Epaper 05 september 2013 by Scribble Media & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 05, 2013 HYDERABAD

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FLASH

YAHOO! UPDATES ITS LOGO

Yahoo has updated its logo with slimmer letters but kept the trademark purple colour and exclamation point. "We wanted a logo that stayed true to our roots yet embraced the evolution of our products," Yahoo chief marketing officer Kathy Savitt said in a Tumblr blog post.

HYDERABAD’S FIRST COMPACT AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER

PUMP UP

TARNAKA TRAVAILS

STILL HAUNT ITS RESIDENTS

In the first of our weekly pages that take a closer look at the localities that make up Hyderabad, we scrutinise Tarnaka’s Nagarjuna Nagar colony. Forty years ago, residents of the colony pooled in money and laid drinking water pipes that could be used by 100 families. Now there are 950 apartments and 300 individual houses in the colony, housing a population of more than 15,000, but still the colony continues to use the same old water pipelines designed to cater to a 100 families.

REPORT ON P7

‘You are what you lift’ goes one of the captions on the poster of the film Pain and Gain which stars Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne Johnson. Their look says it all: they lifted big. Modern bodybuilding started with Eugen Sandow, whose Grecian proportions popularised the activity. We trace the history of modern bodybuilding.

P16&17 ‘I HOPE THIS WILL BE MY NEW TURNING POINT’ You know him as Manav, from the serial Chhanchan. But Anuj Sachdeva is moving from lighting up the small screen with his boyish charm to better things and a bigger screen.

P28

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

city events

ROBO TALK

Robotics workshop will be held. Where: Holy Mary Institute Of Technology & Science (Hits College Of Engineering), Secunderabad When: September 6 & 7, 10 am; Contact: 98850-45203

Weather for Hyderabad

Evening

Overnight

26°C A mix of cloudy and clear skies

Morning

Afternoon

21°C

26°C

31°C

Cloudy at times

Windy

Showers likely

New Delhi Mumbai Max 35 Max 31 Min 27 Min 25 Partly cloudy

Chennai Max 33 Min 26

Chances of storm

Thunderstorms likely

Bangalore Max 27 Min 20

Cloudy with chances of thunderstorms.

AROUND THE CITY: YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES SHOWS

Workshop on making eco-friendly Ganesha idols. Where: Treasure House, Jubilee Hills When: September 7, 4 pm to 6 pm Contact: 2355-0118, www.treasurehouse.in

Magic moments Photography exhibition by Dr Mukesh Batra is on. Where: Kalakriti, Banjara Hills When: Till September 6, 11 am to 7 pm Contact: 6656-4466 Music concert Music concert by French singer Norig will be held. Where: Taj Banjara, Banjara Hills When: September 7, 7 pm Contact: Alliance Francaise of Hyderabad, at 2355-4485 / 86

Story telling Creative story telling workshop by Deepa Kiran will be held. Where: Shwaas - Centre For Inspired Learning, Jubilee Hills When: September 6, 10 am to 1 pm Contact: Salil, at 94405-00277 or Anita, at 99593-83947

FIT FOR A QUEEN: Models display The Heirloom Collection by Art Karat at Taj Krishna. The display will be on till September 8.

World in their stage Dramanon presents play Love

Banjara Hills When: September 7, 1.15 pm Contact: 2360-8015 / 2355-3017

Movie fest German movie Puss in Boots will be screened. Where: Goethe-Zentrum Hyderabad, Banjara Hills When: September 5, 6 pm Contact: Goethe-Zentrum Hyderabad, at 2335-0443

Film fest The Last Day — a film By Siddhartha Gigoo will be screened. Where: Prasad Labs Preview Theatre, Banjara Hills When: September 8, 10 am Contact: 2360-8015 / 2355-3017

Telugu play Telugu play Adventures Of Chinnari will be staged. Where: Lamakaan, Banjara Hills When: September 7, 7.30 pm to 8.30 pm Contact: 83411-20303

Letters. Where: Novotel Hyderabad Convention Center, Hitech City When: September 8, 7 pm to 10 pm Contact: 97010-52861

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 show A group show titled Krishnastuti is on. Where: Aalankritha Art Gallery, Jubilee Hills When: Till September 6

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: +91-40-23113709; 40207171 Movies from Kashmir A Diary Of Aggression, a film by NVK Murthy will be screened. Where: Prasad Labs Preview Theatre,

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

Movie mania Film Inshallah, Kashmir: Living Terror will be screened. Where: Lamakaan, Banjara Hills When: September 10, 7 pm Contact: 96427-31329

WORKSHOPS Eco-friendly

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

Paint my Ganesh A workshop on how to make clay Ganeshas and using natural colours will be held. Where: People’s Plaza, Tankbund When: September 8, 10 am Contact: 90000-25066

MISCELLANEOUS Tea flavours Try the tea flavours of Budlabeta, Hapjan and Sessa. A portion of the proceeds will be contributed to WWF India. Where: Oxford Bookstore, The Park, 22 Rajbhavan Road When: Ongoing; Contact: 8790432354 Star launch New logo of Star Homeopathy Ayurveda Integrated Super Speciality Clinic will be launched. Where: Rush Sports Cafe and Bar, Madhapur When: September 5, 11.30 am Contact: 93973399298

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

We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or # Plot no.550-A1, 3rd floor, Road no-92, Jubilee hills, Hyderabad-500033 Landmark - Volkswagen showroom.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

news

YESTERDAY’S QUESTION

IS MAKING HYDERABAD A UT, A GOOD CHOICE? YES (A) NO (B)

49% 51%

TODAY’S QUESTION

SHOULD TJAC BE ALLOWED TO DISRUPT APNGO MEETING? A)

YES

To vote visit www.postnoon.com

CRIME

Cop, home guard held for extortion

Road ditches snatchers but they escape

The duo have allegedly been collecting cash from locals in Kompally, Medchal, Petbasheerabad and the surrounding areas for the past few months.

MOHD SUBHAN mohd.s@postnoon.com

A bad road had almost done the thieves in but they ran away while a crowd gathered around the spot near Langer House

HYDERABAD: Two bikeborne robbers snatched a sixtola gold chain off a woman but their bike slipped on uneven road and they fell. As the victim was raising a hue and cry and people began gathering, the duo made a bid to restart the bike and run away. The sensational happening had drawn a sizeable crowd on Lakshmi Nagar road in Langer House yesterday. Lakshmi, 38, a resident of Golla basti was returning home from hospital when two men on a bike sped by and snatched her gold chain. As she howled and passersby gathered the bikers while trying to speed away slipped when vehicle hit a small crater

Radhakrishna is working as a head constable in the traffic police station of Begumpet and Anjaneylu is posted as home guard for traffic police station of SR Nagar and both are residing at Anjaih Nagar in Bowenpally.

HYDERABAD: The Petbasheerabad police have arrested a head constable, K Radhakrishna and home guard, Anjaneylu, on charge of ‘collecting mamool (cash collection) from local petty traders and people in the outskirts of the City. The two have allegedly been collecting cash from locals in Kompally, Medchal, Petbasheerabad and surroundings for the past many months while performing beat duties here.

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Radhakrishna was working as a head constable in the traffic police station of Begumpet and Anjaneylu was posted as home guard for the traffic police station of SR Nagar and both are residing at Anjaih Nagar in Bowenpally. They formed a team to loot the public the chargesheet said.

According to the details the duo would ride a bike at night and go from one place to another introducing themselves as the police officers responsible for the area and browbeat people into giving them their daily mamool. Those reluctant to give in would be threatened with false cases and jail term. Many would be asked to produce identity cards and voter id cards etc to bring them in line. The two would look very serious and officious and give an impression that they were under orders from above to check crime and possible terror attacks. It went on for some time and some troubled people notified the higher-ups and inquiries began. It was found the allegations were largely true. The two were placed under arrest and both have now been placed under suspension.

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and fell. However, the two got up, tried to get the vehicle back to life but could not. As the crowd began to swell, the duo abandoned the vehicle and fled. The woman later told the police that if a daring man had come forward he could have collared one of the two. But the crowd while shouting and making noises did not try to chase the two. Later the police came to the scene, seized the bike and registered a case. However, on inquiry the bike was found to have been a stolen one. The only hope of catching the thief fell through. Police claimed they would trace the two out.

LEGISLATION

Mexico City mulls legal marijuana ‘clubs’ PARIS: The Mexico City council is considering the legalisation of cannabis plants and the creation of private marijuana smoking “clubs” as it mulls controversial legislation to liberalise consumption, lawmakers said Wednesday. The capital hosted a three-day forum on drug policy amid a growing debate in Latin America over the course of the region’s deadly struggle against narcotrafficking, with President Enrique Pena Nieto taking a stance against legalisation. Esthela Damian, a councilwom-

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an of the city’s ruling Democratic Revolution Party, told AFP the proposals on the table include allowing the cultivation of three cannabis plants per person, as well as a system of cooperatives or “non-profit private clubs.” Mexico currently allows the possession of a maximum of 5 g of marijuana for personal consumption, but growing and selling is illegal. AFP

CITY BRIEFS Khairatabad Ganesh to Apollo Hospitals does hip replacement on a 103-yr old have 4,000kg ladoo

anesh Utsav committee, Khairatabad, is preparing for a 59-ft giant Ganesh idol with a 4,000 kg ladoo. Sixteen people from Suruchi food have started working on the idol which is going to be the main attraction in the Ganesh fest. It is expected to take three days to put all the ﬁnishing touches to the Ganesh idol.

pollo Hospitals, Secunderabad performed a hip replacement on a 103 year-old patient from Zaheerabad. This rare surgery was performed by Dr. Mithin Aachi, Joint Replacement Surgeon, Apollo Hospitals, Secunderabad and his team on August 26, the patient has since recovered fully and is mobile.The case presented a great challenge for the team.

GHMC sanctions funds for 203 teachers in AP to road repair be awarded

Ex MLC writes asking for President’s Rule in AP

HMC has sanctioned `17 crore for repair and resurfacing damaged roads in view of the forthcoming Ganesh festival. The state government has also asked police chiefs to make a foolproof security to conduct the festival peacefully. City’s communally volatile points will have police pickets and cops in civvies will be deployed to watch the procession.

n all 203 teachers in the State were honoured with medals, merit certiﬁcates and cash rewards on the Teachers Day today. These awards are being presented to meritorious teachers working in government schools, colleges, polytechnic institutes and universities in Andhra Pradesh for their exemplary contribution to the education sector.

ormer MLC K Dilip Kumar has appealed to President Pranab Mukherjee to impose President’s Rule in AP. To this effect, Dilip Kumar wrote a letter to the President on Wednesday. In the letter, he alleged that CM Kiran Kumar Reddy was orchestrating Samaikyandhra agitation in Seem-andhra in protest against the Congress High Command’s decision.

News THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013 LAST YEAR... HERE Slow MMTS

ast year we had reported how the MMTS which was supposed to be a success story for the City and help allay some of the trafﬁc cingestion in the City itself was struggling to survive. At any point in time, passengers have to wait at least half an houir or more than 45 minutes to avail of the rail facility. Whereas on paper it is supposed to be available every 15 minutes.

SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

ELECTORAL ROLL PREPARATION

EC asks GHMC to emulate Kerala Online registration for electoral list is what the Chief Electoral Officer wants GHMC to do.

NUMEROLOGY

300,000

MPs, peers and parliamentary staff tried to access “adult” websites 309,316 times over the past year, official figures reveal.Almost 850 attempts to click on porn pages were blocked every day.

No one would look at me and believe I am a trained Kuchipudi dancer, mostly people think only a traditional looking girl should be a Kuchipudi dancer. Shahiti Reddy, Kuchipudi dancer See page 6

THINGS WE 5LEARNT TODAY The column that teaches everyone something new about the way the world functions.

Smartwatches are set to take over the world They used to be the stuff of Mission Impossible ﬁms, but now smartwatches have arrived courtesy Samsung. Get set to ditch your smartphones.

Get your Blood Pressure tested today Global reports continue to cite high blood pressure as a major killer across the globe, and what’s worse is that many don’t know they suffer from it.

Women are beginning to take TV by storm Roles for women on TV used to be the stereotypical fare, from housewives to mothers. Now women are pulling the strings on the small screen and we’re happier for it.

St Petersburg is truly a historic city St Petersburg, where the G20 summit is set to be held is a city dripping with heritage.

Internet privacy is a concern for many Yes, big brother is watching, and a new survey states that we’re all beginning to resent it.

POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: In view of the forthcoming elections, the Chief Electoral officer (CEO) Bhanwarlal (pictured), has, in a review meeting with GHMC officials, instructed them to release the electoral roll by October 3. He also directed the electoral registration officers to dispose of pending application forms by September 23.. To coordinate the forthcoming elections the District Election officer and Special GHMC Commissioner Navin Mittal, Additional Commissioner (Elections) Jayaraj Kennedy and the Additional Commissioner (IT) Ashok Reddy held a review

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meeting with Electoral Registration Officers on Wednesday at GHMC HQ. The CEO directed all electoral registration officers to write to college managements above the Intermediate level, in their jurisdiction and ask them to submit details of students including birth proof on the Election Photo Identity Cards. He further directed officers to coordinate with college managements asking them to depute one of their staff members for cross verification and inclusion of fresh names on the Electoral rolls.

Citing the example of how Kerala received 100 per cent online applications for the electoral list, the CEO also directed registration officers to upload affidavits of the elected candidates from 2004 onwards on the Election Commission website. In the meeting the GHMC special commissioner Navin Mittal, stated the average number of voters for each polling both was 1,000. The CEO also requested the District Election Officer and Special Commissioner, GHMC to take up the responsibility of cross-checking the electoral rolls with property tax details for the Ranga Reddy area of GHMC limits as well.

ANTI-GRAFT BATTLE

China luxury watch official gets 14-yr jail BEIJING: A Chinese official who became known as “Brother Watch” because of his taste for luxury timepieces was convicted of corruption and sentenced to 14 years in prison Thursday, reports said. Yang Dacai first came under scrutiny from Chinese Internet users after he was pictured grinning broadly as he assessed the twisted wreckage of a bus and a methanol tanker following an accident which left 36 people dead last year. The former work safety boss in the northern province of Shaanxi was later derided online after images of him wearing various luxury brand watches were tracked down and circulated. The Intermediate People’s Court in Xian, Shaanxi’s provincial capital, imposed the sentence Thursday, the official Xinhua news agency said, following a one-day trial last week. Yang was accused of having AROUND THE

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property worth 5.04 million yuan ($820,000) from unexplained sources and accepting 250,000 yuan in bribes, state broadcaster CCTV said. He did not object to the charges and was also fined 50,000 yuan. The trial followed an investigation by the ruling Communist Party’s discipline inspection commission, which found Yang guilty of “inappropriate ‘smiling face’ behaviour” and dismissed him from his post. Yang is among a number of high profile officials brought down after being ridiculed in Internet chatrooms. AFP

SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Holy Molly! She’s a deadly drug FRAN BLANDY feedback@postnoon.com NEW YORK CITY: Everybody is talking about Molly, but few aside from the young, hip and famous knew who she was until the death of two people at a New York music festival this weekend. The sweet-sounding name belongs to an Ecstasy-like designer drug that is being blamed for the deaths of Olivia Rotondo, 20 and Jeffery Russ, 23, during the Electric Zoo music festival.

Four others landed in intensive care and the three-day event — which attracts tens of thousands to see artists such as David Guetta — was cancelled ahead of its final day on Sunday AROUND THE

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“due to serious health risks,” according to the mayor’s office. A New York Police Department spokeswoman told AFP the deaths appeared to be related to “a narcotic commonly

known as Molly.” Molly is thought by many users to be a “pure” form of

MDMA or Ecstasy, an hallucinogenic party drug which is often laced with dangerous substances. “There is nothing pure about it at all,” said Erin Mulvey, spokeswoman for the Drug Enforcement Agency’s New York division. She told AFP the drug was entirely synthetic, based on a stimulant called methylone which enters the country from places such as Canada, China or India and is turned into capsules or powder form to be snorted or ingested.

News THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

TELANGANA ISSUE

S-Cong netas in Trishanku’s state Like the mythological king Trishanku, these leaders are hung upside down by the people who demand them to quit and the party that ask them to stay. ‘It’s a no-win situation for us,’ bemoaned a Seemandhra leader. MD INKESHAF AHMED ahmed.m@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: Faced with mass ire for their holding on to positions, the MPs and MLAs and office-bearers of the Congress party in Seemandhra have adopted a safe stance — they will individually come out every day with provocative statements against Telangana and for united Andhra. They expect this sabre-rattling will satisfy the public. Almost every day these leaders are making it a point to hold a meeting on one pretext or the other where they would pan the Centre and the Telangana forces. This would draw a sharper reaction from the Telangana forces and thus the fire is kept burning, sources point out. While the union ministers

its decision of bifurcation of the state. “But we have to do something so that we don’t want to be labelled traitors by our rival parties. We want to give an impression that we are also with the people of Seemandhra,” he said. As part of the strategy, the Seemandhra congress leaders including state cabinet ministers held a three-hour long sit-in pro-

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and MPs from Seemandhra chose to stay put in New Delhi to execute their strategy, the state cabinet ministers and MLAs confined themselves to Hyderabad. Their problem is that they are afraid of going to their constituencies where people wanted their resignation from the party

and the government. “We can’t go to our constituencies for fear of the people’s reaction. Nor can we keep mum on the bifurcation issue,” a state cabinet minister from Seemandrha told Postnoon. Another minister made it clear that the Congress party high command would not go back on

‘UT’TER CHAOS

TNGO threatens another movement if city made UT

POSTNOON NEWS Feedback@postnoon.com

TNGO president Devi Prasad has threatened to launch another mass movement if Hyderabad was made a Union Territory.

confrontation between the united Andhra votaries and Telangana supporters is on the cards. The APNGO meet on Saturday is sought to be upset by the threat of the TJAC Telangana Bandh on the same day. Though named Shanti Rally, the APNGO meeting is billed to be provocative, as the aim of the Union is to get Hyderabad Union Territory status which alone will assure the rest of the regions’ rights, leaders point out. All other options like Hyderabad to Telangana or Hyderabad as joint capital is not acceptable to the employees as well as investors. Knowing well that the loss of Hyderabad would prove economically disastrous for Telanga-

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na, the T protesters led by TJAC have upped their ante to stem any possibility of the City becoming a UT. However, central Congress leaders have indicated that no decision on the status of Hyderabad has yet been taken, as the Telangana State Bill is yet to be placed in Parliament. However, lobbying is in full swing on both sides. Meanwhile, TNGO president Devi Prasad has threatened to launch

another mass movement if Hyderabad was made a Union Territory. He warned the state government of unpleasant turns if the government went ahead with the proposal. Prasad also wanted security to be given to Telangana employees working in Seemandhra. With both sides hardening their stance, the police have a heavy job on hand on Saturday. It is learnt that central forces are being summoned to help local police.

gramme on AP Assembly premises on Tuesday demanding the centre to keep the state United.

NO TO RESIGNATIONS

On the other hand, the Seemandhra leaders are saying a big ‘No’ to the demand to resign.

How can we resign from our posts? Our resignations would only lead to imposition of president rule in the state. A Seemandra leader “How can we resign from our posts? Our resignations would only lead to imposition of president rule in the state. If we continue in our posts, our positions will give us an opportunity to raise our voices in favour united Andhra Pradesh,” a senior congress MLA said.

News THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

CULTURE recently. i d u p i h c ebut i n Ku success of her d r e h e d eddy, ma h the f lush of the R i h t i es Raja e h d a r S t a , i i w n w a i g g n s glow i n ya Ta ra n a Bhusha a t a m w N d e f a h o P s t , e n n h tude by t tnoo The fi rst s i ng a bout it to Pos he i nstitute set up y. t d k ad ha Red W h i le ta l sa m. Ta ra ng i n i is R d n a e ra ngaprav

T S R I F Y ‘M G N I R U D N E AND ’ E C N A D S I E LOV ARUN D YELLAMATY Arunyellamaty@postnoon.com

ahithi Reddy, grand daughter of S Jaipal Reddy, union minister, was trained personally by Raja Radha Reddy, Kaushalya Reddy and Yamini Reddy. Taking about her performance and learning Kuchipudi, she says, “I trained for close to five years and put up Rangapravesam, which is not that easy; many people work for years to do their first show. I used to train day in and day out. I had no social life, but that’s okay. I am proud about myself and my performance.” Sahithi was never interested in learning western dance forms and learn any other popular dance forms, but Kuchipudi. The 22-year-old says she was sent by her parents to meet Yamini Reddy and just sit and watch her training. “I was sent by my mother to learn this dance. She wanted me to learn music and whatever I could, so kuchipudi was on her list. I remember discontinuing when I joined class when I was a kid, but when I joined back, I didn’t want to give up.” About learning the dance form from arguably the best there is in the country, Sahithi says, “A lot of credit goes to my gurus Yamini Reddy, Raja and Radha Reddy and Kaushalya Reddy. They ensured I learned in the correct way. If I have teachers like them how will I not do well?” After her Rangapravesham, Sahithi has become a star among her friends

Sahithi gives a lot of credit to her gurus Yamini Reddy, Raja and Radha Reddy and Kaushalya Reddy. AROUND THE

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and family. “No one would look at me and think I am a trained Kuchipudi dancer. People think only a traditionallooking girl could be a Kuchipudi dancer. After the performance, many people congratulated me. My friend were thrilled about my performance. Many people stayed till the end of the two-hour show — which never happens. “ Sahithi has peformed at the Commonwealth Games and business schools, but, now, after her Rangapravesam, she hopes to do solo shows. “My grandfather S Jaipal Reddy might have seen me dance, but never saw it properly, due to his busy schedule, but he has

been supportive. I also want people to know me as dancer. My parents have been getting lots of calls to congratulate them. My cousin who has started to learn Kuchipudi, says I am her inspiration. This is a proud moment for me, too.” She put up five different styles at her Rangapravesam, and after the show she said she has a new-found interest in Indian mythology. The St Francis graduate wants to study finance next and work with her dad in his business in future. She says dance will continue as a hobby. “Dance would be very difficult to do all my life, I don’t think I can do it or decide this early. So as of now I want to pursue Masters in finance.” “Everyone can do what they dream of, everyone has a talent in them. They have to work hard to find it and then work hard to excel at it,” she signs off.

I trained for close to five years and put up Rangapravesam, which is not that easy. Sahithi Reddy

ON THE STREET WHERE YOU LIVE YOUR WEEKLY HYPERLOCAL GUIDE TO THE CITY THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

Lack of water plagues Tarnaka Forty years ago, residents of the colony pooled in money and laid drinking water pipes that could be used by 100 families. Now there are 950 apartments and 300 individual houses in the colony housing a population of more than 15,000, but still the colony continues to use the same old water pipelines designed to cater to a 100 residents. ALEENA ALICE aleena.t@postnoon.com

or any resident of the twin cities, Tarnaka is a name that conjures images of a well-established area, but for residents of Nagarjuna Nagar colony in Tarnaka, infrastructure problems are knocking at their door and making their lives hell. Despite falling in the A Zone taxpayer category, residents of this colony have been dealing with problems related to water, roads and garbage for quite a while now. Ironically, the former Mayor and present GHMC corporator Banda Karthika is a resident of the locality. Residents allege that if there is anything good about the colony it is the approach road to the former mayor’s home and the space around her house, but that’s about it. Forty years ago, residents of the colony put in their own money and laid drinking water

pipes that could be used by 100 families. Now there are 950 apartments and 300 individual houses in the colony housing a population of more than 15,000, but still the colony continues to use the same old water pipelines designed to cater to a 100 residents. For over a decade now, there have been issues with leakage of the worn-out pipelines, and residents have not been able to get sufficient amount of water. Despite repeated complaints to the civic authorities no action has been taken. “When the colony was formed we invested our own money to lay the water pipes, now the water works department, without investing any money, is making money on the same pipelines. At that time cement pipelines were laid, which could cater to only a few

families. Now as the population has increased, there is a need for better quality pipelines. There are many leakage problems and we are unable to get sufficient water. We have been requesting the authorities to lay new ductile steel pipelines which have a better lifespan, however the authorities choose to turn a deaf ear,” says B Omprakash, one of the colony’s first residents. Another issue haunting resi-

dents of the colony is the garbage problem. While on one hand residents are dealing with the stench of garbage and the various diseases it brings, on the other they feel helpless because in spite of complaints, no action has been taken to clear the garbage. “A few years ago, when the former mayor shifted into this house in Tarnaka, two garbage bins, which were placed next to

What officials say

Tarnaka times

hen Postnoon contacted the GHMC corporator and former mayor Banda Karthika, she said: “The project for relaying the road in Street No 1 has been sanctioned and after the monsoon we will take up the work, immediately. Since the garbage is dumped on government land, we cannot have any fencing around the area. The garbage is being collected on a daily basis but since the residents are saying it is not, we will make sure that the contractors are monitored.”

hough not in the heart of Hyderabad, Tarnaka is one of the most populated residential areas in the city. Every year the number of apartment complexes and individual houses keeps multiplying, thanks to the reputed educational institutions in this area: Osmania University, Indian Institute for Chemical Technology, Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages, et al.

her house, was shifted to the street in Nagarjuna Nagar colony. While she has no issues to deal with, the residents of this colony have to deal with stench and disease because of the uncleared garbage. Since there is piled-up garbage, animals and rodents are always hanging around. Residents cannot even open their windows for fresh air because of the stench and the probability of disease spreading,” says Krishna Murthy (name changed on request) a resident of the area. Bad roads in the City are a common sight, but for residents of this colony, apart from having bumpy rides, they also have to deal with traffic jams in their narrow colony lanes because of encroachment. For around 18 colonies in the area, Street no 1 in Tarnaka is the only approach road. A narrow street with numerous potholes, it is a nightmare for motorists. The residents complain of hawkers and autorickshaw drivers encroaching on the narrow lanes causing traffic jams, especially during peak hours.

Numerous letters, along with the attestment of the local MLA and MPs have been submitted to the civic authorities, yet no action has been taken so far. KA Rao, Treasurer, Nagarjuna Nagar Welfare Association

There is no resident in this colony who does not pay tax. In fact the association members go to the respective departments and collect the bills and make sure they are cleared before due date. When we abide by the law, we expect the government and the civic authorities to cooperate with us. K Manohar Reddy, General Secretary, Nagarjuna Nagar Welfare Association

News THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013 LOOSE CANNON Goa Catholics are culturally Hindu, says CM

ACTION-REACTION

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PANAJI: Catholics in Goa are culturally Hindu and India is a Hindu nation in the cultural sense, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has said. “India is a Hindu nation in the cultural sense. A Catholic in Goa is also Hindu culturally because his practices don’t match with Catholics in Brazil except in the religious aspect, a Goan Catholic’s way of thinking and practice matches a Hindu’s,” Parrikar said in an interview to New York Times’ India blog.

‘WOULD HAVE HANDLED RIOTS BETTER THAN MODI’ He also said he would have ensured a better job than Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in the post-Godhra riot phase in 2002. “It should not have happened. The administration should have clamped down on any violence. (If I were in his place) I would have ensured (that) but Modi was new to the job as chief minister,” he said. Parrikar, considered close to Modi, also conceded that the Gujarat violence was a blot on Modi’s career but said the Gujarat chief minister was not “personally a part of it”. He said the riots were a product of administrative failure and that everything need not be blamed on Modi alone. “What happened then was unfortunate, but that does not require his apology. It requires his correction and he has done that. IANS

(Left) A Bahraini riot policeman fires tear gas to disperse protesters. (Right) A protester holds petrol bombs behind his back during clashes with riot police. AFP/ MOHAMMED AL-SHAIKH

HALL OF SHAME

ASARAM CASE FALLOUT

Khap orders 6-year-old to marry rapist’s son

KOLKATA: A caste council in Rajasthan has ordered the parents of a six-year-old rape victim to get her married to the eight-year-old son of the man accused of the rape, police said Thursday. The incident occurred at Keshavpura in Kota, 250 km from Jaipur. The 40-year-old man, identified as Kailash, raped the girl who lives in his neighbourhood about a fortnight ago, police said. “Kailash locked her in a room and raped her. Instead of registering a police complaint, elders belonging to the girl’s caste called a panchayat (village council) meeting,” a police official said. The panchayat ordered the girl’s parents to get her married to Kailash’s minor son. However, the girl’s parents as well as Kailash refused to

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accept the panchayat’s decision. And even as negotiations

And even as negotiations were going on between the girls’ parents and the accused, Kailash, he again raped the girl on Wednesday. were going on between the girls’ parents and the accused, Kailash again raped the girl Wednesday, police said. Some social activists came to know about Wednesday’s rape and brought the girl and her parents to Mahaveer Nagar police station in Kota and filed a complaint. Kailash was arrested, and an investigation launched into the allegations against the panchayat members, said circle officer (city) Banwari Lal Meena. IANS

60-year-old UP seer chops off genitals, serious LUCKNOW: A 60-year-old Hindu seer chopped off his genitals at Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, in an apparent protest against the alleged sexual assault on a girl by spiritual guru Asaram Bapu, police said Thursday. Profusely bleeding Baba Premdas was late Wednesday admitted to a medical facility in Amethi, where his condition is said to be serious. The incident took place in Madhopur village, Amethi Superintendent of Police Alankrita Singh told IANS. She did not say what was the reason behind the seer’s action. “There are many theories going around in the area. Some say this was to protest against what Asaram is alleged to have done while close associates said the seer was afraid he could be framed in a similar fashion,” an investigating official said. Doctors have referred the man to Sultanpur for plastic surgery. IANS

NATION BRIEFS Engineering Gulosus cathedras student agnascor found deadchirogr in hostel

Obama, Singh Gulosus cathedras to meet agnascor chirogr as per schedule

Teenagercathedras Gulosus killed in UP agnascor chirogr wall collapse

Assam Rifles Gulosus cathedras jawan agnascor suicide chirogr attempts

Rajya Sabha Gulosus cathedras adjourned agnascor chirogr over Vanzara letter

AA 24-year-old quinLONDON: A lePessimus GHAZIABAD: quennalis engineering syrtes student corrumperet was found incredibiliter hanging inside gulosus his hostel saburre, room in quamquam Modinagar area, chirographi police said circumtoday. grediet Manan, oratori, who belonged quod quinquennalis to Kashmir, ﬁducias was in the senesceret third yearoptimus of his B.tech perspicax programme syrtes. Pompeii at SRM corrumperet University and saetosus lived in a chirographi. private hostel Cathedras in imputat Modinagar quinquennalis area. The body zothecas. was Perspicax found by one quadrupei of his friends. fermentet.

: The White quinLONDON: A lePessimus WASHINGTON: House quennalis meeting syrtesbetween corrumperet PM Manmohan incredibiliterSingh gulosus andsaburre, US President Barack quamquam Obama chirographi will be held circumas per schedule grediet oratori, on September quod quinquennalis 27, despite the ﬁducias lattersenesceret being busy optimus due to perspiongoing cax Syrian syrtes. crisis. Pompeii While corrumperet no formal bilateral saetosus Obama-Singh chirographi. Cathedras meeting has been imputat planned quinquennalis on the sidelines zothecas. of the Perspicax G-20 Summit. quadrupei fermentet.

A lePessimus A teenaged quin-girl LONDON:(UP): BADAUN quennalis was killed syrtes and her corrumperet cousin sister got incredibiliter injured when gulosus a wall collapsed saburre, on quamquam them in village chirographi Ballinaglacircumin Kadar grediet chowk area oratori, here, quod police quinquennalis ofﬁcials said ﬁducias today. Nanhi senesceret devi (14) optimus and Rachna perspicax (16)syrtes. were sitting Pompeii outside corrumperet their house saetosus yesterdaychirographi. when the wall Cathedras collapsed imputat on them,quinquennalis they said. zothecas. Perspicax quadrupei fermentet.

A lePessimus Assam Rifles quinhavilLONDON:An IMPHAL: quennalis dar allegedly syrtes attempted corrumperet to commit incredibiliter suicide by shooting gulosushimself saburre, from his quamquam service rifle in chirographi Manipur, official circumgrediet sources oratori, said today. quod Ram quinquennalis Bahadur, fiducias posted insenesceret Tengnoupal optimus area borderperspicax ing Myanmar, syrtes. Pompeii pumped corrumperet three bullets saetosus in his stomach chirographi. and was Cathedras immediately imputat taken to quinquennalis the hospital. His zothecas. condition Perspicax is stated toquadrupei be serious, fermentet. they said.

A lePessimus The Rajya quinSabha LONDON: NEW DELHI: was quennalis adjourned syrtesfor corrumperet 15 minutes after JD-U incredibiliter and SP members gulosus saburre, vociferously raised quamquam the issue chirographi of jailed circumGujarat police gredietofﬁcial oratori,DG quod Vanzara’s quinquennalis letter against ﬁducias Gujarat senesceret CM optimus NarendraperspiModi. Unable cax syrtes. to take Pompeii up the corrumperet scheduled business saetosus in chirographi. the face ofCathedras opposition protests, imputat quinquennalis Deputy Chairman zothecas. P.J. Kurien Perspicax adjourned quadrupei thefermentet. House.

News THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013 DIGITAL LIVES

Privacy is the new priority ROB LEVER feedback@postnoon.com WASHINGTON: Amid growing fears about online surveillance and data theft, Americans are increasingly taking steps to remove or mask their digital footprints on the Internet, a study showed. The Pew Research Center report said 86 per cent of US Internet users have taken some steps to avoid online surveillance by other people or organizations. Despite these precautions, 21 per cent of online adults in the survey have had an email or social media account hijacked and 11 per AROUND THE

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cent have had information stolen. The report said 12 per cent of those using the Internet have been stalked or harassed online, and six per cent have been the victim of an online scam and lost money. Another six per cent said they have had their reputation damaged, and four per cent said they were in physical danger because of something that happened online. According to the study, 50 per cent of Internet users say they are worried about the amount of personal information about them that is online — a figure that has jumped from 33 per cent in 2009.

G20 SUMMIT

DOWNLOADED!

Syria to dominate G20 summit Obama cleared the first hurdle Wednesday in his race to win domestic congressional backing for punitive strikes but is also seeking broader international support. HUI MIN NEO feedback@postnoon.com SAINT-PETERSBURG: World leaders meet Thursday at a G20 summit in Russia where US President Barack Obama will strive to bridge deep divisions over his push for military action against the Syrian regime’s alleged use of chemical weapons. Obama cleared the first hurdle Wednesday in his race to win domestic congressional backing for punitive strikes but is also seeking broader international support. Speaking during a trip to Stockholm he said the world had set “a red line” for Syria and it could not now remain silent in the face of the alleged chemical weapons attack on Damascus suburbs. But Russian President Vladimir Putin, a fierce opponent of the proposed military action, warned on the eve of the summit he is hosting in Saint Petersburg that it would be unacceptable for the West to go ahead with military action against Damascus without UN Security Council approval. Beyond convincing Russia,

Dotcom steps down from Mega WELLINGTON: Internet mogul Kim Dotcom said he was resigning from his new venture Mega to focus on fighting extradition to the US and his plans for a New Zealand political party. Dotcom launched mega.co.nz in January, a year after his Megaupload empire was shut down as part of a US-led investigation into online piracy. The 39-year-old, who was arrested when armed New Zealand police involved in the US probe raided his Auckland mansion, confirmed that he had resigned as a director of Mega at an August 29 board meeting. AROUND THE

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Obama has a tough sell ahead elsewhere, with China — another veto-wielding Security Council member state — having already expressed its “grave concerns” over unilateral military strikes. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has repeatedly ruled out her country’s participation in any US-led military strike against Assad’s regime, while the British parliament has also rejected the idea. But Obama said in Sweden: “I didn’t set a red line. The world set a red line.”

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The United Nations is making a desperate new push for a Syria peace conference even as the United States prepares a possible military strike, say diplomats.

“Mega is in excellent hands,” he tweeted. “I resigned as managing director to focus on my copyright case and a new political party.” Dotcom, who is free on bail in New Zealand pending an extradition hearing expected to take place in April next year, said he was still working on development of a webbased music service called Megabox. The extradition case has dragged on in the courts and is subject to numerous appeals, with Dotcom estimating earlier this year that his legal bills could exceed $50 million.

MEXICO

Cops look for ‘Diana, bus driver hunter’ CIUDAD JUAREZ: Authorities are seeking a woman accused of killing two bus drivers in northern Mexico amid claims that the murders were committed by a vigilante avenging rapes, officials said Tuesday. Local media have received an anonymous message signed by “Diana, bus driver hunter,” claiming to act as “an instrument of vengeance” for the sexual abuse committed by drivers in Ciudad Juarez, a border city with a dark record of violence against women. Arturo Sandoval, a spokesman for the Chihuahua state prosecutor’s office, told AFP that the email “has been included in the investigation.” Witnesses said a woman

wearing a blonde wig shot the drivers in the head after stopping the buses last week. Sandoval said prosecutors believe they were either crimes of passion or motivated by vengeance. The drivers were working on a route used by women who work in assembly plants known as “maquiladoras,” and who regularly suffer sexual abuse as they head to their night shifts. Authorities are investigating 12 cases of female passengers allegedly sexually assaulted by drivers Investigators are looking into whether the killer is among the women. Officials are also investigating any links with an arson attack against a bus at dawn on Tuesday. The vehicle

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was set ablaze after gasoline was poured on it, said Fire Chief Ramon Lucero. The anonymous message from “Diana” stated: “My colleagues and I have suffered in silence, but they can no longer keep us quiet.” “We were victims of sexual violence by drivers who worked during the night shift at the (plants) in Juarez. While many people know about our suffering, nobody defends us or does anything to protect us,” it said. “They think that we are weak because we are women,” the message said, warning that there would be more deaths. I am an instrument of vengeance.” Authorities have drawn up a profile of the suspected killer

and launched an operation to find her with undercover agents in buses. Witnesses describe her as a woman in her 50s, 1.65 meters tall, with a dark complexion. Ciudad Juarez, which lies at the border with Texas, gained notoriety in the 1990s when the bodies of hundreds of women began to appear in the desert bearing signs of extreme sexual violence. Many of the victims were women who had come from other parts of the country to work in one of the city’s assembly plants following a manufacturing boom generated by the North American Free Trade Agreement. In several cases, the victims disappeared after they left the plants at dawn. AFP

News THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

SECURITY WOES

Russia will welcome leaders of the world’s 20 major economies to the seashore palace complex in Strelna, which was initially begun under the reign of the city’s founder Peter the Great.

Historic city braces for fractious G20 summit

MARINA KORENEVA feedback@postnoon.com

SAINT-PETERSBURG: Guarded by roadblocks and accessible only by water, the historic palace outside Saint Petersburg that will host the two-day G20 summit starting Thursday is on a “war footing” that has already irked locals. Russia will welcome leaders of the world’s 20 major economies to the seashore palace complex in Strelna, which was initially begun under the reign of the city’s founder Peter the Great. The complex is already well used to hosting summits but security measures are expected to be extreme even by the standards of recent events. Saint Petersburg’s Pulkovo airport will be closed to normal traffic on September 5-6 as it concentrates solely on ensuring the safe arrival and departure of the leaders’ planes. Tourists hoping to visit the most famous of Petersburg’s imperial palaces, Peterhof,

which lies just west of Strelna, on September 5 will be disappointed as it will be entirely closed to regular visitors. Instead it is likely to be world leaders ruminating on the troubles of the global economy and the crisis in Syria that will be strolling amid the Peterhof palace’s famously ornate fountains. Since August 22, locals in Strelna living close to the palace have needed a pass just to go home with a roadblock checking all traffic going into the area. “It’s as if we have been put on a war footing,” said resident Tatyana Fyodorova. “We are just looking forward to the end of this nightmare,” added another local, Marina Filippova. “This summit is for the bosses, it is not for the ordinary people.” Locals in Saint Petersburg like to look at the political frenzy in Moscow with some disdain, preferring to see their city as the true home of Russia’s intellectual soul. The capital was moved from Saint Petersburg after the

Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 and even in Soviet times, when it was known as Leningrad, the city proudly retained a different atmosphere. The local authorities in Saint Petersburg insist they are working to minimise disruption to locals and the thousands of media and delegations attending the summit but staying in Saint Petersburg will only be able to get there by boat. AROUND THE

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Meanwhile the world leaders will spend their nights in luxury pavilions next to the palace within the secure zone. “The city is ready for the summit, one hundred percent,” said city governor Georgy Poltavchenko. Saint Petersburg, whose stunning architecture and imperial splendour makes it by far Russia’s greatest attraction for visitors, is used to hosting major summit meetings, in par-

ticular under Putin who hails from the city. “If we had decided to host the summit elsewhere, we would have had to spend a lot more,” said Kremlin chief of staff Sergei Ivanov, estimating the total budget at two billion rubles ($60 million, 45 million euros). The city over the last year has however achieved a degree of notoriety as one of the first Russian regions to adopt a law banning homosexual propaganda to minors that has now been adopted nationwide to considerable international concern. The Strelna complex was begun by Peter the Great but the Russian tsar lost interest in the construction when he found the landscape at Peterhof more to his liking and better located for hosting the elaborate fountains for which it is famous. Its first true owner was the son of Tsar Paul I, Konstantin Pavlovich who was given the palace in 1797. The main palace where the summit meetings will take place is still called the Konstantinovsky Palace.

FAST FACTS

City: St Petersburg Size: 1,439 square km (Hyd is 7,100 square km) Population: 5,028,000 Saint Petersburg was founded by the Tsar Peter the Great on May 27, 1703. From 1713 to 1728 and from 1732 to 1918, Saint Petersburg was the Imperial capital of Russia. Saint Petersburg is the second largest city in Russia. The Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments constitute a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Saint Petersburg is also home to The Hermitage, one of the largest art museums in the world. The city has 221 museums, 2000 libraries, more than 80 theaters, 100 concert organizations, 45 galleries and exhibition halls, 62 cinemas, and around 80 other cultural establishments.

News THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

GLOBAL TRACKS

RUNNING IN THE CLOUDS

The new training centre, just outside Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, was initially set up because there were no adequate tracks in the country, but is now also welcoming professional distance runners eager to train in the ideal climate and altitude of the Ethiopian highlands.

Ethiopian running greats Kenenisa Bekele (L) and his brother Tariku Bekele train at Kenenisa camp in Sululta outside the capital Addis Ababa AFP/JENNY VAUGHAN

JENNY VAUGHAN feedback@postnoon.com SULULTA: On a cold and wet morning in the lush green hills high above Addis Ababa, Ethiopian track star Kenenisa Bekele circles a brick red track, slowly, steadily rebuilding his strength. His muscular legs hit the ground in a quick rhythm. The only noise in the serene silence is his breath, piercing through the thin air 2,700 metres above sea level. The world-record holder in 5,000 and 10,000 metres and triple Olympic champion, who has suffered from a calf injury for three years, is running at the centre he opened late last year to improve training conditions for Ethiopia’s renowned runners. Now he is looking to attract foreign athletes too, transforming his camp in Sululta into what he hopes will be a world-class training centre. “We are inviting athletes, we want to have other international athletes from all over the world, so we want to be part of training centres of the world," he told AFP, speaking after a training session on the track, 10 kilometres (six miles) from the capital. He says the new training centre was initially set up because there were no adequate

Bekele is also hoping to attract running enthusiasts of all levels, finding a new way of marketing Ethiopia as a tourist destination AROUND THE

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tracks in the country, but was now also welcoming professional distance runners eager to train in the ideal climate and altitude of the Ethiopian highlands. Bekele is also hoping to attract running enthusiasts of all levels, finding a new way of marketing Ethiopia as a tourist destination and tapping into a growing market of ‘hobby joggers’ the world over who are eager to rub shoulders with east Africa’s elite. The size of the potential market related to the current running boom is huge, with major big city marathons like London, New York, Boston, Chicago, Berlin and Tokyo systematically selling out their tens of thousands of places within hours. It’s also a market that neigh-

bouring Kenya, the other distance-running giant and Ethiopia’s arch rival, is already tapping into. In the Kenyan Rift Valley town of Iten, elite runner Lornah Kiplagat has opened a High Altitude Training Centre, offering the austere eat-sleep-run regimen and a diet of thin air, endurance boosting hills and simple, unprocessed organic food to a growing number of elites and enthusiasts. Bekele hopes Sululta will be the next Iten, and has already hosted several international track runners. Bekele’s facility has one of only two world-class tracks in Ethiopia. The other, in the congested capital, was only recently refitted with a suitable track for long distance training. The centre is part of Bekele’s steadily growing business empire. In addition to a cinema and real estate in central Ethiopia, his first hotel opened in August on one of Addis Ababa’s cramped thoroughfares. Plus, he jokes, his own experience comes with the centre — a chance for aspiring runners to be trained by a living legend. “I will give my experience, I will share my experience," he laughs, exposing his characteristic toothy smile.

Pick

at the

airport,

News THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

SMART TREATMENT

Eye-phone revolution brings relief to sore eyes

The ongoing study of diagnosing eye ailments with a smartphone may hold the key to affordable access to eye treatment for millions of low-income Africans who are suffering from eye disease and blindness. IRENE WAIRIMU Agence France Presse NAIVASHA: Simon Kamau, 26, has been in almost constant pain since he was a playful three-year-old and accidentally pierced his eye with a sharp object, but smartphone technology now offers hope. His family live in an impoverished part of rural Naivasha in Kenya’s Rift Valley region and could not afford the 80kilometre journey to the nearest specialist hospital, leaving the young Kamau blind in one eye ever since. Today, 23 years later, Kamau has a chance to better his quality of life thanks to a team of doctors from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine armed with an innovative, low cost, smartphone solution. “Kenya was a natural test location,” the project’s team leader, Dr Andrew Bastawrous, told AFP. “For a country with a population of more than 40 million, there are only 86 qualified eye doctors, 43 of whom are operating in the capital Nairobi.” The equipment used in the study, which has been running for five years and is now in its final stages, is a smartphone with an add-on lens that scans the retina, plus an application to record the data. The technology is deceptively simple to use and relatively cheap: each ‘Eye-Phone’, as Bastawrous likes to call his invention, costs a few hundred euros (dollars), compared to a professional ophthalmoscope that costs tens of thousands of euros and weighs in at around 130 kilogrammes (290 pounds). Bastawrous said he hopes the ‘Nakuru Eye Disease Cohort Study’, which has done the rounds of 5,000 Kenyan patients, will one day revolutionise access to eye treatment for millions of low-income Africans who are suffering from eye disease and blindness. With 80 percent of the cases of blindness considered curable or preventable, the potential impact is huge. Data from each patient is uploaded to a team of special-

ists, who can come up with a diagnosis and advise on followup treatment. The results are also compared to tests taken with professional equipment to check the smartphone is a viable alternative. Bastawrous says his ‘EyePhone’ has proved its worth, and can easily and accurately diagnose ailments including glaucoma, cataracts, myopia and long-sightedness. Treatments range from pre-

The technology is simple to use and relatively cheap: each costs a few hundred euros, compared to a professional ophthalmoscope that costs tens of thousands of euros and weighs around 130 kg.

scription glasses and eye drops to complex surgery that is conducted once every two weeks at a hospital in Nakuru, the nearest big town. So far, up to 200 of the 5,000 people involved in the study have had surgery to correct various eye ailments. Kamau is among those expecting to receive surgery on his blind eye. While doctors say he is unlikely to recover his full vision because the injury was so long ago, they can at least stop the pain and swelling caused by the additional strain on his functioning eye. “I can hardly do manual work around the farm. Once the sun shines, my eyes water and I feel a lot of pain,” said Kamau, who lives on a small farm with six family members. Neighbour Mary Wambui, 50, has had eye problems for 36 years but gave up on finding treatment because existing medical care was far too expensive. Instead, she settled for home remedies like placing a cold wet cloth over her eyes

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when the pain became unbearable. “I was treated at the Kijabe Mission hospital but the followup visits became too expensive. I had to pay bus fares and then queue in the waiting room for the whole day, and then go back home without seeing a doctor,” she recalled. She said Bastawrous’ project, in which the tests were carried out at her home, was a welcome relief. “I do not like the feel of hospitals. Their process is long, laborious and costly but with this phone, I got to know of my diagnosis with just a click,” she said. Bastawrous says the success of the smartphone meant it could soon be replicated in other poor areas of Kenya. He said the arid Turkana area, one of Kenya’s poorest regions, was next on the list.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

Business

US AUTO INDUTSRY SEES GROWTH

US auto sales accelerated to the best pace since October 2007 as major automakers posted double digit gains and forecast more growth in the months to come. Total industry sales rose 17 per cent when compared with August 2012.

AUTO

TWEETS INDEXED

Ford set to make India hub Dave Schoch, president of Ford Asia Pacific, said the company is looking at the subcontinent as a ‘long-term investment’. PENELOPE MACRAE feedback@postnoon.com NEW DELHI: US car giant Ford said on Wednesday it is accelerating its drive to make India its global export hub amid strong demand in Asia and Africa for small cars and sports utility vehicles. Ford, whose cars in earlier years in Asia were nimbly outmanoeuvred by rivals with smaller, cheaper vehicles, is revamping its strategy with a shift to smaller cars and SUVs. Even with a sharp car market downturn in India, Dave Schoch, president of Ford Asia Pacific, said on the sidelines of an auto conference in New Delhi the company is looking at the subcontinent as a “longterm investment”.

TECH MARKET

“Despite current macroeconomic factors and ongoing market challenges, India is a big part of our global strategy,” he told reporters. Ford is carrying out its biggest industrial revamp in half a century, building plants in India, China and Thailand, as it leverages a lower cost base and

skilled manpower to boost output and meet demand in what it sees as an increasingly vital part of the world. By 2020, Ford expects demand for small vehicles will account for 60 per cent of the market globally and Asia and Africa will represent half the global volume. Ford said it aims

to be able to export from India to more than 50 markets globally within the next five years, up from 37 now. Ford is one of a number of companies using India as an export base. South Korea’s Hyundai is the biggest exporter of cars from India. Others include Nissan, which in July resurrected its iconic budget Datsun marque to woo a new generation of costconscious buyers in emerging markets. Renault-Nissan are planning to double investments in India to $5 billion over the next five years as it seeks to grab market share. Ford projects sales of 120 million units globally by 2020, up from 82 million now. AFP

WASHINGTON: Global smartphone sales are expected to top one billion in 2013, driven by low-cost handsets and gains in emerging markets, a research firm said. International Data Corp said it sees the smartphone market growing 40 per cent this year, and will likely grow to 1.7 billion annually by 2017. Overall mobile phone sales will grow 7.4 per cent, IDC said. Total mobile handset sales are expected to be some 1.8 billion, with more than half of that in the smartphone segment. AFP

Emerging economies face slowdown: IMF In a report prepared for the two-day summit of the G20 major economies, the IMF said that recent indicators pointed to stronger growth in several advanced countries, but key emerging economies have slowed. WASHINGTON: The International Monetary Fund warned the Group of 20 Wednesday that emerging economies were slowing more than expected and under pressure from US plans to slow its stimulus. In a report prepared for the two-day summit of the G20 major economies that opens Thursday in St. Petersburg, Russia, the IMF said that recent indicators pointed to stronger growth in several advanced

NUMEROLOGY

$118mn is the loss incurred by Volvo, nearly tripling in the first half of the year. Car sales dropped by just six per cent to 209,000

WARNING

Smartphone sales to top 1 billion

SAN FRANCISCO: A San Francisco startup said it has indexed all public Twitter posts dating back to the first ‘tweet’ ever fired off seven years ago. Topsy is making the compendium of tweets available to marketers, businesses and others to “extract meaningful signals from the social media noise”. The analytics firm said it offers “the entire history of public tweets on Twitter, dating back to the first-ever tweet by Jack Dorsey in March 2006”. Topsy claimed its tools provide analyses of “hundreds of billions” of tweets and Web pages to provide insight into online chatter about people, topics, brands, or businesses.

Brazil, China and India were mainly responsible for the loss of some 2.5 percentage points in emerging economy growth since 2010 levels. countries, but key emerging economies have slowed. Since its July report on glob-

al developments and risks, the IMF said, growth projections for emerging economies are being revised downward “with risks still to the downside.” “The impulse to global growth is expected to come mainly from the United States in the near term,” the report said. “Overall, concerns about a prolonged period of sluggish global growth (a plausible downside scenario) remain elevated.” AFP

GOLD `32,604 10g SILVER `54,990 1kg

24C

for

DOLLAR `65.82 POUND `102.79

BACK TO BASICS PARIS: Big anti-smoking messages on the front of cigarette packets may help deter youngsters tempted by tobacco but have little effect when they are on the back of the pack, research has found. Touching on a subject that has stirred controversy in countries where pro- and anti-tobacco lobbies are ﬁghting over smoking controls, investigators looked at data from a large survey among British teenagers. More than a thousand 11to 16-year-olds took part in the survey. The research say the pictures had most effect on “never” or experimental smokers.

THUS SPAKE We are humbled and gratiﬁed by the tremendous interest in Xbox One from game fans everywhere Yusuf Mehdi, vice-president, Microsoft, after announcing the new Xbox One console will go on sale November 22

BSE NSE

18,969.47 401.92

5,581.65 133.55

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

Comment

HIGH-FLYING THOUGHTS Samsung, the company that just keeps on giving, seems to have stolen a march on rival Apple by launching their first smartwatch last night. But HFT wonders, how many gadgets do we need? Aren’t 15 enough? We could answer that but we’re too busy checking our smartsocks.

INTERVENTION IN SYRIA

ON THE BRINK OF WAR THE WAR ROOM

STEPHEN COLLINSON

resident Barack Obama has signed up power brokers in Congress for strikes on Syria but, in an era of insurgent politics haunted by Iraq, there is no guarantee the rank and file will follow. Obama, who is on the road in Sweden, mobilized his big political and military guns Wednesday to convince lawmakers to back his plan to punish President Bashar al-Assad over a chemical weapons attack. The White House can already boast two significant victories. On Tuesday, Republican House Speaker John Boehner and majority leader Eric Cantor, who more normally torment the president, gave robust support to his strategy. Then, on Wednesday, the Senate Foreign Relations committee voted by 10 members to seven to authorize action in Syria — albeit under tighter rules of engagement than the White House had requested. “None of us want the US mired down in another conflict, so the committee has significantly limited the president’s original authorization, while still providing for an appropriate use of force in response to Assad’s use of chemical weapons,” said Republican Senator Bob Corker. But for Obama to collect on the huge gamble he made in seeking congressional backing

for attacks in Syria, he must win over lower ranking lawmakers who, unlike their leaders, are more concerned with their political skins than US standing in the world. War weariness stalks America, and votes to authorize action in Syria, likely to begin next week, are tough ones — especially for lawmakers up for re-election in 2014. Republicans face a strain of isolationist and libertarian sentiment roiling a party still working through the political trauma of the Iraq war. Many establishment Republicans have already been

knocked off their perches by “Tea Party” candidates who have challenged them from their right in nominating contests. Anti-war liberal Democrats meanwhile are making unlikely common cause with conservatives like Senator Rand Paul, who oppose US military action. Hawks like Republican senators Lindsey Graham and John McCain meanwhile demand a more robust effort than the “limited” strikes Obama has proposed and want to escalate US military aid to the Syrian opposition. This splintering of party lines is complicating efforts to

build a coalition behind action in Syria. But one White House official predicted sufficient support would emerge between the extremes. National Security Advisor Susan Rice told NBC News that she was “quite confident” that the administration would prevail. Another official admitted privately that the White House “will lose some Democrats” meaning that significant numbers of Republicans will be needed not just in the House, but in the Democratic-run Senate to get the bill through.

Reliable vote counts are not yet available, as hearings on the authorization, featuring a passionate Secretary of State John Kerry take place on Capitol Hill. But a top House Democrat, Chris Van Hollen, when asked by CNN Wednesday whether a war resolution could get through the chamber, replied: “I don’t think anybody knows right now.” A Democratic House aide added: “There will have to be significant votes on both sides of the aisle.” Though Boehner and Cantor are in favor — other top Republicans are wavering and could syphon away yes votes. Republican House whip Kevin McCarthy said Wednesday he was “not there yet”. Another key figure, Paul Ryan, who like McCarthy may have leadership ambitions, is yet to tip his hand. A senior official told AFP the president was calling lawmakers from abroad. On Wednesday, he also hardened his rhetoric. “My credibility is not on the line, the international community’s credibility is on the line and America and Congress’s credibility is on the line,” he said. The comments appeared to be a bid to give Republicans, many of whom defy him on principle, a reason to vote ‘yes’ other than the fact the president’s prestige is at stake. He was also issuing a veiled threat of blame he will heap on lawmakers if the vote goes down.

EDITORIALS How America went from bogeyman to pillar of pragmatism The sporting world should boycott Sochi

arack Obama was never going to go to war without the approval of the American people, or at least their representatives. No more would America rush headlong and in isolation into a battle thousands of miles from their shores. Obama has looked at the burned hands around him and learned a valuable lesson. But America’s new embracement of the rationale does not end with their new-found ability to seek a consensus. They also distanced themselves from the British government after it detained journalist Glenn Greenwald’s partner at Heathrow airport last month. There is a change in mindset taking place in the US , no matter what Rush Limbaugh and his Tea Party horde will have you believe. Just look at the New York mayoral race, it’s positively French in the way the population have sidestepped the saucier parts of the candidates’ lives and focussed on policy. France and Turkey may be hopping mad that Obama has chosen the slow and steady approach to Syria, but they (France at least) were also quick to slam US knee-jerk aggression in Iraq. Obama has two years left to cement his legacy. He’s on the right path, let’s hope his pragmatism on Syria extends to domestic policy as well.

READERS’ VIEWS

omething is afoot in Russia, and it’s diabolical. The recent law passed against ‘homosexual propaganda’ is so draconian it beggars belief. Not only that, it reeks of a bigotry and hatred that has not been seen since a moustachiod man with a chip on his shoulder traipsed through Europe with his weaponised toys. Russia is set to host the Winter Olympics in Sochi in February 2014, and the IOC, rather than lambasting Russia for its attitude towards gays has toed Putin’s line like the dastardly sheep they are. The global sporting community and top athletes should boycott the games to show Putin and his thugs that such heinous levels of intolerance have no place in modern society. If we don’t do so, we will open the doors to social regression like never before.

We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or # Plot No 550-A1,3rd Floor, Road No 92, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad-500033 Landmark – Volkswagen showroom or even by way of a call on 4067 2222. Editor: Dean Williams

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

tELEVISION WHO CALLS THE SHOTS?

Women tell the tales now

A few years ago people were incensed with the regressive way women were portrayed on television. Cut to today, has that notion changed? Here’s a look at the scenario now. FLEME VARKEY fleme.v@postnoon.com

ne can safely say that today television is the most women-oriented medium. Switch on the most popular entertainment channels at any point in the day and you will have some family drama playing out in front of your eyes. Come six in the evening and the TVs across every locality come alive with strains of the title song to the serial starting at that time. Six to 11 is considered prime time for channel producers. Within that span they are showing audiences numerous life stories, spread across varied time periods, locations and religions. You can find mythology, romance, horror, comedy and human interest stories jostling for space and eyeballs in this limited time. Who do you think is the primary viewership? No second guesses needed, it’s women indeed. However, of late channels have registered a rise in male viewership as well. Any talk of TV shows for women cannot be complete without a reference to the tsarina of Indian soap operas — Ekta Kapoor. What she started off with her K serials was a movement which has taken varied forms now. At the time when Tulsis and Parvatis ruled the screen, (Kyuki Saas bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Kahaani Ghar Ghar ki, Kutumb) the woman of the house was restricted to kitchen politics and managing family ties, keeping the family from getting at each other’s throats, in some cases playing matchmaker and

match-breaker as well. Everything about her revolved around the house. For her getting out of the house, running offices etc. was considered a reversal of patriarchal lines. A concept Ekta Kapoor endorsed in almost all her serials. On one hand it was considered empowering for the women but on the other hand, she also had women playing the vamps going to unexplainable extents to damage or harm the other woman. So you have the concept of women as nurturer and destroyer both in one serial. It was about at this time that the men took the backseat in the serials. It began to seem as the

In a way this change might work in changing the rigid and conservative mindset of a lot of families. But as we all know, TV has a knack of showing everything larger than life. men were there just to flex their muscles, lay down the rules, punish women and have a plastic surgery or two, or as some would say, they played second fiddle.

After this crop came battered and empowered women. The women who were portrayed as strong, dominating and demanding as opposed to the ones of the K serials where they just played caked-up characters waiting to shed tears at the drop of a hat. Writers began to dabble with relationships even here too the focus was on girls(Amber Dhara)around 2007. Then came the so called new generation women. Their stories talked of women with a conscience Baalika Vadhu and Na Aana Is Des Laado, Mohe Agle Janam Bitiya Hi Kijo, Hitler Didi, Saas Bina Sasural etc. In the first two

you have Maa-sa and Amma-ji both widowed matriarchs, ruling their households and who are totally in favour of female infanticide and is willing to crush any revolt from the women in their families. The bahus come into the family and change the mindset. Something similar can be seen in Hitler Didi as well. Now you have serials like Punarvivaah, Pavitra Rishtaa, Bade Acche Lagte Hain, Sapne Suhane Ladakpan ke, Qubool Hain, Diya Aur Bati Hum, Housewife sab janti hai, Jee Le Zara, Meri Bhabhi etc.. What’s common with all these serials is that women hold the fort even more, while men remain as mere secondary characters. The characters are strong, scheming, manipulative, intelligent, working women. They step up to say what is right and what is not. Issues such as rape, domestic abuse is targeted in their stories as well. Women call the shots, in fact one of the serials also makes clear that men and women in their household are treated equally. In a way this change might work in changing the rigid and conservative mindset of a lot of families. But as we all know, TV has a knack of showing everything larger than life. Social messages like allowing girls to study, practicing family planning you can hear being espoused in reality shows like DID Super Moms. All we can say now is that the women of today will not take anything lying down and showing the way ahead are these ladies on TV despite the gaudy clothes and glitter.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

spotlight GLITTERATI

Starry splendour Tollywood stars made a beeline to Park Hyatt where a pre-party of South Indian International Movie Awards was held. Spotted were Trisha, Rana, Shreya and others. 9

1 Madhushalini 2 Maheswari 3 Shreya 4 Parul 5 Madhavi 6 Trisha 7 Ragini 8 Sunita 9 Vijayender, Swatha 10 Ravi Teja, Rana 11 Charmee 12 Sandeep, Adarsh 13 Khyum, Chetan, Naresh,

Nani, Tanishq, Bhoopal

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

health

ANTIPSYCHOTICS LINKED TO DIABETES IN KIDS

Antipsychotics have already been linked to type II diabetes in adults. Now a new study shows a connection between these medications and the chronic medical condition in kids as well.

KEEPING TRACK

Rising to the challenge

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is common around the world and the leading cause of heart disease, but many people are unaware that they have it, a new study shows. The study found problem in wealthy and low-income countries alike.

Did you ever realise that he international team of those oh-so-stylish researchers noted thatlowthis is

true for wealthy, developed nations as well as low-income countries. And despite the availability of drugs to control high blood pressure, many people who do know they have the condition are not being properly treated. “Blood pressure-lowering drugs are generally inexpensive and commonly available treatments,” senior study author Dr. Salim Yusuf, a professor of medicine at McMaster University’s Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, said in a university news release. “However, only a third of patients commenced on treatment are on enough treatment to control their blood pressure. This is worst in lowincome countries, but significant in high- and middle-income countries, too.” The researchers led by the Population Health Research Institute (PHRI) of McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences examined data on 154,000 adults aged between 35 and 70. The participants, who did not have a history of heart disease or stroke, were from 17 different countries of varying economic strength. All participants had their blood pressure and medication use monitored. The researchers also collected information on their age, gender, level of education and other risk factors,

Half the people with high BP don’t know it

including whether participants knew they had high blood pressure. “Our study indicates over half of people with hypertension are unaware of their condition and, amongst those identified, very few are taking enough treatment to control their blood pressure,” study author Dr. Clara Chow, a member of PHRI and an associate professor of medicine of Sydney University and the George Institute for Global Health in Australia, said in the news release. The study, published Sept. 3 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found only 46.5 percent of those with high blood pressure were aware of their condition. Just 32.5 percent of patients who were aware of the fact that they had high blood pressure were effectively keeping their condition under control. Improvements are needed around the world in the diagnosis and treatment of high blood pressure, the researchers concluded. “The findings are disturbing and indicate a need for systematic efforts to better detect those with high blood pressure,” Yusuf said. “Early use of combination therapies, that is, two or more types of blood pressure-lowering treatments taken together, may be required.” The study was partially funded by unrestricted grants from several pharmaceutical companies. Source: webmd.com

FOR THE HEART

An all-in-one pill for heart care? P

eople dealing with chronic conditions like heart disease often have trouble keeping up with the fistfuls of medications needed to maintain their health. Now scientists have tested a potential solution that might just work: a “polypill” combining several different medications. A new international study found that heart patients are much more likely to regularly take aspirin and drugs for cholesterol and blood pressure if they are all stuffed into a single pill. “The general advantage is that everything is all in one medication,” said Dr. Gerald Fletcher,

a spokesman for the American Heart Association. “Patients who have to take a dozen pills at a time tend to have a hard time remembering to take them.” Heart patients can reduce their risk of heart attack or stroke by more than half if they take a combination of blood pressure medication, statin drugs to lower cholesterol, and aspirin to break up blood clots.The new study, published in the Journal of the American

Medical Association, involved 2,004 people with cardiovascular disease in the U n i t e d K i n g d o m , Ireland, the Netherlands and India. Most of the patients in the study had already had a heart attack or stroke, while the rest were considered at high risk based on factors such as high blood pressure, cholesterol and smoking. Doctors randomly assigned the participants either the polyp-

ill — which had an antiplatelet (to prevent clots), a statin and a blood pressure-lowering drug — or their normal combination of medicines. After about 15 months, the number of patients using the polypill and keeping up with their medications was more than 86 per cent, compared to just under 65 per cent of those taking the individual drugs. The improvement was most notable for patients considered least likely to keep up with their medication regimen. There are some drawbacks, however. The polypill also reduces doctors’ ability to tweak

An international study shows cardiac patients are more likely to take their drugs if they’re packaged together. t h e amount of medication a person is taking if, for instance, more blood pressure control is needed. And there may be potential problems related to the timing of doses, Fletcher noted. This is the first study he had heard of comparing that kind of pill to existing treatments. Source:Webmd

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

Technology GADGET WARS Samsung released its smartwatch Galaxy Gear last night, and with its arch rival Apple still to roll out its much rumoured iWatch, Samsung has the field more or less to itself to wow the geeks.

The smartwatch is here MARIE JULIEN feedback@postnoon.com BERLIN: South Korean electronics giant Samsung on Wednesday unveiled its hotly anticipated smartwatch the Galaxy Gear, which allows users to make calls, receive texts and emails and take photos. JK Shin, head of Samsung’s mobile division, predicted the Galaxy Gear — effectively a mobile you wear on your wrist — would become “a new fashion icon through the world” as he launched the device at the IFA consumer electronics fair in Berlin. The new smartwatch has a touch screen of barely more than four centimetres (1.6 inches) in a brushed-steel mount and wrist strap in six different colours. Contrary to rumours, it does not have a flexible screen. Samsung is not the first company to introduce a watch that connects via wifi to a smartphone, alerting its user to calls, texts and emails — Casio, Sony or Pebble already have similar products. However, with its arch rival Apple still to roll out its much rumoured “iWatch”, and the likes of Microsoft and Google not exhibiting at IFA, the South Korean giant has the field more

or less to itself to wow the geeks. Unlike its competitors, the Samsung device allows users to make calls without taking their phone out of their pocket — instead, they can hold their wrist up to their ear and use the builtin speaker and microphone. The Galaxy Gear will go on sale on September 25 and also has a tiny camera in its wrist strap. Gadget geeks from all over the world have converged on Berlin this week.

The first two days, Wednesday and Thursday, are reserved for the press. After that IFA will open its doors to the general public from Friday through Wednesday to dazzle hitech freaks with the latest stateof-the-art gadgets on 145,000 square metres of exhibition space. In addition to smartwatches, smartphones and tablet computers are certain to be a big draw for visitors, as the dividing line

between the two becomes more and more blurred, as is demonstrated by growth of so-called “phablets”. Electronic household goods, such as state-of-the-art kitchen devices — from ceramic hot plates to refrigerators — as well as the latest in flat-screen television sets will also be on display. Sales of flat-screen TVs are beginning to fall off in Germany, so manufacturers are looking to ultra-HD devices to spur consumer demand. Catering to the growing trend to inter-connect all gadgets, Sony will present a new camera lens that can be linked up to a smartphone to transform into a powerful camera. In fact, organisers boast there will be more world premieres at this year’s IFA than ever before. And while many owners of Internet-enabled TV sets still do not use their devices to surf the web, there is also an information campaign on so-called “smartTV”. If the rival fair, the CES in Las Vegas in January, grabs the headlines and consumers’ attention more with a rush of new products, IFA is still able to attract more visitors — a total 240,000 last year — and is a better gauge of what will be in people’s stockings for Christmas.

Gear-up for the future n

Samsung Galaxy Gear has a built-in outward facing camera to use as a “visual memo”. It takes pictures with one swipe.

The camera also has augmented reality features - it translates signs and can search for more objects.

The battery on the Galaxy Gear is designed to last more than a day.

One can also install a variety of apps on Galaxy Gear. It has gyroscope and accelerometer to respond to movements.

“Smart relay” means you can make and receive calls without taking phone out of pocket. You can control it using voice commands.

Gear comes in six different colours, works by syncing with other Samsung devices – basically, it’s an accessory. It is supposed to be “out of sci-fi” but still something everyone can wear.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

Entertainment

NEW ON THE TOLLYWOOD BLOCK

CINE BYTES

Ravi Kishan in Allu Arjun's '

RACE GURRAM ?

Puri to introduce Srikanth in Mondodu

ilmmaker Puri Jagannadh will introduce actor Srikanth in upcoming Telugu action-drama Mondodu. He will also lend his voice for the film's climax scene. "Puri sir has been roped in to introduce Srikanth's character in the film. He will also lend his voice for some key scenes involving Srikanth," film's producer Sreenivas Reddy said. IANS

Not riding on Vijay’s popularity: Ashwin

f all goes as planned, Bhojpuri actor Ravi Kishan will be making his Telugu debut soon. He has reportedly been roped in to essay an important role in Allu Arjunstarrer Telugu action-drama Race Gurram. Ravi is likely to don a negative shade for the movie. "He will be seen playing a politician in the film. The audience will get to see him in a role with different shades, mostly negative. In fact, Arjun and Ravi will also lock horns in a fight sequence in the film," a source from the film's unit said. The film being directed by Surendar Reddy, also features Shruti Haasan, Saloni Aswani, Shaam, Prakash Raj, Suhasini Mani Ratnam, MS Narayana and Brahmanadam. Race Gurram is produced by Nallamalapu Srinivas, and has music by SS Thaman. IANS

shwin Kakumanu, who has teamed up with Vijay Sethupathi in upcoming Tamil comedy Idharkuthane Aasaipattai Balakumara (IAB), says he didn't sign the ﬁlm to cash in on Vijay's popularity. "I chose to work based on what the role had to offer to me. Moreover, I have only two scenes with him," Ashwin said. IANS

N Shankar part of Oscar committee

ollywood director N Shankar has been appointed as a Indian Oscar screening committee member. The committee comprises 17 members who will watch films from across the country and pick the films that will be later send as India’s official entry to the Oscars in the ‘Best Foreign Language Film’ category.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

fashion

LAURA BAILEY TURNS FILM PRODUCER

LAURA BAILEY has added the role of producer to her already laden multi-hyphenate title. The model-writer-designermother-British Fashion Council ambassador has produced a short film entitled Behemoth for British brand Trager Delaney, with her friend, photographer and filmmaker, Felix Cooper - and it’s not a typical fashion film.

LADY IN BLACK

BRAZEN LOOK

US actress Jena Malone was a shutterbug’s delight as she posed at the screening of Very good girls which was part of the Deauville US Film Festival.

Head-turner Tricia Helfer was at it again. At the premiere of Riddick at the Mann Village Theatre, the leggy lass clearly stole the show.

A CASUAL TOUCH

Michael Douglas floored the onlookers with his charm when he arrived in a semi-formal avatar to unveil the beach locker room dedicated to him on the Promenade des Planches in France.

BOLD & BEAUTIFUL

Carrying a pant suit is not everyone’s cup of tea. However, Olivia Wilde looked every bit a diva when she arrived for the world premiere of Rush in central London.

FASHIONABLE DUO

Stealing the limelight is a cakewalk for this duo. Looking smart in suits, actors Jamie Foxx and Channing Tatum posed on the red carpet before the screening for White House Down in Berlin.

FREJA BEHA ERICHSEN’S FASHION LINE REVEALED

FREJA BEHA ERICHSEN will launch her debut fashion line on September 16 - a capsule collection with denim label Mother. The range is strongly influenced by the androgynous model’s personal style, which is defined by a uniform of skinny jeans and shirts.

22&23

PRISTINE WHITE

Cate Blanchett is not new to making an entrance. At the opening ceremony of the 39th edition of the Deauville’s US film festival again, she made heads turn when she turned up in a white gown.

BELLE OF THE BALL

Scarlett Johansson was nothing but the cynosure of all eyes when she came dressed all in black for the screening of Under the Skin at the 70th Venice Film Festival.

Fashion’s favourites took to the red carpet and stole the show. Many stunned in black while others rocked different hues. We bring you the stars who made it to our best-dressed list.

DASHING & DAPPER

Australian actor Chris Hemsworth and his wife Elsa Pataky attended teh world premiere of Rush in Central London. Thor star looked dapper in a grey suit.

GOWNING GLORY

Model Elsa Sednaoui was all smiles at the Under the Skin screening at the 70th Venice Film Festival.

SUBTLE & STYLISH

French singer Lou Doillon rocked this outfit with her inherent charm when she arrived for the opening ceremony of the 39th edition of the Deauville’s US film festival.

Entertainment THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

Chai Time

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

When I took office, only high energy physicists had ever heard of what is called the Worldwide Web.... Now even my cat has its own page. Bill Clinton

KAKURO

QUICK CROSSWORD

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 Colonnade trees 5 Wedding keepsake 10 Exploitative type 14 Cambodia’s currency 15 Trunk with a chest 16 ‘I don’t think so’ 17 Well above the neck? 18 Body midpoint 19 Jukebox activator 20 It can begin on a set 23 Afghan coin 24 Blame 25 ‘Whether ___ nobler ...’ 28 Reduce a gap at the track 32 Fleur-de-___ 35 Key in 37 Door word 38 Substandard contraction 39 Wishy-washy reply 42 Academy freshman 43 ‘Night’ memoirist Wiesel 44 Like the proverbial beaver 45 Unmodernized 46 Says with certainty 48 Before, old school 49 Word of rejection 50 It has a very large bed 52 It can be misleading 61 In ___ of (replacing) 62 Gentleman’s gentleman 63 Unspecified quantity 64 Hebrew month 65 Therapeutic plants 66 Providers of sheep’s milk 67 The velvet ant, for one 68 Fashionable flair 69 Riviera acquisitions

DOWN

1 Once, it meant ‘once’ 2 Perjurer

3 Choice vehicle? 4 Sheep-counter’s quest 5 Anytime 6 Hang about 7 Cheese from France 8 Software purchaser 9 RAZR manufacturer 10 Open without a corkscrew 11 In short order 12 Sweeping story 13 Russo of ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’ 21 Filthy ___ (illicit gain) 22 Sixth-day creation 25 Musical speed 26 Excluding nothing 27 Penned in, like pigs 29 GTs and Kadetts of automobiles 30 Sleeping Everly Brothers girl 31 Cartoon hunter Fudd 32 Lord of the manor 33 ‘The ___ Sanctum’ 34 Buyer be where? 36 Outward flow 38 1960s-’70s pro hoops league 40 Hebrew schools 41 Many survey responses 46 Make cheddar better 47 Tropical fly 49 Take by force 51 Coveted quality 52 Character weakness 53 Ethiopian princess of opera 54 Lowing places 55 Beer grain 56 Devious maneuver 57 Audiotape holder 58 Sioux City’s state 59 Sign for a seer 60 Loch of monstrous fame

Chai Time THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013 Thiruvaikumar

STAR POWER for 6-9-2013

As per Hindu panchang thiruvaikumar@yahoo. co. in, 040-27177230 / 9177596118

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Misunderstanding between couples is most likely; avoid this situation. Businessmen will see strain in profit margins but the situation will improve soon. Avoid believing new friends and sharing with them secrets of your family.

STRIP TEASE AGNES

Health looks fine. Children will do well in studies and their confidence of scoring well will make you cheerful. Enemies will stay away from you seeing your stupendous growth. Employees will complete their work in stipulated time.

Influx of visitors will make you and family members happy. Mother’s affection will make you comfortable. Some are likely to get due share of ancestral property. Health looks satisfactory. You will fulfil wishes of your children.

Medical expenses are likely to upset you. Be careful while pledging property for getting financial assistance; if you have to, pledge it with a well-known party. Children will be adamant to your irritation; remain cool and advice them.

Avoid remembering past events while talking to paternal relatives. Businessmen might face roadblocks in getting new contracts signed and also in expansion plans. Changes are most likely in your foreign or outstation travel plans.

You need to advice your children politely. Income from ancestral property is most likely. Parents or spouse will be forced to make debt because of you; avoid such a situation. Your confidence level looks high; you complete work easily.

A good inflow of money will keep you cheerful. You will seek help from friends and help. Avoid foods not suitable to you in order to say healthy. Ones that treated you as their enemy will change and become friends.

Enemies will be inactive as you have a favourable time. Take your son into confidence and correct him from the wrong decision, which he is going to take unknowingly. You will help maternal relatives to the maximum extent possible.

Employees need to follow the management’s instructions carefully. To meet family expenses, some will raise a new financial assistance which is unavoidable. Businessmen will attract more customers with new and innovative schemes.

TAROT READ

Sumaa Tekur

tarotreadhyd@gmail. com

ARIES:

GEMINI:

Queen of Cups – Do not believe all the stories you hear. There will be people who would want to take you along in a world of make-believe.

LEO:

Page of Pentacles – You will have to tap into your capabilities and push yourself to deliver more. Think smart and differently. Innovation will work now.

LIBRA:

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE

Temperance – You risk getting into bad books of someone by picking on topics like caste and creed. These are touchy subjects, best avoided in certain occasions.

SAGITTARIUS:

Six of Wands – If you are unhappy with the way the system is functioning, you must raise your voice in protest. Just complaining about it will not work.

TAURUS:

The Hermit – Go slow on a plan and make amends to manage your time . You may need to introspect and spend time alone. Do not be in a hurry with anything.

CANCER:

Page of Swords – You have reached a comfort level at the work place, wherein you feel lazy to challenge yourself. Keep trying to do new things, or you will get bored.

VIRGO:

Queen of Pentacles – Beware of using swear words that will be looked down upon by people around you. You may come across as being insensitive.

SCORPIO:

Justice – Consider entering a contest to showcase your skills. You may not have thought of it before but give it a shot. You never know how it will turn out.

CAPRICORN:

Five of Pentacles – Anger and resentment will fill you with negativity. Drop such emotions which you have no use for. These only hold you back from growing.

PREVIOUS SOLUTIONS

PISCES:

Ten of Wands – You must work harder to realign priorities and thinking. By changing the way you see the future, you can change the way you think about present.

NUMBER GAME

Swords – Take a break. You may be stressed out by taking on too much work. Relax and go on a short weekend holiday.

SCRABBLE

AQUARIUS: Three of

POOCH CAFE

Children might seem to be dull and it is necessary for you to encourage and guide them. Valuable property documents should not be entrusted to others. Just ignore the provoking acts of your enemies and maintain a cool.

for 6-9-2013

Five of Wands – You may have to use the power of persuasion to deal with a problem. Talk to relevant people and make them see your point of view.

NON SEQUITUR

Children are likely to discuss their wishes with you openly and it is for you to take care of them by fulfilling them. You will be happy as an old problem will get resolved to your satisfaction. Avoid seeking help from friends or close relatives.

SUDUKO

Businessmen plan expansion and implement it successfully. A satisfactory financial position will let you relax. You will be keen to maintain good health. You will act wisely and face enemies tactfully. Couples look cordial and lead a happy life.

Boggle AUNT NIECE MOTHER SISTER DAUGHTER Vol: 3, No 46 RNI No: APENG/2011/39337 Published for the proprietors, Scribble Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, by V Harshavardhan Reddy, at # Plot no.550-A1,3rd floor, Road no-92, 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 040-23541412,

Entertainment THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

ON AN ALL TIME HIGH

CINE BYTES

‘I hope this will be my new turning point’ You know him as Manav, from the serial Chhanchan. But Anuj Sachdeva is moving from lighting up the small screen with his boyish charm to better things and a bigger screen. He is now going to be making his debut in Punjabi films with Haani, which is set to release this Friday. He tells us about his experience. FLEME VARKEY fleme.v@postnoon.com

hile ads did make him famous, Anuj Sachdeva’s career with television began a few years ago when he was cast in a role in Sabki Laadli Bebo, as Bebo’s husband. Well, not exactly... you saw in him in Roadies 3 as well. Bebo gave him that needed foothold in the industry. There has been no turning back since. He then went on to act in Phir Subah Hogi. But this Delhi-based munda is more than what meets the eye. While most actors, or models clamour for the big screen barely into the industry, Anuj is taking each step as it comes, but he maintains that films are his ultimate goal and he is slowly getting there. This handsome hunk, who has worked with leggy lasses Anushka Sharma and Deepika Padukone, decided to come back to television with Chhanchann. He was a replacement but then who does not like a challenge. Anuj’s entry has made the serial’s TRPs soar. His take on it is, “Even after taking up a television show one can still manage to work in films. Since the last two years directors have started considering actors from television shows as well and moreover the production house was flexible enough to let

m e w o r k outside easily like in other films and ads.” O n e would think given his background, it could be a conscious decision to enter Punjabi films, but he declines saying, “I pick up projects when I am convinced with my full heart that I should get into it. There was no such planning involved before I took up the Punjabi film. I did have offers from big banners but they didn’t materialise. However, I believe that whatever happens, happens for the good.” Telling us more about the film, he adds, “I am working with known Punjabi singer Harbhajan Mann who is playing the role of 1964 era couple. Also opposite me is Sonia Mann, from Amritsar. Haani is our debut film. I play the character of a Punjabi settled in Canada, who is now coming back to his homeland. The story shows two time eras from 1964 to 2013. I represent the present generation, who regardless of living a modern lifestyle somewhere, is still connected to its

Alia Bhatt warns against fake Highway pictures

ctress Alia Bhatt has warned her fans against “random” pictures of her forthcoming ﬁlm Highway, which are doing the rounds on the Internet. “There’s some random image doing around from Highway that isn’t authentic at all! That is not me or Randeep in that picture,” Alia posted on Twitter. IANS

It’s always hop, skip, jump for an actor: SRK

Anuj is hoping to add something new to his profile as well. He wants to host reality shows in the future. Punjabi roots.” In preparation of his role, he shares, he went through workshops one month in advance. “Since I am from Delhi I don’t speak Punjabi on a daily basis and hence I did struggle a little in picking it up. I worked hard and the one thing I did was that I made sure that my mum is happy since I have started speaking in her native language. She is from

Chandigarh.” His role in Haani was a bit of a surprise to him. “Aamitoj Mann, our show’s director, wanted to make a Hindi film with me and Sonia. When I came back from New York, he surprised me by telling me that he is making a Punjabi film first and he offered me the film,” reveals Anuj as to how he bagged the film. Anuj is also not worried that unlike most others, his entry vehicle into films is through the Punjabi film industry. “A man needs to learn all his life, especially if he is an actor, then there is no end to it. In today’s world there is no strategy to get bollywood films. I feel anything that works for you is right,” he says and adds, “I’ll try to get qualitative work after this release in the film industry and I am hoping it should be another turning point in my life.” And true to that attitude Anuj is hoping to add something new to his profile as well. “I would like to host reality shows to get a new flavour into my profile. I may pick up other projects depending on when I get time,” he says. Speaking about other projects he tells us, “I can’t reveal much about my next project as I am under a confidentiality agreement but I am surely excited about it.” Haani is releasing on September 6.

hah Rukh Khan, who has been in the ﬁlm industry for over two decades, says an actor’s life in India is all about jumping from one work commitment to the other. “I think that an actor’s life in India is best described by the game ‘Hop Skip and Jump'. Hop on a ﬁlm... skip normal life and jump to the next,” SRK posted on Twitter. IANS

Naseeruddin Shah returns to small screen

eteran actor Naseeruddin Shah has associated with a TV series Nazar Ya Nazariya, which will feature real life stories of visually challenged achievers in the country. He believes stereotypes related to disabilities need to be broken. The actor will introduce and sign off each episode of the show, which will otherwise be hosted by Harsh Chhaya. IANS

sports

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

OLYMPICS

IOC rejects clause, ban to continue

India will continue to remain out of the Olympic fold as the IOC has rejected the request of the suspended IOA to allow charge-sheeted officials to continue in and run for office. NEW DELHI: India will continue to remain out of the Olympic fold as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has rejected the request of the suspended Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to allow charge-sheeted officials to continue in and run for office. The IOC executive board met Wednesday in Buenos Aires and decided that the ban on IOA will continue if the apex body for sports in India doesn't change its constitution to keep out chargesheeted individuals. "The Excutive Board heard a report that the IOA's General

The IOC executive board decided that the ban on IOA will continue if the apex body for sports in India doesn't keep out charge-sheeted individuals.

Assembly had approved most of the amendments to the IOA's constitution requested by the IOC, but one specific clause had not been adopted. This clause, which deals specifically with the eligibility of members, is key to the good governance of the NOC and needs to be fully accepted before the suspended IOA can proceed with the elections. An official notification of the IOC's position will be sent to the IOA," the IOC said in a state-

LEAGUE CRICKET

ment. IOC is expected to send a notification to IOA soon on the matter to discuss the deadlock. Since the suspension of the IOA in December 2012, the IOC has been working towards finding a solution to improve good governance within the IOA. The IOC also provided the IOA with a roadmap and sent observers to the IOA's General Assembly that took place here on August 25. IANS

MOIN-UD-DOWLAH GOLD CUP

A DIVISION THREE DAYS

Day 3

Day 2

Goa CA 244 and 243/7 (Amogh Desai 57, Snehal K 81, Manan Sharma 5/57) lost to DD CA 373 and 120/1 (Dhruv Shorey 44no, Jagrit Anand 66no)

Falaknuma 381 all out (D Ashrit 43, P Suresh Kumar 87 no, Mohammed Ibrahim 32) vs Evergreen 132/1 (P Vijay Goud 75, Batting,Karthik 48)

Hyderabad Presidents XI 339 and 224/7 (Abhinav Kumar 41, Ahmed Quadri 79, VE Sundeep Rajan 32, S Arvind 3/74, SL Akshay 2/40) lost to Karnataka 343 and 224/4 (Mayank Agarwal 98, Karun Nayar 81, Arjun Hoysala 24no) Kerala 312 and 203 all out (Sachin Mohan 30, Akshay Kodath 38, Jaffar Jamal 49, CV Milind 3/52, Pragyan Ojha 3/83) lost to Hyderabad XI 359 and 157/3 (T Suman 56, Danny Derek Prince 56no, B Sandeep 31no)

TOUR OF SPAIN

Cancellara wins 11th stage

TARAZONA: Switzerland’s Fabian Cancellara won the 11th stage of the Tour of Spain on Wednesday, a 38.8km hilly time trial, while Italy’s Vincenzo Nibali regained the overall leader’s red jersey. Radioshack’s Cancellara, a specialist in this discipline, paced his effort in the early uphill section of the time trial near Tarazona in Aragon and then powered to the finish, completing it in 51 minutes, 37 seconds ahead of Germany’s Tony Martin of Omega. Italy’s Domenico Pozzovivo of Ag2r finished the first and only time trial of this year’s Tour in third place, 1min 24sec behind the winner. Cancellara said this would stand him in good stead ahead of the time trial at the World Championships in Florence later this month. “I’m coming into form for Florence. Having said that, I can’t really compare myself to Tony Martin today given that the course in Florence is very different to this one,” said Cancellara. The time trial in Florence will be largely flat and run over 57.9km. Astana’s Nibali, who

RadioShack-Leopard’s Swiss rider Fabian Cancellara competes during the 11th of “La Vuelta” Tour of Spain. AFP

clocked the fourth fastest time at 1:25, took over the race leader’s red jersey from American veteran Christopher Horner of Radioshack. Horner came home in 54:01 and is now fourth in the overall standings, 46 seconds behind Nibali, the 2010 champion. It was a great result for the Italian, who won this year’s Giro d’Italia, as he was stung by an insect on Tuesday and awoke on Wednesday morning with a badly swollen face. But it didn’t seem to affect the 28-year-old, who has greatly improved his time-trialling this season.

DIFFERENT BALL GAME

A DIVISION TWO DAYS Day 2 Jai Bhagawathi 274 (Nikhil Naidu 52, Hemanth 43, Vikas Babu 77, SS Bharath 45, Mohit 3/56) bt MCC 154 (Anuraag Haridas 32, Rana 38, Vikas Babu 4/20) Vijay Hanuman 224 lost to Balaji Colts 225/3 (Ratan Sharma 95 no, Shilpa Barhma 33 no) Continental 249 (Rahul Buddi 120, Paramveer Singh 4/70) bt SA Amberpet 150 (Paramveer Singh 50, M Sai Prasad 6/75)

CHESS TOURNEY FROM SUNDAY HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad District Chess Association will be organising the Hyderabad District Open Selection Chess Tournament on 8 and 9 September at the AV College at Domalaguda in Hyderabad In this Tournament the top four

ranked players will represent the Hyderabad team in the upcoming State Chess Championship. All Hyderabad open and age groups players are eligible to play in this Tournament. For further details contact Anand Naik on 9247979886.

Players of the Kanna Phaneendra-promoted SSC and Deccan Polo Riding Club (DRPC) are seen in action during the opening game of Prince Bearer Cup of the Hyderabad Polo Season, at the Bison Polo ground in Hyderabad on Wednesday. SSC beat DRPC 11 goals to 7.5.

sports

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

ZIMBABWE VS PAKISTAN

Waller, Raza put Zimbabwe ahead HARARE: Half-centuries by Malcolm Waller and Sikandar Raza enabled Zimbabwe to take a first innings lead on the second day of the first Test against Pakistan at the Harare Sports Club on Wednesday. Zimbabwe were 281 for seven at the close, a lead of 32. Waller changed the tempo of the match with an aggressive 70, while Pakistan-born Raza made 60 on his Test debut. The pair added 127 for the fourth wicket. They came together after Zimbabwe lost two wickets off successive balls. With only one run added to the lunch score of 67 for one, Vusi Sibanda was caught behind for 31 off the last ball of an over from Junaid Khan. Captain Hamilton Masakadza was deceived by a Saeed Ajmal doosra and bowled for 19 by the first ball of the next over. Waller hit a boundary off the first ball he faced from Ajmal and continued to go for his shots as he reached his third Test halfcentury off 63 balls with 11 fours. Raza, who was a late inclusion in the side when regular captain Brendan Taylor withdrew because of the birth of his first child, started his first Test innings cautiously and contributed only 11 in the first 50 runs of the

WORDS OF WISDOM Agar learns lessons from Warne SYDNEY: Teenage Australian spinner Ashton Agar says he plans to put advice from Shane Warne into practice and win back his Test place after a stunning debut during the recent Ashes series. The 19-year-old set the cricket world on fire with a quick-fire 98 batting at number 11 on his Test debut in the Ashes opener against England at Trent Bridge in July. He also played in Australia’s colossal 347-run second Test defeat at Lord’s. But, after taking just two wickets in all at a hugely expensive average of 124, Agar was left out of the team that drew the third Test at Old Trafford and did not feature again in the series. Agar idolised legspinning legend Warne while growing up. AFP

Zimbabwe batsmen Malcolm Waller (L) and Sikanda Raza Butt celebrate a 50 run partnership during the second day of the first Test against Pakistan at the Harare Sports Club on Wednesday. AFP/JEKESAI NJIKIZANA

partnership, although he picked up the pace either side of tea, reaching his fifty off 98 balls. Ajmal, Pakistan’s most successful bowler with four for 74, had Waller caught at slip after an

innings which lasted 100 balls and included 14 boundaries. Raza, 27, whose family moved to Zimbabwe in 2002, also fell to the off-spinner, mistiming an attempted lofted drive to be

caught at midwicket. He batted for 118 balls and hit ten fours. Elton Chigumbura (40 not out) and Prosper Utseya (16) took Zimbabwe into the lead with a seventh wicket partnership of 43 before the latter was bowled by Rahat Ali in the penultimate over of the day. It took Zimbabwe just two balls to wrap up the Pakistan innings at the start of play, with the tourists losing their last wicket without adding a run to their overnight 249 for nine. Ajmal was bowled by the first ball he faced from Tendai Chatara on his overnight score of 49, one short of his second Test half-century. Tina Mawoyo and Sibanda put on 25 for Zimbabwe’s first wicket. After bowling four overs from over the wicket, the leftarmed Junaid switched to around the wicket and the change of angle brought immediate success as Mawoyo nudged tentatively at the first delivery of the new over and was caught behind by Adnan Akmal for 13. It was a disappointing day for Pakistan, with only Ajmal and Junaid posing a consistent threat to their underdog opponents, although Rahat bowled a hostile three-over spell with the second new ball. AFP

SCORE BOARD Pakistan, first innings (overnight 249/9) K. Manzoor lbw b Panyangara 11 Md Hafeez c Sibanda b Chatara 5 Azhar Ali c Sibanda b S. Masakadza 78 Younis Khan b Panyangara 3 Misbah-ul-Haq c Sibanda b Utseya 53 Asad Shafiq c Mawoyo b Utseya 4 Adnan Akmal b Chatara 18 Abdur Rehman lbw b S. Masakadza 7 Saeed Ajmal b Chatara 49 Junaid Khan c Mutumbami b Panyangara 17 Rahat Ali not out 0 Extras (lb3, w1) 4 Total (90.1 overs) 249 Bowling: Chatara 22.1-6-64-3, Panyangara 20-2-71-3, S. Masakadza 228-40-2, Chigumbura 2-0-15-0, Utseya 23-1-55-2, H. Masakadza 1-0-1-0 (1w) Zimbabwe, first innings T. Mawoyo c Adnan Akmal b Junaid Khan 13 V. Sibanda c Adnan Akmal b Junaid Khan 31 H. Masakadza b Saeed Ajmal 19 Sikandar Raza c Misbah-ul-Haq b Saeed Ajmal 60 M. Waller c Mohammad Hafeez b Saeed Ajmal 70 E. Chigumbura not out 40 R. Mutumbami lbw b Saeed Ajmal 13 P. Utseya b Rahat Ali 16 S. Masakadza not out 2 Extras (b5, lb10, w2) 17 Total (7 wkts, 87 overs) 281 Bowling: Junaid 20-6-61-2, Rahat Ali 18-3-53-1, Rehman 19-5-56-0, Saeed Ajmal 26-3-77-4, Younis Khan 4-1-19-0

FORMULA ONE

Hamilton hunts another win

MONZA: Lewis Hamilton returns to Monza this weekend aiming to repeat his convincing display last year when he took pole position and then won the Italian Grand Prix. Boosted by news that his Mercedes team will be running with a revised version of the lowdownforce package they ran in Belgium, he knows he has to deliver a strong result to keep his distant title hopes alive. The 28-year-old Briton may trail leader and defending triple world champion German Sebastian Vettel in this year’s title race, but his speed and form has kept alive his belief that he can mount a late challenge.

Mercedes team chief Ross Brawn revealed after Belgium that the outfit had been slightly baffled as to why its pace was lacking. “I don’t think we quite got the car right,” he said. “We were there or thereabouts but it didn’t feel quite as sharp as we have had the last few races. “So we have a few changes for Monza and we hope this time we get it right.” Monza, of course, is one of the fastest circuits on the calendar, but also one of the most challenging for passing moves. Of the last 13 races, 10 have been won by the driver on pole. The cars can reach speeds of more than 320kph and on a cir-

Force India chief warns against pay drivers MONZA: Force India team chief Vijay Mallya has warned F1 bosses that handing race seats to ‘pay drivers’ is bad for the sport and sends the wrong signal. Mallya said he does not believe in recruiting drivers purely based on what

kind of budget they can bring the team in advertising revenue. Mallya said: “It sends a very wrong signal to the team to take pay drivers — I always consult my engineers and the technical director on the selection of drivers.” AFP

cuit dominated by straights, chicanes and fast corners, one of the best passing opportunities is on the straight after the famous Parabolica, where cars glide in the slipstream of others to find a way by — as they have been doing since the world championship began in 1950. Monza, the circuit, the park and the town, are steeped in motor racing history and all ooze atmosphere with the Ferrari logo and flag to be seen everywhere as misty mornings are swept away by hot late summer sun-

shine. It is the Ferrari home race and pressure on the team reaches fever pitch in the crowded paddock where rumours of driver transfers following the confirmation that Daniel Ricciardo will succeed fellow-Australian Mark Webber at Red Bull next year are sure to be rife. As always, there will be as much action off the circuit and around the paddock as on it once the cars roar and rush through the woods on the old Autodromo Nazionale. “This track brings back great memories for me, mainly from my first win there in 2008, with Toro Rosso,” admitted Vettel. “I can’t describe the feeling of standing on the top of the podium for the first time — and Monza was one of the best places to experience it because of the thousands of passionate fans that stand beneath. It always gives you goose-bumps.” Like Hamilton, Vettel will be aiming only for a victory and may face a sustained challenge also from Finn Kimi Raikkonen.

MEADOW

MAGIC

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

Nadal to meet Gasquet in semis Rafael Nadal crushed Spanish compatriot Tommy Robredo 6-0, 6-2, 6-2 to meet Richard Gasquest in the semis after the Frenchman clinched a roller-coaster 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3 win over David Ferrer.

DAVE JAMES Agence France-Presse NEW YORK: Merciless Rafael Nadal crushed Spanish compatriot Tommy Robredo, the shock conqueror of Roger Federer, 6-0, 6-2, 6-2 on Wednesday to reach a fifth US Open semi-final. The 12-time Grand Slam title winner will face Richard Gasquet for a place in Monday’s final after the French eighth seed clinched a rollercoaster 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3 win over David Ferrer, the Spanish fourth seed. World number two Nadal, the 2010 champion, took his hardcourt streak this year to 20-0 and his match record to an astonishing 58-3 with nine titles since his return in February after a seven-month injury layoff. In a ruthless one hour, 40 minute demolition of Robredo, who had knocked out Federer in the fourth round, the 27-year-old French Open champion took his perfect run of unbroken service games to 67 at the tournament. He romped through the first

Rafael Nadal of Spain smiles as he signs autographs for fans after winning his men’s singles quarterfinal match against Tommy Robredo of Spain at the US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Wednesday AFP/CHRIS TROTMAN in New York.

31: The new golden age

Flavia Pennetta of Italy plays a forehand during her women’s singles quarterfinal match against Roberta Vinci of Italy at the US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Wednesday in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. AFP

JIM SLATER Agence France-Presse NEW YORK: World number one Serena Williams, seeking her 17th Grand Slam title, leads a charge of 31-year-olds into Friday’s US Open semifinals, all of them hoping to become the event’s oldest

women’s champion. Defending champion Williams faces Chinese fifth seed Li Na while Italy’s 83rdranked Flavia Pennetta will meet second seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus at Arthur Ashe Stadium to determine the finalists for Sunday’s title showdown.

Williams, Li and Pennetta are all 31 and would surpass the current age mark of Australian Margaret Court, who was 55 days beyond her 31st birthday when she captured the 1973 crown. Azarenka, the self-proclaimed “baby” of the group at 24, has won the past two Australian Open titles but lost to Williams in last year’s US Open final. Williams, the reigning French Open champion, is 8-1 all-time against Li and has dropped only 13 games in five matches without losing a set on the New York hardcourts. Li, the 2011 French Open champion, has played Williams tough, forcing a tiebreaker or 7-5 set in every defeat, including their most recent match, a 7-5, 7-5 triumph for the American in a semi-final last month at Cincinnati. “She’s a great challenge,” Williams said. “She moves really well. She does everything well.”

set in just 22 minutes, allowing Robredo only five points, and was 2-0 up in the second before the 31-year-old got on the board. Another break in the seventh game helped Nadal on his way to a two-set lead and breaks in the fifth and seventh games of the third helped put Robredo out of his misery. It was the shortest US Open quarter-final since 1988, when Ivan Lendl beat Derrick Rostagno. Nadal finished with 28 winners to Robredo’s 10 and didn’t give up a single break point as the world number two claimed an eighth win in eight meetings against his countryman, who has only won one set during that one-sided series. “I’m very happy to be in the semi-finals. I think I played my best tennis of this US Open. It’s good to feel better with every match,” said Nadal. Gasquet, 27, whose only previous appearance in the last four at a major was at Wimbledon in 2007, is the first Frenchman to get to the semi-finals in New York since Cedric Pioline in 1999.

Richard boosted by Rafael defeat at 13 NEW YORK: Richard Gasquet’s career record against Rafael Nadal shows an embarrassing 10 defeats in 10 matches, but the Frenchman can at least boast one victory over the Nadal — when he was 13. Gasquet reached his first US Open semifinal on Wednesday with a rollercoaster 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3 win over David Ferrer. Nadal then got past Tommy Robredo 6-0, 6-2, 6-2 in his quarterfinal, meaning Gasquet will face the great Spaniard once again on Saturday for a place in Monday’s title match. Gasquet, who is a close friend of the world number two, recalled how he defeated Nadal at the Les Petits As junior event in the French city of Tarbes when they were both just 13. “I watch it on YouTube sometimes. People are talking about this video. I can see I’m winning against him, but

I don’t believe it sometimes,” said the 27-year-old. “I didn’t know him when I played him when I was 13 years old. He was already fighting a lot, already running so much, and I remem-

Gasquet recalled how he defeated Nadal at the Les Petits As junior event in Tarbes when they were both just 13. ber I won maybe 6-4 in a set, and I told my father after that he’s a big fighter. “I didn’t lie. It was true. He is one of the biggest players in history. It’s good to win at under 14, but it is better to win on the pro tour. I didn’t but life is long. We are only 27.” AFP

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

sports

ROONEY WOUND IS A HORROR SHOW, SAYS WALCOTT

The head injury that has sidelined Wayne Rooney looks like “something out of a horror film”, according to his England colleague Theo Walcott. Rooney was left with a sizeable gash on his forehead after being caught in the face by Manchester United team-mate Phil Jones earlier this week.

ROAD TO WORLD CUP

Brazil in sight for Euro nations Some of Europe’s leading nations can clinch qualification for the 2014 World Cup finals in a double-header of fixtures over the coming week. ANDY SCOTT Agence France-Presse PARIS: Some of Europe’s leading nations can clinch qualification for the 2014 World Cup finals in a double-header of fixtures over the next week, starting on Friday. Four-time world champions Italy, the Netherlands and Germany will all be in a position

Cesare Prandelli’s Italy have taken 14 points from a possible 16 in qualifying Group B without ever producing their very best form. to book their flights to Brazil, while the situation in all of the continent’s nine qualifying groups will become clearer before the final fixtures in October. Cesare Prandelli’s Italy have taken 14 points from a possible 16 in qualifying Group B without ever producing their very best form. The Azzurri are four points clear of Bulgaria and five ahead of Czech Republic at the top of

The Dutch football team is briefed during its training in Katwijk, for the World Cup Qualification UEFA 2014 duel on Friday. AFP/EVERT-JAN DANIELS

the group, so wins against both teams in Palermo and Turin in the next week will be enough to confirm qualification. However, Italy’s task against the Bulgarians has been complicated by the absence of several players due to injury or suspension. The Netherlands have cruised through Group D so far, winning all six qualifiers, and that run appears unlikely to end when they go to Estonia on

Friday and then Andorra next week, even with Rafael Van der Vaart out injured. Wins in those games will see them qualify irrespective of what nearest challengers Romania and Hungary — who meet in Bucharest on Friday — can achieve. Germany need other results to go their way if they are to stand a chance of sealing first place in Group C this month, with Joachim Loew’s side cur-

rently five points clear of Austria, Sweden and Republic of Ireland. Germany face Austria in Munich’s Allianz Arena on Friday, and wins there and in the Faroe Islands on Tuesday will be enough if Ireland and Sweden slip up. Germany have only ever lost two games in World Cup qualifying, but Loew has been unhappy with his side’s defensive performances in recent times.

Dyke sets England 2022 target LONDON: Football Association chairman Greg Dyke set England the target of winning the 2022 World Cup during a wide-ranging speech about the future of the national game in London on Wednesday. Dyke said England as a country must address the “frightening” lack of English players playing in the Premier League and set a nine-year plan of improvement for the national side. “Today I want to set the whole of English football two targets,” he told journalists. “The first is to at least reach the semi-finals of Euro 2020. And the second is for us to win the World Cup in 2022.” In his first public address since succeeding David Bernstein in July, Dyke said the FA would be “letting the country and thousands of England fans down” if it did not act to give young English players more opportunities to play in the Premier League. Dyke helped found the Premier League in 1992, but although he claimed that it was now the most successful domestic championship in the world, he said it was also harming the national team.

Loew focuses on Austria

RYLAND JAMES Agence France-Presse

BERLIN: Germany coach Joachim Loew has promised more attacking football in Friday’s World Cup qualifier against Austria in Munich, despite recent defensive frailties. Loew’s Germany are fivepoints clear at the top of Group C, with Austria second on goal difference, but Austria coach Marcel Koller will be hoping to exploit the Germans’ defensive weaknesses of late. Germany suffered a 4-3 defeat away to the USA in

June, while Paraguay raced into a 2-0 lead in Kaiserslautern last month before Germany fought back for a 3-3 draw. In both friendlies, the German defence struggled as Loew experimented with his line-up. During the 53-year-old’s seven years in charge, Germany have developed into an attacking powerhouse, but on Tuesday defensive midfielder Sami Khedira called for their prowess going forward to be paired with the efficient defending the Germans have always been known for. Although question marks

Loew’s Germany are five-points clear at the top of Group C, with Austria in the second place on goal difference. have been raised after recent results, Germany have leaked just seven goals in their six qualifiers so far, while scoring 22 in the process, and Loew has said he wants to see his team continue to push forward. “I’m not prepared to see us

fall back and only push forward on the counter-attack,” said Loew. “We are not going to hide in our half of the field and let the opposition attack. “The team can’t only be strong in attack, we have to also do well in defence, but we’re not going to be defensive in our overall orientation.” Loew said he expects Austria, for whom 10 members of their squad ply their trade in the Bundesliga, to attack at every opportunity as they need three points to stay in the World Cup qualification hunt.

Joachim Loew, head coach of the Germany team, follows a news conference in Munich, southern Germany, on Wednesday. The German AFP/CHRISTOF STACHE national football team will play against the team of Austria during the World Cup group C qualifying match in Munich.