Epaper 13 june 2013

THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013 HYDERABAD

WWW.POSTNOON.COM

WEATHER: CLOUDY WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS; 26°C

FLASH

SPEAKER IN THE DOCK? TDP boycotted the all-party meeting convened by Speaker N Manohar in a bid to unlock the Assembly jam. The TDP, it is learnt, is ready to move a noconfidence motion against the Speaker and has written him a letter accusing him of acting in an undemocratic manner.

32 PAGES

`3

P16&17

HE ARRIVES TOMORROW, ARE YOU READY?

HYDERABAD’S FIRST COMPACT AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER

REPORT ON P4&5 With the government deciding to crackdown on the T-party stir tomorrow, the stage is set for a showdown between the pro-Telangana forces and the police.

CRACKDOWN! N SHIVA KUMAR

2

THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013

city events

FOODIE'S HAVEN

Non vegetarian cooking classes will be held.

Where: Colorama Printers, Secunderabad When: Till June 14, 10 am to 12.30 pm Contact: 80086-34949

Weather for Hyderabad Morning

New Delhi Mumbai Max 36 Max 30 Min 28 Min 25

Evening

Overnight

Afternoon

26°C

22°C

26°C

30°C

Cloudy with a slight chance of showers.

Cloudy. Windy at times.

Cloudy and windy.

Cloudy with a chance of showers.

Cloudy with chances of storm

Chennai Max 35 Min 26

Cloudy with thunderstorms likely

Bangalore Max 27 Min 20

Cloudy with rains likely

Cloudy with chances of thunderstorms.

AROUND THE CITY: YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES

by Sanjay Kumar Joshi Where: Ravindra Bharathi, Saifabad When: June 13, 6.30 pm yo 8.30 pm Contact: 98493-16526 Show time Nirnaya Women’s Fund, a non-profit organisation, is hosting a music concert by Bangalore based folk-rock band Swarathma, as a fundraising gesture.

Where: Marriott Hotel and Convention Centre When: June 15, 7.30 onwards

SHOWS

Lebanese Spread It’s a week of authentic Lebanese delicacies at Seasonal Tastes.

Where: Seasonal Tastes, Westin When: Till June 16, 12 pm to 3 pm For Reservation call: 040 67676888

Art show Special showcasing of live art by acclaimed French artist Remi Bertoche.

Where: Durbar Hall and Jade Terrace, Taj Falaknuma When: June 14, 6.30 to 8 pm

WORKSHOPS

Book launch Book Stray Birds by Anand Vishwanadha will be launched.

Where: Goethe-Zentrum Hyderabad, Banjara Hills When: June 13, 6 pm

Founder’s Day Founders Day special with Amaraock and Undercover will be held.

Where: Hard Rock Cafe Hyderabad, Banjara Hills When: June 14, 8 pm

Reel abilities The Open Couple, play by Dario Fo will be staged.

Where: Lamakaan, Banjara Hills When: June 14, 15, 7.30 pm Contact: 96427-31329

SHOWER POWER: Two-wheeler riders got drenched as heavy rain lashed the City on Wednesday.

M ANILKUMAR Ceramic exhibition Surfacing, a ceramic exhibition by Akila Chungi will be held.

Where: Opposite Golkonda Resorts and Spa, Gandipet.

When: Saturday June 15, 5 pm to 9 pm, Sunday June 16, 4 pm to 9 pm Contact: 9989425825 Commissioner & Spl Officer

Helpline GAS BOOKING IVRS NO HP 9666023456 Indane 9848824365 BSNL Complaints HMWS & SB Complaints

198 155313

POLICE CONTROL ROOM Hyderabad 27852435 Traffic Control Room 27852482 DCP Traffic 23234065, 23243499F Pollution Control Board 23887500 ELECTRICITY General Complaints Breakdown Section

155333 23431178 23431179

MUNICIPAL CORPORATION

23262266 24166666R ENC 23225267 Engineering 23220418 MCH Tankbund 23225397 Emergency MCH Circle I&II 24525842 MCH Circle III 24736912 MCH Circle IV 23326975 MCH Circle V 23326976 MCH Circle VI MCH Complaints 1100 Head Office 23225397 IVRS CUM MANUAL ENQUIRY PHONE NUMBERS (TRAIN & RESERVATION) RAILWAYS Rail Nilayam 27833169, 27824216 Railway Information 131 Reservations 135 Recorded Information 1345 Enquiry (IVRS) 1331, 1332, 1333

French Film screening Tony Gatlif’s Liberté (Freedom) will be screened.

Where: LV Prasad Preview Theatre, Road No 2, Banjara Hills When: 14th June, 6.30pm Dancing delight Kathak dance performance

WATER SUPPLY Complaint Cell Sewerage Complaint Hyd. Water Supply HOSPITAL General Hospital, Sec-bad Niloufer Hospital, Red Hills NIMS, Director, Punjagutta Osmania General Hospital Railway Hospital, Lalaguda Apollo, Jubilee Hills Care Hospital, Banjara Hills Care Hospital, Nampally Care Hospital, Musheerabad Care Hospital, Sec-bad Kamineni Hospital, LB Nagar

155313 23307328 23313163

27505566 23314095 23390933 24600146 27001134 23607777 30418888 30417777 30419000 30416666 39879999

BLOOD BANKS Blood Bank,Narayanguda Chiranjeevi Blood Bank Blood Bank Mediton Goal Red Cross, Vidyanagar ADRM Blood Bank Mythri Charitable Trust NTR Memorial Trust Care Banjara Hills

Classical dance Bharatnatyam dance workshop by Nenita Praveen.

Where: Our Sacred Space, Secunderabad When: Till June 16, 10 am to 12 pm Contact: 90300-13344

DINING Southern spice Southern meals ready will be held.

Where: The Square, Novotel Hotel Convention Center, Kondapur When: June 17, 7 pm Contact: 6682-4422

27567892 23559555 23226624 27633087 27035588 27550238 30799999 30418296 30417445

AMBULANCES Apollo 23548888, 23607777 Kamineni 24022222 Medwin 23202902, 23204616 Smile Line Dental Hospital 23747979 Red Cross 27627973 Niloufer Hospital 23314095 Gandhi 23320332 AIRLINES

Karate classes Karate classes for kids will be held.

Where: Colorama Printers, Secunderabad When: Till June 14, 4 pm to 6 pm Contact: 80086-24949 Freezing a moment

Photography workshop by renowned photographer Siddharth Where: Kalpataru, Banjara Hills When: June 15, 16, 11 am Contact: 90005-81919

Airport Director 27903785, 27906001 For Air India Flight Information Toll free (from any network) for IC Flights 18001801407 And for All Flights: 1800227722 Air India has revised its flight timings.

For more information call (Toll free) 18001801407, 1800227722 from BSNL/MTNL 04023430334 from other lines and mobile Website; www.airindia.in TOURISM OFFICES AP Tourism, Hyd 23262152/53/54 Sec-bad 27893100 Dept of Tourism 23453110 India Tourism 23261360 AP Tourism information Centre (24x7) 23450444, 23455999 UK VISA OFFICE VFS India Pvt Ltd Building, 8-2-542/A, Sunil Chamber, Road No. 7

Beside Meridian School, Banjara Hills34. Working hours are from 8 AM to 1 PM And 2 PM to 3PM. MUSEUMS Salar Jung Museum AP State Museum Nizams Museum

24523211 232431300/7641 24521029

Readers’ views

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

THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013

news

YESTERDAY’S QUESTION

HAS ADVANI BEEN REDUCED TO A MANTELPIECE? 100% 0%

YES (A) NO (B)

YES

B)

NO

ANALYSIS

Rural service to be made compulsory The government has introduced an amendment to the APMPR Bill, making one year service in rural government hospitals mandatory for medical practitioners to get a licence.

HYDERABAD: The rural areas of the State, deprived of proper medicare, can now look forward to quality medical help with the government making it mandatory for medical practitioners to work in rural areas for a certain period if they want licence to practice in cities.

The State government on Tuesday introduced Andhra Pradesh Medical Practitioners

A)

To vote visit www.postnoon.com

MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS BILL

INKESHAF AHMED ahmed.m@postnoon.com

TODAY’S QUESTION

ARE POLITICIANS USING OU STUDENTS AS PAWNS IN THEIR GAMES?

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Registration (Amendment) Bill 2013 in the House. The Bill will get a nod in the ongoing session of the House. It is primarily aimed at bridging the demand–supply gap of professional doctors in the State, especially in rural areas.

There is a huge shortage of trained medical practitioners — MBBS, MS and MD graduates — in the state.

Immediately after getting their degrees, most of them pursue their career in private sector by either joining corporate hospitals that offer lucrative salaries or setting up their own clinic.

Most of these doctors are do not show interest in joining government service for the simple reason that it forces them to work in rural areas.

Severe shortage of trained doctors has also made the government face the wrath of opposition parties. Keeping all these in mind, the State government has come up with the fresh idea of amending the existing Act to ensure adequate number of medical doctors in all its hospitals, including primary health centers (PHC).

The salient feature of the amendment bill is that the State would initially issue them temporary registration certificates as medicos. The doctors will then have to work in any of the government hospitals for a period of one year.

After that they can apply for permanent registration by producing a certificate that they have completed one year rural service.

The other feature of the amendment bill is that it would keep a check on malpractices committed by practicing doctors, like prescribing wrong treatment and medicines with the aim of making extra money.

3

Wanted: A CMP for Opposition

Opposition ranks that behave like eternal enemies need a Common Minimum Programme for the benefit of eight crore people of the State.

PK SURENDRAN surendran.pk@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: The wise say wisdom from anyone or anywhere should be accepted for the larger interests of the people. In this context, the legislators of AP Assembly have much to learn from the counsellors of the GHMC who, in a rare show of solidarity for pro bono public, decided to stand like a rock behind the civic administration in taking on the belligerent GHME union.

“No union that understands its social responsibility will call a strike call at the peak of the monsoon,” observed a civic official after the meeting with the union leaders on Wednesday.

Eight million people of the City will only agree with him.

The union’s 100 days of relay fast (relatively a form of shirking work) meets with the Telangana protagonists’ Chalo Assembly march tomorrow.

Many corporators in the GHMC wonder if the 100th day was a coincidence or deliberate.

Diddi Rambabu, Congress floor leader, said, “The GHMC will make all alternative arrangements for the civic services. Blackmailing 80 lakh people will not be allowed.” This, say civic observers, is the true spirit shown after a long time by elected representatives. The counsellors’ allegiance is with the people who elected them and the union is not a superbody to threaten to suspend civic services. “In which case, they will not get their salary,”

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was a threat hurled at the staff that gloated over a few days of workless enjoyment.

Meanwhile, what do the worthies in the Assembly do?

They keep wasting Assembly’s time and people’s money. For three consecutive days, opposition parties that acts like sworn enemies keep coming up with their private agendas while eight crore population of the State that elected them are undergoing varied miseries from shortage of goods to climatic mayhem.

It is perhaps only in AP where the Opposition ranks never meet to discuss common minimum programme for the sake of the people’s welfare.

While political opposition is understandable and legitimate, they could not wink at their fundamental duty of helping people get their due from the government. Opposition is the people’s eye and if it shuts, what justice would you get?

CITY BRIEFS `8 lakh stolen, maid suspected

Wife hangs herself after ‘quarrel’

Lifetime achievement for Balakrishna

Those who didn’t pass EAMCET can register

Rao accuses govt of discrimination

HYDERABAD: A businessman of Chikoti garden in Begumpet is poorer by `8 lakh after he found to his horror the cash kept under lock and key stolen. The suspicion is on the maid. B Sandeep and his wife told police that they believe the servant has taken the money as she is missing from work for the past two days. Police are trying to locate her.

HYDERABAD: A 30-year-old woman, a resident of Amberpet, is alleged to have committed suicide by hanging herself on the night of June 11 at her home. The deceased, Roshni, was a native of Vijaywada.

She lived with her husband and children. Her husband claimed that they had a quarrel over school fees and expenses.

HYDERABAD: Delaware Valley Telugu Association will present a lifetime achievement award to cinestar N Balakrishna. Association president Potluri Ravi said the award will be presented during the association’s 40th anniversary celebrations to be held in King of Prussia city on June 28 and 29. Eighteen other NRIs will also be felicitated.

HYDERABAD: All those candidates who failed EAMCET 2013 may register their names with a DD of `300 drawn in favour of convenor EAMCET and submit it to him at Sanketika Vidya Bhavan Govt Polytechnic Masab Tank before June 15, 2013. The convenor will give them ranks and allot them to various colleges.

HYDERABAD: TRS deputy floor leader T Harish Rao on Wednesday accused the State government of showing discrimination towards the farmers of T region. Rao said that the government released about `680 crore for the cyclone-hit farmers of Seemandhra region. However, he said that only `62 crore were released for the Telangana farmers.

News THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013 LAST YEAR... HERE No authenticity in checks

L

ast year we had reported how easy it is to get a pollution under control (PUC) certificate. Even if your certificate has expired, you really don’t need to worry about it. It is no wonder then that the City is getting more polluted.

Many road users blamed the RTA, the authorised pollution checking vehicle staff, for not checking the vehicles emitting smoke properly.

JUNE 13, 2012

NUMEROLOGY

675

settler homes are being planned by Israel, which is seeking approval for hundreds of such homes in the northern West Bank settlements of Itamar and Bruchin.

I sent my elder son to this [unrecognised] school only. They taught him well and sent him for Class X exams through a back-door agreement with another school.

Afreen Ruzwa, parent See page 9

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

1

A major step towards better healthcare for poor.

The government introduced an amendment to the medical practitioners Bill, which makes one year rural service compulsory to get a licence.

2

The next Lama could be a woman, says Lama.

Since females are more compassionate about the well being of others, there’s nothing wrong in a female Dalai Lama, he said.

3

Civic political parties unite for once.

All the floor leaders of civic political parties have lined up behind the commissioner in taking stern action against the GHME Union which is threatening to suspend all civic works from tomorrow.

4

French asexuals come out about lack of desire.

It may known for the City of Love, but French asexuals are opening up about their lack of sexual feeling.

5

British parents line up to vaccinate their children.

After getting a bad rap, vaccinations are back in business in UK.

4&5

SRINIVAS SETTY, N SHIVA KUMAR

CITY FACES SHUTDOWN

With the Kiran government deciding to deal the T-party stir tomorrow with a heavy hand; stage is set for a showdown between the pro-Telangana forces and the police. The City seems to be heading for a two-day forced holiday with the government ordering a shutdown of nightlife services.

POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: For the first time in recent memory, the AP government has shown a determined face when confronted with a life-debilitating Assembly march by the pro-Telangana forces, stewarded by the TJAC tomorrow.

Consequently, the government has ordered massive mobilisation of Central forces and local police and barricaded many entry points and vantage points along ORR and arterial roads since yesterday. Such huge preparations to face a stir were not evident in the past, political observers say. Some 190 platoons of Central forces such as RAF, CRPF, BSF and state armed police have been drafted to man the City limits for two days.

Osmania University area, the melting pot of student stir, has been strengthened with additional forces. All leave barring emergency sick leave has been barred for City police forces.

Adding to the government’s woes is the threat of the GHME union which had vowed to participate in the Chalo

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Assembly tomorrow, which if allowed, will torpedo civic services to the public.

Police sources hinted at preventive arrests of all union leaders by tonight.

Police have already taken into preventive custody over 400 elements since last evening. They are searching the areas of Moula ali Balanagar, Jeedimetla, Shahpur, where people from districts

are likely to take refugee.

The government, it is learnt, has made a gesture to the T-forces. Geeta Reddy, who looks after Home, said if the JAC wants to hold a meeting on the city outskirts, the government may consider giving permission, but it was summarily rejected by the TJAC. Initiating the steps to counter the stir threat, the City police on Tuesday imposed prohibitory orders in twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad till June 18, banning meetings, rallies and processions. It was followed up with the closure of all wine shops, bars attached to restaurants (excluding bars in Star hotels and registered clubs) within the limits of Hyderabad from 6pm today to 6am on Saturday.

Meanwhile, people seem to be unwilling to shift their scheduled travel plans. Leading City cab services told Postnoon they have noticed no fall in demand for cabs today and tomorrow.

“People’s travel plans seem intact,” said a booking official.

With input from Mohd Subhan, Padmini C and Aleena Alice

Highlights 1. Closure order on bar-attached restaurants, wine shops in City.

2. All educational institutions in Hyderabad and RR districts declared holiday tomorrow.

3. Prohibitory orders till June 18.

4. Major clampdown on leaders and cadres in T-region.

Fort OU tense OU campus and surroundings looked a fortified arena, for a battle is expected. A large number of armed Central police forces and local police took positions in all vantage points. Student leaders have threatened to take out a protest rally and police have blocked all entries, leading to a virtual bar on people going in or coming out of campus. By noon, students began to throw stones at police and the police responded with teargas.

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News THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013

ECONOMY

More reforms in next few days, says PC Resist the temptation to buy gold, and current account deficit will improve drastically, says finance minister.

NEW DELHI: Seeking to accelerate reforms to spur investments, Finance Minister P Chidambaram today said the government will announce host of decisions, including relaxation of FDI caps and resolution of gas and coal prices, in the next few days.

He further said there was no need for panic over declining value of rupee and the domestic currency would regain the losses suffered in last few days and stabilise. “I am looking forward to more reforms... I expect a number of decision in the next few days and weeks... In June, you can expect number of decisions taken and implemented that will accelerate reforms and spur investments in critical sectors,” Chidambaram said.

NATION BRIEFS

Man arrested with 2 kg charas VARANASI/ BHUBANESWAR: A man was today arrested here and two kg charas and 160 gm heroin, worth about Rs 85 lakh in the international black market, were seized from him, police said. In the second incident, one person was arrested in Odisha’s tourist town of Puri after 1.5 kg of brown sugar was found in his possession, police said. He used to primarily sell drugs to tourists, the police said.

Soldier injured in LoC mine blast JAMMU: An army jawan was injured in a land mine blast along the Line of Control in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said here. Sepoy Kuldeep stepped on the mine along the LoC during patrolling in Romilidhara belt of Jangarh sub-sector in Rajouri last evening, triggering blast, a Defence spokesman said today. In the blast, the jawan was injured and admitted to a hospital, he said adding that his condition is out of danger.

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He said the decision will be taken on coal and gas pricing, coal allocation to power plants, FDI limit in various sectors, including defence, and skill

development.

Chidambaram said the Sebi board will take a decision on KM Chandrasekhar committee report on rationalisation of foreign investment norms on June 25. “There is no reason for panic... Countries with large current account deficit have taken a hit on currencies. Rupee will find its level. We are concerned about volatility. Rupee will regain losses suffered in the last few days,” he said.

Expressing satisfaction over declining gold imports, Chidambaram appealed to the people to “resist the temptation to buy gold” saying it will dramatically change the CAD position. He, however, ruled out any immediate hike in gold import duty saying he doesnt want to be “too unpopular”.

PTI

CRIME

Kidnapping accused fire at cops

GHAZIABAD: Three persons, accused in a kidnapping case, allegedly opened fire at a police party which had come to arrest them in Jawli village in the district, police said today.

The police officers fired in retaliation, but could not arrest the accused. According to police, area sales manager of a beverage company, Jaspal Rawat was abducted on Monday by the three accused, beaten up and then set free after three hours. Rawat had lodged a police complaint. The police had gone to arrest the trio when the incident occurred.

Jawan kills self at naval base KOCHI: A 48-year-old jawan posted on sentry duty at the Naval base here allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself. A. Radha died of a bullet injury at about 10.30pm yesterday at the Naval base here, a defence release said today. He was posted on duty at the Material Organisation the store depot at the Naval Base. The jawan from the adjacent sentry post along with Guard Commander found him dead after they rushed to his post on hearing a gunshot. The matter has been reported to the police. A Board of inquiry is being constituted to investigate the circumstances leading to the death of the jawan.

DESPERATE PLEA

Harassed ex-MLA seeks nod to die Petitions Mulayam and Akhilesh about threats from Congress MLA. LUCKNOW: A former legislator of the ruling Samajwadi Party has written to party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, seeking permission to end his own life, and that of his wife.

In a letter addressed to the father-son duo, Abdul Samad Ansari and his wife Shehla Parveen have alleged harassment at the hands of Congress legislator Ajay Rai. They said that over the last week, the Congress leader had been trying to defame them, with the aid of forged papers.

Ansari, a former SP MLA from Varanasi (North) has said that despite his attempts to petition district authorities, nothing had happened so far, and he was subject to immense stress.

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“There are some forged papers in the possession of Ajay Rai, Congress MLA, through which he is harassing me and my family” Ansari said.

In his letter, he also charged Rai of roaming near his house in a suspicious manner, and said he feared a physical threat.

Ajay Rai, representing the Pindra assembly seat in Varanasi, meanwhile, has trashed the allegations of the SP leader, and said that his property and assets were already probed by the previous Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) government. He said he was ready to face any fresh probe.

IANS

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News THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013

IN THE NICK OF TIME

Rebirth for US girl Sarah

CATCH THEM YOUNG

10-yr-old girl gets life-saving lung transplant after political firestorm.

KERRY SHERIDAN Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON: A 10-year-old American girl whose dire need for a lung transplant catapulted her into the political spotlight underwent potentially life-saving surgery Wednesday after a donor was found.

The Pennsylvania girl, who suffers from cystic fibrosis and was said to be near death’s door without a transplant, entered surgery early Wednesday after lungs from an adult donor were identified late Tuesday.

The case drew international attention when the child’s family

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gave interviews to cable news networks and pleaded with the US government to bend the rules and allow her to be put on the list for an adult lung transplant.

She was at the top of a waiting list for children under 12, but pediatric donor lungs are far rarer than those from adults, and experts had given Sarah only a few weeks to live. “The surgeons had no challenges resizing and transplanting the donor lungs — the surgery went smoothly and Sarah did extremely well,” her mother said.

A Palestinian boy takes part in a military-style summer camp being held by the Islamic Jihad movement during the youngsters’ summer school vacation in Rafah town, in the southern Gaza Strip, on June 12, 2013.

Thousands of youngsters between the age of six and 16, can participate in the summer camp where they receive military as well as religious training.

AFP/ SAID KHATIB

TURKISH TURMOIL

UN REVELATION

Erdogan sets 24-hr deadline Even as he said he would consider holding a referendum, the Prime Minister warned the protests would be over in 24 hours.

ARIS MESSINIS

FULYA OZERKAN Agence France-Presse ANKARA: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday said he would consider holding a referendum on plans to redevelop an Istanbul park that have sparked nationwide protests, in his first major concession in nearly two weeks of anti-government unrest.

The Prime Minister has also issued an ultimatum to protesters that the protests would be over in 24 hours.

“We have not responded to punches with punches. From now on security forces will respond differently,” Erdoğan said after meeting a team said to be representing the protesters for the first time.

“This issue will be over in 24 hours.”

The gesture came as thou-

We have not responded to punches with punches. From now on security forces will respond differently Recep Tayyip Erdogan Turkish Prime Minister AROUND THE

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sands gathered in the city’s Taksim Square, next to Gezi Park, for a 13th evening of demonstrations.

“We might put it to a referen-

dum.... In democracies only the will of the people counts,” said Huseyin Celik, a spokesman for Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) after talks between Erdogan and protest leaders.

“We think that after this gesture of goodwill people will decide to go home.”

A campaign to save Gezi Park’s trees from being razed to make way for a replica of Ottoman-era military barracks was met with a heavy-handed police response on May 31.

The crackdown sparked a countrywide outpouring of anger against Erdogan, seen as increasingly authoritarian.

‘Kids being used as shield in Syria’ UNITED NATIONS: Children are being used as sniper targets and human shields in the Syria war, the United Nations said Wednesday, in a report that added Mali to its child soldier list of shame.

UN leader Ban Ki-moon said in the report the 26-month-old war in Syria is taking an “unacceptable and unbearable” toll on children with thousands among the death toll.

The office of UN special representative on children in conflict, Leila Zerrougui said it had received “verified reports that Syrian children are killed or injured in indiscriminate bombings, shot by snipers, used as human shields or victims of terror tactics.” Zerrougui presented the report which said boys as young as 10 are used by armed groups to work as combatants and porters.

It said there were a growing number of reports of the Free Syrian Army, the main rebel group, recruiting children.

AFP

WORLD BRIEFS Indonesian kidnappers release Briton unharmed

Funds guru accused of NZ’s biggest Ponzi plan

Texas executes its 499th inmate

N. Korea slams South for talks failure

Gillard teams with Arnie on climate action

BANDA ACEH: A British energy worker kidnapped in the restive Indonesian province of Aceh has been released unharmed after just one day in captivity, embassy and police officials said Thursday.

Malcolm Primrose was abducted on Tuesday by a group of armed men who stopped his car as he was being driven to a work site.

WELLINGTON: A New Zealand fund manager, David Ross, 63, appeared in court Thursday charged with masterminding the country’s largest “Ponzi” scheme, which allegedly defrauded more than 1,200 investors of NZ$400 million ($320 million). He has been charged with four counts of false accounting, the Serious Fraud Office said.

WASHINGTON: Texas executed a confessed murderer of five people Wednesday, its 499th inmate to be put to death since capital punishment was reinstated in the United States nearly four decades ago. Just two days before his 44th birthday, Elroy Chester was put to death by lethal injection at the Huntsville prison.

SEOUL: North Korea on Thursday blamed South Korean arrogance and deceit for the collapse of planned talks between the two rivals and warned that prospects for any future dialogue had been severely damaged. The two Koreas had initially agreed to hold their first high-level talks in six years in Seoul on Wednesday.

SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard joined forces with former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Thursday to urge global action on climate change, saying politics must be put aside. The unlikely pair met in Perth and jointly penned an opinion piece that ran in News Limited newspapers.

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News THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013

EVERYDAY LEARNING

The willing apprentice Hyderabad’s own Samuel Rufus Nallaraj is one of 11 contestants selected from 30,000 across Asia to participate in AXN’s The Apprentice Asia. Postnoon talks him up.

ARUN DANIEL YELLAMATY arunyellamaty@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: Samuel Rufus Nallaraj (in pic), who is a vicepresident of one of Global Big Four MNCs in Hyderabad, has got through three episodes of The Apprentice Asia and is one of the audiences’ favourites.

Postnoon talks to him about the show, his work and much more.

You are a senior-level employee, what made you participate in an apprentice programme?

I have always been a big fan of The Apprentice show – the US version. I even tried applying for it but it was meant only for US Citizens.

One day when I got back from work, my wife Genevieve saw the AXN India promos and said – you have to apply! I applied three days to the deadline and the rest is history. I believe designations and age does not matter in this format of the game.

It’s a dog-eat-dog world and the competition is designed to make you ‘dog-meat’ eaters.

How did you manage to garner the information about the show?

I heard it from my wife. She was watching AXN one day and she was super excited to see the Asia Edition of The Apprentice show. In fact, she nagged me so much that out of sheer desperation, just to keep her quiet, I applied. And the rest is history! So if there is one person to thank apart from God, it would be my wife – Genevieve Samuel and I am truly grateful to her for that.

One thing you feel you could have done differently during

the auditions?

I would have worn my socks to the auditions! Can you believe it, I bought a new pair of shoes, packed everything and I completely forgot my black socks to the auditions. I enter this room with 17 very senior judges from all over the world and I have to sit in a chair in the middle of a big auditorium with lights and cameras on me. They start firing questions at me. I notice them looking at my feet (I think they thought it was my style. But four or five questions down the line, I stop the interview and tell them – "I have a confession to make; I forgot my socks!”

The whole room erupt-

ed in laughter. That changed the tone from a serious highstress interview to a fun one.

Well in hindsight, I am not sure I would go for the auditions with socks, because I used it to my advantage to change the mood of the room.

The benefit of representing India on the show?

The benefit is clearly that I bring India to the world. The Southeast Asians see a whole different perspective of India on the show — that we are fighters, creative, mavericks and strategic thinkers and not just docile order-takers. The benefit is also that I have 1.2 billion people supporting me.

I am the only Indian male contestant to be on the show out of over 30,000 applications AXN received.

Given the cutthroat competition, what do you think will be your USP on the show?

My USP is very clear — I am a maverick thinker and an extremely creative guy — you will catch that immediately on the show.

I have deep holistic business experience on my side and have experience in marketing, information systems, finance, HR, operations and hence I bring a well-rounded personality (I am physically wellrounded too) to the competition.

I have deep holistic business experience on my side and have experience in marketing, information systems, finance and HR. What is your game plan? Any strategies you might have devised?

My game plan is simple.

You never compete with others, you always compete with yourself. That's the secret to ‘stress-free’ success whether it’s on the show or in corporate India or in the boardrooms of the world! That strategy is more from a strategic standpoint. From a tactical one, I will try not to be the loudest and brashest in the first few episodes because the loudest ones tend to get eliminated early on (as per my observations watching the US Apprentice).

Tell us about the details and the format of the show?

The format of the show was the exact same format as the US Apprentice or any other version of the show. It comprised of business tasks that each team had to execute and at the end of the execution phase of the task, you and your team members are summoned to the boardroom where Tony Fernandes and his advisors grill you on how you performed in that task. One team wins and is sent

to collect their reward. The losing team stays back and is put under further intense questioning to find out who deserves to be fired. The person, who was the weakest or the reason for the downfall of the losing side, is fired.

Lessons learnt from the show?

My primary learning on the show was to be assertive and get your point across – even forcefully if you had to.

If you believe in it, just do it!

My second learning is to be concise and precise and get to the point quickly. We consultants like to give analysis and reasoning behind the final bottom-line recommendation.

But I soon realised that people like Tony, need the final answer first and explanations later. Lastly, I learnt that the best things in life come to those who travel the road less thought off.

From which countries did you face more competition in the show?

I faced much competition from the China team and the Philippines team.

Are there any future plans to participate in such shows?

My future plan is to do a ‘Junior’ or ‘College’ Apprentice in India. You see, The Apprentice in its current form is for people who have some corporate experience or are entrepreneurs. But in India there are millions of college students waiting to get a $100,000 job after studies. I want to do The Apprentice – College Edition and ensure we hire the best students in India for million-dollar jobs via a brand-new show that I will host. That is my dream. Of course, I want to write and direct movies too.

What is your message to the young generation?

Dream big, India needs entrepreneurs! Don’t settle for a corporate job and be happy.

Lastly, be humble. Only the humble people get exalted.

It’s the law of God and it’s the law of nature. So stay humble always no matter how high you go in life.

Follow him on www.samrufus.com, Hash Tag: #AASam on social media like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Foursquare.

9

News THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013

SCHOOL RECOGNITION

Shutdown threat not working Many school authorities are unsure about what the rules for recognition are, given that many of the 2,000 recognised ones do not have sufficient infrastructure and manpower.

PADMINI C padmini.c@postnoon.comt

A

round 300 children in the Sri Ram Nagar area in Banjara Hills come every day to study in a narrow two-storied building with zero ventilation. They sit in cubicle-sized classrooms and their playground is a 30x30 space on the terrace. This teaching shop, ironically named, New Paradise, is one of the 340 unrecognised schools operating in the City.

With the Department of Education now cracking down on unrecognised schools so as to comply with the Right to Education Act, New Paradise has already received a notice that it will be shut down if it doesn’t comply with the requirements.

Officials of the school say they have applied for recognition, but are doubtful about whether they will receive it. They have paid for the challan but say they don’t have the money to apply for the ‘No Objection Certificates’ from fire, sanitation, municipal boards and so on, without which a school will not be recognised by the government.

“All that will take over `1 lakh or more and I can’t afford it.

I have been running this school for the past seven years with nominal fees and no profits, so children from the ‘basti’ can have some place to study. If the school closes down, where will they go?” poses Hazi Mirza, founder

of the school.

Mirza’s is a valid question.

The only recognised school in the vicinity is the New Buds High School, situated in a precarious building, which seems still under-construction. But the quality of teaching is beyond reproach, assures the headmistress, Amena Begum. “We have been here for 25 years and our children consistently achieve top grades.” Despite her assurances, she is worried about the number of unrecognised schools that are cropping up in the area luring unaware parents into admitting their children with them.

Amena refers, in particular, to Vintage Grammar School, a

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brand-new school in the area that’s opening its doors on Wednesday for the first time.

Another unrecognised school, it has admitted 200 children with the promise of free uniforms, books and first month fee.

Incidentally, Dinesh, the founder of the school has a connection with her school. “He studied here and then worked here in this very school and then went on to set up his own.

Parents here are from very lowincome groups. They don’t understand the difference between recognised and

unrecognised. So they fall for these traps,” laments Amena.

For Afreen Ruzwa, a mother of two and a resident of Ram Nagar, a school which is close to her house will win her vote, whether it’s recognised or not. “I sent my elder son to this [unrecognised] school only. They taught the boy well and even sent him for his 10th class board exams through a back-door agreement with another school.

So, I’m going to make my daughter do that too,” she says.

If the education department has a problem with the standards of the schools in the area, then they should set up a school with all necessary infrastructure themselves conclude residents.

On the other hand of the spectrum is Sri Saraswati Vidya Mandir in Venkataramana Colony, Khairatabad. As private unaided schools go, the 30-yearold school’s infrastructure, teaching faculty and reputation can be said to be on par with established names in the business.

Ironically, even with two playgrounds, a well-stacked library, a prayer room, a welltrained teaching staff and holistic developmental activities, the DEO’s office deems it unfit for recognition. It is a primary school, to be precise.

The school, which also runs classes from VI-X on the same premises has been granted recognition.

“It’s bizarre. According to the DEO’s office, we’ve satisfied all parameters and requirements to gain recognition for our highschool, but not our primary school which is also on the same campus.

They’re asking for us to provide more documents,” says Vanaja Devi, the school’s headmistress.

Many school authorities like her now allege they are unsure about what the rules are, given that many schools with all the pre-requisites are still on the list of the 300-odd unrecognised schools’ list while many on the 2,000 recognised schools are no better than government schools.

Parents and children suffer in the tug-of-war as the business of recognition gets murkier, and the last date for admissions slips past.

NIRNAYA ORGANISATION

Celebrating 15 years of service

ARUN DANIEL YELLAMATY arunyellamaty@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: Nirnaya, a public charitable trust, is celebrating its crystal anniversary, completing 15 years of service to disadvantaged women and girls.

As part of the anniversary celebrations, Nirnaya is conducting a charity show by hosting a concert by Bangalore-based folkrock band Swarathma on June 15. This event plans to raise funds towards Vikasini Girls School — a free education initiative for young girls of Addagutta slum, Secunderabad. The school provides free English medium primary education, midday meals, books, uniforms, stationery

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and recreational facilities.

Nisha Khan, interim ED and director (resource mobilisation and international relations) Nirnaya, said, “Nirnaya hopes to spread its work and carry out its

mission with renewed enthusiasm.” This is, in one way, a growth from adolescence to adulthood organisationally!

A vision that started off with three women — Indira Jena, Uma

Maheshwari and Mini Nair — all based in Hyderabad with experience in working for women’s empowerment is now spreading out into remote parts of India.

There is a Nirnaya family now extending both vertically and horizontally where persons who want to express their social responsibility and those who need support just in order to live, find a meeting point. Nirnaya raises resources from various philanthropic avenues and uses them for implementing empowerment projects for marginalised women.

The projects constitute economic

and social capacity building, microcredit, girl’s education, skills training, and access to healthcare, hygiene and nutrition.

Over the years, Nirnaya’s work has transformed the lives of more than 2,50,000 women and girls across 12 states in India.

Talking about the band, she said, “Swarathma is one of India’s hottest folk rock bands whose music is as cheerful, inyour-face and colourful as their onstage costumes and theatrics. “ The concert will be held at Marriott Hotel & Convention Centre at 7.30pm. Donor passes: `1,500 (cocktails and dinner).

Available at Marriott reception desk, Good Earth (23338000) and Nirnaya office (27805089).

10

News THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013

CIVIC ISSUES

GHMC shutdown threat, union summoned

In a show of solidarity, all the floor leaders of the civic political parties have lined up behind the commissioner in taking stern action against the TRS-affiliated GHME Union which is threatening to suspend civic works.

Md NIZAMUDDIN nizamuddin.a@postnoon.com

T

he labour commissioner, who has notified of the Union’s arm-twisting tactics and he has served the Union with summons. The Union has to present itself before the Commissioner on June 17 Consequently, the Union is caught on a cleft-stick. If it goes with the strike plan from tomorrow, stern action stares at it and if it withdraws the stir plan it loses its face.

The Commissioner, who held a meeting with the agitating Union leaders at his chamAROUND THE

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All floor leaders endorsed the decision of Commissioner. At the meeting, we discussed about alternative arrangements for sanitation and emergency services.

Diddi Rambabu Congress floor leader

ber for more than an hour yesterday made it clear to its president, U Gopal and others about the consequences of carrying forward their protest plans.

According to the Floor leaders of various political parties, who held meeting on this issue with Mayor and Commissioner and other officials, all corporators cutting across party lines have thrown their weight behind Commissioner’s decision.

Soon after the Commissioner met the Union leaders, the floor leaders met and discussed the issue.

They were of the opinion that yielding to Union threat at this time of monsoon was antipeople and it should not be allowed.

“All floor leaders endorsed the decision of Commissioner.

During the meeting, we discussed about alternative arrangements for sanitation and other emergency services.

Special trucks will be made available for garbage and disposing of wastage,” said Diddi Rambabu, Congress floor leader.

Meanwhile, the GHMEU which is supporting the ‘Chalo Assembly’ clarified it will be taking up the agitation on June 15, so as not to overshadow the greater cause of Telangana.

Speaking to Postnoon, U Gopal said that he will be holding a meeting with office bearers of the Union today to decide the

Unions defiant

I

n a separate meeting, Srinivas Goud, JAC secretary general and Telangana Gazetted Officers Association president has called upon all the employees of GHMC to support the ‘Chalo Assembly’. The CPI affiliated, AITUC leaders Esa Ratnam and P Raju, Municipal JAC, chairman, T Yadaiah, BJP-affiliated BMS vice president Ravi Kumar and several other pro-Telangana employees associations in GHMC pleged their support. “We are not afraid of arrests,” said Srinivas Goud.

form of agitation to be taken up.

“About 300 of us will accompany the march of Chalo Assembly. Because of this we will be taking up GHMC strike on June 15,” he said.

Explaining about the meeting, the president of GHMEU said that the Commissioner maintained that he got an assurance from Municipal Minister about the issue, who ensured settling the matter in six months.

“The Commissioner wants us to backtrack but there is no written assurance from Minister on this. How come we believe that this issue related with thousands of employees, will be solved in next six months,” says Gopal.

TAKING CHARGE

Girl dumps alcoholic groom KENDRAPARA (ODISHA): In a bold step, a bride refused to marry her groom who arrived at the wedding venue in an inebriated state at Chapalli village .

The 22-year-old bride did not turn up at the mandap when the bridegroom was found allegedly in a drunken state during the marriage procession on Monday.

“We have received information about the incident. But no complaint has been received in this regard. Still we are inquiring into it,” sub divisional police officer Nrusingha Charan Swain

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said. Angry villagers detained the bridegroom Pravat Mallick, 26, along with his relatives, and let them off after they apologised.

“She has set a precedent. It is a message for all alcoholics. The bride and her parents deserve praise for taking such a bold step,” former Mahakalpada Panchayat Samity chairman Balaram Parida said.

POWER TO EVES ‘The next Lama could be a woman’ AROUND THE

WORLD

SYDNEY: The Dalai Lama waded into Australia's bitter gender war Thursday, saying his successor as the spiritual leader of the Tibetans could be a woman.

"If the circumstances are such that a female Dalai Lama is more useful, then automatically a female Dalai Lama will come," he told a press conference in Sydney to launch a 10-day tour of Australia.

The exiled 77-year-old was questioned about the gender conflict reignited by Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard this week. He replied that the world faces a "moral crisis" of inequality and suffering and needs leaders with compassion.

"In that respect, biologically, females have more potential," the Dalai Lama said. "Females have more sensitivity about others' well-being.”

"In my own case, my father, very short temper. On a few occasions I also got some beatings. But my mother was so wonderfully compassionate."

Labor leader Gillard claimed on Tuesday that the conservatives would marginalise women and set back abortion laws if they win national elections in September.

On Wednesday she accused opposition leader Tony Abbott of a pattern of misogynist behaviour, sparking angry recriminations.

The Dalai Lama, a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize who fled the Chinese rule over Tibet in 1959 for the safety of India, is due to speak in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Darwin.

Females have more sensitivity about others' wellbeing. In my own case, my father, very short temper. On a few occasions I also got some beatings. But my mother was so compassionate.

Dalai Lama Tibetan spiritual leader

11

News THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013

CUBA-FLORIDA NON-STOP SWIM

SYRIAN CONFLICT

Oz ace swimmer drops record bid

Chloe McCardel had to drop her bid to swim non-stop from Cuba to Florida after being stung by a jellyfish.

FRANCISCO JARA Agence France-Presse HAVANA: Australian endurance star Chloe McCardel abruptly scrapped her bid to swim non-stop from Cuba to the US state of Florida after a “debilitating” jellyfish sting, her team said Wednesday.

“McCardel’s attempt to be the first person to complete a non-stop swim from Cuba to the US without a shark cage has ended prematurely after 11 hours due to a severe debilitating jellyfish sting,” spokesman Tim Stackpool told AFP by email.

“Chloe is now on one of the support vessels heading to Key West (Florida). She will spend the next 24 hours recuperating before deciding on her plans going forward,” he added. The sting made it “impossible to continue,” her team added on Facebook.

It was devastating news for her fans and supporters, just hours after the 29-year-old, attempting the feat without flippers or a wetsuit, plunged into the sea at Havana’s Marina Hemingway at 10:00 am (1400 GMT) at the start of a 170-kilometer (105-mile) swim.

She had said she hoped to complete the swim across the Florida Straits in around 60 hours.

As the swimmer pressed on into the journey likely to force her to brave strong currents, jellyfish and sharks, her team had posted on her Facebook page that “Chloe is moving steadily along” at an average 2.25 miles per hour (3.7 kph).

In a later posting, the team said McCardel was 12 miles off the coast of Havana. A few hours later, the bad news emerged.

McCardel, who was awarded the Channel Swimming Association’s Sotiraki Cup in both 2011 and 2012, had hoped to set a world record and draw attention to the decades-long political divide between the United States and communist Cuba.

“I would like to encourage great relations between Cuba and

ADALBERTO ROQUE

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the US and would like to encourage many tourists from around the world to come and visit this beautiful country,” McCardel said ahead of the swim.

She was also raising money for cancer charities, after her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer when the swimmer was 14.

McCardel had been seeking a new record in unassisted nonstop distance swimming, out to break

Pick

the record set by fellow Australian Penny Palfrey, who failed in an attempt last year to swim across the same straits.

Many swimmers have tried but failed at making the hazardous crossing. The most recent was American Diana Nyad, 63, who abandoned her bid earlier this year, plagued by storms, hypothermia and jellyfish.

Fellow Aussie Susan Maroney is the first and only person to have swum across the straits. She did so in 1997, at age 22, but used a shark cage for the mammoth effort.

at the

Refugee women in troubled knots KAMAL TAHA Agence France Presse AMMAN: With no end in sight to Syria’s conflict, some refugees in Jordan are offering their daughters for early marriage in the hope of securing them protection as they face growing economic pressure.

Syrian refugee Abu Mohammad says he reluctantly opted to marry off his teenage daughter to a rich 40year-old Saudi man, hoping to give her a better life and ease his family’s financial hardships.

“It was the last thing I wanted to do,” Abu Mohammad, 50, told AFP. The father of six said that his daughter’s Saudi husband “promised to help us until the crisis ends and we go home,” after the marriage three months ago. “God knows when this is going to happen,” he said.

Dominique Hyde, representative of the UNICEFin Jordan, told AFP that it was not clear how widely spread early marriages were, but that there were signs it was taking place. “Information gathered during assessments and monitoring visits do reveal incidents of forced and early mar-

Authorities have recorded 1,029 marriages between Jordanian men and Syrian women since refugees started to flee to the kingdom in 2011.

airport,

riage,” she said.

“Non-Jordanian men have married 331 Syrian women. These figures are within normal range,” interior minister Hussein Majali said. Jordan says it is hosting at least 500,000 Syrians. More than 70 per cent of the refugees are women and children, according to the UN figures.

“Jordanians and other Arabs frequently come to ask me about Syrian refugee women to marry,” said Fares Hosha, a 42-year-old former post office employee who now owns a shop selling household appliances.

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‘HIDDEN SLAVERY AND SEX TRADE’ Said’s daughters, aged 15 and 16, got married a month ago.

“I am jobless, paraplegic and I cannot support my family,” said the father-of-ten.

Jordanian law allows girls under the age of 18 to marry with court approval.

Zayed Hammad, head of the Ketab and Sunna Society, which provides aid to tens of thousands of refugees, said his charity receives dozens of requests from men to help them find brides in Zaatari.

“We are a relief group and we want to focus on our job.

We do not want to be involved in this issue, which could create problems,” he told AFP. A group of Syrian activists, calling themselves the National Campaign for the Protection of Syrian Women are trying to fight these marriages, and have set up a Facebook page which has more than 20,000 followers.

“Syrian women are not slaves. We cannot remain silent about such hidden slavery and sex trade,” they said on their page. “Calls for these marriages by Arabs from the Gulf and other regions are motivated by purely sexual instincts.”

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12

News THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING NT BALANARAYAN

BEST OF THE BEST

CONSOLE WARS

FOLLOWING IN SONY’S FOOTSTEPS Whatever Sony did in 2006, Microsoft is doing it now in 2014

MAC PRO

The only factor that can level the playing field is the pricing of games. If Microsoft announces that all games sold for One will cost `2,000 instead of `3,500 that could change everything.

A

pple threw a curveball at WWDC by showcasing a cylindrical, compact Mac Pro that will replace the traditional towers from the company. The all new Mac Pro is built around a unified thermal core, allowing it to share its thermal capacity more efficiently with all processors. It’s got super-fast ECC memory and 60 GB per second of bandwidth, which is twice as much as the previous model. It’s also 2.5 times faster than the previous Mac Pro, delivering 7 teraflops of computing power, and its new PCIe-based flash storage is up to 10 times faster than conventional desktop hard drives. Finally, it’s the first Mac to come standard with dual workstation GPUs, giving it a faster, more powerful graphical performance. It’s got six Thunderbolt 2 ports that transfer information at 20 GHz per second, as well as four USB ports, Gigabit Ethernet, and HDMI out.

M COMPACT IRON

J

apanese are masters of miniaturisation and they have proved this claim yet again by coming up with a pocketable iron that can help you remove that crease at the last minute. Powered by three AA batteries the iron is certainly a convenient way to smooth out a skirt or a shirt when you’re away from home, but due to its size it looks even more tedious than using an actual iron. But for just $10 it could mean the difference between a callback on that job interview, or being tossed out onto the street by the receptionist for not looking smart enough. The cap of the device itself becomes the clip to hold the cloth so that you can easily move the repressor to create a trouser crease or remove wrinkles. Card hot-repressor measures only 100mmx60mmx18mm and weighs just 60 grams making it ideal for travel trips and business engagements.

GEEK SPEAK LUDDITE

L

uddite is someone who is opposed to new technology and the term has become common parlance in tech blogs. The term came from 19th century textile artisans in England who protested against the use of machines in their field of work.

icrosoft finally confirmed all details regarding the Xbox One shattering the hopes of gamers worldwide that they will somehow changes the policies they were criticised for when they showcased the console earlier this year.

It still needs to ping Microsoft servers every 24 hours, it still has limitations on used games and it is still region locked, but the most damning of all was the pricing which is a good $100 more than Sony’s PlayStation 4, thus earning the slightly derogatory ‘Xbone’ nickname. However Microsoft also showcased another product at the event that no one else was expecting, a redesigned Xbox 360. Now why would a company that is pushing a new console try to sell us a new look last-gen console? It was then that it struck me, Xbox One is not for all of us. It is ideally a next-gen console for the US and European market. Asia can take a hike, the console won’t even launch in Asia till late 2014.

Microsoft seems to be following Sony’s policy when it launched PlayStation 3 in a way and that works if you ask me. When PS3 launched in 2006 it was overpriced ($799) and was duly criticised by gamers worldwide for the same. So for a long time they kept the PlayStation 2 band alive and pushed this older console in places like India where PS3 wasn’t affordable and Microsoft seems to have the same strategy in place.

Now here’s what’s going to happen next, Xbox One will launch in India some time in late 2014 and will

What to look forward to n n n n n

New and improved controller Kinect 2.0 Free games with Xbox Live Gold Better SmartGlass integration More Halo games!

be slightly more than `30,000. The new console comes with Kinect in-built so this means Microsoft will have to drop the price of the 360 by a good margin, but by how much? My guess is that, much like the PS2, the console price with Kinect bundle will come closed to the `15,000 mark if not lower within the next two years. That way, Microsoft can capture two ends of the market much like Sony did in the last generation.

However the similarity with PS3 strategy doesn’t end there, the console

Sneaky Sony ony reaped all the karma at E3 and they made themselves look like angels, but they managed to sneak in paid-multiplayer much like what Microsoft does with Xbox Live. Yes, that’s right folks, you’ll need to pay $50a year to game with your friends using a PS4. That said, you won’t need to subscribe to the paid feature to use other apps that need online connectivity, thanks for that Sony!

S

was also touted for its media player qualities with the blu-ray and all more than its ability to play games. It was also rolled out much later in India than the Xbox 360, so Microsoft has reversed the role this year and has taken up almost every bad idea Sony threw at with the last generation.

The only factor that can level the playing field is the pricing of games. If Microsoft announces that all games sold for One will cost `2,000 instead of `3,500 that could change everything.

Then may be gamers may be okay with always online DRM, much like we have gotten used to Steam on PC. However, the chance of such a pricing coming across is very unlikely and all Xbox One games that are on preorder at Amazon costs $60.

The amount of hate directed at Microsoft in the past week must be definitely much more than they ever faced in the whole history of the company.

Over the past two years, the company has been trying to redefine itself, it finally launched a decent search engine, came out with a great mobile operating system (which unfortunately not many people seem to be interested in), a vastly improved and new look desktop OS and Xbox One was supposed to be the last piece of the puzzle — and they messed it up.

If you think about it, there is another reason for the crankiness we have seen from Xbox One. The brand Xbox turns 13 in 2014, so may be it’s being a typical teenager, doing irrational things just to piss people off and let’s hope it becomes wiser much like PlayStation, that is now in its 20s.

THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013

Business

BERMUDA BACKS DEAL AGAINST TAX EVASION

Offshore tax haven Bermuda offered support “in principle” Wednesday to a move to help countries avoid tax evasion by automatically sharing data on foreign bank accounts. However, the administration has refused to sign any treaty in this regard.

CURRENCY

` fall explained

The RBI fears that the falling rupee will result in an increase in inflation which has been tamed after maintaining high interest rates for a long time.

MONEY MATTERS Nupur Pavan Bang

P

rices are determined by demand and supply.

And it is true for Exchange rates as well.

Exchange rate is nothing but the price of a currency in terms of another currency. If the exchange rate between US dollars and Indian rupee is `58 per dollar, what it means is that you need `58 to buy one dollar. In other words, the price of a dollar is `58. So as the dollar becomes more expensive, or appreciates in value, one would need more and more rupees to buy one dollar. It means, the value of rupee is falling with respect to the dollar, that is, it is depreciating.

The exchange rate was `45.26 per dollar on June 12, 2011, compared with `56.75 per dollar on June 12th, 2013. The rupee has depreciated more than 25 per cent in the last two years. It implies that the importers need to pay 25 per cent more in rupee terms for the same quantity of goods, every-

thing else remaining same; oil imports, gold imports, electronics, cars, foreign travels, education in US, everything for which one needs to pay in US dollars!

The depreciating rupee also implies improved revenues and good news for companies which charge for their products and services in US dollars, or for NRIs who send money home.

But largely, people are worried. The stock market is worried and the worry is reflected in the falling indices.

The Reserve Bank of India is worried as they fear that the falling rupee will result in an increase in inflation which has been tamed after maintaining high interest rates for a very long time. An increase in inflation would mean that any hopes of a reduction in interest rates by the RBI would be lost.

But why is the rupee falling?

As mentioned earlier, it is all a play between demand and supply. The demand for rupee is falling, and the demand for dol-

lar is increasing. Both resulting in a falling rupee. A few main reasons for the falling demand for rupee and the rising demand for dollars are: n Change in outlook for US by credit rating agency Standard and Poors from negative to stable and better than expected jobs data has increased the demand for dollar. n Decline in capital inflows and heavy outflow of funds due to foreign institutional investors pulling out their investments from the slowing Indian economy. n Falling gold prices lead to a surge in gold imports, resulting in an increase in demand for dollars. n Surge in oil imports, resulting in further widening of the current account deficit.

A strong exchange rate is what any country wishes for.

For it is a reflection of the sound economy. The falling rupee does not boost the confidence of an already struggling Indian economy. Measures by the RBI and the Securities and Exchange Board of India to put a brake to the fall would be highly appreciated at this time.

India will grow 5.7% in FY 2013: WB WASHINGTON: Growth in India is projected to rise to 5.7 percent in the 2013 fiscal year and firm to 6.5 per cent and 6.7 per cent in FY2014 and FY2015, respectively, according to a newly released World Bank report.

GDP growth in South Asia as whole slipped to 4.8 per

cent in 2012, mainly reflecting a continued deceleration in India, slower growth in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, and sluggish growth in Pakistan and Nepal, regional GDP growth is projected to pick up to 5.2 per cent in 2013, before accelerating to 6 per cent and 6.4 percent in 2014 and 2015,

in line with strengthening external demand, normal monsoons, and a gradual pickup in investment spending, the Bank’s Global Economic Prospects report said. “Continued progress in fiscal consolidation and in reducing structural constraints will determine the

pace of recovery,” it said noting “domestic risks dominate, including a possible derailing of reforms, and weaker than expected monsoon rains.”

Global GDP is expected to expand about 2.2 per cent this year and strengthen to 3 per cent and 3.3 per cent in 2014 and 20151.

IANS

GOLD `28,134 10g SILVER `43,930 1kg

24C

for

for

DOLLAR `58.48 POUND `91.74

13

YAHOO BUYS GHOSTBIRD

SAN FRANCISCO: Yahoo on Wednesday announced it has bought a startup that makes picture-taking applications for iPhones to enhance its Flickr photo service. Yahoo did not disclose how much it paid for GhostBird Software, the company behind KitCam and PhotoForge2 apps for Apple’s popular smartphones.

“We’ll integrate many of the mobile photography experiences from GhostBird into our Flickr apps,” Yahoo said in a brief email statement. People who have installed KitCam or PhotoForge2 apps on iPhones will still be able to use the mini-programs, but Yahoo yanked them from Apple’s online App Store and planned no updates for the future.Yahoo last month unveiled a dusted-off design of its Flickr photo platform only hours after the company’s dramatic acquisition of blogging site Tumblr.

NUMEROLOGY

$3

billion

is the worth of the order Samsung Heavy Industries won to build a giant offshore oil storage platform in Nigeria.

RBS BOSS STEPS DOWN LONDON: Britain’s state-rescued Royal Bank of Scotland said Wednesday that chief executive Stephen Hester has decided to step down after five years at the helm, during which he has overseen a vast restructuring in readiness for the group’s eventual privatisation. Hester admitted that the task of putting RBS on an even footing while meeting the demands of the government — which still owns 81 percent of the bank after it was bailed out in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis — had been at times “bruising”. The Edinburgh-based lender was ravaged by its badly timed consortium takeover of Dutch bank ABN Amro at the top of the market in 2007, just before the crisis struck, and was kept afloat with £45.5 billion ($71.3 billion, 53.5 billion euros) of taxpayer cash. Under Hester’s watch, RBS has axed close to 40,000 jobs and sold off non-core assets in an attempt to transform its fortunes.

BSE 5,694.85 NSE

18,801.68 239.45 65.35

THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013

Comment There are two ways to slide through life: to believe or doubt everything; both save us from thinking.

REMINISCENCE

A

s the state executioner for Virginia, Jerry Givens put to death 62 people, but after he ended up in jail himself for a crime which he says he did not commit, he has become an outspoken opponent of capital punishment.

The 60-year-old AfricanAmerican worked as a correctional officer in the southern US state between 1974 and 1999 when he was charged with money laundering and perjury and was forced to resign.

“In 17 of those 25 years I executed 62 people, I executed 37 by electrocution and 25 by lethal injection,” he told AFP, his voice trembling with emotion, on the sidelines of the four-day World Congress against the Death Penalty which got underway in Madrid on Wednesday.

“It was like a rollercoaster, up and down, because as a correctional officer I prepared inmates to return into society as a productive citizen and as an executioner you take lives,” added Givens, who worked first at Virginia State Penitentiary and then Greenville Correctional Centre.

As the state executioner he would shave the head of convicts facing the death penalty and then strap them into Virginia’s electric chair or inject them with a lethal mix of drugs.

“We put a cap over your head and send in 3,000 volts to your body, that is gross,” said Givens.

The white-bearded Givens said he would meet with convicts 15 days before they were to face the death penalty.

“I talked to them to make sure that they were ready,” he said.

Givens said that at the time that he worked as an executioner he felt “that person does not deserve to live.” AFP

14

LESSONS FROM CHILDHOOD

Alfred Korzybski Philosopher & scientist

Executioner opposes death penalty

HIGH-FLYING THOUGHTS

Doesn’t the longest-serving chief minister in Gujarat’s history deserve a chance to replicate the success mantra, for which he is credited to create an environment for the high economic growth in state, in the rest of the country?

BUT... SERIOUSLY

Ajay Hotchandani

E

verything in life is just a lesson or training for what is to come.

Some of you (my dedicated one or two fans) may have noticed my absence, I was away for work and had an unfortunate accident and was unable to type.

While I was away I was driving around looking for a parking spot and realised that what I was doing now was something I had been trained for since I was a child. Let’s look back to when we were kids.

Most kids’ parties that you attend usually have some form of games. The games are only perpetrated as being entertainment for the kids.

Birthday parties are a good place to start. Most kids’ parties that you attend usually have some form of games. The games are only perpetrated as being entertainment for the kids, when in actuality it’s a way to keep them occupied long

enough for the parents to get something to eat and use the bathroom, otherwise you have to be behind your kind to make sure he or she doesn’t eat something they are not suppose to, steal another kids candy, punch the clown between the legs or let out the air of car tires (it has happened already).

Musical Chairs – The act of going around looking for a vacant spot and hurry-parking yourself there before anyone else is the goal. As the number of chairs decreases, the hostility increases and it sometimes leads to obscenities being yelled (at that’s just from the parents).

Sounds familiar... ever look for a parking spot on Miami Beach on a Saturday night? You best be hoping that you can park your car faster than the next guy or else you will be the one left out.

Pin the tail on the donkey – this one is pretty much selfexplanatory. You have to pin a tail on the donkey, and it’s a lot more fun if you blindfold the participants. If you are feeling brave and don’t mind risking the chance that a kid will vomit on your carpet, then you can spin them around a couple of times until they look like your uncle walking to the bathroom after one too many scotch and sodas (you Sindhis know what I’m talking about!).

This game came in very handy in training politicians –

they got caught off guard by a scandal and the next thing you know, everyone is trying to pin the blame on another one. Often it’s the lowest ranking member who becomes the donkey!

Scavenger Hunt – the kids basically go around tearing the house and yard upside down looking for candy and prizes.

It’s a good way to buy time as you can convince kids that somewhere there is an Xbox game hidden away. They will spend 30 minutes looking for it before they realise you were lying to them. This prepares you

for college. It’s 2am, you just got done studying and you are starving. You have no money and the ATM prints out, “You owe me money for wasting my paper you broke SOB!” when you try to use it. You start looking all around for any money you can scrape up to buy a slice of pizza or a pack of noodles from your neighbour.

If you put all the three games together – you find yourself running around life, looking for a decent person to settle down with, hoping you don’t get stuck with a donkey!

EDITORIAL BHOOMI FOR AP: A BOON OR BANE?

C

hief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy is eyeing land. Bhoomi, an IT initiative successfully implemented by the Karnataka government to maintain land ownership records, has caught the attention of the AP CM. He wants officials here to pick up the model of effective maintenance of land records, linked to registration of properties.

The CM raised the issue during a review of the stamps and registration department a few days ago. Under the Bhoomi project, a process authenticating the land ownership is done online and because of the link between revenue and registration authorities, the government can check bogus registrations and ownership claims.

Once a property transaction is completed in urban areas, the details of the new owner will automatically go into the revenue records and

READERS’ VIEWS

updates online.

However, the globally-lauded Bhoomi project also has many loopholes, which the AP government should consider before adopting. Bhoomi launched in 2002 is a programme that digitised Karnataka’s 20 million handwritten land records but is now struggling to eliminate land disputes in the hotbed of political power.

One of the sites caught in tussle in the KR Puram area of Bangalore allegedly belongs to Mr Reddy himself.

Now, the revenue authorities are made accountable for updating mutation records and plans are afoot to link Aadhaar data to servers to avoid impersonation. The property buyers and sellers have to produce copies of identity and address proofs. Aadhar itself is fighting some glitches!

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

Editor: Dean Williams

15

THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013

tELEVISION

TOM FELTON JOINS MURDER IN THE FIRST Tom Felton has signed up for new TNT pilot Murder in the First. The Harry Potter star joins Taye Diggs and Kathleen Robertson in the San Francisco-set murder mystery drama.

FAMILY GUY

THE FALL

Producers defend ending The Fall producers have defended the show’s divisive cliffhanger ending, which was heavily criticised by some TV writers and fans on Twitter on Monday night (June 10). Fans were left with lots of unanswered questions at the end of series one and the central serial killer case remains unsolved heading into series two, which is unlikely to air any earlier than autumn 2014.

DID YOU KNOW

TRACING YOUR LINEAGE

JYOTSNA NAMBIAR jyotsna.n@postnoon.com

W

ith apologies to Leo Tolstoy — Happy families are all alike; every odd family is odd in its own way. Christopher Guest’s latest HBO offering, Family Tree, is a testament to the general oddities that make each family so unique.

Family Tree has at its centre Tom Chadwick (the ever-likeable Chris O’Dowd), who has recently been dumped and has lost his job. Rather depressed — he tells his sister he has at least a good six months of wallowing left in him. Tom finds purpose when his father gives him a trunk full of odds and

Peter

r average, Fa m ily Tree is not you nctiona l fa m ily laugh-out-loud, dysfu ok at the sitcom. It’s a gentler lo ma ke each genera l odd ities that fa m ily so u n iq ue.

ends left to him by a distant great-aunt.

Accompanied by his zookeeper friend Pete (Tom Bennett), Tom sets out to rediscover his family roots. Every new fact is a revelation to him and his family. His greatgrandfather was an actor (in a manner of speaking), his greataunt invented a shotput throw, and their family’s ethnicity might not be what it seems.

Like he says, the way things are going, he’ll soon discover his grandmother was a stripper.

What sets this apart from the hundreds of dysfunctional family comedies is how matter of fact it is. Every character is as oddball as they get, but their ticks and characteristics aren’t

exploited for laughs. Tom’s sister, Bea (Nina Conti), was so traumatised as a child that she carries around a monkey stuffed toy to express herself.

When she and her foulmouthed toy get a stand-up comedy gig, it’s more concern that Tom and his father express than derision. It’s a very accepting world out there in Family Tree.

The comedy isn’t in your face and the pace is rather slow, which might make it unappealing to people who live on slapstick-heavy shows. That said, it has some great moment, like when Tom goes on a date with a woman who believes dinosaurs still exist. He also gets some great throwaway lines — On finding out a relative was a war hero, he tells his friend, “I’ve always had a bit of a military air about me. I mean

my bravery. My innate courage.

I was the first member of our group to wear skinny jeans.”

The cast and crew is mostly British, but they’re heading to the US for the final four episodes of the first season.

That will be interesting, seeing how British the show is. The characters are rumpled and flawed, unlike their US counterparts who invariably look stylised. The humour is very, very understated; it takes a keen ear and a sense of humour to catch the punchlines.

Guest is famous for his mockumentaries, which include the hilarious This Is Spinal Tap. Though not as obviously funny as his earlier works, Family Tree is a welcome change from the loud comedies that dominate.

Dinklage has claimed that he does not watch Game of Thrones.

Dinklage plays the fan-favourite character Tyrion Lannister on the hit HBO series, but he recently admitted to TMZ that he is not a regular viewer of the show. “I don’t watch the show,” the actor claimed, adding: “I mean, I don’t have HBO.” He was also asked to weigh in on episode nine’s Red Wedding, which shocked Game of Thrones fans the world over.

TRENDING...

Cher is to perform on The Voice’s season finale, it has been announced.

The Believe singer’s appearance on the reality competition will be her first live television performance in over ten years, according to NBC. She is slated to play her latest single Woman’s World, which will feature on her upcoming album.

Lauren Graham has struck a deal with Warner Bros to adapt her debut novel into a television series.

The actress will write a screenplay for Someday, Someday, Maybe, Deadline reports.

Someday, Someday, Maybe was released on April 30, and has since become a New York Times bestseller.

THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013

spotlight FASHIONABLE SOIREE 1

SING ALONG

Take centre stage and sing your favourite melodies at Aqua, The Park. The pub is hosting Karaoke Night tonight.

MEET & GREET

5

Members of Deepshikha Mahila Club turned up in their best at Radisson Blu Hotel for the annual installation meeting of the club.

Sangeetha Reddy and Amala Akkineni were the chief guests at the do.

2

3

4

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

1 Sunita

4 Vandana, Simran

7 Archana

2 Sangeeta Reddy, Amala

5 Benu Singh

8 Bani Ahuja, Madhu Jain

11 Bhoomika

3 Rekha Reddy

6 Rita Gupta

9 Nidhi, Archana

12 Parvati Reddy

A MOTHER’S DELIGHT

A birthing boutique Birthplace was launched at Banjara Hills on Wednesday. Yoga and lamaze classes, nutrition advice, counseling and postnatal services will be some of the facilities available at the boutique.

SPARKLE AND SHINE

Kirtilal Kalidas Jewellers announced the opening of an exclusive lounge for customers where they can design their own jewellery with the help of in-house designers.

10 Usha

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THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013

health

NIGERIAN UNDERGOES COMPLEX SURGERY IN INDIA

A Nigerian national whose genitalia was damaged in a serious accident 12 years ago was operated upon at a private hospital here. A laparoscopic and bariatric surgery team of Saket City Hospital led by Ashok Gupta successfully performed the rare and complex surgery on the 42-year-old man.

IANS

UNDERSTANDING YOUR HEART: PART IV Tips for a healthy life: DEEPASHRI VARADHARAJAN deepashri.v@postnoon.com

n

Be happy. That is the bottom line.

n

Stop smoking.

n

Every morning, exercise for at least 40 minutes.

n

n

Drink six to eight glasses of water every day.

Most people do not even go to the doctor. Do not be afraid to know what the disease is.

n

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Health should be a priority.

People should simultaneously earn their health.

Dr Girish B Navasundi, cardiologist

Heart to heart with the doc

About 40 per cent of people who die of heart attack are below 50 years of age. Postnoon talks to Dr Girish B Navasundi, senior interventional cardiologist, Apollo Hospital, Bangalore, about heart care, emergencies, surgery and more.

What cardiac illnesses are on the rise due to sedentary lifestyle? Why are heart attacks in youth increasing?

A recent survey has found that 50 per cent of people who have coronary artery disease (where arteries supplying oxygen and food to heart are blocked) are less than 50 years of age. Nearly 30 per cent of them will be less than 40-years-old. Among people who die of heart attack, 40 per cent are less than 50 years old.

The causes are high cholesterol, tobacco smoking, blood pressure, sedentary lifestyle (less than 40 minutes of significant physical exercise), being overweight and obese.

How do we work towards a healthy heart? What are the ways to detect diseases/read symptoms early?

Identify risk factors early in life.

Encourage people to eat plenty of fruits, at least three

serving every day. People don’t even have three serving in a week in India! Reduce oil in diet and tell people not to smoke.

Be physically active. Keep a check on weight and avoid stress. Sleep well — at least six hours of undisturbed sleep.

Go for periodic preventive health check-ups — cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure monitoring. A few heart related tests like stress ECG detect 75 per cent of people who have significant blockages in heart pipes.

If found to be at risk, patients need to undergo angiogram, which will help us decide upon the treatment: n Multiple severe blocks: bypass surgery n One or two blocks: Angioplasty and stenting (drug eluding stents) n Moderate blocks: medical management What have been the milestones is heart surgery over

DR GIRISH NB

The causes (of increase in heart ailments) are high cholesterol, smoking, BP, less than 40 minutes of significant physical exercise, being overweight and obese.

the last few years?

There have been two great advances.

The first is in angioplasty — absorbable stents. The beauty of this is, whenever there’s a block, it gets in, open the block, actively expanding the blood pipe for a year, after which it disintegrates and dissolves in body fluids. It makes a person’s own blood pipe work as normally as in a healthy state.

It is a great invention, especially for young people — you don’t want to leave behind a metal pipe for the rest of their lives.

The second is Multi-vessel minimal access bypass surgery. Earlier, we had to cut down the chest bone called strum and then approach the heart. It used to be painful.

Now no bones are cut; the surgery is done between the ribs on the left side, just below the left breast.

The person can go home in three days and re-start life in seven to 10 days, which is

unheard of. Previously it used to take patients a month to recover.

How can people deal with a heart attack when they’re alone? And what can relatives do in such a situation, if they’re around?

Call the ambulance. Never go by your own vehicle.

Everyone should have a good, nearby hospital’s ambulance number recorded.

Chew emergency medication like aspirin as early as possible.

If there is no response, don’t start screaming and go here and there. People should learn how to resuscitate. If nothing has been done till medical help comes, even God can’t save the patient.

Ask him to lie on the floor or bed to one side and cough.

Constantly monitor their pulse. Call a doctor and ask them to guide you on resuscitation.

Do not take chest pain lightly.

20

THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013

Technology GAMING MICHAEL THURSTON feedback@postnoon.com

S

ony insisted that the game console war is far from won, despite its PR launch triumph over Microsoft this week, as gamers scrambled to get their hands on the next generation devices.

Developers and fans swarmed onto the Japanese and US giants’ stands at the E3 gaming industry megaconference in Los Angeles, a day after Sony’s Playstation 4 (PS4) and Microsoft’s Xbox One were unveiled in public for the first time.

In the grand tradition of pent-up frenzy surrounding new tech product launches, many waited in line for hours before the E3 doors opened at noon, even though the products themselves will not go on sale until at least November.

There was palpably more excitement in the blue-themed Sony area, where fans waited for up to half an hour to have a threeminute go on the PS4, while Microsoft battled to highlight the advantages of its new console.

“It’s brilliant, beautiful," said Japanese gamer Kazuki Hosokawa of Sega America after his turn on the PS4 playing Blacklight Retribution, an adrenaline pumping first person shooter (FPS) based in a futuristic urban warzone.

Asked why he preferred the Sony console to its rivals he said simply, in halting English: “Price is low” — referring to the gap between the Xbox One’s $499 and the PS4's $399 sticker price, announced in eve-of-E3 presentations.

At back-to-back presentations Monday, the Japanese and US titans showcased blockbuster games, but Sony triggered cheers with assurances it would not interfere with sales of used titles or require Internet connections for play.

The points were in sharp contrast to Microsoft, which designed Xbox One consoles to check-in on the Internet once every 24 hours for games to work, and set conditions on used games.

In an interview Tuesday as E3 opened, Sony Computer Entertainment of America chief Jack Tretton welcomed the reception — but cau-

tioned that as a 27-year industry veteran he took nothing for granted.

“It’s certainly nice to get out in front early on," Tretton, who fronted Monday’s pre-E3 presentation, told AFP in a downtown LA hotel, while warning: “I’ve always said this is a marathon not a sprint."

There was palpably more excitement in the blue-themed Sony area, where fans waited for up to half an hour to have a three-minute go on the PS4.

Microsoft focused on its core audience of gamers at the E3 presentation of a box designed to become a hub for films, television shows, music and other home entertainment streamed from the Internet. “Xbox One is designed to deliver a whole new generation of blockbuster games, television and entertainment in a powerful, all-in-one device," said Microsoft president of inter-

REAL GAME

active entertainment Don Mattrick.

The beefed-up hardware is powered by software allowing instant switching between games, TV and Internet browsing. Kinect motion and sound sensors recognize users; respond to spoken commands and even detect a person’s pulse.

The Kinect wizardry was on display at E3 on Tuesday, with conference-goers invited to grab a handset and have their movements, facial expressions and heart-rate displayed on a big screen behind them in real time.

But some journalists grumbled that, while they could video such demonstrations from a distance, recording of more hands-on exploration of the hardware was restricted. “I don’t think it’s a battle any more," said tech reporter Vince Ingenito.

“As far as I’m concerned unless Microsoft can somehow re-design their system and change all the deals they’ve made .. they’re stuck," he said.

Microsoft has sold some 77 million Xbox 360 consoles since they hit the market in late 2005.

AFP

Sony eyes long game despite console launch triumph

Gamers walk in the Sony Playstation booth durng the Electronics Expo 2013.

BEGINS NOW

FB FOLLOWS TWITTER

Facebook plans to introduce the hashtag symbol to its network, effectively stepping in on territory long occupied by Twitter, the company that made the simple symbol a major part of online social communications. Over the past seven years, the hashtag has slowly but surely invaded technological parlance. It’s a way of organizing themes, topics or thoughts into categories, a label that anyone can apply to their social sharing. To be sure, a number of social services use the symbol today — from Tumblr and Pinterest to Google’s recent impressive incorporation of hashtags in Google+ — but Twitter is largely credited with the rise of the hashtag.

PHISHING ALERT

Google says it’s seeing a massive increase in email-based phishing campaigns that originate within Iran and target Iranian users. These attacks, Google says, started about three weeks ago and the company believes that they are politically motivated. Iran’s next election is scheduled for Friday and this “significant jump” in phishing activity in the region started about three weeks ago. Google says the campaign targets the accounts of “tens of thousands” of Iranian users and the group behind it appears to be the same that also targeted Iranian users in September 2011.

USERNAMES ANYONE? Digital deadbeats, consider yourselves warned: Yahoo says it will start culling inactive user names this summer “to give our loyal users and new folks the opportunity to sign up for the Yahoo ID they’ve always wanted,” in the words of platforms executive Jay Rossiter. In other words, for example, an average Al who hasn’t signed into Yahoo for 12 months won’t be able to keep squatting on prime albert@yahoo.com real estate come next month. Yahoo might free up that coveted name space for the millions of other Als–or wannabe Als—who might like to use the moniker.

21

THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013

Entertainment CINE BYTES

Hello Brother’s remake to begin in July

AIMING HIGH

A high octane action adventure

N

aga Chaitanya is gearing up for the official remake of one of Nagarjuna’s biggest hit Hello Brother. Srinivasa Reddy is going to direct the remake and D Sivaprasad Reddy will produce it. The principal shooting of the remake is expected to begin from July. Currently, Naga Chaitanya is busy shooting for Vikram Kumar’s upcoming film Manam.

Siddharth’s new film goes on floors

S

iddharth’s new film in Karthik Subbaraj’s direction was launched yesterday in Madurai. This comedy thriller has been titled as Jigarthanda. Lakshmi Menon is the lead actress and Kathiresan is producing it. Meanwhile, Siddharth, Hansika starrer Something...Something is all set to release on June 14.

Adda’s audio launch on June 22

T

he audio of Sushanth, Shanvi starrer Adda is going to be launched on June 22 in Shilpakala Vedika, Hyderabad. G Karthik Reddy has directed the film and it has been produced by Chintalapudi Srinivasa Rao and Naga Susheela. Anup Rubens has scored the music. The film is currently in post-production and it’ll be ready for release in July.

Chandrasekhar Yeleti’s upcoming film Sahasam has been reportedly made with a budget of `30 crores because the script demanded so.

C

handrasekhar Yeleti has taken the biggest gamble of his career, so far.

His upcoming film, Sahasam, starring Gopichand and Taapsee, has been reportedly made with a budget of `30 crores and it’s by far, the biggest budgeted film in Chandrasekhar Yeleti and Gopichand’s careers.

Apparently, BVSN Prasad, who produced the film, was so impressed with the script that he didn’t think twice before funding the project. In the past, Chandrasekhar Yeleti had directed films like Aithe, Anukokunda Oka Roju, Okkadunnadu and Prayanam which gave him the tag of being a sensible director.

In a way, Sahasam is Yeleti’s most mainstream commercial film so far and Gopichand has reportedly shot several risky stunts. A massive set was constructed for this film at Ramoji Film City and the climax is said to be a visual feast. Gopichand is playing the role of an ATM security guard who goes on an adventure to find the treasure and this leads him to Hinglaj, a Hindu pilgrimage in Balochistan, Pakistan. A major part of the film has been shot in Ladakh since the team couldn’t go to Pakistan to shoot the film. Shakti Kapoor will be seen as a terrorist leader who’s also after the treasure and Taapsee plays an innocent girl, who believes that the world will come to an end because of the sins.

There are only three songs in the film, which were composed by Sri, and a major emphasis is on the background score.

Shamdat is the cinematographer and his work is expected to be a standout feature in the film. With so much riding on the film, the stakes are quite for Sahasam. The film is expected to hit the screens on June 21.

22 fashion H&M signs ‘Paris chic’ THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013

RITA ORA HIRED BY MADONNA

RITA ORA has landed herself a high-profile new modelling job, as the face of Madonna and Lourdes' clothing collection, Material Girl. The singer confirmed the news to her Twitter fans (who she's nicknamed her Ritabots).

fashion designer Isabel Marant

S

wedish fashion giant H&M has signed France’s Isabel Marant as guest designer for an autumn collection that will draw on her influential take on Paris chic, the company said on Tuesday.

The collection for men and women, available from mid-November, will be the latest in H&M’s guest designer programme which began in 2004 with Karl Lagerfeld.

Other collaborations have included Stella McCartney,

Versace and Jimmy Choo.

Marant said the collection would be “something real that women want to wear in their everyday lives, with a certain carelessness which I think is

very Parisian.

“You dress up, but do not pay too much attention and still look sexy. The collection is infused with this kind of easiness and attitude,” she said.

Hennes & Mauritz said it chose Marant for its latest collaboration because her mix of “urban attitude, boho elegance and rock ‘n’ roll spirit” delivered “a genuine French allure”.

Marant began her fashion career by customising her own clothes while still at school in Paris before studying at the city’s famed Studio Bercot in the late 1980s. Her Isabel Marant label now has a string of boutiques worldwide including Paris, New York, Los Angeles and Beijing.

AFP

Nicki Minaj’s fashion

line comfortable, not wacky

S

inger Nicki Minaj’s clothing line for Kmart store is not about wacky clothes, but focuses on comfort.

A video that recently surfaced gives a sneak peak into her new clothing line. In the video, she is seen taking pride in the comfort of her collection, reports dailymail.co.uk.

The collection offers leggings, slimming dress-

es, jackets, bright outerwear and much more.

“We’re definitely working on the leggings that I love for my body so

that women, no matter if they’re slim or they’re thick or whatever, can feel comfortable. Comfortable equals confidence,” said the 30-year-old singer.

Minaj explained that she didn’t want to push her customers away by incorporating only wacky clothes in her line. She is doing this for women so that they feel good.

IANS

^ÇÇ=Ñìå=íç=óçìê=ï~êÇêçÄÉ=ïáíÜ

navy fashion S

tylish short dresses, casual tees with stripes, printed knee-length shorts and coloured pants — revamp your wardrobe with the clothes inspired from nautical style and fashion.

Well-known online fashion brand, American Swan has launched its Navy Collection and offer an interesting range of summer outfits.

The exclusive collection, perfect for both men and women, draws its inspiration from the cool, casual sailors’

outfits. The vibrant colour palette, prints and details like sailor insignia-inspired logos, stripes, trimmings and graphics provide the collection a distinct look.

One can choose tees, shorts and pants in varied shades like azure blue, nautical colours, sea green, beach red and surf yellow.

You can pair it with brogue shoes, ankle length boots, hats and sunglasses. The price range starts from `799 and goes till `2,499.

IANS

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Entertainment THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013

SHE’S GOT THE LOOK AND MORE...

There’s more to me than looks: Salma Hayek A

ctress Salma Hayek never considered beauty to be her first priority and that’s why she never tried to be as beautiful as she can be.

“I know people have always thought I was beautiful, but I have never tried to be as beautiful as I can be,” InStyle magazine quoted the 46-year-old as saying.

“I could do a lot more like exercise, or not eat dessert or not drink alcohol. I don’t think my first priority in life has ever been beauty. It’s a little bit of a rebellious spirit in me. There is more to me

than looks, of course,” she added.

She also advised those who are unhappy with their looks.

“You’ve got to take who you are and love who you are and do the best you can with what you’ve got. That goes for the figure, and it goes for everything else. You’ve got to have a sense of humour about who you are and give yourself a break,” said the Grown Ups star.

Hayek added: “You’ve got to be kind to yourself.

And it’s not easy, you know?”

IANS

CINE BYTES

Drew Barrymore relishes family life

A

ctress Drew Barrymore is enjoying her family life with husband Will Kopelman and daughter Olive because she did not have a good upbringing. The 38-year-old, who gave birth to the couple’s first child last year, even loves her extended family and her in-laws and insists quality time at home is like nothing she experienced as a child, reports contactmusic.com. IANS

JLo not clued about American Idol return

S

inger Jennifer Lopez is “open” to reprise her role of a judge on American Idol this autumn, but isn’t sure what has been decided.

Lopez said: “I don’t know what’s happening over there. We will see. I’m always open to the infinite possibilities that the universe has to offer. So you never know.”

IANS

Russell Brand became postman for sex

A

ctor-comedian Russell Brand said he became a postman so that he can have sex with women while he delivered letters to them. The 38-year-old actor claims that he was a mailman for three weeks. He said: “In my mind there’s a cultural illusion that this is an opportunity for early morning conjugal activity. I thought housewives would open the door with a gesture to the nether regions.”

IANS

Entertainment THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013

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Entertainment THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013

25

THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013

Chai Time

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

I think people that have a brother or sister don't realise how lucky they are. Sure, they fight a lot, but to know that there's always somebody there, somebody that's family.

Trey Parker and Matt Stone

KAKURO

QUICK CROSSWORD

26

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

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

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

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

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

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

ACROSS

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

SCRIBBLING PAD

1 Taj Mahal site 5 Secular 9 Biggest city in Nebraska 14 ___ Bator 15 ‘Lonely Boy’ singer Paul 16 Elephant from children’s books 17 Losing at checkers in a thunderstorm?

20 Vicar atop a nova?

21 Youngest world chess champion before Kasparov 22 African waterbeds 23 Group overseeing Fed property 26 By way of 28 Animal companion 29 Whiskered 28-Across 32 Factor in a restaurant rating 35 Indian industrial city 37 Try for a part 38 Road surfacing material 40 Kringle’s first name 41 What 101 courses give 44 Grand Central, for one 47 Vein contents 48 ‘As I suspected!’

50 Accessory for Miss Piggy 51 Olympic basketball powerhouse 52 Ponce de Leon and Peron 54 Type of milk or sauce 56 Birdman of Alcatraz pet?

61 Woman of the round table?

63 Le ___ (French newspaper) 64 ‘Astro’ or ‘argo’ attachment 65 Who’s Who entries 66 Three-time Masters winner Sam 67 Where lovers can be seen k-i-s-s-in-g 68 Priestly garments

DOWN

1 Razor-billed diving bird 2 Honey-tongued 3 Sari-clad princess

4 Unfocused dread 5 Wool fat 6 Take ___ of (sip) 7 ‘No need to tell me’ 8 Quick snooze 9 Corpulency 10 Emporiums 11 Simple rhyme scheme 12 Tress material 13 Prince Valiant’s first son 18 ‘___ a dream’ 19 Fleas Adam ___ (world’s shortest poem, it’s said) 23 Star who wanted to be alone 24 Daub 25 Degrade 27 Pretend to be someone you’re not?

29 Horn-shaped object 30 Opera highlights 31 Inventor Nikola 33 Infamous Ugandan Amin 34 Consume 36 Make tracks on a mountainside 39 Antietam fighter 42 Sealed around windows, in a way 43 ‘The Passion of Sacco and Vanzetti’ painter 45 Flower-shaped garnish 46 Indigenous New Zealander 49 Consecrate with oil 52 Bahrain islet 53 Coffee addition 55 ___ Linda, Calif (Nixon’s birthplace) 56 ‘Benny & ___’ (Johnny Depp movie) 57 First rate 58 ‘Leaving Las Vegas’ actress Elisabeth 59 Trompe l’___ 60 Adjustment means on a radio 61 Baseball execs, for short 62 Start’s start?

Chai Time THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013 Thiruvaikumar

STAR POWER for 14-6-2013

27

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

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Avoid believing new friends and sharing with them secrets of your family. Misunderstanding between couples is most likely, avoiding which will keep you in a happy situation. Businessmen have a dip in profits but situation will improve soon.

STRIP TEASE AGNES

Employees complete all work in time and earn recognition.

Health looks fine. Children do well in studies and their confidence of scoring ranks makes you cheerful. Enemies stay away from you on seeing your stupendous growth.

You fulfill all wishes of your children and make them happy.

Influx of visitors makes you and your family happy. Mother’s affection makes you feel comfortable. Some likely to get due share of ancestral property.

Health looks satisfactory.

Be careful while pledging any property for financial assistance; pledge only with wellknown persons. Children will be adamant, which irritates. It is necessary to remain cool and advice them to follow your way.

Medical expenses likely.

Changes likely in your foreign or outstation travel plans. Avoid reminding past events while speaking with paternal relatives during their visit. Businessmen face roadblocks in getting new contracts signed and also in their expansion plans.

Your confidence levels soar high and you work accordingly.

You need to advice your children politely to up their efficiency. Income from ancestral property is most likely. Parents or spouse will be forced to make debts because of you.

You seek help of friends and also help them in their need.

Avoid food that is not suitable to you. Those treating you as their enemy will change their attitude and become friends with you. Good inflow of money brings you cheer.

Take your son into confidence and correct him from a wrong decision he is going to make unknowingly. You extend help to your maternal relatives to the maximum extent possible.

Enemies will keep a low profile as your time is favourable.

Businessmen attract more customers with new and innovative schemes. Employees to follow managements’ instructions carefully, to avoid penal action. To meet family expenses, some will raise financial assistance; this is unavoidable.

TAROT READ

Sumaa Tekur

tarotreadhyd@gmail. com

ARIES:

GEMINI:

Ace of Pentacles – The universe will come to your aid to get you just exactly what you need at this point in time. You have the blessings of nature’s forces.

LEO:

Three of Swords – You may be asked to travel on work.

You will enjoy the travel time and will get some time for reading, music, etc.

LIBRA:

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE

Seven of Cups – Be alert to the needs of close family members. They may not openly tell you what they need. It’s up to you to figure it out.

SAGITTARIUS:

Five of Cups – You tend to rave about a person and how helpful he/she is. Do not go overboard as you are likely to see the truth for yourself in a few days.

TAURUS:

The Hanged Man – Your world is currently ruled by what is happening in the office, and this is not the best thing for you now. Take your mind off work.

CANCER:

Ace of Cups – You may come under the influence of someone with not your best interests at heart. Be careful who you trust. Be grateful to those who have helped.

VIRGO:

Eight of Pentacles – Mix your day with fun and seriousness. Being too serious the whole time can take a toll on your mental health in the long run. Laugh a lot.

SCORPIO:

Justice – Managers must create a team that is both helpful and creative. Ensure your team members get along, or you’ll be left only solving ego hassles.

CAPRICORN:

Death Drink a lot of water and look out for your health. Do not take too many risks. Those who smoke or consume alcohol must cut down immediately.

PREVIOUS SOLUTIONS

PISCES:

Five of Swords – If you like someone in a romantic way, make sure you send out the right signals, or there may be confusion later on.

NUMBER GAME

Swords – You get access to important people and technology that makes you do your job better. This is a time for learning and growth.

SCRABBLE

AQUARIUS: Four of

POOCH CAFE

Just ignore provoking acts of enemies and maintain a cool.

Children seem dull. Encourage and guide them properly to bring out their best. Valuable property documents should not be kept in others’ custody as there are chances of misuse.

for 14-6-2013

Page of Cups – There is no shortcut route to get to where you want to be. Pick up new skills, learn, grow and kill that ego, if you want to continue to grow.

NON SEQUITUR

Avoid seeking help from anyone, whether friends or relatives. Children likely to discuss their wishes with you and it is for you to take care of them by fulfilling those wishes. An old problem gets resolved to your satisfaction, making you happy.

SUDUKO

A satisfactory financial position keeps you relaxed. You are keen to maintain good health.

You act wisely and face your enemies tactfully. Couples look cordial and adjust well to lead a happy life. Businessmen plan to expand their horizon.

Boggle RAT MOUSE BEAVER-GERBIL HAMSTER Vol: 2, No 328 RNI No: APENG/2011/39337 Published for the proprietors, Scribble Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, by V Harshavardhan Reddy, at #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500033 and printed by him at Jagati Publications Ltd, Plot No D-75&E-52, APIE Industrial Estate, Balanagar, Ranga Reddy Dist, Hyderabad – 500037, Editor: Dean Williams – Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act All rights reserved.

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

28

Entertainment THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013

ROAD AHEAD

CINE BYTES

P

hata Poster Nikla Hero will see Ileana D’Cruz team up with Shahid Kapoor for the first time on the big screen and she seems to be satisfied with the final product.

“The film that I have done with Shahid has come out beautifully. I am extremely excited. It is something, which is very different. I am hoping that everyone loves it,” Ileana, who moved to Bollywood after making a name in the southern film industry with hits like Devadasu and Pokiri, said in a telephonic interview.

A romantic comedy, Phata Poster Nikla Hero has been directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, known for making serious action-dramas like Ghayal and Damini movies, had wielded megaphone for fun films like Andaz Apna Apna (1994) and Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani (2009).

Ileana entered Hindi film-

FILM WITH SHAHID HAS COME OUT BEAUTIFULLY:

A N A E IL dom with highly-acclaimed Barfi! and joined Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra in the cast.

Although she won praises for her performance, but says she didn’t “expect any sort of appreciation”.

“I am a little pessimistic when it comes to films. It was humbling and felt wonderful to be appreciated. It encourages me to do a lot of better,” said the 25-year-old.

There are other films in the pipeline, but “I am a little superstitious when it comes to these things. I only like to talk about something when I have signed the contract”.

IANS

Patna theatre opening delayed for Raanjhanaa

I

n the cut-throat world of film exhibition, it is very rare for any theatre owner to move away for emotional reasons. But this is what happened when in Patna, the single theatre Mona was converted into twin-theatre multiplex this year. The opening of the new theatre was postponed from May 31 to June 21 just to accommodate Raanjhanaa.

IANS

New couple on the Bollywood block

S

tars of Ram Leela Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone are the new supposed couple.

According to recent reports, they visited a Bandra high-end restaurant to have a “private dinner together”. But they made separate exits to avoid getting ‘caught’ together.

AGENCIES

Mom, sister have been stabilising force in my life

A

cting runs in her blood, but Tanishaa Mukerji’s career couldn’t take off. But she is thankful to her mother Tanuja and sister Kajol, both actors, for “protecting” being her support system.

She says her motto is to live up to her own expectations. “My mom and my sister have taught me a lot as far as my career goes. They have supported me unconditionally,” Tanishaa said.

IANS

sports

29

THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013

NBA

James vows Heat will rise LeBron James is taking much of the heat for Miami’s shocking game-three meltdown which resulted in the most one-sided loss in playoff history.

GREG HEAKES Agence France-Presse SAN ANTONIO: LeBron James is taking much of the heat for Miami’s shocking game-three meltdown which resulted in the most onesided loss in playoff history for the defending NBA champions.

And the reigning playoff MVP says he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“As dark as it was last night, it can’t get no darker than that, especially for me,” said James during Wednesday’s practice. “So I guarantee I’ll be better tomorrow.

“It’s that simple. I’m putting all the pressure on my chest, on my shoulders to come through for our team.”

James never got into a flow and the San Antonio Spurs scorched the Heat 113-

LeBron James of the Miami Heat warms up during practice as part of the 2013 NBA Finals.

AFP/NBAE/ JOE MURPHY

77 in game three as he scored just four points in the first half and was missing shots deep into the third quarter that he normally makes.

QUEEN’S CLUB

Rain halts Murray’s return LONDON: Andy Murray endured a frustrating return from injury as rain ruined his second round match against Nicolas Mahut at Queen’s Club on Wednesday. Murray missed the French Open after aggravating a recurring lower back injury during a Rome Masters match against Marcel Granollers in May. This was the world number two’s first competitive action since then and he showed few signs of rust as he took the first set 6-3. But the dark clouds hanging over the venue soon gave way to persistent showers and Murray was forced off court three times at the start of the second set.

AFP

Miami’s experiment to try to use James as a playmaker whenever he gets double teamed has been a colossal flop.

And San Antonio has done a brilliant job of guarding James in the first three games of the NBA finals but he is also far from the unstoppable force that led Miami to last year’s NBA title against Oklahoma City.

James didn’t make his third field goal until late in the third quarter of game three when San Antonio had already built a 21-point lead.

He was seven-of-21 from the field and had a 2013 playoff low 15 points and no free throws.

“I take full responsibility for our team’s performance last night,” he said. “As a leader, I can’t afford to perform like I did and expect us to win on the road.

“My teammates are doing a great job. I am not doing my part.” Though that last statement might be a bit of an exaggeration.

BRIEFS Lionel Messi, father deny tax crime allegation

MADRID: Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi denied stunning allegations Wednesday that he and his father engaged in tax fraud worth more than four million euros ($5 million).

The 25-year-old Argentina international and four-time World Player of the year expressed shock at the accusation

by Spanish financial crimes prosecutors.

“We are surprised about this news because we have never committed any infringement,” the striker said in an English-language statement released on his Facebook account.

“We have always fulfilled all our tax obligations, following the advice of our tax consultants who will take care of clarifying this situation,” Messi said.

AFP

Vasishta tennis tourney results Results: Boys: Under-10 (final): K Sashedhar bt G Sevanth 7-1 Under-12 (semis): Reddy Chaintha Pranav bt Rahul Chandana 6-5, Sri Ram Suresh bt Lohith Sai Devar 6-5 Under-14 (semis): T Akhilesh Reddy bt Anirudh Suddasani 6-2, K Paresh bt Reddy Chintha Pranav 6-3.

Girls: Under-12: (Final):R Srujana bt Sai Deepa Reddy 7-3 Under-14: (final): Aishwarya bt B Gayatri Choudary 7-0.

HALLE OPEN

Federer into Halle quarters

HALLE: Defending Wimbledon champion Roger Federer (right) made a seamless transition from clay to grass on Wednesday as he cruised into the quarter-finals of the ATP Halle Open after brushing aside German wildcard Cedrik-Marcel Stebe 6-3, 6-3.

Federer, who is using the tournament as a tune-up for the defence of his title at the All England Club later this month, needed just 67 minutes to see off Stebe in what was the Swiss star’s first outing since losing to Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the last

eight at Roland Garros.

“I was satisfied with my performance even if there were things I could have done better,” said the world number three.

“I hope to get stronger with each match,” he added.

Federer, a five-time winner at the ATP event in Germany but without a title to his name this season, came out firing immediately with a break of serve in the opening game as he raced 5-1 ahead, only to squander a chance to close it out before breaking Stebe for a third time to take

the set.

A service break in the second game of the second set then proved decisive as Federer sealed his passage into the quarters.

Asked if he felt a pressing urge to win a tournament, Federer, 31, replied: “This year, yes, but not right now.

Any title is good for your confidence. I want to be in the best position to do well here in Halle then at Wimbledon. I feel that my best chance is here.”

Next up is World No.156 Mischa Zverev.

AFP

SPOT-FIXING SAGA

Raj Kundra seeks divine intervention

NEW DELHI: Raj Kundra (in pic) sought heavenly intervention while his Bollywood actress wife Shilpa Shetty took solace from her mother’s comforting words as the duo dealt with the tough times that have followed the NRI businessman’s questioning by the Delhi Police.

“A very holy day for me as spent the day doing an 8 hour long puja at home. It’s all about having faith. #peace #love

#prayers,” tweeted Kundra.

Kundra has been facing tough times ever since being questioned by the Delhi Police, to whom the NRI businessman admitted to betting in the cashrich Twenty20 league.

Kundra was later suspended

by BCCI’s all-powerful working committee, pending completion of an inquiry.

Kundra is the second team owner, after N Srinivasan’s son-

in-law and Chennai Super Kings Team Principal Gurunath Meiyappan, to be suspended from cricketing activities in the wake of the IPL spot-fixing and betting scandal.

Shetty, on the other hand, turned to her mother for support. “Was Low nd mom said this to me”People will hate you, rate you, shake you, and break you. How strong you stand is what makes you”.

PTI

Police arrest Mumbai man

NEW DELHI: A 35-year-old man, who worked as a conduit between fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and people who placed bets on IPL, was arrested by Delhi Police in Mumbai, an official said here on Wednesday. Firoz was arrested in Mumbai on Monday and presented before a Delhi court on Wednesday, said a police official.

IANS

THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013

SCORE BOARD Australia Watson c Ronchi b McClenaghan 5 M. Wade lbw b N McCullum 29 P. Hughes run out (Guptill) 0 G. Bailey b N McCullum 55 Voges c B McCullum b McClenaghan 71 Marsh c Ronchi b McClenaghan 22 G. Maxwell not out 29 J. Faulkner c McClenaghan b Williamson 6 M. Johnson c B McCullum b McClenaghan 8 C. McKay not out 2 Extras (b1, lb7, w4, nb4) 16 Total (8 wkts, 50 overs) 243 Bowling: Mills 6-1-19-0; McClenaghan 10-0-65-4 (4nb, 3w); Vettori 10-1-23-0; Southee 4-1-26-0; N McCullum 10-0-46-2 (1w); Williamson 10-0-56-1

Groundstaff mop up rain during during the ICC Champions Trophy match between Australia and New Zealand at Edgbaston in Birmingham, central England on Wednesday.

AFP/ANDREW YATES

Rain hampers Australia’s chances

New Zealand L. Ronchi c Watson b McKay 14 M. Guptill c Maxwell b McKay 8 K. Williamson not out 18 R. Taylor not out 9 Extras (lb1, w1) 2 Total (2 wkts, 15 overs) 51 Bowling: Johnson 4-0-18-0; McKay 4-0-10-2 (1w); Watson 3-1-11-0; Faulkner 3-0-7-0; Doherty 1-0-4-0 No result due to rain

Champions Trophy points table Group A P W L T NR Pt Kiwis

BIRMINGHAM: Rain provided further frustration for Australia, on a day when they dropped David Warner for a bar-room attack on England’s Joe Root, as their Champions Trophy match against New Zealand ended in a no result.

Wednesday’s wash-out at Edgbaston left defending champions Australia facing a tough battle to qualify for the semifinals. New Zealand, chasing 244 to win, were on 51 for two off 15 overs when rain stopped play in the Group A clash at 3.40pm local time.

Under the Duckworth/Lewis system for rain-affected matches, a minimum of 20 overs had to be bowled in the second innings for either side to win this fixture. But at 6.25pm, the umpires decided no further play was possible.

The first no result of the tournament saw both sides take a point apiece. That left New Zealand with three points after their onewicket win over Sri Lanka and gave Australia their first point of this event after a 48-run loss to hosts England at Edgbaston last week.

Australia, already without Michael Clarke, suffered a fresh blow before play started when David Warner was dropped as a disciplinary measure. Warner was left out following allegations he’d physically assaulted Root in a Birmingham bar in the early hours of Sunday morning following the defeat by England.

“The situation, for us, believe it or not, was bigger than this,” said Australia stand-in captain George Bailey, leading Australia in the absence of the still injured Michael Clarke.

“It was about making sure we won this game to stay in the tournament and to play some better cricket than we have against England. And I guess with this sort of result, I’m not sure we’ve done that.”

Australia now need to beat Sri Lanka at The Oval on Monday and hope other results go their way if they are to make the semifinals.

Adam Voges’ top-scored with 71 in Australia’s 243 for eight against New Zealand, with Bailey making 55 for a second successive match after winning the toss.

New Zealand’s Mitchell McClenaghan took four for 65.

There was a moment of unintentional humour before play started when, during a montage of messages from team captains on the giant screens at Edgbaston, Clarke urged spectators to “drink within their boundaries”.

But there was nothing funny for Australia about a collapse to 10 for two in what was a repeat of the 2009 Champions Trophy final they won in South Africa.

Shane Watson was caught behind off McClenaghan and Phillip Hughes was run out for nought by Martin Guptill.

But coming in at 10 for two, Bailey calmly repaired the early

damage.

New Zealand’s Nathan McCullum (two for 46) checked Australia’s progress with the wickets of Matthew Wade and Bailey.

Voges fell when he holed out off McClenaghan.

But Glenn Maxwell, brought in for Warner, added late impe-

tus with an unbeaten 29 off just 22 balls including two sixes and a four.

The Black Caps’ reply started in fine style when Luke Ronchi, a former Australia international now playing for his native New Zealand, drove Mitchell Johnson through the covers for four. AFP

England Australia Sri Lanka

2 1 2 1

1 1 0 0

2 2 2 2

2 1 1 0

0 0 1 1

0 0 0 0

1 0 1 0

NRR

3 2 1 0

+1.048 +0.960 -0.960 -1.048

4 2 2 0

+0.979 +0.410 +0.086 -1.108

Group B India S Africa W Indies Pakistan

0 1 1 2

0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0

New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum (L) and Australia’s George Bailey (R) talk during an inspection for a rain delay during their ICC Champions Trophy match at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Wednesday. Rain provided further frustration for Australia, on a day when they dropped David Warner for a bar-room attack on England’s Joe Root.

AFP

30&31

Attack raises culture concern SYDNEY: A second disciplinary hearing in three weeks for explosive opener David Warner has raised concerns about the culture of the Australian cricket team heading into next month’s Ashes series in England.

Warner was dropped for the Champions Trophy match against New Zealand in Birmingham on Wednesday and made to carry the drinks, after England reported an “unprovoked physical attack” in a bar on batsman Joe Root.

CA said Warner had been reported for breaching its code of conduct relating to “unbecoming behaviour”, with the hearing to be held late on Thursday.

The latest spat involving Warner comes barely three weeks after he was fined Aus$5,750 ($5,400) over an expletive-ridden Twitter tirade at two Australian journalists.

“Warner’s altercation with an Ashes opponent comes amid serious concerns about the culture of the team, which spilled into the public realm when four players were stood down for failing to do their homework during the disastrous 4-0 series loss to India,” Fairfax Media said.

“It doesn’t help that Warner

has endured a horrendous few months on the field, and is coming off scores of 0, 0 and 9 in the first three games of the tour.”

During the India tour, Shane Watson, James Pattinson, Mitchell Johnson and Usman Khawaja were all disciplined after failing to submit feedback requested by team management.

Australian newspapers drew parallels between the latest Warner embarrassment and the case of former Test cricketer Andrew Symonds, who was sent home from the ICC World T20 tournament in David Warner carries water for his teammates during the Champions Trophy match against New Zealand at Edgbaston on Wednesday.

Australia dropped Warner for a bar-room attack incident.

AFP

England in June 2009 following a late-night drinking episode. “Indeed, if the Andrew Symonds case sets any sort of precedent, Warner’s international career could even be in jeopardy,” The Australian said.

“His (Symonds’) CA contract was reviewed and later cancelled.

Symonds admittedly had ‘form’ but so, too, it appears, does Warner. It is understood Warner last year was placed on a curfew and made to report to team officials.

“Based on the decision to suspend four players for not completing their homework on time on the recent tour of India, a ruling to send him (Warner) home would hardly be an overreaction in these circumstances.”

Media gave promi-

Oz ‘tarnished’ by bar attack incident: Vaughan BIRMINGHAM: Former England captain Michael Vaughan said David Warner had “tarnished the whole Australia cricket team” with his alleged attack on Joe Root.

Warner was dropped from the Australia side for their rainmarred no result Champions Trophy match against New Zealand at Edgbaston on Wednesday after his clash with England batsman Root in a Birmingham bar in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The incident followed the Aussies’ 48-run defeat by England in their tournament opener at Edgbaston on Saturday.

“Unfortunately David Warner has tarnished the whole Australia cricket team,” Vaughan told BBC Sport on Wednesday.

“People are talking about him but the whole network, structure, captain, management, support-

nence to the views of former England captain Michael Vaughan, who said the incident had tarnished Australian cricket.

The opening Ashes Test starts in Nottingham on July 10. The Daily Telegraph in Sydney said Australia desperately needed Warner to perform, but cast doubt on whether he was up to

Lanka seek revival in crucial tie

KULDIP LAL Agence France-Presse

LONDON: Sri Lanka will look for a vastly improved batting performance against hosts England on Thursday as they try to stay afloat in the Champions Trophy.

Angelo Mathews’ team were shot out for 138 against New Zealand in Cardiff on Sunday, and only a hostile four-wicket spell from sling-arm fast bowler Lasith Malinga helped them save face in the narrow onewicket defeat.

Sri Lanka, World Cup finalists in 2007 and 2011, must now defeat both England and Australia in day-night matches at the Oval to keep their semi-final hopes alive from Group A. “I think the whole batting unit has to take responsibility,” Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews said on Wednesday. “We can’t really expect the bowlers to do the job for us everytime.”

Mathews said the morale was high despite the opening setback and added he expected his team to come back strongly in the next two matches.

“Defending 138, the guys responded to that brilliantly,” he said. “The equation is simple. We have got two games and we have to win both to stay alive in the tournament.

“We have to stay positive and take England on. We should not put too much

pressure on ourselves. We have to go out there, enjoy the game and do the best we can.

The result will take care of itself.”

Mathews said England had one of the best seam attacks in the game and admitted the first task for his team was to play out the full 50 overs.

Sri Lanka lasted just 37.5 overs against New Zealand, mainly due to Kumar Sangakkara’s defiant 68 as seven batsmen failed to reach double figures on a slow

Cardiff pitch.

England, meanwhile, bounced back from a 2-1 one-day series loss against New Zealand ahead of the tournament to brush aside old foes Australia by 48 runs in their first match.

Alastair Cook’s home team go into the match with their preparations overshadowed by an incident at a bar in Birmingham between Australia’s David Warner and young England player Joe Root over the weekend.

Australia stood down Warner for Wednesday’s match against New Zealand for what the England and Wales Cricket Board said was an “unprovoked physical attack on a member of the England team.”

Cook, who confirmed that the England player involved was 22-year-old Root, insisted the team wanted to get over the incident to concentrate on what was an important game for the hosts.

“We are clearly disappointed that the incident happened, but after investigating it from our side, we don’t believe we have done anything wrong,” said Cook.

“Joe just wants to get the matter buried and play cricket. He’s an excellent young man. It’s unfortunate this has happened, but he wants to put it behind him.”

Cook said Malinga would be the danger man for his side, mainly because of his unusual bowling action.

AFP

ers, are all tarred with the same brush because of what that one individual has done to the team,” said Vaughan. However, Australia stand-in captain George Bailey, speaking after Wednesday’s match, downplayed the clash which has left Warner facing a CA disciplinary hearing, expected to be held before this weekend Warner carried the drinks at Edgbaston on Wednesday and Bailey said of the dynamic opener: “I thought he took it on the chin. No pun intended. From my point of view, it’s disappointing.

It’s a very minor incident and being dealt with in-house.”

Vaughan absolved Australia coach Mickey Arthur and captain Michael Clarke for a confrontation that took place just under a month before the first Ashes Test starts at Nottingham’s Trent Bridge ground on July 10.

AFP

the job.

“That is simply not going to happen if he continues to hold his country, the game and his teammates in such low regard,” it said.

“At his best Warner is the most watchable player in the country. Right now he is a liability.”

AFP

Hearing on Thursday SYDNEY: A disciplinary hearing into David Warner’s altercation with England batsman Joe Root — that reports say could see him sent home — will be held late Thursday, Cricket Australia said.

The governing body announced it would take place via teleconference at 0830 GMT, conducted by CA Commissioner Gordon Lewis.

CA said the explosive opening batsman had been reported for breaching its code of conduct relating to “unbecoming behaviour” after a “physical altercation” with an England player on Sunday, widely identified as Root.

Warner was dropped from title-holders Australia’s rain-marred no result Champions Trophy match against New Zealand in Birmingham on Wednesday but carried drinks onto the field at Edgbaston as 12th man. AFP

THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013

sports US OPEN

Selected pairings 6:45am (16:15 IST): Cliff Kresge (USA), Roger Tambellini (USA), Ryan Yip (CAN) 7:07: Nick Watney (USA), Peter Hanson (SWE), Hunter Mahan (USA) 7:18: Lucas Glover (USA), Paul Casey (ENG), Bill Haas (USA) 7:29: Aaron Baddeley (AUS), Rory Sabbatini (RSA), David Lingmerth (SWE) 12:30 pm: David Toms (USA), Darren Clarke (NIR), Jose Maria Olazabal (ESP) 12:41: Geoff Ogilvy (AUS), Angel Cabrera (ARG), Paul Lawrie (SCO) 12:52: Luke Donald (ENG), Lee Westwood (ENG), Martin Kaymer (GER) 1:03: Jim Furyk (USA), Graeme McDowell (NIR), Zach Johnson (USA) 1:14: Tiger Woods (USA), Rory McIlroy (NIR), Adam Scott (AUS) 1:36: Webb Simpson (USA), a-Steven Fox (USA), Ernie Els (RSA) 7 a.m.: Bubba Watson (USA), Dustin Johnson (USA), Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL) 7:11: Phil Mickelson (USA), Steve Stricker (USA), Keegan Bradley (USA) 7:22: Matt Kuchar (USA), Justin Rose (ENG), Brandt Snedeker (USA) 7:33: Louis Oosthuizen (RSA), Charl Schwartzel (RSA), Tim Clark (RSA) 7:44: Sergio Garcia (ESP),

GARCIA APOLOGISES FOR ‘FRIED CHICKEN’ COMMENT The Tiger Woods/Sergio Garcia "fried chicken" spat rumbled on at the US Open after the two men failed to have a clear-the-air talk over comments the Spaniard made last month. The two old rivals did shake hands on the practice range at Merion Golf Club on Monday between the downpours.

STORM CLOUDS

GATHER OVER US OPEN

The course has already soaked up 6.5 inches of rain in four days and forecasters expect up to three inches of rain on Thursday with severe conditions including a flash flood watch.

JIM SLATER Agence France-Presse ARDMORE: US Open organizers put Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott — the world's three top-ranked golfers — together on the first two days to create an electric atmosphere at Merion.

But a severe thunderstorm predicted to hit Thursday could bring more lightning than the US Golf Association (USGA) really wanted to see when world number one Woods, McIlroy and Scott tee off at 1714 GMT. "There could be some really high winds with us, potentially damaging winds, even some hail," USGA executive director Mike Davis said. "It depends on really what hits us or how lucky or unlucky we are."

The course figures to be jammed with spectators watch-

ing the feature trio of 14-time major champion Woods, seeking his first major crown since the 2008 US Open, second-ranked McIlroy, the 2011 US Open winner, and third-ranked Adam Scott, the reigning Masters champion from Australia.

A field of 156 players from 21 nations will compete over the 6,996-yard layout. Woods, chasing the all-time record 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus, seeks a fourth US Open crown after 2000, 2002 and 2008 titles to match the all-time record shared

by Nicklaus, Hogan, Jones and Willie Anderson.

Merion offers front-loaded birdie chances on a mix of long and short holes, including two par-5s in the first four holes and a 115-yard par-3 13th, but the final five holes will have players clawing to avert bogeys or worse.

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Selected pairings Stewart Cink (USA), Padraig Harrington (IRL) 7:55: Ian Poulter (ENG), Jason Dufner (USA), Boo Weekley (USA) 8:06: Rickie Fowler (USA), Matteo Manassero (ITA), Jason Day (AUS) 8:28: Scott Stallings (USA), John Peterson (USA), Robert Karlsson (SWE) 1:07: Marc Leishman (AUS), John Senden (AUS), Marcus Fraser (AUS) 1:18: Scott Langley (USA), Chris Williams (USA), Morgan Hoffmann (USA) 1:29: Michael Thompson (USA), Michael Weaver (USA), Casey Wittenberg (USA) 1:40: KJ Choi (KOR), Francesco Molinari (ITA), Carl Pettersson (SWE) 1:51: Scott Piercy (USA), Kevin Chappell (USA), Jamie Donaldson (WAL) 2:02: Bo Van Pelt (USA), Kevin Streelman (USA), DA Points (USA) 2:13: Branden Grace (RSA), Bae Sang-Moon (KOR), Russell Henley 2:24: Hideki Matsuyama (JPN), Billy Horschel (USA), Jordan Spieth 2:35: Mathew Goggin (AUS), Steven Alker (NZL), Alistair Presnell (AUS) 2:46: Matt Harmon (USA), Gavin Hall (USA), Kim BiO (KOR) 2:57: Zack Fischer (USA), Ryan Sullivan (USA), Brandon Crick (USA) All times are 9 ½ hrs behind IST

THE GREAT 8 TIGER WOODS (USA) Age: 37 World Ranking: 1 Four tournament wins under his belt already this season and back to the world number one ranking, Woods will start as a clear favourite.

RORY McILROY (NIR) Age: 24 World Ranking: 2 An odd season to date as he has struggled to fully get to grips with his new clubs and balls. Has shown the occasional glimpse of

his old form, but not over four rounds.

ADAM SCOTT (AUS) Age: 32 World Ranking: 3 His emotional win at the Masters in April was an immense leap of faith for the Australian after his late collapse at the British Open last year. The pressure to finally win a major is off his shoulders.

MATT KUCHAR (USA) Age: 34 World Ranking: 4 His win on June 2 in the

Memorial hoisted him to a career-best fourth in the world rankings and many believe his time has come to win a major.

JUSTIN ROSE (ENG) Age: 32 World Ranking: 5 The Englishman has been steady enough on the US tour this year with four top-10 finishes, but no wins. Has come close on several occasions now in major tournaments, but so far has been unable to find that extra spark he needs to take him home. Best US Open was fifth-place finish

on his debut in 2003.

BRANDT SNEDEKER (USA) Age: 32 World ranking: 6 Regarded as one of the finest putters in the world, Snedeker got the year off to a tremendous start with three top-three finishes in his first four tournaments before winning at Pebble Beach.

GRAEME MCDOWELL (USA) Age: 33 World Ranking: 8 The Ulsterman has become somewhat of a US Open expert

over the last few years, winning at Pebble Beach in 2010 and with five top-10 finishes in the last six years.

PHIL MICKELSON (USA) Age: 42 World Ranking: 10 There would not be a more popular winner on Sunday, when he turns 43, than the big California left-hander, who has finished runner-up a record five times.

Has hit a patch of good form with a third and second place finish in his last three tournaments.