• A woman smiles in a rice paddy field during "National Paddy Day", which marks the start of the annual rice planting season, in Tokha village on the outskirts of Kathmandu. Farmers in Nepal celebrate National Paddy Day as the annual rice planting season begins. AFP
    A woman smiles in a rice paddy field during "National Paddy Day", which marks the start of the annual rice planting season, in Tokha village on the outskirts of Kathmandu. Farmers in Nepal celebrate National Paddy Day as the annual rice planting season begins. AFP
  • Raindrops are seen on a taxi window while a woman passes by a closed store in Buenos Aires. AFP
    Raindrops are seen on a taxi window while a woman passes by a closed store in Buenos Aires. AFP
  • Participants in costumes made of cans attend celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of Congo's independence from Belgium in the Brussels district of Matonge, in Brussels. AFP
    Participants in costumes made of cans attend celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of Congo's independence from Belgium in the Brussels district of Matonge, in Brussels. AFP
  • This long exposure picture shows the Milky Way, as seen above a building in Kalaw, Shan state early on July 1, 2020. AFP
    This long exposure picture shows the Milky Way, as seen above a building in Kalaw, Shan state early on July 1, 2020. AFP
  • Visitors practice social distancing while waiting to enter the park in the poor weather during the reopening of Tokyo Disneyland. REUTERS
    Visitors practice social distancing while waiting to enter the park in the poor weather during the reopening of Tokyo Disneyland. REUTERS
  • A woman reacts after she was hit with pepper spray deployed by police as they cleared a street with protesters rallying against a new national security law in Hong Kong, on the 23rd anniversary of the city's handover from Britain to China. AFP
    A woman reacts after she was hit with pepper spray deployed by police as they cleared a street with protesters rallying against a new national security law in Hong Kong, on the 23rd anniversary of the city's handover from Britain to China. AFP
  • A man tries to shelter under an umbrella as rain and wind from the country's rainy season affects Tokyo. AFP
    A man tries to shelter under an umbrella as rain and wind from the country's rainy season affects Tokyo. AFP
  • A person dressed as Spider-Man sits on a car near an area being called the "City Hall Autonomous Zone" that has been established to protest the New York Police Department and in support of "Black Lives Matter" near City Hall in lower Manhattan. Reuters
    A person dressed as Spider-Man sits on a car near an area being called the "City Hall Autonomous Zone" that has been established to protest the New York Police Department and in support of "Black Lives Matter" near City Hall in lower Manhattan. Reuters
  • Residents sit to dine on a 500-metre long table set on the Charles Bridge, after restrictions were eased following the coronavirus pandemic in Prague, Czech Republic. Getty Images
    Residents sit to dine on a 500-metre long table set on the Charles Bridge, after restrictions were eased following the coronavirus pandemic in Prague, Czech Republic. Getty Images
  • Police detain a protester after being sprayed with pepper spray during a protest in Causeway Bay before the annual handover march in Hong Kong. AP Photo
    Police detain a protester after being sprayed with pepper spray during a protest in Causeway Bay before the annual handover march in Hong Kong. AP Photo
  • A Falcon 9 SpaceX rocket, with a global positioning satellite for the US Space Force, lifts off from Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida. AP Photo
    A Falcon 9 SpaceX rocket, with a global positioning satellite for the US Space Force, lifts off from Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida. AP Photo

World in focus - best photos for July 1, 2020


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56 photos that chart Beyonce's style journey from '90s girl group to 2020's Queen B

UAE travellers plan on visiting Egypt, India, the Philippines and Turkey as restrictions ease

Tamkeen's offering
  • Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
  • Option 2: 50% across three years
  • Option 3: 30% across five years 
Roll of honour

Who has won what so far in the West Asia Premiership season?

Western Clubs Champions League - Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners up: Bahrain

Dubai Rugby Sevens - Winners: Dubai Exiles; Runners up: Jebel Ali Dragons

West Asia Premiership - Winners: Jebel Ali Dragons; Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins

UAE Premiership Cup - Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners up: Dubai Exiles

West Asia Cup - Winners: Bahrain; Runners up: Dubai Exiles

West Asia Trophy - Winners: Dubai Hurricanes; Runners up: DSC Eagles

Final West Asia Premiership standings - 1. Jebel Ali Dragons; 2. Abu Dhabi Harlequins; 3. Bahrain; 4. Dubai Exiles; 5. Dubai Hurricanes; 6. DSC Eagles; 7. Abu Dhabi Saracens

Fixture (UAE Premiership final) - Friday, April 13, Al Ain – Dubai Exiles v Abu Dhabi Harlequins

Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule

1st Test July 26-30 in Galle

2nd Test August 3-7 in Colombo

3rd Test August 12-16 in Pallekele

The Ashes

Results
First Test, Brisbane: Australia won by 10 wickets
Second Test, Adelaide: Australia won by 120 runs
Third Test, Perth: Australia won by an innings and 41 runs
Fourth Test: Melbourne: Drawn
Fifth Test: Australia won by an innings and 123 runs

THE SPECS

Engine: 1.5-litre, four-cylinder turbo

Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch automatic

Power: 169bhp

Torque: 250Nm

Price: Dh54,500

On sale: now

Who are the Sacklers?

The Sackler family is a transatlantic dynasty that owns Purdue Pharma, which manufactures and markets OxyContin, one of the drugs at the centre of America's opioids crisis. The family is well known for their generous philanthropy towards the world's top cultural institutions, including Guggenheim Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, Tate in Britain, Yale University and the Serpentine Gallery, to name a few. Two branches of the family control Purdue Pharma.

Isaac Sackler and Sophie Greenberg were Jewish immigrants who arrived in New York before the First World War. They had three sons. The first, Arthur, died before OxyContin was invented. The second, Mortimer, who died aged 93 in 2010, was a former chief executive of Purdue Pharma. The third, Raymond, died aged 97 in 2017 and was also a former chief executive of Purdue Pharma. 

It was Arthur, a psychiatrist and pharmaceutical marketeer, who started the family business dynasty. He and his brothers bought a small company called Purdue Frederick; among their first products were laxatives and prescription earwax remover.

Arthur's branch of the family has not been involved in Purdue for many years and his daughter, Elizabeth, has spoken out against it, saying the company's role in America's drugs crisis is "morally abhorrent".

The lawsuits that were brought by the attorneys general of New York and Massachussetts named eight Sacklers. This includes Kathe, Mortimer, Richard, Jonathan and Ilene Sackler Lefcourt, who are all the children of either Mortimer or Raymond. Then there's Theresa Sackler, who is Mortimer senior's widow; Beverly, Raymond's widow; and David Sackler, Raymond's grandson.

Members of the Sackler family are rarely seen in public.

Day 1, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance

Moment of the day Dimuth Karunaratne had batted with plenty of pluck, and no little skill, in getting to within seven runs of a first-day century. Then, while he ran what he thought was a comfortable single to mid-on, his batting partner Dinesh Chandimal opted to stay at home. The opener was run out by the length of the pitch.

Stat of the day - 1 One six was hit on Day 1. The boundary was only breached 18 times in total over the course of the 90 overs. When it did arrive, the lone six was a thing of beauty, as Niroshan Dickwella effortlessly clipped Mohammed Amir over the square-leg boundary.

The verdict Three wickets down at lunch, on a featherbed wicket having won the toss, and Sri Lanka’s fragile confidence must have been waning. Then Karunaratne and Chandimal's alliance of precisely 100 gave them a foothold in the match. Dickwella’s free-spirited strokeplay meant the Sri Lankans were handily placed at 227 for four at the close.

Director: Shady Ali
Cast: Boumi Fouad , Mohamed Tharout and Hisham Ismael
Rating: 3/5

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