the Syrian border.

After encircling the provincial capital for weeks, Iraqi forces launched an assault to retake it last week and made a final push to seize the central administration complex on Sunday. Their progress had been slowed by explosives planted in streets and booby-trapped buildings. Security officials said the forces still need

VIOLENCE

Bombs kill 32 in Syria’s Homs BEIRUT: At least 32 people were killed and 90 wounded in two bomb explosions in the Syrian city of Homs on Monday, monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The blasts, one from a car bomb and another from a suicide attack, struck the Zahra district in the middle of the city, said the Britain-based Observatory, which monitors the conflict through a network of contacts on the ground. Syria’s state news agency SANA reported two car bomb blasts, but gave a lower initial toll of six dead and 37 wounded.

It was the second major attack in the city since a ceasefire deal took effect earlier this month, paving the way for the government to take over the last rebelcontrolled area of Homs.

Twin blasts on December 12,

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also in Zahra, killed at least 16 people. IS claimed reponsibility for that attack, saying it had detonated a suicide car bomb.

Meanwhile, buses and ambulances carrying around 450 fighters and civilians evacuated from two besieged areas in Syria have crossed into Turkey and Lebanon, sources at the border crossings said. Under a UN-sponsored deal agreed by warring parties, more than 125 fighters from the besieged rebel-held town of Zabadani near the border with Lebanon are en route to Beirut airport to board a plane to Turkey.

Simultaneously, around 330 civilians and injured fighters trapped in two pro-government villages in northwest Syria are heading to the Turkish city of Hatay to take a plane to Beirut, aid workers said. Under the deal, the fighters from the Islamist Ahrar Al Sham group and other local Syrian rebel factions holed up in Zabadani for months have been promised safe passage to Beirut airport and then on to Turkey.

At the same time, families and fighters in two besieged towns in the mainly rebel-held northwestern province of Idlib were heading to Turkey and were then due to fly to Beirut. Relief workers and rebel fighters helped carry several young men in wheelchairs onto ambulances in a square in Zabadani, one witness told Reuters. — Reuters

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to clear some pockets of insurgents in the city and its outskirts.

Finance Minister Hoshiyar Zebari told Reuters the capture of Ramadi was “a done deal” but said the government had to do more to rebuild the city and encourage displaced people to return.

“The most important thing is to secure it (Ramadi) because IS can bounce back,” he said in an interview in Baghdad.

Iraq’s army took the lead in the battle for Ramadi, with the militias held back from the battlefield to avoid sectarian feelings. Washington had also expressed reluctance about being seen as fighting alongside the groups. The Baghdad government says the next target after Ramadi is the northern city of Mosul, by far the largest population centre controlled by IS in either Iraq or Syria. Washington had hoped that potentially decisive battle would take place in 2015 but it was pushed back after the fighters seized Ramadi.. — Reuters

N E W T R AV E L B A N

Iran set to respond to US visa restrictions DUBAI: Iran will take reciprocal measures in response to any breach of this year’s nuclear deal, the Foreign Ministry warned on Monday, after Tehran said new US visa restrictions contravened the historic agreement.

Earlier this month, the US Congress passed a law restricting visa-free travel rights for people who have visited Iran or hold dual Iranian nationality, a measure that Iran’s foreign minister called a breach of the deal.

The measure, which affects citizens of the 38 mostly European countries that have visa waiver arrangements with the United

States, is framed as a counter-terrorism measure and also targets Iraq, Syria and Sudan. “Any steps taken outside the agreement are unacceptable to Iran, and Iran will take its own steps in response where necessary,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossein Jaberi Ansari told a televised news conference when asked about the US law.

He said a committee tasked with overseeing the deal would be responsible for ordering the Iranian response to any breaches.

Nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi, who heads that committee, has also said the visa law contravenes the deal. — Reuters

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TU ESDAY, DECEMB ER 29, 2015 NIA investigates complicated criminal cases...extremists, terrorists and Maoists have involvement at the global level and so the role of this investigating agency becomes more challenging Rajnath Singh, Home minister

INDIA

‘Terminology used in Congress journal from RSS dictionary’ Accusing Nirupam, the journal’s editor, of bringing ‘disgrace’ to the party on the occasion of its 131st Foundation Day, former minister Naseem Khan demanded his ouster from the post even as Shiv Sena and BJP latched on to the blooper and ridiculed

FOUNDATION DAY FUNCTION: Congress President Sonia Gandhi

Mumbai unit chief

with Janardan Dwivedi after hoisting the party flag during the 131st foundation day of Congress party, at All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters in New Delhi on Monday. - PTI

MUMBAI: City unit Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam on Monday came under intense criticism from his party over articles in a Congress mouthpiece slamming Jawaharlal Nehru and Sonia Gandhi’s father, with a senior leader claiming that terminology used in the write-ups was borrowed from the “RSS dictionary”.

Accusing Nirupam, the journal editor, of bringing “disgrace” to the party on the occasion of its 131st Foundation Day, former minister Naseem Khan demanded his ouster from the post even as Shiv Sena and BJP latched onto the blooper and ridiculed the city unit chief.

“The kind of terminology used in compiling the articles was derived from the dictionary of RSS. I demand senior party leaders to take this issue very seriously and con-

duct a detail inquiry by relieving (Sanjay) Nirupam from the post,” said Khan who had held several important portfolios in the previous Congress-led governments.

While one article in Hindi journal Congress Darshan questioned Nehru’s China policy, another called Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s father a “fascist soldier”, leaving the party red-faced.

Meanwhile, Nirupam apologised over the issue and sacked its editorial content in-charge Sudhir Joshi on Monday.

Taking potshots at the Congress, BJP’s Madhav Bhandari said the write-ups contained nothing new and that “the truth we have been pointing at has now come out”.

“Whatever we and all other opposition parties have been saying since long was vindicated today.

Congress never thought it neces-

sary to reply to the burning issues on the party leadership, but today its mouthpiece has replied (to) everything,” he said.

Stating that Nirupam cannot escape his responsibility as editor of the magazine, Bhandari said, “Any article that does not bear the name of its writer is credited to have been written by editor only, hence Nirupam cannot absolve himself from the responsibility (sic)”.

Sarcastic attack In a sarcastic attack, Shiv Sena “congratulated” Nirupam, a former shiv sainik, for “telling truth” to nation.

“We must congratulate Sanjay Nirupam for his boldness to tell the truth about the party’s (Congress) icon (Nehru), though this could be a factor of embarrassment for that party,” said Sena

We have nothing to do with this publication. It was a defunct magazine that was trying to revive. That is not our mouthpiece. We have nothing to do with this publication. This magazine has not been associated with Congress Tom Vadakkan Congress spokesperson

spokesperson Manisha Kayande.

“We had already raked up the issue of Sonia’s foreign origin and her reluctance to get Indian citizenship. But, today the party has vindicated our stand which also proves that the party rank and file has gone leaderless,” Kayande said.

BJP’s city unit vice-president Mohit Kamboj said it was an “ideological gharwapasi” for Nirupam as he was originally a staunch critic of Sonia Gandhi during his days with Sena. “Nirupam, a former Sainik, has today repaid his debt to Sena, and we want to hold a public felicitation for him,” Kamboj said in a statement.

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik termed the development as “serious” and sought explanation from senior Congress leaders.

“If the senior leader of the Congress party who is also chief of the

party unit here does a faux pas like this, then it’s time that senior leaders take a relook at functioning of their party,” he said.

“This issue is something serious and it should be explained by the Congress leaders,” Malik added.

An embarrassed Congress on Monday distanced itself from its “defunct” mouthpiece in Mumbai as some articles in it criticised Jawaharlal Nehru’s Kashmir policy and alleged that Sonia Gandhi’s father was a “fascist soldier”.

“We have nothing to do with this publication. It was a defunct magazine that was trying to revive.

That is not our mouthpiece. We have nothing to do with this publication. This magazine has not been associated with Congress,” party spokesperson Tom Vadakkan told reporters here.

Congress disowning remarks in the articles in the magazine Congress Darshan came in the evening capping a day-long controversy over the issue.

Maharashtra PCC chief Ashok Chavan said that Nirupam has tendered an apology and it was for MRCC to decide if a probe should be ordered into the faux pas or not.

Vadakkan said that Congress appointed Nirupam as MRCC chief and not editor of any magazine.

The AICC spokesperson distanced the party from Nirupam’s act of sacking the magazine editor.

“What does he do in his personal capacity is his responsibility. In his personal capacity, he can be editor of any magazine and decide to keep or sack any employee. The party has nothing to do with it,” he said.

In Delhi, Congress leaders Salman Khurshid and Raj Babbar said that the issue should be seriously looked into. - PTI

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S TAT E M E N T

‘Terrorism, Maoist activities contained’ LUCKNOW: Centre has achieved success in containing extremism, terrorism and Maoist activities in the country to a large extent, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday.

Singh was laying the foundation stone of Lucknow branch office of National Investigation Agency (NIA) here.

Hailing the achievements of the NIA, Singh said, “We have managed to control extremism, terrorism and Maoist activities to a large extent and if it is continued at the same pace, we will get more success in future.”

“NIA investigates complicated criminal cases...extremists, terrorists and Maoists have involvement at the global level and so the role of this investigating agency becomes more challenging,” Singh said.

Terming terrorism, extremism and Maoist activities as the biggest challenges faced by the country, Singh stressed on equipping investigating agencies with modern techniques to deal with these security issues.

“Investigations and inquiries cannot be performed using old methods. Criminals today are equipped with modern techniques and so the investigating agencies also have to adopt new techniques,” Singh said.

“The manner in which the NIA has been working, not only the people of the country but also of the entire world have started believing that it is the best agency working in a professional, unbiased and trustworthy manner,” he said.

Referring to the emergence of IS as a new and serious danger before the world, he said the number of its activists in the country is almost nil and its biggest reason is that Indian Muslim families stop their children to adopt this path. - PTI

POLITICAL GRIDLOCK

GST certainly possible in 2016: Jaitley NEW DELHI: Rolling out the ambitious GST regime is “certainly” doable in 2016, Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Monday, adding that he is in “continuous touch” with the Congress party in a bid to persuade them to cooperate.

“I hope that in the next session (of Parliament), the GST (Goods and Services Tax) will make headway,” he said.

“After all, it was a Bill brought by them (Congress). For political reasons, they have done a volteface but they should not be doing it indefinitely,” Jaitley said in an interview.

“I am in continuous touch with them and I intend continuing that. It is part of my job to continue to persuade them,” he added.

GST, which seeks to simplify and harmonise the indirect tax regime across the country with a single uniform rate, has been stuck for many years in a political gridlock.

While the previous UPA regime failed to get it passed in Parliament due to opposition from the BJP and some other parties, Congress has now refused to support the bill proposed by the NDA government in its present form.

Government’s target Asked about the government’s target to roll out GST from April 1, 2016, Jaitley said it was not like income tax and therefore it was not necessary to bring it in force from the beginning of a new financial year.

“GST is not an income tax (measure) and it does not have to come on only on first April of every year. It is a transactional tax and so it can come even in the middle of the year,” he said.

Key priority Jaitley said the passage of GST remains one of his key priority areas for the New Year, along with rationalising the direct taxes and further easing of process for doing business.

“I had hoped that we complete the process for GST this year. But it was plain and simple obstructionism of the Congress party which has prevented that.

“In fact, a national party adopting a disruptionist role and getting a sadistic pleasure in stalling

a reform which could add to India’s GDP is a disappointment,” he said. To a specific query on whether the GST was doable in 2016, he said, “It certainly is”.

The finance minister said the Congress did not have “numbers to obstruct, so it used disruption in order to obstruct and I think it is a very bad precedent for India’s Parliamentary democracy if this is followed in state legislatures and if this is followed by future opposition parties, I think it would be a bad trend to set”.

Need to introspect “So, I do hope that the Congress party introspects whether such tactics can be indefinitely be followed in a Parliamentary democracy,” he said. - PTI

D E R O G AT O RY C O M M E N T S

Atrocities against women increasing in Assam: Smriti NALBARI: Indian Union Minister Smriti Irani on Monday came down heavily on the Tarun Gogoi government, alleging that atrocities against women had increased in Assam during its tenure.

“There have been 75,000 cases of atrocities against women (in Assam) during the last ten years.

Attacks against women have increased under the corrupt Congress government,” she told a BJP rally in Assam’s Nalbari district.

“Tarun Gogoi has downgraded the status of women in Assam.

There is only goondagardi and no development,” Irani, against whom derogatory comments were made by Congress MLA Nilomani Sendeka on Sunday, said.

“I ask were the sacrifices of Kanaklata Barua, Mukunta Kakoti and other freedom fighters of Assam made for this,” she said, adding that BJP would fight the Congress in the state Assembly polls and “ensure that lotus (BJP’s symbol) will bloom in the state.”

She exhorted the party workers to fight the “ghamandi” (arrogant) Congress in the coming election

PROTESTS: BJP activists stage a protest outside former Congress minister and senior leader Nilomoni Sen Deka’s residence over his allegedly derogatory remarks against Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani, in Guwahati on Monday. - PTI

for bringing about change.

“Each of you pledge today to make Assam Congress-free and take it on the path of development.”

Sendeka had made derogatory remark against Irani at a public meeting in Nalbari on Sunday.

It sparked off demonstrations

by BJP workers in front of the Congress headquarters in Guwahati on Monday who demanded

that Sendeka be handed over to them and immediately arrested.

They also demanded that he be expelled from Congress. The unruly scenes forced police to burst tear gas shells.

Continuing her attack, Irani said Congress during its long tenure could not link the seven Northeast state capitals through rail. - PTI

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INDIA

Inquiry chief wants live telecast of proceedings in DDCA scandal Kirti Azad demands CBI probe into cricket row, drags Congress leaders

Formally accepting to head the Commission to probe alleged financial irregularities and wrongdoings in the DDCA, Subramanium said its formation was in tune with

DEMANDING RESIGNATION: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) activists stage a protest demanding the resignation of Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over the alleged irregularities in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), in Bhopal on Saturday. - PTI

I do not see why a matter which involves cricket and in particular which has long term implications must not be dealt with in the same fashion Gopal Subramanium Former Solicitor General

provisions in the Constitution

NEW DELHI: Former Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium, who is heading the Commission of Inquiry to go into alleged irregularities in DDCA affairs, has strongly pitched for live telecast of the proceedings to make it transparent.

“I would also like to make it clear that I have already promised a public inquiry. The same should be held at a suitable place. I offer it to be televised because I would like anybody in the world to watch how the Commission is proceeding to deal with this matter.

“I have always believed that in many parts of the world where proceedings of courts have been televised particularly in Britain and also in Canada, the judiciary has only stood to gain by being utterly transparent,” he said in a letter to to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

“I do not see why a matter which

involves cricket and in particular which has long term implications must not be dealt with in the same fashion,” he said.

Jung’s reservations Formally accepting to head the Commission to probe alleged financial irregularities and wrongdoings in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), Subramanium said its formation was in tune with provisions in the Constitution, notwithstanding Lt Governor Najeeb Jung’s reservations over it.

Subramanium said that in view of the resolution passed by the Delhi Assembly to form the Commission, it was “incumbent” upon the city government to set up the same as the House was a “State legislature for all practical purposes”.

The noted lawyer desisted from making any direct comment on Jung’s reservations on setting up of the commission but made his disagreement clear, saying that not setting up the panel would be “con-

trary” to the relevant provisions of the Constitution.

“In any view, I have taken the opinion that in view of the express words of Article 239AA of the Constitution of India and in particular the Legislative Assembly being treated as a state legislature for the purposes of Article 324 to Article 326 and 329 of the Constitution, I am left in no doubt that this is a state legislature for all practical purposes.

“It would also be contrary to the Constitution that a democratically-elected body, which is empowered by the Constitution to deal with matters within the state list as well as the Concurrent list, subject to the limitations imposed by the Constitution, cannnot set up a Commission of Inquiry,” Subramanium said in his letter.

In a communication to the Centre, Jung had stated that since the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952 empowers only the Centre and state governments to appoint a commission of inquiry, Delhi

could do so only with the concurrence of the Centre, through the LG as it was a Union Territory.

Subramanium said that LG’s “receipt” of information both from the Cabinet and the House indicate that he “prima facie” has consented to the appointment of the Commission.

The lawyer said that he does not wish to comment on media reports detailing Jung’s observations.

Alleged irregularities He also voiced his agreement to Kejriwal’s observations that the “very faith of the people” is at danger of being lost in light of the alleged irregularities.

“As I made it clear that the purpose of the inquiry must be the game, the benefit to the game as well as restructuring of the DDCA in the event of such need being present...I am very happy to say that the terms of reference are indeed set out to obtain a level of fairness and objectivity in the inquiry,” he said. - PTI

NEW DELHI: Suspended BJP MP Kirti Azad on Monday rejected his party’s argument that a SFIO probe had found no scam in DDCA affairs and sought a comprehensive probe by central agencies, including Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate.

Making it clear that he was not targeting Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, he sought to drag Congress leaders in the row, alleging that the previous UPA government did not take action because many of its nominees like Rajeev Shukla, Naveen Jindal and Arvinder Singh Lovely were working as DDCA directors and were “party to wrongdoing and remiss in their duties”.

“Without due diligence crores of rupees were transferred in bank accounts having fake addresses. It was a monumental fraud as the same people for the same work were paid again and again. I have evidence,” he claimed, adding “My fight is against corruption in sports bodies. It is not against Jaitley”.

Charged with anti-party activities over his attack on finance minister, he said that he was neither against BJP nor Jaitley.

“I fail to understand where I have targeted the finance minister. I have said nothing against the party. I have always been a loyal soldier.

But I will continue to fight

against corruption. CBI and probe agencies like ED and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence(DRI) should carry out an extensive inquiry into the DDCA affairs,” he said.

Addressing the media, Kirti named several firms which, he alleged, were involved in pocketing money running into crores of rupees and were “linked” with DDCA officials. Rejecting his party’s argument that no scam in the DDCA was found by Serious Fraud Investigation Office, he said the SFIO only looked into those papers which were given to them.

“SFIO committee only saw the papers that were given to them. It did not go into finding out whether the companies that were paid several crores of rupees even existed,” he said, adding that it still “indicted” the DDCA on several counts, mostly to do with lack of proper accounting.

Jaitley and DDCA have denied allegations made by Kirti, a former international cricketer. Kirti also wondered if attempts were being made to “hide” corruption, saying CBI instead of raiding the DDCA had only sent it notices, giving accused a chance to destroy proof.

“I have done 90 per cent of investigation. CBI should take evidence from me. I do not know why it is so slow,” he said. - PTI

2 0 1 6 A S S E M B LY P O L L

Discussion on CPI(M)-Congress alliance in January, says Yechury KOLKATA: The matter of forming an alliance with Congress ahead of the 2016 Assembly poll would be first discussed and debated in the CPI-M’s Bengal unit in January, party general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Monday said.

Any decision taken in the course of the discussion in the state unit would have to ratified by the party’s central committee, Yechury told reporters, when asked if his party would go for an alliance with

the Congress, on the second day of the five-day plenum.

He pointed out that no state unit of the party was autonomous and it would have to take the decision regarding alliance with any other party in accordance with the decision by the central committee and party resolution adopted in the party congress.

“This plenum is for discussion of the organisational aspects of the party. The policies and strategies

for elections will not be decided here. As far as election strategy for our party is concerned, it will be discussed in the respective state committees,” he said.

Asked what will be the party’s decision if a situation arises in which the Left Front is left with no alternative but to align with Congress, Yechury said, “When such a situation arrives, we will decide.”

The alliance issue has kept cropping up from time to time with a

section of the Bengal unit’s leadership reportedly rooting for such a tie-up with the Congress to take on the might of the ruling Trinamool Congress.

Novel steps The CPI(M) presently is holding its five-day plenum after a gap of 37 years to revamp the party organisation.

Yechury said the party was planning to bring in novel steps to re-

AURANGABAD

Unique ‘Roti Bank’ for the poor launched AURANGABAD: A unique ‘roti bank’ has been launched in this city, famous for its Ajanta-Ellora caves, for the poor. People can ‘deposit’ rotis and the poor, aged, sick or the unemployed people can ‘withdraw’ a basic fare of freshlycooked rotis and a vegetarian or non-vegetarian dish.

The Roti Bank — first of its kind in Maharashtra, and second in India after a similar venture in Bundelkhand, Uttar Pradesh — was launched on December 5 by Yusuf Mukati, the founder of Haroon Mukati Islamic Centre.

“Over the years, I saw many poor people, especially Muslims, who can’t afford one square meal a day... The situation is pathetic in large families with just one breadwinner. But because they live a dignified life, they do not resort to begging,” Mukati said.

Targeting many such poor and deprived families, the idea of a ‘Roti Bank’ crystallized — and the 38-year-old Mukati made it clear that beggars would not be entertained here. After discussing with his wife Kauser, and his four married sisters — Seema Shalimar, Mumtaz Memon, Shehnaz Sabani, Huma Pariyani — the ‘Roti Bank’ finally went ‘public’ with a modest 250 ‘depositors’ on December 5.

Initially, curious passers-by would stop to ask about it but feel delighted to see it was a noble initiative. People have to fill up a form for Roti Bank’s membership.

“We allot them a specific code number. The request is simple —

GOOD MOVE: Poor people — not beggars — come to pick up free food packets at Maharashtra’s first and India’s second ‘Roti Bank’ which started in Aurangabad from December 5. - IANS

simply deliver us minimum freshly cooked two rotis and a plate of vegetarian or non-vegetarian food that they prepare for family at home daily,” Mukati said.

The idea clicked and within a fortnight the membership shot up by nearly 25 per cent, and Mukati — who runs a garment shop along with his realty consultancy — is optimistic it will double soon.

“The bank timings are 11am to 11pm. People can voluntarily ‘deposit’ their food, once a day or even more... Similarly, the poor people can come any time to collect the food as per their convenience and availability,” Mukati said.

The unique bank provides special carry bags with a code number to each ‘depositor’ on receipt.

It is checked for freshness and

quality, and then disbursed to the lucky families daily.

“The membership is growing, and occasionally food deposits are also higher than expectations —So, on an average, we feed around 500 poor people daily,” Mukati said.

He emphasized that over onethird of the donors and beneficiaries are non-Muslims and want to increase their contribution gradually “since food is the right of all human beings, irrespective of religion or financial status”.

As word spread about the noble venture wedding organisers started dispatching the extra food left over due to guest absenteeism.

“Since launch, at least six Hindu wedding organisers sent us 5060 plates of excellent vegetarian food and another dozen Muslim

marriage organisers also sent a similar quantity of non-vegetarian fare,” he said.

“We store it separately in huge freezers with a capacity for 700 packets. The beneficiaries can take the food of their choice (veg/ non-veg),” said Mukati while appealing to big restaurants, deluxe hotels, corporate and industrial canteens, flight kitchens and mega-event organisers to contribute their unconsumed, extra food for the Roti Bank.

He feels it will ensure there is “absolutely no wastage” of food anywhere any time in the city of 1.17 million population.

Dwelling on the deplorable plight of Muslim women in the city, Kauser, his wife, said the divorce rates are very high, especially among young women.

“In its own way, the Haroon Mukati Islamic Centre is contributing to women’s uplift with an academic centre for 2,000 girls in which they impart regular spiritual and vocational education in 15 different vocations, including yoga, fashion designing and computers.

“This equips the young girls with a capacity to earn a living and in case of any future problems, at least they will not starve or be driven to the road,” Kauser pointed out.

Around 100 girl students from middle or upper-middle-class families have become Roti Bank members and contribute daily. It is disbursed among their less fortunate classmates. -IANS

vamp the organisation in order to reach out to the masses.

“We want to reach out to the students, youth and the middle class.

We want to reach out to that section who have been left out due to neo-liberal policies,” Yechury said.

The CPI-M also wants to deepen its footprint in the Hindi heartland by focusing on the fight against gender oppression, discrimination against dalits, tribals, disabled and religious minorities. - PTI

SPELLING OUT: CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury at a press conference during the party’s ongoing ‘Kolkata Plenum’, in Kolkata on Monday. - PTI

A10

TU ESDAY, DECEMB ER 29, 2015

PAKISTAN T R A N S P O R TAT I O N

Punjab to launch first ferry service in March FAISALABAD: The Punjab government will launch its first ferry service in March next year in a move aimed at utilising waterways for transportation purpose.

This will be the first step towards cutting transportation cost and reducing traffic congestion on roads.

The project titled ‘Inland Transportation’ by the Inland Water Transport Development Company (IWTDC) will be inaugurated in March 2016, said IWTDC Director Aamer Saleemi.

He said that the project will provide cheap cargo and passenger transportation services, cut transport cost by 50 per cent visà-vis road and railway mode of transportation.

In the first phase, the service will start from Daudkhel to Attock.

The Punjab government has set up the project at an equity of Rs200 million with authorised capital is Rs500 million.

The head office is located in Rawalpindi while operational facilities are being established at Daudkhel and at three field camps along the River Indus, Saleemi added.

Multinational shipping companies have shown interest to invest in the project and the bidding to select a private company to run the services will start next month, he added. .

Transporting goods Saleemi added that unfortunately, the utilisation of river and canal system in Pakistan for transporting goods and passengers has never been seriously pursued.

The Indus River Channel carried out an initial survey with the support of Pakistan Navy.

A group of entrepreneurs from the private sector provided the funding to evaluate the feasibility of this channel while retired navy officers supervised the project. — Express Tribune

$7.6m project set to prevent glacial lake flash flood risks “But such is the case no more,” he said, standing in the shadow of the Hinarchi glacier.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, in 2010 there were about 2,400 glacier lakes in Pakistan’s north.

Now there are over 3,000, according to the department, and the number is expected to keep growing as temperatures continue to rise, summers grow longer and warmer, and winters get shorter.

Ghulam Rasul, the meteorological department’s director-general and former senior climatologist, said more than seven glacial lake outbursts have been recorded in the last two years in the country’s north. The department currently has 52 glacial lakes in the north flagged as likely to burst at any time, he said.

The four-year project, which focuses on Bagrot valley in Gilgit-Baltistan and Bindo Gol valley in KhyberPakhtunkhwa, has since 2011 built flood diversion walls around more than 10 vulnerable villages

BAGROT VALLEY: Nestled PREVENTING DISASTERS: When a glacial lake burst in April 2014 and another in July 2015, both at the foot of five snow-capped triggering flash floods in the Bagrot valley, the walls saved village properties and maize and vegetamountain peaks in Pakistan’s ble crops from being washed away, said Shahadat Noor, a potato farmer in Bagrot. — AFP file photo northern Gilgit-Baltistan province, the villages of the Bagrot valGol valley in the northwestern and vegetable crops from being warming on the valley’s glaciers,” ley face fearsome flooding risks.

As glaciers retreat, they leave Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, washed away, said Shahadat Noor, he said.

As well as bolstering Bagrot’s behind lakes supported by has since 2011 built flood diver- a potato farmer in Bagrot.

“The structures veered the defences against glacial floodice dams or accumulations of sion walls around more than 10 floodwater flow off the settle- ing, said Hussain, the project has vulnerable villages. rock and soil.

Some of the barriers are made ments and croplands, sending it designated nine safe havens from Inherently unstable, these dams often burst, sending huge up of concrete steps, while others gushing safely through the val- flooding: high, open and flat areas, volumes of water rushing into the use stone-filled wire-mesh cages ley,” he told Thomson Reuters equipped with toilets and access to drinking water, that villagers to divert floodwater, debris and Foundation. villages below them.

Local people say the project has can use as temporary shelters But a project to build protective ice away from buildings and land structures around vulnerable vil- and instead direct it into the rivers also helped mountain communi- when floods hit.

Over the last three years, conties regain confidence in their lages has found a way to lessen the flowing through the valleys. struction on such defences has With funding and logistical ability to withstand such floods. risks and the damage.

“We do know we cannot control begun in 15 different Bagrot “Outbursts can trigger a release support from the UN’s Adaptation of millions of cubic metres of wa- Fund, the United Nations Devel- glacial melt and erratic or intense mountain villages identified by ter and debris in a few hours,” said opment Programme (UNDP) and rains,” said Mazhar Hussain, a the communities as vulnerable Khalil Ahmed, national manager the Pakistan government, the pro- community development special- to glacial lake outburst floods or of the Pakistan GLOF (Glacial ject is already producing promis- ist who runs the Dubani Develop- flash flooding, Hussain added.

Sajid Ali, a young farmer in ment Organisation, which works ing results, experts say.

Lake Outburst Flood) project. the Bagrot valley, said his vilWhen a glacial lake burst in on the Pakistan GLOF Project.

But walls can help divert the “But we can, at least, minimise lage used to fear flash floods that April 2014 and another in July water, he said.

The four-year, $7.6 million pro- 2015, both triggering flash floods the risk of GLOF, (flash) floods, threatened to sweep away homes, ject, which focuses on Bagrot val- in the Bagrot valley, the walls landslides or land erosion by farm plots and centuries-old ley in Gilgit-Baltistan and Bindo saved village properties and maize adapting to the impacts of global irrigation channels.

Not limited to Pakistan And the problem isn’t limited to Pakistan.

Nepal, Bhutan and India are also critically vulnerable to glacial lake outburst floods and flash floods, climatologists say.

In June 2013, devastating flooding in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand killed more than 5,000 people, and the Sunkoshi landslide tragedy in Nepal in August 2014 left at least 150 dead.

Climatologists at Pakistan’s Global Change Impact Studies Centre (GCISC) and the Pakistan Meteorological Department warn that as the number of glacial lakes continues to grow, outbursts will be hard to avoid.

The focus should be on finding ways to protect communities from the inevitable, they say.

Replicating the measures in the Bagrot valley could “help stave off loss of life and livelihoods in the mountain communities and downstream areas,” said Munir Sheikh, former head of climatology and environment at the impact studies centre in Islamabad. — Reuters

‘ N O T O V I P ’ C A M PA I G N

Civil society protests against security measures for VIPs KARACHI: Activists gathered at Sea View on Sunday to raise awareness for the ‘No to VIP’ campaign and distributed stickers among passersby. Members of the civil society and a large number of citizens of Karachi participated in the event.

The aim of the organisers was to create awareness among citizens of Karachi and beyond to encourage people to come together and stand against ‘VIP culture’.

Members of the civil society held placards and distributed bumper and windscreen stickers.

Afia Salam, a freelance journalist, and one of the organisers, told The Express Tribune that it is an informal forum which was started a few days ago when concerned citizens connected on Whatsapp and decided to do something.

She said that a Facebook page and a Twitter account titled “No to VIP Culture” have also been made to reach out to the public.

She clarified that they are not against senior government officials being provided security and protocol, but are against the abuse of that protocol.

Salam explained that government rules clearly mention who is entitled to how much security protocol but everyone abuses the law. She said there is no reason to block roads for ambulances and school vans.

“We know some people have genuine threats against them but that does not mean the larger public has to suffer,” she said. The campaign’s organisers want to spread the movement further so as to gain momentum so people may start discouraging VIP culture around them.

Naeem Sadiq, a researcher and member of the Citizens Against Weapons forum, said VIP culture has become a norm and the state has encouraged it for years now.

He said at airports, parliamentarian counters are also one of the examples of VIP culture.

According to Article 25 of the Constitution, all citizens are equal before the law and are entitled to equal protection of law, he said, adding that rulers of the

Constant and strategic placement of positive messaging about citizen’s rights goes a long way towards awareness and empowerment. The current security structure where personalities are provided safety over cities exhibits short sighted, self-serving and narcissistic politics Jibran Nasir Activist

country have promoted VIP culture to increase the gap between them and the citizens.

Death of toddler The latest movement against VIP culture was ignited after the death of 10-month-old Bisma in Karachi last week due to Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s security protocol.

The baby girl, suffering from measles and a high fever, died on Wednesday after her father was unable to enter Civil hospital due to security measures in place for

the Pakistan People’s Party chairperson, who was inaugurating a trauma centre there.

The incident, and the provincial government’s initial response, sparked outrage among the public across the country and led to severe criticism from human rights activists, and opposition parties.

After the tragic incident, Imran Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, also announced an end to stopping traffic as part of VIP protocol in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. — Express Tribune

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ASIA RIGHT TO APPEAL

DEMANDING NOBEL LAUREATE LIU’S RELEASE

Pro-democracy demonstrators imitate a three-finger salute from the movie ‘The Hunger Games’ as they hold signs during a protest celebrating the 60th birthday of jailed Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo in Hong Kong, China on Monday. Hong Kong protesters demanded the release of Liu, who was sentenced to jail six years ago on Christmas day. A veteran dissident involved in the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests, Liu was jailed for 11 years in 2009. - Reuters

Thailand’s PM defends British murders verdict, lashes out at protesters BANGKOK: Thailand’s prime minister lashed out on Monday at protesters who took to the streets of Myanmar’s Yangon on the weekend after a Thai court sentenced two Myanmar migrant workers to death for murdering two British tourists.

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said critics should respect the verdict and that Thailand’s justice system would not bow to public pressure.

“They have the right to appeal, right? Laws all over the world have this. Or should Thai law not have this? Is it the case that we should release all people when pressured?,” a visibly angry Prayuth told reporters.

Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, both 22, were found guilty by a Thai court on Thursday of killing Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, whose battered bodies were found on a beach on the southern Thai holiday island of Koh Tao in 2014.

The verdicts sparked anger in Myanmar where hundreds have held daily protests outside the Thai Embassy in Yangon, Myanmar’s biggest city, calling for the two to be released.

One killed, 33 hurt in suicide attack near school in Kabul SCAN THIS TO VISIT

ARTICLE, VIDEO, PHOTO GALLERY

The Taliban said in

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

a statement that the suicide attack had targeted a minibus it said was used to transport Americans and Europeans from a military base close to the airport

KABUL: A Taliban suicide bomber killed at least one person and wounded 33 on Monday in an attack on a road near a school close to Kabul airport, officials in the Afghan capital said, two weeks after a major insurgent assault in the city.

The ministry of public health said 18 children, many of whom had been studying in a nearby madrassa, or religious school, were among the injured. Many were apparently hurt by flying glass as the blast shattered windows.

Kabul police chief Abdul Rahman Rahimi said the attack had taken place in an overwhelmingly civilian area with no military targets nearby.

“Enemies of humanity detonated a suicide car bomb in front of a madrassa where children were learning the Holy Quran and Is-

SITE OF SUICIDE BOMB ATTACK: An Afghan policeman and locals look at the wreckage of a car at

the site of a suicide bomb attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Monday. - Reuters

lamic studies,” he said.

“It shows that they are enemies of mosques, God and the Quran.”

The windows of nearby shops were smashed and debris was strewn across the street.

Peace talks The attack, the latest in a series of suicide bombings, came a day after Pakistan’s army chief, General Raheel Sharif, visited Kabul for talks intended to lay the groundwork for a resumption of peace talks with the Taliban.

The Taliban said in a statement

the suicide attack had targeted a minibus it said was used to transport Americans and Europeans from a military base to the airport, killing 10 foreigners and three of their Afghan associates.

The Taliban often exaggerate casualty tolls in attacks on Afghan and foreign forces.

A spokesman for NATO’s Resolute Support mission in Kabul said no member of the mission had been involved in the incident.

Taliban insurgents have claimed a number of attacks this month, including an assault on a

Spanish embassy guesthouse in the capital that began on December 11 and a suicide bombing near Bagram air base that killed six American troops last week.

They have also been involved in heavy fighting in their historic heartland in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan, where they have been battling government forces for weeks for control of Sangin district.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident two gunmen on a motorbike shot and killed a female polio vaccination campaigner in Afghani-

stan on Monday and seriously wounded her granddaughter, officials said.

No group claimed responsibility for the attack but militants in some parts of the world believe campaigns against the crippling disease are a plot against Muslims or an attempt to spy on militants.

The pair, a woman and her teenaged granddaughter, were eradication-campaign volunteers, going house to house in Kandahar when they were shot, said senior provincial health official Abdul Qayum Pukhla.

“Today was the last day of campaign and as the workers were leaving a house, the gunmen opened fire on them and fled,” Pukhla said.

Afghanistan and neighbouring Pakistan are the only two countries in the world that remain polio-endemic, according to the World Health Organization.

Polio attacks the nervous system and can cause irreversible paralysis within hours of infection. But it can be stopped with comprehensive, population-wide vaccination. When a global eradication campaign was launched in 1988, the virus paralysed more than 350,000 children in 125 countries annually. Despite some violent opposition to vaccination in Afghanistan, its anti-polio campaign has had remarkable success for a nation at war. The number of cases has fallen from 63 in 1999 to just 14 in 2013. - Reuters

Protesters said the two men were used as scapegoats by authorities in an effort to close the high-profile case.

On Saturday, Myanmar’s army chief called for Thailand to review the sentencing of the two men. The murders on Koh Tao, a laid-back divers’ paradise, sullied Thailand’s image as a tourist haven.

Allegations A police investigation into the killings was riddled with allegations of police incompetence, torture and mishandling of evidence, but a judge dismissed allegations of torture, saying there was no evidence it took place.

The court based its ruling on DNA evidence that it said linked Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun to the crime, including samples collected from Witheridge’s body.

Both men were also found guilty of raping Witheridge.

On Saturday, the two were moved from Koh Samui prison, where they have been in custody for the past 14 months, to a highsecurity prison in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. - Reuters PHILIPPINE-HELD ISLAND

China expresses anger as Filipino protesters visit disputed island BEIJING: China expressed anger on Monday after a group of Filipino protesters landed on a disputed Philippine-held island in South China Sea. About 50 protesters, most of them students, reached Thitu island in the Spratly archipelago on Saturday in a stand against what they say is Beijing’s creeping invasion of the Philippine exclusive economic zone, said Eugenio Bitoonon, the island’s mayor.

China claims almost all the South China Sea, believed to have huge deposits of oil and gas, through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.

China was “strongly dissatisfied” by what the Filipinos had done, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said, reiterating that China has indisputable sovereignty over the Spratly islands.

“We once again urge the Philippines to withdraw all its personnel and facilities from the islands that it is illegally occupying, refrain from actions that are detrimental to regional peace and stability and not conducive to Sino-Philippines relations,” Lu said.

Describing their expedition as “a patriotic voyage”, the protesters, led by an ex-marine captain, plan to camp on the island, which the Philippines calls Pagasa, for three days in a symbolic act of defiance.

Government and military officials had tried to prevent the group from sailing to the disputed waters, citing security and safety reasons after a storm in the South China Sea earlier this month. - Reuters

SHENZHEN DISASTER

China police detain 12 in connection with landslide disaster BEIJING: Police in China have detained 12 people in connection with a deadly landslide last week, including at least one executive from a company that ran a dump for construction waste that swept through an industrial park, state media said on Monday.

The government has blamed breaches of construction safety rules for the disaster in the southern city of Shenzhen on December 20, when the dump overflowed and engulfed 33 buildings, and has begun an investigation.

At least seven people have been confirmed dead while more than 70 are missing.

In a brief report, the Xinhua news agency said police had taken “coercive measures” against 12 people, including “responsible people” from Shenzhen Yixianglong Investment Development, which ran the dump, using an expression

which generally refers to detention.

Calls to the company seeking comment went unanswered.

A Reuters reporter last week saw police raiding two of the company’s offices in Shenzhen. Police would coordinate with the central government’s investigation and “handle in accordance with the law the criminal suspects”, Xinhua said, without elaborating.

Separately, a former senior Shenzhen official who was in charge of an agency responsible for regulating the waste heap, has committed suicide, police said.

The former director of the Guangming New District Urban Management Bureau, a man surnamed Xu, had killed himself, district police said in a microblog post, adding police had received a report that a person had fallen from a building late on Sunday.

Police made no link between

Xu’s death and the disaster. The government had warned earlier that those held responsible would be “seriously punished in accordance with the law”. The Southern Metropolis Daily newspaper identified Xu as Xu Yuanan.

It is unclear when Xu stepped down as director of the Guangming New District Urban Management Bureau but the district government reported on its website that another person has been appointed head of the agency in July.

The disaster is the latest deadly accident to raise questions about China’s industrial safety standards and lack of oversight over years of rapid economic growth.

Last week, an executive with a government-appointed monitoring agency said it had urged Yixianglong to stop work four days before the disaster, citing safety concerns. - Reuters

RESCUE OPERATION: Excavators are seen working at the site of the landslide in an industrial area in

Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong province on Monday. - AFP

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READERS’ FORUM Modi-Sharif meeting a good beginning At last, prime ministers of both India and Pakistan — Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif — succeeded in a diplomatic coup of sorts.

They achieved the impossible and did the unthinkable surprising the world community. Indian political groups, barring the Congress party, welcomed Modi’s Lahore visit. What started with a preparatory dialogue on a sofa in a waiting lounge between the two — during the recent Paris climate summit — broke the thaw with Modi going all out and throwing the olive branch. The talks would include the contentious Kashmir issue as Scan this QR code well in the future. Along with this is the to send letters to the proposition of having lunch in Russia, folReaders’ Forum, lowed by an unscheduled tea stopover in containing not more than 200 words with Afghanistan, an early dinner in Pakistan, full name, address and reaching back India, all in a day. This and telephone development brings relief for people of number, may be sent both countries, who are ever more optiby mail (Times of Oman, P.O. Box 770, mistic of improved ties in social, trade and P.C. 112, Ruwi). sports arenas in the immediate run. In the long run, Afghanistan could play a mediator’s role between both the countries who continue to lack mutual trust. That would pave the way in combating cross country terrorism, particularly at a time when the black head of IS extremists is rising in the sub-continent. Modi-Sharif meeting is a real good beginning indeed.

— Dr Suddapalli Bhaskara Rao, Ruwi

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“Insure with New India and be secure”

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NIKOS KAZANTZAKIS

Teaching as a profession of choice in Pakistan

FRANCIS WILKINSON

We’re still waiting for a popular book that plumbs slavery’s dominion over whites in the United States . Only a curious perspective on the soul assumes that the infliction of torture and the outright theft of generations left scars on the victims but not the perpetrators bit.ly/historyusslavery

ne of the most significant factors contributing to student success is the teacher and teaching quality. It is well-documented that a motivated, committed and qualified teacher can contribute hugely towards students’ improved learning outcomes. According to the Unesco Institute for Statistics, Pakistan would need to recruit another 523,100 teachers by 2030 if targets like universal primary and secondary ‘quality’ education outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals are to be achieved. Looking at the statistics, Pakistan is likely to have a shortage of qualified teachers in the future because not only is a huge portion of the current teaching force getting older, the potential labour market also does not perceive the teaching profession as a first-choice career option.

Do people really want to become school teachers? Ask your kids what they want to become when they grow up. You would almost always hear typical responses, like doctor, engineer or scientist and sometimes, the atypical ones too like becoming a private detective, a secret service agent or a professional footballer, but you would hardly ever hear a kid say that they want to become a teacher.

The teaching profession in Pakistan has lost much of its attractiveness that previously used to be associated with it. It simply is not attracting the most promising and qualified prospective individuals anymore.

Some of the reasons that can be attributed to its downfall as a career option include a lack of economic and symbolic recognition, uncertain future prospects, lack of incentives, enhanced accountability, extra nonteaching responsibilities and low salaries.

I had the opportunity to interview some young teachers to see if teaching was their preferred profession and if they would opt for it again if given another chance to choose their career options. Almost all respondents said that they had ‘landed’ into the profession instead of actively choosing it and given a second chance, they would definitely choose a different profession. Be-

ing a school teacher is often a temporary arrangement in Pakistan until the time a better opportunity comes knocking. Given this, one can easily understand the commitment and motivation that teachers would have towards their students. Social prestige is a dominant factor contributing towards a change of profession, as mentioned by a number of respondents.

Have you ever wondered why teaching has lost its attraction? For me, it started losing its prestige the day it became a profitseeking venture with the emergence of tuition centres and private coaching; the day when teachers started going to the student rather than the other way around.

Teaching is certainly not a profession of choice in Pakistan. It is time this issue is considered seriously and policies and advocacy campaigns undertaken to enhance the image of the profession. This could be done through inducing material changes to the profession, such as increasing salaries and benefits, and enhancing the social prestige of the profession. This cannot be accomplished in a day. To begin with, teachers need to be dedicated to teaching. The government should also play its part by highlighting role models and bringing to light success stories. Days like ‘Salam Teacher’ have been a good influence in the past. The role of civil society organisations is also critical in this regard. Campaigns like Aao Parhao and Teach for Pakistan have been inspirations for the youth as these programmes tried to boost the image of the teaching profession, and reminded us of the important role that teachers have played in our development.

More initiatives like these would certainly help in restoring the traditional veneration attached with teaching.

The low prestige attached to teaching is an issue that has been considered trivial in the past. Considering the shortage of quality teachers, it is important that policies are adopted at the government level to attract competent people towards the profession. People need to be offered career and professional development opportunities that at least meet their expectations, if not exceed them. - Express Tribune

CLIPPINGS FROM OUR ARCHIVES DECEMBER 2000 Award to promote innovation thinking MUSCAT: In a bid to promote creative thinking among children, Ideas Management Consultants has introduced a selfnominated award scheme to determine the basis on which the schools might consider themselves most innovative in education in Oman. The award is based on a very successful project of the associates of Ideas in Australia –De Bono Institute, which offer these awards in association with The Australian, a key newspaper in Australia. The ‘Dr Edward de Bono Innovation in Education Awards’ is expected to promote new thinking in the school curriculum.

PICTOGRAPH

NUMBER OF DENTISTS IN OMAN 2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

1,032

654

726

802

882

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

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

1914: The production of Belgian newspapers is halted to protest German censorship.

1940: London suffers its most devastating air raid when Germans firebomb the city on the evening of December 29.

1981: President Ronald Reagan curtails Soviet trade in reprisal for its hash policies on Poland.

0 Source National Centre for Statistics & Information

T U E S DAY, D E C E MB E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

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OBAMA IN HAWAII ON HOLIDAY VACATION

US President Barack Obama eats shave ice at Island Snow Shave Ice with his family and friends during his Christmas holiday vacation in Kailua, Hawaii, on Sunday. — Reuters

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Poland president signs amendment to curtail powers of constitutional court WARSAW: Poland’s president on Monday signed into law an amendment to how its constitutional court makes rulings, a move critics say will erode checks and balances in government powers and paralyse the highest judicial body.

It was the latest development in a constitutional crisis which began when the conservative nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party, winner of October’s parliamentary election, appointed five judges to the 15-member court.

The government said the step was necessary for the court to properly reflect the results of the election.

Investors jittery The appointments were labelled illegal by opposition leaders, triggered major public protests, increased investor jitters and drew accusations from rights activists that the ruling majority was undermining democratic checks and balances.

The amendment, drafted and passed by PiS and now signed into law by President Andrzej Duda, a close ally of the party, requires the

15-member court to adopt most of its rulings by a two-thirds margin with at least 13 judges present.

This could force the head of the constitutional court to include the five judges chosen by the PiS-controlled parliament in the court’s composition or leave the court unable to pass rulings.

Hitherto, as few as five judges could be assigned to and vote on any particular case.

PiS lawmakers said the amendment was needed to clear up legal confusion after the constitutional court ruled earlier this month that another amendment passed by the former parliament partially violated the constitution.

The amendment will improve the constitutional court’s reputation and rulings by an increased majority will have a stronger legal standing, Duda told a news conference.

“It’s hard for me to understand the situation we’ve had until now, in which, de facto (just) three judges could rule on the legal fate of legislation passed by the parliament elected by the people.” — Reuters

‘UK needs rethink on flood defence’ Flood defences have been bolstered in recent years, but that has not been enough to prevent some residents of northern England from having their homes flooded time and again this month

LONDON: Britain needs a ‘complete rethink’ of its flood defences after towns, cities and countryside across northern England were inundated when rivers broke their banks in recent days, a government agency said on Monday.

Hundreds of soldiers have been deployed to evacuate residents and help emergency services.

Local authorities said around 500 properties were flooded in the historic city of York, and 2,000 homes and 400 businesses in Leeds.

Flood defences have been bolstered in recent years, but that has not been enough to prevent some residents of northern England, including the scenic Lake District, from having their homes flooded time and again this month.

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“We are moving from known extremes to unknown extremes,” David Rooke, deputy chief executive of the Environment Agency, which handles the government’s flood response, told BBC radio.

“We will need to have a complete rethink and I think we need to move from not just providing better defences (...) but looking at increasing resilience.”

Prime Minister David Cameron defended the government’s record on flood defences during a visit to

‘ T H E W O R D S T H AT A R E C H A N G I N G T H E W O R L D ’

Russian officials get book of Putin’s one liners as gift MOSCOW: Some of Vladimir Putin’s saltiest one liners have been turned into a book by his supporters who have sent a batch to the Kremlin touting it as the ideal holiday gift for patriotic Russian officials.

The tome, entitled “The Words that are changing the World,” is the latest expression of admiration from fans who cast the president as the saviour of modern Russia and will join an array of Putin-themed merchandise.

“We had begun to notice that everything which Putin says comes to pass to one degree or another,” Anton Volodin, author of the 400-page book, which was published by a pro-Kremlin group called Network, said in a statement.

“In this book we traced his words and confirmed that idea.”

Among memorable quotes selected are Putin’s threat to “rub out” Chechen militants in the “out house”, his contested as-

Vladimir Putin

sertion that Crimea was always and remains an “inseparable” part of Russia.

Putin’s stock in trade Blunt, barrack-room language is part of Putin’s stock in trade and helps him send signals to the state security elite which he, as a former intelligence agent, springs from.

Other quotes that are included centre on Putin’s patriotism.

“For me Russia is my whole life,” reads one.

Nikolai Svanidze, a historian, said the new book reminded him of the Little Red Book and its quotes from Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong published in the 1960s.

“It’s an Asian tradition,” he told the RBK daily.”Countries with authoritarian regimes always try to publish their leader’s most sparkling expressions even if those expressions are not that sparkling.”

The pro-Putin group which published the book has in the past been awarded generous grants by the Kremlin.

The tome should hit Russian bookstores in January priced at 800 roubles ($11.12).

The group, Network, said on Monday it had given 1,000 limited edition copies to the Kremlin, which in turn had handed them out to officials and politicians as a present ahead of Russia’s main New Year holiday. — Reuters

York, saying it had committed to spend 2.3 billion pounds ($3.4 billion) over the next six years, and he would consider doing more.

“Let’s have a look and see whether more needs to be done and whether the flood defences need to made even higher than they are already, and that’s exactly what we’ll look at,” he told Sky News.

Lull in heavy rain There was a lull in the heavy rain on Monday, and the Environment Agency said river levels were stabilising or starting to fall.

But nine severe flood warnings, which indicate a danger to life, remained in place, and further rain was expected on Wednesday on already saturated ground, the government said. — Reuters

RESCUED FROM FLOODED HOME: A family is rescued from their

flooded home by a mountain rescue team in York city centre, Britain, on Monday. — Reuters

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GLOBAL EYE

CHINA: Tourists walk above a tea plantation in Enshi, Hubei province, in China. — Reuters/Stringer

CRIMEA: A girl sits with a cat near at the Nakhimov Square in the

Black Sea port of Sevastopol, Crimea, on Sunday. — Reuters

UAE: A picture taken on Sunday shows a caravan of camels crossing the Liwa Oasis, southwest of the Emirati capital, Abu Dhabi, during the Dhafra Camel Festival. The festival, which attracts participants from around the Gulf region, includes a camel beauty contest, a display of UAE handcrafts and other activities aimed at promoting the country’s folklore. — AFP

AUSTRIA: The setting sun illuminates the sky above the city hall in

Vienna, Austria, on Sunday. — Reuters

RUSSIA: Local residents row a Soviet-made aluminium boat through ice floes as they leave a bank for a trip across the Shumikha Bay of the Yenisei River near Khmelniki village, south of the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Russia, on Sunday. —Reuters

SPAIN: A reveller throws an egg carton to another participant as they take part in the ‘Enfarinats’ battle in the southeastern Spanish town of Ibi on Monday. — AFP

SYRIA: A man dressed as Santa Claus distributes gifts to children during a Christmas parade in Damascus, Syria, on Sunday. — Reuters

T U E S DAY, D E C E MB E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5 The bad weather forced the cancellation of nearly 1,500 flights in the nation on Sunday, according to tracking service FlightAware.com. About half of the cancelled flights were in Dallas, a major US flight hub

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Tornadoes hit US

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South, Southwest and Midwest, as

killed in the Dallas area over the weekend by tornadoes, including one packing winds of up to 200 miles per hour (322 km per hour).

The twister hit the city of Garland, killing eight people and blowing vehicles off highways.

“It is total devastation,” Garland Police spokesman Lieutenant Pedro Barineau said. “It is a very difficult time to be struck by such a horrible storm the day after Christmas.”

Three other deaths were reported in the Dallas metropolitan area, the United States’ fourth most populous with about 7 million residents. Scores of people were injured in the region and officials estimated some 800 homes may have been damaged.

emergencies declared in Missouri and New Mexico and 1,500 flights cancelled

DALLAS: Storms hit the US South, Southwest and Midwest over the Christmas holiday weekend, unleashing floods and tornadoes that killed at least 43 people, flattened buildings and snarled transportation for millions during a busy travel time.

The bad weather, or the threat of it, prompted the governors of Missouri and New Mexico to declare a state of emergency for their states.

Flash floods killed at least 13 people in Missouri and Illinois.

Emergency workers In Missouri, emergency workers have evacuated residents from their homes and conducted dozens of water rescues, Governor Jay Nixon said on Sunday.

He said at least eight people had

TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION: An American flag placed by first responders is seen on Sunday in the aftermath of a tornado in Rowlett, Texas. – AFP

been killed and numerous roadways had been closed.

Nixon declared a state of emergency, saying continued rains would make already widespread

flooding conditions worse.

Three adults and two children were near the village of Patoka, Illinois, 85 miles (137 km) east of St. Louis, Missouri, when their

car was washed away by floodwaters on Saturday night, according to Marion County Coroner Troy Cannon.

In Texas, at least 11 people were

Powerful Powerful tornadoes are a staple of spring and summer in central states but occur less frequently in winter, according to US weather data. Three tornadoes were reported in Arkansas on Sunday, the weather service said, but there were no initial reports of significant injuries or damage.

The service has issued tornado watches and warnings for areas

in that state, as well as in parts of Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Mississippi.

A tornado watch means a storm is likely, while a warning means a storm or storms have been sighted.

The storms came on the heels of tornadoes that hit two days before Christmas, killing at least 18 people, including 10 in Mississippi.

In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott said his office had declared Dallas County and three nearby counties disaster areas. He also warned people to be wary of snow in western parts of the state and rivers spilling their banks in other places.

The National Weather Service issued severe weather advisories for large parts of the central United States, including a blizzard warning for parts of New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and a flash flood watch stretching from Texas to Indiana.

New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez declared a state of emergency for the entire state due to a winter storm that had dumped up to two feet of snow by Sunday night.

The New Mexico city of Roswell bested its one-day snowfall record, receiving 12.3 inches by Sunday evening, the Weather Service said.

The bad weather forced the cancellation of nearly 1,500 flights in the nation on Sunday, according to tracking service FlightAware. com. About half of the cancelled flights were in Dallas, a major US flight hub. — Reuters

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phenomenon has Paraguay’s minister of national emergencies, Joaquín Roa. He said, however, that many people did not want to leave their homes for fear of looting.

This year’s “El Niño,” which causes global climate extremes, is the worst in more than 15 years, the United Nations weather agency said last month. While it has worsened floods in some parts of South America, in others such as Colombia it has brought drought.

exacerbated summer rains, swelling rivers in the region

ASUNCION/BUENOS AIRES: With further rain looming, more families abandoned their homes on Sunday in Paraguay, the country hardest hit by the worst flooding in decades in the area bordering Uruguay and Argentina, which has already forced more than 100,000 people to evacuate.

The El Niño weather phenomenon has exacerbated summer rains, swelling rivers in the region.

The River Paraguay, which flows by the country’s capital, Asuncion, has already reached 7.82 metres (25.66 feet), its highest level since 1992.

Around 90,000 people have already left their homes in Asuncion, and are camping in makeshift wood and tin shelters around the city in parks and public spaces or finding refuge in schools and military buildings.

“The water in my house reaches the ceiling; we brought all we could

MAROONED: Locals steer a boat during floods in Paysand, 380 km northwest of Montevideo, on Sun-

day. – AFP

with the help of neighbors and a municipal van,” said Ramona Beltrán, a 42-year-old cook who has been living in an evacuee settlement with 30 other families for two weeks now.

Beltrán said she spent her savings on the material she needed to

make herself a new home as government aid had lagged.

“We can’t wait, when it is raining so much,” she said.

Cracks detected In Alberdi, about 120 km (75 miles) further south, authorities

have called for 7,000 more people to evacuate because of cracks detected in the town’s levee.

“We are very uncertain about what could happen with the (flood) wall and we do not want to run any type of risk, so the population has been alerted,” said

State of emergency The Paraguayan government has declared a state of emergency in Asuncion and seven regions of the country to free up funds to help those affected.

Some evacuees, though, complain the funds were not reaching those who needed them, and that the government must find permanent solutions to the flooding, which happens all too frequently.

“This isn’t a problem just now; it has been going on for years,” said Leopoldina Duarte, 49, who has already had to evacuate her home seven times.

There was no official death toll.

Local media reported two people were electrocuted in their flooded homes and several were killed by

trees falling in the storms that caused the flooding. In northern Argentina, across Paraguay’s southern border, some 20,000 people have had to evacuate in what local authorities have called the worst flooding in 50 years.

“Fortunately, the rains have lessened, and the rivers have stopped rising,” said newly elected President Mauricio Macri, who suspended his Christmas vacation to visit the worst affected areas in Entre Ríos province.

He blamed the floods partly on climate change, and promised federal aid to help build housing further away from river shores and to raise flood defense walls in the area.

Next year, the government plans to focus on finding long-term solutions to the flooding problem, building new infrastructure that was long overdue, said Macri, who studied to be a civil engineer.

In Uruguay, the number of evacuees was 11,300, Fernando Traversa, the head of the national Emergencies Office said on Sunday.

He said river levels were stabilising now.

This has allowed about 1,000 people to return to their homes, while an additional 5,600 were also returning, he said.

In southern Brazil, flooding has forced 1,801 families to leave their homes, Rio Grande do Sul state Civil Defence said in its latest update late on Saturday. — Reuters

TURKEY-ISRAEL TIES

RESISTANCE CONTINUES: Palestinians take cover behind a wall during clashes with Israeli security forces along the border fence with Israel on the eastern outskirts of Gaza City recently. – AFP

‘No normalisation of ties with Israel without end to blockade in Gaza’ ANKARA: Turkey sees no normalisation in ties with Israel unless its conditions for ending the Gaza blockade and compensation for the deaths of 10 Turkish activists in 2010 are met, a presidential spokesman said on Monday.

Relations between Turkey and Israel soured when the activists were killed in a raid by Israeli commandos on a Turkish boat, the Mavi Marmara, which was trying to breach the blockade.

Expectations of a breakthrough were intensified after senior officials met this month to try to repair ties. The talks have raised hopes of progress in negotiations to import Israeli natural gas, particularly since Turkey’s relationship with major energy producer Russia has worsened over Syria.

Tough stance But comments from Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin suggest Turkey may be trying to play tough in the negotiations.

“Turkey - Israel relations will not normalise until Israel realises the three conditions. We have not given up on these,” Kalin said at a

regular news conference.

Ankara wants an apology for the Mavi Marmara killings, and compensation for families.

It also wants Israel to end the blockade of Palestinians living in Gaza, seen as a sticking point in the talks.

“Turkey will continue to play its role until a two-state solution is reached, and the Palestinian people have their own state.

There cannot be permanent peace in the region until the Palestinian problem is solved,” Kalin told reporters in Ankara.

Asked to respond to the remarks from Ankara, an Israeli official declined to discuss Gaza policy, saying only: “We will not be conducting negotiations through the media.”

Israeli officials have previously described the blockade on Gaza, which is supported by neighbouring Egypt, as a necessary means of preventing smuggling.

Israel allows commercial goods into Gaza through its land crossings and said that nearly 128,000 tonnes of material, or 3,750 truckloads, entered the enclave last week. — Reuters

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WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2015

MARKE Muscat 5,434.74 - 1.22 - 0.02%

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CRUDE OIL PRICE

CURRENCY RATES*

DRAFT RATES (OMR1)*

GOLD PRICES*

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

Forex rates vs OMR1* US Dollar ................................. 2.58 Euro ............................................ 2.34 Pound ............................................1.72 Indian Rs ..............................171.06 Pak Rs ....................................267.59 Bangla Taka.......................201.37

Indian Rs ................................... 171.80 Pakistan Rs ............................. 271.50 Sri Lanka Rs ...........................370.50 Bangla Taka............................203.75 Phil Peso ................................... 122.25

Muscat 24ct per gm (OMR) .......13.80

Oman Crude............. (Spot) ........$32.32 Dubai Crude ............. (Spot) ........$32.00 Murban Crude ........ (Spot) ........$36.80 Arabian Light ......... (Spot) .........$31.56 N.Sea Brent............... (Spot) ..........$37.12 West Texas Int ....... (Spot) .........$37.05

* Rates are as of Dec. 28 Source: Bank Muscat

* Rates as of Dec. 28 Source: Oman UAE Exchange

Muscat 22ct per gm (OMR) .......13.35 Dubai 24ct per gm (Dh) ........... 129.50 Dubai 22ct per gm (Dh) ............. 122.75 * Rates as of Dec.28 Source: Malabar Gold & Diamonds

Bank Sohar to fund OMR40m for Omran’s JW Marriot Hotel The hotel, currently under construction, includes state-of-the-art food and beverage outlets and meeting facilities, and will add 304 keys to hotel offerings in Oman

Times News Service MUSCAT: Bank Sohar will fund OMR39.68 million for building the JW Marriott Hotel by Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran), which is coming up at Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (OCEC) precinct and is part of the emerging Al-Irfan City developed

by Omran.

The financing agreement was formalised during a signing ceremony at the JW Marriott Hotel construction site on Monday, according to a press release.

The new five-star hotel, situated in the heart of the OCEC precinct, will be operated under the JW Marriott brand. The hotel, currently under construction, includes stateof-the-art food and beverage out-

lets, meeting facilities and a health and leisure club. Once completed, it will add an additional 304 keys to hotel offerings in Oman As with all projects under construction by Omran and within the OCEC, the hotel is being built according to the highest standards of environment sustainability and has been designed to meet the criteria for the prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the United States Green Building Council.

Crowne Plaza Hotel “The agreement was part of the financial model pursued by Omran, whereby private institutions will work hand-in-hand with the government on commercial projects.

This deal falls on the back of the

FINALISING DEAL: The financing agreement was formalised during a signing ceremony at the JW

Marriott Hotel construction site on Monday; and right, an artist’s impression of the hotel. – Supplied picture

OMR30.6 million finance deal that was signed with Bank Sohar, earlier in September for the Crowne Plaza Hotel Development, also at the OCEC. With financing in place, the five-star JW Marriott development is on track for a scheduled completion in 2017.”

“This development, once completed, will stand as the most prestigious and exclusive of the quartet of hotels planned for the OCEC precinct. The hotel will offer unprecedented levels of luxury, class and service, whilst adding significant guest capacity to the hospitality offering in OCEC, as well as Muscat as a whole,” said Ali Rasbi, acting

chief executive officer of Omran.

“Bank Sohar is proud to be associated with Omran once again for yet another prestigious development. Projects of national importance, such as these are key for the development of the hospitality sector and, in turn, foster economic growth and generate local employment.

As a local bank, we endeavour to support the Government’s objective of promoting the growth of the hospitality sector and the diversification of the nation’s economy. This valuable partnership is a clear representation of that support,” added Sasi Kumar,

group general manager of business at Bank Sohar.The agreement was signed by Salah Al Ghazali, Omran’s acting chief investment officer and Kumar, at an event attended by senior officials from Omran and Bank Sohar.

Financing Also present at the event were representatives from the National Bank of Oman, acting as lead financial advisors, and Al Busaidy, Mansoor Jamal and Co. (AMJ) as legal advisors for the JW Marriott development.

Highlighting the high levels of mutual cooperation with the pri-

vate sector, Salah Al Ghazali noted, “This agreement represents yet another milestone for our partnership with Bank Sohar, as well as the banking sector in the Sultanate as a whole. We are pleased to join hands with Bank Sohar once again for this development, which is a major component of the landmark OCEC project.”

“New development funding arrangements, such as these reflect the growing number of opportunities for private sector equity involvement and the rise of mutual partnerships, and indeed we are currently finalising a new investment strategy at Omran that capitalises on these emerging opportunities for tourism development. By taking a position in projects, such as these, private sector investors will benefit not only from favourable future returns, they will also play a key role in building capacity to support the rapidly growing tourism and travel sector in Oman,” added Al Ghazali.

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MARKET Oman UAE Exchange plans to expand branch network across borders in India in real time at any time.

Elaborating on the market potential, Boban said that with the growing expatriate community, the Sultanate is emerging as a strong remittance market. “We too have been witnessing a yearon-year increase in the remittances from Oman to the major receiving markets. This may be attributed to the fact that the expatriates, mostly South Asians, tend to send higher amounts of money back home during the festive seasons. The year 2016 will also not be different,” he said, adding: “Moreover, with the Sultanate positioning itself as a premier tourist destination to the discerning travellers, there is bound to be an increase in the flow of foreign reserves in the country’s economy.”

Ever since Oman UAE Exchange started its operation two decades ago, the exchange house has been growing along with the economic progress of the Sultanate. “The brand has been addressing multiple financial requirements of the customers like money transfer and foreign exchange from a single point.”

The exchange house CEO said the major initiative this year included the launch of Flashremit, a real time account credit facility in Oman

A. E. JAMES

businesseditor@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Oman UAE Exchange, the leading money exchange in the Sultanate, plans to expand its branch network and introduce new products and services to cater to the growing needs of local customers, subject to regulatory approvals.

“Apart from branch expansion, various technological initiatives were implemented across our branches. Major initiative this year included the launch of Flashremit, a real time account credit facility in Oman,” Boban M. P., chief executive officer of Oman UAE Exchange, told Times of Oman.

Transformational projects “While we expect our growth to be consistent next year, plans to implement some transformational projects are in the offing. Strategic plans to expand our branch network and service offerings within the country are also in place,” added the newly-appointed CEO of Oman UAE Exchange in an e-mail response.

Committed to providing customers with greater value to all their financial requirements, Oman UAE Exchange operates

OPTIMISTIC: Boban M. P., chief executive officer of Oman UAE Ex-

change, says that apart from branch expansion, various technological initiatives were implemented across the branches. - File picture

FLASHREMIT SERVICE

The exchange has entered into an agreement with State Bank of Travancore for Flashremit service, which will enable Indian expatriates in Oman to transfer money directly to their beneficiary having account in State Bank of Travancore across borders in India in real time at any time

through 52 branches in the country. Recently, the exchange house has entered into an agreement with State Bank of Travancore for Flashremit, a real time ac-

count credit facility. This service will enable Indian expatriates in Oman to transfer money directly to their beneficiary having account in State Bank of Travancore BANGLADESH PLANT

Muscat Thread Mills drops project MUSCAT: Muscat Thread Mills said it will not proceed with setting up its proposed plant in Bangladesh due to non-availability of economical sources of fuel to run its operations.

“This will have an additional impact of OMR105,000 on the profitability of the company during the current year,” said the company in a stock market filing. - Times News Service

Trend in remittances On the trend in remittance business this year, the Oman UAE Exchange chief said that the drop in the crude oil prices, the devaluation of the Chinese yuan and the deterioration of the Russian economy resulted in huge volatility in the global currencies leading to weaker currencies against the United States dollar. The latest World Bank report too stated that due to the weakening of currencies against the dollar, there has been slightly less growth overall in the remittances globally.

“But, interestingly in the GCC, specifically in Oman, since the currency is pegged with the dollar, we were not exposed to that kind of pattern. We, at Oman UAE Exchange, too witnessed a sudden

spike in the remittance volume to corridors like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Philippines as expatriates took advantage of the favourable exchange rate against weaker South Asian currencies.”

Boban also said that as per the World Bank’s latest report - Migration and Remittances dated October 2015, remittances to developing countries are expected to rise by about four per cent in 2016 and 2017, buoyed by the continuing recovery in the United States and a modest acceleration of economic activity in Europe. Added to it the declining oil prices can have a long term impact on the Middle East whereby new projects/business might slow down.

Currency volatility “Although, the global currency volatility did play havoc with various economies with multiple national currencies going down in value this year, the next year seems to be promising with remittances to Sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa accelerating.”

The evolution of technology, especially in the mobile banking segment, has today enabled the customers to engage with their banks anytime anywhere at just a touch of a button. It has not only empowered the customers to conduct a wide range of banking activities while on the go but, has also brought the ‘unbanked’ into the financial realm.

“We have always been a pioneer in the remittance industry when it came to adopting new technologies. This has paved the path for us in strengthening our prowess in the industry as our processes and systems are at par with the current trends,” added Boban.

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ECONOMY

Japan factory output drops TOKYO: Japan’s industrial output fell for the first time in three months in November, as exports fell more than expected and households spent less.

Production slumped 1 per cent in November from October, compared to the forecast for a 0.5 per cent drop. From last year, output was up 1.6 per cent, the Industry Ministry said in a statement in Tokyo on Monday. Retail sales declined 2.5 per cent from October.

The data adds to mixed signals for the Japanese economy, which is forecast to continue growing this quarter after revised data showed it expanded 1 percent in the three months through September. A slowdown in China and other Asian nations has hurt Japan’s exports and wage and price gains at home remain weak. Meanwhile, the weak yen has bolstered company profits.

“Japan will continue a recovery but it’s likely to be unimpressive one,” said Taro Saito, a director at the NLI Research Institute in Tokyo.

“While the global economy picks up, it’s becoming clear that weakness in Japan’s consumer spending is being a drag for production.”

Sales at supermarkets Sales at supermarkets and department stores were also weaker than expected, contracting by 1.5 per cent versus estimates for a 0.2 per cent decline.

Output dropped in industries including chemicals, cars, steel, and electronic parts and devices, while rising in sectors such as plastics and weaving. The inventory ratio climbed 2.9 per cent from the previous month, meaning shipments dropped and stockpiles increased.

Output will grow slightly over the fourth quarter, according to a research note from Koya Miyamae and SMBC Nikko Securities, writing before the data was released.

Miyamae had forecast a 0.4 per cent drop in production in November.

The yen was little changed at 120.32 per dollar at 9:47 a.m. in Tokyo while the Topix stock index rose 0.34 per cent. - Bloomberg News

BUSINESS FORUM

Nama Group hosts round table on In-Country Value Times News Service MUSCAT: A panel discussion with senior business leaders from the country to discuss In-Country Value (ICV), its challenges and opportunities in the electricity sector was recently organised by Nama Group.

Hosted by Eng. Hamad Al Maghdari, CEO of Rural Area Electricity Company RAECO (Part of Nama Group), the panel discussion consisted of senior leaders like Eng. Omar Al Wahaibi, Group CEO, Nama Group, Khalifa Al Abri, acting CEO, Riyada, Eng. Ahmed Al Mazroui, CEO, Majis Industrial Ser-

vices, Amer Al Sinani, Strategy Lead, ICV Programme Management Office, Ministry of Oil & Gas, Badriya Al Ismaili, Training Centre Manager, Nama For Competency Development NICD (Part of Nama Group), Gert Hoefman, CEO, Oman Cables, P.S. GopalaKrishnan, CEO, Nuhas Oman, Hassan Abduwani, CEO, Voltamp, and Safa Al Riyami, ICV and Strategic Planning, PDO. The objectives of the round table discussion were to identify mutually beneficial opportunities, develop white papers that can further enable the implementation of Nama Group sustainability objectives, engage the

public and media in the topic, and identify new projects for implementation by Nama Group and the industry at large.

Moderated by Mayank Singh, group editor of ‘Oman Economic Review’, the discussions revolved around the role of private sector in furthering the ICV agenda and creating opportunities for SMEs to participate in the development of the economy.

The leaders also analysed issues like creation of jobs for Omanis and the technical training of new graduates. The fall in oil prices and its impact on the implementation of the ICV was another subject that was discussed.

T U E S DAY, D E C E MB E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

B3

MARKET

Bank Muscat unveils top-level changes in management team Eight employees, including seven

The new structure aims at maintaining the leadership position of the bank against the backdrop of a challenging economic situation and a changing world

Omanis, have assumed leadership roles in the new management team, which includes two women

Times News Service MUSCAT: Bank Muscat, the leading financial services provider in the Sultanate, in step with its strategy, has unveiled a new organisational structure bringing on board competent Omani employees who have recorded remarkable career achievements and leadership skills.

Against the backdrop of challenging economic situation, the new organisation structure has been developed to realign the bank to achieve its strategic objectives, focus on customer-centricity, reinforce the control environment, and provide more career development opportunities for talented young Omanis. Eight employees, including seven Omanis, have

The current management team has led the bank through a successful period recording progress in all performance indicators

Sheikh Khalid bin Mustahail Al Mashani

AbdulRazak Ali Issa

Chairman, Bank Muscat

assumed leadership roles in the management team level.

The new members inducted into the management team of Bank Muscat include two women.

Additionally, the structure incorporates representation of branches by two representatives in the management team to ensure that opinion of customers and employees from different parts of the country are reflected at highest management levels.

Executive management Notably, the new executive management of the bank comprises Abdul Razak Ali Issa, chief executive; Ahmed Al Abri, chief operating officer; Waleed Al Hashar, deputy chief executive officer; Sulaiman Al Harthy, deputy chief executive officer – Islamic Banking; and K. Gopakumar, deputy chief operating officer.

“In line with His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said’s vision of

Significant changes Commenting on the new organisation structure, AbdulRazak Ali Issa, chief executive, said: “The last comprehensive review of the bank’s organisation structure was done 4 years ago in 2011 and became effective on January 1, 2012.

The current management team has led the bank through a successful period recording progress in all performance indicators.

Meanwhile, we have also witnessed significant changes in the operating and regulatory environment as well as the size, scale and complexity of the bank’s business, whereby it became imperative that we review our current organisational structure and realign it with the current and medium term requirements of the bank.”

Bank Muscat has the distinction of outstanding leadership at all levels and attracts the best cadres for employment.

Chief executive, Bank Muscat

developing Omanis and empowering women, the new organisation structure reaffirms the commitment to maintain this momentum by assigning higher responsibilities to Omani men and women.

Bank Muscat has spearheaded the Omanisation initiatives in the country,” chairman Sheikh Khalid bin Mustahail Al Mashani.

“The new structure aims at maintaining the leadership position of the bank against the back-

drop of a challenging economic situation and a changing world. We are confident that the new structure will ensure that Bank Muscat continues as the leading bank in the Sultanate of Oman with the strongest executive talent,” added Sheikh Khalid.

“The bank followed international best practices in the restructuring process in consultation with Korn Ferry, one of the leading global consulting firms.”

Omanisation The bank has achieved 94 per cent Omanisation, giving priority for Omanis to occupy important positions. The bank’s women empowerment strategy is also notable as 48 per cent of employees are women holding various positions, including senior management positions.

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2016 BUDGET

OIL MARKET

Saudi Arabia trims budget spending on falling oil price

PRIORITY: Iran’s priority is to boost crude shipments to pre-

sanction levels, state-backed IRNA reported, citing Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh. – File picture

Crude oil declines from three-week high as Iran seeks to boost exports SINGAPORE: Oil slid from the highest level in three weeks, snapping the longest run of gains since April as Iran repeated its goal of boosting exports after sanctions on the country are lifted.

Futures in New York lost as much as 1.3 percent, after climbing 9.7 per cent last week. Iran’s priority is to boost crude shipments to pre-sanction levels, state-backed IRNA reported, citing Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh. The Gulf nation plans to add 500,000 barrels a day of exports within a week after sanctions are removed, said Rokneddin Javadi, head of National Iranian Oil Company, according to Shana news agency.

The global glut that’s sent West Texas Intermediate crude toward its second yearly decline may deepen after the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) effectively abandoned output limits earlier this month.

Brent, the benchmark for more than half the world’s oil, is poised to end 2015 with the lowest annual average price in 11 years, hurting oil- exporting countries and companies.

Iranian exports “If Iran adds as much as it plans to the already oversupplied market, there is definitely less hope for the market in the first half of next year,” said Hong Sung Ki, senior commodities analyst at Samsung Futures, said by phone from Seoul. The country’s export ambitions “will become a driver for lower prices,” he said.

WTI for February delivery lost as much as 49 cents to $37.61 a

barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange and was at $37.64 by 4 p.m. in Singapore, falling for the first time in five days.

Prices rose 60 cents, or 1.6 per cent, to $38.10 on Thursday, the highest since December 4. Trading was closed ob Friday for the Christmas holiday. The volume of all futures traded was 40 percent below the 100-day average.

Brent for February settlement lost 29 cents, or 0.8 per cent, to $37.60 a barrel on the Londonbased ICE Futures Europe exchange. Prices are down 16 percent this month, the biggest drop since July. The European benchmark crude traded at a 4-cent discount to WTI. Opec cooperation Iran sees potential for a further drop in crude prices as the nation plans to boost its supplies amid lack of Opec cooperation, said Javadi, who is also the country’s deputy oil minister. The Middle East producer has reached agreements with buyers and plans to increase overseas shipments by 1 million barrels a day within six months of sanctions lifting.

The 13-member Opec, which controls about 40 per cent of global oil production, abandoned its formal output target in its December 4 meeting as it attempts to drive higher-cost producers from the market.

That is adding to the glut that is also hurting its own members.

Saudi is said to be considering selling stakes in state-owned companies to help stem a budget deficit that reached 20 percent of its economy. - Bloomberg News

RIYADH: Saudi Arabian government said it has set 2016 revenue targets at 513 billion riyals, while spending may reach 840 billion riyals, according to a decree read out on state television.

Spending in 2015 was 975 billion riyals. Saudi Arabian stocks advanced after the government’s budget deficit for 2015 was better than economists expected.

The budget announcement comes against a worsening economic backdrop, after the plunge in oil prices curbed revenue, forcing the world’s biggest crude exporter to dip into its foreign reserves and tap the bond market. The budget deficit was expected to be as high as 500 billion riyals, but was narrowed due to “some procedures” the government took to boost the efficiency of state spending.

“The 13 per cent overshoot is less than what market has expected, especially since the war in Yemen was supposed to cost the Saudis a lot,” said Reda Gomaa, a portfolio manager at Mashreq Capital DIFC Ltd. “That’s why the market reacted positively to the data.” The deficit is at about 16 per cent of gross domestic product, according to Alp Eke, senior economist at National Bank of Abu Dhabi.

The median estimate of 10 economists forecast a shortfall of 20 per cent of GDP this year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

While the government may reduce capital expenditure, it’s unlikely to reduce spending on healthcare, education or major infrastructure projects, according to Fahad Al Turki, the Riyadh-based chief economist at Jadwa Investment.

For 2015, the Kingdom will like-

INFRASTRUCTURE SPENDING: While the government may reduce capital expenditure, it’s unlikely to reduce spending on healthcare, education or major infrastructure projects, according to a Riyadhbased chief economist. – Bloomberg News

ly post a deficit of 20 per cent of gross domestic product, according to the median estimate of 10 economists in a survey. The shortfall will narrow to about 14 per cent in 2016, economists estimate.

Selling bonds The oil slump has pushed the government to mull putting projects on hold, sell bonds and order departments to search for savings.

Major development initiatives won’t be delayed, Al Assaf said earlier this year, signaling projects like the Riyadh metro system are unlikely to be affected.

“Most of the expenditure was business as usual until the last few months,” said Mohammed Al Sabban, a Saudi economist and former oil ministry adviser. The war in Yemen, while “very important security wise,” has also been a financial burden, he said.

In its first months in power, King Salman’s administration brought swift change to the traditionally slow-moving kingdom, overhauling the cabinet, merging ministries and realigning the royal succession. The financial crunch imposed by cheaper oil means the focus is now shifting to economic reforms,

with local media reporting a “national transformation programme” to be unveiled in January.

In an interview with the New York Times last month, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the king’s son, said the government plans to raise domestic energy prices, privatise and tax mining, and will consider new taxes on cigarettes.

The government may also sell stakes in ports, railways, utilities and airports, two people with knowledge of the matter said this month. Hospitals may also be privatised, one person said. - Bloomberg News

B4

TU ESDAY, DECEMB ER 29, 2015

MARKET MSM index ends lower

OMAN STOCKS

MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ........................................5,441.48 ...............5,429.88 ................... 5,434.74 ...................5,435.96.................. -1.22 .................. -0.02 Financial Index .....................................6,524.17 .............. 6,494.99 ....................6,497.81 ................... 6,513.89................ -16.08 .................. -0.25 Industrial Index ................................... 6,808.93 .............. 6,800.62 ................... 6,806.14 ...................6,808.72.................. -2.58 .................. -0.04 Services Index .......................................3,077.95 ...............3,074.35 ................... 3,074.82 ...................3,074.98.................. -0.16 .................. -0.01 MSM SHARIAH INDEX.......................863.36 ..................862.32 ...................... 862.32 ...................... 862.73.................. -0.41 .................. -0.05 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 15,230,525 ................. 3,930,396 .................... 480 ...............15,792,874,284 .................. 6 ......................14 ....................20 .........................40

Al Sharqiya Investment, up by 2.15 per cent, was the top gainer while Jazeera Steel

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR MONDAY, DECEMBER 28

Product, which fell 3.45 per cent, lost the most ISIN ......................................SECURITY NAME ..................................................................VOLUME..... TURNOVER............TRADES ......OPEN PRICE......HIGH ............. LOW ........ CLOSE PR. ...PREV. CLOSE...DIFF (RO).........DIFF % .............LAST PR.....LAST BID .............LAST OFFER ........MARKET CAP.PAR VALUE

MUSCAT: Share prices on the Muscat Securities Market edged down, after a recovery witnessed on several days. The MSM30 Index closed on a flat note at 5,435.74 points, marginally down by 0.02 per cent. The MSM Sharia Index ended flat at 862.32 points and was down by 0.05 per cent. Al Suwaidi Power was the most active in terms of volume, while Bank Muscat was the most active in terms of turnover. Al Sharqiya Investment, up by 2.15 per cent, was the top gainer while Jazeera Steel Product was the top loser, down by 3.45 per cent.

As many as 480 trades were executed on Monday, generating a turnover of OMR3.93 million with 15.23 million shares changing hands. Out of 40 traded securities, six advanced, 14 declined and 20 remained unchanged.

Omani investors were net buyers to the tune of OMR950,000, while GCC and Arab investors were net sellers at OMR849,000 followed by foreign investors, who sold shares amounting to OMR101,000.

Financial Index closed at 6,497.81 points, down by 0.25 per cent. Al Sharqiya Investment, Ominvest and National Bank of Oman increased by 2.15 per cent, 0.46 per cent and 0.38 per cent, respectively. Bank Sohar, Al Madina Takaful, Global Financial Investment and National Finance declined by 1.88 per cent, 1.27 per cent, 0.89 per cent and 0.74 per cent, respectively.

Industrial Index ended at 6,806.14 points, down by 0.04 per cent.Galfar Engineering and Voltamp Energy increased by 1.39 per cent and 0.48 per cent, respectively. Al Jazeera Steel Product, Oman Flour Mills and Oman Textile Holding declined by 3.45 per cent, 2.33 per cent and 0.56 per cent, respectively.

Services Index closed at 3,074.82 points, down by 0.01

per cent. Oreedoo Oman was the only gainer in the sector and was up by 0.56 per cent to close at OMR0.720.

OIFC and Port Services Corporation were the only losers and were down by 1.67 per cent and 0.74 per cent, respectively.

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

OM0000002440 ...........AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING .............38,965 ............... 3,710......................12 ........... 0.095 ...........0.096 ...........0.095........... 0.095 .............0.093 ........... 0.002..............2.151.................0.096..............0.095...................0.096....................8,550,000 ..........0.100 OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 374,978 ............27,510......................14 ........... 0.072 ........... 0.074 ...........0.072........... 0.073 .............0.072 ............0.001 ............. 1.389 ................0.074..............0.073...................0.074................... 21,168,587 .........0.100 OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO........................................................................ 68,000 .............49,321........................8 ............0.720 ........... 0.728 ...........0.720........... 0.724 .............0.720 ........... 0.004............. 0.556 ................0.720.............. 0.716...................0.720..................471,283,623........0.100 OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY .....................................................33,985 .............14,070........................6 ............0.414 ........... 0.414 ...........0.414 ........... 0.414 .............0.412............ 0.002............. 0.485 ................0.414 ..............0.414...................0.430 ..................25,047,000.........0.100 OM0000001533 ............OMINVEST .................................................................... 848,650 ......... 370,135..................... 10 ........... 0.434 ...........0.438 ...........0.434........... 0.436 .............0.434 ........... 0.002............. 0.461 ................0.438..............0.438...................0.450..................241,047,676 ........0.100 OM0000001483............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN .................................. 90,000 ............24,000........................8 ........... 0.267 ...........0.268 ...........0.266........... 0.267 .............0.266 ............0.001 ............. 0.376 ................0.266..............0.261...................0.266 .................357,969,637 ........0.100 OM0000001517 ............HSBC BANK OMAN ......................................................92,780 ...............9,556........................6 ............0.103 ........... 0.103 ...........0.103........... 0.103 .............0.103............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.103 ..............0.102...................0.103..................206,032,217........0.100 OM0000001749 ............OMAN CEMENT .......................................................... 498,620 .........229,365........................4 ........... 0.460 ...........0.460 ...........0.460........... 0.460 .............0.460 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.460..............0.460...................0.506 .................152,201,447........0.100

Saudi shares rise The Tadawul All Share Index rose 0.7 per cent in Riyadh to 6,992.19. The nation’s budget deficit was 367 billion riyals ($98 billion) as the kingdom exceeded expenditure by 13 per cent, Hindi Al Suhaimi, an official adviser, told reporters at a news conference in Riyadh.

“The 13 per cent overshoot is less than what market has expected, especially since the war in Yemen was supposed to cost the Saudis a lot,” said Reda Gomaa, a portfolio manager at Mashreq Capital DIFC. “That’s why the market reacted positively to the data.”

The budget announcement comes against a worsening economic backdrop, after the plunge in oil prices curbed revenue, forcing the world’s biggest crude exporter to dip into its foreign reserves and tap the bond market.

The budget deficit was expected to be as high as 500 billion Saudi riyals, but was narrowed due to ‘some procedures’ the government took to boost the efficiency of state spending, Al Suhaimi said.

The deficit is at about 16 per cent of gross domestic product, according to Alp Eke, senior economist at National Bank of Abu Dhabi. The median estimate of 10 economists forecast a shortfall of 20 per cent of GDP this year, according to data.

Saudi Electricity led the rise in Saudi stocks, climbing 9.9 per cent, the most since June 2006.

Al Rajhi Bank was the secondbiggest contributor to Tadawul’s advance. - United Securities/Bloomberg News

OM0000001822............UNITED POWER ................................................................ 500 ...............1,450........................3 ........... 2.900...........2.900 ...........2.900 .......... 2.740 .............2.740 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................2.900 ............ 2.600...................2.900 ...................2,192,000 ..........1.000 OM0000002200 ...........AHLI BANK .................................................................... 600,000.......... 117,120..................... 10 ............0.198 ........... 0.198 ...........0.195 ............0.195 ............. 0.195............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.195 .............. 0.191...................0.195 ..................277,882,048........0.100 OM0000002549 ...........BANK DHOFAR ............................................................ 190,000 ........... 40,850........................9 ............0.215 ........... 0.215 ...........0.215 ............0.215 ............. 0.215............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.215 ..............0.205...................0.215..................332,116,637 ........0.100 OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 2,330,875 ...1,091,200....................111 ........... 0.470 ...........0.470 ...........0.466........... 0.468 .............0.468 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.466..............0.464...................0.466................1,072,572,975 ......0.100 OM0000003000 ...........ALMAHA PETROLEUM PRODUCTS MAR. ......... 1,000 ...............1,930........................2 ............1.930 ........... 1.930 ...........1.930........... 1.940 .............1.940 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................1.930 ............. 0.000...................1.930..................133,860,000........0.100 OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ........................ 255,350 .........400,695..................... 64 ............1.570 ........... 1.570 ...........1.560 ............1.570 ............. 1.570............ 0.000.............0.000 ................1.570 .............. 1.565...................1.570................ 1,177,500,000 ......0.100 OM0000004248 ...........SMN POWER HOLDING .......................................... 352,552 .........260,888........................3 ............0.740 ........... 0.740 ...........0.740........... 0.740 .............0.740 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.740..............0.740...................0.760..................147,730,344 ........0.100 OM0000004735 ...........SEMBCORP SALALAH...................................................1,548 ............... 3,793........................3 ........... 2.450 ...........2.450 ...........2.450........... 2.450 .............2.450 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................2.450..............2.450...................2.500 .................233,870,128........1.000 OM0000004925 ...........AL BATINAH POWER................................................ 714,128.......... 136,398......................18 ............0.191 ........... 0.191............0.191 ............0.191 ............. 0.191 ............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.191 .............. 0.191...................0.196..................128,903,499........0.100 OM0000004933 ...........AL SUWADI POWER .................................................. 2,672,995...... 510,542........................9 ............0.191 ........... 0.191............0.191 ............0.191 ............. 0.191 ............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.191 .............. 0.191...................0.198.................. 136,451,611 ........0.100 OM0000002168............AL ANWAR CERAMIC TILES ................................ 30,000 ...............9,200........................2 ........... 0.308 ...........0.308 ...........0.306........... 0.306 .............0.308 ...........-0.002 ........... -0.649 ...............0.306............. 0.304...................0.306 ..................90,641,387 .........0.100 OM0000001145 ............PORT SERVICES CORPORATION ........................ 50,000 ................6,715........................6 ............0.135 ........... 0.135 ...........0.134........... 0.134 ............. 0.135............-0.001 ............-0.741................0.134 ..............0.134...................0.135 ...................12,735,360 .........0.100 OM0000002648 ...........NATIONAL FINANCE ..................................................61,851 ...............8,290........................3 ............0.135 ........... 0.135 ...........0.133 ........... 0.134 ............. 0.135............-0.001 ............-0.741................0.133 ............. 0.000...................0.136...................35,272,620.........0.100 OM0000003125 ............GLOBAL FINANCIAL INVESTMENT ................ 2,621,040......290,814........................6 ............0.110 ............0.111 ............0.110 ............0.111.............. 0.112............-0.001 ........... -0.893 ............... 0.111 ............. 0.000................... 0.111 .................. 22,200,000 ........0.100 OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL...............................................31,307 ...............2,447........................4 ........... 0.079 ........... 0.079 ...........0.078........... 0.078 .............0.079 ...........-0.001 ........... -1.266 ...............0.078..............0.078...................0.080 ..................13,650,000 .........0.100 OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE................ 51,072 ...............9,049..................... 10 ............0.176 ........... 0.179 ...........0.176 ............0.177 .............0.180 ...........-0.003 ............-1.667................0.177 .............. 0.177...................0.179 ...................35,400,000.........0.100 OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR..................................................................41,367 ............... 6,515........................5 ............0.157 ........... 0.158 ...........0.157 ............0.157 .............0.160 ...........-0.003 ............-1.875................0.158 .............. 0.157...................0.158................. 226,306,080 .......0.100 OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING................................................. 77,536 ............ 12,802......................19 ............0.166 ........... 0.166 ...........0.164............0.165 ............. 0.169............-0.004 ........... -2.367 ...............0.165 .............. 0.165...................0.166...................24,762,375 .........0.100 OM0000002176 ............AL JAZEERA STEEL PRODUCTS ........................ 470,500 ........... 65,870.....................22 ............0.140 ........... 0.140 ...........0.140........... 0.140 ............. 0.145............-0.005 ........... -3.448 ...............0.140.............. 0.139...................0.140....................17,485,714 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 12,599,599......3,704,237 ..............377 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......27........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

OM0000001194 ............AREEJ VEGETABLE OILS AND DERIV ................ 1,000 ............... 5,510........................2 ............5.510 ........... 5.510 ...........5.510 ............5.510 ............. 5.510............ 0.000.............0.000 ................5.510 .............. 5.510...................0.000 ..................25,346,000.........1.000 OM0000001368 ............CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IND. .................. 313,549.............10,034........................8 ........... 0.032 ...........0.032 ...........0.032........... 0.032 .............0.032 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.032.............. 0.031...................0.032 ...................2,720,000 ..........0.100 OM0000001566 ............OMAN FISHERIES ..........................................................5,771 ..................308........................3 ........... 0.053 ...........0.054 ...........0.053........... 0.053 .............0.053 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.054..............0.052...................0.053....................6,625,000 ..........0.100 OM0000001806............MUSCAT NATIONAL HOLDING ................................. 280 ...................521........................1 ............1.860 ........... 1.860 ...........1.860........... 1.860 .............1.860............ 0.000.............0.000 ................1.860 ............. 0.000...................1.860....................9,300,000 ..........1.000 OM0000001855 ............MAJAN GLASS ...............................................................19,500 ............... 3,881........................1 ............0.199 ........... 0.199 ...........0.199 ........... 0.199 ............. 0.199............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.199 ............. 0.000...................0.199....................8,362,637 ..........0.100 OM0000005963 ...........PHOENIX POWER ........................................................ 58,512 ...............8,422......................11 ............0.143 ........... 0.144 ...........0.143 ........... 0.144 .............0.144 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.144..............0.144...................0.145..................210,614,610 ........0.100 OM0000001053 ............OMAN TEXTILE HOLDING .................................... 70,000 ............24,840........................7 ........... 0.356 ........... 0.356 ...........0.354........... 0.354 .............0.356 ...........-0.002 ........... -0.562 ...............0.354..............0.350...................0.354....................2,124,000 ..........1.000 OM0000004776 ...........TAKAFUL OMAN INSURANCE ................................ 5,383 .................. 538........................1 ........... 0.100 ........... 0.100 ...........0.100........... 0.100 ............. 0.101............-0.001 ........... -0.990 ...............0.100..............0.099...................0.106...................10,000,000.........0.100 OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA ................................................................ 1,599,009 .......113,539..................... 62 ........... 0.072 ...........0.072 ...........0.071 ............0.071 .............0.072 ...........-0.001 ........... -1.389................0.071 .............. 0.071...................0.072................. 106,500,000 .......0.100 OM0000001400 ...........OMAN FLOUR MILLS ................................................... 8,535 ...............3,585........................2 ........... 0.420 ...........0.420 ...........0.420........... 0.420 .............0.430 ...........-0.010 ........... -2.326 ...............0.420..............0.420...................0.430 ..................66,150,000 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 2,081,539 ....... 171,176..................... 98 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......10........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

OM0000004628 ...........BANK SOHAR BONDS 4.5 ........................................ 536,022 ........... 53,602........................3 ........... 0.100 ........... 0.100 ...........0.100........... 0.100 .............0.100 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.100..............0.100...................0.110 .................... 7,150,000 ..........0.100 OM0000005971 ............B.MUSCAT COMPL. CONVR. B.B.3.5 .......................5,940 .................. 564........................1 ........... 0.095 ........... 0.095 ...........0.095........... 0.095 .............0.095 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.095..............0.095...................0.099...................30,795,353 .........0.100 OM0000004602 ...........BANK MUSCAT CONV. BONDS 4.5 ...........................7,425 ...................817........................1 ............0.110 ........... 0.110............0.110 ............0.110 ............. 0.113 ............-0.003 ........... -2.655 ...............0.110 .............. 0.110................... 0.113 ...................33,302,402.........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 549,387 ........... 54,983........................5 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........ 3........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

CURRENCY

Indian rupee appreciates for eighth straight session MUMBAI: Rising for the eighth straight session, the rupee on Monday gained two paise to close at 66.19 against the American currency on sustained selling of dollar by banks and exporters amid robust foreign capital inflows.

The rupee resumed higher at 66.10 as against the last Wednes-

day’s closing level of 66.21 at the Interbank Foreign Exchange (forex) market. It moved in a range of 66.08 and 66.22 during the day before finishing at 66.19, showing a gain of two paise or 0.03 per cent.

It has gained by 90 paise or 1.34 per cent in last eight trading days.

The dollar index was down by

0.06 per cent against the basket of six currencies in the late afternoon trade. However, the dollar was a tad higher against the yen during Monday’s trading session in Asia, as the greenback failed to maintain gains from mid-morning buying amid a lack of fresh trading cues. - PTI

TU T U E S DAY, D E CE C E MB E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

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FEATURE

N

ew orders for US manufactured capital goods fell in November and the prior month’s increase was revised sharply lower as the drag on manufacturing from a strong dollar and spending cuts in the energy sector showed little sign of abating.

But the outlook for the economy remains encouraging, with other data showing consumer sentiment at a five-month high in December and personal income rising for an eighth straight month in November. That should support consumer spending and generate enough economic growth for the Federal Reserve to steadily raise the interest rates next year.

“The economy is not too cold, and not too hot, it is just right. The Fed can stay the course ... no need

to depart from a gradual pace given what we know currently about the economy,” said Chris Rupkey, chief economist at MUFG Union Bank in New York.

The Commerce Department said non-defense capital goods orders excluding aircraft, a closely watched proxy for business spending plans, dropped 0.4 per cent last month. October’s increase in orders for these socalled core capital goods was revised down to 0.6 per cent from 1.3 per cent.

Manufacturing, which accounts for 12 per cent of the economy, is also buckling under businesses’ efforts to reduce an inventory bloat and sluggish global demand, which has curtailed new orders growth.

The dollar has gained almost 20 per cent against the currencies of

the United States’ main trading partners over the last 18 months.

At the same time, plunging crude oil prices, which recently plumbed their lowest levels since 2004, have put pressure on oilfield services firms like Schlumberger and Halliburton, forcing them to slash capital spending budgets.

A survey early this month showed manufacturing contracted in November for the first time in three years. Core capital goods shipments fell 0.5 per cent last month after declining 1 per cent in October. Shipments of these goods are used to calculate equipment spending in the government’s gross domestic product measurement.

“Unless we see a big rebound in December or upward revisions, it appears that investment in equipment contracted in the fourth

quarter,” said Paul Ashworth, chief US economist at Capital Economics in Toronto.

A separate report showed the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index increased to 92.6 this month, the highest reading since July, from 91.3 in November. Low inflation, characterised by deep discounts at shopping malls, accounted for the rise in sentiment this month.

The report also showed that consumers’ attitudes towards purchases of long-lasting manufactured goods such as motor vehicles and other big-ticket items hit their highest level since 2005.

Rising wages Prospects for consumer spending next year also got a boost from another report from the Commerce

Department showing income increased 0.3 per cent last month after gaining 0.4 per cent in October. Wages and salaries advanced 0.5 per cent, adding to a 0.6 per cent gain in October.

US stocks rose on the mixed data, with sentiment also buoyed by a rebound in oil prices. The dollar firmed against a basket of currencies, while US Treasuries fell.

A tightening labour market, marked by an unemployment rate that is in a range some Fed officials consider consistent with full employment, is starting to lift wages.

While that could generate price pressures, inflation will likely remain below the US central bank’s 2 per cent target because of the oil price rout.

“The Fed understands that the competing factors will be with us

for a while and that is why it is easy for the members to say that rates will be increased gradually,”said Joel Naroff, chief economist at Naroff Economic Advisors in Holland, Pennsylvania. The Fed hiked its benchmark overnight interest rate last week by 25 basis points to between 0.25 per cent and 0.50 per cent, the first increase since mid-2006.

The personal consumption expenditures price index rose 0.4 per cent in the 12 months through November, the largest increase since December, after increasing 0.2 per cent in October. Excluding food and energy, the so-called core PCE price index rose 1.3 per cent in the 12 months through November, for the 11th straight month. It is the Fed’s preferred inflation measure. – Reuters

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TUESDAY, DECEMB ER 29, 2015

ROUND-UP All-new Mazda MX-5: An iconic roadster

DEVELOPING SKILLS

2016 Mazda MX-5 delivers outstanding

A’Saffa conducts specialist training for junior sales staff

agility and driving dynamics combined with thrilling rear wheel drive, while enjoying the latest in-car connectivity

MUSCAT: Available in Oman at the Towell Auto Centre’s Azaiba and Wattayah showrooms, the 2016 Mazda MX-5 is the world’s most iconic roadster.

It delivers outstanding agility and driving dynamics combined with thrilling rear wheel drive, while enjoying the latest in-car connectivity. Also this exciting sports car is powered by the award-winning SKYACTIV Technology, ensuring the exhilaration of those twists and turns without compromising your fuel economy.

The all-new 2016 Mazda MX-5 is a true genius, says a press release.

“You have to marvel at how devoted and careful Mazda is with the overall idea of the MX-5 (a.k.a.

Miata). For any of its three previous generation formats and for this new, fourth-generation format, Mazda could have so easily given the little roadster more powerful engines, more elbow room, more comfy stuff, more of everything basically.

“But Mazda has always maintained that the way to have sports car fun is not just about outright speed. It believes it is better to have a sports car that responds to your every command, and thoroughly connects you to the bones of the vehicle and the contours of the road. In this way, a roadster will always ‘feel fast’ in more driving situations. And this 2016 Mazda MX-5 is brilliantly executed in that manner,” says a reviewer of Mazda MX-5, a car that is known globally for its pure fun-to-drive quotient.

“It’s more than 100kg lighter than the previous MX-5 and as compact as the very first Miata. You experience its willingness to change direction basically every time you change direction, which happens quite often when you think about it.

Electric steering replaced hydraulic steering, but still provides awesome feel.

“The way you sit in the vehicle and the way you interact with all the controls, makes the MX-5’s cockpit feel like no other vehicle cockpit on the road. The convertible top is incredibly easy to put up and down and the speakers in the headrests ensure clear audio when the top is down,” the reviewer adds.

A senior spokesperson of TAC comments: “The Mazda MX-5 is the best-selling two-seater convertible in history. It is a very appealing car thanks to its KODO design. It is lighter, smaller, quicker and more agile than before. It still retains the iconic two-seat, rearwheel drive roadster flavour and is by far the best looking Miata ever. #LongLiveTheRoadster”.

The 2016 Mazda MX-5 roadster also boasts of rear vehicle monitoring system, traction control, Mazda connect with commander controls, touch screen 7 inch display screen,

AT H L E T I C S

navigation system, cruise control, blue tooth, smart keyless entry with push start ignition, premium audio Bose speakers grafted on the seats, reverse parking sensors, LED signature lighting with day time running lights, gun metal finished alloys and paddle shift gears making this roadster a delight for those looking for a feature loaded package.

Visit the TAC showrooms in Azaiba and Wattayah to see this Iconic Roadster and avail the opportunity to own one of the two 2016 Mazda MX-5 in Oman.

With a network of 13 service outlets and 10 parts outlets spread across Oman, TAC is the only Mazda distributor in the world to win the Mazda Customer Service award five years in a row.

With 98.2 per cent parts deliverability, TAC also offers quick, efficient service with genuine parts available for all models.

MUSCAT: A’Saffa Foods, Oman’s leading producer of 100 per cent natural, fresh, halal and healthy food products in the Sultanate and the largest fully integrated poultry project, continues to impart training and development programmes for its staff.

Recently the company invested in the training and development of their junior staff and merchandisers through a specialised training course in sales and marketing concepts, says a press release.

The training programme for junior sales staff dealt with various aspects on contemporary issues in the field of sales. During the intensive two-day seminar the staff was given a comprehensive insight into various issues in sales to ensure the company keeps pace with its leading competitive edge.

Commenting on the training workshop, Sidhartha Lenka, head of Sales and Marketing, A’Saffa Foods, said: “A’Saffa Foods partnered with the Modern College of Business and Science to run a two-day course, which provided

them with an opportunity to appreciate and understand the importance of customer delivered value and customer satisfaction.

A’Saffa has in the past and will continue to stay committed to investing in the careers of its staff at every level of the business. Initiatives such as these have helped us to achieve excellent staff retention levels.”

He elaborated, “As the company expands its food production operations in Oman and continues to expand and grow its businesses in the region, it is vital for us to ensure that our team has the very best skills and sales techniques at their disposal.”

With its great tasting and high quality range of frozen and fresh Halal products, A’Saffa Foods is Oman’s leading poultry producer.

The company has also broadened its scope by making a foray into non-poultry products with the introduction of ‘Khayrat’ and ‘Taybat’ range of tasty halal beef products, frozen vegetables, frozen fruits / fruit pulps and frozen sea food products.

E X PA N S I O N

Salalah International School organises annual sports meet

SALALAH: Salalah International School (SIS) held its 6th Annual Sports Meet 2015- 2016, recently.

Students participated zealously in the true spirit of sportsmanship. The venue of the event was the school football ground which was well arranged for the day, says a press release.

The sports meet began meticulously at 8am with the National Anthem. A solemn opening ceremony with the recitation from the Holy Quran and the delivery of Hadeeth was initiated by students respectively.

S. Radhakrishnan, principal, delivered the welcome address on behalf of the Salalah International School, Board of Directors, AbdulAziz Omar Al Shanfari (CEO, SIS); P. V. Muraleedharan (Chairman, SIS). This was followed by the declaration of the sports meet open by the Guest of Honour, Dr S. Krishnan, director of the Salalah

International School.

The morning was pleasant and rejuvenating as the young athletes began with a brisk warm up, watched by parents, grandparents and other supporters. Around 115 students enthusiastically took part in various athletic events like sprints, ball in the basket, relay, skipping race and displayed their talents and fervour.

After a rigorous and competitive strife in the final events, was the much awaited prize distribution ceremony. Students were awarded medals and certificates

by Muraleedharan, Krishnan, Radhakrishnan and George Kennedy, Cambridge Coordinator.

Words of encouragement and appreciation were extended to all the participants especially to the winners by Muraleedharan.

Students in all the categories, the sub-junior, junior, senior and the super senior for both girls and

boys were awarded for their excellent performance.

Football - the most appealing of all the sports held in school, was the last one to be awarded with the rolling trophy. Team Barcelona exemplarily gave a tough competition to the opponent team Chelsea.

The 13 member team - Barcelona, with students from across Grade VI - IX played the game with commitment and determination.

The esteemed players walked up with pride with their heads elated in exhilaration while rounds of applause echoed through the school premises.

It was indeed a euphoric moment for all gathered.

The 6th Annual Sports meet concluded with the vote of thanks delivered by Dhanya, the programme coordinator. The success of the event was projected in the coordinated efforts of the management and staff members.

Asia Express Exchange opens 28th branch at Sohar MUSCAT: Asia Express Exchange (AEE), the leading money exchange company operating in the Sultanate of Oman, commenced operation of its 28th branch at Lulu Hypermarket – Sohar on Sunday.

The branch was inaugurated by Sheikh Naif bin Hamoud Al Mamri, deputy wali, Sohar, in the presence of senior management of Asia Express Exchange, says a press release.

Adeeb Ahamed, managing director, Asia Express Exchange said, “Sohar undoubtedly is one of the fastest growing cities in Oman and our second branch here is yet another significant step in expanding our coverage and providing convenience for our esteemed customers. Our first branch in Sohar, Al Hambar has been in opera-

tion for over five years now.”

Adeeb dedicated the new branch to the service of AEE’s esteemed customers, who he said have always supported and encouraged the company to deliver the best.

Testament to commitment “The credit for Asia Express Exchange’s growth and success over the years in the country is attributed to its relentless pursuit of excellent customer service and customer satisfaction. We are greatly humbled by the response we have got each time we opened a branch in Oman and the new branch is a testament to our commitment to the demand of our esteemed customers,’’ he added.

AEE alongside the rapid growth also boasts of a high calibre work-

force backed by the latest technologies to deliver the highest standards of customer satisfaction possible.

Its lucrative and progressive HR policy attracts the best talent in the market and the company in collaboration with premier banks have been sending its Omani employees overseas for training for the past three years.

AEE has partnered with internationally renowned and trusted money transfer service providers to guarantee that the client’s hard earned money reaches its destination in the fastest and the most secure way possible. The exchange house caters to markets across the world and has direct remittance arrangements with premier banks in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Philippines and Indonesia.

T U E S DAY, D E C E MB E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5 SCAN THIS TO INSTANTLY LAUNCH FACEBOOK PAGE

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ROUND-UP SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Bank Sohar supports Child Care Centre

Journalists test drive the all-new 2016 Kia Optima The official test drive event included sessions outlining Kia’s corporate overview and product information on all-new Optima

MUSCAT: Kia Motors recently held an official test drive event in Oman where journalists, specially invited from across the GCC, were able to interact and have a close, hands-on look at the allnew Kia Optima.

The event included sessions outlining Kia’s corporate overview and product information on the all-new Optima. Question & Answer sessions were held with marketing and product managers, where the journalists learned more about the advanced features of the newest model, says a press release.

A full day of test-driving the all-new Optima was divided into 2 parts (morning and afternoon session). The drive wound through some of the most picturesque locations in Muscat such as Shangrila Barr Al Jissah, Sidab, Muttrah Corniche, Al Amerat, Al Khuwair, Muscat Expressway, Opera House, The Cave, Al Qurum, Airport Heights, Al Mawaleh, etc. covering about 150km.

The journalists were busy not only test driving the different versions of the model, but also in tak-

ing photos, filming interviews.

Following the test drive, a senior journalist from Jordan exclaimed, “I have to say that this is my favourite Optima, so far!”

Equally exhilarated, a young content manager from the UAE said the new Optima handled far better than ever, “I love the steering, it is very responsive…the gearbox and the engine are in sync with each other.”

From the host country, Oman, a well-known editor of a widely circulated automotive journal felt that the lumbar support provided in the seats was highly appreciable. He also remarked that the Optima seemed to be one of “…the most competitive cars in its class with low levels of NVH.” Summing up the new Optima, a journalist from Saudi Arabia quipped, “It is awesome…just awesome…it has a head-turning design, driving dynamics and value that continue to make the mark.”

The all new Optima has a headturning design, driving dynamics, and value that continue to make the mark. The fourth-generation of Kia’s popular D-segment sedan, was launched globally this year after its international premiere at the 2015 New York International Auto Show.

The all-new Optima features a modern, new exterior, a bold interior design with more space for all occupants, an array of new technologies and a wide choice of efficient powertrains. Retaining the sporty image that has helped the Optima become one of Kia’s best-selling models worldwide, the latest generation of the car offers greater refinement, improved ride and handling and enhanced quality compared with the outgoing model.

A S S O C I AT I O N

and US NHTSA safety ratings, as well as Top Safety Pick Plus status from the USA’s IIHS. The bodyshell of the all-new Optima is stronger than ever thanks to the more extensive use of Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS). 50% of the body is now made up of AHSS. A first for any car in the Dsegment, the all-new Optima will be available with a new wireless charger for mobile devices, allowing the new model to meet the increasing demand from car buyers – particularly in the D-segment – for new convenience technologies.

GT models are equipped with Kia’s all-new 2.0-litre Turbo GDI (T-GDI) engine, a high-performing power unit producing 245 ps and 350 Nm torque. Capable of accelerating the Optima from 0-to-100 kph in 7.4 seconds, the new all-aluminium T-GDI engine features a high-efficiency twinscroll turbocharger, high pressure fuel pump, dual continuously variable valve timing technology and laser-drilled injectors for the best possible balance between engine performance and efficiency.

The all-new Optima is also available with the popular 155 HP 2.0 Litre Multi-Point Injection (MPI) engine found in the outgoing model, offering a combination of smooth delivery and immediate accelerative response. With 20 Kgm torque on offer, the 2.0 litre MPI engine accelerates from 0-100 kmph (62mph) in 10.8 seconds.

Producing 176 HP and 23.3 Kg.m torque, the 3rd option of 2.4 litre MPI engine offers buyers a slightly higher level of performance, accelerating from 0 to 100 kmph in 9.4 seconds. Those wishing to test drive the new Optima may visit the nearest Kia showroom.

continuous support, Zayed Juma Al Hadidi mentioned, “Since 1995, the Child Care Centre has worked tirelessly to ensure that orphaned children in our care have a positive environment to enrich their social and cultural upbringing and improve their overall self-confidence. Bank Sohar’s continuous support over the years have given us a significant boost towards improving our facilities and services. We are truly thankful to the bank for this donation which is intended towards maintaining and treating major facility systems at the centre and will help create a better place where these children can grow up.”

Bank Sohar strives to ensure that its contributions are carefully planned and evaluated in order to diversify and reach out to the maximum number of people, especially those in most need of it, offering recipients positive support to make a meaningful change.

In addition to the Child Care Centre, Bank Sohar has also supported several other organisations and their activities in the current year including the Autism Centre of the Association for the Welfare of Handicapped Children, Oman Cancer Association, Association for the Welfare of Handicapped Children, the Association of Early Intervention for Children with Disabilities, Omani Society for the Hearing Impaired, Al Amal Association, Al Rahma Charity Team, Dar Al Atta’a, Al Wafa Centre for Rehabilitation Children with Disabilities, Omani Bahjah Orphan Society, Oman Association for the Disabled – Muscat and Sohar Branches, Oman Hereditary Blood Disorder Association, Al Noor Association for the Blind – Muscat, Dhofarand Nizwa branches, and Omani Association Elderly Friends – North Sharqiya Branch and Muscat Branch.

E X C H A N G E F E S T I VA L

Al Hashar hosts senior official from Marshal Tyres MUSCAT: Al Hashar welcomed N. W. Jung, director - Middle East, Marshal Tyre Company on his maiden visit to the Sultanate of Oman, recently.

“Marshal Tyres are renowned globally for their performance and durability. The addition of this iconic Korean brand has further strengthened Al Hashar’s portfolio of the best of global brands, stated S. Satpathy, Division head for Tyres, Batteries & Lubricants at Al Hashar while welcoming Jung.

Jung, expressed his happiness, “We are very pleased of our association with Al Hashar. They have over four decades of undisputed leadership in the automotive business. Their experience combined with our superior and diversified tyre range is a win win situation for all.”

Marshal Tyres’ outstanding per-

Conceived under the watchful eye of Peter Schreyer, president and Chief Design Officer of Kia Motors, the all-new Optima offers more road presence than ever, with its contemporary surface detailing, sharp body lines and creases, and a more elongated sedan silhouette. Evolutionary design keeps all-new Optima at the cutting-edge. The all-new Optima maintains the athletic identity that made it so popular, while making a confident leap forward to attract car buyers looking for something different.

The new GT model – boasting higher power and a sportier drive than the standard Optima range – features a more purposeful look, in line with its dynamic intent. Differences include a bolder, more aggressive front bumper design; black high gloss side sills; a subtle rear air diffuser with integrated dual tailpipes and special GT badging.

Kia’s design team focused on delivering a thoroughly modern interior look and feel, with the cabin offering a cleaner, more unified design than the previous generation.

The dashboard is spread along a more horizontal plane and a wider central console, creating a greater sense of spaciousness.

The all-new Optima features a uniquely engineered body which combines more high-strength materials than ever before, resulting in even higher standards of crash safety. While passive safety is improved, the new model is also equipped with a series of high-tech active and autonomous safety features, and Kia’s engineers have targeted the highest possible global safety ratings throughout the Optima’s development programme, including five-star Euro NCAP

MUSCAT: As a part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) focus, Bank Sohar has consistently contributed towards ensuring a better life for lesser-privileged children in the Sultanate.

In another significant initiative in the same direction, the bank supported the Ministry of Social Development’s Child Care Centre. Bank Sohar has been associated with the Centre since 2009 and this recent contribution will be directed towards maintaining and treating major facility systems at the orphans’ centre for a safer and better environment, says a press release.

The donation cheque was handed over at Child Care Centrehead quarter to Zayed Juma Al Hadidi, Chairperson of Child Care Centre, by Mazin Mahmood Al Raisi, Sr. AGM – head Marketing and Customer Experience at Bank Sohar.

Commenting on the rationale behind this donation, Munira Abdulnabi Macki, the GM of HR and Corporate Support at Bank Sohar commented, “At Bank Sohar, our social responsibilities have always been a priority and aligned to the needs of the community we function in. The Child Care Centre run by the Ministry of Social Development engages in supporting orphaned Omani children who have no natural foster family – a cause that needs the attention of the nation. We have been working since 2009 in tandem with the centre to ensure that these children receive the best social atmosphere for their upbringing. It is our privilege to support the centre in guaranteeing a safe environment for these children, giving them an opportunity to become stable and contributing members of the society – and look forward to extending our relationship in the future.”

Thanking Bank Sohar for its

formance, stable wet and dry grip performance, directional pattern with centre rib for improved handling and steering response with attractive pricing make for an irresistible combination, making the brand truly a world leader.

These features are available in Marshal’s MATRAC FX MU11 tyre and the Flagship Marshal UHP tyre.

Significantly, Marshal Tyre Company has adopted highly ecofriendly production and waste disposal processes. Strengthening Marshal’s numero uno status, its tyre range includes UHP tyres which are required to qualify in the severe F1-based technology tests, and the Nasa-certified Boeing 747 tyres.

Marshal Tyres are available from all Al Hashar outlets and through an extensive dealer network across the Sultanate.

Dhofar Automotive campaign gets overwhelming response MUSCAT: Dhofar Automotive, the official dealers in Oman of the four celebrated all-American automotive brands namely Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram recently conducted a unique campaign that enthralled all their customers.

The two month long Dhofar Automotive Exchange Festival that commenced in October was extended to December 15 as a result of the overwhelming response it received from its customers, says a press release.

“Customers often look to tradein their old cars when buying something new. This was the idea we capitalised on. Our campaign offered the best of both — a generously assured exchange value as well as the perfect new vehicle from our extensive range of Chrysler, Dogde, Jeep and Ram,” said Biju Luckose, Marketing Manager, Dhofar Automotive.

“All our campaigns are worked out with an eye on customer interest and benefits. It is their support, faith and continuous patronage to our products and services that has instilled in us the zeal to do more,” he added.

As part of the campaign, customers could drive-in and tradein their car of any model or make,

with no restrictions on the model year, for an assured exchange value of up to OMR3,500. Customers were guaranteed upto a handsome OMR2,500 of assured exchange value when trading-in their cars for a Dodge. When trading-in to buy a Ram, customers could get up to OMR3,000 of assured exchange value whereas for the Jeeps there

was a further addition to the assured exchange value amounting to a total of OMR3,500.

For such generous offers, the only criteria to avail the offer demanded that the trade-in vehicle had a valid registration. Alternate to the assured exchange values, customers were also given cash gifts on selected models.

A truly unique idea, which kept in mind customer benefits and convenience, this campaign was bound to be a success.

The ongoing endeavour of Dhofar Automotive to design valuable campaigns for their customers has made them a favourite amongst the local market. Their flawless after-sales service and expert team of customer representatives are matched with a fleet of the most popular car brands. Dhofar Automotive has thus won the hearts of their customers.

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TU ESDAY, DECEMB ER 29, 2015

ROUND-UP

Love us on Facebook

Toyota Oman’s fan base crosses the 50,000 mark One of the most interactive pages among automobile brands in Oman currently, the Toyota Oman page is also a bridge for twoway communication between fans and Toyota. These dialogues bring in valuable feedback revealing customer sentiments

MUSCAT: Be it a laptop, smartphone, tablet, PC or any device with pixels – enthusiasts have been visiting the Toyota Oman Facebook page with such consistency that its fanbase has vaulted over the 50,000 mark… showing no sign of stopping! The hearty response has cemented Toyota’s robust presence in social media, says a press release.

A Saud Bahwan Automotive spokesperson said about the popularity that the Toyota Oman page enjoys today, “We connect with people at every level. Our presence on social media is to reach out to customers and fans of the brand in real time, and is an extension of our customer centric approach.

Any trend-spotter will readily note how active Oman has become in recent years on social media.

“It reflects the growing importance of social media and its role in influencing buying decisions. Our page is our door to Omani homes and very early on, we realised the potential of Facebook and made it as one of the pillars of our social media marketing strategy... Today, our fan base has crossed the 50,000 landmark and we are grateful to our enthusiasts for it.”

Main reasons Toyota Oman page has grown by 102 per cent doubling its number of fans in the last six months, and can be seen as a reflection of high inquisitiveness among fans due to series of new launches.

Freshness and topicality are also some of the many reasons for the popularity of the Toyota Oman page, “To keep information

relevant and interesting, our page contains up-to-the minute information on New Model Launches, New Features and Current Promotions. One of the most popular features remains the brain-tickler ‘Did you know?’ - It informs enthusiasts about Toyota facts with a “friendly & fun” flair.

One of the most interactive pages currently among automobile brands in Oman, the Toyota Oman page is also a bridge for 2-way communication between fans and Toyota. These dialogues bring in valuable feedback revealing customer sentiments.

Further fans can interact with the brand and can request for any information as required regarding product, offers, events or any other subject.

The spokesperson reminds us “Visitors to the Toyota Oman page are welcome to like the page to stay tuned to all the updates of Toyota and are encouraged to participate in the conversations that happen on the page.”

Indeed, Toyota’s digital footprint in Oman has deepened with the Facebook page. Given the response, it is fair to assume that will continue on the upward trend.

In Oman, the nationwide parts and service network of SBA supports Toyota’s outstanding product quality. No wonder then that today, Toyota is one of the most trusted and well-known brands.

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ANNIVERSARY

Qatar Airways celebrates 15 years of service to Oman MUSCAT: Qatar Airways celebrated its 15th anniversary of service to Oman with a traditional water salute and exclusive promotions to selected destinations, in appreciation to passengers in Oman, valid for purchase until December 31 for travel till June 30, 2016, says a press release.

Qatar’s national carrier has been successfully serving Oman from its Doha hub since 2000.

The route has seen tremendous growth with 39 weekly flights between Oman and Doha, offering passengers access to more than 150 destinations, including key destinations such as Bali, Buenos Aires, Cape Town, Chicago, Sao Paulo, Houston, London, Madrid, Melbourne, Montreal, New York, Perth, Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo.

Ishfaq Ahmed Jalal, Qatar Airways Acting Vice President - GCC, Levant, Iraq, Iran and Yemen, said: “We are delighted to celebrate the 15th anniversary of successful operations in Oman, and to contribute further in promoting Oman as a leisure and business destination. In addition, offering our passengers in Muscat and Salalah connectivity to more than 150 destinations around the world on our expanding network through our state-of-the-art hub Hamad International Airport.

Our relationship with Oman con-

We are delighted to celebrate the 15th anniversary of successful operations in Oman, and to contribute further in promoting Oman as a leisure and business destination. Our relationship with Oman continues to strengthen thanks to our passengers who value our award-winning service, and we look forward to the future Ishfaq Ahmed Jalal

Acting Vice President, Qatar Airways

tinues to strengthen thanks to our passengers who value our awardwinning service, and we look forward to the future.”

Qatar Airways also started operations to Oman’s popular tourist and business destination Salalah with four weekly flights in 2013.

Today, service has increased to 11 weekly flights from Salalah to Doha, and during Khareef season

services from Doha increase to 16 weekly flights from Doha. From Muscat, Qatar Airways operates four daily flights with a choice of convenient two evening and two morning departures which connect to US, Europe, Far East and the Indian sub-continent.

Qatar Airways is one of the fastest growing airlines operating one of the youngest fleets in the world.

WELCOMING 2016

Celebrate New Year’s Eve at InterCon MUSCAT: Celebrate New Year’s Eve in style with your family and friends and let the InterContinental cater to your every need.

Join them for the ‘White Party’ while dancing to the tunes of international live band ‘Bring the Party’ in the stunning concert area and wrap up the year with special New Year’s Eve buffet, including free flow of selected beverages, says a press release.

Welcome 2016 at Tiki Bar under the stars with great selection of bubbly and oysters. Start off the New Year in spectacular setting at the Trader Vic’s with a fivecourse dinner. Enjoy a night filled with superb food, drinks and un-

forgettable memories. Usher in 2016 with the Latin band who’s sure to keep you on the dance floor. Special kids menu is also available. Enjoy an unforgettable

night as you celebrate New Year’s Eve at Al Ghazal Pub, one of the most inviting venues in town and join their DJ sounds on the countdown to 2016. It’s a party you’ll talk about all year long.

Start your New Year’s day with ‘Back-to-Business’ Brunch at the Musandam Café and Terrace Restaurant’s Palm Lane. Enjoy a lavish buffet full of culinary delicacies by Chef Pascal and his brigade. It’s sure to give the fabulous year ahead an added zing and also a great way to wind down after a long night of partying. Special beverage package available.

The InterContinental also offers New Year room packages.

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WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2015

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Root puts England in command SCOREBOARD

England finished on 172 for three in their second innings, extending their advantage as little went right for the home team with strike bowler Dale Steyn suffering a shoulder injury and

England 1st innings 303 (N. Compton 85, J. Taylor 70; D. Steyn 4-70, M. Morkel 4-76) South Africa 1st innings (Overnight: 137-10) S. van Zyl b Broad 0 D. Elgar not out 118 H. Amla c Bairstow b Broad 7 A. de Villiers c Bairstow b Broad 49 F. du Plessis b Ali 2 T. Bavuma b Broad 10 J. Duminy c Stokes b Ali 2 K. Abbott c Taylor b Ali 0 D. Steyn c Woakes b Ali 17 D. Piedt c Bairstow b Finn 1 M. Morkel c Root b Finn 0 Extras (b-4, lb-3, w-1) 8 Total (all out, 81.4 overs) 214 Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-14, 3-100, 4-113, 5-137, 6-150, 7-156, 8-210, 9-214,10-214 Bowling: S. Broad 15-6-25-4, C. Woakes 141-28-0, M. Ali 25-3-69-4, S. Finn 15.4-1-49-2,

B. Stokes 9-1-25-0 (w-1), J. Root 3-1-11-0 England 2nd innings: A. Cook lbw b Piedt 7 A. Hales c Abbott b Piedt 26 N. Compton c de Villiers b M. Morkel 49 J. Root not out 60 J. Taylor not out 24 Extras (b-3, lb-3) 6 Total (for 3 wickets, 64 overs) 172 Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-48, 3-119 To bat: J. Bairstow, C. Woakes, B. Stokes, S. Broad, M. Ali, S. Finn Bowling: D. Steyn 3.5-0-10-0, M. Morkel 13.3-4-19-1, K. Abbott 13.4-2-36-0, D. Piedt 18-3-65-2, D. Elgar 7-0-19-0, S. van Zyl 7-212-0, J. Duminy 1-0-5-0 Umpires: Aleem Dar and Rod Tucker TV umpire: Bruce Oxenford Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle

vital catches spilled

GOING STRONG: England’s Joe Root celebrates scoring a half century during the first cricket Test

match against South Africa in Durban – Reuters

DURBAN: An unbeaten half century from Joe Root helped England into a commanding position on the third day of the first Test as they opened up a 261-run lead over South Africa on Monday.

England finished on 172 for three in their second innings, extending their advantage as little went right for the home team with strike bowler Dale Steyn suffering a shoulder injury and vital catches spilled. Batting is expected to become more difficult as the wicket at Kingsmead deteriorates over the final two days and England have a firm grasp on the opening game of the four-test series.

Root overtook Alastair Cook as England’s leading run scorer for the year as he scored 60 not out with James Taylor unbeaten on 24 at the close.

Cook went early again when he was trapped lbw by spinner Dane Piedt for seven and Alex Hales played a poor shot to be caught at long on for 26 before a partnership of 71 between Nick Compton and Root took the game away from South Africa.

Compton was caught behind for 49 by wicketkeeper AB de Villiers

Proteas wait on Steyn fitness DURBAN: South Africa pace bowler Dale Steyn’s continued participation in the first Test depends on a morning fitness test after a shoulder spasm restricted him to just 22 balls on Monday. A scan on his right shoulder revealed no

off Morne Morkel, who had twice had him dropped in tired-looking errors by a confidence-drained South Africa side.

Steyn had a scan on a potential shoulder injury after he pulled up in the middle of two separate overs, almost an hour apart, with a suspected strain.

South Africa were bowled out for 214 just before lunch despite dogged resistance from opener Dean Elgar, who achieved the rare feat of carrying his bat through the innings and finished on 118 not out.

Elgar, 67 not out overnight, punched the air and pounded his

tear after Steyn had twice left the field. “Dale experienced some discomfort in his right shoulder after the first day’s play and lot was probably because of the long layoff he’s had,” team manager Mohammed Moosajee said. — Reuters

chest in exuberant celebration after reaching 100, the first South African to do so in their last seven test matches.

England spinner Moeen Ali was destroyer-in-chief with three wickets, ably backed up by Stuart Broad and Steven Finn.

Broad, who finished with figures of 4-25, made an immediate impact with the second ball of the day when he bowled Temba Bavuma for 10. Moeen dismissed JP Duminy (two), Kyle Abbott (0) and Steyn for 17 to finish with 4-69.

Finn took the final two wickets with the new ball. - Reuters

CRICKET

De Villiers plans reduced workload DURBAN: Talismanic South African cricketer AB de Villiers wants to reduce his workload to keep himself fresh after several years of fulfilling a punishing international schedule.

The 31-year-old De Villiers is regarded as the backbone of the top-ranked Test team’s batting but the player plans to cut back on his participation in all forms of the game.

“There are a lot of rumours flying around but for the last two or three years the only talk I’ve been doing is (about) keeping myself fresh and having a bit of rest here and there,” De Villiers said on Monday after the Afrikaans-language Rapport newspaper claimed he was retiring from international cricket.

“The most important thing for me is to just enjoy my cricket.

Moving forward, it’s important to look at my schedule. That’s the talk in the camp, maybe for me not to

AL NASR CLINCH THIRD PLACE IN HM’S CUP HOCKEY

In a battle for third place at the Sultan Qaboss Sports Complex in Bausher on Monday, Al Nasr Club swamped Salalah Club 4-1 to clinch the bronze medal in the 45th edition of the prestigious His Majesty’s Cup Hockey Championship. Meanwhile, the all-important final will be played on Tuesday at 6pm . Ahmed Al Mehrezi, the Minister of Tourism, will be the chief guest and will give away the awards. — JUN ESTRADA / Times of Oman

play all kinds of cricket,” he said in a television interview before the start of the third day’s play in a test against England at Kingsmead.

“If I play all the IPL games, I do get tired towards the end of the season and so that’s the only thing I’ve been talking about over last while -- to keep myself fresh and to keep enjoying the game. I love representing my country and nothing has changed.”

De Villiers’ workload increased with his selection as a wicketkeeper in the ongoing Test series against England to allow for an extra batsman in the line-up.

De Villiers, who scored 49 against England in the opening Test, averages 51.39 at Test level, 54.21 in ODIs and 31.15 in T20s, in which he is seen as a flamboyant entertainer with an astonishing array of strokes. — Reuters

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE

Spurs win at Watford, Arnautovic sinks Everton

HERO OF THE DAY: Stoke City’s Marko Arnautovic celebrates scoring their fourth and winning goal. – Reuters

LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur moved third in the Premier League after Son Heung-Min’s late goal in a 2-1 victory at 10-man Watford on Monday while Marko Arnautovic’s stoppage-time penalty gave Stoke City a 4-3 win at Everton.

Spurs went ahead through Erik Lamela at Vicarage Road but inform Odion Ighalo levelled with his 14th league goal of the season.

Watford, up to seventh on the back of a six-match unbeaten run, had Nathan Ake sent off midway through the second half and Spurs left it late to capitalise when South Korean Son flicked the ball past keeper Heurelho Gomes in the final minute. “The victory is very important for us, we worked hard to

Romelu Lukaku’s double for Everton moved him level with Leicester’s Jamie Vardy at top of scoring charts on 15 goals try and win and are happy because Watford are a difficult team and beat Liverpool recently,” Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino told the BBC. “In football a lot can happen, the most important thing is we believe we have a strong squad to fight.”

Spurs went ahead of Manchester City on goal difference with both on 35 points. Later on Monday, Arsenal can regain top spot from inactive Leicester City if they beat Bournemouth while

Manchester United host Chelsea in what could be a make or break game for under-fire manager Louis van Gaal.

Everton and Stoke served up a seven-goal thriller at Goodison Park as the away side came from 3-2 down in the last 10 minutes to win 4-3 with goals from Joselu and Arnautovic.

Romelu Lukaku’s double for Everton moved him level with Leicester’s Jamie Vardy at the top of the scoring charts on 15

goals while Stoke’s record signing Xherdan Shaqiri struck his first two goals for the club.

“The only thing lacking up until today for Shaqiri was goals ... performances had been fine but now he has added that,” Stoke manager Mark Hughes said of the Swiss international who joined in August for 12 million pounds ($17.85 million) from Inter Milan.

Darren Fletcher’s 78th-minute goal for West Bromwich Albion was enough to beat strugglers Newcastle United 1-0 while Aston Villa’s miserable season continued with the bottom side, marooned on eight points, going down 2-0 at Norwich City. Crystal Palace and Swansea City drew 0-0. - Reuters

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SPORTS

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Guptill flirts with record as Kiwis smash Sri Lanka SCOREBOARD

Guptill, who had moved to 46 off 13 balls, had AB de Villiers’ record of 16 balls for a half-century in his sights before two yorkers from Nuwan Kulasekara ended the bid

CHRISTCHURCH: Martin Guptill flirted with a world record then had to settle for a New Zealand one as he demolished Sri Lanka’s bowling to guide his side to a comprehensive 10-wicket victory in the second One-day International in Christchurch on Monday.

Guptill, who had moved to 46 off 13 balls, had AB de Villiers’ record of 16 balls for a half-century in his sights before two yorkers from Nuwan Kulasekara ended the bid.

He brought up his 50 off 17 balls, with five boundaries and four sixes, as New Zealand chased down Sri Lanka’s 117 off just 8.2 overs.

Guptill said he had no idea he was close to De Villiers’ record before umpire Richard Illingworth mentioned it.

“Richard Illingworth said something like I was getting close with a couple of balls to go and then I got a couple of yorkers in there,” Guptill said in a televised interview.

“I am pretty happy with the way things are going (but) I’ll take a 90 not out and the win rather than the fastest 50 and getting out.”

Guptill ended 93 not out, from 30 balls, while Tom Latham was on 17 as the hosts finished on 118 without loss to achieve victory before the scheduled lunch break.

It was the second successive heavy defeat for the visitors at Hagley Oval, after they were bowled out for 188 in the first game on Saturday, with Guptill and captain Brendon McCullum putting on a century stand in 10 overs to set up the seven-wicket victory.

MATCH WINNER: New Zealand’s Martin Guptill is all smiles as he runs pass Sri Lanka’s Dinesh Chandimal after hitting the winning runs. – AP/PTI

SRI LANKA D. Gunathilaka c Santner b Henry 17 T. Dilshan c Taylor b Henry 7 L. Thirimanne c Henry b McClenaghan 1 D. Chandimal lbw b Bracewell 9 A. Mathews c Ronchi b McClenaghan 17 Siriwardana c Nicholls b McClenaghan 12 Kapugedera run out (Guptill, Nicholls) 12 N. Kulasekara c Latham b Henry 19 S. Senanayake b Henry 0 D. Chameera c Ronchi b Sodhi 9 J. Vandersay not out 7 Extras (lb-4, nb-1, w-2) 7 Total (all out, 27.4 overs) 117 Fall of wickets: 1-20, 2-29, 3-31, 4-54, 5-56, 6-81,7-81, 8-81, 9-94, 10-117 Bowling: D. Bracewell 6-2-31-1, M. Henry 9.4-2-33-4, M. McClenaghan 8-0-32-3 (nb-1, w-1), M. Santner 1-0-5-0, I. Sodhi 3-0-12-1 (w-1) NEW ZEALAND M. Guptill not out 93 T. Latham not out 17 Extras (lb-2, w-6) 8 Total (for no loss, 8.2 overs) 118 Did not bat: B. McCullum, R. Taylor, H. Nicholls, M. Santner, L. Ronchi, D. Bracewell, M. Henry, I. Sodhi, M. McClenaghan Bowling: D. Chameera 2-0-41-0 (w-4), N. Kulasekara 2-0-19-0 (w-2), S. Senanayake 2.2-0-22-0, J. Vandersay 2-0-34-0 Umpires: Richard Illingworth and Derek Walker TV umpire: Michael Gough Match referee: Andy Pycroft

Injured McCullum lets Guptill provide the fireworks CHRISTCHURCH: New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum will have a nagging back injury re-assessed on Tuesday after he left the field during his side’s comprehensive 10-wicket victory over Sri Lanka.

McCullum left the field midway through Sri Lanka’s innings at Hagley Oval in Christchurch and with regular

Sri Lanka’s senior players were urged by coach Jerome Jaryatane after the first game to step up against New Zealand but again failed against a pace bowling at-

vice-captain Kane Williamson nursing a sore knee, turned the captaincy over to Ross Taylor.

The 34-year-old McCullum has been battling the back injury for years with it partially responsible for his decision to retire after the Australia series in February. “It’s not too bad. It’s a bit stiff so we will reassess it tomorrow,” McCullum

tack without the express speed of Adam Milne. Despite a more aggressive start than the previous match on the same pitch two days ago, none of the top six batsmen

said in a televised interview.

The aggressive right hander had combined with Guptill in an 108-run opening partnership in a seven-wicket victory on the same pitch two days ago, but said he had been happy to put his feet up to watch Guptill destroy Sri Lanka on Monday.

“It was a superb innings.

You can’t describe it,” McCul-

scored more than 17. All-rounder Kulasekara top-scored with 19.

“It was quite embarrassing,” Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews said.

“It was a pathetic batting display by

lum said. “It’s something you witness only once or twice in your life. There are very few guys in the world who can play like that.

“Martin is one of those guys. I knew he struck the ball cleanly the other day and jeez he struck it better today. He did it with such composure and genuine stroke making as well.” - Reuters

the whole unit. “We did not give our bowlers a chance to bowl at them.”

Matt Henry finished with 4-33 for the hosts as they took a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. - Reuters

CRICKET

Sri Lanka finding capitulation easy in New Zealand CHRISTCHURCH: Sri Lanka have been so woeful in the first two One-day Internationals of a five-match series against New Zealand that the team’s leadership have been able to sum up their displays in three simple yet damning words.

“Pathetic, Embarrassing and Sorry.”

After being crushed by seven wickets in the first game at Hagley Oval, where only a 98run seventh wicket stand between Milinda Siriwardana and Nuwan Kulasekara saved them from total humiliation, coach Jerome Jayaratne issued a public apology.

He then urged his experienced players, particularly his top order to stand up to Brendon McCullum’s side.

Instead, Sri Lanka were bundled out for 117 in 27.4 overs on Monday with none of the top order, including opener Tillakaratne Dilshan, who has amassed more than 10,000 career One-day International runs, scoring more than 17.

All-rounder Kulasekara led the way with 19.

Such was the comprehensive nature of Monday’s performance, the game was over before the scheduled innings break. Captain Angelo Mathews did not pull any punches in a withering assessment of his team’s efforts.

“It was quite embarrassing.

It was a pathetic batting display by the whole unit,” Mathews told reporters.

“It was a belter of a wicket. It didn’t seam, or swing or bounce.

It was just bad shot selection.

“We couldn’t handle it and we lost too many wickets up front and we did not give our bowlers a chance to bowl at them.”

The target of 118 was far too small on a pitch that should have produced more than 280 runs and with Guptill in imperious mood, the home crowd were able to pack up their picnic baskets and head home early.

Mathews, however, must now not only get his players to work on their technique but also try to lift their confidence to get his side back into the series that shifts to Nelson for the third and fourth games.

“We will be speaking to the boys and trying to get the mindset right,” he said.

“It is really unfortunate we have not been able to compete in the first couple of games (but) there are still three more games and hopefully we can turn it around in Nelson.” - Reuters FOOTBALL

Sunderland to recruit in January LONDON: Sunderland will look for overseas recruits during the January transfer window to tighten their leaky defence, manager Sam Allardyce said ahead of game against Liverpool. The Black Cats have shipped 37 goals in 18 games this campaign. “Probably, it’ll have to be from abroad, by the looks of what’s about and available in this country,” Allardyce said.

“I think it would be very difficult to secure a player from any club here because I don’t think they’d want to let anybody go.” - Reuters

T U E S DAY, D E C E MB E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

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SPORTS

Smith, Khawaja subdue Windies The pair’s composed 79-run stand tempered the West Indies’ cheer after their bowlers took early wickets in the wake of some doughty tail-end batting at the Melbourne Cricket Ground IN CONTROL: Australian skipper Steve Smith steers a ball away on the third day of

the second cricket Test in Melbourne. – AFP

MELBOURNE: Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja scored half-centuries to crush a defiant West Indies fightback, pushing Australia’s lead to an imposing 459 runs at the close of day three of the second Test on Monday.

The pair’s composed 79-run stand tempered the West Indies’ cheer after their bowlers took early wickets in the wake of some doughty tail-end batting at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

After Khawaja’s dismissal for 56, captain Smith and Mitchell Marsh guided Australia to 179 for three at stumps in glorious sunshine. Smith was unbeaten on 70 with all-rounder Marsh on 18.

Thrashed within three days in the opener in Hobart, West Indies were left on the brink of losing the series 2-0 with a game in hand.

But anchored by half-centuries to debutant paceman Carlos Brathwaite and Darren Bravo, the tourists took heart from frustrating Australia’s bowlers for two sessions.

Replying to Australia’s mammoth first innings declaration at 551-3, West Indies resumed in the morning on 91-6 and eked 180 runs from their last four wickets to be bowled out for 271 on the stroke of tea.

Brathwaite rode his luck to make a rousing 59, with Bravo building stubborn partnerships with the tail-enders during a patient 81.

Monumental effort “From the team’s point of view, I was happy with the fight that we showed,” Brathwaite told reporters.

“Ultimately, the game is still very, very far out of our hands and it will take a monumental effort to bring ourselves back into the game... But that’s a challenge we look at tomorrow.

Although trailing by 280 runs, the West Indies bowlers attacked with renewed purpose and captain Jason Holder had opener Joe Burns caught in the slips for four.

NEW ROLE

Langer to step in for Lehmann on Windies tour MELBOURNE: Australia coach Darren Lehmann will step aside to allow Justin Langer to guide the team during a one-day tournament in the Caribbean next year.

Western Australia coach Langer has long been favoured to take over the top job eventually and Lehmann said the June tour would give the former test batsman some valuable experience while giving himself a break from the rigours of the job.

“He’s in charge. I won’t be saying what he can and can’t do,” Lehmann told reporters.

“He’ll bring his own ideas and I think that’s good for the players, having some fresh ideas occasionally. It’s just a chance to get JL into the system and let him have the reins for a trip ...

He’ll do a great job.”

Australia will play South Africa and West Indies in the 10-match tournament starting June 6 in Guyana. The final will be played in Barbados on June 26.

Lehmann said he had no plans to retire any time soon and hoped to guide the team to victory in the Ashes in England in 2019. Australia lost the Ashes 3-2 in England earlier this year after being favoured to win.

“We let ourselves down this year,” he said. - Reuters

MAN IN FORM: Australian batsman Usman Khawaja drives the ball on way to his fifty on the third day of the second cricket Test in Melbourne. – AFP

Debutant Brathwaite puts smile back on West Indian faces MELBOURNE: A thick gloom that has pervaded the West Indies lifted briefly on Monday as paceman Carlos Brathwaite struck a defiant half-century on debut and celebrated wildly upon taking his first wicket during the second Test against Australia.

West Indies have been widely panned for a perceived lack of commitment as much as the quality of their cricket during a tough tour Down Under, but Brathwaite’s spirited 59 helped fire up the Caribbeans’ dressing room.

Resuming on 91-6 in response to Australia’s imposing 551-3 declared, Brathwaite rode his luck with top order batsman Darren Bravo in a 90-run stand to help push their team to a credible 271 before they were dismissed at tea.

Although Australia captain Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja batted the hosts to an imperi-

After engaging in some heated banter with opener David Warner, Holder caught the pint-sized vice captain for 17 in the gully to give Brathwaite his first test wicket and reduce the Australians to 46-2.

Brathwaite’s exuberant celebration bowled his captain over but Khawaja, one of four first innings centurions for Australia, teamed up with Smith to put down the minor insurrection before he was caught behind attempting an audacious ramp shot.

It was a memorable day for Brathwaite, who was dismissed

GOOD DEBUT: West Indies’ Carlos Brathwaite raises his bat after scoring 50 runs against Australia. – AP/PTI

ous 459-run lead at stumps, the 27-year-old Barbadian was satisfied his team had secured a nourishing moral victory at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

“I was just happy that I could contribute to a fighting day’s performance and we hope that

twice by paceman James Pattinson but reprieved by the television umpire.

He was bowled attempting an ugly heave on 13, then caught hooking to long leg for 50, but was called back twice when replays showed the bowler had over-stepped the crease.

“It cost us a bit of time today and a few runs,” a red-faced Pattinson told reporters after finishing with four wickets along with spinner Nathan Lyon.

“It’s something that I’ve got to change.” - Reuters

the fans in the West Indies get a smile back on their face and realise that we’re not just here for being here’s sake,” Brathwaite, who replaced injured paceman Shannon Gabriel in the side, told reporters.

“We actually want to compete

J. Taylor c Nevill b Lyon 15 J. Warrican not out 11 Extras (b-5, lb-3, nb-5) 13 Total (all out, 100.3 overs) 271 Fall of wickets: 1-35, 2-50, 3-50, 4-82, 5-83, 6-83, 7-173, 8-215, 9-239, 10-271 Bowling: J. Hazlewood 21-6-49-0, J. Pattinson 22.3-1-72-4 (nb-4), N. Lyon 29-8-66-4, P. Siddle 18-3-40-2 (nb-1), M. Marsh 7-4-15-0, S. Smith 3-0-21-0 Australia 2nd innings: J. Burns c K. Brathwaite b Holder 4 D. Warner c Holder b C. Brathwaite 17

U. Khawaja c Ramdin b Holder 56 S. Smith not out 70 M. Marsh not out 18 Extras (lb-7, nb-5, w-2) 14 Total (for 3 wickets, 32 overs) 179 Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-46, 3-123 To bat: A. Voges, P. Nevill, J. Pattinson, P. Siddle, J. Hazlewood, N. Lyon Bowling: J. Taylor 3-0-24-0, J. Holder 11-149-2 (nb-1), C. Brathwaite 6-1-30-1 (w-1), K. Roach 4-0-22-0 (w-1), J. Warrican 8-0-47-0 Umpires: Marais Erasmus & Chris Gaffaney TV umpire: Ian Gould

SCOREBOARD

Australia 1st innings: 551 for 3 decl (U. Khawaja 144, S. Smith 134no, J. Burns 128, A. Voges 106no) West Indies 1st innings: K. Brathwaite c Burns b Lyon 17 R. Chandrika lbw b Pattinson 25 D. Bravo c Smith b Pattinson 81 M. Samuels lbw b Pattinson 0 J. Blackwood c & b Lyon 28 D. Ramdin c Burns b Siddle 0 J. Holder b Siddle 0 C. Brathwaite c & b Lyon 59 K. Roach lbw b Pattinson 22

TEST SERIES

Former skipper Richardson defends ailing West Indies MELBOURNE: Former West Indies captain Richie Richardson has defended the young Caribbean team’s “laid-back” demeanour during their struggles in Australia and called for unity from the region’s powerbrokers.

West Indies slumped to an innings and 212-run thrashing in Hobart in the series-opener against Australia and have been on the back foot during the current Test in Melbourne.

While panned for their batting, bowling and fielding, local pundits have slammed the tourists for a perceived lack of commitment on tour, with coach Phil Simmons also bemoaning the players’ poor body language.

Richardson said the team he captained for 24 Tests from 1991 had also played with a “laid-back” approach.

“But we were doing well so people saw it as being cool,” Richardson told state radio ABC on Monday. “Now the same sort of approach and attitude is ‘they’re not interested’ and stuff like that.

“There are times when the guys look a bit down but generally in the training sessions the guys are very lively and upbeat.

“We’re working hard to try and get things right. The guys try their best. They could probably give a little bit more at times but generally speaking they always give their best.”

Good marketing Making the day more memorable, Brathwaite was dismissed twice by fast man James Pattinson, bowled on 13 and caught in the deep at long leg on 50, but was called back to the crease both times after TV reviews showed the bowler had overstepped.

The knock was nonetheless good publicity for the budding entrepreneur’s side-business as the owner of Trident Sports, a

sporting goods manufacturer in the Caribbean, which produced the bat he wielded at the MCG. “Ultimately I want it to eventually stand on its own two feet,” he said of his company. “A noticeable brand worldwide.”

Brathwaite raised eyebrows with the ball as well, having Australia opener David Warner caught in the gully by Jason Holder for 17 after he and his skipper engaged in some heated banter with the chirpy Austalian vice-captain.

He also bowled over Holder when charging through for an exuberant high-five and then slid on his knees in a soccerstyle celebration that had the terraces roar their approval.

“I have quite a few (celebrations),” he laughed sheepishly. “(Holder) almost took me out.

Fortunately there was one left standing and I went and got my slide in.” - Reuters

and do well. I know I desperately want to represent the West Indies. It’s the stuff dreams are made of.

“It’s something I will hold dear to my heart every second that I’m out there representing the West Indies with the maroon cap on.

“I think the team spirit is there. Fortunately for me I see it day in day out.”

MORAL SUPPORT: Richie Richardson defends team.

West Indies have slumped to eighth in world rankings and lost their last five test matches, even as some of their best players have made themselves unavailable for selection while playing in lucrative Twenty20 tournaments across the globe.

The West Indies Cricket Board has been blamed for much of the malaise, for being riven with conflicting interests and failing to provide adequate incentives to retain and nurture talent.

Richardson, a team manager for Jason Holder’s side in Australia, said West Indies cricket could rise from the ashes and become a force in the game again.

“If I didn’t think so I wouldn’t be here,” said Richardson, who will join the ICC’s elite referee panel after the third and final test in Sydney.

“You never say die,” he added.

“We need a concerted effort from everybody in the Caribbean.

We need to create that culture we had many years ago. “If we keep bashing each other, keep fighting and dividing the Caribbean -- then we’re not going to get anything.

“We have to come together as one. We need to unite. We need to realise that and come together as much as possible and stop bashing and dividing the people of the Caribbean.” - Reuters

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SPORTS

KONSTANTIN RAUSCH INTEGRAL TO DARMSTADT’S BATTLE

O

ne of the stories of the season in the Bundesliga so far has been that of SV Darmstadt, and the newly promoted club’s bright start to the campaign.

Key to their plans has been the influential Konstantin Rausch, who joined the club in the summer from Stuttgart on a free transfer.

Darmstadt ended their 33 year absence from the top flight last year with a surprise second place finish in Bundesliga 2.

As a small club in an ever improving league they were expected to find it tough to compete with the giants of German football but they

have fared better than many would have expected.

At the half-way mark in the season they are three places and three points above the relegation zone and have rarely been outclassed.

Ever-present and in-form Konstantin Rausch has appeared in all but one of their league games so far as either a left-back or in a left-midfield role.

He left Stuttgart in the summer having fallen badly out of favour at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, where he barely featured last term. He opted to leave the club a year be-

Konstantin Rausch left Stuttgart in the summer having fallen badly out of favour at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, where he barely featured last term. He opted to leave the club a year before the end of his contract and a move to Damstadt was one that suited all parties

fore the end of his contract and a move to Damstadt was one that suited all parties.

Stuttgart got rid of a player, who clearly was unlikely to feature but was still on a reasonable salary, while Rausch got a fresh start and a new challenge without having to move abroad or down a division.

Darmstadt meanwhile got an experienced campaigner.

Although he is only 25, Rausch has a wealth of experience in the Bundesliga, something that was lacking from the Darmstadt squad that achieved promotion. He was a regular starter in the division for

five seasons with Hannover before his ill-fated move to Stuttgart and it’s good to see him getting his career back on track.

International conundrum An interesting sub-plot could be his future as an international player. Rausch played for Germany at every youth level, appearing eight times for a successful German Under 21 side but has never been capped at senior level.

Having being born in Russia to Russian parents he could also clearly represent the nation of his birth and although he is yet be

contacted by the Russian FA, his impressive form is unlikely to have gone unnoticed with a European Championship and home World Cup just around the corner.

Right now though it seems Rausch has little on his mind other than helping guide his new club to safety.

This time last year the full back was playing reserve team football but he seems to be relishing his time back on the big stage and his top flight experience and qualities will be pivotal as Darmstadt head into the final months of the season. - Mark Sochon / o-posts.com

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SPORTS

First phase of Ladies’ initiative ends on a high at Muscat Hills The OGC, along with Muscat Hills, is organising the ladies’ golf development initiative, which is sponsored by National Bank of Oman. They were presented with Golf Oman and NBO T-shirts upon successfully

FIRST PHASE: Participants of the first phase of the Ladies’ Programme at Muscat Hills Golf and Country Club. – Supplied photo

undergoing training

MUSCAT: The first phase of the Oman Golf Committee’s Ladies’ Programme concluded on a high note at Muscat Hills Golf and Country Club last week.

The OGC, along with Muscat Hills, is organising the ladies’ golf development initiative, which is

sponsored by National Bank of Oman. The ladies who participated in the opening leg, called the Bronze Programme, were presented with Golf Oman and NBO T-shirts upon successfully undergoing training.

The Bronze Programme saw an overwhelming response from the Omani womenfolk over the past two months. The programme

started on 6th of November. 26 women registered for the Bronze Programme, pooled into four separate groups.

OGC Chairman Mundhir Al Barwani hailed the ambitious programme, saying, “It is good to see that a lot of women have shown interest in learning golf, entirely on their own. We have successfully conducted the Bronze Programme,

the first phase. Our trainer would evaluate the trainees and then we will proceed to the next step.”

Jade Lucas, the PGA Pro trainer who is in charge of the Ladies’ Programme, said, “The women showed keen interest and enthusiasm in learning the sport. Some of them had no idea about golf to start with, but they picked up well.

The response has been very good.

I would like to evaluate each one’s training and how they fared. Based on that, we will take it further.”

The Omani ladies underwent training under Jade at the lush green course of Muscat Hills for a six-week stretch. The OGC and Muscat Hills together had launched the campaign for the Ladies’ Programme through social media platforms like

Facebook, Whatsapp and Twitter.”

Abeer Al Zubaidi, a mother of three and an avid participant in the programme, said, “I came to know about this programme through Whatsapp and I instantly felt interested. I never tried golf in my life, but once I noticed it in the social media, I thought why shouldn’t I give it a try. Now that I am enjoying it thoroughly, I would like to continue my training further. When I started the training, I was feeling a little odd, but once I began to know the technicalities of the game, I started liking it.”

For Faiza Al Raisi, it all began when a friend got her interested in golf. Faiza, a mother of four, has already tried her hand at basketball and squash in her schooldays. So when she was told about golf, she wanted to give it a try.

“I love sports, and I am a very active kind of a person. I always like to try new things in life” said Faiza.

“After I started to play golf here under the OGC and Muscat Hills, I also began watching golf on television and I love it. I would like to continue it and progress to the next step.”

The Bronze phase will be followed by the Silver Programme and eventually the final phase, that is, the Gold Programme.

The Silver programme is set to begin in January 2016.

D I S P U T E R E G U L AT I O N S

DRASC panel to finalise regulations and report to OOC in two months MUSCAT: In a first statement since inception of the Dispute Resolution and Arbitration for Sport Committee (DRASC), Chairman Sheikh Abdulwahab bin Abdallah Al Hanai, stated that the committee would assume its duties and terms of reference upon completion of necessary rules and regulations and approval of the Internal Regulation governing the mechanisms of dispute resolution and arbitration for sport within Oman Olympic Committee (OOC) pointing out that the internal regulation would be finalised and brought forward to the OOC board within two months.

Sheikh Saud bin Hamad Al Rawahi, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saif Al Barwani, Mohammed bin Alias Faqir and Ziyad bin Ali Al Balushi are members of the Dispute Resolution and Arbitration for Sport Committee.

The DRASC chairman emphasised that committee is an autonomous entity operating in accordance with the approved regulation.

DRASC CHAIRMAN: Sheikh Ab-

dulwahab bin Abdallah Al Hanai.

“The OOC’s role is confined only to providing administrative and supervisory assistance and the term of office of this committee shall end with the expiry of the term of office of the current OOC Board, Saud Al Rawahi said.

He added that the committee would over the upcoming period review and study some internal

regulations issued by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne and some other sports arbitration committees, the aim being to take advantage of them and ensure consistence between the Committee’s activity and the best practices in this respect.

“The upcoming period will witness criteria of selecting conciliators and arbitrators and the necessary procedures to be satisfied by the sports association desirous of bringing forward their disputes to the Committee”, he pointed out.

On the other hand, Ziyad bin Ali Al Balushi, Secretary of the committee, informed that the committee would not receive requests for resolution of dispute until the internal procedures and regulations have been finalised and put in place.

It is noteworthy that the DRASC held its first meeting on December 8 at the OOC’s conference hall in the presence of Taha bin Sulaiman Al Kishry, OOC Secretary General.

FOOTBALL

Real Madrid wants to sign De Gea next season MANCHESTER: Spanish football club Real Madrid wants to sign Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea next season, a club spokesman said on Monday.

The 25-year-old was heavily linked with the Spanish giants last summer but the move failed to materialise and de Gea penned a fouryear contract with United which

reportedly has a 36 million pound release clause. “Real Madrid will not attempt to sign David de Gea in the January window, but in the summer for next season.” - IANS

ANWAR WINS OGC OPEN TABLE TENNIS TITLE

Anwar Makai of Bahrain clinched the title of Oman Gas Open Table Tennis Tournament and became richer by OMR1000 after beating Mohammed Abbas of Bahrain in the final.

Abbas received the runners-up trophy and a prize money of OMR750. Taking the third spot and pocketing OMR500 was Sultan Al Riyami of Oman, while Ali Salman walked away with an IPad for finishing fourth. The final was keenly contested as Anwar Makai clinched the game 3-2. In all 72 players participated in the tournament from different countries such as Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebnon, India, Pakistan and Phillipines. — Supplied photo

JUNIOR CRICKET

ISM U-16, U-13 teams record big wins MUSCAT: Indian School Muscat U-16 beat Indian School Darsait by 10 wickets and bonus point, thanks to some superb batting and opening partnership of 153 runs between openers Paritosh H.K. (62 not out) and Vikram (82 not out). Indian School Darsait batting first could only manage 149 for 7 in their allotted 25 overs batting first. Harikeshav scored 54 runs and Mohammed Moin 39. Paritosh and Vivek of ISM claimed 2 wickets each.

Brief scores: ISD 149 for 7 in 25 overs (Harikeshav 54, Mohammed Moin 39, Paritosh 2 for 29, Vivek 2 for 15 in 3 overs) lost to ISM 153 for no loss in 13 overs (Vikram 82

not out, Paritosh 62 not out). Points: ISM – 3 (BP) ; ISD - 0

ISN win In another Al Turki Enterprises sponsored U-16 match between Indian School Nizwa and Bosher Olympic Centre at the Municipality 2 ground, the former won by 7 wickets. Batting first, BOC were all out for 118 in 21 overs. Rushil Dadwal top scored with 44 runs.

Milan Dominic of ISN claimed 5 wickets for 32 runs. In response, ISN cruised past the target losing 3 wickets in only 13.3 overs with Rohith Menon scoring 43 not out and Sidhant scoring 50 runs.

Brief scores: BOC 118 all out in 21 overs (Rushil Dadwal 44, Milan Dominic 5 for 32) lost to ISN 119 for 3 in 13.3 overs (Sidhant 50, Rohith Menon 43 not out). Points: ISN – 3 (BP) ; BOC - 0

BOC trounced In the U-13 match played between ISM and BOC, the former won by with a bonus point. Batting first, BOC scored only 93 runs for the loss of 5 wickets. In reply ISM reached their target in just 8.4 overs.

Brief scores: BOC 93 for 5 in 20 overs (Manav Shah 18, Yash Verma 17 ) lost to ISM 94 for 1 in 8.4 overs (Azam Ali 31, Jayesh Anil 31 no, Diejo Domison 25 not out). Points: ISM -3 (BP) , BOC-0.

C6

TU ESDAY, DECEMB ER 29, 2015

SPORTS

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BEST PLAYER: Barcelona’s soccer player Lionel Messi, left, receives the ‘Best Player of the Year’ award. - Reuters

MESSI WINS BEST PLAYER AWARD Star football player Lionel Messi won

the best player of the seventh edition of the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai on Sunday, and FC Barcelona took home the best club prize. “It is difficult to choose one moment as we FOR MORE PHOTOS

were winning wherever we played,” said Messi, who travelled from

Argentina to attend the ceremony. “It has been a fabulous year for me and for the entire club,” he added. FC Barcelona also won the best media attraction in football and its president Josep Maria Bartomeu won the best president of the year. Belgian coach Marc Wilmots was named best coach while Italy’s Andrea Pirlo and England’s Frank Lampard BEST PRESIDENT: Barcelona’s President Josep Maria Bartomeu, left, receives ‘Best President of the Year’ award. - Reuters

were honoured with player career award.

BEST REFEREE: Ravshan Irmatov of Uzbekistan, right, receives the ‘Best Referee of the Year’ award. - Reuters

GCC’S BEST: Saudi Arabia’s soccer player Yasir Al Shahrani, centre, receives the ‘Best GCC Player of the Year’ award. - Reuters

BEST COACH: Belgium’s soccer team coach Marc Wilmots, left, receives ‘Best Coach of the Year’ award. - Reuters

BEST AGENT: Jorge Mendes, right, receives ‘Best Agent of the Year’

BEST ACADEMY: Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira, left, receives

award. - Reuters

‘Best Academy of the Year’ award. - Reuters

BEST CAREER: Italian footballer Andrea Pirlo, left, receives the ‘Best Career’ award. - Reuters

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SECTION

LIFESTYLE

T U ES DAY, D EC EMB ER 2 9, 2 0 1 5

Dining WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM

F RU I T S T O RY PA L L AV I N I G A M | P H O T O G R A P H Y S H A B I N E .

E I H D L G T

Fast, light, and easy to make, fruit desserts are a delicious, guilt-free option for gratifying your sweet cravings.

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TU ESDAY, DECEMB ER 29, 2015

LIFESTYLE BLUEBERRY TRIFLE Ingredients Ċ 5-6 sweet digestive biscuits Ċ 1tsp butter Ċ 5tbsp cream cheese Ċ 2tbsp sugar Ċ 5tbsp blueberry jam Ċ Flute (stem glass) or any glass Preparation Ċ Grind digestive biscuits into a fine powder, with a 1tbsp of butter in a mixer grinder. Ċ In a bowl mix cream cheese and sugar, till sugar gets properly mixed. Ċ Take a glass, first make a layer of biscuit powder, then spread, cream cheese, then spoon in the blueberry jam, repeat till you reach top of the glass. Ċ Refrigerate it for 10 minutes and serve.

MERINGUE DESSERT Ingredients Ċ 3tbsp mango puree or lemon butter Ċ 3 pre-made meringues (available in any supermarket) Ċ 3 raspberries Ċ Mint sprigs few Ċ Preparation Ċ If you can’t find lemon butter then make your own mango puree, which works fine as well, to make mango puree, take out the pulp of mango, put in a grinder and make a paste of it. Ċ Drizzle your mango puree on top of meringue and top it with raspberries, to make it look more pretty, garnish with a mint sprig.

STEWED FRUIT AND RICE PUDDING TRIFLE

Preparation Ċ To make the fruit stew, roughly chop apple and pear, put in a saucepan, cover with water, add sugar, rose water, and simmer till they are soft, then add mango pulp, and simmer for more 10 minutes. Ċ Melt the butter in a heavybased casserole dish over a medium heat. Add the rice and stir to coat. Add the sugar, stirring until dissolved. Continue stirring until the rice swells and becomes sticky with sugar. Ċ Pour in the milk and keep stirring until no lumps remain.

Add the cream and vanilla and bring the mixture to a simmer.

Once this is reached, give the mixture a final stir and grate the nutmeg. Simmer till cooked. Ċ To make the trifle, in a glass first make a layer of rice pudding then top it with fruit stew, then again a layer of rice pudding, then fruit stew, repeat till top. Decorate it with cinnamon sticks

Pallavi Nigam Pallavi Nigam completed her culinary education at ICIF in Italy and worked as a chef for Grand Hyatt, Mumbai. She is now based in Muscat where she writes recipes and takes cooking classes.

Contact her: pallavi_nigam@hotmail.com twitter @pallavizza pallavizza.com

TAMARIND Tamarind [TAM-uh-rihnd] Also known as Indian date, tamarind is the fruit of a tall shade tree native to Asia and northern Africa and widely grown in India. Whole tamarind pods are used to add tangy, sour flavour in dishes from Mexico’s Agua de Tamarindo to the sauce for Omani Mishkak. It is available in whole pods that have to be soaked or ready-to-use tamarind paste.

SELECT A SUBSTITUTE

Photography: Shabin E

Ingredients Ċ 1 apple Ċ 1 pear Ċ 3tbsp sugar Ċ Rose water Ċ Pulp of 1 mango Ċ 2tbsp butter Ċ 100g, pudding rice (or Spanish paella rice) Ċ 75g caster sugar Ċ 1 litre full-fat milk Ċ 150ml double cream Ċ 1 tsp vanilla extract Ċ Pinch salt Ċ Plenty freshly grated nutmeg Ċ Cinnamon sticks

SUBSTITUTE To replace 2 tablespoons tamarind paste soaked in 3/4 cup hot water and strained: Mix 1/3 cup lime juice with 1/3 cup water, or use Amchur (amchoor) mango powder to taste

Equivalents 50ml = 1/4 cup = 2 large or 4 small pods

swati@timesofoman.com

T U E S DAY, D E C E MB E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

LIFESTYLE

Create the Perfect Cheese Board

A

delicious assortment of cheeses, paired with the right foods, is a feast for the eyes and the palate.

You don’t have to be a professional chef to create a cheese board that looks and tastes like a culinary masterpiece.

For entertaining or just a quiet night at home, you can’t go wrong with a gourmet cheese board, says Chef Michael Symon, co-host of ABC’s The Chew, author of three best-selling cookbooks and owner of several restaurants. “It’s a fast-and-easy appetizer that can make even a novice cook look like a culinary mastermind.”

Consider the following as you prepare your next cheese board:

Determine the right quantity of cheese If you’re serving it as an hors d’oeuvre, plan for 1 to 1.5 ounces of each cheese type per person. If it’s for a light meal, plan for 2 to 3 ounces per person.

Purchase multiple cheese styles For visual appeal, select an odd number of cheeses, such as three or five, depending on the number of people. Try a variety of cheeses in flavours that complement one another, such as: Aged Havarti: Mild and buttery, this specialty cheese from Castello has a delicate, crystalline structure that forms during its long maturation period, creating a flavourful, crunchy surprise.

Brie: Extremely spreadable and creamy, Brie is easy on the palate and pairs with a wide variety of foods.

Blue: A full-flavour variety, such as Castello Traditional Danish Blue, has a wonderful “bite,” with characteristically tangy notes of blue balanced by sweet and salty undertones.

Select gourmet pairings The perfect cheese board includes foods that complement and enhance the taste of the cheeses. The best boards have four pairings: A bread item, charcuterie, something sweet and something savoury or salty.

Breads to consider are flatbread, grilled crostini or baguettes, while great char-

cuterie options could be cured duck breast or thin-sliced smoked beef sausage. For sweets, figs, honey or berry preserves are delicious additions. And for savoury and salty pairings, include Marcona almonds, cornichon pickles or Kalamata olives.

Keep your presentation simple Arrange your cheeses from mildest to strongest, in a clockwise pattern on the board. Be sure to leave space for pairings. Precut half of each cheese on the board, to make it easy for guests to dive in. Set out the cheeses 30 minutes before serving so the flavours fully come to life. Before serving, place pairings on the board in small groups. Lastly, set out one knife per cheese to keep the flavours from mixing together. —CastelloCheeseUSA.com

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SUR The Peanuts Movie ( Animation) ( U ) Cast: Voice:- Noah Schnapp, Bill Melendez 3:30, 6:20 PM Morning Star ( Action ) ( 12+ ) Cast: Adrian Bouchet, Mike Mitchell 7:40, 11:40 PM Point Break (3D) ( Action) (12+ ) Cast: Edgar Ramirez, Luke Bracey 9:25 PM Star Wars : The Force Awakens (3D) (Action | Fantasy) (PG12) 5:15 PM Diwale (Action | Romance ) (PG12) 3:30, 11:00 PM Bajirao Mastani (Action) ( PG12) Cast : Ranbir Singh, Dipika Padkone 8:05 PM

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CITY CINEMA Contact (10 am to 6PM) 24567664 | 68 www.citycinemaoman.net facebook.com/citycinemaoman SHATTI Star Wars: The Force Awakens (3D) (Action | Adventure) (PG12) Cast: Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher 6:00, 11:30 PM Point Break (2D) (Action | Crime (12+) Cast: Édgar Ramírez, Luke Bracey 6:45 PM Point Break (3D) (Action | Crime (12+) Cast: Édgar Ramírez, Luke Bracey 2:30, 9:15, 11:45 PM Dilwale (Action | Crime) (PG12) Cast: Shahrukh Khan, Kajol, Kriti Sanon 4:30, 8:30 PM Morning Star (Action | Adventure) (12+) Cast: Adrian Bouchet, Mike Mitchell 5:00, 9:45, 11:30 PM Room (Drama) (PG12) Cast: Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay 2:15, 7:30 PM The Peanuts Movie (2D) (Animation | Adventure | Comedy) (PG) Cast: Voice (Noah Schnapp, Bill Melendez 2:30, 4:15 PM MUSCAT GRAND MALL Point Break -3D (Action | Crime | Sport) 12+ Cast : Édgar Ramírez, Luke Bracey 9:15PM & 11:45PM Gold Class - 3:15PM & 11:00PM Belle and Sebastian 2 - (Adventure) PG Cast : Félix Bossuet, Tchéky Karyo 3:15PM The Peanuts Movie - (Animation) PG Voice Overs: Noah Schnapp, Bill Melendez, Hadley Belle Miller 11:30AM, 1:30 & 7:15PM Star Wars: The Force Awakens -3D (Action | Adventure | Fantasy ) PG12 Cast : Oscar Isaac, Harrison Ford 12:30PM, 6:15 & 11:30PM

Point Break -3D (Action | Crime | Sport) 12+ Cast : Édgar Ramírez, Luke Bracey 9:15PM & 11:45PM Gold Class - 3:15PM & 11:00PM

Room (Drama)(2D)(PG12) Cast : Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Sean Bridgers 4:30, 7:15 pm

Gold Class - 8:30PM Dilwale (Action | Romantic | Comedy) PG12 Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Kriti Sanon 3:15 & 8:45PM Gold Class: 5:30PM The Good Dinosaur-3D (Animation) U Voice Overs: Jeffrey Wright, Frances McDormand 5:15PM PANORAMA MALL Star Wars (Action, Adventure)(3D)(PG12) Cast : Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac 6:45, 9:15, 11:45 pm Star Wars (Action)(VIP LOUNGE)(PG12) 5:15 pm Point Break (Action, Crime)(MX4D)(12+) Cast : Édgar Ramírez, Luke Bracey, Ray Winstone 2:45, 6:00, 8:45, 11:00 PM Point Break (Action, Crime)(3D)(12+) 3:15, 9:30, 11:45 pm Point Break (Action, Crime)(3D)(VIP Lounge) (12+) 3:00, 11:00 pm Dilwale (Action, Romance)(2D)(PG12)

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FROM JAALAN-SUR-QURIYAT (ROUTE 36)

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15:00 15:00 15:00

05:30 05:30 05:30

Maximum

16:30 18:00 19:30

Daily Daily Daily

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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

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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

Sohar Dubai Sohar Dubai Sohar Dubai

Nizwa Ruwi

08:40 11:00

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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

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07:00 10:00 10:00 19:00

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06:00

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15:00

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10:50 13:40 16:15 19:10 18:45 21:35

Daily Daily Thur-Fri Thur-Fri Daily Daily

TO DUBAI (ROUTE 201) 08:30 11:30 15:30 18:30 17:35 20:55

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

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

Pasanga 2 ( Tamil) ( Drama) Cast:Surya & Amala Paul 3-30 and 9-30 pm Cinema Main Dilwale (Hindi) (Act\Com) Cast : Shah Rukh Khan , Kajol & Varun Dhawan 3-45 & 9-45 pm Cinema -3 Bajirao Mastani (Hindi) (Rom\ Act \ Drama ) Cast : Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone 6-45 pm Cinema-3 Amar Akbar Anthony ( Mal) ( Act\ Drama) Cast : Prithviraj & Jaya Surya 6-45 & 9-45pm Cinema -4 Thanga Magan (Tamil) (Act) Cast: Dhanush, Samantha Ruth & Amy Jackson 6-30 pm Cinema Main; 9-30 Pm Cinema-2 Rangi Taraga ( Kannda) (Act) Cast: Nirup Bhandari & Radhika Chetan 3-30 & 6:30 pm Cinema -2 Soukhyam (Telugul) (Act) Cast : Gopichand & Regina Cassandra 3-45 pm Cinema -4 Next Change: Su Su Sudi Vathmeekam (Mal) Nenu Sailaja (Telugu) Programmes are subject to change

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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

DUBAI TO SALALAH (ROUTE 102)

TO DUBAI (ROUTE 201) 06:00 06:00 13:00 13:00 15:00 15:00

06:00 06:00

TO MARMUL (ROUTE 101)

SALALAH TO DUBAI (ROUTE 102) 15:00

Daily

TO SALALAH -MARMUL (ROUTE 100)

TO MARMUL (ROUTE 101) 06:00

10:25

TO YIBAL - FAHUD (ROUTE 62)

10:30 11:15

TO MARMUL-SALALAH (ROUTE 100) 07:00 10:00 10:00 19:00

Ruwi

TO SUR (ROUTE 55) 12:00 18:45

TO FAHUD - YIBAL (ROUTE 62) 06:30 06:30

07:00

Film information 24791641 / 24786776 Website: www.isurf.co.om

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (ROUTE 54)

TO SUR (ROUTE 55) 07:30 14:30

26 22 Minimum

STAR CINEMA

0

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

Point Break (Action / Crime) Cast: Edgar Ramirez, Luke Bracey, Ray Winstone 2:00, 6.00, 10.00 & 11.55 p.m.

CP No: 3051 (12+) Morning Star (Action / Adventure / Fantasy) Cast: Adrian Bouchet, Mike Mitchell 4.00 & 11.55 p.m CP No: 3052 (12+) Dilwale (Action / Comedy) Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Varun Dhawan 1.00, 6.00 & 9.00 p.m CP No: 3047 (PG12) Belle & Sebastian 2 (Adventure / Family) Cast: Félix Bossuet, Tchéky Karyo, Thierry Neuvic 4.00 & 8.00 p.m CP No: 3053 (PG)

WITH LOVE

TO SINAW (ROUTE 52)

TO YANQUL (ROUTE 54) 14:30 14:30

Sohar Ruwi Ruwi Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi

Daily Daily Daily

BURAIMI Star Wars: The Force Awakens– 2D (Action, Adventure, Fantasy) (PG12)

Film information 24540856 / Advance Booking 24540855 Website: www.albahjacinemaoman.com

SALALAH Point Break (3D) (12+) (Action/Crime/Sport) Cast: Édgar Ramírez, Luke Bracey 1:15, 2:10, 9:25, 11:45PM Point Break (2D) (12+) (Action/Crime/Sport) 11:30AM Star Wars: The Force Awakens (3D) (PG12) (Action| |Fantasy) Cast: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac 10:45 AM, 11:55 PM Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2D) (PG) (Action|Adventure) 5:55PM Dilwale (2D) (PG12) (Action | Romantic) Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Kriti Sanon 3:35, 6:35, 8:45, 11:30PM Bajirao Mastani (2D) (PG12) (Drama) Cast: Priyanka Chopra, Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone 8:30PM Belle and Sebastian 2 (2D) (PG) (Family) Cast: Félix Bossuet, Tchéky Karyo 12:20, 3:55PM The Peanuts Movie (2D) (PG) (Animation) 10:30, 2:00PM Room (2D) (PG12) (Drama) Cast: Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Sean Bridgers 4:25PM Thanga Magan (2D) (PG) (Tamil)( Comedy/ Drama/Romance) Cast: Dhanush, Amy Jackson 6:25PM

WEATHER

QURIYAT - SUR - JAALAN (ROUTE 36) Quriyat Sur Jaalan

RUWI Screen 1 Dilwale (Action/Romance) – PG12 Cast : Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol 3.30, 6.30, 9.30 PM Screen 2 Bajirao Mastani (Romance/Drama) – PG12 Cast – Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone 3.45, 6.45, 9.45 PM Screen 3 Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (Family/Dra) – PG Cast : Salman Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Neil NitinMukesh 3.45 PM Bajirao Mastani (Romance/Drama) – PG12 Cast – Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone 6.45, 9.45 PM

BAHJA CINEMA

Cast: Daisy Ridley, Oscar Issac, Harrison Ford 3:00, 6:00PM Point Break – 3D (Action, Crime, Spot) (12+) Cast: Edgar Ramirez, Luke Bracey 3:00, 7:15, 9:30, 11:30PM Morning Star – 3D (Action, Adventure) (12+) Cast: Adrian Bouchet, Mike Mitchell 5:25, 9:45, 11:30PM Heidi – 2D (Family, Comedy, Drama) (PG) Cast: Bruno Ganz, Katharina Schüttler 5:15PM Dilwale – 2D (Action, Romantic, Comedy) (PG12) Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Kriti Sanon 3:15, 6:00, 11:30PM Bajirao Mastani– 2D (Drama) (PG12) Cast: Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh 8:30PM

SOHAR Star Wars: The Force Awakens - 3D (PG12) Action | Adventure | Fantasy Cast : Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill 2:30, 11:30 PM Dilwale - 2D (PG12) Action | Comedy Cast : Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Varun Dhawan 2:45, 8:30, 10:45 PM Bajirao Mastani - 2D (PG12) Drama Cast : Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone 5:30, 8:45 PM Point Break - 3D (12+) Action | Crime | Sport Cast : Édgar Ramírez, Luke Bracey 3:15, 9:10, 11:30 PM The Peanuts Movie - 2D (PG) Animation Cast : Voice (Noah Schnapp, Bill Melendez 3:00, 5:00 PM Room - 2D (PG12) Drama Cast : Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay 4:50, 6:50 PM Morning Star - 2D (12+) Action | Adventure Cast : Adrian Bouchet, Mike Mitchel 7:00, 11:45 PM Heidi - 2D (PG) Family | Comedy |Drama Cast : Bruno Ganz, Katharina Schüttler 5:30 PM Al Laila Al Kabeera - 2D (Arabic) (15+) Drama 7:45 PM

Thanga Magan – 2D (PG12) Comedy/Drama Cast – Dhanush, Amy Jackson, Samantha.

7:00, 9:25 PM Santa Claws – 2D (PG) Animation/ Family Cast – Ezra James Colbert, Nicola Lambo 2:30 PM Star Wars – 3D (PG12) Action | Adventure Cast – Chris Hemsworth, Cillian Murphy 4:30, 9:15 PM

AZAIBA Point Break – 3D (12+) Action | Sport Cast : Édgar Ramírez, Luke Bracey 2:15, 4:15, 11:45 PM Dilwale – 2D (PG12) Action,Romantic Cast – Shahrukh Khan, Kajol, Varun Dhavan 2:00, 5:00, 6:30, 8:00, 11:00, 11:45 PM Bajirao Mastani – 2D (PG12) Drama, History Cast – Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone 2:15, 5:15, 8:15, 11:15PM

TO MUSCAT (RUWI) Arrival Operating time days

Morning Star (Action | Adventure) (12+) Cast: Adrian Bouchet, Mike Mitchell 5:00, 9:45, 11:30 PM

Cast : Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Kriti Sanon 2:30, 8:30, 11:30 pm Dilwale (Action, Romance)(2D)(PG12)-VIP LOUNGE 7:45 pm Bajirao Mastani (Drama)(2D)(PG12) Cast : Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone 5:30 pm The Peanuts Movie (Animation)(2D)(PG) Voice Overs : Noah Schnapp, Bill Melendez, Hadley Belle Miller 2:45, 5:30 pm Room (Drama)(2D)(PG12) Cast : Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Sean Bridgers 4:30, 7:15 pm

LONG DISTANCE BUS TIMINGS (OMAN NATIONAL TRANSPORT COMPANY SAOC) *SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Destination

12.14pm 3.14pm 5.34pm 6.50pm 5.27am

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

@MGM

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

T U E S DAY, D E C E MB E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

C11

LIFESTYLE

Paprika

The best paprika is said to come from Hungary, where the flavours range from mild and sweet to spicy, but typically, it is a mild spice as it is made by grinding dried sweet chillies. Story Swati Dasgupta

What is It? Paprika is a fine powder ground from certain varieties of capsicum.

They can be small and round or pointed and cone shaped. They are larger and milder than chilli peppers. The powder can vary in colour from bright red to rusty brown. It’s flavours range from sweet and mild to pungent and fiery.

History Paprika is native to South America, but was brought back to Europe during the Colombian Exchange and it is now also grown in Spain, Turkey, Yugoslavia, Hungary, where it is said to be the best and where they categorise the spice into six classes.

OW KN UR YO ICE SP

Culinary Uses Paprika is often used as a garnish, sprinkled on eggs, and salads. It is also used to spice cheese and cheese spreads, and is used in marinades and smoked foods. In India paprika is sometimes used in tandoori chicken, to give the characteristic red colour. It goes well with cauliflower, crab, fish, lamb, potatoes, rice, goulash, shellfish, stroganoff, veal, and chicken.

Select and Store Paprika gets spoiled quickly, so it should be purchased in small quantities and kept in airtight containers away from sunlight for not more than six months.

ART OF COOKING

Evolution of Cupcake Wraps and Decorations for Cupcakes I REMEMBER when I was younger, my grandmother would always have a cute little cupcake waiting for me and she would lay out all of the decorations for cupcakes and let me decorate them when I arrived.

My family get-together almost always ended up with white cupcakes, decked with lots of chocolate icing and sprinkles on top, as desserts.

Today, the cupcake has evolved from the usual white cake flavour to the more elaborate forms, such as red velvet cupcakes, carrot cake cupcakes and many, many more.

While the housing and the flavour of the cupcakes have improved over the years, so have the accessories used in cupcake preparation and decoration — some new found, and some improved. These cupcake accessories have made the cupcake more interesting to cook and decorate Cupcake Wraps and Liners Cupcake wraps and liners or round sheets of thin paper, such as parch-

ment paper, are used to provide a thin barrier between the cake and the cupcake pan. The job of a cupcake liner is to keep the cupcakes moist and soft and also make it easier to remove the cupcakes from the pan after they have finished cooking and cooling.

White paper used to be the main style of cupcake liner available.

Eventually manufacturers came out with plain coloured cupcake liners that you could purchase for events such as birthday’s and anniversaries. A couple of years later, colourful paper liners with designs that match your party theme were made available. If it’s Spiderman or Hello Kitty you want, finding the paper liner that fits your needs is no longer a problem.

Not only have the cupcake liners evolved into works of art, the big trend is to now wrap your cooked and decorated cupcake with cupcake wraps. Cupcake wraps are the new chic in the cupcake industry. Cupcake wraps are easy to handle and

can make even the most novice bakers’ cupcake look like a designer cupcake out of a couture cupcake shop.

Cupcake Towers Cupcakes used to be baked and placed on a platter or maybe even a cake plate for display. They weren’t displayed long in my house, as I remember as soon as they were baked, they were eaten. There was no time for fancy decorations and displays.

Nowadays, cupcakes are the centrepiece of the dessert table for many

Cupcake trees and cupcake towers are being used as wedding cupcake stands replacing the traditional wedding cake in many weddings today

events. In fact, the latest trend in weddings is cupcake wedding cakes.

Cupcake trees and cupcake towers are being used as wedding cupcake stands in order to display hundreds of elegantly decorated cupcakes replacing the traditional wedding cake in many weddings today. The guests of the party can even take their own cupcake home with them in specially made cupcake containers.

Depending on how large the event may be, cupcake towers can have three to seven tiers at an average.

Most of them can be easily taken down, washed and stored for future use while others are disposable so the host doesn’t have to worry about cleaning the cupcake tower and storing after the party. The disposable towers are usually cheaper than the reusable ones; however, if you plan on having several events during the year, it would be beneficial to invest in a little higher priced, reusable tower that would really save you money in the long run.

— Dana March/Courtesy of Article City.com

C12

TU ESDAY, DECEMB ER 29, 2015

LIFESTYLE

E NT ON DIE RE G IN YS A EW V FI

Shrimp

Prized for mild, sweet flavour and quick cooking time, shrimp are the ultimate fast food.

Shrimp Soup

Shrimp Burgers

Shrimp Tacos

Stir Fry

Grilled Shrimp

Simmer shrimp in chick-

Instead of meat or chick-

Wrap grilled shrimp,

Stir fry shrimp

Marinate in lemon, gar-

en stock with tomatoes

en, stack cooked shrimp

shredded lettuce, toma-

in sesame oil with peas,

lic, and parsley for 30-60

and fresh herbs until

and sliced vegetables

toes, salsa, sliced avoca-

ginger, bell peppers, and

minutes, sprinkle with

soup is hot and shrimp

on whole grain bun.

do, and cilantro in a corn

any other veggies you

salt, red pepper flakes,

are cooked pink.

Serve with spicy mayo or

or flour tortilla. Finish

like. Serve over brown

and cracked pepper and

cocktail sauce.

with a squeeze of lime.

rice or soba noodles.

grill for 5-7 minutes.

D

W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M T U E S DAY, D E C E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

SECTION

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

RENT

D2

VACANCY

D4

CARGO

D8

*Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

D2

T U E S D AY, D E C E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

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

FOR RENT

*Tourist visa arranged

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

ŽŶƚĂĐƚ ͗ ϵϵϮϮϵϮϲϯ͖ ϵϯϮϮϭϬϱϰ͖ ϵϱϮϭϱϮϴϵ

FOR RENT

FLATS FOR RENT

2BHK, 3 washroom Flat with Split Air Conditioners Near Lulu Darsait

In a Luxury Building in Al Seeb Market Near Police station Call: 99888007 - 99473500

1BHK, R.O 170/- & 2BHK R.O 220/near Medical Darsait.

Contact: 95076261 Wadi Kabir, one bedroom flat.

Contact: 99313274 2 BHK flat with air conditions at Ruwi MBD area, near Al Adil supermarket. Contact: 93211557/24814853 2 Room + hall & kitchen ,3 toilets in Bareeq Al Shatti 750 RO. Contact 99314314 Brand new apartments opp Oman flour mills MUTRAH 1,2,3 BHK with private parking, suitable for bachelors call 95450450 Office / shop NR Oman house & Khimji H.O. Contact: 99233116 2 BHK Flats for rent Muttrah near Oman house S/ AC. Contact: 97007934 / 92629232 Room for rent near AL Daser Rex road Ruwi. Contact: 92099367 / 99797645

Residential Commercial building consists of 30 Flats in Al Khoud 6 the following details: 20 flats with 2 rooms and a hall, bathroom and kitchen. 10 flats with room and hall and 2 toilet. Shop 500 square meters. for total 30 Flats rent 7,000 RO per month and rent the exhibition 10 RO per m2 Contact 99314314

CONTACT :

93202733 ACC. AVAILABLE Flat villa type for rent - in al khuwair 33/, 4 Bed Rooms .4 bath Rooms, 1 Family Hall, 1 Dining Room, 1 Living Room, 1 Kitchen, Store. Contact 99315515

500 sqm Basement Godown/warehouse For Rent in Mabela industrial area. CALL: 99366008 / 99236455

For rent 1bed room flat, near Indian school (ISD) at Darsait.

Contact: 94776771/ 99669216

Show room / shop for rent area 155 sqm at 600/-R.O shops at 160/- R.O. Contact: 97714433 / 92822437

3 BHK flat near Darsait ID medical.

RO 420/- Contact – 99358589 / 97079146 / 95570288

Flat 3 bed room, 1drawing room, 2 toilets / kitchen & balcony Hilat sad /off. Al Nahda Hospital near Abu Zaki Bldg. rent R.O 300/-.

Contact: 99489548 Two apartments for rent in Wadi Al Kabeer near the Kuwaiti Mosque. Contact: 99425958 Shop for rent behind building behind whole center Al Amerat good for offices or stores only space 11x4 meters R.O 250/- PER month.

Contact : 92877449

Flat new Al Wadi Kabir. Contact: 92130703 / 99733992

1& 2 BHK flats for rent at Hamriya Mabela and Al Khoud shop at Al Khoud. Contact: 24834644 / GSM : 93994401 /02/03/3lines

Small hall with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and a kitchen for 220 R.O per month. Contact: 99425958

3bedrooms with 2 bathrooms and a kitchen for 250/- R.O per month.

Contact: 99425958

Room available Walja. Contact: 96246625 / 99886469 2 BHK near Oman house behind Khimji H.O. Contact – 95865686 New villa at south Mawalah 5 bedroom, family hall, Majlis, 5 twl for RO.650/- Contact - 99332367 7 Bedrooms villa in Ghobrah North.

Contact - 96420432 1BHK flat near Star Cinema 220/Contact 99358589 /95570288 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

One / two B/R RES / comm. flat near Oman Medical College directly from owner. Contact: 92158031 Flat /Office for rent in CBD Contact: 92820734 Flats in Darsait.

Contact 94051789-97201688 Flats in Wadi Kabir. Contact 94051789-97201688 Flats in Muttrah. Contact 94051789-97201688 Offices in Ghala. Contact 94051789-97201688 Brand new villas in Al Ansab.

Contact - 94051789-97201688 Offices & Showrooms in Muttrah.

Contact - 94051789-97201688 Mini Furnished Apartment in Qurum. Contact - 9405178997201688 Duplex villa in QURUM 29.

Contact - 94051789-97201688 Flats shops & store for rent in Ruwi Honda road Mumtaz.

Contact: 97293708 / 92433127 Offices in Qurum opposite City Center. Contact - 9405178997201688

Open showroom AL Ghobrah 18 November 175SQM & office space Al Qurum next to Al Araimi Complex.

Contact: 94300909 Fully Furnished apartments in Boucher (35) Contact - 9405178997201688 1,2 BHK Ghubra R.O 300/-, 325/- & 350/-. Contact: 97799175 Single BHK flat available in Honda road Ruwi.

Contact - 24833972/ 24833974/99367448 Villa, 2 flats at Al Khuwair (17/2) Contact: 99444786 Offices & Showrooms in Al Khoud.

Contact - 94051789-97201688 600 SQT commercial flat for rent opposite Oman flourmill Darsait more details. Contact: 91214849/ 99364735 One flats for rent 2 bedroom all with bath al Ghobrah north near Indian school (hot burger restaurant) Tel. 9976610

FOR HIRE Bobcat available for rent.

Contact 97623299

1 Bedroom with bathroom for female in Al Hail including electricity & water. Contact - 92817777 FOR RENT 3BHK along with furnitures in Ruwi. Contact: 99738104 Independent rooms in Qurum / Al Hail. Contact 95529970 Acc at Wadi Kabir couple or Executive bachelor.

Contact: 91165580 Furnished room in new building for working Muslim lady/ Muslim couple only. Location AINT, Darsait. Contact - 99008069 Accommodation available one big bedroom, bath room, kitchen rent R.O 150/- opposite Al Nahdha Hospital rear Ruwi.

Contact: 97943523 Big room bath attach kitchen near Riyam Park O.R 90/-.

Contact: 95094028 Spacious semi furnished room with separate bathroom for executive bachelor Opp. O.C Center Ruwi.

Contact: 92273779 Big room available near Hamriya R/A for Muslim couple / small family / Executive bachelor rent 150/- per month including W+ E. Contact : 99495131

T U E S DAY, D E C E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

D3

DAILY GUIDE

FOR SALE Dozer Kom 355A -3 Dozer Kom 155A- 3 Grader Champion 780 Excavator PC 400 with breaker Man green water tanker 5000 IG All are in good condition

99310448/99612010/95208455

&KZ > ^

tĂƌĞŚŽƵƐĞͬ >ŝŐŚƚ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌLJ ZƵŵĂŝƐͬ ĂƌŬĂ 'ŽŽĚ YƵĂůŝƚLJ WƌŽƉĞƌƚLJ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ &Žƌ ůĞĂƐĞ ŝŶ ZƵŵĂŝƐͬ ĂƌŬĂ KƉƉ EĂƐĞĞŵ 'ĂƌĚĞŶ ĨŽƌ tĂƌĞŚŽƵƐŝŶŐͬ >ŝŐŚƚ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌLJ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ ϯϯϬϬ ƐƋ ŵƚƐ ĂƌĞĂ ΛZK Ϯ͘ϱϬϬ W Z ^Y DdZ

CŽŶƚĂĐƚ Ͳ sĂƐĂŶƚ

ϵϮϴϭϴϬϵϵ

ACC. AVAILABLE Furnished sharing accommodation in ruwi near O.K. Center for non-cooking indian bachelor.

Contact - 98805474 Semi furnished spacious room with attached washroom separate entrance near Indian school Al Ghobrah for non cooking Executive Indian bachelor.

Contact: 95146361/92657598 Room for rent with furniture.

Al Bustan villeage. .

Contact 93687466 Single room for expat Indian bachelors near Al Aktham restaurant Al khuwair for RO 120.

Water and electricity included.

Contact 98803261 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, sitting room, Kitchen & store including utilities bills at Al hail.

Contact 92817777 1 Bedroom with attached Bath, fully furnished, separate entrance at Mabela for ladies only.

Contact: 99634841 Furnished room for indian executive -alkhuwair33. 95234062

FOR SALE Used home furniture and household appliances in good condition for sale. (Else 3bhk can be taken for rent along with furnitures.)

Contact: 99738104 Expat leaving, household items & computers for sale.

Contact 94412557 Used portacabin, good condition for sale in misfah. Contact : 96578789

ACC. WANTED

Printing press for sale Mobelah.

Contact: 93478181

Single room required with reasonable rent. Contact - 95308167

A well running coffee shop for sale, at Wadikabir, near KFC. Contact 92772825 A well working restaurant for sale at Al Khuwair, behind hotel Radisson Blue. Contact - 98494366

Single room required for an Executive with reasonable rent.

Contact 95405033

MV SALE

Exercise cycle for sale.

Contact – 92847957 Luxury Apartments in Boucher (35). Contact - 9505680897201688 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 Shop for sale in CBD area prime location call 97449011

Excellent condition single owner 2007 Hyundai Accent OMR 1500 serious buyers.

Contact: 99310767 2008 Model Hyundai Tucson 90,000 KM expatriate driven in very good condition & Accident free for Sale for OMR 4,000/- , Serious buyers contact Mobile : 95137538

Mangalorean restaurant at Wadi Kabir & shop at Ruwi for sale.

Contact: 98428507 / 93655003

Mitsubishi Pajero 4WD 3800 CC maintained by Mitsubishi workshop very good 2008 model registration 2009, 138,000 KMS white color.

Contact: 99513510

Running restaurant with seven clearance for sale Awabi Muscat.

Contact: 95497007

Toyota Prado 2008, 4 cylinder single used perfect condition RO 5800/-. Contact: 95885852

Villas in Al Khoud. Contact 95056808-97201688

Mazda 2.5 CC No 2, 2014 model, KM 35000, Warranty still, R.O 6900/-. Contact: 97984466

Fully Furnished apartments in Boucher (35) Contact -9505680897201688 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

Hyundai Tucson No.1 2013, KM , 1,27,000, R.O 5800/-.

Contact: 97984466

SITUATION WANTBUSINESS ED

Christian Marthoma boy, 28 yrs B.Tech / MS (UK) working in reputed firm in Muscat seeking suitable alliance. Contact: 91314475

NRI

Christian inviting proposals from Orthodox / Jacobite, Marthoma & Roman Catholics grooms of parents for our God fearing and homely daughter (Orthodox) 23 years B.D.S we are looking for well settled boy. If interested reply on 92336530 / 92800143 Email: kochirikunnil@gmail.com

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 Plot, propeties for sale in prime location in pune 95272138, (+918390982975)

23 Years Malayalee Christian girl born & educated in Bangalore, seeking suitable alliances from well settled Keralite Malayalee Christian boys. Contact - 99494371

MV SALE Expat used Ford Escape 2012, 102000 kms insurance Oman / UAE Mulkiya 10-2016. OMR 4850/-. Contact - 93264005 Hummer H2 model 2006, 178000 km, Full options Number 1 Army edition.OMR 7200. Contact -99466773 Chaverlet Epica 2004 model RO -700, for sale. Contact 92194205 BMW 318/ 2003 for sale.

Contact 96364990

Hyundai Velostar new model 2015, KM 3000, 5 years warranty, full insurance R.O 6800/-.

Contact: 97984466

Ford focus, automatic, 2010 model, silver colour, expat driven, 58000 kms, dealer serviced, registration till sep 2016, price ro 2750.

Contact- 93207590

Santafe No.1 2015, new model, KM 5800, warranty still.

Contact: 99666059

Nissan Tiida H/B 1.8 CC No.1, 2014, Km 5300, warranty & full insurance R.O 5400/-.Contact: 99666059

MATRIMONIAL

We will register LLC. trade license for foreign investors and do all actions. Contact: 92833566

Kerala RC boy 31 yrs paramedical working in Oman hailing from Tellichery Dioces.

Contact:92866673

LOST

FOR LADIES

Yetmwork Mengistu has lost Ethiopia passport No EP 2936442.

Finder please handover to ROP. Chamli Tamang has lost Nepalese Passport No. P 13428001. Finder please handover to ROP Markus has lost Germany Passport No. CFK01TT2C. Finder please handover to ROP Masnur Hidayati Abdul Jalil has lost Indonesia Passport No. AS 158926. Finder please handover to ROP

Special offer for ladies only, All beautification for 15 RO. Al Doom beauty parlour in Ruwi.

(Home service also) Contact: 99619409

*Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

D4

T U E S D AY, D E C E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT :K KWWKZdhE/dz

A Reputed Medical Complex Requires experienced professional

>ĞĂĚŝŶŐ ƐƚĞĞů ĨĂďƌŝĐĂƟ ŽŶ ĐŽŵƉĂŶLJ ŝŶ KŵĂŶ ŝƐ ůŽŽŬŝŶŐ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ƉĞƌƐŽŶ ĨŽƌ ŝŵŵĞĚŝĂƚĞ ĂƉƉŽŝŶƚŵĞŶƚ͘

ϭ͘ &ƌĞĞnjĞƌ ďŽĚLJ &ĂďƌŝĐĂƚŽƌ͘ Ϯ͘ tĂƚĞƌ dĂŶŬ͕ dƌĂŝůĞƌ dĂŶŬĞƌ &ĂďƌŝĐĂƚŽƌ͘ ϯ͘ ^ƚĞĞů &ĂďƌŝĐĂƟ ŽŶ ŶŐŝŶĞĞƌ͘ ;<ŶŽǁůĞĚŐĞ ŽĨ Ăůů ŬŝŶĚƐ ŽĨ dƌƵĐŬ ďŽĚLJƐ͕ ƚƌĂŝůĞƌ ĨĂďƌŝĐĂƟ ŽŶ ĞƚĐ͘Ϳ ϰͿ ƵƚŽ ĐĂĚ͕ ϱͿ ^ĂůĞƐ džĞĐƵƟ ǀĞ

1. Medical Lab Technician 2. Staff Nurse 3. Accountant – Male

DŝŶŝŵƵŵ ϱ LJĞĂƌƐ džƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ͕ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚĞĚ ĐĂŶĚŝĚĂƚĞƐ ĐĂŶ ĨŽƌǁĂƌĚ ƚŚĞŝƌ ƌĞƐƵŵĞ ŝŵŵĞĚŝĂƚĞůLJ͘

Kindly Email your cv @: amutccllc@yahoo.com

ŵĂŝů ͗ ŝŶĨŽũŽďϭϲΛLJĂŚŽŽ͘ĐŽŵ ŽŶƚĂĐƚ ͗ ϬϬϵϲϴͲϵϴϵϵϵϰϴϳ

Al Raffah Oman seeks Doctors and Paramedic Staff with relevant experience in the following areas.

Excellent remuneration and growth opportunities for selected candidates.

1. OBG 4. GPs

2. Pediatrics 5. Dermatology

3. Orthopedics 4. Pharmacist (Omani)

Those interested please send your CV to Thulasi

<thulasi.u@asteroman.com> or call 98294218 for enquiries

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Urgently looking for secondary school Omani Graduates for Cashier position. Interested candidates can come for an interview from 27th Dec, 9am onwards. Kindly contact 22092223 / 97127266.

A leading shipping & logistics firm wishes to recruit persons for the following posts Accountant with knowledge in tally & working experience & Sales Executive with GCC license & good experience in shipping industry. Fax: 24700973 Email: accounts1@seagulloman.com 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 Required experience Beautition Contact 99619409

CATERING Shawarma /Griller helper wanted.

Contact 95529970

DRIVER Looking for an Indian experienced house Driver for an Omani family. Interested candidates may call: 96203333 Required driver with car in Sohar.

Contact: 24460287 / 96905535

EDUCATION Urgently looking for experienced part time Maths & Science Teacher for Class 10th student.

Contact 96027403 Teacher, maths and science, computer required for Omani private school. Contact: 95141554/958225772

ENGINEER Projects Manger Engineer wanted to manage a construction company, experience required. Contact 99441122, sr@touchcdc.com Looking for a Quantity Surveyor for a construction company in Oman. Contact : 94069402 Wanted Market Research Expert with experience in Feasibility Studies. Kindly send your resumes to advance@omantel.net.om or Fax us at +968-24792175.

Civil Site Supervisor for telecom tower projects across Oman. Send CV to fyjo@spec-link.com or call +968 9946 7227

MEDICAL Canary clinic (GP) MBBS Doctor with 3 years experience MOH license, male or female. Good offer salary. Contact 94395199 Email: canarymoh@gmail.com Dreams Clinic - Muscat-Al Khoudh Urgently required Medical Laboratory Technician Salary + Accommodation Minimum 3 Years Experience IN Sultanate of Oman Doctors + Nurses Salary +Accommodation Minimum 5 years experience in sultanate of oman Contact : towershr70@gmail.com

ŶŐŝŶĞĞƌŝŶŐ ŽŵƉĂŶLJ ďĂƐĞĚ ŝŶ KŵĂŶ ;DƵƐĐĂƚͿ ŝƐ ůŽŽŬŝŶŐ ƵƌŐĞŶƚůLJ ƚŽ ŚŝƌĞ ƚŚĞ ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ƉŽƐŝƟ ŽŶ͗

SITUATION WANTED

Application is invited for existing vacancies in a leading information Technology company.

1) Sales Manager Male - 1 Position Master’s degree holder in Marketing with 7 years sales experience in the local market. Omani driving license is must.

2) Automobile Engineer - 1 Position 3) Software Developer - 1 Position

&Ădž EK͘ ϮϰϱϵϲϰϰϬ ŵĂŝů͗ƚŚĞƌĞĐƵŝƚĞƌΛŚŽƚŵĂŝů͘ĐŽŵ

MEDICAL Staff Nurse required for a reputed dental centre in Muscat. Send the CV to omandentalnurse@gmail.com Need one Nurse for private clinic scientific clinic Salalah.

Contact: 99082092

Kindly mark position applied for in CV. Interested candidate may send CV to

info@kginfotech.com

URGENTLY REQUIRED An Excellent Grade Construction Firm based in Muscat has immediate vacancy for the following position INTERIOR & FITOUT DESIGN DRAFTSMAN Capable to develop details of concept design of id projects, preparation of joinery/ detail drawing. with minimum Of 3 to 5 years GCC Experience with valid Omani Driving License - 1 Nos & Fitout Estimator capable to handle joinery estimation, fitout tender etc, with minimum 3 to 5 years GCC Experience with valid Oman Driving License - 1 Nos Interested Candidates May forward their CV, To

Email - cvomanhr@gmail.com Fax : 2449 5965 SALES / MARKETING Number of Salesman two (any nationality) with at least 4 years of experience in FMCG or house ware accountant (preferably Pilipino) with 2 to 4 years of experience.

Contact: 92802204 Email us your CVs on to: info@alliusie.com Salesman require for building material with driving license & 10 years working experience.

Fax your C.V 24833043. (Mustafa Hardware Store) We are looking for a student counselor male/female who has good knowledge of colleges and universities abroad and can speak Arabic/ English/Hindi .Email your CV at mozahamed786@gmail.com

Kitchen cabinet manufacturing company is looking sales person, most have Oman D/L and must know any kitchen designed software and two years experience.

Contact: 93326636 We are looking for a Visa Consultant/sales consultant male for our office. Freshers can also apply.

Arabic and English speaking male.

Email CV at mozahamed786@gmail.com Wanted Sales Executive for IVMS, experienced minimum 1 year in the same field. Interested Candidate can email the details to: sameeh@cyclonellc.net

Wanted GP Doctor with MOH license, job location in Muscat with good salary and benefits. Drop your cv at 0careerhr1972@gmail.com.

SITUATION WANTED SIT. WANTED

MISCELLANEOUS

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

A fast food restaurant in Muscat required experience. Motor Cycle Drivers with license. Contact; 96447979. Forward CV: fastfoodoman2014@gmail.com Instrumentation & controls Technician with 2-3 years experience preferably in water sector and having valid driving license Send CV to shiju@spec-link.com or call Ph:+968 99450811 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 Sales Ladies wanted for Ladies Boutique. Age: 20-35 yrs. Al Khoudh. Send CV to sameer916@hotmail.com or call 91159905

MANAGER Urgently Required: Project Manager with an experience 15 years in building construction, MUST have NOC and immediately join. Project Coordinator with an experience 10 years in building construction, MUST have NOC and immediately join.

Apply, fax 00968–24605955, emails sbc@steelbuildingsllc.com, sbeoman@yahoo.com

SKILLED A construction company in Muscat urgently requires sub contractors for: plastering, tiling, and painting. Interest parties Contact: 99344279 Email: biju@alzarraq.com Looking for experienced construction laborers as a subcontractor for a villa construction in Mawaleh. Contact: 96203333

SALES / MARKETING Business coordinator with valid Oman driving license.

Contact: 95327813

ADMIN

Indian male B.com, 47 years old, 25 years, GCC experience in Finance, HR & Admin with valid Omani driving license looking for a suitable placement (NOC available) Contact: 93238378

Indian Female MBA, 3 Year experience in Admin MIS, Family Visa.

Contact 98234427, jkjsmith01@gmail.com

With 7 years’ experience of SQL, .net program, Csharp, Java

WŽƐŝƟ ŽŶ͗ ĐĐŽƵŶƚĂŶƚ ;KŵĂŶŝ KŶůLJͿ ; ĂĐŚĞůŽƌ Žƌ ŝƉůŽŵĂ Ϳ džƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ͗ Ϯ ƚŽ ϯ LJĞĂƌƐ

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

Filipino,29,Male,5years experience Payroll/Payable/Receivables/Document Control.Excellent Communication/AccountingSoftwareSAP /MSOffice skills.

Contact: patrick110486@yahoo. com/95057206 SENIOR ACCOUNTANT-M.Com Finance-Indian employed in Oman with 7 years experience in Finance & Accounts up to finalization. Having D/L & NOC. Mob: 94122464, cammk13@gmail.com B.Com, doing M.Com, Diploma in IATA, Tally PGDCA 2 years experience as Accountant seeking for placement currently in Oman NOC available. Contact: 99055820 Email Id: rohithpanamukkath@gmail.com Indian male Accountant looking for a suitable placement in Salalah/ Muscat. More than 20 yrs experience in Accounting job (upto the finalization of accounts). 8 yrs working experience in Middle East in Dubai, Muscat & Salalah.

Contact 91325029 Accountant senior looking suitable job please call 91422074 MBA (finance) one year experience in Oman, have Oman license looking for a good job.

Contact: 94103975 Indian male, B.Com, 10 yrs Accounts exp in Tally & focus knowledge of Admin, HR, Purchase having NOC & D/L, looking for suitable job. Contact 93086105 Indian male , B. Com, (CA), 30 years, 10 years experience in GCC in Stores / Warehouse and Administration Management, seeks suitable placement. Currently on visit visa. Contact : 94818449; Email: laveen.tilak@gmail.com Chartered Accountant - Indian, 9 yrs + Exp (7 yr in Oman & UAE ) in Finance , Accounts & Auditing , seeking suitable position in Muscat/Dubai, Can Join Immediately, NOC Available, Contact 98707434 / Email: casmart007@gmail.com ASSISTANT MANAGER FinanceM Com Finance, 7 years experience in Finance & Accounts Department. Currently employed in Oman. Having D/L, NOC available.

Cont: 98278801, Email: mansoormk10@gmail.com

Indian male good experienced in accountant ERP Tally 9 and admin in Indian &Oman currently on visit visa looking for suitable job.

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 M.Com CMA with 15 years experience in Oman for finance / audit/ accountants /banking looking for suitable manager position.

Contact: 95694737 Email: gsmaiti@rediffmail.com Indian male 22 BBM graduate with tally certified 5 month experience as accounts officer 2 looking for suitable job immediately now on visit visa.

Contact: 98949120 Email: mohammednazal93@gmail.com Male 24 MBA fresher in marketing and finance seeking immediate placement. Contact: 96112920 Indian male B.com accountant job 6 years experience in Oman looking suitable placement.

Contact: 95741442 navaskamaru944@gmail.com ACCA, 8 years comprehensive experience of audit, Engineering/ Manufacturing & Trading-FMCG is looking for a change.NOC available Contact: 91147885 Chief / Senior Accountant having 12 years of Oman experience in reputed firms. Looking for suitable placement. Contact – 99513082 ACCOUNTS AND ADMIN MANAGER Degree in Accounts with minimum 8 years of experience in accounts/finance and administrative work. Good analytical and managerial skill to control and operate the department independently. Contactvacancyforoman@gmail.com 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

B-Com Graduate male 28 yrs seeks suitable job in the field of administration, clerical or accounting related to construction, automobile, hospital admin ,money exchange or project management.

Contact :97892255 Accountant Indian lady B.Com, M.Com (incomplete) with tally and MS office skills, with 8 years experience in Oman in accounts, up to finalization seeks suitable position.

Contact: 92712559 Junior Accountant available.

Contact: 99854384 Email: syedimtiaz1234@gmail.com Indian male Accountant / Auditor ACCA finalist having 5 years experience in accounting up to finalization & audit experience currently on visit visa. Contact: 91350688 or 99078853 Indian male 24 yrs, B.Com graduation ongoing MBA, 2 years experience in Oman presently working in Muscat Municipality from (Ministry) looking for a suitable job in Accounts. Contact: 94627418 Part time Accountant services, yearly finalization works, monthly report, profit& loss report, consulting and audit works.

Contact: 96247295 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 28/ male MBA – finance /B.com – accountant with 4 years of Dubai / India experience looking for a suitable placement.

Contact: 90187483 Email: shobinkarikkan1987@gmail.com

Indian male ,age 24, MBA –UK, 2 years exp in administration, fluent in English. Searching for a suitable position. Contact: 00968 -90369501 email: rahimep@gmail.com HR & HSE (Nebosh & IOSH) experience 6 years in Oman with NOC & D/L. Contact: 00 971502550480

CATERING Cooks (Arabic Indian) gulf exp looking job. Contact: 99531802

DRIVER Experienced Light Duty Driver, Fluent in English, Arabic Well knowledge of Oman Areas Seeking Suitable placement 97950869 Light driver 6 years exp education CO level language English, Arabic, Hindi looking for office driver. Contact: 99640986 15 years experienced heavy duty driver experienced all over in Oman English, Arabic, Hindi, Malayalam speaking.

Contact 90388687 Light driver need job 4 years experience, English , Arabic, Urdu.

Contact : 94208089 Looking for light driving job 3 years exp. Contact: 92819475 Looking for light driving job, 2 years exp. Contact: 91625977 Looking for job driver with car.

Contact: 99154473 Light driver with car.

Contact: 96379697 Looking for driving job.

Contact: 98219182 Exp driver (Keralite).

Contact: 93412587

Accountant looking part time job.

Contact: 99867456 Email: ashkar7673@gmail.com

Bangladeshi male 48 yrs, light driver 14 yrs of exp, need job & visa. Contact - 98236656

Accountant Indian female, 26 yrs, B.Com 2 yrs experience in accounting, purchase vouchers, bank reconciliation.

Contact: 95690207 Email: pereira.rita08@gmail.com

Indian light driver.

Contact: 92279370

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

Light driver. Contact: 96313100

ARCHITECT Architect looking for freelance work in (design plans and 3dmax).

Contact: 96041201

ADMIN Indian female 20, 2 yrs experience in Oman in finance & office admin & sales & marketing seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 94440115 Indian female, MBA HR & Finance, having 1 year experience, seeking suitable placement. Currently in Oman. Contact: 96052 Indian having more 15 years of experience (7 years in UAE) in construction as site administrates for / document controller / HR assistant / store assistant presently on visit seek suitable placement.

Contact: 92196001/98598099 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 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 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

Driver with experience of 10 years in Oman seeks suitable placement. Contact: 92191698

Driver with car available.

Contact: 93015630 Driver with new car looking for job.contact: 95873286 Driver (light & heavy duty) valid gulf /Indian) looking job.

Contact: 95175192

DESIGNER/DRAUGHTSMAN Multimedia and graphic designer Filipino male 25 , looking for job in Muscat 3 years experience in 6 graphic and 3D design on visit visa immediately available.

Contact: 95844940 Email: chrisrimas@gmail.com Interior designer 4+ exp, turnkey projects & freelancing for flats, office & corporate.

Contact – 93140552/ ajayjangir.id22@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 IT Lecturer 5 Yrs Exp with MCSE,CCNA Ph. 93594114 / abey.jainy@gmail.com Computer Teacher M.SC Indian male 10 years teaching exp in Maldives as O level computer teacher presently located at Berha on family visa. Contact: 94867456 / 95262691

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. Civil Engineer, Indian, 2 years experience looking for a suitable job. Contact: 97309549

T U E S DAY, D E C E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

D5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED ENGG. / TECH./MECH. B.Tech C.Eng. AMIEI, Electrical Engineer with 5years experience in the field of electrical power system (transmission & distribution) area expertise in design Ele-SLD, preparing BOQ, LS & estimation transformers switchgear selection installation testing & commissioning in all sectors.

Contact: 94638744, EMAIL : ceng.shaz@gmail.com B.Tech Mechanical Engineer with experience in welding inspector, QA/QC, CSWIP3.1, ISO 9001:2008 lead auditor certified on visit looking for placement.

Contact: 98919114 Auto Electrician having experience 15 years Looking for suitable placement. Contact 94142502 Indian male, Mechanical Engineer having 1Year experience, on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact:97416564, Email:jovinmathias@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer, 28 years, male with 4 years experience in Oman looking for suitable placement with driving license. NOC available. Contact: 968 97612297 Email: ymirza11@coledonian.ac.uk Instrument Technician (diploma), Indian male, 24 yrs, 3 yrs experience in reputed oil & gas companies, currently on visit visa, seeks suitable job. Contact: 92007218 Email: ahmed0515@gmail.com Software Engineer with FLMI level 1 certification having 7 years experience as system analyst for application development & maintenance projects in field of mainframe & UNIX systems worked in India & France on visit.

Contact: 92489160 / 92873243 B.E (CSE) Indian male 2 years of experience in IT & Networking presently in visit visa seeks for immediate placement.

Contact: 93832694 Email: baijupp006@gmail.com

Civil Engineer 8 years experience in Oman as a project engineer for governmental & private projects.

Contact – 90164912 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 Indian male, Mechanical Engineer having 1Year experience, on visit visa looking for suitable job.

Contact: 97416564, Email: jovinmathias@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 Mechanical Engineer with 6 yrs experience in MEP field seeking a job have GCC license.

Contact: 98086267 Email: khaleel1586@gmail.com Dynamic Indian chemical Engineer (NITW) with 1years experience in business development & valid Oman D/L. Seeks suitable opportunity.

Contact: +96896141612 Email: anjana.uanda@outlook.com Diploma in Mechanical Engineering, 36 years, Male, Indian, having 16 years of experience in machine maintenance & machine breakdown, worked with reputed companies in India, currently on visit visa seeking suitable placement.

Contact - 99011507 E-mail: rsdengroman@gmail.com Indian Male, 28 Yrs, M.Tech having 5+ years experience (3 Year Industry+2 years Lecturer), Now on visit visa, looking for suitable position, please contact: 99249131

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. Mechanical Engineer ( B.E) passed out in 2014 first class , who has done certificate course in AutoCAD 2D , seeks employment in core mechanical field.

Contact: 93850221/97400106 M.Tech (Civil Engg) graduate , Indian male , 19 years experience in construction field , 8 years gulf experience , 4 yrs in Dubai and 4 yrs in Oman , handled luxurious hotels and waterfront properties is looking for project manager job.

Contact: 91158903 Email: luminousmercury@gmail. com NOC is available 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 Engineer Indian male having 5 yrs of exp in designing, execution & planning in electrical field. Having valid GGC driving license. Looking for a suitable job.

Contact – 98052942 / azamjeelani@gmail.com Civil Engineer diploma, 4 yrsexp seeks suitable position ina reputed company. NOC available.

Contact – 96789711 B.E Civil Engineer having 10 years experience (04 years in Oman) looking for a suitable placement NOC available. Contact: 98065360 Email: shafeeqahmedr@gmail.com

Civil Engineer 6 yrs Exp in Oman with license. Contact: 98975518

B.Sc Civil Engineer. Work Experience 11 years 11 Months. Last 7 years have been working in Oman in the field of Civil Construction.

Present Position: Resident Engineer of a Consulting Company. Looking for the post of Project Manager/ Coordinator/Resident Engineer.

Have driving license. Visa could be transferable. Contact: 93592334, e-mail: tipucee34@gmail.com

Bcs Civil Engineer, 3 years experience, NOC available looking for suitable replacement.

GSM-97409350.

Mail- kamrul07cuet@gmail.com

Mechanical Engineer M.Tech 2 years experience HVAC design & site Engg revit MEP Auto CAD. Contact: 90150913 Email: mahmanmechengg@yahoo.im

B.Tech Civil Indian female(2 years of teaching exp;on family visa) looking for engineering job.

Contact: 96289945; E-mail: athirasree1@gmail.com

Network Engineer BA: CS with experience CCNA, MCSA. Contact: 92346191

Civil Engineer having total 5 years experience in building construction, looking for suitable placement. D/L available.

Contact – 94450270

Mechanical Engineer with 3 Yrs experience in international Oil & Gas company looking for job Contacts: Tel: 90164236 Email: mustafaoshi-62@hotmail.com

Indian 27 years, Procurement Engineer with 7 years of experience including 3 years in Oman looking for a suitable. NOC & driving license available.

Contact: 95852033.

Civil Engineer (BE) having total 5 years experience in building construction looking for a suitable placement. D/L available Contact# 94450270

Civil structural Engineer 6 years experience Oman license.

Contact: 96380693 Electrical Engineer Indian male BE (Electrical & Electronics) having 3 years of experience, seeking for suitable placement.

Contact: 91917369

23 yrs, Indian male looking for good job electrician & good Indian family driver, have Indian license & office boy ready for NOC, visa transfer, ready to join.

Contact: 92108447/ 96507858 Indian male 25 years Mechanical Engineering 3 years diploma 3 years experience Chevrolet India as technician.

Contact: 96974518

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

Electrical Engineer with 18 years exp in UAE. Contact: 98148034 Email: shassalih66@gmail.com

Indian male (B.Tech EEE) 31 yrs having managerial skills AutoCAD quality control electrical fault debugging 6 yrs experience in electric field & good communication skills. Contact: 90181566 Email: jittoandrewsnesto@gmail.com

Indian, looking for work building maintenance electrical & plumbing. Contact: 99365092

Sudanese Civil Engineer with 5 years experienced AutoCAD primavera & GIS Arabic & English language looking for a suitable job.

Contact: 91340584

Electronics & Communication Engineer : Master degree in VLSI & Embedded systems , looking for electronics/telecom/embedded jobs or teaching in colleges or schools or institutions . Currently on family visa. Contact 97092459 or 91342287 remyaramaswamy1991@gmail.com

Indian male 23 years BE degree in electronics & telecommunication, diploma in industrial control & automation, holding valid Oman D/L. Contact: 95726383 Email: christosvaidyans@gmail.com 29 yrs Indian male B.E (ECE) with more than 5 yrs experience in Oman with valid D/L. Contact: 96652145 Electrical engineer Indian male 30 years , having 5 years of experience in industrial automation and utility maintenance in Indian ( MRF Tyres) seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 92789995 Email: akhilabrahamlktr@gmail.com Civil Engineer 5 Years exp 2 years in Oman as QS. Seeking part time job as QS. Contact - 91507508 Road and Construction Engineer with 5 years exp in Oman.

Contact: 97667113

7 Yrs Exp. PM in Mech. Engg in the field of Building Const. Oil & Gas Seeking Job.94625598

Electrical Project Engineer 5 years experience in primacy substation cables and OHL valid driving license. NOC available.

Contact: 91204243 Indian Male 23 years B.Tech Civil having 2 years experience in quantity survey and site management looking for suitable placement. Contact:- 95042656 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 as HVAC design engineer rev IT M.E.P AutoCAD. Contact: 91050913 Email: rahmanmechengg@yahoo.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 maintenance painting, tile works decor works, plumbing, electric, shop furnishing carpentary works and all other maintenance. Contact 97897831, 92112094 (Indian, Keralite) Bachelor Civil Engineer 6 Years in Oman experience Valid Driving License seeks suitable placement Phone 97619722 Email – golamrob@yahoo.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

HOSPITALITY Dutch male qualified commercial pilot (Faa-ME-IR certified) is looking for job openings in middle east. rutjestom@outlook.com 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) Contact: 96059470

HOSPITALITY

IT

MISCELLANEOUS

Indian male 42 B.A Degree & diploma in hotel management with 16 yrs experience in India Abroad having V/L Oman D/L looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 91575956 / 95451547 Email: lijosaju@yahoo.com

7 years Gulf experienced Automatic door system technician. All type of automatic door, gate barrier, Access control, CCTV, working in Oman (NOC available).

Contact 96707646 Email: pramod.raj.p@gmail.com

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

IT

NEBOSH, IOSH Indian male HSE officer experience 8 yrs, 6 yrs GCC. Contact: 93235457 Email: srecjithsurcndran3@gmail.com Communication Network CCNA fresh Graduate. Contact: 98194924

Indian female, Masters in Computer Application,26 yrs, 2 yrs of exp in administration, seeking suitable job in administration, IT, teaching, banking etc. Preferably in Muscat. contact:99417993 dhanyaparumala@gmail.com

Senior IT Engineer Sudanese male 9 years experience in Govt./ Private sectors. Contact: 94675984

Sudanese male with a college degree looking for suitable placement. Contact: 94235133

Senior IT Engineer Sudanese male 9 years experience in Govt. / Private sectors. Contact: 94874758

Indian 28 yrs, 5 years experience in purchase looking for a suitable NOC available, driving license available. Contact: 96772166

Indian Male, IT System Engineer having 4 yrs of experience in system administration.CCNA,MCSE, Linux. Looking for suitable job.

Contact :91272867 Contact :91272867 Indian female B.Tech IT with 2 years experienced in HCL presently on family visa.

Contact: 90357203 Email: ammupravda123@gmail.com Indian (Keralite) female (25 years) MCA on family visit required suitable placement.

Contact: 90417133 Email: renjitharose04@gmail.com IT Hardware Engineer with 3 years of experience of computer hardware, windows and MS Office looking for a suitable position on visit visa. Contact: 99062987 Email: aakibnaqash403517@gmail.com Male 23 years 3 years experience in IT as Linux administrator at reputed MNC looking for a better change. Contact: 92889678 Email: amalpathikal@gmail.com Indian male MCA, Oracle , orion , ERP, 15 years experience , 5 years in Oman with NOC. Contact: 95398567 Email: anasa4@gmail.com 10 years Oman experience ICT Sector, capable of handling large accounts, looking for suitable Senior Executive position.

Contact: 98987654 IT support 9 years experience servers network, hard / software maintenance Web design CMS. Contact: 97603094 Sudanese Female 25 yrs, bsc architect engineer & master urban planning with 3 years experience look for situation vacant in Oman.

Contact : 00249910031942, Email : monasalah555.ms@gmail.com

IT Support-5 Yrs,CCNA,MCSE. Ph:93594114,abeyve@gmail.com MCA graduate Indian male 2 years experience in software development knowledge of JAVG net C# ASP NEP V.B CTT currently working in Techno Park Trivandrum Kerala.

Contact: 99210940 Computer Engineer, Iraqi fresh graduated from Caledonian College excellent grade, experience in programming, web designing, networking and troubleshooting. valid Omani driving license – Contact: 98763390 Sudanese male 29 yrs (bs.c computer science) (diploma computer engineering), 6 yrs. experience DBA Oracle pl-sql , ms sql-server ,visual studio vb, network, driver license Oman.

Contact :91415886 Network Professional, CCNP with 6 years experience and Bachelors degree on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact: 96760618, varghese.manthara@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 Hardware & net working, 2 years exp. Contact: 96244031

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 9880-5474

MEDICAL MOH Licensed Indian Female Dentist, presently available in Oman seeking a suitable placement anywhere in Muscat.

Contact: 91410733 / 99310630.

An experienced Sudanese female Dentist with MOH license looking for job. Contact: 96436517 /97396088

MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR Restaurant Manager having 13 years experience in fast food restaurant in Oman & UAE, seeking for suitable placement, holding NOC letter & Oman driving license.

Contact: 99874953 Indian male 8 yrs exp in Oman working as housekeeping supervisor in star hotel, seeking for a job NOC available. Contact – 91753210

D6

T U E S D AY, D E C E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION WANTED MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR

SALES / MARKETING

SALES / MARKETING

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

30 yr old experienced available with NOC & Oman driving license 6+years experience in chemicals Industry. Contact: 96675065

Marketing Executive/Merchandiser, Omani License, BA 8 years Experience in Multinational Groups. Contact 97601343

Scaffolding Manager 16 yrs experience in Oil & Gas projects & constructions.

Contact: 99789507/99551437 Result oriented hospitality professional with 20 years management experience in Oman and other gulf countries looking for a suitable vacancy in hotels, restaurants and catering companies.

Contact: 968 97204636 Result oriented hospitality professional with 20 years management experience in Oman looking for a suitable vacancy hotels, restaurants & catering companies.

Contact 97204636 Purchase/Planning & Logistics Manager, MBA (Finance), 14yrs.

Oman Exp. with D/L, NOC available, looking for suitable position.

Contact : 93826090, Email: jskanchan01@gmail.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 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 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

SALES / MARKETING 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

Experienced export / Import operations Executive is on visit visa, seeking suitable employment. Contact: 00971 562228991 /00968 96529679 Email: rajanpookoth@gmail.com Whatsapp: 967733887410 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 25 yrs exp-Shipping, freight forwarding, Marketing & Operations, valid Oman D/L & NOC available - seek suitable positionContact 93040366 5 years experience in Sales currently looking for a placement.

Contact: 93458869 34years experienced Sales Oman Marketing in Oman NOC available.

Contact: 99868330 Email: rwahedi458@gmail.com American Male (speaks Arabic) looking for a job in Marketing & Sales, Contact 94076032 Indian, 38 years with 15 years in sales & marketing filed with GCC valid license.

Contact: 94744746 Omani employee looking for a job as Sales with experience in this field .Contact: 91161736 Indian male, MBA Finance & Marketing 28 yrs,6+ Exp, with Driving license, Hospital Phrma Herbal Marketing, construction A/c & sales , F&B industry, Contact : 93379044 Indian male 29 yrs, BHM, 3 yrs exp in Oman in sales with D/L & NOC. Contact: 92594055 Indian male 23 years with 4 years experience in Purchase and Sales, graduate in EC, currently on visiting visa, seeking suitable job in Oman. Contact: 96761020. Email: adikmuthumuttam@gmail.com Indian male 28, 6 yrs experience in Oman, in sales & marketing & office admin, seeking for suitable placement (valid driving license) Contact: 99142314 Sales & Marketing Executive MBA with 3 years experience in sales looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 91345727.

Job MBA in Marketing seeking for a job and have an experience of 3 months. Contact: 91945577

Indian Male B.com, PGDCA & Tally, 14 years’ experience in Customer Care, Operations,Sales,Coordination, Accounts & Admin. Seeking suitable position. Currently on Visit Visa contact – 94871963 or 99440152.

Email: rajeshkv.pmna@gmail.com

Indian male with valid Oman driving license. Interested in technical sales. NOC available immediate joining. Contact: 95361454 Email: mohamedshalifawaz@gmail.com

Graduate, computer literate, experienced in sales, credit control, accounts, Omani D/L , seeks suitable placement.

Gsm 9880-5474

Indian male 23 MBA Marketing and HR with 8 months experience in sales and marketing looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 91987119 Email: reny.cherian1@gmail.com

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

Looking for immediate Sales & Marketing Job, 10 Years Experience, MBA Peter -93747126/ E-mail forlakei@yahoo.com

Indian male, MBA Marketing having 2.5 years Sales experience immediately looking for a suitable position. Contact: 91415145, Email: shariqs88@gmail.com

Indian male, 24, MBA Marketing and HR, I year experience. On visit visa. Looking for suitable job.

Contact 94014073

SKILLED / UNSKILLED Looking for job as Mason, steel fixer, electrician. Contact: 93015630 Mason, SH / carpenter, steel fitter gulf & Indian exp looking job.

Contact: 95175192 Electrician, plumber (exp gulf / Indian) 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 female BSC IATA, 14 years exp in travel & tourism in Oman looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 96433490 Email: indu623@yahoo.co.in

MISCELLANEOUS 26 Years oman experienced executive in automobiles, showroom & workshop areas seeks suitable replacement. Currently working as general manager in a reputed LLC” Contact no: +968-92009700/91494707 B.Tech EEE with 4+ years experience in the field of it, networking, ex-tonics etc. Presently working in amazon india development centre as a content quality associate.

Seeking for suitable jobs in oman.

Contact number : +91 9940514005, 0096893116402, Email: mail2nbn@gmail.Com Indian male B.Eng. in IT, CCNA, MCSA, MCSE, 3yrs exp. in IT/ networking/server support, valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/Network/Server support. Contact 92607532 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 Bangladeshi Male, University MA, 5 years experience in IT sales & marketing working as sales coordinator in Oman; searching better job. Phone:91997605. email: mohamednazrulislam2@gmail.com Industrial Automation and Process Control Instrumentation trained Mechatronics Engineer seeking for a suitable job. Also possess GCC driving license.

Ph. 93370528, email: atulverghese@gmail.com.

Sales Executive, Male, 24years, Two and half years experience with Oman driving license. NOC Available. GSM: 95484101.

Post graduate master of social work having 5 years experience at present visit visa seeking suitable opportunity. Contact 99876307 Part- Time Accountant, well experience senior accountant, doing all type of accounting works, Finalization, Budgeting available. Contact 98803439

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED 31 year Indian male PG in HR ,with 5 yrs Professional experience in HR in Construction Oil & Gas Oman seeking for a suitable placement(NOC Available).Kindly contact me on 93488914, emailKaarthickshankar@gmail.com Indian male, 26, BCom with tally, 2-year exp in marketing and 2-year exp as restaurant manager looking for suitable job.

NOC available. Ph. No: 97707953 DME (Diploma in Mechanical Engineering) with overall 7+ year experiences in the field of Industrial and Plant Maintenance seeking placements. Contact 97460974 Bangladeshi Male, University MA, 5 years experience in IT sales & marketing working as sales coordinator in Oman; searching better job. Phone:91997605, email: mohamednazrulislam2@gmail.com Indian female, ME in CSE with 2 years’ experience in teaching seeking suitable Job Opportunity.

Contact: 94263445, E mail – apshinmar@gmail.com HR Manual, Employee Handbook, Recruitment, Training, HR Consultancy, Are you looking for freelancer HR professional.

Contact on 97914669 Indian male auto cad draughtsman (civil) 8 years experience .Seeking for part time job.Mobile no: 0096899070584 / Email: remluvp@gmail.com Sudanese male, 31 year old, have 3 year Diploma in electrical engineer 5 year experience in different activities. Contact - 94549609 MBA - (F), M.Com,B.COM. Indian female having knowledge of accounts with Tally looking for part time or full time job. presently on family visa. Contact :- 91892264. Email: yashicapandya@gmail.com 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

Looking for Network Engineer Job, NOC Available Can join immediately. Qualification: BE Telecommunication, CCNA, CCNP Voice.

Driving License: Oman, Current Company: Global Solutions, Client: Diwan Experience: 3.5 Years.

Contact – 97312044 / waleedkhan26@gmail.com

HR & Admin Executive ( MBA) Indian male 26 year old, with more than 4 years of experiences in HR& Admin (16 month in Oman) looking for suitable placement, NOC available.

Contact: +968-98757304 Email: nuroollah789@gmail.com

T U E S DAY, D E C E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

D7

DAILY GUIDE TOURS

GOOD NEWS > Z / zhZs / >/E/ EĞĂƌ <Śŝŵũŝ DĂƌƚ͕ D ƌĞĂ͕ ZƵǁŝ KƵƌ LJƵƌǀĞĚŝĐ dƌĞĂƚŵĞŶƚ ŝŶĐůƵĚĞƐ ďŚLJĂŶŐĂŵ͕ <ŝnjŚŝ DĂƐƐĂŐĞ͕ ^ŚŝƌŽĚŚĂƌĂ͕ sĂƐƟ ͕ hĚǁĂƌƚŚŶĂŵ ϱϬй ŝƐĐŽƵŶƚ ŽŶ ĨƵůů ďŽĚLJ ŵĂƐƐĂŐĞ͘

ŽŶƚĂĐƚ ϮϰϴϭϰϮϮϮ Žƌ ϵϳϭϭϮϱϭϬ ĨŽƌ ĂƉƉŽŝŶƚŵĞŶƚ X’Mas gift items- many varieties candles, fresh flowers, roses, jasmine, marigold. Many varieties Indian biscuits, namkeens & homemade sweets, glace cherries, dry fruits, tutti-frutti & charcoal for barbecue. Haridas Nensey Supermarket. Contact – 24750784 / 23291825 Ayurvedic treatment for backache, paralysis, arthritis etc & massage, All Season (Vaidyaratnam). Contact 24475280 / 95371664 / 92504980 www.siddhayur.com 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 Ayurvedic treatment for joint pain, backache, paralysis, massage steambath, obesity, Spondylitis, Ideal Care Ayurvedic Clinic, 18 November Street Azaiba.

Contact: 99639695 / 98342990

CLASSES

WEBSITE

Dolphin Watch, Dhow Cruise with Buffet, & Land Tours Al- Ainain Marine Tours contact 98029602, 92808636

IELTS & TOEFL Academic / General Target Band 8 TQT Institute.

Ph # 24480800 / 99347202

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

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

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

COMPUTER

Balloons beautiful design & Archie’s works for party, birthday & New Year functions all events.

Contact 95194801/96594592

WEB, ERP and Business Intelligence (BI) creation and management at rock bottom price.

Contact: http//webviewoman

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED

SERVICES

Indian Accounts professioanl with 2 years of experience currently on visit visa looking for suitable job openings Contact: Gsm: 92395449 jaleelcabdul@gmail.com Indian male B.Eng. in IT, CCNA, MCSA, MCSE, 3yrs exp. In IT/ networking/server support, valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/Network/Server support. Contact 92607532 Mechanic Diesel Engines & Hydraulic, 25 years Experience in Multinational Companies.

Contact - 91685048 Indian Male, 28, MBA Finance & Mcom. more than 5yrs exp. in A/c & Finance (Including 2 yrs in Oman), NOC available, Seek Suitable Placement, Contact: 93939421, email: baleeq.ams@gmail.com Planning Engineer: B.E(Electrical and Electronics Engineering): Indian Male 33 yrs with 10 years of experience in UAE & Muscat.

Skilled in the areas of project coordination, planning & procurements.

Contact: 00971503529608 Email Id: saravananbe44@gmail.com Indian Expat female, BSc Physics and Tally ERP 9, educated with valid Oman Driving license seeks suitable position. Please contact: 0096894864575 29 year Indian male B-Tech Engineering, with 6 yrs of Professional experience in Manufacturing Oil & Gas Industries seeking for a suitable placement (NOC Available).Kindly contact me on 94628362, emailmahinathdevani@yahoo.co.in

Enetstorage offer!! Cloud based software & mobile responsive websites locally developed, hosting, hardware & cctv/networking solutions. Contact 94369696 or admin@enetstorage.com Repair desktop laptop, printer, scanner, networking & all software inst. Contact 99876547

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED Indian-male 34yrs,m.Com with 14 yrs exp.( 8 Yrs in oman) working as procurement officer in contg & trdg co llc.( Worked for road,civil,electro-mechanical,corr osion,scaffolding,insulation & Others Projects in Oman ) and having Oman LT D/L, Looking for suitable placement- M:94064650, Email: nagauae@gmail.com Civil Engineer 5 Years EXP 2 years in Oman as a QS Seeking for part time job as QS. # 91507508 MBA (F), B.COM. Indian female having knowledge of accounts with Tally looking for job. presently on family visit visa.

Contact :- 94704661. Email:bhumicapandya@gmail.com

Catering for Party & Birthday service Cnt 97196675 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 Debt collection services your money we collect value commercial services. Fax: 0096824783669 Contact: 009682479815 /00968- 24701422 /00968- 94665476 Email: salim@valuedbtcollection.com

^ Zs/ ^ tĞ WƌŽǀŝĚĞ ůĞĂŶĞƌƐ͕ Kĸ ĐĞ ďŽLJƐ͕ ůĞĂŶŝŶŐ ŽŶƚƌĂĐƚƐ͕ 'ĞŶĞƌĂů ĐůĞĂŶŝŶŐ ĞƚĐ͘ ů DƵĚĂŬŚŝƌ EĂƟ ŽŶĂů Ɛƚ͘ >> ŽŶƚĂĐƚ ͗ ϵϰϮϳϳϬϮϬ

House shifting. Contact: 99657644/98518013

Marble grinding resurfacing & ceiling crystallization / polishing general cleaning of villas & flats.

Terrazzo floor scrubbing, ceiling, polishing & buffing.

Contact: 98598280 /94134784

Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance. contact ABU QABAS99320217 /24788722

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

MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble. Contact 24793614/ 99314807 Pest Control Treatments.

Ocean Center LLC. Contact: 99344723 Water proofing ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722

House shifting & transporting.

Contact 92490422 Split & window A/c servicing & maintenance. Contact : 93769089 / 95323517 Al farzdaq Al Fedi Trad and Cont Maintenance services electric, plumbing and A/C. Contact: 96524904 / 94285064

D8

T U E S D AY, D E C E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION WANTED CARGO

DRIVING

RENT A CAR Learn driving with professional.

Contact: 94022250

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

TRANSPORTATION TRANSPORTATION

Transportation & tours.

Contact: 99324045

TRANSPORTATION

Pick & drop anytime in Al Khuwair.

Contact 99764307

7 Ton/ 10 Ton- Trailer Local transport- MCT- UAE

Silver car, car rental at good rate.

Contact: 96166155/93530540 Rental car. Contact: 92516090

Contact 96609857

TRANSPORTATION Transportation Contact: 99077395

Transportation. Contact: 99664703

Amir Ali Transportation. Contact 99508282

Transportation taxi mini bus.

Contact: 93091106

Transportation available Ruwi to Al Khuwair, Ghubra & Azaiba.

Contact: 91103909 Transportation. Contact: 99099714 Transportation available Ruwi Seeb.

Contact 99867456