MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
WEATHER: A MIX OF CLOUDY AND CLEAR SKIES; 36°C
WWW.POSTNOON.COM
32 PAGES
`3
A golden opportunity Akshaya Tritiya — a day to rejoice for jewellers and customers alike — is finally here. The Hindu and Jain holy day, on which the sale of gold coins and ornaments goes sky high, is even more special this year. Jewellers pan India are expecting a 15-30 per cent rise in sales as the price of gold has slumped to its lowest in over 15 months.
P16&17
HYDERABAD’S FIRST COMPACT AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER
DO YOU HAVE A LICENCE FOR YOUR PET DOG? IF NOT, A FINE AWAITS YOU
Considering the difficulties, pet owners seem disinterested in obtaining a licence. But now the GHMC has made it available in govt vet hospitals, Blue Cross and private clinics, and hefty fines await those who ignore the rule.
REPORT ON P3
MLCs GET RELEVANT ROLES,
AT LAST Constitution of the Standing Committees by Speaker for the first time gives elders in the Upper House a chance to participate in administration and governance. A report.
P4
WHAT’S NEW THIS SUMMER? Students today are lapping up summer camps and taking up internships to hone their skills and improve themselves.
P15
2
MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
city events
FANS GALORE
Sunrisers fans meet-up will be held at Rush Sports Cafe & Bar, Madhapur on May 13 from 8 pm
Weather for Hyderabad
Evening
Overnight
36°C
28°C
A mix of cloudy and clear skies.
Clear with cloudy periods.
Morning
Afternoon
34°C
41°C
Sunny with cloudy periods.
Sunny with cloudy periods.
New Delhi Mumbai Max 41 Max 32 Min 27 Min 27 Partly cloudy
Partly cloudy
Chennai Max 39 Min 31 Mostly cloudy
Bangalore Max 34 Min 20
Cloudy with chances of thunderstorms.
AROUND THE CITY: YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES Birdwatchers Society of Andhra Pradesh present expert talk by Pankaj Sekhsaria on the post December 2004 ecological scenario in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Where: Goethe-Zentrum When: May 16, 6 pm
WORKSHOPS
Astornomy talk Talks and practical sessions on basic astronomy by Dr Priya Hasan and Dr SN Hasan. Where: Lamakaan, Banjara Hills When: May 18, 4.30 pm
Dish out Biscuit-making classes are on. Where: Colorama Printers, Begumpet. When: From May 14 to May 16, 10 am to 1 pm. Workshop for kids Scrabble workshop for children. Where: Crossteps, Kukatpally When: May 14, 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm
BEAT THE HEAT: A jaguar drinks water amidst sweltering heat at Nehru Zoological Park on Sunday. When: Till June 1, 8 am to 9 am
Behind the scene Script writing workshop by Sheel. Where: Saptaparni, Banjara Hills When: From May 13 to May 17, 10.30 am to 12.30 pm Summer camp Training for children in swimming, horse riding, skating, football and tennis. Where: St Paul’s Residential School, Shamirpet When: Till May 15, 7 am
Summer camp Tailoring training camp for children between the age group of 6 and 16 is being organised. Where: Shilparamam, Madhapur When: Till May 20, 11 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 4 pm.
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
Junior masterchef Junior Gourmet is on.
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
Where: HITEX, Madhapur When: May 17, 5.30 pm
SHOWS
Music to serve a cause Karuna, musical concert dedicated to kids with HIV. Concert will feature singer Usha Uthup and others.
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
Group show Works of four artists Jaya Prakash K srinivas Murali and Shanti are on display. Where: Di Bella Coffee, Jubilee Hills When: On May 18
TALKS Expert talk Goethe-Zentrum Hyderabad and
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
Mango Mania You can ask for mango cheese cake, mango gateau, mango almond tart, mango milk shake and others. Where: Le Cafe, Novotel. When: May 31. Ocean’s Eleven Eleven of the finest prawns are on offer. Where: Lacantina, Novotel. When: Till May 31, 7 pm to 11 pm
A musical voyage Raahie, a musical show will be staged. Where: Hard Rock Cafe, GVK 1, Banjara Hills When: May 16, 9 pm Play time Telugu Padyalu, Patala Kacheri by children will be conducted. Where: Lamakaan, Banjara Hills When: May 14, 10.30 am
Play pursuits Children’s theatre workshop by Samahaara. Where: Lamakaan, Banjara Hills When: Till June 1, 5 pm to 7 pm Spirit of Summer A contemporary jazz workshop. Where: Rang Manch, Himayathnagar
Where: The Park Hyderabad When: Till May 17, 10 am
DINING N SHIVA KUMAR
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
MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
news
YESTERDAY’S QUESTION
WILL SACKING OF REMOVE STAIN ON UPA GOVT? 31% 69%
YES (A) NO (B)
TODAY’S QUESTION
IS OUSTER OF 5 STATE MINISTERS IMMINENT FOLLOWING 2 CENTRAL MINISTERS QUITTING? A)
YES
B)
NO
To vote visit www.postnoon.com
LEGALISING PETS
CRIME
Pet dog licensing liberalised Considering the difficulties, pet dog owners are not showing interests to obtain a licence. GHMC has now made it available in govt vet hospitals, Blue Cross and private vet clinics. Hefty fines await those ignoring it. ALEENA ALICE aleena.t@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: Nine out of 10 pet dog owners do not know a pet licence is mandatory. It came out during a random check that most of the pet holders also did not know the GHMC has issued a diktat under the Animal Birth Control (Dog) Rules 2007 of GHMC demanding all pet owners of registering their dogs with the Corporation every year. So far, only 1,300 residents have got registered. Officials with the veterinary department of the GHMC admit the lack of awareness about pet dog licence but they point out another reason. So far, the licences were issued only in selected places. Maximum number is seen in the north zone with 500 licences issued, followed by the central zone with 300 licences. The west zone and south zone have 283 and 264 licences issued respectively. The least of all is in the east zone with only 114 licences issued so far. To make things more practical, the GHMC has started issuing licences at all govt veterinary hospitals, private pet clinics, Blue cross of Hyderabad, Jubilee Hills and citizen service centres at Parking Complex in Abids and Khairtabad in the limits of central zone, GHMC. “So far licences were issued only in the citizen service centres at Abids and Khairtabad. Though getting a licence for their pet dogs does not cost them much, the main reason pet
3
UP’s oldest prisoner dies at 107 LUCKNOW: Ram Kali, 107, Uttar Pradesh's oldest prisoner, died late Sunday at the Bulandshahr jail, 403 km from here, police said. Prison officials said the aged inmate was rushed to Meerut Medical College for treatment after she complained of breathlessness. She passed away there while undergoing treatment for complications related to advanced age. Originally a resident of Khanpur village of the Mansoori area in Ghaziabad, neighbouring New Delhi, Ram Kali had moved to a relative's house in Bulandshahr after her husband passed away in 2002. The relaAROUND THE
NATION
AROUND THE
CITY
dog owner’s attained licence for their pets was because of the less access to more of such centres. Nobody wants to go so far and collect the licence. So the commissioner has now given the authority to even private pet clinics at all govt veterinary hospitals. These are places, pet owners will surely take their dogs to, hence now the numbers will increase four folds,” said Dr Venkateswara Reddy, the Chief Veterinary Officer. The GHMC will start imposing hefty fines on pet dog owners if they failed to register their pets with the corporation. “ `50
per pet per year and `1,000 per dog per year for breeder dogs (kennels) are very minimal amount, and now the issuing of licences is very much accessible to every owner. When Postnoon spoke to pet dog owners majority of the people who have not got their pet dogs registered said they were not aware it was mandatory. Ramesh Gowda, owner of a pet dog in east zone, said, “I was unaware that I had to get a licence for my dog, likewise the other residents of our colony who own more than one dog. The government should try and create awareness among resident’s welfare associations and
some NGO’s so that owners can be aware.” Hemanth Gudi, owner of a pet dog in central zone, said, “Getting a licence for their pet dog, is something no one will object to. I am surprised that the rule was brought into effect since 2009 and so far the Corporation has done nothing to bring about awareness.” Monisha B, owner of a pet dog in south zone, “I was unaware till now that pet dogs had to be registered. Now that I am aware, I will make sure the word is spread so that all the pup owners will ensure that they register their pets with the GHMC. The civic body too should take an initiative so that the information has widespread.
RESPONSE FROM OWNERS
tive was later accused of killing his wife for dowry, and Ram Kali was also made an accused in the case. She briefly went to prison and was let out on bail. She was however sent to jail again in December 2012, after a court found her guilty in the dowry case. She was serving her sentence at Bulandshahr jail. The prison superintendent had recommended, some time back, that she be pardoned and freed, on account on her age. Officials at the prison headquarters said the petition was under consideration. There are hundreds of aged prisoners languishing in prisons across Uttar Pradesh. Prisons Minister Rajendra Chowdhary recently said that the state government would initiate a process to allow those who were old, once they serve out a major part of their sentence. IANS
CITY BRIEFS RTC bus pass costs dear for students
Naidu demands action against five ministers
Japan to solve water woes of Hyderabad
20 couples tie nupital knot in Nandyal
Research scholar ends life in OU
A
T
J
S
O
PSRTC’s concessional bus passes will cost more for students as the corporation has reduced subsidy from the current 10 to 12 per cent to 33 per cent. Students using this facility will have to pay double the amount, depending on type of bus pass. The hike formulated due to increase in fuel and operational costs, will affect 4 lakh students.
o cash in on the political wave created by the recent resignations of two union ministers, Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu has decided to press for the demand for the expulsion of five state ministers who are facing CBI inquiry. He is meeting State Governor ESL Narasimhan today to demand their ouster.
apan International Aid Corporation has agreed to solve the water woes of Hyderabad by funding an ` 1,100 crore worth water distribution network facility for the municipalities of Alwal, Kapra, Qutbullahpur and Uppal. The project will include construction of reservoirs, inlet mains, outlet mains and distribution network.
ilpa Seva Samithi of Nandyal MLA C Silpa Mohan Reddy on Sunday performed marriages to 20 poor couples. As part of the mass marriages programme, the couples were presented with bridal cloths, essential commodities and needed articles for cooking food by the MLA. Silpa Mohan Reddy blessed the couples.
ne Srinivas doing PhD has allegedly committed suicide in the Zoology laboratory in Osmania University this morning. He was conducting research in zoology. It is said that he was expecting a junior lecturer job but the bureaucracy delayed it inordinately which dejected him. Body is sent for autopsy. Police have registered a case.
4
News MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013 LAST YEAR... HERE Vultures not to be seen
L
ast year we had reported how the presence of Diclofenac, a veterinary drug used to treat cattle, wiped out vultures in the City. The residue of the drug present in cattle carcasses poisoned the birds. The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology estimates that the number of vultures in Andhra Pradesh has dropped from 8,500 in 1997 to a mere handful.
MAY 13, 2012
NUMEROLOGY
5,000
patients living in southern part of Odisha received treatment on board the ‘Lifeline Express’, a hospital-onwheels sponsored by Tata Steel at Chhatrapur railway station.
The many factors of poverty are involved in this scenario. Girls are less welcome because they do not fetch the same amount of income as boys do. M Ravinder, APTF president See page 10
THINGS WE 5LEARNT TODAY The column that teaches everyone something new about the way the world functions.
1
Where can we get some fresh air? A study shows that children exposed to traffic pollution are at a higher risk of developing diabetes when they reach adulthood. BBC reports that pollutant increase insulin resistance.
LEGISLATURE
MLCs get relevant roles
The constitution of Standing Committees by Speaker gives elders in the Upper House a chance to participate in administration and governance for the first time. INKESHAF AHMED Ahmed.m@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: They were a neglected lot vis-a-vis their counterparts in the Lower House. But from now on, the Members of Legislative Council (MLC) of AP will have a say in governance, thanks to AP Assembly speaker Nadendla Manohar’s initiative to constitute department-related Standing Committees this year. The committees were formed with the main objective of taking the views and suggestions from all MLAs and MLCs of AP legislature. The constitution of the committees has turned out to be a rare opportunity for these MLCs to prove what they are. The MLCs are not only actively participating in the meeting of the standing committees that kicked started recently, but are also coming up with useful solutions to public issues. All through these MLCs, who are known as Elders, were merely seen as an instrument to approve crucial bills, including the annual budget. They only had an advisory role. Now, they see themselves useful to the public weal.
AROUND THE
CITY
“The Upper House of any Legislature is generally considered the House for the retired people and part time politicians. The views and suggestions expressed by us were hardly given any importance by the officials of the State government earlier. Whenever we raised a public issue, we would be subjected to hollow promises by the officials. But the constitution of the standing committees has brought in a new era politics. The officials are not only answering our questions but also exhibiting a sense of accountability towards MLCs,” Congress MLC Farooq Hussain (pictured) told Postnoon.
PRECIOUS BONES
US to return smuggled dinos The announcement comes in the wake of the returning of a 70-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus bataar to Mongolia on Monday at a ceremony in New York.
2
Do you have the license to own a dog? Licenses to own dogs, which were earlier inaccessible to many, will now be available at every private and government pet clinic. Owners may soon be fined if they fail to get a license.
3
The IRCTC nightmare just got worse. With the IRCTC site non-responsive during peak hours, passengers have gone back to standing in long queues outside counters.
4
Tragedy in New Orleans on Mother’s Day. A total of 19 people were hurt in a shooting at a Mother’s Day parade in New Orleans on Sunday.
5
Landmark change in Hong Kong marriage laws. A transsexual woman was allowed to marry her boyfriend.
“Yes, it is indeed a matter of delight for us. We have now got an opportunity to prove ourselves,” he said. A newly- elected MLC of the main opposition the Telugu Desam Party also expressed similar views. He said that the MLCs can now make the government hear their voice and concerns over many public problems and strive for their redress. Former MLC Ch Sitaramulu, whose term concluded last month, was happy at the turn of events ,but was sad his term ended before they were empowered. “We (MLCs) has always shown exemplary coordination and smooth functioning of the House unlike the Assembly where bedlam often mars the proceedings. Now we can set another example how well we could debate and decide on public interests.” The functioning of these departmental committees have already begun and will continue till the end of this month. The speaker had directed the chairpersons of all 12 Standing Committees to submit their reports before the end of this month.
NEW YORK: More than a dozen illegally smuggled dinosaur skeletons will be returned to Mongolia by the US, reported the BBC. The announcement comes in the wake of the returning on Monday of a 70-million-year-old
Tyrannosaurus bataar at a ceremony in New York. The latest group includes two more Tyrannosaurus bataars, six Oviraptors and several Gallimimuses. The Mongolian government has announced its intention to
open a dinosaur museum to display the skeletons. “The recovery of this treasure trove of dinosaur fossils is the latest significant step in returning missing pieces of the Mongolian people’s history that were literally dug out from under them,” US Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement. “We simply cannot allow the greed of a few looters and schemers to trump the cultural interests of an entire nation... We look forward to returning these fossils to their rightful owner — the government of Mongolia,” US customs official James T Hayes said. A Florida fossils dealer admitted smuggling the bones of the Tyrannosaurus which was handed back on Monday, which sold at auction for more than $1mn (£643,000). AGENCIES
AROUND THE
WORLD
Fossil fortune
A
Florida fossils dealer admitted smuggling the bones of the Tyrannosaurus which was handed back on Monday, which sold at auction for more than $1mn (£643,000).
The latest shipment
T
he latest group includes two more Tyrannosaurus bataars, six Oviraptors and several Gallimimuses.
5
News MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
CIVIC
Setback rule may boost graft
The rule, if implemented honestly, will augment civic revenue but many know builders and civic officials play hand-in-hand and deprive the civic body of its rightful dues. TDP floor leader accuses the Town Planning department of reeking with corruption. Mohd NIZAMUDDIN nizamuddin.a@postnoom.com HYDERABAD: With the GHMC aiming to raise its revenue by enforcing setback norms for even 100 square-yard plots, there is a growing concern that it would only end up augmenting corrupt practices. The civil society groups say that the Corporation already has several norms and GOs that would make people construct their houses within the framework of regularisation. But it is the style of working that has prompted citizens who defeat this rule in connivance with the local civic officials who circumvent the law for pecuniary benefits. “They directly give permis-
BB INTERCEPTION
MTNL gets extension NEW DELHI: DoT has given another extension of six months to state-run MTNL for implementing a system that will enable lawful real-time interception of Blackberry services as required by security agencies, sources said. AROUND THE
NATION
Blackberry services were termed as security threat at one point of time by security agencies as they were unable to decode the communication made through devices and systems. The earlier deadline was April 30, 2013. This is the third time DoT has extended deadline for MTNL from the earlier set deadline of December 31, 2012. PTI
sion to G+2 (ground plus two floors) for house construction of plots of less than 100 sq yards. Where should people park vehicles? Rather, the GHMC should compel them to leave the ground floor for parking,” says Syed
Badsha, Assistant General Secretary, UFERWAS (United Federation of Resident Welfare Associations). He is referring to a situation where corruption does not decide rules. But it is not the case in City today.
DOCTOR’S COLUMN My son is 10 and my husband and I are nearing 50. There is a huge communication gap and he feels more comfortable in the company of his friends and their families than with us. What do we do? As your child comes closer to teenage, you will find that he might pull away from you and tend (to go) towards others closer in age to himself. The question to ask yourself if this happens before your child is a teen is, “Why is this happening?” If it’s purely a growing up thing, then this phase will pass. But otherwise, it’s time to act and work on changing things for you both. Any parent and child can have a communication gap and it typically does not depend on the age of the parents. While age can be a factor in many things, your relationship with your
According to Badsha, the GHMC could be sincerely trying to augment the revenue but the question is corruption. “The corporation is trying to learn from other planned Cities, but it would not be easy for Hyderabad”, he says. With most of the structures are on 100 sq yards and less those who can’t pay bribe will be forced to leave at least 3 metres on roadside and half meter around the building for setback area. If there is a big road, then setback area would increase further, pushing the plot owner to the brink. “If the rule is enforced, then most of the poor would end up selling their plots for a loss”, says N Srinivas, a local leader of
AROUND THE
CITY
Ramnagar. Singireddy Srinivas Reddy, who leads the TDP in GHMC, too has expressed pessimism on this count. “Even though the GHMC is aiming at achieving maximising revenue, the Congress government may not take up this proposal forward as this would affect their prospects”, feels Reddy. According to him, such rules if brought will only raise to further corrupt practices. “The Corporation, particularly the town planning wing, is reeling under corruption.
Dr Diana Monteiro
BRIDGE THE GENERATION GAP
child depends on you and how you manage it. As your child grows, you are going to have to get an understanding of how his needs change. This might mean changing your long
standing view on a variety of things from how much pocket money is appropriate to with who and how children socialise these days. A communication gap is usually seen as a generation
gap and if it is causing the problems, then it’s up to you as a parent to bridge the gap. Being active and engaged with your child requires constant effort on your part. Try to see what he likes in other people that he is comfortable with and try to get yourselves to do those things. The fact that you are older parents can be a huge advantage because you have more life experience and patience than younger parents. It’s time to work on getting yourself on the same level as your child so you can connect with him and have a great relationship. The writer is a counselling psychologist at the Hyderabad Academy of Psychology. You can write to her at askdrdiana@gmail.com
NATION BRIEFS Four children among 5 struck dead by lightning
Mamata to visit Darjeeling from May 14
One killed, two injured in fire mishap
Ceiling falls down in Chennai airport
Cyclone MAHASEN moves nothwestwards
KOLKATA: Four kids, died after being hit by lightning at Chancold in Malda district in West Bengal, the police said today. Four childrenBittu Saha,10, Joyprakash Singha,11, Md Hossainm, 11 and Mumpy Khatun,13-were killed by lightning at Harishchandrapur village. One farmer dieddue to lightning at Kushal village.
DARJEELING: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will visit Darjeeling hills for three days from May 14. According to Gorkha Janamukti Morcha sources, during her trip the chief minister will hold talks with Gorkha land Territorial Administration (GTA) about overall development and governance of the hills.
THANE: One person was charred to death and two others sustained serious burn injuries in a fire at an industrial unit in Dombivili township of Thane district this morning. The fire broke out in a hair dye manufacturing unit of the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) estate at Manapada in Dombivili.
CHENNAI: Three contract workers suffered bruises when a portion of a false ceiling at the recently inaugurated domestic terminal at the airport here fell down following heavy rains early this morning. Airport sources said the incident occurred around 4am in the area leading to one of the aerobridges in the terminal.
CHENNAI: The cyclonic storm 'MAHASEN' over Bay of Bengal has moved slightly northwestwards and lay centred at 700 km southeast of Chennai this morning, bringing welcome summer rains in several parts of the city. However, the cyclone is expected to skip Chennai and move towards Bangladesh-Myanmar coast in the next couple of days.
6
News MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
POLITICS
‘Restoring trust biggest challenge’
Modi lashes out at UPA’s foreign policy management. WASHINGTON: Asserting that he has given a new meaning to "development" during his 12year rule in Gujarat, Chief Minister Narendra Modi has said that the greatest challenge facing India is restoring the trust of the people. Modi made the remarks in his video-link address to the people of the Gujarati community living in 20 cities across the US, which lasted for more than an hour and was followed by a questions and answers session. In his address, Modi lashed out at the UPA Government and alleged that people of India have lost "trust and confidence" in the center, due to its "poor governance" and high corruption. "I feel biggest crisis (today) is lack of confidence. We need to get this trust back. This cannot be merely done by words: Biggest
AROUND THE
NATION
need today is trust," Modi said while speaking to the audience from different cities of the US, including New Jersey and Chicago. In his speech, Modi insisted that the country is experiencing a new crisis due to developments in the last few months, as he nar-
rated several corruption related incidents. Lashing out at foreign policy of the UPA government, he alleged that New Delhi is being ruled by weak leaders. It is unbelievable that the India's Foreign Minister is seen reading the speech of his counterpart from another country, he said. "Heads of our soldiers are cut but then their Prime Minister fed chicken biryani," he said in an apparent reference to incidents of killing of Indian soldiers by Pakistan. "Then questions are raised: China withdraws its forces but I wonder why Indian forces are withdrawing from Indian territory? Why did we retreat (from our own territory)?" he said questioning the China policy of the Government. PTI
CRIME
Passenger beaten up at RGI airport Customs men allegedly thrashed him and snatched his gold chain because he refused to pay bribe. AROUND THE
CITY
Mohd SUBHAN mohd.s@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: A man who worked in Qatar and came on vacation was allegedly manhandled by a pesky posse of customs officials at the RGI airport on Saturday. The issue was that he was carrying 50 grams of gold biscuit and the officials allegedly demanded a bribe for releasing him. The victim, S Narasimha (pictured), then lodged a complaint against air cus-
toms at the airport. The passenger, a native of Nizamabad, alleged that he has been working in Qatar for some years and he is the sole breadwinner for a family of five. He came by Oman Airways. Narasimha bought a 50gm gold biscuit for future use. The customs in Qatar had no objections, but those on duty here said he was “smuggling” gold. It is said in his complaint that after a fracas broke out and he refused to pay `20,000 as demanded, the officials scaled down to `2,000. But Narasimha said he would not pay as he did nothing wrong. Enraged, he said, he was called into a side room for “checking,” where a couple of officials beat him and snatched his gold chain and gold biscuit. Dazed, he came out not knowing what to do. He went to the RGI police station and submitted a complaint to this effect. Police have not identified the custom officials yet.
ECONOMY
Retail inflation slides to 9.39 pc in April In urban areas, retail inflation declined to 9.73% from 10.38% in March. NEW DELHI: Falling for the second straight month, retail inflation declined sharply to 9.39 per cent in April due to easing of prices of vegetables, edible oil and protein-based items. The Consumer Price Index based inflation stood at 10.39 per cent in March. The prices in the vegetables basket eased to 5.43 per cent in April from 12.16 per cent in March. Inflation in protein-based items stood at 13.60 per cent during the month. In oils and fats segment, it was 7.52 per cent. The overall food and beverages segment saw an inflation of 10.61 per cent in April as against 12.42 per cent in March. Among all the constituents that make the CPI, cereals recorded the highest inflation of 16.65 per cent in April, according to data released today.
Besides, inflation in pulses stood at 10.91 per cent and in sugar it was 10.49 per cent on an annual basis. The rate of price rise in clothing and footwear segment stood at 10.22 per cent during the month. In urban areas, retail inflation declined to 9.73 per cent in April from 10.38 per cent in AROUND THE
NATION
March. The CPI for rural population fell to 9.16 per cent during the reported month from 10.33 per cent in March. The CPI stood at 10.91 per cent in February, 2013. The data for wholesale price index-based inflation is expected tomorrow. The March WPI eased to a three-year low of 5.96 per cent. PTI
7
News MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
HEALTH
A ‘smart’ way to fight obesity
PARIS: Using a simple smartphone application to photograph one's meals is a useful slimming aid for the overweight, according to an experiment reported on Sunday. The app, designed by British doctors, aims at promoting "food memory" so that people recall what they have eaten and are encouraged not to snack on high-calorie treats. The app has three parts: — before eating food or drinking a beverage, the user snaps a pic-
AROUND THE
WORLD
ture of what is about to be consumed. — after finishing the meal or drink, the user then looks at the picture that was taken, and answers questions about the consumption experience: "Did you finish it all?" and "How full are you now?"
— before further meals, users also look back at the file of pictures that have been taken in the course of the day, and get a text message urging them to remind themselves of what they have already eaten. The volunteers accessed the app more than five times a day on average, and recorded 2.7 daily "episodes" of eating and drinking. Over the study period, the participants lost 1.5 kilos (3.3 pounds) on average. AFP
BANKSY’S SPECIAL
Slave Labour up for sale again AROUND THE
WORLD
POLITICS
Heated war of words Telugu Desam Party senior leader Yerrabelli Dayakarrao and Kadiyam Sri Hari, a party renegade, trade charges and make accusations.
LONDON: A work by renowned British graffiti artist Banksy that was withdrawn from a controversial US auction is being put up for sale again in London. The mural, called Slave Labour, mysteriously vanished from its original site on a wall in north London in February before appearing on an auction list in Miami later that month. The work, which shows a boy making Union Jack bunting on a sewing machine and is an apparent comment on sweat-shop labour, was pulled from sale at the last minute, apparently after pressure by campaigners who wanted it returned to its original home. The piece had been expect-
POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: Kadiyam Sri Hari, a TDP renegade who joined YSR Congress, on Sunday traded charges with his former colleagues, leaving the TDP leaders livid with rage. Kadiyam (left) said he was numb with shock when the TDP’s senior leaders called him a political prostitute. He said it proved his former party colleagues are ‘uncivilised and uncultured.’ Kadiyam said he decided to leave TDP as it was catering more and more to the industrialists and the rich. Charging his mother party with suffering from bankruptcy of thought, he said senior leaders like Yerrabelli Dayakarrao (right) ought to know that he had served the party all through diligently but left it only when he knew that the party had no plans for the common man and dalit. Kadiyam asked why the party had not made a mention of the Telangana issue in the draft of the forthcoming
Mahanadu. He challenged the TDP leaders to make the party pass a resolution on the Telangana issue in the Mahanadu. It may be mentioned here that Yerabelli has given an explanation on Kadiyam’s charge that the TDP had backed out when no-confidence motion was moved in the Assembly. Yerrabelli said the party decided to maintain neutrality
AROUND THE
CITY
as the no-confidence motion was aimed at benefiting YSR Congress chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy. He said their idea was to get Jagan out of jail through blackmail and TDP did not want to subscribe to that plan.
Yerrabelli said the TDP would not lose at Kadiyam’s departure. He observed that though bigger leaders had left the party, the TDP had not incurred any damage and asserted that Kadiyam’s exit would make no difference. He also condemned the remarks of Kadiyam that TDP was giving positions only to the industrialists and the rich.
ed to fetch up to £450,000. The work had first appeared in May last year on the wall of an outlet of thrift store Poundland in the Wood Green district of Haringey shortly before the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. The piece is now set go on sale at the London Film Museum in London's Covent Garden on June 2, auctioneers The Sincura Group said in a statement. Sincura said the mural has "been sensitively restored under a cloak of secrecy", and will be "the centrepiece" of the group's latest art exhibition alongside pieces by Damien Hirst, Andy Warhol, Mario Testino and Russell Young. AFP
WORLD BRIEFS Iran Navy to get advanced missiles
NRI deputy mayor of London Borough
EU gives $85 mn aid to war-torn Syria
N Korea replaces defence minister
Obama hails Pakistani polls
MOSCOW: Iranian Navy are all set to receive cruise missiles having a range of more than 300 km, a senior official with Iran's Aerospace Organisation said Sunday. “The new missiles will have ‘enhanced precision’ and other ‘super advanced capabilities,’” Brigadier General Mehdi Farahi, director of Aerospace Organisation said.
LONDON: A leading NRI in the UK has been elected as the deputy mayor of a London Borough. Councillor Sunil Chopra, has been elected as the deputy mayor of Southwark for 2013-14. Delhi-born Chopra, general secretary of the Indian Overseas Congress, London, is the first and only Indian-origin elected councillor in London.
BRUSSELS: The European Commission announced Sunday the allocation of an additional 65 million euros ($84.5 million) in humanitarian aid to Syria. The funds will be spent on emergency healthcare services, shelter, food, water and sanitation. The EU had previously allocated over 300 million euros in humanitarian aid to Syria.
SEOUL: North Korea has replaced its hawkish armed forces minister after just six months in the job — the latest in a long line of top military reshuffles by supreme leader Kim Jong-Un. The new minister was identified by the Korean Central News Agency on Sunday as Jang Jong-Nam, a relatively young and little-known field commander.
SEOUL: US President Barack Obama has hailed the National Assembly election in Pakistan, calling it "a significant milestone" in the country's democracy building. "I congratulate the people of Pakistan on the successful completion of yesterday's parliamentary elections," the president said in a statement Sunday, reported Xinhua.
8
News MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD
A tale of two jinxed ministries Railway and law ministries seem to have developed a taste for leadersehip change.
NEW DELHI: Railway and Law Ministries appear to have become jinxed in recent years. During the four years of the UPA-II, ministers having these two portfolios have not been able to remain in office for more than two years. Pawan Kumar Bansal and Ashwani Kumar, who were forced to quit on Friday just within six months of being in office in the wake of controversies surrounding them, were the latest casualties. Railways has seen five ministers during four years, two of whom -— Dinesh Trivedi and Bansal — left under unpleasant circumstances. When UPA-II assumed power in May 2009, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee became the Railway Minister. She resigned two years later to become West Bengal Chief Minister.
SCIENCE
Superwheat developed
Railways has seen five ministers during four years, two of whom — Dinesh Trivedi and Bansal — left under unpleasant circumstances. Trivedi, her party colleague, su ceeded her in Rail Bhavan but he was forced to quit by Banerjee in less than a year after he proposed hike in passenger fares in last year's Railway Budget. In fact, his exit was so hasty that he was not able to see the passage of the Railway Budget which he presented in Lok Sabha. His position was taken by Mamata loyalist Mukul Roy but he too remained in the post only for about six months as his party withdrew from the government
protesting against allowing FDI in retail. The portfolio then went to Bansal, who became the first Congress leader in 17 years to get the ministry. Bansal received a blow last Friday after his nephew was caught by CBI allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 90 lakh to get a senior Railway official a plum posting. Shastri Bhavan-based Law Ministry has a similar tale to tell. Mild-mannered M Veerappa Moily took over as Law Minister
when the UPA-II came to power in May, 2009. But he was left sulking when he was removed from the Law Ministry in July, 2011 and shifted to the Corporate Affairs Ministry. He said "vested interests" had opposed his campaign for law reforms and had conspired to blame him for the government's legal setbacks, including the one relating to the appointment of PJ Thomas as the CVC. Moily's place was taken by Salman Khurshid, who was also embroiled in a controversy related to the Zakir Hussain Trust being run by him and his wife Louise. The Trust works for physically challenged people. In October last year, a TV channel alleged that the Khurshids had embezzled funds, a charge denied by the couple. He was later shifted to the External Affairs Ministry, a move seen as his elevation.
NATION
In October last year, Ashwani Kumar took over from Khurshid as the next Law Minister. His rise in politics was as dramatic as his fall. Kumar found himself totally isolated in the party when the controversy broke out last month over his vetting a status report of CBI on coal block allocation. Before Coalgate, Kumar was involved in yet another controversy when Solicitor General Rohinton Nariman stepped down in February this year following differences with the minister. Nariman was unhappy over certain directions of the Law Minister and the ministry. He is also believed to be annoyed over the way some of the government directions were reaching him.
RESEARCH
HAIR-RAISER
Gene clues for testicular cancer
LONDON: British scientists say they have developed a new type of wheat which could increase productivity by 30%, reports the BBC. The Cambridge-based National Institute of Agricultural Botany has combined an ancient ancestor of wheat with a modern variety to produce a new strain. In early trials, the resulting crop seemed bigger and stronger than the current modern wheat varieties. It will take at least five years of tests and regulatory approval before it is harvested by farmers.
AROUND THE
WORLD
AROUND THE
WORLD
Some farmers, however, are urging new initiatives between the food industry, scientists and government. They believe the regulatory process needs to be speeded up to ensure that the global food security demands of the next few decades can be met, says the BBC's Tom Heap. One in five of all the calories consumed round the world come from wheat. But despite steady improvement in the late 20th century, the last 15 years have seen little growth in the average wheat harvest from each acre in Britain.
AROUND THE
An Assam police constable pulls a transport corporation bus through by his hair in Guwahati on Saturday. He is trying to enter the Guinness Book of World Records through this feat. PTI
ASHRAM VIOLENCE
Situation tense in Rohtak village ROHTAK: The situation was today tense but under control in Rohtak's Karontha village where three persons were killed and about 100 others in a clash between two groups over an ashram even as CM
AROUND THE
NATION
Bhupinder Singh Hooda ordered a magisterial probe
into the violence. Around 500 CRPF personnel have been rushed to maintain law and order near Satlok Ashram in Karontha village which witnessed violence yesterday. PTI
PARIS: Separate studies of the human genome have found tantalising clues to the inherited causes of testicular cancer and non-inherited causes of congenital heart disease, journals reported on Sunday. University of Pennsylvania researchers looked at the DNA of more than 13,000 men, comparing the DNA code of those with testicular cancer -- the commonest form of cancer diagnosed among young men today -against men who were otherwise healthy. They found four new variants that increase the risk of this disease, bringing the tally of known mutations to 17, according to research reported in Nature Genetics. Meanwhile, investigators at the Yale School of Medicine found a clutch of gene mutations, absent in parents but found in their offspring, which account for at least 10 percent of cases of severe congenital heart disease, a birth defect that afflicts nearly one percent of babies. The study appears in the journal Nature. AFP
9
News MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
TRAGEDY ON MOTHER’S DAY
19 hurt in New Orleans shooting
The Federal Bureau of Investigation said the shooting was unrelated to terrorism, calling it ‘street violence’. VERONIKA OLEKSYN Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON: Nineteen people were hurt in a shooting at a Mother's Day parade in New Orleans Sunday, police said, as the mayor called for an end to "relentless" violence on the streets of the southeastern US city. Those wounded by the eruption of gunfire in the early afternoon attack included 17 adults and two 10-year-olds, the local police department said in a statement. "Many of the victims were grazed (some by bullets that ricocheted)," it said. "At this point, there are no fatalities, and most of the wounds are not life-threaten-
‘Couple of seconds’
N
ew Orleans Police Department Superintendent Ronal Serpas told reporters earlier that shots from "maybe two different types of weapons" rang out and that police saw three people running away immediately after the shooting. "It was over in just a couple seconds," said a police official.
ing." The injured children — a boy and a girl — suffered graze wounds and were in good condition while a man and a woman were still in surgery late Sunday. The Federal Bureau of Investigation said the shooting was unrelated to terrorism, calling it "street violence." "From all of our intelligence, we have no reason to believe it was an act of terror, just street violence," Mary Beth Romig, a spokeswoman for the FBI in New Orleans, told AFP. But "certainly today was not a normal day in New Orleans." The incident comes less than a month after twin bomb blasts at the Boston Marathon killed three people and wounded more than 260. In December, a gunman opened fire at an elementary school in Connecticut, killing 20 children and six staff members. New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Ronal Serpas told reporters earlier that shots from "maybe two different types of weapons" rang out and that police saw three people running away immediately after the shooting. "It appears that these two or three people just for a reason unknown to us, started shooting
BIG MOMENT
Transexual wins right to marry BF HONG KONG:: A transsexual woman won a groundbreaking court appeal in Hong Kong Monday allowing her to marry her boyfriend and forcing the government to re-write the city's marriage laws. The woman, known in the Court of Final Appeal as "W" under anonymity rules, successfully overturned earlier verdicts that said marriage is only allowed between couples who were of the opposite sex at birth. W, who underwent sex realignment surgery more than five years ago, argued that her post-operative gender is recognised by the law AROUND THE
WORLD
AROUND THE
WORLD
at, toward or in the crowd," Serpas said. "It was over in just a couple seconds." Police were searching for a motive for the shooting and appealed to the public to come forward with any clues. A $2,500 cash reward has been offered to
information leading to the arrest and indictment of those responsible. "It's just a very tragic day for us," New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu told reporters after visiting some of the wounded in hospital. "We will find them," he vowed, also urging members of the public to step forward "so that we can find people who do this and make sure that they don't hurt innocent victims anymore."
and that previous rulings were a violation of her constitutional rights. She also said that her reassignment surgery had been government-subsidised. The city's Registrar of Marriages had argued that she could not wed her boyfriend because her birth certificate — which cannot be altered under Hong Kong law — said she was male. "It is contrary to principle to focus merely on biological features fixed at the time of birth," the court said in a written judgement by the panel of five judges. It added that existing laws "impair the very essence of W's right to marry". AFP
MAGIC OF SCIENCE
Thermal invisibility cloak tested The prototype, to be outlined in Physical Review Letters, contained a 5cm-wide flat region impervious to heat flowing around it.
A flat region about 5cm wide at the "cloak's" centre was invisible to heat's passage
LONDON: Researchers have built and tested a form of invisibility cloak that can hide objects from heat, reports the BBC. Similar cloaking efforts are underway to make objects invisible to light and even sound waves, but this is the first device to work with heat. The prototype, to be outlined in Physical Review Letters, contained a 5cm-wide flat region impervious to heat flowing around it. The technology could be put to use in thermal management in electronics.
AROUND THE
WORLD
The theoretical ideas behind the prototype were outlined in a paper by French researchers in 2012 - now made real in copper and a silicone material called PDMS. It works by channelling heat flow around the central region, with carefully designed, alternating rings made of the two materials. "If you follow a ring around,
you can follow those areas of high [heat] conductivity, but if you go toward the centre you are repeatedly blocked by a layer of low conductivity," explained lead author of the study Robert Schittny of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany. "You can see that it's easier for the heat to just travel around this object than travel toward the centre," he told BBC News. But the effort is not just about insulating the central region from heat - it is to make it "look" like it is simply not there.
10
News MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
BOMBINGS IN FRANCE
RUMOUR HAS IT
Carlos to appeal conviction PARIS: Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, the Venezuelan better known to the world as Carlos the Jackal, returns to court here on Monday to appeal his conviction for a series of deadly bombings in France thirty years ago. The 63-year-old, who has been imprisoned in France since being captured in Sudan in 1994, was found guilty in 2011 of masterminding the 1982 and 1983 attacks on two French passenger trains, a train station in Marseille and a Libyan magazine office in Paris. Already serving life for murder at the time, Carlos was given another life sen-
tence for his role in attacks that left 11 people dead and nearly 150 injured, earning him the mantle of the world’s most wanted fugitive. The 1982-83 bombings in France were widely believed to have been carried out in retaliation for France’s detention of two fellow members of a militant group Carlos ran with the support of East Germany’s notorious secret police, the Stasi. But prosecutors were struggling to secure the evidence to secure a conviction until the release of secret Stasi files in the years that followed the collapse of communism. AFP
AROUND THE
WORLD
No fine for Skype in UAE DUBAI: The head of the UAE’s telecoms regulator has disputed media reports stating Skype users in the UAE are liable for jail time and a Dh1 million fine. According to a report in Arabic newspaper Emarat Al Youm, users of Skype and similar voice over internet protocol (VoIP) services face imprisonment of up to two years and a fine of between Dh50,000 and Dh1 million. The report quoted article 71 of the Telecommunications Act. Mohamed al-Ghanim, director general of the UAE’s Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s Regulatory Authority (TRA), says the report is incorrect. “It’s different to what they interpreted. The story is done
AROUND THE
WORLD
in a way that has caused a lot of misunderstanding among consumers,” al-Ghanim told Al Arabiya. “They took the wrong article and [applied it to] the consumer side.” Al-Ghanim said it is commercial VoIP operators, rather than users of such services, that face such hefty penalties. Either way, such fines are decided by UAE judges, not the TRA, he said. “Only authorized operators in the UAE – Etisalat and du – are the ones that can provide all kinds of services, including VoIP,” said alGhanim.
SCHOOL TIME
Sex no bar when it comes to dropouts
The dropout rate of girls equals boys in the State which ought to be investigated. Heavy dropout rates despite state efforts remain a mystery though poverty is professed as the principal cause. RAHUL RAMAKRISHNA rahul.r@postnoon.com
HYDERABAD: It is sad that the dropout rate in schools in Andhra Pradesh staggers over 59 lakh annually. One would expect that girls’s dropout would be far less than that of the boys but that does not seem the case. Going by the socio-economic survey report of the State, girls too occupy a fair share percentage in the dropout rate. Experts opine the reasons are many, but almost all of them begin with the negligence of our authorities. While the total enrolment in schools across the State were pegged at 133.91 lakh, the per-
AROUND THE
CITY
Childs rights and women activists too feel that the welfare schemes meant for child and women development often do not reach targets.
centages show that dropout rates among boys and girls are almost the same, marginally. Girls registered a total of 45.99 percent of the total dropouts from I-X classes, which is approximately 27,23,884 in 2011-12 while boys registered a total drop out of 26,90,657 .The previous year’s
figures indicate higher percentages of girls dropping out of schools than boys, with girl dropout rate being 46.59 percent and boys dropout percentages being 45.83 percent. Academics and child rights activists say that it is often the pressures of poverty that are at
Enrollment Statistics from 2010-11 and 2011-12 : Year
Pre Primary
I-V
VI-VII
VIII-X
X-XII
Total enrollments
2010-11 3,90,476 71,24,940 25,25,632 32,56,850 20,288 1,33,18,186 2011-12 4,10,086 70,84,567 26,06,413 32,67,222 22,636 1,33,90,924
work behind these shocking figures. As M Ravinder of the APTF puts it, “ The many factors of poverty are involved in this scenario. Girls are less welcome because they do not fetch the same amount of income as boys do. In nuclear families, we are witnessing separation of parents and the responsibility of children often ends up in a bad situation which forces children to work. Female infanticide and early marriages are another reason as girls are married away at the age of 16 to 18 years. The law is toothless and ineffective and has to seriously reconsider its approach over this issue.”
Childs rights and women activists too feel that the welfare schemes meant for child and women development often do not reach their beneficiaries, a reason why education has not seeped in well yet. P Supriya Devi, a childs rights activist and former civil servant says, “ What is the use if the state government sanctions 300 model schools with each unit costing over 3 crore rupees, when children are dropping out in search of early employment? We must understand the problem lies with the mentality that women are weaker and so education is wasted upon them, which continues to derail our literacy rate. The fact that our women’s commission still has no governing head speaks volumes of the interest our government takes in women and child welfare.”
11
News MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
SLOW BUT NOT STEADY
PONZI SCHEMES
IRCTC derails travel plans The IRCTC website continues to remain every rail passenger’s worst nightmare realised.
AROUND THE
CITY
PADMINI C padmini.c@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: Technology has made our lives simpler. But Indian Railway, the largest public utility service in the country, has made a mockery of technology as its reservation site convulses and fobs off customers. Prospective passengers have therefore gone back to the basic norm—queue up in front of counters for hours together to book a ticket. The site maintained by IRCTC defies all principles of usability, navigability and efficiency, say frustrated passengers who spend several hours waiting in the queues. "At one time, you thought that railway reservation counters were all about endless queues, bored clerks and hours of waiting. But after the time I spent on that website the past few weeks, this seems far simpler and faster," says a retired headmaster, Srinivas Shankmukha, who finally got a ticket from Necklace Road MMTS station, after cancelling his travel plans three times in a row due to the unavailability of tatkal tickets on the
IRCTC website. Heavy tatkal traffic means that the site goes sluggish and non-responsive for most of the two hours (from 10 am to 12 am) when travellers need it the most. Followed by the agents' log-in rush which sets back it further an hour. But the worst complaints day in and day out are still the repeated unsuccessful transactions of millions of customers
Heavy tatkal traffic means the site goes sluggish and nonresponsive for most of the two hours (from 10 am to 12 am) when people need it the most. who have to wait days and weeks for refunds. And, think of the trauma a passenger faces when his money is debited and ticket not confirmed! "Until one day before your journey, you are not sure if you are actually going to be travelling. Add to that, the tatkal book-
Pick
ing on the IRCTC website is extremely unreliable. I had three failed transactions this morning in which my money was debited but my tickets were not booked. It's hopeless," says Ramesh Khelkar, another customer, who found it easier to come and purchase a physical ticket at the reservation counter. Sadly, these woes are neither new nor novel. Last year, the site buckled under the pressure of heavy traffic and crashed just ahead of the festival season much to the chagrin of millions of customers. There is fear that there might be a repeat performance this year and during summer vacations. Even staffers at the railway reservation counters are feeling a bit of the heat too. Saroja S, an official at the Maitrivanam railway reservation counter says, "I haven't seen rush like this in years. Every day there are more and more disgruntled customers who come to the counters after trying their luck on the website. If they don't do something about it soon, it's going to go back to being like the old days again." Meanwhile, the railway minister's announcement during the budget earlier in the year promising an upgrade to the website so that it would be equipped to handle 120,000 simultaneous users from the existing 40,000 is yet to come into effect. “Bansal’s promise has gone with him it seems,’ jibed a passenger. And customers are hoping that the upgrade happens sooner than later. Because the existing system, at its best, with the capacity to book only 2,000 tickets per minute is not nearly enough to cater to the needs of the 12 million customers who visit the site each month.
at the
500 CIS schemes, 1 registered More than one lakh complaints are said to be pending against these entities. NEW DELHI: More than 500 entities and their promoters are feared to be running thousands of illicit Collective Investment Schemes across the country, although just one is registered with the market regulator Sebi for this kind of business and that is also yet to launch a scheme. Under a CIS, which is regulated by Sebi, the contributions made by the investors are pooled and utilised with a view to receive profits, income, produce or property, and is managed on behalf of the investors by its operator. Since investors do not have day-to-day control over the management and operation, Sebi follows a strict set of rules to regulate them and to grant registration for such businesses. However, an ongoing probe into such schemes, which was triggered by Saradha scam, has come across thousands of such businesses across the country without approval from Sebi, sources said. The regulators have zeroed in on about 500 entities and their promoters and directors, who might be running numerous CIS operations under different names. More than one lakh complaints are said to be pending against these entities, they added. The operators of such schemes typically set up a
airport,
new CIS business under a new name after fleecing the investors under the earlier scheme. These schemes are being run in the names of businesses linked to sectors like real estate, hospitality, art, agriculture and even education, sources said, while pointing out at West Bengal and other states in the Eastern and North-Eastern region as among the most fertile grounds for such schemes. While Sebi has been mandated to regulate the CIS operations, it has been complaining about lack of powers AROUND THE
NATION
to handle this menace and has sought greater authority to address the gaps. The government is said to be seriously considering amendments to the Sebi Act and other regulations to allow Sebi greater powers to tackle all kinds of money collection schemes as there are many exceptions in the existing CIS regulations. Sebi has said that only one entity, Gujarat-based Gift Collective Investment Management Company, is registered with it for CIS operations, and that too has not yet launched any scheme. PTI
-
12
News MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
STATE OF THE NATION ARUN KOSHY PHILIP
BRASS TALKS
NEWSMAKERS
POLITICAL DRAMA
Overheard at an undisclosed location frequented by top military men to quench their thirst Officer A: Indian Navy gets its first MiG 29 Ksupersonic fighter jets squadron Officer B: Bravo. Awesome. MiGs rock. We will rule the seas and the skies! Officer A: Houston, we have a problem. Officer B: What is it? Officer A: The aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya, from which these planes are supposed to operate... Officer B: Yeah... What about it? Officer A: It ain’t coming home anytime soon. Hopefully, by the end of the year. It’s been under repair and refit for only nine years now. That’s super fast when compared to Arjun Main Battle Tank and Tejas Light Combat Aircraft. Officer B: Phew... Thank goodness. You had me worried for a second. Once the big Russian b**** is here we are going to scare the enlightenment of the day out of the world... our ships, missiles and all. Officer A: Good you reminded me. Officer B: Now what? Officer A: We need to buy a few tonnes of packing tape. Officer B: For...? Officer A: For the crown jewel of our maritime power— INS Viraat. We need more than faith to keep her afloat! Officer B: Ok. Enough of unpatriotic talk. You forget that we are one among the only five countries in the world with indigenous capability to launch nuclear-capable missiles from submarines. Officer A: LOL. Firstly, it was not fired from a submarine but an underwater pontoon. We don’t have a sub to fire it from. I don’t think that in case of war with Pakistan or China we will have the option to bury pontoons off their coasts and launch the missiles. Officer B: Damn... why didn’t I think about this? Guards... arrest this man. Officer A: WTF?! What did I do? Officer B: You dared to question the rationality of national pride — punishable under archaic colonial laws, equally dumb post-Independence laws and upcoming even-dumber national security laws. What do you make of this place? Did someone tell you it is a free country? (Brass Talks is a fictional satirical account of events in high places)
Exclusive Postnoon obtains the standard (and super-secret) press release template of DRDO for missile launches. DRDO-developed XXX was successfully flight tested on XXX from Bay of Bengal off the coast of XXX. The missile was tested for the full range and met all mission objectives. All the parameters of the vehicle were monitored by radar all through the trajectory and terminal events have taken place exactly as expected. XXXX congratulated all the scientists, technicians of DRDO on the successful flight test. Defence Minister XXXX congratulated all the scientists for successful launch of XXX.
Venkaiah falls in line
I
Guilty? That wouldn’t be me Statements like ‘someone has taken some money somewhere’ is passé. Get yourselves introduced to the new martyr saints of the Congress and their outraged utterances.
T
hough in deep mess over scams, the UPA netas have something in common — living in denial. Former railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, whose nephew was caught taking bribes for ‘facilitating’ top ministry jobs, say he has done nothing wrong. "I welcome the CBI probe. I gave a statement right after the incident that I have nothing to do with this. Also, that I have no business relationship with my nephew. The truth will come out." Then we guess the CBI’s finding that Vijay Singla (the nephew) using Bansal’s official phones for communicating with his associates is nothing but a pure coincidence. Former law minister Aswani Kumar, though equally adamant in denial, has added more drama in his response. "Whatever the PM and the party high command thought fit, as a loyal foot soldier I have done and I am proud of the fact that I have been
a loyal foot soldier of the party," he said about his exit. It couldn’t be put any better Kumarji. That’s exactly what the CBI chief confessed in the Supreme Court regarding the ‘vetting’ and ‘modification’ of its Coalgate investigation report by your ministry and the PMO. And there’s more... "My conscience remains clear and I believe that I will stand vindicated because divine justice ordains that truth and justice will prevail," Kumar told reporters. Divine justice, huh? Maybe with crores of cases pending in our ‘human justice’ system, the divine route holds more promise for the chosen ones.
I believe that I will stand vindicated because divine justice ordains that truth and justice will prevail. PK Bansal Ex-railway minister
f anyone knew about the outcome of Karnataka polls it would be none other than senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu. He and his followers had to eat humble pie when they tried to jump the queue at a Bangalore polling booth — and literally had to fall in line. Those waiting patiently in the line told him, rather curtly, to take his place — at the end of the line. When Naidu tried to talk his way through saying that he was in a hurry to cast his vote as he had other engagements to attend as an MP, he was told that ‘VIP’ tag did not count. Naidu realised that throwing a tantrum would only bring trouble, and the posse stood in the line till their turn came.
PARALLEL UNIVERSE
NBW for Chris Gayle!
A
local court has taken suo moto cognizance of a news report and has issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against star Royal Challengers Bangalore batsman Chris Gayle. He was charged under several sections of IPC and CrPC. RCB management and Gayle were shocked by the unexpected charges and said they will take it on through legal channels. The case was filed based on the following news report: Gale destroys over 10,000 banana plants in Erode district Erode: More than 10,000 fullygrown banana plants have been damaged in parts of the district in a gale over the weekend, farmers said. The gale struck on Friday and Saturday, devastating banana plantations. (PTI)
MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
Business
SPAIN WILL EMERGE STRONGER: RAJOY
Spain will emerge stronger from the economic crisis and will return to prosperity, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said ahead of the Iberian Summit.The crisis has had a "tremendous social impact", Rajoy said in comments e-mailed to Portugal's Lusa news agency.
OVERHAUL
EU revises the tax laws At the G7 talks in England, ministers firmed up their commitment to combat illegal tax evasion occurring because of legal loopholes.
BRUSSELS: As millions languish on the dole with EU austerity blamed for deepening recession, finance ministers will switch their focus from bailout negotiations to the pursuit of a trillion-euro annual tax-fraud bounty. European Union governments are looking for a package that will scrap national banking secrecy laws, and are called to overcome holdout opposition from Austria after Luxembourg said it would loosen its policies at a May 22 summit of leaders on the issue. On Friday at G7 talks in England, ministers including US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew firmed up their commitment to combatting the illegal tax evasion and avoidance, occurring due to the presence of legal loopholes in the system.
BUDGET CUTS
Australia cuts down foreign aid SYDNEY: Australia will delay its foreign aid spending targets and close its embassy in Budapest, as the government scrambles to rein in costs to meet revenue shortfalls, Foreign Minister Bob Carr said today. The ruling Labor government has admitted a slump in tax revenue, due to which a part of the cutbacks will hit foreign aid as well as their "millennium goal" of having the aid budget equal to 0.5 per cent of gross national income. The central bank last week had already slashed interest rates to a record low of 2.75 per cent to stimulate activity. AFP
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso takes part in a conference towards closer economic, banking and political union on May 7, 2013 at the EU headquarters in Brussels. AFP
Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne said: "It is vital that both developed and developing countries collect the tax that is due to
them." Chancellor Werner Faymann and domestic rivals have said that the conditions must be met whilst respecting Austria's bilat-
eral tax agreements with Switzerland and Liechtenstein. European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso wrote to EU heads last week to say that the principle of cross-border sharing of information should be applied to all types of state revenues. The EU has been tightening up on tax evasion and money laundering since the 2008 global financial crisis highlighted the problem, alongside the reckless speculative fever that sparked banking and economic crisis. The ministers are also expected to give the green light to another 7.5 billion euros of the agreed Greek package between May and June, following checks on conditions imposed in negotiations with the IMF, though no final decision has been taken yet. AFP
13
LIBOR REVAMP
'Dual-track' system likely replacement LONDON: A dual-track system combining survey-based rates and objective data is set to replace key global interest rate Libor, the Financial Times reported on Monday. Martin Wheatley, the British regulator, told the FT that the new scheme would protect those with products already tied into the scandal-hit interest rate system. Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland and UBS have paid over $2 billion to settle allegations with Libor, which were used to hide their financial strains during the 2008 credit crunch. London Interbank Offered Rate, is a flagship instrument which is calculated daily, using rate estimates from banks that affects the pricing of more than $300-trillion of contracts across the world, according to regulators. AFP
MILLION-DOLLAR DEAL
Kuwait Airways to buy 25 Airbus planes
KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait's national carrier is due to sign a multi-billion-dollar deal with Airbus to purchase 25 new aircrafts, valued at $3.0 billion, with the first delivery expected in 2019, a well-informed newspaper reported on Sunday. The deal will be signed "very soon," the privately-owned AlWatan newspaper reported, quoting sources close to the decisionmakers. It also stating that the deal includes 10 Airbus A-350-900 and 15 A-320 neo and the delivery
GOLD `26,807 10g SILVER `45,035 1kg
24C
for
for
DOLLAR `54.86 POUND `84.26
of the planes will start after six years. When asked the reason behind this, the Chairman of KAC, Sami al-Nasef told AFP that it was a result of a bill which was passed in January to transform the airline into a commercial company. In the meantime, KAC will lease 13 big and small Airbus planes with the first two A320 due to arrive in July, Al-Watan reports. AFP
BSE NSE
20,019.23 103.09
6,080.10 27.15
MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
Comment NATION
It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.
DAMON WAKE Agence France-Presse
P
akistan’s incoming prime minister Nawaz Sharif looks set to be a pragmatic ally of Washington, unlikely to end the war against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban as he seeks to focus on fixing the economy. Prime minister twice in the 1990s when Pakistan suffered no domestic terrorism, he voiced support on the campaign trail for peace talks with Taliban militants blamed for killing thousands of people in a nearly seven-year insurgency. The fact the Taliban threatened and attacked his rival Pakistan People’s Party and its main allies, drastically curtailing their ability to campaign, is in danger of being seen as contributing to his election victory. But Sharif -- who apart from tackling Islamist militancy faces a major challenge to repair the shattered economy and address a crippling energy crisis -- has been quick to dispel any potential concerns from the West. “What is most important is that we must never allow our soil to be used by anyone to create problems with any country in this world,” he was quoted as telling The Sunday Telegraph as it emerged he had won Saturday’s election. The relatively weak showing of Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) in the northwest, where cricket star Imran Khan’s promises to end US drone strikes and Pakistani military operations struck a chord, is another indication that his policy differs little from the outgoing government.
14
WANTED, A FIREWALL AGAINST CHINA HARD TALK
Marcus Aurelius Roman philosopher
What will Sharif do about Taliban?
HIGH-FLYING THOUGHTS When the story that Skyping would invite a fine of a million dirhams and a jail term came out, many believed it, because the news was about a Middle Eastern country. Authorities in the UAE have started damage control, but getting people to believe that these were rumours would be harder than they think.
PK Surendran
T
here is a limit to tomfoolery, even in politics. I was, like millions of Indians, scouting for details about the eerie news of Chinese creeping into Ladakh across the Line of Actual Control last month. Not that there was much. What all I got was a miserable bit of piece that too official feed, as every media reported the same lines. Not even the overseas press corps that are often more enterprising and perceptive than local, had much to say, be it the BBC or the AFP. But then I was being naive, or, are our rulers naive? When Chinese pitched tents in the Depsang Valley and stay put, Indian government made funny friendship noises. “It is a localised matter,” said our prime minister belittling it that outraged the country. And yet our ‘responsible (?)’ opposition too looked like pre-school kids in classroom. Only, Mulayam Singh Yadav (for whatever unsaid reasons), blasted the government and said China was Enemy No.1. He should know he was defence minister. Here was an associated PTI report on how China, which said
the crafty, greedy neighbour, keeps creeping into Indian territory gradually. Many drops make the ocean, they know. “The area along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China has ‘shrunk’ over a period of time and India has lost ‘substantial’ land in the last two decades. The meeting was chaired by Commissioner (Leh) A K Sahu and attended, among others, by the 14 Corps Brigadier General Staff Brig Sarat Chand and Colonel Inderjit Singh. The meeting noted: “It is clear and accepted that we are withdrawing from LAC and our area has shrunk over a period of time. This process is very slow but we have lost substantial amount of land in 20-25 years.” While this was the actual state of affairs, what followed was a diplomatic pantomime.It was said by veteran military authorities in articles on social websites that a trade off has taken place for Chinese withdrawal, in which the Indian observation post overlooking Karakoram highway would be pulled out. But official stance kept its silence, or at best in its denial mode. We continued to hear conciliatory noises from Beijing saying India and China have no border disputes and China never intruded into Indian Territory. Probably it was only a dream? And New Delhi, as if on cue, quickly caught the
strain and sang, India-China bhai bhai... Well, it was as if the old Hindi saying goes, “If Miya Bibi raji ho to kya karega kaji? What Salman Khurshid and Chinese premier forget is that India is not China and this country has a vibrant democracy and a vast media unlike the communist china and its iron-clad media policy. It is no good blaming media for mess-up. We have a right to know the truth. The world knows China’s global ambitions. India should know what that country did to us all through the years. China had no qualms in preying on a fledging independent country in 1962 and overran hundreds of kilometres in Himalayan borders. Now, the grand finale to the
border drama. Our external affairs minister said the border incursion was taken up with China but the Dragon denied having even uttered a word on this. If borders are not safe, country is not safe. Our territorial right is too important to be left to the mandarins of Delhi office. Every Indian has a stake. We, the ordinary Indian tax payers want to know the truth. Are we undergoing the nightmare that any time the PLA can overrun us? Should we left wondering if the stupendous funds spent on Defence are only to stage a parade on the Republic Day? Nobody, repeat nobody, is advocating a conflagration. But don’t we have the right to react if an avaricious neighbour creeps in?
EDITORIALS Wooing Nitesh with funds is unethical Watch what you eat
T
he UPA, riddled with scams and ineptitude, has found a short-cut to success, it seems. If you can’t win break the rival camp. And in this game, the Congress is proving a smashing success, one must admit. The Congress weaning away JD(U) and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with the financial package is boodless coup but one fraught with dangers. Along with it, the Congress seems to have played its magical charms on Shiv Sena too. The Sena, an extreme right wing party which always sided with the Hindutva, is playing a different tune, accusing the BJP of playing up on Narendra Modi. These taken together give the Congress hopes to divide the rival camp before the 2014 elections. It is because the UPA can’t hope to win a comfortable majority as the party is bathed in corruption charges and its only leader projected is the untried Rahul Gandhi. While there is nothing wrong in playing political tricks in a democracy, it is unethical to woo away a party with the lucre of special financial package because all states in the country have equal rights to the central kitty.
READERS’ VIEWS
R
ichard Doughty was never overweight. He led a healthy life: ran three times a week and played cricket. Yet he was diagnosed with type-2 diabetes. And all he did to reverse it was to follow a low-calorie diet. And in 11 days, he won his battle against the illness that could have affected his sight, he limbs and his whole life. If nothing else, in these hard times we live when living healthy is a challenge, Richard’s story on the Guardian is proof that type 2 diabetes is not as debilitating as it once was thought: all you need to do is watch what you eat.
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
MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
campus
SPIRIT OF SUMMER A contemporary jazz workshop being held at Rang Manch, Himayathnagar from 8 am to 9 am till June 1.
VACATION FUN
PLAY
Sign Please
What’s new this summer?
Students today are lapping up summer camps and taking up internships to hone their skills and improve themselves. KEERTHANA MURALIDHAR feedback@postnoon.com
G
one are the days when summer vacations were all about going on a holiday with parents and visiting grandparents. Today, summer is more about attending camps and doing internships. Students who are more career-oriented have chosen to do internships at various firms based on their respective fields. Abhisree Saunjanya, pursuing a BBA.LLB from GITAM, Vizag has come to the City not just to visit her parents but also to do an internship with NALSAR library. Abhisree says, “I think that this step would give
I think that this step would give me practical exposure. I will also be able to build contacts that would be important for structuring a career in law. Abhisree Saunjanya GITAM student
me practical exposure. I will also be able to build contacts that would be important for structuring a career in law.” Similarly, students from various colleges pursuing degrees in Mass Communication and Journalism are interning at advertising agencies, TV channels and newspaper houses. Few students have opted to work part-time during this summer and make some pocket money. Suraj Kumar, an animation student from Loyola Academy says, “Many of us in our class have been hired by one of the international schools in the City to animate the lessons to be taught to the students. We are getting paid for the work too.” While there are few others indulging in fun-filled activities during this summer. EA Abhishek with his friends went to Kerala, not just for a vacation but to shoot a documentary on art form Thaiyam. One of those in the team Nitin Lawrence says, “We decided we will go a trip that is both fun and informative. The journey was a fun, learning experience.” School children be it highschool or primary are following a similar trend as well. Abhishek Anirudhan, waiting for his class 12 results, is taking classes in French as he thinks learning an international language wou-
Sign Please! — a humorous play about 3 deaf friends in sign-language enacted by hearing and speech impaired actors from The Drama Association of the Deaf (DAD) will be staged on May 19 at 7.30 pm. Drama Association of the Deaf seeks to promote self-identity in a multicultural society by fostering a sense of belonging in one's own culture, and tolerance and respect for other cultures.
COLLEGE OF THE WEEK
Cornell
University is an American private Ivy League research university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, the university was intended to teach and make contributions in all fields of knowledge — from the classics to the sciences, and from the theoretical to the applied.
TRENDING...
ld come handy in future. Apart from these, there are several interesting summer camps being organised around the city for school children in sports, art and craft, music and dance. Sisters Malavika and Anushka are going for classes to improve their drawing which they say is their favourite hobby. Dance and music institutes in the City have started several crash courses and are promising students an opportunity to perform at the end of the course. Akshay, a 17 year-old-student who has completed his 12th class, is going on trekking
and other adventure programmes organised by GHAC (Greater Hyderabad Adventure Club). Meanwhile students, who are awaiting 10th and 12th results, are preparing for entrance exams. Anirudh, who has completed his class 12 exams from Bhavans, Sainikpuri says this summer is all about preparing for the exams and writing them to get into renowned colleges. So, now, summer vacations are not just about enjoying. It is that time of the year in which students learn something new along with having fun.
South actor Mahesh Babu will now voice his support for filmmaker-actor Farhan Akhtar`s campaign MARD (Men Against Rape and Discrimination). Farhan Akhtar launched the campaign MARD, after the death of the gang rape victim in Delhi. The actor has now been joined by Mahesh Babu, a Tollywood star, who is all set to recite the poem MARD, and collaborate with Farhan in the cause. MARD-Men Against Rape and Discrimination, is a poem written by Farhan`s father and lyricist Javed Akhtar. Mahesh will narrate the poem in Telugu for Farhan`s venture, designed to create awareness among men to respect women and promote gender equality.
MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
spotlight
KICK UP YOUR HEELS
Cuba Libre is hosting Mongolian Night as part of the pub’s first anniversary celebrations. Night will feature DJ Jay, DJ Shym and DJ Nepali House Galaxy.
BEST FOOT FORWARD
18
Bang on trend As many as 200 Interior Design students of Hamstech Institute of Fashion and Interior Design took part in exhibition Tattva — The Essence of Design on Sunday. 1
2
3
BLING ALERT 4
5
7
8
Actress Saloni unveiled the special Akshaya Tritiya collection at Manepally Jewellers. The collection includes light weight new designer jewellery and special wedding jewellery.
6
9
10
1 Nischay 2 Madhuri, Anusha 3 Kamala, Rishita
4 Khushu 5 Vishali Sen 6 Priyanka
7 Sharmee 8 Pinky 9 Rajul, Shraddha 10 Megha, Sady
FITNESS CRAZE
New branch of Talwalkars Better Value Fitness Ltd. was opened at Vidya Nagar on Sunday. It was inaugurated by MP Gutta Sukender Reddy.
MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
health TYPES OF DEMENTIA
DECODING DEMENTIA
Before diagnosing and treating dementia, one needs to be aware of its various types and symptoms. DEEPASHRI V
deepashri.v@postnoon.com
M
any of us have family members who suffer from dementia, with the condition just deteriorating with age despite the medication. We list out some of the most common types of dementia, and some that can be treated.
ALZHEIMER’S
According to Alzheimer’s Association, this type of dementia accounting for 60 to 80 per cent of the cases. “It’s a degenerative type (of disease). Different parts of the brain become atrophic, said Dr Sudhir Kumar, senior consultant neurologist at Apollo Hospital. “Whatever medication we give, it doesn’t get cured.” Alzheimer’s patients show signs of memory loss, particularly information gathered recently, and this worsens over time. Patients may ask the same questions over and over again. If you’ve lived with an Alzheimer’s patient, you might have this experience where they walk out of the house and suddenly find themselves in an unknown territory. Other symptoms include withdrawal from social activities and poor judgement.
VASCULAR DEMENTIA:
This occurs when blood supply to the brain is stopped because of some obstruction in the vascular system. “Lack of blood flow to the brain, commonly called brain stroke, causes this,” Dr Kumar said, adding that symptoms depend on which part of the brain in affected. According to Helpguide.org, it is the second most common type of dementia and accounts for up to 40 per cent of the cases. The site also lists out some physical signs to watch out for, like lack of balance, weakness in legs and arms and loss of bladder control. Some symptoms are similar to that of Alzheimer’s.
A
ccording to Alzheimer’s Disease International, there are 24 million people worldwide with dementia, and this figure will hit 81 million by 2040.
PARKINSON’S DEMENTIA:
“This is not so common (as Alzheimer’s)” said Dr Kumar. “It is also a degenerative type of disease. Patients may experience tremors, slowness and rigidity. In five to 10 years (after onset of disease), they may develop dementia.”
MIXED DEMENTIA:
The symptoms are a mix of two or more types of dementia.
TREATABLE FORMS OF DEMENTIA Hepatic dementia is caused due to a disease of the liver, which affects the brain functions and metabolism. It is characterised by forgetfulness and impairments in cognitive functions, which can be reversed by treating the underlying cause. “Dysfunction of various organs, like liver damage, can cause dementia. Ammonia gets accumulated in the blood and goes to the brain. Kidney damage increases urea in the blood. This causes renal dementia of kidney dementia,” Dr Kumar said. Deficiency of two vitamins in the body — B12 and Thiamin (B1) — can cause dementia. “B12 deficiency is common in vegetarians and those with antibodies in the gut that prevent absorption. Thiamin deficiency is common in alcoholics,” he said. Listing out other forms of dementia that can be treated, Dr Kumar said hormonal disorders and hypothyroidism, especially in new borns, when not detected, can cause disability and dementia.
AYURVEDA BECOMING POPULAR FOR EYE DISEASES
The world's first ayurvedic ophthalmic hospital in Kerala says that more and more people are turning to ayurveda to resolve eye problems. Doctors at the Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Eye Hospital and Research Centre near Kochi assert that ayurveda can easily cure many eye diseases. IANS
19
MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
20
THE PAGE DEDICATED TO WOMEN AND THE ISSUES THEY FACE ACROSS THE GLOBE
VANGUARD OF CHANGE
Offensive ads removed
Sports clubs for women in Kuwait
A
skateboard company has withdrawn advertisements which appeared to promote domestic violence and rape after a female skateboarder led a backlash against the images. Enjoi, which makes skateboards, clothes and accessories and sponsors a professional team, pulled the offending images from its website after an online campaign mobilised protest.
K
uwait initiative creates the first sports clubs for women in the country as part of a new initiative launching sports leagues for women. This initiative to launch basketball, table tennis and athletic leagues for the first time in Kuwait illustrates how the landscape for women athletes is improving across the Persian Gulf where hard-liners have long opposed women playing sports. Several of the players, in deference to the conservative Muslim culture that is common across the Persian Gulf, wore leggings and covered their heads with hijab. Others, however, wore shorts and t-shirts.
Targetting domestic violence
A
police force has created mock dating profiles to warn of domestic violence in Northamptonshire. The profiles are being used as part of a social media campaign on Facebook and Twitter to raise awareness of abuse in relationships and stalking. Images of mock dating profiles outlining potential suitors' real personalities are being hosted on the force's social media accounts in an effort to unmask abusers' behaviour.
I love girls, I surround myself with only women. I think men bring negativity into your life sometimes. Only women work with me.
My daughter is my greatest source of inspiration. She hasn't allowed herself to be shaded by popular opinion. The world is full of joy, openness and wonder to her.
Sonam Kapoor Bollywood actress
Julia Roberts Hollywood actress
UNDER ATTACK
TWO STEPS BACK
Women strip while men judge on Danish TV
Women not safe in mega cities: Parliamentary panel
A
woman stands naked in a room under a harsh spotlight. She’s not allowed to speak, but must stand quietly while two men sit on the couch and assess her physical attributes as a camera zooms in and out on the body parts they are discussing. Sounds like a nightmare, but it’s actually a show on Danish television. The show, Blachman, was named after its creator, Thomas Blachman, who is the Danish version of Simon Cowell.
THE WAY FORWARD PRENATAL PROGRAMME
S
an Francisco nurse, Martha Ryan started her Homeless Prenatal Programme in 1989 and today assists more than 3,600 families every year. Since 1989, the non-profit has provided prenatal care to thousands of homeless women in San Francisco. Ryan's group assists more than 3,600 families per year, offering all sorts of free services to help them pull themselves out of poverty.
A file picture showing members of India's Red Brigade shouting slogans as they take part in a candlelight protest in Lucknow on May 7. Red Brigade is a group of angry young women with a simple message for the country's sexual predators: change your ways or be ready to take our blows.
AFP
Crime against women rises in UP There have been at least 15 cases of rape reported in UP in the last one month. Police blame declining social values for the crime graph.
MOHIT DUBEY feedback@postnoon.com
C
rimes against women is on the rise in Uttar Pradesh, with 15 rapes reported from the state capital itself in the last one month. Four women have been raped, one killed and two have been subjected to acid attacks from spurned lovers in just 24 hours. Police are blaming declining social values for the crime graph. A Dalit minor girl was gang-raped in Sonebhadra after which her head was smashed by a blunt object. Her body was
dumped in a field. The same day, two sisters in Bardad village in Basti faced an acid attack from a spurned lover. While one escaped with minor injuries, the other girl is admitted to a medical facility with severe burn injuries on her face and body. A dumb girl was raped in Ballia. In Chandausi, a deaf and dumb 12-year-old was raped. After a traumatic battle with death, she passed away Friday evening. In at least four cases, the victims have levelled rape charges on police constables and other mid-rung police officials. Lucknow has a 'Red Brigade' with over 100 teenage
girls coming together against sexual assaults and teasing. The group trains young women in self defence besides espousing the cause of their security. Inspector General of Police Raj Kumar Vishwakarma says: “While one may have a right of self defence, you cannot be allowed to retaliate later and make a mockery of legal systems.” Women activists disagree. “If somebody harasses you day in and day out, and the police do not listen to your pleas, what are we expected to do? Get raped?” fumes Amita Sharma, an activist sensitising young women against sexual abuse. IANS
M
ega cities with modern police apparatus are not a guarantee for being safe for women, a Parliamentary panel has cautioned while noting that Delhi accounts for among the highest rates of crimes against women at 13.3 per cent of crime rate, followed by Bangalore, Hyderabad and Vijayawada. Delhi accounts for 17.6 per cent rape cases, 31.8 per cent of kidnapping and abduction cases and 14 per cent of dowry deaths among the 53 mega cities in the country.
ON THE FRONTLINES ELIZABETH JANE COCHRANE
S
he remains notable for two feats: a recordbreaking trip around the world in emulation of Jules Verne's character Phileas Fogg, and an exposé in which she faked insanity to study a mental institution from within. In addition to her writing, she was also an industrialist and charity worker.
21
MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
Entertainment THE SILVER LINING
CINE BYTES
Neelam Upadhyaya, who’ll soon be seen in Action 3D, gets tal k ing about the making of Swathi Muthyapu Jallulo’s remix in the film.
Siddharth to play singer in a period film
S
iddharth is all set to play a classical singer’s role in his upcoming bilingual film in Vasanthabalan’s direction. The film, titled Kaaviya Thalaivan, is set in 1920s and it is reportedly inspired from the lives of legendary singers and stage actors SG Kittappa and KB Sundarambal. AR Rahman is going to score music for this period film.
T
he trend of remixing popular songs from yesteryears is the in thing in the Telugu film industry these days and Anil Sunkara’s upcoming film Action holds the credit for being the first Telugu film to feature a remix song shot in 3D. The film starring Allari Naresh, Shaam, Vaibhav Reddy, Raju Sundaram, Sudeep, Neelam Upadhyaya, Sneha Ullal, Kamna Jethmalani, Ritu Barmecha and Sheena is gearing up for release on May 31 and as a part of the film’s promotions, the songs were screened for the media recently in Hyderabad. One of the songs which is a remix of Swathi Muthyapu Jallulo, a popular song from Nagarjuna, Amala starrer Prema Yuddham, which was shot on Allari Naresh and Neelam Updadhyaya is now making a lot of buzz. Neelam Upadhyaya is quite excited about the initial response for the song and she reveals, “I was very nervous because I was watching myself on big screen for the first time. The response so far has been pretty good and I’m thrilled that people have appreciated our work. The whole credit goes to Anil Sunkara and his team which shot the song. All of us had great fun throughout the shoot.” Ask her about the making of the song, she recalls, “Initially, there was no plan to remix the song and it was only towards the end of the shoot that Anil Sunkara came up with the idea and everything fell into place. We shot the entire song in two days. The tough part about the song was shooting in the rain and I am not really used to wearing sarees. But it was all worth the effort.” The higher frame rate used while shooting the song makes it all the more visually appealing and the 3D effect is its USP. “Keith Driver, the 3D stereographer, and his team have worked hard. It’s not easy to shoot in 3D since it requires a lot of planning. I can’t believe how we managed to wrap it up in two days!” she says.
Jai Hind 2 soon in offing
DA N C I N G
IN THE RAIN
A
rjun is making a comeback to direction after a long gap. His upcoming film Jai Hind 2 is based on the current educational system and its flaws. Arjun has revealed that the film is a tribute to APJ Abdul Kalam. Surveen Chawla is the lead actress and Arjun is playing the lead role, apart from directing and producing it.
Yemito Ee Maya to release in June
S
harwanand and Nithya Menen starrer Yemito Ee Maya is going to release in the last week of June. Cheran has directed the film and Sravanthi Ravi Kishore has produced it. The principal shooting of the film has been wrapped up and currently it’s in its post-production stage. GV Prakash has scored the music for this emotional love story.
22
Entertainment MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
SECOND MOVIE ON 26/11
CINE BYTES
BIOPIC ON LAWYER WHO SECURED
KASAB’S CONVICTION SRK gets Chevalier Sivaji Award
MAYABHUSHAN NAGVENKAR feedback@postnoon.com PANAJI: Director Svaddan Angrre is bringing to the silver screen the story of Ujjwal Nikam, the tenacious, poetryquoting lawyer who secured the death penalty for Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab for the 26/11 Mumbai attack. He says the Marathi biopic will reveal some unknown facts about the legal eagle. Nikam, from the boondocks of Jalgaon who rose to become one of the most renowned and high-profile public prosecutors in the country, has inspired Aadesh, to be released in September. The Pune-based Svaddan said that while Nikam will not act in the film, it is entirely inspired by his life and the four most sensational cases of his career — the 1993 Bombay blasts, the 2006 Kherlanji massacre, the cooperative societies scam and the 26/11 trial. “Most people know only about the lawyer that Nikam sir is. But the film also explores other aspects of his personality,” Svaddan said. Nikam’s curriculum vitae would be the envy of the best of India’s lawyers. In 1994, he handled the Mumbai blasts case, followed by cases relating to the sensational murders of music baron Gulshan Kumar and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Pramod Mahajan. But the biggest one yet was without a doubt the Ajmal Kasab trial, which finally culminated in the Supreme Court upholding the death by hanging awarded by the trial court, where Nikam laid out the incriminating evidence with his robust, almost dramatic style. The movie begins with the success of the Kasab trial. “I have used a narrative style in the movie, which begins with the central character talking to a journalist about his life just after the Kasab trial,” Svaddan said, adding that the movie would be released in September. The director said that he met Nikam several times to dig out details of his life that haven’t been documented by the media, which gravitates to the TV-savvy lawyer for confident bytes, when he holds the
B
ollywood baadshah Shah Rukh Khan was conferred with the Chevalier Sivaji Award, constituted after veteran Tamil actor Sivaji Ganeshan, on Saturday at the seventh edition of Vijay awards. Kamal Haasan, Ajith and members from the family of Sivaji Ganeshan presented the award. SRK, 47, worked with Kamal Haasan in Hey Ram and with Ajith Kumar in Hindi film Asoka. IANS
Akshay credits Twinkle for success
A
ctor Akshay Kumar, who feels that everyday should be celebrated as Mother’s Day, gives credit to wife Twinkle Khanna for his success. On the occasion of Mother’s Day, Akshay says: “I want to tell her that the success of our family has always lain in her hands. It was never my success as a man, or as anything else for that matter.” IANS
Aishwarya takes Aaradhya to Cannes?
T
A poster of The Attacks of 26/11, the first movie based on incidents surrounding the November 26 attacks in Mumbai. The movie was directed by Ram Gopal Varma.
biggie legal government briefs. “During my interactions with him, Nikam sir mentioned that a moviemaker had offered him the role of a lawyer. Nikam asked him, ‘how can a lawyer act’? To which the producer said: ‘Lawyers are often the best actors.’” Svaddan said, adding
that the movie, however, did not take off. Aadesh, he said contains several anecdotes from Nikam’s life, especially the parts where he was threatened by powerful politicians as well as businessmen while handing sensitive cases as a state prosecutor. Svaddan, however, said
that Marathi cinema was going through a crisis of sorts and that he had turned producer after several production houses turned down the biopic. “I believe in the story. The story of a man who has stood by India against the enemies of the state. As a film it will work,” Svaddan asserted. IANS
he latest from the Bollywood rumour mill is that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will be accompanied by daughter Aaradhya Bachchan while walking the red carpet at the 66th Cannes Film Festival. It is also believed that the entire Bachchan clan will be scene walking in together as Amitabh Bachchan’s Hollywood debut The Great Gatsby has been selected for the opening ceremony.
Entertainment MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
23
Entertainment MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
24
25
Entertainment MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
IN THE OFFING
CINE BYTES
Great Gatsby's debut fails to catch up with Iron Man
T
he Great Gatsby pulled off a dazzling $51 million debut, but a huge Saturday lifted Iron Man 3 to a repeat win at the weekend box office. Disney's Marvel sequel rolled up another $72.5 million, and is approaching $1 billion at the worldwide box office. Last weekend, it posted the second-biggest U.S. office debut ever. Great Gatsby and Iron Man 3 both made around $19 million on Friday.
Guess who kissed Matt Damon
M
eth ctress Gwyn nning la p is ow tr Pal ry te ea an to open would e sh ys sa d an in y food items serve health . et tl her food ou r-old recently The 40-yea book second cook le re ased her r he r offe and wants to y recipes in alth he te ri u vo fa her outlet. ea "I would mak restaurant p -u op p an ni Califor l the healthy al h it w in London tuna bo the ok and d salads from an s er on burg burgers, salm usic.com quottm ac nt co ” tacos, ng. ed her as sayi also admitted s es tr ac he T her healthy that many of eated for her cr recipes were Martin as he is husband Chr t well ahead ea to ng yi tr was h his band of a tour wit Coldplay. e was She said: ”H well to preng ti focused on ea r, so I started tou pare for the ese recipes. developing th ssed and nothce Nothing pro ill delicious. t st bu c, xi to me ing w the book ca in ho 's And that ed e out of a ne NS IA about. It cam way.” c ni ga a very or
any dream of kissing Matt Damon, but Michael Douglas is one of the lucky few who has actually done it. But for him, it was simply part of the job. "Once you get that first kiss in, you are comfortable," Douglas, who stars as pianist Liberace in HBO's Behind the Candelabra, tells New York magazine in its latest story.
A
Gwyneth Paltrow wants to open an eatery
Colin Farrell admits that he hates criticism
I
rish actor Colin Farrell says he doesn't like it when people criticise his work in a film and end up taking some of the comments personally. The 36-year-old admits of reading as many as possible reviews of his performance in Oliver Stone's biopic Alexander. He said: “I got some pretty special reviews. Unfortunately, I went to all four corners of the world to find every word I could that was written about it. I read it all. It was pretty tough. IANS
MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
Chai Time
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
Do what you will, this world’s a fiction and is made up of contradiction. William Blake
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 Baby bird call 6 French river known for its valley 11 It goes with crumpets 14’Less common 15 Commencement 16 Like some jazzy cats 17 (For) now 19 Commit a faux pas 20 Barcelona buddies 21 Strong silklike fabric 23 North African port city 26 Annuls 27 Fair-haired men 28 Many are spotted around Valentine’s Day 30 Thailand’s neighbor 31 Assign as one’s share 32 Auto club offering 35 Word with “living” or “dead” 36 Beyond the ordinary 38 Historic introduction? 39 CD-___ 40 ___ Jeane (Marilyn, originally) 41 Biblical brother 42 Cantor and Murphy 44 Apportioned 46 Divine entreaty 48 Spectral 49 Defeated rival 50 Has coming 52 Hatchling from a green egg 53 (For) time without end 58 Setting for many jokes 59 Greek writer of fables 60 Seed-to-be 61 112.5 degrees from S 62 Purposely stay just out of reach, e.g. 63 Light-green plums
DOWN
1 Display monitor on an ATM 2 “Don’t make me laugh!” 3 Feeling of fury 4 Sticks around 5 Course of study for future docs 6 Suit sizes for the tall 7 “Hang ___ your hats” 8 Tut’s fertility goddess 9 Dreamy sleep stage 10 See 53-Across 11 (For) over fifty percent 12 Like a haunted house 13 ___-ski (post-slopes relaxation) 18 Snooty attitudes 22 Say further 23 Better-qualified 24 Grassy plain 25 (For) more than what’s needed 26 “... ___ a midnight dreary” 28 Chowder morsels 29 It has a humerus side 31 A little of a large lot? 33 Built-out window 34 “Peter Pan” girl 36 Starve oneself 37 Word after “film” or “cafe” 41 Source of tapioca 43 Hair coloring 44 Bone below the knee 45 Ballpark buy 46 First-year cadet 47 Caesar or Antony, e.g. 48 Fruit of the vine 50 City east of Phoenix 51 Love archer 54 Gaggle formation 55 Used a backhoe 56 McSorley’s Old ___ House 57 “You bet!”
Chai Time MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013 Thiruvaikumar
STAR POWER for 14-5-2013
27
As per Hindu panchang thiruvaikumar@yahoo. co. in, 040-27177230 / 9177596118
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Your stock is set to pile up and influence is set to increase. Those in romance will be happy as good support from both the families is likely. Businessmen might face hurdles and minor tension but they pull through them all right.
STRIP TEASE AGNES
Govt. officials might be sent on forced leave due to irregularities in the work. Deficit financial situation is likely to put you under pressure. Working women might face internal issues at office which might force them to quit.
Debt issues will be kept under control. Avoid making new friendships blindly as you might land in trouble due to such friends. Success is certain in all the works undertaken. Unexpected financial fortune is likely.
Marriage of son or daughter will be performed in a grand manner. Promotion and pay hike on cards for employees. Unexpected financial fortune likely with which you will reduce the debts considerably.
Court verdict will be in your favor. You will complete all those difficult tasks which were unable to be completed by anyone else. You will be a straight forward person and never allow anyone to go in a wrong way.
Benefits through spouse and purchase of electronic gadgets are likely. Those jobless will get a new job soon. Children will co-operate with you well and keep you very much happy. You will attend celebrations at relatives’ place.
Do not carry office tensions to home as well house problems to office. Businessmen are likely to grow steadily and profits too will jump beyond expectation due to their sincere and hard efforts. Misunderstanding must be avoided.
You will be able to complete the important assignments successfully with your unrelenting efforts. Court verdict will go in your favour. Foreign trip which was not materialized since a long time will now be a reality soon.
Businessmen will counter the competitors successfully and march ahead comfortably. Those waiting to get married will get good news and soon the marriage will be over. Employees might be entrusted with new responsibilities.
TAROT READ
Sumaa Tekur
tarotreadhyd@gmail. com
ARIES:
GEMINI:
Seven of Cups – By giving excuses for why a job is not completed, you are only making it more difficult for yourself. You are seen as a person who complains a lot.
LEO:
Six of Pentacles – It’s a good idea to put down your thoughts. You can open a blog or try writing a dairy if you don’t want anyone to see what you’re writing.
LIBRA:
PEARLS BEFORE SWINE
Six of Swords – There can be many people around the globe who think of brilliant ideas at the same time. You need to find the right outlet to share your ideas.
SAGITTARIUS:
The Empress – You get interested in new gadgets and video games and technologies that are cutting edge as well as entertaining.
TAURUS:
Nine of Pentacles – Don’t work in isolation. Keep your coworkers and your bosses apprised of what you are up to and what progress you are making.
CANCER:
Nine of Wands – The rigor of daily routine can be very taxing given how mundane it can be. But you need to keep going. Do whatever makes you happy.
VIRGO:
Queen of Wands – You are in a creative phase and good ideas come to you easily. The trick is in making use of these ideas well and in the right places.
SCORPIO:
Page of Wands – Keep a check on the words you use to put across a point of view. You may come across as very cruel to someone who doesn’t know you too well.
CAPRICORN:
Nine of Pentacles – It’s possible that you may invest in a vehicle. It’s a good time for travel as well. You gain new experiences through travels.
PREVIOUS SOLUTIONS
PISCES:
Nine of Swords – You need to handle certain people with fragile egos. This is part of your job profile, whether you like it or not.
NUMBER GAME
– Not everything goes to plan all the time. By focusing on one thing too much you may have missed out on something else.
SCRABBLE
AQUARIUS: Ten of Swords
POOCH CAFE
You will look very much cheerful and active. Journeys are to be undertaken within shortest time. Newly married will feel very much happy as they are likely to get their offspring soon. Father’s health will be a cause for concern.
for 14-5-2013
The Devil – There are many things you need to learn. So keep an open mind. In a particular area of life, you feel like a beginner.
NON SEQUITUR
Be careful while driving as minor accident is not ruled out. Avoid unwanted anger and emotional outbursts which might spell trouble to you. Newly married will be blessed with an offspring soon. Avoid interfering in others’ issues.
SUDUKO
Relatives might irk you by asking for financial help. Businessmen will be able to face the competition and succeed. They will attract customers with their innovative and wise schemes. Employees will complete tasks.
Boggle GREEK POLISH SPANISH ENGLISH RUSSIAN Vol: 2, No 297 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
CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
WHO’S THAT GIRL?
PICK OF THE WEEK
The Making of a Legend Katharine Hepburn, one of the most influential actresses of all time, is a role model for several generations of actors. We take a look at her career and what made her a legend. HEMANTH KUMAR Hemanth.k@postnoon.com
I
n 1999, when American Film Institute (AFI) unveiled its list of 50 Stars who were considered 'American Screen Legends', the actress who topped the list already held a record for winning the most number of Academy awards for an actor. Katharine Hepburn, who was 92 at that time, had retired from acting when AFI bestowed this honour upon her, but everything she did and stood for, over a span of six decades, made her a legend in her own right. The golden age of Hollywood saw the rise of several top actors like Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart, James Stewart and the arrival of Katharine Hepburn in Hollywood in the early ‘30s couldn't have been more appropriately timed. She won an Academy Award for her performance in Morning Glory (1933), which was her third film and thereafter quickly rose to fame. However, towards the latter half of the decade, a series of flops at the box-office and her behaviour on the sets of her
films made her extremely unpopular and she was labelled as 'box-office poison' in 1938. But none of that deterred her from doing what she wanted to. Her fearlessness and the reluctance to interact with the media, began making a lot of buzz right from the beginning of her career. Born and brought up in Connecticut, she went on to study history and philosophy at Bryn Mawr College. In 1928, she made her debut in theatre and slowly climbed up the ladder. Four years later, she was spotted by a talent scout who recommended her for George Cukor's A Bill of Divorcement and the rest is history. Ironically, most of her films weren't blockbusters at the boxoffice and she spent several years juggling between acting on stage and in films. Despite the tag of 'box-office poison' in the late ‘30s, she bounced back with films like The Philadelphia Story and Woman of the Year. She first met her co-star Spencer Tracy on the sets of Woman of the Year and she fell in love with him. Although
Spencer Tracy and Katharine
the two never got married, they were in a relationship for nearly 26 years, during which they acted in nine films including Spencer Tracy's last film Guess Who's Coming for Dinner? By the early 50s, she had carved a niche for herself and began doing films where she was a middle-aged spinster and she continued to act in plays and films till mid ‘80s. Love Affair, which released in 1994, was her last film. Looking back at her career and the impression she made in her films, one thing that
stands out is her choice of roles. She was the epitome of what a modern young woman should be. Even the characters that she played on screen were fiercely independent and she refused to adhere to what a woman is expected to do. She made trousers fashionable and her tiffs with her directors and studios are now stuff of legends. In 1959, when she acted in Suddenly, Last Summer, her experience of working with the director Joseph L Mankiewicz was so bad that she spat on him on the last day of filming. Even when she acted in romantic comedies, she never played a cute girl looking for eternal love. There was always a sense of grandeur about her. She showed us what's it like to stay away from the limelight and still command insatiable curiosity about oneself. Above all, she was a inspiration to an entire generation of aspiring actors and movie goers.
Mr Smith Goes to Washington (1939) The film, starring James Stewart and Jean Arthur, is about a naive man who’s appointed as a US senator. He soon finds himself locking horns with corrupt politicians. Directed by Frank Capra, the film was a major commercial success, although it was criticised for the portrayal of corruption in the American Government. Nevertheless, the film was nominated for 11 Oscars.
Being an actor is the loneliest thing in the world. You are all alone with your concentration and imagination, and that’s all you have.
James Dean Actor
DID YOU KNOW? James Stewart was the first Hollywood movie star to enter the US Armed forces during World War II. He was initially refused entry into the Air Force because he weighed five pounds less than the required 148 pounds, but he talked the recruitment officer into ignoring the test. He finally joined the Air Force in early 1941.
Bette Davis’s introduction to Hollywood was bizarre. When she arrived in Hollywood, upon the request of a talent scout from Universal Studios in 1930, nobody from the studio was there to meet her. A studio employee who waited for her left because he didn’t see anyone who “looked like an actress”.
sports
29
MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
NBA
Warriors stun Spurs
The Western Conference second-round is now at two games apiece. OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA: The Golden State Warriors delivered a dominant performance in overtime to complete a 97-87 come from behind win over San Antonio Sunday and level their NBA playoff series. The Warriors knotted the best-of-seven Western Conference second-round series at two games apiece, an important victory with the series heading back to San Antonio for game five on Tuesday. The win ensures the series will come back to Oakland for game six on Thursday. With Golden State star Stephen Curry hindered by an ankle injury, Harrison Barnes led the Warriors with 26 points and 10 rebounds. “I think the biggest thing is this team, we’re not going to give up,” Barnes said. “This team is just going to continue to fight, continue to fight.” Jarrett Jack scored 24 points and Curry chipped in 22 for Golden State, whose 65-51 advantage in rebounding — spearheaded by Andrew Bogut’s 18 boards — helped them overcome 18 turnovers. “Tonight, Barnes and Jack were tremendous. They got the job done for them,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “Usually the playoffs, teams that win, have other people step up at some point in a series. Those two guys did it tonight in really fine fashion.” Klay Thompson scored just 10 points on 5-of-13 shooting, but his running bank shot over Tim Duncan knotted the score at 84-84 with 30 seconds left in reg-
Lowes bags Supersport victory MAHI Racing Team India’s Sofuoglu led from the start, but then crashed out. MONZA ITALY: Yakhnich Motorsport’s Sam Lowes claimed another World Supersport win in an epic 10-lap scrap, holding off charges from three other riders for victory and top spot in the championship table while title rival Kenan Sofuoglu crashed out. The race was delayed until after the second World Superbike race, because of red flags due to numerous crashes, but this did not seem to faze Lowes as he battled his way to the top of the podium. But it was not an easy
My last few shots were short. I don’t know if I got tired, but I stopped pushing my legs. That would have meant the game, so it’s hard to swallow. Manu Ginobili San Antonio Spurs
ulation. The Spurs missed their next eight attempts, shooting just 35.5 percent overall. Manu Ginobili led the Spurs with 21 points, but he missed a three-point attempt with 20 seconds left in the fourth quarter. “The truth is that wasn’t a play for me, but I had to attack,” Ginobili said. “But my last few shots were short. I don’t know if I got tired or what, but I stopped pushing my legs. That would have meant the game, so it’s hard to swallow. That would have been 3-1 and a great situation. But sometimes they don’t fall.” Duncan scored 19 points and pulled down 15 rebounds. Tony
SEVENS WORLD SERIES
NZ wrap up Sevens World Series
Six weeks before the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Moscow, the New Zealanders beat Australia 47-12 in the Twickenham Cup final LONDON: New Zealand set the seal on their 2012/13 Sevens World Series victory by winning the ninth and final round in London on Sunday. Six weeks before the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Moscow, the New Zealanders beat Australia 47-12 in the Twickenham Cup final to finish the series with
WORLD SUPERSPORT
173 points, 41 ahead of secondplaced South Africa on 132. Fiji finish third in the Series on 121, ahead of Samoa (104) and Kenya (99), who reached a fifth Cup semi-final of the season in London. Tournament hosts England beat the Kenyans to third place and finished the series in sixth place.
London set a new two-day world record for a rugby sevens attendance, with 113,023 fans attending over the weekend. "Over the course of this superb season of Sevens more people than ever before have watched the game," said International Rugby Board chief executive Brett Gosper.
Parker added 17 despite playing with a left calf injury resulting from a kick he received in game three. The Warriors, who trailed by as many as eight points in the fourth quarter, never led in the final frame but pulled level twice. “[In] the overtime we just stopped scoring,” Ginobili said. “We kept running the same plays, our usual stuff and they just didn’t fall and they made every shot in overtime. “What is disappointing is that we had a great game, we had been where we wanted, and we blew it,” Ginobili said. “So it kind of hurts. But we are 2-2, we are going back home.”
The race was delayed until after the second World Superbike race, because of red flags due to numerous crashes, but this did not seem to faze Lowe. win for the Derby rider as he found himself in fourth position after lap one. MAHI Racing Team India’s Sofuoglu led from the start, followed by Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres rider Florian Marino and Pata Honda’s Lorenzo Zanetti. But Lowes did make the most from a mistake from Zanetti and then Marino, elevating Lowes to second on lap three. But Marino and Zanetti were not the only rider’s to make a mistake, Sofuoglu crashed at Lesmo 2 while in the lead.
sports
30
MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP
TIGER ROARS TO VICTORY
PONTE VEDRA BEACH: Tiger Woods shook off a double bogey at the 14th hole Sunday and held on to win the US PGA Tour Players Championship, setting another career milestone in the process. Woods, who had a share of the lead with Sergio Garcia and David Lingmerth after completing the weather-disrupted third round on Sunday morning, carded a final-round 70 for a 13under par total of 275. That put him two strokes in front of Swedish PGA Tour rookie Lingmerth, Jeff Maggert and Kevin Streelman. Garcia, tied for the lead at the 17th, finished with a quadruple bogey and a double bogey, giving Woods the last laugh after a couple of days of verbal sparring between the two. Woods won the US tour’s flagship event, worth $9.5 million this year, for the second time — more than a decade after his victory in 2001. Since then he had posted only one top-10 finish at TPC Sawgrass until Sunday. Woods notched his fourth PGA Tour title of the year, and it’s the earliest in a single season he has ever won a fourth title. “Each year I’m tying to get better,” Woods said. “So far this year, I’m off to a pretty good start.” His 78th tour win came in his 300th start — he also won in his
Woods, who had a share of the lead with Sergio Garcia and David Lingmerth on Sunday morning, carded a final-round 70 for a 13under par total of 275.
100th and 200th starts. Woods had built a two-stroke lead through 13 holes of the final round, but he found the water off the tee at 14 and ended up with a double-bogey that dropped him into a four-way tie for the lead with Maggert, Garcia and Lingmerth. Garcia and Lingmerth, playing in the final group right behind Woods, had both just birdied 13. “Just hit absolutely the worst shot I could possibly hit,” Woods said of his tee shot at 14. “But it was the only bad swing I made all day. I told myself I could still win the tournament.” He made no more mistakes from there, adding a birdie at the par-five 16th to get to 13-under and finishing with back-to-back pars. Garcia got to 13-under with a birdie at 16. Garcia said before the final round he was happy not to be playing in the same group with Woods. “I think it’s probably good for both of us,” said Garcia after the pair’s uneasy relationship took another hit on Saturday when the Spaniard complained that a move by Woods to remove a club from his bag just as Garcia was hitting a shot sparked distracting crowd noise. Woods said he thought Garcia had already hit when he pulled the club, adding it was
“not real surprising that he’s complaining about something”. That brought a huffy response from the Spaniard. “At least I’m true to myself,” he said. “I know what I’m doing, and he can do whatever he wants.” Playing with the little-known Lingmerth didn’t do
I hit absolutely the worst shot [the tee shot at the 14th] I could possibly hit. But it was the only bad swing I made all day. I told myself I could still win the tournament. Tiger Woods World #1 golfer Garcia any good when it came to the par-three 17th, TPC Sawgrass’ signature hole with its island green. Lingmerth was the last player with a chance to challenge Woods, but he was unable to convert his birdie attempt at 17 and pull level and he closed with a bogey for an even-par 72 for 277. AFP
MADRID OPEN
Nadal, Serena send out warning shots With victories in the Madrid Open, Nadal and Serena have laid down markers for the French Open. KIERAN CANNING Agence France-Presse MADRID: Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams firmed up their credentials as French Open favourites by sweeping to victory in Madrid. Nadal eased to his fifth title in just seven tournaments since returning from a seven-month injury layoff due to tendinitis in his left knee as he beat Stanislas Wawrinka 6-2, 6-4 in little over an hour to claim his third title in the Spanish capital. He now has 55 career titles with 40 coming on clay, an astonishing record that prompted Wawrinka to describe the Spaniard as a “killer” on clay courts. His win on Sunday was also a 23rd Masters Series title. Having also won on the clay
in Sao Paulo, Acapulco and Barcelona this season, the 11time Grand Slam champion looks well set for a tilt at an eighth French Open crown at Roland Garros. “It’s true these last matches I
have been able to reach that goal, that line, that place where I want to be playing, the kind of play that I’m aiming for,” he said. “Since we started playing on clay in Europe, these last two matches are the best I have
played. I’ve realised that my forehand is working again at its highest level and I’m able to open the angles and play a lot of winners. “I couldn’t do that in Barcelona or Monte Carlo; over
here I could. I was playing with a lot of aggression.” However, the world number five still refused to accept that he is the clear favourite for Roland Garros, which starts in two weeks, and insisted his mind is solely set on retaining his title in Rome this week. Williams, meanwhile, has a second title at Roland Garros firmly in her sights as she claimed a title on the red clay for the first time since that triumph 11 years ago with a 6-1, 6-4 win over world number two Maria Sharapova. The world number one ranking was also on the line as the two met for the third time already this year, but it was a familiar story for Sharapova as Williams extended her nine-year winning streak over the Russian to 12 matches.
IPL 6
METRE
6 S 513
MS Dhoni has shown how good he really is over the last couple of years and he is probably the best in that regards right now. David Miller KXIP player
Michael Hussey (CSK) 614 runs Dwayne Bravo (CSK), Sunil Narine(KKR), Vinay Kumar(RCB) 22 wickets
RCB look to Kings grudge match A
question mark hanging over their play-off chances, Royal Challengers Bangalore return to the comfort of home as they clash with Kings XI Punjab in a crucial Pepsi IPL match, here tomorrow. Four defeats in their last six matches have landed them in a situation where they must win their penultimate contest, otherwise not only they will have to win their last match but also pray that results of some other matches go their way. Bangalore have played their last six matches away from home and returning to the familiar conditions, where they have not lost a single match, would be a comforting factor. The last time they played at Chinnaswamy stadium was on April 23. W
L
T PT
14 10
P
4
0
20 +0.551
RR
14 10
4
0
20 +0.506
MI
13
9
4
0
18 +0.648
RCB
14
8
6
0
16 +0.475
SRH
13
8
5
0
16 -0.092
KKR
14
6
8
0
12 -0.044
KXIP 13
5
8
0
10 -0.018
DD
3
10 0
6 -0.737
CSK
13
31
BATTLE OF THE TITANS
NR
PWI 14 2 12 0 4 -1.314Pplayed; W-win; L-lost; T-tie; NR-net run rate; PT-points
Chris Gayle (RCB),
41 4S 1653
Michael Hussey (CSK)
67
HIGHEST SCORE
MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
175*
Chris Gayle (RCB)
BEST BOWLER
5-20
James Faulkner (RR)
Eagles eye away victory
G APARNA SAI
aparna.s@postnoon.com
S
unrisers Hyderabad take on Mumbai Indians on the latter’s home turf today. The previous time these two teams met, Hyderabad went on to win the match. With more than four teams eyeing the top four spots, the tournament, as it heads for the playoffs, is getting more competitive with every passing match. Sunrisers Hyderabad currently have eight victories from 13 matches. With teams like Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore doing well, Hyderabad will have to win all their matches in order to cement their place for making it through to the next stage. But with this match being played in Mumbai, it will be a
MI VS SRH AT 8PM ON SET MAX
SCORECARD KKR VS RCB
herculean task for Hyderabad as MI have had a good run at home this season. The Sunrisers will have to improve their batting and not completely depend on their bowling. With the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Cameron White, Darren Sammy and Thisara Perera in the team, SRH have the potential of posting good scores. Meanwhile, the hosts would do everything possible to restrict the visitors to a paltry score. Currently, Mumbai are placed higher than the Sunrisers on the points table and even on paper, the former are a formidable side. With the presence of Sachin Tendulkar, Dwayne Smith, Mitchell Johnson and Rohit Sharma in the same team, MI undoubtedly have the upper hand. But Sunrisers have been the surprise package of the tournament and one should not be surprised if they go on to win this match.
IN THE DRIVING SEAT
RR VS CSK
Royal Challengers Bangalore innings (20 overs maximum) CA Pujara c Balaji b Senanayake 5 CH Gayle st †Bisla b Narine 33 V Kohli* b Kallis 17 AB de Villiers† c †Bisla b Balaji 28 MC Henriques c Tiwary b Kallis 11 SS Tiwary lbw b Narine 1 R Vinay Kumar not out 14 R Rampaul lbw b Narine 0 A Mithun c Tiwary b Narine 2 M Kartik b Balaji 0 JD Unadkat not out 1 Extras (b 1, lb 1, w 1) 3 Total (9 wickets; 20 overs) 115 Bowling O M R W Econ Senanayake 4 0 18 1 4.50 L Balaji 4 0 22 2 5.50 SP Narine 4 0 22 4 5.50 JH Kallis 4 0 17 2 4.25 RN ten Doeschate1 0 14 0 14.00 YK Pathan 1 0 6 0 6.00 R Bhatia 2 0 14 0 7.00 Kolkata Knight Riders innings (target: 116 runs from 20 overs) MS Bisla† c Henriques b Rampaul 0 G Gambhir* c Gayle b Vinay 14 JH Kallis c Henriques b Mithun 41 YK Pathanlbw b Kartik 18 MK Tiwary c Kohli b Vinay 24 RN ten Doeschate not out 11 R Bhatia not out 3 Extras (lb 1, w 4) 5 Total (5 wickets; 19.2 overs) 116 Bowling O M R W Econ R Rampaul 4 1 17 1 4.25 A Mithun 4 0 37 1 9.25 JD Unadkat 4 0 27 0 6.75 Vinay Kumar 3.2 0 17 2 5.10 M Kartik 4 0 17 1 4.25
Chennai Super Kings innings (20 overs maximum) MEK Hussey b Binny 40 M Vijay run out (†Yagnik) 55 SK Raina c Samson b Cooper 1 MS Dhoni*† c Watson b Cooper 2 RA Jadeja not out 12 DJ Bravo not out 23 Extras (lb 5, w 3) 8 Total (4 wickets; 20 overs) 141 Bowling O M R W Econ VS Malik 3 0 19 0 6.33 JP Faulkner 4 0 23 0 5.75 SR Watson 4 0 23 0 5.75 SK Trivedi 2 0 22 0 11.00 K Cooper 4 0 32 2 8.00 STR Binny 3 0 17 1 5.66 Rajasthan Royals innings (target: 142 runs from 20 overs) R Dravid* c †Dhoni b Morris 22 AM Rahane c Vijay b Holder 9 JP Faulkner b Holder 1 SV Samson c †Dhoni b Sharma 0 SR Watson b Bravo 70 STR Binny not out 41 BJ Hodge not out 0 Extras (w 1) 1 Total (5 wickets; 17.1 overs) 144 Bowling O M R W Econ MM Sharma 4 0 21 1 5.25 JO Holder 4 0 20 2 5.00 CH Morris 4 0 36 1 9.00 DJ Bravo 3 0 35 1 11.66 R Ashwin 1 0 23 0 23.00 RA Jadeja 1.1 0 9 0 7.71
Kolkata Knight Riders won by 5 wickets
Rajasthan Royals won by 5 wickets
Kolkata Knight Riders batsman J Kallis plays a shot during the IPL6 match against Royal Challengers Banglore at JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi on Sunday. PTI/ASHOK BHAUMIK
MONDAY, MAY 13, 2013
sports
PARDEW HAILS NEWCASTLE ESCAPE Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has insisted his side’s avoidance of relegation from the Premier League is proof that claims of behind-the-scenes turmoil were unfounded.
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
32
RACISM STOPS GAME
‘I retired for my wife’
Sir Alex Ferguson has said that he retired for his wife Cathy, whom he felt needed him after the death of her sister. MILAN: AC Milan and Roma battled out a 0-0 draw as both sides finished with 10 men while the game was delayed because of racist chanting. Red cards for Milan’s Ghanaian Sulley Muntari and Roma skipper Francesco Totti, as well as more racist controversy, over-shadowed action on the pitch. Play was held up for three minutes early in the second half as Roma fans were warned to stop making racist chants, believed to be aimed at Balotelli.
NUMEROLOGY IAN WHITTELL Agence France-Presse MANCHESTER: Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed that loyalty to his wife, Cathy, was the key factor in his decision to retire from football management at the end of the current season. The 71-year-old Scot enjoyed an emotion-charged farewell in Manchester United’s 2-1 victory over Swansea City at Old Trafford on Sunday, his last home game after more than 26 years in charge of the new English champions. “Around last Christmas,” said Ferguson, when asked when he had decided to bring an end to his reign. “Basically, things changed when Cathy’s sister died. She is isolated a lot now and I think a lot of the time, for 47 years, she has been the leader of the family, looked after our three sons
and sacrificed herself for me. “Now she has the grandchildren, and they all dote on her, but now she has lost her best friend — her sister — so that was important. “I think it is also important to go out as a winner. That is really important at this club. It is all I ever wanted to do here — be a winner.” Ferguson and United had hoped to delay the announcement until later in the build-up to the Swansea game, only for rumours to run rife through Manchester on Tuesday following a club golf day. “It was very difficult to keep it a secret,” added Ferguson. “There were some times when we almost blurted it out to the family. “We told our sons in March, but my brother didn’t know until Tuesday night. I wanted to tell the players first really, the players and the staff. “But unfortunately, there
Moyes saddled with Rooney problem LONDON: Alex Ferguson bowed out in triumph following his last Old Trafford match as Manchester United manager only to leave successor David Moyes with the familiar problem of what to do with striker Wayne Rooney. No sooner had the Premier League champions defeated Swansea 2-1 on Sunday to bring down the curtain on Ferguson’s final home match after more than 26 years in charge of United, than the veteran manager revealed England international Rooney had submitted a transfer request. Ferguson, who retires at the end of the season, dropped Rooney for the Swansea match and said the forward had not been in the right frame of mind to play.
were rumours going around on Tuesday. So all that started to speed it up a bit.” “It is hard to look back. I have never done that, but I have plenty of time to do that now. The most important achievement, without doubt, was winning the first league [in 1993]. Once we did that, a door opened. While Ferguson also used his platform to appeal to supporters to back his successor, David Moyes, when he takes over from him in July, the veteran’s own future looks no less busy. “I have a lot of things to do, a lot of projects,” he said. “My son, Jason, has been organising a few things, my ambassadorial role at the club and a directorship, so I won’t be sitting still, believe me. “My French is not so bad, my piano playing is not very good, so I may have to get a tutor if I have the time.”
NEWS BRIEFS Tottenham keep their European hopes alive
Martinez hopes FA Cup glory stir Wigan
PSG claim first Ligue 1 title since 1994
Barcelona are kings of Spain again
STOKE-ON-TRENT:
LONDON: Wigan manager Roberto Martinez has called on his FA Cup heroes to use their victory over Manchester City as inspiration to keep alive their Premier League survival bid at Arsenal on Tuesday. Martinez’s side won the first major trophy in the club’s 81-year history as Ben Watson’s stoppage-time header clinched a 1-0 win over City.
PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain sealed their first Ligue 1 title since 1994 with a 1-0 win at Lyon. Marseille’s 21 win over Toulouse, their fourth success in a row, had ensured PSG would have to keep the champagne on ice until after their own game. Former AC Milan winger Jeremy Menez scored the only goal of the game against a limp Lyon side.
MADRID: Barcelona marked their crowning as La Liga champions with a come from behind 2-1 win at Atletico Madrid on Sunday despite finishing the game with 10 men. Real Madrid’s 1-1 draw with Espanyol on Saturday meant that the Catalans, who now have four titles in five years and 22 in all, could no longer be caught.
Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of a place in the Champions League will go to a grand finale on the last day if Andre Villas-Boas’ hopes are realised for his team. An admirable recovery in their penultimate game at Stoke secured a 2-1 win and allowed Spurs to leapfrog great rivals Arsenal.
4
is the number of La Liga titles won by Barcelona in the last five years. Tito Villanova’s men claimed the La Liga title on Sundau.
MANCINI OUT?
Roberto Mancini is to be sacked as the Manchester City manager, with the Italian’s tenure set to end before the club’s post-season tour to the United States and possibly this week. Manchester City are pursuing Manuel Pellegrini, the Málaga coach.
Whenever he [Roberto Martinez] wants to go I’ll release him immediately but he’ll only go to a big club and I don’t think Everton are big enough. Dave Whelan Wigan Chairman