Epaper 19 september 2013

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013 HYDERABAD

WWW.POSTNOON.COM

WEATHER: A MIX OF CLOUDY AND CLEAR SKIES; 27°C

32 PAGES

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PLUCKY BASEL CRACK JOSE’S ‘EGGS’ Basel came from a goal down to beat a nervous Chelsea at home.

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NEW T PARTY STRATEGY? HYDERABAD’S FIRST COMPACT AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER

The Congress’s new gameplan is calculated to stun its rivals. It hopes to gain enough votes in AP to make Rahul Gandhi PM if its new strategy is put into operation.

REPORT ON P5

CASHING IT BIG IN B-TOWN Modelling is seldom viewed as a gateway into the cine world.

Many have made their début into B-town but only a handful of them cracked the Bollywood code.

These model-turned actors broke the myth that models can also act.

P16&17

STEALING THE SPOTLIGHT

London took the baton after New York and showcased some of the best in Brit style, one that included designs by Burberry Prorsum, Tom Ford, Paul Smith and Mulberry, to name a few.

PG 22&23

DOES TV NEED A SANITISER? Television in India, fraught with censorship, is nothing like TV overseas. Are our TV viewers being short-changed? We find out.

PG 15

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

city events

AUTUMN IS HERE AGAIN

Golden Dragon, at Taj Krishna, Banjara Hills is all set to present its customers with Cantonese and Sichuan specialties which feature some of the choicest traditional delicacies, celebrating the harvest season in China.

Weather for Hyderabad

Evening

Overnight

25°C Mix of cloudy and clear skies with rain.

New Delhi Mumbai Max 42 Max 33 Min 26 Min 30

Morning

Afternoon

22°C

26°C

30°C

Mix of cloudy and clear skies with rain.

Mix of cloud and sun with showers

Mix of cloud and sun with showers

Sunny and mostly clear

Chennai Max 36 Min 27

Mix of cloud and sun with showers

Bangalore Max 29 Min 19

Cloudy with a slight chance of rain

A mix of cloud and sun with showers

AROUND THE CITY: YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES promises to give you taste of history with each bite.. Savour some mouthwatering delicacies as one would during the days of the Rajas and Maharajas!

Where: Hotel Regenta One, ISB Road, Financial District, Gachibowli When: Until Sept 22, 12:30pm to 11pm Contact: (040) 67300600

Contact: (040) 23550340

EXHIBITION Watercolour Paintings Portraits of Emperors :Exhibition of Water Colour paintings by Rajkumar Sthabathy will be on display. Make sure you don’t miss it!

Where: Shristi Art Gallery, 267, road No. 15, Jubilee Hills When: Until Sept 18, 2013, 11am to 7pm Contact: (040) 2354-0023

Walking Sticks Gallery Salarjung Museum recently opened a walking sticks gallery which puts on display the walking sticks collected

by Salarjung himself.

Where: Salarjung Museum, Afzalgunj When: Until Sept 30, 10am to 5pm Contact: (040)- 24576443/ 24523211

DINING

SHOWS Live Vibe with Krish Head over to News Cafe every Sunday to bring in the new week with a smile. Let Krish mesmerize you with his soulful music.

Where: News Cafe, G-5- and F-49, Inorbit Mall, Hi-tech city When: Every Sunday, 8pm to 11:30pm Contact: (040) 40101234

Painting Exhibition ArtBeat: Group Show of Paintings is an art event which features works of various artists from Hyderabad Where: Poecile Art Gallery, GUV Vivilash Chambers, Road No. 14, Banjara Hills When: Until Sept 19, 11am to 7pm

Comic Con Express Hyderabad The Comic Con is finally here in the city. Comic Con India gives its fans the opportunity to celebrate their undying love and passion for comics and pop culture. Be there to witness the craziness Where: Hitex Exhibition Grounds, Madhapur When: Sept 21 and 22, 10am to 7pm

Kebab Buffet Looks like its raining kebabs in Hyderabad. Enjoy an amazing array of kebabs as part of a lunch which is priced at Rs. 399 + taxes (weekdays) and Rs. 649 + taxes (weekends).

Where: The Great Kabab Factory, Road No. 12, Banjara Hills When: Until Sept 30 Contact: (040) 40208282/ 23302244 Street Food of Mumbai At Golkonda Hotel, you get a chance to savour some of Mumbai’s choicest street delicacies. Head over to Melange for some mouth-watering chaat, kebabs and vada pav and get the feel and taste of Mumbai.

Where: The Golkonda Hotel, Masab Tank When: Until Sept 29, 12pm to 10pm Contact: 9666003915

DIVINE PRESENCE: A girl poses with Ganesha idol on the final day of immersion at Saroornagar Lake on Wednessday.

SRINIVAS SETTY Rs.297.

Where: Khao Galli, Ground Floor, Cyber Towers, Madhapur When: Until Sept 30 Contact: (040) 23420545/ 9912022261 Tiger Trail Food Festival Limelight, the restaurant at hotel Regenta is hosting a festival which

Lunch Buffet Enjoy a sumptuous meal at Khao Galli restaurant at the price of Commissioner & Spl Officer

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

198 155313

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

155333 23431178 23431179

MUNICIPAL CORPORATION

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

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

27567892 23559555 23226624 27633087 27035588 27550238 30799999 30418296 30417445

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

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

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

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

24523211 232431300/7641 24521029

Readers’ views

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

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

news

YESTERDAY’S QUESTION

IN A COUNTRY WHERE PEOPLE ARE KILLED OVER CASTE, DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO CRIB OVER RACISM ABROAD? YES (A) NO (B)

45% 55%

TODAY’S QUESTION

IS THERE ENOUGH POLITICAL SPACE FOR ANOTHER T PARTY? A)

YES

B)

NO

To vote visit www.postnoon.com

CRIME

BEST CHOICE

4 dreaded rowdies arrested with weapons The gang was preparing to eliminate a rival when the cops caught up with them.

Choor Qaiser, the gang’s leader, has 29 cases to his (dis)credit

POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: The West Zone team of the Commissioner’s Task Force has nabbed a notorious rowdy-sheeter Choor Qaiser, 39, along with his three gang members on September 16.

The four, police said, have been getting ready to eliminate a rival when the law caught up with them. The additional deputy commissioner of task force, P Rameshaih, said the accused is involved in some 29 criminal cases.

A resident of Afzal Sagar, Choor who goes around with several aliases has been a rowdy-sheeter of Habeeb Nagar police station for the past several years.

Kaiser is active is active since 1995. So far he is involved in 29 criminal cases including murder, attempt to murder, rioting, dacoity, and blackmailing.

In 2008, he was arrested for

WASHINGTON: Leading Indian industrialist Ratan N Tata has joined the Board of Trustees of Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, an influential Washington think tank.

“We are extremely proud to welcome Ratan to our board of trustees,” said Harvey V Fineberg, chairman of the board, in a statement announcing Tata's induction.

“Ratan has an unparalleled knowledge of the global economy, as well as the business sector in one of the world's most important emerging economies. He has enormous experience managing large organisations, and I know he will be a tremendous asset for Carnegie," he said.

WORLD

CITY

CHARGE-SHEET

Tata joins Carnegie Board

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His associates are identified as Syed Majeed, 23, resident of Saveet Nagar, Mohd Bin Abdullah, 28, a resident of Patel Nagar and Tabrez Khan, aged 26 years, a resident of Habeeb Nagar.

Many weapons have been seized from their possession.

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2 held with knives POSTNOON NEWS he Task Force East Zone team has nabbed two persons and seized daggers from their possession.

Idris Mohammed alias Bablu, 34. A resident of Vidyanagar and Shaikh Altaf Hussain, who too is a resident of Vidyanagar have been taken into custody yesterday.

T

obtaining fake passport by furnishing false/fake documents under Tatkal scheme on a ficti-

Idris is an auto driver and Altaf, an blacksmith who is adept at making knives and swords. On a tip off the police raided their houses and came out with many knives and swords which they could not explain properly. The two reportedly had plans to intrude into Ganesh festival.

However, the arrest foiled their scheme, police said.

tious name of Mohammad Waheed.

In 2010, he is charged with

murder of one Mohd.

Fazaluddin @ Fazal, a rowdySheeter of Panjagutta Police Station and his co-brother Ayub Khan.

In 2011, while he was in jail he is accused of hatching a plan with his gang to eliminate one Ashwaq, a rowdy-sheeter of Kalapattar who is close associate of Ayub Khan. But the muder conspiracy was foiled by West Zone Task Force team.

After releasing from jail in October last he was externed from Hyderabad City for six months.

Welcoming Tata to Carnegie's board, the think tank president Jessica T Mathews said: “As we continue to develop the world's first truly global think tank, including establishing a South Asia Centre in New Delhi, I can think of few better people to help us in that mission.”

Tata, who is also a member of the Prime Minister's Council on Trade and Industry, was chairman of Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata Group, from 1991 until his retirement at the end of 2012.

Currently chairman of Tata Trusts, he also heads two of the largest private-sector-promoted philanthropic trusts in India, One of the oldest US think tanks, Carnegie has a global network of policy research centres in Russia, China, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States.

IANS

CITY BRIEFS Seemanhra lawyers’ JAC backs APNGOA stir

‘Antony panel report must for T Cabinet note’

1 lakh enroment target for T Social Army

Geetha must quit on moral grounds: CPI

YSRC to stage dharna at Assembly tomorrow

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eemandhra Lawyers’ Joint Action Committee will extend support to the Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers’ Association stir for the cause of a united AP. “We have decided to support and participate in all agitations including various protests by APNGOA against the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh,” the lawyers body said.

nion minister Veerappa Moily has informed the Seemandhra Congress leaders who had called on him on Wednesday, that the Cabinet note on Telangana cannot be finalized without the receipt of the report from the high-level committee headed by AK Antony that was formed in the wake of the upsurge in Seemandhra region.

elangana Rashtriya Lok Dal has launched membership programme for enrolling one lakh members for Social Army for Telangana (SAT). For this purpose students and youths will be selected. They would be given training by retired Army officials. The purpose of formation of SAT is to rope them in for the Telangana struggle.

he CPI on Wednesday demanded the resignation of major industries minister Dr J Geetha Reddy from the Cabinet as she has been named an accused in the Disproportionate Assets case of YSRC president Jagan Mohan Reddy. CPI State secretary K Narayana said Geetha should resign on moral grounds.

SRCP senior leader Shobha Nagireddy said her party legislators would stage a dharna at the Assembly on September 20 in support of Samaikyandhra. Shobha said the YSRCP MLAs would go on a padayatra from Telugu Thalli statue to Gandhi statue on the Assembly premises and stage a sit-in at Gandhi statue.

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News THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013 LAST YEAR... HERE What’s in the air?

L

ast year we had reported on how despite the GHMC spending a budget of `300 crore to beautify the city, it has done nothing to tackle the issue of air and noise pollution in the City.

Panjagutta, Charminar and Paradise junctions were found to be among the areas with the highest levels of pollution. Interestingly, even with such statistics, the City went on to host the eco conference later in the month.

NUMEROLOGY

$1 bn

and 1 year is what he would need to surrender Syria's chemical weapons warned Bashar Al-Assad, who denied charges that his forces were behind August 21 Sarin gas attack on Damascus, but pledged to handover his deadly arsenal.

Under no circumstances would we seek any weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons, nor will we ever.

Hassan Rouhani, President of Iran See page 9

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

1

Myanmar hospital offers hope in troubled times.

The facility is a beacon of communal harmony in a country reeling from religious violence.

2

Clubbers dance in Damascus in a bid to forget war.

At one Damascus hotel, some 200 salsa lovers meet up every Thursday, to dance together to Cuban rhythms.

3

Boeing to stop the production of C-17s.

Citing a difficult environment amid government spending cuts, Boeing announced it would end its C-17 military transport aircraft in 2015.

4

Surrendering Syria's chemical weapons to cost $1bn.

Pushed by Putin, the White House has agreed to hold fire while Russia and the international community draws up a disarmament plan.

5

Balkans railways desperate for major overhaul .

Since the bloody break up of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, most railroads have been poorly maintained by the countries that emerged from the communist federation.

ENERGY

‘RELAX COAL ORE MINING AND SAVE FOREX’

The coal scam has hit Indian building industry hard. Restriction in coal mining has affected the steel industry which in turn debilitates the building industry, argues Assocham, in its latest report. The Assocham has argued that raising iron ore supply to the steel industry will save $6 bn worth of steel imports.

POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com

A

pex industry body Assocham today urged the union government to raise iron ore supply for the domestic steel industry which is currently running at an all time low utilization level in the country as such a move would bring down steel imports worth a whopping six billion dollars, promote steel exports and curb the ever-rising current account deficit (CAD).

“Iron ore exports of a 100 million tonne (mt) would earn India $10 billion while the country would earn $8-9 billion through exports of just 10 mt steel, besides value addition to the raw material would lead to employment generation, capacity building and various other benefits,” highlighted a study titled ‘Iron Ore Exports: Threat for Indian Steel Industry,’ conducted

by The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham).

“Rupee depreciation has made domestic steel sector 22 per cent more competitive thereby giving a huge impetus to the finished steel exports as such relaxing the exports restrictions on iron ore would further worsen India’s CAD,” said an Assocham spokesperson.

Highlighting that both

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demand for and production of steel is growing steadily, the Chamber study has projected that India’s steel production might reach 81 mt in the current year as against 78 mt in 2012-13.

Considering that iron ore production in the country has been declining significantly, India is likely to witness a shortfall of about 30 mt as iron ore production is likely to stay at about 100110 mt in the current year and it requires about 140 mt of iron ore to produce 81 mt of steel, highlighted the study.

“Thus any relaxation of iron

ore export duty will further worsen the situation thereby making it difficult for domestic steel producers to survive,” said the chamber’s spokesperson.

Owing to the unavailability of iron ore, capacity utilisation of crude steel in India has come down to about 82 per cent from about 88 per cent a year ago, further highlighted the Chamber.

Rampant shortage of iron ore has also lead to huge imports of iron and steel making raw material as India imported various metallic worth over $9 billion for iron ore and steel industries thereby increasing the CAD significantly.

“There has a sudden jump of 66 per cent in import of scrap from about five mt in 2011-12 to

over eight mt in 2012-13,” says the study. “Likewise, there has been huge jump of 1,475 per cent in import of direct reduced iron (DRI) and hot-briquetted iron (HBI) i.e. from less than 50,000 tonne a year ago to over 7.5 lakh tonne in the current year.”

As per the data compiled by Assocham, India has ample of agglomeration capacity as pellet plants capacity is likely to reach 85 mt by 2014-15 from about 64 mt in 2012-13. Similarly, sinter capacity is also scheduled to grow to 86 mt by 2014-15 from current level of 75 mt.

Due to decline in total iron ore production there has also been a significant decline in production of lump and fines. Iron exporters are spreading a myth that due to unavailability of utilization of fines capacity in India, fines are being exported.

Considering that iron ore production in the country is likely to drop, the production of fines is expected to stay at 60 mt in the current year as against 88 mt in 2012-13 and thus pellet and sinter plant will continue to operate below rated capacity, says the study.

In view of the massive steel requirement for infrastructure development there is a need to significantly ramp up steel production capacity in India which calls for urgent action on the aforesaid issues.

AUSTRALIAN STUDY

Shark overfishing endangers reefs AROUND THE

WORLD

SYDNEY: Scientists studying remote reefs off Australia said Thursday sharks played a fundamental role in coral health, with overfishing of the marine predators increasing reef vulnerability to global warming and disasters.

A research team, led by Mark Meekan from the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences, studied the impact of sharks at the Rowley Shoals and Scott Reefs over a period of 10 years.

"Where shark numbers are reduced we see a fundamental change in the structure of food chains on reefs," said Meekan.

"We see increasing numbers of mid-level

predators such as snappers, and a reduction in the numbers of herbivores such as parrot fishes. The parrot fishes are very important because they eat the algae that would otherwise overwhelm young corals on reefs recovering from natural disturbances."

Meekan said the findings showed declining global reef shark populations due to overfishing was of "great concern" because it would leave the coral structures more vulnerable to bleaching events from warmer, more acidic oceans, and large cyclones. But even small no-fishing zones in reef areas could provide valuable feeding sites for sharks, maintaining a delicate ecosystem balance ensuring algae-eating species could thrive, he added.

AFP

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News THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

CRACKDOWN

TO THE RESCUE

Egyptian troops storm village in ‘hot pursuit’

A man wades through a flooded street in Acapulco, on September 18, 2013 as heavy rains hit the country.

Mexican authorities scrambled Tuesday to launch an air lift to evacuate tens of thousands tourists stranded amid floods in the resort of Acapulco following a pair of deadly storms.

AFP PHOTO/RONALDO SCHEMI

CAIRO: Egypt security forces crackdown on militants Egyptian troops and police stormed the village of Kerdassah near Cairo Thursday in the latest crackdown on militants, media and security officials said.

State news agency MENA reported that a senior police officer was killed in the operation.

A security official told AFP that vehicles carrying armed personnel entered the village while army helicopters hovered above.

“The operation is to clear the village of terrorist elements,” the official said, adding that one soldier had been wounded.

A military source confirmed the operation in Kerdassah, where clashes between security forces

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and armed groups had erupted just hours after Egypt’s authorities launched a crackdown on two camps of supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi in Cairo on August 14.

That fighting left 11 security officers dead while several police stations were torched. Egyptian police and troops have launched a sustained campaign against militants and Islamists since the army’s ouster of Morsi on July 3.

The operation in Kerdassah comes after a similar crackdown was launched in the town of Delga in central Egypt on Monday. AFP

POSTNOON EXCLUSIVE

New T party strategy?

The Congress game plan is calculated to stun its rivals. It seems plausible to come up with an enough number from AP to make Rahul Gandhi PM, if the new strategy is put in operation.

MD INKESHAF AHMED ahmed.m@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: Ever wondered why the Congress is not worried at the anger being levelled against it by the Seemandhra? It is a gameplan that is aimed at coming up with enough numbers in favour of Rahul Gandhi.

While grim is the forecast for the Congress prospects in Seemandhra party leaders take a different view. They say the anger against the party in Seemandhra for creating Telangna would only do it good as the party hopes to sweep the Telangana region in the next general elections, pushing out the T champion the TRS. The number game goes like this.

Seemandhra (RayalaAndhra) together has 25 Lok Sabha seats and Telangana has

17. If the party is seen as pro-T and gets the credit for it, it hopes to come up with at least 15 seats.

Of the Seemandhra, the anger against the Congress will take votes to the YSRC, the natural beneficiary, denying the TDP any scope for improving its tally.

Thus the YSRC is expected to sweep with 20 seats. The Congress knows the YSRC as its progeny and it has to deal with the Congress anyway. It would be a merger with Jagan Mohan Reddy at the helm of affairs or a post-poll alliance.

Either way, the Congress hopes to keep in its kitty 35 seats which is not a bad deal when it compares to other states where the Congress prospects are bleak.

The Congress hopes to push the TRS to the wall so as it has to merge or disappear from the scene.

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If the party is seen as pro-T and gets the credit for it, it hopes to come up with at least 15 seats.

This, the reason the party sources say there was no chance for it to go back on its promise of creating Telangana as some Seemandhra leaders hope. They argue that more the Seemandhra ire, better the party prospects in Telangana.

“The more the tempers of people of the Seemandhra, greater the benefit the Congress

would reap in Telangana region.

We will tell the people of Telangana that the Congress did not succumb to the intense pressure from powerful Seemandhra leadership including union ministers and created separate Telangana state. This will help us in emerging as the biggest political party in the telangana state after the next general elections.

We will take this message to each and cranny of the telangana region. ,” a state cabinet minister from Telangana region told Postnoon.

The party also feels that its strategy would leave no option for pro-Telangana outfit TRS Party but merge with the congress before the next general elections and confine another rival BJP to its existing subregional status.

“Our move will help us in

forcing TRS to merge with us. It will also leave little space for BJP in its attempts to cash in its proTelangana stand,” the minister added.

CABINET NOD FOR T-NOTE IN OCTOBER? On the other hand, the cabinet note prepared by the union home ministry on Telangana state issue is likely to get the union cabinet approval in the first week of October. By the time the Antony panel is supposed to give its report on Seemandhra stir and remedial measures. The next cabinet meeting is scheduled to be held in the first week of October after the return of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh from his offiical the United States of America tour. The official tour of the PM will begin from September 25 this month.

NATION BRIEFS 19 fishermen arrested

by Lankan Navy

Two killed as trolley overturns

Dilip Kumar recovering, needs rest: Saira Banu

No railway guards for women’s compartments

PM to address UN on Sept 28

RAMESWARAM: Nineteen fishermen, who ventured into the sea from Pudukottai district, were today arrested by Sri Lankan Navy when they went for fishing in the Palk Strait, officials said. It was not immediately known whether they were fishing in Indian or Lankan waters, Joint Director of Fisheries, Phelomin Thiagarajan, said.

FIROZABAD: Two children were killed and several others injured when a tractor trolley overturned in Shikohabad area, police said today. Vishnu (16) and Neha (10) were killed when the trolley they were returning in after ganesh immersion in overturned and fell into a pit near Naseerpur village late last night.

MUMBAI: Legendary actor Dilip Kumar is on his road to recovery but needs lot of rest, his wife Saira Banu said today. “He has to overcome the problem and it will take some time.

But he is recovering. This morning he got up and had tea. He needs to rest. I thank all the fans and well wishers for their prayers,” Saira Banu said.

MUMBAI: Admitting shortage of railway police personnel to guard women compartments in suburban trains, Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil has said he has apprised Union Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge about it. “About 574 compartments out of the total 936 reserved for women on suburban trains do not have railway police.”

NEW DELHI: PM Manmohan Singh is to address the 68th UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on September 28 which this year has the theme Post-2015 Development Agenda: Setting the Stage. Prior to Manmohan Singh’s visit, Salman Khurshid would be in New York to attend high-level meetings from September 23.

News

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

FESTIVAL COLOURS

HOLY FAREWELL Heavy rains that lashed the City yesterday failed to deter enthusiastic revellers from thronging the streets and taking Ganesh idols to immersion locations across the City. Postnoon photo team freezes some frames from those rapturous moments for our readers.

6&7 N SHIVA KUMAR, SRINIVAS SETTY

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News THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

RIOTS AFTERMATH

SUPREME COURT Justices Nagappan, Singh sworn in NEW DELHI: Justice C. Nagappan and Justice Shiva Kirti Singh were Thursday sworn in as judges of the Supreme Court.

With their appointment, the strength of the apex court judges has gone up to 30. It is still one short of its sanctioned strength.

Before being elevated to the apex court, Justice Nagappan was the chief justice of the Orissa HC and Justice Shiva Kirti Singh AROUND THE

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was the chief justice of the Allahabad High Court.

With Justice Nagappan taking oath Thursday, the number of judges from Tamil Nadu has gone up to three — including Chief Justice P Sathasivam and Justice Fakir Mohamed Ibrahim Kalifulla. With Justice Shiva Kirti Singh joining, the number of apex court judges from Bihar has gone up to three. The other two are Justice CK Prasad and Justice Gyan Sudha Misra.

IANS

UP to give pension to Muzaffarnagar victims

A proposal to give jobs based on educational qualification is also being considered.

At least 48 people were killed in the three-day riots.

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to give “special pension” to people affected in the violence in Muzaffarnagar.

A total of 48 people were killed and more than 43,000 displaced in communal clashes that erupted September 7 and lasted for three days.

Official sources told IANS that a list of riot-affected people is currently being prepared.

A proposal to give jobs based on educational qualification is also being considered.

“The pension, which would be anywhere between `400 and `500, would be given under the Rani Laxmi Bai Pension Scheme,” an official said.

This pension would be given to families of the dead and to those injured.

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Ground work for the rehabilitation package was done at a meeting between district officials and Chief Secretary Jawed Usmani Tuesday.

UNDETERRED

Police spray a protester with tear gas during clashes with anti-fascist demonstrators in the western Athens working class suburb of Keratsini on Wednesday, after a leftist musician was murdered by a suspected neo-Nazi. Pavlos Fyssas, a 34-year-old left-wing hip hop singer, was stabbed to death outside a Keratsini cafeteria. Police said a 45-yearold alleged member of the Golden Dawn neo-Nazi group arrested at the scene of the killing had confessed to stabbing Fyssas, who wrote music under the nickname Kilah P. Police fired tear gas at a small group of anti-fascism protesters who pelted them with wooden sticks and stones.

AFP/ LOUISA GOULIAMAKI

DEFENCE Aegis interceptor test successful WASHINGTON: The US military said Wednesday it successfully intercepted a short-range ballistic missile target during a missile defence test over the Pacific Ocean.

The short-range missile target was launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii.

Following target launch, the USS Lake Erie, equipped with the secondgeneration Aegis Ballistic Missile

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Defense (BMD) weapon system, detected and tracked the missile with its onboard radar, then launched two missiles to engage the target. The first of the two missiles successfully intercepted the target warhead.

IANS

Muzaffarnagar officials have been given a deadline of one week to complete the desired work.

The divisional commissioner

of Saharanpur has been assigned the task of working out the nitty-gritty of the scheme.

The state government has also asked officials to expedite work on the disbursement of financial compensation to the riot victims. “Funds have already reached the district authorities and more than `3.5 crore has been distributed. We just need to step up the pace,” an official said.

The state government has announced `10 lakh ex gratia for the kin of those killed in the communal clashes. Special focus was being given on providing medical aid to those injured, an official said.

IANS

9

News THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013 IRAN’S N-AIMS

Iran will not seek N-weapons SHAUN TANDON feedback@postnoon.com WASHINGTON: Iran will never seek nuclear weapons, newly elected President Hassan Rowhani vowed Wednesday, as he reached out to longtime enemy the United States.

In a US television interview days before he travels to New York for the UN General Assembly, Rowhani praised US President Barack Obama for taking a “positive” approach toward Tehran in a letter.

“Under no circumstances would we seek any weapons of mass destruction, includAROUND THE

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ing nuclear weapons, nor will we ever,” Rowhani told NBC News.

“We have never pursued or sought a nuclear bomb, and we are not going to do so,” he said, according to the US network.

Rowhani repeated Iran’s position that the clerical state — suffering from US-led sanctions following sensitive uranium work — was solely “looking for peaceful nuclear technology.”

Rowhani, considered more moderate than his rivals, swept to power in June on promises to help repair Iran’s economy and to ease tensions with the West.

SYRIAN CRISIS

EMMY AWARDS

Give me 1 year and $1bn: Assad Assad insisted that his forces had not been behind an August 21 gas attack, but vowed nevertheless to hand over his deadly arsenal.

DAVE CLARK feedback@postnoon.com WASHINGTON: Defiant strongman Bashar Al-Assad promised Wednesday he would surrender Syria’s chemical weapons but warned it would take at least a year to do so and cost one billion dollars.

His latest appearance came as UN envoys debated a draft resolution that would enshrine a joint US-Russian plan to secure and neutralize his banned weapons in international law.

In a confident interview with US network Fox News, Assad insisted that Syria was not gripped by civil war but was the victim of infiltration by foreignbacked Al-Qaeda fighters.

He insisted that his forces had not been behind an August 21 gas attack on the Damascus suburbs that left hundreds of civilians dead, but vowed nevertheless to hand over his deadly arsenal.

After last month’s barrage of sarin-loaded rockets, which Western capitals say was clearly launched by the regime, US President Barack Obama called for US-led punitive military

House of Cards looks for big win MICHAEL THURSTON feedback@postnoon.com LOS ANGELES: Netflix political drama House of Cards hopes to make television history this weekend by becoming the first online-only series ever to win a major Emmy award. The series, starring Oscar winner Kevin Spacey as scheming US congressman Francis Underwood, is nominated in nine categories including best drama and best actor at the Emmys, the Oscars of the television world.

Breaking Bad, Homeland and Mad Men are key rivals for the coveted top drama AROUND THE

WORLD

strikes. But — with US lawmakers and the Western public not sold on the virtues of another Middle East military adventure — Assad’s ally Russia seized the opportunity to propose a diplomatic solution.

Pushed by President Vladimir Putin, the White House agreed to hold fire while Russia and the international community draws up a disarmament plan.

Assad reiterated his pledge to cooperate, but insisted he had not been forced to do so by US threats of US action.

AROUND THE

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Pushed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, the White House agreed to hold fire while Russia and the international community draws up a disarmament plan.

prize, while American Horror Story: Asylum has the most nominations with 17 nods at the 65th annual primetime Emmy awards ceremony in Los Angeles.

Elton John will make his first ever appearance at the show in a tribute to piano legend Liberace, the subject of acclaimed biopic Behind the Candelabra.

Other stars handing out awards include Alec Baldwin of 30 Rock, Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston and Homeland nominee Claire Danes, while Sunday’s show will be hosted by How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris.

WASHINGTON MASSACRE

US claims it missed the ‘red flags’ Reserving judgment as to who might bear the blame, Chuck Hagel unveiled details of a sweeping review of security at all military bases, which will include a look at how passes are issued to contractors.

WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel acknowledged Wednesday authorities missed some “red flags” that might have averted a deadly shooting rampage at the Washington Navy Yard, vowing to close any gaps in security.

Hagel made the admission in the wake of Monday’s massacre that left 13 dead, including the shooter, as details emerged of the troubled former sailor turned contractor who gunned down civilian workers at a naval installation in the heart of Washington.

“Obviously, when you go

back in hindsight and look at all this, there were some red flags, of course there were,” Hagel told a news conference.

“And should we have picked them up? Why didn’t we? How AROUND THE

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could we have? All those questions need to be answered.”

Reserving judgment as to who might bear the blame, Hagel unveiled details of a sweeping review of security at all military

bases, which will include a look at how passes are issued to contractors. The security clearances issued by the government are under intense scrutiny as the gunman, 34-year-old Aaron Alexis, had a valid pass that enabled him to enter the sprawling Navy Yard, located blocks from Congress.

Alexis had a security clearance despite a record of misconduct in the Navy and run-ins with the law, including two shooting incidents and a Rhode Island police report showing he had severe delusions.

10

News THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

A STUDY IN CONTRASTS

Life in the streets of a strife-torn Syria is a dangerous affair as one has to brave bullets and bombs. However, a bunch of gritty revellers refuse to give up on life and set the dance floors on fire. Where the future is uncertain, they make the best of the present.

Damascus clubbers dance on in bid to forget war outside SAMMY KETZ Agence France Presse DAMASCUS: When night falls in Damascus, gaggles of determined revellers still head out on the town seeking to drown out the thunder of outgoing artillery fire with the boom of music.

The shells are raining down on suspected rebel positions in suburbs just a few kilometres (miles) away but, while most people lock themselves fearfully in their homes, some head out to try to forget the war on their doorstep..

“I come here for a change of atmosphere,” says Mohammad, a 25-year-old car salesman, who has clearly had a drink or three.

“There is joy here,” he says of the nightclub in the upscale Shaalan neighbourhood, where the barman juggles bottles of spirits.

“I want to live, I don’t want to hear any more bad news.”

On the dance floor, customers shake to a track popular among supporters of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

“Don’t ask me how or why, it’s the army that protects us,” the lyric goes.

“You and I salute General Maher,” a reference to President

Bashar al-Assad’s brother, who heads the elite army Fourth Division but is in fact a colonel.

Among the performers is Mudi al-Arabi, a 22-year-old rapper, who returned to Damascus just two months ago after spending the previous two years living in Morocco. He is determined to keep up a happy-go-lucky lifestyle despite the constant threat of death.

“Everyone’s going to die some day, but the Syrian people love life and the most important thing is to be happy,” he said.

“If the United States attacks us, I’m sure our army will defend us,” he added. “Guys come here with their friends or with their girlfriends, to forget the week’s routine.”

Arabi’s songs are heavy with nostalgia for the Damascus of before the war when there were regular music festivals.

Now he performs just once a fortnight at private parties. Since the uprising against Assad’s rule erupted in March 2011, the authorities have been wary of public gatherings and it has become difficult to get the necessary authorisations.

“It’s hard to get permission from the security services,” Arabi said.

The nightclub does brisk

business despite the war raging outside.

“We stay open until 2:00 am.

It’s going well,” said 29-year-old manager Bashar.

“But please don’t mention the club’s name. I’m afraid someone might do us harm because they think we shouldn’t be having fun while people are dying.”

The club is one of a dozen still open in Damascus 30 AROUND THE

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months into a conflict that has killed more than 100,000 people and reduced some of the capital’s suburbs to rubble.

Where Ahmad, a 22-year-old student, decides to go “depends on where my friends want to meet. There are even some clubs where the champagne is still flowing”.

At one Damascus hotel, some 200 salsa lovers meet up every Thursday — the start of the Syrian weekend — to dance together to Cuban rhythms.

Yara, 22, drives 25 kilometres (15 miles) twice a week to the Bulgarian cultural centre in the Malki district, where she takes salsa, merengue, cha-cha-cha and tango lessons in preparation for the weekly night out.

“Here, I’m different, I feel happy. We’ve all become friends,” said the young economics graduate.

A dozen couples practise on the dance floor, under the watchful gaze of their two teachers.

Fadi has a day job with the United Nations, while Mayss is a personal assistant for a telecommunications company director.

“We dance to get rid of our negative energy,” said 30-yearold Fadi.

“Before the war, the Syrians

didn’t used to be so active. Now, we’ve understood life is short and that we need to live fully,” said Mayss, 28.

In old Damascus the Baik Bash hotel runs karaoke nights for lovers of traditional Arabic music.

While Rasha Tabba sings “I’m in such a state” by Aleppo crooner Sabah Fakhri, her friends

At one Damascus hotel, some 200 salsa lovers meet up every Thursday — the start of the Syrian weekend — to dance together to Cuban rhythms. belly dance.

“The situation is bad and we come here to get a change of mood. I love singing, and I think I have a good voice,” said the housewife, donning a white veil as she dances.

The club’s owner, Arwa, is the proud mother of Mohammad Bash, who reached the semifinals in the regional Star Academy singing competition.

“He loves coming here to sing along with his friends,” said Arwa.

11

News THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

HEALING TOUCH

Myanmar Muslim hospital offers hope in troubled times The facility is a beacon of communal harmony in a country reeling from religious violence that has exposed deepening national fractures as it emerges from shadows of military rule.

KELLY MACNAMARA Agence France Presse YANGON: From political activists freed after years in Myanmar’s jails to stricken and impoverished families, all are welcome at Yangon’s Muslim Free Hospital — a symbol of unity in a country riven by religious unrest.

There is barely a space left unoccupied in the bustling medical centre. From the sootsmeared front steps, through dusty stairwells and into sweltering wards, people wait for treatments that would be beyond their reach elsewhere in Myanmar’s desperately underfunded health system.

The throngs of people — the hospital sees up to 500 outpatients a day — are a testament to the diversity of the Buddhistmajority country’s main city, with flashes of colour from Myanmar skirt-like longyis and Muslim headscarves.

“I am a surgeon so my responsibility is to cure suffering patients,” Tin Myo Win said before setting out on a tour of the wards. “The policy of this hospital is not to discriminate. It does not matter whether people are rich or poor, or what religion they are,” he said.

The doctor, a well-known former political prisoner who has for years been the personal physician for opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, said he had treated “many monks” during 21 years at the hospital.

The facility is a rare beacon of communal harmony in a country

reeling from recent religious violence that has exposed deepening national fractures as it emerges from the shadows of military rule.

Around 250 people have been killed and more than 140,000 left homeless in several outbreaks of violence since June 2012, mainly minority Muslims who have been the target of riots and a nationalistic campaign led by some radical monks.

While the spread of religious unrest has stoked tension in the country, people visiting the hospital in a multicultural quarter of downtown Yangon said differences should be put aside.

“I don’t think about it. I have done business with Muslims AROUND THE

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many times in the past. I have a good friendship with them,” said Tin Tin Khaing, a Buddhist, whose 57-year-old father travelled from the Irrawaddy Delta region to have a hernia operation.

A LONG HISTORY OF HELPING THE POOR The hospital started life as the result of a campaign by young local Muslims as a small dispensary in 1937, when Myanmar was called Burma and run as an outpost of British India under colonial rule.

It now has departments specialising in surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, eyes, and psy-

chiatry. Treatments are free to those deemed too poor to contribute, while a small fee is charged to those able to pay.

All services are desperately needed in a country where the previous junta neglected the health system as it focused on military spending.

Some international aid agencies provide limited assistance in certain areas, and there are a scattering of clinics run by the Buddhist clergy and Aung San Suu Kyi’s opposition party.

But huge swathes of the impoverished population are effectively cut off from even the most basic medical help.

Chronically-underfunded government hospitals operate on a cost sharing basis, with patients charged for everything from the medicines needed to the equipment used.

According to World Health Organization data, total spending on healthcare in Myanmar was $27.9 per person in 2011.

The government accounted for just $2.9 of that — the lowest

Pick

contribution in the world. But this was actually an improvement from 2005, when the state spent just 50 US cents per capita.

A SYMBOL OF TOLERANCE

Tin Myo Win, the only Buddhist department head at the hospital, said the Muslim practice of donating 10 percent of their income to charitable causes was an important source of income for the hospital, as well as paidfor treatments and international donations.

He said the hospital had long stood as a local symbol of tolerance and a refuge for those with nowhere else to go.

Under decades of junta rule, which ended two years ago, Myanmar authorities swept up hundreds of activists into the country’s notorious jails, particularly those involved in mass anti-government protests in 1988 and 2007.

Political prisoners were often subjected to dire conditions, held far away from their families, treated with brutality and given no access to proper healthcare.

at the

Many left jail in an extremely poor physical and mental state but were unable to afford treatment in state hospitals, which were also seen as hostile to the released campaigners, said Tin Myo Win. The doctor spent three years in prison after taking part in a failed 1988 student-led uprising that also saw the rise of Suu Kyi’s opposition. He has spent the two decades since his release working at the Muslim Hospital, which welcomed the detained activists.

“They don’t just come here because of financial problems. It is also maybe because they believe in me. We understand each other very well. Only those who stayed in jail know how we suffered inside for food and health. The situation inside was terrible,” he said.

Political reforms that have swept the country since a new quasi-civilian government took power in 2011 mean that former detainees are no longer shunned by state hospitals.

airport,

-

12

News THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

OFF TRACK

‘Death trap’ Balkans railways desperate for major overhaul Since the bloody break up of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, most railroads have been poorly maintained by the countries that emerged from the communist federation.

KATARINA SUBASIC Agence France Presse BELGRADE: For years, Boban Petrovic has taken a train from Belgrade every three months to visit his family in Montenegro and each trip makes him shudder with fear for his life.

“I usually lull myself to sleep with a glass or two of wine to survive the trip,” Petrovic, a 37year old hairdresser, told AFP. The 475 kilometre (285 mile) ride between the Serbian capital and Montenegro’s southern port of Bar sometimes takes up to 16 hours.

Riding through idyllic countryside, both passenger and freight trains pass through dozens of tunnels piercing steep limestone mountains and cross long bridges over the deep gorges of Serbia and Montenegro.

The journey was once seen as a pride of communist Yugoslavia, the Belgrade-Bar railroad was designed for speeds of up to 120 kmph (70 miles) when it was finished in 1976.

Nowadays, trains can travel over some sections at only a tenth of that speed.

The ailing infrastructure and decades-old trains do not inspire confidence among passengers.

In 2006, a passenger train derailed and plunged into a canyon outside the Montenegrin capital Podgorica as it emerged from a tunnel, killing 47 people and injuring nearly 200.

Since the bloody break up of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, most railroads have been poorly maintained by the countries that emerged from the communist federation.

“Except Croatia, where it is slightly better, railway networks are neglected and in a bad shape,” said Dejan Lasica, Serbia’s deputy transportation minister.

In Serbia, at most 30 kilometres of track have been overhauled annually in the past two decades, instead of the 190 deemed necessary. The average speed is now 42 kms per hour.

“The 2013 Tour De France winner rides with higher average speed then our trains,” Petrovic joked bitterly.

AROUND THE

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Complicated border procedures between the former partner republics have also added hours to rail trips, like the train linking Belgrade and capital Sarajevo.

But along some 400 kms of track, or almost 10 per cent of the total network in Serbia, the maximum allowed speed is only 10 kmph.

Even in Croatia, which has invested the most, the average speed of passenger trains is 46 kilometres per hour and 21 kilometres per hour for freight loads.

The slow speed on top of delays that can last hours has led to a sharp fall in goods traffic by rail in the region to just 8 percent.

In 2011, a total of 12 million tonnes were transported by trains, just a third of the amount

in 1990.

In Bosnia, 13 million passengers travelled by train per year before the war, while nowadays only 800,000 people take such a journey.

Beside the poor state of tracks, trains throughout the region are on average older than 30 years.

Complicated border procedures between the former partner republics have also added

hours to rail trips, like the train linking Belgrade and Bosnian capital Sarajevo.

During the 1980s, it was a five-hour ride in a comfortable train with a stewardess, popular among skiers and youngsters seeking fun in the vibrant Bosnian capital.

After being shut for 19 years, it finally reopened in 2009, but the now dilapidated trains that used to make the run before the

war needed almost ten hours to reach their destination, crossing three international borders.

It shut three years later as few people were willing to pay for the slow service at the price of 31 euros ($41) while they could take a bus for only 10 more euros and have a much more comfortable trip that took half the time.

Two World Bank studies conducted in the past decade have urged the Balkan states to liberalise and privatise railway transport, step up investment into infrastructure and ease border crossing procedures. And the impact is wider than inconveniencing travellers.

“The poor quality of rail infrastructure impacts negatively on the global competitive position of economies” in the region, a 2011 World Bank’s study said.

Serbia has taken 1.5 billion euros ($2 billion) in loans, mostly from the European Investment Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and Russia, to invest into track reconstruction and buy desperately needed new trains.“It will take some time, but we expect a significant improvement in speed and comfort within five years,” Lasica said.

The main goal is to renovate the so-called Corridor 10, linking western Europe with Greece and Turkey, the longest part of which passes through Serbia, he added.

The railroad that once linked Paris with Istanbul by the famous Orient Express, is considered a key trade route, so Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia have agreed to form a joint company that would offer a unique service along the route, so far only for freight trains.

Petrovic hopes the promises of investment are kept.

“It is always a lottery with the Serbian train carriages: some have no heating, others are without electricity or you can not close or open the windows,” Petrovic said.

“Even worse, it is a death trap, but we, who decide to take this train, have already come to terms with it,” he said.

But at least there is a tiny improvement, he said: “no drunken conductors on trains anymore.”

AFP

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

Business

ASIAN MARKETS JUMP AFTER FED SURPRISE

Asian markets climbed and the dollar weakened on Thursday in response to a surprise decision by the US Federal Reserve to keep its massive stimulus programme intact.

STIMULATION STATION

BOEING TO STOP C-17S

Fed blinks first, leaves $85bn stimulus intact Fed policy makers instead cut their growth forecast for this year and next, and said they wanted to further gauge the economic impact of government spending cuts.

PAUL HANDLEY feedback@postnoon.com WASHINGTON: The Federal Reserve left its $85 billion a month stimulus program in place, surprising economists and markets expecting a reduction that would confirm a strengthening US economy.

Fed policy makers instead cut their growth forecast for this year and next, and said they wanted to further gauge the economic impact of government spending cuts and a spike in interest rates in the past four months. In addition, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke (pictured right) said, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) was wary of possibly “very serious consequences” from the brewing political battle in Washington over a new budget and the US debt ceiling.

“The Federal Reserve’s policy is to do whatever we can to keep the economy on course.

And so if these actions led the economy to slow, then we would have to take that into account, surely,” he said.

Bernanke said that the FOMC could still begin reducing its $85 billion a month bondbuys, which aim at holding down long-term interest rates, in the next three months, but only if the outlook for the economy strengthens.

“There is no fixed calendar,” Bernanke told reporters in a news conference after a two-day FOMC policy meeting.

“If the data confirm our basic outlook, if we gain more confidence in that outlook...

13

NEW YORK CITY: Boeing announced Wednesday it would end production of its C-17 military transport aircraft in 2015, citing a difficult environment amid government spending cuts.

Boeing said it would close the C-17 final assembly plant in Long Beach, California in 2015, after completing the 22 aircraft remaining to be built. Nearly 3,000 employees will lose their jobs, including those at the Long Beach plant and in three other states: Arizona, Georgia and Missouri.

The workforce reductions will begin in early 2014 and continue through the shutdown, the Chicagobased company said in a statement.

NUMEROLOGY

$800

mn

is the amount Grand Theft Auto V, the latest in the GTA videogame franchise, raked in on its first day of sales,

WEAK YEN HITS JAPAN

then we could move later this year,” he said. “But even if we do that, the subsequent steps will be dependent on continued progress in the economy.”

Markets, which had anticipated the beginning of the end of the “quantitative easing” (QE) program since May, reacted sharply to the prospect of continued easy money injections into the economy.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 rocketed up around 1 per cent to new record closing highs.

The dollar dropped to its lowest level against the euro since February, hitting $1.3511 per one euro from $1.3340

before the announcement. The dollar fell to 98.13 yen from 99.33 yen.

The FOMC said that the economy continued to grow at a “modest” pace and appeared to be holding up against the sharp “sequester” spending cuts by the federal government.

Nevertheless, it was holding back on QE cuts “to await more evidence that progress will be sustained.”

“The committee sees the downside risks to the outlook for the economy and the labor market as having diminished, on net, since last fall.”

“But the tightening of financial conditions observed in

recent months, if sustained, could slow the pace of improvement in the economy and labor market.”

Ian Shepherdson, chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, said the Fed’s call was likely a good one.

“The economy has not pulled away from its near-2 percent trend growth rate of recent years,” he said.

Another key Fed focus has been unemployment. The jobless rate has fallen steadily from 8.1 percent a year ago to 7.3 percent in August, closing on the 7.0 percent threshold Bernanke had cited for ending the QE program entirely.

AFP

GOLD `30,367 10g SILVER `51,246 1kg

24C

for

for

DOLLAR `61.81 POUND `99.71

TOKYO: Japan’s trade deficit ballooned by a quarter to $9.8 billion in August, official data showed, underscoring how a weaker yen has sent the country’s energy import bill soaring. The monthly deficit of 960.3 billion yen was well up from a shortfall of 768.4 billion yen a year earlier, marking the worst-ever August deficit and extending a string of shortfalls to 14 months — tying a previous record set more three decades ago.

The data showed that a drop in the yen since late last year has helped Japan’s exports, with the value of shipments rising 14.7 percent, helped by strong demand for vehicles.

THUS SPAKE There’s a lot of times we will put a statement out [on issues], and that stuff tends not to move the needle on trust. The NSA stuff did, MARK ZUCKERBERG, FACEBOOK, IN THE NSA SPYING SCANDAL

BSE NSE

20,457.23 495.07

6,059.60 160.15

14

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

Comment Minds, like bodies, will often fall into a pimpled, ill-conditioned state from mere excess of comfort.

WRONG NUMBER

HELLO LEBANON, IT IS I, BELIZE

BUT... SERIOUSLY

Ajay Hotchandani

Charles Dickens English writer

Can Pakistan talk its way to peace with the Taliban?

GUILLAUME LAVALLÉE Agence France-Presse

P

akistani politicians have offered talks to the Taliban, but with attacks continuing and the militants issuing demanding conditions for negotiations, the road to peace looks as long and tortuous as ever.

At the instigation of the new Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, a conference of Pakistan's political parties last week called for talks with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the main grouping of the militants.

An umbrella faction for armed Islamist outfits but also criminals and mafia gangs, the TTP was created in 2007 and pledged allegiance to Al-Qaeda.

In the years since, it has carried out hundreds of attacks, killing more than 6,000 people.

The TTP initially hailed the initiative but on Sunday issued a series of tough conditions for taking part in talks, including the release of all of its members held in Pakistani jails and the complete withdrawal of government forces from the tribal areas along the Afghan border that are its stronghold.

The same day, the militants carried out a series of attacks in the country's restive northwest that left seven soldiers and police dead, including a general commanding an army division.

TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid said they had not been approached for talks and the war with the Pakistani authorities would continue unless the government announced a ceasefire.

HIGH-FLYING THOUGHTS Nothing succeeds like success. With every industry in his state attributing their achievements to Narendra Modi, he is being looked at with increasing respect the world over. The announcement of UK Prime Minister David Cameron that their country favours closer engagement with the Gujarat chief minister is the latest indication of this.

A

couple of days ago my friend sent me a message that her husband was in Lebanon and had to see the doctor. To avoid words getting lost in translation and transition she decided to give me his Lebanon phone number so I could Whatsapp message him. I got the number, added him and started asking what was going on and what medication he would need down here to insure we had it available. Within minutes I got a response asking me who I was.

“Ajay from Belize,” I replied.

Right away I realised she had given me the wrong number (if you know Yanny like I do you would know why I came to this conclusion).

A couple minutes later she sends me another message saying that she did indeed gave me the wrong number and proceeded to give me, what I was hoping would be, the right number.

It was the right number. I spoke to my friend in Lebanon and that was the end of it, or so I thought.

About an hour or two after this happened I check my messages to attend to the wrong number I had texted. I

explained that it was a wrong number and what I was trying to do. I even went as far as searching for “Thank you” in Lebanese (Arabic). I messaged that too and was really surprised at the response.

They were really polite and said, in Arabic, “Don’t worry” and “May God make you not worry at all.” This really was nice of them. In the past wrong number messages and phone calls have ended in obscenities and accusation on infidelity – someone thought I was their wife’s secret boyfriend, and given how he sounded, I don’t think his wife would have been my type.

I even had someone call me and curse me out because ‘they’ misdialled my number. The absolute worse is when someone you know, calls your cell phone and asks who is speaking... DIDN’T YOU JUST CALL MY CELL PHONE? We exchanged a couple more messages. They were interested in where I was from.

The conversation ended shortly as I had work and it was nearing midnight there. As the day carried on I couldn’t but help think about the person on the other end.

Who was the wrong number? Was it a father, mother, student, waiter, parking attendant, chef (that would be awesome if it were a chef, I love Arabic food!). While I am aware of the

DEIRDRE MARIE O'SULLIVAN

Who was the wrong number? Was it a father, mother, student, waiter, parking attendant, chef (that would be awesome if it were a chef, I love Arabic food!). situation in Syria, the attacks in Southern Lebanon and riots in Egypt, being so far away from it, I can’t say that it has really affected me the way it affects those in that region.

But all of a sudden I can’t help but wonder if my Lebanon wrong number friend’s life has been or is currently being affect-

ed by it? And what if I found out my friend lost someone in the war? What if I found out that at night they go to bed wondering if they will see the morning light?

Or do they stay up at night watching soap operas (TV serials), eating hummus and pita and smoking a hookah? Or do they prefer babaganush over hummus? What could I do to help?

Should I feel guilty that now I pay more attention to the situation than I did before, and why didn’t I pay more attention before?

Though thousands of miles away, all of a sudden a wrong number can make that distance seem not so distant. Whoever you are my friend, keep safe.

EDITORIALS Staying abreast of changing times is key to survival

B

lackBerry, which till recently dominated the smartphone market, is in doldrums. They are looking at sacking nearly half their staff as a possible solution to stay afloat. This is not a new phenomenon. The world first felt the adverse effects of development with the industrial revolution. Though the revolution marked a significant advancement for humanity, advent of machines meant that manual labour was becoming less needed.

Breadwinners of many a family were left in the lurch. Those who managed to tide over the changing times were the ones who were willing to adjust, were capable of upgrading their skills. This again is the need of changing times. With development, that we all aspire, comes change. In a competitive world, it is the fittest that manages to survive. A fluid state of mind helps in adaptation, and that is the key to staying with the changing times. We have survived the vast displacement of manual labourers by machines, we will survive changing technology, and this will be in the larger interest of human kind.

READERS’ VIEWS

Motivation to do nothing

I

t takes all kinds to make this vast world tick. With Nasa offering the ‘dream job’ of just sleeping to some lucky selected ones, couch potatoes suddenly can justify their lifestyle. It is the driving parent who is left wondering if all the pushing and prodding is after all wrong. Not to get confused here, extremes it is, which one has to avoid. A healthy balance of diversity never did the world any harm. It will do us good though, to remember 24/7 laziness will only be rewarded once in a long while.

We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or # Plot no.550-A1,3rd floor, Road no-92, Jubilee hills, Hyderabad-500033 Landmark - Volkswagen showroom or even by way of a call on 4067 2222. Editor: Dean Williams

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

tELEVISION

MASS WEDDING CEREMONY

A mass wedding ceremony to celebrate Doctor Who's 50th anniversary is being planned. 50 couples obsessed with the show will get married on November 24 later this year, one day after the special extended episode starring Matt Smith and Jenna-Louise Coleman airs.

A CAUSE FOR CONCERN

15

Does TV need a sanitiser?

Television in India, fraught with censorship, is nothing like TV overseas. Are our TV viewers being short-changed? We find out.

SANA MIRZA sana.m@postnoon.com

O

ne of my clearest memories from childhood involved watching James Cameron’s Aliens on TV. The scene which I seem to recall the best is when Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and Rebecca ‘Newt’ Jorden (Carrie Henn) fall asleep in the medical laboratory, awakened only to find themselves locked inside with two facehuggers (a facehugger is a fictional alien character which has eight long finger-like legs which helps it to crawl rapidly and a long tail that wraps around the victim’s throat.)

Pretty gruesome right, especially at that age. I probably shouldn’t have been watching it without supervision. The gore and violent imagery, as believed, should have driven me insane. Even though I spent a good amount of my childhood watching X-files and Alfred Hitchcock, I think I turned out just fine and the last time I checked, I hadn’t killed or harmed anyone. You just need to filter fantasy from reality.

The question, however, arises whether children these days are being negatively influenced by violent images on TV? Sure.

But, how big is the number really? Before we denunciate TV as the root cause of all problems, we need to rule out other possible scenarios — broken homes, bad neighbourhoods, or even serious mental illnesses — may play a bigger role in influencing the mindset of children.

Academicians and psychologists all over the world debate endlessly about sanitising television content for the “sake of the children” and they seem to be doing a thorough job.

The censorship bandwagon thought that it was best to chop off scenes from films (read lesswatched-by-children) such as Prometheus, which aired on Star Movies last week, but let singer and former Disney star, Miley Cyrus’s twerks from this year’s MTV Video Music Awards play on TV endlessly and uncensored.

The censorship bandwagon thought that it was best to chop off scenes from Prometheus, but let Miley Cyrus’s twerks play on TV endlessly uncensored.

According to Rishi Khaitan, entrepreneur, regulating content on TV is far more essential than cinemas. “It’s easier for the wrong audience to get exposed to inappropriate content when it’s on TV. We should have ratings rather than a blanket ban on content, so people would know what is appropriate for whom without stifling the rights of individuals,”

says Rishi.

Echoing similar thoughts, Nakul Gupta, a film maker is of the opinion that it is impossible to regulate content on TV. “We just need better definitions and a more comprehensive rating and definition system for content. Given the immediate nature of TV, pre-censorship is not practical,” says Nakul.

The whole argument, however, boils down to the question of who calls the shots — parents or government — regarding what one should see or hear in a free society. This does not go on to say that society supports or even defends the idea of violence being shown on TV; there are plenty of cartoons that have offered a buffet of violent acts but parents allow unsupervised viewing.

Some people go on to argue that there is no need for the censor board to regulate content on TV. “If anyone has an issue with what’s being shown on TV, then they need to supervise their children. The content that is being shown on TV is nothing compared to what can be accessed through the web,” says Madiha Ali, an HR consultant.

Instead of throwing in the towel and stifling the rights of those who possess the understanding of viewing, what may be termed as objectionable content, parents need to quit being lazy and exercise caution for what their children are exposed to.

18

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

spotlight STYLE STATEMENTS 1

2

3

4

5

Party people

4 6

7

Party peeps thronged to Kismet for a night of fun.

Dance maniacs were seen setting the dance floor on fire at the club. Spotted were Eva, Pari and others.

1 Astna

4 Pari

2 Eva

5 Alankritha

3 Reema

6 Roja

7 Sanjana,

Varsha 8 Sonal, Anju

9 Kaveri

13 Janvee,

10 Pihu 11 Mona 12 Sakhi,

Monika, Sajanya 14 Shruti,

Sweety

9

10

Shraddha, Monika 15 Sid, Pinky

11

8

13

12

14

15

TAKING IT FORWARD

Visitor centres were opened for tourists at world heritage sites on Wednesday. Union Tourism Minister Dr K Chiranjeevi was present at the do.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

health

RED GRAPES, BLUEBERRIES MAY ENHANCE IMMUNE FUNCTION

Two compounds found in red grapes and blueberries may help boost the human immune system, a study has found. Resveratrol in red grapes and pterostilbene from blueberries could work with vitamin D to raise the activity of a gene called human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide, or CAMP gene.

THREATENING TIMES

19

Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd, a household name in pharmaceuticals, has been hit hard with a US import ban consequently affecting new launches as well as sales.

I

India’s Ranbaxy promises to address issues over US ban

ndia’s Ranbaxy Laboratories, one of world’s biggest generic drug makers, said Tuesday it would take “all necessary steps” to help lift an import ban by the US health regulator on one of its factories.

The US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) issued an alert on Friday against the factory at Mohali in the northern state of Punjab, spelling more bad news for the company that has been marred by nearly 10 years of US-led regulatory action.

The latest ban saw Ranbaxy shares tumble as much as 35

percent at one point on Monday and several brokerages downgraded their investment rating on the stock, citing concerns over the future of the plant. The US is the world’s biggest drugs market and accounts for about 40 per cent of Ranbaxy’s revenues.

Shares were up 3.37 percent in early trade on Tuesday.

“Ranbaxy will review the details and will continue to fully cooperate with the US FDA and take all necessary steps to resolve the concerns at the earliest,” the group said in a statement.

Ranbaxy will also have to hire an independent consultant to inspect the factory

It expressed hope of an “early resolution” to the concerns.

Mohali is the third Ranbaxy factory to face US scrutiny. The Paonta Sahib facility in northern India and the Dewas plant in the country’s centre were both earlier blacklisted from

producing drugs for the US market on manufacturing concerns.

According to an FDA “consent decree”, Mohali — like the other plants — cannot supply drugs for the US until the regulator reinspects the facilities and is satisfied that all corrective measures have been taken.

Ranbaxy will also have to hire an independent consultant to inspect the factory and certify to the FDA that its processes and controls are in order and complying with good manufacturing norms.

In May Ranbaxy pleaded

guilty to US charges of selling adulterated antibiotic, acne, epilepsy and other drugs and agreed to a record $500 million fine. The episode was a huge blow to its image.

The company also admitted making false and fraudulent statements to the FDA in 20062007 about stability tests on several other export drugs.

The US fraud, uncovered over eight years, was exposed by a whistle-blowing exemployee who said Ranbaxy created “a complicated trail of falsified records and dangerous manufacturing practices”. AFP

EXTREMITIES OF TEEN-AGE

US teens binge drink, shows a new study

O

ne in ten US teenagers engage in “extreme binge drinking” — downing 10 or more drinks in a night — new research highlighting the public health risks of alcohol found.

The survey of 16,332 high school seniors found that binge drinking, defined as consuming five or more drinks in a row for boys and four or more for girls, was common, with one in five stu-

dents admitting to at least one episode within the past two weeks.

Drinking at this level makes driving dangerous and poses a long-term risk of addiction, deterioration of the still-developing brain of the liver, the researchers emphasised.

The results found young men were more likely than young women to engage in binge drinking.

White students were more likely than their black counterparts to binge drink, as were the

children of college-educated parents — though extreme binge drinking was more common among children whose parents were not college educated.

Although drinking as a whole has decreased among high school students since a peak in the 1970s, researchers said, the highest level of extreme binge drinking of 15 drinks or more in a row — reported among 5.6 percent of the study sample — has stayed steady since 2005.

“The documented rates of

extreme binge drinking, and the fact that they have not changed across recent historical time, support the need for additional research to develop effective prevention and intervention strategies to reduce high-risk alcohol behaviours of youth,” the authors write.

The legal drinking age in the US is 21, thanks to a 1984 federal law. Before that, the legal age varied by state, with many allowing alcohol purchases and consumption at 18.

AFP

20

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

Technology CLAWING BACK

Apple’s software hardball The new mobile operating system called iOS 7 became available Wednesday, providing users of iPhones and iPads a bolder look, which may be a shock for some, but which Apple hopes will keep its fans happy.

ROB LEVER feedback@postnoon.com WASHINGTON: With consumers eagerly awaiting the release of two new iPhones this week, the more dramatic change may be in the software, not the hardware.

The new mobile operating system called iOS 7 became available Wednesday, providing users of iPhones and iPads a bolder look, which may be a shock for some, but which Apple hopes will keep its fans happy and draw new customers.

“It is a major upgrade,” said Gerry Purdy, analyst and consultant with Compass Intelligence who follows mobile technology.

“This is the first big thing that (Apple chief executive) Tim Cook has implemented, which puts all the software and hardware design under one roof, to have a unified experience across products.”

While the new iPhone 5S and 5C, set to be released Friday, have received a lukewarm response, some analysts say the bolder statement from Apple comes in the new operating system, designed to keep people in the Apple “ecosystem.”

The new operating system “has a different look, a different feel,” said Ramon Llamas, ana-

THE APPLE-GOOGLE TEAM SAN FRANCISCO: Google announced it was launching a new company focused on health, and hinted at cooperation with longtime rival Apple in the venture. A Google statement said the company, Calico, would put a particular focus on “the challenge of aging and associated diseases.”

Arthur Levinson, chairman and former chief executive of the biotech firm Genentech and chairman of Apple, will be Calico’s chief executive and a founding investor. Announcing the new investment, Google CEO Larry Page said: “With some longer term, moonshot thinking around healthcare I believe we can improve millions of lives.”

VOICE-ACTIVATED SEARCH

TOKYO: Yahoo Japan has devel-

lyst with the research firm IDC. “People are going to have to rethink how they do things with their phone, and Apple is asking people to make a leap of faith.”

With Apple seeking to regain traction in a mobile market dominated by the Google Android system, Llamas said iOS 7 will be a key test for Apple, because the new iPhones have failed to wow consumers.

“The feedback I’m getting is that people say (the new iPhones) are nice but they will wait for next year’s model.”

Apple says the new system has more than 200 new features, including improved multitasking, sharing, new camera apps, male and female voices for its Siri software, and the much-anticipated iTunes Radio.

A small number of journalists who were allowed to review the new iPhone and iOS 7 underscored the dramatic change in the operating system.

“If you’re coming brand new to iOS 7 and have been ignoring the Internet for the past three months, you’re going to be in for a visual shock,” wrote Darrell

Etherington of the tech news site TechCrunch.

“The look is bound to be controversial; Apple has opted for bright, bold colors with more clean lines and far fewer textures, shadows and gradients.

There is still some depth to the OS, however, with transparency effects giving a sense of background and foreground elements.”

David Pogue of The New York Times said even with the iPhone launch, “the bigger news is iOS 7.”

“The look of iOS 7 is sparse, white — almost plain in spots.

No more fake leather, fake woodgrain, fake green felt, fake yellow note paper,” Pogue writes. “The complete absence of graphic embellishments makes it especially utilitarian — in both senses of the word.

That’s good, because whatever button or function you need is easier to find; it’s bad, because, well, it can look a little boring.”

Walt Mossberg at AllThingsD called the new operating system “a big improvement,” adding: “The icons have been redesigned to be flatter and simpler, but they appear to float over your wallpaper, giving the effect of depth.”

Apple says the new system has more than 200 new features, including improved multitasking, sharing, new camera apps,

male and female voices for its Siri software, and the muchanticipated iTunes Radio.

The new software has drawn considerable attention even as the iPhone launch appears to be less spectacular than those in the past: Apple has said little about sellouts or delivery delays, and few expect the kinds of queues typical of iPhone debuts.

Purdy said that Apple may inadvertently hurt new iPhone sales by releasing the software upgrade for older models.

“It allows people with the iPhone 4 or 5 to get all the benefits of the Apple environment from a software standpoint, and therefore reduces the absolute need to upgrade the physical device.”

The free upgrade helps Apple solidify its user base, the analyst said, even for those unwilling to buy a new device.

“It makes it attractive to stay in the walled garden of Apple,” Purdy said, even without a revolutionary hardware change.

“This allows Apple to keep its users, though it may not change the direction of the Android ecosystem,” Purdy added.

“But Apple isn’t out to win market share. They want to produce the best products in the market and they’re doing a good job at that.”

oped a voice-activated Internet search that links to a 3D printer, letting users look online for blueprints to deliver solid objects in a few minutes, the company said. The search engine scours the Internet for information that it can use to print palm-sized renderings of items as diverse as hippopotamuses or fighter jets. Heralded as a technology that is potentially as game-changing as the steam engine was in its day, 3D printers have become commonplace.

NEW TRIAL IN TITAN WAR SAN FRANCISCO: A US judge ordered a new trial for November to review a portion of the damages tossed out in the landmark patent case involving Apple and Samsung. Judge Lucy Koh set the case for November 19, according to the northern California district court docket.

The new trial became necessary after the judge cut some $450 million from a damage award of more than $1 billion to be paid by Samsung in a case in which the US firm accused its South Korean rival of copying technology from the iPhone and iPad. Koh, in her ruling in March, affirmed the remainder of the award, amounting to $598.9 mn.

21

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

Entertainment THE COVETED CLUB

CINE BYTES

Southern cinema will touch `100-crore club soon:

NAGARJUNA

I

t’s ironical that superstar Rajinikanth-starrer Enthiran was the first Indian film to cross the `200 crore mark at the box office. After that, quite a few Bollywood films minted more than `100 crore, but not a single southern film could replicate the success. Popular actor Akkineni Nagarjuna says “aggressive marketing” and “wider release” can make it happen.

“We should be touching it (`100-crore club) in two or three years. The rate at which the Tamil industry is now progressing, it is likely to touch it first.

The Telugu and other industries are likely to follow. I think it is just a matter of time,” Nagarjuna said.

In recent times, Vijay-starrer Tamil action-drama Thuppakki reportedly fetched over `80 crore at the box-office. It was however made on a budget of `70 crore.

“We need to understand that Bollywood has a wider market. A Hindi film is screened across the country, but a south Indian film only plays in its respective state. Even if it’s played in other states, it is usually on limited screens,” he said.

Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Chennai Express, which was aggressively marketed in the south, reportedly minted over `8 crore in its first three weeks in Tamil Nadu alone.

“Hindi films are released in over 2,000 multiplexes, but a Telugu film is only released in about 200 multiplexes.

Bollywood films have a wide release abroad vis-a-vis most south Indian films that rarely have a global release,” Nagarjuna added.

Nag, as he is fondly called by his fans, pointed out that Bollywood is synonymous with aggressive marketing.

“In the recent past, Bollywood films are being dubbed in foreign languages too. I haven’t so far seen a south Indian film being dubbed in a foreign language. This type of aggressive marketing has helped their industry to rake in the moolah, whereas we are still dependent on box-office collections,” he said.

The 54-year-old believed that south Indian cinema’s box-office collections have nothing to do with the content.

“It’s a misconception that our films don’t make money because of poor content.

Most Bollywood films that entered the `100-crore club were remakes of southern films. We have to admit that we need to market our films aggressively,” he said.

Hindi films such as Wanted, Singham, Bodyguard, Ready, and Rowdy Rathore that touched the `100-crore club were all south Indian remakes.

“A south Indian film gets a pittance from satellite rights in comparison to its Bollywood counterpart that’s paid three or four times more. There is also a cap on ticket prices in the south. In a multiplex, viewers are paying more money for a bucket of popcorn than for a movie ticket,” Nagarjuna added.

In Tamil Nadu, the government has capped ticket prices at `120.

“If you travel by an international airline, you’ll mostly find only Hindi films and rarely a south Indian film. But I’m sure all this will change in a few years from now,” Nagarjuna said. IANS

Never forced my son to act: Tamil actor Rajesh

V

eteran Tamil actor Rajesh, who is introducing his son Deepak Rajesh in upcoming Tamil romantic-drama Payanangal Thodargindrana says his son was always interested in a career in films. “I never forced him to become an actor. I gave him ample time so that he could decide for himself to enter filmdom,” Rajesh said.

IANS

‘Students made Potugadu a success’

P

osani Krishna Murali, who was seen in an important role in recently released Telugu romanticcomedy Potugadu, credits the success of the film to the college students.

“We were lucky because the college students from all regions of the state embraced the film and made it successful,” Posani said. IANS

Sridevi’s next in a bilingual movie?

A

ce Telugu writer Kona Venkat claims that Sridevi was so impressed with his story of his next, but untitled film, that she instantly agreed to work in it. “(I) had the privilege of meeting the lady superstar of all times Sridevi and narrated a story for her. It’s on. Boney Kapoorji will produce this film in three languages,” posted Kona Venkat on his Twitter page.

IANS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

fashion

FROM BLURRED LINES DANCER TO BEN AFFLECK'S CO-STAR

EMILY RATAJKOWSKI, the model who became famous overnight after dancing topless in Robin Thicke's Blurred Lines video, has scored her first acting role. Ratajkowski will appear in Gone Girl opposite Ben Affleck, directed

by David Fincher — who also directed Fight Club, Seven and The Social Network.

London took the baton after New York and showcased some of the best in Brit style, one that included designs by Burberry Prorsum, Tom Ford,

STEALING THE

KATE MOSS'S PLAYBOY COVER CONFIRMED

KATE MOSS will appear on the cover of Playboy to celebrate the magazine's 60th birthday - and her 40th.

The cover was rumoured in June, although both parties declined to comment at the time, and has now been confirmed by the magazine.

Paul Smith and Mulberry, to name a few. Postnoon offers a sneak peek into the fashion week that ended with a bang.

SPOTLIGHT

22&23

Entertainment THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

24

Entertainment THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

25

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

Chai Time

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire and begin at once, whether you are ready or not, to put this plan into action.

Napoleon Hill

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 Anvil in the ear 6 Razzle-dazzle 11 Curiosity victim, in an old saying 14 Speak boastfully 15 Give personal assurance (for) 16 Start of the Lord’s Prayer 17 College freshman’s parent, maybe 19 Canton of William Tell 20 Worldwide labor org 21 ‘H’ on a frat sweater 22 Charlotte who played Mrs Garrett on TV 23 Packard’s partner 27 Expanded, as pupils 29 GPS heading 30 Where Rhett caught Scarlett fever?

32 City in Transylvania 33 Bouncers check them 34 ‘Drang’ go-with 36 Prepare vegetables in a way 39 Dead-end jobs, eg 41 Compound found in perfume and this puzzle’s theme answers 43 City once known as Christiania 44 Doctrinal offshoots 46 Strength of a chemical solution 48 Heavy weight 49 Pillboxes and boaters 51 Eagle with a white tail 52 Juvenile newt 53 Target of tweezers 56 ‘... ___ as it is in heaven’ 58 Lead-in to ‘Vegas’ 59 Org for doctors 60 Certain Ivy Leaguer 61 Word with ‘collection’ or ‘critic’ 62 One in a side-by-side food competition 68 Peg stuck in the ground 69 Certain long bones

70 Not match, as clothes 71 Commit a faux pas 72 Type of college protest 73 Musical speed

DOWN

1 ‘Now ___ seen everything!’

2 Where some vets fought 3 Eight fluid ounces 4 Up to 5 Daggers 6 Gift-wrapping time, for many 7 Trig function 8 Played an Elizabethan instrument 9 ___ acid (vinegar component) 10 Bondages 11 Danny Kaye classic (with ‘The’) 12 Enveloping qualities 13 Partner of ‘true’ 18 Write down, as music 23 Probate court figures 24 Invest, as with a quality 25 County in New York 26 Confidence 28 Gridlock component 31 Bandleader Shaw 35 Montreal’s railway 37 Floating on high 38 It’ll last for weeks 40 Wild, desperate guess 42 Substance used to curdle milk 45 Low-altitude cloud formation 47 Allow to stay in one’s seat 50 Horn of Africa people 53 Delight 54 More maneuverable at sea 55 ‘... Fuzzy Wuzzy ___ fuzzy...’

57 One place to roll in 63 ___ chi (martial art form) 64 Night time, poetically 65 Scottish topper 66 Clairvoyant’s claim 67 Fraternity letter

Chai Time THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013 Thiruvaikumar

STAR POWER for 20-9-2013

27

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

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Success is certain in undertaken important work. You will fulfil wishes of your children and keep them in a cheerful. Though a good inflow of funds is certain, expenses too will match them. Employees will be entrusted with new responsibilities.

STRIP TEASE AGNES

Unexpected fortune is likely.

Profits of businessmen set to increase. Relatives will support you and make you happy with their good understanding of you. Employees will have a good time as they get recognised.

Purchase of a house likely.

You will reap gains as relatives and children will make you happy and proud. Govt work might get delayed for the time being but the situation will change soon. Businessmen will sign new and prosperous business agreements.

You will complete all work held up due to various reasons. Expected money will come. Friendship circle will expand. Chances of misunderstanding with spouse; avoid such a situation.

Employees will march ahead by winning over detractors.

You will be the most respected in functions you attend. You will understand the real characters of your friends and relatives and act accordingly. You need to concentrate on govt work; they may hit a roadblock. Marriage talks will end favourably.

Some have a bright chance to get a job abroad. Misunderstanding with friends and close relative will end. Health problems likely; take care. Avoid taking important decisions in a hurry. Employees will be recognised for their hard work.

Unexpected fortune is likely.

Ego clashes and misunderstanding at home and with friends will end. Avoid unwanted arguments. Health problem is likely. Businessmen will take sudden but bold decisions, which will pay rich dividends.

Employees are likely to get sops from management. You will get new and innovative thoughts, which will take shape. Postponed marriage talks will resume and marriage will be finalised.

Never hurry to take important decision in govt-related work.

Be aware that failures are stepping stones to success and follow this policy. Sops from govt offices are likely. There are chances of misunderstandings with friends and blood relatives.

Businessmen will win over their competitors.

TAROT READ

Sumaa Tekur

tarotreadhyd@gmail. com

ARIES:

GEMINI:

Six of Swords – Your right as an individual may be questioned today. You feel left out and want to be part of the larger group and be treated as important.

LEO:

The Hanged Man – A tyre puncture may delay things for you today. Watch out for pending tasks and if it is the last day to complete it, may as well get it done.

LIBRA:

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE

The Hierophant – A train journey revives a lot of pleasant memories. You think of your childhood and the simpler times you spent with family.

SAGITTARIUS:

Page of Swords – Someone is sending you a text message as a reminder about an important issue. Do not ignore it. Act on it as soon as possible.

TAURUS:

King of Pentacles – You have been spending a lot of time trying to decide on an important investment issue. Listen to family members and take their opinion.

CANCER:

Three of Cups – Watch the parliament proceedings to figure out how politicians evade issues and postpone decision-making. Maybe you need a lesson or two.

VIRGO:

The Star – Toss a coin to decide on something that’s actually taking up a lot of time but does not deserve all that attention.

Either way, it will be in your favour.

SCORPIO:

The Empress – A male member of your team at the work place will come to your rescue and help you with a project. You may be stuck. This person bails you out.

CAPRICORN:

Queen of Pentacles – Just do the minimum work you’re supposed to before logging out for the holiday season. Take time out to relax and enjoy free time.

PREVIOUS SOLUTIONS

PISCES:

Five of Pentacles – Don’t be too rash in your decisions. Take your time to consider all the options before you take a final call. Let time decide.

NUMBER GAME

the rain, sun and the many different seasons. No point craving sunshine during winter and cool breeze in the heat of summer.

SCRABBLE

AQUARIUS: Justice – Enjoy

POOCH CAFE

Children will behave as per your expectation and make you happy. Avoid rewinding past bitter experiences. Businessmen will increase their customers by introducing attractive schemes. Avoid interfering in friends’ personal issues.

for 20-9-2013

Knight of Cups – You are in a philosophical frame of mind today. There is a transience to your actions and thoughts. Let the day pass without major decisions.

NON SEQUITUR

Some might undertake renovation of their house. Spouse will be more affectionate towards you. Tension and expenses due to children are likely. Try to find a suitable solution for a longpending trouble in the ancestral property issue.

SUDUKO

Some have a bright chance to buy a new vehicle. Tensions and worry likely but stay cool and proceed with your work as the situation will change soon.

Businessmen will gain good profits with innovative schemes. Employees will be happy.

Boggle RAP POP BLUES GOSPEL COUNTRY Vol: 3, No 58 RNI No: APENG/2011/39337 Published for the proprietors, Scribble Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, by V Harshavardhan Reddy, at # Plot no.550-A1,3rd floor, Road no-92, 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 040-23541412,

28

Entertainment THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013 CINE BYTES

BACK ON TRACK

A

Jennifer Aniston can’t wear red lipstick

A

ctress Jennifer Aniston says she cannot pull off a red lipstick, whereas she believes that actresses like Gwen Stefani can flaunt it with panache.

“Super bleached blondes — like Gwen Stefani — can get away with it, but it’s tough to pull off with my colour,” showbizspy.com quoted Aniston, 44, as saying.

Aniston is engaged to Justin Theroux. IANS

Radcliffe not in Rowling’s next project

A

ctor Daniel Radcliffe has ruled out that he is a part of Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, which marks Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling’s debut as a screenplay writer.

Fantastic Beasts... is a movie based on a Hogwarts textbook from the Potter movies.

ctor Zac Efron has reportedly completed a stint in a rehabilitation centre for serious cocaine addiction.

According to tmz.com, multiple sources said that Zac completed his stint in rehab earlier this year.

“We’re told the problem spiralled out of control during the filming of Seth Rogen’s movie Neighbors, which was shot during a narrow time frame beginning in April.”

The site further reports that “three other sources confirm...

Zac’s problem was rooted in cocaine, but say he also dabbled in Molly — a pure form of Ecstasy, and a popular drug in clubs and raves”.

Adding “it was common knowledge he was struggling with cocaine”.

However, if the reports are accurate then the rehab stint was successful for the 17 Again star, as he was looking fit and healthy recently at the Toronto film festival where he walked the red carpet for his upcoming film Parkland.

There has been no confirmation from the 25year-old at this time if the cocaine allegations are true, or what the real reason he went into rehab for.

IANS

IANS

Garrett Hedlund joins cast of Unbroken

G

arrett Hedlund (On the Road, TRON: Legacy) has joined the cast of Angelina Jolie’s next directorial project, Unbroken. He will star alongside Jack O’Connell (Skins) in the tale of real-life war hero Lou Zamperini. Roger Deakins is on board as the film’s cinematographer. The script, is adapted from the Lauren Hillenbrand book Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival Resilience and Redemption.

‘ZAC EFRON HAS COMPLETED REHAB STINT’

sports

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

AMERICA’S CUP

Kiwis one victory away from title

SAN FRANCISCO: Emirates Team New Zealand moved to the brink of capturing the America’s Cup with an eighth race victory on Wednesday before the potential clinching race was postponed by high winds. The Kiwis need to beat defending champion Oracle Team USA just once more to claim yachting’s coveted trophy, with the next two races scheduled for Thursday.

New Zealand darted past Oracle to snatch a lead over the starting line in Wednesday’s second race before getting word from officials that the match was cancelled due to strong winds.

“It was not a certain thing that it would have turned into a win. We were happy to be in first position,” New Zealand skipper Dean Barker said. “If we can get a win, that would be great.” New Zealand’s victory by 15 seconds in race 11 continued the humbling of billionaire yachtsman Larry Ellison and the team he is counting on to keep possession of the Cup. New Zealand beat the Americans across the start and established a slight lead that

Oracle Team USA seen in action against Emirates Team New Zealand during race 11 of the America’s Cup final on Wednesday in San Francisco, California. Emirates Team New Zealand won the race.

AFP/EZRA SHAW

lasted into the pivotal upwind third leg, where the rivals engaged in an intense tacking duel during which the Kiwis managed to fend off the hosts.

Oracle split the race at the third

NBA

Wizards lose Okafor, Chris to injuries WASHINGTON: Washington center Emeka Okafor will be sidelined indefinitely with a herniated disc while NBA teammate Chris Singleton will miss between six and eight weeks with a left foot injury, the Wizards said Wednesday.

The setbacks come just 10 days before the start of Washington’s pre-season training camp.

Okafor, the first member of his Nigerian-raised family to be born in the United States, was diagnosed with a ruptured C4 cervical disc after an MRI. “I have worked hard over the summer and was looking forward to the start of training camp next week, so this is a disappointing and frustrating situation for me,” said Okafor, who had complained of pain in his neck.

Okafor averaged 9.7 points and 8.8 rebounds in 79 games for the Wizards last season.

Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld said he expected Emeka to battle back to fitness as soon as possible.

AFP

gate and opted for the opposite side of the course, closing the gap but eventually being cut off by the Kiwis on their way to victory.

It was New Zealand’s eighth

triumph in the best-of-17 series, putting them one win shy of the trophy while Oracle, penalized two points before, must win eight times in a row to deny the Kiwis the Cup. AFP

OBITUARY

Former champ Ken Norton dies at 70 LOS ANGELES: Former boxing champion Ken Norton, considered one of the greatest heavyweights of his era, died Wednesday of a heart attack, his manager said.

He was 70. The fighter was best known for beating Muhammad Ali in 1973, breaking the Hall of Famer’s jaw in the process. Norton passed away Wednesday afternoon at an Arizona care facility, said friend and manager Patrick Tenore.

“His wife called me and said Ken had passed away,” Tenore told Agence FrancePresse. “I saw him a few days ago. His mind was always clear but his speech was impeded since the car accident in Los Angeles.”

Norton, who suffered a stroke last year, ended his brilliant career with a record of 42 wins, seven losses, one draw and 33 knockouts.

He fought in the 1970s era of magnificent heavyweights — a group that also included Ali, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Leon Spinks and Jimmy Young.

AFP

TOUR OF BRITAIN

Cavendish wins stage LONDON: Britain’s Mark Cavendish (in pic) won the fourth stage of the Tour of Britain on Wednesday as compatriot Bradley Wiggins remained top of the general classification.

Sprint specialist Cavendish emerged at the front of a bunch finish at the end of the stage that started in Stoke in the English Potteries before ending in Llanberis in northwest Wales.

Isle of Man racer Cavendish emerged at the front of proceedings after the peloton hauled in an a 11strong breakaway group with just a kilometre left in the Snowdonia National Park.

Cavendish, who rides for the Omega Pharma-Quickstep team, then saw off the challenge of opening stage winner Elia Viviani (Cannondale) and Steele von Hoff (Garmin Sharp).

Afterwards, Cavendish praised team-mates Iljo Keisse and Alessandro Petacchi, a former rival, for laying the foundations of his stage success.

“I am really, really happy about my victory and the super job of the guys,” Cavendish said. “Fortunately we had the entire day with Iljo in the break, so

we didn’t have to ride behind.

“The guys stayed with me the entire day. On the last climb...I have to say I was at the limit — but the guys stayed with me and brought me back.

“They showed a big commitment.

That is why I did my best in the sprint.

Even Petacchi, who was still suffering from the crash of a couple days ago,

wanted to be there. He really led me out in the final. He put me in the best position for the sprint.

“We have been rivals for a lot of my career but he’s a really good guy.

Obviously the Tour of Britain is my home race but he is a big factor in me coming here because I wanted to ride with him.”

AFP

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

FORMULA ONE

‘Ferrari signing may backfire’ SINGAPORE: McLaren’s Jenson Button (right) said Ferrari may have inadvertently given a boost to their rivals by re-hiring former world champion Kimi Raikkonen to join current lead driver Fernando Alonso.

Button, speaking ahead of Sunday’s Singapore Grand Prix, said the decision was “great for us” and predicted difficulties at Ferrari as next season progresses.

The 33-year-old Briton said rather than being a dream pairing, two-time world champion Alonso and “Iceman” Raikkonen, who won the 2007 title with Ferrari, may find it difficult to cooperate.

“We’ll definitely be watching their situation,” Button told AFP. “Ferrari for many years has had two drivers in the team that have been very quick but when it gets to a point in the season, it seems one driver helps the other driver.

“I don’t think that will be the case with Kimi and Fernando —

I don’t think they’ll be trying to help the other driver. A guy that’s achieved what they’ve achieved will not want to be helping out his team-mate.”

Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher has warned that the partnership could be “explosive”, while Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko reportedly said the strong-willed duo could tear the team apart.

Button said Alonso would probably leverage his long personal history within the team to keep staff on his side when Raikkonen arrives from Lotus.

“I’m sure when Kimi walks in that door, Fernando will start talking Italian to all the team personnel. That’s exactly what I would do,” he said at an ExxonMobil promotional event.

“It’s going to be an interesting atmosphere and relationship between those two, especially if Kimi is as quick as Fernando. If Kimi starts out-qualifying Fernando, that will be a big one.”

Button said the decision of Kimi joining Ferrari was “great for us” and predicted difficulties at the franchise.

Button has finished second at the past two Singapore races but his best placing in a disastrous season for McLaren, blamed on an over-ambitious new car, is fifth.

He said he would stay with the British team next season by exercising a one-year option on his contract. However, the 2009 world champion is less sure about the outlook for 2015.

“For next year it’s all good, it’s a formality. Nothing’s sorted yet for the year after,” he said.

“2014 is an option year on the previous contract and then we see. I’m very excited about the future.”

AFP

US PGA TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW

Tiger sets eyes on title ATLANTA: Tiger Woods has a chance to ease the sting of a year without a major title by capturing a $10 million playoff bonus at the season-ending US PGA Tour Championship.

World number one Woods is among 30 players in the hunt for a title in this week’s $8 million tournament and one of five who can claim the FedEx Cup season points playoff bonus jackpot with a victory. “The playoffs have been pretty successful,” said points leader Woods. “It’s where I wanted to be after the year I have had.”

Woods has won five titles this season and has captured the playoff crown in 2007 and 2009.

He has won twice at this week’s host course, East Lake, in 1999 and 2007 and finished second four other times.

“I have had a good run here,” Woods said. “I have felt comfortable on this golf course. This week’s going to be interesting.

We’re going to get some different weather coming in here, and obviously got to make the adjustments.”

Rain and possible thunderstorms could blow into the Atlanta area on Saturday afternoon, with the chance of bad weather going from 50-50 to 80% for Sunday with cooler conditions coming with the precipitation.

Tsonga returns with win METZ: World number eight Jo-Wilfried Tsonga marked his first singles match in almost three months with victory at the Metz Open on Wednesday.

Tsonga, 27, hadn’t played since retiring from the second round at Wimbledon with a left knee injury which also ruled him out of the US Open.

But he shrugged off any rustiness with a 6-3, 6-4 win over fellow Frenchman Edouard Roger-Vasselin to make the Metz quarterfinals.

Tsonga will next face Germany’s Tobias Kamke, who rallied past Hungarian qualifier Marton Fucsovics 16, 6-3, 6-2 in one hour and 38 minutes.

Schiavone in quarters in Seoul Also needing only a victory to capture the playoff payoff as well as Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, Australian Adam Scott and Americans Zach Johnson and Matt Kuchar.

Woods spent Wednesday not playing a practice round on a course he has played in 14

events, but instead practicing chips and putts on Bermuda grass, which he has not played upon for several weeks.

“I’m going to get used to chipping off Bermuda again because that’s very different than we’ve had the last few weeks,” Woods said.

AFP

SEOUL: Former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone fought her way into the WTA Korea Open quarter-finals as tournament seeds tumbled on Wednesday.

The unseeded Italian, seeking her second title of the year, overcame France’s Virginie Razzano in three sets 7-6 (7/5), 3-6, 6-3 to reach the last eight for the first time since June.

Russian third seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova eased past Korean wildcard Lee Ye-Ra 6-4, 6-1, but German seeds Julia Goerges and Annika Beck both fell by the wayside.

Sixth-seeded Goerges, the world number 49, capitulated 6-4, 6-0 to Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu, while Russian Vera Dushevina ousted eighth seed Beck 6-3, 7-5.

AFP

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

AUSTRALIA’S TOUR TO INDIA

Skipper Clarke confident of making India tour Australia’s Michael Clarke, who has a chronic back problem, is confident of making it to the upcoming ODI series in India

SYDNEY: Captain Michael Clarke is confident the chronic back problem that has hampered him for years will not keep him out of Australia’s upcoming one-day series in India.

Clarke arrived back in Sydney late Wednesday after a gruelling England tour that saw Australia humbled 3-0 in the Test series before they bounced back to win the one-day international series 2-1.

His back flared up again before the final ODI and Clarke said he would consult team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris and probably undergo scans, but remained hopeful he could go to India.

“No doubt it’s quite stiff and sore,” he told reporters at Sydney airport. “But I’ll be guided by the experts on what I need to do now to try and get myself as fit as I can be,” he added. “I would certainly like to go and

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE T20

Sunrisers, Volts qualify MOHALI: Captain Shikhar Dhawan (in pic) continued his red hot form and guided Sunrisers Hyderabad to a sevenwicket win over Faisalabad Wolves at the PCA Stadium here Wednesday. The second successive win in the Champions League qualifiers ensured Sunrisers a smooth entry into the main tournament alongside New Zealand’s Otago Volts.

Dhawan (59 runs off 50 balls) struck his second straight fifty as the Hyderabad franchise got past Wolves’ 127 for five in 17.3 overs. Misbah-ulHaq’s 56 was for a losing cause.

Sunrisers and Volts play each other in a dead rubber Friday before heading into the Champions League group stages beginning Saturday. Wolves will look to end their tourname nt on a high

when they take on Sri Lanka’s Kandurata Maroons in the first game Friday. “The experience of playing here is really good for the guys who haven’t played international games. It’s a great opportunity for them. I think it’s time for the guys to show something, they have experience of two games now.

We’ll try to come good in the next game and go home with something positive,” said Haq at the postmatch presentation.

Star-studded Sunrisers looked a much superior unit against Wolves, who have no foreigners in their squad. The Pakistani side were impressive with the ball in patches but their batting led to their downfall.

Dhawan’s sublime knock was easily the highlight of the day. He played the dangerous Saeed Ajmal with ease.

A gentle push through the covers off Ajmal was one of his six delightful boundaries.

IANS

continue to play. I’m enjoying my cricket at the moment.”

“It was a good win for us in the ODI series and we need to keep that momentum going,” he added. “The last couple of weeks were a good start and (I) hope we can keep that going in India.”

Australia are due to play seven ODIs and one Twenty20 international in India. The T20 game, which kicks off the tour, is on October 10 in Rajkot.

The squad is yet to be announced but The Sydney Morning Herald said veteran wicketkeeper Brad Haddin was in line for a recall after Matthew Wade had a lean tour of England.

Haddin was brought back into the Test side in place of Wade for the Ashes to serve as Clarke’s vice-captain and he broke Rod

Marsh’s 30-year-old record for the most dismissals in a series, but he was not in the one-day team. Before the final Test at the Oval he signalled a desire to play in the 2015 World Cup. Clarke insisted a lot of positives came out of the England tour, despite the Ashes disappointment. But he would not be drawn on where Australia needed to improve for the return series starting in November.

“I don’t think it’s right to go into specifics, we just have to play better cricket more consistently,” he said.

“In patches we played some really good cricket but over a five-Test series you’ve got to be at your best consistently throughout the whole time and we just didn’t quite do that.” AFP

ANOTHER CHANCE Skipper backs Warner to bounce back

SYDNEY: Australia captain Michael Clarke has backed dynamic but troubled batsman David Warner to bounce back from his disappointing tour of England, saying he remains a big part of the team.

Warner missed the first two Tests of the Ashes after being suspended in the runup to the series for punching England’s Joe Root in a Birmingham bar following Australia’s Champions Trophy defeat to their arch-rivals.

He was then dropped for the one-day matches against England and returned home early to Australia.

Clarke emphasised the left-hander remained a vital part of the Australian set-up across all three formats despite his problems.

“Davey is certainly a big part of the Australian team, whatever format,” Clarke said. “Hopefully he’s training his backside off... I’m pretty sure he would be.

“I’ve spoken to him a couple of times on the phone,” he said.

AFP

COURTING CONTROVERSY

Ashes to feature extra DRS reviews

LONDON: England and Australia will be granted additional reviews during the forthcoming Ashes series as part of a change to the controversial Decision Review System, the ICC said Wednesday.

At a meeting of the ICC’s chief executives’ committee at the global governing body’s Dubai headquarters, officials agreed the number of reviews will be “topped-up” to two after 80 overs of a Test innings.

Currently, teams are only permitted a maximum of two unsuccessful reviews per innings. The new playing conditions will be trialled from October 1, meaning they will be in force for the Ashes which begin with the first Test in Brisbane starting on November 21.

Wednesday’s statement from the ICC came after England’s recent 3-0 Ashes series win at home to Australia was beset by numerous rows over the use of DRS, with both

sides unhappy at different times.

Things got so bad the ICC took the highly unusual step of sending their general manager of cricket, Geoff Allardice, over to England to meet the teams midway through the series in a bid to address their concerns.

One repeated complaint centred around the third umpire’s use of DRS and the way in which the replay official

interpreted their remit while another problem area focused on the reliability of the Hotspot thermal imaging device in detecting thin nicks.

In response to these issues, and a technology trial conducted during the third Ashes Test at Manchester’s Old Trafford ground, the ICC said they’d set up a Working Group to look at ways of improving both DRS and the training of umpires. AFP

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

sports

GUTTED LENNON DEFIANT DESPITE MILAN STUNNER

Celtic manager Neil Lennon insisted the Scottish champions’ bid to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League remains intact despite falling to two late goals against Group H rivals AC Milan on Wednesday.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

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Plucky Basel crack Jose’s ‘eggs’ Basel came from a goal down to beat a nervous Chelsea at home.

STEVEN GRIFFITHS Agence France-Presse LONDON: Jose Mourinho (centre, right) admitted his young Chelsea team lack the maturity to cope with difficult situations after his return to the Champions League started with a shock 2-1 defeat against FC Basel.

Mourinho’s first Champions League match as Chelsea boss for six years proved a dispiriting experience as the Swiss minnows came from behind to hand the Blues their first home loss in the group stage of Europe’s elite club competition since 2003.

Brazilian midfielder Oscar had given Chelsea the lead just before half-time at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

But a sloppy display featuring a host of missed opportunities was punished as Mohamed Salah equalised after the break and Marco Streller bagged the winner with nine minutes left.

Just 24 hours earlier, Mourinho, whose previous spell with the club ended with the sack in 2007, had asked for patience as he builds a new-look Chelsea, claiming he needed time for his young players to grow up.

arrives the team shakes a little bit.

“We go home sad but we have to work hard, it is the only way I know. We have to believe in each other, be critical inside to try to resolve things, but stick together and try to get a result against Fulham on Saturday to put a smile back on our faces.”

Last season, Chelsea became the first Champions League holders to fail to qualify for the last 16 in their defence of the crown, yet even that dismal European

Chelsea’s second successive defeat, hot on the heels of a loss at Everton, left Jose conceding his youthful team were too inexperienced And Chelsea’s second successive defeat, hot on the heels of a 1-0 loss at Everton on Saturday, left Mourinho conceding his youthful team were too inexperienced to know how to react when the momentum swung against them.

“I think this team probably is not a team with such maturity and personality

to face the difficult moments in the game,” he said.

“Against Everton we played amazingly and yet when they scored you could feel the team was struggling despite dominating and today was a bit the same.

“We were pressing and trying to be creative but when the most negative moment

campaign, which began with a draw against Juventus, didn’t start as badly as this one. But Mourinho will surely get Chelsea back on track as he learns how to get the best from Oscar, Eden Hazard and Marco van Ginkel, and he is confident the defeat will not damage their bid to qualify for the knock-out stages.

Wenger hails Ramsey Rafa’s boys too hot Ramsey’s sixth goal of the season in all competitions came after Theo Walcott had given the Gunners a 65th-minute lead.

MARSEILLE: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was full of praise for Aaron Ramsey (pictured) after the Welsh midfielder continued his stunning start to the season with what proved to be the winning goal against Marseille on Wednesday.

Ramsey’s sixth goal of the season in all competitions came after Theo Walcott had given the Gunners a 65thminute lead in Champions League Group F at the Stade Velodrome, and ultimately separated the sides as Jordan Ayew pulled a goal back from the penalty spot in stoppage time.

The 2-1 win was Arsenal’s sixth on the bounce in all competitions since a 3-1 home defeat to Aston Villa on the opening day of the Premier League season and was their 10th consecutive victory away from home, a new club record.

Despite that, and all the hype about recent club-record signing Mesut Ozil, most of the

questions put to Wenger after the game were about Ramsey, who also scored when Arsenal won at the Velodrome in the same competition two years ago but is now, at the age of just 22, in the form of his life.

“Honestly I didn’t expect him to score so many goals, but

he has especially improved with his passing and his technical quality,” Wenger said, preferring to put the emphasis on the Welshman’s all-round game.

“That is the most important because he was always in good positions in the box. Scoring is

The 2-1 win was Arsenal’s sixth on the bounce in all competitions since a home defeat to Aston Villa on the opening day of the season. a bit cyclic. You have some periods where it goes in and periods where it doesn’t but for me the most important is the quality of his game.

“I decided to be patient with him because when you have been injured for such a long time it takes a while to get back to your best,” he added.

for Dortmund

NAPLES: Napoli condemned last season’s Champions League runners-up Borussia Dortmund to their first defeat of the season on Wednesday as the Germans’ European campaign endured a disastrous start.

Gonzalo Higuain (below) and Lorenzo Insigne grabbed the goals in the Italians’ 2-1 Group F win after Dortmund had goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller redcarded on the stroke of half-time, with coach Jurgen Klopp also sent to the stands.

“Without the red card and my own expulsion, we could

have done something,” said Klopp. “On my sending-off, I can only blame myself, it was stupid.”

Napoli coach Rafael Benitez shrugged off any praise for his tactics. “A tactical masterpiece?

No,” said Benitez.

“I prefer to say that the players won it. We knew they are a very dangerous team on the counter-attack. But we wanted to score the first goal and then all work together.”

Dortmund midfielder Nuri Sahin added: “All things considered, it was a deserved defeat.”