Postnoon E-Paper for

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013 HYDERABAD

WEATHER: A MIX OF CLEAR AND CLOUDY SKIES; 30°C

WWW.POSTNOON.COM

FLASH

IT’S 6 IN A ROW FOR SOUTHERN

32 PAGES

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Southern Travels Pvt Ltd, an ISO 9001: 2000 certified company, bagged the prestigious National Tourism Award by the Ministry of Tourism. This is the sixth time the company has bagged the award. The award was presented by President Pranab Mukherjee at a glittering ceremony at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, in the presence of Minister of State for Tourism, K Chiranjeevi.

HYDERABAD’S FIRST COMPACT AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER

COURTING INADEQUACIES The government had set up the special court to help dispose of pending cases in the civil courts. However, the special court at Erramanzil is far from helping resolve matters. Instead, it is plagued with its own problems.

REPORT ON P6

DMK pulls out of UPA over Lanka issue DMK chief M Karuna nidhi on Tuesday quit the Congress-led UPA and its government expressing dismay on India's stand over Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

"Continuing in this government will be an injustice to the Sri Lankan Tamils," the former Tamil Nadu chief minister told the media.

P11

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

city events

NIKON ORGANISES FIRST EVER DSLR WORKSHOP IN CITY

Nikon India is organising its first ever basic DSLR workshop in Hyderabad on March 24 at Hotel Basera, 1-9-167/168, SD Road, Secunderabad. The workshop starts at noon. Registrations start at 10.30am and will be done on first come first serve basis.

Weather for Hyderabad

Evening

Overnight

30°C

22°C

Clear with cloudy periods.

Clear with cloudy periods.

Morning

Afternoon

28°C

36°C

A mix of sun and cloud.

Sunny with cloudy periods.

New Delhi Mumbai Max 34 Max 32 Min 20 Min 21 Clear.

Chennai Max 32 Min 25

Clear.

Partly cloudy.

2

Bangalore Max 33 Min 21 Partly cloudy.

AROUND THE CITY: YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES DINING Easter goodies Hot cross buns, Easter Bunnies, and Easter chocolates are part of the special Easter menu.

Where: Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre When: March 25-31 St Patrick’s Day – Brunch Menu includes Irish soda bread, boxty and colcannon.

Where: The Square, Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre When: from March 17, noon onwards Contact: (040) 6682 4422 Shaam-e-Deccan GreenPark is hosting Royal Hyderabadi Food Festival – Shaame-Deccan. There will be a spread of vegetarian and non vegetarian delights, especially the nawabi kebabs and a wide choice of biriyanis.

Where: Once Upon a Time, GreenPark, Greenlands, Begumpet When: March 15-24, 7.30pm to 11pm Contact: (040) 6651 5151 Daily treats Orange is the fruit of the month at The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace.

Dishes include orange blossom cheesecake, orange creme brule and dark chocolate orange tart.

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

155333 23431178 23431179

MUNICIPAL CORPORATION

called for applications for a group photography exhibition on ‘Women in Public Spaces.’ This is an exhibition of selected entries.

Where: Goethe-Zentrum, Hyderabad When: March 15-24, 9.30am to 5.30pm Contact: (040) 2335 0443

It’s Easter!

There is a special Easter brunch.

Where: : Seasonal Tastes, The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace When: March 31, noon to 4pm Contact: (040) 6767 6888

French heritage A photographic voyage of French heritage in India with Anay Mann, Gigi Scaria, Rishi Singhal, Serena Chopra, Isabel Saij along with JeanPierre Dubois.

Where: Kalakriti Art Gallery, Banjara Hills When: March 16-21 11am to 7pm Contact: (040) 6656 4466

SHOWS A short film about...

This is a movie by Divya Sachar on how, affected by other’s perceptions, women mostly find themselves looking at their breasts through a male perspective.

Where: Lamakaan, Opposite GVK One Mall, Road No.1, Banjara Hills When: March 19, 7pm onwards Contact: 96427 31329

MISCELLANEOUS The great Oxford sale Discounts on books, magazines, stationery and gift items.

Where: Oxford Bookstore, Tresorie, The Park, 22 Raj Bhavan Road When: Up to March 31, Contact: (040) 31002959

DocuSplash!

Barf, 1997 & Sita’s Family, 2002, Delhi Mumbai Delhi, 2006 and Naach, 2008, will be screened.

Where: Goethe-Zentrum, Hyderabad 20 Journalist Colony, Road no. 3, Banjara Hills When: March 24, 11am onwards Contact: gothe.de/hyderabad Francophonie day 2013 The open day includes free demo classes, crêpe tasting and a short film about France. The labcitoyen competition gives you a chance to win a trip to France. The evening events include performance by French speakers from different countries.

Where: Alliance Française, Plot no. 4, Aurora Colony, Road no. 3, Banjara Hills When: March 20, Open day: 10am to 4pm Competition: 3pm

Commissioner & Spl Officer

Helpline

ELECTRICITY General Complaints Breakdown Section

Where: Daily Treats, The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace When: Up to March 31 Contact: (040) 6767 6818

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

PLENTY OF SHADE: A child struggles with an umbrella twice his size outside Prasads Imax even as the summer heat makes life miserable for Hyderabad’s citizens.

M ANIL KUMAR Evening events: 6pm Contact: (040) 6460 3341

ART Thinking form and content An exhibition of art work by Gopal Nayak.

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

Where: ICONART Gallery, Road no. 12, Sri Ram Nagar Colony, Banjara Hills When: Up to March 30, from 11.30 am to 7pm Contact: 98499 68797 Women in Public Spaces Goethe-Zentrum Hyderabad had

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

Spring Treasure Sale There is a sale of up to 50 per cent off at Taj Khazana, which showcases artefacts as well as a selection of garments, stoles, shawls and accessories from various Indian designers.

Where: Taj Khazana Taj Falaknuma Palace When: March 15-25 Contact: (040) 6629 8600

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

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

City

YESTERDAY’S QUESTION

DID TDP LOSE ITS CREDIBILITY BY NOT SUPPORTING NCM? 36% 64%

YES (A) NO (B)

TODAY’S QUESTION

IS THE COUNTRY HEADING FOR A MID-TERM POLL? A)

YES

B)

NO

To vote visit www.postnoon.com

CRIME

3

Five held for woman’s murder Unable to find jobs in the City, three labourers conspired to rob and murder the woman who had taken them in and helped them look for work.

Mohd SUBHAN mohd.s@postnoon.com

T

hree labourers unable to find work allegedly took a short-cut to earn some quick cash by murdering a woman labourer who had some money and jewellery on her.

The murder, which happened in Shamshabad on December 30, has been solved with the arrest of two men and a woman, along with two jewellers who bought the gold.

E Easwaramma, 35, paid with her life for being kind to three people of her native village of Shadnagar in Mahbubnagar.

Easwaramma worked hard in the City and made some money and jewellery. When three people from her village — Krishna, Yadgiri and Balamani — came hunting for jobs, she helped them get in touch with some contractors. But the trio could not

find any useful work.

Meanwhile, the money they had on them exhausted and the three plotted to dispose of Easwaramma and take away her ornaments and cash.

On December 30, the trio invited Easwaramma for a toddy treat and after they were drunk, the three strangled the hapless woman and escaped with cash and ornaments. Her body was found in the bushes of Siddulu Gutta village of Shamshabad.

Initially, it was an unidentified body but the missing complaint with the police helped establish her identity.

Based on versions of coworkers and neighbours, the police traced the three and interrogated them. At the initial interrogation itself, the three admitted to the crime. Later, police arrested two jewellers who bought the ornaments. All the five are now in prison.

The accused got E Easwaramma drunk, strangled her and escaped with her cash and ornaments

CRIME

Woman police fail to protect eves

Woman police stations in the City have failed to act against the husbands and in-laws, accused of cruel treatment, of two newlyweds, giving the lie to the belief that woman police protect the interests of women.

FOR REPRESENTATION ONLY

POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com

W

hile the Centre is proposing to tighten laws on crime against women, dowry-related crimes against wives continue unabated.

Two incidents of domestic violence against young wives have been reported to woman police stations but cops have not yet moved in to save the aggrieved.

According to police details, P Vanisree, 28, married P Vikram Singh, a resident of Addagutta, Secunderabad, in 2008. At the time, her parents had given her gold, cash and other valuable articles to set up her new home. Barely 10 months later, her inlaws began beating her up for bringing what they considered less dowry. A case was filed against the in-laws, naming Shashikala and Vineetha as tormentors.

Vanisree allegedly attempted suicide but survived. While she was undergoing treatment, her husband reconciled with her and took her home again in December.

But things did not improve at her inlaws’ home, it is said. On March 16, when

The woman police station at CCS.

Vanisree was asleep, her in-laws and husband allegedly doused her with petrol and set her afire. Vanisree’s screams for help brought the neighbours to the scene.

Her husband and in-laws claimed that she had attempted suicide. Neighbours arranged a vehicle to take her to the hospital. Her parents rushed to the hospital and

later lodged a criminal complaint with the Tukaramgate police.

Despite this being a clear criminal case of aggression against a woman, the Tukaramgate police have not yet arrested the husband and in-laws though the dowry case demands it.

Another similar incident was reported at the Begumpet women’s police station, where a newlywed, Zamrud Fatima, 23, has lodged a complaint against her husband, MA Malik, and her in-laws. She has stated in her complaint that she was married in 2012. At the time, her parents had given a lot of articles and jewellery as dowry. But just after three months, her husband and in-laws started harassing her for more dowry and she was beaten up several times.

As Fatima’s parents were unable to meet the in-laws’ demands, she was reportedly thrown out of her home two days ago.

She approached the woman police station of Begumpet and booked a case against her husband and in-laws. No action has yet been taken. Inspector A Madhavi Lata said the “investigation was going on”.

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city TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013 LAST YEAR... HERE Grave water problems

L

ast year we had reported how a man had committed suicide after being denied an extra bucket of water.

Fights and quarrels had already been breaking out due to the shortage of water. Drying up of the City’s lakes, depletion of groundwater resources and wanton wastage of the precious liquid during transportation had put the City in a precarious position.

MARCH 19, 2012

CIVIC

Hum do, hamare do

So says the GHMC election rules. Those who have more than two children yet dream of a political career now find themselves in a quandary. Some have even resorted to hiding their third child to avoid legal wrangles.

NUMEROLOGY

Congress loses Borabanda civic ward to MIM

`985cr

POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com

the amount allocated to the CM’s relief fund for the next fiscal year. The entire amount is at the CM’s disposal and can be distributed entirely at his discretion.

The real trouble started with the supremely arrogant nature of the security personnel. Bouncers were showing goondagiri even before the crowds started accumulating.

Mahesh Koneru, film critic See page 7

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

1

The dangerous state of public audio launches.

The death of a fan at the audio launch of an upcoming Telugu movie exposed several faults in organisation and security measures at popular public events in the State.

2

The mask of the peoplefriendly budget slips.

For all his promises of not imposing a tax burden on citizens, finance minister Anam Reddy’s budget has snuck in several antipeople measures.

3

Policewomen fail to come to the aid of women.

Cases of dowry harassment filed at woman police stations in the City have not been addressed, leaving the victims high and dry.

4

New courts inspire as much fear as prisons.

The new courts in the City are courts only for the record, say lawyers and petitioners.

5

Be happy tomorrow — it’s the Day of Happiness!

Happiness, as an index of prosperity and development, has gained credence over the years.

I

Lawyer J Prabhakar (left) helped BJP corporator C Uday Kumar (right) win his case against the MIM corporator in Langer House ward on the grounds that the MIM leader had more than two children.

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“F

or more than two years, the former corporator mislead the people. It was nothing but fraud on electorate,” said J Prabhakar, the lawyer who successfully fought the case of C Uday Kumar, current corporator of Langer House. Uday was declared the winner by the High Court while disqualifying the MIM corporator for having more than the allowed two children.

Under Section 21-B of the GHMC Act, if a public representative has more than two children, he/she will stand disqualified. Interestingly, the same is not applicable for MLAs and MPs. Under GHMC Act, the norm is applied since 1994, through 21-A and 21-B, but there is no strong legislation for MLAs and MPs. “Maybe, a similar Act will come for them also. But it needs

amendment through representation of peoples’ act,” said the advocate.

Uday Kumar won the case, by providing the birth certificates of his rival’s children. He made an appeal for giving him the corporatorship (he was the

Unconfirmed reports said a couple of corporators have sent one of their three children to a distant relative to avoid the public gaze. runner-up in the elections) and nobody from the other parties (election candidates) objected.

“Under Section 80 of GHMC Act, second highest can be given the seat,” said Prabhakar.

But in the case of Bhanumati (Borabanda ward), it did not

come about so easily and elections were announced. “They only fought the case to unseat the then corporator (Vanaja Goud), but they failed to invoke Section 80 of GHMC Act,” he clarified.

Even though Uday Kumar was given the seat of corporator, there is ‘no interim suspension’ in the Supreme Court. The court has refused to grant interim stay.

The Supreme Court will again take up the MIM matter on April 2. According to the advocate, it is not a closed case. “But it is subject to what the Supreme Court says,” Prabhakar added.

There are more cases in the corporation of similar nature but many leave them as they do not want to stoke family affairs counting children. Unconfirmed reports said a couple of corporators have sent one of their three children to a distant relative to avoid the public gaze. Some others pleaded with rivals not to create trouble.

t was a subdued celebration of victory in Borabanda municipal ward today.

MIM corporator V Bhanumati, who had challenged the victory of her Congress rival, Vanaja Goud, in the court for violating the GHMC law about having more than two children, today won the re-election against the Congress candidate by 1,440 votes.

However, the official declaration of the byelection’s result will have to be endorsed by the High Court. Till then, the winner can’t take oath.

Official sources at the GHMC said the total number of votes polled at Borabanda was over 5,000. The candidates who stood second and third in the bypolls are: Hajira Sultana (Congress) and A Kavitha (TDP), respectively.

Zonal commissioner, circle 10, T Sakala Reddy said that the counting was completed between 9am and 10am on Tuesday. The MIM candidate has the majority.

“As there is a stay in the High Court, the results cannot be announced officially. They will be announced once the court gives directions,” he said.

NEWS BRIEFS NTR Jr fan’s kin gets `10 lakh

Balireddy Satya Rao joins YSRC

GHMC receives tourism award

Snake strays into Osmania Hospital

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B

M

A

ero Jr NTR and producer Bandla Ganesh gave `5 lakh each to the family members of Raju, a fan who died in the stampede at the audio launch of Baadshah. Raju, who was from Warangal, made a living by selling scrap. He was a fan of NTR and came to Hyderabad with friends to witness the audio function. He died in the stampede.

alireddy Satya Rao, a senior Congress leader and former minister, joined the YSRC on Monday. He was admitted by the party’s honorary president Vijayamma. Venkat Reddy, former ZPTC of Anantapur district, and TDP leader Wakaruddin have also joined the YSRC. The party claimed more would join soon.

ayor Mohammed Majid Hussain and GHMC commissioner MT Krishna Babu accepted the award for best citizen services under National Tourism Awards from President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday. GHMC had contested for the National Tourism Awards 20112012 in civic management of a tourist destination in India category.

snake that strayed into Osmania General Hospital on Monday scared staff and patients. Hearing of the snake, patients ran out of the hospital.The six-foot snake slithered around before the security staff managed to lock it in a room and informed the Nehru Zoological Park authorities. It is the second time this year that such an incident occurred.

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city TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

POLITICS

CM relief fund doubled

The huge rise in the CM relief fund in this budget is an indication of Kiran Kumar Reddy seeking to bolster his image and getting ready for the 2014 General Elections.

INKESHAF AHMED ahmed.m@postnoon.com

H

aving won a series of victories over his own party detractors and rivals, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy has shifted his focus to endearing himself to party leaders and MLAs with the aim of steering the State to the all-important elections in 2014.

Towards this aim, the CM has put his mark on the State annual budget too, which was presented by finance minister A Ramanarayana Reddy on Monday. Kiran Kumar Reddy received a lion’s share for his Chief Minister Relief Fund (CMRF). The sum was raised from `400 crore in the last fiscal (2011-12) to `985 crore for the next fiscal (2013-14). Kiran is vested with powers utilising these funds at his discretion. It is a hike of almost 150 per cent in the budgetary allocation. This would come in handy to the CM, especially in the election year.

CMRF is a powerful tool for a CM as he has discretionary powers to decide how to render financial help to the needy. But the definition of needy is flexible to such an extent that a sizeable sum is always cornered by those recommended by MLAs.

A senior party leader, reacting to the CMRF allocations, said it would come in handy in improving the CM’s image. “We are happy to see the raised allocations to CMRF. The chief minister has helped us a lot in the past using his discretionary powers. The increased allocations would definitely prove a great

The sum for the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund was raised from `400 crore in the last fiscal (2011-12) to `985 crore for the next fiscal (2013-14).

influencing factor for all the party cadres in coming days and help the CM to endear himself with party cadres.”

There is strong criticism that the CMRF is only helping ruling Congress leaders and ignoring the requirements of other party leaders. Some alleged that the CM ensured huge allocations to

his own fund to please his own party leaders and his supporters.

Opposition ranks are understandably unhappy. They say the well-meaning fund has lost its sanctity with ‘petty leaders’ coming to power. Gone are the days of just leaders occupying high offices who would not misuse the funds, they complained.

POLITICS

Anam takes detour to slap tax on people On the face of it, the budget was a people-friendly one, but on closer examination, it turned out to be a crafty way of bludgeoning the public.

POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com

F

inance minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy (in pic), who announced that his government will not impose any tax burden on the people of the State, did quite the opposite, albeit in an indirect way.

He imposed an additional burden of around `10,000 crore on the people, not in an easily perceivable way, but via Value Added Tax (VAT) and user charges to avail many important government services.

Government services include the crucial stamps and registration and transport departments of the State. If we look at the budgetary figures, the State government had hiked

the target of stamps and registration department to `6,414 crore. This is a huge increase of `1,464 crore from the ongoing fiscal’s revised budget estimates.

Of this sum, the target of revenue set by the State government through imposition of user charges alone stands at `737 crore in the next financial year.

The share of user charges stood at a paltry `42 crore in the current fiscal. There is also an unprecedented increase of 1,654 per cent in the revenue target set up by the government through levying user charges.

In order to achieve this aim, the State is trying to bring in more new services under the radar of stamps and registration department, apart from effecting a huge hike in land registration

He imposed a burden of `10,000 crore on the people via Value Added Tax (VAT) and user charges to avail many important government services.

charges from April 1.

On the other hand,the target set for another crucial department, transport, through its various types of fee is `4,352

crore. This is an increase of `745 crore from this fiscal’s figures.

The quantum of budgetary target through imposition of user charges in the transport department was increased from `48 crore in current fiscal to `557 crore for the next fiscal.

Interestingly, the department has already surpassed its set target of the current fiscal by achieving a target of `305 crore.

POSTNOON STANCE PROVES CORRECT Postnoon’s prediction on the State government’s debt burden has come true with the presentation of the State’s annual budget. In its January 31 edition, the paper, quoting sources, said that the State’s debt burden would cross `1.7 lakh crore and this would make successive governments groan under the impact of debt servicing.

The minister has pegged the total public debt outstanding for the next fiscal at `1,79,637 crore.

Much of the governmental revenue will go for paying interests to debts and this would leave the State with little funds and leeway to act for developmental and welfare measures.

6

city TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

SPECIAL COURTS

Of no help whatsoever

The government had set up the special court to help dispose of long-pending cases in the civil courts.

However, the special court at Erramanzil is far from helping resolve matters. Instead, it is plagued with its own problems, that make matters worse for litigants, who are forced to put up with lack of amenities.

ALEENA ALICE aleena.alice@postnoon.com

S

ceptical, scared, confused and lost, this is exactly how anyone who would walk into the Special Magistrate Court at Erramanzil would feel. The court was started a year and a half ago by the State government with the aim of disposing of cases that were pending in City civil courts. Ironically, though this purpose has been far from achieved.

For starters, the special courts are housed in a building that lacks basic amenities like ventilation, drinking water, washrooms for women and even seating for visitors. In fact, in the entire multi storied building there is absolutely no seating, except for a few chairs in the court halls.

“More than walking into a court, it feels like we’re walking into a

jail,” say litigants, who come for hearings.

Though the building has a public waiting hall (right), most of the visitors are made to wait in narrow path ways, which are poorly ventilated. Reason being the waiting room is so small that it cannot accommodate more than 30 people.

However, it is particularly difficult for women litigants, as there is barely any security in the building. “I have been coming to this court for the past three months. Everytime I come, there is a sense of fear, because the hallways here are so dark and spooky. In case of power cuts, it is pitch dark. The fact that a majority of people here are men does not really help matters. For women like me it feels very unsafe to walk these halls in the dark,”says Sunitha (name changed), a petitioner.

The sad plight of petitioners does not end here. Nearly 95 per cent of the judges at the court are retired judges who have been working on a contract basis, and

DANGEROUS HYDERABAD

M ANIL KUMAR

E

WHAT RULES?

verybody except law enforcers are supposed to follow the law. Or so it seems. The traffic police who take great pride in making the rounds of various areas and towing away vehicles that are parked in No parking zones, does not seem to think they need to follow the same rules!

In this picture, a tow van, run by the City traffic police is seen stationed bang in the middle of the road at Bazaar Ghat. Hapless motorists were seen trying to weave their way around the gargantuan vehicle that continued to

remain parked in the middle of the busy street.

It may be recalled that in areas like Nampally, Himayatnagar and Old City, where parking spots are scarce, the traffic police makes good money by towing away vehicles parked on the roads. These areas lack parking space and the few spots alloted by the police are usually teeming with vehicles.

While we appreciate the fact that the traffic police takes its job of reducing illegal and haphazard parking, it would be great if they practiced what they preached!

allegedly come in at their own convenient time. So most of the litigants complain that if, they are called for a hearing at 10:30am they have to wait for an hour and a half at least.

“Waiting for the judge to come, for our hearing is a torture because the place is so packed in the mornings. The entire building has no drinking water either.

The corridors are extremely dingy and walking through them feels like one is walking through a maze,” says petitioner Srinivas.

The court building is not only causing inconvenience to the advocates and petitioners, but also to residents in the area.

The building has no parking facilities. Everyday hundreds of two-wheelers and four wheelers flock the compound of the building and park their vehicles haphazardly.

Since there is no space, advo-

cates and judges park their vehicles on the road in a “no parking zone” along the side of the building, by breaking the law and causing inconvenience to the moving traffic.

The law implementers however blame the government for not providing them with basic facilities.

“We have no option but to park our vehicles on the road.

Since we have to attend the court on time, and in case the advocate is not present at the time of hearing, the judge will adjourn the case. So we cannot waste precious time trying to find parking space in the designated zones.

The government has spent crores of rupees for namesake and constructed the additional special courts. However, they have failed to check if, these courts have even the basic amenities,” says a senior lawyer S Kumar.

7

City TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

TRAGEDY

Were too many passes issued?

The unfortunate incident where a person died at the audio launch of NTR-starrer Baadshah has raised several questions about how the event had been organised and more so the police brutalities that triggered the incident. Postnoon gets a lowdown on what happened that evening and the road ahead.

HEMANTH KUMAR hemanth.k@postnoon.com

moment despite not holding a pass," says an organiser, on the condition of anonymity, and adds, "When there's such a huge crowd, even the police can't control them. Few cops get restless and order lathicharge instead of handling the situation carefully.

This incident wouldn't have occurred if there were more cops to handle the event."

I

t has been two days since Raju, a die-hard fan of NTR, passed away due to a stampede at the audio launch of NTR's upcoming film Baadshah.

Like thousands of others who came to the event, all Raju wanted to do was to get a closer look at his favourite actor. He had come all the way from Warangal and there was no way he would return without attending the event. For the past few months, audio launches of big stars like Ram Charan, Mahesh Babu, Venkatesh, Prabhas and now NTR were being held at Ramanaidu Studios in Nanakramguda. Unlike indoor auditoriums such as Shilpakala Vedika and Hitex, this venue could accomodate more than 10,000 people. That night, more than 15,000 people thronged the venue, according to an estimate.

Just before the event started, people outside began getting restless and when the police tried to control the crowd, it led to a heated argument and eventually a stampede, which resulted in Raju's death.

WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED?

Film critic Mahesh Koneru, who witnessed the event, recalls, "The organisers tried to scan the barcode on each VVIP pass before admitting the pass holder inside.

This led to a huge bottleneck at the gate, as the barcode scanner could not keep pace with the growing crowds. Fans started getting restless at the long lines and trouble started brewing at around 6pm. Police officers and bouncers were behaving extremely rudely and they were manhandling people even though they had valid passes.

After 6pm, fans started getting desperate to go inside as the event was about to begin, which led to a war of words between fans and security personnel.

Instead of handling things patiently, the police officers started a lathi charge, which led to a major stampede. Writer Kona Venkat and producer Bandla Ganesh tried to reason with the police but the constables and a few sub-inspectors were in no mood to listen. Even the bouncers showed a very callous attitude and kept shoving around people who had Press and All Access passes."

THE ROAD AHEAD

WHO'S AT FAULT?

Baadshah's audio launch was supposed to take place on March 10 at the same venue; however, the police refused to give permission. When the makers of Baadshah decided to organise the event on March 17, the police department had instructed them to install CCTV cameras, beef up security measures among many other things. Despite taking additional measures, it was mayhem outside the venue. "The organisers are at fault for installing the barcode scanner system which wasn't required at all. Moreover, they issued too many passes, but the real trouble started with the supremely arrogant nature of the security personnel. Bouncers were showing goondagiri even before the crowds started accumulating," Mahesh Koneru contends.

Writer Kona Venkat stated that the entire team of Baadshah was extremely upset at the incident. Talking about what had happened, he posted on Twitter saying, "Bandla Ganesh should not be blamed for the incident, he was really upset about what had happened. There is a video footage of the incident. Police lathi charge was the reason for the stampede. If they don't erase it, the truth will come out. I'm

prepared to come to any court as an eyewitness and disclose the names of those arrogant cops who are responsible for this incident."

respective fan associations from various corners of the State to make the event a grand success and larger the gathering, the bigger news it makes. Were too many passes issued? The venue could accommodate 10,000 people but the organisers knew that nearly double that number of people would attend the event.

"A bar code scanner system was

Before the event started, people began getting restless and when the police tried to control the crowd, it led to a heated argument and a stampede.

WHY WERE TOO MANY PASSES ISSUED? The audio launches of top stars like NTR, Mahesh Babu, Pawan Kalyan, Ram Charan, Prabhas are a matter of prestige both for their respective fans and organisers. Hundreds of people are mobilised by the presidents of

installed to stop people without valid passes from entering the venue. I don't think too many passes were issued. Of late, it has become very easy to photocopy a pass and some fans try desperately to get inside the event venue by hook or crook.

Moreover, the makers of the respective films advertise heavily about where the audio launch is going to happen and there's every possibility that more people would reach the venue hoping to get lucky at the last

The aftermath of the incident is bound to have repercussions in the near future. Last year, Pawan Kalyan decided to not hold a huge audio launch for Cameraman Ganga Tho Rambabu when he had heard the inconvenience caused to his fans at Gabbar Singh's audio launch.

"I think there'll be a fear element which will play on the actor's and producer's mind due to this incident. We may not see a massive audio launch for sometime and even if there is, there will be even more security and safety measures," an industry source says.

Ever since the concept of silver jubilee and golden jubilee celebrations took a backseat in Telugu Film industry, audio launches are the only time a film is promoted in such a big way.

It's a matter of prestige for everyone involved with the film and the fans. Is it high time we do away with such huge outdoor events and look for an alternative? "It was quite an unfortunate incident and no one expected it.

We cannot stop organising an event just because it's going to attract way too much crowd. In that case, no political gatherings should be allowed. What's more important now is proper planning depending on the scale of event," actor Nani says.

Soon after NTR heard about the incident, he requested the producer, Bandla Ganesh and director, Sreenu Vaitla to cut short the event and he was almost in tears when he spoke about the stampede which led to Raju's death. Bandla Ganesh announced a compensation of `5 lakh and the next day, NTR gave a cheque of `5 lakh to the family of Raju and he also promised that he would take care of Raju's family.

That's the least one can do and it's time the film industry and organisers of such huge events started thinking about averting another accident.

8

city TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF HAPPINESS

HOW HAPPY ARE WE?

PK SURENDRAN surendran.pk@postnoon.com

I

nsatiability, a human characteristic, is more a bane than a boon. Look how greed continues to destroy man’s symbiotic relationship with nature and how crimes proliferate the never-ending effort to appropriate resources which he does not require. No animal other than man amasses wealth or cheats fellow beings or exploits the other sex.

Consequence of all this insatiability is gloom — the absence of contentment. When one is not happy with what one has he/she will be unhappy.

But lately, under the influence of Bhutanese theory, the world

has been experimenting with happiness linked to material world. While happiness is basically a condition of mind, material condition such as poverty, squalor, cleanliness, good education, peaceful atmosphere, all make or mar happiness which is now being professed as capable of being quantified. Of course, critics denounce this and say it is a romantic stance, not practicable.

It is presupposed that when you have a home of your own, your happiness quotient is a specific number. When you are seriously sick the reverse is true. Therefore, the country’s policy should be (for argument’s sake) make good affordable homes and ensure

least number of sick people.

One thing is sure. The world has increasingly accepted that happiness is the real aim of a welfare society, not Gross Domestic Product. To gain a level of collective happiness, therefore, one must strive to achieve sustainable economy.

SEGMENT II

In 2012, the United Nations (UN) declared March 20 to be observed as the International Day of Happiness. But could we be happy only one day?

No, it is just to remind ourselves that happiness is the real goal of human life. It calls upon countries to approach public policies in ways that improve people’s well being.

By designating a special day for happiness, the UN aims to focus world attention on the idea that economic growth must be inclusive, equitable, and balanced, such that it promotes sustainable development, and alleviates poverty. Additionally the UN acknowledges that in order to attain global happiness, economic development must be accompanied by social and environmental well being.

BACKGROUND

The idea came from the mountain kingdom, Bhutan way back in the early 70s. The Himalayan Kingdom has championed an alternative measure of national and soci-

“I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it.” ― Groucho Marx

Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.”

Happiness is when you don’t strive to be happy —Unknown

― Ernest Hemingway

“Sadness gives depth.

Happiness gives height.

Sadness gives roots.

Happiness gives branches. Happiness is like a tree going into the sky, and sadness is like the roots going down into the womb of the earth. Both are needed.

Osho

“The purpose of government is to enable the people of a nation to live in safety and happiness. Government exists for the interests of the governed, not for the governors.” ― Thomas Jefferson

Nobody really cares if you’re miserable, so you might as well be happy.

Cynthia Nelms

What they said of happiness Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.

Oscar Wilde

“For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

etal prosperity, called the Gross National Happiness Index (GNH). The GNH rejects the sole use of economic and material wealth as an indicator of development, and adopts a holistic outlook, where spiritual well being of citizens is given as much importance as their material well being.

In follow up to this In follow up to this Resolution titled “Happiness: Towards a Holistic Approach to Development”, the Royal Government of Bhutan held a High Level Meeting on “Happiness and Well Being: Defining a New Economic Paradigm” on 2nd April 2012 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. This Summit was attended by select representatives of top government representatives, by all UN missions, and by leading economists, scholars and spiritual and civil society leaders.

4 Pillars of GNH Happiness lies in giving, not taking. unknown

Be happy. Best revenge. Nothing drives people crazier than someone have a good f.....g life!

Chuck Palahniuk

Many people think that if they were only in some other place, or had some other job, they would be happy. Well, that is doubtful. So get as much happiness out of what you are doing as you can and don't put off being happy until some future date.

Dale Carnegie

According to Bhutan government 1. Sustainable and Equitable SocioEconomic Development 2. Conservation of the Environment 3. Preservation and Promotion of Culture 4. Good Governance Tomorrow is the first International Day of Happiness

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.

Mahatma Gandhi

A person will be just about as happy as they make up their minds to be.

Abraham Lincoln

AGE OF TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

9

A PAGE DEDICATED TO THE TRIUMPHS AND TRIBULATIONS OF GEN Z

COURSE OF ACTION

Gen Z knows what it wants from education and is willing to put in the work. While degrees aren’t as crucial as they were, they believe it’s good to have something to fall back on.

JYOTSNA NAMBIAR

jyotsna.n@postnoon.com

P

ink Floyd’s We don’t need no education might have been the classic teen angst song for years, but Generation Z isn’t as quick to dismiss the importance of schooling.

Education doesn’t hold the same dread for the new generation as it did for a lot of us. Avenues have opened, courses have diversified and parents have become a lot more relaxed — making studying more a pleasure than a chore.

Take the case of Nandini Omanakuttan, a Kathak dancer. Though she always did well in academics, she insists that her parents didn’t put any pressure on her. “I was always a smart kid. No one had to sit with me to study. My father never insisted that I do a particular course or anything — he had faith that I would do well in whatever I chose.”

The 22-year-old also believes that degrees are no indication of knowledge.

“There are many who study at the last minute and don’t

retain any information. So a degree doesn’t really mean knowledge. On the other hand, I know a lot of very intelligent people who don’t have degrees. A friend of mine dropped out after Class XII and started working. He started young and is now doing extremely well.” She adds, “Some big companies do insist that you have a degree. But it is not so important if you want to start a business or work in the creative field.”

However, Anjali Sharma, 22, an engineering student in Chennai, has a different opinion. “In our parents’ time, it was enough to have a couple of degrees. Now, going forward, this might not be enough. Your alma mater matters as much as the degree you hold. If you’re from a really good college, say an Ivy League institution, it’ll put you in a different league.” She also feels that education could influence your success at work.

“Specialisation is key, I believe, especially in professional courses. And studying further, doing diploma courses and training programmes will show your employers that you’re willing to learn.”

Other Gen Zeds agree.

Salmaan Taha Siddiqui, an engineering student, said it all depends on the person. “If someone is really creative and enterprising, a degree might not be necessary. But it is good to have something to fall back on.” Meenakshi Thakur Singh, who started her own fashion boutique and is now doing a diploma in fashion designing, says, “I wanted to do the course after I started my business. It’s always good to have some technical knowledge. I had clients coming in who knew the ins and outs of fashion.

And as they say, you need to know the rules to play the game.”

Parental control over a child’s education might have reduced, but it doesn’t mean that it is non-existent.

Natasha G, a law student in New Delhi, says she would have preferred to have done a mediarelated course had it not been for the insistence of her mother. “There was a lot of family pressure on me to be academically brilliant, especially since my sister always topped her class. I was always more interested in extra-curricular activities,

but the constant comparison and stress made me hate studies more.”

Natasha now has begun to enjoy her law lectures, though she still has regrets.

Salmaan, 19, too picked his course because of pressure from his father. “Initially I didn’t want to study engineering, but my dad insisted.

But I chose the stream I was interested in — mechanical engineering. I’m enjoying the course now since it is a subject I am interested in,” said the Hyderabad resident.

Meenakshi, 21, though, believes that a certain amount of guidance is necessary, welcome even. “When we get thrust into the world after class

XII, we’re very impressionable. Thanks to our parents, we have some clue as to what to do. They push you on the right track and then let you take your own decisions. No one likes being bugged and pestered by their parents to study, but we all need some guidance,” she says.

So while Generation Z might not have its head buried in a book all the time, it certainly knows what it wants from education.

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

Business

PEUGEOT JOB CUTS PLAN CLEARS HURDLE Plans by troubled French carmaker Peugeot Citroen to shed over 11,000 jobs cleared a major hurdle on Monday. After further consultations the job cuts and compensation package should receive final approval in the second half of April.

REAL ESTATE

10

Citi to pay $730 mn

East leads growth story Overall property values increased by 7 per cent in the third quarter.

Rates

PRUDHVI RAJU K prudhvi.k@postnoon.com

T

he City real-estate market is on growth path with property values gradually increasing to reach the peak prices of 2007.

Especially third quarter of this fiscal has shown considerable improvement in the property values especially in the East zone of the City (Kapra, Uppal Kalan and LB Nagar). The property values in this region grew by 34 per cent followed by west zone (Serilingampally, P a t a n c h e r u v u , Ramachandrapuram and Kukatpally) with around 12 per cent hike, compared to the second quarter of this fiscal. The overall property values increased by 7 per cent in the third quarter compared to the previous quarter, according to National Housing Bank, Residex.

However, property values are almost stable in North Zone (Qutubullapur, Alwal,

Key Precincts Banjara Hills Begumpet Kondapur Tellapur Kukatpally Miyapur

INR per month for a 1,000 sq ft 2BHK apartment 17,000-22,000 12,000-16,000 12,000-16,000 8,000-12,000 7,000-10,000 5,000-6,000

Malkajgiri) and South Zone (Kanchanbagh, Begumbazaar, Rajendra Nagar) with slight fall in Shamshabad and Central Zone (Jubilee Hills, Abids). The overall property values of the City has increased by more than 10 per cent, compared to the corresponding quarter of the previous year.

It is not just the values of the properties, but the sales are also on the growth path. According to Jones Lang LaSalle monthly report, “Even in February, residential sales continued to remain upbeat in Hyderabad.

There were no major launches

SHORT-TERM LENDING RATE RBI cuts rate for growth MUMBAI: In line with expectations, the RBI today cut its short-term lending rate by 0.25 per cent to spur growth and revive investment but sounded a note of caution on further easing of rates on account of high food inflation and current account deficit.

“The foremost challenge for returning the economy to a high growth trajectory is to revive investment. A competitive interest rate is necessary for this but not sufficient," the Reserve Bank said in its midquarter review of the monetary policy.

Accordingly, its short term lending rate or the repo was reduced by 0.25 per cent to 7.5 per cent, making it the second consecutive cut in as many months. The market was widely expecting a cut by 0.25 per cent due to the deteriorating growth which is estimated to touch a decade low of 5 per cent and a cooling in the core inflation to a 35 month low. He, however said "...even as the policy stance emphasises addressing the growth risks, the headroom for further monetary easing remains quite limited."

Areas that are seeing real estate boom

INR per sq ft 7,500-12,000 4,000-5,500 3,200-5,000 2,800-3,500 3,500-3,800 2,400-3,500

after the launches of Brigade At 7 at Banjara Hills and Safeway Symphony Park Homes on Radial Road near BHEL by Safeway Infra. Rents and capital values increased across all submarkets as newly launched residential projects got sold at a price higher than the market average price over the month.”

Although, there is not much hype in the launches, City developers are reviving the projects that were on hold and are actively looking to launch their new projects especially in areas like Nizampet and Bachupally (West Zone) region.

n n n n n n

Kapra Uppal Kalan LB Nagar Serilingampally Patancheruvu/ Ramachandrapuram Kukatpally

“The City’s real-estate market is on a growth path both in residential or commercial fronts.

It is one of the most affordable places to rent or buy either in residential property or commercial property. Hyderabad continues to remain affordable and rated as most affordable in the country and second best affordable office space in the world recently by the DTZ consultancy.

Although, residential property values are on rise, the rental values remained stable in office and retail space in February,” says R Chalapathi Rao, vice president, APREDA.

US banking giant Citigroup said Monday it will pay $730 million to settle a class-action suit by bondholders related to the 2008 financial crisis. The suit alleged Citigroup misled buyers of its bonds over its exposure to subprime mortgages and other high-risk securities ahead of and during the crisis, from May 2006 to November 2008. The settlement is the latest step

by Citi to put the ill-effects of the financial crisis behind it. Citi was harmed more by the crisis compared with some peers, such as JP Morgan.

The plaintiffs had argued that Citigroup misrepresented its exposure to mortgage-related assets, according to Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman, the plaintiffs attorneys. Citi also understated the loss reserves for its mortgage loans and "falsely stated" that assets held off its balance sheet were of high value, Bernstein Litowitz said. "It wasn't until November 2008, when the bank received substantial government assistance, that investors learned the full truth about Citigroup's financial condition," the law firm said.

In a statement, Citi denied the allegations, but said it was settling the case "solely to eliminate the uncertainties, burden and expense of further protracted litigation."

CYPRUS CRISIS

‘Scrap tax on small accounts’ NICOSIA: The eurozone told Cyprus on Monday to ditch the part of a hugely controversial 5.8billion-euro grab on savings that stung even the smallest of account holders in exchange for a 10-billion-euro sovereign bailout deal, according to a statement issued after a conference call.

The statement came after Cyprus baulked at putting the EU bailout to a vote in parliament as the crippling terms sparked a public outcry and mounting talk of a rethink by eurozone creditors, even as the uncertainty forced a prolonged closure of the island's banks.

Finance ministers "continue to be of the view that small depositors should be treated differently from large depositors and reaffirms the importance of fully guaranteeing deposits below 100,000" euros ($130,000), Eurogroup President Jeroen Dijsselbloem of The Netherlands said. A eurozone source spelled out when pressed by AFP that this meant preferably removing altogether a mooted 6.75-percent levy applied to these accounts, which combined amount to more than three fifths of all Cypriot savings despite some 30 billion attributed to large Russian

10g GOLD `29,788 10g GOLD`31,100 1kg `60,100 1kg SILVER `54,562

24C 24C

for for

for for

DOLLAR `53.97 `53.79 `81.51 POUND `85.15

investors.The economic and political fallout was huge following the early Saturday announcement that a raid on savings would be required alongside international loans to the Cyprus government in the fifth eurozone bailout of the three-year debt crisis. Cyprus shut its banks through until Thursday at least and delayed a parliamentary vote on the package until Tuesday after large queues formed at ATMs on the island, while Russian President Vladimir Putin pounded a "dangerous" move and turmoil hit stock and currency trades. AFP

BSE 6,057.70 5,771.40 NSE

20,025.67 19,096.17 44.10 197.03 9.20 63.85

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

nation

ODISHA EX-MINISTER SEEKS ANTICIPATORY BAIL

Former Orissa Law Minister Raghunath Mohanty and his wife Pritilata Mohanty have moved the state High Court seeking anticipatory bail after their son was sent to jail for two weeks in a dowry torture case. Besides the Mohanty couple, their daughter Raupasree Madhual and son-in-law Suvendu Madhual also sought anticipatory bail.

LANKAN RESOLUTION

11

Sunstroke for UPA, DMK pulls out The government is stable and enjoys majority support despite DMK’s exit, says Chidambaram.

MUMBAI: DMK chief M. Karunanidhi Tuesday quit the Congress-led UPA and its government expressing dismay on India’s stand over Sri Lanka at the United National Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

“Continuing in this government will be an injustice to the Sri Lankan Tamils," the former Tamil Nadu chief minister told the media.

Karunanidhi said the UPA government had not only refused to consider the DMK’s views on the US-sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka at the UNHRC but had quietly watered down the resolution. He also ruled out extending outside legislative support to the UPA.

Asked if the DMK would change its stand if the government brought a resolution in parliament denouncing Sri Lanka, he said there was time till Thursday for that.

If a resolution was introduced in parliament accusing Sri Lanka of committing “genocide” of Tamils, “we are ready to change our view", the DMK leader said.

The government is stable and enjoys majority support in parliament despite the DMK’s exit, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said Tuesday.

“The government is stable, the government enjoys majority in the Lok Sabha," he told the media here after DMK chief M.

Karunanidhi announced his party was pulling out of the UPA over the Sri Lanka issue.

“The government is stable and will continue," he added.

Both houses of parliament were adjourned till noon Tuesday as DMK and AIADMK members vocally raised the plight of Sri Lankan Tamils.

Both DMK and AIADMK members gathered near the speakers in both houses demanding that steps be taken to amend the US resolution on Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

They wanted the resolution to declare that “genocide” and “war crimes” had been committed on Tamils by the Sri Lankan army and sought an independent international investigation into the alleged atrocities.

The upper house was first

adjourned for 15 minutes, and then till noon as several other members too joined the DMK and AIADMK in their protest.

Equities crashed, minutes after the DMK quit.

The sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) opened higher Tuesday at 19,345.91 points against the last close at 19,293.20 points. But soon after the news of the pullout, it crashed to 18,939.47 points, an intra-day fall of over 400 points.

The key index saw some volatile movement and was quoting at 19,066.25 points before noon, with a loss of 226.95 points, or 1.18 percent, over the previous day’s close.

IANS/PTI

FISHERMEN KILLING Sonia lashes out at Italy, wants marines returned

TRAGEDY STRIKES

Rescue officials and bystanders gather around the wreckage of a bus after it fell from a bridge at Khed, some 350 kilometers south of Mumbai on Tuesday. At least 37 people have died and 13 were injured. According to preliminary and eye-witness reports, the accident occurred when the ill-fated bus was attempting to overtake another vehicle, though the exact cause is yet to be determined.

AFP

Pick

MUMBAI: New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi Tuesday said Italy should honour its commitment given to the Supreme Court on the two marines, accused of killing two Indian fishermen, party sources said.

Supreme Court Monday said that Italian ambassador Daniele Mancini will not leave India after Rome’s refusal to send back the two Italian marines Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone to face trial for killing two Indian fishermen, Ajesh Binki and Valentine, off the Kerala coast Feb 15, 2012, mistaking them for pirates.

Sonia Gandhi is understood to have told this to Congress party MPs at the Congress Parliamentary Party meeting held here, sources present at the meeting said.

at the

In another development, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expects India and Italy to resolve their standoff over the marine issues constructively and in compliance with their international obligations.

“The SecretaryGeneral hopes and expects Italy and India to resolve this matter constructively, and in compliance with their international obligations," Eduardo del Buey, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN chief, said.

The marines had been given permission to fly to Italy to cast their votes in the polls on the understanding that they would return.

But the Italian government last week announced that it would renege on its commitment to send them back, prompting fury in New Delhi.

PTI

airport,

-

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

World

HITTO VOTED PREMIER OF SYRIA'S REBEL TERRITORY Syria's main opposition National Council has elected Ghassan Hitto, a communications executive with Islamist leanings who has lived in the United States, as premier for swathes of Syrian rebel-held territory mired in chaos and poverty.

POPE FRANCIS’S INAUGURATION MASS

A new sunrise in Vatican

12

MCTIERNAN FACES JAIL

World leaders flew in for Pope Francis's inauguration mass in St Peter's Square on Tuesday where he will receive the symbols of papal power.

The humble Pope VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis has eschewed tradition and chosen a silver Fisherman's Ring rather than a gold one — and one designed decades ago rather than created specifically for him, the Vatican said Monday.

The gold-plated silver ring, one of the papal symbols that the new pope will receive during the inauguration mass on Tuesday, is modelled on a ring designed by Italian sculptor Enrico Manfrini, who died in 2004, for Paul VI.

DARIO THUBURN Agence france Presse VATICAN CITY: World leaders flew in for Pope Francis's inauguration mass in St Peter's Square on Tuesday where Latin America's first pontiff will receive the formal symbols of papal power.

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend the mass laden with rituals and spectacular imagery, which will begin with a tour of the famous Vatican plaza by the Argentine pope after his election last week.

Still haunted by criticism at home for failing to speak out against the excesses of Argentina's military rule, the former archbishop of Buenos

Aires, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, has already won hearts in Rome with a disarmingly informal style. Bergoglio was a surprise choice at a conclave of cardinals to replace 85-year-old Benedict XVI, who last month brought a sudden end to a papacy that had often been overshadowed by scandal, saying he was too old to carry on.

The jovial Francis has said he chose his papal name in honour of the mediaeval Italian

saint St Francis of Assisi and has called for a "poor Church for the poor", warning the world's cardinals against pursuing worldly glories. The son of an Italian emigrant railway worker from a working-class quarter of Buenos Aires has been effusive in a way that is unusual in the Vatican, kissing pilgrims and doing impromptu walkabouts.

The Vatican has said security guards will have to adapt to the new style.

The arrivals have already presented Francis, 76, with a first diplomatic headache in the form of a request from compatriot President Cristina Kirchner of Argentina to mediate in a row with Britain over the Falkland Islands.

China bristles at Taiwan snub China's angry reaction to Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou's attendance at the inauguration of Pope Francis on Tuesday is the first taste of a long-running dispute that the new Argentine pontiff may have unique qualities to grapple with.

China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying has called on the Vatican — one of only 23 sovereign states in the world that recognise Taipei instead of Beijing — to sever diplomatic ties with the island The Vatican should "recognise the Chinese government as the sole legal representative of all China," China said.

Die Hard director John McTiernan has until April 3 to surrender himself to serve a prison term handed down for lying to FBI agents, according to the Hollywood Reporter on Monday. McTiernan, whose films also include The Hunt for Red October and The Thomas Crown Affair, was sentenced to 12 months in jail and fined $100,000 in 2010 for making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

NUMEROLOGY

70,000

is the death toll of the civil war in Syria, which has triggered a humanitarian crisis displacing at least 3 million people, says the United Nations.

PROBABLE BANE KILLS SELF A 30-year-old former university student, whose last name indicates his South Asian descent, was found dead in his dorm, alongside weapons and backpack of bombs in an apparent planned attack, the police said. The University of Central Florida said the student has been identified as James Oliver Seevakumaran. Police said yesterday that they were still trying to find the background, but noted that he appeared to be a lone wolf, who was planning a major attack on the university students, but ended up killing himself.

A general view shows the Via della Conciliazione and the St Peter's basilica dome on March 18, 2013 at the Vatican in Rome, on the eve of Pope Francis inauguration mass.

AFP/ GABRIEL BOUYS

NEWS BRIEFS Crippled Japan nuclear plant hit by power cut

No charges for parents over dead Russian boy

Daniel Pearl's family hails Pakistani arrest

Japan diplomat gets jail for wife abuse

TOKYO: Engineers at Fukushima were scrambling to restore power to cooling systems after an outage, in the latest incident to underline the precarious fix at the tsunami-crippled nuclear plant. Equipment on pools used to keep used fuel cool — to prevent any spontaneous nuclear reactions — have not had any electricity since Monday.

WASHINGTON: The US adoptive parents of a Russian boy will not be criminally charged over his death, a Texas official said Monday, after the three-year-old's demise was deemed accidental. Toddler Max Shatto's body was heavily bruised when he died at a hospital near the west Texas town of Gardendale in January.

NEW YORK: The family of slain US journalist Daniel Pearl welcomed Monday the arrest in Pakistan of a former leader of a banned militant outfit allegedly involved in his 2002 murder. Qari Abdul Hayee, popularly known as Asadullah and from Karachi's eastern Gulshan-e-Iqbal neighborhood, was detained in a raid on his hideout on Sunday.

WASHINGTON: A Japanese diplomat based in California and charged with abusing his wife has been sentenced to a year in jail and will start serving it in May, a newspaper reported. Yoshiaki Nagaya, vice-consul at Japan's consulate in San Francisco, will spend a minimum of six months at a jail in nearby San Mateo.

The end goal is clear to all — there must be an end to violence, a clean break with the past and a transition to a new Syria in which the rights of all communities are protected.

Ban Ki-Moon UN chief

13

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

Technology HARSH REALITY In the US, biggest age group for massive multiplayer online games is

Better be funny US children aged 8 to 18 play video games

Average daily time spent among eight to 18-year-olds.

Children in the US are addicted to video games

Playing video games That’s equivalent to the number of children taking ADD/ADHD medication.

Reading books, magazines and newspapers for pleasure

As many boys are exhibit symptoms of addiction compared to girls.

PROGRAMMMED DEMISE FOR

How game addiction is ruining boys

And in men’s 2011, yo u were SAT score ng t s had b he worst they een in

nt viole oose ames. h c y eg rall Gene aggressiv or

or zzle . s se pu choo rm game o platf of Ds and Fs school are given to boys.

College students play video games in order to avoid studying or going to class.

College students who play games study 40 minutes less and receive grades

Boys are 30% more likely than girls to drop out of high school and college.

Techies have been keeping a hot eye on dueling Steve Jobs biopics, one an indie starring Ashton Kutcher and the other, written by Aaron Sorkin, in the works at Sony, which made “The Social Network.” But it turns out there was also a joker in the deck nobody knew about: Funny or Die, the comedy Web site, said over the weekend that it had made its own Jobs movie — “iSteve” — and planned to unveil it online on April 15. A biopic poking fun at biopics, “iSteve” stars Justin Long (“New Girl,” “DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story”) in the title role.

Look at the view!

Your day job, not to mention fitness level, will probably keep you from ever ascending the mightiest peaks on Earth. Don’t worry. Google’s done the hard work for you and released the stunning panoramic images needed to make you feel like you’re on top of the world.

Google, which seems determined to map every square inch of the planet, on Monday released Street View images from four of the seven tallest mountains on earth. One lucky engineer, who happens to be a passionate mountaineer, led the Google Mountain Enthusiast team during the project.

Roll out begins Microsoft will start the automatic rollout of Windows 7 Service Pack on Tuesday. The extensive software update will be handled via Windows Update, and will make its way onto PCs whose users have Automatic Update enabled.

"Updating customers to Windows 7 SP1 is part of our ongoing effort to ensure continued support and improved security updates for customers who have not yet installed SP1," the company blogged. The update only applies to consumer PCs – systems managed by the Systems Center Configuration Manager or WSUS Server are still wholly controlled by their admins, who can make the final call about when to install SP1.

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

Comment You have power over your mind - not outside events.

Realize this, and you will find strength.

WAR ON TERROR

MICHAEL THURSTON feedback@postnoon.com

S

usan Wang couldn't speak English when she arrived in California from Taiwan, aged 16.

Now 49, she heads a school offering US children a similar experience, plunging them into a Chinese world.

And her establishment is part of a rapid expansion of "immersion" Mandarin language programs in the United States, helped notably by Beijing providing low-cost native-speaker teachers to cash-strapped US schools.

Pupils as young as five at her Broadway Elementary School in Venice, west of Los Angeles, take classes entirely in Chinese, in a project so successful that it is having to move to a new campus.

"The single most exciting thing has to be watching the kids learn, and how they learn, and how fast they pick up another language, it's just amazing," she told AFP, in a pause from her busy day at the local school.

"I didn't speak English when I came, so when it comes to dual language and language learning ... it's something close to my heart," she added.

Chinese immersion programs are not new in American schools. But China's rapidly expanding world role has fueled growing demand for Mandarin language skills, mirroring Washington's diplomatic pivot across the Pacific.

Mandarin teaching has expanded nationwide over the last decade, in contrast to other foreign languages which have steadily decreased.

14

Decade on, Iraq far cry from pre-war vision FROM BAGHDAD

Marcus Aurelius Stoic philosopher

US schools immerses in Mandarin

HIGH-FLYING THOUGHTS

It comes a bit late, but better late than never. Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday warned Italy on the Italian naval guards issue while addressing the general body meeting of Congress parliamentary party. Perhaps she might have seen some FB posts and cartoons on the incident and thought it best to clear the air.

Prashant Rao

T

he US-led invasion of Iraq that toppled Saddam Hussein aimed to enshrine a liberal democracy in the heart of the Middle East but instead unleashed sectarian violence and endless political disputes.

Launched with the stated goal of wiping out Saddam's stores of weapons of mass destruction, which were never found, the focus of the divisive war quickly shifted to solidifying Iraq as a Western ally in an unstable region.

But the removal of Saddam gave Iraq's non-Arab neighbour Iran the opportunity to dramatically increase its sway in the country.

And since the departure of American forces at the end of 2011, Washington has often struggled to exert influence over Baghdad.

Iraqi officials have not announced any ceremonies to mark the anniversary on Wednesday, with events more likely to be held on April 9 to mark the day Baghdad fell.

Though the war itself was relatively brief -- it began on March 20, 2003, Baghdad fell

weeks later, and then-US president George W. Bush infamously declared the mission accomplished on May 1 -- its aftermath was violent and bloody.

Insurgents carried out increasingly frequent bombings and shootings, and Iraq erupted into sectarian bloodshed that left tens of thousands dead following a February 22, 2006 attack on a Shiite shrine in Samarra.

A mostly American coalition, albeit with significant longterm contributions from Britain in particular, regularly battled Sunni and Shiite insurgents

nationwide.

Since the invasion, at least 112,000 Iraqi civilians, several thousand more policemen and soldiers, and 4,800 foreign troops — the vast majority of them American — have died in the carnage.

Violence, which remains high by international standards, was only brought under some measure of control from 2008 onwards, as the American troop "surge" coincided with Sunni tribal militias deciding to side with US forces.

But political reconciliation, the strategic goal of the surge,

was never fully achieved.

From territorial disputes in the north to questions over the apportioning of the country's vast energy revenues, a number of high-level problems remain unresolved, while Iraqis still grapple with daily struggles ranging from poor provision of basic services to high levels of unemployment.

Prime Minister Nuri alMaliki's erstwhile government partners, meanwhile, have charged him with monopolising power, and little in the way of landmark legislation has been passed in recent years.

Through it all, however, a bright spot has been Iraq's booming oil sector, which has boosted the government's coffers and is projected to expand still further.

Authorities have voiced ambitious plans to use the funds on a variety of projects -- a massive housing plan for Baghdad's outskirts, a new airport near Najaf, and a world-class football stadium in the southern port city of Basra.

But the rising revenues, which have already pushed Iraq's budget to greater than that of Egypt, a country with more than twice the population, have yet to result in visibly higher living standards, due largely, analysts say, to bureaucratic incompetence and rampant corruption.

EDITORIALS Should the Pope play politics?

A

s Pope Francis is set to be inaugurated, but he has got himself entangled in the two diplomatic rows already. Argentine President has asked the holy one to intervene on their behalf in the dispute their country has with Britain over Falkland Islands. Also China has reprimanded Taiwan for attending the inaugural mass.

China demands that Vatican — one of only 23 sovereign states in the world that recognise Taipei instead of Beijing — to sever diplomatic ties with the island. The Vatican should "recognise the Chinese government as the sole legal representative of all China," the spokeswoman said. These instances are excellent examples of the powers and the scope of the Pope. But is it right that the Pope should get into things that are beyond faith and religion? In the first place, what can he say

READERS’ VIEWS

about the Argentina’s claim on the Falklands? That they should break ways with Britain and join Argentina? Or call on the Queen and the Prime Minister of United Kingdom and induce them to abandon whatever powers and claims they have on the island. The people of Falklands have spoken in a recently held vote: they want to stay British. What can the Pope do about this when the people inhabiting the place have made a choice? And China. That’s a special case. They are in a league of their own. And the Vatican’s response was apt. Those who wish to come may come. Taiwan wished to send a representative and so Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou is attending it. They cannot stop anyone from coming.

And about the Pope assuming a political role? It’s best to leave it to the pros.

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

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

workplace

AMERICAN WORKPLACE ILLNESSES Americans work longer days, take less vacation and retire later than people in other developed nations and Israeli scientists see a link to more heart illness. Some of the factors that contribute to burnout include high stress, heavy workload, a lack of control over job situations, a lack of emotional support and long work hours.

LAST STRAW

15

GET AHEAD

Where to draw the line With workplaces becoming increasingly competitve, how much can a company expect from its employees has become the question of the hour.

PADMINI C padmini.c@postnoon.com

F

ew would argue startups are great places to work. An employee has more visibility, creative control, ownership of their role; have a say in policy/decision making; be part of a workplace that’s dynamic; with all fun and frolic of a young energetic team.

That said, there’s no denying targets are deadly, the pressure is tremendous and the hours, long and hard.

However it’s not these pros and cons that are keeping youngsters in many up-andcoming companies seriously reconsider their futures.

“Working in a start up is harder but more rewarding and satisfying. However, sometimes, there tend to be unrealistic expectations. Founders think that you should be as invested in the company as them. They forget, that at the end of the day,

for you, it’s just a job,” says Rajiv Kaur, a software developer from Bangalore.

By ‘unrealistic expectations’ Rajiv refers to a rising number of companies that are now counting on their employees to be their ‘brand ambassadors.’

Which means that in addition to their usual responsibilities, they are also expected to sell, market and publicise their company in whatever manner possible. The least of which is, for instance, having a compulsory mandate to share and like all posts published by their company on their FB walls.

“Ask me to work as hard as you want on my deliverables and I will. But I wasn’t hired as a publicist. My Facebook page is my personal space. The company is not entitled to that. I mean, it’s not like they’re using the company’s page to publish my personal achievements. Then why should I do it for them?” questions Arun P, a content

writer for a city-based website.

A while ago, it was the question of work-life balance that employees grappled with.

Working overtime which translated into constantly rescheduling family/friends time was the main issue of contention. But today, just how much is a company entitled to from an employee has become the question of the hour.

“In our country, it’s an employers market. There are a dozen great candidates for every job. If you don’t want to do what they ask, there’s someone else who can, so there’s little you can do but concede,” rues Ankita Dayal, a sales manager from Delhi.

“Everytime this debate comes up, employers always say they don’t force us to participate in these fringe activities. But consider this: when one person in the team gives up their personal space and I don’t, automatically, I’m the villain. So in the next

performance appraisal, irrespective of our performance at our actual jobs, these things will tip the scales in the other person’s favour, against mine,” says Sujatha Menon, a QA analyst with a Chennai-based data mining company.

Arpit Mohan, co-founder of a Hyderabad-based start-up GharPay believes that these practices vary from company to company. While he admits that they expect their teams to work night and day to complete their projects ahead of time, he says that’s where they draw the line.

“If you have to explicitly state to your employees that they’re your brand ambassadors and therefore must market your product, there’s already a communication gap. They should share or like something out of their own violation, not out of coercion. It’s more carrot than the stick. Not to mention, we like to keep personal and professional spaces separate.”

Showcase your living resumes The social media site Pinterest is known for its eye-appealing recipes, wedding pictures and DIY projects – and it’s also becoming a place for pinners to market themselves professionally.

Pinterest — one of the fastestgrowing social networks with 28.9 million visitors, according to comScore — loves that some of its users market themselves on the site.

DID YOU KNOW...

1,446

is the number of billionaires that Forbes has uncovered this year. The number is 200 more than what was found last year. The group is worth $5.4 trillion, an astounding 17 percent jump from a year ago. The average net worth of a Forbes billionaire is $3.8 billion, $100 million more than a year ago.

WORK CULTURE

Maybe you weren’t expecting to land the job.

But if you’ve been applying for jobs recently, chances are you hoped to hear something back. And chances are, you’ve been disappointed at least once. A new survey finds that 75 per cent of employed people who applied for a job in the past year never heard from at least one potential employer.The results were part of a broad survey of more than 3,900 workers conducted last November.

Struggling electronics retailer Best Buy, long known for a corporate culture that rewards employees for performance is following in Yahoo’s footsteps.

A week after Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer banned working from home, Best Buy announced that it is ending its flexible workplace policies and will require its 4,000 or so headquarters staff to work a traditional 40hour week at the office.

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

spotlight

YOUR PLAN TONIGHT

Its rock and hip hop on the menu this Tuesday as DJ Paul will dole out the best of mixes to get you dancing. Be there to enjoy an evening of fun, music, food and beverages at Bottles & Chimney.

18

S BALAKRISHNA

TAKING THE DANCE FLOOR

COOL MOVES

Youngsters posed for the lensmen as they got down to enjoy an evening of fun and music at Kismet.

1

2

5

HIGH TECH STYLE FOR THE HI-TECH HOME

The cast of Telugu movie 3G Love spent some time interacting with their fans as they inaugurated the Hall of Furniture showroom at Banjara Hills on Monday. This world-class furniture showroom is owned by the SRV Group.

3

4

1 Manju, Harshu 2 Akansha, Priya 3 Raman, Mishal 4 Banali, Mona 5 Dolly

SILK FOR YOUR SKIN

Poorvi arts and crafts is organising a National silk and cotton expo at the TTD Kalyana Mandapam till March 24.

Tollywood actress, Diksha Panth was seen at the inauguration of the expo on Monday.

LAUDED FOR HIS CONTRIBUTION

Senior cricket coach MR Baig was felicitated in the City on Monday. He has been nominated for the Dronacharya Award for his contribution as an outstanding coach.

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

health

NOW, SMARTPHONES TO TAKE YOUR PULSE A new technology that will enable smartphones to take your pulse within five seconds - just by looking at your face - has been unveiled in Japan.

The technology developed by Fujitsu Laboratories measures a person's pulse in real time by using facial images captured by a built-in camera.

19

NEW PARENTS

Get the right shot

Postnoon lists out some mandatory vaccines your baby needs to get at the right time to avoid complications later. strains are antibiotic-resistant.

Hence prevention through vaccine is important and PCV1 is also given around this time.

DEEPASHRI V

deepashri.v@postnoon.com

10 WEEKS

M

ost of these vaccines are given out for free by the government, said Dr Kiran Krishnamurti, paediatrician at Andromeda Centre. “(These are) oral polio, DPT, measles and BCG.” According to the Indian Academy of Paediatricians (IAP) immunisation schedule, these are the vaccines to be given to the child at different stages:

AT BIRTH The vaccines given immediately after birth are BCG (against tuberculosis), Hep B1 (against Hepatitis B virus that affects the liver) and oral polio vaccine (OPV0).

“BCG is given only once,” said Dr Krishnamurti.

6 WEEKS Inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV1), Hep B2 (ideal interval between dose one and dose two is four weeks) and diphtheria toxoid, tetanus toxoid and pertussis vaccine (DTP1) are given.

Other vaccines scheduled for this time are haemophilus influenzae type B vaccine (Hib1), to prevent influenza and rotavirus (RV1) vaccine. According to the Centre for Disease Control, pneumococcal infections is hard to treat as some

ANEWS PP-LYBRIEFS YOURSELF

HOUSECALL

DID YOU KNOW?

Next round of polio, DTP, Hib, pneumococcal and rotavirus vaccines are given.

14 WEEKS Between 14-18 weeks, IPV3 (for polio) is given. This is followed by the third round of DTP, Hib, pneumococcal and rotavirus vaccines.

6-9 MONTHS Two more polio drops are given during the sixth and ninth months.

Measles vaccine can be given between the ninth and twelfth month.

12-18 MONTHS IPV B1 (for polio) is given with Hib and DPT boosters, Dr Krishnamurti said. “Now-a-days we get all five in one.” MMR1, Varicella1, PCV booster and Hep A1 are also listed for this period.

HIGH RISK GROUPS High risk groups refer to children with mothers having hepatitis B, being HIV positive, or children from countries or areas where they are prone to or are at a high risk of certain diseases, said Dr Tipu Sultan, paediatrician at New Life Hospital. IAP lists cholera, influenza, meningococcal and Japanese encephalitis vaccines under.

PIONEERS

WaterLog

Peritonitis

You see upside down

Daniel Hale Williams

Drinking enough water each day can be a challenge, but it's critical to a properly functioning body. Adequate water intake prevents dehydration, cleanses body, and promotes healing. WaterLog helps keep track of your daily water intake. Drinks can be logged with a single tap of a button with configurable preset container amounts.

Peritonitis is an inflammation of the peritoneum, the thin tissue that lines the inner wall of the abdomen and covers most of the abdominal organs. Peritonitis may be localized or generalised, and may result from infection (often due to rupture of a hollow organ as may occur in abdominal trauma or appendicitis) or from a non-infectious process.

The human eye sees everything upside down, but the brain turns it right side up, with an average field of vision encompassing a 200-degree wide angle. A bird's eye takes up about 50 per cent of its head; human eyes take up about 5 per cent the head. To be comparable to a bird's eyes, human eyes would have to be the size of baseballs.

Dr Daniel Hale Williams founded Provident Hospital in Chicago, the first black-owned hospital in America. He is also credited with the world's first successful open heart surgery, conducted in Chicago in 1893. It so happened that on a summer night, a young man arrived at Provident with a stab wound to the heart. When the patient went into shock, Dr Williams decided to operate.

20

health TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

RESEARCH

BREAKTHROUGH

Parental concerns over HPV vaccine Parents cited reasons such as believing their child was too young or not sexually active, concerns about side effects, or lack of knowledge about the vaccine.

WASHINGTON: A growing number of US parents oppose doctors' recommendations to vaccinate teenage girls against human papillomavirus (HPV), the main cause of cervical cancer, a study said Monday.

Parents cited reasons such as believing their child was too young or not sexually active, concerns about safety and side effects, or lack of knowledge about the vaccine, said the study in the journal Pediatrics.

In 2008, 40 per cent of parents surveyed said they did not want the HPV vaccine for their daughters. In 2010, that figure rose to 44 per cent.

"That's the opposite direction that rate should be going," said senior researcher Robert Jacobson, a pediatrician with the Mayo Clinic Children's Center, noting that studies have continually shown the HPV vaccine to be safe and effective.

"HPV causes essentially 100 percent of cervical cancer and 50 per cent of all Americans get infected at least once with HPV. It's a silent infection. You cannot tell when you've been exposed or when you have it," he said.

"While most HPV infections clear, a percentage linger and start the process of cancerous changes. The HPV vaccine is an anti-cancer vaccine."

Still, the number of young women getting vac-

cinated is on the rise — 16 per cent of teenage girls in 2008 compared to one third in 2010, said the study.

The analysis came from national vaccination data for those age 13 to 17 in the 2008-10 National Immunization Survey of Teens.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that girls and boys age 11 to 12 get vaccinated against HPV, as well as women up to age 26 and men up to age 21 if they were not vaccinated when they were younger.

The CDC also recommends the HPV vaccine — which is typically administered in three separate shots over six months — for men who have sex with men.

HPV vaccines are "safe and effective" and have been "tested in thousands of people around the world,"

the CDC said on its website.

"These studies showed no serious side effects.

Common, mild side effects included pain where the shot was given, fever, headache and nausea."

HPV has been linked to cervical cancer, genital warts and cancers of the penis, anus and throat.

AFP

New gel based drug delivery system TOKYO: Japanese scientists have developed a new drugdelivery gel that releases the drug in response to pressure applied by the patient, Science Daily reports.

A research group headed by Katsuhiko Ariga, principal investigator, Kohsaku Kawakami, scientist, and Hironori Izawa, a post-doctoral researcher (currently assistant professor, Tottori University) of the NIMS International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA) succeeded in developing a gel material which is capable of releasing drugs in response to pressure applied.

Drugs are generally taken by oral administration, injection, etc. However, the conventional methods may cause side effects and inconvenience. Although stimuli-responsive drug delivery systems are an effective technique that takes care of such problems, a special device is necessary in order to apply the stimulus. The MANA research group developed a gel material envisioning a new drug administration method in which the drug is released when the patient applies manual pressure to gel.

Using samples of the gel containing the anti-emetic drug ondansetron, the researchers confirmed that the drug was released when stimulus mimicking finger-pressure by the patient was applied, and found that this effect was maintained for at least three days.

Oral administration of drugs is difficult for patients experiencing nausea during cancer chemotherapy. If the material is introduced under the skin, it is expected to release the drug simply by pressing or rubbing it.

It will also be possible for patients to administer drugs under any environment at their own intention.

IANS

STUDY

Stressful events can make you ill

LONDON: A new study has found that fretting over stressful events could trigger inflammation in one's body.

The study found that levels of Creactive protein, a marker of tissue inflammation, rose when participants were asked to ruminate on a stressful incident, Daily Mail reported.

This is the first study to directly measure the effect of negative

thought on the body.

Peggy Zoccola, an assistant professor of psychology at Ohio University, US, the study's lead author, said: "Much of the past work has looked at this in non-experimental designs."

"Researchers asked people to report their tendency to ruminate, and then looked to see if it connected to physiological issues. It's been co-

relational for the most part."

The study team recruited 34 healthy young women for the project. The C-reactive protein is primarily produced by the liver as part of the immune system's initial inflammatory response.

It is widely used as a clinical marker to determine if a patient has an infection, but also if he or she may be at risk for disease later in life. IANS

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TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

Entertainment WELL DESERVED WIN

CINE BYTES

RUM’s cast bonds in Maldives

T

DOUBLE WHAMMY FOR EEGA

SS Rajamouli’s Eega won two National awards which were dominated by Hindi, Malayalam and Marathi cinema this year.

S

S Rajamouli’s Eega has ended the four year drought for Telugu cinema at National Awards in the ‘Best Feature Film in Telugu’ category. Narasimha Nandi’s 1940 Lo Oka Gramam was the last Telugu film to win an award in this category back in 2008 and after a long gap, Eega has been acknowledged as the Best Feature Film in Telugu. The icing on the cake, for Eega, was winning an award for ‘Best Special Effects’. Makuta VFX, headed

by Pete Draper, had supervised the visual effects in the film. Incidentally, this is the second film in SS Rajamouli’s career to have won the Best Special Effects award after Magadheera.

Over the past few years, except for one or two awards once in a while, Telugu films have hardly won any awards at national level. Last year, not a single film won an award and in 2010, only Advaitham and Pistulya had won awards in Best Educational film and Best First non-feature film categories.

Although Eega is the only Telugu film to have won awards this year, the fact that it was one of the most popular films of 2012 has brought a big smile on everyone’s faces. Pete Draper, who’s currently in England, tweeted, “Makuta wins National Award for VFX for "Eega"!

Congrats to all of our guys & gals and all of the external suppliers who worked on it :)(sic).” Few other actors, critics and filmmakers applauded Rajamouli and his team before adding that the film deserved more awards. “Eega deserved

many more national awards...having said that, hats off to the cgi guys for doing such an amazing job. Well deserved. Proud!(sic),” Siddharth said, whereas Nani, who played one of the roles in Eega, tweeted, “Best special effects and best regional film ... Very happy :) ..but u deserve more Captain !(sic).” Popular film critic Rajeev Masand came out in support for Eega saying, “National Awards: Thrilled that 'Eega' won Best Telugu film and Best Special Effects. Deserved more if you ask me! (sic)” The 60th National Awards, which were announced yesterday, were completely dominated by Hindi, Malayalam and Marathi films. Paan Singh Tomar won the Best Feature Film Award and Vicky Donor, Usthad Hotel (Malayalam) won the Best Film for Wholesome Entertainment awards. Irrfan Khan and Vikram Gokhale shared the Best Actor award for their performances in Paan Singh Tomar in Hindi and Anmati in Marathi respectively. Shivaji Lotan Patil won the Best Director award for Dhaag and Usha Jhaadav won the Best Actress award for the same Marathi film. Kamal Haasan’s Vishwaroopam won couple of awards including Best Choreography and Best Production design. India’s Oscar entry Barfi! was completely snubbed.

Interestingly, there was no clear consensus in several categories and several categories had joint winners. On the whole Malayalam films won 11, Marathi films bagged eight awards and Hindi films won 21 awards out of the 31 categories.

he lead cast of MS Raju’s RUM (Rambha Urvashi Menaka) have been bonding big time and recently Trisha, Nikesha Patel and Charmee flew to Maldives on a holiday. The trio went scuba diving and soon after that, Trisha tweeted, “Scuba-diving..Truly 1 of my most memorable xperiences..

Indescribable, therapeutic..so deep,so dark,so silent,d ocean is a world by itself..(sic).”

Aravind 2 to release on March 29

S

ekhar Suri’s Aravind 2 starring Sri, Madhavi Latha, Kamal Kamaraju, Srinivas Avasarala and Adonica is finally gearing up for release on March 29.

Sekhar Suri had earlier directed A Film by Aravind, which was a sleeper hit back in 2005. Most part of Aravind 2 was shot in jungles in Goa and Dandeli.

Siddharth denies marriage rumours

E

ver since Siddharth and Samantha were spotted in a temple at Srikalahasti, there has been a lot of buzz about their relationship and a section of media even reported that the two will get married soon. But Siddharth has denied these reports by saying, “As for the rumours about my private life... when I have something to share, I will. I think it's indecent & uncultured to speculate (sic).”

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Entertainment TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

ON A ROLL

CINE BYTES

A

ctress Priya Anand, who will be seen in Farhan Akhtar's production Fukrey, says she recently shot for a promotional song for the film and is excited about it.

"We recently shot for a promotional video for the film. It's a fun song and we all are really looking forward to the film. It's a very exciting and special song," Priya said.

Fukrey, a buddy movie which revolves around Delhibased youngsters, is being coproduced by Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani under their banner Excel Entertainment. Directed

by Mrigdeep Singh Lamba, Fukrey also features Pulkit Samrat and Richa Chadda.

Priya, who was seen in a key supporting role in English Vinglish, said Fukrey was shot in Delhi.

"The film was shot in Delhi.

The term Fukrey is a Delhi slang. A last scene of the film is left, which we will be shooting," said the 26-year-old said.

As of now, Priya is currently busy promoting her film Rangrezz.

"I had auditioned for the film before the release of English Vinglish. Things has been going great since then. I had a great time shooting for the film," she said.

IANS

Ajay turns multi-lingual for 'Himmatwala'

A

jay Devgn will be seen speaking in five languages in his forthcoming movie Himmatwala.

"In the film, five goons from five different states come to beat Ajay, and all of them speak a dialogue. After bashing them up, Ajay repeats their dialogues in their language. I have kept subtitles so that people can understand it," Sajid Khan, director of the film, said. IANS

Preity doles out health tips to fans

S

leep well, early breakfast, exercise and much more came from actress Preity Zinta, who decided to utilise her Sunday by sharing some fitness tips with Twitteratis who are following her. "It's Sunday and of course, a fun day, so it's time for Sunday chat. Today, I think, we'll chat about health, beauty and fitness," Preity tweeted.

IANS

Urvashi to shoot for 'Singh Saheb The Great'

F

Promotional song in 'Fukrey' fun:

PRIYA ANAND

ilmmaker Anil Sharma, who recently finished the first schedule of Singh Saheb The Great in Bhopal, will now start shooting for a song sequence here with the film's leading lady Urvashi Rautela. ”It's a song sequence and we have put up a complete marriage set in the studio. It's a song and dance sequence, which will be shot on Urvashi," Sharma said.

IANS

Entertainment TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

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Entertainment TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

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Entertainment TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

BABY BLUES

CINE BYTES

G

wyneth Paltrow has experienced a heartbreaking loss, and now she’s willing to talk about it.

The actress opened up with the Daily Mail for a very candid interview, in which Paltrow reveals that she suffered a miscarriage during the pregnancy of her third child.

“My children ask me to have a baby all the time. And you never know, I could squeeze one more in. I am missing my third. I’m thinking about it," Paltrow said.

“But I had a really bad experience when I was pregnant with my third. It didn’t work out and I nearly died. So I am like, ‘Are we good here or should we go back and try again?'"

The 40-year-old celeb didn’t discuss when this all happened, but she did share that one famous Hollywood couple (and new parents) in particular have inspired her to reconsider having another baby — Beyoncé and Jay-Z (who have also been through a miscarriage).

“Their baby Blue Ivy is totally delish," she gushed.

“She’s made me very broody."

Regardless, Gwyneth is proud that throughout all of this, she has chosen “the best father” for her two children, daughter Apple, 8, and son Moses, 6, with husband and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.

Y C N A k N r o G w E t ’ R n P id nd I d” “D ut a die O early N

Chris Hemsworth most sensitive among brothers

C

hris Hemsworth says he was more friendly with his mother as compared to his brothers Liam and Luke. The actor, who is married to Elsa Pataky and has a 10-month-old daughter with her, says he was always good at talking about things with his mother.

“My mum would probably say, ‘Chris was always the daughter out of my three boys'," More! magazine quoted Chris as saying.

IANS

Rachel Weisz likes independent movies

R

achel Weisz says sometimes it is good to do independent movies rather than commercial ones.

She says, “Some of the material I’m attracted to is not commercial. Which means it’s really f**king interesting, you know? It’s off-centre. It doesn’t fit a genre. I’m not trying to sound like I’m unaware. I understand that it’s a business to some extent.”

IANS

Brangelina to get matching tattoos?

B

rad Pitt and fiancee Angelina Jolie are reportedly planning to have similar tattoos as part of their soon-to-happen wedding.

The couple, who raises six children will ink the name of their children and wedding date, reports contactmusic.com.

“They plan to have their tattoos done by a local French artist.

They’ve designed a special motif that includes some of their vows and their children’s names entwined in leaves," a source said.

IANS

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

Chai Time

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

Maya Angelou

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 Stops wavering 5 Deep carpet 9 Persian Gulf sultanate 13 Boxer’s comeback?

14 Multi-country dough 15 Too proud to stoop to 16 Fuming 18 Fastener for a girder 19 Famed horror-film street 20 Little kiddie 21 Hard hitter, Biblically 23 Hardly go-getters 25 Red Riding Hood’s hero 27 Hindu garment 28 Real bargain 29 Maniac’s introduction?

30 Saturn’s biggest moon 33 He once ran a Mickey Mouse operation 36 Lose one’s cool 38 Garfield’s girlfriend in the comics 40 One-on-one pupil 41 Winner at Bull Run 42 He played Ponch 44 Hardly a rocket scientist 48 Street coat?

51 Site of the 1980 Summer Olympics 53 Shout after a long wait 54 Grant money, essentially 55 Literally, the “way” 56 Accepted rule 57 Like an angry watch maker?

60 On pins and needles 61 Buffalo shore 62 Sword with three sides 63 Move sideways 64 Beatty and Buntline 65 100 Ethiopian cents

DOWN

1 Can’t stop thinking about something 2 Spanish restaurant staple 3 California vibration 4 Type of boot or pole 5 Western lilies 6 Requiring first aid 7 “What ___ the odds?”

8 One sponsored at a baptism 9 Passing notes?

10 Symphony section 11 Batting statistic 12 Shrimp snare 15 Moistureless 17 Utmost degree 22 Not pretentious 24 Card-catalogue listing 25 Dressy shoe 26 It goes with “neither” 28 Plane-speaking gp.

31 It’s never neutral 32 Expressions of 140 characters maximum 34 Dick was his running mate in ‘52 and ‘56 35 Horticultural beginnings 36 Emulating a goat 37 Razor-billed diving bird 38 White vestment 39 At ease 43 Way past ripe 45 Well-armed beasts 46 Habitually idle person 47 Type of 50 percent discount 49 Like some calls 50 Glacial deposit 51 Items for emcees 52 Rapturous rhyme 54 Word with “rain” or “test” 56 Packed away 58 Fury 59 New socialite, for short

Chai Time TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013 Thiruvaikumar

STAR POWER for 20-3-2013

27

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

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Businessmen will look active as new customers are likely to join their list. Women need to be careful as they might be in trouble by an outsider, however they will get good support from their family members. Act wisely.

STRIP TEASE AGNES

Businessmen will earn income which is directly proportional to their efforts put in. Strained relationship will blossom again and continue with better understanding now.

Employees’ demands will be considered.

Employees might not get any favorable decisions from their management. Businessmen too might feel limited growth and should avoid extravagance.

They need to postpone plans for further expansion. Stop worrying. Be careful while on trips.

Need to exercise extra caution while undertaking financial transactions. Employees will be happy with the favorable atmosphere at the workplace.

Businessmen are likely to sign new and favorable agreements.

Women will be upset and frequent good and bad events take place at home. Be careful while driving. Employees need to work in such a way so as to get the support and favor from their superiors. Businessmen will change partners.

Children might put you in an embarrassing situation and you need to deal with the situation patiently and come out without hurting the feelings of them. Friends might seek help and co-operating with them will help you.

Friendship with VIPs will be helpful in completing certain important but critical works.

Avoid giving guarantee or commitments to anyone.

Businessmen are advised to make full use of the opportunities that come their way.

Unexpected transfer is on the cards for employees. However they will set their mind and shift themselves to the transferred destination. Businessmen will have an okay time; miracles are not likely to happen.

Frequent travels are likely.

Court verdict will go in your favour. Existed tensions in the family will disappear and a peaceful atmosphere will prevail at home. Children will concentrate well in studies and bring you good name and fame with their achievements.

TAROT READ

Sumaa Tekur

tarotreadhyd@gmail. com

ARIES:

GEMINI:

Knight of Pentacles - Planning is key today. Keep some buffer time between appointments and account for delays and disappointments.

LEO:

Queen of Swords - You may be feeling lonely and yearn for some company. But being the intellectual type, you’re too choosy about who you want to hang out with.

LIBRA:

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE

Queen of Wands You want to be left alone and wish to spend time thinking and planning your next phase of life. Your family and friends will understand.

SAGITTARIUS:

Seven of Wands - You’re feeling tired and need to rest. Use the end of the year to look back, review your decisions and plan ahead for the year to come.

TAURUS:

Five of Cups Some form of loss is indicated. It could be money or some disappointment. Take it in your stride. Don’t worry, as better times are ahead.

CANCER:

Four of Cups - A job offer makes it difficult for you to decide between the familiar and jumping into the unknown. Weigh pros and cons carefully.

VIRGO:

Queen of Pentacles - Finances are in great shape. Think of all the wonderful dreams you’ve dreamt up until now. How will you make them come true?

SCORPIO:

Two of Cups Singles will meet an attractive person from the opposite sex. The chemistry is immediate and you plan to tie the knot or deepen the commitment.

CAPRICORN:

The Star There may be clouds of confusion but there is a crystal clear silver lining that is showing you the way; that is giving you confidence.

PREVIOUS SOLUTIONS

PISCES:

Knight of Swords - Check and double check if you’ve got all your tracks covered. You may have missed something. Check payments, filled-out forms, etc.

NUMBER GAME

Cups - You’re being emotional but may not be necessarily sensitive to other people’s emotions. Take care to respect other people’s time.

SCRABBLE

AQUARIUS: Knight of

POOCH CAFE

Influx of relatives or close friends will make the family members cheerful and happy.

Though minor hurdles are faced in the way of completing important tasks you will be able to manage them well and complete successfully.

for 20-3-2013

Nine of Wands You’re reaching the end of a prestigious project and you’ve put in a lot of hard work. It’s showing and the bosses are extremely happy.

NON SEQUITUR

You will be relaxed as help from all the expected sources will be received. Self employed are likely to do very well and remain buoyant. Artists are likely to get good and promising opportunities. Businessmen will see a huge jump in sales.

SUDUKO

A long pending task will get completed successfully will make you cheerful. Unexpected financial opportunity likely which will keep you financially comfortable. Pay hike and promotion on the cards for employees.

Boggle NET SET SERVE COURT RACKET Vol: 2, No 242 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 TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013 CINE BYTES

Jennifer celebrates St. Paddy's weekend

J

ennifer Garner spent St. Patrick's Day with Seraphina and Samuel in LA. She and her little ones got dressed up in green to celebrate the Irish holiday on a grocery run. Samuel sported a Boston Red Sox hat, possibly to match dad Ben Affleck, who is an avid Red Sox fan. Before she got into an emerald mood, Jennifer spent her Saturday running errands with Ben in Brentwood.

A STRICT NO NO

EMMA WATSON

slams Fifty Shades... casting rumours

D Julianne Hough gets 'friends therapy'

J

ulianne Hough is turning to a sunny cure for the breakup blues: the beach.

One day after her split with Ryan Seacrestwas revealed, the 24-year-old star tweeted a photo alongside a group of besties that includes Vampire Diaries actress Nina Dobrev and stylist Riawna Capri.

Contostavlos unsure about 'The X Factor'

S

inger Tulisa Contostavlos is not sure whether she will judge the next season of Britain's singing reality show — The X Factor. According to reports, show boss Simon Cowell had decided to axe Contostavlos following poor performance as a judge.

"I still don't know yet, as like every year I don't find out until the month before. I've spoken to Simon via text messages, just general conversation, not about the show," she said. IANS

on't look for Emma Watson in the upcoming Fifty Shades of Grey flick.

The Harry Potter star made it clear she's not interested in headlining the sexy adapted film, in spite of reports she was cast in the lead role.

"Who here actually thinks I would do 50 Shades of Grey as a movie? Like really. For real. In real life," Watson tweeted. "Good. Well that's sorted then."

Reports hit the web Friday that the 22-yearold actress was set to star as Anastasia Steele in the highly anticipated film, after a hacker team hacked into the internal server of German studio Constantin Film, stealing a document that reportedly showed that Watson was attached to the film.

A source told E! News, however, that in spite of the supposed hacking, casting for the film has not even started yet.

sports

29

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

DOPING TROUBLE

NBA

Olympian Rolf admits to doping Rolf admitted to using blood-boosting EPO and cortisone, ending more than a year of denials.

COPENHAGEN: Rolf Soerensen (above), one of Denmark’s most successful professional cyclists, admitted Monday to using blood-boosting EPO and cortisone in the 1990s, ending more than a year of denials.

“I used EPO periodically in the 90s,” Soerensen, now 47, said in a statement. “I have also in some cases used the substa-

nce cortisone. There is no other excuse than that I did what I felt compelled to do to be an equal among peers,” he added.

Sorensen, who won two stages of the Tour de France in 1994 and 1996, refused to identify other riders who used performance-enhancing drugs.

“There will not be any names here. No allegations

INDISPOSED

Bynum to undergo surgery on both knees PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: Philadelphia 76ers center Andrew Bynum (in pic) will undergo surgery on both knees on Tuesday, meaning he will

miss the entire NBA season due to injury, the team announced on Monday.

Bynum, a former All-Star with the Los Angeles Lakers who was traded last August in a four-team deal that sent Dwight Howard from Orlando to the Lakers, might never play for the 76ers. He will become a free agent after this season.

“After many months of rehabilitation and consulting with numerous doctors, Andrew and the doctors treating him determined that this is the best course of action at this point,” 76ers general manager Tony DiLeo said. “We will continue to monitor and evaluate his status moving forward.”

Bynum, 25, will have objects removed from within the knees in order to alleviate pain and swelling that has persisted since last season.

against other named individuals. It’s not my style,” he said.

“The only thing I will say is that I, as we all know today, was not alone in it.”

A professional rider from 1986 through 2002, Soerensen won the Liege-Bastogne-Liege race in 1993 and the Tour of Flanders in 1997.

He won a silver medal in the road race at the 1996 Olympic Games, the first year professionals were allowed to compete, and came close to winning the overall World Cup title on two occasions with a second place overall result in 1997 and third in both 1989 and 1991.

US cyclist Lance Armstrong, 41, admitted in January that he used performance-enhancing drugs during his record seven Tour de France victories from 1999-2005. Armstrong was stripped of all seven Tour titles last year after a devastating report by the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), which accused him of taking part in one of the biggest cheating operations in sports history. AFP

LEAGUE CRICKET Victory beat Southern Stars Kishan Prasad HCA one day Semifinals Victory 214/4 (Bhanu 57, Riyazuddin 58 n.o.) bt Southern Stars 112 all out (Azher 33, Mallikarjun 3/7, Ashish 3/27, Ashok 3/17) Apex 155 (Md Azeemuddin, Raheem 32, Abdul Ela Al Qurashi 4/24) lost to Boys Town 156/8 (Md Abrar 52) A Institution one day Hyderabad Industries 77 (Leslie 3/26) Lost to Postal 78/2 (Venugopal 36 n.o.)

APSRTC 225/8 (Ranga Swamy 4/52) bt Commercial Tax 63(Anil Dayal 4/18) RBI 136 ( Md Athar Arif 39) lost to HAL 137/4 (Venkat 50, Chandra Shekar 35 n.o.).

VST 178 (Priya Raj 47, Sandeep 38, Dheemanth 4/31, Ranjith 3/22) lost to OMC 180/6 (B Srikanth 95, Shyam 3/40) IICT 265/1 (Arun kumar 41, Adi Reddy 101 n.o., K. Srinivas 102) bt PBCC 79 (Naveen 30) FCI 101 all out (Chandra Shekar 41, Kailash Chand 8/24) bt MCH 93 (Arvand Shah 3/14 Chandrashekar 5/24) CCMB 93 (J Satish 3/13) lost IAC 95/4 (Jatin 48 ).

Jeff Green #8 of the Boston Celtics shoots a reverse layup against Chris Bosh #1 of the Miami Heat on Monday at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.

AFP/NATHANIEL S. BUTLER

Heat edge Celtics BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS: Reigning NBA champion Miami pushed the second-longest win streak in NBA history to 23 games on Monday with a 105-103 victory at Boston that gave the historic run its toughest test.

LeBron James sank the game-winning basket with 10.5 seconds remaining and Shane Battier made two key plays after that to continue the second-hottest run in the 67-year history of the NBA. “We were down a lot of times tonight, more than we would like to be,” James said.

“But we kept our chemistry going and got one more play.”

Only the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers, who own the all-time record of 33 wins in a row, have had a longer NBA win streak than Miami’s epic run.

James scored 37 points and added 12 assists and seven rebounds for the Heat while Mario Chalmers added 21 points, Dwyane Wade contributed 16 and Chris Bosh netted 13 for Miami, which tests the streak next on Wednesday at Cleveland. “It means we got better once again,” James said when asked how it felt to win the dramatic contest to stretch the streak. “It was a hostile environment.”

AFP

TOUR OF CATALONIA Meersman takes opening stage in Catalonia MADRID: Belgium’s Gianni Meersman won the first stage of the Tour of Catalonia in a sprint finish at the end of the 159 kilometre ride to Calella.

The Omega Pharma-Quick Step rider just edged out Valerio Agnoli (Cannondale) and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) on the line, with Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins finishing in sixth. Despite the fact that the first 13 riders to cross the line registered the same time of 3 hours 55 minutes and 56 seconds, Meersman receives a 10second bonus for winning the stage, with Agnoli and Valverde also receiving six and four second bonuses respectively for finishing on the podium.

However, despite failing to finish in the top three it was still a good day for pre-race favourite Wiggins as he and his Sky teammates led a late push on the final descent into Calella that opened up a 28 second lead over the chasing pack.

The early stages of the race saw Christian Meier and Cristiano Salerno break away and build up a commanding lead of eight minutes and forty seconds just 38 kilometres in.

However, their lead was slowly chipped away as the Movistar and Omega teams worked the peloton back into contention and eventually caught the front two with 25 kilometres to go. At that point Team Sky then forced the pace over the final climb of the Collsacreu and managed to force a split on the final descent with the breakaway pack.

AFP

30

sports TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

MIAMI MASTERS

HEART MATTERS

Djoker, Serena lead lineup Djokovic and Serena head the fields in Miami where the event begins on Tuesday.

MIAMI: World number ones Novak Djokovic (right) and Serena Williams head the fields in the WTA and ATP Masters Miami hardcourt event that begins on Tuesday, although several big names will be among the missing.

Rafael Nadal, who secured the Indian Wells title on Sunday for his third title since his comeback from nagging knee injuries, and Swiss World No. 2 Roger Federer are absent on the men's side, which features 45 of the world's 50 top players.

Injured World No. 10 Samantha Stosur of Australia is missing on the women's side, having suffered a right calf injury that forced her to drop out of her quarter-final at Indian Wells.

Djokovic will try to claim his fourth Miami title while Williams attempts to take her sixth career crown at the $8.5 million tournament, which provides first-round byes to seeded players.

Williams will play her first

event since reclaiming the World No. 1 ranking at Dubai, where she reached the final.

Serbian star Djokovic lost to Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro in the Indian Wells semifinals, ending his 22-match winning streak in a run that includ-

ed a fourth Australian Open title, his sixth career Grand Slam crown.

"I need a few days off and I'll move on to Miami," said Djokovic, who could become the first player since Andre Agassi in 2003 to lift a third

Miami title in a row.

Del Potro, who also ousted World No. 2 Andy Murray of Britain in the Indian Wells quarter-finals, is looking for big things at Miami as well after falling to Nadal in the Indian Wells final.

AFP

OLYMPIC COMMITTEE'S EVALUATION COMMISSION

Woods and Vonn reveal love interest MIAMI: Tiger Woods, the 14time major golf champion whose infamous sex scandal with multiple mistresses led to a 2010 divorce, is dating ski star Lindsey Vonn, the two US sports icons announced on Monday.

"I guess it wasn't a well-kept secret but yes, I am dating Tiger Woods," Vonn said in a Twitter posting and a longer statement on her Facebook page that included pictures of the couple.

"Our relationship evolved from a friendship into something more over these past few months and it has made me very happy. I don't plan on addressing this further as I would like to keep that part of my life between us, my family and close friends.

Thank you for understanding and your continued support! xo LV" Woods posted a Twitter message that said, "Just posted some pictures of @Lindseyvonn and me on Facebook" and wrote his own statement revealing his relationship with Vonn on his Facebook page.

"This season has been great so far and I'm happy with my wins at Torrey and Doral," the ace golfer had said.

Madrid mayor hails first day KIERAN CANNING Agence France-Presse

Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy (C) and Madrid's mayor Ana Botella (L) take part in a welcome ceremony for the IOC evaluation commission in Madrid, on Monday.

AFP

Arthur deletes Twitter account SYDNEY: Beleaguered Australian cricket coach Mickey Arthur today deleted his Twitter account after being continuously ridiculed by fans in the wake of the team's woeful Test run in India. "Thanks twitter,has been fun but deleting my account now!Thanks to all the genuine supporters out there," said Arthur on Twitter today, a day after Australia lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The Aussies are trailing 0-3 in the four-match series, beaten by six wickets in the just-concluded third Test. PTI

MADRID: Madrid mayor Ana Botella hailed the first day of the International Olympic Committee's Evaluation Commission's four-day inspection of the city's candidacy for the 2020 Olympic Games a success.

After an introduction from Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy, the committee had the opportunity to visit four of the proposed sites, including Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

Botella said the committee members were delighted to be met

by Spanish captain Iker Casillas and presented with their own memento from the club.

"The day has gone very well.

There was nothing untoward and the questions we received were the ones we expected," she told a press conference.

"In the Bernabeu the members were very happy to be presented with a shirt with their name on the back and meet players and directors, as they did in all of the four venues we visited."

AFP

COMMONWEALTH GAMES

London considers bid

LONDON: London will consider a bid to stage the 2022 Commonwealth Games after successfully hosting the Olympics last year.

With the London 2012 Games regarded as a big hit among fans and athletes alike, Neale Coleman, the London Mayor's adviser on Olympic legacy, revealed on Monday that an attempt to

bring the Commonwealth event to the English capital could be on the cards.

Asked about the need to make full use of the Olympic Stadium in east London by hosting more top-class athletics, Coleman told ITV News: "It is something that is certainly in our minds at the moment. We have great potential to use the stadium

and the facilities there and to bid in the future for big sporting events.

"One possibility certainly is that we haven't had a Commonwealth Games in London for a very, very long time. It is a fantastic event, it brings people together in a unique way. We do have the facilities there that would make a bid possible.�

AFP

Our relationship [Tiger Woods and Lindsey Vonn] evolved from a friendship into something more over these past few months and it has made me very happy.

Lindsey Vonn Ski Star

31

sports TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

AUSTRALIA’S TOUR OF INDIA

Oz team worst-ever to tour India: Ganguly The touring Oz team inexperienced, not weak: Gavaskar NEW DELHI: Sunil Gavaskar does not believe that the present Australian team is the weakest to have toured India, but feels the Michael Clarke-led outfit is undoubtedly the most inexperienced side to have visited the Indian shores. India on Monday recorded a six-wicket victory in the third cricket Test against Australia to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the fourmatch series, and many experts feel that the present side from Down Under is the weakest to have toured India. But the former India captain, Gavaskar, begs to differ.

PTI

KOLKATA: Sourav Ganguly (right) on Monday said that the current Australian side is the worst-ever to tour India.

“They don’t have the batsmen to play spinners and spinners to take wickets here. I don’t want to rate the side but having seen the Aussies since 1996, I think this team is the worst-performing on Indian soil," Ganguly told a regional news channel here on Monday.

Reacting to India’s hattrick of wins against Aussies that had never happened, Ganguly said four days and a spin-friendly track in Kotla were what India need to hand a 4-0 whitewash.

The Australian team management’s decision to sack four players, including vice-captain Shane Watson, for the third Test on disciplinary grounds, also did not go down too well with Ganguly. “No matter how disciplined you are, skill is the most

We were under a bit of pressure chasing 133: MSD

MOHALI: Mahendra Singh Dhoni showed nerves of steel while guiding India to a six-wicket win over Australia in the third Test, but the India skipper said his team was under a “bit of pressure” despite chasing a small total.

“With one batsman less and with our lower order not scoring enough runs, yes we

were under a bit of pressure," Dhoni said.

After bowling out Australia for 223 in their second innings, India chased down the target of 133 with 15 balls remaining before close of play in a match. India’s win gave the hosts a 3-0 lead in the four-match rubber, their best-ever result in a single series against Australia.

“It got close in the end. If you see I don’t gamble...we had everything to lose, nothing to gain. We had one batsman less, from seven to 11 we have not scored enough runs.

It’s important that batsmen who are set are there till the end. Vijay got out when he was playing well," he said.

ENGLAND IN NEW ZEALAND Bracewell given chance to make Test squad

WELLINGTON: Seamer Doug Bracewell will be added to New Zealand’s squad for the third Test against England if he can prove he is match fit, coach Mike Hesson said Tuesday.

Bracewell missed the first two Tests, earning a reprimand from management after he cut his foot while cleaning

important to be successful.

Australia lack skill on this tour.

“I read somewhere about (former coach) John Buchanan lauding the decision (to sack the four). Just unbelievable, what can I say!"

Meanwhile, Ganguly hoped that Sachin Tendulkar scores some big runs. “I hope he gets back to form. It’s very important for him to get into the rhythm."

There may be talks about changing Tendulkar’s batting order but Ganguly said: “I don’t think there’s a need to readjust his order and he should stick to No 4 only."

Ganguly pointed out that the batting collapse in their second innings was the Aussies’ biggest worry. “Remember that Clarke won the toss on all three occasions. I won’t be surprised to see India win inside three days if the Aussies were made to bat second.”

PTI

Clarke not certain to play Delhi Test MOHALI: Michael Clarke’s participation in the fourth and final Test against India is shrouded in uncertainty due to his sore back, which has opened up the possibility of Shane Watson taking over the mantle in case the regular skipper misses out.

Clarke said if he is ruled out of the match, Watson, one of four players to be suspended from the third Test, will lead the side in the match starting in Delhi from March 22.

“If I am unavailable due to my fitness, I don’t know.. I haven’t spoken to the selectors, but I would imagine that Watto will be the captain, that’s for sure," Clarke said.PTI

Starc heads home for surgery NEW DELHI: The struggling Australian cricket team was dealt another blow in the ongoing Test series against India after pacer Mitchell Starc (in pic) was ruled out of the fourth and final match due to an ankle injury, which would require surgery.

“Cricket Australia today advises that Mitchell Starc will return to Australia later today to have surgery to remove the bone spurs on his right ankle," CA said in a statement.

The bowler picked just two wickets in the couple of matches he played in the series which Australia have already lost 0-3.

He did, however, shine with bat by scoring a personal best of 99 in the just-concluded third Test in Mohali. The fourth Test starts here on Friday.

up broken glass after a house party earlier this month.

Hesson said he would be confirmed in the squad if he came through a one-day domestic fixture in Christchurch on Wednesday unscathed. “Doug’s availability creates a real battle for spots for this deciding Test against England," he said. “It also he-

“Mitch has been experiencing ankle pain related to bone spurs during the India Test series and whilst manageable, this represents an appropriate time for Mitch to have the surgery with a view to having him fully fit for

lps to manage the workload for a group of bowlers who have carried a heavy load during the first two Tests."

Whether Bracewell breaks into the playing XI is another matter after captain Brendon McCullum expressed a preference for sticking with the team that earned draws against England. The

the Ashes in late June," Australian Team Doctor Peter Brukner said.

“Mitch will have surgery later this week and we’ll assess his recovery as he returns to bowling."

Australia coach Mickey Arthur said Starc could have played on despite injury but that would have aggravated the problem.

“We were aware that Mitch would need surgery at some point in the future to have the spurs removed. He could have continued playing but we want to take a proactive approach in managing Mitch to have him fit for the Ashes Series in England.

“Our medical team will monitor his progress closely on whether he is available for selection for the ICC Champions Trophy."

PTI

rest of the squad is unchanged from the first two Tests.

Squad: Brendon McCullum (captain), Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Dean Brownlie, Ian Butler, Peter Fulton, Tom Latham, Bruce Martin, Hamish Rutherford, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson.

AFP

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

sports

CROATIA PLEDGES TO TACKLE HOOLIGANISM Croatia pledged to tackle hooliganism following a recent strong warning of the European football's ruling body over the issue. "Our joint goal is that our fans become our best ambassadors what our footballers already are, wherever the matches are played," Education Minister Zeljko Jovanovic said.

AT THE ZENITH

Beckham is out in front as the highest-paid player in world football.

PARIS: David Beckham is out in front as the highestpaid player in world football, according to a report that appears in Tuesday's edition of France Football magazine.

The veteran Englishman, who joined Paris SaintGermain in January on a short-term deal until the end of the season, is nearing the end of his playing career but still comes in ahead of world player of the year Lionel Messi and Real Madrid

32

Beckham tops best-paid list

star Cristiano Ronaldo.

France Football report that Beckham will earn 36 million euros ($46.7m, ÂŁ30.9m) in 2012-13, leaving him just ahead of four-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi.

Beckham, who left the Los Angeles Galaxy in December, is reported to have earned an annual salary of 1.7 million euros, with his income supplemented by 1.3 million euros in bonuses and some 33 million euros from other sources, includ-

ing advertising deals. The 37-year-old Beckham revealed after signing for PSG that all money due to him from his contract with the French giants would be donated to charity.

In contrast, Messi's income of 35 million euros includes 13 million in salary and bonuses, with the remainder coming from advertising and other sources.

Ronaldo comes in third, with total income reaching

30 million euros, including 13.5 million euros from salary and bonuses.

The magazine also reports that Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho is the best-paid coach in the world game, earning 14 million euros a year.

Behind him are two Italians, Carlo Ancelotti at Paris Saint-Germain (12 million euros), and Marcello Lippi at Chinese club Guangzhou Evergrande (11 million).

AFP

2014 WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS

Jurgen confident of new faces JIM SLATER Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON: Injuries and a lack of playing time have sidelined key United States players, but coach Jurgen Klinsmann (right) said on Monday he is confident a less experienced squad can advance to the 2014 World Cup. The Americans, coming off a 2-1 qualifying loss in Honduras, will play host to Costa Rica on Friday in Denver and play another high-altitude North American qualifying match for Brazil just four nights later away to arch-rivals Mexico.

"We have put a roster together that gives us confidence to approach both games very positively," Klinsmann

said. "We have a roster that enables us to get the job done. We're totally comfortable with this roster."

Goalkeeper Tim Howard of Everton is sidelined with a back injury while Hannover 96 defender Steve Cherundolo is out with a knee injury

FOOTBALL BRIEFS

and West Ham defender Jonathan Spector has a sore ankle.

Nuremberg defender Tim Chandler and Jose Torres, a midfielder for Mexico's Pachuca, are out with hamstring injuries while Tijuana left back Edgar Castillo is suffering from facial fractures and Hoffenheim defender Danny Williams is ill.

All-time US leading scorer Landon Donovan remains off the roster as he finishes a four-month break from Major League Soccer before rejoining defending champions Los Angeles Galaxy later this month.

"It depends on how he comes back and how I look at his development," Klinsmann said. "As of today right now he's not part of things because he's simply not playing or training."

UEFA to hear Zlatan ban appeal on March 26

Inter racism case hearing on April 19

GENEVA: UEFA on Monday said it will hear Paris Saint Germain's appeal against the Champions League ban for star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic on March 26, as the French club battle to be able to play him in their quarter-final against Barcelona. PSG want UEFA's disciplinary panel to reduce the big Swede's two-match ban, earned after he was sent off in the final seconds of their 2-1 win against Valencia on February 16, in the last 16 stage of the tournament. Ibrahimovic has already served half his ban, after missing PSG's second leg against Valencia. But he and the club hope that UEFA will not force him to skip the crunch April 2 encounter with Barcelona at home in the Parc des Princes.

AFP

GENEVA: EFA on Monday said it had launched a disciplinary procedure against Inter Milan after racist chants by fans during their Europa League tie against Tottenham, with the hearing scheduled on April 19. Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas had called on European football's governing body to take action after charging that Emmanuel Adebayor was subjected to racist abuse during their second-leg match with Inter in the last 16 round. Adebayor scored the crucial goal that cemented the London club's claim to a berth in the Europa League quarters at the Italians' expense. Inter are also under investigation for missile-throwing by fans and other organisational failings during the match last Thursday.

Didier considers rotation PARIS: France coach Didier Deschamps on Monday admitted that he could be persuaded to rest players for Friday's World Cup qualifier against Georgia with the following game against Spain in mind.

Les Bleus go into a Group I double-header of games at the Stade de France looking to build on a good start to their Brazil 2014 qualifying campaign, with Georgia first up on Friday before the European and world champions visit next Tuesday.

Deschamps has emphasised the need to put all thoughts of Spain to one side until the Georgia game is out of the way, but he knows that midfield trio Blaise Matuidi, Maxime Gonalons and Yohan Cabaye are all a booking away from a suspension, as is centre-back Laurent Koscielny.

One bad challenge against Georgia would see them miss the meeting with Spain, thereby reducing the coach's options for what is a huge match.

"I need to think about the fact that I have four players who will miss the next game if they are booked, including three midfelders," he said, before accepting that resting the quartet in question is in his thoughts.

AFP