times of oman - march 16, 2016

40
Founded 1975 . Volume 41 No. | Pages . Baisas 200 . Subscription OMR63 | ISO 9001:2008 Certified Company | Chairman/Editor-in-Chief: Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali | Printed & Published by Muscat Media Group 085010 120010 6 March 16, 2016 7 Jumada Al Thani 1437 AH WEDNESDAY 20 40 OMAN Workers on strike 1 More than 60 expat workers are on strike over alleged salary and food denial. >A2 OMAN World Water Day walk 2 Children will participate in a 3km walk in celebration of UN’s World Water Day. >A5 BUSINESS MSM-listed firms 3 Unaudited results must now be disclosed within 15 days of the end of quarter. >B1 TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES A4 Ancient Portuguese ship wreck discovered off the coast of Oman ‘Increase in salary unlikely in 2016’ Times News Service MUSCAT: Do not expect a hike in salary in 2016 given the cur- rent situation, company officials and business owners stated clearly on Tuesday. They were reacting to the findings of the latest research released by online recruitment firm GulfTalent, which said the average pay increases in Oman and across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are set to be lower in 2016 than at any time over the past decade. Reacting to the sur- vey, Ahmed Al Hooti, a member of the Oman Chamber of Com- merce and Industry (OCCI), said it’s quite difficult to see salary in- creases in the private sector giv- en the current financial situation. “The private sector should not be connected to the drop in oil prices. The private sector should be separate from any- thing involving the oil price in the normal scenario. But as most private sector companies depend on government projects, any sal- ary increase is almost impossible unless there are some changes in the future in oil prices. Many companies get less projects and others are affected by the finan- cial situation of the government,” explained Al Hooti. The Muscat-based economist said the findings of the survey are in line with emerging trends in the GCC economy. >A6 Quite difficult to expect salary hikes due the current financial situation GUESS WHICH RACING LEGEND IS COMING TO OMAN? Oman wins court case in US Times News Service MUSCAT: Oman, represented by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI), has won a case filed against the export of polyethylene terephthalate product (PET) to the United States market. The case is related to the amount of government subsidi- sation granted by Oman for this product, which is produced by the Octal Company. The investi- gations relating to the case lasted for nearly a year and a half and were undertaken by the US Min- istry of Commerce. The US Ministry of Commerce had issued a decision about the results of the investigation car- ried out against Oman’s exports and other involved countries about PET products on March 7. The results of investigation showed that subsidisation ratio of the government of Oman to the Octal Company does not con- stitute harm to the US industry. After the investigations ended, it was found that the subsidisa- tion ratio is a mere 0.59 per cent, which is less than the minimum ratio (de minimis), according to provisions under the applicable laws in the US. Thus, Oman has been ex- cluded from the subsidisation case without imposing any fees against its exports, while the subsidisation rates for exports from other countries was pegged at between 5.12 per cent and 153.80 per cent. Oman’s victory in the subsi- disation case is an additional success for previous victories in the cases filed against Oman’s exports, which reflect the efforts of MOCI, Octal Company and all cooperative bodies during the in- vestigations period to prove that the government of Oman does not provide subsidisation to the Octal Company in a way that vio- lates the WTO convention and the laws of the United States. EXPORT OF PET PRODUCT MORNING MINUTE HM receives cable of thanks MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has received a ca- ble of thanks from Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Member of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Supreme Council and Ruler of Ajman in reply to His Majesty’s condolences cable on the death of Sheikh Mohammed bin Nasser Al Nuaimi. >A6 RULER OF AJMAN Omanis should take the initiative and play a substantial role in all fields, no one should shun the jobs of his father and forefathers, or hesitate to make use of the job opportunities available in the private sector on the pretext that he holds an academic degree and that he should have a Government job. On the occasion of the Opening of the 4th Term of the State Consultative Council, 1988 FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTY THE SULTAN ‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’ > See A7

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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 1200106March 16, 2016 7 Jumada Al Thani 1437 AH

WEDNESDAY

20 40

OMANWorkers on strike

1More than 60 expat workers are on strike over alleged salary and food denial. >A2

OMANWorld Water Day walk

2Children will participate in a 3km walk in celebration of UN’s World Water Day. >A5

BUSINESSMSM-listed firms

3Unaudited results must now be disclosed within 15 days of the end of quarter. >B1

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

A4Ancient Portuguese ship wreck discovered off the coast of Oman

‘Increase in salary unlikely in 2016’

Times News Service

MUSCAT: Do not expect a hike in salary in 2016 given the cur-rent situation, company offi cials and business owners stated clearly on Tuesday.

They were reacting to the fi ndings of the latest research released by online recruitment fi rm GulfTalent, which said the average pay increases in Oman and across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are set to be lower

in 2016 than at any time over the past decade. Reacting to the sur-vey, Ahmed Al Hooti, a member of the Oman Chamber of Com-merce and Industry (OCCI), said it’s quite diffi cult to see salary in-creases in the private sector giv-en the current fi nancial situation.

“The private sector should not be connected to the drop in oil prices. The private sector should be separate from any-thing involving the oil price in the normal scenario. But as most private sector companies depend on government projects, any sal-ary increase is almost impossible unless there are some changes in the future in oil prices. Many companies get less projects and others are aff ected by the fi nan-cial situation of the government,” explained Al Hooti.

The Muscat-based economist said the fi ndings of the survey are in line with emerging trends in the GCC economy. >A6

Quite diffi cult to

expect salary hikes

due the current

fi nancial situation

GUESS WHICH RACING LEGEND IS COMING TO OMAN?

Oman wins court case in USTimes News Service

MUSCAT: Oman, represented by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI), has won a case fi led against the export of polyethylene terephthalate product (PET) to the United States market.

The case is related to the amount of government subsidi-sation granted by Oman for this product, which is produced by the Octal Company. The investi-gations relating to the case lasted for nearly a year and a half and were undertaken by the US Min-istry of Commerce.

The US Ministry of Commerce

had issued a decision about the results of the investigation car-ried out against Oman’s exports and other involved countries about PET products on March 7. The results of investigation showed that subsidisation ratio of the government of Oman to the Octal Company does not con-stitute harm to the US industry.

After the investigations ended, it was found that the subsidisa-tion ratio is a mere 0.59 per cent, which is less than the minimum ratio (de minimis), according to provisions under the applicable laws in the US.

Thus, Oman has been ex-cluded from the subsidisation

case without imposing any fees against its exports, while the subsidisation rates for exports from other countries was pegged at between 5.12 per cent and 153.80 per cent.

Oman’s victory in the subsi-disation case is an additional success for previous victories in the cases fi led against Oman’s exports, which refl ect the eff orts of MOCI, Octal Company and all cooperative bodies during the in-vestigations period to prove that the government of Oman does not provide subsidisation to the Octal Company in a way that vio-lates the WTO convention and the laws of the United States.

E X P O R T O F P E T P R O D U C T

MORNING MINUTE

HM receives cable of thanks

MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has received a ca-ble of thanks from Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Member of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Supreme Council and Ruler of Ajman in reply to His Majesty’s condolences cable on the death of Sheikh Mohammed bin Nasser Al Nuaimi. >A6

R U L E R O F A J M A N

Omanis should take the initiative and play a substantial role in all fi elds, no one should shun the jobs of his father and forefathers, or hesitate to make use of the job opportunities available in the private sector on the pretext that he holds an academic degree and that he should have a Government job.

On the occasion of the Opening of the 4th Term of the State Consultative Council, 1988

FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTYTHE SULTAN

‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’

> See A7

A2 W E D N E S DAY, M A R C H 1 6, 2 0 1 6

OMANTake precautions during the rain and avoid crossing wadis (valleys), as well as checking the state of the sea before sailing into the waters

Public Authority for Civil Aviation

More than 60 expatriate workers on strike over salary, food denial

REJIMON K [email protected]

MUSCAT: More than 60 expatri-ate workers in a camp in Oman are on strike alleging non-payment of salary off ered in contract and food for the last few days.

“We are not getting any payment from the company. Moreover, the company is also not providing any food. We are starving. With-out having food how can we go for work? We are stuck here,” the workers told the Times of Oman.

Most of the workers had come

to Oman after paying money rang-ing from OMR300 to OMR500 and through recruitment agencies based in India.

“We are not getting the salary of-fered in the contract. While some have received a little, the majority have not got anything. Our main problem is that we don’t have food. How long can we starve?” one of the workers said.

Company versionMeanwhile, a company offi cial said they had paid half of the salary for the workers and are planning

to send them back. While asked as to why only half of the salary had been paid, the offi cial said the com-pany is facing a fi nancial crisis.

When asked about the lack of food, the offi cial refused to make any comment.

Other issuesThe workers also alleged that the company had not provided them with a decent accommodation.

“It’s nasty and dirty every-where,” the workers said.

“Space has been made on walls to install air conditioners. Howev-

er, air conditioners have not been installed,” the workers said.

Meanwhile, a Muscat-based legal advisor told Times of Oman that non-payment of salary is against Oman’s labour law.

“Companies cannot breach the terms and conditions agreed upon in the job contract. Moreover, non-payment of salary and food is against labour laws,” the legal advi-sor said.

“Aggrieved workers can ap-proach labour dispute depart-ments and their mission houses to settle the issue,” the advisor added.

We are not getting any payment from the

company. Moreover, the company is also

not providing any food. We are starving.

Without having food how can we go for

work? We are stuck here, the workers

told the Times of Oman

Rain forecast for today, but not as severe as last weekStaff Reporter

MUSCAT: Rainfall expected on Wednesday will not be as severe as last week, meteorologists said.

“Rain will return to Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) later on Wednesday or Thursday and continue into the weekend; with another round of rain pos-sible later next week. However, it will not be as severe as last week,” Jason Nicholls, a senior meteor-ologist at Accuweather.com, said.

According to the National Mul-ti Hazard Early Warning Centre at the Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA), the Sultan-ate will be aff ected by unstable weather on Wednesday.

PACA has advised the public to take precautions during the rain and avoid crossing wadis (valleys), as well as check the state of the sea before sailing into the waters.

Meanwhile, in its latest advi-sory, the Oman Meteorology De-partment has predicted chances of rain and occasional thunder-showers over the governorates of Musandam, Al Buraimi, North and South Al Batinah, which will gradually extend to governorates of Muscat, Al Dakhliya and North and South Al Sharqiya.

During last week’s rain, the Public Authority of Civil Defence and Ambulance’s (PACDA’s) operations centre received 332

rescue calls. PACDA statistics recorded 255 water rescue opera-tions, 37 land rescue operations, 29 fi re extinguishing operations, eight ambulance-related calls, and four search operations.

As for calls recorded by various governorates, Al Batinah North registered the biggest number, which resulted in 95 rescue op-erations, followed by Al Dhakh-iliyah which recorded 67 rescue operations.

Muscat came in third with 51

rescue operations being conduct-ed, followed by Al Buraimi, which recorded 43 reports.

Al Sharqiyah North recorded 27 such incidents, Al Batinah South 26, Dhahira 23, while only one rescue operation was carried out by PACDA in Al Shar-qiyah South.

The death toll from the thun-dershowers and fl ash fl oods, which hit Oman last week, has climbed to eight after two more children were found dead.

W E A T H E R

ROP launches

campaign for

safer driving

MUSCAT: Royal Oman Po-lice (ROP), represented by the Directorate General of Traffi c, launched at the Traffi c Safety Institute yesterday the traffi c awareness campaign “Driving without Mobile”.

The campaign was launched under the patronage of Dr Ham-ad bin Salim Al Rawahi, Chief Executive Offi cer (CEO) of the Telecommunications Regula-tory Authority (TRA).

Launch of the campaign coin-cides with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Traffi c Week. It aims at limiting the usage of mo-bile while driving by presenting some studies for the targeted category in a bid to limit traffi c accidents. -ONA

T R A N S P O R T

EXPECT MORE: The Oman Meteorology Department has predicted

chances of rain and occasional thundershowers over the gover-

norates of Musandam, Al Buraimi, North and South Al Batinah,

which will gradually extend to governorates of Muscat, Al Dakh-

liya and North and South Al Sharqiya. – File photo HAVE YOUR SAY Send us your comments at facebook.com/timesofoman blog.timesofoman.com [email protected]

A3

OMANW E D N E S DAY, M A R C H 1 6, 2 0 1 6

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Muscat University chairman elected

MUSCAT: Khalil bin Abdullah Al Khunji was yesterday elected chairman of the Muscat Univer-sity at a meeting of the Univer-sity’s board.

Rashad bin Mohammed Al Zubair was elected as Deputy Chairman.

The Muscat University Board of Directors had held its fi rst meeting at the site of the project to elect the chairman, the depu-ty chairman and members of the executive offi ce, in addition to making a decision on a number of urgent issues related to the University.

The board also elected mem-bers of the executive offi ce and authorised signatories to ensure smooth running of the works as per the pre-set plans.

The meeting also reviewed the transactions made by the founding committee during the past period and the liabilities.

It also considered and ap-proved the fi nancial statements of the project, which was pre-pared by an external auditor.

Khalil bin Abdullah Al Khunji, Chairman of the Board stressed the importance of Muscat Uni-versity project which aims at providing local and regional la-bour markets with high quality cadres in the specialities that the University will focus on. -ONA

E D U C A T I O N

Day, night equal

MUSCAT: Oman Astrological Society said that day and night will be equal in the Sultanate today as the sun rises on 6.15 am and sits on 16.15 pm.

Ibrahim bin Mohammed Al Mahrouqi, member of the Soci-ety said that the spring for 2016 will start on at 8.31 am March 20 local timing. -ONA

A S T R O L O G I C A L S O C I E T Y

A4 W E D N E S DAY, M A R C H 1 6, 2 0 1 6

OMAN

Water costlier for government, businesses and industriesTimes News Service

MUSCAT: Water rates for govern-ment, commercial and industrial consumption have been raised with eff ect from March, the Public Authority for Electricity and Wa-ter (PAEW) has announced.

The new tariff for government consumption will be 3.5 baizas per gallon, with the same charged for commercial and industrial con-sumption, refl ecting a 0.5 baiza hike in the water tariff .

Mohammad Ali Al Yahyaee, senior manager of Operations and Control at PAEW said, “The Au-thority will activate the new price

for water consumption in govern-ment commercial and industrial uses starting with the invoice is-sued for March 2016.”

He added that the new tariff was printed on the February invoice in order for customers to be aware of the impending change.

Al Yahyaee added, “The author-ity is continuing with the new tariff to encourage subscribers in government, commercial and in-dustrial sectors to reduce the use of water consumption.”

He added that according to data, the rate of water consumption is high and that the average cost of production and distribution of

water is nearly 7 baizas per gallon while the water is sold to customer at less than half the price.

Residential water consump-tion remains fi xed, where the con-sumption of one to 5,000 gallons is priced at 2 baizas per gallon; and 2.5 baizas per gallon for those con-suming more than 5,000 gallons of water.

This is determined due to the fi xed price adopted in which the water is sold to water tankers at the price of 1 baiza per gallon for tankers that hold less than 700 gallons of water and 3 baizas for those with a capacity higher than 700 gallons.

P A E W A N N O U N C E M E N T European age of discovery ship found off Dhofar

ERIK PRINS [email protected]

MUSCAT: A shipwreck of one of earliest ships from the European age of discoveries in the east has been discovered off the coast of the Governorate of Dhofar at the Al Hallaniya Island, the Ministry of Heritage and Culture (MHC) revealed at a press conference on Tuesday.

The Portuguese war ship called ‘Esmeralda,’ which sank in a storm in May 1503 near the Omani coast, is the earliest ship from Europe’s age of overseas ex-plorations to be found and scien-tifi cally investigated by a team of archaeologists and other experts. The ship was part of the Portu-guese explorer Vasco da Gama’s armada to India in 1502-1503.

The discovery is important, giv-en the huge number of artefacts, more than 2,800 that have been found at the wreck site. These in-clude fi rearms, brass belt buckles, spoons, trade beads, rings, ceram-ics and stone cannon balls.

One of the most signifi cant ar-tefacts found at the wreck site, is the ship’s bronze bell with an in-scription that suggests the date of the ship was 1498. The bell was, as David Mearns, project direc-tor of Blue Water Discoveries Ltd. (BWD) explained, “amazingly, found under a boulder, having stayed there for over 500 years.”

Mearns said the golden ‘Cru-zado’ coins dating from between

1495 and 1501 found at the site were “in spectacular condition.” In addition, an ultra-rare silver Indio coin that was commis-sioned by King Dom Manuel I in 1499 specifi cally for trade with India was found at the site. He said there is only one other exam-ple of this coin in the world.

An important copper-alloy disc marked with the Portuguese Royal Coat of Arms and an armillary sphere, which was the personal emblem of King Dom Manuel I, was another important object found. The announcement fol-lowed years of research conducted by the MHC and BWD, who have since 1998 carried out extensive research to fi nd scientifi c proof of the identity of the Portuguese ship being Vicente Sodré’s Esmeralda. Full-scale archaeological survey and excavation however, did not begin until 2013.

Mearns said it took a team of 55 crew members 977 divers and 50 days at the wreck site to get a complete picture of the ship.

“This is, easily, the most com-plex and hardest things I’ve ever done, but it’s most satisfying and a legacy I’m extremely proud of,” he stated.

It is now proven that the ‘Es-meralda’ is the earliest ship from Europe to be found, explained Mearns. Details of the wreck site, published on Tuesday in the In-ternational Journal of Nautical Archaeology reveal that the ship is believed to be the nau Esmeralda commanded by Vicente Sodré, who was the maternal uncle of Vasco da Gama.

The historical and archaeologi-cal importance of the wreck site, based on future studies of the ar-tefact assemblage, could be enor-mous. As one of the very early

Ships of Discovery that pre-dates the nearest Iberian shipwreck in age by 30 to 50 years, the arte-facts are expected to reveal new discoveries about how maritime trade and warfare was conducted in the Indian Ocean at the turn of that vital century.

Ibrahim Al Busaidi, assistant professor at the Department of History at Sultan Qaboos Univer-sity, said the discovery is impor-tant in the light of Oman’s strate-gic location.

“The arrival of the Portuguese in India in 1498, led by Vasco da Gama is considered the beginning of a new era of communication between the East and the West at the beginning of modern times. This historical discovery docu-ments this communication and confi rms Oman’s global stature and importance in the midst of the international competition be-tween the various forces in the be-ginning of modern times,” he said.

He added that the artefacts found at the site will provide re-searchers with a lot of historical information related to the nature of the Portuguese campaigns in the east, and the types of ships and weapons, in addition to the economic aspects, such as cur-rencies. He also said it would lend a lot of historical facts and sup-port the documentation of the Portuguese presence in the Mid-dle East. The discovery of the Es-meralda will benefi t research and tourism in Oman, as the objects are expected to attract a lot of at-tention from visitors.

Hassan Mohammed Ali Al La-wati, adviser to the Minister for Heritage Aff airs at MHC, said that this discovery is not only impor-tant to Oman, but also to cultural heritage shared by all nations.

The Portuguese

war ship called

‘Esmeralda,’ which

sank in a storm in

May 1503 near the

Omani coast, is the

earliest ship from

Europe’s age of

overseas explorations

to be found and

scientifi cally

investigated

RARE FIND : The discovery of the Esmeralda will benefi t research

and tourism in Oman, as the objects are expected to attract a lot of

attention from visitors. – Talib Al Wahibi

Employer Survey 2016 launched

MUSCAT: Employer Survey 2016, one of the periodic sur-veys conducted by the Gradu-ates Survey Department at the Ministry of Higher Education, has been launched.

The survey which runs until April 15, will complement the graduates’ survey 2015, which studied status of graduates’ ca-reer and sought their opinion on harmonisation of their special-ties, qualifi cations and abilities with the tasks required of them in the labour market.

The survey aims at address-ing needs of the private sector institutions for graduates in terms of number, specialities and qualifi cations. It also stud-ies the methods followed by the institutions in the recruitment of graduates in terms of the things that are focused on by the private sector in advertis-ing their vacancies and assess-ing the graduates and their CVs. The survey also seeks to iden-tify the diffi culties faced by the employers in fi nding the suit-able graduates in terms of spe-cialties and qualifi cations and where and how the higher edu-cation sector could contribute to facilitating these diffi culties.

The survey targets (4,000) private sector companies and establishment in the Sultanate to varying degrees and with a variety of activities. -ONA

H I G H E R E D U C A T I O N

This historical discovery documents this communication and confi rms Oman’s global stature and importance in the midst of the international competition between the various forces in the beginning of modern times

Ibrahim Al Busaidi, assistant professor, Department of History, SQU

A5

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Children to participate in World Water Day walkTARIQ ZIAD AL [email protected]

MUSCAT: With the United Na-tions Water: World Water Day less than a week away, on March 22, the Middle East Desalination Research Centre (MEDRC) is planning a walk to mark the day.

Today, the Times of Oman (TOO) is featuring the event in its #OmanPride campaign.

33km walkThis year’s Water Day theme re-volves around “Water for Jobs” and MEDRC’s event, “Walk for Water Jobs” will see school chil-

dren walking from Barka’s water desalination plant for three kilo-metres (km) on March 20, along with Hilmi Al Kindi, desalination training assistant at MEDRC, who will walk 33km, along the

way, until he reaches MEDRC’s headquarters on March 22.

“MEDRC has felt that ‘Water for Jobs,’ is a perfect way to show-case the importance of jobs in the water sector, especially seeing as there is a lot of focus in the media recently on unemployment, spe-cialised education, and the voca-tional job markets,” said Perla Abi Farah, marketing and communi-cations manager.

“The theme is focused on how enough quantity and quality of water can change workers’ liveli-hoods and even transform socie-ties and economies,” said the UN Water’s website.

M E D R C E V E N T

A6

OMANW E D N E S DAY, M A R C H 1 6, 2 0 1 6

It’s impossible for most companies to give any hike this year as the business is not good. Some small companies are even cutting down on the perks

Mohammed Shafi qul Islam Bhuiyan, GM of New Star International Travel and Tour

His Majesty

receives

thanks cable

In his cable, Ruler of Ajman ex-pressed his utmost thanks and appreciation for His Majesty’s condolences and sympathy, praying to Allah the Almighty to rest the bereaved’s soul in peace, protect His Majesty against all harms and grant him good health, happiness and well-being. — ONA

R U L E R O F A J M A N

< FROM

A1

‘Pay hikes

to stay low

for now’

“The bulk of gross domestic product of GCC countries is contributed by oil, which goes into funding the infrastructure and development activities of the region. As the oil prices have declined steeply with dim hope of recovery, one can expect low-er salary increases to continue for a few more years,” he noted.

“The projected oil price until about 2018 is around below $60 per barrel. Given that scenario, companies will experience lower growth in sales, fall in revenues and profi t. Eventually, everyone will look for ways to reduce expenditure. Obviously, there is a higher likelihood of a modest increase or even freeze in wages for a few years unless something dramatic happens. This does not mean that the situation will be the same for all industries. Some sectors, which are in the growth stage, for in-stance, e-commerce and new technologies may still off er bet-ter wages,” he added.

Lower in 2016Reacting to the survey, com-pany offi cials and business owners admitted that the aver-age pay rise in Oman would be lower in 2016 unless oil prices went up drastically in the next couple of months.

The next few months are very important for business houses in Oman. If there is an improvement in oil prices, then that means more business and more money for employees, they stated.

But as of now, the situation is not good for companies so they cannot pay increments.

Mohammed Shafi qul Islam Bhuiyan, general manager of New Star International Travel and Tour LLC, said it’s impos-sible for most companies to give any hike this year as the busi-ness is not good.

Cutting down on perks“Some small companies are even cutting down on the perks,” he said.

“But if the oil prices go up, then we have a hope of more business, which can transform into more money for employ-ees,” he further added.

Shiv Gupta, chief executive offi cer of an IT company-based in Muscat, said, “The market has slowed down and they are currently experiencing a delay in receiving payments from the market. Taking everything into account, very few companies will even consider an increase of 4.4 per cent. ”

Hussein Ali, an HR manager at a private sector company, said there is no intention to raise any staff member’s salary in the coming period.

“It is only the 3 per cent posted by the Ministry of Man-power. The company’s business is aff ected by the oil price drop nowadays and it is quite hard to take a decision on such things in the current time,” said Ali.

He added that maybe in fu-ture if the business of a compa-ny sees a raise, then there might be a chance to take such a deci-sion, but defi nitely not now.

According to a report, pro-fessionals in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are expected to enjoy the region’s second highest salary increase at 5.3 per cent; Qatar is next with 4.7 per cent, followed closely by Kuwait and Oman at 4.6 and 4.4 per cent, respectively.

R E A C T I O N T O S U R V E Y

< FROM

A1

‘The Magic Flute’ set to mesmerise children

Times News Service

MUSCAT: Royal Opera House of Muscat’s (ROHM’s) new produc-tion of Mozart’s well-loved mas-terpiece, The Magic Flute, gives children an exciting interactive experience that is sure to enthral them with the magic world of opera, and maybe even mark the start of a lifetime love aff air with this wonderful performing art.

Created in collaboration with Italy’s Teatro Sociale di Como, ROHM’s The Magic Flute for

children premiered in April 2015 in a highly successful ROHM Ed-ucation and Outreach initiative involving hundreds of students aged six to 12, along with their teachers, from several schools, both government and private. The ROHM production brings Mo-zart’s composition to the present era, directly engaging students with its characters and action.

Sitting in the audience and armed with clever props, rows of Omani students have a wonder-ful time waving their props to ac-centuate the action and singing

on cue like a chorus—in Arabic, English and Italian. As magic and reality intertwine, to the great de-light of the audience, bonds devel-op between the professional opera singers on stage and young school students in their seats. Just like Tamino, The Magic Flute’s handsome prince, who is lost in a distant land, and pursued by a dangerous serpent, the students go through a process of personal development and enlightenment through the magic of music.

In 1791, the last year of his life, Mozart composed The Magic

Flute as an allegory of enlighten-ment in which the Queen of the Night represents dangerous abso-lutism, while Sarastro symbolises the enlightened sovereign, who rules according to principles based on reason, wisdom, and nature.

The story portrays mankind progressing from chaos symbol-ised by the serpent through reli-gious superstition to rationalistic enlightenment by means of trial and error. Tamino, the prince represents trial, while Papageno, the bird-catcher symbolises error. As Tamino sets out to rescue the beautiful Pamina with whom he has fallen in love at fi rst sight af-ter seeing her portrait, he is given a magic fl ute which has the power to change sorrow into joy. The ul-timate aim of the drama is to make “the Earth a heavenly kingdom, and mortals like the gods.”

While learning about opera and music through wonderful interac-tive entertainment, children also come to understand something about the nature of human rela-tions in the context of good and evil. Performances will take place at 4.30 pm on Tuesday, Febru-ary 22 and Thursday on March 23. For further information and booking, consult ROHM’s web-site: www.rohmuscat.org.om

Royal Opera House of

Muscat production

brings Mozart’s

composition to the

present era, directly

engaging students

with its characters

and action

Oman Scouts bags second positionMUSCAT: World Organisation of the Scouts Movement pub-lished on its website the results of the 58 World JOTA and 19th World Scouts Jamboree on the Internet which were held in Oc-tober 2015 and pointed out that the Sultanate came second at the camps.

Khamis bin Salim Al Rasbi, di-rector-general of the Directorate General of Scouts and Guides and member of the Arab Scouts Committee said that coming second affi rms the high level of the Omani participants and their ability to use modern communi-cation systems. — ONA

W O R L D S C O U T S J A M B O R E E

Oman adjudged best Arabian tour destination

Times News Service

MUSCAT: Oman has won the “Best Arabian Tourist Destina-tion” at the ITB Berlin trade fair, which concluded last weekend.

Also, the German Market-Based representative of the Ministry of Tourism of Oman was ranked in the third place for “Marketing the country as a tourism destination for the German market,” which is a testament to the streamlining ef-forts of both the Ministry of Tour-ism and the Ministry’s MBRs.

The awards were handed out by the “Go Asia” website and were received by Ahmed bin Nasser al Mahrizi, minister of Tourism.

Investment opportunitiesThe minster also met diff erent representatives of the Gulf Coop-eration Council (GCC) and Arab countries, as well as international tourism organisations at the ITB Berlin trade show, to discuss dif-ferent investment opportunities for the Sultanate, as well as oppor-tunities to educate the diff erent markets in the tourism industry in the Sultanate.

He also encouraged the diff erent organisations to consider the Sul-tanate as a prime destination, as it is one of the fastest growing tour-ism destinations around the world.

I T B B E R L I N

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MASTERPIECE: Performances will take place at 4.30 pm on Tues-

day, February 22 and Thursday on March 23. – Supplied photo

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OMANW E D N E S DAY, M A R C H 1 6, 2 0 1 6

David Coulthard behind the wheel in Red Bull F1 Showrun in Oman

Times News Service

MUSCAT: David Coulthard has been announced as the driver of the Red Bull F1 Showrun, which is set to take place on the streets of Oman on Friday, April 8, at Mutt-rah Corniche.

The Scottish driver, who domi-nated Britain’s junior Formula Ford categories in 1989 and be-came the fi rst ever recipient of the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award

for young drivers, is all set to per-form a full repertoire of donuts, burnouts and speed stretches in front of Omani fans.

Starting out, Coulthard fought a titanic battle in 1991 with future Formula 1 rival Rubens Barrichello for the British Formula 3 Cham-pionship, and won the prestigious Macau F3 Grand Prix. He later joined the Williams Formula 1 team as a test driver in 1993, and after competing in eight grand prix for

the team in the 1994 season he be-came a full-time F1 driver in 1995.

That year he won the Portuguese Grand Prix and fi nished third in the championship. After moving to McLaren, Coulthard took his new team’s fi rst win in three seasons at the 1997 Australian Grand Prix. In all, he scored 12 of his 13 grand prix wins and 51 of his 62 podium fi nishes with McLaren, and, after

supporting teammate Mika Häk-kinen in the drivers’ champion-ship in 1998 and ‘99, he fi nished as a runner-up to Michael Schu-macher in 2001.

In 2005, Coulthard moved to Red Bull Racing where he be-came the highest scoring British driver of all time with 535 race points. In 2008, he retired from the sport, but is still a familiar face

around the paddock and on our tel-evision screens.

The excitement around the Red Bull F1 Showrun will commence a few days before Coulthard takes to the wheel as the team’s car will be displayed and fi red up around various locations in Oman, includ-ing at Omantel’s headquarters on April 7.

Red Bull Showruns take place

at racing circuits, on city streets, at festivals and exhibitions. Often playing to crowds numbering hun-dreds of thousands, they give fans a chance to witness the contained ferocity of a Formula 1 car from close quarters. Formula 1 is a great sport for TV, but there is no substi-tute for the ear-splitting roar of the engine, the haze of tyre smoke and the aroma of burning rubber.

The Showrun Team has been to every inhabited continent, from cobbled city streets in Europe to baking deserts in the Americas. It has conquered the highest road in the Himalayas, skated on frozen rivers in Canada and drifted across golden Caribbean beaches.

This Red Bull F1 Showrun is being held under the umbrella of the Oman Automobile Associa-tion and the Royal Oman Police, with the support of the Ministry of Tourism. The event is being held in partnership with Omantel, Khimji Ramdas, HiFM, Hala FM, Times of Oman and Shabiba.

The Scottish driver, who dominated Britain’s

junior Formula Ford categories in 1989 and

became fi rst ever recipient of the McLaren

Autosport BRDC Award for young drivers,

is set to perform in front of Omani fans

One of the manoeuver that David Coulthard will perform with F1 will be the donut, which consists in rotating the rear or front of the vehicle around the opposite set of wheels in a continuous motion, creating a circular skid-mark pattern of rubber on a roadway and possibly even causing the tyres to emit smoke from friction

THE DONUT

Graphics

Donuts are more easily performed on wet and frozen surfaces, as well as on loose surfaces, such as dirt.

Other terms used for describing this manoeuver include “spinning sedys”, “cutting cookies” and “cyclone”

Source: Red Bull Wikipedia

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Donuon weas on

Om“c

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OMANW E D N E S DAY, M A R C H 1 6, 2 0 1 6

‘Al Barzah’ wins international design awards

Times News Service

MUSCAT: Al Barzah, the weekly newspaper issued by Solus Globus Media Solutions, one of Muscat Media Group’s companies, won two awards recently, at the Society for News Design’s competition’s 37th edition.

The number of entries for the competition touched about 9,000 this year, the number of awards was 906, including fi ve gold med-als, 34 silver medals and two cer-tifi cates of appreciation for the judges of the competition.

Many newspapers from around the world such as Washington Post, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Los Ange-les Times, National Post, Boston Globe, New York Times, National Geographic magazine among oth-ers international newspapers and magazines had participated in the competition.

From the Sultanate of Oman, the newspapers Times of Oman, Al Shabiba, Hi and Sabat Ayam – all

of which are published by the Mus-cat Media Group—participated in the competition.

The Al Barzah newspaper, pub-lished by Solus Globus Media Solutions, won two awards for its pages of “Qaboos … the man of peace” and “The Argentine player Diego Maradona.”

Ahmed Essa Al Zedjali, chief executive offi cer (CEO) of Mus-

cat Media Group, congratulated the Al Barzah team for the awards they won at the Society for News Design’s competition, in the fi rst participation of the newspaper in this competition.

Al Zedjali said: “The win of any newspaper issued by the Group does not come as a surprise to us, because we have a team that is confi dent in their expertise and potential.”

He added that the Group, repre-sented in the newspapers “Times of Oman” and “Al Shabiba” had already won many medals and awards in this global competition.

The Muscat Media Group’s CEO further said: “What pleased us with this result is the win by the emerging weekly newspaper like Al Barzah, which has not complet-ed its third year so far, and was able to fi nd a place for itself among the world’s leading newspapers.”

He added that the win of Al Bar-zah meant that all our newspapers were progressing at a steady pace and moving in the same group ap-proach.

For his part, Saif bin Sulaiman Al-Muzaini, editor-in-chief of Al Barzah, said: “We are very pleased to see Al Barzah among the major world newspapers participating in this competition. I expected the page “Qaboos … the man of peace” to win because of the great eff ort exerted by the designer Osama Al Jaweesh. In the beginning I was not enthusiastic to participate this year, because I look at our newspa-per as being still in a nascent stage, but it was the common desire of the team to participate, and thank-fully work in Al Barzah as an inte-grated work team. In the future, we will see that our participation is greater, as we try to present some issues that distinguish our Omani society from other societies.”

‘Al Barzah’, published

by Muscat Media

Group’s Solus Globus

Media Solutions, won

two awards for its

pages of ‘Qaboos …

the man of peace’ and

‘The Argentine player

Diego Maradona’ Staff Reporter

MUSCAT: Muzn Oman Com-mercial signed a management agreement with HMH - Hospital-ity Management Holdings to op-erate the Muscat Al Muzn Hotel here on Tuesday.

“The steady growth of tourism in Oman, with a vision to welcom-ing 12 million visitors annually by 2020, is fuelling demand for qual-ity mid-market hotels catering to diverse segments, and Corp Mus-cat Al Muzn Hotel is being devel-oped to serve that growing need,” said Mohammed Al Kindi, chair-man of Muzn Oman Commercial.

The three-star hotel will be part of the Al Muzn project that was promoted by Majan Develop-ment Company. The project in-cludes a shopping mall, as well as a luxury wellness centre.

According to a spokesman, the hotel has been designed as a styl-ish address for business and lei-sure travellers to Muscat.

“We are pleased to work with a reputed operator like HMH - Hos-pitality Management Holdings on this exciting new development designed to complement Al Muzn Mall,” Al Kindi said.

“We are expected to welcome its fi rst guests by the fi rst quarter of 2018,” he added.

“Oman is a key development market for HMH and we are very proud to debut the Corp brand in the country with Corp Muscat Al Muzn Hotel,” noted Laurent A. Voivenel, CEO of HMH.

According to Voivenel, the hos-pitality industry in Oman is wit-nessing a remarkable growth.

“We are truly grateful to Muzn Oman Commercial for having given us this opportu-nity during these exciting times,” CEO added.

He also said that HMH is well-positioned in the country as one of the leading ‘alcohol-free’ hotel groups, equipped with the most advanced technology.

Target“By 2020 our aim is to have six hotels in Oman, while multiply-ing by four our total inventory of rooms,” Voivenel said.

“We are confi dent Corp Mus-cat Al Muzn Hotel will add tre-mendous value to our growing presence in Oman, while further strengthening our international portfolio,” he added. Corp Muscat Al Muzn Hotel is strategically lo-cated in Muwaleh, close to Mus-cat International Airport.

Featuring 132 guestrooms, the hotel will complement Al Muzn Mall and off er a host of services and facilities tailored to the needs of modern business and leisure travellers.

According to offi cials, the key features of the hotel will be multi-cuisine restaurants, along with room service, business centre services, conference facilities, basement car parking, free wifi Internet, a rooftop swimming pool and spa facilities.

H O S P I T A L I T Y

GOOD WORK: The winning pages

The win of any newspaper issued by the Group does not come as a surprise to us, because we have a team that is confi dent in their expertise and potential

Ahmed Essa Al Zedjali, chief executive offi cer of Muscat Media Group

JOINING HANDS: The three-star hotel will be a part of Al Muzn project that was promoted by Majan

Development Company. – Picture by OK Mohammed Ali/Times of Oman

PDO hosts State Council delegation

MUSCAT: A delegation from the State Council was hosted by the Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) yesterday.

This was the fi rst time that PDO hosted such a delegation at its Mina Al Fahal headquarters. The group, on an offi cial visit was

led by Dr Yahya bin Mahfoudh Al Manthri, Chairman of the State Council and included most of its 84 honourable members. Eng. Salim bin Nasser al-Oufi , Under-secretary of the Ministry of Oil and Gas, was also in attendance.

A PDO team, headed by Man-

aging Director Raoul Restucci, gave an overview of the fi rm’s per-formance on issues like health, safety environment, production, cost control and creation of job and training opportunities for Omanis through its pioneering In-Country Value (ICV). -ONA

P E T R O L E U M D E V E L O P M E N T O M A N

Agreement for running Al Muzn Hotel signed

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Air strikes kill 41 in Yemen

RIYADH: Saudi-led air strikes killed 41 civilians and wounded 75 on Tuesday in Yemen’s north-western province of Haja, a sen-ior provincial health offi cial said, a region largely controlled by the Houthi militia.

A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition that intervened in Yemen’s civil war was not imme-diately available for comment.

The coalition entered the con-fl ict a year ago to stop Houthi forces and others loyal to ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh from seizing the entire country, and has fought to restore the gov-ernment of President Abdrabbo Mansour Hadi. Three of Tues-day’s air raids hit an outdoor market in the Mustaba district, Ayman Mathkour, director of the Haja health department, told Re-

uters. He said relatives gathered the bodies and took the wounded to Abs and Mustaba hospitals.

Saba Net, a Yemeni news agen-cy controlled by the Houthis, re-ported that 65 people had been killed and 55 wounded in the strike on a market and restau-rant in Mustaba. A spokesman for the coalition was not imme-diately available for comment.

The global charity Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said ear-lier on Tuesday that more than 40 people, all of them civilians including an eight-year-old in

critical condition, were admitted to Abs Hospital after an air strike in Mustaba.

Over 6,000 people, half of them civilians, have been killed in Yemen’s confl ict since the Saudi-led intervention began in March 2015, according to the United Nations. In January, a UN panel found that air strikes had targeted civilians, assessed that some of the attacks could be crimes against humanity and recommended the UN Security Council consider establishing an investigation. — Reuters

Three of Tuesday’s

air raids hit an

outdoor market in

the Mustaba district

Iran insurers to compensate women equally

DUBAI: Iran’s legal vetting body has approved a bill that will see female victims of road traffi c acci-dents paid the same compensation as men, in a small step towards gender equality in the country.

The Third Party Insurance Bill, likely to be made law in the coming weeks, will bind insurance compa-nies to compensate victims of road accidents regardless of their gen-der, state broadcaster IRINN said on Monday.

The bill was approved by the Guardian Council, a 12-member body responsible for ensuring leg-islation conforms to law, which had rejected a similar measure passed by parliament in 2008.

In Iranian law, third party ve-hicle insurance is governed by the concept of “blood money” whereby the victim of injury, or their family in the case of death, can claim compensation from the perpetrator.

“Our purpose in balancing women’s and men’s compensa-tion was that relatives should not face problems if a woman who is the head of family is killed in an accident,” IRIB quoted lawmaker Rahim Zare as saying. The stand-ard “blood money” sum for men is fi xed at 1.5 billion rials (around $50,000) in case of death, whether deliberate or accidental. — Reuters

R O A D A C C I D E N T S

Israel seizes large tracts of land

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Is-rael has appropriated large tracts of land in the occupied West Bank near the Dead Sea and the Pales-tinian city of Jericho, Israeli Army Radio said on Tuesday.

Israel’s Peace Now movement, which tracks and opposes Israeli settlement in territory captured in a 1967 war, said the reported seizure of 579 acres (234 hectares) represented the largest land con-

fi scation in the occupied West Bank in recent years.

Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat called in a statement on the international commu-nity to press Israel to stop land confi scations.

Asked about Army Radio’s re-port, Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon’s offi ce said in an email to Reuters: “We are not re-lating to the issue.” — Reuters

O C C U P I E D W E S T B A N K

DESTROYED: A man walks past a building destroyed during

fi ghting in Yemen’s southwestern city of Taiz on Monday. – Reuters

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INDIA W E D N E S DAY, M A R C H 1 6, 2 0 1 6

Our government will come back. TMC will win the election despite any conspiracy hatched against us. They are bringing black money. We are not scared. Given a chance we will give a fi tting reply. We are working with honesty

Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal chief minister

Number of child workers declined 60% in 10 years: DattatreyaNEW DELHI: The number of child labourers aged 14 or below in India dropped to 4.5 million in 2011 from 12.6 million a decade before, said the country’s labour minister, urging lawmakers to ap-prove planned changes to existing legislation to curb the problem.

Labour Minister Bandaru Dat-tatreya told India’s lower house of parliament on Monday the govern-ment will amend a three-decade-old child labour prohibition law, and called on both houses of par-liament to support its passage.

“I gave a notice in the winter session, but it could not be passed. This session too, it could not be passed though I gave notice,” Dat-tatreya said. The amendments to the current law are scheduled to be presented during this session

of parliament which ends on May 8, with a recess between March 21 and April 19.

Dattatreya’s fi gure, which is from India’s 2011 census, shows the number of child workers dropped by 64 per cent over 10 years. A February 2015 report by the International Labour Organi-sation puts the number of child workers in India aged between fi ve and 17 at 5.7 million, out of 168 mil-lion globally.

More than half work in agricul-ture, toiling in cotton, sugarcane and rice paddy fi elds where they are often exposed to pesticides and risk injury from sharp tools and heavy equipment.

At least a quarter work in man-ufacturing - often confi ned to poorly lit, barely ventilated rooms,

embroidering clothes, weaving carpets, making matchsticks or rolling beedi cigarettes. Many help their parents in brick kilns or mines. The government wants to change the current law, which bans children under 14 from work-ing in only 18 hazardous occupa-tions and 65 processes, such as mining, gem cutting and cement manufacturing.

If passed by parliament, the changes will outlaw child labour below 14 in all sectors and include a new category for those aged be-tween 15 and 18 years old.

The amendments also double jail time for employing children to a maximum of two years and increase the fi ne up to Rs50,000 ($745) from Rs20,000 ($300) currently. But child rights activ-

ists, including Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, have voiced concern over two exceptions.

Children who help their fam-ily in family businesses can work outside school hours and holidays, and those in enter-tainment or sports can work provided it does not aff ect their education.

Also, children aged 15 to 18 will be barred from working in only three industries - mines, infl ammable substances and hazardous processes. Satyarthi, whose charity Bachpan Bachao Andolan is credited with rescu-ing more than 80,000 enslaved children, said the exemptions are “regressive” and wants a to-tal ban on all forms of child la-bour. - Thomson Reuters Foundation

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

CONCERNED: Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya told India’s lower

house of parliament on Monday the government will amend a three-

decade-old child labour prohibition law, and called on both houses of

parliament to support its passage. - PTI fi le photo

Parliament panel wants pictorial warnings size to be reduced to 50%NEW DELHI: A parliamentary panel on Tuesday termed as “too harsh” the government’s proposed 85 per cent pictorial warnings on tobacco products and recom-mended a drastic reduction in size, evoking sharp criticism from MPs and health experts.

With Health Ministry’s April 1 deadline for implementing the 85 per cent warning just days away, chairman of the Commit-tee on Subordinate Legislations Dilip Gandhi justifi ed the recom-mendations, saying the size of the warnings have been urged to be increased from present 40 to 50 per cent.

Expressing “disappointment” over the recommendations, MPs said more than one million peo-ple in India die every year, most of whom do not have health insur-ance for treatment of cancer.

Balanced approach“The committee is of the consid-ered view that in order to have a balanced approach, the warning on cigarette packets should be 50 per cent on both sides of the prin-cipal display area instead of 85 per cent of the principal display area...

“... As it will be too harsh as de-liberated in the earlier paras, will result in fl ooding of illicit ciga-rettes in the country,” the commit-tee said in its report which was ta-bled in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

The committee also dismissed issues related to confl ict of inter-est due to presence of beedi baron Shyama Charan Gupta in the panel and said he was not present in any of the meetings on tobacco.

It observed that the proposed graphic health warnings have the potential of “severely” aff ecting the Indian farmers and Indian companies with gains to unscru-pulous elements who manufacture and sell illicit tobacco products and those foreign countries from where these goods are smuggled into India.

“We have increased the size of the pictorial warnings on both sides from present 40 per cent to 50 per cent,” Gandhi said.

In case of beedi as well, the com-mittee has recommended that a “practical” approach may be adopted by increasing the size of warning up to 50 per cent on one side of the beedi pack, chewing to-bacco and other tobacco products

namely zarda, khaini, misri and others which will be “feasible” to follow and which would also en-sure that a large number of people in the trade will be saved from be-ing rendered unemployed.

“Reduction of the pictorial warning from 85 per cent to 50 per cent, it this is correct, then I am disappointed. One million In-dians die every year. Most of these people are poor Indians who do not have health insurance to cover cancer and other problems from tobacco,” BJD MP Jay Panda said.

K. Srinath Reddy, President, Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) said the earlier proposal of 85 per cent size was much stronger and any withdrawal from that will make it “less eff ective”.

He hoped the government will stand by its decision of going ahead with 85 per cent size. Commenting on the issue of confl ict of interest, Gandhi said “Gupta was absent from all the meetings (of the com-mittee on tobacco) that have taken place so far.”

Another member of the com-

mittee Idris Ali said 50 per cent warnings on both the sides of the packet are “suffi cient” and one has to taken into consideration every-body’s view.

‘No impact’Referring to a study by the Depart-ment of Commerce and another by global consultancy fi rm De-loitte, the panel laid stress on its fi ndings on assessment of tobacco products in 27 countries that there has been “no impact” of large and cumbersome health warnings and “unintended consequences will be severe and irreversible”.

The new pictorial health warn-ings covering 85 per cent on both sides of all tobacco packs was no-tifi ed in October 2014 to be imple-mented from April 1, 2015.

However, government indefi -nitely delayed implementation of the 85 per cent pictorial health warnings after a parliamentary committee directed the Health Ministry to keep the notifi cation in abeyance. The Rajasthan High Court also directed the Health Ministry to take steps for im-plementation of pictorial warn-ings from April 1, 2016 and there

should not be any further delay in implementing the 85 per cent pic-ture health warnings on both sides of tobacco packets.

The Health Ministry has been insisting on implementing 85 per cent pictorial health warnings on both sides of all tobacco products and even submitted an affi davit in the High Court that it will be im-plemented from April 1, 2016.

The committee said the gov-ernment needs to stress on edu-cation and awareness generation programmes that have proven to be more eff ective in controlling tobacco consumption and at the same time protect the livelihood of millions of tobacco workers.

The committee noted that lead-ing tobacco companies which to-gether account for 90 per cent of the world’s tobacco production have not adopted the “excessive, over sized” health warnings by following a “pragmatic” tobacco control policy keeping in mind the livelihood of tobacco growers in their countries. It said the new warnings have been notifi ed by the government without any consulta-tion with the stakeholders of the tobacco industry. - PTI

T O B A C C O P R O D U C T S

The new pictorial health

warnings covering 85

per cent on both sides

of all tobacco packs was

notified in October 2014

to be implemented from

April 1, 2015

Trinamool Congress in tight corner over sting operation

NEW DELHI: Trinamool Con-gress on Tuesday found itself in a tight corner in the Lok Sabha over a sting operation, with Gov-ernment insisting that “truth has to prevail” and favouring a probe into the alleged bribery charges against some of its MPs.

The House saw BJP, Congress and Left making a common cause to target the Trinamool Con-gress (TMC) on the issue, even as Mamata Banerjee’s party claimed that the charges were a politi-cal conspiracy ahead of the West Bengal polls.

Heated exchanges were wit-nessed between Trinamool Con-gress and Left members after Mohammad Salim of the CPI(M) raised the issue during Zero Hour and was followed by BJP’s S. S.Ahluwalia and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury (Congress) slammed the TMC and sought a probe.

They referred to the telecast of a

sting purportedly showing several TMC leaders accepting money to help a fi ctitious private fi rm and demanded action against them, recalling that Parliament had ex-pelled 11 members facing similar charges few years ago.

Responding to the members, Parliamentary Aff airs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said “the prestige of Parliament is at stake. We have to establish the truth. Simply say-ing it is a conspiracy is not enough and will not satisfy the public.”

Either the government can car-ry out an inquiry or the Speaker can order an inquiry, he said.

Demanded probeNaidu’s response came after members of diff erent political parties demanded a probe.

“We are ashamed that we are sitting with such people. They should drown in shame. The

dignity of Parliament has been compromised by their conduct,” Mohammad Salim (CPI-M) said, demanding that a committee be formed to probe the charges.

TMC members sat silently for most of the time as Salim was fol-lowed Ahluwalia and Adhir Ran-jan Chowdhury in attacking them, but angry exchange of words took place when TMC leader Saugata Roy, one of the MPs allegedly shown in the sting, put up his par-ty’s defence.

TMC members and some from Congress and the Left were heard trading charges against each other, which were expunged by the Speaker.

“It is an embarrassment for our Parliament and democratic sys-tem. Five MPs have been shown accepting wads of money. The matter must be referred to the ethics committee,” Ahluwalia said

as he recalled that several mem-bers were expelled by the House after they were caught “being in-fl uenced” in similar sting opera-tions in 2005-06.

“This is related to the dignity of the House. They (TMC MPs) have been caught. It must be probed,” Chowdhury said. Saugata Roy wondered under what rule Speak-er Sumitra Mahajan allowed members to raise the issue and said in anguish that “I had to live to see this day.... It (sting) is part of political conspiracy before the West Bengal elections where CPI-M, Congress and BJP are destined to lose,” he said.

In an apparent criticism of Roy’s objections to the issue being raised in the House, Naidu said members should not give an impression to the public that “we are hiding un-der some rule or pretext.”

It may not be clear what is true

or false but something is being seen and the prestige of Parlia-ment is at stake, the minister said, adding that aggrieved members can take action against the news portal if they feel the sting can turn out to be “falsehood”. He said that parliamentarians often faced criticism from the people as he pitched for a probe to “dispel the wrong impressions.”

In the Rajya Sabha, Left parties and BJP repeatedly tried to raise the issue of the sting operation, but were disallowed by Deputy Chairman P. J. Kurien.

Tapan Kumar Sen (CPI-M) wanted a House Committee to inquire into the issue but Kurien asked him to give notice before raising allegations. “You are a sen-ior member of House. Have you given a notice? Without notice I am not allowing any allegation against anyone,” Kurien said. - PTI

The House saw BJP,

Congress and Left

making a common

cause to target

the Trinamool

Congress on the sting

operation, even as

Mamata Banerjee’s

party claimed that

the charges were a

political conspiracy

ahead of the West

Bengal polls DEMONSTRATION: Members of Youth Congress throwing fake

currency notes in air during a demonstration after a TV channel’s

‘sting operation’ against TMC leaders, in Kolkata on Tuesday. -PTI

KURSEONG: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said the Trinamool Congress cannot be cowed down, irrespective of the “conspiracy” hatched against it and would win the Assembly election.

“Our government will come back. TMC will win the election despite any conspiracy hatched against us. They are bringing black money. We are not scared. Given a chance we will give a fi tting reply. We are working with honesty,” Mamata told an election meeting in the Darjeeling hills.

Her statement came a

day after the telecast of a sting video by a web portal purportedly showing sev-eral TMC leaders accepting money to help a fi ctitious private fi rm. Noting that the CPI-M, the Congress and the BJP were united against the TMC, she said, “A party which has political ideology does not do it”, adding that the CPI-M extended sup-port to the separatist outfi t Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) in the hills.

Mamata accused the GJM of intimidating people in the hills and urged the people and the “young generation” to stand up against it. - PTI

Trinamool Congress cannot be cowed down: Mamata

Mother Teresa

to be made saint

in September

VATICAN CITY/KOLKATA: Mother Teresa will be made a saint on September 4, Pope Francis an-nounced on Tuesday, 19 years after the death of the Nobel Laureate who spent 45 years serving the poor and sick on the streets of Kolkata.

“Pope Francis today approved Mother Teresa’s elevation to saint-hood and set September 4 as the date for her canonisation,” said a message from the Vatican to the Mother’s House, the headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata.

Teresa founded the Missionar-ies of Charity and spent 45 years serving the poor, the sick, the orphaned, and the dying on the streets of Kolkata.

She died at the age of 87 in Kol-kata in 1997.

ElevationThe elevation of Mother Teresa to sainthood came after the Church recognised a second miracle earli-er, the Missionaries of Charity said.

“We have now received an of-fi cial confi rmation from Vatican that Pope Francis has approved Mother’s sainthood and set Sep-tember 4 as the date for her can-onisation. We are very excited and happy about it,” Missionaries of Charity Spokesperson Sunita Ku-mar said.

Archbishop Thomas D’Souza said that the canonisation is a for-mality but an important one.

“This is the last step that the Pope needs the cardinal and sign the decree,” D’Souza said. -PTI

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

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‘Prominent people hiding income as farm earnings’

NEW DELHI: Many prominent people are being probed for alleg-edly concealing taxable income as agricultural earnings, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Tuesday and told the Opposition not to term it as political victimi-sation if their names come out.

After Opposition Janata Dal-United, Samajwadi Party and Ba-hujan Samaj Party raised the issue of reports of huge amount of black money being masqueraded as ag-riculture income to avoid paying taxes, Jaitley said if someone mis-uses the provisions of income tax act, they are probed by the Income Tax Department.

“Many prominent people” are said to be involved and are being probed, he said. “Please don’t say it is political victimisation if names

come out after that (probe).”He however refused to share

details, despite the Opposition members seeking the names of such persons. Agricultural in-come is exempt from income tax.

Charging Jaitley with mislead-ing the House, Digvijaya Singh (Congress) asked the Finance Minister to reveal the names and “not threaten us.”

Jaitley said there was no pro-posal before the government to levy income tax on farm income in

view of the agricultural situation in the country.

Earlier raising the issue, Sharad Yadav (JD-U) said reports sug-gested that Rs2,000 lakh crore of income has been concealed as ag-riculture earnings and sought an explanation from the government on the issue.

Bharat RatnaMayawati (BSP) demanded a high-level probe into generation of black money in the name of agriculture and strict action be taken against guilty. She also used the occasion to slip in a demand for Bharat Ratna for her party founder Kanshi Ram on his birth anniversary on Tuesday.

Ram Gopal Yadav (SP) saw a conspiracy of taxing agriculture income in reports that huge black money was being hidden as agri-cultural income.

He warned the government against taxing farm income. Un-satisfi ed by Jaitley’s reply, mem-bers were up on their feet con-tinuing to raise the matter. Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said Yadav’s notice under rule 267 seeking sus-pension of business to take up the issue, has not been accepted.

“An important matter was raised by Sharad Yadav. Finance Minister has given a proper reply.

If you want further discussion, give notice. That notice will be considered,” he said.

Metro cities like Delhi, Mum-bai, Kolkata and Bengaluru have the maximum ‘crorepati’ entities who have declared agricultural income of over Rs10 million in the last nine assessment years with the Income Tax department.

The department is conducting a tax evasion probe in a select num-ber of such cases after the tax-man was directed in this regard recently.

As per offi cial data in this re-gard, accessed by PTI, between Assessment Years (AYs) 2007-08 to 2015-16, a total of 321 assesses declared agricultural wealth over Rs10 million in Bengaluru region followed by Delhi (275), Kol-kata (239), Mumbai (212), Pune (192), Chennai (181), Hyderabad (162), Thiruvananthapuram (157) and Kochi (109).

Money launderingThe move came in view of a PIL fi led in the Patna High Court where concerns have been raised that some of these declarants could be engaged in routing their unaccounted or illegal funds in the “garb” of farm income thereby leading to instances of money laundering. - PTI

Bahujan Samaj Party

chief Mayawati

demanded a high-

level probe into

generation of black

money in the name

of agriculture and

strict action be

taken against guilty.

Agricultural income

is exempt from

income tax

SPEAKS OUT: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley speaks in the Rajya

Sabha in New Delhi on Tuesday. - PTI/TV GRAB

Wilful defaulters

should be jailed:

Yashwant Sinha

NEW DELHI: Former union fi -nance minister Yashwant Sinha on Tuesday said that the wilful defaulters of bank loans should be jailed.

At an orientation session of the Delhi assembly on the budget, Sinha, replying to a question from Speaker Ram Niwas Goel on non-performing assets (NPAs), said that people who take loan from the banks in the name of business/industry but instead spent the money for their luxury or in other things making it a non-performing asset (NPA) were wilful defaulters.

“This comes under the category of wilful defaulters and since it is done with a criminal intent so they should be treated like a criminal and should be sent to jail,” he said.

He however mentioned that there were two other categories of NPAs which do not come under wilful default. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had approached the Bharatiya Janata Party leader for addressing an orientation session of Delhi legislators on the budget.

During the session, Sinha ex-plained the political dimensions of planning a budget and informed the gathering about the intricacies of a budget and its terminology.Addressing the legislators and the state fi nance department offi cials, he stressed the need of strengthen-ing the laws dealing with the fi nan-cial crimes in the country. - IANS

B A N K L O A N S

Adjournments, polarisation will not take nation forward: AkhtarNEW DELHI: Retiring as Rajya Sabha member, noted fi lm per-sonality Javed Akhtar Tuesday said “adjournments” and “polari-sation” will not take the country forward as he pleaded with the Op-position and government to work together without thinking about the next elections.

Akhtar, who was nominated to the Upper House by the United Progressive Alliance government, said there are capable leaders in the Modi government who can do good work but those making ex-tremist comments, including some ministers, need to be reined in.

“I hope both Opposition and the government will work together. Adjournments will not take us for-ward. Even polarisation will not take us forward. Please forget next election and think about the coun-try,” he said in his impassioned speech which was heard with rapt attention and intercepted by thumping of desks by members across party lines.

A proud Indian, the fi lm lyricist slammed, in a veiled manner, All In-dia Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen

leader and MP Asaddudin Owaisi for saying he will not chant ‘Bharat mata ki jai’ because the Constitu-tion does not ask him to do so.

Taking objection to Owaisi’s re-mark, Akhtar said, “the Constitu-tion even does not ask him to wear sherwani (dress) and topi (cap)... I don’t care to know whether saying ‘Bharat mata ki jai’ is my duty or not, it is my right.”

He then chanted ‘Bharat mata ki jai’ a number of times.

CondemnedAt the same time, he condemned those right-wing extremists also who say Muslims should go to Pa-kistan. He also said that these days “fringe” elements are rising and emphasised the need to protect secularism to save democracy and the Constitution.

Hailing the essence of India’s deep-rooted democracy, he said it must be preserved at any cost while learning from the fate of those countries where one religion was given importance.

Underlining that there cannot be democracy without secularism,

Akhtar said protecting secularism is not about protecting one com-munity or the other. “We need to protect secularism because there cannot be democracy without it. I believe this is our greatest achievement.” On religious free-

dom, Akhtar said time does not stop and the country either would move forward or backward.

“Intelligent person is one who learns from the experiences. More intelligent is one who learns from others’ experiences. Look at those

countries where religion is given importance, where the tongue is cut and people are hanged if they speak against the religion. Wheth-er that country should be an exam-ple for us or a country where there is religious freedom. We have to think,” he asked.

Expressing concern over lack of development in the country, Akhtar said India has industri-alised and become a big power now but “more could have been achieved. Anyway whatever has been achieved is no less.”

The biggest achievement, he said, is that “we have deep-rooted our democracy. The roots are so deep that it is diffi cult pull it out.”

At the same time, he said, “We need to think why there is no de-velopment despite there being government and system in place? We want development but whose development and for whom? we need to think.” He added, “Devel-opment is not GDP. Development is Human Development Index. Be it any party, they wish the develop-ment of the country. Why our en-ergies are wasted?”

On democracy, he said, “We are fortunate to have democracy though we complain about the government and society. We don’t thank what we have with us. We don’t thank enough to our constitution.... The constitution gives democracy. But remember, there cannot be democ-racy without secularism.”

He said that the meaning of de-mocracy is taking views of the ma-jority and not minority.

“But the democracy believes that this majority and minority are not permanent. This keep chang-ing. The democracy will die the day we defi ne minority and major-ity in our own way.”

Emhasising the need to protect secularism, Akhtar said protecting secularism is not about protecting one community or the other.”We need to protect secularism be-cause there cannot be democracy without it. I believe this is our greatest achievement.” Besides democracy and the Constitution, Akhtar said India has youth power unlike Japan and China, which the government need to focus on achieving the development. - PTI

F A R E W E L L F U N C T I O N

FELICITATION: Vice President Hamid Ansari presents a memento

to retiring nominated Member Javed Akhtar at a farewell function

for the retired and retiring Members of Rajya Sabha (2016) at Par-

liament Library Building in New Delhi on Tuesday. Prime Minister

Narendra Modi is also seen. - PTI

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Do not trust Putin’s pullback from SyriaLeonid Bershidsky

President Vladimir Putin’s unexpected an-nouncement that Russian troops would pull back from Syria shouldn’t be taken at

face value: He’s made similar announcements in the past to show Western negotiating partners how constructive he can be. He always has a hid-den agenda. Putin’s offi cial explanation of the sup-posed withdrawal, which should start Tuesday, is that he considers “the tasks set for the Defense Ministry mainly carried out.” The Russian mili-tary “has allowed Syrian troops and the patriotic forces of Syria to achieve a radical breakthrough in the fi ght against international terrorism and gain initiative on practically every front.”

He’s not wrong about the latter: Emboldened and aided by Russian air strikes against the re-gime’s opponents, President Bashar Al Assad’s forces have been gaining ground since the start of this year. Yet they haven’t captured the all-impor-tant city of Aleppo or dealt any spectacular defeats to any of the bigger insurgent groups, including the IS. “Radical breakthrough” is an exaggeration.

Putin, however, teased the more likely purpose of his announcement. “I hope today’s decision will be a good signal for all the sides of the confl ict,” he said. “I hope this will signifi cantly increase the trust of all participants in the process.”

By the process, of course, he means the peace talks in Geneva, which resumed on Monday amid cautious optimism because a shaky ceasefi re an-nounced on February 27 has largely held, and the level of violence has been sharply reduced.

Putin used a similar signaling method in June 2014, as talks were beginning to hammer out what became the fi rst Minsk cease-fi re for eastern Ukraine. Late that month, Putin asked his rubber-stamp upper house of parliament to withdraw permission for him to conduct military actions in Ukrainian territory. Russia never offi cially con-ducted any, though Russian troops, instructors and weapons were even then being sent to aid pro-Moscow rebels in eastern Ukraine. Nonetheless, Putin, according to his spokesman Dmitry Peskov, considered the announcement an appropriate ges-ture as negotiations between the rebels, Ukraine and the Organisation for Security and Coopera-tion in Europe were beginning. That ceasefi re ap-peared to hold only briefl y. The fi ghting soon esca-lated again, and the Ukrainian army suff ered one of its most humiliating defeats, at Illovaysk.

There were plenty of pullback announcements

after the second Minsk ceasefi re, reached in Feb-ruary 2015. This shaky deal has held up much bet-ter than the fi rst one, though neither side has been willing to meet its political conditions. Yet it’s still clear that hostilities could resume at any moment and if any troops or weapons have been pulled back, they can be re-engaged within days. OSCE monitors have never been able fully to ascertain where all the troops and weapons are: The rebels haven’t given them full access.

In Syria, it’s even easier for Russia to conceal troop movements because no one except local hu-man rights activists is able to monitor the situa-tion on the ground, and their ability is limited. Pu-tin said the air base that Russia built in Khmeimim in the Latakia province would continue to operate, as would Russia’s naval base in Tartous, to enforce the ceasefi re and monitor the peace process. It will be all but impossible to say exactly which troops and equipment will be withdrawn, because Russia has never made it fully transparent what or whom it sent to Syria.

As in Ukraine in 2014 and 2015, Putin is signal-ling that he is open to a deal, but on his terms. In Ukraine, these terms include a pro-Russian local government and militia in the east. In Syria, he is demanding a seat at the negotiating table for Assad and a role for the president or a designated succes-sor in the country’s future.

In both cases, the terms are unpalatable to the opposing side. In Ukraine, Minsk II may never be fully implemented — and the Russian military presence may continue indefi nitely, as in other frozen confl icts. In Syria, Putin is not going to sit and watch the Assad regime be eliminated through talks. Until the process ends in some sort of deal acceptable to him, there will always be a possibil-ity of Russia re-entering the fray.

Just as Putin has never admitted that Rus-sian units were involved in large-scale fi ghting in Ukraine, he has never announced Russia’s inten-tion to bomb any target in Syria except the IS. Yet his warplanes kept hammering opposition groups that are now part of the peace talks. That Putin is willing to pull back, if only in words, as the talks are getting under way, is an indirect admission that the IS was never his primary target in Syria. Russia and the US have a shared interest in uniting Syrian forces in the fi ght against IS. Yet they have confl ict-ing visions of Syria’s future. The Russian pullback may have caused the Russian ruble’s exchange rate against the US dollar to spike, but Putin is probably not done with this war yet. - Bloomberg View

Oman cricketers have only gains to cherish I refer to the story Sultanate’s squad vow to continue historic journey (March 15) and am proud to say that Oman’s present cricket team has set a benchmark through its outing in the ICC World T20. One

should be very honest and accept that the fact that Bangladesh, which is full ICC member, was on the day a much superior. Playing for making place in the super 10 and loosing should not be considered as defeat rather it should be considered as a spring board to fl y high in future tour-naments. I am confi dent that the team members, support staff and Oman cricket has gained a lot through this outing . In my humble opinion, there are only gains to be cherish and no need to regret losses. — Mohammad Osama Rawat, Ruwi

Play for India-Pakistan amity This refers to the news Afridi predicts another familiar India contest (March 14). Cricket should bat for India-Pakistan amity. As a result of external and internal politics both the nations have had enough.

Let peace have its go after seven odd decades. In both countries parliaments there should be representatives like Shahid Afridi or Shoaib Malik who remind that we eat the same food and speak the same language. — Gautam Ghosh-Dastidar, Wadi Kabir

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ROP senior offi cer’s seminar concludesMUSCAT:Lt General Hilal bin Khalid Al Ma’awali, inspector general of police and customs, presided over the conclusion of Royal Oman Police (ROP) senior offi cer’s seminar for the year 2001 at the lectures hall at the police headquarters yesterday. The seminar began last Sunday. The seminar discussed over the past four days several police administrative topics, including, procedural matters, such as simpli-fying procedures at services departments at ROP and increasing re-sponsibilities on police in the light of the continuous developments and fi nding suitable solutions to them as well as approving several recommendations which aim at improving the quality and promoting performance of the police apparatus.

1917: Russian Czar Nicholas II abdicates his throne.

1964: President Lyndon B. Johnson submits a $1 billion war on poverty program to Congress.

1984 Mozambique and South Africa sign a pact banning sup-port for one another’s internal foes.

1985: Newsman, Terry Anderson is taken hostage in Beirut.

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Trump must do outrageous things to maintain his dominant share of press coverage, regardless of

long-term consequences. But at this stage his dominance of the media has overshadowed the emerging

case against him that his rivals and #neverTrump Republicans have

been fi nally making

JONATHAN BERNSTEIN

Considering Pakistan’s track record on implementation of law, especially

when it comes to pro-women laws, should women even feel jubilant

over the new bills passed in Sindh and Punjab on early marriages, on

registration of marriage and divorce for Hindus in Sindh or the Punjab

women’s Protection Bill?

AYESHA SHAUKAT

African countries have to fi nd a way to diversify their economies.

Diversifi cation requires investment in future, in form of education and

well-developed infrastructure, including telecommunications,

power, roads, rail, and water. Models to follow: include Dubai, Singapore,

Thailand, Malaysia, Mexico, Indonesia and South Korea

NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA

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MARCH 2001Scan this QR code to send letters to the Readers’ Forum, containing not more than 200 words with full name, address and telephone number, may be sent by e-mail ([email protected]).

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Afghan Taliban rebuff Pakistan pressure on peace process

ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR: Pakistani offi cials threatened to expel Afghanistan’s Taliban from bases in Pakistan if they did not join peace talks this month, but the militants rebuff ed their traditional patron, two offi cials said, casting doubt on how much infl uence Islamabad retains over them.

After the secret meetings with Pakistani offi cials about two weeks ago, the Taliban’s Supreme Council met at an undisclosed lo-cation and voted to reject the talks scheduled for early March with the Afghan government, accord-ing to a council member.

Instead, the insurgents are now pouring back into Afghani-stan for what they say will be a fi erce spring off ensive to be launched soon.

Pakistan’s infl uence over the insurgents is the lynchpin to the peace plan developed over last few months by Afghanistan, Paki-stan, the United States and China to bring an end to the 15-year-old war in Afghanistan.

A Pakistani offi cial in Islama-bad said the Taliban’s recent success on the battlefi eld in-side Afghanistan had changed the equation.

“They no longer need their Pa-kistan bases in the same way, so if Pakistan threatens to expel them, it does not have the same eff ect,” said the offi cial, a retired military offi cer close to the talks.

The insurgents have won new zones of infl uence - if not out-right control - from Afghan secu-rity forces since the United States and its allies pulled most combat troops from Afghanistan at the end of 2014, Afghan and Western offi cials acknowledge.

“Pakistan’s trump card - safe havens on its soil - is in danger of being snatched away,” said Mi-chael Kugelman of the Woodrow Wilson Institute, a Washington-based think tank.

“The Taliban have little incen-tive to step off the battlefi eld now, given recent gains and those like-ly to come in the next few months.

In eff ect, why quit while you’re ahead?”

A member of the Taliban’s leadership council, or shura, said rebel representatives met in Is-lamabad with Pakistani offi cials a little more than two weeks ago.

“They have asked our repre-sentatives to bring more deci-sion-making people to the next meeting...to the meeting with US and Afghan offi cials. This is their dream, but they will not be able to see our senior commanders,” the Taliban council member said.

Talks not deadA senior Pakistani security offi -cial with knowledge of the talks said: “I don’t think the talks are dead, but they are defi nitely plagued by a serious illness. “The ones who are in Pakistan. ..We have told them repeatedly that they will have to leave if they don’t participate in the process,” the Pakistani offi cial said.. “We have done what we can. ..but infl uence does not mean control. Those days are long gone.”

The Taliban source had knowl-edge of, but did not attend, the meeting with Pakistani offi cials in Islamabad.

He was at the subsequent Tali-ban council meeting to decide on whether to join the peace talks.

The pro-talks camp largely

comprised supporters of nomi-nal Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour, believed to be hiding in Pakistan after being shot in a leadership dispute last year and rumoured killed, and his chief rival, Mullah Mohammad Rasoul, who is believed to be in Afghanistan.

“I personally feel that Mullah Mansour and some other leaders are in favour of peace talks and they don’t want to annoy Paki-stan... but they can’t make deci-sions without approval of other shura members,” said the Taliban council member.”

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid declined to comment on any meetings with Pakistani rep-resentatives.

Pakistan’s top diplomat Sar-taj Aziz spoke last week of pro-gress in restarting talks “in coming days”.

However, Taliban commanders told Reuters that with the coun-cil’s decision, they are focusing on launching their annual fi ghting season with the hopes of grabbing more territory. — Reuters

With Pakistan army

action against the

country’s Taliban,

Islamabad has

lost its traditional

infl uence over

militants fi ghting the

Kabul government DEADLOCKED: Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani, cen-

tre, chairs the fourth round of four-way peace talks at the presi-

dential palace in Kabul on February 23. - AFP

KABUL: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Tuesday played down recent failures to jump start peace talks with the Taliban, instead choosing to highlight recent successes against the nas-cent IS presence in Afghanistan.

Taliban forces have made signifi cant gains in recent months, briefl y capturing the northern city of Kunduz and threatening to overrun multiple districts in the southwest.

The latest eff orts to bring them to the negotiating table faltered when the militant group issued a statement refusing to participate.

Ghani, facing rising domestic criticism and eager to ensure continued inter-national aid, has publicly

focused on a military cam-paign in eastern Afghanistan aimed at IS.

“Daesh (IS)is on the run,” he said at a joint news conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, responding to a direct question about the Taliban.”They are running for cover. No quarter would be given to IS,” Ghani added.

A combination of air strikes by US warplanes and “massive” ground operations by Afghan forces has left IS reeling, he said.

Stoltenberg reiterated that the coalition has no intention of sending combat troops back to fi ght in Af-ghanistan, more than a year after the NATO-coalition declared an end to its combat mission. — Reuters

Ghani touts success against IS

Religious groups criticise law protecting womenLAHORE: An all-parties confer-ence convened by Pakistan’s old-est extremist party and attended by powerful religious groups asked the government on Tues-day to retract a law that gives un-precedented protection to female victims of violence.

The Women’s Protection Act, passed by Pakistan’s largest prov-ince of Punjab last month, gives legal protection to women from domestic, psychological and oth-er types of violence.

Abuse reporting hot lineIt also calls for the creation of a toll-free abuse reporting hot line, women’s shelters and district-

level panels to investigate reports of abuse and mandates the use of GPS bracelets to keep track of off enders. Domestic abuse, eco-nomic discrimination and acid attacks made Pakistan the world’s third most dangerous country in the world for women, a 2011 Thomson Reuters Foundation ex-pert poll showed.

On Tuesday, representatives of more than 35 religious parties and groups came together for a conference called by the Jamaat-e-Islami party and condemned the women’s protection law.

“The controversial law to pro-tect women was promulgated to accomplish the West’s agenda

to destroy the family system in Pakistan,” read the joint decla-ration issued at the end of the concrescence.”This act... is re-dundant and would add to the miseries of women.”

The passage of the new law was welcomed by rights groups but spirits have since dampened as conservative voices have increas-ingly called for its retraction.

On Monday, Fazlur Rehman, the chief of one of Pakistan’s larg-est religious parties, the Jamiat-i-Ulema Islam-Fazl, said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had prom-ised him at a meeting that he would address the reservations of religious parties. — Reuters

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Suu Kyi confidant elected as president of Myanmar

NAYPYITAW: Myanmar’s par-liament elected a close friend and confi dant of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi as president on Tues-day, making Htin Kyaw the fi rst head of state who does not hail from a military background since the 1960s.

Suu Kyi led her National League for Democracy (NLD) to a land-

slide election win in November, but a constitution drafted by the former junta bars her from the top offi ce.

She has vowed to run the coun-try anyway through a proxy presi-dent, and on Thursday the NLD nominated Htin Kyaw for the role. He runs a charity founded by Suu Kyi and has been a trusted mem-ber of her inner circle since the mid-1990s. He is not a lawmaker.

“Today’s result is because of the love of people for her. It is the victory of my sister Aung San Suu

Kyi,” Htin Kyaw said after the vote.The NLD’s sizeable major-

ity ensured a comfortable win for Suu Kyi’s pick in a vote by both houses of parliament. Htin Kyaw received 360 of the 652 votes cast, the parliamentary offi cial count-ing the votes said.

Suu Kyi, who had been the fi rst member of parliament to vote, clapped and smiled after the re-sult was announced.

“This is the big day for us,” Zar Ni Min, an NLD lower house MP, said after the vote. “This is what

we have hoped for since a long time ago.” The still-powerful mili-tary holds a quarter of the seats in parliament and has the right under the constitution to nomi-nate one of the three candidates for president. Its candidate, re-tired general Myint Swe, received 213 votes, making him the fi rst vice president.

Simmering tensionsTensions between Suu Kyi and the military have simmered in the run-up to the presidential elec-tion and as her party prepares to take power. Relations between the armed forces and Suu Kyi will defi ne the success of Myanmar’s most signifi cant break from mili-tary rule since the army seized power in 1962.

Suu Kyi wants to demilitarise Myanmar’s politics, but to do so she eff ectively needs the support of the military itself. The armed forces are guaranteed three min-istries under the constitution, as well as a parliamentary minority

that gives them a veto over con-stitutional amendments - enough to limit the potential scope of Suu Kyi’s reforms.

Sources in Suu Kyi’s camp say she has grown increasingly frus-trated with military intransigence on issues ranging from amending the constitution to relatively mi-nor formalities such as the loca-tion of the handover of power.

NLD lawmakers also privately said the military’s choice of Myint Swe went against the spirit of rec-onciliation that Suu Kyi says she is seeking to foster.

Myint Swe served the junta as head of the feared military intel-ligence and is on the US sanctions list. The third candidate for the presidency, Henry Van Thio, was also nominated by the NLD. He will become second vice presi-dent and was chosen by Suu Kyi to represent the country’s numerous ethnic minorities. He is a member of the Chin ethnic group from the northwest of Myanmar.

The president picks the cabinet that will take over from President Thein Sein’s outgoing govern-ment on April 1, with the excep-tion of the heads of the home, defence and border security min-istries, who will be appointed by the armed forces chief. - Reuters

Myanmar’s

lawmakers elected

Htin Kyaw to become

the country’s fi rst

civilian president

in decades. Kyaw

received 360 of the

652 votes cast,

the parliamentary

offi cial counting

the votes said

North Korea will soon test nuclear warhead, says KimSEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his country would soon test a nuclear war-head and ballistic missiles capa-ble of carrying nuclear warheads, the North’s KCNA news agency reported, in what would be a di-rect violation of UN resolutions which have the backing of the North’s chief ally, China.

Kim made the comments as he supervised a successful simulat-ed test of atmospheric re-entry of a ballistic missile that measured the “thermodynamic structural stability of newly developed heat-resisting materials”, KCNA said.

“Declaring that a nuclear war-head explosion test and a test-fi re of several kinds of ballistic rock-ets able to carry nuclear war-heads will be conducted in a short time to further enhance the reli-ance of nuclear attack capability, he (Kim) instructed the relevant section to make prearrangement for them to the last detail,” the agency said.

South Korea’s defence min-istry said there were no indica-tions of activities at the North’s nuclear test site or its long-range rocket station, but that North Ko-rea continues to maintain readi-ness to conduct nuclear tests.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye said the North would lead itself to self-destruction if it did not change and continued the confrontation with the inter-national community. The North’s report comes amid heightened tension on the Korean peninsula

as South Korean and U.S. troops stage annual military exercises that Seoul has described as the largest ever.

In the apparent re-entry simu-lation, the offi cial newspaper of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party carried pictures on Tues-day of a dome-shaped object placed under what appeared to be a rocket engine and being blasted with fl aming exhaust.

In separate images, Kim ob-served the object described by KCNA as a warhead tip. The North has issued belligerent statements almost daily since coming under a new UN reso-lution adopted this month to tighten sanctions against it after a nuclear test in January and the launch of a long-range rocket last month. In 1962, the United States launched a ballistic missile with a live warhead in what was known as the Frigate Bird test. China conducted a similar test in 1966.

“What would be terrible is if the DPRK (North Korea) re-enacted Operation Frigate Bird or the fourth Chinese nuclear test and did a two-in-one,” said Jeff rey Lewis of the California-based Middlebury Institute of International Studies.

“For now, though, it looks like a nuclear test and several missile tests in close succession.”

The South Korea’s defence ministry said after the North’s report that it still does not believe the North has acquired missile re-entry technology. - Reuters

B A L L I S T I C M I S S I L E W A R H E A D

PRESIDENT-ELECT: Htin Kyaw, newly elected president of My-

anmar and member of the National League for Democracy party,

leaves after a parliament session in Naypyitaw on Tuesday. - AFP

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Thai traffi cking trial opens amid fears for witnesses

BANGKOK: The trial of 92 sus-pected human traffi ckers, arrest-ed after the discovery of shallow graves of migrants in Thai jungle, began in Bangkok on Tuesday and the attorney-general’s offi ce said it would be over within a year amid fears about the safety of witnesses.

Traffi ckers abandoned boat-loads of migrants at sea last year after a crackdown by Thai authori-ties that led to a regional migrant crisis with Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar and Bangla-desh refusing boats permission to land. Rights groups had expressed fears that a drawn-out case, last-ing anything up to two years, could put the hundreds of witnesses at risk because of inadequate police protection.

“The court is accelerating the case to fi nish within a year,” said Prayuth Porsuttayaruk, deputy director-general of the human traffi cking offi ce at the Attorney-General’s Offi ce.

The 92 suspected human traf-fi ckers include an army gen-eral, civilians and police. Rights groups have called on authorities to step up witness protection af-ter some witnesses said they had been forced into hiding because of threats. - Reuters

C R A C K D O W N

SIMULATION TEST: This undated picture released from North

Korea’s offi cial Korean Central News Agency on Tuesday shows

an atmospheric re-entry environment simulation of a locally

manufactured heat-resistant section of a ballistic missile war-

head part, witnessed by North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (not

pictured) at an undisclosed location in North Korea. - AFP/KCNA/KNS

WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to Russia next week for what he de-scribed as possibly the best oppor-tunity in years to end the civil war in Syria after Moscow’s announce-ment of a partial withdrawal of its forces from the country.

Kerry told reporters on Tuesday that he would meet Russian Presi-dent Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Mos-cow. Kerry argued that a cessation of hostilities was largely holding as peace talks resumed in Geneva this week.

“Today, as we mark the fi fth an-niversary of the start of this horrif-ic war, we may face the best oppor-tunity that we have had in years to end it,” said Kerry, who welcomed Russia’s announcement on Mon-

day that it planned to pull out the main part of its forces from Syria.

Meanwhile, as the fi rst aircraft touched down in Russia, U.N. envoy Staff an de Mistura called President Vladimir Putin’s move a “signifi cant development” towards resolving a crisis which this week passes its fi fth anniversary. While Assad’s opponents hope the an-nouncement signals a shift in Rus-sian support, its full signifi cance has yet to become clear: Russia is keeping an air base and an unde-clared number of forces in Syria.

Putin’s surprise announce-ment has led to speculation that Moscow may want to press Assad towards showing more fl exibility at the Geneva talks, where his gov-ernment has ruled out discussion of the presidency or a negotiated transfer of power. Damascus has dismissed any talk of diff erences

with its ally and says the move was coordinated and the result of army gains on the ground. Russia, how-ever, last month expressed frustra-tion with Assad, saying he was out of step with its diplomacy.

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, whose government supports the opposition, indicated the gaps in Western understand-ing of Putin, saying he had “no in-sight at all into Russia’s strategy” after a decision that came out of the blue.

The West had been equally sur-prised by Putin’s decision to inter-vene. “Unfortunately none of us knows what the intent of Mr Putin is when he carries out any action, which is why he is a very diffi cult partner in any situation like this,” he said.

The opposition, which was due to meet de Mistura on Tuesday,

said it was not against a direct meeting with the government.

US-Russian cooperation had already brought about a lull in the war via a “cessation of hostilities agreement” that led to a sharp de-cline in fi ghting between rebels and the government in western Syria, though many violations have been reported. The Syrian government, which had been los-ing ground to rebels before Russia intervened, had indicated it was in no mood to give ground to the opposition on the eve of the talks that started on Monday, calling the presidency a “red line”.

A peace process for Syria en-dorsed by the UN Security Council in December calls for a Syrian-led process that establishes “cred-ible, inclusive and non-sectarian governance”, a new constitution, and free, fair elections within 18 months.

Do not trust themThe main opposition delegation wants Assad out of power by the start of a transition. While some rebels have expressed guarded op-timism at Putin’s announcement, others doubt he is about to put se-rious pressure on Assad.

“We do not trust them,” said Fadi Ahmad of the First Coastal Division, who says his rebel group has been fi ghting a Russian-backed government off ensive near the Turkish border throughout the cessation agreement that came into eff ect on February 27.

Russian television showed the fi rst group of Russia’s Su-34 fi ght-er plane task force returning from Syria and landing at an air base in southern Russia.

The pilots were greeted by be-tween 200 to 300 servicemen, journalists, and their wives and daughters, waving Russian fl ags, balloons in red white and blue, and fl owers. They were mobbed and thrown in the air by the crowd. A brass band played Soviet military songs and Russia’s national an-them. — Reuters

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Belgium police hunt for gunman BRUSSELS: Armed Belgian po-lice, with French support, were hunting one or more gunmen who wounded three offi cers dur-ing a raid on Tuesday in Brus-sels linked to the investigation of November’s extremist attacks in Paris, offi cials said.

A southern section of the city was sealed off by police, Reuters journalists at the scene said. Po-lice told residents to stay indoors and schools and kindergartens close to the scene of the shootings were in lockdown, residents said.

The mayor of the Brussels borough of Forest where the raid took place told Le Soir newspa-per that one or more people had barricaded themselves into an apartment and that it was un-clear how many others may be on the run. Journalists heard gunshots as police commandos crowded round the street where the raid had been carried out.

French police unitsFrench Interior Minister Ber-nard Cazeneuve said French po-lice units were also taking part in the raid in the Belgian capital, where investigators believe much of the planning and preparation for the November 13 IS attacks were carried out by young French

and Belgians, some of whom fought in Syria. “This operation is connected to the Paris attacks,” a spokesman for Belgium’s federal prosecutor told Reuters.

The area around the raid, near the main north-south railway linking Paris and Amsterdam and a car factory, was sealed off . A hel-icopter fl ew overhead and police commandos were deployed.

Offi cers woundedA spokeswoman for the local police service in southern Brus-sels said two offi cers were lightly wounded in an initial incident and a third was also slightly hurt later.

Belgian security forces have still been actively hunting sus-pects and associates of Brussels-based militants involved in the attacks in Paris in which 130 people were killed. Some of the attackers came from Brussels.

One of the prime suspects, 26-year-old Brussels-based Frenchman Salah Abdeslam, is still on the run. He left Paris shortly after his brother blew himself up in the attacks. Belgian authorities are holding 10 people who have been arrested in the months since the attacks, mostly for helping Abdeslam. — Reuters

P A R I S A T T A C K P R O B E

LOCK DOWN: Police offi cers take position at the site of a shooting

in the southern Forest district of Brussels on Tuesday. — AFP/Belga/

DIRK WAEM

Female PKK rebel carried out Ankara

attack; unrest spreads to southeast

A N K A R A / D I Y A R B A K I R (TURKEY): A female member of the outlawed Kurdistan Work-ers Party (PKK) carried out the bombing in central Ankara on Sunday, Turkey’s interior minis-try said on Tuesday.

The Turkish national, 1992-born attacker had joined the PKK in 2013, and was later trained by the Syrian Kurdish militant group YPG, the statement said.

Tanks deployedMeanwhile, fi ghting between Turkish security forces and Kurd-ish militants spread on Tuesday, with tanks, helicopters and ar-moured cars deployed.

The deadliest violence took place in Diyarbakir, the largest city in mainly Kurdish south-eastern Turkey, where Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fi ghters blocked roads and clashed with security forces overnight as a police helicopter fl ew overhead, witnesses said. One police offi cer and three militants were killed in Diyarbakir and a second police of-fi cer was killed in the town of

Nusaybin, where the PKK launched an attack, security sources said. No one has claimed responsibility for Sunday’s car bomb that tore through a crowd-ed transport hub in Ankara, but security offi cials have blamed

two members of the outlawed separatist PKK.

Violence has surged in south-eastern Turkey since a 2-1/2-year PKK ceasefi re collapsed in July. The militants have focused their strikes on security forces in towns in the region, some of which have been under curfew. A curfew was imposed in part of Di-yarbakir from 3 a.m. (0100 GMT) after militants began to set up barricades, dig ditches and plant explosives, authorities said.

The curfew was widened to encompass more city streets as clashes continued in the morning. Gunfi re and explosions rang out across the city. — Reuters

T U R K E Y

Kerry to visit Russia in bid to end Syria warToday, as we mark

the fi fth anniversary

of the start of this

horrifi c war, we

may face the best

opportunity that

we have had in

years to end it, said

John Kerry as he

welcomed Russia’s

announcement

on Monday that it

planned to pull out

the main part of its

forces from Syria

TACTICS: A handout picture taken on Tuesday and released by the

Russian Defence Ministry shows Russia’s servicemen attending a

ceremony marking the withdrawal of Russian armed forces from

Syria at the Hmeimim military base in Latakia province. — AFP/RUSSIAN

DEFENCE MINISTRY/VADIM GRISHANKIN

A16

WORLDW E D N E S DAY, M A R C H 1 6, 2 0 1 6

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AlphaGo beatsSouth Korean champion

SEOUL: Google’s artifi cial intel-ligence (AI) program on Tuesday beat South Korean professional Lee Sedol in the ancient board game Go, recovering from Sun-day’s loss to win its fourth match in a fi ve-game series.

AlphaGo, developed by Google subsidiary DeepMind, had already clinched a series victory with its third win on Saturday, in a result that shocked the world.

The program made history last year by becoming the fi rst ma-chine to beat a human pro player, but 33-year-old Lee, one of the world’s top players, was seen as a much more formidable opponent.

“I am disappointed that the matches are over, and also dis-appointed that I could not end the series on a high note,” Lee told reporters, thanking fans for their support and adding that he had wholeheartedly enjoyed the games.

“I think the humans still have a good chance,” he added.

Go, most popular in countries such as China, South Korea and Japan, involves two contestants moving black and white stones across a square grid, aiming to seize the most territory.

It is perfect for artifi cial intel-ligence research because there are simply too many moves for a machine to win by brute-force calculations, the route IBM’s Deep Blue used to famously beat for-mer world chess champion Garry Kasparov in 1997.

“It was just an incredible game,” DeepMind founder Demis Hassa-bis told reporters.

Until AlphaGo’s victory last year, experts had not expected an artifi cial intelligence program to beat a human professional for at least a decade. The program’s de-velopers overcame the hurdles it faced with a design that enabled it to learn on its own, hoping it would be able to approximate human in-tuition by studying old matches and using simulated games to hone itself. — Reuters

F I F T H A N D F I N A L M A T C HTrump seeking breakthrough with wins in Florida and Ohio

TAMPA: Donald Trump could take a giant step on Tuesday to-ward securing the Republican presidential nomination if he wins the Florida and Ohio primaries, which would intensify pressure for rivals from the party establish-ment to step down from the race.

Trump has the potential to sweep fi ve big states holding pri-maries for the November 8 elec-tion - Florida, Ohio, Illinois, North Carolina and Missouri. He could knock out his two mainstream ri-vals, Ohio Governor John Kasich and US Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, if he wins their states.

The New York real estate ty-coon has a signifi cant lead over Rubio in opinion polls in Florida, but is neck and neck with Kasich in Ohio. Any win by either Rubio, Kasich or US Senator Ted Cruz of Texas would give at least a small degree of hope to Republi-cans battling to deny Trump the nomination.

Trump said on Tuesday that his momentum was already draw-ing in establishment Republicans who had previously balked at his candidacy but now see him as the likely nominee. “They’re already calling,” he told NBC’s “Today” programme, without naming names. “The biggest people in the party are calling.”

Trump victories in the fi ve states could make what once seemed inconceivable a strong probability, putting the 69-year-old New York real estate mogul who has vowed to deport 11 mil-lion illegal immigrants and im-pose some protectionist trade policies, on a glide path to repre-senting the Republican Party in the November election.

Trump drew fi rst blood on Tuesday, winning the Northern Mariana Islands caucuses with al-most 73 percent of the vote, local Republican Party executive direc-

tor Jason Osborne said. The win in the US Pacifi c commonwealth gives him nine delegates.

On the Democratic side, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton can put some distance between herself and rival Bernie Sanders, a US senator from Vermont, in Tuesday’s voting.

Opinion polls gave her a big lead in Florida and North Carolina, but showed Sanders gaining ground in Ohio, Illinois and Missouri, a pos-sibly worrisome sign for Clinton after Sanders’ surprise victory in Michigan a week ago.

“I voted for Bernie because I want to see a real change to how we do things in this country,” Jackie Zydeck, 52, an attorney for the federal government, said after voting in Chicago’s liberal Albany Park neighborhood.

“I like his single-payer health-care idea; I like his ideas about taxes,” Zydeck said.

Trump held rallies in Florida, Ohio and North Carolina on Monday and said establishment Republicans who have labored to stop his outsider candidacy need-ed to rally to his cause.

An outbreak of clashes between Trump supporters and protesters that forced him to cancel a rally in Chicago on Friday, and scattered protests at some of his campaign events this week have prompted more concerns from mainstream party fi gures.

Their only real hope for stop-ping Trump is to deny him the

1,237 delegates needed for the nomination and extend the battle to the party’s nominating conven-tion in July in Cleveland.

“I believe the ideal outcome in this campaign is to have some-one not named Donald Trump coalesce the party with 1,237 del-egates and go on to defeat Hillary Clinton in November,” Rubio told Fox News. “If he’s the nominee he is not going to be able to unite the party. In fact I think he’ll bitterly divide it.”

Kasich reminded Ohio voters of Trump’s confrontational cam-paign tactics during a fi nal swing through his home state.

“Think of the images that have been broadcast across this world about how we are picking a presi-dent here,” Kasich said on Mon-day, adding that the footage of pro-tests and violence could be used to fuel propaganda that America was “broken.” — Reuters

New York real

estate tycoon has

the potential to

sweep fi ve big

states holding

primaries for the

November 8 election

Macedonia sends migrants back to Greece as deal faltersIDOMENI (GREECE)/NICO-SIA: Macedonia dumped about 1,500 migrants and refugees back into Greece overnight after they forced their way across the bor-der, as European nations contin-ued to pass the buck in a migra-tion crisis that risks tearing the European Union apart.

The police action was part of a drive by Western Balkans states to shut down a migration route from Greece to Germany used by nearly a million people fl eeing war and poverty in the Middle East and Asia over the last year in Europe’s biggest refugee infl ux since World War II.

EU eff orts to conclude a deal with Turkey to halt the human tide in return for political and economic rewards hit a setback on Tuesday when EU member Cyprus vowed to block eff orts to speed up Ankara’s EU acces-sion talks unless Turkey meets its obligations to recognise its nationhood. European Council President Donald Tusk, who will chair an EU summit with Turkey on Thursday and Friday, was fl y-ing on to Ankara to discuss the fraying pact with Turkish lead-ers after tough talks with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades.

Tusk acknowledged to report-ers that the tentative deal put together last week by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte with Turkish Prime Minis-ter Ahmet Davutoglu raised legal problems and needed to be “rebal-anced” to win acceptance from all 28 EU members.

The European Commission meanwhile postponed proposals to reform the bloc’s fl awed asy-lum system, which puts the onus on the state where migrants fi rst arrive, in an attempt to avoid fur-ther controversy before the Tur-key deal is fi nalised.

Some 43,000 migrants are bot-tled up in Greece, overstraining the economically shattered euro zone country’s capacity to cope, and more continue to cross the Aegean daily from Turkey despite new NATO sea patrols.

An estimated 1,500 people

marched out of a squalid transit camp near the northern Greek town of Idomeni on Monday, hiked for hours along muddy paths and forded a rain-swollen river to get around the border fence. Most were picked up by Macedonian security forces, put into trucks and driven back over the border into Greece late Mon-day or overnight, a Macedonian police offi cial said.

“It’s a long way from the camp to the mountains, it took me six hours of walking. At my age it was very diffi cult, I would walk and rest often,” said 60-year-old Mo-hammad Kattan, who slept rough in the mountains and trekked back on foot. “My hope was to get to Macedonia, and get my papers stamped so that I could continue on to another country, to Serbia.”

Greek authorities said they could not confi rm the return as there had been no offi cial contact from the Macedonian side. Ties between the two neighbours are fraught because of Greece’s long-standing refusal to recognise Macedonia’s name, which is the same as that of a northern Greek province. A second group of about 600 migrants was prevented from crossing into Macedonia and many of them spent the night camping in the Greek mountains, according to a Reuters photog-

rapher. At least 12,000 people, including thousands of children, have been stranded in the Ido-meni camp, where sanitary condi-tions have deteriorated after days of heavy rain.

Scuffl es have broken out in recent days as destitute people scrambled for food and fi rewood. Many have been sleeping in the open. Concern about the spread of infection grew after one person was diagnosed with Hepatitis A.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said on Tuesday there was “no chance” that border shut-downs throughout the Balkans would be lifted and urged refu-gees to move to reception centres set up by the state. Jan van’t Land, an offi cial with medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres at Ido-meni, said around 400 migrants had returned to the camp.

“There are still many hundreds of people on both the Greek and the Macedonian side of the bor-der,” he told Reuters.

Greek offi cials say leafl ets that circulated at the Idomeni camp before Monday’s march showed it was a planned breakout. “We are in possession of leafl ets that show this was an organised incident, a very dangerous one, endanger-ing people’s lives,” government spokesman George Kyritsis told reporters. — Reuters

E U - T U R K E Y A G R E E M E N T

SIGNIFICANT LEAD: US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks with the media at a campaign rally at Winner Aviation

in Youngstown, Ohio on Monday. – Reuters

NOWHERE TO GO: Refugees are given a lift as they make their

way back to a makeshift camp at the Greek-Macedonian border,

near the Greek village of Idomeni on Tuesday, where thousands of

refugees and migrants are stranded. – AFP

MARKEWWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COMW E D N E S DAY, M A R C H 1 6, 2 0 1 6B

Muscat

5,295.88 - 1.85

- 0.03%

Dubai

3,321.83- 29.02

- 0.87%

Abu Dhabi

4,403.43- 95.14

- 2.11%

Saudi Arabia

6,232.69- 55.61

- 0.88%

Kuwait

5,243.79 - 3.60

- 0.07%

Bahrain

1,155.95 - 4.79

- 0.42%

Qatar

10,199.91- 117.74

- 1.14%

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

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

Euro .............................................2.31

Pound ...........................................1.80

Indian Rs ..............................173.76

Pak Rs ....................................267.38

Bangla Taka......................200.92* Rates are as of Mar. 15

Source: Bank Muscat

Indian Rs ...................................174.92

Pakistan Rs .............................. 271.81

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

Bangla Taka........................... 203.50

Phil Peso ....................................121.00

* Rates as of Mar. 15 Source: Oman UAE Exchange

Muscat 24ct per gm (OMR) ....... 15.75

Muscat 22ct per gm (OMR) ........15.10

Dubai 24ct per gm (Dh) ........... 150.50

Dubai 22ct per gm (Dh) ..............141.50

* Rates as of Mar. 15

Source: Malabar Gold & Diamonds

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

Oman Crude ............. (Spot) ......... $35.17

Dubai Crude ............. (Spot) ......... $35.17

Murban Crude ........ (Spot) .........$38.14

Arabian Light ......... (Spot) .........$34.17

N.Sea Brent ............... (Spot) ........ $38.57

West Texas Int ....... (Spot) ........$36.30

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

Stipulation of 15 days for corporate results becomes mandatory in Oman

A. E. [email protected]

MUSCAT: Oman’s market watch-dog Capital Market Authority (CMA) has made it mandatory for listed companies to disclose initial unaudited quarterly and annual results through the Muscat Secu-rities Market within 15 days from the end of each quarter.

This is part of amendments to the executive regulation of the Capital Market Law.

Those who fail to disclose initial

results within 15 days will attract a fi ne of OMR500, according to CMA sources.

Detailed results will have to be disclosed within 30 days from the end of each quarter or end of the fi nancial year.

However, holding companies (or fi rms with subsidiaries) are given 45 days for announcing detailed fi nancial results.

Although the same regulation was in place since 2014, the CMA was unable to take penal action against those fi rms that fail com-

ply with 15-day stipulation since it was more of advisory in nature. The new amendments in Capital Mar-ket Law published in the offi cial Gazette makes it mandatory.

Information needed“Now it will attract penalty,” said a source.

The information needed to be disclosed in fi fteen days include total sales or revenues, sales costs, total expenses, net expected profi t after deducting taxes and compar-isons of the same with the same

period of the previous year.The new amendments were ap-

proved by the board of directors of CMA Articles 280 and 248 of the executive regulation of the Capital Market Law.

The article 280 of Capital Mar-ket law provides “issuer to disclose the initial quarterly and annual un-audited fi nancial results im-mediately after preparation.

In all cases, disclosure should not exceed 15 days from the end of the quarter or the fi nancial year as the case may be. >B4

Those fi rms which

fail to disclose initial

unaudited quarterly

and annual results

within 15 days will

attract OMR500 fi neMohammed Said Al Abri

TREASURY BILLS’ TENDERA tender of Government Treasury Bills was held at the Central Bank of Oman this week. Total value of the allotted Treasury bills amounted to OMR15.8 million, for 28-day period, from March 16 to April 13. - ONA

B2

MARKETW E D N E S DAY, M A R C H 1 6, 2 0 1 6

Bangladesh Bank governor resigns over $101m theft

DHAKA: Bangladesh central bank governor Atiur Rahman has submitted his resignation as ten-sions escalate with the fi nance minister after hackers stole about $101 million from the nation’s foreign reserves.

Rahman submitted his res-ignation on Tuesday to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, accord-ing to A.F.M. Asaduzzaman, a spokesman at Bangladesh Bank. He wouldn’t say if Hasina had ac-cepted the off er. Ehsanul Karim, her press secretary, didn’t answer multiple calls to his mobile phone.

The move comes two days af-ter Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith called Bangladesh Bank’s handling of the cyber theft ‘very incompetent’. “If it’s my fault, they can take action against me, against Bangladesh Bank,” Rahman said on Tuesday before meeting the prime minister. “But

they cannot insult me in public.”

‘Puzzled’ by hackThe cyber heist has rattled au-thorities from Bangladesh to Sri Lanka to the Philippines, where much of the stolen money ended up. The central bank said it re-covered $20 million of the stolen funds, and $81 million is out-standing. Rahman was due to re-tire in August, when he turns 65, after helming the central bank for seven years.

Rahman told reporters earlier on Tuesday that he had written a letter of resignation and would

decide his next course of action after meeting the prime minister. “I will do anything and everything possible for the country,” Rahman said in Dhaka, the capital. “I will be waiting for a directive from the prime minister. I want to leave with dignity.”

Rahman said he wasn’t a ‘tech-nical guy’ and was ‘puzzled’ by the theft. Attempts by hackers to withdraw another $850 million were foiled in part because they misspelled the name of one of the recipients.

Bangladesh could’ve done more to monitor its accounts and detect

suspicious activity faster, accord-ing to security experts including Andrey Dulkin of Jerusalem-based CyberArk. The country should be “very concerned” about the risk of copy-cat attacks, said Victor Keong, a partner at con-sultant Deloitte Touche Tohm-atsu in Singapore.

Quite shocking“It is quite shocking,” Keong said. “If a central bank can have such lapses — and it is the regulator — then those it regulates might not be so well protected.”

The Philippine Anti-Money

Laundering Council fi led a com-plaint against Maia Santos De-guito, the branch manager of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., for aiding the withdrawal of $80.9 million stolen by hackers. The council said she allowed the with-drawals even after Bangladesh re-quested a halt to the transfers.

Deguito’s lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, declined to comment, saying he hasn’t seen a copy of the complaint. Dequito denied any wrongdoing during an interview with DZMM radio on March 11. She is testifying before the Senate on Tuesday.

Born to a poor family, Rahman had briefl y quit school due to a lack of money before graduating from Dhaka University. He wrote a doctoral thesis titled “Peasants and Classes” at the School of Ori-ental and African Studies in Lon-don. He was named Central Bank Governor of the Year for Asia 2015 by the Emerging Markets newspaper, following India’s Ra-ghuram Rajan and China’s Zhou Xiaochuan.

“We have embarked on an era of new central banking which has got a distinct developmen-tal focus,” Rahman had said last year. “That focus is inclusivity and environmental sustainability, which was never refl ected in any monetary policy anywhere in the world.” - Bloomberg News

Bangladesh central

bank governor

submitted his

resignation to Prime

Minister Sheikh

Hasina. He wouldn’t

say if Hasina had

accepted the off er

Sultanate’scrude oil productionincreases

Times News Service

MUSCAT: Oman’s crude oil pro-duction grew by 0.72 per cent to 29.40 million barrels in February, which was equivalent to 1,013,713 barrels per day, according to the monthly statistics released by the Ministry of Oil and Gas.

In February, 28.8 million bar-rels (or 993,266 barrels per day) were exported, which shows a growth of 12.7 per cent over January 2016 fi gures.

China’s importsChina recorded a 26.39 per cent fall in imports compared to Janu-ary 2016 while exports increased to Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea recording 7.93 per cent, 1.67 per cent and 0.79 per cent in-crease, respectively. The United States also imported 7.99 per cent of Omani oil in February.

The average price of oil in West Texas, USA at the New York stock exchange NYMEX was $32.20 per barrel in February 2016, which shows a $0.31 decline compared to price in January. The London mar-ket price was$33.53 per barrel in February 2016, which was a $1.49 growth compared to January 2016.

Price declineOmani oil, on the other hand, suf-fered a major decline in price at the Dubai Mercantile Exchange where the price for May delivery 2016 was $30.23 per barrel, which was an increase of $2.83 compared to March delivery 2016. The price fl uctuated between $31.94 and $26.83 per barrel.

F E B R U A R Y

Kuwait’s plan to impose taxes, cut fuel subsidies face hurdleDUBAI: Kuwait’s plan to impose corporate taxes and cut fuel sub-sidies to reduce the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Coun-tries (Opec) member’s reliance on oil faces a familiar obstacle: a parliament that has resisted previous attempts to curtail one of the world’s most generous welfare systems.

Finance Minister Anas Al Saleh on Monday submitted a six-point plan to the cabinet that aims in part to bolster revenue and cut public spending. Meas-ures include selling stakes in state-owned entities, offi cial me-dia reported. The plan needs par-liamentary approval.

“In the current parliament there are no political blocks with defi ned economic plans or phi-losophies,” Abdullah Al Naibari, a former lawmaker, said a phone interview from Kuwait on Tues-day. “There are individuals with one aim, which is winning votes nothing else.”

The plunge in crude prices have increased pressure on oil

exporters from Saudi Arabia to Venezuela to shore up their pub-lic fi nances and fi nd alternative sources of revenue.

Less PressureWhile Kuwait has more fi nancial fi repower to weather the slump more than some of its neighbours, offi cials have repeatedly warned that maintaining government spending policies is unsustainable.

While Kuwait faces less pres-

sure to reform, the “announced reforms are welcomed, as they would help diversify the govern-ment’s income base and reduce its volatility,” Razan Nasser, sen-ior Middle East and North Africa economist at HSBC Holdings Plc in Dubai, said by e-mail.

“The real challenge is passing the reforms through parliament and winning public support,” she said. “The reversal of fuel subsidy reforms last year highlights the diffi culty of implementing such unpopular reform measures.”

The Kuwaiti parliament has re-sisted previous government plans to boost investments and curtail current spending. In 2013, law-makers sought to write off inter-est payments on bank loans taken by nationals over fi ve years to bail out indebted citizens.

The benchmark Kuwait Stock Exchange Index fell 0.3 per cent in Kuwait City. The measure has dropped 19 per cent over the past 12 months, compared to a 15 per cent fall in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. - Bloomberg News

O V E R H A U L I N G E C O N O M Y

Sohar Port’s break bulk cargo rises 46% Times News Service

MUSCAT: Sohar Port’s break bulk cargo shipments increased to over 1.9 million tonnes last year, a growth of 46 per cent from 2014 to 2015, said Marc Evertse, executive commercial manager of Sohar Port.

“We are also handling over 200,000 vehicles a year at the port, making Sohar a signifi cant region-al automotive hub for the Middle East,” he added, on the sidelines of the Breakbulk China 2016.

Sohar Port and Freezone head-ed east this week to participate in Breakbulk China 2016 — Asia’s largest conference and exhibition addressing the needs of break bulk and project cargo logistics.

Breakbulk China off ers So-har invaluable opportunities to connect with shippers, interna-tional freight forwarders, logis-tics and transportation decision makers in Asia, along with over 160 other exhibitors.

Thousands of specialists at-tended the four-day event at

the World Expo Exhibition and Convention Centre in Shanghai, home to the world’s number one container port.

“Last year, Sohar Port saw a sharp increase in break bulk car-go shipments to over 1.9 million tonnes, increasing by 46 per cent from 2014 to 2015. We are also handling over 200,000 vehicles a year at the Port, making Sohar a signifi cant regional automotive hub for the Middle East,” Marc Evertse said.

Break bulk continues to grow in the region thanks to the huge investments in infrastructure projects throughout the Middle East, off ering signifi cant oppor-tunities on all sides of the busi-ness. Due to the prime location of Sohar outside the Strait of Hormuz, and the port’s seamless sea-road-air access right across the Arabian peninsula, Sohar has seen double-digit growth across all cargo volumes since opera-tions started in 2004, and both port and freezone continue to grow rapidly.

S H I P M E N T S

HAVE YOUR SAY Send us your comments at facebook.com/timesofoman blog.timesofoman.com [email protected]

I will do anything and

everything possible for the

country. I will be waiting for

a directive from the prime

minister. I want to leave with

dignity. If it’s my fault, they

can take action against me,

against Bangladesh Bank

Atiur Rahman Central bank governor, Bangladesh

Anas Al Saleh, fi nance minister

of Kuwait. – Bloomberg News

B3W E D N E S DAY, M A R C H 1 6, 2 0 1 6

MARKET

Sayyid Haitham launches Boulevard by Muscat Hills

SHAHZAD [email protected]

MUSCAT: Taking aff ordable luxury to a new level, Muscat Hills launched The Boulevard, another signature project off ering the best properties combined with all the trappings of modern lifestyle.

Giving glimpses of the develop-ment to a select gathering, Muscat Hills added yet another innovative feature to the most sought after master planned community in town, The Jada Muscat Hills (The Boulevard). With the handover of phase II villas, the luxurious and private development focus is mov-ing towards lifestyle development.

His Highness Sayyid Haitham Al bin Tariq Al Said, minister of heritage and culture, was the chief guest at a ceremony attended by members of the Royal family, key government offi cials, and mem-bers of the society.

“It’s a completely new master planned development which of-fers luxury at aff ordable price. To make it more special as a free hold property we have combined ele-ments like pedestrian walkway, spacious parking, unique shop-ping and dining experience and much more,” said His Highness Sayyid Al Rawy Kais Al Said, chief executive offi cer of Muscat Hills, while talking to Times of Oman at the launch ceremony.

Explaining further, Ilyas Malik,

advisor to the CEO, said Muscat Hills thrived on being rich and innovative. “Our CEO believes in off ering luxury that is aff ordable to the people of Oman and that is what our brand is all about. It is generous in giving and innova-tive in approach. With the best of Italian elements and architecture, Muscat Hills is off ering better properties at half the price of its competitors,” Malik added.

Master planThe master plan of the new down-town area at Muscat Hills is devel-oped on the theme of integration. The total footprint spans more than 85,000 square metres, and will showcase a number of de-velopments featuring elegantly designed corporate offi ces, com-mercial, retail and residential space with unparalleled fi nishes. The Boulevard, the nerve-center of the development off ers the protected “pedestrian only” 32- metre wide and 665-metre long

‘JADA’, boasting shopping, dining and leisure outlets.

The Boulevard sets a new bench-mark in mixed-used developments with its creativity and attention to detail. Imagination with an eye on the functionality stands out in the design of The Boulevard, due to the very considered infrastructure, in-cluding the well thought out access roads, and stairs and ramps for pedestrians. setback sub-division specifi cations, provision for circu-lation of emergency vehicles and goods deliveries.

Environment-friendlyAn environment-friendly ap-proach has been a paramount consideration, such as pergolas used for shade, green landscaping and water, to lower the localised temperature, shielding systems of substations, and timed illuminat-ing systems.

Nestled in the foothills of the Hajar mountains, and only a 5-minute drive from Muscat In-

ternational Airport, the Muscat Hills team worked closely with Italian architecture fi rm, In-terasrl, to develop a master plan inspired by the sea and mountains that surround it.

Redefi ning landscapeThe project is led by His Highness Sayyid Al Rawy bin Kais A Said. Considering The Boulevard as a humble contribution to the com-munity, according to Sayyid Al Rawy, “Muscat has come a long way from the traditional souks. The Boulevard is truly unique, and will redefi ne the Muscat commer-cial and retail landscape; setting a new benchmark for mixed-use developments. It is the fi rst of its kind outdoor pedestrian only space, where strolling, shopping and dining are integrated into business and community life. The Boulevard gives Muscat Hills the opportunity to share the beauti-ful and tranquil destination with residents of Oman and visitors

alike. It is with great anticipation that we wait for the vision to be re-alised in 2018”

The Boulevard will bring the community together, off ering a new pedestrian space for busi-ness, shopping, socialising, enter-tainment and dining. With a de-sign inspired by the Italian Piazza, the town center is the focal point of the development, surrounded by the buildings with distinctive Mediterranean style features, bal-conies, and courtyards for recrea-tion. The low-rise, contemporary style development will be built with seven fl oors, boasting luxury fi nishes with an international fl air, The Boulevard will be the go-to spot in Muscat irrespective of the occasion.

With the handover

of phase II villas, the

luxurious and private

development focus

is moving towards

lifestyle development

Project fi nance takes hold as oil prices drop

Times News Service

MUSCAT: There are currently more than 120 project-fi nanced schemes worth more than $110 bil-lion either planned or under con-struction in the Gulf Cooperation Council region as governments in-creasingly seek alternative meth-ods of fi nancing their project in light of falling oil revenues.

According to data from regional projects tracking service, MEED Projects, the largest market for public projects backed with pri-vate sector fi nance is Kuwait, with just under $49 billion of projects under its public-private-partner-ship (PPP) projects programme.

The state has been an innova-tor in advancing the PPP model in the region, with schemes ranging from power plants and water and wastewater facilities to schools and tourism projects falling under the programme, which is handled by the Kuwait Public Authority of Partnership Projects (KAPP).

UAE a major playerThe United Arab Emirates (UAE) is also a major player in privately-fi nanced schemes, with about $35 billion of projects planned or under way. These include Dewa’s Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Solar Park, the RTA’s Union Oa-sis real estate scheme, and Fewa’s Umm Al Quwain independent water project (IWP).

The four other GCC states have some $26bn worth of privately-fi -nanced projects between them, in-cluding the Facility D independent water and power project (IWPP) in Qatar, Riyadh’s King Khalid Inter-national Airport Expansion Termi-nal 5, and Oman’s Sohar IWP.

“The project fi nance model has been applied to power and water projects regularly over the past 15 years in the region, but it is only now with lower oil revenues that there is a concerted push to apply the model to projects in other sectors,” says Ed James, director of Content & Analysis at MEED Projects.

P U B L I C P R O J E C T S

Conference in Oman

to focus on enhanced

oil recovery methodsTimes News Service

MUSCAT: Oman will host the fi fth edition of the Society of Pe-troleum Engineers’ Enhanced Oil Recovery Conference at Oil and Gas West Asia (OGWA) from March 20 to 23, under the auspic-es of the Ministry of Oil and Gas.

Keynote speakers Mohammed bin Hamad Al Rumhy, minister of oil and gas; Raoul Restucci, managing director of Petroleum Development Oman and Michael Townshend, regional president for Middle East, BP will speak on enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technology.

An exclusive opening cer-emony and welcome reception will be held on March 20 at the Public Authority Civil Aviation (PACA) while the conference will begin from March 21 at the Golden Tulip Hotel.

The opening ceremony, sched-uled for March20, will begin with welcome address by Saleh bin Ali Al Anboori, 2016 SPE EOR Conference chairman, director general of Petroleum Investment Management, Ministry of Oil and Gas, Oman and Fareed Abdulla, SPE Middle East board chair-man, senior vice- president of NEB, ADCO.

Regional plansMichelle Boyd, director, Mid-dle East, North Africa and South Asia Events, Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), said, “This year promises to bring a fresh and en-gaging agenda which includes a keynote panel session where the advancement of enhanced oil re-covery and regional plans to ac-celerate this will be brought to light by respectable industry lead-ers, these speakers are namely, Mohammed bin Hamad Al Rum-hy, minister of oil and gas; Raoul Restucci, managing director of Petroleum Development Oman and Michael Townshend, region-al president for Middle East, BP.”

The conference chairman,

Saleh bin Ali Al Anboori, director general of Management of Petro-leum Investment Ministry of Oil and Gas, Oman, said, “At present the dependence and focus on enhances oil recovery is at an all-time high due to close attention being paid to sustaining the exist-ing oilfi elds. Over the years, the SPE EOR Conference has con-sistently covered primary topics related to enhanced oil recovery, providing professional perspec-tives by well-known local, re-gional and international experts.”

Challenges in projects“Local EOR projects are at a steady climb, and it is essential to implement effi cient and eff ective technology supported by experts in the fi eld. Relevant topics such as, R&D Technology, challenges in EOR projects and chemical EOR studies which are part of the con-ference agenda, are sure to pro-vide valuable insights,” he added.

An executive plenary session on March 21 will feature speakers such as James R. Briscoe, Sen-ior VP Development, Occidental Petroleum; Robert Deutman, VP Development Joint Ventures and RDS Chief Reservoir Engineer, Shell; Andrew Kershaw, CEO, Tatweer Petroleum; Jonathan Lewis, Senior Vice President Completion and Production, Hal-liburton and AmranMarhubi, Technical Director, Petroleum Development Oman.

O I L A N D G A S M E E T

Financing needs of Gulf nations estimated at $151 billion: StudyTimes News Service

MUSCAT: Gulf countries will need $151.3 billion to meet ex-penditure in 2016, said a fi nancial expert. Of this, $78.1 billion is ex-pected to come from reserves (52 per cent), $57.7 billion from do-mestic and international bond is-suances (38 per cent) and the rest through loans (10 per cent).

Overall, Gulf Cooperation Coun-cil (GCC) governments are ex-pected to raise between $285-390 billion cumulatively through 2020 through local and international bonds, said M. R. Reghu, head of research at Markaz and managing director of Marmore Mena Intel-ligence. He was making a presen-tation at a seminar on forecasting sovereign debt issuance in GCC.

Raghu said that the low oil pric-es has altered the fi scal landscape of GCC countries as the prized fi s-cal surplus registered in erstwhile years has fl ipped into large scale defi cits to the tune of $160 billion in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

He pointed out that in 2015, the defi cit was partly met by domestic bond issuances and the remaining by liquidating reserves held in sov-ereign wealth funds (SWFs). Saudi Arabia for the fi rst time in 8 years issued local debt to raise approxi-

mately $26 billion from domestic banks and utilised almost $100 bil-lion of its reserves.

Fall in depositsRaghu outlined that the impact of lower oil revenues has visibly im-pacted the Kuwaiti banks’ deposit mobilisation process, as govern-ment deposits account for sizeable portion. Fall in deposits growth coupled with governments draw-ing down on their savings and placement of domestic bonds by the governments with the local banks has usurped liquidity in the regional fi nancial system causing interbank rates to rise. Though,

the banks are well capitalised, they may not be able to act as the sole source of funding avenue for the governments. Rising debt lev-els for the GCC governments and uncertain outlook regarding oil prices, which determines the debt servicing capabilities, has led to higher cost of insurance for insur-ing government debt as evidenced by the widening spreads for credit default swaps (CDS).

ReservesWhile UAE, Kuwait Saudi Arabia and Qatar boast of robust fi scal reserves, Bahrain and Oman have minimal reserves by comparision.

The sovereign ratings of Bahrain, Oman and Saudi Arabia have been downgraded in the recent weeks. Further, lack of clarity regarding debt management policies of few GCC countries has caused wide spread speculation regarding the way the defi cit could be fi nanced. This uncertainity has resulted in fi xed income investors demanding wider spreads for outstanding is-sues in GCC region.

While Qatar and Oman have clearly provided indications re-garding their approach to plug the defi cit, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain budgetary documents fall short of such discussion.

S E M I N A R

HAVE YOUR SAY Send us your comments at facebook.com/timesofoman blog.timesofoman.com [email protected]

MAGNIFICENT: The Boulevard by Muscat Hills off ers the protected ‘pedestrian only’ 32-metre wide and 665-metre long ‘Jada’, boasting

shopping, dining and leisure outlets. The Boulevard sets a new benchmark in mixed-use developments with its creativity and attention

to detail. – Talib Al Wohaibi/Times of Oman

SEMINAR: Overall, Gulf Cooperation Council governments are expected to raise between $285-390

billion cumulatively till 2020 through local and international bonds. - Supplied picture

Keynote speakers Mohammed bin Hamad

Al Rumhy, minister of oil and gas; Raoul Restucci, managing

director of Petroleum Development Oman and

Michael Townshend, regional president for Middle East, BP will

speak on enhanced oil recovery technology

B4

MARKETW E D N E S DAY, M A R C H 1 6, 2 0 1 6

MUSCATSECURITIES MARKET

SHARE PRICE BULLETIN FOR TUESDAY, MARCH 15

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

OM0000002028 ...........GULF INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS ............ 1,605,894 ...... 518,382...................144 ........... 0.324 ...........0.324 ...........0.314 ........... 0.322 .............0.296 ........... 0.026 ............. 8.784 ................0.318 .............. 0.316...................0.318 .................... 6,762,000 ..........0.100

OM0000002366 ...........AL BATINAH DEV. INV. HOLDING ...................... 318,129 ............ 23,888..................... 42 ........... 0.073 ........... 0.077 ...........0.073 ........... 0.075 .............0.070 ........... 0.005 ..............7.143.................0.074 ..............0.072...................0.075 ....................2,250,000 ..........0.100

OM0000002820 ...........GULF INVESTMENT SERVICES ......................... 326,690 ........... 29,950........................8 ........... 0.090 ........... 0.092 ...........0.090........... 0.092 .............0.090 ........... 0.002 .............2.222 ................0.092..............0.092...................0.094 ................... 5,413,576 ..........0.100

OM0000004669 ...........SHARQIYAH DESALINATION .................................. 1,500 ............... 7,028........................3 ............4.750 ........... 4.750 ...........4.650........... 4.685 .............4.600 ............0.085 ............. 1.848 ................4.650..............4.655...................4.800 ..................45,820,312 .........1.000

OM0000001749 ............OMAN CEMENT ............................................................42,537 .............19,496........................6 ........... 0.458 ...........0.460 ...........0.458 ........... 0.458 .............0.450 ........... 0.008 ..............1.778.................0.460..............0.458...................0.460 ................. 151,539,701 ........0.100

OM0000001962 ............AL MADINA INVESTMENT ................................... 325,000 ............19,500......................11 ........... 0.060 ...........0.060 ...........0.060........... 0.060 .............0.059 ............0.001 ............. 1.695 ................0.060..............0.059...................0.060 ..................12,429,083 .........0.100

OM0000001525 ............OMAN INVESTMENT AND FINANCE .............. 356,500 ........... 69,662......................19 ............0.193 ........... 0.197 ...........0.193 ............0.195 ............. 0.193............ 0.002 ............. 1.036 ................0.195 ..............0.194...................0.195 ...................39,000,000.........0.100

OM0000001533 ............OMINVEST ...................................................................... 77,388 .............37,456........................3 ........... 0.484 ........... 0.484 ...........0.484........... 0.484 .............0.480 ........... 0.004 ............. 0.833 ................0.484..............0.480...................0.484 .................267,585,035 ........0.100

OM0000001772 ............AL ANWAR HOLDING............................................... 615,862...........103,773......................41 ............0.169 ........... 0.170 ...........0.168 ............0.169 ............. 0.168.............0.001 ............. 0.595 ................0.168 .............. 0.168...................0.170 ...................25,362,675 .........0.100

OM0000002200 ...........AHLI BANK ........................................................................5,200 ..................900........................ 1 ............0.173 ........... 0.173 ...........0.173 ............0.173 ............. 0.172.............0.001 ............. 0.581 ................0.173 .............. 0.165...................0.172 ..................246,531,253 ........0.100

OM0000002796 ...........BANK MUSCAT ............................................................ 2,270,308 .....935,367...................247 ............0.412 ........... 0.412 ...........0.412 ........... 0.412 ............. 0.410............ 0.002 ............. 0.488 ................0.412 .............. 0.412...................0.414 ................. 944,230,910 .......0.100

OM0000001483 ............NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN ................................. 682,095 ..........179,641..................... 58 ........... 0.264 ...........0.264 ...........0.262........... 0.263 .............0.262 ............0.001 ............. 0.382 ................0.262..............0.236...................0.262 .................352,606,796 ........0.100

OM0000001822 ............UNITED POWER ............................................................. 1,800 ...............6,120........................2 ........... 3.400 ...........3.400 ...........3.400........... 3.400 ............. 3.395 ........... 0.005 ............. 0.147 ................3.400..............3.400...................3.420 ...................2,720,000 ..........1.000

OM0000002226 ...........AL JAZEERA SERVICES .............................................. 1,200 .................. 358........................ 1 ........... 0.298 ........... 0.298 ...........0.298........... 0.300 .............0.300 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.298............. 0.290...................0.298 .................. 18,361,282 .........0.100

OM0000002374............UNITED FINANCE ..................................................... 378,400 ...........54,209......................13 ............0.143 ........... 0.145 ...........0.142 ........... 0.143 ............. 0.143............ 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.142 ..............0.142...................0.144 ...................44,439,387 .........0.100

OM0000003000 ...........ALMAHA PETROLEUM PRODUCTS MAR. ......... 3,825 ...............6,503........................ 1 ............1.700 ........... 1.700 ...........1.700 ............1.700 ............. 1.700 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ................1.700 .............. 1.700...................0.000 .................117,300,000 ........0.100

OM0000003026 ...........OMAN TELECOMMUNICATION ..........................85,625 .......... 134,196......................14 ............1.570 ........... 1.570 ...........1.560 ............1.565 ............. 1.565 ............ 0.000 .............0.000 ................1.570 .............. 1.550...................1.570 ................ 1,173,750,000 ......0.100

OM0000003398 ...........BANK SOHAR................................................................ 446,265 ........... 66,680......................17 ............0.148 ........... 0.150 ...........0.148 ........... 0.149 ............. 0.149............ 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.150 .............. 0.149...................0.150 ..................214,774,560 ........0.100

OM0000003521 ............GALFAR ENGINEERING AND CON. .................. 2,290,987 ..... 140,373..................... 69 ............0.061 ........... 0.062 ...........0.061 ........... 0.061 ............. 0.061............ 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.061 .............. 0.061...................0.062 .................. 17,688,819 .........0.100

OM0000003968 ...........OOREDOO....................................................................... 365,508 ......... 252,105......................19 ........... 0.692 ........... 0.700 ...........0.684........... 0.688 .............0.688 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.684 ..............0.684...................0.688..................447,849,630........0.100

OM0000004768 ...........AL MADINA TAKAFUL ............................................. 327,000 ........... 22,563......................19 ........... 0.069 ........... 0.069 ...........0.069........... 0.069 .............0.069 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.069 ..............0.068...................0.069...................12,075,000 .........0.100

OM0000004925 ...........AL BATINAH POWER ................................................ 115,105 .............23,021........................3 ........... 0.200 ...........0.200 ...........0.200 .......... 0.200 .............0.200 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.200 ............ 0.200...................0.205 .................134,977,486 ........0.100

OM0000004933 ...........AL SUWADI POWER ................................................... 24,022 .............. 4,804........................4 ........... 0.200 ...........0.200 ...........0.200 .......... 0.200 .............0.200 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.200 ............ 0.200...................0.203 .................142,881,268 ........0.100

OM0000005005 ...........ALMAHA CERAMICS .................................................... 2,556 ............... 1,037........................8 ........... 0.404 ...........0.406 ...........0.404 .......... 0.404 .............0.404 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.404..............0.404...................0.410 ...................21,210,000 .........0.100

OM0000001418 ............RAYSUT CEMENT .........................................................17,085 .............16,012........................4 ........... 0.960 ...........0.960 ...........0.928........... 0.936 .............0.940 ...........-0.004 ........... -0.426 ...............0.928..............0.928...................0.940 .................187,200,000........0.100

OM0000001145 ............PORT SERVICES CORPORATION ........................ 52,800 ............... 9,708..................... 10 ............0.185 ........... 0.185 ...........0.182 ........... 0.184 ............. 0.185............-0.001 ........... -0.541 ...............0.185 .............. 0.186...................0.190 ................... 17,487,360 .........0.100

OM0000001160 ............NATIONAL GAS .............................................................88,386 .............26,318..................... 29 ........... 0.298 ........... 0.298 ...........0.295........... 0.298 .............0.302 ...........-0.004 ............-1.325................0.295 ..............0.295...................0.298 ..................14,900,000 .........0.100

OM0000002176 ............AL JAZEERA STEEL PRODUCTS ..........................10,000 ............... 1,330........................ 1 ............0.133 ........... 0.133 ...........0.133 ............0.133 ............. 0.135 ............-0.002 ............-1.481 ................0.133 .............. 0.133...................0.136 ................... 16,611,429 .........0.100

OM0000001707 ............OMAN CABLES INDUSTRY ......................................15,200 .............23,108........................2 ............1.540 ........... 1.540 ...........1.520 ........... 1.520 ............. 1.545............-0.025 ............-1.618 ................1.520 ..............1.420...................1.500 ..................136,344,000 .......0.100

OM0000001517 ............HSBC BANK OMAN .................................................... 221,500 ............21,149........................9 ........... 0.096 ........... 0.096 ...........0.095 ........... 0.095 .............0.097 ...........-0.002 ........... -2.062 ...............0.095 ..............0.095...................0.096.................. 190,029,715 ........0.100

OM0000003661 ............VOLTAMP ENERGY ................................................... 149,059............ 64,095..................... 10 ........... 0.430 ........... 0.430 ...........0.430........... 0.430 .............0.440 ...........-0.010 ........... -2.273 ...............0.430............. 0.400...................0.430 ..................26,015,000 .........0.100

OM0000002549 ...........BANK DHOFAR ............................................................ 509,321 ..........133,160......................14 ........... 0.267 ........... 0.267 ...........0.260 .......... 0.261 .............0.268 ...........-0.007 ........... -2.612 ...............0.260............. 0.242...................0.260 ................. 403,174,151 ........0.100

OM0000003224 ...........RENAISSANCE SERVICES .......................................70,435 ............. 11,839........................7 ............0.170 ........... 0.170 ...........0.168 ............0.168 ............. 0.174 ............-0.006 ........... -3.448 ...............0.168 .............. 0.168...................0.170 ...................48,829,372 .........0.100

.............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 11,803,182........2,963,726 ............839 .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. ......33........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

PARALLEL MARKET ................................................................................................................................................................................. OM0000004776 ...........TAKAFUL OMAN INSURANCE .............................. 11,000 ................ 1,111........................2 ............0.101 ........... 0.101............0.101 ............0.101 .............0.100 ............0.001 ............. 1.000 ................0.101 ..............0.099...................0.102 ...................10,100,000 .........0.100

OM0000001301 ............DHOFAR CATTLE FEED ..............................................3,000 .................. 660........................ 1 ........... 0.220 ...........0.220 ...........0.220 .......... 0.220 .............0.220 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.220 .............0.221...................0.225 ..................16,940,000 .........0.100

OM0000001368 ............CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IND. ......................2,500 .....................75........................ 1 ........... 0.030 ...........0.030 ...........0.030........... 0.032 .............0.032 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.030..............0.030...................0.033....................2,720,000 ..........0.100

OM0000001566 ............OMAN FISHERIES ..................................................... 167,000............... 9,195........................8 ............0.055 ........... 0.056 ...........0.055 ........... 0.055 .............0.055 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.055 ..............0.054...................0.055....................6,875,000 ..........0.100

OM0000001590 ............MUSCAT FINANCE .................................................... 133,900 ............ 17,407........................4 ............0.130 ........... 0.130 ...........0.130 ........... 0.130 ............. 0.130............ 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.130 ..............0.129...................0.130 ................... 32,710,401 .........0.100

OM0000002101 ............OMAN FIBER OPTIC ......................................................... 193 .................. 965........................ 1 ........... 5.000 ...........5.000 ...........5.000........... 4.570 .............4.570 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................5.000..............4.570...................0.000 ..................32,973,089 .........1.000

OM0000004420 ...........BANK NIZWA ................................................................ 1,524,722 ...... 100,621.....................44 ........... 0.066 ........... 0.066 ...........0.065 ........... 0.066 .............0.066 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.066 ..............0.066...................0.067...................99,000,000.........0.100

OM0000004511 ............ALIZZ ISLAMIC BANK............................................... 92,000 ...............5,060........................8 ............0.055 ........... 0.055 ...........0.055 ........... 0.055 .............0.055 ........... 0.000 .............0.000 ................0.055 ..............0.054...................0.055...................55,000,000.........0.100

OM0000005963 ...........PHOENIX POWER ........................................................ 87,297 .............12,743........................8 ............0.146 ........... 0.146 ...........0.145 ........... 0.146 ............. 0.147............-0.001 ........... -0.680 ...............0.146 ..............0.144...................0.147 .................. 213,539,813 ........0.100

OM0000002564 ...........AL HASSAN ENGINEERING.................................. 223,000 ............13,365......................21 ............0.061 ........... 0.062 ...........0.059 ........... 0.060 ............. 0.061............-0.001 ............-1.639................0.059 ..............0.058...................0.061 .................... 4,512,480 ..........0.100

OM0000001053 ............OMAN TEXTILE HOLDING .......................................3,000 .................. 984........................ 1 ........... 0.328 ........... 0.328 ...........0.328........... 0.328 .............0.364 ...........-0.036 ........... -9.890 ...............0.328............. 0.000...................0.328 ................... 1,968,000 ..........1.000

.............................................SUM: .................................................................................. 2,247,612 ...... 162,186..................... 99 .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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

BONDS AND SUKUK MARKET ...................................................................................................................................................................... OM0000005971 ............B.MUSCAT COMPL. CONVR. B.B.3.5 ........................8,168 .................. 735........................ 1 ........... 0.090 ...........0.090 ...........0.090........... 0.090 .............0.092 ...........-0.002 ........... -2.174................0.090..............0.090...................0.100................... 29,174,545 .........0.100

.............................................SUM: .......................................................................................8,168 .................. 735........................ 1 .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................... TRADED SEC. .........1........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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 ........................................5,312.14 .............. 5,294.98 ................... 5,295.88 ....................5,297.73 ...................-1.85 .................. -0.03Financial Index ..................................... 6,491.75 ...............6,473.83 ....................6,475.81 ................... 6,484.11 .................. -8.30 .................. -0.13Industrial Index ....................................6,578.63 ...............6,547.32 ................... 6,547.32 ................... 6,544.17 .................... 3.15 ................... 0.05Services Index ...................................... 3,042.76 .............. 3,034.97 ................... 3,035.38 ...................3,040.84 .................. -5.46 .................. -0.18MSM SHARIAH INDEX.......................827.04 ..................823.65 .......................824.78 ...................... 823.56 .................... 1.22 ................... 0.15

Trading SummaryVolume ................ Turnover ..........Trades .............. Market Cap............. Up ............Down ............. Equal .........Sec. Traded14,058,962 ..................3,126,647 .....................939 ............... 16,278,956,641 ................ 14 ......................13 .................... 18 .........................45

MSM index ends lower

MUSCAT: Muscat bourse re-mained relatively fl at and with the general index fi nishing at 5,295.88 points, marginally down by 0.03 per cent.

The MSM Sharia Index gained 0.15 per cent to close at 824.78 points. Galfar Engineering was the most active in terms of vol-ume, while Bank Muscat led in terms of turnover.

Gulf International Chemicals, which moved up 8.78 per cent, was the top gainer, while Oman Textiles was the top loser, down by 9.89 per cent on Tuesday.

As many as 939 trades were executed on Tuesday, generat-ing turnover of OMR3.1 million with 14.1 million shares changing hands. Out of 45 traded securi-ties, 14 advanced, 13 declined and 18 remained unchanged. Omani investors stayed net buy-ers for OMR523,000 followed by GCC and Arab investors for OMR349,000 while foreign investors were net sellers for OMR872,000 worth of shares.

Financial Index closed at 6,475.81 points, down by 0.13 per cent. Al Batinah Develop-ment, Gulf Investment Services, Al Madina Investments, Takaful Oman and Ominvest gained by 7.14 per cent, 2.22 per cent, 1.69 per cent, 1 per cent and 0.83 per cent, respectively. BankDhofar and HSBC Bank declined by 2.61 per cent and 2.06 per cent, re-spectively.

Industrial Index increased by 0.05 per cent to end the session at 6,547.32 points. Gulf Internation-al Chemicals and Oman Cements gained by 8.78 per cent and 1.78 per cent, respectively. Oman Tex-tiles, Voltamp Energy, Al Hassan Engineering, Oman Cables and Al Jazeera Steel declined by 9.89 per cent, 2.27 per cent, 1.64 per cent, 1.62 per cent and 1.48 per cent, respectively.

Services Index fell by 0.18 per cent and fi nished at 3,035.38

points. Sharqiya Desalination, OIFC and United Power ad-vanced by 1.85 per cent, 1.04 per cent and 0.15 per cent, respec-tively. Renaissance Services, National Gas, Phoenix Power and Port Services moved down by 3.45 per cent, 1.32 per cent, 0.68 per cent and 0.54 per cent, respectively.

Egypt stocks gain Egyptian stocks rose in the biggest two-day advance in almost four years following the nation’s deci-sion Monday to devalue the cur-rency the most since 2003. The government’s dollar bonds rose.

The EGX 30 Index bucked de-clines across most Middle East-ern markets to rise 1.9 per cent to close at 7,139.44, the highest level since November and close to its 200-day moving average. Trad-ers exchanged about 335 million shares, about 60 perc ent higher than the six-month average. The index has added 8.8 percent since the central bank weakened the currency 13 per cent on Monday and said it would adopt a more fl exible exchange rate.

The devaluation diminishes at least one of the risks that has left foreign investors wary of Egypt since the 2011 uprising and exac-erbated a dollar shortage at a time when security concerns have been driving away tourists, one of the country’s biggest sourc-es of revenue. The move came less than a week after a senior government offi cial said Egypt is preparing to start loan talks with the International Monetary Fund, a suggestion that central bank Governor Tarek Amer de-nied. The bank will off er $1.5 bil-lion at an exceptional auction on Wednesday, it said in a statement on its website Tuesday.

Egyptian Financial Group-Hermes contributed most to Tuesday’s advance.

– United Securities/Bloomberg News

Gulf International Chemicals, which rose

by 8.78%, was the top gainer, while Oman

Textiles, down by 9.89%, lost the most

Sensex slides 253 points; rupee slumpsMUMBAI: Market benchmark Sensex slipped from its six-week high on Tuesday by plunging 253.11 points to 24,551.17 while NSE Nifty cracked below the 7,500-mark on profi t-booking in healthcare and FMCG stocks amid weak global cues.

The 30-share gauge after open-ing a shade higher, advanced to touch a high of 24,840.77 at the outset before profi t-booking in recent gainers took hold, which pulled it down to a low of 24,517.28 and settled at 24,551.17, showing a loss of 253.11 points or 1.02 per cent. The gauge had gained 180.94 points in the previous two ses-sions. Some weakness in the ru-pee too weighed on the sentiment.

The 50-share NSE Nifty broke below the crucial 7,500 level and settled lower by 78.15 points or 1.04 per cent at 7,460.60.

Intra-day, it shuttled between 7,545.20 and 7,452.80. Of the 30-share Sensex pack, 22 ended with losses while NTPC ended fl at at Rs 127.30.

Shares of Lupin melted the most, falling 7.59 per cent to Rs1,726.60 after the company re-

ceived nine observations relating to inadequacy and adherence to operating norms for its manu-facturing plant in Goa from the United States Food and Drug Ad-ministration.

Another pharma fi rm Pfi zer continued to remain under pres-sure and fell by 3.15 per cent to Rs1,705.30 amidconcerns over ban on their popular drug prod-ucts. Other that contributed to the fall include HDFC, Dr Reddy’s, Cipla, Sun Pharma, ITC, Adani Ports, HUL, Tata Motors, Bajaj Auto, Asian Paints, Wipro, TCS, GAIL, Infosys, Coal India, ONGC, M&M, L&T and ICICI Bank.

States Bank of India, Tata Steel, Axis Bank, Bhel, Bharti Airtel, RIL and Maruti Suzuki, ended higher, thus cushioning the fall. Secto-rally, BSE healthcare index took the biggest knock, falling 3.01 per cent, followed by FMCG 1.54 per cent, tech 0.93 per cent, IT 0.85 per cent, auto 0.70 per cent, capi-tal goods 0.22 per cent, power 0.19 per cent and realty 0.09 per cent.

In line with the overall trend, the broader markets also wit-nessed selling, with the mid-cap index declining 0.79 per cent and small-cap shedding 0.62 per cent.

European shares dropped in their early trade following weak

Asian markets after the Bank of Japan painted a gloomy picture of the country’s economy. Foreign investors bought shares worth a net Rs 10.37 billion on Monday, as per provisional data.

Rupee extends loss Extending losses for the second straight day against the American currency, the rupee dropped by another 27 paise to close at 67.38 per dollar on sustained dollar de-mand from banks and importers ahead of the United States Fed-eral Reserve’s meet outcome even as Bank of Japan left policy rates unchanged.

Sharp fall in domestic equity market also aff ected the rupee sentiment, a forex dealer said. The Indian unit opened lower at 67.23 against Monday’s closing level of 67.11 per dollar at the Interbank Foreign Exchange (Forex) market and dropped further to 67.4175 per dollar before ending at 67.38 per dollar, showing a loss of 27 paise or 0.40 per cent. It has lost 33 paise or 0.49 per cent two days. It hovered in a range of 67.1725 and 67.4175 during the day. - PTI

I N D I A N M A R K E T S

New disclosure regulation

Also, article 284 provides “Issuer shall disclose quarterly and an-nual audited and un-audited fi nan-cial statements and initial results through the electronic transmission system of MSM in Arabic and Eng-lish within the statutory time limits.”

Mohammed Said Al Abri, direc-tor general of issues and disclosure said; “Reducing the time limit for disclosure of the issuers of secu-rities represents added value to MSM and will boost the confi -dence of market participants as availability of prompt information helps in taking sound investment decision and eliminate rumours.”

He added that the review of dis-closure requirements and reduc-ing the term was made due to the

existence of advanced accounting systems with the issuers of securi-ties, which allow speedy prepara-tion of the fi nancial statements. Hence, the move will make MSM one of the best Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) stock exchanges in disclosure of information by listed companies. This will help timely investment decision, investor pro-tection through fairness, effi ciency and transparency and prevent in-sider trading.

Al Abri added that CMA endeav-ours to enhance transparency to provide highest standards of con-fi dence through quarterly state-ments and timely disclosure of material information on the issu-ers of securities.

L I S T E D F I R M S

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2016 Toyota Fortuner arrives in Oman

MUSCAT: Spacious, stylish and stronger than ever, the all-new 2016 Fortuner has arrived in Oman with a lot of fanfare.

Takayuki Yoshitsugu, chief rep-resentative, Middle East & North Africa Representative Offi ce, Osamu Tomioka, assistant chief engineer, and other offi cials from Toyota Motor Corporation attend-ed the event. Salim and Saud Mo-hamed Bahwan were also present on the occasion.

In the opening presentation, Takayuki remarked: “The all-new Fortuner is a completely rede-signed SUV that enhances driving confi dence on every level while setting a new standard for SUVs all around the world. It debuts a compelling design with a strong identity, expressing refi nement and innovation as well as be-ing functional and tough. It also epitomises Toyota’s focus on de-veloping vehicles with impressive quality, durability, reliability and off -road ability. The result of this is a comprehensive revamp, creat-

ing a unique SUV that’s every bit as comfortable on the urban roads as it is on the region’s toughest off -road trails.”

Sharing the development phi-losophy of the vehicle, Osamu said: “To build a true SUV with style and confi dence, to enhance the cus-tomer’s confi dence, we developed a new stronger frame with big-ger cross section, which enables the vehicle to withstand rougher road conditions. We improved the 4-link suspension system for a more comfortable drive. The new engine with high torque at lower revolution provides higher fuel ef-fi ciency. While the new 6-speed transmission takes full potential of this new engine by providing smooth acceleration at both low and high speeds. It’s a true SUV with 4×4 go-anywhere ability.”

Earlier in the evening, the Saud Bahwan Automotive (SBA) repre-sentative welcomed the guests and thanked them for the popularity of the brand in Oman.

“Toyota has enjoyed a strong

patronage amongst our custom-ers over generations. Models like Land Cruiser, Corolla and Hilux enjoy iconic status. During the last four decades, SBA has invested ex-tensively in infrastructure, man-power and customer satisfaction initiatives thereby ensuring that Toyota continues to be the leading automobile brand in Oman.”

Later in the evening, the all-new Fortuner was revealed to the ac-companiment of a 3D interactive hi-tech entertainment act that

added to the anticipation in the room. As the Fortuner was fi nally unveiled, the audience seemed ea-ger to touch and take a closer look for themselves.

In the new Fortuner, Toyota has created a new ‘Solid Fluidity’ design language, which expresses toughness and wideness through the high body axis, the bulging wheel arch fl ares as well as the chunky trapezoidal front bump-er. The Fortuner has a tough yet smart rear design that defi es the

typical unrefi ned image of an SUV.The Fortuner’s ample cabin

space is complemented by superb convenience features, culminating in a sublime driving experience. The interior exhibits the toughness of an SUV, tempered with the el-egance of a premium sedan.

A focal point of the dashboard architecture is the vertical centre cluster fl anked by columns of soft simulated leather upholstery that off er leg support from both sides. In fact, soft-touch textures and exquisite chrome detailing liber-ally pepper the cabin; all beau-tifully harmonising with each other. The interior is stylish and creates a warm atmosphere that passengers enjoy.

There are eight exterior colours and the Fortuner is available with a range of petrol engine options. The available petrol engines in-clude a 2.7-litre four-cylinder en-gine that produces 164hp and 25.0 Kg-m of torque and the 4.0-litre V6 engine, which churns out 235hp and 38.3 Kg-m of torque. The For-

tuner has a 6-speed automatic transmission and its impressive ground clearance along with its superb suspension comfortably absorbs vibration,resulting in a ride experience expected from a luxury SUV.

The Fortuner is equipped with all terrain tyres or 18” alloy wheels with HT tyres depending on the grade selected, 7” navigation dis-play with audio system, power back door and follow me home lights, for convenience of custom-ers. Additionally, comprehensive safety systems like anti-lock brak-ing system (ABS), SRS Airbags for front seats topping it up with a knee airbag for the driver.

Apart from this, Fortuner is equipped with rear camera, rear-parking sensors, amongst many other features.

So get ready to embark on an ex-citingly new urban adventure and please visit the nearest showroom to get a hands-on feel of the new marvel from Toyota today, says a press release.

In the new Fortuner,

Toyota has created a

new ‘Solid Fluidity’

design language,

which expresses

toughness and

wideness through the

high body axis, the

bulging wheel arch

fl ares as well as the

chunky trapezoidal

front bumper

‘A New Girl In Town’ Maya opens its doors in Muscat

MUSCAT: A new restaurant in town, boasting of its ideal loca-tion and easy access, termed as ‘A New Girl In Town’ Maya opened its doors to its customers recently at The Cave Complex.

The restaurant was inaugurat-ed by Indra Mani Pandey, Indian ambassador to the Sultanate, and Sheikh Salim Siyabi, chairman of Abcon. The ceremony was also at-tended by several dignitaries, says a press release.

Kishore Singh from Papercats Hospitality and Naseer Al Siyabi, company director from FTI, the business partners were beaming with delight as they accomplished this venture into restaurant fran-chisee prototype roll-out in Mid-dle East hospitality segment. They

said: “This restaurant is our begin-ning to make a mark into franchis-ing in the hospitality industry and we plan to take it to a higher level.”

Kishore said: “We want to focus on delivering the best in its class. Hence, we have not compromised on executing all our interior de-signing and architectural exper-tise for Maya along with Abcon as it is a leader in creating diff erent and unique concepts in Oman.”

‘Maya’ is an original concept in terms of ambience, modern Indi-an dining experience focusing on easy dining and with extremely competitive menu pricing.

It comprises a seating capacity for 100 with a well appointed ex-clusive dining area which doubles up as a hi-tech conference room

and private party area. Maya has created a facility to

support new start ups in Oman by providing a hi-tech boardroom with segregated seating space and an able guidance to support the upcoming entrepreneurs with a dream of owning their own busi-ness in the hospitality segment.

Maya focuses on adapting to the market requirement and need for people to dine in without feel-ing the pinch of spending more than their budgets for eating out each week or month and without compromising on the quality of food and beverage.

The restaurant has well trained staff and it focuses on bringing live Indian festivity and fervour in its ongoing operations.

N E W T A S T E

B6 W E D N E S DAY, M A R C H 1 6, 2 0 1 6

ROUND-UP

Lexus IS200t offers better fuel eff iciency

MUSCAT: The pulsating Lexus IS is now even more powerful. Powered by a new 2.0-litre petrol turbo engine – with innovative D-4ST fuel injection technology for both fuel economy and instanta-neous torque – the Lexus IS200t sports sedan delivers 245 DIN hp (180kW) with a maximum torque of 350 Nm.

The IS200t also stands out with its aggressive yet elegant pres-ence and the brand’s unmistakable spindle grille, L-theme LED day-time running lights and dynamic bodylines. It combines multi-link rear suspension with fi nely tuned electronic power steering to de-liver a rousing driving experience, says a press release.

The IS200t is equipped with the 8-Speed Sport Direct Shift transmission with paddle shifts, originally developed for the RC F high-performance coupe. The rear wheel drive IS200t is the fi rst Lexus sedan to vary gear shifting in accordance to G-forces.

The IS200t returns a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 7.0 sec-onds. An innovative, combination of engine technologies has been

designed to provide a high level of responsiveness with minimal turbo lag and enhanced low speed torque, and yet return an improved fuel economy.

The Drive Mode Select feature in the IS200t can tailor powertrain response and other settings to suit conditions or the mood. The Nor-mal Mode off ers relaxing driving performance within the city and on the highway. The Eco Mode off ers controlled driving perfor-mance for optimum fuel economy, while the Sport/Sport S Mode of-fers a sporty driving feeling and ex-cellent acceleration performance. An additional driving mode, Sport S+ for F SPORT models only uses an Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) system and refi nes the pow-ertrain, so the driver can fi ne tune the ride for even more stability and fun when driving.

Featuring a breakthrough com-bination of water-cooled cylinder head, integrated exhaust manifold and twin scroll turbocharger, this all-new Lexus 2.0-litre turbo en-gine delivers fast throttle response, performance and high torque at low engine revs. For enhanced fuel economy, innovative valve timing (VVT-iW: Variable Valve Timing intelligent - Wide) allows the en-gine to switch between the Otto and Atkinson cycles.

D-4ST (Direct injection 4 stroke gasoline engine Superior ver-sion with Turbo) combines a high pressure fuel system for injection

directly into the cylinders with a low pressure system for injection into the ports. Injection is split be-tween the direct and port injectors according to the engine load, opti-mising fuel combustion in all driv-ing situations to enhance both low speed torque and fuel economy.

This advanced fuel injection system works in combination with turbocharging technology to create a high level of compatibil-ity between the ‘high tumble ratio’ achieved by optimising the shape of the cylinder head intake ports and the piston tops, and turbo ‘boost control’.

The power of design to create an emotional reaction has never been more apparent than in the IS200t. The exquisitely crafted form of this exceptional vehicle will evoke feelings of desire, anticipation and adrenaline-charged excitement. The IS200t looks fast and power-ful, even standing still.

From the front, the unique trademark spindle grille is elegant but aggressive and powerful. From the side, the lines of the car fl ow smoothly from the door sill up to the taillights in the rear which are angled down and out, with the rear spoiler integrated into the trunk lid’s trailing edge.

Drivers will love the interior with its exciting cockpit-like de-sign. The multi-way adjustable front seats are supportive and se-cure. The dashboard has an op-eration zone and a display zone, re-

ducing visual clutter and allowing drivers better situational aware-ness and control.

The cabin’s contemporary light-ing, premium materials, and other features suggest the highest qual-ity and luxury. The long wheelbase allows for more rear seat space and luggage capacity.

Customers can now turn the excitement up another level and get behind the wheel of the race-inspired F SPORT version of the IS200t. Its exclusive spindle grille is eye-catchingly bolder. The bot-tom corners of the front bumpers feature aerodynamic intakes that not only look great but enhance brake cooling. The unique 18-inch wheels’ Y-spoke design recalls the LFA. Interior trim detailing in-cludes an F SPORT steering wheel and shift knob, and aluminium pedals and scuff plates with the Lexus logo. Both the front and rear suspension systems and the Elec-tric Power Steering (EPS) are ex-clusively tuned. Optional Variable Gear Ratio Steering (VGRS) con-trols steering angle in accordance with vehicle speed and driver op-eration to realise better control at all speeds and improve driving feel during lane-changing and navigat-ing winding roads.

In Oman every Lexus vehicle comes with special benefi ts and privileges such as six years unlim-ited extended mileage protection and 24 hours on-road assistance from AAA.

The IS200t also

stands out with

its aggressive yet

elegant presence

and the brand’s

unmistakable spindle

grille, L-theme LED

daytime running

lights and dynamic

bodylines

‘Medical advancements helping people overcome age-related fertility issues’MUSCAT: With the medical sci-ence making rapid advancement every year, a lot of health issues previously considered ‘untreat-able’ are now easily resolved.

New techniques and technol-ogy have come a long way in solv-ing fertility problems and cou-ples are able to conceive despite the age factor, said Dr C. Geetha Haripriya, a fertility specialist at Prashanth Fertility Research Centre, India, , who is coming to Oman and will be available for consultation at Al Hayat Interna-tional Hospital on Sunday, March 20 after 10am.

“It is a well known fact that fertility decreases with age. For women, ovarian reserve, which indicates the capacity of the ovary to produce eggs, decreases after the age of 35. By the time women touch 35, it falls to 5 per cent. Among men, after the age of 47, fertility reduces and the prob-lem is compounded by factors of smoking, alcohol, stress, diabe-tes, hypertension and medication used to treat these ailments,” said Dr Geetha.

She further explained, the re-serve of the ovary is assessed by the evaluation of Antimuller-ian hormone (AMH) in blood and Antral follicles count in an ul-trasound study. Besides this, the follicular stimulating hormone (FSH), Leutinizing hormone (LH) and Estradiol (E2) assessed on the second day also contrib-utes to evaluating the ovarian re-serve. Though the reserve starts decreasing after the age of 35, currently there are a good num-ber of women in the age group of 30 – 35 years as well, who are showing an early evidence of di-minishing ovarian reserve. This could be genetic or due to a result of surgeries done on the ovaries for the removal of cysts, particu-larly endometriotic cysts, choco-late cysts or dermoid cysts.

Once a low reserve is identi-fi ed, it is advisable to go for IVF/ICSI right away. Currently, newer drugs are available to harvest

more eggs from the ovary and even if one or two eggs are col-lected in each cycle, they are fer-tilised and the embryos are cryo-preserved. Two or three cycles are completed at an interval of two to three months. The embry-os are selected and transferred into the uterus. Vitrifi cation (freezing) of embryos and do-ing a frozen embryo transfer has boosted pregnancy rates today.

“To improve the quality of the embryo, a new technique called cytoplasmic transfer is available, where the energy levels of an egg is improved by transferring the cytoplasm with the mitochon-dria. Since the nucleus is not disturbed, the baby is genetically related to the mother,” she added.

Among men, the impact of age is seen by doing a computerised semen analysis and a DNA frag-mentation. According to her, there are couples whose embry-os are of good quality but have repeated IVF failures. These men have structurally abnormal sperm and a high DNA fragmen-tation index may reveal a varico-cele, which can be corrected by a laparoscopic varicocelectomy. This problem can be solved by giving vitamins, minerals, trace elements and co-enzymes for a month or two. Lifestyle modifi ca-tion measures like cutting down smoking and alchohol, consum-ing fresh fruits and vegetables and bringing down sugar levels also help. Re-assessment of DNA fragmentation levels after a cou-ple of months can be done and when the levels are down to nor-mal, ICS can be done.

She concluded saying, “Today, newer strategies have helped in improving newer pregnancy rates to a great extent and the impact of age can be minimised considerably. However, timely intervention is still the fi rst step to be taken. As for deciding on the use of Assisted Reproductive Technology, the decision can be taken when women turn 35 and men turn 45.”

F E R T I L I T Y S P E C I A L I S T

BHC organises 2nd edition of ‘BreathEasy’ campaign MUSCAT: Bahwan Healthcare Centre (BHC) – a fl agship com-pany under Suhail Bahwan Group-recently organised the second edi-tion of ‘BreathEasy’ campaign for its employees.

The campaign was held at the group’s headquarters Al Rawaq Building in Qurum, in association with Cipla – a global pharmaceuti-cal manufacturing company.

Large number of employees registered and underwent the test conducted by specialists from

Cipla, says a press release.

Valuable informationHeld as part of its ongoing em-ployee engagement and welfare activities, the campaign aims at checking how well a person breathes and diagnosing the lung conditions of the individuals through a simple Spirometry test. The tests provide valuable infor-mation about the type of pulmo-nary defi cits of an individual and can be used to monitor diff erent

respiratory tract disorders. Dr Ashok Kumar Jain, chief med-

ical offi cer, Bahwan Medical Centre said: “This test is particularly use-ful for chronic smokers, persons having troublesome cough at night, wheezing or cough after exercise, chest tightness or cough after expo-sure to pollutants or persons with a family history of asthma. Once the results of the Spirometry test are known, we will be able to advise proper preventive and curative measures to the person.”

E M P L O Y E E E N G A G E M E N T

Renault Dokker Van comes with unmatched benefi tsMUSCAT: The Renault Dokker Van from Suhail Bahwan Au-tomobiles is a modern and effi -cient transportation solution for tradespersons and professional businesses. It is an aff ordable and practical commercial vehicle with a new modern design.

Spacious and impressive, the Renault Dokker Van aims to please, with an innate sense of practicality and versatility. It can take all kinds of loads, assisted by XL sliding sidedoors (more than 70cm wide) and two asymmetri-cal rear doors meeting the chal-lenges of transport and delivery with ingenuity and panache, says a press release.

Off er highlightCustomers will be entitled to receive assured cash gift of OMR500 on both Renault Dok-ker LE 1.6l M/T with and without partition along with other ben-efi ts that include free registra-tion and two years/30,000km free service (whichever is ear-lier). Customers will also receive free AAA/Road Assistance card for the fi rst year only and as supported by AAA Oman. The scheme is applicable for all cus-tomers purchasing Renault ve-hicles for personal use only.

The Renault Dokker Van moves with the times. Its economic en-gine, low CO2 emissions and re-spect for both the environment and your budget make it a truly model employee.

“The Dokker off ers functional-ity and at the same time comfort while demonstrating very clearly that Renault strives for excellence in manufacturing commercial cars just like it does with all other passenger vehicles,” commented a senior SBA spokesperson.

It also boasts of built-in radio and hands-free telephone system in addition to some very practical storage spaces in front for con-venience and in the back for bet-ter use of the space and boot or-

ganisation. The Dokker perfectly meets the needs of business own-ers since it can carry up to 750kg payloads and a volume upwards of 3.3m3.

Ready and willing to serve: Foldable and removable, the pas-senger seat shows its full ingenu-ity when the backrest folds down to form a temporary desk. When fully removed, it frees up extra space, increasing the loading vol-ume to 3.9 m3!

SBA is largely committed to supporting Renault Oman’s growth in the Sultanate through major emphasis on customer satisfaction and by providing world-class after-sales services in Oman.

P R O M O T I O N

Sohar Aluminium recognises 2015 Mumtaz Club achieversMUSCAT: Sohar Aluminium (SA) organised a ‘Mumtaz Club’ gala at Majan Hall recently.

The event was held to recognise more than 500 of SA’s employees who contributed to all the pillars of the company’s business strat-egy and scored points in their 2015 Mumtaz Club Passport, says a press release.

The Mumtaz Club is an employ-ee recognition scheme that has been tailored to fi t SA’s culture by being dynamic and giving a chance to everyone on site to participate in it. Employees are awarded points for proposing ideas and ini-

tiating actions for improvements in operations and processes, and participating in events and volun-teering actions.

Employees who gained more than 100 points were invited to the event. Eng. Said bin Mohamed Al Masoudi, CEO of Sohar Alu-minium welcomed all the audi-ence in the presence of the execu-tive committee, the management team, and employees.

The CEO addressed a speech to the gathering at the beginning of the event in which he said, “We are happy to see so many employees contributing to all the aspects of

our business strategy and making improvements on effi ciency gains in our operations and propose cost saving initiatives as well as plant sustainability. I would like to thank you all for your diligence to chase challenges and excellence,

and I encourage you to continue being engaged.”

Faisal Al Balushi, manager of Human Resources Administra-tion said, “In its new format, the Mumtaz Club has witnessed very active participation. This is a

source of pride for us and it illus-trates the success of this scheme which was created to recognise and appreciate your eff orts and steer them towards the vision of the company to be the best.”

A special Mumtaz Club achiev-ers video was screened during the function which featured testimo-nials from some of the employees in recognition of their eff orts to-wards the company’s success.

Special awards were also pre-sented to employees who were chosen as the best contributors towards the objectives of each of the business strategy pillars which

are: Environment, health and safe-ty, people, productivity, fi nancial strength, corporate citizenship, and customers. These employees were selected through a rigorous process of nomination and selec-tion by the SA management.

During the gala celebration, em-ployees who completed 10 years of service with SA were also recog-nised for their spirit of devotion and loyalty towards the company.

Throughout the Mumtaz gala, exciting prizes were drawn from a raffl e box including smartphones, tablet computers and the bumper prize being a Polaris dune buggy.

E M P L O Y E E R E C O G N I T I O N

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RECRUIT

QUOTES

Ideals are like stars;

you will not succeed

in touching them with

your hands. But like

the seafaring man on

the desert of waters,

you choose them

as your guides, and

following them you will

reach your destiny.

— Carl Schurz

The human story does

not always unfold

like a mathematical

calculation on the

principle that two

and two make four.

Sometimes in life

they make five or

minus three; and

sometimes the

blackboard topples

down in the middle

of the sum and leaves

the class in disorder

and the pedagogue

with a black eye.

— Winston Churchill

Perfection is achieved,

not when there is

nothing more to add,

but when there is

nothing left to

take away.

— Antoine de Saint-

Exupéry

Try as hard as we may

for perfection, the net

result of our labours

is an amazing variety

of imperfectness. We

are surprised at our

own versatility in

being able to fail

in so many

different ways.

— Samuel McChord

Crothers

QUOTES

A positive attitude

may not solve all your

problems, but it will

annoy enough people to

make it worth the effort.

— Herm Albright

He who has so little

knowledge of human

nature as to seek

happiness by changing

anything but his own

disposition will waste

his life in fruitless

efforts.

— Samuel Johnson

Let us rise up and be

thankful, for if we didn’t

learn a lot today, at least

we learned a little, and if

we didn’t learn a little, at

least we didn’t get sick,

and if we got sick, at

least we didn’t die; so,

let us all be thankful.

— Buddha

Make your optimism

come true.

— Author unknown

Sohar Islamic sponsors Quran contestMUSCAT: With its focus on ac-tively supporting community initi-atives, Sohar Islamic, Bank Sohar’s dedicated Islamic Banking Win-dow, has sponsored the 4th Annual Quran Memorising Competition.

This marks the second time the bank has sponsored the competi-tion; having previously sponsored the competition in 2014. The com-petition, which began registrations in December 2015, started its semi-fi nal phase end of February where the fi nals are set to take place in June 2016, says a press release.

Commenting on the sponsor-ship, Salim Khamis Saif Al Maska-ri, DGM and head of Sohar Islamic said: “This sponsorship by Sohar Is-lamic is yet another proactive eff ort that aims to support and develop the Islamic culture of our beloved country and foster spiritual aware-ness among our children. Through our support of this contest we wish to do our part in encouraging youngsters to read and understand the messages of the Holy Quran and to embrace, implement and spread its religious values.”

Organised by Kaab bin Zayed School, this year’s competition has been split into two separate con-tests. The fi rst is an open compe-tition for students of all ages, both male and female. For this contest, OMR1,000 will be presented to the fi rst place student who memorises the entire Quran. Second place, worth OMR500, will go to a stu-dent that memorises half of the Quran; while the third place, worth OMR300, will go to a student who memorises a third of the Quran.

The second contest is of a much

larger scale, with students from 56 schools in the Wilayat of Seeb vy-ing for top honours in four catego-ries based on their grade. Students from Grades I to IV, V to VII, VIII to IX, and X to XII, will have to show-case their skill of memorising sev-eral Quran verses of their choice respectively. The winners of each category will win OMR1,000 each. The qualifi ers for both these con-tests have already been completed in February, with the fi nals taking place in June at the Princes Palace Hall in Al Hail south.

“We are pleased to support a contest such as this that bring us closer to the community and con-tribute towards the spiritual and cultural development of our youth. On behalf of the bank I would like to wish all the contestants the best of luck in the upcoming fi nals in the holy month of Ramadan,” add-ed Salim Khamis Al Maskari.

Launched in 2013, Sohar Is-lamic has a comprehensive range of banking solutions that cover a wide array of retail and corporate fi nancing needs.

This marks the

second time Bank

Sohar has sponsored

the 4th Annual

Quran Memorising

Competition

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Meethaq wins Best Bank, Sovereign Deal awards

MUSCAT: Meethaq, the pioneer of Islamic banking in Oman from Bank Muscat, has won two pres-tigious awards in recognition of vital contributions to Islamic banking in Oman.

Meethaq won the Best Islamic Bank in Oman award and the Sov-ereign Deal of the Year award by Islamic Finance News (IFN) at the awards ceremony held in Dubai, says a press release.

The Islamic Finance News awards recognise and celebrate success and contributions of in-dividuals and institutions in the Islamic fi nancial services industry across the world.

Sulaiman Al Harthy, deputy chief executive offi cer – Islamic Banking, said: “Meethaq is hon-oured to be chosen for the two important awards in recognition of vital contributions to Islamic banking and fi nance in Oman.

The successful sovereign Sukuk issuance by the government of Oman is a signifi cant milestone for Meethaq and we are grateful to the government for the confi dence re-posed in the bank to be associated with it. The success of Meethaq stems from its commitment to of-fer world-class Islamic banking service to customers.”

The debut OMR250 million Sukuk issuance by the Govern-ment of Oman marked the fi rst ever issuance of Sharia compliant paper by the Government of Oman. The sovereign Sukuk issuance was well received by investors and was a step towards further developing Oman’s capital market.

Congratulating Meethaq on its achievements, IFN noted that in what was a challenging year for the global fi nancial markets, and with turbulence and volatility from which the Islamic fi nancial indus-try did not escape, the Sharia com-pliant capital markets saw another exceptional year marked by land-mark deals, maiden entries, im-pressive resilience and new levels of innovation and sophistication.

In about three years of opera-tions, Meethaq has attained the leading position in Islamic bank-ing industry in the Sultanate in terms of fi nancing receivables, branch network, products and ser-vices, IT infrastructure develop-ment and human resources. The bank plays a key role in fi nancing projects of national signifi cance, thereby contributing to the growth and development of the economy.

Al Harthy said: “Meethaq is contributing signifi cantly to the growth and development of the Omani banking sector and we are witnessing an upswing in Islamic fi nance and investment compat-ible with the provisions of Sha-ria laws. We see a growing interest among retail and corporate clients to take advantage of the new op-portunities off ered by Islamic banking and fi nance.”

As the leading Islamic fi nancial services provider in the Sultan-ate, Meethaq has many achieve-ments relating to fi nancing major projects in various fi elds, thereby contributing to the growth and development of the Sultanate’s

economy. The notable fi nance fa-cilities off ered by Meethaq include the refi nancing facility of OMR78 million signed with Oman Ship-ping Company for its three very large crude carriers (VLCCs). Meethaq also extended the only Sharia based aircraft fi nance to the national carrier Oman Air for acquiring its second Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Meethaq is focused on devel-oping as a benchmark Islamic fi -nancial institution in Oman and the region. Meethaq off ers a full suite of Islamic banking products and services, including savings account, current account, home fi nance, auto fi nance, credit card, mobile banking and Internet banking. Presently, Meethaq has 18 branches across the Sultanate and plans to expand the network as well as launch new products and services to complement the unique Islamic banking experi-ence. The bank has invested in staff , systems and controls to en-sure the service is delivered in a professional, segregated and fully Sharia compliant manner.

Meethaq won the

Best Islamic Bank

in Oman award and

the Sovereign Deal

of the Year award by

Islamic Finance News

(IFN) at a ceremony

held in Dubai

omanoil initiative set to hone capabilities of charitable organisationsMUSCAT: Oman Oil Marketing Company (omanoil) joined hands with the Omani Network of Volun-teers (Taawon), to launch ‘Majalis Al Ata’, a specialised programme designed to hone the capabilities and capacities of administrators in over 10 charitable organisations across the Sultanate.

The year-long programme will deliver a series of workshops on planning and organisational management, volunteer pro-gramme management and hu-man resource management, pro-viding industry best practices and insights on how to enhance the service off ering within the not-for-profi t entities, says a press release.

An agent of change and de-velopment, omanoil has over the past decade, dedicated its recourses to spearhead commu-nity-centric programmes and initiatives that have generated sustainable social, environmen-tal and economic returns. The ‘Majalis Al Ata’ programme rep-resents an extension to its un-wavering commitment to Oman and its people and promises even greater future rewards.

“A home-grown establishment, we consider ourselves a partner in the Sultanate’s socio-econom-ic growth and always ensure that our ambition and objectives are directed towards the develop-ment of Oman,” explained Jaber Sulaiman Al Busaidi, Corporate Aff airs manager at Oman Oil Marketing Company. “Taawon, as a network of volunteers, has access to a pool of professional and expert individuals from vari-ous disciplines spread across the country. Founded on these valu-able resources, ‘Majalis Al Ata’ will create a platform for knowl-edge sharing and collaboration

that will ultimately result in the advancement of key associations in Oman.”

Participating organisations in the programme include the Omani Association for Elderly Friends, the Oman Road Safety Association, the Al Noor Asso-ciation for the Blind, the Oman Autism Society, the Oman Asso-ciation for Consumer Protection, the Oman Diabetes Association, the Early Intervention Centre for Children with Disability as well as the Omani Women’s Asso-ciations in Seeb, Muscat, Qurum and Quriyat.

Established in 2010, Taawon today has over 7,500 registered trained volunteers working hand-in-hand to raise awareness on the importance of volunteer-ism and social responsibility.

Speaking at the launch of ‘Ma-jalis Al Ata’, Mariam Al Hashmi, programme supervisor, high-lighted the importance of this platform in training and devel-oping volunteer associations in Oman. She explained that in addition to the workshops, the team will be conducting site vis-its to the various organisations to provide specialised consultation. The fi rst workshop on planning and organisational management was completed following the launch, with the second and third scheduled to be held in June and September of this year.

omanoil works tirelessly to in-stil a culture of social responsibil-ity that goes beyond the company walls. To date, the company’s so-cial initiatives, include road safe-ty programmes, environmental protection and awareness cam-paigns, blood donation drives, and fuel station safety schemes, all aimed at enhancing the quality of life of people in the Sultanate.

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

Don’t litter a beautiful

country like OMAN.

Ensure proper disposalof garbage.

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM

SPOR SY O U R G A M E

SECTIONC W E D N E S DAY, M A R C H 1 6, 2 0 1 6

NAGPUR: Kane Williamson’s gamble to compromise on speed and pick three specialist spinners paid off as New Zealand humbled hosts India by 47 runs in a spin-

dominated Super 10 contest of the World Twenty20 on Tuesday.

Opting to bat fi rst, New Zealand posted 126 for seven in the Group Two contest on a prodigiously

turning track at Nagpur’s VCA Sta-dium, seemingly a below-par total against the host nation who are famed for their profi ciency against spin bowling.

New Zealand’s three-pronged spin attack, however, ensured it was more than enough as Mitchell Sat-ner (4 for 11), Nathan McCullum (2 for 15) and the Indian-origin Ish Sodhi (3 for 18) wrecked the hosts who folded for 79 in 18.1 overs.

The fi rst three balls of the match contained the kind of drama and

excitement that fans would be ex-pecting from the sixth edition of the tournament in cricket’s emo-tional and fi nancial home in India.

Crucial blowAfter Williamson won the toss and decided to set a target, Martin Gup-till nonchalantly hit the fi rst deliv-ery from Ravichandran Ashwin over the bowler’s head for a six.

The off -spinner settled score in the very next ball, trapping the batsman leg before with a delivery

that, replay suggested, would have gone over the stumps.

New man in Colin Munro re-verse hit the next ball for a six but threw his wicket in the next over.

As wickets kept tumbling at the other end, Corey Anderson (34) tried to steady the innings and it was Luke Ronchi’s (21 not out) 11-ball cameo that took them past the 125-mark.

The Indian fans expected the chase to be a stroll in the park but McCullum and Santner had other

ideas. They blew away India’s top order, reducing them to 26 for four wickets in the fi fth over to derail their chase.

Virat Kohli (23) resisted the onslaught for a while but Sodhi struck a crucial blow with his very fi rst ball to send back the Indian batting mainstay.

Home captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni waged a lone battle with a run-a-ball 30 but the celebrated ‘fi nisher’ could not get his team over the line. - Reuters

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From unknowns to be known ... a giant leap for Oman CricketT.K. MOHANDOSS [email protected]

DHARAMSALA: From un-knowns to being knowns has been the major achievement for Oman Cricket and after their ‘mixed bag’ show in the ICC World T20 tour-nament grew quite a lot of curious minds, who wanted to know more about the nation and the develop-ment of the game.

As a lone journalist from Oman, yours truly indeed was a focal point and the questions of curios-ity had to be answered elaborately and eloquently.

Pleased with what they heard about the recent development of the game in Oman and the way players shunt between offi ce and ground almost every day and the structure of the game, it was a de-light to watch the Indian media and the Bangladeshi media and some across the world go gaga on Oman and its cricket.

Some followed Oman’s players to do special interviews and the percentage of coverage increased when the Sultanate team sur-prised the world with a win over

Ireland in their fi rst match of the tournament. The debut saw left-arm spinner Ajay Lalcheta creat-ing a record with the fi rst ever per-formance of bowling a maiden in the fi rst over of the match.

Zeeshan Maqsood’s spectacular catch, which topped the ICC video charts, was another feature of the stunning win over Ireland. And to sum it all, the diminutive Amir Ali smashed his way to a man of the match award with a spectacu-lar knock. These eff orts turned Oman cricketers into heroes with every scribe present there running behind the stars of Oman’s win over Ireland.

Apart from the twitterati go-ing wild, the cricket websites and the top newspapers of India high-lighted everything about cricket in Oman, which was unprecedented in the past. For a change the focus of the world was Oman and the reason being cricket.

From the days of cricket on ce-mented tracks to turf wickets and grass grounds, cricket in Oman has come a long way and making history on world stage has been the icing on the cake. One may call

them amateurs, but coach Duleep Mendis describes them as semi-professionals, but it is hoped that things will turn professional, espe-cially after this achievement.

This Oman team may have only one national (citizen) Sufyan Me-hmood but who knows, with the country being put into limelight, there might be more ‘Sufyans’ hov-ering around eagerly waiting to represent the country.

When Oman beat Ireland, it was Sufyan who celebrated the most, despite not being in the playing eleven. His enthusiasm is sure to lure in more citizen cricketers into the game.

Another player who drew atten-tion from the Indian media was Oman’s own ‘slinger’ Munis Ansa-ri. The writers started comparing

him with Sri Lanka’s Lasith Mal-inga and also went to the extent of saying that he was India’s loss in the fast bowling department.

Ansari became the target of cu-riosity when he bamboozled Ire-land’s Kevin O’Brien with a sling-ing toe crusher.

Kevin himself later admitted that he couldn’t see the ball as it came from close to the umpire’s shirt. Another factor highlighted was Oman’s bonhomie. Despite being diff erent nationalities, the team hardly looked divided on those lines.

Coach Duleep Mendis categori-cally stated that there is no diff er-ences in the team.

“We are all one ... we play for one nation ... we are determined to do well,” said Mendis. “Be it India, Pa-

kistan and Sri Lanka, we have many things in common and at the same time cricket is in our blood,” he said.

Jatinder Singh is another Oman player, who has been the darling of media wherever he went and over-heard were criticisms when the Ludhiana-born boy was dropped for the washed out match against the Netherlands.

There were Oman Cricket board members and fans celebrating Oman’s performance on eve of the match against Bangladesh, but unifi ed they were when question-ing the broadcasters for showing very little highlights on Oman’s win over Ireland.

The pride of seeing Oman’s na-tional anthem being sung on the ground and also the pride of Oman winning on world stage was so im-mense that it triggered a patriotic passion with everyone linked to Oman Cricket.

What next?In two months time, Oman will play in yet another ICC event, the World Cricket League Division V. To be recalled Oman were in Divi-sion II of the WCL some years ago

and had also participated in the 50-over ICC World Cup qualifi er in 2009, but thereafter it has been a downward slide.

With the new confi dence of playing in the world T20 behind them, Oman’s mission will be now to gain the offi cial ODI status by progressing well in the WCL.

However, Oman could be in trouble of fi nding players who can fi t in the criteria of minimum sev-en years for players.

In Twenty20 the limit is only four years, while in the 50-over format the ICC requirement is much stricter.

Can Oman fi nd players falling under the ICC requirement is a question, but if the board peeks into areas below the top divisions, they are bound to fi nd some good talents, who can serve the game and nations.

In Division V, Oman will be playing against Jersey, who are the hosts, on May 21 followed by Nige-ria on May 22, Vanuatu on May 24, Tanzania on May 25 and Guernsey on May 27. Oman’s climb in the 50-over format will be keenly watched from now on.

M A J O R A C H I E V E M E N T

The pride of seeing Oman’s national anthem being sung

on the ground and also the pride of Oman winning on

world stage was so immense that it triggered a patriotic

passion with everyone linked to Oman Cricket

New Zealand humble India

Opting to bat fi rst, New Zealand posted 126

for seven and then bowled out India for 79

NEW ZEALANDM. Guptill lbw Ashwin 6K. Williamson st Dhoni b Raina 8C. Munro c Pandya b Nehra 7C. Anderson b Bumrah 34Ross Taylor run out 10M. Santner c Dhoni b Jadeja 18Grant Elliott run out 9Luke Ronchi (not out) 21Nathan McCullum (not out) 0Extras (b-4, lb-3, w-6) 13Total (7 wkts; 20 overs) 126Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-13, 3-35, 4-61, 5-89, 6-98, 7-114.

Bowling: Ravichandran Ashwin 4-0-32-1; Ashish Nehra 3-1-20-1; Jasprit Bumrah 4-0-15-1; Suresh Raina 4-0-16-1; Ravindra Jadeja 4-0-26-1; Hardik Pandya 1-0-10-0.

INDIAR. Sharma st Ronchi b Santner 5S. Dhawan lbw McCullum 1V. Kohli c Ronchi b Sodhi 23S. Raina c Guptill b Santner 1Yuvraj c&b McCullum 4MS Dhoni c McCullum b Santner 30Hardik Pandya lbw Santner 1R. Jadeja c&b Sodhi 0R. Ashwin st Ronchi b Sodhi 10Ashish Nehra b Milne 0Jasprit Bumrah (not out) 0Extras (w 3, nb 1) 4Total (all out; 18.1 overs) 79Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-10, 3-12, 4-26, 5-39, 6-42, 7-43, 8-73, 9-79.Bowling: N. McCullum 3-0-15-2; C. Anderson 3-0-18-0; Santner 4-0-11-4; G. Elliott 2-0-9-0; A. Milne 2.1-0-8-1; I. Sodhi 4-0-18-3.

DRAMATIC WIN: New Zealand’s leg-spin bowler Ish Sodhi, centre, celebrates with teammates after

dismissing India’s Ravindra Jadeja during their World T20 match at the Vidarbha Cricket Association

Stadium in Nagpur on Tuesday. – AFP

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Amir Ali in Chennai to undergo tests for suspect bowling actionT.K. [email protected]

DHARAMSALA: Oman’s off -spinner Amir Ali, who has been reported by umpires for suspect bowling action, will undergo tests in south Indian city of Chennai.

According to Oman Cricket sources, Amir Ali has already reached Chennai and is accom-panied by team physiotherapist Jaganathan Premnath.

After the tests in Chennai, the duo are scheduled to return to Muscat on Thursday.

Amir Ali played a stellar role in Oman’s sensational victory over

Ireland in a Group A preliminary round match of the ICC World T20 here on March 9.

However, the off -spinner was re-ported for a suspect bowling action during Oman’s fi nal group match against Bangladesh on Sunday.

An ICC statement, issued after Oman’s match against Bangladesh, said the match offi cials’ report cit-ed concerns about the legality of the 37-year-old’s bowling action.

Amir had also been reported in the past and normally his suspect action comes when he bowls the faster one. Now since he is playing the offi cial matches, it is absolutely necessary for him to get the clear-ance, though he can continue to bowl in the international matches until the test results are known.

It is now imperative for Oman Cricket to educate Oman cricket-ers and make them understand the laws of cricket.

I C C W O R L D T 2 0

Amir Ali

Mercurial Pakistan vs enigmatic Bangladesh

KOLKATA: Their arrival itself was mired in drama and a mercu-rial Pakistan would look to bring the focus back on their cricket when they take on an enigmatic Bangladesh in what promises to be an engrossing World Twen-ty20 Super 10 Group 2 encounter here on Wednesday.

Pakistan arrived later than planned in India owing to secu-rity concerns of their government and managed to trigger a furore barely a day after landing here.

The team’s captain Shahid Af-ridi is in the eye of a storm after stating that Pakistani players are loved more in India than their own country. Last known, he had been issued a legal notice for the comments, which have been called shameful by former cap-tain Javed Miandad.

Amid this off -fi eld drama, the Pakistani players will take the fi eld, eyeing revenge for the hu-miliating loss to Bangladesh in the recent Asia Cup.

But Bangladesh would be no

pushovers as they are riding high after making the fi nal of the con-tinental event, which was won by India eventually. Also, the team showed good form during the World T20 qualifi ers to make the main draw with ease.

Bangladesh stormed into the Super 10s after beating Oman by 54 runs by D/L method in their last qualifying match in Dharam-sala on Sunday.

With that win, Bangladesh joined India, New Zealand, Paki-stan and Australia in a pool billed as ‘Group of Death’.

Left-handed opener Tamim Iqbal showed how brutal he can be

when he hammered Oman bowlers to become Bangladesh’s maiden centurion in the shortest format.

Their ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan also put up a sizzling show on his way to picking a career-best four for 25 with his tidy left-arm spin in the do-or-die game and contributed with a cameo of 17 from nine balls.

Having known the conditions here like the back of his hand, the Kolkata Knight Riders spinner would lead the attack, while Bang-ladesh would hope that their left-arm pacer Mustafi zur Rahman re-covers from his side strain, which had ruled him out of Asia Cup. - PTI

Amid off -fi eld drama,

the Pakistani players

will take the fi eld,

eyeing revenge for

the humiliating loss

to Bangladesh in

the recent Asia Cup

MUMBAI: With a plethora of players plying their trade in professional leagues around the world, West Indies will take on a well-balanced England in what could be a potentially close Super 10 Group 1 fi xture of the ICC World Twenty20 here on Wednesday.

The Caribbean charm-ers, who clinched the title in 2012, have a string of all-round cricketers to bank upon as they seek to estab-lish themselves again among the top-notch teams in the shortest format of the game.

England, on the other hand, have the wherewithal

to stop the marauders from the West Indies to continue their pursuit of a second World T20 crown after es-tablishing themselves as the champions in 2010.

Both the sides go into the match after victories in warm-up games. While West Indies lost to India but managed to stun Australia, while England won both their matches against New Zealand and Mumbai.

It all may boil down to how the two teams play against the spin bowlers on a Wankhede Stadium track that could off er some turn and bounce. - PTI

West Indies face England

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SPORTSW E D N E S DAY, M A R C H 1 6, 2 0 1 6

Ahmad eyes success at Blancpain GT Series

A. SESHAGIRI [email protected]

MUSCAT: Oman Racing Team’s Ahmad Al Harthy is hoping for a successfull season as the Sultan-ate’s fi rst circuit racer focusses on the Blancpain GT Series Endur-ance Race in 2016.

With a new sponsor joining the team and an old one return-ing to the fold, the Omani star is eagerly looking forward to the new season, to achieve success on the track as well as promote the brands that support him and the country at the world stage.

Speaking at a ceremony organ-ised at Barr Al Jissah — his new partners — to brief the media about his racing programme for 2016, the Omani star expressed satisfaction at what he achieved in his ten career so far, how the 2015 turned out to be a strong year and his expectations at the Blanc-pain GT Series.

“I should say the ten years I been racing have been very satis-fying for me. In terms of achieve-ments, to race in some of the toughest competitions in Europe and to fi nish on top on few occa-sions has defi nitely been very sat-isfying,” the talented Omani said.

“The 2015 has especially been a very strong year for me. The year

ended with Aston Martin showing trust in Oman Racging Team and in me, and I was able to compete in Abu Dhabi,” he said referring to his debut in a Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 in the Gulf 12 hours at the Yas Marina circuit.

“And Aston Martin chose me as the brand ambassador for Middle East and North Africa during the year and I am very proud of that.”

The Omani racer said he is now looking forward to the new season to achieve good results in the As-ton Martin V12 Vantage GT3 and in the company of British drivers Jonny Adam and Devon Modell.

“We will be competing in the Blancpain Endurance Cup this year too with the Oman Racing Team. It is the biggest GT racing championship in the world,” said Ahmad. “We are happy to have experienced Jonny Adam in the squad. He is a fantastic driver and we are delighted he is back. Devon Modell is a young British talent with a growing reputation.

“So we not only have a very bal-anced team but also the one our competitors fear most. And that kind of reputation, I belive, is good for the entire squad and that boosts our chances of success.”

New sponsorThe Omani racer thanked his backers for supporting him for another season. “I would like to thank the Ministry of Sports Af-fairs, they have been behind me from day one of my career. So are Oman Air and National Bank of Oman, who have been with me since 2009 and 2010 respectively.

“I am also delighted with Om-antel’s decision to return to the team. We are also welcoming a new parner in Barr Al Jissa.”

Asked whether there are any plans to expand his racing pro-gramme as the season progresses, Ahmad said: “It depends on the sponsors and the schedule. But as of now we are focussed on Blanc-pain GT Series Endurance Race. I hope to fl y the Omani fl ag in this series and promote the brands of my sponsors and the country as a whole with my participation and achievements.”

Five-round seriesGiving details of his participa-tion in the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Race, he will be taking part in the fi ve-round series in one of the world’s most famous and iconic racing circuits.’

The fi ve-round series begins with a race at the world famous Monza circuit in Italy on April 23 and 24. The second round at the iconic Silverstone circuit in Great Britain on May 14 and 15 will be followed by rounds at Cir-cuit Paul Ricard (June 24 and 25) in France, Spa-Francorchamps (July 30 and 31) in Belgium and Nurburgring (September 17 and 18) in Germany.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Sports Aff airs offi cials and the representatives of sponsors also expressed delight in supporting the Omani hero

Mohammed Al Shikely, Vice-President Marketing at Oman Air, said: “We are absolutely delighted to continue being the key sponsor to our Omani international star as he continues to raise the Omani fl ag in the UK, Europe and other circuits in the Middle East.”

Fahd Al Raisi, Director General at the Ministry of Sports Aff airs, John Chang, General Manager and Chief Retail Banking Offi cer at NBO, Barr Al Jissah CEO Fi-ras Matraji and Hamdan Moosa Al Harasi, Acting Vice-President Corporate Strategy at Omantel, also spoke on the occasion.

With a new sponsor

joining the team and

an old one returning

to the fold, Ahmad

Al Harthy is eagerly

looking forward to

the new season

NEW SEASON: Oman Racing Team’s Ahmad Al Harthy, third right, poses for a photo along with the

representatives of his sponsors at Barr Al Jissah on Tuesday. – JUN ESTRADA/Times of Oman

Under-fi re Afridi skips practice

KOLKATA: A day after creat-ing a furore back home with his “love for India” statement, Pa-kistani skipper Shahid Afridi on Tuesday skipped the team’s training session, citing “fever”, ahead of their ICC World Twen-ty20 opener against Bangladesh.

For his statement that he got “more love” in India than in Pakistan, Afridi received much fl ak back home on Monday with the legendary Javed Mianadad blasting him “shame on you”.

Afridi, meanwhile, sought to douse the fi re by saying that he did not intend to demean his nation and was merely trying to give a “positive message” by showing respect to the fans here.

Pakistani head coach Waqar Younis however said it’s nothing to do with the controversy and added: “It’s not like that. He was not feeling well in the morning... So it’s better to take rest. It’s hot and humid out there.”

Later, giving an update on Afridi, Pakistani team manager Intikhab Alam said he was run-ning fever in the morning.

“He over trained himself yesterday. He’s had slight fever in the morning and we opted to give him rest,” Alam said as the rest of the Pakistani camp trained for more than two hours in the morning. - PTI

C R I C K E T

OSA HOSTS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGThe Oman Swimming Association (OSA) hosted the

Annual General Meeting under the chairmanship of as-

sociation chief Taha bin Sulaiman Al Kishry at the Oman

Olympic Committee (OOC) Headquarters on Tuesday. The

meeting reviewed and approved the report of the Board

of Directors on activities of last year. It also discussed the

plans for the future and the budget for the current year.

C4

SPORTSW E D N E S DAY, M A R C H 1 6, 2 0 1 6

How is testing going ahead of the World En-durance Championship

(WEC) Championships?It’s going really good. The condi-tions here are great. To get a good track at this time of year is diffi cult but this (Yas Marina Circuit) is a good track for us in terms of stable conditions and nearby hotels for mechanics after a long day so the guys can rest. You hear the car running a lot, it’s got good mileage and that’s important for us. Every lap you do you learn a bit more and it just keeps adding up. So, so far so good! I’ve done a lot of driving.

Did you work on the setup here in Abu Dhabi?Yeah, a little bit. We played with

a few things. It’s really a week for Michelin because they have a large allocation of tyres to test and to produce for the start of the sea-son. You cannot ring Michelin up two weeks before Silverstone and say there are some tyres we want, because there are 50 or 60 sets of tires so for them it is diffi cult.

Is the car more driveable in comparison to last year?We made great progress with the car last year. The one-two at Le Mans was a great result and a bit of a surprise but a beauti-ful one. Then after that we really made the proper steps in terms of beating Audi on the short tracks — that was a big validation for us. Now, we no longer have the big

gains that we would have found last year. We are still learning but we really have to get into the de-tails. Last year we found fi ve sec-onds a lap but now it is diffi cult to fi nd this amount of time because the car is really quite good!

Is it more diffi cult from the technical side or is it a dif-

ferent job compared to Formula One?When you look at 20 years from when I started in 1997, a lot has changed. It still needs a driver to push the car to the limit but for sure it is more technical and prob-ably a little bit less involved for the driver now. I know some young drivers coming through now that

don’t know how to heel and toe be-cause they don’t need to, but that’s just how these things work.

It will be another tough season for you in terms of the champi-onship, with the new Audi and new Toyota.We will have a look at the Prologue (at Circuit Paul Ricard in France for the offi cial pre-season test) and see what happens there, but even then you don’t get the bigger picture. Sil-verstone is so diff erent to Le Mans. We have the sprint races and of course now we have Mexico joining as well, but generally Le Mans is on its own in terms of car performance, car reliability and operationally for the team. It’s not just the 24 hour race, you have to get everything

ready for the car. So both, Audi and Toyota, have to be strong. We are very respectful of them. Toyota were the champions the year before in 2014 and they did it easily.

What is it like for drivers com-ing from F1 to get into Endur-ance Racing?It’s not easy to get in. Seats are limited and the system is such that they are taking guys on talent, rath-er than paid drivers. You are really looking at that next wave of drivers. But the opportunities are pretty limited. I would like to believe that F1 has bottomed out and you’ll see a lot more talent coming back on and I think that is good for the sport, and for that reason you will see less drivers trying to leave F1.

M O T O R S P O R T

Mark Webber speaks

about his preparations

for the World Endurance

Championship 2016

OFA to host Copa Coca-Cola football tourney in MayMUSCAT: The Oman Football Association (OFA) in association with Coca-Cola Middle East will organise the Copa Coca-Cola, the annual youth football tourna-ment, in May.

According to a press release is-sued by the OFA on Tuesday, the Copa Coca-Cola is a concept that takes place across the world and is for the age groups 13-15.

Oman will be hosting a one off event on May 7 at Seeb Sports Stadium with the OFA Events Team handling the event on be-half of Coca-Cola.

Teams of six players can enter the tournament and registra-tion is done via the OFA website (www.ofa.om) with registration being available form the fi rst week of April.

The winning team will receive an invite to train in front of the Oman Under 14 national team coach, who has recently returned from a successful trip to Saudi Arabia where the Oman Under 14 team won the Asian festival.

Nic Cartwright, OFA Commer-cial Director, said: “Our events team are very busy undertaking a good number of activities across the Sultanate.

“The interest has been very

good and it is great news that Co-ca-Cola will be working with on this. The larger Copa Coca-Cola will take place later this year – this is an extra date in our calen-dar that we are looking forward.”

Tolga Cebe, Marketing Direc-tor at Coca-Cola Middle East, commented: “Copa Coca-Cola is more than a game. It’s an oppor-tunity for teens to be active while playing the sport they love.”

“We have been working with Oman Football Association for the upcoming Copa Coca-Cola football tournament and look for-ward to an engaging tournament uniting everyone with one com-mon goal — to celebrate football,” he added.

Copa Coca-Cola is an interna-tional youth football tournament and a global celebration of foot-ball passion.

It unites more than one million teens in over 60 countries around the world, promoting an active lifestyle and encouraging values that are the foundation of life and sportsmanship.

It’s about team spirit, friend-ship and respect. Keep your eye on the OFA website (www.ofa.om) for full details of upcom-ing events.

O N E O F F E V E N T

‘It’s not easy for F1 drivers to get into Endurance Racing’

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM

LeisureSECTIONC L I F E STY L E W E D N E S DAY, M A R C H 1 6, 2 0 1 6

EXTREMEACTION

THE LINE UP

• Alinghi (SUI)• Land Rover BAR Academy (GBR)• Oman Air (OMA)• Red Bull Sailing Team (AUT)• Sail Portugal (POR)• SAP Extreme Sailing Team (DEN)• Team Turx (TUR)• CHINA One

Get to the sunshine and sea breeze and watch extreme action as the global sailing circuit opens its 2016 season in Muscat today

EVENT SCHEDULE

Thursday 17 March10:00 Land Rover Experience

Zone Opens11:00 Race Village Opens14:00 – 14:45 Pro Am Racing15:00 – 17:30 Stadium Racing18:00 Land Rover Experience

Zone Closes18:00: Race Village Close

Friday 18 March10:00 Land Rover Experience

Zone Opens11:00 Race Village Opens11:00 – 11:40 Optimist Racing

with Sailors14:00 – 14:45 Pro Am Racing15:00 – 17:30 Stadium Racing18:00 Land Rover Experience

Zone Closes18:00 Race Village Closes

Saturday 19 March10:00 Land Rover Experience

Zone Opens11:00 Race Village Opens14:00 – 14:45 Pro Am Racing15:00 – 17:00 Stadium Racing17:30 Prize-giving Ceremony18:00 Land Rover Experience

Zone Closes18:00 Race Village Closes

The Extreme Sailing Se-ries will start a land-mark season this year with the Sultanate host-

ing the fi rst Act of 2016 season on Wednesday. It is for the fi rst time in its 10-year history the Extreme Sailing Series is set to go foiling as the 2016 season kicks off in Mus-cat. Eight teams of the world’s fi n-est sailors, from 14 diff erent na-tions, return to the stunning venue of Almouj Golf Course for four days of the intense battle. Some of the world’s renowned sailing athletes are set to descend to Muscat to be part of a stunning showcase from March 16 to 19. Hosting the Extreme fl eet, Oman delivered near perfect conditions for the start with brilliant sun-shine, blue skies and a light and puff y seven-knot breeze.

The new season marks not just the introduction of super-fast foiling on GC32 catamarans, but also innovations in race format including a new coastal race and match racing, that complement the core proposition of the Series, its unique Stadium Racing format. The introduction of a fl eet of ultra-fast, GC32 hydro-foiling catama-rans and a shake-up in racing, to include open water and match-racing elements, will give skippers and crews some tough new chal-lenges. In previous years, the class used as racing boats was the X40.

On Wednesday the boats will race in front of the stunning his-toric backdrop of the Old Town in Muttrah in Muscat before return-

ing, in a 20km coastal race, to Al-mouj, in the fi rst race of this du-ration in Extreme Sailing Series history. The schedule will then return to three days of spectacu-lar Stadium Racing in front of the Almouj Golf.

David Graham, Chief Executive Offi cer of Oman Sail, partners to the Muscat Act explained: “The world will be watching the fi rst Act of the 2016 as the fl eet fl y on foils for the fi rst time. We are delighted to host the opening Act and to be able to welcome the international sailors to experience Oman, which is becoming renowned as one of the best sailing venues in the world. It will be a spectacle for the ever-growing global audience and the sailing fans of Oman.”

The competition on the water promises to be fi erce and action-packed with America’s Cup leg-ends, Olympic heroes and world champions preparing to do battle at close quarters. Among the crews will be veterans of 13 Olympic campaigns and 22 America’s Cup campaigns. Between them they also hold 27 World Championship titles, 27 European Champion-ships and 106 National titles.

Following his success in 2015, Leigh McMillan, former skipper of The Wave, Muscat, will also be back on the water in Oman. How-ever this time he will be on board with the Land Rover BAR Acade-my youth team crew, helping these talented youngsters, including skipper Bleddyn Môn, learn the ropes. Alinghi’s former helmsman

Morgan Larson will head up the Omani entry, Oman Air, alongside Nasser Al Mashari who sailed to Series victory last year aboard Al Mouj Muscat (The Wave Muscat). Starting the season on home turf, Nasser Al Mashari, previously a teammate of McMillan’s, races this year for Oman Air. He is hoping the local boat can excel in front of its home crowd. “Sailing on home wa-ters in front of a Muscat crowd full of friends and family will be excit-ing and with a bit of breeze it will be spectacular for the public watch-ing,” said Mashari. “The training event in Dubai last month was a fantastic opportunity to practice with the new Oman Air crew to-gether, led by skipper Morgan Lar-son. We are a new team but we are a strong team with a lot of fi ght.”

In the next 10 months of global touring, the 2016 Extreme Sail-ing Series will visit eight urban venues spanning three continents — Muscat, Qingdao, Cardiff , Ham-burg, St Petersburg, Istanbul, Lis-bon, and Australia. —[email protected]

BEST PLACE TO WATCH

The public Race Village, set on the Almouj’s beautiful white beach, provides the perfect viewing platform for Stadium Racing. Entry to the Race Village is free. Day one will see the fl eet really open up as they race from Muscat Old Town, 20km along the coast to the Almouj, before three days of Stadium Racing.

The onshore entertainment will include paddleboats, foosball, fairground games, a bouncy castle, camels and a local market, ensuring there is something for everyone on site.

Story Mohammed Shafeeqe

Phot

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Sup

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FIND-IT-ALLC6 W E D N E S DAY, M A R C H 1 6, 2 0 1 6

Dhuhr 12.21pm

Asr 3.45pm

Maghrib 6.21pm

Isha 7.31pm Fajr (Tomorrow) 5.00am

PRAYER TIMINGS

CITY CINEMAContact (10 am to 6PM) 24567664 | 68 www.citycinemaoman.netfacebook.com/citycinemaoman

SHATTIThe Divergent Series: Allegiant (Action| Adventure| Sci-Fi) PG12Cast: Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz3:30, 6:30, 9:00 & 11:30PMTriple 9 (Action | Crime | Drama) 15+Cast: Casey Affleck, Chiwetel Ejiofor3:00, 6:00, 9:30 & 11:45PM The Other Side of the Door (Horror) 18+Cast: Sarah Wayne Callies, Jeremy Sisto8:15 & 11:55PMLondon Has Fallen (Action| Crime) PG12Cast: Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman2:30, 4:30, 7:30 & 10:00 Zootropolis (Action | Drama | Thriller) PG12Voice Overs: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman5:15PM

MUSCAT GRAND MALLThe Divergent Series: Allegiant – 2D (PG12) Action| Adcenture| Sci-FiCast: Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz, 12:15, 2:30, 7:00, 11:30 PMGold Class – 8:30 PMTriple 9 – 2D (15+) Action | Crime | DramaCast: Casey Affleck, Chiwetel Ejiofor 9:30, 11:45 PMGold Class – 3:30, 6:15, 11:00 PM London Has Fallen – 2D (PG12) Action| Crime | Thriller |Cast: Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman,5:00, 9:30 PMZootropolis – 3D (PG12) Animation | ActionVoice Overs: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bate-man, Idris Elba12:30, 2:45, 5:00, 7:15 PM

PANORAMA MALLLondon Has Fallen-2D (Action, Crime) (PG12)Cast : Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman4:30, 7:00, 9:30, 11:30 PM

Zootropolis (3D) (Animation, Action)(PG12)Voice Overs : Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman2:30, 5:45 PMTriple 9-2D (Action, Crime)(15+)Cast : Casey Affleck, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anthony Mackie3:30, 6:30, 9:00, 11:30 PMTriple 9 (2D) (Action, Crime)(15+)-VIP LOUNGECast : Casey Affleck, Chiwetel Ejiofor3:45, 8:45, 11:00 PMThe Divergent Series: Allegiant-2D (Action, Adventure)(PG12)Cast : Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz, Theo James2:45, 9:00, 11:30 PMThe Divergent Series: Allegiant (2D) (Action, Adventure)(PG12)-VIP LOUNGECast : Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz, Theo James6:30 PMThe Divergent Series: Allegiant (Action, Adventure)(MX4D)(PG12)Cast : Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz3:30, 6:15, 8:30, 10:45 PMBleeding Heart (2D) (Drama)(15+)Cast : Jessica Biel, Zosia Mamet5:15, 7:45 PM

AZAIBA Triple 9 (2D) (Action |Crime) (15+) Cast: Casey Affleck, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anthony Mackie3:30, 6:30, 11:30 PMLondon Has Fallen (2D) (Action) (PG12) Cast: Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman3:00, 5:00, 11:45 PMThe Divergent Series-Allegiant (2D) (Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi) (PG12) Cast: Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz, Theo James3:30, 9:30, 11:45 PMJai GangaaJal (2D) (Hindi) (Action) (TBC) Cast: Priyanka Chopra, Rahul Bhat3:15, 6:00, 9:00, 11:15 PMNeerja (2D) (Hindi) (Biographical) (PG12) Cast: Sonam Kapoor, Shabana Azami6:00 PMPuthiya Niyamam (Mal) (2D) (Drama) (PG12) Cast: Mammootty, Nayanthara7:00, 8:30 PMKadhalum Kandathu Pogum (2D) (Tamil) (Romantic | Comedy) (TBC) Cast: Vijay Setupathi, Madonna Sabastian8:45 PM

RUWIScreen 1Jai GangaaJal (Action) –PG12Cast: Priyanka Chopra, Prakash Jha, Rahul Bhat, Ayush3.30, 6.30, 9.30 PMScreen 2The Divergent Series: Allegiant (2D) (Action / Adventure / Sci-Fi) –PG12Cast: Shailene Woodley, Theo James 4.00, 10.00 PMPuthiya Niyamam - (Mal) – PG12Cast: Mammootty, Nayantara, Baby Ananya7.00 PMScreen 3Neerja (Action / Biography) –PG12Cast: Sonam Kapoor, Shabana Azmi 3.45, 6.45, 9.45 PM

SUR

The Divergent Series - Allegiant ( Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi ) ( PG12) Cast: Shailene Woodley, Zoe Kravitz, Theo James 4:30, 8:45 PMTriple 9 ( Action |Crime | Drama ) (15+) Cast: Casy Affleck, Kate Winslet

4:15, 8:00, 11:45 PMMartyrs ( Drama | Horror | Thriller ) (18+) Cast: Troian Bellisario, Bailey Noble 10:05 PMPuthiya Niyamam (Malayalam) (PG12) Cast: Mammootty, Nayanthara11:00 PMZootropolis (3D) ( Animation) (PG12) Voice Overs: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bate-man, Idris Elba6:45 PMLondon Has Fallen (Action) ( PG12) Cast: Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman6:15 PM

SOHARLondon Has Fallen – 2D (Action) (PG12)Cast: Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, Charlotte Riley2:45, 7:00, 11:30PMThe Divergent Series: Allegiant– 2D (Action | Adventure | Sc-Fi) (PG12)Cast: Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz, 2:45, 5:00, 9:15, 11:30PMTriple 9 – 2D (Action | Crime | Drama) (15+)Cast: Casey Affleck, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anthony Mackie2:30, 7:15, 9:30, 11:45PMZootropolis – 3D (Animation) (PG12)Voice Overs: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bate-man, Idris Elba2:30, 4:30PMBleeding Heart – 2D (Drama|) (15+)Cast: Jessica Biel, Zosia Mamet, Joe Anderson5:30, 7:15PMThe Other Side of the Door– 2D (Horror) (18+)Cast: Sarah Wayne Callies, Jeremy Sisto, Sofia Rosinsky4:45, 11:45PMJai GangaaJal – 2D (Action | Drama) (PG12)Cast: Priyanka Chopra, Rahul Bhat, Ayush Mahesh Khedekar9:00PMKadhalum Kandathu Pogum– 2D (Roman-tic | Comedy) (PG12)Cast: Vijay Setupathi, Madonna Sabastian6:30PMPuthiya Niyamam – 2D (Family) (PG12)Cast: Mammootty, Nayanthara9:00PM

BURAIMILondon Has Fallen (Action) (PG12)

Cast: Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, Charlotte Riley9.45PMThe Divergent Series: Allegiant (Action |Adventure | Sci-Fi) ( PG-12) Cast: Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz, Theo James7.00, 9.15, 11.30PMZootropolis 3D (Animation | Action| Adventure) ( PG12 ) Voice Overs: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bate-man, Idris Elba5.15PMPuthiya Niyamam (Malayalam) (PG12)Cast: Mammootty, Nayantara7.15PMTriple 9 (Action | Crime | Drama) (15+) Cast: Casey Affleck, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anthony Mackie4.45, 7.15, 9.30, 11.45PMMartyrs (Drama | Horror | Thriller) (18+)Cast: Troian Bellisario, Bailey Noble 5.00, 11.45PM

SALALAH

The Divergent Series: Allegiant (2D) (PG12) (Action| Adventure| Sci-Fi) Cast: Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz 11:30AM, 2:45, 9:15, 11:15PMLondon Has Fallen (2D) (PG12) (Action) Cast: Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, 2:30, 10:00PMTriple 9 (2D) (15+) (Action | Crime | Drama)Cast: Casey Affleck, Chiwetel Ejiofor.12:30, 12:30, 7:00, 9:00, 11:45PMBleeding Heart (2D) (15+) (Drama)Cast: Jessica Biel, Zosia Mamet, Joe Anderson3:00, 7:05PMThe Other Side of the Door (2D) (18+) Cast: Sarah Wayne Callies, Jeremy Sisto, Sofia Rosinsky5:00, 11:55PM13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Beng-hazi (2D) (15+) (Action|Thrille) Cast: John Krasinski, Pablo Schreiber, James Badge Dale4:30PMZootropolis (3D) (PG12) (Animation | Action) Voice Overs: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bate-man, Idris Elba12:00, 4:45PMPuthiya Nayamam (2D) (PG12) (Malayalam) Cast: Mammootty, Nayanthara7:15PM

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Welcare Diagnostic and Treatment

Centre, Al Khuwair 24477666

Al-Hayat Polyclinc LLC 22004000

AIRLINE OFFICES

Muscat Airport Flight information

(24 hours) 24519456/24519223

Aeroflot 24704455

Air Arabia 24700828

Air France 24562153

Air India 24799801

Air New Zealand 24700732

Biman Bangladesh Airlines 24701128

British Airways 24568777

Cathay Pacific 24789818

Egypt Air 24794113

Emirates Air 24404400

Ethiopian Airlines 24660313

Gulf Air 80072424

Indian 24791914

Iran Air 24787423

Japan Airlines 24704455

Jazeera Airways 23294848

Jet Airways 24787248

Kenya Airways 24660300

KML Royal Dutch Airlines 24566737

Kuwait Airways 24701262

LOT Polish Airlines 24796387

Lufthansa 24796692

Malaysian Airlines 24560796

Middle East Airlines 24796680

Oman Air 24531111

Pakistan International

Airlines 24792471

Qatar Airways 24771900

Qantas 24559941

Royal Jordanian 24796693

Saudi Arabian Airlines 24789485

Singapore Airlines 24791233

Shaheen Air 24816565

SriLankan Airlines 24784545

Swiss International

Airlines 24796692

Thai Airways 24705934

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 Sohar 15:45 Daily

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 Nizwa 10:20 Daily

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

10:00 Salalah 23:30 Daily

19:00 Salalah 07:40 Daily

TO MARMUL (ROUTE 101)

06:00 Marmul 16:50 Daily

SALALAH TO DUBAI (ROUTE 102)

15:00 Dubai 07:00 Daily

TO DUBAI (ROUTE 201)

06:00 Sohar 08:30 Daily

06:00 Dubai 11:30 Daily

13:00 Sohar 15:30 Wed,Thur

13:00 Dubai 18:30 Wed,Thur

15:00 Sohar 17:35 Daily

15:00 Dubai 20:55 Daily

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)

07:00 Sohar 08:55 Daily

07:00 Ruwi 11:40 Daily

13:30 Ruwi 20:20 Daily via Ibri

13:00 Sohar 14:55 Daily

13:00 Ruwi 17:40 Daily

13:00 Sohar 19:20 Daily

17:00 Ruwi 22:15 Daily

TO SINAW (ROUTE 52)

07:00 Ruwi 10:25 Daily

TO YANQUL (ROUTE 54)

06:00 Nizwa 08:40 Daily

06:00 Ruwi 11:00 Daily

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (ROUTE 54)

15:40 Nizwa 17:55 Daily

15:40 Ruwi 20:20 Daily

TO SUR (ROUTE 55)

06:00 Ruwi 10:45 Daily

14:30 Ruwi 19:00 Daily

TO YIBAL - FAHUD (ROUTE 62)

12:30 Fahud 13:15 Daily

12:30 Ruwi 17:30 Daily

TO SALALAH -MARMUL (ROUTE 100)

07:00 Ruwi 19:50 Daily

10:00 Marmul 13:15 Daily

10:00 Ruwi 22:30 Daily

19:00 Ruwi 07:30 Daily

TO MARMUL (ROUTE 101)

06:00 Marmul 16:30 Daily

DUBAI TO SALALAH (ROUTE 102)

15:00 Salalah 07:00 Daily

TO DUBAI (ROUTE 201)

07:30 Sohar 10:50 Daily

07:30 Ruwi 13:40 Daily

13:00 Sohar 16:15 Thur-Fri

13:00 Ruwi 19:10 Thur-Fri

15:30 Sohar 18:45 Daily

15:30 Ruwi 21:35 Daily

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

@SHATTI @AZAIBA

The Other Side of the Door (Horror) 18+Cast: Sarah Wayne Callies, Jeremy Sisto, Sofia Rosinsky8:15 & 11:55PM

Kadhalum Kandathu Pogum (2D) (Tamil) (Romantic | Comedy) (TBC) Cast: Vijay Setupathi, Madonna Sabastian8:45 PM

BAHJA CINEMAFilm information 24540856 / Advance Booking 24540855Website: www.albahjacinemaoman.com

London Has Fallen (Action / Crime / Thriller)Cast: Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart 8.00, 11.55 PM CP No: 351 (PG12)13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (Action / Drama / Thriller)Cast: John Krasinski, Pablo Schreiber 2.00 PM CP No: 352 (15+)Bleeding Heart (Drama)Cast: Jessica Biel, Zosia Mamet, Joe Anderson2.00, 4:00, 6:00 & 10.00 PM CP No: 353 (15+)The Divergent Series: Allegiant (Adventure)Cast: Shailene Woodley, Zoe Kravitz, Navomi Watts4:30, 7:00, 9:30, 11:55PMCP No: 341 (PG12)

STAR CINEMAFilm information 24791641 / 24786776

Website: www.isurf.co.om

Puthiya Nayamam (Mal) (Thriller) Cast: Mammotty & Nayantara 3-30, 6-30 & 9-30 PM Cinema Main Kadhalum Kadhandhu Pogum (Tamil) (Com) Cast: Vijay Sethupathi & Madonna Sebastion 3:30, 6:30 & 9:30 PM Cinema-2Action Hero Biju (Mal) (Act\ Comedy) Cast: Nivin Pauly & Anu Emmanuel 3:45, 6:45 & 9:45 PM Cinema -3Kalyna Vaibhogame (Telugu) (Drama \ Com) Cast: Naga Shourya & Malavika Nair 3:45 PM Cinema -4 Neerja (Hindi) (Act\ Drama) Cast: Sonam Kapoor & Shabana Azmi 6:45, 9:45 PM Cinema -4

Next Change: Maheshinte Prathikaram (Mal) Kapoor & Sons (Hindi); Pugazh (Tamil)

Programmes are subject to change

@MGM

The Divergent Series: Allegiant – 2D (PG12) Action| Adcenture| Sci-FiCast: Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz, 12:15, 2:30, 7:00, 11:30 PMGold Class – 8:30 PM

WEATHER

310

Maximum

230

Minimum

TEMPERATURE

85-50%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

LIFESTYLEC7W E D N E S DAY, M A R C H 1 6, 2 0 1 6

Al Bustan Palace Hotel Launches Day Pass

Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel, has launched an ex-clusive day pass for day use of its facilities. The Resort Pass gives access to all the hotel facilities, recreation centre, water sport complex and kilometre-long private beach, for a day of fun and relax in the scenic environment of the luxury property.

The pass includes a sun lounge with water and towels, all-day access to the Al Bustan Palace facilities, fi tness centre and water sport complex, and 10% discount on the total invoice in any of the hotel’s bars and restaurants. Additionally, adults and children alike are invited to take part in any of the resort’s daily scheduled activities conducted by the recreation team, such as circuit training, yoga, aqua dance, or a tennis cardio class with the resort’s PBI tennis coach.

Spa treatments, water sports equipment rental and restau-rant reservations are not included in the pass and must be se-cured in advance.

Reservation is required in advance for the limited daily al-location of passes. To secure a day pass, call: +968 2479 9666 ext. 3008.

Resort Pass Rates:Adults: OMR20Children 6 to 12 years old: OMR10Children under 6 years old: freeResort Pass with access to Six Senses Spa (including ladies-only facilities and private beach): OMR30

I N T H E N E W S

If it’s nothing essential you can take part in an event that will be carried out across the planet with the noblest of causes – protect-

ing its future. It’s Earth Hour this weekend, the annual event which asks participants to go without light for an hour, in a display of sol-idarity, aiming at tackling climate change through raised awareness.

If you are a newcomer to this event, it’s actually set for its tenth anniversary, with the fi rst edition taking place just in Sydney in 2007.

On a mass scale, it sees lights switched off on landmark build-ings in the fl agship countries tak-ing part, think City Hall in London or Colosseum in Rome.

But everyone is encouraged to take part, whether it is going with-out light for an hour at home or taking part in an organised event.

Earth Hour City Challenge Three cities in the Philippines have made the cut as fi nalists in the Earth Hour City Challenge (EHCC), the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) announced recently.

The cities are San Carlos in Ne-gros Occidental, Santa Rosa in La-guna and Makati in the National Capital Region.

One of these cities will become the Philippines’ Earth Hour capi-tal, which also has the chance to become the world’s Earth Hour capital. Seven cities in the Phil-ippines originally took the 2015-2016 EHCC — a yearlong initiative to “promote sustainable practices for cities to transition to a low-carbon future.” These cities were: Cagayan de Oro, Makati, Naga, Parañaque, Quezon City, San Car-los and Santa Rosa. A total of 124 countries worldwide took the

EHCC. “We laud all seven Philip-pine cities for promoting energy effi ciency, renewable energy, re-cycling, green transportation, plus innovation,” Earth Hour Philip-pines Director Atty. Gia Ibay said in a statement. “Our theme for 2016 is Bridging the Gap to 2020 and is about inspiring solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emis-sions and improving the way food, water, and energy are pro-duced and consumed. We believe that properly developed, cities can lead the way to a sustainable future,” she added. The winner of the EHCC will be announced by the WWF by October 2016. Meanwhile, the 2016 Earth Hour will be conducted on March 19 from 8:30pm to 9:30pm. The Philippines has been participat-ing in the Earth Hour since 2008.

[email protected]

EARTH HOUR To combat climate change, the lights will go out on March 19

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ogra

phy:

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Earth Hour at PDOThis year the PDO

Planetarium is organising a star gazing event at Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque from 8.00pm on March 19 as part of observing the Earth Hour. Using PDO’s telescope you can observe the Moon and Jupiter and to witness the contrast with and without

lights. Please book your calendar to attend this important stargazing.

When: Saturday March 19 8:00pm – 9:30pm

Where: Sultan Qaboos Grand

MosqueCall:

+968 2467 5542

Passionate horse breed-ers, traders, professionals and enthusiasts across the region are saddling up for the 12th Dubai

International Horse Fair, held along-side the 13th Dubai International Arabian Horse Championship, this month. Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance, the Dubai International Horse Fair takes place from March 17 - 19, 2016 at Dubai World Trade Centre.

Ziad Abdullah Galadari, Chair-man, Higher Organising Commit-tee of Dubai International Arabian Horse Championship, said: “The 12th Dubai International Horse Fair is a highly anticipated gathering for the global equine community who are dedicated to advancing the fi elds of equestrian breeding, training, tech-nologies, health and performance. A fi xture on the regional equestrian calendar, The Dubai International Arabian Horse Championship is the ultimate platform for pureblood Arabian horses, which are known for their incredible beauty, intelligence, stamina and courage, to be showcased to an audience that is devoted to these majestic creatures.”

The event draws world-re-nowned companies and brands, professional riders, horse owners,

breeders, stables, industry profes-sionals and horse enthusiasts from a number of equestrian activities and sports. Experts are also on hand to demonstrate the latest equipment in equine care as well as endurance equipment, paddock fencings, rid-ing accessories, racing and eques-trian apparel.

This year the event welcomes more than 200 exhibiting compa-nies and brands from more than 15 countries including Bahrain, Oman, Spain, France, Germany, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, South Africa, India, Pa-kistan, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Egypt, Slovenia, Taiwan, Canada, United Kingdom, and United States. New

participating countries include Ice-land, India, and Kyrgyzstan.

The 12th Dubai International Arabian Horse Championship will present the fi nest Arabian horse bloodlines, which are the oldest purebreds in the world and are mentioned throughout much of re-corded history. These magnifi cent

Arabian breeds are valued between $1 million to $2 million and will be showcased to discerning equine afi -cionados. The competition, aimed at purebred Arabian horses to judge their beauty — including their large expressive black eyes, arched neck, short back, and high tail carriage — off ers prize money of $4 million

(AED15 million).The popular Horse Auction, or-

ganised by Emirates Bloodstock, re-turns this year where Arabian pure-bred horses from local studs will be available for viewing, bidding, and buying. Held from 2pm on Friday, 18 March, the auction will have over 100 pureblood Arabian horse breeds on sale. Prospective buyers and members of the public can feel the thrill of a live auction with prices and stock to suit every budget.

The 3rd Pony Show Jumping edi-tion gives the most talented young riders across the UAE the oppor-tunity to compete and is organised by Dubai Pony Club. Polo Demon-strations return this year where aspirant riders and members of the public can watch the best horses showcasing their impressive skills and learn more about polo etiquette.

A fi rm favourite are the Spanish Equestrian performances, which in-cludes 30 minutes of heart pounding entertainment, which keeps audi-ences on the edge of their seats. Lead rider Diego Lopez brings his team of skilled, crowd-pleasing performers for a thrilling dressage routine.

The hugely successful Art Gallery specialising in equestrian works makes a comeback this year. The gallery gathers established global artists who will unveil their horse-inspired sculptures and paintings to art connoisseurs across the region.

The Heritage Village is also back again featuring traditional Bedouin houses, falconry, local dishes, henna tattoo artists and more.

Leading international and local companies and brands exhibiting a range of products and services to the burgeoning equine industry in the Middle East include: Ajman Stud, Al Hawajer Stud, Dubai Arabian Stud, Dubai Equine Hospital, Jebel Ali Racecourse, Mandara, Royal Caval-ry, and Shadwell Stud among others.

The Dubai International Horse Fair 2016 will be held in Halls 5 and 6 at Dubai World Trade Centre. Open-ing hours are 11am - 8pm on March 19, 2pm – 8pm on March 20, and 11am – 8pm on March 21. Admission is free of charge and open to trade visitors and the general public. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

For more details check dihf.ae.— [email protected]

LIFESTYLEC8 W E D N E S DAY, M A R C H 1 6, 2 0 1 6

Fun, Friends, and Horses at Dubai FairPure Arabian

bloodlines go for

glory at 13th Dubai

International

Arabian Horse

Championship at

the 12th edition of

the region’s leading

equine exhibition

from March 17-19.

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phy:

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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 A R C H 1 6 , 2 0 1 6

RENT D2

RENT RUWI

SPACIOUS -2 B H K

FLATS & 1 B H K

CBD: SHOWROOM &

OFFICE-Mezz.fl oor

Contact:24 70 30 60

*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 A R C H 1 6 , 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDE

Luxury flat for rent in Bareeq Al Shatti buildingSpacious 2 BHK with sea view, split A/Cs, fixed wardrobes,

kitchen appliance. Near Opera Gallery.

Rent RO.900/- negotiable. Contact - 94084335 / 96920789

Flat in Al Khuwair opp grand mall

4 room 3 toilet + hall kitchen in 3

fl oor 400. Contact 99420346

4 bedroom new villa Al Mawaleh

2 km to city center mall luxury

high end fi t outs, split A/C, full

kitchen fi tting all room with pri-

vate toilet. Contact: 99349990

2 bed rooms fl at with Hall, 2bath-

rooms in Darsait, near Muscat

Municipality. Contact: 24700120 /

92584715

1000 sq mtrs industrial land in

Ghala suitable for warehouse

workshop etc. Contact :24700120 /

92584715

For rent 1BHK at Al-Hamriya,

B-2397, Way-5935 near Muscat

Pharmacy. Contact: 9922478 /

99332297

Single bed room fl at behind Ger-

man Embassy near to Al-Nahdha

Hospital. Contact: 99203954

2 studio fl at for rent in Al Am-

erat, opp. ROP police station rent

150/- and 130/- each. Contact:

99350946

2 BR, 2 bath, a kitchen, a yard

, with AC, separate enterance,

AlKhuwair near ibis hotel. PDC. RO

250 .. Call 97056443

Commercial/ residential fl at for

rent in a new building. A ware-

house also available, location

Muttrah. For more details contact

– 99364735 / 95729711

Flat for rent in South AlGhubrah

3 rooms, hall and 3 toilets, kitchen

rent 450/-. Contact: 99335580

Flats, shops and basement in

MBD area and Honda road.

Contact: 92433127/96291778/

92589235/97293708

1 & 2 BHK Flat in Al.Khuwair.

Contact - 99792181

2 BHK fl at in Ghobrah.

Contact - 99792181

2 BHK fl at in Ruwi.

Contact - 99792181

Offi ce Space Available in Al Khu-

wair & CBD.Contact – 99792181

Villa in Al Khuwair. Contact: 92125648/25250300

1BHK close to Indian nursery, Dar-

sait blog -1619, way No .1322 RO

225/-. Contact: 99476728

Land (17000sqm) with offi ce /

store /shaded area for rent at Ghala

industrial area –prime location.

Contact:99476728

Rooms for rent in Al Khuwair near

Ibis hotel. Contact:

95124975

Double bed room fl at CBD area.

Contact: 97608564

3 Deluxe fl at in Ghobrah near

Chedi hotel 550 RO per monthly

Contact: 90161220

2 Bedrooms, kitchen, toilet, car

park R.O 200/- & 1 bedroom,

kitchen, toilet R.O 130 in Al Khu-

wair. Contact: 95154331

2 BHK fl ats /offi ce & shops valu-

able in a new building at Honda

road .Contact: 91165807

2 BHK Flat in Wataya. #99792181

2 & 3 BHK Flat in Al Khuwair. Con-

tact 99792181

Staff Accommodation for Rent in

Al hail. Contact 99792181

3000 Sqr mtrs Store in Misfah.

Contact 99792181

Industrial land in misfah for near

Hal service & Al Awazi.950sq.M

with 3rooms,5 bathrooms,

boundary wall with 2 sides

road facing &large parking in

front.full or part area. Contact-

99364007/99454425

2 B/R Luxury Fully Furnished @

Al Khuwair 33 1 B/R Luxury Fully

Furnished @ Al Khuwair

5 B/R Fully Furnished villa @

Madinat Al Ilam 5 B/R Fully

Furnished villa @ Madinat Al

Ilam. For Daily, Weekly, monthly

or Yearly contract. Please Contact:

Atlas Real Estate & Rent a Car LLC

99249069 / 994617563/92888376

/ 24834888E mail: info@alshahiintl.

com

Open land + workshop + labour

camp in Ghala & Rusayl.

Contact – 99792181

Flat, 1 bedroom, kitchen, toilet in

AL Khuwair family bachelors

R.O 150/-. Contact: 95154331

1 Bed room, sharing K& T, R.O

100, 2 bedrooms , sharing K& T

R.O 200/- in AL Khuwair. contact

95154331

Flat for rent 2 BHK 2 split A/C, 2

toilets, Wadi Kabir near Kuwaiti

Masjid. Contact – 97007934 /

92609232

Room Al khuwair 120 R.O

Contact: 97799175

Studio type in Qurum.

Contact: 92230462 -98273470

2 BHK in Wadikabir RO250.

Contact: 97799175/92144045

2 BHK in Ghobrah RO310.

Contact: 97799175/92144045

1.2BHK in Darsait .Contact:

97799175/92144045

Flats 2 bedroom Majlis, 2 toilet,

kitchen balcony near Indian school

Darsait new building rent R.O

275/-Contact: 99243059

Two bedrooms fl at in Al Ghob-

rah near Oman Oil of 18 Novem-

ber Street. OMR 330 Monthly.

Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 or

97509955.

4 BHK villa in Qurum.

Contact: 97799175/92144045

2 BR fl ats with 2Baths Kitchen

Al Amerat Aster Hospital .

Contact: 99366142

Flats in Darsait. 94051789-

97201688

02 BHK residential fl at opposite

to Al Nahdha hospital.

Contact: 99342733 /99795241

2 Bed room centrally air condi-

tioned fl at in CBD prime location.

Contact: 24714625/91173997

2BHK split A/C 200/- Monthly

& 1BHK spilt A/C 150/- monthly

new building good location Barka

Market. Contact: 99342661

Fully Furnished apartments in

Boucher (35). 94051789-97201688

Flats in Wadi Kabir. Contact: 94051789-97201688

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 monthly.

Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 or

97509955

New fl ats for rent at Al Ghobrah

near to atlas hospital the fl ats

includes 2 living room , 1hall ,

kitchen , toilets , air conditioned

room & high Quality fi nishing rent

per fl at is R.O 375/-. Interested

candidates please

Contact: 00968- 97093283

2 Room, 2 Bathroom, kitchen cat

parking 200 Rails.

Contact: 92005298

Warehouse at Wadikabir - total

area 3500 sqm - covered ware-

house (500sqm), offi ce,

accommodation (1000sqm), open

area (2000sqm) please

contact: 99273774 - 99202278

1BHK Flat with spilt A/C near

star cinema 210/-. Contact:

99358589/95570288 /97079146

Full furniture room for rent for

family monthly 200/- .

Contact: 99251975

Flat with two rooms with window

A/C, with toilets & car parking way

No: 1670 north Al Hail near Dosteen

restaurant 1KM Inside.

Contact: 99238334

3BHK in Qurum P.D.O high 350/-

Monthly. Contact: 99342661

Flats in Muttrah. Contact:

94051789-97201688

Offi ces in Ghala. Contact: 94051789-

97201688

Commercial fl ats of 3 & 2 BHK in Al

Ghobra North 18 Nov street RO.650/-

& 450/- Contact 91776665

WAREHOUSE AVAILABLE FOR RENT

IN BALADIA SANAYAH AMIRAT

(Floor area 600sqmtrs and mezzanine of 500sqmtrs)

1100sqmts fully cover warehouse

& staff accommodati onsPlease contact: G.S.M

99417229/92621039

3 Rooms, 2 Toilets Flat for Rent. 18

November Street. Near Mars Hyper-

market and The Chedi. Ghobrah -Good

for Commercial or Residential use.

OMR 295/- month. Call 94477222

Conditioned room with toilets in Al

Khuwair. #92620858 /92605500

Villa for rent in Al Hail South, con-

sist of 3 bed rooms for family only.

Contact: 99546777

2B/R with 3 toilets directly from

owner, near Dolphin Complex

Bausher. Contact 92158031

We have staff accommodation in

Bousher 30 to 40 people can stay.

Contact 93782735 / 99208033

We have 7BHK commercial villa

in Al Khuwair 33 for rent. Lift also

Available. Contact 93782735 /

99208033

We have 1BHK / 2BHK fl ats for rent

in Mabela7. #93782735 / 99208033

We have 2BHK fl ats for rent in

Ghubra, Ghala, Azaiba. Contact:

93782735 / 99208033

We have 5BHK villa in Qurum near

Mars Hypermarket for rent. Contact:

93782735 / 99208033

We have offi ce for rent in Ghubra

150 sqm. prime location main road.

Contact: 93782735 / 99208033

Flats for rent in Ghubra at good loca-

tion. 93782735 / 99208033

2 BHK fl at in Azaiba, near Sultan

Centre, 2 rooms, sitting hall, kitchen

& 3 bathrooms. Contact: 93782735 /

99208033

OFFICES FOR RENT AT AZAIBAPrime location on service road (previously occupied by A'Saffa Foods) near Al Turky and Mazda showroom.

- 2 BHK flat available directly from the owner, at Azaiba.

Contact: 99229263, 93221054, 95215289

2 BHK fully furnished fl at at Ruwi

MBD area. Contact – 93211557 /

24814853

DAILY GUIDEW E D N E S D AY, M A R C H 1 6 , 2 0 1 6 D3

FOR RENT FOR SALE

FOR SALE

Offi ces & Showrooms in Muttrah.

94051789-97201688

Duplex villa in Qurum 29.

94051789-97201688

Offi ces & Showrooms in

Al Khoud.94051789-97201688

Brand new villas in Al Ansab.

94051789-97201688

For rent and investment Land

industrial shops in Rusayl.

Contact: 99323957 / 95490842

Flats in Qurum. Contact

94051789-97201688

1B/R apartment executive fully

furnished at AL Khuwair 33 & 5 B/R

villa unfurnished at Madinat

Al Ilam & 5 B/R villa furnished at

Madinat Al Ilam. Contact: Atlas Real

Estate & rent a car LLC -24834888/

99249069/92888376/94617563

Email: [email protected]

Luxury villa of 5 BHK in Al Khuwair

33 RO.650/- Contact – 91776665

Brand new villas in Al Ansab.

Contact - 94051789-97201688

Flats in WadiKabir. Contact - 94051789-97201688

600 M2 showroom or offi ce in

Bousher in front of Dolphin complex.

RO.3.5 per m2. Contact 91776665

Offi ces & Showrooms in Al Khoud. Contact 94051789-

97201688

Fully Furnished apartments in

Boucher (35) Contact- 94051789-

97201688

Brand new 4 BHK villa in Al Fai

compound Al Khoud. RO.475/-

Contact – 91776665

Villa of 3 BHK and sitting area in

Al Ghobra North. RO.525/-

Contact – 91776665

Luxury and brand new semi

furnished 2 BHK fl at in Remalbow-

sher. RO.550/- Contact – 91776665

Mini Furnished Apartment in

Qurum. Contact 94051789-

97201688

Spacious 1 BHK fl at in Al Wattaya

with all split A/C’s and parking.

RO.300/-Contact – 91776665

Offi ces & Showrooms in Muttrah.

Contact - 94051789-97201688

Flats in Darsait. Contact -

94051789-97201688

Offi ces in Qurum opposite City

Center. Contact 94051789-

97201688

Duplex villa in Qurum 29.

Contact - 94051789- 97201688

ACC. AVAILABLE

ACC. AVAILABLE

Fully furnished 1BHK at Wadi-

kabir near Al Hassan RO275/

month available for 4 months from

01/04/2016 to 31/07/16. Contact:

92577929

Furnished two rooms both

attached bath with common

kitchen in a new building with

compound in front & back side

for single bachelor or both rooms

for a family, Aint, Darsait. Contact

99008069

ACC.WANTED

WANTED

IELTS Coaching (academic)

required nearby wadi Kabir area.

Please call on mobile or

msg on Whats up.

Mobile no: 92927880/

99012165

BUYING

Bobcat available for rent.

Contact 97623299

Buying cars for cash.

Contact: 90202090

Well running 30 yrs old irrigation

and agricultural showroom in Al

Ghubra with materials. Contact:

99310450

Zanzibari coff ee shop for rent or

sale in Barka Souq road, at Prime

location. Contact: 99814411

Dental chair and mobile X-ray unit

for sale.contact:92737149

400 sq mtrs Commercial/Resi-

dential land in Mabela Phase 5

Block 2. OMR 165 Thousand.

Tel: 99333479 or 95215360 or

97509955

A well running pharmacy for sale

at prime location.

Contact- 99627621, 93240949

Well established coff ee

shop / restaurant prime loca-

tion at AL Khoud. Contact:

92188777/98700760

Space for printing press available

at wadikabir with or without

machinery. Contact 99328430

Shop for sale near Oman House,

Muttrah. Contact 99024362.

Almost new beach/ garden lounge

chairs /bar stools/ counter. Photos

can be sent 95865457

Luxury Apartments in Bousher

(35). 95056808-97201688

Villas in Al Khoud. 95056808-

97201688

Steel Scrap materials for immedi-

ate sale: #99273774/ 99202278

Urgent sale of steel scrap only

serious buyers kindly #+968

96725423 for viewing the items.

Single colorful Bed and Sofa

for Sale at Al Khuwair. Con-

tact 92881849 /What`s up No

97290565

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 Required single room for an

executive lady (non cooking) in

Darsait, Ruwi, Wadi Kabir.

Contact - 98591132

Accommodation required with

food for 1 month, bachelor for

March month. Preferably Al Ghob-

rah area. Contact: 99335742

220 M2 SHOWROOM

FOR SALE@ Sanaya/ Hospital

Road- SoharPLEASE CONTACT:

00968 - 9898 9532/ 2471 4325

[email protected]

FOR HIRE

Grader, roller, bobcat, JCB 3CX, JCB 4CX with breaker & water

tanker for rent. Contact:93218705 /

24478450

MV SALE

Toyota Yaris 2008 model, white,

color, automatic transmission,

expat driven km 140500. Call:

99104124

Toyota Rav 4 2012 RO 5500. Con-

tact: 93835318

Nissan path fi nder model 2012

R.O 5500. Contact : 97692959

Nissan Qashqai 2013 low mileage

30.000kms comprehensive insur-

ance UAE Oman valid till 2016 .

Contact: 96995430

Pickup for sale, model 2013,

diesel engine 4x4. contact

94194399

MATRIMONIAL

A Graduate Syrian Christian

Pentecostal boy, 27, working in

Oman as Store-in-Charge seeks

proposals from parents of suit-

able girl, preferably those work-

ing in Oman.

Contact 92411983

40 Years male divorced, working

in Muscat seeks suitable propos-

als, Indian. Contact - 91346321

Malankara Catholic Male Nurse (28) from Thiruvalla working

in Nizwa Private Co. Alliance

invites parents/nurses working

in Oman.

Contact: 968 98267338,

0091 9287215726

Indian male Roman Catholic 40yrs divorcee working in

Muscat.

Seeks suitable alliance from

widow/ divorcee/ single.

Contact: 96059801.

MANPOWER

Running Automotive Workshop with Equipments & Tools ( approx. area 3,000 SQM)

and Accommodation with 13 Rooms

available for Rent at Ghala.

Contact: 9944 0518 /99230118

OFFICE SPACES FOR RENT230 SQ. Mtr each

Ready to move in two offi ces for rent near Man Truck Showroom, Ghala

Contact - 99269841 / 92429917

Room with attached bathroom for

a family in Wadi Kabir. Contact

97167857

Room with kitchen available

at Ruwi. Contact 91214897 /

98049288

Room available near Muscat

Bakery at Rex Road, Ruwi. Contact

99768952

Spacious villa Al Ansab main

road, 8 rooms, 8 toilets & bath-

rooms, kitchen store. Con-

tact:96354553

Furnished offi ce for rent No. 503

at Business Center – Al Khuwair.

Contact: 24488833

Furnished bedroom with attached

bath and kitchen separate en-

trance for bachelor for RO 150 per

month all inclusive in a villa, opp.

Star Cinema.#99314807

Room with toilet for working lady.

Contact: 91450718

Furnished room attached bath for

Indian bachelor, Al-Falaj Ruwi &

lady Wadi Kabir near Mars

hypermarket. Contact:

96202458/96761960

Furnish bedroom with attach

bathroom for executive bachelor.

Contact: 97704794

Room with attached bathroom and

sharing kitchen available for

Executive bachelor or small family

at wadikabir Contact 93049849

Room available in Mumtaz area

1 room, 1 Bathroom, Kitchen & 1

room, common bathroom. Inter-

ested please #92680041 Mr. Altaf

Room for rent with furniture.

Al Bustan village. contact

93687466

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]

DRIVING

NRI

Urgent sale semi furnished 2BHK

Kanakia properties opposite Cin-

emax Mira Road Mumbai contact

99009686

Flats villas land for sale in Pune

Contact: 95272138/918139098275

URGENTLY REQUIRED

New/ Used Tower

Cranes

Contact - +968 92695608

Email – [email protected]

DAILY GUIDED4 W E D N E S D AY, M A R C H 1 6 , 2 0 1 6

SITUATION WANTEDSITUATION VACANT SITUATION WANTEDSITUATION WANTED

SITUATION WANT-SIT. WANTED

Email: [email protected] classifi [email protected].: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461Fax: 24812624

DRIVER

MEDICAL

SKILLED LABOUR

DRIVER

DRIVER

EDUCATION/TRAINING

ENGG. / TECH./MECH.

ADMIN

ADMIN

CATERING

ADMIN

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

Required Cook 5 yrs exp in Oman

for family. Send CV fax: 24703854

or abuakram_omer69@hotmail.

com. Contact: 90140203

Required urgently a Legal Consultant/ Lawyer for reputed

law fi rm in Sohar, Muscat. Can-

didates should have 5-7 years

experience as a Legal Consultant/

Lawyer with good knowledge of

Computer & should be fl uent in

English both written & spoken.

Email C V to shejaanil66@gmail.

com or Contact 99153620

between 8am to 1pm & 2pm to

5.30 pm on Sunday to Thursday

Indian male good experienced in

Accounts, ERP Tally 9 & Admin in

India & Oman, presently on visit

visa, looking for suitable placement.

Contact 94834687

Indian male 25 yrs, Graduate in com-

merce, overall 5 yrs exp in accounts/

fi nance fi eld. On visit visa. Immedi-

ately available. Contact 92836216 /

[email protected]

DOMESTIC HELP

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

Required Accounts Offi cer- en-

sure accurate processing of

revenue data into ERP systems

and invoicing module. Posting of

invoices to customer SAP portal

and delivery to customer offi ces

and interface with country man-

ager/ reporting to regional CEO.

Qualifi cations: BSc accounting.

Relevant experience & knowledge

on online accounting systems

especially the customer

SAP system. Submit CV to:

[email protected]

Accountant with gulf experience

in construction fi eld preferred with

Oman driving license. Interested

candidates send CV to:

Email: [email protected]

Gsm: 95892831/95197615

Urgently required an Filipino

Housemaid, interested people can

forward your bio-data to

[email protected]

Housemaid required for full-time

for Indian family, Hindi/English

speaking CBD area Ruwi.

Contact: 96183093

Looking for a part-time cook-cum-housemaid in Azaiba.

Call 92450197.

MISCELLANEOUS

Required urgently experienced Civil Engineers having 2-3 years on

building construction jobs.

Contact: 99472795

Required Site Inspector (PRO) hav-

ing Omani D/L. Contact – 24291500

Email: [email protected]

A construction company requires

Civil Engineer (degree holder) is

having minimum 7 yrs exp who

can independently handle the

site. Oman experience will be

plus point. Apply with bio data

to fax no: 24489096 or email:

[email protected]. Contact:

99339661

Urgently required QA/QC Engi-

neer minimum exp 5yrs including

Gulf in fabrication tanks, vessels.

Certifi cate- CSWIP, NDT-L-2, ISO

Certifi cate – int. audit. Con-

tact:92746349. Email: mydeen@

mudest.com

Required Hydraulic Mechanical. Contact - 95251213

Civil Engineer with minimum 5/8

years experience with valid Oman

driving license. Contact Interested

candidates send CV to:

Email: [email protected]

Gsm: 95892831/95197615

Required candidates for following

posts: Accountant, Storekeeper, Foreman Building Maintenance, Van-salesman (water), Helpers. Candidates with Omani driving

license preferred.

Contact 99273774/99202278

Looking for motor cycle license holders for FMCG merchandising

contact: 92312112

Trailer driver + Hiab truck .

Contact: 99332185

Required a expat driver with

Omani D/L. Contact – 91409668

Wanted driver. contact

91025698

Part or full time Driver Required

call us 91120552

ENGINEER/MECHANIC.

REQUIRED PROJECT MANAGER

For an Infra/ Bldg project in Duqm/Oman

Graduate Engineer with 20+ years experience preferably

in Oman/ GCC with valid D/L and transferable visa,

computer literate.

Send CV to Email : [email protected]

Wanted a Nurse for dental

clinic Seeb. Contact: 99722457 /

95706223

Urgently required female Gy-

necologist for a clinic at Samail.

Send CV: [email protected],

95498105

Wanted Nurse for a dental centre

in capital area. Interested may

contact – 93431024 or send 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]

Required female Nurse, with

MOH license for private dental

clinic in Bowshar area, Muscat.

Contact: 92189807

Required house maid in Mabela.

Clearance available. Urgent Con-

tact. 95200180.

GP doctor needed for reputed

clinic. Preferably with MOH

license or with Datafl ow & Para-

matics pass

Contact: 95388934

Required gynecologist GEN: practitioner lady lab Techni-cian and pharmacologist im-

mediately for a clinic in Suwaiq.

contact 95081010

Email: umchealthcare@gmail.

com

Indian male 23 Mechanical Engi-

neer (B.E) residing in Oman looking

for suitable job. Contact: 98530806

/ 99362006

B.Sc Civil Engineer 27 yrs Oman

exp as project manager, struc-

tural engineer looking for suitable

placement. NOC/local transfer

available. Contact: 99349578.

Email:[email protected]

BE Mechanical Engineer 6 yrs

exp, 1.5 yrs in Oman in piping and

structure construction work. Re-

lease available. Contact: 96115463.

Email: [email protected]

Indian male 35yrs BE - Engg 15

yrs exp in UAE Site Manager look-

ing for job. Email : vinoj_1979@

yahoo.co.in

Indian male, 29 yrs, B.Tech (EEE)

with 5+ yrs of experience from re-

puted fi rms in the fi eld of Electrical

Site Execution & Project Coordina-

tion in HL, LT for various EPC Pro-

jects, now on visit, seeks suitable

placement in related industries.

Contact 92310762, email :

[email protected]

Male, NDT, QA/QC Supervision

Mechanical 10 yrs experience

seeks suitable placement.

Contact 96954202, Email :

[email protected]

8 years of intensive Oman experi-

ence in procurement & supply

chain management looking for

suitable placement.#97755488

Female B. Ed English teacher, 7 yrs

exp seeking suitable placement. Con-

tact : 99739415 / 92091528

Female Indian, M.Sc, Maths Teach-

ing experience College University

ready to join immediately. Contact

99835738

Indian female MSC,B.ED, MPHIL,

IELTS, currently on visit visa

seeks suitable placement. Contact:

96916534

Indian female 25years M.C.A

on family visit required suitable

placements also interested in

teaching. Contact: 90417133

Email: [email protected]

Urgently required a Marketing Executive with 2 years experience

and driving license (GCC) for a re-

puted building material & electrical

showroom in Al Khoud.

Please send CV to –

[email protected].

Contact - 94320909

Require Salesman with D/L. E

mail: [email protected]

Required Sales staff 2 NOS Having

experience in Cosmetics Sales.

Send your updated CV to

[email protected]

GSM 92683688

Urgently Required Steel Fabri-cated Products Salesman with

an experience in steel fabrication,

MUST have Oman driving license,

and immediately join. Apply,

fax 00968–24605955, emails

[email protected],

[email protected]

An Omani construction company located at Muscat looking for

Marketing executive with

GCC driving license & NOC

send C.V to [email protected]

Required Sales Executive knowledge of building materials.

Full or part time.

Contact: 99421513

SALES / MARKETING

TECHNICIAN

DESIGNER/DRAUGHTSMAN

AutoCAD Civil Draughtsman for

road, having 5 yrs experience work-

ing on X- Sec, L-Sec & alignment,

preparation of plan & profi le & cross

sections, preparation of structural

drawings, quantity estimation as

per drawing. Contact 94034544,

[email protected]

Revit /Draughtsman experienced

expected salary 200. Contact :

92279784

AutoCAD Draughtsman seeking

job. Contact: 95516807

Indian Female, Bsc Fashion De-

signer with Oman driving Lisence,

looking for any good job.

Contact 98757582

Interior Designer Seeking suitable

job. On visit visa in Oman.

Contact - 92166130

Interior designer 3 years experi-

ence 1 year in Oman and 2 years

in Egypt, experience in interior

design, 3D max, AutoCAD,

Photoshop. Contact - 94762876

AutoCAD draftsman experience 2

years. Contact: 93738335 /95809393

Email: [email protected]

28/male/MBA - fi nance/B.Com -

Accountant with 4 years of Dubai/

India experience looking for a

suitable placement. # 90187483

[email protected]

Dynamic Indian Male Account-

ant with 9 Years Experience seeks

suitable placement. NOC available.

Contact: 96902860

Indian CA fi nalist, 7 yrs exp

having driving license with visa

looking for fi nance / accounts

position Email: rameesnm@gmail.

com, 98097009

B.Com Graduate, Indian male 24

yrs, 3 yrs exp in Oman looking for

Accounting, Sales, suitable jobs.

NOC Available. Contact:90615814.

Mail : [email protected]

Fresher 24, ACCA Affi liate, Ad-

vanced diploma in Accounting

and Business seeking suitable

placement in Accounts, Finance or

Audit with Oman driving license.

Contact - 92430152

Email - [email protected]

Purchase/Planning & Logistics Manager MBA (Finance), 14yrs.

Oman Exp. with D/L, NOC avail-

able, looking for suitable posi-

tion. Contact: 93826090 jskan-

[email protected]

ACCA member with 6 yrs of

experience in Oman looking for

a suitable job in fi nance. Contact

99284193

Indian female MBA in fi nance

currently on family visa seeking

suitable placement. Contact:

96471025

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTA famous Italian brand is seeking for female applications for the

position of “Counter Sales” which will be located in one of Muscat’s most popular malls.

Qualifi cation required:Fluent English speaking, Arabic speaking is preferred,

good communication skills, basic knowledge with computers.Experience required:

Minimum of 1 years of professional experience in salesCandidates are requested to send their CVs on recruit

[email protected]

EDUCATION/TRAINING

We, the storm shield in the talented candidates for the below

positions (Indian only): Maintenance Technician (male -1) should have knowledge of new

mobile devices & 3 years Oman

experience Contact: 94441111

Send CV to

email: [email protected]

Screen printer in Ruwi. Contact

92831131 / 97752162

Required personal lady Trainer at home in Wadi Kabir. contact

94100959

The Egyptian school requires chemistry Teacher for IG, Eng-lish, Science & mathematics. Teacher’s application

should be submitted by

hand or by email –

[email protected]

/ 24603930

Female seeking suitable place-

ment in reputed Company, 5 yrs

experience in Oman. Skills : Tally,

EKP9, Sage ACC, PAC, ITIL, MS Of-

fi ce. Contact 95483804, sararow-

[email protected]

4 yrs experience in Oman han-

dling Accounts. NOC available,

strong communications. Contact

95187454, rowshan.rafi ul@gmail.

com

Indian male B.Com Graduate, 6

yrs exp in auditing, accounts and

marketing 3 yrs exp in Oman with

DL looking for suitable placement.

Contact :99146287, mubarakanq@

gmail.com

Indian male, 32 yrs, B.Com having

8 yrs Accounts experience in Oman,

looking for suitable placement (local

release + Oman D/L available). Con-

tact 97494322 / 98093515

Accountant Indian male 25 yrs

BBA with Tally, having 3 years of

exp. plus Hardware, Networking

seeking for suitable placement:

98201244

Indian male 22 yrs B.Com with one

year exp in accounting auditing

with good working knowledge in

tally erp-9 looking for a suitable

placement now on visit visa

Contact: 97189500

Indian male 25 years of age,

Bachelor degree in B.Com, seek-

ing suitable place in Oman, on

visit visa. Contact – 91240544 /

98016928

Indian female MBA Accountant, 8

yrs exp in accounts seeking suit-

able placement. Contact: 96117303

Indian Accountant with 30 years

experience in construction (Fi-

nancial & Cost ), Administration,

Store Keeping and HR seek full/

part time assignment anywhere in

Oman or UAE. Contact 98598099

Indian female Accountant 8yrs

exp in Oman. Contact:93726921

Part time accountant, up to fi na-

lization of accounts looking for job

after 5 PM (location prefers – MSQ

– to AL Hail). Contact: 95694737

Jordanian, Senior accountant, 15 yrs experience in Oman fi nance

& accountant. Contact: 92881223

Indian male 28 yrs MBA fi nance/

marketing and graduate in com-

puter experience 3 yrs seeking

suitable job, now family visit visa.

Contact: 93195378

Email: [email protected]

SENIOR ACCOUNTANT, with

13yrs experience, 6 yrs Oman in

manufacturing, trading & con-

tracting Cos, capable of handling

all accounting, fi nance, banking,

L/C, import, export & fi nalization

seeks placement. NOC Available.

Call+968-98932752,

mail:[email protected]

Indian Male Accountant 10yrs

Exp. in OMAN Retail & Furniture Co.

(Release Available) #92564955

SENIOR ACCOUNTANT-M. Com

Finance-Indian with 7 years experi-

ence in Finance & Accounts up to

fi nalization. Currently employed

in Oman. Having D/L & NOC.

#94122464,

Email: [email protected]

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]

Chief Accountant 25 years experi-

enced looking for part/full time

accountant job.

Contact: 95598477/98803439

Indian male 25 B.Com (graduate)

2 years experience as accountant

in country club India with ERP

oracle r12, tally knowledge. On

visit visa immediately available.

Email: [email protected]

Contact- 9042-1161

Indian female 25 yrs, MBA HR &

Marketing, with one and half years

experience as accountant and

6 months experience in teaching,

now on a visit visa, seeking suit-

able position. Contact: 99624044,

mail: [email protected].

Bangladeshi male light driver

looking for job 3 yrs. experience.

Contact: 94077119

Light Driver looking for work in

a family. Release ready. Contact

96693290

Experienced Indian Driver cum

Travel Coordinator, 20 yrs in Oman

looking for suitable job. Contact:

95113612 (NOC available).

Driver with car. Contact

95037759

Pakistani looking for job as

driver 4 yrs exp light duty. Con-

tact:97469730

Male 28 yrs looking for driver

job part time / full time. Contact :

97224035

Driver job wanted. Contact:

96393082

Light driver looking for job Oman

exp. Contact :95292621

Light driver with car 3 months exp.

Contact: 97118292

Light driver Indian 4yrs exp in

Oman having own car looking for

job, release available .

Contact: 93053917

REQUIREDFull time

Housemaid For a reputed

Omani household. Age group

between 30 to 35 years only.Please call 99342737 between 9 am to 6 pm only.

CATERING

Cooks (Arabic Indian) gulf exp

looking job. Contact: 99531802

DOMESTIC HELP

Housemaid (overseas) Indian fam-

ily looking for job. contact

99531802

10 yrs experienced Omani PRO

looking for suitable position. Good

knowledge in HR Admin ROP, all

Ministries related aff airs. Contact:

99588154 / 93387833

MBA professional with 5 yrs exp

in the fi eld of HR , Administration,

Sales (Business Development)

and accounts, holding valid UAE

driving license on visit visa until

end of March. Contact: 91731542/

[email protected]

24 yrs, lady expat looking for

full time job with visa. Interested

fi elds are admin, back offi ce,

front-offi ce, reception. Contact:

96321431 or email: sharanya.

[email protected]

Indian female BS, 2 yrs exp

looking for suitable position in

HR & Administration. Contact –

94656009

Urgently required Document

controller / material controller /

HR job 15yrs exp. D/L available plz

contact; 96777019/92386043

Indian Female, MBA-HR having 8+

experience in Administration/HR,

Customer Support, Offi ce Coordina-

tor with good Computer skill, Now

on Visit Visa,looking for suitable

position. Contact: 90196235

Indian male MBA 33yrs having 10

yrs of exp seeking full time suit-

able placement in Administration/

HR/ Operations/ Coordination/

Logistics. Holding valid D/L.

Contact 99054786

Indian male MBA- UK 18 yrs Gulf

exp in Administration/ HR & Public

relationship. Fluent in Arabic/

English with D/L. Looking for suit-

able position. Contact - 99897280

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

Filipino male with 13 years HR and

Administration managerial experi-

ence. MBA & CIPD holder. Currently

looking for job in Oman. Interested

employer Contact - 97728418.

Indian, 26 yrs , female , 5 yrs exp

in HR/ Admin with valid Oman

D/L seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 98236033

Indian female, Masters in HR,

having 4 + years Oman experience

in media management and HR,

looking for openings in HR, Educa-

tion, Admin, Corporate communi-

cations. Contact 98252030

Seeking driver job. Contact :

93499058

Pakistani driver with Elantra 2016

model car seeks job: 95873286

Pakistani light driver looking job

9 yrs exp in Oman.

Contact: 96048460

2 Years exp in driving, seeking

any job .Contact: 97460056

Seeking driver job with own car.

Contact: 98031620

Looking for job light duty driver

6 years experience NOC available.

Contact: 92381696

Bangladeshi male light driver

looking for job 3 exp.

Contact: 93254149

Indian light driver cum house

cleaner. Contact: 96255558

/99415443

DAILY GUIDEW E D N E S D AY, M A R C H 1 6 , 2 0 1 6 D5

SITUATION WANTEDSITUATION WANTED

ENGG. / TECH./MECH.

ENGG. / TECH./MECH.

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERIndian male 30 years, having 5 years

of experience in industrial automation and utility

maintenance in India (MRF Tyres), holding valid Oman D/L.

Contact - 92789995Email: [email protected]

IT

Electrical Engineer, Indian male,

6 years industrial experience on

visit-visa, seeking job- ready for

any roles. Contact: 98750295

Email:[email protected]

Building Site Supervisor working

in Oman since Mar 2010 with Oman

D/L looking for suitable placement

.contact:91507828

B.Tech electronics & Comm.Engg

with CCNA certifi ed with 2yrs exp.

Contact-99490930.

email; [email protected]

An Iraqi civil with more than 30

years experience in (Iraq and G.C.C)

looking for a job, (N.O.C) available.

Contact: 96561306

Email: [email protected]

Civil Engineer 11 yrs exp in con-

struction fi eld having Oman driving

license & NOC. Contact – 94194399 /

[email protected]

Indian male 22, Chemical Engineer

residing in Oman looking for suitable

placement. Contact: 92379181

Engineer has 10 years local & in-

ternational experience in ready mix

concrete also in Oil & gas fi led also

in marketing & sales fi eld ,

has Omani driving license.

Contact : 92534098

REVIT (ARCH), Diploma Civil 3yr ,

in visit visa , exp. Salary : 250

PH : 92279784

Indian male, Mechanical

Engineer having 1year experi-

ence, on visit visa looking for

suitable job. Contact:97416564,

Email:[email protected]

Indian History graduate with diploma in Safety with

valid Oman Driving licence seeks suitable placement.

Contact-93361624, [email protected]

HOSPITALITY

MISCELLANEOUS

MISCELLANEOUS

Indian male Graduate hotel man-

agement 12 yrs exp operations &

sales oriented GCC driving license

and release available. #94525463

Hospitality/Hotel/ Restaurants

Dynamic result oriented hospital-

ity professional with 20 years of

international exp. MBA in Hotel

Management, specializing in

Hotel/Restaurant start ups, con-

cepts & Franchise development

with proven records. Seeking for

Challenging positions in reputed

groups as GM/COO/CEO/Business

Head. (NOC available) contact

96059470

35 yrs vast experience in Sales,

Marketing, Advertisement & distri-

bution at Senior position in Oman.

NOC available. Contact 99868330

/ 99848831, rwahedi458@gmail.

com

EXPERT ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE For your BPR, guide fi nance &

HR & RM, advise product marketi ng & CRM, appraise IT system for reporti ng & communicati on. Contact: Tel - 96500729

k.profi [email protected]

Indian male 37 yrs X-Ray welder

7 yrs exp (ARC, TIG, ARGON,

Welding) seeking suitable job.

Contact: 91360190/98223683

B.Com Graduate with fi ve and half

yrs exp in Oman as a purchaser.

NOC available. Valid driving license.

Looking for suitable placement

Contact: 96772166

Graduate, computer literate, expe-

rienced in sales, credit control,

accounts, Omani D/L , seeks suit-

able placement. Gsm 98805474

A lady entrepreneur with BF Tech

1st Class (Fashion Technology)

since 2006 in Kerala like to make

change for better. Specialized

in designing, Production Man-

agement, Fashion Art, Grading,

Surface ornamentation, Garment

Construction.

Email: [email protected]

Mobile: +919539397097.

Indian female on visit MBA

(International Business- Market-

ing & Logistics), BE (Computers

& Science Engg.) Trained in SAP-

BI/BW with 1 year experience

seeking for job Contact:

90228586 Email:fathimasha16@

gmail.com

Bangladeshi male, University

M.Com, Working as an Account-

ant & Administrator in Oman;

searching better job. Phone:

94864966

Email: sunrisetoiqbal@gmail.

com

Electrical diploma Engineer with

1.5 years experience in AutoCAD

designing for LV constructions and

diesel generator maintenance look-

ing actively for job in Oman.

Contact: 92171858/90595609

Email: [email protected]

Civil Engineer diploma, 4 yrsexp

seeks suitable position ina reputed

company. NOC available. #96789711

Civil Engineer 8 years experience

in Oman as a project engineer for

governmental & private projects.

Contact – 90164912

Procurement Engineer (27 years

single male with Oman Driving Li-

cense) having 7 years experience

(UAE 2, Oman 3) with expertise in

MEP, Water, Electromechanical,

Instrumentation seeking suitable

placements. Contact 95852033,

mail: [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]

Indian male Electrical Engineer, having 6 years gulf experience in

designing, assembling, commis-

sioning execution etc having valid

GCC license too looking for a suit-

able. Contact: 00968-98052942

Email: [email protected]

Civil Engineer 8 years experience

Structural buildings marine. Availa-

ble NOC release. Contact: 92451323.

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]

10 yrs exp in procurement,

tenders, importing, marketing

and sales, organizing events.

Have car NOC available. Contact:

94123939

The Business Development Manager, Iraqi, Experience 15

Years Inside and outside Oman

following activities: tenders& real

estate& construction & marketing

projects& investments & trans-

portation & Marine services&

companies management& develop

business. Contact: :- 92385033

General Manager MEP also man-

age civil, MBA, BE Electrical, 10

yrs exp in Oman valid D/L, release

available. Contact – 92447102

Indian male, with experience in

operations management, informa-

tion security, purchase & stores

mgmt, hold UAE driving license,

on visit visa, seeks suitable job.

#91904541

Email: [email protected]

Production Manager 9 years

experience in Oman manufacture

and development factories .GRB.

GRC. GRG rubber molds and false

ceilings, fi berglass and executive

at site emadadly2000@yahoo.

com96149081

Civil Engineers exp 4 yrs of

Pakistan in building work. Contact:

95135608

Diploma in Civil Engineering 13

yrs exp with valid Oman D/L, NOC

available. Contact : 99612163

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

Pakistani Civil Eng having 10 yrs

exp in consulting and building

fi eld looking for suitable job in

good running company with valid

driving license. Contact: 97425973

B.C.A System Support Engineer 2

yrs exp MCSCE, CCNA on visit visa

until 17 March. Contact 95492886,

[email protected]

Indian male,24 yrs, Electronics

& Telecom, Graduate, Mumbai

University (2015 batch) looking for

entry level job in Engg.com hav-

ing good knowledge at telecom,

networking ,fi ber optic, Oraclellg-

SQL, PLSQL, now in Muscat on

3 months visit visa. Contact :

91868936 / 93101922. Email: sid-

[email protected]

Mechanical Engineer (B.Tech)

looking for job. Contact:90623220

Electrical Design Engineer (MEP)

Indian male having 1.8 years of

experience in India. Available

on visit visa looking for suitable

placements. Contact: 92658569,

Email:[email protected]

Indian female Project Engineer 15

yrs experience Project Management

quality data base management

data analytics marketing business

development having Omani driving

licenses seeks suitable placement

presently on family visa, having

Omani experience. #95783792

Network Engineer CCNA-MCSA

exp computer science with NOC.

Contact : 92346191

Indian Civil Engineer in UAE

seeking suitable placement in

Muscat-Contact 00968 99142171

Project Engineer 14 yrs exp of

project execution & operations,

all kinds Mech/civil and interior

decoration with license

Contact: 93260559

Sudanese Civil Engineer 4 years

experience –98093544

B.E Mechanical and diploma with

75%, age 28, 2yrs Hyundai Motor

and 3yrs in water treatment.

Contact - +91 9003612305.

[email protected]

Male 25 age M.B.A, HRM, BE

Automobile 3.4yrs exp production

engineering. # +91 9841873619/

[email protected].

B.Tech Mechanical Engineer (In-

dian, 23yrs male) 1.5 yrs exp (IBM

India &Pvt Ltd & Zeuzer Engineers

(Pvt ltd) looking for suitable job.

Currently on visit visa

ready to join immediately

#93354092/990249660.

email:[email protected]

Pakistani male Diploma Civil En-

gineer 4yrs exp in Oman bulling &

mega projects, valid license Oman.

contact:98921022

A Pakistani Civil Engineer having

5yrs exp in consulting and build-

ing fi eld, looking suitable job good

running company with valid driv-

ing license. Contact: 91800277

Mechanical Engineer having

Omani driving license and 2yrs

exp seeks suitable placement.

Email:malvindevachan@gmail.

com, Contact: 97411523

Mechanical Diploma Engineer having 8yrs of exp seeking for

suitable currently on visit visa.

Contact- 94657806

Project Engineer B.Sc Civil, 7.5 yrs in Oman, need suitable

placement, NOC release available.

contact 91129192

Sudanese Electrical Engineer, granted with distinction, hard-

working and can adapt to diff erent

work conditions. Contact: 98133281

Electrical & Electronics Engineer with 3 years GCC exp in sales, GCC

driving license. Seeking suitable

placement. Contact - 90301410

MANAGER

MANAGER

MEDICAL

26 yrs Indian Male – B.Tech

(IT) - 6 yrs exp -sales & admin

-seeks suitable placement -

91848460 / 98304080; Email:

[email protected]

Sudanese mechanical Engineer, 2 years experience HVAC

fi refi ghting, on visiting visa.

Contact 95630047

Sudanese civil Engineer holding

bachelor with two years of experi-

ence in Oman has resident visa and

valid license. Contact: 94393880

Indian male 31 years Civil

Engineer diploma holder 4 years

experience in Oman need place-

ment N.O.C available.

Contact: 93298395

Civil Engineer 6 yrs Exp in Oman

with license. Contact: 98975518

22 Years exp in Gulf civil building

construction project manager.

Contact – 0097430824610 /

arshadjamalkhan@rediff mail.com

Sri Lankan Engineer (27 Years

old) – B.Sc Engineering (Hon)

Mining / Geotechnical Presently

in Muscat, 1.5 years experience.

Contact 91295802

[email protected]

Electrical Engineer with 18 years

exp in UAE. Contact: 98148034

Email: [email protected]

Structural Engineer, 8 yrs expe-

rienced in fl at slab, post tensioned

& slab-beam multi story building

design & supervision with driving

license. Contact: 98256860

Mechanical Engineer M.Tech

2 years experience HVAC design

& site Engg revit MEP Auto CAD.

Contact: 90150913 Email:

[email protected]

Indian female civil engineer

B.Tech having 3 years experience

sound knowledge of software,

REVIT STAD PRO structural detail-

ing currently on family visa seeks

suitable placement.#95345591

Civil Engineer (BE) having total

5 years experience in building

construction looking for a suitable

placement. D/L available

Contact# 94450270

Bachelor Civil Engineer 6 Years

in Oman experience Valid Driving

License seeks suitable placement

Phone 97619722

Email – [email protected]

Road and Construction Engineer with 5 years exp in Oman.

Contact: 97667113

Indian Male, IT System Engineer

having 4 yrs of experience in sys-

tem administration.CCNA,MCSE,

Linux. Looking for suitable job.

Contact :91272867

INDIAN male, pursued bachelor’s

of computer science having expe-

rience in desktop Engineer, look-

ing for IT job, on visit visa, seek-

ing suitable placement. Contact :

98784174 ,email : abdulmoyeed@

outlook.com

Indian female, 30 yrs, B.Tech &

MBA(I.T), 6 yrs work exp in India &

Oman exp in telecommunications,

confi guration & installation of au-

tomated solution systems seeking

for suitable placement. Contact :

92689823, jobymees2014@gmail.

com

Indian female, B.Tech gradu-

ate, with one and half years

experience as ‘web developer’

interested in web development

and has experience working in

HTML,CSS,Bootstrap, JavaScript

and Photoshop. Contact: 9592

7075 e-mail id:

[email protected]

MSC (IT) male 32 age 4

yrs networking system ad-

ministrator. Seeking a suit-

able placement +918608247110.

email:[email protected]

Indian female, B.Tech graduate,

with one and half years experience

as ‘web developer’ interested in web

development and has experience

working in HTML, CSS, Bootstrap,

JavaScript and Photoshop.

Contact : 9592 7075, e-mail id:

[email protected]

Omani 26(M) seeks placement,

6 yrs excellent experience

networking hardware software.

Contact: 95356166

Sudanese net work Engineer holding IT BACHELOR (CCNA,

CCNP, and MCSE) has one year

experience and license.

Contact: 92394485

SALES / MARKETING

Indian male 23 yeas BBM & Diplo-

ma in logistic. Looking for Indore/

Outdoor sales & marketing suitable

placement, currently in one month

visit visa. Contact: 93180270/

[email protected]

Indian male, B.Com with Valid GCC

Driving License 5-year experi-

ence in Sales. Good Arabic/English

Mob-96970027

Having more than 5 yrs exp in

sales indoor & outdoor with driv-

ing license. Contact – 90126776

An experienced sales & market-

ing person having several years

experience in GCC with valid D/L.

Looking for a suitable position.

Contact – 92124669

Sudanese B.Sc in business

administration, exp 8yrs in sales,

marketing & accounting. contact

96112453

Diploma in Mechanical Eng piping system in AutoCAD work,

21+ years experience with Driv-

ing license. Contact: 95267113

Email: [email protected]

7 Yrs Exp. PM in Mech. Engg in

the fi eld of Building Const. Oil &

Gas Seeking Job.94625598

Omani HSE supervisor. Email:

[email protected]

Mechanical Engineer with 3 Yrs

experience in international Oil

& Gas company looking for job

Contacts: Tel: 90164236 Email:

[email protected]

Indian female, 31 yrs, 7 yrs

experienced as AutoCAD civil

draftsman (2 yrs experience in

Oman) currently in Oman seeks

suitable. Contact 96789441

Email: [email protected]

Indian Electrical Engineer

Btech, female 24 seeking job,

presently in oman having 2

year experience in design and

estimation of Ht &Lt projects.

Contact 968 97436557,

Mail id : [email protected]

Sudanese Telecom Engineer, 5 years experience, 3 years

in Oman PMP certifi cate.

#93391008 Email: momen.

[email protected]

Indian Male 23 years B.Tech

Civil having 2 years experience

in quantity survey and site man-

agement looking for suitable

placement. Contact:- 95042656

Staff Nurse (female) with MOH

license. Looking for opportunity in

Muscat. NOC / release letter avail-

able. Contact - 99433415.

Pharmacist have license and ex-

perience, looking for job in Sohar or

Buraimi. Contact- 93878153

Indian female MBA in health care

service, BSN with MOH license

looking for a job in hospital. Contact

: 94876041

Indian female Dentist specialized

endodontic looking for a suitable

placement prometric completed.

Contact: 96410448

Indian Bsc Female Nurse with

6.5 years exp, 4 years in KSA.

Passed Oman Pro Metric with 69%,

completed data fl ow. Presently in

Muscat in visit visa looking for a

suitable placement.

Contact 94744900, 94742834,

[email protected]

Male GP Doctor with NOC 6 yrs

experience in Oman for perm/locum

job. Contact : 97746074

An experienced Sudanese female Dentist with MOH license look-

ing for job. Contact 96436517

/97396088

The Business Development Man-

ager, Iraqi, Experience 15 Years

Inside and outside Oman following

activities: construction(Very strong

and qualifi ed to bringing business

for civil work Or any type of the

construction work for many million

per year with a good experience in

pricing and collect payment and

cash management of the company

& marketing projects & invest-

ments& tenders & real estate.

Contact 92385033

SALES / MARKETING

Indian male with 6 yrs of GCC

exp in sales and service & 1 year

of exp in gym fi tness instructor.

Seeking job presently in Mus-

cat in family visit visa. Con-

tact: 90694335/ 99438360 or

email:[email protected]

4 Years of experience in Sales

with driving license. contact

90615235

MBA graduate having 6 years exp

in Sales & Marketing, 4 years with

PEPSI, India, having international

driving license permit seeks suit-

able placement. #: 95308167,

Email : [email protected]

Indian Male 28 MBA Marketing

with 4 years of experience in sales

with good communication skills

now available in Muscat on visit

visa. GSM 95840153 /

Mail [email protected]

Indian sales marketing profes-

sional highly experienced in busi-

ness development in ME India and

Africa seeks suitable placement.

Contact: 97897611

B.Com male 2 yrs experience in

sales Computer knowledge,

seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 98371144

email: [email protected]

Indian male, MBA Marketing

having 2.5 years Sales experience

immediately looking for a suitable

position. Contact: 91415145,

Email: [email protected]

Male 38 yrs Graduate 07 years

experience indoor / outdoor

electronic fi eld with D/License &

NOC available (as per new rule).

Contact: 92453375

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE

Indian Male more than 10 years

gulf experience in Offi ce / Sales

Coordinator, Admin, Secretarial

and purchase with good computer

skills. Holding Oman Driving li-

cense. Looking for suitable place-

ment. Contact 99709336

Executive Secretary/ assistant Indian female 9 years experience in

Oman, Diploma in Business

management. Valid D/L.

Contact: 96684705

Lady Secretary / Sales Co-coordi-

nator 12 years experience in Oman

in reputed companies, seek imme-

diate Employment. Call: 95244761

SKILLED / UNSKILLED

Mason, SH / carpenter, steel fi tter

gulf & Indian exp looking job.

Contact: 95175192

Indian 26 yrs looking for fresh

sales /coordinator /admin/logis-

tics & travel air fare, air audit expe-

rience 8 yrs in India on visit visa

looking for suitable post. Contact:

94894170 / 95618311

Filipinas lady having exp in

ticketing and preservation, call

center, secretarial and real estate

is now looking for job please

call.94054080

Five years in travel fi eld B.Com.

IATA & pursuing MBA including

experience in the travel desk of

(ITC managed) fi ve star hotel,

looking for suitable position.

Contact 9470 5767, 9465 2485,

9536 4479

TOURS & TRAVEL

MISCELLANEOUS

B.Com Graduate with 4 year expe-

rience as an Accountant in Oman.

Also have Oman Driving License.

Best fl uency in English, Arabic,

Hindi & Malayalam, looking for

Job. Currently in Oman. Cont: +968

93943448, murshid4u@gmail.

com

Indian Male,B.Com & Diploma

Logistics & supply chain man-

agement 2years experience

looking for job in Accounts/

logistics fi eld. Presently on Visit

Visa. Software knows MS offi ce

& Tally7.2 .MOBILE:93884951-

Email:[email protected]

HSE Engineer: 3.8 years experi-

ence in Oil & Gas. NEBOSH,IOSH,

& NDT Certifi ed, M Tech in

HSE,B Tech in Mechanical Engg.

[email protected],

Mobile- +91 9867016808

33 year old Filipina with

experience in Teleperformance,

Manila call centre ,now

working as Waitress in Qatar

seeking suitable post. Contact

99022484

9 yrs exp Site Engineer in

Civil & Shade Structure. 2d, 3d

draughtsman (HOLDING OMA-

NI DRIVING LICENSE) seeking

job. Contact 90139903

DAILY GUIDED6 W E D N E S D AY, M A R C H 1 6 , 2 0 1 6

Email: [email protected] classifi [email protected].: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461Fax: 24812624

SIT. WANTED

SITUATION WANTEDEDUCATION/CLASSES/COMPUTER/WEBSITE

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

Spoken Arabic class for Non Arabic Speakers & English

class for Malayalam Speakers in Azaiba and Ruwi

• Learn in two months• Satisfaction guaranteed

Tel: 95244310

Classes for Spoken EnglishTOEFL / GRE / GMAT / SAT

Excellent Guidance and Coaching Satisfaction Guaranteed

IELTS PREPARATION Target Band 8.0

EAGLES INSTITUTE92325542 | 93657915 | 93657917 | Email: [email protected]

WEB, ERP and Business Intelli-

gence (BI) creation and man-

agement at rock bottom price.

Contact: http//webviewoman

SITUATION WANTEDSITUATION WANTED

Looking for QHSE – Manager /

Asst. Manager job, Indian Male

– 39.Yrs, With 17.Yrs Experience

& NOC, NEBOSH – UK, MR – ISO

9001, 14001 & 18001, HSE Train-

ings, Audits, Pls Contact – haree.

[email protected]

Diploma(Electrical Engineering)

From Government polytechnic.

Age 27years, 6 years Experiance

in Maintenance, troubleshooting

and managing and Technical in

substation as a Electrical Engi-

neer.Seek suitable placement.

Contact GSM- 92995899,(a.ab-

[email protected])

Manager with 12 yrs of exp in

sales & marketing & business

development, MBA Graduate with

valid driving license looking for

a suitable placement. NOC avail-

able. Contact: 98125226

MBA Indian male 2 years expe-

rience in fi refi ghting & secu-

rity systems sales & marketing.

Seeking suitable job. Contact –

90634050

Master’s in Petroleum Geology

looking for relevant job ready to

join ASAP, valid drivers license.

Email : mehdi.poorjahangiri@

gmail.com

INDIAN MALE, 26 years, BBA

graduate, seeks suitable posi-

tion in automotive spare parts,

Have 3 year experience. Phone

no:96026400, Bineeshpn@gmail.

com

Bangladeshi male, University

MA, Working as Store In-charge

cum Logistic Manager in Muscat;

searching better job. Phone:

91997605, email: mohamednaz-

[email protected]

25 years, male B.Com and

insurance Graduate with 6 year

experience looking for an opening

in accounts, fi nance or operations

related only. Driving license and

NOC available. Contact- lilom-

[email protected] and 95236312.

Admin Assistant, Having 5 years

experience in admin department

in reputed companies, presently

working in Muscat (NOC Avail-

able). GSM. 00968-98404122,

Email - panduru.jeevankumar@

gmail.com

Indian Male 47 years MBA-Op-

erations Management with total

25 Yrs exp inclusive of 9 yrs in

Oil & Gas sector in Oman, having

valid Omani D/L & NOC available

, seeks challenging position in

SCM/ Logistics/ Procurement in

any Sector. GSM-94236414. Mail

id – [email protected]

IT/Telecom Manager, BE, MBA

13+ Years of experience, Valid

Driving License. Available imme-

diately. Phone: +91205211, Email:

[email protected]

Indian Engineer, B. Tech (Mech),

MBA, MLM (Master of Labour

Management), 23 yrs experience,

5 years in Oman in the positions

of Operations Manager and Plant

Manager with Oman Driving

License seeks suitable placement.

Contact: 99744612. E-mail:

[email protected]

Indian male network cabling

technician (19-years gulf

experience) Seeking for suit-

able placement. Contact - 0091-

8089909265 (India) email:

[email protected]

Mechanical Engineering 6 years

experience. Contact: 00968-

998907110091-9841867534

Email: sayed.fortuner88@gmail.

con

Indian Male B. Tech, 10+ years

of extensive work experience in

various aspects like Computer

Networking, Technical Support,

Management and Engineering

with good communications, inter-

personal and technical skills seeks

suitable opportunity. Now in Oman

on Visit Visa GSM : 9489 8009,

Email : [email protected]

Structural Engineer Education

B-Tech in civil Engineering, Work

Experience More than 6 yrs con-

tact no.: +968-91431483 E-mail:

mohsinyousuf86@rediff mail.com

Civil Draftsman seeking job.

Contact-95516807

Indian Female Accountant, now

in Oman on Visit Visa, looking

for suitable placement, contact

94250871

Indian Female MBA Finance, 6

years Oman experience as account

looking Full time/part time ac-

counting Jobs. Contact- 99044292

BBA MBA.Male, Indian Human

Resource/ Administration/ Offi ce

work1 Year Experience Knowledge

in MS-Offi ce, Photoshop Searching

for suitable job E-mail: antonysha-

[email protected] Number:

+91 9655469680

+91 8754086178

Indian male 26 years MBA

fi nance, seeks suitable placement.

Contact – 92715032 /

[email protected]

Bangladeshi male, University

MA, Working as Store In-charge

cum Logistic Manager in Mus-

cat; searching better job. Phone:

91997605 email: mohamednaz-

[email protected]

Indian male, 16 years Oil & Gas

experience (Down Hole Tools),

3 years in Oman, Dip. Mechani-

cal Engineer, Having D/L and NOC.

Email – [email protected],

Mob: 965 956 18.

Indian male: 24 years, diploma

in computer science and B.E (CSE)

having experience in hardware

and networking seeks suitable job.

Contact: 91170912

Email: [email protected]

Sudanese male. Five years diplo-

ma in civil engineeringhave fi ve

years experience in construction

industry. Mobile: 96995670

Sri Lankan female looking for a

housemaid job. Please send details

to [email protected]

Contact: 94036979

Land surveyor Experience: 8 years. Contact: 99585265 Email:

[email protected]

Indian male executive secre-

tary having vast experience in

admin, logistics & procurement

well versed with computer .seek

suitable placement. Contact:

99514286

Indian male, accountant 2 year

experience doing accounts in Tally

and Excel. Searching for suitable

job. Contact: subbayan_r@gmail.

com GSM: +918098637908

Job Wanted as a Music Teacher

Classical Vocal Music, Having 3

years India Exp. contact

90310876

A young CA (ACA & ACCA quali-

fi ed) with 4 years experience in

one of top audit fi rms in UK & KSA

seeks suitable placement in Oman.

Contact: Kamran

([email protected]),

+44 7480 1196 74.

+968 93595050

INDIAN-Male 34yrs, M.Com

with 14yrs Exp ( 8yrs in Oman &

6yrs in India)Presently working

as PROCUREMENT OFFICER for

ROAD,CIVIL,ELECTRO-MECHAN-

ICAL & Others Projects in contg &

Trdg co LLC, Having Oman LT D/L,

NOC available & willing to join

immediately within in a month -

M:94064650,

Email: [email protected]

BE Mechanical Engineering with

one year experience now on visit

visa, looking for suitable posi-

tions”#90637918 / 99335742,

email: [email protected]

Looking for a part time job

for drawings struc. BBS Q/S &

piping/pipeline auto cad work.

#92103713.

25 year old male B.Com and

insurance graduate with 6 year

experience looking for an opening

in accounts, fi nance or operations.

Driving license and NOC available.

Contact-95236312.

[email protected]

MCA with 13+ yrs of teaching.

Worked as PGT (Comp Sc.) in

CBSE Board Schools, 2 yrs experi-

ence in s/w development. Seek

suitable placement. Contact -

90477217

Bangladeshi Male, University

MA, Working as Store In-charge

cum Logistic Manager in Muscat;

searching better job. Phone:

91997605 email:

mohamednazrulislam2@gmail.

com

Indian male AUTO CAD Draughts-

man (civil) 8 years experience,

seeking for part time job.

contact 99070584 /

email: [email protected]

BS in Civil Engineering Experience: 3 Year (Road Projects)

Omani license: 9 Years.

contact 97427701

Email: [email protected]

Homeopathic Doctor having 2

years experience seeks suitable

placement.Contact-93615169,

[email protected]

Pakistani Male having 6 years

Experience Valid Omani Driving

license working as a Transport

Manager looking for a suitable

position. Salary is negotiable.

Mob: +96893363316 / 94202746

[email protected]

Indian Male Accountant I have

2 year better experience in ac-

counting fi eld. I can do all my

accounts in Tally and Excel

searching for suitable job. Contact:

+919087776759

[email protected]

GSM : +918098637908,

Indian female 23 BA economics

with computer knowledge looking

for the post of Administration dept

or day care or sales please

Contact 96155921 or

Email- [email protected].

Indian Female, 24 MA Eng. Litr

with 2 yrs experience in teach-

ing & 14 months in Administra-

tion cum Secretary, Currently

on visit visa, seeks suitable job.

Contact: 92613704/99260702

Email:[email protected]

Marine Services / Business

Development having more than 15

Years experience in GCC Countries

with Indian Male with experience

in Operations Management / Sales

and Procurement / Ship Chandling

/ valid GCC Driving License seeks

suitable job. Presently in Oman on

Visit Visa. GSM : 9053 55 65,

Email : rafi [email protected]

Indian Male, 26 years, with 7

years of experience in Sales Field

in shipping company in Dubai,

looking for suitable placement.

Experienced working in safety

Marine equipment and well versed

with MS Offi ce. #90182494/

[email protected]

Indian Female, 35years, Bach-

elor of Pharmacy (B. Pharm) with

6months experience and BSc &

MA seeking position as Insurance

Coordinator or suitable positions

in pharmacy, pharmacy stores,

hospital, polyclinic & pharmaceu-

tical companies or in front offi ce/

administration offi ce preferably in

hospital. Please # on 90236481

Male Locum Pharmacist with

MOH & Driving License. Available

on request from March to April

2016; Contact #: +968

9188 5485/+968 9943 8058.

Indian Male, 26 years, with 7

years of experience in Sales Field

in shipping company in Dubai,

looking for suitable placement.

Experienced working in safety

Marine equipment and well versed

with MS Offi ce. # 90182494

Indian male with three years of

experience in IT as system admin-

istrator seeking for IT administra-

tion job placements. Presently in

Muscat on visit visa.

Contact 90664136

email: [email protected]

Male Indian 27, working as

fi nance Offi cer having three years

Oman experience with Driv-

ing license looking for Finance/

Audit/ Accounts position. Mob:

98097009,

[email protected]

Assistant Manager – Planning

(B.Tech EEE): Indian Male, over

10 years( 7+ Yrs in Oman & UAE)

of experience in Project Plan-

ning & Scheduling, Liaison &

Coordination, Budgeting and

Client Interaction. Seeking a

suitable Job in Muscat. Contact

– 00971503529608, Email Id:

[email protected]

IT professional, B.E. in IT, CCNA,

MCSA, MCSE, 3yrs exp. in IT/

networking/server support/Indoor

sales, valid Omani D/L seeking

suitable placement in IT/Network/

Server support/Retail sales.

Contact 92607532.

MISCELLANEOUS

Indian male 28 years exp as

sales executive & asst accountant.

With valid Oman driving license

languages known Hindi and

English. Looking for any good job#

96175176

Mechanical Engineer (Indian

Male, 24 Years) with three years

experience, looking for suitable job.

Currently on visit visa, ready to join

immediately. # 92175441, Email:

[email protected]

Indian male 26, on vist visa, 2+ yrs

of experience with UAE D/L,

IATA-FIATA,BBA looking for any

suitable job. Contact 91324567

Iraqi civil Engineer with more than

30 years experience in (Iraq, U.A.E.

and Oman) looking for a job, (N.O.C.)

is available.#95626218

Email- [email protected]

MBA (F), B.COM. Indian female

having knowledge of accounts with

Tally looking for full or part time

job. Presently on family visit visa.

Contact: - 96259171. Email: - bhu-

[email protected]

Indian Male, total 8+years gulf

experience in Document Controller

/ Coordinator / Secretary. Looking

suitable position. Local release

available. CONTACT:

94524259

EMAIL: [email protected]

Indian female, holds LLB

& Masters in business

administration(MBA),2 yrs oman

experience as HR & Admin, seeks

suitable placement in jobs @ SO-

HAR. Contact: 96541959

IT professional, B.E. in IT, CCNA,

MCSA, MCSE, 3yrs exp. in IT/

networking/server support, valid

Omani D/L seeking suitable place-

ment in IT/Network/Server sup-

port. Contact 92607532.

Accountant. Having 6 years

experience in accounts in reputed

companies. Presently working

in Muscat (NOC Available) GSM.

00968-97010584, Email -

[email protected]

Indian male 23 years Diploma

in Mechatronic having 3years

experience in production and

maintenance department looking

for suitable placement contact

+919597008904

([email protected])

9 yrs exp Site Engineer in Civil &

Shade Structure. 2d, 3d draughts-

man (holding Oman driving

license) seeking job. #90139903

Mechanical Engineer (Indian

Male, 24 Years) with three years

experience, looking for suitable

job. Currently on visit visa, ready

to join immediately. contact

92175441,

Email: [email protected]

B.Com 5yrs experience good

command on tally, Excel sheet on

family visa. Contact: 98002428

Email: [email protected]

Bangladeshi Male, University MA,

Working as Sales coordinator cum

Store keeper in Muscat; searching

better job.

Phone:91997605. E mail:

mohamednazrulislam2@gmail.

com

Indian male B.Eng. in IT, CCNA,

MCSA, MCSE, 3yrs exp. in IT/net-

working/server, valid Omani D/L

seeking suitable placement in IT/

Network/Server support.

Contact 92607532

Diploma (Electrical Engineering) from Government polytechnic.

Age 27 years, 6 years Experience

in troubleshooting and managing

and Technical in substation as a

Electrical Engineer. Seek suitable

placement. Contact -

92995899,

Diploma in civil engineering

having an experience 26years

(22years in Oman) experience

in Estimator / quantity surveyor

looking for a suitable placement.

Willing to join immediately

Contact: 96328687.

18 years experienced in Shipping,

ShipChandling& Marine services.

Valied GCC D/L. Languages Known

as English, Arabic, Hindi & Malay-

alam.Now in Visit Visa.

GSM : 9053 5565

LOST

Shaheen kokub has lost Pakistani

passport No. AA43335111. Finder

place handover to ROP

Mohammed Morshed has

lost Bangladeshi passport No.

BA0396014. Finder place hando-

ver to ROP.

DAILY GUIDEW E D N E S D AY, M A R C H 1 6 , 2 0 1 6 D7

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

TRANSPORTATION

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

SITUATION WANT-

ED

BUSINESSSITUATION WANT-

ED

BUSINESS

ONE STOP SHOP BUSINESS SERVICES

Contact Saleh: 96723485

Public relation services (PRO), Formation new

companies, LLC companies, investor visa, business setup,

prepare business & companies accounts, legal

services, representing you and your company.

Ruwi, Muttrah, Al Khuwair,

Muscat, Qurum, seek transporta-

tion. Contact: 91132238

Transportation. Contact

99508282 /93113534

Transportation. Contact

99508282

Transportation. Contact

92015894

Transportation available Ruwi to

Al Khuwair, Ghubra & Azaiba.

Contact: 91103909

Driver available with car. Contact:

96728056GOOD 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

FREE INFORMATION ABOUT ISLAM. If you would like to know

more about Islam, please call:

99425598, 99250777, 99353988,

99253818, 99341395, and

99379133. For ladies: 99415818,

99321360, 99730723

Orvisit:www.islamfact.com

Ayurvedic treatment for backache,

paralysis, arthritis etc & mas-

sage, All Season (Vaidyaratnam).

Contact:24475280 / 95371664 /

92504980 www.siddhayur.com

RENT A CARBest Rates for Saloon

Contact: 97869042 / 95730550

[email protected]

*Classifi ed Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

D8 W E D N E S D AY, M A R C H 1 6 , 2 0 1 6

DAILY GUIDEEmail: [email protected] classifi [email protected].: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461Fax: 24812624

SITUATION WANTEDSERVICES

SERVICESWe Provide Cleaners,

Offi ce boys, Cleaning Contracts, General cleaning etc.

Al Mudakhir Nati onal Est. LLC Contact : 94277020

Split & window A/c servicing &

maintenance. Contact 93769089 /

95323517

GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing,

Contact 99314807/24792998

Water proofi ng ABUQABAS-

Contact 99320217/24788722

LEGAL SERVICEAn Indian lawyer Provides all legal

services in company matt ers. Labour issues, contracts, agreements, LLC formati on, legal help for starti ng new business in Oman, Civil, criminal

cases,.service issues.Ibrahim Al Massalhi.legal consultancy

Sarafudheen, LLB, MBA,Legal Advisor

Muscat. GSM: 97351649

House shifting & transporting.

Contact 92490422

House shifting. Contact: 99708138

Pest control treatments, Ocean center LLC .

contact:99344723

MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of

your marble. Contact 24793614/

99314807

A/C maintenance & servicing,

fridge, washing machine & dish

washer repairing, painting & clean-

ing services, electrical & plumbing.

Contact: 99447257 / 97014234 /

24504281

Marble crystallization & grinding, cleaning & carpet shampooing.

Ocean center LLC.

Contact:99344723

Split A/C servicing R.O 10 only.

Contact: 94217681 / 99210141

Building maintenance. Contact: 96173326

Carpet Shampoo, marble & tile

polishing, pest control & anti-ter-

mite treatment, general cleaning

painting,Plumbing, Electrical,

shifting. Contact Mundhir

Al-Rizaiqi trading. L.L.C.

Contact: 24810137, 99450130

House shifting packing.

Contact: 99657644 / 98518013

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

Villa cleaning, shifting, marble

crystallization, tiles polishing,

shampooing sofa & carpet. Modern

Eastern Arms. 92145560

Sahal Al Wadi White Trad. Spe-

cialist in repairing of cold store,

chiller, A/C & refrigerator.

Contact – 94528546

Al farzdaq Al Fedi Trad and Cont

Maintenance services electric,

plumbing and A/C. Contact:

96524904 / 94285064

Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles

polishing, carpet shampooing,

maintenance.

Contact ABU QABAS- 99320217

/24788722

Marble crystallization & grinding, Ocean center LLC .

Contact:99344723

*Classifi ed Advertisement space booking with text, should be done

till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication.

* Subject to space availability