Times of Oman - May 30, 2016

TUESDAY

May 31, 2016 24 Sha’aban 1437 AH

FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTY THE SULTAN

MORNING MINUTE

On the occasion of the 7th National Day, 1977

‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’ Medical facilities have been substantially developed during the past year in the key areas of our country.

Founded 1975 . Volume 41 No. 85

| 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

EGYPT

His Majesty gets thanks MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has received a cable of thanks from President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt in reply to His Majesty’s condolences cable on victims of the Egyptian plane that crashed while coming from Paris.>A6 TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES

Case of employer asking worker to give-up flight home in payment for No Objection Certificate

OMAN

Stranded expats’ case

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Stranded Sawadi Beach Resort workers will not learn of their fate until at least June 6. >A2

REGION

TURN TO >A5

“Trading NOC is illegal,” advisor to Minister of Manpower tells company bosses in the Sultanate

Capture of Falluja

2

The Iraqi army stormed to the edge of Falluja under US air support. >A9

MARKET

Oman sukuk market

3

Omani private firms are keen to raise funds by way of sukuk. >B1

“Employees should expose such companies violating law,” says Oman trade union leader

E X C E S S I V E H E AT

‘ILLEGAL TRADE’

Indian schools restrict outdoor activity Times News Service

14 Oman locations to be tourism hotspots

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MUSCAT: To protect schoolchildren from the summer heat, the Board of Directors of Indian Schools has directed the principals of all 19 Indian schools to restrict outdoor activities to ensure that children are not exposed to excessive sunlight.

“This is a note of caution, because temperatures have been

soaring of late and prevailing hot weather conditions cause discomfort to everyone and everywhere.

While it is known that schools are taking precautionary measures to prevent children from exposure to sun and dehydration, it is felt there is a need to be very cautious, in view of the heat wave that may engulf certain areas of the Sultanate,” a note from the Indian Board stated. >A6

WEATHER FORECAST (In oC)

Tuesday 05/31

Maximum

42

0

Wednesday Thursday 06/01

400

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Monday

06/02

06/03

06/04

06/05

06/06

380

380

380

380

390

300

300

300

310

320

Minimum

330 Source: Wunderground

310

Graphics

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TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2016 It is very worrying for everyone concerned.

No one should have to live in such conditions Sarah Greenwood, member, What’s Happening Muscat Oman

OMAN

FIRE AT AMERAT SCHOOL DOUSED

A fire broke out at a school in Amerat was put out by firefighters, the Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulances (PACDA) tweeted on its official twitter handle. “There are no causalities in the accident,” the PACDA tweeted. -Supplied photo

S AWA D I B E A C H R E S O R T

W E E K LY U P D AT E

Case of stranded workers to be heard on June 6 REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Stranded Sawadi Beach Resort workers will not learn of their fate until at least June 6, as their employer again failed to appear at a labour dispute department meeting, according to workers.

“We were hoping that the employer will come and the issue would be settled. However, only his lawyer came. Our side was represented by our lawyer. The hearing has been postponed to June 6,” Suleiman Khalid Kazi, the manager of the resort, who is among the 28 stranded workers, told Times of Oman. The workers were left without food, water and power after the resort closed on March 11.

However, Oman trade union members came forward to support the workers by providing food and legal support. After news of their plight was reported by Times of Oman, a popular

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

The WHMO members raised money and collected needed personal items for the stranded workers. Further, members of the group have paid some of the workers’ debts, including school fees and loans. Sarah Greenwood, a WHMO member, has been on her phone talking to the stranded workers and updating WHMO members. “It is very worrying for everyone concerned. No one should have to live in such conditions,” she said.

Meanwhile, workers said that it is quite difficult to cope, especially. “We have families back home, and we have been not able to send money to them, since salaries are pending. It will be quite hard for them during the holy month of Ramadan.

So we hope the case is settled soon,” a worker added.

886 detained for violation of Labour Law Times News Service MUSCAT: In all 886 expatriates were found violating the Labour Law and detained by the Ministry of Manpower between May 22 to May 28, 2016.

Of them 738 were commercial workers, 44 farm workers and 104 domestic workers. The inspection teams from the Ministry of Manpower arrested 870 of the expatriate workers of whom 235 were absconders 611 had been relieved of their jobs and 24 had been referred to the ministry by other authorities.

North Al Batinah recorded the highest number of arrests with 270 followed by Dhofar with 187. The violators were referred to the responsible authority at the ministry to continue with legal procedures.

Meanwhile, 387 labour law violators have been deported during the same week.

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OMAN

JOB MARKET

‘Extending visa ban in Oman will affect market adversely’ FAHAD AL GHADANI

fahadnews@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Extending visa ban will affect the market adversely, company officials said.

A temporary ban on issuing new visas for certain job categories in the private sector will be extended by another six months by the Ministry of Manpower, a decision

uploaded on the Ministry of Legal Affairs’ website says.

The decision states that nine professions will have a prolonged visa ban. The decision clarified that carpenters, metallurgists, blacksmiths, brick kiln workers will not get a visa for another six months coming into effect from July 1.

The decision also notes that the temporary visa ban on professions

including camel breeder, sales, marketing, construction workers and cleaning workers will come into force on June 1, 2016.

“Banning visas for sales and marketing expatriates are affecting the market. It is continuing here for a long time now. There is no other option than adjust with it,” a marketing firm official said on condition of anonymity.

OCCI

Minister holds talks with industrialists MUSCAT: Challenges and obstacles facing the marketing of Omani products in domestic and international markets and the methods of globalising Omani products were discussed yesterday.

The discussion was held between Dr. Ali Mas’oud Al Sunaidi, Minister of Commerce and Industry and factories’ representatives in Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI).

Mechanisms and methods of displaying Omani products in large shopping malls in the domestic market and the challenges facing those products, were also discussed. The importance of strengthening the positive relationship between the factories, the centres of retail sale (supermarkets and hypermarkets) was emphasise at the meeting.

The owners of factories affirmed that Omani products can compete with other similar products if they were commercialised using the right method, as some Omani products compete the quality of international products in global markets.

The factory owners hoped that shopping malls can be a gateway for their products to access to the markets of other countries while others assured the necessity to intensify efforts for their promotion. -ONA

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

“We are struggling a lot. Already business is down due to austerity measures adopted by the government. In addition to that, visa ban on certain profession like sales and marketing is affecting the business a lot,” the official added.

Construction firm officials said that they are caught in a Catch-22 situation with the Ministry of Manpower deciding to extend the

ban on visas for expat construction workers for another six months.

Many of them complained that they are unable to complete projects on time due to the shortage of workers.

Since November 2013, there has been a temporary ban on visas for construction workers, which is extended every six months.

The ban, however, does not apply to firms rated ‘excellent’ by the

Ministry of Manpower, international firms and consultancy firms, and firms executing government projects. “We know that almost all companies are affected by the shortage of workers. The companies are compelled to undertake desperate measures to overcome worker shortage and complete projects on time,” said a construction company official.

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TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2016 The information about bioactive compounds from marine organisms inhabiting the Arabian Sea and the Sea of Oman is limited. Only a few studies have been done and a limited number of bioactive compounds have been isolated Dr Sergey Dobretsov, Head of study

OMAN

14 hotspots selected to boost tourism in Oman

C O N S U LTAT I O N S

In 2014, the number of inbound visitors ANSWERING QUERIES: Madiha Al Shibaniyah said that the multipath of teachers is a challenge that the Sultanate’s education is facing as well as other educational systems. -ONA

stood at 2.1 million, according to the

Shura Council’s talks with minister of education end

National Centre for Statistics and Information

HASAN SHABAN AL LAWATI

hassan@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Fourteen locations across Oman have been selected to become the country’s leading tourist attractions, as part of a plan to attract some five million visitors per year by 2020, an official at the Ministry of Tourism announced on Monday.

In 2014, the number of inbound visitors stood at 2.1 million, according to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

Some of the suggested clusters include the coastal lands in Musandam governorate, the old cultural areas in Muscat, the forts and mountainous villages in Al Dakhiliya governorate, the coastal areas in North Al Sharqiyah governorate and the frankincense route in Dhofar.

The proposed sites have been included in a draft for the ministry’s 2016-2020 master plan.

Other sites, such as the Bedouin areas in North Al Sharqiyah, Musairah Island and parts of South Al Batinah governorate, will be developed by the ministry in 2021, according to the current plan.

Real Estate Forum This was announced during the Real Estate Forum, which hosted industry leaders at the Crown Plaza Muscat Hotel In 2026, three additional projects are planned in Al Dhahirah, Al Wusta and North Al Batinah governorates, while in 2031 the ministry plans to invest in the colourful dunes near the OmanUAE borders in North Al Batinah, the country’s deserts and the wild western area in Dhofar, according to Ahmed bin Zahran, an official at the ministry who spoke on behalf of Hilal bin Ghalib Al Hinai, green tourism advisor at the Ministry of Tourism.

He said that these locations aim to attract tourists who seek entertainment for at least three days, adding that by the year 2040, some 80,000 rooms will be available in Oman’s hotels and guest houses.

Zahran also said that in order to attract international investments, businessmen who want to invest in Oman’s tourism sector will be exempt from paying income tax for a period of five years from the opening of the projects.

“Oman can be the Middle East’s capital of wellness and history,” said Vikram Loomba, director for hospitality, real estate and leisure advisory practices at PwC Middle East. He pointed out that the Sultanate should focus on middle market integrated tourism complexes (ITC), as residential properties have shown high levels of activity in 2015, with greater demand observed in the affordable housing segment.

He also recommended utilizing

ATTRACTION: Oman can be the Middle East’s capital of wellness and history, said Vikram Loomba,

director for hospitality, real estate and leisure advisory practices at PwC Middle East. — File photo

5 million tourists expected by 2020 hassan@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Oman will host an estimated five million annual visitors by 2020, a 120 per cent increase from 2015, according to an official at the Ministry of Tourism.

While this seems a tall order, it is worth noting that Oman’s inbound tourism doubled between 2005 and 2014.

At the same time, domestic tourism has more than tripled, according to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

Ahmed bin Zahran said that in order to attract international investments, businessmen who want to invest in Oman’s tourism sector will be exempt from paying income tax for a period of five years from the opening of the projects

Hotel. The NCSI has recently released figures indicating that tourism will account for 6 per cent of Oman’s gross domestic product by 2040.

According to data from the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), the number of international travellers in 2014 reached 1.1 billion, representing a 4.7% increase from 2013.

This data is in line with a five year trend showing strong growth in the tourism sector.

Despite instability in some regions, the Middle East saw a 4% rise in visitors, attracting 2 million additional travellers.

By the end of October 2015, the number of inbound visitors stood at 2.2 million, according to NCSI. After 24 years, according to the ministry’s plan, Oman will receive some 12 million visitors per year, the source added. “Out of the 11.7 million people who are expected to visit the Sultanate in 2040, a whopping 5.3 million will be international tourists, while 4.6 million are domestic tourists,” the official said during the Real Estate Forum, which hosted the industry’s leaders at the Crown Plaza Muscat

HASAN SHABAN AL LAWATI

Oman’s future attractions A plan to attract domestic and international visitors was announced yesterday.

Fourteen locations across Oman have been considered.

1

Suggested clusters

Musandam 2 3

Sea of Oman

N Al Batinah 5

6

4 S Al Batinah 7 Al Dahirah

Muscat 9

N Al Sharqiyah

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10

11 Al Wusta

12

14

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Coastal areas Sand dunes Sinbad house project Bronze and iron age ruins Forts Forts, cultural locations Forts, villages and mountain valleys Natural treasures Bedouin area Masirah island Oman modern city Empty Quarter desert Frankincense route Western wild

Steps

Dhofar

modern forms of housing tourists, such as ‘Airbnb’, which is a website for people to list, find, and rent lodging.

Renting properties He added that with this technology, homeowners can benefit by renting their properties during holiday seasons.

Meanwhile, Phil Taylor, managing director of team leisure LLC, said the booming tourism and entertainment sector in Dubai and Abu Dhabi can help bring more tourists to Oman.

“Oman has genuine people and history, and this can’t be created,” he said, adding that the Sultanate should focus on a different type of tourism than found in the UAE.

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7

13 Year 2016 2021 2026 2031

Expected growth

11,707 Total

International visitors Domestic visitors One-day visitors 6,000

7,380

5,328 International visitors

5,000 4,000

4,747

3,000

3,191

1,905

2,000

3,153

1,000 0 2013

2020

2030

2040

4,643 Domestic visitors

2,224 1,420 1,636 One-day visitors 618 1,036 540 2013 2020 2030 2040

Source: THR, NCSI.

Graphics

Times News Service MUSCAT: Majlis Al Shura concluded their meeting with Dr Madiha bint Ahmed Al Shibaniyah, Minister of Education, where several discussions took place covering the quality of teaching and the ministry’s education policy.

Discussions about the level of school education in the Sultanate and international competitions took place as well as human resources and services offered to support the education process.

Shura members focused their queries on where the teaching graduates fit in the labour market and the philosophy and strategy of the ministry.

Al Shibaniyah said that the multipath of teachers is a challenge that the Sultanate’s education is facing as well as other educational systems.

Shura members also voiced their concern on the lack of teaching some materials and the complications some female teachers have when assigned outside of their local areas. One of the members suggested implementing a hotline to make contact easier.

Al Shibaniyah said that the ministry is striving to provide dorms for the teachers as well as supervise the area in addition to providing the essential facilities.

Al Shibaniyah responded to queries about investing in private

schools by ensuring that the ministry of education is in contact with the ministry of housing about the issue.

Some members suggested that the Arabic teacher should speak in the proper Arabic dialect (Quranic Arabic) and that there should be solutions for those who have difficulty reading.

Third semester Other Shura members suggested installing surveillance cameras in schools, and to add a third semester to the academic year instead of two.

They also called for regarding the studying hours during exam periods, and to have indicators to measure the performance of each school.

During the meeting, some members called upon finding a suitable environment for both teachers and students. They also asked the minister to reveal her ministry’s plan for the coming four years, while requesting to involve teachers in drafting this plan.

Addressing the members, the minister explained that some promotions in the education sector have been delayed due to the recent economic situation.

The members also discussed some behavioural issues in Oman schools which include spread of tobacco and frequent absences from school.

CYTOTOXIC PROPERTIES

Anti-cancer bioactive compounds in marine organisms near Oman Staff Reporter MUSCAT: A research team at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) has found that chemical compounds produced by Omani marine organisms can be used in anti-cancer treatments.

The study, headed by Dr Sergey Dobretsov of the Centre of Excellence in Marine Biotechnology at SQU, suggests that chemical compounds produced by Omani marine organisms have cytotoxic properties and can be used for anti-cancer treatments. The results of the study have been recently published in the Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal.

Dr Dobretsov said that it has been shown that these organisms create unique bioactive compounds that can be used by pharmaceutical industries.

The first marine-derived antiviral compound was isolated from

a sponge in the 1950s. This was considered the starting point for the search for “drugs from the sea”.

Since then, more than 15,000 new anti-microbial, anti-viral, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory compounds have been discovered.

“The information about bioactive compounds from marine organisms inhabiting the Arabian Sea and the Sea of Oman is limited.

Only a few studies have been done and a limited number of bioactive compounds have been isolated,” Dr Dobretsov added.

During this collaborative project, SQU scientists from two colleges, Agricultural and Marine Sciences and Medicine and Health Sciences, at University Hospital and the Centre of Excellence in Marine Biotechnology, collected marine fungi, bacteria, sponges, sea weeds, soft corals, tunicates, bryozoa, and sea cucumbers from Omani waters.

T I G E R B Y T H E TA I L

Trap, neuter and release only option to control stray animals Staff Reporter MUSCAT: Trap, neuter and Release (TNR) is the only solution to control and reduce the feral population of stray animals found in the streets of Muscat, says a member of Tiger by the Tail, a voluntary homeless animal welfare group that works to sterilise stray animals, rescues those that are sick, injured or abandoned, as well as find new homes for those it saves.

Tiger by the Tail was founded

by Jaison Mathai, an Indian expat, to rescue stray animals in Muscat and create awareness among the public about the welfare of animals.

“Our group, in association with the Capital Veterinary Clinic owned by Zakia Al Zakwani and headed by DR Peter Nolosco, conducts Trap, Neuter and Release campaigns on stray animals on a regular basis,” Mathai told Times of Oman.

Found homes According to Mathai, his group has neutered more than 10 cats and found homes for seven cats and two dogs in just 4 months of operating. Recently, they organised an event to educate the public about the problem of stray animals and the care to be taken when dealing with these animals.

They also launched a campaign to reduce the population of stray animals in Muscat.

Dr Ioana Pantazi, Nasra Ali, Nivya Cresto, Siami, Sarojani and Julie are the core members of the group.

Speaking about finding homes for stay animals, Jaison said, “Finding a perfect home for these animals is a major issue.”

“Many people enjoy pets, but do not know about the responsibilities that come with owning pets,” he said.

“Many of them don’t know what certain breeds need, so they end up unhappy with their pets and give them away,” he added.

CONCERNED: Tiger by the Tail was founded by Jaison Mathai, an Indian expat, to rescue stray animals

in Muscat and create awareness among the public about the welfare of animals.

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2016

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OMAN

Trade in NOCs ‘illegal’: Ministry ‘Trading NOC is illegal. Companies cannot

I was told by the institution that if I purchase my ticket, then they will provide me the NOC. Annual to-and-fro ticket is mentioned in my job contract. Then again, they are telling me to purchase my ticket

do it. If companies are demanding leaving employees to pay their own air fares in lieu of NOC rather than asking for cash, then the employees should approach the ministry complaint department. It is against the law’

REJIMON K

reji@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Anyone trading in NoObjection Certificates (NOC) is breaking the law, a senior official at the Ministry of Manpower said, after it emerged that some Omanbased workers were told to pay their own air fares in lieu of obtaining the document.

“Trading NOC is illegal. Companies cannot do it. If companies are demanding leaving employees to pay their own air fares in lieu of NOC rather than asking for cash, then the employees should approach the ministry complaint department. It is against law,” Said Salem Al Saadi, advisor to Minister of Manpower, told Times of Oman.

Tickets obligatory “Companies are indebted to pro-

vide ticket for a leaving employee to his home country according to the job contract. 100 per cent it’s responsibility of the employer… If an employee is not provided the same, he should approach us and we will take up the case legally,” the advisor added.

In 2014, Omani authorities implemented a two-year visa change ban for expatriates which means they require an NOC from current employers should they wish to join another company in Oman or leave the country.

According to government officials, the rule was implemented to stop expatriates switching jobs and joining competitors.

Recently, an expatriate professor in Oman was told by the institution to pay her air fare in lieu of the NOC. “I was told by the institution that if I purchase my ticket, then they

will provide me the NOC. Annual to-and-fro ticket is mentioned in my job contract. Then again, they are telling me to purchase my ticket,” the professor said.

NOC trouble “I approached the labour department, they said that they can talk to officials to get me the ticket but they can’t talk and sort out the NOC issue,” the professor, who has completed three years in the same institution, added.

According to the professor, her colleague has also been told the same by the institution officials.

A legal advisor in Muscat said that to-and-fro ticket will be mentioned in every employee’s contract and employers can’t violate it.

“Employers are bound to provide annual to-and-fro ticket. If the employers are violating it, then the employee can approach the labour dispute department,” the legal advisor added.

Tonia Gray, general manager

U N D E RWAT E R P H O T O S

Times News Service

World famous The Royal Academy of Arts is among the most prestigious and recognised art venues in the world, hosting some of the most famous artistic names, both past and present.

Now in its 248th year, the Summer Exhibition continues its tradition of showcasing a variety of

work in all media, including painting, sculpture, photography, prints, architecture and film.

Estabrak’s works, from the Oman based series, have toured Dubai, Sharjah, Saudi Arabia, Lon-

MINISTRY OF MANPOWER

Firms violating Ramadan hours to face legal action FAHAD AL GHADANI

fahad@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Companies violating the work hours restrictions during the Holy Month of Ramadan as clarified in the ministerial decision will face legal action, an official of the Ministry of Manpower has said.

Many employees are not aware that they should work for only six hours and small companies take advantage.

“Companies should state clearly their working timing during Ramadan for their staffs,” said Talib Al Dhabbari, head of media department at the Ministry of Manpower. He added that the ministry carries out inspection visits and can find out who violates the order.

“The ministry doesn’t depend on inspection visits only, but also receives reports from private sectors workers,” said Al Dhabbari.

The Ministry of Manpower announced last Sunday a six-working-hour day or thirty-hour week for Muslim employees of private companies during the Ramadan, which begins next week.

The Omani Labour Law stipulates that companies face a fine and may even be sent to court for repeated violation.

Some private sector employees had voiced their frustration over companies not following the rules imposed by the ministry and being made to work for more than six hours during the Holy Month.

Article 68 in Part Four of Chapter 3 in the Omani Labour Law states that the maximum working hours during Ramadan shall be six hours a day or thirty hours a week for Muslim employees

‘Blatant violation’ “Denying a return ticket for an employee or telling him to purchase it is a blatant violation of law.

“These kind of issues remind us that there is a need for a standard job contract approved by the government,” the trade union leader said.

According to a report issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the total number of expatriate workers in the Sultanate witnessed an increase by the end of April 2016 totalling 1,763,710 workers, an increase of 1 per cent when compared with 1,747,097 workers by the end of March 2016.

The report revealed that expatriate workers in the Sultanate are distributed across three sectors: government, private and family sectors including 1,564,532 males and 199,178 females.

The number of workers in the private sector by April 2016 end reached 1,430,965 including (32,412 females and 1,398,553 males), reflecting an rise of 1 per cent, compared with March 2016.

N E W FA C T O RY O P E N S

Rare honour for Muscat-based artist MUSCAT: In a rare honour, Muscat based Iraqi-British artist Estabrak Al Ansari had her underwater photos of Oman displayed at the ‘Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition 2016’ in London.

Her winning photograph, ‘Sayed’, meaning master in Arabic, is part of her collection ‘Omanis Under Water’ (OUW) which is the first of a much larger, global project imagining environment through the world’s connecting waterways.

Estabrak’s work is part of her 2015 collection, entitled ‘Consciousness’, which premiered last September at ‘Gallery Sarah’, part of Bait Al Zubair gallery in Muscat.

at Competence HR, said that she hasn’t heard about employees being told to pay their own air fares in lieu of NOC rather than asking for cash.

“The law states that the employer is responsible for the flight and also that there should be no charge imposed upon the employee for an NOC. In my view it is unfortunate that the law doesn’t state that an NOC must be issued if the employee completes their contract,” the general manager at Compe-

tence HR, said. Mohammed Khaldi, a board member of the General Federation of Oman Trade Union (GFOTU), said that asking money or any kind of benefits in return of issuing an NOC is wrong.

“Employees should expose such companies who are violating the law. Workers should come forward,” the trade union leader said.

Some private sector employees had voiced their frustration over companies not following the rules imposed by the ministry and being made to work for more than six hours during the Holy Month and the Ministry of Manpower may determine the timing of the work hours.

Penalty for such a violation is in keeping with the Omani Labour Law, Part Ten, Article 117: “Whoever violates the provisions of Chapter Three of Part Four shall be punished with a fine not exceeding OMR100 and the fine

shall be multiplied by the number of workers who are the subject of such violation and the penalty shall be doubled in case of repetition of such violation.”

Employees can file a complaint at the Directorate General of Labour Welfare at the Ministry of Manpower when being unjustly made to work longer than the time set by the ministry.

Talib Al Dhabbari, a Ministry of Manpower official, said: “Most of the companies follow the instructions however we monitor the situation. The inspection teams carry out visits and those who violate will face legal actions. We also depend on reports made by workers.

“Every company has regulations to clarify such decisions to its staff.

“Of course they will face penalties if violate the decision.”

Regarding cases last year, Salim Al Badi, director general of labour welfare at the Ministry, said no cases were registered last year.

don and Muscat over the last year.

She has won an award from Art Jameel, and exhibited her photos at SIKKA arts fair as part of ARTDUBAI, and has been sponsored by the Alserkal Cultural Foundation.

The photo to be displayed at the Royal Academy in London can be seen in Muscat at Al Medina Art Gallery throughout the summer, along with smaller works which are for sale.

In addition, Estabrak is on the lookout for Omani faces to paint for a series of watercolour and photographic portraits, commissioned in collaboration with Richard Woodhead at Al Madina Art Gallery in Medinat Sutan Qaboos in Muscat.

Salalah Free Zone gets new investments SALALAH: The opening of a Fashion Apparels Factory and the laying of foundation stones for new investments in the zone, were celebrated by Salalah Free Zone (SFZ) yesterday.

The ceremony was held under the auspices of Sayyid Mohammed bin Sultan Al Busaidi, Minister of State and Governor of Dhofar in the presence of Ahmed bin Nasser Al Meherzi, Minister of Tourism, Chairman of SFZ Company, officials and businessmen.

The ceremony included the opening of Fashion Apparels Factory for Ready to Wear, laying the

foundation stone of Tara Gulf Jewellery and Precious Metals and Dervish Logistic Investment Company, which will be built on an area of 50,000 square meter.

Sayyid Al Busaidi stressed the importance of implementing factories that contribute to the growth of national economy and providing job opportunities.

At the beginning of the ceremony, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the FSZ and the Gulf Omani Logistic Company to implement logistics and stores station on an area of 100,000 square meter. -ONA

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TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2016 Our first show will start at 8:30pm and our last show will commence at 1:00am during Ramadan Official, VOX Cinemas

GCC MEETING

OMAN US, Sultanate relations have prospered, says ambassador

Fahd leaves today for summit in Jeddah

MUSCAT: On behalf of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, His Highness Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers will leave on Tuesday for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to take part in the 16th Consultative Summit of the GCC leaders, scheduled in Jeddah on 24th Sa’aban 1437 AH corresponding to May 31, 2016.

The Sultanate, under the leadership of His Majesty the Sultan, is keen to continue its support for the GCC march so that the GCC countries achieve further progress and growth for their people.

Sayyid Fahd will be accompanied by an official delegation comprising Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Ali bin Mas’oud Al Sunaidi, Minister of Commerce and Industry and Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Sa’eedi, Minister of Legal Affairs, as well as some government officials. -ONA CABLE

A1 Thanks from Sisi < FROM

CELEBRATION: A function to commemorate the 240th independence day of the United States of America, which falls on July 4, was hosted by the US Embassy in Muscat

yesterday. – O K

Mohammed Ali

US Ambassador to Oman Marc J. Sievers welcomed the guests to the festivities

DEEBA HASAN

deeba@timesofoman.com In his cable, President el-Sisi expressed his utmost thanks and appreciation for His Majesty’s sincere sentiments, praying to Allah the Almighty to protect His Majesty and the Omani people against all harms. -ONA

MUSCAT: A celebration to commemorate the 240th independence day of the United States of America, which falls on July 4, was hosted by the US Embassy in Muscat yesterday at the

city’s Grand Hyatt Hotel.

The celebrations are being held early because July 4 this year falls during the Holy Month of Ramadan, according to an official at the Embassy.

July 4 “We are holding the celebrations earlier because July 4 is happening in Ramadan this year,” the official said.

US Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman Marc J. Sievers welcomed the guests to the festivities—including Omani dignitaries from government and private sectors. He also offered his best wishes for the health and prosperity of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, as well as the people of Oman.

Ambassador Sievers also spoke about the strong relations between Oman and the United States, noting, “With the Sultanate, the United States has established a close and productive relationship—a relationship that is now over 183 years old.”

“Like the Omani people, we Americans are very proud of our history and our culture. We are proud of our country’s diversity, our strong morals, and our determination to help others in times of need. These are traits I can easily attribute to our Omani friends, as well,” Sievers said.

National holiday He went on to explain the meaning of the US national holiday— Memorial Day—which happens

to fall on May 30 this year, saying, “It is our day of remembrance of those who died while serving in the US armed forces.”

Guests at the National Day celebration were entertained by the

AFTER 8:30PM

SHAPE International Band, a US military band from NATO headquarters in Belgium.

The evening also included viewing a multimedia presentation entitled, ‘Fifty American Cities.’

THIS RAMADAN

Restrictions on screening of movies during Ramadan

Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah offers mouth-watering delicacies

Times News Service Times News Service MUSCAT: Cinemas will remain shut throughout the day during the Holy Month of Ramadan, the Ministry of Information said on Monday.

Speaking to Times of Oman, a senior official of the Ministry of Information said that cinema houses will open in the evening during Ramadan.

“It is only after Tarawih prayers that people will be able to watch movies,” he said.

He also said cinemas will be monitored, and every movie being screened will be checked to assure it adheres to the principals of Ramadan.

“Our first show will start at 8:30pm and our last show will commence at 1:00am during Ramadan,” said an official from VOX Cinemas. Other theatre officials have also confirmed the Ramadan schedule. “We will

CURBS: Cinemas will be monitored, and every movie being screened will be checked to assure it adheres to the principals of Ramadan. – Supplied picture

start screening the movies after 9 pm and, depending on the length of the movies, we will decide whether we will show one or two movies,” said a spokesperson of Stars Cinema in Muscat. This

late opening of cinemas during Ramadan has been followed for years, he said.

City Cinema Oman will also follow revised schedules during the holy month of Ramadan.

INDIAN BOARD

< FROM

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‘Directive aims to protect health of school students’

“You are therefore requested to ensure that outdoor activities are restricted in schools and children are not unduly exposed to the sun,” the note which was addressed last week to all the principals from the Indian Board, stated.

Speaking to Times of Oman, Wilson George, Chairman, Board

of Directors, Indian schools in the Sultanate of Oman, said this directive has been issued as a precautionary measure.

Summer vacation “This will ensure no students fall sick before the school closes for summer vacation,” he said.

While some schools are clos-

ing in the first week of June, the remainder are closing in the second week of June for summer holidays.

Earlier, the Ministry of Education in Oman had declared early summer vacations for students from grades one to four due to heat wave conditions prevailing in the country.

F I R S T B AT C H

Graduation programme MUSCAT: Sponsored by Sayyid Khalid bin Hilal bin Saud Al Busaidi, Minister of the Diwan of Royal Court, the National CEO Programme celebrated in Muscat the graduation of the first batch, which included thirty participants from various private sector institutions .

Dr. Khamis bin Saud bin Said Al Toobi, Director General of Administrative Development and Acting Director General of Competencies Development In-

stitute said in a statement: “We are celebrating today the graduation of the first batch of thirty participants after an enriching educational journey extended to 12 months, and they are now at the forefront of the graduates of the National CEO Programme.

The programme announced a list of new participants in the second batch, consisting of 35 participants representing different sectors and governorates in the Sultanate.

MUSCAT: Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort welcomes the Holy Month of Ramadan with community-focused programmes, family activities and traditional dining to share a meaningful Ramadan.

Gather your family and friends for Iftar at Al Tanoor where a wealth of traditional Middle Eastern specialities and international dishes await you. The extensive buffet spread showcases hot and cold mezzeh, salads, mixed grills, Omani specialities and classic desserts, in addition to offering Ramadan’s famous beverages. Iftar buffet will be priced at OMR18 net per person.

To continue the evening, Suhour will be featured at the air conditioned Al Mazaar Souk courtyard, serving a wide selection of Ramadan delicacies and traditional beverages, set within an Arabianstyled decorated ambience for a unique Suhour experience.

During Ramadan, guests dining in Al Tanoor or the Al Mazaar Souk are invited to enter our Ramadan raffle to win fabulous prizes, such as weekend stays in ShangriLa hotels in the Maldives, Istanbul, Mauritius, Kuala Lumpur, Dubai and Abu Dhabi; as well as dinner vouchers in the various restaurants at the resort or spa treatments. Guests will receive a raffle ticket for every OMR15 spent during Iftar in Al Tanoor and Suhour in the Al Mazaar Souk.

With a number of private banqueting rooms within the resort, a variety of options are offered for groups wanting to experience Ramadan with their friends, families and colleagues. Discounted buffet packages are available for groups of 20 guests or more.

Ramadan is a month of great blessings and selfless sharing, bringing a renewed spirit throughout the Holy Month, and we take this spiritual opportunity to continue, for the fourth year running, our Hand-in-Hand programme of weekly activities as part of Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa’s CSR initiatives and commitment towards serving the community. This year, Shangri-La will, once again, partner with Dar Al Atta’a to introduce a series of weekly charitable events taking place at the Al Mazaar Souk.

The first event will be held in partnership with Injaz Oman on 16-17 June.

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TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2016

OMAN Sultanate praised for solving global conflicts peacefully, says Alawi at the cultural and social sides of these states, we find that they are inter-related. You will find one tribe divided between two neighbouring states. The aim is to build a national state in which people are living peacefully. As far as I am concerned, the social and administrative systems in some countries become older because of the increasing human activities. For example, the population of a state was 5 million during the post-colonial time but the number exceeds 15 million during the Arab Spring.

Thus, the social and administrative systems are unable to fulfil the needs of 15 million. These systems remain unchanged instead of the increasing number of population. Consequently, the chaos and revolution broke out. This situation will continue until stability and development is achieved; this needs time.”

When asked about the Omani media, the Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs said: “The impact of media will not appear now but later. It is like planting trees.

You don’t expect that all plants will be good: you will have good and bad trees. In fact, the Omani media is stable like other sectors.

However, we have to interact with what is happening around us. We also have to take the audience into consideration. What does the audience want to watch and listen?

The specialists in the Omani media take these points into account.”

Peace is a fundamental concept in the religion and in the Omani policy and it strives to make more friends and minimise the enemies as much as possible

MUSCAT: Omani policy is wise by virtue of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, said Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs. He stated that the leaders of the international community sincerely appreciate the rightness of Omani policy, and its way of dealing with the various international and regional events.

In an interview with Shurfat Al Majlis magazine, which is published by the State Council, he added that the international community often takes side with the objective Omani positions.

At the same time, he praised the gradual development of the Omani Shura march.

When asked about the secret behind the Omani quietness, at a time it is surrounded by wars and fires from the four directions, he said: “Wisdom is behind this quietness. Allah Almighty says “Don’t throw yourself into destruction”.

When we see a fire somewhere, we have two choices: whether to help in extinguishing it, which is a good thing, or go away as if the fire will not reach us. Oman, as His Majesty always says, is a country of peace. Peace is the principle that is in harmony with the system of life, because Allah Almighty calls Himself Al-SalÄm (the Peace). Allah Almighty creates the universe and humans, and makes peace obligatory for them. Therefore, those who believe in this principle shall not ignore it and go against it.

Peace is a fundamental concept in the religion and in the Omani policy. The mission of the Omani diplomacy is to represent the Omani political point of view. It strives to make more friends and minimise the enemies as much as possible.

Everyone has his own opinions, concerns and justifications. These justifications may be real ones that require taking an action, but they may not mean the same thing to the other party. As stated in the Holy Quran, Allah has enabled people to defend themselves against one another. At the end of the road, this will lead to ease. There is a proverb in the Muslim culture that goes as “After hardship comes two eases”.

You face an ease, then a hardship and then another ease. This ease is obtained through bringing peace and extinguishing fires. Humans tend to take time until being convinced by something. This is the human nature that is linked with their instinct. We find that humans tend by their nature to be ambitious. This ambitiousness may lead some people to go against their instinct”.

Omani renaissance In reply to a question about his patronage over the Rapprochement Conference, the Civilization Dialogue, Tolerance and Peace Project and other activities in this direction, the Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs said these activities are part of the philosophical perspective of the Omani renaissance that was established

by His Majesty. It is like a bouquet of flowers which would not look beautiful without the various colours and smells of its flowers. Life is like this bouquet of flowers. We all need a stable life but we can’t be out of the reality of differences. Allah Almighty stresses in the Holy Quran the importance of forgiveness. Almighty says “If you pardon, forbear and forgive, then surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful”. He also says “If you endure patiently, verily it is better for the patient”. It is true that Allah allows humans to take their rights from others, but, at the same time, He urges them to forgive and pardon. It is not right to disagree with others only for the sake of disagreement. People may disagree with each other, but it is a good manner to tolerate others. Why do we disagree? We can disagree with others if they violate

the moral principles. However, it is better to leave disagreement if it is for materialistic interests. Disagreement is temporal and disappears by time.

He added: “In fact, the Omani policy is a deep philosophy. Humans, by their nature not their instinct, love what make them thrilled. However, I am certain that the vast majority of people in the world and in this region wish that these fires are extinguished. This is because the consequences of these fires (wars) are catastrophic.

We hear every day that someone is killed here, others are wounded there and places are destructed.”

In a reply to a question about the ability of long experience of humanity to extinguish these fires and stop these wars, he said: “In fact, there are many wise and good people who are striving to stop these wars. Life is going on and there should be an end for everything. As I said before, people are defending themselves against one another. This will make them tired and bored, and regret the past.

Then, they will move to the second step after they have ruined what they have. The role of the Sultanate here is to bring closer the interlocutors and disputants. This takes time especially with us in the Arab region because we are still living the tribal life despite living in this developed world. We have the technology but our culture is still tribal and Bedouin.”

Vision of His Majesty He added: “As you can see, there are many wars, discussions and disputes. Everyone wants to use his power to defend himself and to defeat others. Oman, by virtue of the wise and future vision of His Majesty, stops and eliminates all causes that may lead people to be in conflict with each other, with their neighbours and their friends.”

When asked about demarcation of borders as an example of the Sultanate’s efforts to make peace, he said: “Yes true, demarcation of land and maritime borders is the solution. It is essential that your neighbour is satisfied with you and you are satisfied with him, because if you are not satisfied with him, you can’t do anything. His Majesty foresaw the future and educed these fact in earlier time. This wise vision of His Majesty formulates the Omani policy.”

In reply to a question about pillars of the Omani foreign policy, bin Alawi said: “As we said before, if you are satisfied with your neighbour, you will be safe and you can develop. We are working on making comfortable neighbourhood. Of course, you can’t move this neighbourhood or change it because it is a human and geographical neighbourhood.

“If you can’t convince your neighbour, it is better to work in the framework of understanding.

It is true that governments may disagree because there are various views in life. However, the relationship between humans remains even if they are separated by borders. If there is a great confidence between people, then we can convince the decision makers to make a comfortable neighbourhood.”

Western philosophy On the human experience role in governing parity and balance in life, he said: “There are limits for governing and regulating this matter because people are defending themselves against one another.

We can even find this concept in the Western philosophy. The world can’t be without wars. What can govern this is the international laws, conventions and organisations established consensually by the international community.

This is known as “governance”.

The United Nations (UN) has no army, but it has laws that connect all the armies of the governments

If the price of oil is below $50, you do not need to use nuclear energy. This is because you will use this energy by its production cost. Thus, oil and gas are cheaper than nuclear energy. However, if the oil price is above $50, it is better to use nuclear power because it is cheaper than $50 Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs

to these international laws. For example, if a state has justifications and wants to invade another state, it can’t do so unless it gets a decision from UN. If it doesn’t get that decision, it will be considered as an aggressor state.”

Omani Shura When asked about the 25 years of Omani parliamentary experience and its vital role in establishing the political awareness among the Omani citizens, the Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs said: “I think that this experience is taking root more and more. It is in a real harmony with the renaissance, not an artificial one.

The Omani Shura experience is stemmed from the Omani environment. In many stages of the Omani history, the tribal system in Oman was based on the Shura concept. The Sheikh, what is so-called Tamimah Sheikh, is assigned through consultation among the tribe, as per specific characteristics. The best proof of this in Oman is the tribal coalition between the “Hinaoa” and “Ghaferi”. This alliance is seen by some people as negative because they didn’t understand it deeply. If specialists study this example, they will find that this was a means of stability, because it was governed by rules and balance. This helped in maintaining stability in different stages.

It is true that there were some conflicts here and there, but this alliance made stability and respect.

There were various schools of jurisprudence in Oman as a result of this alliance.”

In reply to a question about parliamentary experiences in the Arab region, he said: “When we

look at the democracy and the struggle of the civil administration in our region, and compare it to the developed countries in Europe and the US, we find them preceding us.

They precede us in the civil organisation and we followed them but to a small extent.”

He explained: “This is because we followed them in the way of establishing a national state which is a restoration of the tribal system.

Restoration may take time because when you restore something it may collapse. With respect to the Arab Spring, it didn’t resist and achieve its goals because it was seen as revolution. Revolution means chaos and it needs long time until the state returns to stability.”

Dichotomy of revolution In reply to a question about the inability of parliament to control these issues that have been dominating in some countries, bin Alawi said: “Parliament can’t resist in facing these huge waves. The dichotomy of revolution and chaos keeps interacting until the goal is achieved. This interaction needs reasons to be completed. The postcolonial states enacted their laws according to the colonial legacy, in terms of management, laws and borders. When we give a quick look at these countries, whether in Africa or Asia, we find that their borders are determined according to the previous colonisers’ borders.

For example, the borders of a national state that was part of French colonisation is now determined by the previous borders of the French colonisation. It is the same with the national states that were part of the British and Spanish colonisation. However, when we look

Parliamentary diplomacy In a reply to a question about the parliamentary diplomacy, he said: “The human communication is important at all levels not only at the parliamentary level. Professors, students and government officials should also communicate with the world. The world becomes now as one village which implies the fast communication between people.

This communication can be for education, exchange of experiences or other purposes. Nowadays, communication becomes easier by virtue of the advanced means of communication and transportation. When we travel to Europe, we feel that we are travelling to neighbouring countries. When travel to another culture, we feel that we are visiting our neighbours. I think that exchanging of ideas and connecting cultures is fruitful. We need to develop and increase these initiatives.”

Nuclear energy When asked about the Sultanate’s decision on nuclear energy, he said: “We are protecting everything in Oman. Everything is protected: life, birds, reptiles and animals. Oman takes the precedence of protecting environment not because we want to be the first, but because we consider it essential to protect the environment.

Oman has established a Ministry and a council for protecting environment. This issue becomes one of the essential pillars in protecting the environment. It is true that we can’t protect everything in light of the accelerating development, but we shall put a minimum extent of pollution. You can’t protect everything alone because you will not develop. The philosophy of protection is part of our lives. I think that others have started to use this approach. For example, at one point in time, people were talking about the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. We were among people seeking to take advantage of this energy. We know that we can benefit from that at any time, because the issue of risk control in nuclear energy has developed significantly. Why didn’t we go ahead with this programme?

Firstly, because this energy is available at any time we want. Secondly, studies conducted by the International Atomic Energy Agency show (here I am speaking from economic point of view) that if the price of oil is below $50, you do not need to produce and use nuclear energy. This is because you will use this energy by its production cost.

Thus, oil and gas are cheaper than nuclear energy. However, if the oil price is above $50, it is better to use nuclear power because it is cheaper than $50. This is an economic equation. It is true that all nuclear power producers have designed reassuring safety procedures, but

they can’t control human error, or environmental disasters. The contamination resulted from this power is also incurable.”

Bin Alawi added: “We are still in the growth stage, and our ability to reduce the risk is still very modest. For example, transferring people from one area to another is immeasurably difficult for us and for other developing countries. If something happens in one place, it is very difficult to transfer its population of around 50-60 thousand people to another place. It is also not easy to guarantee the protection from radiation. We may not expect that something will happen, but precaution is mandatory.

We opt for not going ahead with this project for these reasons and because we can do it in any time.

Let us see first the experience of others.”

In reply to a question about the role of Omani policy in reducing the severity of complicated situations suffered by Omanis in other countries, he said: “It is impossible to satisfy everyone. Omanis by their nature love searching for the future in different places, and travelling around the world.

However, some of them don’t take the needed precautions, and they think that they are in their country. If something happens, like violating the laws or values, of course, they will be subject to the laws and procedures of that country. Intercession can solve the issue but it varies from a country to another.

In our country, intercession has an influence but in other countries it is difficult because their culture and system is different. For example, a minister in a country can talk to a police officer and intercede for someone. However, sometimes he can’t do so because laws must be implemented. I think that people should ask about their destination and take the consultation of others before they travel. I don’t mean those who are travelling for treatment but those who are going for investment. They must ask the concerned bodies in those countries through the embassy or consulate. Some people may face manipulative situations that we are unaware of and suffer from troubles. These troubles are not faced

by Omanis only but by others who travel abroad. However, the embassies or consulates, especially in the most-visited countries by Omanis such as India and Thailand endeavour to provide its services to the travellers. Travellers receive SMSs telling them about the contact numbers of the embassy or consulate in addition to the call prices in these countries. These services aim to guide the travellers but some people feel safe and don’t care about these messages.”

When asked about the effect of conspiracy theory on political dialogue in the Arab region, he said: “It is easy to say this is a“conspiracy”.

They say it is a conspiracy to find something to blame. I think that this concept doesn’t exist. No one is intending to organise conspiracy against you.”

‘No conspiracy’ He added: “I think that the reason behind this conviction is the recurrence of this concept in media.

There is no conspiracy, but there are interests and everyone is defending his interests. There is no conspiracy organised against a specific state especially in these days where everything is clear. If we could hide 50 per cent of information in the 1950s and 1970s, we can’t now hide 5 per cent of these information. Thus, there is no hidden conspiracy. There are interests that will be achieved through wrong ways if not achieved through the right ways. We have to acknowledge that others have interests. Life is about giving and receiving. No one owns the whole life alone; it is for everybody.”

He explained: “Our Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) was dealing with the Jewish traders in Al Madinah.

He didn’t say that Muslims should not deal with Jews. They were part of the community and some of them became Muslims.

“Those who didn’t become Muslims were protected under the umbrella of “To you be your religion, and to me my religion”. Life is continuing while everyone is seeking his own interests.” — ONA

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REGION FOUR-MONTH TRIAL

UAE acquits two of militancy charges

HEAVY FIGHTING: Smoke rises from clashes near Falluja, Iraq, on Monday. – Reuters

Iraqi army storms to edge of IS-held Falluja Army presses assault to retake IS bastion as more than 20 people killed in Baghdad bombings

FALLUJA: The Iraqi army stormed to the southern edge of Falluja under US air support on Monday and captured a police station inside the city limits, launching a direct assault to retake one of the main strongholds of IS militants.

A Reuters TV crew about a mile (about 1.5 km) from the city’s edge said explosions and gunfire were ripping through Naimiya, a largely rural district of Falluja on its southern outskirts.

An elite military unit, the Rapid Response Team, seized the district’s police station at midday, state TV reported.

The unit advanced another mile northward, stopping about 500 metres (yards) from the Al Shuhada district, the southeastern part of city’s main built-up area, army officers said.

Shaping up The battle for Falluja is shaping up to be one of the biggest ever fought against IS, in the city where US forces waged the heaviest battles of their 2003-2011 occupation against the militant group’s precursors.

Falluja is IS’ closest bastion to Baghdad, and believed to be the base from which the group has

plotted an escalating campaign of suicide bombings against civilians and government targets inside the capital. As government forces pressed their onslaught, suicide bombers driving a car and a motorcycle blew themselves up in the capital. Along with another bomb planted in a car, they killed more than 20 people and injured more than 50 in three districts of Baghdad, police and medical sources said.

Separately, Kurdish security forces announced advances against IS in northern Iraq, capturing villages from militants outside Mosul, the biggest city under militant control.

The Iraqi army launched its operation to recover Falluja a week ago, first by tightening a sixmonth-old siege around the city 50km (30 miles) west of Baghdad.

Falluja, in the heartland of tribes who resent the government in Baghdad, was the first Iraqi city to fall to IS in January 2014.

Months later, the group overran wide areas of the north and west of Iraq, declaring a caliphate including parts of neighbouring Syria. On Monday, army units were “steadily advancing” to Falluja’s southern outskirts under air cover from a US-led coalition helping to fight against the militants, according to a military statement read out on state TV. A militia coalition known as Popular Mobilisation, or Hashid Shaabi, was seeking to consolidate the siege by dislodging militants from Saqlawiya, a village just to the north of Falluja.

The militias, who took the lead in assaults against IS in other parts of Iraq last year, have pledged not to take part in the assault on the city itself to avoid aggravating sectarian strife.

Between 500 and 700 militants are in Falluja, according to a US military estimate. The USled coalition conducted three air strikes near Falluja over the past 24 hours, destroying fighting positions, vehicles, tunnel entrances and denying the militants access to terrain, it said in a statement.

Falluja has been a bastion of the insurgency that fought both the US occupation of Iraq and the Baghdad government that took over after the fall of dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003.

American troops suffered some of their worst losses of the war in two battles in 2004 to wrest Falluja back from Al Qaeda in Iraq, the insurgent group now known as IS. The latest offensive is causing alarm among international aid organisations over the humanitarian situation in the city, where more than 50,000 civilians remain trapped with limited access to water, food and health care.

Falluja is the second-largest Iraqi city still under control of the militants, after Mosul, their de facto capital in the north that had a pre-war population of about 2 million. It would be the third major city in Iraq recaptured by the government after Saddam’s home town Tikrit and Ramadi, the capital of Iraq’s vast western Anbar province.

Falluja is also in Anbar, located between Ramadi and Baghdad, and capturing it would give the government control of the major population centres of the Euphrates River valley west of the capital for the first time in more than two years. On the northern front, the security forces of the autonomous Kurdish region launched an attack on Sunday to oust militants from villages about 20km (13 miles) east of Mosul so as to in-

OPPOSITION LEADER

Bahrain more than doubles jail term of Sheikh Salman DUBAI: A Bahraini appeals court on Monday more than doubled the prison term imposed on the opposition leader, Sheikh Ali Salman, to nine years from four.

Bahrain’s public prosecutor said the stiffer sentence related to “crimes of promoting change to the political system by force”, according to state news agency BNA. Sheikh Salman’s Al Wefaq Islamic Society denounced the decision as “provocative”.

“The appeals court ruling... will further strain the security and political situation in Bahrain,” a joint statement by four leading opposition groups said.

Salman, a cleric, was sentenced in June to four years in prison for inciting unrest. Defence lawyers appealed in September, saying that prosecutors had presented as evidence excerpts of his speeches that were taken out of context.

Prosecutors responded with their own appeal asking the court to reverse Salman’s earlier acquittal on more serious charges of seeking to overthrow the po-

PRISON TERM EXTENDED: A Bahraini walks past a placard

bearing the portrait of Sheikh Ali Salman, head of the opposition movement Al Wefaq, in the village of Zinj on the outskirts of the capital Manama. – AFP

litical system by force. “He was in the habit of such incitement and promoted (it) in his speeches on various occasions, including extremist appeals in which he justified acts of violence and sabotage, provoking regime change and calling for war as a form of religious duty,” BNA said, quoting the prosecution.

The court extended his prison

term as a result. His lawyers said they have 30 days to appeal against the ruling. “The case stands on what Sheikh Ali Salman has said in his speeches, and there is nothing in his speeches that contained (substance reflecting) the charge against him,” defence lawyer Jalila Al Sayed told a news conference. Salman was arrested in December. — Reuters

crease the pressure on IS and pave the way for storming that city.

The Kurdish forces, known as peshmerga, have retaken six villages in total since attacking IS positions on Sunday with the support of the US-led coalition, the Kurdistan Region Security Council said on Monday. That represents most of the targets of their latest advance.

Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi hopes to recapture Mosul later this year to deal a decisive defeat to IS. Abadi announced the onslaught on Falluja on May 22 after a spate of bombings that killed more than 150 people in one week in Baghdad, the worst death toll so far this year. The worsening security in the capital has added to political pressure on Abadi, struggling to maintain the support of a coalition amid popular protests against an entrenched political class.

Monday’s bombings targeted two densely populated districts, Shaab and Sadr City, and a government building in one suburb, Tarmiya, north of Baghdad.

A car bomb in Shaab killed 12 people and injured more than 20, while in Tarmiya eight were killed and 21 injured by a suicide bomber who pulled up in a car outside a government building guarded by police. In Sadr City, a suicide bomber on a motorcycle killed three people and injured nine.

The battle of Falluja is helping Abadi refocus the attention of Iraq’s unruly political parties on the war against IS, so as to defuse popular unrest prompted by delays in a planned reshuffle of the cabinet to help root out corruption. In a speech to parliament on Sunday, he called on political groups to “put on hold their differences until the military operations are over.” — Reuters

DUBAI: A security court in the United Arab Emirates on Monday acquitted two Libyan-American businessmen and a Libyan-Canadian charged with supporting Libyan militants, a lawyer and a family representative said.

“The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Abu Dhabi Supreme Court State Security Chamber found American businessmen Kamal and Mohamed Eldarat not guilty, after nearly two years of arbitrary detainment and a four-month trial,” a statement from the Eldarat family said. Kamal and son Mohamed were arrested at their home in the UAE in 2014, according to the family.

Paul Champ, a human rights lawyer representing Canadian codefendant Salim Alaradi — who was arrested while visiting the UAE — said that although the three men had been acquitted, they had yet to be released from custody.

Alaradi “was apprehended back in August 2014, held in a secret

prison and the state security didn’t even acknowledge they were holding them for months, so we won’t be comfortable until he’s on a plane back home”, Champ told Reuters by phone from Canada.

Changed They were initially charged with terrorism-related offences, but the prosecutor in March changed the charges to providing support to Libyan militants and collecting donations without state permission.

There was no immediate comment from the UAE on the case.

Canada’s Foreign Minister Stephane Dion said Canada welcomed the acquittal and expected an “expedited process to promptly reunite him with his family and friends”. Alaradi’s daughter, Marwa Alaradi, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp from Doha: “It is a relief that the courts have said that and confirmed my father is innocent but what we’re waiting for is him getting out of prison.” — Reuters

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TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2016 I do not approve of any of these comments being made by anyone as far as the personality is concerned, because the RBI and its Governor is an important institution in Indian economy Arun Jaitley, Finance minister

INDIA BOOST ILLEGAL TRADE

Plain tobacco packaging to destroy legal domestic industry: TII NEW DELHI: Adoption of WHOpropagated plain packaging for tobacco products in India will not help reduce tobacco consumption but only boost illegal trade while destroying legal domestic industry, according to Tobacco Institute of India (TII).

TII, which has members like ITC, Godfrey Philips and VST that account for 98 per cent of the country’s domestic sales of duty paid cigarettes, asked the government to desist from moving fur-

ther towards plain packaging.

The adoption of even more “extreme regulation such as Plain Packaging propagated by WHO and anti-tobacco activists” will have adverse consequences and there is no compelling evidence to prove its effectiveness, it said.

Plain packaging proposal “The plain packaging proposal orchestrated by foreign anti-tobacco organisations, if adopted in India, will not help reduce tobacco con-

sumption, but will only destroy the legal industry and Indian tobacco farmers by providing a further boost to illegal trade,” TII said in a statement.

It further said that the main thrust of plain packaging will only be on the domestic legal cigarettes, which account for no more than 11 per cent of the total tobacco consumed in India.

“Any proposal to implement plain packaging in India on the back of the extreme 85 per cent

pictorial warnings will be a further assault on the Intellectual Property Rights of legal manufacturers and promote the cause of smuggled foreign brands,” Tobacco Institute of India said.

Under plain tobacco packaging currently followed only in Australia, logos, colours, imagery and promotional information are not allowed on packets but only brand names and product names are allowed in standard colour and font style. - PTI

DEMANDING ROLL BACK : Tobacco farmers demonstrate demanding for the rollback of 85 per cent graphic warning rule in front of Health Minister JP Nadda at the venue of an event organised by Health Ministry and WHO in New Delhi on Monday. - PTI

Use black money disclosure window and sleep well: Jaitley The four-month window under the Income Declaration Scheme 2016, which opens on June 1, allows domestic black money holders to declare their illgotten wealth by paying a tax and

PARLEYS: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley with Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism

Keiichi Ishii at a meeting in Tokyo on Monday. - PTI

penalty totalling 45 per cent

Finance minister denounces attacks on Rajan TOKYO/NEW DELHI: Warning black money holders of “serious trouble” if they fail to come clean, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday said people with undisclosed assets should use the limited period income declaration window, beginning Wednesday, if they want to “sleep well”.

The four-month window under the Income Declaration Scheme 2016, which opens on June 1, allows domestic black money holders to declare their ill-gotten wealth by paying a tax and penalty totalling 45 per cent.

“Starting from day after tomorrow, the new window opens and I will advise all those who have any undisclosed asset to declare it and pay the tax and sleep well. Otherwise, the way the disclosures are becoming more and more public, they will run into serious trouble,” Jaitley said in an interview here.

Jaitley, who is in Japan to invite investments, said the compliance window is open to not only the companies but also the people having undisclosed income.

TOKYO: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday denounced any attack on Reserve Bank Governor Raghuram Rajan and said the debate should be about the issues and policies, and not about the personalities.

Jaitley, however, declined to comment on whether Rajan’s term would be extended after his current three-year tenure ends this September.

Rajan has been facing a continuous attack by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy and by some other sections, who have demanded termination of his

“When the black money law with regard to foreign assets was passed, I had said please declare and sleep well. Now, those who didn’t declare and their names have become public, either in Panama Papers or otherwise, I think

service or at least denial of any extension while alleging the RBI Governor has failed to lower interest rates and boost the economy. “I do not approve of any of these comments being made by anyone as far as the personality is concerned, because the RBI and its Governor is an important institution in Indian economy,” Jaitley said in an interview here.

The finance minister, who is here on a six-day investor wooing trip, further said, “People should be open to discussing all issues and policies, they have a right to support those policies,

they are now having sleepless nights,” he said.

The government had last year come out with a three-month compliance window for foreign black money holders. The domestic black money compliance window

they have a right to criticise those policies. But this can’t be converted into comments on personalities because that blurs the issue.”

The comments follow Swamy writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi twice within a fortnight calling for sacking of Rajan even before his term comes up for renewal in September. Jaitley said RBI is an important institution and one can agree or disagree with its judgement. “A debate on issues” is fine but it should not be “converted into debate on persons,” he added. - PTI

will open from June 1 to September 30, 2016 and the taxes and penalties can be paid within two months thereafter.

Under the scheme, income declared by the eligible persons would be taxed at the rate of 30 per

cent plus a ‘Krishi Kalyan Cess’ of 25 per cent on the taxes payable and a penalty at the rate of 25 per cent of the taxes payable.

Tax and penalty will total to 45 per cent of the income declared, which has to be paid by November 30. The scheme will apply to undisclosed income whether in the form of investment in assets or otherwise, pertaining to Financial Year 2015-16 or earlier. The declarations can either be made online on the official e-filing website of the Income Tax department, or before the various regional Principal Commissioners of I-T. Asked about the pending retrospective tax cases of Vodafone plc and Cairn Energy of UK, Jaitley said, “We have already changed the law. They (now) have the option to either contest (the demand through) litigation or go in for settlement.” In his Budget for 201617, the finance minister has provided for waiving of interest and penalty if the companies facing retrospective tax cases paid up the principal amount.

Create awareness Meanwhile, senior CBDT officials will hold an online ‘talkathon’ on Tuesday to create awareness about the four-month window beginning June 1 for declaring domestic black money.

“Talkathon on Income Declaration Scheme on 31st May, 2016 at 7pm. CBDT Members to answer questions asked on #AskOnIncomeDisclosure,” the department said in a tweet on Monday. CBDT Members Rani S. Nair and S. K. Sahai will answer the questions in this regard and the chat session will be hosted by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry on its Twitter handle ‘MIB_India’.

The scheme will be on till September 30 and the Central Board of Direct Taxes had earlier said declarants will enjoy immunity from scrutiny or inquiry under the now-scrapped Wealth Tax Act, IT Act and Benami Transactions Act (subject to certain conditions). - PTI

E - C O M M E R C E PA R C E L S

UPBEAT: Union Minister for Communication & IT, Ravi Shankar Prasad releases a booklet about the achievements of his ministry in the two years of NDA Government, at a press conference at National Media Centre in New Delhi on Monday. - PTI

‘Gangajal’ by post to be a reality soon NEW DELHI: Receiving Ganga water by post could be a reality soon as the government endeavours to tap the e-commerce platform to bring the holy water at the doorsteps.

“I used to get several request that with vast network of post can we get Ganga water. I have directed Department of Posts to utilise e-commerce platform and make arrangement for providing pure Gangajal from Haridwar, Rishikesh to people.

They have assured that they will take pro-active step to address cultural needs,” Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said while sharing details of the NDA government’s achievements.

He said parcel revenue of post offices has increased by 80 per cent during his regime by delivering e-commerce products.

“If postman can deliver, mobile phones, sarees, jewellery, apparels then why not Ganga water,” Prasad said.

He said speed post revenue of the department has increased from Rs13.72 billion in 2013-14 to Rs16 billion in 2015-16 and cash on delivery collections for e-commerce parcels has increased from Rs1 billion to Rs1.3 billion in the same period.

“Today, core banking network of post offices is more than that of State Bank of India. SBI has 1,666 core banking branches while 22,137 post offices now have core banking facility,” Prasad said.- PTI

S T R AT E G Y

Indian missiles, copters, subs - Anil Ambani’s ambitious defence plan NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: Anil Ambani’s Reliance Group has never made a military helicopter, missile system or submarine in its history but that isn’t stopping the Indian tycoon from seeking to win contracts to manufacture all of that military hardware and more.

Known for taking some ambitious bets over the past decade, some of which have failed to deliver, Ambani’s plans to turn Reliance into a major defence company may be one of his boldest yet.

It has already bid for Rs840 billion ($12.5 billion) in Indian government contracts, senior executives said, though it hasn’t yet won any of those.

The success of the strategy will depend partly on whether he can persuade government officials and international partners that he can build sophisticated equipment and partly on whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi can get India’s notoriously slow procurement process to work.

Aging equipment Modi has made defence a big part of his “Make in India” programme.

As part of any defence contract, he is demanding foreign companies tie up with a local partner, transfer technology and move some manufacturing to India.

At stake is $250 billion in defence contracts the government

is expected to award over the next 10 years as it looks to upgrade the military’s aging equipment.

“We hope to have a significant share of this pie,” said R. K. Dhingra, chief executive of Reliance Defence. He predicted the company will “emerge as a key player in the defence sector over the next few years.” Reliance’s ambition is greeted with scepticism by many in the defence world.

An Indian military official involved in defence procurement said Reliance is overreaching in wanting to make everything from ships to planes. Some rivals and potential partners for the contracts said Reliance will struggle to master the manufacture of such a wide range of sophisticated military hardware.

“There is no quick money in this branch,” said Jan Widerstrom, head of Saab India Technologies, a unit of Saab AB. “It requires a lot of experience, high tech culture, investments and a long-term business plan.”

Still, Saab and Reliance are working together in developing the next generation Combat Management System for the Indian Navy and Coast Guard.

Recently, Reliance’s lack of experience and questions about its ability to handle sensitive technology and intellectual property counted against it in its bid to part-

SEEKING TO WIN CONTRACTS: Anil Ambani, chairman of the Reli-

ance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group addressing the annual shareholders meeting in Mumbai August 27, 2013. - Reuters file photo

ner with the Russians to build 200 Kamov helicopters, said a Russian diplomat in New Delhi, who declined to be identified in this story because they weren’t speaking in an official capacity.

The contract, estimated to be worth a little over $900 million went instead to Indian state-controlled company Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. Ambani should identify core areas and concentrate on them rather than “be an inch deep and a mile wide,” said Nitin Gokhale, founder of defence website Bharat Shakti.

The Reliance conglomerate split into two in 2005 after a bitter feud

between Anil Ambani and his older brother, Mukesh.

The latter got the flagship Reliance Industries, with interests in petrochemicals, oil and gas exploration, refining and textiles.

Anil got telecoms, power, entertainment and financial services businesses. But some of his businesses struggled, especially an illtimed foray into infrastructure, and debt piled up.

Its Reliance Infrastructure arm, which includes the defence operations, aims to be debt free in the current financial year ending March 2017, according to Lalit Jalan, who is acting CEO of the unit.

To get there it plans to sell assets, including road projects and a stake in a power distribution company for about Rs180 billion, according to another senior Reliance executive. Ambani entered the defence sector last year, when he took a controlling stake in a company that made warships and energy exploration vessels, in Modi’s home state of Gujarat, called Pipavav Defence and Offshore Engineering Co Ltd, for about Rs20 billion.

That became Reliance Defence and Engineering Ltd. Since then, Reliance has bought hundreds of acres of additional land to build an aerospace facility and another shipyard in other parts of the country.

It has also signed more than half a dozen joint venture agreements with foreign companies, including one with Rafael Advanced Defence Systems of Israel, to bid for Indian government contracts as they come up.

Lack of experience An Israeli defence industry source said for Rafael the idea is that if it wins tenders, Reliance will produce some components for missiles and other systems. Ambani has said that lack of experience is being held against his company.

“Despite a committed reformist mindset at the top, we are still seeing opportunities being denied to

new players on grounds of lack of experience,” Ambani told a ‘Make in India’ summit on defence in March. Reliance Defence has been building an experienced team.

Dhingra earlier headed Lockheed Martin’s India operations, and the company has hired a slew of senior army and navy officers who have executed large defence projects from conception to delivery, the Reliance executive said.

The group’s experience in managing complex projects in India, including building roads and power plants should help it, the executive said.

For design, technology and complicated weaponry, Reliance would have a foreign partner, he noted.

Reliance expects to spend up to Rs20 billion over the next three years in upgrading facilities as it gets business, keeping its outlay low as it waits for contracts, the executive said. Thanks to its Pipavav shipyard, Reliance expects the naval part of its business to be the first to take off, he said.

It plans to bid for a $7.5 billion submarine contract that the government is expected to give out to replace the navy’s ageing and accident-prone fleet and narrow the gap with rival China’s rapidly modernising fleet.

Ambani also has plans to bid for contracts in the future to make nuclear-powered submarines. -Reuters

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2016

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‘Microsoft seeks to empower every Indian so they can perform better’ ed. Nadella also met Communications Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. “Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella met me today. Discussed in enhancing cooperation with Microsoft towards Digital India,” the minister tweeted.

Analysts are yet to figure out a clear roadmap from Microsoft regarding empowering Indian citizens

NEW DELHI: Microsoft’s focus on India is to empower every citizen and organisation so that they can perform better than their potential and achieve more for themselves and the country, the US giant’s chief executive Satya Nadella said here on Monday.

“It’s such an immense pleasure for me to be here in India and to see the energy, the creativity of this place. It’s infectious really for me, and, obviously I grew up here and I come back here often, but every time I come back, I go back energized and it’s phenomenal. It’s important to dream big and create big,” said Nadella, who is on his third visit to India since assuming

ENHANCING COOPERATION: Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in a meeting in New Delhi on Monday. - PTI

charge as Microsoft CEO. He was addressing the ‘Technology for good, Ideas for India’ conference organised by Microsoft.

“In my life there have been two passions that have driven at least my dreams, and I think back and

one of the catalyst — it’s poetry and computer science,” said the India-born Nadella, who started his speech quoting Mirza Ghalib, the noted Urdu and Persian poet of the 19th century.

He met developers, as also en-

LIFE LONG VISA

Actress Salma Agha to get Overseas Citizen of India card NEW DELHI: Pakistan-born Bollywood singer and actress Salma Agha will get an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card that will offer her multiple entry, multi-purpose life long visa to visit India and exemption from reporting to police.

“We have decided to grant Salma Agha the OCI card after following the due procedure,” a senior Home Ministry official said on Monday. As the Home Ministry took the decision to grant her OCI card, Agha met Home Minister Rajnath Singh, apparently to express her gratitude for the gesture.

Agha had applied for the OCI card a few days ago and her application was approved after taking into consideration various aspects, officials said. The 59-yearold artiste is a citizen of UK. She had given her voice to few Bollywood films and acted in some of them including Nikaah.

Agha had won Filmfare best female playback award in 1982 for her rendition Dil Ke armaan aansuon me beh gaye in Nikaah.

Agha has applied for the card that gives multiple entry, multipurpose life long visa to visit India and exemption from reporting to police authorities for any length of stay in the country.

The OCI card gives parity to an individual with NRIs in financial,

BOOSTING TIES: Veteran actress and singer Salma Agha sings a

song at a programme on ‘India-Pakistan Relations’ organised by Delhi Study Group, in New Delhi on Monday. - PTI

economic and educational fields except in the acquisition of agricultural or plantation properties.

As per rules, a foreign national who is a child, grandchild or a great grandchild of Indian citizen is eligible for registration as OCI card holder. There are few other conditions to get OCI card.

However, no person, who or either of whose parents, grandparents or great grandparents is or had been a citizen of Pakistan and Bangladesh shall be eligible for registration as an OCI card holder. In her application, Agha is said to have referred to her Indian roots in her maternal grandfather Jugal Kishore Mehra.

Mehra was a noted actor and his wife and Salma’s grandmother, Anwari Begum, was a star singer in the 1930s and 1940s.

Agha’s mother Nasreen was cast opposite K L Saigal in Shahjehan (1946). Agha, in her request, had also claimed that though she was born in Pakistan, she is a British citizen and hence, her request should be looked into.

Pakistani singer Adnan Sami was in January given Indian citizenship. Among others who have been staying in India and working on employment visa are Katrina Kaif (UK citizen), Deepti Naval (US citizen) and Yana Gupta (Czech citizen). - PTI

U T TA R P R A D E S H

5 killed in clash over temple construction ALLAHABAD: Five persons, including a sub- inspector, were killed in a clash between two families over the construction of a temple in Ekauni village here, police said on Monday.

The families of Ram Kailash Pandey and his neighbour Shivsevak on Sunday clashed over the construction of a new temple by the latter, Inspector General of Police, Allahabad, R. K.

Chaturvedi said. The temple was being constructed alongside an older one which the Pandey family looked after, he said.

Heated argument On Sunday, Pandey’s son Suresh, a Kanpur-based sub-inspector on vacation in his hometown, took out a rifle following a heated argument and opened fire in which Shivsevak, his brother Krishnase-

vak and nephew Vimal were killed on the spot, the IG said. Enraged with the killings, family of the deceased along with the villagers attacked Pandey and Suresh and beat the father-son duo to death, he said. Seven persons have been detained in this connection so far and statements of both families have been recorded, he said, adding further investigations are underway. - PTI

trepreneurs and students before the event.

Later in the day, Nadella met Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Discussed various issues pertaining to the IT sector with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella,” Modi tweet-

Innovate Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha, who was also present at the event, said “Microsoft is a platform for India’s growth”.Looking at Nadella, the minister added: “India can be an entrepreneurship engine. The kind of innovation you do in Seattle, New York, London and other places will not work in Jhanda Chowk in Hazaribagh (a constituency represented by Sinha). We need to innovate in India, for India.”

“In today’s day, the world that you live in, the world that you are going to shape, the world that you are going to change, that canvas is so rich,” Nadella said while addressing the event.

Among the young developers who Nadella met was also an eightyear-old boy who created a game trying to balance economic growth with environmental sustainability.

“To me, this idea of conversations-as-a-platform is a pretty transformative change in comput-

ing that I think we’re in the very early stages of. And I can’t wait to see what you all create on top of this platform in terms of changing how people experience computing,” he added.

Referring to transformation, Nadella added: “When you change the way you see the world, you change the world you see. And I think that’s what all of you are going to do.”

“And the reason I invoke this rich canvas is to really invoke your ambition to how you will shape the world.”

He spoke about three platforms that Microsoft is creating. “The intelligent cloud platform that gives every application cognition and computational resources so that you can do anything; this idea of reinventing productivity and business process, how you interface with every institution and every process becomes much more natural to a conversation because of the bots you build, because the applications that you build have language understanding; and lastly, the apps that you build, the experiences you build for mixed reality.”

However, analysts are yet to figure out a clear roadmap from Microsoft regarding empowering Indian citizens. - IANS

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READERS’ FORUM Ramadan is a month of blessings and good practices which must be applied throughout the year This refers to news story, Take care of your health during Ramadan fasts, say experts (May 30). Ramadan is a month of blessings and good practices which must be applied throughout the year. Safety measure for good health leads to a happy; loving life and no doubt that the Holy Month of Ramadan needs special attention to maintain good health. Food is very important for our physical health, so taking care of eating habits during Ramadan is essential. Life is full of challenges, especially, hot days in summer Scan this QR code may stop one to do the needful; brave face to send letters to the the challenges and perform it successfully.

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A post-referendum agenda for Britain

ALBERT R. HUNT

Republicans rationalise Donald Trump’s proposals on immigration and trade as just political show.

Similarly, some Democrats suggest that Hillary Clinton’s protectionist stance is merely rhetoric.

They are deluded. Research and recent history show that newly elected presidents try to hew closely to their campaign commitments

T

he end of the wretched campaign to take the United Kingdom out of the European Union against the advice of our friends around the world is less than a month away.

The Brexiteers, as they have come to be called, deny all evidence of the economic damage that the UK would do to itself by leaving. Their disregard for reason and facts resembles that of Donald Trump, the reality-TV star and Republican presidential candidate, whose political style seems to have crossed the Atlantic on a cheap ticket.

If voters choose to leave the EU, all bets are off; the UK will be taking a leap in the dark. Fortunately, the bookies are increasingly predicting that voters will decide to remain. But even if sanity prevails, the effects of Brexitosis – a toxic combination of manic ambition (on the part of former London Mayor Boris Johnson, in particular), selfdelusion, and mendacity – will linger long after the result is announced.

Prime Minister David Cameron will face the unenviable task of trying to pull his Conservative Party together again. He will need to balance magnanimity with forceful assertion of leadership.

One thing that never works is to pay Danegeld to disloyal members of parliament; give them one bun, and they will come back almost immediately for another. What will matter most for Cameron’s future is whether he can convince the losers to accept the voters’ verdict, instead of slinking away to plot another insurrection.

It would be understandable if Cameron were to conclude that Europe was the last thing he wants to spend time on this summer. But, for the sake of his country, and of Europe, Cameron should take the lead in trying to put in place a credible policy for dealing with mass migration. This is not just a short-term issue, driven by the conflicts in Syria and Afghanistan; it is a challenge that Europe will confront for decades.

During the nineteenth century, as Europe’s population grew from one-fifth to one-quarter of the world’s total population, millions left their native countries for other continents.

Between 1815 and 1932, some 60 million Europeans emigrated. At the beginning of World War I, almost two out of every five people worldwide had European ancestry.

Today, the balance has been completely re-

versed. Europe’s population has fallen to well below 10 per cent of the global total, and it will fall much further as populations skyrocket elsewhere.

Over the last 40 years, for example, Egypt’s population has increased from 39 million to 93 million. During a comparable period, Ethiopia’s population more than tripled, to 101 million. Nigeria, now home to more than 186 million people, has followed a similar trajectory; its population is predicted to rise to a half-billion by 2050. During the first half of the twenty-first century, the population of Africa as a whole is expected to grow from about one billion to 2.5 billion.

Failing states, as we have learned, export their problems – and their people. The world’s poorest countries are experiencing the fastest population growth. They have the youngest populations, and, all too often, are among the most likely to see a breakdown in governance.

The resulting flows of people will put developed countries under extreme pressure – nowhere more so than in Europe. Erecting more razor wire will not come close to being an adequate response. The Mediterranean has become, tragically, a cemetery for some – but a barrier only for a few. Not even island countries like the UK can meet the migration challenge acting on their own.

What we require is a long-term program discussed and agreed upon by our neighbours and the United States. We need to coordinate our foreign, security, and development policies in order to prevent uncontrollable, unmanageable mass migration – a phenomenon that will lead to many migrant deaths and stoke xenophobia in the countries they try to reach. We need to agree on how we deal with failed states and help to put them back on their feet. We have to use our development assistance strategically, to help poor countries grow and provide their citizens a reason for staying at home. We also need more aggressive policies to tackle people smuggling, supported by United Nations Security Council resolutions where necessary. And we have to deploy more naval resources in the Mediterranean and spend more on Europe’s border security. Such an effort would be in the interest of everyone, not least the poor in Africa and West Asia. As Cameron surveys the broken political crockery at the end of June, taking responsibility for such an effort – at the helm of a country that is an integral part of the EU – would be very much in his interest as well. - Project Syndicate

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FROM OUR ARCHIVES MAY 2001 Majlis okays draft law on protection of environment MUSCAT: The Majlis Al Shura yesterday concluded its third ordinary session of the year under the chairmanship of Sheikh Abdullah bin Ali Al Qatabi, president of the Majlis. The Majlis discussed a report of the legal committee and public awareness and environment committee on a draft law for the protection of environment. The committee presented proposals relevant to further enhancing the enforcement of the environmental draft law when endorsed.

2012

2013

2014

Maximum

100

96

97

7

6

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1900: US troops arrive in Peking to help put down the Boxer Rebellion.

1915: A German zeppelin makes an air raid on London.

7 Minimum

1979: Zimbabwe proclaims its independence.

0

1988: President Ronald Reagan arrives in Moscow, the first American president to do so in 14 years.

Source National Centre for Statistics & Information

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2016

A1 3

PAKISTAN Chinese worker wounded in Karachi bomb attack The attack is likely to raise concern about a planned China Pakistan economic corridor, involving $46 billion in Chinese investment in roads, power plants, railway lines and a new port in Pakistan

KARACHI: A Chinese worker and his driver were wounded in Pakistan on Monday in a bomb attack claimed by ethnic nationalists opposed to plans for extensive Chinese investment, police said.

The attack is likely to raise concern about a planned China Pakistan economic corridor (CPEC), involving $46 billion in Chinese investment in roads, power plants, railway lines and a new port in Pakistan.

Separatist guerrillas Pakistan, battling militants as well as separatist guerrillas in parts of the country, has promised to ensure security for the project.

The Chinese man and his Pakistani driver were slightly wounded in the attack in the

SETBACK: Pakistani security officials examine a damaged vehicle in which a Chinese National was travelling, following a roadside bomb attack in Karachi on Monday. — AFP

southern province of Sindh, provincial police chief Allah Dino Khawaja said.

“Apparently, the attack was aimed at the Chinese national,” Khawaja said, adding that the man was travelling with his driver and a security guard.

A low-intensity bomb went off by the road in a suburb of Karachi,

Pakistan’s largest city, shattering the windows of the van the men were travelling in.

Television footage showed construction helmets in a rear seat.

A pamphlet signed by a group called the Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army, an ethnic Sindhi separatist group, was found at the site, police said.

S AT I R E

“The world’s most plunderous nation has set its eye on Sindh,” the pamphlet said, according to a photograph of it seen by Reuters.

“They want to attack Sindh and enslave its people.”

The group was apparently referring to the China-Pakistan corridor, which was announced last year, though it was unclear

whether the unidentified Chinese national was working on a CPEC project.

CPEC is part of China’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative, aimed at easing the passage of Chinese exports to foreign markets by connecting southwestern China to the Arabian Sea, through Pakistan. — Reuters

PM ON VIDEO LINK

NEC approves Rs1.67t budget for 2016-17 fiscal year ISLAMABAD: The National Economic Council (NEC) approved on Monday a development budget of Rs1,675 billion for the period of the next fiscal year 2016-17, Express News reported.

The meeting approved Rs800 billion for the federation and Rs875 billion for the provinces.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif presided over the meeting via a video-link from the Pakistani High Commission in London, while chief ministers of all four provinces and Gilgit-Baltistan were also present.

He said Pakistan’s future was bright and rapid economic progress will help lay foundations stone for further stability.

Nawaz is set to undergo an open heart surgery in London on Tuesday and is likely to remain hospitalised for a week after the procedure. The prime minister left for London on May 22 for a medical check-up but postponed his return back home following advice by doctors to undergo the surgery.

Reports suggested that during the PM’s absence, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar will run the affairs of the country.

Apart from the budget, the country is facing heightened political situation in the aftermath of Panama Papers leaks, with demands from the opposition parties to probe the premier’s offshore wealth. — Express Tribune

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INEQUALITY

Local comedians mock US presidential candidate Trump

Bank CEOs earn 367 times more than average Pakistani

KARACHI: From the time Trump expressed his desire to run for the United States of America’s presidential elections, the business magnate has become the punch line of every comedian’s jokes. With his Republican candidacy now set in stone, it seemed only appropriate that a group of funnymen halfway across the world, in Karachi, decided to roast the controversial figure.

Titled Muslim Comics Roast Donald Trump, the event was a no holds barred affair of comedy at T2F. The panel comprising a mix of both emerging and established comics such as Ali Gul Pir, Akbar Chaudry, Jaffer Shah and Syed Osama, not only targeted the American politician but traded blows with each other.

KARACHI: Bank CEOs earn on average 367 times more than what a typical Pakistani makes in a year.

Based on data compiled by KPMG Taseer Hadi & Company and calculations by The Express Tribune, the combined remuneration of the CEOs of 27 commercial banks operating in Pakistan amounted to Rs1.6 billion last year.

This means each of the 27 bank CEOs earned on average Rs59.6 million in 2015. The per-capita income in Pakistan averaged just Rs162,568 in 2015-16.

This shows the ratio of the average bank CEO remuneration and the per-capita income in Pakistan hovers around 367-to-1.

Similarly, bank CEOs earned on average 56 times more than what their average colleagues took home in 2015, official data shows.

Total staff costs that the 27 banks incurred on their combined workforce comprising 153,886 staff members in 2015 amounted

Audio-visual compilation Serving as the roast master for the night’s proceedings, Shehzad Ghias warmed up the full house with a brief audio-visual compilation of Trump’s past indiscretions. A PR nightmare for any potential presidential candidate, the video had enough content to force even the ardent Trump supporter to hold their head in disbelief.

From mocking a disabled reporter to making inappropriate comments about minorities, the video package was a pleasant precursor to what was to follow.

As all good stand-up routines go, the comics did well by adding a desi style and flair. Ridiculing Trump’s well-documented association with the white supremacist group Ku Klux Klan (KKK), Ghias remarked that contrary to popular belief, the extremist organisation was founded by Zubeda Apa. “I remember the initial tagline for KKK [when founded by Zubeda Apa] was ‘Ab gora hoga America’.”

Notorious for making overthe-top statements throughout his election campaign the comics were never short of material when it came to the former Television personality. They poked at his desire to erect a wall between Mexico and USA among other things.

Going against the trend of speaking out against Trump, Pir chose to defend the controversial figure by providing clarity on his ludicrous statements.

TARGET: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump

speaks during an event at the annual Rolling Thunder ‘Ride for Freedom’ parade ahead of Memorial Day in Washington, DC, on Sunday. — AFP

Titled Muslim Comics Roast Donald Trump, the event was a no holds barred affair of comedy at T2F. The panel comprising a mix of both emerging and established comics such as Ali Gul Pir, Akbar Chaudry, Jaffer Shah and Syed Osama, not only targeted the American politician but traded blows with each other

Mocking the low budget housing scheme advertisements shown on private cable channels, Pir shared the only reason the hotelier wants to make a $25 billion wall on the US-Mexico border is because he wants to start a housing scheme named Farzana Royal City over there.

Qandeel Baloch Akbar Chaudry on the other hand said that Trump was very similar to a Pakistani online sensation — Qandeel Baloch. “Both of them rose to fame by making bold controversial claims in videos. Every time you see a video link featuring them you are tempted to click on it,” Chaudry said, listing the similarities. “And for some odd reason both appear orange onscreen.”

Appearing as a lightweight amongst renowned comics such as Chaudry, Pir and Ghias, Osama’s set was one of the highlights

of the evening. While his jokes related to Trump were impressive, the shots he fired towards his fellow comedians were what incited the loudest cheers of the night.

Taking aim at Pir, Osama said anyone can become a rapper nowadays by blurting out a few nonsensical rhyming words. “Ali Gul [Pir] needs to get over his first song. He is like Shahid Afridi of comedy. Pehli innings achi kheli phir baqi 20-20 run wali hain. (He played the first innings like a pro, but the rest like a 20-20 player)” he joked.

Not even sparing the roast master, Osama quipped, “Shehzad actually received threats from terrorists.

“Not for doing comedy but bad comedy. Even they were like, ‘Hum maar toh denge lekin kuch worthwhile toh karo’ (We will kill you but you need to do something noteworthy.” — Express Tribune

to Rs163.5 billion. It translates into a CEO-to-staff remuneration ratio of 56-to-1 in 2015 as opposed to 58to-1 recorded in 2014.

Data reveals huge variance in the CEO-to-staff remuneration ratio among 27 commercial banks.

The widest gap between the remuneration of the bank CEO and that of an average staff member existed in Silkbank (106.5) and United Bank (104.8). Bank Alfalah (96), Soneri Bank (94.1) and MCB Bank (92.9) also had high CEO-to-staff remuneration ratios.

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (6.9), Deutsche Bank (9.8) and the Bank of Tokyo (9.9), which are some of the smallest banks operating in Pakistan, had the lowest CEO-to-staff remuneration ratios last year.

Habib Bank was ahead of its rivals within large and medium-size banks in terms of the cost per staff.

It clocked up at Rs1.6 million per staff member in 2015 for HBL

as opposed to Rs1.5 million for Standard Chartered and Rs1.2 million for United Bank.

Top-earning bank CEOs last year were of United Bank (Rs127.3 million), Bank Alfalah (Rs97.1 million), Silkbank (Rs86.1 million), MCB Bank (Rs84.7 million) and Habib Bank (Rs75.1 million).

Banks whose CEOs received a relatively lower remuneration in 2015 include Bank of Tokyo (Rs16.1 million), Bank of Khyber (Rs21.5 million), JS Bank (Rs24.9 million), First Women Bank (Rs28 million) and Summit Bank (Rs32.4 million).The annual remuneration of the CEO of Bank of Khyber was the second-lowest last year in spite of a 194.7 per cent annual raise.

Other banks whose CEOs received a fat year-on-year raise in 2015 include Askari Bank (68.4 per cent), National Bank of Pakistan (50.8 per cent), Habib Bank (41.3 per cent) and Standard Chartered (35.8 per cent). — Express Tribune

A 14

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2016

GLOBAL EYE

UNITED STATES: The sun shines over the Empire State Building on a cloudy evening as seen from the Queens borough of New York City, US on Sunday. — Reuters

CHINA: Soldiers of China’s People’s Liberation Army take part

in a training exercise in Heihe, Heilongjiang Province, on Sunday. — Reuters/Stringer

UNITED STATES: A view of the front stretch before the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race at Indianapolis Motorspeedway

on Sunday in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. — Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images/AFP

THAILAND: A sedated tiger is stretchered as officials start moving tigers from Thailand’s Tiger Temple in Kanchanaburi province, west of Bangkok, Thailand, on Monday. — Reuters

UNITED STATES: Motorcyclists ride their bikes during the annual Rolling Thunder “Ride for Freedom” parade ahead of Memorial Day in Washington, DC, on Sunday. — AFP

GERMANY: A snail crawls through a rain shower over a garden

bench in Cologne, western Germany, on Monday. — AFP/dpa/Henning Kaiser

RUSSIA: Vehicles drive along the M54 federal highway during sunset in the Taiga district south of Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, Russia, on Saturday. — Reuters

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2016 Alan Pulido, 25-year-old Mexico national team player and striker for the Greek soccer team Olympiakos disappeared in his hometown of Ciudad Victoria on Saturday night, when he was intercepted by gunmen after leaving a party.

A1 5

WORLD

PROTEST

Air France pilots plan strike over pay conditions

FLOODING, STORMS KILL FOUR IN GERMANY

A damaged car is pictured on Monday in Braunsbach following a heavy storm. At least four people died and several more were injured in the south of Germany after torrential storms caused severe flooding, with a third person also feared dead, authorities said on Monday. — AFP

PARIS: Pilots at Air France have voted in favour of strike action over pay conditions, the head of the SNPL union said on Monday.

SNPL chief Philippe Evain said more than two thirds of the union’s pilots with Air France approved the principle of a lengthy strike but said that no date had been set for the walkout.

The strike was in protest against the airline’s “obsessive reduction of costs,” Evain said. It comes after the pilots union rejected proposals from Air France in talks over productivity in April. It was not immediately clear whether the timing of the walkout by pilots would coincide with the current wave of public transport protests and oil sector strikes against government plans for labour law reforms. But the threat of France’s flagship airline grounding flights will be a further headache for President Francois Hollande’s Socialist government ahead of the June 10 start of the Euro 2016 soccer tournament.

Meanwhile, workers at the CIM oil terminal that handles about 40 per cent of French crude imports have voted to extend their strike at the Le Havre oil port hub until 1000 GMT on Wednesday, a CGT union official said. — Reuters

Erdogan accuses Russia of arming Kurdish militants At this moment, terrorists are using anti-aircraft guns and missiles supplied by Russia, said Turkish president

ANKARA: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has accused Russia of providing anti-aircraft weaponry and rockets to militants of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), government officials said on Monday, confirming reports in local media.

Speaking to reporters on board his airplane after a visit to the southeastern province of Diyarbakir over the weekend, Erdogan accused Moscow of transferring weaponry to the PKK via Iraq and Syria, the pro-government Star newspaper said.

“At this moment, terrorists are using anti-aircraft guns and missiles supplied by Russia. The separatist terrorist organisation is equipped with these weapons. They have been transferred to them via Syria and Iraq,” the newspaper reported Erdogan as saying. Two Turkish government officials confirmed Erdogan’s comments. The “separatist terrorist organisation” is a Turkish government term for the PKK, which has waged a three-decade

CONDOLENCES: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, left,

hugging an elderly man during Erdogan’s condolence visit to relatives of the PKK’s terrorist attack victims in Tanisik village in Diyarbakir Province. – AFP/Turkish Presidential Press Office/Kayhan Ozer

insurgency against the state that has left more than 40,000 people dead, mostly PKK militants in the largely Kurdish southeast.

While Erdogan has previously castigated Russia for its support of Kurdish fighters in Syria, the latest comments appear to be the first time he has accused Moscow of supplying arms to the PKK, seen as a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and Europe.

However, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus was relatively upbeat on Monday about the outlook for relations with Russia, a rare departure from months of tough rhetoric after Turkey shot down a Russian warplane last year. “Neither Russia nor Turkey can afford to sacrifice their relationship with each other,” Kurtulmus, the government’s official spokesman, told a news

conference. “I wish such tensions had never emerged, but I believe that Turkish-Russian ties can be fixed in a short while. These two countries have no problems that cannot be overcome. I hope that these issues will be solved through dialogue.”

He did not directly address Erdogan’s comments about Russian military support for the PKK. Ankara also considers the Syrian Kurdish YPG fighters to be terrorists and has been enraged by both Russian and US backing for the militia in its battle with IS in Syria.

NATO member Turkey is part of the US-led coalition against IS in Syria and is also a vocal opponent of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad. Relations between Ankara and Moscow hit their worst point in recent memory after Turkey shot down the Russian plane over Syria last year, prompting a raft of sanctions from Russia.

Five killed Meanwhile, PKK militants killed five members of Turkey’s security forces in separate attacks in the last 24 hours, security sources said on Monday, and the military conducted air strikes in northern Iraq where rebels are based.

Security sources also said a man suspected of smuggling goods across the border between Iraq and Turkey in the Uludere area had been killed and five others injured.

Clashes between Turkish security forces and the PKK have escalated to their most intense level in two decades since the breakdown of a two-year ceasefire last July.

Near the eastern city of Van, PKK fighters detonated by remote control a roadside bomb that tore through an armoured vehicle on Monday morning, killing two police officers and wounding another, the security sources said. — Reuters

FREED

Mexican soccer player rescued after kidnapping MEXICO CITY: Mexican soccer player Alan Pulido was rescued within a day of his kidnapping in the restive northeastern state of Tamaulipas after he was able to make a phone call and alert authorities of his location, a state official said on Monday.

The 25-year-old Mexico national team player and striker for the Greek soccer team Olympiakos disappeared in his hometown of Ciudad Victoria on Saturday night, when he was intercepted by gunmen after leaving a party.

“The most important thing is that is he is here with us,” Tamaulipas Governor Egidio Torre Cantu told reporters in footage broadcast on local television, standing next to Pulido. The player was wearing a multicolored tank top and shorts and had a bandage around his right hand. “He was able to make a call and ask for help and provide his location,” Tamaulipas state prosecutor Ismael Quintanilla told reporters. It was not immediately clear how he was able to make a call to authorities.

Federal and state security forces were able to rescue the football player quickly from a safe house, where one of his kidnappers was arrested, he said.

Pulido was in a “good state of health” and was with his family after he received medical and psychological attention following his rescue, Quintanilla said.

State officials have identified his kidnappers only as members of a local crime gang, without specifying if they are connected to the feared Zetas drug cartel, which controls much of the state. — Reuters

S H O O T I N G S E L F T O D E AT H

Zurich Insurance former chief executive officer commits suicide ZURICH: Former Zurich Insurance boss Martin Senn has committed suicide six months after leaving the company under a cloud, a tragedy that comes less than three years after Zurich’s finance chief took his own life.

Senn, 59, shot himself at his family’s Alpine resort home in Klosters, Swiss newspaper Blick reported. He had quit as chief executive of Zurich in December following a series of profit warnings and a botched takeover of British rival RSA. “Martin Senn’s family has informed us that Martin committed suicide last Friday,” the company said in a statement on Monday, adding it was “stunned and deeply shaken”.

His death follows the suicide of Zurich’s finance chief Pierre Wauthier in August 2013, which brought into sharp focus the pres-

sures facing senior corporate executives in Switzerland and elsewhere. Wauthier, 53, killed himself after writing a suicide note addressed “To whom it may concern” in which he described becoming demoralised by what he called a new, more aggressive tone at Zurich under then-Chairman Josef Ackermann.

Ackermann, a former head of Deutsche Bank, denied any wrongdoing but quit soon after Wauthier’s death.

Weeks before Wauthier’s death, Swisscom Chief Executive Carsten Schloter had taken his own life.

Senn had been CEO since 2010 at Zurich, which he joined after stints with Swiss banks in Asia. He was married to a Korean musician and had two grown children.

Acquaintances, who asked not

to be named given the sensitivity of the situation, described him as withdrawn and reclusive following his departure from the company, which Zurich said at the time was by mutual agreement.

“He wasn’t doing so well,” a former colleague said, but added that Senn had not given the impression of being suicidal.

One person close to Senn said he had taken Wauthier’s death hard.

The rate of suicide has been falling in most countries in Europe since 2000, according to Ulrich Hegerl of the German Depression Foundation, a charity to prevent suicide.

He said a suicide sometimes encourages other people to do the same. “If someone you know and respect commits suicide, then there is a risk in depression of a copycat suicide,” he added. — Reuters

TRAGIC END: Martin Senn is seen on a huge TV screen as he addresses the annual shareholder meeting of Swiss Zurich Insurance in Zurich, Switzerland on April 2, 2014. – Reuters file

A16

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2016

WORLD

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Duterte declared winner of Philippines presidential poll Rodrigo Duterte became the 16th president of the Philippines, to announce his cabinet today

MANILA: Rodrigo Duterte became the 16th president of the Philippines on Monday when a joint session of Congress declared him winner of a May 9 election, succeeding Benigno Aquino who steps down next month after six years in office.

The tough-talking Duterte, mayor of Davao City in the south, campaigned on the single issue of crushing crime and now faces a daunting task of fixing infrastructure, creating jobs and lifting more than a quarter of the 100 million population out of poverty.

“I hereby proclaim Rodrigo Roa Duterte and Maria Leonor Gerona Robredo as the duly elected president and vice president of the Republic of the Philippines,” Senator Franklin Drilon and Congressman Feliciano Belmonte said in a joint session of Congress.

Ally Robredo is an ally of Aquino’s. She beat the son and namesake of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos to become vice president. Duterte, 71, was in Davao on Monday and was declared winner in absentia.

He won the ballots of nearly 40 per cent of 44 million voters, lured by his success against crime in Davao, despite the questions his policies raised among human rights campaigners. Duterte has been criticised for allowing

CONFIRMATION: Philippine Vice-President elect Leni Robredo, centre, joined by her daughters during her proclamation, raise her hands

with Senate President Franklin Drillon (second left) and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr third right) at the House of the Representatives in Quezon city, metro Manila, Philippines on Monday. – Reuters

a spree of vigilante killings, and critics fear he could let them happen on a larger scale as president.

He has denied ordering killings, but has not condemned them.

The former prosecutor has said he will continue his predecessor’s economic policies, which focused

on infrastructure and fiscal efficiency, to help push growth up to 7-8 per cent.

Growth has been on average 6 per cent a year under Aquino, but it has not translated into jobs and improvement in the lives of ordinary Filipinos.

Among several appointments Duterte has announced is Ernesto Pernia, an economics professor from the University of the Philippines, as economic planning secretary, and a former agriculture secretary, Carlos Dominguez, as finance minister.

Duterte is due to announce his cabinet on Tuesday.

The president also inherits a territorial dispute with China but he has indicated his willingness to repair strained ties by inviting Chinese investment and offering to set aside sovereignty issues in exploring resources in the South China Sea.

He has said he will not abandon Philippine claims.

Duterte has also said he would pursue peace with Marxist guerrillas and has even offered their leaders government roles.

He has said he wanted a more even distribution of power and wealth and has called on Congress to revise a 1987 constitution to allow for a more federal system of government to accommodate rebels in the south. But confrontation looks to be looming with the influential Roman Catholic church. Duterte has said he will defy the church and seek to impose a three-child policy. — Reuters

EX-CHAD PRESIDENT

Habre found guilty of crimes against humanity DAKAR: Former Chad president Hissene Habre was found guilty on Monday of crimes against humanity for ordering the killing and torture of thousands of political opponents during his eight-year, cold war-era rule.

Habre was sentenced to life in prison by the Special African Chamber, a tribunal created in 2013

by Senegal and the African Union.

He was also convicted of rape. The verdict caps a 16-year battle by victims and rights campaigners to bring the former strongman to justice in Senegal, where he fled after being toppled in a 1990 coup in the central African nation. “Habre’s conviction for these horrific crimes after 25 years is a huge victory for his Chadian victims,” said Reed Brody, a researcher with Human Rights Watch, who helped investigate Habre’s crimes.

“The verdict sends a powerful message that the days when tyrants could brutalise their people, pillage their treasury and escape abroad to a life of luxury are coming to an end,” he said.

Habre has two weeks to launch an appeal.

The case centered on whether Habre, feted at the White House in 1987 by President Ronald Reagan after expelling Libyan forces from Chad, ordered the large-scale assassination and torture of political opponents and ethnic rivals.

A 1992 Chadian Truth Commission accused Habre’s government of up to 40,000 political murders as well as systematic torture, mostly by his feared intelligence police, the Documentation and Security Directorate (DDS).

An investigation by Human Rights Watch in 2001 unearthed thousands of documents in the abandoned DDS headquarters updating Habre on the status of detainees. During the trial, a court handwriting expert confirmed margin notes on one document to be Habre’s. — Reuters

MAJOR BLOW

CASTING A SHADOW: Dying coral colonised by seaweed at Lizard Island during the current bleach-

ing event on the Great Barrier Reef is shown in this undated handout photo received on Monday. – AFP/ James Cook Univeristy/Chris Cornwall

Coral bleaching is destroying Great Barrier Reef: Scientists SYDNEY: Mass coral bleaching has destroyed at least 35 per cent of the northern and central Great Barrier Reef, Australian scientists said on Monday, a major blow to the World Heritage Site that attracts about $3.59 billion (A$5 billion) in tourism each year.

Australian scientists said the coral mortality figure will likely rise as some of the remaining 65 per cent of coral in the northern and central reefs fails to recover from bleaching.

The report casts a shadow over the long-term prospects of the Great Barrier Reef against a backdrop of climate change and scientists said UNESCO may reconsider its decision not to put the World Heritage Site on its endangered list.

“Australia argued that the world heritage values were in tact because of the northern region and now of course it has taken a huge hit,” said Professor Terry Hughes, director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University in Queensland state.

UNESCO’s World Heritage

Committee last May stopped short of placing the Great Barrier Reef on an “in danger” list, but the ruling raised concern about its future.

Australian scientists said in March that just seven percent of the Great Barrier Reef had avoided any damage as a result of bleaching, and they held grave fears particularly for coral on the northern reef.

Damage After further aerial surveys and dives to access the damage across 84 reefs in the region, Australian scientists said the impact of the bleaching is more severe than expected. “This year is the third time in 18 years that the Great Barrier Reef has experienced mass bleaching due to global warming, and the current event is much more extreme than we’ve measured before,” said Hughes.

The findings would have been worse had Cyclone Winston, which hit the reef in January, not bought cooler conditions across the central and southern reefs, the scientists said.

Bleaching occurs when the water is too warm, forcing coral to expel living algae and causing it to calcify and turn white. Mildly bleached coral can recover if the temperature drops, otherwise it may die.

Although the impact has been exacerbated by one of the strongest El Nino weather systems in nearly 20 years, which raised sea temperatures in the western Pacific, scientists believe climate change is the underlying cause.

The bleaching survey findings come just days after Australia’s Department of Environment confirmed it omitted its contribution to a UN report examining the impact of climate change on world heritage sites over concerns it could create “confusion” and have a negative impact on tourism.

Australia is one of the largest carbon emitters per capita because of its reliance on coalfired power plants for electricity. Climate scientists argue that increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere traps heat radiating from Earth, creating global warming. — Reuters

B

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2016

MARKE

OMAN CRUDE FALLS Oman Crude (July delivery) fell by three cents to $45.66 per barrel on Monday, said Dubai Mercantile Exchange. The average price of Oman Crude (June delivery) was $39.40 per barrel, $3.06 a barrel higher than May delivery. - ONA

Muscat 5,838.56 - 51.89 - 0.88%

Dubai 3,326.03 - 34.44 - 1.02%

Abu Dhabi 4,261.22 - 35.97 - 0.84%

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Kuwait 5,378.88 - 13.93 - 0.26%

Saudi Arabia

6,359.91 - 68.48 - 1.07%

Qatar 9,675.66 - 40.82 - 0.42%

Bahrain 1,092.02 - 6.73 - 0.61%

CRUDE OIL PRICE

CURRENCY RATES*

DRAFT RATES (OMR1)*

GOLD PRICES*

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

Forex rates vs OMR1* US Dollar ................................. 2.58 Euro ............................................. 2.31 Pound ............................................1.76 Indian Rs ............................. 174.22 Pak Rs .....................................267.31 Bangla Taka.......................201.25

Indian Rs ...................................174.40 Pakistan Rs ..............................272.10 Sri Lanka Rs .................................. N/A Bangla Taka........................... 203.50 Phil Peso .................................... 121.20

Muscat 24ct per gm (OMR) .......15.40

Oman Crude............. (Spot) ........$45.86 Dubai Crude ............. (Spot) ........$45.66 Murban Crude ........ (Spot) ........$48.66 Arabian Light ......... (Spot) .........$44.91 N.Sea Brent............... (Spot) ........$49.32 West Texas Int ....... (Spot) ........$49.34

* Rates as of May 30 Source: Oman UAE Exchange

* Rates are as of May 30 Source: Bank Muscat

Sukuk market in Oman to witness enhanced activity MB Holding’s sukuk issue, which is a private placement, opened subscription on Monday and the investors have an option to either subscribe it in Omani rial or dollar denomination since it is a dual

SPECIAL PURPOSE VEHICLE: The companies interested in issuing

currency issue

sukuk can avail tax concession if the special purpose vehicle for sukuk issue is registered in Oman and the issue is floated in the local market. - Times file picture

Times News Service MUSCAT: Several Omani private firms are keen to raise funds by way of sukuk or Islamic bond issues, after Mohammed Al Barwani Holding LLC receiving ap-

proval from the market watchdog Capital Market Authority (CMA) for a OMR58 million-issue.

The companies interested in issuing sukuk can avail tax concession if the special purpose vehicle for sukuk issue is registered in

Oman and the issue is floated in the local market, a highly-placed source in CMA said.

Mohammed Al Barwani Holding’s sukuk issue, which is a private placement, has opened subscription on Monday and the

investors have an option to either subscribe it in Omani rial or dollar denomination since it is a dual currency issue, a source added.

The group has already formed a special purpose vehicle (SPV) — Mohammed Al Barwani Sukuk Issue SAOC — for raising funds from the market.

The Sultanate has issued new regulation on Sharia-compliant bond instrument last month and thereafter, several Omani firms, including financial institutions, property developers and oil firms, have evinced interest in raising funds by way of sukuk issue, according to CMA sources.

So far, Oman market witnessed only two sukuk issues that raised a total of OMR300 million — OMR50 million from real estate development firm Tilal Development Company and the other one a OMR250 million sovereign sukuk issue.

Under the new regulation, the market regulator allows companies to determine the timing, amount and pricing of the sukuk to be issued, based on the company’s funding and operational needs, and not required to issue the whole sukuk amount all at once and this, not incurring the whole cost upfront.

OPEC MEMBERS

The issuance of the country’s first sovereign sukuk and development bonds by the government helped to createan yield curve for the country in order to create a pricing benchmark for issuers and to enhance secondary market activities. Sukuk forms an important element to further enhance Oman’s Islamic financial market and enable the capital market to play its vital role as a fundraising platform for companies, while diversifying the financing base and risk away from the traditional banking sector.

In fact, GCC states along with Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey, Singapore and Pakistan, have issued $11.1 billion worth of sukuk in the first three months of 2016.

These states are choosing to issue more of their debt as sukuk rather than conventional bonds.

These countries issued 39.3 per cent of their debt as sukuk — the highest ratio of sukuk to conventional debt in eight years, based on data from Fitch Ratings.

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

Muscat 22ct per gm (OMR) .......14.80 Dubai 24ct per gm (Dh) ............ 147.00 Dubai 22ct per gm (Dh) ............ 138.00 * Rates as of May 30 Source: Malabar Gold & Diamonds

I F C A S S I S TA N C E

Egyptian petrochemical firm receives $25m funding DUBAI: As much as $25 million will be invested by International Finance Corp. (IFC) in Egypt’s Carbon Holdings, a petrochemical producer, as part of plans to commit $2 billion in the country.

The IFC will look for more ways to provide financing for Carbon Holdings, Mouayed Makhlouf, IFC director for the Middle East and North Africa, said in an interview in Dubai. The Washingtonbased lender plans to put about $500 million a year in Egypt over the next four years with most of the money going to power and renewable energy projects, he said.

“There are risks in Egypt, but there are a lot of potential opportunities in the medium to long term,” Makhlouf said. The IFC, which promotes private businesses, has invested about $1.4 billion in Egypt since 2011 and has about $1 billion in assets there, he said.

The most populous Arab country relies on imports of energy and manufactured goods to meet consumer demand. It’s suffering from a drop in income from tourism and a shortage of dollars that’s hurt business activity and investment. Egypt’s credit outlook was cut to negative from stable at S&P Global Ratings this month. — Bloomberg News

DIVESTMENT

UAE joins other forecasters looking at crude oil price touching $60 ABU DHABI: The United Arab Emirates’s economy minister joined forecasters looking for $60 per barrel for crude this year with demand and production moving more in line.

“It’s possible for oil prices to reach $60 or more during this summer” as demand increases in the US, UAE Economy Minister Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori said at a conference in Abu Dhabi on Monday. Crude will end the year higher than $60 a barrel, Mario Maratheftis, global chief economist at Standard Chartered, said. SEB Bank forecast last week that Brent would touch $60 at times in 2016.

Oil futures jumped 31 per cent this year, climbing above $50 a barrel last week, as US crude stockpiles declined, trimming a glut. Robust demand in India and other emerging nations led the International Energy Agency in May to reduce its estimate of the global oil surplus for the first half. Brent last traded above $60 in July.

“We’ve always been incredibly bullish on oil,” Maratheftis said. “We expected supply to collapse. Demand is still very strong. I would expect oil prices to keep rising.”

Brent for July settlement fell 0.3 per cent to $49.15 a barrel by 2:25pm in Dubai, after trading at $50.51 last Thursday.

Meanwhile, Opec members gathering in Vienna June 2 are expected to go along with a Saudi Arabia-led policy focused on squeezing out rivals amid signs the strategy is working. That means the meeting may be less fraught than the previous summit in December, which ended with public criticism of the Saudi position from Venezuela and Iran.

By allowing prices to fall, highcost producers are being forced out, easing the supply glut and spurring a rally of 80 per cent since January to about $50 a barrel. All but one of 27 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg said the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) will

Oil slips on third day as Canada’s output returns LONDON: Oil prices slid a third day as Canadian producers moved to resume output after wildfires and as Opec delegates prepare to meet in Vienna to discuss production policy.

Futures lost as much as 0.5 per cent in New York after dropping 0.5 per cent over the previous two sessions. Suncor Energy restarted oil-sands operations in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo as fires eased amid cooler weather. The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) will discuss issues including a possible output freeze when the group gathers June 2, said Iraq’s Deputy Oil Minister Fayyad Al Nima, who will head his nation’s delegation.

Oil has surged more than 85 per cent since slumping to a 12-year low in February on

stick with the strategy. An alternative proposal — to freeze output — was finally rejected in Doha last month. The group may also choose a secretary-general to replace Abdalla El Badri, whose term has been extended after members failed to agree on a successor. In recent months, three new hopefuls have emerged to try and break the impasse: Nigeria’s Mohammed Barkindo, Indonesia’s Mahendra Siregar and Venezuela’s Ali Rodriguez.

Following are the latest comments from Opec members and analysts. The respective shares of supply are based on April levels. The estimates for the price each member needs to balance its budget are from the International

signs the worldwide surplus is easing amid declining production from the US to Nigeria.

Opec is unlikely to reach any agreement to limit output when it meets on Thursday as the group sticks with Saudi Arabia’s strategy of squeezing out rivals, according to analysts surveyed by Bloomberg.

“Opec will continue producing what they’ve already been pumping,” said Tushar Tarun Bansal, an oil analyst with FGE in Singapore.

“Pricing reflects a scenario in which outages in Canada and elsewhere continue. If production comes back and there are no efforts from Opec to support prices by limiting output, that could lead to an easing in prices.”

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for July delivery fell as much as 26 cents to $49.07 a barrel on the New York

Monetary Fund unless stated otherwise. The price needed is $87.6 for Algeria which has 3.3 per cent share of Opec production.

The price needed is $93.14 (RBC Capital Markets) for Angola which has 5.4 per cent share of Opec production. The price needed is $75.16 (RBC Capital Markets) for Ecuador which has 1.7 per cent share of Opec production. Icaza became Ecuador’s new oil minister in early May following the resignation of Carlos Pareja. Unlike other Opec members, Indonesia is still a net oil importer so the fiscal break-even concept is not applicable. Its share of Opec production is 2.2 per cent.

The price needed is $61.50 for Iran which has 11 per cent share

Mercantile Exchange and was at $49.25 at 12:10pm London time. The contract lost 15 cents to close at $49.33 on Friday. Total volume traded was about 62 per cent below the 100-day average.

Brent for July settlement, which expires on Tuesday, slid as much as 40 cents, or 0.8 per cent, to $48.92 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. Prices lost 27 cents to $49.32 on Friday.

The global benchmark was at a discount of 9 cents to WTI. The more-active August contract fell 20 cents to $49.75.

Rigs targeting crude in the US dropped by two to 316 through May 27 after no change the previous week, according to data from Baker Hughes Inc. on Friday. Companies have idled more than 1,000 machines since the start of last year. — Bloomberg News

of Opec production. Iran is rebuilding its energy industry and restoring crude sales after the lifting of international restrictions in January. Exports are already at 2 million barrels a day, just short of pre-sanctions levels, the IEA said in a recent oil market report.

The price needed is $59.70 for Iraq which has 13 per cent share of Opec production. Iran’s production has jumped more than 40 per cent since mid-2014 and exports are at near-record levels.

But plunging government revenue is hampering the state’s ability to invest, and Opec’s second-biggest crude producer is reaching the limits of its capacity to export oil, according to analysts at Energy Aspects and FGE. — Bloomberg News

READY TO TAKE OFF: The offer for Asia Aviation Capital, the

leasing company that’s fully owned by AirAsia, needs to be discussed further with the board. — Bloomberg News

AirAsia gets $1b offer to acquire leasing company KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia, the region’s biggest discount carrier, received an offer valued at about $1 billion to buy its aircraft-leasing company amid a surge in the business in the continent. The shares gained to the highest level in more than a year.

The airline intends to divest the business at some point, Group Chief Executive Officer Tony Fernandes said in an interview with Bloomberg Television on Monday. The offer for Asia Aviation Capital, the leasing company that’s fully owned by AirAsia, needs to be discussed further with the board, Fernandes said, declining to offer further details.

“We actually had an offer to buy it and I think this is a very powerful cash generator,” Fernandes said.

“At some point, we will divest in this asset. There’s tremendous value and cash equation there,” he further added.

Cheaper to lease jets As airlines serving Asia Pacific move to triple their fleet, they’re finding it can be cheaper to lease jets instead of buying them from Boeing or Airbus Group. The leasing business can be more lucrative than operating an airline, which has prompted conglomerates led by Hong Kong billionaires Li Ka-shing and Cheng Yu-tung to enter the industry. Fernandes’s comments

comes as Asia’s biggest lessor is slated to start trading in Hong Kong on Wednesday after a HK$8.7 billion ($1.1 billion) initial public offering.

‘Valuable assets’ “It was interesting that we haven’t even gone to the market and someone approached us on it, because obviously we have some very valuable assets in our A320s and a very strong order book,” Fernandes said.

AirAsia, one of the biggest customers of Airbus’s single-aisle A320 jets, started the leasing company in 2014. It made its first deal outside the group by leasing out aircraft to Pakistan International Airlines, Fernandes said, adding that more airlines are seeking to rent its planes. The unit had 43 A320s in its fleet as of the end of March.

“AirAsia doesn’t need to sell the leasing arm now because its balance sheet is alright and it will get cash infusion from founding shareholders,” said Mohshin Aziz, an analyst at Malayan Banking in Kuala Lumpur.

“As a business you want to have as many avenues and the leasing arm opens an avenue for AirAsia should it need to raise cash.”

Airlines in Asia will fly more than 16,000 planes within 20 years, almost tripling the current number, according to estimates

by Boeing. — Bloomberg News

B2

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2016

MARKET I N T E R NA L M I G R AT I O N

For Chinese job-hunting migrants, lure of the city is fading WENZHOU/HONG KONG: After two decades trying to make a life in China’s entrepreneurial city of Wenzhou, Ji Shouquan and his brother Shoufang are ready to head home. They say they have no hope of stepping onto the city’s housing ladder and it is getting more difficult to earn a decent wage.

China is relying on millions of internal migrants taking up jobs in cities to boost the urban population and consumption. It hopes this will fuel more sustainable long-term economic growth and reduce the country’s reliance on big industry and exports that powered the country’s rise in the

last three decades. But migration is slowing down and workers are more reluctant to travel across the country to find jobs, trends that could undermine these efforts.

“It’s really tough to make money,” said Shouquan, who earns about 5,000 yuan ($767) a month as a sound technician in a karaoke lounge. “Of the six or seven friends who used to work at the KTV, only two of us are still holding on. Most have gone home.” His taxi-driver brother, Shoufang, said that’s what they’ll probably end up doing too.

Both have scrimped enough to buy property in their home town of Fuyang in the largely agricultural

province of Anhui in eastern China, where home prices are about a fifth of the cost of Wenzhou, which is in the neighbouring province of Zhejiang. “It’s unrealistic for migrant workers like us to buy in Wenzhou, unless you’ve got your own business,” Shoufang said.

Global financial crisis Government data shows that the number of migrant workers in 2015 reached close to 169 million.

But that was up just 0.4 per cent from 2014 — the weakest rise since the global financial crisis in 2009.

The number of migrants searching for jobs outside of their home

province dropped 1.5 per cent — the first decline in six years.

The government wants 60 per cent of its population of almost 1.4 billion to be urban residents by 2020, up from 56.1 per cent in 2015.

Analysts say China’s massive stock of unsold homes is evidence that urbanisation drive is faltering as migrants struggle to build a future away from their villages or towns. Despite some signs that house prices are recovering from a downturn, data shows that the inventory of unsold homes in China rose in the year to April by 4.5 per cent to 450 million square metres.

The National Development and

Reform Commission, the state planning agency, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Housing built in many third-and fourth-tier cities was initially designed to absorb demand from the government’s urbanisation drive.

But a lack of job prospects and access to social services has meant migrants continue to take their chances in China’s biggest and most expensive urban centres — or head back home.

“Urbanisation should be based around human beings, and not just driven by man-made cities,” said Wang Jun, a senior economist at China Centre for International

India to drive global growth, says Singapore’s ex-premier for 2016 and 2017, up from 7.3 per cent in 2015. “With the revival of sentiment and pick-up in industrial activity, a recovery of private investment is expected to further strengthen growth,” it had said.

Goh Chok Tong felt that India should take advantage as China slows and that India is at a stage China was 10 years ago

TOKYO: Amid concerns of a slowing global growth, India is a beacon of hope and has the potential to drive the world economy for the next 10 years, former Singapore prime minister Goh Chok Tong said on Monday.

“India is a hope for us. India is at a stage China was 10 years ago to amend slack in the economy,” he said speaking at the Future of Asia Conference organised by Nikkei in Tokyo.

Jaitley to speak today Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who arrived here on Sunday on a six-day tour to help mobilise investment, attended the conference, but did not make any statement. He is scheduled to speak at the conference on Tuesday.

The former Singapore prime

MAKING A POINT: Former Singapore prime minister Goh Chok Tong on Monday said the world economy can now depend on India for the growth push and it is not just China the world needs to depend on. – Bloomberg News

minister felt that India should take advantage as China slows.

“One should pass the message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi (that) India is growing... now and it is engine of the world for the next 10 years as China is slowing,” he said.

He said the world economy

can now depend on India for the growth push and it is not just China the world needs to depend on. “(The world) not just depends on China for pushing growth, India can be a very big partner.”

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) last month cut its 2016 global growth forecast for

the fourth time in the past year to 3.2 per cent, citing China slowdown, persistently low oil prices and chronic weakness in advanced economies.

This was down from 3.4 per cent projected in January. In contrast, for India, it retained its 7.5 per cent GDP expansion forecast

India’s growth projection “In India, growth is projected to notch up to 7.5 per cent in 201617, as forecast in October. Growth will continue to be driven by private consumption, which has benefited from lower energy prices and higher real incomes.”

It, however, wanted the government to cut down subsidies, initiate labour reforms and dismantle infrastructure bottlenecks to sustain strong growth. The IMF had said a prolonged period of slow growth has left the global economy more exposed to negative shocks and raised the risk that the world will slide into stagnation.

It, however, upgraded its China growth forecast by 0.2 percentage point for this year and the next to 6.5 per cent and 6.2 per cent, respectively. China clocked 6.9 per cent growth in 2015 when India had recorded 7.3 per cent expansion. — PTI

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Economic Exchanges, a Beijingbased think-tank.

However, some industry watchers said the main impediment to migrants buying homes and settling in other cities is a lack of access to local services, such as free schooling for their children and healthcare.

Under China’s system of internal passports, or hukou, migrants in search of better jobs in urban areas leave behind the public services they are entitled to as residents of their home towns and villages. Losing such privileges discourages many from leaving in the first place. - Reuters ECONOMY

Japanese PM set to defer sales tax hike TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wants to put off a planned sales tax increase for twoand-a-half years, two ruling Liberal Democratic Party officials said on Monday, as Abe prepares to end the speculation that has swirled for months.

Speaking after a meeting with Abe in Tokyo, LDP vice-president Masahiko Komura told reporters the prime minister ‘seems determined’, when asked whether the sales tax increase would be delayed a second time. Toshihiro Nikai, chairman of the LDP’s general council, said after a separate meeting with Abe that he understood the prime minister wouldn’t call a general election to coincide with an upper-house vote in July, as many had speculated.

Consumption tax Abe had repeatedly said he would go ahead with the plan to boost the unpopular consumption tax to 10 per cent in April 2017 from the current 8 per cent unless there was a crisis on the scale of the Lehman collapse or a major earthquake.

Last week, in a presentation to the Group of Seven leaders Abe made the case that the global economy was on the brink of just such a disaster and that urgent measures needed to be taken.

He told reporters he would make a final decision on the tax before the upper-house election.

- Bloomberg News

R O U N D TA B L E

China’s independent refineries plan to trade Oman Crude on DME Times News Service MUSCAT: DME, the premier international energy futures and commodities exchange in the Middle East, recently conducted a roundtable in Shandong, China that was attended by the key Chinese independent oil refineries.

The Chinese government is providing approvals to growing number of independents to directly import crude oil for the first time. The DME event organised to support these refineries in registering and setting up of DME accounts to trade Oman Crude Oil Futures for hedging and deliveries.

The event was attended by more than 70 participants representing the majority of the independent oil refineries in China.

Till date, four independent refineries have registered and are ready to trade, of which one is al-

ready using the DME Oman contract for hedging and deliveries.

“We were glad to witness such strong interest in DME and DME Oman among from the Chinese independent oil refineries, who appreciate the benefits of the exchange’s futures mechanism for their hedging requirements as well as for their crude deliveries,” said Owain Johnson, managing director, DME. “There is clearly a strong demand in Asia for a transparent and regulated mechanism that provides a level playing field.”

Eleven independent refineries from China have already been granted permission to import crude oil from overseas with more expected to receive approvals in the coming months.

DME will reach out to all these refineries and host further information seminars in China to raise awareness.

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2016

B3

MARKET FOREIGN INVESTMENT

US firms keen to invest in India: Council WASHINGTON: With ease of doing business in India ‘improving’, the United States companies are keen to invest in the country which is emerging as a ‘good market’, the head of a top American industry advocacy group has said.

“There is a sense of hope among US companies that Indian market is going to be a good market. That’s why they are investing into it and we see the momentum picking up from the US companies,” Mukesh Aghi, president of US India Business Council (USIBC), said.

According to an estimate, American companies have invested $27 billion in India after the BJP-led federal government came to power in May 2016, Aghi said. “But the actual figure could be much higher as a significantly large amount of such investment has been routed through third countries like Singapore and Mauritius, because of treaties, or through countries like Ireland, Norway or Belgium where they have excess money,” he noted.

Improvement The USIBC represents the interest of a top American companies doing businesses in India. Aghi said that in the last two years under the Narendra Modi government ease of doing business has improved in India, which is reflective in increase in foreign direct investment.

“The ease of doing business definitely has improved. Is it there up to the global standards? No,” he said.

“I think, what this prime minister has done, is trying to do to go in one at a time the issues and challenges which creates difficulty less. He has basically eliminated obscure laws, to make things easier.

He has gone to state-level and created that federal competitiveness,” he said. - PTI

Saudi is the best emerging market for deals: Citigroup Net foreign assets slip to four-year low

Implementation of the Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s plans to restructure the economy, include share sale in the world’s biggest oil company

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s planned privatisations, including a share sale in the world’s biggest oil company, represent the biggest investment banking opportunity in emerging markets, says Citigroup.

Implementation of the Kingdom’s plans to restructure the economy — known as Vision 2030 — “could translate into a fantastic wallet for the investment banks,” Omar Iqtidar, Citigroup’s head of investment banking in the Middle East, said in an interview.

“We are seeing momentum picking up, with skeptics increasingly converted into believers of the restructuring,” he added.

Saudi’s Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is overseeing an unprecedented shakeup of the biggest Arab economy as the country seeks to reduce its reliance on oil after a plunge in prices that started in 2014.

The country plans an initial public offering of Saudi Arabian Oil Company, which the prince

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s net foreign assets fell for the 15th month in a row in April, as the Kingdom announced its ‘vision’ for a post-oil future.

The Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency said on Sunday net foreign assets declined 1.1 per cent to $572 billion, the lowest level in four years.

The slump in crude prices has forced the government to sell bonds and draw on its currency reserves, still among the world’s largest.

Net foreign assets fell by $115 billion last year, when the kingdom ran a budget deficit of nearly $100 billion.

The fiscal crunch has pushed Saudi Arabia’s rulers to look beyond oil, consider new taxes, and plan an initial public offering of state giant Saudi Arabian Oil Company Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sketched out the planned changes dubbed Saudi Vision 2030 on April 25.

said may value the company at more than $2 trillion.

The Aramco share sale is part of the prince’s strategy to create a sovereign wealth fund that will eventually control more than $2 trillion and boost income from investments. The country is also seeking to potentially breakup its stateowned utility Saudi Electricity

Brent crude declined for a third day, falling 0.5 per cent to $49.07 a barrel in Dubai, bringing the drop for the past year to 24 per cent. It traded above $100 a barrel two years ago.

Strain on reserves The strain on reserves has also fuelled speculation that the Kingdom will adjust its decades-old riyal peg to the dollar. New central bank Governor Ahmed Alkholifey

into four independent power generating companies.

Saudi role Global investment banks are jostling for roles advising the government on everything from sovereign loans to initial public offerings (IPOs). JPMorgan Chase and Michael Klein, the former Citigroup

told Al Arabiya on Thursday that Saudi Arabia doesn’t plan to change its exchange rate policy. Cash withdrawals from automated teller machines in the kingdom fell 3 per cent in March compared to the same month last year, a sign that the economic slowdown brought on by lower oil prices and government spending cuts is reaching consumers. Money supply shrank 1.5 per cent in April on the year. – Bloomberg News

investment banker who runs his own boutique, have been selected to advise on state-owned Saudi Aramco’s IPO, people familiar with the matter said in April. Saudi Arabia’s stock exchange, the biggest in the Middle East and Africa, has hired HSBC Saudi Arabia as a financial adviser for its initial public offering, scheduled for 2018.

Citigroup last year won approval to trade Saudi Arabian equities, its first banking license since exiting the country in 2004, people with knowledge of the matter said in September. The bank is directly investing in companies listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange after the stock market opened to direct foreign investment last June.

Acquisition The New York-based bank sold its 20 per cent stake in the Saudi American Bank, now known as Samba Financial Group, to the state Public Investment Fund for $760 million in 2004, ending a business that it helped form in 1955. It has still won a role advising on some of the largest deals from the country, including Saudi Basic Industries Corporation’s acquisition of General Electric’s plastics unit for $11.6 billion in 2007. It was also part of Saudi Aramco’s $10 billion loan in 2015.

Crude’s more than 50 per cent plunge since the middle of 2014 is pushing governments across the region to dip into past savings, boost borrowings and cut spending, which is slowing economic growth. That has helped make regional assets cheaper, with Saudi Arabia’s benchmark index down 33 per cent from a year ago and Dubai’s by 15 per cent.

Mergers and acquisitions in the Middle East and Africa have declined 43 per cent this year to $17.8 billion. - Bloomberg News

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WORKSHOP

FA C I L I T I E S M A NA G E M E N T

Qurum Business Group wins CBO highlights importance four new contracts in Oman of restructuring bank loans Times News Service Times News Service MUSCAT: QBG Facilities Management (QBG FM), a Qurum Business Group company, secured four new strategic contracts with some of Oman’s biggest brands, adding four retail, entertainment and hospitality destinations to its burgeoning portfolio.

The long-term agreements highlight the value, reliability, and service excellence the company’s world-class integrated services are bringing customers throughout the region.

The first three successive contracts were awarded to QBG FM by some of the Sultanate’s favourite shopping centres including the Oman Avenues Mall, Muscat Grand Mall, and the refurbished Oasis Mall.

QBG FM has already started providing them with the full suite of hard and soft facilities management solutions, teams of mechanics and technicians, as well as an array of consultancy services to complement their work. Additionally, a fourth agreement was signed by QGB FM with the InterContinental Hotel Muscat to provide parking assistance solutions.

Tony Martin, general manager of QBG Facilities Management, said, “This is a major step forward for QBG FM, demonstrating the value our integrated services bring customers in Oman, no matter the environment or sector they operate in.

“QBG FM’s services are reliable and effective and have always placed the needs of our customers first and foremost, enabling us to

MEN AT WORK: QBG Facilities Management has already started

providing them with the full suite of hard and soft facilities management solutions, teams of mechanics and technicians, as well as an array of consultancy services. - Supplied picture

go beyond the call of duty to deliver greater satisfaction, reduced operational costs, and increased efficiencies,” he added.

“The expansion of our client base is a testament to the success and demand our approach is generating, the distinct operational effectiveness of our teams, and the flexibility of our services,” he said.

Presence in the UAE QBG FM is an Omani-owned company with a significant presence in the UAE and the Sultanate of Oman. Since beginning operations in 1987, the company has emerged as a major player in the regional facilities management industry with more than 500 clients in the GCC alone.

QBG FM offers a full range of hard and soft facilities management services, complemented by industry-leading consultancy.

From core engineering services such as complex maintenance of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning, to soft services such as cleaning, security, landscaping and pest control.

The company has been helping client’s in the region achieve their facilities’ full potential. The company’s high profile list of customers includes Oman Arab Bank, Bar Al Jissah, Omran, Seven Seas Petroleum as well as various high-end residential properties and retail outlets among others.

Qurum Business Group is one of the region’s leading international diversified business solutions’ providers.

The group has delivered its management expertise, local knowledge, and solutions to a growing array of business sectors in the Sultanate of Oman, the region, and the world.

MUSCAT: A series of precautionary measures for restructuring bank loans were taken by the Central Bank of Oman (CBO), said Ali bin Hamdan Al Raisi, executive vice president of the bank, at a banking workshop.

The two-day workshop titled ‘Restructuring bank loans’ was organised on Monday in collaboration with the Union of Arab Banks at City Seasons Hotel in Muscat.

In his keynote speech on the opening day of the event, the Central Bank of Oman executive vice president highlighted the importance of loan restructuring.

Minimising risks He said that addressing this issue in accordance with the new approaches allows creditor banks to minimise their risks and build

NEW MEASURES: Central Bank of Oman said that it has taken a series of precautionary measures for restructuring loans. - Supplied picture

additional appropriations and reserves to cover existing debit accounts as well as provide protection to banks to face the worst possible scenarios which some borrowers face when opting for long-term restructuring operations. It also allows debtors to carry on with their activities, he added.

Speakers from the CBO, the

Central Bank of Lebanon and the International Finance Corporation – member of the World Bank Group – shared experiences in restructuring bank loans.

Participants in the workshop include about 60 high- and middleranking employees from 16 local banks and finance companies and from Egypt.

B4

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2016

MARKET OMAN STOCKS

MUSCAT SECURITIES MARKET

INDICES Index .................................................High .................Low..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff % MSM30 Index ....................................... 5,890.45 ...............5,836.93 ................... 5,838.56 ...................5,890.45................ -51.89 .................. -0.88 Financial Index ..................................... 7,519.70 ...............7,446.74 ....................7,446.74 ....................7,525.41................-78.67 .................. -1.05 Industrial Index .....................................7,261.71 .............. 7,244.39 ................... 7,244.39 ................... 7,273.63................-29.24 .................. -0.40 Services Index .......................................3,265.72 .............. 3,228.84 ...................3,240.93 ................... 3,265.72................-24.79 .................. -0.76 MSM SHARIAH INDEX.......................884.19 .................. 881.03 .......................881.03 ...................... 884.19...................-3.16 .................. -0.36 Trading Summary Volume ................Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded 23,489,897 ................. 4,705,668 .....................795 ............... 17,059,708,802 ...................1 ..................... 22 .................... 18 .........................41

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR MONDAY, MAY 30 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 .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

OM0000001160 ............NATIONAL GAS ........................................................... 127,631 ............ 65,869..................... 35 ............0.510 ........... 0.518 ...........0.510 ............0.516 ............. 0.516............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.518 .............. 0.516...................0.518 ...................28,380,000.........0.100 OM0000001418 ............RAYSUT CEMENT ....................................................... 50,000 ............64,000........................7 ............1.280 ........... 1.280 ...........1.280........... 1.280 .............1.280 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................1.280..............1.250...................1.280................. 256,000,000 .......0.100 OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE.............. 200,000...........40,000........................4 ........... 0.200...........0.200 ...........0.200 .......... 0.200 .............0.200 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.200 .............0.194...................0.200 ................. 40,000,000 ........0.100 OM0000001707 ............OMAN CABLES INDUSTRY..................................... 25,000 ............44,500........................1 ............1.780 ........... 1.780............1.780 ............1.780 ............. 1.780............ 0.000.............0.000 ................1.780 .............. 1.750...................1.780 ..................159,666,000........0.100

Muscat Securities Market. — Times file picture

OM0000002028 ...........GULF INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS ..............52,100 .............13,025........................6 ........... 0.250 ...........0.250 ...........0.250........... 0.250 .............0.250 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.250..............0.247...................0.250 ...................5,250,000 ..........0.100 OM0000002648 ...........NATIONAL FINANCE ...................................................4,000 .................. 532........................4 ............0.133 ........... 0.133 ...........0.133 ............0.138 ............. 0.138............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.133 ...............0.131...................0.137 ................... 37,415,301 .........0.100 OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY ........................................................3,321 ............... 1,396........................5 ........... 0.420 ...........0.422 ...........0.420........... 0.420 .............0.420 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.420..............0.420...................0.430 ..................25,410,000 .........0.100

MSM index ends lower

OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO.........................................................................54,929 .............41,251......................13 ............0.752 ........... 0.760 ...........0.748 ........... 0.752 ............. 0.752............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.748 ..............0.740...................0.752..................489,510,061 ........0.100 OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL............................................. 135,000 ..............9,970........................6 ........... 0.073 ........... 0.074 ...........0.073........... 0.074 .............0.074 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.073..............0.073...................0.075...................12,950,000.........0.100 OM0000004933 ...........AL SUWADI POWER ....................................................83,327 .............17,999........................4 ............0.216 ........... 0.216 ...........0.216........... 0.216 .............0.216............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.216 ..............0.216...................0.220 ................. 154,311,769 ........0.100 OM0000002549 ...........BANK DHOFAR ..............................................................64,702 .............15,937........................3 ........... 0.247 ...........0.247 ...........0.244 .......... 0.246 .............0.247 ...........-0.001 ........... -0.405 ...............0.244 ............ 0.244...................0.247 .................418,003,544 .......0.100 OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 2,280,321 ......524,338..................... 92 ........... 0.230 ........... 0.231 ...........0.229........... 0.230 ............. 0.231............-0.001 ........... -0.433 ...............0.229..............0.229...................0.230 .................. 34,517,250 .........0.100 OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR................................................................ 1,468,413 ......259,058......................31 ............0.177 ........... 0.177 ...........0.175 ............0.176 ............. 0.177............-0.001 ........... -0.565 ...............0.175 .............. 0.175...................0.177 ..................282,391,884........0.100 OM0000002440 ...........AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING ........... 736,987 .........100,048..................... 66 ............0.135 ........... 0.138 ...........0.135 ............0.136 ............. 0.137............-0.001 ........... -0.730 ...............0.136 .............. 0.135...................0.136...................12,240,000.........0.100 OM0000002168............AL ANWAR CERAMIC TILES ............................... 198,902 ............52,729........................7 ........... 0.267 ...........0.267 ...........0.265........... 0.265 .............0.267 ...........-0.002 ........... -0.749 ...............0.265..............0.265...................0.267...................78,496,626 .........0.100 OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ........................ 182,513 ..........293,824......................41 ............1.600 ........... 1.610............1.600............1.610 ............. 1.625............-0.015 ........... -0.923 ...............1.600..............1.600................... 1.610 ................1,207,500,000 ......0.100 OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 1,238,438 ...... 129,948..................... 50 ............0.104 ........... 0.106 ...........0.104........... 0.105 .............0.106 ...........-0.001 ........... -0.943 ...............0.105 ..............0.105...................0.106...................30,447,967 .........0.100 OM0000004925 ...........AL BATINAH POWER..................................................18,000 ...............3,780........................1 ............0.210 ........... 0.210 ...........0.210........... 0.210 .............0.212 ...........-0.002 ........... -0.943 ...............0.210............. 0.200...................0.210..................141,726,360 ........0.100 OM0000001517 ............HSBC BANK OMAN .................................................... 3,476,884 ...... 361,596.....................20 ............0.104 ........... 0.105 ...........0.104........... 0.104 .............0.105............-0.001 ........... -0.952 ...............0.104..............0.103...................0.104................. 208,032,530 .......0.100 OM0000002176 ............AL JAZEERA STEEL PRODUCTS ........................ 313,500 ........... 64,784..................... 35 ........... 0.207 ...........0.207 ...........0.206 .......... 0.207 .............0.209 ...........-0.002 ........... -0.957 ...............0.206............. 0.206...................0.207 ..................25,853,878 .........0.100

Oman Orix Leasing was most active in terms of volume, while Ominvest was the most active in terms of turnover.

OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 1,263,075 ......500,938................... 152 ........... 0.396 ...........0.398 ...........0.396........... 0.396 .............0.400 ...........-0.004 ........... -1.000 ...............0.396..............0.394...................0.396..................988,515,102 ........0.100 OM0000001483............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ................................. 767,363...........193,613..................... 29 ........... 0.250 ........... 0.255 ...........0.250........... 0.252 .............0.255 ...........-0.003 ............-1.176 ................0.252..............0.250...................0.252 .................371,644,881 ........0.100 OM0000001749 ............OMAN CEMENT .......................................................... 118,650 ............ 55,940........................9 ............0.476 ........... 0.476 ...........0.470........... 0.472 .............0.480 ...........-0.008 ............-1.667................0.470..............0.458...................0.470.................. 156,171,919 ........0.100 OM0000002200 ...........AHLI BANK ......................................................................12,820 .............. 2,244........................3 ............0.175 ........... 0.175............0.175 ............0.175 ............. 0.178............-0.003 ............-1.685................0.175 .............. 0.175...................0.176 ..................249,381,325........0.100 OM0000003224 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES ..................................... 376,179 .......... 104,102..................... 39 ........... 0.276 ...........0.280 ...........0.275........... 0.277 .............0.283 ...........-0.006 ........... -2.120 ...............0.275..............0.274...................0.275...................80,510,333 .........0.100 OM0000001533 ............OMINVEST .................................................................... 1,357,959....... 747,877......................13 ........... 0.560 ...........0.560 ...........0.550........... 0.550 .............0.566 ...........-0.016 ........... -2.827 ...............0.550..............0.524...................0.566..................349,684,988 .......0.100 OM0000001962............AL MADINA INVESTMENT ................................... 257,738 .............15,980......................13 ........... 0.062 ...........0.062 ...........0.062........... 0.062 .............0.064 ...........-0.002 ............-3.125................0.062..............0.061...................0.064 ..................12,843,386 .........0.100 OM0000003000 ...........ALMAHA PETROLEUM PRODUCTS MAR. .......55,068 ............ 80,555........................9 ............1.385 ........... 1.535............1.385 ............1.465 ............. 1.535............-0.070 ........... -4.560 ...............1.535 ..............1.440...................1.530..................101,085,000........0.100

MUSCAT: Shares on the Muscat bourse continued its decline amid lack of buying support.

The MSM30 Index continued its slide for the fifth consecutive session to close at 5,838.56 points, down by 0.88 per cent.

The MSM Sharia Index fell by 0.36 per cent to end at 881.03 points. Oman Orix Leasing was most active in terms of volume while Ominvest was the most active in terms of turnover.

As many as 795 trades were executed on Monday, generating turnover of OMR4.7 million with 23.4 million shares changing hands. Out of 41 traded securities, one advanced, 22 declined and 18 remained unchanged.

GCC and Arab investors were net buyers for OMR594,000 followed by Omani investors for OMR39,000 while foreign investors were net sellers for

OMR633,000 worth of shares.

Financial Index closed at 7446.74 points, down by 1.05 per cent. Oman & Emirates, DIDIC, Al Madina Investment and Ominvest declined by 4.93 per cent, 4.76 per cent, 3.13 per cent and 2.83 per cent, respectively.

Industrial Index was down by 0.40 per cent to close at 7,244.39 points. Oman Cement, Oman Fisheries, Oman Flour Mills and Jazeera Steel Product declined by 1.67 per cent, 1.67 per cent, 1.03 per cent and 0.96 per cent, respectively.

Services Index closed at 3,240.93 points, down by 0.76 per cent. Al Maha Petroleum, Renaissance Services, Al Batinah Power and Oman Telecommunications Company declined by 4.56 per cent, 2.12 per cent, 0.94 per cent and 0.92 per cent, respectively. – United Securities

OM0000001509............DHOFAR INT.DEV.AND INV. HOLD...................... 10,576 .............. 4,230........................3 ........... 0.400...........0.400 ...........0.400 .......... 0.400 .............0.420 ...........-0.020 ........... -4.762 ...............0.400..............0.378...................0.400 ..................98,560,000.........0.100 OM0000001681 ............OMAN AND EMIRATES INV. HOLDING.............12,850 ................1,735........................2 ............0.135 ........... 0.135 ...........0.135 ............0.135 .............0.142 ...........-0.007 ........... -4.930 ...............0.135 .............. 0.135...................0.140................... 16,453,125 .........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 14,946,246.......3,811,799 .............703 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......30........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

OM0000001152 ............OMAN NATIONAL ENGINE. INVT. ........................4,445 .................. 853........................1 ............0.192 ........... 0.192 ...........0.192............0.195 ............. 0.195............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.192 ............. 0.000...................0.200 ..................19,500,000 .........0.100 OM0000001368 ............CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IND. .................. 404,200 ...........12,530......................12 ............0.031 ...........0.032 ...........0.031 ............0.031 ............. 0.031............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.031 ..............0.030...................0.031....................2,635,000 ..........0.100 OM0000001723 ............OMAN ORIX LEASING ............................................. 6,424,970 ..... 677,482........................6 ............0.115 ........... 0.115............0.105 ............0.115 ............. 0.115 ............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.115 ...............0.113................... 0.115 ...................28,869,531 .........0.100 OM0000002564 ...........AL HASSAN ENGINEERING.................................. 298,000........... 25,926........................3 ........... 0.087 ...........0.087 ...........0.087........... 0.087 .............0.087 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.087..............0.086...................0.088....................6,543,096 ..........0.100 OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA ................................................................ 564,256 ........... 42,319......................17 ............0.075 ........... 0.075 ...........0.075........... 0.075 .............0.075 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.075..............0.075...................0.076..................112,500,000........0.100 OM0000004511 ............ALIZZ ISLAMIC BANK.............................................. 154,100...............8,784..................... 10 ........... 0.057 ...........0.058 ...........0.057........... 0.057 .............0.057 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.057..............0.057...................0.058...................57,000,000.........0.100 OM0000005963 ...........PHOENIX POWER ...................................................... 520,573 ............80,168..................... 28 ............0.154 ........... 0.154 ...........0.154 ........... 0.154 .............0.154............ 0.000.............0.000 ................0.154 ..............0.154...................0.155 ................. 225,240,625 .......0.100 OM0000001400 ...........OMAN FLOUR MILLS ................................................. 59,513 ............ 34,366........................7 ............0.578 ........... 0.578 ...........0.570........... 0.578 .............0.584 ...........-0.006 ........... -1.027................0.570..............0.566...................0.570...................91,035,000 .........0.100 OM0000001566 ............OMAN FISHERIES ..................................................... 107,658 ...............6,347........................6 ........... 0.059 ...........0.059 ...........0.058........... 0.059 .............0.060 ...........-0.001 ............-1.667................0.059..............0.059...................0.060 ................... 7,375,000 ..........0.100 .............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 8,537,715 ....... 888,776.....................90 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........ 9........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

OM0000006045 ...........SOVEREIGN SUKUK ISSUE 1 ....................................5,000 ...............5,000........................1 ........... 1.000 ........... 1.000 ...........1.000........... 1.000 .............0.988 ............0.012 ..............1.215.................1.000............. 0.000...................0.000 ................ 250,000,000 .......1.000 OM0000004628 ...........BANK SOHAR BONDS 4.5 ................................................936 .....................94........................1 ........... 0.100 ........... 0.100 ...........0.100........... 0.100 .............0.100 ........... 0.000.............0.000 ................0.100..............0.100...................0.110 .................... 4,766,667 ..........0.100 .............................................SUM: ...................................................................................... 5,936 ...............5,094........................2 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........2........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

I ATA R E P O R T

CURRENCY

Air passenger demand slows in April India’s rupee snaps BERLIN: Air passenger demand in April rose at its slowest rate since January 2015, weighed by the March attacks on Brussels airport and highlighting safety as one of the main challenges facing top airline executives meeting this week.

While airlines are enjoying a boost from lower oil prices, weakening economies and falling ticket prices are also posing problems for a sector which operates on thin profit margins.

The International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) latest air passenger figures, released on Monday, showed demand rose by 4.6 per cent in April, following the suicide bomb attacks in Brussels that killed 16 people at the end of March.

How to improve security following other attacks on popular travel destinations is likely to feature high on the agenda at the annual IATA meeting from June 1 to June 3 in Dublin.

Airlines are also under pressure to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and CEOs will discuss proposals by UN agency ICAO for a global market-based measure to offset emissions.

three-day increase

IATA Director General Tony Tyler. — Bloomberg News

The industry favours a global scheme, rather than a patchwork across the world, IATA Director General Tony Tyler told journalists ahead of the meeting.

A possible British exit from the European Union and the US elections are also areas of concern, with European carriers already warning a “Brexit” could dampen travel demand.

While airlines’ cost bases bene-

fited from the lower price of fuel, oil has been creeping back up to under $50 per barrel and the low oil price is hurting economies in Latin America, the Middle East and Russia, and oil firms cutting back on corporate travel has led to lower demand for seats in premium cabins.

“It’s still set reasonably fair for the airlines’ financial performance, but the bigger worry is

the fragility of the global economy,” IATA chief economist Brian Pearce said on Monday.

Air fares fell around 4 per cent in early 2016 and are expected to decline further, says IATA, which represents around 260 airlines accounting for 83 per cent of global air traffic.

“There’s quite a lot of capacity growth despite the weaker pricing environment, especially from the European legacy carriers, and I would have expected to see more discipline on that,” aviation consultant John Strickland said.

Delta Air Lines, British Airways-owner IAG and Lufthansa are among major carriers to have trimmed growth plans to protect prices.

Tyler, attending his last meeting as director general before handing over to Alexandre de Juniac, the outgoing CEO of Air France-KLM, will give an industry profit outlook on Thursday.

IATA has previously forecast net profits will reach record levels of $36.3 billion in 2016, for a net profit margin of 5.1 per cent, with North American carriers accounting for over half of the total.

— Reuters

MUMBAI: India’s rupee fell on concern investor appetite for emerging-market assets will wane as the US Federal Reserve considers raising interest rates as soon as June.

Federal Chair Janet Yellen threw her support behind a growing consensus at the US central bank in favour of tightening policy soon, while steering clear of specifying the timing of such a move in remarks on Friday at Harvard University. Futures show odds for a rise in June stand at 30 per cent, while those for July are at 53.8 per cent. Foreign holdings of rupee-denominated debt dropped

by Rs52.3 billion ($779 million) in May, after climbing for two straight months.

“It is Yellen’s commentary that’s driving the market,” said Samir Lodha, managing director at QuantArt Market Solutions in Mumbai. “Though India is likely to be impacted less than other emerging markets given its better macroeconomic fundamentals, a Fed hike will cause a flight of capital.”

The rupee, snapped gains of the

last three sessions to weaken 0.2 per cent to 67.17 a dollar in Mumbai, according to prices from local banks compiled by Bloomberg.

The currency has retreated 1.2 per cent this month and is Asia’s second-worst performer in 2016 with a 1.5 per cent loss after the South Korean won.

QuantArt expects the rupee to move in a 67-69 a dollar range till the Fed’s meeting mid-June, Lodha said. A gauge of developing-nation currencies was headed for its biggest monthly decline since August.

Sovereign bonds rose, with the yield on notes due January 2026 dropping one basis point to 7.46 per cent, prices from the central bank’s trading system show. That pared the increase this month to three basis points.

Indonesia and India, which offer the highest yields among major Asian countries, are a favorite with global funds, according to interviews conducted by Bloomberg. Fund managers may buy more debt in Asia, taking advantage of volatility with an expected Fed rate increase. — Bloomberg News

STOCK MARKET

India’s Sensex rises to seven-month high on earnings outlook MUMBAI: Indian stocks climbed for a fifth day, led by utilities and automakers, amid optimism about the outlook for company earnings and increases in regional equities.

Coal India, the world’s top producer, gained the most in three months after raising prices. Hindalco Industries, an aluminium maker, jumped the most in seven years after its profit more than

doubled. NTPC, the largest power generator, posted the steepest climb in two months after posting earnings that beat estimates. Tata Motors was the best performer on the S&P BSE Sensex before its earnings due on Monday.

The Sensex added 0.3 per cent at the close in Mumbai, extending last week’s 5.3 per cent rally, the steepest since March. A recovery

in corporate profits after a drop in four of the last five quarters and forecast for above-average rainfall following back-to-back droughts has boosted confidence in Asia’s fourth-biggest stock market. Overseas funds bought $98 million of domestic stocks on May 27, taking the month’s inflow to $324 million.

“We’re seeing the green shoots of recovery in corporate earnings,”

D. K. Aggarwal, chairman of SMC Investments in New Delhi, said by phone. “Plus, there’s stability on the global front. We have all the positive factors going for us.” He is advising clients to buy shares of lenders and companies linked to building infrastructure.

Fifteen out of 28, or 54 per cent, of the 30 Sensex companies that have reported March-quarter

earnings have beaten or matched estimates. That compares with 53 per cent in the three months ended December. Sales have increased 5 percent year-on-year after five straight quarters of declines, data compiled by Bloomberg show.

Showers in the June-September season starting June 1 are seen at 109 per cent of the mean of about 89 centimeters (35 inches),

Skymet Weather Services, a New Delhi-based private forecaster, said last week.

Coal India surged 4 per cent.

Investors ignored the company’s earnings, which missed analysts’ estimates amid oversupply of the fuel, as the miner raised prices for the first time in three years. Hindalco jumped the most since May 2009. — Bloomberg News

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ROUND-UP

Renault Duster comes with Ramadan benefits Free registration Renault Duster customers will be eligible to receive free registration for first year for Oman only and free extended warranty period of up to 6 years / unlimited mileage.

Ramadan promotion, will go on till July 21

AAA/Roadside assistance Customers of Renault Duster will also get a AAA Roadside Assistance card for the first year and as supported by AAA Oman. period of up to 6 years/ unlimited mileage, AAA roadside assistance card and assured cash gift by purchasing a Renault Duster, says a press release.

A senior official for SBA said, “Renault Duster is known for its superior engineering, styling, safety and comfort features. The SUV has always received an overwhelming response in Oman. By offering the customers great deals, we are confident that we will help our customers enjoy a greater ownership experience through the Ramadan scheme.”

Assured cash gift Those looking to purchase Renault Duster 2.0l PE and SE model (2 wheel drive and 4 wheel drive)

during the scheme period are assured of a cash gift of OMR750.

Scratch & Win gift All customers purchasing Renault Duster are entitled to a scratch and win card through which they can win any one of the products comprising iPhone 6s, Dell Laptop-Intel Core i5 or LG 32-inch LED TV. Customers of Renault Duster are entitled to a scratch and win card through which they can win an assured service package.

Customers will be eligible to win an assured service package gift up to 100,000km periodic maintenance service with minimum assured service package of 30,000km periodic maintenance service.

The other service package they

I F TA R S A’ Y I M ’ I N I T I AT I V E

Raffle draw Customers purchasing any of the Renault models during the scheme period will be eligible to participate in a raffle draw and stand a chance to win five Renault Symbols throughout the offer period.

Suhail Bahwan Automobiles has designed the Ramadan scheme in such a way that buyers can avail easy financing option with attractive interest rates which in turn offers hassle free way to own a Renault Duster. Suhail Bahwan Automobiles is largely committed to supporting Renault Oman’s growth in the Sultanate through major emphasis on customer satisfaction and by providing worldclass after-sales services in Oman.

IS Rustaq appoints new student council for academic year 2016-17 MUSCAT: The investiture ceremony of the Students Council of Indian School Rustaq for the academic year 2016-17 was held recently on the school premises.

The occasion was attended by the chief guest Tomy T. John, president of the School Management Committee of Indian School Rustaq, says a press release.

Abdulla P., Convener of the SMC, Suja Jacob, principal, teachers and students were also present on the occasion. The function began with a sweet and melodious solo song by Anupama Ashok. Suja welcomed the gathering. The beginning of the solemn and impressive investiture ceremony was marked by the marching in of the captains, vice captains, monitor captains and house captains and class monitors. The chief guest in-

vested Sayyed Ahmed Quadri and Anuprabha Mosses as the school captains for the academic year 2016-‘17. Later the students with various posts of responsibility were honoured with their badges of office by Tomy and Abdulla. Suja administered the Oath of Office.

The chief guest addressed the newly elected council after the ceremony and congratulated all the office bearers. In his speech, Tomy exhorted the students to understand the basic values of democracy and to discharge their duties efficiently and effectively.

He advised them to cultivate the habits of reading to enlighten their minds. Abdullah stressed on developing the leadership qualities in students. The programme concluded with the vote of thanks

by Maria Virginia.

‘BEST MID-SIZE BANK IN ASSET QUALITY’

alizz Ramadan campaign gives back to community MUSCAT: In line with the spirit of giving during Ramadan, alizz Islamic bank (AIB) has launched the ‘alizz Iftar Sa’yim’ initiative for the third year running.

Implementing the Islamic principles and values of charity and volunteer work during the blessed month, alizz Islamic bank distributed 300 food packages for low income families throughout major cities in the Sultanate, says a press release.

The primary goal of the Ramadan initiative is to support the low income families to prepare for the month of Ramadan with essential foods including rice, wheat, lentils, sugar, milk, oil, etc. The secondary goal is to encourage employee volunteerism. Companies, employees, and the community gain the benefits of employee volunteerism. Employee volunteerism offers a tangible way for businesses to become more personally invested in undertaking social issues, to strengthen employee skills and morale, and to

INVESTITURE CEREMONY

are eligible to are 80,000km PMS, 60,000km PMS, 50,000km PMS or 40,000km PMS.

The Renault

MUSCAT: If you are looking to buy a contemporary SUV with genuine off-road ability, your search ends now. Renault Oman, from the house of Suhail Bahwan Automobiles, has announced a special Ramadan offer on Renault Duster for the benefit of customers.

The Renault Ramadan promotion, which began on May 22, will go on till July 21. Every customer purchasing a new Renault Duster will benefit from a variety of great deals on offer.

To guarantee the very best in customer satisfaction, Renault Oman has put in a lot of effort while creating unlimited offers for the customers of Renault Duster.

Renault Oman not only ensures the best buying experience for Renault Duster customers but also promise to give a lot more.

Customers stand to win free registration, free unlimited warranty

B5

cultivate a more positive and productive business environment.

A large number of alizz staff volunteered in distributing packages for the low income families across the country. Throughout last week employees travelled from the head office in CBD area, Wattayah, to assist other employee volunteers in key locations including Muttrah, A’Seeb, Nizwa, Sohar, and Salalah.

Aisha Al Kharusi, chief marketing officer of alizz Islamic bank said, “Our Iftar Say’im initiative aims at promoting the spirit of

solidarity and cooperation within the bank, employees and the larger community by providing necessity to low income families during the holy month of Ramadan. This initiative also plays a significant role to further encourage the concept of volunteerism within the bank’s work environment.” alizz Islamic bank organises special campaigns during Ramadan to give back to the community and encourage volunteerism and philanthropy in keeping with the charitable spirit of the holy month.

Bank Sohar recognised at Oman Banking and Finance Awards MUSCAT: Standing as a testament to its focus on quality and banking excellence, Bank Sohar recently received the ‘Best Mid-Size Bank in Asset Quality’ award at the Oman Banking and Finance Awards.

The award ceremony was held recently as part of the GCC New Age Banking Summit, organised by United Media Services at the Crowne Plaza Muscat. This award marks the seventh award for the bank received this year, says a press release.

The event was held under the patronage of His Highness Sayyid Taimur bin Tarik Al Said and with Hamood Sangour Al Zadjali, executive president of the Central Bank of Oman, as the chief guest and keynote speaker. Receiving the award at the event on behalf of Bank Sohar was Rashad Ali Al Musafir, acting CEO; accompanied by Khalfan Rashid Al Taley, DGM and head of Central Operations, Mustafa Ali Mukhtar, DGM and head of Corporate Banking, and Mazin Mahmood Al Raisi, Sr.

O R I E N TA L C O L L E C T I O N

AGM of Marketing and Customer Experience along with other senior management members.

Commenting on receiving the award, Rashad Al Musafir said, “This award is a significant achievement for Bank Sohar and reflects our focus on innovation and excellence, while also highlighting our capabilities in delivering effective financial solutions in Oman. More importantly, this award is a testament to our capability of maintaining best in class asset quality despite challenging economic conditions. This superior asset quality is primarily due to our proactive risk management frameworks and in-depth knowl-

edge of our clients and the sectors that they operate in.”

The Oman Banking and Finance Awards, were held as part of the GCC New Age Banking Summit. It was conceived an initiative to acknowledge the achievements of the best performers in the banking and non-banking finance sectors in the Sultanate.

“We are honoured to win this prestigious award; our continued success in the banking sector is a testament to sustained focus on banking excellence and our commitment to maintaining the highest industry quality standards in everything we do,” added Rashad Al Musafir.

F I R S T I N T E R NAT I O NA L T R I P

Jotun's new colour palette represents Arab heritage MUSCAT: Taking décor to unprecedented heights and showcasing an Arabian inspired palette with a contemporary twist, Jotun the region’s leading paint manufacturer, recently launched a brand new trio palette specially for the region, titled Oriental Collection.

This festive new colour palette is a distinctive unveil in Jotun’s signature range of Lady Design Prestige, a selection that beautifully combines art, craft and style.

The new Oriental shades celebrate rich traditions reflecting the oriental warmth and timeless heritage, says a press release.

The shades of this special Oriental Collection family are headlined by three exquisite colours; ‘Thahabi’ showcasing royal walls that reminisce the golden grains of sand from the Arabian desert while highlighting the contemporary use of luminous tones at home; ‘Asmar’ an antique and enduring metallic brown that adds richness and timeless luxury to walls and ‘Babil’ that reiterates the ancient era with a rich green metallic coating.

The Oriental range is beautifully complemented with shades that blend seamlessly to intensify the contemporary and deep rooted hues thus making it a complete décor experience for the end user.

This festive palette when interwoven with selected tones from Jotun’s Fenomastic My Home Rich Matt, perfectly define the inspiring story of design. Combining ‘Thahabi’ with a warm white (Egg

key attribute in my décor styling, I have used traditional designs like the ceramic minarets and mother of pearl to complete the Middle Eastern look.”

White 1001) to brighten the lustrious gold finish, ‘Asmar with a deep jet black (Carbon Black 9920) featuring bold and beautiful paint effects for an enhanced antique eye and ‘Babil’ with a smooth pale brown (Space 10678)– a contemporary selection ideal for those looking to make a statement in the adorned space.

Announcing the launch of the Lady Design Oriental Collection, Philip Esnault, regional category manager - Interior Decorative Paints, Jotun Middle East, India and Africa said, “Colours have great power. Our Lady Design collection is unique and offers a mix of classical and modern textures keeping in mind the colours and patterns that radiate finesse and charm. The Oriental Collection 2016 is born with exactly this inspiration to give birth to a palette that perfectly suits the Middle Eastern culture and style.

“For centuries, the extraordinary tones of gold, metallic brown, and green have had immense influence on décorin the region’s culture. This elegant and timeless look from our latest collection stands as a testament to the rich culture of the region while accentuating each shade.”

Inspired by the collection and stylist for Jotun’s Oriental Collection, Alamira Noor Bani Hashim, co-founder and creative head of No. 57 Boutique Café and the Dinner Club by No. 57, commented: “Jotun’s Lady Design Prestige is a much-loved signature range ideal to create the luxurious, metallic look for any interior space. I love to inject personality into my styling while blending unique elements to bring out the true style.

The Lady Design range by Jotun helps me do this – add character, depth and style to any given design space. With Lady Design as the

Lady Design Jotun Lady Design is an exclusive range of beautiful decorative paints designed to make walls in homes look like pieces of art. With Jotun Lady Design, walls can become doors to any world people wish to experience.

Jotun Lady Design Paints give walls colour, texture, and depth to help people achieve their desired design with every new inspiration they come across.

Featuring beautiful collections, Jotun Lady Design is available across all Jotun paint stores and leading retail outlets.

Lady Design Prestige Lady Design Prestige is a high quality waterborne product which is ideal to create a luxurious, metallic look. It comes in the colours gold, silver, copper and bronze.

Fenomastic My Home Rich Matt is Jotun's most beautiful paint ever. A superior quality emulsion with a beautiful matt finish making colours appear richer, providing the best colour experience.

Gives the most accurate colours; what you see in the colour card is what you will get on the wall. Ideal for all indoor spaces, specifically living rooms and bedrooms or other areas with high visibility.

IS Muladha organises annual tour to Nasa MUSCAT: Indian School Muladha organised its first international study tour to Nasa recently for the students of Classes VI-XII. A group of 50 students along with the accompanying teachers including S. I. Shareef, principal, Niyas Ahamed, tour coordinator, Anitha Jerson, academic supervisor and Nisha Suresh, senior chemistry teacher set off to the USA recently, says a press release.

The great cultural heritage of the USA, which rested under the chilly cold weather, mesmerised the visitors. The views of the great country were so inspiring and promising that the school team became a part and parcel of its richness for the following days. The first trip was to New York. The grand Empire State Building, Ground Zero area and

the Statue of Liberty made the viewers awestruck by their enchanting sculptures and the magical engineering works.

The visit to Niagara Waterfalls moved the students by its serene beauty. The University of Sunny Buffalo was another wonderful world for the students. The team paid a visit to Central Building, The White House and various museums in Washington DC. The visit to Florida District was the most amazing experience for the team. The team was enthralled to see the remarkable team of astronauts and the extent of advanced technology in the Nasa-Kennedy Space Center. They were lucky to have an interaction session with Robert Bob Springer, a veteran astronaut of both Nasa and the United States Marine Corps.

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TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2016

ROUND-UP 14 YEARS WITHOUT ANY LOST TIME ACCIDENTS

Barka 1 project sets new benchmark in operational safety

Lulu Group expands its presence in Saudi This is 7th Lulu hypermarket in Saudi Arabia and 12 more are scheduled to open by 2018 JEDDAH: Lulu Group, Abu Dhabi based retail major further expanded its operations in the hugely potential KSA market with the opening of 125th hypermarket in Jeddah. This is the 7th Lulu hypermarket in Saudi Arabia while 12 more are slated to be open by 2018.

The latest hypermarket located conveniently in Amir Fawaz district of Jeddah was inaugurated

by HRH Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz and Mazen Mohammed Batterjee, vice chairman of Jeddah Chamber of Commerce in the presence of many top officials and dignitaries including Arif Ali Al Taboor Al Nuaimi, UAE consul general, says a press release.

Speaking to media after the launch, Yusuffali M. A., chairman of Lulu Group, said: “We plan to

launch four more hypermarkets this year, including one more in Jeddah and one each in Hail and Hofuf.

By 2018, we will launch eight more hypermarkets in Saudi Arabia including the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.”

Revealing his investment plans, Yusuffali said, “We have already invested SAR 1 billion and intend to further invest SAR 800 million in the next two years, taking our total investment to more than SAR 1.8 billion in the Kingdom. We are very confident that this great country will further prosper under the visionary leadership of HRH King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince HRH Muhamed bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and

Deputy Crown Prince HRH Mohamed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. I am really excited by the new 2030 vision declared recently by the Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and will explore all avenues to further boost our group’s investment here.”

With three stores in Riyadh, one each in Al Khobar, Jubail, Dammam and eight commissaries in its entity, Lulu has firmly established itself as one of the most preferred retail destinations for both locals and expatriates residing in the Kingdom. The newest hypermarket is spread across an area of over 200,000 sq. ft and has the widest range of world class products at most competitive prices.

A R A B B A N K S AWA R D S O F E X C E L L E N C E 2 0 1 6

Bank Nizwa wins ‘Best Online Islamic Services’ award MUSCAT: With its proven track record in offering a multitude of Sharia-compliant digital solutions, Bank Nizwa won the Best Online Islamic Services Award at the Arab Banks Awards of Excellence 2016.

Ikhlas Al Lawati, senior manager - Alternate Channels received the award on behalf of the bank.

Established by the World Union of Arab Bankers in 2015, the prestigious regional event was organised by the Banking Executive Magazine in Beirut, Lebanon in

cooperation with Executive magazine, bringing together more than 500 senior bankers and business representatives from regional and

international financial institutions.

Dr Ashraf Al Nabhani, general manager - Corporate Support, Bank Nizwa said, “This win is an-

11TH ANNIVERSARY

of the plant and the technology that we use, but it is now truly imbibed in all of us,” he added.

“One of the qualities of our processes that has helped achieve this milestone is our strong belief in preventing and protecting life, and following the discipline with our hearts and our minds. We need to observe safety not just as a process, but as a way of life that extends far beyond the plant premises.”

Commenting on the unique achievement, Hamoud Suleiman Al Amri, general manager of Nomac Oman said, “We are extremely pleased on reaching this milestone as the plant is of national significance, being the Oman’s first dual purpose power generation and desalination plant. Running it safely and smoothly is something all of us here take great pride in. This milestone is a reflection of every single employee’s commitment to safety. All our people are truly empowered to take action on safety situations at the plant, and our processes such as the Toolbox Talk ensures that every task is analysed however trivial it may be. Aside of this, we also take great pride in the way we have simplified complex technical narratives on safety, thereby helping all our stakeholders understand the importance and the techniques to remain safe.

“Our latest programme of 5S has brought in a huge amount of awareness of safety at the workplace, including at our desks, and workstations. I commend the team for all their efforts.”

NEW LOOK

Lucky customer to be chief celebrity at Sky Jewellery anniversary celebrations MUSCAT: Sky Jewellery is all set to surprise its customers again for the 11th anniversary celebrations.

The celebrations lasting till June 11 will kickstart at 6pm on June 2 at its showroom in Ruwi High Street. Customers who turn up on June 2 from 5pm onwards will have all probability to be selected as the chief celebrity to the anniversary celebrations, says a press release.

The chief celebrity, who will be welcomed with a bouquet by Babu John, managing director, will officially cut the cake marking the celebrations inaugurated in front of the media, invited guests and other dignitaries.

The celebrity in the limelight can also bag two gold coins as an instant lucky golden gift for being the chief guest of the occasion.

Further, to commemorate the 11th anniversary, 11 other lucky customers will also be selected from the gathering to join the celebrity during the ceremonies with an award of half a sovereign each to all of them.

“It has been a magical journey over the last 11 years. Sky Jewellery in Oman has always stood in the forefront to extend the best value for common public. We instead wanted to give back the credit and merit of this success to our

other achievement that demonstrates our determined efforts to innovate and offer a competitive range of digital products and services that meet the evolving requirements of our expanding customer base.”

She added, “Our 2020 strategy focuses on delivering an excellent customer experience through technological breakthrough. With this strategy in place, we want to continue pushing boundaries in order to offer fast, accurate and convenient financial services.”

MUSCAT: Barka 1, one of the first IWPP (Independent Water and Power Project), owned

by ACWA Power and operated

by Nomac Oman, has set a new benchmark in its operational safety by completing 14 years without any lost time accidents.

To mark this special milestone, ACWA and Nomac Oman organised a special event on the premises of the plant recently, says a press release.

Addressing the staff and all stakeholders at the commemorative event, Ahmed Al Subhi, CEO of ACWA Power, said: “This is truly a moment of pride for the owners, operators, contractors and staff of ACWA Power and Nomac Oman. Fourteen years without any case of lost time accident, starting even before the COD of the plant, is truly commendable. I fully appreciate the efforts taken by the management, staff and all stakeholders for upholding safety at all times; especially when it comes to operating a facility of this scale. I feel ‘Operations Safety’ is now a part of the culture of the plant and I wish the team all the success in creating new benchmarks for the future.”

“ACWA Power has adopted stringent internationally recognised processes for prevention and mitigation of safety hazards.

We continuously invest in the education and training of our safety managers who in turn train and implement those disciplined processes with all stakeholders at the plant facility. It is a challenging task considering the complexity

customers. This shall be in terms of best pricing, good designs you always cherished to own, exclusive campaigns, quality service and easy gold purchase plans, etc. Selecting the celebrity would be the icing on the cake of all the offers and celebrations of the anniversary,” stated Babu.

Unnikrishnan Sivas, a renowned planetary gemologist, will be available from June 1 to assist

customers to choose the lucky stones for them.

“Special anniversary collections in gold, diamonds and polki have been launched. As it is the time of big buying in preparation for the upcoming holiday season, attractive promotional factors has also been added to the anniversary celebrations to benefit the customers to meet the occasion.

“10% pre-booking has started to extend the unmatching merit of the lowest gold rate for delivery between June 2 and 11. All the purchases will be rewarded with sparkling free gifts.

“Every day 25 early bird customers will get free gold coins and special surprises every day during happy hours between 2pm and 5pm,” added Cyriac Varghese, general manager of the group. Above all these freebies there are also chances for winning 51 gold coins during the anniversary celebrations exclusively at the anniversary outlet in Ruwi. Diamonds and polki collections have instant cash back with all purchases.

“Highlighted are only some of the offers and we invite all our customers and well wishers to be part of the family get together on Thursday and share the joy of winning and succeeding together,” concluded Babu.

Popular pre-owned cars launches new website MUSCAT: Popular pre-owned cars, a division of Suhail Bahwan Automotive Group, announced the launch of its new look website under the url www.popularcarsoman.com.

This new responsive site boasts latest software for best viewing in any kind of devices be it a desktop or a tablet or a handheld mobile phone. It contains almost everything relevant to pre-owned vehicles in a nice graphical manner and host of other useful features for the visitors, says a press release.

A person planning to buy a used car should log into the website and can see a huge array of used vehicle stocks available for sale in high resolution from different angles coupled with every possible details of that car and a very “easy-to-use” search parameters that helps one find out the desired car. Similarly, a person wanting to sell a car can easily upload the photograph of the car with expected price just sitting at a comfort of his/her home at any point of time.

The website will also give information about what are the important things one should do while

buying a pre-owned car. One can also see the latest offers available on various pre-owned cars listed in the website.

“Nowadays when time is a very important factor to each and every individual, this website is definitely going to save a lot of time and effort giving better facts about the pre-owned cars you are looking for within a few clicks,” said a senior official at Popular pre-owned cars. Not only that, it will also give you detailed infor-

mation about queries related to financing your used cars along with the document you may require while applying for a loan,” he added.

In order to make it more interactive links of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Googleplus and YouTube has also been added to this new website.

Popular pre-owned car has truly gone all digital and “click” is the only thing you should do to find your dream used car.

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Virsa showcases charm of Sufi poets in its fifth event Participated by leading local poets, writers and singers of Sufi songs, the event turned out to be an enchanting window to the wonderful world of great Sufi poets

Times News Service MUSCAT: Promoting Pakistan’s rich literary heritage in Oman, Virsa series presented its fifth event on ‘Sufiana Kalam’ (poetry

by Sufis) at newly opened Tabaq Restaurant in Ruwi.

The event turned out to be a truly memorable evening of top class poetry, prose and soulful rendition of Sufi songs.

Participated by leading local poets, writers and singers of Sufi songs, the event turned out to be an enchanting window to the wonderful world of great Sufi poets, whose work over the centuries has inspired millions of people on the Indian sub-continent.

Chaudhry Shaukat Ali, Counsellor, Embassy of Pakistan, was the chief guest of the event organised

by Alpha Events and sponsored by Gulf Neon Signs (GNS).

Mohammed Mujtaba Arif Barakat, director, GNS, was the guest of honour.

Senior journalist Shahzad Raza, who was the keynote speaker, spoke at length about Sufism and some of the leading Sufi poets like Baba Farid Gunj Shakar, Shah Hussain and Bulleh Shah.

“History of Pakistan’s literary heritage has seen many poets whose poetry was greatly influenced by Sufism while some of the Sufis used their poetry to spread their message and philosophy of life. Those who left a deep impression on people’s minds included Khwaja Mir Dard, Baba Farid Gunj Shakar, Sultan Bahoo, Shah Hussain, Bulleh Shah, Mian Mohammed Bakhsh, Rehman Baba, Ameer Hamza Shinwari, Shah Abdul Latif Bhitaee, Sachal Sarmast and many others,” he said.

“Baba Farid, who was known as Gunj Shakar (treasure of sweetness), wrote his poetry eight hundred years ago which became immensely popular among Muslims and non-Muslims of his time. That is the reason his poetry has mostly reached us through ‘Guru Granth Sahib’, the holy book of Sikh community,” Raza added.

Noted poet Qamar Riaz conducted the evening in style.

Earlier, the event started with Ghulam Murtaza Qadri reciting a few verses from the Holy Quran followed by a beautiful Naat by Chaudhary Mohammad Afzal.

Local Sufi singers mesmerised the audience with a wonderful display of soulful singing.

The singers invited from various parts of Oman included Muhammad Shakeel, Muhammad Imran, Muhammad Adnan, Asif Raza,

Naeem Shahzad and Ghulam Murtaza Qadri. Prominent singer Rana Shaukat Ali sang Sufi songs while Muhammad Imran played the Sufi tunes on his instrument.

The other participants who shared their views on the subject included Qamar Riaz, A.H. Raja,

Mohammad Nadeem Azeemi, Prof.

Irshad Ahmad, Ameer Hamza and Mohammad Ali Fazal.

Mohammed Haroon Abu Pervaiz and Akhtar Zaib attended the event as special guests. In the end all the participants prayed for the health and long life of His Majesty Sultan

Qaboos bin Said.

A sumptuous Tabaq dinner showcasing popular Pakistani cuisine was served as a treat to the guests who seemed to enjoy every bite of Chicken Badami Qorma, Mutton Kunna, Reshmi Seekh Kabab and delicious Lahori Kheer.

BANKING CONVENIENCE

Ooredoo Mousbak customers will be able to call India, Pakistan and Bangladesh at the incredible low rate of 22 baisas per minute with a weekly subscription fee of only 149 baisas

advantage of the offer by simply dialling 141# and following the instructions. Alternatively they can dial *141*0091# for India, *141*0092# for Pakistan, or *141*0880# for Bangladesh.

MUSCAT: Bank Sohar, as part of its initiatives to bring added banking convenience to its customers, has recently opened a new off-site ATM in Saham.

The new ATM, now operational in Husn Al Shaikh vicinity at the prominent Hassan Sheikh Commercial Building located along the Saham main road, brings the total Bank Sohar countrywide ATM count to 50, says a press release.

Highlighting the growing ATM network across the Sultanate, Khamis Masoud Al Rahbi, Senior AGM of Branches and Retail Sales at Bank Sohar said, “This new off-site ATM in Saham is the most recent of several new ATMs that we have planned to put into operation this year. Our decision to significantly bolster our ATM network is a direct result of customer feedback together with the Bank’s focus on increasing customer touch points and customer

MUSCAT: Kims Oman Hospital is hosting Dr Stephen Angamuthu, visiting consultant general surgeon, to be part of Kims Oman Hospital’s medical team today and will be available to provide his services at Kims on a monthly basis.

Coming from Royal Bahrain Hospital, Dr Stephan is an expert general surgery consultant, who has more than 10 years of professional experience in general surgery, and has conducted skilfully and safely more than 1500 laparoscopic and advanced laparoscopic colectomies surgeries. Moreover, Dr Stephan has special interest in performing bariatric surgeries, says a press release.

Dr Hussam Akoum, chief operating officer of KOH, commented on Dr Stephen’s visit by saying, “Kims Oman Hospital has invited Dr Stephen Angamuthu for his distinguished expertise in various general surgery specialities. This invitation comes as part of the hospital’s commitment in providing our patients with the best practitioners.”

TRAINING INSTITUTE

Ooredoo launches new offer for Bank Sohar opens Mousbak International customers new ATM in Saham

Pakistan and Bangladesh, making it easier than ever to stay connected with the people that matter most,” said Feras Al Shaikh, Ooredoo director of Consumer Sales.

Mousbak subscribers can take

SPECIALIST

Consultant general surgeon available at Kims today

P R E PA I D P L A N

MUSCAT: Ooredoo has announced an exciting new offer for subscribers to Mousbak International, the prepaid plan that offers amazing value on overseas calls.

Starting from yesterday and for the next three months, Ooredoo Mousbak customers will be able to call India, Pakistan and Bangladesh at the incredible low rate of 22 baisas per minute with a weekly subscription fee of only 149 baisas.

Ooredoo have also reduced the rate to other Mousbak International customers for local on-net calls during this period. Calls for the next 3 months will be charged at 22Bz per minute rather than 25Bz per minute, says a press release.

“The Mousbak International package sets the standard for affordable international calling in the market. Developed as part of our ongoing commitment to bringing the best value to our customers, this new deal offers the lowest available rates for calls to India,

B7

convenience across the Sultanate.

Furthermore, as with the ATMs we recently put into operation in Ibri and Buraimi Lulu Hypermarkets, this latest ATM has also been opened for service in a convenient location in Saham. The site was selected for optimal accessibility, maximising the benefits of these machines to the majority of our customers in the area.”

In addition to the robust ATM network, Bank Sohar will also continue to bolster its customer touch points through various other channels; enabling customers to undertake their banking transactions with ease and convenience. Such initiatives have not only been witnessed through the introduction of this new ATM, but also through the relatively recent launch of two additional new ATMs in Ibri and Buraimi as well as the Bank Sohar Avenues Mall Branch opening, which provides services during evening hours.

NHI inks pact with Swiss Hotel School MUSCAT: National Hospitality Institute (NHI), a well-known training institute in Oman, has signed a partnership agreement with HTMI Hotel School of Switzerland which will allow NHI’s Diploma graduates to move onto a degree level programme in Switzerland. HTMI is one of the leading hotel & tourism management schools in Switzerland offering bachelor’s and master’s courses in hotel & tourism management, says a press release.

“Collaboration between HTMI and NHI can bring great advantages to students in Muscat and allow them to expand their perspectives globally,” said Rohit Bhatia, director HTMI. Robert MacLean, principal NHI said, “This agreement provides a route to success for those students who feel that they have the abilities to join the industry in a leadership role.”

B8

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PA R T N E R S H I P

Omani Travel and Tourism Bureau to represent Thai Air Asia in Oman MUSCAT: Omani Travel and Tourism Bureau (OTTB), one of the flagship companies of Suhail Bahwan Group, will be exclusively representing Thai Air Asia X (TAAX), a fast growing airline in Oman.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to this effect was signed recently between Amal Suhail Bahwan, vice chairperson of Suhail Bahwan Group and Nadda Buranasiri, CEO of Thai AirAsia X, says a press release.

OTTB will be promoting TAAX’s Muscat-Bangkok-Muscat route that will start operating from June 28, with three weekly direct, nonstop flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. OTTB has opened

Bank Muscat honoured for support to youth activities

an exclusive sales centre for TAAX at the CBD area in Muscat.

Amal said, “Thailand is one of the favourite countries for Oman residents as a tourist destination, for medical treatment or for business. Similarly, we are witnessing an increasing number of travellers from Thailand visiting Oman.

Now with direct non-stop flights between Muscat-Bangkok at affordable fare, more people from Thailand can visit and enjoy the natural beauty of Oman.”

She added, “The new route also fits in with our government’s efforts to promote Oman as a loved tourism destination. With over 40 years of experience in the travel

business in Oman, OTTB is well placed to provide a comprehensive service to tourists to enjoy the legendary Omani hospitality and the natural beauty of Oman.”

The direct flight from Muscat to Bangkok also offers excellent onward connections for people travelling beyond Bangkok to places such as Phuket, Krabi, Hat Yai, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Khon Kaen and Surat Thani as well as to other international destinations such as Singapore, Yangon, Siem Reap, Ho Chi Minh City, Chongqing, Macau and Tokyo. The airline will use an Airbus A330-300s on both routes, offering 12 premium flat-bed business class seats and 365 economy class seats.

PHILANTHROPIC ACTIVITIES

Bank Muscat seizes every opportunity to contribute to Oman’s

Rabeeulla receives ‘Pravasi Ratna’ award

future by investing in youth who represent the real wealth of the nation

MUSCAT: Bank Muscat, the flagship financial services provider in the Sultanate, was honoured for support to youth initiatives aimed at sustaining the country’s progress and development.

Yahya bin Said Al Jabri, chairman of the Special Economic Zone Authority at Duqm, presented the commendation for the bank to Abdulnasir Al Raisi, DGM – Premier Banking, at the concluding ceremony of the financial analysis competition organised by Muscat Securities Market in collaboration with Sultan Qaboos University, says a press release.

Committed to always lead by example, Bank Muscat extended support for the competition in which students from different uni-

versities and colleges participated.

Bank Muscat has adopted a series of measures in line with the Royal directive of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said to develop the potential of Omani youth in alignment with the future of the nation.

The bank accords priority for developmental and social responsibilities within the framework of cooperation with all segments of society, especially youth, who represent the country’s future.

Bank Muscat has launched many initiatives, including ‘Jesr al Mustaqbal’, to provide relevant educational and training opportunities for Omani youth to develop employable skills. Oman is witnessing a qualitative shift in national workforce and relevant educational qualifications hold the key to achieving employment objectives. The bank reckons that corporates and businesses can help provide a sense of direction

SUPERIOR QUALITY SERVICE

and generate confidence among youth by paying attention to the educational requirements of deserving high achievers.

Bank Muscat seizes every opportunity to contribute to Oman’s future by investing in youth who represent the real wealth of the nation. Another major initiative by the bank is Green Sports, which supports sports teams to green and develop football fields across Oman and thereby achieve sporting excellence.

LONDON: Dr K. T. Rabeeulla, leading businessman, noted philanthropist and chairman of the prominent healthcare network in GCC, Shifa Al Jazeera, was awarded the ‘Pravasi Ratna’, an award instituted by ‘Anand TV’ the first independent Malayalam channel in Manchester, UK. Mammootty, popular Indian film actor, presented the award to Dr K. T. Rabeeulla in recognition of his philanthropic activities and social service spread over India and the Gulf regions by the European Malayalam Association and Anand TV, says a press release.

Speaking on the occasion Dr K. T. Rabeeulla expressed his happiness at being selected by Anand TV. An individual and an organisation attains relevance only when its growth contributes to the development of the nation and society. Dr Rabeeulla recol-

lected the growth of his organisation and resources achieved from his ‘pravasi’ life. While receiving the award at a function in Manchester on May 28, Dr Rabeeulla remarked that the gathering resembled the occasions at home.

Rabeeulla hails from east Kodur in the Malappuram district of Kerala. His hardwork, great vision and astute leadership helped to scale heights of success in the healthcare field but it’s his willingness to support fellow human beings that has earned Dr Rabeeulla the social recognition and many accolades. He announced his philanthropic activities on a big scale by adopting his native village of Kodoor by instituting many welfare programmes.

Autorickshaws for unemployed youth, educational scholarships, medical aid and self employment support are among the few of his welfare activities.

FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND

OAB ‘Elite’ customers to receive Omantel launches Hayyak bouquet of additional benefits mobile internet gifting service

Elite is built on the three pillars of Elite Services, Elite Benefits and Elite Wealth Management. The exclusive offering delivers exceptional advantages to customers including dedicated relationship managers, financial planning and investment services as well as personal concierge facilities Hanaa Al Hinai

AGM Head of Wealth Management, Liabilities and Bancassurance

MUSCAT: Oman Arab Bank (OAB) has announced the addition of a free entertainer app and complementary airport chauffeur service to the wealth of benefits already enjoyed by customers of its Elite Priority Banking, the leading premium banking proposition for high-net-worth individuals.

The exclusive app gives access to a range of first-class international dining, hotel, leisure, beauty and fitness privileges while the luxury limousine service is available up to six times a year to and from Muscat International Airport, says a press release.

“Oman Arab Bank is delighted to be able to extend the range of Elite Priority Banking advantages with these select options, an expression of the superior quality service we strive to deliver in all aspects of our relationship with our valued Elite customers. We believe that

lifestyle benefits are an essential component of our Elite proposition. By adding these services, the Elite experience now goes beyond the financial services and products suite,” said Fahd Amjad, GM Retail Banking at OAB. Launched in December 2015, OAB’s Elite Priority Banking Service provides high net worth individuals with a unique and extraordinary banking experience.

Hanaa Al Hinai, AGM Head of Wealth Management, Liabilities and Bancassurance, said: “Elite is built on the three pillars of Elite Services, Elite Benefits and Elite Wealth Management. The exclusive offering delivers exceptional advantages to customers including dedicated relationship managers, financial planning and investment services as well as personal concierge facilities.”

Elite customers can also enjoy

unlimited complimentary lounge access to over 500 international airports, preferential service in all branches, and access to the worldclass dedicated Elite Centre as well as 24 hour call centre support.

In addition, Elite customers have the possibility to win lucrative cash prizes as part of the bank’s Hassad Savings Scheme, which includes OMR100,000 in both June and December, earmarked only for Elite customers.

Since its inception, OAB has consistently expanded its reach to meet customers’ various requirements in the best way possible.

Today, the bank has a comprehensive nation-wide footprint that includes over 65 strategically located branches and over 123 ATMs and CDMs that are supported by top-notch digital banking solutions including Internet Banking, Phone Banking and SMS Banking.

MUSCAT: Omantel, the Sultanate’s first integrated telecoms provider, recently unveiled the Hayyak mobile internet gifting service, an exciting new innovation that allows Hayyak prepaid subscribers to gift mobile internet packages to family and friends free of charge by simply dialing an easy code and the friends mobile number.

The first-of-its-kind service in Oman is aligned with Omantel’s aim to consistently deliver even more value and enrich the customer experience.

Commenting on the innovative new gifting service, Saleh Mahmood Al Maimani, Omantel’s Senior Manager of Consumer Product Development, noted: “At Omantel, enriching the lives of our customers is our top priority. As such, the convenience and practicality of our products is essential in order to give our customers the best possible experiences.

“Access to mobile internet has become a key component of our lives in today’s modern world. We gift many things to our family and friends; from money to sweets to clothing and jewellery. With Hayyak, we now offer the option of gifting mobile internet, a gift that opens the doors to a world of connectivity and information.”

“At Omantel, we are innovators and pioneer new technology and offerings in the Sultanate. The secret to this success has been the strong relationship we have with our customers, a relationship we are constantly looking to strengthen with new services such as Hayyak mobile internet gifting, a solutionthat ensures subscribers get the most value and convenience from their Hayyak prepaid plan,” continued Saleh.

Omantel’s Hayyak plans offer the complete mobile internet solution, supported by the wide coverage of Omantel’s 4G and 3.5G networks. Hayyak plans are truly unique in terms of value, convince, coverage and boast numerous benefits, meaning customers can select the plan that bests suits their personal needs and lifestyle.

Hayyak prepaid give subscribers total control over spending, making it the perfect plan for the budget conscious or those customers who just want the freedom to not have to worry about overspending. Pay in advance with recharge vouchers, online, E-payment machines, or through the new mobile application and take control today.

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Lopez Caro plans series of camps for Oman team series of training camps, which is scheduled to be organised from June 1 to 6, coach Lopez Caro has called up 26 players, including COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMME: Oman national team coach Juan Ramon Lopez Caro, second right,

speaks during a press conference at the OFA Headquarters on Monday. – JUN ESTRADA/Times of Oman

A. SESHAGIRI RAO

raoas@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Left with no immediate international engagements, following the Sultanate squad’s failure to advance to the third round of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, Oman national team coach Juan Ramon Lopez Caro has chalked out a comprehensive training programme for the national team with an eye on the future.

With the 23rd Gulf Cup, originally scheduled for end of 2016, too pushed back by a year, Oman’s next international matches will be the third round of the Asian Cup qualifiers which are tentatively scheduled to start in March next year.

Keeping in mind the need to spot the best talent and build the team for the future, Lopez Caro has planned a series of training camps starting with a brief six-day camp in Muscat.

For the first camp, which runs from June 1 to 6, the Spaniard has called up 26 players, most of whom, with the exception of three, have already represented Oman at various levels.

Briefing the media at the Oman Football Association (OFA) Headquarters on Monday, Lopez Caro said the idea of calling up the group of 26 players for the first camp is to understand the players and their level of skills.

Speaking about the reason for including some players who are already played for the national team, the former Real Madrid coach said: “All of these players are not new. But they have not been part of the team since I took over. I wanted to look at these players and know their qualities before deciding on whether they fit the criteria to join the national squad.”

Among the notable players who previously played for national teams and have now been called up for the camp are, Saad Suhail Al Mukhaini, Ali Salim Al Nahar, Ali Al Busaidi, Azan Al Balushi, Mohammed Al Siyabi, Fahad Al Jalbubi and Abdulrahman Al Ghassani.

Lopez Caro has also called up three new players who have never played for Oman at any level, including two midfielders — Muscat Club’s Abdulaziz Al Hosni and Al Arouba’s Hisham Al Shuaibi, and a forward in Khalil Al Darmaki of Ahli Dubai.

Asked whether he intends to pick any specific number of players from this camp for the national team, he said: “This is camp is aimed at understanding the level of these players.

“If they are good they will be in the picture.

“But they will be competing with those who are already there in the team and those who will impress in the remaining camps for the national team places.”

Camp in Europe Giving the details of the programme for the rest of the year, Lopez Caro said: “We have planned two domestic camps and another one we hope to have in Europe.”

The first of those two domestic camps will be organised in Salalah from July 16 to 26 and the second one in Muscat from July 31 to August 9.

“During the second camp in Muscat, we are also hoping to play two friendly matches but we are yet to finalise the plans,” he said.

Then the team will travel to Europe to camp either in England and Ireland from August 17 to September 6.

“During our camp in Europe we will be playing a friendly match against Northern Ireland on August 31,” Lopez Caro said.

The OFA is also working to arrange two friendly matches during that trip, one before and one after the match against Northern Ireland.

The coach, however, said one friendly against Japan during November has already been confirmed. Before that the team are also likely to play two friendlies against yet to be confirmed opponents in October.

Doors are open Asked whether captain Ali Al Habsi will be available for the international friendly matches and whether there are any plans to call

back star striker Imad Al Hosni and defender Mohammed Shee’ba Al Balushi sometime in the future, he said: “We will be playing those matches during FIFA Days. So Ali (Al Habsi) will be available for the matches.

“And regarding Imad (Al Hosni) and Mohammed Shee’ba, in the first place, they are out because of injuries. Definitely the doors are open for them and any other player.

But they have to prove their fitness and show they are good enough to play for the national side.”

Players picked for camp: Goalkeepers: Anwar Al Alawi (Suwaiq), Ahmed Al Rawahi (Al Nasr), Suleiman Al Bureiki (Saham).

Defenders: Saad Suhail Al Mukhaini (Al Arouba), Mohammed Faraj (Al Nahda), Ali Salem Al Nahar (Dhofar), Mahmoud Mabruk Al Mushaifri (Al Musannah), Nadir Al Maskari (Fanja), Fahmi Rajab Dorbeen (Al Nasr), Nadir Awad (Dhofar), Ali Al Busaidi (Al Nahda), Azan Al Balushi (Al Nasr).

Midfielders: Abdulaziz Al Hosni (Muscat), Omar Al Malki (Seeb), Hisham Al Shuaibi (Al Arouba), Abdulmajid Bait Shammas (Salalah), Mohammed Al Habsi (Muscat), Hamed Al Habsi (Muscat), Omar Al Fazari (Suwaiq), Mazin Al Saadi (Al Nasr), Mohammed Al Siyabi (Al Nahda), Fahad Al Jalbubi (Suwaiq), Mohammed Al Maashari (Fanja).

Forwards: Said Obaid(Al Khabourah), Abdulrahman Al Ghassani (Suwaiq), Khalil Al Darmiki (Ahli Dubai).

TENNIS

Rain forces washout at French Open PARIS: Persistent rain showers accompanied by a flood warning washed out the entire day’s play at the French Open on Monday for the first time since 2000.

Belgian David Goffin and Latvian Ernests Gulbis had been expected to open proceedings on Court Philippe Chatrier but, after they spent almost three hours in the locker room, organisers told soggy and disappointed fans to apply for a refund from the tournament’s official website.

“Unfortunately the weather conditions do not allow us to start matches today. No matches will be played today and we apologise for this situation,” an announcer told fans over the PA system on Monday.

“All matches are postponed till tomorrow (Tuesday).”

The French national weather centre issued its orange warning — the second highest alert level — for parts of northern France including Paris and surrounding areas, and

ORANGE PEEL

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Spain currently the legitimate ruler of European club football

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For the first of a

three new faces

INSIDE LIFESTYLE

RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY: Spectators wait patiently protecting themselves from rain under umbrellas until the announcement of postponement came at Roland Garros. – Reuters

said heavy rains could continue until Tuesday afternoon. The cancellation of 10 fourth round singles matches, including those featuring Novak Djokovic and Serena Wil-

liams, has created a major backlog for tournament organisers.

The washout in 2000 was on May 30, the second day of play, when over 50 first-round matches

were held over. That tournament finished on time. Rain forced the postponement of the 2012 men’s final, which was held over two days and finished on the Monday. - Reuters

NATURALLY think of a Champions League final as being something more than a battle for bragging rights by football fans in Madrid. But Real and Atlético — the latter who unfortunately prevailed over Bayern Munich in the semifinals — really did deserve this year’s matchup. And so it came to a repeat of the final in Lisbon in 2014, where the match also went into extra time.

Then, however, Real wrapped things up in overtime.

This time around the match was equally dramatic, and reminded me of the legendary final of 1974 in Brussels, when we at Bayern Munich faced Atlético.

It stood 0-0 after regulation time, and in extra time we were almost down and out after Atlético scored.

But then came a powerful, desperation shot by Bayern’s mighty fullback Georg “Katsche” Schwarzenbeck to tie the score in literally the very last minute. Back then there was no penalty shoot-out. Instead, the same two teams faced each other two days later, on the same field. Bayern clearly won that one, 4-0.

What with FC Barcelona having won the Champions League last year, and FC Sevilla just now winning the second main international title, the Europea League, I think one can clearly conclude that Spain currently rules European club football.

The only clubs that can be seen as keeping pace are Bundesliga champs Bayern and runner-up Borussia Dortmund. Possibly also Juventus Turin. In any event one can conclude that the huge amount of money pouring down on the English clubs has not produced any turnaround.

I felt a bit sorry for the players in the Real-Atlético final. Toward the end, more than just of few of them were running “on fumes” - nothing left in the tank. In Spain, with its league of 20 teams, a lot is demanded of the players anyway. Then there are the national cup matches and the international competitions.

And on Saturday night, on top of it all, the match went into 30-minute extra time - and then a penalty shootout.

Under such circumstances a player must find that something extra in himself - a player like Gareth Bale.

It almost hurt to watch him as, plagued by cramps, he hobbled to the spot. But then he converted his penalty with authority.

In my view, Real Madrid deserved this victory that for a long time appeared to be hanging by a thread. In the past, Cristiano Ronaldo would never have thought about going back to help out the defence.

But now this is part of his duties at Real, just as it is for other forwards, be they Bale, Karim Benzema or some other offensive player.

All the same, I hope that next year we won’t see another all-city affair for the Champions League final.

Maybe Bayern’s new coach, Carlo Ancelotti, will succeed in leading Munich there. He last succeeded in 2014 with Real Madrid. Altogether, as trainer he has already won the Champions League three times - not a bad omen, I feel.

Most of the players who stood on the pitch in Milan won’t be getting any rest. In two weeks’ time the European Championships start, and Spain, as the title-holders, will be having a say in how that turns out.

For me there are three favourites: reigning World Cup champions Germany, tournament host France, and Spain as defending European title-holder.

Spain no longer has Xavi - Xavier Hernandez - and trainer Vicente del Bosque is also dispensing with the services of such old “war horses” as Fernando Torres and Diego Costa. The coach is trying to rejuvenate his side while maintaining a high quality level. In Saúl Niguez of Atletico he has a dangerous striker, just 21 years of age.

He really damaged Bayern in Madrid with his a superb solo-run and goal.

And the 24-year-old Lucas Vasquez also, coming in as a substitute for Real in the Champions League final, presented his credentials.

He was the first up at the penalty spot and coolly converted his shot, as if nothing was more at stake than a friendly match.

The French should be able to feed off of their home-field advantage during the championships. And, they can avail themselves of Antoine Griezman, who has developed into a world-class player at Atlético.

The 25-year-old Frenchman scored the 1-1 equaliser against Bayern in the return match in Munich, virtually knocking the Bavarians out.

Many strikers are afraid of going in one-on-one against goalie Manual Neuer - but not Griezman.

This leaves the Germans.

Trainer Joachim Loew also is bringing in new players.

In the Bundesliga, many young players are maturing and showing that they have the potential for greatness in them. Rarely can a trainer draw on such a huge reservoir of talent.

But besides these three top favourites there are a few other countries that may be good for a surprise. Belgium, for example. It consists not only of Kevin de Bruyne, but also can call on the terrifically impressive Yannick Carrasco, who scored Atlético’s equaliser against Real.

And then, of course, there are the Italians. They may no longer have the great playmaker Andrea Pirlo or the unpredictable striker Mario Balotelli, but at tournament time you always have to reckon with Italy. - dpa

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TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2016

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Bhuvi is a world-class bowler, says Warner

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Warner said as WARY ABOUT COMPARISONS: New prospect Adam Zampa.

Don’t call me Warney, says Adam Zampa MELBOURNE: Australia’s search for a successor to Shane Warne is yet to bear fruit nearly a decade after he retired, so Adam Zampa is naturally wary about comparisons with the leg-spinning great.

The 24-year-old has been picked in Australia’s squad for the triangular one-day international tournament in the Caribbean and will battle off-spinner Nathan Lyon and slow-bowling all-rounder Glenn Maxwell for a place against West Indies and South Africa.

Unheralded only a few months ago, Zampa first made his mark in the most unusual of circumstances when he ‘ran out’ a batsman with his nose when playing for Melbourne Stars in Australia’s ‘Big Bash’ league.

A good performance in the that tournament led to a spot in Australia’s World Twenty20 squad and after making his ODI debut against New Zealand in February, Zampa impressed in the Indian Premier League (IPL) at new franchise Rising Pune Supergiants.

His bowling action and run-up have been compared to Warne’s, which has further fuelled the hype, but the New South Welshman says that is where the similarities end.

“There’s only ever going to be one Shane Warne,” Zampa told Australian media.

“The attributes he had, how strong he was, his leg-spinner was unbelievable and to be able to bowl that leg-spinner for as long as he did for five days for his whole career was something unbelievable.

“People do look at me and think

I look a lot like him but I think the only thing that would be similar is the smoother run-up. It’s a nice comparison but I don’t really think about it that way.”

Failed experiments Since Warne’s retirement after the final Ashes test against England in 2007, Australian selectors have barely flirted with leg-spin.

Victorian Bryce McGain lasted one test in 2009, promptly discarded after going wicketless for 149 runs against South Africa in Cape Town.

Early in his career, incumbent captain Steve Smith was picked as a leg-spinning all-rounder against England in the 2010-11 series but later shelved his bowling to concentrate on becoming an elite batsman.

Left-arm wrist-spinner Beau Casson briefly stepped into the spotlight when he was selected for a match against West Indies on the 2008 tour but duly fell into a form rut and was never looked at again.

Lyon has since cemented himself as Australia’s premier slow bowler and Zampa missed out on a place in the test squad to tour Sri Lanka in July and August.

Zampa, however, hopes to impress ahead of next year’s tour of India, where he has shown his comfort with South Asian pitches.

“The white ball at the moment is probably something I’m concentrating on but if I keep improving, I feel like it doesn’t matter what format you’re playing,” he said.

Australia play the first ODI against West Indies in Providence, Guyana on June 5. - Reuters

a captain he has utmost faith in Bhuvneshwar’s abilities and passion for the game

BENGALURU: Sunrisers Hyderabad captain David Warner says just-concluded IPL’s highest wicket taker Bhuvneshwar Kumar is a world-class bowler and he just can’t wait to take on the seamer as a opposition batsman.

“Obviously Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar) is in and out of the Indian team, but he is a world-class bowler. With the new ball as an opening batsman I would like to come up against him on a wicket like this because he sets the tone from ball one,” said Warner at the post-match press conference after leading Sunrisers to their maiden IPL title at the Chinnaswamy stadium here last night..

Warner said as a captain he has utmost faith in Bhuvneshwar’s abilities and passion for the game.

“I have got utmost faith in him (Bhuvneshwar) and the way he plays his cricket. He is passionate.

He loves the game and, I always rely on him towards the end,” the Australian said.

Warner led from the front with a sparkling 69 off 38 balls before Bhuvneshwar and Mustafizur Rahman bowled brilliantly in the death over to register eight-run win over Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL final last night.

Defending 208 to claim their maiden IPL title, Hyderabad restricted Virat Kohli’s RCB to 200 for seven.

Warner was also effusive in praise for young left-arm pacer Mustafizur, who formed a lethal combination along side Bhuvneshwar (23 wickets) for Sunrisers this season.

“Obviously, Mustafizur Rahman is a promising player for Bangladesh. It is a credit to him that he has played outstanding cricket

GREAT JOB, MATE: Bhuvneshwar Kumar of Sunrisers Hyderabad is congratulated by Sunrisers Hyderabad captain David Warner. – BCCI

along with Bhuvi. Hope he keeps fit and strong for future games,” Warner said.

Chasing the 208 for seven set by Sunrsiers, RCB at one stage were cruising at 114 for one with Chris Gayle at his lethal best.

Asked Warner as a captain what he was thinking at that stage, he said: “Our quest was to maintain composure while Chris Gayle was going after our bowling.

“I spoke to the bowlers to bowl wide and slower balls but despite that he (Gayle) was striking the ball with power. But we knew if we could get quick wickets, it would be hard on the next batsmen to play shots.

Warner attributes their success to team effort.

“It’s not about me, it’s about the team. It takes team effort to win a tournament. It is a family effort and that’s why we have laid our claim on the title,” he said.

Warner also praised Ben Cutting for his all-round performance.

Cutting first made a quickfire unbeaten 39 off just 155 balls and then returned with figures of 2/35 with the ball to help his side.

“At one stage we did not expect

It’s not about me, it’s about the team. It takes team effort to win a tournament. It is a family effort and that’s why we have laid our claim on the title David Warner

Captain, Sunrisers Hyderabad

to even score 180 runs but an exceptional knock from Cutting made us race past 200-run mark. I am a firm believer of putting runs on board which puts pressure on

opponents, and 208 is equal to 215 of 220 in such situations. They were scoring at 10 per over but my bowlers did not panic. They executed what they wanted to bowl,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sunrisers coach Tom Moody lauded Warner for his “incredible” captaincy throughout the tournament.

“David (Warner) is an incredible captain and has led the team very well even after losing two key players like Yuvraj Singh and Ashish Nehra for half of the tournament,” Moody said.

“He (Warner) is a world-class player not only in this (T20) format, but in all formats of the game.

He is a dominant player. He is right up there among the best in the world. I enjoyed working with Dave because the most important thing I draw from him is his relentless passion to win,” he said.

Moody said Warner has incredible work ethics and discipline.

“He is a born winner and that rubs off on others. He has incredible work ethics and incredible discipline, and all those things are so important from the leadership point of view,” he added. - PTI

TA B L E T E N N I S

Surabhi wins girls U-13 crown MUSCAT: Surabhi Salian captured the girls under-13 singles crown at the Annual Table Tennis Tournament organised by the Indian Social Club and sponsored

by Muscat Insurance Services LLC and Oman United Insurance Company.

In the best-of-five-games final, Surabhi prevailed over Alina Desai in straight games 11-8, 11-8, 13-11, 11-6. It was a shaky start by both finalists who committed fare too many unforced errors.

Surabhi won the first two games and rallied to win the third before closing out the fourth game to win the girls’ title.

Top seed MV Saiprem advanced to the final of the boys under-15 singles after coasting to a straight-games 11-5, 11-6, 11-5, 11-8 victory over fourth seed Allan Thiyagaseelan.

In the final, Saiprem will take on second seed Shounak Kelkar who struggled in the first game before downing third seed Sanskar Dubey in five games 16-18,115, 11-7, 11-1, 11-7.

Top seed in the Mens-A Singles, Subash Pillai will take on

THE FINALISTS: Girls U-13 winner Surabhi Salian, right, and

runner-up Alina Desai pose before the final. – Supplied photo

fourth seed Yash Tanna in the semifinals. Subash advanced to the last four after defeating Shounak Kelkar 11-5, 11-6, 9-11, 11-9 in the quarterfinals while Yash entered the semis with a 11-7, 12-10, 11-5 win over Karan Negi.

Second seed Armaan Sattikar qualified for the final of the event after overcoming third seed Simon Joseph in a six-game thriller which he won 12-10, 9-11, 3-11, 115, 11-4, 11-8.

In round robin matches of the junior doubles, the team of Shounak Kelkar and Prakhar Pateria beat Vedant Bahirat and Shivam 11-9, 11-4, 11-2, Surabhi and Anirudh downed Shwetha and Dimple 11-6, 7-11, 11-8, 11-2, the duo of Siddhartha and Madhav Vinod defeated Paran and Rubesh 11-6, 8-11, 11-8, 11-9 but went down to the team of Sanskar Dubey and Allan Thiyagaseelan who won 6-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-8.

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2016

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SPORTS Cook’s milestone as England clinch series

CRICKET

Cook scored 47

Virat is ready to captain in all formats: Shastri

not out as England eased to their target of 79 after Dinesh Chandimal made a fine century to lift Sri Lanka to 475 in their

NEW DELHI: Former Team Director of the Indian cricket team Ravi Shastri today made it clear that had he been the chairman of selectors, he would have thought about making “Virat Kohli the captain in all three formats” and let Mahendra Singh Dhoni “enjoy his game”.

Asked if he feels that Kohli is ready for leading across all formats, Shastri told India Today channel: “If I am the chairman of selectors, I would be thinking in that fashion, absolutely. It is it time to start thinking. You have to see India has no major event in three years till 2019 World Cup. This is your best chance to think and build.”

Shastri also made it clear that Dhoni can still contribute as a player. “By no stretch of imagination, you are taking anything away from MS. He can still contribute massively as a player.

Time has come to allow him to

enjoy himself, enjoy the game. It also depends on how much hungry MS is, how passionate he is, whether the juices are still flowing. It’s a Catch-22 situation but you have to take hard decisions.”

Shastri reminded that one needs to think that they have groomed Kohli as a leader over a period of time.

“A time has come where you have a guy you have groomed over a period of time, who is ready. In the next 18 months, India hardly play any ODIs, the gaps between Tests and ODIs are massive. So its time to look ahead.”

Shastri said that one can take a cue from Australian template.

“Mark Taylor was a great captain but they started to groom Steve Waugh. Just when you thought that Waugh was firmly there, in came Ricky Ponting and then Michael Clarke, the best captain after Mark Taylor. And now you have Steve Smith. - PTI

L O N G WAY T O G O

Don’t expect Shehzad, Akmal to be like Kohli, AB de Villiers: Afridi KARACHI: Flamboyant allrounder and former captain, Shahid Afridi believes that Pakistan cricket think-tank has erred by having too many expectations from out of favor batsmen, Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal.

“I don’t know but it was wrong to expect them to be like Virat Kohli or AB de Villiers and perform like them,” Afridi said on Geo News channel. Shehzad and Umar considered to be two of the country’s best young batting talent have been axed for the tour to England on disciplinary grounds and were not called for the training and skills camps set up by the cricket board.

PCB Chairman, Shaharyar Khan made it clear yesterday that it was the decision of the new selection committee to sideline the two youngsters. Afridi said there was no doubt that Shehzad and Umar needed to work hard on their cricket and approach.

“I also agree there should be no compromise on discipline. But I think it is best if we stop expecting too much from them and just let them be and let them play the way they do. With more experience I am sure they will be much better,” he added.

“But don’t expect them to perform like Kohli or de Villiers.

Don’t make such comparisons.”

Afridi, who had stopped short

of officially announcing his retirement from T20 cricket, said he has given himself another two years. “I have given myself another two years of cricket as I am still enjoying the sport. Whether I play in foreign or domestic leagues or for Pakistan it does not matter. I have given myself two more years.

Whenever the selectors need me for Pakistan I am always available for the country,” he said.

Afridi said he was impressed by the way Inzamam had called him up and spoken to him about his future plans. “It was a good and positive thing and showed respect for a player. I told Inzamam if he wants to try out youngsters he should do that but whenever he feels he needs me I am there to play for Pakistan.”

Afridi stepped down as the national T20 captain in April after poor performances from the national team in the Asia Cup and World T20 events which also led to the resignation of head coach, Waqar Younis.

Asked about why he had backed tainted left arm pacer, Mohammed Amir’s return to the team, but not Salman Butt and Muhammad Asif although the trio committed the same crime, Afridi said the crime was the same but in the post spot fixing scandal the attitude of the three was different. — PTI

second innings on the fourth day

LONDON: Alastair Cook became the first Englishman to reach 10,000 Test runs before leading his team to an emphatic ninewicket win over Sri Lanka in the second Test on Monday to wrap up the series.

Cook scored 47 not out as England eased to their target of 79 after Dinesh Chandimal made a fine century to lift Sri Lanka to 475 in their second innings on the fourth day.

Having been bowled out for 101 first time round, however, the tourists only delayed the inevitable and England took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series with a day to spare.

“It’s a very special moment for me, but the game is not about personal milestones, it’s about winning games and scoring runs to do that,” Cook said.

“But it’s a real special day and it’s great that my family are here to see me do it.”

Sri Lanka had resumed on 309 for five and England’s only success in the morning session was the dismissal of Milinda Siriwardana for 35, well caught by Alex Hales at third slip off James Anderson to end a sixth-wicket partnership of 92.

Anderson found the inside edge of Chandimal’s bat when the righthander was on 69 but wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow spilled a simple chance and the 26-year-old took full advantage, reaching his sixth test hundred with a thick outside edge for four off Chris Woakes.

He received excellent support from Rangana Herath in a seventh-wicket stand of 116, Herath making a breezy 61 before he was trapped lbw by Anderson, the England fast bowler’s 450th test victim.

Anderson bowled Shaminda Eranga for one to complete another five-wicket haul and Stuart

GREAT DAY FOR CAPTAIN COOK: Alastair Cook, left, leaves the field after leading England to series-

clinching victory in their 2nd Test match against Sri Lanka at the Riverside in Chester-le-Street. - AFP SCOREBOARD

England 1st innings: 498 for 9 declared Sri Lanka 1st innings :101 Sri Lanka 2nd innings: D. Karunaratne c Root b Woakes 26 K. Silva c Bairstow b Finn 60 K. Mendis c Bairstow b Anderson 26 L. Thirimanne b Ali 13 A. Mathews c Bairstow b Anderson 80 D. Chandimal b Broad 126 M. Siriwardana c Hales b Anderson 35 R. Herath lbw Anderson 61 S. Eranga b Anderson 1 S. Lakmal c Broad b Woakes 11 N. Pradeep not out 13 Extras (b-5, lb-11, nb-6, w-1) 23 Total (all out, 128.2 overs) 475 Fall of wickets: 1-38, 2-79, 3-100, 4-182,

Broad ended Chandimal’s defiant knock on 126 with a clever slower ball that clipped the top of his off stump. Suranga Lakmal was the last man out, skying a catch to Broad off Woakes.

Cook, needing five runs to get to 10,000, clipped Nuwan Pradeep to the mid-wicket boundary to reach the milestone before raising his bat to all corners of a sparselypopulated ground.

Hales was bowled by spinner Siriwardana for 11 but Cook calmly completed the job with Nick

FA C T B O X

5-222, 6-314, 7-430, 8-442, 9-453.

Bowling: J. Anderson 27-9-58-5; S. Broad 246-71-1 (nb-2); C. Woakes 27.2-8-103-2 (w-1); S. Finn 19-0-78-1 (nb-1); M. Ali 28-5-136-1 (nb-3); J. Vince 1-1-0-0; J. Root 2-0-13-0.

England 2nd innings A. cook not out 47 A. Hales b Siriwardana 11 N. Compton not out 22 Total (1 wkts, 23.2 overs) 80 Fall of wickets: 1-35.

Did not bat: J. Root, J. Vince, J. Bairstow, M. Ali, C. Woakes, S. Broad, S. Finn, J. Anderson Bowling: R. Herath 10-3-18-0; N. Pradeep 2-0-12-0; M. Siriwardana 7.2- 0-37-1; S. Lakmal 3-0-9-0; S. Eranga 1-0-4-0.

Compton, who finished unbeaten on 22 as he battles to retain his place at number three in the order.

“Broad and Anderson are world-class bowlers and you’ve got to show a lot of skill to handle them,” Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews said.

“It’s just the Sri Lankan fight that we’ve lost in the past couple of weeks and we’re looking to bring back. There were lots of positives in the last couple of days, Chandimal and Herath showed a lot of character.” - Reuters

Alastair Cook

List of players who have scored 10,000 runs in Test matches after England’s Alastair cook achieved the feat on Monday: Sachin Tendulkar (India) 15,921 Ricky Ponting (Australia) 13,378 Jacques Kallis (South Africa) 13,289 Rahul Dravid (India) 13,288 Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) 12,400 Brian Lara (West Indies) 11,953 Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies) 11,867 Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka) 11,814 Allan Border (Australia) 11,174 Steve Waugh (Australia) 10,927 Sunil Gavaskar (India) 10,122 Alastair cook (England) 10,042

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TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2016

SPORTS DOUBTFUL

Spain’s Carvajal doubtful for Euro 2016 MADRID: Spain defender Dani Carvajal is in danger of missing the European Championship after tests revealed a leg muscle injury.

Carvajal started for Real Madrid in Saturday’s Champions League final victory over Atletico Madrid but left the pitch in tears six minutes into the second half.

“After the tests carried out today at the Sanitas La Moraleja University Hospital, the player Daniel Carvajal has been diagnosed with a grade 2 injury to the right iliopsoas. His recovery will continue to be assessed,” Real Madrid said in a statement on Monday.

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque included the 24-yearold right back in his provisional Euro 2016 squad but Carvajal is facing at least two weeks on the sidelines, local media reported.

First cap Carvajal earned his first cap for Spain in August 2014 and has made four further appearances for the two-time defending European Champions.

Del Bosque faces a dilemma ahead of announcing his final 23-man squad on Tuesday. If Carvajal is left out, Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin will be his likely replacement.

A regular in Spain’s Under-21 squad, Bellerin made his senior debut in Sunday’s 3-1 win over Bosnia and has remained with the squad.

Bellerin had a strong season with Arsenal, starting 45 games in all competitions, including 36 in the Premier League.

The 20-year-old was named in the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) team of the year. Spain begin their European title defence against the Czech Republic on June 13 in Toulouse. - Reuters

Rashford signs long-term contract with Man United The 18-year-old United academy graduate scored eight goals in 18 appearances this season, including two on his debut against Midtjylland in the Europa League NEW CONTRACT: England’s striker Marcus Rashford takes part in a team training session in Watford,

LONDON: Striker Marcus Rashford has signed a new contract at Manchester United which will keep him at Old Trafford until 2020 with an option to extend for a further year, the club said on their website (www.manutd.com) on Monday.

The 18-year-old United academy graduate scored eight goals in 18 appearances this season, including two on his debut against Midtjylland in the Europa League.

He followed up with two goals against Arsenal and scored the winner in the Manchester derby against City in March.

“I am delighted to have signed a new contract. I have always been a Manchester United fan, so to be

north of London. – AFP

playing in the first team really is a dream come true,” Rashford said.

“I am grateful for having the chance to prove myself. To be able to play football at the biggest club in the world means everything to me and my family.”

The emergence of Rashford under former manager Louis van Gaal was one of few positives for United in a disappointing campaign in which they finished fifth in the Premier League.

“Marcus is a naturally talented footballer with great potential. He has taken his chances well and has

integrated into the first team very quickly,” United’s Executive vice chairman Ed Woodward said.

“I am delighted that Marcus has signed a new contract, he is at the right club to continue his development.”

Rashford’s performances caught the eye of England manager Roy Hodgson, who named the youngster as a surprise pick in his 26-man provisional squad for the European Championship.

Rashford became the youngest player to score on his England debut, when he netted 138 seconds into his first senior start in the 2-1

win over Australia on Friday.

Left back Cameron BorthwickJackson also signed a new contract, keeping him at the club until 2020, with an option of extending for a further year. “I have grown up at United and have enjoyed every minute of being here. Last season was an incredible experience to make my first team debut and a dream come true for myself and my family,” the 19-year-old said.

“I will continue to work hard and take advice from the manager and his coaching team to improve with every training session.” - Reuters

RAMADAN

Oman Indo-Pak Friends to host two tourneys MUSCAT: Oman Indo-Pak Friends will organise two cricket tournaments during the holy month of Ramadan — the 7th National Metal Cans (NMC) Cup MRI ball knockout floodlit Ramadan tournament and 7th NMC Independence Cup knock competition.

The NMC Cup will be played at Al Rifa Ground near Al Azaiba beach. The last date for registering entries with a fee of OMR 75 is June 9. The draw for the 16team competition will take place on June 13. The participating teams are allowed to field two players each from Oman Cricket Premier Division League.

The tournament winners will receive $800 and individual prizes while the runners-up will get $400 and individual prizes.

The organisers have also decided to give away a host of other attractive prizes, including cash prizes for best batsman, best bowler and player of the tournament besides the man of the match awards.

In the eight-team NMC Independence Cup, teams are allowed to field one player from Premier Division and the entry fee for the tournament is OMR 60. The tournament draw will take place on June 9. For further details contact organising committee members, Naveen Kotian (99384129), Tariq Hussain (9976 7598), Azhar Ali (95713366) and Asif (92508609).

JOBLESS

I will retire if no interesting job offers, says Pellegrini LONDON: Former Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini would consider retiring from management if he does not get any exciting offers. The 62-year-old, who guided City to their first Champions League semifinal this season, has been linked with the vacant mana-

gerial position at Everton.

“If I don’t have a really interesting option I will stop until I find one,” Pellegrini told the Guardian.

“If I have to stop (completely), I will stop. It can be now, (until) December, one year or for ever. Of course, I would miss it. The chal-

lenge keeps me alive.”

The Chilean confirmed his departure from the Etihad in a news conference in February and the club immediately announced the appointment of former Barcelona manager Guardiola as his successor.

Pellegrini said it was his choice

to make the decision public. “Yes, it was my decision,” he added.

“After Guardiola said he was coming to England it was my decision because all the media was talking about Guardiola here, Guardiola in Arsenal, Guardiola in Manchester United. “It was not

fair for all managers — when everyone knew he was coming here.

The aftermath of the announcement had serious repercussions for City’s title hopes as they lost home games to Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur and exited the FA Cup in a 5-1 defeat at Chelsea. — Reuters

CHEERS XI DEFEAT TELLY BOYS TO EMERGE CHAMPIONS

Cheers XI defeated Telly boys to emerged champions of the Sachin XI Cricket Tournament in Salalah. In the final, Cheers XI won the toss and decided to bowl first. Telly boys made 120 runs in 12 overs, Noushad bowled beautifully and picked three wickets. Chasing Cheers XI chase the target in 11.4 overs and won by three wickets, thanks to brilliant batting performance

by Irfan, Numan , Shailesh, and Sohan. Cheers XI captain Hameed received the winners trophy and prize money, while Telly Boys also earned a trophy and prize money. — Supplied photo

AT H L E T I C S

Johnson-Thompson clinches Olympic place GOETZIS: Britain’s Katarina Johnson-Thompson is relieved after booking her place at the Rio Games in August and says she is setting her sights on a first Olympic heptathlon gold medal.

The 23-year-old accumulated

the 6,200 points needed for Olympic qualification at the HypoMeeting in Goetzis on Sunday to join compatriot Jessica EnnisHill in the Rio lineup.

The Austrian event, won by Canada’s Brianne Theisen-Eaton,

was Johnson-Thompson’s first major outing since a knee operation in October. “The feeling is one of relief more than anything else,” she told British media. “I’ve got a lot to work on between now and then but this is my first time back

after surgery and I know exactly what I need to work on. “My goal is definitely a gold medal in Rio. I’m always a glass half-full person.”

Johnson-Thompson, who finished sixth at Goetzis with 6,304 points, recorded three personal bests. - Reuters

C

SECTION

LIFESTYLE

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2016

Dining WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM

When It’s Hot, Serve It Cold This summer make a freshly brewed iced tea at home or visit one of the many cafes in town to taste some of their exotic tea blends. Either way it’s time to chill.

Story Swati Dasgupta

F

or a real connoisseur of tea, re-locating to any desert country is nothing less than a punishment. For them it is not about the difficulties of the sweltering heat, but the unhappiness of not being able to enjoy their hot cuppa any time of the day.

Years back it was the same for me when I first landed in Muscat during the peak summer months. The first thought that came to my mind then as an ardent tea lover was ‘how would I enjoy my tea in this heat?’

I was certainly in no mood to wean off my habit of waking up to a hot cuppa. Flooded with disappointments, one day when I went to a friend’s house she asked, “Would you like to have a cool glass of tea?”

I nodded but kept wondering why was she offering a ‘cool glass of tea’ rather than a hot cup of tea?

My inhibitions were silenced as a tall glass of tea with a generous helping of ice cubes was placed in front of me. Must say it was ‘love at first sip’.

As you try to beat the Muscat heat, one of the best things to have during the long summer months is to have a glass of cold and refreshing iced tea. This is a perfect beverage which can act as an instant energiser and is available in various flavours and tastes, each distinct -ly different from the other.

While my personal favourite are the ones that have lemony tastes, the other favourites include mango, strawberry, lychee, orange, and more.

Replete with many health benefits a cool glass of iced tea is any day better than aerated drinks to quench your thirst on a sultry day.

Usually served in a glass with ice, it may or may not be sweetened and can be mixed with flavoured syrup, including lemon, raspberry, lime, passion fruit, peach, orange, strawberry, and cherry. While most iced teas get their flavour from tea leaves, herbal teas are also sometimes served cold which are made by prolong steeping of tea leaves at low temperature.

To make the perfect iced tea the first thing one should get right is the measurement. If you are planning to make eight cups of iced tea,

then preferably use 10-15 good quality tea bags depending on how strong you like the flavours. For a stronger flavour go for 15 tea bags.

Boil water in a pan with a pinch of baking soda and put the tea bags in a pitcher. Once the water starts boiling, remove the vessel from the flame and pour hot water in the pitcher with the tea bags. Keep the tea bags only for 5-6 minutes and do not over-steep. It can make the tea bitter. Sweeten by adding sugar or syrup. Add a little lemon juice to enhance the taste. If you are making lemon mint tea then add mint leaves before boiling the water.

For a different flavour you can add fruit juice to your iced tea. Allow the tea to reach at room temperature and then keep it in the refrigerator for an hour to chill. Pour into long glasses and add the ice cubes. Don’t refrigerate the iced tea when it is hot as it will get cloudy.

Best Iced Tea in Muscat Chatime Oman, Shatti Al Qurum, Near City Cinema Go for: Hawaiian fruit tea that is blend of black tea combined with tropical fruit flavours; lychee black tea, blend of black tea and lychee flavour; and mango green tea that is a blend of green tea combined with flavourful mango pulp.

Contact: +968 2494 9456 La Cigalo, Mina Al Fahal, Muscat Go for: Fresh peach ice tea.

Contact: +968 2457 1860 Eat Street, Al Noor Plaza, MQ Go for: Turkish saffron iced tea.

Contact: +968 8007 4992 Copper, Sayh Al Malih Street, Qurum Go for: Handmade iced tea with red berry and rose tea with a splash of lemon juice and hibiscus syrup.

Contact: +968 2456 4292 Shake Shack, Muscat City Centre, Al Mawaleh Go for: Fifty Fifty, a combination of iced tea and lemonade or the freshly brewed ones.

Contact: +968 2230 0182 Crafty Kitchen, Al Noor Plaza, Madinat Qaboos Go for: Summery iced tea brews available in different flavours.

Contact: +968 2469 6660 Passion Café, Al Khoudh Go for: Passion and lemon flavours Contact: +968 9460 0633 -swati@timesofoman.com

C6

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2016

FIND-IT-ALL CINEMA SCHEDULE

PRAYER TIMINGS

@ BURAIMI

@SHATTI

Screen 3 X-Men: Apocalypse (2D) (Sci Fic) –PG12 Cast : Sophie Turner, Olivia Munn 3.45, 6.45 PM Baaghi (2D) (Action) –PG Cast : Tiger Shroff, Shraddha Kapoor 9.45 PM

CITY CINEMA Contact (10 am to 6PM) 24567664 | 68 www.citycinemaoman.net facebook.com/citycinemaoman SHATTI Warcraft - (3D) (Action | Fantasy) (PG12) Cast: Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster 3:45, 6:30, 9:00 & 11:30PM The Nice Guys - (2D) (Action | Crime) (15+) Cast: Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling 3:00, 7:15, 9:30 & 11:45PM Pele: A Birth Legend - (2D) (Biography | Drama | Sport) (PG) Cast: Vincent D’Onofrio, Rodrigo Santoro 3:15 & 7:15PM Money Monster - (2D) (Crime | Drama) (12+) Cast: George Clooney, Julia Roberts 5:15 & 11:55PM X-Men: Apocalypse(3D) (Action) (PG12) Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender 9:15PM The Angry Birds Movie - (3D) (Animation (U) Cast: Peter Dinklage, Tituss Burgess 5:15PM MUSCAT GRAND MALL Warcraft – 3D (PG12) Action| Adventure Cast: Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster 12:30, 9:15, 11:45 PM Gold Class : 3:45, 6:30, 9:00, 11:30 PM Money Monster – 2D (12+) Crime | Drama Cast: George Clooney, Julia Roberts 4:45, 11:30 PM Pele: A Birth Legend – 2D (PG) Biography Cast: Vincent D’Onofrio, Rodrigo Santoro, Diego Boneta 6:40 PM X-Men: Apocalypse – 3D (PG12) Action | Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender 2:15, 8:45 PM Jungle Book – 3D (PG) Adventure | Drama Cast: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley 5:00 PM The Angry Birds Movie – 3D (U) Animation Cast: Peter Dinklage, Tituss Burgess 12:15, 2:45, 7:15 PM

Warcraft – 3D (PG12) Action| Adventure Cast: Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster 12:30, 9:15, 11:45 PM Gold Class : 3:45, 6:30, 9:00, 11:30 PM

Money Monster - (2D) (Crime | Drama) (12+) Cast: George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Jack O’Connell 5:15 & 11:55PM

PANORAMA MALL Warcraft - (3D) (Action| Adventure | Fantasy) (PG12) VIP LOUNGE Cast: Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster 3:45, 6:45 & 11:30PM Warcraft - (4D) (Action| Adventure | Fantasy) (PG12) MX4D Cast: Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster 3:30, 6:30, 9:00 & 11:30PM Warcraft - (3D) (Action | Fantasy) (PG12) Cast: Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster 9:00 & 11:30PM The Nice Guys - (2D) (Action | Comedy | Crime) (15+) VIP LOUNGE Cast: Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling 9:15PM The Nice Guys - (2D) (Action | Crime) (15+) Cast: Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling 3:00, 7:15, 9:30 & 11:45PM Pele: A Birth Legend - (2D) (Biography) (PG) Cast: Vincent D’Onofrio, Rodrigo Santoro 5:15PM X-Men: Apocalypse (3D) (Actiony) (PG12) Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender 3:30, 9:00 & 11:45PM The Angry Birds Movie - (3D) (Animation | Action |Comedy) (U) Cast: Peter Dinklage, Tituss Burgess

FROM MUSCAT (RUWI)

Dept time

Destination

Arrival Operating time days

FROM JAALAN-SUR-QURIYAT (ROUTE 36)

TEMPERATURE

15:00 15:00 15:00

05:30 05:30 05:30

Maximum

16:30 18:00 19:30

Daily Daily Daily

Sur Quriyat Ruwi

06:45 08:30 10:00

TO AL BURAIMI (ROUTE 41)

TO AL BURAIMI (ROUTE 41)

06:30 06:30 08:00 13:00 13:00 16.00 16.00

07:00 07:00 13:30 13:00 13:00 13:00 17:00

Sohar Buraimi Buraimi Sohar Buraimi Sohar Buraimi

08:50 Daily 11:00 Daily 14:30 Daily via Ibri 15:45 Daily 17:40 Daily 18.35 Daily 20:20 Daily

TO SINAW (ROUTE 52) 17:30

Sinaw

Nizwa Yanqul

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

BURAIMI Idhu Namma Aalu (PG) (Tamil) (Romantic ) Cast: T.R. Silambarasan, Nayanthara 6:45 PM X-Men: Apocalypse PG12 (3D) (Action) Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender 9:00 PM Warcraft PG 12 (3D) (Action| Adventure) Cast: Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster.

4:30, 6:45, 9:15 & 11:45 PM Wild for the Night 15+ (Crime| Musi) Cast: Tommy Flanagan, Michael Roark 5:15 & 11:30 PM The Nice Guys 15+ (Action | Comedy) Cast: Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling 4:45, 7:15, 9:30 & 11:45 PM

Warcraft (Action / Adventure / Fantasy) Cast: Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster 2.00, 4.30, 7.00, 9.30 & 11.55 p.m.

CP No : 1129 (PG12) The Shamer’s Daughter (Adventure) Cast: Allan Hyde, Jakob Oftebro, Roland Moller 6.00 & 11.55 p.m.

CP No : 1130 (PG12) Wild for the Night (Crime / Thriller) Cast: Tommy Flanagan, Michael Roark, Bianca A. Santos 2.00, 8.00 & 10.00 p.m.

CP No :1131 (15+) The Trust (Crime / Thriller) Cast: Nicolas Cage, Elijah Wood, Sky Ferreira 4.00 p.m.

CP No : 1119 (15+)

Film information 24540856 / Advance Booking 24540855 Website: www.albahjacinemaoman.com

SALALAH X-Men: Apocalypse (3D) (PG12) (Action) Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender 8:45PM X-Men: Apocalypse (2D) (PG12) (Action) Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender 1:30PM Warcraft (3D)(PG12) (3D) (PG12) (Action) Cast: Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster 12:30, 4:15, 6:30, 9:00, 11:30PM The Nice Guys (2D) (15+) (Action | Comedy) Cast: Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling 2:00, 9:30, 11:55PM The Angry Birds Movie (3D) (U) (Animation) Cast: Peter Dinklage, Tituss Burgess 4:45PM Money Monster (2D)(12+) (Crime | Drama) Cast: George Clooney, Julia Roberts 2:45, 11:45PM Pele: A Birth Legend (2D)(PG) (Biography | Drama | Sport) Cast: Vincent D’Onofrio, Rodrigo Santoro 6:45PM Wild for the Night (2D)(15+) (Crime| Music) Cast: Tommy Flanagan, Michael Roark, Bianca A. Santos 4:30PM Idhu Namma Aalu (2D)(PG) (Tamil) (Romantic) Cast: T.R. Silambarasan, Nayanthara, Andrea 9:00PM

STAR CINEMA Film information 24791641 / 24786776 Website: www.isurf.co.om King Liar (Mal) (Comedy) Cast: Dileep, Siddique and Madonna Sebastian 6-30 PM Cinema-2; 3-30 & 9-30 pm Cinema Main Brahmotsavam (Telugu) (Drama) Cast: Mahesh Babu, Samantha and Kajal Agarwal 3-45 pm Cinema -4 Marudhu (Tamil) (Act) Cast: Vishal and Sri Divya 6-45 & 9-45 pm Cinema -4 Jacobinte Swargarajyam ( Mal) (Comedy) Cast: Nivin Pauly Renji Panicker & Lakshmi Ramakrishna 3-45, 6-45 & 9-45 pm Cinema-3 Idhu Namma Aalu (Tamil) (Drama) Cast: Silambarasan and Nayantara 6-30 pm Cinema Main; 3-30 & 9-30 pm Cinema-2 Next Change: Iraivi ( Tamil) Aa..Aaa (Telugu) Programmes are subject to change

0

J. S. SHREENISHA May 31, 2010

Minimum

0

RELATIVE HUMIDITY

75-35%

AVANTIKA KUMAR May 31, 2003

NOEL SEBI P. May 31, 2002

Send us a colour photograph of the child (below 17 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

BAHJA CINEMA

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (ROUTE 54)

TO SUR (ROUTE 55) 07:30 14:30

47 31

Cast : Vincent D’Onofrio, Rodrigo Santoro, 5:15PM Idhu Namma Aalu (Tamil | Romantic) Cast : T.R. Silambarasan, Nayanthara 6.45PM

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

SOHAR X-Men: Apocalypse PG12 (3D) (Action) Cast: James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence 8:45, 11:45PM The Angry Birds Movie U (3D)( Animation) Cast: Peter Dinklage, Tituss Burgess 3:15PM King Liar PG12 (Malayalam) (Comedy) Cast: Dileep, Madonna Sebastian, Lal 9:00PM Brahmot Savam PG (Telugu/Comedy) Cast: Kajal Aggarwal, Mahesh Babu 6:15PM Money Monster 12+ (Crime | Drama) Cast: George Clooney, Julia Roberts 3:00, 11:55PM The Shamer’s Daughter PG12(Adventure) Cast: Allan Hyde, Jakob Oftebro, Roland Møller 5:00PM Warcraft PG12 (Action| Adventure | Fantasy) Cast: Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster 3:30, 6:30, 9:30, 11:30PM The Nice Guys 15+ (Action | Comedy) Cast : Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling 3:45, 7:15, 9:30, 11:45PM Pele: A Birth Legend PG (Biography)

TO SINAW (ROUTE 52) 20:50

TO YANQUL (ROUTE 54) 14:30 14:30

Sohar Ruwi Ruwi Sohar Ruwi Sohar Ruwi

Daily Daily Daily

RUWI Screen 1 Warcraft (2D) (Action / Adventure) –PG12 Cast : Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton 3.30, 9.30 PM Sarbjit (2D) (Drama ) –PG12 Cast : Aishwarya Rai and Randeep Hooda 6.30 PM Screen 2 Sarbjit(2D) (Drama ) –PG12 Cast : Aishwarya Rai and Randeep Hooda 3.45, 9.45 PM Baaghi (2D) (Action) –PG Cast :Tiger Shroff, Shraddha Kapoor, Sudheer Babu 6.45 PM

SUR X-Men : Apocalypse 3D (Crime | Drama) ( PG12 ) Cast : James Mc Avoy, Michael Fassbender 9:00 PM Warcraft 3D ( Action | Fantasy ) ( PG12 ) Cast : Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster 5:00, 7:15, 11:45 PM The Nice Guys (15+) Cast : Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling 9:30, 11:35 PM The Angry Birds Movie - (3D) ( Animation | Action | Comedy ) ( U ) Cast : Peter Dinklage, Tituss Burgess 4:45 PM Idhu Namma Aalu (Tamil | Action) (PG) Cast : T.R. Silambarasan, Nayanthara, Andrea Jeremiah 6:30 PM

WEATHER

QURIYAT - SUR - JAALAN (ROUTE 36) Quriyat Sur Jaalan

3:30, 8:45, 11:15 PM Azhar (Hindi) (2D) (Sports | Drama) (PG) Cast: Nargis Fakhri, Emraan Hashmi 10:30 PM Brahmot Savam (Telugu) (2D) (PG) Cast: Mahesh Babu, Kajal Aggarwal 6:30 PM Idhu Namma Aalu (Tamil) (2D) (Romance) Cast: Mahesh Babu, Kajal Aggarwal, Tanikella Bharani 6:30 PM (PG)

AZAIBA X-Men: Apocalypse (3D) (Action) (PG12) Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender 3:15, 6:00, 11:45 PM Warcraft (3D) (Action) (PG12) Cast: Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster 3:45, 6:30, 9:15, 11:30 PM The Angry Bird Movie (3D) (Animation | Action | Comedy) (U) Cast: Peter Dinklage, Tituss Burgess 3:45 PM The Jungle Book (3D) (Family) (PG) Cast: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley 5:45 PM King Liar (Mal) (2D) (Comedy) (PG12) Cast: Dileep, Madonna Sebastian, Lal 8:45 PM Sarabjit (Hindi) (2D) (Drama) (PG12) Cast: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Shiwani Saini

TO MUSCAT (RUWI) Arrival Operating time days

Wild for the Night (15+) (Crime| Musi) Cast: Tommy Flanagan, Michael Roark, Bianca A. Santos 5:15 & 11:30 PM

3:00 & 7:00PM Captain America: Civil War - (PG) (Action | Adventure| Sci-Fi) (3D) Cast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr 6:15PM The Jungle Book - (3D) Drama| Family) (PG) Cast: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley 5:00PM

LONG DISTANCE BUS TIMINGS (OMAN NATIONAL TRANSPORT COMPANY SAOC) *SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Destination

12.10pm 3.29pm 6.54pm 8.15pm 3.54am

CHILDREN BELOW THE AGE OF 3 YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE CINEMA | BOX-OFFICE COUNTER OPENS 30-MINUTES PRIOR TO THE SCREENING OF THE FIRST SHOW

@MGM

Dept time

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

Daily Daily Daily

Afghanistan Algeria Bahrain Bangladesh Brazil Brunei China Cyprus Egypt France Germany India Indonesia Iran Iraq Italy Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya South Korea Kuwait

24698 791/4 24605 593 24 605 074/133 24 698 660 24640100 24 603533 24 696782 24 699815 24 600 982/411 24681 800 24835000 24684500 2469 1050 24 696 944/7 24603642 24693727 24 601 028 24692760/1/3 24 692418 24 697664 24 691490 24 699628

Lebanon Libya Malaysia Morocco Nepal Netherlands Pakistan Palestine Philippines Qatar Russia Saudi Arabia Senegal Somalia South Africa Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Switzerland Syria Tanzania Thailand Tunisia Turkey UAE United Kingdom United States Yemen

24 693208 24603466 24698329/643 24696152/3 24696177 24603706 24603439 24601312 24605335 24 691 153/2/4 24602894 24601705 24694139 24697977 24647300 24691101 24697841/2 24697875 24603267 24697904 24601 174 24 602684/5 24603486 24697050/1/2 24400000 24609000 24643400 24600815

PHARMACIES (ROUND THE CLOCK) Al Hashar Pharmacy, Ruwi 24783334 Apollo Medical Centre,

Hamriya Muscat Pharmacy, Ruwi Salalah Atlas Pharmacy, Ghubra Muscat Region Apollo, Al Hamriya Muscat, A Seeb Market Muscat, Al Khuwair Muscat, Al Hail South Dhofar Region Muscat, Al Nahdha Road, Salalah

24782666 24702542 23291635; 24503585 24787766 24421691 24485740 24537080

23291635

HOSPITALS Al Amal Medical & Health Care Centre 24485052 Atlas Hospital Ruwi 24811743/ Ghubra 24504000 Al Musafir Specialised Medical Clinic 24706453 Hatat Polyclinic LLC, Ruwi 24563641 Azaiba 24499269 Sohar 2683006 Al Raffah Hospital 24618900/1/2 Al Massaraat Clinic & Laboratory 24566435 Al Makook Medical Coordinance Centre 24499434 Apollo Medical Centre, Hamriya 24787766, 24787780

Capital Polyclinic 24707549 Badr Al Samaa Polyclinic, Ruwi 24799760/1/2 Capital Clinic, Seeb 24420740 Ceregem National Raak 24485633 Dr Harub’s Clinic 24563217 Elixir Health Centre 24565802 Emirates Medical Centre 24604540 1st Chiropractic Centre 24472274 Lifeline Hospital Salalah 23212340 International Medical Centre LLC 24794501/2/3/4/5 Kims Oman Hospital 24760100 24 Hrs Emergency 24760123 Lama Polyclinic, Sohar 26751128 MBD 24799077 Al Khuwair 24478818 Magrabi Eye and Ear Hospital 24568870 Muscat Private Hospital 24583600 Welcare Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, Al Khuwair 24477666 Al Hayat 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

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2016

C7

LIFESTYLE FOOD NOTE

PHOTO VKHANNA.COM

Indian Regional Cuisines Becoming Popular in America: Chef Vikas Khanna

BE IT DELICACIES from Kashmir or the northeast, Michelin-starred chef Vikas Khanna says regional Indian cuisine is being increasingly lapped up in the US. The Indian chef, based in New York, believes that the main reason is that most lovers of Indian cuisine are looking for something beyond the globallyrenowned Punjabi dishes.

Khanna, who was raised in Amritsar, says regional cuisine is taking centre-stage in the US. “Today in New York, I can distinguish between food from Andhra Pradesh and the northeastern states. I think we can do a lot of more research to bring in fresh cultural and new flavour combinations to our diners. Regional cuisine is becoming more popular in America.

“I think that the primary reason is that most of the Indian food lovers are looking for much more than

A Juicy Delicious Treat Awaits You

M

arinating chicken the right way can only mean one thing — a juicy, succulent and delicious treat. Marinade or the flavourful liquid is one that adds flavour and taste into the layers of the chicken. A combination of ingredients, a marinade must be carefully prepared. Generally the marinade is a combination of spices and herbs along with the acidic ingredient which could be vinegar, lime juice, or yoghurt. Each of these have a distinct flavour and taste and adds to the taste of the chicken in its own specific way.

Tips on how to marinate the chicken the best way: Ċ The time for marination would

Ċ Take out the chicken from the marinade and cook. You could grill it or cook it in a pan. The remaining marinade can be used for basting.

depend on whether the chicken is cut into large pieces or small boneless pieces. Definitely it is the larger pieces that would need to be marinated for a longer time. Ċ Make small cuts on the chicken pieces (large slices) to ensure that the marinade leaves its mark deep within the meat. Ċ If the recipe requires that the chicken be marinated for a few hours, let it soak in the marinate.

You must then refrigerate it or else you are sure to have a bad case of food poisoning. Ċ Leaving the chicken in the marinade for too long can actually lead to breaking of the fibres of the meat. Do not over do it, strike the right balance for the best results.

A marinade must be carefully prepared.

Generally the marinade is a combination of spices and herbs along with the acidic ingredient which could be vinegar, lime juice, or yoghurt. Each of these have a distinct flavour and taste

Herbs and fresh ingredients in the marinade can make it flavourful. Fresh herbs are the best choice however, in case that is not a viable possibility then crush the herbs and add to the marinade so that it would give out its full flavour.

Some of the marinades are so flavourful that you can even serve them as dips (boiling to thicken them to the right consistency) or even pour over the cooked chicken as a sauce.

The liquid with all the flavours add to the taste. Try it and you would know. However, if you add an egg in your marinade then do not use the sauces raw. —Courtesy of Artipot

Punjabi fare. This gives us the awesome opportunity to bring the world of regional cuisine forward... from Kashmir to the northeast,” Khanna, who considers Indian cuisine to be “beautiful in its simplicity”, said.

In fact, he opines that India has come a long way. “From great legends to the human spirit, Indians are becoming world heroes. But, yes, food and diversification are our soft powers,” he explained.

And this holds true in his case. After presenting his book titled Utsav - A culinary epic of Indian festivals at the Cannes Film Festival in 2015, the star chef unveiled his documentary Kitchens of Gratitude at the gala’s 69th edition this year.

The documentary takes forward the chef’s ideology that food has always been the thread which brings people together and that it transcends all barriers of caste, creed and faith — thus, encouraging people to share.

The documentary features personalities like the Dalai Lama, motivational speaker Deepak Chopra, spiritual leader Mata Amritanandamayi and Pastor Craig Mayes of the New York City Rescue Mission, among others.

“Food is a major thread of cultures, and food is much more than physical sustenance. Food is the true power of sharing and breaking boundaries and walls,” he added.—IANS

C8

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2016

LIFESTYLE

ONE INGREDIENT NGREDIENT

FIVE WAYS

Orange peel or any other citrus fruit peel enhances the flavours of a dish. Keep them for few weeks in airtight containers and add to cakes, curries, and other treats.

Orange Peel Cake Mix 11/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup oil, and 2 eggs. Add 3/4 cup milk, 1/4 cup hot water, and 1 teaspoon soda and dissolve. Add chopped orange peel of one orange, 1 cup raisins, and 1/2 cup nuts. Stir in 1/2 cup flour. Place the mixture in a baking dish and bake for about 45 minutes at 180 degrees C. Serve once cooled.

Tabbouleh with Orange Peel Cook 1 cup broken wheat in 1 1/2 cups of water for 10 minutes. Drain and pour cold water and keep aside. Combine 1 tablespoon of grated orange peel, 2 spring onions chopped, 1 finely chopped tomato, 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, 2 teaspoons of olive oil, and salt. Mix well. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Chicken With Orange Peel

Orange Peel Bread

Orange Peel Fruit Dip

Take orange peel of three oranges and cut into 1 1/2 inch long thin strips. Dry them in a pre-heated oven for 30 minutes. Cut 7-8 chicken breast pieces. Separately mix 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 4 chopped green onions, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger. In another bowl mix 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 cup orange juice and refrigerate it. Stir fry chicken until tender with the soya sauce mixture for 5 minutes. Also stir fry the orange peels until crisp. Drain on paper towel. Add orange juice mixture to the chicken and sprinkle the fried peels.

Stir together 2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon soda. Combine 1 beaten egg, 1 teaspoon orange peel, 3/4 cup orange juice and 2 tablespoon oil.

Add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Fold in 11/3 cup cranberries and 1/2 cup walnuts. Bake in greased loaf pan at 180 degrees C for 60 minutes or until done. Remove from pan and cool.

In a medium-sized serving bowl, stir together 2 cups of light sour cream, 2 tablespoon sugar, and 1 tablespoon orange juice. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Garnish this dip with thin strips of orange peel and serve with skewered fresh fruits like strawberries, kiwis, and apples.

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W W W.T I M E S O F O M A N . C O M T U E S DAY, M AY 3 1 , 2 0 1 6

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

RENT

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T U E S D AY, M AY 3 1 , 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDE

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

FOR RENT

FURNISHED OFFICES FOR RENT ǀĂŝůĂďůĞ Ăƚ Ă ƉƌŝŵĞ ůŽĐĂƟ ŽŶ ŽŶ Azaiba Service Road (Previously OĐĐƵƉŝĞĚ ďLJ ͛^Ăī Ă &ŽŽĚƐͿ near Al Turky and Mazda showroom.

ŽŶƚĂĐƚ͗ 95215289, 99229263, 93221054

*Tourist visa arranged

ʽ ^ãÊÙ ZÊÊÃÝ

¥ÊÙ Z Äã

ǀĂŝůĂďůĞ Ăƚ Ă ƉƌŝŵĞ ůŽĐĂƟ ŽŶ ŽŶ azaiba service road ;ƉƌĞǀŝŽƵƐůLJ ŽĐĐƵƉŝĞĚ ďLJ ͛^Ăī Ă &ŽŽĚƐͿ ŶĞĂƌ ů dƵƌŬLJ ĂŶĚ DĂnjĚĂ ƐŚŽǁƌŽŽŵ

ŽŶƚĂĐƚ͗ 95215289, 99229263, 93221054

Office for rent in Al Ansab near bank Muscat. Contact: 99466173

Warehouse available

FOR RENT 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

IN BALADIA SANAYAH AMIRAT (Floor area 600sqmtrs and mezzanine of 500sqmtrs) 1100sqmts fully cover warehouse & staff accommodations

3 BHK, 1BHK with A.C new building behind Muscat Bakery Wadi Al Kabir. Contact: 99338133 / 92103604 For rent flat in Darsait & Ruwi, Office CBD. Contact: 95345909 / 92820734 Deluxe 1 & 2 bedroom flats, ideal for office or residence at Qurum near PDO. Contact: 97721313 / 95070421 Two flats, each flat consist 3 bedrooms, 3 toilets and kitchen in South Al Mabella near Indian School. Contact: 99757672 Flat for rent in Ruwi Al Mumtaz area 300/-R.O 2BHK, sitting room, hall, 2 bathrooms, kitchen with A/C Contact: 99722838 / 93294878 / 93294877 Flat for rent in Al Wadi Kabir near to the Kuwaiti Mosque 225 R.O, 1BHK, sitting room, bathrooms, kitchen with A.C. Contact : 93294878 / 93294877 Flat for rent in Al Wadi Kabir near to the Kuwaiti Mosque 300 R.O, 2 BHK, sitting room, 2 bathrooms, kitchen with A.C. Contact: 93294878 / 93294877 Flat for rent in Al Wadi Kabir near to the Kuwaiti Mosque 390/- R.O, 3 BHK , sitting room, three bathrooms, kitchen with A.C. Contact: 93294878 / 93294877 Flat for rent in Ruwi Al Walja near to the Honda road RO 200/-, 1 BHK, sitting room, bathrooms, kitchen with A.C. Contact: 93294878 / 93294877 1000 sqmtrs industrial land for rent in Ghala suitable for warehouse workshop etc.

Contact 24700120 / 92584715

2 Bedroom Townhouse with Swimming pool, free Wi-Fi for Rent near British School in Madinat Sultan Qaboos. Contact: 92197959 / 92502497 Office for rent located in Prime location of Azaiba Main Highway.

Contact: 92197959 / 92502497 3 BHK Flat in Azaiba.

Contact 99792181 60 + 100 + 180 + 600 Sqr Mtrs Office Space for Rent in Al Khuwair. Contact 99792181 Flat for rent in Darsait 1BHK. Contact: 99357586 / 97500025 / 97500021 Shop for rent in Ghubra prime location. Contact: 94281797 Al Khuwair 17, villa 3 B. Rooms, 3 toilets, kitchen, hall owner.

Contact: 99385553 Ware house open type in Saham, shared basis at OMR 150.00 P.M. Contact +968 99450811 & 9921 3487, EMAIL: Shiju@spec-link.com Villa in Seeb near Dreams Resort and close to the sea. Contact: 24182000 / 95250300/ 99110600 House in North Al Hail with 3 rooms, living room, hall, 4 toilets 300 RO. Contact 99738881 / 99439568

2 BHK available Mumtaz area Ruwi & Ghubra near Al Maha Hotel.

Contact: 99269751

2 bed rooms flat with hall, 2 bathrooms in Darsait near Muscat Municipality. Contact: 92584715 / 24700120

1 & 2 BHK Flat in Al Khuwair.

Contact 99792181

Flat for rent in Al Qurum, 3 rooms & hall. Contact: 91763660

Just 2 OMR / Sqm, Showroom / store for rent Ground floor & basement, area - 1100 Sqm, location Seh Al Ahmer, 20 km to Rusayl.

Contact: 97714433 / 93437982 Flats for rent at Just RO 160/- 2 Bed room, hall, kitchen , 2 toilets, location Seh Al Ahmer, 20 KM to Rusayl, including AC & roof Garden.

Contact: 97714433 / 93437982 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 Shop for rent at Wadi Kabir Industrial area. Contact: 99888390 Flats in Al Khuwair, Al Ghubra, Azaiba, Wadi Kabeer, Darsait, Hamriya, Al Hail & Seeb.

Contact: 24182000 / 95250300 / 99110600

4 BHK Villa in Bowsher Heights.

Contact 99792181

99417229/92621039 2 Bedrooms Flat for rent located in Prime location of Al Khuwair. Contact: 92197959 / 92502497.

Office 55SQ.Mtrs & 2B/R at Bausher directly from owner.

Contact: 92158031

2BHK split A/C 200/- Monthly & 1BHK spilt A/C 150/- monthly new building good location Barka Market. contact 99342661

Villa for rent in South Mabellah, 3 bedrooms, sitting room, family Lounge, kitchen, three Toilets Contact 92212212 between 10 AM to 5 PM.

Ruwi office space for rent, Saravana Bhava Building.

Contact: 91120552

Staff Complex villa (Al Khuwair 17) 10 rooms, 10 toilets, 7 kitchens.

Owner Contact: 99385553 Villa for rent in Al Ghubrah, 5 rooms, hall. Contact: 91763665 Flat for rent in Al Khoud, 2 rooms & hall. Contact: 917633665 1BHK Flats for rent, behind Sheraton hotel in Ruwi, rent R.O 250/per month. Contact: 96051941 Al Khuwair 17 a new room, toilet, kitchen, deluxe owner.

Contact: 99385553

Shop in Seeb market. Contact: 24182000 / 95250300/ 99110600

2 BHK at Azaiba behind Bahwan half KM. Contact: 99224748 / 99332297

Flats for rent near Indian School in Wadi Kabir. Contact 99777122

For rent New flats at Darsait Al Sahail. Contact: 99777351

Double bedroom flats available in Honda road, Ruwi and Mabellah.

Contact: 24833972/ 24833974 Mobile 99367448

House in Darsait 3 rooms, kitchen, 1 bathroom with A/C. Contact: 95522405

1BHK at Hamriya near Muscat Pharmacy & 2 BHK at Mawaleh near Mosque Sadiq Al Amin.

Contact: 99224748 / 99332297

Villa in Al Khoud consists of 6 bedrooms, 1 sitting & living room.

Contact: 91153933

1700 sqr mtrs open Land + small store + garage for Rent in Ruwi.

Contact 99792181

Please contact: G.S.M

2 Bedroom Flat for rent located in Prime location of Ruwi.

Contact: 92197959 / 92502497

1 BHK and 2BHK Flats available near Lulu Darsait (Main road, Opp. to Min. of Defense). Contact : 93202733

New flats Wadi Al Kabir.

Contact: 92130703 Flats in Wadi Kabir.

Contact 94051789 / 97201688

3 Bedroom well maintained flat (villa Type only 2 flats in villa) in Al Khuwair, behind Al Akhtam Restaurant villa No 1841, Way No 3922--- block no 239.

Contact: 99462980

Flat for rent in Al Khuwair 33.

Contact: 92277419

Flat for rent in Wadi Al Kabeer including 3 rooms with ACs. Contact: 99333639

Fully Furnished apartments in Boucher (35). Contact 94051789 / 97201688

1 bedroom family / bachelors in Al Khuwair R.O 100/-.

Contact: 95154331

Villa for rent in Al Khoud, 6 rooms, hall. Contact: 91763665 3000 Sqr mtrs compound land in Misfah. Contact 99792181 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. Contact: Atlas Real Estate & Rent A Car LLC : 99249069 / 94617563/ 99436312, Email: info@alshahiintl.com 5 BHK Villa in Al Khuwair, for Staff Accommodation. Contact 99792181 2 & 3 BHK Flat in Al Khuwair & Ghubra. Contact 99792181 Flat for rent Al Hail North to the Wave Muscat ground floor with furniture the price RO 250/-.

Contact: 99353433 Flat for rent 2 bedrooms in Ruwi Mumtaz area. Contact: 91409667 / 24291500 Flats, shops & store for rent in MBD area Ruwi, Mumtaz area.

Contact: 97293708 / 92433127 Offices and Flats in Ghala.

Contact 94051789 / 97201688 Four bedroom two floors luxurious and spacious residential villa in Al Hail North, near to the sea and Oman oil. Each room has its own bathroom. It has splits A/C’s and shaded car park. OMR 750 monthly. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 or 97509955

Shop for rent good location main road behind wholesale hyper market Amerat space 11 MT long, 4 MT Width. Contact: 92877449 Two bedrooms flat in Al Ghobrah near Oman Oil of 18 November Street. OMR 330 Monthly.

Contact 99333479 or 95215360 or 97509955.

Flat for Rent 2 bed room Near ISM muscat Indian Scoole Dar sate Tel : 00 968 95158570 Flats in Darsait. Contact 94051789 / 97201688 Brand new villas in Al Ansab. Contact 94051789 / 97201688 Flats in Ghobrah. Contact 94051789 / 97201688 Flats in Muttrah. Contact 94051789 / 97201688 Warehouse at Wadikabir - total area 3500 sqm - covered warehouse (500sqm), office, accommodation (1000sqm), open area (2000sqm) please contact: 99273774 - 99202278 Flat for rent 2 BHK 2 split A/C, 2 toilets, Wadi Kabir near Kuwaiti Masjid. Contact: 97007934 / 92629232 Furnished office (61M2) for sale / rent Al Khuwair near Zawawi Mosque. Contact: 95611569 1 Bed room, sharing K& T, R.O 100, 2 bedrooms , sharing K& T R.O 200/in AL Khuwair. Contact: 95154331 Flat in Al Khuwair opp grand mall 4 room 3 toilet + hall kitchen in 3 floor 400. Contact 99420346

T U E S DAY, M AY 3 1 , 2 0 1 6

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DAILY GUIDE

FOR SALE Double Shutter 80 sq mtrs corner textile shop in Seeb Souq for sale.

Contact 99326339

Room available for family / bachelor opposite to o.K. Center, Ruwi.

Gsm 942-888-63

1No brand new containerized package type STP 100 m3/ day with blower equipments (suitable for camps). Serious Buyers may.

Contact: 99445367

Sharing Accomodation avaiable for a working lady near indian school wadikabir. #99652740

2 Nos brand new sea water reverse osmosis plants 500m3/ day, containerized in knock down condition with American PD pumps & process pumps for immediate sale. Serious buyers may Contact: 99445367 400 sq mtrs Commercial/Residential land in Mabela Phase 5 Block 2. OMR 165 Thousand.

Contact 99333479 or 95215360 or 97509955

FOR RENT Flat for rent in South AlGhubrah 3 rooms, hall and 3 toilets, kitchen rent 450/-. Contact: 99335580 2 BHK flat at Ruwi Mumtaz area RO 320/-. Contact: 99358589 / 97079146 / 95570288 Offices & Showrooms in Al Khood.

Contact 94051789 / 97201688 02 BHK residential flat opposite to Al Nahdha hospital.

Contact: 99342733 /99795241 Villa in Bousher consists of 5 rooms, 1 hall & living room.

Contact: 91153933 Villa in Al Ghubra consists of 5 bedrooms, 1 hall and living room.

Contact: 91153933 Room with 9 bathrooms in Bousher for rent. Contact: 91153933 Apartment in Al Khoudh consists of 2 room & hall.

Contact: 91153933 2 bed rooms flat with hall, 2 bathrooms in Darsait near Muscat Municipality.

Contact: 92584715/ 24700120 Fully furnished offices in Ghala main Street. Contact: 94300909 Flats In Qurum.

Contact 94051789 / 97201688 2BHK Big Size Flat Behind Bank Muscat, Wadi Kabir. Near ISWK. 97826454, 24815012.

FOR SALE Working beauty parlor for sale Al Ghubra. Contact: 98178135 Running pharmacy for sale on main road in Barka with Pharmacist. Contact: 99452755 603 sq mtrs residential land in Al Hail North Block 45 NE near Radio station. OMR 95 Thousand.

Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 or 97509955 Ladies fashion boutique for sale in Al Khuwair. Contact: 24702870 Villa for sale in Mabela 6 rooms, living room & hall.

Contact: 91763665 Dental chairs for sale sparingly used dental units for sale.

Contact Mr. Ansari 92616343.

Kumar 99570284 Dental clinic for immediate sale doctor going abroad. Contact: 92882209 / 96373097 2 Shops for sale at prime location in Ghobra. Contact: 96381294 Bozlur 6 Villas of six bedrooms each under construction in one compound in Bausher near Muscat Private hospital. Prices range from 165 thousand to 179 thousand for each villa. Each villa has three floors and 369 sq mtrs build up area.

Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 or 97509955

2BHK split A/C for rent Muttrah near Oman House.

Contact: 97007934 / 92629232

Apartment for sale location Bowshar apartment 105m has one sitting room, kitchen, balcony, two rooms with cupboards & curtains & 3 toilets. Contact: 99822260 / 94400777

1BHK Studio flat near Star Cinema RO 180/-. Contact: 99358589 / 97079146 / 95570288

Luxury Apartments in Boucher (35). Contact 95056808 / 97201688

ACC. AVAILABLE

Fully furnished room with access to kitchen is ideal for a bachelor or couple situated in Al Bustan village, and is close to the beach and the hotel.Plz contact 99378964 / 96607448

Sharing accommodation for Executive bachelor / family near Badr Sama Ruwi. Contact: 99008436 Furnish bedroom with attach bathroom for executive bachelor.

Contact: 97704794

Shop for sale near Oman House, Muttrah. Contact 99024362.

1 big room with attached bathroom with sharing kitchen available for small Muslim Family, Near Spar, Mumtaz area, Ruwi, Muscat.

Contact 99662698.

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 Single colorful Bed and Sofa for Sale at Al Khuwair. Contact 92881849 /What`s up No 97290565 Urgent sale of steel scrap only serious buyers kindly contact +968 96725423 for viewing the items.

Almost new beach/ garden lounge chairs /bar stools/ counter.

Photos can be sent 95865457

ACC. AVAILABLE Accommodation for Ladies or couple in Ruwi. Contact: 91450718 Spacious 4BHK with split A/C’S, 4 bathrooms & storeroom, near Church roundabout, Mumtaz area.

Rent:R.O 575, Contact:99349672 Sharing accommodation available large size room with bath, passage, and kitchen at Darsait (near ISD School). Contact: 99419390 Executive lady room & Bathroom in Wadi Kabir. Contact: 99336206 Room, bathroom for Executives in Wadi Kabir. Contact: 99336206 Big single room with separate entry & attached toilet near Al Nadha Hospital. Contact: 99228295

ONE STOP SHOP BUSINESS SERVICES

Room available with attached bath & balcony for an Executive bachelor near MBD area.

Contact: 95779616

Steel Scrap materials for immediate sale. Contact 99273774/ 99202278

Space for printing press available at wadikabir with or without machinery. Contact 99328430

SITUATION WANTED BUSINESS

Room with attached bathroom for a family in Wadi Kabir. #97167857 1 BHK appartment for rent in Al Khoud Shabiya near mazoon mosque for rent (next to alkhoud medical center and squ) MOB: 93913224 Small old house for rent in Ghobra. Contact: 97165972 Room with attached bathroom and sharing kitchen available for Executive bachelor or small family at wadikabir Contact 93049849 Furnished apartment for rent, two rooms, majlis, hall, kitchen.

Near Carrefour al-mawalah.

Contact 99336776 Sharing accommodation near ISD. Contact: 99657340 1 BHK for rent, Ideal for small family or two bachelors, easy access to main road with AC near Sheraton hotel, CBD. Contact: 96444400 Sharing Accommodation available for working ladies opposite Al Nadhah Hospital. Preferably Indians. Room with seperate toilet and sharing kitchen.RO.90.

Contact 96524717 Furnished room attached bath for Indian bachelor, Al-Falaj Ruwi & lady Wadi Kabir near Mars hypermarket. CONTACT 96202458/96761960 Room available in Mumtaz area 1 room, 1 Bathroom, Kitchen & 1 room, common bathroom. Interested pleasecontact 92680041 Mr. Altaf Room available for Executive bachelor at Al Hail. Contact 96234708

Public Relation Service (PRO) Document Clearance, Business setup, Formation new Companies, LLC Companies, Investor Visa, Legal Services.

WEB, ERP and Business Intelligence (BI) creation and management at rock bottom price.

Contact: http//webviewoman Coffee shop for sale 7 visa available at Al Khuwair. Contact: 98826793

NRI 910 sq ft furnished flat at Qupem Goa. Contact: 97094797 Two properties at Bangalore for sale (1) 3 BHK Senior living apartment with full fledged facilities & services in Ozone Urbana Serene project for the cost price of Irene project. Handover by August 2016.

(2) 4 B/R villa (BUA 3600sq.ft, 4 floors, 3 Livings, 5 bathrooms, maid’s room & car park) for sale at JP Nagar. Contact Mrs. Mangala Ph: 97903127, Email: ravichandran.mangala@gmail.com

MV SALE Mitsubishi Pajero model 2006, full option, 6 cylinders, 3800 CC in a very good condition. # 99376567

BUYING Bobcat available for rent.

Contact 97623299 Used office house furniture & electronic items.

Contact: 99834373 / 96642500 Buying cars for cash.

Contact: 90202090

WANTED 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 no: 92927880/ 99012165

Contact Saleh:

96723485 INVESTOR PARTNER REQUIRED For a successfully Catering Restaurant Investor cum Partner is required.

Investor with fixed returns also welcome.

Please contact – 95213273

Email: muscatcoffeeshop@gmail.com

MATRIMONIAL Muscat based Ezhava girl, MCA seeking alliance for Ezhava girl, 25 years working in MNC Muscat, staying with family from parents of professionals in Muscat / UAE. (Preferably from Kannur Distt).

Contact: 99665200 Ezhava male, 31 yrs, height 5.6, B-Tech Aeronautical, administrative professional, parents in Oman.

Contact 99550870 Sunni Muslim (Urdu) girl B.E, MBA, 25 years HT 5.1” fair invites alliance from Tamil Nadu Bangluru / Mysore. Contact: 99502581 Indian male Roman Catholic 40yrs divorcee working in Muscat.

Seeks suitable alliance from widow/ divorcee/ single.

Contact 96059801.

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 Malankara Catholic Male Nurse (28) from Thiruvalla working in Nizwa Private Co. Alliance invites parents/nurses working in Oman.

Contact 968 98267338, 0091 9287215726

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DAILY GUIDE

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

SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT

SITUATION WANTED

HOTEL MANAGER A new modern 3 star hotel located in a prime location at Bawshar – Muscat is looking for a Hotel Manager. The Candidate should be a holder of degree or an equivalent qualification in Hotel Management and should have at least 5 years’ experience at the Hotel industry with 2 years at least as Hotel manager.

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

DRIVER

Part Time Accounting, Audit Preparation, Internal Audit, Monthly Reports, Accounting set up for new companies, Project Report for Bank Loan purposes. GSM : 96975454, email: ibfc.gcc@gmail.com

License light heavy duty, PDO license experience 8 years mechanical experience vehicle.

Contact 92091528

MAINTENANCE

REQUIRED

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

MANAGER

Sales mechanical executive

Accountant 8Years Experience with D/L and NOC. Contact 97712084

Interested Candidates can e-mail CV’s to Qaisbahwan@yahoo.com

For a reputed company Well experienced in building & villas all type of maintenance.

Please send your C V to

hralsom@gmail.com BEAUTICIAN Require experienced Beautician for parlor, visa available.

Contact: 92285241

CATERING Wanted Cooks urgently for a Coffee shop, visa ready.

Email : souman7@yahoo.com, GSM : 97158376

DOMESTIC HELPER Required Office Boy. Contact : 91120552 Required fulltime Housemaid to look after kids (7months old) & also for housework. Ghubrah Contact 92951265 House maid for small Omani family.

Contact: 92158031 Required house maid part time in Azaiba for Keralite family.

Contact : 96758982 A full time living Housemaid required for an Indian family in Ghobrah. Contact: 97335255

DRIVER Required Store keeper with valid Omani light driving license, min. experience 2-3 years.

Contact : 92341826 Driver required for a leading Courier company. Send CV to info@atsglobex.com Contact: 00968-97461515 Salary: Negotiable.

Required Omani Driver for a restaurant. Contact 95929911 Wanted a experience Driver for Capital and Interior work.

Gsm : 942-888-63

For industrial trading company With minimum 5 years’ experience.

Omani Driving license Kindly forward your CV to omancareers2016@gmail.com

Required gynecologist GEN: practitioner lady lab Technician and pharmacologist immediately for a clinic in Suwaiq.

Contact: 95081010 Email: umchealthcare@gmail.com Urgently required Physiotherapist & Pharmacist for a reputed polyclinic. Send CV to carecare003@gmail.com or call 97706453 Urgently required Pharmacist & MOH licensed female Dentist for a reputed polyclinic. Send CV : manageribnalhaitham@yahoo.com or call 96721709.

Care Medical Centre Al Seeb requires Gynecologist and General Practitioner.

Mail CV to:sarita_h23@yahoo.com Wanted Staff Nurse for a dermatology clinic in Muscat .

Must have MOH license and NOC. Attractive salary offered. Email: clinicvacancy2015@gmail.com GP doctor needed for reputed clinic. Preferably with MOH license or with Dataflow & Paramatics pass Contact: 95388934 Require a qualified Nurse to take care of an elderly female.

Contact: 99425200

MISCELLANEOUS Wanted Steward / Deckhand for Yacht in Muscat, Housekeeping & Guest service duties. Contact: Whatsapp 95887572 Email: alibadawy@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

SALES / MARKETING DESIGNER

ENGINEER/MECHANIC. Wanted Indian Engineer & Marketing person for steel workshop in Saham. Contact 91339401 Urgently Required: MEP Manager Engineer- minimum 10years experience with NOC in Oman for immediately join. Interested candidates may call us to our office telephone: 00968- 24696584/ 24696585 or fax: 0096824605955 or email us to sbc@steelbuildingsllc.com, sbeoman@yahoo.com Wanted Marine Engineer for yacht in Muscat.

Contact: Whatsapp 95887572 Email: alibadawy@gmail.com Civil Engineer, Masons, Helpers, Shuttering, Carpenters, Steel fixers with 5 yrs experience in Oman.

Contact: 97491117

IT Required Shop Sales man + Hardware Technician for IT Company with minimum 2 years experience.

Contact: 98825806 / 98825806, Email: info@rns-group.com

ARCHITECT Architect Engineer seeking for suitable job, 8 years experience.

GSM : 96075000, Email : haytham_201046@yahoo.com

MEDICAL

Wanted driver. Contact: 97165972

Urgently required Designer minimum 5 years experience with different design concept and any related jobs. Contact: 93218176 / Email: joboman88@gmail.com

Accountant Assistant BBA, exp, Tally have 2 yr valid VISA PH : 98269281

Urgently required looking to immediately buy used Grit blasting & airless spray equipment 1 No each. Contact: 968 24810930 / 93203772 / 93203773 / 93203778 Urgently required Printing & Stationary Salesman (minimum 3 years experience in field.

Contact: 93218176 / Email: joboman88@gmail.com Well reputed Kitchen fabrication company required the staff for showrooms as follow.

(1) Sales Manager with valid driving license. (2) Sales Executive (Male) with valid driving license.

(3) Sales Executive (Female) Philippine Secretary (Female) Send the CV’s at “hrik711@gmail.com 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 female person to work at the retail shop/ Marketing. Please send your CV on e mail: Zeyanaalharmaly@yahoo.com

SALES / MARKETING 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

SKILLED / UNSKILLED Urgently required Offset Printer (5 years experience in the same and well versed in any related jobs. Contact: 93218176 / Email: joboman88@gmail.com Required Indian Mason – 5 nos., eligibility (minimum 5 yrs experience in road construction field).

Contact: 99882127 Email: georgymv@yahoo.com

SITUATION WANTED SIT. WANTED ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

Indian male 26 years MBA experience in Accountant & Administration in a MNC company currently on visit visa ready to join. Contact: +968 92194987 email: achal1989@hotmail.com Indian male age 26, Accountant one year experience in accounts looking for suitable job. Contact Email: Anishkhan991867@gmail.Com Mobile: +968 9565 9415 Chief Accountant well experienced with reputed group.

Contact : 98803439 / 97413784.

SENIOR ACCOUNTANT/Ast. Finance Manager-M. Com FinanceIndian with 7 years experience in Finance & Accounts up to Finalization. Experienced in facilitations & banking. Having D/L & NOC. Mob: 94122464, Email: cammk13@gmail.com Accountant 2.5 years exp in Oman, NOC available with valid D/L. Contact: 98870112 Email: rashadmeethal@gmail.com B.Com Graduate 10 years experience in Oman accounts & auditing.

NOC available. Contact: 95716128 mail: jaigomesh.ganesh@gmail.com MBA female looking for job in accounting or in marketing or Administration department having 1 year experience have knowledge of Tally ERP9, MS Word.

Contact: 95910427 Email: ritashivprasad111@gmail.com Senior Accounts Executive, B.Com, 05 years experience in India, seeking urgent job in Oman.

Contact 919900077458, +968-98444359, Email:syedtou23@gmail.com.

American Certified Manager (6 sigma, CPPM) with MBA, PMP trained having 10 years, UAE cross functional experience in procurement, projects management, supply chain, facilities & Administration with UAE D/L seeking suitable placement. Contact: 90772927 Email: callshebin@gmail.com 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

Qualified and experienced MBA post graduate with proven work exposure in Middle East & India, having more than 5.5 years of rich experience in accounts , project coordination and administration in (3.5 years UAE experience) oil and gas projects is currently looking for suitable job. Contact 93953613, Email-allen.mathew83@gmail.com Indian male 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 accountant holding BSC, CIB 8 Post Graduate Diploma in financial management with Banking experience in projects finance. Contact: 99061339 Accounts part time services, available to handle all accounts up to finalization on monthly basis.

Finalization and audit works.

Contact: 96247295 Young Indian male ACCA finalist with B.Sc (Hons) in applied Accounting with 3 years experience & holding valid Omani driving license seeks immediate placement, NOC available.

Contact: 92851056 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 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 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

Part Time Accountant, up to finalization of accounts, looking for job after 5 PM (location prefer MSQ to Al Hail). Contact: 90935099

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

Fresher 24, ACCA Affiliate, Advanced diploma in Accounting and Business seeking suitable placement in Accounts, Finance or Audit with Oman driving license.

Contact - 92430152 Email - raju.rd619@gmail.com

Indian, Kerala Male B.COM & B.PE, Currently on Visit Visa. Looking for a suitable job in Accounts, Store Keeper, Sales etc. Ready to join as early as possible.

Contact: 96988923 email:- sajith3969@gmail.com

Indian female diploma architect 6 years exp in Oman Engineering consultancy, valid Oman driving license. Contact: 96683293 / 97750870

ADMIN Indian Female, MBA-HR having 8+ experience in Administration/HR, Customer Support, Office Coordinator with good Computer skill, Now on Visit Visa,looking for suitable position. Contact: 90196235 Indian, 20 years experience in Oman as Personal Assistant / Office Manager / Executive Secretary / Senior Administrator / Business Development Asst. seeks job change. Release available.

Contact 99168054.

Tamil Nadu female BE, (ECE) MBA (HR) 25 years, 6 months experience business consult (HR) currently under family visa looking for suitable position. Contact: 99502581 Filipino HRD especialist / material controller supervisor with 18 yrs experience looking for suitable job in Oman. Contact: (+968) 98037142 / (+968) 92659817 Young Omani male have experience 12 years as P.R.O, CLERK Helper Supervisor Admin Supervisor, H.R Manager have diploma in H.S.E, IT and P.D.O license, looking for H.R position or P.R.O part time or full time. Contact: 95933288 Indian female 27 yrs MBA HR with 3.6 yrs exp in HR / Marketing / Customer relation currently in Muscat on visit visa.

Contact: 97205038 Email: chandpriya89@gmail.com

CATERING Filipino Cabin steward / Linen vallet is looking for suitable job in Oman. Contact: +968 91065438 or email: blonglive@gmail.com

DESIGNER/DRAUGHTSMAN Revit, Autocad D/man, expected salary 200 OMR PH :92279784

DESIGNER/DRAUGHTSMAN Indian Female, 3yrs exp. In AutoCAD draftsman with 3ds max & rivet,. Looking for suitable placement in Muscat now in visit visa .Contact:95601266 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.

Filipino Senior Revit/AutoCAD Draftsman with 20 years professional experience is looking for suitable job in Oman. Please Contact: 96489798, (+974) 66653780.

DRIVER Looking for driving job light 2 years exp. Contact: 91625977 Looking for driving job with G.C.C experience 6 years with car, without car. Contact: 94085449 For light vehicles.

Contact: 92789805

Looking for driving job.

Contact: 98219182 Looking for driving job 6 months experience. Contact: 93782260 Looking for driving job with Toyota Camry car, driver available with car or without car.

Contact: 97224035 Looking for driving job.

Contact: 99518533 Bangladeshi male looking for driving job. Contact: 98140379 Light driver looking for job Gulf exp.

Contact: 91929556 Driver Pakistani exp 4 years, looking for job. Contact: 94356465 Driver looking for job, 3 years experience. Contact: 97468646 Bangladeshi driver looking for job.

Contact: 97418036 Bangladeshi want job with own car. Contact : 93822195 Experience driver looking for job.

Contact: 95113612 Light driver available.

Contact: 95501608 Light driver available.

Contact: 91362475 Light vehicle driver. Contact: 95891087 Light driver with 6 years experience looking for job. Contact 92617293 Light duty driver 2 yrs exp.

Contact: 96393805

ENGG. / TECH./MECH. Civil Engineer, B.Tech, 6 yrs experience with Omani driving license, local release available.

Contact: 91693008 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 Project Manager Electrical with 6 years experience with EHV & MV substation projects. NOC available.

Contact 91398559 B Tech Electronics and communication,1.5 years experience in India as site engineer in automation system of Reliance, Looking for a suitable job. Currently in India, Contact:-95657292 B.Tech Mechanical Engineer steel fabrication & erection 6 years experience with Oman D/L seeks placement. Contact 97917250 B.Tech Civil Indian, 4 years experience in Oman with D/L. Contact: 90902809, Email: ackn1234@yahoo.com Indian B.E Civil Engineer 1 year Indian 5 months Oman experience seeking Site Engineer position, local release available.

Contact: 96411591 Indian Diploma Civil Engg 3 years Indian exp 6 months Oman exp seeking Site Engineer position, local release available. # 96411950 Indian female on family visa having M. Ttech degree in Biotech seeking suitable placement in any field. Contact: 91287047 Computer Hardware Technician, experienced Indian Male on visit visa seeking for suitable placement as hardware technician and Store Incharge. Contact: 95711667 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 Electrical Engineer Indian male 30 years having 5 years of experience in industrial automation & utility maintenance in India, holding valid Oman D/L. Contact: 92789995 mail: akhilabrahamlktr@gmail.com

T U E S DAY, M AY 3 1 , 2 0 1 6

D5

DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED ůĞĐƚƌŽŶŝĐƐ ĂŶĚ ŽŵŵƵŶŝĐĂƟ ŽŶ

E'/E Z With 2 years exp in Telecom sector, currently on visit visa, looking for suitable placement.

ŽŶƚĂĐƚ ͗ ϵϯϵϭϵϵϰϯ ĂŐŶĞůũĞƌŝŶΛLJĂŚŽŽ͘ĐŽŵ ^ƵĚĂŶĞƐĞ DĂůĞ ϯϱ LJƌƐ ͘^Đ ůĞĐƚƌŽŶŝĐ ^LJƐƚĞŵ ŶŐŝŶĞĞƌŝŶŐ with 11 yrs. Experience in Gov/Private. /^ K ; EWͲZΘ^Ϳ ĂŶĚ ƚŚŝĐĂů ŚĂĐŬŝŶŐ ; , ǀϴͿ ĞƌƟ Į ĞĚ͘ ƐƚƌŽŶŐ ŬŶŽǁůĞĚŐĞ ŽĨ ŶĞƚǁŽƌŬ ĂĚŵŝŶŝƐƚƌĂƟ ŽŶ ĂŶĚ /d services management. ŵĂŝů͗ ŐĂďĂƌŽŬŝϮŬΛŐŵĂŝů͘ĐŽŵ DŽď͗нϵϳϰϱϬϰϳϱϬϯϰ

ENGG. / TECH./MECH.

D E ' Z, CIPD HR With 13 years experience in GCC and Oman. Competent in Sales, DĂƌŬĞƟ ŶŐ͕ ƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ŽƉĞƌĂƟ ŽŶ ĂŶĚ ĂĚŵŝŶŝƐƚƌĂƟ ŽŶ͘ Interested employer please call

Finance & Marketing 25 yrs having 1.9 years of experience Finance & Marketing Contact: 95206140/ 96992013

97728418

bonnythomas007@gmail.com

Email:

Contact 96960991, Email : sunap1968@gmail.com

ENGG. / TECH./MECH.

EDUCATION/TRAINING

MISCELLANEOUS

Civil Engineer (B.Tech), Indian male 24 years with 1+years Indian experience,(Certified in Staad Pro/ Quantity Survey/ Auto Cad).

Looking for a Suitable position.

Available In Sultanate of Oman (Muscat) on Visit Visa.

Contact 92835952. E-mail: mohammedamair.bin@gmail.com

Civil Engineer diploma, 4 yrsexp seeks suitable position ina reputed company. NOC available.

Contact 96789711 Civil Engineer 8 years experience Structural buildings marine.

Available NOC release.

Contact: 92451323.

Email: zubairali134@yahoo.com

Indian male, Mechanical Engineer having 1year experience, on visit visa looking for suitable job. Contact:97416564, Email:jovinmathias@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

Civil Engineer 8 years experience in Oman as a project engineer for governmental & private projects.

Contact – 90164912

Diploma Civil 5 years experience in Oman with D/L & NOC. Contact: 93772030 B.Tech Mechanical Engineer having 8 years exp having Oman driving license seeking suitable placement. Contact: 97841963 Civil Engineer fresh Graduate with Omani driving license looking job in any company.

Contact: 91745797 / 99190898 Email: alio_abdo@hotmail.com Electrical Engineer with 8 Years Experience, looking for Job, having driving License and NOC. Ph#91293519 Email:nomee987@gmail.com Diploma in Civil Engineer 3 years experience (Surveyor) 1 year experience building work looking for job. Contact: 94857668 Email: mudassarsh93@gmail.com Mechanical Engineer, B.Tech & M.Sc, 3 yrs experience in Oman having Driving License.

Contact: 91162085 Mechanical Engineer with 2 years experience in Quality Control / Mechanical Engineer has achieved certification in NDT level 2, currently in Oman looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 95632276, Email: jassin.sudhakaran@gmail.com 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 Pakistani male Diploma Civil Engineer 4yrs exp in Oman bulling & mega projects, valid license Oman.Contact:98921022 Civil Engineer (Indian male) 5 years experience in Oman with valid Omani driving license & NOC looking for suitable opportunity.

Contact: 93101283 Sudanese Civil Engineer 6 years experience in Oman. # 95212902 Telecommunication Engineer resident in the Sultanate, Sudanese Nationality. Contact : 95000024 Worked as Electrical & Instrumentation Maintenance Engineer with Global Gypsum Board Co. LLC, Salalah (3 years) having valid Oman driving license looking for a new job urgently. Contact: 93363104 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 96978380;prajithks@gmail.com Electrical & Electronics Engr, knows autocad & revit.

PH: 93837973

Sr. Sales & Marketing Specialist Indian male, Diploma Engineer with BBA & 16 yrs experience in Oman, worked with MNC in retail (Telecom/ Lubricant sales) and with construction industry handling various products & subcontract projects.

Holding valid Oman D/L, NOC available.

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

HSE Engineer (B.E Mech+Diploma Safety+NEBOSH+OSHA) over 10yrs. Exp, (Visa Release Letter (NOC) available), seeking suitable placement, Mob:97061817, Email:jayanammu1977@gmail.com

Indian male MBA

Young Indian, Engineering in Bio-technology, Bio-chemical and Chemical, looking for a challenging placement in Oman.

Contact 97607000. Email: sivasankarjayakumar@gmail.com Diploma Engineering Instrumentation Technician, 2 years experience skills calibration & installation etc.

Contact: 98963344 / 96946408 Email: anfeeranfu4@gmail.com Sr. Electrical Engineer with17+ yrs of exceptional exp in spear heading strategic planning and project management initiatives & executing various high rise residential & commercial building as well as roads and highway project with proficiency in installation, seeking a challenging position in a dynamic organization.

Contact 96570891 Construction Machinery repairs Engineer, 5 years, driving license, Contact - 94001961 B.Sc Civil Engineer, MBA experience 5 years (15 months in Oman) English & Arabic, driving license looking for a suitable job.

Contact: 94162443 Indian 24 yrs exp SR civil Engg with NOC, searching suitable job, in any project Supervision.

Contact: 96602718 mishteyaqh@yahoo.co.in Site Supervisor, Diploma in Civil Engg (cert attested) knows autocad revit, salary exp: 250 Ph : 92279784 Diploma Civil Engineer (8 years Exp.) with driving license.

Contact 92429006, francisprem123@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 syam036@gmail.com Automobile Mechanic ITI 3 years experience marine mechanical fitter 2 yrs experience.

Contact: 93674847 Indian 14 yrs exp SR MEP – Elect Engg with NOC, searching suitable job, in field PMC, Fire consultants , Testing & com, project supervision.

Contact: 92437865 Email: maimran.mtech@live.com 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

EDUCATION/TRAINING Teacher available in Seeb, Al-Mwalah, Al-Hail and Al-Khod Areas. Contact: 93848364 Indian male in English, M.Phill, B.Ed with 5 years experience in College teaching & good administrative skill is looking for a suitable placement in Education Institutions or offices. Contact: 98260529 / 97297939 Email: samsundarlit@gmail.com

Female B. Ed English teacher, 7 yrs exp seeking suitable placement. Contact : 99739415 / 92091528 Indian female Mathematics Lecturer. M Sc Mathematics from a Prestigious University. B.Ed qualified, distinction holder.

7 Yrs experience with last 5 years as Assistant Professor Mathematics in Engineering College.

Contact: 91360147.

Indian Female, 25 Years - MSc Biotechnology, 1yr exp. in Microbiology, Looking for suitable job.

Mobile: 92619048, Email: anusreeg1991@gmail.com

MEDICAL Staff Nurse seeking job for nurse with 2 years experience in India with visit visa, passed with 51% Oman prometric. Contact: 91451935

Ŷ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞĚ ŚĂƌƚĞƌĞĚ ĐĐŽƵŶƚĂŶƚ With over 25 years in varied industries, presently working with a reputed group in Muscat, looking out for a suitable change.

ŽŶƚĂĐƚ Ͳ ϵϲϰϵϭϬϯϬ

SALES / MARKETING Pakistani male MBA 6 years experience, electrical & building material in Oman seeking for placement.

Contact : 968 96789513

Indian Male, 23, BBA graduate, fresher on visit visa, looking for a job in sales. Contact: 94032041 Mail: azzamsiddique1@gmail.com

Indian male 37 years MBA graduate in marketing with 9yrs of experience in UAE in field of brand promotions & marketing with UAE D/L on a visit seeking suitable position. Conatct 95792820

Indian Female on a visit visa having master degree seeking suitable placement in any field, 1 ,5 year experience in HR .Contact 91467576.

SKILLED LABOR IT IT Solution Architect,Indian female post graduate with 12 years of IT experience. Looking for position of IT Solution Architect/Consultant/Project Manager, Valid driving license. Contact 96563962 Indian male 4 years experience in IT as Programmer / Web Support / CCNA/ Network on visit visa seeking placement. Contact: 93069694 Email: mrabrar14@gmail.com Software Developer having two years of experience in PHP Web development & Microsoft CRM & adx Portal experience looking for a developer position in reputed Software house or IT Dept bilal.

Contact: 95596711 / 92762313 IT Support Engineer, Exp 3 years in Oman 2 years in India.

Contact: 94672759 System IT Engineer with Linux & UNIX System Administration skills transferable visa. Contact: 99109332 Omani 26(m) seeks placement 6 yrs experience IT specialist.

Contact: 99025044

D- Pharm Pharmacist 17 years experience Ayurvedic Panchakarma Masseur’s 3 years experience.

Contact: 93672452 Indian female Dentist specialized Endodontist looking for suitable placement, prometric completed.

Contact: 96410448

MANAGER Indian male Graduate 10 years experience in Oman seeks mid management position with trading / automobile organization.

Contact: 92133277 Email: bijuma73@yahoo.com Operations Manager – Interior designing, Indian male, 20 years experience in Interior Decoration, Joinery, Gypsum Works, MEP Works, BOQ preparation, costing, looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 97608867 Purchase Head Indian 20 years experience in MNC Civil, MEP, FIRE, Oil& Gas, PDO Omani driving license NOC available.

Contact: 93737496

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE Indian female M.Sc Computer Science seeking suitable placement in Muscat area.

Contact: 98660672 Indian Male, MCA Graduate, 15 yrs exp in ERP, CSM Certified, seeking suitable role.NOC Available.

Contact : GSM : 90189284 Email: meetlibran@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS Indian male 34 yrs having 8 yrs Client / Customer Service Management exp. in Oman looking for suitable in Hospitality or Admin / Sales Service. Contact: 96786325 Nithin Issac (Indian male) bachelor degree & MSW Medical & Psychiatry Hospital experience for 4 years in public relations and one year experience as Psychiatric Social Worker.

Contact 98937662 / 90188131 Email: nithsknur@gmail.com Indian B.Tech 37 years Project Engineer , 12 + years experience in construction, maintenance of STP, Pumping stations, sewer lines, drinking water distribution and service reservoirs & pipe lines.

Contact: 99364007 / +91-887422635 Email: mdzubair01@gmail.com Indian male, 16 years experience in Telecom vas industry on different Vas products, services & Enterprise solutions, looking for managerial position in relevant field, visit visa on hand for three months. Contact: 99744870 / 0091-9959171939, Email: tsbabu@airhub.com BS in Electrical Engineering, Experience: 5 years(Power Plants).

Contact: 92475206 Email: zahaibzafar007@gmail.com Procurement Coordinator Indian male 30 yrs B.Com (Computers) 4 years experience in Saudi Arabia Construction Company looking for any suitable position on visit visa till 18 June 2016.

Contact: 0968 98590811 Email: ibrahimhashmi220@gmail.com Indian male, 28, post graduate, 6+ yrs exp in Oman in sales (back office) & credit control with valid Oman D/L looking for suitable lacements. NOC available.

Contact: 92066 523

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

SALES / MARKETING Indian male good experience in Sales, Marketing, Admin & Accounts looking for suitable job.

Contact: 96199690 Digital Marketer: MCA, 2.6 yrs. Exp: SEM/SMM/PPC/SEO/SMO looking for suitable positions. Contact, Email: abeyve@gmail.com.

Contact 93594114 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 more than 10 years experience in Sales and Administration with NOC & D/L seeks suitable placement.

Contact: 97205114 Indian Male, MBA marketing 5 yrs exp. in sales & 4 yrs in FMCG sector, looking for best opportunity. NOC available.

Contact: 96001877 Indian male 24 years B.com 2 years of experience in Sales & Office Admin knowledge of Tally ERP 9 & MS Office. Contact: 98613373 / 97359814, Email: syedismailnoor@gmail.com Indian Male, 26 M.Com with 4 yrs of Experience in Accounting & Administration in a Financial Company in India, seeks suitable job, Currently in India.

Contact: India:-+918907212253 Akhil:-93626288, Email: Sumeshpsmkr1989@gmail.com Indian male Graduate with 18 years of Marketing experience presently in Oman on family visit visa, looking for best opportunity.

Contact: 96168687 Email: dhibupaul@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS

20 years experience in Oman S.T.P Operator. Contact: 93089468 STP operator 20 yrs experience.

Contact: 93550661 Email: feroz1391@gmail.com

Indian male network cabling technician (19-years Gulf experience) seeking for suitable placement.

Contact 0091-8089909265 (India), Email: mohithavp@gmail.com IT professional, B.E. in IT, CCNA, MCSA, MCSE, 3yrs exp. in IT, valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/Network/Server support/Retail sales. Contact 91496939

IT professional, B.E. in IT, CCNA, MCSA, MCSE, 3yrs exp. in IT, valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/Network/Server support/Retail sales. # 91496939.

Indian Male, Post graduate with 10yrs experience in gulf & 4.6yrs in Oil & Gas experience with SAP and ERP exposure. Finalisation, MIS, Auditing, Budgeting, AP &AR, Tax, etc., with Oman D/L seeking suitable placement. NOC available.

Contact: 91743376

Assistant Accountant - B.Com Graduate with excellent overall skills. 2 Years of experience. Ready for immediate joining.

Contact: sharonravi00@gmail.com, 968-92049215

Indian male, 25 yrs, more than 5 years experience in Dubai, Looking for a suitable placement for jobs related to sales, marketing, coordination and support. #95140445, syedfaraz97681@gmail.com

Software Engineer with 5 + plus years of experience in Infosys ltd on visit visa seeking suitable vacancy in oman. Email : steffyraphel@gmail.com mob: 96896246205 / 96897032284

Indian female, B.Tech Computer Science, 5 years experience in teaching in India currently on visit visa seeking for a suitable position in teaching, IT or administration.

E mail: rincy87@gmail.com

Indian male 26 years, Graduate in BBM & having Diploma in Logistics with 3 years of experience in Banking and Accounts looking for suitable placement. Contact : + 968 97166820/ +91 9895102356 Email :afsalrahman1989@gmail.com

Indian Male 47 years MBAOperations Management with total 25 Yrs exp inclusive of 9 yrs in Oil & Gas sector in Oman, having valid Omani D/L & NOC available , seeks challenging position in SCM/ Logistics/ Procurement in any Sector.

GSM-94236414.

Mail id – jayamurli@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS

Indian Female looking for a part time opportunity (Graphic Design/ Teaching/Research Assistant/ Business Development/Administration) Contact: 95811820 or sankarikm06@gmail.com SENIOR ACCOUNTANT-M. Com Finance-Indian with 7 years experience in Finance & Accounts up to finalization. Having D/L & NOC. Mob:94122464, caammk13@gmail.com Tea boy looking for job Name: Man Bahadar Contact: 97859837 Indian Female, M.Sc Computer Science, Seeking suitable placement in Muscat Area. #98660672 Indian Female, 29 Yrs Age, M.Sc Microbiology, looking for Job any reputed organization / Hospitals, seeks suitable position.

Contact : 95218424 / 9610 6604.

On Family Residence Visa.

Indian female 10 years exp as cook in Oman. South Indian & Gujarati special looking for job,company or restaurant. Contact 90559292 Indian Male B-Com Graduate 1 year, experience in market survey, Valid Driving License, looking for any suitable post.

Contact: 92567020 / 96930392 Indian Male 30 year GCC driving license and past experience as project coordinator looking for a suitable position. Project Coordination, Sales Executive, Marketing Executive or any other suitable post. Contact number -97070427 IT professional, B.E. in IT, CCNA, MCSA, MCSE, 3yrs exp. in IT, valid Omani D/L seeking suitable placement in IT/Network/Server support/Retail sales. #91496939.

Indian B-Com Graduate 1 year Experience in market survey, Valid Driving License, looking for any suitable post.

Contact :92567020 / 96930392, shwayanad@gmail.com Indian female 27 yrs, Diploma in Aviation & Hospitality management, seeking suitable placement.

Curnetly in Oman, NOC Available.

Contact 94880684 Female Dentist with MOH license and NOC, 7 years experience 2 yrs out of them in Oman looking for a job. Contact 97401243

Accountant male Indian, 2 years experience, doing accounts in tally & excel seeks suitable job.

EMAIL – regin1690@gmail.com, Contact +91 7373387282 Filipino I.T. with 5 years experience looking for suitable job in Oman.

Contact: +968 91183514 or email delarama_ryan_t@yahoo.c om B.E (Mechanical) 12 years industrial sales, 1 year Muscat experience, presently in India , immediately ready to join. Contact :917338899372 , email id : ganesh2008sep@gmail.com Indian female B.Com, 1 year experience in Oman, experience in wings account package and knowledge of tally. Looking for Accounting job. Presently in Family visa.

Contact: 93491124 & 92054531 Indian male, M.Com, 7 years Oman experience in the field of accounts and valid oman driving license & NOC. Good knowledge in SAP, Tally, Oracle, MS office and Excel seeks suitable placement.

Contact 92859733 ACCA affiliate, B.Sc Degree holder, 3 years experience in audit and finance at Big 6, Male, Looking for suitable placement. NOC release available. Contact:95140445, a.saran891@gmail.com Indian Male, 23, BBA graduate with approx. 2 years experience in India and UAE is looking for job in sales / marketing.

Contact: 94032041; Mail: azzamsiddique1@gmail.com Indian male electrician(EEE ).

Two years good working experience searching for suitable job.

Gmail ; antonyajin15@gmail. com. Antony Ajin.G, Contact: 91 8148336160 / 91 8300136160 Indian Male, 23, BBA graduate, fresher, looking for a job in sales (indoor). No driving license.

Contact: 94032041 Mail: azzamsiddique1@gmail.com Male Indian, 8 years of experience doing desktop engineer, software implementation, system admin, searching for suitable job. Email: thiruvazhimarban.ciet@gmail. com, mobile: +919171447997 / +919894357260

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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 MISCELLANEOUS Indian male 33 years, B.Com, having 6 years experience in Oman.

Tally & ERP looking for suitable placement. Mobile no :98492921 Looking for a part time accounting job, additional experience in admin & store - purchase. #99196621 Indian male with 5 year Oman Sales Experience with valid Oman D/L, looking for suitable position. Mobile:97221624, Email:saileshpkhanna@gmail.com B.E. (Mechanical) 12years industrial sales one year Muscat experience, Presently in India, Immediately ready to join.

Contact :917338899372 , email id : ganesh2008sep@gmail.com Male, Indian, 25, 5 years experience in Dubai; looking for permanent placement in Oman for jobs related to sales, coordination and marketing. Contact: +971563664701 syed97681@gmail.com Male, 23, with experience in UAE & India, looking for job in sales / marketing. Contact: 94032041 Sr. Accountant, WITH Oman D/L & 8.5 yrs exp, 7.5 yrs Oman & 1 yr India in manufacturing, trading & contracting Cos, independently handling all accounting, finance, banking, L/C, import, export & finalization seeks placement, srjob12@gmail.com Procurement/Tender & Contract Procurement /logistics & freight Specialist /Oil Field / petrochemical/Engineer /MBA /SAP certify / 15yrs Rich Experience/ Import &export Specialist / Oil Field experience/ coordinator / World Wide supplier network /Noc available Looking for challenging Position Contact: 97813849, Email Id:vved76@gmail.com Male, 23, with experience in UAE & India, looking for job in sales / marketing. Contact: 94032041 Indian Male Accountant. Completed MBA with 1 year experience, good working knowledge in Tally & Excel. Searching for suitable job. Email : jovin8910@gmail. com, Contact : 919715874548 , 918015907437 Indian male electrician(EEE ).

Two years good working experience searching for suitable job.

Gmail antonyajin15@gmail. com, : Contact; 918148336160 / 918300136160 Electrical & Electronics diploma Engineer Indian male 23 years, 2 years experience in Electrical field/good experience in Electronics MCU projects currently in visit visa please do not hesitate to Contact; 93047707 Email: adilm89@gmail.com Indian male 30 yrs, holding valid driving license, having 5 years of experience in sales, looking for suitable position.

Contact # 90552942/94355626 Indian male Diploma in Electronics, having 3 years of experience in the hardware and networking field, also worked in construction company Mabela for 6 months as supervisor, trying to get driving license. Contact: - +96897017866.

Business Management Graduate with 12 years of experience in Oman, Worked with catering, medical, IT groups seeks suitable placement in Finance/purchase/ insurance sector, NOC Available.

Email, saima.gangawali@gmail. com, Mob 94258301

Mechanical Engineer, Indian, Male,5 years experience in GCC & India, looking for permanent placement in Oman. NOC Release Available. Contact: 00968-95140445; noorullahanas@gmail.com Indian female (27 yrs) MBA(IT), BCA,CCNA.2year experience in IT operations in Oman. Graduated from Oman with good analytical, communicating & programming skills, presented in international conference, seeking suitable positions. contact:93672143.e-mail id:fathima. shoukath@gmail.com Part- Time Accountant, well experienced senior accountant ,capable of doing all type of accounting works up to finalization, Budgeting, Bank financing requirements, taxation work etc available.

Contact : : 98803439 BS in Electrical engineering, experience : 6 years in electrical installation and maintenance Contact : 99817032, Email : engmmg24@yahoo.com Indian male, M. Com with 3 yr Oman Exp in Accounts with valid NOC & D/L on Visit Visa, available to join immediately . GSM :94744575 Indian Female seeking a job in Back Office and Accountancy, 8+ years proven experience as a dynamic candidate with excellent Excel & Communication skills.

Quick learner and Team player.

Currently on Family Visa.

Contact 94093154, 91746890, Email: joyjohn_hhh@yahoo.com Sri Lankan Male, 31 years. 6 years experience as an Accounts Executive, (Languages can speak Urdu/ Arabic, English written & spoken) .

Contacts: 99782930/ lalindra1st@yahoo.com HSE Engineer, Indian male, 5.5 Plus years experience in Oil & Gas. Working in Shclumberger.NEBOSH, IOSH, & NDT Certified, M Tech in HSE. CONTACT-krish.569@gmail. com Mobile- +91 9867016808 Sri Lankan Male, 31 years. 6 years experience as an Accounts Executive, (Languages can speak Urdu/ Arabic, English written & spoken).

Contact 99782930/ lalindra1st@yahoo.com Indian male with 10+ years of working experience (security solutions, event management) on visit visa seeks suitable placement.

Contact 97945269, hkkrishna@gmail.com Indian male Network Cabling Technician (19-years gulf experience) seeking for suitable placement. mobile no: 0091-8089909265 (India), email: mohithavp@gmail.com Senior accountant ,NOC available, more than 5 years exp., born & bought up in Oman, Accounting upto finalization, computer skills tally9, Sage ERP accpac 500(6.0A), Vcams , Audit ,valid Oman D/L, languages known English ,Arabic, Hindi. can join immediately. Tel: 96339599, mailahmedmohdkhan@gmail.com Petrochemicals Specialist, Chemical, MBA 18 YEARS EXPERIENC IN OIL FIELDS COM, RAW MATERIAL , polymer, SPACIALISED IN Procurement /COMMECIAL/ PURCHASE / LOGISTICS / SCM/Planning & sound knowledge of technical requirement for any manufacture plant Forecasting, Distribution, Vendors Development, LC opening/ establishment coordination with NOC available.

Contact:97813849

Indian Male, 24 yrs, looking for any type of job, qualification is Diploma in Electronics with 3 years of experience in the hardware an networking field an also worked in construction company Mabelah for 6 months as supervisor, having valid D/L. Contact : - +96897017866.

33 year old Filipina with experience in Tele performance, Manila call centre, now working as Waitress in Qatar seeking suitable post.

Local contact 99022484 Indian Male 28 years, Mechanical Engineer (Diploma) with 2 years’ exp., Automobile ITI NCVT, CSWIP-BGAS Painting QC Grade-2, NDT Level-2, ISO Lead Auditor QA (IRCA), Piping QC & Isometric Drawings, WPS & WPQR, available on Visit Visa, seeks suitable job.

Contact: 90653733, libinthomaslt@gmail.com SCM / LOGISTICS/ PROCUREMENT - 25 Yrs exp - Indian Male - Oil & Gas, Manufacturing Sector - Having valid Oman D/L & NOC available. Seeks Challenging senior position. GSM-94236414, Email ID - jayamurli@gmail.com Light Duty Driver, Fluent in English, Arabic. Well knowledge of Oman Areas looking for suitable placement. Contact 97950869 IT Administrator with 6 yrs of GCC experience, now in Dubai (visit visa).seeking suitable placement in UAE. Contact :00971-565598176, email:aneeshngr@gmail.com Indian Male: 23yrs, MBA in Marketing from UK (United Kingdom), looking for a job, currently in Muscat in visit. No: 97210361 / 95357513, Email: sharanshetty3@gmail.com Highly experienced mechanical/ steel structural fabrication engineer looking for suitable placement. NOC available.

Contact 99860714, hussain20173@gmail.com.

Architect Engineer seeking for suitable job, 8 years experience.

GSM : 96075000, Email : haytham_201046@yahoo.com B.E(Mechanical) 12years industrial sales one year Muscat experience ,Presently in India ,Immediately ready to join ,Mobile no :917338899372 , email id : ganesh2008sep@gmail.com Electrical & Electronics diploma engineer Indian male 22 years, 2 years experience currently in visit visa. Contact 93047707 adilm89@gmail.com Planning Engineer, BE Mech Engg.

Indian Female having total 11 yrs exp in oil & gas projects (8+ yrs in Gulf) with valid Oman D/L, Seeks a Suitable job. Contact: 92456003 Indian Male 48 Yrs with over 25 Years Oman experience in Sales & Marketing with NOC & valid Oman D/L Also Fluency in Arabic, seeks suitable placement. Contact no.: 92210661/99224057 B.S.C in Electrical Engineering, Experience: 5 Years (Power Plant).

Contact: 92475206 Email: zahaibzafar007@gmail.com Fresh B.Com Graduate in visit visa looking for a job. Contact: 93518923 / 99075027. email: sheikcok@yahoo.com Indian male,B.Com + Dip. Logistic 2year experience looking for a job in Accounts/Logistics Field. Presently on Visit Visa # 93884951, Email:mehreenraiz@gmail.com

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED Admin Assistant. Having 5 years experience in admin department in reputed companies, presently working in Muscat (NOC Available).

GSM. 00968-98404122, mail panduru.jeevankumar@gmail.com Looking for a part time accounting & admin job. Contact 99196621.

Indian male, 24 yrs, B. Com Graduate more than 1 year experienced in accounts planning to come for a family visit in oman seeking for a suitable placement .#99339544 / 99743709 Indian male, 40 Years, B. Com, having 10 years experience in Oman, Tally & ERP- looking for suitable placement ( NOC and Oman driving license available) Tel- +91 89 43 109897 Rajeev. 252002@gmail.com Import & Export professional, Experienced as Asst. Commercial Manager for 15 years, Proficient in MS office, Male Indian, Seeks suitable placement, on Visit, Contact 95484684 Indian male, 33 yrs, MBA-HR generalist with 10 yrs including training of Omani nationals.NOC possible .Seeking a suitable job.

Contact :saiprasad_18@yahoo.com, 94179499 Indian male, 40 Years, B. Com, having 10 years experience in Oman, Tally & ERP- looking for suitable placement ( NOC and Oman driving license available.

Contact +91 89 43 109897 Rajeev. 252002@gmail.com Safety officer, 3 years of experience in safety certifications: BE (electrical and electronics engineering), NEBOSH, IOSH, DHSE, first aid. Contact +97474018995, mail:midhunmich@gmail.com, skype:midhunmike Indian male, network cabling technician (19 years Gulf experience) seeking for suitable placement. NOC available. Contact : 0091-8089909265 (India), E mail: mohithavp@gmail.com Electronics Technician , 4 Years experience as Electronics service engineer. Knowledge in all type of Electronics items. Looking for suitable placement. GSM- 99105043

SIT.WANTED Indian male, M. Com, 11 years experience in the field of accountancy and Stores. Good knowledge in SAP, Tally, oracle, MS office and Excel seeks suitable placement.

Contact 92859733

Indian male, M.Com, 7 years Oman experience in the field of accounts and valid oman driving license & NOC . Good knowledge in SAP, Tally, oracle, MS office and Excel seeks suitable placement. # 92859733

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DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED CARGO

TOURS

TOURS

SIT.WANTED

DRIVING

Indian male 42, BE-Civil 13 years experience in Road construction. looking for suitable placement. having valid Oman driving license.

Contact: 95225214, Email: Sudheerrokkala73@gmail.com Indian with 3 years for experience in sales and marketing fluency in English, Arabic, Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam looking for suitable job.

Also hold valid Driving License, currently in oman Mob : 93451439 Bachelor in Hotel Management Having 13 years experience in Catering Industry in all aspects of Operations with D/L looking out for a suitable placement. # 90654826 Email: mailingsaikiran@gmail.com Safety Officer 3 years of experience in safety certifications: BE (Electrical and Electronics Engineering),NEBOSH, OSH, DHSE, first aid. Contact +97474018995, email:midhunmich@gmail.com skype:midhunmike 27 years old Indian male looking hospitality jobs in Hotel. Experience in customer service, front desk, housekeeping supervisor, captain, cashier,guest relation manager. Contact. +968-90351742 Email. samubaid6@gmail.com Indian female, MBA, Diploma in Aviation & Hospitality mgt (IATA), having 4 yrs of exp, on family visa seeks job in Oman.

Contact-9910 4529, 95679557, e-mail-jkramya91@gmail.com NOC available, Indian Male - MBA (HR) and B.E (E.I.E) with total 9 years of experience in HR & Admin and Business Development (3 yrs of Gulf exp.) can join immediately Contact 91240251 / kvaradhan@hotmail.com Senior Accountant, NOC available, more than 5 years exp., born & bought up in Oman, Accounting upto finalization, computer skills tally9, Sage ERP ACCPAC 500(6.0A), Vcams, Audit ,valid Oman driving license, languages known English, Arabic, Hindi. Can join immediately.

Tel: (+968) 96339599, E-mail(ahmedmohdkhan@gmail.com)

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

RENT A CAR TRANSPORTATION Transportation available Ruwi to Al Khuwair, Ghubra & Azaiba.

Contact: 91103909 Transportation. Contact:96538078 Transportation. Contact:94510847 Transportation. Contact 9508282 Transportation. Contact 92015894 Transportation required from Qurum to WadiKabir at afternoon only 1 PM. Contact - 99012165

SIT.WANTED Indian Male 42 year’s, MBA, Sr. Material controller having 12 years experience in Oman with reputed companies. Having Oman driving License, Seeks suitable replacement immediately. Available NOC. Cont. 00968-92944026, Email – charanjeet35@yahoo.co.in Indian male, 26 years old BA Graduate having 1 year experience in accounts finance field. Looking for suitable Job On visit visa immediately available. Contact. 9565 9415 anishkhan991867@gmail. com ELECTRONICS ENGINEER Indian/ male/24Yrs,Bsc.Electronics & Communications,ITI,1.7 Years experience as Service Technician in India, on visit Visa, looking For a Suitable Placement. #:92794176 , E-mail: prathyushkp9@gmail.com LAND SURVEYOR: Male, more than 12 years’ experience in land/pipe line surveying in Oman and UAE. Looking for suitable placement. NOC available. Contact 91215843

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

GOOD NEWS

RENT A CAR

Ayurvedic treatment for joint pain, backache, paralysis, massage, steambath, obesity, Spondylitis, Ideal Care Ayurvedic Clinic, 18 November Street, Azaiba.

Contact: 99639695 / 97397320 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

Best Rates for Saloon Contact: 97869042 / 95730550 sales@modernreem.com GOOD NEWS Ayurvedic treatment for backache, paralysis, arthritis etc & massage, All Season (Vaidyaratnam). Contact:24475280 / 95371664 / 92504980 www.siddhayur.com

AVAILABLE Party & Wedding equipment rentals. Full line, from Tables, Linen & Skirting, Chairs & Chair covers, Cutlery, Crockery, Glassware, Chafing Dishes, Ice Sculptures, to Large Sound Systems and spectacular lighting.

Call Andrea 9606 2222 for Catering and Croyden 9623 5555 for Sound & Light. ww.tunesoman.com, E-mail: info@tunesoman.com

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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 COMPUTER/WEB./ EDUCATION/CLASSES

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

in Azaiba and Ruwi earn in two months

tion guaranteed

Tel: 95244310

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

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

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

WĞƐƚ ĐŽŶƚƌŽů Θ ƵŝůĚŝŶŐ ĐůĞĂŶŝŶŐ Ăůů ŬŝŶĚƐ ŽĨ ƉĞƐƚ ĐŽŶƚƌŽů ďƵŝůĚŝŶŐ͘ ůĞĂŶŝŶŐ Ɵ ůĞƐ ͬ DĂƌďůĞ ƉŽůŝƐŚŝŶŐ ŵŽŶƚŚůLJͬ YĞĂƌůLJ ĐŽŶƚƌĂĐƚƐ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ͘ ŽŶƚĂĐƚ͗ ϵϴϴϭϰϳϯϯ ͬϵϴϴϭϰϳϰ0 ů ,ƵƐŶ ůĞĂŶŝŶŐ >͘>͘ 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 Marble crystallization & grinding, cleaning & carpet shampooing.

Ocean center LLC. # 99344723

Window & split unit A.C servicing & repairing. Contact: 99557080

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

Split unit A/C & window unit A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact: 96236476

House shifting & transporting.

Contact 92490422

Split unit & window unit A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact: 93769089 / 95323517

Split & window A/C servicing, repairing, installation ducted, package etc. Contact Abbas : 98667326

CAD drawings Archi/ MEP CAD – comply BIM. Contact: 91233975

A/C servicing maintenance.

Contact: 92279370

A/C Maintenance & Servicing, Fridge, Washing machine & Dish washer repairing, Painting & Cleaning services, Electrical & plumbing.

Contact 99447257 / 97014234 / 24504281 Regular container transportation from Sohar sport to anywhere in Muscat area OMR 100 per container. Contact: 93731363 Marble crystallization & grinding, Ocean center LLC Contact: 99344723

MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble. Contact 24793614/ 99314807 Pest control treatments, Ocean center LLC Contact 99344723 House shifting. Contact 99708138 Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance. Contact ABU QABAS99320217 /24788722

Cleaning services, Sofa, carpet, shampoo old house or new house.

Contact: 92179395 Water proofing ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722 Al farzdaq Al Fedi Trad and Cont Maintenance services electric, plumbing and A/C. Contact: 96524904 /94285064 House Shifting Packing.

Contact: 99657644 / 98518013

SERVICES tĞ WƌŽǀŝĚĞ ůĞĂŶĞƌƐ͕ Kĸ ĐĞ ďŽLJƐ͕ ůĞĂŶŝŶŐ ŽŶƚƌĂĐƚƐ͕ 'ĞŶĞƌĂů ĐůĞĂŶŝŶŐ ĞƚĐ͘ ů DƵĚĂŬŚŝƌ EĂƟ ŽŶĂů Ɛƚ͘ >> ŽŶƚĂĐƚ ͗ ϵϰϮϳϳϬϮϬ

MANPOWER