Epaper 07 august 2013

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013 HYDERABAD

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JUST TO PROVE A POINT...

32 PAGES

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...that people from South America could have settled Polynesia in pre-Columbian times, Thor Heyerdahl set out on a raft this day in 1947 along with five other men, weathering many a storm and braving waves several feet tall. Let’s learn more about it.

PG 16&17

HYDERABAD’S FIRST COMPACT AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER

Curious is the situation in AP today. While Rayala-Andhra region erupts with violence against the division of the State, Telangana is witnessing a simmering anguish within the TRS for a different reason. We have the exclusive inside story.

ANDHRA ERUPTS, TELANGANA

WOMEN CHAINSNATCHERS TAKE THE LEAD While only two snatching cases involving women have been reported, police say women wearing burqas are increasingly getting into crowded buses and trains and snatching gold chains and ear-rings of women passengers. Even those riding motorbikes are not safe, the reports say.

PG 8

SMOULDERS REPORT ON P5

CROSS-BORDER PG 15

LOVE

Chennai Express, the love story of north-Indian bachelor Rahul and south-Indian lady Meena will hit screens on Friday. We bring you stories of others who found their love across the border.

REACHING OUT TO MILLIONS As the Apollo Hospitals celebrates 25 years of operations in Hyderabad, we got in touch with Executive Director Sangita Reddy. She tells us about how the group with its numerous initiatives has become a name of trust for the people here.

PG 19

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013

city events

WORLD OF COLOURS

Workshop on drawing and water colour, oil and acrylic painting for housewives.

Where: Inspire Painting Institute When: Ongoing; Contact: 8977772524

Weather for Hyderabad

Evening

Overnight

Morning

26°C

22°C

25°C

29°C

Cloudy with showers likely.

Cloudy with a chance of showers.

Cloudy with thunderstorms likely

Cloudy with thunderstorms

New Delhi Mumbai Max 31 Max 28 Min 25 Min 24

Afternoon

Thunderstorms likely

Chennai Max 35 Min 26

Cloudy with chances of rain.

Bangalore Max 28 Min 20

Cloudy with chances of storm

Mostly cloudy

AROUND THE CITY: YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES When: Ongoing Contact: 8790432354

SHOWS

WORKSHOPS

An age of innocence An exhibition by Jaya Javeri depicting playfulness, fantasy, nature and childhood memories will be held.

Where: Ginger Lily, Radisson Blu Plaza When: Aug 3 onwards, 11.30 am onwards Contact: 6733 1133

ANIMATION CENTRAL: Kids pose with Ben 10 and Spiderman raksha bandhan bands that are out in the market.

Raksha bandhan will be celebrated on August 21 this year. will be performing live.

Where: Hard Rock Cafe, Banjara Hills When: August 8, 2013 Contact: 88864 80007

Movie night Lisbon Story, German movie will be screened.

Where: Goethe Zentrum, Banjara Hills When: August 8, 6 pm Contact: Goethe-Zentrum Hyderabad, at 2335-0443 Reel abilities Kinnudiya Belakalli, a Kannada Play will be staged.

Where: Ravindra Bharathi, Saifabad When: August 10, 6 pm Contact: Srinivas, at 93911-11622 Live performance One Nite Stand - Tribute to Coldplay

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

DINING Flavours to savour Unique flavours of Pondicherry.

Where: Dakshin, ITC Kakatiya, Begumpet When: August 30 Contact: 789301 3000

Photo exhibition Jal Anand: Shahi Snan, Maha Kumbha Mela 2013 by Jean Pierre Muller, Cord Meier-Klodt & Lalit Verma.

Commissioner & Spl Officer

Helpline

155333 23431178 23431179

MUNICIPAL CORPORATION

Where: State Gallery of Art,Kavuri Hills, Madhapur.

When: Till August 14 Contact: Goethe Zentrum on Facebook

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

Ramzan special Relish the season special iftar delicacies.

Where: Viva, Taj Vivanta When: Till Aug 7, 5.30-11.30 pm Where: Deccan Pavilion, ITC Kakatiya

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

When: Till Aug 7, 7.30pm Parantha festival Haldi at Novotel Airport is hosting a parantha festival titled Parantha Overload. The parantha festival on till August 15, offers a variety of paranthas in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian combinations.

Where: Novotel Airport, Shamshabad When: Ongoing, 6.30pm Contact: (040) 6625 0000

Outdoor photography An outdoor photography workshop for adults and teens will be held by Indira Penubolu.

Where: Our Sacred Space, Secunderabad When: August 10, 11, 3.30 pm to 6 pm Contact: 9030013344, 9246844650, 9949076582

Tea flavours Try the tea flavours of Budlabeta, Hapjan and Khobong Sessa. A portion of the proceeds will be contributed to WWF India's one-horned Rhino Conservation project in Assam.

Where: Oxford Bookstore, The Park, 22 Rajbhavan Road

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

Theatre festival The seventh edition of the multi-lingual theatre festival — Abhinaya National Theatre Festival will be held from August 16 to August 19.

Where: Ravindra Bharathi, Saifabad When: August 16 onwards 6.30pm onwards Contact: (040) 2323 1245

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 #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500 033 or even by way of a call on 4067 2222

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013

news

YESTERDAY’S QUESTION

ARE FOREIGN COACHES AN ANSWER TO OUR HOCKEY FLOP SHOW? 36% 64

YES (A) NO (B)

TODAY’S QUESTION

WILL THE CONGRESS POLICY OF CARROT AND STICK WORK ON SEEMANDHRA LEADERS? A)

YES

B)

NO

To vote visit www.postnoon.com

CRIME

DV cases on the upswing Dowry-related domestic violence has been alarmingly on the rise in the City and yet no counter move is visible from any quarter.

Mohd SUBHAN mohd.s@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: Instead of abating, the dowry-induced domestic violence has been on an upswing in the City, say police. While the reported cases must be a fraction, the unreported cases could be several times more, police observed.

In the latest instance, nine cases of violence against wives have been reported in two days in Secunderabad alone.

One Lilly Florean, 25, a resident of Lalguda complained to Begumpet women’s police station against her husband Anil Kumar. They got married in May last and she claims to have paid to the groom a fat dowry of cash and gold at the time of marriage and yet he and his parents continued to harass her.

One Noorjahan Begum, 25, married

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Minhaj Miya last year and her parents had paid a big dowry in the form of cash, gold, household articles. In one more similar complaint one Pascal Marry, 27, a resident of South Lalaguda said that she had married M Mathew in 2009 but her in-laws continued

to torture her for more dowry.

B Saravanthy, aged 24, a resident of Mettuguda has lodged a complaint against her husband B Raju who, she said, was torturing her ever since their marriage in 2008.

Five more women from different parts of Secunderabad have petitioned to police against their husbands and in-laws on similar charges.

Begumpet women’s police station inspector B Madhavi Lata said the police would try to save the marriage before proceeding against the accused as this involves the lives of families. Only in those cases where men appear defiant will the police proceed, she said.

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UTTAR PRADESH 22 children fall ill after taking medicine

LUCKNOW: Twenty two children took ill at a Jhansi village after they were administered a deworming medicine under the Aasheervad Child Health Guarantee Scheme of the UP government.

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being given the medicines, the children started vomiting and complained of nausea. They children were rushed to a nearby medical facility, even as parents stormed the health centre and roughed up the team of health department officials who administered the medicines. The medical team was held hostage, and released hours later on the intervention of police.

IANS

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News WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013 LAST YEAR... HERE Eve teasers

L

ast year we had reported how the City police chief had directed all the police stations to make eve teasing an offence cognisable for issuing an NOC. A stricter stance has been taken but the effects of it cannot be seen. As in the past year incidents of rape, acid attacks, assault and eve teasing have been reported regularly and are growing day by day.

AUGUST 7, 2012

NUMEROLOGY

$5 mn

gift to the India studies centre at a New York University is set to make it one of the pre-eminent resource centres for the study of Indian culture and civilisation in the US.

I have no patience for countries that try to treat gays or lesbians or transgender persons in ways that intimidate them or are harmful to them.

Barack Obama, US president See page 9

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

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Obama has no patience with foreign anti-gay laws The US President was speaking on a comedy show when he said that he could not condone the ways of Russia, which adopt a hostile attitude to gays and lesbians.

2

US and allies panic after rumours of terror threat The US and UK have pulled out their diplomats from embassies in Yemen after they intercepted messages that al Qaeda could stage a terror attack.

‘GRAVE’ ISSUE

SORRY, NO SPACE, city tells the dead

If dearth of space itself was not bad enough, grave robbers of a different kind are minting money from selling land alloted for graveyards.

ALEENA ALICE aleena.t@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: Sages tell us that when we die all we have our own is a vault of six-feet grave. Everything else becomes somebody else’s. But in the crowded Hyderabad city even this truism has lost its mien and meaning.

With the burgeoning population and rapid urbanisation there is literally no more place left for graveyards in the city.

The number of graveyards and cemeteries in the City has not increased in proportion to the population over the last four to five decades. While the government and GHMC have been stating that they are identifying lands to allocate for graveyards, the reality seems quite different.

Some of the graveyards in the core areas of the city have “no space available” boards outside. Christian cemetery at Mettuguda and Boiguda in Secunderabad, no longer allow any more burial in those premises. “This has been the situation since ten years. People from the surrounding areas come to perform the last rights of their relatives but we have to direct them to the graveyards in Ammugudda and Bowenpally,” says Fr. Joji.

In some graveyards, the dead are being buried in the graves of their ancestors, “Since there is no space, the relatives of the departed souls, have no option but to bury the dead in the graves of their ancestors, “ says Br. Paul the incharge of the Cemetery in Nampally.

This is not the case of only Christian graveyards, even

Muslim graveyards and the Hindu burial grounds have the same space constraints.

Non-allocation of land for new graveyards, encroachments on existing ones has only been increasing the problem. Out of the 700 graveyards, nearly 600 graveyards are less than 5 acres.

There are several graveyard lands which have been encroached, hurting the religious sentiments of people.

“The government had allocated 5 acres land in Somajiguda ten years back for a Muslim graveyard, however later the same land was given for the construction of residential complex. We however took this matter to the court, and right now there is a stay order. It’s very sad that we have to fight for lands like this which we consider holy,” says Sayed Amin.

There have also been allegations that whatever land is left at a few graveyards is being sold to the relatives of the dead for the construction of the grave

at a very high cost.

According to sources, the land for the construction of the graves are being sold anywhere between `15,000 to `50,000. In some areas, like the Yousufain dargah in Nampally the land is sold for even a lakh.

The issue has a religious aspect attached to it says Layaq Ali, the NatIonal Vice President (Minority) BJP, “Some people consider it holy to burry the dead near the tomb of a saint.

Because of such beliefs, there is an increase in the demand for such places.”

While the scarcity of land for gret to a graveyard is being felt to a great extent in the city, religious heads say that if the government does not allocate land for graveyards very soon the impact will be seen in the surrounding areas of the city too.

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“The problem is reaching an alarming level. Unless the government intervenes and provides land for new burial grounds the issue can't be solved,” says Layaq Ali. Meanwhile the GHMC officials state that they are trying to identify lands and require another 1,000 graveyards keeping in mind the present situation and the future population growth.

“We are looking out for lands in Rangareddy district.

Since the past two years around 28 places in Ahmedguda, Kapra, Shamshabad, Medchal, Kokapet, Gundla, Dundigal, Gopanpally have been identified. Out of these 28 places a few has been given to the GHMC, and some have been given to the respective gram panchayats for the maintenance,” said a GHMC official in the Town Planning wing. The GHMC also confirms that they are carrying out maintenance work, in all the existing graveyards and burial grounds.

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The curse of child marriage continues 15 such instances were reported from Himachal Pradesh.

CITY BRIEFS

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Tollywood base won’t be shifted from city

Noisy scenes at Vidhyuth Soudha

KCR may get Z-plus category security

Spot admissions for diploma courses

HYDERABAD: Film Chamber of Commerce leader Thammareddy Bharadwaja has made it clear that Telugu cinema industry will not be shifted from Hyderabad and Tollywood faced no problems with the creation of separate Telangana state.The Telugu film industry has been in Hyderabad city from 1990, and it has special policies and rules.

HYDERABAD: The Telangana and Seemandhra employees engaged into shouting slogans and counter slogans resulting into noisy scene at Vidhyuth Soudha. Mild scuffle took place between Telangana and Seemandhra employees.

Meanwhile, Seemandhra employees working in Secretariat boycotted duties the third day in a row.

HYDERABAD: Police may provide Z-Plus category security to TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao. KCR's security cover may be strengthened following alleged threat to his life. TRS leaders - Etela Rajender and T Harish Rao on Tuesday alleged that some Seemandhra businessmen were conspiring to assassinate KCR.

HYDERABAD: Kamala Nehru Polytechnic for Women is conducting spot admission into three years Diploma courses in Commercial and Computer Practice; Garment Technology; and Hotel Management and Catering Technology, today, on its premises in the Exhibition Grounds, Nampally, Hyderabad.

SSC is the basic eligibility criterion.

Tourists give cold shoulder to Darjeeling According to travel agents in Kolkata, enthusiasts are deviating from Darjeeling and chosing to explore neighbouring Bhutan and the lush forests of Dooars in north Bengal.

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There won’t be peace in the afterlife, too The City officials have admitted that there is no space for the dead.

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News WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013

POSTNOON SPECIAL

Andhra erupts, Telangana smoulders Curious is the situation in AP today. While the Rayala-Andhra region erupts with violence against division of the State, Telangana is witnessing a simmering anguish within the TRS for a different reason.

MD. INKESHAF AHMED ahmed.m@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: The announcement of division of the state has led to a tricky situation in the State. Many leaders and cadres are up in arms against the creation of Telangana, the TRS, championing the T State is witnessing a far more deadly unrest for various reasons.

The fear especially of the TRS leaders stems from the fact that the TRS is asked to merge with the Congress as a quid pro quo to the creation of the new state. If this happens, the leaders who spent a fortune nursing their constituencies have no guarantee of continuing. They argue if the TRS ceases to exist, the Congress will take over and it will have its pet agenda and people. “What happened to the PRP of Chiranjeevi will happen to us,” remarked a TRS MLA sullenly. This is the reason for the subdued joy in the Telangana region on the announcement of a separate state. While common masses are unaffected, the leaders are in trouble.

The party leaders say in private they have spent huge sums to nurture their constituencies and to ensure tickets for their seats. It is common knowledge that the candidates have to shell out money for getting tickets.

Once the party goes out of its current leadership, where will they be? They ask.

There are reports that the TRS leadership already has a list of candidates for the forthcoming Assembly and Parliament

elections. Most of it may be rendered redundant if the party merges with the Congress. This is the reason many TRS MLAs are taking anticipatory bail— joining the Congress camp to be on the safe side. Some eight MLAs are reported to have talked with the Congress leaders in Delhi and more may follow suit.

Speaking to Postnoon on condition of anonymity, a senior TRS leader and MLA ticket hopeful said that he is apprehensive of not getting a ticket during the next general elections. “I spent a lot of money and time for strengthening the party. But recent sudden developments sounded a red light on my political future. The announcement of Telangana

TRS leaders say in private they have spent huge sums to nurture their constituencies and to ensure tickets.

Once the party goes out of its current leadership, where will they be? They ask. state has changed the political scenario in the region. If our party merges with the Congress, I would not get the party ticket as there would be many other contenders for it,” he said.

TRS CRESTFALLEN The whole of TRS camp presents

a dull visage where apprehension marks the future. It is being said that the TRS MLAs may migrate to either Congress or TDP or even the BJP as they are not sure of the hold of K Chandrasekhar on the party.

Once the party merges with the Congress, where will KCR be?

They quizzed.

The situation was led by the TRS’s Vijayashanti who has been suspended for holding parleys with the Congress for a Medak seat. This is said to be a panic reaction and has set the alarm bell ringing in the TRS camp. Vijayashanti who knows where her bread is buttered predicted that the TRS if fights alone in the next elections will be satisfied with a single-digit MLA list.

Burn me, CPI leader challenges POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: “Why effigy, burn me alive,” the CPI state secretary K Narayana dared the Seemandhra leaders for his party’s steady support for the cause of Telangana. Anger against the CPI stemmed from its efforts to ‘explain” to Seemandhra the reasons for Telangana..

Narayana has advised the Samaikyandhra agitators to take up their agitations in 23 districts instead of 13 districts.

Alleging that TRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao has no sincerity on Telangana issue, Narayana suggested to the Centre to clear the doubts of the people of the both regions.

It may be recalled that the CPI state secretary was engaged in an exercise on convincing the Seemandhra people on the division of the state. The CPI was contemplating to tell the Seeamandhra people that Telangana state was being established as it has several historical reasons. And at the same time, the CPI is also contemplating to tell the people that it will strive to do justice to the new state. For this purpose, Narayana had held deliberations with experts and intellectuals on Sunday.

NATION BRIEFS BARC develops 41 crop varities

WB, ADB to provide $400mn to Uttarakhand

Woman poisoned by her in-laws over dowry

'India well ahead in tiger protection strategies'

Six police personnel escape IED blast

MUMBAI: Over 40 varieties of crops have been developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Center under its nuclear agriculture program. The BARC had developed 15 varieties of groundnut, eight of mung bean, five of urad bean (blackgram), four of tur , three of mustard, two of soybean and one each of chavali (cowpea), sunflower, rice and jute.

DEHRADUN : The World Bank and the Asian Development Bank would jointly provide 400 million dollars to rain-ravaged Uttarakhand to redevelop basic amenities like housing, agriculture, education and health facilities besides reconstructing damaged roads. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary Subhash Kumar here.

FIROZABAD: A 20-year-old woman was allegedly poisoned by her in-laws over dowry in Jasrana area here, police said today. In a complaint filed by the victim's family, Arti died yesterday after she was allegedly poisoned by her in-laws for not being able to meet their dowry demands. An FIR has been registered and a manhunt has been launched.

KOLKATA: Noted tiger conservationist Belinda Wright said that the South African model of wildlife conservation is "not the model to follow" and that India is "ahead" in its protection strategies. Wright is vociferous about India's conservation programme and said that if one sticks to its strategies and implements them well then there is no need to follow other models.

SHILLONG: Six Meghalaya police personnel had a close shave Wednesday when suspected Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) rebels triggered a blast on the route of their convoy in Meghalaya's East Garo Hills district, police said.No one was injured in the improvised explosive device (IED) blast.

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News WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013

108 STRIKE

ENVIRONMENT

Faizi elected as CBD Alliance chairperson POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com

Strike-hit 108 keeps rolling Authorities have not allowed the employee strike to hit services. The strikers, however, remain defiant.

ALEENA ALICE aleena.t@postnoon.com

T

he striking contract employees of 108 Emergency Services find, to their chagrin, that the authorities, instead of heeding their demands for a higher salary, are reinforcing the service by bringing in staff from Orissa, Mahdya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh.

As the strike entered the 18th day, many of the striking employees are dejected, reports said.

108 is a state-wide service jointly run by the GVK-Emergency Management and Research Institute (EMRI) and the Government of Andhra Pradesh for people in need of urgent medical need.

Initially the service was partially hit, authorities said. But soon, the situation changed as the EMRI summoned staff from neighbouring states.

The government has been reinforcing staff from other states like Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat to ensure that emergency ambulance services remain unaffected.

Initially the service was partially hit, authorities said. But soon, the situation changed as the EMRI summoned staff from neighbouring states.

“The contract employees, who went on a strike were warned to resume duties, though most of them have returned, there are a few are instigating the rest to refrain from work. The management however is making sure that the lifeline is unaffected. We have con-

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ducted recruitment drives and are hiring employees so that there is no shortage of staff. Apart from that we are taking the help of the staff from other states,” said the Mohammed Rafi, Regional Manager, GVK EMRI. The GVK-EMRI services operated with 4,075 employees and 750 vehicles.

After the strike nearly 400 vehicles went off the road, however that number seems to be decreasing.

The contract employees on strike, however, stated that they would not resume work until their demands were met. On Tuedsday the employees took out a rally at Indira Park demanding the government hike their salaries.

“We have been working for more than 12-hours a day with a salary of `8,000 per month.

“The cost of living is so high today that we can’t maintain a family. We demand the working hours be reduced to eight hours and make the minimum salary `15,000 per month,” said Bhoopal, the President of the 108 services contract employees union.

The management on the other hand, states that the demands of the employees are not in their control.

“Every year the employees get a 10 per cent hike in their salaries. We have called them for talks yet they don't seem to be interested.

“It is illegal for emergency service employees to go on strike. Their demands are out of our control. We will have to replace them with new staff if they don't resume duty immediately, as we cannot wait for long,” said Mohammed Rafi.

PARIS: S Faizi, the renowned environmentalist, has been elected the Chairperson of the CBD Alliance for 2013–15.

The Convention on Biological Diversity Alliance is the international network of environmental organisations working to promote the implementation of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

S Faizi has been closely involved in the CBD process from the outset of the treaty formulation.

His has been a powerful voice in UN multilateral environmental negotiations, articulating the developing world’s concerns, and he has served as adviser to G-77.

He is a founding member of the CBD Alliance and a board member during the

Faizi has been a powerful voice in UN multilateral environmental negotiations, articulating the developing world’s concerns, and has served as adviser to G-77.

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past term. His critical writings on the need to focus on CBD enforcement issues have had a significant impact in driving the CBD to focus on implementation.

A recipient of the UNEP

Global 500 Honour, Faizi has consulted for different UN agencies and has made notable contributions in community-centred conservation.

A product of India’s Silent Valley movement, he has been at the forefront of several international and local environmental campaigns since the 1980s.

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News WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013

DISCIPLINARY MEASURES

Shanghai judges in sex scandal expelled

HEALTH Breastfeeding may reduce Alzheimer’s risk

Four judges and an executive at a state-owned company visited a resort last month but only four of the men patronised prostitutes.

SHANGHAI: Three judges in Shanghai will be expelled from the Chinese Communist Party and another put on probation, authorities said Wednesday, days after accusations that they used prostitutes emerged online.

An inquiry was opened after an anonymous blogger, identified by state media only by his surname Ni, posted footage online last week alleging that five officials hired sex workers at a local resort. It is the latest in a series of scandals over corruption and other disciplinary violations, including sexual impropriety, by Chinese officials to be revealed online by whistleblowers.

A disciplinary commission said four judges and an executive at a state-owned firm visited the resort last month but only four of them patronised prostitutes.

KARACHI BOMBING 11 children die in bomb blast

It is the latest in a series of scandals over corruption and other disciplinary violations, including sexual impropriety, by Chinese officials to be revealed online by whistleblowers.

Chen Xueming and Zhao Minghua, the chief and deputy chief judges of the Shanghai Higher People’s Court No.1 Civil Tribunal will be expelled from the Communist Party, the commission said on its Twitter-like Tencent Weibo account.

Ni Zhengwen, the deputy

chief of the court’s own discipline inspection commission, will also be expelled from the party, it said.

Wang Guojun, deputy chief judge of the court’s No.5 Civil Tribunal, did not accept prostitution services and will be put on two years’ party probation. The commission will ask the party to

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dismiss all four as judges. A Shanghai Construction Group executive, Guo Xianghua, was sacked by the firm and will be expelled from the party, the commission said.

The surveillance video posted

by Ni purported to show five officials including Chen and Zhao entering a luxury room after a three-hour banquet, followed by several women who stood by the door. Subtitles said that Chen allocated the prostitutes.

Ni, the informant, claimed Zhao intervened in a civil case in 2009 that caused him a huge financial loss, the state-run Global Times newspaper.

AFP

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ISLAMABAD: At least 11 children were killed while 24 were injured when a bomb exploded near a market in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi early Wednesday, the Geo News reported citing a political leader.

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The explosive material was planted on a motorbike, said police. The explosion occurred in the city’s Lyari area shortly after a football match ended, said Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) Sania Naz, who was elected from Lyari constituency .

LONDON: A British study has suggested breastfeeding mothers run a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s, with longer periods of breastfeeding further reducing the risk. The study paper, published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, has suggested that the link may be to do with certain biological effects of breastfeeding. For instance, breastfeeding restores insulin tolerance which is significantly reduced during pregnancy, and Alzheimer’s is characterised by insulin resistance in the brain.

On the basis of data gathered from a group of 81 British

Malayalis in Hyderabad-Secunderabad yesterday provided ‘Karkidaka Vavubali,’ a Hindu ritual offering feast to their dead ancestors, which is believed to release them from mortality and help merge with the eternal divinity. Hundreds of people today took advantage of the provisions provided at the Ganesh Ghat, Kapra Lake, Sainikpuri, Secunderabad. If this was not done, they had to have travelled all the way to various holy ghats in Kerala to perform the ritual. A scene from Ganesh Ghat.

N SHIVA KUMAR

AFP

women, researchers observed a highly significant and consistent correlation between breastfeeding and Alzheimer’s risk. They argued that this was so strong that any potential sampling error was unlikely.

“In the future, we expect it to spread most in low and middleincome countries. So it is vital that we develop low-cost, largescale strategies to protect people against this devastating disease," Fox said. Earlier studies have already suggested that breastfeeding can reduce a mother’s risk of certain other diseases.

Research has shown that there may be a link between breastfeeding and a woman’s general cognitive decline later in life. Until now, however, little has been done to examine the impact of breastfeeding duration on Alzheimer’s risk.

IANS

WORLD BRIEFS 13 bus passengers killed in Balochistan

Japan to try and prevent toxic-water leaks

N Korea says Japan has crossed ‘danger line’

US files charges in Benghazi attack: media

Suspect in US beach crash pleads not guilty

ISLAMABAD: Bodies of 13 bus passengers, who had been abducted Monday night and later killed, were found in a mountainous region of Balochistan Tuesday, the Geo News reported. The coach, heading from Punjab to Quetta city, was carrying 15 passengers when they were kidnapped near Mach town.

TOKYO: Japan will accelerate efforts to prevent more radioactive groundwater from seeping into the ocean at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant, government officials said Wednesday. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to order his government to hand over public money to help foot the bill for ramped-up measures.

SEOUL: A day after Japan unveiled its largest warship since World War II, North Korea warned that Tokyo was following a militarisation programme that had already crossed “the danger line".

A Japanese Defence Ministry was quoted as saying that there was the need to boost the strength and range of forces.

WASHINGTON: The US Justice Department has filed charges regarding the attack on a US mission in Libya that killed four Americans, including an ambassador, it was reported Tuesday. The charges, which are under seal, would be the first from the investigation into the attack in Benghazi nearly one year ago.

LOS ANGELES: The man charged with slamming his car into tourists, killing one, on California’s famous Venice Beach Boardwalk pleaded not guilty to murder Tuesday. Nathan Campbell, 38, is being held on $1 million bail after the horrific incident that killed an Italian woman on her honeymoon and injured 11 others.

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News WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013

CROSS-BORDER RAID

THAT SINKING FEELING

BJP attacks Antony, seeks PM statement LS adjourned till noon over ruckus.

A sinking Chinese fishing vessel at sea off the coast of French Polynesia. At least four sailors have died missing after a Chinese fishing trawler sunk off the coast of Rapa island in French Polynesia, officials said on Wednesday.

AFP

CRIME

Eves are ace snatchers

HYDERABAD: While only two snatching cases involving women have been reported yesterday, police say women wearing burqa are increasingly getting into crowded buses and trains and snatching gold chains and ear-rings of women passengers.

Even those riding the bike are not safe, reports say.

Trimulgherry police reported that one Usha Rani, aged 38 years, a resident of Alwal was pillion riding her husband’s bike.

When it reached reached at Gun- rock in Trimulgherry, a bike-borne couple coming from

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opposite direction whizzed past, snatching a 3-tola gold chain of Usha.

In Regimental Bazaar of Secunderabad, a woman by name J Suintha, 47, a resident of Nacharam lost her 7 tola-gold chain. She too was pillion-riding her sister’s bike.

A bike from opposite direction bearing a man and a woman came and halted asking an address.

As Sunitha was trying to

CRIME

Punjab property dealer kills family, self AROUND THE

NATION

CHANDIGARH: A well-to-do property dealer in Punjab’s Kapurthala town shot dead three members of his family before committing suicide, police said Wednesday.

Property dealer, Avtar Singh, 43, ended his life early Wednesday in his house after killing his wife Roopinder (40), son Gaurav (13) and daughter Amanat (8).

The incident took place around 6 a.m. Wednesday. The

Police sources said that the property dealer was upset for the past few months owing to the illness of his son. property dealer used his licenced weapon to kill his family and himself.

Kapurthala district police chief Inder Bir Singh said that the reasons behind the incident were being investigated.

Police sources said that the property dealer was upset for the past few months owing to the illness of his son.

IANS

explain the way, the woman pillion-riding the man’s bike snatched the chain and sped away.

Several police stations have reported similar snatching cases where women are the culprits.

It seems the trend is that a man and woman associate join in the game and watch women riding scooty and seek such woman’s guidance to reach an address.

Unwary people trying to help are victimised.

Similar cases are being reported from MMTS and busy buses too. Burqa has come handy to women culprits, police noted.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh must make a statement on the killing of Indian soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj demanded on Wednesday.

The BJP attacked the government over defence minister AK Antony’s statement on Tuesday’s ambush of an Army patrol in Kashmir which left five soldiers dead.

The defence minister in a statement Tuesday in both houses had said “Twenty heavily armed terrorists, along with persons dressed as in Pakistan Army uniform”, were responsible for the killings.

Sushma Swaraj questioned the government on the differences in the statements made by Antony and the defence ministry on the ambush.

“The defence minister gave a statement but we came to know later that the defence ministry also gave a press statement,” Swaraj said in the House.

She said that while the defence ministry statement said that the Pakistan Army was responsible, the minister gave “a clean chit to it”.

IANS “This is a grave issue,” Swaraj

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said demanding that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh make a statement on the issue.

Minutes after the remarks by the senior BJP leader, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar adjourned the house till noon as the opposition MPs created a ruckus.

Top military commanders of Pakistan and India Wednesday spoke on hotline to reduce tensions along the LoC, with the Pakistan Army reiterating to strictly observe ceasefire, military sources said.

IANS

PARENT HOPEFULS This Adelaide Zoo handout photo shows giant pandas, Wang Wang (right) and Funi.

Adelaide Zoo said it was hoping for the first successful panda birth in the southern hemisphere as it prepares “Funi” one of its giant animals for artificial insemination.

AFP

9

News WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013 COLD WAR GHOSTS?

‘No patience’ with anti-gay laws: Obama AROUND THE

WORLD

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama said Tuesday he was “disappointed” by Russia’s decision to grant asylum to Edward Snowden, the former intelligence contractor who leaked details of vast US surveillance programs.

“I was disappointed, because even though we don’t have an extradition treaty with them, traditionally we have tried to respect if there’s a lawbreaker or alleged lawbreaker in their country,” Obama said during an appearance on a late-night comedy show.

“In some ways it’s reflective of some underlying challenges that we have had with Russia lately,” he said. Mr Obama also said he had “no patience” with foreign laws discriminating against homosexuals after Russia passed a measure punishing gay “propaganda.” “Whether you are discriminating on the basis of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation, you are violating the basic morality that I think should transcend every country,” Obama said. “I have no patience for countries that try to treat gays or lesbians or transgender persons.”

TERROR THREAT

Yemen put on high alert The United States and its allies pulled diplomats out of Yemen on Tuesday.

NICOLAS REVISE Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON: The United States and its allies pulled diplomats out of Yemen on Tuesday and stepped up security at missions across the Middle East amid fears of an imminent AlQaeda attack.

Washington has closed 19 embassies and consulates in the Middle East and Africa, citing intercepted communications among militants, reportedly including an attack order from Al-Qaeda leader Ayman alZawahiri.

While the closures span cities across the Arab world, the focus of most concern has been Yemen, where American forces are fighting a drone war against Al-Qaeda’s powerful regional affiliate.

The Yemeni government late Tuesday, however, issued a strong response to the diplomatic withdrawal, stating it recognized the safety fears of foreign governments, but that the pullout “serves the interests of the extremists.”

Such a step “undermines the exceptional cooperation between Yemen and the international alliance against terrorism,” the foreign ministry in Sanaa said.

Local authorities had “taken

AP

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all necessary precautions to ensure the safety and security of foreign missions,” it stressed.

Some 75 non-essential staffers at the US embassy in Sanaa exited on a military plane, an American official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The plane, accompanied by a support aircraft, flew to the US air base in Ramstein, Germany, the official said.

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the 19 offices are closed to the public, but they continue to provide emergency US citizen services.

“They are instructed to close for normal operations through Saturday, August 10,” she added, noting that some staff would remain.

“This is based — this decision and the announcement this morning was based — on a response to an immediate specific threat.”

The State Department warned US citizens not to travel to Yemen and strongly urged any already there to leave “immediately.”

Separately, Pentagon spokesman George Little said: “The US Department of Defense continues to have personnel on

A Yemeni soldier searches a car at a checkpoint on a street leading to the US AFP/MOHAMMED HUWAIS embassy compound in Sanaa on August 4, 2013.

the ground to support the US State Department and monitor the security situation.”

US ally Britain, meanwhile, announced the temporary withdrawal of all personnel from its embassy in Yemen, saying it

Wrong response

T

he Yemeni government late Tuesday, however, issued a strong response to the diplomatic withdrawal, stating it recognized the safety fears of foreign governments, but that the pullout “serves the interests of the extremists.”

would remain closed “until staff are able to return.”

France and Germany have also closed their missions and other European countries have taken extra precautions.

Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands advised their citizens to leave.

In a separate incident, the US consulate in the Italian city of Milan was briefly evacuated over an apparently false bomb threat.

An AFP correspondent in Sanaa said concrete barriers surrounding the British embassy had been raised higher as part of increased security measures across the capital.

GORKHALAND MOVEMENT FALLOUT

Tourists give cold shoulder to Darjeeling According to travel agents in Kolkata, enthusiasts are deviating from Darjeeling and chosing to explore neighbouring Bhutan and the lush forests of Dooars in north Bengal.

KOLKATA: As the picturesque hills of Darjeeling simmer following the renewed campaign for Gorkhaland, domestic tour operators are receiving massive cancellations for bus and car services to the hot spots even as trekking and camping trails have gone dead.

For now, Darjeeling is “not on the minds of travellers” opting for Himalayan tourism, said Gour Kanjilal, executive director of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), New Delhi.

This has prompted tourists to shift to other destinations like Shimla and Kulu Manali in far away Himachal Pradesh.

“Those who have come back have had a bitter experience...

No food, no water, no transport.

Therefore the rest have decided

north Bengal. “We have recieved cancellations,” Suman Pal of Ajanar Sandhaneya (a domestic tour operator) told IANS. The Darjeeling hills have been on the boil after the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) intensified its movement for Gorkhaland — to be carved out of parts of Darjeeling and neighbouring Jalpaiguri district — after Telangana got statehood.

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against going to Darjeeling,” rues Kanjilal. “Now there is uncertainty regarding the festive season (Durga Puja in October) and tourism overall,” he said.

According to travel agents in Kolkata, enthusiasts are deviating from Darjeeling and chosing to explore neighbouring Bhutan and the lush forests of Dooars in

The consequent indefinite strike called August 3 has severely restricted the movement of vehicles along the National Highway 31A connecting Siliguri in Darjeeling district with

Gangtok, capital of Sikkim.

Nestled in the Himalayan ranges, the sleepy town of Darjeeling is the starting point for avid trekkers and routine backpackers who prefer to go off the beaten track to Sandakphu (highest peak in West Bengal).

Jeep safaris to the Singalila National Park are veritable treasures for wildlife buffs. Now, thanks to a shutdown, the trails have run cold and the parks remain bereft of tourists.

“All our bookings for the Sandakphu, Phalut and Singalila stand cancelled. No one wants to go there now,” Subash Tamang of Ashmita Treks and Tours in Darjeeling said. The only option for tourists is the railway. “They are taking the trains instead of buses,” said an agent.

IANS

10

News WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013

HEALTH

Genes responsible for brain cancer identified WASHINGTON: Eighteen genes that propel a common and aggressive form of brain cancer in adults have been identified, says a study.

The study was carried out by researchers at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer

Center at Columbia University Medical Center.

"Cancers rely on driver genes to remain cancers, and driver genes are the best targets for therapy," said Antonio Iavarone, professor of pathology and neurology at Columbia

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WORLD

University Medical Center and a principal author. Once you know the driver in a particular tumour and you hit it, the can-

RAMZAN: PICTURES IN CONTRAST

cer collapses. We think our study has identified the vast majority of drivers in glioblastoma and, therefore, a list of the most important targets for glioblastoma drug development and the basis for treatment of brain cancer."

Personalised treatment could be a reality soon for about 15 percent of glioblastoma patients, said Anna Lasorella, associate professor of paediatrics and of pathology & cell biology at CUMC, reports Science Daily.

IANS

CHILD MARRIAGE IN HIMACHAL

15 instances reported In an affidavit dated June 18, 2013, in the Himachal Pradesh High Court, the state government admitted 15 child marriages were solemnised.

Iraqi men celebrate a win as they take part in a game called "Mheibis", where a member of a team has to guess who is holding a ring in the clenched fist of a member of the opposing team, in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Tuesday. This year, the game which is wildly popular in Iraq during the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramzan, is taking place during the day and behind the guarded doors of a large hotel due to the lack of security on the streets and in the cafes where the game is normally played in the evening, followAFP/SABAH ARAR ing the iftar dinner at the end of a day-long fast.

Hundreds of Indonesians wait to receive "zakat", or alms, given to poor people during Ramadan at a tabacco factory of Gudang Garam, Indonesia's biggest clove cigarette manufacturer, in Kediri in East Java province on August 6, 2013. Each person received ($1) or up to 20,000 rupiah ($2) cash from company in a AFP/ M ANDIKA tradition of giving charity to the poor during Islam's holy month of Ramadan.

SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh has failed to root out the social problem of child marriage, with 15 reported from five panchayats alone in Sirmaur, one of state's backward districts, from December 2007 to November 2011, the government has admitted.

In an affidavit dated June 18, 2013, in the Himachal Pradesh High Court, the state government admitted that 15 child marriages were solemnized in the Khud Drabil and Jarag panchayats in Sangrah block and the Chandni, Kathwar and Kodga panchayats in Paonta Sahib block.

It also said four infant deaths, three child deaths and four dropout cases were reported in these panchayats during this period. There was however no case of child labour.

Taking suo motu cognisance of an NGO survey, a division bench consisting of Chief Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice Kuldip Singh had asked the deputy commissioner of Sirmaur April 9 to file a status report on child marriages, infant and child deaths, child labour and school dropouts.

The court's direction came after treating a baseline survey conducted by NGO People's Action for People in Need as a public suit.

The government affidavit says the five panchayats covered by the NGO in its survey have a population of 7,942 as per the December 2011 records.

"Peculiar practices with regard to institution of marriage exist in Sangrah and Shillai areas of Sirmaur. However, with the passage of time, there is a declining trend but not fully extinct," the affidavit said. Customary provisions, including polyandry and polygamy, are still widely prevalent in the community as a whole in the areas across the Giri river, AROUND THE

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adjoining Uttarakhand, it said.

The customary practice of "Har chali gayi" or "girl went to her inlaw's house" is quite prevalent there. Under this practice, during fairs and festivals, commonly in January, relatives and near and dear ones visit each other's houses and stay as guests.

It so happens that when a girl visits a house and a boy in that family becomes her choice, both of them share their liking and start residing together irrespective of their age.

11

News WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013

PREDATOR NABBED

BUILDING A DISASTER

Girl raped for 11 days, man held

BEIJING: A man in China has been arrested for allegedly imprisoning a teenaged girl for 11 days in a cellar and raping her, police said Tuesday.

The man, surnamed Chen, is a migrant worker. He secretly dug a cellar in his rented house in a village in Zhejiang province earlier this year, Xinhua reported citing police.

On the night of June 22, he disguised himself as a private passenger carrier and took the

18-year-old on his tricycle from a karaoke bar in Jiaxing to a nearby corner and robbed her. He then imprisoned her where she was repeatedly raped.

A few days later the imprisoned girl, somehow, managed to free herself with neighbours’s help. The man was arrested the same day.

Chen confessed to police that he was influenced by online novels. He faces charges of robbery and rape.

IANS

TOWERING INFERNO

A woman waiting to be rescued following a powerful blast that ripped through a 10-storey building, and destroyed another next to it, in Argentina’s third largest city, Rosario, on August 6, 2013 setting it ablaze and leaving at least eight dead and 61 injured, according to the latest report.

Officials in Rosario said at least 19 people were still missing as hundreds of firefighters and rescuers searched the rubble of the edifice that was in danger of collapse. AFP

China mall villas just pie in the sky Twenty-five illegally-built luxury villas on top of a Ch iese shopping mall have become migrant workers’ residences.

BEIJING: Twenty-five luxury villas built on top of a Chinese shopping mall have become migrant workers’ residences after authorities declared them illegal, state media said Tuesday.

The houses, covering an area about the size of three football pitches, were built in 2009 on the roof of a multi-storey construction materials and furniture mall in Hengyang, the China Daily said.

Pictures show the houses — with bright blue roofs and pastel yellow walls — mixing architectural styles, with wraparound verandahs and some having vaguely Germanic towers attached.

They are divided by white picket fences, while trees and bushes grow in their courtyards and along the pathways between them.

The houses were built without a licence, the report said, and although the city government repeatedly demanded their demolition, developer Hengyang Wings Group ignored the order.

Authorities in Hengyang, in the central province of Hunan, have now ruled instead that the villas can stay but the developer cannot sell them, the paper said.

“The houses are now dormitories for our employees. Some

CHILD RAPIST HELD

This picture taken on August 5, 2013 shows villas built on top of a shopping mall in Henyang, in central China’s Hunan province. Twenty-five luxury villas built on top of a Chinese shopping mall have become migrant workers’ residences after authorities declared them illegal, state media said on August 6.

Spain detains child rapist

MADRID: A judge remanded in custody Tuesday a convicted child rapist who was arrested in Spain after a controversial pardon by Morocco’s king was revoked in the face of angry protests.

The judge ruled that Daniel Galvan Vina, a Spanish national found guilty of raping 11 children aged between four and 15 in Morocco and sentenced to 30

years in prison there, was a flight risk and would remain in custody while his extradition was being considered, the court said.

Galvan was arrested Monday at a hotel in the southeastern Spanish city of Murcia where he once worked at a university after Morocco issued an international arrest warrant against him.

AFP

Pick

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T

he houses, covering an area about the size of three football pitches, were built in 2009 on the roof of a multi-storey construction materials and furniture mall in Hengyang, the China Daily said.

migrant workers who took part in the villas’ construction are also living in them,” Wang Jianxin, the developer’s general manager, was quoted as telling a local newspaper.

Property investment has been a driver of the Chinese economy for years, although authorities have long sought to control rapid

at the

house price rises.

Land grabs have become a volatile social problem as officials and developers seek to cash in on the property boom, sometimes forcing people out of their homes without proper compensation.

With land disputes becoming more frequent, the government has forbidden housing demolitions without the owners’ consent, while police have been banned from intervening to protect developers in such rows. AFP

airport,

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News WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013

ADIEU BONALU Scenes from the traditional ‘rangam’ procession taken out in Old City after the end of Bonalu festivities.

12

N SHIVA KUMAR

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013

Business

SOROS INVESTING $150 MN IN BRAZIL FIRM

Billionaire financier George Soros’s private hedge fund is investing $150 million in a Brazilian telecom firm to spur expansion of 4G high speed Internet service in Brazil, the company said on Tuesday.

GHOSTS OF PAST

RINEHART LOSES CASE

US sues Bank of America for mortgage bond fraud In a parallel action, the Securities and Exchange Commission also levelled fraud charges against the bank over the same 2008 mortgage security offerings.

NEW YORK CITY: The US government on Tuesday sued Bank of America for defrauding investors in the sale of $850 million in mortgage-backed securities ahead of the housing bust.

The Department of Justice civil complaint alleges Bank of America lied to investors about the riskiness of the mortgage loans backing the securities, and intentionally avoided performing adequate due diligence on them, leading to investor losses surpassing $100 million.

Unlike some of the other sub-prime-based mortgage securities that soured during the housing bust and spawned messy litigation, the mortgages in Tuesday’s US suit against Bank of America were sold as “prime” loans, meaning they purportedly had a low likelihood of falling into default.

The high rating of the loans “signified a safe and conservative investment and justified the

21st Century Fox profit rises to $7 bn SAN FRANCISCO: Rupert Murdoch’s freshly unfettered entertainment company 21st Century Fox on Tuesday reported that its annual profit was pumped up by revenue from its cable television operations. In its first earnings report since the empire split, profit leapt six-fold in its fiscal year to $7.1 billion on revenue that increased 10 percent to $27.68 billion compared with the prior year.

AFP

13

UBS settles sub-prime dispute, to pay $50 mn

high prices," said the complaint.

However, the suit alleges the loans were far riskier than Bank of America said. It cited the bank’s former chief executive, Ken Lewis, as having referred to one type of loan included in the securities, “wholesale” loans executed through third-parties, as “toxic waste."

Despite the “prime” rating, at least 23 percent of the mort-

gages in the securities have defaulted or were delinquent as of June 2013, according to the complaint.

A Bank of America spokesman denied the bank was responsible for the losses.

In an emailed statement, he argued that the “prime” designation was justified, saying the loans in question had performed better than similar loans

NEW YORK CITY: UBS agreed to pay nearly $50 million to settle charges over its disclosures related to a money-losing 2007 investment vehicle linked to subprime loans, a US agency announced Tuesday. The Swiss banking giant failed to disclose to investors $23.6 million it received in upfront payments raised as collateral in conjunction with the investment, known as a collateralized debt obligation, or CDO. originated and securitized at the time by other financial institutions. Instead, he blamed the losses on the general downturn of the market and economy, which sank into deep recession in 2008-2009.

AFP

CHINA

NUMEROLOGY

$340

mn

is the amount The World Bank approved on Tuesday for a crucial hydroelectric power plant in Africa’s Great Lakes region.

OZ MINING TAX UPHELD

Baby formula firms fined $108 mn BEIJING: China has fined six mostly foreign baby formula companies a total of $108 million for price-fixing, the official Xinhua news agency reported Wednesday.

The firms fined were Mead Johnson and Abbott from the US, Dumex, a subsidiary of France’s Danone, Friesland of the Netherlands, New Zealand giant Fonterra — at the centre of a health scare this week — and China’s Biostime, Xinhua said, citing the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

SYDNEY: Australia’s richest person Gina Rinehart has lost a long-running legal bid to force a media group to hand over their source material in a messy dispute over her family’s mining fortune. Rinehart had been trying to force West Australian Newspapers to surrender all letters, faxes, emails, legal advice, memos, text messages and recordings between their journalist Steve Pennells and her son, John Hancock. Hancock and his sister Bianca Rinehart are embroiled in acrimonious legal proceedings with their mother, an iron ore heiress with an estimated Aus$22 billion (US$20 billion) fortune, over a family trust established by their prospector grandfather Lang Hancock.

Pennells published a series of exclusive articles over the imbroglio and Rinehart subpoenaed him and the West Australian newspaper to produce its source material in an almost two-year legal battle.

In a corporate statement, Mead Johnson said it had been handed a penalty of 204 million yuan ($33 million).

Biostime said in a filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange that it had been given a 163 million yuan fine.

Fonterra, which has had to recall products in several countries this week over a botulism scare, was fined 4.5 million yuan, it said.

The NDRC, China’s top economic planner, launched the investigation into high prices it said resulted from a monopoly-

like situation, mostly targeting overseas firms.

Several of them announced price cuts last month.

Xinhua said that three companies — Wyeth, which is owned by Swiss giant Nestle, Japan’s Meiji, and Chinese firm Beingmate — had been exempted from punishment in the inquiry.

The NDRC said they provided important evidence and carried out active self-rectification, it added.

AFP

GOLD`27,520 10g SILVER `41,367 1kg

24C

for

for

DOLLAR `61.35 POUND `94.06

SYDNEY: Australia’s High Court upheld the ruling Labor party’s contested resources profits tax Wednesday, dismissing a constitutional appeal from major iron ore firm Fortescue Metals Group. Fortescue, founded by billionaire Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest, had asked Australia’s highest court to rule that the Minerals Resource Rent Tax (MRRT) was an incorrect use of the government’s legislative powers. The levy, which came into force on July 1 last year, taxes profits above Aus$75 million (US$67 million) on iron ore and coal at a rate of 22.5 percent. It was watered down after a furious publicity campaign by BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and Fortescue, which contributed to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd being ousted by his deputy Julia Gillard in 2010 amid plunging opinion poll ratings.

BSE NSE

18,623.11 109.93

5,506.50 35.75

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013

Comment Time will say nothing but I told you so/ Time only knows the price we have to pay/ If I could tell you I would let you know.

GREAT GIZA!

ANTON LOMOV Agence France-presse

W

hen Turkmen mother Selbi Dzhafarova wanted to buy a toy car for her son’s birthday, he burst into tears. “He asked us to buy him a computer instead," she said.

Her son Arslan’s wish was hardly different from the wishes of young boys all over the world except that the nine-year-old lives in the hermit ex-Soviet state of Turkmenistan where Internet access for most private users was banned until just a few years ago.

“We had to do it," Dzhafarova told AFP while shopping at a market in the capital Ashgabat. Needing a computer “is already an everyday reality and not a child’s whim", she said.

Turkmenistan, an energyrich Central Asian nation bordering Afghanistan and Iran, was for two decades ruled by dictator Saparmurat Niyazov, best remembered for his bizarre personality cult complete with gold statues, his own philosophy book and deep suspicion of cyberspace.

Under Niyazov, who claimed that Western novelties were “foreign to the mentality of our people", only a handful of outlets like Western companies, several colleges and hotels were connected to the Internet.

After his death in 2007, the country has taken cautious steps to dismantle his legacy. The first two Internet cafes opened in Ashgabat two days after the inauguration of the new president, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov.

14

Tourists desert Egypt as protests rage THE INSIDE STORY

WH Auden Poet

Turkmenistan bows to Internet age

HIGH-FLYING THOUGHTS

Why is Matt Damon constantly worried about his being targetted by papparazi when he has never been? He has threatened to quit showbiz if he ever is, but the truth is the paps seem to be least interested in Matt. Is this a reaction to his not getting any attention at all?

Tom Little

B

By Giza’s Great Pyramids, souvenir vendors wait restlessly in the shade, watching for the handful of tourists who still make their way down the empty street to the once-bustling landmark.

The 2011 revolution that toppled dictator Hosni Mubarak dealt a severe blow to the country’s tourist industry, once a mainstay of Egypt’s economy.

And things have gone from bad to worse since June, when violent protests broke out against president Mohamed Morsi. On July 3, the army ousted the Islamist leader, leading to further deadly violence and an ongoing standoff between the two sides.

The tour buses that lined the streets around the pyramids have disappeared.

“We hope to the Lord that he will bring back those busy days, because all of us rely on tourism alone," said Gameel Hassan, who has run a shop near the pyramids selling papyrus prints for nearly 20 years.

Now, his shop is empty.

Only a few tourists come each day to browse the hundreds of pictures of Egyptian gods and

pharoahs that cover the walls.

“To bring tourism back, we need stability and security," he said. “The parties must calm down and leave the president to rule the country in the way he sees fit," he said, referring to the country’s new interim authorities.

Out in the street, Mahmoud Attiyah, who offers horseback tours of the pyramids, is glum about business.

“There have been no tourists coming from outside. From June 30 until now, there have been none," he complained.

But Morsi’s removal cheered Attiyah. Like many of the vendors, he thought the Morsi government was harming Egypt’s tourist industry, which once accounted for some 10 percent of GDP. Yet not everyone has been put off.

Two travellers, laden by backpacks, made their was past the gate to the pyramids. They were followed by a crowd of jostling vendors offering souvenirs and horse rides.

Ryan Gary and Ashley Westcott, from the US state of Colorado, were unfazed by the State Department’s travel warnings about the country and alarming stories on the news.

“As long as you travel safe and are smart about the kind of decisions that you are making, a lot of times the people are a lot

nicer than the media makes them out to be," one said, beaming.

But tourists like Westcott and Gary are increasingly rare.

They have disappeared from the Khan el-Khalili bazaar in Cairo. This warren of narrow streets used to see coachloads of people coming to haggle over souvenirs, soak up the atmosphere and relax in cafes over a mint tea and a sheesha (water pipe).

After dark, the area is crowded with Egyptians talking a stroll after the iftar meal to break the Ramadan fast, but the foreigners are nowhere to be seen.

Hussam Manaf, 41, is a university professor in the mornings but, in the evenings, he

runs the small Khan el-Khalili souvenir shop his father founded.

Surrounded by hundreds of alabaster pyramids, glass ornaments and papyrus scrolls, Manaf said only one or two tourists had visited his shop each day since June 30 He was adamant that the tourism ministry needed to do more to promote Egypt abroad.

“Where are the films showing Egypt outside of Egypt," he asked, pointing out that other countries had done a far better job of promoting themselves.

“When you look around you see that, when they do film adverts, they show important places," he said, amazed that the ministry was happy to stick to old cliches about the country.

EDITORIALS India’s pusillanimity spurs Pak violence

C

ommon man in India knows more about Pakistan’s attitude to India than those at the helm of affairs of this country. It is the political animals who mislead the country with the charade of friendship with a nation that has avowed to finish off India. And, the reason for the ruling Congress’s chicanery is to bag a community’s votes. Despite Pakistan, a rickety nation with no leadership, committing some 57 LoC violations this year, India’s attitude has been laughable with PM ladling out clichéridden statement like—it’s an effort to scuttle Indo-Pak relations.

Let him tell it directly to the faces of the victims’ families. The Congress government’s misplaced sympathy for Pakistan has cost this country tremendously. This rough nation has

READERS’ VIEWS

been dumping fake Indian currency, sending across terrorists in the guise of genuine visitors, crossing the line and cutting off heads of jawans on duty, and ill-treating hundreds of Indian prisoners. And yet, Indian Army, the second largest in the world is forbidden to resort to hot pursuit which alone can stem these barbaric acts of Pakistan. It is time that nation is made to pay for all its crimes against this country which has gone out of the way to befriend it. If the government fails to move strongly against the continual acts of violence, how can it counter a country like China? Millions of tax payers of this country has a right to ask the Congress government: whom are you serving?

We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500 033 or even by way of a call on 4067 2222.

Editor: Dean Williams

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013

Cinema

BRUCE WILLIS’ WIFE SCOLDS HIM FOR HIS STUNTS Actor Bruce Willis says his wife Emma Heming scolds him hard if he tries doing dangerous stunts on his own now.The 58-year-old is known as an action star after performing daredevilry in movies like Die Hard,The Expendables 2 and G.I. Joe: Retaliation, but now he lets the stuntmen do their job, reports contactmusic.com.

PYAR KE SIDE EFFECTS

SCREEN POOPERS

Chennai Express

2 states

C

2 States is an upcoming film, directed by Abhishek. It stars Arjun Kapoor and Alia Bhatt. It is the story about a couple coming from two different states in India who face hardships in convincing their parents to approve their marriage. The film is based a novel of the same name written by Chetan Bhagat.

The novel is inspired from the real life story of the author and his wife who are from Delhi and Tamil Nadu.

hennai Express is about Rahul’s journey from Mumbai to Rameshwaram and what happens after he falls in love with Meena, daughter of a local don. Rahul, played by Shah Rukh Khan is a North Indian bachelor who stays with his grandparents in Mumbai. Rahul couldn’t get married to anyone because of his over-loving and over possessive grandfather who cannot live without him. Rahul accidentally boards a train that takes him to Meena, played by Deepika Padukone.

CROSS-BORDER LOVE

The songstress Seems like the new Exotic girl Priyanka Chopra is leaving no stone unturned when it comes to promoting her new singles In my City and Exotic. Travelling the world and striking deals with the right kind of people, PC’s is giving her all in. If only she could invest at least one tenth of the money she is spending on all this to hire a better lyricist for her songs. Life would have been much easier for her and for us.

Come weekend the love story of north-Indian bachelor Rahul and south-Indian lady Meena as told in Chennai Express will hit the screens.

We bring you other stories of those who their find love across the border.

Mr. and Mrs. Iyer Mr. and Mrs. Iyer is a 2002 drama film written and directed by Aparna Sen and produced by N Venkatesan. The movie features Aparna Sen’s daughter Konkona Sen Sharma as Meenakshi Iyer, a Tamil Iyer Brahmin and Rahul Bose portrays the character of Raja Chowdhury, a Bengali Muslim wildlife photographer. The story revolves around these two lead characters during a fateful bus journey amidst the carnages of a communal strife in India.

Gadar: Ek Prem Katha Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (Revolt: A Love Story) is a 2001 Bollywood action movie starring Sunny Deol, Amisha Patel, and Amrish Puri set in the time of the Indian partition. Set in 1947, during the Partition of India, the film tells the story of a truck driver, Tara Singh (Sunny Deol), a Jatt Sikh, who falls in love with a Muslim girl, Sakina (Amisha Patel), belonging to an aristocratic family.

Veer-Zaara

John’s misconceptions

Veer-Zaara is a 2004 Indian romantic drama film directed by Yash Chopra under the Yash Raj Films banner.

Set against the backdrop of conflict between India and Pakistan, this star-crossed romance follows the unfortunate love story of an Indian Air Force pilot, Squadron Leader Veer Pratap Singh (Shah Rukh Khan) and a Pakistani woman hailing from a rich political family of Lahore, Zaara Haayat Khan (Preity Zinta), who are separated for 22 years.

“Audiences find me most suitable for action flicks”. This is what John Abraham is saying to everyone who is willing to listen. After cashing on milk cow Vicky Donor, where he only produced the movie, John seems to think he has got a new ‘janam’. Birth or no rebirth, for most the supermodel, bike-loving Abraham still remains wooden as ever, emotions can never be his forte. He also seems to call himself ‘action’ Abraham, wonder what Khiladi, Action Akshay Kumar will have to say about this.

TRENDING...

Refugee Refugee is a 2000 Indian film written and directed by JP Dutta.

The film marked the debuts of Abhishek Bachchan and Kareena Kapoor. The film tells the story of an un-named Indian Muslim (Abhishek Kapoor), who helps illegal refugees from both India and Pakistan to cross the border through the Great Rann of Kutch.

The plot thickens as the character of Abhishek Kapoor falls in love with one of the illegal refugess Naaz (Kareena Kapoor).

Christopher McQuarrie is to direct Mission: Impossible 5.Star Tom Cruise tweeted the news on August 5, saying: “MISSION ACCEPTED! It’s OFFICIAL! @ChrisMcquarrie is the director of #MissionImpossible 5! #TeamTC”

Hollywood supernatural thriller The Conjuring has earned `3.55 crore at the Indian box office so far.The James Wan directed movie, which released July 19 in the US, has collected over $100 million, said a statement.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013

spotlight

PLENTY TO CELEBRATE

18

DANCING UP A ALL GEARED UP

Curtain-raiser of Andhra Pradesh Real Estate Developers’ Association (APREDA) Property Show 2013 was held at Taj Deccan on Tuesday. The show will be held from 25th to 27th October at Hitex Exhibition Grounds.

PEARLS OF WISDOM

Sulajja Firodia Motwani, Vice Chairman, Kinetic Engineering Ltd. gave a talk on Is Leadership in a Woman's DNA? at Hotel Trident. The event was organised by FICCI Ladies Organisation.

BANG ON TREND

Naturals Family Salon & Spa opened its 33rd franchise salon in the state at Times Square Building, Bartkatpura. The salon was inaugurated by actress Pranitha on Tuesday.

STORM

Arena Animation, Dilsukhnagar celebrated its 15th anniversary at Swagath Grand Hotel, Nagole. Students danced to popular Bollywood dance-numbers during the event.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013

health

ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS ASSOCIATED WITH BREAST CANCER RISK

A study, the first to observe that long-term use of a class of antihypertensive drugs known as calcium-channel blockers in particular are associated with breast cancer risk. The team's findings was published online in JAMA Internal Medicine.

APOLLO HOSPITALS

19

Reaching out to millions

ARUN DANIEL YELLAMATY arunyellamaty@postnoon.com WHAT IS APOLLO’S LATEST INITIATIVE? Apollo has started to work and take medical facilities to the rural areas of India. Our most prominent is the ‘Reach Hospital’. The ‘Reach’ concept is now a successful, proven model in the process of scaling which enables access to tertiary care for rural India. Locations like Karimnagar, Kakinada and Karur in Andhra Pradesh have seven Reach Hospitals and six more are under construction.

The idea is to have at least 50 of these format hospitals in different C-class cities of India.

The long term vision is that every district headquarter should have at least one Reach hospital.The concept was to combine value engineering into the infrastructure of the facility and conceptualise a process flow which minimises or completely reduces any waste or redundancy, partnering with the doctors and the medical team ensuring that the patient gets the best treatment in the shortest possible time.

As the Apollo Hospitals celebrates 25 years of its operations in Hyderabad, we got in touch with the Executive Director Sangita Reddy. She tells us about how the hospital with its numerous initiatives has become a name of trust for the people here.

What about the assessment of cardiac ailments?

There is an increase in the incidence of heart diseases, the age of it is decreasing every day.

Recently, we had a 28-year-old man on whom we performed a bypass surgery. In cardiac ailments, there are non-modifiable factors which constitute the genetic makeup of a person which cannot be changed, and then there are modifiable factors. The understanding and measures of controlling these modifiable factors ensure lesser incidences of heart problems.

Some of them are: n No smoking n Control of stress n Keeping cholesterol levels in check as high cholesterol leads to fatty deposits on the blood vessels, the seclusion of which causes heart attack. n High blood pressure n Avoid being overweight/ obesity.

What is the incidence of diseases like diabetes, cardiac ailments and cancer in India?

India has an estimate of 85 million diabetics. By the year 2020, 50 per cent of the world’s heart problems will be in India. We are diagnosing every year, over 12 lakh new patients with cancer. Each one is a very scary statistic by itself.

How do Apollo hospitals treat these patients?

Apollo is committed to provide advanced care for these patients, we provide everything that is required whether it is the latest equipment, the technology, the diagnostics, the doctors, the medical team or teamwork. We are looking at not only the diagnostic, the treatment and curative aspect of these diseases but are also looking into the aspect of prevention of these diseases.

What is Apollo’s ‘Sugar Programme’?

management in the simplest possible way. The ‘Sugar Programme’ of Apollo was presented at the American Diabetic Association and we showed that 85 per cent of our patients read HPA-1 C controlled within three months time whereas the national average is under 50 per cent.

This proves the fact that when you put a good system in place; patients are able to get better.

So we are constantly innovating to create a better methodology for the health care of patients.

For diabetics awareness, self management and a good chronic care programme to stay in touch with the physician are keys to living a normal life. For a diabetic person to lead a normal life, their sugar levels need to be kept in check. This only happens when there is an ‘enabled-empowered patient’

Apollo is committed to provide advanced care for the patients, we provide everything that is required whether it is the latest equipment or the technology.

and a good system of follow up with the physician. Meeting a doctor for 15-20 minutes every month is inadequate so we have created a provider like a hospital-oriented, doctorpatient centric, disease management programme in the form of Sugar Programme, which enables chronic care

What about the incidence of cancer in India?

Every year, we are diagnosing over 12 lakhs new patients with cancer. The only thing to fear about cancer is finding out late.

Nobody should fear cancer.

They should aggressively screen themselves to ensure that you detect cancer symptoms early because if you do then your ability for a 100 per cent recovery is extremely high. Apollo is working extensively on these. We are also celebrating our 25th anniversary so we will be doing a lot more of wellness and preventive care.

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013

Technology WORDS! WORDS! WORDS!

Technically speaking

With words such as videotape, hi-fi and minidisks already consigned to the history books, let’s look at the world we stand to lose, those that are being redefined and other mediums that are becoming standard means of communication.

Expressions With a TechnologicallyTethered Future

Terminology That Simply doesn’t cut it any more

Another aqua-based phrase has slowly evolved to describe the trickle of Media data, rather than water; nowadays netflix and spotify and their rivals are quickly redefining words with their ever-popular services. .com Faces New Chanllenges Every Year: Expect to see .NYC .Shop And Sport in the Future

Now people know what they want and need from the internet, web surfing is rarely done — never mind said.

Now largely accociated with those people taking software and media content without paying for it.

A thread no longer just holds together a piece of clothing — it’s much more likely to be used as a word to hold together a string of comments online.

The rise of the touchscreen has made clicking an endangered act, escpecially now operating systems are based on a more hands-on approach.

Once strictly used to describe radio alone, wireless is now only really used to talk about the internet networks, and on occasions computer peripherals such as the humble keyboard or mouse.

One day this may be replaced with something more accurate, like “type”, or even “tap”.

Billboards, posters and website-based brand names avoid mentioning it, and high-profile sites like twitter don’t use the prefix at all.

Technology’s Shortcuts to Communication

Facebook’s famous button of instant approval has become a way to share, support and even simply acknowledge the things we come across on our internet travels.

Used more and more often to give extra meaning and tone of voice to written communication — just watch out for the passive aggressive email that finishes with a smiley face.

Online communications have grown in impact and authority over the past decade, and viral media is now one of the most popular ways for people to interact with a wider audience. While this is sometimes an effective way to raise awareness of global political events, ofetn you really need to go viral is a funny cat video.

While medication capsules are still referred to as tablets, you would not be surprised if someone misunderstood you and assumed you were told by a doctor to swallow a PC.

Originally used to define the rushing of water, air or verbal abuse, torrenting is now largely used to describe downloading through a management program.

We Predict Some Upcoming Language Changes

No longer just a euphemism for your bar brawl injuries, instead glassed-up refers to the new google glass technology, and will describe those permanently insulated from the real world by a layer of apps, data and other loading screens.

Forget going outside: all you will need to do in the future to be considered unsociable is to refuse to engage with social media.

Print: One day we fully expect and hope that print refers solely to 3d printing — as a sign of the technology’s popularity.

THE PERSONALISED PAPER Facebook’s quest to be a personalized newspaper for the Internet age continued on Tuesday with tweaks aimed at making sure members spy hot stories from their friends. Changes to the leading social network’s formula for figuring out which posts will be of interest included “bumping” up potentially intriguing stories that went unnoticed during prior visits to Facebook. Signals weighed in the machine learning algorithm were modified to bump-up a story considered more interesting than fresher material that formerly got priority simply for being newer. A test of the change showed that the number of stories people read in news feeds rose to 70 percent from 57 percent with “bumping,” according to Facebook. News feeds were also modified to take into account the “last actor” a member interacted with and then give that friend’s posts temporary priority since they seem to be up to something interesting.

Amazon Art Amazon unveiled yet another business line Tuesday as it works to expand its appeal: Art. The 19-year online retail juggernaut, which began as a bookseller but now does everything from groceries to patio furniture, launched “Amazon Art” to market works from galleries in Miami, San Francisco, New York and other US cities.

The site showcases more than 40,000 works from over 150 galleries and dealers that run the gamut as far as subject, genre and period are concerned.

Works range from modest canvasses like a $44 cat portrait to Norman Rockwell’s “Willie Gillis: Package from Home,” which retails for $4.85 million.

“From gallery walls to your walls,” boasts the site. “Amazon Art gives galleries a way to bring their passion and expertise about the artists they represent to our millions of customers,” said Peter Faricy, vice president for the Amazon Marketplace.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013

Entertainment CINE BYTES

THE SONG

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KAATAM RAYUDA Charan’s Thoofan dubbing in advanced stages

W

hile watching the rushes of Zanjeer, one will definitely be impressed by Ram Charan’s physique. That does not mean he is staying put. He has already begun work with dubbing for the film in Telugu —Thoofan. It is slated for a release on September 6th. The Telugu version has some slight changes and Yogi has taken care of this.

‘NOT A COPY, BUT A TRIBUTE’ TO FOLKLORE

Thalaiiva faces stiff competition at BO

V

ijay starrer Thalaivaa is all set to hit big-screen this week on August 9. But seems like ti won’t be an easy run for the film as it is set to release with two other films from two different industries. One is Bollywood’s Chennai Express and the other is Attarintiki Daaredhi. This Eid will be a battle for screens.

Ram Gopal Verma praises Pawan Kalyan

W

e all know about how active Ram Gopal Varma’s tweets are bound to incite someone or the other. His latest target is Pawan Kalyan. On Monday he tweeted, “Not since Bal Thackeray did I see such intensity and charisma... commitment in his eyes and honesty in thoughts is what makes Pawan Kalyan.”

H

ere is the song that every Pawan fan is singing since the song became viral. The song that goes as Kaatam Rayuda Kadiri Narasimhudaa....is part of his latest release, Attarintiki Daaredi, which will hit theatres on August 9 . His fans are more than happy, rather ecstatic at the star taking to singing for the film. But no sooner was the song out than the claws came out as well and the next day’s headlines screamed that the song is a copy, some attribute it a 40s’ Sumangali movie song. But fans are not worried. In fact, some of them commented that it was the actor’s love for the state and folkfore that comes through the song and that by doing so he is resurrecting something that lies old and forgotten. Previously the actor has lent his voice to songs in Tammudu, Khushi, Johnny and Panjaa.

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Entertainment WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013

A RUNNING SUCCESS

CINE BYTES

NEW RELEASES FAIL TO KEEP PACE WITH Priyanka pays tribute to cops in a Zanjeer song

B

ollywood actress Priyanka Chopra will be seen in a never before avatar in a special song for her upcoming release Zanjeer which salutes the bravery of Mumbai Police. The song called Mumbai Ke Heroes, is dedicated to the cops. The actress will be seen donning a khaki uniform in the number, a statement issued by the makers said.

PTI

Hrithik’s sincerity has increased: Rakesh

B

ollywood filmmaker Rakesh Roshan feels that his son actor Hrithik has become more honest and sincere towards work over a period of time.

Hrithik was launched in Bollywood in 2000 with Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai, which was directed by his father Rakesh Roshan.

PTI

Imran’s stunts impress Akshay

Three releases came out at the weekend, but none could set the box office afire, while director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, which is in its fourth weekend, continued to be the audience’s favourite.

“R

abba Main Kya Karu, Chor Chor Super Chor and B.A. Pass came out last Friday.

Director Amrit Sagar’s Rabba Main Kya Karu had Arshad Warshi as the star attraction, which talked about marriage and extra marital affairs. Even though Arshad had promised that the movie would be a treat to married men, it failed to impress either married or unmarried folks.

Next in the line was director Ajay Bahl’s B.A. Pass, which starred Shilpa Shukla of Chak De! India

fame and Shadab Kamal.

Made on a budget of about `3.5 crore, it was an erotic drama, but didn’t have enough steam to race ahead and beat Milkha....

According to trade analyst Taran Adarsh’s post on Twitter, among the new releases, B.A. Pass has fared better.

“The word of mouth has been strong, which translated into ample growth over the weekend. Opening weekend is approx `4 crore,” he tweeted.

Commenting upon the success of Bhaag..., Adarsh tweeeted that it crossed the `100 crore mark in its fourth

weekend.

“Emerged the second biggest grosser of 2013 thus far, after YJHD (Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani)... Overall, super hit. Blockbuster in North circuit.” Puneet Sahay of Spice Cinemas told IANS: “There was 70 per cent occupancy, but less takers for the movie on Monday. Rabba Main Kya Karu had only 20 per cent opening.”

Another movie that received cold response from the viewers is director K Rajesh’s offering Chor Chor Super Chor, actor Deepak Dobriyal’s first film as lead actor.

“Chor... had the least

A

buyers. There were hardly 20 to 30 people who watched the film on the first day,” said Sahay.

Rajesh Thadani of Multimedia Combines too gives thumbs up to B.A. Pass. “ This is the best among the three...but I doubt if any of them will be able to move to the next week,” Thadani told IANS. Meanwhile, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag has entered the `100 crore club and Thadani added: “Bhaag Milkha Bhaag has been a landmark movie and I am sure it will hold the position even in the next week.”

IANS

s the younger one among the lot, guess Imran Khan is busy collecting compliments from all involved with his Independence Day release Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Dobaara. If recently it was Rishi Kapoor who found him wonderful in the Tayyab Ali track, it is his macho persona as an action guy which has fetched him some brownie points from none other than the ‘villain’, Akshay Kumar.

IANS

Entertainment WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013

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Entertainment WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013

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Entertainment WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013

HATERS GONNA HATE

CINE BYTES

ZOOEY DESCHANEL

on her haters: 'It's pretty shocking'

Jeremy Renner in fifth Bourne film

A

ctor Jeremy Renner will reprise his role as Aaron Cross in the fifth film in the Bourne franchise. Universal Studios has shown a green signal to another movie in the spy thriller franchise, as they have hired screenwriter Anthony Peckham to pen a script for the movie, reports deadline.com.

IANS

Z

ooey Deschanel is taking on her haters.

The New Girl star spoke with Marie Claire for their September 2013 issue and opened up about the unnecessary hate sent her way on a regular basis. "I became aware that people were criticising the way I speak, which seems weird to me," she tells the magazine. "I speak the way I speak, and I am an intelligent person. Sometimes I lean into California-speak more for entertainment value. It's not that I can't live in a world without the word 'like.'

"My theory is that people in this day and age want to dismiss things. So they want to be able to dismiss you.

They say, 'You don't belong, you don't deserve this because here's why, and let me find an intellectual argument for why you wearing pink or cuff sleeves or a bow makes you not worthy of your accomplishments," she said.

Zayn Malik faces racist attack

S

inger Zayn Malik reportedly faced a racist attack when a song accusing him to be a 9/11 terrorist attack was uploaded online. Malik, member of One Direction band, is born to British Pakistani father Yaser and an English mother. He became a target after a song, Zayn Did 9/11, where the singer's silhouette superimposed over an image of the Sep 11 attacks, released online recently, reports mirror.co.uk.

IANS

Chris Brown sneaks into jail!

C

hris Brown pulled a fast one Monday ... turning himself in at an L.A. jail for his hit-and-run case — a day head of schedule.TMZ has learned ...

Brown showed up at the Van Nuys jail at around 2 pm. We're told his lawyer, Mark Geragos, engineered it all and the purpose was to make it happen without any photographers present.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013

Chai Time

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it.

Albert Einstein

KAKURO

QUICK CROSSWORD

26

SUDOKU How to play kakuro Kakuro is a popular game similar to sudoku in some ways. But is also suitably different. The key question: ‘How do you play kakuro?’, well here are the rules of kakuro. The answer: The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any size. It has rows and columns, and dark cells like in a crossword. And, just like in a crossword, some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some cells will contain two numbers.

However, in a crossword the numbers reference clues. In a kakuro, the numbers are all you get! They denote the total of the digits in the row or column referenced by the number.

Within each collection of cells — called a run — any of the numbers 1 to 9 may be used but, like sudoku, each number may only be used once.

Let’s have an example to explain this concept more clearly: In the image above, which shows a section of a kakuro puzzle, you will see the numbers ‘26’ and ‘14’ in the top row. Look at the 14. This means that the total of the three cells underneath must sum to 14. Therefore 9, 4, 1 could be the answer, or perhaps 7, 4, 3 and so on...

So, how do you work out the actual combination? Well, this is done through elimination and cross-referencing. For instance, as you work out the answers for other kakuro clues, this will naturally limit the valid combinations, and hence the answer for this particular run.

Note the second cell in row two — it contains two numbers, 30 and 11. The 30 refers to the vertical run underneath the number 30 and the 11 refers to the two cells to the right, horizontally, of the number 11.

ACROSS

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

SCRIBBLING PAD

1 Huge water source 4 Bumped, as the bid 9 Bread morsel 14 Mess up 15 Talia of ‘Rocky’ 16 ‘Come on!’

17 Getting tough on crime, for one 20 Home of the Nobel Peace Prize 21 ‘And others,’ in a bibliography 22 Stephen King title word with ‘Things’ 26 Alphorn player’s perch 31 Banned insecticide (Abbr) 32 From scratch 34 Metcalf or Anderson 35 Reach, as a goal 37 Aerated beverage 38 What nuns take 42 Aviation-related prefix 43 Beyond merely forgetful 44 Signal to come 47 Authentic 48 Midori of figure skating 51 Large supply of anything 53 Prison, in slang 55 State flower of Tennessee 57 Powerful energy cartel 58 It’s taken by doctors 65 Bedeck 66 A bouquet has one 67 Greek X 68 Angels’ headpieces 69 Overly sentimental 70 Jane’s former hubby

DOWN

1 Aide in a duel 2 Used the backspace key 3 Band around a sleeve 4 Olympics monogram 5 Sorority letter

6 Pot-bellied pet 7 Coastal flier 8 Perception factor 9 Cactus garden option 10 Virgin Islands export 11 Self-proclaimed psychic Geller 12 ‘And here’s to you, ___ Robinson ...’

13 ‘Bon voyage!’

18 ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’ container 19 Racetrack fence 23 Famed pool shark’s nickname 24 ‘Do ___ others as ...’

25 Toronto Maple ___ (hockey team) 27 Filthy ___ (illicit gain) 28 Bumpy, brisk gait 29 Like a dipstick 30 Shade of green 33 Blade holder 35 Exited dreamland 36 Canonical hour 38 Avoid a collision 39 ‘The Lord of the Rings’ army members 40 Blood sample container 41 First name among jazz legends 42 Lawyer’s org 45 Cheesesteak toppers 46 Cop after dealers 48 Part of an auto accident 49 Cut canines 50 Greenhouse plant 52 Old Italian currency 54 Bellow from Bossy 56 Sister in an Eastwood film 58 ‘Don’t make me laugh!’

59 First lady McKinley 60 Pork-barreler 61 ___ forma 62 Word with ‘seed’ or ‘banana’ 63 Baby-sitter’s nightmare 64 Archipelago part

Chai Time WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013 Thiruvaikumar

STAR POWER for 8-8-2013

27

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

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Avoid luxurious expenses to avoid financial problems.

Drastic changes are likely in your lifestyle. While expressing opinions you need to consider the place and time to avoid being misunderstood. Be cordial with blood relatives.

STRIP TEASE AGNES

Good financial flow will improve your position. Some have a bright chance to buy property. Happy events are likely to take place at home.

Your social status is likely to go upward. Maternal relatives will become more affectionate.

An impartial stand will bring you a good name. You will extend help to blood relatives. Unwanted confusions and apprehensions are likely to upset you.

Consult close friends, well-wishers and elders of the family to avoid such problems.

You need to be cautious before taking up any type of assignment to avoid trouble. However, help from relatives and brothers will help you at the right time. House maintenance works are to be done in time.

Avoid making new friends.

You will make surprising strides in your life, which will make others jealous. However, their efforts to create trouble for you will be unsuccessful. You are advised to stay away from social work to safeguard your name. Avoid eating outside food.

You will plan and renovate your house. Children might feel confused and your guidance will help. You will get promising opportunities, which will improve your life comforts. Your involvement and shrewdness will bring desired results.

Your creative thoughts are likely to take shape and get implemented. Misunderstandings with some close relatives will end. Your suggestions will be accepted by everyone in the family and by friends. Children will co-operate with you.

House maintenance expenses will increase. A long-pending work will get completed, which will bring cheer to you and family. Enemies will be nowhere as you will gain an upper hand.

You will be straightforward in your actions and plans.

Vehicle might trouble you. You will fulfil all needs of family members. You will be upset over some irresponsible comments of friends and relatives. Though your talks are matured and acceptable, avoid talking in unwanted occasions.

TAROT READ

Sumaa Tekur

tarotreadhyd@gmail. com

ARIES:

GEMINI:

Knight of Cups – You will be going on a leisure trip during which time there will be a chance to pick up new skills and gain knowledge in a new, unfamiliar area.

LEO:

Ten of Cups – There will be a positive response to a suggestion you have recently made. Your submission will be discussed at great length and action will be taken.

LIBRA:

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE

Five of Swords – Put things in the larger context and learn to deal with uncertainty. The best way is to simply wait and watch to see what happens next.

SAGITTARIUS:

The Fool – You are full of energy and the happenings in the next few days will pump you up with more energy. You are raring to go in a new assignment.

TAURUS:

Nine of Cups – An old movie or book will bring back memories you thought were long lost.

This mood of nostalgia will take you down a very pleasant memory lane.

CANCER:

Two of Swords – You have some great ideas but it is the execution that matters a lot. There will be opportunities to try new things. Be brave and march ahead.

VIRGO:

The Magician – Be cautious when you go out shopping.

Look for cheap deals online and see where you can cut corners. This will add to your overall savings.

SCORPIO:

The High Priestess – Expect change. It is not anything you cannot handle. But the mere process of change itself is causing you some stress. Learn to relax.

CAPRICORN:

Six of Cups – You gain a new perspective by spending time at intellectual places like libraries and bookstores. Your mind has to be open to new ideas.

PREVIOUS SOLUTIONS

PISCES:

Page of Wands – You may have misunderstood something, or plain bad luck will make you overlook something and goof up.

You need to correct it immediately.

NUMBER GAME

Wands – Take some time out to review your current situation. Do what it takes to make the necessary changes.

No need to be afraid of change.

SCRABBLE

AQUARIUS: Eight of

POOCH CAFE

Be careful while driving as a minor accident is not ruled out.

Avoid adopting a luxurious lifestyle, and control expenses to avoid future trouble. New efforts will face delay in the execution stage. Younger blood relatives will extend help.

for 8-8-2013

Queen of Wands – Elders within your family will raise objection to something you have done or said. They may not be wrong, but you’re not wrong either.

NON SEQUITUR

Avoid interfering in others’ personal issues. Also, avoid talking about resolved issues again and again with blood relatives.

Be careful while driving and undertaking a journey as a minor injury is not ruled out.

Change of residence is likely.

SUDUKO

Good effects are going to pour.

Comforts will increase with regard to house and vehicle.

Younger brothers will improve with their work. Son will get a career opportunity and study while working. Profit is likely from ancestral property.

Boggle LION LYNX TIGER COUGAR PANTHER Vol: 3, No 18 RNI No: APENG/2011/39337 Published for the proprietors, Scribble Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, by V Harshavardhan Reddy, at #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500033 and printed by him at Jagati Publications Ltd, Plot No D-75&E-52, APIE Industrial Estate, Balanagar, Ranga Reddy Dist, Hyderabad – 500037, Editor: Dean Williams – Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. For feedback, please write to: feedback@postnoon. com and for subscription, please call 040-4067 2222, Fax: 040-4067 2211

28

Entertainment WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013

IN THE RUNNING

CINE BYTES

RYAN GOSLING

A

ctor Ryan Gosling is reportedly in the running for the role of Batman in the Man of Steel sequel. The Notebook actor is reportedly a hot contender to take on the role of Bruce Wayne in Zach Snyder’s new project, Batman vs. Superman.

Wayne/Batman will be in the late 30s or around the 40 mark. He will be established and rugged. This new movie will not seek to recount an origin story or

the rise of the Dark Knight, reports hollywoodreporter.com.

The other actors that have been approached includes Josh Brolin and Joe Manganiello, followed by British actor Matthew Goode, 35.

Meanwhile, The Hobbit actor Richard Armitage and Pacific Rim star Max Martini have equally been named as contenders.

The movie is set to begin production in 2014 with a 2015 release date.

IANS

Simon wants Lauren’s divorce settled

M

usic Mogul Simon Cowell has reportedly asked partner Lauren Silverman to settle divorce with her estranged husband Andrew Silverman. The news that Lauren is expecting Simon’s child while still being married to Andrew, messed up the situation for her.

IANS

I’m not a party girl, Miley Cyrus justifies

T

he 20-year-old, who came into limelight with ger show Hannah Montana, has belted out songs like When I look at you, and Stay in her career, but she is unhappy with the way she is perceived, reports dailymail.co.uk.

“People have this misconception of me that I’m just one of these kids on TV and that now I go off and party and I’m just this ratchet white girl, and I’m not,” Cyrus said.

IANS

Hudgens teaming up with vampires?

V

anessa Hudgens is on a roll.

After scrapping her Disney image this year for Haromy Korine, the Spring Breakers star is reportedly in talks to join the cast of The Kitchen Sink, a blacklist script about an alien invasion, and the smalltown teenagers who have to join forces with vampires and zombies to defeat the unwelcome visitors.

to play Batman in Man of Steel sequel?

sports

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MOSCOW

Mo to lead British charge Mo Farah will lead Britain’s bid for World Championships glory as the star of one of the strongest teams ever to represent the United Kingdom.

STEVEN GRIFFITHS Agence France-Presse LONDON: Mo Farah (in pic) will lead Britain’s bid for World Championships glory as the star of one of the strongest teams ever to represent the United Kingdom, according to UK Athletics performance director Neil Black.

Farah will start his World Championship campaign in Moscow on Saturday by trying to win the 10,000 metres title that eluded him in Daegu two years ago when he was beaten

by Ethiopian’s Ibrahim Jeilan in a tense sprint finish.

Farah will then return to the Luzhniki Stadium, scene of the 1980 Olympic triumphs of legendary Britons Allan Wells, Sebastian Coe, Steve Ovett and Daley Thompson, to defend his world 5,000m title.

If he were to win both,

NBA Rose return to highlight opening night NEW YORK CITY: The return of Chicago star Derrick Rose will highlight the opening night of the NBA 20132014 season, with the Bulls taking on the champion Miami Heat on October 29.

It’s one of three games on the slate for the league’s opening night, according to the full regular-season schedule unveiled on Tuesday.

Rose missed the entire 2012-13 campaign while recovering from knee surgery and was on the sideline when the Heat eliminated the Bulls in the second round of the playoffs en route to their second straight title.

The Indiana Pacers will host the Orlando Magic on the opening night undercard, and the third game will be a Los Angeles derby between the Lakers and Clippers. This year marks the first time the NBA will stage regular-season games in two countries outside of the United States and Canada in the same season.

titles in the Olympic Stadium last year, but another double in Moscow would make him only the second man in history, after Kenenisa Bekele, to hold Olympic and world crowns in the 5,000m and 10,000m at the

Farah will start his World Championship campaign in Moscow by trying to win the 10,000 metres title that eluded him in Daegu two years ago. repeating his epic 5,000m and 10,000m double at last year’s Olympics, it would etch Farah’s name in the pantheon of longdistance running legends.

Farah’s status as Britain’s greatest distance runner was cemented when he claimed his two

same time. Black believes Farah’s history bid could be the crowning glory for a British team he rates as even stronger than the group that enjoyed so much success at the London Games 12 months ago.

“We are without question,

genuinely, in a better position going into the world championships than we were before London 2012," Black said.

“We are better prepared. We are more focused. And we are even more excited in the potential that will come from this competition. The sense of keenness is greater. As is the overall focus and preparation. People have learnt from some of the mistakes they have made."

Black believes some British athletes have structured their season better to ensure they peak at Moscow. “To our surprise one of the things we learnt from last year was that there were a few people who didn’t have that real focus, that real preparation, that real planning for the Olympics," Black said.

“There were also a number of athletes who were in transition in terms of changes in their lives.

Kenya prepare without Rudisha NAIROBI: Kenya is playing down the absence of 800m star David Rudisha at the upcoming World Championships in Moscow, a year after heartbreak at poor performances at the London Olympics. Officials say the enforced absence through injury of the Olympic and world champion — and two other key athletes — will not have a serious impact on the country’s medal hopes.

The Kenyans travel to Moscow with a depleted line-up after three gold medallists from Daegu two years ago, including Rudisha, were forced to withdraw from the August 10-18 event.

Kenyan head coach Sammy Rono accepted that it could be difficult to repeat the success of 2011, when Kenya scooped 17 medals, including seven golds.

“It is going to be tricky. We are already minus the three gold medallists, Vivian Cheruiyot, who won both the 5,000m and 10,000m, and Abel Kirui, the two-time marathon champion, and now Rudisha," he said. AFP

AMERICA’S CUP

Luna Rossa edge Artemis SAN FRANCISCO: Italy’s Luna Rossa kicked off the America’s Cup challenger series semi-finals on Tuesday with a victory over a game Artemis in the Swedish team’s belated debut in the event.

Skipper Max Sirena and the Luna Rossa crew won the 15.83nautical-mile race on San Francisco Bay by two minutes in winds that averaged 16 knots.

For Artemis, just making it to the start line was a triumph.

The team suffered a devastating setback in May when their first AC72 catamaran capsized and broke apart in training.

British crewman Andrew Simpson died in the accident.

Since then Artemis have been working feverishly to get their second AC72, dubbed “Big Blue” for its striking navy blue hulls, ready to race. They missed the round-robin stage, in which Emirates Team New Zealand defeated Luna Rossa to advance to the challenger finals, and Tuesday marked just their ninth day in their new boat, as opposed to the 80th day of practice or racing for Luna Rossa.

Nevertheless, Artemis helmsman Nathan Outteridge won the start and led around the first

Italy’s Luna Rossa Challenge races against Sweden’s Artemis Racing during a Louis Vuitton Cup semifinals match on Saturday, in San Francisco. Artemis, sailing its first race since a May 9 capsize killed crewman Andrew “Bart” Simpson, lost to the Italian team by just under two minutes.

AFP/NOAH BERGER

mark. “We’re really, really pumped in Artemis Racing and super proud," said skipper Iain Percy.

“To think that one week after launching we’d be sailing around the racecourse in 20 knots is beyond my wildest imagination.

All the team support boats came over after the race and were cheering and clapping."

Luna Rossa were dismayed to see shortly before the start that

the plastic film on the massive wing sail, known as Clysar, was peeling off the frame.

Bowman Nick Hutton fixed the issue with some tape, but the team had to keep an eye on the situation all day.

“Obviously, we’re happy to have the point, but I’m not happy with what happened to the wing because it’s something we should avoid at this level,"

Sirena said.

“But it’s been a good day for us. I think we took some pressure off of us and for sure tomorrow we’ll sail better than today. Touch wood, we’ll have no problems."

Artemis’ lack of experience showed when soon after rounding the mark they jibed to port and came off the hydrofoils that lift the twin hulls out of the water.

AFP

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013

ROGERS CUP

MONTREAL MASTERS

Flipkens ousts Venus in first round

TORONTO: Wimbledon semifinalist Kirsten Flipkens shook off a slow start to beat Venus Williams 0-6, 6-4, 6-2 on Tuesday at the Rogers Cup, spoiling the seven-time Grand Slam champion’s return from injury.

Williams, sidelined by a lower back injury since her firstround French Open exit in May, was quick out of the blocks, pocketing the first set in half an hour. Flipkens leveled the match with a break in the 10th game of the second frame, and once the 13th-seeded Belgian had forced the third set it was Williams who couldn’t keep pace.

Flipkens, who has been nursing a right knee injury herself and hadn’t played since falling in the Wimbledon semis to eventual champion Marion Bartoli, raced to a 5-0 lead in the third before Williams managed to hold serve.

Flipkens then surrendered a break, but broke Williams to seal the win and book a secondround match in Toronto with Dutch qualifier Kiki Bertens.

Williams said the ease with which she won the first set may

Kirsten Flipkens shook off a slow start to beat Venus Williams 0-6, 6-4, 6-2, spoiling the seventime GS champion’s return from injury.

Venus Williams of the USA grimaces after missing a shot during her match against Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium during the Rogers Cup on Saturday.

AFP/ANDY LYONS

actually have hurt her.

“I wasn’t expecting to play that well in the first set, so I think in the second I just didn’t handle it well," Williams said. “Then I got down in the third... I didn’t make the best choices out there all

the time." Williams said she had only started practicing her serve more in the last week, and she expects it to improve before the US Open begins later this month.

“Definitely today my service games I didn’t feel like myself, because usually I step up to the line, I go for it a lot. I didn’t really feel like I could do that today," said Williams, who also praised Flipkens for hanging in.

“She definitely showed a lot of resilience by fighting back," Williams said. “It’s never easy to lose a 6-0 set and come back."

Dominika Cibulkova became the first player to reach the third round shaking off a dismal firstset tiebreaker to upset Angelique Kerber 6-7 (0/7), 6-2, 7-5.

AFP

Djokovic has it easy MONTREAL: Novak Djokovic (above) returned to competition after a post-Wimbledon pause on Tuesday and coasted into the third round at the ATP Montreal Masters.

The Serb world number one easily defeated Florian Mayer 6-2, 6-1, then proceeded to dance with a tennis ball mascot with choreography he said he and friends worked out last month on holiday in Croatia.

Mayer double-faulted to lose the 29-minute opening set and never made an impression on the top seed.

“After a month off I didn’t know what to expect," said Djokovic, who lost the Wimbledon final to Andy Murray.

“I was extra careful against a tough opponent. I’m keeping

my mind-set of step-by-step, one match at a time.

“I needed extra commitment from the start and everything went well on court. I’m looking forward going into the US Open even if I’m defending a lot of points — it’s not the first time for that." Djokovic, champion in 2007, 2011 and 2012, won his 11th straight match in Canada and stretched is career lead over Mayer to 5-0.

He now stands 40-6 on the season as he seeks his 15th career Masters 1000 trophy.

It was an historic days for locals, with four first-round victories insuring a recordequalling five Canadians in the second round. The last time that happened was 1972, when some had byes.

AFP

PGA CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW Tiger Woods of the United States plays a bunker shot during a practice round prior to the start of the 95th PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club on Saturday in Rochester, New York. AFP/STUART FRANKLIN

ALL EYES ON TIGER

JIM SLATER Agence France-Presse

ROCHESTER: World number one Tiger Woods tries to snap a five-year major win drought and claim his 80th career title starting Thursday in the 95th PGA Championship at formidable Oak Hill.

Woods, a 14-time major champion chasing the all-time record 18 major titles won by Jack Nicklaus, served notice he is on form with a seven-stroke triumph at last week’s World G o l f Championships event at Firestone, giving him five victories t h i s year.

“I feel good. I’m very

pleased with where my game is at," said Woods, who shared sixth at the British Open three weeks ago at Muirfield.

Second-ranked Phil Mickelson, whose fifth major triumph at the British Open came a week after a Scottish Open win, Masters champion Adam Scott of Australia, US Open champion Justin Rose of England and countryman Lee Westwood, a Muirfield contender until the final holes, also figure to be in the hunt for the top prize of $1.445 million at the $8 million event.

But they also appreciate how dangerous Woods can be with confidence and the hunger for a first major title since the 2008 US Open.

“Tiger is a factor no matter what," Scott said. “He has been up there in majors recently and just has not finished it off. But obviously he put it all together last week. He’s going to be feeling good about where his game is at. I’m just worried about getting my own golf ball around the course."

“Having him back, having

him play well, having him win like he has won this year is great for golf. He is playing solid and played great last week," Mickelson said.

“It’s also great for the game to see guys like Adam Scott and Justin Rose come out and win major championships.

Tiger Woods tries to snap a five-year major win drought and claim his 80th career title starting in the 95th PGA Championship.

That just makes it exciting because we have a number of players that can really create a lot of interest."

And they have a course that can create plenty of danger.Oak Hill has hosted two prior PGA Championships, three US Opens and the 1995 Ryder Cup, and the par-70 layout has been expanded to 7,163 yards.

Ben Hogan set the course record of 64 in 1942 and Curtis

Strange matched it in the 1989 US Open. Nicklaus fired Oak Hill’s low 72-hole total of sixunder 274 in winning the 1980 PGA Championship.

“The scores are going to be really good," Mickelson predicted. “You are going to have a great discrepancy in the scores. If you play well you can make birdies. If you hit it poorly you are going to be severely penalized with thick rough.

“The course is a fair, difficult test that you want without going over the edge and without trying to protect par. It’s just the perfect fair test. It’s one of the best setups that I’ve ever seen for that."

The rough is thick and tall but graduated off the fairways, a boon on some of the sloped fairways Oak Hill offers.

“It’s imperative to hit the ball in the fairways and on the greens because it’s going to be tough to get up and down," Woods said. “This is one of those courses where you have just got to bring it ball-striking-wise. You’ve got to hit the ball well."

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31

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013

ASHES

TOUR OF ZIMBABWE

England a worried and vulnerable side: Border Allan Border cranked up the pressure on England ahead of the fourth Test, saying Alastair Cook’s team appeared vulnerable and worried.

SYDNEY: Former Australia captain Allan Border on Wednesday cranked up the pressure on England ahead of the fourth Ashes Test, saying Alastair Cook’s team appeared vulnerable and worried.

The tourists’ hopes of regaining the famous urn were washed away by a rain-affected third Test draw at Old Trafford that concluded Monday and gave Ashes-holders England an unassailable 2-0 lead with two to play.

But after losing the first two Tests, Australia’s performance at Manchester was much better with their batting finally firing, in contrast to England’s.

After the second Test at Lord’s, Border, known as “Captain Grumpy”, slammed Australia’s top three as “embarrassing” while telling Shane Watson to sort himself out, but he has had a change of heart.

“What a difference two weeks can make. In the space of 14 days, my perception and gutfeel about this Australian side has changed,” said Border, who captained the side 93 times as it rebuilt in the mid-1980s, laying the foundations for a long period of dominance.

“England has retained the

Oz keen to exploit England ‘cracks’ MANCHESTER: Australia coach Darren Lehmann believes his side have exposed some “cracks” in England’s top-order batting which they will look to widen before the end of this Ashes series. The tourists’ hopes of regaining the urn were washed away by a rain-affected third Test draw at Old Trafford concluded Monday which left Ash-

es-holders England an unassailable 2-0 up with two to play. But a much improved display at Old Trafford saw Australia make a first innings score of 527 for seven declared, which included captain Michael Clarke’s superb 187, after they’d been bowled out for just 128 first time around in a crushing 347-run second Test defeat at Lord’s.

AFP

Ashes and well done to them, but the performance of this largely inexperienced Australian team has filled me with confidence.”

Border, who played 156 Tests scoring 11,174 runs, said it looked like Australia had “drawn their own line in the sand” at Old Trafford, in much the same way Australia did during the 1986-87 series.

Border’s Australians lost that series 2-1 but won the World Cup in 1987 before starting 16 years of Ashes domination in 1989. “They showed real fight and England are worried,” he said in a comment piece on the Cricket Australia website.

“The Poms were playing catch-up cricket from day one, going slow with over rates and doing everything they could to negate our chances of winning.

At the end of the day rain saved England - it’s as simple as that.

“The way this side is going over the next few months, look out. Australia has the momentum. Old Trafford proved England is vulnerable,” he added. “Australia has broken the spell (Jimmy) Anderson and (Graeme) Swann had over them, playing Cook’s two go-to men with more assurance.

AFP

Manzoor recalled by Pakistan

KARACHI: Pakistan opener Khurram Manzoor was recalled to the Test squad announced Tuesday for the tour of Zimbabwe later this month, but there was no room in the squad for giant paceman Mohammad Irfan.

The 27-year-old Manzoor was surprisingly dropped after scoring a brilliant 77 in the last of his seven Tests, against Australia in 2010. He failed to break into the national team despite scoring heavily in domestic matches.

Manzoor replaces lefthander Nasir Jamshed, who managed just 51 runs in Pakistan’s 3-0 whitewash against world number one Test team South Africa in the away series earlier this year.

Pakistan will open the tour with two Twenty20 internationals in Harare on August 23 and 24 before playing three one-day internationals on August 27, 29 and 31 — all in Harare.

The first Test starts in Harare on September 3 while the second Test opens in Bulawayo on September 10.

Irfan, the tallest man ever to play international cricket at seven feet one inch, will be part of the one-day and Twenty20 teams but will not feature in Tests.

The aim is to keep him fresh for the series against South Africa in the United Arab Emirates later in the year. AFP

SOUTH AFRICA’S TOUR OF SRI LANKA SCORECARD

South Africa: Davids lbw b Kulasekara 0 Q de Kock lbw b Mendis 16 F du Plessis b Lakmal 85 JP Duminy not out 51 AB de Villiers not out 1 Extras: (lb1, w9) 10 Total (for 3 wickets, 20 overs) 163 Bowling: Kulasekara 4-0-37-1, Lakmal 4-0-29-1, Senanayake 40-20-0, T Perera 1-0-10-0, Mendis 4-0-31-1, Mathews 1-014-0, Dilshan 2-0-21-0 Sri Lanka: Dilshan not out 74 Jayawardene c de Villiers b Parnell 33 Perera c Parnell b Wiese 1 Chandimal st de Kock b Tahir 14 Mathews b Wiese 14 Perera not out 25 Extras: (lb1, w1, nb1) 3 Total (for 4 wickets, 18.1 overs) 164 Bowling: Tsotsobe 4-0-49-0, Morkel 3.1-0-33-0, Parnell 3-037-1, Tahir 4-0-20-1, Wiese 4-0-24-2

Lions ride on Dilshan blitz

HAMBANTOTA: Tillakaratne Dilshan smashed an unbeaten 74 off 51 balls as Sri Lanka defeated South Africa by six wickets in the final Twenty20 game Tuesday to retain their number one ranking in the short format.

The hosts, already down 0-2 in the series, launched a spirited chase of South Africa’s challenging 163-3 to win the day-night game in Hambantota with 11 balls to spare. South Africa won the series 2-1, making amends for the 1-4 defeat in the preceding one-dayers on the tour.

But Tuesday’s victory was crucial for Sri Lanka, who would have slipped to number three in the T20 rankings behind Pakistan and South Africa had they been whitewashed 3-0.

Dilshan brought up the thrilling win off the first ball of

the 19th over, lofting Morne Morkel for his second six. He also hit nine boundaries.

Former captain Mahela Jayawardene hit a quickfire 33 in an opening stand of 67 off 35 balls with Dilshan to help Sri Lanka make a rollicking start.

The hosts were 123-4 in the 16th over when Thisara Perera (25 not out) put on a match-winning stand of 41 with Dilshan for the fifth wicket. With 27 runs needed off the final 18 balls, the big-hitting Perera took 21 runs from the 18th over bowled by Wayne Parnell, including three fours and a six, to ease the pressure.

“It was not an easy target to chase, but the start I got with Mahela helped,” said Dilshan, who was named man of the match.

“After that, I knew we could

Sri Lanka’s Tillakaratne Dilshan plays a shot during the third T20 match against South Africa on Tuesday.

AFP/LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI

pass that total. It was important not to panic, but Thisara made the job easier. We may have lost the series, but it feels good to win

this game.”

Faf Du Plessis said the series win will boost his team ahead of next year’s World Twenty20. AFP

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013

sports

MESSI, RONALDO, RIBERY CONTEST UEFA PRIZE

Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Franck Ribery will contest the title of Best Player in Europe when journalists across the continent cast their vote on August 29, UEFA said on Tuesday. The three emerged on the shortlist after a second preliminary vote whittled down an interim 10-strong list.

LIGUE 1

Monaco back with a bang As the new Ligue 1 season gets underway from Friday, Monaco look like a team which has a good chance of dominating the tournament.

ANDY SCOTT Agence France-Presse PARIS: The new Ligue 1 season gets underway on Friday after a summer dominated by behindthe-scenes turbulence at champions Paris Saint-Germain and the return of Monaco as a major force.

After winning their third league title in May, PSG saw coach Carlo Ancelotti leave for Real Madrid before influential sporting director Leonardo stood down after being banned for 14 months for pushing a referee.

Having missed out on numerous higher-profile names to replace Ancelotti, including Fabio Capello and Andre VillasBoas, the capital club settled for former Bordeaux and France coach Laurent Blanc.

“Laurent Blanc is the best choice for us. He was one of our priorities,” said PSG’s Qatari president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, convincing few in the process.

However, Blanc has won Ligue 1 before, with Bordeaux in 2009, so he has the credentials to get the best out of a squad that has been further strengthened by the summer signings of Lucas Digne, Marquinhos and Edinson Cavani for a combined total of 114 million euros (US$152m).

Uruguay star Cavani, the top scorer in Serie A last season with Napoli, cost 64 million

In this file photo, Monaco’s Andrea Raggi (C) is congratulated by teammates after scoring during the friendly AFP/JEAN CHRISTOPHE MAGNENET match against Tottenham, on August 3 at the Louis II stadium in Monaco.

euros, a fee that broke the French transfer record set just weeks previously by Monaco’s signing of Radamel Falcao from Atletico Madrid for 60 million euros.

The presence of Cavani and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in attack

combined with Thiago Silva in defence means PSG are the favourites to retain the title but Monaco, without the distraction of European football, will hope to push them hard.

The principality club are back in the top flight as Ligue 2

champions, and the backing of Russian billionaire owner Dimitri Rybolovlev has allowed them to spend almost 150 million euros on the likes of Falcao, Porto duo James Rodriguez and Joao Moutinho, Eric Abidal and Jeremy Toulalan.

32

CLAUSE IN CONTRACT

Suarez pleas for Liverpool to let him go LONDON: Liverpool’s Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez has accused the club of not honouring a clause in his contract which would let him leave Anfield, in comments published in Wednesday’s Guardian. Suarez repeated his desire to join a club in the Champions League and said that Liverpool had gone back on an agreement written into his contract, signed last August, which obliges them to sell to any club offering more than £40 million.

“Last year I had the opportunity to move to a big European club and I stayed on the understanding that if we failed to qualify for the Champions League the following season I’d be allowed to go,” he told the paper. “Now all I want is for Liverpool to honour our agreement.”

Arsenal are reported to have bid £40,000,001 for him in a bid to trigger the release agreement. Liverpool maintain the clause only obliges them to negotiate with clubs offering more than £40 million, but Suarez disagrees.

“I have the club’s word and we have the written contract and we are happy to take this to the Premier League for them to decide the case but I do not want it to come to that,” he told the Guardian.

TRANSFER WOES

‘Spurs can’t force Bale to stay’

LONDON: Real Madrid were given renewed hope in their pursuit of Tottenham Hotspur winger Gareth Bale on Tuesday when a Spurs director admitted they cannot hold onto him against his will.

Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said last week that his club were in talks with Tottenham over Bale’s transfer but Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas says the former Southampton player is not for sale.

However, although club director Keith Mills says Spurs “very much want Bale to stay”, he accepts that the London side cannot force the player to remain at White Hart Lane against his wishes.

“If a player is desperate to leave, it’s very difficult to force him to stay,” Mills told London’s Evening Standard newspaper.

“We’ve seen it in other clubs. Even if he has a contract, you can’t force somebody to

Tottenham’s Gareth Bale leaves Tottenham’s training ground on AFP/CARL COURT Tuesday.

play for you.”

Bale, 24, reported for training on Tuesday morning, despite reports in the Spanish media that he would go on strike in a bid to force through a move to the Spanish capital.

The Wales international was driven into Spurs’ training complex in Enfield, north London at around 10:30 am local time (0930 GMT).

Bale missed Spurs’ 5-2 friendly loss to Monaco at the weekend due to a foot problem

and has not played for the club since a 1-1 draw against Swindon Town on July 16.

He was unable to take part in the pre-season tour of Hong Kong because of a buttock injury.

Bale scored 26 goals for Spurs last season and was voted the Professional Football Association (PFA) Player of the Year, the PFA Young Player of the Year and the Football Writers’ Association (FWA) Footballer of the Year.