Times of Oman - November 29, 2015

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On the occasion of the Opening of the Council of Oman, 1997

FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTYTHE SULTAN

‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’

SUNDAY, November 29, 2015 / 17 Safar 1437 AH timesofoman.com wtimesofoman.com facebook.com/timesofoman twitter.com/timesofoman blog.timesofoman.com ISO 9001:2008 Certified Company

Stunning calligraphy exhibitHASAN SHABAN AL LAWATI [email protected]

MUSCAT: Omani artist Saif Al Busaidi creates ‘magical’ light paintings with Arabic calligraphy that appear to hang in mid-air.

The Times of Oman is featuring the work of brilliant calligrapher in today’s #OmanPride campaign.

The self-trained calligrapher recently took two shots of famous landmarks in Muscat with the help of photographer Aiman Al Ghazali.

“We chose the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque as the back-

ground for our first painting that reads ‘Oman,’ which took us more than three hours to complete,” said Al Busaidi.

The second setting was the re-markable Al Alam Palace, where Al Busaidi painted his second project ‘Watan’ (Country).

Having undergone three weeks of training, he explained that these locations were selected due to their historic and national symbolism.

“The artworks were first dis-played on the 45th National Day of Oman to coincide with the nations

celebrations of the glorious day.” Al Busaidi added.

Explaining the process of paint-ing light calligraphy, he said: “Light calligraphy must be done in a dark place by setting up a camera to take a very long picture. We set the camera at a low light sensitivity to avoid additional light from enter-ing through the shutter, which can result in a blank white photo.”

During the duration of the photograph, Al Busaidi moves lights in front of the camera to ‘write’ an Arabic word in reverse (mirror view). >A6

O M A N P R I D E C A M P A I G N

Times News Service

MUSCAT: A cafeteria in Mus-cat has been shut down for a month by a court for selling adulterated sandwiches.

In addition to closing down the cafeteria, the Muscat prima-ry court has also imposed a fine of OMR1,000 on the shop and the sandwich maker has been charged with selling noncon-sumable food items.

Last month, the Public Au-thority for Consumer Protec-tion had raided shops in Mus-cat for selling intoxicant-laced sandwiches.

Meanwhile, in Buraimi six shops were raided for selling expired food items and a fined OMR12,000.

C O U R T O R D E RCall for law on child restraints in cars

TARIQ AL [email protected]

MUSCAT: There have been fresh calls for laws to make use of child restraints in vehicles in Oman mandatory to save children’s lives.

The calls come in the wake of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Status Report on Road Safety 2015, which points out that the Sultanate does not have such regulations.

Unfortunately, the Sultanate does not have a law to enforce man-datory use of child seats in vehicles.

A Royal Oman Police official confirmed that Oman did not have such a law and said it was basically because of lack of awareness.

“Parents are primarily respon-sible for their children and it all goes back to awareness. They must teach their children the safe way to sit in a vehicle and secure them

either with a seat belt or a child restraint, depending on the child’s age,” said the ROP official.

“Children travelling by school buses must stay seated and schools must raise awareness about the is-sue. Parents must cease making children sit on their laps while driving or having them sit in the front seat,” he added.

The Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulance (PACDA) reported that the Ambulance divi-sion responded to 7,705 cases of road accidents in 2014. In every five road accident death in Oman, one was a child’s. Similarly, of eve-ry three injured in these accidents, one was a child.

According to the WHO report, rear facing child seats for babies and infants under one year can cut the risk of injury or death by 90 per cent while forward facing seats re-duce the risk by 80 per cent. >A6

Though Oman doesn’t have child restraint

laws, parents must ensure their children are

securely fastened with seat belts for safety

B5Saraya Bandar Jissah bags six awards

OMANWaste management

2Muscat needs better resources to stop the bins from overflowing. >A4

MARKET‘Investment potential’

3Malta and Oman have big opportunities for cooperation. >B1

OMANMedicines price cut

1Prices for a large number of medicines will be reduced from January 1, 2016. >A3

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

Cafeteria shut in Muscat for stale food sale

> C7Sweet silent killer

You must always be prepared to deal realistically with matters affecting the higher interests of the nation and the citizen and, when dealing with them, to look at them from the point of view of the country as a whole, with all its regions and wilayats, with no other purpose than that of the public interest. You are required to focus on major questions and not allow yourselves to be distracted by side issues that could obstruct progress towards practical solutions to the matters under discussion.

Staff Reporter

MUSCAT: An earthquake of 5.6 magnitude on the Richter scale occurred in the Arabian Sea on Saturday night, accord-ing to Sultan Qaboos University Earthquake Monitoring Centre.

“The epicentre of the quake was 450km of Al Hallaniyyat coast of Oman,” said the official.

5 . 6 M A G N I T U D E

Earthquake off Oman coast

A2 S U N DAY, N OV E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

OMANSalalah airport footfalls rise by 21% MUSCAT: Total passenger traf-fic, including transit and transfer passengers, going through the Muscat International Airport rose 16 per cent to 8,466,973 pas-sengers until October 2015, up from 7,312,502 passengers for the same period of 2014.

Data indicated a 17 per cent in-crease in the number of arrivals to 4,274,669 until October this year, compared to 3,662,932 passen-

gers for the same period in 2014.The number of departing passen-gers also increased by 15 per cent to 4,164,817, from 3,619,774 pas-sengers a year ago.

The ris in the arrival and depar-ture traffic at the Muscat Interna-tional Airport can be attributed to the growing number of flights operated by existing airlines, such as Kuwait Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, and Oman Air.

The Salalah Airport recorded an increase of 21 per cent in the total number of arriving and de-parting passengers to 865,337 passengers until October 2015, compared to 714,415 passengers for the same period of 2014.

In terms of air freight traffic at the Muscat International air-port, aviation data indicates an increase in the total unloaded and loaded freight by 9 per cent. - ONA

O C T O B E R D A T A

16% was the rise in passenger traffic, including transit and transfer passengers, going through the Muscat International Airport in October.

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OMANS U N DAY, N OV E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

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Medicine to cost less from January

MUSCAT: Prices for a large num-ber of medicines will be reduced from January 1, 2016 after Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Saidi, Minister of Health, issued a minis-terial decision on the reduction of profit margins for drugs sold in the private sector in the Sultanate.

Dr Mohammed bin Hamdan Al Rubai, director-general of Phar-maceutical Affairs and Drug Con-trol, Ministry of Health stressed that the ministry had continued to review the prices of all drugs regis-tered with the ministry.

He further said that this deci-

sion was a continuation of the previous phases for reducing the export prices of drugs in the Sul-tanate by unifying the prices of in-novative drugs at the Gulf Cooper-ation Council (GCC) country-level and for re-pricing generic drugs at the local level.

Reduction in profit marginDuring this phase, the prices of 4,246 drugs registered in the Sul-tanate have been cut. The ministe-rial decision stipulates a reduction in profit margin of the drugs in the private sector so that the profit margin is between 35 per cent and 43 per cent, instead of 55 per cent.

It is worth mentioning that dur-ing the first phase in October 2014, the prices of 1,400 drugs were re-

duced. During the second phase in June 2015, the prices of 1,180 drugs were reduced. Drug prices in Oman are considered to be one of the highest in the GCC. The Ministry of Health has asked all the pharma-cies operating in Oman to provide a list of the prices of drugs so that consumers can compare prices.

Observers believe that since Oman does not have pharmaceuti-cal manufacturing facilities, most drugs are imported and monopo-listic practices rule the roost.

Ministerial decision stipulates a reduction

in profit margin to bring it down to the range

of 35 per cent to 43 per cent, instead of the

present 55 per cent

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

RELIEF: During the first phase in October 2014, the prices of 1,400 drugs were reduced. During the second phase in June 2015, the prices of 1,180 drugs were reduced. – Bloomberg News

More than 500 take part in forum for students in ManahSTAFF REPORTER

MUSCAT: Students’ Seventh Annual Forum in the Wilayat of Manah was recently held at a rec-reation centre with much fanfare.

“Around 500 students from different schools in Manah par-ticipated in various events for the two consecutive weeks,” Mazin Abdulla Al Suleimani, from the Mass Communication Department at the Sultan Qaboos University, said.

The final day ceremony was at-tended by Habib bin Ismail bin Ali Al Suwaid, director general of the Technical Office for Tender Com-mittees at the royal court affairs.

“Different sporting items, such as football, volleyball, handball, table tennis, tennis, javelin and shotput throw and different ath-letic items were held. For chil-dren, various cultural items were presented,” Al Suleimani added.

Khalfan bin Salim Al Azri bin Darwish, director of the recrea-tion centre, said it was fortunate that the day coincided with the country’s celebrations of the National Day.

“These kind of events will help the future generation in honing their skills and contributing to-wards Oman’s progress,” the di-rector added. The ceremony also had a visual presentation high-lighting Oman culture.

“Winners were honoured with prizes at the end of the event,” Al Suleimani added.

R E C R E A T I O N

Such events will help the future generation in honing their skills and contributing to the progress of Oman

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OMAN

Muscat needs better re-sources to stop the streets bins from overflow-

ing and a better recycling system for waste management.

Only a small percentage of rubbish is recycled in Muscat and the rest is dumped into landfills. The problem starts from Muscat homes and spills over onto the streets. The trash is accumulated overnight where the resident of a whole street dump rubbish on daily basis. The trouble is that it is not just the domestic waste. People dump tree cuttings, from mere branches to the the whole tree. They also throw unwanted furniture, from old beds to tables and electrical appliances that have served their useful life cycle. Small contractors also abuse the system on regular

basis when they throw away the remains of cement, plywood, paint and even bricks after a maintenance job. Not to men-tion the potentially deadly toxic byproducts. They all end up next

to the public bins.We also now see the dumping

of old cars in the streets. Owners remove the number plates in the hope the vehicles will not be traced to them.

Such piles of rubbish con-tribute to health problems, foul smell and a breeding ground of vermin such as mice, rats and cockroaches. It is also an eyesore to smart-looking streets where house owners take pride with the investments they made in the construction of their villas. A smart street with overflow-ing garbage and rats the size of crocodiles crossing the roads will severely depreciate the property prices.

Obviously the garbage re-moval teams from the Muscat Municipality are not equipped to handle this problem on a daily basis. Last year, the authorities distributed limited

green bins for the recycling of papers to houses in selected streets. It shows a commitment in an attempt to get things in order but it remains a small gesture. The Muscat Municipal-ity is obviously struggling with the removal of the trash because it is not just the domestic waste it is dealing with. Certainly, this is not part of its job description to recycle the city’s waste. To be fair, it cannot take the entire blame for the abuse we see in some of our streets. Home own-ers and maintenance contrac-tors should share the responsi-bility as well.

Private sectorHowever, the government needs to involve the private sector for the recycling of waste other than domestic trash before it ends into a junk crisis. Solid waste is a specialised business and it

must be left to experts to solve the problem. This is a critical gap that needs to be urgently ad-dressed because it will lead to an environmental problem. At the moment, not only there are lim-ited resources to move out solid waste from the streets but the disposal of such waste is proving to be a headache. They make a slow journey to the landfills and get burned. The government, instead of leaving it all in the hands of municipality, it must seek ways to forge partner-ships with private companies to achieve a sustainable manage-ment of the solid waste.

The community must also be involved as well. Non-government organisations like the environment, and charities should be in it to make it work. Incentives to home owners are needed, since they are the big-gest abusers of solid waste. It can

be achieved by given awards on annual basis to ‘Smart Streets’ that adhere to the environmental cleanliness. They should know that a smart street has the big advantage of boosting house prices and rental. Campaigns such as “We love our City” will instill special pride to citizens and residents to ‘smarten up’ their areas.

Moreover, to keep campaigns sustainable, awareness should be spread to schools to encour-age students to take part in the street cleanup campaigns.

The government should also be strict to offenders by slapping hefty fines to those responsible of fouling up our streets. One way of making sure that offend-ers get caught is to install CCTV cameras over the garbage col-lection points. When they know they are being watched they will not do it.

Muscat needs creative solution for its waste managementC O M M E N T A R Y

SALEH AL SHAIBANY

SUNDAYBEAT

H AV E YOU R SAY AT T W I T T E R.CO M /T I M ES O F O M A N O R S CA N T H E CO D E TO I N STA N T LY P O ST YOU R T H O U G H TS .

45th National Day celebrated across all outlets of LuluMUSCAT: Lulu Hypermarkets, Oman’s largest retail chain, cel-ebrated the occasion of the Sul-tanate’s 45th National Day with pride and enthusiasm across its outlets throughout Oman, with staff members joining customers to celebrate the auspicious day.

All Lulu outlets were brightly decorated with the national colours of red, green and white and the festive feel was evident throughout the day. The outlets organised an array of cultural ac-tivities and promotions to coin-cide with the glorious event, cap-turing the true spirit of the most celebratory day of the country.

Commenting on the occasion, Yusuffali M. A., chairman and managing director of the Lulu Group said. “On the 45th Na-tional Day of Oman, I extend my warm greetings to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, his gov-ernment and all the citizens of the Sultanate. We are duty bound to contribute to the growth of this nation by marshalling people and resources to create more mean-ingful jobs and produce more quality services,” he added.

Cultural activitiesThere were celebrations across all outlets in the Sultanate. Decked up with balloons, craft-work and ribbons depicting the tri-colours of the flag, the stores donned a festive look and were abuzz with loads of cultural ac-tivities. There was also a grand display of loyalty, affection and joy as each outlet marked the spe-cial day in unique ways, paying tribute to the nation and its great leader His Majesty the Sultan.

Oman’s rich culture and tradi-

tions is magnified on important occasions, such as the National Day. This was evident at all the Lulu outlets, where a range of cul-tural programmes were hosted to celebrate the big day.

Young children attired in na-tional colours put up cute perfor-mances, reinforcing a patriotic feeling among viewers.

45-metre cakeThere was also a customary cake-cutting ceremony at all outlets, which was attended by senior of-ficials from each of the wilayats. Some of the cakes were quite a sight with the length extending to up to 45 metres to coincide with the all-important day.

“The National Day celebrations served as the perfect opportunity for us to celebrate and express our gratitude and admiration for our beloved leader, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. We have been a beneficiary of the good governance and policies of the government, which has helped us achieve steady growth and we are truly thankful for this,” said Ananth A.V, regional director of Lulu Hypermarkets, Oman.

Lulu, the one-stop destination for all shopping needs, has risen to become one of the most popu-lar brands in the country and operates over 15 stores in Oman. The group is acknowledged as a leader that provides diverse qual-ity brands and value for money. The 800,000 plus shoppers, who patronize Lulu daily, are the true testament to the popularity of the Lulu brand.

Lulu Hypermarkets are popu-lar among all their customers for the unique shopping experience .

G L O R I O U S E V E N T Muscat eagerly awaits Murphy’s Legacy show

MOBIN MATHEW [email protected]

MUSCAT: Enthusiasts in Muscat are getting ready to match steps with Murphy’s Legacy on Decem-ber 10 at the Shangri La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa.

Murphy’s Legacy, the world-famous Irish dance is the brain-child of Chris Hannon, who spent 13 years with the world renowned ‘Lord of the Dance’ show. Accord-ing to Chris, the show is a tale of three characters, and set hun-dreds of years ago.

“The first of the Murphys leaves a troubled Ireland in search for peaceful times only to be washed ashore on an island called Ishan, which is home to Isha’s and the Dark Souless Haidarass. The three become entangled and a journey for peace is fought with Isha’s and Murphy’s against the Haidarass,” Chris Hannon told the Times of Oman in an e-mail interview.

Amazing original soundtrack“The show has an amazing origi-nal soundtrack that fuses Irish dance with occasional contem-porary tracks. Faced with paced steps that will blow the audiences’ mind and if our premier is any-thing to go buy the audience will be dancing on their feet, I sure hope so anyway,” he added.

Speaking about the audience in Muscat he said, “I’m looking forward to taking them on a jour-ney and really captivating them and leave them wanting to see us again. Being the first Irish dance

show in Muscat, I know we’ll raise the bar and show them why the world is mesmerised when 30 Irish dancers are in complete sync on every rhythm and beat throughout the performance.”

Hannon also assured that the audience can expect highs and lows in the show. They can con-nect with the story, characters and the flow of emotions, which in the end will leave huge smiles on their faces. The show has the best danc-ers from Ireland and the United Kingdom and the technique and precision of the world-class dance troupe will leave a happy and last-ing memory for the audience.

According to Chris, the cho-

reography and the story is what makes Murphy’s Legacy different from the Lord of the Dance.

“Murphy’s Story is a really huge part of the production and through dance plays it out to the end. We have the live band play-ing throughout, which gives it that extra edge and leaves not just every dancer working to be per-fectly in sync, but also the band, it poses tougher challenges, but one we will all rise to. My vision for the show is very clear and it was always important for me not to go down the same route and to make it unique and have it stand out on its own,” Chris said.

Middle East toursThe Irish dancer opened his mind to share why he is bringing Mur-phy’s Legacy to the Gulf.

“One of the things I have learnt from my time with Lord of the Dance is that the whole world loves Irish dance shows. During my time touring I loved Middle East tours and learning about and being part of different cultures. It’s a real magical place that I wanted to be able to show the people my Irish dance show,” Hannon said.

He also gave an answer for why he chose Oman to host this show first in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

“I love to do firsts, so Oman is the perfect place for hosting an Irish dance show for the first time, it was the perfect place to start and have Murphy’s Celtic Legacy become the first Irish Dance show to be performed here live,” Han-non asserted.

According to Hannon, Murphy’s Legacy is getting a good response. “Murphy’s Legacy premiered in January and the response was overwhelming. The audience and press feedback was great. It’s been an incredibly proud journey so far

for me and the proudest moment will be opening the GCC and world tour on December 10 in Muscat,” he said.

Hannon also narrated how he became a choreographer. “It’s al-ways been something that I was very keen on. From itching to help on parts in Lord to being able to produce mini theatre shows with my Mother’s Irish dance school, I slowly realised I had it in me to cho-reograph a full up-to-date and new original Irish dance show,” he said.

Ticket salesSpeaking about the journey with the Lord of the Dance, Chris said, “My journey with Lord was in-credible (as it included) travelling the world doing what I loved to performing as the lead along with Michael at some of the best venues in the world. It was an honour to be part of that show, but I knew that I had to leave and pursue my own path and follow the dream of cre-ating my own production.”

Hannon also showed his eager-ness to host Murphy’s Legacy for the people of Oman to see. “Truly, I can’t wait for opening night here,” the choreographer of Mur-phy’s Legacy said. There has been a great response to ticket sales for the Murphy’s Legacy, according to the organisers.

Gordon Mackenzie, managing director of Alive Entertainment said, “Ticket sales are going very well, everyone is super excited. It’s the first time a show like this has come to Oman so make sure you get your tickets fast! ‘Irish Dance Reborn.’”

Murphy’s Legacy,

the world-famous

Irish dance is the

brainchild of Chris

Hannon, who spent

13 years with the

world renowned

‘Lord of the Dance’

show. The show is

to be presented on

December 10

SQU graduation ceremony today

MUSCAT: Honoured by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, Sayyid Mohamed bin Sultan Al Busaidi, minister of state and governor of Dhofar, will preside over a celebration on Sunday, to mark the graduation of a batch of 26 students of Sultan Qaboos University (SQU)

Another ceremonyThe ceremony will be for 2,930 graduates of the colleges of arts and social sciences, education,

law, economics and political sci-ences, while another graduation ceremony will be organised on December 6 for the students of the

colleges of medicine and health sciences, nursing, agricultural and marine sciences, engineering and the college of sciences. — ONA

E D U C A T I O N

FESTIVE LOOK: Lulu outlets celebrated the 45th National Day

across all its outlets with various events and a customary cake

cutting function. - Supplied photo


The graduation ceremony on Sunday will be

for 2,930 graduates of arts, social sciences,

education, law, economics and political sciences

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Indian community fest website launched

STAFF REPORTER

MUSCAT: Unity of Indian Social Club (ISC) in Oman is a model for all to follow, said a noted Indian film maker while inaugurating the Indian Community Festival (ICF) on Thursday evening.

“Unity of the ISC beyond caste, religion and language will be a

model to many people around the world,” said film maker Renjith Balakrishnan.

At the function, Indira Mani Pandey, the India’s ambassador to the Sultanate, said the name ICF is an apt one with the presence of the large number of Indian commu-nity members at the festival.

While thanking the Indian com-

munity in Oman on behalf of the Indian prime minister for their contribution towards India’s pro-gress, the Indian ambassador launched the website of the ICF.

The ICF, previously known as Keralotsavam, is organised by the Kerala Wing of Indian Social Club (ISC) for the last 13 years. Oman government officials, embassy of-

ficials, and businessmen were pre-sent at the ICF inaugural function.

Science fest for studentsThis year’s edition had a variety of cultural programmes and also a science fest for Indian students in Oman. The science project contest was organised for the school children below 17 years of age. Artists from India Centre for Cultural Relations (ICCR) was one of the highlights of the event as a tribute to highlight the heritage of India in Oman.

Meanwhile, the Kairali-Anan-thapuri award was presented to Fr Davis Chirammel, chairman of Kid-ney Federation of India, who toils for kidney donations in India. Fr Chirammel himself has donated one of his kidneys that prompted many

like minded people to donate simi-larly; which eventually led to form the Kidney Federation of India.

Besides the cultural events and science project contest, there were a number of stalls from busi-ness houses of Oman, food courts, book stalls and fancy shops at the venue ground.

“It is truly a good feel to be here. It was a good opportunity to wit-ness our cultural events, our tradi-tion in a foreign land,” said Ravi, an attendee at the ICF. Speaking about the ICF, Arpita a 9 standard student said, “It was a good event for children like us because it helps us to learn more about our country, its culture, its tradition.”

The three-day-long festival wound up on Saturday evening.

Indian ambassador launched the website of

ICF, previously known as Keralotsavam. It is

organised by the Kerala Wing of the club

Fish catches in Oman increase 8% MUSCAT: Fish landings in the Sultanate using traditional fishing methods posted an increase of 8 per cent for the first eight months of 2015, with the catch estimated to be 141,688 tonnes, compared to 131,200 tonnes recorded during the same period last year.

The total value of fish landings by artisanal fisheries grew by 3.8 per cent to OMR110,635,000, compared to OMR106,621,000 in the previous year, according

to data released by the National Centre for Statistics and Infor-mation (NCSI).

The Sultanate’s overall fish landings through traditional, coastal and commercial fishing posted a growth of 8.4 per cent to reach 144,607 tons during the first eight months.

The NCSI report showed that the Governorate of South Al Shar-qiah recorded the largest landings at 35,744 tonnes, marking a 4.1 per

cent growth from 34,345 tonnes last year, followed by the Gover-norate of Al Wusta, which posted a 5.9 per cent rise in landings to 35,062 tonnes, up from 33,107 tonnes in the previous year.

The Governorates of South and North Al Batinah logged a rise of 18.9 per cent, with landings reaching 24,612 tonnes. The Gov-ernorate of Muscat reported total landings of 10,015 tonnes register-ing a year-on-year growth. - ONA

E I G H T M O N T H S

Shopping fair on SaturdayTimes News Service

MUSCAT: Meena Bazaar, a fa-mous shopping fair for women from all over, will be organised at The Jungle restaurant, Bahja Hall next to Qurum Park from 10am to 10pm on December 5.

Presented by Platinum Events, it is one of Muscat’s most popular attractions. The entry is free.

According to the organisers, Meena Bazaar will bring togeth-er world-class shopping and ex-pert advice from over a hundred names in the industry and all under one roof.

“From large corporations to small businesses, our goal is to gather an unparalleled group of products and services that will cater to the needs of families in Oman,” they said.

The organisers also said the event will provide an exclusive platform for home-based women entrepreneurs to showcase their entrepreneurial qualities ahead of the marriage season.

W O M E N E N T R E P R E N E U R S

FESTIVAL TIME: The Indian ambassador thanked the Indian com-

munity in Oman on behalf of the Indian prime minister for their

contribution towards India’s progress. – O. K. MOHAMMED ALI/Times of Oman

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It’s common to see infants playing in vehicles

Children in booster seats, typi-cally in the four to 10 year age group, have a 77 per cent chance to escape injury or death.

It is common to see children playing around unsecured in a vehicle if one takes a quick peek at a car while driving down Sul-tan Qaboos highway. One often finds infants dangling out from a car window on service roads, prompting serious concern about children’s safety.

“As a fire and rescue profes-sional with more than 25 years experience, I have witnessed first hand the terrible consequences of passengers not being restrained in vehicles, particularly children,” said Mark Pudwell, Business De-velopment and Training Manager, Competence HR.

“They must never be allowed to sit on an adult’s lap in the front seat, nor be permitted to sit or stand alone on the front seat or

the foot well as most cars are fit-ted with passenger airbag systems which will kill a child instantly if the bag is activated,” he added.

Um Tariq, a concerned par-ent, described other parents who let their children freely roam inside the vehicle as well as let them stick their heads out from the sunroofs or the car windows as “retards.”

“This amounts to parents being complete retards. There are times where I want to stop a car and give them a piece of my mind for endangering their own children. My children are all grown up but when they were infnats, I always had them in a child restraint or secured with seat belts,” she said.

Some children do understand the dangers of not wearing seat-belts. Rodoljub, a resident of Muscat, said, “My daughter is five-year-old and she actually screams if I start moving the car

before she’s able to put on her seat belt. I can’t drive unless she is safe and secured.”

Pudwell compared unre-strained children to a shopping bag on the back seat of a car.

“We have all placed a heavy bag of shopping on the rear seat of our cars and then had to brake suddenly or take evasive action, and as a result our groceries go all over in the rear of the car. Imagine for a moment that bag as a child,” he explained.

“It is well documented that un-restrained children have hit other passengers during an incident and unwittingly killed that per-son,” he continued.

Calls for enacting a law, making it mandatory for adults travelling with children to have child seats or restraints installed in their vehicle are being voiced by some aware individuals fearing for the safety of the children.

‘Sythe,’ a blogger on Muscat Mutterings, wrote on his blog post, “It is time that the ROP gets tough on this and laws are drafted to force people to use car seats for children, but it’s up to the govern-ment to enact the laws that the ROP can enforce. It (shocks me) that this has not been done yet.”

According to the WHO, only 53 countries, representing 17 per-cent of the world’s population, meet the legal criteria requir-ing child restraints based on age, weight, or height, which makes child safety more effective. These laws restrict children from sitting in the front seat.

“Deaths on the road will sadly never be eliminated but we have a duty to take care of ourselves and our children. Only a law and an ac-ceptance of such a cultural change will ensure that we do our bit in protecting the future of Oman’s children,” said Pudwell.

T E R R I B L E C O N S E Q U E N C E S

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‘Al Amerat heights perfect

background for new project’

“After taking the picture, I use Photoshop and other software to clean the image, adjust the contrast and dim the back-ground in order to make the text more readable and visible,” added Al Ghazali.

More paintingsSaif Al Busaidi and Aiman Al Ghazali came together in October and confirmed they will be releas-ing more light paintings in the near future.

Asked about the location of his next project, Al Busaidi said, “A panoramic photograph of Al Amerat heights will make for a perfect background. We are also planning to take another shot at the Burj Al Sahwa soon.”

M O R E I N S T O R E

ARTWORK: The remarkable Al Alam Palace. – Supplied photo

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INJAZ Al Arab award winners announced

MOBIN MATHEW [email protected]

MUSCAT: 3 Dots company from Bahrain and Use Forfeit from Morocco were named as the Com-pany of the Year in the high school and university category of INJAZ Al Arab Young Entrepreneurs Competition of 2015, respectively.

Prizes were handed over to the winners at the ninth annual award ceremony held in Shangri La Hotel on Wednesday evening.

The title “High School Product of the Year” was declared at the Electronic Company from Moroc-co and Drops from KSA claimed the “High School Company for Best Social Impact,” with all the awards sponsored by the Oman Oil Company and OMIFCO.

Pinnacle Inc. from Tunisia won the ‘University Product of

the Year’ and was sponsored by Omantel and the “Remarkable Customer Service Award” was presented to the Creative Young company from Yemen on behalf of the Citi Foundation.

TunisiaThe “2015 FedEx Access Award” was awarded to Pinnacle from Tunisia and the MBC Al Amal’s “TVC of the Year” was received by CSQUARE from Egypt.

The event was held under the patronage of His Highness Sayyid Faisal bin Turki Al Said, and in the presence of Khalid Muhammad Al Zubair, chairman of INJAZ Oman, and INJAZ Al Arab’s Board of Directors.

“Today is a lovely moment where we celebrate INJAZ Al-Arab’s ambitious entrepreneurs, who have proven that they are

looking towards the future with relentless passion and determi-nation,” said Sheikh Khalid Al Zubair, chairman of INJAZ Oman.

“We are still living in the high spirits of the Sultanate’s glorious National Day, which acknowl-edges the nation’s broad spectrum of achievements, of which youth development is a very impor-tant part. Therefore, hosting this event, acknowledging and prais-ing the accomplishment of young people here in Oman, forms a vi-brant continuation of our ongoing festivities,” he added.

According to the organisers, the regional participation level was high as in the previous years.

Business acumenYEC 2015 saw 14 teams compete on the grounds of business acu-men, to claim one of the nine pres-tigious accolades on offer in this once in a lifetime opportunity.

Omani students were joined in the competition by their peers from the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Palestine, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Yemen and Pakistan.

Student companies were as-sessed on their ability to demon-strate sound business insights, financial knowledge, marketing abilities and research skills.

In addition, the youth were re-

quired to showcase their products for the public, as well as conduct a private question and answer ses-sion with the judging panel in or-der to present their business more comprehensively.

Business leaders and corpo-rations from across the Middle East and North African (MENA) region formed the event’s judging panel for 2015.

Students are evaluated by some of the region’s foremost and sen-ior business talent each year to provide them with some direct perspective on the realities of what real life corporate environ-ments are like.

The Young Entrepreneurs Competition was launched in 2007 and is attended annually by the national winners of INJAZ brand’s country-based events across the region.

Young talentThe 2015 edition of the event was supported by a range of local sponsors committed to the de-velopment of young talent, com-prised by nationally celebrated youth groups, organisations and corporations; including Oman’s National Youth Commission as Gold Sponsor, the Zubair Corpo-ration as Strategic Partner, Plaza Premium as Logistics Partner, and INJAZ Oman as the host of the competition.

Omani students were joined in the

competition by their peers from the UAE,

Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar,

Palestine, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria,

Tunisia, Yemen and Pakistan

Sayyid Shihab arrives in FranceMUSCAT: Assigned by His Maj-esty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, His Highness Sayyid Shihab bin Tariq Al Said arrived on Saturday in France to represent Oman at the 21st International Conference on Climate. The conference will be held in Paris from November 30 to December 11.

Sayyid Shihab is accompanied by Mohammed bin Salim Al Toobi,

Minister of Environment and Cli-mate Affairs and Sheikh Humaid bin Ali Al Mani, the Sultanate’s ambassador to France. The confer-ence is expected to see discussions on a number of environmental issues, mainly the global warm-ing with the participation of the 195-member states of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. —ONA

C L I M A T E C O N F E R E N C E

Sultan Qaboos Academy

RIYADH: It was a proud moment for Sultan Qaboos Academy for Police Sciences as it maintained the first place at the Prince Naïf bin Abdulaziz Award for Security Research 2015 for the GCC States.

The winning security research paper of the Sultan Qaboos Acad-emy for Police Sciences was ti-

tled “ e-crime in the GCC Society; ways to confront it,” said Colonel Salim bin Rashid Al Alawi, com-mandant of the Academy, adding that the 64–page research study comprised five research elements in addition to the 16-page supple-ment of the unified strategy for confronting crime. —ONA

F I R S T P L A C E

PROUD WINNERS: Prizes were handed over to the winners at the ninth annual award ceremony held in Shangri La Hotel on Wednesday

evening. –O K Mohammed Ali

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REGIONS U N DAY, N OV E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

The investigation showed that the two Turks are supporters of the

IS organisation... and one of them had stayed in a camp in Hama’s

province (Syria) where he was trained in handling weapons and

took part in battles against the Syrian army

Interior Ministry, Morocco

Turks with IS links arrested in Morocco

RABAT: Moroccan police have arrested three people on suspi-cion of hacking telecommunica-tions equipment, including two Turkish nationals who are sus-pected of having ties to IS, the In-terior Ministry said.

“The two Turkish nationals were involved in hacking tel-ephone communications of a Moroccan operator, using de-veloped technical equipment,” it said late on Friday.

“The investigation showed

that the two Turkish are sup-porters of the IS organisation... and one of them had stayed in a camp in Hama’s province (Syria) where he was trained in handling weapons and took part in bat-tles against the Syrian army,” the statement added.

ContactsMoroccan authorities said the two Turks have had contacts with IS operational leaders as they were seeking logistical support.

The statement said the Moroc-can was also suspected of hack-ing but gave no further details about him. — Reuters

The two Turkish nationals were involved

in hacking telephone communications of a

Moroccan operator, said authorities

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INDIAS U N DAY, N OV E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

There is a sense of confidence among investors. This government

means business, this government is business friendly, this

government is investor friendly, a decisive government

Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister

‘Double-digit growth within sight’

NEW DELHI: Taking a dig at the economic policies of the previous UPA government, Union Minis-ter Rajnath Singh on Saturday said the country’s economy was revived by the Modi government

and India has now become the “hot favourite” destination for foreign investors.

The Union Home minister ex-uded confidence that in a few years, India’s economic growth

would in double digit.Singh said a number of signifi-

cant steps were taken when the Atal Behari Vajpayee government came to power in late 1990s, due to which the GDP growth rate had touched 8 per cent and the the then prevailing global economic reces-sion did not impact the country.

“But after 2004, even though there was growth initially, the mo-mentum lost gradually. The coun-try could not achieve the desired growth. They could not match the momentum achieved by the Va-jpayee government. By 2014, the economic condition of the country further deteriorated.

“When the Modi government assumed charge, you all know what was the economic condition

of the country,” he said at a func-tion of the PHD Chamber of Com-merce and Industry here.

The UPA government was in power between 2004-14.

The union home minister said after the NDA government as-sumed charge in May 2014, the economy was put back on track and now the GDP growth rate is around 7.5 - 7.6 per cent.

“India has become the hot fa-vourite destination for foreign in-vestors. I am sure in a few years, India’s economic growth would in double digit,” he said.

The union home minister, how-ever, said he would not like to claim that prices of all essential commodities have come down but asserted that prices of many goods

have come down significantly.“Our political opponents say

that prices of pulses have gone up, vegetable prices have gone up. They create a hue and cry over it. But we have taken a number of steps to reduce the prices. We have imported many essential com-modities so that prices are under control,” he said.

Significant stepsSingh said Prime Minister Naren-dra Modi has already made it clear that the prime objective of the gov-ernment was to speed up the eco-nomic engine.

The government has taken sev-eral significant steps and as a re-sult not only domestic investors but foreign investors were getting

confidence, Singh said.“There is a sense of confidence

among investors. This government means business, this government is business friendly, this govern-ment is investors friendly, a deci-sive government,” he said.

The Union Minister said the government has made many pro-cedural and structural reforms while level of corruption has come down significantly and there was perception globally now that cor-ruption has come down in India.

There is complete transparency in government too, he said.

“India will soon become one of the five top economies in the world. We are trying to make com-mon people part of the develop-ment process,” he said. - PTI

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh

said India has become the hot favourite

destination for foreign investors. I am sure

in a few years, India’s will see double-digit

economic growth

Talk of non-discrimination and

equality at Modi’s Diwali Milan

NEW DELHI: Prime Minis-ter Narendra Modi on Saturday spoke of non-discrimination and equality as he reached out to jour-nalists at a ‘Diwali Milan’ at the BJP headquarters here.

Hailing Indian festivals as oc-casions which give a new inspira-tion to society, he said “The festi-val of lights (Deep Parva) is also a part of it. There is no discrimina-tion in it. It also strengthens the value of equality.”

Speaking about mass connect of festivals including the Kumbh fair, Modi said “In our society, festivals in themselves are a big strength, which give the society a new momentum, energy and en-thusiasm. A number of stories can be generated if its social and eco-nomic aspects are analysed.

“For instance the gathering on the banks of the Ganges during the Kumb Mela is so huge as if there some small European coun-try there,” he said.

After his brief remarks from the podium, the Prime Minister

stepped down to go around freely shaking hands with the assem-bled journalists, some of whom took selfies with him.

It was a repeat of the scenes like last year when Modi reached out to journalists on a similar occasion. Again he was was liter-

ally mobbed by them during the informal interaction.

IntoleranceMeanwhile, the issue of intol-erance is set to reverberate in Lok Sabha on Monday with the Speaker accepting notices of CPI(M) member P. Karunakaran and Congress MP K. C. Venugopal for a discussion on the matter.

The two opposition members had given notices for a discussion on the issue under rule 193, which does not entail voting. The matter has been listed for Monday.

The opposition has been seek-ing a discussion on the issue of intolerance for quite some time.

At the all-party meeting held on November 25 in the backdrop of Bollywood actor Aamir Khan’s remarks on ‘growing intoler-ance’, opposition parties made a strong pitch for an early discus-sion on the issue, insisting that returning of awards by writers, artists and filmmakers should not be taken lightly. - PTI

F U N C T I O N

CANDID: Prime Minister Nar-

endra Modi speaks during the

Diwali Milan programme at

BJP headquarters in New Delhi

on Saturday. - PTI

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INDIAS U N DAY, N OV E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

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Bihar alliance success opens new avenue in West Bengal politicsKOLKATA: It was “rising intoler-ance” or a “desperate survival bid” that saw old foes Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad join hands with the Congress to trump the BJP-led alliance in the Bihar polls.

Will the approaching West Bengal assembly elections see the emergence of yet another grand alliance? Opinions vary as the political temperature in the state rises with the electoral battle just months away.

While for some, the vastly dif-ferent political spectrum in Bengal may not allow the forging of a Bi-har like combination, some others feel the Nitish-Lalu duo, post the Bihar victory, could play a decisive role in next year’s duel.

While the opposition — the Left Front, the Congress and the BJP — has often been unanimous in deriding the Trinamool Con-gress for its “misrule” and aspires to dethrone the Mamata Banerjee government in the state, it is yet to indicate any resolve to bury its differences and collectively fight against the Trinamool.

AttemptOn the other hand, an advocate of forging a federal front opposed to the “communal” BJP, Chief Minister and Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee, has been woo-ing Nitish Kumar and her Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal, which some see as an attempt to forge a Bihar-like coalition.

Political analyst Anil Kumar Jana, though, opines that Ben-

gal’s political dynamics may not present the opportunity for such an alliance.

“Had the BJP won in Bihar, things could have been different. There could have been possibili-ties of the Congress or even the Left coming together with the Tri-namool to stop the BJP. But now, owing to the strong political com-pulsions of the parties, the possi-bility of any such alliance is very remote,” Jana said.

The Vidyasagar University pro-fessor, however, felt the Congress and the CPI-M — both locked in an existential battle in the state —

may come together against their common enemy, the Trinamool.

Another analyst, Udayan Ba-nerjee, insisted that the Marxists cannot afford to align with the Congress.

“For the Left, Kerala is far more important as it has a chance of coming back to power there. Even if Bengal leaders insist, the po-litburo will not allow any kind of truck with the Congress as it may jeopardise its chances in Kerala,” said the associate professor of political science at the Bangabasi College here.

While there have been feelers

from certain sections in both the camps on the possibility of an alli-ance, the top leaderships are non-committal. But both the parties unanimously ruled out the feasi-bility of a Bihar-like coalition.

Remaining evasive on the issue of joining hands with the Marxists, state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury argued that the political dynamics in Bengal did not afford the major forces — Tri-namool, Congress, Left or the BJP — to be unopposed to each other.

“The BJP’s communal politics had brought rivals together in Bi-har. But in Bengal, irrespective

of the fact that the opposition collectively has been a target of Trinamool’s terror tactics, such a coalition is not possible,” Chowdhury said. Marxist polit-buro member Mohammad Salim shared a similar view.

“While the decision to forge any kind of alliance rests with the po-litburo, I don’t think in Bengal, a Bihar-like alliance is possible.

Desperate move“Mamata Banerjee may indulge in any kind of gimmicks, but political parties realise the consequences of joining hands with the Trina-mool. Her wooing of Nitish Kumar or Kejriwal is only a desperate move to stay relevant in national politics,” Salim said.

While his party had been part of the Congress-led UPA-I dispensa-tion, Salim, on speculation of the CPI-M aligning with the Congress, said: “Let the speculation remain.”

But political analyst Biswanath Chakraborty felt that association with JD-U chief Nitish Kumar and RJD head Lalu Prasad is a guaran-tee for victory in the Bengal polls.

“Post the Bihar polls, both of them have emerged as the apos-tles of secularism and victors over intolerance. With nearly 30 per cent Muslim population in Bengal, whoever can get them on their side will emerge victorious,” Chakraborty said.

Enthused by the success of its recent agitations, including a trade union-endorsed general strike on September 2, the Marxist-led Left

Front has been claiming it is gain-ing ground since the debacle in 2011, when the Trinamool ended its 34-year-long uninterrupted rule in the state.

Chakraborty however opined that the 2011 scenario will unfold yet again unless the Left man-ages to forge a “secular democratic front” with Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad on board.

“Incidentally, it’s not the Left, rather Mamata, who is making endeavours to stitch such a front. From participating in Kejriwal’s chief ministers’ conclave to voic-ing support for Nitish Kumar, Banerjee has been making all the right noises,” Chakraborty, a polit-ical science professor at Rabindra Bharati University, said.

“Even though her party can win on its might, by wooing the key non-BJP players, she is sending out a strong message to the minor-ities and at the same also attempt-ing to deny the Congress or the Left, the opportunity to forge any kind of association with the secu-lar parties,” Chakraborty added.

Trinamool Lok Sabha member Sultan Ahmed insisted the invita-tions to Kejriwal, Nitish Kumar or Lalu Prasad for the Bengal Global Business Summit in January 2016 is not aimed at any electoral move.

“Whether inviting Kejriwal or supporting Nitish Kumar, it is more about fighting to preserve the federal structure of the coun-try, which is under attack under the Narendra Modi government,” Ahmed said. - IANS

A S S E M B L Y E L E C T I O N S

RALLY: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Siddiqullah Chowdhury, General

Secretary,Jamiat Ulema-E-Hind, West Bengal at Jamiat-E-Ulama rally in Kolkata on Thursday. - PTI

‘India will use all its might to protect its sovereignty’

HASIMARA (West Bengal): President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday said India is firmly com-mitted to peace but is always pre-pared to deploy its military might to safeguard its sovereignty as he decorated two gallant IAF fighter aircraft squadrons at a strategic border airbase here.

Pranab, the supreme com-mander of the armed forces, pre-sented the President’s Standards to the 22nd and 18th squadrons of the Indian Air Force operating the strike and combat superior MiG-

27 aircraft to secure Indian skies along the eastern theatre during peace times and war.

The Squadrons are based here in Alipurduar district of West Bengal, strategically located right across the India-Bhutan border with the task to keep a vigil over the entire north east border skies of India.

“India’s increasing eminence in the comity of nations draws its strength from the capabilities of our armed forces. Though we re-main firmly committed to peace, we will use all our might to protect

the sovereignty of the nation. I am confident that our valiant men and women in uniform will rise to the occasion,” the President said after he accorded the honours to the two strike formations of the Indian Air Force.

PraisedHe lauded the air force by call-ing it the “cutting edge” of India’s military might and praised its men and women as he said the armed forces, “exemplified by the air warriors who stand before us, reflect our steely resolve to defend

our interests.”The President’s Standards are

given to armed forces’ units which render exceptional and dedicated service over a period of time.

Both the units which got the honours on Saturday have been doing so since 50 years now.

While the 18th Squadron, called the ‘Flying Bullets’, was formed in 1965 in Ambala, the 22nd Squad-ron was raised in 1966 in Bareilly and subsequently based at the Hasimara air force station here.

Pranab praised the IAF’s role in carrying out numerous humani-

tarian aid and disaster relief oper-ations, especially during the 2013 deluge in the hill state of Uttara-khand and during the earthquake in neighbouring Nepal in April this year.

Important role“The nation is indeed proud of you,” he said complimenting the two units and the Air Force.

The two air strike units deco-rated today have played impor-tant roles during the 1971 War, with the 18th Squadron being the lone recipient of the highest battle-time gallantry medal —t he Param Vir Chakra — for the dare devil operation of its Flying Officer N.J.S. Sekhon.

The 22nd Squadron, also called ‘The Swifts’ for their fast and pre-cision skills, earned its laurels dur-ing the same war when its fighters brought down three enemy jets over Jessore in a single sortie. The Squadrons are based in the border areas as the first IAF responders in case of any offensive from the east-ern front where apart from other nations, China is the predominant Indian neighbour.

IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha and senior Air Force officers were present at the event along with state government offi-cials. During the event, the Presi-dent also reviewed the parade even as multiple MiG-27s flew past as a mark of honour for the event and IAF drill teams, the Hawk aircraft flying ‘Surya Kiran’ and Sukhoi 30 acrobatic teams performed some daring manoeu-vres on the ground and in the air simultaneously. - PTI

Pranab said India’s

increasing eminence

in the comity of

nations draws its

strength from the

capabilities of our

armed forces. Though

we remain firmly

committed to peace,

we will use all our

might to protect the

sovereignty of the

nation

GUARD OF HONOUR: President Pranab Mukherjee inspects a guard of honour during a Standards

Presentation to 18th and 22nd squadrons of the Indian Air Force at the Hasimara Air Force Station

in the state of West Bengal on Saturday. - PTI

Extremists shot dead in ChhattisgarhRAIPUR: Two Naxals were gunned down and as many women cadres arrested after a fierce gun-battle between Maoists and secu-rity forces in restive Abhujmad of Indian state Chhattisgarh’s Naray-anpur district.

With the fresh incident, the number of rebels killed in separate gun-battles across the Bastar re-gion this month has reached to 18.

The skirmish took place on Fri-day night between a joint team of security forces and rebels in jun-gles of Tumnar under Dhanora po-lice station limits, Inspector Gen-eral of Police, Bastar Range, SRP Kalluri, said.

The IG said keeping in view the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA-military wing of the Maoists) week, starting from De-cember 2-8, during which ultras step up their activities, Narayan-pur Superintendent of Police Ab-hishek Meena had launched a se-ries of operations in the Abhujmad area, considered as a crucial base of the outlawed CPI (Maoist).As a part of the ongoing operations, a joint team of Special Task Force (STF) and state’s District Reserve Group (DRG) had entered around 60 kms inside densely forested Ab-hujmad last evening.

While they were cordoning off a forest axis between Bedmameta and Gattakal villages, a huge group of military company no 1 of Mao-ist opened indiscriminate firing on them after which a heavy gun-battle broke out between the two sides that lasted for around two hours, the IG said.

On finding security personnel zeroing in on them, the ultras fled the spot. - PTI

F I E R C E G U N B A T T L E

ISRO chief concerned over climate change challengesKAZIRANGA (Assam): The alarming phenomenon of climate change is no longer a scientific cu-riosity but a great challenge that would affect the economy, liveli-hood, health, agriculture and many other dimensions, Indian space agency ISRO chairman A.S. Kiran Kumar said here on Saturday.

People must now ensure that for our immediate and short-term gains, we must not cause irrepa-rable damage to the environment, the eminent scientist said ad-dressing the second convocation of Kaziranga University, near As-sam’s Jorhat town.

“Climate change is amongst the most concerning issues being dis-cussed across the world. Shifting weather patterns, threat to food

production through increased unpredictability of precipitation, rising sea levels contaminating coastal freshwater reserves, in-creasing risk of catastrophic flood-ing, and a warming atmosphere aids the pole-ward spread of pests and diseases once limited to the tropics,” he said.

The university on Saturday conferred honorary doctorates on Kiran Kumar and sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan for their contribu-tion in their respective fields.

“It’s known that most of the de-signs and innovations in science and technology are inspired by something in nature. Engineers in various industries the world around are turning to nature for inspiration as they try to design

products with better performance and lower energy consumption,” he said. Nature is full of viable ide-as for how to do things.

“All we need is to simply see and

listen to nature, its language, laws and ways to understand it.”

“Whenever we adopt a new technology for our advantage, we have to look at both sides of the

coin... we have to find out whether it can indirectly create a condition or a situation in which man may find himself trapped.”

“It is just possible that for our immediate and short-term gains, we are causing irreparable damage to our environment,” he said.

Kiran Kumar said the university campus, spread over a lush green landscape, not only made him hap-py but also inspired him to draw attention to the benefits of living and getting educated while blend-ing with the colours of nature.

“Living harmoniously with na-ture, our ancestral civilisations left negligible adverse impact to the environment. The consist-ent digression in quality in which human beings use the natural re-

sources they are provided with, is alarming,” he said.

Emphasizing that sustainable growth was the organising princi-ple for preserving finite resources necessary to provide for the needs of future generations on the plan-et, the scientist said there was a requirement to implement envi-ronmentally-friendly technologies without ignoring traditional wis-dom and knowledge.

“This awareness itself is funda-mental to minimise harm being caused to our environment.”

Kiran Kumar spoke in favour of increasing efficient use of materi-als and energy sources, control of impact on ecosystems, improve-ment of cleaner processes and products. - IANS

C O N V O C A T I O N

This awareness itself is fundamental to minimise

harm being caused to our environment

A.S. Kiran KumarChairman, Indian Space Research Organisation

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PAKISTAN S U N DAY, N OV E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

Privatisation has hardly had any negative impact on the economy,

except when you witness a lot of workers being laid off, but the

ones asked to leave are also offered decent incentives

Taha Khan Javed, Alfalah Securities Director Research

SEEKING SHELTERA stranded Pakistani migrant looks for shelter in a makeshift camp during a rainstorm close to the Greek-Macedonian border near the Greek village of Idomeni

on Friday. After extensive closed-door meetings, Pakistan and the European Union (EU) have agreed to rewrite the recently suspended accord for readmission of

illegal migrants. - Reuters

3,157 security men killed in five yearsISLAMABAD: For the first time, the government has shared con-solidated figures of the total loss of lives caused due to terrorism dur-ing the last five years.

The statistics also include de-tails regarding the total number of terrorists killed, sentenced to death or awaiting their death sen-tence. The interior ministry pro-vided the statistics in the National Assembly during the question hour on Friday.

According to the reply, a total of 3,157 personnel of law enforce-ment agencies (LEA) were killed and 5,988 injured during this pe-riod. At the same time, a total of 5,532 civilians were killed and 10,195 were injuries.

The highest number of the LEA personnel were killed and injured in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), where 1,487 person-nel laid down their lives and 2,224 sustained injuries. Some 1,470 ci-vilians were killed and 2,761 were injured in Fata in the same period.

The total number of terrorists killed during this period is 3,759, with 2,530 in Fata, 90 in Punjab, 342 in Sindh, 351 in K-P, 435 in Balochistan, seven in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), three in Pakistan-administered-Kashmir and one in Gilgit-Baltistan. -Express Tribune

S T A T I S T I C S

Aga Khan University opens hi-tech medical simulation centreKARACHI: Medical students and nursing staff will now have a chance to practice surgery on manikins in a safe environment, rather than learning surgeries on human bodies.

The Aga Khan University (AKU) has introduced Pakistan’s first medical simulation centre, the Centre for Innovation in Medical Education (CIME).

The centre is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and simulation manikins, providing a safe, risk-free environment for medical graduates, post graduates, nursing staff and allied health stu-dents as well as healthcare profes-sionals to practice on.

Students performing practice surgeries at the CIME will be mon-itored by senior faculty members and their work will also be record-ed, so that they can learn from and overcome their mistakes before conducting real surgeries in hos-

pitals. A wheezing two-year-old is brought to the emergency room with a respiratory problem.

Attached to a monitor, his lips begin to turn blue and he dis-plays signs of having difficulty in breathing. The nursing students have just a few minutes to cor-rectly diagnose and resuscitate the child simulator.

A faculty member observes the students dealing with critical pa-tients and shares his observations with them at the end of the one-hour session. In another room, a group of students sit and discuss their latest case scenario on sepsis.

As they work through the prob-lem, one of them writes and saves notes on a 55-inch touch screen tablet. An examiner, on the other side of an observation window, re-cords their discussion.

A clean, safe and realistic envi-ronment has been created in the centre, including wards, a debrief-

ing room, paediatric resuscitation room, dental simulation lab and gynaecological room. The senior doctors are busy observing stu-dents practice surgeries.

AKU’s medical college dean Dr Farhat Abbas welcomed the guests as the CIME was inaugurated on Friday afternoon. “Thirty years ago, when I was in medical col-lege, my training was exclusively based on on-the-job exposure,” he said. “We didn’t have simulators.We didn’t have clinical case dis-cussions. We rarely ever received feedback on how we responded to a simulation.”

Ambitious projectThrough this centre, Dr Abbas said they will provide high-tech education for current and future healthcare students and profes-sionals, allow practice that re-duces medical errors, improve pa-tient safety and raise the quality of

healthcare services in the country, he explained.

“(The centre) is open for all health professionals — both from private or public hospitals or col-leges,” claimed Dr Abbas.

AKU president Firoz Rasul said it is one of the most ambitious pro-jects to have been undertaken.

“This centre represents an in-vestment in academic excellence at AKU,” he said.

“The centre ensures that we are a model of innovation in the educa-tion we impart and the outstand-ing clinical training we offer to graduate doctors, nurses and allied health professionals,” he added.

According to the university management, with a total cost of $15 million, the centre has been funded by generous donors and will be available to the wider health services community in the public and private sectors in the region. -Express Tribune

F I R S T I N P A K I S T A N

STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY: The Aga Khan University in Karachi

has introduced Pakistan’s first medical simulation centre, the

Centre for Innovation in Medical Education. - Express Tribune

‘Climate change serious threat to human life’

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday said that climate change poses a seri-ous threat to human life across the globe, Radio Pakistan reported.

While addressing the Common-wealth summit on Climate Change in Malta, he informed that Paki-stan experienced mighty floods in 2010 and 2011.

“Cooperation should be pro-vided to underdeveloped coun-tries to overcome the challenges of climate change,” he said, add-ing that “Pakistan was hit by climate change badly and Hima-layan Glaciers are melting very quickly as compared to other parts of the world.”

The premier assured that Pa-kistan is adopting environment-friendly policies to overcome cli-

mate degradation. Further, Nawaz called for providing the latest technology and other resources for implementation of decisions of the conference.

During the visit, the premier also attended a banquet hosted by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II for the heads of government of Com-monwealth countries, together with their spouses.

The remarks come ahead of next week’s global summit in Paris, where Pakistan is set to ar-gue its precarious situation and risks to its economy owing to fast changing climate.

Meanwhile, the prime minister during his meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron

said Pakistan intends to main-tain friendly relations with all its neighbours and is ready to initiate peace talks with its arch nemesis, India, without any preconditions.

This was the third time the two prime ministers met during the current year, with earlier meetings taking place in April and Septem-ber. The PM’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Special As-sistant Tariq Fatemi and Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry were also present in the meeting.

The two leaders agreed to con-tinue close collaboration in di-verse fields particularly trade, in-vestment and security. They also reaffirmed their commitment to work in partnership for countering

the ‘shared threats’ of terrorism, organised crime and illegal migra-tion. Nawaz and Cameron also ex-pressed long-term commitment to work together for greater security and prosperity of their countries.

Nawaz said Pakistan considers United Kingdom a close friend and a trusted partner and men-tioned that bilateral relations were based on sound footing and strong diaspora linkages.

He expressed satisfaction over the Pakistan-UK cooperation in the realm of Enhanced Strategic Dialogue and said that the rela-tions had been strengthened by the refreshed roadmaps on trade, investment, culture, education and security. - Express Tribune

Prime Minister

Nawaz Sharif said

cooperation should

be provided to

underdeveloped

countries to

overcome the

challenges of climate

change

Government urge

to speed up the

privatisation efforts

LAHORE: Experts wonder why the present government is on the back foot over the privatisa-tion process that has remained on a standstill during the past 30 months the PML-N has been in power, and is encouraging the opposition to challenge the priva-tisation done by the party during its first tenure.

The ruling party has to its cred-it some of the most successful privatisation transactions dur-ing 1991-93, the transparency of which is reflected in the fact that none of the governments have found any fault in the process in 25 years, said the experts.

The entities privatised during that period are among the star performers and most are includ-ed in the KSE-100 companies.

Millat Tractors and Al Ghazi Tractors are the success stories of entities that were performing badly while they were part of the public sector, they added.

The two entities have suc-cessfully blocked all imports of tractors due to their competitive prices and have localised almost all tractor components.

MCB and Allied Bank, medio-cre entities in 1991, are currently the two best performing banks in the country, paying more taxes, they pointed out.

Similarly DG Khan Cement, Kohat Cement and Maple Leaf are forces to reckon with in the cement sector. They said these loss-making entities are now making exports and have more than tripled their capacity with

latest technology.“Privatisation has hardly had

any negative impact on the econ-omy, except when you witness a lot of workers being laid off, but the ones asked to leave are also offered decent incentives,” noted Alfalah Securities Director Re-search Taha Khan Javed.

“This is also one of the reasons that government-run institu-tions go in such big losses; they are overstaffed as a result of po-litical hiring. Since these work-ers are not hired on merit, they do not make efforts to be productive or improve their work skills,” he added. Businessmen are of the view that opposing forces are try-ing to erode investor confidence so that the economic process slows down. - Express Tribune

E C O N O M Y

ON BACK FOOT: Chairman of

Pakistan’s Privatisation Com-

mission Mohammad Zubair

has said repeatedly that public

enterprises will be privatised,

the assertion has not been fur-

ther strengthened. - Reuters file photoMEETING: British Prime Minister David Cameron, left, speaks with his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz

Sharif, during their meeting at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Valletta, Malta, on

Friday. - Reuters

A11

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Desperate migrants, police clash on Macedonia border

IDOMENI (GREECE): Police in Macedonia fired tear gas and stun grenades at desperate migrants stranded for days at the Greek border and who are demanding passage to western Europe, as sol-diers began erecting a metal fence to keep them out.

Macedonia, along with other Balkan countries on the migrant route, began turning away “eco-nomic migrants” nearly two weeks ago. Human rights groups have criticised the decision, under which only Syrians, Iraqis and Af-ghans are allowed through.

The new restrictions triggered days of protests from Iranians, Pa-kistanis, Moroccans and others, stranded in squalid tent camps on the border. Some Iranians have sewn their lips shut. One man on Saturday threw himself on railway lines before the police, screaming and flailing.

Saturday’s violence broke out after one migrant, believed to be a Moroccan, was electrocuted and badly burned when he climbed on top of a train wagon.

An angry crowd surged towards lines of Macedonian police and began throwing stones, a Reuters photographer at the scene said.

The police responded with tear gas and stun grenades, driving the crowd back, a Reuters pho-tographer at the scene said. Some officers threw stones.

In a surge that began about 18 months ago, migrants have been

flowing across Balkan borders, having landed by boat in Greece from Turkey. Human rights groups say international conven-tions require countries to treat asylum requests on merit, not on the basis of nationality.

Earlier on Saturday, Macedo-nian soldiers began driving metal poles around 3 metres high into the cold, muddy ground, building a barrier similar to that erected by Hungary on its southern border.

European Union member Hun-gary in September and October sealed its southern border to mi-

grants, calling them a threat to the security, prosperity and “Chris-tian values” of Europe.

But the Macedonian govern-ment said it had no intention of sealing its border completely. A government spokesman said the aim of the fence was “to direct the inflow of people towards the con-trolled points for their registra-tion and humane treatment.”

“We would like to underline that the border will remain open,” said spokesman Aleksandar Gjorgjiev. “We will allow passage for the people who come from

war-affected regions as we have done thus far.”

Macedonia, Serbia and Croa-tia say they began filtering the migrants after Slovenia, further along the route, announced it would start doing the same.

The number of migrants mak-ing the journey to Europe rose dramatically this year compared to 2014, although the influx shows signs of decreasing as winter approaches.

Germany expects roughly 1 mil-lion refugees and migrants to ar-rive this year alone. — Reuters

Violence broke out

after one migrant,

believed to be a

Moroccan, was

electrocuted and

badly burned when

he climbed on top of

a train wagon

Chances of finding Nefertiti’s resting place high: ExpertsLUXOR: Chances are high that the tomb of Ancient Egypt’s boy-king Tutankhamun has passages to a hidden chamber, which may be the last resting place of the lost Queen Nefertiti, experts said on Saturday.

There is huge international interest in Nefertiti, who died in the 14th century BC and is thought to be Tutankhamun’s stepmother, and confirmation of her final resting place would be the most remarkable Egyptian archaeological find this century. New evidence from the radar im-aging taken so far is to be sent to a team in Japan for analysis. The results are expected to be an-nounced in a month.

“We said earlier there was a 60 percent chance there is some-thing behind the walls. But now after the initial reading of the scans, we are saying now its 90 percent likely there is something behind the walls,” Egyptian An-tiquities Minister Mamdouh Al Damaty told a news conference.

He said he expected to reach the other side of the tomb’s wall within three months. Discovery of Nefertiti, whose chiselled cheek-bones and regal beauty were im-mortalised in a 3,300-year old bust now in a Berlin museum, would shed fresh light on what remains a mysterious period of Egyptian history. It could also be a boon for Egypt’s ailing tourism industry, which has suffered near endless setbacks since the pro-tests in 2011 and which is a vital source of foreign currency.

“There is, in fact, an empty space behind the wall based on ra-dar, which is very accurate, there is no doubt,” Japanese radar spe-cialist Hirokatsu Watanabe said, his hand hovering over a fuzzy

blue radar scan he said indicated the presence of a false wall. The size of the cavity is not known.

British Egyptologist Nicholas Reeves, leading the investiga-tion, said last month he believed Tutankhamun’s mausoleum was originally occupied by Nefertiti and that she had lain undisturbed behind what he believes is a parti-tion wall. But at the news confer-ence with Damaty on Saturday, Reeves warned that even the most minor of incisions in the wall could wreak damage to an inner chamber that may have been her-metically sealed for so many years.

Archaeology“The key is to excavate slowly and carefully and record well. The fact is this isn’t a race. All ar-chaeology is disruption. We can’t go back and re-do it, so we have to do it well in the first place,” Reeves said. “I’m feeling more certain today than I expected to be,” he said outside the Howard Carter House, a site named after

the British archaeologist pro-pelled to international celebrity for his discovery of the Tutankha-mun tomb in 1922. King Tut, as he is affectionately known, died around 1323 BC. His intact tomb, complete with his famous golden burial mask, was discovered in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor.

Experts have long sought to understand why Tut’s tomb was smaller than that of other phar-aohs and why its shape was more in keeping with that of the Egyp-tian queens of the time.

Egyptologists remain uncer-tain over where Nefertiti died and was buried. She was long believed to have passed away during her husband’s reign, suggesting she could be buried in Amarna, where her bust was found in 1912, some 400 km north of Luxor. More recently, most experts, includ-ing Reeves, have come to believe she outlived Akhenaten, who may have been Tut’s father, but changed her name and may have briefly ruled Egypt. — Reuters

A N C I E N T E G Y P T I A N Q U E E N

China police bust online gun sale ringSHANGHAI: Police in China, where gun possession by ordinary people is illegal, have busted an on-line gun selling operation, seizing 1,180 guns and more than 6 million bullets, the state news agency Xin-hua reported on Saturday.

A seven-month investigation that started when police happened across suspected gun parts in a package netted 18 people involved in the sale of guns in China via a website hosted on a US server, Xinhua said.

The gun selling ring had made more than 4 million yuan ($625,537) in profit since 2012, ac-cording to a police officer quoted by Xinhua.

The manufacture and sale of guns is strictly regulated in China and individuals can be sentenced to up to seven years in prison if convicted of illegally possessing a gun. With such strict controls, private gun ownership is almost unheard of and gun crime is rare.

In April, police found items be-lieved to be gun components in a package when inspecting a courier service, Xinhua quoted Lyu Ming, a police officer in the northern re-gion of Inner Mongolia, as saying.

In the following months, police traced packages to five suspects in the central province of Hunan and raided a house they had used to sell guns, it said. One suspect con-fessed that they had been in the online gun business since 2012, using a rented server in the United States. They posted advertise-ments online and recruited sales agents nationwide, Xinhua said.

Thirteen others were also detained, it said without giving details. — Reuters

A R M S , A M M U N I T I O N

VIOLENT REACTION: A stranded migrant prepares to throw a tear gas canister back at Macedonian police officers as they clash

after a migrant was injured when he climbed on top of a train wagon, near the village of Idomeni, Greece, on Saturday. – Reuters

EGYPT’S BOY-KING: The sarcophagus of King Tutankhamun

displayed in his burial chamber in the Valley of the Kings, close

to Luxor, 500 kms south of the Egyptian capital, Cairo. – AFP

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Noah Smith

When even Paul Krugman is worried about the national debt, you know you have a problem. The country in question isn’t

Greece or the US, but Japan.With low unemployment and high labour force

participation, Japan has essentially no idle resourc-es. The scope for boosting the economy with fiscal stimulus or easy money is almost nil. But Japan continues to run an enormous budget deficit every year. In 2014, the government had a deficit of 7.7 per cent of gross domestic product, with a primary deficit — which excludes interest payments — of just under 6 per cent. Things are looking somewhat bet-ter for 2015. A hike in the consumption tax in 2014 has swelled revenues. Government coffers have also been boosted by increased profits at Japanese com-panies —which is then subject to the country’s high corporate tax rate. As a result, the primary deficit is projected to be only about 3.3 per cent in 2015.

But 3.3 per cent is still way too high. In the long run, any deficit that stays higher than the rate of nominal GDP growth is unsustainable. Japan’s nominal GDP growth is now about zero. Its long-term potential real GDP growth is no more than 1 per cent (due to shrinking population), and the Bank of Japan has not managed to increase core inflation to the 2 per cent target despite Herculean efforts.

Even if interest rates stay at zero forever -- allow-ing the country to eventually refinance all its debt in order to bring interest payments down to zero -- borrowing 3.3 per cent of GDP every year is just too much. And if interest rates rise, deficits would explode. The government, of course, knows this, and has pledged to cut the primary deficit to 1 per cent by 2018 and to zero by 2020.

But its projections rely on unrealistically fast growth assumptions; it would require Japan to ex-pand well above its long-term potential rate. As in the US, Japanese administrations are in the habit of over-optimism.

The Ministry of Finance, full of sober-minded bu-reaucrats, projects that under more realistic growth assumptions, the primary deficit will shrink only to 2.2 per cent. Even that improvement would require tax hikes, spending cuts or some combination of the two. A primary deficit of 2.2 per cent would be at the very edge of long-term sustainability. If we assume a 1 pe rcent real potential growth rate and 1.5 per cent inflation, then a 2.2 per cent deficit will be just barely

under the maximum sustainable level of 2.5 per cent.So Japan does have a chance to avoid disaster. But

the risk is still high. A growth slowdown, a rise in in-terest rates or a fall in corporate profitability could easily nudge the government back to excessive debt growth. A secure future will require more serious deficit reduction.

That will mean either spending cuts or tax in-creases. Tax hikes hurt the economy, in the short term by damping demand and in the long term via economic distortion. Spending cuts are a better bet, but there’s a big political impediment.

Japan’s society aging and shrinking, and an ever-greater share of spending goes to pensions and other transfer payments to the old. The elderly are numer-ous and they vote in great numbers, so there is little scope for cutting their payouts.

Unless there is an attitude change -- an increased willingness by the baby boom generation to make sacrifices for the good of the country -- the govern-ment will probably continue to support the boomers at the expense of Japan’s beleaguered millennials.

It looks as if tax hikes are the only way to bring the deficit down to sustainable levels. At some point-- no one knows quite when — a primary deficit at cur-rent levels will lead either to a default or to direct monetary financing, with the central bank printing money to buy new government debt issues. Direct monetary financing will lead eventually to hyper-inflation, which acts much like a total default on all public and private debts.

Either a default or a hyperinflation would cause every Japanese financial institution, and most Japa-nese businesses, to fail. Maybe Japan would be OK, since it wouldn’t owe very much to foreigners — most of Japan’s debt is domestically financed. Busi-nesses would eventually reorganize, new financial institutions would emerge to lend them money and workers would find something to do. But the disrup-tion to economic life would be so huge that it might put the country in danger of an extremist takeover —probably by right-wing elements, since Japan lacks a powerful left wing.

An extremist regime would probably wreck the economy with bad policy, pushing Japan out of the ranks of rich developed countries.

If all goes perfectly, Japan can avoid this kind of nightmare scenario. But it’s far from a sure thing. More measures are needed. Spending cuts, especial-ly on transfers to the elderly, would be ideal, but tax hikes may be the only way. – Bloomberg View

Main aim of climate change talks is to protect corporations that are the main pollutersThis refers to the upcoming climate change talks scheduled to be held in the French capital of Paris from November 30 to December

11. In my opinion, these discussions will ultimately prove to be of little use. The big powers will only use the talks as tools for blackmailing the smaller countries. These remnants of the colonial powers have not abandoned their imperial pursuits. They will only use this occasion to further sell their ideas to the so-called affected countries. What is needed is a complete boycott of these talks as the main aim is to to protect corporations that are the biggest polluters.— Randy Harris, Salalah

Need for a single leadership at the United Nations This refers to the story, ‘Tunisia bomber had been arrested, freed’ Times of Oman (November 28). Such a turn of events has been witnessed many a time. This once more highlights the need to have a world-

wide sringent law implementation mechanism. Moreover, with the fight against the crazy militants going global, there is need to have a unified leadership against them. The United Nations itself needs to have a single voice. The Security Council, a forum which itself is a relic from the World War II era, needs to be suspended as it is of no use in the present times. — Sarjeel Humayun, Muttrah

T I M E S O F O M A NS U N DAY, N OV E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5A12

Japan must fix deficit to escape debt nightmare

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Ministerial decision on establishing committee for theprotection of environmentMUSCAT: Dr Khamis bin Mubarak Al Alawi, minister of re-gional municipalities and environment, has issued a ministe-rial decision establishing a committee entrusted to promote environmental action. According to the decision, the com-mittee will, among other things, supervise environmental re-search, make recommendations relevant to the environmental and follow up implementation of international agreements on environment signed by the Sultanate’s government.

1939: Soviet planes bomb an airfield at Helsinki, Finland..

1961: NASA launches a chimpanzee named Enos into Earth orbit.

1962: Algeria bans the Communist Party.

1963: President Lyndon B. Johnson appoints Chief Justice Earl Warren head of a commission to investigate the assassi-nation of President John F. Kennedy.

M O S T R E A DTIMESOFOMAN.COM

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

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

Increasing financial inclusion requires fundamentally rethinking

how a country’s financial system is structured and operates. It also frequently necessitates the use of instruments outside of the central

bankers’ traditional toolkit.

bit.ly/bankersrevolution

ALFRED HANNIG

The scowl is long gone. Then, Imran Khan, the rabble rousing chairman

of Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI), was breathing down his neck, and for a

while it did seem like Nawaz Sharif, the prime minister, was looking down the barrel of a gun a third

consecutive time in power.bit.ly/sharifpakistan

KAMRAN REHMAT

Just in time for Thanksgiving, American Airlines has

announced the end of the Frequent Flier Era as we’ve

known it. Starting next year, the airline’s customers will earn

miles based on how much they spend on a ticket rather than

how far they fly.bit.ly/americanairlinesffp

ADAM MINTER

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

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

This amazing footage shows the spectacular natural phenomenon of a waterspout spotted off Sur coast.

NOVEMBER 2000Scan 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 mail (Times of Oman, P.O. Box 770, P.C. 112, Ruwi).

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NUMBER OF BUILDINGPERMITS IN OMAN, 2014

Residential

Type of use

Commercial

Residentialand

Commercial

Industry

Tourism

Agriculture

Education

Government

Worship

Others

Total

Source: National Centre for Statistics & Information

33,264

596

1,912

958

19

870

18

426

87

189

38,339

Number of buildings

Location: Grand Mosque Nizwa/ Photo: Sadashiv Kamath

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A13


Fifty-seven-year-old Robert L. Dear stormed the clinic in central Colorado on Friday and killed three people, including a police officer, and wounded nine others before surrendering after a standoff at the facility lasting several hours

‘Fully mobilised’ to tackle Turkey threat, says Russia

MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin is fully mobilised to tackle what the Kremlin regards as an unprecedented threat from Tur-key following the shooting down of one of its warplanes by a Turk-ish F-16, the Russian leader’s spokesman said on Saturday.

In comments which underscore how angry the Kremlin still is over the incident, Dmitry Peskov, Pu-tin’s spokesman, called the behav-iour of the Turkish air force “abso-lute madness” and said Ankara’s subsequent handling of the crisis had reminded him of the “theatre of the absurd”.

“Nobody has the right to traitor-ously shoot down a Russian plane from behind,” Peskov told Rus-sia’s “News on Saturday” TV pro-gramme, calling Turkish evidence purporting to show the Russian SU-24 jet had violated Turkish air space “cartoons”.

Economic measuresPeskov said the crisis had prompt-ed Putin, whose ministers are preparing retaliatory economic measures against Turkey, to “mo-bilise” in the way an army does in tense times.

“The president is mobilised, fully mobilised, mobilised to the extent that circumstances de-mand,” said Peskov.

“The circumstances are un-precedented. The gauntlet thrown down to Russia is unprecedented. So naturally the reaction is in line with this threat.”

Peskov said Putin was aware of a Turkish request for him to meet President Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the Paris climate change conference next week but gave no indication of whether such a meeting would take place. Er-dogan on Saturday said the Paris summit could be a chance to repair Ankara’s relations with Russia.

Peskov denied Turkish press reports which said Moscow and Ankara had struck a deal for their warplanes to stop flying along

the Syrian-Turkish border, say-ing military ties between the two countries had been severed and a hot line meant to avoid misunder-standings among their pilots dis-mantled. Peskov, according to the TASS news agency, also spoke of how Erdogan’s son had a “certain interest” in the oil industry. Putin has said oil from Syrian territory controlled by IS militants is find-ing its way to Turkey.

Erdogan has spoken of slander and asked anyone making such ac-cusations to back up their words with evidence.Peskov said he “not-ed” that Turkey’s newly-appointed energy minister, Berat Albayrak, was Erdogan’s son-in-law.

Peskov said there could be up to 200,000 Turkish citizens on Russian soil. “What’s important is that everyone who is able to use their influence to guarantee at least some predictability in the pattern of Turkey’s behaviour,” said Peskov. “Russian planes should never be shot down.”

‘No apology’Erdogan has said Turkey would not apologise for downing the jet, which resulted in the death of one of the pilots.

“The recent events really sad-dened us,” Erdogan said in a televised speech in the western city of Baliksehir. However, he

stopped short of the apology de-manded by Russia.

Erdogan has said Turkey de-serves the apology because its air space was violated by the Rus-sian aircraft. “On Monday in Paris there will be an international cli-mate summit, that can be a chance to repair our relations with Rus-sia. Confrontation will not bring anyone happiness. As much as Russia is important for Turkey, Turkey is important for Russia,” Erdogan said.

Turkish government spokes-man Numan Kurtulmus said Tur-key is deliberating which meas-ures to take in light of Russia’s retaliatory steps. — Reuters

Nobody has the

right to traitorously

shoot down a

Russian plane from

behind, said Russian

President Vladimir

Putin’s spokesman

Gunman who killed three in Colorado Springs identifiedCOLORADO SPRINGS: Po-lice on Saturday identified the suspect in a deadly shooting at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs as 57-year-old Robert L. Dear, but released no further information about him.

The gunman who stormed the clinic in central Colorado on Fri-day killed three people, including a police officer, and wounded nine others before surrendering after a standoff at the facility lasting sev-eral hours, authorities said.

Police in Colorado Springs identified Dear as the suspect in a Tweet on Saturday. According to jail records he was being held without bail and was scheduled for a preliminary court hearing on Monday. The rampage, which took place at a clinic that provides health services including abor-tions, was believed to be the first fatal attack on an abortion pro-vider in the United States in six years. Police have not discussed the suspect’s motives.

The clinic in Colorado Springs, Colorado’s second largest city, has been repeatedly targeted for pro-tests by anti-abortion activists.

The assailant was armed with a rifle when he entered the clinic and opened fire shortly before noon on Friday, authorities said.

Police swarming the scene pursued the man into the build-ing, trading gunfire with the sus-pect as authorities tracked their movements from room to room by watching live video feeds from security cameras mounted inside.

Officers closing in on the gun-man managed to talk him into giv-ing himself up inside, and he was taken into custody more than five hours after the violence began.

Surviving victimsThose killed were a police of-ficer and two civilians, Colorado Springs Police Chief Peter Carey told reporters on Friday. All nine surviving victims - five police of-ficers and four civilians - were listed in good condition at area hospitals, he said. As he has done frequently in cases of recent mass shootings in the United States,

President Barack Obama urged measures to make it harder for criminals to get guns. “We have to do something about the easy ac-cessibility of weapons of war on our streets to people who have no business wielding them. Period,” Obama said in a statement on Sat-urday. “Enough is enough.”

Police said progress in secur-ing the building was slowed by the fact that the gunman brought “some bags” with him into the clinic and left several items out-side, all of which needed to be checked for possible booby traps or explosives. Those items were secured and processed and were now “no longer a threat,” police said via Twitter on Saturday morning. The dead policeman in Friday’s shooting was identified as Garrett Swasey, 44, a campus police officer for the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs who joined city police in respond-ing to the first reports of shots fired, authorities said. The dead civilians were not named.

Although there was no word on motives for the shooting, the president of Planned Parent-hood’s Rocky Mountains region, Vicki Cowart, suggested a climate of rancor surrounding abortion in the United States had set the stage for such violence. “We share the concerns of many Americans that

extremists are creating a poison-ous environment that feeds do-mestic terrorism in this country,” she said. Planned Parenthood in recent years moved its Colorado City clinic to new quarters on the city’s northwest side - a facility that opponents of abortion had called a “fortress.”

The national non-profit group, devoted to providing a range of reproductive health services, in-cluding abortions, has come un-der renewed pressure this year from conservatives in Congress seeking to cut off federal funding for the organization.

At least eight workers at clin-ics providing abortions have been killed since 1977, according to the National Abortion Federation - most recently in 2009, when doctor George Tiller was shot to death at church in Wichita, Kan-sas. Clinics have reported nearly 7,000 incidents of trespassing, vandalism, arson, death threats, and other forms of violence since then, according to the federation.

As in much of the rest of the country, abortion is a divisive issue in Colorado. The issue fig-ured prominently in attack ads during last year’s US Senate race between incumbent Democrat Mark Udall and Republican chal-lenger Cory Gardner, who won the election. — Reuters

S H O O T I N G A T C L I N I C

Philippines buying arms to boost securityCLARK AIRFIELD (PHILIP-PINES): Philippine President Be-nigno Aquino has approved the pur-chase of 44 billion pesos ($932.74 million) worth of military equip-ment to help boost maritime secu-rity capability as tensions simmer in the South China Sea, a senior de-fence official said on Saturday.

Defence Undersecretary Fer-nando Manalo made the an-nouncement after the government received the first two of a dozen new South Korean-made light fighter jets to enhance the coun-try’s air defence capabilities.

Aquino authorised the multi-year contract to purchase two frigates, eight amphibious assault vehicles, three anti-submarine helicopters, two long-range patrol aircraft, three aerial radars, muni-tions for the fighters and close sup-port planes, Manalo told reporters.

The FA-50 fighter trainers from South Korea were acquired by the Philippines for 18.9 billion pesos. Seoul has committed to deliver 10 more light fighters until 2017.

“We’re glad we are back to the supersonic age,” said Defence Sec-retary Voltaire Gazmin, witnesss-ing the transfer of the aircraft from Korean Aerospace Inc. to the Phil-ippine Air Force. The Philippines has had no fighter capability since it mothballed its Vietnam War vin-tage F-5A/Bs in the mid-2000s. It has a few S-211 Italian trainer jets, acquired in the late 1980s.

“With these aircraft, our capa-bility to guard maritime borders will be enhanced,” an air force general told Reuters, declining to be identified because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

“Our response time will be quicker but we would need radar and communications to fully inte-grate our air defence systems.”

The government has em-barked on a five-year, 83 billion peso modernisation program to improve its ability to defend its maritime borders against the creeping expansion of China in the South China Sea. — Reuters

S I M M E R I N G T E N S I O N S

SOARING TIES: Russian President Vladimir Putin, front, chairs a meeting with members of the All-Russian People’s Front movement at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow, Russia, on Friday. – Reuters

RAMPAGE SITE: A suspect is taken into custody outside a Planned Parenthood center in Colorado Springs, Colorado on Friday.. – Reuetrs

A14

GLOBAL EYES U N DAY, N OV E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

SPAIN: People walk along Marques de Larios street on the day Christmas lights were turned on to mark the start of the Christmas season in downtown Malaga, southern Spain, on Friday. – Reuters

CHINA: Giant panda Basi eats a cake given by a keeper to celebrate

its 35th birthday, at a giant panda research centre in Fuzhou,

Fujian province, China, on Saturday. According to local media, Basi

is the eldest giant panda in mainland China.. – Reuters

BETHLEHEM: A Palestinian protester sits in middle of a road as

Israeli troops fire tear gas during clashes in the occupied West

Bank city of Bethlehem on Friday. – Reuters

JAPAN: Japan’s highest mountain, Mount Fuji at 3,776m (12,388 feet), is seen behind skyscrapers in Tokyo’s Shinjuku area on Saturday.

Mount Fuji lies about 100 kilometres (60 miles) south-west of Tokyo, and can be seen from there on a clear day. -AFP

CHINA: A man wearing a mask waits for a taxi amid heavy smog in Beijing, China, on Saturday. Heavy smog continues in Beijing on

Saturday after a yellow alert of air pollution was issued on Friday, local media reported. Beijing plans to ramp up its already tough car

emission standards by 2017 in a bid by one of the world’s most polluted cities to improve its often hazardous air quality. – Reuters

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THAILAND: Couples participate in the “Running of the Brides”

race in a park in Bangkok, Thailand, on Saturday. A hundred

husbands and wives-to-be wore their wedding dresses and run-

ning shoes and competed in an event for a combined prize worth

$27,928, according to the organisers. – Reuters

FRANCE: The first skiers and boarders ride the slopes at the

Les Angles ski resort that opened its pistes to the winter sports

season, in France, on Saturday. – Reutrers

A15


Three killed in attack on UN base in northern Mali

BAMAKO: The United Nations said unknown attackers fired rockets at a UN peacekeeping base in Kidal in northern Mali on Saturday, killing three people inside, in the latest sign that the West African country’s extremist insurgency is intensifying.

French troops and the 10,000-strong UN force are struggling to stabilise the former French colony where militants attacked a hotel in the capital on November 20 and killed 20 peo-ple, in their bloodiest attack yet in the country’s south.

Easy to targetDesert-based militants regularly launch rockets and missiles at northern UN bases, especially around full moon when the lighter nights make it easier to target the camps, although it is rare for the missiles to land inside the camp.

“They fired rockets from around 4am inside the MINUSMA camp,” Olivier Salgado, Deputy Chief of Communication in the peace-

keeping mission, told Reuters.“We have three dead and four

seriously injured,” he said, add-ing that there were a total of 20 wounded and that medical evacu-

ations were underway.He did not name the victims’

nationalities although a UN source said two were peacekeep-ers from neighbouring Guinea.

A witness said that bursts of gunfire were heard shortly after the rockets landed as well as mor-tar fire coming from inside the camp. A security source in north Mali who wished to remain anon-ymous said the Kidal camp had received a warning two days be-fore the attack from an unnamed militant group. A local deputy for Kidal Ahmoudene Ag Ikmasse also blamed radicals.

Northern Mali was taken over by hardline fighters, some with links to Al Qaeda, for most of 2012. They were driven out by a French-

led military operation a year later, but violence has continued and spread into formerly safe areas in the south.

Three militant groups - Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQMI), its splinter group Al Mourabitoun and Massina Lib-eration Front (MLF) - claimed last week’s attack on the Radisson Blu hotel that killed Russian and Chinese nationals as well as an American, among others.

Security analysts say the groups could be collaborating.

Some analysts say the spike in militant attacks is designed to disrupt the implementation of a peace deal signed between vari-ous northern armed groups and Mali’s government in June.

Determination“I want to reiterate that these at-tacks will not impede the deter-mination of the United Nations to support the Malian people and the peace process,” said UN Spe-cial Envoy for the Mali mission, Mongi Hamdi on Saturday.

A French soldier, part of the 3,500 Barkhane anti-terrorism force operating across the Sahel, and a UN peacekeeper were killed by landmines this week.

Germany has said it is willing to send up to 650 soldiers to bol-ster the UN force which has yet to reach its full strength of 12,680 men. Other West African states are also battling militants. Boko Haram, the leading such group in the region, has this year extended its attacks from Nigeria to neigh-bouring states of Niger, Cameroon and Chad. — Reuters

20 wounded,

including four with

serious injuries

as United Nations

special envoy vows

to pursue peace deal

Brazil to sue BHP, Vale for $5b in damages for dam burstBRASILIA: Brazil’s federal and state governments plan to sue the owners of the Samarco iron ore miner for 20 billion reais ($5.24 billion) in damages caused by the burst of a tailings dam, Environ-ment Minister Izabella Teixeira told reporters on Friday.

Samarco is a joint venture be-tween the world’s largest mining company, BHP Billiton Ltd, and the biggest iron ore miner, Vale SA.

The dam burst earlier this month unleashed 60 million cubic meters of mud and mine waste that dev-astated a village, killed at least 13 people and polluted a major river valley. Teixeira said the suit will be filed on Monday. The proceeds will be put in a fund and used for envi-ronmental cleanup in the Rio Doce valley over 10 years, Attorney Gen-eral Luís Inácio Adams said.

Samarco has already been fined 250 million reais by Brazil’s envi-ronmental agency, Ibama, for the disaster, which covered the flood plain in mud for 80 kilometers as well as polluting the river. Fish died and drinking water supplies for a quarter of a million people had to be

closed off. Ibama is planning addi-tional fines against Samarco on top of the 20 billion reais in damages and clean-up charges the govern-ment is seeking, Adams said, but he did not specify an amount.

LawsuitThe dense orange sediment in the river reached the ocean on the weekend, hurting local tour-ist businesses. The minister an-nounced the lawsuit after the close

of the Sao Paulo stock market. The share price of co-owner Vale fell 5.78 per cent on Friday. Vale and BHP announced earlier on Friday that they would create a fund with Samarco to help in the clean-up of the Rio Doce and its tributaries af-fected by the disaster.

Meanwhile, an executive for Vale, the co-owner of the mine op-erator, confirmed on Friday that toxic materials such as arsenic were found in the water of the Rio Doce river days after a dam burst in Brazil. Vania Somavilla, sustain-ability chief at Vale, cited a report by the Institute for Water Man-agement in Minas Gerais, which found levels of arsenic above legal limits. — Reuters

M U D A N D M I N E W A S T E

Gunman kills top Kurdish lawyer in southeast TurkeyDIYARBAKIR/ANKARA: An unidentified gunman killed a prominent Kurdish lawyer and rights activist on Saturday in what the pro-Kurdish HDP Party called a “planned assassina-tion”, urging people to take to the streets in protest.

Witnesses said Tahir Elci was shot in the head after making a statement to media in Diyarbakir, the largest city in Turkey’s trou-bled, mainly Kurdish southeast where he was president of the local bar association. A police-man was also killed in an ensuing exchange of fire. Elci had been criticised in Turkey for saying the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) was not a terrorist organi-sation, though he had denounced PKK violence. He was facing trial over his comments which had in-furiated state prosecutors. The Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) called a protest in Istanbul and condemned Elci’s killing which it described as an “planned assas-sination” in a written statement.

“In the place left by Tahir Elci, thousands more Tahir Elcis will

carry on the work in the struggle for law and justice,” it said.

The HDP said Elci had been targeted by the ruling AK party and its media and it called for political parties, civil society and professional groups to “raise their voices” in protest. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who founded the AK party, said in a speech later that a policeman had also been killed during the attack. “This incident shows how Turkey

is right in its determination to fight terrorism,” he said.

In Reuters TV footage Elci can be seen lying on the ground with a head injury, apparently still breathing, with blood streaming onto the ground as people contin-ue to exchange fire. “The moment the statement ended, the crowd was sprayed with bullets,” a lo-cal official from the pro-Kurdish HDP party, Omer Tastan, told Reuters. — Reuters

V I O L E N C E

EU urged not to compromise with Turkey over rightsANKARA: Two Turkish journal-ists arrested this week over their reports about arms supplies to Syria urged the European Union not to compromise on human rights and freedoms to reach an agreement with Turkey to help stem flows of migrants to Europe.

European diplomats have been measured in their criticism of me-dia freedom in Turkey and Presi-dent Tayyip Erdogan’s increasing-ly authoritarian rule, recognising the West needs Ankara’s help on the migrant crisis and as an ally in the US-led coalition against IS.

European and Turkish officials hope EU leaders and Turkey’s Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu will sign a deal to ease the migrant crisis on Sunday. Writing from Sili-vri prison near Istanbul, Can Dun-dar, editor-in-chief of Cumhuriyet newspaper, which is left-wing, sec-ular and often critical of the govern-ment, and senior editor Erdem Gul said in a letter to EU leaders they hope Sunday’s meeting results in a lasting solution, adding: “We would also like to hope that your desire to end the crisis will not stand in the way of your sensitivity towards hu-man rights, freedom of press and expression as fundamental values of the Western world.”

A court ordered the arrest of the two journalists over the publication of footage purporting to show the state intelligence agency helping send weapons to Syria. The US em-bassy criticised the arrests and the Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner Nils Muiznieks de-scribed them as “another blow to media freedom”. — Reuters

J O U R N A L I S T S ’ A P P E A L

UNDER FIRE: A file photo taken on July 27, 2013 shows United Nations soldiers patrolling in the

northern Malian city of Kidal. – AFP

CHECKING TOXICITY: Brazilian Navy research ship Vital de Oliveira personnel analysing on Thursday,

the quality of the water offshore Espirito Santo, Brazil, near the village of Regency, on the mouth of the

Rio Doce, flooded with toxic mud after a dam property of Brazilian Vale SA and Australian BHP Billiton

burst earlier this month. – AFP/Espirito Santo State Press Office

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

SHOCKING NEWS: People gather outside a hospital after Kurdish

lawyer and President of the Diyarbakir Bar association, Tahir Elci,

was assassinated on Saturday in Diyarbakir. – AFP

Toxic materials such as arsenic were

found in the water of the Rio Doce

river days after a dam burst in Brazil.

A16


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Facebook extends paid parental leave to staff outside USSAN FRANCISCO: Less than a week after Facebook Chief Ex-ecutive Mark Zuckerberg said he would take two months of paterni-ty leave, the social media company announced it is extending its pa-rental leave policy to full-time em-ployees outside the United States.

The policy, which provides four months of paid time off, will be

provided to all new parents regard-less of gender or location, starting January 1. Employees may take leave at any point up to a year after the birth of their child, Lori Mat-loff Goler, the company’s head of human resources, said in a Face-book post late Wednesday.

Facebook currently offers only United States-based workers

up to four months of paid leave.

Important part“We want to be there for our people at all stages of life, and in particu-lar we strive to be a leading place to work for families,” she added. “An important part of this is offering paid parental or ‘baby’ leave”.

Goler said the new policy will

primarily help new fathers and employees in same-sex relation-ships outside the United States, noting that it will not change ma-ternity leave already available to employees worldwide.

Zuckerberg last week said he would take two months off after his daughter’s birth. Zuckerberg announced in July that he and his

wife, Priscilla Chan, were expect-ing a baby girl; they have not said when the baby is due.

EndorsementHis announcement was seen in Silicon Valley as a strong endorse-ment from a high-technology in-dustry top executive on the impor-tance of family time.

Technology companies in Sili-con Valley have been rushing to extend parental leave allowances and other benefits to help recruit and retain employees.

Many high-tech workers, how-ever, do not take advantage of such benefits for fear of falling behind at work or missing out on promotions. — Reuters

F O R G L O B A L B E N E F I T

Japan to resume whaling in AntarcticTOKYO: Japan has decided to resume whaling in the Antarc-tic Ocean by the end of March after a hiatus since last year, a move likely to prompt interna-tional outrage.

The International Court of Justice ruled in March last year that Japan’s decades-old whale hunt in the Antarctic should stop, prompting Tokyo to cancel the bulk of its whaling for the 2014/2015 season.

Revised planThe Japanese Fisheries Agency on Friday notified the Interna-tional Whaling Commission that Japan will resume whaling in the 2015/2016 season under a revised plan.

The plan, which calls for cutting annual minke whale catches by two-thirds to 333, is scientifically reasonable, the agency said in a document filed with the IWC.

Japan began what it calls sci-entific whaling in 1987, a year after an international whaling moratorium took effect.

Japan has long maintained that most whale species are not endangered and that eating whale is part of the Japanese food culture. — Reuters

D E S P I T E I W C R U L I N G

MARKEWWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COMS U N DAY, N OV E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5B

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‘Sultanate offers huge investment potential’

ELHAM [email protected]

MUSCAT: There are immense opportunities for cooperation between Malta and Oman in various fields, especially in the area of knowledge sharing, said Maltese businessmen.

“There is huge potential for cooperation, particularly in the transfer of knowledge,” Ivan Cachia, business development executive—international—at QP Management, told the Times of Oman.

QP Management is part of a Maltese delegation, headed by a representative of the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enter-prise and Industry, which partic-ipated in the third edition of the Business Opportunities Forum held recently in Muscat.

Situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, between Europe and North Africa, Malta has es-tablished itself as a key hub for international business and trade.

Cachia said Maltese compa-nies, which have a background of doing business in the European Union (EU), can offer their ex-pertise and experience to Omani companies.

“Hospitality, healthcare and education are probably some of the key areas where the two coun-tries can collaborate,” said the

official from QP Management, a leading provider of architectural, engineering, management and technical construction services.

Cachia added that the com-pany has extensive experience in the hospitality sector and can col-laborate with Oman’s Ministry of Tourism and local developers to help grow this field in Oman.

Asked about the investment opportunities for Omani com-panies in Malta, the official said real estate, aviation, shipping and logistics are some of the key areas for investment.

“Malta’s economy at the mo-ment is doing really well. It has been improving year-on-year, and I think the opportunities are vast, particularly because Malta is a member of the EU. So estab-lishing oneself in Malta would mean that you have access to the European market,” Cachia noted.

Knowledge sharing Peter-Jan Grech, chief execu-tive officer and founder of BRND WGN, also said he believed that there are many opportunities for collaboration between the two countries.

“What Malta has been through a couple of years back, it seems to be what Oman is going through at the moment. So there is a lot of knowledge sharing that can be done,” he stated. > B3

Hospitality,

healthcare and

education are

probably some of

the key areas where

Malta and Oman

can collaborateIvan Cachia. — Supplied picture

B2

MARKETS U N DAY, N OV E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

Air passenger traffic set for strong growth in the region

Times News Service

MUSCAT: Middle East is set to achieve a strong 4.9 per cent growth in air passenger traffic and will see an extra 237 million pas-sengers a year on routes to, from and within the region by 2034, lat-est IATA data reveals.

The UAE, Qatar and Saudi Ara-bia will all enjoy strong growth of 5.6 per cent, 4.8 per cent, and 4.6 per cent respectively and the to-tal market size will be 383 million passengers, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said

in its updated passenger growth forecast.

It has projected that passenger numbers are expected to reach seven billion by 2034 with a 3.8 per cent average annual growth in demand (2014 baseline year). That is more than double the 3.3 billion who flew in 2014 and exactly twice as many as the 3.5 billion expected in 2015.

Previously, IATA forecast 7.4 bil-lion passengers in 2034 based on a 4.1 per cent average annual growth rate. The revised result reflects negative developments in the

global economy that are expected to dampen demand for air trans-port, especially slower economic growth projections for China.

The five fastest-increasing mar-kets in terms of additional pas-sengers per year over the forecast period will be China (758 million new passengers for a total of 1.196 billion), the US (523 million new passengers for a total of 1.156 bil-lion), India (275 million new pas-sengers for a total of 378 million), Indonesia (132 million new pas-sengers for a total of 219 million) and Brazil (104 million new pas-

sengers for a total of 202 million). Seven of the ten fastest-growing

markets in percentage terms will be in Africa.

The top ten will be: Malawi, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Central Af-rican Republic, Serbia, Tanzania, Uganda, Papua New Guinea, Ethi-opia and Vietnam. Each of these markets is expected to grow by 7-8 per cent each year on average over the next 20 years, doubling in size each decade.

In terms of routes, Asian, South American and African destina-tions will see the fastest growth.

UAE, Qatar and Saudi

Arabia will all enjoy

strong growth of

5.6%, 4.8%, and 4.6%

respectively and the

total market size will

be 383m passengers

Private deposits of banks grow by 7.9%MUSCAT: Private deposits with commercial banks in the Sultanate by the end of Septem-ber 2015 rose by 7.98 per cent to OMR11,575.6 million from OMR10,719.5 million in the same period last year, according to a monthly statistical bulletin pub-lished by the Central Bank of Oman (CBO).

These deposits include time deposits that stood at OMR3,178.4 million, savings de-posits of OMR4,273.7 million and demand deposits of OMR3,849.2 million, the report added.

The bulletin further pointed out that the total value of these deposits include OMR10,712.3 million and OMR863.3 million in foreign currencies.

As for the banking indicators for the commercial banks as at the end of September 2015, the bulletin said that the broad mon-ey and clearance to the deposits in rials was 26 per cent.

he combined money and clear-ance to the gross deposits was 22.6 per cent. The total percent-

age of loans to the deposits was 100.2 per cent. The rate of foreign currency deposits to the total de-posits was 13.1 per cent.

The rate of foreign assets to the total loans was 14 per cent and the rate of foreign assets to the total assets was 9.8 per cent. The foreign liability to the total liabilities was 15.3 per cent.

Ratio of on-demand deposits to the total private deposits was 33 per cent. The capital and reserves to the total deposits was 18.1 per-cent. The rate of allocations and the retained interests to the total credit was 3.4 per cent. – ONA

C E N T R A L B A N K O F O M A N D A T A

Energy firms

keen to develop

oilfields in Iran

TEHRAN: Total, Royal Dutch Shell and Lukoil are among in-ternational companies which have selected oil and natural gas deposits to develop in Iran as the holder of the world’s fourth-largest crude reserves presents $30 billion worth of projects to investors.

Total is one of the companies that have been in the forefront of discussions and Eni is also looking to invest, Oil Minis-ter Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said. Shell, Total and Lukoil all specified fields they would be interested in developing in Iran, Ali Kardor, deputy director of investment and financing at National Iranian Oil Co. said in an interview in Tehran. “Many companies are interested.

Europeans are interested, Asian companies are interest-ed,” Zanganeh told reporters at a conference in Tehran on Satur-day. “Total is interested, Eni is interested.”

Iran is pitching more than 50 oil and natural gas projects val-ued at $30 billion to foreign in-vestors at a two-day conference in Tehran that started on Satur-day as the country prepares for the end of sanctions that have stifled its energy production. All banking and economic sanc-tions will be lifted by the first week of January,” Amir Hossein Zamaninia, deputy oil minister for international and commerce affairs, said at the event.

“We are interested to come back to Iran when the sanctions are lifted and if the contracts are interesting,” Stephane Michel, Total’s head of exploration and production in the Middle East said at the conference.

“We have worked in this country for a long time, so we know specific fields on which we’ve worked.” Representatives of Lukoil and Shell declined to comment at the conference.”

Iran won’t have a problem to sell an additional 500,000 bar-rels a day once the sanctions are lifted, and the quantity won’t have a significant impact on prices, Zamaninia told report-ers. The country hopes it can reach an agreement with fellow members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) so that Iran’s planned additional production remains within the 30 million barrels a day Opec production ceiling, he further said.

Iran doesn’t expect Opec to change that output target at its December 4 meeting, Zanganeh said. — Bloomberg News

P R O J E C T S W O R T H $ 3 0 B

Customer centre of Haya Waterperforms well Times News Service

MUSCAT: Haya Water custom-er service centre has received more than 42,000 calls annually and is receiving various requests and inquiries, ever since the cen-tre was establishment in 2006. At least 98 per cent of the calls are responded to within a period of 10 to 30 seconds, a senior com-pany official said.

Moreover, it deals with ap-proximately 4,000 general cor-respondences of citizens and residents on annual basis. Due to everyone’s collaboration in Haya Water, the company is proud to announce that the Customer Ser-vice Centre has achieved 100 per cent in responding to requests and inquiries within 10 work-ing days,” said Hilal bin Khalfan Al Dhakhry, general manager of business development and cus-tomer service, Oman Wastewater Services Company (Haya Water).

1,737 emails“In addition, the centre has re-sponded to all 1,737 emails re-ceived from January 2015 till last October, reflecting 100 per cent response rate. All this proves that the company pays great atten-tion to pursuing and solving the observations of all citizens and residents and considers them partners in this vital project. All applicants can reach the centre through the following email—[email protected].”

“The Customer Service Cen-tre also plays an important role through visiting project areas and conducting awareness cam-paigns for citizens and residents to familiarise them with project risks. The team also distributes brochures and publications for every home during each of the five stages of the project,” Al Dhakhry further added..

These stages are the survey process, the external connec-tion, the internal conduction, the

measurement of customer sat-isfaction and finally connecting the property to the wastewater network,” Al Dhakhry said.

Accurate mechanismThe centre is run by a group of young Omanis, who are quali-fied to deal with all callers in an organised and accurate mecha-nism. The issue is then trans-ferred directly to the appropriate team in the field to ensure it will be dealt with and solved properly, he further added.

To ensure that the centre pro-vides the best quality services, we are committed to satisfying all our customers by inspecting the site through a qualified team dur-ing an hour and a half of receiving the call,provided that the issue is solved within six hours. “We ensure a follow-up and monitor the completion and processing of various applica-tions received to ensure that the processing of these applications is done with speed and accuracy through a special system that guarantees that the best quality of service is provided,” he added.

The centre serves all cus-tomers, who visit the centre or through the company’s website or by communicating with the call centre through the hotline 80077111.

Customers can contact the call centre daily, between 6am and 10pm. Also, there are other com-munication channels that cus-tomers can use, such as e-mail and fax, the company said in a press release.

Among the most significant services that are provided by Haya Water is connecting build-ings and properties to the waste-water network, issuing NOCs and permits, providing high qual-ity treated effluent for irrigation and providing tankers to trans-fer wastewater to areas that are not connected to the Haya Water wastewater network.

Q U A L I F I E D T E A M

– Times file picture

Bijan Namdar Zanganeh.— Bloomberg file picture

B3S U N DAY, N OV E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

MARKETTourism offers opportunity

to further boost cooperation

Grech noted that Malta’s tourism sector has been growing over the past decade and this sector is one of the major fields where Malta can share its experience with Oman and help attract more tourists.

The two countries can share a lot to help the Sultanate achieve the goals set under the Oman Vi-sion 2020, he said, adding that there are a number of Maltese companies investing in some Om-ani companies.

There is also great potential for training and knowledge sharing, especially in the small and me-dium enterprise (SMEs) sector, Grech noted.

New marketsThe official added that his compa-ny represents a number of differ-ent brands around the world and helps them grow and access new markets and is keen to work with companies in Oman.

BRND WGN is a global, crea-tive branding agency with a strong

strategic arm and an innovative digital team, according to their website. Over the last decade, BRND WGN has built a portfo-lio working across a diverse mix of European and international clients ranging from airports, air-lines and hotels to financial and legal firms, as well as governments.

B I L A T E R A L T R A D E

< FROM

B1

Two countries can share a lot to help Oman achieve

the goals set under the Oman Vision 2020.

Market value of listed companies falls to OMR14b

MUSCAT: Total market capital-isation of the Muscat Securities Market (MSM) fell by OMR153.1 million to OMR14.656 billion last week, mainly on account of heavy selling by foreign institu-tional investors.

According to the Muscat bourse, sales of foreign insti-

tutional investors reached OMR3.4 million, constituting 28.7 per cent of the trading value witnessed by the market last week. This amounts to OMR11.7 million against purchases by OMR713,000, representing 6 per cent of the traded volume.

Trading volume fallsThe local bourse witnessed a de-cline in all indicators last week. In addition to the decline in mar-ket value, the trading volume fell to OMR11.7 million, compared to OMR15.3 million in the previous week, down for the third consec-utive week.

Shares of 39 companies fell, 9 companies rose, and 12 compa-nies maintained at the same level.

The general index closed at 5668 points, down by 127 points, or constituting 2.2 per cent down for the fourth consecutive week. The sectoral indices decline ranged from 232 points to the in-dex of the financial sector, about 19 points to the index of Sharia market, 171 points to the industry

index, and 52 points to services index. The shares of Port Services Corporation registered the high-est rise as it closed at 127 baisas, up by 4.1 per cent, followed by al Anwar Ceramic Tiles by 1.2 per cent to close at 324 baisas.

Four companies that recorded the maximum fall of more than 9 per cent. Al Jazeera Steel Prod-ucts share declined by 15.5 per cent to close at 130 baisas.

Share of United Power fell by 9.9 per cent to close at OMR2.495, Oman Refreshment fell by 9.2 per cent to close at OMR2.250 and Oman and Emirates Investment Holding fell by 9 per cent to close at 90 baisas.

Last week’s trading centered on Bank Muscat, which accounted for 22.6 per cent of trading value, with OMR2.6 million turno-ver, followed by Omantel with OMR1.7 million, representing 14.7 per cent of the trading value. These stocks were followed by Al Anwar Holding with OMR1.2 mil-lion, representing 10.6 per cent of trading value. – ONA

Selling by foreign

institutional

investors reached

OMR3.4 million,

constituting 28.7 per

cent of the trading

value witnessed in

the bourse last week

Times News Service

MUSCAT: An annual supplier symposium will be conducted by the Oman Oil Refineries and Petroleum Industries Company (Orpic) on December 7 at the Majan Hall in Sohar. The event will witness par-ticipation of all Orpic suppliers across Oman and the world, said a company release.

The primary objective of this annual gathering is to provide the suppliers with an opportu-nity to interact with Orpic key personnel and learn about the various opportunities avail-able within the different func-tions and projects. It will also help strengthen bonds between Orpic and its suppliers.

The full-day symposium will have seminars and offer a chance to engage with key Orpic personnel across various func-tions and projects.

It will also actively address any concerns that suppliers may have about the registration pro-cess or any other aspect of the business.

JSRS registration is manda-tory for all Orpic suppliers.

All suppliers are encouraged to register via www.business-gateways.com As a leading or-ganisation, Orpic places em-phasis on a transparent ethical business model across its areas of operations.

Orpic to hold symposium

A N N U A L S U P P L I E R F O R U M

Indian firms set to participate in home show 2015Times News Service

MUSCAT: Morbi, the power-house of India’s ceramic industry, is set to make its Oman debut at the Home Show 2015, the Sultan-ate’s definitive trade fair on an ideal home environment.

The keenly anticipated trade expo, organised by Omani events management firm Global Exhibi-tions & Conferences, will be held at the Oman International Exhi-bition Centre between December 7 and 9, said a press release.

Adding to the appeal of this year’s edition of the hugely popu-lar annual show is a contingent of leading Indian ceramics manu-facturers from Morbi, an indus-trial town located in the western state of Gujarat.

Home to an estimated 600 ce-ramic units, Morbi is ranked as the second largest ceramic tiles manufacturing hub in the world (the first being Guangdong in China), with a total installed ca-pacity in excess of three million square metres per day.

Phenomenal successMorbi’s phenomenal success as India’s indisputable ceramics capital will be showcased at the upcoming Home Show. Seven of the hub’s best-known manu-facturers have confirmed their intention to put on display a scin-tillating array of ceramic tiles and related products that bear the hallmark of Morbi’s world-class quality. Participating in the show are Saimax Ceramics Private Limited, Lexona Ceramic (Lat-ish Ceramic), R K International, Aqval Ceramics, Zibon Ceramic Private Limited, Winsun Ceram-ics, and Lycos Ceramics.

Featuring a stellar range of vitrified, wall, floor, roofing, mo-saic and assorted sanitary ware, the collection will pay testimony to Morbi’s reputation as a sup-plier of a staggering 80 per cent of India’s domestic demand for

ceramic tiles, as well an impres-sive 5 per cent of the total global demand.

Comprehensive mixThe Home Show 2015 will fea-ture a comprehensive mix of products and services encom-passing all aspects of property development, real estate, home-building, furnishing and home-ownership space.

As many as 120 leading compa-nies and brands from around the world are showcasing their latest offerings across all categories of products and services associated with the ideal home environ-ment. The list includes furniture and furnishings, bedroom and bathroom sets, kitchen systems and appliances, doors and win-dows, home appliances and elec-tronics, wall and floor coverings, lighting and fixtures, and a selec-tion of smart home solutions.

Also taking part are service-providers, such as property con-sultants, interior designers, home décor and improvement special-ists, and financial institutions of-fering home loans, among others.

Welcoming the participa-tion of Morbi-based players in this year’s Home Show, C J Paul, managing director—Global Exhi-bitions & Conferences LLC, com-mented: “Morbi’s decision to field such a large delegation is a reflec-tion of the robust appeal of The Home Show as an effective plat-form for B2B transactions and networking opportunities. With Oman’s residential, commercial and retail sector continuing to expand and burgeon, we envi-sion significant opportunities for business and partnership deals during this three-day event.”

A N N U A L S H O W


B4

FEATURES U N DAY, N OV E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

NOAH SMITH

I have spent some time talking about the down-sides of minimum-wage laws. But there is a big possible upside that I haven’t mentioned, in part because it’s pretty speculative. It’s the idea that minimum wages improve productivity

and innovation over the long run. Usually, it’s detractors of the minimum wage

who talk about the long term. Minimum-wage hikes tend to have only small or negligible ef-fects on employment levels, but critics of set-ting pay floors have said that they slow long-term employment growth. But I’m now thinking about the even longer term, and about the effect of minimum wages on productivity rather than employment.

Minimum wagesIn the long term, productivity comes from tech-nology. Economists often treat technology as if it just appears out of nowhere, but in fact it comes from the innovative efforts of companies and researchers. Why do companies innovate? You might think that companies invent any tech-nology that will make them more productive, but this isn’t actually true, for a number of reasons. First of all, innovators don’t know ahead of time which things they will be able to create -- trying to innovate is risky, and companies are usually risk-averse. Second, companies may be focused on the short term, and may thus be unwilling to shell out cash for research and development that would only pay off years later. Finally, companies may simply get comfortable with what they have, and fail to engage in innovation unless they feel sufficiently intense pressure to do so.

So what happens if a company suddenly finds that it has to pay higher wages? It might just take the hit to its profit margins and continue operat-ing as before. It might decide to downsize, laying off workers and shrinking its operations.

Or, it might decide to invest in labour-saving technology. Forbes writer Adam Ozimek pointed this out back in 2013, in an article entitled “Dou-bling McDonald’s Salaries A Great Way To Get Workers Replaced By Machines.”

We’re hearing more and more about machines replacing workers and there are some obvious contenders for replacement within a McDon-ald’s.. [Automated payment kiosks are] just the most obvious way for machines to replace workers. One company...is already working on robots to replace the cooks too...In the long-run such technological change makes us better off on average.

In the two years since then, Ozimek’s predic-tion has come true. McDonald’s is installing a line of automated kiosks where people can cre-

ate their own burgers. Of course, Ozimek is a dogged minimum-wage opponent, and is trying to make workers worried that minimum wages will cost them their jobs. But I am not sure that workers should be so afraid of being replaced by this kind of technological improvement. Ulti-mately, it may make them more productive, and actually help them earn more.

Labour-saving technologyIn the past, when companies implemented labour-saving technology -- whether assembly lines or computers -- their workers didn’t sim-ply go on the unemployment rolls. They became more productive than before, and commanded higher wages. If they got laid off, they eventu-ally found jobs at other companies -- and since the economy overall was more productive be-cause of the innovation, more new companies were started. In the past, automation has always complemented human beings instead of making them irrelevant. That might change in the future, but so far the old pattern is still holding.

For workers to become more productive in or-der to take advantage of new technologies, they often have to improve their skills. Workers have always been able to do this quite successfully. When the Industrial Revolution demanded that people learn to read, they learned to read. When the Information Revolution forced people to use computers, they learned how. Low-skilled workers might have skimped on education be-cause they were focused on the short term; the pressures of a technologically advancing work-place may force them to think longer term and develop new skills.

So minimum wage laws, by forcing us to aban-don low-skilled labour, might actually increase technological innovation. Some people even speculate that this effect might have started the Industrial Revolution itself! Economic histo-rian Robert Allen has argued that the Industrial Revolution began in Europe, rather than in Chi-na, because European employers were forced to pay more for labour.

Since labour was more expensive, compa-nies invested in technology, which then raised productivity so much that it boosted wages even higher, forcing companies to invest more in technology, even as their increased incomes allowed them to make those investments. A 1987 theory by growth economics pioneer Paul Romer operated on a similar principle -- expen-sive labour causes an upward spiral of techno-logical improvement.

So in the very long term, minimum-wage laws might force companies to do what they otherwise wouldn’t do -- make risky bets on new technologies. And as workers raise their own skill levels, that new technology would

raise their wages as well. The entire econo-my, including any workers who tempo-

rarily lost their low-wage jobs, would benefit in the long run. Of course,

this theory is fairly speculative -- theories that play out over

years or decades are hard to test with real-world

data. But it’s a potential benefit of the mini-

mum wage that is worth thinking

about.– Bloomberg News

MINIMUMWAGE REVISION

TO BOOSTPRODUCTIVITY

SOME AUTOMATION MIGHT NOT BE A BAD THING


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Saraya Bandar among top winners at International Property Awards

MUSCAT: Strengthening its po-sition as the leading developer of Oman’s newest premier lifestyle destination, Saraya Bandar Jissah emerged one of the most promi-nent winners from the Sultanate, at the 2015 edition of the Interna-tional Property Awards.

Organised recently at the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel in Dubai, the annual event saw Saraya Bandar Jissah add four more awards at the local category and two regional to its array of rec-ognitions. Furthermore, it was announced that the project was

nominated in the ‘Development Marketing’ and ‘New Hotel Design and Construction’ categories at the London edition of the Internation-al Property Awards 2015 to be held in December, says a press release.

Poised to be one of the most spectacular development sites un-der construction in Oman, Saraya Bandar Jissah won four major awards in the following categories - Residential Development, Mixed

– Use Development, Development Marketing and New Hotel Con-struction and Design.

These awards further cemented Saraya Bandar Jissah’s abilities and pledge to deliver a one-of-a-kind luxury development with two 5-star beachfront hotels, a bou-tique hotel and resort hotel to be operated by world-class operators — Jumeirah Group, five residential zones, and a state of the art recrea-

tional facility, staff accommoda-tion and technical zone.

Sheikh Hamood bin Sultan Al Hosni, CEO of Saraya Bandar Jis-sah, remarked: “On behalf of the entire team at Saraya Bandar Jis-sah, it is our pleasure to receive these prestigious accolades. These wins not only highlight the world-class quality of the project, but also are testament to the rapid progress in construction and the under-

standing of customers across the region, that Saraya Bandar Jissah is like no other development in the country or region. While the suc-cess in sales of the properties on Zaha, Nameer Island, and Wajd residences are proof that buy-ers are understanding the Saraya Bandar Jissah value proposition, it is very encouraging to be recog-nised and awarded for the same.”

A host of Arabia’s finest devel-opers, architects, interior design-ers and real estate agents gathered for the glittering awards ceremony held at the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel in Dubai.

Entries were received from companies in 12 countries across Arabia and winning entrants were presented with either a ‘Highly Commended’ or ‘5-Star’ award. The 5-star winners were then re-judged to select just one from each of the 50 different categories to go for-ward to represent the Arabia in the 2015-2016 International Property Awards. Among the competitors, Saraya Bandar Jissah went ahead and bagged the coveted awards.

Commenting on the wins, Lee O’Donoghue VP marketing & sales of Saraya Bandar Jissah said, “We are honoured to receive four major awards in the Oman and regional

categories. The Saraya Bandar Jissah project quintessentially re-flects the Sultanate; the nation’s natural beauty, economic stabil-ity and dedication to sustainabil-ity have made it possible for us to bring this global vision to fruition. We take great pride in this achieve-ment as Saraya Bandar Jissah plac-es the Sultanate of Oman’s drive to promote tourism development firmly on the international stage.”

Saraya Bandar Jissah, which is being developed in partnership be-tween Omran and Saraya Oman, is located on the outskirts of Muscat on a secluded beach surrounded by the Hajar Mountains. The des-tination is being built on 2.2 mil-lion square metres of land with an expansive beachfront and a high point of 250 metres above sea level.

Saraya Bandar Jissah will be home to 398 exclusive residential units, spacious hilltop villas, styl-ish duplexes and luxury apart-ments — all with attractive wa-terfront and mountainside views. Scheduled for a grand opening in 2017, the two hotels form the ma-jor leisure components of Saraya Bandar Jissah, providing their guests with a luxurious and relax-ing home away from the day-to-day rigours of life.

The annual event saw

Saraya Bandar Jissah

add four more awards

in the local category

and two regional

to its array

of recognitions

Sarco celebrates 45th National Day

MUSCAT: As the entire nation celebrated National Day in Oman and paid tributes to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who with his wise leadership and unflinch-ing zeal has brought prosperity to the nation, Sarco senior manage-ment along with their team joined the all round fervour and celebrat-ed the National Day with staff get-

together in the office. The entire office wore a festive look, says a press release.

Ajay Ganti, chief executive of-ficer of Sarco, speaking on the oc-casion, highlighted the achieve-ments made by Oman under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said in the glo-rious 45 years of his rule.

F E S T I V E F E R V O U R

New general manager

at Crowne Plaza Sohar

MUSCAT: Crowne Plaza Sohar has announced the appointment of Charles Saliba as the hotel’s new general manager.

Charles previously held the posi-tion of resident manager at Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi, and brings as general manager an impressive resume with over 20 years of valu-able industry expertise in the up-scale and business travel segments, says a press release.

Charles started his career in 1994 as a Food and Beverage ser-vice employee and then three years later moved to the Front Office department. He held the position of Front Office Manager during his career in different ho-tels including Accor Group for two years after which he joined IHG in 2003 as sales manager in Holiday Inn Olaya. He then moved to Inter-Continental Al Ain resort as direc-tor of Sales and Marketing in May 2009. He joined Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi in the same position in 2010 and was promoted as Resident Manager in January 2013.

During his tenure at Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi, Charles was in-strumental in strengthening the 236-room property’s positioning as one of the leading hotels in the region. Under his able leadership in Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi, the hotel won many awards including the elite ‘Ten Club’ Performance Awards for two consecutive years, in 2013 and 2014 amongst 267 IHG hotels in AMEA.

David Todd, director of Opera-tions, Northern Gulf is happy to an-nounce his appointment. David Todd congratulated Charles and wished him all the best on his new role.

Commenting on his new ap-

pointment, Charles says: “I am thrilled for this opportunity to serve as general manager at Crowne Plaza Sohar. I believe in being a mentor to my team, a trust-ed advisor to our customers and a relentless outperformer for our hotel Operators. The plan forward is intuitive and combined with a team of enthusiastic colleagues that uphold a high standard of ex-cellence. I am eager to be a part of this hotel’s future.”

Born in Lebanon, Charles has multilingual skills as he speaks English, French, Spanish and Ara-bic fluently.

Sohar is Oman’s key commercial hub and a bustling upcoming mar-ket. Crowne Plaza Sohar is in ideal proximity to the Sohar Industrial Port and offers a luxurious re-treat for its guests. The hotel, sur-rounded by beautifully manicured gardens is the most preferred des-tination for business and leisure travellers alike as it offers its guests 126 well-appointed rooms.

A P P O I N T M E N T

Charles Saliba. – Supplied photo

45th National Day celebration at ISGMUSCAT: Exuberance, excite-ment and enthusiasm marked the 45th Oman National Day celebra-tions at Indian School Al Ghubra (ISG).

The Indian School Al Ghubra was decorated colourfully in the national colours of Oman by stu-dents, teachers and Omani per-sonnel. An air of festivity pervad-ed the entire school. A ten-metre portrait of His Majesty Sultan Qa-boos bin Said and lights reflecting the colours of Omani flag adorned the school building.

The special assembly began with a student of CBSEi singing the Royal Anthem of Oman. This was followed by a presentation on His Majesty the Sultan and his unparalleled achievements. Gayathri Mainkar, a student of Grade 12, in her talk on ‘Why I love Oman? expressed her admi-ration for the natural beauty of Oman, its culture and hospitality.

Hajer Ahmed Mohammed Al Khatib and Jamila Abdullah Al Wahibi, Omani members of the staff, recited poems which cap-tured the pride and patriotic fer-vor of the people.

Arabic songs rendered by the students of CBSE and CBSEi exhibited their pride, devotion and love for the great leader. Said

Hamed Nasser Al Waihibi, PRO and Badriya Mubarak Salim Al Hadidi, administration office, in their felicitations expressed their respect and love for their country.

A special prayer was recited by Muneera Ahmad Khamis Al Battashi, librarian, seeking the

Almighty to bestow His blessings of good health and long life on the great ruler as well as peace, happi-ness and prosperity to this beauti-ful land.

Principal Papri Ghosh in her address stated that His Majesty is a living legend in the true sense

of the term as he always gives top-most priority to his people. The members of ISG family expressed their gratitude to the benevolent ruler of Oman, His Majesty the Sultan and their love and affec-tion for the people of Oman on this great occasion.

L O V E F O R O M A N

Pakistan School Seeb pays tribute to Oman, HM

MUSCAT: A grand display of love for the Sultanate marked the 45th National Day of Oman at a grand celebration organised by Paki-stan School Seeb on its campus. A combination of various events, the show turned out to be an ex-cellent tribute to His Majesty Sul-tan Qaboos bin Said, Oman and its friendly people.

Ibrahim Yahya Al Rawahi, wali of Seeb, was the chief guest along with Nemah bint Jamiel bin Farhan Al Busaidiyah, member of Majis Al Shura, who attend-ed the event as a special guest. Mian Mohammad Munir, chair-man Pakistan Social Club, was the guest of honour while sen-ior journalist Shahzad Raza and Ameer Hamza attended as guests of honour and special speakers, says a press release.

The ceremony began with the recitation from the Holy Quran by Ali Hussain. Students of Paki-stan School Seeb then presented a number of beautifully choreo-graphed events to showcase their love for Oman.

In a wonderful fashion show, the students highlighted the lovely Omani dresses with vari-ous regional patterns in great style on the stage, drawing in-stant applause from the audi-ence that comprised a number of high-ranking Omani officials, dignitaries and a large gathering of prominent members of Paki-stani community.

Through various cultural and musical events the students depicted social, cultural and traditional ways of Omani life. The younger children of junior

classes were particularly impres-sive when they presented Oman’s traditional dances, winning great applause for their cute style and expressions.

Welcoming the guests, Princi-pal Mazhar Bokhari lauded the untiring efforts of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said for the unparalleled progress and pros-perity in Oman. Ameer Hamza welcomed the chief guest and spoke about Pakistanis’ love and respect for Oman and His Maj-esty the Sultan.

Addressing the audience as the keynote speaker, Shahzad Raza spoke at length about Oman’s achievements in various sectors and its role as a regional peace-maker under the exemplary lead-ership of His Majesty the Sultan.

The chief guest, Ibrahim Yahya

Al Rawahi, was impressed by the show of love and admiration by the Pakistani community for Oman and HM and appreciated Pakistan School Seeb students for their excellent performance highlighting Omani culture, mu-sic and dresses.

Asghar Ali Chaudhry, presi-dent of the School Management Committee expressed his thanks to the chief guest, member Majlis Al Shura and other dignitaries for joining Pakistan School Seeb in its celebration of Oman’s 45th National Day.

He also prayed for the good health and long life of His Maj-esty and for the prosperity of the country. Chaudhry appreciated the efforts of school management, teachers and students for making the event a great success.

N A T I O N A L D A Y G A L A

B6 S U N DAY, N OV E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

ROUND-UP

OAMC events at airports mark 45th National Day

MUSCAT: Celebrating the 45th anniversary of the blessed Renais-sance, Oman Airport Management Company (OAMC) celebrates the National Day from November 18 till the end of this month, by conducting a number of events in Muscat, Salalah, Sohar and Duqm airports, says a press release.

In a demonstration of gratitude to the wise leadership of Oman led by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said who led the country on the path to peace and prosper-ity, the first celebration was held at OAMC headquarters in Mus-cat International Airport under the auspices of Sheikh Saba’ bin Hamdan Al Sadi, secretary gen-

eral for the Supreme Committee, in presence of senior OAMC man-agement and staff.

The event also launched the ‘My Feelings for Oman and the Sultan’ initiative which gives citi-zens and residents the chance to record their personal reflections of Oman and His Majesty on spe-cial greeting cards designed with the colours of the Omani flag. The initiative, supervised by the Min-istry of Education, aims at collect-ing one million completed cards to enter the ‘Guinness Book of World Records’.

On this occasion, OAMC man-agement commented: “Under the wise leadership of His Majesty

the Sultan, Oman continues the development march, which start-ed 45 years ago, through which His Majesty founded the basis of a modern state in every field, which made Oman a symbol of justice, security, peace and prosperity in the region. The achievements made in Oman since the renais-sance is a direct translation of His Majesty’s view for the future of the nation. We are very happy to share the joy and participate in this great event.”

At the Salalah airport, another big celebration was organised and was attended by the airport staff, who expressed their joy and hap-piness for the many achievements of the country. The new OMR365 million Salalah Airport opened recently, coinciding with 45th National Day celebrations, and is a prime example of the progress made in Oman.

The new airport has the capac-ity to receive 2 million travellers a year in its first phase, with capac-ity growing in subsequent develop-ment phases as the airport plays an increasingly important role in en-hancing the national economy and enriching tourism in the region.

Additionally, celebrating the 45th

National Day, OAMC welcomed the guests to the Sultanate by present-ing traditional Omani halwa and coffee, distributed free parking vouchers and gifts for children and also hosted traditional Omani folk-lore bands in the airports.

OAMC also supported the pro-duction of a national song ‘Ayat Wala’ which includes meanings of love for Oman and highlighting the achievements of the Sultanate since the blessed renaissance.

The company also organised an internal competition for the best office decoration on the occasion of the 45th national day.

The management added: “On behalf of OAMC staff, we would like to extend felicitations and greetings to His Majesty the Sul-tan for the 45th national day, pray-ing to the Almighty to preserve him and bestow him health and longevity, and we congratulate the Omani people on in this great oc-casion.”

The company will also organise another celebration with its stra-tegic partners to be held on 30th of November in the Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA) head-quarters, which will include poem recitals and special presentations.

First celebration was held at headquarters

in Muscat Airport under the auspices of

Sheikh Saba’ bin Hamdan Al Sadi, secretary

general for the Supreme Committee

Global Money Exchange opens branch in MisfahMUSCAT: Global Money Ex-change Company, managed by State Bank of Travancore (SBT), the pre-mier bank in Kerala, has opened a branch in Misfah, near Oman Ce-ment Company, early last week.

K. S. Subromoniyan, manag-ing director of Global Money Ex-change, inaugurated the Misfah branch in the presence of V. G. Ra-jeev, general manager, customers and other dignitaries, says a press release.

Speaking on the occasion, K.S. Subromoniyan, said: “We are up-beat about the domestic economic activity as the ongoing infrastruc-ture, tourism and other projects will further strengthen the econ-omy, and create enormous more job opportunities. Opening of the Misfah branch coincided with the 45th National Day of Oman, and has further expanded our net-work to 34 branches.”

“We are pleased to have been recognised as a household name in Oman, and it has been our policy to widen our reach across the length and breadth of the country since inception. Over the last 13 years, our network has grown consist-ently much closer to customers, and as we expand further, all our 34 branches are fully committed

to delivering excellence to citizens and residents,” he added.

Global Money Exchange is prin-cipally engaged in the business of remittance services to different countries through speed remit-tance facilities directly to the ben-eficiary’s bank account, issue of demand drafts, instant transfer of cash, buying and selling of foreign currencies among other services.

Misfah branch will function seven days a week, offering safer and speedier remittances, sup-ported by the management and well-experienced staff members. The company has been offering remittance facilities to various countries, including India, Bangla-desh, the Philippines and Pakistan.

Services, including Western Union, Trans-Fast and Express Money, are also offered at Global Money Exchange branches, en-suring the best, very competitive exchange rates and free SMS con-firmation. Further, Global Money Exchange has arrangements with Himalayan Bank, Nepal; Commer-cial Bank, Sri Lanka; and Ez Remit for instant cash remittances to various corridors. All branches of Global Money Exchange Company are authorised for exchange of all major foreign currencies.

S P R E A D I N G W I N G S

34TH BRANCH: K.S Subromoniyan inaugurates the Misfah branch.

HAFFA HOUSE HOTEL CELEBRATES 45TH NATIONAL DAYThe management and staff of Haffa House Hotel with hotel guests celebrated Oman’s

45th National Day by organising a colorful function in the hotel lobby. Emad Qawasmeh,

general manager, Shanfari Group of Hotels, staff and hotel guests attended the event.

- Supplied photo

Bishara staff joins National Day revelryMUSCAT: On the glorious oc-casion of the 45th National Day, the Omani and expatriate staff of Bishara Establishment organised a special function to celebrate the big day, says a press release.

National Anthem was sung and prayers offered for the continued good health and long life of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said and for the peace and prosperity of all the Omani citizens and resi-dents in the Country.

S H O W O F D E L I G H T

ISG conducts workshop on ‘Ardubotics’ for students

MUSCAT: Indian School Al Ghu-bra (ISG) Robotics Club recently conducted the fifth workshop on ‘Ardubotics’. As many as 84 stu-dents participated in the two-day event, which provided knowledge of robotics, graphical program-ming and electronics project building.

A rich hands-on experience ena-bled the students to design Arduino based robot like Autonomous ro-bot, Android App voice controlled robot, voice controlled home auto-mation system, smart phone based device control, traffic light control and automated door opening sys-tem, says a press release.

On the first day of the workshop, basic electronics which included practical use of electronic compo-nents like resistors, capacitors and diodes were introduced. Students also gathered basic information on designing and programming Arduino based robots. It was a great opportunity for the students to work on the assembling and pro-gramming of Android smartphone-based device control robots, au-tomated door opening systems by using IR sensors and autonomous robots on the second day. They also made voice controlled and gesture controlled robots.

“Learning Ardubotics cannot be

more fun when you have a drag and drop software and awesome algos to play around it,” said Amartya Naik, Dev Thakker and Neelabho Chakraborty. The workshop was unique and educative. It gave the students an in-depth knowledge on Ardubotics. “This is one of the most informative and interesting workshops held in our school. The best project we did in this work-shop was autonomous robot line follower,” stated Shivang Vyas and Jovial Jose Thomas.

Students are now eagerly look-ing forward to similar kind of workshops with complex pro-gramming and designing.

A R T O F L E A R N I N G


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Artistes regale audience at Uttaranchal musical nightMUSCAT: Seven artistes from Uttarakhand came and conquered the hearts and souls of 300 music loving audience in Muscat last week. They made the audience sing and dance to their lively na-tive tunes.

A festive atmosphere marked a gala cultural evening, coincid-ing with festival of lights Diwali and National Day of Oman, hosted by the Indian Social Club’s (ISC) Uttaranchal Wing who is also cele-brating this year as their tenth year of cultural existence with the ISC, says a press release.

The event was sponsored by IEON Engineering, Services and Trade, Lenovo, Khimji Ramdas, Areej Vegetables, Al Turki, Oore-doo, and many more. The excite-ment and enthusiasm among the artists, audience and organisers was incredibly enormous.

The evening began with Man-glesh Dangwal’s Jagar, a hymn usually sung in the evening and sometimes in the morning, and he later presented songs like Silki Bandh, Pushpa Chori among oth-ers. The scene was filled with soul touching rendition in the Nesnas Ball room of Majan Continental Hotel, when the audience started getting gripped by the melodious atmosphere.

It was soon followed by a series of popular folk songs, which were based on incidents of day-to-day

life, nature, season and harvest, by Sangeeta Dhoundiyal, Khushi Joshi and Bishen Hariyala. Indra Mani Pandey, Indian am-bassador to the Sultanate, who was the chief guest at the event, and his wife Sushma Pandey were seen captivated by the soulful music, relishing it with rapt attention. In his address, the ambassador commended Govind Negi, the convener of the Uttaranchal Wing Muscat, for having carried out various events of interest for the community in Oman during the 10 years of their existence as a wing of Indian Social Club. Some of senior officials from the Indian Embassy were also present to witness the musical treat. Peppy songs, ro-mantic melodies with intermittent heavy beats of ‘Dhole’ and ‘Ghun-gru’, coaxed the audience to shake

a leg. And many of the enthusiasts had to be requested to hold on for some more time before finally coming near the stage for a group dance. The singers were well aided by Subash Pandey on percussion, Rukmesh Nautiyal on flute and Sanjay Kumola on keyboard.

Govind Negi in his speech de-scribed the contribution of the wing, thanked all the artists, the members, all the sponsors for their generous support and the team of organising committee including volunteers without whose hard work the event would not have been so successful.

Among others he also felicitated and thanked the guest of honor Vivek Pande, CEO of Khimji Life-style, a patron member and big sup-porter of the wing, along with his wife Mridula Pande.

1 0 T H A N N I V E R S A R Y

Bank Sohar branches join national joyMUSCAT: Bank Sohar, in addi-tion to its special gathering at its head office on the occasion of the Sultanate’s 45th National Day, organised various celebrations in several branches spread across its operations network.

Each event was held to honour and thank His Majesty Sultan Qa-boos bin Said for wisdom, leader-ship and vision for the develop-ment and prosperity of Oman.

Events were held across all Bank Sohar branches on an in-ternal and external level. Some of the branches organised large sized gatherings, namely the Al Khuwair, Sur, Sohar, Salalah and Nizwa branches.

Each of these events was held si-multaneously with the head office celebrations on November 19 and were presided over by members of the bank’s executive management. Also in attendance at each event were all the staff and management from each respective area.

The Al Khuwair branch events were presided over by Ghazi Nasser Salim Al Alawi, board member of Bank Sohar and Badar Al Mukhaini, one of Al Khuwair branch VIP customer in the pres-ence of Munira Abdulnabi Macki, GM of Human Resource and Cor-porate Support; Mazin Mahmood Al Raisi, senior AGM of marketing and customer experience along-

side the branch manager and staff. Sur branch witnessed the cel-

ebrations under the auspicious of Shiekh Ali Saleh Al Jabri, acting head of Public Prosecutor in Sur with the presence of Mujahid Said Al Zadjali, DGM and head of IT and Alternate Channels alongside the branch manager and staff.

The bank’s Sohar branch events were held under the auspicious of Dr Mohammed Ibrahim Issa Al Zadjali, Shura member from So-har, in presence of Khalfan Rashid Al Taley, DGM and head central operations alongside the branch manager and staff.

Moving on to the Nizwa branch,

the celebrations were organized under the auspicious of Shiekh Hamed Salim Saif Al Aghbari, wali Nizwa wilayat, presided over by Khamis Al Rahbi, senior AGM of branches alongside the branch manager and staff where the Al Mumayaz savings scheme weekly draw was also conducted as part of the celebrations witnessing Ibrahim Mohammed of the bank’s Ruwi branch win OMR5,000 while the dedicated branch draw lucky winner of OMR1,000 was Khamis bin Said Al Sulaimi from Nizwa branch.

In Salalah, Bank Sohar branch celebrations was organised under

the auspicious of Shaikh Musalam Saied Ali Qutun, general manager of Directorate General for The Wilayat’s Affairs, in presence of Mustafa Ali Mukhtar, DGM and head of Corporate Banking along-side the branch manager and staff.

Commenting on the celebra-tions across the entire branch network, Rashad bin Ali Al Musafir said: “His Majesty Sul-tan Qaboos bin Said has, over the last 45 years, transformed the Sultanate of Oman into the mod-ern progressive nation we live in today. If not for his wise guidance and leadership, we would never have experienced the peace and prosperity we enjoy today.

It is for this reason that he has earned the trust, respect and love of every person, both citizens and expats, living in Oman. The Na-tional Day celebrations provide us with a perfect opportunity to bring Bank Sohar family together to show our support for His Maj-esty and recognise his achieve-ments and visionary outlook for the country.”

Throughout each of the events, the atmosphere was lively and joy-ous. Each of venues reflected the spirit of national pride and unity with the national colours of red, white and green dominating the dé-cor complemented by music from traditional Omani bands.

S H O W O F S U P P O R T

Orpic celebrates National Day

MUSCAT: Oman Oil Refineries and Petroleum Industries Compa-ny (Orpic) celebrated the National Day with excitement and pride across its offices – Muscat, Sohar and Raysut, says a press release.

National Day celebrates many achievements of the beloved leader His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, and also focuses on the

achievements across all Omani communities and sectors of the economy, since the commence-ment of the blessed Renaissance march in 1970.

To mark this blessed occasion, Musab Al Mahruqi, chief execu-tive officer, said: “I would like to congratulate everyone on the 45th National Day and pray to Allah

to bless our beloved leader His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said with good health and long life. For Orpic, this day has an added sig-nificance as it is the day our MAF refinery was officially inaugurated by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said in 1982.

“Since then, we have been ful-filling our promise to provide energy required for social and economic development in Oman, which is now being enhanced further through our three major growth projects; namely Sohar Refinery Improvement Project (SRIP), Muscat Sohar Product Pipeline (MSPP) and Liwa Plas-tics Industries Complex (LPIC).”

Events were held across its offices in Sohar,

Muscat and Raysut to mark the occasion

Muscat Insurance opens branch in AmeratMUSCAT: Muscat Insurance Company, a Muscat National Holding Group company and a leading insurance service pro-vider in the Sultanate, marked the expansion of its network with the inauguration of a new branch — its 16th in Amerat in Muscat Gover-norate, under the auspices of wali of Al Amerat Dr Yahya Suliman Al Nadabi, says a press release.

Philip K. Philip – GCEO, Mus-cat National Holding Group, said: “We are celebrating two decades of trust of the people of the Sultanate.

The expansion of branch network is our commitment towards the growth and prosperity of our beau-tiful Oman. We look forward to serving the people with continued momentum & utmost sincerity.”

Ramesh P.L. – GM, Muscat In-surance Company, assured the present dignitaries that his team shall live up to its motto ‘A friend cares’ and provide the best-in-class products and services. The new branch will be a full service branch, offering all products and services of Muscat Insurance.

N E T W O R K E X P A N S I O N

ASTER AL RAFFAH CELEBRATES NATIONAL DAY WITH CHILDRENAster Al Raffah Hospital, in association with Ministry of Education, conducted an inter-school drawing com-petition at Qurum Natural Park to celebrate 45th Oman National Day with children. As many as 1,800 children participated in the event. — Supplied photo

G4S Oman registers National Day delight

MUSCAT: G4S Oman recently organized a celebration on the auspicious and historical occasion of the 75th birthday of His Maj-esty Sultan Qaboos bin Said and the 45th National Day of Oman in their Muscat office.

On behalf of G4S, Sumit Arora, country general manager, ex-pressed his appreciation and grati-

tude to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the Government of Oman and the friendly people of Oman for their patronage, warmth and hospitality, says a press release.

Traditional Omani food and sweets were arranged for all the employees to enhance the flavour of the celebrations on this very special occasion.

A U S P I C I O U S O C C A S I O N

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‘Amitabh Aur Main’ to be staged in Oman on Dec. 17

MUSCAT: Here is great news for the fans of India’s legendary ac-tor Amitabh Bachchan. They will have an opportunity to witness a specially conceptualised musical ode to India’s living legend Am-itabh Bachchan.

The concert ‘Amitabh Aur Main’, which has been staged successfully over multiple ven-ues in India, is being organised by Muscat’s ace event manage-ment company Light and Shadow Enterprises on December 17 at the City Amphitheatre, Qurum. Minara will be the presenters of the event.

The programme, Amitabh Aur Main, which is a brain child of playback singer Sudesh Bhosale, has seen a great response wher-ever it has been performed. As part of this tribute playback sing-er Sudesh Bhosale will perform along with his 21-year-old son Siddhant and female singer Arpi-ta Thakkar, says a press release.

Sudesh Bhosale known as ‘voice of Amitabh’ will render popular hit songs and dialogues from fa-mous Amitabh Bachchan films in this two-and-a-half-hour show.

Akshay Chowdhary of Light and Shadow Enterprises said: “We are happy to bring this spe-cial event to Oman. We are elated that it comes close on the heels

of successful presentation of our event the October Festival. As the name ‘Amitabh Aur Main’ suggests, the entire programme is based on the memorable cha-

risma created by Amitabh Bach-chan on screen.”

Sudesh and team will be ren-dering some of the most well known songs and iconic dialogues

of Amitabh Bachchan. Sudesh aims to capture the essence of all the great actor’s performances till date through this concert. He will be sharing his experience about working with Amitabh Bachchan during the recordings and live concerts too,” he added.

This audio visual programme will have some fantastic effects created on stage through special screens, light effects and dances. “It is a much awaited show that fans cannot afford to miss,” said Akshay Chowdhary.

Some of the songsSome of the songs Sudesh and team are expected to perform are Intehaa Ho Gayi Intezaar Ki, Jumma Chumma, Kajraare, O Sathi Re, Rang Barse, Mere An-gne Mein, My Name is Anthony Gonsalves among many others, interspersed with with Big B’s hit dialogues.

Sudesh Bhosale is known for his ability to mimic actor Am-itabh Bachchan, having sung for him in various films. Sudesh got his first major break in playback singing in the film Zalzala (1988). He used mimicry to become a professional dubbing artiste for several artists like Sanjeev Ku-mar and Anil Kapoor.

He actually dubbed for Sanjeev Kumar when he died premature-ly before completing the film Pro-fessor ki Padosan. He has sung songs for the movie Ghatothkach in 2008. Bhosale was judge on K For Kishore, a singing contest on Sony Entertainment Television.

He has sung many famous Bol-lywood songs for Amitabh Bach-chan including Jumma chumma de de from 1991 movie Hum. He can mimic numerous Bollywood stars including Ashok Kumar (Dadamuni), Amitabh Bachchan, Vinod Khanna and Sanjeev Ku-mar. He was awarded the Mother Teresa Millennium Award for his contribution to music in a cer-emony in Kolkata in 2008.

Amitabh Bachchan’s

fans in Oman have

an opportunity to

witness a specially

conceptualised

musical ode to

India’s living legend

Bank Sohar receives ‘Bank of Year’ award MUSCAT: Marking its 11th award in 2015, Bank Sohar was presented with the ‘Bank of the Year for Growth — Middle East’ Award from the Italy-based IAIR- global economy and sustainability magazine at the IAIR Leadership Awards Ceremony held recently in United Arab Emirates.

Receiving this prestigious award is a testament of the bank’s dedication towards its commit-ment to excellence through de-velopment of the finest and most advanced IT banking solutions as well as being able to understand and anticipate customer needs, whilst having a flexible yet cost-efficient approach resulting in the bank being an economic partner and advisor for individuals and corporate, says a press release.

Representing Bank Sohar and receiving the prestigious award at the ceremony, held at the Pal-ace Downtown Dubai, was Salim Khamis Al Maskeri, DGM and head of Sohar Islamic.

The prestigious event was also attended by representatives from various prominent institutions and dignitaries from the Arab world.

Banking servicesSharing his thoughts on the sig-nificance of the award, Rashad Ali Al Musafir, acting CEO of Bank Sohar said, “We have always prided ourselves in providing our valued customers with some of the best possible banking services and products available coupled with some of the fastest turna-round times in the Omani Bank-ing Sector. “As a matter of fact, our cus-tomer oriented strategy is one of the primary reasons why we have won the ‘Bank of the Year for Growth – Middle East’ award this year. With the banking industry becomingeven more competitive with each passing year, we intend to continue to lead from the front, putting innovation and customer service first, raising our product

and service standards, and setting the benchmark for banking excel-lence within the Sultanate.”

“We are truly honoured to have received this award from IAIR. It is a clear recognition of the tremen-dous effort put in by the Bank’s Management and Staff, under the wise guidance and direction set forth by the Board, to make Bank Sohar one of best banks in the Sul-tanate. It underlines our enthusi-asm to progress and will serve as a motivation to push Bank Sohar towards even greater success in the coming years,” added Rashad Al Musafir.

List of awardsThis latest award represents the 11th recognition for the Bankin 2015, having already won the ‘Excellence & Quality Award’ in Corporate Governance from UAE-based Tatweej Academy, ‘Finacle Client Innovation Award 2015’ from Infosys-Finacle, ‘Peak of Success Trophy’ for Business Ex-cellence from Texas-based World Confederation of Businesses (WORLDCOB).

It also won ‘Best Banking Per-formance’ Award at the fourth edition of the Al Roya Economic Award, ‘Golden Order of Merit in the field of CSR’ Award from UAE based Excellence Awards Academy, best ‘Straight Through Processing’ (STP) banks in Oman by Standard Chartered Bank, and the ‘Best Enterprise Award’ in the fields of quality and management from the Europe Business Assem-bly based in the UK.

The Bank was also named the best ‘Straight Through Processing’ (STP) banks in Oman award along with a ‘Trade Award 2014’ from Frankfurt-based Commerzbank AG and was also recognised as one of the ‘Top 5 Large Corporate Enterprises’ within the Sultanate, ranking second under ‘Top Large Corporate Enterprise’ and on the first level as a bank, at the Alam Al Iktisad Wal Amaal (AIWA) Awards this year.

A C C O L A D E

Amitabh Bachchan

Sudesh Bhosale

Al Hashar Electronics celebrates

National Day with great fervour

MUSCAT: Al Hashar Electronics marked the glorious 45th National Day of Oman at its corporate office with a host of celebrations includ-ing competitions and cultural pro-grammes. Special offers on select electronics items were launched to share the joyous vibes with its customers, says a press release.

“National Day is a momentous occasion that reminds every one of us about the amazing growth that this beautiful country has witnessed under the wise and able leadership of His Majesty the Sultan. It is his visionary leader-ship and an industrious people that made Oman what it is today – a beacon of hope and peace and inclusive development. Joining in the celebratory mood of the en-tire nation, Al Hashar Electronics takes this opportunity to rededi-cate ourselves to the development of the nation by continuing to bring in high quality international brands at attractive prices that en-hance the lifestyle of the people of Oman,” said Rajeev Sharma, gen-eral manager, Al Hashar Electron-

ics, addressing the staff gathering.“Celebrations will continue

across all our showrooms for a couple of weeks, and customers can enjoy special discounts and freebies on purchasing any elec-tronics items of their choice dur-ing the period,” he added.

The entire Al Hashar Electron-ics headquarters at Ruwi, which houses a swanky showroom on the ground floor wore a festive look with festoons, flags and por-traits of His Majesty. Adding to the joyous spirit was a traditional Omani dance team from Sur, who performed a few items bubbling with national pride and fervor. The dancers went out onto the

streets and the public joined in turning it into a procession.

Al Hashar Electronics is a fully independent subsidiary of the prestigious Al Hashar Group of Companies, one of Oman’s oldest and most trusted business con-glomerates.

With an excellent product line-up of international brands that are renowned for high quality, perfor-mance and cost-effectiveness, Al Hashar Electronics has earned a name for itself as a leading elec-tronics dealer in the Sultanate. Recently the group opened a flag-ship electronics showroom in the Avenues Mall in order to reach out to niche customer segments.

S H A R I N G J O Y

BankDhofar concludes ‘Injaz’ course for new branch teamsMUSCAT: BankDhofar, as part of its concentrated efforts to en-rich its customer experience, recently concluded a 7-week professional training programme for new branch staff. The train-ing programme was conducted at the bank’s training centre and covered fundamental banking re-quirements, including customer service standards as well as prod-ucts and sales techniques, says a press release.

Hosam Qassim Al Jamali, head of Learning & Development at BankDhofar, said: “Injaz is an ex-clusive comprehensive hands-on training programme that is designed in-house to equip our branch teamswith the required

knowledge and expertise needed to serve our customers. We see it as the blocks on which distinguished customer experience is built.”

“The 7-week programme is di-vided into engaged learning ses-

sions and on-the-job activities. We followed a continuous assess-ment methodology where partici-pants’ progress is evaluated atthe end of each section. This ensures continuous feedback on pro-gress and retention and gives us a chance to focus on particular is-sues that are relevant to the train-ees’ progress,” added Al Jamali.

The training programme has been developed and delivered by experts at BankDhofar, and comes as part of the bank’s long-term training strategy that aims at enhancing staff performance in all branches. “The target is to en-rich our customer experience and provide the best banking services and products,” he said.

H O N I N G S K I L L S

Hosam Qassim Al Jamali

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM

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Miserly Hazlewood rips through New Zealand after review farce

ADELAIDE: Paceman Josh Ha-zlewood stepped up in the absence of injured spearhead Mitchell Starc to give Australia a sniff of victory within three days after a farcical third umpire decision stole the tourists’ momentum dur-ing the third Test on Saturday.

Hazlewood shone under the floodlights of Adelaide Oval with a miserly three for 32 and New Zea-land slumped to 116 for five at the close of a roller-coaster day two, hounded by the hooping pink ball in the inaugural day-night Test.

The Black Caps clung precari-ously to a 94-run lead after 13 wickets tumbled, adding to the 12 that fell on the opening day.

Debutant all-rounder Mitch-ell Santner (13 not out) and BJ Watling (7) were left to salvage something from the wreckage but New Zealand’s hopes of a series-levelling victory looked fraught as darkness descended.

Different scenarioIt was a far different scenario ear-lier in the day as their bowlers tourists dominated in the sun-shine and Australia crashed to 118 for eight in reply to 202.

But third umpire Nigel Llong made a howling intervention, thumbing his nose at the decision review technology that strongly suggested spinner Nathan Lyon had nicked a catch to the slips from

a bungled sweep shot.A ball from debutant spinner

Santner had ricocheted off Lyon’s upper arm and though field umpire Sundaram Ravi waved the appeal

away, the ‘Hot spot’ technology showed a mark on his bat.

That was enough for Lyon who proceeded to walk back to the dressing room, but ‘Snicko’

showed no audio evidence and Llong dithered for five minutes watching angle after angle, raising jeers from the crowd of 42,372 be-fore issuing his judgement.

It cost New Zealand their last review and triggered a momentum shift as Lyon and wicketkeeper Pe-ter Nevill plundered the bowlers.

Lyon smashed Santner for 15

runs and a leg bye in one over be-fore falling for 34, bringing a hob-bling Starc to the crease who add-ed to New Zealand’s pain with an unbeaten 24.

He blasted spinner Mark Craig over the long on fence twice in one over as Australia charged past New Zealand’s total.

Australia’s innings finally ended on 224, after Nevill was caught in the deep for 66, but the last two wickets added 108 and condemned New Zealand’s batsmen to defend in the most perilous evening session.

Hazlewood removed open-ers Martin Guptill (17) and Tom Latham (10) and later trapped Ross Taylor in front for 32.

Fast-bowling all-rounder Mitchell Marsh had Kane Wil-liamson caught behind for nine and removed Brendon McCullum lbw for 20 as New Zealand’s hopes faded. - Reuters

Hazlewood shone

under the floodlights

of Adelaide Oval with

a miserly three for

32 and New Zealand

slumped to 116 for

five at the close of

a roller-coaster day

two, hounded by the

hooping pink ball

in the inaugural

day-night Test

SHINING UNDER LIGHTS: Australia’s Josh Hazlewood, left, celebrates after dismissing New Zealand’s Ross Taylor during the second day

of their third Test match at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday. – Reuters

New Zealand 1st innings: 202 Australia 1st inningsJ. Burns b Bracewell 14 D. Warner c Southee b Boult 1 S. Smith c Watling b Craig 53 A. Voges c Guptill b Southee 13 S. Marsh run out 2M. Marsh c Watling b Bracewell 4 P. Nevill c Santner b Bracewell 66 P. Siddle c Latham b Craig 0 J. Hazlewood b Santner 4 N. Lyon c Williamson b Boult 34 M. Starc (not out) 24 Extras (b-5, lb-3, w-1) 9Total (all out, 72.1 overs) 224 Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-34, 3-63, 4-67, 5-80, 6-109, 7-109, 8-116, 9-190.Bowling: T. Southee 17-1-50-1; T. Boult 17-5-41-2; D. Bracewell 12.1-3-18-3 (w-1); M. Santner 16-1-54-1; M. Craig 10-1-53-2.New Zealand 2nd innings T. Latham c Nevill b Hazlewood 10 M. Guptill c M. Marsh b Hazlewood 17 K. Williamson c Nevill b M. Marsh 9 R. Taylor lbw Hazlewood 32 B. McCullum lbw M. Marsh 20 M. Santner (not out) 13 B. Watling (not out) 7 Extras (b-6, lb-2) 8 Total (for 5 wkts, 37 overs) 116 Fall of wickets: 1-29, 2-32, 3-52, 4-84, 5-98.Bowling: J. Hazlewood 16-5-32-3; P. Siddle 10-4-22-0; M. Marsh 8-0-44-2; N. Lyon 3-0-10-0.Umpires: Richard Illingworth, Sundaram Ravi.TV umpire: Nigel Llong.Match referee: Roshan Mahanama.

S C O R E B O A R D

ADELAIDE: The third um-pire’s controversial reprieve of Australia’s Nathan Lyon was a sucker-punch for frustrated New Zealand which left the hosts in a strong position on day two of the third Test on Saturday.

New Zealand were convinced Lyon was out when his sweep-shot sent the ball looping into the slips and the spinner him-self started walking back to the Adelaide Oval dressing room

when the ‘Hot Spot’ technology revealed the mark on his bat.

Nigel Llong saw it differently and analysed angle after angle and replay after replay for five minutes as a bumper crowd jeered. While the ‘Snicko’ technology gave no hint of a nick, Llong dismissed the other evidence out of hand, remark-ing in his exchanges with the umpires on the field that the mark on Lyon’s bat “could have

come from anywhere.”At the time, Australia were

on the ropes at 118 for eight, but the match turned on its head after Llong’s contentious call, with Lyon and his batting partner Peter Nevill plundering the bowlers.

Pundits’ condemnations were amplified on social media, with former Australia bowler Shane Warne remarking it was wrong and a “ridiculous waste of time”.

New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor said his team felt there was a miscarriage of justice.

“We can understand when the umpires make the wrong decision on the field but once you’ve got so many different angles and what-not, you think that more often than not, 99 to 100 percent of the time you’re going to get the right answer,” he said. “I guess we didn’t today.” - Reuters

Llong review a sucker-punch for rattled New Zealand

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Oman face Afghanistan in two-match T20 series

MUSCAT: Oman national cricket team will kick off their two-match Twenty20 bilateral series against Afghanistan on Sunday.

The second match is scheduled for Monday and both matches will be played in Abu Dhabi.

The two matches will mark the end of Oman team’s tour of the United Arab Emirates, where they have also played a bilateral T20 series against Hong Kong which they won 3-1.

Previously Oman had played two T20 matches against Afghan-istan at the ICC World T20 Quali-fier in Ireland and Scotland.

In the first match, a group en-counter, Sri Lankan great Duleep Mendis-coached Oman team beat Afghanistan. But the Afghans de-feated the Sultanate squad in the fifth-place play-off match, though both went on to qualify for the World T20 Championship to be organised in India next year.

After the two matches against Afghanistan, Oman team return home and after a brief stay they will leave for India. In India they are scheduled to a training-cum-conditioning camp in the south Indian city of Chennai.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan suf-fered a defeat in a Twenty20 match against Hong Kong at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

According to news posted on www.icc-cricket.com, Aizaz

Khan and Waqas Barkat kept their calm towards the fag end to carry Hong Kong past the finish line by four wickets with two balls to spare during a tricky run chase against Afghanistan.

Afghanistan, opting to bat first, rode on the back of Asghar Stan-ikzai’s half century and cameos from Samiullah Shenwari (34) and Shafiqullah (30) to put on a re-spectable 162 for six from 20 overs.

Hong Kong’s response did not get off to a great start, as Kinchit Shah and Anshuman Rath fell within the Power Play overs.

Two more wickets fell, with the team score at 89 before Nizakat Khan and Tanwir Afzal put on 55

crucial runs for the fifth wicket. Their partnership came at a rate of 11 runs per over, and that swung the momentum back in Hong Kong’s favour.

Nizakat made 26 before Aftab Alam accounted for him in the fifth ball of the 17th over.

Off the first ball of his next over, Alam dismissed Afzal, who made a 22-ball 42.

With two big wickets in a space of six runs, Afghanistan was back in the game. But, Aizaz and Barkat made 14 runs in 1.3 overs to seal victory in 19.4 overs.

Earlier, Afghanistan got off to an unpromising start when it lost Mohammad Shahzad with just

four runs on board. It was hit by another jolt when Usman Ghani fell to Haseeb Amjad. Then came a period of rebuilding as Stanikzai and Karim Sadiq (22) carried it to 50 before Kareem fell to Aizaz.

Afghanistan then realised its most successful phase as Stan-ikzai and Samiullah Shenwari added 63 runs for the fifth wicket. Stanikzai made a 37-ball 51 before being run out in the 15th over.

At that stage, Afghanistan was 113 for 4. Shenwari too was run out for 34, but Shafiqullah’s 16-ball 30 helped Afghanistan add 49 runs in the last five overs.

Hong Kong, however, had the reserves to just get over the line.

With the two

matches against

Afghanistan Oman

will conclude their

tour of the United

Arab Emirates, where

they have also played

a bilateral T20 series

against Hong Kong

which they won 3-1

ANOTHER BILATERAL SERIES: Oman cricket team, who defeated Hong Kong 2-1 in a bilateral series,

will take on Afghanistan in a two-match T20 series from Sunday.

India hold Germany to a 1-1 draw; Australia, Britain record victoriesRAIPUR: Brushing aside the dis-appointing show against Argenti-na in the tournament opener, hosts India produced a much-improved performance as they held Olympic champions Germany to a 1-1 draw in their second Pool B match of the Hockey World League (HWL) Fi-nal, here on Saturday.

Although India were by far the better side on display, it was the Germans, who struck first in the sixth minute through a field goal from Niklas Wellen.

The hosts then put relentless pressure on a strong German de-fence that crumbled in the 47th minute when Akashdeep Singh restored parity.

Unlike Friday’s match against Argentina, the Indians showed more urgency from the word go on Saturday and attacked the German defence with much more purpose and intent thereby creating more opportunities than their rivals.

Contrary to Germany’s lead, In-dia were the dominant force in the first half. The hosts enjoyed supe-

rior ball possession and also had the much higher number of shots at the goal than their opposition.

India’s first real scoring chance came in the third minute when Chinglensana Singh came close to giving India the lead but his feeble push from inside the circle was easily padded away by the Ger-man goalie Andreas Spack.

Bang on targetTwo minutes later, Indian skip-per Sardar Singh had set it up for Talwinder Singh with a brilliant ball from outside the box but the striker completely messed up the opportunity.

The Germans were bang on tar-get with their first attack and took the lead against the run of play in the next minute, courtesy serious defensive lapse from the Indians.

Mathias Muller went past three Indian players from the right flank to set it up for Wellen, who struck with ease to give Germany the lead. Indian custodian PR Sreejesh made a double save in

the ninth minute, first denying Constantin Staib and then Oliver Korn as Germany led by a goal af-ter the end of the first quarter.

Although trailing, India kept up the pressure and created an-other scoring opportunity in the 24th minute when Sardar found Akashdeep Singh inside the box but the striker’s reverse hit from top of the box was saved by Ger-man skipper Spack.

India continued to exert pres-sure on the German defence and in the process earned their first penalty corner two minutes into the third quarter. The resultant flick from Rupinder Pal Singh ricocheted off the post in front of an unmarked Ramandeep Singh, who failed to properly connect on the rebound. India play the Neth-erlands on Monday, while Germa-ny face Argentina.

In other matches of the day, Australia beat Belgium 1-0, while Britain overpowered Canada 3-1 in the Group A matches.

A solitary goal from veteran

Jamie Dwyer was enough for the reigning world champions Australia to defeat Belgium. The 36-year-old five-time FIH Player of the Year fired home from a tight angle in the 22nd minute to give the Aussies victory.

Although Australia also had two strikes overturned, the Bel-gians gave an excellent showing of themselves and could easily have taken something from the game if they had made the most of their chances.

Meanwhile, Simon Mantell scored twice as Britain defeated Canada 3-1 in their tournament opener. Mantell needed just two minutes to open his account with a tap-in before Mark Pearson re-stored parity for Canada with a speculative cross from the right that found the bottom left corner.

Second quarter goals from Mantell and Alastair Brogdon gave Britain a 3-1 advantage at half-time, a lead that the domi-nant Europeans would never relinquish. - PTI/IANS

H O C K E Y W O R L D L E A G U E

Cate Campbell sets 100m freestyle short-course recordSYDNEY: Cate Campbell set a world record for the 100 metres freestyle at the Australian short-course swimming championships on Saturday in a race where she eventually finished last.

A specialist sprinter, Campbell broke the 100m record during the final of the 200m freestyle when she set off at full speed and reached the halfway point of the eight-lap race in 50.91 seconds.

With the record safely in the bag, the 23-year-old then slowed down and coasted to the finish, taking almost another 90 seconds to com-plete the last four laps and allowing all her rivals to overtake her.

“It was pretty unique to get a world record and then finish dead last in your race,” Campbell. “Not many people can claim that but I’ve always been a trailblazer, so I’ll take it.”

Campbell’s split time slashed a tenth of a second off the previous record of 51.01, set by Australian Libby Trickett in 2009. It was also the second short-course world record set in as many days at the Australian championships after Mitch Larkin broke the men’s 200m backstroke mark on Friday.

Already an Olympic and world gold medallist, Campbell is one of

the spearheads of Australia’s star-studded female swim team ex-pected to dominated the sprinting events at next year’s Rio Olympics.

Her biggest rival is her younger sister Bronte who won the 50m-100m freestyle double at this year’s world championships in Russia.

Cate Campbell had set her sights on breaking the 100m world record at the Australian championships but came up just short of the mark in Thursday’s final so her coach told her to make another attempt during the 200m.

“In an ideal world, the 100m would’ve been on the last day but it wasn’t,” she said. “It was on the first day. So this was a good com-promise.” - Reuters

S W I M M I N G

Campbell set a world record for the 100m freestyle in a race where she eventually finished last

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Ravichandran Ashwin added to his growing reputation as the best

spinner in the world by picking seven wickets and spinning South Africa to their doom. His match figures of 12 wickets tells one of the total domination that he has had over the South African batsmen.

It must not be forgotten that till he got injured and had to sit out the second part of the limited overs series he had bowled well there too and had

shown that he was going to be a threat once the red ball was in his hands. There was some stubborn resistance from South Africa skipper Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis who showed how to bat on a pitch that had been maligned a little too much.

Both went fully forward and stayed low to ensure that the spin was covered as well as the bounce though this pitch did not have much bounce to speak about and so was not as unplay-able as was made out.

Amla was dismissed by a real beauty from Mishra who went wide of the stumps and angled the leg-spinner at Amla who for once lunged a little hard at the ball and the spin took the shoulder of the

bat and lobbed up where Virat Kohli, the Indian skipper timed his jump to perfection.

In his next over Faf du Ples-sis also lost his patience and played right across a googly and lost his stumps. He would have been better served if he had attempted to play the ball wide of mid-on rather than towards square leg.

However, the dismissal of AB de Villiers was the one that India wanted more than others and Ashwin set him up nicely.

His first ball was an off spinner that de Villiers left as it spun across his pads.

The batsman stepped down the pitch to the next ball but Ashwin had read his mind cor-rectly and bowled the carrom ball or the flicker which de Vil-liers had to hurriedly kick away.

The next ball was another flicker but on a good length and the champion batsman was un-able to read it as he tried to play it as an off spin delivery to the onside and missed it.

He was disappointed at being given out but the replays showed that the ball would have crashed onto the off stump. Jadeja didn’t get any wickets but he was a con-stant threat and kept the lid on the scoring as did Ishant Sharma who also bowled well without reward.

With this win India have not only won the series but halted South Africa’s unbeaten run in overseas series over the last nine years. Now they will want to wrap it up with another win at the Kotla. - PMG

Ashwin proved he is the best by spinning South Africa to their doomCOMMENTARY

Cerebral Ashwin spins his way to top

NEW DELHI: If Ravichandran Ashwin is being hailed as the best spinner in contemporary cricket, the 29-year-old lanky Indian owes it as much to those long fingers as to an ever-ticking brain.

Since his Test debut against West Indies four years ago, the tweaker from Chennai has emerged as a shrewd off-spinner who relishes his battle against the best and the sight of batsmen mis-reading his carrom ball.

His penchant for outsmarting key rival batsmen manifested in Sri Lanka earlier this year when he soured Kumar Sangakkara’s fare-well by dismissing the retiring great in each of his last four innings.

The same trait resurfaced in Nagpur on Friday, when he foxed AB de Villiers, having dismissed the talismanic South African in the first two Twenty20 Internationals at the start of the tour as well.

“The dismissal was quite well-planned, honestly,” Ashwin said af-ter his 12-wicket match haul helped India take a series-clinching 2-0 lead in the four-match series.

“I had not given him a single carrom ball all through this tour. Today I thought on this wicket, to get it to straighten from wide of the crease, I think it was a very, very good ball.”

Ashwin gave an insight into a smart cricketing brain when ex-plaining how he changes his bowl-ing approach in the second innings of a Test match.

“Most of the cues come when I go out to bat there. When I was de-fending ... there was a difference in the first innings and the second.

“The ball was not spinning vi-ciously. It slowed down a bit, so I knew we had to be a touch fuller to bring them on the front (foot) and also vary our paces and trajectories.”

Ashwin was the architect of In-dia’s 2-1 series victory in Sri Lanka and his 24 scalps against South Africa means it would be difficult to deny him a second successive man-of-the-series award.

“He is a world class spinner, prob-ably the best in the world right now,” India captain VIrat Kohli said of Ashwin who has claimed 55 wickets this year, the most by any bowler.

“He’s stepped up in a big way for

us, even in Sri Lanka. He is one of the main reasons why we’ve been able to win back-to-back series,” added Kohli.

The rank turners India rolled out for South Africa have taken some of the sheen off Ashwin’s feat but few doubt the skill of the bowler whose 169 wickets is the most claimed by a spinner in his first 31 Tests.

“A batsman goes out there to get a hundred, I go out there to get a five-wicket haul. That’s how I view it,” said Ashwin. - Reuters

Since his Test debut

against West Indies

four years ago, the

tweaker from Chennai

has emerged as a

shrewd off-spinner

who relishes his

battle against the

best and the sight of

batsmen misreading

his carrom ball

NAGPUR: Lauding the efforts of off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, India’s bowling coach Bharat Arun on Satur-day said the Tamil Nadu cricketer is growing in stature with each series.

“There is no great change in his bowling. The only thing is that now he is more aware of his strengths and has understood the angles at which he needs to bowl to be most effective. He was always a good bowler but now he is growing in stature with each series because his awareness levels have improved tremendously,” Arun was quoted as saying by bcci.tv.

Arun said what has made Ashwin a better bowler now is that he uses his variations sparingly.

“He is one of the best off-spinners around. The challenge was for him to say, ‘I will trouble the best in the world with my off-spin’. The fact is that he is a lot more consistent in bowling his off-spin right now. That means his vari-ations are a big surprise. Of course, he has got a lot of them up his sleeve, but he uses them very spar-ingly,” he said.

“This is the X factor in his bowling right now.”

Asked about what he and Ashwin discuss in the nets, Arun said: “My job is only to make him understand the differ-ent angles and we speak about it a lot. He has a lot of questions to ask and I try to clear the doubts that come up in his mind. Once the doubts are cleared, the bowler goes about expressing himself.” - IANS

Ashwin is growing in stature, says Arun

I had not given him (AB de

Villiers) a single carrom ball

all through this tour. Today

I thought on this wicket,

to get it to straighten from

wide of the crease, I think it

was a very, very good ball

Ravichandran AshwinIndian spinner

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Rosberg storms to sixth successive pole position

ABU DHABI: Nico Rosberg stormed to his sixth pole position in a row and denied Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton a land-mark 50th in Formula One’s sea-son-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Saturday.

The German, who races with number six on his car, left the best to last with a flying lap under the Yas Marina floodlights that knocked the triple world champion off the top slot right at the finish.

“I am quicker at the moment and I am very pleased about that and enjoying the moment and happy to be on pole again,” said Rosberg, who had voiced fears after Friday practice that his car’s high-mile-age engine would slow him down.

Hamilton had gone top only sec-onds before but Rosberg, winner of the last two races, raised his game to cross the line 0.377 quicker and repeat his 2014 pole achievement.

With both championships long decided, for Hamilton and Mer-cedes, Sunday’s race looks like be-ing a duel between two teammates determined to go into the European

winter break on a high. Their 15th front row lockout was a record for a single season and another could fall on Sunday, with Mercedes aiming to end another dominant season with a 12th one-two finish.

“I genuinely struggled with the car a little bit,” said Hamilton, who was fastest in the first two phases of qualifying for the day-to-night race.

“We’ve been working really hard to make some changes, we’ve had to take something off the car but Nico was just really quick to-day,” added the Briton, who can take comfort in the fact that only once in six years has the race been won from pole.

Hamilton won last year and will be chasing his 44th career victory — in car number 44 on the 44th anniversary of the founding of the United Arab Emirates.

Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen and Force India’s Sergio Perez filled the second row behind the two Mercedes drivers. Raikkonen’s four times world champion team mate Sebastian Vettel, winner of three races this year, could qualify only 16th after the team wrongly believed the lap time was good enough for him to go through.

“The car’s been handling pretty well all weekend,” said Raikkonen, who will have a set of new super-

soft tyres for the race unlike the two ahead of him. “I knew there was room to improve. It was still a bit off what the other guys can do.”

Australian Daniel Ricciardo starts fifth for Red Bull with Wil-liams’ Valtteri Bottas alongside on the third row.

Lotus’s Romain Grosjean, who is moving to Haas next season, qualified 15th after pulling over during the second phase with gear change problems.

There was better news for strug-gling Honda-powered McLaren, who had Jenson Button qualify-ing a giddy 12th at the end of their worst ever season. - Reuters

The German, who

races with number

six on his car, left

the best to last with

a flying lap under

the Yas Marina

floodlights that

knocked the triple

world champion off

the top slot right at

the finish

SIX OF THE BEST: Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg, centre, flanked by Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen, left, and Mer-

cedes teamamte Lewis Hamilton waves after the qualifying session of Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix at the

Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. – Reuters

Omar triumphs at National Day Cup

MUSCAT: Omar Abdullah Al Balushi won the top honours at the National Day Cup Endurance Race at the Endurance Village at Saih Al Mahamid in wilayat of Barka on Saturday.

The race was organised under

the auspices of Ali bin Moham-med Al Abri, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Regional Munici-palities and Water Resources, in the prince of Sayyid Mundhir bin Saif Al Busaidi, chairman of Oman Equestrian Federation (OEF).

The race coincided with the celebrations of the 45th National Day and was organised by the Oman Equestrian Federation for 100kms in addition to two quali-fying races for 40kms and 80kms.

The Oman Equestrian Federa-

tion has conducted raffle draws for participants offered by Oman Telecommunications Company. Jumah bin Rashid Al Mashai-khi, General Secretary of Oman Equestrian Federation, gave away the prizes.

E N D U R A N C E R A C E

Delhi Dynamos edge NorthEast to enter semifinalsGUWAHATI: Brazilian winger Gustavo Dos Santos’ late strike enabled Delhi Dynamos to pip NorthEast United 2-1 on Saturday en route to their semifinal qualifi-cation in the Indian Super League (ISL) football tournament.

The Dynamos thus became the second team, after defending champions Atletico de Kolkata, to qualify for the last four stage with 21 points from 12 games. They still have two league matches left after this. NorthEast are virtually out of contention with 17 points from 13 games.

While India international Rob-in Singh’s opportunistic strike in the 20th minute provided lead to the Delhi franchise, his national team colleague Seityasen Singh equalised within seven minutes.

It was Dos santos’ angular left-footer in the 88th minute that sealed the deal for Delhi.

The winners were on Satur-day wearing an away jersey that resembled Catalan giants Barce-lona’s home jersey.

Delhi got the lead at the stroke of half an hour when NorthEast goalkeeper TP Rahneesh’s fee-ble punch fell in front as Robin showed good poaching ability with a crisp right footer much to the delight of his mother Caroline Singh, sitting in the stands.

However, the joy was shortlived as Seityasen latched onto a miss pass from Ralte Adinga to enter the box and beat the Delhi goalie Antonio Doblas with immaculate placement that also had power. Af-ter being locked 1-1 at half time, the teams traded moves in the second half without making any decisive inroads into the opposition citadel.

In the end it was ‘Super Sub’ Dos Santos, whose brilliant left-foot which has delighted the Delhi fans since last season got into act. Getting a ball at the top of the box, he first did the spadework to beat an opposition defender and then unleashed a left-footer with the outstep that went past goalkeeper Rahneesh as the partisan crowd were stunned into silence. - PTI

I S L

Liverpool hero Byrne dies

LONDON: Former England de-fender Gerry Byrne, who won two league titles with Liverpool and played with a broken collarbone when they won the FA Cup for the first time in 1965, has died aged 77, the club announced on Saturday.

Byrne made 333 appearances for Liverpool who won the league title in 1964 and 1966 and he also gained an FA Cup winners’ med-al in 1965 when Liverpool beat Leeds United 2-1.

Despite breaking his collar-bone in the third minute of the match in the last season before substitutes were allowed in Eng-

land, he played on and made the cross for Liverpool’s first goal.

“The Liverpool-born defender was a model of consistency at left-back under Bill Shankly and a testament to his popularity was evident as 40,000 supporters were at Anfield for his testimo-nial in April 1970,” Liverpool said on their website.

He was a non-playing member of England’s World Cup winning squad in 1966 and was presented with a winners’ medal at Down-ing Street in 2009 after a change of FIFA policy. He won two Eng-land caps. - Reuters

F O O T B A L L

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OCT Al Amerat overcome HJB

MUSCAT: Hassan Juma Backer (HJB) recorded a four-wicket victory over OCT Al Amerat in a Khimji Ramdas-sponsored A Di-vision match at the Municipal-ity Ground II during the morning session on Friday.

Batting first, HJB scored 218 all out in 29.4 overs with Dan-iel Rudolph top scoring with 82. Haitham Al Sabri claimed three wickets for OCT Al Amerat.

In reply, OCT Amerat scored 219

for the loss of six wickets in 29.5 overs with Abdul Aziz top scoring with an unbeaten 59.

Ateef Al Balushi and Faris Said chipped in with 36 and 38 respec-tively. Ahmed Khan was the pick of the HJB bowlers with two scalps.

Brief scores: HJB 218 in 29.4 overs (Daniel Rudoplh 82; Haitham Al Sabri 3/23) lost to OCT Al Amerat 219 for 6 in 29.5 overs (Abdul Aziz 59 n.o.; Ahmed Khan 2/29). Points: OCT Amerat - 2, HJB – 0.

Oordeoo A beat RenaissanceIn another A Division match, Ooredoo A defeated Renaissance by five wickets at the Municipality Ground I ground.

Batting first, Renaissance put on 222 for seven in 30 overs with

Tauseef Ahmed top scoring with 64 runs. Sunil Baby claimed three wickets for Oordeoo.

In reply, Ooredoo A scored 226 for five in 27 overs with Melwin Mathew and Gustav Burgher scor-ing 98 and 74 not out respectively

to seal the win. Tauseef Ahmed claimed four wickets for Renais-sance in a losing cause.

Brief scores: Renaissance 222 for 7 in 30 overs (Tauseef Ahmed 64; Sunil Baby 3/34) lost to Ooredoo A 226 for 5 in 27 overs (Melwin Mathew 98, Gustav Burgher 74 n.o.; Tauseef Ahmed 4/43). Points: Ooredoo A - 2; Renaissance - 0.

Fairtrade down Bisya In an Al Ansari Group of Compa-nies-sponsored B Division match, Fairtrade defeated Bisya by five wickets. Batting first, Bisya man-aged to score 167 all out in 19.3 overs. Nabeel Ali and Mohammed Nadeem scored with 58 and 54 respectively. Rasheed picked up three wickets while Sufyan and Aadil claimed two wickets each for Fairtrade.

Fairtrade completed their vic-tory by scoring 168 for five in 19.3 overs. Vijayanand and Muzafar scored with 47 not out and 36 not out respectively. Adnan and Faizan clamied two wickets each for Bisya.

Brief scores: Bisya 167 in 19.3 overs

(Nabeel Ali 58, Mohammed Nadeem 54; Rasheed 3/28) lost to Fairtrade 168 for 5 in 19.3 overs (Vijayanand 47 n.o., Muzafar 36 n.o.; Adnan-ul Haq 2/26). Points: Fairtrade - 2, Bisya - 0.

Newrest beat Ooredoo BIn a Raha Poly Products-spon-sored C Division match, Newrest Wacasco defeatd Ooredoo B by four wickets at the Municipality Ground I. Batting first, Ooredoo B put on 156 for seven in 20 overs, with Ahmed Mujjabba top scoring with 68 runs. Adhar claimed three wickets for Newrest.

Newrest completed their victory by scoring 160 for six in 19.1 overs. Karthik Rajappa and Bibin Sasi scored 55 and 49 not out respec-tively. Mohammed Waqas claimed two wickets for Oordeoo B.

Brief scores: Oordeoo B 156 for 7 in 20 overs (Ahmed Mujjabba 68; Adhar 3/24) lost to Newrest 160 for 6 in 19.1 overs (Karthik Rajappa 55, Bibin Sasi 49 n.o.; Muhammed Waqas 2/18). Points: Newrest Wacasco – 2, Ooredoo B – 0.

Batting first, HJB scored 218 runs losing

all their wicketrs in 29.4 overs with Daniel

Rudolph top scoring with 82. In reply, OCT Al

Amerat scored 219 for six in 29.5 overs with

Abdul Aziz smashing an unbeaten 59

OOREDOO A STARS: Gustav Burger, left, and Melwin Mathew.

B DIVISION: Fairtrade pose for a group photo after their win over Bisya. – Supplied photo C DIVISION: Newrest Wacasco celebrate their victory against Ooredoo B. – Supplied photo

ISG students reap rich haul of medals at CBSE swimming nationals in India

MUSCAT: Talented young swim-mers of Indian School Al Ghubra (ISG) reaped a rich haul of medals at the CBSE Swimming Nationals 2015 organised at Karan Public School in Meerut, India, from No-vember 18 to 21.

According to a statement issued by the school, the team comprised Vaishnavi G, Sachi Parsekar, Va-mika Negi, Nuha Bind Akbar, Ru-ble James Mathew, Sashank S Ra-wat, Shamit Adhicary, K S Suraj,

Vigneshwar Madhan, Delzine Ira-ni, K S Pooja, Lakshana Raghura-man, Sai Jaahnavi and Rhea Shah and they were accompanied by Akbar Hussain and Urmila Rawat.

More than 50 CBSE schools from across India and Gulf countries, including four Indian schools from Oman, participated in the national championships.

In the boys under-19 category, Vigneshwar Madhan with his brilliant strokes clinched a silver

and a bronze medal in 50m free-style and 100m freestyle events respectively.

Rhea Shah splashed her way through freestyle and bagged a silver and a bronze medal in the under-16 girls 800m freestyle and 400m freestyle category.

In the girls under-16, 4x100m medley relay team which con-sisted of Lakshana Raghuraman, K S Pooja, Delzine Irani and Rhea Shah won the bronze medal.

G R E A T S H O W

All are winners, says triumphant Tahir

MUSCAT: Tahir Al Barwani the architect of squash resurgence in Oman won an informal tourna-ment over the weekend, which saw a large turnout in terms of participation.

The organisers divided the par-ticipants into four groups. The first group was was topped by Taha Al Anqoodi followed by Mo-hammed Al Nagar.

Tahir Al Barwani and Leon were one and two of the second group, while Abdul Hakim Al Nahdi and Qais Al Anqoodi took the top two spots in the third group.

After the league phase the topper of the fourth group was

Camille and the second spot was grabbed by Mohammed Rashid.

In the quarterfinals, Taha Al Anqoodi beat Mohammed Rashid 2-0, Leon faced a tough match against Abdul Hakim Al Nahdi before prevailing 2-1.

Camille too fought hard to beat Qais Al Anqoodi 2-1 and set up a semifinal clash against Ta-hir Al Barwani, who beat Qais Al Anqoodi 2-0.

In the semifinal, Tahir was ex-tended by Camille before he won 2-1. In the other semifinal, Taha Al Anqoodi beat Leon 2-0.

The final, which was played in best-of-five format, saw the much

experienced Tahir Al Barwani beat Taha 3-0.

After the prize-giving ceremo-ny, Tahir Al Barwani said: “All participants are winners and I am proud of everyone.”

He also lauded Ministry of Sports Affairs for their support in providing the facilities to play.

“We are still in talks with the Ministry for recognition of Oman Squash and we are hopeful to gain the status,” he said.

“The official status will help us send players for international competitions and soon we can wit-ness Oman players playing in Gulf and Arab tournaments,” said Tahir.

S Q U A S H

WINNER: Tahir Al Barwani

receives his trophy. – Supplied photo

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Subash steals the show with triple titles

MUSCAT: Teenager Subash Pil-lai stole the limelight winning a triple crown at the just-concluded Annual Tennis Tournament or-ganised by the Indian Social Club (ISC) Muscat and sponsored by Falcon Insurance Company.

Sixteen-year-old Subash Pillai rose up to the big occasion, the grand final of the tournament and won both titles at stake, the boys under-17 singles and the men’s doubles to complete a brilliant tri-ple crown having already won the men’s singles title.

The boys under-17 singles final between Subash Pillai and Amaan Kazi treated tennis enthusiasts at the packed ISC arena with ten-nis of a high order. The winning score of 7-5, 7-5 in Subash’s fa-vour is evidence of the fight put up by Amaan before going down narrowly to the top seed. Both can take pride from the way they con-ducted themselves and held their nerves during the tense moments of the closely-contested final.

Subash earned the first break in the third game but Amaan broke straight back. Both traded breaks of serve until 6-5 when Subash held serve to win the first set. Amaan got off to a flying start in the second set, held his first game without conceding a point and raced to a 4-1 lead.

Subash overcame pressure and nerves, dug deep into his resourc-es and gradually made inroads. He broke Amaan in the seventh game and held for 4-all. The two did not buckle under pressure and

exchanged some brilliant rallies. Subash earned the crucial

break for a 6-5 lead and held his next serve to bring an end to the nerve-wrecking match.

Subash teamed up with Ar-maan Sattikar to win the men’s doubles final. The top seeds de-feated the No. 3 seeded team of R. Murali and Suhail Khan 6-2, 7-6 (9-7) in the final.

Murali and Suhail gave the teenagers a run for their money in the second set considering that they had endured a two-and-half-

hour marathon semifinal the pre-vious night. After sailing through the first set comfortably, the top seeds faced stubborn resistance from Murali and Suhail.

At 5-3 Suhail was serving for the second set when he was broken Subash and Armaan saved two set points in the tie-breaker and ral-lied to win it 9-7 for the title.

A day earlier, the team of Has-san Haider and Vedant Ram won the junior doubles title with a straight sets victory over the duo of Sanskar Dubey and Shlok Ail.

In the final, the top seeded team of Hassan and Vedant faced resist-ance in the second set before over-coming the second seeds Sanskar Dubey and Shlok Ail 6-2, 6-4.

AR Srinivasan, CEO of Falcon Insurance Company, distributed the prizes to the winners. ISC’s outgoing tennis coach G. Ven-katesh, who was leaving after serving the club for 13 years, was accorded a grand farewell during the presentation ceremony.

I S C T E N N I S

U-17 FINALISTS: Champion Subash Pillai, left, and runner-up Amaan Kazi receive their trophies. – Supplied photo

Murray brothers give Britain lead in Davis Cup finalGHENT: Andy Murray and broth-er Jamie put Britain within touch-ing distance of a first Davis Cup triumph for 79 years with victory over Belgium duo David Goffin and Steve Darcis on Saturday.

A match played out in an elec-trifying atmosphere ebbed and flowed before the Murrays carved out a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory to put Britain 2-1 ahead.

World No. 2 Andy Murray, who was inspirational again as he has been throughout Britain’s run to a first final since 1978, can deliver the winning point in Sunday’s first reverse singles against Belgium’s top player Goffin.

Older brother Jamie wavered at times, but he held his serve to finish the match off when Darcis screwed a forehand wide, signal-ling wild celebrations from the British fans wedged into the claus-trophobic 13,000-seat arena inside the Flanders Expo.

Belgium made a late change to their doubles line-up with world number 16 Goffin replacing Kim-mer Coppejans.

He played superbly from the start of the match but his partner lashed an easy overhead long at 4-5 to give Britain set point which Andy Murray converted with a volley.

Jamie, the one pure doubles spe-cialist on the court with a ranking of seven and two Grand Slam finals on his CV, was the weaker link in the second set and dropped serve in the third game as the Belgians roared back into contention.

Britain had the chance to break back at 2-3 but, for once, Andy

Murray’s return let him down.Goffin’s sharp volley winner

with Darcis serving at 5-4 levelled the match, the accompanying roars shaking the steel girders looming low over the illuminated claycourt.

Things swayed towards the hosts when Jamie Murray dropped serve early in the third set but the British siblings broke twice in a row to lead 4-2 before Jamie again lost his serve.

Darcis’s delivery was proving equally vulnerable though and Britain pounced to move 5-3 ahead and Andy Murray, Britain’s Mr, Reliable, held firm.

The shaven-headed Darcis was broken again in the third game of the fourth set to put Belgium in deep trouble. Seven break points went begging for the Belgian duo when Jamie Murray served at 2-1 and with them went the hosts’ chance of dragging the match into a deciding set.

Andy Murray has now been in-volved in 10 of Britain’s 11 winning points this year and needs one final push on Sunday to end his coun-try’s long wait for a 10th title. - Reuters

T E N N I S

Murrays carved out a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory against David Goffin and Steve Darcis

City go top, Palace rout Newcastle

LONDON: Manchester City re-turned to the top of the Premier League when they beat South-ampton 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. City, thrashed 4-1 at home by Liverpool last week, took an early grip with a tap-in from Kevin de Bruyne and a shot from the edge of the box from Fabian

Delph inside the opening 20 min-utes before Shane Long headed in for Saints soon after halftime.

Aleksandar Kolarov added the third after 69 minutes as City moved on to 29 points from 14 matches, one more than Leicester and two more than United.

With fourth-placed Arsenal and fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur not playing until Sunday, Crystal Palace closed the gap on the leaders when they thrashed struggling Newcas-tle United 5-1 at Selhurst Park after Newcastle scored first through Pa-piss Cisse after 10 minutes.

Palace, who had slipped back to 10th after a good start to the season, responded with two goals from Yannick Bolasie, two from James McArthur and one from Wilfried Zaha to send Newcastle back into the relegation zone.

Newcastle have 10 points, the

same as Bournemouth who staged a dramatic comeback after trail-ing 2-0 to Everton then 3-2 with only seconds of stoppage time left before Junior Stanislas equalised with a header to make it 3-3.

Ramiro Funes Mori and Romelu Lukaku had put Everton 2-0 ahead before Adam Smith and Stanislas scored to make it 2-2. Ross Bar-kley put Everton 3-2 up after five minutes of additional time before Stanislas’s late goal saved a point for the home side.

Despite those heroics, Bourne-mouth have now gone eight games without a win and remain in the relegation zone on 10 points with Newcastle and Aston Villa, who have only five points and have lost 11 of their 14 games, beneath them.

Villa lost by a 3-2 margin at home to Watford after 10 minutes of stoppage time at Villa Park fol-lowing a long delay to treat Wat-ford’s goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes who suffered a head injury.

Sunderland climbed out of the relegation zone with their second win this week, following up Mon-day’s 1-0 victory at Palace with a 2-0 win over Stoke City who had Ryan Shawcross sent off in the second half. - Reuters

City took an early

grip with a tap-in

from de Bruyne and a

shot from the edge of

the box from Fabian

Delph inside the

opening 20 minutes

before Shane Long

headed in for Saints

soon after halftimeTHIRD GOAL: Manchester City’s Aleksandar Kolarov celebrates after scoring a goal against Southampton during their Premier League match at Etihad Stadium. – Reuters

Rampant Barca sink SociedadBARCELONA: A Neymar dou-ble, a spectacular volley from Luis Suarez and a goal for Lionel Messi saw Barcelona’s unstop-pable strike force sweep aside Real Sociedad 4-0 on Saturday and extend their lead at the top of La Liga to seven points.

Neymar slotted home a Dani Alves cross after 22 minutes and Alves was again the provider for Suarez who acrobatically beat Real keeper Geronimo Rulli be-fore halftime to take his tally to 11 goals in seven games.

La Liga’s top scorer Neymar took his tally to 14 this season as he knocked in a Jeremy Mathieu cross after 53 minutes and in injury time he set up Messi to score from close range.

Barca have 33 points from 13 games with Atletico Madrid on 26 points.

Real Madrid, who were ham-mered 4-0 by Barcelona last weekend and are now nine points off the pace, play Eibar on Sunday. - Reuters

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Do you like more sugar in your tea every day? Can you not resist sugary drinks and foods, which occupy a prominent place in your daily diet? Consuming sweet foods and drinks regularly may not make you diabetic, but if you do possess

some of the key symptoms of diabetes, and are above the age of 35 years, it might be time for a reality check.

The latest International Diabetes Federation Diabetes At-las estimates that 415 million adults worldwide are already living with diabetes, 75% of whom are in developing coun-tries where rapid urbanisation, unhealthy diets and seden-tary lifestyles are promoting the development of new cases of type 2 diabetes.Somehow, a large number of people with dia-betes remain undiagnosed, leaving them vulnerable to this sweet, silent killer that is prevalent in all countries, including Oman, and claiming victims at an alarming rate.

The World Diabetes Day (WDD) 2015 campaign comes forth with the slogan: ‘Halt the diabetes epidemic: Make healthy eating a right, not a privilege’,and the International Diabetes Federation has called upon nations to initiate ur-gent action to improve access to healthy foods and save bil-lions in lost productivity and healthcare costs.

IDF statistics indicate that Type 2 diabetes accounts for roughly 90% of all diabe-tes cases worldwide, of which 70% could’ve been prevented by adopting healthier lifestyles and by promoting policies and environments that encourage healthy eating and increased physical activity.

According to IDF estimates, the total number of adults (ages 20-79 years) with diabetes in Oman (in 2014) was around 220,000 besides around 89,000 undiagnosed cases. Also, around 1,220 deaths due to diabetes had been recorded. However, faulty diet (consumption of junk food) and lack of exercise is highly prevalent, especially among the younger generation who pre-fer staying indoors to avoid the harsh climate, which is looked upon with much concern.

Doctors in Oman say the steady rise in diabetes cases is due to the predominant sed-entary lifestyle. In fact, the In-ternational Diabetes Federa-tion (IDF) has stated that the incidence of diabetes in the Middle East is “galloping” and that it is significantly higher in some countries, like Oman, which have a comparatively smaller population.

Expressing grave concern over this trend, Dr Gopakumar, Diabetologist, Al Hayat Hospi-tal, explains “diabetes is a condition whereby the pancreas may either not work at all from birth, causing an absolute deficiency of the insulin hormone, or may work improperly, thereby producing insufficient insulin, a condition referred to as Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. The classical symptoms are loss of weight, excess hunger, excess thirst, excess urination, slow healing of wounds, and vision problems, but most people discover that they are diabetic when they visit the doctor for another problem.

“If you want to know if you could be prone to develop dia-betes, you need to go in for a blood sugar test. But before that look for some key indicative factors. Do you have a waist size more than 42 inches (for males) and 38 inches (for females)? Do you have blood pressure or high cholesterol? Do you have a family history of diabetes? Have you given birth to a huge baby (more than 4kg weight)? If any of these factors relate to you, you surely need to undergo a blood sugar test, especially after the age of 35 years,” asserts Dr Gopakumar.

He further stressed that many people do not realise that they have diabetes because they dismiss the common symp-toms as something that will pass. The fact is, the body will adjust to a certain sugar level, so other symptoms may not be present. The three essential steps for keeping diabetes away is to take up exercise of some form or the other (to keep away from a sedentary lifestyle), modify diet to reduce intake of carbohydrates, and reduce stress levels in life.

In Oman, leading a sedentary lifestyle is chiefly responsi-ble for the growth of diabetes over the past few decades. Cur-rently, people exercise very little and eat unhealthy food, un-like what it was around 80 years ago when they ate healthy food,and walked a lot, Dr Gopakumar says adding that the solution lies in teaching the younger generation to shun fast-foods and sugary drinks, and to take up physical activity in-stead of being lost in gadgets that confine them [email protected]

Walkathon on December 4Landmark Group, under the patronage of the Ministry of Health & Oman Diabetes Associa-tion, will host the sixth annual ‘Beat Diabetes’ walkathon at 8:00am on December 4. The 2km walk will be held in Qu-rum Natural Park and is open to all ages to spread awareness on Diabetes.

Registration for the walkathon, absolutely free of cost, is on at all Centrepoint, Home Cen-tre, Max&Emax stores in Oman. People can also register at the website beatdiabetes.me

COO of Landmark Group, Clive Freeman, throws some light on diabetes in Oman and initiatives taken up to spread awareness. “Diabetes as a condition that does not have any cure; however, it can be managed through healthy lifestyle changes,” he says.

What inspired you to take up an initiative to spread awareness on diabetes?Diabetes is growing at an alarm-ing rate and currently affects over 387 million people worldwide. It is estimated that nearly 1 in 4 peo-ple who are living with the condi-

tion may not even be aware that they suffer from the condition. In the MENA region, it is estimated that more than 37 million peo-ple are living with diabetes. This number is estimated to increase to 68 million by 2035. Landmark Group operates over 2,400 outlets across the Middle East and India. Through our vast network of stores across the region, we reach out to millions of customers annually. Through the Beat Diabetes ini-tiative, we aim to reach out to the community to promote the key pillars of the initiative — Take the Test, Eat Healthy and Get Active.

Would you like to share some per-sonal experiences on the manage-ment of diabetes?Over the last seven years, we have met with several individuals and their families who are shining examples of people who have suc-cessfully managed the condition. We have even featured these dia-betes champions through our ini-tiatives, and in our adverts. Each story has been unique and a source of inspiration for each of us.

When was the first awareness campaign launched and what was the response?The first walk was held in the UAE seven years ago in 2009. The following year, we hosted our first walk in Oman, which was attended by over 3,000 par-ticipants. Since then, the walk has re-ceived substantial support every year. In addition to the walk, we have also been reaching out to the community through the year spreading awareness, conducting blood glucose tests. The re-sponse has been overwhelming.

How serious is the threat of diabetes in the region and in Oman? And what do you think are the main causes?Diabetes is a serious challenge and an expensive health condition that the residents of Oman are faced by. Statistics by the International Dia-betes Federation reveal that over 30% of the population above the

age of 40 years is living with dia-betes. This is substantially higher than the average of 18% in the rest of the world. In the region, diabetes remains to be a growing concern. 387 million people have diabetes in the world and more than 37 mil-lion people in the MENA Region; by 2035 this will rise to 68 million.

Most of us know someone who copes with the condition on a daily basis, and the number continues to grow. There are different types of classifications for diabetes, and most causes of the condition remain un-known. However Type 2 diabetes, which is linked to hereditary and life-style conditions can be caused by an unhealthy diet or lifestyle, and lack of exercise. These in turn cause a strain on an individual’s health, which may lead to them developing the condi-tion. It can be prevented with good measurements, and is very manage-

able with the right combination of factors such as a balanced and nutri-tional diet, as well as proper exercise.

What concerted measures would you suggest to strengthen the Land-mark campaign?When we started the initiative seven years ago, very little was being done to raise awareness. With time, this has changed, with a lot more public and private entities, taking up health awareness seriously. However, a lot more still needs to be done.

Are you planning to add any new initiatives in coming years?As a group, we believe in the growth and development of our educational and community-focused activities. Any new activities and initiatives will be announced closer to the date of launch, with details following shortly after.

Take the Test, Eat Healthy, and Get Active

LIFESTYLEC9S U N DAY, N OV E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

Have Coriander Seeds to Aid DigestionCoriander seeds as well as fresh leaves, when included in food, promote good digestion. They have antioxidant properties that promote the healthy functioning of the liver and the bowel movements. Coriander seeds help in the production of digestive enzymes and juices that help in easy digestion.

Care for Your Nails During WinterCold climates have an adverse effect on nails. Hence, during the win-ter, when you apply moisturising creams on your hands and legs, don’t forget to apply some on your nails too to prevent them from getting brittle or chipping. You can also soak your finger tips in warm water for 10 minutes before applying any lotion to soften them.

Here are a few simple, time-tested foods, techniques,

and remedies to try, and a bit about why. Have you tried any of these

tricks? How did you like them? Do you have a favourite remedy of

your own? Tell us about it at [email protected]

Try

Why

Eat Plums to Control Blood SugarPlums exert anti-hyperglycemic effects and hence are considered beneficial in combating diabetes. Studies indicate that the consumption of plum extracts help in reducing blood glucose as well as triglyceride levels in the body. Hence, they are a good fruit for diabetics.

WHAT IS TONSILLITIS? IS IT COMMON ONLY AMONG CHILDREN?Tonsillitis is basically infec-tion of the tonsils, which can be acute or chronic. Tonsils are part of the lymphoid tissue of the body. They are referred to as the first defence mechanism of the body. They act as filters, trapping germs that could enter one’s airways thereby causing infection and produce antibod-ies that fight the infection. Yes, tonsillitis is more common among children (5-10 years) because they have weaker im-mune systems and are more ex-posed to infections.

WHAT ARE THE COMMON CAUSES OF TONSILLITIS?Immunity is very important for children. Hence, parents need to take care of good feeding habits and hygiene to prevent them from contracting infections from com-mon places like the park, school, market. Tonsillitis starts from a viral infection that becomes a bacterial infection and the pre-disposing factors come from the environment, like a cold climate, air-conditioned premises, con-sumption of cold water or foods. Inflated tonsils are only a sign of the defence mechanism getting activated to fight infection. It is not harmful unless it interferes

with normal breathing or causes difficulty while swallowing.

WHAT ARE THE TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR TONSILLITIS?Medication (antibiotics and pain-killers) is the common solution to treat tonsillitis and to relieve allied nasal congestions. In some cases, removal of the tonsils is recommended.

WHEN IS REMOVAL OF TONSILS RECOMMENDED?Tonsils are not something extra in the body, they are necessary glands that act as a filter against infection. However, when they get infected to a great extent and

causes constant discomfort to the patient, like recurring colds, fevers, sore throat, difficulty in breathing and swallowing, all of which interferes with normal life, then removal of tonsils is consid-ered to improve the quality of life.

DOES REMOVAL OF TONSILS HAVE ANY SIDE-EFFECTS?Removal of tonsils, which is part of the first defence mechanism, doesn’t weaken the immune sys-tem, nor does it have any harmful effect on the body. In fact, after removal of infected tonsils, the child is rid of constant illnesses, becomes healthier and even puts on weight. – Hubert Vaz

Tonsils are filters against infection, says Dr Laith Ismail Dawood, ENT Specialist, Al Hayat Hospital. Here are some key insights into tonsillitis:DECODING

DOCTORTonsillitis

Good carbs may lower heart disease risk

Eliminating saturated fats can improve the health of the heart, but what you replace them with makes all the difference, says a study. Replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats and high-quality carbohydrates has the most impact on reducing the risk of heart disease, according to the study. When saturated fats were replaced with highly processed foods, there was no benefit, the study found. “We found that when study participants consumed less saturated fats, they were replacing them with low-quality carbohydrates such as refined grains that are not beneficial to preventing heart disease,” said study author professor Frank B. Hu from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “Our findings suggest that when patients are making lifestyle changes to their diets, cardiologists should encourage the consumption of unsaturated fats like vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds, as well as healthy carbohydrates such as whole grains,” Hu said.

Antibiotics can help children with coldsGiving children a common antibiotic at the first sign of cold symptoms can reduce the risk of the episode developing into a severe lower respiratory tract illness, new research has found. Children whose colds tend to progress and lead to severe wheezing and difficulty in breathing are generally given oral corticosteroids as rescue therapy. “Oral corticosteroids such as prednisone have become the standard of care for these situations,” said lead study author Leonard Bacharier, professor of paediatrics at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis. “But there are some studies that suggest these treatments do not consistently work for young children. That’s why we want to find ways to prevent upper respiratory infections from progressing to lower respiratory tract illnesses,” Bacharier noted. - IANS

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PRAYER TIMINGS

BAHJA CINEMAFilm information 24540856 / Advance Booking 24540855Website: www.albahjacinemaoman.com

Hunting the Phantom (Action / Adventure)Cast: Kristanna Loken, Armand Assante, Jose Rosete2.00, 8.00, 10.00 & 11.55 pm CP No : 3027 (12+)Creed (Sports / Drama) Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson4.30, 9.30 & 11.55 pm CP No : 3026 (15+)Blinky Bill the Movie (Animation / Adventure) Voice Overs: Toni Collette, Rufus Sewell, Ryan2.00 & 6.00 pm CP No : 3024 (U)The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (Adventure / Sci-Fi) Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth7.00 pm CP No: 3015 (PG12)Tiger House (Action / Crime / Drama) Cast: Kaya Scodelario, Dougray Scott, Ed Skrein4.00 pmCP No: 3016 (12+)

STAR CINEMAFilm information 24791641 / 24786776Website: www.isurf.co.om

Anarkali (Mal) (Rom/Drama) Cast : Prithviraj, Biju Menon, Mia & Priyal Glor 3-30 & 6-30 Pm At Cinema-2 ; 9-30 Pm Cinema Main Amar Akbar Anthony (Mal) (Act/Drama) Cast : Prithviraj,Jaya surya,Indrajith & Namitha 3-30 & 6-30 Pm Cinema Main; 9-30 pm Cinema -2Inji Iduppazhagi (Tamil) (Rom/Com) Cast : Arya, Anushka Shetty & Bharath 3-45, 6-45 & 9-45 Pm At Cinema-3 Size Zero (Telugu) (Rom/ Com)Cast: Arya, Anushka Shetty & Bharath3-45, 6-45 & 9-45 Pm At Cinema -4

Programmes are subject to change

WITH LOVE

Send us a colour photograph of the child (below 16 years) whose birthday you are celebrating, along with his/her full name, date of birth, address, telephone number and parents’/your name to Times of Oman, With Love, PO Box 770, PC 112, Ruwi or through e-mail to [email protected]

WITH LOVE

VIBHA UDAYANovember 29, 2010

JANINA JEES UKKENNovember 29, 2008

SHAHEEN KAUSARNovember 29, 2001

ABDUL FATHAHNovember 29, 2003

AYUSH MITESH NIMKARNovember 29, 2006

WEATHER

280

Maximum

180

Minimum

TEMPERATURE 40-75%RELATIVE HUMIDITY

Manipulation of Hands and FeetThis science of reflexology is often confused with mas-sage, but actually it involves the application of pressure to areas on the feet, hands, and ears to alleviate stress and in-duce relaxation.

Reflexologists use charts to guide them as they apply pressure to specific areas on the hands and feet. Often rub-ber balls,and wooden mallets are used to help the thera-pist apply the right pressure. Practitioners of reflexology include chiropractors, physi-cal therapists and massage therapists, who provide an integrated physical therapy.

The MethodReflexology involves the ‘In-gham Method’ for relieving tension. The belief is that a majority of health disor-ders can be linked to nerv-ous stress and tension, and reflexology helps to re-store normalcy by improv-ing circulation and easing strained nerves.

The practitioners mostly use only their hands to ad-minister this therapy, mak-ing it a simple, yet effective, method. A wide variety of dis-orders, including chronic ill-nesses like asthma, diabetes, and cancer can be cured by reflexology, though scientific evidence is lacking. While a single session (30 minutes) is beneficial in inducing re-laxation and reducing pain, a series of 4-6 sessions help in bringing in significant relief if not eliminating the disor-der altogether.

Foot ReflexologyReflexology can be a deeply relaxing and therapeutic mode for those suffering from plantar fasciitis, an-kle injuries or strain due to work or play. Massage of the foot, calf and upper leg help in relieving painin the toes, ankles, conditions like plan-tar fasciitis, and common forms of arthritis. It is also helpful in decreasing general stress and anxiety. Patients are, therefore, advised to rest after a reflexology massage to let the benefits settle in.

For details:Al Harub Medical Centre+968 2460 0750 alharubmedical.com

LIFESTYLEC11S U N DAY, N OV E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

Reflexology

ASK DR. GERRYWHEN TO DRAW THE LINE

F A M I L Y A D V I C E

Dr Gerry D’Costa has an MD in psychiatry and a special interest in the areas of anxiety, depression, addiction, and children’s psychiatry. He has practised as a specialised psychiatristat Badr Al Samaa hospital in Ruwi for the last 9 years.Dr D’Costa offers his advice and professional insights to the readers of Times of Oman. Send your mental health questions to [email protected]

Dear Dr Gerry,I have three children studying in grade 4, 6, and 9. I have standard rules for all children for study and play. But, of late, I have noticed my eld-est son does not follow the rules and it sets a bad example for the other children. He comes home late in the evening after spending time with friends and does not study enough. My wife says I am too strict with him, but the fact is he does not listen even to her. What should I do to make him more disciplined? K. P. Unni

Dear Mr Unni, There’s a lot of things you are doing correct, you have standard rules for all your children and you’re maintaining the discipline at home. However your eldest son is pushing the limits placed on him, so what do we do? Firstly we need to ask ourselves … we know that as children grow bigger, their needs change and they need to naturally exert their independence and will in different matters. It’s important to allow it to a certain degree. However if he’s failing to do his studies and duty at home, then you need to intervene. I would advise, be flexible. You need to have a direct chat with him. Point out that you understand he’s growing older and ask him what he needs as his limits. If it’s rea-sonable then accept them, make him understand that with freedom comes responsibility and if he doesn’t adhere to his limits or complete his studies, you will have to restrict his freedom. Give him the space to exert his individuality and if he learns to control his boundaries, you have taken an important step in his development.

All the best,Dr G

ALTERNATIVEMEDICINE

By Hubert Vaz

Reflexology is an ancient

alternate medical practice,

thought to have been passed

down through tradition, as

early as 2330BC along with

other medical procedures.

It deals with the principle

that there are reflex areas

in the feet and hands, which

correspond to all of the

glands, organs and parts of

the body. And stimulating

these reflexes properly

can provide preventive

maintenance of health.

BRIDGE OPPOSITE ARM-LEG REACH

For tight abdominal muscles, doing this bridge regularly does help. Lie face up with your left knee bent and left foot flat on the floor while your right leg extended toward the ceiling. Now, reach toward the ceiling with your left arm,but keep your right arm down by your side. Without moving your hips or shoulders, open your raised leg to the right and raised arm to the left. Now, return your raised leg and arm to the centre. Repeat ten times and switch sides.

M O V E O F T H E W E E K

For a firm abdomen IN 4 WEEKS,Do 2 sets of 10 repetitions on each side every day

30 MINUTES of doing bridges, along with squats, at a moderate pacecan burn upto

120 calories3 BENEFITSToned abs, butt and hips

ADDED BENEFITBridges also engage the hamstrings and erector spinae, a muscle group that spans from the bottom of your neck to your tailbone, as secondary muscles.

LIFESTYLEC12 S U N DAY, N OV E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

Different people have different textures of hair and a host of problems attached to them, from dull to oily hair, and from itchy scalps to constant hair loss. The solutions to these problems might actually lie within

one’s own kitchen. Check out some natural hair remedies with effective results.

H E A L T H N O T E

For Normal HairEgg whites are good for treating oily hair while egg yolks help in moisturising dry hair. According to your hair type, apply the suitable mixture of 1-2 eggs to clean, damp hair, leave on for 20 minutes, and rinse with cool water.

For Dull HairMassage sour cream or plain yoghurt into damp hair and leave on for 20 minutes. Then rinse with warm water, followed by cool water. After this, use your regular shampoo.

For Itchy ScalpMassage damp scalp with a mixture of 2tbsp fresh lemon juice, 2tbsp olive oil, and 2tbsp water. After 20 minutes, rinse and shampoo hair. The acidity in lemon juice helps rid the scalp of any loose, dry flakes of skin.

For Limp HairMix 1/2 cup flat ale with 1tsp sunflower oil, and a raw egg. Apply to clean, damp hair, and rinse after 15 minutes with cool water. The protein residue (from the wheat or malt) strengthens hair.

For Dry HairMassage honey into clean, damp hair, leave on for 20 minutes, and then rinse with warm water. You can also add a little olive oilfor easier application.

For Frizzy HairMash up half an avocado and massage into clean, damp hair. Rinse after 15 minutes. You may add 1 to 2tbsp of sour cream or egg yolk for added effect.

For Thicker HairMake a mixture of one mashed avocado, one mashed banana and one tablespoon of olive oil. Massage it on your scalp and leave it for 30 minutes before rinsing and shampooing.

For Hair LossSoak overnight two to three tablespoons of fenugreek seeds in water, then grind them to a fine paste. Mix 2tsp of coconut milk to the paste and apply on hair and scalp. Rinse with luke warm water after 30 minutes. —[email protected]

Customised Diabetes Care Effective for WomenPersonally tailored diabetes care reduces mortality — both all-cause

and diabetes-related — in women but not men, a study has found.

The 13-year follow-up study showed that women given structured personal care

were 26 per cent less likely to die of any cause and 30 per cent less likely to die of a diabetes-related cause than women given routine care. Women given the personal care intervention were also 41 percent less likely to suffer a stroke, and 35 percent less likely to experience any diabetes-re-lated endpoint (a combination of multiple outcomes).

“Structured personal diabetes care could provide women with significant attention and support and thus provide an incentive to treatment adherence,” said lead researcher Marlene Krag from the University of Copenhagen, Den-

mark. “Women accept disease and implement disease management more easily, which might affect long-term outcomes,” Krag added.

On the other hand, in case of men, masculinity may be chal-lenged by diabetes, demanding lifestyle changes.

The structured approach could conflict with men’s tendency to trust self-directed learning in-stead of self-management, the re-searchers observed.

Between 1989 and 1995, the original Diabetes Care in General Practice trial (Denmark) conduct-ed an intervention of structured personal care in patients newly di-agnosed with type 2 diabetes.

In the intervention group, doc-tors were encouraged to stress the

importance of diet and physical activity, delay the use of diabetes drugs until they assessed the effect of any diet and exercise, and give patients individual targets that were reviewed quarterly.

After six years of tailored treat-ment, the observed effect of struc-tured personal care on reducing glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c - a standard method for measuring blood glucose control) was present only in women.

In this new study, the authors followed up the participants of the original study for 13 years (from 1995-2008).

The study was published in Dia-betologia, the journal of the Euro-pean Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD). - IANS

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 D8

S U N D AY, N O V E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

RENT D2

*Tourist visa arranged

Email: [email protected] [email protected].: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

FOR RENT

One BHK with A/C and one large

room for rent in AL Khuwair near

Ibis hotel. Contact: 95724975

Rent one room, 1 toilet, big hall,

with air-condition Wadi Adai.

Contact: 99345137

One flats for rent 2 bedroom all

with bath al Ghobrah north near In-

dian school (hot burger restaurant)

tell 9976610

1BHK near medical Darsait

Muttrah house R.O 175/- & 2 BHK

R.O 220/-. Contact: 98748925

Showroom for rent at Wadi Kabir

perfectly suitable for travels,

money exchange, Auto parts up

holster advertising materials.

Contact: 94143636

D2 S U N D AY, N O V E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

Room for rent near Al Dasar Ruwi.

Contact 99797645/ 92099367

Villa for rent 4 BHK, plus 1 sitting

room and 1 extra servant room at

18 November road behind

Oman Oil. Contact: 99373290/

24815012

Flats for rent in Wadi Kabir.

Contact: 99376454

2 BHK with spilt A/C in W.K behind

Sana fashion. Contact: 96708000

1 BHK with split A/C in Darsait

opposite Muscat Municipality.

Contact: 96708000

2 BHK with spilt /AC in MSQ oppo-

site AL Fair. Contact: 96708000

Indian school Darsait (ISD), 2BHK

Spacious flats, ground floor air

conditioners provided , OMR 350/-

including full maintenance . Ideal

for south Indian families.

Contact: 99076557

Beautiful villa directly on beach in

best location in Shatti Qurum 1800

OMR. Contact: 95887572

One / two, B/R RES / Comm. direct-

ly from own ER near medical college

Bausher. Contact: 92158031

2 BHK in Al Meera MKT building in

Al Khuwair available. Rent RO420.

Contact 94047434

Sohar: 3BHK AND 4BHK FLATS, R.O 200 and R.O 215 respectively.

(New Building with CCTV camera

with Split A/C). Contact: 99881426 /

92123699

1BHK flat near Hamriya hotel.

Contact: 96500860

4 BHK villa for rent Al Khuwair

650/- O.R Contact: 94232344

2 BHK Honda road Ruwi.

Contact: 99224748 /99332297

Room, kitchen & bath in north

Ghobrah include E/W & AC split

200/- R.O. Contact: 92811110

Excellent office 5 rooms Al Khu-

wair O.A. Bank building 850/-R.O.

Contact: 94232344

Flats in Qurum, Al Wallaj,

3 rooms, Majlis, dining room,

kitchen, 3 bathrooms.

Contact: 98044421

House for rent in AL Amerat oppo-

site office Justice, 3rooms, Majlis

, 4 toilets, living room ,food hall &

kitchen. Contact: 99252494

5 BHK villa at Mabela 7 for Rent.

Contact: 99428221/ 99269912

A Bedroom along with separate

bathroom available for rent for an

Executive Bachelor in Al Khuwair

(near Zawawi Mosque).

Contact 92138451

5B/R villa in Mumtaz area and 4 B/R

villas in Mawalah next to the wave

for rent. Contact: 97296105

1BHK new bldg with A/C curtains

near Khimji mart MBD. Contact:

99061408 /99024039

Flat available for rent 2 bedrooms

hall, 2 toilets, 1 kitchen & balcony

with proper sun light & ventila-

tor location or Mabela north very

close to Indian school AL Seeb

rent R.O 230/-. Contact: 99432496

1.2 BHK M.B.D. Contact: 92144045

1BHK Darsait I.S.D school R.O 225/-

Contact: 92144045

House in Al Khoud commercial dis-

trict, 4rooms, Majlis, 2 kitchens,

3 bathrooms. Contact: 98044421

Furnished rooms attached bath for

Indian bachelor Al Falaj area - Ruwi

& for lady in Wadi Kabir near Mars

Hypermarket -

Contact 96202458/96761960

Furnished office, accommodation

available Walja. Contact: 96246625

2.3 BHK Ghobrah R.O 350/- / 400/-.

Contact: 92144045

1BHK Mumtaz R.O 250/-.

Contact: 92144045

1.2.3 BHK flats 8 villas.

Contact: 97799175

1BHK flat near Star Cinema 220/-.

Contact 99358589 /95570288

Shops in AL Amerat industrial area

near shell station.

Contact: 98044421

2BHK near Oman house behind

Khimji, H.O. Contact: 95865686

NEW FLAT FOR RENT

Contact : 99229263; 93221054;

95215289

AVAILABLE

FOR RENT100 Sq Mts Showroom

On Ground Floor at Darvesh Building,

Near Royal Hospital.Contact Person

Mr. Mudassir : 99314330

Mr. Sajeev : 98157340

DAILY GUIDES U N D AY, N O V E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5 D3

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

FOR RENT

*Classified Advertisement space

booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon

for next day’s publication.

* Subject to space availability

Running furniture showroom for urgent sale.

Ladies beauty parlor

Contact - 91135930

Flat for rent in Amerat two bed-

room, one hall. Contact: 91141097

2 Bedroom centrally air con-

ditioned flat in CBD, Central

bank area. Contact 24714625/

94460790

2 Bedrooms flat with hall, 2

bathrooms in Darsait near Muscat

Municipality. Contact 92584715

/24700120

Spacious separate room with A/c

and Bed, for non-cooking Asian

bachelor, behind Shell filling

station, Ghobrah round about.

Contact: 94263390

New pent house 219 meters,

3 bedrooms Each own toilet , serv-

ant room with toilet laundry area ,

kitchen with store elevator avail-

able AL Khuwair 39 rent R.O 575/-

family only. Contact: 99207840

2 B/R Apartment Executive Fully

Furnished @ Al Khuwair 33

1 B/R Apartment Executive Fully

Furnished @ Al Khuwair 33

1 B/R Flat - Fully Furnished @

Salalah Near New Lulu.

2 B/R Flat - Fully Furnished

American standard @ Salalah.

5 B/R Villa - Fully Furnished @

Madinat Al Ilam, 5 B/R Villa - Un-

furnished @ Madinat Al Ilam

5 B/R Villa - Unfurnished @

Al Mawalah North Brand New

Please Contact: Atlas Real Estate

& Rent A Car LLC. 24834888,

99249069 / 92888376 92888374

Email: [email protected]

For Rent Flats in Darsait -

94051789-97201688

1000 SQ mtrs industrial land for

rent in Ghala suitable for ware

house workshop etc. Contact:

24700120 /92584715

1BHK flat Darsait near

MCT Municipality 220/-.

Contact: 99342661

2 & 3 BHK Al Khuwair.

Contact: 99024730

Flat for Rent 1/2 BHK Flat at Mut-

trah, near Oman flour mills, 10 min.

from Corniche.Equipped with split

unit ACs, internet points, free-to-air

dish connection, CCTV monitored,

basement parking. Rent RO.250/350

per month. Contact: 99229263;

93221054; 95215289

New villa at Mawalah south 5 bed

room, family hall, Majlis, bath.

Contact: 99332367

Villa in Arjan complex near Seeb

stadium 4BHK, 1 living room,

1 majles, 1 extra room in ground

floor. Contact 93219597

2BHK Wadi Kabir near Kuwaiti

mosque. Contact: 97007934/

92629232

6 shops in South Mawalah

Contact: 96420432

Studio in souk Al Khoud behind

of Al Ahali bank with 2 BR toilet+

kitchen in 2 floor 160RO.

Contact 99738881

Flats and shops for rent in Ruwi

Honda road Mumtaz area. Contact:

97293708 /92433127

New flats for rent Darsait Al Sahel.

Contact: 99311525 / 92533356

Villa with 5 rooms, two sitting

rooms, 5 toilets and kitchen at

Al Hail North. Contact: 91130875

Flat for rent at Wadi Al Kabir next

Al Hassan.co, 2 bedroom, 3 WS,

1 sitting room. Contact: 99210008

Building material and jotun paint

shop for sale at Ruwi and Ghala.

Contact: 99421228

Urgent shop sale in Wadi Kabir

Sanaya. Contact: 95949668

Used supermarket gondolas,

shelvings. Contact: 97752395

Fully equipped running café for sale

at Wadi Al Kabir.

Contact: 99636550

Curtains green colour 2 x 2.70MTS,

7 nos, almost new R.O 45 no bar-

gains Qurum. Contact: 95865457

Coffee shop Mabela industrial area

for sale. Contact: 92253080

Running dental clinic in Quriyat for

sale Contact: 96534564

Beauty Salon for urgent sale in

Azaiba prime location behind

Al Fardan building. With sponsor and

1 staff and 1 ready visa clearance.

Call: 95318629 / 95169411

Ladies saloon with 2 staff for sale in

Mawalah. Contact 94197589

Printing Press for sale at Musanah.

Contact – 99645150

Sale house & office furniture & elec-

tronic items. Contact : 99834373/

96642500/22010080

For Sale Luxury Apartments in

Bousher (35) -Contact 95056808-

97201688

Running barber shop for sale in

Ruwi with all equipments.

Contact: 99343735

For Sale: Equipped carpentry work-

shop with 10 working employees at

Sohar. Contact: 95728453

For sale Fully Furnished apartments

in Bousher (35) -

Contact- 95056808-97201688

For Rent Flats in Ghala Heights -

94051789-97201688

For Rent Fully Furnished

apartments in Boucher (35) -

94051789-97201688

For Rent Flats in Wadi Kabir -

94051789-97201688

For Rent flats in Muttrah-

Contact – 94051789-97201688

Offices for Rent Gala-

Contact –94051789-97201688

For Rent Duplex villa in Qurum

29- 94051789-97201688

3BHK Qurum P.D.O light 350/-.

Contact: 99342661

For Rent Offices & Showrooms in

Al Khoud- 94051789-97201688

For Rent offices in Qurum op-

posite city center- 94051789-

97201688

For Rent Mini Furnished Apart-

ment in Qurum- 94051789-

97201688

For Rent Flats in Mawalah

south-94051789-97201688

For Rent brand new villas in

Al Ansab- 94051789-97201688

For Rent Offices & Showrooms in

Muttrah -94051789-97201688

2 BHK flat available for rent in

Darsait. Contact: 99357586

RESTAURANT/ CAFÉ FOR SALE

95126949

GENERAL ELECTRONICS SERVICES LLC

CONTACT: 99627299 / 93327841

BRING HOME - LIVE MUSIC & CINEMA

HOME THEATER&

KARAOKE

FOR HIRE WITH OPERATORS1. Back Hoe Loaders (Shovels): 5 Nos2. 10 Tons Vibratory Roller Compactor: 1 No.3. 42 Mtrs. Concrete Pump Putzmeister: 1 No.4. 45 Cbm Tippers: 2 Nos5. 50 M height, 50 Boom tower cranes: 5 Nos.

Please contact – Mr. Ravi on 96529679Email – [email protected] / [email protected]

A running restaurant for sale near

Oman oil petrol Pump Al Uqdah

(Barka). Contact: 99059013

For sale 8 Apartments (Total area

850 SQM approximate) in “Bait Al

Noor” occupying two full floors

(7th and 8th floors). The building

is opposite to GMC car showroom

facing the main road (Sultan Qaboos

Road). Excellent location for best

visibility of signboard for any

corporate. Contact 94194071

for details.

Beauty parlor for sale Muttrah.

Contact: 93142676

For sale villas in Al Khoud -

95056808-97201688

ACC. AVAILABLE

ACC. AVAILABLE

1 Room flat in CBD along with all

household items. Available from 15

Dec. Items- OMR 400. Call 97261565

Single room bathroom in Darsait R.O

140/-. Contact: 93289652

Furnished sharing accommodation

in ruwi near O.K. Center for

non-cooking indian bachelor.

Gsm 9880-5474

Large room with separate bathroom,

sharing available in Al Khuwair.

Contact - 95250161

Sharing room available for family

/executive bachelor, near Oman

house. Contact: 96753740

Room with bath for executive bach-

elor near A/C flat, hotel.

Contact: 99643845

Furnished rooms attached bath for

Indian bachelor in Al Falaj

Ruwi & lady in Wadi Kabir.

Contact 96202458 /96761960

Furnished single rooms available

for executive bachelors at Ruwi.

Contact: 98049288

Bed space / sharing accommodation

available for executive bachelor near

to Mars hypermarket Wadi Kabir.

Contact: 93137816

ACC. WANTED

Sharing Accommodation Required

for Non cooking Executive Lady in

Darsait /Ruwi/Wadikabir. # 99360615

Single room for expat Indian bach-

elors near Al Aktham restaurant

Al khuwair for RO 120. Water and

electricity included.

Contact : 98803261

Big room available near Hamriya

R/A for Muslim couple / small family

/ Executive bachelor rent 150/- per

month including W+ E.

Contact : 99495131

1 Bedroom with attached Bath, fully

furnished, separate entrance at

Mabela for ladies only.

Contact : 99634841

1 Bedroom with bathroom available

for rent. Only Indian female.

Contact - 92394614

Single bid room with attached bath,

separate entrance, Honda road near

NBO for ex bachelors.

Contact: 91410434

3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, sitting

room, Kitchen & store including

utilities bills at Al hail.

Contact 92817777

Flats available in Ruwi at 150/- &

100/- including electricity & water.

Contact: 99491798

1BHK fully furnished spacious for

rent CBD, ideal for family or two

bachelors easy access to Main road

near Sheraton hotel with all

electronics & furniture.

Contact: 96444400 /

5pm -10pm

600 SQT commercial flat for rent

opposite Oman flourmill Darsait

more details. Contact: 91214849/

99364735

3 Bedroom flat at Al Khuwair.

Contact: 99447257/97014234

Coffee shop for rent Jifnain.

Contact: 93340597

Single BHK flat available in Honda

road Ruwi. Contact - 24833972/

24833974/99367448

DAILY GUIDED4 S U N D AY, N O V E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

SITUATION WANTEDSITUATION VACANT

SITUATION WANTEDSIT. WANTED

Email: [email protected] [email protected].: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461Fax: 24812624

DOMESTIC HELP

DOMESTIC HELP

CATERING

LAWYER

ADMIN

ENGINEER/TECH/MECH

DRIVER

MEDICAL

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

ARCHITECT

SALES / MARKETING

ADMIN

WANTEDCivil Engineer (Building Construction) 2 Nos

Qualification: BE in Civil Engineering

Electro Mechanical Engineer (Building Services)1 No.

Qualification: BE in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering

Send detailed resume to

[email protected]

MISCELLANEOUS

MISCELLANEOUS

Required Aggressive Sales Execu-tive with B.Com /BBA. Preference to

bilingual applicants with experience

in luxury products. Interested

candidates please send CV to

[email protected]

Sales man / Interior Designer wanted for prestigious interior

design and office furniture Supply

Company. Experience and drivers

license needed excellent

remuneration package.


Qualification B.com accounting

BE mechanical engineer course

completed experience 17 years

HR administration, parches store,

quality assurance.

Contact: 93820512 Email:

[email protected]

Indian male MBA graduate (HR)

with 19 years of gulf experience

(6 years in Oman) seeking suitable

job can join immediately with NOC.

Contact: 99103763 /99519841

Male BBA graduate 5 years admin

HR document controller purchaser

account assistant (tally) experience

NOC. Contact: 97015178

Looking for s

and Sales Engineers


Urgently required for a reputed

company in Oman (Tyre, Battery &

Lubricant division) Sr. Executives/Executive-5 nos (Sohar, Nizwa &

Muscat), Techno Commercial Pro-fessional-5nos, Driver (Omani)-1no.

Required minimum 3-5 yrs experi-

ence in the same field with market

exposure holding valid Omani driv-

ing license or GCC. Kindly fwd your

CV’s to [email protected]

Contact: (+968)93891700

ENGLISH TEACHERSWANTED IMMEDIATELY

FOR VARIOUS LOCATIONSMUSCAT | IBRI | SOHAR | NIZWA

SALALAH | BARKA | BURAIMIKHABOURAH | KHASAB

92325542 | 93657915 | [email protected]

BEAUTY

Urgently wanted Lady Beautician

at Sur call after 10 am

Contact: 99771763.

Branded salon in Muscat requires a beautician with skills of: Mani-

cure, Pedicure, Nails techniques,

Massage, Facial and waxing.

Contact- 98500222

Full time living House maid required for an Indian female in

Al Ghobrah. Contact: 97084023

Small Omani family in Muscat

requires an educated House maid. Contact – 98500222

We are looking for Chief Finan-cial Officer, Male 40- 45 years old,

Bachelor of Science in Account-

ancy with 5 - 15 yrs. of experience.

Contact: +968 24702133


1. Service Administrator: A qualifi ed Electro/Automobile/Electric Diploma holder with minimum 2 years’ experience on deskjobs such as preparing

quotation, supplier correspondence, warranty claims etc. Age between 25 – 30.2. Accountant:

A qualifi ed B.Com/M.Com/C.A. Inter accountant with minimum 4 years’ experience in accounting with banking knowledge.

Age between 25-30.Attractive Salary and terms Off ered

VACANCY

Candidates with NOC or on visit visa can apply, please drop your CV at [email protected]

VACANCIES FOR HEAVY DUTY TRUCK DRIVERS

Fax number 24480417Email: [email protected]

1. Electrical Engineer

2. Accounts Manager3. Purchase Manager

5. HR Manager

URGENTLY REQUIRED

GSM:99845439

SECT. /OFFICE

Personal Assistant, 5yrs experi-

ence in Oman or GCC. MBA or

equivalent. Part-time preferred.

Call 95364625.

We are looking for Experienced Omani Receptionists and Omani PRO (Public Relation Officer) for

our organization

Ayaan Healthcare centre.

Contact – 93676708


Chief Financial Offi cer

(CFO)Looking for dynamic and talented

individuals to join our team in Oman for the position of Chief Financial Offi cer.

with at least 5 years experience in the relevant fi eld for a group of

companies associated with Petroleum,please apply, with confi dence and

send your [email protected]

[email protected]

ASSISTANT RETAIL MANAGER

Use the email -recruitment@afl aggroup.com

REQUIRED A SUPERVISOR

F

Urgently Required One General Cook (Experience in Indian/

Chinese) for Hotel Apartment –

Tel: 99797170 / Fax : 24490735

Email – [email protected]

Engineering consultancy office looking for Architect with experi-

ence in Oman (portfolio needed)

[email protected] 96649374 -

99441122

Urgently required Omani Nation-als P.R.O & Merchandiser cum driver & 3 Ton truck drivers. Please send your resume to

[email protected]

Contact: 99348211/93203550

A reputed construction company in Muscat urgently requires the

following candidates (Omani Nationals only) Civil Engineer & P.R.O & light duty driver. Send C.V to [email protected]

or call 99344896

Indian female, MBA HR & Finance,

having 1 year experience, seeking

suitable placement. Currently in

Oman. Contact: 96052366.

Indian male 25 yrs, Graduate in

commerce, overall 5 yrs exp in ac-

counts/ finance field. On visit visa.

Immediately available.

Contact – 92836216 /

[email protected]

12 years of Oman experienced

chief accountant looking for suit-

able position. Contact: 99513082

Freelance services of accounting,

auditing, taxation and feasibility

report - 91720465

Chief Accountant 25 years expe-

rienced, for the last 7 years work-

ing as Chief Accountant seeks

immediate placement.

Contact: 95598477/98803439

ACCA affiliate, fresher, Indian

male, valid driving license, look-

ing for full time employment in

Accounting and Finance, also

open to other opportunities,

Contact +968 91291520,


Sr. Accountant ( CA- inter) Indian

male 31 years having 9 years

experience in finance & accounts

looking for suitable placement.

NOC available and valid Oman

D/L. Contact: 94108678 Email:

[email protected]

Indian male highly resulted orient-

ed and self driven CA Inter qualified

accountant with over more than

14 years of experience in auditing,

finance and accounts seeks place-

ment. Contact: 93405047

Finance controller 15 years

experience in Oman contracting,

consultancy, trading oil & gas

tourism IT etc project financing

feasibility ERP cost control.

Contact: 98571309

Male Indian with 7 years experi-

ence in accounting & 6 years expe-

rience in sales and marketing very

good knowledge of tally currently

in Muscat on a visit visa.

Contact: 96148427


Part time accountant services

from senior accountant M.com

15 years Oman exp.

Contact: 97441960

SENIOR ACCOUNTANT, with

13yrs experience, 6 yrs Oman

in manufacturing, trading &

contracting Cos, capable of

handling all accounting, finance,

banking, L/C, import, export &

finalization seeks placement. NOC

Available. Call+968-98932752,

mail:[email protected]

Accountant Indian female having

5 years exp in finalization, audit

and administration in GCC pres-

ently in Muscat seeking suitable

position. Contact 97323574

Email: sreeja@[email protected]

B.com, 25 years male, 3 years exp

release available on visa, seeks

placement accounts / comm. Asst.

Contact: 94693593

WASTE MANAGEMENT AND

WATER TREATMENT

SPECIALIST Looking for dynamic and talented

individuals to join our team in Oman for the position of

“waste management and water treatment specialist”

with at least 5 years experience in the relevant fi eld.

And one in-house specialist [email protected]

[email protected]

VACANCIES FORHEAVY DUTY TRUCK

DRIVERSA excellent grade company is looking for heavy duty

truck driver with valid driving license (Oman/ Dubai)

Please send CV with copy of license.

Fax: 24817276 Mob: 93728515


VACANCYOil Service Company is

looking for Finance Manager: HSE Manager &

HR Specialist

ith relevant experience in oil industry.

Contact: [email protected]

Urgently required Admin / Accountant with minimum

4 years experience with valid

Omani driving should be fluent in

Ms Office applications and tally.

Fax: 24564459


Wanted heavy driver. Contact: 91770195

Heavy duty driver with valid

driving license and experience.

Contact: 94107090 or 95398929

Email: alkharusi.international@

gmail.com

Wanted driver. Contact 91025698

Seeking a well experienced diploma Engineer (electrical) with

valid Oman driving license kindly.

Contact: 99288664

Engineering consultancy firm in

Sur looking for graduate Civil Engineers. Interested candidates apply to

babupj@ gmail.com

or call 99318205

Instrumentation & controls Technician with 2-3 years

experience preferably in water

sector and having valid driving

license Send CV to

[email protected] or

call Ph:+968 99450811

HVAC Technician with GCC

experience in installation of spilt /

package ducted AC Units, ducting

design ETC. Contact: 93214193

Email CV:

[email protected]

Civil Engineer with minimum five

years, PDO Experience, earth work

and building construction (PDO

driving license preferred.

Please send CV to

[email protected]

Contact: 99150203/91404425

Medical CARE Centre, Al Seeb,

requires General Practitioners and

Pharmacist, Please Mail CV-

[email protected]

or call 97884856.

Required General Physician, Gynecology, Lab Technician & Pharmacists. Contact: 95133572


SKILLED

Store keeper with minimum 5

years experience, should have

experience in handling office

furniture and fluency in tally & bar

coding software etc. Interested

candidates can apply by mail:

[email protected]

fax: 24818818

Part time accounting, also contact

for auditing, tax reports and feasi-

bility study – 91044655

Experienced Female Senior

Accountant looking for suitable

alternative. Contact: 99849325

Sr. accountant M.com (finance)

2 yrs in Oman seeking suitable

placement NOC Available with

immediate joining.

Contact 92404608


Indain male Accountant, 8 years

experience 4 years In dubai,4 yrs

in Muscat. Additional knwoledge

in JDE and Tally.9, NOC available

ready to join immediately.

Contact: 95364896 /92912347


Indian male, 23 years, MBA fi-

nance MNC 2 years experience in

accounts, currently in Oman seek-

ing for suitable position. Contact:

Yahya Manager 96930855

Indian female 28yrs, B.com, 7yrs

call center/accounts/admin/

marketing experience, currently

on visit, seek suitable placement.

Contact Rashmi 96746698.

ACCA member / B.com (3.7 years

experience) looking accounts /

audit job. Contact: 97769145


28/ male MBA – finance /B.com –

accountant with 4 years of Dubai

/ India experience looking for a

suitable placement.


[email protected]

Accountant job wanted 8 years

experience 5 years in Indian 3

years in Oman knowledge of tally

ERP- 9 NOC available.

Contact: 91162503

Indian lady, bachelor degree in

Preparatory Programme (BPP)

and Bachelor of Commerce

(BCom), completed training

course in MS Word, Excel, Power

Point and Outlook from KTI look-

ing for full time / part time job

opportunity in Oman.

Contact 92437568, 96795853,


Indian female 5+ yrs Oman exp in

Accounts tally looking for suitable

placement in W.K to Qurum area.

Contact: 95580416

MEP Engineer with minimum five

years PDO / ministry experience.

Please send CV to

[email protected]

Contact: 99150203/91404425

A group of well reputed Private Schools associated with Cambridge Programs in

Muscat – Sultanate of Oman Requires following teaching posts:

WELL QUALIFIED TEACHERS for IGCSE & CIP for (English, Maths, Physics, Chemistry, IT, lab assistant for Chemistry and

Physics) - MSc / BSc and M.Ed / B.Ed with (IELTs / TOFEL) and at least 3 years of teaching

experience with attested documents.Mail your CV at: [email protected]

Required urgently an Indian Legal Consultant /Lawyer for

a reputed Law Firm in Muscat &

Sohar. Candidates should have 5-7

years experience as Legal Consult-

ant/Lawyer with good knowledge

of Computer & should be fluent in

English. Email C V to

[email protected] or contact

99153620 between 8am to 5.30pm

Canary clinic MBBS Indian female Doctor with 3 years ex-

perience MOH license if she has.

Good offer salary.

Contact 94395199


Wanted Lab Technician with

MOH license for Ibra clinic.

Contact – 99373493/


Wanted Nurse and Omani Re-ceptionist for a well established

dental centre in Mawalah South.

Contact – 93431024/ Email –

[email protected]

Urgently required Philipina Nurse with MOH license at

prometric parsed.

Contact: 99724013

A reputed Wellness Center is

looking for MOH licensed or Pro-metric Passed Physiotherapist, Nurse and Occupational therapy. Please send your CV to :

[email protected]

Wanted GP Doctor with MOH

license, job location in muscat

with good salary and benifits.

Drop ur cv at

[email protected].

e-mail : [email protected] ; [email protected]

VACANCIES

Urgently required a Kerala House maid for small family (2 members)

aged around 40-45 visa available.

Contact: 99324343

Required experienced part / full time house keeper for company

CEO. Contact: 98458542

Need excellent cook & housekeep-er. Contact Whatsapp: 95887572

Instrumentation & controls Technician with 2-3 years experi-

ence preferably in water sector and

having valid driving license Send

CV to [email protected] or

call Ph:+968 99450811

SALES / MARKETING

Media Company needs sales male /female not required experience, only to

have good knowledge on Muscat area, having driving license. Having some

knowledge on designs) send CV to: [email protected]


SITUATION WANTEDSITUATION WANTED

DRIVER

ARCHITECT /AUTOCAD

DRIVER

ADMIN

ENGG. / TECH./MECH.

ENGG. / TECH./MECH.

ENGG. / TECH./MECH.

CATERING

DESIGNER/DRAUGHTSMAN

Indian male 24, B.Tech electri-

cal & electronics engineer and

P.G. Diploma in automation &

SCADA with 2 years experience

Kerala electricity board, looking

for suitable placement. Contact:

95340253 /92914336 Email:

[email protected]

Indian male 21, B.Tech, Mech

Engineering + quantity analyzer/

controller looking for suitable

placement. Contact: 92914336/

96585010


Indian Male 23yrs Fresh Me-

chanical Engineer presently on a

visit visa looking for placements

in service/sales/purchase/

project engineer.

Contact Ajith 91791724

Indian male (B.Tech mechanical)

1 year, experience in planning

drawing, inspection, administra-

tion looking for suitable job.

Contact: 94112207


Male, Electrical Engineer, ages

53 yrs, working since 8 years in

Oman. With a consultant, exp in

drawing / MAS work inspections,

post contract activities, with NOC

& valid Oman D/L,

seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 968 96243401


B.E civil Engineer, 07 years expe-

rience in Oman having D/L, N.O.C

available looking for a

suitable position.

Contact 95961336/93523507


B.E Electrical Engg with 5 yrs exp

in Oman with D/L.


[email protected]

Hygiene Officer/QC, B.Tech Bio

tech. HACCP LVL. 2 &3.Experi-

enced in Food & water industry.

92940218

Electrical Engineer, B-Tech, with 4

Yrs experience in India, 3 YEARS IN

MRF and one year in KSEB. Avail-

able in Visit Visa looking for suitable

Placement as an Engineer.

Contact: 94741401

Email:[email protected].

Indian 30 yrs B.E civil Engineer

8 year experience with Oman D/L

& NOC available.


[email protected]

B.E civil Engineer having 11 years

experience with NOC looking for

job. Contact: 95690780


Indian male 24, B.E. Civil Eng’g

with 2 years experience as Struc-

tural Engineer looking for suitable

job in Muscat. 97355352

Indian male 27yrs, mechanical

engineer (energy engineering

M.Tech & HVAC diploma) with

4 yrs experience on visit visa,


Contact: 98791735


Indian male 25 years diploma in

mechanical engineering having 2.5

years experience in piping fabrica-

tion, plumping and fire fighting

knowledge in AutoCAD seeking

suitable placement.

Contact 92733482

Email: [email protected] Indian male , 29 yrs electrical

design engineer , having 5 years

of gulf experience in oil & gas /

construction field specialization

in load calculations cable sizing &

selection, earthing , transformer

selection etc having GCC valid li-

cense , looking for an suitable job.

Contact: 00968-98052942


Mechanical Engineer graduated

from Caledonian college Oman

with NDT Level 2 ( ASNT ) and

solid works looking for suitable

placement currently on family

visit visa having valid Oman D/L.

Contact: 95990677


B.E civil Engineer having 5 years

experience in Oman with construc-

tion companies need suitable

placement. Contact: 98180524

Experienced Light Duty Driver,

Fluent in English, Arabic Well

knowledge of Oman Areas Seeking

Suitable placement 97950869

Light driver personal driving,

office boy, driver visa required 10

yrs exp N.O.C ready.

Contact: 96693290

Three years driving experience in

Muscat language known English,

Arabic, and Hindi, Bengali.

Contact 97462781

Light duty driver looking for job.

Contact: 93131542

Light duty driver looking for job.

Contact: 98356230

Looking for driving job.

Contact 98219182

Driver looking for job.

Contact 91354803

Light driver, looking for job.

Contact: 98372745/99090362

Light driver. Contact: 95084826

Looking for Job driving.

Contact: 97418036

Driving with car, looking for job.

Contact: 97095200

Driver with new car looking for

job.contact: 95873286

Heavy duty driver (Exp 3years)

seeking suitable job.

Contact: 91372623

Pakistan male light vehicle driver

8 yrs GCC exp looking for job.

Contact: 96393805

Driver (light & heavy duty) valid

gulf /Indian) looking job.

Contact: 95175192

Creative Designer with 8+ years

experience in web, graphic, video

editing, outsourcing looking for a

suitable placement in a reputed

company. Contact 97276004

25 years male BA. English ,

Qualified as mast in digital

animation having 5 yrs ex in

character animation special-

ized Auto Desk mago and motion

building software knowledge,


Contact: 97917357

Professional architect 3ds max

(interior, exterior) looking for pri-

vate work. Contact: 96041201

Interior Designer Experienced

knows 3D max Photoshop:

Contact 93837973

AutoCAD D/man Experienced. Con-

tact : 93837973

Architect (B. Arch) 5 years experi-

ence seeking job. Contact 96146645


Indian male B.Tech IT 3 years

experience windows / Ulinux /

network administration on visit

visa. Contact: 93311963


Experienced female D. Arch Engg

seeking job AutoCAD (2D, 3D), 3D

Max, and revit Photoshop.

Contact: 98907341


Female seeking job in graphic de-

signing, admin, MS office Photoshop,

CorelDraw, 3D Max.

Contact: 94536117


Indian Male, M.Sc Electronics

having 7.5 years of IT experi-

ence in Computer Hardware and

Networking seeking job place-

ment. Contact: 97202522 email:

[email protected]

Female 26, B.E in computer

science, having 4 years MNC

experience as software developer,

seeking suitable position in

Muscat. Contact: 96784320


Indian male B.Tech (E& C) MCSE,

CCNA having 1.5 years of

experience seeks job.

Contact 99257702 Email:

[email protected]

Indian male MC.A 2 years

experience in software knowledge

of Java ASP Net,

network in techno park Kerala.

Contact: 99210940

Male 31 Years, IT 6 year’s online

marketing experience in India

seeks suitable placement.

Contact-91175265

Net work Engineer with

experience degree in computer

science, CCNA, MCSA.

Contact: 92346191

Age 28 years experience 2years

& 8 month in IT accounting

technical skill, java, J.S.P tally

Peachtree M.S excel, SQL ,Working

java programmer India , account-

ant , Dubai ,Qualification MCA,

B.C.A mathematic visit visa.

Contact: 95673451

Indian female, MCA, Oracle

& ACL certified, 5+ years of experi-

ence in Data Analysis,

IT Administration, Accounting and

Office Administration etc. holds

valid Oman driving license,

seeking suitable opening.

Mob: 98579241.

B.Tech Computer Science fresh

graduate looking for suitable job.

Android application marketing

services. Valid D/L also available.

Contact 91024385

IT Indian male B.Tech computers,

networking 1 years experience in

Database support on visit.

Contact: 96376061


Cooks (Arabic Indian) gulf exp

looking job. Contact: 99531802

Indian female M.Tech (electri-

cal power system) having gulf

experience in family visa seeking

suitable placements in Oman.

Contact: 91001194 /94306164

Civil Engineer 8 years experience

in Oman as a project engineer for

governmental & private projects.

Contact – 90164912

BE Electrical with 14 years experi-

ence in projects & maintenance

industry and power sector up to

132 KV, NOC & DL available.

Ph: 99015463 / +919447249212 ;

email: [email protected]

Indian Male, Mechanical Engineer

having 1year experience, on visit

visa looking for suitable job.

Contact: 97416564,

Email:[email protected]

Indian male B.Tech electrical

2 years experience seeks place-

ment. Contact: 93570984 Email:

[email protected]

Engineer Mechanical (BR) Indian

male, with NDT Level 2 (ASNT),

works, 2 years above experience

(as mechanical QC Engineer and

SME Engineer) seeking suitable

placement (on visit visa). Contact:

90249803 / 00919446048596


Civil Engineer diploma holder 1

years experience site supervision

level 2, 2D, 3D Revit languages

English, Malayalam and Hindi Ta-

mil looking challenging career.

Contact: 98058242


B.Sc in Civil Engineer 12 yrs exp

in Dubai and South Africa on

construction and infrastructure

having Dubai license currently on

visit looking suitable position.

Contact: 91206763


Mechanical Engineer, 24 yrs

Indian male, 2yrs experience (L+T

Port) as maintenance Engineer

sear citing for a suitable job on

visit visa. Contact: +968 92685011

Email: srinathvijayanavs@gmail.

com

M.Tech Civil, certificate attested,

Indian, 18.8 year experience seeks

suitable position. Contact: 98327311


Civil Engineer 11 years experience

in construction, having driving

license & NOC. Contact: 94194399


Electrical Engineer 13 years ex-

perience HV/ LV in Oman 5 years,

Oman valid D/L to NOC.

Contact: + 0091- 9946570903


Ref: no-Oman 97095094

Indian female M.Tech in electron-

ics Engg 2 yrs industrial exp in IT

& robotics research seeking oppor-

tunities in academy or industry.

Contact: 91306841,Email:

[email protected]

Sudanese female Electrical En-

gineer graduated with distinction

excellent knowledge and inter-

ested in protection.

Contact: 98133281

Sri Lankan Engineer (27 Years

old) – B.Sc Engineering (Hon)

Mining / Geotechnical Presently

in Muscat, 1.5 years experi-

ence.91295802 /

[email protected]

Electrical Engineer Indian male

29 years, having 5 years of experi-

ence in industrial automation and

utility maintenance in India (MRF

Tyres) seeking suitable place-

ment. Contact: 92789995 Email:

[email protected]

Civil Engineer 6 yrs Exp in Oman

with license. Contact: 98975528

Mechanic Tractor Diesel Engines

& Hydraulic, 25 years Experience

in Multinational Companies.

Contact - 91685048

IT

Well experienced team available to provide feasibility reports & business solutions, product

development, risk management methods for startups, progressive,

defunct operations. Creating of ERP modules.

Contact - 93343251

A result oriented professional

E

Legal advisor (Egyptian)| experi-

ence in international arbitration,

contracts and labor law and

administration looking for a com-

pany. Contact: 99664890

Senior HR , professional MBA ,

12 yr GCC experience at manage-

rial recruitment, administration

, policy formulator working with

a leading construction co (4000

plus employees) looking for a im-

mediate change over , NOC avail-

able. Contact: 94017306


10 years Gulf & 4 years Oman ex-

perience in HR / Admin & logistics

fluent in Arabic / English with D/L

looking for suitable position.

Contact 95824598

Egyptian woman resident has

considerable experience in the

administration and secretarial

executive for companies.

Contact: 97221126

MBA (HR & marketing) & B.Com,

Indian male 28 yrs, 2 years exp

in Qatar having Oman driving

license, currently on family visa in

Salalah (NOC available.


[email protected]

Indian female graduate over 6

years experience admin operations

service looking for suitable job.

Contact: 94231020

Indian male - 25 years - MBA

(HR & marketing) with one year

experience on visit visa look-

ing preferably for suitable HR/

ADMIN / marketing jobs .contact :

Mr. Harish Ravindranathan / mail

ID : [email protected]

/ 90189964

5 years of experience in software

and 1yr in administrator looking

for any software of any office suit-

able jobs or any work from home

jobs. Contact: 91711326 Email:

[email protected]

Female Indian 9+ yrs experience

in administration customer sup-

port office coordination with good

computer skill now on visit visa

looking for suitable openings.

Contact: 99285440

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

Indian male MBA- UK 18 yrs Gulf

exp in Administration/ HR & Pub-

lic relationship. Fluent in Arabic/

English with D/L. Looking for suit-

able position. Contact - 99897280

Indian Female, MBA-HR having

8+ experience in Administration/

HR, Customer Support, Office

Coordinator with good Computer

skill, Now on Visit Visa, looking

for suitable position. Contact:

90196235

26 yrs male, MBA, 3+ years experi-

ence in Administration in MNC,

seeks suitable placement.

Contact 95041201


MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR

MEDICAL

MISCELLANEOUS

MISCELLANEOUS

The Business Development Man-

ager, Iraqi, Experience 15 Years

Inside and outside Oman follow-

ing activities: construction(Very

strong and qualified to bringing

business for civil work Or any

type of the construction work for

many million per year with a good

experience in pricing and collect

payment and cash management of

the company & marketing projects

& investments& tenders & real

estate. Contact: - 92385033

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, concepts &

Franchise development with proven

records. Seeking for Challenging

positions in reputed groups as GM/

COO/CEO/Business Head. (NOC

available) Contact: 96059470

MBA (marketing) with 17 years

experience in freight forwarding/

logistics industry in GCC & Oman.

Presently working as branch

manager in Muscat. Looking for a

suitable position. Release and NOC

available. Contact: 99856331

Manager Finance, M.Com/MBA

-thorough knowledge & more than

20 years of experience with start-up

skills. Group consolidation and audit.

: Bank dealing for corporate credit/

funding.: Ability to handle Group

of companies on professional way.

Contact: 00968-91279373,

[email protected]

20 yrs experienced MEP Manager seeks suitable placement

NOC available. Contact: 97892269

Manager MBA (Finance) 13+ yrs

experience in Oman with knowl-

edge of finance admin purchase

logistics costing looking for suit-

able position with D/L.

Contact : 93826090


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

Indian male with 9 years experi-

ence in business development

looking for suitable placement NOC

available. Contact: 92573230

GP doctor with MOH license and

PDO experience seeks job offer.

Contact-96528807

An experienced Indian male GP

with MOH license and NOC, looking

for good placements in the capital

areas only. Pl contact 96386388

Palestinian dentist looking for job

in Muscat privet hospitals , poly-

clinics or dental centers – 15 yrs

experience out Muscat at privet

hospitals or polyclinics.

Contact: 96951750

Male Nurse, Experienced, Pass

Prometric (Oman) 93837973

Female Dentist Indian prometric

pass seeking suitable placement

97800807

Arabic male general practitioner

with MOH license looking for a

suitable placement in Muscat.

Contact: 95618680

24 years Indian female MSC - Bio-

technology 1 year exp.in clinical

microbiology, worked in icrisat

for project work as Trainee, looking

for suitable job. Contact: 92619048


Indian female , M.com gradate ,

7 years of experience in Oman in

accounts administration , secre-

tarial and sales coordination with

valid Omani driving license,

looking for a suitable placement.

Gsm 95134495

Purchase Officer with 8 years exp

in Oman having D/L & NOC looking

for urgently placement.

Contact 96174564


Graduate, computer literate, expe-

rienced in sales, credit control,

accounts, omani d/l , seeks suit-

able placement. Gsm 9880-5474

Indian male, 27 years SAP –

CRM certified associate fresher

P.G (English) having 5 years of

experience in marketing, com-

munication and designing on visit,

seeks suitable placement. Contact:

90196845 Email: joshjk99@gmail.

com Web: www.joshjk.net

Indian male B.SC graduate having

experience of 30 years in inspec-

tion, testify and QA – Industrial

technical textiles and tyre indus-

try. Currently in Oman with visit-

ing visa. Contact: 93375690

Indian male B.Com Graduate

looking for job in admin sales or

accountant with valid Oman driv-

ing license ready to join.

Contact: 98093949

Indian female, 26, M.sc biotech-

nology now in family visa seeks

suitable placement. Contact:

95210498/ 99850321/93093466

Omani national with bachelor in

management looking for suitable

placement please call: 91908052

or Email:

[email protected]

Indian male, Msc Electronics,

E

EXP INCLUDING GCC. Exp in

Now in Muscat on visit visa, looking for suitable job.

Contact – 96133981


EDUCATION

American female Master’s TESOL

12 yrs teaching exp. EFL Curricu-

lum Developer & Teacher Trainer.

Professional Development Specialist

& Educational Activity Coordinator.

Available February 1st 2016.


Contact: 99630244

Indian female M.SC B.Ed, 3 years

experience looking for suitable

placement. Contact: 94420033


Indian Female B.Ed. and B.C.A. and

IELTS certified with 5yr U.A.E. exp.

and 6 months Oman exp. in teaching

primary and secondary students

looking for a teacher’s job.

Email: [email protected].

Mob. 97384206.

Indian male driver 3yrs experi-

ence seeking for suitable placemen.

Contact: 93663493

Civil Engineer (4 years ) hav-

ing total 5 years experience in

building construction ( 2 years , 8

months in Oman) looking for suit-

able placement D/L available.

Contact: 94450270

B.E Biomedical Engineer 5 years

experience in the subfield (hospi-

tal / company) looking for suita-

ble placement. Contact 92084807

Email: bonnygeorge1005@gmail.

com

Civil Engineer B.E , 06 years expe-

rience in Oman having D/L

seeking for a suitable position .

Contact 95961336


HOSPITALITY

HOSPITALITY

Egyptian male B.S degree tourism

& hotels (10 years experience)

2 in Oman in hotels management

have Oman driving license

looking for suitable job.

Contact: 91695779


Indian male/31yrs with hotel

management degree, 03 yrs ex-

perience in F&B services at 5 star

hotel Dubai & 05 yrs in American

6 star cruise liner as Butler. Has

Oman driving license.

Contact no 91135371

Dutch male qualified commer-

cial pilot (Faa-ME-IR certified) is

looking for job openings in middle

east. [email protected]

B.E Civil (first class) site / project

Engineer with 3 years of experience

in residential building projects Ms.

Office AutoCAD on visit visa valid

till Dec 2nd (week), looking for a

suitable job. Contact: 96692175

Email Id: [email protected]

DAILY GUIDED6 S U N D AY, N O V E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

SITUATION WANTED

SITUATION WANTED

SIT. WANTED

WEBSITE

WEB, ERP and Business Intel-

ligence (BI) creation and manage-

ment at rock bottom price.

Contact: http//webviewoman

CLASSES

IELTS & TOEFL

Academic / General

Target Band 8

TQT Institute.

Ph # 24480800 / 99347202

Classes for bakery, cup cakes, icing

decorations. Contact: 96202458

/96761960

Karate and self defense classes

at Azaiba 18 Nov Street. RO 10 per

month twice a week Monday and

Tuesday 6. 30 TO 7. 30. PM

CONTACT 98294551

COMPUTER

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]

Email: [email protected] [email protected].: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461Fax: 24812624

Ayurvedic treatment for joint

pain, backache, paralysis, massage

steambath, obesity, Spondylitis,

Ideal Care Ayurvedic Clinic,

18 November Street Azaiba.

Contact: 99639695 / 98342990

Ayurvedic treatment for backache,

paralysis, arthritis etc & massage,

All Season (Vaidyaratnam).

Contact 24475280 / 95371664 /

92504980

www.siddhayur.com

FREE INFORMATION ABOUT ISLAM. If you would like to know

more about Islam, please call:

99425598, 99250777, 99353988,

99253818, 99341395, and

99379133. For ladies: 99415818,

99321360, 99730723

Orvisit:www.islamfact.com

GOOD NEWS

Sales & Marketing/ Business

Development Executive: - B.Tech.

(Electrical & Electronics) MBA in

marketing having 9 years of expe-

rience seeking a suitable position.

Contact (97043494)

Purchase & Stores In charge – Hav-

ing continues 13 years experience

in a single firm, looking for a place-

ment. # 99627427, 96154564

Indian male 23 years old graduate

with one year experience in Sales

& Marketing with valid Oman

driving license seeking suitable

opportunities.(NOC available)

Contact: +968 98240510 Gmail:

[email protected]

Indian male, 29 years, B. Tech

Electronics & Communication Eng.

with 7 year’s experience seeking

for a suitable placement, currently

in UAE visit visa.

Contact 00971 552513735


DRIVING

Learn driving with professional.

Contact: 94022250

Indian male, 19 years oman exp.

in purchase, material coordina-

tor in building/pipe line 9yrs &

factory production field 10yrs.good

computer skills & D/L & with NOC.

looking for suitable placement.

[email protected]

Contact: 99008101

Part- Time Accountant, well

experience senior accountant,

doing all type of accounting works,

Finalization, Budgeting available.

Contact 98803439

Indian male B.Eng. in IT, MCSA,

MCSE, 3yrs exp. in IT support,

valid Omani D/L seeking suitable

placement in IT/Network/

Server support. Contact 92607532

Indian Males 32 years, Dip. In

Hardware & Networking with 10

years of hands-on experience.

Currently on visit visa seeking im-

mediate placement in IT Support

or relevant jobs. Good knowledge

of Hardware & Networking.

Contact: 9416 9341 /

[email protected]

Indian male, 19 years experience

in purchase, material coordinator

in building construction & factory

production field, have good com-

puter skills & driving license and

NOC. Looking for a suitable place-

ment. Contact: 99008101

Male Accountant Indian, B.com,

2 Year experience currently

working in Oman. NOC available,

doing accounts in Tally and Excel

searching for suitable Job. Email:

[email protected] /

91894487, 98789958

Electronics/Electrical/Instru-

mentation Design Engineer with

2+ years of experience, having a

Bachelors Degree in Instrumenta-

tion Technology. Seeking for a job,

currently on visit visa.

Contact- 90142166 /

Mail: [email protected]

Spoken Arabic class for Non Arabic Speakers & English

class for Malayalam Speakers in Azaiba and Ruwi

earn in two monthstion guaranteed

Tel: 95244310

MISCELLANEOUS

SALES / MARKETING

12 years of experience in Oman;

marketing strategies & operations,

logistics, government tenders, public

relations & dealing with internation-

al companies -4 years of experience

in UK, engineering CNC & industrial

areas, have dual nationality, fluent

in English & Arabic speaking and

writing , (I can travel abroad easily

without visa, for finalizing business

or any other purpose).

Contact: 94123939

07 years Dubai 02 years Oman

experience in sales marketing MBA

in marketing diploma in marketing

with Dubai, Oman driving license

studied in S.E.O online sales & mar-

keting E-commerce looking for job.

Contact: 97367321

10 yrs exp in Oman in logistics/

purchase-have Oman D/L-looking

for suitable placement-

contact 96410767


Indian male 25 age, MBA market-

ing (fresher) PGDM (HR) fluency in

English, Arabic, Hindi looking for

suitable job currently in

Oman on visit visa.

Contact: 97127799


Indian male 26, 4 years experi-

ence in sales and marketing D/L ,


Contact: 95137733


Purchase experienced 8 years in

Construction Company Indian male

45 yrs, release & D/L available.

Contact: 90268183 / 96987234

Indian male 29 , BHM , 6 years

overall 3 yrs in Oman in sales with

D/L NOC available to join immedi-

ately. Contact: 92594055

Indian male MBA, 8 years experi-

ence in hospitality industry sales

& marketing looking for suitable

job now in visit visa.

Contact: 92115860

Indian male, 26 years, B. Pharm

graduate having 3 years experience

in marketing / sales looking for a

suitable job. Contact: 94145992

Email: syedanasmustafa1989@

gmail.com

Indian male, MBA with 8 yrs expe-

rience in sales and marketing with

Omani D/L , NOC available.

Contact: 96746107

Sales Engineer 5 years experi-

ence looking for a placement.

Contact: 91411043

Indian male MBA marketing 2

years Oman experience with valid

Oman driving license looking for

a suitable position NOC available.

Contact: 91202335


Sales Manager having 12 years

experience M.B.A in sales & mar-

keting having valid GCC driving

license seeking suitable

placement, NOC available.

Contact: 98125226

Indian male, 25 yrs, 1 year experi-

ence in auditing and 10 month in

sales. Currently on visit visa seek-

ing suitable placement.

Contact 97142538

Indian Male 32, MBA (Marketing &

Finance) with 10 years experience

in Marketing of Banking Products

& Insurance Industry. Seeking for a

Job in Oman.

Contact: 93576980, 97750460


Marketing Executive/Merchan-

diser, Omani License, BA 8 years

Experience in Multinational

Groups. Contact 97601343

SKILLED / UNSKILLED

Mason, SH / carpenter, steel fitter

gulf & Indian exp looking job.

Contact: 95175192

Electrician, plumber (exp gulf / In-

dian) looking job. Contact 95175192

Sales & Marketing executive MBA

with 3 years of experience looking

for suitable placement.

Contact: 91345727

Indian male 42, 20 years experi-

ence building material sales man

sales manager seeks suitable

placement NOC available.

Contact: 97457331

Indian homeopathic doctor, 34

years, 8 years experience in medi-

cal industry, seeking job as insur-

ance medical officer / heath care.

Contact: 92428547


Indian 32 years completed M.A.

English, having three years expe-

rience in teaching filed searching

for the suitable job.


[email protected]

Accountant Indian male B.Com 15

years (8 years I Oman with valid

Oman driving license) experience

in accounts up to finalization NOC

available. Contact: 94117616/

91238272

Indian lady, B.com M.com (not

completed) with tally and ms of-

fice skills, with 8 years experience

in Oman in accounts up to fina-

lization seeks suitable position.

Contact: 93185841

Civil Engineer 2 years experience,

major experience in Road work,

Culverts and structure.

Contact: 97427701

Female executive secretary

with 29 years experience with

financed services & top manage-

ment & valid Omani D/L, seeks

suitable placement. Contact:

96202458/96761960

BE electronics & instrumenta-

tion engineer, with one year of

experience. Looking for suitable

positions. On visit visa.

Contact-99339306, e-mail:

[email protected]

Looking for a part time accounting

& admin job. Contact 99196621.

Indian (Kerala) Male, 32yrs,

looking for a job as Accounts

Assistant/ Cashier/ Salesman

(indoor), having 5 yrs experience

in Oman. Currently on Visit Visa.

Contact-94410485,


Indian Male 33 yrs, BCA ,10 years

experience(India & Oman) IT

Support, System administrator/su-

pervisor looking for suitable Job.

#95448561.

Indian female accountant 5 years

of experience in accounting tally,

office coordination,And admin, cur-

rently on visit visa. seeking suitable

placement Contact: 95684179

Indian male 23yr BA TTM (travel

and tourism management) with

advanced diploma in supply chain

logistics and shipping manage-

ment, exp in logistics (cha) seek-

ing in suitable placement.

currently on visit visa(oman)

Contact;90291092


Marketing or Business develop-

ment-BSC in marketing 5 years

of experience looking for suitable

position. Contact (99522233)

Indian male B.Eng. in IT, MCSA,

MCSE, 3yrs exp. in IT support,

valid Omani D/L seeking suitable

placement in IT/Network/Server

support. Contact 92607532

Indian Mechanical Engineer (16

Yrs Exp), Knowledgeable in Moni-

toring of workshop setup, Work-

shop run, Business Development,

ISO certification, Quotation, Tender,

Account verification, Sohar Area,

Mb. 94215208’

Indian male, 27 BSC nurse 4.5

years experience in India. Pro

metric passed with 61% Data flow

processing, ACLS, BLS passed.

Now on visit visa.

Mob: 98926621, 94361049

e-mail: [email protected]

Electrical Engineer, B-Tech, with

4 Yrs experience in India, 3 YEARS

IN MRF and one year in KSEB.

Available on Visit Visa.

Contact: 94741401 :Email:

[email protected].

Sudanese male...telecom engineer

11 yrs. exp in IT support, Network-

ing, Security systems, Server

support, IT sales and marketing,

management .Seeking suitable

placement. Contact 91182027

Indian male accountant, 12 years

experience, looking for a full time

or part time job. Experience in tally

also. Contact-98983122

31 years, Indian male PG in HR

, with 5 yrs Professional experi-

ence in HR in Construction Oil &

Gas Oman seeking for a suitable

placement(NOC Available).

Contact me on 93488914, email-

[email protected]

FEMALE SYRIAN ARCHITECT

,new graduate have good experi-

ence in architect programs, auto-

cad 3d max ,sketch up , Photoshop

,sketch up, searching for a job full

time or part time, for

Contact : 97482871

Indian male be electrical and pg

in power systems (transmission &

distribution) with one year experi-

ence on visit. Seeking placement

contact – 94669679/

email [email protected]

Sri Lankan male – 3.5 years

experience as a site supervisor

& Administration executive in

Oman / 2 years experience as an

HR executive with Oman driving

license. (English/Arabic/Urdu)/

NOC available 97281617

Marketing Coordinator, Indian,

Advertising Agency experienced

person with D/L seeks good open-

ing. Contact 93031168

Sri Lankan male BSc (Physics) –

5 years experience as a site super-

visor & Administration executive

with Oman driving license. (Eng-

lish/Arabic/Urdu)/ NOC available

93214717

SENIOR ACCOUNTANT: Indian

male, Graduate & CA Article ship

completed. 18 Years of experience.

Currently on visiting visa. seeks

suitable placement.

Contact: 97498809, 98569025,


Male 25 years, B.E. Mechanical

with CSWIP 3.1 and ASNT level

2, 3 yrs. of experience in QC in oil

and gas industry. Currently work-

ing in Oman, NOC available.

Contact 91262792.

[email protected]

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


SITUATION WANTEDSERVICES

A/C maintenance, installation spilt

A.C and maintenance window A/C

and ducted and package the reunites.

Contact: Asad Abbas 98667326

GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing,

Contact 99314807/24792998

Debt collection services your

money we collect value com-

mercial services. Fax: 00968-

24783669 Contact: 00968-

2479815 /00968- 24701422

/00968- 94665476 Email:

[email protected]

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

Window & split unit A.C servicing &

repairing. Contact: 99557080

Split & window unit A.C servicing &

maintenance. Contact: 96236476

House shifting & transporting.

Contact 92490422

MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of

your marble. Contact 24793614/

99314807

Window & split unit A.C ser-

vicing & maintenance. Contact

93769089 / 95323517

Split & window A/c servicing &

maintenance. Contact: 93769089 /

95323517

Cleaning & carpet shampooing, Ocean Center LLC.

Contact: 99884591

Pest control treatments. Ocean Center LLC.

Contact: 99344723

House shifting. Contact:

99657644/98518013

Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles

polishing, carpet shampooing,

maintenance. contact ABU QABAS-

99320217 /24788722

Water proofing ABUQABAS-

Contact 99320217/24788722

SERVICES

General cleaning etc.

Contact : 94277020

MANPOWER SITUATION WANT-ED

BUSINESS

An investor requested in a print-

ing press in Muscat.

Contact: 99498949

MANPOWER

GSM: 96775023 / 96775024

TRANSPORTATION

Muttrah to Bausher. Contact:

99022790/24712088

Transportation. Contact: 96538078

Transportation. Contact 99508282

Transportation. Contact: 95190627

Transportation available Ruwi to

Al Khuwair, Ghubra & Azaiba.

Contact: 91103909

MATRIMONIAL

MATRIMONIAL

Seeks alliance for Tamil Hindu Na-

dar Girl, BSc. Nurse (MOH), 27 years.

Contact 98582839

Ezhava divorcee, 37, 5.3”,

pharmacist in Muscat.

Contact - suryakv2010@gmail.

com,+919961176066

Nair boy 25 years diploma civil

protect Engineer 166 cm working

Muscat. Contact: 91978472

35 years Bombay based Sunni

Muslim divorcee girl (Degree

holder) seeking alliance.

Contact: 92886145

Suitable match for punjabi ,sikh,

ramgharia girl, 1982 born, 5”5”,

bachelor of design.

Contact- 00968 98581868,

[email protected]

Indian male christian 40yrs.

working in muscat.looking for life

partner.divorced or single.

Contact :91429811

Keralite R.C. Boy, 30yrs, 161cm,

MBA (Finance) Working in

Oman seeking suitable alliance.

Contact: 92290247 / 97302978

MV SALE

Cat – D8K, Model 1985, Scania wa-

ter tanker, model 1993, Mitsubishi

bus s28 seat, Model 2003, Hamm

roller, model 2003.

Contact: 99207592 & 99882570

Mitsubishi lancer 92 model very

good running condition RE GN up

to 6/11/2016 R.O 500/-.

Contact: 92545269

BMW 318/ 2003 for sale.

Contact 96364990

Ford focus, automatic, 2010

model, silver colour, expat driven,

58000 kms, dealer serviced, regis-

tration till sep 2016, price ro 2750.

Contact- 93207590

Nissan Altima 2.55, 2012

excellent condition agency

maintained.

Contact: 97717152

Tucson automatic 2009 model

black color very good conduction

registration up to 2016

price R.O 2950/-.

Contact: 98196845

AVAILABLE

Party & Wedding equipment rentals.

Full line, from Tables, Linen & Skirt-

ing, Chairs & Chair covers, Cutlery,

Crockery, Glassware, Chafing Dishes,

Ice Sculptures, to Large Sound

Systems and spectacular lighting.

Call Andrea 9606 2222 for Catering

and Croyden 9623 5555 for Sound &

Light. ww.tunesoman.com,

E-mail: [email protected]

Available office space in Prime

location on 18th November Street,

Azaiba Kindly.

Contact: 99288664

RENT A CAR

Best Rates for Saloon. Tel: 99826300 / 97869042,

[email protected]

Al farzdaq Al Fedi Trad and Cont

Maintenance services electric,

plumbing and A/C.

Contact: 96524904 / 94285064

A/C Maintenance & servicing,

fridge, washing machine & dish

washer repairing, painting &

cleaning services, electrical &

plumbing. Contact: 99447257

/97014234 / 24504281

35 Christian male, LLB, working as

project executive divorce.

Contact: 97413778

Seeking alliance for our son

from Muslim families. Interested

families Contact: 99889590

NRI

Plot with three BHK in Calicut

city, Kerala for details.

Contact: 99735584

Plot, properties for sale in Prime

location in Pune.

Contact: +918390982975

Available on rent 2 Bedroom fur-

nished flat in Koregaon Park, Pune

and Maharashtra, India. #99374187.

11 Cent land with house for sale,

Ernakulum dist 14 km from airport

Contact: 91101457

2BHK 1100SQMT flat with 300

SQMT Terrace allotted parking with

luxury amenities for sale in Dona

Paula Panjim Goa Indian price 95

lakes. Contact: 0091-9823674576 /

00968- 97488872

Luxurious villas in a Gated community with all the modern facili�es at

Vakathanam By-Pass (MC road-NH 220)Web: www.royalcastles.inemail: [email protected]

+968 92855909, +91 9961 11 9988

royal castles vakathanam, kottayam

D8 S U N D AY, N O V E M B E R 2 9, 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE Email: [email protected] [email protected].: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461Fax: 24812624

Dolphin Watch, Dhow Cruise with

Buffet, & Land Tours Al- Ainain

Marine Tours contact 98029602,

92808636

TOURS

SITUATION WANTEDCARGO

ABDULHAKIM AL BIMANI

TRADING & CONTRACTOR

to Zanzibar, Pemba, Dar es Salam in

Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.Reasonable price.

Contact: 97440625/95416662Email: [email protected]

*Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

Documents

Times of Oman - November 29, 2015