THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2013 HYDERABAD
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DON’T STOP TILL YOU GET ENOUGH PG 16 17
WEATHER: A MIX OF CLOUDY AND CLEAR SKIES; 27°C
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The Rolling Stones were the highlight of the Glastonbury festival this year, proving that age is no barrier to rocking hard. Here are some of our favourite golden oldies that still can carry a mean tune.
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HYDERABAD’S FIRST COMPACT AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER
With traffic safety measures around schools being almost nil, it is the children who have to risk their lives while crossing the roads.
SCHOOL ZONES TURN
DEATH TRAPS
PG 22& 23
CHRISTIAN DIOR UNVEILS MULTICULTURAL COLLECTION
REPORT ON P10
SRINIVAS SETTY
HCU TOPS THE COUNTRY, AGAIN University of Hyderabad has come tops in the country for the third consecutive year. In the OutlookMDRA national survey of professional programmes for 2013, the department, part of the Sarojini Naidu School of Arts & Communication, is the only university dept to figure this year in the top 10 list of mass comm and journalism courses in India.
PG 7
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THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2013
city events
COOKING CLASSES
Vegetarian and non-vegetarian biriyani cooking classes will be held. Where: Colorama Printers, Secunderabad When: Till July 5, 10am - 1pm Contact: 80086-24949 / 80088-85493
Weather for Hyderabad
Evening
Overnight
Morning
Afternoon
26°C
22°C
26°C
32°C
Cloudy with showers likely.
A mix of cloudy and clear skies.
A mix of cloud and sun.
Cloudy with showers likely
New Delhi Mumbai Max 38 Max 29 Min 27 Min 26 Mostly cloudy
Cloudy with chances of thunderstorms.
Chennai Max 37 Min 28
Bangalore Max 27 Min 19
Cloudy with rains likely
Cloudy with chances of thunderstorms.
AROUND THE CITY: YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES Freezing a moment One-day photography workshop. Where: Photriya Professional Studios, Madhapur When: July 7, 3-7pm Contact: 6524-3029, www.photriya.com
SHOWS
DINING
On display Waterscapes, a photography and painting exhibition is conducted in the City. Where: The Muse Art Gallery, Hyderabad Marriott and Convention Centre When: Till July 7, 6pm Contact: +91-40-27522999 Play pursuits Silence Please, a comedy play by Samahaara Workshop Production will be staged. Where: Lamakaan, Banjara Hills When: July 7, 7.30pm When: 83411-20303
FOODIE FAD: Hyderabadis spotted enjoying the monsoon and binging on corn at Necklace Road on Wednesday. SRINIVAS SETTY
resort wear and party gowns. Where: Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel, Banjara Hills When: July 6 and 7 Contact: 6733 1133
EXHIBITION
Friday - 4 to 5.30pm Contact: (040) 66662323
My freedom story Freedom Refined Sunflower Oil in association with Red FM is organising a contest called 'My Freedom Story’. Participants can register by sending an SMS to Red FM in the format RED <space>HY<space>FREEDOM to 58585. They will get a call from Red FM for their story. Contact: Sunil Kumar M / Sarodhya Yadav - 040- 40140753/ 9866520337/ 8686080577.
Sale begins AND is back with its much awaited end of season sale for its spring — summer collection. Discounts range from 20-50 per cent. Where: All exclusive AND outlets and multi-brand outlets.
WORKSHOPS Up for grabs Turquoise & Gold is presenting an exclusive collection of contemporary
Commissioner & Spl Officer
Helpline GAS BOOKING IVRS NO HP 9666023456 Indane 9848824365 BSNL Complaints HMWS & SB Complaints
198 155313
POLICE CONTROL ROOM Hyderabad 27852435 Traffic Control Room 27852482 DCP Traffic 23234065, 23243499F Pollution Control Board 23887500 ELECTRICITY General Complaints Breakdown Section
Art attack Aakar Art academy is conducting a painting workshop for kids above the age of 4. Where: Just Books, Jubilee Hills When: Every Friday and Saturday,
155333 23431178 23431179
MUNICIPAL CORPORATION
23262266 24166666R ENC 23225267 Engineering 23220418 MCH Tankbund 23225397 Emergency MCH Circle I&II 24525842 MCH Circle III 24736912 MCH Circle IV 23326975 MCH Circle V 23326976 MCH Circle VI MCH Complaints 1100 Head Office 23225397 IVRS CUM MANUAL ENQUIRY PHONE NUMBERS (TRAIN & RESERVATION) RAILWAYS Rail Nilayam 27833169, 27824216 Railway Information 131 Reservations 135 Recorded Information 1345 Enquiry (IVRS) 1331, 1332, 1333
Contact: 1800-200-8171 Website: www.oakridge.in
Weekend workshop Oakridge International Schools to host weekend experiential learning workshops — ‘Weekend Voyager’. Where: Oakridge Gachibowli and Bachupally campuses. When: Every Saturday, 9am to 12pm
WATER SUPPLY Complaint Cell Sewerage Complaint Hyd. Water Supply HOSPITAL General Hospital, Sec-bad Niloufer Hospital, Red Hills NIMS, Director, Punjagutta Osmania General Hospital Railway Hospital, Lalaguda Apollo, Jubilee Hills Care Hospital, Banjara Hills Care Hospital, Nampally Care Hospital, Musheerabad Care Hospital, Sec-bad Kamineni Hospital, LB Nagar
155313 23307328 23313163
27505566 23314095 23390933 24600146 27001134 23607777 30418888 30417777 30419000 30416666 39879999
BLOOD BANKS Blood Bank,Narayanguda Chiranjeevi Blood Bank Blood Bank Mediton Goal Red Cross, Vidyanagar ADRM Blood Bank Mythri Charitable Trust NTR Memorial Trust Care Banjara Hills
Word club A fun workshop for kids above the age of 8 will be organised. Where: Just books, Jubilee Hills. When: Every Sunday, 10am to 12pm Contact: 9849748117
27567892 23559555 23226624 27633087 27035588 27550238 30799999 30418296 30417445
AMBULANCES Apollo 23548888, 23607777 Kamineni 24022222 Medwin 23202902, 23204616 Smile Line Dental Hospital 23747979 Red Cross 27627973 Niloufer Hospital 23314095 Gandhi 23320332 AIRLINES
American dream American Independence day buffet dinner. Where: Seasonal Tastes, Westin When: July 4, 7 pm to 11pm Blue hour Canadian singer and pianist Melanie LeBlanc will be performing and Blue Hour will be launched. Enjoy 50 per cent off on any liquor, wine or beer. Where: Tre-forni Bar, Park Hyatt When: Monday to Saturday, 7pm to 9pm Contact: +91 40 4949 1222 Culinary Journey Exotic biriyanis of India on offer. Where: Firdaus, Taj Krishna, Banjara Hills When: Till July 15 Contact: +91-040-6629 3306 Street food fest A street food festival will be organised. Where: MoMo Café at Courtyard by Marriott When: July 5 to 14
Airport Director 27903785, 27906001 For Air India Flight Information Toll free (from any network) for IC Flights 18001801407 And for All Flights: 1800227722 Air India has revised its flight timings. For more information call (Toll free) 18001801407, 1800227722 from BSNL/MTNL 04023430334 from other lines and mobile Website; www.airindia.in TOURISM OFFICES AP Tourism, Hyd 23262152/53/54 Sec-bad 27893100 Dept of Tourism 23453110 India Tourism 23261360 AP Tourism information Centre (24x7) 23450444, 23455999 UK VISA OFFICE VFS India Pvt Ltd Building, 8-2-542/A, Sunil Chamber, Road No. 7
Beside Meridian School, Banjara Hills34. Working hours are from 8 AM to 1 PM And 2 PM to 3PM. MUSEUMS Salar Jung Museum AP State Museum Nizams Museum
24523211 232431300/7641 24521029
Readers’ views
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THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2013
news
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POLITICS
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Netas chant ‘back to villages’
The state capital is emptied of all its political elements. The local body polls, this month-end, have dispersed them like a high-velocity wind dispersing dried leaves. Semi-final to 2014. MD. INKESHAF AHMED Ahmed.m@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: The panchayat polls will be a decisive test of every party’s grassroots reach and the Lok Sabha elections will be influenced by the results of the panchayat polls. Each party, from the YSRCP to Congress has told party leaders that their future depends on the local polls results. Little wonder all Netas, small and big, are in the field. A total of 21,491` Village panchayats are to polls in the last week of this month. As per the schedule released by the State Election Commission on Wednesday, the polls for Sarpanch of the village panchayats will be held on July 23, 27 and 31 this month respectively. The fever of these elections has already gripped almost all politicians especially state cabinet ministers and MLAs. It is not the case with sitting public representatives alone. Even the ex-ministers, MLAs and MPs of all political parties are using these elections to recapture their
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prominence by winning majority number of seats for their respective political parties. “For us, Village Panchayats elections are more important than MLA and MP elections. These are the elections which no political party can afford to ignore. They are very important for all of us as they are going to act as the base to prepare for the next general elections. All
our energies are focused on these elections only at the moment. So far we have been confronted with macro level issues at state and district level but Now we will be confronted with micro level issues pertaining to villages,” minister for Rural Development Dokka Manikya Vara Prasad said. He revealed that he is going to be away from the state capital for three weeks beginning from July 6 in order to ensure the victory of the party in his native Guntur district. Interestingly, this will be Manikya Vara Prasad’s longest
A HEALTHY START
Kids dish up healthy recipes Five Indian-American kids, among 54 winners of a nationwide recipe challenge, will join the First Lady for a healthy lunch. ARUN KUMAR feedback@postnoon.com WASHINGTON: Five IndianAmerican children are among 54 winners of a nationwide recipe challenge to promote healthy lunches as part of the First Lady’s Let’s Move! Initiative invited to a ‘State Dinner’ at White House Tuesday. The group will join First Lady Michelle Obama for a healthy lunch, featuring a selection of the winning recipes and a performance by singer Rachel Crow, followed by a visit to the White House kitchen garden, according to an official announcement. “Our Kids’ State Dinner is one of my favourite events of
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Winners 1: Shefali Singh, 12 2: Vijay Dey, 12 3: Anisha Patel, 11 4: Ganesh Selvakumar, 9 5: Devanshi Udeshi, 12 the year, and the kid chefs who come from around the country never cease to impress and inspire me with their creativity and ingenuity,” said Michelle Obama. For the second consecutive
year, The Healthy Lunchtime Challenge & Kids’ ‘State Dinner’ invited a parent or guardian to work with their child ages 8-12 to create a lunchtime recipe that is healthy, affordable, original and delicious. Entries had to represent each of the five food groups that are the building blocks for a healthy diet, either in one dish or as parts of a lunch meal, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and low-fat dairy foods, with fruits and veggies making up roughly half the plate or recipe. The Indian-American winners are: Shefali Singh, 12; Vijay Dey, 12; Anisha Patel, 11; Ganesh Selvakumar, 9 and Devanshi Udeshi, 12. IANS
sojourn out of the state capital since he became cabinet minister. “I never stayed for three weeks at a stretch in Guntur district. But the Village Panchayat elections are forcing me to,” he said. According to the minister, they will have to devote all their attention on ensuring the victory of their party in majority number of seats. The important nature of the village panchayat elections is keeping the politicians on tenterhooks. Leaders are trying hard to juggle with multiple responsibilities. “I am discharging an important role in party organisation. Apart from that I am also playing a crucial role in my native place Karimnagar and have the onus of ensuring party’s victory in as many seats as possible. I never felt so occupied like what I am feeling due to these elections. Every day you will have an issue to confront with,” BJP State Vice President and former MLA G. Ramakrishna Reddy told Postnoon. The YSRC party is hopeful of repeating the magic of the last byelections when they walked away all but two seats. Jagan’s contin-
For us, Village Panchayat elections are more important than MLA and MP elections. Dokka Manikya Vara Prasad Minister for Rural Development ued incarceration is helping the party to garner sympathy votes, leader say. YSR Congress Party official spokesperson G. Ramachandra Rao said, “Our party leader YS Vijayamma has already kick-started the campaign for local body polls. She has been visiting all the districts in Telangana region to motivate the party cadres. Our party’s plenary is being held in YSR (Kadapa) district next week to tackle the local body challenge,” he said.
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News THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2013 LAST YEAR... HERE
THE ART WORLD
RTC authorities promise
Connected yet different
L
ast year we had reported how the RTC authorities had promised that the public would be seeing better behaved bus drivers and fewer instances of rash drivers. Then also there the City had not reflected a change and a year later too the incidents of rash and negligent driving are still rampant on the road. Promises are just meant to be broken.
JULY 4, 2012
NUMEROLOGY
Zoom art exhibition at Kalakriti art gallery features a collection of paintings and works of mixed media by 13 renowned Indian contemporary artists.
99%
The Delhi University has announced its third cut-off list and the cut-offs remain as high as 99 per cent. The admissions for the third cut-off will begin from Friday and will continue till July 6..
There are unwanted and unscientifically constructed speed breakers in areas that do not require them at all. However in many school zones they are missing. K Madhusudhan, parent See page 10
THINGS WE 5LEARNT TODAY
The column that teaches everyone something new about the way the world functions.
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Adult breastfeeding seems to be a fad in China Adult breastfeeding has become a luxury of sorts for some of the rich in China,with some firms offering wet nurse services.
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The TRS is extremely miffed with the Congress K Chandrasekhar Rao ruled out the possibility of a merger of his party with the Congress as he says he has no faith in the party.
3
Reality TV spawns dance schools The mentality towards dance is changing thanks to the reality shows with parents new-found fascination for such programmes.
POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com
A
s promised, Kalakriti Art Gallery is moving a step ahead in preparing for the future with ongoing group show Zoom which features a collection of paintings and works of mixed media by 13 renowned Indian contemporary artists. On display are works by Reena Kallat, Anju Dodiya, Riyas Komu, Sakti Burman, Akhilesh, Atul Dodiya, Rajeswara Rao, Gulam Mohammed Sheikh, Jitish Kallat, Anjolie Ela Menon, Nilima Sheikh, Rekha Rodwittiya and Nalini Malani. These pieces have been picked from the gallery's own collection, and are although on no specific theme are worth a few moments of contemplation. As a viewer, you may observe how they seem connected but are distinct from each other nonetheless. Reena Kallat's
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SHOW TIMINGS
T
he art show is on till July 15, 2013. You can visit the gallery between 11 am and 7 pm.
H
uman breast milk has become a new luxury for China's rich, with some firms offering wet nurse services, a report said, provoking outrage and disgust among web users Thursday. Xinxinyu, a domestic staff agency in the booming city of Shenzhen, which borders Hong Kong, provided wet nurses for newborns, the sick and other adults who pay high prices for the milk's fine nutrition, the Southern Metropolis Daily said. "Adult (clients) can drink it directly through breastfeeding, or they can always drink it from a breast pump if they feel embarrassed," the report quoted company owner Lin Jun as saying. Wet nurses serving adults are paid around 16,000 yuan ($2,600) a month — more than four times the Chinese average — and those who were "healthy and good looking" could earn even more, the report said. AROUND THE
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Xylophone series of 14 pieces comprising of swords which when taken together evoke the form of human ribcage, is exceptionally striking. Anju Dodiya's work titled Cloud Hunter painted on velvet mattress seems to reflect a contemporary urban environment. Another eye-catching piece titled Hyderabad is by Rajeswara Rao who has infused the incredible influence popular media has on our culture with a sense of humour. He has portrayed a woman standing tall, looking through a binocular in a funny
NEW TASTES Adult breast feeding news disgusts readers
attire against the backdrop of the bustling City of Hyderabad. There is also Riyas Komu's Stories for my daughter which seems to have a political overtone. This mix media work depicts the explosive urban situation he encountered in Mumbai. The painting carries some protest symbols in one way or the other. Anjolie Ela Menon's portrait of a Brahmin priest keeps you occupied with its innocence and shyness. With this cutting edge art show, Kalakriti has kept its word on gearing up for the future when, due to globalisation, Hyderabad will be highly advanced in appreciating art and being on par with cities such as Delhi and Mumbai.
Traditional beliefs in some parts of China hold that human breast milk has the best and most easily digestible nutrition for people who are ill. But the report sparked heated debate in the media and on Chinese social media, with most users condemning the service as unethical. "This adds to China's problem of treating women as consumer goods and the moral degradation of China's rich," said Cao Baoyin, a writer and regular commentator in various Chinese media, on his blog. Xinxinyu has been ordered to suspend its operations and had its business licence revoked for reasons including missing three years of annual checks, regulators in Shenzhen said. However, company officials could not be reached for comment. AFP
CITY BRIEFS
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No merger with Congress, says KCR
ACB officials nab Introduce T Bill in the Lok TDP planning party principal for taking bribe Sabha, says KTR meeting in Vijaywada
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TRS chief K Chandrasekhara Rao ruled out the possibility of a merger of his party with the Congress. Addressing a meeting of the party’s coordinators, the mercurial leader said he had no faith in the Congress and would not merge the party with theirs. He told the party’s functionaries to take the local bodies elections seriously.
N Tilagavathi, 55, principal of Government Junior College Bangarupalem in Chittoor district was caught red-handed by the ACB officials yesterday at her office when she demanded and accepted `4,000 from the complainant for doing an official favour“ for forwarding his medical reimbursement claim for `23,000. The sum was recovered from her drawer.
Safety measures near City schools a problem Schools are also supposed to deploy traffic wardens especially during peak traffic hours. However most of the schools have been flouting these norms. Restaurants in the City flouting food regulation norms Few restaurants and many food courts in the City, were found to have a disturbing pattern of health violations that can make people ill.
The Telangana Rashtra Samithi on Wednesday demanded that the Congress-led UPA Government introduce the Telangana Bill in Parliament. TRS MLA K Tarakarama Rao said that Congress was trying to delay T-formation by proposing to table the Bill in the State Legislative Assembly. He said that T-State could be created by introducing the Bill in the Lok Sabha.
The TDP party plans its second consecutive regional meeting in Vijayawada. The meeting is being held to prepare the party cadres for ensuing local body polls and to strive for victory. About 25,000 party workers and leaders are expected to attend the meeting. Party president N Chandrababu Naidu will preside over the meeting. .
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News THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2013
THE INNOVA SPECIALIST
LEAKED TAPES
Con queen of cars on prowl MOHD SUBHAN Mohd.S@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: The gang which is believed to have four members is said to have taken away some 70-80 cars from different parts of the State. The speciality of the gang is that it spirits away only Innova cars, no other brands, says Additional Commissioner of police Sandeep Shandilya. The gang leader woman is identified as Padma Reddy, aged 35 years. She ensnarls car rentals and drivers and the gang is said to have gained expertise in making fake papers and selling stolen cars.
Hyderabad police are on the lookout for a gang of vehicle-lifters led by a young woman!
INTERESTING MODUS OPERANDI Padma would act as high official representing big business on tour. She would keep a young man as her personal assistant and hire Innova car with or without chauffeur. The vehicle is hired generally for a week. She would check in high-end hotels for a couple of days and she is generous about tipping the driver. The woman would display a posh behaviour every-
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where so that nobody would suspect any foul play. After a few days, if the vehi-
cle is given with driver (most car rentals insist on sending their driver), she would take the car for a short while for a personal reason. And, that would be the last the driver would be seeing the vehicle. It is arranged with her male accomplice that
The con queen ensnarls car rentals and drivers; the gang is said to be expert fakers of documents. he would follow her surreptitiously and join her on the way. How they clear the hotel bills is not explained. Once they take the car a long distance, they would replace the number plate and arrange the RC Book of different states. They have registration numbers of Bihar, UP, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu. The vehicle would then be sold in any market at a price nobody can refuse. Shandilya says the gang is believed to have lifted Innova cars from different cities of AP. It took some time to figure out that most of the vehicles reported stolen happen to be Innova cars. Somehow, the police have got a wind that the leader of the gang is a lady and they zero in on only Innova cars. A team of Central Crime Station is formed to nab the gang but so far it has got no definite information.
E-GOVERNANCE
UP begins work on online policy It is aimed at catering to news websites, portals and news wires. MOHIT DUBEY Indo Asian News Service LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh has begun drafting an online policy aimed at catering to news websites, portals and news wires, an official said Tuesday. The idea of a web policy came up during the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad earlier this year when the state government was flooded with requests from many global websites for accreditation to cover it, a state government
During the Kumbh Mela, the state government was flooded with requests from many global websites for accreditation to cover it. official told IANS here. "We were amazed at the number of news wires and news websites in operation and it was
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decided that the idea to cater to such a vast segment will be taken further to its logical end," said Prabhat Mittal, director of information and public relations. He added that a team has been constituted to draft the policy and it has been decided that the people's opinion would also be taken into consideration. Officials in the publicity
department told IANS that Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has welcomed the idea as he is a keen follower of news on the internet. "It was easy to get a nod on our proposal as the chief minister is net savvy and follows news on the go through many such websites," said an informed source. Following the nod, a discussion was held with journalists and a plan to draw a road map in this regard was decided, the source added.
British cops a 'disgrace', said Murdoch LONDON: Media boss Rupert Murdoch called police investigating his News International journalists a "disgrace" in a secret recording of talks with staff from the Sun newspaper, aired on British television Wednesday. The Australian-born businessman was forced to close the News of the World tabloid in 2011 after its journalists were found to have hacked mobile phones. Police are also investigating payments to public officials for information. Murdoch, the boss of News Corporation, then News International's parent company, called the payments "the culture of Fleet Street," according to tapes obtained by Channel 4 News. "We're talking about payments AROUND THE
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for news tips from cops: that's been going on a hundred years, absolutely," he is heard telling staff. "You didn't instigate it." Murdoch called Metropolitan police officers investigating his company a "disgrace". He added: "The idea that the cops then started coming after you, kick you out of bed, and your families, at six in the morning, is unbelievable." He also seems to suggest "it was a mistake" handing over documents to the police. "In that atmosphere, at that time, we said, 'Look, we are an open book, we will show you everything'. And the lawyers just got rich going through millions of emails," he says on the recording. AFP
NATION BRIEFS 1 killed in Maharashtra building collapse
Three Himachal cops held for gangrape
Delhi relaxes criteria for Annashree scheme
Antony’s China visit begins today
Bus gang-rape: 2 more to appear as witnesses
THANE: At least one person was killed and 15 injured early Thursday when a two-storeyed building collapsed in Maharashtra's Bhiwandi town, police said. Building No. 14 at Arihant Complex in Narpoli area came crashing down around 1.15 a.m. Thursday, said investigating officer Ramesh Patil of Narpoli police station.
SHIMLA: Three policemen were arrested Wednesday in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi town for gangraping a 32-year-old mentally challenged woman and daughter of a former police official, an official said. The accused took the victim to a house and allegedly raped her Tuesday, Superintendent of Police RS Negi told IANS.
NEW DELHI: Struggling to find two lakh vulnerable families to cover under the Annashree scheme, the Delhi Cabinet on Wednesday decided to relax the eligibility criteria, reported HT. Any household whose head has been a resident of Delhi for at least three years and the annual family income is not more than `1 lakh will be eligible.
NEW DELHI: Defence Minister AK Antony is set to lead a high-level delegation to China beginning on Thursday, his first since assuming the portfolio and two months after the stand-off in eastern Ladakh. This will be the first visit by an Indian Defence Minister since 2006 when Pranab Mukherjee held the portfolio.
NEW DELHI: A city court allowed the prosecution in the December 16 gangrape case to produce as witnesses the owner of the bus in which a 23-year-old woman was gangraped and a carpenter who was allegedly robbed by the accused on the night of the incident. The two shall appear at the fast track court in Saket.
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News THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2013
ALL’S NOT WELL
Food for thought When we checked at some restaurants and food courts in various malls in the city, we found there was a disturbing pattern of violations that can make patrons ill. ARUN D YELLAMATY arunyellamaty@postnoon.com
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HYDERABAD: Recently a family of six after enjoying their evening at the a popular mall in Madhapur decided to have their dinner at the mall’s food court. They ordered for ‘chicken fry’ from its popular chicken restaurant.To their misery the whole family fell sick afterward and had to be admitted to the hospital next day. David Dawson, an entrepreneur said, “My wife’s parents were here from out of town and we wanted to take them out. We all went to a hang out at a well known mall and for dinner ate fried Chicken. After we went home my wife started to throwup and the rest of my family were badly sick too. We all had to take medical helps. My mother-in-law was admitted for the whole day
CITY
Most critical violations aren’t as obvious: bare hands on food, unsafe food temperatures, raw meat sitting out for too long and filthy kitchens.
next day. It was a horrifying experience.” Dr Nawnial Singh, the doctor who treated them said it was by all probability food poisoning, “but due to monsoons we also get many of people with similar symptoms so we can’t blame
anyone in particular till more tests are taken. But food poisoning is a sure possibility,” he said. When we checked with the people working at the food courts at various malls, whether the GHMC, Health and Sanitary department come down for
JACKFRUIT
Poor’s man fruit goes to waste in Meghalaya
RAYMOND KHARMUJAI Indo Asian News Service SHILLONG: It could have brought villagers in Meghalaya huge profits. Instead, vast quantities of jackfruit are going waste in the impoverished Garo Hills region. Authorities want to reverse the situation. Officials estimate the loss at `434 crore each season as villagers leave the fruit rotting in the open.
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“It is a paradox that Garo Hills wastes 80 percent of the fruits though people suffer from lack of proper nutrition and income," explained Vijay Mantri, the district magistrate of East Garo Hills. “This is the jackfruit season. This year too, a huge number of jackfruits will be rotting under the trees because of lack of intervention,"
he said. In East Garo Hills itself, Mantri said the villagers were losing more than Rs.118 crore a season by underutilizing the fruit. “It is locally consumed. Lack of awareness among the rural communities is a major problem," Mantri told IANS. The jackfruit tree has many uses. It provides food, timber, fuel, fodder as well as medicinal and industrial products. The fruit is rich in vitamins A, B and C besides potassium, calcium, iron, proteins and carbohydrates. The government is determined to create awareness about the fruit and explore livelihood opportunities. To start with, Mantri said the Meghalaya Basin Development Authority in collaboration with the East Garo Hills District Basin Unit will conduct a two-day jackfruit festival starting July 11.
checks, one person of a popular mall in Banjara Hills, said, “I been working here for a while now, no one has ever come to check our food quality and conducted any checks.” At the mall where the family reported sick after dinner, the chicken restaurant manager said, “We ensure that the food is up to
the mark, but people who might have already developed illness could aggravate with non-veg food. You can’t really blame us,” he said. “Don’t remember the last time the GHMC team came to check here, but they keep doing surprise checks,” he added. Looks like the restaurants and food courts will surely be surprised when the officials decide to do some checks. When we checked few restaurants and many food courts in various malls in the city, we found they have a disturbing pattern of health violations that can make people sick. Most critical violations aren’t as obvious: bare hands on food, unsafe food temperatures, raw meat sitting out for too long and filthy kitchens. When tried to contact the Health and Sanitation department of GHMC, they were not available for comment.
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News THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2013
MASS COMM
SIMIAN CRIMES
HCU tops the country, again University of Hyderabad ranks in the top 10 list of mass communication and journalism courses in India for the third consecutive year. POSTNOON TEAM feedback@postnoon.com
A pet monkey sits on a car at a traffic junction Near Telugutelli flyover. It is illegal to have a pet monkey. N. SHIVA KUMAR.
HYDERABAD: While many city students have been queuing up before universities of other cities and abroad, our own University of Hyderabad stands on top in the country for the third consecutive year. In the OutlookMDRA national survey of professional programmes for 2013, the department, which is part of the Sarojini Naidu School of Arts & Communication at University of
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Hyderabad, is the only university department to figure this year in the top 10 list of mass communication and journalism courses in India. In fact, UoH’s communication department is ranked number 1 in ‘academic excellence’ among all institutions ranked, both public and private. The department, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary
POLITICS
Rajnath lashes out at UPA
‘I want to tell the Congress that for their own political benefits they have put the CBI and IB against each other in the case,’ he said. GUWAHATI: India heading towards the situation it faced in 1991 when it had to mortgage gold to the IMF for seeking a loan, said Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) president Rajnath Singh, who criticised the UPA government over its handling of the economy. Talking to reporters here Thursday, Rajnath Singh said GDP growth rate was down to AROUND THE
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about five percent and the rupee had weakened considerably against the dollar. "The country is facing conditions it faced in 1991," Rajnath Singh said. He said foreign investors were not willing to put their money in India and Indian investors were looking for opportunities abroad.
The BJP chief said the depreciation of the rupee should have lead to an increase in exports but that has not happened. "Imports are increasing and so is the pressure on the economy," he said. On the Ishrat Jahan fake encounter case, he said the CBI has filed a chargesheet in it. He said the Congress has put CBI and IB against each other. "I want to tell the Congress that for their own political benefits they have put the CBI and IB against each other in the case," he said. There have been many fake encounters that have happened but for political gains, hype is being created around the Ishrat Jahan case. He has asked the government to come out with the background and information on Ishrat Jahan and what links she had with which terror group.
this year, offers Masters and PhD courses in Communication (with specializations in radio and television, print journalism and new media, and media studies), in addition to a PG Diploma in Health Communication. Among other important activities, the students of the department run Bol Hyderabad 90.4 FM, the campus community radio station of the University. The department will be hosting the prestigious annual conference of the International Association of Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) in Hyderabad this month.
CRIME
‘Guntur Mirchi’ cost him `11 lakh! AROUND THE
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MOHD SUBHAN Mohd.S@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: Srinivas Reddy, 50, a resident of Prakash Nagar has approached the Begumpet police with a grievance that two brothers inveigled him into parting with `11 lakh for a proposed film titled, “Guntur Mirchi,’ and are now untraceable. The alleged villains of the film saga are brothers, B Vamsi Reddy and B Mohan Reddy. Srinivas Reddy said the two who became friendly with him had explained to him how they are about to make a possible superhit film, “Guntur Mirchi.” He wanted a stake he should do it immediately, the duo told Srinivas. Eager to be part of a film project that has the potential to become superhit and make moolah, Srinivas invested `11 lakh.
AGENCIES
WORLD BRIEFS Japan prepares for decisive elections TOKYO: Campaigning began Thursday in an election expected to strengthen Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's control over parliament, ushering in the stability he needs to fix Japan's floundering economy. Voters nationwide will go to the polls on July 21 to elect half of the 242 seats in the upper house of the legislature.
Rare proof of life for Bomb kills 4 girls at elusive Australian parrot Afghan wedding
South Korea beefs up cyber security
Mandela breathing through machine: Family
SYDNEY: An intrepid Australian bird-spotter has captured the best evidence in a century of a live "night parrot", a rare creature that ranks among the world's most enigmatic avian species. John Young, a naturalist photographer, presented photos and video of the small, yellowish-green parrot to experts at the Queensland Museum this week.
SEOUL: South Korea on Thursday said it would double its cyber-security budget and train 5,000 experts amid growing concern over its vulnerability to attacks it blames on North Korea. The government is to boost its budget to 10 trillion won ($8.76 billion) to be spent by 2017.The training will take place over the same period.
JOHANNESBURG: South Africa's first black president Nelson Mandela has been breathing through medical life support measures, described as "perilous" by his family members in a court document. "He (Mandela) is assisted in breathing by a life support machine...," Xinhua quoted his family members as saying.
KANDAHAR: A bomb attack killed four girls attending an Afghan wedding, officials said Thursday, blaming the attack on Taliban rebels intending to target government employees at the event. The children, aged between seven and 12, died when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated as they collected water from a river.
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EGYPT ERUPTS
West calls for polls in Egypt The military said it had responded to mass demonstrations calling for Morsi to go, but the West expressed unease that Egypt's first democratically elected leader has been overthrown. PARIS: Western powers called for restraint and a swift return to democracy in Egypt after the army toppled Islamist president Mohamed Morsi Wednesday, detaining him and his top aides. The military said it had responded to mass demonstrations calling for Morsi to go, but the West expressed unease that Egypt's first democratically elected leader has been overthrown a year after taking power. US President Barack Obama urged a quick return to elected
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The world’s reaction n
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Morsi detained in defence facility
E
gypt's ousted president Mohamed Morsi has been separated from senior aides detained in a military facility, a senior Islamist official told AFP on Thursday. "Morsi has been separated from his aides and was taken to the defence ministry," said Gehad El-Haddad, a senior Muslim Brotherhood official and son of a top Morsi aide.
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Fireworks light up the sky as hundreds of thousands of Egyptians celebrate the army’s toppling Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in Egypt's landmark Tahrir square on July 3, 2013 in Cairo, Egypt. AFP/KHALED DESOUKI
civilian government. "We believe that ultimately the future of Egypt can only be determined by the Egyptian people," Obama said in a statement after emergency talks with top aides. "Nevertheless, we are deeply concerned by the decision of the Egyptian Armed Forces to remove President Morsi and sus-
pend the Egyptian constitution." He said had ordered a review of the legal implications for US aid to Egypt in the wake of the military's toppling of the elected leader. In May, Washington renewed its $1.3 billion in annual military aid to Egypt. The army toppled Morsi after a week of bloodshed that killed
nearly 50 people as millions took to the streets, demanding he step down after a turbulent year of rule. On Wednesday, Washington ordered most of its embassy staff in Cairo evacuated. UN leader Ban Ki-moon said he understood Egyptians had "deep frustrations" but expressed concern over the army's inter-
STEP UP!
vention. Ban believed that "military interference in the affairs of any state is of concern," spokesman deputy UN spokesman Eduardo del Buey said. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, condemning the bloodshed, called for a swift return to democracy. AFP
SCINDIA IN US
Reality TV spawns dance schools
The mentality towards dance is changing thanks to the reality shows with parents new-found fascination for such programmes. SHILPA RAINA Indo Asian News Service NEW DELHI: Dance institutes across India are laughing all the way to the bank — thanks to parents' new-found fascination for TV reality shows. "There is a big boom in the industry for the past two years. It is amazing to see how the mindset of parents has changed towards dance. They no more frown if their child wants to join a dance class," Atul Jindal, one of the founders of Delhi-based Big Dance Centre, told IANS. A qualified dancer from a New York institute, the 29-yearold was initially disappointed with the lukewarm response when he decided to make dance his bread and butter. "It was extremely difficult for them (students) or us to convince parents that dance isn't a waste of time. Today, the tables have turned," he said, adding
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The UN believed that "military interference in the affairs of any state is of concern," spokesman deputy UN spokesman Eduardo del Buey said. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, condemning the bloodshed, called for a swift return to democracy. US President Barack Obama urged a quick return to elected civilian government. Britain expressed concern at the army's intervention.
Back in the past
I
n the not too distant past, dance was confined to the "big, bad Bollywood" — every parent's nightmare. The only possible job profile one could think of was that of a choreographer. Hence, the taboo of dance continued. Till a flurry of dance reality shows changed the equation.
the response now is overwhelming enough to keep the staff busy from morning till evening. In the not too distant past, dance was confined to the "big, bad Bollywood" — every parent's nightmare. The only possible job profile one could think of was that of a choreographer. Hence, the taboo of dance continued. Till a flurry of dance reality shows changed the equation.
India's pioneering dance reality show, "Boogie Woogie", which went on air in 1995, laid the foundation for others like "Dance India Dance", "Just Dance", "India's Got Talent", "Dancing Queen", "Dance Premier League","Chak Dhoom Dhoom", "Jhalak Dikhla Jaa" and "Nachle Ve" that set the stage for the big leap. Even cities like Meerut in Uttar Pradesh are not left
untouched. "The mentality towards dance is changing thanks to the reality shows," said Yasmani Shakya, a choreographer who teaches at the Imagine Dance Academy. "Earlier people didn't know about different dance forms. They just knew Bollywood. But the push these shows have given to dance is manifold," said Shakya.
India for US investments in power sector WASHINGTON: India's Minister of State for Power Jyotiraditya Scindia sees great potential for US investments and co-operation in the Indian power sector Potential areas of such cooperation inlude transmission technologies, development of large scale hydro power, superAROUND THE
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critical technology development for efficient energy production, smart grids and energy efficiency improvement programmes, he said. Scindia, who was here on a short visit at the invitation of the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank, said a $25 billion financial re-structuring plan (FRP) aimed at improving the viability of the state power utilities.
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SRINIVAS SETTY
BREATHING SPACE
Artistes of all kinds have gravitated to Lamakaan since its inception in 2010. Though still in its infancy, the space has redefined performance in the City. tem is not really great. It often rains; last weekend, it rained during a play, so it had to be stopped for half an hour. It is a make-do space. On the other hand, it is a space that is completely unencumbered by government regulations and by corporate interests. So it is open that way.
What about the petty politics between groups? The world is full of politics. You can’t do away with it, like taxes. What we are trying to do is provide a place where they can negotiate their politics. From what you see, Sometimes, the politics are petty, what is the state of sometimes, they are seriand culture in ous. If it is serious, we V E I RS art the City? want this to be the NN I wouldn’t complatform where A ment on that. The they come and fact that we prohave a civil disvide space does course about it. not automatically We know that make us an there is a signifiauthority. I am not cant amount of gap just trying to be between the Leftists modest here. I am and the Dalits. We being genuine. If we comimagine that Lamakaan pare ourselves to Delhi, would provide a platform for Mumbai, even Bengaluru, I these people to come together don’t think that we are there at and hold a dialogue. If there are all. We have a long way to go. petty politics happening below There is actually no need to comthe surface, we do not let them pare. Hyderabad has its own come in the way of Lamakaan. sensibilities. Definitely the engagement has gone up — Lamakaan has been a more people are paying to watch medium of inclining a play. I hope this continues. Hyderabad towards art and culture... I am sure people wonI don’t think city-wise we have der what the term had an impact. I don’t think any ‘Lamakaan’ means. one organisation can do that. There is a joke and a philosophy There is a lot to be done. What behind it. Makaan in Urdu we have done is essentially promeans house, and la is to say vide a platform for events which ‘not’. My uncle was a governare otherwise impossible to pull ment employee. This house's off in the City. We are hosting construction went slowly on his more plays than anybody else. limited income. Each time we Similarly, there are a number of would ask him ‘Aapke makaan ka group discussions, talks which kya hua?’ he would say ‘It is happen here, precisely because lamakaan’. He was trying to we have built an audience for make a joke that it was not comthose type of events. Rather, the plete. Actually, the word audience has built itself. lamakaan is used in Sufi mystiThe third thing is we have cism to indicate boundless. provided space for documenMakaan means bound, taries. For all this, it is a very lamakaan means overflowing. nominal place. The music sys-
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There are some who think Lamakaan is full of 'jobless phonies'. Fair enough that jobless people come here. First of all, I do not have less respect for jobless people. People who consider themselves busy, I respect them. It is equally important to respect people who are not them because a lot are jobless by choice. Far many more are actually jobless because of our social condition. If people are jobless, whether they are at Lamakaan
system. Probably they see it as exploitative, not inclusive.
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How did the idea of Lamakaan come about? This house belonged to my late uncle who was deeply involved in Hyderabad’s culture. He was the founding member of Save the Rocks Society and Andhra Pradesh Photography Association and was a documentary filmmaker himself. He was a bachelor, so his house was open to everybody. Lakshma Goud did a lot of his paintings here. Many journalists wrote their columns here. We wanted to do something in his memory and keep the tradition alive. The other incentive was the fact that Hyderabad had an active culture, but it was mostly located in people’s homes. A couple of poets might have poetry reading in someone’s house or Bade Ghulam Ali Khan would perform at personal mehfils. I consider Hyderabad to be a city of intimate culture but these intimate spaces were vanishing.
Lamakaan has constantly been in transition... Lamakaan is an evolving place. We don’t know where we are going but there is always a sense of direction. When you look back, you know that you are not exactly where you wanted to be but somewhere in that area. So you course correct. One of the things we actively did decide this year was to engage with Telugu literature, which we thought was lacking here. We have not had much Telugu theatre but we have had poetry readings and book launches. We are very happy seeing that happen.
or not, it is a sign of what our society has come to. They are definitely not bad or unintelligent people. They are alienated from what is going on around them. They can’t engage with that. It is not that they don’t want to but it shows there is something inherently wrong in our society. Lamakaan becomes a sanctuary for such people. I don’t think that’s necessarily bad. Secondly, it is important to be jobless in order to seriously engage with what you are doing. I personally value my joblessness a lot. I take long breaks between what I do. It is not a crime. It is a fair choice that they don’t want to be a part of the rat race and the economic
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here is no denying that Lamakaan has been the quintessential platform for local playwrights, poets, dancers and other artistes since its inception in March 2010. Not only is it affordable, it is also inclusive of all art forms, providing individuals and groups the space and freedom to learn, share and present. It has, to its credit, mentors such as Bhaskar Shivalkar, Joe Costa and Suresh Karhade curating events. What started off as a quiet corner for new thoughts and ideas soon grew to become the cultural hub of the City. Postnoon gets chatting with Asshar Farhan, one of its founding members, although he thought the public has better insight into Lamakaan than him.
Instead, we had huge places like Ravindra Bharati and Shilpa Kala Vedika, which are 600-3,000 seaters, and are expensive to hire or watch a play at. So we needed to create an intimate cultural space. The third problem was that the culture of Hyderabad was rapidly getting 'industrialised'. There was an imminent need for a cultural space.The fourth thing was it needed to sustain itself without depending monetarily or otherwise on the State or corporates. If you put all these points together, it is very apparent that it had to be a place like Lamakaan.
BIG
KANCHAN AGARWAL kanchan.a@postnoon.com
RVI
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ROAD SAFETY
SRINIVAS SETTY
Crossing the road? Cross your fingers With traffic safety measures around schools being almost nil, it is the children who have to risk their lives while crossing the roads. ALEENA ALICE aleena.t@postnoon.com
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n one hand schools have been collecting high fees from parents and on the other hand there are hardly any safety measures taken by them. The traffic safety measures around nearly 80 per cent of the schools in the City are nil, say the traffic police. With the increasing traffic on the roads, school children have been finding it very difficult to cross the roads. With more and more school zones becoming accident prone, schools have been instructed to put up speed breakers 4-5 metres away from the entrance of the schools on both the sides. Schools are also supposed to
make sure that they are zebra crossing lines in certain points from the school along with sufficient sign boards indicating a school zone. Schools are also supposed to deploy traffic wardens especially during peak traffic hours. However most of the schools have been flouting these norms. As it is with the increasing number of vehicles on the road, the traffic cops are finding it very difficult to manage the traffic, added to it, they now have more burden on their shoulders to monitor the speed of vehicles near school zones. The Hyderabad Traffic Police held meetings last week with the various school management in the twin cities and instructed them to take up traffic safety
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measures around their schools. “Nearly 80% of the schools have not been following the norms. The traffic police held a meeting with the school management and the schools were instructed to put up speed breakers, zebra crossing lines and sign boards within a weeks time. Apart from that the school managements were also instructed to have traffic wardens especially during peak hours to help students while crossing the road,” said S Shyam Sunder Traffic DCP II. The traffic police will conduct safety drives in schools, to educate the school management
Schools are also supposed to deploy traffic wardens during peak traffic hours. However most of the schools have been flouting these norms. as well as the students about the traffic safety measures that should be taken. Various school management however have been denying the fact that they are not taking sufficient safety measures. “Most of the schools, put up sign boards indicating school zones. Also during peak traffic hours supervisors assist students in getting into busses and crossing the
road. Safety comes first and we are abiding with the norms,” said Srinivas Reddy the principal of a private school. Meanwhile, parents say that if not the schools, at least the GHMC should come forward in putting up speed breakers in school zones. “There are unwanted and unscientifically constructed speed breakers in areas that do not require them at all. However in many school zones they are missing. Since most of the schools are situated on busy roads with overspeeding vehicles, we are apprehensive about the safety of our children. The school management or the GHMC should put up speed breakers without any delay,” says K Madhusudan an advocate and a parent.
CONGRESS’S POT OF TROUBLES
Ishrat case is to cover up Congress failures Say the BJP leaders who ask what the Congress did to save people the in pilgrim tragedy and where the massive coal scam money is hidden. PK SURENDRAN surendran.PK@postnoon.com
T
he BJP believes the Congress will make many attempts from now till 2014 polls to tie Narendra Modi in knots but the party believes that it will not succeed because people are not fools and they know the whole Ishrat Jehan case charade is part of a bid to cover up its miserable failures in the pilgrim tragedy and massive scams such as coal, railway and a host of others. The hoopla created by Ishrat Jehan case in Gujarat was a deliberate ploy to throw mud at the BJP and Modi, they say. “The
Congress believes 1.3 billion people are fools, only they are smart,” observed party senior leader Venkaiah Naidu. “Let me tell them the common man has uncommon intelligence and can’t be conned by half-baked Congress strategists who misuse the CBI.” “Coming to the latest case the Coal-gate scam, which is being monitored by the Supreme Court, the CBI Director, in an affidavit filed before the SC, has himself admitted that the Union law minister had called the CBI officials, gone through the CBI report and suggested changes. The officials of PMO and joint secretaries of coal ministry,
If a case monitored by the SC itself can be influenced one can imagine how impartial the CBI will be in a high profile case like Gujarat encounter.
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whose role is in question, were also present in that meeting had also gone though the report and suggested changes. It shows how amenable the CBI is to the political pressure,” Naidu said. If this could happen in a case monitored by the SC itself, one can imagine how impartial the CBI
will be in a high profile case like Gujarat encounter. According to another leader from Andhra Pradesh, the CBI director Ranjit Sinha himself admitted that the agency needs to be given autonomy and presently it works under the guidance of political offices. What credibility does the CBI report have? The party leadership says its decision to go it alone in AP was considered after analysis of the past election results where the party is seen to have been used by partners while the latter had not transferred any benefits to the party. The party still believe only a BJP-led NDA can give Telangana and nobody else.
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NOT A MARKETING GIMMICK
SECURITY CONCERNS
Obama, Merkel talk about US spy programmes WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama spoke with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday to address mounting European concerns about broad US surveillance programmes. Germany and other European nations are in uproar over last month’s revelations by a US IT contractor that the National Security Agency has been scooping up vast amounts of data on Americans and foreigners. “The president assured the chancellor that the US takes seriously the concerns of our European allies and partners,” according to a statement. The White House said they agreed
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to a “high-level meeting” between US and German security officials in the coming days to address intelligence matters, and that a US-EU dialogue on intelligence collection and data protection would begin as early as July 8. That appeared to be a concession of sorts to European Union demands to set up working groups looking at the extent of the US snooping into phone data, emails and web searches. Obama and Merkel, who face criticism from the opposition also discussed the upcoming launch of sensitive USEuropean trade talks. AFP
A Mexican market that aims to teach the public that even trash has value.
A MEXCIAN CAPITAL CLEAN-UP DEBORAH BONELLO Agence France-Presse MEXICO CITY: On a recent rainy Sunday morning in a Mexico City neighbourhood, people lined up under their umbrellas with bags of empty milk cartons, plastic bottles and cardboard at their feet. The rain did nothing to dampen their enthusiasm for the Mercado de Trueque, or barter market, where recyclable materials are exchanged for points then used to buy organic food and products. “It’s great because a lot of the time one doesn’t know what to do with all of this stuff and I think it’s really irresponsible to just throw it away," said Maria Fernanda Vasquez, a photographer huddled under an umbrella with her friend Mina Moreno. Moreno added: “We need to give a little something back to Mother Earth."
The Mercado de Trueque is among a slew of green initiatives that have been launched by the capital’s left-wing government in recent years to clean up this smoggy metropolis of 20 million people, which was considered the world’s most polluted city some 20 years ago. The monthly market, which was inaugurated last year, aims to raise awareness about the value and use of items that would otherwise end up in landfills, and is growing in popularity in a city that generates more than 12,000 tonnes of trash per day. The recyclables brought to market by people are weighed by an army of apron-wearing helpers, and then heaped onto waiting trucks to be transported to a local recycling company. Market-goers are rewarded with green points, a bespoke currency, depending on the quantity of materials they bring in. They
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The monthly market, which was inaugurated last year, aims to raise awareness about the value and use of items that would otherwise end up in landfills. then take their points next door to a produce market to spend on food and other products on sale. The scheme means no one goes away empty-handed after bringing their trash in for recycling. It was the first time Andrea Gutierrez and her boyfriend Alan Riestro came to the market loaded with newspapers and plastic bottles.
“We bought radishes and cottage cheese, and still have 40 or 50 pesos ($3 or $4) left to spend," said Gutierrez at a recreational center within the site of the 1968 Olympic village. Local producers also benefit. They sell all of their produce to the government, and then bring them here for exchange. Last year the project collected more than 170,000 tonnes of recyclable materials. The barter market is another effort at sorting trash. It accepts a wide range of materials for recycling, from the obvious cardboard and glass to electric appliances such as old typewriters and computers that no longer work. “A lot of people come. The aim of the market is to help people to understand their trash has a value and to separate the materials," said Liliana Balcazar, a government worker who helps organise the market. AFP
INCENTIVES FOR BUSINESS
State promotes SC entrepreneurs POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com
PICK YOUR
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ndeterred by the prevalent political upheaval and investor uncertainty in the State, the government is now looking to encourage new businesses by inviting SC and ST entrepreneurs by offering a number of incentives.
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Speaking at a seminar themed “Industrial Motivation Campaign to promote Entrepreneurship among SC/STs on Wednesday, Geeta Reddy, Minister for Major Industries, insist-
@ ed that Andhra Pradesh was “the most investment driven economy” in the country. “I am proud to say that no Government in the past or any other state Government has implemented such massive enterprise scheme for the benefit of SC/ST enterprises in the state. I am sure that in the days to come you can see a great change in
the Dalit Entrepreneurs in the state”, she said. “With DICCI initiatives, a new wave is created among the dalit entrepreneurs," stated Milind Kamble, Chairman, Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in his address. Similar sessions are being organised at Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam and other parts of the State.
Across Stores
ities Twin C
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TECHNICALLY SPEAKING NT BALANARAYAN
BEST OF THE BEST
PC GAMING
Show me the money EA hikes price of PC games, what happens now?
TT ESPORTS LEVEL 10 M
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his rugged looking mouse could be your perfect partner if you’re a pro-gamer. Made by Tt eSports, this beauty is made of aluminium instead of plastic. The device is also very comfortable to hold despite its open design and the mouse speed could be set to as high as 8200DPI, which is great if you play a lot of DoTA. You can also adjust the height and length of this mouse making it one of a kind and ensuring that you’ll be comfortable holding it no matter how big your hand is. This mouse is not cheap, but it’s worth the buck if you are serious about gaming. It sells for `5,527 on Flipkart.
G INTEL HASWELL
I
f you’re out in the market to buy a PC or a laptop running Intel processors look for those that are powered by Haswell series. This fourth generation processor from Intel will improve the battery life of your laptop by 2-4 hours compared to the earlier line. It also sports a more powerful integrated GPU which means the processing power will be much higher too. Not all notebook vendors have started bringing their Haswell devices here, so if you plan to buy a laptop now you would be better off waiting.
GEEK SPEAK APU
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his refers to Accelerated Processing Unit and is a term coined by AMD for their new line of processors that combines CPU and GPU in one dye. Though APUs have been around for a few years now it has finally come of age now. The chip has found its way to both Xbox One and PlayStation 4 apart from becoming a favourite for those building their own HTPC. The chip packs enough power that you can run most games without an extra graphic card provided you don't need full HD resolution.
amers of India are angry right now, very very angry and not without reason. The weak Rupee and policy of gaming companies combined have ensured that the price of games have increased by a huge margin here. It all started with rumours of Electronic Arts increasing price of PC games in India from the good old `999 to `2,500 and those games that were selling for `1,500 would cost `3,500. Turns out these rumours were true and the company announced that the price of games have been increased to bring it on par with global prices. Only a few gamers really heard this news, but things sort of went out of hand last evening when Flipkart started preorders for FIFA 14 and Battlefield 4 games; both developed by Electronic Arts. The prices were `2,499 and `3,499 respectively and gamers took to Facebook to express their frustration. Bulk of them decided to post their frustration with the company — which coincidentally has been voted the worst company in US two years in a row — on its Facebook page. Within minutes there were hundreds of angry posts laced with F-bombs and finger salutes. The one line that kept repeating in most of these angry posts were about how they would turn to piracy if the company didn’t bring the price down back to what it used to be. Criticising a company for a bad policy is one thing, but threatening to pirate their games because they can’t
afford it, is just terrible. If gamers want to play these games badly then they should buy the games or buy the older version instead of pirating it. If they want to make a point they should do so with their wallets rather than going back to piracy. The amount of gamers who were buying legit copies have increased over the past few years and a price rise alone shouldn’t push them back to old habits. Before all that, however, they should look at the circumstances that have led to this new pricing. Call of Duty series has been selling at a price that is on par
Criticising a company for a bad policy is one thing, but threatening to pirate their games because they can’t afford it, is just terrible. with the global pricing both on console and PC; the game has sold well enough despite this. Then there is EA’s Origin online store that competes with Steam and they offered games at a lower rate for Indians via the store. Many gamers in other countries though figured out a way to buy games from the Indian Origin store at much lower prices than the games are in their country on launch day. Once EA found out about this they increased the price of games in Origin store to match the international pricing.
So that meant it was cheaper to buy games offline than online which doesn’t make a lot of sense considering there is no middle man that EA has to pay. With this price hike across the board the company has ensured that the prices remain the same both online and offline. This also means that Indians will be able to pre-order EA games from Origin store, if digital copy is your thing that is. The other problem with selling games at a lower price tag was with people who were buying the cheap copies from India and re-exporting it to other countries to make a quick buck. With this price hike EA has ensured that this practise will not continue anymore. Now these being the circumstances the chances of EA going back on their decision are slim, the only price cut gamers can expect happen if the Rupee strengthens its position against the dollar. If it goes back to `50 for $1 mark then the price of FIFA 14 will come down to `2,000 and that of Battlefield 4 to `3,000. If gamers think that is also high then it needs to be seen which games all of them will turn to. Hardcore FIFA gamers prefer to game on PlayStation and they are sort of used to higher priced games but the bigger issue is with Battlefield gamers, bulk of whom are on PC. Will they stop boycott Battlefield and Call of Duty or go back to playing Counter Strike exclusively? Or will they pick up Cytek’s free-toplay shooter that is still in beta? These are questions without any answers as of now the truth is anything could happen.
THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2013
Business
INDIA’S CHEAP FOOD SCHEME
The government launched a $22 billion welfare scheme on Wednesday to give cheap food to hundreds of millions of people, a centrepiece of the ruling Congress party's plan to win a third term in elections due by May 2014.
SENSEX FUNDA
US INVESTMENTS SOUGHT
Quantitative Easing and its impact Vishal was waiting for me at the cafeteria when I went to get my usual cup of the morning coffee. He has been investing small amounts of money in the stock market with reasonable success. He would usually stop by to tell me about the performance of the stocks in which he has invested. Today he looked troubled. MONEY MATTERS Nupur Pavan Bang
It is that Nicky: What is it Vishal? Vishal: Professor Nicky, you must help me. My dad will beat me. Nicky: Why? What happened? Vishal: Last few weeks have been pretty bad. The SENSEX has been shedding points and the prices of the stocks I hold have also been going down. My dad has threatened to stop my pocket money and force me to withdraw all my investments from the stock market if there are any further losses. A lot of the newspapers are talking about the withdrawal of Quantitative Easing by the US.
DISINVESTMENT DECISION Neyveli Lignite workers strike work
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They say that it will result in foreign institutional investors withdrawing money from the stock markets in India. I don't understand any of it. Firstly, what is Quantitative Easing (QE)? Secondly, why should Indian markets go down if US withdraws QE? Nicky: I am glad that you are reading the papers. Quantitative Easing is a means to increase money supply or liquidity in the economy to stimulate growth. Countries like the US, Japan, UK and the Euro Zone decided to infuse capital into their economy by buying corporate bonds, equities or mortgage backed securities. Vishal: From what I know, these countries have huge debt
and high fiscal deficit. Where do they get the money to infuse it into the system? Nicky: Simple. They print it. Printing money does have the danger of making the domestic currency weaker. But the idea is to promote growth by increasing consumption, development and expansion. That is demand. When the government supplies capital, some of the money finds its way to emerging countries like India, as the interest rates in emerging countries are much higher than in US, Japan, UK or the European Union. Some of this money also goes into the stock markets in the hope of better returns than the investors would find in their own countries. When the chairman of the Federal Reserve of US, Ben
Bernake, announced plans to taper down the QE last month, it resulted in foreign institutional investors withdrawing money from emerging nations, including India. This resulted in the markets going downhill. Vishal: You said that printing money has the danger of making the domestic currency weaker. But dollar is becoming stronger. Nicky: Dollar is getting stronger as it is still seen as a safe haven. Also, the rate of dollar appreciation increased after the announcement of tapering the QE came. Vishal: We are truly living in an integrated world. I must not just look at the Indian economy when taking decisions, but also the global economy. Nicky: Yes indeed!
DEDICATION Raja Reddy, Sunil Kumar, Swathi Reddy and Prasanna grace the occasion of addition of health services at the Himagiri Multispecialty Hospital in Gachibowli on Wednesday.
The workers unions in Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd (NLC) on Wednesday decided to strike work opposing the centre's disinvestment decision even though the Madras High Court earlier in the day restrained them from striking work, said a union leader. "We have decided to go on indefinite strike from today (Wednesday) night onwards," R. Udayakumar, secretary of the AIADMK-affiliated Anna Workers and Staff Union, told IANS.
India's Minister of State for Power Jyotiraditya Scindia (above) sees great potential for US investments and co-operation in the Indian power sector. Potential areas of such cooperation inlude transmission technologies, development of large scale hydro power, supercritical technology development for efficient energy production, smart grids and energy efficiency improvement programmes, he said. Scindia, who was here on a short visit at the invitation of the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank, said a $25 billion financial re-structuring plan (FRP) aimed at improving the viability of the state power utilities.
NUMEROLOGY
`1,000cr
is the investment Norwegian telecom firm Telenor can make in a joint venture in the telecom sector of the country.
FOOD AMBIT WIDENED The Delhi government on Wednesday decided to widen the ambit of Dilli Annshree Yojna to ensure food security in the city by easing eligibility norms for availing the benefits of the scheme. According to the "liberlaised" eligibility criteria cleared in a cabinet meeting chaired by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit Wednesday, households' heads who have been living in the national capital since January 1, 2010, will be eligible for the scheme. They must not be beneficiaries of the ration distributed under the Public Distribution System (PDS) and their annual income must not exceed `100,000.
THUS SPAKE This year public sector banks are expected to add 10,000 branches of which 2,000 are to be by Regional Rural Banks. P CHIDAMBARAM, FINANCE MINISTER
GOLD`26,211 10g SILVER `40,475 1kg
24C
for
for
DOLLAR `60.07 POUND `91.63
BSE NSE
19,317.45 73.26
5,811.50 69.80
THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2013
Comment If you find serenity and happiness, some people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
CON JOB
CLAUDINE RENAUD Agence France-Presse
H
aunted by death during his long anti-apartheid struggle, Nelson Mandela looked toward his own “eternal sleep” as a man who fulfilled his duty to his people. He was willing to die for democracy, the young black activist said during the 1963-64 trial that would send him to prison for 27 years. “It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die,” he told judges of the white-minority apartheid regime. Nearly 50 years later the 94-yearold is critically ill, fighting a stubborn pulmonary infection. The country’s presidency has prepared people for the icon’s passing after his fourth hospitalisation this year. “He never gave death a great deal of thought but he never wanted anything fancy,” a family friend told the weekly Mail & Guardian. A simple A4-page testament quoted in the paper asks a modest last resting place, true to the unpretentious image he cultivated from his presidency from 1994 to 1999. He allowed himself one fantasy 10 years ago: fellow anti-apartheid fighter and political mentor Walter Sisulu welcoming him to paradise with mobilisation chants and an ANC enrolment form. After leading South Africa to a peaceful transition and the first all-race elections in 1994, the Nobel peace laureate regarded his life task complete. “When a man has done what he considers to be his duty to his people and his country, he can rest in peace,” he said in 1996.
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POLITICIANS’ JOB CONTRACT... NO JOKING!
Mother Teresa Nobel laureate
Mandela on death and dying
HIGH-FLYING THOUGHTS
Through the RTI mechanism one can get enough information to drag a decision to the courts, and so vast are the powers of the RTI that even the high and mighty can be sent to jail.
BUT... SERIOUSLY
Ajay Hotchandani
S
o the joke is, “What does Santa Claus, an honest politician and unicorns have in common?” The answer, “They are all fictitious!” In 2012 the Corruption Index placed India at 94th out of 176 countries. I can already hear some politician saying, “There are 82 countries worse than us.” I once heard a story about a group that wanted to do an ‘Anti-Corruption Campaign’, which included a parade of people marching down the main streets. In order to get permission to close the streets, they had to bribe someone in the department to get the papers signed. Irony, I say, my good chap. I think we are not strict enough with our politicians. If we have them sign a contract and enforce it publically we might get somewhere with these so-called ‘honest politicians’. Has anyone in the media ever asked a politician if he was honest? You want to see what a liar looks like? Ask them that question and see what one looks like. Politician Contract I,______Name_____, have been duly elected as a politician. I hereby understand that I have been elected to serve the people
and not rob them. Upon assuming my post as ______________, I understand my duties are to: n Keep a proper log of what I do (and not fabricate stories) n Be held accountable for what I or my staff do with our department’s resources and keep the spending on women and booze to a minimum n Actually do some work as it pertains to my designated post, ie being the minister of transport doesn’t mean you can drive around or minister of technology mean you get a new phone and computer every month n Not award all the contracts to friends and family all though they are incompetent and couldn’t tell their brain from a
donkey’s sitting stool n Uphold the law for everyone and not think myself greater than the law (that is reserved for movie stars whose careers are ending) n Not to promise money, land or favours in exchange for votes n Buy a building and rent it to the government for an exorbitant rate and not provide toilet paper with the building My term is for ___ years after which I will relinquish my post and return to civilian life. If I am found guilty of being corrupt, my punishment will include, but not be limited to: n Having everything I own taken away (does not include the underwear I am are wear-
ing at the time of confiscation of goods) n Clean public restrooms for five years without pay n Allow my name to be used in a children’s song, which depicts me as the person who stole their chocolate I may receive pardon if I submit the names and proof of two other corrupt politicians I affix my name and signature to this contract of my own free will, void of any influence by money or upper management. ________________ __________ Signature Date Please pay the person at the counter something extra to get paperwork processed faster.
EDITORIALS ANDHRA PRADESH’S THIRD EYE NUMBER NATAK
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nstallation of 5,000 advanced CCTV cameras at public places in the City by the Hyderabad Police under the Safe City Project and AP Public Safety (Measures) Enforcement ACT – 2013 is a welcome move. With intelligence reports pointing to future incidents of terror attacks and a history of the same, a camera at a junction with over 100 people is essential. Cover guidelines include upgrading police stations to a corporate style of functioning. What is more essential is training policemen to be friendly and receptive to the problems of the man on the street. While crores of rupees might be earmarked for technology like command control centre, Dial 100, data centre, highway patrol cars, aerial surveillance and community policing, it is the training of soft skills that will contribute towards the all-important human touch. People-friendly and accessible services will encourage people to be alert and report crime in time. Counselling services assist in reducing legal procedures and addressing small incidents at the site of complaint itself. The toll-free number 100 should be functional when panic calls are made from mobiles.
READERS’ VIEWS
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f the four RTOs in the capital, Secunderabad, Malakpet, Mehdipatnam and Bahadurpura, bidding for unique vehicle numbers is highest at the Khairatabad office. Despite four-wheeler sales being low this year, the fancy for favoured numbers has helped Khairatabad net Rs37 lakh this year. The RTO laughing its way to the bank is also an indicator of the high-end cars that are becoming common on Hyderabad roads of late. In numerology, 9999 might represent Mars, the indicator for bloodshed through accidents but at our RTO its repetitive numbers that get high bidders. Rich fantasies find no rhyme or rationale.
We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500 033 or even by way of a call on 4067 2222. Editor: Dean Williams
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tELEVISION
CATCH THE FALLING SKIES
TNT has ordered a fourth season of Falling Skies, the epic drama produced by DreamWorks Television and executive producer Steven Spielberg and starring Noah Wyle.
SERIES REVIEW
CREATIVE BLOCK
The broken f ixer Stumble for Ricky Gervais Ricky Gervais has earned a welldeserved reputation for comedic fearlessness. Which makes the creative brick wall he and collaborator Stephen Merchant ran into on Life’s Too Short, their second live-action HBO series, all the more disappointing. Unlike The Office and Extras before it — both comedic gems of slightly varying quality, which produced two fleeting seasons — Life’s Too Short aired just one before culminating with an hourlong wrap-up episode .
SCOOP’S HERE
Big Brother As with every in-control protagonist, Ray might be able to get anybody out of a bad situation, but when it comes to his own family, everything crumbles. JYOTSNA NAMBIAR jyotsna.n@postnoon.com
P
rofessional fixers are the flavour of the month on US television. And by now, we've learned to equate fixers with Scandal's Olivia Pope and team, all sharp mind and you-willdo-as-I-say attitude. But across the country, hushing up scandals for the rich and famous in LA is Ray Donovan, our new favourite goto guy. Played by Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan (which is also the series' name) exudes none of the cunning or strategy of Olivia, but appears to have the same flair for damage-control PR. Except for their professions, the two characters, and therefore the series, have nothing in common. If you thought Olivia had problems with her personal life, Ray is the poster boy for dysfunctional. The introductory shot makes Ray's family look happy and tightknit, but before the hour is up, everything has unravelled and become all tangled up.
As with every in-control protagonist, Ray might be able to get anybody out of a bad situation, but when it comes to his own family, everything crumbles. He's still managing to hold it together till he
learns that his father, Mickey Donovan, has been let out of prison early and is coming home. Family is the focus and the first episode itself throws up really intense issues – rape, suicide, addiction. It might
seem like a case of overloading the show, but the slick editing ensured that the pace never flagged at any point. And as for his job, there is no front for Ray Donovan. He simply is a fixer and the more public aspects of the job are handled by his colleagues. They didn't get much screen time in the initial episode, but hopefully their characters will be more fleshed out. An interesting storyline is all good and well, but actors are needed to bring life to characters. This is Ray Donovan's strength. The cast includes a strong set of character actors, high on talent and low on drama. The choice of Liev Schreiber as the leading man was a stroke of genius. Mostly silent and poker-faced, Liev is incredible as the reliable Ray, be it work or family. His deme an our, his impressive physical presence and low rumbly voice make him a reassuring figure for his clients and a menacing one for opponents. This is Liev's television debut and he seems to
be doing a fine job. He's backed by a great bunch of talented actors. Elliott Gould (of Ocean's Eleven fame) plays his mentor, and Paula Malcomson plays his spirited wife. Eddie Marsan and Dash Mihok play Ray's meeker, highly troubled brothers. But the show belongs to Jon Voight, who plays Ray's father. He's a creepy old man trying to act half his age, he's a menacing avenging angel, a pissed-off father and a repentant grandfather all rolled in one. You see the uber-cool Ray lose control when his father appears; one look at the way Jon plays him explains Ray's fears . The series premiere broke records of viewership, being the biggest premiere of all time on Showtime. Ray Donovan's first episode showed tonnes of promise, but it remains to be seen whether it can sustain that interest. The show's got a lot of heavy themes running through it, but it also has a stellar cast that seems more than capable of handling them.
Boorish behavior by several houseguests on Big Brother 15 — which have included racist and homophobic comments that were caught on the 24/7 internet feeds — prompted CBS to release a statement saying that it (shocker!) didn’t condone the behaviour.It’s unclear, for now, whether the offensive comments made by players like GinaMarie, Aaryn Spencer and Amanda over the last week will make it to air.
TRENDING...
Tara Sharma, who shifted to television with her own children's show after acting in films like Khosla Ka Ghosla and Masti, says a comeback to the big screen will only happen if she gets something amazing to do. Tara's show is titled The Tara Sharma Show. “For me, what has been very rewarding is creating my own show because I conceptualised it, I am coproducing it and I am hosting it,"she said.
Vince Gilligan is about a month away from launching the final episodes of Breaking Bad, but he's still got a minute to chat about the potential Saul Goodman spinoff. Gilligan tells TheWrap that Better Call Saul is "not a done deal yet, but it's definitely something we're full speed ahead on trying to get going." The series would likely be run by BrBa producer Peter Gould.
THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2013
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TRADITIONAL BEATS
DJ Naveen will be belting out the latest Punjabi numbers at Kismet tonight. Head to the pub and groove to the desi beats.
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Rhythm divine
Music lovers had a field day at Marriott Hotel where Sharik Hasan Quartet, a group of jazz musicians based in New York city performed. 14
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1 Aaba
9 Zatina, Sarina
2 Sameena
10 Shynica
3 Ashrita
11 Jaiwantika
4 Padma
12 Pooja
5 Akash, Amandeep
13 Nabiha
6 Arun, Tania
14 Elisha, Shipra
7 Jayesh, Ruchi
15 Sabiha, Sofia
8 Supriya, Alekya
16 Shweta, Chitra
SCALING NEW HEIGHTS
Uninor has broken-even in Andhra Pradesh, Uninor CEO Yogesh Malik announced at a press conference on Wednesday. Circle Business Head Uninor AP Circle Satish Kannan was also present at the event.
Entertainment Shoppe is organising 7th Rainbow Shopping Festival at SHOPPING The Minar Garden. Festival is on till August 9. CARNIVAL
WIRED FOR WORDS
Bestselling author Ankit Fadia released his book Faster: 100 Ways to improve your digital life at Oxford Bookstore on Wednesday.
THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2013
health
PAINKILLER OVERDOSE KILLING MORE US WOMEN
Deaths due to overdose of prescription painkillers have risen sharply in recent years among women in the United States, a medical report said. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that between 1999 and 2010, the death toll from painkiller overdose increased more than 400 per cent among American women.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR LIVER-PART IV
19 S BALAKRISHNA
Dr Guru N Reddy, chairman of Continental Hospitals and specialist in gastroenterology and liver diseases, tells us about the importance of having a healthy liver and the dangers our lifestyle can put it in.
STOP KILLING
your liver with drinks FLEME VARKEY fleme.v@postnoon.com
How do lifestyle trends affect the liver? The present lifestyle of some people can lead to numerous disorders but the solution for it lies with them itself. Liver problems arise due to viral infections which are termed as Hepatitis A, B, C, D, E. Other causes are chronic alcoholism, obesity, which is increasing at an alarming rate in our country and diabetes. Commonly called the metabolic syndrome, a person having high blood pressure, is overweight and has diabetes can be susceptible to a damaged liver. Medications, especially over-the-counter drugs not prescribed by the physician, herbal medications can also lead a person into being affected by chronic or acute liver disease.
What are the liver diseases on the rise these days? Both acute liver diseases and chronic liver disorders are on the rise these days. There is acute hepatitis disease that can be caused because of any of the above mentioned reasons or even immune disorders. In chronic liver disease you have the fatty liver which is caused mainly by diabetes and obesity. Acute liver disease can become chronic in some cases when a person is infected with Hepatitis B or C. There is also the threat of Autoimmune liver diseases, where the liver tissues are attacked by the body's immune system. What is the age group of the patients that can be affected? Liver problems predominantly occur in adults and can also involve paediatric cases as well. In some cases the liver diseases can be inherited as well. In adults the disease is acquired. People mostly above 40 come in with liver problems arising out of diabetes and alcoholism. Any person who drinks more than 2gms of alcohol for weeks consistently or even people with a body mass index above 30 are at risk. Left untreated, almost any type of liver disease can lead to cirrhosis. How can we identify the symptoms of liver disease? In Acute liver diseases it depends on the underlying causes for example jaundice, vomiting, stomach pain, joint pain and skin rashes are some of the symptoms that can tell more about the disease. However, with Chronic liver diseases it's almost no symptoms other than tiredness, the liver may become hard and one may even vomit blood. De-
pends on the stages as well. But is always good to be sure and not be guided by symptoms alone. How do we work towards a healthy liver? There few tips one can follow that can lead to a healthy liver or even slow the progression of liver diseases. The most essential are avoiding putting on excess weight, keeping one's blood pressure in control, if alcoholic then either quit or drink in extreme moderation preferably don't drink at all and eating right. People with Acute hepatitis can be at risk from food contamination, infection from inappropriate blood transfusion. If people share toothbrushes, needles or even have
Only after all other chances of treatment are exhausted does one go in for a transplant. A person with associated problems like cancer, heart or kidney problem, etc.. does not qualify. sex with patients with hepatitis B or C, then they must get themselves scanned for the disease. In fact, if a person in the family is suffering from Hep C then it is recommended that the family members get themselves vaccinated as well. What sort of conditions give rise to the need for a liver transplant? Liver transplants are done only for advanced liver diseases. Commonly transplants are done for patients with hepatitis
C, or al liver disease or even Hep B. Only after all other chances of treatment are exhausted does one go in for a transplant. There are certain conditions required for a person to qualify for the treatment, such as, the patient cannot have associated diseases like cancer, tumour or heart problem. A complete evaluation is done before a patient is recommended for one. It is important that people understand that getting a normal CAT scan done is not the end of their problems. It depends on the place they get their diagnosis from and also upon the person who reads the scan sometimes diagnosis is missed in scans. Expert advice is a must. The present condition of liver diseases in the country, how is it? The liver diseases are manifesting in India at an alarming rate. Because of increased consumption of alcohol it becomes a sig-
nificant burden of disease. India ranks sixth in terms of obesity in the world, this leads to fatty liver, cirrhosis. Today 25 per cent of the burden is from fatty liver diseases in another few years it is expected to rise to 50 per cent. because of diabetes and weight problems. What kind of treatment do you offer at Continental Hospitals? Our hospital has one of the finest liver care centres in the country. We have initiated nonsurgical methods through the help of interventional radiologists to treat liver cancer patients where the tumour is burnt. There are other procedures as well. This centre is for people who cannot afford many treatments or are too sick. Here we good team effort between the hepatologist, interventional radiologist and several other specialists to see that a patient gets the maximum care.
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THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2013
Technology GAME OF STAKES Founder told to sweeten offer for Dell as Icahn ups the stakes
RIP DOUGLAS
BID HIGHER DELL M
ichael Dell has been advised to raise his $24.4 billion offer for Dell Inc, coming under further pressure as billionaire investor Carl Icahn revealed he had committed more than $3 billion to back an alternative proposal. The PC maker’s special committee told Dell’s founder and chief executive a few days ago that he should raise his offer if he wants it to succeed, a person familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. The special committee, which was formed to independently assess what the best option for Dell shareholders is, came to that conclusion based on its meetings with investors as well as concerns over a key upcoming recommendation by investment advisory firm ISS, the person said. ISS is expected to publish its view on whether Michael Dell’s offer, which is backed by equity financing from buyout firm Silver Lake, is in the interest of Dell’s shareholders as early as next week. A July 18 shareholder vote on Dell’s take-private plan will follow. Despite being advised by
the special committee that he should raise his offer to see the transaction through, Michael Dell was non-committal, the person added, confirming an earlier report by Bloomberg News. Dell Inc and Silver Lake declined to comment. The special committee’s move came as Icahn and his affiliates disclosed on Tuesday they had provided $3.42 billion, or 66 percent, of the debt financing to back his bid for Dell.
The PC maker’s special committee told Dell’s founder and chief executive a few days ago he should raise his offer if he wants it to succeed, a person familiar with the matter said. Investment bank Jefferies & Co provided $1.6 billion, or 30 percent of the overall $5.2 billion in committed financing with the remainder of about $179 million coming from 14 institutional funds, including pension funds and insurance companies, according to a U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission filing. “The fact that he could not get lending from other banks suggests they are not too friendly to this,” said Steven Kaplan, a University of Chicago finance professor. “However, one must note that a few banks are locked up with the Silver Lake offer.” “On the positive side, Icahn is putting a lot of money where his mouth is,” Kaplan added. Other market participants evaluating the transaction said Icahn’s move could indicate he may never have aimed to broadly distribute the deal in the first place. Calls to Carl Icahn, who runs Icahn Enterprises LP, were not immediately returned. Icahn and Southeastern Asset Management are preparing an offer that would see shareholders tender 1.1 billion shares at $14 apiece, rivaling Michael Dell’s and Silver Lake’s $24.4 billion buyout offer of $13.65 a share. The billionaire investor has said Michael Dell’s offer substantially undervalues the company. Dell’s special board committee had recommended Michael Dell’s offer to shareholders. While the
financing commitment marks a crucial step forward for Icahn’s bid for Dell, it is contingent on a dozen board appointments, according to the SEC filing. Unless all 12 of the nominees proposed by Icahn and Southeastern on May 13 are elected to Dell’s board, the financing is unlikely to take place. Icahn’s proposal will also be put to shareholders only if the offer by Michael Dell and Silver Lake is not accepted by shareholders when they meet on July 18.
‘GAME OF CHICKEN’
All eyes are now on ISS. If it moves against Michael Dell’s offer, he will be under even more pressure to raise it. “It’s a game of chicken,” a shareholder said. “Icahn’s going for the bump.” Speculation about a possible bump in the offer price began on Tuesday with a CNBC report that cited sources claiming that Michael Dell’s camp was not feeling confident that ISS will recommend his offer. An ISS spokeswoman, however, said that ISS was still working on its analysis and never signals its recommendation in advance.
Douglas “Doug” Engelbart, a legendary American inventor and computing icon who invented the computer mouse and helped develop much of the modern PC user interface, passed away last night, according to family sources. News of his passing was shared on Professor David Farber’s email list, where Engelbart’s daughter Christina said her father died peacefully in his sleep at home. His health had been deteriorating of late, she said. Engelbart, who was born in Portland, Ore., was 88. It is hard to describe his role in the personal-computing revolution in mere words — known for his work on human-computer interaction.
VINE UPDATES Twitter announced what it says is the biggest update to Vine for iOS yet, adding a slew of new features and fixing multiple issues. You can download the new app now directly from Apple’s App Store. First and foremost, the new app now has channels where you can submit posts or browse from the Explore screen; each has their own theme and Popular feed. Most interesting of all, however, is “revining.” Just like retweeting, you can now share other people’s posts with your all of your followers in one tap.
Boxee bought Israeli and NYC-based streaming media and entertainment startup Boxee has been acquired by South Korean electronics giant Samsung, we’ve been told by reliable sources. The Tel Aviv-based startup launched its latest hardware device late last, the Boxee Cloud DVR, which was rebranded from the Boxee TV to emphasize its focus on streaming over-theair broadcast HD channels, and recording the content grabbed from those transmissions. Samsung is a maker of lots of connected devices, including smart TVs, so it’s a logical purchase for them in terms of extending the reach of their media ecosystem.
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Entertainment WANTED: LEAD ACTRESS
DON'T WRITE ME OFF, JUST YET : GAUTHAM MENON
G
autham Menon is the midst of a great dilemma. On one hand, gossipmongers are working overtime to spread rumours that his upcoming film Dhruva Natchathiram starring Suriya is in doldrums and on the other hand, he’s struggling to find the lead actress opposite Suriya. Although names of Trisha and Amala Paul were considered in the past, sources close to Gautham Menon say that so far, no one has been finalised. “Gautham Menon is very particular that he wants to cast someone who can speak Tamil really well and of course, the actress has to suit the character and match up to Suriya’s screen presence. We have been auditioning quite a few actresses; however, no one has been finalised so far. The script is
ready and we’ll be ready to shoot within two weeks after we finalise the heroine,” a source close to Menon said. Meanwhile, Menon has reiterated that the project is still on track. “And don’t write me off as yet guys..No speculation needed. Coming your way, from suriya and myself, a good tamil film. At least we think so.(sic),” he tweeted. Simran is part of the cast and most part of the film will be shot in Chennai and New Delhi. It’s reportedly a high stakes action thriller and the entire team is quite excited. Suriya and Menon are working together for the third time after Kaakha Kaakha and Vaaranam Aayiram and both have been eagerly waiting to collaborate once again. AR Rahman will score the music and Marc Koninckx, who recently worked with Bharatbala for Maryiaan, is the cinematographer. Gautham Menon is also producing Prem Sai's debut film Courier Boy Kalyan which has Nithin and Yami Gautham in lead roles.
CINE BYTES Alias Janaki to release on July 19?
R
ahul Venkat, Anisha Ambrose starrer Alias Janaki is expected to release on July 19. Newcomer Dayaa has directed the film about a common man who has to fight against injustice. Neelima Thirumalsetti has produced the film and Shravan has given the music.
Golmaal nears completion
Sahasam gets U/A
C
handrasekhar Yeleti's upcoming film Sahasam, starring Gopichand and Taapsee, has been given an U/A certificate by the censor board. It’s the first action adventure in Yeleti’s career and the film has been mostly shot in Hyderabad, New Delhi and Ladakh. The film is slated for release on July 12.
T
he principal shooting of Ram, Venkatesh starrer Golmaal is nearing completion. Except two songs, the film has been wrapped up. Vijay Bhaskar has directed the film. Anjali and Shazahn Padamsee are the lead actresses. The film is the official remake of Bol Bachchan.
THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2013
fashion
Christian Dior unveils
multicultural collection
KATE MOSS FOR SALE
KATE MOSS is the subject of a forthcoming Christie's auction selling a selection of works dedicated to the supermodel. Curated by art collector Gert Elfering, the sale will feature a mixture of photographs, paintings, sculptures, collages and even a tapestry.
C
hristian Dior artistic director Raf Simons unveiled a collection full of multicultural influences, in what the designer acknowledged was a step away from Dior's exclusively French sense of itself. Hollywood actress Jennifer Lawrence, who famously tripped on a Dior gown as she collected her Oscar, joined big names from Asia such as South Korean actress Gianna Jun and China's Sun Li in the front row. Simons, presenting his third couture show since taking over in the wake of flamboyant John Galliano's sacking, said he began by looking at "women from different continents and cultures who wear couture (and) their personal style". It then evolved "to be about Dior not just being about Paris and France, but about the rest of the world and how many fashion cultures impact on the house and myself," the Belgian couturier said in a statement. "My main aim has been to bring a sense of reality back to haute couture. This collection is about focusing on the reality of the woman herself, including her culture and personality," he added. Looks marrying global influences with traditional Dior styles included a grey silk wool dress with black buttons down the arm, skirt and neckline and a cobalt blue one-shouldered wool dress. Less traditional was a sheer sleeveless grey robe that left the model entirely exposed save a pair of black shorts. Reacting to the collection, Vogue magazine said that although the Dior hallmarks were all there, they "at times became virtually unrecognisable" due to African beading or changes to hemlines. "There was a sense of modernity and this was a new way of thinking from Dior: taking fashion tradition and making it obviously and successfully relevant to different cultures, though potentially moving away from an expected and classic idea of luxury in the process," it said in a review on its website. Haute couture fashion houses, catering to a tiny number of the world's richest women, are increasingly winning customers in parts of the world such as China. Simons' collection took inspiration from four realms â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa â&#x20AC;&#x201D; with models from all over the globe on the catwalk. Asian-influenced pieces were "full of balance tradition and purity", while European clothes focused on the "almost mythical status of 'La Parisienne' and the intimate links with the history of the house of Dior", the house said. For Africa, the "personal style of the Masai is particular in its inspiration", it added, and the Americas were represented by pieces that were "bold, sporty, dynamic and graphic". Christian Dior chief Sidney Toledano, meanwhile, told AFP the house was continuing to add new customers. "Haute couture is going well and everywhere. Raf Simons has won the hearts of existing clients and is winning new ones. The Americans are coming back strongly and the clientele is getting younger," he said. "Haute couture is no longer something for old women. We are selling to lots to women in their thirties," he added. In January, Toledano said that Dior was winning new customers in particular in South America and Asia. Four days of haute couture collections for autumn 2013/winter 2014 run until July 4. Tuesday saw Karl Lagerfeld present a collection for Chanel as the house marks the 100th anniversary of the opening by Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel of her first shop in Deauville in the summer of 1913. AFP AFP
ALICE TEMPERLEYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ROYAL DESIGNS
ALICE TEMPERLEY MBE is one of the designers to feature in the Coronation Festival catwalk show to be held at Buckingham Palace later this month - and we have a preview of her designs created exclusively for the event.
Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld conjured up his vision of the future in a dilapidated life-size theatre where the curtain rose to reveal the gleaming skyline of an imaginary city and a modernist couture collection. At a time when couture houses are increasingly looking to Asia, in particular China where they are winning new, deep-pocketed customers, Lagerfeld said he wanted to stress "the contrast between the old world that is crumbling and the new one". Celebrities including pop singer Rihanna, The Great Gatsby director Baz Luhrmann and Taiwanese model and actress Lin Chiling picked their way past piles of rubble to reach their seats in Lagerfeld's "old world" theatre built specially for the show at Paris's vast Grand Palais. With smashed columns, peeling plaster, mouldstreaked walls and twisted metal all around, the sound of opera faded away and the tattered stage curtain rose to reveal Lagerfeld's brave "new world". Looks for autumn 2013/winter 2014 featured lots of tweed suits woven with metallic thread, short, layered hemlines, geometric prints and wide belts. Asked about the clothes, the German couturier said it was difficult to explain. "I had a vision. I put it on paper and made it, you know...." But he highlighted hair arranged to look as if the top of the head was square, "stocking shoes... fixed like lingerie (with a) garter" and jackets with "shoulders like men's jackets but tight like dress sleeves". Commenting on the collection's sparkle, he added that it was "not glum glitter... more stardust glitter, I hope". Styles were comfortable and easy to wear, he added. "I hate uncomfortable clothes... but they can be impeccable, clean, classic (and also comfortable). You don't have to be sloppy to be comfortable," he said. Lagerfeld's latest collection comes as the Chanel couture house marks the 100th anniversary of the opening of Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel's first shop in Deauville in the summer of
22&23
Chanel casts off crumbling old world at
Paris fashion
1913. Today the label, whose founder died in 1971, has 300 outlets including 185 boutiques in cities such as Sao Paulo, Calgary, New Delhi, Istanbul and Brisbane. Four days of haute couture collections will wrap on Thursday. Haute couture earns its exclusivity from its status as a protected appellation with strict criteria governing the amount of work carried out by hand and the number of pieces produced. It exists only in Paris and is sustained by a small number of the world's richest women. In recent years, however, it has been attracting customers in countries with newly-wealthy elites from Brazil to China. Christian Dior chief Sidney Toledano told AFP haute couture was continuing its recent expansion in many countries. "The Americans are coming back strongly and the clientele is getting younger," he said after the Dior couture show by designer Raf Simons. Simons' collection was full of multicultural looks that clearly acknowledged the geographical shift in couture's customer base. "Haute couture is no longer something for old women. We are selling to lots of women in their thirties," Toledano added. AFP
AFP
Entertainment THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2013
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Entertainment THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2013
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THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2013
Chai Time
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
With reasonable men I will reason; with humane men I will plea; but to tyrants I will give no quarter, nor waste arguments where they will certainly be lost. William Lloyd Garrison
KAKURO
QUICK CROSSWORD
26
SUDOKU How to play kakuro Kakuro is a popular game similar to sudoku in some ways. But is also suitably different. The key question: ‘How do you play kakuro?’, well here are the rules of kakuro. The answer: The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any size. It has rows and columns, and dark cells like in a crossword. And, just like in a crossword, some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some cells will contain two numbers. However, in a crossword the numbers reference clues. In a kakuro, the numbers are all you get! They denote the total of the digits in the row or column referenced by the number. Within each collection of cells — called a run — any of the numbers 1 to 9 may be used but, like sudoku, each number may only be used once. Let’s have an example to explain this concept more clearly: In the image above, which shows a section of a kakuro puzzle, you will see the numbers ‘26’ and ‘14’ in the top row. Look at the 14. This means that the total of the three cells underneath must sum to 14. Therefore 9, 4, 1 could be the answer, or perhaps 7, 4, 3 and so on... So, how do you work out the actual combination? Well, this is done through elimination and cross-referencing. For instance, as you work out the answers for other kakuro clues, this will naturally limit the valid combinations, and hence the answer for this particular run. Note the second cell in row two — it contains two numbers, 30 and 11. The 30 refers to the vertical run underneath the number 30 and the 11 refers to the two cells to the right, horizontally, of the number 11.
ACROSS
PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER
SCRIBBLING PAD
1 Member of the track team 6 Lost brightness 11 Bub 14 Music for a film 15 ‘Arrivederci!’ 16 Longoria of TV 17 Place to get food quickly 20 ‘One ___ customer’ 21 Muses’ number 22 Homeowner’s additional liability 29 Troublesome auto 30 Old photo tint 31 ‘Berlin Game’ author Deighton 32 What the fat lady sings? 33 Musicians Redbone and Russell 35 Salinger work (with ‘The’) 42 Argument flaws 43 ‘I need ___!’ (desperate admission) 44 Alternative to com, edu or net 47 ___ ghost (is frightened) 49 Last Oldsmobile model 50 Traveler’s plane upgrade 53 Cold-region gull relative 54 ___ and caboodle 55 Focal point 64 Bolivia’s neighbor (Abbr) 65 AM/FM apparatus 66 Donor 67 Mao ___-tung 68 Change one’s story? 69 Dueling swords
DOWN
1 Submissions to an ed 2 I, in Germany 3 Ringo’s john? 4 Boot one on the field, it’s human 5 Mary Lou of gymnastics fame 6 Capacitance units
7 Do simple math 8 Use it to get a snake eye 9 All eternity, poetically 10 Fizzled firecracker 11 Like a drudge’s labor 12 Get an eye for an eye 13 Sway at high speed 18 Ending for ‘ball’ or ‘bass’ 19 Marathon company 22 Will be, to Doris Day 23 Send off, as broadcast waves 24 Flier’s seat choice 25 Grammy-winner Etheridge or Manchester 26 Dentist’s request 27 Sing Sing disorder 28 Hyperbolic function 29 Fond du ___, Wis 34 Black Panthers co-founder Bobby 36 Parasite’s need 37 Basic util 38 React to a one-two 39 Actress Perlman 40 Asian tent 41 Teamwork deterrent 44 ‘Queen ___’ (Ella Fitzgerald’s nickname) 45 ___ Island (site of a New York prison) 46 Seattle-born rock genre 48 Have a prayer request 49 ‘All the world’s ___’ 51 Took a load off 52 ‘To ___, With Love’ 56 Before, to a bard 57 Butting bighorn 58 Literary tribute 59 Shark’s appendage 60 Big shot 61 ‘___ got it’ (outfielder’s call) 62 Young batter’s ball supporter 63 Mos turn into them
Chai Time THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2013 Thiruvaikumar
STAR POWER for 5-7-2013
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As per Hindu panchang thiruvaikumar@yahoo. co. in, 040-27177230 / 9177596118
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Keep a vigil on your valuable assets. New efforts can be postponed for a while. You will be in a dilemmatic situation that certain important issues cannot be shared even with very close circle. You will enjoy life with family members.
STRIP TEASE AGNES
Employees may face tension to retain their job. You gain an upper hand over enemies and succeed in all undertaken work without any difficulty. Work burden and travel will make you very tired; don’t worry as the situation will change soon.
You will clear major debts. Strong financial position will keep you in a comfortable position. Boldness and self-confidence levels will be high and help complete all tasks. Businessmen are likely to get sops from the government.
Children will be more affectionate towards you. As income and expenses are directly proportional, it will upset you. Health problems will depress you. Businessmen are advised to complete government statutory compliances in time.
Businessmen will prosper a lot. Financial inflow will not be as expected and hence, you need to plan and manage the situation wisely. Minor health troubles will come and go often. A court verdict will go in your favour after lot of hurdles.
Avoid night journey as much as possible. Money from expected source might get delayed. Explore alternative possibilities. You might be upset due to certain unexpected events taking place. Medical expenses are likely to go up.
Your influence is likely to increase. Mother’s health will be a cause for concern. Be careful in expressing your opinion and avoid harsh talk. Real estate matters will bring good gain. Good income through maternal relatives likely.
Good effects are likely to increase, which cheers you. Financial position will be comfortable as unexpected is likely. Your health looks fine. Employees and businessmen will be fully geared up to meet any type of challenge.
You will be able to handle all issues well with patience and unrelenting efforts. A real estate transaction can be withheld for some time. You will feel frustrated as certain unexpected events depress you. Your health looks fine.
TAROT READ
Sumaa Tekur
tarotreadhyd@gmail. com
ARIES:
GEMINI:
Ace of Cups – You will play a very crucial part in someone’s progress in the near future. Your role is well appreciated and you may discover some new skills in you.
LEO:
Ace of Pentacles – You get a good bird’s eye view of a situation, thanks to your ability to remain distant from it and not involve yourself emotionally.
LIBRA:
PEARLS BEFORE SWINE
The Empress – There are many things to remember and do in order to update yourself with what’s happening in your field of work. You have to keep working at it.
SAGITTARIUS:
The Emperor – Don’t lock possibilities by deciding what you can and cannot do without really thinking about it carefully. You can achieve more than you know.
TAURUS:
The Hanged Man – You get annoyed with bad customer service and will be in a good mood to pick a fight with the main authorities. Choose your fights carefully.
CANCER:
Justice – Learn to make the distinction between what people think of you and what you think of yourself. Often, the two can get mixed up. Be careful.
VIRGO:
The Fool – Guard against becoming too emotional about a person. This person will likely not care as much as you do. Keep a distance and don’t fall with a thud.
SCORPIO:
Ten of Swords – It’s a tough choice you have to make – to elect a person for an important job. It can be in the local civic body elections or for a social service committee.
CAPRICORN:
The High Priest – Check and double check forms and applications before you sign. Once you have passed it, it will be difficult to make a change.
PREVIOUS SOLUTIONS
PISCES:
Knight of Wands – You are nearing completion of a very satisfying period, professionally. You are feeling more settled than before and feel your ideas are appreciated.
NUMBER GAME
– You may have to act like you’re interested just to keep someone happy. It will be difficult for you, considering how rooted you are to your values.
SCRABBLE
AQUARIUS: Four of Wands
POOCH CAFE
A deficit financial situation will add to your woes. Handle financial transactions cautiously. You will feel confused and health problems upset you. You might manage the problem by pledging valuable like gold jewellery.
for 5-7-2013
Six of Swords – Stop fooling around and get serious about learning new skills to further career opportunities. You have become too complacent. Work harder.
NON SEQUITUR
New efforts will be successful. Businessmen are advised to be cautious before implementing expansion plans. Health will be fine. Good news from paternal side and VIP friends is likely. Real estate deals will bring decent gains.
SUDUKO
Children will be healthy. Pay hike or promotion is on the cards for employees. Minor tensions and apprehensions are likely. Also, you may feel afraid in certain issues. You need to talk with politeness and care as you might be mistaken.
Boggle FIFTY FORTY SIXTY THIRTY TWENTY Vol: 2, No 349 RNI No: APENG/2011/39337 Published for the proprietors, Scribble Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, by V Harshavardhan Reddy, at #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500033 and printed by him at Jagati Publications Ltd, Plot No D-75&E-52, APIE Industrial Estate, Balanagar, Ranga Reddy Dist, Hyderabad – 500037, Editor: Dean Williams – Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. For feedback, please write to: feedback@postnoon. com and for subscription, please call 040-4067 2222, Fax: 040-4067 2211
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Entertainment THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2013
OLD TIES
A
ctor Tom Cruise has reportedly written an emotional letter to ex-wife Katie Holmes in the hope to resolve the tension between them. “I think it’s something Tom’s been thinking about a lot recently, but especially as July was approaching. It’s like he’s finally recognised that Katie will always be the love of his life,” a source told LOOK magazine, reports contactmusic.com. “It was such a shock when she left him, although she would no doubt argue that he ignored the signs, terms with that decision but I think Tom finally understand why she had to end things. It’s taken a long time for him to come to and let go of the anger, but it seems like he finally has and he obviously will have wanted to tell her that,” the source added. The couple, who reportedly only communicate via intermediaries, is said to have attempted to call a truce in March, but have barely exchanged words since. Thrice-divorced Cruise, 51, is now more determined than ever to rekindle his friendship with Holmes for the sake of their seven-year-old daughter Suri. They split last year. IANS
CINE BYTES
TOM CRUISE writes to KATIE HOLMES
Christian Bale rules out Batman reprise
A
ctor Christian Bale, who is known to have essayed caped crusader Batman in the Dark Knight movie trilogy, says he is not playing the character in the forthcoming film Justice League. However, he is looking forward to see what someone does with the character. “I understand that they may be making a Justice League movie, that’s it,” contactmusic.com quoted Bale as saying.
Jack Black to produce spooky web series
A
ctor-comedian Jack Black will produce an online version of a comedy series about ghost hunters. The 43-year-old actor has teamed up with bosses of Yahoo! and Shine America to produce Ghost Ghirls, a paranormal web comedy series. Co-creators Amanda Lund and Maria Blasucci star as the female doubleact, while Black will make guest appearances in the online series. IANS
Justin Bieber a fan of spots
S
inger Justin Bieber has been spotted wearing clothes inspired by animal spots. Now, he has a car to match his style. Earlier this year, Bieber was seen in animal spot trousers and shoes. Weeks later, he took Audi car worth 1, 25,000 pounds and got it painted the same way, reports thesun.co.uk.
sports
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THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2013
BRITISH & IRISH LIONS DOWN UNDER
GREENBRIER CLASSIC
Smith recalled for Test The 32-year-old Smith is the sole survivor of Australia’s last series against the Lions 12 years ago and comes in for Michael Hooper. SYDNEY: Experienced flanker George Smith has been recalled to the Wallabies for the deciding Test against the British and Irish Lions on Saturday, four years after his last international appearance. The 32-year-old Smith is the sole survivor of Australia’s last series against the Lions 12 years ago and comes in for Michael Hooper as the Wallabies seek to retain the Tom Richards Trophy. Smith, who last played for Australia in the 33-12 win over Wales in Cardiff in 2009, is the only change to the starting team which levelled the three-match series with a 16-15 win over the Lions in Melbourne last weekend. With 110 appearances, the forward is Australia’s thirdmost capped player behind his former Brumbies and Wallabies captain George Gregan, who clocked up 139 Tests, and Nathan Sharpe with 116 caps. Smith’s opportunity to play again for the Wallabies came when he was loaned to his old ACT Brumbies team from Japanese club Suntory Sungoliath this season and impressed Wallabies coach Robbie Deans enough to earn a recall to international rugby. “He’s class, isn’t he?” Deans said. “To have achieved what George has throughout his career and return to play at the
highest level after such a long break is a testament to the quality of the man, both as a person and as a player.” Smith’s selection comes after the tourists’ controversial axing of revered Irish centre Brian O’Driscoll — their sole survivor from the last 2001 Australian series — from their side for Saturday’s third Test at the Sydney Olympic stadium. O’Driscoll was expected to lead the Lions in the absence of injured tour leader Sam Warburton, but the Lions will now be captained by Welsh lock Alun Wyn Jones. Hooper is relegated to the
bench to make way for Smith after starting in the first two Tests of the series, while last year’s Australia Under-20 captain, Flanker Liam Gill, is out after playing off the bench in the earlier Tests. “The decision to go with George in no way reflects any dissatisfaction with the way either Michael or Liam have played,” Deans said. “But it has been a tough series - the first two games have been rugged, especially at the breakdown, and we feel that the combination of experience and fresh legs that George brings is the right way to go for this
week. “His expertise in the contact zone, where timing, judgement and physicality is everything, is going to be critical. “Being able to call on George allows us to lighten the load on Michael while retaining the ability to inject him into what is sure to be a fast-paced and highly physical contest.” Smith becomes the fourth Wallaby — alongside Tony Miller, John Thornett and Peter Johnson — to have played the Lions across two separate tours, with his predecessors all having featured against the Lions in 1959 and 1967.
AMERICA’S CUP
Protests without merit: Murray SAN FRANCISCO: On the eve of America’s Cup opening festivities, regatta director Iain Murray Wednesday insisted that protests over some of his safety rules are without merit. Murray said Wednesday that everything was in place for racing to begin on Sunday in the Louis Vuitton Cup, the series of races in which three teams are set to battle for the right to take on defenders Oracle Team USA in the America’s Cup finals in September. But the spectre of the rules dispute shadowed what should be a celebratory kick-off to the competition for the oldest international sporting trophy. On-shore opening ceremonies were set for Thursday,
The spectre of the dispute shadowed what should be a celebratory kick-off to the competition for the oldest international sporting trophy.
America’s Independence Day holiday, with a fleet parade on San Francisco Bay to follow on Friday. But Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa of Italy, scheduled to duel in the first race on Sunday, have both made formal protests saying Murray exceeded his authority in making 37 safety rule proposals in the wake of British sailor Andrew Simpson’s death in May. Simpson died in the May 9 training accident in which the AC72 catamaran of Swedish syndicate Artemis Racing capsized, and Murray said Wednesday that the rule changes aimed at preventing another such tragedy were within his brief.
Mickelson to headline Greenbrier The 43-year-old American is not the defending champion, that distinction belongs to Ted Potter. WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS: Phil Mickelson will take centre stage at the Greenbrier Classic this week as the four-time major winner makes his first start since finishing second at the US Open. The 43-year-old American is not the defending champion, that distinction belongs to firstround playing partner Ted Potter, who won in a playoff last year. Mickelson, who finished runner-up to Justin Rose at the US Open last month, has missed the cut in his two previous starts on the Old White course. Americans Webb Simpson, Bubba Watson and Keegan Bradley will also be competing, as will Michael Kim, the US Open’s lowest-scoring amateur, who is playing on an exemption. This year’s 156-player field features 68 PGA Tour winners. The event also includes 13 of the top 30 players in the world and 13 major championship winners. Australia’s Stuart Appleby, Canada’s Graham DeLaet, Vijay Singh of Fiji, England’s Brian Davis and Ryo Ishikawa head up the international field. Mickelson tees off Thursday in an all-lefty group that includes Potter and Watson, who is making is first appearance in the event. Last year Potter missed a potential winning putt on the second playoff hole before making a birdie at the third extra hole to defeat Troy Kelly and earn his first PGA Tour title. Tom Watson, the 2014 USA Ryder Cup captain, is also taking part. Former winner Scott Stallings (2011) is in a group with Billy Horshel and Boo Weekley. Horshel and Weekley are going for their second wins of 2013. Louis Oosthuizen is in a trio with Charles Howell and Ken Duke.
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THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2013
TOUR DE FRANCE
GERMAN F1 GP PREVIEW
Gerrans continues against the odds Gerrans started as the first Australian to wear the yellow jersey since Evans’s victory in the race in 2011. JUSTIN DAVIS Agence France-Presse MARSEILLE: The Tour de France fortunes of two of Australia’s leading cyclists were conspicuously contrasting on Wednesday: Orica-GreenEdge defended Simon Gerrans’s yellow jersey while former champion Cadel Evans saw several key teammates crash. Gerrans started the fifth stage as the first Australian to wear the yellow jersey since Evans’s historic victory on the race in 2011. Although he has virtually no chance of sealing it in Paris, Gerrans wore the race’s fabled shirt with pride and efficiency as Orica-GreenEdge led the
chase of a six-man breakaway that, as early as 37km into the 228.5km race from Cagnes-surMer to Marseille, had built a lead of nearly 13 minutes. In the end the frontrunners were reeled in with 4km to go and Britain’s Mark Cavendish (Omega-Pharma) dominated a reduced group sprint at the finish to claim his 24th win of the race over six editions. Orica’s Matt Goss, heralded as one of the few men able to challenge Cavendish, did not even contend the finale after he was left trailing on the small Gineste climb, whose summit was 12km from the finish. Gerrans, who took the race lead for the first time in his career after Orica’s team time
trial triumph on Tuesday, having also won the third stage on Monday, will start Thursday’s sixth stage wearing yellow. “Today we had two objectives,” Gerrans said. “To try and win the stage and keep the yellow jersey within the team. “Matt Goss got distanced on the final climb but I still have the yellow jersey on my shoulders and I managed to stay up the front and stay out of trouble.” How long Gerrans can hold on to the yellow jersey remains to be seen. Realistically, given the profiles of the coming stages, he could hold it until at least Saturday when the race heads into the Pyrenees for two days.
Nico looks to Germany to keep magic going Nico Rosberg aims this weekend to complete a perfect set of three ‘home’ wins when he leads the Mercedes team into the German Grand Prix. GORDON HOWARD Agence France-Presse NURBURGRING: Just days after claiming his second win of the season in last weekend’s tumultuous British Grand Prix, Nico Rosberg aims this weekend to complete a perfect set of three ‘home’ wins when he leads the Mercedes team into the German Grand Prix. After Monaco, where he grew up and lives, and Silverstone, a circuit that is 15 kilometres from his outfit’s Brackley base, the Nurburgring, a traditional Formula One venue steeped in history, represents the track of his motherland — and he believes that with the momentum he has generated, he has a great chance of claiming another win. “We are fast and we are setting the pace and we are growing into the role of being
Rosberg won last Sunday after a spectacular tyre failure had blown team-mate Lewis Hamilton out of the lead. favourites for the races now,” said Rosberg. “That is a fantastic feeling and for me, personally, it would be so good, so fantastic, if I can win again to complete a hat-trick of three wins on my home circuits.” Rosberg, 28 last Thursday on the eve of the British Grand Prix, emerged triumphant last Sunday after a spectacular tyre failure had blown Mercedes team-mate Briton Lewis Hamilton out of the lead at his home race after he had taken pole and dominated from the start.
ASHES PREVIEW
Swann hopes to be fit for Ashes
LONDON: Off-spinner Graeme Swann eased fears he could miss the start of the Ashes against Australia by leading England to victory over Essex on Wednesday despite nursing a swollen arm. Swann was hit on his bowling arm while batting on Monday on the second day of the fourday match. What made matters worse
was the fact it was the same arm which needed an operation on his elbow earlier this year.But having taken five for 68 against Essex, the 34-year-old was feeling chipper. “The arm’s great,” he told Sky Sports. “Obviously I was a bit worried at first when I got hit - I’m not used to getting smashed by rockets. “But after a
Swann was hit on his bowling arm while batting on Monday on the second day of the four-day match.
day off the field, watching our boys toil hard, I decided that it was time to get out there.” It was a welcome stint for the Nottinghamshire bowler, who said he needed some match practice. “Having not played much in the Champions Trophy, and then missing out on the first innings here after getting whacked on the arm, I was very
keen to get at least 20 overs under my belt,” he said. “Thankfully I managed to do that today (Wednesday), and to pick up a few wickets is always nice. The more you do something, the better you get at it. “With the first Test at Trent Bridge next week, it was important I felt good about my game and I do at the minute.”
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THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2013
WIMBLEDON
Lisicki in uncharted waters
LONDON: Big-serving Sabine Lisicki faces shotmaking Polish fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska in a contrasting clash of styles with a place in the Wimbledon final at stake on Thursday. Lisicki, the 23rd seeded German who ended the reign of Serena Williams in the fourth round, finds herself in the position of title
favourite. Her previous best Grand Slam run ended in a Wimbledon semifinal defeat to Maria Sharapova in 2011. Now Lisicki has a chance to finally reach her first major final and become the first German woman to feature in the Wimbledon title match since Steffi Graf in 1999.
She believes the experiLisicki ence of making the last four has a chance to two years ago will prove invaluable. finally reach her first “I know how it is to be major final and become in the semis. I know the the first German woman to different atmosphere. Everything is starting to feature in the Wim bledon get empty in the locker title match since Steffi room. It is a completely difGraf in 1999. ferent feeling," she said. “I’m glad that I had that experience before. I feel the ball much fresher, fitter, better well. I’m moving well. And than two years ago. having had the experience in “I just feel like I’m hitting the past, all that together hel-
ps me a lot." Lisicki’s big-serving game is perfectly suited to Wimbledon’s fast grass-courts, but Radwanska will pose an especially tough test because she has been playing against the German since they were juniors. Meanwhile, Kirsten Flipkens has warned Marion Bartoli that she has no intention of letting her fairytale run at Wimbledon come to an end in the day’s other semifinal.
Will the Novak and Andy part be crashed? Juan JuanMartin Martindel delPotro Potroand or Jerzy JerzyJanowicz Janowiczcould coulddisappoint disappoint those hoping for a Djokovic versus Murray final. DAVE JAMES Agence France-Presse LONDON: Hobbling Juan Martin del Potro and Polish trailblazer Jerzy Janowicz hope to derail the Wimbledon title dreams of Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, the world’s two best players, in Friday’s semi-finals. Del Potro, the 2009 US Open champion, just about survived his quarter-final against David Ferrer when he strained his already heavily-bandaged left knee in a sickening Centre Court tumble. The giant Argentine now tackles world number one and Australian Open champion Djokovic. Janowicz, the first Polish man in the last-four of a major, takes on US Open and Olympic champion Murray who is bidding to be the first British man
in 77 years to win Wimbledon. Djokovic has an 8-3 winning record over Del Potro but the Argentine won their only other previous meeting on grass in the 2012 Olympics bronze medal play-off which took place at Wimbledon. Del Potro also won the pair’s last meeting in March, on hard court in the Indian Wells semi-finals. But Djokovic, having escaped the shock exits suffered by the likes of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal at this year’s Wimbledon, believes that he can still play better.“It’s the mindset I always try to have, because that’s something that keeps me going every single day on the practice courts, day in, day out, trying to give my best and trying to always inspire myself to play better tennis," he said.
“I know I have a quite complete game, but I still feel there is room for improvement." The Serb, the 2011 Wimbledon champion, will be playing in his 13th successive Grand Slam semi-final, 10 behind the record held by Federer. At Wimbledon this year, he is chasing a seventh major. Top seed Djokovic won’t be lulled into a false sense of security by the injury-cursed Del Potro’s latest problems. The 24-year-old eighth seed is used to tackling physical problems. In 2010, he played just three tournaments and saw his ranking slip to 257 in the world after undergoing wrist surgery. “He struggled with injuries in last few years, but every time he comes back he comes back very strong," said Djokovic.
How Wimbledon fell in love with Jerzy The victory made him the first Polish man to reach the last-four of a major while it also permanently banished his financial worries. LONDON: Jerzy Janowicz was once so poor that New Yorkers coughed up to buy him tennis shoes at the US Open before his parents sold their sports shop to keep their son on the road. Two years ago, when he was ranked at a lowly 221 in the world, the giant Pole didn’t have the cash to buy an air ticket to the Australian Open and in his junior days, he even was offered fantastic riches to dump Poland and play for Qatar. No wonder the 22-year-old native of Lodz collapsed in tears after beating compatriot Lukasz Kubot to reach his first Grand Slam semi-final at Wimbledon on Wednesday. The victory made him the first Polish man to reach the last-four of a major while it also permanently banished his financial worries. As a semi-finalist he collects at least $610,000. Twelve months ago, Janowicz arrived at Wimbledon ranked 136 and had to qualify. He made the third round and at the end of the year he had proved that performance was no fluke when he made the Paris Masters final, again having to come through the qualifiers. He
defeated Andy Murray, his opponent in Friday’s semi-finals, on the way and finished 2012 at 26 in the world. Suddenly those penniless days travelling and sleeping in his car to save money were over. His run to the Paris Masters final even inspired a Polish rap song, Bajka o Jerzyku czyli Niezwykle Przygody Jerzego
Two years ago he didn’t have the cash to buy an air ticket to the Australian Open and in his junior days, he was offered riches to play for Qatar. Janowicza w Paryzu (Fairytale adventures of Jerzy Janowicz in Paris). But sudden fame and fortune have not changed Janowicz, according to Davis Cup teammate Mariusz Fyrstenberg. “He’s a very funny guy," Fyrstenberg told www.atptour. com of his patriotic countryman who has not missed a Davis Cup tie since 2008.
THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2013
sports
WATSON TAPS NORTH AS RYDER CUP ASSISTANT
US Ryder Cup captain Tom Watson selected his friend Andy North to be one of his vice-captains at the 2014 USA Vs Europe match play showdown. Watson made the announcement Wednesday, on the eve of the US PGA Tour’s Greenbrier Classic.
BUNDESLIGA PREVIEW
POWER STRUGGLE
Star-studded Bayern brace for fight to play Bayern play their first competitive match under Guardiola on July 27 against Borussia Dortmund in the German Super Cup. BERLIN: New coach Pep Guardiola will take European champions Bayern Munich to their pre-season training camp in north Italy on Thursday with a fierce fight for places expected, as well as uncertainty over Mario Gomez’s future. Guardiola, 42, took over from predecessor Jupp Heynckes as Bayern coach last week and after 10 days getting to know his squad, the exBarcelona boss takes them to Lake Garda for a week ahead of the new season kick-off on August 9. Under Heynckes, Bayern became the first German club to win the treble of European, league and cup titles but the players will not be resting on their laurels next season. “The competition is as tough as ever,” said Germany winger Thomas Mueller, while director of sport Matthias Sammer said everyone is starting “from scratch” with tempers expected to be frayed. “The team has to deal with the new ideas of a new coach. I expect the players to show a
Bayern became the first German club to win the treble of European, league and cup titles. great deal of attention and some sensitivity,” added Sammer. Sammer also said Bayern will take time to adjust to Guardiola’s ideas as it remains to be seen whether he will stick with the 4-2-3-1 system which won them the treble or a 3-3-3-1 system similar to that which he used at Barcelona. “I expect from the club, when necessary, also a bit of patience,” said Sammer. “Guardiola has shown that he has a good idea about football. That shouldn’t be an excuse, but I have never seen a team go through a process of change which doesn’t take some time.” Bayern play their first competitive match under Guardiola on July 27 against Borussia Dortmund in the German Super Cup.
SPONSORSHIP ROW
Goetze gets the logo wrong BERLIN: Germany midfielder Mario Goetze got off on the wrong foot with his new employers Bayern Munich when he posed for the cameras at the European Champions in a T-shirt displaying the brand of a rival sponsor. For the last decade, Bayern have a lucrative sponsorship contract with Adidas, which runs until 2020, and the German sportswear giants own a 9.4 per cent stake in the Champions League winners, which is worth $100m. Goetze, 21, who has signed from Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund, held his first press conference as a Bayern player on
At his first press conference Goetze wore a T-shirt with a logo of his private sponsor Nike, which left Bayern red-faced.
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Tuesday, but wore a T-shirt with a huge logo of his private sponsor Nike on the chest, which left Bayern red-faced. Adidas spokesman Oliver Brueggen has said the company were “unpleasantly surprised” by Goetze’s choice of attire and Bayern were quick to apologise with media director Markus Hoerwick promising “such a thing will never happen again”. “We immediately called Adidas to apologise, the T-shirt passed us by in the general hustle and bustle,” explained Hoerwick. Goetze’s management also contacted Adidas to apologise for the error.
Fifa bars Iraq from hosting matches The ban cited a spike in unrest that has left more than 2,500 dead from April. BAGHDAD: FIFA on Wednesday barred Iraq from hosting international football friendlies due to a massive surge in nationwide violence, barely three months after world football’s governing body gave Baghdad the go-ahead. The Iraqi Football Association (IFA) was informed of the ban in a notification from FIFA, which cited a spike in unrest that has left more than 2,500 dead from April through June and at least 123 killed in the first three days of July alone. “Today, we received a notification from FIFA to stop hosting any friendly matches in stadiums in Iraq at the current time, and until further notice, due to the wave of violence,” said Naim Saddam, an IFA official. “This is regrettable.” FIFA in March lifted a ban on Iraq hosting international football friendlies and the country promptly staged a match with neighbouring Syria in Baghdad’s Shaab stadium just days later, with the national side subsequently facing off with Liberia. The initial friendly had marked a key step in Iraq’s reemergence on the world stage.
LIGUE 1 PREVIEW Blanc outlines PSG’s goals Laurent Blanc took over at PSG when Ancelotti moved to Real to replace Mourinho. C L A I R E F O N T A I N E-E NYVELINES: New coach Laurent Blanc says his aim in his first season at Paris Saint Germain is to do “as well if not better than last season”. Blanc took over at the Qatari-owned French champions last month when Carlo Ancelotti moved to Real Madrid to replace Chelseabound Jose Mourinho. And the former Bordeaux and France manager spelled out his and the club owners’ objectives after holding a training session, the 47-yearold telling reporters: “The
aim is to do as well as last year, if not better. “This is an ambitious but logical objective, logical because we are in the process of progressing.” As well as claiming the French league title PSG made it through to the Champions League quarter-finals.