Times of Oman - June 30, 2016

THURSDAY

June 30, 2016 24 Ramadan 1437 AH

RAMADAN PRAYER TIMINGS

FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTY THE SULTAN

IFTAR

Dhuhr

12.16pm

7.03PM

Asr

3.34pm

Maghrib

7.03pm

Isha

8.25pm

Fajr (Tomorrow)

3.56am

FAJR 3.56AM

Founded 1975 . Volume 41 No. 111

On the occasion of 7th National Day, 1977

‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’ The defence of our holy religion, the preservation of the freedom of our beloved Oman, and the protection of our people is safe in your hands.

| 40 Pages . Baisas 200 . Subscription OMR63 | ISO 9001:2008 Certified Company | Chairman/Editor-in-Chief: Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali | Printed & Published by Muscat Media Group

TERROR STRIKE

CONGO

HM receives s greetings MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan an Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable ble ent of congratulations to President moJoseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo on the he occasion of his country’s Indedependence Anniversary.

In his cable, His Majesty the he Sultan has expressed his sinincere congratulations and best est wishes to President Kabila and nd his country’s people. -ONA TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

Ministry unmasks fake degree ‘graduates’

OMAN

Cheer for 59 Al Sawadi workers

1

Of the 73 Al Sawadi workers who were stranded without pay, 59 have received a favourable judgment from the court. >A3

OMAN

Talks held on GCC rail ail project in Riyadh

2

Talks on the GCC rail network have been reportedly held among the government officials in Riyadh. >A7

MARKET

PDO raises $4b for project financing

3

PDO, acting on behalf off the Government of the Sultanate of Oman, has successfully raised $4 billion from a group of international financial institutions. >B1

MORNING G MINUTE

As applicants have been cornering jobs by submitting fake certificates, Oman has made mandatory the screening of all degrees

DEEBA HASAN

Deeba@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Fake degree certificates are routinely being used to land jobs in Oman, according to the department responsible for rooting out the cheats.

The Ministry of Higher Education sees so many fake documents it has even classified the attempts to cheat into four categories and a dedicated department vets all submissions.

Recently, the government announced that all degrees obtained outside the Sultanate would have to be submitted to the Department of Qualification Equivalency and Recognition so that the authorities could verify credentials.

That rule applies to everyone working in Oman who obtained their position because of the qualification, whether expat or Omani.

The new rule was introduced to

monitor the quality of graduates working in the Sultanate.

More than 100 fake degrees have already been discovered. The ministry made no comment on consequences for those who have submitted the fraudulent papers.

“Ever since we put out our new legislation, which made equivalency compulsory for academic qualifications obtained from foreign universities outside Oman, the ministry has been receiving applications and has come across some cases of fraud certificates this year,” Khadija Al Subhi from the department told the Times of Oman.

Earlier this year, the ministry had made an announcement on the importance of equivalency saying that, “Everyone who is employed in Oman, both in the public and private sectors, has to get their qualification equalised by the Ministry.” >A6

Omani striker visits sick children in hospital

A3 FORECAST

Depression over Arabian Sea weakens, coast to get rain REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: A depression that formed over the northwest Arabian Sea and was moving towards the Omani coast, has weakened, global meteorologists reported.

However, Oman’s meteorology department has predicted rain for areas along the coast.

“The depression has moved slowly southwards, at a speed of 5km per hour during the past 12 hours, and weakened into a well-marked low pressure area over the northwest and adjoining west central Arabian Sea at 07:00 hours (Oman time) on Wednesday,” the Indian meteorological

department reported.

According to the Oman meteorology department, there are chances of rain in the Al Sharqiya and Al Wusta region.

Isolated rain Jason Nicholls, a senior meteorologist at Accuweather.com, said remnants of the Tropical Cyclone 02A will bring isolated rain to South Oman.

“Isolated rain is possible in the south Arabian Peninsula into Friday,” the meteorologist said.

Further, the Joint Typhoon Warning Centre (JTWC) has issued a final advisory, saying the system will dissipate.

According to JTWC, the system

was centred 248 nautical miles off Masirah Island, as of Tuesday.

Meanwhile, residents of Masirah Island said that even though it was windy and drizzling, there were no heavy rains to report.

Cloudy sky “Nothing happened, so far, as predicted. We may get rain tonight.

Skies are cloudy,” Biju MP, a businessman in Masirah, said.

In June 2015, Masirah, Sur and many regions of Yemen were struck by tropical storm Ashobaa.

Hundreds of people had to be rescued from low lying areas in Sur and the nearby wilayats by Royal Oman Police personnel and helicopter rescue teams.

Narrow escape for Oman-based US teacher in Turkey DEEBA HASAN

deeba@timesofoman MUSCAT: An American who lives and works in Muscat had a narrow escape when his plane took off from Ataturk Airport in Turkey hours before Wednesday’s attacks occurred.

David Lazaro, 28, an English Language teacher, based in Oman, was on his way to the United States for a holiday, with a layover of over three hours at the airport in Turkey, the very same place where the attacks took place.

A bomb attack on Turkey’s Ataturk Airport in Istanbul occurred last night and has left over 40 people dead and over 200 injured, with the toll still expected to rise.

Lazaro left Muscat at 6:20 in the morning on June 28 for Istanbul on a Turkish Airlines flight and reached Turkey at 10.30am (Turkish time). “My layover was for three hours before I departed for Atlanta, the airport was very crowded with a very clear security presence,” he said. >A7

Sultanate condemns airport blast MUSCAT: Oman has condemned the terrorist attack on Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, Turkey leading to a number of deaths and injuries, said a spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry. While Oman affirms its full support to the Turkey in taking measures to protect its security and stability, it expresses its condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims, the government and people of Turkey and wishes speedy recovery for the injured. -ONA

ONE RESCUED

Omani teenager drowns in Seeb Times News Service MUSCAT: Body of a 14-yearold Omani boy, who reportedly drowned near Al Seeb, was recovered while his friend aged 14 years was rescued by the Royal Oman Police.

Coastguards received a distress call on Wednesday from a citizen who reportedly saw the two young boys heading towards the sea for swimming in Sur Al Hadid area

for more than half an hour without coming back.

“An Omani national who saw them swimming, alerted others when they didn’t turn up after a long time around 6 in the morning,” sources said.

Immediately, rescue teams were rushed to the site which found the first boy and gave him the first aid.

He was transferred to Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, while the other was found dead.

SAFETY & SECURITY Special Supplement inside A8&9

Special Supplement inside

A2

THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016

OMAN

In those with consanguineous families, 70.16 per cent were first cousins’ marriages, 17.54 per cent were second cousins and 10.86 per centwere from the same tribe Dr Mazin Al Khabouri, senior consultant

‘Marriage among relatives adds to disabled numbers’ (5,000) and Muscat (4,000).

Consanguineous marriages or parents who are related as cousins or second cousins is the prime cause of hearing disorders, say experts

BABA UMAR

babaumar@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Consanguineous marriages - union between two individuals who are related as second cousins or closer - could be the major reason for hearing loss among many hearing impaired people in the Sultanate, health experts and the association of the hearing impaired said.

Oman ranks second after Saudi Arabia in the number of hearing impaired with one estimate suggesting more than 15,000 patients in the Sultanate. Consanguineous marriages are practiced in Oman and several Muslim countries in the region and in South Asia.

“Consanguineous marriages or parents who are related as cousins or second cousins is the prime cause of this disorder,” Yahya Al Barashdi, a member of the Oman Association for the Hearing Impaired, told the Times of Oman.

“Then there are accidents, infections and other causes,” he said.

Most of the hearing impaired population in Oman is concentrated in Al Batinah region in the north

Previous studies There are no new studies on the subject though. Dr Mazin Al Khabouri, senior consultant, ENT, at the Ministry of Health and WHO (World Health Organisation) Consultant on global hearing loss programmes who last surveyed the causes of “severe to profound deafness in Oman’s paediatric population,” found 70 per cent of the hearing impaired children were offsprings of consanguineous marriages while 30 per cent from nonconsanguineous unions.

“In those with consanguineous families, 70.16 per cent were first cousins’ marriages, 17.54 per cent were second cousins and 10.86 per centwere from the same tribe,” he told the Times.

He said the study was based on a national retrospective analysis of 1,400 questionnaires on the causes of hearing loss in Omani children, collected from 1986 to 2000. In the total cohort, 45 per cent had other affected family members. The study found that there was a greater chance of other relatives being affected in the consanguineous group as opposed to the non-consanguineous group (29.7 per cent versus 15.3 per cent).

Hearing screening “In most cases, the affected relative was a hearing impaired sibling (67.8 per cent). We have demonstrated a higher rate of consanguinity among parents of deaf children in Oman and suggested that this indicated a higher frequency of autosomal recessive deafness in this population,” Al Khabouri said.

About Oman’s efforts to address the issue, he said it is among the first nations to undertake UNHS

(Universal Newborn Hearing Screening) as a national priority, an initiative launched as part of the national programme about ear care.

“The programme has evolved consistently and has been the main feeder for the Cochlear Implant programme,” he added. A cochlear implant (CI) is a surgically implanted electronic device that offers a sense of sound to a person who is extremely hearing impaired or severely hard of hearing in both ears. “The Omani government, represented by the health ministry, the education ministry and the social development ministry, is committed to help the deaf in all aspects,” Al Khabouri added.

VO L AT I L E M A R K E T S

Brexit vote boosts gold as people seek safe haven

IMPACT: The outcome of the Brexit polls caught the financial

markets off-guard and sent investors running towards the precious metal. – File

MOBIN MATHEW BLESSON

mobinmathew@timesofoman.com 90 per cent coverage He said the programme has helped in bringing down the age at which Cochlear Implantation can take place. “The National Universal Newborn Hearing Screening programme has achieved close to 90 per cent coverage of hearing screening across all regions. This is short of the ideal which is 95 per cent but is nevertheless encouraging and amongst the best coverage when considered at the national level,” he said.

In another study, he said, 11,400 Omani people of all ages were surveyed to detect hearing disabilities and common ear diseases. It was concluded that 55.3 per thousand of the population had some degree of hearing impairment. The proportion percentage of bilateral deaf was more in males, he said.

According to the WHO, about 360 million people worldwide have disabling hearing losses resulting from genetic causes, complications at birth, infectious diseases, chronic ear infections, the use of particular drugs, exposure to excessive noise and ageing.

MUSCAT: Gold is the safest investment in volatile markets, said experts and officials in Oman after the sudden hike in prices due to the Brexit effect.

Last Friday, gold prices increased 5.5 per cent for a gram following the Brexit vote, which created a new range for the precious metal in recent times, which is now showing some signs of an imminent drop.

“Gold is often perceived as a hedge against economic and financial risk,” Jose Chacko, an analyst in Muscat told the Times of Oman (TOO).

“Gold prices will trend higher in the third quarter as the full ramifications of Brexit begin to be felt, but expect it to fall again in the fourth quarter after the U.S. election and as the Fed (U.S. Federal Reserve) gets ready to hike again,” another market expert said.

On Friday, the rate for one gram gold increased to OMR16.35 from Thursday’s price of OMR15.50, after a majority of British voters chose to leave the European

Union (EU). The reason for the increase in prices was investors wanting to put their money into so-called safe assets, according to experts and some jewellery shop employees.

“The outcome of the Brexit polls caught the financial markets off-guard and sent investors running toward the precious metal,” a market expert noted.

The price for one gram of gold has dropped to OMR16.15 on Wednesday, compared with Friday. “The rise in price was a short term after effect of Brexit; gold is seen as a safe haven at times of market turmoil,” he stated.

Sales not affected According to Anto Ignatious, country manager for jewellery brand Joy Alukkas, the price hike has not affected their sales so far.

“We are having normal business all around the country; there is neither a drop nor a rise in our sales,” Ignatious told TOO. He further stated that experts in the market predict that prices may surge further at the end of this year. “This is the best time to invest in gold as the experts pre-

dict a hike in the price,” Ignatious asserted. “Even though there is no huge increase in sales as many residents are out of the country on vacation.”

According to Najeeb K, Oman regional head for jewellery brand Malabar Gold and Diamonds, there is a chance of a price increase in the coming days.

“I expect the precious metal to move on a volatile path, but there are indications that prices could continue to trade higher and test the $1,450 for an ounce (limit) before the end of the year,” an official in the jewellery business, who was unwilling to be quoted, said.

“We witnessed a pickup in our sales as the price started to fluctuate due to Brexit,” he added.

Safest investment “I bought it (gold) in the fear that the price may go up further in the coming days and if it goes up it will be a safe asset to earn more money at that time,” Roy Mathew, an Indian businessman in Muscat told TOO. “Gold may see some ups and downs; still it is the safest investment from a long term perspective, which made me to invest in it,” Mohammed Gafoor, another businessman said.

“We already had a plan to buy some gold this Eid, but when we came to know that the price may rise in the coming days, it made us buy it early,” a homemaker said.

Jewellery shops in Oman have also announced a lot of offers and bumper prizes for Ramadan customers to celebrate Eid-Al-Fitr.

Joy Alukkas is gifting an Audi car to one of its lucky customers as a bumper prize for this Eid-AlFitr. “A customer, who is spending more than OMR50, will earn a raffle coupon and a lucky one will get an Audi A3; 8 gram coins will also be given to five other lucky winners,” Ignatious said.

Malabar Gold and Diamonds is offering its customers the chance to win up to 10 kilograms of gold with every purchase of OMR50.

THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016

OMAN

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A3

Cheer for 59 Al Sawadi workers 59 stranded Al Sawadi workers will soon get their full salary while 14 others who had additional claims await the final court ruling

REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Of the 73 Al Sawadi workers who were stranded without pay when the resort that employed them closed, 59 have received a favourable judgment from the court, while the remaining 14 are waiting for a final court ruling

on July 25. One worker, speaking to the Times of Oman, said, “59 have received a favourable judgment. They claimed they were paid only basic salaries. Soon, they will get their money.”

The workers were left without food, water and power after the resort closed on March 11, and said they had not received salaries for

the past year.

Meanwhile, as the remaining 14 workers claimed additional pay, including annual leave, public holidays, overtime, working on off days, monthly allowances, and flight tickets claims, which they are eligible for, the court has directed officials to audit the settlement and has postponed the case until July 25.

“We have to deposit the money for the auditing and it has to be done before July 18. Every worker has to pay OMR100 for the auditing. If we do that, we will receive our pending salaries within 30 days from the judgment date, provided there are no further appeals by the management company,” workers said.

PROJECT GONE AWRY: The workers were left without food, water and power after the resort closed on March 11, and said they had not received salaries for the past year. – File photo

After the plight of stranded workers was reported in the media, Oman trade union members came forward to support the workers by providing food and legal support. A popular Facebook page in Oman,

R E TA I L

Year end completion for OMR5 million City Centre Qurum expansion project Times News Service

...we are very excited to be celebrating this very special time of the year, with performances by everyone’s favourite animated sheep, Shaun and his farm friends

MUSCAT: City Centre Qurum’s OMR5 million-worth expansion project is expected to be complete by 2016, officials said on Tuesday.

The project will add 3,150 square metres of incremental leasable area to accommodate Centre Point, which will also include brands, such as Babyshop, Splash, Lifestyle and Shoe Mart.

Officials also announced that the construction of the new car park structure on level 2, which can accommodate 177 additional vehicles, is now complete.

New facilities The new car park facilities will have direct access to Vox Cinemas, Magic Planet, and the mall’s food court.

“The addition complements 170 parking spaces that were recently made available to shoppers, resulting in a total of 1,055 parking spaces at the City Centre Qurum,” said Watfa Humaid Al

Harthy, senior mall manager at City Centre Qurum.

Officials also announced that well-loved animation characters: Shaun, Blizter, the Farmer

and the flock of sheep will take to the stage to perform live for children and their families at the City Centre Qurum from July 7 to 9, before heading to City Centre

QARANQASHO

Omani striker visits sick children in Sohar hospital DEEBA HASAN

deeba@timesofoman.com

Emad Al Hosni with a child at Sohar Hospital. – Supplied F I R E I M PAC T

Cooking gas shortage HASAN SHABAN AL LAWATI

hassan@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Musandam, the northern governorate of Oman, is running out of cooking gas after a massive fire destroyed the main gas supplying company in the area. Ahmed Al Kamzari, assistant director of Daba Municipality said that he is left with only one cooking gas cylinder in his home. “There is another supplier in Khasab but it can’t provide enough gas for the populated neighbourhoods,” he said, adding that Musandam municipal council members said that a solution was expected on Wednesday.

DISRUPTION

Water supply MUSCAT: Water supply will be disrupted in North Al Hail and Al Khoud of the Wilayat of Al Seeb on Thursday. Work is scheduled from 8 pm for a period of 18 hours in North Al Hail and for 19 hours in Al Khoud. -ONA

MUSCAT: Prominent Omani footballer Emad Al Hosni visited the children’s ward at Sohar Hospital recently during Qaranqasho, a celebration for children held across the Arab world on the fifteenth night of Ramadan.

At the hospital, Al Hosni distributed gifts to sick children and spent time with them. The children were delighted to see Oman’s top footballer in their company, and were excited when greeted by him.

Speaking to the Times of Oman, Al Hosni said he was pleased to visit these children and bring some happiness to them. “I felt great and happy on visiting these children,

and I think, as Omanis, it is our duty to visit these kids, celebrate with them and share joyous moments with them, as well as make them feel they are just like other kids who should play and enjoy. I think we must always come together with patients and support them whenever we can,” noted Al Hosni.

Al Hosni is one of Oman National football team’s most popular players. He was previously signed by Charleroi, a Belgian football club.

Muscat from July 12 to 16, at 5:00pm, 6:30pm, and 8:00pm.

Eid celebrations “To mark Eid-Al-Fitr, which celebrates the spirit of togetherness and camaraderie, we are thrilled to create great family moments by delivering unforgettable experiences with international performances for the whole family to enjoy. Last year, we debuted Tom & Jerry in Oman, and this year we are very excited to be celebrating this very special time of the year, with performances by everyone’s favourite animated sheep, Shaun and his farm friends,” said Husam Al Mandhari, senior mall manager at City Centre Muscat.

“Shaun the Sheep is a global sensation and is sure to capture children’s hearts and have them dancing along with other famous characters,” said Al Harthy. “We look forward to welcoming families and friends to join us for a jubilant celebration to mark Eid-Al-Fitr.”

“What’s Happening Muscat Oman (WHMO),” also launched a campaign to collect food and other items for the stranded workers.

Since the beginning, WHMO members have been raising money

and collecting needed personal items for the stranded workers.

Further, members of the group have paid some of the workers’ debts, including school fees and loans.

Currently, WHMO members are coordinating with other concerned people to raise the money required for the audit.

At present, Oman does not have a dedicated court to deal with labour disputes, which are, instead, handled in the general courts. However, a senior Ministry of Manpower (MoM) official has confirmed that a special court dedicated to settling labour disputes in Oman will be created soon. Salem Al Saadi, advisor to the MoM, told Times of Oman that the ministry is working to establish a labour disputes court.

A4 A 4

THURSDAY,JUNE JUNE30, 30,2016 2016 THURSDAY,

IF TAR

7:03

FA STING

G LOB A L RA M A DA N REC I P E S

H EA LTH TIPS

M A L AYS I A

Many miss out on some of the benefits of fasting, because of the notion that fasting leaves the body weak and the mind foggy. The truth is, the body begins to adjust a few days into the fast and higher levels of endorphins are released into the blood, which means that for those working in climate controlled environments (as opposed to outdoors in the heat), the brain is primed to be more alert, happier, and more relaxed.

The mind and our perceptions are a powerful thing, so think about this research, and then really take stock of how you feel.

PM

{ Bubur Lambuk }

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons ghee 3 tablespoons oil Pounded: 2.5cm (1 inch) piece of ginger 6 pieces shallot 6 pieces garlic Spice mix: 2.5cm (1 inch) cinnamon stick 3 pieces cloves 1 piece star anise 2 pieces cardamom

P LAC E O F WO RSHI P

Blended ingredients: 1 teaspoon cumin seed 1 teaspoon coriander seed 1 teaspoon white pepper 1 teaspoon black peppercorn

Ramadan presents a great opportunity to go pray in beautiful houses of worship that you might not otherwise see. Whether for Taraweeh prayers or Dhuhr, this month, take time to pay a visit to one of Muscat’s architectural monuments of faith.

500gm beef (chopped into bite-size pieces) Water (to cover 2 fingers above rice, add more re as needed) 200gm white rice 2 stalks lemon grass 20 200ml thick coconut milk Salt to taste F Fried shallots, for garnish

{ Masjid Asmaa Bint Alawi Al Jamal Al Leil } Have you ever wanted to pray in a place that exudes royal splendour? Then this mosque, located in the posh area of Madinat Al Ilam, should be at the top of your list. The architectural masterpiece commonly known as the Asmaa mosque, was built in 1986 by Qais Al Zawawi and his siblings, and named after their beloved mother, Asmaa. Every detail is crafted to perfection, from its green zigzag-y, Islamic patterned floor, to the gigantic star-shaped fountain in the courtyard, to the tiny green accent lamps, and perfectly manicured palm trees. The huge gilded dome and inscribed, gilded door are pure art. It’s a visual wonderland that is a pleasure to linger and pray in.

PR E PA R AT ION

Heat oil and ghee in a deep pot. Add pounded ingredients and stir-fry till fragrant. p mix,, blended ingredients and beef p Add spice pieces.

Cook until meat is tender.

*This mosque has a Ladies’ Prayer Hall

Pour in water before adding rice and lemon grass.

Bringg rice and water to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer till rice turns into the texture of porridge.

TODAY’S VERSE

W H E RE TO SPE ND YOU R ZA KAT

Add coconut milk and season to taste with salt.

Serve dish with a sprinkle of fried shallots.

The literal meaning of Zakat is ‘to cleanse’. In the Islamic faith, Zakat means purifying your wealth for the will of Allah by acknowledging that everything we own belongs to Him and as a means of working towards the betterment of the Muslim Ummah (community). Though Zakat is not always financial, and can include everything from volunteering your time to giving an encouraging word to your fellow man, according to Islamic regulations, Zakat is 2.5% of one year’s total cumulative wealth (there are various ways of calculating what should be counted), and when it comes to these financial donations to the less fortunate, it can be difficult to decide which causes speak most to your heart. We hope these charitable spotlights will help you decide.

WORD

{ Association for the Welfare of Handicapped Children }

Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account.

(Surah Al Zamr, 39:10)

WHAT THEY DO

WHE R E

The Association for the Welfare of Handicapped Children serves handicapped children ages 6 to 14 through a comprehensive programme that includes education, health, physical assistance, and academic services. It gives these children an opportunity to enjoy life fully and to integrate into the community.

The association also supports scientific studies and research into the causes of disabilities.

The association was registered in 1991 pursuant to a Ministerial Decision No. 19/91 with the aim of reaching every Omani child with any form of disability.

F I N D O UT MO R E A N D D ONAT E

+968 2449 6502, +968 2449 6501 awhoc@omantel.net.om donate.om

{ Al Wasatiyyah } Moderation Described as the “Ummatan Wasatan” in the Holy Quran, the very definition of the Muslim community is one of moderation and justness. The word wasatiyyah is derived from al wasat, which means “just and unextreme”, and is defined as “moderate” or “the middle,” a fundamental concept for Muslims whose faith is meant to be easy to practice and whose lives should be balanced, from religious obligations to the enjoyment of life. “Do not chain your hand to your neck (so that you are mean in spending), nor stretch it out to the utmost limit (so that you waste everything).” (Al Isra, 17:29)

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THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016

OMAN WROTE A POEM

Entries invited for ROP traffic safety contest

HONOUR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Sultan Ahmed Al

Mahmodi from Oman, in New Delhi on Wednesday. - PTI

Dream comes true for the Omani writer REJIMON. K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: “It was a dream come true moment for me”, said Sultan Ahmed Al Mahmodi, the 27-year-old Omani film producer who wrote a poem on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Swachh Bharat (Clean India) campaign after meeting him in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Sultan travelled to India as an official guest of the Indian govern-

It was a dream come true moment for me Sultan Ahmed Al Mahmodi, Omani film producer

ment to submit his poem.

“It was a great moment. Officially, I was given only five minutes, but the meeting went up to 20 minutes.

I never expected that. He advised me to visit cultural places of India and know more about India,” Sultan told Times of Oman by phone from India. Impressed with Modi’s Swachh Bharat campaign and other initiatives, the young Omani film producer has shot a four-minute ‘visual poem’, which will be part of a movie to be released soon.

vate sector companies will receive certificates and a traffic safety trophy for the first place winner.

“The individual winner will get OMR5,000, while the association winner will receive OMR7,000,” said the police official.

Second and third place winners will win OMR3,000 and OMR2,000 will be awarded to the person in the third spot in the individual category.

The cash prize for second and third place for associations is OMR5,000 and OMR3,000, respectively.

The competition, for which submissions and participation ends on July 31, is aimed at involving the society in promoting the practices of traffic safety TARIQ ZIAD AL HAREMI

tariqh@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Public and private sector companies, associations, individuals and wilayats have the chance to submit their creations and innovations for the Royal Oman Police’s (ROP’s) Traffic Safety Competition, which is now open for participation.

The competition, for which submissions and participation ends on July 31, 2017, is aimed at involving the society in promoting the practices of traffic safety to prevent further accidents, as well as encourage private sector companies and association partnerships to create awareness about the issue.

Generally the submissions must be clear about the goals they are trying to achieve, as well as their tie up with the competition’s

COMPETITION: Individuals should submit projects that are implemented for creating awareness about traffic to prevent traffic accidents. – Supplied picture

objectives. The projects must be operational and should have actually had an impact on preventing traffic accidents.

Participants have been asked to submit their work and ideas

by July 31, 2017 and the projects must have been operational from October 18, 2015 to become eligible for participation.

Four categories Participants will be divided into four categories: Public and Private Sector, Individuals, Associations, such as charitable associations, art associations, women’s guild etc., and Wilayats.

Public and private sector establishments and associations’ projects must follow at least one aspect to ensure them a top place win.

They should be projects that serve society and help prevent

traffic accidents; projects that involve preparing and implementing awareness projects and traffic education and have a big impact on society are another type.

Individuals should submit projects that are implemented for creating awareness about traffic to prevent traffic accidents. Create programmes, awareness materials or technologies for traffic safety, which can be used whenever deemed necessary; and any other creations, which contributes to preventing accidents that are being implemented or are still in production.

“The ROP will buy the winners’ creations and innovations and claim ownership. The projects may very well help the ROP in tackling the accident issue,” said a senior ROP official.

He said the winners will receive cash prizes while public and pri-

Traffic safety board When the Times of Oman asked how wilayats are expected to participate, the ROP official said wilayats have a traffic safety board and they have to come up with their projects like everybody else, so they will be competing against other wilayats across the Sultanate.

The first, second and third prize for wilayats is OMR40,000, OMR30,000 and OMR20,000, while the rest will receive OMR5,000 for their efforts.

“Of course raising awareness is not enough, but it is one of the tools we have; and we have to make full use of it,” said the ROP official. According to data from the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), 54 people died in traffic accidents in May 2016, which included 33 Omanis and 21 expatriates.

Those who would like to participate must visit traffic.gov.om, email info@traffic.gov.om or call 24510809 to inquire about the competition.

QUA L I F I C AT I O N S

Fake A1 degrees < FROM

They said, “Students who wish to continue their study abroad must get the ministry’s approval before pursuing the study.

“We can confirm that after the announcement, the number of applications for equivalency have increased, and our department is receiving many applications from the Ministry of Manpower, and other private sector companies, compared with the period before the implementation of the new legislation, where we received fewer applications from them.”

According to the official, the Qualifications Equivalency and Recognition Department at MoHE is playing a major role in fighting fraud qualifications.

“We encountered some cases of fraud qualifications this year.”

Al Subhi explained the types of fraud applications which the Ministry receives. “The department usually deals with four types of fraud qualifications: Fraud in the entire qualification, which means that the qualification is deemed fake and the student did not take any classes at a higher education institution.

“Fraud in some parts of the degree, although it was obtained in a proper way and issued by a recognised educational institution. “Fraud in a master’s or doctorate degree, which requires the writing of a thesis, where students tend to buy research papers from websites or from other people who write it for them.

“Finally, there are indirect fraud cases, which involve fake qualifications from diploma mills.”

Diploma or degree mills are defined as educational institutions that do not exist, or are commercial institutions, which are not licensed in their countries to provide any academic programme, and they are not approved by the international accreditation bodies but offer degrees for money.

If a degree has to be equated by the Department of Qualifications Equivalency and Recognition, students would normally have earned the diploma, bachelors or masters degrees in a fulltime mode and at the main campus of a university abroad.

“In cases where they have a different mode of study (irregular attendance) throughout the study period, they need to make sure that this mode is approved by the ministry by getting the ministry’s approval before pursing any study.”

THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016

OMAN Shura approves amendments Shura discussed the impact of economic crisis on community

MUSCAT: Majlis Al Shura approved yesterday the proposed amendments to some articles of the law of the State Financial and Administrative Audit Institution.

It was submitted by the work-

ing group assigned to examine the annual report of the State Financial and Administrative Audit Institution. Majlis also approved the proposed amendment to the Law on Fishing and Protection of Living Aquatic Wealth submitted by the Committee on Food and Water Security at Majlis Al Shura. The 22nd regular meeting of the 1st annual sitting (2015-2016) of the 8th term (2015-2019) was chaired by Khalid bin Hilal Al Ma’awali, Chairman of Majlis Al Shura. The meeting decided to refer them to the Council

of Ministers.

Majlis Al Shura proceeded to discuss the final report of the committee to address the repercussions of the economic crisis and its impact on the community.

Tawfiq bin Abdul Hussain Al Lawati, Head of the committee and its coordinator read the report, which included many of the results of the meetings of the Committee with a number of stakeholders and specialists in this aspect.

The meeting approved a number of recommendations included in the report. -ONA

R A I LWAY N E T W O R K

Talks held on GCC rail project BABA UMAR

babaumar@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Talks on the muchawaited Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) railway network have been reportedly held between the senior government officials of the GCC region in Riyadh.

The six GCC nations had previously considered linking their countries through a network of

railways by 2018. But a string of economic setbacks since last year meant the deadline is no longer achievable.

To renew focus on the rail link, a meeting was held at the headquarters of the GCC General Secretariat in Riyadh on June 23.

Earlier in May, UAE’s Etihad Rail spokesperson told the Times of Oman that the country had

TOP BRAZILIAN HONOUR FOR OMAN AMBASSADOR

The interim president of Brazil, Michel Temer awarded the national Order of Southern Cross (prestige class) to Dr. Khalid bin Said Al Jaradi, the Sultanate’s ambassador to Brazil, at the end of his term. The order was conferred on the ambassador

by Fernando Abreu, Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry at a ceremony attended by a number of diplomats and officials. —ONA

T U R K E Y AT TA C K

< FROM

A1 ‘Heard of attacks mid-air’ “We had extra security checks for people flying to the United States before we departed,” he added.

Lazaro said their flight was delayed by over an hour for a runway change. “We were scheduled to take off at 2.05pm, but didn’t actually lift off until closer to 4pm. I am not sure this had to do with the attacks as I doubt they would let us take off (after the attacks had occurred).”

He only heard of the attacks hours later while in mid-air.

“We heard about it later on a CNN live stream offered on the flight’s entertainment package. One passenger asked a stewardess about it and she verbally confirmed that an attack had taken place, but didn’t know much about it.”

“The news report I listened to on the plane didn’t have many details, just some video feed of injured people. They were saying that 10 people are dead and 28 injured, but the number kept climbing.”

Lazaro had flown on the same route to the United States back in 2014 and said all had gone smoothly and that this incident will not stop him from using it again.

“I will take this route again, I love Istanbul and I’m happy even if I just get to see the airport. Turkey is one of my favourite countries.”

Although he feels lucky to have escaped the horror faced by hundreds of other people at the Ataturk airport, he feels sorry for the victims. “Of course I feel lucky to have left ahead of the attacks and

terribly sad for those who died and were injured.”

When he finally reached the United States, there were several police officials waiting at the gate and pulled aside some people.

“When I went through immigration, they took me to a questioning room to talk about my flight and where I live and my purpose of travelling through Istanbul and if I knew anyone who actively sympathised with any party in the Syrian conflict.”

Other passengers on the same plane expressed shock and dismay at the incident. When he finally got out of the airport in the United States, he was bombarded with calls of concern from friends and family.

“Many of my friends messaged me from Oman and the USA and my family, especially my grandparents were really concerned about me.”

A senior official from Turkish Airlines in Oman told the Times of Oman, “A flight from Istanbul landed in Muscat at 12.20am and was due to fly back soon after, however when they came to know that the Ataturk airport was closed, they stayed back and only took off yesterday afternoon, more than 10 hours later.”

Around 150 were scheduled to fly to Turkey on the same plane, however, because of the delay about 35 people were adjusted in other airlines and around 100 people flew with Turkish Airlines in the afternoon. The passengers who were kept waiting because of the delay were moved to a hotel in Muscat,” the official added.

suspended the Stage two tender process, while it reviews the most appropriate option for the timing and delivery of this phase of the project.

“We continue to work closely with our partners and stakeholders on a national and GCC level to assess the timeline for Stage two delivery and relevant updates on this will be shared in due course,” the spokesperson had said.

G E N E VA

Oman reaffirms support to cause of Palestinians GENEVA: The Sultanate reaffirmed its full support to the Palestinian cause in Geneva yesterday.

The speech was delivered by Abdullah bin Nasser Al Rahbi, the Sultanate’s permanent envoy to the UN and other International Organisations in Geneva at the UN International Conference for Israeli-Palestinian Peace Support.

Ambassador Al Rahbi welcomed the convening of the conference on support of the Israeli-Palestinian peace, reaffirming the Sultanate’s support to all that could lead to the achievement of targeted goals of the conference.

He said that the Sultanate believes in peace and calls for cementing ties and mutual respect. He also spoke on the Sultanate’s support for Arab and international efforts aimed at peaceful settlement of the ArabIsraeli conflict.

The Sultanate has supported the peace process between the Arab and Israel since launched in 1991 and has supported the Arab Peace Initiative 2002, the statement said.

Ambassador Al Rahbi urged the international community to continue their efforts to force Israel to comply with the international law. -ONA

BAUSHER FIRE DOUSED

Firefighters put out a fire which engulfed a number of caravans in Suaal area in the wilayat of Bausher. No casualties was reported in the incident, the Public Authority for Civil Defence reported. -Supplied Photo

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THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016

Why motion detectors are better than door and window sensors!

So you are thinking of installing a home security system in your home. You know a little bit about how they work and the different types of sensors. You immediately think that putting a door/window sensor on every window and door in the house is the safest way to go and that there is no way that an intruder would possibly gain entry to your fortress. Wrong!

O

ne of the biggest mistakes that I saw homeowners and business owners make when thinking about adding security was thinking that door and window sensors are the end all be all to security systems. The fact of the matter is, this is simply not true anymore. Motion detector technology has come so far in recent years with new technology such as pet immune and advances in passive infrared technology (PIR). The recent advances aren’t the only reason to go with motion detectors, but for the fact that it will significantly reduce the cost of your installation! Think about it this way: if you have 15 windows and 3 doors on the first floor of your home (the most important floor to protect) then you are looking at 18 door/window sensors. If these are wireless, you are looking at roughly $50-80 per sensor plus the cost of installation (roughly 15 minutes apiece). This

does not include the cost of the panel hardware and peripheral devices as well such as keypads, keyfobs, the control panel itself and any other extras you would like. Just the cost of the door/ window sensors would run you $900 minimum.

Another alternative would be to use motion detectors in strategic locations (yes, even if you have a dog or cat.)

Installation costs less: It is not rocket science, the fewer number of sensors you use, the cheaper your installation is going to cost.

If you can replace the 18 door/ window sensors described in the example above with 4 well placed motion detectors, your installation cost will be greatly reduced.

Preventative maintenance: If your system is wired, this is not much of a concern. If you are like 80 percent of the population that are having wireless systems installed be-

cause they do not want wires run and holes drilled through walls and floors, then it is a life saver. Wireless motion detectors need to run off batteries. Some run off AA batteries, but others run off specialty batteries such as the CR123. These will need to be replaced every 2-3 years if they are not in a high traffic area. Imagine the cost of paying a contractor to come in and change 18 batteries as opposed to 4. They are going to mark up the batteries and charge for the labor. At least purchase the batteries yourself.

Glassbreak? Say that you decide to go the route of having every door/window alarmed on the first floor. No one can possibly get into your house, right? Absolutely not.

Someone can simply walk up and throw a brick through your window, smash the glass out and climb through. The door and window sensors use a magnet to pull in a set of contacts, so they only know when a window or door opens

Motion detectors are the way to go, hands down. Think about the layout of your home or office and what the choke points are and place motion detectors there. Motion detectors can even be used as entry sensors and most newer motion detectors can be bought with a pet immune option.

past a certain gap. An ideal setup would include window/door sensors with strategically placed glass break detectors to offer maximum protection. This of course is going to run your installation cost through the roof!

False alarms are fun: It does not take much for a door or window contact to turn to the evil side and start giving off false alarms left and right. I had many customers that would call me for a service call because their front entry point was faulted and they had no idea why, the door was closed!

Upon showing up and opening the door, either the magnet was just gone or the contact had come loose and had been getting smashed in the door for god knows how long. Talk about frustrating. Now imagine these false alarms occurring at odd hours, say 2AM, and the central station calling you or just dispatching the police.

Pet immune: This has been one of the top reasons why people stayed away from motion detectors until recently. I would hear “Well I have dogs, so I can’t have motion detectors here.” This is simply not true.

Most newer motion detectors can be bought with a pet immune option. The motion detectors that I installed could go up to 100 lbs and unless you have a huge dog or gigantic cat, that should suffice. You can leave your home and fully arm it and not worry about pets setting off the alarm while you are away.

In conclusion, motion detectors are the way to go, hands down. Think about the layout of your home or office and what the choke points are and place motion detectors there.

If they smash the door in, they will not get far. If they break the glass and come through, surprise, there is a motion detector there! Motion detectors can even be used as entry sensors, although I would recommend a door contact on the main entry point. — Tyler Devoe/ EzineArticles.com

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

T IME S O F O MAN

BIG leading the way in providing comprehensive security solutions Shahzad Raza shahzad@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Due to increasing levels of security threats around the world, security at home, offices, institutions and public places, has assumed immense importance.

On the other hand developments in technology and IT platforms have enabled many companies to offer advanced solutions to tackle the security threats.

In a security driven environment, every customer looks for a simple yet sophisticated technological system. The integrated security systems operate with single software, customizable, mobile applications.

Business International Group (BIG) offers its customers most advanced integrated video and security solutions in the market with unique built-in features. BIG offers full range of security solutions from CCTV, access control, intrusion detection, perimeter detection control, centralized monitoring system solutions, automatic number plate recognition systems, automatic road barriers, blockers, parking management and guidance system, guard tour, public address / voice announcement, security intercom systems etc., BIG’s major focus is on designing, installing, testing, operating and maintain integrated system solutions for a wide variety of environments including governmental, educational institutions, health care, corporates and hospitality sectors.

“We understand the system design plays an integral part in the

level of performance, effectiveness and value of the complete system solution delivered to our clients. Offering intelligent design solutions, our In house team of experienced design engineers carries out technical and innovative design for all system solutions offer by us,” said Shekhar Pandit, General Manager, Business International Group.

“BIG focuses on delivering integrated building solutions to meet customer requirements, enabling clients to manage their investments more effectively. This is backed by a team of highly skilled professionals who are able to establish shared visions and values with our partners and bring high complimentary capabilities to any project. Our uncompromising commitment to quality, reliability and safety means that we are a preferred systems integrator to a majority of the building contractors in the region,” Pandit added.

Over the years, BIG LLC has developed a comprehensive range of maintenance services.

“Our maintenance service packages are available with a range of options designed to give our customers complete flexibility over the type of cover that best suits their requirements and budget. Our dedicated maintenance and support department is home to a team of highly skilled and experienced engineers who undergo a regular program of training, both in-house and with the major manufacturers.

There is increasing awareness about safety and security requirements both at home and public

Our maintenance service packages are available with a range of options designed to give our customers complete flexibility over the type of cover that best suits their requirements and budget.

Our dedicated maintenance and support department is home to a team of highly skilled and experienced engineers.

Shekhar Pandit General Manager, BIG

places. We are seeing more investments in security and safety requirements than ever before.

Talking about the latest technologies being used in the security systems, Pandit said every customer is looking for better and latest technology which is available in the market. When it comes to commercial security, it is very important for the cus-

tomer is given various options to choose from that can meet his requirements in terms of technical solution and budget.

“There are different ranges of CCTV cameras available from low cost to higher cost with different features. There are HD cameras available with affordable prices which can now replace the analog cameras.

The cameras with On-Board Video analytics, storage, built-in IR, HD resolution with intelligent band width management make the system architecture simple and reliable platform,” he added.

“The CCTV on Cloud is also one of the latest technologies where all the videos can be stored on the cloud. This will reduce the complete IT infrastructure and system management cost.

In many corporates, the integrated security management system software will help the system operators in offering a user friendly and customizable solution. It gives more flexibility in security system operation where the operator can manage the complete security system like Access control, CCTV and intrusion detection systems from one platform. The trouble shooting and identifying the fault on the systems becomes very simple and it can alert through e-mail, SMS etc.”

It is becoming essential that minimum security levels are provided at all public places and also in residential areas. The local regulations for such requirements in terms of specifications, installation and maintenance can help public life become more safe and secured.

EXTERNAL SECURITY

Aptus Infotech provides quality IT solutions APTUS INFOTECH, one of the premier IT solutions providers in Oman, has been offering extensive, efficient yet cost-effective IT security and external security solutions and services to both medium and large scale enterprises. Aptus Infotech, which started its operations in 2001 under the name of Oriental Oryx LLC, has gained immense momentum within the past years for their impeccable IT solutions in the intensely competitive IT segment.

While shedding some light on the company’s vision at a recently held press conference in Oman, one of the top executives at Aptus Infotech, said: “Our vision is to be recognised and respected in the global IT market as a professional solution provider with constant innovation to make ‘IT’ better for its clients by being their strategic business partner.”

The executive further stated: “Security of sensitive information as well as its premises has always been the main concern of all business establishments; be it small or medium. We, as a premier IT solutions and services provider, take the responsibility to offer flexible, comprehensive yet inexpensive technology solutions that comply with the standard of international quality” In its fifteen years of operations, Aptus Infotech has catered to different and distinctive needs of businesses all through industries like government agencies, corporate houses and businesses associated with finance and banking, airport, real-estate, infrastructure Education Institutes and oil and gas industry.

Aptus Infotech specializes in the design and installation of structured cabling systems with an emphasis on new construction and corporate relocations.

Whether your network is ten computers or ten buildings in a campus environment, Aptus can pro-

vide the copper and fiber cabling needed to connect voice and data across the LAN. Aptus also offers infrastructure design, structured cabling – indoor, outdoor, access control solution, wireless access point, IP network video surveillance, fiber optic installation, data center solution (including raised flooring, ceiling and partitions), IP network - VOIP, IPTV, civil works and electrical systems.

Aptus’ highly qualified and experienced team of network engineers, system designers, installers, project managers, and assemblers has successfully completed customised installations in a wide range of diverse and challenging environments.

Aptus takes pride in building secure and reliable networks using high quality fiber optic and copper cables, cabinets, patch panels, switches, routers and other accessories that make your network secure, strong and reliable. It offers unmatched support 24x7.

If one is looking for impeccable IT solutions and services in Oman, choosing Aptus Infotech is an ideal option to go for. Aptus Infotech better understands how to exploit their experience in the arenas of IT security, external security and access control to bring solutions for any intricate or complicated technical problems. The company has a team of highly professional security experts who have both ability and capability to handle client-server and mainframe platforms in addition to quality and security monitoring of crucial IT and networking infrastructures.

All the more, Aptus Infotech also provides value added services like consultancy and system support to give a complete peace of mind to all those business owners who are on the lookout to find networking infrastructure solutions. More information can be had at info@ aptusinfotech.com and http:// www.aptusinfotech.com/.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016

REGION MOROCCO

Pension reform draft bill approved by upper house RABAT: Morocco’s upper house of parliament on Tuesday approved a draft pensions reform bill, members said, prompting labour unions to threaten legal action and step up protests against the measure which is part of government efforts to fix public finances.

Morocco, helped to calm its pro-democracy demonstration in 2011 by stepping up spending on subsidies and salaries in the public sector.

This has drawn protests at home but also praise from international lenders.

Three members said the upper house approved the draft bill with

27 votes in favour and 21 against.

The bill still needs to be passed in a final vote in the lower house.

However, Morocco’s four largest labour unions said they would escalate their protest, having blocked it for months in parliament’s upper house where they control a sixth of the seats.

Broken many law “We are taking it to the Constitutional court because the government has broken many laws to pass this bill,” said Abdelhak Hessan, a member of the upper house from the Democratic Labour Confederation (CDT). — Reuters

IS forces Syria rebels to retreat from border The New Syria Army rebel group had launched an operation on Tuesday aimed at capturing the town of Al Bukamal near the border with Iraq from the militants

AMMAN/BEIRUT: US-backed Syrian rebels were pushed back from the outskirts of an ISheld town on the border with Iraq and a nearby air base on Wednesday after the extremists mounted a counter- attack, two rebel sources said.

The New Syria Army rebel group had launched an operation on Tuesday aimed at capturing the town of Al Bukamal from IS. One rebel source said S fighters had encircled the rebels in a surprise ambush.

They had suffered heavy casualties and weapons had been seized by the extremists, the source said.

“The news is not good. I can say our troops were trapped and suffered many casualties and several fighters were captured and even weapons were taken,” he said.

A spokesman of the New Syria Army, Muzahem Al Saloum, confirmed the group’s fighters had retreated.”We have withdrawn to the outlying desert and the first stage of the campaign has ended,” Saloum told Reuters.

Despite the retreat, Saloum said the fighters had at least succeeded in evicting IS from large

CONFLICT: Civilians inspect a burnt car at a site hit by an airstrike in the rebel-controlled city of

Idlib, Syria on Wednesday. — Reuters

The New Syria Army was formed some 18 months ago from insurgents driven from eastern Syria at the height of IS’ rapid expansion in 2014

swathes of desert territory around the town.

IS affiliated Amaq news agency had earlier said it had killed 40 rebel fighters and captured 15 more in a counter-attack at the Hamadan air base north west of the city.

The operation aiming to capture Al Bukamal was meant to add to pressure on Is as it faces a separate, US-backed offensive in northern Syria aimed at driving it away from the Turkish border.

The New Syria Army was formed some 18 months ago from

insurgents driven from eastern Syria at the height of IS’ rapid expansion in 2014.

Rebel sources say it has been trained with US support.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the group’s offensive against IS was being mounted with the backing of Western special forces and US-led air strikes.

IS capture in 2014 of Al Bukamal, just a few kilometres (miles) from the Iraqi frontier, effectively erased the border between Syria and Iraq.

The US-led campaign against IS has moved up a gear this month, with an alliance of militias including the Kurdish YPG launching a major offensive against the militant group in the city of Manbij in northern Syria. In Iraq, the government this week declared victory over IS in Falluja.

US-run camps Syrian rebel sources say the rebel force has received military training in US-run camps in Jordan, but most of their training was now being conducted in a main base at Al Tanf, a Syrian town southwest of Al Bukamal at the border with Iraq.

The New Syria Army’s base in Al Tanf was hit twice earlier this month by Russian air strikes, even after the US military used emergency channels to ask Moscow to stop after the first strike, US officials say. — Reuters

INSURGENCY

Iraqi forces press towards key air base south of Mosul BAGHDAD: Iraq’s military said it advanced through northern villages held by IS on Wednesday, on its way to an airfield which could serve as the staging ground for a future offensive on Mosul, the the biggest city held by the militants.

Army and counter-terrorism forces recaptured Telol al-Baj, about 260 km (160 miles) north of Baghdad on the main northsouth road on Tuesday, a senior commander participating in the offensive told Reuters.

US-led coalition air strikes have helped repel suicide car bomb attacks, the commander said. Both sides have suffered casualties, but most militants have

fled into the desert, he added.

The troops are now around 45 km from the airbase at Qayara, less than two weeks after they set out from the refinery town of Baiji, military officials said.

Retaking another refinery near Qayara with a production capacity of 16,000 barrels per day could also hit IS’ finances.

phate spanning large stretches of territory seized in Iraq and Syria.

Two years since that landgrab, the tide has begun to turn against IS as an array of forces lined up against it make inroads into their territory.

Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi has pledged to retake Mosul this year.

Recapture The military’s recovery this month of Falluja, west of Baghdad, lent fresh momentum to the campaign to recapture Mosul, Iraq’s largest northern city and the biggest anywhere within the jihadists’ self-proclaimed cali-

Slower progress Army troops advancing separately on the eastern side of the Tigris river from Qayara have made slower progress, taking a handful of villages since setting out from Makhmour more than three months ago. — Reuters C I V I L WA R

UN-backed Yemen peace talks adjourn until July 15 DUBAI: United Nations-mediated talks to end more than a year of war in Yemen have adjourned and will reconvene in Kuwait on July 15 after Eid holiday, the UN envoy, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, said on Wednesday. A shaky ceasefire coinciding with negotiations has paused fighting which raged across the country,.

The talks bring together the Houthi movement and Yemen’s government, but have achieved little progress in over two months. “The two delegations will use the coming two weeks to meet their respective leaderships,” Ould Cheikh Ahmed said. “(They) will then return to Kuwait on 15 July with practical recommendations on how to implement the necessary mechanisms that will enable them to sign a peace accord and thus end the conflict in Yemen,” he said. — Reuters

THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016

Stay ahead of the curve with WhatsNews

HYDERABAD

NIA busts suspected IS terror module; 11 youths held HYDERABAD: The NIA on Wednesday claimed to have busted a “terror module” that is suspected to be linked to the IS group and detained 11 youths including a techie and some graduates after conducting searches at different locations in the old city here.

The NIA sleuths also recovered weapons, ammunition, urea, acid, some chemicals, electronic gadgets and other incriminating material besides Rs1.5 million in cash from their possession, officials of National Investigation Agencyand Hyderabad Police said, adding the youths were working at the behest of IS handlers.

“Searches were conducted by NIA over some suspected terror activities that were planned to be carried out in the city...11 youths including a techie have been detained and Rs15 lakh cash besides some explosive material has been seized from them,” a senior intelligence officer said.

Based on credible information that some youths hailing from Hyderabad and their accomplices have entered into criminal conspiracy to wage war against India by collecting weapons and explosive materials to commit terrorist acts. - PTI

As per the proposal mooted by the Labour Ministry, the model law can be adopted by states with a provision of modifying it as per their requirement. The model law is aimed at generating additional employment as shops and establishments will have freedom to operate for longer hours requiring more manpower.

The law covers establishments employing 10 or more workers except manufacturing units and will provide freedom to operate 365 days with flexibility on timing to open and close

NEW DELHI: A model law that allows shops, malls and other establishments to operate throughout the year received Cabinet approval on Wednesday, which will give them the flexibility to open and shut at their convenience.

The law covers establishments employing 10 or more workers except manufacturing units and will provide freedom to operate 365

Anti-submarine torpedo Varunastra inducted in navy

HANDING OVER CEREMONY: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar

hands over the replica of anti-submarine torpedo, ‘Varunastra’ to Naval Chief Sunil Lamba during its handing over ceremony in New Delhi on Wednesday. DRDO DG S Christopher is also seen. - PTI

Development He however rued that the development of this torpedo had “indeed being long”. “We need to work towards a reasonable timeframe from concept to realisation to address our capability gap in time,” he said.

On his part, DRDO chief S. Christopher said the normal ges-

INDIA

Model law cleared, shops can remain open 365 days

I N D I G E N O U S LY- B U I LT

NEW DELHI: Indigenouslybuilt heavyweight anti-submarine torpedo Varunastra has been successfully inducted in the navy, making India one of the eight countries to have the capability to design and build such a system.

Developed by Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL), a premier laboratory of Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO), the electric torpedo was on Wednesday formally handed over to Indian Navy and the induction is set to be a “game-changer” boost for it.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said the programme is not only a boost to country’s indigenous capability but also an opportunity for export to other countries. Defence sources said sale of Varunastra, weighing around 1.25 tonnes that carries about 250 kg of explosives at a speed of around 40 nautical miles an hour, was also one of the issues that came up for discussion during Parrikar’s recent visit to Vietnam.

Having almost 95 per cent indigenous content, Varunastra, costing about Rs100-120 million per unit, is capable of targeting quiet and stealthy submarines, both in deep and littoral waters in intense countermeasure environment.

“Successful induction of Varunastra into our navy will be a game-changer in favour of the warships in the sub-surface warfare. This landmark has put navy in elite club of navies across the globe that can boast of selfreliance in under water sensors and under water weapons,” Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba said.

SCAN THIS TO INSTANTLY INSTALL WHATSNEWS

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tation period for development of such a technology was 10 years and they took a year extra as there were many issues since it was being done for the first time. From availability of ships and submarines for testing to numerous aspects of technology, he listed a number of reasons that delayed the project.

Parrikar directed the DRDO not to have a hands-off approach now that they have developed the torpedo, and handed over the technology to BDL for production.

“You cannot be a hospital where a child is born. You will have to stay along at least till the child is able to stand up and run around,” Parrikar said as he suggested placing a small DRDO team with state-run BDL for a limited period.

He rued that the light-weight torpedos did not come at par with the quality expectation of the navy. Parrikar also said that DRDO should also rope in a private company for future projects so that there is a good competition. The torpedo can be launched from Kolkata, Delhi, Teg, Talwar and Kamorta classes of ships.

They have conformal array transducer which can look at wider angles than other torpedos.

Varunastra has been designed with latest technologies such as high-speed and long endurance propulsion, software driven intelligence, conformal array acoustic homing with wide look angle and advanced digital signal processing.

It is also having advanced autonomous guidance algorithms with low drift navigational aids, insensitive warhead which can operate in various combat scenarios.

Varunastra exercise variant has integrated instrumentation system for recording all the dynamic parameters of the weapon, redundancy in recovery aids in case of emergency shut down or malfunction. — PTI

GENERATE ADDITIONAL EMPLOYMENT: A shopper gestures to a product while a store employee looks on at the Bharti Wal-Mart Best Price wholesale store in Manawala, some 11kms from Amritsar.

The model law is aimed at generating additional employment as shops and establishments will have freedom to operate for longer hours requiring more manpower. - AFP file photo

days with flexibility on timing to open and close.

It also provides for women to be employed on night shifts with adequate security and calls for better

working conditions for employees such as drinking water, canteen, first aid, lavatory and creche.

“The Model Shops and Establishment (Regulation of Employ-

ment and Condition of Services) Bill 2016 has been cleared by the Cabinet,” a source said.

The model law will not require Parliament’s approval.

Exemption It also provides exemption to highly-skilled workers like those in IT and bio-technology from daily working hours (9 hours) and weekly working hours (48 hours).

The law is designed to bring in uniformity in legislative provisions, making it easier for all the states to adopt it and ensure uniform working conditions across the country. The Centre has been receiving suggestions from time to time to enact the model law, which the states could consider for enforcement either by adopting the central law or necessary modification by the state law. - PTI

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NISID HAJARI MOST POPULAR VIDEO

TIMESOFOMAN.COM/TIMESTV Medical interns not paid salary for seven months

UK’s separation from Europe will be messy and difficult. Business and social relationships will have to be severed and reconstituted.

New patterns of trade, travel and immigration will need to be developed. The process will occupy years, longer if negotiations are conducted in the absence of goodwill, as is only too likely

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Motivation is far more fundamental than the fact that India and China still have an unresolved border.

China’s rise has created a strong incentive for countries with a stake in Asia to increase their cooperation with US, as well as each other, so that they can stand up to China’s political, military, and economic might

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READERS’ FORUM Hard to accept that professionals not getting salaries This refers to article, Medics In SOS Plea Over Pay (June 27). It’s very hard to accept that prestigious professionals like doctors are suffering due to nonpayment of salaries. We can understand their situation as its very difficult for us to manage even a month without salary. By saying that they are not ready to compromise with their work ethics even in this harder times they proved they are the real life savers.

Let’s hope this festival bring joy in there life. — Subbashini. M, Al Khuwair Scan this QR code to send letters to the Readers’ Forum, containing not more than 200 words with full name, address and telephone number, may be sent by e-mail (akhtar@ timesofoman.com).

How can a floatplane can land at Muscat airport This refers to article Seawings launches seaplane service to Oman (June 28). I don’t understand how can a floatplane can land at Muscat airport? Floatplanes land on water.....obviously! Can somebody explain please? — Kathryn Chang Barker, Al Bustan via Facebook

MARTIN FELDSTEIN

Although pro-Brexit voters worry about the resulting pressure on United Kingdom wages, they generally do not reject the original goals of increased trade and capital flows that are the essence of globalisation. Some Brexit defenders could point to the example of the successful US free-trade agreement with Canada and Mexico

Caring for workers This refers to article Omani student company creates a jacket to keep outdoor workers cool (June 28). It’s great that somebody thinking about workers.

— John Kare, Muscat via Facebook

NEW INDIA ASSURANCE

“Insure with New India and be secure”

Tel: 24838800 | Fax: 24838899 | Email: niamct@omantel.net.om | Website: www.newindiaoman.com I hate life, I hate death and everything in between just doesn’t interest me.

CHRIS RAPIER

Quiet act of giving Mohamed Bali

T

his article isn’t about war. It isn’t really about treatment either. It’s about a connection between strangers.

I recently visited hospital for victims of war.

To be exact, a reconstructive surgical hospital run by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Amman. People who have been wounded in conflict and unrest are brought here from across the region.

Patients from Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Palestine, Egypt and Libya are treated here.

Their treatment does not depend on age, gender or political leaning. Everyone here is an equal, afforded the dignity a patient deserves.

Visiting this place, I was struck not by the differences in people and nationalities here, but by their similarities.

Patients here often undergo multiple complex surgical procedures, long courses of physiotherapy and psychological health care treatment with the aim of restoring function and ability to bodies and lives. All the patients here have complicated injuries and many need to stay for a long time in order to recover. But aside from their treatment, they have something else in common – a desire to get better, a wish to go home.

During my visit, I met patients and I heard many stories, some were difficult, while others filled me with hope.

It is worth noting that since the project began in 2006, more than 9,000 surgeries have been performed and over 4,000 patients have been admitted.

But one story in particular struck me – a boy, now aged five had been admitted to the hospital more than a year ago.

A bombing in Syria had deprived him of the ability to walk and killed both his parents.

After 17 days of treatment in a field hospital, his grandmother was able to bring him to Jordan.

They ended up in Zaatari refugee camp, where an MSF doctor identified his need for treatment.

He arrived at MSF’s reconstructive surgery hospital in Amman in a wheelchair.

During his time in the hospital, he became an inspiration to patients and staff alike – he worked hard to recover, and by the time he left he was on his feet with a walker, climbing stairs and even playing. Stories like his are hard to forget.

While the patients here are united in a desire for recovery, they are not the only ones who share a connection. Every day people donate to MSF and to this facility, people from all walks of life and backgrounds.

Some give a little, others give a lot and they have different reasons for doing so.

But the size of the gift, or the reasoning behind it isn’t what counts.

What matters is the desire to make a positive impact, and every contribution, no matter the size or reason, makes a difference. This connects our donors and it extends to our patients.

They will probably never know one another, but they share a goal and they share the same hope.

The act of donation tends to be a quiet one. You don’t need a superhero cape to do it, and it probably won’t bring you fame. But for me, it is something remarkable. We live in uncertain times.

The news is full of desperate stories of war, famine and disaster.

It’s not easy to see what difference we can make. But every day, individuals across the world make a conscious decision to give, just because they want to help someone else. For me, this is the difference.

Finally, during the month of Ramadan, I wish you and your families a Ramadan Kareem and Eid Mubarak.

Mohamed Bali is the Executive Director in UAE for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).

He has more than 13 years’ experience in humanitarian aids and development fields.

In MSF, he is responsible for leading MSFUAE in accomplishing its social mission of significantly participating in, and contributing to, the effective provision of medical humanitarian assistance to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural or man-made disasters, or exclusion from health care

CLIPPINGS FROM OUR ARCHIVES JUNE 2001

PICTOGRAPH

MUSEUM VISITORS IN THE SULTANATE (in thousands)

Qatabi, Maqbool open garment factory MUSCAT: Sheikh Mohammed bin Ali Al Qatabi, minister of state and governor of Dhofar and Maqbool bin Ali Sultan, minister of commerce and industry yesterday inaugurated the Salalah readymade garment factory built at a total cost of RO325,000. At the outset of the celebration Abdul Khaliq bin Mansoor Al Rawas, factory board chairman gave a speech in which he said, this factory was one of the fruits of the donations of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. It was established to enhance women’s role in the nation-building process and to help improve family income.

2014

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1859: Jean Francois Gravelet aka Emile Blondin, a French daredevil, becomes the first man to walk across Niagara Falls on a tightrope.

2012

106

2013

111

100

50

1934: Adolf Hitler orders the purge of his own party in the “Night of the Long Knives.”

1971: Three Soviet cosmonauts die when their spacecraft depressurises during reentry.

0 Source National Centre for Statistics & Information

THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016

A1 3

INDIA Government gives employees, pensioners massive pay hikes been retained at 3 per cent.

Also interest free advances for medical treatment, travel allowance and LTC have been retained.

“All other interest free advances have been abolished,” an official statement said.

The new scales of pay provide for entry-level basic pay going up from Rs7,000 per month to Rs18,000, while at the highest level i.e. secretary, it would go up from Rs90,000 to Rs250,000. For Class 1 officers, the starting salary will be Rs56,100

NEW DELHI: In a bonanza, 10 million government employees and pensioners will get a 2.5 times hike in basic pay and pensions under the 7th Pay Commission recommendations that will cost the exchequer annually Rs1.02 lakh crore, which the government says will have a multiplier effect on economy.

The new scales of pay provide for entry-level basic pay going up from Rs7,000 per month to Rs18,000, while at the highest level i.e. secretary, it would go up from Rs90,000 to Rs250,000.

For Class 1 officers, the starting salary will be Rs56,100.

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday accepted the recommendation of Justice A. K.Mathur headed panel due to which there would be a recurring burden of Rs72,800 crore every year, while the current fiscal’s burden would be Rs84,933

SPELLING OUT: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley addresses at a press conference regarding the Union Cabinet’s clearance of recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission, in New Delhi on Wednesday. - PTI

crore in view of the fact that they would be implemented from January 1, 2016.

Recommendations accepted While the Cabinet in its meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accepted the recommendations in respect of the hike in basic pay and pension, a decision on its suggestions relating to allowances has been referred to a Committee headed by Finance Secretary. Announcing the government’s decision, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said government salaries have to be respectable in comparison to private sector, for which the Commission had engaged IIM-Ahmedabad for making a comparison.

“The recommendations of the Pay Commission with respect to pay and pension, have been accepted by and large by the government. And those recommenda-

tions will be implemented with effect from January 1, 2016, and the arrears would also be paid in this year,” he said.

The recommendations cover 4.7 million central government employees and 5.3 million pensioners. This include 1.4 million serving employees and 1.8 million pensioners in defence forces.

Allaying fears of government’s fiscal maths going wrong, Jaitley said the budget has provided for the anticipated expenditure and it did not come as a surprise.

Concerns have also been expressed over the extra money in the economy pushing up inflation.

The minister admitted that there will be some inflationary pressure.

Maintaining that government cannot grudge a hike in salary for government staff after 10 years, he said, “when people get more money, it comes back in the system in

INTERACTIVE SESSION

‘US committed to ensuring India’s NSG membership’ NEW DELHI: The US is committed to ensuring India’s entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), a top American diplomat said on Wednesday, expressing “regret” that his government was unsuccessful in making it a member of the grouping at its plenary in Seoul last week.

Calling India an “anchor of stability” in the Asia Pacifc region, US Undersecretary for Political Affairs Tom Shannon also said what China was doing in South China Sea is “madness” and it wants New Delhi to play a major role in the Indian Ocean.

During an interactive session at the Foreign Service Institute, he also said managing the rise of China was a major challenge and that the US wants to work with India to have a strong and comprehensive presence in the Indian Ocean.

Describing India a responsible and important player in the sphere of nuclear non-proliferation, Shannon said, “We are committed to having India join the Nuclear Suppliers Group. We believe that through the kind of work we have done, the civil nuclear agreement, the way India conducted itself, it is worthy of this.”

Consensus In an apparent reference to China opposing India’s NSG bid, the official said one country can break consensus in a consensusbased organisation while asserting that such member should be held accountable.

“We understand that in a consensus-based organisation, one country can break consensus. But in order to do so it must be accountable, not isolated,” he said.

Last week, India had failed in its bid in getting entry into the elite atomic trading bloc in the face of strong China-led opposition. Shannon, who met Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar earlier in the day, said India’s recent entry into the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) highlighted that the country is a “responsible and important player in the road to non- proliferation.”

said through South China Sea, Beijing plans to broaden it’s presence in the Indian Ocean.

We understand that in a consensus-based organisation, one country can break consensus. But in order to do so it must be accountable, not isolated Tom Shannon

US undersecretary for political affairs

“We regret, in Seoul we and India, were unable to open space necessary to allow India to move into the NSG at this moment,” he said.

He said both countries will have to work to ensure that India’s bid is successful next time the issue is taken up by the NSG. I think what we need to do going forward is, for both of us India and the US, sit down and take a call on what happened in Seoul, take a close look at the diplomatic process which is significant and see what more we can do to ensure that next time we are successful.

When asked whether he thinks India will ratify the Paris climate deal before Obama administration’s tenure got over and, at the same time, it will become a member of the NSG, he said “I hope so”.

He said India has given a commitment to ratify the climate deal.

Shannon said the US actively supports India’s entry into Australia Group as well as Wassenaar arrangement, which are key export control regimes.

Holding that managing rise of China was a challenge, Shannon

Big challenge “... the big challenge is how we manage rise of China,” he said while explaining China’s growing assertiveness in South China Sea including laying of air strips and positioning military aircraft.

At the same time, he added India is US’ natural partner and America’s intention was to work with it to have a strong comprehensive presence in the strategic Indian Ocean region.

“We are looking for ways in which we can work with others in the region to watch China, to ensure it behaves in a responsible fashion. Behaves in a fashion which is bound and constrained by commitment to rules and regulations,” the diplomat said, adding India could be more “ambitious” in pursuing its strategic goals.

He said the US hoped that it will be able to work with China and convince it that benefit lies in collaboration and developing a rule-based international order on the issue of South China Sea. On the Indo-US defence and economic ties, Shannon said cooperation in both the areas was expanding rapidly, adding US’ relations with India are irreversible and whoever comes to power after the Presidential polls will continue to strengthen the relationship. Shannon said India and US will continue to work together to deal with challenges of terrorism and climate change.

“We welcome India’s offer to host a summit on countering weapons of mass destruction and terror in 2018,” he said.

To a question on US interventions in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya, the US official said, those were done considering the security situation. Giving example of growing bilateral trade ties, he said the US Overseas Private Investment Corporation expects to provide $170 million in finance to support low cost wireless broadband service across India. - PTI

the form of taxation. Savings will increase...spending will go up”.

The Pay Commission had recommended abolition of 53 out of 196 allowances that the government employees currently get and moderation in several others.

The scrapping of the allowances was opposed by the Unions and so it has been referred to a Committee of Secretaries.

The once in a decade pay hike has seen burden on exchequer rise from Rs17,000 crore in the 5th Pay Commission to Rs40,000 crore in the 6th and Rs102,100 crore in the 7th Pay Commission, Jaitley said.

While the Cabinet approved the Commission’s recommendation of enhancing ceiling of house building loan from Rs750,000 to Rs2.5 million, the suggestion of deducting Rs1,500-5,000 per month towards group insurance was not accepted.

Rate of annual increment has

Gratuity ceiling For armed forces, gratuity ceiling has been doubled to Rs2 million and it would increase by 25 per cent whenever Dearness Allowance rises by 50 per cent.

Jaitley said the Cabinet has brought about a parity between defence personnel and Combined Armed Police Forces by providing an additional indexation.

“Government salaries have to come to at a respectable level so that the government is able to attract the best talent. Not necessarily in civil services alone but also other services and therefore irrevocable consequence of this would be a pressure on the Budget along with OROP recommendations,” Jaitley said.

He said since there will be more money in the market to spend, it will generate more demand, that will help push economic growth.

Also additional savings will help economy, but in the flip side more money supply will lead to “inflationary pressure”.

The minister also announced Constitution of a separate committee to look into anomalies arising out of the implementation of the 7th Pay Commission recommendation. Another panel would be set up to suggest streamlining the implementation of the National Pension System.

The 7th Pay Commission had in November last year recommended an average 14.27 per cent hike in basic pay at junior levels, the lowest in 70 years.

The previous 6th Pay Commission had recommended a 20 per cent hike which the government doubled while implementing it in 2008. - PTI

MONSOON SESSION

Government confident of GST passage NEW DELHI: Confident of garnering support of some opposition parties for the GST Bill, the government on Wednesday asserted it has “enough” numbers for passage of the crucial legislation in the Monsoon Session of Parliament which will commence on July 18.

After a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs (CCPA), chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said, “We have a wider support and we have enough numbers for GST but we would like to have all parties on board because it will have an effect on states.”

The session will conclude on August 12 and there will be a total of 20 working days during it.

Naidu said the session could also be extended or curtailed by twothree days depending on requirement. He said that the government wants to get the bill passed by consensus and is making efforts in that direction but asserted that even if consensus is not there, “we must get it approved in this session”. Since Goods and Services Tax is a Constitution Amendment Bill, support of two-third of Rajya Sabha members is required for its passage. It means the government will require 164 votes.

Speaking separately, BJP sources said that after the recent Rajya Sabha polls, the scenario has tilted in favour of the ruling alliance.

Confident A source said BJP’s strength has now risen to 54 from 46 and the total strength of pro-GST members from the ruling alliance, supporting independents and nominated members, will be about 81.

Besides, the ruling alliance is also confident of support of around 76 members from parties including Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress, Janata Dal(United), Biju Janata Dal, Bahujan Samaj Party, NCP, DMK, RJD, TRS, INLD, IUML, JMM, Kerala Congress, JD(S) and YSR Congress. - PTI

A 14

THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016

PAKISTAN

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FOREX RESERVES

ADB approves $600m loan ISLAMABAD: The federal government has embarked upon a dangerous path to build foreign currency reserves through borrowings. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved $600 million loan package for Pakistan, increasing new loan contracts to $2.1 billion in just a week.

Under the latest programme, the ADB will disburse the first subprogram of $300 million in a couple of days, according to a handout issued by the Manila-based lending agency after the meeting of its board. The second tranche will be disbursed next year.

The $600 million, the ADB said, would help Pakistan roll out major structural reforms to improve the

performance and financial sustainability of its public sector enterprises. The loan will be utilised in financing the budget instead of creating any asset.

Of the $300 million, an amount of $100 million has been borrowed at an interest rate of 2 per cent per annum for a period of 25 years.

The remaining $200 million has been obtained at an interest rate equivalent to London Inter-bank Offered Rate plus 0.5 per cent for a period of 15 years.

In the past three years, there has been a drastic shift from getting projects loans used for asset building towards policy loans meant for budget financing. The government and the ADB showed an unusual

haste on Tuesday and signed the agreement for the initial $300 million tranche within hours of its approval from the ADB board.

Apparently, the purpose is to get the money before June 30 aimed at meeting a condition of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on increasing foreign currency reserves held by the central bank. Instead of building foreign currency reserves through exports, the finance ministry has been showing an increase in reserves by borrowing expensive foreign commercial loans.

As of June 17, the central bank’s own gross official reserves stood at $16.8 billion, out of which over $9 billion have been borrowed from various sources. - Express Tribune

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Malala Yousafzai now a millionaire of her growing up in Pakistan.

‘In the book, Malala explained how she had been ‘hypnotised by this talk of the big world beyond our valley’, but saw her future would be limited because she was a girl – even though her father wanted her to live freely.

Family of the Nobel Peace Prize winner have become millionaires from her best-selling memoir and speaking engagements Malala Yousafzai. – File

ISLAMABAD: The family of Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai have become millionaires from her best-selling memoir and speaking engagements, a report claimed on Wednesday.

Four years after the teenager was shot on the bus to school in the Swat Valley, it has been revealed that a company set up to protect the rights to her life story has made a pre-tax profit of £1.1million.

Malala, who was 14 when shot by Taliban for her outspoken support for girls’ education, is a joint shareholder of the company, Salarzai.

The firm, whose other joint shareholders are her father Ziauddin Yousafzai and her mother Toor Pekai, had £2.2million in the bank

by last August, reported The Times correspondent Fariha Karim.

Charitable fund However, it is to be noted that the London-based Salarzai, which was set up in 2013, is a separate operation to the charitable Malala Fund which aims to help girls safely complete secondary education worldwide, reported The Times.

Further, it was also claimed

by Sun reporter Stephen Moyes that Malala will pay £200,000 in UK tax on her earnings last year.

Her book I Am Malala, which was published in 2013 in Britain in a deal estimated at £2 million and has since sold at least 1.8 million copies worldwide, tells the story

Taliban attack When she was ten, the Taliban took control of the region, forbidding girls to attend school. She spoke up against them and was shot on her way home in 2012.

However, Malala survived and was taken to Britain for treatment. She is settled there now and attends the private Edgbaston High School for Girls.

Malala has become a soughtafter speaker since her horrifying ordeal, and a report by the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington DC claims she is paid a whopping £114,000 per speech.

Just last week Malala told a crowd in London’s Trafalgar Square at a memorial to Jo Cox that the murdered parliamentarian, who was killed earlier this month in West Yorkshire, was a ‘modern day suffragette’. – Express Tribune

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HYDROCARBON DEPOSITS

Oil and gas discoveries touch a record ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has made the highest number of oil and gas discoveries in the current month as exploration companies found fresh hydrocarbon deposits in six wells that will add 50.1 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) of gas and 2,359 barrels per day (bpd) of oil to the existing production levels.

Of these, major discoveries have been made in Sindh that already has a big share in total gas output in the country.

Petroleum and Natural Resources Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, while speaking during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Petrole-

um and Natural Resources chaired

by Bilal Ahmed Virk on Tuesday, said four discoveries were made in Sindh and the remaining two in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Two finds Of these, Oil and Gas Development Company made two finds, MOL Pakistan two and Petroleum Exploration and United Energy Pakistan one each. The discoveries have shown presence of 31.6 mmcfd of gas and 339 bpd of crude oil in Sindh and 18.5 mmcfd of gas and 2,020 bpd of oil in K-P. Sui Northern Gas Pipelines managing director Amjad Latif warned that the country’s gas re-

serves were depleting and no gas was available for the domestic consumers in Punjab. He pointed out that the purchasing cost of gas for domestic consumers stood at Rs510 per million British thermal units (mmbtu) but the consumers coming under the first slab were receiving it at Rs110 per mmbtu.

Eighty-five per cent of domestic consumers were paying less than 50 per cent of the cost of gas and the industrial and commercial consumers were cross-subsiding the domestic consumers, he said.

However, now industrial and commercial consumers were being provided imported liquefied natural gas (LNG). - Express Tribune

THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016

A1 5

WORLD H U M A N R I G H T S WAT C H

Myanmar urged

to dismantle laws blocking free speech

YANGON: Myanmar’s government, led by Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD), should amend and abolish laws that threaten freedom of expression, Human Rights Watch said in a report released on Wednesday.

Laws covering areas from telecommunications to defamation have been used to arrest at least 70 people this month, said the report’s author, Linda Lakhdhir.

The arrests come despite reforms by former President Thein Sein and the NLD, which won the November election in a landslide, giving it control of both houses of parliament and installing Suu Kyi as the country’s de facto leader.

“We think there has been a mixed bag of achievements on behalf of the new government,” said David Mathieson, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, referring to the NLD’s efforts to ease laws restricting freedom of speech.

Political prisoners While the NLD deserved credit for freeing many political prisoners, the ‘legal architecture of repression’ that put them behind bars remained largely in place, Mathieson added.

The NLD, made up of many former activists and dissidents, has scrapped some restrictive laws and proposed changes to others, such as the Peaceful Assembly Law, which allows for protests that were barred under the junta, but still imposes limits, and is used to arrest and jail many demonstrators.

The NLD’s proposed changes to the law are an improvement, Human Rights Watch has said, but they do not go far enough. The draft bill, being discussed in parliament, would punish protesters for spreading “wrong” information and make it an offence.

Arrests of social media users whose posts are deemed distasteful have continued under Suu Kyi’s government. - Reuters

Japan pledges broad policy support over Brexit shock Prime Minister Shinzo Abe urged Bank of Japan governor Haruhiko Kuroda to ensure the central bank provides ample funds to the market to prevent any credit squeeze

TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged on Wednesday to use all available policy tools to keep the wheels of the economy turning as financial markets were gripped by uncertainty in the wake of Britain’s shock vote to exit the European Union.

The yen’s spike following the referendum has kept Japanese policymakers on edge as a stronger currency threatens to put more pressure on the export-reliant economy, already reeling from weak demand at home and abroad.

Retail sales fell more than expected in May, data showed earlier in the day, keeping policymakers under pressure to roll out more stimulus. “Consumer spending has been stagnant and the trend is likely to continue for a while due to sluggish growth in wages,” said Hidenobu Tokuda, senior economist at Mizuho Research Institute.

In a meeting to discuss postBrexit market developments, Abe urged Bank of Japan (BoJ) governor Haruhiko Kuroda to ensure the central bank provides ample funds to the market to prevent any

PREVENTIVE MEASURES: Finance Minister Taro Aso, second from left, and Bank of Japan governor Haruhiko Kuroda, left, discuss the

impact of Britain’s vote to exit the European Union, at Abe’s official residence in Tokyo, on Wednesday. Japan stepped up threats to intervene to weaken the yen after the Brexit vote drove the currency to multi-year highs. – AFP

credit squeeze.

“A sense of uncertainty and worry about risks remain in the markets,” Abe told the meeting, the second between the government and the BoJ since the June 23 referendum.

The premier also called on Finance Minister Taro Aso to keep a close watch on currency moves and respond flexibly to market developments in coordination with Group of Seven economies.

Abe is expected to hold similar meetings regularly as Tokyo looks to put safeguards in place against potential instability in financial markets after Britain’s messy EU divorce.

The rush of money to safe havens such as the yen has been stoked by fear Brexit would adversely affect Britain’s economy and undermine already fragile growth in the EU, causing more disruption in global investment and trade. Japan stepped up

threats to intervene to weaken the yen after the Brexit vote drove the currency to multi-year highs, but the risks of a costly failure may dissuade policymakers from matching their words with action.

Still, Masahiko Shibayama, an adviser to the premier, said unilateral yen-selling intervention cannot be ruled out to counter excess speculation, adding that the central bank should stand ready to expand its already massive monetary stimulus.

“We won’t hesitate to take action against excess speculation,” he told Reuters in an interview.

The dollar firmed to 102.63 yen on Wednesday, moving away from a 2-1/2-year low of 99.00 touched on Friday.

Former top BoJ economist Hideo Hayakawa told reporters the central bank could be forced into further easing at the July 2829 policy meeting given prices are

undershooting its forecasts. However, he shrugged off speculation about the BoJ holding an extra policy meeting before that.

Stimulus The BoJ is wary of rushing into expanding its monetary stimulus, preferring to wait and see if the market turmoil lasts long enough to threaten Japan’s economic recovery, sources say.

Hence, analysts see Abe’s meetings as more a symbolic move to show the public the government is doing what it can to contain damage ahead of a July 10 upper house election in Japan.

“There’s not a lot of policy tools left for authorities to reboot the economy. Therefore, Abe has no choice but hold meetings one after another at least until the July election,” said Yasuji Yajima, chief economist at NLI Research Institute.

“If the yen spikes beyond 100

to the dollar, authorities would intervene in the currency market but I doubt whether it could have a lasting impact,” he said.

Japan’s economy expanded at the fastest pace in a year in the first quarter but analysts say growth will not pick up much for the rest of this year as slow wage gains weigh on consumption. External headwinds, such as weak emerging market demand and the yen’s gains, also cloud the outlook for exports.

Worried about the additional hit from Brexit, the government is willing to spend at least ¥10 trillion ($97.7 billion) on a stimulus package, sources said. - Reuters

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THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016

WORLD

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IS rebels main suspect after suicide bombers kill 41 at Istanbul airport flights resumed.

“This attack, targeting innocent people, is a vile, planned terrorist act,” Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told reporters at the scene in the early hours of Wednesday morning. “There is initial evidence that each of the three suicide bombers blew themselves up after opening fire,” he said.

The attackers had come to the airport by taxi and preliminary findings pointed to IS responsibility.

President Tayyip Erdogan said the attack should serve as a turning point in the global fight against terrorism, which he said had ‘no regard for faith or values’

ISTANBUL: Turkish investigators pored over video footage and witness statements on Wednesday after three suspected IS suicide bombers opened fire and blew themselves up in Istanbul’s main airport, killing 41 people and wounding 239.

The attack on Europe’s thirdbusiest airport was the deadliest in a series of suicide bombings this year in Turkey, part of the US-led coalition against IS and struggling to contain spillover from neighbouring Syria’s war.

President Tayyip Erdogan said the attack should serve as a turning point in the global fight against terrorism, which he said had “no regard for faith or values”.

US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned it in separate phone calls with Erdogan, his office said.

Five Saudis and two Iraqis were among the dead, a Turkish official said. Citizens from China, Jordan, Tunisia, Uzbekistan, Iran and Ukraine were also among the 13 foreigners killed.

One attacker opened fire in the departures hall with an automatic rifle, sending passengers diving

INCONSOLABLE: Relatives of suicide attack victim Mohammad Eymen Demirci mourn on Wednesday in Istanbul during his funeral a day after a suicide bombing and gun attack targeted Istanbul’s Ataturk airport, killing 41 people. — AFP

for cover and trying to flee, before all three blew themselves up in or around the arrivals hall a floor below, witnesses and officials said.

Video footage showed one of the attackers inside the terminal building being shot, apparently by a police officer, before falling to the

ground as people scattered.

The attacker then blew himself up around 20 seconds later.

Jigsaw puzzle “It’s a jigsaw puzzle... The authorities are going through CCTV footage, witness statements,” a

Turkish official said. The Dogan news agency said autopsies on the three bombers, whose torsos were ripped apart, had been completed and that they may have been foreign nationals, without citing its sources.

Broken ceiling panels littered

the kerb outside the arrivals section of the international terminal.

Plates of glass had shattered, exposing the inside of the building, and electric cables dangled from the ceiling.

Cleanup crews swept up debris and armed police patrolled as

No evidence Two US counterterrorism officials familiar with the early stages of investigations said IS was at the top of the list of suspects even though there was no evidence yet.

No group had claimed responsibility more than 12 hours after the attack, which began around 9:50 p.m.(1850 GMT) on Tuesday.

Istanbul’s position bridging Europe and Asia has made Ataturk airport, Turkey’s largest, a major transit hub for passengers across the world.

The Istanbul governor’s office said 109 of the 239 people hospitalised had since been discharged, but the health minister said 41 were still in intensive care.

“There were little babies crying, people shouting, broken glass and blood all over the floor. It was very crowded, there was chaos.

It was traumatic,” said Diana Eltner, 29, a Swiss psychologist who was travelling from Zurich to Vietnam but had been diverted to Istanbul after she missed a connection.

Delayed travellers were sleeping on floors at the airport, a Reuters witness said, as some passengers and airport staff cried and hugged each other.

Police in kevlar vests with automatic weapons prowled the kerbside as a handful of travellers and Turkish Airlines crew trickled in.

The national carrier said it had cancelled 340 flights although its departures resumed after 8:00 am (0500 GMT). — Reuters

B

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM THUR SDAY, JUNE 30, 2016

MARKE

OMAN CRUDE PRICES RISE Oman Crude (August delivery) increased by 94 cents to $46.22 per barrel, said Dubai Mercantile Exchange (DME). The average price of Oman Crude (July delivery) stabilised at $44.33 per barrel, $4.93 higher than June delivery. – ONA

SCAN THIS QR CODE TO INSTANTLY LAUNCH THE VIDEO

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

Muscat 5,779.59 + 18.27 + 0.32%

Dubai 3,271.38 - 12.54 - 0.38%

Abu Dhabi 4,417.03 + 9.87 + 0.22%

Kuwait 5,374.78 - 0.43 - 0.01%

Saudi Arabia

6,504.35 + 24.03 + 0.37%

Bahrain 1,118.16 + 4.05 + 0.36%

Qatar 9,817.31 - 50.63 - 0.51%

CRUDE OIL PRICE

CURRENCY RATES*

DRAFT RATES (OMR1)*

GOLD PRICES*

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

Forex rates vs OMR1* US Dollar ................................. 2.58 Euro ............................................ 2.32 Pound ........................................... 1.93 Indian Rs .............................. 175.81 Pak Rs ....................................267.24 Bangla Taka........................201.17

Indian Rs ................................... 175.70 Pakistan Rs ..............................271.70 Sri Lanka Rs .................................. N/A Bangla Taka........................... 203.50 Phil Peso .................................... 121.85

Muscat 24ct per gm (OMR) .......16.85

Oman Crude............. (Spot) ........$45.53 Dubai Crude ............. (Spot) ........$45.33 Murban Crude ........ (Spot) ........$48.35 Arabian Light ......... (Spot) ........$45.68 N.Sea Brent............... (Spot) ........$48.89 West Texas Int ....... (Spot) ........$48.23

* Rates are as of Jun 29 Source: Bank Muscat

* Rates as of Jun 29 Source: Oman UAE Exchange

Muscat 22ct per gm (OMR) ........16.51 Dubai 24ct per gm (Dh) ............159.25 Dubai 22ct per gm (Dh) ............. 149.75 * Rates as of Jun 29 Source: Malabar Gold & Diamonds

Petroleum Development Oman raises $4b for project financing The financing will be used to support the company’s activities, which include the construction of major new oil and gas facilities

SIGNING CEREMONY: The borrowing will take the form of a five-year pre-export facility, which was provided by a syndicate of international banks. — Supplied picture

providing long-term economic benefits for the Sultanate

Times News Service MUSCAT: Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), acting on behalf of the Government of the Sultanate of Oman, has successfully raised $4 billion from a group of international financial institutions.

In an environment of continued low global oil prices, the financing

will be used to support the company’s activities, which include the construction of major new oil and gas facilities providing longterm economic benefits for the Sultanate. The borrowing will take the form of a five-year pre-export facility, which was provided by a syndicate of international banks.

HSBC Bank Oman acted as the sole International Financial Advisor. The loan was priced at 160 basis points over the London Interbank Offered Rate (Libor).

Throughout the planning and syndication phases, PDO worked

closely with Oman’s Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Oil and Gas. Signing ceremony The signing ceremony took place on Wednesday, with Dr. Mohammed bin Hamad Al Rumhy, Oman’s minister of Oil and Gas and PDO chairman presiding as the Guest of Honour. Al Rumhy was joined

by Nasser bin Khamis Al Jashmi, undersecretary at the Ministry of Finance and PDO deputy chairman, along with senior executives from PDO and HSBC.

PDO Managing Director Raoul Restucci said: “PDO has robust growth plans in place and we are determined to stay the course and to deliver on our long-term ambitions. The money raised will help us to finance our business plans, as well as create more jobs and training opportunities for Omanis.”

“This competitive new source of funding will enable us to reduce reliance on government funding, so that it can redeploy resources to other areas of the economy,” he added. PDO plans to invest more than $20 billion over the next five

years to sustain the company’s long-term hydrocarbon output.

Examples include the Rabab Harweel Integrated Project, which is the company’s largest capital project and will enable the development of 240 million barrels of oil and 100 million barrels of condensate, along with the export of one trillion cubic feet of non-associated sale gas, when production starts in 2019.

By ‘staying the course,’ PDO will also be able to sustain its commitment to creating jobs and training positions for Omanis through its National Objectives Programme.

For its debut visit to the international financial markets, PDO initially planned to raise around $2.5 billion in the form of a club deal with a small group of lenders.

However, due to strong interest from the wider banking market, the facility was significantly oversubscribed to $4.3 billion. PDO elected to upsize the facility to $4 billion with the difference being used to scale back banks commitments. Haifa Al Khaifi, PDO’s finance director said: “The positive response we received from the international banking community during our meetings was very pleasing and an endorsement of

PDO’s performance, activities and long-term business plans. Against this background and the competitive rate secured, we decided it was appropriate to increase the size of the borrowing.”

Andrew Long, chief executive officer of HSBC Bank Oman commented: “We are delighted that the full resources of the HSBC Group have been brought to bear in bringing PDO to the market for the first time.

This reflects our ability to assist the Sultanate of Oman in raising further its exposure in the international markets.

Having been present in the Sultanate for around 68 years, we have been able to link our local market knowledge and our strong relationship with PDO with the broad technical capabilities that HSBC Group has in financing and advising the oil and gas sector.”

The senior phase for the fiveyear pre-export facility comprised of Bank of China, HSBC Bank, ING Bank, Intesa Sanpaolo, JPMorgan, National Bank of Abu Dhabi, Natixis, Société Générale, Standard Chartered Bank and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, before the transaction went out to general syndication.

B2

THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016

MARKET OMAN STOCKS

MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ........................................5,785.55 ............... 5,761.32 ....................5,779.59 ....................5,761.32..................18.27 ...................0.32 Financial Index .....................................7,276.42 ............... 7,219.86 ....................7,267.28 ....................7,219.86..................47.42 ................... 0.66 Industrial Index .................................... 7,289.15 ...............7,263.43 ....................7,289.15 ....................7,256.16................. 32.99 ................... 0.45 Services Index .......................................3,241.83 ...............3,225.77 ...................3,238.99 ................... 3,225.77..................13.22 ................... 0.41 MSM SHARIAH INDEX....................... 883.61 ..................880.95 .......................883.61 ...................... 880.95....................2.66 ...................0.30 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 15,229,114 ..................3,032,808 .....................973 ...............17,020,692,342 ................ 19 ........................2 ....................24 .........................45

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29 ISIN ......................................SECURITY NAME ..................................................................VOLUME..... TURNOVER............TRADES ......OPEN PRICE......HIGH ............. LOW ........ CLOSE PR. ...PREV. CLOSE...DIFF (RO).........DIFF % .............LAST PR.....LAST BID .............LAST OFFER ........MARKET CAP.PAR VALUE

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

Muscat Securities Market. – Times file picture

OM0000002440 ...........AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING ........... 1,998,582 ...... 278,871....................151 ............0.135 ........... 0.143 ...........0.135 ........... 0.140 .............0.130.............0.010 ............. 7.692 ................0.140..............0.140...................0.142...................12,600,000.........0.100 OM0000001160 ............NATIONAL GAS ........................................................... 431,132..........237,942..................... 97 ........... 0.540 ........... 0.566 ...........0.540........... 0.552 .............0.528 ........... 0.024............. 4.545 ................0.566..............0.558...................0.566...................30,360,000.........0.100 OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 3,638,782 ......400,613....................117 ............0.108 ........... 0.112............0.108............0.110 .............0.106 ........... 0.004............. 3.774 ................0.110 .............. 0.110................... 0.111 ................... 31,897,870 .........0.100 OM0000002820 ...........GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES ...........................12,000 ...............1,392........................2 ............0.116 ........... 0.116............0.116 ............0.116 ............. 0.112............ 0.004............. 3.571 ................0.116 .............. 0.116................... 0.121 .................... 6,825,813 ..........0.100

MSM index ends higher

OM0000002176 ............AL JAZEERA STEEL PRODUCTS ........................ 126,017 .............25,573......................18 ........... 0.202...........0.204 ...........0.202 .......... 0.203 ............. 0.197............ 0.006............. 3.046 ................0.203..............0.203...................0.204 ..................25,354,286.........0.100 OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 1,354,179 ...... 237,041...................129 ............0.174 ........... 0.176 ...........0.172 ............0.175 ............. 0.170............ 0.005............. 2.941 ................0.176 .............. 0.176...................0.177 ...................30,625,430.........0.100 OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL...............................................87,300 ...............6,343........................8 ........... 0.073 ........... 0.073 ...........0.072........... 0.073 ............. 0.071............ 0.002............. 2.817 ................0.072.............. 0.071...................0.072...................12,775,000 .........0.100 OM0000001681 ............OMAN AND EMIRATES INV. HOLDING........... 271,000 ........... 36,585..................... 10 ............0.135 ........... 0.135 ...........0.135 ............0.135 .............0.132............ 0.003............. 2.273 ................0.135 .............. 0.133...................0.135 ................... 16,453,125 .........0.100 OM0000003224 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES ..................................... 620,846 ..........177,057..................... 54 ........... 0.284 ...........0.286 ...........0.283........... 0.285 .............0.280 ........... 0.005............. 1.786.................0.286..............0.284...................0.286 ..................82,835,541 .........0.100 OM0000002028 ...........GULF INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS ............ 114,450............ 28,547......................17 ........... 0.247 ...........0.250 ...........0.247........... 0.249 .............0.246 ........... 0.003............. 1.220 ................0.250..............0.249...................0.250 ...................5,229,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002200 ...........AHLI BANK .................................................................... 300,000...........54,500........................5 ............0.185 ........... 0.185 ...........0.180........... 0.182 .............0.180 ........... 0.002..............1.111 .................0.180..............0.180...................0.184..................259,356,578........0.100 OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ..........................63,230 .......... 103,310......................16 ............1.630 ........... 1.635............1.630 ............1.635 ............. 1.625.............0.010 ............. 0.615 ................1.635 .............. 1.635...................1.645 ................1,226,250,000......0.100 OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 347,873.......... 132,148......................41 ........... 0.380 ...........0.380 ...........0.378........... 0.380 .............0.378 ........... 0.002............. 0.529 ................0.380..............0.378...................0.380 .................948,575,098........0.100 OM0000001145 ............PORT SERVICES CORPORATION ....................... 206,906 ........... 50,899........................6 ........... 0.246 ...........0.246 ...........0.246........... 0.246 .............0.246 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.246..............0.234...................0.244 ..................23,379,840.........0.100 OM0000001418 ............RAYSUT CEMENT ...........................................................1,166 ............... 1,527........................2 ............1.310 ........... 1.310............1.310 ........... 1.300 .............1.300 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................1.310 .............. 1.310................... 1.315 ................. 260,000,000 .......0.100 OM0000001483............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ..................................... 1,000 .................. 238........................1 ........... 0.238 ...........0.238 ...........0.238........... 0.239 .............0.239 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.238..............0.238...................0.240 .................352,472,725........0.100 OM0000001517 ............HSBC BANK OMAN ......................................................75,275 ............... 7,377........................4 ........... 0.098 ...........0.098 ...........0.098........... 0.098 .............0.098 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.098..............0.098...................0.099..................196,030,653 ........0.100 OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE.............. 241,999 ........... 47,228......................12 ............0.199 ........... 0.199 ...........0.193 ............0.195 ............. 0.195............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.193 .............. 0.193...................0.195 ...................39,000,000.........0.100

Top gainer was Al Sharqia Investment, up

OM0000001533 ............OMINVEST ......................................................................20,133 .............11,436........................2 ........... 0.568 ........... 0.568 ...........0.568........... 0.568 .............0.568 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.568..............0.550...................0.568..................361,129,224 ........0.100 OM0000002168............AL ANWAR CERAMIC TILES .................................10,000 ...............2,520........................1 ........... 0.252 ...........0.252 ...........0.252........... 0.252 .............0.252 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.252..............0.248...................0.252 ..................74,645,848.........0.100

9.55 per cent while top loser was Oman

OM0000002226 ...........AL JAZEERA SERVICES .......................................... 105,281 .............22,951......................18 ............0.218 ........... 0.218 ...........0.218........... 0.218 .............0.218............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.218 ..............0.216...................0.218...................13,342,532 .........0.100 OM0000002275 ...........SHELL OMAN MARKETING ...........................................20 .....................38........................1 ............1.895 ........... 1.895 ...........1.895 ............1.895 ............. 1.895............ 0.000.............0.000 ................1.895 ..............1.860...................1.895 ..................180,025,000........0.100

Hotels & Tourism, down 9.59 per cent

OM0000002846 ...........GULF INV. SER. PREF SHARES ............................ 150,000 ............15,750........................1 ............0.105 ........... 0.105 ...........0.105 ........... 0.105 .............0.105............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.105 ..............0.105...................0.000 ................... 9,596,032 ..........0.100 OM0000003000 ...........ALMAHA PETROLEUM PRODUCTS MAR. ......... 1,330 ............... 1,995........................1 ............1.500 ........... 1.500 ...........1.500........... 1.500 .............1.500 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................1.500..............1.500...................0.000 .................103,500,000 .......0.100 OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR................................................................ 1,050,300 ...... 180,653........................4 ............0.175 ........... 0.175............0.172 ............0.172 ............. 0.172............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.172 .............. 0.173...................0.174 ..................275,973,887........0.100 OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY ....................................................... 9,634 ...............4,162........................3 ........... 0.432 ...........0.432 ...........0.432........... 0.432 .............0.432 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.432..............0.432...................0.460 ..................26,136,000 .........0.100

MUSCAT: Improved market activity drove the MSM30 Index to 5,779.59 points, up 0.32 per cent. The MSM Sharia Index increased 0.30 per cent to finish at 883.61 points. Galfar Engineering was the most active in terms of volume while Ooredoo was most active in terms of turnover.

Top gainer was Al Sharqia Investment, up 9.55 per cent while top loser on Wednesday was Oman Hotels & Tourism, down 9.59 per cent.

A total number of 973 trades were executed on Wednesday, generating turnover of OMR3.0 million with 15.2 million shares changing hands. Out of 45 traded securities, 19 advanced, two declined and 24 remained unchanged. At the session close, GCC & Arab Investors were net buyers for OMR92,000 followed by foreign investors for OMR91,000 while Omani investors switched to net sellers for OMR183,000 worth of shares.

Financial Index had strong

gain of 0.66 per cent to close at 7,267.28 points. Al Sharqia Investments, Gulf Investment Services, Al Anwar Holding, Al Madina Takaful and Oman & Emirates Holding gained 7.69 per cent, 3.57 per cent, 2.94 per cent, 2.82 per cent and 2.27 per cent respectively. Oman United Insurance retreated 0.40 per cent to close at OMR0.249.

Industrial Index ended at 7,289.15 points, up 0.45 per cent.

Al Hassan Engineering, Galfar Engineering, Construction Materials, Al Jazeera Steel and Oman Fisheries gained 3.90 per cent, 3.77 per cent, 3.33 per cent, 3.05 per cent and 1.69 per cent respectively.

Services Index gained 0.41 per cent to close at 3,238.99 points.

National Gas, Phoenix Power, Renaissance Services and Omantel increased 4.55 per cent, 1.92 per cent, 1.79 per cent and 0.62 per cent respectively. Oman Hotels & Tourism, down 9.59 per cent was the only loser. — United Securities

OM0000003711 ............SOHAR POWER.................................................................... 110 .....................33........................1 ........... 0.300...........0.300 ...........0.300 .......... 0.300 .............0.300 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.300 .............0.282...................0.300 ..................66,303,000.........0.100 OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO....................................................................... 666,349 ......... 488,051..................... 32 ............0.732 ........... 0.740 ...........0.732........... 0.732 .............0.732............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.740..............0.736...................0.740..................476,491,176 ........0.100 OM0000004669 ...........SHARQIYAH DESALINATION ..................................2,362 ..............11,101........................1 ........... 4.700 ...........4.700 ...........4.700........... 4.700 .............4.700 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................4.700............. 0.000...................4.700................... 45,967,015 .........1.000 OM0000004933 ...........AL SUWADI POWER ..........................................................590 ...................118........................1 ........... 0.200...........0.200 ...........0.200 .......... 0.210 .............0.210 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.200 ............ 0.200...................0.216..................150,025,331 ........0.100 OM0000005005 ...........ALMAHA CERAMICS ................................................ 241,076 .........109,960......................21 ........... 0.442 ...........0.460 ...........0.442........... 0.456 .............0.456 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.460..............0.460...................0.470...................23,940,000 ........0.100 OM0000001087............OMAN UNITED INSURANCE ................................ 70,000 .............17,440........................3 ........... 0.250 ...........0.250 ...........0.247........... 0.249 .............0.250 ...........-0.001 ........... -0.400 ...............0.247..............0.247...................0.250 ................. 24,900,000 ........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 12,218,922......2,693,397 .............780 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......32........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

OM0000002564 ...........AL HASSAN ENGINEERING.................................. 193,740 .............15,509......................16 ........... 0.080 ........... 0.081 ...........0.080........... 0.080 .............0.077 ........... 0.003............. 3.896 ................0.080..............0.079...................0.080 ................... 6,016,640 ..........0.100 OM0000001368 ............CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IND. ....................86,104 ...............2,669........................7 ............0.031 ........... 0.031 ...........0.031 ............0.031 .............0.030 ............0.001 ............. 3.333 ................0.031 ..............0.030...................0.031....................2,635,000 ..........0.100 OM0000005963 ...........PHOENIX POWER ...................................................... 1,142,829 ...... 181,324..................... 95 ............0.156 ........... 0.159 ...........0.156 ............0.159 ............. 0.156............ 0.003............. 1.923 ................0.159 .............. 0.159...................0.160..................232,553,632........0.100 OM0000004511 ............ALIZZ ISLAMIC BANK...............................................118,176 ...............6,888........................5 ........... 0.058 ...........0.059 ...........0.058........... 0.058 .............0.057 ............0.001 ............. 1.754.................0.058..............0.058...................0.059...................58,000,000 ........0.100 OM0000001566 ............OMAN FISHERIES ..................................................... 166,700...............9,964......................19 ........... 0.060 ........... 0.061 ...........0.059........... 0.060 .............0.059 ............0.001 ............. 1.695 ................0.059..............0.059...................0.061....................7,500,000 ..........0.100 OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA ................................................................ 832,848 ........... 63,544..................... 34 ........... 0.076 ........... 0.077 ...........0.075........... 0.076 .............0.075 ............0.001 ............. 1.333 ................0.077..............0.076...................0.077..................114,000,000........0.100 OM0000001152 ............OMAN NATIONAL ENGINE. INVT. ........................... 300 .....................59........................1 ............0.195 ........... 0.195 ...........0.195 ............0.195 ............. 0.195............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.195 .............. 0.177...................0.195 ...................19,500,000 .........0.100 OM0000001301 ............DHOFAR CATTLE FEED .............................................. 1,300 .................. 286........................2 ........... 0.220...........0.220 ...........0.220 .......... 0.225 .............0.225 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.220 ............ 0.000...................0.220 .................. 18,191,250 .........0.100 OM0000001400 ...........OMAN FLOUR MILLS ....................................................1,061 ..................620........................1 ........... 0.584 ...........0.584 ...........0.584........... 0.554 .............0.554 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.584..............0.590...................0.600 ..................87,255,000 .........0.100 OM0000001723 ............OMAN ORIX LEASING ............................................. 440,000...........49,280........................5 ............0.112 ........... 0.112............0.112 ............0.112 ............. 0.112............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.112 ...............0.111................... 0.112 ................... 28,116,413 .........0.100 OM0000001228............OMAN HOTELS AND TOURISM ........................... 22,090 ............... 8,748........................6 ........... 0.396 ...........0.396 ...........0.396........... 0.396 .............0.438 ...........-0.042 ........... -9.589 ...............0.396............. 0.000...................0.396...................27,660,600 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 3,005,148 ......338,890....................191 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ...... 11........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

OM0000004867 ...........BANK MUSCAT C C B 4.5 ..............................................2,691 .................. 285........................1 ............0.106 ........... 0.106 ...........0.106........... 0.106 .............0.106 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.106..............0.106...................0.000 ..................33,882,124 .........0.100 OM0000005971 ............B.MUSCAT COMPL. CONVR. B.B.3.5 ....................... 2,353 .................. 235........................1 ........... 0.100 ........... 0.100 ...........0.100............0.101 ............. 0.101............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.100..............0.100...................0.102...................32,740,323 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: ......................................................................................5,044 ...................521........................2 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........2........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

SAUDI STOCK EXCHANGE

T R A N S PA R E N C Y I N D E X

L’azurde listed on Saudi bourse Saudi Arabia moves up in Times News Service MUSCAT: Investcorp, a global provider and manager of alternative investment products, on Wednesday announced the successful listing of its Gulf Opportunity Fund I portfolio company, L’azurde Company for Jewellery (L’azurde), on the Saudi Stock Exchange. L’azurde is the first majority private equity-owned business

in Saudi Arabia to list on Tadawul.

Mohammed Al-Shroogi, CoCEO of Investcorp and Chairman of L’azurde, said: “L’azurde has been an outstanding investment and success story forInvestcorp.

Since acquiring the business in early 2009, our Corporate Investment team in Bahrain, along with our partners from Eastgate Capital and The National Investor, have worked closely with

L’azurde’s management team to drivegrowthinto new markets and expand the product offering, improve operational and capital efficiency as well as institutionalise the businessthrough a number of senior management hires and by implementing a robust corporate governance framework.”

L’azurde is the largest manufacturer and wholesaler of gold jewellery in the Middle East.

real estate transparency Times News Service MUSCAT: Saudi Arabia has moved up the rankings to finish in the ‘Semi-Transparent’ category for the first time in the JLL and LaSalle Investment Management’s 2016 Global Real Estate Transparency Index (GRETI).

Strong advances over the past two years have seen Saudi Arabia(63rd) and Egypt (65th) move into the dynamic ‘SemiTransparent’ group, which is largely dominated by large emerging markets, including the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) and all four ofthe fast-growing MIST economies (Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea and Turkey). Dubai (48th) has retained its position as the most transparent real estate market in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with Abu Dhabi (59th) following closely behind, according to the report.

“This is very good news for Sau-

di Arabia,” said Jamil Ghaznawi, National Director and Country Head of JLL Saudi Arabia.

“Moving into this category for the first time shows the advances the Kingdom is making and is an indication of the focus the country has on strengthening corporate governance, transparency and market data.”

The 10 countries identified as ‘Highly Transparent’ by GRETI account for 75 per cent of global investment into commercial real estate, highlighting the extent to which transparency drives real estate investment decisions.

A number of key factors are driving progress and frame the broader issues raised by both high and low transparency.

Capital allocations to real estate are growing. JLL forecasts that within the next decade in excess of $1 trillion will be targeting the sector, compared to $700 billion now. This growth means investors are demanding fur-

ther improvements in real estate transparency, expecting standards in real estate to be on a par with other asset classes.

There is a growing recognition that transparent real estate practices play a significant role in capital formation, municipal finance, and as a foundation to improve the quality of life in many communities.

This foundation includes security of property ownership, safe housing and workplaces and the ability to trust agents to act honestly and professionally.

Technology is both a driver of the digitisation of all kinds of real estate data and also an enabler in disseminating and analysing this data; improvements in data capture techniques are allowing a more granular and timely assessment of real estate markets.

The JLL report also highlights a number of factors which will influence real estate transparency in the next several years.

THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016

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MARKET WORLD BANK REPORT

Oman fourth in Arab region logistics index MUSCAT: Oman was ranked 4th in the Arab World and 48th worldwide in terms of Logistics Performance Index. The Sultanate got 3.23 points out of 5 points, advancing 11th positions between 2014 and 2016 in the index, according to the report issued by the World Bank on June 28.

This reflects the Sultanate’s progress in the majority of the sub-indicators that constitutes the main six indicators of the index, namely Customs, Infrastructure, International Shipment, Logistics Quality, Tracking and Tracing and Timeliness.

Notable progress The report explained that the most notable progress achieved by the Sultanate’s standing was in logistics quality index as it advanced 35 positions from 73 worldwide ranking in 2014 to 38 in 2016, as well as the tracking and tracing index where it advanced from 23 positions from the 80 world-ranking in 2014 to 57 in 2016.

The Logistics Performance Index is issued by the World Bank.

A global survey is conducted every two years in order to provide a comprehensive perception to identify the threats and opportunities that face the countries of the world in the field of logistics performance. — ONA

New rules for capital adequacy requirements issued by CMA Compliance with capital adequacy rules key instrument for risk management, executive president of the Capital Market Authority said

Times News Service MUSCAT: An important administrative decision was issued on the new rules for capital adequacy for companies operating in securities, to enhance their risk management in the capital market, such as market volatility risks, settlement risk, credit risk, operation risks and liquidity risk through robust requirements and control systems.

Sheikh Abullah Salim Al Salmi, executive president of the Capital Market Authority (CMA) said: “Compliance with capital adequacy requirements (CAR) is

S I TA R E P O R T

MUSCAT: As the connected world of travel becomes a reality 91 per cent of airlines plan to invest in cyber security programmes over the next three years.

This is according to the SITA Airline IT Trends 2016 Survey published on Wednesday. The level of commitment to cyber security reflects the consensus that a lot is being done in this area but there is always more to do.

SITA, the travel technology provider to the air transport industry, carried out its survey among the world’s top 200 airlines, and discovered that cyber security at airlines is progressing. Three years ago less than half of airlines (47 per cent) said they were making advanced preparations to manage cyber risks — today this has doubled to 91 per cent.

The focus on cyber security also reflects the move to the ‘In-

ternet of Things’ (IoT) in which a vast number of physical objects will become connected to the internet. This enables tracking, data collection, analysis and control, which necessitates more security. An overwhelming majority of airlines (68 per cent) are investing in IoT programs in the next three years, up from 57 per cent this time last year.

A key area of IoT investment is in connected aircraft which 46 per cent of airlines believe will give a better passenger experience. Today 37 per cent of airlines operate connected aircraft and this will jump to two thirds by 2019. Currently ‘Internet via passenger devices’ is the service offered by most (33 per cent).

Over the next three years big increases in services are expected with more than half of airlines planning to provide destination services and duty-free shopping apps, while 70 per cent plan to provide multi-media file streaming on passenger devices.

GAMES DIVISION

Sony hikes sales goal TOKYO: Sony expects the profitability of its games division to rise as the Japanese company prepares to launch a virtual-reality (VR) headset to complement its PlayStation and streaming services. The company is targeting an operating profit margin of 8 to 10 per cent for its games and network services division in the year ending March 2018, up from 5 to 6 per cent previously.

It raised its target for revenue at that unit to between 1.8 trillion yen ($17.6 billion) and 1.9 trillion yen, up from 1.4 trillion yen to 1.6 trillion yen previously.

Since taking the helm four years ago, Kazuo Hirai has led Sony through a painful shift away from consumer electronics, cut-

Capital adequacy He added that due to the importance of such requirements to control capital adequacy for financial institutions, such as banks, insurance companies and the companies operating in securities, the regulators of such institutions worldwide regulate the same through monitoring capital adequacy of companies and their ability to encounter the risks for the stability of the financial system. He pointed out that the new CAR were issued after a thorough review of the requirement, which were applied for more than a decade in view of the new concepts of risk management and complex processes of stock markets, as well as the advances in technology and operating systems of the licensed companies.

The new requirements observe the element of capital adequacy, which are related to the level of risks the companies are exposed to, as well as the consolidated financial statements of the compa-

Sheikh Abullah Salim Al Salmi, executive president of the Capital Market Authority. — Supplied picture

nies to ensure better valuation of the levels of risks relating to the assets of subsidiaries and their financial obligations.

Liquidity risks They also take into account the liquidity risks of the portfolios of licensed companies and the securities held as collateral for margin financing.

Exposure ratios were reduced for their relative importance in curbing the risks the companies

are exposed to by increasing the hedging ratio in the capital buffer from 25 per cent to 50 per cent of the annual expenses, also for subordinated loans at the same ratio, while reducing the percentage for real-estate assets, profits and commissions, as well as ownership in profitable companies not listed on the market due to their reduced level of risks.

He concluded that the companies must apply the CAR soundly and monitor capital adequacy to

New requirements The new requirements require the companies to maintain 100 per cent adequacy and continuous monitoring systems to ensure maintaining the required ratio.

The routine capital adequacy report is obligatory on a monthly basis in 10 working days from the end of each month. CMA may require additional reports on capital adequacy signed by a member of the top management and the compliance officer.

Where the capital adequacy falls below 100 per cent, the company shall top it up within 30 days and shall adopt a recovery plan determined by the Executive President of CMA. CMA has also urged the licensed companies to take the required actions to transform capital adequacy calculation through the electronic system linked to the internal systems of the company in not more than six months from the date of the decision.

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I N T E R NAT I O NA L I N S T I T U T I O N S

Top airlines to invest more in cyber security Times News Service

ensure early intervention in the event of any default, which would expose the company.

the safety valve for licensed companies and is a key instrument for risk management, as well as being a message from the company to its clients of its ability to discharge the obligations toward them, which would enhance the level of confidence between them.”

ting thousands of jobs and selling the company’s Vaio personal computer brand. The focus on games, movies and network services has boosted profitability.

Reflecting changing priorities, the company on Wednesday cut its forecasts for sales and operating profit margin target at the mobile division.

“Games and network services are the biggest growth drivers in our mid-term plan,” Hirai told reporters in Tokyo.

“Beyond just games, VR offers an opportunity to make full use of multiple Sony technologies, such as cameras and shooting, content production capabilities and entertainment assets.”

— Bloomberg News

Wall Street on Saudi Arabia charm offensive drive chasing record deals DUBAI: When news broke in January that Saudi Arabia was considering an initial public offering (IPO) of its state-owned oil company, the first reaction on Wall Street was shock. Then calls began pouring into Dubai — the Middle East’s financial hub — from senior bankers in London and New York.

Investment banks around the world are clamouring to join what promises to be a bonanza, and not just the IPO of Saudi Arabian Oil Co., or Aramco, which could be valued at upward of $2 trillion.

The kingdom is planning to sell hundreds of state assets to bolster its finances and reduce its dependence on oil. That includes as much as $15 billion of bonds.

Saudi Arabia looks even more promising with investment banking in a global slump and Britain’s vote to exit the European Union set to deter deal-making for months to come.

“Saudi Arabia is close to the top, if not at the top, of the agenda for banks,” said Christopher Wheeler, a London-based analyst with Atlantic Equities in London. “Where else is there at the moment?”

Fees paid to banks in the kingdom jumped by almost a third to about $100 million in the first five months of the year, according to New York-based research firm Freeman. While that’s a fraction of what investment banks generate in the US and Europe, the work of diversifying the kingdom’s economy is just getting started.

International banks elbowing for position are adding staff, dispatching top executives to Riyadh and promoting Saudis to senior roles. Among the biggest banks, HSBC Holdings and JPMorgan Chase appear to have a head start.

HSBC is working on the privatisation of the Saudi Stock Exchange and the potential breakup of Saudi Electricity Co., people with knowledge of the matter have said.

Stuart Gulliver, chief executive officer of the London-based bank, travels to the kingdom regularly

ATTRACTIVE DESTINATION: International banks elbowing for position are adding staff, dispatching top executives to Riyadh and promoting Saudis to senior roles. — Bloomberg file picture

to meet decision makers, said a person familiar with his visits who asked not to be identified discussing internal matters.

by about 10 per cent, said Bader Alamoudi, CEO of its local investment-banking unit, in a January interview.

Influential roles Two HSBC bankers recently jumped to government roles. Mohammad Al Tuwaijri, CEO for the Middle East, was appointed deputy economy and planning minister in May. Fahad Al Saif, general manager of global banking and markets at HSBC’s Saudi British Bank, is starting a debt management office that will be responsible for the kingdom’s first international bond sale. HSBC and JPMorgan, along with Citigroup, were picked just days ago to arrange that offering, people with knowledge of the matter said. Officials at the three firms declined to comment on their Saudi operations.

JPMorgan advised the Saudi Public Investment Fund on its $3.5 billion investment in Uber Technologies Inc. this month. It also has an advisory role on Aramco, people familiar with the matter said in April. The largest US bank set out at the beginning of the year to increase its Saudi staff of 65

‘Huge potential’ Deutsche Bank, which has about 80 people in the country, named Jamal Al Kishi, a Saudi national, as CEO for the Middle East and Africa earlier this year.

“We view Saudi as a core growth market with huge potential for global investment banks,” said Tamim Jabr, Deutsche Bank’s head of corporate and investmentbanking coverage in Saudi Arabia.

Morgan Stanley President Colm Kelleher, who travelled to Riyadh in May, told Saudi Arabia’s al-Eqtisadiah newspaper that his visit was to reaffirm the bank’s commitment to the Saudi market at a time when the country’s future is being shaped. An official at the New York-based firm declined to comment.

The big banks are vying not just with each other, but also with smaller firms. Verus Partners, a London-based advisory boutique co-founded by former Citigroup bankers Mark Aplin and Andrew

Elliott, helped Saudi Arabia secure its first loan in 15 years in April, when the government raised $10 billion from banks.

Michael Klein, another ex-Citigroup investment banker, is advising Aramco on it’s IPO, people with knowledge of the matter said in April. Klein’s firm is providing strategic advice to the government, while JPMorgan is working on preparations for the IPO and may be among the banks that underwrite the offering, the people said. “It’s going to be a fees feast for investment banks,” said John Sfakianakis, the Jeddah-based head of economic research at the Gulf Research Center, a think tank.

“No one else in the Middle East, and maybe even emerging markets globally, is embarking on such deep reforms.”

The Aramco IPO alone would generate at least $50 million in banking fees, according to an estimate from Freeman. The kingdom provides a bright spot in an otherwise dismal landscape for investment banks, whose earnings are under pressure from record-low interest rates and escalating capital requirements. — Bloomberg News

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THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016

FEATURE

THE MYTH THAT AUSTERITY WILL STIMULATE GROWTH

by NOAH SMITH

G

reg Mankiw, a Harvard economist and a respected voice in economic policy-making, recently wrote a New York Times article discussing five possible explanations for slow growth in rich countries. The final possibility he discusses is one that I haven’t seen much in recent years — the notion that government deficits slow economic growth.

Five years ago, it was common to hear claims that too much government borrowing would hurt growth — an idea known as expansionary austerity. Much of the research cited by the proponents of this theory was done by scholars at the International Monetary Fund. But during the past few years, there have been quite a few questions about the IMF’s past cheerleading for belt-tightening.

The IMF’s job is to lend to countries in distress. But it also tries to make its loans conditional on countries implementing policy reforms to fix the problems that got the country into a crisis in the first place. For a long time, it viewed govern-

ment deficits as a major source of trouble. After episodes like the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the IMF would press borrowers to cut government spending.

But the fund came under increasing criticism for this approach. The principles of Keynesian fiscal policy — which have slowly been coming back into vogue — say that tightening spending is the worst thing you can do in the middle of a recession. More generally, it isn’t clear just how austerity is supposed to work its positive magic. The main claim seems to be the rather vague idea that lower budget deficits increase business confidence.

Some pieces of research seemed to support austerity policies. Work by economists Carmen Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoff — the latter of whom served as the IMF’s chief economist from 2001 to 2003 — purported to show that countries that borrowed more grew more slowly.

But in 2013, this research was widely discredited when a number of errors were discovered.

Subsequent analysis, including some by my doctoral adviser

Miles Kimball, showed that there isn’t any evidence that high debt causes low growth.

Another paper on the austerity side — and one of the papers Mankiw cites in his Times column — was a 2002 study by Olivier Blanchard and Roberto Perotti. They found that when government spending goes up, business investment goes down.

That pro-austerity result contradicts a lot of other papers — but it was very influential in part because of the prestige of Blanchard, who is a towering figure in macroeconomics (and was the IMF’s chief economist from 2008 to 2015).

But in recent years, Blanchard has shifted his stance. In a 2013 paper with Daniel Leigh, he showed that the IMF had been consistently wrong in its forecasts of the effects of austerity. The more beneficial the IMF predicted that austerity would be, the more incorrect its predictions were!

Blanchard and Leigh conclude that fiscal multipliers — the mainstay of Keynesian policy — are much higher than they had previously thought. In other

words, each dollar of stimulus spending produces much more than an additional dollar of economic output. The IMF’s 2012 World Economic Outlook, while it still pays lip service to the value of fiscal consolidation, demonstrates the shift in thinking: [Economic] activity has disappointed in a number of economies undertaking fiscal consolidation…. So a natural question is whether the negative shortterm effects of fiscal cutbacks have been larger than [we] expected because fiscal multipliers were underestimated…[our new] results suggest that actual fiscal multipliers were larger than [our] forecasters assumed.

This paper isn’t a one-shot mea culpa. The IMF’s overall policy position has changed a lot in the past few years. A 2015 paper by Fund economists Abdul Abiad, Davide Furceri and Petia Topalova found that government investment boosts the private sector rather than crowd it out. In 2010, the IMF admitted that its demands exacerbated the pain of South Korea’s financial crisis in the 1990s. And in

2016, the Fund released a report questioning whether its entire economic philosophy had major weaknesses.

As we all know by now, certainty is very hard to come by in macroeconomics. Crosscountry comparisons are naturally unreliable creatures, since nations aren’t very similar, and because spillovers from country to country are common.

The IMF’s new conclusions about fiscal policy might eventually prove to be as wrong as its old ones — in fact, people were quick to point out weaknesses as soon as Blanchard and Leigh’s paper came out.

But there are two larger points here. The first is that because the International Monetary Fund has reversed its pro-austerity stance, people citing the IMF ought to recognise this. Mankiw treats the expansionary austerity argument as though it’s still a popular hypothesis, when some of its biggest proponents have now turned against it. That means no one should be taking the idea as seriously as some took it several years ago.

— Bloomberg News

THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016

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Ramadan promo adds to Escalade’s appeal is all about unique craftsmanship and a philosophy that takes on a new dimension

Ramadan benefits So what can Cadillac Escalade customers expect this Ramadan? The offer entitles them for cash gift of up to OMR3,000, a gold voucher worth OMR250, free insurance ( valid across Oman and UAE), free registration and 3.29% interest rate per annum for six years through in-house finance. If that’s not all, customers will benefit from the regional four years/100,000km free service and maintenance (whichever is earlier) and 4 years roadside assistance program that is valid across the GCC. One of the most agile SUVs in the market today, the Escalade combines benchmark performance with sophistication and luxury. The Cadillac Escalade rep-

KIMS HOSTS ANNUAL IFTAR

In an amicable and festive atmosphere attended by a number of high level guests along with representatives of the local media and top management, Kims Oman Hospital, hosted its Ramadan Iftar at Hormuz Grand in Muscat, recently. — Supplied picture

tions with the seriously protective theft-deterrent package, including glass breakage, interior motion and inclination sensors, door lock shields and a self-powered horn.

The Cadillac Escalade

MUSCAT: Cadillac - OTE has announced its Ramadan promotion scheme which is one of the most attractive in the segment.

The Cadillac Escalade is all about unique craftsmanship and a philosophy that takes on a new dimension. With the new Escalade, Cadillac sets the standard for sports utility vehicles. Its boldly designed exterior turns heads while its cut-and-sewn interior surrounds each passenger with authentic materials and hi-tech amenities. Painstakingly crafted, the Escalade evokes confidence and moves with an undeniable presence, says a press release.

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resents best-in-class engineering, design and refinement that transform raw power into a virtuoso performance.

Beast in a beauty The 6.2L V8 engine is the beast inside the beauty that produces 429 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. The Escalade achieves optimum V8 fuel economy with the help of its active fuel management, which deactivates four cylinders when added power is not needed, such as at cruising speed.

Advanced forward lighting There’s brilliance behind the brilliance. Full LED headlamps including industry-first Total Internal Reflectance LED high-beam technology use less power while supplying greater performance and produce an exclusive and vibrant razor-like vertical light signature. In addition, cornering lamps on the Premium Collection engage when sensors indicate the vehicle is turning, projecting light to the side of the vehicle to better illuminate your path.

Crafted to form Artisans capture the essence of absolute luxury within each Escalade by dramatically layering fabrics and textures specifically chosen to complement one another. The handwrapped and cross-stitched heated steering wheel, dressed in leather, adds a personal touch. Exceptionally comfortable and supportive leather seating surfaces create a new level of Escalade sophistication. The center console, armrest and instrument panel trim are also taut, cut-and-sewn masterpieces.

Each interior theme inspired the designers to choose the perfect genuine wood accompaniment. Jet Black is paired with exotic Santos Palisander. Shale received a distinctive American Walnut. I a similar vein, the Kona Brown is complemented with a Natural Finish Elm that will only grow richer with time.

Safety first There’s safety in numbers, and the Escalade is equipped with seven airbags. Strategically located and delivering broadened protection from all four directions. Including the first ever luxury SUV front centre air bag - a front row inboard airbag designed to help reduce the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger in a side impact collision. Seven is now so much more than just a lucky number.

Safety starts with a strong foundation. And every Escalade has one, including a safety cage constructed using ultra-high-strength steel alloys. Safety is further enhanced with crumple zones designed to help protect you and your passengers when the unexpected happens. Vehicle protection is serious business. So, we’ve equipped the luxury and premium collec-

PROMOTION

Aesthetic perfection Available 22-inch wheels don’t just turn heads. They’re crafted with a full-forming process to help save weight while creating a strong wheel. And the tires on Escalade have been engineered to balance incredible traction and optimal fuel economy. The available RearSeat Entertainment System features a large 9” screen (two screens in ESV), along with first-in-class Blu-ray playback. Add in MP3 capability and two sets of wireless headphones, and the occupants are in for hours of enjoyment.

Driver assist package This available package has a plethora of safety and security features.

Luxury and premium collections offer the lane keep assist, rear cross traffic, side blind zone alert, safety alert seat and forward collision alert. Combine it with rear vision camera, rain sense automatic wipers and intellibeam headlamps, and safety features become much more than mere options.

OTE commitment OTE is the exclusive dealer for Cadillac in Oman. With 25 years of presence in Oman, the OTE Group upholds traditional Omani values of fairness, entrepreneurship and above all, genuine respect for people. The OTE motto ‘Symbol of Care’ is reflected in every aspect of how we conduct our business.

Walk into our showroom and service centres across Oman and you will be assisted by professional and knowledgeable advisors who will ensure your satisfaction. It is our promise of ‘Care’ that inspires us to offer the most premium aftersales and ownership experience for our customers.

SPECIAL TIME

MGM holds Qaranqashow celebrations for children MUSCAT: Muscat Grand Mall (MGM), with the cooperation of Ooredoo, QNB and Orpic, organised a number of celebratory activities to mark Qaranqashow which falls in the middle of the holy month of Ramadan.

The events, taking place over four consecutive nights, were popular among visitors of the mall and experienced high turnout rates. During the 14th and 15th nights of Ramadan, Ooredoo organised a special event supported by MGM, followed by another event the following evening hosted by QNB. The final event was held jointly by Orpic and MGM on the 17th night of the holy month of Ramadan, says a press release.

A core value of Muscat Grand

Mall is sharing joy with the society and thus the management was enthusiastic to celebrate Qaranqashow, a favourite event for children in the GCC with its history rooted in the heritage of the region.

This year, MGM extended the event to four nights in order to make the most of this special time of year by providing a number of entertaining activities and competitions.

MGM extended its gratitude to all the participants involved in the Qaranqashow celebrations which involved joyful events for families who saw happiness in the eyes of their children. MGM also extended its gratitude to Ooredoo, QNB and Orpic for their valued contributions to the event.

NOBLE CAUSE

KR blood donation drive draws huge participation once again

Al Hashar offers more reasons to celebrate with Daewoo trucks MUSCAT: Al Hashar and Company, exclusive distributor of Daewoo trucks in Oman, offers itscustomers more reasons to celebrate this season. The Daewoo V3TVF Prime mover is now available with a limited period special offer.

A special price of OMR32,500 is being offered along with free insurance and registration (first year), Free service upto 30,000km and to cement it further a warranty of two years or 200,000km, whichever is earlier, says a press release.

Daewoo V3TVF Prime Mover is a 85 ton 85 ton Gross combination weight (GCW) long haulage prime mover, which can be used for towing Flat bed, Low bed, Tipper,

Tanker, Bulker and Freezer trailers, to name a few. Equipped with a Doosan V-type 8 cylinder engine producing 415 HP, ZF gearbox, 3.5’ Jost king pin, 400 litre fuel tank, 12R24-18PR tyre sizes and Daewoo trucks have been delighting customers worldwide.

More than 2000 trucks plying on Oman roads, bears testimony to the high performance and low maintenance costs. Daewoo trucks deliver “Absolute value for money” truly maximising the revenue of the owner.

The Daewoo truck range consists of various models. Rigid chassis are available in 20.5 ton to 48 ton GVW capacity in 4X2, 6X4 &

8X4 drive configurations. Prime movers are available in the 45 ton, 85 ton and 100 ton GCW capacities in 4X2 & 6X4 drive configurations.

100 ton prime mover is also available with Automatic transmission.

With over four decades of presence in the Sultanate’s auto sector, Al Hashar offers an unparalleled network of sales, service and parts outlets across the Sultanate: in Muscat, Sohar, Salalah, Sur, Nizwa and Ibri, with additional spare parts outlets in Ruwi, Wadi Kabir and Mabelah.

The service network is further supported by our mobile service facility, delivering a range of onsite service solutions.

MUSCAT: To support the humanitarian cause and to raise public awareness on the importance of blood donation, Khimji Ramdas (KR) has been conducting annual voluntary blood drives during the holy month of Ramadan under the supervision of the Central Blood Bank of Oman, Ministry of Health.

The blood donation camp that was held recently witnessed active participation of the KR employees.

Over the last eight years more than 2,400 pints of blood have been donated by KR staff together with their friends and families who chose to step forward and donate blood, says a press release.

Anil Khimji, director of KR, said: “We would once again like to express our appreciation and gratitude to all those who have come forward this year – and over the past years - to support the noble cause of blood donation during the holy month of Ramadan.”

We would once again like to express our appreciation and gratitude to all those who have come forward this year, and over the past years, to support the noble cause of blood donation during the holy month of Ramadan Anil Khimji

Director of Khimji Ramdas

Saving lives through blood donation is a principle that is strongly advocated and supported by every member of the Khimji Ramdas family.

Previous blood drives conducted by the Khimji Ramdas Group have helped replenish and maintain crucial reserves that save scores of lives every day.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016

THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016

Attractive offer on Toyota RAV4 Thanks to the ‘Biggest Excitement Ever’ promotion, the 2016 model of RAV4 is now available with a host of benefits

MUSCAT: The Toyota RAV4 is a popular model, sold in more than 150 countries and regions around the world.

In Oman, thanks to the ‘Biggest Excitement Ever’ promotion, the 2016YM model of RAV4 is now available with an attractive cashback, a gift voucher for use at a prominent shopping mall and a chance to participate in a grand raffle with Toyota Prius E as the grand prize! (Conditions apply; exact details are available at the showroom), says a press release.

“The time to rush is now, because the promotion ends on July 21,” said the spokesperson, “Those who have been thinking of owning a

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shiny, new RAV4 should do so now and get all the exciting benefits!”

The Toyota RAV4 has many thrilling attributes that add to the joy of driving. These include sporty leather seat material, 6.1” display audio with 6-speakers, LED rear combination lamps, power back door, 6-speed multimode automatic transmission and a TFT multi information display.

The current generation RAV4 has been ‘Fungineered’ by Toyota engineers. Its unique design, emotional appeal and appointments are testimony to Toyota’s clever innovations.

The exterior has been recreated to be more dynamic, bold and upscale –18” alloy wheels set off a sleek new grille and bumper along

with new Bi-beam LED headlamps & attractive daytime running lights, aero stabilising fins, aerodynamic roof rails - all add to its unique external design.

The 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine in the RAV4 uses Dual VVT-i technology that enhances power delivery efficiency via a 6-speed gearbox. The technology works by controlling both intake and exhaust timings to produce 177 horsepower.

The RAV4’s interior has a premium, urban look with soft-touch accents and driver-centric controls.

In Oman, the nationwide parts and service network of Saud Bahwan Automotive supports Toyota’s outstanding product quality.

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H O LY M O N T H

Danube Group distributes 3,000 Iftar meals everyday DUBAI: Since the time Danube was established, the group has been promoting community initiatives. During Ramadan, Danube has always been keen to share the values of the holy month and to lift up the spirit of the labourers working in the region.

Many Danube employees have volunteered to distribute Iftar meals at various locations in Dubai, Sharjah, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman. They rightly believe that it is a great initiative to appreciate the hard work and efforts of the labourers who contribute to the development of a country.

Some of the employees have been involved in charitable works over the years and the idea is to devote their services to the community’s needy and less fortunate people, says a press release.

Faizal Latif, a volunteer said, “If everyone in the entire world did one small thing to help another, anything at all and did so wholeheartedly and sincerely, the world would be a very different place.

Keeping these sensibilities I participate in Iftar meal distribution every day, during the holy month.

And I respect Danube management’s decision to earmark more than 75,000 Iftar meals for distribution across sites.”

Asif Maniar, another volunteer

said, “I believe volunteering is a great way to positively impact the well- being of the society we live in. Volunteering goes beyond, age, gender, level of education or skill set, and can be practiced in any form or shape. During the holy month of Ramadan, after finishing office early I would get some rest and later in the evening would go to help at the locations where Danube distributes Iftar meals.”

Rizwan Sajan, founder and chairman, Danube Group remembered, “Ramadan is a time of goodwill, charity and reflection, which can be practiced by any-

one. I believe it as a good time to reflect on my own faith or spirituality, or simply think about how I can be more selfless, generous and compassionate. We distribute 3,000 Iftar meals every day for 30 days during Ramadan to poor and needy. Many locations across Dubai, Sharjah, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman receive a total of more than 90,000 Iftar meals containing chicken biryani, samosas, dates, water, and laban from us.

During Ramadan, one of our most popular yearly initiatives also concludes - we hold a lucky draw among blue-collared workers whereby two winners win a Haj trip each and eight winners win themselves Umrah tours.”

Apart from serving Iftar meals to more than 90,000 labourers during the holy month of Ramadan, Danube works relentlessly the whole year and focus on overall community development in the region.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016

ROUND-UP

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Bank Muscat launches ‘Terhal’ travel package Customers will be able to obtain finance

Bank Muscat is proud to launch yet another unique product to meet our customers’ travel needs with competitive interest rates

up to OMR10,000, at 3.5% interest rate, repayable over 12 months

MUSCAT: Coinciding with the summer holidays, and in line with the bank’s ‘Let’s do more’ vision, Bank Muscat, has launched ‘Terhal’, travel services with special banking features and facilities.

Oman’s first-of-its-kind product is in alignment with strategies aimed at providing a distinct banking experience aimed at customers interested in tourism and travel, says a press release.

Bank Muscat will target Oman’s fast-growing tourism and travel sector, with its high number of travellers in the Sultanate, especially during summer holidays.

Customers will be able to obtain finance up to OMR10,000, at 3.5% interest rate, repayable over 12 months. Terhal customers will receive a Bank Muscat Oman Air

Abdullah Al Maashani

Deputy general manager – Institutional Sales & Products Development

credit card plus a superior travel insurance package.

In addition, customers will benefit from superior travel insurance package comprising lost passport, flight postponement or cancellation, emergency medical expenses and services, plus personal incidents and lost luggage. Customers will also receive Bank Muscat Oman Air credit card and earn Oman Air’s free Sindbad miles.

Commenting on the occasion, Abdullah Tamman Al Maashani, deputy general manager – Institutional Sales & Products Development at Bank Muscat said: “We aim to provide the best banking services and products to all customers while assisting them to draw up ideal financial plans. Bank Muscat is proud to launch yet another unique product to meet our customers’ travel needs with com-

petitive interest rates.”

Al Maashani added: “Terhal is designed to help its customers prepare themselves financially and avail special offers during their holidays. BankMuscat continues adding value to its services and products, in line with a firm commitment to all its customers.”

Bank Muscat will improve its financing programmes and projects as part of the bank’s development strategies and objectives. Recently, the bank launched a diverse range of products for its valued customers, such as Zaffaa marriage loan which addresses a longfelt social need, extending a helping hand to Omani youth requiring financial support to conduct their marriage. The bank also launched Shahadati educational finance, designed to help Omani youth pursue their higher education either in Oman or abroad without financial constraints; to achieve their career advancement with relevant educational qualifications.

As the flagship bank, Bank Muscat actively contributes to the National Economy development, representing state-of-the-art integrated services and products through its branches, as well as traditional and electronic banking channels across the Sultanate. The mission being to create added-value for every individual and the country.

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‘ S C R AT C H & W I N ’

Attractive promo offers from Al Zain MUSCAT: Al Zain Farms, producers of farm fresh eggs, has launched a grand ‘Scratch & Win’ promotion till July 17 on the occasion of its first anniversary and Eid Al Fitr.

In addition to the ‘Scratch & Win’ promotion, some additional promotional offers have also been launched where its customers will get an opportunity to win high value gifts like laptops, LED TVs, washing machines, microwaves, etc, says a press release.

Consumers will find a scratch card in the egg trays. The scheme is being promoted through all leading hypermarkets and regular outlets. Customers from different locations in Muscat have already started getting lots of attractive gifts.

For every purchase of eggs from 30’s and 15’s eggs SKUs, the customers get a ‘Scratch & Win’ coupon through which they can

win prizes instantly. Winners can claim their prizes till August 15. Consumers can buy more and more Al Zain brand eggs and can increase their chances to win the grand prizes.

Al Zain Farm was established in 2013 and started its commercial production in 2015. The company has designed and built fully automated poultry farm with latest hi-tech European equipment and machineries at Bumsikha, near Sinaw. It has committed to robust investments in infrastructure facilities and employing competent personnel. All the workers in the farm are periodically trained with food hygiene practices that encompass both hygiene and food safety. The farm is HACCP and ISO 21000 certified.

Al Zain follows all quality measures and truly gives freshness to its consumers in the form of healthy poultry products.

BENEFITING SMES

Zubair SEC’s Ramadan ‘Tajribati’ series receives positive response MUSCAT: The multiple evening sessions organised as part of Zubair Small Enterprises Centre (Zubair SEC)’s Ramadan ‘Tajribati’ series received positive response from members of the small and medium enterprises (SME) sector in the Sultanate.

The sessions deliberated on topics of relevance to the SMEs and reflected on challenges and future opportunities for them. Zubair SEC’s multiple evening sessions mulled over topics such as the role of the media in the success of SMEs; the importance of having a strong corporate identity and branding; and people management and retention. The Ramadan ‘Tajribati’ sessions hosted a number of qualified speakers in each of these topic as well as a group of Zubair SEC’s members who shared their insight and experience in these areas, says a press release.

Ramadan 2016 marks a year since Zubair SEC launched the ‘Tajribati’ initiative that facilitates transparent constructive discussion on topics of high importance to the SMEs sector in the country.

The first Tajribati session of Ramadan focused on the significant role that the media can play in featuring and promoting SMEs

and voicing their hopes and aspirations. Speakers included prominent media professionals such as Ali Al Matani, Salem Al Habsi, Chairman of GCC Sport Journalism (chairman, GCC Union for Sports Media), Awad Baqweir, chairman of Omani Journalists Association and also Muna Al Khusaibi, a member of Zubair SEC and Founder of Kidani.

The second session highlighted the importance of branding and

corporate identity for SMEs. The session hosted experts in branding and marketing communications including Jum’aa Al Saleh, head of Corporate Identity at Bank Muscat and Antoine Aoun, head of Marketing Communications at Z-Corp.

Both presented strategic insights on the best way to approach branding and also cost efficient ways to tackle the issue. They also stressed on the importance of having a corporate image and branding that suits the

PROMOTING ITS MODELS

main reason for the success of the Tajribati sessions.”

She also added, “We have also been very encouraged with the discussions and inputs by all who attended our sessions; the questions asked and arguments put forward.

The attentiveness demonstrated and the interest in others’ opinions reflected the elegant and professional SME society we have in this country.” Lina explained, “We continuously incorporate the lessons learnt at each stage to keep developing our advisory, dialogue and networking platforms at Zubair SEC. We renew our commitment to remain a solid platform and a guiding beacon for our members, entrepreneurs and SME owners in general in Oman.”

The ‘Tajribati’ series serves as a unique platform to connect business experts with start-up owners and new entrepreneurs to exchange views, discuss common challenges and share best practices. The sessions are run in a cordial environment that allows for discussing diverse points of view.

It provides a platform for interaction between owners and stakeholders from different sectors and different sizes of business, which further enriches the debate.

RAMADAN DRIVING TIPS

GAC conducts roadshows across Oman this Ramadan The roadshows put on display all the vehicles available as part of the Mitsubishi Ramadan offer, including the new Montero Sport, while also offering any visitors the opportunity to test drive each of them MUSCAT: General Automotive Company (GAC), the official distributors of Mitsubishi vehicles in Oman, in order to promote its various models and its ongoing Ramadan offer, has conducted several roadshows across the country.

Over the course of one month, the roadshows visited various public locations in Ibri, Ibra, Sinaw, Barka, Sohar, Sumail, Nizwa, Sur and Salalah. The roadshows put on display all the vehicles available as part of the Mitsubishi Ramadan offer, including the new Montero Sport, while also offering any visitors the opportunity to test drive each of them.

product or service being marketed.

Zubair SEC’s Member Zubaida Al Harthy, founder of Al Qabas Dental Centre, was a guest speaker at the session to share her experience as an owner of a small business. Zubaida shared the method she adopted for branding as a small enterprise.

She quantified that good branding helped her secure better market positioning and achieve a solid impression in the market.

The third Tajribati session de-

liberated on the topic of people’s management. The session reflected on the best approaches to attract employees, develop their skills, and retain them through good policies and cost efficient motivational practices. Guest speakers included Dr Mohammed Al Buloushi, HR director at Al Ghalbi International for Engineering and Contracting; Haitham Al Mamari, People Development Senior Manager at Oman Oil Marketing Company; Hani Al Khusaibi, Regional HR Manager at GlassPoint Solar and Zubair SEC member Ali Al Rashdi, founder of Muaawana.

Talking about the Tajribati journey so far, Lina Hussein, head of Communication and Social Impact at Zubair SEC said, “This Ramadan we celebrate a year since we launched the Tajribati initiative that aims at achieving and promoting positive constructive debate and dialogue. The sessions have echoed very well and widely and we have been very pleased with the results so far. We are in utmost gratitude to the wonderful speakers who we have hosted in these sessions throughout the past year. Whether market and industry experts, or members of Zubair SEC, their contribution and shared insight is the

Commenting on the roadshows, Manoj Ranade, general manager of GAC said, “These roadshows were conducted on predetermined days at each location. We also conducted the mat areas popular with the public, providing them with a convenient opportunity to get a feel of each of these vehicles and test them first hand without having to visit the showroom.”

As part of Mitsubishi’s Ramadan offer customers who purchase a Mitsubishi Lancer EX, Attrage, Outlander, Montero Sport, Pajero or L200 before the offer comes to a close on July 24 will enjoy the benefits of a combination of free

insurance for the first year, up to a six years/100,000km service package, free registration, six years free roadside assistance, six years unlimited mileage warranty and a cash gift of up to OMR3,000.

Customers will also be presented with a special Ramadan gift with every purchase. Additionally, for five weeks, with the first draw held on June 6, anyone who test drives a Mitsubishi will be entered into a weekly draw with a chance to win a brand new iPhone 6S. Furthermore, any customer who visits the showroom during the holy month of Ramadan will also be entered into a separate weekly cash prize draw.

Continental brings safety into focus MUSCAT: Coinciding with Ramadan and its associated shift in traffic patterns in the region, Continental, the premium German tyre manufacturer and long-dedicated advocate of greater safety on the roads, has released a set of driving tips to highlight the need to exercise caution while driving.

At a time when people in the Middle East are even more focused on self-control and generosity, the holy month also provides an opportunity for drivers to reflect on and improve their own behaviour on the roads. By developing a series of driving tips tailored to the region, Continental endeavours to help drivers lower the number of road traffic accidents in the region and ultimately achieve their goal of Vision Zero: an ambitious global campaign to achieve zero fatalities, zero injuries and zero accidents, says a press release.

Globally, road traffic injuries are the leading cause of preventable death, claiming more than 1.2 million lives per year, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) in a recent report on the global status of road safety. The third such report conducted by the United Nations’ health agency, provides startling data on road traffic injuries.

The Middle East has one of the highest rates of road traffic fatali-

ties, with estimated rates of 12.8, 10.9, and 27.4 deaths resulting from road accidents per 100,000 population in Egypt, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia respectively. This is a stark comparison to countries leading international standards for road safety such as Sweden (2.8), the United Kingdom (2.9) and the Netherlands (3.4).

With rising temperatures in the Middle East region, and the potential of additional side effects for those fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, drivers need to be especially careful.

Additionally, traffic patterns, that see the number of cars on the roads soar as people travel to break their fast at Iftar, present drivers with a greater need than usual to consider a number of skills and demonstrate certain attitudes while driving.

To help stay safe on the roads this Ramadan, Continental recommends: 1. Avoiding the overuse of cruise control as the lack of engagement can lead to a drowsy driver losing concentration at the wheel, especially making long journeys in the hours before Iftar, when blood sugar levels and hydration are naturally at their lowest when fasting.

2. Avoiding driving one hour before sunset, where possible, as people may be driving at higher speeds,

rushing home in time for Iftar.

3. Having consistent meal times and a regular exercise routine.

This will help adjustment to an altered schedule and reduce the possibility of tiredness while driving.

4. Using a windscreen sun shade and turning the steering wheel 180 degrees before getting out of the car. This ensures that the side held while driving is safely in the shade.

The windscreen shade works to keep the car interior cooler, lowering the risk of dehydration.

5. Ensuring your car is parked safely at prayer time, so that it doesn’t impede the traffic flow; as this can lead to congestion and accidents.

6. Staying alert for road sight pedestrians as many people may be distributing free beverages and meals to drivers during Iftar.

7. Being visible on the roads by ensuring that headlights, taillights, and signal lights are clean and working properly.

8. Checking tyre pressure when the vehicle is cold for an accurate reading. Tyres will warm up while driving, which naturally increases pressure.

9. Keeping a safe distance by maintaining a sufficient gap of two-three seconds from the vehicle in front, extending that time to four seconds for motorcycles and allowing for slower reaction times for tired drivers.

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T H U RS DAY, JUNE 30, 2016 WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM

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BIGGEST THREAT

Polish rear guard wary of Ronaldo The monstrous Polish T centre back pairing c of Michal Pazdan and o Kamil Glik face their K ttoughest challenge yet when they come y up against Portugal u

WARMING UP: Portugal’s players take part in a training session at the team’s base camp

in Marcoussis, outskirts of Paris. -AFP

in the last-eight clash in Marseille on Thursday

M MARSEILLE: Poland have an impressive defensive record at Euro p 2016 but standing in their way to 2 a semifinal spot is arguably one of sport’s greatest-ever athletes, Cristiano Ronaldo.

C The monstrous Polish centre back pairing of Michal Pazdan b and Kamil Glik face their toughest an challenge yet when they come up ch against Portugal in the last-eight ag clash in Marseille on Thursday, cl though their previous matches th have not provided much by way h of preparation for facing the Real Madrid star.

M Describing 29-year-old Ronaldo as the “perfect athlete”, U.S. al lifestyle magazine Men’s Health li says he hits speeds of more than sa 32 kph, jumps nearly a metre in 3 the air off one leg, runs an average th of 16 km per match and hits more winners in the last 20 minutes w than anyone else. th He is the only player to have scored a goal in four Euros going sc back to 2004 and, while he strugb gled to find his feet early in this gl year’s tournament, there are signs ye that he is back to his sublime best. th He scored twice in Portugal’s last group match against Hungary la — an audacious back heel and a towering header — and has had a to hand in two of his country’s other h three goals, most importantly the th shot that set up Ricardo Quaressh ma to score the easiest of extram time winners in their last-16 win ti over Croatia.

For their part, Poland are good shotstoppers.

Describing 29-year-old Ronaldo as the ‘perfect athlete’, U.S. lifestyle magazine Men’s Health says he hits speeds of more than 32kph, jumps nearly a metre in the air off one leg, runs an average of 16km per match and hits more winners in the last 20 minutes than anyone else

WHO WILL WIN?

It’s like wheel of fortune

I

t might be a bold theory, but Euro 2016 in France is like a wheel of fortune when it comes to the tournament’s favorites.

Wasn’t England’s young and prosperous team one of them?

Croatia? A team full of top class players, working for the big guns in club-football. Take a look at Spain.

World champion in 2010, European champion in 2008 and 2012.

Who predicted them not to make it at least as far as the semifinal?

Now all those well sounding names are out as early as after the round of the last 16, reports Xinhua.

It works the other way around as well. Underdogs, that surprised or favorites that seemed to be out of energy in the group stage already.

Tournament host France didn’t seem to work well. It was a tough job against Ireland. But the French train is picking up speed and enthusiasm in France is slowly growing. Belgium is a team with great names in football that stand for exceptional quality. It was a clear 4-0 win over Hungary that seemed to reanimate a team that seemed to have lost its faith before the knock-out stage began.

Italy’s squad wasn’t one of the top dogs in all predictions until the 2-0 victory over Spain. How should the oldest squad turn into a team nobody can beat? Now Italy’s troops made up of football-grandfathers turned into the biggest tournament favourites having to face another big one such as Germany.

We don’t want to start talking about Iceland’s stunning vic-

tory over a poor England. It was a sensation, maybe one of the biggest football history has ever produced, now challenging France in the quarterfinals.

Who said it is going to be boring?

To be honest many did. First the boring roars grew when the group stage stared with 24 teams. How much fun did football fans around the globe have watching underdogs of football? When the round of the last 16 teams started, complains returned. Iceland? Ok, nice to have, but who needs teams like Iceland.

Northern Ireland? Ok, but how could they make it that far?

Euro 2016 is full of surprises.

The round of the last 16 was no exception: Poland having difficulties against Switzerland (5-4 after penalties). Then Wales came around the corner with their narrow 1-0 over Northern Ireland. Croatia, one of the secret favorites, got beaten 1-0 by Portugal.

England was embarrassed by an underdog-underdog like Iceland 2-1. A squad of millionaires and experienced professionals did not find an answer to get over a bunch of low-budget players with tons of passion in their hearts.

Wasn’t there anything happening that was predictable?

Germany was, to some extent.

Though the 2014 world champion had to go through a difficult qualification campaign for Euro 2016, the team of head coach Joachim Loew seems to strengthen its reputation to be what you call a tournamentsquad. As in the group stage, in the

last 16 it was obvious that many of the bigger football teams often face defensively minded opponents of smaller football teams. This was one result of a survey by the “Technical Commission” of the European football association UEFA, put together of football coaches of several countries, so called “Technical Observers”. Besides Thomas Schaaf (former coach of Werder Bremen), a football coaching legend like Sir Alex Ferguson and the former French international Alain Giresse are members.

“It is similar to what we see in the Champions League or national leagues throughout Europe,” Schaaf said. More interesting, Schaaf said, would be the development that would see a significant change up front. Positions would more and more overlap, “you can’t tell anymore at first glance, who is the central striker, who is the man along the flank, who is an offensive midfielder. Positions become blurred,” 55-year old Schaaf said.

On top, the UEFA-Commission noticed several outstanding goalkeeper performances. The 38-year-old Italian goaltender Gianluigi Buffon is a shining example for world class goal keeping and now faces Germany in the quarterfinals where Poland meets Portugal, Wales challenges Belgium and France will have to beat tournament- rocking Iceland.

Maybe the wheel of fortune will start to turn around again after the quarterfinals and we see new favourites emerging. - IANS

PEP TALK: Poland’s Robert Lewandowski and Poland’s coach Adam Nawalka during training. – Reuters

They have conceded just three goals all year and only one in the Euros, an outrageous bicycle kick

by Switzerland’s Xherdan Shaqiri in their round-of-16 tie which they eventually won on penalties.

Only Germany still have a clean sheet in Euro 2016.

Poland’s matches in France so far will have done little to prepare them for the pace, power and superhuman heading ability that Ronaldo possesses, however.

Their top-ranked opponents to date, Germany, fielded the diminutive Mario Goetze in their groupstage stalemate and the ‘false nine’ presented little trouble in the box, constantly dropping back into midfield to pick up the ball.

Other group matches against Northern Ireland, who did not get a decent effort on target, and

Ukraine, who departed after failing to score in any of their games, were fairly straightforward.

The late Shaqiri wonder goal in their last outing did unsettle the Poles, with Switzerland gaining the upper hand in extra time. But the rearguard held firm, forcing the tie to penalties.

That defence will have to be immaculate again if Poland are to have a chance of progressing because they have offered little up front.

They have scored two goals fewer than any other team in the last eight with hitman Robert Lewandowski, the leading scorer in Euro 2016 qualifying with 13 goals, mustering just two attempts on target so far, both in the last match.

The captain’s opening penalty in the shootout, which left the goalkeeper stranded as it flew into the

top right corner, could be the confidence boost he needs.

It is the scintillating left winger Kamil Grosicki who presents the biggest danger for Portugal’s ageing but experienced defence led by 33-year-old Pepe.

For Polish coach Adam Nawalka, the Ronaldo factor presents a tactical conundrum. Is he prepared to press high in search of a goal, knowing that a wrong step could unleash the Portuguese counter-attack, or does he sit back and risk becoming just a spectator to another Ronaldo masterclass?

Whoever wins on Thursday will play either Wales or Belgium next, seen as the easier route to the final with hosts France, world champions Germany, Italy and surprise quarterfinalists Iceland on the other side of the draw. - Reuters

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THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016

PORTUGAL’S FONTE ENJOYING FIRST TOURNAMENT AT 32 CHANGED PERSONALITY

Bruising Chiellini’s tough exterior hides a softer centre PARIS: When Britain’s voters sent shockwaves through the continent last week by voting to leave the European Union, most footballers who were asked about it shrugged their shoulders and said it was nothing to do with them.

England’s Harry Kane said he and his team mates did not know enough to comment and they would have to “wait and see”, while Spain’s Nolito wondered whether “Brexit” was the name of a dance.

But when Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini was asked for an opinion, he gave a thoughtful response which might have put many politicians to shame.

“I fear the domino effect after the initial shock,” he said. “And what

COOL CUSTOMER: Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini is a dignified figure.

will happen if all the countries, from now on, start holding referendums where they vote to leave?

“After all the effort that was made to create a union, this is a symptom of discontent which is felt everywhere and leads to a vote for change, even when there is no

– Reuters

programme or logic. It’s a very bad sign that has come from the UK.” Chiellini, famously bitten by Uruguay forward Luis Suarez during a 2014 World Cup match, comes across as a typically bruising centre back but off the field, the Italy defender is a quiet and

dignified figure. On the field, he is the key component in the so-called three-man BBC defence alongside Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci who play together both for Italy and Juventus.

The trio have now been together for five years at Juventus, winning five successive Serie A league titles.

“I go hunting for my opponents high up the field, and I put stock in physical one-on-ones and winning individual duels,” Chiellini told the Guardian in an interview.

Sweden forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic tends to agree. “He doesn’t leave you any space. He doesn’t let you breathe,” he said.

Chiellini also gets forward and scores goals, including the first in

the 2-0 win against Spain which took Italy into Saturday’s quarterfinal against Germany.

But away from the pitch, Chiellini, who has played under four different Italy coaches, is a changed personality. He has a degree in economics and commerce and his official website lists his academic qualifications above his playing career. He had considered studying medicine but said it would have taken up too much time.

It was typical of him to forgive Suarez for the biting incident, saying that the Uruguayan’s ban, of four months plus nine international matches, was too harsh.

“Inside me there are no feelings of joy, revenge or anger against Su-

arez for an incident that happened on the pitch and that’s done,” said Chiellini. “I sincerely hope that he will be allowed to stay close to his team mates during the games because such a ban is really alienating for a player.”

Sweden midfielder Albin Ekdal told how he saw both sides of Chiellini when they played together at Juventus. “He treated me not so much as a little brother but as a youth player when I got there.

He drove me to training when I did not have a driving license,” he said.

“He knows that himself but every team needs a player like that,” Ekdal added. “He likes to play-act and influence the referees. It’s classic Italian stuff.” - Reuters

France fans want more kisses for Grizou’s boot

Iceland in Paris on Sunday for a place in the semifinals.

Griezmann will be back in the showcase arena to face surprise package Iceland on Sunday and another kiss on his boot would be excellent news for France

PARIS: When Dimitri Payet knelt down on the Lyon pitch to kiss Antoine Griezmann’s left boot in France’s 2-1 win over Ireland for a place in the quarterfinals of Euro 2016, many fans felt they were witnessing something more than just another bizarre goal celebration.

Griezmann’s double strike on Sunday came as a relief for the France fans, who had been worrying that a gruelling season might have taken its toll on the 25-yearold who had started the competition with below-par performances.

BIZARRE CELEBRATION: Dimitri Payet kissing Antoine Griezmann’s boot after the later scored his second goal. – Reuters

The boot-kissing came after Griezmann had scored his second goal of the night to seal victory and join Gareth Bale of Wales and Alvaro Morata of Spain at the top of the tournament’s scorers’ table with three goals. The supporters will hope that the gesture will become the equivalent of the head-kissing

ritual between defender Laurent Blanc and goalkeeper Fabien Barthez that provided some of the most iconic moments in France’s 1998 World Cup triumph on home soil.

“I’m not the saviour, it was a team effort”, he added, knowing that the fans will want more of the same from him when France face

Simeone praise The Atletico Madrid forward could be excused for feeling tired when the tournament started, having scored 22 goals in 38 games this season for his club, who went all the way to the Champions League final.

His performances led Atletico coach Diego Simeone to say he felt his disciplined, hard-working striker was one of the top three players in the world.

Griezmann, who was still a teenager when he moved to Spanish side Real Sociedad before joining Atletico in 2014, was relatively unknown in France for years and did not win his first cap until March 2014, when coach Didier Deschamps called him up for a 2-0 friendly win against the Netherlands.

Thirty more caps and 10 goals later, his relatively frail body and boyish looks have become familiar and the fans were quick to adopt “Grizou”, as they affectionately call him. They felt for him after hearing that his sister, Maud, was at the rock concert at the Bataclan hall when 90 people were killed in the Nov. 13 attacks in Paris. She escaped unhurt.

“The serious moments are now,” said Patrice Evra. - Reuters

THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016

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BELGIUM’S KOMPANY SHOCKED BYY ENGLAND’S ‘COLLECTIVE FAILURE’

‘Mr Indestructible’ shows England what they missed Williams is one of the sport’s great scrappers and his career has been as far away as one could imagine from the image of the pampered Premier League player whose livelihood was handed to them on a plate at a young age

PARIS: There was a collective intake of breath in the stands and a string of worried faces in the dugout as Wales captain Ashley Williams lay flat on the turf in the closing stages of their Euro 2016 victory over Northern Ireland.

Williams collided heavily with a team mate as the seconds ticked away at the Parc des Princes with Wales leading 1-0 and a place in the quarterfinals within touching distance.

Substitute James Collins was readied to enter the fray but Williams insisted he would stay on the field.

It was exactly what you would expect from a player who had featured in every minute of Wales’s European Championship, from the qualifying campaign through to the tournament finals.

Gareth Bale may be Wales’s star attraction but Williams is their leader and he boasts a formidable appetite for battle.

The Swansea City centre back was pictured celebrating after the final whistle with his arm in a sling and there were fears he would miss Friday’s quarter-final clash against Belgium in Lille.

Instead, his fitness was confirmed when he returned to training on Tuesday, one day ahead of schedule.

That was typical for a player who has made more Premier League appearances for his club since 2011 than anyone else in the English top flight.

Williams is one of the sport’s great scrappers and his career has been as far away as one could imagine from the image of the pampered Premier League player whose livelihood was handed to them on a plate at a young age.

Football’s scrap heap Williams had to claw his way up through the game’s lower ranks having been dumped on football’s scrap heap at the age of 16 when he was released by West Bromwich Albion.

He was playing for non-league Hednesford Town at 19 and left fourth-tier Stockport County four years later to join Swansea, who were then going for promotion in the division above.

It was during this early part of his career that the English-born Williams started on his journey to becoming Wales’s defensive linchpin.

By chance, former Wales youth coach Brian Flynn went to watch their current goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey, who was then on loan at Stockport.

“He liked me during the game and recognised that I had a

BRAVE HEART: Wales’ captain Ashley Williams has been hailed as Mr. Indestructable.

Wales brush family dilemmas aside for date with Belgium LILLE: Neil Taylor and Chris Gunter will happily put family dilemmas aside when they represent Wales on Friday in a Euro 2016 quarterfinal against favoured Belgium. Taylor revealed he bought tickets for Thursday’s Beyonce concert in Cardiff months ago as a birthday present for his wife.

Fellow defender Gunter could meanwhile miss his brother’s wedding on July 7 in Cancun, Mexico, if they win and reach the semifinals in which they would play on July 6. But the pair will gladly give up those obligations as Wales are living the dream by still being in the tournament.

“We don’t care, we are delighted to be in the quarterfinals of the cup here,” Taylor said. “The whole of Wales is on a little bit of a standstill waiting for each game to come round.”

Tens of thousands of Belgium fans are expected to invade the northern French city of Lille, which is just 20

Welsh surname,” Williams said ahead of their group-stage match against England.

A Welsh grandfather on his mother’s side meant Williams would be eligible to play for Wales and a phone call from then manager John Toshack sealed the deal.

England’s loss was Wales’s gain.

What would Roy Hodgson’s forlorn side have given for Williams’s assured presence as England came into Euro 2016 with a makeshift centre back pairing and exited with their tails between their legs after an embarrassing 2-1 defeat to Iceland?

kilometres from the Belgian border, and the place where Hazard started his career at the local LOSC club, winning the French league in 2011.

Hazard stood out in the big win over Hungary, scoring the third goal and setting up two others.

Hazard missed Tuesday training with a thigh muscle problem but coach Marc Wilmots is upbeat he can return to team training Thursday and play the next day, while defender Thomas Vermaelen is suspended.

Chelsea playmaker Hazard hopes that Belgium’s golden generation can progress further and possibly emulate the class of 1980, which reached the final.

“We have got to the quarters, we are delighted.

We will try to carry on in the same vein,” Hazard said.

“Wales we know very well. We played them in the qualifiers, they are a very tough team to face. But we will prepare well and try to go and win in Lille. — dpa

Former England centre back Rio Ferdinand is certainly a fan.

“How one of the top four teams haven’t signed Ashley Williams amazes me,” he said towards the end of last season.

With Williams at the heart of their defence, Wales have shut out Russia and Northern Ireland in their last two games at Euro 2016 and a third successive clean sheet could see them reach the semifinals of a major tournament for the first time.

Should they do this, the man hailed as Wales’s ‘Mr Indestructible’ might find himself in high demand. - Reuters

WELSH HERO

RED DRAGON INSPIRES BALE DINARD: Gareth Bale, the world’s most expensive fooballer, said the Welsh Dragon on his shirt provides his prime motivation as the team prepare for what he believes is their biggest game for nearly 60 years at Euro 2016 on Friday.

With neighbours England still conducting a post-mortem over their embarrassing exit, Bale is delighted that Wales are the last team from Britain still in the tournament, praising their togetherness before the quarterfinal against Belgium.

“I’m very happy we’re the last home nation left. It’s our time to shine,” he said. “We’ve already got one over England. We’re very happy and proud to fly the flag.

“We know about the 1958 quarterfinal [in the World Cup against Brazil] but since then it’s the biggest game, one we’re looking forward to and excited about.”

Asked what his motivation was, Bale, who cost Real Madrid 90 million pounds ($121.50 million) and is reported to earn around 250,000 pounds ($337,500.00) per week at Real Madrid, replied: “The Dragon on my shirt. That’s all I need.”

Bale has arguably had the biggest impact of any player in ensuring a quarter-final berth for his team.

In qualifying, he played a major part in Wales’ 11 goals, scoring seven and setting up two. He has scored three of their seven goals in France and set up the own goal

OUR TIME TO SHINE: Gareth Bale says he looks up to the Welsh Dragon on his shirt.

against Northern Ireland in the group stage.

Yet Bale bats off suggestions that Wales are a one-man team, or even a two-man if you include their other star, Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey.

“We’ve got fantastic players all the way through,” he said. “We know we have more than two good players, we’ve a very good team

and we’re not in the last eight for no reason.”

One of Bale’s goals in qualifying came in the 1-0 win over Belgium, a result he said gives his side confidence in Friday’s rematch.

“We’ve beaten them before and we’re happy with that. It’s my most important Welsh goal, especially at the time,” he said.

Bale said that victory had played an important part in the team’s progress to unchartered territory.

“Yes, from beating Belgium —No.2 in the world at time — it gives you extra confidence and takes you to the next level,” he said. “We’ve gone up a level and taken our game on.”

“Playing more games and gelling even more makes you better.

It was a changing moment for us as a team and we’re still riding off the confidence.”

If Belgium manager Marc Wilmots is to be believed, Bale should not expect to be man-marked on Friday, a potentially risky strategy against a player who has proved such a destructive force for his team. Bale is not predicting victory, but he does believe Belgium will face a unified team who are quite capable of reaching their first tournament semifinal.

“Our strength is togetherness,” he said. “If someone gives the ball away we’ll hunt it together — everyone does their share. We know our strengths and exactly what needs to be done.” - Reuters

THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016

S P O R S

Classy Federer ends Willis fairytale; easy for Djokovic Federer played the role of pantomime villain in a 25-minute first set as he denied Willis a game

LONDON: Novak Djokovic brushed past France’s Adrian Mannarino 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(5) on Wednesday to book his place in the third round of Wimbledon.

The defending champion, aiming for his third consecutive title, played well within himself and was rarely troubled during the second-round match.

Mannarino, ranked 55, put up spirited resistance in the third set to force a tiebreak but was ultimately swept off Centre Court by the Serbian’s laser-guided groundstrokes. World number one Djokovic holds all four grand slam titles and has another historic mark in his sights.

The 29-year-old is aiming to become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to achieve the calendar Grand Slam — winning the four majors in a single season.

“I have to be very grateful to have the opportunity to make the history of the sport,” the world number one told reporters.

“Knowing that I won 30 in a row, it’s very pleasing. I want to keep on going. Let’s see where it takes me.

“Every single record that I managed to achieve in the last couple of years is important,” he added. “Every next one that I have a possibility to achieve is more motivation.”

Later, seven-time champion Roger Federer ended the fairytale Wimbledon run of British qualifier Marcus Willis with an emphatic

PLAY AND MISS: Seven-time champion Roger Federer reaches but

JUBILANT: Novak Djokovic cel-

misses a return from Britain’s Marcus Willis. – AFP

ebrates beating Mannarino. – AFP

6-0, 6-3, 6-4 victory.

For once though, the storyline belonged to his opponent as the 772nd-ranked underdog Willis, the talk of the tournament so far, basked in the limelight on a day he will never forget.

Federer played the role of pantomime villain in a 25-minute first set as he denied Willis a game.

But thereafter the 25-year-old Briton, cheered on by his friends at courtside, played a full part in some entertaining action under the showcourt’s closed roof.

When Willis, who got through six qualifying rounds and then beat Ricardas Berankis in round one, finally got on the scoreboard in the second game of the second set the roar could be heard all over the grounds.

He kept Federer on his toes with some audacious drop shots and slices and fought right to the end.

Federer looked a little relieved when he broke for a 5-4 lead in the third set and congratulated Willis warmly after his opponent sliced a final backhand long in the following game.

Sweet revenge Austrian tyro Dominic Thiem took sweet revenge on unseeded Florian Mayer, dodging the showers to dispatch the veteran German 7-5, 6-4, 6-4 in just over 1-1/2 hours of

cut-and-thrust Tennis.

Mixing his trademark power groundstrokes with dropshots and deft touches at the net, the 22-year-old number eight seed broke his opponent once in each set in a first-round match that was twice interrupted by rain.

Thiem wrapped things up on his first match point when Mayer hit a service return long, the Austrian having benefited earlier in the game from a service ace that Hawkeye showed had just clipped the centre line.

Berdych wins Tomas Berdych battled the elements and a gritty display by unseeded Croatian Ivan Dodig at a rain-ravaged Wimbledon, sealing a four-set victory he admitted should have been his the previous day.

The 10th-seeded Czech, on the hunt for a new coach after splitting with Dani Vallverdu following May’s Italian Open, won 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(2) — one of only two matches completed by mid-afternoon as the weather cut a swathe through the programme for the second day running.

“The situation right now, it’s fine to me, and (a coach is) definitely something that I’m looking for,” he told reporters, adding he wanted a long-term working relationship rather than one focused

on individual tournaments.

“First of all, I should have been done (with the match) already yesterday,” he said.

Konta’s first British Number One Johanna Konta won her first Wimbledon match at the fifth attempt on Wednesday, seeing off Puerto Rico’s Monica Puig 6-1, 7-5 after a rain delay. Konta, who was ranked 126th in the world at last year’s tournament, has risen quickly up the Tennis ladder to be seeded 16 this year.

Easy for Radwanska Number three seed Agnieska Radwanska eased through her rain-delayed first-round match at Wimbledon on Wednesday, beating Ukraine’s Kateryna Kozlova 6-2, 6-1. Radwanska, who reached the final in 2012, has never lost a first-round match on the Wimbledon grass and she kept up that record, sealing victory on her third match point.

Happy Moore Wild card Tara Moore praised the influence of her mental coach Tony Lekic after the Briton registered a first ever singles victory when she beat Alison Van Uytvanck 6-3, 6-2 to set up a second round encounter against Svetlana Kuznetsova. — Reuters

CRICKET

World T20 main draw set to expand to ‘Super 12’ EDINBURGH: The International Cricket Council (ICC) is most likely to add two more teams to the main draw of the reinstated World Twenty20 in 2018. Discussions at the associates meeting of the ongoing ICC annual conference in Edinburgh also indicated that representatives of the associate nations on the ICC board may get full voting rights as well.

“What I have heard described is that two teams will go through from each first group to create a Super 12,” Tim Cutler, the Hong Kong Cricket Association chief executive said.

“That seems to be the agreed format at the moment. Hopefully that means with two more going through, potentially two more could come into the qualifiers to make 18 but the sound of it at the moment is it’s going to be 16 into 12. It’s a move in the right direction.”

In better news for the associates, there is a motion to give their three representatives on the ICC full voting privileges. ICC chairman Shashank Manohar made the announcement and it could be ratified later in the week.

“Everything we’re hearing from the ICC chairman really does point towards a new era in ICC governance and the structures behind that,” Cutler said.

“We talk about one man, one vote, are we going to have a 105-member federation with votes? Highly unlikely in the short term but if we do get to a point where the three Associate directors have a vote each, that really does shift the paradigm that was the ICC board and really moving things in the right direction where emerging nations really do have a true voice at the top table.” — IANS

RAMADAN CRICKET

Bisya Lions, DHL notch contrasting wins MUSCAT: Al Nahdha had a win and a loss in the Omantel Ramadan Cricket Tournament organised by the Pakistan Social Club at the Pakistan School Muscat ground on Tuesday night. Al Nah-

dha beat Lahore Badshah in the MRI ball category, while they lost to Bisya Lions in the Tape Ball Category. In the other match DHL defeated Rajasthan Royals.

Brief scores (MRI): DHL 67 for 6 in 8 overs

(Hassan 26, Hasham 3 for 7) beat Rajasthan Royals 53 for 8 in 8 overs (Safeer 17, Arshad 2 for 10, Mustafa 2 for 12) by 14 runs. Man of the match: Arshad of DHL. Al Nahdha 64 for 5 in 8 overs (Nadeem 18, Imran 11, Faizan 2 for 17) beat Lahore Badshah 37 for 5 in 8 overs (Imran 1 for 2) by

27 runs. Man of the match: Imran of Al Nahdha Tape Ball category: Al Nahdha 79 for 5 wkt in 8 overs ( Abdul Rauf 56, Shani 2 for 15) lost to Bisya Lions 80 for 1 in 5.4 overs (Ihsan 33 not out, Yasir 31 not out) by 9 wickets. Man of the match: Ihsan of Bisya Lions.

OEC FACE SIALKOT XI IN FINAL

OEC will face Sialkot XI in the final of the NMC Independence Cup 2016 with wins over National Gas and Asfandyar XI respectively. The tournament organised

by Oman Indo-Pak Friends at the Azaiba Cultural sports ground is sponsored by National Metal Cans. Brief scores: Asfandyar XI 34 for 8 in 8 overs (Naveed 15, Wasif 2 for 10, Muneeb 2 for 6) lost to Sialkot XI 38 for 2 in 5.2 overs (Mani 19 no). National Gas 48 for 7 in 8 overs (Waseem 21,Deepak 11, Adnan Dani 4 for 8, Shani 2 for 14) lost to OEC 49 for 4 in 7.3 overs (Aquib ilyas 32). — Supplied photo

THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016

C5

SPORTS ZIKA SCARE

Pearson pulls out of Rio Games SYDNEY: Australia’s Olympic sprint hurdles champion Sally Pearson said she was ‘gutted’ after a hamstring tendon tear she picked up in training forced her to pull out of the Rio de Janeiro Games on Wednesday.

The 29-year-old, who won gold in the 100 metres hurdles at the London Olympics, had battled back after being sidelined for a year by a shattered wrist only to suffer the hamstring injury training at her base on the Gold Coast.

“It’s a hard time for me at the moment. I’m disappointed and I’m gutted,” Pearson told Australia’s Nine Network on Wednesday.

“Unfortunately, it is the biggest sporting event in the world that I am going to be missing out on and I can’t be a part of. It’s devastating that I can’t be at Rio as the Olympic champ.”

Pearson’s hopes of defending her title at the Aug. 5-21 Games had looked slim after a fall at the Golden Gala meeting in Rome last year shattered her wrist so badly, she feared her left forearm might need to be amputated.

The 2011 world champion, who also won silver at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, missed the back end of the 2015 season as a result of the fall and only returned to racing in Europe early this month. — Reuters

Rosberg eyes Austrian hat-trick Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Duis volutpat nunc eu diam suscipit sed blandit leo cursus.

SPIELBERG: Nico Rosberg is the only current Formula One driver to have won in Austria and Mercedes’ championship leader intends to keep it that way on Sunday by completing his hat-trick in Red Bull’s backyard.

The German arrives at the scenic Red Bull Ring buoyed by a victory in Baku which restored his lead over team mate and triple champion Lewis Hamilton to 24 points with 13 rounds remaining.

“Baku was a good weekend for me. I really felt at one with the car,” said Rosberg, who celebrated his 31st birthday on Monday.

“I can’t wait to see what it can do in Spielberg. To have two wins from two races at any track is pretty special, so if I could make it three in three that would be awesome.

“It’s a short run to the first corner there and generally my starts and first corners have been strong this season, so if I can qualify well there’s a good chance

CONFIDENT: Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team’s German driver Nico Rosberg poses inside a historic Mercedes race car during the

Hockenheim-Ring Media Day at the race track in Hockenheim. The German Grand Prix will take place on July 31, 2016. – AFP

of a top result. I’m looking forward to the weekend.”

Rosberg dominated in Azerbaijan, leading all the way from pole position and also setting the fastest lap.

Yet he has never started from the front in Austria, winning last year from second on the grid and third in 2014 when Williams swept the front row.

Hamilton, who finished fifth in Baku after starting 10th, will be looking to do much better at what

he calls an ‘old school track’.

“It’s fast, with a good flow to it.

It’s tough to overtake but there are places you can try something different so that’s a good challenge,” he said.

“It’s definitely a big advantage starting up front there, though, so I need to get back on it in qualifying and do a better job than last time out.”

Red Bull, who own the southern circuit, will be thinking along the same lines while also braced for

another tough afternoon.

Australian Daniel Ricciardo was eighth and 10th in the last two editions of the race as the former champions’ highest finisher.

Team principal Christian Horner expected another challenging day at a power-sensitive circuit more likely to favour Mercedesengined rivals with Force India and Williams in the mix along with Rosberg’s Silver Arrows.

Only Mercedes-powered cars have finished in the top three

since the race returned to the calendar in 2014 after an 11-year break, with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel fourth last season.

“Maybe there’ll be a chicane on the straight this year,” joked Horner.

“But thereafter we’ve got circuits that we know will come back towards us so it’s sort of get through Austria, damage limitation, before getting into the likes of Hungary, Silverstone, Hockenheim etc.” - Reuters

CRICKET

Kumble wants Indian bowlers to think as leaders BENGALURU: Presenting a fair idea of his leadership style in the role of India coach, Anil Kumble today said he will try to inculcate self belief in his bowlers as he wants them to develop as leaders.

Kumble, himself an inspiring figure in his playing days, today had his first interaction with the players after taking over as chief coach as the training camp for the West Indies tour began here.

“I will try and observe how the team is shaping up and at this point in time, I would like to look at the bowlers. That is something I am looking at...Get closer to the bowlers and understand what their needs are and then probably looking at bringing in a fast bowling coach. That is a consideration I am thinking of. Bowling is one area where I can contribute,” Kumble said at a press conference.

“When I was a player, I used to feel that you are the captain of your own bowling, which I would like to try and inculcate, especially in the

bowling group. That is important.

All of them must believe that they are leaders,” he added.

The former India captain, who ended his career as the third-highest wicket taker in the world, said he understands the role of a mentor and insisted he would be quietly helping the playing by staying in the background.

“Looking at the challenges in the field, I will try to prepare the team.

We, the support staff would be working in the background. Players will be in the front. I have been the player and now I am the coach, so I understand both the roles well.

It is a different role and I certainly understand the role,” he said.

“The role of staying in the background and it is the captain who takes all the calls on the field. I can only assist him in giving him whatever necessary informations in terms of strategy, be it preparation.

And whatever experience I have as a captain and player,” Kumble added.

The 45-year-old new coach said

Looking at the challenges in the field, I will try to prepare the team Anil Kumble

Indian cricket coach

that it was important to communicate with all the players, including the ones who would not make it to the playing XI. “It’s the captain who is incharge.

As a coach I need to organise preparations for the team and giving informed input to captain and the team to strategise better, inclusive of every player. It’s not just 11 who

are going to play but also six or seven who are not going to play.

“I was dropped and not chosen for a tour, I understand being the most important member of the team to be dropped. I understand that communications during such times is critical for a coach to pick up the phone and say ‘dont worry’.

Hopefully I will succeed in communicating with the players.”

‘Not about me or Shastri’ Graciously skirting the controversy surrounding the snub Ravi Shastri received during his job interview, the newly-appointed Indian coach Anil Kumble today said it’s the players who are the most significant part of the system and no one else.

Saurav Ganguly, one of the three members of the BCCI’s Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), had absented himself when Shastri appeared for the interview, leaving the former Team India Director miffed.

Kumble, speaking to media on

his first day as coach, said neither he nor Shastri or any other official is as important as the players.

“I was the first one to call Ravi after chosen as the head coach. He did a wonderful job with the Indian team. And it’s not about Ravi or me or anyone else. It’s about the players, it’s about the team,” Kumble said during his first press conference as Team India coach.

“From my point of view, we all want Indian team to do well, and perform at its best. We all believe that India team has the potential to dominate all three formats. He was part of this journey and (now) I am part of this journey. That’s all what I have to say. He congratulated me and I told him we have a fantastic team.

“It could be somebody else tomorrow. I am not permanent here in this role. I have an opportunity to make a difference and I have an opportunity to be part of a journey.

I am privileged and honoured to be part of this journey,” he said. — PTI

C

SECTION

LIFESTYLE

THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016

Culture WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM

Antiques from Around the World Story T. A. Ameerudheen

Meet Rosemary Whelan, an accomplished antique trader in Europe, who has introduced many of her exquisite pieces to the Omani market.

Photos Supplied

T

he magnificent 12-seater dining table will grab your attention when you enter this antique store. The 100-yearold English table carved in mahogany and restored to perfection, is a beauty to behold, displayed with a rare English porcelain 76-piece dinner set, including large meat platters, soup tureens, dinner plates, soup bowls and sauce bowls, also of the same age.

A large mirror, gilded in 23-carat gold, stands tall above a marble top jardinière base reflecting the vast range of beautiful antiques in the hall, including an English, giltwood convex butler’s mirror, a brass and copper samovar-tea urn, a beautiful pair of French giltwood tables and a wonderful large mahogany writing desk with a gold tooled leather top,

all from the 19th century.

Welcome to the Richwood Antiques founded by Rosemary Whelan, an accomplished antique trader from Ireland.

It was in 2010 that Rosemary arrived in Muscat, having spent 25 years in the antique trade in Ireland.

Launching a business in Oman was not her priority until she discovered there were no European antique retailers supplying quality original furniture in the Sultanate. “I came here to be with my husband and children. I wanted to enjoy the sun and the surroundings. But I couldn’t hold back. It sowed the seeds of setting up a business venture,” she reminisces.

An exhibition at Bait Al Zubair Museum followed in 2011. “It was an attempt to gauge the response to

European antiques, and it exceeded even my wildest expectations. It gave me the confidence to launch Richwood Antiques.”

Rosemary used her vast business connections to ship the goods from different parts of Europe. Now, her store boasts of a huge collection of original 19th century antiques, with prices ranging from OMR100 to 19,000. “I used all my good offices to import my finest stock from Dublin, London and Paris. People in Oman value the quality of my pieces. It is a pleasure to interact with them,” she said.

Rosemary feels that people in Oman, like their counterparts elsewhere, aspire to own beautiful things. “My customers want to enjoy using and looking at their purchase at home and know they have

made an investment. High quality and rare antiques can increase in value over time, even through recession they can hold their value.”

For a professional trader, who sold her first piece of antique furniture at the age of 18 and has been running the business for more than 25 years, it will not be tough to ensure the quality of her merchandise. “Experience taught me how to evaluate and ensure the quality of a piece. Looking at a piece of old European furniture, I can identify when it was made by the timber, the patina, the style and how it is constructed. All the factors including rarity decide the value of the item.”

Most of the furniture pieces at her store are made from mahogany, the tropical hardwood known for

its strength. “You won’t get modern furniture made from real mahogany these days. The mahogany tree is now a protected species and it is a criminal offence to cut it down.”

South America was a major exporter of high quality Mahogany in the 18th and 19th century. The processing of the wood was arduous and time consuming. “Trees, often 500 hundred years old, were logged, and floated down river for many weeks, then prepped and loaded on ships which sailed for many months before being unloaded and sent to timber yards across Europe. By the time the timber was used by furniture makers it was hard and seasoned. With the scarcity of mahogany today, modern furniture makers are forced to rely on weaker, mass produced,

forced grown timbers (a fast growing variety),” she says.

The enthusiasm among antique lovers in Oman has inspired her to create a website that provides detailed information about her collection. “After the Bait Al Zubair exhibition, I got plenty of queries. I realised that the best way to give people access to the store is to build a website. It is an online gallery where people can view my current stock. I will update the website whenever a new collection arrives and of course you can follow us on Facebook and Instagram too.”

-ameerudheen@timesofoman.com CONTACT : ROSEMARY WHELAN +968-9591 7944 facebook.com/RichwoodAntiques instagram.com/RichwoodAntiques/

THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016

C7

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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

16:50 19:30

Daily Daily

Nizwa Al Araqi

Sur Sur

10:20 12:30

Daily Daily

Fahud Yibal

12:00 18:45

Daily Daily

Salalah Marmul Salalah Salalah

Daily Daily

20:00 20:30 23:30 07:40

Marmul

Dubai

16:50

Daily

Sohar Dubai Sohar Dubai Sohar Dubai

Nizwa Ruwi

08:40 11:00

Daily Daily

15:40 15:40

Nizwa Ruwi

17:55 20:20

Daily Daily

06:00 14:30

Ruwi Ruwi

10:45 19:00

Daily Daily

12:30 12:30

Fahud Ruwi

13:15 17:30

Daily Daily

07:00 10:00 10:00 19:00

Ruwi Marmul Ruwi Ruwi

19:50 13:15 22:30 07:30

06:00

Marmul

16:30

Daily

Daily

08:30 11:30 15:30 18:30 17:35 20:55

Daily Daily Wed,Thur Wed,Thur Daily Daily

15:00

Salalah

07:00

Daily

10:50 13:40 16:15 19:10 18:45 21:35

Daily Daily Thur-Fri Thur-Fri Daily Daily

TO DUBAI (ROUTE 201) 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

STAR CINEMA Film information 24791641 / 24786776 Website: www.isurf.co.om School Bus ( Mal)( Thriller) Cast: Kunchacko Boban, Jayasurya & Aparna Gopinath 10-00 PM Cinema Main Udta Punjab ( Hindi) (Act) Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor & Alia Bhatt 9-30 PM Cinema- 4 Gentleman ( Telugu) ( Drama\ Comedy) Cast : Nani & Surabhi Thomas 9-45 pm Cinema -3 Kammati Paadam ( Mal) (Act\Drama) (Only Thursday) Cast : Dulquer Salmaan & Vinayakan 9-30 Pm Cinema 2 Jackson Durai (Tamil) ( Horror\Comedy) ( From Friday) Cast: Sibiraj, Sathyaraj & Bindu Madhavi 9-30 pm Cinema -2 Next Change: Sultan (Hindi); Happy Wedding (Mal) Programmes are subject to change

S. K. AKSHAYA June 30, 2010

SARAH PHILIP June 30, 2005

CHRISTA MARIAM TIJO July 1, 2014

RYAN GHOSH July 1, 2006

0

RELATIVE HUMIDITY

80-30%

Send us a colour photograph of the child (below 16 years) whose birthday you are celebrating, along with his/her full name, date of birth, address, telephone number and parents’/your name to Times of Oman, With Love, PO Box 770, PC 112, Ruwi or through e-mail to extra@ timesofoman.com

Daily Daily Daily

Sharjah Fujairah Ruwi

16:30 18.15 23.00

LISTINGS

ROYAL OMAN POLICE Emergencies and inquiries: 9999 General Directorate of Passport and Residence 24569603 Directorate General of Customs 24521109 Traffic violations inquiries 24510228 Public Relations Admin 24560099 EMBASSIES IN OMAN

Daily Daily Daily Daily

DUBAI TO SALALAH (ROUTE 102)

07:00

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) Daily Daily Daily Daily

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)

TO FAHUD - YIBAL (ROUTE 62) 06:30 06:30

07:00

The Asian Connection (Action) Cast: Steven Seagal, Michael Jai White, Pim Bubear 11.45 p.m.

CP No : 1764 (15+) Intruder (Horror/Thriller) Cast: Justin Amnet, Steven Beckingham, Teressa Decher 11.45 p.m.

CP No : 1785 (15+) The Curse of Sleeping Beauty (Fantasy/ Thriller) Cast: Ethan Peck, India Eisley, Natalia Hall 9.30 p.m.

CP No : 1786 (18+) Ghosthunters (Comedy / Family/ Fantasy) Cast: Anke, Milo Parker, Bastian Pastewka 9.30 p.m.

CP No : 1787 (PG)

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (ROUTE 54)

TO SUR (ROUTE 55) 07:30 14:30

Minimum

SALALAH The Crew (PG12) (Action |Drama) Cast: Vladimir Mashkov, Agne Grudyte, Sergey 9:00, 11:45 PM Elvis And Nixon (PG12) (Comedy | History) Cast: Michael Shannon, Kevin Spacey, Alex Pettyfer 9:30 PM Udta Punjab (PG12) (Thriller | Crime) Cast: Shaid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt 11:15 PM Rabid Dogs (12+) (Action | Drama | Thriller) Cast: Lambert Wilson, Virginie Ledoyen, Guillaume Gouix 9:15 PM School Bus (PG) (Malayalam |Thriller) Cast: Aakash Muraleedharan, Kunchacko Boban 11:15 PM

Film information 24540856 / Advance Booking 24540855 Website: www.albahjacinemaoman.com

WITH LOVE

TO YANQUL (ROUTE 54)

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (ROUTE 54) 08:00 08:00

08:55 Daily 11:40 Daily 20:20 Daily via Ibri 14:55 Daily 17:40 Daily 19:20 Daily 22:15 Daily

38 33

TO SINAW (ROUTE 52)

TO YANQUL (ROUTE 54) 14:30 14:30

Sohar Ruwi Ruwi Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi

Daily Daily Daily

SOHAR The Crew - (2D) (Action | Drama) (PG12) Cast: Vladimir Mashkov, Agne Grudyte, Sergey 9:00 & 11:45PM The Asian Connection - (2D) (Action) (15+) Cast:Steven Seagal, Michael Jai White, Pim 11:45PM Udta Punjab - (2D) (Crime | Thriller) (PG12) Cast: Alia Bhatt, Shahid Kapoor, Diljit Dosanjh 11:15PM The Call Up - (2D) (Action | Sci-Fi) (PG12)

WEATHER

QURIYAT - SUR - JAALAN (ROUTE 36) Quriyat Sur Jaalan

RUWI Screen 1 Udta Punjab - (2D) (Crime | Thriller) (PG12) Cast: Alia Bhatt, Shahid Kapoor, Diljit Dosanjh 10:00PM Screen 2 Housefull 3 (2D) (Comedy / Drama) –PG12 Cast : Akshay Kumar, Ritesh Deshmukh, Nargis Fakhri, Jacqueline Fernandez 10.00 PM Screen 3 Te3n (2D) (Hindi | Thriller ) (PG12) Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Vidya Balan 10:30PM

BURAIMI School Bus PG (Malayalam) (Family | Drama) Cast: Kunchacko Boban, Jayasurya, Aparna Gopinath 9:00 PM Rabid Dogs 12+ (Action | Drama | Thriller) Cast: Lambert Wilson, Virginie Ledoyen, Guillaume Gouix 11:45 PM Udta Punjab PG12 (Crime | Thriller) Cast: Alia Bhatt, Shahid Kapoor, Diljit Dosanjh 11:15 PM Ghosthunters PG (Comedy | Family | Fantasy) Cast: Liz Fenning, Anna Harr, Stephen Manley 9:30 PM Intruders 15+ (Drama| Horror | Thriller) Cast: Rory Culkin, Leticia Jimenez, Jack Kesy 11:45 PM The Crew PG12 (Action | Adventure | Drama) Cast: Vladimir Mashkov, Agne Grudyte, Sergey Shakurov 9:15 PM

BAHJA CINEMA

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 International Hospital, Al Ghubra 22004000, 94267068/97049520 Al Hayat Clinic, Al Hail 22009455

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

C8

THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016

LIFESTYLE

T S E F M L I YOUTH F ung ber 5, will provide yo m ce De to 30 r be m held from Nove m all over the world.

The Doha event, to be fro s m fil s us sc di d an atch, analyse, film enthusiasts to w

of positive standing and appreciation youth. he Doha Film Institute and cinema among children ors, Jur has announced that the al Ajy the in ed This is reflect rld, wo fourth edition of the the oss whereby youth from acr h oug thr Ajyal Youth Film Fesa em cin rld celebrate wo g gin llen tival will be held from cha dialogue and discussion, 5, 2016. g pin hel and s ces pro November 30 to December t ns’, their though atio ner ‘ge affor ues bic iss Ara ut ‘Ajyal’, tions abo s together shape percep brings people of all age ay’s youth.” tod g tin fec nts eve m Festithrough screenings and ction The third Ajyal Youth Fil intera jurors ng you 600 rly that inspire creative logue. val hosted nea dia atic em a dycin te ide ula ngs and stim alities, alo the heart of of 45 nation eenscr of e mm gra Youth participation is at pro young namic public es vid pro the ich ed wh lud l, inc tiva the Fes nts which of 8 and 21 ings and eve Asu Ab ny Ha of people between the ages ere mi tch, ana- MENA pre the world premiere with an opportunity to wa all over sad’s The Idol, m fro s t animated feature lyse and discuss film firs nk- of Bilal, the thi l tica cri g pin elo dev , the world C region and the first an appre- from the GC a experiing, self-expression, and inc of its kind lusive cinem ing of a. em een cin scr of ion, the ciation Execu- ence in the reg Fatma Al Remaihi, Chief Message to mark UN the and ro He tiIns Film h tive Officer of the Doha nal Day of Persons wit Ajyal Youth Internatio tute and Director of the e look for- Disabilities. featured Film Festival, said: “W The film programme successes the on along ies ntr cou 36 ward to building m l that 80 films fro tiva Fes m a Fil th and s You ing al of the Ajy lic screen more than with 50 pub rste ma , els pan e ctiv proved that films can do era e, inspire range of int just entertain; it can educat ether. classes and workshops designed to tog ies nit entertain. The and bring commu the educate, engage and of s ive tiat ini key the One of luded the Middle East developing line-up inc ar Animation StuDoha Film Institute in of under- Premieres Pix an ing ter fos is ces voi Arab

T

tival also in Qatar section. The fes of the n tio edi rd thi the presented Summit, Doha Giffoni Youth Media titute Ins m Fil ha Do the hosted by ly’s Giffoni in partnership with Ita showcased it ere wh ce, Experien with five e tiv its Planet-Y initia rtured in nu be l wil t tha projects promote to s the coming month th talyou of h wt gro ive the inclus ally in eci esp , ent around the world as. conflict are the ‘AjyAjyal 2015 also hosted offered ich wh b’ Hu ity al Creativ lore exp to ty guests an opportuni ence, eri exp a nem -ci -of an out the latest helping them discover arts and dia me the y, log in techno Creatival Ajy e world cultures. Th curated lly cia spe ted hos lin Film ity Hub Ber ur, osa fun Din and od s Go nce e Th ma dios s, perfor inner, Jafar workshop the rk spa to d ise Festival Golden Bear-w dev s final an- activitie the of acre one i, te mo Tax ’s pro ahi and Pan Studios, imagination al Ajy the of s ent pon ime sensations from Ghibli com y ha Film tivity. Ke Do , ere Th the s for Wa e e fre rni is Ma ich When b, wh

by Yared Creativity Hu include the popuInstitute grantee Lamb attend, to lic pub Re in rta Zeleke and Cannes Un Ce direc- lar Sandbox digital exhibition space, se gard opener An, by Japane ekend activities, and the ster Naomi Family We ma 6 201 a mr Qu and tor cial 2015 initiative – gramme of festival’s spe Game Exhibition.

Kawase, along with a pro eo Vid : filmmakers Geekdom 17 films by Qatar-based sofoman.com ime @t yle ular Made —lifest that screened in the pop

We look forward to building on the successes of the Ajyal Youth Film Festival that proved that films can do more than just entertain; it can educate, inspire and bring communities together

COLUMN

In a Blind Panic T

here are many ways one can feel useless. As I write this column, I have my left hand hanging limp by my side. As I type with my right hand index finger, there are series of small but sharp pains shooting up my left shoulder.

I try to be philosophical about my injury but my mind wanders away blaming many things that brought the pain. Were the heavy planks of woods I lifted tore my muscles? Or was it the lumpy pillows?

Perhaps it was the old mattress that went way past its useful days.

In my despair, I went deep in my pocket and bought a new bed complete with new sets of pillows.

I was also infuriated about how casual my doctor had been. He prescribed me painkillers that did not do

me any good. I woke up in the middle of the night completely disoriented with pain. Panic seized me and I bolted from my bed and walked down the stairs not knowing exactly what I was doing.

My heart raced as I clutched my arm and I started pacing up and down convinced that I was going to die. Of course I would have benefited if I stayed calm but I refused to sit down because I was afraid I was going to lose consciousness if I did.

Somewhere in the fuzziness of the confusion, I knew I needed some powerful distraction.

Anything that would keep my mind away from the pain. I looked around but there was only the television, a newspaper, and the sofas which I dare not sit. The ticking of the clock was getting louder and

SO TO SPEAK SALEH AL SHAIBANY

somehow the silence of the night was frightening. I started lifting the cushions and opening draws in a desperate attempt to find something that would divert me away from disturbing thoughts. I put my

hand on the chest and the speed the heart was hammering behind my ribs was really putting the panic mode in a high gear. I thought of the telephone and the ambulance but decided I was going to

give it a few more minutes. There was nothing else to do for me but to get back to the bedroom and wake up my wife. Somewhere in the deep state of confusion, I thought it was not proper for me to pass on my trouble to someone else. I was capable of sorting it out by myself and that’s where I was wrong.

I reached a hand for her shoulder and quickly snatched it back. No, I said to myself, the worse moment would pass and all I had to do was stay calm. Then a morbid thought entered my head. It was the left arm that hurt and I was having a heart attack.

I woke her up and confessed how sick I was. The first thing she did was to stop me from pacing up and down.

She asked me to relax and I took a few deep breaths. Ten mi-

nutes passed, my heart started beating normal and the blind panic disappeared to be replaced with a small anxiety.

I did the ECG the next morning and I was given an all clear but the doctor prescribed me more powerful pain killers.

They have eased the shoulder pain but I now believe that staying calm all the time helps. I was in an unfamiliar territory a few nights ago but the terrible ordeal taught me to accept sudden changes and not fight them.

It was the thought that I was helplessly pinned down with a temporary physical disability that got me in a blind panic. I take things as they come now and not even the Third World War would make me bolt from my bed in the dead of the night.

D

W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M T H U R S DAY, J U N E 3 0, 2 0 1 6

SECTION

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

RENT

D2

VACANCY

D4

CARGO

D7

*Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

D2

T H U R S D AY, J U N E 3 0, 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDE

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

FOR RENT

*Tourist visa arranged

Spacious 4BHK with split A/C’S, 4 bathrooms & storeroom, near Church roundabout, Mumtaz area.

Rent:R.O 575, Contact:99349672 Office for rent in Al Ansab near bank Muscat. Contact: 99466173 3 Rooms, 2 Toilets Flat for Rent.

18 November Street. Near Mars Hypermarket and The Chedi.

Ghobrah -Good for Commercial or Residential use. OMR 295/- month.

Call 94477222 Flats for rent, location: Darsait AENT. Contact: 99885957 / 24488075 2 BHK flat near Indian school Wadi Kabir. Contact – 24714625/ 91173997 Villa available –Built up 300m2, 3 bedrooms, sitting, family lounge, kitchen, 3 toilets, near 100 meters from Indian School SoharContact: 26843530, 95856630 2 BHK flat in AL Ghobrah near Indian school. Contact: 95933961 Studio & 1 BHK flats in Al Khuwair rent 170/- & 200/-.

Contact: 97616158 3 bedroom well maintained flat (villa type only 2 flats in one bldg) in Al Khuwair, behind Al Aktham restaurant villa no 1839, Way no 3922 block 239. Contact: 99462980 Home for rent (4 bed room), Ruwi.

Contact: 95178248 2 BHK, 1 hall and Mawaleh north Masjid Sadiq Al Amin. Contact: 99224748 / 99425665

3BHK, 2BHK and 1BHK flats with split air conditioners are available for rent in new building in AL Qurum, near Rose garden. Interested persons may content on Phone Nos. 95133331 / 96722449 New flat for rent separate property in Al Mawaleh South 3, 3 bedrooms , 3 bathrooms , hall, Kitchen & store.

All are with A/C split unit.

Contact: Whatsapp 98575157 Flat for rent in Al Mawaleh South 3, 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, hall, kitchen & store with air condition.

Contact 98575157 2 BHK one bath one toilet separate near ISM Darsait close to Al Noor hypermarket and Muscat pharmacy. Contact: 99354975 / 99065900 5 Rooms, 2 hall villa 18th Nov road north Azaiba.

Contact: 99224748 /99425665 One bed room flat for rent near Indian School Darsait. Contact: 99322363/95453813/95806611 2 BHK, 1 Hall & seating room Athaibah. Contact: 99224748 / 99425665 Two bedrooms flat behind German Embassy nearer to Al Nahdha hospital. Contact: 99203954

Deluxe two bedroom flat at Mumtaz area, two bathrooms, good size living/dining room, modern kitchen and a guest bathroom.

Contact 99310375 1.2.3 BHK flats & villas. Contact: 92144045/ 97799175 Flats for rent near Indian school in Wadi Kabir.

Contact 99777122 1BHK Darsait 200/- R.O. Contact: 99342661 Store in Mabela industrial area 100m2. Contact: 99342661 2 BHK near Oman House Muttrah.

Contact: 99233116 10 studio apartments & 12 fully furnished executive apartments ready for occupation - location at Falaj Al Qabail Contact 22092638 /94532131; Email: nitsohar@gmail.com Room for rent one bed room with separate toilet Qurum, Mars hyper market building.

Content: 96570147 2 bed rooms flat in Wattaya OMR 300/-. Contact: 99202602

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Contact: 97799175

I BHK Flat -3 Nos at Hamriya – R.O. 175/-3 Bed Room/ 3 Bath room/ Very big sitting area/ kitchen - Villa 1st floor with A/C at Al Khuwair Near Rayyan Residence.

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1BHK Ghobrah R.O 250/-. Contact: 97799175 /92144045

1 BHK near Oman house Muttrah.

Contact: 99233116

2 Bedroom, 1 sitting room, 1 toilet, 1 kitchen at Darsait.

Contact: 99022487

1 BHK near medical Darsait, Muttrah house R.O 180/. Contact: 95076261

Ruwi office space for rent, Saravana Bhava Building.

Contact: 95729549

2 BHK with Split A/C in MSQ, Bareeq Al Shatti, Al Ghobrah near Indian school. Content: 96708000

Villa for rent in South Mabellah, 3 bedrooms, sitting room, family Lounge, kitchen, three Toilets Contact 92212212 between 10 AM to 5 PM.

Rooms for rent single rooms with A/C & bath attached available at Rex Road Indian bachelor and family (couple) from 1st July 2016.

Contact: 99116286

1 BHK Flats are available near Lulu Darsait (Opp. to Min. of Defense) Contact: 93202733 / 94771769

Shop for good location on main road behind whole sale Al Amerat Space 11 MT long, 4 MT wide.

Contact: 92877449 Room with attached bathroom, sharing, kitchen for executive bachelor / lady or couple in Wadi Kabir near Kuwaiti Masjid, Please Contact: 96510226/98404827

Large building with 14 rooms & big open shed in a compound in Ghobrah near Mars hypermarket.

Good for staff accommodation and stores. Please call 98048207 / 99261773 1 BHK fully furnish flat in Hamriya for short terms. Contact – 99792181

2 BHK flat at Darsait behind KIMS hospital. Contact: 92141514

1 BHK flat in Al Khuwair for 2 months. Contact – 99792181

Villa for rent at Azaiba, near al Meera hypermarket. 4 Bedrooms, 3 toilets, kitchen, sitting room and dining room. This will include curtains and air conditioners.

Sharing is allowed ro.500/-.

Please call 99469203

1 Room for sharing accommodation in Al Khuwair.

Contact - 99792181

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Flats, shops & store for rent in MBD area Ruwi, Mumtaz area.

Contact: 97293708 / 92433127

New flats for rent Muscat Al Zafarania, split units AC , all rooms & bed room R.O 200/-, 3 bedroom R.O 300/- negotiable.

Contact: 93393755

Offices and flats in Ghala.

Contact 94051789 / 97201688

House in Darsait, 3 rooms, 1 bathroom, kitchen with A/C. Contact: 95522405 Single room flat near Jibroo roundabout on Road Muttrah: 99373290, 24815012

3 & 5 BHK villa staff accommodation in Al Khuwair.

Contact - 99792181

New villa for rent Al Hail north neat to Ramez near to Main road open sitting room with washing area 3 family hall, dining room , kitchen with store , laundry 5 BR with bathrooms. Contact: 93387732 / 99259977 2 BHK sea view flat Darsait.

Contact: 95311488

2 BHK specious flat behind Bank Muscat Wadi Kabir near Indian School: 99373290, 24815012 Flats in Darsait.

Contact 94051789 / 97201688 Ghubra & Al Khuwair, 1 bed room, hall. Contact: 90991079 Flats in Muttrah. Contact 94051789 / 97201688 Flats for rent in Mumtaz, 2 bedrooms , hall Way no 3352 building no. 3447 & 3668.

Contact: 90991079 Two bedrooms flat behind German Embassy near to Al Nahda Hospital. Contact: 99209354 Wadi Kabeer Industrial 80 sm show rooms for rent 400/- R.O. Contact: 99879939 Fully Furnished apartments in Boucher (35). Contact 94051789 / 97201688 2000 sqft land with p/cabin, toilets at YETI. Contact 99221683 / 92830110 Offices & Showrooms in Al Khood.

Contact 94051789 / 97201688 Villa in Al Khuwair, 6 rooms, living room & hall.

Contact: 91153933

T H U R S DAY, J U N E 3 0, 2 0 1 6

D3

DAILY GUIDE

FOR RENT

FOR SALE SHUTTERING PLYWOOD SIZE : 4’ X 8’ X 18MM GSM: 92835445,93205253,93205423

FOR SALE Flats in Qurum. Contact 94051789 / 97201688 Flats in Ghobrah. Contact 94051789 / 97201688 Brand new villas in Al Ansab.

Contact 94051789-97201688 Flats in Al khuwair.

Contact 94051789-97201688

Shop for sale and electronic Ruwi high street main road side shop exit in good reputed building.

Contact: 95238577 / 95178297

Two rooms near khimji supermarket (Darsait). Contact: 92147907

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Contact: 92868123 /92841089 Tender Board Construction Company for lease / Run. Contact: 92868123 / 92841089

3 BHK flat at Azaiba, Opp. Sultan Centre. Contact 99261522

Flat for rent in South AlGhubrah 3 rooms, hall and 3 toilets, kitchen rent 450/-. Contact: 99335580

Furnished apartment for rent, two rooms, majlis, hall, kitchen.

Near Carrefour al-mawalah.

Contact 99336776

Dental chair for sale in Salalah.

Contact – 99082092

Flat for rent 2 BHK in Darsait North near Indian School about 200 mtrs, rent RO 300/-.

Contact: 94101134

Shop for rent at Wadi Kabir Industrial area. Contact: 99888390

Dental chairs for sale sparingly used dental units for sale.

Contact Mr. Ansari 92616343.

Kumar 99570284

Well running computer shop for sale in Al Seeb Souq near Ooredoo showroom 30Sqm, 2 shutters.

Contact: 92501276

Villa for rent at Azaiba, near Al Meera hypermarket, 4 bedrooms, 3 toilets, kitchen, sitting room and dining room, this will include curtains and air conditioners.

RO 520/-. Contact 99469203

near Mosque Sadiq Al Amin.

Contact: 99224748 / 99332297 Flat for rent in Al Khoud, 2 rooms & hall. Contact: 91763665

ACC. AVAILABLE

HD Scaffoldings, Shuttering Jacks, Wooden Planks, Shuttering wood assorted, Tower hoist (lift), Concrete Mixer, Bending Machine, Steel Fabrication Machinery (Searing/Cutting, lathe & Welding) including tools for immediate sale: Contact 99273774/ 99202278

2 BHK villa for rent 600 meters behind Carrefour / city center Seeb. Contact: 99311979 (Francis) Sharing room at Ruwi for R.O 50/-.

Contact: 99385287 One single room available for executive bachelor at CBO area fully furnished and WIFI available.

Contact 92779732 Sharing accommodation available for bachelor / family at Ruwi.

Contact: 99008436 Furnished room with TV, A/C fridge at Hilat, Al Saad near main road. Contact: 95714202 Furnished room available with attached bath and balcony, near MBD area. Contact: 97636432

1 B/R Fully Furnished Luxury Apartment @ Al Khuwair 33, 2 B/R Fully Furnished Luxury Apartment @ Al Khuwair 33, 4 B/R Unfurnished Apartment with attached Split A/C @ Azaiba. For Short Term or Long Term lease.

Contact: Atlas Real Estate & Rent A Car LLC : 99249069 / 94617563/ 99436312/ 92888376, Email: info@alshahiintl.com

2BHK split A/C for rent Muttrah near Oman House.

Contact: 97007934 / 92629232

Luxury Apartments in Boucher (35) / Ghala / Qurum. Contact 95056808 / 97201688

1 Bed room, sharing K& T, R.O 100, 2 bedrooms , sharing K& T R.O 200/- in AL Khuwair.

Contact 95154331

Shop for sale opp Towell Service Center, Wadi Kabir.

Contact 99221683

2 Rooms (furnished) toilet, kitchen for small family or bachelor, Hamriya. Contact: 98335050 Room for rent with sharing, kitchen in Al Khuwair behind Burger King. Contact: 92994415

2BHK split A/C 200/- Monthly & 1BHK spilt A/C 150/- monthly new building good location Barka Market. contact 99342661

02 BHK residential flat opposite to Al Nahdha hospital.

Contact: 99342733 /99795241

1No brand new containerized package type STP 100 m3/ day with blower equipments (suitable for camps). Serious Buyers may.

Contact: 99445367

Flat in Al Khuwair opp grand mall 4 room 3 toilet + hall kitchen in 3 floor 400. Contact 99420346 2 BHK flat at Wadi Kabir behind Pioneer Hotel apartment.

Contact: 99857332 /99261522 Rent flat near Ruwi Badar Al Sama, 2 bed rooms, attach bathroom, big hall, and big kitchen.

Contact - 99345137 Rent flat in Wada Adai, one bed room with toilet, big kitchen, hall with A/C. Contact 99345137 3000 Sqr mtrs compound land in Misfah. Contact 99792181 1700 sqr mtrs open Land + small store + garage for Rent in Ruwi.

Contact 99792181 2 bed rooms flat with hall, 2 bathrooms in Darsait near Muscat Municipality.

Contact: 92584715/ 24700120 Flat for rent 2 BHK 2 split A/C, 2 toilets, Wadi Kabir near Kuwaiti Masjid. Contact: 97007934 / 92629232 2BHK Big Size Flat Behind Bank Muscat, Wadi Kabir. Near ISWK. 97826454, 24815012.

House in North Al Hail with 3 rooms, living room, hall, 4 toilets 300 RO. Contact 99738881 / 99439568 Warehouse at Wadikabir - total area 3500 sqm - covered warehouse (500sqm), office, accommodation (1000sqm), open area (2000sqm) please contact: 99273774 - 99202278 1BHK at Hamriya near Muscat Pharmacy & 2 BHK at Mawaleh

Flat for Rent 2 bed room Near ISM muscat Indian Scoole Darsate Tel : 00 968 95158570 Plot at Barka next to Germany College & next to Aramex Company, next to Bahwan Warehouse, next to Omasco warehouse 37,074 SQM2 required 0.250 Baiza per SQM. Contact: 99888390

Book Shop in a busy shopping mall for sale, interested parties please contact 99851255 Single colorful Bed and Sofa for Sale at Al Khuwair.

Contact 92881849 / What`s up No 97290565 Steel Scrap materials for immediate sale. Contact: 99273774/ 99202278

Labor Camp available with all facilities near Sohar Port.

Contact: 98050654 / 99015826

Space for printing press available at wadikabir with or without machinery. Contact 99328430

5 BHK Villa in Al Khuwair, for Staff Accommodation.

Contact 99792181

Almost new beach/ garden lounge chairs /bar stools/ counter.

Photos can be sent 95865457

2 & 3 BHK Flat in Al Khuwair & Ghubra. Contact 99792181

Restaurant for sale heart of Ruwi.

Contact 93687466

4 BHK Villa in Bowsher Heights.

Contact 99792181

Shop for sale at Ruwi high street.

Contact: 98787853

Furnished office (61M2) for sale / rent Al Khuwair near Zawawi Mosque. Contact: 95611569

Urgent sale of steel scrap only serious buyers kindly contact +968 96725423 for viewing the items.

AVAILABLE Well spoken, well experienced (Us base experience) catering staff available for annual contractual hiring and immediate mobilization.

Continental cook, Indian cook, south Indian cook, chapatti Maker, waiter, kitchen boys cleaner. Contact: 97226179 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

Shop for sale near Oman House, Muttrah. Contact 99024362.

WANTED Partner / investor 20% - 30% share transfer running building construction company.

Contact 93163157 Urgently required looking to immediately buy used Grit blasting & airless spray equipment 1 No each. Contact: 968 24810930 / 93203772 / 93203773 / 93203778 IELTS Coaching (academic) required nearby wadi Kabir area.

Please call on mobile or msg on Whats up.

Mobile # 92927880/99012165

INVESTOR PARTNER REQUIRED For a successfully Catering Restaurant Investor cum Partner is required.

Investor with fixed returns also welcome.

Please contact – 95213273

ONE STOP SHOP BUSINESS SERVICES Public Relation Service (PRO) Document Clearance, Business setup, Formation new Companies, LLC Companies, Investor Visa, Legal Services.

Email: muscatcoffeeshop@gmail.com

Contact Saleh:

WEB, ERP and Business Intelligence (BI) creation and management at rock bottom price.

Contact: http//webviewoman

BUYING

96723485

Single room executives Wadi Kabir. Contact: 99336206 Accommodation available in a villa for south Indian family, one bedroom, hall, kitchen north Ghobrah. Contact: 99209160

Flats in Wadi Kabir. Contact 94051789 / 97201688

SITUATION WANTED BUSINESS

2 BHK available Mumtaz area Ruwi. Contact: 99269751 Fully furnished room available for executive bachelors opp. Star Cinema. Contact 92886715 Independent room in Qurum / Hail. Contact: 96229522 Room, bath room for executives in Wadi kabir. Contact 99336206 One room available in 2BHK in Al Falaj area for Executive bachelor only. Contact 99131742.

Furnished room attached bath for Indian bachelor, Al-Falaj Ruwi & lady Wadi Kabir near Mars hypermarket. Contact: 96202458/96761960 1 BHK appartment for rent in Al Khoud Shabiya near mazoon mosque for rent (next to alkhoud medical center and squ) MOB: 93913224 Sharing Accommodation available for working ladies opposite Al Nadhah Hospital. Preferably Indians. Room with seperate toilet and sharing kitchen.RO.90.

Contact 96524717 Room with attached bathroom for a family in Wadi Kabir.

Contact: 97167857 Furnish bedroom with attach bathroom for executive bachelor.

Contact: 97704794 Room available in Mumtaz area 1 room, 1 Bathroom, Kitchen & 1 room, common bathroom.

Interested please contact 92680041 Mr. Altaf

MV SALE Nissan Pathfinder 2013 No-2 lady driven KM 50.000 power sterns auto transmission power window R.O 6500/- Contact: 99157377 Mitsubishi Outlander 2008 model 4 cylinder, 2.4lt, Metallic grey , 135000km , excellent condition , expat driven , single owner Price R.O 3.500/- Neg. Contact: 99330486 TOYOTA CAMRY : Good condition,Colour White, Make 2004, Automatic Transmission, Done 236000 Kms. #93667236 Audi Q3. Expat lady Dr driven (Ibra). Excellent condition, Silver color, done 69000kms.New tyres.

Extended warranty and free servicing up to feb2018. OMR 9500.

Contact - 97609733 Izuzu 3 ton vehicle model 2013 & Izuzu 4 ton vehicle model 2008.

Contact: 99719124 /24454550 Mazda Portege 323, 2002 model for sale. Contact: 99719298 Toyota Corolla, 2010 Model, 134000 Km, good condition at RO 3350. Call 95230586 Toyota Corolla 1.8xli Automatic 2007 July 113000Kms Expat driven excellent condition RO.2750 Contact: 98924106 Mazda 6, model 2005, company maintained excellent condition.

Price RO 1250/- Mazda 2, model 2014, 45,000km, for sale.

Price RO 2950/Call: 95244761 Mazda6, 2.5L (classic model, 2014) expat driven, excellent condition , 80.000km , mulkiya till march 2017, RO 5.700 ( Negotiable). Contact: 99415861

Room available for Executive bachelor at Al Hail.

Contact: 96234708

Toyota Prado, 2009 model, 6 cylinder, single expat owner used, white pearl color, km 287k Contact- 99318152

Room with attached bathroom and sharing kitchen available for Executive bachelor or small family at wadikabir. Contact 93049849

Nissan Qashqai 2013 Kms 30,000 VGC comprehensive Insurance UAE / Oman.

Contact: 96995430

Bobcat available for rent.

Contact 97623299 Buying cars for cash.

Contact 90202090

NRI Land for Immediate sale 19 cents residential land at Bakery J unction near valsala hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, for sale. Tar road frontage with lorry access.

Contact: 98469311/96179737 Ready to occupy just completed 3 BHK in Chennai -Pallikkaranai :1600sqft ,builders lcs city makers ,high quality construction , woodwork done, part of 64 apts all 3bhk in 4 blocks gated community with swimming pool/gym/common hall/2 car parking. Genuine buyers call rag @99235815 or email: sairaj_2k@yahoo.com NRI Property for Sale: 774Sq .

2 BHK flat with OC ready at Palava City Casa Rio, Dombivili, Mumbai Contact : 97003326, 96791085

ACC. WANTED Urgently required Villa with 8 rooms near Bausher/Ghala/Al Ansab area for accommodation of Staff from a reputed company in Oman. Interested party may contact - Mr. Pramith 99694150 Accommodation Wanted for an Executive Bachelor, Single Flat / Sharing Room @ Wadi Kabir.

Pls call: 93883674 / 98103169

FOR HIRE New Volvo Trailor available for rent to UAE every alternative days, 50 ton capacity with reasonable rent contact.99318152/ email- Ahastco @gmail.com

ACC. AVAILABLE Sharing accommodation near ISD. Contact: 99657340

*Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

D4

T H U R S D AY, J U N E 3 0, 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT WANTED Female Gynaecologist, Female GP- Two Female Staff Nurse (From India or Pilipino)and One Female Dental Assist and Female Lab Technician.

SITUATION WANTED A leading chain of franchise restaurant requires

ACCOUNTANT CUM ADMIN ƋƵĂůŝĮ ĞĚ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚĂŶƚ ŚĂƐ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ŝŶ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚƐ͕ ĐŽƐƚ ĐŽŶƚƌŽůƐ͕ ŝŶǀĞŶƚŽƌLJ͕ ƉƌŽĐƵƌĞŵĞŶƚ͕ Į ŶĂŶĐĞ ƵƉ ƚŽ Į ŶĂůŝnjĂƟ ŽŶ ĂŶĚ ŐĞŶĞƌĂů ĂĚŵŝŶŝƐƚƌĂƟ ŽŶƐ͘ džĐĞůůĞŶƚ ŬŶŽǁůĞĚŐĞ ŝŶ dĂůůLJ ZW Ͳϵ͕͘ ŚĂǀŝŶŐ ϱ ƚŽ ϳ LJĞĂƌƐ ŽĨ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞƐ ŝŶ & Θ ͕ ŚĂƐ ǀĂůŝĚ KŵĂŶ ͬ> ĂŶĚ ƚƌĂŶƐĨĞƌĂďůĞ ǀŝƐĂ ĂƌĞ ŵĂŶĚĂƚŽƌLJ͘

With MOH Licence and Data Flow for Al Saadi Specilised Medical Centre, Musanna.

Contact # 92025033, Email : dr.srininvas76@gmail.com

ARCHITECT

Send your s ƚŽ ƌĂǁĂĮ ĚůůĐΛŐŵĂŝů͘ĐŽŵ

Construction Company looking for Architect with experience in Oman. Contact 97192707

MISCELLANEOUS

ACCOUNTS

Looking for Female Journalistic or advertising & media background. Contact- 99342237 / 9394 6622/ Email: ali.matani2@gmail.com

A foodstuff distribution company in Muscat is looking for an Accountant. The candidate should have good communication skills, in depth knowledge of MS office application & tally. Email us at dilipinternational@yahoo.com

SALES / MARKETING Wanted Sales Man for an elevator company 3 yrs exp English language must has NOC required send resume to pioneersoverall. operationl@gmail.com Contact: 968 94496661

A leading cosmetic company in Muscat is looking for an Accountant – Email: us on vacancies@maryanagroup.com An Omani Audit firm is seeking audit partner to join the firm, the candidate should be completed any certificate course CIA,CPA, CA, ACC, and 4 years’ experience, interested candidates to submit their CVs to : auditbureau2016@gmail.com

Required outdoor Sales/ Marketing Executive with experience in selling Technical- Mechanical products/ building materials & hardware/ auto parts. Graduate with Oman license preferred.

Apply to: jobalkent@gmail.com or fax to: 24799615

BEAUTICIAN Advertising & interior company required Sales Executive with driving /L send CV to info@agloenterprises.com

Required Beautician for Beauty Saloon at Ghobrah. Clearance / visa available. Contact no. 95924910 Beauty salon needs lady for henna. Contact: 93336061

Require Salesman with D/L for construction, Ind materials, hydraulic hoses & fittings.

Contact 99221683 / 92830110

CATERING Urgently required south Indian cooks with NOC, having suitable experienced. Contact: 94268319 /97408945 Email: ashok.k55@yahoo.com Shawarma / grill / Salad / Chinese, Cook. Contact: 96229522 Shawarma / grill / Salad / Asian Cook. Contact: 95529970

DOMESTIC HELPER IMMEDIATE - Housemaid wanted for an Indian Family - husband, wife and 2 girls. Visa, accommodation and all other requirements will be provided. Please call me on 92725141.

House maid for Omani family.

Contact: 99773100

ENGI./TECH./MECH.

MEDICAL

Wanted service Technicians for diesel generators and diesel air compressors for a fast growing rental company persons having thorough knowledge with Perkins / Cummins engines, ELGI compressors with Oman driving preferred.

Contact: 95443350/95041935

A medical centre is looking to hire immediately a talented Nurse to join our successful team, required 3 years of experience, Oman prometric, data flow. Send your CV to- issalibi@gmail.com or Whatsapp - 91254820

Urgently Require BE civil Engineer with 2+ years experience and Omani driving license must , Salary R.O300/- Send CV to nctp@nctp786oman.com or Contact: 24565337 Electrician with qualification and experience.

Contact: Fax: 24727481 Email: alsatrading14@gmail.com

EDUCATION/TRAINING DESIGNER Urgently required a Graphic designer with 2 years experience in graphic designing, Photoshop, illustrator. Send CV to email: hr@cityvago.com Advertising and signboard making company required fresh or experience Graphic designer send CV to info@agloenterprises.com

Urgently required experienced and trained kindergarten Teacher for a well reputed bilingual school in Mabela area Muscat interested and suitable candidates must reply to Email: anitasuresh11@yahoo.com Required English, computer and science female Teachers up to grad 4. Contact - 95054916, aa77345@gmail.com. contact time after 5PM

DRIVER

Wanted staff nurse with MOH license, immediate appointment, to work in a private clinic. Permanent post or locum. All Nationals can apply. Salary negotiable, free accommodation available.

Contact – 99048170/ 94870029 Required GP Doctors, gynecology, X ray tech staff nurses.

Contact: 99681325 Email: altaqwamedicalcentre@gmail.com Wanted for Ibra clinic lab Technicians gynecologist physician lady medical officer MOH license and NOC needed or prometric with high score and dataflow.

Contact - 99373493 yahyakam@omantel.net.om GP doctor needed for reputed clinic. Preferably with MOH license or with Dataflow & Paramatics pass Contact: 95388934 Required gynecologist GEN: practitioner lady lab Technician and pharmacologist immediately for a clinic in Suwaiq.

Contact: 95081010 Email: umchealthcare@gmail.com

IT Wanted a experience Driver for Capital and Interior work.

Gsm : 942-888-63 Required Omani Driver for a restaurant. Contact 95929911 Looking for a full time driver with valid Omani license. # 95454033 Required urgently driver, experience Omani or expat drivers with P.D.O. license. Contact: 98242478

IT Engineer, min 4 years experience in Biometric Attendance System and CCTV camera, preferably with D/L. Apply to hr@unitedsystemsit.com or call 99423442.

Required Shop Sales man + Hardware Technician for IT Company with minimum 2 years experience.

Contact: 98825806 / 98825806, Email: info@rns-group.com

MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR ENGI./TECHNICIAN Qualified and experience Technician required for the kitchen restaurant equipments. Who can repair hot and cold equipments will be preferred. Contact: Email: alsatrading14@gmail.com / Fax: 24727481 Testing / Protection Engineer with minimum 05 years of experience and should have Oman DCRP license, Interested candidates send resume to krishivan@gmail.com CCTV & Burglar alarm Technician. Urgently looking for an Expatriate with minimum 5 years experience with NOC. Email your CV with recent Photograph to: joyr@alasalaintl.com

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

Supervisor required for Construction Company having Omani driving license, fresher’s can apply.

Contact: 92888337 Branch Manger required to manage entire Business. ftt@futuretarget.net 99110080 Urgently required a Purchase Manager to handle all the procurements for a reputed Ready-mix concrete Company, having its branches all over Oman. The candidate should possess required experience, product knowledge and excellent communication skills. Interested candidates may send their CV to sndakshin@gmail. com / Contact: 99256757

Wanted Staff Nurse for a dermatology clinic in Muscat .

Must have MOH license and NOC. Attractive salary offered. Email: clinicvacancy2015@gmail.com Care Medical Centre Al Seeb requires Gynecologist and General Practitioner. Mail CV to: sarita_h23@yahoo.com Urgently required experienced female Lab Technician, with knowledge of histopathology & cytology, with MOH release, for a well-known laboratory in Al Khuwair.

Contact: 95271561/98893034

Required smart, young, dynamic Sales & Marketing Executive having 2-3 years sales experience for a reputed manufacturing company in Oman, having its Head Office in Ruwi. Experience in building materials is an added advantage. Omani Driving License and NOC is a must.

Attractive remuneration package.

Apply with photograph to E-mail: salesjobds@gmail.com

Required candidates for following posts: Accountant, Storekeeper, Foreman Building Maintenance, Van-salesman (water), Helpers.

Candidates with Omani driving license preferred.

Contact 99273774/99202278

Indian male age 26, Accountant one year experience in accounts looking for suitable job. Contact Email: Anishkhan991867@gmail.

Com Mobile: +968 9565 9415

Indian male B.COM, MBA 4 years in Larsen & Toubro total 26 years gulf experience English, Arabic speaking driving license NOC available.

Contact: 95588565

Qualified and experienced MBA post graduate with proven work exposure in Middle East & India, having more than 5.5 years of rich experience in accounts , project coordination and administration in (3.5 years UAE experience) oil and gas projects is currently looking for suitable job. Contact 93953613, Email-allen.mathew83@gmail.com

Accountant Having 5 Years experience in reputed companies.

Currently working in Muscat (NOC AVAILABLE) GSM.91367217 Email Shahid0717@gmail.com Indian/MBA/male Chief Accountant 18Yrs Experience, MIS, C.Flow, Budgeting, ERP, Cost accounting &Liasing with auditors. NOC available.

Contact: 92254691/97826674 email: khader2305@gmail.com Indian (Male) having 17+years Experience in Trading & Healthcare seeking senior Position in Accounts (11 years GCC Experience)currently on Resident Visa (NOC Available) and has a valid Omani Driving Licence. Contact: 91335026; skumartp@gmail.com Part time Accountant available to handle all accounts up to finalization and audit work.

Contact: 95804210 Indian male B.Com graduate looking for suitable placement in accounts, office Administration & marketing, 12 years experience, NOC available Oman D/L. Contact: 95804210 Part time Accountant up to finalization auditing available after 4 pm. Contact: 91126314

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED ARCHITECT Architect and 3D visualize three years experience 1.5 in Oman fluent in Arabic and English have Omani driving license looking for job with consultancy office or interior design firm. Contact: 94673937 Architect Engineer seeking for suitable job, 8 years experience.

GSM : 96075000, Email : haytham_201046@yahoo.com Indian female diploma architect 6 years exp in Oman Engineering consultancy, valid Oman driving license. Contact: 96683293 / 97750870

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Indian male age 24, B.Com. Accountant having 2 year experience and currently in Muscat.

Looking for suitable placement in finance or Audit. Contact: 90766307 Email: shhaazz.007@gmail.com Indian Male 22 , Graduate , Specialized in Tally ERP 9.0, SAP B 1& Professional in Indian & Foreign Accounting (CPIFA) with 1 year work experience , on visit visa in Muscat , Contact no:91782545

Accountant 8Years Experience with D/L and NOC. Contact: 97712084 Indian, Kerala Male B.COM & B.PE, Currently on Visit Visa. Looking for a suitable job in Accounts, Store Keeper, Sales etc. Ready to join as early as possible. Contact: 96988923 email:- sajith3969@gmail.com

Indian female 33 years with 9.5 years experience (1yr in Oman) as Executive Secretary, Administration, Sales Coordinator, and HR coordinator seeks suitable placement. Contact 97985059 sarithajbinu@gmail.com

7 Years experience as Financial Analyst, MBA in finance. Responsibilities- research contributor, financial statement analysis, generating MIS & efficiency report, managing TAT, business & clients.

On visit visa in Muscat.

Contact- 90191628 / 96175780

Required Indian Mason – 5 nos., eligibility (minimum 5 yrs experience in road construction field).

Contact: 99882127 Email: georgymv@yahoo.com

Sudanese Accountant, Alexandria University Graduate bachelor of commerce Diploma of Marketing professional photographer worked in PR and social media for 2 years looking for a job in public relations media, social media or marketing.

Contact: 96976240

Indian 20 years well experienced accounts & finance professional looking for immediate placement NOC available. Contact: 94546455 Email: salahuddin8@gmail.com

Required marketing / PR manager for a modern restaurant group in Oman , proficient in illustrator & Photoshop charismatic , proactive , creative & flexible excellent writing / Editing skills degree in relevant area fluent in English. Send CV to marketingpr2016@gmail.com

Tailor shop requires Master Cutter & hand embroidery.

Contact – 99359700

Indian male 31 chartered Accountant having 2 years Oman experience looking for suitable placement in finance and audit field NOC available.

Contact: 96357827 Email: ubaiskeeran@gmail.com

ADMIN

Young Indian male (25) with B.Com degree on visit visa with D/L and N.O.C for simple opportunities preferably in accounting.

Contact : 96324484

SKILLED / UNSKILLED

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

Sudanese GIS Analyst hold master in RS & GIS Resident have an experience in accounting & store management. Contact: 97943738

Required female person to work at the retail shop/Marketing.

Please send your CV on e mail: zeyanaalharmaly@yahoo.com

MISCELLANEOUS Advertising company required Graphic designer knowledge of designing, Photoshop, illustrator, coral draw & Salesman with D/L. Send CV to suroordigital@gmail.com Contact No: 94771366/ 95338210

Indian male 31 chartered accountant with 2 years Oman experience looking for suitable placement NOC available. Contact: 96357827 Email: ubasikeeran@gmail.com

Part Time Accounting, Audit Preparation, Internal Audit, Monthly Reports, Accounting set up for new companies, GSM: 96975454, email: ibfc.gcc@gmail.com Part time accounting workers up to finalization, on monthly basis & yearly finalization works.

Contact : 96247295 ACCA qualified professional lady with 5 years experience in finance management accounts is looking for a suitable placement NOC can be Contact: 94521899 28/male/MBA - finance/B.Com Accountant with 4 years of Dubai/ India experience looking for a suitable placement.

Contact : 90187483 shobinkarikkan1987@gmail.com Indian female 28 yrs B.Com 4 yrs experience in MNC’s currently in Muscat seeking suitable placement in Finance / Admin.

Contact :94743790 Accountant available with NOC, 7 years experience in Oman.

Ready to join immediately.

Contact 98263394 ACCA member with 6 yrs of experience in Oman looking for a suitable job in finance. Contact: 99284193 Well experienced Account M.Com available with NOC, Tally & ERP. Contact : 99035707 Indian male 34 yrs, M.Com – Finance with 5 yrs experience in Accounts in India, presently in visiting visa looking for a suitable placement. Contact: 93671785 Email: jeyan903@gmail.com Indian male 34 Yrs, Dual MBA Finance and marketing with IT skills, 7+ yrs of experience, Looking for suitable placement. contact 94879615,Emailsajan_chacko1981@yahoo.com

Indian 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 With 15 years of gulf experience in HR- Admin logistics looking for suitable position fluent in Arabic & Eng NOC available. Contact: 95824598 Indian male 21 yrs Graduate in business administration (BBA) with computer knowledge (hardware & software) seeks suitable employment immediately.

Contact: 98085633 / 98898504 Indian female, MSC more than 6 years Oman experience in office coordination, administration & managerial, clerical jobs looking for a suitable position.

Contact: 91303124 Indian female, 27, MCA, 2 yrs experience in Administration and HR in India & Oman. Currently in family visa seeking suitable jobs preferably in Muscat.

Contact.99417993 Indian/ 23yrs female/ 5yrs GCC experience with NOC looking for a suitable position in HR/Admin / Accounts/ BD. Contact +96890656997 Indian female with nearly 10 years of Oman experience in Administration & HR, seeking suitable placement. NOC available.

Contact: 99242841 Filipino HRD especialist / material controller supervisor with 18 yrs experience looking for suitable job in Oman. Contact: (+968) 98037142 / (+968) 92659817 Indian female MBA / HR, 2.5 experience seeking suitable job.

Contact: 99257214 Indian female MBA fin & HR now on visit visa looking for suitable placement. Contact: 92097764

DESIGNER Interior design supervisor 6 yrs experience valid Oman license NOC / release available. Contact: 92508926

DESIGNER 13 years experience driver.

Contact 95068976

T H U R S DAY, J U N E 3 0, 2 0 1 6

D5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED ůĞĐƚƌŽŶŝĐƐ ĂŶĚ ŽŵŵƵŶŝĐĂƟ ŽŶ

ENGINEER

^ƵĚĂŶĞƐĞ DĂůĞ ϯϱ LJƌƐ ͘^Đ ůĞĐƚƌŽŶŝĐ ^LJƐƚĞŵ ŶŐŝŶĞĞƌŝŶŐ

Indian male MBA

MANAGER/SUPER.

Finance & Marketing 25 yrs having 1.9 years of experience Finance & Marketing Contact: 95206140/ 96992013

ŽŶƚĂĐƚ ͗ ϵϯϵϭϵϵϰϯ ĂŐŶĞůũĞƌŝŶΛLJĂŚŽŽ͘ĐŽŵ

ǁŝƚŚ ϭϭ LJƌƐ͘ džƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ŝŶ 'ŽǀͬWƌŝǀĂƚĞ͘ /^ K ; EWͲZΘ^Ϳ ĂŶĚ ƚŚŝĐĂů ŚĂĐŬŝŶŐ ; , ǀϴͿ ĞƌƟ Į ĞĚ͘ ƐƚƌŽŶŐ ŬŶŽǁůĞĚŐĞ ŽĨ ŶĞƚǁŽƌŬ ĂĚŵŝŶŝƐƚƌĂƟ ŽŶ ĂŶĚ /d ƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ ŵĂŶĂŐĞŵĞŶƚ͘ ŵĂŝů͗ ŐĂďĂƌŽŬŝϮŬΛŐŵĂŝů͘ĐŽŵ DŽď͗нϵϳϰϱϬϰϳϱϬϯϰ

bonnythomas007@gmail.com

DRIVER

Ŷ D ;MĂƌŬĞƟ ŶŐ ĂŶĚ FŝŶĂŶĐĞͿ

Indian Male MBA (UK),

An M (MĂƌŬĞƟ ŶŐ ĂŶĚ FŝŶĂŶĐĞͿ

Light driver job exp 4 years, know Hindi, English, Arabic, Education B.A. Contact: 98522914

AŌ Ğƌ Žŵ ;Kĸ ĐĞ ŵĂŶĂŐĞŵĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ ƐĞĐƌĞƚĂƌŝĂů ƉƌĂĐƟ ĐĞͿ 'ƌĂĚƵĂƟ ŽŶ ǁŝƚŚ ^ W ZW ĂŶĚ ĐĐŽƵŶƚƐ ;^ W ĞƌƟ Į ĞĚͿ͕ ĚŝƉůŽŵĂ ŝŶ IŶƚĞƌŶĂƟ ŽŶĂů &ŝŶĂŶĐŝĂů ZĞƉŽƌƟ ŶŐ ^ƚĂŶĚĂƌĚƐ ;/ WͲh<Ϳ͕ ƉĞĂĐŚ ƚƌĞĞ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƟ ŶŐ ĂŶĚ ĐŽŶƐŝĚĞƌĂďůĞ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ƐĞĞŬƐ ƐƵŝƚĂďůĞ ƉůĂĐĞŵĞŶƚ͘

9 years experience in Dubai/London/ Mumbai in Management Consulting, Sales & Marketing, Business Development for Real Estate/Banking seeks similar placement with D/L.

WŝƚŚ ^ W ĞƌƉ ĂŶĚ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚƐ ;^ W ĞƌƟ Į ĞĚͿ͕ ĚŝƉůŽŵĂ ŝŶ ůŶƚĞƌŶĂƟ ŽŶĂů &ŝŶĂŶĐŝĂů ZĞƉŽƌƟ ŶŐ ^ƚĂŶĚĂƌĚƐ ;/ WͲh<Ϳ͕ ƉĞĂĐŚ ƚƌĞĞ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƟ ŶŐ ĂŶĚ ĐŽŶƐŝĚĞƌĂďůĞ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ƐĞĞŬƐ ƐƵŝƚĂďůĞ ƉůĂĐĞŵĞŶƚ

'Ɛŵ͗нϵϱϴ ϵϴϭϬϯϮϱϬ

Contact: 95168205

'Ɛŵ͗ нϵϲϴ ϵϴϭϬϯϮϰϳ

WŝƚŚ Ϯ LJĞĂƌƐ ĞdžƉ ŝŶ dĞůĞĐŽŵ ƐĞĐƚŽƌ͕ ĐƵƌƌĞŶƚůLJ ŽŶ ǀŝƐŝƚ ǀŝƐĂ͕ ůŽŽŬŝŶŐ ĨŽƌ ƐƵŝƚĂďůĞ ƉůĂĐĞŵĞŶƚ͘

Light Driver / Supervisor Fluent in English & Arabic, Well knowledge of Muscat Areas Looking for suitable placement.

Contact Tariq: 97950869 Driver light duty (house or company) valid Gulf D/L looking job.

Contact- 95175192 Pakistani driver with car Subaru 2004 model. Contact: 99667817 Driver with Electrician 4 years experience looking for job.

Contact: 97456062 Pakistani driver with 3 years experience, seeking for placement familiar with Batinah & Sharqiyah regions. Contact 99832706 Looking for driver job.

Contact: 99035942 /97383016 Looking for job driver.

Contact: 94158238 Six years experienced light duty vehicle driver looking for a suitable placement. Contact: 96362871 Driver with light duty license 10 yrs exp. Contact: 94566432 Driver with car. Contact:93346085 Bangladeshi driver looking for job.

Contact: 97418036 Experience driver 12 years experience in GCC, seeks suitable placement. Contact: 93722881

DESIGNER/DRAUGHTSMAN Architectural Draftsmen diploma in construction technology with 6 years experience in drafting and detailing as per British standard in Oman with valid Omani license looking for suitable opportunity Noc available. Call 94375897.

Autocad works freelance, MEP, Civil works, Interior, 2d/3d, BOQ etc.

Contact 97103168 Revit, Autocad D/man, expected salary 200 OMR PH :92279784 Filipino Senior Revit/AutoCAD Draftsman with 20 years professional experience is looking for suitable job in Oman. Please Contact: 96489798, (+974) 66653780.

DIETICIAN Indian female dietician with 3 years experience in India seeking a suitable placement preferable in Muscat. Contact: 99104209

EDUCATION/TRAINING Female B. Ed English teacher, 7 yrs exp seeking suitable placement. Contact 99739415 / 92091528

ENGG. / SUPERVISOR

PROJECT ENGINEER - CIVIL - 13 years experience in construction at Oman seeking suitable position NOC available - Contact 94427535 (sbmkandan7@gmail.com)

Mechanical diploma, Indian male 26, 4 years experienced MEP supervisor seeks suitable openings NOC / Release available.

Contact: 97901559

Diploma in Mechanical Engg, 10 years exp in steel fabrication site work with valid Oman driving license. Contact: 94696192

Civil Engineer 8 years experience Structural buildings marine. Available NOC release. Contact: 92451323.

Email: zubairali134@yahoo.com

Young Indian, Engineering in Bio-technology, Bio-chemical and Chemical, looking for a challenging placement in Oman.

Contact 97607000. Email: sivasankarjayakumar@gmail.com

B.Sc Civil Engineer 7 years gulf experience total experience 9 years having GCC D/L seeking for suitable replacement local release available.

Contact: 98628515/ 98289234 Email: sofiq.sohel02@gmail.com

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

Mech. Engineer 10 years GCC exp automobile / oil & gas / const project / plant, equip machinery in charge with driving license NOC. Contact: 95774585

B.E Electrical Engineer, Age 28 yrs.

5.5 yrs experience. 2 yrs in OMAN as site supervisor/ site engineer, with valid GCC license.

NOC available. Contact: 95527936 Email: pksg07@gmail.com Civil Engineer diploma, 4 yrsexp seeks suitable position ina reputed company. NOC available.

Contact 96789711 B.E Mechanical Engineer, age 24 with almost 1 year experience as Production Shift Engineer, has achieved training on HVAC Engineering design and has good hands on software like AutoCAD and HAP.Currently in Oman on a visit visa, looking for a suitable placement.Contact: 95065955 email: mjs.jazeb@gmail.com Electrical Engineer: Indian male 30 years, having 5 years of experience in industrial automation & utility maintenance in Indian, holding valid Oman D/L. Contact: 92789995 Email: akhilabrahamlktr@gmail.com Indian male BE Mechanical with 11 years experience in Automotive Engineering and Industrial Maintenance in Oman with valid driving license seeks suitable job.

On release in Oman-92880593 Civil Engineer B.Tech with 6+ years in supervision designing planning and QC expert in Mech, civil software. Contact: 90719263 Project co-odinater & AutoCAD draftsman Indian male, 8 yrs exp in Oman in civil, interior, precasting with D/L & NOC. Contact: 92188496, Email: vimalg.kannur@gamil.com Quantity surveyor (B.E Civil) 5+ years experience in buildings and mosque N.O.C available ready to join immediately. Contact: +97826597 / +919171430681 Email: sai.praba.777@gmail.com For preparing Civil / MEP Auto CAD drawings.

Contact -93480346.

Email: cadjobsoman@gmail.com Civil Engineer 7 years experience, Driving license, NOC available.

Contact- 98078095

Mechanical Engineer with one year’s experience as Asst. Piping Engineer having good knowledge of PIPING DESIGNS, PDMS, SP3D, AUTOCAD, PRO-ENGINEER WILDFIRE, DS CATIA, JAVA SCRIPTS etc, looking for suitable opportunity. Contact: +96899200724/24496072.

Diploma Civil Engineering (certificate attested) 6 years Oman experience as interior work site in charge / quantity surveyor NOC/ Release available.Contact: 93120433

Fresh Engineering graduate B.Tech mechanical engineering now in Oman on visit seeks suitable placement. Contact: 95853514/98280172

Electrical Engineer B.Tech, Indian available in Oman, 2+ years Oman exp (MEP) Light D/L. Contact - 93832935

Civil Engr. Diploma 8 yrs exp in construction & consultancy with auto cad. D/L.Contact: 93060770 Email: vinodpmani@gmail.com Civil Engineer, Indian male 4 Years experience in Oman & India.

Looking for Permanent Placement in Oman. NOC Available, Contact: +96895984661,+96891455949 Civil Quantity Surveyor with 3yr UAE experience seeking job.

UAE driving license holder.

Email: javad.ahamad@gmail.com +96895641991; +971557969671

Civil Engineer (B.Tech), Indian male 24 years with 1+years Indian experience,(Certified in Staad Pro/ Quantity Survey/ Auto Cad).

Looking for a Suitable position.

Available In Sultanate of Oman (Muscat) on Visit Visa.

Contact 92157694. E-mail: mohammedamair.bin@gmail.com An Iraqi civil with more than 30 years experience in (Iraq and G.C.C) looking for a job, (N.O.C) available. Contact: 96561306 Email: iq.bgd.mnsr@gmail.com Indian male, Mechanical Engineer having 1year experience, on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact:97416564, Email:jovinmathias@gmail.com Civil Engineer (QS) 2 yrs exp seeking job UAE D/L. Contact: +96895641991 Electrical Engineer 5 years experience substations oil & Gas water projects fluency in Arabic & English & English driving license available. Contact: 99525856 Indian male Civil Engg. 11 years experience having Omani driving license, NOC available.

Contact: 95797286 Email: nasim.anzar@yahoo.com Chemical Engineer with MBA & experience looking for job.

Contact: 94908977 Mechanical Engineer, B.Tech (Post Graduate) looking for suitable placement. Contact: 99576846 mail: rajeevt@modern-irrigation.com Mechanical Engineer 7 years experience plumbing firefighting water pipeline projects fluency in Arabic and English driving license available. Contact: 91117089 Architect Engineer seeking for suitable job 4 years experience currently working in Muscat, NOC available. Contact: 99823368 Electronics & telecommunication BE Indian male having skills in electronics communication, networking , embedded having 2 years experience looking for suitable position available in Oman on family visit visa. Contact: 93051918 Email: sadatbtisekar25@gmail.com Indian male, Structural Engineer looking for job in structural design field. Having 6 years of experience in design field. Residing in Muscat. Contact: 91176187 Email: syam036@gmail.com B.Tech Civil Engineer 2 years experience on visit seeks urgent placement. Contact: 98233199 Electrical Engineer with 16 years experience in switchgear / transformer / over head lines & trading, looking for sales / procurement & project planning & Execution with NOC & D/L. Contact: 95994727 Email: qurm340@gmail.com Civil Engineer, young Indian having almost 2 years experience looking for a challenging position seeks suitable position in Oman/ GCC. Please contact 92718490, Email ID: uvais.pk82@gmail.com

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. Indian male B-tech 8 years experience as senior electrical project engineer / QC engineer on visit visa seeks suitable placement.

Contact 94094543 Email: anwar425@gmail.com Site Supervisor, Diploma in Civil Engg (cert attested) knows autocad revit, salary exp: 250 Ph : 92279784

ENGG. / TECH./MECH.

Mechanical Engineer (B.Tech) Indian male with 2 year experience, AREA OF INTEREST Work on Oil Rigs, Work as an QA/QC inspector, Ultrasonic testing, Radiographic testing.

Contact: +91 9567526566 Email: adujohnson10@gmail.com

Fresh Engineering graduate MTech in mechanical Automation and automobile Engineering now in Oman on visit seeks suitable placement. Contact: 95853514 / 98280794

Email:

Civil Engineer 8 years experience in Oman as a project engineer for governmental & private projects.

Contact – 90164912

Agriculture Engineer 2 8rs, with 5 yrsexp in the field of agriculture, landscaping & irrigation. Since 2 yrs working in different projects.

Having valid UAE driving license.

Currently in Oman (Salalah) on visit visa. Contact – 94120190 / Muhammad.irfan3786@yahoo.com B.E Mechanical Engineer, age 33 with 6+ years experience in GCC in MEP building construction field (execution and design of HVAC,firefighting,plumbing), with D/L, NOC available Contact 96978380, Email: prajithks@gmail.com Construction Machinery repairs Engineer, 5 years, driving license, Contact - 94001961 Indian mechanical supervisor (diploma) 17 yrs experience in petrochemical construction (fabrication erection) in all steel structural and mechanical jobs, on visit visa seeks suitable placement.

Contact: 90924467 Email: pnpraveen@yahoo.co.in Indian male 24 ,B.E ( E.C.E ) graduate with 3 years of experience in the fields of BMS and Low current systems and has good knowledge about Electronic Security Systems, currently working in Oman, NOC Available. Contact:-94737033/ mohdmuhafez45@gmail.com Electrical & Electronics Engr, knows autocad & revit.

PH: 93837973 Pakistani male Diploma Civil Engineer 4yrs exp in Oman bulling & mega projects, valid license Oman. Contact: 98921022 Sr. Electrical Engineer with17+ yrs of exceptional exp in spear heading strategic planning and project management initiatives & executing various high rise residential & commercial building as well as roads and highway project with proficiency in installation, seeking a challenging position in a dynamic organization.

Contact 96570891 Indian female 25years M.E (power electronics) 3years experience in teaching profession looking for suitable job. Contact no 97003267 & 94214909 Email: laliped106@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer (Sudanese) 3 years experience : Fire fighting, HSE, Design, Production.

Contact: 93642704 Email: mohamedfdl87@gmail.com Civil Engineer (Indian male) 5 years experience in Oman with valid Omani driving license & NOC looking for suitable opportunity.

Contact: 93101283 Sr. Quantity surveyor B.Tech (Civil Tech) above 8 years (7 years in Oman) having driving license NOC available. Contact: 92324791 Senior Land Surveyor 23 yrs Oman, UAE & Egypt GPS, T.S Construction roads infrastructure oil feed electric works OHL, UGC grid , primary substation processing data. Contact: 95326927 / 92928981 Email: sdsda802@gmail.com

Chief Accountant/Finance Manager – Indian male, CA Finalist, having 20 years’ experience in Finance, Accounts, Audit, Finalization of Accounts, preparation of Project Reports etc., looking for immediate placement.

12 yrs. in Oman in Construction and Consultancy co., have Omani D/L, knows Tally. Contact 94041048, email: jobmuscat49@gmail.com Indian male - 8 yrs exp as HSE office/supervisor -on visit visa- seeks suitable opening in Sohar - Contact 94532131 / 98317698; Email: jaseerhse@gmail.com 8 Years experienced camp boss worked in SAOG CO. Looking for suitable position. NOC available.

Contact - 94298945

MISCELLANEOUS HOSPITALITY Indian male 31yrs old with hotel management degree, 3 yrs experience in F&B services at 5 star hotel Dubai, 05 yrs in American 06 star cruise liner has butler. Has Oman driving license. Contact- 99859150.

IT SAP Business Objects / Data Warehousing professional. 10 years experience with top IT global companies (HP and Accenture) in team leading roles. Oman Family visa. Looking for jobs in Muscat. Contact: 91487199 BSC Software Engineer 2 years experience in ASPN. NET, C#, SQI server, mysql , crystal report, visual studio , capable of Jave, Php, HTML and roid looking for suitable vacancy. # 90696220/ 92729744 Indian male ERP Consultant 15 yrs exp, 11 yrs in gulf looking for IT management jobs, local release, Oman D/L. Contact: 94618761 Indian female, MCA currently on family visit visa skills in ASP , NET , DBMS, AutoCAD civil seeks suitable placement NT, Interested in teaching. Contact: 90417133 Email: renjitharose04@gmail.com Indian male 22 years B.A. Animation & Graphic Adobe suites and Maya, seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 90930015 Email: rahu.pamachandran50@gmail.com Female, 31, B.Tech- ECE/CCNA/ GSM, 5 yrs Oman experience in IT support (AD, exchange, TMG, UNIS Server admin, In-house apps support, project placement, Transfer NOC available. Contact: 95742398 Indian Male, MCA Graduate, 15 yrs exp in ERP, CSM Certified, seeking suitable role.NOC Available. Contact : GSM : 90189284 Email: meetlibran@gmail.com Indian female M.Sc Computer Science seeking suitable placement in Muscat area. #98660672 SAP Business Objects / Data Warehousing professional. 10 years experience with top 5 IT global companies (HP and Accenture) in team leading roles. Oman family visa. Looking for jobs in Muscat. Phone: 91487199 IT Support Engineer, Exp 3 years in Oman 2 years in India.

Contact: 94672759 Indian male 4 years experience in IT as Programmer / Web Support/ CCNA/ Network on visit visa seeking placement. Contact: 93069694 Email: mrabrar14@gmail.com 3 years experience in IT Software field, seeking suitable jobs.

Contact: 96350234, Email : greeshmavkannan@gmail.com

MEDICAL Indian Male with 13 Years Oman Experience as Assistant Pharmacist with Valid MOH License and Oman D/L is looking for a Suitable Job in Muscat Area. NOC available.

Please Contact: 92121414 Sri Lankan female qualified in UK with BSC (Hons) pharmacology and MSC pharmaceutical science with management studies having one year experience in Sir Lanka, looking suitable placement in regulatory affairs, clinical research / trials, Pharmacologist, pharmacovigilance and research. #99550318 Indian female dentist specialized Endodontist, looking for suitable placement. Parametric completed.

Contact: 96410448

Indian Female, 25 Years - MSc Biotechnology, 1yr exp. in Clinical Microbiology & 6 months working exp. in international crop reserch institute of semi arid crops (ICRISAT) Looking for suitable job.

Contact 92619048, Email: anusreeg1991@gmail.com Indian male B.com MBA 4 years in L &T total 26 years gulf experienced English & Arabic speaking driving license with NOC. Contact: 95588565 Indian candidate with 15 years experience in Facility Management (Soft Service) looking for part time assignments / Consultancy Opportunities.

Contact- 98469311/96179737 27, Indian female B.com graduate with 4 years experience in procurement and purchases on family visa looking for immediate and suitable placement.

Contact: 95828986 Sudanese 27 yrs BSC in IT having Omani driving in resident visa experience in Administration P.R.O general account and tourism language Arabic and English.

Contact: 94907717 Email: momazoon@gmail.com Indian looking for a job in the trade 27 years of age for a friendly college degree. Contact: 96424192 Sudanese male bachelor geology and mining with 3 years experience in MUD logging and training in soil investigation.

Contact: 92956848 BS in Electrical Engineering, Experience: 5 years(Power Plants).

Contact: 92475206 Email: zahaibzafar007@gmail.com Indian male 28yrs Bcom 3yrs exp. in warehouse operations (including pharmaceutical). Well knowledge in WMS & ERP, looking for suitable job. Ph. 95576686, E: sijofranz@gmail.com (UAE visa holder, currently in Oman) Indian male, 28, post graduate, 6+ yrs exp in Oman in sales (back office) & credit control with valid Oman D/L looking for suitable lacements. NOC available. # 92066 523

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE Indian, 20 years experience in Oman as personal assistant / office manager / executive secretary / administrator / business development asst. seeks job change. Release available. Contact 99168054.

Lady Secretary / Sales Co-coordinator 12 years experience in Oman in reputed companies, seek immediate Employment.

Call: 95244761 Looking for part time job Secretarial / Data Entry / Documentation available every day after 5:00 pm Friday / Saturday full day area preferred Ruwi/ CBD/ MBD / Al Khuwair. Contact: 90414827 Indian female BE, 3 years office assistant experience, seeking placement.Contact-90655903 Indian Female, 25 Years - MSc Looking for suitable job.

Mobile: 92619048, Email: anusreeg1991@gmail.com

SKILLED / UNSKILLED Electrician, plumber, helper, Indian & gulf exp looking job.

Contact - 95175192 Mason, sh/carpenter, steel fitter, with medical. Contact- 95175192 or mail, oman.manpower@yahoo.com

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DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION WANTED SALES / MARKETING Indian Male, 26 M.Com with 4 yrs of Experience in Accounting & Administration in a Financial Company in India, seeks suitable job, Currently in India.

Contact India:-+918907212253 Akhil:-93626288, Email: Sumeshpsmkr1989@gmail.com Sales 2 years B.Com male 24 yrs, Indian.

Contact: 00968 94212636 naveed.ahmeed315@gmail.com Indian female 29 years Post Graduate with computer Knowledge 2 years of Oman experience in coordinator & 5 years of experience in customer service, client relation officer with excellent communication skill seeks suitable placement.

Contact: 95337665

Oil &gas experienced Indian lady with 6 years in sales & marketing to PDO and having valid Omani driving license. Contact 96143430/99875919 Indian male 1 yr exp in sales automotive (TBL) looking for best opportunity , NOC available.

Contact: 97793879 Email: shyampkn@gmail.com Indian male Graduate with 18 years of Marketing experience presently in Oman on family visit visa, looking for best opportunity.

Contact: 96168687 Email: dhibupaul@gmail.com Indian male graduate, 10 years experience Oman seeks job in Sales & Marketing. #92133277

Indian male 3.5 yr experience in Oman sales and purchase having valid Oman driving license seeking for suitable job. Contact 91076676 Sales representative with 7 years experience and valid Oman driving license, NOC or release available-99695780 Indian male 26 years of experience of sales & marketing in surgical and laboratory equipments.

Looking for good replacement.

Contact – 92015894 / 95774854 Indian female, MBA Marketing with 4 years experience with 4 years experience with Oman experience, NOC and D/L looking for suitable opening with visa.

Contact: 92460623

Indian Male, MBA marketing 5 yrs exp. in sales & 4 yrs in FMCG sector, looking for best opportunity. NOC available.

Contact: 96001877

Indian male MBA 5 yrs experience in Oman and India seeking suitable position in marketing & sales NOC available. Contact: 93059175 Email: pranodsathyan11@gmail.com

Indian male 33 having 6 yrs exp in Oman & 4 yes exp in Qatar having valid Oman D/L seeks opportunity in sales & business development. Contact: 98260607 Email: amrish.sukumar@gmail.com

Indian male 24 B.com, 2years of experience in sales & admin & proficient in M.S Office, Excel.

Contact: 98613373 Email: syedismailnoor@gmail.com

35 years male, Lebanese holding British passport, 10 years of experience in procurement, Omani Government tenders, setup marketing plans & strategies, importing, Organizing events, management, have car, NOC available. Contact 94123939 Email: 002015r@gmail.com

Indian Male MBA, 5 years Building Materials Project Sales experience in Oman, NOC available, seeking for placement.

Contact - 90655903,99325544 B. Com 2 years experience in Sales Marketing Logistics Accounts and Front office Contact 95506048

Indian Male, Experienced in FMCG & other kind of Sales, looking for suitable placement in Foodstuff/FMCG Industry with valid GCC license. Immediately available. Contact: 94625495.

Indian male 37 years MBA graduate in marketing with 9yrs of experience in UAE in field of brand promotions & marketing with UAE D/L on a visit seeking suitable position. Conatct 95792820 Filipino Male, 28 years Old. Looking for job, Have experience in Rent a Car/ Cargo & Logistics / Real Estate/ Customer Care Executive / Sale Executive & Marketing/ Shop In- Charge. Hard working w/ good computer and communication skill.

GSM: 97761075

SITUATION WANTED COMPUTER/WEB./ EDUCATION/CLASSES

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

in Azaiba and Ruwi

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

earn in two months

tion guaranteed

Tel: 95244310

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

SERVICES tĞ WƌŽǀŝĚĞ ůĞĂŶĞƌƐ͕ Kĸ ĐĞ ďŽLJƐ͕ ůĞĂŶŝŶŐ ŽŶƚƌĂĐƚƐ͕ 'ĞŶĞƌĂů ĐůĞĂŶŝŶŐ ĞƚĐ͘ ů DƵĚĂŬŚŝƌ EĂƟ ŽŶĂů Ɛƚ͘ >> ŽŶƚĂĐƚ ͗ ϵϰϮϳϳϬϮϬ WĞƐƚ ĐŽŶƚƌŽů Θ ƵŝůĚŝŶŐ ĐůĞĂŶŝŶŐ Ăůů ŬŝŶĚƐ ŽĨ ƉĞƐƚ ĐŽŶƚƌŽů ďƵŝůĚŝŶŐ͘ ůĞĂŶŝŶŐ Ɵ ůĞƐ ͬ MĂƌďůĞ ƉŽůŝƐŚŝŶŐ ŵŽŶƚŚůLJͬ YĞĂƌůLJ ĐŽŶƚƌĂĐƚƐ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ͘ ŽŶƚĂĐƚ͗ ϵϴϴϭϰϳϯϯ ͬϵϴϴϭϰϳϰϬ ů ,ƵƐŶ ůĞĂŶŝŶŐ >͘>͘ Split unit A/C & window unit A.C servicing & maintenance.

Contact: 96236476 Al farzdaq Al Fedi Trad and Cont Maintenance services electric, plumbing and A/C. Contact: 96524904 /94285064 A/C Maintenance & Servicing, Fridge, Washing machine & Dish washer repairing, Painting & Cleaning services, Electrical & plumbing.

Contact 99447257 / 97014234 / 24504281

WE SERVE OMAN

Window & split unit A.C servicing & repairing. Contact: 99557080 Marble crystallization & grinding, Ocean center LLC Contact: 99344723 Cleaning services sofa shampoo, carpet shampoo, new house, old house. Contact: 92179395 Marble crystallization & grinding, cleaning & carpet shampooing.

Ocean center LLC. Contact 99344723

Split unit & window unit A.C servicing & maintenance.

Contact: 93769089 / 95323517

Split & window A/C servicing, repairing, installation ducted, package etc. Contact Abbas : 98667326

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

CAD drawings Archi/ MEP CAD – comply BIM. Contact: 91233975

House shifting packing.

Contact: 99657644/98518013

House shifting & transporting.

Contact 92490422

Water proofing ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722

Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS- 99320217 /24788722

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

All Maintenance and services electric, CCTV Camera, Plumbing A/C service and gas installation, painting tiles. Contact: 96524904 / 94285064

Pest control treatments, Ocean center LLC Contact 99344723

MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble. Contact 24793614/ 99314807 Pest control Gulfa international.

Contact: 92326955 House shifting. Contact 99708138

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DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED CARGO

*Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

TOURS

Dolphin Watch, Dhow Cruise with Buffet, & Land Tours Al- Ainain Marine Tours contact 98029602, 92808636 We arrange tours & accommodation at all the beautiful places in Oman. Contact 99839898

DRIVING

RENT A CAR

MATRIMONIAL

MANPOWER

Parent of Palakkad based Hindu Nair / Menon boy aged 29 star pooram, under graduate presently working in Oman seeking alliance from parents undergraduate / graduate nair / menon girl age 2123 Contact: 99312383 after 7 pm Christian Evangelical girl, 27, 150 cm. ICWA, M.Com, working in a MNC Trivandrum. Seeks suitable proposals. Contact – 96040125/ 97889342 Parents of 28 yrs, Indian Boy from Mumbai, ACCA working as a senior accountant in Muscat, seeks alliance from an Indian Sunni Muslim family. Contact(parent): 96408642 email id: khaledaoman@gmail.com

Manpower available: cleaning male/female staff, loading unloading and helpers staff available on contract basis. Contact- 94636086

SIT. WANTED Indian Male B-Com graduate 2 year experience in various Fields Valid Oman Driving License.

Looking for any suitable post.

Please contact: 94409500 Indian male 25 years- BE- Computer Engineer with CISA and CCNA, having 3 years work experience in Oman, valid Omani driving license, seeking for suitable placement in IT companies or Audit companies for IT Audit job, NOC can be obtained.Contact:99253011 Indian Male, B.Com + Dip. Logistics 2year experience looking for a job in Accounts/Logistics Field. Presently on Visit Visa Mobile: 93884951/ Email:mehreenraiz@gmail.com

Maternal uncle of Indian Sunni Muslim girl aged 21, beautiful, tall and pursuing M.Sc, Urdu speaking hailing from Chennai seeks suitable alliance.

Contact: 97047811 Christian divorce, male 40.

Contact by Whatsapp: 91346321 Parents of 28 yrs, Indian Boy from Mumbai, ACCA working as a senior accountant in Muscat, seeks alliance from an Indian Sunni Muslim family. Contact no. (Parent): 96408642 email id: khaledaoman@gmail.com Ezhava male, 31yrs, height 5.6, star Magham, B. Tech aeronautical, administrative professional, parents in Oman, native Aluva (ekm). Mob-99550870 Parent of Thrissur based Hindu Ezhava girl aged 20, Slim,Atham star, Studying for B. Pharm seeking alliance from well employed Graduates, preferably in Engineering Contact :96425102

Ezhava male, 31yrs, height 5.6, Star Magham, B-Tech Aeronautical, administrative professional, parents in Oman, native Aluva (Ekm). Contact 99550870 Indian male Roman Catholic 40yrs divorcee working in Muscat. Seeks suitable alliance from widow/ divorcee/ single.

Contact 96059801.

Malankara Catholic Male Nurse (28) from Thiruvalla working in Nizwa Private Co. Alliance invites parents/nurses working in Oman.

Contact 968 98267338, 0091 9287215726

GOOD NEWS 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 / 97397320 Ayurvedic treatment for backache, paralysis, arthritis etc & massage, All Season (Vaidyaratnam). Contact:24475280 / 95371664 / 92504980 www.siddhayur.com

FOR LADIES Home service available, (Threading, facial, waxing, head massage) R0. 20 Contact 99619409

Gulf link rent car get the best rate daily weekly monthly & long term.

Contact: Tel: 24348106 G.S.M: 98265073 /96023931 Email: gulflink403@gmail.com

TRANSPORTATION Transportation. Contact: 91703829 Transportation available Ruwi to Al Khuwair, Ghubra & Azaiba.

Contact: 91103909 Transportation available Al Khuwair, Ghobrah, Azaiba, Al Hail & Al Khoud. Drop & pick.

Contact: 95250161

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

Contact: 91374879 / 96627562/ 99382001/ 24751177/ 24751188

TRANSPORTATION

TRANSPORTATION

Transportation required from Qurum to WadiKabir at afternoon only 1 PM. Contact - 99012165

Transportation. available.

For ladies Contact 92430239

Transportation. Contact:96538078

Transportation. Contact 92015894

Transportation. Contact 99508282

Transportation. Contact94510847

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T H U R S D AY, J U N E 3 0, 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDE

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