Times of Oman - June 13, 2015

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BRITISH ROYALS TO VISIT RUNNYMEDE Queen Elizabeth will return on Monday to the setting where 800 years ago one of her predecessors accepted the Magna Carta, the English document that put limits on the power of the crown for the first time. >A10

SATURDAY, June 13, 2015 / 25 Sha’aban 1436 AH

CABLES

HM sends greetings to Putin, Aquino MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable of congratulations to President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation on the occasion of his country’s Declaration of State Sovereignty.

In his cable, His Majesty the Sultan has expressed his sincere congratulations along with his best wishes of good health and happiness to President Putin and the Russian people further growth and prosperity.

His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has also sent a cable of congratulations to President Benigno Aquino of the Republic of the Philippines on the occasion of his country’s Independence Anniversary.

In his cable, His Majesty the Sultan has expressed his sincere congratulations and best wishes of good health and happiness to President Aquino and the people of Philippines further progress and prosperity. -ONA

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Sur, Masirah areas flooded; rescue on

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OMR68m pact to boost water facilities

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The Sultanate and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) signed a contract, under which IDB will provide a loan worth $176 million (around OMR68 million) to finance 86 per cent of the cost of a water supply project from Wadi Dhaiqah to Muscat and Quriyat. >A2

10 staff of Tunisian consulate abducted

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Libyan militiamen kidnapped 10 staffers from Tunisia’s consulate in Tripoli after storming the mission, the government in Tunis said. A foreign ministry statement denounced “the intrusion of an armed group in the offices of the Tunisian consulate in Tripoli.” >A4

ASHOBAA EFFECT: Rescue workers toil to bring succour to people hit by rain caused by the tropical storm in parts of the Sultanate. – ONA, PACDA, www.rthmc.com and Times of Oman readers

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No loss of life was reported in the Sultanate

NBO’s $300m Tier 1 issue gets approval

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Shareholders of National Bank of Oman approved the bank’s plans to issue a Tier-1 instrument of up to $300 million. The approval was given by shareholders of National Bank of Oman at an extraordinary general meeting, according to a statement posted on MSM website. >B1

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while alert rescue workers saved 109 persons from low lying areas in Sur and Masirah

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Wells being dug to ease water crisis in Muscat areas Times News Service

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MUSCAT: While tropical storm Ashobaa brought heavy rain to Sur and Masirah, it gave the capital area a miss.

On Friday, the Sultan’s Armed Forces, Royal Oman Police, Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulance, and the National Committee for Civil Defence personnel together rescued 109 people in Sur and Masirah. Police helicopters rescued 28 people, including children, who were stuck in flooded areas in Sur. While damage to property and vehicles were reported from dif-

ferent parts of Oman, several people were rescued by civil defence personnel as Oman received light to heavy rains through Thursday and Friday.

Till 4.00 pm on Friday, the Oman meteorological department recorded 231mm of rain in Masirah, which was reportedly very high.

While Sur recorded 53.2mm, Guba 56.4mm, Ras Al Hadd 53mm, and Qalhat received 47.8mm, apart from Bidiyah 12.2mm and Quriyat 5.2mm.

The rain, which started on Friday early morning in Sur and Masirah, became heavy by 11 am inundating low-lying areas.

“In Sur, the village of Bilad was badly affected as it is a low-lying area. People had to be rescued from there. Police and civil defence officials did a commendable job,” residents in Sur told the Times of Oman.

In an operation, personnel from Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulance (PACDA) rescued 15 people from one of the houses.

“They are in good health,” said the PACDA officials.

In a tweet, the PACDA officials advised people who stay near wadis to move elsewhere or to a government shelter.

Urging residents and citizens to co-operate, the PACDA officials said this would make it easier for the personnel to rescue the needy.

Apart from the rescue operations, the PACDA tweeted safety instructions in different languages for the benefit of expatriates.

Since the water in the wadis will take time to recede, the Royal Oman Police (ROP) has urged citizens not to risk their lives and check the water level before crossing a wadi.

ROP also urged parents not to allow children to play near wadis or ponds. There were rumours that a girl child had gone missing but police denied it. In a tweet on its official twitter handle, the police said that the child was safe and with her parents.

“So far, there is no report of loss of life. We are alert and doing our job without a break,” a doctor from Sur hospital also confirmed to the Times of Oman.

Meanwhile, Masirah residents said rain was still continuing.

“A majority of the low lying areas are inundated. Life is out of gear and there is disruption in power supply too,” said the residents. >A3

MUSCAT: In what is good news for residents facing water shortage in Muscat, engineers working in the Ministry of Defence have started digging wells in different areas of the governorate.

The ministry’s personnel have started digging wells in Mawaleh, Al Khoud, Seeb, and Bausher along with Ghubra and Ansab that could provide drinking water in these areas.

Engineering services of the ministry, in co-operation with the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW), are proceeding with these plans and intend to extend coverage to areas affected by the water shortage, according to the ministry.

Civil officer Eng. Khamis bin Jamil Al Badri, associated with public health and environmental safety in the engineering services of the ministry, confirmed the plan. “The wells will be fitted with pumps and other utilities needed to ensure that citizens and residents receive clean water as soon as possible,” he said.

In a recent interview to the Times of Oman, Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Mahrouqi, chairman of the PAEW, had said that the armed forces were assisting the PAEW with logistical details of the affected areas, providing them with equipment and human resources wherever needed, and also helping them to dig more wells to meet the needs of people.

Al Mahrouqi said that the army supplies water in “big tankers” for specific consumers such as hospitals, schools and other ‘critical’ facilities that provide essential services and cannot do without uninterrupted supply. The army is a big supporter of the PAEW, he added. -With inputs from ONA

Defence personnel digging wells in one of the governorates of Oman. – Supplied

A S TA NA C O N G R E S S

Sheikh Kahlan joins global call for peace SARAH MACDONALD

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Omani cyclist’s odyssey for blood donation awareness

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ASTANA, KAZAKHSTAN: Sheikh Kahlan Al Kharusi, Oman’s Assistant Grand Mufti, has joined over 100 international delegations of religious and political leaders in Astana, Kazakhstan at a congress aimed at promoting peace and tolerance.

Al Kharusi and the other leaders are attending the 5th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions hosted by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev. The congress has brought together leaders from different religions and philosophies, including Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Zoroastrianism and the Baha’i faith.

Opening the congress in the Kazakh capital on Wednesday, Nazarbayev told the delegates that such a gathering was proof that differences and disputes between people with different belief sys-

Sheikh Kahlan Al Kharusi, Oman’s Assistant Grand Mufti.

tems aren’t irreconcilable. He said people from around the world have much in common and their basic tenets of their faiths are similar.

“The goal of our faiths is to return individuals and humanity to the path towards lost perfection.

This, too, is the aim of the Astana interreligious summit. The events of the contemporary times make our congress an important element of global dialogue,” Nazarbayev said.

Ban Ki-moon said the congress provided an opportunity for religious leaders to find common ground and seek solutions together for international problems such as terrorism, organised crime, an ever-worsening environment and divisive politics.

“We meet at a time when dialogue is needed more than ever,” he said.

He said religious leaders must set positive examples for their followers and speak out against those who choose to commit violence in the name of religions. He described such violence as crimes against religion, not just against the individuals who are targeted.

“It’s not religion that causes violence. It’s not religion that kills people. It’s just individuals

who choose to espouse violence, wrongly and cynically invoking faith to do so,” Ban said.

Al Kharusi spoke during the panel titled “Religious and Political Leaders: the Responsibility to Humankind.” In his address he said the world is undergoing many changes and that this congress was an opportunity to work towards a brighter future for all people and the earth.

Al Kharusi spoke of the need for religious morality to combat contemporary problems such as aggressive atheism, excessive consumerism, and scientific developments that threaten natural human dignity.

He said religious leaders have a responsibility to God to care for all of humanity, regardless of their cultures or creeds, since all people share common experiences such as feelings. “We must cooperate and... bring together efforts in the name of peace, creation and development,” he said.

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S ATUR DAY, JUN E 13, 2 015 I promised myself that I will not pass a kilometre using anything other than my bicycle, and I will not accept any help during my travels Suleiman Al Maawali, Cyclist campaigner

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Cyclist’s odyssey for blood donation Proclaiming the message ‘Blood Donation Saves Lives’, Suleiman Al Maawali has travelled through different wilayats of Oman on a two-week journey covering 1,000 kms

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SOCIAL MISSION : Suleiman travelled through Al Mudhaibi, Mahut and Masirah Island and then passed through Jaalan, Sur via Ras Al Hadd, Biddiya, Al Qaba’el and Ibra, before ending his ride in Izki. -Supplied photos

MUSCAT: Suleiman Al Maawali, an Omani resident of Izki wilayat, has taken it upon himself to raise awareness about blood donation by riding his bicycle on a round trip from Izki to several parts of the Sultanate.

Wearing a shirt that proclaims ‘Blood Donation Saves Lives’,

he has travelled across different wilayats in Oman on a two-week journey before returning to Izki after covering 1,000 kilometres (kms) sending a humanitarian message on the importance of donating blood.

He covered about 80kms per

day, starting his bike ride after morning prayers every day till 9 a.m. and resuming again at 4 p.m. to avoid the heat.

“I promised myself that I will not pass a kilometre using anything other than my bicycle, and I will not accept any help

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continue donating blood,” said Al Maawali.

“I thank the local blood banks and hospitals for recognising the initiative but I do not deserve the praise. They are the ones who deserve it,” he added.

Suleiman travelled through Al

FA O M E E T I N G

Oman inks OMR68m pact for enhancing water facilities MAPUTO: Oman and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) on Thursday signed an istisna’a (contract), according to which IDB will provide a loan worth $176 million (around OMR68 million) to finance 86 per cent of the cost of a water supply project from Wadi Dhaiqah to Muscat and Quriyat.

The agreement was signed by Darwish bin Ismail bin Ali Al Balushi, minister responsible for financial affairs and governor of IDB, on behalf of the Sultanate’s government and Dr Ahmed Mohammed Ali, chairman of IDB Group.

The signing ceremony was held on the sidelines of the 40th meeting of the IDB Group that was held in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique. As per the agreement, the tenure of the loan is for 14 years, and it will be repaid in bi-annual instalments over 10 years with a four-year grace period.

during my travels,” said Suleiman.

Several hospitals and blood banks took received and welcomed Suleiman by recognising his initiative.

“I travelled a thousand kilometres just to raise awareness and call on the people to donate and

Mudhaibi, Mahut and Masirah Island before passing through Jaalan, Sur via Ras Al Hadd, Biddiya, Al Qaba’el and Ibra, before ending his ride in Izki. He carried only his essentials for the travel and did not resort to any assistance in terms of transportation.

Oman’s Ministry of Health has been urging people to help cultivate the culture of voluntary blood donations in society so that there would be an adequate supply of blood throughout the year.

In an interview to the Times of Oman last year, Dr Sabria Nasser Khalfan Al Hashami, director of the Department of Blood Services at the Ministry of Health, had said that the culture of voluntary donations is gradually increasing and ‘replacement donations’ have being phased out in the last few years.

The Department of Blood Services and regional blood banks has regular campaigns to raise awareness about voluntary donations.

According to her, the total amount of donations annually at the Muscat Ministry of Health, Department of Blood Services only) is approximately 25,084 units. Efforts such as the one by Suleiman Al Maawali will substantially contribute to the campaigns conducted by the Ministry of Health, she said.

The project, which is worth OMR79 million, will help in meeting the growing demand for water, especially in the Muscat Governorate and its wilayats. It will be adding about 32 million cubic metres per day.

The project, which is worth OMR79 million, will help in meeting the growing demand for water, especially in the Muscat Governorate and its wilayats. It will also enhance the potable water supply network, improve the production capacity of potable water by adding about 32 million cubic metres per day.

It will connect the wilayat of Quriyat, which includes Daghmar and Hail Al Ghaf villages, with the

water network and provide almost 7 million cubic metres per day of irrigation water to 325 hectares of agricultural land.

A long-term programme for water supply at lesser cost as compared to water desalination has been developed. The programme will control the deterioration in the quality of underground water from excessive use, seepage of seawater, and also control its effect on agricultural production.-ONA

Sajwani pitches for action to control desertification ROME: Oman has urged research on effective steps to check desertification and drought.

The appeal was made by Fuad bin Jaafar Al Sajwani, minister of agriculture and fisheries, who delivered the Sultanate’s speech at the 39th session in the Conference of the United Nations’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

The minister said that the agenda of the current session included a review of food and agriculture, the results of the regional conferences on policies, reports on global executive committees for fisheries, forestry, agriculture and the problems of goods, food security and genetic resources. Also on the agenda was the global partnership for soil and governance that requires a full-fledged discussion to achieve desired results.

He said that the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and the concerned authorities in the Sultanate are aware of the conservation programmes of genetic resources and developing them, and added that the Sultanate hosted the activities of the fifth session of the governing body of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agricul-

AGRICULTURE INITIATIVE: The FAO was urged to take swift action and harness scientific research to find effective solutions to address desertification and drought.–File photo

ture and the Ministerial Conference of the Near East and North Africa and Brazil, Indonesia, Italy, Norway and Spain during 2013, which strengthened their belief in the importance of genetic resources at the global level.

On the sidelines of the conference, which concludes on Saturday, Dr Al Sajwani met with Dr Jose da Silva, director general of the FAO. The meeting dealt with the bilateral co-operation between the Sultanate and the organisation, support of technical co-operation

programmes with the ministry, and reviewed the executive position of the strategy of Agriculture, 2040 that FAO is preparing, based on the co-operation agreement that was signed between the ministry and the FAO. They also discussed the problem of water scarcity in the Middle East and some countries of the world. The FAO was urged to take swift action and harness scientific research to find effective solutions to address desertification and drought. -ONA

SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 2015

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Government, public tackle Ashobaa fury As different parts of Oman received light to heavy rain following the tropical storm Ashobaa, Sultan Armed Forces, Royal Oman Police, Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulance and National Committee for Civil Defence personnel were involved in rescue operations in places like Sur and Masirah through Thursday and Friday -Photos by ONA, PACDA, Times of Oman readers and www.rthmc.com

FLOOD RELIEF

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Rain to continue, storm weakens

Rescue operations were jointly carried out by personnel from Army, PACDA, ROP and National Committee for Civil Defence.

A statement issued on Friday evening, by the Directorate General for Meteorology said that the latest satellite images show that the tropical depression is located near the coasts of the Governorate of South Al Sharqiyah and would probably start to weaken during the coming hours. The updates of the weather charts indicate the probability of continuation of heavy rainfall accompanied by active winds in the Governorate of Al Sharqiyah and Al Wusta. The indirect impact of the tropical condition will probably continue to cause heavy rains in the Gov-

ernorates of North Al Sharqiyah, Muscat, Al Dakhiliyah, Dhofar Governorate, Al Hajr mountains and the adjacent areas In its latest statement issued at 4 p.m. on Friday, the Public Authority for Civil Aviation also said that the current location of the tropical depression was near the Sharqiyah south coast with possibility of its gradual dissipation during the coming hours.

“The latest weather charts indicate the chance of continuous heavy rainfall associated with fresh winds during the next 24 hours. The indirect impact of the depression and isolated rain is expected to extend over the governorates of northern Sharqiyah, Dhakiliyah, Batinah, and Dhofar,

along with the areas of western Al Hajar Mountains,” said the forecast. “The sea will be rough to very rough along the South-eastern coastal areas with the maximum wave heights ranging between 3 to 5 metres and moderate along Oman’s other coastal areas with the maximum wave height of 2.5 metres,” added the forecast.

The forecast also said that in the next 24 hours, the winds along the coastal areas of the Sea of Oman will be light to moderate in the North-easterly direction.

Damage to power supply units had also led to disruption in many areas.

Police and civil defence officials have again urged fishermen and seafarers not to venture out

to sea, and asked motorists to take extra care while driving on slippery roads during the rain.

Meanwhile, ONA reported that on Thursday, light to moderate rain fell in the Wilayat of Jalan Bani Bu Hassan. The report also reported moderate to heavy rainfall with high waves in the villages of Quroon, Jidama, Al Akra, and Al Hadd, along with Jasheer, Qahid and Al Juwaira.

Jalan and its villages reported moderate to heavy rainfall with clouds accompanied by thunder and strong winds, resulting in the flooding of mountain passes, like the passes of Al Ghwaila, Al Hilya, and Al Litaq. Niyabat Al Ashkharah also reported moderate to heavy rainfall.

OMAN

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S ATUR DAY, JUN E 13, 2 015 The defendants were convicted on Thursday of forming an organisation in 2012-2013 that “used terrorism as a way to achieve its aims Bahraini prosecution

REGION NAT I O N AT WA R

Alleged coalition air strike destroys Yemen’s heritage site SANAA: UNESCO condemned the destruction on Friday of ancient houses described as a “jewel” of urban landscape in an alleged Saudi-led air strike on the Yemeni capital’s old quarter that killed five people.

The incident occurred before Yemen’s warring factions are to meet on Monday for UN-sponsored talks in Geneva in their first bid to break a deadlock after more than two months of Saudi-led air strikes.

A UN statement late on Friday said that the peace talks were postponed to Monday from Sunday as one delegation was arriving late.

The coalition led by Riyadh denied claims that it had carried out an air strike in Sanaa, suggesting instead that a rebel munitions cache may have exploded.

Residents of the quarter said a pre-dawn strike was the first direct hit there since the launch of the campaign against Houthi rebels in late March.

Missile A missile hit the Qassimi neighbourhood without exploding, but killed five residents, including a woman and a child, and destroyed three three-storey houses, medics and witnesses said.

“We saw the flashing light of the missile launched from a plane. We expected it to explode, but it did not... We felt the impact of the misSENTENCED

Bahrain jails 57 accused of plotting attacks DUBAI: A court in Bahrain has handed down sentences of up to life imprisonment to 57 people accused of plotting attacks against police and other targets, state media reported.

The defendants were convicted on Thursday of forming an organisation in 2012-2013 that “used terrorism as a way to achieve its aims,” the prosecution said in a statement carried by the official BNA news agency.

The high criminal court found that the group had smuggled weapons and explosives into the country and plotted attacks against police and vital infrastructure, as well as a foreign embassy, the prosecution said. Gulf Daily News said the targets included the Saudi embassy and the causeway linking Bahrain with neighbouring Saudi Arabia.

The court handed down five life sentences, 22 15-year terms, 29 10-year terms and one three-year term. Four defendants were acquitted. Only 33 of the defendants are in custody. The rest were tried in absentia.

General prosecutor Ahmed Al Hammadi said all those convicted except for one were also stripped of their citizenship.

A judicial source said that most of the defendants are from the village of Bani Jamra, near the capital Manama. — AFP

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DEVASTATED: Yemenis search for survivors under the rubble of houses in the UNESCO-listed heritage site in the old city of Sanaa, on Friday following an alleged overnight Saudi-led coalition air strike. – AFP

sile when it hit the ground,” said resident Ahmed Al Ameri.

Sanaa’s old city has been inhabited for more than 2,500 years and was a major centre for the propagation, boasting more than 100 mosques, 14 public baths and more than 6,000 houses built before the 11th century.

It was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1986.

UNESCO director general Irina Bokova said she was “profoundly distressed by the loss of human lives as well as by the damage inflicted on one of the world’s oldest jewels of Islamic urban landscape”.

She said she was “shocked by

the images of these magnificent many-storeyed tower-houses and serene gardens reduced to rubble.

“The historic value and memories enshrined in these sites have been irreparably damaged or destroyed.

“This destruction will only exacerbate the humanitarian situation and I reiterate my call to all parties

to respect and protect cultural heritage in Yemen,” she said.

Naji Saleh Thawaba, head of Yemen’s General Organisation for the Preservation of the Historic Cities of Yemen also condemned the attack.

“I never imagined that this site could one day become a target; even if there were enemy (positions) in the area, it should never be a target for air strikes,” he said.

The upper storeys of houses rising above ground floors constructed of stone are built of rammed earth and burnt brick, with each building decorated with geometric patterns of fired bricks and white gypsum, inspired by traditional art.

The spokesman for the coalition, Brigadier General Ahmed Al Assiri, said there was no raid on the site.

“For sure we did not conduct any operation inside (the) city,” Assiri said. “We know that those sites are very important.”

He said rebels may have been hiding weapons or ammunition in the area.

“Several days before they had an explosion in one of their storage”

areas, he said of the Houthi rebels.

“So it could be one of these.”

In Sanaa, there were conflicting statements from residents about whether rebels had occupied one of the houses.

The old city has already suffered some damage from air strikes on nearby targets, including the defence ministry, prompting a protest from UNESCO in May. Earlier this month, UNESCO also condemned air strikes that hit the ancient Great Dam of Marib, which was first built in the 8th century BC, in the city that was once the capital of the kingdom of Saba.

The UN body said the attack on the dam came a week after the national museum in Dhamar, in central Yemen, was “completely destroyed”.

In other developments on Friday, Assiri said rocket fire from Yemen killed at least one civilian at a mosque during prayers in a Saudi border community.

Saudi Arabia launched the air war on March 26, as the rebels and their allies among forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh advanced on President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi’s refuge in the southern city of Aden.

Hadi had fled the capital, which the rebels seized unopposed in September, and was rushed to safety in Saudi Arabia as the Houthis closed in on Aden. — AFP

Libyan militiamen kidnap 10 Tunisia consulate staff Seven shot dead at protest against IS militant group in Libyan city of Derna

TUNIS/BENGHAZI: Libyan militiamen kidnapped 10 staffers from Tunisia’s consulate in Tripoli on Friday after storming the mission, the government in Tunis said.

Also on Friday, Seven people were shot dead at a protest against IS militant group in the eastern Libyan city of Derna, residents said.

A foreign ministry statement denounced “the intrusion of an armed group in the offices of the Tunisian consulate in Tripoli and the detention of 10 staff of the mission.”

The government in Tunis said a crisis cell had been established in the wake of the kidnapping.

Security forces sealed off the area around the consulate, banning journalists from the site and barring them from taking pictures, a news correspondent said.

Authorities were unable to say

TARGET: An image taken from militant media outlet Wilayat Trablus and provided courtesy of the US-based monitoring agency SITE Intelligence Group on June 9 allegedly shows IS group militants running towards what they say is a power plant in the southern Libyan city of Sirte after IS claimed to have seized full control of the city from Fajr Libya militia. – AFP/HO/SITE Intelligence Group

where the kidnapped people had been taken.

“All government services are following developments with interest in coordination with Libyan, regional and international parties, to liberate without delay the Tunisian mission team and guarantee its safety,” the ministry

said. It criticised what it said was “flagrant violation of Tunisia’s international sovereignty and international and diplomatic norms”.

The ministry advised Tunisians in Libya to leave the country “if possible” and to avoid travelling there “unless absolutely necessary”.

Tunis did not say who had car-

ried out the kidnapping in Tripoli, which is controlled by the hardline-led Fajr Libya militia alliance.

Meanwhile in Derna, demonstrators, angered at the amount of foreign fighters coming in to join the IS militant group, started marching towards its main base in the coastal settlement when gun-

men opened fire into the crowd, several residents said.

About 30 people were wounded, they added.

Nine suspected IS militants were killed during separate clashes on Friday with other hardline groups, a source in one of those movements said. The fighting in Derna - a long-time gathering point for militants - first erupted on Tuesday after a leader in the hardline umbrella group Majlis Al Shura was killed. Majlis Al Shura responded by declaring war against IS militant group.

Libya has descended into chaos since a NATO-backed revolt unseated longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. It has rival governments and parliaments, and powerful militias are battling for influence and a share of its oil wealth.

Last month, a militia forming part of the coalition ruling Tripoli seized 245 Tunisians in the Libyan capital. All were later released unharmed. A Tunisian diplomat and an embassy employee were kidnapped last year before being released. And in January, the Libyan branch of the IS militant group claimed the killing of two Tunisian journalists who had gone missing in eastern Libya eight months earlier. — Agencies

R AT E O F P R O G R E S S

‘Very worrying’ slowdown in Iran nuclear talks, says Russia VIENNA: Russia’s negotiator said on Friday there has been a “very worrying” slowdown in progress in nuclear talks between Iran and six major powers ahead of a June 30 deadline to finalise a historic accord.

“The rate of progress... is progressively slowing down,” Sergei Ryabkov was quoted by Russia’s RIA Novosti as saying as he arrived for the latest round of talks in Vienna. “This is very worrying to us because there is very little time before the deadline and we urgently need to enter the final stage.”

In April, Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany agreed in Lausanne, Switzerland to the outlines of a deal aimed at ending the decade-old standoff over Iran’s nuclear programme.

According to this framework, due to be finalised by June 30, Iran will dramatically scale down its nuclear activities in order to render any dash to making nuclear weapons all but impossible.

In return Iran, which denies wanting nuclear weapons, will see painful sanctions lifted by the six powers -- the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and

DIFFICULT TALKS: Representatives of EU, US, Britain, France, Russia, Germany, China and Iran meet for another round of the P5+1 powers and Iran talks in Vienna, Austria on Friday. – AFP

Germany. On Thursday French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said that in particular the issue of tighter UN inspections of Iran’s remaining facilities after the mooted deal was not yet sewn up.

“The talks are supposed to wrap up on June 30. We have not yet

completed our negotiations,” Fabius, seen as something of a hawk in the talks, told French channel BFMTV and radio station RMC. “If we want to be sure that the accord is solid we need to be able to inspect the sites...

“We don’t yet have this certain-

ty. This is one of the points we are discussing,” he said.

“The agreement needs to be verifiable, solid, robust and right now we don’t have such a guarantee.”

Under the hoped-for deal the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency

(IAEA), would keep even closer tabs on Iran. Iran though is uneasy about this since it would potentially include the IAEA going to sites -- including military ones -- where it suspects undeclared nuclear activity might be taking place.

Other sticking points are thought to be the procedure for handling possible deal violations and an IAEA probe into allegations of past Iranian efforts to develop a nuclear weapon. The six powers have said they will only lift sanctions once Iran has taken certain steps and want to retain the ability to “snap back” sanctions if Tehran breaks the agreement.

The deal is also highly complex, comprising a main document of around 20 pages plus five “annexes” totalling an additional 40-50 pages, Iran’s lead negotiator Abbas Araghchi said last Saturday. “Each word of this instrument is being discussed and sometimes quarrelled on,” he said. “There are differences but work moves forward.”

On Wednesday a US official said that the final stretch would be “pretty tough”.

“You are all well familiar with the roller coaster ride of these negotiations and we all expected that

this will get more difficult,” the official told reporters.

Probe into spying Meanwhile on Thursday, it emerged that authorities in Switzerland and Austria — which have hosted most of the past 18 months of talks — were investigating possible spying on the negotiations.

This came after Russia-based security firm Kaspersky Lab said a malware dubbed Duqu, a sophisticated spy tool that was believed to have been eradicated in 2012, appeared to have been used to spy on the talks. The Swiss attorney general’s office said it launched a probe on May 6 and conducted a raid six days later, seizing computer equipment, due to “suspicion of illegal intelligence services operating in Switzerland”.

Israel, widely assumed to have nuclear weapons itself and which has major misgivings about the mooted deal, denied any involvement.

“We’ve taken steps throughout the negotiations to ensure that confidential details and discussions remain behind closed doors,” US State Department spokesman Jeff Rathke said. — AFP

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POLITICS

Former Odisha chief minister Giridhar Gamang joins BJP NEW DELHI: Former Odisha chief minister Giridhar Gamang met BJP president Amit Shah on Friday and announced that he was joining the party.

While the party leadership is reported to have accepted his joining, his formal joining will take place later in Bhubaneshwar.

The 72-year-old tribal leader from Odisha, who quit the Congress on May 30, said he decided to join the BJP as he liked its political strategy.

“I have decided to join the BJP, but I will join formally soon. It will be decided by the state unit soon. I had met the Amit Shah today and made my plea which has been accepted by the party leadership,” Gamang said after an hour-long meeting with Shah.

Asked why he was joining the BJP, he said, “I had many options but I decided to join a party where there was my acceptance.”

“BJP is a national party and now it has proved as an alternative to Congress. The way they are having their strategy in Indian democracy, I think this new concept of political strategy... I like it as it is not only to be in power but also to serve people,” he said.

Union Ministers Jual Oram, also a tribal leader from Odisha, and Dharmendra Pradhan, besides party’s secretary Arun Singh were also present during the meeting.

Terming Friday’s visit as a ‘courtesy call’ to the BJP chief, Pradhan said Gamang is a seasoned politician from Odisha, who has considerable hold and respect among tribals,poor and backward classes and will benefit BJP. “Congress is a bankrupt party and everyone is leaving it. The party will benefit in a big way in Odisha by Gamang’s joining,” he said.

He said what has been decided today is that Gamang will formally join the BJP in Bhubaneshwar in the presence and leadership of Union Minister Jual Oram.

INDIA Factory output cheer amid monsoon gloom The output data comes days after GDP data showed India outpaced China by growing 7.5 per cent in the March quarter

BJP is a national party and now it has proved as an alternative to Congress. The way they are having their strategy in Indian democracy, I think this new concept of political strategy... I like it as it is not only to be in power but also to serve people Giridhar Gamang Former Odisha chief minister

The attempt is part of BJP’s plan to strengthen its tribal base in Odisha and take on the BJD in the next Assembly elections slated in June 2019. - PTI

NEW DELHI: India’s industrial production output grew more than expected in April, reaching a two-month high, and retail inflation edged up in May, easing concern over an economy facing the worst drought since 2009.

Output at factories, mines and utilities grew at an annual rate of 4.1 per cent in April, the fastest pace since February.

That was higher than March’s 2.5 per cent growth and the 1.6 per cent economists forecast in a Reuters poll.

Consumer inflation in May rose to 5.01 percent from 4.87 per cent in the previous month on higher energy costs.

Economists polled by Reuters had expected retail prices to rise 5 per cent year-on-year.

The output data comes days after GDP data showed India outpaced China by growing 7.5 per cent in the March quarter. It supports the government’s view that the world’s fastest-growing major economy is gathering steam.

“We consider the economy is recovering,” Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said hours before the release of Friday’s data.

“We are on a roadmap for a much higher growth.”

The World Bank predicted on Thursday that India would be the fastest-growing major economy this year, expanding at a rate of

SOME GOOD NEWS: Shopkeepers wait for customers at a roadside fruits shop in Mumbai on Friday.

India’s industrial output and inflation quickened, official data showed on Friday, suggesting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reforms were helping revive economic activity. - AFP

7.5 per cent, up from the previous forecast of 6.4 per cent.

The jump in output growth was primarily led by a pick-up in capital goods production and a rebound in consumer goods output.

Consumer goods, a proxy for consumer demand, grew an annual rate of 3.1 per cent in April compared with a 0.4 decline a month ago.

Capital goods production, a gauge of investment activity, jumped 11.1 per cent year-on-year, faster than a 8.6 per cent growth in March.

“What we see is over the last three months, the seasonally adjusted growth in industrial production indicates a significant pick-up in economic activity,” said R. Sivakumar, head of fixed income at Axis asset management.

“That is consistent with other

UNIQUE ART

Nek Chand, creator of Chandigarh’s famed Rock Garden, is dead at 90 CHANDIGARH: Nek Chand, creator of the iconic Rock Garden who has amazed people for decades with his unique sculptures made from waste, died on Friday at a hospital here following cardiac arrest.

The 90-year-old architectural autodidact had been ailing and was admitted to a private hospital here for the past few days.

He was shifted to PGIMER on Thursday evening where he died shortly past midnight after suffering cardiac arrest, officials said.

The Chandigarh Union Territory administration has declared a holiday in its offices on Friday.

“We have declared a holiday in view of Nek Chandji’s demise. His body will be kept in the Rock Garden tomorrow to enable people to pay their last respects.

“The family is waiting for his daughter to return from abroad.

The cremation will take place tomorrow evening,” Chandigarh’s Additional Home Secretary S. B. Deepak Kumar said.

The Padma Shri awardee, whose 90th birthday was celebrated by the Chandigarh Administration and the City residents on December 15 last year, had millions of fans across the globe.

Working as a roads inspector of the Public Works Department in Punjab from 1951, Nek Chand had quietly built his magical kingdom

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VISIONARY: Nek Chand, creator of iconic Rock Garden passed away at PGI in Chandigarh on Friday. - PTI file photo

clearing a little forest patch near the famous Sukhna lake here to create a small garden.

Mosaic sculptures Waste like broken crockery, electrical fittings, glass bangles, bathroom tiles, wash basins and bicycle frames were used to make mosaic sculptures of men, women, animals and deities.

The iconic Rock Garden, inaugurated in 1976, is now spread over an area of forty acres and more than 250,000 people from India and abroad visit it every year with the annual revenue generated from ticket sales around Rs 18 million. Nek Chand’s unique art has also been showcased in

museums abroad, including at the National Children’s Museum in Washington. Forty of Nek Chand’s figurative mosaic sculptures will reportedly be on exhibition at historic Chichester in West Sussex in Britain.

Nek Chand’s son Anuj Saini, who helped him in maintaining the Rock Garden, was by his side when he passed away at PostGraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research.

Born at Shakargarh, now in Pakistan, Nek Chand and his family settled in Punjab after partition.

In his spare time, Nek Chand, who was working at that time as government roads inspector, began collecting materials from demolition sites around the city.

He recycled these materials into his own vision, toiling away secretly in the dead of the night riding on bicycle to the jungle for close to two decades to create the marvel. But the artist initially had a tough time to save his creation.

When it was first discovered in 1975, the authorities threatened it with demolition, claiming it had violated strict planning laws that protected Le Corbusier’s ‘City Beautiful’, where everything had to be a part of the master plan.

According to the Chand’s Foundation, many politicians had then demanded Rock Garden’s destruction as an illegal develop-

ment. Others, following public opinion, ensured that the Rock Garden became a well funded public park.

Nek Chand was relieved of his duties and given a salary to continue with the expansion of the Rock Garden with the title ‘Creator-Director’.

In addition, the city authorities funded a force of labourers to help install all his sculptures in the mosaic courtyards.

In 1997, the Nek Chand Foundation, a registered charity, was formed with the aim of supporting the artist’s work and raising awareness about the garden world-wide. Nek Chand’s ninetieth birthday in December 2014 was celebrated with great enthusiasm by the people and Chandigarh Administration.

To mark the occasion, crowds had gathered at the Rock Garden for organised festivities at which Nek Chand was greeted by wellwishers and he had cut a big cake specially made for the occasion.

For the past more than 15 years, international volunteer groups had been visiting and working at the Rock Garden, completing a wide variety of tasks including large-scale mosaic work, as well as forming important connections with Rock Garden staff and visitors. The garden is maintained by the Nek Chand Foundation. - PTI

indicators which show that there is a some pick-up in growth.”

Monsoon worries But policymakers are worried about the prospect of a second straight year of drought for the first time in nearly three decades after the country’s weather office forecast below- average rains this summer.

Monsoon rains in June-September are vital for half of India’s farmland that lacks irrigation.

Some economists say a dry spell could reduce headline growth to as low as seven per cent in the fiscal year 2015/16 from 7.3 per cent last year.

That would fall short of the government’s 8.1-8.5 per cent estimate. New Delhi hopes higher public spending on roads, railways and ports this year will shield the

economy from the impact of subpar rains.

But less rain could push up food prices, straining household budgets and crimping non-food spending.

It would also make it tougher for the Reserve Bank of India to cut lending rates further to juice up growth.

New Delhi says it has enough grain stockpiled to contain any food price shock.

As a pre-emptive measure, it has extended duty concessions on lentil imports and is ready to provide high-yielding seeds for replanting of crops.

“On inflation side, likely insufficient monsoon remains an issue,” said Sujan Hajra, chief economist at Anand Rathi. “We don’t expect any (interest) rate cuts for the current year at least.” - Reuters

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S ATUR DAY, JUN E 13, 2 015

INDIA FA K E D E G R E E C A S E

16 ELECTROCUTED IN BUS ACCIDENT IN RAJASTHAN An injured being taken to the Swai Mansing hopsital in Jaipur, after members of a marriage party were electrocuted after the bus they were travelling in came in contact with a live wire in Rajasthan’s Tonk district on Friday. At least 16 passengers died and 27 others were injured after the bus hit a high-voltage power line, police said. - PTI

Tomar passing law exam confirmed MUNGER/BHAGALPUR: Jitendra Singh Tomar, who quit as Delhi Law Minister after being arrested on charges of furnishing false degrees, was on Friday confirmed to have passed the law examination in 1998-99 from a college in Bihar.

Officials present during the questioning of Tomar, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader who was brought from Delhi by police at Biswanath Law College in Munger, said on condition of anonymity that college registers revealed that the former minister had enrolled in it under roll number 10136 in 1994-95 session.

It was also found that Tomar had appeared for the law examination in 1994-95 and 1995-96 sessions but did not appear in 1996-97 as he had failed.

Later, he appeared again in 1998-99 and got the degree, the officials said. Tomar was questioned

‘CPI(M) to protest against Modi government’s policies’ Yechury said that in the last parliament

Farmers should be made participants in any project or industry set up on their land

session some 50 laws were constituted without being presented to the standing committee

Sitaram Yechury

which is dangerous

CPI(M) general secretary

for the country

CHANDIGARH: CPI(M) on Friday announced that the party will launch a countrywide ‘Jan Andolan’ from August to March next year where party activists will take to the streets to protest against Modi-led government’s policies.

“From August this year to March 23, 2016 the CPI(M) will observe

the birth centenary of late Left leader Harkishen Singh Surjeet and under this, the party activists will hold a Jan Andolan in the form of several kind of programmes across the country,” party General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said here.

“Modi government is blindly following the policies adopted by USA,” he alleged.

He said that in the last parlia-

ment session some 50 laws were constituted without being presented to the standing committee which is dangerous for the country.

Amendments Talking about the controversial Land Acquisition Act, Yechury said that the Left failed to understand why the same BJP, which supported the Act in 2013 along

with Congress, is bent upon bringing amendments to it.

The CPI(M) stand is clear on land acquisition that if the land of a farmer is taken away from him, the peasant should get one part of the value of land which will be in the next 20 years following acquisition, he said.

“Farmers should be made participants in any project or industry set up on their land,” he said.

Hitting out at Modi, he said that the Land Acquisition Act was made for “industrialists.”

Citing an example of Yamuna expressway between Delhi and Agra, he said that the one km of land on both sides of the expressway was acquired in the garb of setting a industrial corridor.

“But there is no industry along the expressway...only developers are building flats,” the leader said.

He said that of the total land acquired by the government in the past five years for setting up of Special Economic Zone, no work had been started on 52 per cent of it.

“Land is going in the hands of developers and farmers are being looted,” he said.

“If the amendments made in the Land Act brought by Modi government is passed, then some one km of land on both sides of National highways, state highways and railway lines will be acquired which will be more than 39 per cent of total cultivable land,” he said.

The CPI(M) leader said that the government is passing the law when agriculture crisis already existed in the country.

“After the formation of Modi government, the suicide rate by debt ridden farmers had gone up by 26 per cent,” he said.

He said that the BJP led NDA had miserably failed to implement the promises in its election manifesto to provide farmers MSP at 50 per cent more than the cost of production.

“Even the state governments have stopped giving bonus to farmers following the directive of the centre,” he said.

Taking a jibe at Modi’s foreign visits, he said, “MEA is in the country and the PM is found in foreign.”

He said that the Left parties will work together for the betterment of the country. -PTI

for over three hours in Principal R.K. Mishra’s room in his presence, the officials said. Some AAP workers assembled at the college gate and raised slogans against BJP for ‘targeting’ their party.

‘Not correct’ address However, the local address given

by Tomar during registration in the college was found to be ‘not correct’, the officials said.

Tomar had given his local address as Agrahan village but the villagers did not confirm that he stayed there during the period.

A Delhi Police team, led by Assistant Commissioner of Police S P Tyagi, then took him to Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University under which the college is affiliated.

Meanwhile, the former Delhi law minister faced the ire of student activists of AISA, Rashtriya Lok Samata Party and LJP who threw tomatoes and eggs at him. -PTI C M C A N D I D AT E

Shatrughan for a BJP face in Bihar polls PATNA: Actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha on Friday said it would be better if BJP goes to Bihar elections with a Chief Ministerial candidate to take on Nitish Kumar who is named by Secular Alliance as its nominee.

“It will be better if BJP Parliamentary board names a general who would lead the troop in the battle (Bihar poll),” Sinha, BJP Lok Sabha member from Patna Saheb, said. Sinha, who has been BJP star campaigner for long, however, made it clear he was not in the race.

“I have no demand, no command and no wish,” Sinha said.

“I feel sad when people asks if BJP is in ‘catch 22’ situation on CM candidate issue as it could not name a person out of fear that many others would get angry and has no answer to rivals call to name a person who would take on Nitish Kumar in the coming state poll,” BJP MP from Patna Sahib said.

“Going under a captain who has good image, mass leader and vote catching ability in the elections is definitely advantageous,” he said. - PTI

AMBITIOUS SCHEME

India’s push to offer banking for all stumbles on empty accounts MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: More than half of a record 160 million accounts opened in India as part of a drive to offer banking to all are still empty, illustrating the massive task ahead for one of the government’s most high-profile campaigns and the strain on banks.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scheme last August to end “financial untouchability”, an ambitious project to enable tens of millions to have access to a bank.

The scheme offers free insurance and even an overdraft facility and aims to eventually help deliver all subsidies and other social benefits to the poor directly.

But while millions signed up — the volume of accounts made a Guinness World Record and Modi hit his target — 53 per cent of these accounts have never been used as of June 3, records show.

Activating these accounts will be the biggest test yet for Modi’s banking drive: a push the government hopes will curb the use of cash, limit corruption and rein in

the informal economy.

“It’s always been a challenge, particularly in the rural areas where the population is not literate. They are scared actually to go to the bank,” said Ram Sangapure, an executive director at number four state-run lender Punjab National Bank.

Targeted Lambodar Mishra, 37, who runs a small grocery shop in the eastern state of Odisha, was one of many villagers the government targeted.

He and his two young sons opened accounts last year but have never gone back to the bank 5km away from their village.

“Why do I need a bank? Whatever I earn, I put in my business, I buy things to sell in my shop. I don’t earn a lot.”

Many in rural India have been left behind by modernisation.

World Bank figures show a majority of people in India live on less than $2 a day.

Low rates of literacy have also

TAKING STOCK: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Governor of Uttar Pradesh Ram Naik before a meeting in New Delhi Friday. - PTI

deepened suspicion of paperwork and plastic and popularised cash.

Industry experts say payment mechanisms could be improved while the government could provide more subsidies directly — a process which could take several years to complete — to encourage the use of bank accounts.

State-run banks dominate India’s banking landscape and have driven the government’s inclusion campaign.

But they are struggling with bad debt and slow lending growth, and getting Indians to use the new accounts will make the difference between a long-term cost and a

long-term opportunity.

“These accounts which today we think are a liability and an expense to the bank, maybe down the line, in a year or so, these accounts will start yielding some returns,” Sangapure said.

Bankers and industry experts estimate the cost of opening and maintaining a bank account at between Rs200 and 250 ($3-$4), which means the annual cost of the empty accounts for Indian banks could add up to some 21 billion rupees ($328.3 million).

That is excluding the lost opportunity had cash been in the account — deposits are a key source of funding for Indian banks, which pay roughly 4 per cent interest on savings but lend that money at rates of 10 per cent and higher.

The financial inclusion campaign has seen progress.

Fallow accounts made up 77 per cent of the total last September, a month after Modi launched the scheme. That has dropped to just over half. But some say banks

sorely need more direct transfer of subsidies, as well as banking products catering for the needs of the urban and rural poor, to get more people to use their accounts.

“With the full scale launch of direct benefit transfer to these accounts, we understand the usage of account would improve substantially,” said Vikaas Goel, who works on financial inclusion at remittance provider FINO PayTech.

Indian federal and provincial governments subsidise a variety of commodities and services at an annual cost of nearly $59 billion, or about 3 per cent of the nation’s GDP. Subsidies that started flowing into the accounts this year have helped lower the number of fallow accounts.

The government plans to transfer all subsidies including food, fertiliser and kerosene, potentially taking direct payments to more than $60 billion. In comparison, money in active accounts run under the scheme totalled about $2.8 billion as of June 3. - Reuters

SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 2015

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PAKISTAN ESPIONAGE CHARGE

WFP TO SPEND $535 MILLION IN DISASTER-PRONE AREAS A girl yells while riding a swing with her sibling along a street in Karachi, on Friday. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) will be providing $535 million in assistance to eight million people in the disaster-prone areas of Pakistan, Radio Pakistan reported. - Reuters

Pakistan clamps down on aid groups ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will tighten oversight of aid groups and activists “working without any rules”, its interior minister said on Friday, as officials gave Save the Children 15 days to leave the country.

Police locked the gate of Save the Children’s office in Islamabad late on Thursday and posted a notice saying the building was sealed.

Pakistan has toughened its stance against local and international NGOs in recent years, accusing them of using their work as a cover for espionage.

“International NGOs were working without any rules, regulations, agenda and law in Pakistan.

For several years intelligence reports were being received but no action was taken,” Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said.

Foreign aid In Washington, the US State Department issued a rare rebuke to Pakistan for its stance on humanitarian groups and suggested it was making it harder to channel foreign aid to the country. -Reuters

M I L I TA N C Y

Bomb kills two at Pakistan-Afghan border crossing PESHAWAR: A bomb in a pushcart killed at least two people and wounded five others on Friday at the main border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan, officials said.

The blast came at the Torkham crossing, the main frontier post in Pakistan’s restive northwest.

The bomb was apparently hidden in a pushcart used by travellers to ferry goods across the frontier.

“The bomb killed one person on the spot and another died of his injuries while on his way to hospital,” senior local administration official Daftar Khan said, updating the earlier toll of one killed and six wounded.

Khan said one of the five injured was in a serious condition and doctors were struggling to save his life. He added both of

the dead were Afghan nationals, whose bodies were later handed over to Afghan authorities at the border crossing.

Torkham lies in Khyber region, one of the seven semi-autonomous tribal districts where the military has been battling Taliban and Al-Qaeda-linked militants for over a decade.

The border crossing has been used extensively by NATO supply convoys transporting goods overland from Pakistan’s main port Karachi to forces in Afghanistan.

The Pakistan army began a major campaign against Taliban and other militant strongholds in the North Waziristan tribal area in June last year and authorities have now vowed to intensify operations both in the border regions and across the country. - AFP

HEALING TOUCH: A Pakistani paramedic treats an injured security personnel at a hospital after a bomb blast in the border town of Torkham on Friday. - AFP

‘20,000 papers related to 2013 polls missing’ Absence of 20,000 Form 15s implied

This is part of the official record and I am telling you the figures presented to the judicial commission

25 million ballots were unaccounted for, said Imran Khan, chairman of PTI

ISLAMABAD: Illustrating his argument that the 2013 polls were ‘systematically rigged’, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan has said 20,000 Form 15s, which contain details of use of ballot papers, were missing from record obtained from 56,000 polling stations out of the total 70,000 across the country.

“6,870 polling bags were already open and their seal was broken,” said Imran, while addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Friday evening.

He said the absence of 20,000 Form 15s implied 25 million ballots were unaccounted for.

“This is part of the official record and I am telling you the figures presented to the judicial commission,” said Imran.

Explaining his earlier stance that a number of constituencies were provided with extra ballots, the PTI chairman said there were

Imran Khan Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman

about 149 constituencies which were ‘favoured’ in this regard.

These include, he said, constituencies of mostly Pakistan Muslim League candidates including Saad Rafiq, Hamza Shahbaz, Captain (retd) Safdar and Khurram Dastageer, among others.

Authenticity of polls “There were only six constituencies in which PTI candidates were provided extra ballot papers.”

He said other than Form 15, other ways to confirm the authenticity of polls was to verify thumb prints but Nadra chairman said they did not have the relevant machine to do so.

“Even the RMS system provided by the UNDP to scan the results stopped working after the speech by Nawaz Sharif,” said the PTI chief. Imran said rigging took place, which was also acknowledged by all party leaders but the question is to what extent, and that is what the poll inquiry commission has to decide.

“It should be clear now which party got the benefit [from missing Form 15s, closure of RMS system, etc.” He said the commission had to decide and his party would not influence its decision.

According to a summary of reports submitted by the returning officers to a three-judge commis-

sion on Thursday, of the 62,990 polling stations in 241 National Assembly constituencies, Form15, are missing from vote bags of 20,672 polling stations that were opened for an inquiry into allegations of widespread rigging in the 2013 general elections.

The reports also claimed that 6,802 polling bags were already opened and that 687 vote bags were missing altogether.

Of the 39,000 polling stations for 287 Punjab Assembly constituencies, Form-15 are missing from 12,000 polling stations, while 4,655 vote bags were opened and 461 are missing.

Reacting to PTI chairman’s press conference, Information Minister Pervez Rashid claimed Imran was involved in the disappearance of 44 per cent of Form 15s.

“If the PML-N has had a hand in the absence of forms, PTI is responsible for double the number,” he said, while addressing the media in Islamabad.

Accused Rashid accused Imran of resorting to lies and false claims over Form 15, saying the 2013 general were transparent and justified.

He questioned Imran on why has not approached the courts or the judicial commission to prove his allegations.

“Imran should answer why elections in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa were violence-and protest-marred and resulted in the deaths of 20 people.” - Express Tribune

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Court shows sensible gun regulation is allowable in US

C

onservative majorities in legislatures in the Southern and Western US have aggressively expanded gun rights in recent years. But there is one venue where the conservative majority has proved surprisingly reluctant to join this movement: the U.S. Supreme Court.

In 2008, the court’s five conservatives issued the landmark 5-4 decision in Heller vs. District of Columbia, which held that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to bear arms. Gun-rights proponents have been pushing both to clarify and expand that ruling ever since. While the gun-rights movement’s legislative success in conservative states has been extraordinary, its record in the courts has been mixed. In 2014, the Supreme Court opted not to weigh in on a New Jersey law requiring residents to show a “justifiable need” to carry a handgun in public.

Now it has sidestepped a dispute over a San Francisco law that places limits on handguns inside the house.

The city’s police code requires handguns at home to be stored in a locked container or disabled with a trigger lock when not carried on the person. The Supreme Court let stand a ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that said the 2007 law did not significantly impinge on gun owners’ Second Amendment rights.

While plaintiffs, including the National Rifle Association, argued that the San Francisco law was similar to the Washington law the court struck down seven years ago, the city countered that its ordinance “allows citizens to carry loaded and unlocked handguns on their person at any time, including in a holster.”

That appears to have been enough of a distinction to carry the day -- or at least avoid dealing with the issue for another day. The publicpolicy rationale is clear: If guns are required to be stored, locked or carried, then they will remain out of reach of children or senile elders.

Justice Clarence Thomas disagreed with the court’s decision not to hear the case, writing that the lower court’s ruling was “in serious tension” with Heller. Yet in that decision, Thomas’s conservative colleague Antonin Scalia wrote: “Like most rights, the right secured by the Second Amendment is not unlimited.” The court’s refusal to hear the appeal of the San Francisco law is, however, in serious tension with the gun-rights movement and its proposition that the Second Amendment trumps all other rights and considerations. Until the court says otherwise, states, counties and cities can maintain reasonable restrictions on guns. At the same time, states with maximalist gun laws will offer striking counterexamples. The politics -- and law

MONETARY POLITICS

Chimera of currency manipulation JEFFREY FRANKEL

Aggressive banking levy in UK

P

assions are easily aroused by banks and bankers, sometimes to the detriment of good policy and the best interests of taxpayers.

HSBC’s announcement of 8,000 job cuts in the UK and threat to redomicile itself in Hong Kong if the government doesn’t do what it says is a particularly enraging piece of arrogance.

It wants the Chancellor to ease the bank levy and water down plans to separate investment (so-called “casino”) banking from the high street business. It’s like blackmail. This, after all, is an institution that has been propped up by the UK taxpayer through the various injections of “liquidity”; it has admitted various incidents of aggressive tax avoidance, if not evasion; has had its share of PPI mis-selling claims; and has been accused of money laundering. HSBC is hardly the only bank to have gone awry. We should also concede that it did not perform so disastrously that it had to be nationalised. Still, it does win this week’s prize for cheek.

The Chancellor is likely to give some ground in his Mansion House speech. He stated in March that the bank levy, which is expected to raise more than £3 billion next year, will remain part of Britain’s tax system. But Standard Chartered may join HSBC in upping sticks, and the Chancellor has since signalled in recent days that there may be a review on the levy. How far can he bend? There is some wiggle room.

He could, for example, gear the levy to the banks’ UK rather than international assets. But what George Osborne, the Treasury, and the Labour front bench for that matter, need to do first of all is to ask this cold, empirical question: is the current regime of levies, taxation and regulation serving the best interests of the British economy and taxpayers? If it redomiciled to Hong Kong we might say good riddance, but we would lose jobs, tax revenue and some of the City and Canary Wharf’s infrastructure, a world-class financial centre that has created wealth – as well as destroying it on a prodigious scale during the financial crisis. — The Independent

China not to support Suu Kyi’s movement for now

African free trade pact is a Western ruse for conflicts

This refers to Myanmar opposition leader and democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi’s visit to China on Wednesday. For the past many years Beijing had been supporting that country’s ruling military juntas. This change of heart is likely to have from the current Myanmar ruler Thein Sein’s outreach to US and the other Western countries. On the other hand, Beijing has a very pragmatic approach and will see Suu Kyi’s chances of ever forming a government and only then bring her movement under its policy umbrella. That is unlikely to happen in the near future; so most likely, for now, China will keep its options open.

Javed Aslam Al Khuwair

This refers to the report of the signing of the African free trade pact in Egypt’s Sharm El Sheik.

This is indeed a positive development for the impoverished continent. However, the fact that only 26 countries out of total 54 are in agreement, highlights the fact that not all countries are on the plane. With the continent under pressure from the Western powers meddling in West and North Africa such a scenario is bound to be used for its age-old policy of divide and rule. I am immensely concerned as these powers are likely to create conditions due to which unnecessary conflicts erupt to force an arms race to power their economies Nirma Sharma Wadi Adai

If the US were to insist that ‘strong and enforceable currency disciplines’ be part of trade agreements, no deals would be concluded. Other countries would refuse – and they would be right. Linking efforts to prevent currency manipulation to trade agreements has always been a bad idea, and it still is

U

S President Barack Obama is still pressing to obtain Trade Promotion Authority and use it to conclude negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the European Union. But many in the US Congress insist that provisions must be added to the agreements to prevent currency manipulation.

Let’s be clear: If the US were to insist that “strong and enforceable currency disciplines” be part of trade agreements, no deals would be concluded. Other countries would refuse – and they would be right.

Linking efforts to prevent currency manipulation to trade agreements has always been a bad idea, and it still is. True, there are times when particular countries’ currencies can be judged to be undervalued or overvalued, and there are times when their trading partners have a legitimate interest in raising the issue.

But even when currency misalignment is relatively clear, trade agreements are not the right way to address it. More suitable venues for resolving exchangerate issues include the International Monetary Fund, the G-20, the G-7, and bilateral negotiations.

For example the undervalued renminbi was successfully addressed in bilateral China-US discussions from 2004 to 2011. China allowed the currency to appreciate 35 per cent over time. Today it is well within a normal range.

But the fact remains that it is mostly impossible to tell whether a currency is overvalued or undervalued.

Manipulation is not like the existence of a tariff or quota that can be verified by independent observers.

A necessary condition for concluding that a country is manipulating its currency is that its authorities are intervening in the foreign-exchange market. The People’s Bank of China, for example, bought a record quantity of dollars from 2004 to 2014, thereby preventing the renminbi’s exchange rate from appreciating as fast as it otherwise would have done. But the Chinese are not doing that anymore.

If anything, they have been selling dollars over the last year, keeping the renminbi’s value higher than it would otherwise be.

Moreover, there are often legitimate reasons for intervening in foreign-exchange markets. For example, under the Plaza Accord, the US joined with Japan, Germany, and other G-7 countries in 1985 to intervene cooperatively to weaken the dollar.

Indeed, a majority of countries pursue either fixed exchange rates, exchange-rate targets, or managed floating, all of which by definition entail buying and selling foreign exchange to moderate or eliminate exchange-rate fluctuations.

China is not a party to the TPP, but Japan is, and many congressional critics cite it as the target of

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We do not remember days, we remember moments CESARE PAVESE

their insistence that provisions to prevent currency manipulation be included in the deal. The yen has depreciated sharply over the last year, and some US economic interests, particularly the auto industry, accuse Japan of manipulation to keep the currency undervalued. But the last time the Bank of Japan intervened in the foreign exchange market was in 2011.

In 2013, Japan joined other G-7 countries in agreeing to a proposal by the US Treasury to refrain from foreign-exchange intervention.

The euro, too, has depreciated significantly against the dollar over the last year, and some US trade critics want provisions to prevent currency manipulation added to the TTIP. But the European Central Bank has not intervened in the foreign-exchange market since 2000 – and that was to support the euro, not weaken it.

Critics who accuse Japan and other countries of currency manipulation presumably know that they have not been intervening in the foreign-exchange market in recent years. They generally point instead to recent monetary loosening. The predictable side effect of quantitative easing (QE) – that is, the purchase of domestic bonds – by the BOJ and the ECB has been the depreciation of the yen and the euro.

But central banks can hardly be enjoined from easing monetary policy when domestic economic conditions warrant it, as has obviously been the case in Japan and Europe (and in the US when the Federal Reserve embraced QE).

If monetary expansion does not merit the charge of currency manipulation, still less do other sorts of economic policies. Some have argued that even though the PBOC has stopped buying US and other foreign assets, China’s sovereign wealth funds still do, and that this, too, counts as manipulation.

But it is perfectly sensible and legitimate for China to put some of its savings abroad. (The US would become worried if China and other countries did not want to buy its assets.) Every country makes policy decisions of many sorts every week, many of which can be expected to have an indirect effect on the exchange rate in one direction or the other.

The mere fact that a particular policy might weaken the currency does not make that country a manipulator. Finally, provisions that target other central banks could also be applied against the US. This would not be a case of misusing a tool (a frequent occurrence in trade policy when interest groups lobby for protection against foreign competition); rather, it would be a case of using the tool in precisely the intended way.

This is worth bearing in mind, given that the Fed’s adoption of QE in 2008 (which it continued to pursue until last year) had the effect of weakening the dollar from 2009 to 2011, prompting the same accusations of “beggar thy neighbour policies” against the US that congressmen now level against others. — Project Syndicate

Death penalty should only be used for terror convicts

No need to tarnish Blatter’s services for football

This refers to the ongoing executions in Pakistan. It was deeply saddening to see ‘teen’ killer Aftab Bahadur Masih sent to the gallows on Wednesday. Likewise, the rejection of Shafqat Hussain’s mercy petition was equally disheartening. The hangings were supposedly allowed after the deadly Peshawar school attack in December last year to bring justice to terrorists.

The scenario shows Islamabad is abusing the law by enforcing death penalty for non-terror convicts. Such a law should only be enforced if all other forms of punishments are rendered useless. Presently, it should only be used for extremists.

Asad Khan Muscat

This refers to Fifa suspending bidding for the 2026 World Cup. This is extremely worrying as the US has no justification to launch a witch hunt of the football body’s officials. All that is being done in the name of justice is just to malign outgoing Fifa boss Sepp Blatter. Rather than targeting him, the Americans should think about the services he has rendered for the game.

His policies of development of the game in Africa and Asia are commendable. Such achievements should not be tarnished by frivolous campaigns by Washington to politicise the most popular game across the world.

Tim Abbott Salalah

Letters, 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), by fax (24813153) or by e-mail (times@omantel.net.om)

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WORLD FA I LU R E T O S E T D AT E

FOR SAFER ROADS A woman takes a photograph of her children as they sit in a vintage car displayed during an exhibition in Rouiba, on the outskirt of Algiers, Algeria, on Friday. The local Algerian association ‘Nass Al Kheir’ organised a vintage car exhibition in Algiers to raise awareness of road accident prevention. Association president Samir Kafia Said said that the show was aimed at teaching people about keeping to speeds under 100. According to the Directorate-General for National Security, Algeria is among the top 10 nations in the number of car accident fatalities with 40,00 deaths per year. — Reuters

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Donors end funding for Afghanistan’s parliamentary polls KABUL: Afghanistan’s failure to set a date for postponed parliamentary elections or act on promised reforms has prompted foreign aid donors to cut short a multi-million-dollar project to fund electoral bodies, diplomats have told Reuters.

The country is headed for another political crisis after last year’s fraught presidential vote because the parliament’s five-year mandate expires on June 22 and elections scheduled for April have been delayed. The decision to end the United Nations Development Programme-run project before it runs out in December shows a new readiness by donors to cut money to projects that are falling short. Afghanistan has received billions of dollars in assistance since the Taliban were ousted by a US-led invasion in 2001.

“Donors and UNDP decided the best course of action would be to wind down ELECT II,” a Western diplomat told Reuters, adding that the lack of progress on reforms prompted the decision.

“In the hiatus, the international community can’t really justify that level of assistance.” Around

New York jail escape among decade’s boldest breakouts Prison break of two inmates who squeezed through underground pipes last weekend was among a handful of recent daring escapes

by US convicts

NEW YORK: The upstate New York prison break of two inmates who squeezed through underground pipes last weekend was among a handful of recent daring escapes by US convicts whom experts describe as ingenious and willing to risk it all to flee a life behind bars.

Escape schemes as cunning as slipping out of prison in a mail sack or using a can opener to cut through the ceiling of a jail house kitchen have been employed in the past decade.

Escapees have got “imagination, they’re creative, they’re intelligent and they’re willing to risk their lives”, said Charles Ewing, a law professor at University at Buffalo who specializes in forensic psychology and violent behaviour.

Blamed Jeff Hall, a history professor at Queensborough Community College who has studied prisons blamed cutbacks in education programmes aimed at rehabilitating prisoners, such as those offering high school and college degrees, for creating a void in which escapes serve as one of the only mental challenges.

“Opportunities for wild imaginings becoming reality are greater now that prisoners’ minds are effectively being wasted and their

THE SITE: Police work a roadblock at the Clinton Correctional Facility on Thursday in Dannemora, New York. Law enforcement continue their search for two prisoners who escaped the maximum security section of the prison nearly a week ago. – AFP

potential abilities and gifts are being squandered,” Hall said.

Authorities for a seventh day on Friday are searching for convicted killers Richard Matt, 48, and David Sweat, 34, who were discovered missing from Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, New York, about 5:30am on June 6. They had busted through metal walls, crawled through pipes and popped out a manhole on the street. On their way out, they left a taunting note, “Have a nice day!”

Similarly audacious was a December 2007 escape by two prisoners from a New Jersey lockup who left behind a note, “Happy Holidays!” with a drawing of a character making an obscene

hand gesture. Inmates Jose Espinosa and Otis Blunt used sharpened wire and the handle from a steam pipe to chip their way out of cinder block cells at Union County Jail, jumping from a roof and scrambling over a razor-wire fence. The convicts, who had covered their handiwork with magazine photos of bikini clad women and stuffed their beds with decoys, were captured the following month.

In a brazen escape from an Ohio state prison in September 2014, inmate T.J. Lane scaled a 13-foot ladder he spent months fashioning out of old cabinets and other materials that he’d squirreled away in a crawl space. Lane, who was serving a life sentence for

killing three teenagers in a high school shooting, was caught the morning after his breakout in wooded area near the prison.

Life on the lam lasted a whole five months for Ralph “Bucky” Phillips, who escaped western New York’s Erie County jail in April 2006 by using a can opener to cut a hole in the kitchen ceiling and fleeing through the roof. After a massive manhunt, during which Phillips killed a state trooper, he surrendered in Pennsylvania.

Perhaps one of the boldest breakouts of the last decade was carried out by Richard Lee McNair, whose April 2006 escape from a federal penitentiary in Pollock, Louisiana, on a pallet of mailbags was recounted in Ca-

nadian journalist Byron Christopher’s book The Man Who Mailed Himself Out of Jail.

McNair, who had been serving time for a murder in North Dakota and whose prison job was to repair old mailbags for the US Postal Service, was captured 18 months later in Canada.

Whatever the cause, there’s no question that the monotony of prison life makes the dream of escape a tantalising mental exercise for inmates, said Sean Kelley, a senior vice president at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site in Philadelphia. “An escape plan is the ultimate challenge - intellectual and physical,” Kelley said.

“Ironically, perhaps, it helps pass the time.” — Reuters

$338 million had been pledged to the three-year U.N. project that was to fund presidential and parliamentary elections. The UNDP would not say how much remains unspent, but said it “will inform the public when the new ELECT II work plan is agreed by the project’s partners”. Both candidates claimed victory after last year’s presidential vote was marred by accusations of fraud and it took months for them to agree to a US-brokered deal to form a unity government under Ashraf Ghani.

Reforms were a condition for holding future elections, but no progress has been made because rivals in government disagree over who should lead the commission. Donors say that aid is being scrutinised more closely than ever and other projects that are failing to meet expectations face similar cuts. One example is a delayed scheme to roll out electronic identity cards. “The government has not told us when it will be rolled out, so donors came to the conclusion to reduce to essential staff and operational costs,” said ID card project director Humayun Mohtar. — Reuters

FOUR NEW CASES

South Korea seals off two hospitals over MERS scare SEOUL: South Korea has sealed off two hospitals that treated people with a deadly respiratory disease, officials said, even as the outbreak that has been spreading through health facilities could have peaked, with just four new cases on Friday.

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) has infected 126 people in South Korea and killed 11 since it was first diagnosed just over three weeks ago in a businessman who had returned from a trip to the Middle East.

The outbreak is the largest outside Saudi Arabia, where the disease was first identified in humans in 2012, and has stirred fears in Asia of a repeat of a 2002-03 scare when Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) killed about 800 people worldwide.

The 68-year-old man who brought the virus back from the Middle East visited several health centres for treatment of a nagging cough and fever before he was diagnosed, leaving a trail of infection in his wake. The danger of the virus in hospitals had led to two being sealed off with at least 133 people - patients and staff - inside.

They would be sealed for at least the next 11 days, given the incubation period of the virus, officials said. “No patients can get out of their rooms,” said a city government official in the capital, Seoul, where one of the hospitals is located, declining to be identified.

“Nurses in protective gear are giving them food. No one can get in from outside.” All but one of South Korea’s cases have been confirmed as originating with the businessman, who was diagnosed with MERS on May 20, and occurring in health-care centres, and the last one is likely to be confirmed as such too, the health ministry said.

MERS is caused by a coronavirus from the same family as the one that caused SARS. It is more deadly than SARS but does not spread as easily, at least for now.

There is no cure or vaccine. — Reuters

A 10

S ATUR DAY, JUN E 13, 2 015 The French penal code forbids me from opening a judicial enquiry for murder because the perpetrator is dead Brice Robin, French prosecutor

WORLD

French court acquits DSK in ‘pimping’ case

GERMANWINGS CRASH

world” from the financial crisis that began in 2008.

The 66-year-old economist merely nodded his head in acknowledgement of the verdict, the finale of a colourful trial which dragged intimate details of his personal life into the public eye

LILLE: A French court on Friday acquitted former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn of pimping charges, drawing a line under the latest in a series of legal woes over his escapades.

The 66-year-old economist merely nodded his head in acknowledgement of the verdict, the finale of a colourful trial which dragged intimate details of his personal life into the public eye.

His acquittal on the charge of “aggravated pimping” did not come as a surprise after the prosecutor called for him to be let off due to lack of evidence at the end of a three-week trial in February.

The trial was the latest in a long series of high-profile court cases in the past 15 years in which StraussKahn has landed in the dock for corruption or scandals that have fizzled out.

BIG RELIEF: Former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn leaves his apartment in Paris, France on Friday before he travelled to Lille to hear the verdict in the trial called the Carlton Affair where 14 people including Strauss-Kahn stood accused. -Reuters

Strauss-Kahn saw his highflying career at the head of the International Monetary Fund -- and his French presidential prospects -- implode when a New York hotel maid accused him of assault in 2011.

Not long after those criminal charges were dropped and the case settled in a civil suit, his name cropped up in a probe into a prostitution ring in northern France.

He was charged with aiding and abetting the prostitution of seven women -- a charge punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

The courtroom in the northern city of Lille heard lurid details of

GIRL TERRIFIED

champagne-fuelled parties attended by Strauss-Kahn as his lawyers accused the court of putting his morals on trial.

Strauss-Kahn said that he was unaware any of the women attending parties in Paris, Brussels and Washington, had been paid to be there.

Ex-prostitutes gave dramatic testimony of his parties, saying Strauss-Kahn would have been “naive” to be unaware of their role.

He said the charges of prostitution “horrified” him and that paying for parties would be too great a risk for a man at the head of the IMF, which was busy “saving the

Case collapses In their closing arguments, his lawyers said the case against him had “collapsed” into nothing more than an indictment of StraussKahn’s morals, and the prosecution appeared to agree.

Main prosecutor Frederic Fevre called for Strauss-Kahn to be acquitted, saying that “neither the judicial enquiry nor the hearing have established that Mr Strauss-Kahn is guilty.”

In another boost for StraussKahn, the two ex-prostitutes who testified dropped a civil lawsuit against him, with their lawyers conceding they lacked enough proof to win the case.

Strauss-Kahn found himself in the dock alongside a colourful cast of 13 characters accused of taking part in a prostitution ring in northern France.

Seven of them, including brothel owner Dominique Alderweireld were also acquitted.

The former manager of the upmarket Carlton hotel in Lille, where some of the accused threw parties for well-connected local businessmen and police officers attended by prostitutes, was given a one-year suspended sentence.

It is unclear what the acquittal means for the former star in the Socialist party, but a poll before the trial showed 56 per cent of French people questioned had no desire to see him return to politics and saw him as immoral and a misogynist.

However 79 per cent of people questioned thought Strauss-Kahn would have been a better president than the deeply unpopular Francois Hollande. -AFP

CRASH PROBE: French prosecutor of Marseille, Brice Robin, speaks during a news conference in Paris on Thursday. Photo-Reuters

German pilot saw 7 doctors in a month PARIS: A Germanwings pilot who ploughed his plane into the French Alps saw 41 doctors in five years, seven of them in the month before the crash, a prosecutor said on Thursday in Paris.

Speaking after a meeting with some 200 relatives of the victims in the French capital, prosecutor Brice Robin also announced the probe into the crash was being expanded to see if anyone could be held liable for manslaughter.

Grieving relatives were shown three different reconstructions of what had happened in the cockpit on their trip to Paris to seek answers about the doomed flight, said the head of a disaster support group who attended the meeting.

“The French penal code forbids me from opening a judicial enquiry for murder because the perpetrator is dead,” explained Robin at a press conference.

Investigators say that 27-yearold German co-pilot Andreas Lubitz intentionally downed the plane en route from Barcelona to Duesseldorf on March 24.

He is known to have suffered severe depression and the disaster has cast a spotlight on how airline companies monitor the health of their pilots.

Robin said Lubitz, who suffered from “psychosis” and was terrified of losing his sight, consulted 41 different doctors in the past five years.

Stephane Gicquel, the head of the support group, said the “stakes” in the expanded probe were to find out if there had been errors in tracking the mental state of the co-pilot.

“We can clearly see the prosecutor’s positioning, to open an enquiry that will pose the question of manslaughter and, very clearly, faults or negligence from Lufthansa in detecting the state of Lubitz’s health,” Gicquel said.

Several expressed their anger at a delay in the return of their relatives’ remains after spelling errors on death certificates.

Some families were left outraged when Lufthansa informed them that repatriation would be delayed due to problems with the issuing of death certificates. -AFP

US SPYING ACTIVITY

Girl hit by soldier Probe into Merkel’s phone-tapping dropped saluting Elizabeth II LONDON: A six-year-old British girl chosen to give a posy to Queen Elizabeth II got more than she bargained for when a soldier standing next to her knocked off her hat during a salute.

Maisie Gregory had donned a traditional Welsh costume for her meeting with the royal in Cardiff on Thursday, and presented the flowers and made a courtesy without a hitch.

But as the queen moved away, the soldier next to Maisie lifted his arm into a salute and knocked off her bonnet, prompting the girl to run to her mother standing behind. The soldier immediately turned around and apologised to Maisie and her mother, according to the WalesOnline website.

Joanne Gregory replied that her daughter was fine but overcome with tiredness. -AFP

Queen Elizabeth is given flowers by six-year-old Maisie Gregory during a Colours Parade for the Royal Welsh army at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, Britain on Thursday. Photo-Reuters

BERLIN: Germany’s chief prosecutor has dropped a probe into the alleged tapping of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s mobile phone by US intelligence agencies, his office said on Friday.

“The Chief Federal Prosecutor has closed the investigation over suspected spying on a mobile phone used by the chancellor by US intelligence services... because the allegation cannot be proven in a legally sound way under criminal law,” it said in a statement.

US-German relations were badly strained after fugitive US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden leaked documents showing rampant spying by the US National Security Agency on German citizens’ telephone conversations and Internet exchanges.

Media reports in October 2013 said that among the targets was Merkel’s mobile phone, a claim Washington appeared to confirm later when the US government

by leaders of the United States of America on a possible monitoring of mobile telecommunications of the chancellor by a US intelligence service (‘not any more’) are not sufficient for a description of the activities,” the prosecutor’s statement said.

NO LEGAL EVIDENCE: German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the European Union headquarters in Brussels. Photo-AFP

said her cellphone was no longer a target. Merkel angrily told the United States, Germany’s traditional post-war ally, that “spying between friends just isn’t on”.

However, the German prosecutor’s office said on Friday that the US comments did not legally amount to proof of past spy activity. “The vague statements made

Admission of guilt “The remarks, which were interpreted by the public as a general admission of guilt, do not absolve (prosecutors) from gathering solid evidence in line with the requirements of the criminal code.” It also said that “the documents published by the media so far, derived from Edward Snowden, contain no solid legal evidence of monitoring of the chancellor’s mobile phone”.

Privacy issues are particularly sensitive in Germany, as bitterness lingers over mass state spying on citizens by the Stasi secret police in former communist East Germany where Merkel grew up. -AFP

LANDMARK VISIT

UK royals to visit Runnymede, where Magna Carta was sealed significant of its clauses were 39 and 40, which stated that not even the monarch was above the law.

LONDON: Queen Elizabeth will return on Monday to the setting where 800 years ago one of her predecessors accepted the Magna Carta, the English document that put limits on the power of the crown for the first time and laid the foundation for modern freedoms.

The Magna Carta, Latin for “Great Charter”, was ratified by King John of England in June 1215, at Runnymede, about 20 miles west of London, after an uprising by his barons. It established certain rights of the English people and placed the monarch under the rule of law.

Bill of Rights Not only does it form the bedrock of Britain’s constitutional freedoms, it was the basis for the US Bill of Rights, the US Declaration of Independence and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Three of its 63 clauses remain on Britain’s statute book.

“The relevance of the Magna Carta in the 21st century is that it is the foundation of liberty,” said Robert Worcester, chairman of the Magna Carta 800th Committee.

The queen, who is Patron of the Magna Carta Trust, will attend an official ceremony at Runnymede on Monday to commemorate the

‘Law of the land’ They read: “No free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions, or outlawed or exiled, or deprived of his standing in any way, nor will we proceed with force against him, or send others to do so, except by the lawful judgment of his equals or by the law of the land.

“To no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice.”

Originally known as “the charter of Runnymede”, it was declared invalid shortly afterwards by the Pope. Civil war broke out between the barons and John, who has a reputation as one of England’s nastiest and cruellest kings, portrayed as the villain in numerous films about legendary outlaw Robin Hood.

BRITISH ROYALS: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace in London on Wednesday. Photo-AFP

anniversary. So will other members of the royal family, including her grandson, Prince William, who is second in line for the throne.

A new art installation will be opened and the American Bar As-

sociation’s Magna Carta Memorial, which was erected in 1957, will be re-dedicated.

The Magna Carta came into being during a period of great political upheaval in England. Conflict

had erupted among King John, his nobles and the English church.

In essence a peace deal, it was sealed by John on June 19, 1215, following five days of negotiation with his barons. The most famous and

Versions of charter It only became known as the Magna Carta two years later, when it was reissued by John’s son Henry III. Versions of the charter were then re-released regularly by or on behalf of succeeding English monarchs. Four original copies of the document, written on a single sheet of parchment about the size

of A3 paper, still exist. An original copy from 1297 sold for more than $21 million eight years ago in New York, when auction house Sotheby’s described it as “the most important document in the world”.

But historians say the long-term impact of Magna Carta was far from the intention of the barons who forced the document on John, and it was by accident that it became so significant.

Researchers who have carried out a three-year study said it appeared that the church, rather than royal officials, was responsible for its publication and preservation.

“Bizarrely enough, Magna Carta is the product of a situation far closer to that which elsewhere in today’s world we might associate with the enemies of modern liberal democracy, with Sharia law, or with those systems in which church and state are indistinguishable,” said Professor Nicholas Vincent.

“It is often said to be about democracy, about ‘freedom’ or liberal values. It says nothing whatsoever of these. But it does assert a principle, due process under law, that is absolutely crucial in distinguishing tyranny from those parts of the world where there is hope of justice and fair trial.” -Reuters

SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 2015

S P O R S

Rain thwarts dominant India Murali Vijay said India were wellplaced to force a win over the last two days, provided the weather did not interfere with the game

FATULLAH: Murali Vijay hit 150 and Shakib Al Hasan grabbed four wickets as bad weather once again played havoc with the one-off Test between India and Bangladesh in Fatullah on Friday.

Ajinkya Rahane chipped in with 98 as India ended the heavily-curtailed third day’s play at 462 for six in their first innings at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali stadium.

Just 47.3 overs were sent down during another wet, miserable day that had begun brightly, allowing India to add 223 runs to their total of 239 for no loss on the first day.

With only 56 of the stipulated 90 overs bowled on the opening day and the entire second day’s play washed out, the match is headed for a draw. More rain has been forecast for the last two days.

But the brief spell of play on Friday saw dominant batting from Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan, who carried their opening partnership to 283, before Rahane boosted the total. Left-arm spinner Shakib was the lone bowler to make an impression on the slow pitch with figures of four for 105. Leg-spinner Jubair Hossain claimed the other two wickets.

Vijay said India were wellplaced to force a win over the last two days, provided the weather did

ODI

SCOREBOARD

India first innings (overnight 239-0): M. Vijay lbw b Shakib 150 S. Dhawan c and b Shakib 173 R. Sharma b Shakib 6 V. Kohli b Jubair 14 A. Rahane b Shakib 98 W. Saha b Jubair 6 R. Ashwin not out 2 H. Singh not out 7 Extras (b-4, lb-1, nb-1) 6 Total (for six wickets, 103.3 overs) 462 To bat: U. Yadav, I. Sharma, V. Aaron.

not interfere with the game.

“We can’t do much about the weather, but we are in a good position and hopefully we can do something special in the remaining time,” he said.

“The wicket was a good one to bat on initially, and then it became slower. So I had to adjust the pace of my innings. Since Shikhar gave us a brilliant start, I just wanted to hang in there and play as long as possible.

“The wicket is deteriorating and it is definitely going to help both our spinners (Harbhajan Singh and Ravichanandran Ashwin).”

Shakib said his team was aware of the importance of batting well over the last two days to save the game. “India don’t have anything to lose and they will come hard at us, but we have to bat well for six sessions and score a lot of runs,” he said.

“We are aware of the situation and are mentally ready for the task ahead. There is no problem with the pitch. There is no uneven

Fall of wickets: 1-283 (Dhawan), 2-291 (R. Sharma), 3-310 (Kohli), 4-424 (Vijay), 5-445 (Saha), 6-453 (Rahane).

Bowling: Shahid 22-2-88-0 (nb1), Sarkar 3-0-11-0, Shuvagata 14-0-52-0, Shakib 24.31-105-4, Taijul 20-0-85-0, Jubair 19-1-113-2, Imrul 1-0-3-0.

Toss: India Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (SRI) and Nigel Llong (ENG) TV umpire: Sharfuddoula Saikat (BAN) Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)

bounce either. If the wicket stays like this we can handle the Indian bowling.” Play started on time under sunny skies and India moved to 398 for three by the end of the extended morning session.

Shakib broke the double-century opening stand when Dhawan mistimed an on-drive and lobbed an easy return catch to the bowler.

Left-handed Dhawan, who started the day on 150, took his score to 173, which included 23 hits to the fence.

In his next over, Shakib bowled Rohit Sharma for six as India slid from 283-0 to 291-2.

It soon became 310-3 when Jubair forced skipper Virat Kohli to drag a ball onto his stumps after the batsman had made 14.

But Rahane thwarted Bangladesh by adding 114 for the fourth wicket on either side of the lunch break. The rain-shortened second session saw just 10.3 overs of play in which India added 64 runs and lost three wickets.

Shakib trapped Vijay leg-before

GOOD GOING: Ajinkya Rahane, left, and Murali Vijay run between the wickets on the third day of the Test match between Bangladesh and India at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium.– AFP

after the break and also bowled Rahane, while Jubair dismissed Wriddhiman Saha for six.

Vijay hit 12 boundaries and a six in his sixth Test century.

FOOTBALL

CRICKET

Ton-up Taylor turns Del Bosque urges Spanish tables on England unity before Belarus game LONDON: Ross Taylor’s century helped New Zealand turn the tables on England as the World Cup finalists piled up 398 for five in the second One-day International at The Oval on Friday.

Taylor’s 119 not out and Kane Williamson’s 93 did the bulk of the damage as England conceded their highest total in all One-day Internationals, surpassing the 387 for five posted against them

by India at Rajkot in 2008.

Chris Jordan’s return of one for 97 in nine overs equalled the England record for the most expensive in an ODI innings, with former fast bowler Stephen Harmison also conceding 97 runs, but in 10 wicketless overs, against Sri Lanka at Headingley in 2006.

Remarkably, in view of what followed, the innings started with a maiden from fast bowler Steven Finn, but from then on New Zealand were on top with England rarely making use of the yorker as the runs kept coming.

The most England have made batting second to win a one-day international is 306 for five, needing 305, against Pakistan at Karachi in 2000. Tuesday’s series opener at

The most England have made batting second to win an ODI is 306 for 5, needing 305, against Pakistan at Karachi in 2000. They need 399 now to level series

Edgbaston had seen England pile up a national record 408 for nine as they won by 210 runs.

But Brendon McCullum didn’t make the same mistake twice, the New Zealand captain opting to bat first this time after winning the toss.

An equally good batting pitch, once more allied to a lack of swing, again worked in favour of the team batting first and this time it was England who dropped several tough chances — with Taylor missed twice. — AFP

MADRID: Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has called for “unity” before Sunday’s Euro 2016 qualifier in Belarus after defender Gerard Pique was given a hostile reception by some La Roja fans in Leon this week.

Pique, who plays for treblewinning Catalan club Barcelona, angered Spain supporters who are also fans of Real Madrid by mocking Real forward Cristiano Ronaldo after Barca won the Champions League final last weekend.

Pique was whistled before and during Thursday’s 2-1 friendly win over Costa Rica, prompting Del Bosque to leap to his defence and scold local media for what he said was fuelling “violence and hatred” between Spanish regions.

“I don’t think what happened is right,” Del Bosque told a news conference. “Whistling one player is the same as whistling the whole team,” he added.

“It leaves me with a very bad taste. The most important thing is that we are united.”

Pique’s treatment has its origins in the historic tension between Madrid, which represents central government, and Barcelona, where

Rahane missed his fourth hundred by two runs when he was bowled attempting a pull shot after smashing the previous two deliveries for boundaries. — AFP

BE UNITED: Spain coach

Vincente del Bosque. – AFP

many are strongly in favour of independence from Spain.

Along with many Barca players who are also proud Catalans, like Xavi, Carles Puyol, Cesc Fabregas and Sergio Busquets, Pique has been a key part of Spain’s recent success, helping them to a debut World Cup triumph in South Africa in 2010 and a second straight

European Championship two years later.

They will be bidding for a third consecutive continental title at the tournament in France next year.

With five matches played, Spain are second in qualification Group C on 12 points ahead of their trip to Borisov, three behind leaders Slovakia, who beat them 2-1 in Zilina in October.

Ukraine are third on nine points and Belarus fourth on four, with Macedonia (3) and Luxembourg (1) in fifth and sixth.

The top two teams qualify directly, as well as the best thirdplaced side.

Belarus coach Alexander Khatskevich admits Spain are far superior but is hoping hard work will help the eastern Europeans exploit some of their weaknesses. “I will accept any result as long as there are no half-hearted players in the team,” Khatskevich was quoted as saying on Uefa.com on Friday.

“Of course Spain are better than us in every aspect but we can fight them with our team game and try to exploit their weaknesses,” he added. “And they have those weaknesses, trust me.” - Reuters

Srinivasan re-elected TNCA President CHENNAI: Former BCCI chief and current ICC Chairman N Srinivasan was unanimously elected President of the Tamil Nadu cricket Association for the 14th consecutive time in its 85th Annual General Meeting here on Friday.

Srinivasan, who was forced to step aside from BCCI President’s post and later withdraw from a possible re-election owing to the IPL spot-fixing scandal, has been elected in the TNCA for a one-year term.

Incumbent Secretary Kashi Viswanathan also held on to his position for another term.

V P Narsimhan was elected Treasurer. Srinivasan has been heading the TNCA since 200203 when he ended former BCCI President AC Muthiah’s reign.

Following the election of Jagmohan Dalmiya as BCCI President and Anurag Thakur as Secretary, Srinivasan has lost significant clout in the cricket Board. However, he will continue to be the ICC Chairman till September 2016. - PTI

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WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM OM S ATU RDAY, JU N E 13, 2 2015 015

ASIAN CENTRAL BANK NK BLES POLICIES SPUR BUBBLES

MARKE

Recent years have seen reams of research on the role of central banks in inflating asset-price bubbles. The latest developments in Asia suggest that more may be coming. >B2

Greece, creditors urged to keep pushing for deal

NAT I O NA L B A N K O F O M A N

NBO’s $300m Tier 1 issue gets approval Times News Service

his election in January. He has vowed to end the waves of austerity imposed by previous governments at the lenders’ behest.

EU leaders put pressure on the government to give ground, as time is fast running out for Greece to reach agreement with its EU and IMF lenders and avert a default

ATHENS/BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Greece and its creditors on Friday to keep pushing for a cash-forreforms deal after negotiations hit stalemate, while Athens refused to back down and accused the IMF of using pressure tactics.

European leaders heaped pressure on the leftist-led government to give ground, as time is fast running out for Greece to reach agreement with its EU and IMF lenders and avert a default that could see it tumbling out of the euro zone.

But talks ended without a breakthrough on Thursday night and the International Monetary Fund team abruptly left Brussels.

Both sides tried to keep hope alive but showed no sign of backing down.

Criticised the IMF The Greek government, while hoping for a deal on June 18, criticised the IMF and repeated a refusal to cross “red lines” in the talks. A government official took up a common cause with the very European institutions that are pushing Athens to compromise, and even its toughest critics in Germany.

FIRM GRIP: German Chancellor Angela Merkel (left) shakes hands with Greek Prime Minister Alexis

Tsipras at the start of an EU-CELAC Latin America summit, in Brussels, , on Wednesday. .

“The non-participation of the IMF in the political negotiation amounts to nothing more than putting pressure on everyone — the Commission, the ECB (European Central Bank, Greece,” the official said.”It is piling pressure in all directions — especially — with the aim of implementing tough policies in Greece in order to secure its money.”

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said the ball was in the Greek government’s court, while the head of Eurogroup of euro zone finance ministers demanded “serious proposals” for reforms.

Greece needs a deal to unlock aid or loosen curbs on how much it can borrow in short term debt before a 1.6 billion euro ($1.8 billion) IMF repayment due by the end of this month.

“Where there’s a will there’s a way but the will has to come from all sides so it’s important that we keep speaking with each other,” Merkel told a conference in Berlin.

Despite the warnings of imminent default, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has been outwardly calm.

His first engagement after rushing home from Brussels on Thursday was an open air pop concert celebrating the revival of the ERT state TV station, closed exactly two years ago under cuts ordered by the country’s European Union and IMF lenders.

Renewed uncertainty put European markets on the backfoot and sent Greece’s top share index down on Friday.

The German tabloid Bild reported that the German govern-

TECHNOLOGY

BlackBerry weighs Android system for its new device TORONTO: BlackBerry is considering equipping an upcoming smartphone with Google’s Android software for the first time, an acknowledgement that its revamped line of devices has failed to win mass appeal, according to four sources familiar with the matter.

The move would be an aboutface for the Waterloo, Ontario-based company, which had shunned Android in a bet that its BlackBerry 10 line of phones would be able to claw back market share lost to Apple’s iPhone and a slew of devices powered by Android.

The sources, who asked not to be named as they have not been authorized to discuss the matter publicly, said the move to use Android is part of BlackBerry’s strategy to pivot to focus on software and device management.

BlackBerry, which once dominated smartphone sales, now

– Reuters

has a market share of less than 1 percent. It is not clear whether a move to use Android would spell the end of the company’s BlackBerry 10 line of devices that were initially launched to much fanfare in early 2013. After positive early reviews, the late-to-launch BlackBerry devices haven’t competed well with Android or Apple, mainly due to a lack of big name apps.

“We don’t comment on rumors and speculation, but we remain committed to the BlackBerry 10 operating system, which provides

security and productivity benefits that are unmatched,” said the company in an email.

BlackBerry CEO John Chen is banking on the company’s new device management system, BES12, that allows corporate and government clients to not only manage BlackBerry devices on their internal networks, but also devices powered by Android, Apple’s iOS platform and Microsoft’s Windows operating system.

One of the hurdles it faces in that transformation is convincing big customers that its device management software works across many different platforms.

Two sources said that by launching an Android-based device of its own, BlackBerry would be sending a signal to skeptics that it is confident that the BES12 system can not only manage, but also secure smartphones and tablets powered by rival operating systems. — Reuters

— Reuters

ment was holding “concrete consultations”, including about how Athens might introduce capital controls restricting bank withdrawals in Greece and transfers abroad should the country go bust.

Economists believe a solution remains possible but acknowledge that the creditors may soon tell Athens to accept their demands or face “Grexit” — market shorthand for Greece becoming the first country to exit the euro zone.

“We are getting close to...this take-it-or leave-it scenario,” said Derek Halpenny from the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi.”But nobody in my view is ready to trade the ‘Grexit’ view yet.

The expectation is still that a deal will be reached.”

Tsipras faces major problems in meeting promises he made before

Common currency He also needs to keep the country in the euro zone: a poll this week showed an overwhelming 77.4 per cent of Greeks favoured keeping the common currency.

But the creditors are demanding yet more austerity and refusing to release any aid until Athens backs down, raising the risk of default and a euro zone exit.

Nevertheless, Tsipras put on a show of confidence at the evening concert outside the ERT headquarters in an Athens suburb.

Still in the blue suit he wore at the Brussels talks, he was mobbed by supporters as he arrived at the party.”It’s a celebration of democracy. It is not the government that reopened ERT but the struggles of the Greek people.

Today we should all be happy and look to the future with optimism,” he said.

Major sticking points in the talks remain.

Athens has balked at measures such as curbing pension benefits and raising value-added tax, and pressed lenders for more help to reduce the debt burden.

Its own delegation also flew home from Brussels on Thursday.

For a deal to work, EU officials said Tsipras’s government needed to come up with new savings and tax measures to replace those that Athens finds unacceptable.

People familiar with the talks said the two sides have come closer to agreeing a primary surplus target but cannot agree on how to achieve it.

Germany’s finance ministry spokesman called the IMF’s departure from the talks a “warning” to Greece, although Juncker stressed that the Fund’s decision to withdraw its team did not mean the Washington-based lender had given up on a deal. — Reuters

MUSCAT: Shareholders of National Bank of Oman (NBO) on Wednesday approved the bank’s plans to issue a Tier-1 instrument of up to $300 million.

The approval was given by shareholders of National Bank of Oman at an extraordinary general meeting, according to a disclosure statement posted on MSM website.

The bank’s shareholders also approved increasing the limit of an existing $600 million Euro Medium Term Notes programme to $1.5 billion in the next four years, subject to regulatory approvals.

M AY R E P O R T

US wholesale prices rise WASHINGTON: Wholesale prices in the US rose in May as the biggest jump in fuel costs in at least five years swamped muted advances in other categories.

The 0.5 per cent increase in the producer-price index followed a 0.4 per cent decline the prior month, Labour Department figures showed on Friday in Washington.

The median forecast of 72 economists surveyed by Bloomberg called for a 0.4 per cent advance.

Costs dropped 1.1 per cent over the past 12 months.

Wholesale-cost gains in two of the past three months may eventually filter through to consumers, helping reassure Federal Reserve policy makers that inflation is progressing toward their target as they consider raising interest rates.

At the same time, the fallout from a stronger dollar and slower growth overseas means pipeline price pressures are unlikely to surge. — Bloomberg News

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MARKET Asian central bank policies spur risk of ‘bubbles’ again With interest-rate cuts in New Zealand and South Korea, and the potential for more easing in Australia and China, policy makers are fanning the risk of bubbles a decade after their US counterparts oversaw a record mortgage boom

HONG KONG: Recent years have seen reams of research on the role of central banks in inflating asset-price bubbles. The latest developments in Asia suggest that more may be coming.

With interest-rate cuts in New Zealand and South Korea, and the potential for more easing in Australia and China, policy makers are fanning the risk of bubbles a decade after their US counterparts oversaw a record mortgage boom.

The central bank of New Zealand on Thursday lowered interest rates even in the face of a booming property market in the nation’s largest city. South Korea followed suit, potentially encouraging gains in household debt levels that are already at a record. The Reserve Bank of Australia governor Wednesday said he may lower rates again, even as

MAKING A POINT: Zhou Xiaochuan, governor of the People’s Bank of China. — Bloomberg file picture

he wrung his hands over what he dubbed as “crazy” Sydney house prices.

Then there’s China, ground zero for the mother of all stockmarket surges. The market capitalisation of Chinese shares has climbed $6.5 trillion in the past year as policy makers returned to stimulus mode.

Policy actions show that, for all the recognition of the dangers of excess liquidity for particular asset sectors, central banks are still left with little choice when growth is deteriorating and job markets weakening. The risk is they’ll have clean-up jobs later should prices tumble.

Little option “Asian central bankers are between a rock and a hard-place — easing further risks stoking bubbles, but sitting on your hands isn’t an option either,” said Frederic Neumann, co-head of Asian economic research at HSBC Holdings in Hong Kong.

In China, central bank Governor Zhou Xiaochuan has lauded the stock market as providing a forum for companies to raise fi-

nancing. While monthly data for May on Thursday offered optimism the nation’s slowdown may be bottoming, with growth tracking less than seven per cent the People’s Bank of China will be taking more action, according to banks including Goldman Sachs Group Inc. “We believe policy makers will retain a clear loosening bias,” Goldman economists including Beijing-based Yu Song wrote in a note. The next major move would probably be a reduction in required reserve ratios for banks, as soon as this month, they wrote.

PBOC outlook Besides such broad measures to spur liquidity, the PBOC has deployed facilities that offer lenders funds in return for collateral. Officials may focus most of their additional action on such programs, which amount to targeted measures to support specific areas of the economy, such as infrastructure investment, according to JPMorgan Chase.

China’s weakness has played a role in deteriorating growth across the region, supplementing

local dynamics. In South Korea, one unexpected domestic headwind is the spread of Middle East respiratory syndrome, or MERS, which could rattle consumer confidence.

The Bank of Korea lowered its key interest rate to an unprecedented low of 1.5 per cent, over the opposition of one of its board members. BOK Governor Lee Ju Yeol acknowledged the move could boost household debt. South Korea knows the cost of excess consumer borrowing, after a credit-card crisis in 2003, when economic growth more than halved.

No obstacle “It seems that the household debt is not a major obstacle to further monetary easing,” Australia & New Zealand Banking Group’s Raymond Yeung and Louis Lam wrote in a note.

In New Zealand, central bank chief Graeme Wheeler lowered rates for the first time in four years as slower growth and falling dairy prices overrode concerns about the real-estate market.

House prices in Auckland surged 16 per cent in May from a year earlier, the fastest increase in 11 years, property research firm Quotable Value New Zealand said on Tuesday.

The other side of the Tasman Sea, neighbour Australia has had a similar challenge. The Reserve Bank cut rates in February and again in May to a record-low two per cent, doing little to slow a boom in Sydney housing. Australia’s biggest city, where prices rose 15 per cent in May from a year earlier, is in the grip of a bubble, Treasury Secretary John Fraser said June 1.

“The longer these bubbles are allowed to build, the more the risks increase,” said Gareth Leather at Capital Economics in London, who has covered Asian economies for almost a decade.

“It’s not just housing where there have been bubbles. Credit growth

has shot up across large parts of Asia since the financial crisis.”

Regulatory tools Some authorities are applying macroprudential tools and measures such as stricter collateral requirements, higher taxes on foreign buyers and tougher lending criteria to try and cool demand.

Hong Kong’s central bank in February rolled out measures to cool the property market and protect financial stability after house prices more than doubled since 2009, spurred by record-low mortgage rates and money flowing in from China.

“Such targeted macroprudential measures could be used by other central banks,” said Rajiv Biswas, Asia-Pacific chief economist in Singapore at IHS Global Insight.

New Zealand last month brought in measures including a push to enforce taxation of capital gains on investment properties. And the central bank said it will require investors to have a 30 per cent down payment to get a mortgage on Auckland property.

Australia’s prudential regulator in December called on banks to limit growth in home lending to investors to 10 per cent a year.

In China, authorities have moved in the other direction, deciding to relax previous restrictions imposed on property loans when authorities were trying to contain prices.

Trying to address slow growth and asset bubbles isn’t unique to Asia. Authorities in Scandinavia are confronting red- hot housing markets even as their economies struggle to gain traction after policy stimulus. — Bloomberg News

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ECONOMY

UK growth rate set for boost: Report LONDON: Britain’s economic growth rate last year and in early 2015 looks to have been stronger than previously estimated after the country’s statistics office revised the way it measured the construction sector.

The pace of growth in gross domestic product in 2014 could rise to 3.1 per cent — the highest since 2003 — from a previous reading of 2.8 per cent due to the changes in the construction data, the Office for National Statistics said on Friday.

In the first three months of 2015, quarterly GDP growth would be 0.4 per cent, up from a previous estimate of 0.3 per cent, assuming no further changes to data covering other areas of the economy such as the far bigger services sector.

New reading of GDP A new reading of GDP is due on June 30. Construction makes up 6.4 per cent of Britain’s economy.

The ONS changed the way it calculates price changes and its method for seasonal adjustments in the construction data.

It also said the increase in GDP last year might be affected by changes to estimates of expenditure and income.

Economists said Britain’s economic recovery was now cast in a stronger light.

Howard Archer, chief UK economist at IHS Global Insight, said the numbers made Britain’s productivity growth in 2014 look better although it was still too weak.

Samuel Tombs at Capital Economics said the official measure of growth now looked more in line with private-sector surveys.

Separately on Friday, a Bank of England policymaker said the time for an increase in interest rates was getting closer, given the recovery in the economy.

The ONS said construction output in the first quarter was revised to show a fall of 0.2 per cent, a milder decline than a fall of 1.1 percent previously reported. — Reuters

AUTOMOBILE

Carmakers pray India’s rain forecast is wrong as dry spell looms over industry MUMBAI: Automakers in India are praying that the weatherman is wrong.

India will likely face the driest two-year spell in almost three decades because of the El Nino weather phenomenon, bad news for farmers who depend on a good monsoon to irrigate their fields. A poor crop would mean a new car will be among the first luxuries to go.

“We’re all looking at the sky,” said V.S. Parthasarathy, chief financial officer at Mahindra & Mahindra, India’s biggest sport utility vehicle and tractor maker.

“And hoping the weather god will be kind.”

The annual June-September monsoon season has become as important as borrowing costs and fuel prices for automakers in India seeking to tap rising farm incomes in their rural push.

The rain forecast looms over an industry that revived from a slump in sales with carmakers like Hyundai Motor adding dealerships in the countryside to narrow the lead of Maruti Suzuki India and Mahindra, which get about a third of their sales volume from rural areas.

“Rural sentiment on the back of a sub-normal monsoon will have an impact on overall volumes,” said Bharat Gianani, an analyst at

READY FOR THE ROAD: Mahindra & Mahindra XUV 500 sportutility vehicles at the end of the production line at the company’s facility in Chakan, Maharashtra, India. - Bloomberg file picture

Angel Broking in Mumbai. “Mahindra is more affected by a poor monsoon as it also sells tractors and light commercial vehicles which are rural driven. There will also be an impact on Maruti but not to such a large extent.”

Shares of Maruti fell 1.1 per cent to Rs3,701.40 in Mumbai on Thursday, while Mahindra declined 2.7 per cent to Rs1,187.60.

The S&P BSE India Auto Index dropped 2.4 per cent, while the

benchmark S&P BSE Sensex slid 1.8 per cent.

Monsoon forecast Farm wages on average almost doubled in the five years through March 2014, compared with a 63 per cent jump in India’s per capita income.

This encouraged automakers.

Agricultural yields have improved and farmers have found additional streams from allied activities

such as animal husbandry. Good monsoon rains play a key role in driving demand as more than half the farmlands in the country depend on rain-fed irrigation.

On June 2, India Meteorological Department forecast rainfall may be 88 per cent of a 50-year average between June and September. If that forecast is right, this will be the first time since 1986-1987 when rainfall in the monsoon season will fall short by more than 10 percent of the average for two consecutive years.

“Rural sales had been growing twice as fast as urban over the last four or five years” prompting automakers like Maruti to tap this market, said Pradeep Kashyap, founder and chief executive officer of rural marketing consultancy MART, based in Noida, near New Delhi. With the weak monsoon forecast “the sentiment is down.

Once the sentiment becomes negative, it takes quite a bit of doing to bring farmers back into showrooms.”

Kenichi Ayukawa, chief executive officer of Maruti, which has seen its share of sales from rural areas surge 10-fold in the past seven years to 30 per cent, said on June 3 he was concerned about the monsoon forecast and that there are no signs of demand pickup. — Bloomberg News

SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 2015

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MARKET T I G H T I N T E G R AT I O N

Microsoft, Oculus partner for slice of virtual reality action while they wear this thing on their heads,” he says. “That’s a potential wild card.” Sony is planning to use next week’s E3 conference in Los Angeles to discuss its own plans for virtual reality; Xbox hasn’t confirmed whether it will show off the HoloLens at the show.

SAN FRANCISCO: If virtual reality is going to change everything about the world, its impact will be felt first in the video game industry. It seemed in recent months that the battle lines were becoming clear as competing headsets were being built by Facebook-owned Oculus, HTC and Valve, Sony, and Microsoft, with the first commercial release dates set for 2016. Now Microsoft has suddenly thrown in its lot with Oculus.

Oculus held a press conference on Thursday to fill in a few key details about the headsets. The company said it would begin selling the devices by the end of March 2016, announced a $10 million fund to help independent developers make Oculus games, and demonstrated prototype controllers that players will hold in each hand to navigate virtual environments. Brendan Iribe, the company’s chief executive officer, said that the headsets will ship with Xbox controllers, and he described how Oculus will have a “tight integration with Windows”.

He said players will be able to stream Xbox One games onto the Oculus headsets.

Current landscape It’s not yet clear how developments in the virtual reality industry will play out. Customers and developers have yet to cast their votes as to which headset should win. Tim Merel, managing director of Digi-Capital, a firm that advises companies on augmented and virtual reality, says the current landscape “feels a bit like the smartphone market before the iPhone.” A collaboration with Microsoft could tip the scales further in Oculus’s favour.

Developers tend to want to build

VIRTUAL REALITY: Members of the media photograph the new Oculus VR Touch controller (left) and Rift headset during the Oculus VR “Step Into The Rift” event in San Francisco, California, US, on Thursday, 2015. — Bloomberg file picture

applications for the widest possible audiences, and Microsoft’s audience will be a big draw.

For Microsoft, Oculus allows a way into virtual reality without having to do a lot of heavy lifting. If Oculus takes off, Microsoft shares in the success. If it doesn’t, Microsoft won’t have much on the line. A significant prize would be a boost in the gaming console market. The Xbox One has been trailing Sony’s

AV I AT I O N

Airbus, Boeing tout efficiency drive PARIS: Paris Air Show attendees may get out their calculators instead of binoculars next week as Airbus Group and Boeing tout an efficiency drive that aims to reap billions spent on planes in the last decade.

To help airlines squeeze the maximum revenue from their planes, Boeing and Airbus are poring over small details. That means shaving weight off galleys, stealing inches from toilets to squeeze in a few more revenuegenerating seats or adding an extra fuel tank to increase an aircraft’s range.

“The new products and models have been announced,” said Howard Rubel, a New York-based analyst with Jefferies Group. “It is now about delivering the goods and addressing the incremental needs of the air carriers.”

Order backlog The show rings in a new era for the planemakers, which are sitting on an 14,380-plane order backlog, according to Bloomberg Intelligence data. Having spent billions on aircraft from the Boeing 787 Dreamliner to the Airbus A350 and A380 that were the stars at recent expos, the focus has shifted to optimising those platforms by adding extra seats here or giving a plane more range with an extra fuel tank there.

Neither of the two big aircraft makers is bringing a brand — new aircraft to Le Bourget, aerospace’s largest and oldest trade event, breaking a four-year streak of debuts and show-stoppers.

Orders are predicted to fall well short of the $120-billion haul of last year’s Farnborough expo in southern England, which alternates with the Paris fair.

Playstation since they were introduced in late 2013.

But while the companies say gamers will be able to stream Xbox one games on the Oculus headset, this isn’t quite the same thing as turning Oculus into Xbox’s version of Sony’s Morpheus, a virtual reality device designed to work directly with the console.

In essence, the partnership with Oculus is a way for Microsoft to

hedge its bet. Earlier this year the company unveiled HoloLens, based on the related but distinct technology known as augmented reality. While virtual reality blocks your senses to place you in a new world, augmented reality allows you to stay in the real world while seeing digital imagery integrated into reality. Virtual reality is something that the entire hardcore gaming industry has jumped at,

but Microsoft is currently the only big player working on augmented reality.

Way to gain ground Ed Fries, the former Microsoft executive who led the creation of the Xbox, thinks the HoloLens could offers Microsoft a way to gain ground on Playstation. “Maybe AR will really win in a big way over VR because people want to see

Twitter’s Dick Costolo stepping down as CEO Costolo noted the news on Twitter by simply writing “Welcome back, @jack !!” and repeating the tweet from the company announcing the change.

Costolo will be replaced by cofounder Jack Dorsey on an interim – Bloomberg file picture

basis. Dorsey said the search has not

Display bonanza “We cannot launch new developments every year, this is extremely costly, extremely risky, and extremely long,” Airbus Chief Executive Officer Fabrice Bregier said in an interview.

“The strategy for the next years is to inject innovation faster. Not brand new programmes, but big evolutions.”

With Bombardier’s CSeries the only new airliner making its European debut, talk this year will probably focus on profitability and production rather than glittery new models.

Airbus likes to make a splash at air shows, though perhaps with not the same pizazz this year as the unscheduled fly-over by its $11-billion A350 wide-body at the last Paris show in 2013. Goldman Sachs Group analysts say expectations for the European planemaker are “modest,” with no new major new platform announcements.

Qatar Airways plans a display blitz of its fleet at the show, with five aircraft on site, from the new A350 to the A380 double-decker to a smaller Airbus and two Boeing jets. — Bloomberg News

Augmented reality Merel of Digi-Capital thinks augmented reality could end up being a more important technology than virtual reality because it is inherently more portable than a headset that completely blocks your natural vision. His company forecasts that augmented reality could be a $120 billion industry by 2020, with VR topping out at $30 billion and being more tightly focused on gaming and 3D entertainment.

Microsoft’s partnership with Oculus also gives it more flexibility to experiment with HoloLens as something more than a gaming device. While the Xbox seems a natural fit for a gaming headset, HoloLens didn’t come out of the company’s gaming division, and it didn’t show off any Xbox tie-ins when it first demonstrated the headset in January. (It did show how augmented reality could be used to turn your living room into a setting for the game Minecraft.)

Microsoft has been careful to keep its non-gaming ambitions from leaking into its plans for Xbox because it encountered significant backlash when it tried to position the Xbox One as a general entertainment tool. By making Oculus the de facto virtual reality headset for its hardcore gaming customers, Microsoft can build the HoloLens as a tool for office workers and electricians without making anyone too mad. — Bloomberg News

begun yet, but he noted the company

Twitter Chief Executive Officer Dick Costolo. — Bloomberg file picture

was looking for a chief executive who uses Twitter every day and ‘loves’ the product

SAN FRANCISCO: Twitter Chief Executive Officer Dick Costolo abruptly announced he was stepping down on Thursday amid increasing scrutiny of the company’s slow user growth and inability to attract advertisers at the same rate as its competitors. Costolo will be replaced by co-founder Jack Dorsey on an interim basis.

“Unfortunately this news isn’t surprising,” said Nate Elliott of management consultant Forrester Research. “The bottom line is that Twitter isn’t very good right now at serving either its users or its marketers,” he added.

Costolo said on a conference call that he announced his resignation before announcing a CEO to ensure transparency in the search process. He added that Twitter will be considering both internal and external candidates and that it has the “strongest management team (it’s) ever had,” which influenced his decision to step down.

Dorsey said the search has not begun yet, but he noted the company was looking for a CEO who uses Twitter every day and “loves” the product.

Anthony Noto, Twitter’s chief financial officer, said Costolo did not receive a severance package because he voluntarily stepped down.

Costolo said he believed scrutiny of the company would intensify if he remained CEO throughout the search process.

In a statement, Costolo said he was “tremendously proud” of his six years at Twitter.

“I am deeply appreciative of the

confidence the board, the management team and the employees have placed in me over the years,” Costolo said.

He will step down on July 1 and will continue to serve on the board, the company said in a regulatory filing.

Costolo has agreed to cancel all of his remaining unvested equity in Twitter after July 1. Dorsey, who will continue to serve as CEO of Square Inc, had served as Twitter’s president and CEO from May 2007 to October 2008.

Twitter’s reaction Twitter was abuzz on Thursday afternoon with tweets reacting to the news of Costolo’s departure.

The site was flooded with posts from employees paying tribute to him, many tagged with the hashtag “#ThankYouDickC.” Other posts mused about the company’s future direction amid concerns on Wall Street about its business model.

Struggled to gain users Twitter has long struggled to gain users at the rate of other social media companies, such as Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat.

“Twitter has never been great at giving its users reasons to come back. While other social sites have introduced new features and functionality the past few years, Twitter has mostly stood still. The result has been excruciatingly slow user growth”, Forrester’s Elliott said.

Chris Sacca, one of Twitter’s earliest investors, posted an 8,500word manifesto earlier this month calling on the company to better engage its users.

He simultaneously praised the company’s strong acquisitions of Periscope and TellApart, but Sacca pointed out that one billion users had tried Twitter and left the service.

In a recent CNBC interview, Sacca said that Twitter would be an “instant fit” for Google if it were to acquire the microblogging service.

Data firm eMarketer projects that Twitter’s monthly user base will grow at 14.1 per cent this year, compared to more than 30 per cent two years ago. — Reuters

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S ATUR DAY, JUN E 13, 2 015

FEATURE AUTOMATED LENDERS THREATEN TO EAT Kabbage, Lending Club and On Deck are among the lenders making small business and consumer loans that more established banks are less eager to approve

W

widespread, critics said. Big data “creates complacency,” said William Black, a former bank regulator who is now a professor at the University of Missouri Kansas City.”It is easily manipulated.

It doesn’t give you objective answers — it gives you whatever was programmed.”

It’s easy to tweak algorithms to make more loans and boost near term profits while taking on more credit risk, Black said.

Moreover, he said the models are often too complex for executives or regulators to question.

The data that underwriters use for automated loans is often incomplete or flat out wrong, said the National Consumer Law Center, a watchdog for low-income Americans, in a recent study.

The group criticised the “astounding” lack of transparency in their underwriting practices.

“The black box is getting bigger and bigger and more mysterious,” said Persis Yu, a lawyer for the NCLC. Some traditional banks are skeptical as well.

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon recently told a conference that he feared many of the new lenders companies would not survive a credit downturn.

hen Kevin Pereira needed a loan last year for his shaving gear business, his bank, Wells Fargo, considered his application and turned him down.

After a Google search, Pereira, 26, found Kabbage, an on-line lender that used high tech tools to evaluate his credit, including analysing his company’s Facebook page and looking for quirks in how he navigated the Kabbage Web site.

The lender sifted through his company’s credit card data and its checking account information.

In the end, Kabbage approved Pereira’s company, Wet Shave Club, for a $19,000 line of credit.

“I can make an underwriting decision based on Facebook data that is as effective as using credit score data,” said Kabbage Chief Operating Officer Kathryn Petralia, 44, noting that personal credit ratings known as FICO scores represent a single data point among many that the company considers in its underwriting process. Kabbage, Lending Club and On Deck are among the lenders making small business and consumer loans that more established banks are less eager to approve.

The new lenders say their edge is technology — they largely use automated algorithms to approve borrowers, while a bank uses more costly humans. That may be good news for borrowers and bad news for banks, analysts said.

Non-traditional lenders could siphon away as much as seven per cent of annual US. bank profits, amounting to more than $11 billion, in five years or more, according to Goldman Sachs research analysts, mostly from loans to consumers and small businesses.

Kabbage expects to make more than $1 billion of loans this year, up from about $600 million in 2014, with 95 per cent of those loans processed without any human involvement, many within as little as seven minutes, according to company officials.

To be sure, at a time when interest rates are at historic lows, Kabbage’s rates can be high — fees for Wet Shave Club’s six month line of credit are about 10 per cent of the amount loaned out, Pereira said.

Robot, run Automated underwriting has been successful over time in other arenas, such as consumer credit card lending, where banks have been using algorithms to lend since at least the 1990s.

Small business loans are often personally guaranteed by the proprietor, and are in some ways similar to credit card loans.

Lenders also say they have discovered sources of information that are useful for lending and were not available in the 1990s.

For example, Kabbage’s Petralia said the company has found that a borrower seeking a small business loan whose company is active on Facebook is 20 per cent less likely to default on a loan than a borrower who doesn’t use Facebook.

Being active on the site reflects a business that knows its customers well, Petralia said.

If applicants agree to allow Kabbage to vet their data from package delivery company United Parcel Service, the lender looks at the size and weight of the packages a company sends out, how many customers the business ships to, and how often the business ships to the same clients. These data points give a sense of how big customer orders are, how many clients the business has, and whether satisfied customers are ordering repeatedly.

Kabbage can access UPS data because UPS is an investor in the lender — both are based in Atlanta.

None of the lenders would give explicit details on their algorithms, which are proprietary, but many discussed a few of the data points they look at.

Kabbage and other online lenders also look at borrowers’ navigation habits on their web sites for hidden clues to their likelihood to repay.

Happy with the process That’s equivalent to an annual percentage rate of more than 30 per cent. But even though the first loan ended up skimming nearly all of the company’s profits while he was paying it back, Pereira is happy with the process.

“When you have a young business, it’s really important to get as much traction as you can,” he said.”We were able to buy a month ahead of inventory without worrying.”

By comparison, at Wells Fargo, an unsecured line of credit for small businesses has annual rates that range from five per cent to 13 per cent, excluding fees, according to a spokesman.

The on-line lenders are small in the scheme of the broader market, accounting for about 3 percent of the roughly $1 trillion of personal and small business loans outstanding, but the sector has caught the attention of traditional banks who are increasingly looking at automated lending programmes and unconventional data sets as ways to lend more efficiently, that is, using fewer people.

Citigroup has an arrangement which may help Lending Club make loans to impoverished and minority borrowers.

In May, Goldman Sachs hired an executive to build an online lending platform focused on consumer and small business loans.

BancAlliance, a group of more than 200 community banks, partnered with Lending Club in February to originate consumer loans.

Kabbage said it is in talks to license its platform to two top 20 banks. Leaving lending decisions up to computers has proved dangerous in the past.

Defective loans Countrywide Financial Corp collapsed after using automated loan underwriting technology before the financial crisis.

Bank of America — which bought Countrywide in 2008 — paid a fine of almost $1.3 billion because of defective loans Countrywide made using a mostly automated process. Loan underwriting standards could deteriorate if automated lending becomes

LUNCH

'Cheaper and better' Subprime lender ZestFinance — run by former Google Chief Information Officer Douglas Merrill — uses data points such as whether an applicant uses all capital letters on their application as part of their underwriting process.

Those borrowers are higher risk, ZestFinance data show, compared with those who capitalise conventionally.

Upstart, another online consumer lender, uses a borrower’s college grades and SAT scores in its algorithms to determine credit for borrowers who lack a credit history.

Wall Street has begun to package the loans in transactions like BlackRock’s securitisation of more than $300 million of consumer loans originated by P2P lending company Prosper.

The securitisation was given a credit rating by Moody’s in January. Former Citibank Citigroup Chief Executive Vikram Pandit has invested in Orchard, which helps institutional investors buy loans originated by marketplace lenders.

Pandit said algorithms can yield the same results as a traditional person-to-person process of underwriting for many loan types.

“I can’t imagine banks aren’t looking at that and saying, ‘Oh my god, I can do this cheaper and better,’” he said. — Reuters

B SECTION

WWW.TIMESOFOMAN.COM

LIFE & STYLE

S AT U R DAY, J U N E 1 3, 2 0 1 5

Designer Carolina Herrera stands next to an inspiration board in her New York showroom. — Jesse Dittmar for The Washington Post

A TEMPLATE, A ROLE MODEL FOR THE WOMAN Carolina Herrera, 76, has succeeded in the fashion industry by refraining from chasing cool. She does not aspire to be hip or edgy

From the fall 2015 CH Carolina Herrera collection for women

T

here are a lot of designers who choose bland attire — T-shirts and jeans, basic black jersey — as a kind of camouflage. They don’t want to distract from the glory of their collection. Herrera serves as a template, a role model, for the woman who buys her clothes — or at least whom that woman aspires to be. Herrera maintains a sharp eye for the details that can spoil a look: the stray hair, a skirt that wrinkles across the hips, the bodice that strains against its buttons. Her style is not fussy or old-fashioned, but it is formal. It is considered. Herrera, after all, believes that every woman should own a dress, a pencil skirt and an evening gown.

Herrera’s style stands out in our aggressively informal times.

To attend a runway show for her signature collection is to be swept into a room filled with social swells, wealthy shoppers and ladies with foreign accents and terribly convoluted names suggesting nobility somewhere in the upper branches of their family tree.

This is the world out of which Herrera herself emerged, more than 30 years ago, at the age of 40, to launch her own ready-to-wear collection. She was born into wealth in Venezuela and married into Spanish nobility. Over the years, she has built a Seventh Avenue-based company that includes her signature line, epitomised by the elegant evening dresses that appear regularly at red carpet occasions, as well as fragrances, bridal gowns and a secondary collection, CH. Herrera, 76, has succeeded in the fashion industry by refraining from chasing cool. She does not aspire to be hip or edgy. She always wants to surprise her customer with something fresh — because what does a woman say to herself

First lady Michelle Obama wears a Carolina Herrera gown at the 2014 White House state dinner for French President François Hollande. —AP Photo/Evan Vucci upon walking into a store if not, “What’s new?” — but she is not out to shock them.

“If you are a designer who is born hip and cool, then fine, you can do it. But I don’t understand a designer who sees hip and cool (young designers) and they want to be like the newcomers. You confuse the client,” she says.

Herrera aspires to be something more subtle: contemporary, something her four daughters help her with by wearing her classic dresses in such disparate ways.

Contemporary is also a mantra she shared with her friend, the late designer Oscar de la Renta.

“He always (did) the same silhouette for his designs, but with a modern twist,” she says.

Jaws need not drop for Herrera to declare a collection a success.

In fact, she is disappointed — troubled, baffled — by fashion’s current version of one-upsmanship: the idea that modern is synonymous with show-yourtush. Some designers think “it’s so modern to be naked or almost naked. They think it’s going to attract younger people if they do those dresses. No!” Herrera says emphatically. “The almost naked! Oh God! They’re trying to get people to pay attention to them. In life, there should be

a little mystery.” Herrera turns to the recent Costume Institute gala to make her point. Exhibits A through C: Beyoncé and her bedazzled mosquito netting; Jennifer Lopez in a red beaded gown; Kim Kardashian with a train of white feathers.

“They’re supposed to be fashion icons and they’re not wearing anything,” Herrera says in a tone that is both exasperated and dismayed. “It’s an obsession now.”

Herrera is not a prude. She is more than willing to give her customers a plunging neckline, but doing so requires care and a precise placement underneath the fabric. “Fashion is about

From the fall 2015 CH Carolina Herrera collection for men

proportion.” The Carolina Herrera brand debuted in 1981. A socialite, Herrera was urged into fashion by the legendary editor Diana Vreeland. In 1995, the company was purchased by the Barcelona-based luxury conglomerate, Puig, which also owns Nina Ricci and Paco Rabanne, as well as a controlling interest in Jean Paul Gaultier.

Of these fashion houses, Herrera’s is probably the least attentive to shifts in trends. To stay true to one’s aesthetic sometimes means shunning fads, which can leave a designer outside the fashion conversation.

“For me, fashion is about originality, sophistication and beauty,” Herrera says. “I’m not in the fashion business; I’m in the beauty business.”

“You can’t always please the press,” Herrera says. “That’s for your ego.”

Her stubborn restraint has been embraced by first ladies such as Laura Bush and Michelle Obama, who notably chose a Herrera gown — with an embroidered black lace bodice and liberty blue skirt — when the White House hosted a 2014 state dinner for French President François Hollande.

But Herrera’s most loyal client is, perhaps, the actress Renee Zellweger. The two met almost 15 years ago at a Costume Institute gala celebrating the public wardrobe of Jacqueline Kennedy.

The actress and the designer chatted and Zellweger asked if she might visit Herrera in her studio. “It was lovely, uncomplicated and easy. Personal,” Herrera says.

The bond, one not bartered through a stylist, has endured.

A rarity. “There’s no fidelity,” Herrera says of relationships between designers and celebrities.

“There’s millions of designers and they’re offering spectacular things. (Celebrities) go from one to the other.”

Still, dressing bold-faced names resonates. “They go all over the world and if they look fabulous, it’s great for the house,” Herrera says. And if they look a wreck? The house takes the fall.

— Robin Givhan/The Washington Post

S ATUR DAY, JUN E 13, 2 015

B6

ENTERTAINMENT CINEMA SCHEDULE

BAHJA CINEMA Jurassic World (Action / Adventure) Cast: Chris Pratt, Judy Greer, Ty Simkins 3:00, 5:15, 7:30, 9:45 & 11:55 pm CP No: 1495 (PG12)

Jurassic World (Act, Adv) (3D) (PG12) Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins 9:15, 11:45 pm Jurassic World (Act, Adv) (2D) (PG12) Cast : Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, 11:30 AM, 2:00, 6:45 pm Spy (Action, Comedy) (18+) Cast: Jude Law, Raad Rawi, 7:15, 9:30 pm Dil Dhadakne Do (Drama, Rom) (TBC) Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Anil Kapoor, Shefali Shetty, Priyanka Chopra 11:45 AM, 5:00, 8:15 pm Insidious Chapter 3 (Horror) (15+) Cast: Dermot Mulroney, Stefanie Scott, Angus Sampson 3:00, 11:30 pm Better Living Through Chemistry (Comedy, Drama) (15+) Cast: Sam Rockwell, Olivia Wilde 5:30 pm San Andreas (Act, Adv) (3D) PG Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino 4:30, 11:45 pm A Mouse Tale (Animation) (PG) Cast: Tom Arnold, Drake Bell, Miranda Cosgrove 12:00, 2:00, 3:45 pm

Hamara Adhuri Kahani (2D)(Dra) (PG) Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan 9:00pm San Andreas (3D) (Act) (PG) Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino, Alexandra Daddario 12:15 & 5:00pm Jurassic World (3D) (Act/Adv) (PG12)

Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard 9:30 & 11:45pm Gold Class: 8:45 & 11:15 pm Jurassic World (2D) (Act/Adv) (PG12) Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard 10:30am; Gold Class: 12:45pm Spy (2D) (Action/Comedy) (18+) Cast: Jude Law, Raad Rawi, Melissa McCarthy 2:45 & 7:15pm; Gold Class: 3:15 pm Insidious Chapter 3 (2D) (Horror) (15+) Cast: Dermot Mulroney, Stefanie Scott 11:45 pm Dil Dhadakne Do (2D) (Dra) (PG12) Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Anil Kapoor, Shefali Shetty, Priyanka Chopra 6:00 pm; Gold Class: 5:30 pm A Mouse Tale (2D) (Animation) (PG) Cast: Tom Arnold, Drake Bell, 10:30 am, 12:45 & 2:30 pm Better Living Through Chemistry (2D) (Comedy/Drama) (15+) Cast: Sam Rockwell, Olivia Wilde, Michelle Monaghan 4:15 pm

SCREEN 1 Hamari Adhori Kahani (Rom/Drama) – PG Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan and Rajkummar Rao 1.00, 3.45, 9.45 pm Dil Dhadakne Do (Rom/Dra ) – PG12 Cast: Anil Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Shefali Shetty, Anushka Sharma, Priyanka Chopra 6.30 pm SCREEN 2 Dil Dhadakne Do (Rom/Dra ) – PG12 1.00, 4.00, 9.45 pm Hamari Adhori Kahani (Rom/Dra) – PG Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan and Rajkummar Rao 7.00 pm

SCREEN 3 Tanu Weds Manu Returns (Romance/ Drama/Comedy ) – PG Cast: Kangana Ranaut, R. Madhavan, Jimmy Shergill, Deepak Dobriyal 1.15, 3.45, 6.45, 9.45 pm

San Andreas - 3D (PG) (Action | Drama) Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino, Alexandra Daddario 9:15, 11:30 pm Spy - 2D (18+) (Action | Comedy) Cast: Jude Law, Raad Rawi, Melissa McCarthy 6:30, 11:45 pm Dil Dhadakne Do - 2D (PG12) (Drama) Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Anil Kapoor, Shefali Shetty, Priyanka Chopra 3:00 pm Jurassic World - 2D (PG12) (Action) Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins 2:40 pm Jurassic World - 3D (PG12) (Act | Sci- ) Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, 12:15, 6:45, 9:15, 11:45 pm Better Living Through Chemistry 2D (15+) (Comedy| Drama) Cast: Sam Rockwell, Olivia Wilde 3:00, 7:25pm Preservation - 2D (15+) (Horror) Cast: Wrenn Schmidt, Pablo Schreiber, Aaron Staton 5:00, 11:50pm A Mouse Tale - 2D (PG) (Animation) Cast: Tom Arnold, Drake Bell, Miranda 3:00, 4:45pm Hamari Adhuri Kahaani - 2D (PG) (Drama | Romance) Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan, Rajkummar Rao, Sara Khan 12:15, 4:45, 9:10 pm

Premam - 2D (M) (TBC) (Com | Romance) Cast: Nivin Pauly, Anupama Parameshwaran 12:00, 8:45 pm Romeo Juliet - 2D (T) (PG) (Com) Cast: Jayam Ravi, Hansika Motwani, Vamsi Krishna, 12:00, 6:15 pm

Jurassic World - 2D (Act/Adv) (PG12) Cast: Chris Pratt, Ty Simpkins 3:00 pm Jurassic World - 3D (Act/ Fi) (PG12) 4:45, 9:15, 11:30 pm A Mouse Tale – 2D (Animation) (PG) 3:00, 5:05pm San Andreas – 3D (PG) (Act, Dr) 6:45, 11:45pm Premam – 2D (Com, Romance) (TBC) Cast: Nivin Pauly, Anupama Parameshwaran; 8:45pm Dil Dhadakne Do – 2D (PG12) (Drama) Cast: Ranveer Singh, Priyanka Chopra 3:30pm Romeo Juliet – 2D (Tamil) (Dr) (PG) Cast: Jayam Ravi, Hansika Motwani, Vamsi Krishna 6:30pm Hamari Adhuri Kahaani - 2D (Drama) (TBC) Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan 9:15 pm Spy - 2D (18+) (Action, Comedy) Cast: Jude Law, Raad Rawi 7:00, 11:45pm

Jurassic World (3D) (Action) (PG12) Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins, 4:15, 9:30, 11:45 pm Jurassic World (2D) (Act | Adv) (PG12) Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins 2:45pm

A Mouse Tale (Animation) (PG) Cast: Tom Arnold, Drake Bell 11:30 AM, 5:00 pm Spy (Action | Comedy) (18+) Cast: Jason Statham, Jude Law, Melissa McCarthy 6:45pm Hamari Adhuri Kahaani (Hindi) (Drama | Romance) (PG); 9:00 pm Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan Dil Dhadakne Do (Hindi) (Dra) (TBC) 01:15pm Premam (Mal) (Com| Rom) (TBC) 11:45 AM, 6:30 pm

San Andreas (3D) (12+) (Act, Dra, ) Cast: Dwayne Johnson, 5:15, 11:55pm Spy (2D) (18+) (Action, Comedy) Cast: Jude Law, Raad Rawi, 12:30, 11:30 pm Insidious: Chapter 3 (2D) (15+) (Hor) Cast: Dermot Mulroney, Stefanie Scott, 2:00, 10:05pm Dil Dhadakne Do (2D) (PG12) (Dra) Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Anil Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra; 2:15pm Jurassic World (3D) (PG12) (Sci-Fi ) Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, 10:00 AM, 7:15, 9:30, 11:45pm Jurassic World (2D) (PG12) (Sci-Fi ) Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, 12:00 pm Romeo Juliet (2D) (PG) (Com) Cast: Jayam Ravi, Hansika Motwani, Vamsi Krishna, 5:45pm Hamari Adhuri Kahaani (2D) (PG) (Drama, Romance) Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan, 10:00 AM, 7:30pm Better Living Through Chemistry (2D) (15+) (Comedy, Drama) Cast: Sam Rockwell, 5:45pm A Mouse Tale (2D) (PG) (Animation) Cast: Tom Arnold, Drake Bell, 10:15 AM, 12:15, 4:00 pm

Preservation ( Horror /Thriller) Cast: Wren Schimidth, Pablo Schrieber, Aron Staton 1:15 & 11:55 pm CP No: 1496 (15+) San Andreas (Action / Thriller) Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Alexandra Deddario, Carla Gugino 1:00 & 5:15 pm CP No: 1381 (PG) Hamara Adhuri Kahani (Romance) Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan, Rajkumar Rao 3:00, 7:15 & 9:30 pm CP No: 1497 (PG)

Film Information - 24540856 / Advance Booking - 24540855 Website: www.albahjacinemaoman.com

STARS CINEMA Film information 24791641 / 24786776

Premam (Mal) (Com) Cast: Nivin Pauly, Anupama Parameshwaran & Sai Pallavi 12:00, 3:00, 6:30 & 10:00pm at Cinema Main Romeo & Juliet (Tamil) (Act/Rom) Cast: Jayam Ravi & Hansika Motwani 3:30, 6:30 & 9:30pm at Cinema -2 Hamari Adhuri Kahani (Hindi) (Rom) Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan, Rajkummar Rao, Sara Khan 3:45, 6:45 & 9:45 pm at Cinema-3 Chandrettan Evideya (Mal) (Rom/Com) Cast: Dileep, Namitha and Anu Sree 3:45 & 6:45 pm Cinema -4 Next Change: Laila O Laila ( Mal )

For More Information 24789032, 24786776 Website: www.isurf.co.om

ACES ON BRIDGE

How do you turn to take the tricks?

DAVID Frost, an English television interviewer who used to work a lot in the United States, said, “He’s turned his life around.

He used to be depressed and miserable. Now he’s miserable and depressed.”

Bridge players can be depressed and miserable — or miserable and depressed — after failing to make or break a contract.

In today’s deal, South is in three no-trump. How should he stay happy after West leads the heart three?

In the bidding, South had a close decision over one heart: double or one no-trump? The hand

distribution suggests double, but one no-trump has the advantage of immediately defining hand type and strength: balanced with heart stoppers and 15-plus to 18-minus points.

Note West’s lead, the heart three, not the eight. When you attack in partner’s unsupported suit, lead high from a doubleton, low from a tripleton.

South starts with only five top tricks: two spades, two hearts and one club.

At first glance, it looks easy to establish four diamond tricks and cruise home.

But note that if South leads

the diamond queen from his hand at trick two, he goes down because of the bad break.

Since East is marked with all of the missing high cards, declarer should play a spade to dummy’s king, then lead a low diamond from the dummy.

Here, East has to win with his ace, and South has 10 tricks: three spades, two hearts, four diamonds and one club. But if East could play a low diamond, after winning with his queen, declarer would then run the club jack, to take three spades, two hearts, one diamond and three clubs.

- By Philip Alder MARMADUKE

CROSSWORD

B I G NAT E

Answer to previous puzzle

ACROSS 1 5 9 12 13 14 15 17 19 21 22 25 28 30 34 35 36

Lugosi of horror flicks Gloating By way of State positively Minute amount MS readers Rain forest parrot Consumer lures Sedgwick of the screen Zen riddle Raison d’ — Perpetrator’s need Chiefly Lackey Bride’s new title A moon of Jupiter Search —!

37 38 40 42 44 45 48 50 53 57 58 60 61 62 63

Sitcom waitress Tarzan’s moniker Depletes (2 wds.)

Bean or Welles 1899 gold-rush town Mashed potato serving Minus Oil in paints Floated downriver Checkout ID Totally amazed Hard to find Wind dir.

Watch over Pull down

DOWN 1

Chef Emeril’s

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 16 18 20 22 23 24 26 27

shout — Marie Saint Place (abbr.)

Heed the alarm Pedro’s consent Fable ending Pass near Pikes Peak Schmooze Kill a bill Brainstorm Org. Colo. neighbour Having similar properties Synthetic fabrics Jane Austen title Field protector Hilltop Vaccinated Comb producers

29 31 32 33 39 41 43 45 46 47 49 51 52 54 55 56 59

Truth bender In that case (2 wds.)

Baking-powder ingredient Go at an easy gait Broom companions Make certain Bygone Envelope sealer They may be read Formerly Addr. part Raid the fridge Flock member Meadow murmur Miscalculate Bear’s refuge Deg. in religious studies

BORN LOSER

WITH LOVE

VAISHNAV CHITHRA SHINE

NAVEEN BALACHANDRAN

June 13, 2003

June 11

Send us a colour photograph of the child (below 16 years) whose birthday you are celebrating, along with his/her full name, date of birth, address, telephone number and parents’/your name to Times of Oman, With Love, PO Box 770, PC 112, Ruwi or through e-mail to extra@timesofoman.com

KIDSPOT

H E A LT H C A P S U L E

SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 2015

PRAYER TIMINGS

Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Fajr (Tomorrow)

Y O U R B I R T H D AY

BORN today, you are drawn to all endeavours that allow — nay, encourage — the free expression of your emotions, thoughts, dreams, desires and even those rumblings from deep within your secret self, for it is all of these that make you who you are. You know it, and you are never ashamed of anything that has gone into your makeup — your genetic and spiritual ingredients, if you will — and you will always share these components freely with those around you. There may be times when your behaviour in this regard crosses some lines and challenges others more than they may wish to be challenged — but that says more about them than it does about you. You’re not the kind to stop doing something only because others are bothered by it!

You can be soft-spoken and very gently persuasive — and then, in the next moment, aggressively forceful, insistent that others bend to your will. In this way, you are very much the Gemini native: one who harbours two seemingly conflicting types within one psyche. It is something you are reasonably sure to come to understand very well about yourself.

Also born on this date are: Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, actresses; Tim Allen, comedian and actor; Ally Sheedy, actress; Malcolm McDowell, actor; Richard Thomas, actor; Paul Lynde, actor; Stellan Skarsgard, actor; Basil Rathbone, actor; William Butler Yeats, poet; Christo, artist.

12.12pm 3.30pm 6.59pm 8.21pm 3.52am

Sunset Sunrise (Tomorrow) High tide Low tide

6:54pm 5.20am

5:29pm 11.40am

FIND-IT-ALL

-12.38pm

W E AT H E R

AIRLINES

P

artly cloudy to cloudy skies over most of the Sultanate with chances of isolated rain and thundershower associated with fresh wind over governorates of South al-Sharqiyah and al-Wusta which will extend gradually to governorates of North al-Sharqiyah, Muscat, al-Dakhiliyah and South al-Batinah. Chances of convective clouds developments and thundershowers over al-Hajar mountains and adjoining areas may be associated with fresh downdraft and hail.

EXPECTED WINDS: Along the coastal areas of Oman Sea wind will be northeasterly light to moderate occasionally fresh and southwesterly moderate to fresh along the coastal areas of Dhofar and Al Wusta. While over the rest of the Sultanate it will be northeasterly to easterly light to moderate

occasionally fresh.

SEA STATE: Rough to very rough along southeastern coast and the coasts of South Al-Sharqiyah governorate with maximum wave height between 3.0 to 6.0 metres and moderate to rough along the rest of Oman’s coast with maximum wave height of 2.5 metres.

HORIZONTAL VISIBILITY: Good over most of the Sultanate becoming poor during thundershower and blowing dust.

THE NEXT 48 HOURS OUTLOOK: The direct effect of (Ashobaa) tropical depression along the southeastern coasts. While the indirect effect will continue over governorates of North al-Sharqiyah, Muscat, al-Dakhiliyah, South al-Batinah associated with thundershowers and fresh wind.

Max

OMAN

WORLD

Max 40 Min 29 Max 30 Min 20

Max 42 Min 29

Max 32 Min 29 Max 23 Min 14

Max 35 Min 30

Max 28 Min 18

Max 39 Min 31

Max 40 Min 30

Max 38 Min 28

Max 30 Min 27

GEMINI

Max 34 Min 29

[MAY 21-JUNE 20] You may be swamped by those who think your ideas are top-notch, though you may not yet be ready to put any of them in motion.

Max 32 Min 28

Max 26 Min 17

Max 33 Min 28 Max 19 Min 10

Source: www.met.gov.om

GULF Abu Dhabi Doha Dubai Kuwait Manama Riyadh

39 39 40 45 37 42

30 28 30 29 31 27

WORLD Athens Baghdad Beijing Berlin Boston Cairo Colombo Frankfurt Hong Kong Istanbul Johannesburg Kuala Lumpur Lisbon Paris Perth Singapore Tokyo Toronto

32 41 27 31 24 33 30 25 30 28 19 33 19 27 19 31 19 23

22 27 19 15 17 19 29 14 28 18 3 24 16 14 9 27 10 18

FROM MUSCAT (RUWI)

TO MUSCAT (RUWI)

[JUNE 21-JULY 22] You may have trouble keeping up with someone who has figured out a way to gain the advantage over you, even if only temporarily.

LEO [JULY 23-AUG. 22] You may want to make a change that will be virtually impossible without someone else’s consent — and, when it comes down to it, hands-on help.

QURIYAT - SUR - JAALAN (Route 36) Dept Destination Arrival Time Time 15:00 Quriyat 16:30 15:00 Sur 18:00 15:00 Jaalan 19:30 TO AL BURAIMI (Route 41) 06:30 Sohar 06:30 Buraimi 08:00 Buraimi 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Buraimi 16.00 Sohar 16.00 Buraimi TO SINAW (Route 52) 17:30 Sinaw

Operating Days Daily Daily Daily

FROM JAALAN-SUR-QURIYAT (Route 36) Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 05:30 Sur 06:45 Daily 05:30 Quriyat 08:30 Daily 05:30 Ruwi 10:00 Daily

08:50 11:00 14:30 15:45 17:40 18.35 20:20

Daily Daily Daily via Ibri Daily Daily Daily Daily

20:50

Daily

TO AL BURAIMI (Route 41) 07:00 Sohar 07:00 Ruwi 13:30 Ruwi 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Ruwi 13:00 Sohar 17:00 Ruwi TO SINAW (Route 52) 07:00 Ruwi

To Yanqul (Route 54) 14:30 Nizwa 14:30 Yanqul

16:50 19:30

Daily Daily

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (Route 54) 08:00 Nizwa 08:00 Al Araqi

10:20 12:30

TO SUR (Route 55) 07:30 Sur 14:30 Sur TO FAHUD - YIBAL (Route 62) 06:30 Fahud 06:30 Yibal

08:55 11:40 20:20 14:55 17:40 19:20 22:15

Daily Daily Daily via Ibri Daily Daily Daily Daily

10:25

Daily

To Yanqul (Route 54) 06:00 Nizwa 06:00 Ruwi

08:40 11:00

Daily Daily

Daily Daily

TO IBRI (ARAQI) (Route 54) 15:40 Nizwa 15:40 Ruwi

17:55 20:20

Daily Daily

12:00 18:45

Daily Daily

TO SUR (Route 55) 06:00 Ruwi 14:30 Ruwi

10:45 19:00

Daily Daily

10:30 11:15

Daily Daily

TO YIBAL - FAHUD (Route 62) 12:30 Fahud 12:30 Ruwi

13:15 17:30

Daily Daily

TO MARMUL-SALALAH (Route 100) 07:00 Salalah 20:00 10:00 Marmul 20:30 10:00 Salalah 23:30 19:00 Salalah 07:40

Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO SALALAH -MARMUL (Route 100) 07:00 Ruwi 19:50 10:00 Marmul 13:15 10:00 Ruwi 22:30 19:00 Ruwi 07:30

Daily Daily Daily Daily

TO MARMUL (Route 101) 06:00 Marmul

Daily

TO MARMUL (Route 101) 06:00 Marmul

16:30

Daily

Daily

DUBAI TO SALALAH (Route 102) 15:00 Salalah 07:00

Daily

VIRGO [AUG. 23-SEPT. 22] You’re likely to hear from someone who has been keeping up with your antics despite a recent severing of contact. Things are looking up.

LIBRA L [[SEPT. [S S 23-OCT. 22] You may have wondered what it’s all for, but you’ll get a sign that points you in a new direction, affording many valuable options.

SCORPIO S [[OCT. 23-NOV. 21] Don’t do anything that you can’t undo without first talking to someone who knows the current situation better than you do.

SAGITTARIUS S [[NOV. 22-DEC. 21] You may be taking things a bit too lightly for some, though nothing they say or do is likely to change your attitude one bit.

CAPRICORN [DEC. 22-JAN 19] Give things a little more time to settle, and you’ll marvel at how well they’re going, despite your initial reservations.

16:50

SALALAH TO DUBAI (Route 102) 15:00 Dubai 07:00 TO DUBAI (Route 201) 06:00 Sohar 06:00 Dubai 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Dubai 15:00 Sohar 15:00 Dubai

08:30 11:30 15:30 18:30 17:35 20:55

Daily Daily Wed,Thur Wed,Thur Daily Daily

TO DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH & SHARJAH (Route 204) Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 07:00 Fujairah 11.45 Daily 07:00 Sharjah 13.30 Daily 07:00 Dubai 14.00 Daily

TO DUBAI (Route 201) 07:30 Sohar 07:30 Ruwi 13:00 Sohar 13:00 Ruwi 15:30 Sohar 15:30 Ruwi

10:50 13:40 16:15 19:10 18:45 21:35

Daily Daily Thur-Fri Thur-Fri Daily Daily

FROM DUBAI VIA FUJIRAH & SHARJAH (Route 204) Dept Destination Arrival Operating Time Time Days 16:00 Sharjah 16:30 Daily 16.00 Fujairah 18.15 Daily 16.00 Ruwi 23.00 Daily

LISTINGS

AQUARIUS [JAN. 20-FEB. 18] You may encounter some opposition, even from members of your own team. They have a few very good questions you must answer.

PISCES [Feb. 19-March 20] You may not be devoting quite enough time or energy to a certain work project. You’re likely to receive a warning of sorts.

ARIES [March 21-APRIL 19] The overall tone of the day may surprise you, and despite any clouds that roll in, you should be able to reach all of your goals.

TAURUS [APRIL 20-MAY 20] You are in the mood for something out of the ordinary. Even so, the mundane must come first, as you well know.

PHARMACIES Round the clock Al Hashar Pharmacy, Ruwi: 24783334; Appolo Medical Centre, Hamriya: 24782666; Muscat Pharmacy, Ruwi: 24702542, Salalah: 23291635; Atlas Pharmacy, Ghubra: 24503585; Ruwi 24811715 Muscat Region Apollo, Al Hamriya. Tel: 24787766 Muscat, A Seeb Market. Tel: 24421691 Muscat, Al Khuwair. Tel: 24485740 Muscat, Al Hail South. Tel: 4537080 Dhofar Region Muscat, Al Nahdha Road, Salalah.

Tel: 23291635 HOSPITALS Al Amal Medical & Health Care Centre: 24485052 Atlas Hospital: Ruwi: 24811743/ Ghubra: 24504000 Al Musafir Specialised Medical Clinic: 24706453 Hatat Polyclinic LLC, Ruwi: 24563641, Azaiba: 24499269, Sohar: 2683006 Al Raffah Hospital: 24618900/1/2 Al Massaraat Clinic & Laboratory: 24566435 Al Makook Medical Coordinance Centre: 24499434 Apollo Medical Centre, Hamriya: 24787766, 24787780 Capital Polyclinic: 24707549 Badr Al Samaa Polyclinic, Ruwi: 24799760/1/2 Capital Clinic, Seeb: 24420740 Ceregem National Raak: 24485633 Dr Harub’s Clinic: 24563217 Elixir Health Centre: 24565802 Emirates Medical Centre: 24604540 1st Chiropractic Centre: 24472274 Hamdan Hospital: 23212340 International Medical Centre LLC: 24794501/2/3/4/5 Kims Oman Hospital: 24760100

24 Hrs Emergency: 24760123 Lama Polyclinic, Sohar: 26751128, MBD: 24799077, Al Khuwair: 24478818 Magrabi Eye and Ear Hospital: 24568870 Muscat Private Hospital: 24583600 Welcare Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, Al Khuwair: 24477666 Al-Hayat Polyclinc LLC: 22004000 ROYAL OMAN POLICE Emergencies and inquiries: 9999 General Directorate of Passport and Residence: 24569603 Directorate General of Customs: 24521109 Traffic violations inquiries: 24510228 Public Relations Admin: 24560099 ACCOMMODATION Al Bahjah Hotel: 24424400 Al Bustan Palace: 24764000 Al Khuwair Hotel Apartments: 24478171 Al Madina Holiday Inn: 24596400 Al Maha International Hotel: 24494949 Al Fanar Hotel: 24712385 Al Falaj Hotel: 24702311 Al Qurum Resort: 24605945 Azaiba Hotel Apartments: 24490979 Beach Hotel: 24696601 Bowshar Hotel: 24491105 Coral Hotel Muscat: 24692121 Crowne Plaza Muscat: 24660660 Crystal Suites: 24826100 Golden Tulip Seeb: 24510300 Grand Hyatt Muscat: 24641234 Haffa House Hotel: 24707207 Hotel Muscat Holiday: 24487123 InterContinental Muscat: 24680000 Majan Continental Hotel: 24592900 Marina Hotel: 24711711 Midan Hotel Suites: 24499565 Mina Hotel: 24711828 Muttrah Hotel: 24798401

Nuzha Hotel Apartments: 24789199 Oman Dive Centre: 24824240 Park Inn: 24507888 Qurum Beach House Hotel: 24564070 Radisson Blu Hotel: 24487777 Ramee Dream Resort Seeb: 24453399 Ramee Guestline Hotel: 24564443 Ruwi Hotel: 24704244 Safeer Hotel Suites: 24691200 Sheraton Oman Hotel: 24772772 Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa: 24776666 The Chedi Muscat: 24524400 The Treasurebox Muscat Hotel: 24502570 Sifawy Hotel +968 24749111 Juweira Hotel +968 23239600 AIRLINE OFFICES Muscat Airport Flight information (24 hours): 24519456/24519223 Aeroflot: 24704455, Air Arabia: 24700828, Air France: 24562153, Air India: 24799801, Air New Zealand: 24700732, Biman Bangladesh Airlines: 24701128, British Airways: 24568777, Cathay Pacific: 24789818, Egypt Air: 24794113, Emirates Air: 24404400, Ethiopian Airlines: 24660313, Gulf Air: 80072424, Indian: 24791914, Iran Air: 24787423, Japan Airlines: 24704455, Jazeera Airways: 23294848, Jet Airways: 24787248, Kenya Airways: 24660300, KML Royal Dutch Airlines: 24566737, Kuwait Airways: 24701262, LOT Polish Airlines: 24796387, Lufthansa: 24796692, Malaysian Airlines: 24560796, Middle East Airlines: 24796680, Oman Air: 24531111, Pakistan International Airlines: 24792471, Qatar Airways: 24771900, Qantas: 24559941, Royal Jordanian: 24796693, Saudi Arabian Airlines: 24789485, Singapore

SATURDAY

Min

L O N G D I S TA N C E B U S T I M I N G S ( O M A N N AT I O N A L T R A N S P O R T C O M PA N Y S A O C ) * S U B J E C T T O C H A N G E

CANCER

B7

Airlines: 24791233, Shaheen Air: 24816565, SriLankan Airlines: 24784545, Swiss International Airlines: 24796692, Thai Airways: 24705934, Turkish Airlines: 24703033 MUSEUMS Bait Al Baranda: Corniche (seafront opp fish market), Open from Sat to Thur 9am to 1pm and 4 to 6pm Natural History Museum: Al Khuwair, Tel: 24604957, Open from Sat to Wed: 8am to 1:30pm; Thur: 9am to 1pm Museum of Omani Heritage: (former Omani Museum), Madinat Al Alam, Sat-Wed 8am to 1:30pm, Thur - 9am to 1pm, Tel: 24600946 Armed Forces Museum: Bait Al Falaj, Tel: 24312651, Open from Sat to Wed: 8am to 1:30pm; Thurs 9-12pm and 3-6pm; Fri 9-11am and 3-6pm.

Al Hoota Caves 24498258; Turtle Beach 96550606/96550707 Children’s Science Museum: Shatti Al Qurum, Tel: 24605368, Open from Sat to Wed: 8am to 1:30pm, Thur: 9am to 1pm Oman-French Museum: near Muscat Police Station, Tel: 24736613, Open from Sat to Wed: 8am to 1:30pm, Thurs: 9am to 1pm Bait Al Zubair, Muscat: Tel: 24736688, Al Saidiya St., Muscat museum@baitalzubairmuseum.com Open from Sat to Thurs: 9:30am to 6pm.

National Museum Ruwi: Tel: 24701289, Open from Sat to Wed: 8am to 1:30pm, Thur: 9am to 1pm Sohar Fort Museum: Tel: 26844758, Open from Saturday to Wed: 8 to 1:30pm Thurs: 9am to 1pm Muscat Gate Museum: at Al Bahri Road, Muscat open from Sat to Wed 8am to 2pm

SUNDAY

FLT NO

ARRIVALS FROM

FLT NO

ARRIVALS FROM

WY406 WY648 WY672 WY424 WY676 WY682 WY914 WY916 TK774 4H583 PK225 GF560 QR1132 ET624 EK866 EY384 MS930 FZ041 WY114 WY658 WY638 WY902 WY644 WY154 WY144 WY668 WY692 WY132 WY674 WY102 FZ043 WY602 WY432 WY346 WY202 WY236 G9114 WY282 PK191 EK862 WY210 WY242 WY252 IX549 QR1128 EY382 IX443 WY844 WY652 9W530 WY604 WY918 GF562 FZ037 IX337 WY384 PA450 WY705 WY822 WY818 WY634 WY904 BG023 PK291 WY670 WY324 NL771 WY332 WY606 WY3302 WY906 WY920 FZ045 SV532 WY344 WY656 QR1126 WY204 WY632 WY292 WY216 EK864 WY232 WY246 WY694 WY664 GF564 G9116 WY274 WY374 WY386 FZ047 WY908 PK259 RG125 WY646 WY224 WY614 WY338 FZ049 WY124 KL441 9W534 AI973 6.00E+81 BA073 WY624 WY254 UL205 WY684 AI907 WY264 WY312 LX242 QR1134 GF566 LH616 WY717 WY328 EY388 9W540 AI985 WY662 WY654 WY636 WY928 WY816 WY696 WY612

CAIRO 0005 KUWAIT 0005 MEDINA 0005 BEIRUT 0005 JEDDAH 0005 RIYADH 0010 SALALAH 0020 SALALAH 0120 ISTANBUL 0135 DACCA 0200 KARACHI 0215 BAHRAIN 0325 DOHA 0345 ADDIS ABABA 0350 DUBAI 0350 ABU DHABI 0400 CAIRO 0410 DUBAI 0415 FRANKFURT 0515 BAHRAIN 0635 ABU DHABI 0640 SALALAH 0645 KUWAIT 0650 ZURICH 0700 MALPENSA 0705 DOHA 0715 DAMMAM 0715 PARIS 0735 JEDDAH 0735 LONDON HEATHROW 0740 DUBAI 0800 DUBAI 0805 TEHRAN 0805 ISLAM ABBAD 0815 BOMBAY 0835 HYDERABAD 0900 SHARJAH 0905 BANGALORE 0910 TURBAT 0930 DUBAI 0930 GOA 0935 DELHI 0935 MADRAS 0955 TRIVANDRUM 0955 DOHA 1000 ABU DHABI 1010 COCHIN 1020 MANILA 1020 BAHRAIN 1040 TRIVANDRUM 1045 DUBAI 1115 KHASAB 1115 BAHRAIN 1130 DUBAI 1140 CALICUT 1155 MALE 1210 LAHORE 1215 DARESSLAM-ZANZIBAR 1215 KUALA LUMPUR-SINGAPORE 1215 BANGKOK 1220 ABU DHABI 1220 SALALAH 1230 DACCA 1230 ISLAM ABBAD 1235 DOHA 1250 KARACHI 1300 PESHAWAR 1300 KATHMANDU 1305 DUBAI 1340 MUKHAIZNA 1350 SALALAH 1440 KHASAB 1445 DUBAI 1535 JEDDAH 1550 LAHORE 1605 BAHRAIN 1615 DOHA 1650 BOMBAY 1655 ABU DHABI 1710 CALICUT 1710 TRIVANDRUM 1745 DUBAI 1745 HYDERABAD 1750 DELHI 1750 DAMMAM 1805 DOHA 1805 BAHRAIN 1810 SHARJAH 1905 JAIPUR 1910 COLOMBO 1915 MALE 1935 DUBAI 1940 SALALAH 2000 PESHAWAR 2000 ABU DHABI 2005 KUWAIT 2010 COCHIN 2025 DUBAI 2025 KATHMANDU 2040 DUBAI 2100 MUNICH 2105 AMSTERDAM-DOHA 2105 COCHIN 2115 DELHI 2125 BOMBAY 2130 LONDON HEATHROW-ABU DHABI 2140 DUBAI 2150 MADRAS 2150 COLOMBO 2155 RIYADH 2200 MADRAS 2200 LUCKNOW 2200 CHITTAGONG 2210 ZURICH-DUBAI 2225 DOHA 2225 BAHRAIN 2240 FRANKFURT-DOHA 2245 ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM 2250 KARACHI 2250 ABU DHABI 2300 BOMBAY 2315 BOMBAY 2325 DOHA 2335 BAHRAIN 2340 ABU DHABI 2340 SALALAH 2345 BANGKOK 2350 DAMMAM 2355 DUBAI 2355

WY406 WY648 WY676 WY672 WY682 WY914 WY916 WY910 TK774 4H585 NL669 PK225 GF560 QR1132 ET624 EK866 EY384 FZ041 WY114 4H586 CV732 WY658 WY638 WY902 WY326 WY644 G9841 WY686 WY154 WY144 WY692 WY668 WY674 WY132 WY102 FZ043 WY602 NL768 WY272 WY202 WY3932 WY236 G9114 WY282 WY226 EK862 WY210 WY242 WY212 WY252 IX549 QR1128 IX817 EY382 IX443 9W530 WY3922 WY3302 WY604 WY918 GF562 FZ037 IX337 WY384 WY822 WY818 WY634 WY904 WY670 WY324 WY332 WY652 WY606 KU677 WY906 WY920 WY348 FZ045 WY3304 WY344 QR1126 WY204 WY632 WY292 WY264 WY664 EK864 WY246 WY232 WY610 GF564 WY656 TG507 G9116 WY374 WY646 FZ047 WY908 WY614 WY848 WY338 WY386 WY434 FZ049 WY124 9W534 AI973 6.00E+81 WY254 BA073 WY624 UL205 AI907 WY312 QR1134 LX242 GF566 LH616 EY388 WY414 WY910 9W540 AI985 WY662 WY654 WY636 WY928 WY816 WY696 WY612

CAIRO 0005 KUWAIT 0005 JEDDAH 0005 MEDINA 0005 RIYADH 0010 SALALAH 0020 SALALAH 0120 SALALAH 0130 ISTANBUL 0135 DACCA 0200 SIALKOT 0200 KARACHI 0210 BAHRAIN 0325 DOHA 0345 ADDIS ABABA 0350 DUBAI 0350 ABU DHABI 0400 DUBAI 0415 FRANKFURT 0515 DOHA 0600 LUXORE 0635 BAHRAIN 0635 ABU DHABI 0640 SALALAH 0645 KARACHI 0650 KUWAIT 0650 RAS AL KHAIMA 0655 RIYADH 0655 ZURICH 0700 MALPENSA 0705 DAMMAM 0715 DOHA 0715 JEDDAH 0735 PARIS 0735 LONDON HEATHROW 0740 DUBAI 0800 DUBAI 0805 LAHORE 0830 JAIPUR 0830 BOMBAY 0835 SOHAR 0840 HYDERABAD 0900 SHARJAH 0905 BANGALORE 0910 COCHIN 0920 DUBAI 0930 GOA 0935 DELHI 0935 TRIVANDRUM 0950 MADRAS 0955 TRIVANDRUM 0955 DOHA 1000 MANGALORE 1010 ABU DHABI 1010 COCHIN 1020 TRIVANDRUM 1045 DUQUM OMAN 1045 MUKHAIZNA 1110 DUBAI 1110 KHASAB 1115 BAHRAIN 1130 DUBAI 1140 CALICUT 1155 MALE 1210 KUALA LUMPUR-SINGAPORE 1215 BANGKOK 1220 ABU DHABI 1220 SALALAH 1230 DOHA 1250 KARACHI 1300 KATHMANDU 1305 BAHRAIN 1330 DUBAI 1340 KUWAIT 1405 SALALAH 1440 KHASAB 1445 ISLAM ABBAD 1515 DUBAI 1535 MUKHAIZNA 1550 LAHORE 1605 DOHA 1650 BOMBAY 1655 ABU DHABI 1710 CALICUT 1710 LUCKNOW 1740 DOHA 1745 DUBAI 1745 DELHI 1750 HYDERABAD 1750 DUBAI 1800 BAHRAIN 1810 BAHRAIN 1820 BANGKOK-KARACHI 1900 SHARJAH 1905 COLOMBO 1915 KUWAIT 1920 DUBAI 1940 SALALAH 2000 DUBAI 2025 JAKARTA 2035 KATHMANDU 2040 MALE 2045 TEHRAN 2055 DUBAI 2100 MUNICH 2105 COCHIN 2115 DELHI 2125 BOMBAY 2130 MADRAS 2135 LONDON HEATHROW-ABU DHABI 2140 DUBAI 2150 COLOMBO 2155 MADRAS 2200 CHITTAGONG 2210 DOHA 2225 ZURICH-DUBAI 2225 BAHRAIN 2240 FRANKFURT-DOHA 2245 ABU DHABI 2300 AMMAN 2300 SALALAH 2310 BOMBAY 2315 BOMBAY 2325 DOHA 2335 BAHRAIN 2340 ABU DHABI 2340 SALALAH 2345 BANGKOK 2350 DAMMAM 2355 DUBAI 2355

FLT NO

DEPARTURES TO

ETD

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DEPARTURES TO

9W539 AI986 SG062 WY657 WY637 WY281 WY235 WY201 WY251 WY643 WY345 WY601 WY431 WY123 WY901 WY241 WY667 WY691 TK775 WY383 WY209 4H584 PK230 WY331 ET625 EK867 EY385 MS931 FZ042 QR1133 WY651 GF561 WY903 WY603 WY917 WY669 WY323 FZ044 WY373 WY633 WY215 WY815 WY343 WY291 WY717 WY821 WY385 G9115 WY3301 WY231 PK192 WY905 WY605 WY203 WY245 EK863 IX554 WY337 QR1129 EY383 IX442 WY311 WY919 9W533 GF563 WY223 WY655 WY273 FZ038 IX350 WY253 PA451 WY113 WY693 PK292 WY631 WY131 WY663 WY143 WY263 BG024 WY101 WY153 WY927 NL668 WY405 WY645 WY907 WY675 FZ046 WY683 SV533 WY671 WY613 QR1127 WY327 WY681 WY623 WY647 GF565 EK865 WY695 WY661 WY653 G9117 WY913 WY635 FZ048 WY611 RG126 PK226 WY915 WY909 FZ050 KL442 WY817 9W529 6.00E+82 AI908 UL206 AI974 LX243 GF567 QR1135 BA072

BOMBAY BOMBAY AHMEDABAD BAHRAIN ABU DHABI BANGALORE HYDERABAD BOMBAY MADRAS KUWAIT ISLAM ABBAD DUBAI TEHRAN MUNICH SALALAH DELHI DOHA DAMMAM ISTANBUL MALE GOA DACCA LAHORE KATHMANDU ADDIS ABABA DUBAI ABU DHABI CAIRO DUBAI DOHA BAHRAIN BAHRAIN SALALAH DUBAI KHASAB DOHA KARACHI DUBAI COLOMBO ABU DHABI TRIVANDRUM BANGKOK LAHORE CALICUT ZANZIBAR-DARESSLAM SINGAPORE-KUALA LUMPUR MALE SHARJAH MUKHAIZNA HYDERABAD TURBAT-GWADUR SALALAH DUBAI BOMBAY DELHI DUBAI TRIVANDRUM KATHMANDU DOHA ABU DHABI COCHIN CHITTAGONG KHASAB COCHIN BAHRAIN COCHIN BAHRAIN JAIPUR DUBAI CALICUT MADRAS LAHORE FRANKFURT DAMMAM ISLAM ABBAD ABU DHABI PARIS DOHA MALPENSA LUCKNOW CHITTAGONG-DACCA LONDON HEATHROW ZURICH SALALAH SIALKOT CAIRO KUWAIT SALALAH JEDDAH DUBAI RIYADH RIYADH-JEDDAH MEDINA DUBAI DOHA KARACHI RIYADH DUBAI KUWAIT BAHRAIN DUBAI DAMMAM DOHA BAHRAIN SHARJAH SALALAH ABU DHABI DUBAI DUBAI ABU DHABI KARACHI SALALAH SALALAH DUBAI DOHA-AMSTERDAM BANGKOK TRIVANDRUM BOMBAY MADRAS COLOMBO DELHI DUBAI-ZURICH BAHRAIN DOHA ABU DHABI-LONDON HEATHROW

0020 0020 0030 0055 0105 0110 0110 0115 0120 0120 0125 0145 0155 0200 0215 0215 0225 0225 0230 0230 0255 0300 0315 0350 0450 0450 0500 0510 0510 0515 0645 0715 0750 0750 0815 0835 0835 0845 0900 0900 0900 0905 0915 0915 0940 0945 0945 0955 1000 1000 1015 1020 1020 1025 1040 1045 1045 1050 1100 1105 1120 1140 1145 1145 1215 1215 1220 1220 1225 1255 1310 1315 1320 1330 1335 1345 1345 1350 1350 1400 1400 1400 1420 1430 1430 1440 1440 1540 1615 1620 1620 1650 1705 1710 1750 1810 1840 1840 1845 1855 1910 1915 1920 1920 1955 2000 2015 2025 2035 2045 2100 2100 2110 2145 2220 2225 2230 2245 2300 2305 2310 2325 2325 2330 2330

AI986 9W539 WY657 WY225 WY637 WY235 WY281 WY211 WY685 WY201 WY643 WY251 WY271 WY601 WY123 WY325 WY847 WY241 WY901 WY691 WY667 WY383 TK775 WY209 4H585 PK260 NL772 WY331 ET625 EK867 EY385 FZ042 QR1133 WY3931 4H586 GF561 WY3921 G9842 WY903 WY603 WY3301 CV732 WY917 WY347 WY669 WY323 FZ044 WY373 WY815 WY291 WY343 NL769 WY651 WY263 WY821 WY843 G9115 WY231 WY605 WY905 WY203 WY385 WY245 EK863 IX554 WY337 QR1129 IX818 EY383 IX442 WY311 9W533 WY919 GF563 FZ038 WY3303 WY253 IX350 WY633 WY113 WY663 WY631 WY143 WY645 WY655 WY101 WY153 WY927 WY405 WY413 WY433 WY609 KU678 WY907 WY675 FZ046 WY671 WY613 QR1127 WY623 WY681 WY647 WY909 GF565 EK865 WY695 WY653 WY661 G9117 WY913 TG508 WY635 FZ048 WY611 WY915 FZ050 WY421 WY817 9W529 6.00E+82 AI908 UL206 AI974 WY705 GF567 LX243 QR1135 BA072 WY673 EY381 LH617

BOMBAY 0020 BOMBAY 0020 BAHRAIN 0055 COCHIN 0105 ABU DHABI 0105 HYDERABAD 0110 BANGALORE 0110 TRIVANDRUM 0110 RIYADH 0115 BOMBAY 0115 KUWAIT 0120 MADRAS 0120 JAIPUR 0135 DUBAI 0145 MUNICH 0200 KARACHI 0210 JAKARTA 0215 DELHI 0215 SALALAH 0215 DAMMAM 0225 DOHA 0225 MALE 0230 ISTANBUL 0230 GOA 0255 DOHA 0300 PESHAWAR 0310 PESHAWAR 0330 KATHMANDU 0350 ADDIS ABABA 0450 DUBAI 0450 ABU DHABI 0500 DUBAI 0510 DOHA 0515 SOHAR 0635 DACCA 0700 BAHRAIN 0715 DUQUM OMAN 0745 RAS AL KHAIMA 0745 SALALAH 0750 DUBAI 0750 MUKHAIZNA 0800 HONG KONG 0800 KHASAB 0815 ISLAM ABBAD 0830 DOHA 0835 KARACHI 0835 DUBAI 0845 COLOMBO 0900 BANGKOK 0905 CALICUT 0915 LAHORE 0915 LAHORE 0930 BAHRAIN 0935 LUCKNOW 0940 SINGAPORE-KUALA LUMPUR 0945 MANILA 0955 SHARJAH 0955 HYDERABAD 1000 DUBAI 1020 SALALAH 1020 BOMBAY 1025 MALE 1040 DELHI 1040 DUBAI 1045 TRIVANDRUM 1045 KATHMANDU 1050 DOHA 1100 MANGALORE 1100 ABU DHABI 1105 COCHIN 1120 CHITTAGONG 1140 COCHIN 1145 KHASAB 1145 BAHRAIN 1215 DUBAI 1225 MUKHAIZNA 1230 MADRAS 1255 CALICUT 1255 ABU DHABI 1300 FRANKFURT 1320 DOHA 1330 ABU DHABI 1345 MALPENSA 1350 KUWAIT 1350 BAHRAIN 1400 LONDON HEATHROW 1400 ZURICH 1420 SALALAH 1430 CAIRO 1440 AMMAN 1440 TEHRAN 1445 DUBAI 1445 ABU DHABI-KUWAIT 1505 SALALAH 1540 JEDDAH 1615 DUBAI 1620 MEDINA 1705 DUBAI 1710 DOHA 1750 DUBAI 1840 RIYADH 1840 KUWAIT 1845 SALALAH 1850 BAHRAIN 1855 DUBAI 1910 DAMMAM 1915 BAHRAIN 1920 DOHA 1920 SHARJAH 1955 SALALAH 2000 KARACHI-BANGKOK 2005 ABU DHABI 2015 DUBAI 2025 DUBAI 2035 SALALAH 2100 DUBAI 2145 BEIRUT 2215 BANGKOK 2225 TRIVANDRUM 2230 BOMBAY 2245 MADRAS 2300 COLOMBO 2305 DELHI 2310 DARESSLAM-ZANZIBAR 2310 BAHRAIN 2325 DUBAI-ZURICH 2325 DOHA 2330 ABU DHABI-LONDON HEATHROW 2330 JEDDAH 2350 ABU DHABI 2355 DOHA-FRANKFURT 2355

WY673 EY381 LH617

JEDDAH ABU DHABI DOHA-FRANKFURT

ETA

2350 2355 2355

ETA

ETD

B8

S ATUR DAY, J U N E 13, 2 015

EXTRA BRIEFS

Karan Johar ‘honoured’ to work with Akshay Kumar ‘BROTHERS’ is the first collaboration between lead actor Akshay Kumar and producer Karan Johar, and the filmmaker says the “wait” has been worth it. “Akshay was the one person who I was dying to work with since two decades,” Karan, who has produced Brothers, said. “The wait has to be worth it and there couldn’t have been a better film than Brothers for Dharma Productions to work with him. Even Akshay will agree to this,” he added. Akshay has had an action hero’s image since the 1990s for his daredevil stunts, which he performs on his own. So, Karan calls Akshay “an indispensable casting for this film”. Karan feels Brothers and Akshay’s performance in the film will stand out. “When you see Brothers, you’ll realise that this is Akshay Kumar like never before.

I’m very proud and honoured to have worked with Akshay in Brothers,” he added. Directed by Karan Malhotra, the movie also features Sidharth Malhotra, Jacqueline Fernandez and Jackie Shroff.

‘Hamari Adhuri Kahani’ isn’t a woman-centric film: Vidya

ACTRESS Vidya Balan, who features in a prominent role in the Mohit Suri directorial Hamari Adhuri Kahani, says it is not a woman-centric film. “I won’t call it a woman-centric film because it’s actually a love story. We haven’t had an intense love story in a long time. There was Aashiqui 2, but it was a younger love story, while this is a more mature love story like Silsila and Aandhi,” she said. The actress, who is working with the Vishesh Films banner for the first time, says she wanted to work with Suri after watching Aashiqui 2. “When I walked out after watching Aashiqui 2, I told Mohit Suri that I wanted to work with him... this is for the first time that I have said this to a director. He just smiled because he thought I had got emotional after the movie. “So, I called (Mahesh) Bhatt saab and told him I want to work with him. But I had just said it spontaneously not thinking that they would actually go ahead,” she said. Hamari Adhuri Kahani is a film that questions the societal definition of love and raises pertinent questions whether marriage is the only culmination of love. The Fox Star Studios film, which features Vidya Balan, Emraan Hashmi and Rajkumar Rao, released on Friday.

Preity Zinta cries for help

WHILE the rain in Mumbai brought relief to many, actress Preity Zinta seemed to be having a bad day as she missed a flight and got stuck in traffic. “Missed flight, no sleep, rain, traffic jams & waiting at airport... Nightmare from last night continues... Bachaao (help),” Preity tweeted. -IANS

Cartoon Network didn’t ask original ‘Powerpuff Girls’ to be in series reboot

T

he women who originally played Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup all tweeted their reactions as Cartoon Network revealed the new voices for its Powerpuff Girls reboot, which will premiere in 2016.

Catherine Cavadini (Blossom), Tara Strong (Bubbles) and Elizabeth Daily (Buttercup) expressed sadness even as they wished their younger replacements well. Apparently, Cartoon Network didn’t bother to reach out to them about reprising their roles in the animated series.

Series creator Craig McCracken, who will also not be a part of the 2016 reboot, tweeted a picture of the original three voices, suggesting, at the very least, that he stood in solidarity with them.

McCracken tweeted a quote

Sugar, spice and everything nice were the ingredients chosen to create the perfect little girls Craig McCracken Series creator

from the opening of the original Powerpuff Girls show alongside the picture, which explained that “sugar, spice and everything nice” were “the ingredients chosen to create the perfect little girls.”

It’s interesting that Cartoon Network is choosing to promote its animated show by so heavily foregrounding the actresses who play the new Powerpuff Girls, considering that we’ll never actually see them onscreen.

Actors who do television voice work tend to remain relatively anonymous. But we’ve entered a new landscape where even voice work has a social component that didn’t exist when the series originally began airing in 1998.

It would appear that Cartoon Network went with actresses closer in age to that of their target audience. Amanda Leighton,

Natalie Palamides and Kristen Li look like three girls who could just as easily be cast in a new live-action Nickelodeon or Disney show.

Sorry nostalgic millennials, but this iteration just isn’t for you. So, will the situation with the Powerpuff Girls turn into a fiasco like the much-poo-pooed Jem reboot?

There was so much initial excitement over the new Jem movie — until the trailer was released.

It was met with disappointment and rage. Would-be early adopters were dubious about the fact that Jem creator Christy Marx was not involved in the live-action project.

It’s difficult to say if the new Powerpuff Girls will engender the same sort of reaction. So far, all we’ve seen is promo art. But Tara Strong has made it pretty clear where she stands. — Soraya Nadia McDonald/The Washington Post

B O L LY W O O D

Radhika Apte off to Himalayas for trekking ACTRESS Radhika Apte, who was seen in Badlapur with Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Varun Dhawan, has taken time off from the shooting of her upcoming British film Bombairiya to go trekking in the Himalayas. The 29-year-old actress loves exploring places and has been an ardent traveller since childhood. “Radhika is an ardent traveller and has travelled extensively in the past. She loves exploring new places,” her representative said in a statement. Bombairiya is produced by British-born producer Michael Ward, whose wife Pia Sukanya has turned director with the film.

Bombairiya cast also includes Akshay Oberoi, Siddhanth Kapoor, Shilpa Shukla and Ravi Kishan. -IANS

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RENT

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DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com classifieds@timesofoman.com Tel.: 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 /431 / 456 / 461

FOR RENT

2BHK in Ghoubra South behind Extra (350/- R.O). Contact: 99342661 1BHK in Darsait near ISM (220/R.O). Contact: 99342661 New super deluxe 4 BHK villas, flats Madinat Qaboos, Qurum, Al Khuwair.

Contact: 99369081 / 99142314 Basement Store, 146 SQM, Wadikhabeer, Opposit Al-Hassan.

99441193, 93004802 Deluxe 3 Room Penthouse with Seaview, ideal for office / residence at Qurum near PDO. Contact: 9772 1313 / 9507 0421 1BHK, Darsait, walking distance to ISM, neat and clean building, ground floor, OMR 260/- per month rent.

Contact Iqrar on 99076557 Deluxe 1,2,3,4 bedroom flats, villas at different places.

Contact: 99142314 / 99369081 3BHK & 2BHK in Darsait.

Contact 94268564 2 BHK, M.B.D. RO 300/-. Contact 92144045 2BHK Ghobrah R.O 350/-.

Contact: 92144045 2 BHK Darsait R.O 300/-.

Contact: 92144045 1BHK Mumtaz R.O 250/-.

Contact: 97799175 2BHK flats in AL Khuwair.

Contact: 97616158 Deluxe 4 bedrooms, living, dining 4 bathrooms with split AC in Ghubra.

Contact: 95282986 / 24707340

1BHK in Ghoubra South behind Extra (280/- R.O). Contact : 99342661 3BHK 8 Nos flats in Ghobrah.

Contact: 97616158 4 BHK single villa in Al Khuwair.

Contact: 97616158 2 BHK apartments AL Khuwair with Balcony 350/- & 4 BHK villa Al Khuwair with Garden 800/-.

Contact: 95178930 2BHK flat for rent near Muscat Municipality, Darsait, big terrace, nice location, rent OMR 325/-.

Contact: 96241707 Two air-condition flats in excellent condition behind City Center Carrefour Al Seeb no 1: 4 bedrooms & family hall No 2, 2 bedroom & family hall. Contact: 93366421 2 BHK, 2 baths, Split A/C, Wadi kabeer, Near Indian Elementary School.

Contact 99441193, 93004802 Villa for rent villa at Al Fay Housing Complex near Al Khodh main police station 4 bedrooms, servant quarter.

Contact: 96419690 Shop/Office, 56 SQM, Wadikabeer, Opposite Al-Hassan.

Contact 99441193, 93004802 500 sq mtrs office space on mezzanine floor near Royal Hospital. OMR 6.500 per sq mtr. Tel: 99333479 or 95215360

MBD area, fully equipped AC Executive office @ RO 200 pm with conference room. Unlimited local calls & internet services. Contact 99451845 / 99232271.

Shop/Office 68 SQM, Wadi kabeer, Opposite Al-Hassan. Contact 99441193, 93004802 1BHK flats at Muttrah near Oman House. Contact: 93231403 Flats and shops for rent in rent, Honda road and Rex Read. Contact: 97293708/ 94579531 /94141943 Flat in Amerat, Phase 5, 4 rooms, 3 bathrooms, kitchen with A/C. Contact : 95522405 Well maintained spacious 2 BHK at Rex Road. Contact 92227165 3 BHK Flat in Azaiba. Contact 99792181 2 BHK Flat in Al Khuwair. Contact 99792181 Labour Camp or store in Wadi Kabir.

Contact 99792181

Deluxe 1, 2 BHK flats in Darsait, AL Khuwair 1deal for office & residence. Contact 99369081 /99142314 Flats in Wadi Al Kabir Lulu Height Street. Contact: 92022816/ 99468133/ 99719471 3 bedroom well maintained flat (villa type – only 2 flats in one Bldg) in Al Khuwair, Behind Al Akhtam restaurant villa No 1839, Way No 3922, block No 239. Contact: 99462980 Villa of 5 BHK in Al Ansab with split A/C. RO.650/- Contact – 93191111 2 BHK flat in Al Ansab with split A/C. RO.250/- Contact – 93191111 Flats for rent Al Ansab (Ghala) 2 bedrooms, 2 toilets, 1sitting room & kitchen. Contact: 94229023

3000 sq mtrs Industrial landß, in Barka Sanaiya, with electricity 400KW, shed, staff accommodation and office. Ready to start any kind of factory. Contact 99384255.

Flat at Darsait. Contact 99326879

3 bedroom at Al Khuwair 33. House No. 866, Way No. 4712. Contact Mohamed : 99580484, Ahmed : 99486805, Awadh 95525509

Villa for rent : 4 bedroom villa with kitchen available in Azaiba. Sharing / Family. Contact : 98048207/99261773

1BHK, 2BHK, 3BHK new flat available at Mabela in front of Modern English School Contact: 96239126

2BHK Darsait R.O 325/-, 300/-.

Contact: 92144045

Commercial 3 BHK flat in Al Ghobra 18 Nov Street. RO 700/Contact – 93191111 2 BHK flat in Al Azaiba near sea, with split A/C. RO.340/Contact – 93191111 Brand new 6 BHK villa in Al Azaiba with split A/C & lift. RO.1200/Contact – 93191111 Villa for rent in Al Khuwair 33, 8 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms with parking area near Taimur Mosque.

Contact: 99366624 4 Ware house at Barka Falaij.

Contact: 99337857 Flats for rent in Muttrah near Oman house 2 BHK. Contact: 97009734 / 92629232 For rent in Darsait new flats.

Contact: 99777351

Luxury 3 BHK flat in Al Wattaya with split A/C & private parking.

RO.500/- Contact – 93191111

For rent in Darsait, new flats.

Contact: 99311525

2BHK at Al Azaiba, 2bedrooms, 1 hall & dinning , 3 bathrooms.

Contact : 99224748 / 99425665

Flats/villas owned by ROP pension fund available for rent in Muscat. Contact 99349526

Furnished flats for rent in Al Buraimi, daily, weekly, monthly.

Contact 97819981 / 93593336

1BHK Ghubra R.O 275/-.

Contact 92144045 3 BHK villa and 2 BHK flat with A/ Cs at Muttrah, near Oman house.

Contact : 95915154 Flat 1BHK for rent, Opp Omani School near Al Tajaweed Furniture, bldg No 1057, Way 5917, Hamriya.

Rent 150/- P.M. Contact: 99350946 Villa for rent - Al Seeb/Al Mawelah - Block 5 - 4 bedrooms with attached bathrooms, Majlis, 2 halls, kitchen and storeroom. split Ac and carpark.

Contact 99564616 1 BHK Flat in Wadi Kabir.

Contact 92275454 Flat for rent in Al Khuwair 33.

Contact: 92277419 3 flats for rent 3 bedrooms include A/C, near the highway (Bowshar Amerat). Contact 97777911 / 95533777 3 rooms with attached bath room, hall Brand new in Mabelah near Sharahe Noor. Contact 99663905/ 99415119

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Running computer shop for sale Souq Sohar. Contact 99420543 Porta cabin for sale good condition size 12x 3.70x 3.00 meter.

Contact : Deepak 99231715 Beauty parlor for sale near Muscat Palace monthly rent 350/- OMR serious buyers. Contact: 91902154 Training center with license.

Contact: 91121277 Indian restaurant fully furnished and equipped with banquet hall and spacious parking opposite Naseem Garden for sale. Contact Eng: 99771466 Arabic: 99454415

AVAILABLE

4000 sqm building ware house area for sale or rent next to Express highway also used 40 ft seaworthy container for sale in very good condition. Contact 99771466

Party & Wedding equipment rentals.

Full line, from Tables, Linen & Skirting, Chairs & Chair covers, Cutlery, Crockery, Glassware, Chafing Dishes, Ice Sculptures, to Large Sound Systems and spectacular lighting. Call Andrea 9606 2222 for Catering and Croyden 9623 5555 for Sound & Light. www.tunesoman.com, E-mail: info@tunesoman.com

FOR RENT For rent 3 industrial land.

Contact 92702891/ 95490842 506 sqm space with mezzanine available for rent in Al Wadi Al Kabir. Suitable for carpentry / auto workshop and /or electrical shop.

Interested parties may Contact 24703981 1BHK Mumtaz R.O 250/-.

Contact: 97799175 Flats shops and store for rent in Ruwi, MBD Honda road.

Contact 97293708 / 92433127

SITUATION WANTMANPOWER

Labor camp available with all facilities at Sohar Falaij (Near Sohar Sea port) - Contact – 92982172

Available for longer period : Mig Welder 5 nos, General worker with PDO pass 10 nos, Helper 10 nos, Mason 8 nos. Contact 99610703

MOTOR VEHICLE FOR SALE ACC. AVAILABLE Excellent big room, with A/C kitchen available near Ontc busstation (Ruwi). Conatct 95569740

Shop for sale in Ibra and Bid Bid. Contact: 95304693 Running business material shop for sale good location & profitable business. Contact : 92249983

2 Rooms with separate bathroom & kitchen for executive bachelors.

Gsm 942-888-63

Super market in (Hairoon Hairithi) Thamrith road. Contact 98189810 / 99675190.

Family sharing villa room available at Al Khuwair.

Contact: 99382008

We have planned industrial lands in a prime location (Bowshar / Al Misfah) the space 8575 SQ. M for each plot, meter price 120/- OMR only. Contact: 99883338

Single bedroom available for veg. family/bachelor at Wadi Kabir, behind Mars. Contact 99877845.

Commercial land for sale 3000 m in quriyat road main high way can use as a petrol station license available asking price 350,000 For more information please call on 99070701 with out name

Furnished single / sharing room for Exe. Bachelor at Rex Road with WIFI available. Contact : 98646514

Bath attached room for rent Al Khuwair. Contact 99743569

Technical Trading Co. LLC is looking for a bachelor accommodation for their 150 staff in Al Hail, Seeb, Maabela, Mawaleh area on immediate basis. Interested parties please contact Mr. Qais Al Rashdi on 99421323

Semi furnished room with attached bathroom for Executive bachelors at CBD area behind chamber of commerce. Contact: 96389375/93554942

ACC. AVAILABLE

Flats for rent in Wadi Kabeer.

Contact : 92800007

ACC. WANTED

Furnished room attached bath for lady in Wadikabir (Mars Hypermarket) – 95941515 3bedrooms Al Hail. Contact 92817777

Suzuki Celerio 2012 fully auto 75000 km. Contact: 92588458

Peugeot 206-2007 Model, expat driven. Contact 99209285

Swift Desire 2013 manual.

Contact: 97385534

2 Prime Movers Man 2008 with 40 ton petrol tank each working at the moment in Al Maha. Price OMR 35 Thousand each. Contact 97000155 or 92688692

Toyota Yaris 2006, 1.3 cc Automatic, Gray, 101000 k.m, accident free, well maintained & sparingly used by diplomat. All services done through Toyota.

R.O. 2000. Contact 96530053 2014 model Toyota Yaris 1.5 fully automatic with power window expat driven Mulkya valid till Nov. 2015 for sale. Contact: 93581825

MATRIMONIAL

Semi furnished single room for Executive bachelors behind Kamat Restaurant Al Khuwair. #94271085

Muslim family seeking alliance for our son interested families. Contact 97664009

Single room at Walja, opposite MBD area available for Executive bachelors inclusive of electricity and water for OMR100/-. Contact: 93079877

Hindu Ezhava family, settled in Muscat looking for suitable groom working within Oman for their daughter 25 yrs (MBA) working with a reputed company in Muscat.

Contact : 98689663

Furnished single rooms available for Executive bachelors at Ruwi.

Contact: 98049288

Family room available at Muttrah.

Contact: 24712088 / 99022790

Fully furnished 1 BHK Flat available in Ruwi 2 months only (July/August) Contact: 99369081

Room for rent 130/-RO, A/C, E/W kitchen Including bachelor only.

Contact: 95423391

*Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

Land Cruiser 2012.

Contact GSM- 99336093 Hyundai Accent 2004, fully automatic.

Contact: 99045803

TRANSPORTATION Pick & drop with car & driver available any time. Contact: 9615828/96502406/92218001 Pick & drop available. Contact 96913836.

Transportation. Contact: 95190627 Pick & Drop anytime Contact: 91653903 Driver with vehicle. Contact: 99159277 Pick & Drop any time. Contact: 97014786

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DAILY GUIDE

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED ED

SITUATION SITUATION WANTED VACANT

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE Male 24, B.Com /PGD having 2 years experience in accounts and inventory field looking for suitable job on visit visa. Contact: 94129550 Experienced up-to finalization accountant looking for part time job.

Contact : 99002390 Accounts & finance Indian male B.com M.B.A (F) Tally ERP9, 35 years, 8 years experience 1.5 years Oman family visa N.O.C available.

Contact: 93257426 Email: sibigeorp@gmail.com B.com graduate with NOC more than 4 years of experience in Oman with valid Oman driving license for a suitable job ready to join immediately.

Contact: 98976252 Senior Accountant 13 years experience FMCG & retail Noc available.

Contact: 93473942 Indian male B.Com Accountant 10 years in Oman experience in accounts (upto finalization) & Admin knowledge of tally ERP9, focus RT. Having NOC & D/L looking for suitable job in Muscat. Contact: 93086105

ACCOUNTANT Construction Company in Oman urgently requires following candidates: Accountant with minimum 5 years experience with operating knowledge of tally.

Email: applyforoman@gmail.com

Young, energetic 24 yrs, ACCA finalist, Advanced diploma in Accounting and business, seeking suitable placement in accounts, finance or audit. Contact : 92430152, Email: rau_dey@yahoo.com

A reputed shipping and forwarding company urgently require following personals 1) Accountant 2) Operations Executive valid Omani D/L is must. Experienced hands in shipping field are preferred. Send your CV to applymd2015@gmail.com

Indian female 23 yrs BBM Graduate, diploma in computer application and qualified e-finance in computer, having well knowledge in tally, peach tree, busy software etc. 2 yrs exp in account, looking for suitable placement in any field. Contact: 95601158

CATERING

Indian Female 25 MBA looking for a suitable opening in Accounts, Admin/ Hr. Contact 97013375

Family in Muscat seeking to hire an experienced butler. Hotel experience is preferred. Candidate must hold a valid driver’s license. Please send CV’s on vacancyinmuscat@gmail.com

SALES / MARKETING Urgently required Advertising & Media Sales Executives with Oman D/L. Trainee positions available for Freshers.

Email: jobs@interacoman.com

DOMESTIC HELPER Required looking for full time Housemaid for Omani family at Mabela, visa available. Contact: 92454170 Urgent required House maid in Mabela. Visa available.

Contact 95200180.

ENGINEER

MISCELLANEOUS

BEAUTICIAN Urgently required Indian experience Beautician (good package) in Al Hail, visa available.

Contact : 92139922 / 92284899 Required Beautician visa available, salary accommodation.

Contact: 91902154

DRIVER Driver & Business co coordinator speaking English urgently required.

Contact : 95327813 Required light driver, Excavator Operators & heavy drivers.

Contact: 99454425 Required Light duty driver from Kerala with construction experience.

Contact : 98294695

A well reputed company is looking for experienced digital Signage Technicians & Managers. Send CV to hr.oman@yahoo.com Required swimming pool Engineer/ civil /M& P / Draughtsman with D/L, Preferred gulf experience.

Email: jvacancy05@gmail.com Mechanical / Civil Site Supervisor; diploma / ITI fitter; 3-4 year’s exp in supervision of Erection work of sheds, customer coordination, and project execution. Omani D/L is must. Contact: hr@khancogroup.com / 99102383 Urgently Required: Civil Engineer with an experience minimum in 5 years in building construction and MUST have NOC. Apply, fax 00968–24605955, emails sbc@steelbuildingsllc.com, sbeoman@yahoo.com

EDUCATION HOSPITALITY A well known private school is in need of English, Math, Science, Computer and Physics Teachers.

Contact: 96910649 Teachers required (B.A, BEd, BSc, and B.ed) for Omani Pvt. School Al Hail (North).Contact: 95141554/ 96653118

ENGINEER Required full time Social Networker for sites like twitter, LinkedIn, face book.

Email: mhca@mhabibgroup.com Construction Company in Oman urgently requires following candidates: BE Civil Engineer, minimum 3-5 years gulf experience & Civil site foreman, minimum 5 years gulf experience, diploma not required.

Email: applyforoman@gmail.com Construction Company in Oman urgently requires the following: B.Sc Civil Engineer, minimum 3-5 yrs Gulf experience. Civil Site Foreman, minimum 5 yrs experience with operating knowledge of Tally.

Please Email CV ; applyforoman@gmail.com

Chef for Yacht. International cuisine.

Minimum 15 years chef experience. alibadawy@gmail.com

MEDICAL Required full time Nurse for a residence. Contact: 99014435 Required Gynecology, General Physician, Dentist, Staff Nurses, Lab technicians, Pharmacists, X Ray technicians.

Contact : 95133572 / 96064925 Email: kunoozghala@gmail.com Wanted Staff Nurse for a polyclinic in Sohar. Contact :93457270 Required a MOH licensed female Nurse for a private clinic near Al-Suwaiq. Call 93746086 Urgent required staff Nurse in Mabela. Contact- 95200180.

Email: amanammc@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS Mason, C.C.T.V, Technician, Electrician cum Plumber. # 99383044

Urgently required: (1) female dermatologist with minimum 3 years experience (2) female Omani reception coordinator for a medical center in Qurum.

Contact: 96062933 Well established and premier music Educational Group in Oman invites teachers in drawing , karnatic vocals, piano and drums interested can candidates can mail their portfolio CV to musicjoboman@gmail.com A company from UAE require 2 merchandisers in retail food supply, store keeper with English and invoicing experience. Email: yesterdaysun@hotmail.com

SALES / MARKETING Omani male Sales Executive with Degree/Diploma in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering Age : 25-35 years. Minimum 2-5 years experience in Sales of Industrial machinery. Apply to careers@teejanequipment.com Fax : 24560806 Required male or female candidate with 5 years experience in renting of properties. Interested candidates may please mail to alqurumprop@gmail.com Urgently required Sales & Marketing Executive for Electrical & lighting products with Oman driving license. Send CV at Email : albasilinternational@gmail.com Urgently required outdoor Sales Executive for furnishing company with valid Oman D/L and minimum 3 years experience.

Contact 93231403 / rainbowfurnishing156@gmail.com Required male candidates to work full / part time in an international Café “franchise”. They will be trained for the job. Contact 97673395 Sales Coordinator : Mechanical Diploma holder with 3-4 yrs exp. in sales department preferably in Metal fabrication Company. Omani D/L is must. Contact: 99102383 hr@khancogroup.com

Required Sales man - 1 Person Qualification. Gulf Experienced - Minimum 5 Years with Oman Driving Licence Language - English Education:- Any Degree Further Contact :Mr. Abdul Hameed Nashabat - Mobile No: 97414307 and -92807399 amn@yaqeeneng.com A leading tissue paper and food stuffs company requires Sales and Marketing person with minimum 5 years exp in Oman with good communication skills & valid Oman D/L. Candidate with Interior market knowledge & experience preferable.

Send CV: allub@alhosnigroup.com Fax: 24451430 Required urgently energetic Marketing Executive for acquiring new customers. Should possess a Valid Omani D/L. Contact 96545020.

Urgently required Sales and Marketing Executive for Graphic designing company. Contact: 96727631 mail: smartgraphic518@gmail.com Salesman experienced 5 yrs in Oman, in the field of industrial & oilfield service, garage equipment tools & spares, safety wears & rescue equipments. Please forward your CV to almaadhi.trd@gmail.com Sales man required for printing press preferable with car.

Contact : 97842797

SECRETARIAL & OFFICE Required Office Assistant 160+25+Acc, Contact 99454425

SKILLED Urgently required a silk Screen printer with good knowledge and release letter or NOC. Contact: 93280288 or send CV to albayanstamps@gmail.com

SITUATION WANTED ADMIN/HR Indian male 2+yrs oman exp in HR. joing immediatly. release available.

Contact :93671437 Over 14 years of gulf experience in Admin /HR /Logistics, fluent in Arabic & English with D/L looking for suitable position.

Contact 95824598 Filipino Female, 30 yrs, with 8yrs experience in Payroll/Admin/HR and 2yrs experience as Technical Support/Cashier/Secretary. Currently in Muscat on Family Visit Visa, Seeking for suitable placement.

Contact: 96708114 Email: lucy08_tm@yahoo.com Indian, male, 26, Commerce graduate, three years experience as Administrative Assistant in UAE, seeks a suitable job in Oman.

Contact: tkjasbeer@gmail.com; +971-558291437.

Indian female, Postgraduate in HR, with 8 years working experience in Oman(HR and administration), looking for suitable placement.

Contact 97411008 Indian female 29 MBA (HR) BSc, 4 yrs exp in HR& Admin looking suitable placement. Contact : 95619537 Indian female with 10 yrs of experience in HR/Banking/Operations seeks a suitable placement.

Can be contacted on 98919015 or sherianne.coelho@gmail.com

MBA (international business) from London, 4 years of UK experience in operations with D/L, looking for suitable position. Contact 91710075 Indian female MBA – HR 1 and half years experience seeking suitable job. Contact : 99257214

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE MBA Indian male looking for suitable position having 2 years working experience as an accountant now in Oman a visiting visa. Contact: 99424803 M.Com, CA (Article ship), 15 years Gulf experience looking for suitable position in finance & accounts on visit visa valid up to 10/7/2015.

Contact: 97767828, knowledge of quickbooks, Tally 9, Focus V.5 Email: altabhossain2008@hotmail.com Indian female 25 years married, MBA Finance, Diploma in foreign accounting 3 months experience in a CA firm on family visa.

Contact: 95916769 Email: sikhapadoor@gmail.com An Indian lady Chartered Accountant with five years experience (including article ship) on family visa in Oman looking for a suitable job. Please Contact 9621 0347 / 9943 5346, shincycrajan@gmail.com

Indian male, B.Com, 1 year Exp in Accounts/ Sales, on Visit Visa,..

Contact – 98295101 Indian / Keralite – CMA (US) , CAInter , M.Com, total 20 years experience with 11 years M/ East experience as Finance / A/ Cs Manager, seeks suitable offers from reputed companies in Oman. Sunil V.S. Contact : +91-9526756488 Email: sunil_ramanin@yahoo.co.in Sudanese Accountant seeking job in Nizwa state experience 10 years 3 years in Saudi Arabia, 7 yrs in Sudan.

Contact : 97796394 / 94003247 Senior Accountant 10 years experience 4 years experience in GCC now working with trading & project based concern holding Oman driving license. Well experience all accounting software’s. Contact: 94079432 Indian male B.Com MBA (HR), 2 yrs experience in HR & Accounts department, on visiting visa seeking for job in any field. Contact: 96491347 Email: aswinsajeev@hotmail.com Indian male Graduate 26 yrs 5 yrs experience in Accounts and Administration looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 91301983 Indian male 22 yrs B. Com Graduate 1 year exp in Accounts, currently on visit visa. Looking for suitable job.

Contact 94341848 / Email – mohdhaji7272@gmail.com Accounts part time works up to finalization on monthly basis. Profit & loss A/C and financial statements, MS Reports Etc. Contact: 96247295 ACCA affiliate , BSc Honors in applied Accountancy advance diploma in Accounting and Business, CAT Affiliate 1 year hand on working experience of Oman, with Oman driving license looking for a suitable placement in Audit firm. Having NOC can join immediately.

Contact : 98989970 ACCA & B.Com with Noc more than 5 years of experience in accounts & finance looking for a suitable job can join immediately. # 97012146 MBA Graduate with 6 yrs exp in finance/accounts/ auditing. Specialized in accounts payable dept, Oracle app user, proficient in Sap (fico) end user & tally 9.0. lean &six sigma certified trainer on visit visa.

Contact – 91967213 / 99064780 Indian male, 32 years, M. Com. 7 out of 9 years experience in Oman in Accounts/finance. Having NOC and valid Oman D/L. Contact 98277143, Email: anzarks@gmail.com Indian male 25 yrs B.com having experience in accounts for 3 yrs currently on visit looking to job.

Contact: 97937868 Email: rehman.naseer999@gmail.com

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DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED

ACCOUNT. & FINANCE

ENGG. / TECHNICAL

Indian CA with 15 yrs exp working as Finance Head for MNC looking for suitable job. NOC available. 94047434

Quantity Surveyor with 5 Years experience (one year in Oman) looking for job. Contact 91090036

Tanzanian male, 25 yrs Accountant successful experience in Tanzania looking for suitable placement in any field. Contact : 96710154

Mechanical Engineer, Indian, 24 years with Piping Engineering, Autocad, Ansys NX- Cad, pro-e, Catia & PDMS now on visiting visa seek suitable placement. Contact: 99168054 / 96684345 Email: : mbkishore@hotmail.com

Tunisian lady has Professorship in social and economical sciences and accounting, diploma in Experimental Sciences degree in English for media. Contact 95391050, aysser2013@gmail.com Finance Manager, CPA, with more than 15 yrs. of experience in GCC. Fully knowledgeable in Finance, General & Management Accounting .

NOC available. Contact 96209331 Indian male with total 5 year experience (2 years experience in Accountant cum sales co ordinator in a FMCG Company in Oman) in accounts field and NOC available. Looking for suitable job Contact 92130188 Indian Accountant: Male, M com, 7 Yrs experience in Accounts up to finalization, having knowledge of ERP, Tally, seeks suitable placment. contact 93950138 Email: lijinrajan123@gmail.com

BEAUTICIAN Indian Beautician looking for job in Oman, with 5 yrs Oman experience.

Contact: 98869716

DRIVER Light duty driver looking for job.

Contact: 94040926 Light duty driver looking for vacancy NOC available. Contact: 97319564 Driver with car. Contact: 97705694/98988208 Looking for job driving Bangladeshi.

Contact : 94077119 Bangladeshi Driver seeks suitable job K. S.A 12 years Oman 3 years 42 yrs. Contact 95796030 Looking for job driving Bangladeshi.

Contact: 97418036 Pick up and drop anytime.

Contact: 96748967 Light driver for job. Contact: 95779594 Light vehicle driver looking for job.

Contact: 91452930 Driver looking for job, light vehicle.

Contact: 95446207 Driver light. Contact: 91020999 Pakistani driving available.

Contact : 96913836 Light Driver having own visa looking for job as driver.

Contact: 97073429 Driver available with or without car.

Contact 96771598 L.T.V driver language, Hindi, Arabic & English. Contact: 98802079 Heavy duty driver valid license Omani need job & visa.

Contact: 91139936 Driver looking for job with visa, release available, 5 yrs driving experience. Contact: 96261895 Faruqu.

Light Driver needs Job. Contact: 93284327

BE Mechanical Engineer 2 years experience in fabrication and erection of heavy structures as project Engineer in India, now on visiting visa seeks suitable placement.

Contact: 92151818 B.Tech Civil Engineer Indian male 13 year’s exp seeking suitable job.

Contact 0091 9640973798 Email: firozbakhtiar2@gmail.com BE (Electrical), MBA, certified PMP and Chartered Engineer with 10 years experience in EPC Project management for substation construction (onshore/offshore) GCC employed Indian, seeking opportunity to lead challenging projects, position in managerial role.

Email ID: jacobmval@gmail.com Site Engineer(Civil) Diploma in Civil Engineering / Supervisor 6 years experience (with N.O.C).

Contact : 99512416.

Electronics and Instrumentation Engineer, Indian female, B. Tech (AE & I), M.Tech (VLSI design), asp.net, c#, c++, core java, android java, presently on visit visa, looking for a suitable placement. contact : 95906935, amalpktu@gmail.com

Laundry Housekeeping professional looking for a opening in Oman with 18 years experience.

Contact : 91957861

ENGG. / TECHNICAL Indian male 22 Mechanical Diploma holder Engg with HVAC certified, having 1 year exp. seeking suitable position. Currently available on visit visa. Contact - 92835952

B.Tech Civil Engineer, Indian female 2 yrs experience in Oman, looking for suitable position.

Contact 91690345 Sr Manager, B.Tech, MBA, PRINCE-2, British National. 24 yrs exp in EPC Project Management of Oil & Gas, Pipelines, Refineries & Power Plants.

Seeking job immediately/on visit/ Contact- 00968-91263952/ josececy25@gmail.com B. Tech Instrumentation Engineer more than 4 year experience SCADA, PLC, DCS, ESD (Honeywell, Yokagawa). Contact: 93670890 Email: mojin.a.kabeer@gmail.com Structural Engineer 4 years experience Indian, will handle projects independently, able to get Municipality approvals easily.

Contact: 91668044

Electrical Engineer Pakistani male 4 years B. Tech & 3 years’ diploma seeking a suitable placement.

Contact: 96752080 Email: ilyasoader97@gmail.com Civil Engineer 7 years experience valid Omani D/L looking for job immediately, ready to join.

Contact : 96936406 B.E (Civil Engineer) with 5 yrs experience, valid Omani driving license.

Noc available. Contact: 91693008 Iraqi Civil Engineer 12 years experience, resident having Omani driving license. Contact : 94695595 Land Surveyor, one and half year experience in India, well handle total station, auto level and AutoCAD. Looking for suitable placement.

Contact: 95140761 / 99208290 Email: binu.brijiv@gmail.com Indian, male, Civil Engineering graduate with 8 years Dubai experience in Estimation, Project/Design Co-ordination seeks suitable job in Oman. Hold UAE driving license.

Contact: shibupnbr@ gmail.com; +971-501426982 Indian male Electronics & Instrumentation Engineer having 5 yrs exp with valid Omani D/L & NOC. Contact: 96082604 Civil Engineer, Indian Female, 3 yrs experience, on visit visa seeking suitable placement.

Contact: 99195433

MCA, BCA with 2 yrs relevant experience seeking suitable opportunity.

Contact: 96377039

Indian male MBA 7 years experience in Hospitality industry, operation, sales & marketing looking for suitable vacancy. Contact 92115860 Email vibin.py@gmail.com

Indian male fresher BCA young and energetic, seeking good opportunites.email: jlaxmimenon@gmail. com, Contact 00919567722270

IT Indian male, B.E ( computer science engineer), MBA (finance), OCA certified, having 5 years of experience in oracle Dba/ oracle apps Dba, seeks a suitable position in the field of IT. Contact: 96212062 email: zubairkhan11@gmail.com Omani Citizen searching a job in the field of computer especially in data base professional in operating Oracle SQL, PL/ SQL, form6i, Report 6i. Contact 96977368 Email: talaloml@yahoo.com

IT Desktop Support Engineer 2 years Oman 3 years in Indian Exp. Contact 91937060

Indian male 29 years Civil Engineer diploma 4 years Oman experience, 2 years road construction looking placement. Contact: 93298395 N.O.C available

Sudanese Industrial Engineering & Management, experience 12 years in QA/QC and production. Contact: 94041960 / 94044784, Email: mekkimedani@hotmail.com / mekkimedani78@gmail.com

Iraqi male Medical Equipment Engineer one year of exp in Iraq looking for suitable job in Oman.

Contact: 99132159 Email: marwan.saad39@yahoo.com

4 yrs exp (Money Exch. Services & hospitality services in Oman& India) Indian male 27, Graduate in Hospitality Science, fluent in English, Hindi & Arabic seeks job.

Contact 91383167

Indian male diploma in Computer Engineering seeking suitable placement immediately now on visiting visa .Contact 97317844 / 92580948

Indian M 25 yrs B.E Mechanical, 3 yrs exp in Oil & Gas project Engineer now on visit visa. # 96487013 Email: riarun.007@gmail.com

Iraqi female Communication Engineer having 5 yrs of exp in teaching computer program.

Contact : 99132159 Email: marwan.saad39@yahoo.com

SALES / MARKETING

Indian female MCA, experience in C#.Net, SQL Server, ORACLE with 4.5 years experience seeking suitable positions.

Contact: 96485923, 99886271. prathibhakp07@gmail.com

Instrumentation Engineer, Indian male having 2 years experience in process instruments and sales seeks suitable placement on visit visa.

Contact: 95954385 Email: irfancisinn@gmail.com

B.Tech Mechanical Engineer Indian 1 year experience HVAC (MEP) available in Muscat on visit visa seeking suitable job. Contact : 93670280 Email: jinv.avm@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS

Quantity Surveyor (Civil Diploma) 2 yrs experience in Oman, looking for full/ part-time job.

Contact 96936793

Interior Architecture Engineer, 7 years experience (5 years in Oman) expert in exterior & interior architecture designs presented by 3D MAX- V ray AutoCAD Photoshop, fluent in Arabic & English.

Contact: 96519172 Email: eng.interiorarchitect@gmail.com

DOMESTIC HELPER Looking for job for House maid.

Contact : 93599302

BE Mechanical Engineer 4/5 years experience in Planning Engineer.

Interested companies kindly contact 95403146 / 99426840 candidate available till 12.06.2015

HOSPITALITY

Indian Male, IT Support Engineer, 2 yrs in Oman & 5 yrs Indian experience. Contact 9731 Indian male, B.Tech Mechanical having 4 years experience with QA/ QC / CSWIP looking for a suitable position. Contact: 99447106 Email: dhanubhasi87@gmail.com Btech computer science graduate 2015 passout.. Android application marketing.. Having good communication skills and mindset to work in a team. Contact 91024385 Electrical Eng. Degree (MEP) need suitable job of construction 12 yrs exp.

Email: mohd.ateeq.khan@gmail.com Engineer with 3 yrs experience in Indian in MEP, HVAC& mechanical maintained field on visit visa looking for suitable job.

Contact 99191535 Email: fareed029@gmail.com Indian female, B.Tech biotechnology with strong computer skills and 2 years experience as associate research analyst (Media Monitoring) in Nasdaq Oman seeking growth oriented jobs. Contact 92044603 /918056169148 or angeline.babithac@gmail.com.

Omani Mechanical Engineer, has 3 years experience ,has HSE, H2S, Riggers/Banks men Permit, Drawing / cad, SCBA, Safety Leadership and Initial Fire Response Courses. good with computer and English language looking for suitable job. Contact 99224319-98454500

EDUCATION Indian female MCA, Three years experience in teaching field, seeks placement currently on visit visa.

Contact: 93431567 Email: fivona.mel@gmail.com English Teacher female (M. A. B. Ed) Having 14 years experience with 11 years experience in Oman with reputed institute and school.

Contact: 92289080 / 99318276 Email: babujosev@yahoo.com

Looking for job building maintenance electric and plumbing.

Contact: 99365092 Ware house In charge or store keeper 27 yrs Gulf experience 4 yrs in Oman NOC available.

Contact: 97657823 Email: rusaikmzm_2009@yahoo.com In search of job. Qualification b.com, key skills- MS office, Tally, Internet with valid Oman light driving license. *NOC available.

Contact:92239065 Indian Female with over 9 yrs experience with good communication skills seeks jobs in customer service or sales field. Contact : 96108289, shijipaul84@gmail.com Part- Time Accountant, well experience senior accountant ,doing all type of accounting works, Finalization, Budgeting available.

Contact 98803439 13 Years UAE experienced in MNC & reputed firms logistics distribution looking for a suitable placement, on visit visa contact 99838743, gani.dawood@gmail.com

MEDICAL

Graduate having 6 yrs experience Lubricant sales looking for sales job with D/L. Contact : 93410723 Asst. Manager Purchase / Logistics / Warehouse, B.Com, Diploma in Material Management with 12 yrs experience. NOC available.

Contact 96477638 M.B.S (Management) looking for suitable Marketing job.

Contact: 96487152 Indian male over 5 years experience in media marketing sales collection looking for suitable job.

Contact : 95064202 Indian male, 27 yrs, Post Graduate, 5+ yrs exp in Oman in Sales & Credit Control, with valid Oman driving License, NOC available, looking for suitable placements. Ph: 91993376 Indian male MBA Marketing currently on visit visa seeking for Sales & marketing job 2 years experience.

Contact: 94460405 Email: arshidmohammed222@gmail.com Sales man looking for a opening in Oman with 18 years Gulf experience.

Contact: 91957861

M.C.A Indian male 36 yrs experience in IT Support/ customer serving support with 5 yrs experience seeking suitable position.

Contact: 92041909

Well experienced MOH Licensed Indian GP Doctor looking for locum / permanent position in the Capital area. Contact 98140024 email:drgpoman@yahoo.com

An Indian male having rich experience in procurement, Sales marketing and office administration seeking suitable position.

Contact: 93689602

Male 26 completed acter MBA and have 1.5 years experience, good knowledge of computer, software’s, looking for job in procurement / warehousing. On visit visa till 5th Sep /2015.

Contact: 00968 91795092 Email: jameel6345@gmail.com

Staff Nurse male Nurse 6 years above experience prometry exam 71%, express visa last date 21/06/2015. Contact: 95118841

8 years purchase experienced Indian male looking for job. N.O.C. available. Contact: 98161323

Computer Networking/Facility Mgmt 5 Yrs of Exp Holds B.E(ECE), CCNA Looking for Good Opportunity, Indian - Visit Visa. Contact 91911792/ arafakdnl@gmail.com IT & Media Sales specialist looking for job opportunities also decent exposure to H.R & customer relations currently in Muscat on visit visa kindly. Contact : 96238199 or 99874205 Email Id: m_cadri@rediffmail.com Net work Technician CCTV, UTP, OFC, Flooring work 6 yrs experience (GCC). Contact: +91 9526888134 Network system Engineer B.E / ECE + CCNA & Ms certified with 4+ yrs exp looking for a job. Currently in Oman on visit visa. Contact: 92589502 Email: careersjegan@gmail.com MCA Indian male 24 yrs seeking suitable placement in software / Database support currently on visit visa. Contact 96785261 Email: sudheesh.edakkadan@gmail.com

MANAGER/ SUPERVISOR Highly Qualified & Experienced Finance Manager Pakistani with USA , UK & Canadian Degrees, CPA , ACCA-UK . MBA-USA ,IFA- Financial Consultants Canada , Corporate Analyst USA Professional of Banking , Audits ,ERPs & Profit Maximizations (NOC available) call 94 504505 – 94403270 MSc qualified female on female joining visa good experience in Administration, Advertising media and branding at managerial level with 13 years experience. Good knowledge in the field of marketing looking for a suitable position. Contact : 91980400 Sr Manager, B.Tech, MBA, Prince -2 from UK. 24 yrs exp in EPC project management of oil & gas pipelines, refineries & power plants. Seeking job immediately / on visit/ Contact: + 00968912639 Email: josececy25@gmail.com

LOGISTICS 10 yrs exp in Oman in logisticshave Oman D/L-looking for suitable placement-contact 96410767 .

Contact email: harishkts@yahoo.com

BSc Staff Nurse with license.

Contact 92765457 Indian female Dentist MOH Oman passed seeking a suitable placement in capital region. Contact– 91377681 hashimsarawat@gmail.com Dentist with MOH license looking for locum post. Contact 93571021.

Indian male Nurse, 31 years Oman prometric passed 6 yrs ICU experience. Contact : 94195150 / 92758895 Lab Technician, Civil (8yrs Gulf experience) looking for a suitable job (NOC available) Contact-93344378

SECRETARIAL/OFFICE Indian male MBA having 10 years experience in Oman as Document controller and 2+ Years experience as Project Assistant / Executive Secretary seeks suitable placement.

NOC available Contact: 95373198, email: sydnvrng@yahoo.com Indian male more than 10 years Gulf experience in Office / Sales Coordinator, Admin (employees visa processes), Secretarial and purchase coordination with good computer skills. Having Driving license and NOC available. Looking for suitable placement. Contact 99709336

SALES / MARKETING Indian female B.Com Graduate having 8 yrs experience in India & 2 yrs experience in Oman as Customer Service, Office Asst, Sales Coordinator, Secretary seeks suitable placement. Contact: 95433987 Indian male, B.Sc (Mathematics) PGDBM (Marketing). 9 yrs of Oman experience in sales in midlevel management, NOC available.

Valid Oman D/L. Contact: 95278838 Email: anup2p4p@yahoo.com Indian male 45+ yrs , 20 yrs exp as sales supervisor in India looking for indoor sales /stores /cashier or any suitable placement can speak Hindi , English, Malayalam, Tamil, kannada can join immediately on visit visa.

Contact 93086105/33016546 Pakistani male 34 yrs Intermediate 2 yrs exp in sales & marketing in Oman. Looking for suitable job.

Contact - 92146864

8 years store experience Indian male looking for placement. N.O.C available. Contact: 98456535 Indian 23 years B.Com Graduate, 2 years experience in Sales knowledge of TALLY, ERP & MS Office.

Contact: 93134643 Email : syedismailnoor@gmail.com Indian Male, B.Com Graduate, 23, with experience in Sales looking for suitable placements.

Contact 98371144

TOURS & TRAVELS 25 Indian female B.S.C. Fashion Technology. 5 years experience in textile industry as a merchandiser and good in fashion marketing.

Currently available on visit visa, seeking for a suitable job.

Contact 96990368.

Email: simmy.missy@gmail.com

MISCELLANEOUS Indian, Male, 23 years, BE Electrical, having 2 years experience in Electrical Works-H.T. cabling etc, & Construction, looking for a suitable placement. # +968 96927880 (Oman), +91 9765376109 (India), Email: rahulrevi6@gmail.com Indian Female M.Com with Computer Skills and Four Month Experience as Accountant ,Currently On Family Visa Looking for a Suitable Placement, Available Immediately.

Contact : 95846642, Email : dhanyashree91@yahoo.com Indian male, looking for a part time accounting job. Having additional knowledge & experience in HR admin & purchase.

Contact 99196621 Admin Executive, 31, Indian Male, having 9+ years exp. in reputed companies. Seeking suitable placement in any gulf region. Contact +968 99276601 & 97693456. email : muralimahdav77@gmail.com MEP Quantity Surveyor-EstimationProject, 10 Years Experience (3 years in Oman). Having NOC & Oman D/L, looking for suitable job, Contact - 98291626 B.E. Civil Engineer age 27, total 3 years of experience in Mumbai looking for placement asap in oman now on visit visa of 1 month ph 9571 3441 Email. Khatrialeem@gmail.com

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DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624

SITUATION WANTED SERVICES

ACCOUNTANTS AND CONSULTANTS

WE ARE PROVIDING ACCOUNTING/ AUDITING TAX/ CONSULTING CONTACT: 24 567 251 / 95 498 033

WEBSITE

BUSINESS

Well running Bricks Factory for Lease in Seeb. Contact. 99711003

CLASSES

Wanted Sub Contractors : Shuttering work, steel, concrete block work, plastering, tile fixing for Buraimi, School project.

Contact : 99427674/ 24700373/ Fax: 24701368 Scrap business running scrap business sale with 60 Ton Weighing Bridge in Mabellah.

Contact: 92295780 New Construction Company required investors for financial project.

Contact: 92959251

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED ED Indian male seeking suitable vacancy in office works 30 years Muscat experience. Contact: 99024055 Indain Male MBA Marketing/HRM 3 year experience with Omani D/L, seeking suitable jobs. #97424188 email: dharwesh@gmail.com Piping Design Engineer, Indian male 27, looking for suitable placement in Piping Design & Engineering. Having 7 years of experience in AutoCAD. Also familiar with PDMS (11.6 Version),CAESAR ll. Contact : 97351786 / 96143708, E-mail : mohammednazeer07@gmail.com ACCA Affiliate, Experience in audit/ finance of 2.5 years in Big 6 Firm and Oil industry, looking for suitable permanent placement, Release NOC available. Contact: #95140445 a.saran891@gmail.com

Learn Cup cakes, exotic cakes, Icing decorations, handicrafts.

Contact 95941515

27 year Indian female who has 4 years of experience with logistics function in distribution of spares for both heavy machinery & wind turbine parts. Kindly contact me on +91 9790769104 E-mail: joemohana@yahoo.co.in Looking for managerial post (full time ), More than Ten years of experience in Team Development ,Training, planning, Administration, Sales & Marketing, Advertisement and Credit Control and Logistics. Contact 91076608 / 99322748. RELEASE & NOC AVAILABLE Indian male, 28 yrs MBA (HR/M) 2 years experience in Indian Oman in HR & admin seeks suitable placements. NOC available.

Contact 97484159 Email: rameshkapa86@gmail.com

MCA IT Professional Indian Female seek placement in Teaching/ Non Teaching field. Presently on visit visa. 9588 7051, ashwininakod@gmail.com

Indian female , MCA BCA, certification PL SQL , 6months training PHP, date warehouse looking for suitable placement. Contact : 95694330 Email: mondkashyapodl@gmail.com

Highly Qualified & Experienced Finance Manager Pakistani with USA , UK & Canadian Degrees , CPA ,ACCA-UK . MBA-USA ,IFA- Financial Consultants Canada , Corporate Analyst USA Professional of Banking , Audits ,ERPs & Profit Maximizations ( NOC available ) call 94 504505 – 94403270

HSE Advisor, NEBOSH IGC, Indian male, 4 years experience in construction and oil fields, seeking suitable jobs. Gsm: 97458900, Mail: miroshbabu@gmail.com

Indian Female MCA, 4 plus Years of experience in Web designing, Admin, P.A, seeks suitable placement.

Contact 99486374

COMPUTER

SITUATION WANTSIT. WANTED ED

B.Tech Computer Engineer Wanted job to work on(IT/Banking/Administrator/Technical/Office works) having NOC with the limited time from (04/06/2015 to 13/06/2015).

Mobile:98402389 email:naresh6672@gmail.com

Indian male MBA (U.K), 10 Years of experience in Admin, Sales, HR, stores and logistics seeks suitable placement. Contact 99271903.

WEB, ERP and Business Intelligence (BI) creation and management at rock bottom price.

Contact: http//webviewoman

GUARANTEED CLEANING: Carpet & sofa shampooing, Contact 99314807/24792998

Split & window A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact 93769089 / 95323517

House shifting. Contact 99708138

A/C maintenance split A/C servicing. RO. 10 only. Contact 94217681/ 99210141 House shifting & transporting.

Contact 92490422

DRIVING

Carpet & sofa cleaning, house cleaning. Contact 99542979 / 98855815 Split & window A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact: 96236476

Highly Experienced Finance Manager, CPA ,ACCA-UK . MBA-USA , Professional of Banking, Audits , ERPs Sap , Management as Team Leader and Problem Solver call 94 504505 / 94403270 Indian male MBA Finance presently OMAN IN visit visa, 26 years, looking for an accountant job.

Contact 95240641, email Id mohammadabdulazharuddin@ gmail.com

Specialist available for explosive growth in term of restructuring all modules of businesses with over 30 years of experience across continents with a decade in Oman.

Contact 96733578 Email : profitoman@gmail.com

Window & split unit A.C servicing & repairing. Contact 99557080 Split & window A.C servicing & maintenance. Contact 93769089/95323517 House shifting packing.

99657644 / 98518013 Learn driving with professional only automatic. Contact 94022250

Water proofing ABUQABASContact 99320217/24788722

NRI

MARBLE CRYSTALLIZATION restore the original shine of your marble. #24793614/ 99314807

Marble Restoration, Mosaic tiles polishing, carpet shampooing, maintenance.Contact ABU QABAS99320217 /24788722 Carpet Shampoo, marble & tile polishing, pest control & anti-termite treatment, general cleaning painting, Plumbing, Electrical, shifting. Contact Mundhir Al-Rizaiqi trading. L.L.C. # 24810137, 99450130 A/C maintenance & servicing. Fridge, washing machine & dish washer repairing. Painting & cleaning services & electrical & plumbing. Contact 99447257/97014234/ 24504281

Ready / under construction apartments / villas. Near guruvayur.

Contact: 00919846877773

*Classified Advertisement space booking with text, should be done till 12.00 noon for next day’s publication. * Subject to space availability

S AT U R DAY, J U N E 1 3, 2 0 1 5

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DAILY GUIDE SITUATION WANTED CARGO

Dolphin Watch, Dhow Cruise with Buffet, & Land Tours Al- Ainain Marine Tours Contact- 98029602, 92808636

TOURS

RENT A CAR

RENT A CAR

Butter cup rent a car presents fantastic offers all vehicles are model 2016.

Contact : 97249449

GOOD NEWS Ayurvedic massage backache, joint pain & neck pain etc.

Contact: 98254909 Ayurvedic treatment for joint pain, backache, paralysis massage, steam bath, obesity, spondylitis IDEAL , CARE Ayurvedic Clinic 18 November street, Azaiba. Contact 99639695 / 99117987 Taimour Ayurvedic Clinic, Ruwi offers genuine & effective treatment for back pain, paralysis, cervical and lumbar spondylitis, osteoarthritis, joint pains, sinusitis, migraine, allergic problems, varicose vein and all other health related problems.

Kerala massage and rejuvenation package available. For details please Contact 92197920/ 24799689

FREE INFORMATION ABOUT ISLAM. If you would like to know more about Islam, please call: 99425598, 96050000, 99353988, 99253818, 99341395, and 99379133.

For ladies: 99415818, 99321360, 99730723 Orvisit: www.islamfact.com Ayurvedic treatment for backache, paralysis, arthritis etc & massage, All Season (Vaidyaratnam).

Contact 24475280 / 95371554 / 92504980 www.siddhayur.com Genuine Ayurvedic treatments & massage, Ayurvedic clinic at Al Khuwair. Contact 24478618 / 97263637 /93309131

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S AT U R D AY, J U N E 1 3, 2 0 1 5

DAILY GUIDE

Email: dailyguide@timesofoman.com Tel. 24726666 Ext: 413 / 430 431 / 456 / 461 Fax: 24812624