Postnoon E-Paper for May 11th 2013 by Scribble Media & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

PEDIGREE DOGS OR MONEY-MINTING MACHINES?

here are very few who would refuse if given a puppy as a gift. One would surely welcome it with open arms. We hardly think back or try to find out where the puppy came from or how it was bred. Especially in the case of pedigree dogs, these puppies come from different puppy ‘mills’ where breeders, taking them for money-minting machines, breed them under horrific conditions. For these breeders, it is more like a road to riches where all the work is done by the dogs and they get to sell off the litters for an exorbitant amount. PG 13 WWW.POSTNOON.COM

WEATHER: A MIX OF CLOUDY AND CLEAR SKIES; 38°C

MAY 11, 2013 HYDERABAD

AN ABUSIVE

HUSBAND,

THE WIFE

WHO KILLED HIM, AND HOW

A BEACON

OF HOPE FOR

WOMEN WAS LIT REPORT ON PG 4

Hyderabad’s first compact afternoon newspaper

32 PAGES

ON SATURDAY

PAGE TWO SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2013

A BUMPY RIDE

Dance dance Dance workshop by Twist N Turns Fitness & Dance Studio. Where: Twist N Turns Fitness & Dance Studio, Ranigunj When: Till May 11, 10 am

Fans galore Sunrisers fans meet-up will be held. Where: Rush Sports Cafe & Bar, Madhapur When: May 13, 8 pm

Children spotted riding camels in the old city on Friday.

Budding artists

Spirit of Summer

Mother’s day out

Drawing classes for children are on. Where: Swamy Vivekananda Institute Of Human Excellence, Tankbund When: Till May 11, 4 pm to 5 pm

A contemporary jazz workshop. Where: Rang Manch, Himayathnagar When: Till June 1, 8 am to 9 am

Along with a gala brunch spread,plan a perfect day for mothers filled with activities like mehendi, bangle making, foot massage and salsa class. Where: The Square, Novotel When: May 12.

Magic of dance

Listening post

Kuchipudi dance workshop by Veena Ganesh will be conducted. Where: Our Sacred Space, Secunderabad When: May 10 to May 12, From 5 pm

Western classical Beatles and Jazz will be conducted. Where: Lamakaan, Banjara Hills When: May 12, 4 pm to 5.30 pm

A musical voyage Raahie, a musical show will be staged. Where: Hard Rock Cafe, GVK 1, Banjara Hills When: May 16, 9 pm

The Signature Paintings and poetry by artist Samiran Dhar are on display. Where: ICONART Gallery, Banjara Hills When: Till May 11

Women empowered Coffee session with Yudhajit Baul (Martial Arts Specialist). Where: Anavila, Banjara Hills When: May 12, 5 pm

Music to serve a cause

Drawing classes for children are on. Where: Swamy Vivekananda Institute Of Human Excellence, Tankbund When: Till May 11, 4 pm to 5 pm

Junior masterchef

Expert talk

Play pursuits Children’s theatre workshop by Samahaara. Where: Lamakaan, Banjara Hills When: Till June 1, 5 pm to 7 pm

CINEMAS

Fisher-price will convert Mother’s Day message into a special song. Where: Inorbit Mall, Madhapur When: May 11 and 12.

Perfect gift for mother Mother’s day special collection by Global Desi, AND and Shoppers Stop. When: May 12.

Budding artists

Karuna, musical concert dedicated to kids with HIV. Concert will feature singer Usha Uthup and others. Where: HITEX, Madhapur When: May 17, 5.30 pm Junior Gourmet is on. Where: The Park Hyderabad When: Till May 17, 10 am

Show your love

Goethe-Zentrum Hyderabad and Birdwatchers Society of Andhra Pradesh present expert talk by Pankaj Sekhsaria on the post December 2004 ecological scenario in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Where: Goethe-Zentrum When: May 16, 6 pm

Big Cinemas, Ameerpet, 30581470; Cinemax, Banjara Hills, 44565555; Cine Planet , Kompally, 61606060; INOX, Banjara Hills, 447677770, Prasads, Tank Bund Rd, 23448888; PVR, Punjagutta, 08800900009; Talkie Town, Miyapur, 40214175; Tivoli, Secunderabad 27844973

CITY SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2013

Kadiyam quits TDP

Youth found murdered

enior TDP leader and former minister Kadiyam Srihari quit the party expressing his displeasure over several issues following a meeting with his supporters in Warangal on Saturday. The dominant SC leader who held several portfolios as minister during the TDP regime announced that he was resigning from the party by protesting the attitude of the party high command especially Naidu over the separate Telangana statehood issue.

Foetus found in drain

23-year-old man was found murdered in a pool of blood near IDPL Lake Vivekanandanagar colony in Kukatpally. The victim has been identified as C Venkatesh and was eking out livelihood as a soft drink seller. Kukatpally police booked a case and took up investigation.

alaknuma police found remains of a fortnight-old fetus near a drainage pit at Sanjay Gandhi nagar in Old City on Friday. The passersby found it when the stray dogs were trying to maul it which was wrapped in a white towel. Police sent the fetus for post-mortem in Osmania Hospital. A case was registered and investigation is on.

CVC delays action against babus It is the absolute lack of conviction or interest with which cases are taken up, even for prosecution, as is evident with the status of 19 cases that are pending for four months. free of control from any executive authority.

HOW

DOES THE WORK ?

RAHUL RAMAKRISHNA

rahul.r@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: What ails the Indian prosecution system? It is the absolute lack of conviction or interest with which cases are taken up, even for prosecution. As is evident with the status of 19 cases that are kept pending with the Central Vigilance Commission for four months, involving 27 officials of the Government of India. AP’s contribution to this list is six officials who caught for alleged corrupt practices. Central Vigilance Commission is the designated agency responsible for handling any written complaints against officials indulging in corrupt practices and this Commission is an apex body that is

CVC

Many investigating agencies include CBI, on receiving a complaint against a government official; seek CVC’s permission to prosecute the accused. The Supreme Court had expressed through its judgement in the case of Vineet Narain and others versus Union of India in 1997 that CVC must grant permission to prosecute accused within three months. CVC can extend the time limit by a month if it needs to consult the attorney general or any other law officer. But in the current scenario, it is obvious that the government is not paying any heed to the SC’s judgements.

ACCUSED

OFFICIALS IN

Among the six

names that figured out in the list of accused yet to be prosecuted, the most prominent among them was former IAS officer, prime accused in the Emaar land deal case. He is alleged to have made illegal land allotments under the guise of developing IT parks in Hyderabad in his capacity as the Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC), which incurred a loss of hundreds of crores of rupees to the exchequer. He is currently awaiting bail from a special court. Another IAS officer, LV Subrahmanyam, who headed the APIIC prior to Acharya, was named as the tenth accused by CBI in its chargesheet pertaining to Emaar properties land deal scam. Former princi-

pal secretary to AP State Housing Corporation Manmohan Singh and is working as special chief secretary for environment, forest and science and technology, M Samuel was also named in the CVC’s list of cases awaiting prosecution. Former chairman of Vishakapatnam Urban Development Authority (VUDA), G Venkatram Reddy is accused of allotting land to Ramky pharma group for the benefit of YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. CBI named him as fifth accused in the third chargesheet of Emaar scam.

DELAY IN PROSE CUTION

In what could be a clear case of not ‘letting the law take its course’, the Central Vigilance Commission lies helpless in prosecuting the

accused. Several calls for superintendence of the CVC above the CBI have been made, but the Central and the State governments are yet to respond to this suggestion. In the past, Central Vigilance Commissioner Pradeep Kumar admitted that delay in prosecution of cases was a major problem and a hindrance for the functioning of the commission. to cover up the cases and thereby dragging the sanctions.

C ASES

FOR PROSECUTION

Apart from AP’s IAS officers, others such as Abrahum Varickamakkal, Selvaraj PB from Arunachal Pradesh-GoaMizoram union territories cadre and Manoj Kumar Agarwal of the West Bengal cadre await prosecution for over two years. The case of MK Jain, currently working as general manager of Industrial Development Bank of India has been awaiting prosecution since three years, the longest pending case from May 2010. The ministry of defence is yet to decide on Milind Desai, Lt Colonel (BRO) and Ashish Chinappa, Engineer in-charge embroiled in charges of corruption.

TDP GEARS UP FOR MAHANDU Inkeshaf Ahmed

Ahmed.m@postnoon.com

HYDERABAD: After the recordbreaking Padayatra(walkathon) by TDP chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu, the party cadres are gearing up to hold annual conference Mahanadu, the last major event by the party before testing their luck in the ensuing elections. The party decided to hold the conference in Hyderabad on May 27 and 28. The Mahanadu is intended to instil confidence

among the activists and to chalk out an action plan with the sole objective of winning the General Elections. In a recent meeting chaired by Chandrababu Naidu had decided to organize the event in grandeur. Following the directions of the party president, the party top leadership immediately sprung into action and constituted 16 committees. These committees were entrusted with various tasks like inviting party workers and leaders, drafting

resolutions, mobilising resources, accommodating participants, cultural events and blood donation. The party had also decided to adopt 10 resolutions during the Mahanadu. Many of these resolutions include problems being faced by the people of the State. Reacting on the event, TDP floor leader in the AP State Legislative Council Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said that they have identified 10 different serious issues for taking up discus-

sion during Mahanadu and added that they would come up with policy decisions to solve the problems being suffered by the people in Congress regime. “These ten issues identified by us are very serious issues. They include the destruction of power sector over the last nine years, deterioration of law and order situation, scams by the State and Central governments. We will not only undertake indepth discussion on these issues but come up with solutions to

these problems,” he said while speaking to Postnoon. On the other hand, the party had decided to hold mini annual conferences akin to Mahanadu in every Assembly constituency for four days from May 18 to May 22. TDP also planned to organise district-level conventions on May 24 and 25. The mini conferences will discuss on local problems and send a report to the party high command to highlight them during Mahanadu.

CITY SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2013

How an abused wife found the will to help others Sultana was convicted of murdering her abusive husband, but when the conviction was overturned she decided to help those going through the hell she went through. Mohd SUBHAN

mohd.s@postnoon.com

“A

gar main use nahi maarti toh woh mujhe maar detaa [If I had not killed him, he would have killed me]” recalls Sultana Begum, a wife who suffered untold miseries at the hands of her husband for 12 long years in wedlock. She was convicted of his murder and sent to prison. On appeal, the High Court, however, overturned the conviction and released her.

Now freed, she is involved in a lot of social work for the sake of the suffering poor. Acclaimed for her social work, Sultana walked down memory lane as she shared her past with Postnoon. “Every day, Anwar Pasha [her husband] would come home drunk and his pastime was to beat me. For a drunkard, no excuse is necessary to resort to violence. I suffered, but still tolerated it, as he is my man. But I went crazy when he tried to rape my younger sisters. There I drew the line and decided to finish him off. When he was asleep after the usual quota of fracas and beatings, I slit his throat with a butcher’s knife.

For a drunkard, no excuse is necessary to resort to violence. I suffered, but still tolerated it, as he is my man. But I went crazy when he tried to rape my younger sisters. There I drew the line and decided to finish him off. Sultana Begum, Social worker

“I felt sad and regretted my actions soon after, but I had no option if I was to save the modesty of my sisters.” Sultana owned up to the crime, but it was considered self defence when the court was told of the kind of treatment the man, supposed to protect her, subjected her to for 12 long years. Sultana, now 40, works for the empowerment of women in domestic violence cases. She knows for sure that domestic violence is where women become the most helpless, where even parents are of no help. “A woman is most vulnerable in her husband’s home.”

Sitting at her rented home in Vettepally, Sultana has ambitious plans for her sons and for her social work. Both her sons earn now and she is free of financial worries. But a stroke of luck has blessed her. Now she is doing what she can to alleviate the suffering of women. Her in-laws have taken sympathy on her and they keep in touch with her. “I experienced their love only after his death. They knew what I underwent.” No real man will ever raise his hands against a woman, says Sultana; every woman ought to be the pivotal force at home and those who treat their wives as slaves are not men. M ANILKUMAR

CITY SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2013

Proof that hard work pays Viswa Virinchi wanted to be a pilot or a cricketer when he was a child. When he realised his aptitude and love for science in Class VIII, he decided to pursue that field. The young IIT aspirant, now the top scorer in India in JEE (Mains), talks to Postnoon about his journey. ALEENA ALICE

aleena.t@postnooon.com

ard work, dedication and constant focus was the success mantra for M Viswa Virinchi, the youngest to crack the Joint Entrance Exam (Mains) this year. The highest scorer of JEE in the country, this 16-year-old is yet to come to terms with his achievement. “Only when I saw my picture on the TV did I realise what I had achieved,” says a shy Virinchi. Cracking an exam like JEE is not everyone’s cup of tea and being the youngest to stand first in the entire nation among 13 lakh students is like a dream come true. “I expected to score a good rank, but topping the exam is like a dream for me,” he says. As a child, Virinchi wanted to be a pilot or a cricketer. It was in Class VIII that he realised his aptitude and love for science. Ever since, his only aim and target has been to secure a seat in the IITs and become an engineer like his father, M Narendra. “When I was in Class VIII, my teachers in KKR Gautam saw in me the potential to master sci-

ence as a subject. They supported me and channelised my learning. The foundation was set by them,” he says. Virinchi has many achievements to his credit, be it securing the top rank at the entrance test of SRM University or securing admission at the Indian Institute of Science.

Ask him what books he referred to while preparing for the JEE, and he says “The study material given to me by Narayana Chaitanya Academy was all I referred to. In case I had doubts, I would look up online for extra information and compile all the information I get. I always made it a point not to

miss any test conducted in the coaching classes since that would boost my confidence.” Virinchi’s success is attributed not only to his hard work, but also to the support and encouragement given by his parents, who quietly sacrificed their happiness to see their son progress. “From the time Virinchi told

us his dream was to become an engineer, we all worked together for it. He would have to go to college everyday irrespective of any festivals or holidays. My son would leave at 6 in the morning and come back home only at 8 pm. He never complained and enjoyed what he was doing. Since he was putting in so much effort, we did not want any sort of distractions to affect his focus. It’s been a while since we attended any function as a family. Either my husband or I would stay back at home to attend to Virinchi while he was preparing for the various entrance exams. Seeing his effort pay off now makes us proud,” says Madhavi Vemulpati, Virinchi’s mother. All work and no play make’s Jack a dull boy, and Virinchi very well realises that. “I am not a book worm. In my free time, I listen to music and love playing the piano. This relaxes me. I also like playing a lot of online games as I find them to be good stress busters.” He is now just one step away from realising his dream. “Now there is a competition in my peer group. My classmates challenge me that they will score more than me in JEE Advance. This is a healthy competition as I am motivated to put in more effort and score better to achieve my dream of getting into IIT Chennai or IIT Mumbai,” says Virinchi confidently.

Temp hits 43 deg, highest this summer M ANIL KUMAR

Postnoon News

feedback@postnoon.com

yderabad registered its highest temperature — 43.1 degree Celsius — on Friday, making it the hottest day in the City this summer. According to the Indian

Meteorology Department's records, the highest temperature ever recorded in Hyderabad is 45.5 degree Celsius, way back in 1966. In the previous decade, the City recorded 44.5 as its highest temperature in 2010. Officials warn that the heat wave is going to continue well into the next 48

hours, with temperatures reaching 44 degree Celsius. No casualties due to the soaring temperatures were reported at any of the major hospitals across the City. The heat wave claimed two lives in Medak district, even as the MET department sounded warnings to district officials that higher temperatures were to be expected in Northern Telangana and Coastal Andhra districts. Andhra Pradesh is likely to get relief from the heat by the end of May due to a low pressure situation in Bay of Bengal. Officials are still unsure if this low pressure situation would turn into a depression in the Bay of Bengal. Some parts of Andhra Pradesh and entire Tamil Nadu are likely to experience moderate to heavy rainfall by the end of this month. However, relief also seems to be in the offing as the MET department has predicted thundershowers in a few places in the City. The MET department forecasts robust winds and a partly cloudy sky cover today. The maximum temperature expected today is 41 degree Celsius and minimum is 29 degree Celsius.

NATION SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2013

US varsity medal for Indian

olkata-born Ritankar Das, a bioengineering and chemical biology double major at the University of California at Berkeley, has become the youngest student to receive the University Medal in more than a century. The medal is given to the year’s top graduating senior. Das, who began his freshman term when 15, will be graduating with more than 200 credits.

Girija Devi in hospitalised

‘Opposition trying to scuttle polls’ Despite HC setback, Didi vowed that elections will be held at appropriate time.

BURDWAN: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee slammed the Opposition for conspiring to prevent her government from holding Panchayat polls on time and vowed that elections will be held at appropriate time, the Jagran Post reported. “Panchayat polls will be held at the appropriate time. Work for Panchayats and 10O days’ will not be hampered”, she said at a party rally here without elaborating. “We have been trying to hold Panchayat elections in the state since

Four killed in road mishap

minent classical singer and “Thumri” exponent Girija Devi was admitted to a hospital in Varanasi after the 85year-old took ill, complaining of severe stomach ache, family members said Saturday. The “Thumri queen” started vomiting at her Sanjay Nagar residence in Varanasi Friday evening. She was taken to Sir Sunderlal Hospital at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), where she was admitted,

last September. Who went to court? Those who will lose. The CPI (M), Congress and the BJP went to court,” Banerjee said. Banerjee said her government was well aware of the laws and will go by that. “But we won’t cave in before conspiracies of CPI (M) and Congress.” Without referring to the Calcutta High Court order, she said state Panchayat Minister Subrata Mukherjee had already said whatever the state government had to say. Earlier, Mukherjee

said that West Bengal government will appeal against the Calcutta High Court order upholding the primacy of the State Election Commission and asking it to provide names of 400 observers for Panchayat polls by Saturday. “We will appeal against the order before a division bench as early as possible because it is unrealistic and will undermine the federal structure and the state’s minimum powers,” Mukherjee told reporters regarding the HC order. AGENCIES

Man found dead

MiG-29 K jets commissioned

IMPHAL: A non-Manipuri man was

PANAJI: Defence Minister AK Antony

killed by unidentified assailants in an interior village in Manipur’s Senpatai district, the police said today. The body was recovered yesterday from a place near the bridge on Imphal river at Saparmaina area. The body was first detected by some passers-by, the police said, adding the body has been sent for postmortem. No individual or group has claimed responsibility, they said, adding that more than 30 non-Manipuri people have been killed by unidentified persons in the past three years.

today commissioned warfare aircraft MiG-29 K Black Panther squadron into the Indian Navy here. The commissioning was held at INS Hansa which would be the base for Black Panther squadron along with other fighter aircraft squadrons of Indian Navy. The squadron initially comprising 16 aircraft would be known as IANS 303. The aircraft tagged as new era fighter were inducted into the Indian Navy in February 2010 following which it underwent trials before the actual commissioning.

our persons a family from Chennai were killed and as many as injured today when their car capsized after dashing against the parapet wall of a bridge near Perambalur, about 40 km from here, police said. The victims were returning from Palani when the mishap occurred at Vijaya-gopalapuram, police said. Four of the occupants died on the spot.

80-yr-old woman raped SALEM, TAMIL NADU: In a shocking incident, an 80year old woman was allegedly raped by a 41-yearold man following which she was admitted to a hospital in a serious condition. The woman, a widow, is battling for life at a government hospital here, police said today. The accused Palanivel, a vegetable vendor, of Malliyakari in the district was detained by the local people and handed over to police who arrested him and slapped a rape case. According to police, the woman was living alone at Gopalapuram in Malliakari. Around midnight last night, Palanivel, who has two wives and four

Kanda charged with rape

ambasting the Delhi Police for its ‘tainted’ and ‘stinking’ probe into the Geetika Sharma suicide case , a city court on Friday framed stringent charges of rape and unnatural sex against former Haryana minister Gopal Goyal Kanda. Despite the police giving a clean chit to Kanda on charges of sexual abuse, the court held that sexual exploitation of Geetika by the accused could have driven her to commit suicide.

children, went to the victim’s house and asked for water, but she refused. Suddenly, he forced his way into the house, allegedly raped her and bit her private parts. Local residents called an ambulance and rushed

the woman to Attur Government Hospital from where she was shifted to Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital here. Doctors said the condition of the woman was critPTI ical.

WORLD SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2013

Ex-Guatemalan ruler found guilty of genocide

Strong quake hits Iran

strong earthquake measuring 6.2 hit southern Iran early Saturday, the US Geological Survey said. The epicentre of the quake was measured at 85 kilometres southeast of the southern town of Minab at 0208 GMT, the USGS said in a statement. It was at a depth of 36.44 km. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

Cops missed opportunities

ormer Guatemalan dictator Efrain Rios Montt was found guilty of genocide and war crimes Friday in a landmark ruling stemming from massacres of indigenous people in his country’s long civil war. Rios Montt thus became the first Latin American convicted of trying to exterminate an entire group of people, in a gruesome stretch of a war that started in 1960.,

British police report which found no evidence that late BBC star Jimmy Savile was protected by officers revealed “potential missed opportunities” to detain him over sex abuse claims while he was alive. TV presenter Savile was a household name in Britain but since his death in 2011 hundreds of allegations of rape and sexual assault have emerged.

In the shadow of the Taliban As the polls opened in Pakistan’s general election, the threat of terror attacks loomed. Agance France-Presse

NYT bureau chief asked to leave

ISLAMABAD: Millions of

Jennie Matthew

Pakistanis are expected to brave Taliban threats Saturday to vote in elections that mark a historic democratic transition in the nuclear-armed state ruled for half its life by the army. The Taliban have branded democracy un-Islamic and have waged a virulent campaign of attacks against the main secular parties, killing more than 120 people in what has been called the country’s deadliest election. Polls opened at 8am and close at 5pm, allowing an electorate of more than 86 million to vote for the 342-member national assembly and four provincial assemblies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh and Baluchistan. The vote marks the first time that an elected civilian administration has completed a full term and handed power to another through the ballot box in a country where there have been three military coups and four military rulers. The front-runner is ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif, head of the centre-right Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) but much of the campaign has been electrified by cricket star Imran Khan with promises of reform and an end to corruption. The charismatic 60-year-old leader of Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) tapped into a lastminute surge of support after

he New York Times said its Islamabad bureau chief was ordered to leave Pakistan for unspecified “undesirable activities” in the country. The newspaper said it had “strongly protested” the expulsion order for Declan Walsh, and was seeking his reinstatement. An expulsion order was delivered by police to Walsh’s home at 12:30 am Thursday, according to the Times. “It is informed that your visa is hereby cancelled in view of your undesirable activities,” the order stated, as cited by the newspaper. “You are therefore advised to leave the country within 72 hours.”

fracturing his spine when he fell from a stage at a campaign rally on Tuesday. Although he is expected to make a full recovery, he is flat on his back in hospital and aides say he cannot even vote on Saturday. The outgoing centre-left Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has run a lacklustre and rudderless campaign, with its chairman, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, too young to run and largely hidden from public view due to Taliban

threats.Its campaign has instead starred its two dead leaders, founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who was hanged under military rule in 1979, and his charismatic daughter Benazir Bhutto, assassinated in a gun and suicide attack in 2007. Turnout will be crucial. Commentators are divided on whether a wealth of enthusiastic first-term voters and Taliban threats will make turnout higher or lower than the 44 percent at the last elections in 2008.With

around 30 per cent of voters aged under 30, young people are expected to play a decisive role and provide key support for Khan’s PTI, which boycotted polls in 2008 and won one seat in 2002. The main issues are the tanking economy, an appalling energy crisis which causes power cuts of up to 20 hours a day, the alliance in the US-led war on Islamist militants, chronic corruption and the dire need for development.The umbrella

Reshma wins 17-day battle with death Bangladeshi rescuers pulled a woman alive from the ruins of a collapsed garment factory. AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE SAVAR, BANGLADESH: Bangladeshi rescuers pulled a woman alive from the ruins of a collapsed garment factory complex on Friday after she spent 17 days trapped in a basement under the rubble. Hours after officials had announced the death toll had surged past the 1,000 mark, recovery teams who had long given up any hope of finding more survivors were stunned to hear the

voice of a woman calling for help. They managed to extract her from the ruins in an operation broadcast live on television and watched by crowds at the scene who were asked by clerics to pray for her rescue. After she was brought out, she was whisked away to a waiting ambulance, but managed a weak smile to the people gathered at the ruined Rana Plaza complex on the outskirts of the capi-

tal Dhaka. “I called but nobody heard me. I heard noises, but nobody listened to me,” she told Somoy TV later in an interview. Rescuers said she appeared to have lost a lot of weight but there were no other signs of injury. Her family, from a remote northern village, was elated at her survival. “It was a miracle. We lost all hopes of finding her alive. We visited every hos-

pital in Dhaka and Savar. We visted the mortuaries and checked every dead body they pulled out,” Reshma’s brother, Zahidul Islam, told AFP. “Then the news came this afternoon that a woman called Reshma has been found alive,” said Islam. “I saw her face as they brought her out. There she was — my sister,” he said, adding she was 18 and used to work as a sewing machine operator.

Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) stepped up their threats on the eve of the elections, warning voters to boycott polling stations to save their lives. “To revolt against this system, the TTP have planned several actions on May 11, so we appeal to the people to stay away from polling stations to save their lives,” Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said. More than 600,000 security personnel have deployed nationwide.

COMMENT SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2013

EDITORIALS WHEN MAGIC

springs from the feet Amid the frenzied fever over IPL, it might look out of place to talk about football in India. Caught in the fury of Gayle and gyrating cheerleaders, it’s quite pointless to bring up anything about the beautiful game. But let’s see if you see why it’s called the beautiful game. When an edge goes off a batsmen, misses a fielder and ends up a four, if you are his team’s supporter you will sigh out in relief. If you’re rooting for the rivals, you will have cursed the heck out of the fielder who should have responded before the next ball is bowled. But in the beautiful game, even misses and goals are admired. Because the culmination of everything that takes the ball and the players to the goal post is so fluid and active, you wish every moment that something beautiful happens. And there’s something beautiful even in the simplest of goals. So when Alex Colon, of Ecuadorian side Deportivo Quito, shot a volley from the vicinity of the halfline into the opposition’s goal post, not many that followed the line of the ball thought it would hit the crossbar, slide in and become a goal. The goalie must have felt the most hapless man, but he too knows that in football, there waits to spring magic from the feet of players and in this instance everyone who saw that goal commiserated with him as much as they admired Colon and his shot.

GETTING WHAT they deserve The former Guatemalan dictator Efraín Ríos Montt was convicted of genocide on Friday after a court found him guilty of crimes against humanity for his role in the slaughter of 1,771 Mayan Ixils in the 1980s. He got 80 years in jail. He is not likely to serve the whole of it, for he himself is well near the sunset of his life and he may die behind bars. Most of these men who made lives of their countrymen helllike have escaped the punishment commensurate with the severity of their crimes, but it is good to know that all of them do not get to slip away without getting what they deserve.

Do you react or respond? Soul Curry SUMAA TEKUR

n a narrow city bylane last week, a motorcycle was parked rather carelessly. It was obstructing the smooth flow of traffic. At one point, there was a major jam with cars from either side nudging for space to get ahead. The two-wheelers and cycles took up every inch of space between the larger vehicles, making movement even more difficult. Those in the jam stuck their necks out and yelled abuses in the air. It had become very difficult to move in any direction because the traffic kept piling up from behind. One man decided to do something about it. He got out of his car and moved the motorcycle to make way for the line of two-wheelers. This eased the space for the cars and they followed his direction and moved in a coordinated line.

Soon, the traffic had eased up. This is the difference between simply reacting and responding to a situation. An interesting theory called the cockroach theory of self development talks about the importance of responding to situations and not just reacting to them. The cockroach theory goes something like this. A woman was a restaurant with her friends for dinner. A flying cockroach came straight at her face. The woman instantly screamed. The cockroach kept circling her table. The woman screamed louder and louder. There was panic in the restaurant as the other guests’ attention was drawn to this incident. Out of fear, the other women at the table also started screaming. The cockroach sat on the lap of one of the women at the table. She started moving her arms in the air frantically wanting to get rid of the cockroach. She stood up suddenly, the table shook and some of the glasses on the table fell, spilling its contents – water and

OFTEN IN LIFE, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT WHETHER WE ARE MERELY REACTING TO SOMETHING THAT IS HAPPENING AROUND US OR IF WE ARE RESPONDING TO IT, WE CAN MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION. wine – everywhere. The cockroach then flew again. This time, it found a waiter’s apron. The waiter, who was watching these scenes from a distance, slowly lifted the cockroach between his fingers and threw it out of the window. This calmed everyone down and they got back to their dinner with something to talk about. While it looks like the cockroach had created a lot of panic and action at that restaurant, was it the one really responsible? Was the cockroach the real culprit? If it was, then it does not explain the behavior of the

waiter who eventually threw it out of the restaurant. The cockroach was only a trigger. But the real ability to deal with situations lay within those who were affected, namely the woman and her friends as well as the waiter on whose apron the cockroach fell. The women were incapable of handling this situation, which was stressful to them. So they reacted to the situation without really thinking about ways to deal with it. However, the waiter “responded” to the situation by, firstly, being calm, and secondly, by doing the smart thing one can do when faced with such an issue. Often in life, when we think about whether we are merely reacting to something that is happening around us or if we are responding to it, we can make the right decision. The traffic jam was an obstruction that none on the road were pleased with. Yet, only one man had the presence of mind to respond to that situation in a way that it reduced the inconvenience for everyone around. Do you respond or react?

COMMENT SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2013

The telephone, new weapon of Eritreans in exile Insider story BEATRICE DEBUT

alvanised by the Arab spring, Eritreans in exile in Europe are mobilising against the authoritarian regime of President Issaias Afeworki with a new tool — the humble telephone. Every week, members of the diaspora make hundreds or even thousands of automated calls to their compatriots in the eastern African nation, choosing their numbers at random and playing them one-minute recorded messages to spread dissent. “It is time to restore our liberty and dignity,” says one of the messages. In another, the mother of high-profile political prisoner Aster Yohannes recalls the fate of her daughter, who was arrested in 2003 and who has not been heard of since. Such political statements are rarely heard in Eritrea itself, where opposition parties are banned and anyone who challenges the president -- who has ruled the tiny nation with an iron grip since independence in

1993 -- is jailed without trial, often in the harshest of conditions. They are the work of a new generation of exiles who refuse to fall in behind traditional opposition parties, which are widely viewed as unrepresentative and divided, explains Leonard Vincent, a Paris-based specialist on Eritrea. Unlike those opposition leaders, their passion was forged not in the war of independence but in the conditions forced upon their people today. “Their own war is against the current problems in the Eritrean nation,” Vincent said. About 1,500 Eritreans leave their country every month, according to the United Nations, paying up to 30,000 euros ($39,500) each to seek a new life free of grinding poverty and repression. Those who make it — refugees are often a target for people traffickers — settle around the world, from Australia to Germany, Britain to the United States, but keep in touch over the Internet. Their demands are simple — the application of the 1997 constitution which calls for elections in Eritrea, and the release of political prisoners, estimated by the

NGO Human Rights Watch to be about between 5,000 and 10,000. And they have put these demands to the Eritrean people in about 100,000 recorded telephone calls made every Friday since late 2011 — including to some members of the regime. Ironically, “sometimes it’s actually the people who don’t like what we’re doing that spread the message because they are not afraid”, said Selam Kidane, founder of the ‘Arbi Harnet’ (Free Friday) movement. The phone calls are a way of spreading dissent without putting those receiving the messages in danger, explains Kidane,

a mother-of-three who is now settled in London. In a country where freedom of expression and the press are virtually non-existent, logging onto a subversive website or tuning into a banned radio station could put their lives at risk. But the project has involved people who are still in Eritrea. The phone calls have only been made possible, for example, after someone smuggled a telephone directory out of the country. And a handful of those who remain are promoting the cause at great risk to themselves. “We have a little team inside the country that we have recruited via

these calls. They have put up posters with our logo,” Kidane told AFP. Eritrea specialist Vincent explained that some posters take the form of fake versions of the public notices of deaths that are traditional in Eritrea. “The photo on the fake death notices is fictitious and the message is subversive, along the lines of ‘Wake up, they have stolen your freedom’,” he explained. He said the telephone messages are a new challenge to Issaias’ authority, but cautioned that they may have limited impact in a country of five million where “only the old, the young and the slaves” of military service remain. However, he added that the campaign may prove useful for anyone hoping to challenge the regime from the inside. Donations to the phone call project have increased, according to Kidane, and hundreds of Eritreans have protested in several European capitals, showing their faces for the first time, something they dared not do before. “Enough is enough. I can’t hide while my people are being killed,” said one Eritrean protester, Mussa Beshir, during a recent demonstration in London.

VISWAPRASAD RAJU

Urban sketches

Mum’s day out

Global edits The Guardian (UK)

Unthinkable? Wagner without tears

t was predictable that in his bicentenary year there should be at least one controversial Wagner production, though glumly tedious that the production of Tannhäuser in Düsseldorf ’s Deutsche Oper am Rhein was Nazithemed and included, in its first and only performance (the staging has now been abandoned), a shooting scene so harrowing that some in the audience sought medical help. Wagner deals with questions that remain fundamental to what makes human beings tick, both consciously and unconsciously. Like Shakespeare, he inspires radical and contentious interpretation – especially in Germany, where history casts a long shadow and directors rule the opera stage. Tannhäuser is sometimes less laden with directorial “konzept” than other Wagner works, but the huge scale of the composer’s ambition invites argument. The Covent Garden Ring Cycle first produced in 2004 still irritates purists for its apparently random associations, while at the New York Metropolitan Opera the innova-

WAGNER STILL MATTERS – BECAUSE HE WAS AN ARTISTIC REVOLUTIONARY tive production by Robert Lepage was condemned by reviewers for a set so complex and ambitious that it drained meaning from the operas. Wagner still matters, not because he was Hitler’s favourite composer, but because he was an artistic revolutionary, demanding a level of engagement from production staff and audience alike undreamt of by his predecessors. It is no wonder that he still challenges. Extreme interpretation of his works is merely one aspect of his restlessly provocative genius.

BUSINESS SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2013

Fed boosts oversight

Bloomberg in spy saga

loomberg News said it was curbing reporter access to certain data on its financial terminals after reports claiming its journalists used the devices to spy on banks. A Bloomberg spokesman acknowledged that “limited customer relationship data has long been available to our journalists,” without “security-level” data, trading data or messages.

Icahn revamps Dell offer

ederal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said the central bank is stepping up its monitoring of “too big to fail” companies and other risks to financial stability. Bernanke said the Fed was moving into a more systemic mode of financial monitoring after failing to spot the seeds of the 2008 Wall Street meltdown more than four years ago.

battle for US computer giant Dell heated up as Carl Icahn and other investors made a new offer and called a planned buyout led by company founder Michael Dell a ‘giveaway’. The investor group, which holds around 13 per cent of Dell shares, said in a regulatory filing it would urge shareholders to reject the private equity buyout.

Jack hits the road!

Alibaba chief Jack Ma stepped down before a potential IPO as the Chinese online retail giant announced a $294 million stake purchase in digital mapping firm AutoNavi.

Amanda Wang Agence France-Presse

From tomorrow I will have a new life and life will be my job. I ask everyone to support Lu Zhaoxi like you have supported me and trust him like you trusted me

HANGZHOU, CHINA: Alibaba chief Jack Ma stepped down Friday before a potential initial public offering as the Chinese online retail giant announced a $294 million stake purchase in digital mapping firm AutoNavi. Alibaba, the world’s largest online retailer, said it bought a 28 percent stake in Nasdaq-listed AutoNavi, its second big purchase in as many weeks. The deal follows Alibaba’s $586 million purchase of an 18 percent stake in China’s dominant microblog provider Sina Weibo, a separate transaction that was announced on April 29. The moves come before an expected initial public offering by Alibaba, which analysts say could value the group at between $60 billion and $100 billion, prompting comparisons with Facebook’s blockbuster IPO. At a company event in Hangzhou city, 48-year-old Ma handed over the reins of the company to Lu Zhaoxi -- previously executive vice president -- reaffirming his decision announced four months ago to step down as chief

Jack Ma, Entrepreneur executive officer. “From tomorrow I will have a new life and life will be my job. I sincerely ask everyone to support Lu Zhaoxi like you have supported me and trust Lu like you have trusted me,” Ma told 30,000 employees and clients at the event. Lu said he would carry on the mission of Alibaba by making the company transparent and responsible. Ma will still provide strategic direction but he told the audience that he aimed to focus on education and environmental protection. In the deal unveiled Friday, Alibaba and AutoNavi would form a strategic alliance to develop “location based” e-commerce

opportunities, according to a joint statement on AutoNavi’s website. “Now is the time to be aggressive on some of these deals because it’s a lot easier when they’re private than it’s going to be when they list,” said Bill Bishop, a columnist for The New York Times’s DealBook. Alibaba operates China’s most popular e-shopping platform, Taobao, which has more than 90 percent of the online market for consumer-to-consumer transactions. Taobao has more than 800 million product listings and over 500 million users. Alibaba aims to expand beyond its home market by targeting overseas Chinese through Taobao, an executive told a news conference Friday at the company’s headquarters in Hangzhou. “We hope to provide services to markets of overseas Chinese consumers first so we can have the experience and ability to further promote Taobao in other markets of non-Chinese consumers,” said Daphne Lee, director of overseas business for Taobao. Such a move could potentially make Taobao, which also marks its 10th anniversary Friday, a threat to US giants eBay and Amazon.

Tesco ‘reassured’, as retail boom looms NEW DELHI: The boss of British supermarket Tesco held talks with officials in New Delhi Friday about India’s new foreign investor retail policy as the chain decides on its strategy for the emerging market giant. The meeting between Tesco chief executive Philip Clarke and Indian officials came after the government last September changed its rules to allow international supermarkets to establish multibrand stores in the

potentially lucrative sector. Clarke gave no details about any move by Tesco -- one of the world’s leading retailers -- to open stores in India. But he said he felt “reassured” after talks with trade minister Anand Sharma over “some small concerns”. “I think it was important today that we heard from the minister about some of the small concerns we have. There will be important points of clari-

fication in the months ahead,” Clarke told reporters. “We are very pleased with the meeting, reassured. And now we need the important points of clarification and then you’ll be hearing more from us,” Clarke said without elaborating. Multibrand retailers such as Tesco and France’s Carrefour had voiced interest in setting up shop in India after the government opened the $500 billion sector to foreign direct investment

(FDI) in hopes of boosting their global presence. But lately they have turned cautious as they grapple with declining earnings and falling consumer spending. Tesco recently took a $1.8 billion earnings hit from its failed US division Fresh & Easy. Foreign supermarkets can now hold stakes of up to 51 percent in multibrand retailers. But they remain apprehensive because the opposition

Bharatiya Janata Party says it might reverse the policy if it wins the 2014 general election. The supermarkets are also seeking more clarity on the issues of mandatory sourcing from India and big-ticket investments required for infrastructure. The policy says foreign multibrand retailers must earmark 50 per cent of their investment to setting up back-end infrastructure such as warehouses.

FOCUS SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2013

Born into diamonds Nirav Modi is in town for The Nirav Modi Salon , an exhibition of heirloom jewels at Golden Room, Taj Krishna on May 11th, 12th and 13th.

One of Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newest billionaires, diamantaire Nirav Modi, 42, talks to Postnoon about his affair with diamonds and what goes into making one-of-a-kind jewellery.

fleme.v@postnoon.com

Winston, Cartier, Van Cleef and Arpels are all inspirations.

Which is your favourite diamond and why? Each time I am working on a new jewel it becomes my favourite piece. After all these years, I have found that diamonds with exceptional purity, colour and fire; irrespective of size, do not cease to be tantalising.

Fleme Varkey

Diamonds are a woman's best friendhow did you start your affair with diamonds? My grandfather was a diamantaire and my father is still a diamantaire in Antwerp where I grew up. Dinner talk was so often about important rare diamonds that I cannot really remember when I became mesmerised. When I started working, diamond terminology was second nature to me. You could say that I was born into diamonds. (Modi designed his first piece-a pair of earrings only in 2009.)

Christie's jewellery department mentioned they were struck by the fluidity in your design; is fluidity most important for you or are there other aspects too which go into making a Nirav Modi design? Every diamond which goes into a Nirav Modi jewel is selected for exceptional purity, colour and fire and complemented with timeless design and meticulous craftsmanship. At NIRAV MODI, we also look for innovations - fluidity and minimal metal are key features of jewels and we have developed and patented unique diamond cuts which replace the metal normally seen in jewellery.

Who are your inspirations? Laurence Graff, Harry

From where do you get ideas for your designs? Inspiration for my collections comes from a variety of sources from mythology and nature to art and children's toys. The Scheherezade Collection has been inspired by Queen Scheherezade who told the tales of 1,001 Arabian Nights, the Fluire Collection has a floral theme while a new diamond cuff is an interpretation of a painting by the tribal artist Jangarh Singh Shyam.

Which is the best market for diamonds in the world? India and China are the fastest growing markets for diamond jewellery.

Three investment pieces a woman must ownâ&#x20AC;Ś The Diamond Embrace Bangles-With over 700 moving parts, the unique craftsmanship allows the bangles to stretch and fit any wrist size. Wear one bangle on its own during the day or multiple bangles together for the

evening. A statement solitaire ring - Your engagement or wedding ring is something that you will wear almost every day of your life; make sure it is a beautiful and exclusive jewel with a very white diamond with no black inclusions. Fluire earrings - Iconic of the NIRAV MODI fluid, minimal metal look, they are delicate yet dazzling.

After having been in the business for so long is there a trend you would like to bring back or recreate? I don't like the idea of a 'trend': something that is fleeting and commonplace. Fine jewellery should be exclusive and timeless and my passion lies in continuing to create jewels that will be a delight to the wearer over decades.

In terms of jewellery what would you advise men to own? A special wedding band like the Endless Cut we have or diamond cufflinks.

you to contribute to the scene here? Is there something, you would to take back from here? We source and cut our diamonds in Russia eliminating middle men. That is why we can offer high quality diamonds at a great value. We believe that it is wiser to invest in sparkling white diamonds

without black impurities instead of cheap pale yellow diamonds which have no long term value appreciation and we have found that Hyderabadis, with a rich tradition of fine jewellery, understand this. There is an appreciation of NIRAV MODI jewellery here which is why it is a pleasure to be here.

What new directions do you hope to move in the future? Do you have big plans, new ideas or designs you will be exploring soon? I am constantly thinking of new ideas and new designs. We will have retail stores in Mumbai and Delhi by the end of the year.

Who is your jewellery icon? Ans: Elizabeth Burton. She had a taste for important jewels and exquisite design.

Hyderabad has a rich past in terms of jewellery and even your most famous design was named Golconda. What have

PICK YOUR

Across Stores

ities Twin C

TECHNOLOGY SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2013

WEBSITE OF THE WEEK www.failbook.com his is a really crazy website. On this site, people post status or wallposts of people from Facebook. These posts border from funny to pure ridiculous. Just visit this site, you’ll be laughing like crazy.

T D

uring the jam, we all started talking about taking part in One Game a Month experiment. ‘less than three’ became our 1GAM entry for January, and the XP boost was relieving. We internally joked and poked fun on each other about our XPs. This led to us starting to discuss what our project should be for

MOBILE VIDEOGAME REVIEW

APP OF THE WEEK Feedly

February. It was evident that we needed it to be very simple, because we actually wanted to finish it in February. So before anything, it was decided to release the game in February. Vidhvat Madan, Yadu and Vasu Chaturvedi actively started exploring ideas about what that simple

.I.P., Google Reader. It’s been real. Before the everyman’s RSS shuts down July 1, sign up for Feedly and download the app (Safari, Chrome, iOS, and Android) to seamlessly transition all your feeds.

game should be. The breakthrough came with a prototype game Vidhvat which is involved with collecting circles. The idea was simple: a circle pops up on the screen and two players fight to collect it. The one who gets it, gets a point and the cycle

CAN WE DO IT?

repeats. It was an interesting prototype, but not a game yet. Yadu went ahead with experimenting with the idea of multiple circles instead of just one, but that made it a little confusing. So we defined two factions. Each player was now assigned a colour and they

How we made a top seller game I

started the game development company with two friends of mine — Yadu Rajiv and Mayank Saini in April 2011, but by 2013, our priorities had shifted from making games to plain survival. Around the time, Yadu jumped into Global Game Jam 2013 with a few friends and ended up making ‘less than three’, a local synchronous multiplayer for the pc. ‘less than three’ (a play on the heart emoticon <3) was an experiment on a concept we have been planning to work on for some time and was received very well by friends at the jam.

Kinshuk Sunil of Hashtash games tells NT Balanarayan how their game Circulets made it to the top 100 in the iOS app store within a day of launching and the struggles they went through while developing it.

round the same time, I finally jumped on board, primarily to take care of sounds. Including me, we were now four —- Me (Kinshuk), Yadu, Vidhvat and Vasu. Between Yadu and Vidhvat, all game programming was taken care of. I brought sound and production to the table. The game did not undergo any major changes since then. The

On the one hand, Octopus Blast has a control scheme that makes everything more difficult than it should be. On the other, Octopus Blast boasts a pleasant cartoon style that goes a little way to soothing your control-based rage.

OCTOPUS BLAST

base premise persisted. We did explore a different arc with a radical UI-redesign and a possible scenario where there were many more types of circulets and different behaviours in an effort to bring some tactical gameplay to the game. By this time the game had changed its name from “Droplets” to “Circulets” and that was going to stick.

BUILDING A GAME... By this time we were fairly done with the game and started showing it to friends. Based on their response we formally brought in the game to Hashstash and announced it to the wide world on February 24, 2013. Over the beta period we explored different solutions but

what did the trick for us were some subtle changes in visual and audio feedback within the game. Some of these were: While the circles popped up in their own sides, we made them slowly move towards the other side, unless they were moved by one of the players. By throwing their circles in the other player’s side, players could now make the other

had to collect only their own droplets. That was what the game was called then “Droplets”. Along with the two sides, a bonus colour was introduced that had to be the bone of contention between the two players. With the addition of a timer and limited time, the game instantly became a riot.

THAT

HAZY GLOW...

ll development finished on April 6 and we finally submitted for certification on the App Store, Samsung App Store and the Amazon App Store. We were certified and ready for sale on all our marketplaces by April 18 and the PR process kicked in. Next came our trailer, the objective of which was to focus more on the interactions of people through the game, and not show the game itself. The end result proved to be pretty interesting. Now as we try and take a breather from all the action, the chaos of first launch is on us. And it is a fun ride in itself. Circulets finally came out on May 9 in the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, Amazon App Store and the Samsung App Store. The game is available for iOS and Android. Head over to circulets.com for download link.

Kinshuk Sunil

player lose points. We experimented with many audio cues for positive, negative, bonus score contributions and the current 8-bit sounds had the best influence on players. The soundtrack samples were structured such that the pacing increases every 30 seconds and becomes more frantic (the gameplay is structured in tiers of 30s).

ANIMAL KINGDOM SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2013

PET NEWS Locust plague

Popular pandas

Pets to the rescue

or three quarters of an hour, a giant swarm of locusts streamed across southwest Madagascar. Travellers saw little more than a natural disaster — a plague of locusts which has already destroyed half of the Indian Ocean island's crops.

IMPORTANT NUMBERS

he American Heart Association (AHA) issued a scientific statement saying owning a pet may help to decrease a person's risk of suffering from heart disease and is linked with lower levels of obesity and blood pressure.

dinburgh's romantically doomed giant pandas may have failed to mate but they have brought good fortune to the city's zoo, boosting its income and visitor numbers to record levels.

CATS AND DOGS The Animal Care Clinic 040-2335 2474 Pet’s World Dog Clinic 98856 46259 Blue Cross of Hyderabad 040-3298 9858, 23544355/ 5523 Vet-N-Pet 040-6553 9535, 93463 05890 Bluplus Pet Clinic 040-2712 1739, 2716 2636 Sri Sai Pet Clinic

040-2779 7458, 9848645350 Claws & Paws 98662 82772 All Creatures Animals Clinic 040-2773 0885 BIRDS Govt Veterinary Hospital 040-2331 9656, 2753 5755 Bird Watcher’s Society 040-2355 6166 Friends of Birds9391048315 SNAKES Friends of Snakes 8374233366

Pedigree dogs or money-minting machines? AMY ROSE THOMAS

amyrose.t@postnoon.com

Giving birth to puppies each time they come in heat, pedigree dogs are taken for money-minting machines by most of the breeders who run kennels.

here are very few who would refuse if given a puppy as a gift. One would surely welcome it with open hands. We hardly think back or try to find out from where the puppy came from or how it was bred. Especially in the case of pedigree dogs, these puppies come from different puppy mills where breeders, taking them for money-minting machines, breed them under horrific conditions. For these breeders, it is more like a road to riches where all the work is done by the dogs and they get to sell off the litter at an exorbitant amount. “Most of the times, people who have pedigree dogs and run kennels treat them very badly, putting them in cramped cages, tied up with no exercise or love. For them, these animals are pure machines which would provide them with money every six months. Every time these animals come in heat, they are made to go through the same

drill,” Vasanthi Vadi, secretary of People for Animals says. Since it is in their interest to make sure that the animal is healthy as they need healthy pups, they do take care of the dog — taking these animals to the vet and also getting them the required medicines. However, making the dog go through the entire process of giving birth every time it comes in heat is very taxing for the animal. After giving birth to a dozen pups each time, the animal tends to get old soon. By the time she is

five, she is way too old for any more pregnancies and since her purpose is served, she is left to die or is killed. “This is the 50th year of Animal Welfare Board of India and we have picked this year to push for a stringent law that can be of help to these tortured animals since kennel rules are part of the law. If that law comes through and comes into effect, we will have a lot of muscle to take care of these kennels that ill-treat animals for money. We have received many complaints

Red-flagging a dog breeder n He won’t let you see his breeding facility. n He won’t let you see the puppy’s parents (the father may not always be on site, this is normal). n He does not want to know if anything has happened to your dog (that came from him). n No veterinary health checks of the puppies from birth. n No mandatory vaccinations (at least basic ones), no de-worming. n His dogs appear to be in ill-health. n He always has puppies for sale, sometimes two or three litters at a time. n He won’t give references from owners of pups from previous litters. n Advertises or sells pups for greatly reduced prices. n Sells to pet stores, puppy brokers, wholesalers, etc. Source: aboutdogs.com about puppy mills being run and many a time we have visited such sites and asked these breeders not to keep animals in cages, asked them to take the animals for a walk and so on. We did try to implement these measures but at the end of the day, we cannot stop them from running these kennels because there is no strong law that we can rely on,” she says. Rather than supporting this practice where hundreds of dogs are tortured for money, adopt a puppy from the street for free.

BOOKS SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2013

SHORT READS Title: Inferno Author: Dan Brown Publisher: Doubleday Yes, Dan Brown is back and so are secret societies, futuristic science and tons of art masterpieces. This time, it’s Dante’s Inferno that is at the heart of Robert Langdon’s problems. The professor has to unlock the mysteries hidden in the epic poem... before it is too late.

Title: Robert B. Parker's Wonderland Author: Ace Atkins Publisher: Penguin Group Author Robert Parker died before he could complete his latest book, Wonderland. Carrying on his legacy is Ace Atkins, who scripts a taut tale of greed, land grabbing and twisted dreams as private eye Spenser tries to help out an old friend.

Title: Obsessed: America's Food Addiction — and My Own Author: Mika Brzezinski Publisher: Weinstein Books Mika Brzenzinski is often called a food Nazi for her outspoken views on fast food, but few know that it stems from her struggles with eating healthy and body issues. She teams up with notable celebrities and talks about obesity in a clear, smart fashion.

Title: Dad Is Fat Author: Jim Gaffigan Publisher: Crown Archetype Stand-up comedian Jim Gaffigan makes living with five young children sound like a hoot. The bemused writer and his wife find themselves outnumbered in their own home and their attempts to cope with their ever-growing brood is a wonderful read.

Living in the digital world The New Digital Age talks about how cyber technology will transform the way we live and the kind of future we are headed towards. In places it feels like a textbook read. You arrive at a topic you started with more than once, making it seem a bit haphazard and too much to take at one go. But it is a thought-provoking read about the kind of future we are headed towards.

DEEPASHRI V

deepashri.v@postnoon.com

he New Digital Age is about the present and future the dynamics of the real and online worlds, and in the authors’ words, “sometimes they will constrain each other; sometimes they will clash…” And how they constrain, clash or accelerate phenomena, with respect to different areas of life, including education, healthcare, privacy, security, terrorism, business, politics and empowerment of the common man, is what the rest of the book deals with. There are several examples from the past and present that add perspective to what could happen in the future; of how cyber technology transforms the way we live, for very simple, basic changes, to a complex web. For instance, the book cites an interesting example of how basic cell phone is capable of transforming the lives of Congolese fisherwomen — as a fish is caught, order is placed — doing away with the need for storage, refrigeration, and the danger of spoiled fish.

The story of Ravana as presented in Ravanayan will change the way you see and interpret Ramaayana. NT Balanarayan balanarayan.nt@postnoon.com

o anyone who grew up reading Amar Chitra Katha, Ravanayan will be a shock initially, but you will soon get over it as you sink into the story of Ravana, and it is then you realise how little

On the other hand, John McAfee, the antivirus pioneer, who went into hiding when he was wanted for questioning for the murder of his neighbour, was tracked when the editor of an online magazine, during an exclusive interview, took a picture with him with his iPhone 4S — the location metadata was spotted from the picture by a twitter user and his hideout was revealed. How much of this dependen-

cy do we want? Other aspects discussed are “virtual honour killings,” with deliberate attempt to defame someone online, and the fact that what is once online can haunt you for the rest of your life. A lot of talk about what will be in the future — like having a machine to wake you up, get you coffee, remind you of what to do next — seem a little ambitious for a middle class reader in a developing world. But a lot of

these visions are exciting as well, like the prospects of thought-controlled motion that robots can offer for “lock in” or mobility challenged individuals. In a world where the online population far exceeds the real population count of the earth, the book talks about more accessible, cheap technologies for economically backward sections, and also a direct relation between the level of technology owned and wealth possessed.

Name The New Digital Age Author Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen Pages 315 Publisher John Murray

The biggest anti-hero of them all? you knew about him. He is the kind of a villain who clearly knows his destiny, his future, and worked towards being who he was. The credit goes to the writers for managing to tell the story of a villain without making us hate the original hero. By the end of the series you really start to empathise with Ravana, who has by then gone way too far down the rabbit hole. The artwork in the series really stands out as it not only changes the mental image you had of the various people and creatures in the epic, but also because of the depiction of battles. The portrayal of

Name Ravanayan Writer Vijayendra Mohanty Artist Vivek Goel Publisher Holy Cow Entertainment Brahma in one of the earlier books in the series as the universe itself was the first of its kind and vastly different from his portrayal as an old wise guy sitting on a lotus. The beauty of Ravanayan is that it is meant for a crowd that already knows the story,

but will still read through it because of the sheer quality of narration. It makes you wonder why they did not stress enough on Ravana in Ramayana as his character feels more like a caricature in comparison to the comic. It is not easy to write a comic based on an anti-hero as the authors end up glorifying the protagonist. However, Ravanayan thankfully does not fall into that trap. That is the strength of the series. It feels like an honest retelling, just the opposite of Ramayana, which feels like the story of a man who could do no wrong.

BOOKS SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2013

Retirement on his mind? Helen Rowe feedback@postnoon.com

om Stoppard is writing a new stage play. At 75, he says it might be his last because he is slower now and his “brain cells are dying in their trillions”. Then again, he's not entirely sure. As he puts it, “to hell with it, I'm not dead yet!” The prospect of one of Britain's greatest living playwrights drawing a line under his illustrious career will sadden many theatre-goers. Writing original works for the stage is what Stoppard calls his “day job”. But distractions abound: he is a soughtafter screenwriter, work he enjoys greatly; has four children and seven grandchildren — “that's a lot of interruption” — and is committed to a number of roles such as president of the London Library. “I might write one more play and give up.... I don't know,” he said recently in Paris. “When I was 20 or something the idea of having a play on anywhere at all was just beyond my dreams really... so I ended up having quite a few of them on but it never stopped feeling like the thing which I ought to do and would want to do. “I don't think that I'd feel I was in disgrace if I just stopped now and

Tom Stoppard could call an end to his illustrious career as one of Britain's leading playwrights, he recently revealed, saying he was considering writing just one more play.

enjoyed myself reading books, just doing adaptations.” Stoppard describes the pleasures of screenwriting as “considerable”and has a diverse list of film credits. He won an Oscar with Marc Norman for the screenplay of Shakespeare in Love. Others works include Empire of the Sun, Brazil, Enigma, Indiana Jones and the Last

STOPPARD'S LAST “TEMPTATION” WAS FORD MADOX FORD'S PARADE'S END. Crusade and Tolstoy's Anna Karenina for Joe Wright's 2012 adaptation starring Keira Knightley. Stoppard's last “temptation” was Ford Madox Ford's Parade's End set mainly in England and on the Western Front from 19121918, and chronicling the lives of Christopher Tietjens, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, and his "caustic" and unfaithful wife Sylvia, played by Rebecca Hall. “I've seldom enjoyed a job more than Parade's

End,” he says of the 15 months he spent writing the screenplay for the BBC/HBO television production first broadcast last year. “I was so saturated by it that I began to identify with it in a way one normally does not with an adaptation.” Now Stoppard is once again focused on the day job and says he also feels optimistic about the dramatic creativity he sees around him. “Films are pitched to every audience. I end up thinking it's really okay if things are done well... it might be a cop show, it might be a doctor show, it might be Dostoevsky, it might be a stand-up comic but in the end you give yourself to things according to the quality.” The London fringe theatre, meanwhile, is expanding. And although he worries about a shift in balance to musicals and their "untold riches", in contrast to five years ago he can think of half a dozen new plays he'd like to see. “I don't know why young writers want to write for live theatre but they do. It's miraculous,” he said. “When I started off there were maybe three or four fringe theatres in London, now there's about 40 and most of them are looking for new plays. In that sense it's a very good period,” he added. AFP

WHAT’S SELLING Landmark’s best in fiction

Landmark’s best in non-fiction

New York Times’ best in fiction

New York Times’ best in non-fiction

n The Oath of the Vayuputras by Amish Tripathi

n Manuscript found in Accra by Paulo Coelho

n The Hit by David Baladacci

n Lets explore diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris

n Immortals of Meluha by Amish Tripathi

n Follow every Rainbow by Rashmi Bansal

n Secret of the Nagas by Amish Tripathi

n Dongri to Dubai by Hussain Zaidi

n Best Kept Secret by Jeffrey Archer

n The day I stopped drinking milk by Sudha Murty

n Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James

n The Test of my life by Yuvraj Singh

n Whiskey Beach by Nora Roberts n Fly Away by Kristin Hannah n Paris by Edward Rutherford n Life after Life by Kate Atkinson

n Lean in by Cheryl Sandberg n Cooked by Michael Pollan n Trident K9 Warriors by Mike Ritland n Dirty Wars by Jeremy Scahill

WOMEN SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2013

MOTHER’S DAY SPECIALS AND has launched an entire summer wardrobe. A new age natural fabric which breathes fluidity. So, choose your picks for some awesome gifts for your hardworking, on-thego mum with the wide and quirky range of AND collections!

To help you show your mum how much you love her, Forevermark, the diamond brand from the De Beers group of companies, has introduced a special Mother’s Day Collection.

Dr Rekha Shetty, entrepreneur, and author, talks about her latest book on innovation. She shares the secrets of 50 CEOs of the country, who dared to innovate.

Make this day special for your mother and treat her to a wide assortment of special global cuisines. Pamper her tastebuds along with a rejuvenating experience at nail art station and happy feet station. Take her to the special brunch at Verandah at the Park.

Seeds of change Fleme Varkey fleme.v@postnoon.com

“B

e willing to wait patiently through the dark night of the innovator. After the darkest hour of night, comes the dawn!” This is the mantra followed by one of the most successful CEOs in the country. A secret that is being brought to the world through Dr Rekha Shetty and her seventh and latest book Innovation Secrets of Indian CEOs, published by Westland Limited. There have been books on happiness, success mantra, mantras for life... but Dr

Rekha’s books chooses a different topic — innovation. The inspiration behind this book is quite simple as the author says, "My company Farstar Distribution Network, a consultancy company devoted exclusively to innovation and creativity under the name Mindspower, has been advising companies on innovation and related strategies for many years. We consult with some of the region’s major corporates on long-term innovation initiatives that involve everyone from doorman to chairman. We help the people learn thinking tools and apply out-of-the-box solutions to their problems. This, according to me, is an obvious book being my fourth book on innovation.” Before you mistake it for another self-help book, Dr Rekha is quick to assure us that is isn't: “It is a management book on how to innovate. It has case studies so that professionals and companies can understand not just what the innovation mantra is but also learn to apply them to their work.” The book, brings together 50 CEOs and their methods into the limelight. It has stories from CEOs from the top of the ladder to even those that belong to start-ups. Each case study mentioned in the book is short and to the point, taking up barely two pages. In her previous book, Innovate – 90 Days To Transform Your Business!, Dr Rekha talks about how constant and consistent innovation is the only surefire way to profitability. The common thread of innovation that she speaks of in all her four books is followed by some of the top companies in the country. “ICICI is involved in consistent innovation, so is Mahindra Resorts. SAIL, Hindustan Lever also use it effectively. Just because a company is big in size does

not mean it cannot innovate or should innovate. The Apollo group, for example, it began as a start-up in 1986, now look how far it has spread. That is because they encourage innovation. The culture of innovation should be inculcated and embraced and that is one of the few things the book speaks about,” explains Dr Rekha. Another of the secrets mentioned in the book is “Have a vision that embraces humanity. Management with a heart is key.” Dr Rekha tells us why, “It is very important to involve management in every decision to come up with new ideas as it is a quantum shift. The process of innovation requires that the management be involved wholeheartedly for providing

resources, encouragement and support.” On identifying the problems in the Indian corporate sector, she says, “Most companies say we encourage innovation, few actually get down to doing it. Unless a company tries to reward its employees for innovation or turn creative ideas into further success stories, innovation will not take place. These CEOs, the secrets of whom I have mentioned, have taken the risk, to think out of the box. They have used minimum resources to the maximum potential and turned their companies around. They innovated on the go.” The corporate doctor, as she is known by most in the industry, recalls the best compliment she received for this book, “A person came and told me that is ‘How to do it book. A workbook on innovation’.”

Diffusing the C bomb All About Eve

FLEME VARKEY

ocial stigma is harming attempts to combat cervical cancer in India where more women die annually of the disease than anywhere else in the world, a new report said Friday. More than a quarter of cervical cancer deaths worldwide occur in India, representing 72,825 a year according to the report by the US-based Cervical Cancer Free Coalition, although African nations have higher mortality rates. Cervical cancer is the second largest killer of women in low- and middle-income countries and is a taboo subject in many conservative societies as it is linked to sexual transmission, said the report. Even the incidences of cervical cancer are higher in rural areas than the metros. There where they lack proper hygiene facilties, lack midwives, lack medicines, lack the know-how and have no one to turn to. If you thought this was the case of rural India 10 years ago, then the truth is that the scenario remains the same. Doctors say bad local hygiene, too many children, not enough spacing between children, low nutrition levels and early marriage all contribute to the risk factors for this kind of cancer. A Pap smear test, even if it's done once a lifetime, can save a woman from cervical cancer. However, all this not even many of the women in the metros know about, leave alone the villages,where every technology, every science is the last to reach. A shortcoming which fails to be addressed, despite governments changing hands like clothes. For a healthy country it is essential that the population also be healthy and this does not mean the metros be healthy. On the eve of Mother’s day, all you men out there encourage your teenage daughters, your wives, sisters and mothers to go for a scan for cervical cancer, or help them get vaccinated against HPV. Prevent the ‘C’ bomb.

SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2013 1

A FUN AFFAIR 8

1 Komal

3 Koyal, Anoop

5 Divya

4 Madhu Shalini

6 Geet

Birthday party of Koyal was a grand do. Her friends and family joined in at 10 Downing Street to partake in the celebrations and have a rollicking time. Seen at the do were actress Madhu Shalini and others.

2 Varsha

7 Sharyn 8 Payal

9 Namita

11 Seema 12 Vibha

10 Alka

13 Rhea

ZOMBIE FIESTA

Fans of actor Saif Ali Khan converged at Cinemax, Banjara Hills for the screening of zombie movie Go Goa Gone. Spotted were Sakaina, Mobina, Priyanka and others. 1 Janki, Swati

3 Sakaina

5 Khatija, Farhat, Mobina

2 Nazveer, Priyanka

4 Jwala Gutta

6 Prartana

7 Vinit, Harini 8 Neeta, Dinesh

9 Yashir, Priyanka 10 Sherin, Kutub

RELATIONSHIPS SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2013

I AM ALL EARS

am a 26-year-old man. Things have not been good in the family for quite some time now. My parents are getting divorced. My younger sister, who is 18, is very affected by the whole upheaval. She has become withdrawn and is even failing in classes.How can I help her?

Dear concerned brother, It’s a very sad situation to be in. Making your parents see reason is not something that can easily be achieved. But if they listen, tell them to keep their differences aside and focus on the life that they nurtured for so long and are destroying now. If talking does not work, then I suggest you get your sister a change of scenery. Maybe till the proceedings are done. A counsellor could maybe help you calm her.

here is a clear link between children's use of humour and their susceptibility to being bullied by their peers, according to a major new study released by Keele University.The research examined the links between how 11-13 year olds use different styles of humour and the problem of bullying in schools. The findings reveal that children who use self-defeating forms of humour are more likely to be bullied than those who use more positive forms of humour.

LET THE CHILDREN BE ALRIC QUINTIN

feedback@postnoon.com

f you are a follower of Bollywood or even Tollywood films, there will be numerous occasions where the script pans out something like this: Rich boy meets poor girl, falls in love and wants to marry her. Parents come to know, all hell breaks loose. Parents torture boy and girl, couple run away or stay and fight it out, finally parents relent and then the couple lives happily ever after. The drama that happens, as you all know, takes a lot of coaxing, wooing, cajoling, threatening, sometimes blood and gore, emotional blackmail and more. Yes, this kind of drama is not restricted to films alone, it’s pretty much the same in real life

HASTY DECISIONS LIKE RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME, SUICIDES, STARVING THEMSELVES TO DEATH, DRUG ADDICTION, MARRYING WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE ARE JUST SOME OF THE COMPLICATIONS TEENS GET THEMSELVES INTO. too. Parents are of the opinion that the number of grey hair on their heads, the years of experience in life and for the primary reason that they are the children’s caretakers, they have a right to advice (tell) their wards what to do with their lives and whom to settle down with. But according to most of the children, parents are really bad at partner choices. Postnoon speaks to few of the parents who had a great role in shaping their children’s decisions and who participated in every choice made by the child. For most parents making the right choice is their prerogative, but few realise the way how the wheels of a teenage relationship work. “My son has been in a relationship since nine years and I never disapproved of his

Parents have a say in most aspects of their children's lives, from raising them to deciding which college they will go to and even the person they will marry. But there are some parents who are willing to let their children learn for themselves.

choice. All that came to my mind was that if he wants to lead a life of his own, it is his concern and all I can do for him is give him the moral support that he needs rather than telling him to leave the girl,” says Clement Patrick a business manager. While Clement shares a positive approach to things, often teens are confronted with severe opposition from parents and in rebellion, they end up doing and saying things they may regret later. Hasty decisions like running away from home, suicides, starving themselves to death, drug addiction, marrying without thinking about the future are just some of the complications teens get themselves into. “Caste, religion, culture do not concern me in a relationship that my son or daughter claims to be in because it is their choice and it is better that they learn from what they do rather than me telling them what is right and wrong. What if my disapproval of their partner would lead them to lie to me every single time they either go for a movie or an outing? I give my children freedom and a set of rules that they shouldn’t cross and grant them their own choice of approval,” says Louella Merlyn, a sales manager. Sometimes hiding the relationship from parents fearing their diapproval of the partner is also prevalent in the generation today. “I hid my relationship from my parents fearing disapproval, but later when they got to know about this girl, they were really furious about me lying to them. They disapproved of her because I had been lying to them. I was asked to stay away from her. I respected their request and let it go, but later when they came to know about how much I was interested in this girl, they gave in. Parents just tell you something out of concern and care and surely understand later the feelings of their children,” says Dheeraj Sai Sunder, a student from Loyola Academy. “Parents today should let their children learn from their mistakes rather than teaching them what to do because the child will always think the parent is wrong. The basic thing to do is allow the child to be in a relationship and learn from it. Both the good and the bad,” says Anthony, a businessman.

CINEMA SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2013

Also in theatres :

SUKUMARUDU A

adi, Nisha Aggarwal and Bhavna Ruparel starrer Sukumarudu is about a selfish guy who comes to India after a long time with the intention of inheriting his ancestral property. The film has been directed by G Ashok and it’s his first film with Aadi. The basic storyline of the film is quite similar to that of Greekuveerudu, but the comparisons end there.. The film opened to a mixed response and most of the criticism was aimed at the bad screenplay and excessive length. Anup Rubens has scored the music and songs are the only silver lining in the film, apart from good performances by Krishna and Sharada. It remains to be seen how the film performs at the box office in the long run.

Siddharth bets big on his next

iddharth, Hansika starrer Something..Something is gearing up release in early June. The film’s principal shooting has been wrapped up and currently the post-production is going on. Directed by Sundar C, the film is reportedly a romantic comedy and Siddharth is playing the role of a software engineer. Ganesh Venkatraman, Brahmanandam are also playing important roles. Siddharth is quite happy with how the film has shaped up and he has praised the team’s planning right from the beginning of the shooting. Kushboo has produced the film and Lakshmi Ganapathy Films is distributing the film in AP. Sathya has scored the music and the audio will be launched on May 12.

KICKS, PUNCHES AND HIP-SHAKES HEMANTH KUMAR

hemanth.k@postnoon.com

rue to its name, Tadakha has plenty of action sequences which give ample scope for both the lead actors to show off their machismo and the heroines get enough screen space to show off their sensual side. It takes sometime to get used to the pace and sequence of

events, but in the end, the film does make a good impression, thanks to the right mix of action and sentiment. Tadakha hits all the right notes in terms of what is expected from a mass entertainer and there lies its strength. Directed by Kishore Pardasani, the film, stars Naga Chaitanya, Sunil, Tamannaah and Andrea Jeremiah It is about two brothers — Sivarama Krishna (Sunil) and Karthik (Naga Chaitanya). Sivarama Krishna is extremely sensitive to everything around him and he tries his

Naga Chaitanya, Sunil starrer Tadakha is a well-made mass entertainer which just about manages to keep us hooked onto the screen.

best to stay away from trouble. On the other hand, Karthik is a rough and tough guy, who always comes to his brother’s rescue. When the duo move to a new city, Sivarama Krishna joins the Police department as a sub-inspector and he gets sucked into the local gang wars headed by Bagga (Ashutosh Rana). It all boils down to how Karthik saves the day for his elder brother, before he inspires Sivarama Krishna to fight back. Meanwhile, Sivarama Krishna gets married to Nandu (Andrea Jeremiah) and her sister Pallavi

(Tamannaah) falls in love with Karthik. The plot couldn’t have got more formulaic than this, but the difference lies in its treatment. The characterisations of both Naga Chaitanya and Sunil are well conceived and the change which Sunil goes through in the film forms the crux of the film. The film is the remake of a superhit Tamil film titled Vettai; however, Kishore Pardasani has done a pretty good job in adapting the film to suit the local sensibilities. The film does lack consistency in the first half but once the conflict is established, both Naga Chaitanya and Sunil own the rest of the

Movie: Tadakha Cast: Naga Chaitanya, Sunil, Tamannaah, Andrea Jeremiah Directed by: Kishore Pardasani Rating:

show. It’s good to see both the actors get equal footage, although the leading ladies don’t have much to do, apart from shaking their hips in the songs and filling the gaps between action sequences. The music, however, is a big let down and few songs hamper the pace in the second half. Tadakha has just about enough tadka to relish till the end. A fairly good show on the whole.

CINEMA SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2013

AWKWARD adolescence in all its glory

igh school was not easy for anyone, and this is what debutant director Sonam Nair taps into with Gippi. A warm coming-of-age story, the movie is an easy watch for both teenagers and adults. Gippi (Riya Vij) is an overweight, bindass teenager studying in a Shimla school. She lives with her mother (Divya Dutta), who was dumped by Gippi's father for being too earthy, and brother Booboo (Arbaz Kadwani). Gippi's troubles begin when she sets her sights on hot older boy Arjun (Taaha Shah). At a party, school mean girl Shamira (Jayati Modi) humiliates her in front of all their classmates. A forlorn Gippi decides to go head to head with Shamira for the post of school headgirl. While the story is rather conventional, even slapsticky at places, the lead characters

bring a rare warmth to it. Riya shines as the happy-golucky Gippi, and for a change, all the actors play their age. Divya Dutta is adorable as the

While the story is rather conventional, even slapsticky at places, the lead characters bring a rare warmth to it. Movie: Gippi Cast: Riya Vij, Divya Dutta, Arbaz Kadwani, Jayati Modi, Taaha Shah Directed by: Sonam Nair

supportive single mom, and Arbaz is lovely as the rotund brother who isn't into girls. On the downside, the story goes down the same beaten path as most coming-of-age tales do. Shamira, the girl who makes Gippi's life miserable, does not seem to have any redeeming qualities. Gippi is great for a onetime watch, especially for insecure teens. AGENCIES

Gore and laugh fest

ndia's first zom-com is thankfully not a rip-off of the countless Hollywood zombie flicks around. It's funny for most part, and hopefully will pave the way for more creature features here. Hardik (Kunal Khemu), Luv (Vir Das) and Bunny (Anand Tiwari) are headed to Goa after a series of misfortunes. Luv has recently been dumped, Hardik lost his job and Bunny is the good guy who wants to cheer up his friends. In Goa, they end up at a secret rave party organised by the Russian mafia, where some far-from-regular drugs are doing the rounds. When they wake up, totally wasted, they find that some of the party-goers have turned into zombies. While fleeing the zombies, they team up with Boris (Saif Ali Khan), a 'Russian' zombie hunter. The insanity starts there. While Saif's accent (and

hairstyle) are incomprehensible, Vir and Kunal walk away with the best lines in the movie. Tiwari is the voice of reason and sanity, and he plays his role well.

Movie: Go Goa Gone Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Kunal Khemu, Vir Das, Anand Tiwari, Pooja Gupta Directed by: Krishna DK, Raj Nidimoru Luna (Pooja Gupta) is pretty much just eye-candy in the mostly male caper, but she manages to hold her own. Is Go Goa Gone a zom-com worthy of being compared to greats like Shaun of the Dead? No. But is it a fun, mindless watch? Most definitely so. AGENCIES

No one can overtake Salman: Imran Khan

ctor Imran Khan, who plays a prominent role in Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai 2, reportedly set for a release on Eid, says no one can overtake Salman Khan's territory of Eid release. Ever since Salman's Wanted was released on Eid in 2008, it has been almost a tradition for the actor to have a release around that time every year. When asked if he is looking to overtake the territory of Salman by releasing the film during Eid, Imran says, "Who will overtake Salman Khan? Nobody is super enough to do that." Last year, Salman's film Ek Tha Tiger hit the theatres during Eid. But this year reportedly with no film of Salman releasing around the festival, two films â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai 2 and Chennai Express â&#x20AC;&#x201D; are likely to be released that day. PTI

CINEMA SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2013

BREATHLESSLY ENTERTAINING S

tar Trek Into Darkness, JJ Abrams’ follow up to his successful 2009 Trek reboot, is as remarkably assured, visually stunning and breathlessly entertaining as its predecessor

and should find favour with casual fans and aficionados alike. Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto return as Captain Kirk and Commander Spock, facing up to the threat posed by John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch), a murderous rogue agent whose actions risk triggering all-out war between The Federation and The Klingon Empire. A very strong supporting cast return to flesh out the crew of the Enterprise, led by Zoe Saldana (Uhura), Karl Urban (Bones) and Simon Pegg (Scotty). The film pulls off the admirable feat of being accessible as a summer action blockbuster to the casual moviegoer whilst simultaneously offering enough reverence for its source material to appease all but the most fanatical Trekkie. Quinto’s exceptionally nuanced Spock provides the intellectual and logical grounding around which

Randy Jackson to quit American Idol

andy Jackson, once referred to by producers as the “barnacle” of the American Idol judging panel, is stepping down from his role at the end of this season. “Yo! Yo! Yo! To put all of the speculation to the rest, after 12 years of judging on American Idol I have decided it is time to leave after this season,” Jackson told E! News. “I am very proud of how we forever changed television and the music industry.” Jackson

all hell can and does break loose, often as a result of the rule bookshredding, all guns blazing pragmatism of Kirk. Visually the film is spectacular, spoiling again and again with lush CGI environments, photo-realistic future tech and devastating scenes of carnage, but this is nicely offset by the emotional weight of a deepening relationship between Kirk and Spock, a necessary centrepiece to add

Movie: Star Trek: Into Darkness

genuine purpose to the action sequences. Chief antagonist John Harrison is an arrogantly superior villain who at first glance appears interchangeable with many a modern sci-fi/comic book heel but is fleshed out over the course of the film in to a three dimensional figure and a credible threat. In his efforts to top Star Trek, Abrams does make the bangs bigger and the stakes higher and it could be argued there are one too many moments where the characters overcome seemingly insurmountable odds which does occasionally puncture the suspense. However, overall Harrison is a figure of menace who appears capable of inflicting genuine peril and loss on the crew of the Enterprise which maintains tension throughout the film’s 133 minutes. Star Trek Into Darkness is a tremendous all-round triumph that

manages to please multiple audiences simultaneously, entertains thoroughly and deserves to be one of the most successful films of 2013, as it surely will be. Www.flickeringmyth.com

Joe Wright to direct Fifty Shades of Grey?

nna Karenina Cast: Chris Pine, Benedict added that he plans to helmer Joe focus on his company, Wright is reportedly a Cumberbatch, Zachary Quinto, Dream Merchant 21, as well strong contender to Zoe Saldana as “other business ventures.” direct the film adaptation Directed by: Jackson’s announcement of Fifty Shades of Grey. JJ Abrams comes on the heels of multiple The 40-year-old director is reports that Fox brass are looking set to helm the big screen adapto reboot the entire Idol panel — tation of EL James’ erotic novel, and perhaps even its producing staff which will be produced by — in the face of sharp ratings declines Universal and Focus Features, accordfor the reality singing juggernaut over ing to The Hollywood Reporter. the past several months. The two studios are reportedly look-

ing for a director with ‘arthouse sensibilities’ for the flick and believe Wright could be the perfect fit for the job, although no offer has been made yet. Wright has previously worked with Focus Features on Anna Karenina, Atonement, Hanna and Pride and Prejudice. Fifty Shades of Grey will be produced by Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti. The best-selling book trilogy tells the story of a young university student, Anastasia Steele, who embarks on a steamy relationship with her boss, Christian Grey. PTI

CHAI TIME SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2013

SUDOKU

THOUGHT OF THE DAY What I have to say is far more important than how long my eyelashes are.

– Walter Scott

KAKURO

How to play kakuro

SCRIBBLING PAD

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.

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Wise old saying 6 Helmsley of hotels 11 Portable bed 14 “Rabbit ___” (Updike novel) 15 Vinyl collectible 16 Land with the country code of 1 17 Fashion designer’s work? 19 Umbrella spoke 20 At the bottom 21 Lint locale 23 Bistro patron, at times 26 Candid device 27 New accomplishments 28 Thick-trunked African tree 30 Blvd. crossers 31 Pertaining to neap and ebb 32 Wallet items, briefly 35 Kind of mask 36 Like this puzzle’s theme? 38 Muumuu accessory 39 Clattering overhead trains 40 Rise, and maybe shine 41 All-too-common campaign tactic 42 Competed at Henley 44 Equal-share word 46 Pizza portions 48 Bawled out 49 Diamond measure 50 Walk like a show horse 52 Abbr. for those who didn’t make the list 53 Basic Scout ties 58 Not a whit 59 Money spent 60 Razzle-dazzle 61 67.5 degrees, in terms of direction 62 Manipulated a mannequin 63 Old White House nickname

DOWN 1 Episodic story line 2 Marina ___ Rey 3 Fuss in a Shakespeare title 4 Cowardly 5 Admonish 6 High-tech beam 7 Angled additions 8 Black-bordered bio 9 Woman with a habit 10 In a willing-to-comply manner 11 Like some parrots and parakeets 12 Tree that provides wicker 13 Drum accompanying a sitar 18 Providers of sheep’s milk 22 Surgeons’ org. 23 Mature enough 24 Close competitor

guage 25 Opera house section 48 Indian lute 26 Black vein contents 50 ___ forth (proposes) 28 One on two feet 51 Foam at the mouth 29 Yemeni seaport 54 “___ Vadis” 31 Director’s shoot 55 Not original 33 Card below a trey 56 Little bit 34 Fathered 57 Pig’s home 36 Another name for the sugar apple PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER 37 Hems and ___ 41 To some, it’s golden 43 Alternative to JVC or Panasonic, once 44 Teen’s skin woe 45 Pool-table feature 46 Act division 47 Catholic Church lan-

CHAI TIME SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2013

Aries

Gemini

Taurus

Cancer

Leo

Virgo

Two of Swords

The Hermit

Five of Swords

Seven of Pentacles

The Wheel of Fortune

Page of Cups

ork –There are many things you need to operate. You will be expected to take on new jobs in unfamiliar areas, too. Romance – The image of yourself you project will be important in also enhancing your self esteem. Don’t be harsh on yourself. Health – Apply yourself to the healing process even if it isn’t a very serious issue that bothers your day-today functioning. Money – Avoid lending or borrowing money. You cannot afford to do that in these difficult times. Tarot message – Synchronicity plays a very crucial role in life. Some people call it a type of karma, too. What you’re going through now is difficult but needed for your growth.

ork – There are many things you may not know about your own field of expertise. Obtain new knowledge. Don’t be content in the false impression that you know it all. Romance – Nursing a broken heart is never easy. Take time off to do things that you enjoy. Be kind to yourself. Health – Clear your doubts by taking a second opinion from another doctor. It is not necessary that good doctors all work only in big hospitals. Money – There is a structure to managing money. A finance advisor should be able to help you. Tarot message – Finding yourself in the spiritual growth is an important part of your journey. Don’t stop looking and you will make headway.

ork – There is a need to upgrade your skills if you are ambitious and want to climb greater heights in your career. Pick up a few new skills. Romance – Self-help books tell you how to attract new love into your life. If you’re single, you know why, and it may be deliberate, too. Health – Trying to treat one health problem might unleash a whole can of worms with problems inter-connected. One thing at a time. Money – A partnership is a good idea instead of trying to do something on your own. Tarot message – There is no need to explain your actions to anyone else but ask yourself if you are uncomfortable with some of your decisions.

ork – Before you blame someone else for something that’s going wrong at the work place, you need to look within yourself. Romance – Change the scene with your partner. Go to a restaurant and spend time talking about your day instead of doing it at home while doing laundry. Health – There are options before you in how to treat a chronic health issue. Don’t be overwhelmed by the pain. Think in a practical way. Money –When the markets are looking down, there are ways to reduce the losses. Tarot message – Treat yourself to some metime. This is needed every now and then to connect with your inner self.

ork – Your writing and communication skills will be put to the test. Make sure you have a way of expressing ideas without hurting anyone else. Romance – There is confusion over a potential romantic partner. If you’re not sure, don’t jump into a commitment. Wait it out. Health – Negative thoughts can be very harmful to your mental as well as physical health. Try to stay cheerful and be as positive as possible. Money – Choose an investment option that secures you. Seek advice from a good finance person and manage your finance portfolio in a professional manner. Tarot message – Planning and preparation are everything. Despite that, life may not go as planned.

SUMAA TEKUR tarotreadhyd@gmail.com

Libra Queen of Pentacles

The Chariot

ork – You might do well by bonding with your boss. Over dinner or a game of golf, maybe? Don’t isolate yourself at the work place. Romance – There are many colours in a relationship and you should experience them all. Do not hesitate to try new things. Health – An old photo album, rich with memories, will make you want to go back to the past, and to simpler times, if only temporarily. Money –Your bank balance needs to match up to your lifestyle. If it doesn’t, then you need to cut a few corners in your showy lifestyle. Tarot message – The ladder to success is before you. You can choose to take it depending on how you perceive success.

ork – A situation may catapult on you at a time when you least expect it to. Keep calm and show that you can work with a cool head in the most trying circumstances. Romance – A holiday to an exotic location can bring your partner and you closer together. You discover wonderful new things about each other. Health – Mental stress and anxiety is taking a toll on you. How about hiring an assistant to take care of planning your schedule? Money – You will have to use your disposable income in a way that your investments and EMIs are not affected. Don’t try to stretch yourself too much. Tarot message – Approach situations on a fresh slate.

Sagittarius

Scorpio

The Hanged Man

ork –You feel like a dwarf when you look at the other achievements of those around you. But don’t let it bother you and your aim to be better in what you do. Romance – Time to woo your loved ones with something they like. It need not always be diamonds or fine dining or exotic vacations. It can be simpler things, too. Health – Get a thorough test done if you are unsure about a health problem that is eating into your energy and time. Money –If you live in a rented place, there’s a chance that your landlord will trouble you. You may be asked to make adjustments. Tarot message – Your reputation is everything to you.

Capricorn

Date 12-5-2013

Aquarius

Four of Wands

The Fool

ork – Keep the communication lines clear and open at the work place. Report to your boss of all happenings, however minute. Romance – You cannot treat a relationship using a formula. It is not a robot-like existence that will work. Feel, emote and give in. Health – It might be a good idea to ape the lifestyle of someone whom you adore. If it a fit body you crave, follow the lifestyle of someone with a fit body. Money –When you hand over money, make sure you have a record of it. Keep all receipts and acknowledgements safely. Tarot message – Do not judge someone if you do not know what all they have been through in life.

ork – Don’t compare your salary or work responsibilities with others because that is always likely to make you unsatisfied. Be content with what you have. Romance – There are many feelings deep down within you that need an outlet. You need to share your thoughts with your close friends/partner. Health – Try going organic and eating healthy. Change your diet to a healthier one and see the difference on your body. Money – See if you can pool resources for a project instead of putting in all the finances yourself. Tarot message – Your mindset will determine what kind of a life you will lead. You can feel free even in a dungeon if your mind thinks it.

ork – You are stretching yourself too much and need a break. Your stress is showing on the quality of work as well. Take time out. Romance – Catch a movie or go out to dinner on a week night. Break the routine and bring the passion back into your life. Health – Be careful of the foods you’re eating and where you drink water from. The season change might affect your health. Money – Stay in charge of your money and make sure you have enough funds locked away in a safe place for a rainy day. Tarot message – Write down your thoughts if you cannot share them with anyone. Make sure your emotions have an outlet from your system.

Pisces Justice

ork – If there is a manuscript you have worked out but don’t have the confidence to show anyone, this is a good time to conquer that fear. Romance – Go on an adventurous trip with your loved one. You will both feel energized and recharged, both professionally and romantically. Health – Keep your appointment with the physiotherapist and do not take it lightly, although the benefits may not be visible to you just yet. Money – Be diplomatic while dealing with money. You may get into a difficult situation of lending/borrowing money. Tarot message – Create work-life balance to the best extent possible.

Vol: 2, No 295 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 040-40672222, Fax: 040-40672211

THE SATURDAY QUIZ SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2013

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

IN THE NEWS

public art gallery located at Buckingham Palace? 14. Which people are the source of the Gilgamesh? 15. What is the logo on Converse sports shoes? 16. Which English player resigned from captaincy following the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exit from 2006 football World Cup?

TEST YOURSELF

DO YOU KNOW THESE PALACES?

CURRENT AFFAIRS

A heavily armed gang was reported to have killed a group of elephants at a world heritage site in which area this week? The son of which former Pakistani Prime Minister was kidnapped by an unidentified gunmen during an election rally?

Which is the strongest muscle in the human body? How many bones does a human feet have?

Astronauts on the International Space Station are dealing with leak of what substance in the orbiting platform's cooling system?

When does one's teeth start growing?

How many bones are babies born with?

1. Central African Republic (CAR). 2. Yousuf Raza Gilani 3. Liquid ammonia

Answers

How many scents can a human nose remember?

KNOW YOUR COUNTRY

What are the three things pregnant women dream mostly of during their first trimester?

1 2

Which convicted Pakistani militant jailed in India died in hospital after being beaten by another inmate this week? Which country has launched a pan-India advertising campaign "Million Reasons" in a bid to reach out to Indian tourists?

PICTURE PUZZLE 66 with Santosh Ghule Which direction is being conveyed in the map? A girl and Mahatma Gandhi, spreading the message of love.

Answer for 65:

Which company is the latest to offer help to clean up 340 tons of toxic waste lying in the abandoned Union Carbide factory in Bhopal?

Answers: 1. Forbidden City 2. Mysore Palace 3. Pena National Palace 4. Alhambra

Which CPI(Maoist) central committee member and a key leader of the north-east chapter of the outfit was arrested by the Assam police this week?

WHO AM I? I am a bollywood actor. I am known for my negative characters in the movies. I have acted in close to 350 films. I was recently honoured with Dadasaheb Phalke award.

Answer: Pran

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Which is the largest and the smallest cell in the human body?

Answers :

HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT YOUR BODY?

1. Female egg is the largest and smallest is the male sperm 2. Tongue 3. 52 bones, accounting for one quarter of all the human body's bones 4. Six months before you are born 5. 300 bones but by adulthood the number is reduced to 206 6. 50,000 7. Frogs, worms and potted plants.

in cans first appear? 9. What number is in the title of the Depeche Mode concert film? 10. Which is the deepest ocean? 11. How is zero written in Roman numerals? 12. Which famous actor plays Mr. Bean? 13. What is the name of the

Answers

Louvre have? 5. In greek mythology how are the sirens described? 6. In what year did the annual awarding of Nobel prizes begin? 7. Approximately how many cell mutations are necessary for the development of a tumor? 8. In which year did Coca-Cola

1. Strength 2. 1871 3. He did not write them 4. 2,000 5. Three winged bird women 6. 1901 7. 1 8. 1955 9. 101 10. Pacific 11. There is no roman numeral for zero 12. Rowan Atkinson 13. Queen's Gallery 14. Sumerian 15. A five pointed star 16. David Beckham

1. How did Doomsday kill Superman in the 1992 comic book storyline The Death of Superman? 2. When was Marcel Proust born? 3. When did Homer write his works The Iliad and The Odyssey? 4.How many staff does the

1. Sanaullah Haq 2. Turkey 3. Anukul Chandra Naskar alias Paresh Da 4. Poland

Answers

SPORTS SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2013

Chess tourney from May 15

he Sri Viswasanthi All India Fide International Rating (below 2300) chess tournament will be held from 15th to 18th May, under the auspices of Krishna District Chess Association, A.P Chess Association and All India Chess Federation. `1,08,000 will be given away in prizes. For information contact Vijay Sai on 7893001070 or Muralikrishna on 7386918908.

Bryant auction put on hold

Stiff opposition from Tejay

obe Bryant’s legal battle with his mother over a memorabilia auction won’t be settled in time for the US Mother’s Day holiday on Sunday after a judge put the sale on hold. Bryant and his mother are locked in a wrangle over her deal with a auction house to sell hundreds of items of memorabilia from his high school playing days and his early professional career.

ave Zabriskie, a four-time Tour of California runner-up, can expect stiff opposition from fellow American Tejay van Garderen when the eighth edition of America's top stage race begins on Sunday. Zabriskie headlines a Garmin-Sharp team that also includes Johan Van Summeren and Tyler Farrar, who will be aiming to end the sprint stage dominance of Peter Sagan.

Hell of long way off pace, says Button Button said that despite a raft of new parts he remained “a hell of a long way off the pace”. BARCELONA: Jenson Button admitted that despite a raft of new parts from the McLaren team he remained “a hell of a long way off the pace” in practice for this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix. After struggling to compete in the four season-opening ‘flyaway’ races in Australia, Malaysia, China and Bahrain, the 2009 world champion had hoped he and McLaren would be back with a bang at the Circuit de Catalunya. But after the the opening two free practice sessions, he admitted that the progress that McLaren had made in improving the car had been lost by the equal progress made by their rivals. The 33-year-old Briton said: “Its great that we’re able to turn things around so quickly in terms of bringing parts to the circuit, but we’re still a hell of a long

way off the pace. “There are some positives to the parts, but some areas we need to improve on — areas I didn’t think we would have to! We haven’t

McLaren Mercedes’ British driver Jenson Button drives during the first practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona on Friday ahead of the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix. AFP/JOSEP LAGO

Wiggins slips back after fall PESCARA, ITALY: Tour de France champion Bradley Wiggins lost valuable time after falling on a treacherously wet hairpin bend in the seventh stage of the Tour of Italy won by Australian Adam Hansen on Friday. After hitting the deck close to home as the rain came down Wiggins picked himself up to trail in 55th, two-and-a-half minutes behind Hansen, to slip to 23rd in the overall standings, 1min 32sec behind new leader Benat Intxausti. Wiggins, the Olympic time trial gold medallist, will be hoping to make up for time lost on this tricky undulating 177km run from San Silvo to Pescara in Saturday’s time trial. Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford reported the British star none the worse for his tumble. “Bradley’s fine. There’s no physical injury,” he reported. “Ultimately when you have

slipped back, we’ve made improvements, but I think everyone has... “The important thing is that the correlation (between our simulated performance and our track showing) is much better now, which is a positive, definitely for the future. “I think (on Sunday)

difficult conditions like these and hard racing this type of thing can happen. It’s the Giro. “You can have good days and bad days and you have to wait until the end to tot them all up and see where you are. “It’s a setback, but Brad’s still very much in the hunt. We’ve now got to take each day as it comes, focus on fully recovering tonight and hitting the time trial hard tomorrow. We’ll see where we are tomorrow night and take stock of the situation then.” In the overall standings, pink jersey holder Intxausti now leads by five seconds from Vincenzo Nibali, who like Wiggins also fell, with last year’s Giro winner, Canadian Ryder Hesjedal, eight seconds back in third. Hansen, who turns 32 on Saturday, was clinching his first stage victory on a major tour since he turned professional AFP in 2007.

you’ll see four teams that are very competitive at the front. I don’t think we’ll be one of them — but I think we’ll be just behind hopefully.” Button added that the mixed weather conditions during FP1 and the need to focus on long runs to check tyre performance reduced the time available to test new parts properly. “The problem is we’ve hardly tested,” he said. “Its not perfect conditions (and then) it’s basically been doing long runs seeing what the tyres will do,” he explained. “We still don’t have the outright pace of the quick guys as everyone is moving forward. We need a big chunk and I’m not sure we have that. I think we can improve overnight, but we’re not there yet.” Button wound up 12th in practice with teammate Sergio Perez in 13th.

Pirelli probe tyre flops in accident fear BARCELONA: Italian tyre suppliers Pirelli have launched an investigation following a spectacular failure that affected Force India driver Paul di Resta on Friday. The Scot was forced to bring his Force India car to a halt after the tread completely came off the left rear tyre during the second free practice session ahead of Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix. An initial analysis suggested that the problem was caused by overheating of the tread rather than debris on the circuit. Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery said: “It doesn’t look pretty when you get the tread coming away like that. If anything like that happens, it tends to collapse the tyre on to the rim, so it did not look good. This year we are seeing the AFP tread coming away.

Boston Cup results

BRIEF SCORES: SEMIFINALS:

Under-12: CCOB CC 31/2 in 8 overs lost to Meridian High School 32 for no loss in 6 overs. Under-14: Meridian High School 73/4 in 8 overs bt New Chargers CC 43/4 in 8 overs.

Rudisha, Gatlin shine at Diamond League opener DOHA: Kenya’s world and Olympic 800m champion David Rudisha was one of 11 athletes to register season-best performances as the Diamond League opened in Doha on Friday. Rudisha won in 1min 43.87sec with Ethiopia’s Mohammed Aman, the only man to have beaten the Kenyan in the last three years, taking second in 1:44.21. The Kenyan broke his own world record at the London Olympics last summer with a time of 1:40.91. “It’s a season-best, but I can do better in the coming weeks,” said Rudisha. In the men’s 100m, America’s 2004 Olympic champion Justin Gatlin won in Doha for the second successive year. The 31-year-old, whose

Kenya’s David Rudisha (front) leads the men’s 800m final at the IAAF Diamond League in Doha on Friday. AFP/AL-WATAN DOHA career was interrupted by a four-year doping ban, timed 9.97sec to beat fellow American Michael Rodgers with Jamaica’s Nesta Collins in third, both men 0.02sec behind. However, the 100m field was

missing Olympic champion and world record holder Usain Bolt as well as world champion Yohan Blake. “I have had a cold these last few days, but I am happy with this time at the start of the season,” said Gatlin.

SPORTS SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2013

Rafa, Serena, Maria advance Kieran CANNING Agence France-Presse

MADRID: Rafael Nadal overcame a stiff test from compatriot David Ferrer to reach the Madrid Masters semi-finals Friday, but there was no such luck for Andy Murray who was beaten 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 by Tomas Berdych. Defeats for Murray and Ferrer mean that the world’s top four have all been eliminated following earlier exits for Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer. World number five Nadal, who is now the favourite for a third title in the Spanish capital, had to come from a set and a break down to win 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-0 over world number four Ferrer.

Spanish player Rafael Nadal returns the ball to Russian player Mikhail Youzhny during their men’s singles third round match at the Madrid Masters at the Magic Box (Caja Magica) sports complex in Madrid on Friday. AFP/PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU

And the 11-time Grand Slam champion admitted that recovering a break when Ferrer led 4-2 in the second set was the key moment. “I was up and down through the whole match and when you are up and down against David it is difficult to win,” said Nadal, who had also been two points from defeat in the 12th game of the second set. “I am very happy and I was lucky to come through at the end of the match. He was very unlucky not to be in the semifinals. “At a set and 4-2 down I am not worried, I am very worried.” Despite being seeded above Nadal, due to the seven-time French Open winner’s sevenmonth injury lay-off, Ferrer was still left nursing a record of just

Garcia surges into lead PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida,

Sergio Garcia of Spain plays his second shot on the 18th hole during round two of The Players Championship at The Players Stadium course at TPC Sawgrass on Friday in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. AFP/ANDY LYONS

May 10, 2013 (AFP) - Spain’s Sergio Garcia fired a seven-under-par 65 on Friday to seize the secondround lead at the Players Championship, with world number one Tiger Woods in hot pursuit. Garcia’s eight birdies included five in a row in his storming second nine. His 11-under total of 133 put him one stroke in front of Woods, who had five birdies and an eagle and two bogeys in a five-under-par 67 for 134. “Wonderful day today,” said Garcia, who teed off on 10 at TPC Sawgrass’s Stadium Course and began to warm up with birdies at 16 and 18. He responded to a bogey at the par-four first with five straight birdies starting at the par-five sec-

ond, then added one more at the par-three eighth. “Yesterday I scored very well,” said the Spaniard, winner of the Players Championship in 2008. “I didn’t play that great. But today I played much nicer. Couple of tee shots here and there that I would have loved to hit a little better, but other than that, it was nice. I hit the ball very well, hit a lot of good iron shots and gave myself a lot of good birdie opportunities.” Woods pronounced himself “pleased with every facet” of his game. “I feel like I’m driving it well, hitting it well with my irons, my distance control is good, short game is really solid, and I’m making my share of putts,” said Woods, already a three-time winner on the AFP US PGA Tour this year.

Anand crushes Veselin Topalov SANDNES (NORWAY): World champion ViswanathanAnand crushed his former challenger Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria in the third round to jump to the joint second spot in the Norway Chess 2013 super tournament, here. Sergey Karjakin of Russia scored his third straight victory at the expense of Wang Hao of China to lead the table with three points. Anand and Levon Aronian follow him, a full point behind. Teimoru Radjabov of Azerbaijan finally won a game, disposing the challenge of local hopeful

HOUR YEAR MONTH SECOND MINUNT

Nadal overcame a stiff test from Ferrer to reach the semifinals, but there was no such luck for Andy Murray who was beaten by Tomas Berdych. action in early February, and the Spaniard can reach his seventh consecutive final when he faces wildcard Pablo Andujar in another all Spanish affair in the semifinals.

Safety probe after death of Simpson SAN FRANCISCO: America’s Cup organizers announced a full probe Friday into the capsizing of a catamaran that killed British Olympic champion Andrew Simpson, casting a pall over yachting’s biggest race. The high-speed AC72 “nose-dived” into the San Francisco Bay while performing a relatively common maneuver in normal conditions, they said after Thursday’s tragedy during training for the 34th America’s Cup in September. The Artemis Racing crash was the second involving the spectacular new AC72 class boat, after one involving the Oracle team in October in which no one was hurt. The latest incident has revived questions about the new boat. Given the circumstances, the Oracle team would not train with its two AC72s before Monday, said America’s Cup Regatta Director Iain Murray. Two other teams with AC72s are not yet ready to train.

Ainslie joins outpouring of grief SAN FRANCISCO: British yachting great Ben Ainslie, the most successful Olympic sailor, joined the sailing community on Friday in mourning the death of Andrew Simpson in an accident on San Francisco Bay. “This is such a tragedy,” Ainslie said in a statement that was posted on his website. “Andrew was such a wonderful husband, father, friend and one of the nicest people you would ever meet.” AFP

Root puts Kiwis to the sword LONDON: New Zealand found it imp-

Suduko

Boggle Number game

Scrabble

SOLUTIONS

Jon Ludvig Hammer to move to a fifty per cent score. With six rounds to come in the ten-player tournament, Radjabov shares the fourth spot along with world number one Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura of United States and Russian Peter Svidler on 1.5 points apiece. Wang Hao and Topalov are sharing the eighth spot on one point each while Hammer is at the bottom, yet to open his account. The day produced three decisive games and local star Carlsen had to settle for his third straight draw with PTI Nakamura.

four wins in their 22 meetings. Victory took the 2005 and 2010 Madrid champion’s record to 29-2 since he returned to

ossible to dislodge Joe Root as he maintained his prolific form in the second day of the tour match on Friday. Root finished the day on 105 not out as he recorded his third hundred in four innings, sharing a stand of 182 with Michael Carberry, who hit 77, as the Lions

reached 219 for two at the close. Yorkshire’s Root is captaining the Lions in this warm-up for next week’s first Test between England and New Zealand and he is sure to be named on Saturday in Alastair Cook’s squad for the Lord’s clash after taking his first-class tally well beyond 500 runs already this season. AFP

IPL 6

BATTLE OF THE TITANS

METRE

6 S 487

Chris Gayle (RCB)

40 4S 1568

Michael Hussey (CRK)

HIGHEST SCORE

175*

SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2013 Chris Gayle (RCB)

BEST BOWLER

5-20

James Faulkner (RR)

Time for a new sun to rise You have to be really positive, definitely you get really hurt when you lose in such a manner, which we did [against CSK]. VVS Laxman SRH mentor

Michael Hussey (CSK) 574 runs

Dwayne Bravo (CSK), 21 wickets

‘Tendulkar’s game was good for us’

mpressed with the way Sachin Tendulkar played in their last IPL match, Mumbai Indians coach John Wright said on a lighter note that "life begins at 40", referring to the senior Indian cricketer. "Well, I think he is past that problematic age of 39 (laughs). Life begins at 40," Wright said. Wright was particularly happy with the way Tendulkar paced his innings during his 48-run knock against Kolkata Knight Riders at Mumbai on Tuesday. "We were really pleased with the way he played in the last game — not necessarily the runs he got, but the way he played was good for us. And I think that will be really helpful on slow-wicket conditions," Wright added. PTI P

T PT

CSK

13 10

20 +0.687

18 +0.445

16 +0.644

RCB

16 +0.540

SRH

14 -0.228

KXIP 12

10 +0.113

KKR

10 -0.071

10 0

6 -0.737

PWI

11 0

4 -1.367

P-played; W-win; L-lost; T-tie; NR-net run rate; PT-points

G APARNA SAI

aparna.s@postnoon.com

he surprise of the tournament has been the tournament has been the Sunrisers Hyderabad team; this is their first season and there were hardly any who believed that this side would win as many matches as they have until now. The Sunrisers have seven victories from the 12 matches they played and are currently placed at the fifth position on the points table. Although SRH do not figure among the top four teams, they still have a good chance of making it to the playoffs. And in their bid of making it to the next stage, Hyderabad will have to win their match today when they play against Kings XI Punjab, in Mohali. The Kings, but for a few instances, have failed to create an impact in this season. They

KXIP VS SRH 8PM ON SET MAX

SCORECARD

let go of a few good chances and are now struggling at the sixth position with only five wins from 12 matches. The chances of Punjab making it to the playoffs are minimal and they would have to win every match in the coming future to stand a chance to figure among the top four. David Miller has proved to be threatening but if he does not fire and the others like Adam Gilchrist and Shaun Marsh fail, then it will be difficult for the Kings to end on the victorious side. Meanwhile, the SRH batsmen need to stop depending completely on their bowling for them to win matches. Although there were numerous loopholes in their bowling when they played against the Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday, yet on most occasions, it has been their batting which failed them. SRH have a decent chance of surging forward but if they do not make the best use of the opportunities, then they can bid goodbye to the playoffs.

MI eye PWI advantage

DELHI DAREDEVILS V ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE Royal Challengers Bangalore (20 overs maximum) CA Pujara

b Kaul

CH Gayle

b Pathan

V Kohli*run out (Rohrer/†Jadhav) 99 MC Henriques c & b Nadeem

AB de Villiers†not out

Extras

(w 4, nb 1)

Total (4 wickets; 20 overs)

183

Bowling

M R

W Econ

M Morkel

0 35

8.75

IK Pathan

0 24

6.00

S Kaul

0 36

9.00

UT Yadav

0 65

0 16.25

S Nadeem

0 23

RCB won by 4 runs

5.75

Delhi Daredevils innings (target: 184 runs from 20 overs) Jayawardene b Unadkat 19 V Sehwag c Pujara b Unadkat 18 U Chand c Vinay Kumar b Unadkat41 DA Warner* b Henriques 4 BJ Rohrer b Vinay Kumar 32 Jadhav†c Vinay Kumar b Unadkat 8 IK Pathan not out 23 M Morkel b Unadkat 19 UT Yadav not out 4 Extras (lb 6, w 4, nb 1) 11 Total (7 wickets; 20 overs) 179 Bowling O M R W Econ R Rampaul 4 0 35 0 8.75 MC Henriques 2 0 21 1 10.50 JD Unadkat 4 0 25 5 6.25 R Vinay Kumar 4 0 43 1 10.75 M Kartik 4 0 21 0 5.25 J S Mohammad 1 0 20 0 20.00 CH Gayle 1 0 8 0 8.00

umbai Indians are undoubtedly the stronger side in comparison to the Pune Warriors India, whom they play against at the Subrata Roy Sahara stadium, today. Mumbai are seated comfortably at the third spot, behind Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, on the points table. But they are yet to cement their place in the playoffs and hence would need this victory to inch towards their goal of making it the next stage. Sachin Tendulkar, who seemed to have a lack luster season until his side’s previous encounter against Kolkata Knight Riders, will be a key player for Mumbai.

Besides the mastero, MI have a formidable side with Mitchell Johnson, Dinesh Karthik, Dwayne Smith, Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ohja performing regularly.

PWI VS MI AT 4PM ON SET MAX Pune, on the other hand, have had a forgetful season. Although they have noteworthy names like Yuvraj Singh, Aaron Finch, Mitchell Marsh and Luke Wright among others, yet none of the players have performed to their potential. Pune, no longer stand a chance of making it to the next stage but a win today could prove be a hurdle in Mumbai’s run to the playoffs.