Now All eyes on Messi and Robben with Rio in sight

Reuters

SAO PAULO, Brazil: The Netherlands are one win away from a second straight World Cupfinal while opponents Argentina head into Wednesday's last-four clash looking to end their 24-year wait for a place in the biggest game of all.Two teams with a rich tradition and an abundance of motivation should produce a close game, characterised by tight marking, disciplined defense and threats on the break as they bd to reach the July 13 final at Rio de Janeiro's Maracana.But for all the expectation, all the history and all the focus on the tactical approaches ofAlejandro Sabella and Louis van Gaal, the clash at the Corinthians arena is likely to come down to how two individuals seize the moment.

Malaysia will suffer if Islam is used as a political weapon

Recently, the highest court in Malaysia ruled that the Catholic Church could not use the word “Allah” in its publication, The Herald. The government argued that the word is unique to Islam, and restricted its use to Muslims. This goes against the established fact that non-Muslims have used the word “Allah” since time immemorial in the Middle East and other parts of the Islamic world.
Few were surprised by the ruling. Christians and other minorities in Malaysia knew that the issue was not really about the usage of the word “Allah,” but rather a show of political force about who really rules the country......................

Iraq crisis poses economic threat to Lebanon and Jordan: ESCWA

 

BEIRUT: Conflicts throughout the Middle East have hampered development, according to a new report to be issued by the United Nations. Moreover, the current crisis unfolding in Iraqposes a serious threat to regional economies, including that of Lebanon.
Over the past 20 years, Arab countries have made substantial progress in fields like maternal health and child mortality, but conflict has caused several countries in the region to backslide on development metrics, says Abdallah al-Dardari, a leading economist with the U.N.’s Economic and Social Commission for West Asia................

Netherlands are almost perfect says Argentina's Mascheran

Reuters SAO PAULO: Argentina face a tough task to get past a Netherlands team who do almost everything perfectly and given space can be lethal, midfielder Javier Mascherano said on the eve of their World Cup semi-final clash.

Argentina will be trying to end a 24-year wait for a place in the World Cup final Wednesday, while Louis van Gaal's Dutch side are one win from being in the showpiece game for the second time in a row having lost the 2010 decider 1-0 to Spain..........

Somali presidential compound attacked, president safe

MOGADISHU: Islamist militants attacked Somalia's presidential compound on Tuesday with a car bomb and gunmen broke through a perimeter wall but were repulsed by security forces, and the president was not there at the time, the interior ministry said.

Up to five members of the al Shabaab Islamist group, which claimed responsibility, were killed, Interior Minister Abdullahi Godah Barre told Reuters. Three militants were confirmed dead, and one or two more were believed to have died in the car blast.................