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MW 24 June 2015

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maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 24 JUNE 2015 Sport 23 Answers to the MaltaToday crossword will be published next Wednesday WEATHER: Fair VISIBILITY: Good WIND: East Northeast force 4 to 5 becoming force 4 SEA: Moderate SWELL: Low Southeast SEA TEMP: 22°C A B C D E F G H 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 White to play and mate in four moves A B C D E F G H 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Last week's solution Sudoku rules are extremely easy: Fill all empty squares so that the numbers 1 to 9 appear once in each row, column and 9x9 box. SUNNY 28 º C / 20 º C UV INDEX: 10 Today's Weather Chess Sudoku Pursuits Across 1. Writ (7) 5. Cheat (7) 9. Pertaining to the palate (7) 10. Roofing stone (5) 11. At that place (5) 12. Single unit (3) 13. Darkening of the skin by sunlight (6) 14. Self-defence (6) 15. Definite article (3) 17. Sugar (9) 21. Deranged (3) 23. Person who reads (6) 24. Spanish fleet (6) 27. Revolution (3) 28. Door handles (5) 29. Porcelain tableware (5) 30. Distinctive (7) 31. Intellectual (7) 32. Time between sunrise and sunset (7) Down 1. Sustain (7) 2. Inhabitant of Malta (7) 3. Choice (6) 4. Seawater (4,5) 5. Outmoded (5) 6. Body of aeroplane (8) 7. Native of Arabia (7) 8. Unrealistic person (7) 16. Downcast (9) 18. Remains of anything ruined (8) 19. Item (7) 20. Support (7) 21. Cocktail (7) 22. Communicate (7) 25. Blood vessel (6) 26. Pierced with horns (5) axb6 Kb7 dxc8Q+ Kxb6 Qb8+ Kc6 Q4xb5+ axb5 Qxb5# OLYMPICS Paris launches its bid for the 2024 Olympic Games PARIS declared its candidacy for the 2024 Olympics on Tuesday, becoming the fourth city to enter the race and setting out its vi- sion for bringing the games back to the French capital for the first time in 100 years. The Paris bid, which has been in the works for months, was for- mally launched in a ceremony at the headquarters of the French Olympic Committee that was attended by leading French ath- letes. "We believe that this bid and our goal to host the 2024 Games will excite, unite and enthuse the people of Paris, our entire nation and lovers of Olympic and Para- lympic sport all over the world," bid chairman Bernard Lapasset said. Paris joins Rome, Boston and Hamburg as declared bidders, with Budapest also expected to join the contest. Paris has scheduled a second bid ceremony on Bastille Day on July 14, with French President Francois Hollande and other top political figures expected to take part. Paris hosted the Olympics in 1900 and 1924 and bid unsuc- cessfully for the 1992, 2008 and 2012 Games. After being criticized for their perceived arrogance in their defeats to Beijing and London for the 2008 and 2012 Games, French officials have opted for a more cautious and humble ap- proach this time, leaving govern- ment officials in a supporting role and making sure all the political hurdles were cleared before an- nouncing a bid. The bid announcement coin- cided with the annual Olympic Day, which celebrates the incep- tion of the International Olympic Committee on June, 23, 1894 in Paris. "As we move forward with our bid, it is very pleasing to see today that we already have the full sup- port of the city, regional and na- tional governments as well as the CNOSF and the French sports movement," Lapasset said. "It is wonderful to also receive sig- nificant public support and real backing from our athletes." Paris has until Sept. 15 to sub- mit its candidacy to the IOC, which will choose the host city in 2017. The infrastructure budget of the Paris bid has been estimated at 3 billion euros ($4.5 billion), with operational costs of 3.2 bil- lion euros ($4.8 billion). The cost of bidding is projected at 60 mil- lion euros ($63 million). According to Lapasset, 60 to 80 percent of venues have already been built, meaning existing infrastructure would be at the heart of the project. The Stade de France, a new cycling track on the outskirts of Paris, the Roland Garros tennis stadium and many Parisian landmarks including the Grand Palais and Champ de Mars are likely to be used. The main construction requirements include an aquatics center, Olym- pic village and media center. Denis Masseglia, president of the national Olympic committee, said Paris "promises a feasible and flexible games concept." Another key figure in the bid is IOC member and former Ol- ympic canoeing champion Tony Estanguet. Both Hollande and Prime Min- ister Manuel Valls have kept a low profile over the past six months but made clear they supported the bid. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo was initially skeptical about the costs and environmental impact of the Olympics and questioned whether France should bid for both the 2024 Olympics and 2025 World Expo. Hidalgo is now one of the bid's most fervent supporters as a political consensus sweeps the major parties, with only some members of the Green Party re- maining opposed, mainly for fi- nancial reasons. "Paris is looking forward to an exciting and bold future whilst remaining true to its rich sporting and cultural traditions," Hidalgo said Tuesday. "We will be design- ing an integrated project with all the talents of the City of Paris and its suburbs and with young people playing a key role." The Paris strategy has been praised by IOC President Tho- mas Bach, who said in April af- ter a meeting with Hollande that "if this candidature continues in this spirit, you have everything in hand to enter the candidature phase in full confidence." France decided not to bid for the 2020 Olympics after Annecy was humiliated in the race for the 2018 Winter Games, receiv- ing only seven votes in an elec- tion won by Pyeongchang, South Korea. The last successful French Ol- ympic bid came from Albertville, which was awarded the 1992 Winter Games. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo delives a speech after the presentation of a report on the Paris candidacy for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, last February

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