Postnoon E-Paper for April 18th 2013

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013 HYDERABAD

WWW.POSTNOON.COM

32 PAGES

WEATHER: CLEAR; 35°C

SCOURGE OF THE SEAS As the number of Somalian pirate attacks reduce, we take a look at the Golden Age of Pirates when the Jolly Roger ruled the seas.

P16&17

HYDERABAD’S FIRST COMPACT AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER

WORLD HERITAGE DAY SPECIAL

THE SLOW DEATH OF HYDERABAD’S HERITAGE REPORT ON P6&7

It seems like Hyderabad, a city rich in heritage, is no longer keen on preserving its glorious past. Thus far, no structure in the City has entered the list of Unesco heritage sites.

Heritage activists are clamouring for a change before it’s too late and the past disappears into the mists of time.

SRINIVAS SETTY

SELENA GOMEZ’S BINDI: Hindu leaders demand apology

Selena Gomez is being criticised as being culturally insensitive after she donned a bindi during a recent performance. The was on stage at the MTV Movie Awards to performed her new single, Come & Get It.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013

city events

REFLECTIONS AND IMAGES

There is an exhibition of paintings by artists including Agacharya, Anand Panchal, Arvind Kolapkar, Datta Bansode, Devyani Parikh, and Kaushik Raha Kalakriti Art Gallery, 468, Road no 10, Banjara Hills, up to April 30.

Weather for Hyderabad

Evening

Overnight

Morning

New Delhi Mumbai Max 37 Max 30 Min 22 Min 23

Afternoon

34°C

25°C

32°C

40°C

Clear.

Clear.

Sunny.

Sunny with cloudy periods.

Clear.

Chennai Max 36 Min 29

Partly cloudy.

Clear.

Bangalore Max 34 Min 23 Partly cloudy.

AROUND THE CITY: YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES WORKSHOPS All about cycling A half day interactive workshop on cycling, the technical considerations, fitness, nutrition, common problems, how to plan a training programme, planning for competition and prevention of injuries.

Where: Alliance Franchise, Road no 3, Banjara Hills When: : Registration: Ongoing Event: May 4 Contact: (040) 2335 0008 Filmmaking workshops for children Yavanika Films is conducting a unique filmmaking workshops this summer vacation for children in Hyderabad. Each participant will make their own short film as part of the workshop. Even a parent and child can register as one student pair to make a short film together.

Where: Begumpet When: From April 24, 2pm to 7pm, Daily classes except on weekends Contact: 94901 00404 Cup cake morning All the materials to make a cup cake will be provided to you and you can take what you make.

Where: Panache – The Finishing School,

Above Ebony Gautier, 2nd floor, Road No 36, Jubilee Hills When: Ongoing Contact: (040) 2355 8856

Road no 7, Banjara Hills When: : April 20, 11.30am onwards Contact: (040) 66733451

SHOWS

MISCELLANEOUS

Le chat du Rabbin There is a screening of Le chat du Rabbin (The Rabbi’s cat), a French film directed by Antoine Delesvaux / Joann Sfar.

Where: Alliance Française, Banjara Hills When: April 18, 6.30pm onwards Contact: (040) 2355 4485

Story-telling session Deepa Kiran is an education consultant and professional story-teller.

She combines music and dance with story telling.

Where: Just Books, Jubilee Hills When: April 20, Contact: 98497 48117

Commissioner & Spl Officer

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

198 155313

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

155333 23431178 23431179

MUNICIPAL CORPORATION

Terracotta jewelery exhibition Harini Rao presents H'earth — Treasures of the Soil, an exhibition cum sale of exquisite hand crafted and hand painted terracotta jewelery.

Where: Trendz, Satyasai Nigamagamam, Srinagar Colony When: From April 18-20, noon to 8pm

DINING Malvani cuisine Taj Deccan is hosting Malvani Food Festival at Spice Junxion. Enjoy a scrumptious spread of classic dishes like pandhara kombdiche saar, kale vatana ni gawarchi bhajji and puran poli.

Where: Spice Junxion, Taj Deccan, Road No 1, Banjara Hills When: Till April 25 Contact: (040) 6652 3939 Green Brunch There is a special environmentfriendly brunch to celebrate Planet 21 anniversary. Planet 21 is a sustainable development programme initiated by Accor Group.

Where: The Square,

Helpline

Three for two Taj Safaris offers guests the option of extending their two-day trip. It gives you a third day complementary stay.

There are four exquisite lodges in the national parks of MP. Where: Taj Safaris When: Offer is valid from April 15 to June 30 Contact: (022) 6601 1825

Dam’n’ed: Point of view This is a Telugu film with English subtitles on the life of adivasi communities affected by the government’s decision to construct the Polavaram dam.

Where: Goethe-Zentrum Hyderabad, 20 Journalist Colony, Road no 3, Banjara Hills When: April 20, 5.30pm onwards Contact: (040) 2335 0443

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

MELA: A child enjoys a ride at the Maha Utsav Mela at People’s Plaza.

N SHIVA KUMAR

Madhapur, Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre When: April 21, noon to 3pm Contact: (040) 6682 4422

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

IPL Fervor You can order any four or six items from the menu and get the chaat of the day for free.

Where: Kailash Parbat,

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

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

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

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

24523211 232431300/7641 24521029

Readers’ views

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

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013

City

YESTERDAY’S QUESTION

WILL THE OPEN BOOK EXAMS TAKE PRESSURE OFF STUDENTS? 55% 45%

YES (A) NO (B)

TODAY’S QUESTION

SHOULD CUTTING OF TREES BE TREATED AS A CRIMINAL OFFENCE? A)

YES

B)

NO

To vote visit www.postnoon.com

DESPERATE MEASURES

3

Cops catch ‘burglar with a difference’ The thief said that he turned to a life of crime to make enough money to educate his children.

Mohd SUBHAN mohd.s@postnoon.com

SPARKING A SCARE

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Narsasimha Rao, himself deprived of a good education, had a great ambition — to make his son an engineer and daughter a doctor. Accordingly, he did all he could to give them the best education he can.

The only problem is that Rao, who hails from Mahbubnagar, makes a living by robbing people.

He was wanted in 150 cases of thefts and burglary including the 2004 Musheerabad jewellery theft, and headed a gang of three, police say.

Rao was arrested recently and arraigned for a series of crimes.

Crime inspector of police, Musheerabad, Mohd Riyazuddin has taken more than a professional interest in finding out why Rao took to crime. It was then that Rao revealed his sad tale. The thief said he was in dire need of a lot of money to educate his children and meet his family’s needs. He did not make enough to buy ration from the dosa cart that he ran for a while, forget education.

Rao said that some years ago he learnt to lift shutters of shops without too much effort and later formed a gang with one G Madhu and T Narhari, both from Mahbubnagar.

Police recover 12 abandoned bikes POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com

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ommissioner of the North Zone task force team has recovered nearly 12 abandoned vehicles from the Chenoy Trade Centre complex in Secunderabad last night. This was a result of a special drive conducted after the Bangalore blasts, inspector of the task force AP Anand Kumar said.

Scores of shutter-lifting cases in Mahbubnagar Ranga Reddy district and Hyderabad remained unresolved and police are now hopeful that many of them can be solved

“We conducted extensive searches for abandoned vehicles in various complexes and cellars as in most blasts, stolen vehicles are used. It was during one such search that we stumbled upon a dozen bikes and scooters.”

None of the managements had a convincing answer as to how these vehicles come to be there.

The police are collecting licence numbers to trace their owners.

with the arrest of Rao. “If I had enough money to pay for my children’s education I would have quit this,” he is quoted as saying to the inspector.

CRIME

Fake mortgage company cons woman Cops warn people against going to unlicensed, unknown companies to mortgage their jewellery after a woman lost 40 tolas of gold and `9 lakh.

POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com

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Krishna Veni, 32, a resident of BDL colony, Vanasthalipuram, once aspired to be a business woman. Veni, however, could not succeed and in the process lost money and gold.

Veni had pawned 40 tolas of gold with a well-known finance company and got `9 lakh for it two years ago. As her business failed to take off, she was unable to pay back the money with interest. Recently,

she saw an advertisement on TV by a company at Dilsukhnagar which said it helps retrieve pawned gold or mortgaged property at near-zero per cent interest rate.

Veni approached the company and they told her that they would get her gold back and keep it with them at a low interest rates. She gave them the receipts and records and the company got the gold released and kept it. Veni was asked to pay `9 lakh without interest and take the gold back. After a year, the company owner Ranjit Kumar sent

Veni a notice asking her to take her gold back, failing to do which the company will sell it.

As Veni did not have the money, she got into further trouble. She managed to secure a personal loan of `9 lakh and went to collect the gold. The company took the money and gave her back the gold, but only later did she realise that it was a worthless replica of her original ornaments.

Veni, having lost both her money and gold, has registered a case with the Marredpally police.

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city THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013 LAST YEAR... HERE Don’t drink and drive

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ast year we had reported how you not only end up paying a fine but will also have to attend a day-long counseling session by the police, if you are caught drunk driving. For the first time in India, the Hyderabad traffic police had taken an initiative to counsel the drunk drivers at the Traffic Training Institutes located at Goshamahal and Begumpet.

APRIL 18, 2012

NUMEROLOGY

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new buses will be purchased by APSRTC, 830 of which will go to Hyderabad. There are also plans to beef up security with CCTV cameras and metal detectors.

The entire city was once on the status of world heritage. However, in the name of urban development we have lost most of our heritage buildings and sites.

CIVIC

Chota netas make officials sin

Every year, ‘leaders’ push civic officials to engage their goods and services to make a harvest during festivals.

M ANIL KUMAR

Md NIZAMUDDIN nizamuddin.a@postnoon.com

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t’s the beginning of the festival season and is also time for local leaders to do business by asking officials to engage equipment or services which are at their disposal.

Some of these leaders own tents, vehicles and furniture, which they force their officials to use to make festivals a success. Little wonder then that each community is competing with each other to make its festival grander than ever before.

The next big festival around the corner is Ramnavami. Civic officials want to know if the officials will ensure that the festival is facilitated on a grander scale than before.

“Each year, the festival season begins with Ramnavami and ends with Milad-Ul-Nabi,” says a senior official from the health wing, who has been observing the trend.

According to estimates, `20

The column that teaches everyone something new about the way the City functions.

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City’s heritage sites neglected.

On World Heritage Day, Postnoon finds that heritage activists are concerned about decreasing awareness about heritage sites and feel conservation measures need to be taken immediately.

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Will better security bring down crime rates?

Apart from securing 830 new buses for the City, the corporation plans to install more CCTV cameras and arrange for hand-held metal detectors.

3

Beware of who you give your money to.

A woman was cheated of lakhs of rupees and gold ornaments by a fake finance company.

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Being trained to answer questions?

Rahul Gandhi will be questioning Kiran and Botsa about State affairs.

Gulam Nabi Azad has been training them for the same.

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Grand festival season for corrupt ‘leaders.’

Netas who have a stake in furniture and other goods earn a huge profit every festival season.

regional festivals for which the GHMC has to make arrangements not only in Old City, but in areas like Secunderabad.

Local leaders push their proposals, and officials are made to walk a tight rope. Take for instance the high mast lighting.

Even as the process for permitting it is under way, local leaders have handed over contracts to people known to them.

Several lakhs are shown on paper later. It is the officials who are blamed when the entire episode is reviewed.

CIVIC

Will GHMC help water board?

Shafi Ulla, DHT trustee See page 6&7

THINGS WE 5LEARNT TODAY

lakh to `25 lakh is spent on small festivals and `50 lakh on each big festival by the GHMC each year. First, the trend was limited to the south zone (parts of the Old City), but this trend is slowly spreading to newer localities. Bonalu is another big

The GHMC says it cannot extend financial support according to a 2010 resolution.

POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com

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he GHMC, which is generating good revenue each year from property tax, was asked to provide some of its share to the water works department by an MLA. The Corporation referred to the resolution passed during the ‘financial crunch’ of 2010, which does not allow extending support.

According to the officials of the GHMC, it was incurring huge expenditure for maintenance of water supply and sew-

erage in core areas within the GHMC limits and also for maintenance of water supply through tankers.

“The expenditure is coming to more than 25 per cent of the property tax collection towards execution of water supply and its maintenance.

While the HMWS&SB is taking up road cutting work for its maintenance and also capital works, the entire cost of restoration is being taken up by the GHMC only,” said commissioner, MT Krishna Babu.

He points out that the GHMC was taking up works

suggested by local corporators and water board officials to the extent of `20 lakh for each ward, totalling to `30 crore per annum.

This was taken up for improvement of water supply and under ground drainage (UGD) works, for taking up UGD network in areas other than erstwhile MCH. Based on a GO of the municipal administration and urban development (MA&UD) passed on 16 July, 2009, orders were issued directing the corporation to levy various components of property tax at 30 per cent of annual rental value (ARV) with respect to residen-

tial buildings above `3,600 ARV and non-residential buildings duly providing for levy of water tax at 7.5 per cent ARV, on buildings and lands which comes to 25 per cent of property tax.

The corporation, in its meeting held on January 18, 2010, passed a resolution directing the GHMC commissioner to not release the funds to HMWS&SB in view of the financial crunch.

“The resolution of the corporation was submitted to State government for further orders and the orders from government are awaited,” said the commissioner.

NEWS BRIEFS Police ‘beats’ minor, boy Naxalites fire at chopper Bike used for Bangalore injured severely second time this year blasts stolen from City

Woman falls form bike after heat stroke, dies

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minor boy, Mohd Muzamil , a resident of Ziaguda, suffered injuries and fractured a leg after a police constable of Mangalhat allegedly beat him black and blue on Wednesday.

The boy was playing cricket when a ball accidently hit a policeman, who allegedly got angry and severely injured him. It is said that the police refused to register a complaint.

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axalites fired at a BSF helicopter involved in lifting of commandos conducting anti-Naxal operations in Chhattisgarh. The Mi-17 helicopter suffered bullet shots in the cockpit area, but landed safely in Bhadrachalam. This was the second incident of Naxalites firing on security forces' helicopters after an IAF chopper was hit in January.

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he bike used in the Bangalore’s bomb blasts near the BJP office was stolen from Hyderabad, it is suspected. Bangalore City police and other investigating agencies have reportedly found out that the number plate shown as that belonging to Tamil Nadu was forged.

Attempts are being made to locate its owner.

Anuradha, 40, a resident of Jeedimetla, fell down from a bike on which she was pillion riding and died yesterday. Her son was riding the bike. Anuradha was on her way to invite relatives for her son’s marriage later this month. It is said that the she suffered a sun stroke and fell down, suffering multiple injuries.

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city THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013

POLITICS

Kiran, Botsa face Rahul today AP in-charge minister Ghulam Nabi Azad is said to have trained the CM and APCC chief on how to answer questions that will be posed by Team Rahul on the affairs of the State.

INKESHAF AHMED ahmed.m@postnoon.com

questions that Rahul will most likely as them, sources said.

Telangana state and the status of rival YSR Congress Party.

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AZAD’S TRAINING

SONIA MEETS CM

ave you ever heard of juniors quizzing seniors on any issue?

The law of nature does not generally allow it. But in politics, it can happen.

This is what is happening in Delhi today. The person who will undertake the role of quiz master is none other than the scion of Nehru-Gandhi family and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi. The leaders who will be quizzed include Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and APCC president Botsa Satyanarayana — both of whom are political veterans in the State.

Rahul will have several questions to ask to the Andhra Pradesh leaders. Both Kiran and Botsa are have prepared themselves with answers to possible

The man who has trained the leaders is Congress in-charge of AP affairs and Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. He held a discussion with the CM and PCC chief and gave them hints as to the possible questions that may come from the young leader. Like a trainer for competitive examinations, Azad gave Kiran and Botsa tips on how to answer. “Give direct answer like yes or no” is said to be the Union minister’s advice.

Azad reportedly told the CM and Botsa that Team Rahul has enough information pertaining to all the issues that are confronting the State. The Union health minister has asked both the leaders to give convincing answers to Rahul instead of beating around the bush.

The chief minister has also held discussions with another Union minister, Jairam Ramesh.

That meeting also reportedly revolved around how to answer

CAPTURE DELHI

ASSAULT

BJP’s grand vision The party said it will contest all the 42 Lok Sabha seats and win a considerable number to form a government at the Centre.

POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com

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he BJP, which has emerged as a sub-regional party in the State, has unveiled a grand plan to rewind its clock to the late 1990s when the party won seven Lok Sabha seats in the wake of the Atal Behari Vajpayee wave.

The party on Wednesday announced that it will not be part of any alliance and would contest all the 42 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh in the next General Elections.

“We will be the main competitor to other political parties during the next General Elections,” BJP stalwart M Venkaiah Naidu said while addressing a press conference in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

Naidu’s announcement assumes importance in the wake of reports that the BJP, which is bitterly fighting for the formation of a separate Telangana state, might contest the next General Elections by either forming an alliance with the separate Telangana cause champion TRS or its erstwhile ally Telugu Desam Party.

Rahul’s questions. The issues that are likely to come up for discussion during the meeting include the current status of the Congress, the issue of a separate

Kiran also held discussions with Congress president Sonia Gandhi in Delhi about the issues pertaining to the State.

According to party sources, the CM discussed the issue of tainted ministers who are facing a CBI probe in the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy disproportionate assets case and sought her permission for expanding his Cabinet during the meeting.

The chief minister is also said to have requested the party chief to allow him to sack his bitter critic, State health minister Dr DL Ravindra Reddy, from his Cabinet. The meeting, that lasted for over half an hour, assumes importance in the wake of increased problems of the Congress in the State owing to many public problems.

Venkaiah Naidu

The BJP veteran leader’s announcement put a lid over the alliance reports and that of the party being shy of fighting in Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra.

During the press meet, Naidu also took a jibe at the TRS saying it will not win in Telangana even

if it gets all the seats there. “I don’t believe in their (TRS) claim. How can they form the Telangana state by simply winning 15 MP seats or all the 17? It requires many more numbers to achieve a new state. The BJP alone can give a separate Telangana state,” he said.

Naidu prophesised that the BJP will win more than 200 Lok Sabha seats on its own during the elections and return to power with a clear majority.

He also discarded claims of some party leaders, especially the TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu, that the Third Front will form the government at the Centre in 2014.

"I am surprised to that from a leader like Chandrababu. How can they form the Third Front when the regional parties are each others arch rivals. Even the National Front government, which was formed earlier, took the help of the Congress from outside to form its government. I think the days of regional parties ruling the country have long gone," he said.

Naidu avoided questions on BJP’s prime minister candidate.

Cops to file case against Danam Nampally court issues order in response to a petition filed by an advocate.

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he Nampally Court on Wednesday issued orders to the Banjara Hills police to file cases under IPC sections 147, 148, 149, 160, 320, 427, 307 and 506 against State labour minister Danam Nagender in connection with the attack on an advocate.

The Court issued these orders while responding to a petition filed by an advocate.

It may be recalled that on January 17, 2013, Telangana Advocates Joint Action Committee obstructed the minister’s convoy when the latter was proceeding towards his residence from the Ministers Quarters.

The Advocates JAC representatives also pelted stones at Danam’s convoy alleging that he was obstructing the creation of separate Telangana state. In this incident, Danam’s car glass panes were destroyed.

Angered, Danam got out and chased and attacked the advocates. Following this inci-

Danam chased and attacked advocates when they pelted stones at his car. dent one lawyer approached the court asked for a case to be filed against the minister. The Court responded and has asked the police to file the cases.

NSS

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city THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013

WORLD HERITAGE DAY CITY COLLEGE

JAMES STREET POLICE STATION

HERITAGE-RICH

JAWAHAR BAL BHAVAN

SUFFERS

ALEENA ALICE aleena.t@postnoon.com

H AP HIGH COURT

yderabad, a City rich in heritage, culture, art and music, is no longer keen on preserving its heritage tag, it seems.

Today’s fast-paced life and rate of economic development has little time for the past.

So far, no structure in the City, or for that matter, of the State, has entered the list of UNESCO heritage sites.

Heritage activists express their concern about how the City will lose the few heritage structures that are left if not preserved.

IT’S ANOTHER WORLD

Heritage Day is a day when oaths are taken to preserve the cultural heritage. It turns out to be a big fat lie, with more and

more heritage structures bulldozed to pave way for malls and supermarkets. Symbols of Hyderabad are left in shambles.

Be it the Charminar, the Golconda Fort or the Qutb Shahi Tombs, officials seem to be unaware that heritage sites can pay.

One such person who has witnessed the transition of a beautiful City to a concrete jungle is Shafi Ulla, the managing trustee of the Deccan Heritage Trust. He says, “The entire City was once on the status of world heritage. However, in the name of urban development, we have lost most of our heritage buildings and sites. Even the few structures that are left are not being protected. One of the palaces, Nizam’s Palace in King Koti, which is now converted to the King Koti government hospi-

WE ASKED CITIZENS WHAT HERITAGE MEANT TO THEM “Heritage is the marker of identity. The identity could reflect in the traditions, festivals, dress, food or even speech. Hyderabad has a Nawab tradition; the first thing that comes to my mind when heritage is mentioned is the Nawabi cuisine and historical monuments like Golconda Fort and Charminar.”

Praful Mehta, Businessman

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city THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013

PICS BY SRINIVAS SETTY AND N SHIVA KUMAR

With no heritage site from Hyderabad or Andhra Pradesh entering UNESCO’s heritage list so far, activists voice their concerns over the City losing its historic significance.On World Heritage Day, Postnoon finds out what heritage means to people today and what we, as citizens, can do to preserve it.

AP STATE MUSEUM

HYDERABAD

NEGLECT

tal, is left in ruins. For that matter, Charminar, the name with which the City is synonymous, is crumbling by the day. The monument is being destroyed by pollution, and officials seem uninterested in restoring or rejuvenating the monument.”

Activists also feel that proper incentives should be given to owners of heritage houses for them to retain the heritage structures.

“Without the knowledge of heritage property, the government is going ahead and demolishing old buildings and monuments. We have been trying to persuade the government to give some sort of incentive to owners of heritage buildings in the form of concession of tax, so that there is some motivation to retain them. In case the owners can no longer afford to maintain

the buildings, they can be converted to hospitals, libraries or function halls so that the cultural heritage is retained and with this monetary support, the heritage can be maintained,” says the president for Forum for Better Hyderabad, M Veda Kumar.

Every street, every place in Hyderabad has a history of its own. It’s never too late to safeguard the heritage of the City.

Expressing hope on how the next generation will stand up for the rich cultural heritage, columnist and heritage activist

“Heritage to me is old buildings which reflect the culture and tradition of the place. Heritage could also mean food that reflects the traditions of people. The first thing that comes to my mind when heritage is referred to is the Charminar.”

Haritha, B. Com student

CLOCK TOWER

How can we contribute to the protection of our heritage?

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STATE CENTRAL LIBRARY

S Shahid says, “This problem is short-lived and, in time to come, the generation will get back to its roots.”

“There is no harm in aping the western culture, but instead of blindly following that culture, let’s ape it in a way that is beneficial. Other countries ensure that their heritage is preserved, and they sell the beauty of their heritage structures to the world.

Likewise, we too should preserve the heritage of Hyderabad and make it a massive revenue generator for the State,” he says.

Every year, April 18 is celebrated as World Heritage Day. Though there is a lot of talk about heritage, what many of us seem to lack is the basic awareness that it is the shared wealth of humankind that reminds us of our rich past.

“Cultural Heritage can take many forms: Buildings, artefacts, songs, stories, scrolls, books. However, in Hyderabad, all these forms are slowly fading. When I ask students to write about the heritage of the State, nine out of 10 only write about Charminar.”

Renuka Kashyap, Teacher

irst and foremost, one has to get to know the City and start appreciating its natural beauty. We might think that we know Hyderabad, but Hyderabad is not just about the Charminar or biryani. Explore the City to know and understand its various layers. Take your children on heritage walks. Instead of visiting malls, maybe you can visit some ancient bamboo or tamarind grooves. Heritage does not only refer to buildings, but also includes arts, crafts, festivals and other forms of culture. You can contribute to the City’s heritage preservation by sharing it in the form of photographs or documentary. Heritage can be preserved in little bits even by picking up plastic that is thrown near preserved sites. In case you know anything about historical importance, you can always inform the Indian National Trust For Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), since there are hundreds of historic structures outside the purview of the State department that need protection.

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city THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013

POSTNOON SPECIAL

APSRTC planning to design and build its own buses The City will see 830 new buses this year. Authorities tell Postnoon that the Corporation has also set out a budget for beefing up security with CCTV cameras, hand-held metal detectors.

RAHUL RAMAKRISHNA Rahul.r@postnoon.com

T

he APSRTC has decided to purchase 1,400 new buses to its existing fleet under the first phase of JNNURM. These buses will be put to service in Hyderabad, Tirupati, Vijaywada and Vishakhapatnam.

The decision comes after the ministry of urban development’s directive to all State transport undertakings to draft the requirement of buses under the scheme. This is the second time that the APSRTC is procuring buses under JNNURM phase-I scheme. The earlier procurement was in 2010-11, when 1,540 luxury buses under JNNURM phase-I scheme were purchased, of which a 1,000 were sanctioned

for Hyderabad and the remainder for Vijayawada, Tirupati and Visakhapatnam.

In the latest procurement, of the total 1,445, 830 buses have been earmarked for Hyderabad.

The estimated cost of procurement for the total 1,400 buses has been pegged at `380 crore. The APSRTC has also appealed to the JNNURM to permit the Corporation to design and build its own buses.

For this, the department plans to set up a unit to design bus bodies at Miyapur, as the previously-acquired buses were not technically sound and did not meet requirements. Also, this time around they have decided to procure more regular buses rather than air conditioned, low floor and semi-sleeper buses.

Sources say that 50 per cent of

Deployment of new buses n Hyderabad

830

n Tirupati route

315

n Vijaywada route

150

n Visakhapatnam

150

this cost is being borne by the JNNURM, 15 per cent by the State government and the balance by the APSRTC. However, the department is yet to decommission many of its old buses and generate revenue and make way for the new buses to ply on the roads.

Speaking to Postnoon, executive director of Greater Hyderabad zone A Koteswara Rao said, “The current fleet of the APSRTC stands at 19,320 and at least 15 per cent of them are being de-commissioned every year. Last year, we decommissioned over 1,500 old buses from Hyderabad and other major cities in the State. The funds received after decommissioning a bus in

scrap market is clubbed with the department’s finances and is used in the procurement and maintenance schemes of the fleet.”

SECURITY FEATURES

Following the recent bomb blasts in Bangalore and Hyderabad, the APSRTC has decided to ramp up security in its

depots and buses alike. Post the Dilsukhnagar blasts, the APSRTC has installed 34 CCTV cameras on its MGBS premises.

Some 60 CCTV cameras are being planned in the Jubilee Bus Station, Dilsukhnagar bus station, Central Bus Station (Gowliguda), Patancheru, Koti, ECIL Commuter Amenity Centres, Rathifile and Charminar bus stations.

About 39 hand-held detectors would also be provided for security staff at these stations for random baggage checks.

On the whole, presently 127 security personnel are working at different stations in the City and this number will be increased to 216.

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013

focus

NEXT DESTINATION US

Trung Nguyen already exports to 60 countries and Vu said Starbucks’ recent arrival in his homeland had increased his determination to open cafes in the United States offering Vietnam’s traditional style of thick, strong coffee brewed in individual drip filters.

CHANGING TIMES

9

Tech-savvy Vietnam coffee farmers brew global takeover Coffee farming in Vietnam’s Central Highlands has come a long way since the French first introduced the bean over a century ago.

BUON MA THUOT, VIETNAM: Most Vietnamese coffee farmers have never heard of a double tall skinny latte, but they could tell you the price of the beans that go into one in their sleep. From high-tech Israeli irrigation systems to text message updates of global prices for the commodity, coffee farming in Vietnam’s Central Highlands has come a long way since the French first introduced the bean over a century ago.

“I used to carry my coffee to market by bicycle,” said 44-year-old farmer Ama Diem.

“Now I check the bean price on my mobile phones” before making the trip.

By texting “CA” to the number 8288 from any Vietnamese mobile phone, farmers almost instantly receive a message with the London prices of Robusta coffee beans and the New York price of Arabica beans from a data supply firm.

Farmers are only too aware that the price of coffee —

the second most traded commodity in the world after oil — can move quickly.

“We only take the coffee to market when we can be sure of getting a high price,” Diem told AFP at his plantation outside Vietnam’s coffee capital Buon Ma Thuot. “We check the price a lot.”

Vietnamese coffee farmers have changed the global market: if you had a cup this morning, there is a high chance you consumed at least some Vietnamese beans with companies such as Nestle and Britain’s Costa Coffee among major buyers.

In 20 years, Vietnam went from contributing less than 0.1 percent of world production in 1980 to some 13 percent in 2000 — staggering growth that has been partially blamed for the collapse of global coffee prices in the 1990s.

The rise of cash crops such as coffee in the Central Highlands has come at a price, however.

Some indigenous minorities have lost their land to large-scale plan-

Farmers are only too aware that the price of coffee — the second most traded commodity in the world after oil — can move quickly. tations, often run by majority Kinh who have migrated to the region. Demonstrations have been repressed.

The communist country is now the world’s second-largest coffee producer, but is seen as high volume rather than high quality — its bitter-tasting Robusta wins few accolades internationally and is mostly exported as raw beans.

“Vietnam is an amazing phenomenon,” said Jonathan Clark, general director of coffee exporter Dakman.

He said exports “shot up” last year to nearly rival Brazil,

the world’s top exporter and producer.

Last year, Vietnam exported 1.73 million tons of coffee, worth some $3.67 billion and accounting for more than 50 percent of the world’s Robusta, which is used in instant coffee or other blends.

Putting Vietnam’s Robusta on the map Coffee consumption in Asia is on the rise and roasters are eyeing the low-cost country — where there is no tax on coffee exports — to set up operations to boost their regional presence, Clark said.

As consumption volumes have stagnated in the west, Vietnam, with its growing middle class and long standing love of coffee, is full of “tremendous opportunities”, Jinlong Wang, president of Starbucks Asia Pacific, told AFP. Starbucks — which opened its first store in southern Ho Chi Minh City in February — says it could open hundreds more in the

near future in Vietnam, which it describes as a “dynamic, exciting” market.

The country’s volcanic soil is perfect for growing coffee, and while global coffee drinkers are more used to Arabica — which has 1.5 percent caffeine — they should wake up and smell the joys of 2.5 percent strength Robusta, according to Vietnam’s “coffee king” Dang Le Nguyen Vu. The founder of home-grown coffee giant Trung Nguyen — which has 55 stores in Vietnam and five in Singapore — is passionate about putting Vietnam’s Robusta coffee on the map.

“Robusta is not lower quality.

It’s just that globally, people have learned to drink Arabica coffee,” Vu told AFP in an interview at the Trung Nguyen Village in Buon Ma Thuot.

A big part of the company’s work is to improve the quality of local beans, working with farmers to introduce high-tech irrigation, reduce pesticide use and boost their income.

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013

Business

GREECE OKAYS GOLD MINING PROJECT

Greece gave a controversial Canadian gold mining project the final go-ahead, despite local protests saying it will cause irreversible damage to the environment. Greece's highest administrative court ruled that the 29 complaints were "unfounded".

METAL TALK

10

ANA STOCK SURGES

Why gold lost its sheen?

With the fall in the prices of the yellow metal, many investors and buyers are wondering if now is really the best time to buy gold.

PRUDHVI RAJU K prudhvi.r@postnoon.com

I

s the yellow metal losing its sheen with investors? Will there be a further fall in its price in the medium term?

Is this the right time to invest in gold or must one wait for some more time to see if there is a further fall in prices?

These are the questions that are on the minds of investors and buyers. However, it is important to take a look into the background and reasons for the fall before predicting the future of gold.

Analysts, comparing the price of gold over the last three months, were doubtful gold’s rising prices due to factors that could result in its fall. One of the major reasons which sparked the rally in gold prices internationally during the last four to five years is instability in the global economy which has forced major economies to push for unprecedented measures both in terms of fiscal and mon-

Investors and buyers who are waiting to buy gold should start accumulating it. It is better to buy at least 10 per cent now. etary policy.

“Central banks like the Bank of England, the US Federal Reserve, European Central Bank and Bank of Japan have pumped hundreds of billions of dollars into their economies to arrest the impact of financial crisis. The inflow of money, through bond buying programmes of the banks into the economy, resulted in the growth of commodity investments by the people and drove its demand,” says Tapan Trivedi, senior research analyst, Inditrade

derivatives and commodities.

The increasing money flow lead to higher inflation and hiked the price and investment in the yellow metal during that time.

“The reports on end of monetary easing by the Central Bank by this year end instead of in 2015, as expected, has invoked anxiety in the markets. There won’t be too much money available in the economy with the seizing of monitory easing.

Investors fear this may decrease the demand and further lead to

a fall in prices,” Trivedi says.

Due to the result of monetary easing in the last year, investment in gold-backed funds and particularly the SPDR Gold Trust (USA) — the world’s largest exchange-traded fund (ETF) backed by the precious metal — registered strong increase with its holdings soaring by more than seven per cent to 1350 MT levels, which is the highest level historically.

“Since the start of 2013 though, the fall of investments

SPDR gave raise to concerns about the ability of gold to generate positive returns in the future. Other cues from key global hedge fund managers and financial institutions also suggest a subdued outlook towards bullion, and gold in particular, based on the updates from CFTC, USA,” Trivedi adds.

There is huge outflow of money from the SPDR with the investors selling their ETFs, resulting in the fall of investments in gold. At the same time, there is a fall in demand from world’s largest consumers of gold — India and China. For instance, high price levels and duty has curbed buying in the first quarter of 2013 in India. All these fundamental and technical factors have resulted in the fall of gold price.

When asked about medium term growth of this metal, Trivedi says, “There may be a further fall in gold price in medium term (one-two months) to $1,180 per ounce from its current rate of $1,369. In Indian rupees, the price may further come down to `22,500 per 10gm (24 carat) from its current price of `25,600. However, investors or buyers, who are waiting to buy gold, should start accumulating it from now because all assumptions are based on speculation. It is better to buy at least 10 per cent now and 30-40 per cent at around 24,000 levels and the rest in 22,000-23,000 levels.”

Trivedi concludes that the “prices of silver may also fall in the medium term to `38,000 from its current price of `43,600.

The similar pattern of buying can be applied for silver as well.

However, silver prefered over gold as a long-term investment because of its value as a precious and industrial metal. Once the global economy is back on track, there will be a growth in demand for this metal driving its value.”

GOLD `25,700 10g SILVER `43,500 1kg

24C

for

for

DOLLAR `54.14 POUND `82.53

Shares in All Nippon Airways and battery maker GS Yuasa surged on Thursday after a report that US and Japanese regulators were preparing to give the green light to the resumption of Dreamliner flights. Japan's Nikkei business daily said aviation safety bosses in both countries could lift the grounding order on the Boeing 787, which has been parked up at around the world since January following incidents involving its batteries. ANA and its rival Japan Airlines have invested heavily in the next-generation plane, and its grounding has played havoc with their schedules, forcing the cancellation of thousands of flights.

NUMEROLOGY

$1.2 bn

is the amount the trade exchange volume surged to in 2012 between the UAE and Sweden.

GOOD DESIGN AWARD Car market leader Maruti Suzuki’s bestseller Swift Dzire and Ertiga have been awarded the prestigious India Design Mark: Good Design Award.

The India Design Mark Award recognises product designers and the products created as being well designed, trustworthy, reliable, offering true value for money and most importantly, being manufactured in a responsible manner. This is the second consecutive year where Maruti Suzuki models have been bestowed this award. In 2012, Wagon R and Swift were the winners of this award.

THUS SPAKE "Efforts are on to encourage domestic production and usage. We are interested in incentivising the use of clean energy and in creating a viable and competitive domestic production base. The big push for use of clean energy would come from wind, solar and biomass."

BSE NSE

MONTEK SINGH AHLUWALIA , PLANNING COMMISSION

18,827.04 95.98

5,714.40 25.70

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013

nation

VHP AGAINST DEATH FOR KODNANI Gujarat's VHP leadership is up in arms against Gujarat government's decision to seek death penalty for former state minister Maya Kodnani and nine others in connection with the 2002 Naroda Patiya massacre case.

BANGALORE

THANE BANDH BEGINS

Blast bike traced to Chennai

T

he registration number on the twowheeler that was used in the blast in Bangalore on Wednesday, TN 22 R 3769, has been traced to Chennai, reported First Post.

KS Sankaranarayanan of Thillai Ganga Nagar told the police that his son Sundar had used the vehicle, a Yamaha RX 135, with this registration number for a while. “The bike was in my son’s name. But we sold it about four years back, since my son left for the US”, he told the police.

Sankaranarayanan, said he was shocked when police knocked his door and told him that the bike had been used in the Bangalore blast.

Nails found on site

CM appeals to media Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar today appealed to the media to maintain calm and not to politicize the issue. The chief minister said that the police have started a comprehensive investigation and the central agencies are also assisting them in the process. “We will soon know the details,” he said.

GRIM TRUTH

‘India accounts for one third of the world’s poor’ WHO’RE WORLD’S POOR?

People living on less than $1.25 (about `65) per day

11

WASHINGTON: India accounts for one-third of the world poor, people living on less than $1.25 (about `65) per day, a World Bank report on poverty has said. The report said that 1.2 billion people still living in extreme poverty across the world. "The State of the Poor: Where are the Poor and Where are the Poorest?," using data released in the latest World Development Indicators, shows that extreme poverty headcount rates have fallen in every developing region between 1981 and 2010

from half the citizens in the developing world to 21 per cent. But, a new analysis of extreme poverty released today by the World Bank shows that there are still 1.2 billion people living in extreme poverty, and despite recent impressive progress, Sub-Saharan Africa still accounts for more than one-third of the world's extreme poor. "We have made remarkable progress, but the fact that there are still 1.2 billion people in extreme poverty is a stain on our collective conscience," said World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim.

NEWS BRIEFS Two teenaged sisters gangraped

Youth found dead in suspicious circumstances

SAMBHAL (UP): Two teenaged sisters were allegedly gangraped by three youths in Hayatnagar area, police said here. The mother of the victims alleged that three youths entered her house on April 11 and raped her two daughters, they said. Police said that a case had been registered against Nazeer, Haneef and Talib in this connection.

LUCKNOW: A youth was found dead inside the police lock-up under suspicious circumstances following which six policemen were suspended in Hasanganj area, officials said here today. Virendra Dixit, 25, who was picked under the Arms Act yesterday, was found hanging inside the police lockup at Hasanganj police station.

BENGALURU: National Investigative Agency (NIA) officers investigate at the blast site after an explosion near the BJP office at Malleswaram in Bengaluru on Wednesday.PTI PHOTO BY SHAILENDRA BHOJAK

A National Investigation Agency (NIA) team as well as a team from the National Security Guard (NSG) are examining the Bangalore blast site, reported CNN-IBN. Initial reports from the forensic sciences laboratory have indicated that ammonium nitrate was used to make the bomb that was placed on a stolen bike. Reports said that some sharp nails have also been found at the blast site indicating the bomb may have been packed with shrapnel to maximise damage.

A bandh called by major political parties in Thane against ongoing demolition of illegal structures without providing alternate accommodation to the occupants began with some persons damaging at least 12 buses in the wee hours today, police said. Parties, including Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena, gave call to the dawn-todusk shutdown against the razing of illegal buildings by Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) while demanding that alternate accommodation be provided to residents who will be displaced in the drive. Unidentified persons pelted the buses with stones at different areas in the city. At least eight out of the twelve buses damaged belonged to Thane Municipal Transport (TMT) and rest of state government, police said. With political parties, except Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and BJP, participating in the bandh, public transport and autos have gone off the roads, causing inconvenience to people, especially office-goers, in the morning hours.

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013

World

PAKISTAN COURT ORDERS MUSHARRAF’S ARREST A Pakistani court on Thursday ordered the arrest of former military ruler Pervez Musharraf for sacking judges when in power in 2007, a spokesman for his party said. The retired general immediately left the court premises in Islamabad, driving away in a convoy escorted by his bodyguards to an unknown location.

TRAGEDY STRIKES

YEOH IN ROW

Over 60 killed in Texas fertiliser plant blast The explosion comes as the United States was on edge as it pieces through deadly explosions that hit the Boston marathon on Monday.

CHICAGO: Some 60 to 70 people were killed and hundreds were injured by an explosion at a fertilizer plant outside Waco, Texas, local media reported, citing the local emergency manager.

The report could not be immediately verified by AFP, but KWTX television cited West Emergency Management Services Director George Smith as confirming the death toll.

The explosion comes as the United States was on edge as it pieces through deadly explosions that hit the Boston marathon on Monday, followed by letters, apparently poisoned with ricin, sent to

It was a small fire and then water got sprayed on the ammonia nitrate, and it exploded just like the Oklahoma City bomb.

Jason Shelton, who was on the site.

The Oklahoma City bombing of 1995 claimed 168 lives.

President Barack Obama and a US senator.

Firefighters responding to the scene in West were also

12

Probe gathers pace

Letter suspect held

fficials investigating the Boston Marathon bombings say they have found images of a potential suspect from surveillance camera footage.

Boston City Council President Stephen Murphy, who was briefed by police, said a man was seen dropping off a bag at the scene.

Earlier, the FBI denied widespread reports that a suspect had been arrested.

Three people died in two blasts near the marathon’s finish line on Monday.

O

WASHINGTON: US authorities have arrested a suspect over mailings laced with the deadly poison ricin to President Barack Obama and a Senator, officials said Wednesday. “Today at approximately 5:15 pm, FBI special agents arrested Paul Kevin Curtis, the individual believed to be responsible for the mailings of the three letters sent through the US Postal Service,” the Justice Department said.

The letters “contained a granular substance that tested positive for ricin”.

injured in a secondary blast, according to radio traffic by emergency managers being broadcast by CBS News.

“There has been an explosion on the fire scene, there are firefighters down at this time,” a dispatcher said.

A man on the scene reported that “the restroom is severely damaged we have many people down.”

Firefighters also said they were setting up a triage unit at an apartment building where people were trapped.

The explosion at the West Fertilizer plant occurred just before 8:00 pm (0100 GMT), Waco Assistant Fire Chief Don Yeager told AFP by phone.

The cause was not immediately known but he said it was a anhydrous ammonia explosion.

Fire departments from nearby jurisdictions rushed to the scene in the small town of West, north of Waco, where the blast was so powerful that it knocked down some nearby buildings, and set fire to others.

“An explosion has ignited adjacent structures to the plant,” Yeager said.

The injured were being rushed to local hospitals.

Neighbors told local media that their windows were blown out by the force of the explosion.

“It was a small fire and then water got sprayed the ammonia nitrate, and it exploded just like the Oklahoma City bomb,” Jason Shelton, a clerk at the Czech Best Western Hotel in West, told The Dallas Morning News. “I live about a thousand feet (300 meters) from it and it blew my screen door off and my back windows. There’s houses leveled that were right next to it.”

NEWS BRIEFS

Malaysian film star Michelle Yeoh has been heavily criticised following a report that she will attend a function in support of the country’s ruling coalition as a divisive election looms.

Supporters of the political opposition, which is mounting a serious challenge in the May 5 polls, branded the 49-year-old star of The Lady and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon a traitor and government stooge.

NUMEROLOGY

52

The number of Guantanamo detainees who are on a hunger strike at the reviled US military prison, has risen to 52, a spokesman said. There are 166 war-on-terror suspects lodged there.ds

‘LET’S TALK’ North Korea laid down rigid pre-conditions Thursday for any talks with Seoul or Washington, including the withdrawal of UN sanctions and a guaranteed end to South Korea-US joint military drills. The list of demands, which came from the North’s top military body, kicked off by insisting on a general apology for all “provocative acts” taken against North Korea up to now. The conditions are certain to be rejected outright by both South Korea and the United States, which have themselves made any talks conditional on the North taking steps towards denuclearisation.

I see this as just round one.

Merkel faces challenge over female exec quota

Oz PM vows no change on gay marriage stance

Kerry blames Iran for attack on Iraq camp

US woman on trial for cutting off hubby’s penis

BERLIN: Germany’s opposition will force a parliamentary vote Thursday to require big companies to boost the number of women on their boards, laying down the gauntlet to Chancellor Angela Merkel five months before elections.

The draft legislation is expected to fail in the Bundestag lower house of parliament.

SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard vowed not to alter her stance on same-sex marriage despite New Zealand giving it the go-ahead, with hundreds of couples expected to make the journey to tie the knot. Australia’s near neighbour New Zealand became the first Asia-Pacific country to legalise same-sex marriage on Wednesday.

WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday blamed the Iranian government for a deadly attack on an opposition camp in Iraq, and voiced fears of another assault. “We are deeply engaged in this. I am very concerned about the potential of another attack,” Kerry told US lawmakers.

LOS ANGELES: A US man whose estranged wife cut off his penis accused her Wednesday of effectively murdering him, recounting his horror as she severed the organ and threw it into a garbage disposal machine. The wife’s lawyer said she wanted her 60-year-old husband to “stop hurting her with his penis”.

Barack Obama US President.

A livid and emotional Obama branded Wednesday’s defeat of gun reform in the US Senate as “shameful,” and accused lawmakers of caving to the gun lobby, and promised to fight on.

13

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013

Technology BEYOND FACEBOOK A TIGHT-KNIT COMMUNITY...

OF KNITTERS Find yourself feeling a little isolated from the knitting world?

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INNERGEEK Find yourself mulling over the pythagorean Theorem or daydreaming about quantum mechanics?

Connect with like minded brainiacs in this smart social network

EXTRA-ODD-INARY

THE END The recent Bitcoin rollercoaster ride has come to an end for one exchange. Bitcoin exchange BitFloor announced Wednesday it is closing its trading operations and plans to return its remaining funds to its users. The New Yorkbased exchange, which specialised in trades of the digital peer-topeer currency, announced the closure with a note on its home page penned by founder Roman Shtylman. This closure marks the apparent end for the troubled exchange, which temporarily suspended operations last September after the theft of 24,000 BTC. At the time, Bitcoin was trading for $10.40, making the virtual heist's score worth quarter of a million dollars.

MS JOINS THE PARTY

12.3 BILLION Friends SURROUND YOURSELF WITH OTHER

A COMMUNITY WHERE YOU'LL NEVER FEEL ALONE OR REJECTED FEEL A LITTLE BIT LONELY AND NEED MORE FRIENDS? n ncliidr blows privacy out of the water by instantly connecting you with every user in the network... all 12.3 billion of them

Microsoft is making two-step verification available across all products and services accessible via a Microsoft Account. This includes Windows, Windows Phone, Xbox, Outlook.com, SkyDrive, Office and more. The rollout will be happening over the "next couple of days”, according to the company. Two-factor authentication is aimed at reducing the likelihood of online identity theft, phishing and other scams because the victim's password would no longer be enough to give a thief access to their information.

AMAZON APP STORE MUSTACHE-LOVING FRIENDS

SING TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT IN THIS KARAOKE COMMUNITY

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DO YOU SPEND EVERY MORNING SINGING IN THE SHOWER?

Stache Passion is also part of a network of other niche social sites like Trucker Passions and Werewolf Passions

A COMMUNITY AROUND FAILED OR FAILING MARRIAGES WHAT IF YOU ARE PART OF THE 50% OF MARRIAGES FACING DIVORCE? n divorce360 is a community that provides advice on every stage of a divorce

n Your Lonely days of singing by yourself are over n RedKaraoke let's you sing with fellow karaoke lovers all on one social-networking site

A social network for dog lovers n Dogster is a social media sites around one of the most loved pets around the world — dogs!

With the Kindle Fire HD selling like hotcakes and rumours of an Amazon smartphone getting louder and louder, the online retailer has decided to throw more fuel on the fire of speculation by opening its App Store to an additional 200 markets around the world. Previously only available in the US, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Japan and Spain, the App Store will roll out over the coming months to a large number of additional countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, India, South Africa and South Korea. The Amazon app store will be available to download to a wide number of Android devices.

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013

Comment I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I am saying.

MAJA CZARNECKA Agence France-Presse

A

few buildings, some cobblestones, a synagogue: almost nothing remains of the Warsaw Jewish ghetto set up by Nazi Germany in World War II. Only a chunk is left of the wall that isolated around 480,000 of the capital’s Jews before the Germans deported most of them to their deaths.

“The Germans completely demolished this neighbourhood,” said Jacek Leociak, co-author of the “The Warsaw Ghetto: A Guide to the Perished City”.

They razed it after crushing the Warsaw ghetto uprising, when a few hundred young Jews decided to take up arms against the occupying Germans.

A year and a half after the illfated revolt, which took place 70 years ago on Friday, the Nazis flattened the rest of the city after a second doomed uprising by the Polish underground.

“The communist regime later built new housing developments directly on the rubble,” Leociak told AFP. The ghetto’s few surviving houses stand on the streets Prozna, Chlodna and Sienna, which were incorporated into the rest of the city after the massive ghetto purge of 1942.

From July to September the Nazis dispatched around 300,000 Jews by train to the Treblinka death camp east of Warsaw.

With its coat of white paint, the five-storey residence at Chlodna 20 looks newer than its neighbours despite being one of the ghetto’s rare buildings still standing today.

So much so that the news comes as a surprise to one of its longtime residents.

The many ways to make money Leaders in the City have found a novel way to make a quick buck. Its festival time and they have been pitching that every religious occasion be celebrated on a grand scale, so that they can force officials to push their proposals. It seems that some enjoy festivities all year round.

ITALY

14

POLITICAL CRISIS FOLLOWS PAPAL CRISIS LETTER FROM ROME

Oscar Wilde Author

Warsaw ghetto: Little left

HIGH-FLYING THOUGHTS

Michele Leridon

A

month after the Argentine pope’s surprise election to lead a troubled Catholic Church, Rome hosts another conclave from Thursday — this time to find an Italian president to end a complex political crisis.

Experts in the Vatican are being replaced by a rare breed of Italian journalists who try to decode the complexities of the “Quirinale” — the palace in Rome where Italian presidents reside and the former home of popes and kings.

The unprecedented coincidence of a papal election with a presidential one has led observers to draw comparisons between the two banks of Rome’s Tiber River — the Vatican on one side and the seat of Italian power on the other.

Many refer to inconclusive political negotiations as “black smoke” — the method used during a conclave to signal that no papal election has taken place.

Italians now are waiting for “white smoke” from the Italian parliament building, where lawmakers and regional officials meet to elect a president.

“White smoke (the religious

one) and black smoke (the political one) are getting mixed up,” leftist weekly L’Espresso said in an article comparing the “manoeuvres, pressures and rituals” of papal and political elections.

It referred to the post currently held by Giorgio Napolitano as “the pope of Italy” — who will need a dose of divine guidance in trying to bring political parties together to form a government after inconclusive elections.

Gags apart, there are some similarities between the two procedures.

The vote is secret — with lawmakers teering curtained booths to cast their ballots. This time around, though, it will not be 115 cardinals voting but 1,007 deputies, senators and local officials known as “grand electors”.

As with the conclave, no one steps forward to declare their candidacy.

Anyone who is really interested in the post is called on to act with discretion and names only filter through after long behind-the-scenes talks.

“The presidential election is a vote with great tactical mobility, with some candidates discarded straight away and others appearing at the last minute,” said philosopher Paolo Flores d’Arcais, editor the leftist journal MicroMega.

And for both the Quirinale

and the Vatican, the issue is replacing a tired-out octogenarian.

Now pope emeritus Benedict XVI has just celebrated his 86th birthday and Napolitano, who is retiring at the end of his sevenyear mandate at the age of 87, has said that he “gave it everything I could”.

Whoever does get the post faces the unenviable task of trying to form a parliamentary majority after a February 24-25 election that led to a three-way split between the left, the right and a new anti-establishment protest party.

The left came first but failed to win an overall majority in parliament.

The key to the election is whether Pier Luigi Bersani’s

centre-left coalition will back a candidate who will get votes from Silvio Berlusconi’s centreright or one who will have the support of the Five Star Movement.

Another similarity with the conclave is that the election requires a two-thirds majority in the first three rounds.

Starting from the fourth round, a simple majority will suffice — unlike the Vatican where a two-thirds majority is always needed.

Only two presidents have ever been elected in the first round — Francesco Cossiga in 1985 and Carlo Ciampi in 1991.

In 1971, Giovanni Leone was elected after 23 votes — a long process with just two votes a day.

EDITORIALS A superpower... Really? An ode to Britons

A

report by the World Bank says that India accounts for one third of the world's poor. As we propose to be a superpower by 2020, what have the nation's leaders planned on doing about the millions among us who sustain themselves on a meagre Rs 65 a day? When crores are blasted in election rallies and other personal conquests, all on money the source of which is questionable in many cases? The world bank's data is only about the accounted ones and we may be sure that there are more out there unaccounted who cannot manage even a meal a day. Imagine how they sustain themselves when prices of basic commodities are going up? They take shelter in tunnels and pipes laid out for construction work, feed off what they find edible in garbage cans. And we the fortunate ones make plans of being a superpower... Any such aspiration is worthless, if we cannot improve the lives of those born into utter poverty.

READERS’ VIEWS

W

hile merits or demerits of Margaret Thatcher are a topic best left to the political pundits and the people of UK, one must marvel at the freedom of expression that country affords to its citizens. UK does not believe in holy cows. Even its monarchy is lampooned to the extent that would leave other countries speechless.

When Thatcher invites love and hate together for good reasons, we in India continue to cling to dead horses whose roles in history remain much to be desired. One recalls the abuse and torture of M O Mathai, personal assistant to Jawaharlal Nehru, whose reminiscences evoked strong passion among Congress netas.

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

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013

tELEVISION

HEATHER GRAHAM, MARY LYNN RAJSKUB ON CALIFORNICATION

Heather Graham and Mary Lynn Rajskub have booked guest starring roles in Californication. Both actresses will appear in Californication's seventh season premiere, with Graham portraying a mystery woman from Hank's (David Duchovny) past.

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BATES MOTEL

THE DA VINCI CODE

The Renaissance Man The secret history of Leonardo da Vinci's tantalising life comes alive on the new series Da Vinci’s Demons.

Bates Motel is to air on the Universal Channel in the UK. The Psycho prequel series stars Freddie Highmore as a young Norman Bates and Vera Farmiga as his domineering mother Norma.

Universal Channel — which airs US imports such as Major Crimes, CSI: NY and Law & Order — has struck a deal with NBC Universal International Television Distribution to air Bates Motel in the UK. Relocating Psycho's dark and twisted backstory to the present day, the series reveals how Norman's psyche unravels and the events that helped shape the infamous serial killer.

DID YOU KNOW...

Friends

reunion rumours quashed by NBC insiders. Claims that the network had commissioned a revival to debut in 2014 have also been denied by studio Warner Bros. An NBC source additionally told E! Online that rumours of a reunion were "not true", after the initial report sparked a frenzy across Twitter on Tuesday evening.

POSTNOON TEAM feedback@postnoon.com

I

n a land of myth, and a time of magic, the destiny of Florence rests on the shoulders of a young heretic — Leonardo Da Vinci. Or so the makers of Starz’s new series would have us believe. Da Vinci’s Demons takes us inside the life and times of the swash buckling artist, inventor, connoisseur Leonardo.

Even before the pilot aired, there was a lot of excitement about the series, which TV veterans predicted would be Sherlockesque genius combined with the naked brutality of Game of Thrones. But from what we have seen of the pilot, Da Vinci’s Demons is more an adult version of Merlin.

Set in 15th century Florence, set against the backdrop of the Renaissance, Leonardo is the proverbial heretic seeking to

TRENDING... expose the fraud of religion while championing the cause of rationality and science. He is as much the Helen Gardner’s Renaissance man — of "unquenchable curiosity" and "feverishly inventive imagination"— as he is a narcissistic, misunderstood and opium smoking genius who is haunted by the ghosts of his past.

Before we get on with the plot, be warned, if you are looking for a historically accurate rendition, this is not going to be it. The makers of the show, written by critically-acclaimed Dark Knight trilogy co-writer David S Goye, take some creative liberties. The show is set in Da Vinci’s twenties, a timeframe that’s supposed to be largely accounted for in the painter’s history.

The historical fantasy takes off with the assassination of the Duke of Milan (Hugh Bonneville of Downtown Abbey fame) leaving the Florence’s

With decent performances and an intriguing storyline, the show makes for an interesting watch and shows potential. first family, the Medicis particularly vulnerable in the area, ready for picking by the Vatican. The Medici’s decide to hold a carnival to win popular support. Enter Leonardo Da Vinci (Tom Riley), painter of nude maidens and inventor of flying machines who is roped in to create a revolutionary spectacle for the carnival.

A bastard son to the notary (of the Medicis), Leo is eager to prove his worth and bring his visionary creations to life. By capturing the attention of Lucrezia (Laura Haddock), Leo reaches Lorenzo Medici (Elliot

Cowan) and convinces him to take him as his military engineer so he can build Florence its own army based on Leo’s designs. Things go for a toss when in a strange encounter, he ends up meeting a mysterious man simply known as “The Turk” (Alexander Siddig.) He informs Leo of an ancient order who’s searching for a book of wisdom, known as the Book of Leaves. Which needless to say, is also of great value to the Church. But also somehow connected to this is Leo’s childhood memories of a cave and a repressed secret (ala Batman/Da Vinci Code) which is supposed to tie in with this mystery.

With decent performances and an intriguing storyline, the pilot makes for an interesting watch and shows potential. Lest we forget, know that it’s A rated. Which is tragic considering that all the sex, the violence and nudity which it points say, adds nothing at all to the plot.

Jane Lynch has insisted that Glee writer Ryan Murphy was not attempting to offend viewers with the recent school shooting episode. Last week's Glee episode came under fire from some parents of shooting survivors for fictionalising the fear that results from school violence without seeking their input.

Sarah Jessica Parker is to auction three pairs of shoes from Sex and the City for charity. Prada, Jonathan Kelsey and Dolce Vita shoes worn by Parker on Sex and the City and signed by the star will go under the hammer on April 24. Parker famously starred in Sex and the City on HBO from 1998 to 2004.

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013

spotlight

DIVA STATION

Spoil pub is hosting ladies night tonight. So girls, gang up with your pals and head to the pub and let your hair down.

18 SRINIVAS SETTY

ACTION ON THE RUNWAY

Flair for fashion

Diehard fashion followers were in attendance at Marigold Hotel, Greenpark where designers showcased their creations at an event organised by Khwaaish.

FOODIE’S HAVEN

Swagath De Royal, Kondapur is holding a food festival titled Lucknow se Hyderabad Tak. The food fest is on till April 22.

MIDWEEK MADNESS

Party peeps let loose and had a blast at Kismet on Wednesday night. Those who were seen partying till the wee hours of the morning were Aditi, Ruchita and others.

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013

health

BRAZIL TO RESUME PRODUCTION OF INSULIN Brazil will resume production of insulin on a large scale after 14 years of depending on imports, Health Minister Alexandre Padilha said. The government will invest 430 million reais ($215 million) in the project over the next five years.

IANS

SUMMER ALERT

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VIRUS ATTACKS

With the rising temperatures, diseases and infections are on the rise as well. Every summer, hospitals in the City record an increase in the number of viral infection cases. Viruses that were dormant in winter have come back to do more damage.

AVOID CONTRACTING VIRAL INFECTIONS

FLEME VARKEY

fleme.v@postnoon.com

n

V

iral infections are quite common; they are mostly mild and recovery usually occurs within a week. Typical symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat and body aches.

Fever is rarely very high and mostly these infections do not confine the patient to bed.

Complications like ear infection, strep throat and pneumonia sometimes occur and have to be treated promptly.

One of the viruses that one should be wary of is the enterovirus. It is not a single virus, but a group of viruses that like to hang out and thrive in the gastrointestinal tract.

Enterovirus is the primary cause of summer rashes in children, which often resemble measles.

Some of the common problems that arise in summer are vomiting, diarrhoea, chicken pox, ulcers, skin rashes and summer cold.

Dr Rajiv Sharan, paediatrician at Tata Motors Hospital, Jamshedpur, says that most of these infections or viruses manifest in the form of fever, sore throat, skin rashes, vomiting and loose motions. “Patients, especially children with asthma or bronchitis, are most susceptible to these viruses. It occurs due to change in temperature. Diarrhoea occurs to due drinking contaminated water or eating undercooked, rotten food.

In most places, the sewage lines

n n

n

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run alongside the drinking water lines, osmosis occurs and the dirty water seeps into the drinking water pipes, thus making its consumers open to a lot of infections.”

Also, since summer is a time when most people like to go on vacations, it is important to make sure that you and your family are vaccinated. Consult your doctor about the vaccines that are a must for you to avoid infectious diseases. The vaccines will depend upon the place you are visiting and weather conditions.

ANEWS PP-LYBRIEFS YOURSELF

The only way one can safely keep disease like yellow fever, mumps, typhoid, and rubella away is by getting duly vaccinated.

HOUSECALL

Hair Loss Guide

Pancreatic cancer

Hair Loss Guide is a free app developed by the hair transplant surgeons at Hair Restoration Blackrock (HRBR) in Dublin, Ireland. HRBR is a dedicated and purpose built facility specialising in hair loss and its treatment.

You can get information about hair loss, treatment options hair transplant and hair restoration. itunes.apple.com

Pancreatic cancer is equally common in men and women, but the majority of cases occur in the over-70s. There are two types of pancreatic cancer: Carcinoma of the pancreas and, far more rarely, cancer of the cells that make insulin. Like many cancers of the internal organs, the tumours tend to develop silently, causing few symptoms until disease is well advanced. High fat diet and smoking are some risk factors. bbc.co.uk

If you have pets in your house, they could also be carriers of these viruses. Make sure they are given the proper vaccines and wash your hands after handling them.

Some of us may be surprised that we catch a cold during summer. Yes, cold is not a winter ailment alone. The summer colds caused by enteroviruses generally clear up without treatment within a few days or even a week. Air conditioning itself may contribute to infection with com-

DID YOU KNOW? Cash machines are contaminated Cleanliness tests have revealed that cash machines are as dirty, and carry the same germs, as public toilets. When scientists took swabs from urban ATMs around the United Kingdom, they found the machines were heavily contaminated with bacteria. bodyandsoul.com.au

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n

Throughout the day, wash hands with antimicrobial antiseptic soap or alcohol sanitizers, if a sink is not available. This helps in reducing fever and sore throat.

Shower often, at least twice a day.

Wash and dry clothes and towels on the hottest setting possible.

Do not share any personal items, like towels or clothing, with others.

Mosquito and tick-borne infections can be avoided by taking necessary precautions.

Food poisoning can be prevented by frequently washing your hands and wiping cooking surfaces, not allowing foods and utensils to become cross contaminated, cooking foods to their proper temperature, and promptly refrigerating leftovers.

If eating outside, make sure the place is a well-maintained and hygienic one.

Drink clean water, preferably purified or boiled water.

mon cold viruses. They also spread through contaminated surfaces like door handles, telephones and even furniture.

The only way to keep these viruses away is to maintain personal hygiene and visit the doctor if the symptoms persist.

PIONEERS Gazi Yaşargil Mahmut Gazi Yaşargil (born in 1925) is a Turkish medical scientist and neurosurgeon. He is the founder of microneurosurgery. Yaşargil treated epilepsy and brain tumors with instruments of his own design. From 1953 until his retirement in 1993, he was first resident, chief resident and then professor and chairman of the department of neurosurgery, University of Zurich and the Zurich University Hospital. en.wikipedia.org

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health THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013

STUDY

RESEARCH

Aerobics may protect brain from alcohol damage US researchers have found that aerobic exercise may protect white matter in the brain from alcohol-related damage.

WASHINGTON: Aerobic exercise, known to slow cognitive decline, may also prevent or repair damage to the brain caused by alcohol, a new study has found.

US researchers found that aerobic exercise may protect white matter in the brain from alcohol-related damage.

Heavy long-term alcohol consumption leads to neural damage that looks similar to the decline in neurocognitive functioning observed as people age, said Hollis C Karoly, a graduate student at the University of Colorado at Boulder and corresponding author of the study.

"Given that exercise is protective against some of the neural and cognitive effects of ageing, it seemed likely t h a t

Experts say individuals who have experienced alcohol-related brain problems could possibly use exercise to help recover from those effects. aerobic exercise may also work to reverse or prevent some of the damage to the brain caused by chronic alcohol consumption," Karoly said.

Karoly and her colleagues had 60 participants (37 men, 23 women), drawn from a larger database designed to share common brain and clinical data collected across studies on alcohol and nicotine use, undergo a diffusion tensor imaging session.

All participants also completed measures

of alcohol consumption, loss of control over drinking, and aerobic exercise participation.

Study authors then examined relationships among exercise, alcohol, and fractional anisotropy in the superior longitudinal fasciculus, external capsule, fornix and superior and anterior corona radiata, as well as self-reported loss of control over drinking.

"This study found that the relationship between alcohol consumption and white matter depends upon how much people exercise," said Karoly.

"For individuals with low levels of aerobic exercise, heavy drinking was linked to poorer white matter health, but for those with greater exercise involvement, the relationship between alcohol and white matter health was not as strong," said Susan F Tapert from the University of California, San Diego.

"Although we d o n ' t

know yet if the exercise is protecting against alcohol-related damage, or if it is a sign of factors linked to brain health, this is a very compelling study.

"This suggests that individuals who have experienced alcohol-related brain problems could possibly use exercise to help recover from those effects; studying people over time will tell us if this is in fact the case," Tapert said.

"Aerobic exercise appears to be a promising candidate for decreasing alcohol-related brain damage.

“Certainly clinicians could use these findings to support prescribing aerobic exercise programs as an adjunct treatment for individuals dealing with psychological or physiological problems related to a heavy alcohol-use history," Karoly said.

The study will be published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

PTI

DOCTOR’S COLUMN I am trying to lose weight before my infertility treatment. I was told not to exercise in the afternoon in summer.

Can you tell me why not ?

It is easier to understand when you realise that even motor engines get hot and breakdown in summer! When the outside environment is more than 40 degrees Celsius, it becomes difficult for the body to cool down.

Exercise itself generates heat; so you are doubly heating the body, and therefore causing heat stress.

Non-food plants can provide nutrients LOS ANGELES: A team of Virginia Tech researchers has succeeded in transforming cellulose into starch, a process that has the potential to provide a previously untapped nutrient source from plants not traditionally thought of as food crops.

YH Percival Zhang, an associate professor of biological systems engineering in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Engineering, led a team of researchers in the project that could help feed a growing global population.

Starch is one of the most important components of the human diet and provides 20-40 percent of our daily caloric intake.

The research was published this week in the Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Cellulose is the supporting material in plant cell walls and is the most common carbohydrate on earth. This new development opens the door to the potential that food could be created from any plant, reducing the need for crops to be grown on valuable land that requires fertilizers, pesticides, and large amounts of water.

The type of starch that Zhang's team produced is amylose, a linear resistant starch that is not broken down in the digestion process and acts as a good source of dietary fiber. It has been proven to decrease the risk of obesity and diabetes.

This discovery holds promise on many fronts beyond food systems, reports Science Daily.

"Besides serving as a food source, the starch can be used in the manufacture of edible, clear films for biodegradable food packaging," Zhang said.

"It can even serve as a highdensity hydrogen storage carrier that could solve problems related to hydrogen storage and distribution," he said.

IANS

DR DIVYA SUDARSHAN

‘STAY COOL THIS SUMMER’

Two-thirds of the heat generated during exercise is converted to an inner source of heat, which contributes to heat injury. That means the body is unable to cool itself to maintain a healthy temperature, and if one continues to do this, it can lead to a heat stroke, which is a medical emergency.

Heat stroke refers to body temperature above 105 degrees Fahrenheit and is associated with mental status changes such as

loss of consciousness or coma.

However, prior to the onset of heat stroke, there may be nausea, dizziness, headache, and difficulty with speaking or walking.

Treatment of these symptoms, known as heat exhaustion, involves fluids, sprinkling water and fanning the patient, and applying ice packs to the head, neck, abdomen, groin, and under the arms. If there is any evidence of heat stroke,

then it is an emergency, and the patient needs medical attention immediately.

Don't wait until you're thirsty before you drink water.

Drink often and drink regularly.

Do not rely on thirst. By the time you feel thirsty, there is already a significant fluid deficit.

Keep track of how much urine you are passing, and in what colour. If it becomes darker, it’s a warning sign.

Drink more than just water.

When you exert yourself, you lose electrolytes as well as fluid.

Replacing the fluid alone (with just water) can lead to electrolyte imbalances. These imbalances can be life-threatening.

The writer is a gynaecologist and obstetrician at Happy Women Clinic. You can write in to her at happywomenclinic @gmail.com or call her on 9959729444

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THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013

Entertainment CINE BYTES

Siddharth's next is a crime thriller

A

fter teaming up with Nandini Reddy and Manimaaran in recent times, Siddharth has reportedly signed a bilingual film to be directed

by Karthik Subbaraj, who shot to fame post the success of Pizza. The untitled film is said to be a crime thriller laced with comedy. More details about this project will be revealed soon.

Venkatesh to do a silent film

V

enkatesh is slowly venturing into new territory. After a string of family entertainers and comedy films, we hear that Venkatesh is going to act in a 'silent' film. G Ashok is going to direct this film.

The actor is currently shooting for the remake of Bol Bachchan in Panchgani.

Regina to team up with Sirish?

I

t looks like lady luck is smiling on Regina and how! Earlier this year, she signed a film opposite Nara Rohit and another film with Sai Dharam Tej. Now we hear that she's in talks for a role opposite Sirish. "We just did a photoshoot. I haven't signed the film yet," Regina says.

STANDING HER GROUND HEMANTH KUMAR hemanth.k@postnoon.com

F

or someone who's so talented and popular among the audience, Nithya Menen, quite spectacularly, manages to stay away from the limelight, except when she wants to. However, the moment she gets talking about films, dreams and why she doesn't want to be like everyone else, it's easy to fall for her charm and ingenuity. That alone is refreshing. It is also one of the reasons why you begin to understand that there's lot more to her than what has been written. Her upcoming film Gunde Jaari Gallanthayindhe is the sixth Telugu film in her career and over the past couple years, she was so adamant about what she didn't want to do in films that the number of offers she has rejected easily outnumber the projects she has done so far. “A lot of people think that I am not offered big films because I seem to be acting in relatively medium budget films. The truth is I have been

approached for quite a few films which had top stars and each time I felt that I didn't want to do that film, I simply said 'no'. Some people cannot comprehend how someone can say no to a big star's film, but I don't see a point in doing something which won't make me happy. By the way, this rumour that I have an 'attitude problem' is completely false,” she quips. Her choices over the past couple of years have sent a strong signal about what she isn't willing to do and quite surprisingly, she seems to be happy with the kind of work she seems to be getting. ”It's good that a lot of filmmakers here understand that I won't do certain type of things.

Naturally, I lose out on several films but I am okay with it,” Nithya Menen says. What about getting used to the fact that she's popular? After all, she had once confessed that she tries to stay away from limelight as much as possible because she doesn't

like it. ”I hated it in the beginning and I didn’t like the fact that I had no privacy.

Moreover, every time I speak I end up being misquoted.

Someone people are shocked to see an actress who doesn't really fit into their view of how an actress should behave or talk. But now, I am slowly trying to get used to it,” she confesses. In Gunde Jaari Gallanthayindhe, she's playing one of the three lead roles and it's her second film with Nithin. The duo had earlier teamed up for Ishq which was a surprise hit last year. Ask her what made her say yes to this film, she reveals, “There's a lot of situational comedy in the film, but more importantly, I loved

my characterisation. It has shades of grey, which is not so easy to find in Telugu films.

Usually, the heroine is a bubbly girl and it's quite onedimensional. In Gunde Jaari Gallanthayindhe, I got a chance to do a lot more.” The promos have clicked quite well and surprisingly, she has danced in one of the songs. As soon as we ask her about her dancing skills, she bursts out laughing and says, “I am a good dancer.

In fact, I can pull off a classical dance or simple moves like what we did in Ishq. But I have never got used to the choreographed movements, so maybe that's one reason why you never see me dance like others.” Like most of her other films, Nithya has sung a song in the film. Is it something which she enjoys doing?

“Thank god, I get a chance to sing regularly in films. I think Anup Rubens likes my voice and he keeps asking me to sing more. Singing is one thing which keeps me happy and I would love to sing more, but I don't think I'll go out of my way to look for opportunities.

If it happens, it happens,” she says. So what's next? “I am on a three-month break from work. I have been planning on doing this for a very long time and I have decided not to work at all till June,” she reveals.

What if she gets a film she wouldn't refuse, otherwise, during her vacation? “I will still say no. Besides, I am not that desperate to be famous. I don't see myself acting in films for the rest of my life. Now, don't ask me what I am thinking about doing next,” she says. The smile on her face intact. She hasn't changed much, after all.

SINGING KEEPS ME HAPPY :

NITHYA MENEN

Nithya Menen tells Postnoon about getting used to being in limelight, her upcoming film Gunde Jaari Gallanthayindhe and singing.

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013

fashion

IPL ON EBAY

WITH THE IPL fever beginning to catch up with every household, eBay India is engaging cricket enthusiasts to shop online with a new campaign, ‘Match Se Pehle eBay Pe Shopping’. Throughout the T20 season there will be a mega sale on eBay India (www.ebay.in) from 1pm to 4pm offering mouthwatering ‘Match Se Pehle’ deals on popular products.

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Tip: Team your maxi dress with flat sandals and natural wavy tresses for the perfect day time look. To take the trend into the evening, opt for a romantic dress.

Choose a smoky eye to add a subtle sexiness to the look.

DESI

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MEETS WEST

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Ready yourself for a fun-filled summer with an exciting new wardrobe. Check out these colourful ensembles with graphic prints and let loose the bohemian in you. Try out these funky jumpsuits and long playful chic maxis which can be ideal for an evening out with friends or a trip to the beach. Global Desi lets us check out what’s in store this summer.

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22&23

FASHION’S FINEST TO LAUNCH PUNK COLLECTION

ONLINE LUXURY fashion retailer Moda Operandi will celebrate the Met Museum's upcoming punk exhibition, Punk: Chaos To Couture, with a collection designed by 13 leading labels, including Dolce & Gabbana, Givenchy and Balmain. The range will launch on May 2.

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GEMFIELDS GLOBAL LAUNCH

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G

EMFIELDS, a leading producer of coloured gemstones unveiled recently a set of fine jewellery collaborations with 36 international designers.To coincide with the launch of this project, Gemfields unveiled a new global advertising campaign featuring brand ambassador Mila Kunis.This collection of designer collaborations underscores not only the beauty of the gemstones, but also the range of shapes and sizes that make up Gemfields’ portfolio. Whether it be precision cuts, cabochons that look like candy or slices that are ruggedly organic, each was a starting point for a bespoke creation.

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RITU KUMAR

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ITU KUMAR launched their new Spring/Summer collection recently. The collection comprises dresses, tops, kurtis and churidaar sets. The collection is versatile featuring cotton dresses with printed embroidery for casual get-togethers and slinky sheath dresses for glamourous soirees. There are also sleeveless tops with peter-pan collars and round neck in mild hues like peach and white infused with yellow. And the collection of clutches and purses is one to covet.

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ORRA’S SALE

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RRA one of India’s finest jewellery retail chains, announced its anniversary sale recently. They have a lot exquisitely crafted designs at irresistible prices.

Everyday Bedazzlers is one Orra’s most sought-after collections, jewellery which is understated yet so stunning. This collection consists of attractively priced, lightweight matching rings, earrings and pendant ensembles for the woman who love stylish coordinated jewellery.

Compiled by Kanchan Agarwal Store : Global Desi, Road no 2, Banjara Hills

Entertainment THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013

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Entertainment THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013

25

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013

Chai Time

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.

Carl Sandburg

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 Stuffed shirt 5 Stretches of grassy turf 11 Juvenile newt 14 Opposite of ‘absent’ 15 Retail security device 16 Crazy like a fox 17 Scroogelike wages 19 Shoe attachment 20 Parodies 21 ‘Watch closely, now ...’

23 CBS logo 24 Curly of the Harlem Globetrotters 26 Baby-talk ‘words’ 27 Big name in mattresses 29 Spun traps 32 Monster of folk tales 33 Alien life forms, for short 35 Festive occasion 37 Low or high tail?

38 Common and cheap 41 Electric guitar must, for short 43 Nail polish layer 44 What a steamroller flattens 45 Grabs a few winks 47 Shot up 49 Gate feature 53 Designated place 54 Uncomplicated state 56 Sigma's predecessor 57 Window above a door 61 Ice Age remnant 63 Jed Clampett's discovery 64 Famous start to some frugal advice 66 Harper on the bookshelf 67 Stop a subscription 68 Respectful term of address 69 Late-night announcer Hall 70 Clay-and-water mixture 71 Strikeout symbols, in baseball

DOWN

1 Moon stages 2 Problem in many photos taken with a flash 3 One de-creasing 4 Neuter, as horses 5 Suffix with ‘sea’ or ‘city’ 6 Capital of Poland 7 Doc bloc, for short 8 Decorate again 9 Not at all colorful 10 Simon ___ (kid's game) 11 Ovarian product 12 Ice cream options 13 Like the text on proof sheets 18 Crackpot 22 Psyche segment 25 Will beneficiary 28 Baseball legend Williams 30 Certainly not good 31 Mail-chute opening 34 Urban air problem 36 Rhododendron's relatives 38 Was attractive (to) 39 Big beagle feature 40 Stat for a pitcher 41 France's France 42 No longer single 46 Intro for Juan?

48 Robert or Lindsay 50 Much game show material 51 Bright and pleasant 52 Throngs 55 In a vulpine way 58 Spider egg holders 59 Libra's birthstone 60 Computer display 62 Vineyard container 65 Diebold rival

Chai Time THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013 Thiruvaikumar

STAR POWER for 19-4-2013

27

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

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

You will get money from expected fronts, which will help reduce debt. Minor health problems are likely. Some work is likely to get delayed or will get completed only after making a lot of effort. Avoid getting emotional and taking decisions.

STRIP TEASE AGNES

Friendship with important people is likely to benefit you in the future. You will express your opinions with courage and will be unmindful of the consequences. New thoughts will take shape and will be implemented successfully.

Your tensions will reduce. Avoid taking decisions in haste.

Friends and well wishers will understand you better, but others might misunderstand you, as your time is not favourable.

However, the situation is likely to change for the better soon.

Money will come from expected sources. Comforts are set to increase. Your creativity will reach greater heights and gather appreciation. You will be at your charismatic best, which will help you get better results without too much effort.

Delayed marriage talks will resume and good progress will be made. All your commitments will be fulfilled without any hurdles. Your stock is set to pile up. Support from your spouse and in-law’s will make you cheerful.

Written off dues will be received and you will become financially strong. Your boldness is set to increase. Foes too are likely to become your friends which will come as a surprise to you. Politicians will be in the limelight.

To achieve your goals it is important to change your approach. You expect instant results for the good and wise decisions taken by you. Works that seemed hard to finish will now get completed successfully.

A foreign trip that has not materialised for long will become a reality now and you may have to leave soon and it will be a successfully trip. You will be able to complete all challenging assignments without hurdles.

Minor misunderstanding between couples is likely. You will be able to attract people with your sweet talk. Expenses may be higher than expected. Be careful while driving as a minor accident is likely. Avoid talking harshly as you may hurt someone.

TAROT READ

Sumaa Tekur

tarotreadhyd@gmail. com

ARIES:

GEMINI:

The High Priestess – There is confusion and fear about something not familiar to you. Use your instinct to guide you in the right direction. All will be well.

LEO:

King of Wands – You believe in symbols and omens and you’re finding it difficult to interpret one such omen. If your faith is strong, nothing can shake it.

LIBRA:

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE

Seven of Wands – You want to look into the future to decide the best course of action.

There are ways to know the possibilities, but not for sure.

SAGITTARIUS:

Ace of Swords – Your good cheer and relationship skills will attract positivity. People are likely to surround you to get some good vibes. Keep your chin up.

TAURUS:

The High Priest – You get insulted only if you see it as an insult. You may be embarrassed about being out of control when all along you thought you’re in control.

CANCER:

The World – You’re good at prying out secrets and this will be useful today when you need to take a decision based on something you don’t completely know.

VIRGO:

King of Pentacles – You may be a victim of cunning and subtlety. There is little you can do at this stage because your so-called opponents are way ahead of you.

SCORPIO:

Nine of Cups – You get a huge sigh of relief since you expected the worst and it didn’t happen. Be grateful for someone who is praying for you right now.

CAPRICORN:

Six of Cups – A surprise is in store for you. It will force you to see how life is but a fleeting set of experiences. You dig into the past to take comfort.

PREVIOUS SOLUTIONS

PISCES:

Four of Swords – You may be a fan of following rituals because they give you a sense of stability. But ask yourself if these end up coming in your way.

NUMBER GAME

rds – Resist the temptation to do the extraordinary just because it will make you look cool. You need to achieve balance in your thoughts and actions.

SCRABBLE

AQUARIUS: Nine of Swo-

POOCH CAFE

Anger and emotional outbursts need to be avoided. You will only believe things with proper evidence. You are matured and gain worldly knowledge which helps you handle problems wisely. Couples need to avoid ego clashes.

for 19-4-2013

Ten of Cups – There are bug responsibilities that you need to fulfill and it bothers you that you’re not even half way there. Take time out and plan better.

NON SEQUITUR

Good events will take place at home which will keep family members cheerful. Your health is good and all your long-pending wishes will be fulfilled. Those trying to conceive a long time will get good news.

SUDUKO

House construction plans will be approved. Defeat will not deter you from marching ahead but will make you stronger. Success is assured in the future but that will not go to your head which will be appreciated by everyone.

Boggle KENYA LIBYA EGYPT SPAIN CHINA Vol: 2, No 272 RNI No: APENG/2011/39337 Published for the proprietors, Scribble Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, by V Harshavardhan Reddy, at #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500033 and printed by him at Jagati Publications Ltd, Plot No D-75&E-52, APIE Industrial Estate, Balanagar, Ranga Reddy Dist, Hyderabad – 500037, Editor: Dean Williams – Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act All rights reserved.

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

28

Entertainment THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013

ALL FOR A DOT SELENA GOMEZ

Bindi: Hindu leaders demand apology

S

elena Gomez is being criticised as culturally insensitive after she donned a Hindu religious ornament during a recent performance.

The 20-year-old singer took to the stage on Sunday at the MTV Movie Awards to perform her new single, Come & Get It. For the performance, she wore a red dress and a sparkling bindi on her head.

The bindi has landed Gomez in hot water with Hindu leaders at the Universal Society of Hinduism who want her to apologise for wearing the religious adornment.

“The bindi on the forehead is an ancient tradition in Hinduism and has religious significance,” Hindu statesman Rajan Zed told WENN. “It is also sometimes referred to as the third eye and the flame, and it is an auspicious religious and spiritual symbol... It is not meant to be thrown around loosely for seductive effects or as a fashion accessory aiming at mercantile greed. Selena should apologise and then she should get acquainted with the basics of world religions.”

CINE BYTES

Hugh Jackman thanks fans for support

H

ugh Jackman recently experienced something that would have made even Wolverine pause.

On Saturday, a woman—who has since been charged with stalking—threw an electric razor containing pubic hair at him while he was working out in New York City.

Jackman’s fans have apparently let him know since then that they’re wishing him the best—and for that he sounds very grateful.

Stewart signs on for SWTH sequel

K

risten Stewart has officially signed on to star in a Snow White and the Huntsman sequel and Rupert Sanders will not be directing this one. Universal Pictures chairman Adam Fogelson announced the studio’s official plans for the second film recently. Hemsworth has not yet been confirmed to star in the sequel — and neither has Charlize Theron as her character died in the first film.

Paltrow is most-hated celeb, above Chris Brown

S

tar Magazine has compiled a list of the most-hated celebrities in Hollywood (via Fox News).

While most of the list isn’t overly surprising, it’s a little surprising that Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Lopez are considerably higher than Chris Brown. Other surprises include Katherine Heigl and Jesse James on the list — have we even heard from them at all in the last six months?

sports

29

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013

NBA

Anthony assured of scoring title over Durant

FLECHE-WALLONNE Moreno wins from world champion

Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant were among the many absentees as teams girded for their playoff campaigns.

LOS ANGELES: New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (#7 in pic) was assured of winning the NBA scoring title on Wednesday when Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant sat out the season finale against Milwaukee.

Durant, who led the league in

Jazz defeat hands Lakers playoff berth LOS ANGELES: The Los Angeles Lakers secured the last berth in the NBA playoffs before their regular-season finale even tipped off on Wednesday, thanks to Utah's loss to Memphis.

The Grizzlies held the Jazz to their lowest points total of the season, triumphing 86-70 in Memphis to eliminate Utah from post-season contention.

Even if the Jazz had won, the Lakers could have booked a Western Conference berth with a win over Houston.

But once Utah were out of the picture, the Lakers and Rockets were battling for a better seeding in the Western Conference.

Zach Randolph scored 25 points and grabbed 19 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who were already locked in to the fifth seed in the West.

Memphis will play the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round -- and the Clippers were trying to gain home advantage for that series when the played the Kings in Sacramento in their regular-season finale.

scoring in each of the previous three seasons, trailed Anthony for the scoring title by a fraction of a point going into the final night of the regular season.

Anthony averaged 28.7 points per game and Durant 28.1.

Anthony had been on fire in April, averaging at least 37 points per game since April 1.

Fifteen games were on the slate on Wednesday, but both Anthony and Durant were among the many absentees as teams girded for their playoff campaigns.

Oklahoma City, hosting the Bucks, had already secured the top seed in the Western Conference. The Thunder closed the regular season with a 95-89 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Anthony was among the regular Knicks starters who didn't play against Atlanta, a team of Knicks reserves beating the Hawks 98-92.

Journeyman center Earl Barron, who was signed by the Knicks on Wednesday shortly after veteran Rasheed Wallace announced his retirement, scored 11 points and grabbed 18 rebounds for New York.

James White added 20 points and Iman Shumpert finished with 18, eight assists and seven rebounds. They rested key players, the Knicks saw yet another man go down with an injury as guard Pablo Prigioni twisted his ankle and left the contest.

Mike Scott scored 23 points with 14 rebounds for Atlanta, who are the sixth seed in the East.

HUY, BELGIUM: Spaniard Daniel Moreno won the second of the Ardennes Classics, the Fleche-Wallonne (above), on Wednesday giving his team Katusha their second successive victory in the race.

The 31-year-old - whose team leader Joaquim Rodriguez won last year beat two Colombians Sergio Henao and Carlos Alberto Betancur to the line in the 205km race.

Rodriguez failed to mount a challenge as the effects of his fall in last weekend's Amstel Gold Race took their toll.

Moreno, whose previous best win was a stage in the Tour of Spain, made the decisive burst when he passed the world champion Philippe Gilbert, who had gone after Betancur, on the final climb.

"We decided, with 'Purito' Rodriguez, to play my card. I went full pelt and I kept going to the end," said the winner.

"It's my greatest victory, this is my favourite course.�

BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX

Race on even as controversy lingers TIM COLLINGS Agence France-Presse MANAMA: Formula One moves to Bahrain this weekend, with the Grand Prix in the tiny, resource-rich Gulf kingdom again taking place against a backdrop of longrunning dissent and continued protest.

The race was shelved in 2011 due to pro-democracy protests by the minority Shia Muslim population but resumed last year, despite calls for it to be axed due to claims of human rights abuses and heavyhanded police tactics against protesters.

The race itself passed off without incident, although four members of the Force

India team were caught up in a petrol bomb attack and two returned home early.

The run-up to Sunday's race has again witnessed an increase in protests by hardline groups and a crackdown by the Bahrain authorities, prompting fresh calls for F1 to question its annual presence in the country on ethical grounds.

Young Shiite protesters who took the streets sounding drums have called the race "the Formula of blood".

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone, though, has dismissed concerns about holding the race in the country, while the government has pledged to take "appropriate" measures to ensure security.

AFP

CHESS Selection to be made this weekend

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh Chess Association is organising the AP State (Inter District) Under-7 and Under-17 Boys and Girls Chess Tournaments on April 20–21 at the AV College in the City. This tournament also acts as the selection for the national championships to be held in Assam and Pune later.

Further details can be had on 9247979886.

sports

30

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013

MONTE CARLO MASTERS

Top three sail through

Top three seeds, Djokovic, Murray and Nadal made winning starts.

MONTE CARLO, MONACO: Top three seeds Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal all made winning starts at the Monte Carlo Masters on Wednesday.

World number one Djokovic said he was pleased to have passed a huge test on his injured right ankle following a 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 defeat of Russian Mikhail Youzhny.

Djokovic admitted that at one point in the second set he felt some pain but played through it successfully, thanks in

PGA TOUR HERITAGE

Day seeks to bounce back after loss

HILTON HEAD, SOUTH CAROLINA: Australian Jason Day is among the players seeking to bounce back from disappointment at the Masters by playing at the $5.8 million US PGA Tour Heritage tournament starting Thursday.

Day, fellow Australian Marc Leishman and American Brandt Snedeker were all in contention in the final round of the year’s first major, but fell short.

Day, who admitted the pressure at Augusta National “got to me a little bit,” surrendered a last-round lead with back-toback bogeys and failed to make a playoff in which Aussie Adam Scott triumphed over Argentina’s Angel Cabrera.

Day said he was glad to have a new challenge to focus on. “It’s nice to be here and have sunshine and just kind of relax,” he said.

“I’ve got to move on to the next one and try and win this one.”

Leishman finished tied for fourth with Tiger Woods at Augusta while Snedeker shared sixth place. It’s not the first time Day has arrived at Hilton Head’s Harbour Town Golf Links after a Masters letdown.

AFP

Youzhny missed a drop shot, before serving out the match.

“I think that my ankle is in a good state as the days are passing by,” said the winner.

“Today was a big test, I had a great quality opponent.

“My clay movements are still not at the maximum. But I’m going to slowly get into it.

Hopefully I can elevate the level of performance in the next match. I’m very happy to win, I’m just happy to compete, to be honest. I didn’t know if I’m going to be play-

part to his heavy strappings.

Second seed Murray posted an uneventful 6-1, 6-4 win over France’s Eduardo RogerVasselin while Nadal began his favourite part of the year and a quest for a ninth straight title here with a 6-1, 6-2 defeat of Marinko Matosevic.

Djokovic had waited until the last minute to make his decision on whether he could compete, having rolled his ankle on Davis Cup duty 10 days ago. He earned a late break for 5-4 in the final set as

COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP

Smith forced to toil in field

LONDON: South Africa star Graeme Smith suffered a frustrating debut as Surrey captain as his compatriot Alviro Petersen hit a superb 167 to put Somerset in a strong position in their County Championship match at the Oval on Wednesday. Smith knows all about Petersen’s strengths and weaknesses after batting alongside him at the top of the order in the South Africa team.

But he couldn’t make that inside knowledge pay off as Petersen’s impressive knock helped Somerset reach 344 for eight at the close of play on the first day.

Smith’s first taste of action with Surrey went wrong from the start as he lost the toss, with Somerset electing to bat.

Petersen came in to make his debut innings for his third county in the seventh over after England opener Nick Compton had played on to Jade Dernbach for a duck.

While his team-mates often struggled to time their shots on

Marcus Trescothick and Graeme Smith share a joke during the Surrey vs Somerset County Championship, Division One match, on Wednesday.

a slow pitch Petersen did not offer a chance as he eased to the 31st first-class hundred of his career. His second 50 came off just 54 balls and he reached his century with successive fours off Gareth Batty — a back-foot force followed by a dismissive pull.

Petersen looked on course

to repeat the double hundred he made at the Oval for Glamorgan two years ago when Zander de Bruyn trapped him leg before as he tried to work the ball through mid-wicket.

He batted for 312 minutes, faced 255 balls and hit 19 fours and a straight six off Batty. AFP

ing the tournament up to yesterday (Tuesday) basically.”

Murray was pleased with his own effort on his weakest surface as he beat Roger-Vasselin. “Its always difficult to move when you get to this surface. I started the match well and he made a lot of errors in the first set. I was able to take advantage of them.”

Nadal was totally in his comfort zone on another sunny, warm day on the Mediterranean, demolishing the Australian in 62 minutes. AFP

FRESH START

PCB presents new constitution KARACHI, PAKISTAN: Pakistan’s cricket authority on Wednesday presented the International Cricket Council (ICC) with a new constitution, after it was warned to run its board democratically in line with global standards.

The ICC last year directed all 10 of its members to run their boards in a democratic way and without government interference, threatening sanctions for any board which did not meet its requirements by June 2013.

Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh were directly affected by the new ICC ruling as the head of the cricket board in these countries is not elected but instead nominated by the government.

PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf presented a copy of the authority’s new constitution to Alan Isaac, the ICC president, in Dubai.

AFP

BANGLADESH’S TOUR OF ZIMBABWE

Taylor’s ton boosts side

HARARE: A defiant, unbeaten century from captain Brendan Taylor allowed Zimbabwe to build a solid platform on a sluggish first day of the first Test against Bangladesh at Harare Sports Club. In their first home Test in 18 months, Taylor put Zimbabwe’s recent problems aside as he scored 105 not out and took his side from 65 for three early in the second session to

217 for four at the close of play.

Taylor endured a torrid tour of the West Indies last month and has seen his squad become increasingly dispirited in the wake of another contract dispute, but led from the front on a difficult pitch.

Although on the low side, Zimbabwe’s total represented a reasonable day’s work for the hosts after they were inserted

on a greentop by Bangladesh, who lacked the fast bowling arsenal to take full advantage.

“If they had scored 300-plus today then I would have been pretty upset, but I think it’s still a pretty even game,” said Bangladesh coach Shane Jurgensen. Robiul Islam charged in manfully for 24 overs, but after removing both of Zimbabwe’s openers cheaply.

AFP

IPL 6

31

BATTLE OF THE TITANS

METRE

6 S 164

They [DD] are a dangerous side with Sehwag and Warner at the top. Also having lost five straight games, they have nothing to lose.

Andy Bichel CSK bowling coach

Virat Kohli (RCB) 321 runs

Sunil Narine (KKR) 10 wickets

‘Bhajji not factor behind omission’ R

ajasthan Royals captain Rahul Dravid has brushed aside talks that temperamental pacer S Sreesanth was rested for the match against Mumbai Indians to avoid a possible confrontation with Harbhajan Singh, saying it was tactical move aimed at managing the workload of players.

Sreesanth and Harbhajan were slated to meet for the first time last night in an Indian Premier League after the former reopened the 'slapgate' wounds with his explosive tweets.

However, Sreesanth, who returned with figures of 2-20 off his four overs against Kings XI in Royals' previous game, was surprisingly left out of the match against Mumbai and in his place Ankeet Chavan was drafted in. PTI P

W

L

T PT

RR

5

4

1

0

8 +1.063

RCB

6

4

2

0

8 +0.362

SRH

6

4

2

0

8 -0.220

MI

5

3

2

0

6 +0.050

KXIP

4

2

2

0

4 +0.432

KKR

5

2

3

0

4 +0.136

CSK

4

2

2

0

4 -0.122

PWI

6

2

4

0

4 -0.788

DD

5

0

5

0

0 -0.667

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

NR

Chris Gayle (RCB),

16 4S 604

Virat Kohli (RCB)

33

HIGHEST SCORE

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013

93*

Virat Kohli (RCB)

BEST BOWLER

4-13

Sunil Narine (KKR)

Daredevilry act awaited G APARNA SAI

aparna.s@postnoon.com

D

elhi Daredevils are the only team in this season, who after playing five matches are still struggling to post a victory and earn their first points.

They came close to their first victory in their previous match when they clashed with Royal Challengers Bangalore on Tuesday.

Though it initially looked like the Daredevils were staring at defeat, they managed to apply the brakes on RCB’s run chase and tie the match.

But they failed to make an impact in the super over and slumped to their fifth defeat.

While skipper Mahela Jayawardene said that the side intended to take one match at a time and concentrate on the home games, Delhi will have to put in a lot of effort and soon

CSK VS DD AT 8PM ON SET MAX

SCORECARD PWI VS SRH

win matches and do it on a regular basis in order to stay put in the tournament and stand a chance to make it to the qualifiers.

The Daredevils will take on a much stronger team, the Chennai Super Kings, on home turf today at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium.

This Dhoni led side have been a mixed bag this season.

They won matches which most would have believed could have swung in the opponents favour and lost encounters where they should have emerged winners.

Not only have most of the players put up a decent show, they have also had luck favour them. The Chennai side who are currently placed at the seventh position on the points table would be looking to claim their third victory in today’s match.

A win today would push them to the fifth position but the Daredevils will surely go all out to spoil this and register that first victory this season — that victory which has been evading them since a while.

THE TRICK IS A HAT-TRICK

RR VS MI

Sunrisers Hyderabad innings (20 overs maximum) PA Patel† b Kumar 12 (9) Q de Kock c Marsh b Dinda 2 (8) GH Vihari c Finch b Kumar 1 (8) CL White* b Kumar 0 (1) Samantray c Pandey b Sharma 37 (37) KV Sharma lbw b Sharma 7 (13) NLTC Perera c †Uthappa b Marsh 2 (4) Mishra run out (Pandey/†Uthappa)30 (24) A Ashish Reddy not out 19 (15) DW Steyn not out 4 (1) Extras (w 5) 5 Total (8 wickets; 20 overs) 119 Bowling O M R W Econ B Kumar 4 0 18 3 4.50 AB Dinda 4 0 25 1 6.25 AD Mathews 4 0 29 0 7.25 R Sharma 4 0 21 2 5.25 MR Marsh 4 0 26 1 6.50 Pune Warriors innings (target: 120 runs from 20 overs) Uthappa† c Samantray b Perera 22 (14) AJ Finch c de Kock b Perera 16 (13) TL Suman lbw b KV Sharma 12 (14) Smith c A Reddy b I Sharma 17 (25) AD Mathews* c Steyn b Mishra 20 (24) MR Marsh c A Reddy b Steyn 14 (13) AM Nayar c Samantray b Perera 0 (2) MK Pandey not out 7 (6) B Kumar lbw b Mishra 0 (1) R Sharma b Mishra 0 (1) AB Dinda b Mishra 0 (1) Extras 0 Total (all out; 19 overs) 108 Bowling O M R W Econ I Sharma 4 0 22 1 5.50 DW Steyn 4 0 34 1 8.50 NLTC Perera 4 0 20 3 5.00 A Mishra 4 0 19 4 4.75 KV Sharma 3 0 13 1 4.33

Rajasthan Royals innings (20 overs maximum) SR Watson c †Karthik b Pollard 31 (25) AM Rahane not out 68 (54) Yagnik† c Tendulkar b Harbhajan34 (24) STR Binny run out (Johnson/Ojha) 4 (4) BJ Hodge not out 27 (15) Extras (lb 7, w 6, nb 2) 15 Total (3 wickets; 20 overs) 179 Bowling O M R W Econ MG Johnson 4 0 41 0 10.25 SL Malinga 4 0 30 0 7.50 R Dhawan 2 0 20 0 10.00 PP Ojha 4 0 31 0 7.75 KA Pollard 2 0 24 1 12.00 Harbhajan 4 0 26 1 6.50 Mumbai Indians innings (target: 180 runs from 20 overs) SR Tendulkar c Trivedi b Chandila 1 (3) RT Ponting* c & b Chandila 4 (9) KD Karthik† c Hodge b Faulkner 30 (32) RG Sharma c Watson b Trivedi 2 (7) KA Pollard b Binny 1 (7) AT Rayudu lbw b Cooper 27 (29) R Dhawan c Faulkner b Binny 0 (1) Harbhajan run out (Dravid/†Yagnik) 1 (1) MG Johnson b Faulkner 11 (9) SL Malinga b Faulkner 7 (11) PP Ojha not out 1 (1) Extras (lb 4, w 3) 7 Total (all out; 18.2 overs) 92 Bowling O M R W Econ A Chandila 2 0 6 2 3.00 AA Chavan 3 0 10 0 3.33 JP Faulkner 3.2 1 16 3 4.80 SK Trivedi 4 1 17 1 4.25 STR Binny 3 0 14 2 4.66 K Cooper 3 0 25 1 8.33

Sunrisers Hyderabad won by 11 runs

Rajasthan Royals won by 87 runs

Sunriseres Hyderabad bowler Amit Mishra celebrates his hat-trick and their victroy against Pune Warriors with Cameron White during their IPL match in Pune on Wednesday.

PTI/SHASHANK PARADE

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2013

sports

BARÇA'S STYLE MEANS MORE THAN RESULTS: XAVI Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez has claimed the Catalans' successes have more merit because of the style with which they are achieved. The 33-year-old has won almost everything at both club and international level, but said he is motivated more by the manner in which his sides play.

PREMIER LEAGUE

32

GERMAN CUP

United held at West Ham And, Tevez struck late on to give Manchester City a 1-0 win against Wigan.

STEVEN GRIFFITHS Agence France-Presse LONDON: Manchester United may have to wait a little longer to reclaim the Premier League title after being held to a 2-2 draw at West Ham, while Manchester City won 1-0 against Wigan on Wednesday.

Alex Ferguson's team were below their best for long periods at Upton Park and needed Robin van Persie's late strike to rescue a point.

Second placed City took advantage of United's slip, with Carlos Tevez netting the winner in their FA Cup final rehearsal at Eastlands.

That allowed the champions to close the gap on the leaders to 13 points, meaning Ferguson's club can only win their 20th title in the next round of fixtures if City lose at Tottenham on Sunday and United beat Aston Villa on Monday.

"We had to stand up to a lot, we went down twice but we kept going. We played like champions tonight," Ferguson said.

"It's one more game away,

Wednesday results Fulham 0 Chelsea 3 (Luiz 30, Terry 43, 71) Manchester City 1 (Tevez 83) Wigan 0 West Ham 2 (Vaz Te 16, Diame 55) Manchester Utd 2 (Valencia 31, Van Persie 77)

Manchester United's Ecuadorian midfielder Antonio Valencia (L) scores their first goal against West Ham United in London, on Wednesday.

AFP

that's five left. We're determined to win, we don't like losing and they showed that tonight again."

It was Sam Allardyce's team who looked more motivated in the early stages and they took the lead in the 16th minute.

Andy Carroll met Matt Jarvis's cross with a header down to Ricardo Vaz Te and the striker headed in from close-range for his first goal since October.

Ferguson's team drew level

in the 31st minute when Shinji Kagawa skipped through the Hammers defence and crossed for Antonio Valencia to tap in his first goal of the season.

Ferguson still ended the half furious as a fearsome challenge from Carroll pole-axed United goalkeeper David De Gea. There was no sign of an improvement in Ferguson's mood when West Ham moved ahead thanks to Senegal mid-

fielder Mohamed Diame's brilliant curling strike from the edge of the area.

But van Persie earned United a share of the spoils when he fired into the roof of the net after Kagawa's shot hit both posts and rebounded to the Dutch forward, who looked to be in an offside position.

At Eastlands, City had to ride their luck before making the most of United's sloppy display.

Wigan reached the FA Cup final for the first time in their history after beating Millwall on Saturday and they took the game to Wembley opponents City in the first half.

But City made it five wins from their last six matches.

Terry double lifts Chelsea to #3 JONNY FORDHAM Agence France-Presse LONDON: Chelsea moved third in the Premier League as John Terry (in pic) scored twice following a David Luiz thunderbolt in their 3-0 win against west London rivals Fulham at Craven Cottage on Wednesday.

Brazil star Luiz lashed home from 35 yards in the 30th minute before Terry netted with a brace of close-range headers in the 42nd and

71st minutes.

Rafael Benitez's side are one point ahead of fourth placed Arsenal and three in front of fifth placed Tottenham in the race to qualify for the Champions League.

Benitez made four changes to the starting line-up that lost 2-1 in the FA Cup semi-final to Manchester City on Sunday.

In came Frank Lampard for his 600th appearance for the club as well as Terry, winger Victor Moses and

striker Fernando Torres.

Cottagers boss Martin Jol also tinkered with his team and brought in Mladen Petric and John Arne Riise for the injured Damien Duff and Kieran Richardson.

The hosts started on the front foot and had a chance to take the lead within three minutes.

Sascha Riether crossed for Bryan Ruiz, but he couldn't keep his cushioned volley down from closerange.

FOOTBALL BRIEFS Evian pour cold water on PSG double hopes

Real Madrid push Man Utd off top of rich list

Messi kit gives Pope a hat-trick of shirts

FIFA chief slams attacks on Boston marathon

PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain's hopes of a domestic double this season ended on Wednesday as Ligue 1 minnows Evian eliminated them 4-1 on penalties after their quarter-final ended 1-1 after extratime. PSG – who were knocked out of the Champions League last week

by Barcelona – had taken the lead through Javier Pastore.

LONDON: Spanish giants Real Madrid have replaced Premier League powerhouse Manchester United at the top of the Forbes list of the world's most valuable football teams. United had held first place since business analyst Forbes started compiling the list in 2004, but have been overtaken by Real in the latest rankings.

VATICAN CITY: Many a football fan would like to get their hands on signed Lionel Messi kit but it was the pope who got lucky Wednesday when he received a personally autographed shirt from the Barcelona striker. Four-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi sent his compatriot a shirt with the words "with much affection", the Vatican said.

HAVANA: FIFA chief Sepp Blatter on Wednesday condemned the deadly attacks at the Boston marathon, urging authorities to pull out all the stops in preventing such tragedies. "What happened in Boston is a drama, a tragedy," the head of world football's governing body said in Spanish, speaking to reporters.

Stuttgart to meet Bayern in final RYLAND JAMES Agence France-Presse BERLIN: VfB Stuttgart will face favourites Bayern Munich in June's German Cup final after they beat Freiburg 2-1 at home in their semi-final on Wednesday.

The victory had a double bonus for Stuttgart as they are now guaranteed a Europa League place next season as final opponents Bayern have already qualified for the Champions League.

With Bundesliga champions Bayern chasing the treble, having reached the Champions League semifinal where they face Barcelona on Tuesday, Stuttgart are chasing their first silverware since 2007.

"These are moments for which you do the job," said Stuttgart coach Bruno Labbadia (above).

"My team fought until the last whistle, it's unbelievable. This team has given their all for the last two-and-a-half years, it makes me really happy that they have their reward."

In Tuesday's other semifinal, Bayern hammered Wolfsburg 6-1.

My team fought until the last whistle. This team has given their all for the last two-and-ahalf years, it makes me really happy that they have their reward.

Bruno Labbadia Stuttgart coach