Times of Oman - May 11, 2016

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

085010 1200106May 11, 2016 4 Sha’aban 1437 AH

WEDNESDAY

68 40

Oman today is not the Oman of yesterday. Its lack-lustre face has changed. It has shaken off the dust of isolation and stagnation, opened its doors and windows to the light and declared to the world that it is ready to communicate directly with it, interact with the changes taking place in it and allow itself to be aff ected and infl uenced by them.

To the People, 1975

FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTYTHE SULTAN

‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’

MARKETOman’s budget deficit to remain intact

2Oman’s budget defi cit as per cent of gross domestic product (GDP)

will remain unchanged at 17.1 per cent this year, despite cut in subsidies and capital investment, a senior offi cial of the International Monetary Fund said. It was 17.6 per cent of the GDP last year. >B1

SPORTSSohar golf coursefeasibility discussed

3A steering committee formed to study the feasibility of a golf course

in Sohar met recently to discuss the project. The steering panel was formed after an initial meeting of the Oman Golf Committee members and 25 top executive managers from the Sohar Industrial Area. >C3

OMANMoney top priority for jobs: Survey

1Money seems to be the most common motivator while considering taking

a job, the Oman Employment Report–Insight for 2016, which was recently published by Oxford Strategy Consulting, indicated. The survey aims to “off er insights underpinning the current aspirations of Omanis. >A4

T O P T H R E E I N S I D E S T O R I E S

A6Message of peace through paintingsMORNING MINUTE

Smart cards to prevent money laundering at exchange housesRAHUL [email protected]

MUSCAT: It is impossible to re-mit money if one does not have a resident card, money exchange offi cials confi rmed on Tuesday.

In a new move, every customer will have to produce their resi-dent or identity card, which is now being scanned by smart card readers at the exchange houses,

while remitting or changing money. “This is being done to en-hance due diligence and to sup-port KYC (know your customer) requirements,” Tonny George Alexander, director of the Oman UAE Exchange, said, adding that they have already installed smart card readers at 52 branches in Oman.

Banking experts said this move will prevent money laundering

and also help in tracking the cus-tomers’ transactions in case of any problems.

Alexander also said Smart Card Readers ease errors during transactions.

“The Smart Card Readers read all the required information from the Civil ID and resident cards and keep a record electronically at the exchange houses,” Alexan-der said. >A6

T R A C K I N G T R A N S A C T I O N S

INNOCENT?

Father of murdered nurse believes his son-in-law, still in police custody, could not be the killer

“We know that they loved each other very much. We don’t believe that he can kill her,” says the grieving dad

Turn to >A3

A2 W E D N E S DAY, M AY 1 1 , 2 0 1 6

OMAN

‘Greater choice in education will improve employability’

ERIK [email protected]

MUSCAT: Oman needs to off er secondary schools students more choices to decrease school drop-outs and provide students with skills demanded by the labour market, said Dr. Wajeha Al Ani, Associate Professor at the College of Education, Sultan Qaboos Uni-versity, in a study on the education system in Oman.

Amid calls for a growing role by the private sector and the in-creased promotion of entrepre-neurship, Oman is still grappling with entrenched, traditional methods of education that do not meet the needs of the job market, according to Al Ani.

Despite the remarkable achievements the Sultanate has made in the fi eld of universal education, Al Ani argues that the dropout rates, numbers of repeat-ing students and the signifi cant proportion of students who fail to reach low international bench-marks for reading, mathematics and science, call for alternative models of education.

According to Al Ani, the edu-cation system in Oman, which historically depended on memo-rising and repetition without en-couraging critical thinking and questioning, leads to students not meeting the demands of employ-ers who want to employ Omanis equipped with the knowledge, practical skills and technical ex-pertise meeting global standards.

She notes that low-skilled job seekers fi nd it particularly diffi -

cult to fi nd work, since 40 per cent of job-seekers in 2014 did not have a General Degree Diploma (GDD). Further, 58.8 per cent of job seek-ers presented a GDD, 21.7 per cent a secondary certifi cate and 10.2 per cent had an elementary or lower education.

Lack of fl exibilityAccording to Al Ani, the GDD lacks fl exibility to cater to stu-dents who might fl ourish in vo-cational education. Other coun-tries have matched education programmes with individual needs to prepare students for the labour market, which has led to a decrease in the number of drop-outs. Al Ani argues that the Basic Education programme in Oman needs to consider additional alter-natives to more accurately meet current and future demands.

Further, Al Ani argues that so-called free schools in countries such as Sweden, Chile, the Nether-lands, New Zealand and Qatar bet-ter meet the need of students with diverse needs, including students who drop out of school or have to repeat classes. Those schools are publicly funded, but have greater autonomy to modify the pace and scope of the national curriculum. Vocational or technical training would cater to students who nor-mally drop out of the mainstream educational system.

Al Ani points to Lebanon, where vocational and technical training has created new job opportunities for youths and has slowly changed ideas about such training. She notes that in the Arab World, vo-

cational and technical training has been traditionally stigmatised due to the low status of manual work and the notion that it is the last resort for employment.

Based upon interviews with senior offi cials of the MoE, who were not identifi ed, Al Ani notes that Oman already has forms of alternative education, such as vocational training off ered by the Ministry of Manpower, to prepare students to work in a range of in-dustries. Also, the Ministry of Ed-ucation is working on developing

two tracks of post-basic educa-tional schools, one for science and one for humanities, in addition to Adult Literacy Centres which hire high school graduates after they have being trained to teach. Finally, the MoE is working on a strategic plan for 2030 for Gener-al Education Schools and Techni-cal Education.

Dr. Omar Al Jabri, co-founder of the job vacancy platform Oman Careers, said the school curricu-lum, in itself, is not a problem, but the quality of teaching causes

concerns. “I think the problem lies with the quality of teaching. The curriculum is very strong, but un-fortunately we don’t see any mo-tivation from students. They are relying on private lessons outside and the outcome of schools is of a low quality,” he said. According to Al Jabri, the curriculum is encour-aging students to think and be cre-ative, but this demands a lot from parents who help their children.

Unmet needsKhalid Al Far’i, Head of the Edu-cation Committee at the Majlis Al Shura, agrees with Al Ani that the curriculum does not meet the needs of dropouts. He told the Times of Oman that to solve the problem of dropouts, for which there are no statistics available, it is “urgently needed to reform the education curriculum in Oman, from the fi rst to the twelfth grade.”

He noted that the Majlis Al Shura has proposed two plans to tackle this problem with the Ministry of Education. One plan calls for introducing a compul-sory year before pupils enrol in schools, which is not currently available under the Ministry of Education. Secondly, students in tenth grade should have the choice between completing their study programme and transfer-ring to a technical or vocational programme.

“Those who are on the brink of dropping out will have other fi elds to study in. The current curricu-lum is only designed to prepare for academic fi elds and not voca-tional fi elds,” he said.

According to Al Far’i, a study carried out by a foreign company has indicated that these plans will benefi t education in Oman.

He also agreed that graduates from secondary or basic education are not fi t for the labour market.

“Their study programmes are not complete and they need a real transformation of the education curriculum,” he said.

Basic Education programme in Oman needs

to consider additional alternatives to more

accurately meet current and future demands

Al Ani argues that so-called free schools in countries

such as Sweden, Chile, the Netherlands, New Zealand

and Qatar better meet the need of students with

diverse needs, including students who drop out of

school or have to repeat classes. Those schools

are publicly funded, but have greater autonomy to

modify pace and scope of the national curriculum

JOB MARKET DEMAND: Vocational or technical training would

cater to students who normally drop out of the mainstream

educational system. – File photo used for illustrative purposes only

State Council panel gets experts’ view on higher education

Times News Service

MUSCAT: Education and Re-search Committee at the State Council hosted specialists on Tues-day to get inputs to add value to their ongoing study entitled, “Re-view of duplication in programme discipline in Higher Education.”

The meeting was led by Dr. Ab-dullah bin Mubarak Al Shanfri, the head of the Committee, in the presence of Committee members and Secretariat staff .

The Committee hosted Sheikh Mohammed Ghalib Ali Al Hinai, advisor (Human Resource Plan-ning) at the Ministry of Manpower and Dr. Abdul Hakim bin Hilal Al Ismaili, director general of Tech-nical Education and Vocational Training, Ministry of Manpower to discuss a range of important topics related to the study.

The discussions included a mechanism of programmes at special education institutions, the class size and compatibility be-tween private higher education in-stitutions, with government higher education institutions in this re-gard, the features of diff erent disci-plines and preparing students for it.

The meeting also addressed reports and studies related to the launch of programmes, the various mechanisms adopted, the needs of the job market, the challenges fac-ing private education institutions in this regard and the proposals to be developed to counter this.

The panel also viewed a de-tailed visual presentation made by Al Ismaili, which enumerated the criteria put forward for tech-nical programmes, qualifi cations and programmes and disciplinary mechanisms, admission of stu-dents to colleges, infrastructure, human resources, quality of edu-cation, relations with internation-al institutions of higher education and challenges in this regard.

H U M A N R E S O U R C E S

I think the problem lies with the quality of teaching. The curriculum is very strong, but unfortunately we don’t see any motivation

Dr. Omar Al Jabri, Oman Careers co-founder

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More Oman Air fl ights to JordanREJIMON [email protected]

MUSCAT: Oman Air has in-creased its fl ight frequency to Jordan eff ective from June 1; the airline tweeted on its offi cial Twitter handle.

“We are happy to announce that eff ective June 1, fl ights to #Am-man will be increased from seven to nine fl ights per week,” the tweet read. On May 1, the airline had tweeted that it will be fl ying to Mashhad in Iran soon.

The Sultanate’s national carrier has also initiated a rapid expan-

sion plan by increasing the fre-quencies of its fl ights.

Paul Gregorowitsch, the airline’s chief executive offi cer, recently held talks with Boeing Co. and Air-bus Group SE for an order for the latest generation of wide-body jets to replace 12 older A330 planes.

F R O M J U N E 1

Approved Haj transport firms’ list out

FAHAD AL [email protected]

MUSCAT: A list of approved companies and establishments running pilgrim transportation businesses has been announced by the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Aff airs, through its offi cial account on social media.

Clubbing all six companies and establishments under one campaign, the Ministry has asked the listed companies and establishments transporting pilgrims to update their data through an online registration application at www.hajj.om, by May 12.

As per the announcement, companies and establishments that fail to meet the deadline for data update will have their per-missions cancelled.

The announcement also not-ed that once the companies and establishments update their data, they can provide their competing off ers to the public.

The Ministry of Endowments and Religious Aff airs has also called on Haj pilgrims to stick to the approved companies listed in the announcement.

A total 23,966 online applica-tions for Haj have been received, the Ministry noted last week. The list of pilgrims to perform Haj this year is likely to be an-nounced next week, according to the Ministry.

Earlier, the Ministry of Com-merce and Industry had asked all companies and establish-ments running pilgrim trans-portation business to submit the approval they get from the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Aff airs to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Companies and establish-ments have to submit their ap-proval within six months from the date of the announcement, failing which, the Ministry will cancel their activity from their registers.

A N N O U N C E M E N T

From June 1 there will be

9 flights to Amman

Linson could not have killed our daughter: Nurse’s family

REJIMON K [email protected]

MUSCAT: “We fi rmly believe that Linson Thomas is innocent. We consider him as son, not as son-in-law. We have lost our daughter. If he is released a day earlier, we would be grateful to everyone. We know that he will not do that.”

These were the words of Robert A, father of Chikku Robert, the In-dian nurse who was found dead in her apartment in Salalah on April 23. Linson is under police deten-tion in Salalah after Chikku was found dead in her apartment.

“We know that they loved each other very much. Every Friday they used to call us together. Lin-son is like a son to me. As I have two daughters, we used to love Linson like our elder son. We don’t believe that he can kill her,” Robert, who is knocking the doors of Indian government offi cials and meeting central ministers to facilitate the speedy release of Linson, said.

Chikku, the Badr Al Samaa

nurse from the south Indian state of Kerala, was found dead in her apartment with stab marks on her body, late at night on April 20.

She was supposed to be on duty by 10pm, but as she did not turn up for work, Linson, her husband, who is also working in the same hospital, went to the apartment to look for her, where she was found her lying dead.

Mother bedridden“After Chikku’s death her mother is mentally depressed and is also bedridden. Somehow, we com-pleted Chikku’s funeral. I sent back Chikku’s younger sister to Bangalore to continue her stud-ies. Now, we are alone. Daily, I go to meet politicians and govern-ment offi cials to speed up Lin-son’s release,” Robert added.

Chikku and Linson had mar-ried in last October and she was fi ve months pregnant.

Liju Thomas, Linson’s brother, told Times of Oman they too be-lieve that Linson was not capable of murdering Chikku.

“It was a love marriage. They were seen always happy. None of us have any doubt that Linson will do it. He won’t. He is inno-cent,” Liju said. Liju was working in Nizwa and had accompanied Chikku’s body to Kerala on May 2.

“A day before repatriating the body, Linson was allowed to talk to father over phone. He said that he will be released soon. After that we have not heard his voice. Mother is still down mentally and physically. She has not stopped crying. We can see her praying all the time for the release of Lin-son,” Liju said.

Liju also added that on that disastrous day when Chikku was found dead, between 7pm and 8pm Linson had called his father to talk about our uncle’s death.

“Linson called uncle’s family in Bombay too,” Liju added.

According to Badr Al Samaa offi cials, Oman police investiga-tions into the case are on.

“Police is continuing its inves-tigation,” offi cials from the hospi-tal said.

Robert A, father of

Chikku Robert, the

Badr Al Samaa

nurse found dead

at her fl at in Salalah

on April 20, is

knocking the doors

of Indian government

offi cials for the

speedy release of

her husband

Linson ThomasIN HAPPIER TIMES: Chikku and Linson had married in last Octo-

ber and she was fi ve months pregnant. – Supplied photo

‘Study of biotechnology can boost employment prospect’MOBIN MATHEW [email protected]

MUSCAT: Biotechnology has a wide scope in Oman and all around in the world, the Head of the Department of Biotechnology at the Waljat College of Applied Sciences, said.

“Biotechnology fi nds applica-tion in a number of fi elds; we can apply biotechnology everywhere,” Dr Sadaf Zahra told the Times of Oman on the sidelines of the Bio-tech fest organised by the depart-ment at the college premises.

“It ranges from medical and healthcare to agriculture and animal husbandry, industrial re-search and development, food pro-cessing, bioprocessing, chemical engineering, drug designing and manufacturing, environment con-servation and so on,” Zahra added.

According to her, there are many good job opportunities available after completing a Bach-elors of Technology in Biotech-nology. “Students can apply for jobs in a range of industries deal-ing with pharmaceutical, chemi-cal, bioprocessing and agriculture products,” she added.

“Some job roles that a biotech student can take are Research Scientist, Research Associate, Marketing personnel, Business Development Offi cer, Sales Rep-resentative, Biotech Engineer, and Lab Technician,” Zahra asserted.

“On the whole, it is a good ca-reer option for bright young peo-ple,” she added. The study of Bio-technology is a blend of subjects related to Biology and subjects, such as Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Engineering.

A simple defi nition of Biotech-nology can be using the properties of living organisms to produce desired products. It is a research-oriented fi eld. So most of the work is carried out at research insti-tutes and laboratories. Speaking about higher studies, she said, “A post-graduate degree will im-prove job prospects further.”

In-depth knowledge“It will help you gain an in-depth knowledge of the subject and pro-vide the confi dence required to face the job market. After com-pleting a B.Tech in Biotechnol-ogy, you can pursue an M.Tech (Biotechnology), M.Tech (Bio-In-formatics) or MBA (Biotechnol-ogy),” Zahra said.

A Masters of Technology in Biotechnology involves the study of Biotechnology in great detail, whereas a Masters of Technology

in Bio-Informatics is the study of application of computer technol-ogy to the management of biologi-cal information.

BioinformaticsBioinformatics plays a vital role, especially in drug discovery and development; computers are used to gather, store, analyse and inte-grate biological and genetic in-formation. A Masters in Business Administration in Biotechnology provides a broad introduction to Biotechnology and focuses on imparting management skills, re-quired in chemical, pharmaceuti-cal or allied industries.

According to her, the Biotech fest, the fi rst of its kind organ-ised by the Waljat College aims to increase awareness about Biotechnology. “Many people are unaware of biotechnology, so by organising such an event, we plan to educate the public and young-sters about what biotechnology is, what are its applications and what are the career options,” she explained. The fest included com-petitions for the school students between 9th to 12th standard. Around 200 students from 10 dif-ferent schools are participating.

“It (fest) will help the students to increase their knowledge about biotechnology and it will also give them clarity about choosing a ca-reer in future,” Zahra said.

Students from Seeb Interna-tional School, Ahmed Bin Majid School, Indian School Wadi Ka-bir, Indian School Muscat, Indian School Darsait, Indian School Ghubra, Indian School Seeb, Bangladesh School, Sri Lankan School participated in the fest.

B I O T E C H F E S T

Dr Sadaf Zahra, Head of the

Department of Biotechnology

at the Waljat College of Applied

Sciences.

The Omani Youthon Employment

Source: 2016 Oman Employment Report — Dr. Najat Benchiba-Savenius, Robert Mogielnicki, Scott Owens, Professor Scott-Jackson (Oxford Strategic consulting) Graphics

Oil and Gas

Retail

Chemical/Pharmaceutical

Utility

Telecommunications

Health Care

Shipping

Legal

Tourism and hospitality

Government/Public Sector

Computers/IT

Industrial

Defence and Security

Agriculture

Banking and Finance

Manufacturing

Construction

Real Estate

Media

Aviation

Aerospace


Retail

Police

Lawyer or Legal Advisor

Medical role

Military

Advertising, Marketing andPublic Relations

Journalism or Media

IT/Computing

Customer Service

Teacher or Lecturer

Banking and Finance

Caring for others

Human Resources

Accountancy

Engineering

Join Family Business

Business Leader

Administration

Running my own business

British Petroleum

Abu Dhabi Bank

Al Naba Construction

Oman Airports

School

CAD Middle East

Oman Insurance Company

D X Construction

Orpic

Central Bank of Oman

International Marble Co.

Hospital

Galfar Construction

Oman National Bank

Omantel

Petroleum Dev. Oman

Muscat Bank

Oman Air

Royal Court Affairs

Public Sector, Government,Ministry or Municipality

Chemical/Pharmaceutical

Shipping

Retail

Manufacturing

Legal

Defence and Security


Utility

Aerospace

Media

Industrial

Telecommunications

Health Care

Construction

Computers/IT

Real Estate

Aviation

Oil and Gas

Banking and Finance

Government/Public Sector

Not important at all

Of little importance

Somewhat important

Very important

Extremely important

No difficulties

Don’t know how to approachcompanies for jobs

Don’t want to workjust with expats

Don’t know howto write a CV

Don’t know how to do aninterview

Expats don’t want toemploy nationals

Don’t know enoughgood contacts

Nationals don’t wantto employ nationals

Don’t hear about jobs

Not enough suitable jobs

Pay is too low

Hours are too long

Very difficult

Fairly difficult

Neither easy nor difficult

Fairly easy

Very easy

Young Omanis aged between 16 and 29 were asked about the employment in Oman. While they look jobs in the public sector, their ideal job role is to run their own business. Also they prefer the oil and gas industry to others and think that the private sector is also important. Most of them think that it’s not really difficult to find a job but the working hours are too long. (All figures are in percentage)

EASE OF FINDING A JOB INDUSTRY OF CHOICE EMPLOYERS OF CHOICE IDEAL JOB ROLE LEAST FAVOURED INDUSTRY IMPORTANCE OF THE PRIVATE SECTORHow easy or difficult it is for an Omanito find a job in your country?

Which of the following industrieswould you most like to work in?

Which are the top five organisations youwould ideally like to work for in the future?

What would be your ideal rolein the future?

Which of the following industrieswould you least like to work in?

How important is the private sector for theemployment of Omanis in your country?

SURVEY SAMPLE BREAKDOWN 300 young Omani nationals were surveyed. Their characteristics:

DIFFICULTY IN FINDING EMPLOYMENTWhat difficulties (if any) do Omanisface in finding jobs?

Female

Male

By Gender

Aged between 22 and 29

Aged between 16 and 21

By Age

Working in government

Working in private sectoror family businesses

By Sector

Sur

Sohar

Muscat

1

3

3

1

545

466

525

By Region

%

A4 W E D N E S DAY, M AY 1 1 , 2 0 1 6

OMAN

Money main mover for job seekersTARIQ ZIAD AL [email protected]

MUSCAT: Money seems to be the most common motivator while considering taking a job, the Oman Employment Report–Insight for 2016, which was recently pub-lished by Oxford Strategy Consult-ing, indicated.

Surveying 300 Omanis who are less than 30 years old, the report aims to “off er insights underpin-ning the current aspirations of Omanis, which will serve as a use-ful tool for both private and public sectors, as well as government and organisations.”

The survey covered their moti-vations, perceptions of best em-ployers, their ideal job role, the best way for employers to attract

nationals, the most and least at-tractive employment sectors, the importance of the private sector and diffi culties faced while search-ing for jobs. According to the sur-vey, 76 per cent said that money was the top motivator while ac-cepting a job. Those working in the private sector showed that they were more likely motivated by money than employees in the gov-ernment sector.

“It is important to remember that money off ers stability and se-curity and this is especially true in Oman’s traditional social context. Money may bring social prestige but it also refl ects great responsi-bility,” said the report. Omanis are also motivated by challenges and travel, which account for 28 per cent, development 23 per cent and

infl uences 22 per cent.When the survey asked about

their ideal job role, unsurprisingly most answered ‘run my own busi-ness,’ which translates to 34 per cent. Following that, many wanted to work in administration, 28 per cent, serve as a business leader, which made up for 22 per cent and join a family owned business, which accounted for 17 per cent.

“Rather than increase wages, the government should help Om-ani entrepreneurs make money for themselves. More Omanis ranked ‘running my own business’ as their ideal job role than any other role. This inclination toward entre-preneurism in the Sultanate can be tapped into to help transition Omanis away from public sector roles and towards private sector

enterprises,” said the report. “In order to maximise invest-

ment in entrepreneurism, high-po-tential entrepreneurs who actually contribute to employment growth, known as ‘gazelles’ should be iden-tifi ed and supported by the govern-ment. Providing seed funding and early support for high-potential entrepreneurs is much more cost-eff ective than employing the equiv-alent public sector employees for an entire career,” it added.

38 per cent of Omanis said Aero-space is their least favoured job role, according to the report. Avia-tion is the second-least favourite with 20 per cent and following that was Media with 13 per cent. Real Estate and Construction followed, with both recording 10 per cent as being the least favourite.

The report also revealed the dif-fi culties Omanis face while fi nding jobs. 41 per cent said the hours are too long when they are faced with fi nding a job. 35 per cent said the pay is too low, while 23 per cent said there aren’t enough suitable jobs.

“In order to productively in-crease youth employment and sus-tain its momentum, matching jobs with established skill-sets is im-perative to create an enabling work environment,” said the report.

“Oxford Strategic Consulting found that four out of 10 respond-ents felt that the main diffi culty Omanis faced in fi nding a suit-able job was that the hours were deemed too long for what they considered was appropriate. In addition, third felt the pay was too low for their educational level.

Surveying 300

Omanis who are less

than 30 years old, the

Oman Employment

Report–Insight for

2016 report, aims

to off er insights

underpinning the

current aspirations

of Omanis

Given Oman’s substantial investment in education and national projects, recruiters and key stakeholders alike should consider employment challenges that Omanis face at the outset. This would allow employers to better identify and implement workable solutions

Oman Employment Report–Insight for 2016

OCCI seminar weighs need for amending Labour LawERIK PRINS [email protected]

MUSCAT: There is a need to modify the Omani Labour Law to ease doing business in Oman and to meet the current economic changes, said business owners attending a seminar held at the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) on Monday.

The seminar, organised by the Human Resources and Labour Market Committee at OCCI, aims to discuss the current law and consider recommendations from Human Resource and Labour De-partment offi cials.

Said bin Saleh Al Kiyumi, chairman of OCCI, said the la-bour law needs to be revised to ease the process of doing busi-ness in Oman. “The economic changes require us to change laws in general. Today, there’s an eco-nomic crisis and the laws do not go along with these changes. We need to amend the labour law to-gether, with both employees and employers,” he stated.

Business ownersOn the sidelines of the seminar, the Times of Oman spoke to a number of business owners.

Ahmad Al Shaidani, owner of a local SME (Small to Medium En-terprise) said he is struggling with the Omanisation rate the labour law is demanding. “Our project is new, just a year old and the law needs us to reach 35 per cent Om-anisation. This is diffi cult for us.”

He further said SMEs should get a year’s respite to achieve the required Omanisation rate.

“After that, Omanisation can be increased gradually to 5, 10 or 15 per cent. Not 35 per cent in the fi rst year,” he said.

Awadh Al Mahri, chairman of the Peaceland Group, said the current law caters too much to workers and not enough for employers.

“The law is only there for the interest of the Omani worker. The aim (of the Ministry of Manpow-er) is to hire Omanis, give them more salary and give them more holidays. It does not aim to pro-tect companies or to protect in-vestments. He added that the law is a burden on employers, as well as foreign investors, who want to do business in Oman.

“When a company hires Oma-nis, the law provides high sala-ries, which are not linked to their productivity. If foreign investors see this, they see it as a burden. They’ll think twice before invest-ing in Oman,” he stated.

He added that the law also does not protect investments. “There’s no law to protect investments.

Oman wants investment compa-nies, but with this law, they can-not work in Oman,” he added.

On the other hand, Ammar Rashid Al Aamri, administrator at a local company, said workers are not protected enough under the current law.

“Business owners in my opin-ion should not focus on only one side. The problem is the national workforce. They will succeed if they are fi nancially and spiritual-ly supported by the business own-ers. The worker is the brick of or-ganisations in the private sector. We invite the business owners to support Omani working youth and allow them more potential,” he said.

E C O N O M I C C H A N G E S

BRAINSTORMING: The seminar, organised by the Human Re-

sources and Labour Market Committee at OCCI, aims to discuss

the current law and consider recommendations from Human

Resource and Labour Department offi cials. — Photo by Jun Estrada

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More people callfor improving student hostels

DEEBA [email protected]

MUSCAT: Calls for improving the condition of student hostels in Muscat have been made after the Times of Oman (TOO) reported last week about the squalid con-ditions some female students are living in.

TOO had visited a few hostels in Qurum and Al Khuwair recent-ly and found that they are in a dire state and need some work if the students are to live and study in peace. Our thoughts were echoed by a member of the college man-agement; whose female students live in such hostels.

“I went to one of the hos-tels after receiving complaints about the conditions there and when I stepped in, I could

smell the garbage near the en-trance, there was dirt on the fl oor, water leaked from the roof, the rest rooms were without locks, mosquitoes and germs were fl oat-ing around, and the number of the girls in each room was too high, six to eight in one room.”

“I wonder how they study, sleep or cook—the kitchen was terribly dirty, the rooms were full of rub-bish, there were some holes in the balconies, the electric switch-board was open without a cover, some beds were actually bunks, which is not allowed. So we issued a warning to the investor and con-veyed our observation, where we strongly interfered and informed the authorities about it, and since then we have sent our team with a checklist to see what has been done,” she added.

This is not the case with a sin-gle hostel, there are some others that are owned by private inves-tors in similar states.

“Currently, our college doesn’t own hostels, but we did so in the past and in the future we will have our own. I noticed that there is also no security—the girls go and come whenever they like, it is full of fl aws and things that are illegal. I believe the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) is doing their best, they have sent us rules and regulations and we are doing our best, but the problem is with the investor, who won’t spend on maintenance, a warden, maid, guards, a 24 emergency car and driver,” the member stated.

Although the students are pay-ing about OMR40 to OMR60, the investor needs to provide basic facilities at the hostel, including maintenance for the building, cleaning services, security, a hos-tel warden and perhaps an emer-gency car, none of which are cur-rently visible.

“I think such hostels should be shut straightaway, this is not the way to accommodate students or just anybody else. If they are still operating, they need to do so under strict guidelines, fail-ing which they should be shut,” said Mohra, a former student of the college.

Times of Oman had visited a few hostels

in Qurum and Al Khuwair recently and

found that they are in a dire state and

need some work if the students

are to live and study in peace

NOT UP TO MARK: Basic facilities including maintenance of the building, cleaning services, secu-

rity, a hostel warden and perhaps an emergency car are missing. – File photo

Part of Sinaw-Mahout Road openedAL MUDHAIBI: Ministry of Transport and Communications on Tuesday opened a 36 kilometre stretch of the 1st phase of Sinaw-Mahout Road Project, starting from Al Abiadh village in the Wilayat of Al Mudhaibi till the end of the project.

The remaining parts of the 1st phase will be phased opened dur-ing the coming months. -ONA

T R A N S P O R T

Real estate

ownership for

expats in Oman

discussed

MUSCAT: Majlis Al Shura’s Services and Social Develop-ment Committee discussed the real estate ownership for expatriates in the Sultanate to ensure the revision of the expa-triates ownership rules of the housing units in the Sultanate, outside the integrated hous-ing projects for the purpose of housing, and according to clear regulations to ensure their oc-cupation of those units and not trading in them.

The committee discussed the Housing Ministry’s deci-sion on land charges as the new charges are higher than the previous one, at its 13th regular meeting of the 1st annual sitting (2015/2016) of the 8th term, (2015 -2019), headed by Dr. Hamoud bin Ahmed Al Yahyaie, Head of the Committee.

The committee hosted some specialists from the Public Au-thority for Social Insurance (PASI) on the subject of amend-ing some social insurance arti-cles, including Article No. (18), relating to extended optional insurance protection for Oma-nis working abroad and Arti-cle (24) of social insurance for self-employed Omanis and their equivalent.

PASI specialists explained all aspects related to the two arti-cles pointing out that PASI has done actuarial study, taking in account all aspects of private sector related to employees in the private sector and paying of years of service.

PASI specialists touched on the challenges faced, especially with regard to educating the public to the provisions of the social security system. -ONA

M A J L I S

A6


This is a message to all nations, who are keen to have peace

Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, minister responsible for foreign aff airs

A window to Omani culture and heritage

Times News Service

MUSCAT: An icon of preserving history and also a historic monu-ment, Bait Al Zubair Museum is fi lled with rich history and stories that span generations.

Bait Al Zubair is not only a mu-seum, it has become a centre for art and culture, and a place where young talent is grown and nur-tured. And a place where the past is preserved, while the future is grown.

The importance of Oman’s culture has been highlighted by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, when he stated that Omani culture is a treasure that should be preserved through the genera-tions. This is refl ected in this mu-seum’s commitment to include and develop Omani talent, while focusing on creating a snapshot of Oman’s culture for tourists and locals alike.

When visitors enter Bait Al Zubair, they step into the court-yard of “Bait Al Bagh”, which is an Omani word meaning ‘a garden with a variety of fruit’. The build-ing had been a meeting place until 1998 for the brightest minds and most respected laureates in Om-ani history.

It was then that Mohammed

bin Zubair, son of Sheikh Zubair, turned the building into a muse-um to benefi t Omani society.

UniqueOnly one year after its opening, Bait Al Zubair won His Majesty’s award for architectural excel-lence. This is also the only mu-seum in the Sultanate that is pri-vately owned and not operated by the ministry of culture and herit-age, making it a unique and com-mendable eff ort by a non-govern-mental organization to preserve Omani history and culture.

A stroll through historyBait Al Zubair has a brilliant col-lection of Omani jewellery and silver accessories, and works to explain the unique diff erences of traditional clothing worn by Oma-nis in diff erent regions.

The museum is a great place to learn about the vast diversity within the regions of the Sultan-ate, as well as the beautiful tradi-tions celebrated in those regions. The museum also showcases the rich Omani history through dif-ferent crafts, such as handmade silverware, hand weaved baskets and weaponry.

Bait Al Zubair is divided into three distinct buildings, each with

a unique façade refl ecting Omani culture and history.

Bait Al BaghStarting with Bait Al Bagh, this building houses the private col-lection of Sheikh Zubair bin Ali, founder of Bait Al Zubair, along with diff erent portraits of the Sul-tans of Oman.

Visitors to Bait Al Bagh can see the vibrant colours of Omani clothing, along with the intricate designs of the Omani Khanjar. After travelling through the cloth-ing, visitors will view the diff er-ent silver crafts that have been famous in the Sultanate through the ages, ranging from accessories and house wear to weaponry.

The next section displays weap-ons and tools used for war. This section has many items, including two cannons that were gifted by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos, add-ing a beautiful fl are to this exhibit.

Bait Al DalaleelThis building showcases the image of a traditional Omani home from 50 years before the renaissance.

Featuring a well in the middle of the house and traditional low seating arrangements, the house showcases traditional methods

of lighting and ventilation.

Bait Al OudThe name “oud” comes from an Omani word meaning grand, and this building maintains its name-sake with grand collections of im-ages and maps that are an ancient treasure of history. The maps dis-play the diff erent sea routes that Omani traders followed in their travels, along with instruments used to navigate the seas.

This building also is the modern meeting place for intellectuals, who gather during the museum’s activities and events that are held throughout the year.

Through the eyes of a tourist:“It was a great opportunity for

me to visit Bait Al Zubair, and I am glad that I made this one of my fi rst destinations in the Sul-tanate. I have been astonished by the richness of Omani culture, be it rich handcrafts and fashion, or art, music and calligraphy. It feels like the Omani spirit has travelled through the ages within this mu-seum itself,” stated Marco Strunz, a tourist from Germany.

Opening Times:Bait Al Zubair Museum is open from Saturday to Thursday, 9::30 am to 6:00 pm

B A I T A L Z U B A I R

PAST PRESERVED: Bait Al Zubair is not only a museum, it has become a centre for art and culture, and a place where young talent is

grown and nurtured. –Supplied picture

Enhanced safety

While the Oman UAE Exchange has already introduced the smart card reader system, some exchange houses say they are in process of installing it at their companies. “We are in talks so that we can also install these smart card readers at our branches,” an offi cial at Global Money Exchange said.

Resident cardsHe also said that at the moment, they are scanning resident cards and keeping a record at all the 35 branches in the Sultanate.

“This is also being done for the safety of the customers,” he fur-ther clarifi ed.

Expats are also happy with the move. “This is a good move as il-legal immigrants will not be able to send money as their ID cards are either expired or they don’t have one,” said Satish, who regularly sends money to his home town in India.

Remitting money to one’s home country is part of the routine of expats. From helping dependent families, building a dream house to meeting other fi nancial obliga-tions back home, most expatriate workers in Oman need the servic-es of a remittance company.

T R A N S A C T I O N

< FROM

A1Positive response to tree plantation drive in Oman

HASAN SHABAN AL [email protected]

MUSCAT: People in Oman can now get free seedlings of wild trees from the Ministry of En-vironment and Climate Aff airs (MECA), as a part of its campaign to promote growing more local trees in the Sultanate.

The campaign, which was started in March, has seen a posi-tive response from both Omanis and expatriates, who are planting

trees in their farms and houses.The seedlings are available at

three plant nurseries located in Barka, Dhofar and Al Kamilwa Al Wafi .

However, any person who wants a tree must apply online and provide information on the reasons they want it.

Most requests have been made

by local farmers in Al Dhahira, the North and South Al Sharqi-yah governorates, according to Saif bin Omar bin Saif Al Tobi, nature reserves specialist at the Desertifi cation Combat Depart-ment, MECA.

“Some people requested these wild trees so they can park their cars in its shade,” he said, adding that farmers in the villages plant many wild trees around their farms so the wild trees help retain sand and other material.

The ministry, however, said the free seedlings provided through MECA’s online portal should not be used for commercial pur-poses.

Moreover, the spot where a per-son wants to plant the tree must be his/her private property.

The ministry also provides tree lovers with advice and recom-mendations.

“There are many diff erences characteristics of trees that grow in northern parts of the Sultan-ate and the ones growing in the south,” Al Tobi explained. “A seed-ling should be planted in the soil

and temperature that suits it.”Depending on the tree size,

there must be a space of at least three to seven metres between each seedling, and the farmer should take good care of it and check upon it at least three times a week, according to MECA’s website.

20 types of treesMore than 20 types of trees from northern and southern areas of Oman are available at the min-istry’s plant nurseries, including Christi, Prospiscinerari, Acacia tortilis and Ficusvasta.

Al Tobi said the initiative, named ‘Ashjar’ (which means trees) will be updated soon and is set to become a permanent project to make the best of one of the country’s most important resources.

The free seedlings

are available at

three plant nurseries

located in Barka,

Dhofar and Al

Kamilwa Al Wafi

BABA [email protected]

MUSCAT: Scores of neatly-dressed children waving multi-ple fl ags and calling for peace in the world gathered at the Muscat Grand Mall lobby for a peace event.

On Monday evening, Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Aff airs opened the ‘Call of Peace’ event that saw the fi rst public exhibition of more than 150 paintings drawn by more than 60 expat students in the Sultanate.

The paintings will travel across the world with the help of the United Nations (U.N.), which will carry the message of peace from the Sultanate.

Talking to the media, Alawi said, “This is a message to all nations, who are keen to have peace. It’s also a message for world leaders, who have the power to stop wars and spread peace instead of blood.”

He further said Oman will con-tinue to propagate peace “under the framework of His Majesty Sul-tan Qaboos bin Said ’s message.”

For 15-year-old Lauren Murehy of Ireland, one of the contributing artists, “Peace can be achieved if we balance earth and politics.”

“That’s what I’ve drawn,” she told the Times of Oman (TOO).

Another student from Bangla-desh, Nafeesa, 14, said “Peace means freedom and that’s what I have been experiencing in Oman.” “My coun-try is disturbed, but we all can live in peace and learn from Oman.”

Noted Pakistani artist Ibrahim Gailani, one of the brains behind the peace project told TOO that the paintings are scheduled to go to

the UNESCO offi ce in Paris fi rst.“From there the paintings will

be moved to the UN offi ce in New York,” he said.

He further said this is an expen-sive project to carry out. “We need sponsors to make it an annual ef-fort and expand the participation.”

Monday’s event was emotion-ally charged. Many were seen cry-ing as the curtains were lifted from the paintings.

There were paintings calling for peace in Palestine, Afghani-stan, Syria and elsewhere. Others sought quick action on reconcili-

ation. A picture of shaking hands with the globe in the backdrop was another attraction. A painting drawn by a Syrian youngster drew most of the attention. It shows a watery eye with the Syrian fl ag tucked inside.

The contributors were brought to meet the joyous crowd in the backdrop of Omani bagpipers’ sounds adding to the celebrations. While a traditional Omani dance hailed the Sultanate, the crowd was amused with peace songs, such as “Let’s unite for peace, nei-ther war no fears.”

“As long as it evokes the emotion of remembering other children, who may be facing confl ict in other places. That really is the message,” Gailani said.

Solving global crisesOman-based Ahmed Fareed, the father of an Afghan child artist, said: “I really appreciate this move. This is a step forward towards

peace. We know how much peace is important for our country. This kind of event does not happen in Afghanistan.”

The project was initiated by noted Omani songwriter and in-tellectual Saleh Al Fahad through the Values Centre involving the participation of a large number of children from diff erent commu-nities in the Sultanate and which represent several countries.

On the occasion, a documen-tary showcasing Oman’s vision for world peace and eff orts in set-tling international crisis was also released.

Organisers said Oman is known for its peace eff orts, and in send-ing a pictorial message across the globe, they want to communicate Oman’s support for world peace.

“Following the same idea, the children have poured their feel-ings and talent into the captivating paintings on the issues and crisis of the world,” Al Fahad said.

‘ C A L L O F P E A C E ’

PROPAGATE PEACE: The paintings will travel across the world with

the help of the United Nations, which will carry the message of

peace from the Sultanate. – Taleb Al Wahibi

Young artists deliver message of peace through paintings

GREEN IS GOOD: The Ministry of Environment and Climate Aff airs

provides tree lovers with advice and recommendations.


A7


Fahd honours Iranian envoy

MUSCAT: On behalf of His Maj-esty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, His Highness Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Min-isters yesterday received Ali Ak-bar Sibeveih, Ambassador of Iran to the Sultanate at the end of his tour of duty as his country’s am-bassador to the Sultanate.

His Majesty the Sultan granted Al Nu’aman Order “First Class” to the Iranian Ambassador for his eff orts in boosting relations be-tween the two friendly countries.

Sayyid Fahd handed over the Order to the ambassador, wish-ing him success in his future assignments. The ambassador expressed his gratitude and ap-preciation to His Majesty the Sul-tan for granting this prestigious order, which carries valued mean-ings that will be stimulus for him.

He expressed his satisfaction

and gratitude for working in the Sultanate that is highly esteemed by his country, thanks to the Sul-tanate’s wise policies at all levels. He also thanked offi cials in the Sultanate for their cooperation in facilitating his mission. The meet-ing was attended by Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister Re-sponsible for Foreign Aff airs. -ONA

His Majesty the

Sultan granted Al

Nu’aman Order “First

Class” to the Iranian

Ambassador for his

eff orts in boosting

relations between

the two countries

HONOUR: His Highness Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said hand-

ed over the Order to the Iranian ambassador, wishing him success

in his future assignments. -Supplied photo

Question barring

expats from

getting family

visa approved

MUSCAT: Majlis Al Shura ap-proved the parliamentary ques-tion addressed to the Inspector-General of Police and Customs banning expatriates whose salaries are less than OMR600 from getting family visa. Dur-ing the meeting, the parliamen-tary question was addressed to the Minister of Transport and Communications about Oman-tel’s investment in World Call of Pakistan and the measures tak-en on how to address the losses from this company.

It also approved the parlia-mentary question addressed to the Minister of Commerce and Industry about benefi ting from FTA with US with regard to ex-emption of products of Omani origin from custom duties when exported to the US market. Ma-jlis held its meeting under the chair of Khalid bin Hilal Al- Maawali, Chairman of Majlis Al Shura. -ONA

M A J L I S

ROTTEN RICE SEIZEDConsumer Protection

Administration in Barka

raided one of the fi rms

that supplied rotten rice

and stored it in unhygien-

ic conditions. The offi cers

found 22 tonnes of rice

and a number of tools in

the raid. -ONA

SAF chief receives top US offi cer

MUSCAT: Lt. Gen Ahmed bin Harith Al Nabhani, Chief of Staff of the Sultan’s Armed Forces (SAF) received in his offi ce at Mu’askar Al Murtafa’ Gen. Joseph L. Votel, Com-mander of the United States (US) Central Command, who is currently visiting the Sultanate.

The two sides exchanged viewpoints and discussed a range of topics of common concern.

The meeting was attended by senior offi cers at the Command of the Sultan’s Armed Forces (COSAF) and the USA ambas-sador to the Sultanate. -ONA

U S C E N T R A L C O M M A N D

A8

REGIONW E D N E S DAY, M AY 1 1 , 2 0 1 6

Saudi Aramco finalises IPO options, plans expansion

DHAHRAN (SAUDI ARABIA): Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil gi-ant is fi nalising options for its par-tial privatisation and will present them to its Supreme Council soon, its chief executive said about the centrepiece of the kingdom’s ef-forts to overhaul its economy.

The company has a huge team working on the proposals for the initial public off ering (IPO) of less than 5 per cent of the company’s value, which include a single do-mestic listing and a dual listing with a foreign market, CEO Amin Nasser said on Tuesday.

They will be presented “soon” to Aramco’s Supreme Council, headed by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is leading an economic reform drive to address falling oil revenue and sharp fi scal defi cits by boosting the private sector, ending gov-ernment waste and diversifying the economy.

Nasser also said Aramco was seeking to expand glob-ally via joint ventures in Asia and North America.

“We are looking at the current market status that, even though challenging, is an excellent oppor-

tunity for growth,” Nasser said, adding that he was looking at op-portunities in the United States, India, Indonesia, Vietnam and China. The CEO was speaking to reporters during a rare media visit to the company’s extensive, well-guarded Dhahran headquarters, located near where American oil-men fi rst struck the Arabian Pen-insula’s enormous crude reserves at Well Number 7 in 1938. Besides proposing to sell a stake in the company, which would require it to release sensitive reserves data, Riyadh has asked Aramco to play a big role in developing industrial projects aimed at stimulating non-oil economic sectors.

Last month, Prince Moham-med said he expected the IPO would value Aramco at at least $2 trillion, but that he thought the fi gure might end up being higher. Any valuation would account for both oil price expectations and

the size of Saudi Arabia’s proven oil reserves.

Company offi cials said Saudi Arabia had discovered a total of 805.6 billion barrels of oil, of which 141.5 billion had already been produced and 260 billion barrels were considered “proven”, the industry term for reserves that can defi nitely be extracted.

ReservesAramco also had 403 billion bar-rels of reserves it could probably extract, they said, adding that it hoped to add another 100 billion barrels to total reserves by 2025 by increasing the recovery rate by 50-70 per cent using new technol-ogy. Aramco expects global crude oil demand to grow by 1.2 million barrels per day this year, he said, and has seen increasing demand in the United States and India.

“We will meet the call on Saudi Aramco,” Nasser said, adding that

the company will increase capac-ity in future if needed, but that for the time being its maximum sus-tainable capacity would stay at 12 million bpd, with total capacity of 12.5 million bpd.

Saudi Arabia produced an av-erage of 10.2 million bpd of crude in 2015, he said, adding there had been a big drop in oil output among non-conventional and even other conventional producers.

The expansion of the Khurais oilfi eld will come on stream in 2018, he said, adding that the lat-est stage of its expansion project at the southeastern Shaybah oil fi eld would be fi nished “in a cou-ple of weeks”.

The increased capacity of 250,000 bpd, taking Shaybah’s total production capacity to 1 mil-lion bpd, is aimed at rebalancing Saudi Arabia’s crude oil quality and at compensating for falling output at other fi elds as they ma-

ture. The immense Saudi Aramco complex in Dhahran resembles a small city, with its large residen-tial complex, its own hospital, sports stadium and parks.

Inside a sleek control room, technicians monitored huge screens that showed via digital graphics the core elements of the business, from the progress of oil tankers across the oceans to the available crude grades and refi n-ing facilities.

At Aramco’s research centre nearby, offi cials showed report-ers “the cave”, a colourful virtual representation on wraparound screens of drilling operations un-der the Shaybah oil fi eld.

Aramco’s continued invest-ment in downstream industry is seen as a crucial element of eco-nomic diversifi cation plans.

One example of this is its plans to sign an agreement soon with Saudi Basic Industries Corp (Sabic), the state-run petrochem-ical and metals conglomerate, to jointly develop an oil-to-chem-icals project, an offi cial said in a briefi ng to reporters.

The project, likely to cost up to $30 billion, would chime with ef-forts to better integrate the king-dom’s energy and industrial sec-tors. On Saturday a new Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources Ministry was created in place of the old oil ministry.

Another example is its huge ship repair and shipbuilding com-plex that it is developing at Ras Al Khair on the kingdom’s east coast to be fully operational by 2021, Nasser said.

The fi rst part of the shipbuild-ing complex will be ready by 2018, and it will eventually make oil rigs and tankers, Nasser said.

A presentation by the company said the complex would create 80,000 jobs and allow Saudi Ara-bia to reduce its imports by $12 billion, while increasing the coun-try’s gross domestic product by $17 billion. — Reuters

IPO proposals for sale

of less than 5 per

cent to come soon,

as Saudi Arabia’s

state-owned oil giant

seeking to expand

globally via joint

ventures in Asia

and North America

Falconer modifi es drones to give prey’s eye viewDUBAI: A South African falconer in Dubai’s desert is shaking up the ancient sport of falconry, marry-ing one of Arabia’s most cherished customs with the cutting edge world of drones and tiny cameras.

Few foreigners are accepted into this traditional realm, which served as a means of survival in the barren wastes before the era of abundant oil and glassy sky-scrapers. But tour operator and trainer Peter Bergh has honed his skills for more than a decade, winning the trust of Dubai’s fal-coning elite.

Bergh puts their fl ocks through an aerial “gym” he has fi ne-tuned to give them a 21-century work-out. Chasing specially-modifi ed quadcopters and remote control planes painted to look like their turkey-sized quarry, the pere-grine falcons must snatch in their claws blobs of feathery quail meat born aloft via rope by the minia-ture fl ying machines.

Teaming up with creators of

the rising sport of drone racing, Bergh tinkers with aerodynamic bullet-shaped cameras and su-perfast aircraft to give guests at-tending his tours a futuristic view into the primal experience of be-ing devoured.

“Over the years we’ve progres-sively changed the cameras, gone smaller, adapted and modifi ed aeroplanes to fi t these cameras, and some of the footage we’re achieving is radical and we can now put ourselves in the prey’s perspective,” Bergh said.

He and his team at Royal Shaheen tours bristle at eff orts, most recently by the Dutch police, to put the beaked raptors to work taking down the fl ying machines, which they warn could slice up and even decapitate the birds.

Operating from Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve’s rolling dunes and gnarled trees, the group cling to the educational uses of drones and seek to capture the ac-tion for the sake of its beauty alone. “Filming it and capturing the style, the fl ight the aggression, the move-ment of the body of the birds - it’s fascinating. The technology of the cameras is improving everyday, so the future looks really bright,” Bergh added. — Reuters

D U B A I

Group backing Syria talks to meet in Vienna on May 17

LONDON: The 17-nation group backing Syria peace talks will meet next week, US Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday, a day af-ter he and his Russian counterpart agreed to work to revive a “ces-sation of hostilities” agreement reached in February.

Kerry told reporters in London he expected UN-brokered talks involving the opposing Syrian parties to take place “some days after” the May 17 meeting in Vi-enna of the International Syria Support Group.

“The ISSG will formally come together to build on what we did with the Russians in terms of this agreement and to talk about all kinds of things, ranging from dura-tion, to enforcement to the politi-cal process,” Kerry said.

The United States and Russia, who support rival sides in Syria’s fi ve-year-old civil war, said on Monday they would strive to re-vive an accord that reduced fi ght-ing in parts of the country for several weeks. A recent surge in bloodshed in Aleppo, Syria’s larg-est city and commercial hub be-fore the war, wrecked the 10-week-old partial truce sponsored by Washington and Moscow that had allowed UN-brokered peace talks to convene in Geneva. Syria’s op-position is hopeful of a return to the Geneva talks if a US-Russian deal on reviving the failed truce is swiftly implemented, a member of Syria’s opposition High Negotia-tions Committee said on Monday.

Kerry said the approach of the US presidential election in Novem-ber should encourage the parties to work towards an agreement, and he disagreed with those who argued otherwise. “I think it’s actually an incentive to get things done now, while you have an administration that you know is working for a po-litical solution and that you know would be prepared to bring parties together around a reconstruction process for Syria.” — Reuters

R E V I V I N G P E A C E

‘Firms should not blame US for not doing business with Iran’LONDON: Companies should not use the United States as an ex-cuse for not doing business with Iran, US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Tuesday ahead of a meeting with European banks to discuss the Iranian issue.

The United States and Europe lifted sanctions in January under a deal with Iran to limit its nucle-ar programme, but other US sanc-tions remain, including a ban on Iran-linked transactions in dol-lars being processed through the US fi nancial system.

This has meant that few Euro-pean banks, and none of the big ones that have deep relationships with the US banking system, have been willing to get involved in trade with Iran, much to Teh-

ran’s frustration. “Businesses should not use the United States as an excuse if they don’t want to do business, or if they don’t see a good business deal... that’s just not fair, that’s not accurate,” Kerry told reporters shortly after arriving in London.

“We sometimes get used as an excuse in this process,” he added.

A US offi cial confi rmed that Kerry would meet representa-tives of European banking insti-tutions in London on Thursday to address their concerns about conducting business with Iran in the wake of the nuclear deal.

“It’s important to have clar-ity and the clarity is that Euro-pean banks, as long as it’s not a designated entity, are absolutely

free to open accounts for Iran, trade, exchange money, facili-tate a legitimate business agree-ment, bankroll it, lend money — all those things are absolutely open,” Kerry said.

British banks including Barclays, HSBC and Standard Chartered as well as some lenders from other European countries are expected to attend, according to sources familiar with the mat-ter. Spokesmen for the three Brit-ish banks declined to comment.

The Iranian government has complained about not getting the full economic fruits of the nuclear deal. Iran’s Supreme Leader Aya-tollah Ali Khamenei has blamed the delays squarely on the United States. — Reuters

K E R R Y ’ S S T A T E M E N T

LOOKING AT OPPORTUNITIES: Aramco President and CEO Amin Nasser, centre, said the state oil gi-

ant Saudi Aramco, which could soon become the world’s largest listed company, will keep expanding

despite low crude prices. – AFP

RARE ACCEPTANCE: Falconer

Hendri Du Toit gestures as he

holds an eagle in Dubai Desert

Conservation Reserve, in UAE

on Monday. – Reuters

A9

INDIAW E D N E S DAY, M AY 1 1 , 2 0 1 6

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New data from Panama Papers reveals 2,000 India linksNEW DELHI: Nearly 2,000 in-dividuals, entities and addresses with links to India fi gure in the lat-est edition of ‘Panama Papers’ giv-ing information on off shore hold-ing of companies in tax havens.

A random check of the data-base for India displays about 22 off shore entities, 1,046 offi cers or individual links, 42 intermediar-

ies and as many as 828 addresses within the country. These range from the tony and posh locations of metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai to mofussil (suburbs) locations like that in Haryana’s Sirsa, Bihar’s Muzaff arpur, Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur and state capital Bhopal and those in North Eastern states.

“The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) publishes today a searchable data-base that strips away the secrecy of nearly 214,000 off shore entities created in 21 jurisdictions, from Nevada to Hong Kong and the Brit-ish Virgin Islands.

“The data, part of the Panama Papers investigation, is the largest

ever release of information about off shore companies and the peo-ple behind them. This includes, when available, the names of the real owners of those opaque struc-tures,” the consortium said.

The global body that brought out last month the fi rst edition of the ‘Panama Papers’, by way of secret off shore data sourced from a Pana-

manian law fi rm Mossack Fon-seca, said the information about a particular country could have “du-plicates” as it reiterated that “there are legitimate uses for off shore companies and trusts.”

“We do not intend to suggest or imply that any persons, compa-nies or other entities included in the ICIJ Off shore Leaks Database

have broken the law or otherwise acted improperly,” the body said on its web portal as part of the dis-claimer on the release of the off -shore “leaks” database.

Indian investigators had said they “will be looking into” into as much fresh information that comes in this case including the latest revelations. - PTI

O F F S H O R E H O L D I N G O F C O M P A N I E S I N T A X H A V E N S

Gaya murder accused Rocky Yadav arrested

GAYA: Rakesh Ranjan Yadav alias Rocky Yadav, the son of ruling Janata Dal-United(JD-U) MLC Manorama Devi who allegedly shot dead a 20-year-old youth for overtaking his ve-hicle, was arrested from his fa-ther’s mixer plant in the district on Tuesday.

Police have recovered the weapon used in the crime.

“The main accused Rocky Ya-dav was arrested from his father Bindi Yadav’s mixer plant locat-ed at Mastpura village of Bodh Gaya Police Station of Gaya dis-trict. Rocky was arrested along with the weapon (Bretta pistol) used in the crime,” Senior Su-perintendent of Police Garima Mallik told reporters.

Mallik claimed that Rocky, who was produced before me-diapersons during a press con-ference with a mask on his face, had admitted to his crime in a statement.

However, minutes later Rocky Yadav pleaded innocence and denied that he was involved.

“I was in Delhi...when my mother called me I came and presented myself before the SSP... I did not open fi re,” Rocky Yadav told reporters

“I’ll tell everything in the court,” he said.

Rocky Yadav would be pre-sented in a Gaya court later in the day. To a query whether Rocky has surrendered or was arrested, the SSP said, “It is defi -nitely an arrest.” - PTI

R O A D R A G E

NABBED: Gaya SSP, Garima

Malik addresses the media

after the arrest of Rocky Ya-

dav (gagged), accused in the

murder of a teenager, in Gaya

on Tuesday. - PTI

5 killed in road

accident in

Bhavnagar

AHMEDABAD: Five persons, including three women, were killed and two children injured when an SUV collided with a truck in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar district on Tuesday morning, police said. “The accident took place on Bhavnagar-Dholera state highway when the SUV collided head-on with a truck,” an offi cial from Velavadar-Bhal police station said, adding the victims were on their way to Bhavnagar from Mumbai.

Five persons travelling in the SUV were died on the spot, he said, adding four of them were of the same family. - PTI

C O L L I S I O N

A10

INDIA W E D N E S DAY, M AY 1 1 , 2 0 1 6

The allegation against former IAF chief S. P. Tyagi is that he reduced fl ying ceiling of the helicopter from 6,000m to 4,500m which put AgustaWestland helicopters in the race for the deal without which its choppers were not even qualifi ed for submission of bids.

Congress wins floor test in Uttarakhand

DEHRADUN: Congress on Tues-day won the high-stakes trial of strength in the Uttarakhand As-sembly, in a clear setback to the Modi government which had dismissed the state government and imposed President’s Rule on March 28.

As directed by the Supreme Court, the Assembly met for a short duration on Tuesday morn-ing for the fl oor test which was the culmination of a number of twists and turns after the Union Cabinet brought the state under Central rule on the ostensible ground that Congress chief minister Harish Rawat was indulging in horse-trading to retain power.

Subsequently nine rebel Con-gress MLAs were disqualifi ed. The result of Tuesday’s fl oor test is expected to be formally an-nounced on Wednesday after a

video recording of the 90-minute proceedings of the Assembly is presented in the Supreme Court in a sealed envelope, but Congress MLAs claimed victory and BJP MLAs conceded as much.

With the state high court up-holding the Speaker’s decision of disqualifying the nine Congress MLAs which barred them from participating in Tuesday’s vote and the Supreme Court refus-ing to give them relief, the odds were clearly in favour of Rawat in the Assembly whose eff ective strength was reduced to 61.

Congress MLA Sarita Arya claimed that 33 MLAs voted for Rawat while BJP MLAs conceded only 28 voted for them. One MLA each of rival sides — Bhimlal Arya (BJP) and Rekha Arya (Congress) are believed to have cross voted for the other side respectively.

The 33 MLAs for Congress in-cluded six of the PDF comprising Bahujan Samaj Party’s two, UKD’s one and three Independents.

“The cloud of uncertainty hovering over Uttarakhand will disappear tomorrow,” an elated Rawat said after the voting in the assembly. BJP MLAs, who were the fi rst to come out of the as-sembly premises which was out of bounds for the media, said they could bag 28 votes.

The legislative exercise was conducted for nearly an hour with heavy deployment of security per-sonnel around the Assembly and people other than members of the House and its employees not al-lowed into its precincts.

The entire media was kept waiting outside the gates of the Assembly. Nainital MLA Sarita Arya said, “The fl oor test was

conducted strictly as directed by the Supreme Court. I have shared only our victory in the fl oor test with the media from whom noth-ing can be hidden.”

Soon after the BJP members left one after another including Ajay Bhatt, Yatishwaranand, Bis-han Singh Chufal, Tirath Singh Rawat, Pushkar Dhami and Dilip Singh Rawat, President’s Rule was lifted for two hours to allow the exercise to take place in the state assembly which was under suspended animation ever since the state was brought under cen-tral rule on March 27.

The trust vote comes a day after the high court on Monday dismissed the petition of nine Congress MLAs challenging their disqualifi cation and the Supreme Court refusing to give any relief to them. - PTI

The result of fl oor

test is expected to be

formally announced

on Wednesday after

a video recording

of the 90-minute

proceedings of

the Assembly is

presented in the

Supreme Court in

a sealed envelopeRELIEVED: Former chief minister Harish Rawat and Congress MLAs talking to the media after the

fl oor test in the Uttarakhand Assembly, in Dehradun on Tuesday. - PTI

PM can’t be gagged against speaking on corruption: JaitleyNEW DELHI: As Congress mounted off ensive over Naren-dra Modi’s remarks on the Agus-taWestland chopper deal case, the government on Tuesday hit back saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi cannot be gagged against speaking on corruption.

“Prime minister is entitled to speak on corruption” both inside and outside the House and he can-not be “gagged”, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said in the Rajya Sab-ha after a Congress member said he has moved a breach of privilege motion against Modi and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar over PM’s remarks at an election rally on the AgustaWestland issue.

The opposition party had staged protest in the Upper House over the issue on Monday, claiming that the PM had “contradicted” Par-rikar by stating during an election rally that Italian court has indicted Congress president Sonia Gan-dhi in the chopper deal, leading to washout of proceedings.

Shantaram Naik (Congress) said he has moved a breach of privilege notice against the prime minister and the defence minister because of “lies” told outside the House about UPA leaders taking money in the chopper deal.

Jaitley, who is Leader of the House, retorted, “Since when has an election speech by one politi-cian against another outside the House started to be construed as breach of privilege”.

Breach of privilege noticePolitical speech outside by one politician against another is for “publicity” like the Congress members have been doing in front of media on Monday, he said.

“The prime minister is entitled to speak on corruption” both in-side and outside the House and he cannot be “gagged”, he said.

Deputy Chairman P. J. Kurien said he had called Naik to make a zero hour submission as per the notice he had given and not to

raise any other issue like breach of privilege notice.

Congress leader Anand Sharma said the statements made by the prime minister in the house or out-side are as prime minister of the country and there cannot be any distinction between them.

“The prime minister has con-tradicted his defence minister,” he contended. Jaitley responded by saying that the prime minister cannot be gagged against speak-

ing on corruption. After Jaitley’s response, Kurien disallowed any further comments on the issue and proceeded with the listed business of the day.

QuestionedMeanwhile, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday questioned R. K. Nanda, an alleged associate of AgustaWestland mid-dleman Christian Michel, in con-nection with VVIP Helicopter deal

to know the outward fl ow of pur-ported foreign remittances worth Rs 65 million received by his fi rm from Michel.

CBI sources said advocate Gau-tam Khaitan, Praveen Bakshi, CEO of Aeromatrix Infosolutions Pvt Limited and Pratap Aggarwal, Managing Director of IDS Info-tech were also questioned sepa-rately. They said Nanda who runs a travel business based in Con-naught Place here had allegedly set up a shell company Media Exim in which Rs65 million were received from Michel between 2005-07.

The sources said the company was set up in 2005 ostensibly to export jewellery and music CDs but it is suspected that the funds received from Michel were alleg-edly used to purchase properties at Tony locations here.

They said the agency on Tues-day questioned him how the funds were utilised as it believes that they could have been used to infl uence decision makers and

middlemen in the deal. Nanda’s travel company Supreme Airways also received Rs120 million from Global Service FZE, which was Michael’s company in Dubai, in 2012, which was allegedly used to purchase tickets for various infl u-ential people including some for-mer Indian Air Force offi cials.

The sources claimed that he was also questioned in 2013 but now the focus has changed after the Milan Court of Appeals verdict.

CBI had registered a case against former IAF Chief S. P. Tyagi along with 13 others includ-ing his cousins, Bakshi, Aggar-wal and European middlemen--Guido Haschke, Carlo Gerosa and Chritian Michel.

The allegation against Tyagi is that he reduced fl ying ceiling of the helicopter from 6,000m to 4,500m (15,000ft) which put AgustaWest-land helicopters in the race for the deal without which its choppers were not even qualifi ed for sub-mission of bids. - PTI

C H O P P E R S C A M

Delhi woman tops civil services exam; J&K boy gets second rankNEW DELHI: Delhi girl Tina Dabi has topped the 2015 civil services examination, while rail-way offi cer Athar Aamir Ul Shafi Khan from Indian administered-Kashmir has got second rank in the results which were declared on Tuesday.

Besides them, Delhi-based Jas-meet Singh Sandhu, an Indian Revenue Service offi cer, has se-cured third position.

Topping the list in her fi rst at-tempt, a beaming 22-year-old Tina, who graduated from Lady Shri Ram College here, said, “It is indeed a proud moment for me”.

Twenty-three-year-old Athar, who hails from Anantnag in South Kashmir, got through the test in his second attempt.

In his fi rst attempt in 2014, he had got Indian Railway Traffi c Service (IRTS) and is presently undergoing training in Indian Railways Institute of Transport Management, Lucknow.It is a dream come true,” an elated Athar said, adding, “I will not leave any

stone unturned to work for the betterment of people”.

Jasmeet, whose father works in Indian Council of Agricultural Re-search here, thanked his parents and teachers for his success.

“It is all because of my family, friends and Mukul Pathak sir (who runs a coaching class) that I could secure third rank in the exam,” he said. Jasmeet was also selected in 2014 civil services exam and had got Indian Revenue Service

(Customs and Central Excise). He is undergoing training at National Academy of Customs, Excise and Narcotics in Faridabad.

A total of 1,078 candidates, in-cluding 499 in General category, 314 belonging to Other Backward Class, 176 from Scheduled Caste and 89 from Scheduled Tribe, have been recommended for ap-pointment to various central gov-ernment services, the Union Pub-lic Service Commission said. - PTI

A C H I E V E M E N T

Modi insulted Kerala

by likening it to

Somalia, says Chandy

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister of Kerala Oommen Chandy on Tuesday lambasted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for comparing Kerala to Somalia, saying he has insulted the state, and asked him to show some “po-litical decency” by withdrawing his remark.

In a hard-hitting letter to Modi, Chandy said the prime minister’s comparison of Kerala to Somalia during a recent poll campaign rally while claiming that the state had ‘adverse’ economic and social pa-rameters has “shocked” the people of the state as it has nothing to do with the ground realities.

He also requested Modi to show some “political decency” by with-drawing the statement as they are “baseless and contrary to ground realities.” Referring to the state-ment, Chandy said, “This is un-becoming of a prime minister and has created a great deal of agony and protest.”

“With great deal of regret, let me point out that they (previous PMs) never attempted anything that brought disrepute to the offi ce of the Prime Minister like you have done,” he said in the letter, a copy of which was released to the media.

Countering Modi’s remark that the state had lagged behind in vari-ous growth indicators including health and education, Chandy said Kerala was above national average in terms of economic growth and human resource development for the past fi ve years.

Chandy also said the state’s human resource has caught the attention of the world. “Yet, you (PM) compared Kerala to Somalia that is reeling under poverty and internal strife. Is it not a shame for the prime minister to pronounce that a state like Somalia exists in the country?,” Chandy said.

On Modi’s jibe over the solar scam, in which allegations have been raised against him, Chandy said “no one in Kerala is going to be in panic on hearing the word ‘solar’”. He said people of Kerala know well that not even a single penny of the government was lost in the scam, which is a fi nancial fraud whose victims are private parties. - PTI

R E M A R K

ELATED: Combo: Civil Services Examination 2015 toppers Tina

Dabi (1st rank), Athar Aamir Ul Shafi Khan (2nd rank) and Jas-

meet Singh Sandhu (3rd rank). - PTI

The opposition party had staged protest in the Upper

House over the issue on Monday, claiming that the

PM had ‘contradicted’ Parrikar by stating during an

election rally that Italian court has indicted Congress

president Sonia Gandhi in the chopper deal

Yet, you (PM) compared

Kerala to Somalia that

is reeling under poverty

and internal strife. Is it

not a shame for the prime

minister to pronounce

that a state like Somalia

exists in the country?

Oommen ChandyKerala chief minister

A11

PAKISTANW E D N E S DAY, M AY 1 1 , 2 0 1 6

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the curve with

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MASS-WEDDING CEREMONY Pakistani brides arrive in a Baggi — horse drawn carriage — to attend a mass-wedding ceremony in Karachi late on Monday. Some 135 couples participated in

the mass wedding ceremony organised by a local charity welfare trust Al Ghousia Welfare Organisation. — AFP

US, Afghan forces rescue kidnapped son of Gilani

ISLAMABAD: The kidnapped son of a former Pakistani prime minister has been rescued in Af-ghanistan in a joint operation by Afghan and US forces, three years after gunmen abducted him in his Pakistani home town, offi cials said on Tuesday.

Ali Haider Gilani, son of ex-premier Yousuf Raza Gilani, “has been recovered today in a joint op-eration carried out by the Afghan and US security forces in Ghazni, Afghanistan”, the Pakistani for-eign offi ce said in a statement.

It added that he would be trans-ferred to Pakistan after a medical

check-up. In a separate statement, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s offi ce said Afghan security forces defeated an Al Qaeda cell in a joint operation with international forces, and suggested that the dis-covery of Gilani may have been accidental.

“During this anti-insurgency operation, Ali Haider Gilani... was

identifi ed at the site of the opera-tion, and was freed from terror-ists,” it said.

According to Ghani’s offi ce, the raid occurred in neighbouring Pa-ktika province, which also borders Pakistan’s restive tribal areas.

US forces in Afghanistan con-fi rmed Gilani had been rescued in a joint raid with Afghan com-

mandos in the Gayan district of Paktika, according to a statement released on Tuesday.

Four enemy combatants were killed during the operation, which involved US special forces and was carried out under the “Free-dom’s Sentinel” counter-terror-ism mandate.

“When we fi rst heard the news,

we didn’t believe it and only be-lieved it once the foreign offi ce confi rmed it,” Ali Musa Gilani, Ali Haider’s brother, told Pakistan’s Geo TV.

“Right now, we don’t have any plans to celebrate. We are just waiting to see his face.”

Ali Haider was abducted out-side an offi ce of the Pakistan Peo-ples Party (PPP) in his home town of Multan, in southern Punjab province, two days before Paki-stan’s landmark May 11, 2013 gen-eral election.

His father, a veteran PPP mem-ber, was prime minister from 2008 to 2012, when he was re-moved from offi ce by the Supreme Court over contempt of court charges related to his refusal to reopen corruption cases against then-president Asif Ali Zardari.

A smiling Yousuf Raza Gilani was seen hand-in-hand with PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari at an election rally in Pakistan-ad-ministered Kashmir shortly after news of the release broke.

He briefl y thanked supporters for their prayers and good wishes during his speech to the crowd.

Ali Haider’s was not the only high-profi le abduction in Pakistan in recent years.

The son of a Pakistani governor, assassinated for criticising the country’s blasphemy laws, was kidnapped in 2011.

Shahbaz Taseer was recovered in the southwestern city of Quetta in March. — Reuters

Ali Haider was

abducted outside an

offi ce of the Pakistan

People’s Party in his

home town of Multan,

in southern Punjab

province, two days

before Pakistan’s

landmark May 11,

2013 general election

RECOVERED: Ali Haider Gilani, son of former Pakistani prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, who is

contesting in the upcoming general election, speaks during a campaign meeting at a house on the

outskirts of Multan May 9, 2013, before his abduction by unidentifi ed gunmen. — Reuters/Stringer/File Photo

Sharif to address parliament after opposition boycott over Panama leaksISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will ap-pear before parliament to answer questions on the Panama Papers leak that linked his family to off -shore wealth, an offi cial said on Tuesday, after lawmakers walked out of the assembly.

Leaked documents from the Mossack Fonseca law fi rm in Pan-ama last month showed Sharif ’s sons, Hassan and Hussain, and his daughter, Maryam, owned at least three off shore holding com-panies registered in the British Virgin Islands.

Sharif and his family have re-peatedly denied any wrongdoing, saying that assets mentioned in the leaked papers were legally acquired through the family’s net-

work of businesses and industries in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and elsewhere.

Opposition lawmakers walked out of both the Senate and the National Assembly on Monday

and Tuesday, demanding that the prime minister come to parlia-ment to answer their questions.

“The prime minister will attend parliament on Friday and answer all allegations,” Information Min-

ister Pervez Rashid told the leg-islature, adding that Sharif could not attend the session earlier due to an offi cial visit to Tajikistan.

The leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Khur-sheed Shah, welcomed the news that Sharif would appear on Fri-day but said the opposition would continue their boycott until then.

“We don’t want any confronta-tion, but the PM should clear his position and take parliament into confi dence on his assets and tax details,” Shah told reporters.

Opposition politician Imran Khan has threatened to launch street protests against Sharif, seizing on the Panama Papers as a fresh opportunity to try to unseat him. — Reuters

U N D E R P R E S S U R E

The prime minister will

attend parliament on

Friday and answer all

allegations, said the

information ministerNawaz Sharif

Two killed as bombblast rocks QuettaQUETTA: At least two police-men were killed while fi ve oth-ers injured in an explosion near Balochistan University in Quetta on Tuesday.

Talking to Express News, Balo-chistan Home Minister Sarfaraz Bugti confi rmed the incident.

“The attack targeted a check-post in which two police personnel lost their lives while fi ve more are injured, including three police per-sonnel,” he said.

“The injured have been shifted to the hospital and bomb dis-posal squad is carrying out inves-tigation of the blast,” the home minister added.

However, he declined to disclose any further detail.

The outlawed Tehreek-e-Tali-

ban Pakistan claimed responsibil-ity for the attack.

“The TTP’s special unit MSG targeted the police through IED,” the TTP spokesperson said in a statement.

Frequent attacksThe banned TTP and Baloch insur-gents frequently carry out attacks on security forces and government installations in the province which is home to a raging insurgency that has claimed the lives of hundreds of soldiers and militants since it re-ignited in 2004.

The province’s roughly seven million inhabitants have long complained they do not receive a fair share of its gas and mineral wealth. — Express Tribune

T A L I B A N S T R I K E

Police kill former offi cial in shootout

PESHAWAR: A retired Frontier Corps offi cial was killed on Tues-day morning during a shootout with police in a local hotel in Peshawar.

The man who was killed in mys-terious circumstances at Bangash Hotel in Dabgari area had stayed in one of the hotel rooms last night, SSP Operations Abbas Majeed Marwat told The Express Tribune.

“The person had identifi ed him-self as Yahya, a resident of Wazir-sistan and stayed in room 24 of the hotel,” the police offi cer said.

“The next morning when hotel staff knocked at the door, he fi red from inside.”

The fi ring prompted the hotel management to call for additional police force which used tear gas to tackle the suspect, however, when the fi ring stopped the man was found dead in the room, the senior police offi cial maintained.

Further, the hotel manager said the person was a retired Frontier Corps offi cial and his card and other belongings have been seized by the police.

According to police, a gun and several bullets were recovered from the possession of the ac-cused while a gunny bag was also removed from the room and was handed over to the bomb disposal squad for clearance. “The sus-pect’s age has been estimated as 35 years,” Marwat said, however, the police offi cial declined to give any details about the possible motives of the shooter . — Express Tribune

P E S H A W A R

10 Indian fi shermen detained

KARACHI: Pakistani Authori-ties arrested on Tuesday 10 In-dian fi shermen who were allegedly violating the territorial waters of the country.

The apprehended fi sher-men were violating the territory while fi shing in the open sea, said spokesperson of Maritime Securi-ty Agency (MSA). Two boats were also seized from the possession of the fi shermen, he added.

Meanwhile, Docks police sta-tion said cases have been regis-tered against those held under un-der the foreign and fi sheries acts of the the law.

Pakistan and India frequently arrest fi shermen as the maritime border in Arabian sea is poorly defi ned and many boats lack the technology to be aware of their precise location.

Karachi prisonsRecently, Pakistan released more than 300 Indian fi shermen who had completed their term while over 400 others are currently in Karachi prisons.

The fi shermen often languish in jail even after serving their term as poor diplomatic ties between the two arch-rivals mean fulfi lling of-fi cial requirements can take a long time. — Express Tribune

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#TRENDING

Corruption is structured just like organised crimeWilliam J. Burns & Michael Mullen

Pope Francis has called corruption “the gan-grene of a people.” US Secretary of State John Kerry has labeled it a “radicaliser,”

because it “destroys faith in legitimate author-ity.” And British Prime Minister David Cameron has described it as “one of the greatest enemies of progress in our time.” Corruption, put simply, is the abuse of public offi ce for personal gain. As leaders increasingly recognise, it is a menace to development, human dignity, and global security. At the anti-corruption summit in London on May 12, world leaders – together with representatives from business and civil society – will have a criti-cal opportunity to act on this recognition.

Corruption is decried across cultures and throughout history. It has existed as long as gov-ernment has; but, like other crimes, it has grown increasingly sophisticated over the last several decades, with devastating eff ects on the wellbeing and dignity of countless innocent citizens.

For starters, corruption cripples prospects for development. When, say, public-procurement fraud is rampant, or royalties for natural resources are stolen at the source, or the private sector is mo-nopolized by a narrow network of cronies, popula-tions are unable to realize their potential.

But corruption also has another, less-recognised impact. As citizens watch their leaders enrich themselves at the expense of the population, they become increasingly frustrated and angry – senti-ments that can lead to civil unrest and violent con-fl ict. Many current international security crises are rooted in this dynamic.

Indignation at the highhanded behaviour of a corrupt police offi cer helped to drive a Tunisian fruit seller to set himself on fi re in 2010, touching off revolutions across the Arab world. Protesters demanded that specifi c ministers be arrested and put on trial, and they called for the return of pil-fered assets – demands that were rarely met.

In places where government offi cials enjoy (and often fl aunt) their enrichment and impunity, ex-tremist movements – including the Taliban, Boko Haram, and the IS – exploit citizens’ outrage. The only way to restore public integrity, these groups assert, is by means of a rigidly applied code of personal conduct. With no viable recourse – and no avenue for peaceful appeal – such language has grown increasingly persuasive. It is clear that

corruption must be combated. What is less clear is how to do it. In a world of competing demands, corrupt governments may seem to serve vital pur-poses. One deploys soldiers to the fi ght against ter-rorism; another provides critical energy supplies or access to raw materials. Leaders must inevita-bly contend with diffi cult tradeoff s.

To determine the best approach in each specifi c case, governments must analyse the problem more eff ectively, which means improving the collection of intelligence and data. As security expert Sarah Chayes argues in Against Corruption, the volume of essays that the British government will publish to accompany the summit, corruption today is structured practice. It is the work of sophisticated networks, not unlike organized crime (with which corrupt agents are often integrated). Governments must study these activities and their consequenc-es the same way they study transnational criminal or terrorist organisations.

Armed with such assessments, donor countries must structure assistance in a way that mitigates corruption risks. Military or development as-sistance is not apolitical. Programmes must be tailored to ensure that funds are not captured by kleptocratic elites. This means that anti-corrup-tion eff orts can no longer be shunted off to under-resourced specialists; they must be central to the planning of major development initiatives or the sale of costly weapons systems. Recipient govern-ments must understand that funding will dry up if they continue to squander or steal it. In fact, cor-ruption and its implications must inform the way Western offi cials interact with their counterparts in the developing world. The departments that we spent our careers serving – the US State Depart-ment and the US Department of Defense – set great store by building relationships. Diplomats depend on these relationships to advance their national interests, and professional ties between military offi cers are sometimes the only channels that weather political storms. But diplomats and military brass alike should be willing to take a step back when appropriate, condition their interac-tions, and make use of available leverage – even at the risk of a counterpart’s wrath.- Project Syndicate

Scan this QR for full articleHow is expat labour or NOC linked with economy?

This refers to the story, NOC, two-year ban to stay until Oman econo-my improves (May 9). I don’t think economy has any connection with expatriate labour or NOC. If someone knows or understands how

economy is connected then please explain. It would be very much appreciated. — Waji Khan, Muscat via Facebook

Companies need to have good retention packagesThis refers to the story, NOC, two-year ban to stay until Oman economy improves (May 9). In my opinion this ban should continue. One must think of it in a positive way, as companies have strict limits to bring expat manpower so when it comes to employ-ment they should select carefully. Along with this there should be good retention packages to avoid staff leaving the country. — Fahad Al Harthi, Muscat via Facebook

Ban only aids fresh jobseekersThis refers to the video, NOC and two-year ban to stay until economy improves(May 9).

This ban should be removed at the earliest as it is giving chance only to fresh jobseekers while skilled persons are unable to return. — Mirza Zayan, Muscat via Facebook

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Plan for IT park in RusaylMUSCAT: In a major development, India would be assisting Oman in the IT (Information Technology) segment, part of which includes building a full-fl edged IT park, which is said to be a dream project that the Sultanate has been mulling over for some time. The IT park, which is so far been relegated to a conceptual stage is very much a possibility now and the move towards its fast gaining momentum because of renewed cooperation in the IT fi eld by Oman and India, top sources told the Times of Oman yesterday, The park is proposed to be built in Rusayl and would have a dedicate infrastructure with every telecommunication facilities possible.

1812: British Prime Minster Spencer Perceval is shot by a bankrupt banker in the lobby of the House of Commons.

1858: Minnesota is admitted as the 32nd US state.

1864: Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart is mortally wounded at Yellow Tavern.

1941: Siege of Khe Sanh ends, the base is still in US hands.

M O S T R E A DTIMESOFOMAN.COM

M O S T P O P U L A R V I D E O

M O S T S H A R E DFACEBOOK.COM/TIMESOFOMAN

Donald Trump wants to keep the drama going. He will hype the

meeting with Speaker Paul Ryan like the Mike Tyson-Michael Spinks heavyweight match in

Atlantic City. The press will buy it. His motorcade to the Capitol

will be covered like O.J. Simpson’s ride in the Ford Bronco on the Los

Angeles Freeway

MARGARET CARLSON

Turkey and EU are working together closely to execute the deal, yet

relations between them are strained. It’s legitimacy and legality has

rightly faced a wave of skepticism from NGOs, charities, and human-

rights lawyers. As the agreement is implemented, a number of

fl ashpoints are already foreseeable

GUY VERHOFSTADT

Though seven of 10 Venezuelans want to see the back of Maduro,

that approval rating is almost enviable in a region where national

leaders, from Chile’s Michelle Bachelet to Mexico’s Enrique Peña Nieto, are in disgrace, and Brazil’s Dilma Rousseff is on the verge of

being impeached

MAC MARGOLIS

F R O M O U R A R C H I V E S

T O D A Y I N H I S T O R Y

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NEW INDIAASSURANCE

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New India and

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People who get nostalgic about childhood were obviously never children.

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A13

ASIAW E D N E S DAY, M AY 1 1 , 2 0 1 6

Duterte plans overhaul of government in Philippines

MANILA: The Philippines’ president-elect, rough-talking city mayor Rodrigo Duterte, an-nounced plans on Tuesday for an overhaul of the country’s system of government that would devolve power from “imperial Manila” to long-neglected provinces.

Duterte’s win in Monday’s poll has not been confi rmed, but an unoffi cial count of votes by an election commission-accredited watchdog showed he had a huge lead over his two closest rivals, both of whom conceded defeat. By Tuesday afternoon, the ballot count showed Duterte had almost 39 per cent of votes cast.

He was more than 6 million

votes ahead of the second-placed candidate with 92 per cent of votes counted from an electorate of 54 million. It is not clear when Duterte’s victory will be offi cially declared but he is expected to take offi ce on June 30.

Votes were also cast on Monday for vice-president.

One day on, counting showed the outgoing administration’s candidate, Maria Leonor Robre-do, ahead of the son and namesake of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Duterte’s spokesman, Peter Lavi-na, told a news conference that the new president would seek a

national consensus for a revision of the constitution which would switch from a unitary form of gov-ernment to a parliamentary and federal model. The proposal to de-volve power from Manila fi ts with Duterte’s challenge as a political outsider to the country’s estab-lishment, which he has slammed as self-serving and corrupt.

“The powerful elites in Manila who will be aff ected by this sys-tem will defi nitely oppose this proposal,” said Earl Parreno, an analyst at the Institute for Po-litical and Electoral Reforms. Du-terte’s spokesman said he would

also seek peace agreements with rebel groups in the south of the archipelago, where the outgoing government has been using force to quell militancy.

The 71-year-old’s truculent de-fi ance of political tradition has drawn comparisons with US Re-publican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

That tapped into popular dis-gust with the ruling class over its failure to reduce poverty and in-equality despite several years of robust economic growth.

Duterte’s vows to restore law and order also resonated with vot-

ers. But his incendiary rhetoric and advocacy of extrajudicial kill-ings to stamp out crime and drugs have alarmed many who hear ech-oes of the country’s authoritarian past. US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and the Pacifi c Daniel Russel told reporters in Vi-etnam that Washington respected the choice of the Philippine peo-ple and “will gladly work with the leader that they select”.

Duterte made a succession of winding, bellicose and at-times comical remarks late on Monday as the votes were being counted, venting over corruption and bad governance.

Wearing a casual checked shirt and slouched in a chair, he said corrupt offi cials should “retire or die” and reiterated his support for police to use deadly force against criminals. “I’ll behave if I become president,” he said, adding that he would not make state visits to countries with cold weather.

In an early indication of his unorthodoxy, Duterte told report-ers on Monday that if he became president he would seek multilat-eral talks to resolve disputes over the South China Sea.

The outgoing administration of President Benigno Aquino has asked a court of arbitration in The Hague to recognise its right to ex-ploit waters in the South China Sea, a case it hoped could bolster claims by other countries against China in the resource-rich waters. Duterte said negotiations should include Japan, Australia and the United States, which is tradition-ally the region’s dominant secu-rity player and contests China’s development of islands and rocky outcrops in the sea. - Reuters

Rodrigo Duterte’s win

in Monday’s poll has

not been confi rmed,

but an unoffi cial

count of votes by an

election commission-

accredited watchdog

showed he had a

huge lead over his

two closest rivals,

both of whom

conceded defeat INCHING TOWARDS VICTORY: Presidential candidate Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte talks to reporters in

Davao city in southern Philippines, on Monday. Duterte, announced plans on Tuesday for an overhaul

of the country’s system of government that would devolve power from “imperial Manila” to long-

neglected provinces. - Reuters/Erik De Castro

North Korea’s Kim caps rare congress with colourful mass rallyPYONGYANG: Thousands of ecstatic North Koreans joined a mass rally and parade on Tuesday as leader Kim Jong Un capped off the consolidation of his power at a ruling party congress at which he formalised its claim to be a nuclear weapons power.

Kim used the party congress, the fi rst in 36 years, to highlight North Korea’s aim to expand its nuclear ar-senal, in defi ance of UN sanctions, though he said the weapons would only be used if North Korea was threatened with similar weapons. Kim also set out a fi ve-year plan to revive his isolated country’s creak-ing economy, although it was short on targets, and the party enshrined Kim’s “Byongjin” policy of simulta-

neous pursuit of nuclear weapons and economic development.

“Under the authorisation of Workers’ Party Chairman Kim Jong Un, the Central Committee sends the warmest greetings to the people and soldiers who con-cluded the 70-day battle with the greatest of victory and glorifi ed the Congress as an auspicious event,” Kim Yong Nam, the titular head of state, told the rally under over-cast skies in the capital’s Kim Il Sung Square.

North Korea had been engaged in a 70-day campaign of acceler-ated productivity in the run-up to the Workers’ Party congress, in-cluding sprucing-up the capital, a gruelling exercise that left many

people exhausted, Western resi-dents said.

But there was no sign of that at Tuesday’s rally, where thousands shouted “manse!”, or “live forever!” while clasping their hands in the air or waving pink fl owers as they passed before Kim and other top offi cials on a leaders’ platform.

Kim, 33, had traded the western-style suit he wore at the four-day congress for the more traditional uniform of North Korean leaders, a dark jacket buttoned to the col-lar. He smiled and waved at the crowd and chatted with military and party aides, state media foot-age showed.

Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, who was formally elected by the con-

gress to the party’s Central Com-mittee, stood next to him for some of the time. The young leader Kim, who assumed power in 2011 after his father’s death, took on the new title of party chairman on Monday.

The promotion — his previous party title was fi rst secretary — had been predicted by analysts who had expected Kim would use the congress to further shore up his power. Among other changes at the congress, a former army Chief of General Staff who South Korean media had reported had been purged and executed, was elected alternate member of the party Politburo and a member of the powerful Central Military Commission. - Reuters

W O R K E R S ’ P A R T Y C O N G R E S S

China scrambles fi ghters as US sails

warship near Chinese-claimed reef

BEIJING: China scrambled fi ghter jets on Tuesday as a US navy ship sailed close to a disput-ed reef in the South China Sea, a patrol China denounced as an il-legal threat to peace which only went to show its defence installa-tions in the area were necessary.

Guided missile destroyer the USS William P. Lawrence trav-elled within 12 nautical miles of Chinese-occupied Fiery Cross Reef, Defence Department spokesman Bill Urban said.

The so-called freedom of navi-gation operation was undertaken to “challenge excessive maritime claims” by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam which were seeking to restrict navigation rights in the South China Sea, he said.

“These excessive maritime claims are inconsistent with in-ternational law as refl ected in the Law of the Sea Convention in that they purport to restrict the navigation rights that the United States and all states are entitled to exercise,” Urban said in an emailed statement.

Beijing and Washington have traded accusations that the other is militarising the South China Sea as China undertakes large-scale land reclamations and con-struction on disputed featues while the United States has in-creased its patrols and exercises in the region.

Facilities on Fiery Cross Reef include a 3,000-metre (10,000-

foot) runway and Washington is concerned China will use it to press its extensive territorial claims at the expense of weaker rivals. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the US ship illegally entered Chinese wa-ters and was tracked and warned.

“This action by the US side threatened China’s sovereignty and security interests, endan-gered the staff and facilities on the reef, and damaged regional peace and stability,” he told a daily news briefi ng. China claims most of the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. The Phil-ippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Tai-wan and Brunei also have over-lapping claims. The Pentagon last

month called on China to reaffi rm it has no plans to deploy military aircraft in the disputed Spratly Is-lands after Beijing used a military plane to evacuate sick workers from Fiery Cross.

“Fiery Cross is sensitive be-cause it is presumed to be the future hub of Chinese military operations in the South China Sea, given its already extensive infrastructure, including its large and deep port and 3000-metre runway,” said Ian Storey, a South China Sea expert at Singapore’s ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute.

“The timing is interesting, too. It is a show of US determination ahead of President Obama’s trip to Vietnam later this month,” Sto-rey added. - Reuters

S O U T H C H I N A S E A

DISPUTED REEF: In this March 30, 2016 US Navy handout photo,

the guided missile destroyer USS William P. Lawrence (DDG

110) transits the Philippine Sea. The US on May 10, 2016 sailed

a warship close to a disputed South China Sea reef Beijing has

built up into an artifi cial island, offi cials said, prompting China

to express ‘dissatisfaction and opposition’. - AFP / Navy Media Content

Operations (NMCO) / MC2 Andrew P. Holmes

UPBEAT: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks at the Seventh

Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), which closed on

Monday, in this undated photo released by North Korea’s Korean

Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang on Tuesday. - Reuters/KCNA

Afghan Taliban tighten squeeze on Helmand

LASHKAR GAH (Afghanistan): Taliban insurgents killed at least 15 Afghan policemen when they overran two checkpoints in Hel-mand province in an attack on Tuesday that sharply increased pressure on the beleaguered pro-vincial capital of Lashkar Gah, of-fi cials said.

The attack on checkpoints in Gereshk, on the main highway through Helmand, a few kilome-tres to the north of the governor’s compound in Lashkar Gah, and Nad Ali, to the west of the town, underlined the growing pressure on security forces clinging on in the southern province.

“The situation is very critical near Lashkar Gah,” said a senior provincial security offi cial, adding that 15 policeman had been killed. “If the government does not act soon, there will be a disaster,” said the offi cial who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Helmand, a Taliban heartland and the biggest source of Afghani-stan’s opium, has been under pres-sure for months, with government forces pulling out of several districts to regroup around Lashkar Gah.

The province is one of the key battlegrounds for the Taliban, who launched a spring off ensive last month, vowing to drive out the Western-backed government in Kabul. After briefl y capturing the northern city of Kunduz last year, the insurgents, who control more territory than at any time since 2001, appear determined to gain control of a province to use as a base for their campaign. Hundreds of American troops were sent to Helmand this year to bolster its defence with a beefed up training and advisory mission but a prom-ised off ensive by Afghan forces has not materialised. - Reuters

I N S U R G E N C Y

“The situation is very critical near Lashkar Gah,” said a senior provincial security offi cial, adding that 15 policeman had been killed.

A14

GLOBAL EYEW E D N E S DAY, M AY 1 1 , 2 0 1 6

OKLAHOMA: A tornado rips through a residential area after touching down south of Wynnewood, Oklahoma on Monday. The tornado touched down quickly and destroyed an unknown number of structures

before a series of other twisters riddled the area. One person is confi rmed dead. — AFP/HANDOUT/Josh EDELSON

CUBA: Picture released on Tuesday by Cuban offi cial website www.cubadebate.cu showing Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah,

left, — President of the Olympic Council of Asia, IOC Member — giving a gift to Cuban former president Fidel Castro, right,

in Havana. — AFP/www.cubadebate.cu/Estudios Revolucion

JORDAN: A Jordanian Bedouin sits on a camel in front of the Treasury Building in the ancient city of Petra in Jordan on Monday. Es-

tablished as the capital city of the Nabataeans, the rose rock city is Jordan’s most popular touristic site and was chosen as one of the

seven New Wonders of the World in 2007. — AFP

NICARAGUA: Partial view of the Limpia y Pura e Inmaculada Con-

cepcin fortress or “El Castillo”, in Rio San Juan, some 350km from

Managua, Nicaragua, on Friday, photo released on Tuesday. — AFP

FRANCE: US actor and producer Josh Gad poses on Tuesday dur-

ing a photocall for the animated fi lm The Angry Birds Movie on the

eve of the opening of the 69th edition of the Cannes Film Festival,

southern France. — AFP

CHINA: A man wearing a costume of Xiaomi’s mascot doll takes a

rest at a launching ceremony of Xiaomi Mi Max in Beijing, China on

Tuesday. — Reuters

BRITAIN: A woman waters Cacti at the Tropical Nursery at Kew

Gardens in south-west London, Britain, on Monday. — AFP

A15

WORLDW E D N E S DAY, M AY 1 1 , 2 0 1 6

Obama to visit Hiroshima

W A S H I N G T O N / T O K Y O : Barack Obama will become the fi rst sitting US president to visit Hiroshima in Japan later this month, but he will not apologise for the United States’ dropping of an atomic bomb on the city in World War II, the White House said on Tuesday.

Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize early in his presidency in 2009 in

part for his commitment to nu-clear nonproliferation, Obama on May 27 will visit the site of the world’s fi rst nuclear bomb at-tack with Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. With the end of his last term in offi ce approaching in

January 2017, Obama will “high-light his continued commitment to pursuing the peace and security of a world without nuclear weap-ons,” the White House said in a statement.

“He will not revisit the decision

to use the atomic bomb at the end of World War II. Instead, he will off er a forward-looking vision fo-cused on our shared future,” US Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes wrote in a separate blog. The visit comes as part of a May 20-28 swing through Asia, which will include a Group of Seven summit in Japan and a visit to Vietnam. It will be the 10th trip to the region for Obama, who has tried to make a foreign policy “piv-ot” toward Asia. On the fi nal day of the summit in Japan, Obama and Abe will visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park near the spot where a US warplane dropped an atomic bomb 71 years ago at the end of World War II. There have been concerns that a US presiden-tial visit would be controversial in the United States if it were seen as an apology. The bomb dropped on August 6, 1945 killed thousands of people instantly and about 140,000 by the end of that year. Another was dropped on the city of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, and Japan surrendered six days later.

The majority of Americans view the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as justifi ed to end the war and save US lives, while most Japanese see it as unjusti-fi ed. Abe, speaking to reporters in Tokyo, said he hoped “to turn this into an opportunity for the US and Japan to together pay tribute to the memories of the victims” of the nuclear bombing.

“President Obama visiting Hi-roshima and expressing toward the world the reality of the impact of nuclear radiation will contrib-ute greatly to establishing a world without nuclear arms,” Abe added.

After US Secretary of State John Kerry visited Hiroshima last month, survivors of the bomb-ing and other residents said that if Obama visits, they hope for progress in ridding the world of nuclear weapons, rather than an apology. US Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy also recently travelled to the city, according to Rhodes, adding that it was “the appropriate moment” Obama to visit. — Reuters

US president will

visit the site of the

world’s fi rst nuclear

bomb attack with

Japan’s Prime

Minister Shinzo

Abe on May 27

One killed in knife attack

MUNICH: A man stabbed four people at a train station near Mu-nich early on Tuesday, killing one and injuring three in an attack a senior politician said did not ap-pear to be politically motivated.

Police earlier said they were checking witness statements that the alleged assailant, a 27-year-old man who was under arrest and the only suspect, shouted slogan.

But Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said he had received no indications that the man had a migrant background, telling reporters: “So far there are no fi ndings that are relevant for state security.”

He said the man had shown up in a diff erent part of Germany a few days ago, suspected of using drugs and exhibiting behaviour suggesting he might be mentally disturbed. Bavarian radio said he used a knife with a 10cm (4 inch) blade in the apparently indis-criminate attack, which took place around 5am. — Reuters

G E R M A N Y

Amazon launches new video serviceWASHINGTON: Amazon.com Inc launched a service on Tues-day that allows users to post vid-eos and earn royalties from them, setting up the world’s biggest on-line retailer to compete directly with Alphabet Inc’s YouTube.

The service, called Amazon Video Direct, will make the up-loaded videos available to rent or own, to view free with ads, or be packaged together and off ered as an add-on subscription.

Amazon will pay content crea-tors 50 per cent of the revenue earned from rental receipts or sale of the videos, according to the company’s license agree-ment. For ad-supported videos, the creators will get half of the net ad receipts.

Amazon’s fast-growing Prime loyalty programme already off ers original TV programming and access to digital entertainment products such as Prime Music and Prime Video, as well as one-hour delivery of purchases, for an annual fee of $99.

YouTube off ers a free, ad-supported service as well as a

$10-per-month subscription op-tion called YouTube Red. Ama-zon, though, has a long way to go to catch up with YouTube, the go-to venue for video on the internet since 2005. “I don’t see 50 million Prime users making a huge dent in the 2 billion YouTube user ecosystem,” Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter said in an email to Reuters.

Ivan Feinseth, at Tigress Fi-nancial Partners, said Amazon had the technological where-withal and fi nancial resources to be a contender in any business, but was similarly cautious.

“I don’t know if it’s going to totally disrupt YouTube, or even some of the other services, but for those that are heavy Amazon users, it will have an appeal,” he told Reuters. Amazon’s shares, al-ready up about 57 per cent in the past 12 months, rose 3.2 per cent to an intraday record of $701.40.

Users of Amazon’s service will be able to make their videos avail-able in United States, Germany, Austria, the United Kingdom and Japan. — Reuters

T A K I N G A I M A T Y O U T U B E

FIRST SITTING US PRESIDENT TO VISIT: Guards stand near the

gutted atomic bomb dome in the Peace Memorial Park in Hiro-

shima, Japan in this fi le photograph. – Reuters fi le

Impeachment of Brazil president back on trackBRASILIA: Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff ’s looming sus-pension from offi ce was back on track on Tuesday after the speak-er of the lower house of Congress withdrew his controversial deci-sion to annul an impeachment vote against her.

The Senate will vote on Wednesday whether to put Rousseff on trial for breaking budget laws. If, as is widely ex-pected, a simple majority agrees to hold the trial, she will be auto-matically suspended from offi ce for up to six months.

Vice-President Michel Temer would take over as president, and if Rousseff were convicted and removed defi nitively, he would stay in the post until elections in 2018. As the prospect grew of Rousseff ’s ouster and a poten-tial end to 13 years of rule by her leftist Workers Party (PT), anti-impeachment protesters blocked roads with burning tires in dem-onstrations in Sao Paulo, the capital Brasilia and other cities, snarling morning traffi c.

The PT and labour unions called for a national strike to resist what they call a “coup” against democracy.

Speaker Waldir Maranhao’s surprise decision on Monday to annul the lower house’s April vote threw Brazilian markets into dis-array and threatened to drag out a painful political crisis with a con-stitutional standoff that could have ended up at the Supreme Court. Brazil’s currency, the real, strengthened 1 per cent early on Tuesday after the speaker’s re-versal - a refl ection of investor

hopes that a more market-friend-ly government will soon take over the recession-hit country under Temer, who is forming a cabinet with pro-business fi gures.

In a statement to the Senate, Maranhao did not cite any rea-son for backtracking on his deci-sion to annul due to “procedural fl aws” the lower house’s April 17 vote. The vote had overwhelm-ingly recommended that the Sen-ate try Rousseff .

Maranhao, a little known politician before taking over last week after the removal of Ed-uardo Cunha for obstruction of a corruption investigation, faces expulsion from his center-right Progressive Party, which sup-ports Rousseff ’s impeachment.

Senate President Renan Cal-heiros said Monday that Mara-nhao was “playing with democra-cy” and vowed the Senate would press ahead with Wednesday’s vote. It is expected to take place at about 8pm (2300 GMT) at the end of an all-day session of speeches. — Reuters

S E N A T E T O V O T E T O D A Y

IN TROUBLE AGAIN: Brazilian

President Dilma Rousseff . – AFP

MARKEWWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COMW E D N E S DAY, M AY 1 1 , 2 0 1 6B

Muscat

5,978.81 - 40.62

- 0.67%

Dubai

3,312.37- 3.61

- 0.11%

Abu Dhabi

4,427.39- 49.09

- 1.10%

Saudi Arabia

6,644.82- 49.09

- 0.73%

Kuwait

5,351.80- 12.43

- 0.23%

Bahrain

1,106.40 - 0.47

- 0.04%

Qatar

9,883.59+ 28.27

+ 0.29%

CURRENCY RATES* DRAFT RATES (OMR1)* GOLD PRICES*Forex rates vs OMR1*

US Dollar ................................. 2.58

Euro ............................................2.25

Pound ........................................... 1.79

Indian Rs ............................. 172.92

Pakistan Rs ........................267.24

Bangla Taka......................200.82* Rates are as of May 10

Source: Bank Muscat

Indian Rs ...................................173.00

Pakistan Rs ............................. 271.60

Sri Lanka Rs ..................................N/A

Bangla Taka........................... 203.40

Phil Peso .................................... 121.50

* Rates as of May 10 Source: Oman UAE Exchange

Muscat 24ct per gm (OMR) ........16.15

Muscat 22ct per gm (OMR) .......15.50

Dubai 24ct per gm (Dh) ............153.25

Dubai 22ct per gm (Dh) ............. 143.75

* Rates as of May 10

Source: Malabar Gold & Diamonds

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

Oman Crude ............. (Spot) ........$40.52

Dubai Crude ............. (Spot) ........$40.32

Murban Crude ........ (Spot) .........$43.12

Arabian Light ......... (Spot) ........ $39.57

N.Sea Brent ............... (Spot) ........$44.32

West Texas Int ....... (Spot) ........$43.84

CRUDE OIL PRICE

DIGEST VIDEO

S CA N T H I S Q R CO D E TO I N STA N T LY L AU N C H T H E V I D EO

Top stories in one minute with our new daily Digest

OMAN CRUDE RECOVERSOman Crude (July delivery) rose $1.66 to $41.12 per barrel. The average price of Oman Crude (May delivery) stabilised at $36.34 per barrel, $6.11 higher than April delivery. - ONA

Oman’s budget deficit ratio to remain intact

Times News Service

MUSCAT: Oman’s budget defi cit as per cent of gross domestic prod-uct (GDP) will remain unchanged at 17.1 per cent this year, despite cut in subsidies and capital invest-ment, a senior offi cial of the Inter-national Monetary Fund (IMF) said. This is against 17.6 per cent of GDP last year.

“The authorities have taken bold measures to limit the impact of the fall in oil prices on the fi scal defi cit, including cutting spending on wages and benefi ts, subsidies, defense, and capital investment by civil ministries. These measures are projected to reduce expendi-tures in 2016 by $4.5 billion (or 8 per cent of GDP); however, these savings will be largely off set by the projected drop in hydrocar-

bon revenues, resulting in a defi cit broadly unchanged at 17.1 per cent of gross domestic product (relative to 17.6 per cent of GDP in 2015),” said Allison Holland, who lead an IMF team for a consultation with Omani authorities between April 24 and May 4.

He added that the sustained im-pact of these measures, combined with the planned increase in cor-porate income tax from 2017 and the introduction of value added tax (VAT) in 2018, will narrow the fi s-cal defi cit over the medium-term. The current account defi cit, esti-mated at 18.7 per cent of GDP in 2015, is also expected to persist, though declining, through the me-dium-term.

“Despite the robust policy ac-tions taken so far, the sustained decline in oil prices has adversely aff ected Oman’s economy. Non-hydrocarbon real GDP growth is estimated to have moderated to 4 per cent in 2015, and is projected to slow further in 2016. However, it is expected to pick-up over the me-dium-term as fi scal consolidation provides space to maintain prior-

ity government capital spending and oil prices recover modestly.”

Continuing to build on current eff orts to enhance the business cli-mate could improve future growth prospects further. Infl ation is pro-jected to remain low.

“To maintain fi scal sustain-ability and support the exchange rate peg over the medium- to long-term, further gradual fi scal ad-justment is needed starting 2017. Further fi scal reform would also reduce borrowing costs and sup-port higher growth. This adjust-ment should be anchored by a me-dium-term fi scal framework, and could include phasing out remain-ing subsidies, further containing recurrent government expendi-tures, and the introduction of ex-cise duties on specifi c goods. Cov-ering the fi scal defi cit will require a mix of domestic and external borrowing, coupled with drawing down government fi nancial assets. The authorities should continue to strengthen their framework for debt and asset management to ensure fi nancing needs are eff ec-tively managed.”

Banking systemThe Omani banking system is highly capitalised and profi table. However, liquidity conditions have tightened and banks’ funding costs are increasing. The Central Bank of Oman will continue to monitor the situation closely and stands ready to take corrective ac-tion should risks materialise. The exchange rate peg to the US dol-lar continues to serve Oman well, noted Holland.

“The decline in the oil price has underscored the need to acceler-ate economic diversifi cation and to increase the role of the private sector. Enhancing the business environment, improving govern-ment effi ciency, and passage of the Foreign Investment Law will facilitate increased private sector investment,” added Holland.

Raising the quality of education will enhance nationals’ employ-ment opportunities in the private sector. Further progress in devel-oping the small and medium en-terprise (SME) sector could help generate jobs and increase non-hydrocarbon exports.

Government’s

bold measures are

projected to reduce

expenditures in

2016 by $4.5b (or

8% of GDP). However,

these savings will

be largely off set by

the projected drop

in hydrocarbon

revenues, resulting

in a defi cit broadly

unchanged at 17.1%,

the IMF said

Dubai bucking slowdown: IMFDUBAI: Dubai, the emirate that teetered on the brink of default during the global recession, is bucking the economic slowdown affl icting most of its oil-rich Gulf neighbours, according to the In-ternational Monetary Fund.

While economic expansion in the Middle East’s fi nancial and transport hub is set to moder-ate to 3.3 per cent this year, do-mestic investments — boosted by preparations for hosting the Expo 2020 international trade fair — will drive a “rapid acceler-ation” to more than fi ve per cent by 2020, said Zeine Zeidane, the fund’s mission chief to the UAE.

That contrasts with the out-look for Dubai’s oil-reliant neigh-bours, who have slashed spend-ing in response to the decline in crude prices. Abu Dhabi, the richest of the UAE’s seven emir-ates, may be tightening its belt too fast: The IMF expects its eco-nomic growth to slow to 1.5 per cent this year from 4.3 per cent in 2015. Dubai, home to the world’s tallest skyscraper, borrowed tens of billions of dollars to build an economy reliant on trade, trans-port, fi nance and construction, attracting global banks such as Goldman Sachs with the allure of tax-free business parks. Af-ter a spell of breakneck growth, the edifi ce threatened to come crashing down when the global fi nancial crisis pushed the real estate market into a slump and took Dubai to the brink of default. Authorities have since tightened regulations and repaired the emirate’s public fi nances.

Safe havenDubai’s “diversifi ed economy” is helping it to overcome the nega-tive impact of lower oil prices felt by other regional exporters, Zeidane said in an interview on Monday. Its safe-haven status in a region “ridden by confl ict,” a weaker dollar and the strong performance of trading partners such as India are also supporting

the economy, he said. The IMF comments come amid concern over Dubai’s property market, with home prices expected to fall by 10 per cent this year because of the spillover from lower oil prices, according to S&P Global Ratings. A slowdown in the hir-ing and expansion of companies is also putting pressure on the market, the ratings fi rm said in a report last month.

Zeidane said the decline was a “welcome correction,” adding that prices are still higher than at the end of 2013.

“I don’t see anything worri-some in terms of macroeconomic and fi nancial stability,” Zeidane further added.

The IMF expects the UAE’s economy to expand 2.3 per cent this year. The subdued pace is largely due to the projected slow-down in the capital, Abu Dhabi, home to 6 per cent of global oil reserves and the world’s second-largest sovereign wealth fund.

“Abu Dhabi has delivered strongly on fi scal consolidation in 2015,” Zeidane said. Both the emirate and the UAE as a whole “have large fi scal buff ers that provide them with policy space to adjust to new market condi-tions, and they should use the fi s-cal space they have.”

The Abu Dhabi Securities Market General Index Dubai dropped 1.1 per cent on Tuesday.

– Bloomberg News

I N T E R N A T I O N A L M O N E T A R Y F U N D

ECONOMIC GROWTH: Non-hydrocarbon real GDP growth is estimated to have moderated to 4 per cent

in 2015, and is projected to slow further in 2016. — Times fi le picture

– Bloomberg fi le picture

Oman conducts trade talks in Paris to attract investmentTimes News Service

MUSCAT: A top-fl ight delegation led by Ithraa, Oman’s inward in-vestment and export development agency, held the fi rst of a series of trade and investment seminars in Paris on Tuesday.

The senior delegation included some of Oman’s largest and most infl uential business organisations, including: Special Economic Zone Authority at Duqm (Sezad); Oman Chamber of Commerce and In-dustry (OCCI); Salalah Free Zone; Salalah Port; Sohar Free Zone; Sohar Port; Oman Air; Al Mouj Muscat; Oman Aquaculture De-velopment Company; Oman Foods Investment Holding Company;

Omran and Oman Rail.In partnership with Oman’s Em-

bassy in France and the French–Arab Chamber of Commerce the ‘Invest in Oman’ seminar and B2B meetings attracted 50 French companies from a range of sectors that included fi sheries and aqua-culture, transport, environment and agriculture.

Boost awarenessAzzan Al Busaidi, Ithraa’s Direc-tor General of Planning & Stud-ies said: “We are delighted with the response we have received in Paris. Working in partnership with key Omani trade and invest-ment stakeholders has put us in a strong position to boost awareness

of Oman’s business off er in France and highlight the wealth of oppor-tunities on off er in key sectors.”

Today, 54 French companies are in operation in the Sultanate,

investing OMR81 million in con-struction, fi nance, manufacturing, oil and gas, transport and utilities. Oman’s non-exports to France was at OMR1.3 million in 2015.

Exploring transport, agriculture and asset management, the Omani delegation also held meetings with management from Régie Auto-nome des Transports Parisiens

(RATP Group), DUC France Poul-try and Amunidi ETF France.

Al Busaidi concluded: “Oman has the stability, infrastructure, opportunities, talent and interna-tional logistical connections that French businesses are looking for in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).”

“The seminar went extremely well and we are encouraged by the response,” he added.

I N V E S T M E N T S E M I N A R

KEY MEETING: Delegation included Oman’s most infl uential business organisations. – Supplied picture


B2

MARKETW E D N E S DAY, M AY 1 1 , 2 0 1 6

MUSCATSECURITIES MARKET

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR TUESDAY, MAY 10

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

OM0000001160 ............NATIONAL GAS ........................................................... 974,227 .........558,499................... 112 ........... 0.580 ........... 0.590 ...........0.558 ........... 0.574 .............0.538 ............0.036 ............. 6.691 ................0.558 ..............0.558...................0.560 ..................31,570,000 .........0.100

OM0000001681 ............OMAN AND EMIRATES INV. HOLDING ............ 25,000 ...............3,800........................4 ............0.152 ........... 0.152 ...........0.152 ............0.152 ............. 0.150............ 0.002 ............. 1.333 ................0.152 .............. 0.148................... 0.151 ...................18,525,000 .........0.100

OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE .............. 542,369 ......... 110,442..................... 34 ........... 0.203 ...........0.206 ...........0.202 .......... 0.204 .............0.203 ............0.001 ............. 0.493 ................0.202 .............0.201...................0.202 ................. 40,800,000 ........0.100

OM0000001145 ............PORT SERVICES CORPORATION ....................... 154,000 ........... 39,245......................17 ........... 0.262 ...........0.262 ...........0.250........... 0.255 .............0.254 ............0.001 ............. 0.394 ................0.250..............0.250...................0.255...................24,235,200 ........0.100

OM0000001962 ............AL MADINA INVESTMENT ................................... 366,650 ........... 24,458......................12 ........... 0.068 ........... 0.068 ...........0.066........... 0.067 .............0.067 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.067 ..............0.065...................0.067................... 13,879,143 .........0.100

OM0000002549 ...........BANK DHOFAR ............................................................ 200,000........... 51,200........................ 1 ........... 0.256 ........... 0.256 ...........0.256........... 0.256 .............0.256 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.256 ..............0.256...................0.259..................434,995,558 .......0.100

OM0000002846 ...........GULF INV. SER. PREF SHARES ...............................17,677 ...............1,949........................2 ............0.111 ............0.111 ............0.110 ............0.110 ............. 0.110 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.110 ..............0.104................... 0.110 ...................10,052,986 .........0.100

OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ........................ 152,522 .........249,028......................21 ............1.620 ........... 1.645 ...........1.620 ............1.635 ............. 1.635 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ................1.645 ..............1.640...................1.645 ................1,226,250,000 ......0.100

OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY ..................................................... 31,054 .............13,043........................3 ........... 0.420 ...........0.420 ...........0.420........... 0.420 .............0.420 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.420..............0.422...................0.426 ..................25,410,000 .........0.100

OM0000004735 ...........SEMBCORP SALALAH ..................................................3,000 .................. 762........................ 1 ........... 0.254 ...........0.254 ...........0.254........... 0.253 .............0.253 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.254..............0.252...................0.254 .................241,506,703 ........0.100

OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL ............................................. 416,412 .............31,636......................18 ........... 0.077 ........... 0.077 ...........0.075 ........... 0.076 .............0.076 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.076 ..............0.075...................0.076...................13,300,000 .........0.100

OM0000004925 ...........AL BATINAH POWER ...................................................11,478 ...............2,433........................2 ............0.212 ........... 0.212 ...........0.212 ........... 0.212 ............. 0.212 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.212 ..............0.212...................0.213 .................. 143,076,135 ........0.100

OM0000001707 ............OMAN CABLES INDUSTRY ......................................15,000 .............26,750........................2 ............1.790 ........... 1.790............1.780 ............1.785 ............. 1.790 ............-0.005 ........... -0.279 ...............1.780 .............. 1.780...................1.800 ..................160,114,500 ........0.100

OM0000001483 ............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ...................................92,999 ............ 24,126........................5 ........... 0.260 ...........0.260 ...........0.258........... 0.259 .............0.260 ...........-0.001 ........... -0.385 ...............0.260..............0.258...................0.260 .................381,968,350 ........0.100

OM0000001418 ............RAYSUT CEMENT ...................................................... 153,600 ......... 192,066..................... 22 ............1.260 ........... 1.260 ...........1.250 ........... 1.250 ............. 1.255 ............-0.005 ........... -0.398 ...............1.250 ..............1.250...................1.260 ................. 250,000,000 .......0.100

OM0000005005 ...........ALMAHA CERAMICS ..................................................32,432 ............. 13,158......................11 ........... 0.404 ...........0.406 ...........0.404 .......... 0.406 .............0.408 ...........-0.002 ........... -0.490 ...............0.406..............0.406...................0.410 ................... 21,315,000 .........0.100

OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 598,264 .........242,100....................161 ........... 0.404 ........... 0.410 ...........0.404 .......... 0.404 .............0.406 ...........-0.002 ........... -0.493 ...............0.404..............0.404...................0.406 ............... 1,008,485,104 ......0.100

OM0000003125 ............GLOBAL FINANCIAL INVESTMENT ..................14,000 ...............2,130........................2 ............0.153 ........... 0.153 ...........0.150 ............0.152 ............. 0.153 ............-0.001 ........... -0.654 ...............0.150 .............. 0.149...................0.150 ...................30,400,000 ........0.100

OM0000001749 ............OMAN CEMENT ..............................................................8,000 ...............3,936........................4 ........... 0.492 ........... 0.492 ...........0.492........... 0.492 .............0.496 ...........-0.004 ........... -0.806 ...............0.492..............0.490...................0.492..................162,789,373 ........0.100

OM0000002176 ............AL JAZEERA STEEL PRODUCTS ........................ 473,955 ........... 90,533..................... 24 ............0.191 ........... 0.194 ...........0.190 ............0.191 ............. 0.193............-0.002 ........... -1.036................0.190 ..............0.190...................0.193 ................... 23,855,510 .........0.100

OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO.........................................................................15,000 .............11,460........................ 1 ............0.764 ........... 0.764 ...........0.764 ........... 0.764 ............. 0.772............-0.008 ........... -1.036................0.764 ..............0.744...................0.760 ..................497,321,392 ........0.100

OM0000001087 ............OMAN UNITED INSURANCE ............................... 306,000 ........... 81,604......................17 ........... 0.270 ........... 0.270 ...........0.266........... 0.267 .............0.270 ...........-0.003 ............ -1.111 ................0.266..............0.266...................0.270 ..................26,700,000 .........0.100

OM0000002028 ...........GULF INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS ..............16,000 ...............4,093........................8 ........... 0.259 ........... 0.259 ...........0.254........... 0.256 .............0.259 ...........-0.003 ............-1.158 ................0.254..............0.254...................0.258.................... 5,376,000 ..........0.100

OM0000004933 ...........AL SUWADI POWER .....................................................11,661 ...............2,507........................2 ............0.215 ........... 0.215 ...........0.215 ............0.215 ............. 0.218............-0.003 ............-1.376 ................0.215 .............. 0.215...................0.220 ................. 153,597,363 ........0.100

OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR................................................................ 3,944,068 .....694,664......................15 ............0.177 ........... 0.177 ...........0.176 ............0.176 ............. 0.179 ............-0.003 ............-1.676 ................0.176 .............. 0.176...................0.179 ..................282,391,884........0.100

OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 2,990,994 .... 348,944....................118 ............0.118 ........... 0.118............ 0.116 ............0.117 ............. 0.119 ............-0.002 ............-1.681 ................ 0.117 .............. 0.116................... 0.118 ................... 33,927,735 .........0.100

OM0000001517 ............HSBC BANK OMAN ..................................................... 70,000 ...............8,100......................11 ............0.117 ........... 0.117 ............ 0.115 ............0.116 ............. 0.118 ............-0.002 ............-1.695 ................ 0.115 .............. 0.114................... 0.115 ................. 232,036,284 .......0.100

OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 539,026 ..........125,141..................... 53 ........... 0.230 ........... 0.236 ...........0.230........... 0.232 .............0.236 ...........-0.004 ............-1.695 ................0.230..............0.230...................0.233...................34,817,400 .........0.100

OM0000002226 ...........AL JAZEERA SERVICES ............................................ 11,500 ................2,611........................2 ........... 0.227 ........... 0.227 ...........0.227........... 0.227 .............0.232 ...........-0.005 ............-2.155................0.227..............0.226...................0.227 .................. 13,893,370 .........0.100

OM0000002200 ...........AHLI BANK .................................................................... 143,000 ............25,740........................7 ............0.180 ........... 0.180 ...........0.180 ........... 0.180 ............. 0.184 ...........-0.004 ........... -2.174................0.180 .............. 0.175...................0.180 ..................256,506,506 .......0.100

OM0000002820 ...........GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES ...........................16,500 ...............2,129........................ 1 ............0.129 ........... 0.129 ...........0.129 ........... 0.129 ............. 0.132............-0.003 ........... -2.273 ...............0.129 ..............0.129...................0.134 .................... 7,590,775 ..........0.100

OM0000001095 ............DHOFAR INSURANCE .............................................. 129,310 ............ 25,556........................7 ........... 0.200 ...........0.200 ...........0.197 ........... 0.198 .............0.205 ...........-0.007 ............-3.415 ................0.197 .............. 0.197...................0.200 ..................39,600,000.........0.100

OM0000003224 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES .......................................40,213 .............11,990........................4 ........... 0.300 ...........0.300 ...........0.298........... 0.298 ............. 0.310............-0.012 ............-3.871................0.298..............0.298...................0.299 ..................86,614,004 .........0.100

OM0000002440 ...........AL SHARQIA INVESTMENT HOLDING ........... 2,918,459 ......462,190...................210 ............0.164 ........... 0.164 ...........0.155 ............0.158 ............. 0.165............-0.007 ........... -4.242 ...............0.156 .............. 0.156...................0.158 ...................14,220,000 .........0.100

.............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 15,434,370 .....3,488,023 .............. 914 .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......34........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

PARALLEL MARKET ................................................................................................................................................................................. OM0000004511 ............ALIZZ ISLAMIC BANK.............................................. 638,100 ............37,648..................... 26 ........... 0.059 ........... 0.059 ...........0.059 ........... 0.059 .............0.058 ............0.001 ............. 1.724 ................0.059 ..............0.058...................0.059...................59,000,000.........0.100

OM0000001723 ............OMAN ORIX LEASING ............................................. 100,000 ............ 11,790........................3 ............0.118 ........... 0.118............ 0.117 ............0.118 ............. 0.117 .............0.001 ............. 0.855 ................ 0.117 ...............0.115...................0.120 ...................29,622,649 .........0.100

OM0000001590 ............MUSCAT FINANCE ......................................................12,000 ...............1,464........................2 ............0.122 ........... 0.122 ...........0.122 ........... 0.122 ............. 0.122 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.122 ..............0.122...................0.124 ...................32,539,301 .........0.100

OM0000001764 ............NAT. HOSPITALITY INSTITUTE .................................100 .....................53........................ 1 ........... 0.532 ........... 0.532 ...........0.532 ........... 0.532 .............0.532 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.532 ............. 0.000...................0.000 .....................532,000............1.000

OM0000001806 ............MUSCAT NATIONAL HOLDING ................................. 450 .................. 810........................ 1 ............1.800 ........... 1.800 ...........1.800 ........... 1.860 ............. 1.860............ 0.000 .............0.000 ................1.800 ............. 0.000...................1.800 ....................9,300,000 ..........1.000

OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA ................................................................ 1,340,913 ...... 103,243..................... 35 ........... 0.076 ........... 0.077 ...........0.076 ........... 0.077 .............0.077 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.077 ..............0.077...................0.078..................115,500,000 ........0.100

OM0000004776 ...........TAKAFUL OMAN INSURANCE ................................4,024 .................. 503........................ 1 ............0.125 ........... 0.125 ...........0.125 ........... 0.126 ............. 0.126............ 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.125 ..............0.120...................0.125 ...................12,600,000 .........0.100

OM0000005963 ...........PHOENIX POWER ...................................................... 463,637 ........... 69,989......................31 ............0.151 ........... 0.152 ...........0.150 ............0.151 ............. 0.153 ............-0.002 ........... -1.307 ...............0.150 .............. 0.150................... 0.151 ................. 220,852,820 .......0.100

OM0000001566 ............OMAN FISHERIES ..................................................... 146,627...............9,396..................... 22 ........... 0.065 ........... 0.065 ...........0.064........... 0.064 .............0.065 ...........-0.001 ............-1.538................0.064..............0.063...................0.064 ...................8,000,000 ..........0.100

OM0000001368 ............CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IND. .................. 293,469 ............ 10,013......................19 ........... 0.034 ........... 0.035 ...........0.034........... 0.034 .............0.035 ...........-0.001 ........... -2.857 ...............0.034..............0.033...................0.034 ...................2,890,000 ..........0.100

OM0000002564 ...........AL HASSAN ENGINEERING....................................61,500 ............... 5,931........................7 ........... 0.097 ........... 0.097 ...........0.096........... 0.096 .............0.099 ...........-0.003 ........... -3.030 ...............0.096 ..............0.096...................0.100.................... 7,219,968 ..........0.100

.............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 3,060,820 .....250,839................... 148 .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ...... 11........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

BONDS AND SUKUK MARKET ......................................................................................................................................................................OM0000004867 ...........BANK MUSCAT C C B 4.5 ...........................................36,622 ...............3,882........................2 ............0.106 ........... 0.106 ...........0.106 ........... 0.106 ............. 0.106 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.106 ..............0.106................... 0.110 ...................33,882,124 .........0.100

OM0000005971 ............B.MUSCAT COMPL. CONVR. B.B.3.5 ....................... 2,193 ...................211........................3 ........... 0.096 ........... 0.096 ...........0.096........... 0.096 .............0.096 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.096 ..............0.096...................0.000 ...................31,119,515 ..........0.100

.............................................SUM: .................................................................................... 38,815 ...............4,092........................5 .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ........ 2........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

O M A N S T O C K S

INDICESIndex .................................................High .................Low ..................... Value ............... Prev . Value.......... Diff ...............Diff %MSM30 Index ........................................ 6,019.51 .............. 5,978.89 ................... 5,978.89 ....................6,019.51 ............... -40.62 .................. -0.67Financial Index .....................................7,835.82 ................7,767.61 .....................7,767.61 ................... 7,833.63 ................-66.02 .................. -0.84Industrial Index ....................................7,255.59 .............. 7,224.39 ................... 7,224.39 ...................7,262.23 ................ -37.84 .................. -0.52Services Index ...................................... 3,344.50 ............... 3,317.62 ....................3,317.62 ................... 3,331.93 ................ -14.31 .................. -0.43MSM SHARIAH INDEX....................... 889.73 ..................886.92 ...................... 886.92 ...................... 889.36 ..................-2.44 .................. -0.27

Trading SummaryVolume ................ Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up ............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded18,534,005 ................. 3,742,954 ..................1,067 ................17,153,678,049 .................. 6 ..................... 26 .................... 15 .........................47

MSM index ends lower

MUSCAT: Profi t-booking amid low volumes dragged down the MSM30 Index by 0.67 per cent to close at 5,978.89 points.

The MSM Sharia Index fell 0.27 per cent to end at 886.92 points. Bank Sohar was the most active in terms of volume and turnover. National Gas remained the top gainer, up by 6.69 per cent, while Al Sharqia Investments was the top loser, down by 4.24 per cent.

As many as 1,067 trades were executed on Tuesday, generat-ing turnover of OMR3.7 million with 18.5 million shares changing hands. Out of 47 traded securi-ties, six advanced, 26 declined and 15 remained unchanged. GCC and Arab investors were net buyers for OMR171,000 while foreign investors switched to net sellers for OMR108,000 fol-lowed by Omani investors for OMR63,000 worth of shares.

Financial Index retreated by 0.84 per cent to close at 7,767.61 points. Al Izz Bank, Oman & Emirates Holding and Oman Orix Leasing increased by 1.72

per cent, 1.33 per cent and 0.85 per cent, respectively. Al Sharqia Investments, Dhofar Insurance, Gulf Investment Services, Ahli Bank and HSBC Bank declined by 4.24 per cent, 3.41 per cent, 2.27 per cent, 2.17 per cent and 1.69 per cent, respectively.

Industrial Index ended at 7,224.39 points, down by 0.52 per cent. Al Hassan Engineering, Construction Materials, Galfar Engineering, Oman Fisheries and Gulf International Chemi-cals declined by 3.03 per cent, 2.86 per cent, 1.68 per cent, 1.54 per cent and 1.16 per cent, respec-tively.

Services Index declined by 0.43 per cent to close at 3,317.62 points. National Gas, OIFC and Port Services advanced by 6.69 per cent, 0.49 per cent and 0.39 per cent, respectively.

Renaissance Service, Al Ja-zeera Services, Al Suwadi Pow-er, Phoenix Power and Oore-dooOman slid by 3.87 per cent, 2.16 per cent, 1.38 per cent, 1.31 per cent and 1.04 per cent respec-tively. – United Securities

National Gas remained the top gainer, up by

6.69 per cent, while Al Sharqia Investments

was the top loser, down by 4.24 per cent.

Ensure proper disposal of garbage.

Don’t litter a beautiful country like OMAN.

Interest rates in UAE and Qatar climb on tightening liquidityDUBAI: A key interest rate in the United Arab Emirates, the second-biggest Arab economy, and Qatar climbed to the highest level in several years as liquidity tightens across the region amid oil’s decline.

The three-month Emirates Interbank Off ered Rate, a bench-mark used to price loans, jumped three basis points or 0.03 per-centage points, to 1.07871 per cent on Monday, the highest in more than three years, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The equivalent rate in Qatar, the world’s biggest exporter of lique-fi ed natural gas, climbed 6 basis points to 1.5025 per cent, the highest since January 2011, ac-cording to the data.

Bank liquidity in the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC),

which includes the biggest Arab economy of Saudi Arabia, is tight-ening as a more than 50 per cent slump in crude since mid-2014 slows deposit growth and pushes the government to boost borrow-ing. GCC governments may notch up a combined budget defi cit of about $140 billion this year if crude prices remain in the mid-$40s, according to estimates from Emirates NBD.

Construction-related activity“In Qatar, there is the FIFA World Cup construction-related activ-ity and in the UAE, there is a lot of Expo 2020 related projects underway,” Anita Yadav, head of fi xed-income research at Emir-ates NBD, the UAE’s biggest bank, said by phone from Dubai. “The government-related companies

and the private sector are con-tinuing to borrow and there aren’t that many deposits and so liquid-ity in the banking system has tightened materially.”

Qatar is estimated to spend $200 billion on upgrading infra-structure as it prepares to host soccer’s 2022 World Cup. Dubai, the business and tourist hub in the UAE, is spending on hotels and tourist projects as it prepares to host the World Expo 2020.

Qatar banks’ loans-to-deposit ratio, a key measure of liquid-ity, worsened to 125.9 per cent in February from 121.8 per cent in the preceding month, according to central bank data. The UAE had a loans-to-deposit ratio of 101 per cent at the end of March, accord-ing to data from the central bank.

— Bloomberg News

B A N K I N G

TIGHTENING LIQUIDITY: Bank liquidity in the six-nation GCC, which includes the biggest Arab

economy of Saudi Arabia, is tightening as a more than 50 per cent slump in crude since mid-2014

slows deposit growth. — Bloomberg News

Muscat Securities Market. – Times fi le picture

B3W E D N E S DAY, M AY 1 1 , 2 0 1 6

MARKET

Bank Nizwa distributes attractive profit returns

Times News Service

MUSCAT: Bank Nizwa an-nounced its highest ever profi t re-turns to depositors availing of its Mudaraba Investment Account reaching 2.1 per cent for one year tenor as of April 2016. The bank’s saving account has also been one of the most compet-itive investment tools in the mar-ket reaching approximately 1.05 per cent profi t returns from 0.22 per cent three years ago, when the bank opened its doors for busi-

ness. Depositors can invest with a choice of a Mudaraba Invest-ment Account, which invests in a diversifi ed portfolio of Sharia-compliant assets that are in line with their investment objectives. Customers also have the option of depositing in a saving account, which allows depositors to en-joy full fl exibility of withdrawing money at any time at their con-venience, while still receiving high profi ts rates. To provide long term invest-

ment options, the bank has intro-duced two new tenors of 18 and 24 months, while retaining its existingfi ve tenor options ranging from one to 12 months.

“The increased demand on the Mudaraba Investment Account demonstrates customers’ grow-ing confi dence in our investment abilities,” commented Dr. Jamil El Jaroudi, chief executive of-fi cer of Bank Nizwa. “The strong performance is also due to our expertise in constantly analysing

market conditions, identifying growth opportunities and off er-ing insightful recommendations to help customers lead fi nancially secure lifestyles.”

Unlike conventional fi xed de-posits, the investment account is based on the principles of Mu-daraba where profi ts are shared on a pre-agreed ratio once the maturity period of the invest-ment is reached. The product enables customers to invest on unrestricted basis a minimum of OMR100 into a saving account or a minimum of OMR1,000 into a Mudaraba Investment Account.

Launched in October 2013, the Mudaraba Investment Ac-count is accessible to individu-als, corporate and commercial entities, government institutions, as well as pension and char-ity funds. It is available in multi-tenor options ranging between one month and two years with monthly and quarterly prof-it payout frequency options. The performance of the pool is published on a monthly basis and available through the bank’s website, the call center and at any of its 11 branches across the Sultanate. Bank Nizwa also off ers customised investment solutions for depositors looking to invest higher amounts under the Islamic structure of Wakala.

The bank’s saving

account has also

been one of the

most competitive

investment tools in

the market reaching

nearly 1.05% profi t

returns from 0.22%

three years agoATTRACTIVE RETURNS: Dr. Jamil El Jaroudi, chief executive

offi cer of Bank Nizwa. - Supplied picture

Contract to train Omani staff signedTimes News Service

MUSCAT: An agreement to train Omani employees work-ing for insurance companies was signed between Capital Market Authority (CMA) and the College of Banking and Financial Studies (CBFS) on Tuesday. It will enable them to obtain professional certi-fi cation from Chartered Institute of Insurance (CII).

The contract was signed by Sheikh Abdullah Salim Al Salmi, executive president of CMA and Dr Ahmed Mohson Al Ghassani, Dean of the College for CBFS.

The aim of the contract is train Omani employees working for the insurance sector to obtain professional certifi cates from CII to enable them to assume leading roles in the insurance sector.

The CII is an international in-stitution based in London, UK established in 1912 providing professional certifi cation in in-surance on various levels from basic to advanced diploma.

Al Salmi expressed his hap-piness over the move and the eff orts exerted by CMA to con-tract with a local college to be the venue of training and exam-inations for professional certifi -cation in insurance.

This will allow the interested employees to study such speciali-sations in the Sultanate which is part of CMA’s policy to enhance the competency of the national cadres working for insurance companies and brokers by ac-quainting them with knowledge and skills. This will also enable them to assume technical and administrative roles on the vari-ous levels including medium and senior roles.

He added these eff orts were designed following a survey of the insurance sector to fi nd out the Omanisation ratios and the nature of the posts occupied by

national cadres working for the sector. The survey showed that there is a need for upgrading the educational and professional levels of the Omani youth work-ing for insurance companies and brokers to take technical and leading roles for added value to the sector.

Hence CMA attached great care to the human resources working for the sector through the constitution of a training committee. He added that CMA is keen to provide quality spe-cialised training suitable for the requirements and the nature of the insurance sector, accordingly this contract was signed to pro-vide for professional certifi cation for the ambitious youth who are interested in enhancing their abilities and experience by pro-fessional qualifi cations.

Al Salmi confi rmed that ena-bling the youth working for the insurance sector is because the sector is a pivotal economic sector with great potentials and is growing to nearly half billion riyals in volume be-side the new amendments to the insurance law which have raised the capital of insurance companies to OMR10 million which will contribute to creat-ing big economic entities able to accommodate risks.

Dr Ahmed Al Ghassani, Dean of the CBFS said, “ We are hap-py to cooperate with CMA for the training and qualifi cation of Omani cadres to obtain interna-tional professional certifi cation in insurance which is evidence of CMA’s keenness to upgrade the competency of the employees of the insurance sector and conse-quently raise the Omanisation ratios in the medium and senior management in the sector.”

The contract between CMA and CBFS will be in two phases with 30 trainees in each phase.

T R A I N I N G P R O G R A M M E

VITAL TRAINING AGREEMENT: The aim of the contract is to train

Omani employees working in the insurance sector to obtain pro-

fessional certifi cates from CII to enable them to assume leading

roles in the insurance sector. - Supplied picture

Falcon Insurance Co. stake saleMUSCAT: Al Anwar Hold-ings executed a memoran-dum of understanding on May 9, 2016 with the poten-tial buyer to sell a signifi cant portion of the stake held by Al Anwar Holdings in Falcon Insurance Company. The transaction is, however, sub-ject to due diligence and val-uation by independent third party, approvals from Capital Market Authority, Ministry of Commerce and Industry and regulatory bodies.

Fire accident at Dhofar Poultry Company plantMUSCAT: The management of Dhofar Poultry Company (DPC) has said that a fi re broke out near the cold stor-age facility in the vicinity of the company’s old process-ing plant at Raysut, on May 9, 2016. The fi re brigade ar-rived at the site immediately and the fi refi ghting opera-tions were carried out till ac-tive fl ames were doused.

— Times News Service

B R I E F S

Emirates profi t grows 50%DUBAI: Emirates Group boost-ed full-year profi t by 50 per cent as the world’s biggest interna-tional airline expanded its wide-body jet fl eet to siphon more long-haul travelers through Dubai and benefi ted from a de-cision not to hedge against fuel-price fl uctuations.

Net income for the 12 months ended March 31 rose to Dh8.2 billion ($2.2 billion), Emirates said on Tuesday. Emirates Air-line’s profi t increased 56 per cent to Dh7.1 billion even as revenue fell four per cent to Dh85 billion. The company saved Dh9 billion as oil prices declined, while the strong dollar impacted revenue by Dh6 billion, Chairman and CEO Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said.

“The strong dollar against ma-jor currencies will continue to be a challenge,” Sheikh Ahmed said at a press conference in Dubai. ”We expect low oil prices to be a double edge sword, good for operating costs but bad for global business and consumer

confi dence. There’s pressure on yields, so we invest profi ts into the business.”

The airline benefi ted from a 28 per cent oil-price drop in the fi s-cal year after opting not to hedge against crude. The airline added 29 Airbus Group A380s and Boeing 777s to what was already the largest wide-body fl eet, ex-panding its hub and winning more long-haul transfer traffi c from rivals.

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Air-ways, the Gulf No. 3, posted net income of $103 million for the 2015 calendar year, up from $73 million a year earlier. Qatar Air-ways, the No. 2, plans to publish numbers in June.

The International Air Trans-port Association estimated in December that Middle Eastern airlines would earn a collective $1.4 billion in 2015, rising to $1.7 billion this year. — Bloomberg News

F U L L - Y E A R R E S U L T S

FLYING HIGH: Emirates profi t rose 56 per cent to Dh7.1 billion

even as revenue fell four per cent to Dh85 billion. — Bloomberg News

Iran almost ready for talks with Opec members

DUBAI: Iran says it is almost ready to talk with other Opec members about limiting oil pro-duction as the country’s exports recover to levels reached before international sanctions crippled crude sales. Morgan Stanley and Barclays say no agreement is in the cards for now.

With prices up 65 per cent from the 12-year low in January, joint action by members of the Or-ganisation of Petroleum Export-ing Countries (Opec) may not be needed, according to Barclays analyst Miswin Mahesh in Lon-don. Morgan Stanley says higher prices are reducing the urgency for Opec to act.

“The market is set to balance, but higher prices could slow down the process,” Mahesh said by

phone on Monday. “Would it re-ally be in their long term interest of balancing the oil market if oil prices move higher too quickly?”

Iran will double crude exports to two million barrels a day this month compared with sales be-

fore sanctions were lifted in Jan-uary, Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said in a speech in Teh-ran on Sunday. Lifting sales to the pre-sanctions level could pave the way for Iran and other Opec mem-bers to talk about limits on pro-duction in as soon as one or two months, Rokneddin Javadi, man-aging director at National Iranian Oil Co., said. Iran is seeking to re-build its energy industry and re-store crude sales after a January nuclear deal expanded its access to global oil markets and invest-ment. The country last month refused to join other nations in a push to freeze output.

Iran exported about two mil-lion barrels of crude daily in 2011, before US and European restric-tions forced countries to stop

buying from Iran, according to the Joint Organisations Data Ini-tiative. Iran sold about half that amount once sanctions kicked in, Zanganeh said on Sunday. The country produced 3.5 mil-lion barrels a day of crude in April compared with about 2.8 million a year earlier, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Oil pricesRising production and exports from Iran is bearish for oil prices as output returns faster than ex-pected, Adam Longson, a Morgan Stanley analyst, said in a report e-mailed on Monday.

“Iran may be willing to join a freeze, but only because produc-tion has exceeded expectations,” Longson said. — Bloomberg News

C R U D E S U P P L Y

Bijan Namdar Zanganeh.

— Bloomberg fi le picture

B4

FEATUREW E D N E S DAY, M AY 1 1 , 2 0 1 6

Brexit is going to be bad for your wardrobe. Unless you buy it from Asos. The online fash-ion retailer beloved of

tech-savvy twenty-somethings is less exposed than rivals to a Brit-ish departure from Europe, and might even be a benefi ciary.

As Gadfl y has noted, British re-tailers mostly pay for the products they buy from factories in China and south Asia in dollars. As the pound falls, these products get more expensive. But Asos, unusu-ally, still pays for most of the prod-ucts it buys in sterling. About 85 per cent of its costs are in pounds, according to analysts at Bernstein.

That is partly because it still largely buys through wholesal-ers and agents, who will bear the brunt of sterling fl uctuations more directly. Asos won’t be im-

mune from the impact of currency and commodity price changes further down its supply chain, but this intermediate step means they’ll be less of a headwind.

Yet some 55 per cent of Asos’s retail sales came from outside of the UK in the six months to the end of February, and Asos reckons the biggest impact of weaker ster-ling is that it makes its clothing cheaper to overseas customers.

This is exactly the opposite ef-fect of a few years ago, when a strong pound made its products more expensive in overseas mar-kets, hurting sales and profi t.

A vote for Britain to leave the EU could provide a bit of a boost, from this perspective. The pound has already dropped more than three per cent this year to $1.43, but could slide to $1.20 or even lower were the UK to split from the

bloc, Bloomberg News reported.Of course Asos needs all the help

it can get. It is facing competition from rivals, who are ramping up their online off erings. In the early days, rival retailers were more than happy to sell their best lines via the Asos site. Now they want more control over their Internet sales.

The company also faces the creeping threat from Amazon, which is aiming to do to fashion retailing what it did to books and entertainment. Asos reckons its focus on young, fashionable cus-tomers means it operates in a slightly diff erent market to Ama-zon. But the US behemoth should not be underestimated.

Asos’s enterprise value is currently 1.8 times the next 12 months sales -- that’s down from more than 5 times at the start of 2014, before the stronger pound,

a warehouse fi re and the the strain of a heavy investment program ate into profi t. The discount to Ama-zon’s enterprise value to sales ra-tio of 2 times is deserved, given the U.S. group’s greater scale.

To narrow the discount, Asos needs to rebuild profi t, or grow much faster. The report Tuesday of a 25 percent increase in fi rst half group revenue, and 18 percent increase in pre-tax profi t, rep-resent a good start. Eliminating about 4 million pounds ($5.7 mil-lion) of operating losses as a result of exiting China is also helpful.

In the meantime, the retailer that can sell you a tight “muscle-fi t” T-shirt, is a surprisingly mus-cular hedge against Brexit. — ANDREA FELSTED/ Bloomberg News

This column does not necessarily refl ect the opinion of Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Asos won’t be immune from the impact of currency and commodity price changes further

down its supply chain, but this intermediate step means there will be less of a headwind.

B5W E D N E S DAY, M AY 1 1 , 2 0 1 6

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Bentley Oman launches Bentayga

MUSCAT: Under the patronage of His Highness Sayyid Kamil bin Fahad Al Said, Bentley Oman announced the launch of its sec-tor-defi ning new model, the Ben-tayga at an exclusive event held at Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah.

Bentley Oman has been the of-fi cial distributor for Bentley since 1983. The longstanding partner-ship between Bentley Motors and Bentley Oman has grown from strength to strength over the years and the two continue to build on the association, says a press release.

Neil Wilford, Regional man-ager Bentley Motors Middle East, Africa and India, said: “Bentayga represents a new era for Bentley and we are delighted to launch the world’s fi rst ultra-luxury SUV in Oman. With a wide range of alter-natives and opportunities to per-sonalise, the car is sure to be wel-comed whole heartedly by Bentley afi cionados and new customers. Over the years, Bentley has created exceptional automobiles and Ben-tayga is an important launch. The Bentayga off ers so much individu-ality that each and every customer can create something truly luxu-rious and extraordinary. We are positive that customers in Oman will appreciate a car such as this.”

Wilford added, “On the occasion of the launch I would like to high-light Bentley’s long standing rela-tionship with Bentley Oman. They are our trusted partners and we are committed to working closely with them to achieve our goals”.

The Bentayga combines unpar-alleled luxury with eff ortless per-formance and everyday usability.

With an all-new W12 power-train, the Bentayga is the fastest, most powerful, most luxurious and most exclusive SUV in the world. It off ers a true Bentley driving ex-perience and showcases innova-tive technology features.

Designed, engineered and hand-crafted in Crewe, the Bentayga’s styling is pure Bentley. Sculptural with an elegant, timeless execu-tion, it perfectly balances athleti-cism with confi dence. From the four round LED headlamps and large matrix grille, to the distinc-tive power line and muscular haunches, the Bentley DNA is ap-parent throughout.

David Ryan, general manager of Bentley Oman said, “We are de-lighted to bring Bentayga to Oman. It brings the world of SUVs to a new level. In fact, Bentayga rede-fi nes luxury in the SUV sector and off ers an authentic Bentley experi-ence in any environment, thanks to a blend of unmatched attention to detail and cutting-edge technol-ogy. With this extraordinary car we are looking forward to an ex-citing period of strong growth and sales success for Bentley. The Ben-tayga is the next step in our brand’s bold future.”

The Bentley Bentayga boasts the world’s fi nest automotive cabin, with unrivalled levels of precision. The detailing in metal, wood and leather – including meticulous tol-erances between elements of trim – is the epitome of modern British luxury. This level of perfection is only achievable thanks to the ex-ceptional craft and skill of Bent-

ley’s colleagues in Crewe.An all-new twin-turbocharged

6.0-litre W12 engine is at the heart of the new Bentayga. T

he mighty 12-cylinder unit combines effi ciency and refi ne-ment with ultra-luxurious levels of power and torque. With 608 PS (600 bhp / 447kW) and 900 Nm (663 lb. ft) delivering a 0-60 mph time of 4.0 seconds (0-100 km/h in 4.1 seconds) and a top speed of 187 mph (301 km/h), the Bentayga is the world’s most powerful and fastest SUV.

Innovative features A suite of state-of-the-art driver as-sistance systems and infotainment features designed to enhance safe-ty, comfort and convenience make the Bentayga an innovative, ad-vanced and connected luxury SUV.

It off ers the widest range of on- and off -road drive settings of any vehicle via Bentley’s drive dynam-ics mode and optional responsive off -road setting. Up to eight modes are available, allowing drivers, at the simple turn of a dial, to select the perfect dynamic set-up for any surface or road condition. This ver-satility is complemented by Bentley Dynamic Ride (electrically activat-ed 48V active roll control) and elec-tric power-assisted steering.

Responsive off -road setting al-lows the customer to select the appropriate vehicle settings for a wide range of off -road surfaces, while the driver information panel displays information on pitch, roll, wheel articulation, steering angle, compass bearing and altitude.

Adaptive cruise control includ-ing stop & go, predictive acc and traffi c assist enables the driver to maintain a set distance to the vehicle in front. Predictive ACC uses the navigation data, sensors and cameras to predict upcom-ing corners, city boundaries and speed-limit changes and can then modify the vehicle speed accord-ingly, improving both comfort and fuel economy.

In urban environments, there are a number of driver aids avail-able on the Bentayga. These sys-tems – such as traffi c sign recogni-tion, which detects a wide variety of traffi c signs and displays infor-mation to the driver; rear crossing

traffi c warning, which uses radar technology to detect crossing traf-fi c when reversing out of a park-ing space; and top view, a system which uses four cameras to display an overall picture of the vehicle’s surroundings – combine to en-hance everyday usability.

The Bentayga is also available with park assist – a system that de-tects suitable parking spaces (both parallel and perpendicular) before autonomous steering takes over to support parking manoeuvres, even in narrow and tricky spaces.

Other innovative systems avail-able on the Bentayga include elec-tronic night vision, which uses infra-red technology to identify potential obstacles ahead, and a head-up display, which reduces driver distraction and increases safety. The Bentayga’s all-new, cutting-edge 8” touch screen in-fotainment system boasts class-leading navigation technology, a 60GB hard drive, and a choice of up to 30 languages.

Rear seat passengers benefi t from the introduction of the Bentley Entertainment Tablet – a remov-able 10.2” Android device with 4G, WiFi and Bluetooth for eff ortless, high-speed on-board connectivity.

Customers can choose between three diff erent sound systems for the Bentayga: Bentley Standard Audio, Bentley Signature Audio and Naim for Bentley Premium Audio. The latter is the most pow-erful system in the segment, with 1,950 watts, a network of 18 speak-ers and super-tweeters for unri-valled recreation of the highest audio frequencies.

World’s fi nest cabinStep inside the new Bentayga and you fi nd the fi nest automotive interior in the world, with hand-crafted wood and leather through-out – engineered with precision to deliver absolute perfection.

The attention to detail in metal, wood and leather is the epitome of modern British luxury, and is only achievable thanks to the exception-al skill of the workforce in Crewe.

The Bentayga’s cockpit sets new standards for both luxury and pre-cision, with meticulous tolerances between the exquisite veneered woods and metal elements.

The dashboard takes the iconic Bentley ‘wing’ design as its inspi-ration, with the beautifully fi n-ished surfaces fl owing gracefully from door to door over the top of the instrument binnacles, down under the centre console and back up around the passenger side fas-cia and foot well.

The hand-selected veneers form pure and elegant surfaces through-out the cabin, and each of the 15 pieces are shaped by Bentley’s ar-tisans from a choice of seven dif-ferent veneers, and fi nished with trademark Bentley attention to de-tail. Highly polished, handcrafted metal elements adorn the dash-board, centre console and doors. Trademark Bentley knurling on the drive mode selector, gear knob, and organ pulls adds sophistica-tion and tactile refi nement.

Sumptuous front seats, indi-vidually handcrafted in Crewe and featuring 22-way adjustment including adjustable cushion and backrest bolsters, provide su-perb support and comfort for all conditions. This cosseted feeling is further enhanced with a six-programme massage system, seat heating and ventilation.

Whether selected in four- or fi ve-seat confi guration, all of the leather seats in the Bentayga are available with contrast stitching and a quilted diamond design ap-plied to the ‘shoulders’ and bol-sters, echoing the design of a fi nely tailored British hunting jacket.

Bentley specialists individually select only the fi nest bull hides, all of which are sourced from cool Eu-ropean climates, naturally tanned and never over-printed.. Custom-ers have the choice of 15 colours, in three duo-tone and one single mono-tone colour split.

The four-seat confi guration makes the ultimate statement in design, comfort and luxury. The two individual rear seats adjust in 18 diff erent ways and include massage and ventilation functions as well as footrests. The veneered rear console hides additional functionality such as cup holders, generous storage areas and USB charging sockets.

The opulent feeling is complet-ed by the fi xed back, dividing the interior cabin from the boot. Also

trimmed in the signature diamond quilting and including a ski-hatch, it creates an enclosed rear cabin space that sets new standards in the SUV sector.

A full-length panoramic sunroof with acoustic interlays allows am-ple natural sunlight to highlight the surfaces and detailing.

All-new W12 At the heart of the Bentayga is the all-new Crewe-built W12 TSI en-gine. This 6.0-litre twin-turbo unit combines effi ciency and refi ne-ment with the luxury of unrivalled power and torque.

It is the most technologically advanced 12-cylinder engine in the world and develops 600 bhp (608 PS / 447 kW) @ 6,000 rpm and 900 Nm (663 lb ft) from 1,350 rpm to 4,500 rpm. These mighty outputs result in equally impres-sive performance fi gures. The Bentayga is capable of dispatching the sprint to 60 mph in just 4.0 sec-onds (0-100 km/h in 4.1 seconds) on its way to a top speed of 187 mph (301 km/h).

The new W12 uses both di-rect and indirect fuel injection. Switching seamlessly between the two technologies, the combination of these systems maximises re-fi nement, delivers low particulate emissions and maximises power and torque delivery.

The engine is mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox. The transmission and four-wheel-drive system has been strengthened to handle the demands and high torque levels of off -road driving.

In Bentley’s advanced appli-cation of Start-Stop technology for the Bentayga, coasting is also available, as the engine rests not only when the vehicle is stationary but also at ‘near to stop’ speeds.

In 5th to 8th gear, when the driv-er releases the throttle (at motor-way cruising speed, for example) the car will open the torque con-verter, dropping the engine to idle and simply allowing the car to roll or ‘sail’.

When the throttle is reapplied, or the car starts going downhill and detects an increase in speed, the transmission is re-engaged.

The new W12 sees a 10.4% effi -ciency improvement compared to the existing powertrain. The Ben-tayga will also be available as diesel and hybrid variants in the future.

Genuine luxury Never before has a vehicle so co-herently combined genuine luxury with go-anywhere driving ability.

The development programme for the Bentayga has been the most exhaustive in the Bentley brand’s

history, ranging across fi ve con-tinents. From the dirt and gravel of South Africa and the dunes of Dubai, to the muddy fi elds of Cheshire, and from -30°C in the frozen North Cape to searing 50°C desert heat, the Bentayga’s abil-ity to perform on any surface and even in the most extreme condi-tions has been proven.

The Bentayga has also driven more than 400 laps of the famous NürburgringNordschleife circuit, as part of developing the dynamic performance of the chassis and fi ne-tuning the relevant control and stability systems. The unique features of the Nordschleife, in-cluding the high level of topo-graphical change, variety of sur-face grip levels and wide range of cornering speeds, made it the per-fect place to develop the fastest, most powerful SUV in the world.

The Bentayga introduces Bent-ley Dynamic Ride – the world’s fi rst electric active roll control technol-ogy that utilises an unrivalled 48V system. Inherent in larger vehicles with a higher centre of gravity, this system instantly counteracts lat-eral rolling forces when cornering and ensures maximum tyre con-tact to deliver class-leading cabin stability, ride comfort and excep-tional handling.

While conventional anti-roll bars present a compromise be-tween body control and ride com-fort, Bentley’s adaptive and re-active system provides variable torsional resistance, allowing the Bentayga to be both dynamically capable and comfortable for all oc-cupants at all times. The pioneer-ing use of a 48V system results in silent, instantaneous responses and suffi cient power on hand to deal with all road surfaces.

Electric power-assisted steer-ing is also featured on the Ben-tayga. The new system improves feedback to the driver, while pro-viding isolation from steering kick-back both on- and off -road. EPAS also features a variable rack ratio, permitting light and fast steering while manoeuvring at low speeds, as well as a more subdued response for excellent stability at high speeds.

Class-leading ride comfortThe Bentayga off ers class-leading ride comfort, steering feel and han-dling thanks to the partnership of a highly sophisticated chassis and Electronic Stability Control. In addition to advanced, multi-mode Traction Control, the Bentayga also features Hill Descent Control (HDC). As with all Bentleys, the Bentayga comes with multi-mode air suspension.

With an all-new

W12 powertrain,

the Bentayga is

the fastest, most

powerful, most

luxurious and most

exclusive SUV in

the world

B6 W E D N E S DAY, M AY 1 1 , 2 0 1 6

ROUND-UP

Ford Explorer wins 2016 Middle East Car Award

MUSCAT: Ford’s Explorer is a great looking SUV that is a joy to experience. It is well-equipped to make every journey pleasant, while also comfortably seating a large family on weekend journeys.

Recently the 2016 Ford Explor-er has been named ‘Best Midsize SUV’ in the prestigious Middle East Car of the Year (Mecoty) awards, says a press release.

Judged by a panel of 12 ‘motor-ing minds’ from the Gulf Coopera-tion Council (GCC) and

Levant countries, the Middle East Car of the Year are the big-gest, most coveted awards of the regional automotive industry.

The 2016 Ford Explorer pre-sents the owner with an un-matched road presence and an en-hanced sense of pride. It is an ideal

SUV to plan your routine and ad-venturous journeys in since there is hardly any terrain that would dare to stand up as a hurdle.

The Explorer has an impres-sive combination of power, luxury and advanced technology fea-tures. Explorer is one of our most recognised Ford nameplates in the region and drives overall Ford brand opinion. The refreshed Ford Explorer is better looking than it’s ever been! It gets a new look, a new engine, a new trim level and a raft of new technologies. It will con-tinue to be available in base, XLT, Limited and Sports trim lines.

The Explorer is equipped with a new fascia, LED signature lights, new grille, new hood, new fend-ers, all new wheel line-up, new rims, new roof wreck, new tail lamps, new lift gate, new exhaust tips, powerfold 3rd row that gives versatility to the customers and much more. New tech bits include an available front and 180-degree

wide rear-view camera with wash-ers, parking assist system that can now park the Explorer perpen-dicularly, while parking sensors are now available for the front. The hands-free, foot-activated power liftgate is now available for the Explorer. The standard engine on base, XLT and Limited models is a normally-aspirated 3.5-litre V6 producing an estimated 294 PS and 346 Nm of torque.

The exterior of the Explorer is very impressive encompassing a new signature lighting that sur-rounds the LED headlamps, giving the vehicle a continuous glow. Oth-er exterior updates include a stand-ard dual-panel moonroof, premium silver-painted front and rear skid plate elements, and an all-new 18 and 20-inch wheel line-up.

In the Explorer the intelligent four-wheel drive with Terrain Management System is ready for any adventure. It reassesses conditions about 20 times faster

than the blink of an eye – provid-ing precise handling and traction. It continuously monitors wheel speed, throttle position and steer-ing wheel angle to determine ve-hicle conditions and driver intent. The system then determines the optimal amount of front and rear torque for the given conditions to prevent slip from even occurring, which helps keep the vehicle sure-footed on virtually any terrain. In sand, grass or gravel mode, the an-tilock braking system changes its pulse rate, which allows material to build up in front of the wheels, acting as a doorstop of sorts to help slow momentum.

Interior changes help enhance quietness in the cabin. There are new door seals, and an enhanced sound package includes engine subframe mounts specially tuned to reduce vibration. Acoustic glass is used on the windshield and front doors on XLT and higher trim levels.

The 2016 Explorer boasts of ad-vanced safety features to reward customers with happy journeys. The features include 2nd genera-tion driver and front passenger, side seat airbags, 3rd row safety canopy with rollover sensor, Ad-vanceTrac with roll stability con-trol, BLIS with cross traffi c alert, front 180 degree camera with washer, perpendicular parking, and more.

In Oman, Ford vehicles are brought to you by Arabian Car Marketing Co.

The 2016 Ford

Explorer presents

the owner with an

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OTE, ACDelco launch

new SGT maintenance

free batteries in Oman

MUSCAT: OTE Group and ACDelco, the premium automo-tive replacement parts supplier, have recently launched the new range of maintenance free bat-teries with Stamp Grid Tech-nology (SGT).

Notable dignitaries present at the event were Bader El Hous-sami, Regional ACDelco Sales and Marketing manager–MEBCO, Zahi El Chaar, sales manager, ACDelco, Mufeed Al Dawood, manager - Customer Service ACDelco (MEBCO), Sudip Sha-hapurkar, Chief of After Sales-OTE Group, C. Jayaraman, sen-ior general manager, Parts-OTE Group, along with other offi cials of OTE Group, says a press release.

The new Stamp Grid Tech-nology prevents grid growth to avoid internal short circuit which facilitates better current fl ow, increased energy output and improved cranking power. It also improves paste adhesion, durability and resistance to cor-rosion, while giving longer life as compared to the existing conven-tional type grid.

Built-in featuresFeatures include built-in hy-drometer, light weight polypro-pylene casing to withstand road shock and vibration, liquid-gas separator area, fl ame arrester safety system and heat-sealed covers to prevent electrolyte

contamination and provide in-creased battery shelf life.

Specifi cally designed for the Middle East climate, the ACDel-co MF Batteries off er a compre-hensive range for most of the Japanese, Korean, European and American automotive brands. Besides the automobile sector, ACDelco off ers products pertain-ing to industrial, heavy duty and marine applications.

As a part of the launch occa-sion of the new Stamp Grid Tech-nology batteries, OTE also organ-ised a customer meet.

This was attended by over 100 dealers and corporate customers. In addition, a separate technical training session was also con-ducted with over 90 technicians from institutional customers. Here, ACDelco’s maintenance free batteries’ technology trends were shared.

OTE Group represents the brand ACDelco in the Sultanate of Oman for more than two and a half decades, with direct sales and dealer outlets spread across the country.

S T A M P G R I D T E C H N O L O G Y

Zubair SEC signs up members from Injaz Oman’s SharikatiMUSCAT: For the second year in a row, Zubair Small Enterprises Centre (Zubair SEC) has signed up new members from Injaz Oman’s Sharikati programme, which aims to promote entrepreneurship among youth.

The selected team members will receive advice, training, busi-ness development guidance and support from Zubair SEC. While Zubair SEC, one of the social re-sponsibility initiatives of The Zubair Corporation accepted eight teams this year, last year it had also enrolled seven teams.

The signing up of the new teams took place at Bait Al Zubair and was offi ciated by Khalid Muhammad Al Zubair, managing director of The Zubair Corporation and Chairman of Injaz Oman. The signing cer-emony was attended by Ziad Mu-hammad Al Zubair, board member of The Zubair Corporation, Khaula Al Harthy, executive director of In-jaz Oman, and management repre-

sentatives of The Zubair Corpora-tion, Injaz Oman and Zubair SEC, says a press release.

The teams, which were signed up for the Zubair SEC member-ship, were selected through an evaluation process wherein their Sharikati projects were assessed wholly on the basis of innovation, business feasibility, market un-derstanding and merit. At the last assessment stage the teams were interviewed by business advisers of Zubair SEC.

Receiving the eight joining teams, Khalid Al Zubair said, “We are delighted to see university stu-dents adopt entrepreneurship at such an early stage and showcase such eagerness and enthusiasm to take their projects to a further level of business actualisation. The sup-port and guidance that such young men and women have been receiv-ing both by Injaz Oman and Zubair SEC is an important advantage for them; incubating and supporting

such talented young profession-als bring us closer to our objec-tive to contribute positively to the sustainable development of our country by providing the market with young talents and forward-thinking business professionals.”

Khaula Al Harthy, executive di-rector of Injaz Oman said, “The quality of applications we have re-ceived for Injaz Oman’s Sharikati programme is a testimony to the excellent ideas and incredible tal-

ent we have in Oman. We were im-pressed with their originality and ideas and enthusiasm. These young entrepreneurs showed real poten-tial to scale up and are surely a key part of Oman’s hope for the future. We look forward to the collabora-tion between Zubair SEC and In-jaz Oman in order to develop these young talents into future leaders.”

“Another aspect that made many of the Injaz Oman-Sharikati pro-jects we selected noticeable was the

social and environmental impact implemented through their busi-ness models. This aligns greatly with the strategy of Zubair SEC which promotes social responsi-bility and endorses social impact while doing business. We are de-lighted the young generations are thinking and acting in ways that will add up to the accumulative social good needed for sustainable development,” said Lina Hussein, head of Communication & Social

Impact at Zubair SEC.In 2014 and 2015, Zubair SEC

had also incubated in its offi ces In-jaz Oman members ‘Juthoor’ and ‘Eureka’ respectively by providing them with special advisory and business development services and work spaces equipped with everything they need to operate comfortably.

Since September 2013, Zubair SEC and Injaz Oman have been collaborating and playing a key role in developing a culture of en-trepreneurship in the country. Through their partnership, both organisations have put in a lot of eff ort to support and mentor high-potential young entrepreneurs. Zubair SEC has held several work-shops for Injaz Oman students on the topics of entrepreneurship, so-cial impact and innovation. Zubair SEC’s team has also been part of Injaz Oman’s assessment jury for the Sharikati programme for the past two years.

P R O M O T I N G E N T R E P R E N E U R S H I P

Khimji’s Watches website wins silver at Oman Tech AwardsMUSCAT: Khimji’s Watches won a silver award for its state-of-art website - www.khimjiswatches.com - at the highly coveted Oman Tech Awards.

Held recently under the aegis of ITA-Information Technology Authority (e-oman) at Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah, Oman Tech Awards felicitates the best talents in the fi eld of e-technology.

Sachin Malhotra, COO - Life-style Group at Khimji Ramdas, expressed happiness: “We are very thrilled that our website www.khimjiswatches.com has been recognised and honoured at the Oman Tech Awards. It is a one of

its kind event in the country for the promotion of Omani digital so-ciety. Our website developers have worked very hard and developed an informative and interactive platform that off ers a unique digi-tal experience to the connoisseurs of luxury in Oman.

Visually appealing“www.khimjiswatches.com is comprehensive, well-crafted and visually appealing. It is based on a mobile adaptive web design that adapts itself seamlessly to diff er-ent screen sizes and devices in-cluding tablets and smartphones. More importantly, it captures

the spirit of the brand Khimji’s Watches and refl ects our core values of luxury, high-quality and customers’ satisfaction.”

On visiting www.khimjiswatch-es.com, one can scroll through all the Khimji’s Watches brands - Rolex, Chopard, Cartier, Piaget, Mikimoto, Girard-Perregaux, Oris, Frederique Constant, Tudor, Bell & Ross, Caran d’Ache and Kie-ninger - with in-depth product de-scriptions. The website provides up-to-date information about new products, company news, brand videos and locations. It also allows users to easily contact and provide feedback to the company.

A C C O L A D E

IS Ibri celebrates annual dayMUSCAT: The 27th Annual Day of Indian School Ibri was cel-ebrated recently in the school auditorium with enthusiasm and great jubilation. The theme of the celebration was ‘Save Nature Save Earth’.

Indra Mani Pandey, ambas-sador of India to the Sultanate of Oman, presided over the function as the chief guest. Salam Humaid Al Jasassi, administrative ex-pert, Ministry of Education, Al-Dhahira Governorate and Sheikh Ahamed bin Shaikha Al Azzari at-tended the occasion as the guests of honour, says a press release.

Ali bin Salah Al Kalbani, chair-man, Oman Chamber of Com-merce and Industry, Al-Dhahira Governorate, Mahmoud Al Mezy-adi and Yahia Asargi from the Ministry of Manpower, Juma Nasser Abdullah Al-Saadi and Jameel Salim Al Ghazmi from the Ministry of Education, Abdulla Salim Al Mahrooqi from the Min-istry of Health, Nazer Ali Ashaksi from the Ministry of Civil De-fence, Fahad Ali and Yousef Al Azzari, from the ROP, the founder member and former president, Dr. R. R. Nair; Mathew Abraham, Education Adviser; Dr Alex C. Joseph, the assistant education adviser; B. K. Vishwanath former Internal Auditor, K. U. Majeed, Founder Member, and many oth-er distinguished guests atteded the occasion besides the presi-dent and members of the school management committee.

All dignitaries were given a warm reception at the school en-

trance by the president, members of the SMC, the principal, staff and students. The dignitaries were given a guard of honour by the stu-dent council led by the head boy, Adharsh K. A. and head girl Kiran Sara Thomas.

The event commenced with the royal anthem of Oman followed by the national anthem of India.

Abdul Gafoor Quadri, welcomed the gathering. In his address, he expressed his heartfelt gratitude to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said and his government.

M. P. Vinoba, principal of the school presented the annual re-port highlighting the signifi cant progress that the school achieved in scholastic and co scholastic fi elds. He congratulated the stu-dents for their outstanding perfor-mances and appreciated the staff for their dedicated team work.

Pandey exhorted the role of teachers in moulding the stu-dents’ future. While addressing, he emphasised that parents have to encourage their children to achieve the excellence in edu-

cation and also appreciated the school programme the manner it was organised.

A multimedia presentation of the glimpses of activities held dur-ing the year 2015-16 was screened before the august gathering.

The performances of the stu-dents in their colourful costumes, graceful steps and angelic smiles synchronised to the theme ‘Save Nature Save Earth”.

The principal was felicitated at the function by the ambassador for being the recipient of CBSE Best Mentor Award. The student repre-sentatives handed over a cheque of Rs4 lakh to the ambassador, which was mobilised for the victims of recent fl oods in Tamil Nadu.

The chief guest and the guests of honour distributed the meri-torious students with cash prize, medals and certifi cates for their achievements in academic and non-academic areas.

The overall trophy for the year 2015-16 was lifted by the Green House and the runners up trophy by the Yellow House.

G R A N D E V E N T

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RECRUIT

QUOTES

Your attitude is like a box of crayons that colour your

world. Constantly colour your picture gray, and your

picture will always be bleak. Try adding some bright

colours to the picture by including humour, and your

picture begins to lighten up.

— Allen Klein

The best thing to do when you find yourself in a hurting

or vulnerable place is to surround yourself with the

strongest, finest, most positive people you know.

— Kristin Armstrong

Omantel unveils new Hayyak Liberty Daily

MUSCAT: Omantel, the fi rst inte-grated telecoms services provider in the Sultanate, has unveiled Hayyak Liberty Daily, an innova-tive new pre-paid plan designed specifi cally for people who want to talk more with friends and family.

The new plan off ers fantastic val-ue with discounted call rates of only 79 baisa per call to another Omantel number. With a subscription rate of only 100bz a day, Hayyak Liberty Daily enables customers to talk or

video chat for up to one hour with an Omantel fi xed or mobile numbers, and all for only 79bz per call, the perfect option for those who enjoy long conversations with family and

friends, says a press release. Commenting on the introduc-

tion of Hayyak Liberty Daily, Shad-li Al Abdulsalam, senior manager of Segment management at Oman-

tel Consumer unit, noted, “At Om-antel we are constantly striving to enrich the lives of our customers by delivering even more value. The secret to our success has been the strong relationship we have with our customers, a relationship we are constantly looking to strength-en with plans and packages such as Hayyak Liberty Daily that ensure customers get the most value for the lowest cost.”

“We recognise that connecting and conversing with our family and friends is the fabric of Omani society and our community. We decided to launch Hayyak Liberty Daily with this very fact in mind. Now with Hayyak Liberty Daily our customers can enjoy long con-versations with family and friends all the while saving even more at only 79bz per call,” continued Shadli Al Abdulsalam.

Hayyak plans are truly unique in terms of value, convince, cover-age and boast numerous benefi ts, meaning customers can select the plan that bests suits their personal needs and lifestyle.

The new plan off ers

fantastic value with

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of only 79 baisa

per call to another

Omantel number

Badr Al Samaa holds CME on ‘chest pain’MUSCAT: Badr Al Samaa, Barka, conducted continuing medical education (CME) programme at Al Nahda Resort & Spa recently.

The speakers were Dr Benny Panakkal, senior consultant in-terventional cardiologist and group medical director and Dr Vedmitra Bhandari, senior gener-al surgeon, Badr Al Samaa, Barka, says a press release.

Dr Benny delivered a session on ‘Approach to a patient with chest pain’. The presentation fo-cused on chest pain as an alarm-ing symptom both for the patient and for the treating doctor. Iden-tifying the cause of chest pain requires skill and knowledge and exposes reasons ranging from se-rious life threatening situations to less serious causes.

The CME was aimed at provid-ing a systematic approach to this end. Over 80 doctors from Barka

attended the CME.Dr Vedmitra delivered a lecture

on ‘Torsion Testis’. He highlighted the importance of early diagnosis and the management of torsion testis as it is a surgical emergency of fi rst degree priority. If this is not treated at the right time it will lead to testicular damage and Orhidec-tomy (surgical removal of testis). To prevent this damage it was stressed to get proper manage-ment in fi rst four hours.

Dr Shaji Kochumman, ENT Specialist Badr Al Samaa, Barka welcomed the gathering and vote of thanks was delivered by Dr Rajesh Kizhedath, radiologist, Badr Al Samaa, Barka.

The session was concluded by presenting memento to both the speakers by P. A. Mohammad, managing director, Badr Al Sa-maa Group of Hospitals as a to-ken of appreciation.

C O N T I N U I N G M E D I C A L E D U C A T I O N

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Bank Muscat supports health and beauty expo

MUSCAT: Bank Muscat, the fl ag-ship fi nancial services provider in the Sultanate, as part of its ‘Let’s Do More’ vision and social com-mitment extended support to the Health and Beauty Exhibition held under the auspices of Ahmed bin Hassan Al Dheeb, undersecre-tary at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

The bank utilised the opportuni-

ty to highlight the popular Zeinah women’s products and services which evoked strong response at the event, says a press release.

Oman is witnessing the increas-ing role of women in workplace and education. As women manage their fi nancial responsibility, the need for new and specifi c bank-ing products and services has emerged. Zeinah women’s account addresses this need off ering a per-sonal and comfortable banking en-vironment for women.

The Zeinah suite of products and services is based on the prem-

ise that women prefer to use spe-cial banking services that preserve their privacy.

Catering to the unique needs, Zeinah off ers privacy and a relaxed atmosphere for women at Bank Muscat branches.

The specially designed Zeinah suite of products include exclusive debit and credit cards, auto fi nance and a unique health and beauty fi -nance scheme.

The Zeinah health and beauty fi nance is an exclusive facility designed for modern health and beauty conscious women. The

short-term fi nance can be used for membership to health and fi tness clubs, skin and dental care or plas-tic surgery. The scheme also enti-tles Zeinah customers to special off ers and discounts from leading health and beauty centres.

Aimed at providing a distinct banking experience, Bank Mus-cat also off ers exclusive rewards for women in al Mazyona Sav-ings Scheme. Targeted at Zeinah customers maintaining a mini-mum balance of OMR100, al Ma-zyona off ers two weekly prizes of OMR1,000 each, in addition to an exclusive Zeinah draw coinciding with the Omani Women’s Day of-fering a total of OMR100,000 to be shared by 10 winners.

As the nation’s fl agship bank, Bank Muscat fi rmly believes that the development of Oman signifi -cantly hinges on the role played by women, alongside male coun-terparts. With women comprising a major customer segment, Bank Muscat remains committed to of-fering banking excellence enrich-ing women’s lives.

The bank utilised

the opportunity to

highlight the popular

Zeinah women’s

products and services

which evoked strong

response at the event

Aff ordable healthcare

services at myclinic

MUSCAT: A new pri-vate polyclinic ‘myclinic, mydoctor|mycare’ was unveiled in Madinat Al Sultan Qaboos dis-trict in Muscat recently.

The brand owned by Excellent Healthcare Complex, places pa-tient centric care at the heart of its services delivery based on the ide-ology of the needs of the patient come fi rst, says a press release.

“At myclinic, we pledge to provide the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear and small acts of caring – to turn around a life,” said Fathima Tanvi Salam, business head at Excellent Healthcare Complex. She further highlighted the mis-sion of myclinic as, “To provide premium, high quality, aff ordable and patient centric health care.”

“Our services include mother and childcare (obstetrics, gynae-cology and paediatric care), den-tistry, beauty (dermatology and cosmetology) and rehabilitation (orthopaedic and physiothera-py care) that shall be off ered in phases at the polyclinic,” elabo-rated Fathima.

myclinic, mydoctor |mycare off ers unique personalised ser-vices which can be experienced through patient care coordina-tors - myPCC, guest relation ex-ecutives – myGRE and hostess – myHOSTESS. A mini myCAFE serving delectable selection of tea and coff ee’s along with free wifi services can also be enjoyed by guests. Equally distinctive is the concierge service that the guests are off ered via chauff er

driven car that transports them efficiently, safely and com-fortably for appointments at an affordable cost.

Furthermore, myclinic has partnered with renowned Indian healthcare institutions – Mum-bai-based Wockhardt Hospitals and Chennai’s based SRM Insti-tute of Medical Sciences (SIMS). Internationally acclaimed in their own right, both institutions will off er high-level tertiary care services at their advanced medi-cal facilities. In addition, eminent physicians drawn from these in-stitutions will also off er expert advice to patients and visit Mus-cat regularly to provide specialist consultancy services at the con-venience of local patients.

Sheikh Hamed Al Harassi, chairman, Teejan Group of Com-panies and promoter of Excellent Healthcare Services, who inau-gurated myclinic, said: “Treat people like people before you treat them like patients.” He re-affi rmed that with a practice fo-cused on empathetic care, ethical medical practices and aff ordable services, ‘myclinic’ will take pri-mary healthcare sector to a new level in the Sultanate.

“We are committed to the vision of our founders’ to con-sistently deliver high qual-ity healthcare services. Our #jointhecarerevolution initiative is based on the ideology ‘Empa-thy, the human connection to patient care’ for the people of Oman,” said Swetha Madhava, head Commercial at Myclinic.

P A T I E N T - C E N T R I C A P P R O A C H

Rumba Lattina organises fashion showMUSCAT: Rumba Lattina pre-sented its fi rst fashion show re-cently in the dining and lounge area. The fashion show was held in association with Priya & Anta-ra of Eventuality, the high profi le modelling agency in Oman, says a press release.

This glamorous event show-cased four rounds with the fashion collection of bags, footwear and clothes by Meli’s Refl ection and Jewellery by Beary. The makeup for the models was done by Fatima Mohammed and team.

With masterful choreogra-phy and a well-conceived setup, the show was defi nitely the most

sought-after fashion event.As the confetti covered the run-

way after the fi nal round, it was a fi t-ting testament to the success of the fashion show presented by Rumba Lattina at the Cave restaurant.

“The journey of fashion has just started at Rumba Lattina. We plan to have a fashion show every fortnight and are open to welcome all designers, sponsors, models, photographers to participate or volunteer. Our next fashion show is on May 21 and I can easily be contacted any time on [email protected],” said Madiha Javed, the Restaurant & Lounge manager at Rumba Lattina.

H I G H P R O F I L E E V E N T

Global Car Rental website wins at Oman Tech AwardsMUSCAT: Global Car Rental & Leasing website won a prestigious award at Oman Tech Awards, the Sultanate’s biggest technology event of the year. Held at Shangri- La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa, the company’s website bagged an award in the Services & Trading category, says a press release.

A large number of invitees, web-masters and electronic applica-tion developers from government

and private agencies competed. The event was also attended by institutions working in the fi elds of development of websites and e-marketing. It was a platform to honour the various outstanding and innovative digital initiatives and applications.

Judged by an independent panel, the evaluation was based on a number of criteria and stand-ards that focused on the content,

design quality, the structure and easy navigation.

“Digital presence is a basic re-quirement for any business today. The award winning global website is a platform for us to engage and form relationships with our cus-tomers. The site has been praised in many circles for its professional character, its ease of navigation and overall user-friendliness. All the possible options are clearly

spelled out to help customers make an informed decision,” a company spokesperson commented.

Part of the prestigious Al Hashar Group, Global Car rental and leas-ing off ers some of the best options for renting, leasing or hiring a car within Oman. Sporting an impec-cable fl eet of latest vehicles from economy to luxury categories, be it sedan, SUV, MPV or 4WD, Global off ers the best options.

R E C O G N I T I O N

NDC picks 30 promotion winnersMUSCAT: National Detergent Company (NDC) announced 30 winners of the fi rst raffl e draw of ‘Win With Bahar’ summer pro-motion, which was conducted at Nesto Hypermarket recently.

Thirty lucky winners will take home from a list of attractive priz-es including fi ve Samsung Galaxy S7 phones, 10 Samsung 40 inch LED TVs and 15 Samsung mobile phones, says a press release.

During the two-month promo-tion, 64 lucky winners get a chance to win exciting prizes including four iPhone 6S Plus, 25 Samsung 40 inch LED TV, 10 Samsung Gal-axy phones and 25 Samsung mo-bile phones. The second draw will take place on June 7.

To enter the raffl e draw, custom-ers must purchase NDC products

worth OMR3, which entitles them to a scratch and win card, and a raf-fl e coupon. One additional coupon will be given on purchase of Bahar/ No.1 48-medium pack.

Scratch and win prizes include 100 Samsung mobile phones and 22,000 other gifts.

The promotion that began on March 28 will continue till June 5. It is made available in all major retail outlets across Oman such as The Sultan Center, Nesto Hy-permarket, Mars Hypermarket, Karama and K M Trading.

The more a customer spends, the more number of raffl e tickets he stands to receive, giving him a greater chance at winning.

“Through the years, our regu-lar campaigns have proven to be very successful. Bahar promotions

have become an annual tradition at NDC, underlining our commit-ment to our loyal customers by giving them the opportunity to win big prizes,” said A. K. Shaji, head of Business Development and Re-gional Sales, NDC.

The full list of winners has been published in the NDC website, Facebook page and in selected hy-permarkets. National Detergent’s promotions are supported by Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE). Through its Origin Oman campaign, PEIE promotes products manufactured in the Sultanate. The campaign creates awareness and in-creases the visibility of Omani prod-ucts while encouraging residents to buy made in Oman products and avail of the quality services available in the country.

S U M M E R P R O M O T I O N

Nima Abu-Wardeh to moderate OER Business Summit todayMUSCAT: Dr Rasheed bin Al Safi Al Huraibi, chairman - Oman Tender Board, will be the chief guest of OER Business Summit 2016 & Top 20 Awards to be held today at Grand Hyatt Muscat.

Nima Abu-Wardeh, the pre-senter of the BBC World News weekly fi nancial programme Middle East Business Report, will moderate the panel discussions while Ahmed bin Saleh Al Mar-hoon, director-general of Muscat Securities Market, will be the guest of honour and give away the OER Top 20 trophies, says a press release.

Two panel discussionsOrganised by Oman Economic Review (OER), the Sultanate’s premium business magazine, and held under the theme ‘The Diversifi cation Imperative’, the summit will explore the potential of Oman’s diversifi cation drive for strengthening the business environment and creating vital opportunities for local entrepre-neurs and SMEs. Divided into two panel discussions and multiple paper presentations, the summit will also look into the challenges posed by a low oil price environ-ment impact the government’s diversifi cation plans.

The fi rst panel discussion on ‘Harnessing the potential of in-dustries, ports & freezones and tourism in Oman’ will feature

an august body of panellists that include Ahmed Akaak, deputy CEO, Port of Salalah; Gert Hoef-man, CEO, Oman Cables Indus-tries; Hilal Al Hasani, CEO, Pub-lic Establishment for Industrial Estates; Hana Al Kharusi, DGM, Corporate Banking, ahlibank; James Wilson, CEO, Omran; Mahmood Sakhi Al Balushi, CEO, Al Madina Logistics Services Company; Naushad Ansari, CEO, Jindal Shadeed Iron and Steel Oman and Reggy Vermeulen, CEO, Port of Duqm Company.

Panelists at the second discus-sion on ‘In-Country Value and SME development – opportuni-ties and challenges’ include Ab-dullah Al Jufaili, general man-ager, Sharakah; Greg Young, CEO, Ooredoo; Maqboul Salim Al Wa-haiby, CEO, Oman Data Park; Mo-hammed Al Mukhainy, in-coun-try value manager, Oman LNG; Sami Al Hassan, general manager, GroFin; and Zuwaina Al Rashdi, CEO, Dar Al Herfya – World of Handicrafts.

Paper presentationsApart from two panel discus-sions, the summit will also in-clude paper presentations on ‘Oman’s Economy’ by Fabio Scac-ciavillani: chief economist, Oman Investment Fund; on ‘Ease of Do-ing Business in Oman’ by Dileesh Suseelan: IT Governance and Ad-visory Consultant, Information

Technology Authority; on ‘SME Development in Oman’ by Khalid Ansari: managing partner, KPMG Oman; and on ‘Providing ena-blers for SME Development’ by Maqboul Salim Al Wahaiby, CEO, Oman Data Park.

SponsorsOER Business Summit 2016 & Top 20 Awards is supported by ahlibank as the strategic partner; BMW and Shell Oman Marketing Company-the associate partners; Oman Cables, Oman Data Park and Oman LNG, Jindal Shadeed, Al Busaidy Mansoor Jamal & Co-the support sponsors; Takaful Oman-the Islamic insurance partner; Taageer Finance, Al Jar-wani Hospitality and Al Anwar Holding- the support partners; Al Madina Logistics-the Logis-tics Partner. Times of Oman and Al Shabiba-media partners; Ma-zoon Printing, the print partner, Bloomberg Business Week-Mid-dle East-the knowledge partner.

The OER Top 20 awards cel-ebrate the excellence in Oman’s corporate world. Modelled on the Fortune 500, the OER Top 20 is Oman Economic Review’s an-nual ranking of the Sultanate’s Top 20 listed companies. Starting in 2003, the Top 20 has evolved into an authoritative barometer of Oman Inc’s performance and underscores the strength and re-silience of Oman’s economy.

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Ahmad thrilled to be back on British soil for the Blancpain Endurance Cup

Times News Service

MUSCAT: Aston Martin V12 Van-tage GT3 racer Ahmad Al Harthy says he cannot wait to be back competing on UK soil on May 14 and 15, when the second round of the Blancpain Endurance Cup takes place at the home of British motorsport — Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit.

Following an extremely strong start to the 2016 season last month at Monza in Italy, where the Omani and teammates Jonny Adam and Devon Modell secured a top four Pro-Am fi nish for the Oman Racing Team powered by Motorbase, hopes are high of another competitive challenge just a few days from now.

Ahmad Al Harthy certainly starred at Monza with, undoubt-edly, one of the best drives of his ca-

reer as he scythed his way through from sixth in Pro-Am, and 13th overall, into second in class and the outright top six prior to the fi rst round of pit-stops at the conclu-sion of his stint.

Buoyed signifi cantly by that per-formance, the 34-year-old from Muscat is determined to keep the No. 44 Aston Martin – the only As-ton in the championship this year – in among the battle for Pro-Am podium success.

“Monza was a very good way to start the season, the team did a fantastic job with the car and Jonny, Devon and I were able to be very competitive,” said the Oman Ministry of Sports Aff airs, Oman Air, National Bank of Oman (NBO), Barr Al Jissah and Oman-tel-backed racer.

“We’ve gone very well at Silver-stone in the past, winning in Brit-ish GT a couple of years ago, so I’m

very pleased to be back.”Silverstone is a venue Ahmad

has good experience of — in recent years in Blancpain Endurance and the British GT Championship and

also, in the past, in categories such as Formula One support series, the Porsche Mobil 1 Super Cup.

Ahmad, of course, spent almost his entire racing career to date

competing on UK race tracks, hav-ing fi rst arrived on British shores in 2007 in Formula Renault. Fol-lowing podium success there, he made the switch to Porsche Car-

rera Cup GB racing in 2010 and be-came Pro-Am 1 Champion in 2012.

British GT graduation followed where Ahmad became a race win-ner in his fi rst season. In 2014, the Oman Racing Team won the Brit-ish GT Team title and last year Ah-mad claimed the ‘Silver Cup’ title with six class wins.

In short, the Aston Martin Mid-dle East and North Africa ambassa-dor has a strong affi nity with Brit-ish motorsport.

“The UK has been such a huge part of my career and it’s fantastic to be back racing at Silverstone this weekend”, said the Omani,

“We always have wonderful support from the British fans and I’m hopeful we can be in a position to fi ght for the Pro-Am podium. It’s obviously the home race for the Motorbase guys too, hope-fully it’ll be one of the highlights of our season.”

Following an

extremely strong

start to the 2016

season last month

at Monza in Italy

hopes are high for the

Oman Racing Team of

another competitive

challenge at

Silverstone

We’ve gone very

well at Silverstone in

the past, so I’m very

pleased to be back

Ahmad Al HarthyOman Racing Team

India tickled pink as Asia warms to twilight TestsNEW DELHI: India, a country notoriously slow to adopt new ide-as, has now embraced the concept of day-night Test matches and it will surely not be long before twi-light fi ve-day games are a regular feature on the sub-continent.

India and Pakistan are set to play fl oodlit Tests this year while Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are con-sidering following suit pending the results of domestic trials.

India’s all powerful board of control, the BCCI, has tradition-ally been suspicious of anything new and ensured the world’s sec-ond most populous nation was the last of the major cricketing powers to embrace the Twenty20 format of the game.

That embrace has quickly turned into a passionate love af-fair courtesy of the Indian Premier League (IPL) but the BCCI is still resisting the Decision Review System (DRS) with all its consid-

erable might. It insists it will not accept the technology, which is aimed at reducing umpiring howl-ers, until it is foolproof. As a result DRS is not used in any bilateral se-ries involving India.

The commercial prospects of day-night Tests, however, have not been lost on the world’s rich-est cricket board and it announced last month it would host a fl oodlit Test against New Zealand when the Black Caps tour later this year.

BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said the controversial pink ball used in such contests would be trialled in the domestic Duleep Trophy to help captain Virat Kohli and his team prepare for the day-nighter. “There are lots of factors that need to be taken into account. Things like dew factor, how the spinners bowl with the pink Kook-aburra (ball) on Indian pitches,” Thakur said.

The dates and venues of the se-

ries against New Zealand have yet to be confi rmed but Kolkata’s Eden Gardens has been put forward as a possible venue by Cricket Associa-tion of Bengal president and for-mer India captain Saurav Ganguly.

“We want to play host to a pink-ball test in the future,” said Gangu-ly. “We will try to host a local four-day match with the pink ball under the fl oodlights as a test.”

Turnout for test matches in In-dia generally lags far behind the full houses that can be expected for one-day internationals and some IPL

fi xtures. Even those in the BCCI suspicious of change, therefore, were enthused by what they saw at Adelaide Oval last November when Australia and New Zealand played out the fi rst fl oodlit Test.

Picturesque groundThe match only lasted only three days, hence the controversy over the pink ball, but attracted more than 123,000 fans through the gates at the picturesque ground as the hosts clinched the trans-Tas-man series.

The Adelaide turnout looked even more impressive at a time when the game’s longest format is grappling with dwindling crowds amid the many burgeoning Twen-ty20 leagues springing up across the cricketing globe.

Even Sri Lanka, who turned down Pakistan’s proposal to play a day-night Test in 2013 citing their inexperience with the pink ball, are now considering the option.

“We are looking at it very posi-tively,” Sri Lanka Cricket secretary Mohan de Silva told Reuters.

“We are gearing ourself for the eventuality. The ICC (Internation-al Cricket Council) has cleared it and (at some point), we’d also fall in line.”

The ICC approved day-night tests in 2012 after successful trials of pink balls in Australia, England, Pakistan and South Africa.

Pakistan will play a day-night test in Australia in December and

might play one before that, against West Indies in October, provided the Caribbean nations agree to the proposal.

Another Asian team, Bangla-desh, are being a little more cau-tious about dipping their toes into the water.

New Zealand have proposed hosting a day-nighter when Bang-ladesh visit the country in De-cember and England want to play a twilight test during their tour of the South Asian country in October-November, a Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) offi cial told Reuters.

“We have not decided on either of the proposals yet,” BCB media and communication committee chairman Mohammed Jalal Yunus said. “We trialled the pink ball here but there were some issues regard-ing the shine and durability. We need to address those issues before taking a decision.” - Reuters

D A Y - N I G H T T E S T S

Manohar quits as BCCI boss, eyes top ICC postNEW DELHI: Veteran admin-istrator Shashank Manohar, who had vowed to clean Indian cricket in the wake of the IPL spot fi xing scandal, today resigned from the post barely seven months into his tenure and is all set to become the fi rst independent ICC Chairman.

The 58-year-old Manohar, who had taken over the reins of the cash-rich body for a second term following the death of Jag-mohan Dalmiya, leaves the BCCI at a time when it is resisting the sweeping reforms recommended by the Supreme Court-appointed Justice Lodha panel.

In a letter addressed to BCCI Secretary Anurag Thakur, Mano-har said, “I hereby tender my resignation with immediate ef-fect from the post of President of Board of Control for Cricket in India. I also resign with immedi-ate eff ect as the representative of

BCCI on the ICC, as also the ACC on which I was nominated by the General Body of BCCI. “I thank all my colleagues and the staff for their support and cooperation during my tenure. I wish all of you all the very best in taking Cricket to greater heights.”

Manohar’s exit, which was be-ing intensely speculated, has not gone down too well with a sizable

section of the BCCI top brass, which strongly feels that he has left them in the lurch.

The BCCI promptly accepted Manohar’s resignation, acknowl-edging the “contribution” made by him in running the game during his tenure. “The BCCI confi rms that Mr. Shashank Manohar has resigned from the post of Presi-dent, BCCI. He has also resigned as the BCCI representative on the International Cricket Coun-cil (ICC) and the Asian Cricket Council,” Thakur said in a release.

According to reliable sources, Thakur is being tipped to take over the hot seat. IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla is also in the run-ning along with Maharashtra CA president Ajay Shirke.

As per BCCI rules, a Special General Meeting (SGM) has to be convened within 15 days, apprising members of current situation. - PTI

B I G A M B I T I O N S

Sunrisers Hyderabad almost close doors on Dhoni’s PuneVISAKHAPATNAM: Sunrisers Hyderabad returned an all-round bowling performance to defend their low total and beat Rising Pune Supergiants by four runs in a nail-biting Indian Premier League (IPL) clash here on Tuesday.

Batting fi rst, Hyderabad lost wickets at regular intervals and could manage only 137/8 in 20 overs, thanks an impressive six-wicket haul by young leg-spinner Adam Zampa (6-19).In reply, cou-ple of handy knocks by George Bailey (34), M.S. Dhoni (30) and Ravichandran Ashwin (29) were not enough as Pune fell short of the total, posting 133/8 in 20 overs.

Ashish Nehra (3-29) was the pick of the Hyderabad bowlers, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Bar-inder Sran and Moises Henriques claimed one wicket each.

Chasing a target of 138, Pune got off to a disappointing start losing in-form opener Ajinkya Rahane

(0) in the third ball of the innings to have the home side in the back foot right away. His opening part-ner Usman Khawaja (11) who was looking good after striking couple of boundaries also departed in the fourth over to have Pune in trouble at 19/2. With two quick wickets, Bailey and Ashwin who was pro-

moted up the batting order played sensibly without losing any more wickets to take past 50-run mark after completion of 10 overs.

But medium-pacer Moises Hen-riques returned to provide Hy-derabad the much needed break-through as he dismissed Bailey in the 12th over to bring a halt in Pune’s run chase.

Ashwin, after playing a handy 25-ball 29, too went back to the pavilion in the 14th over to put the home side in a spot of bother.

After the dismissal of Ashwin, followed by Saurabh Tiwary (9), skipper Dhoni and Thisera Perera (17) failed to take team to victory.

Brief scores: Sunrisers Hy-derabad 137/8 in 20 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 33; Adam Zampa 6-19, Ravichandran Ashwin 1-16, RP Singh 1-23) beat Rising Pune Supergiants 133/8 in 20 overs (George Bailey 34; Ashish Nehra 3-29) by 4 runs. - IANS

I N D I A N P R E M I E R L E A G U E

Shashank Manohar.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Adam

Zampa claimed six wickets. – AFP

C2

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Kohli’s RCB aim to keep the momentum going

BENGALURU: Royal Challeng-ers Bangalore will be looking to take the confi dence from their last night’s nerve-wracking one-run victory when they clash with Mumbai Indians, who suff ered a humiliating defeat in their previ-ous game, in an IPL match here on Wednesday.

Currently lying at a lowly sixth position in the points table, a win will be crucial for the Royal Chal-lengers to keep their hopes of mak-ing the IPL playoff s alive.

Snapping the three-match los-ing streak with back-to-back victories against Rising Pune Su-pergiants and Kings XI Punjab is expected to hold them in good stead when they play at their own backyard at the Chinnaswamy sta-dium here. In fact, their victory in a nail-biting fi nish over Kings XI Punjab in Mohali last night should give the Bangalore outfi t a lot of confi dence.

A loss on Wednesday, however, will land them in big trouble and it would become tougher for them to enter the playoff s.

All eyes once again will be on skipper Virat Kohli, whose per-formance in the ongoing IPL has left oppositions dumbstruck. He is leading the batting chart with 561 runs so far, which includes two

centuries and four half-tons.Besides the captain, RCB have

also been relying heavily on their star batsman A B de Villiers. The South African proved his prowess yet again last night when he hit a 35-ball 64 to guide the team to a competitive 175. Opener KL Rahul (42) also chipped in with impor-tant contribution.

Rahul and all-rounder Shane Watson have proved to be impor-tant cogs in Bangalore’s wheels with some crucial knocks.

With the likes of Chris Gayle warming the bench, the Royal Challengers perhaps have the most intimidating batting line-up, but their pedestrian bowling at-tack has failed to defend 180-plus scores in most of the matches.

Their two best performers with the ball have been Watson and Yuzvendra Chahal but the likes of Stuart Binny, Varun Aaron and Chris Jordan have all leaked runs.

RCB bowlers would have to put up a much better performance to sup-port the team’s batting department.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians would be keen to make quick amends from their humiliating 85-run defeat at the hands of Sun-risers Hyderabad in their previous match.

Placed fi fth in the table with 10

points, Mumbai Indians have a great chance of displacing Delhi Daredevils from number four po-sition in the table and entering the top-four bracket with a win against the home team here.

A loss will put Mumbai Indians under tremendous pressure as they would need to win their re-maining three games after tomor-row’s match, which would be very tough given that they will have to get acclimatised to their new home venue, Visakhapatnam.

The last time the two teams met, Mumbai Indians had defeated the Royal Challengers, and the Rohit Sharma-led side would hope to re-peat the feat.

Rohit has been leading the team from the front with 388 runs so far, hammering fi ve half-centuries. Ambati Rayudu and Parthiv Patel have also stepped up whenever their captain has failed to do the job.

Mumbai have big-match player Kieron Pollard in their ranks to guide the team to a domineering position with his lusty blows.

As far as bowling is concerned, Mumbai have been depending on their pace attack when it comes to restricting the rival teams.

New Zeland’s Mitchell Mc-Clenaghan has been leading the attack, having claimed 14 wick-

ets so far to be placed third in the top-wicket takers’ list. Others in Jasprit Bumrah and Tim Southee have taken 11 and seven wickets, respectively to be the next best bowlers for Mumbai.

In the spin department, old warhorse Harbhajan Singh (seven wickets) and the Pandya brothers — Hardik and Krunal (three wick-ets each) — have also contributed to the team’s success.

Teams (from):Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli (C), Varun Aaron, Abu Nechim, S Arvind, Samuel Badree, Stuart Binny, Yuzuvendra Chahal, AB De Villiers, Praveen Dubey, Chris Gayle, Travis head, Iqbal Abdulla, Kedar Jadhav, Akshay Karnewar, Sarfraz Khan, Vikramjeet Malik, Mandeep Singh, Har-shal Patel, Lokesh Rahul, Parveez Rasool, Kane Richardson, Sachin Baby, Vikas Tokas, Shane Watson, David Wiese, Chris Jordan, Tabraiz Shamsi.

Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (C), Parthiv Patel, Hardik Pandya, Jos Buttler, Mitchell McClenaghan, Ambati Rayudu, Kieron Pollard, Harbhajan Singh, Jagadee-sha Suchith, Tim Southee, Jasprit Bum-rah, Shreyas Gopal, R Vinay Kumar, Corey Anderson, Unmukht Chand, Marchant de Lange, Siddhesh Lad, Kishore Kamath, Krunal Pandya, Deepak Punia, Nitish Rana, Jitesh Sharma, Nathu Singh, Akshay Wakhare, Martin Guptill. - PTI

Currently lying at a

lowly sixth position

in the points table, a

win will be crucial for

the Royal Challengers

to keep their hopes

of making the IPL

playoff s alive BACK-TO-BACK WINS: Royal Challengers Bangalore celebrates victory against Kings XI Punjab in

Mohali on Monday. – AFP

MELBOURNE: New Pakistan cricket head coach Mickey Ar-thur says he has grown from his turbulent experience in charge of Australia that was marred by ‘homeworkgate’ in 2013.

Arthur was last Friday ap-pointed coach of a team that has built a reputation for being noto-riously diffi cult for mentors but has nonetheless risen to No.3 in the Test rankings.

The South African dropped vice-captain Shane Watson, Mitchell Johnson, James Pattin-son and Usman Khawaja from the third Test in Mohali for not com-pleting a task, where they were asked to list three items on ways to improve after the side’s compre-hensive defeat in the second Test.

Arthur was fi red after the se-ries that Australia lost 0-4.

He acknowledged his time with the Australia national team didn’t run smoothly, but the South African said he has ben-efi ted from lessons learned.

“I hate the word ‘homework-gate’.And I hate that whole issue. But at the end of the day, would I have done it again? Maybe, may-be not. I’m not sure.

But I certainly learnt a massive amount out of the whole experi-ence,” Arthur was quoted as say-ing by cricket.com.au on Tuesday.

“There are things I would have done diff erently but they’re not for open discussion,” the 47-year-old added. “The principles I had

in South Africa I tried to intro-duce in Australia and maybe I needed to be a bit more fl exible and really judge the temperature a bit better, and a willingness to change. That makes me a better coach now.”

Arthur was criticised by sever-al high-profi le Australian players, including wicket-keeper Brad Haddin, following his tenure.

Darren Lehmann took over from Arthur following the disas-trous ‘homeworkgate’ tour of In-dia in 2013, and the former Aus-tralia player immediately struck up a strong working relationship with then captain Michael Clarke.

Arthur said he believed Paki-stan’s bowling group is the equal of any in Test cricket.

He added that he has “unfi n-ished business” with Australia and is relishing the opportunity of a three-Test series, including a day-night fi xture at the Gabba later this year.

“The work that Darren and his staff have done with the players has been very, very good. It’s been outstanding. You do feel a little bit like you were on the right track in terms of player identifi cation but who knows? I’m just looking forward to playing against them at the end of the year. It’ll be a great summer. Hopefully we can get (the Pakistan players) up to speed — they can certainly test Australia in all departments,” he added. - IANS

P A K I S T A N ’ S N E W C O A C H

Will be surprised if Dhoni continues till 2019: Ganguly

NEW DELHI: Former India skipper Saurav Ganguly does not think that current limited overs captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni will last till 2019 and feels that it is high time Indian selectors appoint a new cap-tain to lead the side in the next ICC World Cup. Ganguly, who heads the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), further said that Test skipper Virat Kohli is the best man to replace the Ranchi stumper, under whom India won the ICC World T20 in 2007 and the 50-over World Cup in 2011.

“Every cricket team in the world plans their future. But my question to the selectors is three-four years down the line, do they see Dhoni as captain of India?,” Ganguly was quoted as saying by ‘India Today’ channel.

“Dhoni has been captain for nine years, which is a long pe-riod. Does he have it in him to go for another four years? He has already given up Test cricket and now plays only ODIs and T20s. So the selectors need to fi nd an answer.” - IANS

C R I C K E T

Arthur claims to be a better coach post ‘homeworkgate’ saga

C3


Panel discusses feasibility of proposed golf course in Sohar

MUSCAT: A steering committee formed specifi cally to study the feasibility of establishing a golf course in Sohar met recently to dis-cuss in detail the proposal project.

The steering panel was formed after an initial meeting of the Oman Golf Committee (OGC) members and 25 top executive managers from the Sohar Indus-trial Area, Freezone and Port on February 8.

The meeting, held in Sohar, was attended by all the members of the committee, including OGC chief Mundhir Al Barwani. OGC Vice-Chairman Ahmed Al Jhdhamy was also present at the meeting.

“This was just our fi rst meet-

ing where we discussed the pos-sibilities of building a golf course in Sohar. If we can really achieve this, which we are trying to with our honest eff ort, it will be the fi rst green course outside Muscat.The possibilities were discussed

at length. All the members of the committee are very keen about the initiative,” said Al Barwani.

The other steering committee members who attended the meet-ing were Port of Sohar CEO An-dre Toet, C. Steinweg Oman CEO Arie Koppelaar, Sohar Aluminium Power Plant Manager James Mc-Donough and Majis Industrial Services Planning and Projects Manager Dr. Salim Ali Al Mamari.

The committee discussed the location of the course, water sup-ply measures to feed the greens and other important parameters that are necessary to achieve the goal. An in-depth discussion was held as to how to build the course, the number of holes it should have, course-management procedures, whether it will start functioning as a 9-hole course or an 18-hole one.

Al Jhdhamy, the Vice-Chairman of OGC, said: “The most important factor is location. Because we need to build a pipeline for watering the greens. At the same time, our aim is to get a location where water sup-ply will be comparatively easier.”

The steering panel

was formed after

an initial meeting

of the Oman Golf

Committee members

and 25 top executive

managers from the

Sohar Industrial Area,

Freezone and Port

on February 8

AMBITIOUS PLANS: A fi le photo of Oman Golf Committee chief Mundhir Al Barwani making a presentation in Sohar. – Supplied photo

The possibilities were

discussed at length.

All the members are

very keen about

the initiative

Mundhir Al BarwaniOGC chairman

OFA’s Al Farsi,Al Rawas to attend FIFA Congress

Wilshere warns

Arsenal not to

take Villa lightly

MUSCAT: Two key offi cials of the Oman Football Associa-tion (OFA) will be attending the FIFA Congress in Mexico later this week.

According to information received from the OFA on Tuesday, the association’s vice-chairman Saleh bin Abdullah Al Farsi, board member Khalid bin Saeed Al Rawas will repre-sent Oman at the Congress to be organised from May 11 to 13.

Both Saleh Al Farsi and Khalid Al Rawas will be leav-ing for Mexico to attend the annual meeting.

The meeting will discuss var-ious topics, the most important being the adoption of the fi nan-cial statements and the annual report and the Project GOAL.

The meetings will conclude on Friday with the FIFA Gen-eral Assembly.

LONDON: Midfi elder Jack Wilshere has warned Arsenal to be prepared for a tough fi ght against a side playing for pride when they host already relegat-ed Aston Villa in the Premier League season fi nale on Sunday.

Arsenal, who tightened their grip on third place by holding Manchester City to a 2-2 draw on Sunday, need just one point to seal automatic qualifi cation for next season’s Champions League.

“I don’t know what happened to Aston Villa this season but I don’t expect them to come and just let us beat them,” he said. “We want to be straight in there and enjoy the season.” - Reuters

F O O T B A L L

F O O T B A L L

Allardyce backs Defoe for place in Euro 2016 England squad

LONDON: Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce has backed Jer-main Defoe to make a late bid for a place in the England squad for Euro 2016 based on the striker’s recent scoring form, which has given the Premier League strug-glers hope of avoiding the drop.

Defoe scored his 15th league goal of the season in Saturday’s 3-2 win over Chelsea and Al-lardyce says the 33-year-old would be an ideal replacement for Arsenal’s Danny Welbeck, who picked up a knee injury against Manchester City on Sunday.

England face Russia, Slovakia and Wales in Group B of the 24-

team European Championship in France, which kicks off on June 10.

“I just think that if Roy needed any striker to go along, Jermain would be his man,” Allardyce told British media.

“Jermain’s had a big run of games of the sort he hasn’t had for a few years, and he’s been a consist-ent performer at the highest level.

“To score 18 goals (in all com-petitions) for a team that’s been sat in the bottom three or four all season is pretty miraculous.”

Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane (25 goals) and Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy (24 goals) are the only Englishmen ahead

of Defoe in the Premier League scoring charts.

Defoe has scored fi ve goals in his last eight league games for Sunderland, helping to steer the club to 16th in the table with two matches left.

“Jermain’s performance this year and his goals particularly may have caused Roy to justtake a little look. He knows how much experience he’s got, he knows he can do it at that level,” Allardyce said.

Defoe has scored 19 goals in 55 appearances for England with his last cap coming against Chile in November 2013. - Reuters

F O O T B A L L

CONSISTENT PERFORMER:

Striker Jermain Defoe.

C4


We’re Rio Games medal contenders if everything falls in place: Oltmans

NEW DELHI: Going by its past performances, not many would fancy Indian men’s hockey team’s chances in the upcoming Olym-pics, but chief coach Roelant Olt-mans says a medal fi nish in Rio is very much achievable if “eve-rything falls in the right place at the right time”.

Eight-time gold medallists India fi nished a lowly 12th and last in the London Olympics four years ago, but Oltmans feels that’s a thing of the past and says if his boys can bring out their best anything can happen this time around.

“We are in a group of teams that can win a medal but everything has to fall in the right place at the right moment and that is what the Olympic Games are all about,” Olt-

mans said in an interview. “The question is ‘will you be able to to show your best hockey at the right moment’? and the answer is ‘If we do so we are (a medal contender)’.”

“Every team in the world wants to win a medal in the Olympic Games. For us it’s the same but we have to make improvement to make that happen. I always go step by step, so the fi rst thing for me is having a good pool phase and qualify for the quarterfi nals. From there on we need to win only three more matches,” the Dutchman said, summing his expectations.

One goalkeeperIndia are clubbed alongside de-

fending champions Germany, Eu-ropean champions Netherlands, Pan-American Games winners Argentina, Ireland and Canada in a relatively tough Pool B in the Rio Olympics, while Pool A consists of world champions Australia, Bel-gium, hosts Brazil, Great Britain, New Zealand and Spain. Top four teams from each pool will progress to the quarterfi nals.

“For me the pool is nothing new. The pools are based on world rank-ings and they are honest and fair. We have to work hard to make sure that we start well and fi nish in the top four in our group to qualify for the quarterfi nals. It is our primary aim. Once in the quarterfi nals then it’s

a one-off game and everything can happen in a one-off game,” he said.

Oltmans, who is also the High Performance Director of Indian hockey, hinted that they might go in with one goalkeeper in PR Sreejesh. “It’s subject to discus-sion but normally most of the teams will bring in one goalkeeper in their 16-member squad and there will be two players in the reserves which includes one goal-keeper. That is what most of the teams will do and that is what I will also recommend,” the legend-ary Dutchman said.

Oltmans said India will contin-ue to rest seniors in tournaments in the run up to the Olympics but

warned every player against taking their place in the squad for granted.

“It is not just about giving jun-iors a chance, it is also about giving rest to a couple of senior players who have played a lot of hockey in the last two years. We will do the same in the next two tournaments we play and from there on we will look for the right combination for the Olympics,” he said.

“For everyone it’s real competi-

tion. In every line of the fi eld — de-fenders, midfi elders and forwards — the competition is tough and that’s good.

“We will next play the Champi-ons Trophy in London and after that a six-nation event in Valencia and straight after that we will dis-cuss the fi nal squad for the Olym-pic Games. We have a group of 28 players right now and everybody has a chance.” - PTI

India fi nished a lowly

12th and last in the

London Olympics

four years ago, but

Oltmans feels that’s a

thing of the past and

says if his boys can

bring out their best

anything can happen

this time around

The question is ‘will

you be able to to show

your best hockey at

the right moment’?

and the answer is ‘If

we do so we are (a

medal contender)

Roelant OltmansIndian team hockey coach

BENGALURU: Veteran de-fender V.R. Raghunath believes that the Indian hockey team is poised to peak at the right time and will do well at the Champi-ons Trophy next month.

“Ever since the Asian Games gold in 2014, the team has started to believe in itself again. We never wanted to come down from that stage and only wanted to climb up. We had a ranking of 12-13 be-fore 2014. Recently we were placed No. 6 and currently we are ranked No. 7 in the world. No opponent takes us lightly anymore and they talk about us as a team that does well in knockouts,” Raghunath said in a statement.

“I believe we have a bright

chance and we are moving in the right direction for the upcoming tournaments,” the 27-year-old added.

As one of the senior most members of the team, Raghu-nath feels that one cannot get complacent about being the most experienced player.

“Nobody can take their place in the Indian team for granted, you have to constantly prove yourself. Anyone who performs well will be in the squad and per-sonally for me, I would like to test myself against big teams like Australia, Germany and Netherlands in the upcoming tournaments and analyse my performance,” the penalty corner specialist said. - IANS

India will shine at Champions Trophy, says Raghunath

Bayern swoop for Hummels and Sanches in strong show of intentBERLIN: Bayern Munich signed 18-year-old Portuguese midfi eld-er Renato Sanches from Benfi ca and Borussia Dortmund captain Mats Hummels on Tuesday as the Bundesliga champions made a powerful statement of intent for next season.

The Bavarians last week clinched a record fourth consecu-tive league title but were eliminat-ed for the third straight year in the Champions League semi-fi nals under coach Pep Guardiola.

Italian Carlo Ancelotti will take over next season with Guardiola moving to Manchester City.

Sanches, strongly linked in British media with a move to Manchester United, will join the German champions in June on a fi ve-year contract for 35 million euros ($39.82 million).

Hummels, pending a medical later on Tuesday, will become the third Dortmund player to join Bayern since 2013 following the arrival in Munich of Mario Goetze

and Robert Lewandowski and his departure is a major blow for the Ruhr valley club. The 27-year-old German international will sign a fi ve year-deal to 2021.

“We are delighted that Mats Hummels decided to join us,” Bay-ern chairman Karl-Heinz Rum-menigge said. “Mats is one of the world’s best central defenders and with him we will increase the quality of our team.”

Rummenigge revealed that Bayern had been watching Sanch-

es for some time. “We are pleased we have been able to sign him despite big-name international competition,” he said.

“Renato is dynamic, a good tackler and a technically skilled midfi elder who’ll add even more strength to our team.”

The box-to-box midfi elder has become a mainstay in Benfi ca coach Rui Vitoria’s team, playing 30 games for the club after making his fi rst-team debut in October.

Sanches caught the eye with a

mature display at Bayern’s Allianz Arena when the two sides met in the Champions League quarter-fi nals last month.

Bayern Munich deputy chair-man Jan-Christian Dreesen ex-plained the fee his club paid for Sanches, who is widely regarded as one of the most promising young players in Europe.

“The transfer fee for the current international is 35 million euros plus possible bonus payments that could become due if for example the player is named in the world team of the year or FIFA world player of the year,” Dreesen said.

Hummels played over 200 games for Dortmund, has 46 in-ternational caps and was in the Germany side that won the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Hummels helped Dortmund win the Bun-desliga title in 2011 and 2012 the German Cup in 2012.

He also reached the 2013 Champions League fi nal with the Ruhr valley club. - Reuters

FOOTBALL

Mats Hummels Renato Sanches

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM

LeisureSECTIONC L I F E S T Y L E W E D N E S DAY, M AY 1 1 , 2 0 1 6

The latest news is that paragliding and par-amotoring is here in Muscat. Glide through the air high

above the picturesque landscape of Oman, soar across the sky, and fl oat over winds and enjoy the beauty of a sunset blending with adventure in a parachute.

According to Syed Hamid Raza, who has started Falcon Adventures, in Oman adventure sports are the best way to ex-plore this country to the fullest. “I found that there is a lot of room for adventure sports activities in Oman,” he said.

Syed Hamid is a retired Major of the Pakistan Army, who was involved in training armed forces personnel in martial arts and ad-venture sports. Settled in the UK, he launched a company Home of Adventures, later spread out to Kenya, and has been training children in adventure sports.

“I came to Oman six months ago through a friend. I was re-ally stunned by the beauty of the country and its tourism poten-tial. With 26 years of experience in adventure sports, I think, I can certainly contribute to the growth of tourism in Oman,” he said. He has also started anoth-er company, Hawk Adventure Sports, which is providing adven-ture activities in schools.

Falcon Adventures has started adventure sports in three cat-egories; air adventure, water ad-venture, and land adventure. In air adventure he has introduced paragliding and paramotoring. “In paragliding we have three courses namely basic, intermedi-ate, and pilot licence course – all together will take only 10 days,” he said. In ten days you can fl y.

The basic course will take three days; intermediate four days, and the pilot course will take another three days. While it will take 10 days to learn the techniques of paramotoring ba-sics you need eight days to com-plete the advanced course. “From paragliding anybody can shift to paramotoring. It is very much popular among the youth in many countries,” he added.

The basic course is just an introduction, which teaches ground handling and slop run-ning. Throughout the course each student will learn the basics of proper paraglider setup, infl a-tion, ground handling, and even taste assisted take-off . Advanced lessons will get the pilot fl ying fi rst with assistance and then without assistance.

The basic course and ground handling is being done in the Seeb beach near Almouj. Then the learners will be taken to the Al Nahda Dunes, which is 45-min-utes drive away from Muscat, for learning fl ying, manoeuvring, landing, soaring, and pin point landing. During the pilot licence

course the learner has to inde-pendently control the fl ying. After completing the course suc-cessfully the company will give you a licence and with that you can fl y anywhere in the world. The company has got affi liation from the Thailand Air Sports As-sociation and the Association of Paragliding/Powered gliding and Instructors for giving certifi cate in paragliding and paramotoring.

Syed and his team are plan-ning to introduce these high fun sports adventure activities here in diff erent places in Oman. Peo-ple who want to join can walk in straight and no need to take any equipment. Falcon has brought all the equipment and gears from the UK and Germany. “We are in the process of shipping in more gear and equipment. The com-pany will naturally be converted into a club and anybody can join the club and can regularly fl y with us by hiring our equipment,” Syed said.

“It is one month since we launched our activities and till now we have trained almost 50 students. The high adrenaline fun is becoming a great hit among the youth here. Another attrac-tion is paramotor joy ride. We have two-seater paramotor and anybody who wants to fl y can sit with the pilot and enjoy the ride,” Syed said.

“Here we have lot of Euro-pean residents and tourists who are familiar with these kinds of adventure activities. I am con-nected with more than 45 fa-mous paragliding clubs around the world. So that way I hope I can lure tourists into this and help making Oman a paraglid-ing, paramotoring and skydiving destination. The weather here is also perfect for such air adven-ture activities and it is a need to harness adventure with beauty of Oman. Here we have mountains, valleys, and sand dunes. This ge-ography has a lot of potential to explore with adventure sports,” he said adding that, “Step by step we will introduce skydiving and hot air balloons in Oman.” —[email protected]

The Course Details

Paragliding Basic Solo Flight Course:

3 Days-OMR100

Paragliding Intermediate Course:

4 Days-OMR150

Paragliding Pilot Licence Course: 3 Days-OMR150

Falcon [email protected]

Call: +968 9195 8337

Story Mohammed Shafeeqe

Photography Shabin E.

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW .T.TI.TI.TIIIMESMESMESMESMESMESMESEESEESESEESESESESMESESESESESESESESEESESESESEEEESSESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSOOOFOOOOOOOO MAN.COM

Want to fl y like a falcon, soar above

the mountains, or hover over the

gorgeous wadis and sand dunes? Let your spirits soar higher as

you paraglide over the breathtaking

landscapes of Oman.

Flying Fancies

Flying Fancies

FIND-IT-ALLC6 W E D N E S DAY, M AY 1 1 , 2 0 1 6

Dhuhr 12.08pm

Asr 3.32pm

Maghrib 6.45pm

Isha 8.02pm Fajr (Tomorrow) 4.04am

PRAYER TIMINGS

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

Afghanistan 24698 791/4

Algeria 24605 593

Bahrain 24 605 074/133

Bangladesh 24 698 660

Brazil 24640100

Brunei 24 603533

China 24 696782

Cyprus 24 699815

Egypt 24 600 982/411

France 24681 800

Germany 24835000

India 24684500

Indonesia 2469 1050

Iran 24 696 944/7

Iraq 24603642

Italy 24693727

Japan 24 601 028

Jordan 24692760/1/3

Kazakhstan 24 692418

Kenya 24 697664

South Korea 24 691490

Kuwait 24 699628

Lebanon 24 693208

Libya 24603466

Malaysia 24698329/643

Morocco 24696152/3

Nepal 24696177

Netherlands 24603706

Pakistan 24603439

Palestine 24601312

Philippines 24605335

Qatar 24 691 153/2/4

Russia 24602894

Saudi Arabia 24601705

Senegal 24694139

Somalia 24697977

South Africa 24647300

Spain 24691101

Sri Lanka 24697841/2

Sudan 24697875

Switzerland 24603267

Syria 24697904

Tanzania 24601 174

Thailand 24 602684/5

Tunisia 24603486

Turkey 24697050/1/2

UAE 24400000

United Kingdom 24609000

United States 24643400

Yemen 24600815

PHARMACIES (ROUND THE CLOCK)

Al Hashar Pharmacy, Ruwi 24783334

Apollo Medical Centre,

Hamriya 24782666

Muscat Pharmacy, Ruwi 24702542

Salalah 23291635;

Atlas Pharmacy, Ghubra 24503585

Muscat Region

Apollo, Al Hamriya 24787766

Muscat, A Seeb Market 24421691

Muscat, Al Khuwair 24485740

Muscat, Al Hail South 24537080

Dhofar Region

Muscat, Al Nahdha Road,

Salalah 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

LISTINGS

LONG DISTANCE BUS TIMINGS (OMAN NATIONAL TRANSPORT COMPANY SAOC) *SUBJECT TO CHANGE

FROM MUSCAT (RUWI)

Dept Destination Arrival Operatingtime time days

QURIYAT - SUR - JAALAN (ROUTE 36)

15:00 Quriyat 16:30 Daily

15:00 Sur 18:00 Daily

15:00 Jaalan 19:30 Daily

TO AL BURAIMI (ROUTE 41)

06:30 Sohar 08:50 Daily

06:30 Buraimi 11:00 Daily

08:00 Buraimi 14:30 Daily via Ibri


13:00 Buraimi 17:40 Daily

16.00 Sohar 18.35 Daily

16.00 Buraimi 20:20 Daily

TO SINAW (ROUTE 52)

17:30 Sinaw 20:50 Daily

TO YANQUL (ROUTE 54)

14:30 Nizwa 16:50 Daily

14:30 Yanqul 19:30 Daily

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (ROUTE 54)


08:00 Al Araqi 12:30 Daily

TO SUR (ROUTE 55)

07:30 Sur 12:00 Daily

14:30 Sur 18:45 Daily

TO FAHUD - YIBAL (ROUTE 62)

06:30 Fahud 10:30 Daily

06:30 Yibal 11:15 Daily

TO MARMUL-SALALAH (ROUTE 100)

07:00 Salalah 20:00 Daily

10:00 Marmul 20:30 Daily



TO MARMUL (ROUTE 101)


SALALAH TO DUBAI (ROUTE 102)

15:00 Dubai 07:00 Daily

TO DUBAI (ROUTE 201)



13:00 Sohar 15:30 Wed,Thur

13:00 Dubai 18:30 Wed,Thur



TO DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH & SHARJAH (ROUTE 204)

07:00 Fujairah 11.45 Daily

07:00 Sharjah 13.30 Daily

07:00 Dubai 14.00 Daily

TO MUSCAT (RUWI)

Dept Destination Arrival Operatingtime time days

FROM JAALAN-SUR-QURIYAT (ROUTE 36)

05:30 Sur 06:45 Daily

05:30 Quriyat 08:30 Daily

05:30 Ruwi 10:00 Daily

TO AL BURAIMI (ROUTE 41)



13:30 Ruwi 20:20 Daily via Ibri





TO SINAW (ROUTE 52)


TO YANQUL (ROUTE 54)



TO IBRI (ARAQI) (ROUTE 54)



TO SUR (ROUTE 55)



TO YIBAL - FAHUD (ROUTE 62)

12:30 Fahud 13:15 Daily


TO SALALAH -MARMUL (ROUTE 100)





TO MARMUL (ROUTE 101)


DUBAI TO SALALAH (ROUTE 102)


TO DUBAI (ROUTE 201)



13:00 Sohar 16:15 Thur-Fri

13:00 Ruwi 19:10 Thur-Fri



FROM DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH/SHARJAH (ROUTE 204)

16:00 Sharjah 16:30 Daily

16.00 Fujairah 18.15 Daily

16.00 Ruwi 23.00 Daily

CITY CINEMAContact (10 am to 6PM) 24567664 | 68 www.citycinemaoman.netfacebook.com/citycinemaoman

SHATTICaptain America: Civil War (3D) (Action) (PG)Cast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr.3:00, 5:45, 8:30, 9:00 & 11:30PMRobinson Crusoe - (3D) (Animation) (PG)Voice Overs: Ron Allen, George Babbit3:30 & 5:15PMHellions - (2D) (Horror) (18+)Cast: Ron Allen, George Babbit, Laila Berzins11:45PMThe Adderall Diaries - (2D) (Drama) (12+)Cast: Amber Heard, James Franco5:45, 11:45PMThe Man Who Knew Infinity - (2D) (Biography | Drama) (PG)Cast: Dev Patel, Jeremy Irons7:30PMI Am Wrath – (2D) (Action |Crime) (12+)Cast: John Travolta, Rebecca De Mornay3:45 & 9:45PMThe Jungle Book - (3D) (Adventure ) (PG) 7:00PM

MUSCAT GRAND MALLThe Jungle Book – 3D (PG) Adventure | 12:00, 3:45, 7:30 PMI Am Wrath – 2D (12+) Action |Crime | DramaCast: John Travolta, Rebecca De Mornay11:45 PMCaptain America: Civil War– 3D (PG12) Action | Adventure| Sci-FiCast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr 12:30, 3:15, 6:00, 8:45, 11:30 PMGold Class : 3:00, 5:45, 8:30, 11:15 PMThe Man Who Knew Infinity – 2D (PG) Cast: Dev Patel, Jeremy Irons9:30 PMRobinson Crusoe – 3D (PG) AnimationVoice Overs Ron Allen, George Babbit2:00, 5:45 PM

PANORAMA MALLCaptain America: Civil War – (3D) (PG) (Action | Adventure| Sci-Fi) VIP LOUNGECast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr3:15, 6:00, 8:45 & 11:30PMCaptain America: Civil War – (4D) (PG) (Action | Adventure| Sci-Fi) MX4D3:00, 5:45, 8:30 & 11:15PMCaptain America: Civil War – (3D) (PG) (Action | Adventure| Sci-Fi) 3:30, 6:15, 9:00 & 11:45PMThe Man Who Knew Infinity - (2D) (PG)Cast: Dev Patel, Jeremy Irons7:15PMThe Adderall Diaries - (2D) (Drama |Romance | Thriller) (12+)Cast: Amber Heard, James Franco3:45 & 11:30PMJust the 3 of Us - (2D) (Comedy,) (PG)Cast: John Lloyd Cruz, Jennylyn Mercado5:30PMBastille Day – (2D) (Action) (12+)11:15PMPrecious Cargo – (2D) (Action ) (12+) Cast: Bruce Willis, Claire Forlani9:45PMThe Jungle Book - (3D) Adventure) (PG)

3:15, 5:15, 7:45 & 9:15PM

AZAIBA Captain America: Civil War (3D) (Action |Adventure | Sic-Fi) (PG) Cast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr.3:15, 7:45, 11:50 PMRobinson Crusoe (3D) (Animation) (PG) Voice Overs: Ron Allen, George Babbit3:00, 4:45 PM1920 London (2D) (Hindi) (Horror) (TBC) Cast: Sharman Joshi, Meera Chopra5:30, 11:30 PM24 (2D) (Tamil) (Action) (PG12) Cast: Suriya Sivakumar, Nithya Menen6:00, 10:30 PMThe Jungle Book (3D) (Adventure) (PG) 3:30, 6:30 PMJacobinte Swargarajyam (2D) (Mal) (Drama) (PG)r9:10 PMBaaghi (2D) (Action) (PG) Cast: Tiger Shroff, Shraddha Kapoor3:45, 6:15, 8:45, 11:15 PMSupreme (2D) (Telugu) (Action) (TBC) Cast: Sai Dharam Tej , Rashi Khanna8:30 PM

RUWIScreen 11920 London (2D) (Horror / Triller) –TBCCast : Sharman Joshi, Meera Chopra 3.30, 9.30 PMBaaghi (2D) (Action) –PGCast: Tiger Shroff, Shraddha Kapoor6.30 PM

Screen 2Captain America: Civil War (2D) (Action) Cast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr3.45, 10.30 PM (PG12)The Jungle Book (2D) (Adventure) –PG6.30, 8.30 PMCast : Scarlett Johansson, Idris Elba, Bill Murray

Screen 3Baaghi (2D) (Action) –PGCast: Tiger Shroff, Shraddha Kapoor, 3.45, 9.45 PM24 (2D) - (Tamil) (Action/ Sci- Fic) –PG12Cast: Suriya Sivakumar, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Nithya Menen6:30 PM

SURCaptain America: Civil War (3D) (Action | Adventure ) ( PG12 ) Cast : Chris Evan, Robert Downey Jr3:45, 9:20, 11:55 PMJacobinte Swargarajyam (Mal) ( PG ) 11:00 PMCast : Nivin Pauly, Renji Panicker, Lakshmi Ramakrishnan24 (Tamil) (Action ) ( PG12 ) Cast : Surya Sivakumar, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Nithya Menen6:15 PMBaaghi ( Hindi | Action | Romance ) (PG) Cast : Tiger Shroff, Shraddha Kapoor3:45, 8:30 PMJungle Book 3D (Adventure | Drama ) ( PG ) 6:30 PM

SOHAR

The Jungle Book – 3D (Adventure) (PG)Cast: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley3:00, 5:00, 7:00PMBastille Day– 2D (Action) (12+)Cast: Idris Elba, Richard Madden, Kelly Reilly3:00, 11:45PMBaaghi– 2D (Action) (PG)Cast: Shraddha Kapoor, Tiger Shroff3:30, 9:00PMCaptain America: Civil War (Action | Adventure| Sci-Fi) PGCast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson3:15, 6:00, 8:45, 11:30PMThe Man Who knew Infinity (Biography | Drama) PGCast: Dev Patel, Jeremy Irons, Malcolm Sinclair6:15PM24 (Tamil) (Action) PG12Cast: Suriya Sivakumar, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Nithya Menon6:30, 8:15PM1920-London (Hindi) Horror (15+)Cast: Sharman Joshi, Meera Chopra11:30PMThe Adderall Diaries (Drama |Romance) (12+)Cast: Amber Heard, James Franco, Christian Slater4:30, 11:55PM

Jacobinte Swargarajyam (Mal) PGCast: Nivin Pauly, Renji Panicker9:15PM

BURAIMI

Captain America: Civil War(3D)(Action)PGCast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr.4:45, 6:30, 9:05 & 11:45 PMThe Jungle Book(3D) (Adventure) PG6:45PMRobinson Crusoe (3D) (Animation) PGVoice Overs: Ron Allen, George Babbit5:00 PM1920 London (15+) (Crime |Horror | Thriller)Cast: Sharman Joshi, Meera Chopra11:15PM Baaghi PG (Hindi) (Action| Romance)Cast: Shraddha Kapoor, Tiger Shroff8.45 PMThe Adderall Diaries 12+ (Drama)Cast: Amber Heard, James Franco4:45 & 10:05 PMJacobinte Swargarajyam PG (Mal|Drama)7:30 PMHellions 18+ (Horror)Cast: Chloe Rose, Robert Patrick11:45 PM

SALALAH

Captain America: Civil War (3D) (PG) (Action | Adventure| Sci-Fi) Cast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr12:30, 3:15, 6:00, 8:45, 11:30PMThe Jungle Book (3D) (PG) (Adventure) 2:30, 6:15PMRobinson Crusoe (3D) (PG) (Animation) 12:45, 4:30PMThe Man Who Knew Infinity (2D) (PG) Cast: Dev Patel, Jeremy Irons4:00PM (Biography) I Am Wrath (2D) (12+) (Action) 2:00, 11:55PM1920 London (2D) (Hindi) (15+) (Horror) Cast: Sharman Joshi, Meera Chopra11:15PMBaaghi (2D) (PG) (Hindi) (Action| Romance)9:20PM 24 (2D) (PG12) (Tamil) (Action)Cast: Suriya Sivakumar, Samantha Ruth6:05PM Jacobinte Swargarajyam (2D) (PG) (Mal) (Drama)8:15PM

CINEMA SCHEDULE 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

@SHATTI @ SOHAR

The Man Who Knew Infinity - (2D) (Biography | Drama) (PG)Cast: Dev Patel, Jeremy Irons7:30PM

24 (Tamil) (Action) PG12Cast: Suriya Sivakumar, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Nithya Menon6:30, 8:15PM

BAHJA CINEMAFilm information 24540856 / Advance Booking

24540855

Website: www.albahjacinemaoman.com

The Adderall Diaries (Drama)

Cast: Amber Heard, James Franco

4.00, 6.00, 10.00, & 11.55 PM

CP No : 1115 (12+)

The Man Who Knew Infinity (Biography /

Drama)

Cast: Dev Patel, Jeremy Irons, Malcolm Sinclair

4.00, 8.00, & 10.00 PM

CP No: 1116 (PG)

I Am Wrath: (Action / Crime / Drama)

Cast: John Travolta, Amanda Schull

2.00, 6.00, & 11.55 PM

CP No : 1109 (12+)

Take Down (Thriller)

Cast: Dominic Sherwood, Phoebe Tonkin, Ed

Westwick

2.00, & 8.00 PM

CP No: 1110 (PG12)

STAR CINEMAFilm information 24791641 / 24786776

Website: www.isurf.co.om

Jacobinte Swargarajyam (Mal) (Comedy)

Cast : Nivin Pauly, Renji Panicker and Lakshmi

Ramakrishna

3-30, 6-30 & 9-30 pm Cinema Main

24 (Tamil) (Action \ Thriller

Cast: Suriya, Samantha, Nithhya Menon

3-30, 6-30 & 9-30 pm Cinema-2

Kali (Mal) (Comedy\ Drama)

Cast : Dulquar Salmaan & Sai Pallavi

3-45, 6-45 & 9-45 pm Cinema -3

Manithan (Tamil) ( Comedy)

Cast : Udhayanidhi Stalin & Hansika Motwani

3-45, 6-45 & 9-45 pm Cinema-4

Next Change: Azhar (Hindi), Supreme (Telugu)

Programmes are subject to change

@ MGM

Captain America: Civil War– 3D (PG12) Action | Adventure| Sci-FiCast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr 12:30, 3:15, 6:00, 8:45, 11:30 PMGold Class : 3:00, 5:45, 8:30, 11:15 PM

WEATHER

440

Maximum

330

Minimum

TEMPERATURE

65-30%RELATIVE HUMIDITY

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 [email protected]

WITH LOVE

GAYATHRI SREEKUMARMay 11, 2007

LIFESTYLEC7

Driving through the winding roads of Ittin

hills in Salalah is a magical experience,

especially during Khareef. But at the farther

end of the season the scenery gives us a

diff erent colour and mood. The lush green

landscape is transformed into a wonderful

brown with a tinge of green here and there

almost camoufl aging the grazing camel

herd, reminiscing the wild African safari.

-Mohammed Shafeeqe

The Ittin Camel Safari

Location: 17°06’18.6”N 53°54’31.7”E

Etihad Airways Opens Premium Lounge at Melbourne AirportUNITED Arab Emirates’ fl ag carrier Etihad Airways on Mon-day opened its new premium Lounge at Melbourne Airport, off ering guests a place to relax, re-energise, dine, work or be en-tertained pre-fl ight.

With a seating capacity for up to 133 guests, it is the airline’s largest premium lounge outside Abu Dhabi. With the commence-ment of A380 services from June 1, guests in ‘The Residence’ will

enjoy the exclusivity of a private lounge discreetly located adja-cent to the main lounge entry. Shane O’Hare, Etihad Airways’ senior vice-president for mar-keting, said “The new lounge at Melbourne Airport is in a class of its own. The opening of this remarkable new facility and the launch of our fl agship A380 services on June 1, off er travellers on the Melbourne-Abu Dhabi route our most com-

pelling guest experience propo-sition ever.”

The new facility adds to the airline’s expanding portfolio of premium lounges in Sydney, Abu Dhabi, Dublin, Frankfurt, London Heathrow, Manchester, Paris, Washington, and New York. A new First Class Lounge at Abu Dhabi International Airport and a new First and Business Class Lounge at Los Angeles will follow in the coming months. —IANS

I N T H E N E W S

LIFESTYLEC8 W E D N E S DAY, M AY 1 1 , 2 0 1 6

ACCESSIBLE WORLDW

e know that during the last 60 or 70

years travel and tourism industry

has been experiencing a continued

expansion and diversifi cation, and it has

become one of the largest and fastest-growing

economic sectors in the world. A World Tourism

Organisation (WTO) estimate says that travel

and tourism is expected to be the second largest

employer in the world by 2019. Coinciding with

this fact is the World Disability Report which

says that one in eight people worldwide is living

with a disability. Now disabled travellers make

up one of the fastest growing tourism sector

and there has been an increase in the number of

consumers with less mobility in travel and other

leisure services. Here are some key facts:

of every country’s population is aff ected

by disability.

There are at least

persons in the European Union (more than 15% of the population), the equivalent to the population of Belgium, the Czech Republic,

Greece, Hungary, and the Netherlands together. (European Disability Forum).

people are estimated to live with some form

of disability.

In 2012 about half of the people with disability in the EU took a trip which

will come to around

in GDP, which represents 3% of the total EU27 GDP

trips per year.

15-20%

650 MILLION

80 MILLION

862 MILLION

€786BILLION

70 MILLION

1

people with disabilities worldwide.

Globally, over

BILLIONDisabled people

represent

trips.

By 2020 the demand for accessible tourism is expected to go up to

Accessible tourism created a gross turnover of

Inputs from: UNWTO & Accessible Tourism Research

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

CONNECT H E D A I LY G U I D E

D

D4 VACANCY CARGO D7

W E D N E S D AY, M AY 1 1 , 2 0 1 6

RENT D2

*Classifi ed Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication.

* Subject to space availability

Nassar Hilal 5x9

*Tourist visa arranged

Email: [email protected] classifi [email protected].: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

FOR RENT

D2 W E D N E S D AY, M AY 1 1 , 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDE

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

Deluxe 1 & 2 bedroom fl ats, ideal

for offi ce / residence at Qurum

near PDO. Contact: 97721313 /

95070421

1BHK near Medical Darsait R.O 170/-

Contact: 95076261

Flat for rent 2 bedrooms in Ruwi

Mumtaz area. Contact: 91409667 /

24291500

Flat in Al Bustan in Muscat, 3

rooms, 3 bathrooms, family hall,

kitchen, store, laundry with spilt

unit air condition 350/- O.R.

Contact : 98919037

Flat in Al Bustan in Muscat,

4 rooms, 3 bathrooms, family hall,

kitchen with spilt unit

air conditioner 400/- O.R.

Contact: 96228232 / 92776303

Flats for rent, rooms in

Al Khuwair. Contact: 93830111

2/3 BHK in Al Khuwair for rent.

Contact: 91155779

Ware house in Ghala for rent (400/

800/ 1200/ 3300 SQM).

Contact: 91155779

Hotel for investment. Contact: 91155779

1000 sq mtrs industrial land for

rent in Ghala suitable for ware-

house workshop etc.

Contact 24700120 / 92584715

1 BHK and 2BHK Flats available

near Lulu Darsait (Main road, Opp. to

Min. of Defense). Contact : 93202733

Flat for rent : fl at available at Hamri-

ya & Wadi Kabir. Contact: 97380548

/ 99680499

Offi ce space for rent. Saravana

Bhavan Building.

Contact 91120552.

2BHK available Mumtaz area

Ruwi, Ghubra near Al Maha Hotel.

Contact: 99269751

New villa for rent Al Hail North

next to Ramez 2 minutes to main

road, 1 open sitting room, 3 family

hall, 1 dining room, kitchen with

store laundry, 4 bed rooms & 1

small room. Contact: 93387732

Flat for rent Al Hail North to the

Wave Muscat ground fl oor with

furniture the price RO 250/-.

Contact: 99353433

Flats, shops & store for rent in

MBD area Ruwi, Mumtaz area.

Contact: 97293708 / 92433127

1 BHK fl at in Ruwi MBD for 220/-

available. Contact: 96491825

3 BHK fully furnish Villa in Qurum

heights. Contact 99792181

1BHK & Single Room Spacious

Flat Near Jibro Round About On

Main Road Tel:24815012

Mob:99373290

1BHK near Oman house behind

Khimji HO. Contact: 95865686

2 bedrooms fl at with hall, 2

bathrooms in Darsait near Muscat

Municipality. Contact: 92584715/

24700120

4 BHK Villa in Bowsher Heights.

Contact 99792181

2 BHK fl at in Ghobra 18 November

Street. Contact 99792181

Flat for rent 2 BHK 2 split A/C, 2

toilets, Wadi Kabir near Kuwaiti

Masjid. Contact – 97007934 /

92609232

2 BHK fl at in Al Khuwair.

Contact 99792181

150 + 180 + 200 Sqr mtrs offi ce in

Al Khuwair. Contact 99792181

2BHK spacious Flat Behind Bank

Muscat Wadi Kabir Tel:24815012

Mob:99373290

7 room villa at split AC 18th No-

vember road Azaiba.

Contact: 99224748 / 99332297

2 BHK at Al Mawaleh South near

Masjid Sadiq Al Amin.

Contact: 99224748 / 99332297

Flat for rent at Al Amerat at H.One

mortaff at , 2 rooms, toilet kitchen.

Contact: 99313344

Brand new villas in Al Ansab.

Contact 94051789 / 97201688

1BHK at Hamriya near Muscat

Pharmacy & 2 BHK at Mawaleh

near Mosque Sadiq Al Amin.

Contact: 99224748 / 99332297

Flats in Darsait. Contact

94051789 / 97201688

Flats in Wadi Kabir. Contact

94051789 / 97201688

Fully Furnished apartments in

Boucher (35). Contact 94051789 /

97201688

Flats in Muttrah. Contact

94051789 / 97201688

Offi ces and Flats in Ghala.

Contact 94051789 / 97201688

Offi ces & Showrooms in Al Khood.

Contact 94051789 / 97201688

Flats In Qurum. Contact 94051789

/ 97201688

Flats in Ghobrah. Contact

94051789 / 97201688

Shops / fl ats available in Honda

Road, Ruwi & Mabellah Indus-

trial area. Contact 24833972/

24833974/ 99367448

2BHK split A/C for rent Muttrah

near Oman House.

Contact: 97007934 / 92629232

Flat for rent in Al Khuwair 33.

Contact: 92277419

1 BHK fl at for rent R.O 180/-

Near Medical Darsait.

Contact: 24705742

2 BHK fl at at Ruwi Mumtaz area

RO 320/-. Contact: 99358589 /

97079146 / 95570288

2BHK split A/C for rent Muttrah

near Oman House.

Contact: 97007934 / 92629232

1BHK Studio fl at near Star Cinema

RO 180/-. Contact: 99358589 /

97079146 / 95570288

3 Bedroom well maintained fl at

(villa TYPE only 2 fl ats in villa)

in Al Khuwair, Behind Al Akhtam

Restaurant Villa No 1841, Way No

3922 Block No 239.

Contact: 99462980

Room or apartment for rent in

Qurum. Contact: 99664703

Flat for rent in Ruwi, Mumtaz area

2 bedrooms. Contact: 24291500 /

91409667

Offi ce for rent in Mabela. Contact: 99355330

1 BHK in Azaiba. Contact:

99385835 / 99428143

Flat for Rent 2 bed room Near ISM

muscat Indian Scoole Dar sate

Tel : 00 968 95158570

Flat for rent in South Mabela.

Contact: 95331177 / 95230355

Furnished offi ce (61M2) for sale

/ rent Al Khuwair near Zawawi

Mosque. Contact: 95611569

Warehouse at Wadikabir - total

area 3500 sqm - covered ware-

house (500sqm), offi ce, ac-

commodation (1000sqm), open

area (2000sqm) please contact:

99273774 - 99202278

02 BHK residential fl at opposite

to Al Nahdha hospital.

Contact: 99342733 /99795241

Two modern fully furnished & equipped offi ces available for rent

at Jasmine Complex Al Khuwair:1) 152 M2 with recepti on, 1 GM Offi ce, 2 meeti ng rooms, 26 working stati ons,

pantry, network connecti on.2) 132 M2 with recepti on, 7 offi ces,

6 working stati ons, 1 conference room, network connecti on.

Contact - 99469698

FOR RENTCommercial Space

Commercial Space For Rent in Al Khuwair. Ideal for Coff ee Shop / Restaurant / Offi ce Space / Showroom

27sqm / 68sqm / 128sqm

Contact: 96775026

Available at a prime locati on on Azaiba Service Road

(Previously Occupied by A’Saff a Foods) near Al Turky and Mazda showroom.

Contact: 95215289, 99229263, 93221054

FURNISHED OFFICES FOR RENT

Contact: 95215289, 99229263, 93221054

COLD STORE ROOMS FOR RENT

Available at a prime locati on on azaiba service road

(previously occupied by A’Saff a Foods) near Al Turky and Mazda showroom

FLAT FOR RENTLocati on: Acacia - AL MOUJ.Area: 100 m2; Consisti ng of One Master BR, Study Room, Sitti ng ,

Balcony & Fully furnished Kitchen.Faciliti es: Swimming Pool &

Car Parking.Monthly Rent & Payment Method: Negoti able upon

viewing the property.

Call: 99 10 88 47 - 93 40 35 56

DAILY GUIDEW E D N E S D AY, M AY 1 1 , 2 0 1 6 D3

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

FOR RENT

Four bedroom two fl oors 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 month-

ly. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 or

97509955

Brand new double bed room fl ats

with two and three toilets, split ac,

elevators available at Al Khoudh

next to Al koudh health center.

Contact 99022675

Offi ce space small in Azaiba.

Contact: 99428143

2 bed rooms fl at with hall,

2 bathrooms in Darsait near

Muscat Municipality.

Contact: 92584715/ 24700120

Flats, shops and store for rent in

Ruwi, MBD & Mumtaz. Contact:

97293708 / 92433127

Flat for rent 2 BHK 2 split A/C,

2 toilets, Wadi Kabir near

Kuwaiti Masjid. Contact 97007934

/ 92629232

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

fl oor 400. Contact 99420346

Flat for rent in South AlGhubrah

3 rooms, hall and 3 toilets, kitchen

rent 450/-. Contact: 99335580

2BHK split A/C 200/- Monthly

& 1BHK spilt A/C 150/- monthly

new building good location Barka

Market. contact 99342661

2BHK Big Size Flat Behind Bank

Muscat, Wadi Kabir. Near ISWK.

97826454, 24815012.

For rent and investment Land

industrial shops in Rusayl.

Contact: 99323957 /

95490842

Two bedrooms fl at in Al Ghobrah

near Oman Oil of 18 November

Street. OMR 330 Monthly.

Contact 99333479 or 95215360 or

97509955.

BUYING

Bobcat available for rent.

Contact 97623299

Buying cars for cash.

Contact: 90202090

FOR HIRE

Crane trailer, hiab. Contact:

99354909

WANTED

IELTS Coaching (academic)

required nearby wadi Kabir area.

Please call on mobile or msg on

Whats up. Mobile no: 92927880/

99012165

MV SALE

Explorer 2010 with warranty,

registered 2011 Expatriate driven,

single owner no accidents excel-

lent condition, R.O 6800/-.

Contact: 92689529

Expats selling Toyota Corolla

Silver, 1.6 Automatic 2008 with

new tyres and manual window

excellent condition 2,09,000 km.

Contact: 99759162

Ford Focus, 2012 automatic expat

driven. Contact: +968 92187371

Hyundai Elantra 1.8, 2001 fully

A/T 270000 km, 600/-.

Contact: 92531535

Mazda Cx 9, in immaculate condi-

tion, expatriate driven, single

owner, no accidents, serviced

regularly by Towel Auto, 2013

model, mileage 8500KM.Expected

price: RO 7000.000 (negotiable).

Contact Pradeep 94194071

Hyundai Accent 1.6, 2014 model,

good condition. Contact : 95212017

FOR LADIES

Off er!! Treading Gold Facial &

Pedicure just for 10 RO,

Al Doom Parlour Ruwi:

Contact 99619409 (watsup)

NRI

INDIAN RAILWAYS

Ticket Reservation

Hotel & Bus Tickets

Star Travel92820665 / 24711734

Lands sale in Trichur Kerala.

Contact 91637137 /

91 9746573948

NRI selling his properties in fol-

lowing places : -Bangalore (Sobha

Garnet, 4 bed room apartment),

Hosur (25 cents), Cochin (20

cents), Trivandrum (11 cents, op-

posite to KIMS Hospital), Shertala

(20 cents), Kanyakumari ( 175

cents along National Highway)

Nagercoil ( 3 plots of 11 cents, 100

cents and 20 cents). Please send e

mail to [email protected] or

call Pradeep 94194071

*Classifi ed Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00

noon for next day’s publication.

* Subject to space availability

INVESTOR PARTNER REQUIRED

Please contact – 95213273Email:

muscatcoff [email protected]

For a successfully Catering Restaurant

Investor cum Partner is required.

Investor with fi xed returns also welcome.

Offi ce with furniture in Darsait

for sale, rent per month R.O 260/-.

Contact: 91391343

Building in Al Khuwair at prime location for sale.

Contact: 91155779

Commercial /R land in Al Khuwair

for sale. Contact: 91155779

Ware house in W/K for Sale.

Contact: 91155779

Commercial /R land in Ghala

(Industrial area) for sale.

Contact: 91155779

Villa in Al Qurum / Azaiba/

Mawaleh for sale.

Contact: 91155779

Sale of Hitachi 220 Excavator

with breaker. Contact: 99207592

20 x40 containers. Contact: 99354909

Coff ee shop for sale in Al Khuwair

33. Contact: 92994415

10 Shops in ground fl oor of 8 fl oor

building in Bausher near Muscat

Private Hospital. Have income

of about 2,700 monthly. OMR

268 Thousand. Tel: 99333479 or

95215360 or 97509955

6 Villas of six bedrooms each un-

der 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 fl oors

and 369 sq mtrs build up area.

Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 or

97509955

Working beauty parlour for sale

at Al Ghubra. Contact: 98178135

Shops for rent at Musanna.3

shutter (280sq mtrs) and one

shutter (40 sq mtrs) shops for

rent at prime location at Musanna,

main road side. Contact: +968

93797900, +968 96347070

Beach Flat in N. Cyprus, new,

furnished, ocean view, 1 Bdrm +

terrace http://abv-apt.weebly.com/

Contact 9208 9704

Laundry for sale Ruwi near Came-

lia. Contact: 92868123 / 92841089

Space for printing press available

at wadikabir with or without

machinery. Contact 99328430

A well running pharmacy for sale

at prime location.

Contact 99627621, 93240949

HD Scaff oldings, 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

Travel agency for sale or lease

very well established travel

agency at Rex Road is for sale or

lease with two staff and one clear-

ance. Contact 99704304

Shop for sale near Oman House,

Muttrah. Contact 99024362.

Shops for rent in Ibra Main road

opposite technical college. Contact:

+968 93894290 / 99419496

Villa in Bousher consists of 5

rooms, 1 hall & living room.

Contact: 91153933

Villa in Al Khoud consists of 6

bedrooms, 1 sitting & living room.

Contact: 91153933

Villa in Al Ghubra consists of

5 bedrooms, 1 hall and living room.

Contact: 91153933

Room with 9 bathrooms in Boush-

er for rent. Contact: 91153933

Apartment in Al Khoudh consists

of 2 room & hall.Contact: 91153933

2 Bedroom centrally air condi-

tioned fl at in CBD prime location.

Contact: 24714625 / 94460790

Flat for rent near Royal Hospital.

Contact: 99346793

01 Bedroom in Darsait, 1,2,3

Bedroom fl ats at Al Khuwair.

Contact: 24707340 / 95282986 /

99472457

Furnished sharing room for

executive bachelor or small family

near Mars Hypermarket Ghubrah.

Contact: 98851806

Sharing accommodation with

attached bathroom available for

family in villa in Mabela near

Nesto hypermarket split A/C

spacious rooms R.O 100/-.

Contact: 92689529

Well furnished sharing room for

Executive bachelor at Rex Road.

Contact: 92873832

Single room for bachelor at Ruwi

Opposite OC Center.

Contact: 99385287

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

Sharing ACC available for bach-

elor in Al Khuwair near the Muscat

Pharmacy rent R.O 100/- only.

Contact: 94297820

Room for rent near Hamriya

roundabout for bachelor only.

Contact: 97443614

Single room sharing B/K at

Mumtaz area. Contact: 95212017

Single room available near

Darsait Lulu. Contact: 92120626

Room with attached bathroom for

working ladies in a fl at in M.B.D.

Contact: 99764307

Furnish bedroom with attach

bathroom for executive bachelor.

Contact: 97704794

Villa for rent in South Mabellah,

3 bedrooms, sitting room, family

Lounge, kitchen, three Toilets

Contact 92212212

between 10 AM to 5 PM.

Room with attached bathroom for

a family in Wadi Kabir.

Contact 97167857

Sharing Accommodation avail-

able for working ladies opposite

Al Nadhah Hospital. Preferably

Indians. Room with seperate toilet

and sharing kitchen.RO.90.

Contact 96524717

Room available in Mumtaz area

1 room, 1 Bathroom, Kitchen & 1

room, common bathroom. Interested

pleasecontact 92680041 Mr. Altaf

Room for rent with furniture.

Al Bustan village. #93687466

Furnished room attached bath

for Indian bachelor, Al-Falaj

Ruwi & lady Wadi Kabir near

Mars hypermarket. CONTACT

96202458/96761960

Furnished apartment for rent, two

rooms, majlis, hall, kitchen. Near

Carrefour al-mawalah. #99336776

Sharing accommodation

near ISD. Contact: 99657340

Room available for Executive

bachelor at Al Hail.

Contact 96234708

Room with attached bathroom

and sharing kitchen available

for Executive bachelor or small

family at wadikabir

Contact 93049849

ACC. AVAILABLE

MATRIMONIAL

Sunni Muslim family seeks

proposal for their 24 year old

daughter from well settled Urdu

speaking Indian family. Pls call on

93521249 / 99374371

Invite alliance for Sunni Muslim

Urdu girl B.E, M.B.A 25 years 5.1”

fair, Tamil Nadu India.

Contact: 99502581

Parent of Thrissur based Hindu

Ezhava girl aged 20, Slim,Atham

star, Studying for B. Pharm seek-

ing alliance from well employed

Graduates, preferably in Engineer-

ing Contact :96425102

Keralite RC boy 35 / 184 work-

ing as 3D Animator and Graph-

ics designer in Salalah. Contact:

92936076 / 95605527

Indian male Roman Catholic 40yrs divorcee working in Muscat.

Seeks suitable alliance from

widow/ divorcee/ single.

Contact 96059801.

Malankara Catholic Male Nurse (28) from Thiruvalla working in

Nizwa Private Co. Alliance invites

parents/nurses working in Oman.

Contact 968 98267338,

0091 9287215726

GOOD NEWS

Ayurvedic treatment for joint

pain, backache, paralysis, mas-

sage, steambath, obesity, Spondy-

litis, Ideal Care Ayurvedic Clinic,

18 November Street, Azaiba.

Contact: 99639695 / 97397320

Ayurvedic treatment for

backache, paralysis, arthritis etc &

massage, All Season

(Vaidyaratnam). Contact:

24475280 / 95371664 /

92504980 www.siddhayur.com

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

400 sq mtrs Commercial/Resi-

dential land in Mabela Phase 5

Block 2. OMR 165 Thousand.

Contact 99333479 or 95215360

or 97509955

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.

Empty shop for sale in Ruwi near

Camelia. Contact: 92841089

Car accessories, upholstery, oil &

battery shop for sale in Seeb.

Contact: 92262284/96733523

Luxury Apartments in Boucher

(35). Contact 95056808 /

97201688

Steel Scrap materials for immediate sale.

Contact 99273774/ 99202278

Almost new beach/ garden

lounge chairs /bar stools/ counter.

Photos can be sent 95865457

DAILY GUIDED4 W E D N E S D AY, M AY 1 1 , 2 0 1 6

SITUATION WANTEDSITUATION VACANT

SITUATION WANTEDSITUATION WANTED

Email: [email protected] classifi [email protected].: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461Fax: 24812624

DRIVER

DRAFTSMAN

MISCELLANEOUS

Urgently required for a reputed Ready-mix Company, ‘Heavy Duty Drivers’ having valid Omani

Licence, with local release. GCC

licence holders also can apply, sub-

ject to local rules. Labour clearances

are ready for immediate employ-

ment. Contact with passport details,

copies of licence etc in person to

Mr. Mohd Aqueel – 99338619, Mr

Shamsuddin – 99274321

Wanted Light duty Driver cum house boy for an Indian family in

Oman. Kindly contact 99425610 /

99211030

Wanted driver. Contact: 97165972

Urgently required Lab Tech, preferably Prometric cleared or with

MOH license for a Medical Center in

Ruwi. Contact 9522 0350,

Email: [email protected]

Urgent required Pharmacist with

MOH LIC to work in a Pharmacy.

Salary negotiable, good package.

Contact: 94870029

immediate appointment.

Dot Muscat Company LLC is look-ing for Optometrist. Contact us on:

[email protected]

Required Lab Technician, X- Ray Technician, Staff Nurses & Doctors. Contact: 99681325 Email:

[email protected]

Require a qualifi ed Nurse to take

care of an elderly female.

Contact: 99425200

Urgently required General Practi-tioner (Indian/ Bangladeshi), Omani

Receptionist (female) for a reputed

Medical Centre, Salalah.

Email : [email protected]

Required GP doctor for running

clinic in Salalah. Contact 92732491 /

93129219, email :

[email protected]

ENGINEER/MECHANIC.

ENGINEER/MECHANIC.

BEAUTICIAN

Required for a leading Engineering

Consultancy fi rm experienced Offi ce Secretary. Send CV to: mail@abdul-

lamukadam.com Fax: 24614398

CCTV & BURGULAR ALARM – TECHNICIAN : Urgently looking

for an Expatriate with minimum 5

years experience. Email your CV

with recent Photograph to :

[email protected]

A well established Ready-mix Concrete Company needs an experienced ‘Maintenance Engineer’ to look after its multi-

facility workshop and supervise /

co-ordinate site wise operations.

Candidate must be a qualifi ed

Mechanical Engineer with relevant

experience of handling a fl eet

of various brands and Concrete

batching plants and Pumps. For-

ward your CV with relevant data to

[email protected] /

Contacts: 99256757

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE

SALES / MARKETING

SALES / MARKETING

SKILLED / UNSKILLED

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

DOMESTIC HELPER

MEDICAL

MEDICAL

IT

Wanted loading & unloading people. Visa ready apply Indians

only. Contact:95451713

Urgently required 1 No. ITI Electrician, minimum 2 years of

experience & should be able to

read electrical drawings.

Send CV to Fax: 24591610 or

email: [email protected]

Required Indian Mason – 5 nos., eligibility (minimum 5 yrs experi-

ence in road construction fi eld).

Contact: 99882127


Indian male good experience in Ac-

counts, Admin and ERP Tally 9 look-

ing for a suitable job. NOC available.

Contact: 94834687

Accountant / Marketing, BBA, Tally,

Dip in logistics, can work on my cur-

rent visa. Contact 98269281

Financial Controller 23 years Oman

experience in fi nancial management

MOUs feasibility studies available.

Contact: 91302906

Chief Accountant well experi-

enced with reputed group available

for immediate joining.

Contact : 98803439 / 97413784.

Fresher 24, ACCA Affi liate, Ad-

vanced diploma in Accounting and

Business seeking suitable place-

ment in Accounts, Finance or Audit

with Oman driving license.

Contact - 92430152

Email - [email protected]

Accounts part time services,

available to handle all accounts up

to fi nalization on monthly basis.

Finalization and audit works.

Contact: 96247295

Indian female B.Com 4 years

experience in accounting experi-

ence in wings & knowledge of tally.

1 year experience in Oman seeking

suitable placement for accountant,

presently on family visa.

Contact: 92054531 / 93491124

Indian male MBA (F) with 6 years

of experience as an Accountant

profi ciency in various A/C software

& SAPFI seeking for suitable place-

ment. Contact: 95920740 Email:

[email protected]

A Graduate of Alexandria

Mechanical Power Engineering

and certifi ed International Procure-

ment Manager CIPM basics of

supply chain management BSCM

- APICS seeking suitable job for his

Qualifi cations. Contact:

20 01222399139 Oman 99602608

C/O Osman Email:

[email protected]

Accountant Indian male with 7

years experience up to fi nalization

in tally & accounts receivable SAP

R/3, good knowledge of payroll

having Oman D/L, NOC.

Contact: 93733996

Email Id: [email protected]

Indian female M.Com with Oman

driving license having 10+ years ex-

perience in Accounts & Administra-

tion in Oman seeking suitable job,

NOC available. Contact: 91609799

Required Shop Sales man + Hard-ware Technician for IT Company

with minimum 2 years experience.

Contact: 98825806 / 98825806,


Wanted Dentist with MOH license

for a clinic in Sur. Contact 95653810

Required gynecologist GEN: practitioner lady lab Technician and pharmacologist immediately

for a clinic in Suwaiq.

Contact: 95081010


Urgently required Housemaid for small Indian doctor family in

Al Khoud. Attractive Salary, Acc &

Visa Provided. Cont No.9522 0350

Required Gardener for part time job at Al Rabiat Qurum.

Contact 95890531

Require Employee for Saloon in

Al Amerat, should have experience.

Contact: 90600688

Indian male age 26, Accountant one

year experience in accounts

looking for suitable job. Contact -


Mobile: +968 9565 9415

Qualifi ed 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

[email protected]

Male Accountant M.Com (Accounts & fi nance) having

3 years experience in accounts

looking for suitable job on visit

visa. ontac: 94648575

LOOKING FOR

ELECTRICIANRequired urgently

experienced Electricians with ITI Certifi cate.

Contact 99878180, [email protected]

Contact email- [email protected] &

[email protected]

REQUIRED Marketing manager/

Sales ExecutivesExperience in

Sales/Marketing of Building Materials(Sanitary wares &

Kitchens). Not less than 5 yrs expSound customer Base

Urgently required: Civil Drafts-man- with experience 5 years

experience in building and with

NOC for immediately join.

Interested candidates may call us

to our offi ce telephone:

00968-24696584/24696585 or

fax: 00968-24605955 or email us

to [email protected],

[email protected]

Required Salesman and Tailor. Contact: 96964767

Urgently required a ‘Purchase Manager’ to handle all the pro-

curements for a reputed Ready-

mix concrete Company, having

its branches all over Oman. The

candidate should possess required

experience, product knowledge

and excellent communication

skills. Interested candidates may

send their CV to sndakshin@gmail.

com /Contact: 99256757

Looking for Salesman with experi-

ence in vegetable and fruits sales,

good conduct, fl uent in English.

Should have driving license.

Email CV on: [email protected]

Contact - 96339339

Indian, Kerala Male B.COM & B.PE,

Currently on Visit Visa. Looking for a

suitable job in Accounts, Store Keep-

er, Sales etc. Ready to join as early

as possible. Contact :- 96988923

email:- [email protected]

Accountant 8Years Experience

with D/L and NOC.

Contact 97712084

Chief / Senior Accountant having

12 years of Oman experience seeks

suitable position.

Contact: 97385562

Indian male 25 years ACCA fi nal-

ist with B.SC (Hons.) in account-

ing with experience in Tally with

Omani driving license looking for

suitable placement, release avail-

able. Contact : 92851056

Accountant Indian male B.Com

with 8 years experience in Oman

knowledge in tally ERP, SAP AX,

MIS up to fi nalization NOC avail-

able. Contact: 96989872 Email:

radhakrishnank2007@rediff mail.

com

36 years, male with M.Com

Finance having 15 yrs of insur-

ance & banking experience in In-

dia, on visit visa for 15 Days seeks

suitable jobs. Contact 91159284 /

99429589

Indian male 34 Yrs, Dual MBA

Finance and marketing with IT

skills, 7+ yrs of experience,

Looking for suitable placement.

contact 94879615,Email-

[email protected]

Accountant, Indian female, B.Com

Graduate 1 & half year experience

up to fi nalization in tally with

reporting knowledge, pursuing

ACCA, having valid GCC D/L.

Contact: 95373751

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

A REPUTED SUPER MARKET IN AL-KHODH REQUIRES

SHOP ASSISTANTSTh e above position must have good experience in SUPER MARKET with Computer Knowledge Attractive Salary & benefi ts will be off ered for the right candidate.

Th ose interested may forward their CV’s to Email: [email protected] or Fax: 24413025

Urgently required Recepti onist (Omani Nati onal): Having Secondary Certi fi cate with Minimum 2 years experience good command over English & Arabic. Should be capable of handling all type of correspondence & routi ne offi ce works independently, and good skill in MS-Offi ce is must.

Urgently required Light Duty Driver (Omani Nati onal): Age should be 30 to 40 years ,should be capable of driving Pickup and 3 ton vehicle and having good knowledge of all area locati ons.

Interested candidates may send in their CVs to Fax # 24600217 or email on: [email protected]

VACANCIES

Required male or female offi ce assistance for a spare parts com-

pany, any national, experienced

not a must . Good salary packages

will off ered for suitable candidates

. Tel no +96824593148 , Email ID

:[email protected]

Juice cum ice-cream maker. Contact: 92841089

Required candidates for following

posts: Accountant, Storekeeper, Foreman Building Maintenance, Van-salesman (water), Helpers. Candidates with Omani driving

license preferred.

Contact 99273774/99202278

URGENTLY REQUIRED A LEADING ELECTRO MECHANICAL & CIVIL CONTRACTING COMPANY IN SULTANTE OF OMAN URGENTLY REQUIRED WELL EXPERIENCED & QUALIFIED CANDIDATES FOR THE FOLLOWING DESIGNATIONS.

ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER (8 TO 10 YEARS EXPERIENCE )

SENIOR MEP ENGINEER (6 TO 10 YEARS EXPERIENCE) PROCUREMENT ASSISTANT

(4 TO 6 YEARS EXPERIENCE) ELECTRICAL ENGINEER (4 TO 6 YEARS EXPERIENCE

WITH VALID OMAN DRIVING LICENCE )

Contact Email: [email protected]

URGENTLY REQUIRED

Cook/Commis III (Experience in International

& Asian Cuisine)Accountant

(Up to fi nalization)Cleaner/ Gardener (Driving Lic. preferred)


A Reputed Training Institute require

a CELTA qualified English

trainer with 3 years of experience.

Send your CV and other details to

prakash@profi toman.com

Required Indian Engineer road

Construction 5/10 years experi-

ence Eligibility BE or Diploma

Civil AutoCAD Estimation with

Oman (D/L) & Indian Heavy Duty

drivers. Contact: 99882127


Wanted G.P doctor & Nurse in Mus-

cat. Contact: 95631779 / 99722457

GP doctor needed for reputed

clinic. Preferably with MOH license

or with Datafl ow & Paramatics

pass Contact: 95388934

Care Medical Centre Al Seeb

requires Gynecologist and General Practitioner. Mail CV to:[email protected]

Wanted Staff Nurse for

a dermatology clinic in Muscat .

Must have MOH license and NOC.

Attractive salary off ered. Email:

[email protected]

Dot Muscat Company LLC is look-

ing for Sales/Marketing associate. Contact : [email protected]

Wanted Staff with 3 years experi-

ence in Oman in real estate fi eld.

Contact: +968 95910186


Require Marketing Manager, experience 5 years plus, Omani

driving license. Tel: 24548382

Email id - [email protected]

Required marketing / PR manager

for a modern restaurant group in

Oman , profi cient in illustrator &

Photoshop charismatic , proactive ,

creative & fl exible excellent writing

/ Editing skills degree in relevant

area fl uent in English. Send CV to

[email protected]

Salesman required for electrical

equipments with driving license

& 5/7 years working experience.

Fax your C.V 24833043 (Jinan

Enterprises)



ARCHITECT

ENGG. / TECH./MECH.

EDUCATION/TRAINING

Female B. Ed English teacher, 7 yrs exp seeking suitable

placement. Contact : 99739415 /

92091528

Indian female Science Graduate

MBA, HR Worked as home tutor

Convent Educated currently on

visit visa, staying with husband

looking for school teaching job

English, Science KG – VI Std full

/ part time. Contact: 97205038


Indian female, MSc Physics, B.Ed,

5+ years experience in Oman seeks

suitable placement.

Contact: 93992958 / 96203570

Teacher Female , Phd in Chemis-

try having 3.5 yrs of Experience in

India. Staying here on Family Visa

& seeking for a suitable placement.

Contact – 99675828, Email -

[email protected]

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

DRIVER

DRIVER

DESIGNER/DRAUGHTSMAN

ENGG. / TECH./MECH.

Mechanical Engineer (Indian

male, 24 years) with three years

experience looking for suitable job.

Currently on visit visa, ready to join

immediately. Contact: 92175441


B.E Mechanical Engineer, age 24

with almost 1 year experience as

Production Shift Engineer, has

achieved training on HVAC En-

gineering 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


Electrical & Electronics Engineer 1

year experience currently on visit

visa, available immediately.

Contact: 90654844 / 90491353


Civil Engineer experience 5 years

with Oman driving license.

Contact: 96319928

Indian male having 26 years

experience as Civil Supervisor in

buildings and road with 8 years ex-

perience in Oman seeking suitable

placement NOC & driving license

is available. Contact : 96108230


Indian male BE 2 yrs Indian site

experience and M.Tech 3 yrs In-

dian Structural design experience

looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 98334396

Mechanical Engineer 2 years

experience as HVAC design and

drafting MEP Engg.

Contact: 90150913

18 years experienced Indian

Civil Engineer (buildings) with

NOC looking for suitable positions.

Contact: 92855910


AutoCAD Draughtsman Indian

12 years experience Civil Infra-

structure, 9 years Gulf experience.

Contact: 93528255 Email:

[email protected]

Civil land surveyor with 6

years experience in construction

industry (4 years in Oman) basic

education BA + Civil Surveyor

Diploma looking for suitable posi-

tion. Contact: 96767070 Email:

[email protected]

Young Indian, Engineering in

Bio-technology, Bio-chemical and

Chemical, looking for a challenging

placement in Oman.

Contact 97607000. Email:

[email protected]

Pakistani male Diploma Civil

Engineer 4yrs exp in Oman bull-

ing & mega projects, valid license

Oman.Contact:98921022

Indian female, BE Electrical, 2 yrs

experienced. Contact 92051754,

[email protected]

Electrical Engineer having 8

years experience with valid driv-

ing license. Contact 91293519,


Quantity Survey works part time /

freelance (civil).Contact: 95719108

B.Sc Civil Engineer, MBA experi-

ence 5 years (15 months in Oman)

English & Arabic, driving license

looking for a suitable job.

Contact: 94162443

Indian male BE Mechanical Engi-

neering having 1 year experience

seeks suitable position available in

Oman on visit visa.

Contact: 96630091


MEDICAL

Indian female Dentist specialized

Endodontist looking for suitable

placement, prometric completed.

Contact: 96410448

Lady General Dentist available for

leave vacancy. Contact 92732491 /

93129219, email :

[email protected]

Female Nurse passed Oman

prometric and viva completed

datafl ow searching for vacancies

preferably from Salalah region.

NOC available. Contact: 91737898

Qualified Certified Management Accountant (CMA-USA) and cost and

management accountant (ACMA-

India) with over 25 years experience in

Sultanate of Oman in finance, banking

and administration is seeking a suitable

placement. NOC available.

Contact -95986767

MANAGER

IT

Female MCA qualifi ed Software

manual testing Engineer with

5 years experience looking for

suitable position in Muscat on

family joining visa. Contact: 0091

9884095301 / 00968 94231305,


Sr. Electrical Engineer with17+ yrs

of exceptional exp in spear head-

ing strategic planning and project

management initiatives & execut-

ing various high rise residential

& commercial building as well as

roads and highway project with

profi ciency in installation, seeking

a challenging position in a dynamic

organization. Contact 96570891

Electrical Engineer Indian male

30 years, having 5 years of experi-

ence in industrial automation

& utility maintenance in Indian

(MRF Tyres) holding valid Oman

D/L. Contact: 92789995 Email:

[email protected]

Electrical Engineer experience 9

years in Oman. Contact: 98148034

Construction Machinery repairs

Engineer, 5 years, driving license,

Contact - 94001961

Indian male civil Engineering

Diploma holder, 31 years, 4 years

experience in Oman, 2 years in road

division looking for placement.

N.O.C available. Contact: 93298395

Electrical & Electronics Engr,

knows autocad & revit.

PH: 93837973

Architect Engineer bachelor

Sudanese 7 years experience in

building and construction and

design (AutoCAD – Archicad)

Contact: 95140464

Diploma in Civil Engineer with

5 yrs experience in Oman seeking

a suitable job N.O.C available.

Contact: 93630296 / 93264828

Indian 14 yrs exp SR MEP – Elect

Engg with NOC, searching suitable

job, in fi eld PMC, Fire consultants

, Testing & com, project supervi-

sion. Contact: 92437865


Indian 24 yrs exp SR civil Engg

with NOC, searching suitable job,

in any project Supervision.

Contact: 96602718

[email protected]

Indian female diploma

Architecture having 5 years exp in

Engineering consultancy in Oman

seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 96683293

Indian male, Structural Engineer

looking for job in structural design

fi eld. Having 6 years of experience

in design fi eld. Residing in Muscat.

Contact: 91176187

[email protected]

AutoCAD Draughtsman Indian

male 8 years exp Civil, Interior,

precasting, GCC driving license.

Contact: 95685028


Telecommunication Engineer 35 years experience with Omantel

company, Hindi , English & Arabic.

Contact: 91204243 / 94372096 /

99751612

Sudanese Mechanical Engineer +13 years experience in heavy

equipments maintenance experi-

ence in Oil fi eld. Contact 96583270

INDIAN MALE, MARKETING & HR SPECIALIST,

25 yrs, Master degree with 2 yrs of experience both HR & Marketi ng,

now on visiti ng visa. Contact 96972939 / 96096723

Email : [email protected], [email protected]

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.


Indian male Electrical Engineer, having 6 years gulf experience in

designing, assembling, commission-

ing execution etc having valid GCC

license too looking for a suitable.

Contact: 00968-98052942 Email:

[email protected]

HSE Engineer (B.E Mech+Diploma

Safety+NEBOSH+OSHA) over

10yrs. Exp, (Visa Release Letter

(NOC) available), seeking suit-

able placement, Mob:97061817,

Email:[email protected]

Civil Engineer (B.Tech), Indian

male 24 years with 1+years Indian

experience,(Certifi ed 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:

[email protected]

B.E Mechanical Engineer, In-

dian male 34 years, having 10+

years experience in MEP build-

ing construction fi eld (HVAC,

Firefi ghting and Plumbing)

with Omani D/L. NOC available.

96978380;[email protected]

Mechanical Engineer & Project Manager Sudanese 29 yrs, more than 3 yrs experience in Mining Company,

Profession:Producti on & manufacturing, safety, fi re fi ghti ng designing,

Engineering Management, sales – Muscat, Oman. Contact 968 93642704,


Indian male 26 B.Tech Civil Engi-

neer 3 year’s 8 months Experience

at building construction. In Oman

2 year’s experience N.O.C available

seeking suitable placement

Contact : 97396269


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


Indian male, Mechanical

Engineer having 1year experi-

ence, on visit visa looking for

suitable job. Contact:97416564,


Civil Engineer 8 years experience

in Oman as a project engineer for

governmental & private projects.

Contact – 90164912

An experienced Chartered Accountant

With over 25 years in varied industries, presently working with

a reputed group in Muscat, looking out for a suitable change.

Contact - 96491030

Site Supervisor, Diploma in

Civil Engg (cert attested) knows

autocad revit, salary exp: 250

Ph : 92279784

A/C Tech with Electrician and

plumber looking for maintenance

job, have D/L. Contact: 9530

Civil Engineer diploma 3 years

5 years experience in supply

chain (warehouse logistics) pro-

curement. Contact: 90644186

Quantity Surveyor (Civil) 11 years

with Omani driving license, local re-

lease available. Contact: 95719108

ADMIN

Indian male, 14+ yrs exp in MNC,

seeks placement in Admin, HR

Offi cer Coordination, reservations.

Contact: 91497410 / 95762646

With 15 years of Gulf experience

in HR / Admin / logistics looking

for suitable position. Fluent in

Arabic / English with D/L.

Contact: 95824598

Indian female Graduate over 6

years of experience in Admin,

Sales, operation support looking for

suitable job. Contact: 94231020

Indian male Post Graduate in HR

19 years (8 Years in Oman) well

experienced in HR / Admin in Oil &

Gas, Construction fi elds with Oman

D/L seeks suitable position. Release

/ NOC available. Contact 92854993.

Indian male post Graduate with

MBA health care management

London 3 years administration

experience seeking job.

Contact: 98232007, Email:

[email protected]

Indian female with nearly 10

years of Oman experience in

Administration and HR, seeking

suitable placement. NOC available.

Contact: 99242841

25 Male BBA, 5 years experience

Administration offi cer, accounts,

purchaser, NOC. Contact 91329571

Indian male, 20 years experience

in Oman as personal assistant /

offi ce manager / executive sec-

retary / administrator / business

development assistant looking for

a change. holding Omani driving

license. local release available.

Contact 99168054

Lady Expat looking for full time

job with visa. Interested fi elds are

Admin, teaching, HR, back offi ce.

Contact: 91739424


MANAGER, CIPD HR With 13 years experience in GCC and Oman. Competent in Sales, Marketi ng, Business operati on

and administrati on. Interested employer please call

97728418

Sr. Sales & Marketing SpecialistIndian 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.

Contact 96960991, Email : [email protected]

Architect female 5 years ex-

perience seeking job. Contact:

96146645, [email protected]

Looking for job, light driver.

Contact: 95141473

Searching job for my P.S Driver.

Contact: 91068299

Looking for job light driver.

Contact: 94365229 / 95582571

Driver with car. Contact:

93346085

Driver light vehicle from

Bangladeshi 5 years experience

in Oman 24 years Omani driving

license looking for job.

Contact: 98591812

Heavy duty driver, 4 yrs Oman

exp seeks placement.

Contact: 93916645

GCC driver 10 yrs exp.

Contact: 93722881

Looking for light driving job 4 yrs

exp. in Muscat speaking Hindi,

Arabic & English.

Contact: 92965920

Driver with light duty license, 10

yrs experience. Contact: 92742722

Looking for a job as light driver,

4 years experience in Oman.

Contact: 97311715

Family driver. Contact: 97196448

Bangladeshi 5 year experience in

Muscat, Oman all location, 3 years

experience U.S.A Dubai, can speak

Arabic, English & Hindi.

Contact: 99327665

Temporary light Driver. Contact:

94022005

Looking for driving job experience

4 years. Contact: 95776320

Experience driver looking for job.

Contact: 95113612

Light vehicle driver 6 years

in Oman. Contact: 94260369 /

94035746

Looking for Offi ce driving job

in Muscat, have been driving in

Muscat for 7 years & known all the

fl uent speaking in Arabic, English

com join work immediately.

Contact: 99640986


Procurement / Commercial (Im-

port & Export) activities, Experi-

enced 17 yrs as Deputy Manager

in SAP & MS-Offi ce, Male Indian,

seeks suitable placement on visit.

Contact: 94629788

Senior Accountant Indian male 10

years experience (8 yrs in Oman)

with D/L & NOC, Accounts upto

fi nalization. Contact: 99582979 /

97373853

Indian male M.Com, PGDCA, 10

years of experience in Oman as

Senior Finance Executive good ex-

perience in fi nance and accounts

looking for suitable placement

with reputed organizations.

Contact: 95392251

BBA fi nance 2 years experience as

Accountant 6 months experience

Assistant Marketing off er looking

for jobs in accounts and marketing.

Contact: 90291297

BBA fi nance fresh Graduate

knowledge of accounting balance

sheet income statement, tally,

advance, excel looking for jobs

accountant. Contact: 93150918

28/male/MBA - fi nance/B.Com -

Accountant with 4 years of Dubai/

India experience looking for a

suitable placement.

Contact 90187483

[email protected]

Part time Sr. Accountant with

19 yrs experience in Accounts,

fi nance, Audit Tax Management.

Contact: 95857199

Indian male , 29 B.com ICWA

(pursuing) 7 years experience

in accountant / audit with valid

Omani D/L seeking for suitable

placement, NOC available.

Contact: 94706954


Male B.Com Graduate Assist. Accountant with 2 years experi-

ence in Accounting administration.

Contact: 94736742

Accountant available with NOC,

7 years experience in Oman.

Ready to join immediately.

Contact 98263394

ACCA member with 6 yrs of experi-

ence in Oman looking for a suitable

job in fi nance. Contact: 99284193

Indian Accountant M.Com, 3 years

experience in Oman, with valid NOC

& driving license looking for a suit-

able position in accounts & sales.

Contact: 94744575

Indian male qualifi cation MBA Fi-

nance Marketing experience 2 years

express visa seeking for placement,

presently on express visa.

Contact: 93991882

Indian Female, MBA-HR having

8+ experience in Administration/

HR, Customer Support, Offi ce

Coordinator with good Computer

skill, Now on Visit Visa,looking for

suitable position.

Contact: 90196235

Indian looking for customer ser-vice, purchase front offi ce Admin

5 years experience in UAE.

Contact: 91744032

Autocad works, free lancer / part

time, experienced, arch, MEP, struc-

tural. Contact : 97103168

Revit, Autocad D/man, expected

salary 200 OMR PH :92279784

Structure Draughtsman for road &

bridges with 10 years experience

looking for suitable job in Oman.

Contact: 95914879 / 91023774

Email: omerkhayam68@yahoo.

com

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 profes-

sional experience is looking for

suitable job in Oman. Please Con-

tact: 96489798, (+974) 66653780.

7+ years experience Multimedia

& Software Developer currently

working in Microsoft seeking suit-

able job. Contact: 968 93936878

Indian Male, MCA Graduate, 15 yrs

exp in ERP, CSM Certifi ed, seeking

suitable role.NOC Available.

Contact : GSM : 90189284


Indian male, B.SC Comp Science,

CCNA, MCP, 8 yrs of exp in System

and Network Support on visit visa

seeking suitable positions.

Contact: 91751472

IT PM available 10+ years experi-

ence six sigma black belt certifi ed

diverse background U.S Citizen.

Contact: + 968 94699818

Sudanese IT Developer with 2 years

experience. Contact: 94360181

Indian female M.Sc Computer

Science seeking suitable placement

in Muscat area. Contact: 98660672

IT Support Engineer, Exp 3 years

in Oman 2 years in India.

Contact: 94672759

IT support MCSA Network Virtualiza-

tion 1 year exp. Contact: 98207829

5 years of experience in the post

of Networking Engineer holding

(CCNA – MCITP) Very good in Ara-

bic & English valid driving license.

Contact: 99813988

B.Tech (IT) experience in Network-

ing server & desktop management

in corporate environment looking

for suitable placement.

Contact: 92954613

South Indian, North Indian Cook having 13 yrs experience in cook-

ing fi eld, now on visiting visa

seeking for suitable job. Contact:

94598934 / 94638875 Email:

[email protected]

CATERING

IND female 12 years exp in

Banking, Insurance customer

service Secretarial skills analysis

communication, client handling,

coordination, Team handling,

qualifi cation, M.COM looking for

suitable position currently on visit

visa. Contact: 95166496

Indian male 25 yrs, Graduate in

commerce, overall 5 yrs exp in ac-

counts/ fi nance fi eld. On visit visa.

Immediately available.

Contact 92836216 /

[email protected]

Filipino HRD especialist / mate-

rial controller supervisor with 18

yrs experience looking for suit-

able job in Oman. Contact: (+968)

98037142 / (+968) 92659817

Young Omani male have experi-

ence 12 years as P.R.O, CLERK

Helper Supervisor Admin Supervi-

sor, 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

ADMIN

Bangladeshi male light vehicle

driver 15 yrs Kuwait exp & 3 yrs

Oman exp looking for job.

Contact: 98440049

Male 3 years have experience in

driving. Contact: 96457875

Indian light driver looking for job.

Contact: 99089441

Electrical B.Sc Engineer Pakistani

male 24 years looking for a job.

Contact: 94049812 / 92958112

Mechanical Engineer (B.Tech)

Indian male with 1 year experience

looking for job, qualifi cation in

Qa-Qc, HVAC & piping engineering.

Contact 90510800, Email :

[email protected]

Indian male B-tech 8 years expe-

rience as senior electrical project

engineer / QC engineer on visit

visa seeks suitable placement.

Contact 94094543


Sudanese Civil Structure Engineer 3 years looking for job

in reputable company AutoCAD,

Etabs, Staad Pro Omani driving

license available.

Contact: 97906770

DAILY GUIDED6 W E D N E S D AY, M AY 1 1 , 2 0 1 6

Email: [email protected] classifi [email protected].: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461Fax: 24812624

SITUATION WANT-SIT. WANTED


2 years Diploma Health and

Safety IOSH managing safely

OHS academy 48 hours Manager

level HABC fi re safety, bachelors

in Commerce and Post Graduate

Finance 3 years experience in

Construction & General Industry.

Contact 93107730

SCM / LOGISTICS/ PROCURE-

MENT - 25 Yrs exp - Indian Male

- Oil & Gas, Manufacturing Sector

- Having valid Oman D/L & NOC

available. Seeks Challenging sen-

ior position. GSM-94236414,

Email ID - [email protected]

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

Fresh B.Com Graduate in visit

visa looking for a job. Contact:

93518923 / 99075027.


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. [email protected]

Part- Time Accountant, well experi-

enced senior accountant ,capable of

doing all type of accounting works

up to fi nalization, Budgeting, Bank

fi nancing requirements, taxation

work etc available. # : 98803439

Indian/male (25)/ MBA/2 years

experience in channel sales and

distribution management. on visit

visa, available for immediate join-

ing. Contact: 96914068,


Light Duty Driver, Fluent in

English, Arabic. Well knowledge of

Oman Areas looking for suitable

placement. Contact 97950869

Admin Assistant. Having 5 years

experience in admin department in

reputed companies, presently work-

ing in Muscat (NOC Available). GSM.

00968-98404122, mail -

[email protected]

Import & Export professional,

Experienced as Asst. Commercial

Manager for 15 years, Profi cient in

MS offi ce, Male Indian, Seeks suita-

ble placement, on Visit, #95484684

Indian male, 33 yrs, MBA-HR

generalist with 10 yrs including

training of Omani nationals.NOC

possible .Seeking a suitable job.

Contact :[email protected],

94179499

MISCELLANEOUS

MISCELLANEOUS

Safety offi cer, 3 years of experi-

ence in safety certifi cations: BE

(electrical and electronics engi-

neering), NEBOSH, IOSH, DHSE,

fi rst aid. Contact +97474018995,

mail:[email protected],

skype:midhunmike

Electronics Technician , 4 Years

experience as Electronics service

engineer. Knowledge in all type of

Electronics items. Looking for suit-

able placement. GSM- 99105043

Indian/male(25)/MBA /2 years

experience in channel sales and

distribution management. on visit

visa. available for immediate join-

ing. Contact: 96914068,


Looking for a part time accounting

& admin job. Contact 99196621.

Indian male, network cabling

technician (19 years Gulf experi-

ence) seeking for suitable place-

ment. NOC available. Contact :

0091-8089909265 (India),

E mail: [email protected]

Indian male 26 years, Graduate in

BBM & having Diploma in Logis-

tics with 3 years of experience in

Banking and Accounts looking for

suitable placement. Contact : + 968

97166820/ +91 9895102356

Email :[email protected]

Indian male,B.Com + Dip. Logistic

2year experience looking for a job

in Accounts/Logistics Field. Pres-

ently on Visit Visa # 93884951,


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. [email protected]

HSE Engineer, Indian male, 5.5

Plus years Experience in Oil &

Gas Working in Shclumberger.

NEBOSH, IOSH, & NDT Certi-

fi ed, M Tech in HSE, CONTACT-

[email protected],

Mobile- +91 9867016808

Indian Male 30 year GCC driving

license and past experience as

project coordinator looking for a

suitable position. Project Coordina-

tion, Sales Executive, Marketing

Executive or any other suitable

post. Contact number -97070427

Assistant Accountant - B.Com

Graduate with excellent overall

skills. 2 Years of experience. Ready

for immediate joining.

Contact: [email protected],

968-92049215

HSE Engineer,Indian male, 5.5

Plus years Experience in Oil & Gas

Working in Shclumberger

NEBOSH,IOSH, & NDT Certi-

fi ed, M Tech in HSE. CONTACT-

[email protected]

Mobile- +91 9867016808

Software Engineer with 5 + plus

years of experience in Infosys

ltd on visit visa seeking suit-

able vacancy in oman. Email :

steff [email protected] mob:

96896246205 / 96897032284

Indian male, 24 yrs, B. Com Gradu-

ate more than 1 year experienced

in accounts planning to come for a

family visit in oman seeking for a

suitable placement .

Contact : 99339544 / 99743709

Electrical & Electronics diploma

engineer Indian male 22 years,

2 years experience currently in

visit visa. Contact 93047707

[email protected]

Indian Female looking for a part

time opportunity (Graphic Design/

Teaching/Research Assistant/

Business Development/Admin-

istration) Contact: 95811820 or

[email protected]

Indian female 10 years exp as cook

in Oman. South Indian &

Gujarati special looking for job,

company or restaurant. #90559292

IT professional, B.E. in IT, CCNA,

MCSA, MCSE, 3yrs exp. in IT, valid

Omani D/L seeking suitable place-

ment in IT/Network/Server sup-

port/Retail sales. # 91496939.

SENIOR ACCOUNTANT-M. Com

Finance-Indian with 7 years expe-

rience in Finance & Accounts up

to fi nalization. Having D/L & NOC.

Mob:94122464,

[email protected]

Tea boy looking for job Name:

Man Bahadar Contact: 97859837

Indian Female, M.Sc Computer

Science, Seeking suitable place-

ment in Muscat Area.

Contact : 98660672

Indian B-Com Graduate 1 year

Experience in market survey,

Valid Driving License, looking for

any suitable post. #92567020 /

96930392, [email protected]

Indian male, M. Com, 11 years

experience in the fi eld of account-

ancy and Stores. Good knowledge

in SAP, Tally, oracle, MS offi ce and

Excel seeks suitable placement.

Contact 92859733

Indian male, M.Com, 7 years

Oman experience in the fi eld of

accounts and valid oman driving

license & NOC . Good knowledge

in SAP, Tally, oracle, MS offi ce and

Excel seeks suitable placement.

Contact 92859733

Indian male 42, BE-Civil 13 years

experience in Road construction.

looking for suitable placement.

having valid Oman driving license.

Contact: 95225214, Email:

[email protected]

Indian Female on a visit visa hav-

ing master degree seeking suitable

placement in any fi eld, 1 ,5 year ex-

perience in HR .Contact 91467576.


MISCELLANEOUS

SALES / MARKETING

SALES / MARKETING

The Business Development Man-ager, Iraqi, exp. 15 Years Inside and

outside Oman following activities:

construction(Very strong and quali-

fi ed to bringing business for civil

work Or any type of the construction

work for many million per year with

a good exp. in pricing and collect

payment and cash fl ow & marketing

projects & investments & tenders &

real estate. Contact :- 92385033

10 years ICT Business develop-

ment & project management exp

in Oman looking for suitable sen-

ior position. Contact: 98987654

Indian male MBA Marketing and

PGDM HR seeking job.

Contact: 97127799


4 years experience in computer

hardware & Sales B.Com discontin-

ued . Contact: 99859970 / 90996171

Building material purchaser. Contact: 99053510

35 years male, Lebanese holding

British passport, 10 years of expe-

rience in procurement, Omani Gov-

ernment tenders, setup marketing

plans & strategies, importing,

Organizing events, management,

have car, NOC available.

Contact 94123939


Indian male MBA Sales Market-

ing business development with

10 years of vast experience 5

years GCC 5 years India excellent

communication skills presently in

Oman on visit visa looking for best

opportunity. Contact: 97946069

Email: faizanahmad2308@yahoo.

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:

[email protected]

Indian male 26 years having 4.5

years of experience in Oman as

Sales & Marketing having Oman

D/L visa, NOC / Release available

seeking for suitable post.

Contact: 98843139

MBA Marketing, Executive Post,

Omani Driving License available,

14 years Experience in Multina-

tional Groups in Sales & Marketing.

Contact 91685048

13 years experienced Salesman

seeking job, holds valid Omani

driving license. NOC also available,

needs visa change urgently, expe-

rience in mobiles and electronics

sale. Contact: 97900338

Procurement / Estimation male 15

years experience in Oman work-

ing with reputed company seeks

suitable placements. N.O.C available.

Contact: 93508898


Indian male looking for jobs as

driver storekeeper or salesman.

Contact: 93925621

Male Indian 36 years market-

ing Sales 12 years experience M.A

degree currently on visit visa ready

to join. Contact: 00968 94068878


4 years experienced Automobile

Marketing/Sales Manager of Indian

origin, 25yrs age on visiting visa

seeks suitable job in Oman.

Contact 95298876.

Pakistani male, Graduate over

9 years experience in Procurement,

Warehouse & Logistics, looking for

suitable placement currently on

visit visa. Contact: 968 91257663 ,

[email protected]

Indian male 37 years MBA

graduate in marketing with 9yrs of

experience in UAE in fi eld of brand

promotions & marketing with UAE

D/L on a visit seeking suitable

position. Conatct 95792820

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.

IT professional, B.E. in IT, CCNA,

MCSA, MCSE, 3yrs exp. in IT, valid

Omani D/L seeking suitable place-

ment in IT/Network/Server sup-

port/Retail sales. #91496939.

Indian Male B-Com Graduate

1 year, experience in market sur-

vey, Valid Driving License,

looking for any suitable post.

Contact: 92567020 / 96930392

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

MISCELLANEOUS

Indian Female, 24 Years - MSc

Biotechnology. Worked in Inter-

national Crops Research Institute

For The Semi Arid Tropics for pro-

ject work as trainee. Looking for

suitable job. Mobile: 92619048,


Filipino Male, 28 years Old. Look-

ing for job, Have experience in Rent

a Car/ Cargo & Logistics / Real

Estate/ Customer Care Executive /

Sale Executive & Marketing/ Shop

In- Charge with driving license, w/

good computer and communication

skill. GSM: 97761075

BS in Electrical Engineering, Experience: 5 years(Power Plants).

Contact: 92475206 Email:

[email protected]

Indian male, 28, post graduate, 6+

yrs exp in Oman in sales (back offi ce)

& credit control with valid Oman D/L

looking for suitable placements.

NOC available. Contact: 92066 523

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE

MEDICAL

Secretary / Coordinator Indian

male 42 yrs total 16+ yrs experi-

ence having valid Oman driving

license, release available.

Contact: 98358897

Lady Secretary / Sales Co-co-

ordinator 12 years experience in

Oman in reputed companies,

seek immediate Employment.

Call: 95244761

Filipino Female, having exp in

Shipping, Forwarding and Lo-

gistics/Customer Support/Offi ce

and HR Administration with good

Communication and Computer

Skills. Looking for suitable posi-

tion. Contact: 96542559

Indian Male more than 10 years

gulf experience in Offi ce / Sales

Coordinator, Admin, Secretarial

and purchase with good com-

puter skills. Holding Oman Driving

license. Looking for suitable place-

ment. Contact 99709336

Looking for part time job Secre-tarial / Data Entry / Documenta-

tion available every day after 5:00

pm Friday / Saturday full day area

preferred Ruwi/ CBD/ MBD /

Al Khuwair. Contact: 90414827

Sudanese female Medical Labora-

tory specialist with M.S.C in hema-

tology, 3 years experience seeking

for suitable job. Contact: 97996545

Indian Male 42 year’s, MBA, Sr.

Material controller having 12 years

experience in Oman with reputed

companies. Having Oman driving

License, Seeks suitable replace-

ment immediately. Available NOC.

Cont. 00968-92944026,

Email – [email protected]


TOURS

TOURS

RENT A CAR

25 - 50 seater bus with PDO & BP

specifi cation for monthly rent &

small car with driver.

Contact: 99839898

SITUATION WANTEDCARGO

Dolphin Watch, Dhow Cruise with

Buffet, & Land Tours Al- Ainain

Marine Tours contact 98029602,

92808636

We arrange tours & accommoda-

tion at all the beautiful places in

Oman. Contact 99839898

Moon Travel L.L.CSaudi Arabian Government approved agent

Contact: Tariq Al Balushi - 99218069 Ahmed Maseehuddin - 99353611, O ce: 24790746/24706217

Umrah Package by Road & AirBus Departures- Apr 19, May 03, 17 & 31.2016

Ramadan Schedule - Jun 06, 10, 14, 18, 22, 26 & 30.2016

RENT A CARBest Rates for Saloon

Contact: 97869042 / 95730550

[email protected]

SITUATION WANT-

ED

BUSINESS


Required partner investor to

build an apartment in Al Mobelah.

Contact: 99355330

WEB, ERP and Business Intel-

ligence (BI) creation and manage-

ment at rock bottom price.

Contact: http//webviewoman

Investment opportunity for

lucrative building and decorative

product. Contact: 99421513


Tender board registered Con-

struction Company for lease / run.

Contact: 92841089

Business Partner required for a

running insurance company.

Contact: 92821312

AVAILABLE

Party & Wedding equipment rentals. Full line, from Tables, Linen & Skirt-

ing, Chairs & Chair covers, Cutlery, Crockery, Glassware, Chafi ng 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: [email protected]

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.

Contact 90654826


HSE Engineer, Indian male, 4 Plus

years experience in Oil & Gas, Work-

ing in Shclumberger,NEBOSH,IOSH,

& NDT Certifi ed, M Tech in HSE.

Mail- [email protected]

Mobile- +91 9867016808

Indian with 3 years for experience

in sales and marketing fl uency in

English, Arabic, Hindi, Tamil and

Malayalam looking for suitable job.

Also hold valid Driving License,

currently in oman Mob : 93451439

Indian male network cabling tech-

nician (19-years Gulf experience)

seeking for suitable placement.

Contact 0091-8089909265 (India),


Safety Offi cer 3 years of expe-

rience in safety certifi cations:

BE (Electrical and Electronics

Engineering),NEBOSH, OSH, DHSE,

fi rst aid. Contact +97474018995,

email:[email protected]

skype:midhunmike

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,

[email protected]

9 yrs exp Site Engineer in Civil &

Shade Structure. 2d, 3d draughts-

man (HOLDING OMANI DRIVING

LICENSE) seeking job. # 93790601

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 -

# 91240251 /[email protected]

Indian female 27 yrs, Diploma in

Aviation & Hospitality manage-

ment, seeking suitable placement.

Curnetly in Oman, NOC Available.

Contact 94880684

Senior Accountant, NOC avail-

able, more than 5 years exp., born

& bought up in Oman, Account-

ing upto fi nalization, computer

skills tally9, Sage ERP ACCPAC

500(6.0A), Vcams, Audit ,valid

Oman driving license, lan-

guages known English, Arabic,

Hindi. Can join immediately.

Tel: (+968) 96339599, E-mail-

([email protected])

Female Dentist with MOH license

and NOC, 7 years experience 2 yrs

out of them in Oman looking for a

job. Contact 97401243

27 years old Indian male looking

hospitality jobs in Hotel. Experience

in customer service, front desk,

housekeeping supervisor, captain,

cashier,guest relation manager.

Contact. +968-90351742Email.

[email protected]

D8 W E D N E S D AY, M AY 1 1 , 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDEEmail: [email protected] classifi [email protected].: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461Fax: 24812624

*Classifi ed Advertisement space booking with text,

should be done till 12.00 noon for next

day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

SITUATION WANTEDSERVICES

SERVICESWe Provide Cleaners,

Offi ce boys, Cleaning Contracts, General cleaning etc.

Al Mudakhir Nati onal Est. LLC Contact : 94277020

A/C Maintenance & Servicing,

Fridge, Washing machine & Dish

washer repairing, Painting & Clean-

ing services, Electrical & plumbing.

Contact 99447257 / 97014234 /

24504281

Service & maintenance of split &

window A/C. Contact: 95273713

We do building maintenance all

kind of works. Contact 99247663

Water proofi ng ABUQABAS-

Contact 99320217/24788722

Al farzdaq Al Fedi Trad and Cont

Maintenance services electric,

plumbing and A/C. Contact:

96524904 /94285064

Pest control & Building cleaning all kinds of pest control building. Cleaning ti les /

Marble polishing monthly/ Yearly contracts available.

Contact: 98814733 /98814740 Al Husn Cleaning L.L.C

Pest control treatments, Ocean center LLC

Contact 99344723

House shifting. Contact

99708138

Marble crystallization & grinding, cleaning & carpet shampooing.

Ocean center LLC.

Contact 99344723

Marble crystallization & grinding, Ocean center LLC

Contact: 99344723

Carpet Shampoo, marble & tile

polishing, pest control &

anti-termite treatment, general

cleaning painting,Plumbing,

Electrical, shifting. Contact Mun-

dhir Al-Rizaiqi trading. L.L.C.

Contact: 24810137, 99450130

Complete building maintenance

Midawa Trading Est.

Contact: 94614479

Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles

polishing, carpet shampooing,

maintenance. Contact ABU QA-

BAS- 99320217 /24788722

CAD drawings Archi/

MEP CAD – comply BIM.

Contact: 91233975

House Shifting Packing. Contact: 99657644 /

98518013

GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing,

Contact 99314807/24792998

Split & window A/c servicing &

maintenance. Contact 93769089 /

95323517

MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of

your marble. contact 24793614/

99314807

Window & split unit A.C servicing

& repairing. Contact: 99557080

House shifting & transporting.

Contact 92490422

Split unit & window unit A.C

servicing & maintenance.

Contact: 96236476

Split unit & widow unit A.C servic-

ing & maintenance.

Contact: 95323517 / 93769089

SITUATION WANTEDEDUCATION/CLASSES/COMP./WEB.

Spoken Arabic class for Non Arabic Speakers & English

class for Malayalam Speakers in Azaiba and Ruwi

• Learn in two months• Satisfaction guaranteed

Tel: 95244310

Wanted partner handover 20% to 30% running building Construction

Company. Contact: 97491117

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

MANPOWER

TRANSPORTATION

TRANSPORTATION

Transportation available in Ruwi,

MSQ, Al Azaiba, Al Hail, Al Khoud

area. Contact: 94297820

Picking and drop Al Khuwair

to Rusayl. Contact 91287470 /

98957524

Transportation available Ruwi to

Al Khuwair, Ghubra & Azaiba.

Contact: 91103909

Transportation. Contact:

95190627

Transportation required from

Qurum to WadiKabir at afternoon

only 1 PM. Contact - 99012165

DRIVING

Transportation. Contact 99508282

Transportation. Contact

92015894

Times of Oman - May 11, 2016

Documents

Transcript of Times of Oman - May 11, 2016