condolences in ashowofsolidarity,while senior officials Sunni mosque held threedaysofmourning andaccepted that youwillnever dividethissociety.”Kuwait’s largest “The Kuwaitipeoplehavesent aclearmessagetoterrorists reception. ShiiteMPYousefAl-Zalzalah saidinparliament: mosque, SheikhAbdullahAl-Mazeedi, saidatthesame Iraqi invasion”in1990,the senior clericatthetargeted national unity.Webecameunited aswewereduringthe victims. Shiiteleadersagreed. Marzouk Al-Ghanimsaidatareceptionforrelativesofthe religion... andaunitedpeople,”parliamentspeaker conflict betweenthetwosectsbutfoundthereisonlyone received byShiites.“They(thejihadists)wantedtostira sidered martyrsforthenation,inaresponsethatwaswell- Shiites asheretics.Healsoorderedthatthevictimsbecon- after theattackbyIS,aSunnijihadistgroupthatsees the Al-ImamAl-SadeqmosqueinKuwaitCityonlyminutes ed aunitedfront. ple, SunniandShiitereligiouspoliticalfigurespresent- the June26suicidemosquebombing,whichkilledpeo- past ofdiscriminationintheSunni-ruledemirate.Butafter rich Gulfstate’s1.3millioncitizens,havecomplainedinthe State group.Shiites,whomakeupaboutathirdoftheoil- measures totrypreventanotherattackbytheIslamic following adeadlybombingatShiitemosqueandtaken KUWAIT: darity atKuwait’sSunniGrandMosqueinKuwaitCityyesterday.—PhotobyYasserAl-Zayyat KUWAIT: HHtheAmirofKuwaitSheikhSabahAl-AhmadAl-JaberAl-Sabah(center)performsFridayprayersasSunni andShiitewors in droneattacks among 4killed Qaeda suspects Kuwaiti, Saudi

“The Kuwaitipeoplegave yet anotherexampleof HH theAmirSheikhSabahAl-AhmadAl-Sabahvisited SUBSCRIPTION Kuwait hasmovedtowardoffsectariantensions 7 150 Fils AUDY UY4 05 RMDN1,13 HNo:16571 1436 AH SATURDAY, RAMADAN17, JULY 4,2015 together inshowofunity Kuwait Shiites,Sunnispray Security beefedupasAmirattendsjointprayers personnel andvolunteerssearchedworshippers.Kuwaiti security measuresaroundShiitemosques,where prayers. TheInteriorMinistrydeployedunprecedented The Amir,crownprince,ministersandMPsattendedthe Sunnis prayedtogetherattheGrandMosqueyesterday. spoke outagainstSunni-Shiitedivisions. last 16 into Wimbledon Djokovic cruise Sharapova and 48 across theMiddle East. Shiites heretics and hasrepeatedlytargetedthem inattacks months, allclaimedbyIS.TheSunni jihadistgroupconsiders mosques inSaudiArabiaand Kuwait duringthepasttwo and hundredswoundedinsuicide attacksonthreeShiite stability oftheregion.Around 50peoplehavebeenkilled Council (GCC)statesstressedthe attacksareathreattothe people lastFriday,theministers oftheGulfCooperation Kuwait, thesceneoflatestsuicideattackthatkilled26 State jihadistgroup.Holdinganemergencymeetingin bombings targetingShiitemosquesclaimedbytheIslamic vowed totakeaunitedstandagainststringofdeadly KUWAIT: In yetanothersignofunity,thousandsShiitesand stand against Islamic State Gulf ministers vowunited Interior ministersoftheGulfstatesyesterday because ofdemocracyandthehighstandardfreedoms.” immune (tosectariandivisions)thanotherGulfsocieties boosting nationalunity,”hesaid.“Kuwait’ssocietyismore bombing hadbroughtKuwaitisclosertogether. political analystChaferAl-Amisaidthat,ifanything,the cent people,”the statementsaid.—AFP sions, undermining securityandterrorizing killinginno- places ofworshipaimatsowing dissent,promotingdivi- measures tostopthem.“Terrorist attacksthattargeted and thekillingofinnocents,”but didnotspelloutanynew linked withIslamanditsvalues, whichrenounceviolence Emirates. Thestatementcalled the attacks“criminalactsnot the GCCincludesBahrain,Oman, QatarandtheUnitedArab after thenightmeeting.BesidesKuwaitandSaudiArabia, rity andstabilityoftheGCCstates,”saidastatementissued fronting thisseriousepidemic...whichisathreattothesecu- tion andcooperationinallmeasuresstepscon- “I believethishugebombingwillgreatlycontributeto The ministers“underscoredtheimportanceofcoordina- hipers gatheredtogethertoprayinanactofsoli- sa:20:23 Eshaa: 18:51 Maghreb: 15:26 Asr: 11:53 Dohr: 03:18 Fajer: 03:08 Emsak: Continued onPage2 Max Min 49º 32º LOCAL SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015

Crime Ramadan Kareem Report Ramadan in depth

Ex-con sets cars on By Hatem Ahmad fire to settle scores amadan should be seen as a landmark in a Muslim’s life. needs, despite the fact that he himself lived a very simple and It is not just about abstaining from acts that nullify the humble life. Second, fasting is a real reformulation of the RFast. Real fasting should bring about a real inner change Muslim character on the moral and spiritual levels to acquire KUWAIT: An ex-convict deliberately set several cars on fire in the Muslim individual and in Muslim community at large. and develop the values of self-restraint, God-consciousness to settle his scores with its owners. The latest of his crimes Fasting is a universal custom and is known in all the religions and compassion. One of the most crucial personal qualities was setting some vehicles ablaze in Jahra because he had of the world, with some differences. The Islamic Fast is not psychologists have always pointed to as a key to personal differences with the owner. In a similar incident, a citizen about a mere starvation or self-denial; rather it is an act of wor- change is self-restraint. Fasting is really the best practical way told Jahra police that four of his cars were burned just ship and obedience to God, thanksgiving, forgiveness, spiritual to help develop self-restraint. within two days. The complaint was referred to detectives training, and self-examination. This article will attempt to Muslims are trained for a whole month to change their daily who, after investigating, suspected a citizen who had a explore some of the hidden aspects Muslims should heed to habits and to suppress their most inner whims and desires for criminal record. The suspect was arrested and confessed to when they observe fasting. the sake of Allah. Muslims are taught to desert their most basic torching the cars due to earlier disputes with the com- First, Fasting in Ramadan creates a social bond and devel- physiological needs out of sincere Love, because when we plainant. ops a profound spirit of social belonging and brotherhood observe Fasting, we do it out of deep love for God. And a per- among Muslims irrespective of their race, color or culture. son, who loves God, truly is a person who knows what love is Officers fight Millions of Muslims observe the same duty in the same man- and why everyone on this Earth should be loved and treated ner and at the same time for one ultimate motive, which is justly, for the sake of God. Furthermore, Muslims can develop A police officer and a detective exchanged blows seeking the reward from Allah. It is the best practice to repre- self-restraint into building a strong will. Fasting help Muslims due to an old dispute between them. Sources said that sent the values of for unity, brotherhood and equality. No phi- shake off the shackles of sins and bad habits that imprison a police patrol officer was transferring a suspect to losophy or social system has been able to achieve social soli- their souls and bodies over the year. Many people believe that criminal detectives when he was stopped by the detec- darity in practical terms as Islam has been able to do. bad habits are inherent traits they cannot escape and they tive and kept him from entering the building, which When we fast we feel the pains of hunger that millions of won’t be able to change. Building a firm will is an essential fac- started a verbal dispute and led to a fight between people suffer daily and learn to endure it patiently. The experi- tor to overcome bad habits and change your course. Muslims them. The fight ended with the filing of a case at ence teaches how to be more sensitive and sympathize with are trained to strengthen his will by observing the limits of his Salmiya police station. the oppressed and needy around the world and respond to Lord in every aspect , to resign to His judgment in everything, their needs. True Muslims feel their responsibility towards the and to carry out His commands and laws in everything. The poor, the sick, and the needy and stop to ponder how fortu- lessons of Ramadan are numerous and varied and touch every ‘WhatsApp insult’ nate they are. It is the month where the food, sustenance and sphere of the life of individuals and society. A citizen accused his colleague of insulting him through the earnings of a believing Muslim increases and they are Courtesy of the TIES Center: The TIES Center is the social WhatsApp and filed a complaint at a police station. The blessed,” says the Final Prophet of God, Muhammad (PBUH), a and educational hub for English Speaking Muslims in man said that he was surprised by the verbal messages man who was known for his noble humanitarian causes, for Kuwait. For more information, please call 25231015 or e- coming from the number of a colleague of his, which social justice, and for being the first to respond to other’s mail [email protected] or visit www.tiescenter.net. included insults and threats. Detectives are investigating.

Car crash A thief in his twenties broke his leg when the car he stole collided with a concrete barrier while driving in Abdullah Al-Mubarak. The man was sent to Farwaniya hospital.

Bomb scare A bag in Salhiya drew the attention of security and explosives authorities, only to discover that no explosives were inside.

Domestic abuse An Egyptian woman accused her husband of beat- ing her when she refused to lend him money. A securi- ty source said the woman filed a complaint at Salmiya police station and submitted a medical report stating Kuwaiti arrested for importing handguns the bruises she obtained. KUWAIT: The Customs Department has weapons were found while the officials weapons piece by piece. The weapons announced the arrest of a Kuwaiti were checking the contents of an air include two 22 caliber handguns Stabbed with screw driver national accused of importing weapons cargo. A statement by the department shipped to him by express mail from the A mechanic was stabbed by his colleague with a screw - for the purpose of assassinations. The said that the suspect was importing the United States.—KUNA driver inside a garage in Shuwaikh. The mechanic told police that a verbal exchange took place between him and the suspect who then pulled a screw driver and stabbed Kuwait Shiites, Sunnis pray together... him with it, before escaping. An attempted murder charge was filed against the suspect who is being sought by detec- Continued from Page 1 ing several people linked to the Saudi who allegedly carried tives. out the bombing for IS. Five have been referred to prosecutors Unlike most of its Gulf neighbors, Kuwait has a strong par- to face trial in a special court. Declaring itself in a state of war liamentary tradition, although the Amir retains ultimate against “terrorism,” Kuwait placed police and security agen- Second beats first wife authority and the country has faced calls for reform. During a cies on high alert, upgraded its security plan and beefed up A female citizen accused her husband’s second wife parliamentary debate this week, some Shiite MPs said the gov- measures around oil facilities and other vital installations. In a of beating her then threatening to kill her. According ernment needed to do more to end discrimination and com- bid to prevent further attacks, parliament adopted a law to a security source, the citizen said that the second bat extremism. Wednesday requiring mandatory DNA testing on all the coun- wife attacked her at her home and insulted her with “We must win this war against terror and to do so we must try’s citizens and foreign residents to help security agencies indecent words, beat her hard and threatened to kill end discrimination and instigation,” against Shiites, said MP make quicker Aarrests in criminal cases. her. The woman filed a complaint in Qairawan police Khalil Abul. Shiite political analyst Abdulwahed Khalfan said Lawmakers also approved $400 million (360 million euros) station and detectives were asked to arrest the suspect. strong measures were needed. “Kuwaiti Shiites are frustrated in emergency funding for the interior ministry, though some because the government has not done enough to curb sectar- warned the new measures may still not be enough. Despite Alcohol poisoning ian instigation and practices against them,” Khalfan said. this, many Kuwaitis remain concerned about more attacks. “There are people in Kuwait who fund terrorism and who are “What are the guarantees that new bombings will not take An Asian found to suffer from alcohol poisoning was fighting with the Islamic State. What is needed is that the gov- place,” independent MP Jamal al-Omar asked in parliament. charged with drunkenness when he was found uncon- ernment should not be lenient with extremists any more and “We need a crisis management agency... and the government scious in a bachelors’ residence in Farwaniya. The Asian was must take effective security measures,” Khalfan said. should set up a war council,” Omar said. “We can’t really say taken to Farwaniya hospital by his roommates and was Security tightened that this was the last terror attack in Kuwait,” liberal MP Rakan admitted to the intensive care unit. — Al-Rai Kuwaiti authorities moved quickly after the attack, arrest- Al-Nasef warned. — AFP SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015

KUWAIT: Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah arrives to perform Friday prayers as Sunni and Shiite worshipers gathered together to pray in an act of solidarity at Kuwait’s Sunni Grand Mosque in Kuwait City yesterday. Kuwait’s Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic affairs called on Kuwaitis of all sects to perform the Friday prayers together as a show of national unity following a suicide bombing at a Shiite Mosque the previous week. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

KUWAIT: Kuwaiti Sunni and Shiite men are searched by security members outside the Sunni Grand Mosque as they arrive to perform Friday prayers together in an act of soli- darity at Kuwaitís Grand Mosque in Kuwait City yesterday. Grand Mosque Imam highlights moderation, sanctity of blood

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Grand Mosque Imam Dr Waleed Al-Ali has stressed the importance of moderation in Islam - warning against extremism and disregarding sanctity of blood. The Imam made the call during his Jumu’ah (Friday’s noon prayer) 1436 - 2015 sermon at the Grand Mosque, attended by His Highness the 17. Our beloved Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness went on a miraculous night journey to Masjid al-Aqsa the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and to the Heavens. What is this journey called? National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim and top state Mi’raj officials. Al-Ali emphasized compassion and unity among the Esraa & Mi’raj Kuwaiti people. He highly appreciated, on behalf of the Kuwaiti people, His Highness the Amir’s visit to Al-Imam Al- AlBoraq Sadiq Mosque in Kuwait City directly after last Friday’s blast that killed 26 and injured 227 others. He said Kuwait has always supported moderation, noting that the country has been plagued throughout history with disasters and crises, which helped enhance national unity in the face of violence, terrorism and crime. He pointed to the fact that extremists are bandits who distort tolerance and beauty of true Islam. He concluded by saying that Kuwaitis will remain on alert to pro- tect their nation and defeat their enemies.— KUNA SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015

Amir hosts Iftar banquet at Dasman Palace

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al- Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Speaker of the Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah invited members of the Parliament Marzouq Ali Al-Ghanim and His legislative and executive branches to an Iftar ban- Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al- quet at Dasman Palace on Wednesday evening. Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah also attended the His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al- banquet. — KUNA LOCAL SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015

Ooredoo participates in Blood Drive following Al-Sadiq Mosque attack

KUWAIT: Ooredoo Kuwait’s Volunter Program work on two shifts amongst themselves, and dis- reaps the fruit of their work in volunteering. participated in organizing the 2-day blood drive tributed iftar meals at the blood bank for donors Ooredoo’s volunteer program was launched last following the terrorist attack on Imam Al-Sadiq throughout this national 2-day blood drive. May, and aims to empower youth and equip mosque last Friday, in coordination with Club 25 We’re beyond proud and happy to see that our them with the tools they need in order to do and the Ministry of Youth Affairs. Commenting initiative empowered these youth to give back.” volunteer work. The program, in coordination on this, Corporate Communications Director Ooredoo’s volunteer program comes as part with Spread the Passion non-profit organization, Mijbil Alayoub said: “We are very proud of our of its corporate social responsibility agenda, gives participants international-standard train- volunteers and the Kuwaiti youth for hurrying to which includes helping underserved communi- ing and workshops in fields relevant to volun- help. The volunteer team efficiently divided the ties and enabling youth and Spread the Passion teer work. Kuwait earns recognition for its humanitarian role

GENEVA: The United Nations Human Rights Humanitarian campaign Council’s applause of the international donors Meanwhile, Kuwait’s Higher Committee for conference’s results is tantamount to new inter- Syrian Refugees Relief yesterday began a new national recognition of Kuwait’s humanitarian phase of a staged humanitarian campaign to role, the Kuwaiti envoy to the UN said. relieve war-stricken Syrians, distributing USD Ambassador Jamal Al-Ghuneim, Kuwait’s per- 100,000 worth of food parcels to the manent delegate to the UN, said in remarks to refugees. The food supplies, destined for KUNA that such an international acknowledge- Syrians in need in Amman, Al-Mefreq and Al- ment, being publicized for the second year in a Aqaba, are being handed over under supervi- row and implied in a resolution on human rights sion of a field committee comprising repre- in Syria, “affirms the positive outcome of the sentatives of the International Islamic third donors conference - and the way Kuwait Charitable Organization (Jordan), the Kuwaiti dealt with repercussions of the Syrian crisis at Social Reform Society, the Jordanian Al- the humanitarian level. “Kuwait has become an Takaful Society and the Jordanian Donors example to be followed in dealing with humani- Society. Fahad Al-Rashidi, the head of the tarian crises.” The UNHCR, in a resolution adopt- Kuwaiti expedition, told KUNA during launch ed late on Thursday, welcomed the conference’s of the campaign in Amman that it had actual- results, expressing appreciation for speedy ly began last winter, expressing gratitude to response on part of the donating nations, as the Kuwaiti donors and His Highness the Amir Zain organizes Iftar meal well as honoring previous pledges in this for guiding such humanitarian action. for Civil Aviation workers respect. — Agencies

KUWAIT: Zain, the leading telecommunica- the various sectors of the Kuwaiti society, tions company in Kuwait, announced the and the company is keen on reflecting the continuation of its social visits program dur- religious as well as traditional humanitarian ing the Holy of Month of Ramadan. The values and principles to enrich the art of giv- company recently organized an Iftar gather- ing and to increase bonding between indi- ing for the Directorate General of Civil viduals. Aviation’s Control Tower to share the bless- The company further affirmed its ings of the holy month of Ramadan with Corporate Social Responsibility Program their staff in recognition of the efforts they during the Holy Month of Ramadan, which exert during the holy month. includes an extensive array of programs that The Iftar was held with the presence of cover different areas. The initiatives and pro- the Deputy Director General for Air grams include humanitarian, voluntary, cul- Navigation Services Affairs Khaled Al Shuaibi tural, religious, sports, and recreational activ- and Zain’s team whom attended the Iftar ities to cater to the different segments of gathering as a gesture of gratitude and society. It is worth noting that Zain recently appreciation to those staff members who organized an Iftar gathering for the Ministry sacrifice their time for the safety of travelers. of Interior’s Operations Department - Call Zain stressed that it has always been keen to Center (112) as part of its social visits pro- KUWAIT: Commercial Bank of Kuwait Public Relations team and heads of branches have organize a number of social and humanitari- gram during the Holy of Month of Ramadan, recently visited the victims of the blast at the Imam Sadiq mosque were they wished them a an initiatives during Ramadan to support which continues for the third year running. speedy recovery.

SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015 Iran nuclear talks Two years after Morsi, India’s push to save its cows soldier on 8 Egypt stuck in turmoil 9 starves Bangladesh of beef 11

SANAA: A Houthi militant watches from the roof of a building as people inspect the debris of a house destroyed in an air-strike by the Saudi-led coalition, in the capital Sanaa yester- day.—AFP Saudi-led strikes on Yemen cities kill 16 Saudi, Kuwaiti Qaeda suspects among 4 killed in drone attacks

SANAA: Warplanes from a Saudi-led coalition bombed targets in Brotherhood-affiliated Islah party against homes in the Hasb dis- Drone attack Yemen yesterday, residents said, and sources in the country’s trict of the southwestern province of Taiz. The report could not A Saudi and a Kuwaiti are among four suspected Al-Qaeda dominant Houthi militia reported at least 16 people were killed. immediately be confirmed. Meanwhile, a drone attacked an army members killed by an American drone strike in southeastern The coalition has been bombarding Iran-allied Houthi forces base held by Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in south- Yemen, a local official said yesterday. The dawn strike targeted and allied army units since March in a campaign to restore exiled eastern Yemen in Friday’s early hours, killing four suspected mili- their car as it left the base of the 27th Mechanized Brigade in the President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to power. Houthi sources tants, witnesses said. Hadramawt provincial capital Mukalla, the official said. Fighters said six people including a woman and a child were killed and six The base is near Al-Mukulla, a port city which has been the tar- from the Sunni extremist group seized the camp from forces loyal wounded in a dawn air strike on the al Jaraf neighborhood of the to President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi in April, consolidating get of several drones attacks in recent weeks including one that capital Sanaa. The Houthi-controlled Saba news agency reported their grip on Mukalla. 10 people were killed by Saudi-led aerial attacks on a building in killed Nasser Al-Wuhayshi, the leader of AQAP, one of the most They have exploited months of fighting between Hadi loyalists Bayt Al-Faqih city in the southwestern province of al Hodeida. Air active branches of the Al-Qaeda militant network. The United and Iran-backed Shiite Huthi rebels to consolidate their grip on strikes were also carried out on Faj Attan mountain overlooking States acknowledges using drones to combat AQAP in Yemen as Yemen’s southeast. Sanaa, home to a military base and a weapons depot that have part of its global counter-terrorism effort, but does not comment The official identified the victims as Shuaib Al-Maliki of Saudi been a frequent target of raids in the course of the three-month- publicly on individual attacks. AQAP’s several thousand fighters Arabia and the Kuwaiti Abdul Aziz Al-Otaibi, along with two old war in the Arabian Peninsula country. In the dawn attack, war- are seen by Washington as a serious anti-Western threat that Yemenis. Their deaths bring to 13 the number of suspected Al- planes also hit the ministry of communications building, the could exploit the chaos of Yemen’s war to expand and recruit. Qaeda militants killed by similar strikes in Yemen over the past 10 Houthi-controlled Saba news agency reported, setting it on fire AQAP has carried out attacks on the Houthis, seen as a foe due days, and follows the death of the second-in-command of Al- and destroying nearby buildings. to their Iranian alliance and adherence to a form of Shiite Islam, Qaeda’s global network. The warplanes staged a further attack on the capital around but has not become a leading combatant in the conflict. The group confirmed on June 16 the killing by an American noon, but there was no immediate word on casualties or damage. On Thursday, the US State Department called for a “humanitar- drone strike of Nasir Al-Wuhayshi, who headed Al-Qaeda’s Yemen Hadi fled in February to Saudi Arabia, where he remains, after the ian pause” in the conflict during the current Muslim holy month branch. Washington regards that branch, known as Al-Qaeda in Houthis swept out of their northwestern stronghold and captured of Ramadan to allow international aid organizations to deliver the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), as its most dangerous and has kept Sanaa last September, pushing Hadi’s government aside and then urgently needed food, medicine, and fuel. The United Nations on up a drone war despite the pullout of US troops from Yemen in extending their control to large parts of Yemen. Wednesday had designated the war in Yemen as a Level 3 March as the country’s war worsened. The US still has drones and Saba also reported mortar attacks by al Qaeda and the Muslim humanitarian crisis, its most severe category. other aircraft at bases in Saudi Arabia and Djibouti. —AFP INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015 Turkey reinforces Syria border

ISTANBUL: Turkey has deployed additional troops and in the near term,” he said. Some media had speculated an that Turkey was considering a buffer zone in Syria. Intense equipment along part of its border with Syria as fighting imminent cross-border operation was being planned. fighting, including explosions, could be heard from the north of the city of Aleppo intensifies, security sources said, “If anything occurred that were to threaten Turkish securi- Turkish border town of Kilis late on Thursday, about 50 km (30 but Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said there were no ty, we wouldn’t wait for tomorrow, we would go right in,” miles) north of the Syrian city of Azaz, witnesses said. The immediate plans for any incursion. Security sources and offi- Davutoglu added. “But it’s wrong to expect that Turkey security sources said the Azaz fighting was between Islamic cials in the capital, Ankara, said the Turkish army had stepped would undertake such a unilateral intervention in the imme- State militants and a joint force of Al-Qaeda’s Syrian offshoot up security, also sending in special forces, due to the heavy diate term if there is no such risk.” Nusra Front and Western-backed rebels, who have been fighting. Syrian insurgents led by Islamist groups began a Asked about the possibility of Turkey establishing a clashing in the north Aleppo countryside for weeks. major offensive for full control of the divided northern city, a ‘secure zone’ in Syria, U.S. ambassador to Ankara John Bass Davutoglu said Assad, whose forces and allied mili- monitor and rebels said on Thursday, a move which would be said Turkey and the United States had a shared concern tias hold western districts of Aleppo, had been cooperat- a major blow for President Bashar al-Assad. about the presence of hardline Islamic State militants in ing with Islamic State militants in attacking the moder- “It’s correct that we have taken precautions to protect our northern Syria. “We are continuing to work together to ate opposition. He said Syrians in Aleppo would not border. If there’s any circumstance across the border that address the threat that poses to both our countries and many receive basic necessities if the city was cut off by fight- threatens Turkish security, orders to act have been given,” other countries as part of our joint effort,” he said at a recep- ing, creating a massive new influx of people to Turkey, Davutoglu told broadcaster Kanal 7. “(But) no one should tion in Ankara. which is already sheltering more than 1.8 million Syrian have the expectation that Turkey will enter Syria tomorrow or The US State Department said it had no “solid evidence” refugees. — Reuters Islamist alliance in battle for Syria’s Aleppo

BEIRUT: A new Islamist rebel alliance, including Al-Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate, was locked in a fierce battle yesterday to seize government- held areas of Aleppo, the divided former economic capital. Once a powerhouse of industry, Aleppo has been devastated by years of fighting between regime forces and a succession of rebel groups. Clashes raged overnight as the Islamist alliance, which calls itself Ansar Al-Sharia, sought to take control of the air force intelligence headquarters in Zahra, on Aleppo’s northwestern outskirts, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. According to the British-based monitor, the 13 groups in the alliance announced the launch of the “Ansar Al-Sharia operations room” on Thursday. They said the aim was to “liberate Aleppo and the countryside” and “to draft a joint covenant to run Aleppo after its liberation in line with sharia” Islamic law. The rebel fighters advanced to take control of several buildings in Zahra despite regime air strikes, according to Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman. “There were at least 35 dead among insurgent ranks and dozens of killed and wounded on the regime side,” he told AFP. Syrian state television said that the army had “foiled attempts to infiltrate Aleppo on several fronts, killing more than 100 terrorists”-the regime’s standard term for all rebel groups. VIENNA: A journalist rests outside the Palais Coburg Hotel where the Iran nuclear talks meetings are being Ansar Al-Sharia launched a multi-district assault on government- held in Vienna yesterday. —AFP held parts of Aleppo city on Thursday, in attacks that killed at least four civilians, the Observatory said. Rebels fired several hundred rockets and projectiles into at least seven government-held neighborhoods, Iran nuclear talks soldier on, with the army returning fire and regime aircraft carrying out raids. Fighting resumed yesterday morning before dawn on pro-govern- ment areas of the Ashrafiyeh and Khaldiyeh neighborhoods in the no breakthrough in probe city’s north and western sectors, the monitor said. Abdel Rahman said hundreds of shells fell on both government- and rebel-held areas of Rouhani’s chief of staff off to Vienna on ‘special mission’ the city, in what he said was Aleppo’s “worst night” since 2012, when rebels first attacked. VIENNA: Tortuous talks towards a Iran nuclear Kerry were expected back in Vienna Sunday its side of the bargain through enhanced One Aleppo resident, a 23-year-old student who gave her name as deal ploughed yesterday with the head of the evening and to stay until Tuesday to get the job inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities. Sahar, said fighting had been “intensive”. “We are used to the sound of UN’s atomic watchdog having apparently failed done, the diplomat said. The P5+1 — the But the P5+1 want the watchdog also to be explosions but yesterday there were so many. We heard the blasts in Tehran to advance a nuclear bomb probe, a United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and able to visit sites where there is no declared but because they were coming from everywhere we didn’t know major hurdle to the accord. Iranian President Germany want an accord that curbs Iran’s nuclear material to probe alleged efforts, where the shells were falling,” she told AFP by telephone.— AFP Hassan Rouhani’s chief of staff, Mohammad nuclear activities so that making an atomic before 2003 and possibly since, to develop a Nahavandian, meanwhile headed to the nego- bomb is all but impossible. nuclear weapon in secret. On Thursday the tiations in Vienna, in what the official IRNA In exchange Iran, which says its program is IAEA chief Yukiya Amano visited Tehran to news agency called a “special mission”. for peaceful purposes like electricity generation meet Rouhani and others in an attempt to “Important progress has been made but and not to get the bomb, would see painful jumpstart a stalled probe into these so-called questions on technical issues and the wording sanctions progressively lifted. “possible military dimensions” of Iran’s activi- (of the deal) remain,” Iranian Foreign Minister It would end a 13-year standoff over Iran’s ties. But after returning a statement suggested Mohammad Javad Zarif said on a seventh day suspect nuclear program, and draw the curtain that no breakthrough on the issue which of negotiations. on almost two years of intense negotiations Western powers say is vital for the final deal- “My impression is that the political will (to since Rouhani came to power in August 2013. had happened. get a deal) exists but that this has not yet been Russia’s top negotiator Sergei Ryabkov on “I believe that both sides have a better transmitted to the bureaucrats” working on the Thursday voiced cautious optimism, saying the understanding on some ways forward, though text, Zarif, due to meet US Secretary of State document both sides were working on was “91 more work will be needed,” Amano, who was John Kerry later, told Iranian television. Ahead percent” finished. “I can’t predict how many expected to debrief the later P5+1 on his trip, of a Tuesday deadline, the chief negotiators of hours it will take to resolve this situation. But all said in a brief statement. Iran rejects the allega- Iran, the United States and the European Union parties are of the opinion that this matter will tions, saying they are based on bogus intelli- This US Navy photo obtained yesterday shows sailors as haggled for six hours on Thursday night until be resolved in the coming days,” Ryabkov, gence provided to a gullible and partial IAEA by 3:00 am (0100 GMT), a senior US official said. deputy foreign minister, told Russian news the likes of the CIA and Israeli intelligence they spell out #USA with the American flag on the flight “We have five days remaining... The techni- agency TASS. agency Mossad. Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s lead deck of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt in the cal work is advancing on the main text, on the negotiator in Vienna, told Iranian media Friday Gulf. Theodore Roosevelt is deployed to the US 5th Fleet appendices,” a western diplomat said. “It feels Possible military dimensions that Tehran was “ready to cooperate with Mr. area of operations as part of Theodore Roosevelt Carrier like the end.” It will be up to the International Atomic Amano so that it can be proved that these Strike Group supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, Other foreign ministers besides Zarif and Energy Agency (IAEA) to verify Iran is sticking to accusations and claims.. are baseless”.— AFP strike operations in Iraq and Syria.— AFP INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015

Top Tunisian jihadist killed in US strike

WASHINGTON: A top Tunisian jihadist and associate of late Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed by a US airstrike in Libya last month, The New York Times reported yesterday. Seifallah Ben Hassine, listed as a “global terrorist” by the US, was killed in mid-June in an airstrike that targeted a top Al-Qaeda-linked Islamist, the paper said. Ben Hassine is believed to have coordinated a string of assassinations, including the killing of famed Afghan anti-Taliban fighter Ahmad Shah Masood in 2001. Tunisian officials also accused the leader of the banned Ansar Al-Sharia group of directing the killings of two secular Tunisian politicians in 2013, the paper reported. He was fur- ther suspected of leading an attack on the US embassy in Tunis in September 2012, days after an attack on the American consulate in Benghazi, Libya that killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens, the paper said. He had been based in Libya since 2013. Tunisian station Radio Mosaique first reported Ben Hassine’s death, which The New York Times said it had confirmed with an official in Washington. However, the interior ministry in Tunis, contact- ed by AFP, said it had “no information on his death”. The US official said Ben Hassine died in a strike that target- ed Mokhtar Belmokhtar, a top Al-Qaeda-linked militant believed to have masterminded a deadly attack on an Algerian gas plant in 2013. Libya’s government reported at the time that Belmokhtar was killed in the attack but Al-Qaeda’s North Africa branch denied it. Hassine, also known as Abu Iyadh, had been on a United Nations blacklist since 2002 over his links to Al-Qaeda. SINAI: Egyptian worshippers pray for the victims of attacks by Islamic State-linked militants in northern Sinai, at He was imprisoned in Tunisia in 2003 but released under an Amr Ibn Al-Aas Mosque in Cairo yesterday. — AP amnesty after the ouster of secular dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 2011. He allegedly fought alongside Bin Laden in Afghanistan in 2001 before travelling to Pakistan and then Turkey where he Two years after Morsi, was arrested and extradited, the newspaper reported. —AFP Egypt stuck in turmoil US seeing rapid expansion of Sunni outreach at Despite crackdown, security and stability still lacking Anbar base

CAIRO: Two years after the army deposed Egyptian jihadist group Ansar Beit al-Maqdis Economic concerns WASHINGTON: The United States is seeing signs that new efforts to president Mohamed Morsi, Egypt is roiled by pledging allegiance to IS last November. The other major challenge Sisi faces is how draw Sunni tribesmen into Iraq’s battle against Islamic State may be brazen Islamic State group attacks in the Sinai “There is a complete political failure at all to revive the economy. His government’s aim taking root at a military base near the fallen capital of Sunni-dominat- Peninsula and brutal government repression levels amid a return of repression, arbitrary is to achieve annual gross domestic product ed Anbar province, US officials say. that has killed hundreds. Militant attacks have arrests and killings,” said activist Mohamed (GDP) growth of seven percent for an econo- A US defense officials told Reuters the first group of 500 Sunni persisted since the then army chief and now Nabil from the April 6 youth movement that my traditionally driven by tourist revenues. recruits would soon complete training at the Taqaddum military base President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi ousted Morsi on spearheaded the 2011 uprising against ex- The vital sector has plummeted, however, near the city of Ramadi, making way for a second group of about 500 July 3, 2013, after mass street protests against president Hosni Mubarak. with last year’s 10 million visitors sharply Sunnis who have agreed to participate. the Islamist’s single year of divisive rule. down on 2010 when 15 million tourists The number of confirmed Sunni recruits for Taqaddum is double This week’s assassination of state prosecu- Weary Egyptians back Sisi thronged the country, lured by its archaeolog- the amount first disclosed last month by the US military and follows tor Hisham Barakat in a Cairo car bombing, The crackdown overseen by Sisi initially ical sites and Red Sea resorts. US President Barack Obama’s June 10 order to deploy American followed by spectacular IS attacks that killed targeted Morsi’s supporters-a police assault Signs of a recovery are visible, but econo- troops for the first time to the base. About 400 American troops are dozens in the Sinai, underlined the lack of on two pro-Morsi camps in Cairo weeks after mists said a fundamental change is needed in now working at Taqaddum, some engaging with Sunni tribal leaders security and stability despite a wide-ranging his overthrow killed hundreds. the government’s thinking. Sisi hosted an but not directly training the forces, the officials said, speaking on con- crackdown. Hundreds have been killed, tens The crackdown was rapidly expanded to international conference in March, which dition of anonymity. Iraq’s army has been burdened by a legacy of sec- of thousands detained and hundreds more include the jailing of secular activists who had attracted investment deals worth more than tarianism in Anbar, whose dominant Sunni population resented for- sentenced to death after speedy trials in the not only revolted against Mubarak but backed $36 billion. He is also banking on the new $9 mer Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki’s Shiite majority government and crackdown targeting Morsi supporters. Sisi in ousting Morsi. Rights groups accuse the billion Suez canal expansion project sched- were incensed when he ordered troops to clear a protest camp in Morsi and several leaders of his Muslim authorities of using the judiciary to suppress uled to be inaugurated on August 6. Ramadi in December 2013. Brotherhood movement are among those to dissent. “The Egyptian authorities have shown The project is part of an ambitious plan to One of the goals of the US deployment to Taqaddum is encourag- have been handed the death penalty. that they will stop at nothing in their attempts develop the zone around the canal into an ing Sunni tribes to join the battle against Islamic State, drawing in Jihadists led by IS have killed scores of to crush all challenges to their authority,” said industrial and commercial hub, with a focus fighters who felt unsafe traveling to the other US outpost in Sunni- troops, mostly in the Sinai, challenging Sisi’s Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui of Amnesty on shipping. The expansion is expected to dominated Anbar province, at the Ain Al-Asad air base. efforts to restore security and economic stabil- International. Barakat’s murder and more than double annual Suez revenues, to Taqaddum is located only about 15 miles (25 km) from Ramadi, ity in the biggest Sunni Arab country. On Wednesday’s IS attacks infuriated Sisi, who $13.2 billion in 2023. “I am bullish on develop- Anbar’s capital, which fell to Islamic State fighters in May. Iraq is ready- Wednesday, the military deployed F-16 war- called for fast-track executions of those on ments around the new Suez Canal, but I am ing a counteroffensive to retake it. planes to bombard IS jihadists who battled death row. looking forward to seeing a program that The Sunni recruits at Taqaddum would represent a significant troops in a North Sinai town after launching a On Wednesday the cabinet passed an anti- would have a number of other infrastructure chunk of Sunni recruits so far for the still overwhelmingly Shiite popu- surprise dawn attack on army checkpoints. terror law to “achieve swift justice and development projects to help job growth,” lar mobilization forces. The first US official estimated about 6,000 Dozens were killed in what was IS’s bold- revenge for our martyrs”. Analysts said the said Angus Blair, chief executive of the Cairo- Sunni recruits. A second official said Sunnis had so far demonstrated est attack yet in the strife-torn Sinai, with mili- government sees most opponents as sup- based Signet think-tank. commitment to the training - noting that all 500 had returned to the tants taking over rooftops and firing rockets at porters of the now blacklisted Brotherhood. Double-digit inflation and a budget base after a brief break to celebrate the Muslim holy month of troops. The army said in a video depicting the “And because many Egyptians are weary deficit of 12 percent of GDP also remain key Ramadan with their families. Iraq’s government also appeared invest- attack that militants had pinned IS flags on of political tumult and frightened by an concerns. “Current economic growth is ed, quickly providing small arms and ammunition for the Sunnis and some buildings to “show that the terrorists upsurge of terrorist attacks within Egypt’s about five percent per annum. What is need- directing funds to improve base facilities for them. had taken over the town,” but their attempt major cities, they are largely supportive of this ed is seven to eight percent of growth, given “There’s a large (Sunni) population out there that’s ... going to wait was thwarted. Attacks by insurgents multi- crackdown,” said Eric Trager of think-tank The the population growth of 2.6 percent per and see if this takes or not. And these are indications to me that this plied after the overthrow of Morsi, with Washington Institute for Near East Policy. annum,” Blair said. — AFP has taken,” the second official said. — Reuters INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015

Ukraine’s refusal to negotiate with rebels ‘alarming:’ Russia

MOSCOW: Russian Foreign Minister changes have triggered a surge in ten- He added that the Kiev authorities purchases of Russian natural gas sup- Sergei Lavrov yesterday said Ukraine’s sions between Kiev and Moscow- were “torpedoing” the peace agree- plies after EU-mediated talks in Vienna perceived failure to agree with rebels backed rebels that have been battling ment and refusing to directly negoti- broke down earlier this week. on implementing a peace deal was government forces since April 2014. ate with rebels, urging the West to Russia retaliated by halting all gas “alarming” and urged the West to pres- Lavrov said Russia was especially pressure Ukrainian authorities to hon- supplies to Kiev on Wednesday. In a sure Kiev. “The situation is alarming concerned that, in its view, the draft our the deal. further twist, rebels announced plans because we’re witnessing a tendency, constitution did not honour a “single State Duma speaker Sergei to hold local elections in October if you will,” Russia’s top diplomat told requirement” of a peace deal brokered Naryshkin struck a similar note, accus- with a view to cementing the sepa- reporters. by Germany and France in the ing the West of paying lip service to ratists’ semi-autonomous status with- “Starting with a state coup, the cur- Belarussian capital Minsk in February. resolving the crisis. “Together with the in a united Ukraine, sparking criticism rent Kiev authorities have routinely “Russia is deeply concerned by Kiev’s Kiev authorities, the West only mimicks in Kiev. Kiev and the West accuse demonstrated their inability to come inability or unwillingness to implement the constitutional process in Ukraine, Moscow of backing the Russian- to an agreement,” Lavrov said after a requirement to agree with Donetsk and this only deepens Ukraine’s speaking rebels with weapons, mon- talks with his counterpart from and Lugansk on the ways of imple- humanitarian crisis,” he said in parlia- ey and troops. More than 6,500 peo- Luxembourg, Jean Asselborn. menting local elections and involving ment. ple have been killed in the fighting Ukrainian President Petro representatives in work on the new Adding to the tensions was Kiev’s since April 2014, according to the Poroshenko’s proposed constitutional constitution,” Lavrov said. announcement that it was suspending United Nations.—AfP

Death toll from capsized Philippine ferry rises to 50

MANILA: Rescuers yesterday retrieved five more bod- ies from a ferry that capsized just moments after departing from a central Philippine port, raising the death toll to 50. The bodies were recovered hours after coast guard spokesman Cmdr. Armand Balilo said all 187 passen- gers and crew members on the M/B Kim Nirvana had been accounted for. The vessel flipped over in choppy waters on Thursday off Ormoc City. Balilo said the new bodies were found after a floating crane pulled the 36- ton wooden vessel close to shore. The additional fatal- ities raised questions about the number of people believed on board, and Balilo said they will have to recheck the number of survivors and investigate if the crew allowed people not on the manifest to board the ferry. A World War II -era Panther tank is prepared for transportation from a residential property in Heikendorf, The outrigger was leaving Ormoc port en route to northern Germany. Authorities have seized a 45-ton Panther tank, a flak canon and multiple other World one of the Camotes Islands, about 30 kilometers (19 War II-era military weapons in a raid on a 78-year-old collector’s storage facility in northern Germany. — AP miles) to the south, when it was lashed by strong waves and capsized, he said. The captain and some of the crew are in custody pending an investigation, German authorities seize tank, Balilo said. “Among the things we will look into is if there was a faulty maneuver, the stability of the vessel, other WWII weapons in raid and of course the weather,” he added. Regional coast guard commander Capt. Pedro Tinampay told BERLIN: Authorities seized a 45-ton Panther ful owner. Kieler Nachrichten newspaper that the man DZBB radio in Manila that the movement of cargo tank, a flak cannon and multiple other World The tank owner has made no secret of his had even fired up the tank during the partic- inside the ferry may have contributed to the accident. War II-era military weapons in a raid on a 78- collection, openly talking about the Panther ularly bad winter of 1978-79 and helped The ferry was carrying heavy construction materials year-old collector’s home in northern and other items in media reports following plow others’ snow. “It was well known, at and bags of rice. Germany, prosecutors said yesterday. the May revelation of the art investigation. least to all the older Kitzebergers, that he Ormoc, a regional economic and transportation Kiel prosecutor Birgit Hess said the collec- Neighbor Kristin Schroeder told the local had a tank,” Schroeder said. —AP hub of about 200,000 people, is located in a disaster- tor, whose name she would not release for prone eastern region that is regularly hit by some of privacy reasons, is being investigated for the approximately 20 tropical storms and typhoons possibly violating German weapons laws but Britain, Tunisia honor 38 that blow in from the Pacific each year. —AP remains free while the probe is ongoing. In the search Wednesday and Thursday investi- victims of resort attack gators also seized a torpedo and multiple other military items in addition to the Panzer LONDON: People around Britain paused in ly - who died. V “Panther” tank and the 88mm flak gun, streets and workplaces, in churches and Crowds held a moment of silence late Hess told The Associated Press. German mili- mosques, in railway stations and at the Thursday in Tunisia’s capital. People from many tary engineers were called in to haul the tank Wimbledon tennis tournament yesterday to religions joined as Muslims broke their out of the underground garage of the house honor the victims of an Islamic extremist’s ram- Ramadan fast. A ceremony was planned yes- in Kitzeberg, near Kiel. The collector’s attor- page at a Tunisian beach resort. terday at the Imperial Marhaba hotel in the ney, Peter Gramsch, told the dpa news Flags were lowered to half-staff at Mediterranean resort town of Sousse, where agency all the items were properly demilita- Buckingham Palace and UK government build- the attack happened. rized and registered. ings to remember those killed in Tunisia’s The gunman was killed by police and the Hess said that she did not know whether deadliest attack. Thirty of the 38 dead were Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the main gun on the tank could fire, but it British tourists, the youngest a 19-year-old uni- the massacre, a blow to Tunisia’s budding didn’t appear to be properly registered and versity student and the oldest an 80-year-old democracy and tourism industry. an independent expert said it wasn’t proper- retired scientist. Queen Elizabeth II and British The first inquest for a British victim of the ly demilitarized. The collector came to Prime Minister David Cameron were among attacks opened yesterday at a London court. A authorities’ attention in an investigation into those who observed a minute’s silence at noon police officer told a coroner that 59-year-old black market Nazi-era art that in May turned Friday, a week after the attack. Mourners Stephen Mellor of Bodmin in southwest ORMOC: Residents watch as the ill-fated passenger fer- up two massive bronze horse statues that paused also outside the stadium of Walsall England died from gunshot wounds to the ry ‘Kim Nirvana’ is lifted by a crane after it was towed once stood in front of Adolf Hitler’s chan- Football Club in central England, where sup- chest and abdomen. Inquests are held in to the pier in Ormoc City, central Philippines yester- cellery. Those were in the possession of porters have left flowers and team flags in hon- Britain to determine the facts in cases of violent day. —AFP another man, who maintains he is the right- or of three fans - all members of the same fami- or unexplained death. —AP INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015

Pakistan police arrest India’s push to save its cows cleric who led mob starves Bangladesh of beef attacking Christians LAHORE: Pakistani police said yesterday they had arrested Tanners, meat exporters, India’s Muslims affected a Muslim cleric accused of leading a mob trying to kill a Christian couple for allegedly desecrating the Quran. GHOJADANGA, India/DHAKA: Some shares a 2,216 km (1,375 miles) border India would stick to its stance. Police rescued the Christians from the crowd near the 30,000 Indian soldiers guarding the bor- with Bangladesh. eastern city of Lahore on Thursday, a relatively unusual der with Bangladesh have a new man- COW PROTECTION FORCE intervention in a country where those accused of blasphe- date under Prime Minister Narendra BEEF PRICES UP, EXPORTS DOWN India is home to 300 million cattle my are sometimes lynched on the spot. Police officer Modi’s government this year - stop cat- So far this year, BSF soldiers have and is the world’s largest beef exporter Sohail Zaffar Chattha said the cleric leading the mob tle from crossing illegally into the seized 90,000 cattle and caught 400 and fifth-biggest consumer. But since demanded that police arrest the couple and charge them Muslim-majority neighbor. Indian and Bangladeshi smugglers. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, which is with blasphemy against Islam. Roughly every other night, troops Bangladeshi traders who operate auc- closely linked to the RSS, came to power “I told him I would not register a case because no blas- armed with bamboo sticks and ropes tions to facilitate the sale of cattle to last year, the rhetoric on cow protection phemy has been committed,” Chattha said in a telephone wade through jute and paddy fields and slaughter houses, beef processing units, and the beef ban has increased. interview. “But I have registered a case against the cleric swim across ponds to chase ageing tanneries and bone crushing factories Critics say tougher anti-beef laws dis- and 400 others for inciting violence and endangering the bovines, and smugglers, headed for estimate the industry contributed 3 per- criminate against Muslims, Christians lives of the couple.” About 500 people in Sadar markets in Bangladesh. The crackdown cent to the country’s $190 billion econo- and lower-caste Hindus who rely on the Farooqabad town attacked Owais Masih and his wife after is one of the clearest signs yet of how my. The hit to GDP from India’s policies cheap meat for protein. Butchers and a neighbour complained that they were sleeping on a Indian policies, increasingly influenced is not yet known. But H.T. Imam, a politi- cattle traders, many of them Muslim, say plastic sheet with verses from the Quran written on it. by Hindu nationalist ideology, are hav- cal adviser to Bangladesh Prime Minister the push threatens thousands of jobs. Police rescued the couple as the mob began to beat ing an economic impact on neighboring Sheikh Hasina, said there was “absolute- The rhetoric has also emboldened them. The couple were later taken into protective custody countries as well as the sizeable Muslim ly no doubt” that the beef trade and vigilante cow protectors. “I was chained and moved to an undisclosed location. minority at home. leather industry were suffering. to a tree and beaten by members of the “The mob meant business. They wanted to kill them About 2 million head of cattle are Syed Hasan Habib of Bengal Meat, cow protection force. They forced me to right there,” Chattha said. “And all because they are poor, smuggled into Bangladesh annually Bangladesh’s top beef exporter, said it recite a Hindu prayer,” said Mohammed illiterate people who didn’t realise that a line from the from India. The $600 million-a-year had to cut international orders by 75 Tarafdar, who was caught smuggling Quran was written on a sheet they had purchased.” trade has flourished over the past four percent. The company exports 125 tons two calves near the Bangladesh border Blasphemy is punishable by death in Muslim-majority decades and is considered legal by of beef a year to Gulf countries. in April. “My religion permits me to eat Pakistan. The charge is hard to fight because the law does Dhaka. He said the price of cows had gone and sell beef, so why should Hindus not define clearly what is blasphemous. Even presenting Modi’s government, which came to up by 40 percent over the past six have a problem?” said Tarafdar, sitting in the evidence in court can sometimes itself be considered a power with the help of the Hindu months because of India’s move, and a crammed prison cell in Basirhat dis- fresh infringement. nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak they had been forced to close two pro- trict. Last year, a British man with a history of mental health Sangh (RSS), wants to put an end to it. cessing units. Some BSF soldiers said they could illness was sentenced to death for blasphemy. The same Interior Minister Rajnath Singh travelled Habib plans to import cows from not understand why they were chasing year, a court upheld a death sentence for blasphemy for a this spring to the frontier with Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar to meet cows. Some animals are caught and auc- Christian woman, Asia Bibi, in a case that drew global Bangladesh, calling on India’s Border domestic demand, but he said Indian tioned by the BSF, only to be bought headlines after the assassination of two prominent Security Force to halt cattle smuggling cows had better quality meat and raw and smuggled again. Two soldiers were Pakistani politicians who took up her cause. completely so that the “people of hide. Bangladesh Tanners Association killed by a gang of Bangladeshi smug- Pakistan’s minorities complain that the state fails to Bangladesh give up eating beef”, media president Shaheen Ahmed said 30 of glers, while three dozen have been protect them from violence. Christians make up about 4 reported at the time. 190 tanneries had suspended work due injured by the animals. percent of Pakistan’s population and tend to keep a low “Killing or smuggling a cow is equiva- to lack of hides, and about 4,000 work- “It is a wild chase, but not of a kind a profile in a country where Sunni Muslim militants fre- lent to raping a Hindu girl or destroying ers were jobless. A senior official in soldier appreciates,” said Vivek Tyagi, a quently bomb targets they see as heretical, including a Hindu temple,” said Jishnu Basu, an India’s home ministry said Bangladesh BSF commander at the Ghojadanga Christians, and Sufi and Shiite Muslims. — Reuters RSS spokesman in West Bengal, which should find new sources of beef because check post. —Reuters India census says 70% live in villages, most are poor

NEW DELHI: India released new data yesterday showing that more than 70 percent of its people live in villages, with the major- ity extremely poor and dependent on manual labor. The data from India’s socio-economic and caste census was collected between 2011 and 2013. It’s the first time India has studied caste data since 1932. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the data would help the government to properly channel its wel- fare spending to benefit those who needed help the most. India conducts a national census every 10 years and that document delves into the wealth, living conditions and other personal details of the country’s 1.2 billion people. The previous govern- ment initiated a separate process of studying caste and analyzing socio-economic progress based on those divisions. Caste, the Hindu custom that for millennia has divided people in a strict social hierarchy based on their family’s traditional liveli- hood and ethnicity, is deeply sensitive in India. The practice was outlawed when India gained freedom from Britain in 1947, but is still pervasive. Studies show low-caste Indians and dalits face dai- ly challenges for decent schools, medical care and jobs. While the data shows how low-caste Indians fare overall on various economic indicators, the government has said that the final data would not show specific caste details. The data released Friday revealed that of India’s nearly 244 million households, more than 179 million are rural. At least 56 percent of those rural households do not own any land and depend on manual labor. Among the lowest castes in rural India the number of landless was as high as 70 percent. Nearly 107 million rural households are what the government terms as “deprived,” meaning they either live in a single room made of mud and straw, have no earn- ing adult male, or no literate adult member. Friday’s data is provisional and Jaitley said the final data would be updated over the next few months. “This document will help AHMEDABAD: Indian passengers sleep as they wait for trains at a railway station in Ahmadabad. India has released us target groups for support in terms of policy planning,” he told new socio-economic and caste census data yesterday that covers the period between 2011 and 2013 to show the reporters. —AP wealth, living conditions and other details of the country’s 1.2 billion people. —AP INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015 Six killed in South Korea storage tank explosion

SEOUL: Six South Korean workers were killed yesterday when a waste water storage tank exploded at a chemical plant in the industrial city of Ulsan, a fire official said. The blast occurred when the workers were carrying out welding work on the tank at the Hanwha Chemical Co. plant, which produces polyvinyl chloride, an Ulsan fire station spokesman told AFP. “Gas from the waste water which had accumulated inside the tank was apparently ignited by the welding torch,” he said. An investigation was under way to determine whether the blast was caused by negligence. Four workers were initial- ly found dead at the scene, and rescuers later retrieved the bodies of two others while sifting through the mixture of debris and toxic waste water. —AFP Death toll from Pakistan train accident rises to 17

ISLAMABAD: The death toll from a Pakistan rail accident has risen to 17, the army said yesterday, the day after a special mil- itary train fell into a canal when a bridge partially collapsed. A senior officer was among those killed when four of the train’s carriages carrying troops and military equipment KUALA LUMPUR: The 1 Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) logo is seen on a billboard at the funds flagship Tun derailed and fell from Chanawan Bridge in the eastern Razak Exchange under-development site in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. — AFP province of Punjab. “Total bodies recovered till now (are) 17. Search (still) con- tinues,” Major General Asim Bajwa, the army’s main spokesman, said in a message posted on his Twitter account. Malaysia PM slams The incident occurred near the eastern town of Wazirabad as the train carried soldiers from southern Sindh province to the garrison town of Kharian. It is not yet clear why the bridge-a simple, single-track rail-only crossing passing just a few feet corruption report above the water of the canal-collapsed. Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique hinted there may have been foul play involved, saying a heavier train had crossed the same bridge an hour earlier without a problem. 1MDB says never provided funds to Najib But a spokesman from Pakistan Railways said an investiga- tion into the incident was still ongoing. KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Prime Local Government, said in a tweet. ment of the economy and a scandal aris- “We have submitted an initial report to the prime minister Minister Najib Razak slammed a newspa- Two opposition parties called on Najib ing from the high-profile killing of a but the exact details will be ascertained after complete inves- per report that said investigations into to take a leave of absence while the alle- Mongolian model nine years ago. tigations,” Rauf Tahir said. “It’s an unusual event. We are inves- troubled state fund 1MDB have traced gations are investigated, and another said He says he had nothing to do with the tigating the reason for this sudden collapse of the bridge.” nearly $700 million of deposits into he must declare his assets publicly in a murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu, and has Pakistan inherited thousands of miles of track and trains from accounts that allegedly belonged to him, sworn statement. even sworn an oath to that effect on the the former colonial power, Britain, but the railways have seen claiming it was a “continuation of political However, commentators said Najib Koran in a mosque. Two officers who were decades of decline due to corruption, mismanagement and sabotage”. The Wall Street Journal’s would likely hold firm. “The prime minister part of Najib’s security detail at the time under-investment. —AFP report, if true, would be the first time the is in a very influential position within the were found guilty of her murder. Financial beleaguered prime minister has been party right now,” said Wan Saiful Wan Jan markets were barely affected by the news- directly linked to accusations of corruption of the Institute for Democracy and paper report. The Malaysian ringgit fell surrounding the fund. Reuters could not Economic Affairs (IDEAS) think tank in marginally but reached a fresh 10-year independently verify the report. “There Kuala Lumpur. “If he says something, it’s low, while stocks closed fractionally high- have been concerted efforts by certain likely people will listen.” er. 1MDB bonds due 2023 were down a individuals to undermine confidence in Najib looked relaxed at a Ramadan fast- point at 88/89 with a lot of trading activity our economy, tarnish the government, breaking dinner with other leaders and following the report. and remove a democratically elected local officials in the southern city of Johor prime minister,” Najib’s office said in a Bahru yesterday evening. “UNSUBSTANTIATED” ALLEGATIONS statement on his Facebook page. “These 1MDB has faced a storm of criticism latest claims, attributed to unnamed PM WAS ALREADY ON A BACK FOOT over its debt of nearly $11.6 billion and investigators as a basis to attack the prime Najib, the son of a former primer minis- financial mismanagement. Najib chairs the minister, are a continuation of this political ter, has been weakened by attacks from fund’s advisory board. The Wall Street sabotage,” it said. the opposition and from within his own Journal, citing documents from a govern- The statement said documents cited in party by charges of graft and mismanage- ment probe, said there were five deposits the report should not be accepted as gen- ment. However, he retains support within into Najib’s account. uine unless verified by appropriate author- the long-ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coali- The two largest transactions, worth ities. It pointed to reports about criminal tion. Former leader Mahathir Mohamad, $620 million and $61 million, through a leaking of documents, doctoring and who was once Najib’s patron and remains chain of companies linked to 1MDB were extortion related to 1MDB that has been highly influential, has previously called for done in March 2013 during the election recently published in the media. the prime minister to step down over the campaign, it said. The fund is currently fac- The Wall Street Journal did not imme- 1MDB furore. Malaysia’s longest-serving ing separate investigations by the coun- diately respond to a request for comment prime minister, Mahathir withdrew his try’s central bank, auditor-general, police on the statement by Najib’s office. Early support for Najib after the BN coalition fell and the parliament’s Public Accounts reactions from within Najib’s party, the short of a popular majority in 2013 elec- Committee. 1MDB described the allega- United Malays National Organisation tions but retained power. tions as “unsubstantiated” and said it had (UMNO), showed support for the 61-year- In a blog released late in the day, never provided any funds to the prime old leader. “If they (the Wall Street Journal) Mahathir made no mention of the report minister. “To suggest otherwise, as some were dead serious about the authenticity, and instead made allegations about peo- media outlets have done, is highly irre- LAHORE: Cars of a passenger train fall after a bridge col- the reports should have named the ple in power dodging taxes. sponsible and a deliberate attempt to lapse led a train into a canal in Wazirabad, near Lahore sources,” Abdul Rahman Dahlan, the min- Najib, now in his second term, has also undermine the company,” the fund said in yesterday.—AP ister for Urban Well-being, Housing and been under pressure over his manage- a statement.—Reuters INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015 1,400 India school teachers resign in fake degree probe

PATNA: Some 1,400 primary school teachers have quit in an eastern Indian state in recent months amid an ongoing investigation into fake qualifications, an education official said yesterday. More resignations are likely before the end of an amnesty period that allows teachers in Bihar to quit to avoid legal action for falsifying their degrees, state education depart- ment principal secretary R.K Mahajan said. The High Court ordered an investigation in May into the state’s 350,000 pri- mary teachers on concerns that up to 25,000 had joined gov- ernment schools without proper training. Resignations poured in as the probe got underway, with officials scrutinising teacher CVs, before the court ordered the amnesty last month, which ends on July 9. “The 1,400 resignations have come before the court order on an amnesty,” Mahajan told AFP. “We will know the final number of teachers who took advantage of the reprieve after the completion of the amnesty period.” Mahajan said he did not think the final number of depar- tures would be problematic, saying “there will be no vacuum in the education system”. But he warned of severe action against teachers who decided to stay put with fake certifi- LIMA: Peruvian President Olanta Humala, flanked by his wife Nadine Heredia (right), speaks during the inauguration of cates, saying “this is a criminal act. They may face even jail”. the 10th Pacific Alliance Summit, in Paracas, 250 km south of Lima, on Thursday.—AFP “The investigation is verifying qualifications of all teach- ers in the state who joined since 2006”, following a mass recruitment drive by the state government. No racial motivation in US church fires The issue made headlines last month after Delhi’s law WASHINGTON: Fires at six African- Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), worshippers at an African-American minister, Jitendra Singh Tomar, was arrested for allegedly American churches in the southern told AFP. “At this time, there is no evi- church in Charleston, South Carolina. lying about his degrees. The quality of education, particular- United States do not appear to be linked dence that (the six fires) are linked or The latest fire, on Tuesday, gutted Mount ly in rural areas, is a major problem in India. Many teachers or racially motivated, officials said racially motivated,” Colbrun said, stress- Zion African Methodist Episcopal church also fail to show up to class regularly, leaving colleagues Thursday. ing that investigations into all the inci- in Greeleyville, about 60 miles (100 kilo- overburdened. More than half of children in rural areas are Preliminary investigations point to dents are still ongoing. meters) north of Charleston. The same still unable to read basic text in their own language after three of the fires being accidental, with Fears that the church fires might have church was set ablaze 20 years ago by completing five years of government schooling, an annual the cause of the other three still to be been racially motivated were prompted two young Ku Klux Klan members who survey by leading Indian education and research group determined, Ginger Colbrun, spokes- by the fact that they occurred in the later pleaded guilty to federal civil rights Pratham reported. — AFP woman for the Bureau of Alcohol, wake of the June 17 killing of nine black charges.—AFP INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015

No evidence of shooting at Washington Navy Yard WASHINGTON: Investigators found no evidence of a first report of gunfire. Security found no one inside the woman for Naval District Washington. Thousands would shooting after the Washington Navy Yard went on lock- building, the official said. Officials do not believe the report have been at the base at the time of the reports, Navy pub- down Thursday when someone reported shots fired in the was a hoax, DC police Chief Cathy Lanier told reporters. lic affairs officer Chris Johnson told reporters outside the same building where a gunman killed 12 workers in a ram- Investigators interviewed the woman who made the call, Navy Yard, the country’s oldest naval installation. page two years ago. DC police said a woman called from Lanier said, and she did exactly as authorities regularly tell In September 2013, military contractor Aaron Alexis inside a Navy Yard building to report that she might have people: Report anything you think may be suspicious. killed 12 civilian workers at the Navy Yard’s Building 197 heard sounds of gunshots around 7:20 a.m. However, inves- Shortly after the report, a heavy police and fire depart- before he was fatally shot by police. The building has tigators found no sign of a shooting, a shooter or anyone ment presence began blocks away from the Navy Yard, since been renamed the Humphreys Building. It injured. No arrests were made and no weapons found, offi- with roads blocked and a helicopter hovering overhead. reopened this year. When facilities specialist Chris cials said. “At this time there is no evidence of gunshots,” The FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Robertson heard an alarm and loudspeaker instructions Mayor Muriel Bowser said. “There is no evidence of a shoot- Explosives were on the scene. At a news conference, local about 7:30 am, he said his first thought was: “Here we go er, and there is no evidence of any victims today.” A US offi- and Navy officials praised the work of all the responding again.” He said his supervisor called at 7:33 am and told cial who spoke on condition of anonymity said Navy securi- agencies and called it well-coordinated. him and his two co-workers to leave. He also said he ty saw surveillance video of two people jumping the fence Gates to the Navy Yard were closed, and all people were hadn’t noticed anything unusual Thursday morning - in the vicinity of the building a couple of minutes before the advised to shelter in place, said Chatney Auger, spokes- everything was normal.—AP

Labor dispute US airline probe needs proof disrupts flights at beyond business as usual Toronto airport Airlines face flak over manipulating prices TORONTO: A sudden labor disruption by workers that refuel planes at Toronto’s main airport caused WASHINGTON: As the Justice Department lating routes and prices in 1978, airlines have brief industry increase in seats in the spring, flight delays and cancellations yesterday, said the launches an investigation into possible collu- struggled to avoid nasty and unprofitable fare American Airlines CEO Doug Parker spoke union that represents the workers, as the city pre- sion in the airline industry, experts say the gov- wars. Historically, when the price of jet fuel fell, about the need for capacity discipline to a pared for the start of the Pan American Games on ernment faces the burden of proving that carri- one airline would launch a new route or add Reuters reporter at the International Air July 10. ers were deliberately signaling business deci- extra flights on existing ones. Fares would be Transport Association’s annual conference in In a bulletin posted online, the airport said a labor sions to each other. Airlines routinely increase slashed to attract fliers and other airlines would Miami. flights based on demand. A particularly cold be forced to match the new, lower fare. Airlines “The real question is,” Parker said, “is this a dispute could disrupt flights. By 8:10 a.m., its website winter in the Northeast, for instance, might didn’t like it, but legally they couldn’t coordi- one-time catch-up for fuel prices being lower, showed 22 delayed and 27 canceled departures. It merit more flights to the Caribbean. And some- nate routes or fares. In 1982, Robert Crandall, or is this airlines behaving like airlines used to was not clear how many were routine, and how times, routes are cut because there isn’t then a senior executive who would become and just increasing capacity because times are many were caused by the dispute. International enough demand. Nothing is illegal about that. CEO of American Airlines, expressed his anger good? I don’t know if we know the answer to Association of Machinists spokesman Bill Trbovich Any company can limit the supply of its about these fare wars in a phone call with that yet.” A few weeks earlier, the United said members of Lodge 2413 were involved, but the own products, whether airline tickets, sneakers Howard Putnam, CEO of Braniff Airways. Airlines chief financial officer, John D. Rainey, union had not sanctioned the job action. Trbovich or smartphones. But it would be illegal for air- Putnam, who was recording the call, asked spoke at a conference for Wall Street analysts said that to the best of his knowledge, some employ- lines to work together to limit flights in order to Crandall if he had a suggestion to deal with the and investors. “We are a big believer in the ees were not going to work, and others were refus- drive up fares. The government’s investigation problem. Crandall told him to raise his fares right balance between supply and demand, ing overtime. Some 250 employees of Consolidated is just in its initial phases. Letters went out this and he’d follow suit. and we’ve demonstrated that with our capaci- Aviation Fueling are set to lose their jobs in the week to American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Specifically, Crandall replied: “Yes. I have a ty discipline,” Rainey said. “We’ve grown our autumn as Air Canada and other airlines switch fuel Southwest Airlines and United Airlines. suggestion for you. Raise your goddamn fares (available seat miles) at less than GDP for eight providers, he said. Together, those four carriers control more than 20 percent. I’ll raise mine the next morning.” He consecutive years, and so we’ll continue to Nearly all the canceled flights were operated by 80 percent of the domestic seats on planes. said: “You’ll make more money and I will too.” believe in that.” Air Canada, but many other Air Canada flights had Airlines are quick to say they can’t talk The Justice Department sued and the case was A government investigation could take departed normally or were still scheduled to leave about pricing decisions. But in recent years, air- settled for little more than an agreement by years. Jonathan Baker, an antitrust law profes- on time. The airline could not immediately be line executives and Wall Street analysts have Crandall to keep a written record of all of his sor at American University, said investigations reached for comment. Consolidated Aviation, owned been much more open in discussing how the contact with other airline executives for two like this one generally need more than just cir- by closely held Allied Aviation, could not immediate- airlines have kept their passenger capacity - the years. cumstantial evidence. A case with explicit dis- ly be reached for comment. number of seats they put into given markets - It’s unclear if there is a similar smoking-gun cussion between executives would be easy to The Pan Am Games are expected to draw 250,000 in check. With that capacity kept from growing comment today. Airline executives have been prove. The harder challenge is one where collu- visitors and 10,000 athletes to Toronto and the sur- too fast, airplanes have been fuller and carriers talking publicly about how they’ve learned not sion would need to be inferred from state- rounding area. — Reuters have been able to command higher ticket to add capacity too fast. But no statement ments by executives to analysts, and other sig- prices. That’s led to record profits. appears to be as blatant as Crandall’s. After a naling—AP But were airlines simply responding to Wall Street’s questions about capacity, or were they Two killed, 1 wounded illegally agreeing not to compete too hard as part of an effort to make more money? in Northern “Matching supply to demand is not a novel idea and running a company for profit is not a crime,” Raymond James analyst Savanthi Syth California shooting told investors in a note Thursday. Antitrust law draws a line between the COTTONWOOD: Authorities say a man with a rifle entirely lawful practice of companies’ following killed two people outside a Northern California store each other’s behavior and companies illegally and a stray bullet wounded a customer. Tehama conspiring. The Justice Department appears to County sheriff’s deputies arrested 32-year-old John be hunting for communications and other sig- Noonkester on Thursday. He remains jailed. nals that cross that boundary, said Andrew Assistant Sheriff Phil Johnston says a woman called Gavil, who teaches antitrust law at Howard 911 shortly after 4 p.m. and said she’d been battered University. before the call disconnected. Moments later, a shoot- “The distinction involves whether or not ing was reported in the gated Lake California commu- there was really express or intentional coordi- nity, 130 miles north of Sacramento. Deputies found a nation by two firms,” he said. It’s too early to know where the investigation is going. But if 29-year-old woman and a 53-year-old man dead out- the government does find evidence of side the store. Johnson says a bullet hit a man inside, improper collusion, it could attempt to nego- who was treated at a hospital. Witness David Lewis tiate a consent decree with the airlines to stop tells the Redding Record Searchlight the gunman them from certain behavior, such as issuing COLUMBIA: People attend a funeral service for Rev Daniel Simmons Sr apparently argued with his ex-wife and her father. public statements about their intentions at Bethel AME church in Columbia, SC, on Thursday. Simmons was the Johnson only says the victims were related and knew about capacity. last of the nine victims of the June 17 shootings at the predominantly the gunman. —AP Ever since the government stopped regu- black Charleston’s Emanuel AME to be buried. —AP LPC Mideast lenders struggle European service industry Across Bulgaria border, fear Businesswith falling loan pricing16 enjoys June bounce 17and gloating over Greek 20 crisis SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015 China hunts for ‘manipulators’ as stocks tumble 18

ATHENS: A man reads the front pages of the Greek newspapers in Athens yesterday. The brief but intense campaign in Greece’s critical bailout referendum endedyester- day, with simultaneous rallies in Athens supporting “yes” and “no” answers to a murky question in what an opinion poll suggests could be a very close vote. — AP Greece in ‘default’ ahead of referendum

ATHENS: Greece was officially declared in court, the Council of State, might be able Eurogroup of June 25, 2015, and consists of ground, scattering his papers. A bank manag- default yesterday, injecting even more derail it. The court is to give its ruling later. two parts, that together form a unified pro- er quickly resolved the problem. urgency into a make-or-break weekend refer- Confusion, however, is widespread over the posal, be accepted? The first document is In Athens, another pensioner, Kostas, was endum that new polls suggested was too very technical question posed in the referen- titled ‘Reforms for the Completion of the regularly withdrawing his and wife’s daily close to call. The fund providing Greece’s dum. That, and capital controls that have Current Program and Beyond’ and the second euro limits from ATMs for fear they might be financial lifeline declared “an event of default reduced Greeks to lining up at ATMs to make ‘Preliminary Debt Sustainability Analysis’.” seized by the government or converted to by Greece”. The European Financial Stability daily withdrawals capped at 60 euros ($67), Euro-zone officials have firmly said that the drachmas. “My money is safer at home,” he Facility added, though, that it had decided to has prompted many who formerly supported “deal” referred to expired on Tuesday-the said. Many cash machines were running short not immediately demand repayment of its the government to swap sides. same day Greece failed to repay a 1.5-billion- of denominations, allowing only the with- loans-a step that analysts say could have trig- The two latest polls published yesterday euro repayment to the IMF, becoming the first drawal of a 50-euro note. gered sudden “Grexit”, or Greece’s exit from showed voter intentions were effectively tied. developed country to ever do so. the euro-zone. An Alco institute poll found 44.8 percent of On July 20, Greece looks likely to be unable Government future The news will come as a fresh shock to Greeks intend to vote ‘Yes’ and 43.4 percent to repay another 3.5 billion euros owed to the Varoufakis has said he would step down as Greece’s 11 million people, and will hang over are for ‘No’. A Bloomberg survey for Greece’s ECB. Some voters who initially backed the finance minister if a ‘Yes’ vote carried the day, two major, rival rallies taking place in Athens Macedonia University was equally split, show- government have swapped sides ahead of and the rest of the government “may very late seeking to galvanize ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ sup- ing 43 percent to vote ‘No’ and 42.5 percent Sunday’s ballot. well” do the same. But Tsipras has been port for Sunday’s referendum. ‘Yes’. European Commission chief Jean- “I was going to vote ‘No’ because I think ambiguous, telling Greek television late Claude Juncker warned that Greece’s negoti- the Greek people are being treated with con- Thursday he would respect the referendum’s High stakes ating position with creditors would be “dra- tempt. But Tsipras has made the situation so result and take the necessary steps “set out in Stakes were already high before the EFSF matically weakened” in the event of a ‘No’. much worse, it’s his fault the banks are the constitution”. As the clock ticked down to announcement, with EU leaders warning a Even if the ‘Yes’ vote wins, there would still closed,” said an Athens shop assistant the fateful vote, the IMF on Thursday said ‘No’ in the plebiscite would jeopardize be “difficult” negotiations ahead, he added. Suzanna Alizoti. Greece would need 60 billion euros more in Greece’s place in the 19-nation euro-zone. But bailout money to get through the next three Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras rejects Confusing question Despair years. It also cut the country’s 2015 growth that, insisting a ‘No’ result would strengthen Greek voters, however, are confronted Greek pensioners without bank cards have forecast to zero from 2.5 percent. his hand and force international creditors with a referendum question that has stumped been limited to one 120-euro over-the- Europe’s main stock markets slipped dur- withholding bailout funds to drop “humiliat- many. The question reads: “Should the deal counter withdrawal, prompting despair ing Friday trade as all eyes were riveted on ing” austerity terms. draft that was put forward by the European among many. In Greece’s second-biggest city Greece’s referendum and what that might Only a last-minute challenge to the legality Commission, the European Central Bank and of Thessaloniki, one retired man unable to mean to investors at the beginning of next of the ballot in Greece’s top administrative the International Monetary Fund in the withdraw his 120 euros crumpled to the week. — AFP BUSINESS SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015

Insurer Aetna to buy Humana in $37bn deal

Aetna will spend $37 billion to buy rival Medicaid program and Tricare coverage has seen its total enrollment triple over for another insurer, Cigna. Cigna reject- Humana and become the latest health for military personnel and their families. the past decade to 16.8 million people. ed that deal, but The Wall Street Journal, insurer bulking up on government busi- Hartford, Conn.-based Aetna “Government markets are the most rap- citing anonymous sources, reported ness as the industry adjusts to the feder- announced its deal with Humana a day idly growing aspect of the system,” said Thursday that the companies were still al health care overhaul. The proposed after the Medicaid coverage provider Dan Mendelson CEO of the market talking. Health insurers see several cash-and-stock deal, announced early Centene said it will spend $6.3 billion to research firm Avalere Health. Aetna’s advantages to combining. These multi- yesterday, could make Aetna the buy fellow insurer Health Net. That deal purchase price for Humana includes a billion dollar deals offer an infusion of nation’s second-largest insurer and a would help Centene expand in the combination of cash and stock worth new business at time when growth has sizeable player in the rapidly growing nation’s biggest Medicaid market, about $230 per share. slowed in the biggest part of their busi- Medicare Advantage business, which California, and give it a Medicare pres- The combined company may not ness, employer-sponsored health cover- offers privately run versions of the fed- ence in several western states. retain its title of second-largest insurer age. Big deals also allow companies to erally funded health care program for The federal health care overhaul is for long. Health insurers have been quickly diversify their products and cov- the elderly and some people with dis- expanding Medicaid coverage in several pushing to consolidate for weeks. er more territory. They also improve abilities. states as it attempts to provide health Blue Cross-Blue Shield carrier their technology and can ultimately It also would bolster Aetna’s pres- coverage for millions of uninsured peo- Anthem went public late last month save money by combining back-office ence in the state- and federally funded ple. Meanwhile, Medicare Advantage with an offer of more than $47 billion functions of two companies. —AP LPC Mideast lenders struggle with falling loan pricing

LONDON: The reluctance of local lenders to join the $3 bil- lion loan for Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA), which is in general syndication, is highlighting how previous- ly liquid local Middle East banks are being priced out of the market as low oil prices finally begin to bite, according to bankers. The deal had already attracted $3 billion of commit- ments before general syndication, but has struggled to draw in any further banks because of tight pricing and concerns over the company’s underlying financial health, the bankers said. Pricing on the facility starts at 50bp over Libor, which is below the level at which local lenders can participate in loans. “Local banks’ funding cost is getting too big to do these aggressive deals,” one of the bankers said. A second banker said that the deal is the first indicator that borrowers have pushed things too far: “This should have been around 80bp minimum.” Moody’s downgraded TAQA’s underlying credit rating on June 22, due to the company’s weakening financial profile, which has given banks a further reason to pause for thought before participating in general, the bankers said. A TAQA spokesperson declined to comment. SEOUL: People walk on a street in Seoul. The South Korean government on July 3 agreed to inject $20 billion into the flagging economy, which has been hit by the MERS virus outbreak and sluggish consumption. — AFP Pushed Out Local banks will increasingly retreat from some of the more aggressively priced deals as they struggle with both their higher cost of dollar funding and the erosion of their South Korea injects $20bn deposit bases. “A deal priced at 100bp is very aggressive for local banks as it is, but if their cost of dollar funding has increased from 20bp to 30bp they will struggle,” said the first into MERS-hit economy banker. With oil export revenues in decline, many govern- ment entities are now beginning to dip into their bank deposits to fund projects, the financing for which had been Seoul forecasts economy to grow at 3.1% in 2015 based on a certain level of oil revenue. “There have been several transactions in the last few SEOUL: The South Korean government yes- growth rate by 0.3 percentage points this the MERS outbreak. months that local banks would normally have done and they terday agreed to inject $20 billion into the year and 0.4 percentage points in 2016. “Should the government fail to regain have surprised us because they can’t do these deals - we will flagging economy, which has been hit by South Korea forecasts its economy will the public’s trust, the outbreak could take a see more of that,” the first banker said. Local banks have the MERS virus outbreak and sluggish con- grow 3.1 percent this year and 3.5 percent larger economic toll. The outbreak has been riding on a wave of liquidity and in recent years have sumption. The 22-trillion-won ($19.8 billion) next year. Moody’s said consumer senti- caused us to lower our GDP forecast to 2.6 successfully stolen market share from international banks on stimulus package was passed at a cabinet ment had plummeted as a result of MERS, percent for 2015”, Dabbs said. The central deals in the Gulf region. Many international lenders had meeting of government ministers, the halting the recovery in domestic demand, Bank of Korea this month slashed its bench- retreated from the Middle East after being burned during the finance ministry said. “The extra budget will as the external sector continues to drag on mark interest rate by a quarter basis point to help revitalize the economy and stabilize growth. “Our tracking model suggests GDP another record low of 1.5 percent to stem financial crisis. the livelihoods of ordinary people who have growth slowed to 2.6 percent year over year the impact from the outbreak. This year, Gulf lenders have also been increasing their been affected the most by the fallout from in the second quarter, which is lower than Despite lingering fears over MERS, the footprint outside their home markets into Asia and Africa on MERS,” Vice Finance Minister Bang Moon- our 2.9 percent estimate from May”, Emily country is hosting two international sport- deals such as an $85 million loan for Stanbic Bank Uganda Kyu was quoted as saying by Yonhap news Dabbs at Moody’s Analytics Ltd. said in an ing events this week-the World University and a $235 million deal for South African bank FirstRand, agency. As of yesterday morning, the virus article this week. Games in southern Gwangju City and the which was syndicated to nine Gulf lenders, with Emirates had killed 33 people and a total of 184 cases Confusion and secrecy over the MERS ITTF World Tour Korea Open in the western NBD as sole arranger. However, the second half of 2015 could had been confirmed. Forty-two of those outbreak has fanned public uncertainty, city of Incheon. Scores of thermo heat well see a reversal of this trend if there continues to be remain hospitalized with 12 in critical condi- and parallels have been drawn with the sensing cameras have been installed at air- downward pressure on pricing. tion, according to the health ministry. government’s poor response to the 2014 ports, athletes’ villages, sports venues and “Our cost of funding is going up; we need better returns. The 22 trillion won package includes an Sewol Ferry disaster, which subdued hotels, with some 600 medics monitoring We are being squeezed as hard as we can,” said one banker already-announced 15 trillion won supple- domestic demand for many months, participants. at a Middle East based bank. “In order to keep local banks mentary budget and seven trillion won of Dabbs said. Dabbs was referring to a ferry Nevertheless, some athletes have pulled involved we need better pricing in deals.” other expenditures such as expanded accident that claimed more than 300 lives, out with a third of Hong Kong’s 100-strong Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, National Bank of Abu Dhabi, investments by state companies and addi- mostly teenagers. The government of team opting to stay at home after the BNP Paribas, First Gulf Bank, HSBC, Mizuho, SMBC and Societe tional credits for exporters. The extra expen- President Park Geun-Hye has also been southern Chinese city issued a South Korea Generale have already committed to TAQA’s loan, which diture is expected to raise the economic criticised for inadequately responding to travel warning to its citizens. — AFP could close as soon as next week. —Reuters BUSINESS SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015

ECB signals it could loosen bank funding if Greeks vote ‘Yes’ VILNIUS: European Central Bank Vice President Vitor difficult for such an agreement to be reached, Constancio Weidmann, have long voiced reservations about the ECB’s aid, Constancio signalled yesterday that the ECB could loosen said, adding that this would have consequences for ECB’s which they say must not be granted to insolvent banks or vio- funding to Greek banks if Greeks vote ‘Yes’ in a referendum on analysis and decisions. “If the result will be a ‘Yes’, then it’s the late rules prohibiting monetary financing of states. Sunday on whether or not to accept more austerity in return opposite: it seems it will be easier to reach an agreement,” he The ECB’s policy council has stopped increasing its fund- for aid. Constancio said the significance of the referendum said. ECB policy council member Josef Bonnici on Thursday ing limit ahead of the bailout referendum, which could decide was in making it more or less likely that an agreement could also said the ECB would take account of the referendum’s out- Greece’s future in the euro, but this week decided against be reached on providing financial assistance to Greece. come in deciding on any future liquidity provisions, which reducing it, for fear that it would further destabilise the banks. “Nothing else is relevant for us,” he told a news conference fol- Greek banks need to stay afloat because of the torrent of with- Sources have told Reuters that the funding, called Emergency lowing a speech. drawals of the last few weeks. Liquidity Assistance or ELA, stands at about 89 billion euros In the referendum, Greeks will say whether they are in Constancio made clear there were no guarantees, howev- ($99 billion). Tightening the ELA would have forced Greece to favour of a cash-for-reforms proposal from Athens’ interna- er, pointing out that a decision would have to be taken by the lower its 60 euros-a-day ($66) limit on cash withdrawals. That tional creditors - now expired - which the government is urg- ECB’s policy-setting council as a whole, after analysis of the sit- could have turned public opinion against the euro ahead of ing voters to reject. “If there is a ‘No’ result, then it will be more uation. Some members of the council, notably Germany’s Jens the referendum. — Reuters

European service industry enjoys June bounce

LONDON: Europe’s vast service industry expanded faster than initial- ly thought last month, surveys showed yesterday, speeding ahead despite warning signs that Greece might crash out of the euro-zone. Firms across the currency union enjoyed a better June than predict- ed by a preliminary reading, growing at a four-year record pace, while British firms ramped up activity more than anyone in a Reuters poll had forecast. “While the economic situation is actually progress- ing and seems to be fairly stable you can’t help thinking that there could be a significant reversal in the months ahead if things start to unravel,” said Stephen Webster at 4CAST. “People are trying to look through the Greek situation and put a positive spin on things but there are massive uncertainties out there. You have to treat the survey data with a bit of suspicion.” It has been an eventful week for Greece: it closed its banks, intro- duced capital controls and became the first developed country to default on an International Monetary Fund loan. Negotiations with creditors over a reforms-for-cash deal are at a standstill and a referendum on Sunday whose result looks too close to call could determine the country’s future in Europe. Concerns over the 1.6 billion-euro repayment to the IMF that Athens missed on Tuesday heightened fears Greece would be forced to abandon the euro and kept euro zone manufacturing activity in TOKYO: Department store staff dressed in “yukatas”, a kind of casual summer kimono, bow to greet customers check last month. But the final composite PMI for June, which com- in Tokyo yesterday as they promote sales for the traditional summer gift season, known as “ochugen”. A Bank bines manufacturing and services activity and is seen as a good of Japan survey showed on July 1 that confidence among major Japanese manufacturers increased in the measure of growth, came in at 54.2, just above a preliminary 54.1 and three months to June, beating expectations to rise to its highest level in more than a year. —AFP well ahead of May’s 53.6. That was its highest reading since May 2011 and the index has now been above the 50 mark that separates growth from contraction for two years. Suggesting low inflation and the European Central Bank’s 1-tril- Northern Ireland stability at lion-euro bond-buying program were boosting spending among consumers and businesses, the bloc’s dominant service sector ramped up activity at the fastest rate since mid-2011. Retail sales also stake as ‘Brexit’ risk grows benefited in May, rising faster than thought. But markets were little moved after Friday’s data as they instead wait for the referendum outcome. Referendum on EU membership crucial

Buoyant Britain NEWRY, United Kingdom: The only part of Now, due to a stronger pound, the shopping market would once again throw up barriers Britain’s private-sector services also grew more than expected last Britain to share a land border with the rest of traffic has reversed, while others cross the bor- between Northern Ireland and its southern month, suggesting the economic recovery picked up going into the the European Union, Northern Ireland is anx- der on their daily commute or to visit family. neighbor, potentially rekindling republican second half of the year. The Markit/CIPS UK Services PMI rose by 2 iously awaiting a referendum on EU member- For Donnelly, the return to the border con- calls for a unified Ireland, experts said. points in June to 58.5, topping all forecasts in a Reuters poll whose ship that could spell economic and sectarian trols that preceded the birth of the single “It would be going back light years, you median suggested a more modest climb to 57.4. “This leaves the trouble. European market in 1993 would be “inconceiv- would be going back to old times, which weaker May outturn looking like an outlier, and keeps the PMI run- Britain is planning a vote on whether to able.” The feeling is shared by many in would be hugely negative,” said former Irish ning close to its recent average,” said Allan Monks at JPMorgan. leave the 28-member bloc by the end of 2017, Northern Ireland who, like the Scots and the premier Bertie Ahern. The EU also played an “That average is well above historical norms and sends two mes- and a “Brexit” could be disastrous for a Welsh, tend to be more pro-European than the important role in consolidating peace by inject- sages: firstly that services activity remains resilient, and outweighs province where EU funds and the common English. UKIP, the anti-European party headed ing as much as 1.3 billion euros ($1.4 billion) in disappointments from the manufacturing sector; second, that market have helped bolster peace and trade. In by Nigel Farage that has made major inroads in Northern Ireland between 1995 and 2013. Jobs momentum remained strong right through to the end of Q2.” the market town of Newry, seven kilometres England, has not fared so well elsewhere. “The and economic growth were seen as crucial in Markit said the PMIs point to second quarter economic growth of (four miles) from the Republic of Ireland, reason why the EU is helpful is because it pro- helping to calm tensions between Catholic 0.4 percent in the euro zone and 0.5 percent in Britain. A Reuters poll Europe is part of daily life, and businesses, park- vides a political framework for small countries republicans and their Protestant, pro-British last month had respective 0.4 and 0.7 percent predictions. ing meters and the few remaining telephone which sometimes feel like they’re being domi- rivals. However, the data firm warned Britain’s recovery looks increas- booths all accept euros as well as Britain’s ster- nated by England,” said John Springford from “The peace funds have been very welcome. ingly unbalanced. Growth in British manufacturing declined to its ling currency. the Centre for European Reform, a think tank. Europe was a very important actor in the peace lowest in more than two years last month, according to a survey on “Leaving the EU would be a complete disas- “The biggest risk for Northern Ireland is really process and people here know that. Those Wednesday. Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit, said the ter for Northern Ireland,” said Newry resident political.” funds remain critical to help build a new services PMI data made it more likely the Bank of England would John Donnelly. “I buy my fuel in the Republic of Northern Ireland,” said Stephen Kelly, chief want to raise interest rates later this year, However, policymakers Ireland because of the exchange rate and dif- ‘Going back light years’ executive of Manufacturing Northern Ireland, a might also want to see signs of a sustainable upturn in pay growth ference of taxation, it’s between 15 and 20 per- Many in Ireland, both in the north and trade organization. The euro-zone represents before making a move. Economists in a Reuters poll last week said cent cheaper,” Donnelly said. In 2008, thanks to south, worry about the impact of a potential about 60 percent of all Northern Ireland’s the BoE would wait until early next year before acting, despite also shoppers taking advantage of a strong euro, “Brexit” on a fragile peace after decades of exports, and its farming community has bene- saying wages would rise faster in 2015 than it thinks. — Reuters cars from Ireland clogged roads to Newry, a communal violence that claimed more than fited greatly from the EU’s common agricultur- phenomenon known as the “Newry effect.” 3,000 lives. Leaving the EU and its common al policy, Kelly said.— AFP BUSINESS SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015

China hunts for ‘manipulators’ as stocks tumble

SHANGHAI: Chinese stocks tumbled again of medium-term loans to banks late on Friday yesterday, taking the week’s losses to more to ensure adequate liquidity in the system. than 10 percent, as the securities regulator “The government must rescue the mar- said it was investigating suspected market ket, not with empty words, but with real silver manipulation and announced a slew of meas- and gold,” said Fu Xuejun, strategist at ures aimed at heading off a full-blown crash. Huarong Securities Co, before the CSRC and After a slump of nearly 30 percent in PBOC announcements, adding that a market Chinese stocks since mid-June, the China crash would hurt banks, consumption, com- Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) has panies and even trigger social instability. “It’s set up a team to look at “clues of illegal a disaster. If it’s not, what is it?” The CSI300 manipulation across markets”. After market index of the largest listed companies in close, a CSRC spokesman said China would Shanghai and Shenzhen dropped 5.4 percent cut initial public offerings and capital raisings to close at 3,885.92, while the Shanghai and support long-term investors entering the Composite Index shed 5.8 percent to 3,686.92 market to help stabilise prices. points. For the week, the CSI300 lost 10.4 per- It also said China’s official margin lender cent and the SSEC fell 12.1 percent. for brokerages, which makes loans available The Shanghai benchmark fell below 4,000 for stock market investment, would boost its points on Thursday for the first time since WUHAN: Investors monitor stock prices at a securities firm in Wuhan, in capital base to 100 billion yuan ($16 billion) April - a support level analysts had expected central China’s Hubei province yesterday. —AFP from 24 billion yuan to expand its business. Beijing to defend. Hong Kong shares also A flurry of policy moves over the past ended lower, with the Hang Seng index world’s second-largest economy at a time money. “This is happening against an (eco- week, including an interest rate cut and a falling 0.8 percent to 26,064.11. The rout in when growth is already slowing. nomic) growth backdrop that continues to relaxation of margin lending rules, had failed China’s highly leveraged stock market has Chinese stocks had more than doubled look soft, as illustrated by the flat manufactur- to arrest the sell-off. The People’s Bank of become a major worry for global investors, between November and mid-June, fuelled ing survey this week,” noted analysts at China (PBOC) also rolled over 250 billion yuan who fear a meltdown could destabilise the largely by retail investors using borrowed Barclays.— Reuters

China’s services activity China reduces planned IPOs for July slows to 5-month low after market turmoil

Economy awaits further policy boost BEIJING: China cut the number of initial public offerings planned this month by two-thirds yesterday, adding to BEIJING: Activity in China’s services sector The official surveys focus on large, state-owned a collapse in its volatile stock market. frantic efforts to shore up plunging stock prices. slowed to its lowest in five months in June, a firms, and the private ones on small and mid- Economists and market participants expect the The move was a response to investor fears that a glut private survey showed yesterday, suggesting sized companies which are facing tougher central bank to ease policy further to support of new shares might outstrip demand and depress the economy still needs further policy support financial and operating conditions. growth. The government is due to release sec- prices further. It followed another 5.7 percent decline in despite some signs of steadying. Growth in China’s services companies has ond-quarter gross domestic product data on the country’s main market index yesterday. Ten IPOs will Beijing has rolled out a suite of measures been more resilient than at its ailing factories, July 15 and many economists expect growth to be allowed in July, the China Securities Regulatory since last year, including interest rate cuts, to but the sector had shown signs of succumbing dip below 7 percent, which would be the Commission said on its microblog account. prop up growth, but economists worry that to the broader economic cooldown in recent weakest performance since the global financial “Taking into account recent market conditions, the persistent weakness in exports and the proper- months. The services sector has accounted for crisis. number will be reduced,” the agency said. It gave no ty sector combined with high local govern- the bigger part of China’s economic output for Weighed down by the property downturn, details of which companies would be allowed to list but ment debt will keep the world’s second-largest at least two years, with its share rising to 48.2 factory overcapacity and high levels of local said the amount of money raised also would be reduced economy under pressure. percent last year, compared with the 42.6 per- debt, China’s economic growth in 2015 is seen from June’s level. Some 28 companies - an unusually The headline HSBC/Markit Purchasing cent contribution from manufacturing and slowing to around 7 percent - the weakest large number for China - had planned to go public in Managers’ Index (PMI) for June fell to 51.8 from construction. annual expansion in a quarter of a century. the next two weeks, according to Hexun.com, a financial 53.5 in May, hitting its lowest since January but Last month, China’s central bank cut lend- Property prices and sales have shown signs of news website. still indicating expansion for the 11th straight ing rates for the fourth time since November improving in recent months, at least in big The Shanghai Composite Index soared more than month. A reading above 50 points indicates and trimmed the amount of cash that some cities, but investment remains weak with 150 percent starting in late 2014 and hit a peak on June growth on a monthly basis, while one below banks must hold as reserves, but economists bureaucratic delays frustrating Beijing’s efforts 2 before falling almost 28 percent over the past two that points to contraction. remain wary about the outlook given erratic to get big infrastructure projects off the weeks. That has wiped out 17 trillion yuan ($2.8 trillion) The new business sub-component fell to global demand for China’s exports and fears of ground.— Reuters in market capitalization. The government announced a 52.2, an 11-month low, from 54.4 in May, while surprise interest rate cut on June 27 to shore up investor the employment sub-index fell to its lowest in confidence. As markets slid further this week, regulators three months and indicated jobs were being Gold above 3-1/2 month reduced trading charges and eased controls on lending shed. “In the service sector, business activity, for share purchases. new orders and employment all expanded at low on dollar, focus on Greek A prolonged slump could disrupt Communist Party slower rates, while optimism towards the busi- plans to use stock markets to make China’s state-domi- ness outlook also moderated,” said Annabel LONDON: nated economy more productive. The party wants state Fiddes, an economist at Markit. A similar Gold prices firmed yesterday, clearly to the bearish side,” Julius Baer analyst companies to raise money through stock sales to reduce HSBC/Markit factory survey released on rebounding from a 3-1/2 month low as the dol- Carsten Menke said. Before the data, there had debt and hopes they will compete harder if they answer Wednesday showed activity contracted for the lar softened after weaker-than-forecast US been strong expectations the Fed would raise fourth straight month in June but at a slower employment data tempered expectations for a rates for the first time in nearly a decade in to outside shareholders. pace than in May, fueling hopes that that sec- September rate rise by the Federal Reserve. September, given recent strong numbers on Party leaders hope stock investing will give an aging tor may be slowly bottoming out. “The persist- Investors remained cautious ahead of Greece’s consumer spending and housing. Gold has populace more options to save for retirement to ease ently weak performance of manufacturers referendum at the weekend on an international been under pressure this year from uncertainty demand for social spending. The explosive price rise combined with a slowdown in the service sec- bailout deal, while liquidity should remain thin over the timing of any rate increase as raising began after the official media said last summer that tor is likely to prompt the authorities to intro- throughout the day as U. markets are closed for them could boost the dollar further and dent stocks were cheap. Companies rushed to raise money duce further stimulus measures to ensure Independence Day. Spot gold was up 0.2 per- demand for non-interest-paying bullion. with share offerings to take advantage of investor growth momentum improves in the second cent to $1,168.39 an ounce by 1213 GMT. The For the week, gold was still heading for a 0.5 enthusiasm. half of the year and to reach the GDP growth metal fell to $1,156.85 on Thursday, its lowest percent fall, adding to a 2 percent weekly loss Beijing wants to encourage broader public stock target of around 7 percent,” Fiddes said. since mid-March, ahead of the release of US previously, mostly as a result of gains in the dol- ownership but appeared to be alarmed by the speed of The HSBC readings bucked the findings of non-farm payrolls, as the market had posi- lar against the euro as the Greek debt crisis the price rise. In April, brokers were ordered to curb official factory and services surveys earlier this tioned itself for a positive number. It then pared unfolded. Uncertainty around Greece as yet has lending to traders and to limit other risks. week, pointing to growing uneveness in condi- losses as the dollar fell against a basket of cur- failed to trigger strong retail demand for gold, Investor enthusiasm finally faltered in mid-June after tions even for companies competing in the rencies after the data showing jobs growth was often perceived as a safe haven. “The gold mar- stronger economic data reduced expectations Beijing same sectors. The official factory survey weaker than expected last month. ket is pretty relaxed about Greece but I think a might ease credit further and concern over a glut of new showed activity expanded slightly in June “Judging from how gold fell ahead of yes- ‘No’ in the polls could cause some upside stock offerings.— AP while growth in the services sector sped up. terday’s US data, the bias in the gold market is volatility,” Menke said.— Reuters BUSINESS SATURDAY, JULY 4 , 2015 Russia waits in wings as Greek crisis deepens

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin must be finding it hard to contain a wry smile as the European Union struggles with Greece’s debt problems. Events are playing into his hands by diverting attention from the conflict in Ukraine and offering him a chance to exploit differ- ences in the EU which might undermine unity on sanctions against Russia over Ukraine. Russia’s fragile economy would cer- tainly not escape unscathed if Greece left the euro zone or the EU, and the crisis could serve as a worrying lesson for Moscow as it builds its own political and economic bloc with other former Soviet republics. But Russia is now one of the few countries Athens might real- istically turn to for money and state-run media are having a field day, depicting the EU as a discredited and dysfunctional empire in terminal decline. “I do think that they’re going to use Greece as a tool against Germany, as a tool against the European Union,” Yevgenia Albats, a prominent Russian commentator and editor of the independent New Times magazine, told Reuters. “That’s exactly what the Soviets did, that’s exactly what the KGB did during the Cold War, when they were using countries and governments, especially poor ones, in their war with Western civilisation.” State media portray Greece’s crisis as just the start of the EU’s problems, suggesting Portugal, Ireland, Spain and Italy could be next if Greece left the euro-zone. “Grexit”, many loyal media outlets suggest, is now all but inevitable. News about the crisis on state-controlled news channel Russia-24 is accompanied by a graphic declaring: “Greece - almost over.” —Reuters Germany’s Schaeuble soars in polls LUXEMBOURG: European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker (left) and Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier amid Greek crisis Bettel (right) give a press conference following a meeting between the EU Commission and the Luxembourg govern- ment at the EU Council headquarters in Luxembourg yesterday.—AFP BERLIN: German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble’s hard- line stance in the Greek debt crisis has boosted his approval ratings, a new poll showed yesterday. Seventy percent of Angry EU leaders lash out respondents said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the work of the veteran minister, a trusted lieutenant of Chancellor Angela Merkel. at Greece, eyeing endgame It was the best ever result for Schaeuble, 72, said the Infratest Dimap poll for public broadcaster ARD and Die Welt daily. The survey also put support for the Merkel government Juncker felt ‘betrayed’ by Athens’ ‘gamesmanship’ at 57 percent, just two points off its all-time high. The poll was released as pictures of a grim-looking Schaeuble were seen on campaign posters in Greece with the slogan “for five years he BRUSSELS: Suicide, blackmail and lies- vote ‘Yes’ in the referendum. In a further Frank Underwood from the “House of drinks your blood tell him NO” ahead of Sunday’s referendum EU leaders have accused Greece of a roll of the dice, Greece Tuesday made a Cards” series, when asked by Bloomberg on EU-IMF bailout conditions. The German poll also asked who litany of sins since months of fruitless last-minute proposal for another bailout if Berlin was seeking a change of gov- was to blame for the escalation in the debt crisis, and 68 per- talks on a debt deal hit the wall, often in worth nearly 30 billion euros ($33 bil- ernment. “You may very well say that, I cent pointed to the Greek government of left-wing Prime surprisingly undiplomatic language. lion) to follow the two rescue programs couldn’t possibly comment,” he Minister Alexis Tsipras. On the question of whether Greece While this criticism reflects frustration worth 240 billion euros it has received quipped. Despite the acrimony, euro- should stay in the euro-zone, respondents were split at 45 per- with the negotiating tactics of Greek since 2010. But euro-zone countries zone finance ministers have left the cent for and 45 percent against, with the rest undecided. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his rad- have declined to hold any more talks door open to further talks after the ref- A total of 69 percent said they were concerned or very con- ical leftist Syriza government, it may also until the outcome of the referendum is erendum. European leaders acknowl- cerned about the well-being of the Greek people amid the be part of a strategy to manage public clear. edge that these would be much harder escalating crisis. Sixty percent said they supported the idea of opinion before the endgame of the cri- than before. holding a referendum in Greece Sunday, according to the sur- sis, experts say. Outspoken European ‘Intimidation, blackmail, lies’ In the meantime, analysts say there vey of 1,501 people conducted Monday and Tuesday. Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker Since Juncker’s comments, other may be some political strategy behind Germany’s top-selling newspaper Bild, meanwhile, launched is the most senior figure to lay his emo- leaders have also spoken out. the angry rhetoric. Pablo Calderon its latest broadside against the Tsipras government by publish- tions bare. In a highly personal press International Monetary Fund chief Martinez, a teaching fellow in Spanish ing its own “Bild referendum” across its front page. “Should we conference on Monday, he said he felt Christine Lagarde urged “a bit more and European Studies at King’s College support Greece with billions more in taxpayers’ money?” it asked “betrayed” and “deeply distressed” by adulthood” from Greece, while London, said European leaders may be in the ballot, urging readers to tick ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ and send in the Athens’ “gamesmanship”. European Parliament President Martin trying to pre-empt the fallout from the result. The business daily Handelsblatt meanwhile depicted The tipping point for former Schulz, a German, called Athens’s tactics final resolution of the crisis. Tsipras’ position as a desperate blackmail attempt, with a mock- Luxembourg premier Juncker, Tsipras’s “really annoying” and “tiring”. This is likely to prove costly for euro- up picture of the Greek leader holding a gun to this head, saying strongest EU supporter in five months of Chancellor Angela Merkel of zone nations and split public opinion. “give me the money or I’ll shoot”. —AFP talks, seems to have come when, Germany, Europe’s paymaster, has been “Most of these issues have to do with according to the EU, Greece walked more measured, but German Finance the way leaders in Europe are reading away on the verge of a deal late Friday. Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble accused their own public sentiment,” he said. Tsipras then called a referendum for Tsipras of making “untruthful claims “Everybody seems to be trying to tomorrow urging Greeks to vote ‘No’ on that are not remotely related with reali- cover themselves from any kind of expo- the deal’s terms, a move that EU leaders ty”. Latvian Finance Minister Janis Reirs sure... We’re already playing the blame have painted as a vote on Greece’s went further still, telling local television game, basically.” Bruno Amable, an future in Europe. yesterday: “We can now observe the economist at Paris’s Pantheon-Sorbonne In previous weeks Juncker, 60, could policies of Syriza-intimidation, black- university, also suggested the negative often be seen greeting 40-year-old mail, lies.” Greece’s government has giv- comments were about sending a mes- Tsipras with hugs and kisses during the en as good as it gets, with Tsipras using sage to European voters more widely. Greek premier’s visits to Brussels, but his Twitter feed to accuse Europe’s lead- “They want to show the public that a that jovial mood has disappeared. ers of “financial asphyxiation”, “extor- government of the radical left leads to “I will tell the Greeks, who I love tion” and “coercion”. failure and that you must retain confi- deeply, that you shouldn’t choose sui- Greek Finance Minister Yanis dence in the usual parties,” he said. Most cide just because you are afraid of Varoufakis even quoted one of televi- euro-zone countries currently have eco- German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble — AFP death,” Juncker said, urging them to sion’s most famous political plotters, nomically liberal governments. —AFP BUSINESS SATURDAY, JULY 4 , 2015 Across Bulgaria border, fear and gloating over Greek crisis SANDANSKI, Bulgaria: Greece’s debt crisis is lapping over the border into this southwestern corner of Bulgaria, where the owner of the Felipe Z textile factory worries she may not be able to pay her 60 workers next week. Factory owner Snejana Zachariou explains buyers of her goods are exclusively Greek. She will sit down with one of them on Monday to try to work out how she can receive pay- ment for a pile of orders if Greek banks remain shut and capi- tal controls stay in place. Her plight is an example of how vulnerable the former Communist countries in central and eastern Europe that neighbour Greece are to the crisis. The pain could worsen if Greeks reject international creditors’ demands in a referen- dum tomorrow. “I do not know whether I can manage, whether there will be money, because this business is no longer very profitable to allow us to build up cash reserves,” said Zachariou, whose husband is a Greek boat captain. “Maybe we will survive for one month to pay something but after that, if money does not come it will be very difficult.” “And that is why I worry now very much for my people, because they have families, they have loans to the banks. If they cannot pay their loans, they will have problems too.” Countries like Bulgaria, Romania and Macedonia are partic- ularly exposed to the fallout of the crisis as several of their banks are Greek-owned and economic ties are close. Greece is the third-largest investor in Bulgaria and is also Bulgaria’s fourth-largest export destination. While their fate is tied to Greece, Zachariou said her workers are divided on what to make of it all. Some feel pity for the Greeks while oth- ers say it is time for their neighbours - who despite years of ATHENS: A woman walks past European and Greek flags in Athens yesterday.—AP austerity are still much better off than they are - to start living within their means. Sales of the company, which sews women’s jackets and dresses, are about 40,000 levs (20,454 euros) to 50,000 levs a ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ voters worlds month. The crisis has started eating into revenues. Zachariou said a jacket that her firm once made for Greek buyers for 9 euros ($10) only fetches 6 euros now. apart in sleepy Greek town “I listen to the women here, because I spend my time between work and home and I do not have time for contact with other people,” Zachariou said. “But they have different torn between rejecting austerity and possible return of drachma opinions. Some are speaking with compassion for the people ARGOS, Greece: In the sleepy town of ‘Europe is our motherland’ the referendum question, which is who are going through difficult times. Others say: ‘Until now Argos in southern Greece, the ‘No’ and If Greece leaves the euro-zone “we labored and highly technical, with they sang and danced’ without knowing what was coming to ‘Yes’ camps ahead of a historic bailout will lose our jobs, we will lose every- fears the elderly in particular risk being them.”—Reuters referendum are worlds apart. For one thing, the situation is critical,” said a left confused. it’s about rejecting austerity, the other jewellery shop assistant who didn’t is haunted by a possible return of the want to give her name, adding that ‘Only interested in money’ Euro-zone shares set drachma. she’d had no customers since But Dimitris Kodelas, Syriza MP for The leftist government has called Saturday. the Argolide region, said the real dan- for biggest weekly for tomorrow’s vote in order to ask That was the day talks with the ger was people believing it was a vote Greeks whether or not they want to creditors descended into chaos-and by on the euro-something he said was an fall this year accept the sacrifices demanded by the Monday the government had been “unacceptable” portrayal by EU leaders country’s international creditors in forced into damage control mode, tantamount to “blackmail”. LONDON: A top euro-zone share index was set for its biggest exchange for bailout funds. But closing banks and capping ATM with- “The question posed by the govern- weekly fall this year yesterday, with many investors focusing European leaders have insisted the ref- drawals. ment is clear: do you accept the deal on a crucial vote in Greece over its debt negotiations at the erendum is effectively a vote on stay- Argos is rich in many ways: fertile with the Eurogroup and (European weekend. The euro zone Euro STOXX 50 index was on track ing with, or exiting from, the euro- agricultural land, the sparkling blue Commission head Jean-Claude) for its worst week since December. The index was down 0.3 zone. “The ‘Yes’ is going to win sea just five kilometres away. But if Juncker, which will lead the country percent at 3,451 points, marking a weekly fall of around 4.4 because people are afraid. People want things get very bad, this shop assistant into a catastrophe worse than the one percent since last Friday. the euro and not the drachma,” retiree is thinking of emigrating to Canada, lived through in the past five years?” The FTSEurofirst 300 slipped 0.2 percent, also set for its Magdalini told AFP, referring to the where she has relatives. Syriza supporter Costas Deligiannis biggest weekly fall since late April, while Germany’s DAX equi- currency used in Greece before it Costa Golemis, who used to own a said Europe was “only interested in ty index was flat. European stock markets have been hit by joined the euro-zone in 2001. “That’s marble business before he retired, said money, not productivity”. “We want a concerns over mounting tensions between Greece and its why I’m going to vote ‘Yes’,” she said, “‘Yes’ is synonymous with the future,” democratic Europe, not a Europe international creditors since the government in Athens despite low-key campaigning by the and insisted Greece belongs within the which crushes us!” he said, complain- announced a surprise referendum on the terms of a new ‘No’ camp in the main square. euro-zone and Europe because of its ing that years of bailout-imposed aus- bailout program. Young unemployed teacher Litsa, geographical location. “Europe is our terity measures were forcing young Ahead of tomorrow’s vote-which could determine the who supports Prime Minister Alexis motherland. Who are we going to go Greeks to emigrate to Germany to find country’s future in the euro-zone-the two campaigns are fine- Tsipras’s radical left Syriza party, said: with if we leave Europe? work. ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ camps here may be ly balanced, with “Yes” supporters of the bailout terms taking “I’m going to vote ‘No’, because the With Venezuela? With the former divided over what they are actually a slight lead in the latest poll. vote is not going to determine communist countries?” he said. voting on. But they are united on one Peter Oppenheimer, chief global strategist at Goldman whether or not we stay in Europe.” Tsipras’s government has staked their thing: everyone wants to keep the Sachs, said a worst-case scenario in case the Greeks voted Surrounded by fields of olive trees, future on the outcome of the July 5 euro. “The government doesn’t want “No” to the bailout program could see the Euro STOXX fall chirping crickets hidden in the long referendum-but like many Greeks, to take us out of the euro, that’s not in some 10 percent to 3,150 points. “Our clients are certainly not grass, Argos lies around 130 kilometers Golemis said the plebiscite should not its interest,” said Tasos, a 55-year-old panicking, but they’re generally holding back from taking up (80 miles) west of Athens in the lush be taking place at all. taxi driver. “The country needs a reduc- new positions,” added Rupert Baker, equity sales executive at Peloponnese region, and is famous for “The prime minister was given a tion of its debt to give it room to Mirabaud Securities. its lemons. The questions being debat- mandate to resolve Greece’s problems. breathe.” Litsa insists that whatever Banks were also in the spotlight, with Royal Bank of ed-in cafes, on street benches, in Unfortunately, he’s trying to transfer way you look at it, with sky-high unem- Scotland declining by 1.9 percent after news that the state- supermarkets among its 20,000 inhabi- responsibility to the Greek people to ployment figures and growing poverty, backed British bank may need to pay $13 billion to settle tants are being echoed in cities, moun- know what to do,” he said. another bout of force-fed austerity is claims it misled investors in mortgage-backed securities, tain hamlets and island villages across There have been widespread grum- not what the country needs. “It’s not a according to documents filed in a US court.—Reuters the country. blings as well over the formulation of solution.” —AFP 2015 SATURDAY, JULY 4, 4, JULY SATURDAY,

www.kuwaittimes.net

JERUSALEM: A Palestinian woman reads a copy of the Quoran, Islam's holy book, outside the Dome of the Rock at the Al-Aqsa Mosque com- pound in Jerusalem during the third Friday prayers of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan yesterday. — AFP SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015 Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner flee to Bahamas he Hollywood couple - who announced they are both doing everything to put the they were divorcing after 10 years of kids first.” The source went on to add that the Tmarriage a day after their 10th wedding 42-year-old ‘Gone Girl’ actor looked “gray”, anniversary on Tuesday - were spotted with while his 43-year-old former wife seemed their children - Violet, nine, Seraphina, six, happier. Speaking to the New York Post and three-year-old Samuel - at a private newspaper’s Page Six column, the source Bahamas resort on Wednesday, where they’re said: “Ben looked more gray then usual. but staying to “get away from the media spot- Jen was in great spirits. Jen seemed in a great light”. A source said: “It was important for mood, and was spotted working out with a both Ben and Jen to get away from the media trainer. spotlight and spend quiet time with the kids. They have been spending a lot of time with the kids. This has been hard for everyone, but

Rob Kardashian is ‘angry ‘ with Kim Kardashian West he 28-year-old sock designer is said to be fuming that his 34-year-old sister Tclaimed he does nothing but “smoke weed” and hang out with friends. A source told Us Weekly magazine: “Rob and Kim had been cool again and were getting along. Now he’s furious at her again for her com- ments to Rolling Stone. He was been bitch- ing her out on her phone. He’s mad - p****d as hell ... “Rob has blocked Kim on his P Diddy won’t be charged phone. He doesn’t want to hear what she has to say. He says there’s no excuse she he Los Angeles County District defence during his altercation with the could possibly have for saying that. He will Attorney’s Office has decided not to strength and conditioning coach and Bruins not forgive her.” During her revealing inter- Tpress charges against the 45-year-old head coach Jim Mora said in a statement after view with the publication, the ‘Keeping Up rapper who was arrested in June for allegedly the incident that they would let the investiga- With The Kardashians’ star was asked about wielding a kettlebell during an altercation tion run its course and withhold further com- her “mysterious” brother, who has gained a with UCLA football coach San Alosi while vis- ment. Meanwhile, Diddy didn’t seem too lot of weight and is said to be battling iting his son Justin Combs on campus. He was troubled by his legal issues during his Bad depression. She said: “It’s not that mysteri- booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly Boy reunion at the 2015 BET Awards on ous, what’s happening with Rob. He has weapon and released on bail. While Diddy - Sunday (28.06.15) - despite an onstage tum- gained weight. He feels uncomfortable whose real name is Sean Combs - won’t be ble - and he’s been getting plenty of support being on the show, and that’s OK. Do I think charged for the felony, the L.A. City Attorney’s from Justin on Instagram. he smokes weed, drinks beer, hangs out and Office can now decide whether to file misde- plays video games with his friends all day meanor charges against him, according to long? Yes.” When asked if “it’s not more like NBC News. The ‘Bad Boy For Life’ hitmaker hookers and meth at the Ritz,” she added: has maintained that he was acting in self- “No no. Or he’d be skinny.” Chris Brown ‘furious’

he ‘Loyal’ hitmaker has filed to have his Chris has a strained relationship with - in had reportedly agreed on $10,000 a month, paternity over 13-month-old Royalty Virginia. According to TMZ, Nia insists this is the effective from this month. However, the ‘Yeah Testablished so he can go to court over cus- only time she has ever stopped the 26-year-old 3x’ hitmaker also wants a court to now make a tody and child support arrangements with the singer from seeing his daughter, but it seems ruling on the figure, despite Nia not wanting the tot’s mother, Nia Guzman, and insiders claim he that was enough for him to make the decision to case to go down the legal route as she didn’t made the move after his bid to see the young- take legal action. While the model had been want to be made out to be a “gold digger”. ster this week was blocked because she was with seeking around $15,000 a month in child sup- her paternal grandmother Joyce Hawkins - who port, Chris had wanted to pay $2,500 but they SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015 Jean Dujardin’s girlfriend is pregnant he ‘Artist’ actor - who already has sons Jules, 14, and Simon, 13, from his first Tmarriage - and partner Nathalie Pechalat are expecting their first child together, a source told People magazine. The 43-year-old star has been dating the former Olympic ice dancer for over a year. Jean’s four-year marriage to Alexandra Lamy ended in 2013. Though the French star won the Best Actor Oscar in 2012 for his role in silent movie ‘The Artist’, he has previously insisted he doesn’t worry about oth- er people’s responses to his work. He said: “I’ve never concerned myself with the labels people want to put on you. “What matters to me is my own estimation, and I’m very tough on myself. I need to be proud of what I’ve done and I work hard for it. I had a very Christian upbringing... lots of guilt. A good thing, It keeps you sane. “It’s quite pretentious, really, isn’t it? The notion the audience is going to be interested in you for an hour and a half. Think too much about that and anxiety takes over. Josh Hartnett and Egerton expecting their first child

he ‘Penny Dreadful’ actor and his 26- I don’t have a kid yet, but that’s the idea com- year-old girlfriend are “beyond thrilled” ing into my head these days.” And the ‘Black Tto be starting a family together, the 36- Hawk Down’ actor also admitted some of his year-old star’s representative has confirmed. on-set romances were “mistakes”. He said: The spokesperson told the New York Post “I’ve met very important people in my life newspaper’s Page Six column:”It’s true and doing films. Sometimes that had conse- they are beyond thrilled.” The couple met on quences that were just awful for everybody the set of ‘The Lovers’ in 2011 and began dat- involved. Some were fantastic all the way ing the following year. Josh - who previously through. Everybody makes mistakes dating dated actresses Kirsten Dunst, Scarlett people they work with.” Johansson and Amanda Seyfried - recently spoke about his desire to have children. He said: “I have to get a car that’s safe for my kid. Christopher Reeve’s daughter named baby after late father Channing Tatum lexandra Reeve Givens and husband had Garren Givens welcomed their son into Athe world on June 13 and ensured the memory of the ‘Superman’ actor - who died in his body hair groomed 2004 aged 52, nine years after he was para- lyzed from the neck down in a horse riding accident - by calling the little baby to a ‘high level’ Christopher Russel Reeve Givens. The tot’s middle name comes from his paternal grand- he 35-year-old actor didn’t want fans found it tough getting in shape for the strip- father. A family spokesperson told People witnessing a “jungle” around his groin per sequel. He said: “It was definitely harder magazine: “He was named after his grandfa- Tduring the scenes where he stripped to get in shape this time. I had just had a baby thers on each side, two very important role down to his undergarments, so he and his co- girl and was enjoying life, so it took a while to models for Garren and Alexandra. “The entire stars took extra care to be smooth-skinned. get motivated to torture, starve and exhaust family is thriving during their first few weeks He said: “The grooming is on a high level, myself on a daily basis to get into shape. “Ten home.” As well as Alexandra, 31, Christopher because you don’t want a jungle down there, weeks before filming started I thought, ‘OK, and former partner Gae Exton also had a son overflowing the posing pouch.” Kevin Nash it’s going to take me 10 weeks to get ready’ Matthew, now 35, and he also had son added: “For the first film, I bought a body- and that’s when I started.” William, 23, with late wife Dana Morosini. grooming thing and did it myself. “This time William recently joined ESPN’s SportsCenter I’m older - 55 - and all of a sudden you get team and admitted it was a special role for hairier so I got waxed. Man, oh man, that was him because of the bond he shared with his rough.” Meanwhile, Adam Rodriguez - who dad over sports. has daughter Frankie with model Grace Gail - SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015 Mountaineering at 150: From

People learn climbing on the ‘Rocher des Gaillands’ yesterday in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, French Alps, during the 150th anniversary of the golden age of mountaineering. The Chamonix Valley pays tribute to both guides and alpinists of the Golden Age of mountaineering from June to October 2015, marking the 150th anniversary of 1865, a landmark year during which 65 first ascents across the Alps and seven others in the Mont-Blanc Massif were undertaken. — AFP photos

literary critic, a judge and an explorer were among a they were the first get there via the arduous Brenva route tiny group of wealthy Britons who conquered the on the Italian side. Today, Mont Blanc attracts climbers by AAlps’ highest peaks 150 years ago, never expecting the tens of thousands each year though only a small num- their “gentlemen’s” hobby would morph into a worldwide ber ever see the summit. sport. Mountaineering today attracts people from all walks of life, tackling summits well beyond Europe’s Alpine range ‘Golden Age’ where it all began in 1865.”Everything changed in just two The year 1865 “was the beginning of mountaineering as days,” said Claude Marin, a mountain guide organizing the sport we still practice today,” said Marin. Over the pre- 150th anniversary celebrations in Chamonix, one of vious decade, what had largely been a scientific venture France’s oldest ski and climbing resorts in the shadow of was increasingly seen as a challenge for clubs. “Science was Mont Blanc, the highest peak in the Alps. On July 14 that no longer the sole motivation,” said Gilles Modica in his year, explorer, illustrator and author Edward Whymper book, “1865 and the Golden Age of Mountaineering”. made history when he reached the daunting 4,478-metre Morin has documented 81 first-ever ascents that year in (14,692-feet) summit of the Matterhorn on the Italian-Swiss the Alps and the Pyrenees, the range between France and border. Spain, with Britons clearly at the forefront. On the way down, three other Britons and a guide, a Of the 63 mountaineers who conquered 65 Alpine sum- legendary Chamonix alpinist named Michel Croz, slipped mits in 1865, 34 were British, followed by 13 Austrians, nine and fell to their deaths. The accident launched a fierce Swiss, six Italians and one Frenchman. A total 53 local debate in Britain over whether the practice should be guides assisted these teams, according to official banned. But the very next day, another British group made Chamonix records. Eight years earlier, an elite group of 28 A picture shows signs representing past mountain guides it to the even higher top of Mont Blanc, which straddles British men had formed the world’s first mountaineering in front of the house of mountain guides in Chamonix- France and Italy. While not the first to conquer the 4,810- club, the Alpine Club in London. It promoted climbing as Mont-Blanc, French Alps. metre (15,780-feet) peak-that feat was achieved in 1786 — both a sport and a cultural endeavor, encouraging mem- SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015 elite hobby to accessible sport

bers to immortalize the majestic landscapes in writing, photographs and paintings. The results include some genre classics like Whymper’s 1871 book “Scrambles Amongst the Alps”, and another tome the same year by author Viginia Woolf’s father, the literary critic Leslie Stephen, “The Playground of Europe”. For the 150th anniversary, some of the Alpine Club’s prints, oil paintings and watercolours will be on show for the first time on the continent. There will also be a re-enactment in period costume of one of the 1865 ascents, while the Climbing World Cup will be held in Chamonix on July 11 and 12.

‘Urban climbing’ Elsewhere, Switzerland’s famed resort of Zermatt will host open-air performances to mark the first ascent of the Matterhorn, where climbing will be banned on July 14 to honor some 500 mountaineers who have lost their lives there since 1865. Today’s practitioners, with sophisticated, high-tech equipment, are a far cry from the pioneers who blazed trails at high altitude with little more than energy, good sense and thick layers of sheepskin to brave the freezing night-time temperatures. Mobile phones guide 21st-century climbers up well- mapped routes, with little left to chance in the Alps or oth- er mountains around the world.Climbing became “democ- ratized, mainly thanks to cartography”, said the president of Chamonix’ mountain guides association, David Ravanel, who holds deep respect for his 19th-century predecessors. Despite the sport’s popularity, Ravanel said uncharted ter- ritory remains. From valleys in Pakistan to spots in Antarctica, “there is still a lot to do”. And not all are moun- tains, he said, pointing to “the huge growth of urban Mountaineers head to the Aiguille du Midi cable-car in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, French Alps. climbing” up the dizzying heights of some of the world’s tallest buildings. — AFP

A picture shows a lake and in the background the Mont Blanc mountain and the Bossons Glacier.

Supporters take pictures as the competitors run during the 13th edition Competitors take part in the 13th edition of the Marathon of Mont-Blanc in Chamonix. of the Ultra Trial race in Chamonix. SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015

Italian nun Sister Maria Concetta, 81 (right) and one of her assistants help a mother suffering from a uterus perfo- Italian nun Sister Maria Concetta, 81, poses in ration caused by an unsafe abortion at Zongo Hospital in Zongo, a small village in the Equatorial region of the Zongo, a small village in the Equatorial region Democratic Republic of Congo. — AFP photos of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Italian nun brings life in Congo at risk to her own till going strong at 81, Italian nun and midwife Sister Maria and locked me in a room with a three-month-old orphan.” One Congo to escape the killing, raping and looting. In March 2013, Concetta Esu recently asked Pope Francis to bless her hands, soldier saved her from another who wanted to kill her. “He said to the former armed forces chief who topped Patasse a decade earli- Swhich have delivered more than 34,000 African babies. “The him, ‘You have to leave her. She is the one who helps our women er, CAR president Francois Bozize, was himself ousted by mainly task of a midwife brings me great joy because God gives life but give birth’.” After that incident, the nun crossed the Oubangui riv- Muslim rebels of the Seleka alliance. A flood of refugees again he doesn’t give birth,” she told AFP at a maternity clinic in Zongo er to take refuge for a month in Bangui, the capital of the Central poured into northern DR Congo when atrocities by Seleka fight- in the north of the Democratic Republic of Congo. So when she African Republic, on the opposite bank-but she eventually came ers provoked the emergence of largely Christian vigilante forces met the pontiff, “I asked him to bless my hands because they back. who exacted vengeance on civilians of the Muslim minority. touch all the children.” During the Second Congo War of 1998-2003, which drew in Again, the Daughters of Saint Joseph cared for wounded Small and bespectacled, the nun from Sardinia has spent more more than half a dozen foreign armies after Kabila fell out with refugees, preaching brotherhood and refusing to give in to than a half-century in this country that spans the equator, watch- Rwanda, the mission was left in peace by local rebel forces behind patients who did not want to share a room with someone of a dif- ing as it won independence then dissolved into war. She’s braved rampant looting and angry rebels-and was once spared from death because she “helps give birth”. Watching her bustle about the clinic run by her order, the Daughters of Saint Joseph of Genoni, it’s hard to believe she turns 81 on July 8. The facility’s medical equipment, provided mostly with Italian funds, is more modern than maternity wards in several of the country’s big city hospitals. About 40 babies are born in the Zongo clinic each month and several happy parents have named their newborns after Sister Maria. Trained as a nurse in Italy then in tropical medicine in Belgium when it was still the colonial power in the Congo, the Catholic nun unpacked her bags in the northern province of Equateur in 1959 just a year before independence. Fluent in Lingala, the most widely spoken local language, she cannot recall all major events but remembers the mid-1970s when the regime of dictator Mobutu Sese Seko (1965-1997) became overtly hostile Italian nun Sister to the Catholic church. Maria Concetta, 81, walks in a hallway ‘They destroyed everything’ at Zongo Hospital Mobutu campaigned for “authenticity” to rid the nation of in Zongo. colonial vestiges and to “Africanise” its institutions. The policy led to widespread sacking of church property, which was likened to undesirable imports from the West. “They took away all the Christian statues in the mission” and forbade parents from giving Jean-Pierre Bemba, who held sway in the territory. Later named a ferent faith. Tension remains high in the DR Congo amid suspi- their babies Christian names, Sister Maria said. Another strong vice-president, Bemba today is on trial at the International cions that President Joseph Kabila, who took office in wartime in memory was the arrival of rebels led by Laurent-Desire Kabila, Criminal Court in The Hague for crimes his troops are accused of 2001, is maneuvering to stay in power beyond his constitutional whose Rwandan-backed Alliance of Democratic Forces for carrying out in CAR in 2002 after its then president Ange-Felix term, which ends in November 2016. If there is fresh crisis, the Liberation brought Mobutu down at the end of the First Congo Patasse asked Bemba for help in putting down a rebellion. elderly nun has no plans to flee. “I want to stay here. I don’t want War (1996-1997). to be a deserter. I’ve given my whole life here and I shall also give “At our mission, they came in and stole everything. With two ‘I shall give my bones’ my bones.”— AFP other sisters, I took sick people to the maternity clinic, believing During that violence, Sister Maria’s mission became a haven of that they would respect the place. But they destroyed everything peace and assistance for many Central Africans who fled into DR SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015

Nurses take care of a recently born child in a neonatal intensive-care unit (NICU) at Palna - one Indian children play at Palna - one of Delhi’s oldest adoption agencies and orphanages caring of Delhi’s oldest adoption agencies and orphanages caring for some 70 children and regis- for some 70 children and registered with the government. tered with the government. — AFP photos

Indian children play at Palna. A ‘moses basket’ sits at the entrance to Palna - one of Delhi’s oldest adoption agencies and orphan- ages caring for some 70 children and registered with the government. Thousands of children are thought orphaned and abandoned in India, although there are no official figures. But only 4,000 were legally adopted in the year to March, according to government data, down from 6,000 in 2012. ‘Pinching babies’: India adoption industry faces reform t a now-shuttered adoption agency on the fringes of and registered with the government. She fears some are being sultant said. “It was really horrible,” Pinki said, staring at their new India’s capital, kidnapped toddlers and newborns were handed to criminals instead. two-month-old son with his mop of black hair. Left in Palna’s Abeing sold for about $8,000 each, no questions asked. After “stork basket”, the couple can soon take him home after more stumping up cash, prospective parents would inspect the bewil- ‘Adopting legally a nuisance’ paperwork is processed. Children’s activist Bhuwan Ribhu also dered children at the “Fastrack International” agency and take Thousands of children are thought orphaned and abandoned applauds the new legislation, saying there is huge confusion for them home the same day, according to police who raided the in India, although there are no official figures. But only 4,000 were parents wanting to legally adopt. And the lack of clear and premises last month. “If you wanted a child, one would appear on legally adopted in the year to March, according to government enforced regulations for agencies means unscrupulous ones are your lap,” joint commissioner of New Delhi police Dependra data, down from 6,000 in 2012. Maneka Gandhi, the minister for allowed to thrive where already vulnerable children are at risk of Pathak said after the successful sting. women and child development, plans to overhaul the “complicat- being abused and sold for profit. A ledger seized during the raid detailed how 23 children had ed” system to boost those numbers, saying parents waiting years been sold in just a few months and another 76 transactions were for children is “shameful”. ‘Tip of the iceberg’ being negotiated, some of them involving babies kidnapped from Gandhi is working to simplify the application process, includ- “People are simply scared of going ahead with the (legal) hospitals in other states with the help of doctors and nurses. ing through a national online tracking system, and a campaign to adoption process. It’s also hard to catch and prosecute organized Illegal adoption is a thriving business in India, where more than encourage more parents to use it. “Adopting them (children) crime syndicates and even harder to convict them,” Ribhu, who 100,000 children are reported missing every year, 15 every hour, legally is such a nuisance, so if we make it easier then people works with the Bachpan Bachao Andolan (Movement to Save according to government figures, and activists insist the figures won’t go around pinching babies,” she said. All agencies will be Childhood) organization, said. “What happened in Delhi was just are much higher. Although many are given up by desperately required to register with a central authority and children under the tip of the iceberg.” During the Fastrack International opera- poor parents in the hope of a better life, others are snatched from their care placed on a national database. “For every one regis- tion, Pathak said officers posed as a couple who were offered a hospitals, railway stations and big cities and channeled to cou- tered adoption agency, there are 10 which are not (currently) reg- physically healthy but “clearly traumatized” two-year-old boy ples. istered. We have no idea what they do,” Gandhi said. along with a swaddled newborn. “The boy has no idea where he Experts say prospective parents are turning to the black mar- Pramod Kumar Soni and his wife Pinki welcome the overhaul. comes from or what happened to him,” Pathak said. At the ket because of long delays, overcautious officials and complex In their two-year wait for a baby, they said they were stonewalled agency’s office, now padlocked by police, in a bleak block of flats rules of legally adopting in a country known for its frustrating lev- by unresponsive officials. After 12 years of medical tests and fertil- in the suburb of Dwarka, a neighbor says he saw a stream of peo- els of red tape. “Why would you wait two years for a baby when ity treatment, the couple had turned to an adoption agency near ple in recent months, some carrying babies and small children. you can just pay someone to get you one straight away?” said their home before giving up in despair, then finally finding suc- “There were couples, people of all ages. I asked and they said it Lorraine Campos, assistant director of Palna, one of Delhi’s oldest cess at Palna. “They didn’t have adequate resources, no docu- was an NGO, a charity,” retired air force serviceman George John adoption agencies and orphanages. “Criminals have realized ments on the children, no answers about how long the process said. “There was no reason not to believe them.”— AFP there is money to be made by playing with people’s emotions. would take, what the process was or any kind of transparency,” And there’s a nexus involving officials.” Campos has noticed a Soni told AFP of their experience at the previous agency. drop in recent years in the number of abandoned babies being “They only started to show any interest in your case if you had brought to Palna, a non-profit agency caring for some 70 children sources (in the department) or influence,” the 38-year-old con- SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015 Hacking food chain, Silicon Valley style

wave of Silicon Valley-style disruption is hitting the his blog. He added that he is “hopeful about the future of food industry. Lab-grown meat, vegan cheese and “ani- meat substitutes. I have invested in some companies working Amal free” milk and eggs are headed for consumers, on this and am impressed with the results so far.” often with backing from the tech sector and its financial allies. Gates is among the backers of Hampton Creek Foods, a San These products could fill an important need while reducing Francisco startup which makes plant-based egg substitutes for environmental problems such as energy and land use for tra- its mayonnaise and cookie dough, and Impossible Foods, ditional food industries, according to backers. This new group which produces vegetable-based meat and cheese substi- of startups is essentially hacking the food sector with new tutes. While meat substitutes have been around for years, ideas and technologies about food and with strong ties to today’s startups are aiming to use technology and innovation Silicon Valley. that have worked in Silicon Valley. California-based Beyond Some are using plant protein to substitute for animal prod- Meat, which uses soy and pea protein for its products includ- ucts while others are producing foods biologically through so- ing “Swedish meatballs” and “Southwest chicken strips,” says called “cellular agriculture.” At least $138 million in investment this type of food offers a more sustainable model. poured into the segment of “sustainable protein” startups in “Our core mission is to seek mass market solutions to 2014, according to the research firm AgFunder. Another replace animal protein with plant protein,” said Beyond Meat research firm, CB Insights, calculates at least $221 million co-founder Brent Taylor, who claims the product creates the invested in the sector over the past 18 months. More deals “fiber-like structures and texture or meat.” Taylor told AFP new appear to be cooking, with participation from major Silicon ideas are needed because “the rate of meat consumption in Valley players like Google Ventures and equity firm markets like China is rising at such a rapid clip that we can’t Andreessen Horowitz. keep up.” Beyond Meat backers include Obvious Ventures, an investment group including Twitter co-founders Evan ‘Disrupting’ food Williams and Biz Stone and the prominent California tech “I think this new industry will be disruptive,” said Isha Datar, equity firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. executive director of the nonprofit group New Harvest, which Other startups in the sector include Daiya Foods (vegan promotes cellular agriculture, or the use of stem or other cells cheese), Exo (cricket flour protein bars) and Soylent (pow- to produce replications of animal products. The tech sector is dered meal replacements.)Chris Dixon at the investment firm spearheading this effort, Datar says, with most of the tradi- Andreessen Horowitz was bullish on Soylent in a blog post tional food industry stuck in “a deeply ingrained system that earlier this year explaining the firm’s $20 million investment. makes it less amenable to change.” Brooklyn-based startup “We have all sorts of food-related problems in the world-mal- Modern Meadow is developing an edible cultured meat proto- nutrition, diabetes, and obesity, to name a few,” Dixon said in type along with bioengineered leather products, which do not a blog post. “Part of the solution to these problems is provid- require animal slaughter. ing people with better scientific research, and more food The company has funding from tech venture firms Sequoia Vegan cheese is displayed during the ‘Vegan Fest’ fair in the choices that are convenient, nutritious, and affordable.” Capital and Artis Ventures. “This is bio-fabrication, where cells Israeli city of Ramat Gan near Tel Aviv. A wave of Silicon Yet it remains unclear if the general public will accept these themselves can be used to grow biological products like tis- Valley-style disruption is hitting the food industry. Lab- manufactured food substitutes. D’Origny said there are signs sues and organs,” said Andras Forgacs, chief executive of the grown meat, vegan-produced cheese and ‘animal free’ milk the public will take to the new foods. “Think of what goes into firm, at a recent TED conference. “Perhaps biofabrication is a and eggs are headed for consumers, often with backing from a Chicken McNugget, but people still buy them,” she said. natural evolution of manufacturing for mankind. It’s environ- the tech sector and its financial allies. — AFP While progress is being made, d’Origny said “the engineering mentally responsible, efficient and humane.”In 2013, Mark problems are bigger than the scientific ones. It’s a question of Post, a professor of tissue engineering at Netherlands-based Harvest. “An egg white (produced through cellular agricul- making foods that are palatable and acceptable.” Others are Maastricht University presented the first lab-grown hamburg- ture) can be used to make meringue ... If you create a flank skeptical. “The people who are doing these things are evident- er. steak this way it will have the cells lined up in the same way as ly not foodies,” said Marion Nestle, professor of food studies at The product, backed by Google co-founder Sergey Brin, a real flank steak, so it will be identical.” New York University. “They eat to live but do not live to eat, was derided as a “Frankenburger” but nonetheless sparked apparently.”— AFP interest in lab-produced foods. San Francisco-based Clara Environmental challenge Foods is using a similar in-vitro technique to produce “animal Among the prominent investors in this sector is Microsoft free” egg whites, while in the same city lab-produced milk is founder Bill Gates, who sees the industry as helping fight on its way from a startup called Muufri. “These products are against a key environmental challenge. “How can we make just as versatile as the real ones,” says Gilonne d’Origny of New enough meat without destroying the planet?” Gates said on Square fruit: Odd shaped melons herald Japan summer apanese consumers are used to paying with flowers.” Farmers plant young water- through the nose for fruit, and now the melons inside acrylic containers to get the Jsummer’s here there’s another way for desired shape. them to empty their wallets: cube and While the price may sound high, it’s heart-shaped watermelons. But this pricey actually something of a bargain in Japan produce is not intended to tempt your where people traditionally exchange gifts, taste buds-it’s more ornament than the including expensive fruit, with clients and perfect picnic food. Over at the Shibuya relatives a couple of times a year. A deep- Nishimura luxury fruit shop in downtown pocketed Japanese department store in Tokyo, a cube-shaped watermelon, about April shelled out an eye-watering 300,000 the size of a baby’s head, sells for 12,960 yen for a pair of mangoes, a record price for yen ($105). the second year in a row. This year’s must- Not to your liking? Well, how about a have luxury fruit is a particular brand of heart- or pyramid-shaped melon to sit on strawberry, with a single berry currently that chic coffee table in your living room. selling for around $415. However, all pale “This fruit is meant to be a feast for your in comparison with the tear-inducing Senior managing director Mototaka Nishimura of the Shibuya Nishimura luxury fruit shop dis- eyes, but they don’t taste very good,” $25,000 price tag for a pair of cantaloupe playing square (left), pyramid (center) and heart-shaped watermelons at the company’s main admitted the shop’s senior managing melons auctioned in 2008. — AFP store in Tokyo. Japanese consumers are used to paying through the nose for fruit, and now director Mototaka Nishimura. “They should the summer’s here there’s another way for them to empty their wallets: cube and heart- shaped watermelons. — AFP be displayed as ornaments, maybe mixed SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015

Photo shows the ‘underground’ Zhongxin Bridge Catholic Church below an expressway Photo shows the ‘underground’ Zhongxin Bridge Catholic Church near an under-construction bridge in Tianjin. — AFP photos expressway bridge in Tianjin. Millions of silver pieces for China’s official Christians hinese priest Lin Xiuqiang is pleased with his new Catholic member of the congregation, who asked not to be named. Tianjin, tries to increase the competitiveness of the officially approved church, its tall tower topped with a cross-and grateful to the 110 kilometers (68 miles) from Beijing, is thought to have up to church in opposition to the underground churches,” he added. CCommunist officials who paid $19 million to build it. China’s 100,000 Catholics, and each Sunday hundreds pack the dilapidat- Christians are divided between state-run churches which pledge ed building, some sitting on the floor or standing outside, strain- Dental surgery allegiance to the officially atheist Communist party, and “under- ing to hear the bishop’s sermon over the rumble of passing trucks. According to the US-based Pew Research Center, in 2010 China ground” congregations who maintain their independence. Dozens Worshippers said they had applied for permission to build a new had 58 million Protestants and around nine million Catholics in the of church buildings have been demolished and crosses removed Church for more than a decade, without success. “We are an official and underground churches combined. Reports in China’s in recent months, in what has been seen as a tougher approach by underground church and we aren’t owned by the government. Christian media show official churches regularly appearing in the ruling party towards China’s believers, estimated at around 70 That’s the reason why they won’t support us,” said a female China’s countryside, with dozens built in the last year alone. Rural million and growing. churchgoer surnamed Guo. churches are generally funded by worshippers themselves, with But at the same time some local governments are allowing new the government granting planning permission, analysts said. “As spires to sprout and even showering funds on places of worship as Megachurch long as it’s within the official system, the government will be more they seek to woo the faithful to the official church. Built in immac- Since last year authorities in the eastern province of Zhejiang-a tolerant,” said Liu Peng, an expert on church-state relations at a ulate red brick, Lin’s new Hedong Catholic church in the port city major centre of Protestantism-have overseen a wave of church government think-tank. Local officials may be more likely to fund of Tianjin was finished last month. Inside, light from its stained demolitions. China Aid, a US-based advocacy group, estimates 30 churches where underground communities are strong, he added. glass windows falls onto glass chandeliers, illuminating a huge churches were razed completely in 2014, and hundreds of crosses Authorities in Beijing’s wealthy Haidian district, a hotspot for crucifix and rows of barely-touched wooden pews. were removed from others-including many from state-backed unofficial churches, covered most of the reportedly multimillion The 120 million yuan ($19 million) construction costs were paid facilities. The campaign grabbed headlines worldwide, but cost of the modernist Haidian Church, commissioned from by the local government, Lin told AFP. “We are happy. The church appears to be something of an exception. State media reported German architects and completed in 2007. Unofficial believers told gives us a new place to practice our faith,” he said, emerging from that 5,195 churches were built or renovated in the five years up to AFP they had no hope of getting their own buildings approved the church’s wooden confession box. But the Hedong church is 2012, the last time such figures were released. but still shun the state-backed facilities, instead holding services in aligned with the state-run Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, Local officials reportedly helped fund a megachurch with the makeshift spaces as mundane as an apartment above a dental sur- and local Vatican-approved bishop Melchior Shi Hongzhen is capacity to host several thousand worshippers in the Zhejiang gery. The unofficial “New Tree” church convenes in a dingy office barred from the premises. The 88-year-old lives at the small, metal- provincial capital Hangzhou, and a government website for neigh- building opposite a travel agency. Asked about the gleaming walled Zhongxin Bridge Church, and local Catholics told AFP boring Suzhou this year reported a million yuan investment in a state-run church nearby, a New Tree member surnamed Yang said authorities restrict his movements. The unheated facility, in the Protestant facility. In Fuzhou, in neighboring Fujian, a local govern- contemptuously: “They have to keep aligned with official political shadow of a busy motorway, is surrounded by damp ditches filled ment website records a 4.1-million yuan investment for a state-run views. “Nice building,” he added. “Poor in spirit.”— AFP with construction waste, and at its entrance a statue of Jesus and Protestant church in 2013. Yang Fenggang, an expert on Chinese Mary and a metal cross are both stained with rust. religion at Purdue University in the US, said conditions for under- “You can see how bad our environment is,” said one male ground churches have worsened in recent years. “The government

Worshippers watch as Melchior Shi Hongzhen processes through the ‘underground’ Zhongxin Worshippers crowd in a room during a service celebrating the Feast of the Ascension at the Bridge Catholic Church during a service celebrating the Feast of the Ascension in Tianjin. ‘underground’ Zhongxin Bridge Catholic Church in Tianjin. TECHNOLOGY SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015 Google ‘campuses’ give tech startups room

SAN FRANCISCO: In a nod to its humble begin- Each campus has large event spaces that taking part in a freshly-launched London aged and empowered.” Wiki-kids is a talking ning in the garage of a Silicon Valley house, groups can apply to use free of charge. The Campus program devoted to tech company encyclopedia tailored for children, launched just Google is building “campuses” around the world London campus averages four big events daily. founders over the age of 50. a couple of months before Miron-Bershteyn intended as fertile ground where entrepreneurs Co-working desk spaces can be rented, with In contrast to typical startup accelerator pro- took part in Campus for Moms last year. can flourish. certain operations contracted out to partners grams, being at campus is more about sharing Google does not earn any revenue from its A campus that opened last month in Madrid such as TechHub, which provides work space for skills and maximizing use of resources made campuses, and did not disclose how much it was the fourth such start-up nurturing facility tech entrepreneurs, and Seedcamp investment available, according to Noble. spends on the facilities or the programs. opened by a Google for Entrepreneurs team at fund. The campuses have about 20,000 square Wiki-kids co-founder Inbal Miron-Bershteyn “It is such a part of Google’s DNA,” Grove said the California-based Internet titan. feet of space and 200 desks. Membership is free, attended a baby-friendly startup program for of promoting tech entrepreneurs. “We have the The first campus opened in London in 2012, and some 55,000 people around the world have entrepreneurial mothers at the Tel Aviv Campus. tools to make startups successful, we know that followed by one in Tel Aviv and then a third in signed on, according to Grove. There are mattresses on the floor for nap more companies online using the Internet and Seoul. “We began as a startup in a garage 17 She said the process of users going from time and children are free to crawl around while Google products is good for Google in the long years ago and really believe in empowering the being a new arrival to learning from mentors, their mothers talk to mentors, experts and run.” next generation of startups,” Google for meeting potential investors, and gaining trac- women who have started companies of their Startups out of the London campus have cre- Entrepreneurs director Mary Grove told AFP. tion is referred to as “working their way through own, according to Miron-Bershteyn. Diaper ated about 1,800 jobs in the past three years “The goal is to foster entrepreneurship all the building.” changing and breast feeding are accepted parts and raised $110 million in funding, according to over the world.”Google plans to open startup “It’s a hive of activity and has a tremendous of the routine. Grove. Along with startups flourishing on cam- campuses in Warsaw and Sao Paulo later this energy about it,” said Frugl founder Suzanne “Even sometimes a crying baby will be held puses, she hoped that the facilities themselves year. Noble. “I’ve lost count of the interesting work- by a mentor,” Miron-Bershteyn said while would be seeds for the growth of tech company Campuses provide spaces for startups to shops and talks that I’ve attended there and describing her Campus for Moms experience. “It clusters in neighborhoods where they are locat- meet, work, and learn. Partners are brought in to have really helped to grow my business.” Her is a great community, everybody comes togeth- ed. “It is not about recreating Silicon Valley, it is provide cafe services for which Silicon Valley company is behind an app that helps people on er. It works, I think, on good karma. Mentors about finding what is unique about cities and tech companies are renowned. budgets find affordable things to do and she is come for nothing and the women get encour- capitalizing on it,” Grove said.—AFP Blacklist warnings spread on websites in North Korea

TOKYO: North Korea, already one of the least-wired places in the world, appears to be cracking down on the use of the Internet by even the small number of foreigners who can access it with relative freedom by blacklisting and blocking social media accounts or websites deemed to carry harmful content. The move won’t be noticed by most in the North since hardly anyone has access to the Internet. But it could signal increasing concern in Pyongyang over the flow of real- time photos, tweets and status updates getting out to the world and an attempt to further limit what the few North Koreans able to view the Internet can see. Warnings, in Korean and English, are now appearing on a wide array of sites, including social media such as Instagram, Tumblr and Flickr and websites like the South Korean news agency Yonhap, along with specific articles about the country. The warnings say the sites have been blacklisted for harmful content and cannot be accessed. There has been no announcement of a policy change by the North Korean government or the North’s mobile service JAPAN: In this Monday, June 29, 2015, file photo the Solar Impulse 2 flies over Nagoya Airport after taking off in carrier, Koryolink, a joint venture with Egypt’s Orascom Toyoyama, near Nagoya, central Japan. The solar-powered plane, journeying around the world without fuel, depending Telecom and Media Technology. With no official confirmation, on the weather is expected to land in Hawaii. —AP it was impossible to rule out the possibility the warnings resulted from a hack of some sort. The explicit blacklisting of sites would be a break with past practice in North Korea, when officials most likely monitored Solar-powered plane the Internet activity of foreign users but did so quietly. The 3G data connection on mobile phones itself has not been dis- rupted and many sites, including Facebook and Twitter, con- due to land in Hawaii tinued to function normally. But signs of concern that local eyes may be trying to peek into the crack opened for foreigners to use the Internet have HAWAII: An airplane powered by the statement. “This is a clear message that abu Dhabi in March. It has stopped in been growing. sun is scheduled to land in Hawaii late clean technologies can achieve impossi- Oman, India, Myanmar, China and Japan From late last year, Koryolink began blocking the function yesterday after a five-day journey across ble goals.” in the months since. that allows smart phones to be turned into wifi hotspots that the Pacific from Japan. The flight is the The plane is visiting Hawaii just as the The wings of the carbon fiber aircraft can share their Internet connection with other nearby devices. longest leg of an around-the-world voy- state has embarked on its own ambitious have more than 17,000 solar cells. The Officials last year also tightened restrictions on wifi use at age planned by two Swiss pilots who clean energy project. Gov. David Ige last plane flies up to about 28,000 feet dur- embassies, probably to keep local residents from illegally “pig- have been taking turns flying the single- month signed legislation directing the ing the day to recharge its batteries gybacking” off of wifi signals near their compounds. seat airplane. It is also the riskiest state’s utilities to generate 100 percent while descending to under 10,000 feet at If not the result of a hack, the scattershot nature of the because the plane has nowhere to land of their electricity from renewable ener- night to minimize power consumption. blacklist warnings and the relative ease with which they can in an emergency. gy resources by 2045. Hawaii’s utilities Bad weather is a challenge because be circumvented would suggest a more tentative and possi- One of the pilots, Andre Borschberg, currently get 21 percent of their power the plane isn’t designed to withstand bly experimental effort at controlling Internet use than the broke the record for the longest nonstop from renewable sources. rain, turbulence and heavy winds. sophisticated Great Firewall that makes it impossible for most solo flight on the way to Hawaii, the The aircraft is scheduled to land at a Diverting around clouds takes extra Chinese to access Facebook or even the widespread govern- team organizing the trip said. He shat- small airport outside Honolulu about 6 energy. The aircraft travels at about the ment censorship of Internet sites in South Korea. “This effort tered the previous record set by the late a.m. (9 a.m. PDT) Friday. Flight officials same speeds as an automobile. The seems a bit random,” said James Lewis, an expert in computer U.S. adventurer Steve Fossett, who flew said the aircraft was arriving in the pilots aim to demonstrate the potential security who is a director and senior fellow at the Washington around the world in 76 hours in a spe- Hawaii area earlier but would fly in a of energy efficiency and renewable pow- D.C.-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. cially designed jet in 2006. holding pattern until the scheduled er with the project. Solar-powered air “Why send a warning about some sites, block some, but not “Can you imagine that a solar-pow- landing time. Its next destination after travel is not yet commercially practical block others? Either the DPRK is developing a more compre- ered airplane without fuel can now fly leaving the islands is Phoenix, but the though, given the slow travel time, hensive policy but changed their mind, or they’ve been longer than a jet plane?” Bertrand departure date hasn’t been announced. weather and weight constraints of the hacked.”—AP Piccard, the aircraft’s other pilot, said in a The plane began its global voyage in aircraft. —AP TECHNOLOGY SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015 Lifetime video service, Sprint’s new price plans

ans of Lifetime’s melodramatic movies can now see them for $4 a month - without subscribing to cable. FLifetime’s online video service is the latest move by an entertainment company to bypass the traditional cable bun- dle, which easily tops $70 a month. For example, HBO has made its shows and movies available online for $15 a month to people who don’t pay for cable, while Showtime has an $11-a-month service debuting this month. CBS and Nickelodeon also have Internet offerings that don’t require a cable subscription. Subscribers to Lifetime’s service won’t get the regular cable channel, which has ads and is available on many cable and satellite lineups. Rather, the Lifetime Movie Club service will let viewers watch a rotating pool of movies, about 30 at a time, from Lifetime’s library of more than 300 films. They will be shown without commercials. The channel’s reality shows and scripted TV series won’t be available. Lifetime has long been known for its movies about stalkers, affairs gone bad and thrillers based on juicy headlines. It has been trying to appeal to younger audiences with such movies as “Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B.” It also has reality shows like “Little Women: LA” and the dance show “Bring It.” “Lifetime movies definitely have a long history but they’ve changed over the years. Some of our biggest events on Lifetime are the movies,” said Dan Suratt, executive vice presi- dent for digital at A+E Networks, which owns Lifetime as well BEIJING: A woman walks past advertisement for a German cookware company in Beijing, China. China needs to better as the History channel and A+E. protect trade secrets and fairly enforce business rules to ensure European investment and hiring at a time when Chinese While other online video services such as Dish Network’s leaders are trying to foster a more innovative economy.—AP Sling TV are aimed at people who don’t subscribe to cable, Suratt said he expects the movie app to be “entirely comple- mentary” to Lifetime’s TV channel. Like many channels, New Chinese law reinforces Lifetime’s primetime viewership has declined this year, according to Nielsen. The new Lifetime Movie Club service will work on iPhones and iPads, with other devices coming this govt control of cyberspace fall. Sprint is introducing an “all-in” pricing plan, meaning a single, $80-a-month price that includes both a smartphone BEIJING: China’s legislature passed overwhelmingly by the Standing The new law is an extension of the hard and a service plan for voice, text and unlimited data. sweeping legislation on Wednesday that Committee of the National People’s line on security and repeated warnings The new plan, though billed as simpler, won’t have many reinforces government controls over Congress, replaces a law that focused against foreign ideological subversion benefits for consumers. Prices for a Samsung Galaxy S6 and cyberspace, as the nation’s leaders try to more narrowly on counter-espionage. issued by the government of President Xi HTC One M9 won’t change, as it had been $20 for the phone address what they see as growing threats In addition to cyberspace, the new leg- Jinping, who in 2013 established an over- and $60 for the service plan. An iPhone 6 plan will cost $10 a to Chinese networks and national security. islation covers a wide range of areas arching National Security Commission to month more as Sprint gets rid of a promotion. These three The vaguely worded National Security including the economy, social stability, coordinate such efforts with him as chair- phones are the only ones eligible, as they are among the most Law is one of several new regulatory territorial integrity, the military, culture, man. A separate anti-terrorism proposal popular.—AP moves by China that worry privacy advo- finance, technology, the environment and could require network operators and serv- cates and have foreign businesses con- food safety. Spokeswoman Zheng Shu’na ice providers fighting for a share of China’s cerned about potential harm to their oper- said an overarching legislation was need- $465 billion technology market to build in ations inside the country. ed to deal with “ever-growing security “backdoors” for government surveillance, The law calls for strengthened manage- challenges”. hand over encryption keys to Chinese ment over the web and tougher measures “Externally speaking, the country must authorities and store user data within against online attacks, theft of secrets, and defend its sovereignty, as well as security China. Companies worry that could under- the spread of illegal or harmful informa- and development interests, and ... it must mine their ability to send encrypted emails tion. It said core information technology, also maintain political security and social or operate the kind of private corporate critical infrastructure and important sys- stability,” Zheng was quoted as saying by networks commonly used to secure com- tems and data must be “secure and con- the official Xinhua News Agency. munications.—AP trollable” in order to protect China’s sover- eignty over its cyberspace. The law offered no details on how China would achieve the goals, although a Blind French hikers cross vast government Internet monitoring sys- tem has been in place for years. mountains with special GPS China says it is a major target of hack- ing and other cyberattacks, and the ruling FRANCE: Five hikers, all blind or partial- Strasbourg University in northeast Communist Party has expended vast ly-sighted, crossed a mountain range in France, it is part of a growing trend tap- efforts in blocking online content it deems eastern France last week thanks to an ping the power of technology to subversive or illegal. innovative GPS system that developers improve life for the visually impaired. China is also accused of running a hope can help millions of people with “Point 15, 11 o’clock, 194 metres,” it state-sponsored effort to hack computers vision problems. Armed only with their said in a jerky electronic voice, meaning and steal government and commercial white canes and the experimental in just under 200 metres (328 feet) turn secrets overseas, while also spying on and smartphone app-unaccompanied by slightly left in the direction of “11 harassing pro-democracy, Tibetan and sighted guides-the group trekked 80 o’clock”. human rights groups based abroad. kilometres (50 miles) in six days through Volunteers from the French Hiking Most recently, Beijing was suspected as fields and forests in the Vosges range Federation programmed a precise itiner- being behind a massive hack into a U.S. near the German border. Worn in a ary for the group beforehand, taking federal government computer server that small pouch over the stomach, the care to note any obstacles on the path. SAUGUS: In this photo Oct. 26, 2009 file photo, customers resulted in the theft of personnel and Navi’Rando-named for “randonner”, the “The thing that’s still difficult is using enter a Sprint store in Saugus, Mass. Sprint is introducing security clearance records of 14 million French word for hiking-warned of bends the cane to locate the exact direction of an ‘all-in’ pricing plan, meaning a single, $80-a-month employees and contractors. Chinese offi- in the path and turning points at regular the trail,” said Jean-Claude Heim, who price that includes both a smartphone and a service plan cials always deny engaging in such intervals. Developed by a team at has been blind since birth.—AFP for voice, text and unlimited data.—AP actions. The National Security Law, passed TV listings SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015

11:00 Running Wild With Bear Grylls 17:25 Mako Mermaids 03:30 Man Fire Food 16:45 Black Work 06:30 Community 11:50 Running Wild With Bear Grylls 17:50 Dog With A Blog 04:00 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 17:35 Hiding 07:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers 12:40 Running Wild With Bear Grylls 18:15 I Didn’t Do It 04:30 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 18:30 James Nesbitt’s Ireland 08:00 Hot In Cleveland 13:30 Running Wild With Bear Grylls 18:40 Girl Meets World 05:00 Chopped 19:00 Cilla 08:30 My Name Is Earl 14:20 Running Wild With Bear Grylls 19:05 The Next Step 06:00 Iron Chef America 19:55 Black Work 09:00 Galavant 00:00 Doctors 15:10 Running Wild With Bear Grylls 19:30 H2O: Just Add Water 07:00 Man Fire Food 20:50 Agatha Christie’s Marple 09:30 Two And A Half Men 00:30 Casualty 16:00 Ice Cold Gold 19:55 H2O: Just Add Water 07:30 Man Fire Food 22:30 James Nesbitt’s Ireland 10:00 Fresh Off The Boat 01:20 Orphan Black 16:50 Ice Cold Gold 20:20 H2O: Just Add Water 08:00 Chopped 23:00 Coronation Street 10:30 Community 02:05 Orphan Black 17:40 X-Ray Mega Airport 20:45 H2O: Just Add Water 09:00 The Big Eat... 23:25 Coronation Street 11:00 The Tonight Show Starring 02:50 Dead Boss 18:30 Running Wild With Bear Grylls 21:10 Good Luck Charlie 09:30 The Big Eat... 23:50 Coronation Street Jimmy Fallon 03:20 Lark Rise To Candleford 19:20 Dive Wars Australia 21:35 Wizards Of Waverly Place 10:00 The Kitchen 12:00 My Boys 04:15 The Weakest Link 20:10 Alaskan Bush People 22:00 Wizards Of Waverly Place 11:00 The Kitchen 12:30 Hot In Cleveland 05:00 The Green Balloon Club 21:00 Alaska: Battle On The Bay 22:25 Sabrina: Secrets Of A Teenage 12:00 Barefoot Contessa 13:00 My Name Is Earl 05:25 Mr Bloom’s Nursery 21:50 Extreme Collectors Witch 12:30 Barefoot Contessa 13:30 Community 05:45 Show Me Show Me 22:15 Extreme Collectors 22:50 Sabrina: Secrets Of A Teenage 13:00 Guy’s Big Bite 14:00 New Girl 06:10 Nuzzle & Scratch: Frock n Roll 22:40 Extreme Collectors Witch 13:30 Guy’s Big Bite 14:30 Two And A Half Men 06:30 The Green Balloon Club 23:05 King Of Thrones 23:10 Wolfblood 14:00 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 15:00 Fresh Off The Boat 06:55 Mr Bloom’s Nursery 23:55 Insane Pools: Off The Deep 23:35 Wolfblood 14:30 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 00:00 Dead End Express 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon 07:15 The Weakest Link End 15:00 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 01:00 Live Free Or Die Stewart 08:00 Doctors 15:30 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 02:00 Banged Up Abroad 16:00 The Nightly Show With Larry 08:30 Doctors 16:00 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 03:00 Naked Science Wilmore 09:00 Doctors 16:30 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 04:00 Bid & Destroy 16:30 My Boys 09:30 Doctors 17:00 Chopped 04:30 Bid & Destroy 17:00 Late Night With Seth Meyers 10:00 Doctors 18:00 Siba’s Table 05:00 Big, Bigger, Biggest 18:00 Galavant 10:30 Doctor Who 18:30 Siba’s Table 06:00 80s: The Decade That Made 18:30 New Girl 11:20 Doctor Who Confidential 00:00 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills 19:00 Man Fire Food Us 19:00 Your Family Or Mine 11:30 Monty Halls’ Island Escapes 00:00 Violetta 00:55 Extreme Close-Up 19:30 Man Fire Food 07:00 The Known Universe 19:30 The Mindy Project 12:25 Hotel Secrets With Richard E 00:50 Sabrina: Secrets Of A Teenage 01:25 The E! True Hollywood Story 20:00 Chopped South Africa 08:00 Dead End Express 20:00 The Tonight Show Starring Grant Witch 02:20 E! News 21:00 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 09:00 Live Free Or Die Jimmy Fallon 13:10 Casualty 01:15 Sabrina: Secrets Of A Teenage 03:15 Keeping Up With The 21:30 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 10:00 Banged Up Abroad 21:00 The Daily Show Global Edition 14:00 Eastenders Witch Kardashians 22:00 Man Fire Food 11:00 The Big Picture With Kal Penn 21:30 The Nightly Show Global 14:30 Eastenders 01:40 Wolfblood 04:10 THS 22:30 Man Fire Food 11:30 The Big Picture With Kal Penn Edition 15:00 Eastenders 02:05 Wolfblood 05:05 THS 23:00 Mystery Diners 12:00 Crowd Control 22:00 Saturday Night Live 15:30 Eastenders 02:30 Violetta 06:00 Kourtney And Kim Take Miami 23:30 Mystery Diners 12:30 Crowd Control 23:00 The Simpsons 15:55 The Weakest Link 03:20 Sabrina: Secrets Of A Teenage 06:55 Kourtney And Kim Take Miami 13:00 Ultimate Survival Alaska 23:30 Late Night With Seth Meyers 16:40 My Hero Witch 07:50 Style Star 14:00 Breakout 17:10 Monty Halls’ Island Escapes 03:45 Sabrina: Secrets Of A Teenage 08:20 E! News 15:00 Ancient Secrets: China’s Lost 18:05 Hotel Secrets With Richard E Witch 09:15 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills Pyramids Grant 04:10 Wolfblood 10:15 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills 16:00 Inside 18:50 Doctor Who 04:35 Wolfblood 11:10 E!ES 17:00 Mega Factories 00:00 Top Gear (US) 19:45 Doctor Who Confidential 05:00 Violetta 12:05 E! News 00:35 The Chase 18:00 Star Talk 01:00 Sleepy Hollow 20:00 Alan Carr: Chatty Man 05:50 Mouk 13:05 New Money 01:30 James Nesbitt’s Ireland 19:00 Ancient Secrets: China’s Lost 02:00 Downton Abbey 20:45 Threesome 06:00 Mako Mermaids 13:35 New Money 02:00 Who’s Doing The Dishes? Pyramids 03:00 Once Upon A Time 21:10 Alan Partridge’s Mid-Morning 06:25 Hank Zipzer 14:05 Christina Milian Turned Up 02:55 Emmerdale 20:00 Inside 04:00 Drop Dead Diva Matters 06:50 The Next Step 15:00 Fashion Bloggers 03:20 Emmerdale 21:00 Mega Factories 05:00 The Blacklist 21:35 Live At The Apollo 07:15 H2O: Just Add Water 15:30 Fashion Bloggers 03:45 Emmerdale 22:00 Star Talk 06:00 Top Gear (US) 22:20 Ideal 07:40 Suite Life On Deck 16:00 House Of DVF 04:10 Emmerdale 23:00 The Big Picture With Kal Penn 07:00 Once Upon A Time 22:50 My Hero 08:05 Suite Life On Deck 17:00 House Of DVF 04:30 Emmerdale 23:30 The Big Picture With Kal Penn 08:00 Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. 23:20 The Weakest Link 08:30 Suite Life On Deck 18:00 E! News 04:50 Emmerdale 09:00 The Blacklist 08:55 Suite Life On Deck 19:00 Beyond Candid With Giuliana 05:15 Coronation Street 10:00 Drop Dead Diva 09:20 Suite Life On Deck 20:00 Keeping Up With The 05:40 Coronation Street 11:00 Sleepy Hollow 09:45 Girl Meets World Kardashians 06:05 Coronation Street 13:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 10:10 Good Luck Charlie 21:00 #RichKids Of Beverly Hills 06:30 Coronation Street 14:00 Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. 10:35 Little Mermaid 3: Ariel’s New 22:00 E! News 06:55 Coronation Street 00:30 The Daily Show With Jon 15:00 Top Gear (US) Beginning 23:00 The Grace Helbig Show 07:15 Paddock To Plate Stewart 17:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 00:25 Masterchef: The Professionals 11:50 Get Frozen 23:30 The Grace Helbig Show 08:10 Agatha Christie’s Marple 01:00 The Nightly Show With Larry 18:00 Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. 01:20 Tareq Taylor’s Nordic Cookery 12:15 Jessie 09:50 Come Date With Me Australia Wilmore 19:00 Unforgettable 01:45 Bargain Hunt 12:40 Dog With A Blog 10:35 Come Date With Me Australia 01:30 Modern Family 20:00 Witches Of East End 02:40 DIY SOS: The Big Build 13:05 Gravity Falls 11:00 Come Date With Me Australia 02:00 Black-Ish 21:00 Supernatural 03:30 Come Dine With Me 13:30 I Didn’t Do It 11:35 Big Star’s Little Star 02:30 The Simpsons 22:00 Downton Abbey 04:00 Masterchef: The Professionals 13:55 Mako Mermaids 12:25 The Chase 03:00 Galavant 23:00 Once Upon A Time 04:55 Chefs: Put Your Menu Where 14:25 H2O: Just Add Water 13:15 Peter Andre’s 60 Minute 03:30 New Girl Your Mouth Is 14:55 Lolirock 00:00 Chopped Makeover 04:00 Hot In Cleveland 05:40 DIY SOS: The Big Build 15:25 Austin & Ally 01:00 Siba’s Table 14:05 Peter Andre’s 60 Minute 04:30 The Tonight Show Starring 06:30 Come Dine With Me 16:00 Jessie 01:30 Siba’s Table Makeover Jimmy Fallon 02:00 Chopped South Africa 07:00 Masterchef: The Professionals 16:30 Jessie 15:00 Safe House 05:30 My Name Is Earl 03:00 Man Fire Food 07:55 DIY SOS: The Big Build 17:00 Liv And Maddie 15:55 Cilla 06:00 My Boys 08:45 Masterchef: The Professionals 01:00 Good Morning America 09:15 Masterchef: The Professionals 03:00 Castle 05:00 Good Morning America 10:10 Masterchef: The Professionals 08:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 11:05 Masterchef: The Professionals 09:00 Parenthood 12:00 Fantasy Homes By The Sea 11:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 12:45 Come Dine With Me 12:00 Perception 13:10 Come Dine With Me 13:00 Resurrection 13:35 Come Dine With Me 15:00 Live Good Morning America 14:00 Come Dine With Me 16:00 Parenthood 14:25 Come Dine With Me 17:00 Perception 14:50 DIY SOS: The Big Build 18:00 Resurrection 15:40 Masterchef: The Professionals 19:00 Parenthood 16:35 Bargain Hunt 20:00 Perception 17:25 Fantasy Homes By The Sea 21:00 Grey’s Anatomy 18:10 Extreme Makeover: Home 22:00 Castle Edition Specials 23:00 American Idol 19:30 Masterchef: The Professionals 20:20 Masterchef: The Professionals 20:50 Masterchef: The Professionals 21:45 Masterchef: The Professionals 22:35 Masterchef: The Professionals 23:30 Bargain Hunt 00:00 World War Z 02:00 Outpost: Black Sun 04:00 Marvel’s Next Avengers: Heroes Of Tomorrow 06:00 Double Take 08:00 Absolute Killers 00:20 Fast N’ Loud 10:00 Marvel’s Next Avengers: 01:10 Fast N’ Loud Heroes Of Tomorrow 02:00 Misfit Garage 12:00 Crimson Tide 02:50 Fat N’ Furious: Rolling Thunder 14:00 Double Take 03:40 The Liquidator 16:00 Absolute Killers 04:05 Extreme Collectors 18:00 Born To Race: Fast Track 04:30 Auction Kings 20:00 The Courier 05:00 How It’s Made 22:00 Closed Circuit 05:30 How Do They Do It? 06:00 Close-Up Kings 06:50 Unchained Reaction 07:40 The Carbonaro Effect 08:05 Magic Of Science 08:30 Running Wild With Bear Grylls 00:00 Outpost: Black Sun-PG15 09:20 Dive Wars Australia 02:00 Marvel’s Next Avengers: 10:10 Dual Survival ABSOLUTE KILLERS ON OSN MOVIES ACTION HD Heroes Of Tomorrow-PG 04:00 Double Take-PG15 TV listings SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015

06:00 Absolute Killers-PG15 08:00 Marvel’s Next Avengers: Heroes Of Tomorrow-PG 10:00 Crimson Tide-PG15 12:00 Double Take-PG15 14:00 Absolute Killers-PG15 16:00 Born To Race: Fast Track 18:00 The Courier-PG15 20:00 Closed Circuit-PG15 22:00 Desperate Measures-18

00:00 Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2 02:00 A Valentine’s Date 04:00 Svengali 06:00 Liar, Liar 08:00 Vamps 10:00 Titeuf, Le Film 12:00 Liar, Liar 14:00 A Valentine’s Date 16:00 Vamps 18:00 Last Vegas 20:00 Syrup 22:00 The Rocker

01:00 Stand Off-PG15 03:00 Grace Of Monaco-PG15 05:00 My Last Day Without You- PG15 07:00 Pawn-PG15 09:00 The Last Days On Mars-PG15 11:00 My Last Day Without You- PG15 13:00 Grace Of Monaco-PG15 15:00 The Giver-PG15 17:00 The Last Days On Mars-PG15 19:00 Peace, Love & Misunderstanding-PG15 21:00 Every Day-PG15 23:00 Reasonable Doubt-PG15

OUTPOST- BLACK SUN ON OSN MOVIES ACTION HD 19:20 Say Yes To The Dress 16:25 Clarence 10:00 Sofia The First 21:00 Oprah’s Next Chapter 17:10 Steven Universe 10:25 Nina Needs To Go 01:00 Maladies 21:50 Oprah Presents: Master Class 17:22 Steven Universe 10:30 Jake And The Neverland 02:45 Quiz Show 22:40 Extreme Cheapskates 17:30 Incredible Crew Pirates 05:00 Eternal Sunshine Of The 23:05 90 Days To Wed 17:55 Teen Titans Go! 10:55 Runaway Shuffle/Surfin’ Spotless Mind 00:00 The Grandmaster-PG15 00:00 American Pickers 02:15 Call Me Crazy: A Five Film 23:55 90 Days To Wed 18:40 The Amazing World Of The Whirlpool 07:00 The Secret Life Of Bees 01:00 Shipping Wars Gumball 11:20 Doc McStuffins 09:00 Bobby Jones: Stroke Of 04:00 Labor Day-PG15 01:30 Shipping Wars 06:00 Cloverfield-PG15 19:25 Adventure Time 11:45 Henry Hugglemonster Genius 02:00 Storage Wars 20:10 Regular Show 12:10 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 11:15 Maladies 08:00 In A World...-PG15 02:30 Pawn Stars 09:45 The Grandmaster-PG15 20:55 Teen Titans Go! 12:35 Sheriff Callie’s Wild West 13:00 Yellow Rock 03:00 American Pickers 21:15 Transformers: Robots In 13:00 Runaway Shuffle/Surfin’ 14:45 The Secret Life Of Bees 12:00 Labor Day-PG15 04:00 Pawn Stars 14:00 Marvel’s Ultimate Avengers I- Disguise The Whirlpool 16:45 Bobby Jones: Stroke Of 04:30 Pawn Stars 21:40 Adventure Time 13:25 Jake And The Never Land Genius 16:00 In A World...-PG15 05:00 Counting Cars 17:45 47 Ronin-PG15 21:51 Adventure Time Pirates 19:00 The Butler 05:30 Counting Cars 03:20 Total Drama: Pahkitew 22:02 Adventure Time 13:50 Runaway Shuffle/Surfin’ 21:30 The Patriot 20:00 A Stranger In Paradise-PG15 06:00 American Restoration 22:00 Sabotage-PG15 Island 22:13 Adventure Time The Whirlpool 06:30 American Restoration 03:42 Total Drama: Pahkitew 22:25 Johnny Test 14:15 Jake And The Never Land 07:00 Pawn Stars Island 23:10 Regular Show Pirates 19:00 American Pickers 04:05 Ninjago: Masters Of 23:55 Total Drama: Revenge Of 14:40 Miles From Tomorrow 20:00 American Pickers Spinjitzu The Island 14:50 Doc McStuffins 00:00 Think Like A Man Too-PG15 21:00 American Pickers 04:28 Ninjago: Masters Of 00:20 Total Drama: All Stars 15:15 Sofia The First 02:00 Begin Again-PG15 00:30 NRL Premiership 22:00 Counting Cars Spinjitzu 00:40 Grojband 15:40 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 04:00 Mud-PG15 06:30 Live AFL Premiership 22:30 Counting Cars 04:50 Teen Titans Go! 01:05 Grojband 16:05 Nina Needs To Go 06:30 Captain America: The Winter 10:30 European Tour Weekly 23:00 Pawn Stars 05:00 Teen Titans Go! 01:25 Teen Titans Go! 16:10 Lilo & Stitch Soldier-PG15 11:30 Super Rugby Highlights 23:30 Pawn Stars 05:10 Grojband 01:50 Regular Show 16:35 Adventures Of The Gummi 09:00 Justice League: The Flashpoint 12:30 Live Super Rugby Final 05:35 Grojband 02:35 Johnny Test Bears Paradox-PG 16:00 ICC Cricket 360 06:00 Clarence 17:00 Chip n Dale Rescue 10:30 Billy Elliot The Musical-PG15 16:30 Live Cricket - Natwest T20 06:20 Ben 10: Omniverse Rangers 13:15 Seven Days In Utopia-PG15 Blast 06:40 Ben 10: Omniverse 17:25 Ducktales 15:00 Mr. Peabody & Sherman-FAM 07:00 Ninjago: Masters Of 17:50 Jake And The Neverland 17:00 Justice League: The Flashpoint Spinjitzu Pirates Paradox-PG 07:25 Transformers: Robots In 18:00 Runaway Shuffle/Surfin’ 19:00 RoboCop-PG15 Disguise 00:45 Alaskan Women Looking For 03:10 Henry Hugglemonster The Whirlpool 21:00 Escapee-PG15 07:00 PGA Tour Love 07:45 Matt Hatter Chronicles 18:25 Messages From Miles 23:00 Blood-PG15 12:00 NRL Full Time 08:10 Teen Titans Go! 03:20 Calimero 00:45 Return To Amish 03:35 Zou 18:30 Sofia The First 12:30 Live NRL Premiership 01:35 Body Bizarre 08:55 The Amazing World Of 18:55 Nina Needs To Go 14:30 European Tour Weekly Gumball 03:45 Loopdidoo 01:35 My 600lb Life 04:00 Art Attack 19:00 Jake And The Never Land 15:00 Live PGA European Tour 02:25 Extreme Couponing 09:06 The Amazing World Of Pirates 19:00 This Is PGA Tour CANADA Gumball 04:25 Henry Hugglemonster 02:25 Nine Months Later 04:35 Calimero 19:30 Loopdidoo 19:30 Volvo Ocean Race Highlights 02:50 Extreme Couponing 09:15 Johnny Test 19:45 Doc McStuffins 20:00 Super Rugby 10:00 Adventure Time 04:50 Zou 01:15 Krazzy Planet 03:15 Obsessive Compulsive 20:00 Adventures Of The Gummi 10:45 Steven Universe 05:00 Loopdidoo 02:45 Dixie And The Zombie Cleaners 05:15 Art Attack Bears 04:05 The Undateables 11:10 Regular Show 20:30 Sofia The First Rebellion 11:55 Uncle Grandpa 05:35 Henry Hugglemonster 05:00 The Undateables 05:50 Calimero 20:55 Cars Toons 04:30 Dinosaur Island 06:00 Say Yes To The Dress 12:06 Uncle Grandpa 21:00 Chip n Dale Rescue 06:00 The Little Rascals Save The 12:17 Uncle Grandpa 06:00 Zou 06:25 Toddlers & Tiaras 06:15 Loopdidoo Rangers Day 02:30 ICC Cricket 360, Episode 26 12:28 Uncle Grandpa 07:15 Toddlers & Tiaras 06:25 Limon And Oli 21:25 Ducktales 08:00 Pororo: The Racing Adventure 03:00 Live Caribbean Premier 08:05 Ultimate Shopper 12:40 Ninjago: Masters Of 21:50 Lilo & Stitch League : Barbados v St Lucia Spinjitzu 06:35 Art Attack 10:00 Imaginum 08:55 Ultimate Shopper 07:00 Calimero 22:15 Zou 11:30 Space Dogs 06:30 ICC Cricket 360, Episode 26 09:45 Pawn Queens 13:00 Ninjago: Masters Of 22:30 Art Attack 07:00 Natwest T20 Blast H/L: Lancs Spinjitzu 07:10 Zou 13:15 A Cat In Paris 10:10 Pawn Queens 07:25 Nina Needs To Go 22:55 Limon And Oli v Yorks 10:35 Love, Lust Or Run 13:25 Transformers: Robots In 23:05 Henry Hugglemonster 14:30 Dragon Guardians 08:30 Caribbean Premier League Disguise 07:30 Jake And The Never Land 11:00 Love, Lust Or Run Pirates 23:20 Calimero 16:00 Justin And The Knights Of The H/L: Guyana v St Kitts 11:25 Say Yes To The Dress 13:45 Matt Hatter Chronicles 23:35 Zou Valour 09:30 Caribbean Premier League 14:10 Teen Titans Go! 07:55 Sofia The First 14:20 Oprah’s Next Chapter 08:20 Doc McStuffins 23:50 Loopdidoo 18:00 Imaginum H/L: Barbados v St Lucia 15:10 Cake Boss 14:30 Ben 10 00:05 Art Attack 19:00 Live Caribbean Premier 14:55 Ben 10 08:45 Loopdidoo 20:00 Soccer Dog: European Cup 17:15 Love, Lust Or Run 09:00 Limon And Oli 00:30 Henry Hugglemonster 22:00 Dragon Guardians League : St Kitts v Jamaica 17:40 Love, Lust Or Run 15:15 Adventure Time 00:45 Calimero 23:00 Live Caribbean Premier 15:40 The Amazing World Of 09:10 Sheriff Callie’s Wild West 23:30 Justin And The Knights Of The 18:05 Oprah Presents: Master Class 09:35 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 01:00 Zou Valour League : Trinidad & Tobago v Guyana 18:55 Say Yes To The Dress Gumball 01:15 Loopdidoo WHAT’S ON SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015

St Thomas Indian OCYM releases coupon for Onam celebration

t Thomas Orthodox Christian Youth Movement - a Kurian John in the presence of the Church Managing spiritual organization under St Thomas Indian Committee members and OCYM Coordinators. St Thomas SOrthodox Church Ahmadi, Kuwait released Food OCYM Ahmadi will celebrate its 10th Onam Celebration - coupon for “Thiruvonapulari 2015”. It was released at St “Thiruvonapulari 2015” on August 28th at Al-Sahil sports Pauls Church Ahmadi on 26th June (Friday), by our Vicar Fr club Abuhalifa. Experience the holy month at Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel

umeirah Messilah Beach Hotel & Spa, fine selection of starters, hot dishes and tra- service. The Badriah tent is designed to cater tomers, and the holy month of Ramadan has Kuwait’s idyllic resort, welcomes guests ditional Ramadan desserts are also available. to the needs of all our guests who look for- a unique flavour that can be enjoyed at the Jto experience a memorable Ramadan. For guests wishing to experience a Ghabka ward to experiencing a new and fresh venue facilities provided by Jumeirah.” Showcasing the rich heritage of Kuwait, the dinner, Badriah provides the perfect setting to celebrate the traditional festivities of the Guests wishing to complete their evening county’s largest ballroom Badriah has been with an Arabic buffet and international cui- Holy month.” can head to Arabesque’s newly covered ter- majestically transformed into a stunning sine, live cooking stations and Arabic From his part, Ooredoo Corporate race, Mint cafÈ or the elegant Tea Lounge indoor tent inspired by the famous al-sadu sweets. Communications director Mijbil Alayoub serving its well-renowned specialties. woven textiles. General Manager, Hakan Petek, said: “This said: “We’re honoured to be partnering with Jumeirah Messilah Beach would like to thank Badriah guests are welcomed to try the year, we have created an exceptional venue the luxurious Jumeirah hotel this year, and Ooredoo, as Platinum sponsor, Safwan Iftar buffet, offering Arabic specialties, juices for our guests to enjoy, bringing them an we hope for this to be a long-term partner- Trading and Contracting Company as Sliver and traditional Ramadan drinks including experience of authenticity and tradition ship. We share with Jumeirah hotel the same sponsor and Al Rai & Al Anbaa Newspapers Jalab, Tamer Hindi, Irk Sous and Laban. A combined with superb cuisine and flawless vision of enriching the lives of our cus- as Media sponsors. WHAT’S ON SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015 Bringing Arabian, Caribbean and American cultures together

njoy poetry at its best with the Arab, Caribbean and American poets along with hot button topics being dis- Ecussed. Enjoy good poems and excellent conversations at Vortex Breaker in Mahboula. Open Mic with VOL (Voice Out Loud) is designed to bring three cultures (Arabian -Caribbean- American) together. For the poetry contests and other infor- mation please call 66062307.

Reborn Kids summer camp

he Reborn Kids Education Academy recently held its summer camp celebration. Reborn has the best atmosphere where kids interact with each other - with smiles on their faces and with Tclose supervision from qualified and well-trained staff. HEALTH SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015

For first time, gene therapy shows promise in cystic fibrosis

LONDON: Scientists conducting a major trial of a therapy that replaces the faulty gene responsible for cystic fibrosis say the treatment has showed significant benefit for the first time in patients’ lung function. The technique, developed with the tech- nology commercialisation firm Imperial Innovations, replaces the defective gene behind the inherited lung disease by using inhaled molecules of DNA to deliver a normal working copy of the gene to lung cells. “Patients who received the gene therapy showed a significant, if modest, benefit in tests of lung function compared with the placebo group,” said Eric Alton, a professor at Imperial College London who led the trial. Briefing reporters about the results, he said they were “encour- aging” but cautioned that because the effect was inconsistent, with some patients responding better than others, the gene ther- apy was not ready for regular clinical use. “The effects were modest and variable,” he stressed. Cystic fibrosis is the world’s most common lethal inherited disease, affecting more than 90,000 people globally. Patients’ lungs become filled with thick sticky mucus and they are vulnerable to recurrent chest infections, which eventually destroy the lungs. In this trial, results of which were published yesterday in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine journal, 136 CF patients aged 12 and over received monthly doses of either the gene therapy or a placebo for one year. Patients who received therapy had significant, if A child suffering from severe malnutrition being assisted by medical staff in a medical camp run by international human- modest, benefit in lung function compared with placebo, making itarian organisation Doctors without Borders (MSF, Medicins Sans Frontieres), where about 50,000 people have been the trial the first in the world to show that repeated doses of gene vaccinated against cholera, in Minkamman, South Sudan. — AFP therapy can have a meaningful effect on cystic fibrosis. Dominic Wells, a professor of translational medicine at Britain’s Royal Veterinary College who was not involved in the trial, said its findings laid “a strong foundation for the development of more Could insulin pills potent gene transfer systems”. In this trial, patients were treated by inhaling molecules of DNA wrapped in fat globules, or lipo- somes, that deliver the gene into the cells in the lung lining. Alton said his team is now planning follow-up studies to look prevent diabetes? at whether higher, more frequent doses might have a greater benefit, and to test ways of combining the gene therapy with drug treatments to potentially boost its effect. The team has also developed another gene therapy delivery Big study seeks answer method using a hybrid virus created in the lab by combining a so- called lentivirus with another called Sendai virus, which is known for its ability to efficiently deliver replacement genes to the CHICAGO: For nearly a century, insulin has last long enough to know for sure. more perplexing. In Type 1 diabetes, the intended target. — Reuters been a life-saving diabetes treatment. The ongoing larger study is more rigor- pancreas stops making insulin, a blood Now scientists are testing a tantalizing ous, randomly assigning participants to sugar-regulating hormone that helps the question: What if pills containing the same get experimental insulin capsules or dum- body convert sugar in food into energy. medicine patients inject every day could my pills, and should provide a clearer Treatment is lifetime replacement insulin, also prevent the disease? More than 400 answer. usually via injections or a small pump. In children and adults are participating in US “Does it prevent indefinitely? Does it Type 2, the body can’t make proper use of government-funded international slow it down, does it delay diabetes? That insulin. It can sometimes be treated with a research investigating whether experi- also would be a pretty big win,” said Dr. healthy diet and exercise. mental insulin capsules can prevent or at Louis Philipson, a University of Chicago Genes are thought to increase risks for least delay Type 1 diabetes. Hospitals in diabetes specialist involved in the study. Type 1 diabetes. Viruses and other infec- the United States and eight other coun- About 1.25 million Americans have tions are among factors suggested as pos- tries are involved, and recruitment is Type 1 diabetes. Type 2 disease is more sible triggers the disease, which causes ongoing. common, affecting nearly 30 million the body’s immune system to attack To enroll, participants must first get nationwide and most of the more than insulin-producing cells. bad news: results of a blood test showing 300 million worldwide with diabetes. Dr. Wendy Brickman, a diabetes spe- their chances for developing the disease Besides short-term complications from cialist at Chicago’s Lurie Children’s are high. A small, preliminary study by dif- poorly controlled blood sugar, both types Hospital who’s involved in the study, ferent researchers, published recently in raise long-term risks for damage to the explained that researchers think taking the Journal of the American Medical kidneys, heart and eyes. insulin by mouth so that it’s digested like People walk between corn fields in South Hwanghae, Association, suggests the approach might Both types are increasing, and for Type food might somehow trick the faulty North Korea. There has been almost no rain in this part of work. Children who took insulin pills 2, experts think that’s because of rising immune system into not attacking insulin- the country, according to farmers and local officials inter- showed immune system changes that the obesity and inactivity. But the upward making cells. A branch of the National viewed by The AP. While the situation in the area that the researchers said might help prevent dia- trend in Type 1 diabetes, increasing world- Institutes of Health is funding the preven- AP visited looks grim, it is unclear how severe the drought betes. The study was too small and didn’t wide by at least 3 percent each year, is tion research. — AP is in the rest of the country. —AP Thai hospital discharges only MERS case

BANGKOK: A 75-year-old Omani man Thailand now appears to be MERS- have not detected any MERS.” The for- tion before he was diagnosed with the who became Thailand’s first case of free after the Omani patient tested nega- mer MERS patient and three of his rela- virus and quickly moved to a hospital on Middle East Respiratory Syndrome tive for the virus and the 176 other peo- tives will fly home to Oman on Friday the outskirts of the city for treatment. (MERS) was discharged from hospital yes- ple who were under surveillance for hav- evening, Sopon Mekthon, director of The health ministry statement terday after being declared free of the ing been in contact with him also Thailand’s department of disease control, released yesterday said he had present- deadly virus, officials said. showed no signs of the disease. “A com- said. Thailand, a booming medical ed without a fever for 15 days, and was His diagnosis last month was municable diseases expert has confirmed tourism hub popular with Middle Eastern breathing without any support from a Southeast Asia’s first case since the dis- that he’s free from MERS,” Public Health patients, has been praised by the World ventilator for the past five, and that he ease was confirmed in South Korea in Minister Rajata Rajatanavin said in a Health Organization for swiftly isolating was now able to walk unaided. “He test- May where it has killed 33 people and statement. its first MERS patient and relatives last ed negative for (the virus) five times. infected 184 in the largest outbreak out- “After 14 days of surveillance every- month. The Omani man had travelled to The last test was conducted on July 1,” it side Saudi Arabia. body is normal and laboratory results Bangkok for treatment for a heart condi- said. —AFP HEALTH SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015 Russian supply ship launched to International Space Station

MOSCOW: A Russian booster rocket yesterday tion. On April 28, a Russian Progress capsule successfully launched an unmanned cargo ship failed to separate properly from the upper-stage to the International Space Station, whose crew is of its Soyuz launcher, dooming the mission. anxiously awaiting it after the successive failures Unable to reach its intended orbit, the capsule of two previous supply missions. incinerated as it re-entered the atmosphere on A Soyuz-U rocket blasted off flawlessly from May 8. Another launch accident on Oct. 28 by Russia-leased Baikonur launch pad in Orbital ATK destroyed a Cygnus cargo capsule Kazakhstan, placing the Progress M-28M ship bound for the station, a $100 billion research into a designated orbit, safely en route to the laboratory that flies about 260 miles (418 km) station. On Sunday, it’s set to dock at the station above Earth. A final report on that accident is currently manned by Russians Gennady Padalka still pending, said Orbital spokesman Barry and Mikhail Kornienko and NASA’s Scott Kelly. Beneski. The failures cast a shadow over the still The ship is carrying 2.4 metric tons of fuel, emerging space transport industry, but experts oxygen, water, food and other supplies for the said they had not exposed any fundamental crew, the Russian space agency Roscosmos said. flaws. The accidents, involving three different The previous Progress launch in April ended in rockets, had nothing in common “other than it’s failure, and on Sunday a US supply mission space, and it’s difficult to go fly,” NASA Associate failed too when SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket broke Administrator William Gerstenmaier told apart shortly after liftoff. The mishaps were pre- reporters after the SpaceX failure. The station, a ceded by last October’s launch pad failure of joint project involving 15 nations which is BAIKONUR: Russia’s Progress M-28M cargo ship blasts off from the launch pad at the Orbital Sciences’ Antares rocket, also carrying staffed by a crew of six astronauts and cosmo- Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan yesterday. — AFP station cargo for NASA. nauts, currently has a four-month supply of food Despite the failures, NASA said the station is crew of three has been pushed back from late ification until experts fully understand the rea- and water, NASA said. well-stocked, with enough supplies for the crew May to late July as space officials have looked son behind April’s failure and fix the flaw. The arrival of the Russian cargo ship, and the to last at least until October. However, the trou- into the reason for the rocket failure in April. The station program has been one of a few planned launch of a Japanese HTV freighter in ble-free launch yesterday was essential for the Russian space officials eventually have traced sectors where ties haven’t been hurt by a bruis- August, should replenish the station’s pantries station program, which has exclusively relied on the failure to a leak from fuel and oxidizer tanks ing Russia-West showdown over the crisis in through the end of the year, NASA said. Russian spacecraft for ferrying crews after the in the booster’s third stage, which they said was Ukraine. Friday’s successful launch clears the way for grounding of the US shuttle fleet. caused by a yet unspecified flaw in the interface Yesterday’s liftoff came five days after a three new crew members to fly to the station SpaceX still hopes to meet the target of between the cargo ship and the latest Soyuz SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket exploded after launch later this month. NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren, launching astronauts from US soil again aboard modification, called Soyuz 2. from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko and the Falcon-Dragon combination in December The Soyuz-U rocket used yesterday is an old- The accident destroyed a Dragon capsule carry- Japan’s Kimiya Yui had been preparing for a 2017, which would allow NASA to stop buying er sub-type of the rocket, which has been the ing about 5,000 (2,200 kg) pounds of food, sci- May 26 blastoff, but Russia delayed the flight seats from Russia to get astronauts to the space workhorse of Soviet and Russian space pro- ence experiments and equipment, including a while engineers analyzed the Soyuz rocket lab. The Soyuz rocket is used to propel both grams for nearly half-a-century. Last month, the docking system for two new space taxis under problem. The booster that botched the April Soyuz manned spacecraft and Progress cargo Interfax news agency reported that the Russian development by SpaceX and Boeing. cargo ship is similar to one used to fly the ships to orbit, so the launch of the station’s next space agency will only be using that Soyuz mod- The cause of the accident is under investiga- Russian Soyuz crew capsules. — Agencies information SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015 Kuwait KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO TUESDAY (02/07/2015 TO 07/07/2015)

SHARQIA-1 ZANKET AL SITAT-Arabic 9:45 PM 360º-10(VIP-2) AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON - Re Release 9:00 PM ZANKET AL SITAT-Arabic 11:45 PM JURASSIC WORLD 9:00 PM YOU’RE NEXT -Re Release 11:45 PM JURASSIC WORLD 11:30 PM AVENUES-4 SHARQIA-2 JURASSIC WORLD 10:00 PM 360º- 11 JURASSIC WORLD 9:00 PM ZANKET AL SITAT-Arabic 9:15 PM ZANKET AL SITAT-Arabic 11:30 PM AVENUES-5 JURASSIC WORLD 11:15 PM JURASSIC WORLD 9:00 PM SHARQIA-3 JURASSIC WORLD 11:30 PM 360º- 12 ZANKET AL SITAT-Arabic 9:15 PM JURASSIC WORLD 9:15 PM JURASSIC WORLD 11:15 PM AVENUES-6 ZANKET AL SITAT-Arabic 11:45 PM PAPANASAM- Tamil 9:00 PM MUHALAB-1 360º- 13 TATTAH -Re Release 9:15 PM AVENUES-7 JURASSIC WORLD - 3D IMAX 9:00 PM JURASSIC WORLD - 3D IMAX 11:30 PM ZANKET AL SITAT-Arabic 11:30 PM PREMAM - Malayalam 9:15 PM

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Arrival Flights on Saturday 4/7/2015 GFA 215 Bahrain 17:30 SYR 342 Damascus 10:55 Airlines Flt Route Time JZR 177 Dubai 17:45 QTR 1071 Doha 11:00 QTR 1084 Doha 00:05 KAC 742 Dammam 17:45 KAC 501 Beirut 11:00 THY 772 Istanbul 00:15 JZR 777 Jeddah 17:50 KAC 561 Amman 11:25 JZR 239 Amman 00:20 SVA 500 Jeddah 18:00 KAC 165 Rome/Paris 11:25 SYR 343 Damascus 00:25 IRM 1180 Mashhad 18:10 GFA 214 Bahrain 11:35 JZR 267 Beirut 00:30 KAC 176 Geneva/Frankfurt 18:20 JZR 356 Mashhad 11:40 DLH 637 Dammam 00:35 KAC 786 Jeddah 18:35 KAC 541 Cairo 12:05 JAI 574 Mumbai 01:30 KAC 502 Beirut 18:35 UAE 874 Dubai 12:10 JZR 539 Cairo 01:30 JZR 125 Bahrain 18:50 RBG 554 Alexandria 12:10 SAI 441 Lahore 01:35 CLX 856 Luxembourg 18:50 JZR 776 Jeddah 12:15 PGT 858 Istanbul 01:40 QTR 1080 Doha 18:55 MSC 402 Alexandria 12:20 RJA 642 Amman 01:45 KAC 542 Cairo 18:55 AGY 685 Sohag 12:40 ETH 620 Addis Ababa 01:50 KAC 618 Doha 18:55 KAC 785 Jeddah 13:00 GFA 211 Bahrain 02:15 KAC 104 London 19:00 IAW 158 Al Najaf 13:00 KKK 6507 Istanbul 02:15 GFA 217 Bahrain 19:05 JZR 176 Dubai 13:10 UAE 853 Dubai 02:25 UAE 875 Dubai 19:05 IRM 1189 Mashhad 13:10 OMA 643 Muscat 02:35 KAC 614 Bahrain 19:10 NIA 152 Cairo 13:35 QTR 1076 Doha 03:05 ABY 123 Sharjah 19:20 IRC 6512 ABD 13:50 ETD 305 Abu Dhabi 03:05 JAI 572 Mumbai 19:35 MSR 611 Cairo 14:00 RJA 644 Amman 03:10 KAC 774 Riyadh 19:40 THY 767 Istanbul 14:10 MSR 612 Cairo 03:15 AGY 684 Sohag 19:50 UAE 872 Dubai 14:15 KAC 1544 Cairo 03:35 OMA 647 Muscat 20:00 KNE 483 Jeddah 14:20 MSC 401 Alexandria 04:00 KAC 674 Dubai 20:00 MSR 576 Sharm el-Sheikh 14:40 JZR 555 Alexandria 04:15 KNE 480 Taif 20:10 KAC 741 Dammam 14:40 THY 770 Istanbul 04:40 MEA 402 Beirut 20:15 IRC 527 Mashhad 15:00 DHX 170 Bahrain 05:10 ABY 121 Sharjah 20:20 QTR 1079 Doha 15:05 KAC 416 Jakarta/Kuala Lumpur 06:00 JZR 1773 Jeddah 20:40 FDB 058 Dubai 15:05 KAC 412 Manila/Bangkok 06:15 MSR 618 Alexandria 20:40 JZR 1772 Jeddah 15:05 BAW 157 London 06:35 JAD 301 Amman 20:55 KNE 481 Taif 15:10 JZR 563 Sohag 06:45 ALK 229 Colombo 21:10 KAC 617 Doha 15:15 JZR 503 Luxor 07:20 ETD 307 Abu Dhabi 21:15 KAC 673 Dubai 15:20 KAC 382 Delhi 07:30 UAE 859 Dubai 21:15 IZG 4168 Mashhad 15:30 KAC 206 Islamabad 07:45 KLM 415 Amsterdam 21:25 JZR 124 Bahrain 15:55 KAC 204 Lahore 07:50 FDB 073 Dubai 21:30 KAC 773 Riyadh 15:55 KAC 302 Mumbai 07:55 QTR 1074 Doha 21:30 KAC 613 Bahrain 16:00 KAC 352 Kochi 08:15 GFA 219 Bahrain 21:45 KNE 463 Madinah 16:00 KAC 344 Chennai 08:15 KNE 470 Jeddah 22:05 IZG 4162 Mashhad 16:10 UAE 855 Dubai 08:25 ETD 309 Abu Dhabi 22:10 RJD 136 Abu Dhabi 16:10 KAC 362 Colombo 08:30 THY 764 Istanbul 22:10 ABY 128 Sharjah 16:15 ABY 125 Sharjah 09:05 AIC 987 Chennai/Hyderabad 22:25 OMA 646 Muscat 16:15 ETD 301 Abu Dhabi 09:10 UAL 981 Bahrain 22:40 NIA 252 Alexandria 16:50 IRM 1186 Tehran 09:15 MSC 407 Sohag 22:45 ETD 304 Abu Dhabi 16:50 KAC 284 Dhaka 09:25 FDB 059 Dubai 22:50 RJA 641 Amman 16:55 RJA 648 Amman 09:30 JAI 526 Chennai/Abu Dhabi 23:00 KNE 473 Jeddah 16:55 FDB 055 Dubai 09:40 MSR 614 Cairo 23:30 JZR 266 Beirut 17:05 KAC 350 Kochi 09:40 FDB 071 Dubai 23:55 FDB 052 Dubai 17:10 SYR 341 Damascus 10:00 QTR 1073 Doha 17:25 QTR 1070 Doha 10:00 UAE 858 Dubai 17:40 GFA 213 Bahrain 10:40 Departure Flights on Saturday 4/7/2015 KNE 475 Jeddah 17:50 UAE 873 Dubai 10:40 Airlines Flt Route Time IRA 666 Esfahan 18:10 MSC 405 Sohag 11:20 AIC 976 Goa/Chennai 00:05 SVA 511 Riyadh 18:15 JZR 325 Al Najaf 11:20 RBG 556 Alexandria 00:05 GFA 216 Bahrain 18:20 JZR 561 Sohag 11:25 BBC 044 Dhaka 00:10 KAC 563 Amman 18:30 RBG 553 Alexandria 11:30 JZR 562 Sohag 00:20 KAC 287 Dhaka 18:35 AGY 680 Alexandria 11:40 JAI 573 Mumbai 00:25 UAL 982 Bahrain 18:40 IRM 1188 Mashhad 11:45 FDB 072 Dubai 00:30 JZR 538 Cairo 18:40 IAW 157 Al Najaf 12:00 MSR 615 Cairo 00:30 JZR 238 Amman 18:45 NIA 151 Cairo 12:35 KLM 413 Amsterdam 00:55 IRM 1187 Tehran 19:10 UAE 871 Dubai 12:45 JZR 502 Luxor 01:10 SVA 505 Jeddah 19:30 IRC 6511 ABD 12:50 SYR 344 KAC/Damascus 01:25 GFA 218 Bahrain 19:50 KNE 482 Jeddah 12:50 DLH 637 Frankfurt 01:35 QTR 1081 Doha 19:55 MSR 610 Cairo 13:00 THY 773 Istanbul 02:05 ABY 124 Sharjah 20:00 THY 766 Istanbul 13:10 SAI 442 Lahore 02:35 KAC 361 Colombo 20:00 JZR 779 Jeddah 13:50 ETH 621 Addis Ababa 02:50 CLX 856 Hong Kong 20:20 MSR 575 Sharm el-Sheikh 13:55 JAI 525 Abu Dhabi/Chennai 02:55 UAE 876 Dubai 20:35 KAC 672 Dubai 13:55 PGT 859 Istanbul 02:55 JAI 571 Mumbai 20:35 IRC 526 Mashhad 14:00 KKK 6508 Istanbul 03:10 KAC 351 Kochi 20:45 QTR 1078 Doha 14:05 OMA 644 Muscat 03:35 AGY 681 Alexandria 20:50 KNE 460 Riyadh 14:10 UAE 854 Dubai 03:45 KAC 333 Trivandrum 20:55 FDB 057 Dubai 14:20 RJA 645 Amman 03:55 KAC 1543 Cairo 20:55 IZG 4167 Mashhad 14:30 ETD 306 Abu Dhabi 04:05 OMA 648 Muscat 21:00 IZG 4161 Mashhad 14:50 QTR 1077 Doha 04:05 ABY 122 Sharjah 21:00 ABY 127 Sharjah 14:55 MSR 613 Cairo 04:15 KNE 461 Riyadh 21:10 RJD 135 Abu Dhabi 15:00 MSC 406 Sohag 05:00 MEA 403 Beirut 21:15 KAC 788 Jeddah 15:00 JZR 560 Sohag 05:00 JZR 554 Alexandria 21:15 KNE 462 Madinah 15:05 QTR 1085 Doha 05:20 JAD 302 Amman 21:35 OMA 645 Muscat 15:15 RJA 643 Amman 06:35 MSR 607 Luxor 21:40 KAC 1802 Cairo 15:35 THY 771 Istanbul 06:50 DHX 171 Bahrain 21:50 UAE 857 Dubai 15:45 GFA 212 Bahrain 06:50 ETD 308 Abu Dhabi 22:05 NIA 251 Alexandria 15:50 JZR 324 Al Najaf 07:55 FDB 074 Dubai 22:10 RJA 640 Amman 15:55 BAW 156 London 08:30 ALK 230 Colombo 22:20 ETD 303 Abu Dhabi 16:00 JZR 778 Jeddah 08:30 KAC 381 Delhi 22:20 KNE 472 Jeddah 16:00 KAC 1801 Cairo 09:00 UAE 860 Dubai 22:25 JZR 535 Cairo 16:05 JZR 534 Cairo 09:15 KLM 415 Dammam/Amsterdam 22:25 FDB 051 Dubai 16:10 KAC 671 Dubai 09:25 KAC 349 Kochi 22:30 KAC 512 Mashhad 16:10 KAC 787 Jeddah 09:30 KAC 301 Mumbai 22:30 QTR 1072 Doha 16:20 ABY 126 Sharjah 09:45 QTR 1075 Doha 22:40 KAC 118 New York 16:30 UAE 856 Dubai 09:50 GFA 220 Bahrain 22:45 KNE 474 Jeddah 16:55 ETD 302 Abu Dhabi 10:00 KAC 205 Islamabad 22:50 KAC 562 Amman 17:00 KAC 101 London/New York 10:00 ETD 310 Abu Dhabi 23:00 IRA 669 Tehran 17:10 RJA 649 Amman 10:15 KNE 471 Jeddah 23:05 SVA 510 Riyadh 17:15 KAC 511 Mashhad 10:20 KAC 411 Bangkok/Manila 23:25 UAL 982 IAD 17:25 IRM 1181 Mashhad 10:25 MSC 408 Sohag 23:45 JZR 357 Mashhad 17:30 FDB 056 Dubai 10:40 FDB 060 Dubai 23:50 Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw) SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015

74. Of or relating to Linnaeus or to the system of of taxonomic classifi- Word Search Puzzles CROSSWORD 953 cation that he proposed. 77. Water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere. 78. A beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water. 79. Time for play or diversion. 80. A small amount of residue.

DOWN 1. Ditch dug as a fortification and usually filled with water. 2. Used as a Hindi courtesy title. 3. (old-fashioned) At or from or to a great distance. 4. Small voraciously carnivorous freshwater fishes of South America that attack and destroy living animals. 5. Pertaining to one of the small sacs (as in a compound gland). 6. Egyptian statesman who (as President of Egypt) negotiated a peace treaty with Menachem Begin of Israel (1918-1981). 7. Minute single-celled green freshwater organism having a single fla- gella. 8. A sweetened beverage of diluted fruit juice. 9. A slight amount or degree of difference. 10. Angular distance above the horizon (especially of a celestial object). 11. Lean end of the neck. 12. (aeronautical) Pertaining to the tail section of a plane. 13. God of fire. 14. Cattle that are reared for their meat. 20. God of wealth and love. 22. A coffee cake flavored with orange rind and raisins and almonds. ACROSS 23. Large brownish-green New Zealand parrot. 1. A master's degree in business. 25. A thermosetting resin. 4. Turn into cheese, of milk. 27. The bivalent radical UO2 which forms salts with acids. 11. A thrusting blow with a knife. 28. Resembling or characteristic of a prophet or prophecy. 15. An awkward stupid person. 30. A manservant who acts as a personal attendant to his employer. 16. (zoology) Lacking a tail or taillike appendage. 31. Wear away through erosion or vaporization. 17. An enclosure made or wire or metal bars in which birds or animals 32. Alligator-like reptile of Central and South America having a more heavily armored belly. Yesterday’s Solution are kept. 18. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth. 34. Any of numerous local fertility and nature deities worshipped by 19. Having a ridge or shaped like a ridge or the keel of a ship. ancient Semitic peoples. 21. Any of the scrolled spongy bones of the nasal passages in man and 35. Wood of a sumac. other vertebrates. 37. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with veg- 24. Make less active or intense. etables. 26. Hold back. 39. A unit of acoustic absorption equivalent to the absorption by a 29. An ugly evil-looking old woman. square foot of a surface that absorbs all incident sound. 33. A republic in the Middle East in western Asia. 40. Derived by copying something else. 36. Jordan's port. 42. An intelligent dog with a heavy curly solid-colored coat that is usu- 38. A form of rummy using two decks and four jokers. ally clipped. 41. A transuranic element that has not been found in nature. 47. The 13th letter of the Greek alphabet. 43. (Norse mythology) Goddess of old age who defeated Thor in a 49. Insectivorous usually semiaquatic web-footed amphibian with wrestling match. smooth moist skin and long hind legs. 44. (prefix) Opposite or opposing or neutralizing. 52. State capital of New York. 45. A constellation in the southern hemisphere near Telescopium and 56. A state in midwestern United States. Norma. 57. British composer (1857-1934). 46. A ray of moonlight. 59. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the 48. A language of Australian aborigines. Rhine. 50. Howler monkeys. 60. Designer drug designed to have the effects of amphetamines (it 51. Verse in the meter used in Greek and Latin poetry consisting of floods the brain with serotonin) but to avoid the drug laws. strophes of 4 tetrametric lines. 62. A former copper coin of Pakistan. 53. Half the width of an em. 63. Advanced in years. 54. The compass point that is midway between north and northeast. 65. One of a set of small pieces of stiff paper marked in various ways 55. A user interface in which you type commands instead of choosing and used for playing games or for telling fortunes. them from a menu or selecting an icon. 66. A member of an Iroquoian people formerly living on the south 58. The language of the nomadic Lapp people in northern Scandinavia shore of Lake Erie in northern Ohio and northwest Pennsylvania and and the Kola Peninsula. western New York. 61. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad. 67. North American woodland herb similar to and used as substitute 64. Imperial moths. for the Chinese ginseng. 68. A genus of Ploceidae. 69. Any high mountain. 70. Medium-sized tree having glossy lanceolate leaves. 71. A plant hormone promoting elongation of stems and roots. 72. A city in northern India. 75. Being nine more than forty. 73. A human limb. 76. A Mid-Atlantic state.

Daily SuDoku Yesterday’s Solution Yesterday’s Solution SPORTS SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015 Marlins rally past Giants, Twins win

MIAMI: Jose Fernandez’s comeback required a come- back. The precocious right-hander shook off a rocky start in his return from Tommy John surgery, pitching six innings and hitting a homer Thursday to help the Miami Marlins rally past the San Francisco Giants 5-4 and complete a three-game sweep. The first two batters to face Fernandez scored, and he screamed at himself as he walked off the mound to end the first inning. After that, Fernandez (1-0) found the form that made him the 2013 NL Rookie of the Year. Pitching for the first time since May 9, 2014, he went six innings and allowed three runs. AJ Ramos pitched a perfect ninth for his 12th save in 15 chances. The sweep was the first in a series of at least three games for Miami at home against the Giants since 1999. Fernandez outpitched Matt Cain (0- 1), who was also making his 2015 debut. Cain, side- lined last July by an elbow injury that required sur- gery, allowed five runs in five innings.

TWINS 2, ROYALS 0 Kyle Gibson threw eight innings of four-hit ball, Danny Santana and Eduardo Escobar had RBI triples, and Minnesota beat AL Central-leading Kansas City. MIAMI: Marlins relief pitcher Carter Capps (22) throws to the San Francisco Giants during the eighth inning of a baseball game.The Gibson (6-6) stranded a pair of runners in the Marlins won 5-4. —AP eighth before turning the lead over to Glen Perkins, who remained perfect in 26 save attempts. Perkins is ble trade deadline target this month, Kazmir struck Pittsburgh. The Braves won their second straight to came home on a single by Rougned Odor. Gallardo two saves shy of matching Eddie Guardado (116) for out seven and hit a batter while improving to 5-0 in earn a rare series victory over NL East-leading gave up two hits and three walks over six innings to third-most in Twins history. seven starts against the AL West this season. Washington, which dropped to 9-3 against Atlanta extend his run of shutout innings to 29 1/3 - the The Royals’ Chris Young (7-4) dodged trouble for this year. Jason Grilli (3-3) pitched a perfect ninth for longest streak in the majors this year and fourth- most of 5 1/3 innings, the only run he allowed coming PIRATES 8, TIGERS 4 the win. longest in franchise history. Keone Kela (5-5) got two on a triple by Santana in the fifth. The big, lanky right- Francisco Liriano pitched seven shutout innings in outs and Shawn Tolleson worked a perfect ninth to hander turned over a 1-0 deficit to the game’s best a rare victory over Detroit as Pittsburgh finished a DIAMONDBACKS 8, ROCKIES 1 complete the three-hitter and earn his 12th save. bullpen, but his offense was unable to bail him out. three-game sweep. Liriano (5-6) came into the game David Peralta had a tiebreaking, two-run triple Kansas City has lost four straight. with a 1-9 record in his last 14 games against Detroit, with two outs in the sixth inning for Arizona, helping CUBS 6, METS 1 including 11 starts. He allowed five hits and three Jeremy Hellickson to his fourth straight win at home. Jonathan Herrera filled in neatly for Kris Bryant, PADRES 5, CARDINALS 3 walks in his first victory over the Tigers since August Hellickson (6-5) held the Rockies to a run on three driving in three runs with a squeeze bunt and homer Will Venable hit a pinch-hit two-run home run in 15, 2011. Neil Walker had his second straight four-hit hits in seven innings, striking out six in his first appear- that sent Jake Arrieta and Chicago past feeble New the top of the 11th inning and San Diego snapped a game for Pittsburgh and drove in three runs. Mark ance against Colorado. AJ Pollock led off the sixth York for a three-game sweep. Miguel Montero also three-game losing streak with a victory over suddenly Melancon came on to get the final out and his 25th with a home run. Rockies third baseman Nolan homered as the Cubs beat the Mets for a team-record scuffling St. Louis. Venable had been 1 for 17 coming save. Kyle Ryan (1-2) took the loss, giving up two runs Arenado’s first of two errors prolonged the inning ninth time in a row, and finished 7-0 against them this off the bench before connecting on the first pitch on three hits and five walks in four-plus innings. before Peralta sent a hard grounder down the right season. Arrieta (8-5) pitched eight sharp innings, help- from Carlos Villanueva (3-3) after the Padres success- Tigers manager Brad Ausmus was ejected in the fifth field line to drive in Welington Castillo and Aaron Hill. ing extend the Cubs’ shutout string to 25 innings fully challenged a fair-foul ruling that resulted in a inning by home-plate umpire Sam Holbrook for argu- Yasmany Tomas continued to have success before the Mets managed their only run of this series. ground-rule double by Clint Barmes. The ball ing a called third strike on J.D. Martinez. against the Rockies, lacing a two-run double in the Arrieta gave up five hits, walked none and struck appeared to tick the line as right fielder Jason seventh off reliever Scott Oberg. Tomas is 12 for 30 out seven. The crowd booed several times as New Heyward made an unsuccessful attempt at a sliding BRAVES 2, NATIONALS 1 (.400 average) with three doubles and 10 runs batted York kept making weak outs and breaking their bats. catch near the stands. Venable followed with his sixth Cameron Maybin drove in the go-ahead run with in in seven games against Colorado this season. Hill Jacob deGrom (8-6) doubled and scored for the Mets, homer of the year. Shawn Kelley (1-2) had four strike- a chopper against Max Scherzer that bounced over capped off the four-run seventh with a two-run who have totaled a mere 23 runs in 14 games. outs in two scoreless innings and Craig Kimbrel third base in the ninth inning, lifting Atlanta to a victo- double. Peralta, Pollock and Paul Goldschmidt had earned his 20th save in 21 chances. Heyward and ry over Washington. two hits each. INDIANS 5, RAYS 4 Matt Carpenter had two hits and an RBI apiece for the Pinch-hitter Pedro Ciriaco began the Atlanta ninth Mike Aviles homered on the first pitch of the 10th Cardinals. with an infield single, beating shortstop Danny RANGERS 2, ORIOLES 0 inning, giving Cleveland a victory and four-game Espinosa’s throw to stop a string of 10 in a row retired Leonys Martin ended a scoreless duel with an RBI sweep over Tampa Bay. RED SOX 12, BLUE JAYS 6 by Scherzer (9-6). He advanced to second on Jace single in the ninth inning, and Texas beat Baltimore Corey Kluber struck out 14 over eight innings. David Ortiz and Hanley Ramirez had consecutive Peterson’s sacrifice and scored on Maybin’s single. behind a dominant pitching performance by Yovani Brian Shaw (1-1) pitched one scoreless inning for the homers in an eight-run first inning, Xander Bogaerts Scherzer (9-6) allowed five hits and struck out nine in Gallardo and three relievers. win, and Cody Allen struck out the side in the 10th to had four hits and Boston beat Toronto. his third complete game in his last four starts. The After Shin-Soo Choo led off the ninth with a walk earn his 15th save in 16 opportunities. Tampa Bay Brock Holt also had four hits and Bogaerts drove in right-hander is 3-1 with a 1.05 ERA during the domi- from Chaz Roe (2-1) and moved up on a bunt, Martin struck out a franchise-record 19 times in the game. two runs as the last-place Red Sox took three of four nant stretch, including a no-hitter June 20 against ended a 4-for-34 slump with a single to center. Martin Aviles homered off Xavier Cedeno (1-0), extending from Toronto. Boston had a season-high 19 hits. Tampa Bay’s losing streak to five games. Michael Mookie Betts had two hits before teammate Wade Brantley had a RBI single and sacrifice fly for the Miley (8-7) threw a pitch. Miley won for the third time MLB results/standings Indians, who also got run-scoring singles from Jason in four starts and snapped a five-start losing streak Kipnis and Francisco Lindor. Matched up against lefty Matt Moore, who was against AL East opponents. Miley allowed four runs Miami 5, San Francisco 4; Cleveland 5, Tampa Bay 4 (10 innings); Pittsburgh 8, Detroit 4; Chicago and seven hits in five innings, walking a season-high making his first start since undergoing Tommy John Cubs 6, NY Mets 1; Milwaukee 8, Philadelphia 7 (11 innings); Texas 2, Baltimore 0; Boston 12, surgery in April 2014, Kluber allowed four runs and seven. Toronto 6; Atlanta 2, Washington 1; San Diego 5, St. Louis 3 (11 innings); Minnesota 2, Kansas City Ortiz hit a three-run homer in Boston’s opening 0; Arizona 8, Colorado 1; Oakland 4, Seattle 0. seven hits. He struck out the side in the seventh and eighth innings. inning and Ramirez followed with a second-deck American League National League blast, the fourth time this season the Red Sox have Eastern Division Eastern Division BREWERS 8, PHILLIES 7 gone back-to-back. W L PCT GB Washington 43 36 .544 - Blue Jays starter Matt Boyd didn’t record an out in Baltimore 42 37 .532 - NY Mets 40 40 .500 3.5 Adam Lind hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the 11th his second big league start, leaving after the first sev- NY Yankees 42 37 .532 - Atlanta 38 41 .481 5 inning to help Milwaukee beat Philadelphia to com- Tampa Bay 42 39 .519 1 en batters reached safely. Miami 34 46 .425 9.5 plete a four-game sweep. Toronto 42 39 .519 1 Philadelphia 27 54 .333 17 The Brewers blew leads of 4-0, 5-2 and 7-4 but still Boston 37 44 .457 6 ATHLETICS 4, MARINERS 0 Central Division won their fifth straight game in a matchup of teams Central Division St. Louis 51 27 .654 - Scott Kazmir pitched eight sparkling innings, Kansas City 44 32 .579 - with the two worst records in the majors. Minnesota 42 37 .532 3.5 Pittsburgh 45 33 .577 6 Jonathan Lucroy opened the 11th with a double Marcus Semien homered for the first time in nearly Chicago Cubs 42 35 .545 8.5 two months, and Oakland beat Seattle. Detroit 39 39 .500 6 off Luis Garcia (2-3) and advanced to third on Ryan Cleveland 37 41 .474 8 Cincinnati 36 41 .468 14.5 Braun’s groundout. Lind then singled up the middle Josh Phegley had a two-run single and Mark Chicago White Sox 34 42 .447 10 Milwaukee 33 48 .407 19.5 Canha added an RBI triple for the A’s, who ended a to break the tie. Western Division Western Division Michael Blazek (5-2) tossed two scoreless innings five-game losing streak against the Mariners. Houston 47 34 .580 - LA Dodgers 45 35 .563 - Kazmir (5-5) retired 21 of his first 22 batters, allow- LA Angels 41 38 .519 5 San Francisco 42 38 .525 3 for the win. Francisco Rodriguez finished for his 18th ing only a one-out double to Franklin Gutierrez on a Texas 41 39 .513 5.5 Arizona 38 41 .481 6.5 save in 18 tries. Cody Asche hit a two-run homer and 1-2 pitch in the fifth. Gutierrez also singled leading off Seattle 36 43 .456 10 San Diego 38 43 .469 7.5 was one of four Phillies with three hits. Odubel Oakland 37 45 .451 10.5 the eighth but was erased on a double play. A possi- Colorado 34 45 .430 10.5 Herrera, Cesar Hernandez and Freddy Galvis all had three hits each. Both teams had 16 hits. — AP SPORTS SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015 Cancellara faces tough Test for Tour opener

UTRECHT: Veteran Fabian Cancellara will have his work cut out if he is to begin his 10th Tour de France in yellow following today’s 13.8km timetrial. The 102nd edition of the Grand Boucle starts with a short race against the clock around Utrecht in the Netherlands. The ‘fantastic four’ overall favourites of champion Vincenzo Nibali, Giro d’Italia laureate Alberto Contador and the two men they suc- ceeded, Chris Froome (2013 Tour winner) and Nairo Quintana (Giro victor in 2014) are unlikely to challenge for the victory on Saturday, although they will be looking to make time gains or limit losses against each other. Of the quartet, Froome is widely regarded as the strongest time- triallist and Quintana the weakest, so the race will be on to see how much time Briton can put into the Colombian. But at the front of the race, Cancellara, 34, will be aiming to win an opening Tour stage or prologue for the sixth time, and don the famous yellow jersey for perhaps the last time. The Swiss known as Spartacus admitted this could be his last Tour. “I thought about this could be my last participation and last possibility to arrive in Paris, yes this is in my mind,” he said Thursday. Cancellara is probably not the favourite, though, despite his incredi- ble timetrial record, winning Olympic gold in 2008 and four world titles. German Tony Martin has surpassed Cancellara in recent years as the king of the timetrials, winning three straight world titles from 2011-2013 before he was beaten by current Olympic champion Bradley Wiggins last year. UTRECHT: Great Britain’s Christopher Froome rides towards the stage for the team presentation ceremony at Martin rarely loses a timetrial and has won three at the Tour since Lepelenburg park before the 102nd edition of the Tour de France cycling race. — AFP 2011 — missing out only in 2012 when Wiggins again was in his pomp. Martin won timetrials at the Volta ao Algarve and Tour de Romandie earlier this year and those were similarly short at 19km and Nibali hoping to turn cool 17km respectively. But perhaps the smart money will be on Dutchman Tom Dumoulin who is riding at home. He is a growing force in timetrials spring into hot summer and beat Cancellara in two races against the clock at the recent Tour of Switzerland. He was third at the timetrial world championships last year, 40 seconds behind Wiggins. UTRECHT: Reigning champion Vincenzo ly veiled suggestion that the Movistar doping problems, Nibali insisted he and his And while he may not yet be able to beat Martin over a similar Nibali admitted yesterday that he has been leader was training back in his homeland to teammates had always remained calm distance to that-it was a 47km course in Ponferrada-over the shorter unhappy with his season so far, but insisted avoid being tested for doping. throughout the year, despite the possibility distance and roared on by a partisan crowd, many feel Dumoulin he is still on course to retain the Tour de “My intention wasn’t to discredit an of the Kazakh outfit’s World Tour licence could have the edge. France title. important country like Colombia in ques- being revoked. The 24-year-old is looking forward to the challenge. “It will be On the eve of the Grand Depart in tioning where Quintana was,” explained “We had problems at the beginning of really, really special and we saw last year in England when we started Utrecht with Saturday’s 13.8km timetrial, Nibali. “It was about knowing where every- the year when the media spoke a lot and there it was absolutely incredible to have all the crowds there and I Nibali pulled no punches about the tough one else is and seeing how many media there were many rumours, but nothing ever hope it will be the same or even better here,” he said. start he’s had to the current campaign, in were following our training when in Teide, happened. Our licence was in question but Other potential winners include Australia’s Rohan Dennis and which he had not yet won a race until last San Pellegrino or at the Dauphine. it was never revoked,” said Nibali. “We paid Mathias Brandle of Austria. Both briefly held the world hour record weekend’s Italian championships. “It was just a simple ‘we don’t know with this whole problem for two riders who recently before Wiggins stretched that out to a mark that will be hard “It was a difficult spring because I didn’t where Quintana is because we haven’t seen were doped, but we can’t respond to errors to match. Brandle managed 51.852km in October last year but just have any wins and wasn’t able to find the him since (the Tour de) Romandie’. “It we haven’t made. over three months later Dennis pushed it out to 52.491km, although right conditions to win,” said the 30-year- wasn’t a controversy, just a way of saying “We kept working serenely and with that mark lasted less than three months before Britain’s Alex Dowsett old Sicilian. “Even from winning the Tour we haven’t seen him since Romandie. I’m commitment, and we arrive at the Tour de added another 500m and then Wiggins put 1.5km on top of that. last year, it wasn’t easy to get going again in sorry if the question was taken the wrong France with the right motivation and the In fact, Dowsett is another who could be in contention on the new season. way. desire to do well, peddle hard and enjoy it.” Saturday and all three could pull a surprise on the likes of Martin, “But with my coach Paolo Slongo we “For me he’s one of the favourites, if not Kazkah brothers Maxim and Valentin Cancellara and Dumoulin. managed to find the ideal preparation and the absolute favourite.” Quintana had react- Iglinsky both tested positive for EPO last As for Froome, Contador, Nibali and Quintana, it will be a first training before the Tour, just like last year, ed angrily when asked about Nibali’s ques- year while three riders from the team’s feed- chance to gain a psychological boost in the race for the yellow jersey, and now we’ll see at the Tour.” tion, fuming to Het Nieuwsblad newspaper: er Continental Tour outfit also failed dope which will likely be decided in the high mountains in the final week. Nibali also moved to backtrack on his “We are talking about Colombia as if it were tests. The International Cycling Union (UCI) There will also be a few outsiders, including the likes of young barb aimed at Tour rival Nairo Quintana, in a country lost in the jungle, far from any- recommended that Astana’s licence be French pair Romain Bardet and Thibaut Pinot who will be eager to show they have the form to make a charge for a podium finish. which he questioned where the Colombian thing or anyone. You can rest assured that I revoked but that was rejected by its own And with temperatures expected to hit around 35 degrees celsius climber had been preparing for the Tour- have undergone and passed tests there.” licence commission, although Astana were (95 fahrenheit), Saturday’s stage promises to be a scorcher. — AFP something that was seen by many as a thin- Speaking about his own team Astana’s put under greater scrutiny. —AFP African cyclists ready to embellish landscape

UTRECHT: When five African cyclists stood wildcard from cycling’s governing body the is the team leader with Britain’s time trial “Now we have to find a strategy which on a podium in Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum UCI. Hard-nosed cynics might sneer-after all expert Steve Cummings and Serge Pauwels can help them. “The goal of our team this in front of Rembrandt’s masterpiece The positive PR for a race tarnished by scandal from Belgium completing a lineup that will year is to make an impression, to ride Night Watch this week Douglas Ryder prob- down the years is priceless. But accusations target a stage win. aggressively, be visible. We have to take lit- ably pinched himself. of tokenism would be grossly unfair to the The team’s German sports director Jens tle pieces of the cake. If you look at the 21 Former Olympic cyclist Ryder is the man ceaseless efforts of 42-year-old Ryder and Zemke said the rookie Africans will have stages there are only four or five maybe who a decade ago took on a small continen- the cyclists who will wear the colours of the “goose bumps” when they speed through where the smaller teams can survive in a tal African team and dreamed of turning it Rainbow Nation on their backs on Stage 14 the thousands who will line the route of the breakaway. “But the goal will be a stage vic- into one capable of competing in the to mark Nelson Mandela Day. prologue in Utrecht on Saturday, but they tory.” Should that happen, the sound of world’s greatest races. On Saturday, 50km In their ranks will be the first two have earned the right to ride. cheering from some of those in African down the road in Utrecht, nine men kitted Eritreans to compete in the Tour — 21-year- Teklehaimanot won the climber’s jersey townships and villages who have received out in the distinctive black and white striped old Merhawi Kudus, the youngest rider in in the prestigious Criterium du Dauphine bicycles from the Qhubeka Foundation-the jerseys of MTN Qhubeka will roll down the the race, and national champion Daniel last month while 23-year-old Meintjes was heart of what the team is about-might well ramp for the start of a Tour de France adven- Teklehaimanot. They will be joined by South sixth in the Tour of Oman and 11th in the be heard in Paris. Qhubeka in Nguni means ture few believed possible. Africans Jacques Janse van Rensburg, broth- Liege-Bastogne-Liege. “What can they “to progress” or “move forward” and so far The team, funded by a South African er Reinardt and Louis Meintjes. Experienced achieve? Their dream has already come true, 220,000 bicycles have gone to people who mobile phone giant, is the first from Africa to American Tyler Farrar will act as “road cap- the dream to take part in the biggest cycling take part in community-based activities, compete in the Tour having been handed a tain” while Norway’s Edvald Boasson Hagen race in the world,” Zemke told Reuters. helping them travel to school. —Reuters SPORTS SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015

No rocking chair and slippers yet for Laura

LONDON: If anyone imagined Laura the top four in the Solheim Cup points ment victories in a glittering career. the short game is not even close. Davies was ready to reach out for her rock- table and the leading four in the world “Look at Monty,” said Davies, “he was “I used to miss a green and it was an ing chair and slippers they had better think rankings while Swedish captain Carin Koch doing really well at the U.S. Open the other automatic up and down, it’s maybe one again because the 51-year-old has her also has four wildcard selections up her week. I know he fell away but it doesn’t out of 10 now whereas before it was nine sights on playing in September’s Solheim sleeve. Davies is already the oldest com- matter how old you are if you can still play. out of 10,” explained Davies who is without Cup and the 2017 edition. The former petitor to feature for Europe in the “The biggest one ever was Tom Watson a Ladies European Tour victory since she world number one was outside the top women’s equivalent of the Ryder Cup, hav- at the age of 59 at Turnberry,” she said, reeled off five tournament wins in 2010. eight automatic qualifiers for the biennial ing been 47 when she played in the win- referring to the American’s playoff defeat “It’s hugely frustrating. All I can do is team event going into this week’s ning side of 2011. If she can make the team by his compatriot Stewart Cink in the 2009 keep practising, I don’t go to the range European Masters at the Buckinghamshire that will go for an historic third straight vic- British Open. “I’m 51 and I’m playing at much these days... I just go to the golf Golf Club on the outskirts of London but tory at St Leon Rot in Germany this year, Turnberry this year,” added Davies of this course and practise chipping and putting.” there is no doubting the British veteran’s the Englishwoman will surpass Koch’s cap- month’s Women’s British Open. First, Davies would be an automatic choice as intentions. taincy counterpart Juli Inkster who was 51 though, she needs to iron out some glaring a future Solheim Cup captain but has never “I think I’m good enough to be among years and two months when she represent- deficiencies in her game. shown any sign of being a contender for the top 12 players in Europe but it’s all ed the US in 2011. “I’m playing well, I’m hitting it good but that role and, to borrow a memorable about results and the results aren’t good “I don’t mind those sort of records not putting well enough and not chipping quote from former British Prime Minister enough at the moment,” Davies told because the fact I’m still being considered well enough,” said Davies who shot a 71 to Margaret Thatcher, “the lady’s not for turn- Reuters in an interview. means I can still play,” said Davies who lie five strokes off the first-round lead held ing”. “I’m 10th on the points list and I need to turns 52 in October. by Frenchwoman Sophie Giquel-Bettan at “I still want to play in it,” she said. be fourth. I’m thinking down the road for The modern-day achievements of fel- the Buckinghamshire on Thursday. “Maybe when I absolutely think I have no the next Solheim Cup as well, I’m not giv- low golden oldies Tom Watson and Colin “I think my game tee to green is as good chance of playing in it my view might ing up on that at all.” Montgomerie are extra motivating factors as it was in 1996 when I was at my very change but I doubt it because it just The automatic qualifiers will come from for the player who has amassed 80 tourna- best. The ball-striking is almost as good but doesn’t interest me.”—Reuters

As Cuba opens, developers tee up to build golf courses Woods fires his best

HAVANA: A British real estate developer plans to break ground early next year on Communist-run Cuba’s first luxury golf resort, a $500 million project that would be the largest private foreign round of the season investment on the island since the fall of the Soviet Union. With relations improving between the United States and Cuba, tourism and real estate are seen by many businesses as the ST. ANDREWS: Tiger Woods shot his most interesting investments, and the race is on to get in. lowest score in 16 months, a four-under- Ian Livingstone, co-executive chairman of London & Regional, par 66 that left him four strokes behind said in a telephone interview from London that construction leader Scott Langley after the opening would begin in the first quarter of 2016 in conjunction with an round of the Greenbrier Classic on international building firm yet to be named. Cuba currently has Thursday. Though conditions were rela- just one 18-hole golf course, but the Caribbean island’s tively easy on Greenbrier’s rain-softened Communist government says it wants to eventually have at least Old White Course, the round was a wel- 12 golf resorts. come reprieve for Woods, whose shock- “People are desperate to buy in Cuba but they need some ing slump over the past year raised reassurance at this stage and that means a reputable company questions of whether he ever again such as ours,” Livingston said. “It is important we get the right would be competitive. quality because Cuba wants to start attracting more high-end Two weeks before the British Open at tourists.” Aside from an 18-hole course, plans include a marina, St. Andrews, where he has won twice, 100-room luxury hotel and more than 1,000 privately owned the 39-year-old former world number beach front condominiums and villas.The state enterprise one declared he was “very close” to hit- Palmares SA has a 51 percent stake in the project, as it does with ting top form. other planned golf resorts. In exchange for its majority stake, “People think I’m crazy when I say I’m Palmares grants land with no property claims attached and close but I felt like I was close,” Woods allows a renewable 99-year lease on condos and villas. told PGATour.com after a round that Besides the London & Regional project, Palmares signed final included seven birdies, one bogey and a papers last month with the Beijing Enterprise Group for a similar double-bogey in White Sulphur Springs, project, Jose Alonso, the tourism ministry’s business director, told West Virginia. “This past week was a official media last week. He said a third project would be signed good week (of practice) and today I hit later this year, without naming the developer, and that two addi- the ball well all day until a couple of tee tional developments were being negotiated with unnamed shots at the end, tugged a couple.” Spanish firms, also with between 1,000 and 2,000 condominiums Woods described as “stupid” his dou- and villas for sale. “Investors and important hotel operators are ble-bogey at the par-four sixth, his 15th arriving who never came before,” Alonso said, referring to the hole, where he left his approach in the thaw in US relations. bunker, but he roared back like his old The United States and Cuba on Wednesday agreed to reopen self to finish with three consecutive embassies and restore diplomatic relations as of July 20, and US birdies. Secretary of State John Kerry said he would come to Havana for a “I was hitting the ball too well to end flag-raising ceremony. Cuba received 3 million tourists last year up one-under,” said Woods, who went and reported a 15 percent increase in arrivals over the first four on to card his best score since a five- months of 2015. More Americans are coming after President under 65 in the third round of last year’s Obama loosened, but did not lift, travel restrictions in January. Honda Classic. While Cuba has talked about such resorts for years, financing It might be dangerous to read too has proved perhaps the biggest obstacle. But Livingston said, much into one good round, as it has been less than four weeks since Woods “We are not investing other people’s money, it is our own private WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS: Tiger Woods reacts to a missed birdie putt money.” London & Regional, owned by Livingston and his broth- shot the worst score of his career, an 85 er, has a portfolio valued at well over $10 billion and assets val- at the Memorial tournament in Ohio, on the 14th green during the first round of the Greenbrier Classic golf ued at some $1.5 billion, he said. and then missed the cut at the US Open. tournament. —AP Despite the restoration of diplomatic relations, the US embar- But he sounded positively giddy as go prohibits Americans from visiting Cuba as tourists or purchas- he spoke to the media on Thursday, say- said after hitting 10 of 14 fairways and 62 for a one-stroke lead over compa- ing homes. US President Barack Obama could restore diplomatic ing that the “overall pattern shift” that needing only 25 putts. “It’s finally start- triot Jonathan Byrd and New ties on his own and take further executive action to weaken the he started working on at the Memorial ing to click in now.” Zealand’s Danny Lee. On a day when embargo, but only Congress can lift the embargo completely. In was starting to bear fruit. While Woods understandably 95 players broke par, defending the meantime, US developers and hotel companies are also pro- “I just had to make a couple of grabbed the limelight, American champion Angel Cabrera struggled to hibited from operating in Cuba.—Reuters tweaks and I felt like I pulled that off,” he Scott Langley compiled eight-under a one-over 71. —Reuters SPORTS SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015 Formula One ditches refueling plan

SILVERSTONE: Formula One has abandoned contro- about refuelling narrowing the strategy options were tions on driver aids. versial plans to reintroduce refuelling from 2017 after also raised. “There were some very important decisions made, teams decided it would not be a good move, Force A Strategy Group meeting on Wednesday formally quickly and efficiently to deal with issues in Formula India deputy principal Bob Fernley said yesterday. “The shelved the idea, and there was no mention of refu- One from Austria in terms of penalties. I thought we view collectively was that it’s not going to improve the elling-which would require heavy rigs and extra pit did a good job with all of that,” he said. show and the decision was not to go forward with crew to operate them-in a statement issued on “There are three or four initiatives, if you like, that that,” he told Reuters at the British Grand Prix. Thursday. Instead, it mentioned a proposal to increase now need to go through the process. “Initially, those The proposal to bring back refuelling was raised at the race fuel allowance. have to go through the engine manufacturers, the a meeting of the sport’s Strategy Group in May as part Fernley said the refuelling proposal had stemmed FIA, the commercial rights holder or a combination of measures to make cars faster and Formula One from a desire to increase engine horsepower, which of them to see if they have got merit and can go to more exciting for both drivers and fans. would require more fuel and either bigger tanks or the the next stage, which is for the teams to evaluate.” However, the initial enthusiasm waned when some chance to put more in during the race. They include possible changes to the qualifying and questioned why something that was banned in 2010 The Force India boss said the latest Strategy Group race weekend formats for 2016. Fernley said many of for reasons of cost and safety should be revived at a meeting had been constructive, particularly in over- the suggestions were “purely a conceptual idea” at time when teams were trying to save money. Concerns hauling power unit penalties and increasing restric- present. —Reuters

Four nations in 2023 World Cup bid race

LONDON: France, Ireland, Italy and South Africa have been con- firmed as the four nations who will bid for the right to stage the 2023 World Cup, World Rugby-the sport’s global governing body, announced yesterday. The quartet all submitted formal expressions of interest before last month’s deadline. A decision on which country will stage the 2023 World Cup will be made in May 2017 after a tender deadline in June next year. South Africa staged the World Cup in 1995, when the Springboks won the tournament on home soil, while France played host to the 2007 edition. However, neither Ireland nor Italy, two of Europe’s elite Six Nations along with France, have been the main hosts of a Rugby World Cup. “The candidate hosts now have a year to benefit from detailed knowledge-sharing and preparation, including digesting the detailed tender requirements and observing Rugby World Cup 2015 hosting, before the confirmation to tender deadline of June 2016,” said Rugby World Cup tournament director Alan Gilpin in a statement. “The announcement of the Rugby World Cup 2023 host in May 2017 will also provide the successful union with six years to pre- pare for the delivery of the event and maximise the benefits of SILVERSTONE; German Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg rounds Luffied corner during a practice session before the observing the delivery of Japan 2019, the first Rugby World Cup British Formula One Grand Prix at Silverstone circuit yesterday. —AP to be hosted in Asia.” World Rugby chairman Bernard Lapasset added: “Rugby World Cup is our flagship event, and must continue to inspire, to reach Rosberg clocks fastest time out and attract new participants and audiences while delivering the financial platform for rugby to continue its record growth. “Hosting should be a true partnership and incentivise and SILVERSTONE: Nico Rosberg knocked team Honda-powered McLaren’s miserable run viable for the organiser. If television audi- excite host countries, and we are currently undertaking an exten- mate Lewis Hamilton off the top of the of form continued with Fernando Alonso and ences go down, Bernie Ecclestone has to trim sive review of the hosting model to strengthen the partnership timesheets in the dying seconds as Mercedes Jenson Button 17th and 18th respectively, down the contracts,” he said. “From then on between host and owner and further the benefits for all as we dominated first practice for the British Grand after spending most of the session in the it becomes a downward spiral. “And for CVC enter an exciting new era for our sport,” the Frenchman said. Prix yesterday. The German, 10 points behind garage, with only the Manor Marussia drivers Capital Partners, the majority shareholders, it South Africa, the only southern hemisphere nation left in the double world champion Hamilton after eight slower than them. Development driver Susie becomes especially difficult when they are 2023 race, wasted little time in declaring its enthusiasm to stage of the season’s 19 races, lapped with a best Wolff made her sole appearance of the week- trying to offload the sport.” the showpiece tournament again, with the 1995 World Cup, time of one minute 34.274 seconds on a end for Williams and was 13th fastest. A Mosley, who was a close ally of Ecclestone where late former president Nelson Mandela walked out for a pre- bright and hot morning at Silverstone. Meanwhile, former FIA president Max Mosley over decades in the sport, said he would allow match presentation ahead of the final wearing a Springbok shirt, Hamilton was a mere 0.070 slower with Toro has warned that Formula One risks serious dif- teams more technical freedom if they adhered providing what has been widely considered to be one of the icon- Rosso’s Dutch teenager Max Verstappen an ficulties unless it changes direction and cuts to a cost cap of about 60 million pounds ic images of the country’s post-apartheid era. impressive third but 1.256 off the pace. costs. ($93.55 million) a season. He also advocated a “Last week the 1995 Springbok Rugby World Cup squad Rosberg, winner of three of the last four “There are no two ways about it, if “drastic rethink” in how the sport made up the regathered to celebrate their momentous victory 20 years ago,” races, had sat out much of the session as Formula One continues on its current path, it rules, describing as “utterly hopeless” the cur- said South African Rugby Union (SARU) chief executive Jurie Roux mechanics changed his car’s gearbox due to a is headed for a major crisis,” the Briton, who rent Strategy Group, which brings together in a statement. “We were reminded what a profound effect the hydraulic fault that stopped him on track with stood down from running the governing the top six teams, commercial rights holders tournament had on this country and the enthusiasm with which just five laps done. He had time for only 12 body in 2009, wrote on the Daily Telegraph and FIA president Jean Todt. this country opened its arms to rugby. laps once the car had been fixed, compared to website. “The futures of six out of 10 teams “The best suggestion I have heard was to “That hunger has been sharpened over the years with a whole Hamilton’s 26, but he made up for lost time by on the grid are uncertain, there is too much scrap the Strategy Group and replace it with generation having grown up envying the experience of their par- getting quickly up to speed. artificiality in the racing, costs are far too high, three independent advisors; people who ents. The South African Rugby Union would very much like to Hamilton, who can expect to have most of and all that is giving us uncompetitive and, at know the sport well but are not partisan,” he give them the opportunity to share our passion for rugby with the the support from an expected 140,000-strong times, boring racing.” The 75-year-old, who said. rest of the world, 28 years on from that famous day.” crowd on Sunday, had an early spin at Stowe regularly urged teams to cut costs during his Mosley listed former Honda and Mercedes SARU said that World Rugby had forecast staging the 2023 without consequence. time in office, suggested the problems could team principal Ross Brawn, race director tournament would boost the hosting nation’s economy by as Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen, who crashed also affect the transfer of ownership from Charlie Whiting and FIA safety commission much as $2.6 billion (R31 billion). heavily in the previous race in Austria, was controlling rights holders CVC Capital president Peter Wright as ideal candidates. It added this far outweighed the expense of staging the tour- fourth fastest with Spaniard Carlos Sainz fifth Partners. Recent reports have indicated RSE “When I was president, by some means or nament, which it said from 2003 to 2015 had cost the host nation for Toro Rosso and Sebastian Vettel sixth in Ventures, which owns the Miami Dolphins another we would push what we wanted between $45 million and $155 million (R552 million to R1.9 bil- the other Ferrari. Germany’s Nico Hulkenberg, NFL team, and Qatar want to buy CVC’s 35.5 through, usually by asking for more than I lion). with the updated Force India getting its first percent stake in Formula One in a deal that actually wanted. I don’t know if Jean is unable The 2015 World Cup in England gets underway when hosts proper run, was ninth fastest behind the Red would be worth $7-8 billion. “Once spectators to do that, but I don’t think he wants to,” said England face Fiji at Twickenham on September 18. —AFP Bulls of Daniel Riciardo and Daniil Kvyat. stop coming, the grands prix are no longer Mosley.—Reuters SPORTS SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015 Rugby’s best sides geared up for fitting finale

WELLINGTON: Wellington Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd predicted that today’s Super Rugby final against the Otago Highlanders is unlikely to be a dour low-scoring contest and based on performances this season he is likely to be right. While New Zealand’s official TAB oddsmakers had offered 250-1 on a Hurricanes-Highlanders final before the competition began, the sides ultimately proved to be the strongest in this season’s tournament. The Hurricanes topped the table on 66 points with 14 wins, while the Highlanders compiled the second-best record but only qualified fourth due to the vagaries of the format that rewards the winners of each of the three respective confer- ences. Jamie Joseph’s side won 11 games in the regular season and actually had a points total of 53, one more than the second-placed NSW Waratahs and eight ahead of the third- placed Stormers. Under Boyd and John Plumtree, the Hurricanes have become one of the most defensively destructive teams in the competition with the third best tackling success, all the while having to make the second-most tackles per game. Their ‘million-dollar backline’, which includes five capped All Blacks and one promoted to the squad for the first time this season, combined with their rangy, ball-han- dling forward pack to help the team finish high up in most ITALY: In this Sept.7, 2014 file photo, Asafa Powell celebrates after winning the men’s 100 meters competi- of the offensive statistics. They scored the most tries, car- tion at the IAAF Grand Prix in Rieti.—AP ried the ball most, made the most clean breaks, beat the most defenders and made the most metres per game. In short, they have finally got the mix of bruising defence and Powell, Lavillenie and Dibaba blistering attack, just right. The Highlanders were second in try-scoring but in the last two weeks have also displayed superb tactical nous to hope to star in Bolt’s absence beat the two-time winners the Waikato Chiefs and then the reigning champions the NSW Waratahs in the semi-finals. PARIS: Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell, focused on, not anyone else,” said Powell, 1500m, 3000m and 5000m, but she will be Both matches were of high intensity and Boyd expects pole vault king Renaud Lavillenie and who will be up against American duo up against compatriot Almaz Ayana at the that level to rise even further on Saturday at Wellington Ethiopian middle distance star Genzebe Michael Rodgers and Ryan Bailey, veteran Stade de France, the latter having run a Regional Stadium. Dibaba are set to light up Paris’ Diamond Kim Collins and teammate Nesta Carter. world leading time of 14:14.32 this season. “I would expect the intensity and pace of the game will League meet today in the absence of “I’ve been very exposed for a long time In field events, world record holder go up another 30 percent,” Boyd said. “But I don’t suspect it injured Usain Bolt. Bolt was a late with- and now I feel very good below the radar,” Renaud Lavillenie will bid to keep the can last for 80 minutes at that pace.” drawal from both the French capital’s meet Powell admitted. “With a view to the home crowd happy in the men’s pole vault, Neither pack will take a backward step with the and that in Lausanne next week, pulling worlds in Beijing, it would be good to run a with one eye firmly fixed on the Beijing Highlanders a true set of no-nonsense grafters, though the out with a problematic pelvis injury that little faster than my times so far this sea- worlds. “Paris is a very interesting date Hurricanes probably edge the loose forward battle with Ardie Savea, Brad Shields and Victor Vito able to bust tack- has left him seeking treatment from world- son.” Fraser-Pryce is promised a tough time because it will be the first meet of a second les and get wide to support their backs. renowned German doctor Hans-Wilhelm in the women’s 100m, having already series,” Lavillenie said. “I’ll compete in five Reggie Goodes and Dane Coles are also incredibly Mueller-Wohlfahrt. notched up the best time of the season straight competitions to find the rhythm mobile for front rowers and adept at stealing the ball in the “He’s the best doctor in the world ...” (10.79sec), a performance equalled by and the benchmarks ahead of the champi- breakdown. While the packs will do their best to set the said Bolt, who is suffering from a blocked American English Gardner, also competing onships.” But he was realistic about vault- platform and the outside backs will provide the razzle-daz- sacroiliac joint in the pelvis which effects in Paris. Ivory Coast’s Murielle Ahoure is ing up to his world record of 6.16m. zle, the flow of the game is likely to come down to the bat- his left leg and could potentially put in leading the IAAF Diamond League ranking “Jumping 6m is never simple,” the tle between the inside back combinations. jeopardy his participation in next month’s while also in the field will be reigning reigning Olympic gold medallist said. “It’s The Hurricanes’ TJ Perenara and Beauden Barrett are World Athletics Championships in Beijing. European champion Dafne Schippers, the important to know that just 18 pole more keen to keep the ball in hand while Aaron Smith and So it falls to 32-year-old Powell to fill Dutch sprinter having brought her person- vaulters have cleared 6m in history. And Lima Sopoaga have utilised a smart tactical kicking game Bolt’s shoes in Paris, while Jamaica’s double al best down to 10.94sec in May. there are only three of us to have pulled off this season that keeps the Highlanders going forward. world and Olympic champion Shelly-Ann There will be an attempt on the world this performance at least five times. In the “They have got a really good kicking game that they Fraser-Pryce also goes in what promises to record in the women’s 5000m, Genzebe Stade de France, it’s often windy and it employ well,” Boyd said. “They play a lot of territory and be a very competitive women’s 100m. “My Dibaba out to better a time of 14min rotates and makes the competitions com- pressure and have a fair old box of tricks on attack, so I personal best is 9.72sec (set in 2008), so at 11.15sec set by her older sister Tirunesh in plicated. However, if conditions are would be surprised if you don’t see something a bit zany at my best I know I can run that. But I want to Oslo in 2008. The younger Dibaba is favourable on Saturday evening, I have to some stage.” —Reuters run another personal best, that’s what I’m already holder of world indoor records over be able to go high.”—AFP Felix may try 200 and 400 metres double at worlds

NEW YORK: Olympic 200 metres gold medallist Allyson Felix tried it before in Daegu and I think we know where our mis- 400m and third in the 200m before running on the winning surprisingly has not ruled out attempting to win both the 200 takes are.” A key to any decision, which is days away, will be 4x100m and 4x400m relays at the 2011 Daegu world champi- and 400 metres at August’s world championships in Beijing, how many relays U.S. coaches want the talented 29-year-old onships. At the 2013 world championships, she pulled up and her coach told Reuters on Thursday. While many had thought sprinter to run in Beijing. crashed to the track during the 200m final with a hamstring the schedule would be too difficult to try both as Felix did in “The USA relay coaches play too many games,” Kersee said. injury. Felix has the speed in the 100, 200 and 400m to do both 2011 at the Daegu worlds under a more favourable pro- “Either you are going to commit Allyson to the 4x100 and relays. gramme, coach Bob Kersee said the two sprint races were still 4x400m relays or you are not.” In his mind, Kersee said, “I think Fastest in the world in the 200 this year, she ranks third in on the table. “Absolutely,” the long-time mentor said in a tele- the relay calls are more important than (the individual races).” the 400 and won the U.S. trials against a top-notch field. To pre- phone interview. Once they are decided, “what we do will come down to two pare for the challenging possibility of doubling, Felix will run a “It’s not that impossible. The difficult day would be (August) relays and one event or two events and one relay,” he said. Felix 200m in Lausanne on July 9, attend the US relay camp in 27th because you would have the semis in the 200m and an won the 200m and ran on the world-record breaking 4x100m Monaco on the 17th and run one or two events in the July 24- hour later the 400m final.” The 200m final will be the next and gold medal winning 4x400m relays at the 2012 London 25 London Diamond League meeting, Kersee said. Then it will evening. “I know a double would be hard,” Kersee said. “But we Olympics. The previous year, she had placed second in the be decision time. —Reuters SPORTS SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015 Karunaratne, Yasir light up final Test

PALLEKELE: Sri Lanka’s Dimuth Karunaratne hit a century amid another rich haul by Pakistani leg-spinner Yasir Shah as the decisive third and final Test began on a rousing note in Pallekele yes- terday. The hosts, sent in to bat after Pakistan captain Misbah-ul Haq won the toss for the third time in a row, stuttered to 272-8 in their first innings by stumps on the opening day. Left-handed Karunaratne anchored Gautam Gambhir the innings with a dogged 130, his sec- ond Test century following the 152 Gambhir happy to buck against New Zealand in Christchurch last December. trends in comeback bid Yasir ended the day with four for 77, taking his tally in the series to 21 wickets, NEW DELHI: Gymnastics and mixed martial arts do not the most by a Pakistani bowler in a three- come naturally to Indian batsmen but former opener Test rubber in Sri Lanka. Gautam Gambhir, toiling in Perth to revive his international Yasir enabled Pakistan to keep the career, does not mind giving them a try if it helps get him runs in check despite conditions favour- back to the top. ing the batsmen on the evenly-paced Once described by former batting partner Virender pitch after the initial moisture on the Sehwag as the best Indian opener since Sunil Gavaskar, wicket had dried up under the hot sun. Gambhir has fallen out of favour with selectors and spent 20 The series is locked 1-1, with Pakistan months in the wilderness before making a brief comeback having won the first Test by 10 wickets in England last year. before Sri Lanka drew level with a seven- However, a highest score of 18 in four innings banished wicket victory in the second match. Gambhir back to test exile, with many blaming the 2009 ICC Pakistan’s bowling coach Mushtaq Test Player of the Year’s decline to technical flaws, especially Ahmed said Yasir turned the game a penchant for poking at deliveries outside off-stump. around after the seamers had wasted the “I know there is a talk about that but I don’t see it as a new ball. “Frankly, we did not use the new demon to be honest,” the 33-year-old Gambhir told Reuters ball well but we recovered through Yasir, in an email interview. who bowled beautifully from the start,” “It’s a mode of dismissal that a lot of left-handers go said Mushtaq, himself a former leg-spin- through and so do right-handers when they face left-arm ner. “If he continues to perform like this, quicks bowling over the wicket,” said Gambhir, currently Pakistan is bound to prosper. It will be training under the watchful eye of former Australia opener really tough to play him in the fourth Justin Langer. “It’s not about ironing the flaws. In fact, I want innings. We are lucky to have a genuine to take my game to invincible levels. That is why I am here,” match winner.” he said of his stint under Langer, also coach of Western Karunaratne said the life in the pitch Australia. should help Sri Lanka when Pakistan bat, “My schedule here is revolved around a lot of batting in but added the team missed the calming the nets and facing up to the Western Australia bowlers. I influence of Kumar Sangakkara. also did a bit of mix martial arts and gymnastics, which was “We depended a lot on Sanga all these fun.” In a way, it seems almost natural that Gambhir should years,” he said. “When he batted, the runs turn to another gutsy left-handed opener to revive his kept flowing. We missed him here. I career. “Similarities yes, but it was more a case of me relat- thought we played well but we gave too ing to his ideology and philosophy,” the Delhi-born player many wickets in the last session.” said. “I met him during the last Champions League and we Sangakkara, the world’s leading cur- PALLEKELE: Sri Lankan cricketer Dimuth Karunaratne (center) plays a shot as spoke about the art, the science and the joy of batting. rent run-getter in Tests, opted out of the Pakistan wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed (left) and Younis Khan (right) looks on “That meeting helped me understand him better and after match since he had committed to play during the opening day of the third and final Test cricket match. — AFP just the first two Tests against Pakistan this year’s IPL, I wanted to work on my game and thought Prasad off successive balls. pace attack. Sri Lanka recalled two left-han- Justin Langer will be the best man for that,” said Gambhir, and two more against India in August before retiring. Opener Kaushal Silva, who Karunaratne was stumped as he ders in Tharanga and 34-year-old Mubarak, who has scored more than 4,000 runs in 56 tests, averaging attempted a big heave and Prasad holed who played the last of his 10 Tests in 42.58. had scored 125 in Galle and 80 in Colombo, was caught behind for nine off out to Yasir at deep square-leg to reduce December 2007 — before any of his cur- left-arm seamer Rahat Ali, who was Sri Lanka to 248-7. rent teammates had made their debut. The HARD YARDS Both sides made four changes each for hosts also left out veteran left-arm spinner The left-hander, who can effortlessly shift gears when on picked alongside Ehsan Ali and Imran Khan in a new-look pace attack. The left- the decider with Pakistan bringing in bats- Rangana Herath and injured fast bowler song, has also scored 5,238 runs in 147 ODIs averaging near- man Shan Masood along with the fresh Dushmantha Chameera. — AFP ly 40 with an 85-plus strike rate. handed pair of Karunaratne and Upul Gambhir was India’s top-scorer in the 2011 World Cup Tharanga put on 91 for the second wicket final victory but could not find a place in the squad for this on either side of lunch to lift the score to SCOREBOARD year’s tournament in Australia and New Zealand. 106 for one, before three wickets fell for “It’s like any other profession when you don’t get good 31 runs. Yasir had Tharanga, who replaced PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka: Scoreboard at D. Prasad c Yasir b Azhar 0 appraisals. You can brood over it but the fact is that you stumps on the opening day of the T. Kaushal not out 17 have to put in the hard yards to take the game to the next Sangakkara for the match, caught at slip for 46 before he removed Lahiru third and final Test between Pakistan S. Lakmal not out 1 level,” he added. and Sri Lanka at the Pallekele Extras: (lb3, w3) 6 “It’s not a setback. No one has taken my bat away from Thirimanne (11) and skipper Angelo Mathews (three) in successive overs to International Stadium yesterday: me. It’s here with me and so is a burning desire to excel.” Total (for eight wickets, 86 overs) 272 However, he dismissed suggestions that he might find it mistimed drives. Jehan Mubarak, recalled to the Test Sri Lanka 1st innings: Fall of wickets: 1-15 (Silva), 2-106 easier to break into the ODI side, in which Rohit Sharma, not D. Karunaratne st Sarfraz b Azhar 130 (Tharanga), 3-133 (Thirimanne), 4-137 a natural at the very top of the order, opens for India with side after almost eight years, helped Karunaratne add 67 for the fifth wicket K. Silva c Sarfraz b Rahat 9 (Mathews), 5-204 (Mubarak), 6-248 Shikhar Dhawan. U. Tharanga c Younis b Yasir 46 (Karunaratne), 7-248 (Prasad), 8-264 “I think Shikhar and Rohit are doing a good job. I mean before he was stumped off Yasir for 25. Azhar Ali, who had taken two wickets L. Thirimanne c sub (Azam) b Yasir11 (Chandimal). Rohit got two double hundreds and Shikhar had a decent A. Mathews c sub (Azam) b Yasir 3 Bowling: Rahat 19-2-74-2 (w1), Ehsan World Cup. “As far as my comeback is concerned, I am with his part-time spin bowling in 43 pre- vious Tests, doubled his tally with the J. Mubarak st Sarfraz b Yasir 25 14-3-37-0 (w1), Imran 15-3-46-0 (w1), enjoying the journey at the moment without worrying too D. Chandimal lbw b Rahat 24 Yasir 31-4-77-4, Azhar 7-0-35-2. much about the destination.” — Reuters wickets of Karunaratne and Dhammika SPORTS SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015 US asks Swiss to extradite 7 in FIFA probe

ZURICH/GENEVA: The United States arate Swiss inquiry - exposes complex did not respond to requests for com- bail, citing the risk he might flee. Rafael has asked Switzerland to extradite sev- money laundering schemes, millions of ment. Esquivel, 68, the former head of the en FIFA officials arrested in an investi- dollars in untaxed incomes and tens of The U.S. Justice Department did not Venezuelan Football Association, is gation into a global bribery scandal at millions in offshore accounts held by immediately respond to a request for among the seven FIFA executives held soccer’s governing body, the Swiss FIFA officials. comment. Under a bilateral treaty, US since the Zurich arrests. Federal Office of Justice (FOJ) said on The seven were among 14 people authorities had up to 40 days to file an At a news conference on Thursday, Thursday. charged in cases involving more than extradition request - by July 3. All seven the interim head of the association said The move marks the start of a legal $150 million in bribes over a period of of the officials had previously said they Esquivel’s lawyers had received the process expected to last several months 24 years. Those being held in would contest extradition. extradition request on Wednesday and during which the officials, who have Switzerland include Jeffrey Webb, the Proceedings under the treaty are rel- were already moving to block it. been in jail since their detention on US former president of FIFA’s Americas atively straightforward, even if the “The lawyers are going to try to seek arrest warrants in May, will either keep confederation CONCACAF, and Eugenio defendants have the right to appeal that the Swiss tribunal not go forward fighting extradition to the United States Figueredo, who sat on the executive along the way, legal experts say. with the extradition,” said Laureano or agree to go. committee at the time of their arrest. If the FOJ orders extraditions, defen- Gonzalez. “If that fails, we’ll appeal to The arrests of the seven, including The FOJ said it would rule on the dants may appeal to Switzerland’s the immediately higher instance that two then-members of FIFA’s executive extradition requests within a few Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona. could extend Rafael Esquivel’s stay in committee, took place in a raid on a weeks, based on statutory hearings and The detainees were provisionally Switzerland,” he added. luxury Zurich hotel on May 27, two days the responses of the FIFA officials. banned by FIFA’s own ethics committee Esquivel is represented by a group of before FIFA’s annual congress, pitching Edward O’Callaghan, a New York- following the arrests. FIFA has said that lawyers led by Gorka Villar, the son of the organisation into turmoil. based lawyer representing Webb, it is cooperating with the investigation. Spanish Football Federation president US prosecutors say their investiga- declined to comment on the extradi- A Swiss court last month rejected and FIFA executive committee member tion - which is running parallel to a sep- tion request and a lawyer for Figueredo one official’s request to be released on Angel Maria Villar. — Reuters

England, Germany wipe away tears, play for pride

VANCOUVER: England and Germany wipe away the tears as they play for pride and third place at the Women’s World Cup in Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium today. It was not the final game either had dreamt of but after a month of gruelling football and an emotional rollercoaster ride to the semi-finals both sides are determined to finish on a high. A 92nd-minute own-goal from Notts County defender Laura Bassett ended England’s fairytale run to their first semi- finals with a 2-1 loss to defending champions Japan. It brought back memories of Italia ‘90 when Paul Gascoigne cried his way into English hearts in their last semi- final in the men’s tournament, then losing on penalties to West Germany. That time England finished fourth, but this time the women’s team are determined to go home with a medal. “I think we can hold our heads high and we have to pick our- selves up to go and play against Germany,” England captain Steph Houghton said. “There’s a group of girls that give everything for the jersey and we have to take that into the game on Saturday. We want to finish third if we can.” England midfielder Fara Williams told FIFA.com: “We need to give one more big performance against the Germans. It will need to be a class performance.” Bassett was not alone in her tears. It had been a dream tournament for Germany’s Celia SANTIAGO: Chile players jog during a team training session. Chile will face Argentina in the Copa America final today. — AP Sasic until the hour mark into a semi-final against the United States in Montreal on Tuesday. The tournament’s top scorer was riding high with six goals so far in the tournament, includ- Argentina, Chile poised ing two penalties against France in the quarter-finals. But she missed from the spot minutes before the United States opened with a penalty in a 2-0 win which ended Germany’s bid for a record third title after 2003 and 2007. for Copa America classic Sasic has since been named on the eight-woman short-list for the Golden Ball award for the tournament’s top player along SANTIAGO: The prospect of leading his campaign with Barcelona with victory in quarter-finals, the signs are that Argentina with England’s Lucy Bronze and both will be hoping to leave a country to a first major title in 22 years is the Champions League final. have hit form at the right time. lasting impression. driving Lionel Messi as Argentina meet It would also erase the sense of frustra- Messi produced a scintillating man-of- The German camp also refused to blame Sasic’s penalty Chile here today in a Copa America final tion Messi has often felt at international the-match display in Tuesday’s 6-1 semi- miss for the defeat. “Celia will have gotten over it by today, clash of the golden generations. level, 10 years after he led Argentina to vic- final destruction of Paraguay, setting up there are always ups and downs in sport,” said coach Silvia The three-week South American foot- tory as a teenager in the 2005 Under-20 three goals and running the opposition Neid. “The English girls have shown during the tournament ball showpiece reaches its climax at the World Cup. ragged with a virtuoso performance. that they are a good team,” said centre-back Annike Krahn. Estadio Nacional with a dream final pitting “This generation is desperate to win a Standing in Messi’s way however are a “They were unlucky to lose in injury time to the defending the favourites against the hosts, and the title with the national team,” Messi told Chilean team who know they may never champions, but despite the defeat they’ll be confident. stakes could not be any higher for both reporters on the eve of the Copa America. have a better chance to finally end their “We are taking the disappointment and blame for the sides. Messi heads a star-studded “As a team, we deserve to win something nation’s long wait for a trophy. defeat together,” added midfielder Melanie Leupolz. World Argentina desperate to write their own and it would mean so much after the Since a 6-1 defeat to Argentina in the number one team Germany are unbeaten in seven games piece of history by winning a first interna- World Cup last year where we came so inaugural South American Championship played against England, most recently a 3-0 win on front of tional title since 1993, 12 months after an close.” Argentina striker Sergio Aguero, in 1916, Chile have endured nearly a centu- record 45,619 crowd at Wembley last November. agonizing defeat to Germany in last year’s who featured in an Under-20 World Cup- ry of failure. Neid will be overseeing her 17th World Cup match, making World Cup final. Chile, meanwhile, are anx- winning side in 2007, believes defeat is not While Argentina will join Uruguay as her the second most experienced coach in the tournament ious to finally shed their unwanted tag as an option. the most successful side in the tourna- after Norway’s Even Pellerud’s 25 games. the perennial nearly men of South “If this generation of players don’t win ment’s history if they win today, with 14 It will also be Neid’s last World Cup game as she will be American football, ending 99 years of hurt anything we’re going to regret it for the titles, Chile are still waiting for their first stepping down after the Olympics in Rio next year. by winning a first Copa America. rest of our lives,” the Manchester City star crown after finishing runners-up four Champions Japan play former two-time winners the An Argentine triumph would crown a said. After a series of unconvincing per- times. Chile have also never beaten United States in the final in Vancouver’s BC Place Stadium remarkable season for Messi, who less than formances in the first phase, and a nervy Argentina at the Copa America in 24 tomorrow. — AFP a month ago completed a treble-winning win on penalties against Colombia in the attempts. —AFP Argentina, Chile poised SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015 JULY SATURDAY, for Copa SportsSports America classic47

LONDON: Nick Kyrgios of Australia celebrates winning a point against Milos Raonic of Canada, during their singles match at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships in Wimbledon. — AP Djokovic, Sharapova book Wimbledon last 16

LONDON: Defending champion Novak Djokovic and expect more, better things from yourself. As day’s defeat extended a disappointing Grand Australia. It was a second Grand Slam win of the and 2004 winner Maria Sharapova swept into the matches get tougher, you have to raise your Slam season for the 24-year-old who was beaten season for world number 47 Vandeweghe the Wimbledon fourth round yesterday as con- level,” said five-time Grand Slam winner in the fourth round at the Australian Open against Stosur after also coming out on top at troversial Australian Nick Kyrgios bolstered his Sharapova. before a first round exit at Roland Garros. the Australian Open in January. Stosur has yet to reputation as the next generation’s brightest Kyrgios, who famously defeated Rafael Nadal get beyond the third round at Wimbledon in 13 star. Top seed Djokovic made the last 16 for the in 2014 when he was ranked 144 in the world, Somber mood years of trying. Vandeweghe will next face seventh successive year by routing Bernard avenged his quarter-final loss of 12 months ago Fourth seed Stan Wawrinka reached the Czech sixth seed Lucie Safarova, who beat Tomic of Australia 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 on the back of 15 to seventh seed Milos Raonic with a 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 fourth round with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Sloane Stephens of the United States 3-6, 6-3, 6- aces and 38 winners. The Serb then faced a dif- (7/3), 6-3 victory. The 20-year-old Kyrgios hit 34 Fernando Verdasco for his first win over the 1. ferent challenge as he walked off Centre Court aces and blasted 61 winners past the 2014 semi- Spaniard in 10 years. The French Open champi- Teenager Belinda Bencic became the first when he was asked to autograph the prosthetic finalist as he booked a fourth round clash with on will take on Belgium’s David Goffin for a Swiss woman into the fourth round since Patty leg of a wheelchair-bound fan. “The gentleman Frenchman Richard Gasquet. “I lost my focus a place in the quarter-finals. Goffin, the 16th seed, Schnyder in 2007 when she defeated American gave me his artificial leg...I want to be politically bit towards the end of the first set, but I knew became only the fourth Belgian man to make qualifier Bethanie Mattek-Sands 7-5, 7-5. Fresh correct about it,” smiled the 29-year-old what my game plan was and I stuck to it. I the fourth round in the Open Era by defeating from her first career title at Eastbourne last Djokovic who next faces South Africa’s Kevin toughed it out,” Kyrgios said. 2006 semi-finalist Marcos Baghdatis 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. week, the 18-year-old 30th seed, revitalised after Anderson. Kyrgios, seeded 26, faces another rematch in Yesterday’s program began in somber mood a medical time-out following the fifth game, “I gave him my signature. I hope it will make the fourth round against Gasquet after beating at the All England Club where thousands of fans came back from 5-1 down in the first set. Former him feel better.” Fourth seeded Sharapova made the Frenchman in a dramatic five-setter in the joined officials and players in observing a world number one and two-time semi-finalist the last 16 with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Romania’s second round last year. Gasquet, a 2007 semi- minute’s silence for the victims of last week’s Victoria Azarenka made the last 16 with a 6-4, 6- Irina-Camelia Begu and goes on to tackle either finalist and seeded 21, beat 11th seeded Grigor Tunisia beach massacre, most of whom were 4 win over France’s Kristina Mladenovic and next Germany’s 14th seed Andrea Petkovic or Dimitrov of Bulgaria for the fifth time in five British. Coco Vandeweghe, one of six American faces Bencic. Serena Williams continues her bid unseeded Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan for a spot meetings thanks to a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 stroll. Dimitrov women in the third round, reached the last 16 at for a sixth Wimbledon and 21st major title by in the quarter-finals. “What everyone at this had defeated 2013 champion Andy Murray on a Slam for the first time with a 6-2, 6-0 win over taking on Heather Watson, the last remaining stage of the tournament expects is to go further his way to the semi-finals last year, but yester- 2011 US Open champion Sam Stosur of British woman in the tournament. — AFP