When RTI activist Rakesh Reddy Dubbudu filed an RTI with the Home Ministry seeking details of the letters filed by various political leaders from AP who had attended the All-Party meeting on December 28 and a copy of the ‘in camera’ recording of the conference. The HM’s reply was a simple single line: ‘No records exist’.
P7
TONGUES
WE HAVE NO RECORD OF ALL-PARTY MEET ON T, SAYS HM
WEATHER: CLEAR; 27°C
WWW.POSTNOON.COM
32 PAGES
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The world is becoming a smaller place and all its citizens are increasingly speaking the same language. This is sounding the death knell for hundreds of indigenous languages that now find no takers. On International Mother Language Day, we look at languages that are rapidly falling silent.
SPEAKING IN
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013 HYDERABAD
P16&17
HYDERABAD’S FIRST COMPACT AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER
IMPERFECTION RULES
STRIKE COSTS INDIA
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ier trade
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They are in sharp contrast to the conservative idea of 'what a man ought to be'. While some are misogynous and treat women as their toys, others are confused and complicated. However, they have a common factor— they all managed to capture the hearts of the audiences despite their shortcomings. We list flawed but the mostloved male characters on television today.
REPORT ON P7
Th e
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
city events
TERRACOTTA JEWELLERY EXHIBITION
Harini Rao presents H’earth - Treasures of the Soil, an exhibition cum sale of hand crafted Terracotta Jewellery. Necklace sets, pendants, earrings, jhumkas, and anklets will be on display at Trendz, Satyasai Nigamagamam, Srinagar Colony, from February 21-23.
Weather for Hyderabad
Evening
Overnight
27°C
20°C
Clear.
Clear.
New Delhi Mumbai Max 25 Max 32 Min 13 Min 22
Morning
Afternoon
25°C
33°C
Sunny. Chance of thunderstorm.
Sunny with cloudy periods.
Partly cloudy.
Chennai Max 35 Min 28
Partly cloudy.
2
Bangalore Max 31 Min 18
Partly cloudy.
Clear.
AROUND THE CITY: YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES Dinner: 19.30pm onwards Contact: (040) 4949 1204
SHOWS French Film Festival Six French films will be screened with English subtitles. The opening film is Populaire, followed by In the House (Dans la maison) and Hand in Hand (Main dans la main). Where: Prasads IMAX When: February 19-21 Contact: hyderabad.afindia.org
MISCELLANEOUS Samahaara workshop Samahaara is organising ‘Samahaara Weekend Theatre Workshops.’ Apart from acting, it includes outdoor theatre activities, readings, analysis and discussions. It is for people above 14 years of age. Where: Lamakaan, Off Road no. 1, Lane Adjacent to C-Bay Banjara Hills When: Weekends, Up to February 24 Contact: 96427 31329
Darpana Exhibition of paintings by Jayadevanna TS, an artist from Mysore, sponsored by Kanasa and Culture Department, Bangalore. Where: Rainbow Art Gallery, GMC Paryataka Bhavan Begumpet When: February 20-25 Main Rahi Masoom Main Rahi Masoom is a play. It is a biographical sketch of the writer Dr Rahi Masoom Raza. .Where: Lamakaan, Off Road no. 1, Lane Adjacent to C-Bay Banjara Hills When: February 22 Contact: 96427 31329
ART Return Of Innocence Sculptural paintings by Lester Paul will be on display. Where: Iconart Gallery, Banjara Hills When: Up to March 2, 11.30am to 7pm
DOUBLE JOY: February 22 is World Twin’s Day. Contact: www.iconart.in Solo art show Display of works by Saraswathi L. Where: Muse, Marriott Hotel & Convention Centre When: Up to March 2 Articrafts Thejus.com, an e-commerce player in the traditional-handcrafted-artifacts is presents its range of artifacts in Hyderabad. Where: Sri Sathya Sai Nigmagamam, Sri Nagar Colony When: February 21-23, Contact: www.thejus.com
DINING Music and dining Anish Sood will get the guests
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
SRINIVAS SETTY
H
ead down to Syn at the Taj Deccan where a Korean feast of flavour awaits you. Korean cuisine is unfortunately the step child of Asian cuisine in Hyderabad, but Syn will change that view, charged with flavour and spicy enough to tantalise even the most spice-damaged Indian taste buds. The festival runs for dinners only till February 28, so be there to experience the Seoul of food (see what we did there!). You can read the full review by The Foodist this Sunday. City’s #1 spot
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
grooving with his signature numbers. TAPAS food will be served. Where: SKY Lounge, Hotel Avasa, Madhapur When: February 23, 8pm onwards Contact: (040) 6728 2828 Double the love Papa John’s offers heart shaped thin crust pizza for an entire month. It is available in all existent flavours and at no extra cost. Where: All Papa John’s outlets When: February
Filmmaking workshop Alliance Francaise along with Yavanika Films is conducting a film appreciation course over two weekends and a filmmaking workshop over four weekends for adults. Where: Weekends starting from February 23, 11am onwards Contact: 94901 00404
Korean Promotion Flavours of authentic family style Korean cuisine prepared by native chefs from Hyatt Regency Incheon. Where: Oriental Bar & Kitchen When: Lunch: 12.30pm to 15.30pm
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
The Landmark sale Landmark announces its sale of Up to 70 per cent off. Bestselling books starting at `49, 3 for 2 on the top 500 new releases are just some of the offers. There’s ‘buy one get one free’ on gaming software, music CDs and DVDs. Where: Landmark, Hyderabad When: Up to February 25
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, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
City
YESTERDAY’S QUESTION
DOES THE CO-OP POLLS WIN INDICATE KIRAN’S SUCCESS AS CM? 26% 74%
YES (A) NO (B)
TODAY’S QUESTION
IS HYDERABAD SAFE FOR WOMEN? A)
YES
B)
NO
To vote visit www.postnoon.com
CRIME
CRIME
Molester, eve-teaser held In two separate incidents of crimes against women, a man was arrested for attempting to molest a child, and another is being interrogated for verbal abuse and teasing. Mohd SUBHAN mohd.s@postnoon.com
A
youth running a kirana shop in Santoshnagar was thrashed by irate people yesterday for attempting to molest a class II girl. K Prabhakar, 24, who now is in judicial custody, operates a kirana shop in Rakshapuram Colony of Santoshnagar. He allegedly lured the girl with chocolates to his shop. The girl lives in the neighbourhood and knows him. As he offered sweets, she walked in to the shop, where the man hugged her and tried to sexually exploit her. As she raised an alarm, her mother, who was working nearby, rushed to the shop and found the girl being harassed. She screamed and scores of people gathered. The crowd beat up the man and handed him over to the Santoshnagar police. Produced before the magistrate,
he has been remanded to judicial custody and sent to prison. The girl has been sent for medical examination. In another case of a jilted lover threatening and using abusive language against a woman and her parents, Karkhana police have booked R Sai Kumar of Mudfort, Secunderabad for using vile language and teasing a woman, G Vineeta, of the same locality. Karkhana police said Kumar fell in love with Vineeta but it was one-sided, as he expressed his desire to marry her, she rebuffed his advances. Dejected, he began to stalk her and send abusive SMSes, which she first ignored. However, the man allegedly walked into her home recently and threatened her parents with dire consequences, when she was out working. The parents informed their daughter when she returned home. Vineeta promptly registered a criminal complaint against Kumar. The police is interrogating him.
3
Mother, 4 children disappear POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com
I
n a suspicious case of foul play, a woman and her four children, aged between five years and 18 months, have been ‘missing’ for the last five days and the husband says he does not know where they have gone. N Bujji, 30, married N Gopal Naik (pictured)10 years ago and lived in Madanpally village, Shamshabad. Sub-inspector K Shanker, who is handling the case, told Postnoon that the wife and children were reported missing three days after they disappeared. Gopal did not inform her parents for three days, saying that he was ‘searching’ for them. The sub-inspector said Gopal was addicted to alcohol and used to ill-treat his wife. This continued for quite some time but nobody intervened. It is said that the children tried to defend their mother, but the violent father took umbrage at their ‘audacity’ and rough-handled them . Gopal is a suspect but the police are yet to frame a case.
CIVIC
GHMC unions betray citizens
Under the guise of taking up people’s problems, the GHMC unions abandoned work and prevented people from entering the premises. The TDP takes a principled stance on this. Md NIZAMUDDIN nizamuddin.a@postnoon.com
T
ax paying citizens of Hyderabad had to face the heat of the all-India strike by the Central Trade Unions. While most public offices worked normally, the GHMC remained closed for the day. Almost all the officials and employees remained away from their work. While the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Employees Union (GHMEU) rallied on the road towards Secunderabad, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) staged a dharna in front of the office gate, preventing officials as well as the general public from entering the premises. More than 1,200 took part in the GHMEU rally, which included vehicles and bikes. About 300 were part of the dharna held by BMS at the GHMC building. The unions, including
INTUC-affiliated AP Municipal Sahakar Mazdoor Union, which took out a rally towards Indira Park, have demanded municipalisation of all posts up to the cadre of additional commissioner in the GHMC and other municipalities. Allotment of house sites to all regular employees and workers of the GHMC
and other municipalities and regularising the services of contract workers as per section 10 of contract labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, 1970, are the other demands. According to the union leaders, these are genuine problems affecting almost every common man. “Containing price rise is
the top demand that all the unions have taken up. Is it not affecting everyone in this country?” asks Adil Shariff, president, INTUC, Hyderabad district. This was first time in the recent years that the GHMC has not taken up important works like sweeping the roads. N SHIVA KUMAR
“Employees are demanding their genuine share. Most of them are working for meager salaries. This is the time they show their displeasure,” says Durga Prasad, secretary of another union now sharing power with the GHMEU. But not everyone is happy with the nation-wide strike. According to Singireddy Srinivas Reddy, floor leader, TDP, they would not achieve anything this way. “If they are not satisfied with something, they have the right to protest, but in a peaceful manner. By wearing black badges and through non-violent demonstrations, they can attract attention. In this way, the general public will be affected.” BJP floor leader Bangari Prakash evaded question, as its an affiliated union. According to vigilance officials, the second day’s strike will be more ferocious.
4
city THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
CIVIC
LAST YEAR... HERE Cops hunt whales
SRINIVAS SETTY
L
ast year we had reported how after arresting about 100 small-time money lenders across the City, the police set their sight on the big league. The police said that several cases of financers appropriating the properties of defaulters had come to light. Nearly 110 private financers were arrested and 95 cases were registered.
FEBRUARY 21, 2012
NUMEROLOGY
`26,000
Peddikadi Cheruvu
GHMC to secure 4 lakes
crore is the loss to the economy due to the two-day trade bandh, as against the initial estimates of `15,000-20,000 crore, according to premier trade body, Assocham.
This is definitely not a gimmick but a well planned marketing idea. What the domestic airlines wanted to do was to get a cash flow into the system. analyst, Travel Agents Assoc
See page 6
THINGS WE 5LEARNT TODAY The column that teaches everyone something new about the way the City functions.
1
Don’t get lured by low airline prices. Prospective customers seeking cheap air tickets as promised called up Postnoon to tell that there was a wide gap between their promise and reality. Hundreds of complaints were posted on social media sites.
2
Is there any point of filing an RTI? When an RTI activist filed a request for the ‘in camera’ recording of the AP all-party meeting, he received a reply saying no such records are available.
3
Hyderabad still not safe for women. A man tried to molest a class II girl by luring her with sweets. Another man stalked a woman after she refused to marry him.
4
Where is the end to the Telangana issue? TJAC has called for a road blockade on national highways.
5
More voters exercise their franchise. A total of 6.32 lakh voters have been declared eligible to cast their vote by the election commission.
Lingamkunta lake
The administrative sanction for four lakes in Serilingampally Circle, though proposed in March 2012, was accorded only this month.
Md NIZAMUDDIN nizamuddin.a@postnoon.com
A
lmost a year after the review meeting to protect lakes was held, the administration has finally taken some action. Sanctions have been accorded to four lakes, all of which fall under circle 12, ie, the Serilingampally circle. The GHMC had revised the estimates of Thamidikunta, Peddakadi Cheruvu, Miyapur Patel Cheruvu and Lingamkunta lakes last year. As the estimate of all the lakes exceeded `20 lakh, the file had to be placed before the Standing Committee meeting recently. The revised estimates are `24.20 lakh, `35 lakh, `37.80 lakh and `37.15 lakh respectively. Even though the proposal was submitted in March 2012 at the west zone review meeting, the administrative sanction was accorded only this month. In coordination with the revenue department, the zonal commissioner had then issued instructions that pipes and chain mesh must be used to secure full tank levels (FTL). The FTL is fixed by the irrigation department to curtail encroachment of tanks.
Patel Cheruvu
Thamidikunta lake
A senior GHMC engineer said the FTL has to be identified by the irrigation department, and it is this which is causing the delay.
Officials who inspected these sites found that the FTLs were not demarcated on the field. It is mandatory to put in place FTL markings while
undertaking fencing work. They also noticed some encroachment of the sites, which must be dealt with at the time of fencing. Sources revealed that lack of
man power is the biggest hurdle for the irrigation department while determining the FTL of the lakes in the City. This, and several other reasons, has put the issue on the back burner in most zones under the GHMC limits. There are 501 lakes under the GHMC limits. Of them, 169 lakes span an area of over ten hectares. The commissioner had called for involvement of nongovernment organisations like Save Our Urban Lakes (SOUL) last year. The NGOs were also invited to the meetings held under the auspices of the lake protection committee. “The GHMC has taken up a good initiative, but the process itself is taking more time than expected. Only once the FTL is known we can know how much has been encroached,” says Rama Krishna, co-convenor of SOUL. The GHMC puts the blame squarely on other departments for the delay. “We cannot work on all the 169 lakes at the same time. So, we have taken up the project at a few lakes and the process is underway. But before we can do anything, the FTL has to be identified, and this has to be done by the irrigation department,” says a senior GHMC engineer.
NEWS BRIEFS Pulse Polio to cover 9 lakh households
Burglars loot cash, gold from house
Man argues with friend, stabs him
DCCB chairman elections postponed
T
B
O
T
he Pulse Polio Immunisation programme will be conducted in all the polling stations on February 24. Around 85 mobile teams will be administrating drops to children at temporary settlements, religious places and markets. With 6.56 lakh children below 5 years, 9,13,293 households will be duly covered, by availing 3,200 booths in the City.
urglars got away with cash amounting to `50,000, gold jewellery, a mobile phone and documents of a car from the house of a businessman, Mohd Asadullah Khan, on Wednesday at Misrigunj in Old City, while the inmates were away. It was some passerby who noted the house opened and informed the Kamatipura police.
ver a minor issue, G Laxman, a resident of Bandimet, was knifed, allegedly by his friend Rajkumar last night. Both were colleagues at a private firm and had gone for tea near the passport office when an argument broke out between them. The next thing people around saw was Laxman collapsing. Rajkumar has been arrested.
he authorities of the state government once again postponed the election of Chairman of DCCB of Kadapa (YSR) district this morning. According to the authorities, the election is being postponed due to the delicate law and order situation, in the wake of clashes between ruling Congress and opposition YSRC parties few days ago.
5
city THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
POLITICS
Pro-T forces to take on govt The police department refused to grant permission for the TJAC’s sadak bandh. The TJAC leaders have resolved to go ahead with the programme anyway. INKESHAF AHMED ahmed.m@postnoon.com
TJAC has decided to hold an emergency meeting today to discuss strategies to be adopted for the road blockade.
T
he Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC) and proTelangana forces, which have decided to hold a massive sadak bandh (road blockade) on February 24, have once again decided to take on the State government. The refusal by the police department to grant permission for the sadak bandh has led to this decision of the Pro-Telangana forces. Reacting on the reluctant attitude of the State government, T-JAC chairman Prof Kodandaram said that the police are creating unnecessary problems for their proposed agitation. He announced that they would hold the sadak bandh programme at any cost, irrespective of the sanctions of State. “We are not trying to create any law and order problem. We are simply trying to exercise our democratic rights granted by the constitution of this country. But even then the government is trying to kill our voice by declining permission to the sadak bandh programme as it
did in the past on several occasions. Let me tell the government that we will go ahead with our programme,” he said. Another TJAC leader and
Telangana Non-Gazetted Officers’ Association (TNGOA) president, C Devi Prasad Rao, said that they are ready to call off their agitation if the Central gov-
ernment announces the creation of separate Telangana. “Our agitation is basically aimed at mounting pressure on the Central government to give
ELECTIONS
MLC polls begin with a zing A total of 6.32 lakh voters have been declared eligible to cast their vote by the election commission for the member of legislative council (MLC) seats. POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com
Fact sheet n Number of MLC seats: six (3
T
he polling for six seats of member of legislative council (MLC) began this morning across the State in a peaceful manner. Voters from 14 districts of the State are exercising their franchise. A total of 83 candidates are in the fray. While 64 candidates are contesting in graduates’ quota MLC seats, 19 candidates are contesting under teachers’ quota MLC seats. At many polling centres voters turned up at 8am to avoid standing in queues to exercise their franchise. In Karimnagar district a contesting candidate of graduates’ quota, P Rajamouli, who hails from Ramagundam, suffered a heart attack and was rushed to a nearby hospital in Karimnagar for medical treatment. The doctors have reportedly declared him
Graduate and 3 Teachers) n Total contesting candidates
83 n Total polling stations set up
1437 n Total number of voters
6.32 lakh
out of danger. A total of 6.32 lakh voters have been declared eligible to cast their vote by the election
commission. Among the political parties, the separate Telangana cause champion, TRS, fielded TNGOA’s former
president K Swamy Goud from Karimnagar-Medak-Nizamabad and Adilabad graduate council seat as its candidate. Goud, owing to his reputation as the strong pro-Telangana activist is expected to romp with a safe majority. The polling will take place till 4pm this evening. The election commission has announced that the counting of the votes and declaration of victorious candidates will be held on February 25. A heavy turnout has been recorded from centres.
Telangana state. If the State government wants us to stop our agitation, it should see that the Center makes the formation of Tstate,” he said. The TJAC had planned to organise the road blockade on National Highway-7 in Ranga Reddy and Mahbubnagar districts. In order to create awareness about the programme, the TJAC and TRS parties held bus yatras in various districts of Telangana. The sadak bandh programme is aimed cutting off road transportation between Telangana, Rayalaseema and Andhra regions. In the wake of continuous obstacles being created by the police department, the TJAC had decided to hold an emergency meeting today. The meeting will discuss strategies to make the road blockade programme a big success.
POLITICS
TDP MLA surrenders C
hintamneni Prabhakar, TDP MLA of Denduluru in West Godavari district surrendered before the Eluru court on Wednesday morning. Family court remanded him to judicial custody till March 6. Chintamneni surrendered before the court on the directions of the AP high court. It may be recalled that Chintamneni is an accused in the attack on SI Mohana Rao of Peda Vegi in West Godavari district. The police tried to arrest him last month after the SC/ST atrocity case was registered against him. He reportedly went underground. Then six police teams were sent in search of the MLA. Peda Vegi SI Bandi Mohan Rao went to Pina Kadimi village and caught some persons gambling with cards. While he was taking the gamblers to the station, the MLA allegedly waylaid the police team with his car. The SI even complained that the MLA and his gunman beat him up and threatened to kill him. NSS
6
city THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
AIR TURBULENCE
Airlines toy with customers Despite SC efforts to rein in private domestic airlines, they continue to fleece customers. RAHUL RAMAKRISHNA rahul.r@postnoon.com
W
hen a private airline offers ridiculously low fares, it is of no surprise that the city’s public works itself into a frenzy, so much so that the cascading domino effect of thousands of visitors lunging for seats forced many airline websites and servers to go phut. Many now believe it was a marketing gimmick. Prospective customers seeking cheap tickets called Postnoon to tell that there was a wide gap between the promise and reality. On Tuesday, a leading airline announced its heavy discount flight fares with over 20 lakh seats in 450 flights covering 57 domestic destinations. And unlike in the past where such offers were valid for a month or so, this offer stands valid until
December 31. So while the discounts offered a respite for regular flyers, it also opened up floodgates for the massive rise in ticket bookings. In a span of six hours the rush caused their websites to jam. Naturally, customers were left fuming, blaming the airlines for going public without checking their capability to process such a massive demand. Several complaints were posted on the social media webpages of several domestic airlines. However, a market analyst and a member of the Travel Agents Association of India explains what actually occurred behind the scenes. “This is definitely not a gimmick but a well planned marketing idea. What an Indian airline wanted to do was to get a cash flow into the system. One must recollect that a low cost airline had done it a month ago when
Dream prices, but no vacancies Upto 750 kms 750 to 1000 kms 1000 to 1400 kms above 1400 kms
2250 Rs 2850 Rs 3300 Rs 3800 Rs
over 10 lakh tickets were sold in two days. Since we are heading towards the end of the financial year, they want their balance sheet to look adequate. Also one must consider the slowdown in the aviation industry. A leading airline is losing its market share to low cost carriers like Indigo and Spice Jet. So this was their way of coming into the market by showing they are not expensive,” he says. As to the heavy rush witnessed and the unfortunate number of complaints registered, the agent has an advice. “People should understand that the offer
TIME TO SAVE POWER
is valid upto December 31 and that not all the seats are reserved under discount. For example, 20 out of a 40 seater plane will be reserved under bidding discount category. It is natural that the web servers will crash given the hysterical bookings but the airline should have expected this. If anything, it will only fuel their marketing strategy,” he says.
UNFAIR DEALINGS
It is not the sale gimmick, it is also the disdain the tickets sellers show that hurt and humiliate customers. “I had booked a twoway ticket with Indigo airlines
for `11,900 from HyderabadChennai-Trivandrum even as the bidding rates went up by `1,500 in a matter of 10 minutes. Despite this, the booking had been made, but there was no confirmation or a PNR number for the next 20 hours! When I called the airlines the next day, they apologised and said there were no seats. They said they will refund the amount in seven days. I lost time and spent anxious hours,” says PKS Nair, a customer. Officials from the airline services were unavailable for comment.
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/095 Rs.1 9/: e c 4 r Pri Rs.5 Cove r Price: : 50% g e f n f i O l Sav Tota
Badminton star Saina Nehwal and Pulella Gopichand address a gathering while talking about energy conservation at the Secretariat on Wednesday. N SHIVA KUMAR
STRIKE
Employees hold protests on day 2
E
mployees of banks and public sector organisations in Andhra Pradesh today continued their protests on the second day of the twoday strike called by Central trade unions in support of their various demands. The personnel of various organisations, who stayed away from work yesterday, began their protests in the State. The employees of various PSU banks and workers in the unorganised sector took out protest rallies in
Hyderabad and other parts of the state. Services in banking and other PSU organisations were badly affected on the first day of the 48-hour general strike yesterday. AITUC state unit president and MLC PJ Chandrasekhar Rao had claimed that the strike was being held in an unprecedented manner with staff of the state-run miner Singareni Collieries, Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) joining the stir. PTI
A FRESH NEW POINT OF VIEW You can also call or email us at:
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7
classifieds THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
POLITICS TDP MLA joins Jagan’s party S
ai Raj, TDP MLA of Ichapuram in Srikakulam district, on Wednesday joined the YSR Congress party in the presence of honorary president Vijayamma. It may be mentioned here that Sai Raj, the lone TDP MLA in Srikakulam district, said after the death of his mentor K Yerrannaidu, there was no one in the TDP to care for people’s problems. He also said he got confidence that Jagan alone would be able to take the welfare schemes introduced by his late father, forward. NSS
CLASSIFIEDS HEALTH
SALON
PROTESTS
Bandh cost India `26K cr In most of the industrial states and enclaves the attendance was poor leading to curtailing of production shifts. N SHIVA KUMAR
POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com
With City transport being affected, the footfall in the retail markets also declined, even though some of the markets remained open.
T
he cost to the economy due to the twoday trade bandh is in the realm of `26,000 crore, estimates premier trade body, Assocham. “Against its initial estimates of `15,000 to `20,000 crore, the GDP may be eroded by about `26,000 crore, it is apprehended based on the damaging effect of the bandh on the industrial activity and the services sector like banking, finance. The financial capital of Mumbai has been hit badly,” said the head of the Assocham’s Economic Analysts Team. In most of the industrial states and enclaves the attendance was poor leading to curtailing of productions shifts. With City transport being affected adversely, the footfalls in the retail trading markets also considerably declined, even though some of the markets remained open. “In the wake of more than expected disruption, we estimate the loss to the GDP in
Judicial diktat about bandh
K
erala High Court blazed the trail in 1997 with its ruling that bandhs are unconstitutional and violated citizens’ rights and SC upheld the decision of Kerala High Court later. But Kerala’s left parties, which were in the forefront calling for bandh later circumvented the law by calling it ‘hartal!’ Bombay High Court in July last fined BJP and Shiv Sena `20 lakhs each for calling a bandh. After that they did not call for any official bandh. No democracy has any
duty to encourage protest in any form. Protest is allowed subject to reasonable restrictions. Anything that goes against the rights of people can be forbidden by the Supreme Court. Bandhs are different from strikes. In a strike people stop working. In a bandh other people are prevented from working, travelling, keeping schools, colleges, shops, theatres etc open. Bandhs are successful only if there is violence or fear of violence. Bandhs cannot be tolerated in a democracy.
today and tomorrow’s Bandh to be in the region of `25,000 to `26,000 crore,” said the report. Expressing concern over incidents of violence and torching of property, the chamber appealed to union leaders to prevail upon their members to avoid ugly incidents. “Such incidents completely shake the confidence of the industry and the market for which security and peace is of paramount importance. Besides, the retail customers choose to stay indoors leading to considerable fall in the trading business – the lifeline of the country’s economy,” said chamber president Rajkumar Dhoot. Compiled by PK Surendran
RTI
No record of all-party meet Weird ways of Union Home Ministry shocks RTI activist who sought in camera recording of all-party meeting on Telangana held on December 28. RAHUL RAMAKRISHNA rahul.r@postnoon.com
Rakesh has decided to file an appeal with the Information Commission on the grounds of dissatisfaction over the reply received.
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he Home Ministry’s ways of working over the Telangana issue are strange and sly. While the separate state demand has been kept hanging, other aspects of the ministry’s functioning suggests that it is in fact outright repressive and dishonest. When RTI activist Rakesh Reddy Dubbudu filed an RTI with Sushilkumar Shinde’s ministry seeking details of the letters filed by various political leaders from Andhra Pradesh who had attended the All Party meeting on December 28 and a copy of the “in camera” recording of the conference. The Home Ministry’s reply was a simple single line : ‘No such records
are available with the CPIO.’ The ministry’s response came on February 11, after 1.5 months of filing the RTI. It must be noted that under Section 2(f) with 2(i), any recording whether electronic or tape is considered as information that should be made available to the people. So when “no information is available” card is played, it
only goes to show the absolute dishonesty and disregard for both the RTI Act and the citizens’ demands. As Rakesh Reddy says, “I believe they are evading the issue. When it was clearly mentioned that invitations were sent by MHA secretary to leaders from eight political parties, and when the Sushilkumar Shinde himself
said that it was an in camera recording of the meeting, how can they say they have no information? It can mean two things — either it was an informal gathering to fool people, or they have trashed the records.” Rakesh has decided to file an appeal with the Information Commission on the grounds of dissatisfaction over the reply.
8
city THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
ASSOCHAM
Yummy, say food processors Food processing sector has emerged as the fastest growing sub-sector of the manufacturing sector, according to ministry of food processing industries. POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com
As a part of its efforts to promote the food processing sector in India, the ministry of Food Processing Industries has finalised four schemes.
F
ood processing sector has emerged as the fastest growing sub-sector of the manufacturing sector during the last financial year. This was stated by Rakesh Kacker, secretary ministry of food processing industries, government of India while inaugurating the summit on Mega FoodParks: Investment Destination organised by the ministry and Assocham. Kacker said that food processing units being set up on Mega Food Parks would be provided with basic infrastructural facilities like warehouses, storage facilities, testing labs, fruit ripening chambers etc which any unit may use. He further said that the food processing industry has consistently registered growth rate faster than that registered by the agricultural sector. Thus, the
industry was consistently adding value to the agriculture sector. Speaking about the National Mission on Food Processing Kacker said that the mission was
launched with the specific purpose of enhancing involvement of states in effrts to further the growth of food processing industry. He said that the Central gov-
POWER
‘Conservation only solution’ The CS said huge energy savings are possible in the State and appealed to every consumer to co-operate. FILE PHOTO
I
n order to overcome the power supply problems to some extent and to protect the most precious natural resources for future generations, the State Energy Conservation Mission (SECM) has decided to take forward the energy conservation movement to the door steps of the public in a big way, in addition to other measures like optimisation of generation, purchase of power from outside and so on. At a high-level meeting, chief secretary and chairperson of SECM Minnie Mathew said the government also constituted district-level energy committees under the chairmanship of district collectors and SE/Operation/DISCOMs as member convenor to initiate action at the grass root levels in the field. M Sahoo, principal secretary, Energy, B Sam Bob, principal secretary, MA&UD, Munindra, special secretary, Energy, Saina Nehwal and Pullela Gopichand, ace international badminton players were present.
ernment was keen on decentralising implementation of schemes for the food processing sector. States will be free to tailor schemes as they deem fit. As a part of its promotional efforts to push further the food processing sector in potential states across India, the ministry of Food Processing Industries has already finalised four schemes on following areas – Technology Upgradation, Cold Chains for non-horticultural crops, Skill development &HRD and Promotional activities. Emphasising upon the need to maintain appropriate quality
interest of State, Saina Nehwal and Pullela Gopichand said that energy conservation is a social responsibility and requested all the stakeholders to actively take part in the movement. The CS said as per Energy Conservation Committee report, huge energy savings are possible in the State and appealed to every consumer to tap this potential not only to pave the way for avoiding wastage of precious power, but also to reduce their bills. NSS
Compiled by PK Surendran
POLITICS Kidnapped election officer surfaces He said some people claimed ministers had summoned him and took him away. KADAPA: Chandrasekhar, election officer of the Kadapa DCCB election, who was allegedly kidnapped suddenly surfaced at the collector's bungalow on Wednesday. Talking to the media, he said some people told him that ministers had summoned him and had taken him away. He said he was kidnapped from his office on Tuesday night. "First four people came and said the MLA was calling me. After taking me to the RIMS
Appreciating the sports celebrities for voluntarily extending their willingness and unstinted support to the cause of energy conservation, she requested all celebrities in the State to extend support to the energy conservation programmes, which would create wide range of awareness among the electricity consumers on the impact and benefit of energy conservation and energy efficiency activities. Assuring their full support to the activities of SECM in the
standards in the food industry, Shri Kacker said that a newly created body FoodSafety & Standards Authority was playing the regulatory role in this regard. However, MoFPI was keen to start a process of self regulation by industry. Towards this end, MoFPI was in touch with apex industry organisations and trying to develop a system of selfcertification by foodprocessing units. Quality Council of India has been tasked with drawing up a roadmap for this purpose. Initially this will run parallel to statutuoy certification required to be obtained by units but eventually there could be blending of statutory and voluntary certification, said Kacker. Amid others who spoke during the event included, Rajbir Singh, director, MoFPI; JP Meena, joint secretary, MoFPI; J Crasta, co-chairman, Assocham Southern Regional Council.
hospital, they said ministers wanted to see me. They made me board a vehicle stating that I would be sent back in five minutes. But they kept shifting me from one vehicle to another. They took me to a field near Madanapalle and kept me there all night. In the morning, they gave me a phone after repeated requests to call my family. At 10am on Wednesday, I was left at Mulakala Cheruvu,” he said. He also lodged a complaint about his kidnap. NSS
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
focus
BRINGING OUT THE BEST
Besides their two annual day functions, extra-curricular activities such as debates, junkyard science fests, environment day and other cultural programmes have been held with active participation from students of schools in the vicinity, too.
EDUCATION
9
A SCHOOL OF DREAMS
KANCHAN AGARWAL kanchan.a@postnoon.com
“I
t takes a village to raise a child”, is one of the lines from the school song of The Himalayan Village School. Some 70 tiny tots residing in the beautiful village of Majkhali, near Ranikhet in Uttarakhand rise each morning, put on their clean and crisp uniforms, and go to their school — The Himalayan Village School — eager to learn, to develop ideas and create something new. In April 2011, educator Phillip Matheas and his wife Nina turned her ancestral house to a make-do school. “All this village needed was a school. The people wanted a school. We thought that rather than sending them away to a good school, we should bring a good school here. Our son also goes here,” they say. In a jiffy, resources were arranged, and the school was set up. The word was spread, advertisements were published and within a week 50 students turned up. These children from the village who could hardly even understand English, now speak only in English, at least while at school. The teachers teach them in English. “These are smart kids. They have a lot of instinctive intelligence coming from their simple lifestyle here. We wanted to build a school which the kids can be proud of. They should not feel that they are missing out on something, just because they live
in a village”, the couple confides. The school area categorised into five classrooms, one learning center and one office caters to education of students from preprimary to fifth grade. Like a regular school, their day too starts with a morning assembly. But that is not where the similarity ends. Although running on very limited funds that is generated from the family itself, the school has its quality of education as high as it can get. With great emphasis on the kind of education where a child can learn
Students here fearlessly paint on walls and indulge in paper mache. They have a strict rule against any form of corporal punishment beyond his textbook, Philip has ensured an environment of openminded learning and interaction. Students here fearlessly paint
on walls and indulge in paper mache. Not only do they have a strict rule against any form of corporal punishment, they have never even felt the need to impose it. “It was only in the first two weeks when the kids were not disciplined. Now they are incredibly disciplined”. This is also one of those dream schools where your intelligence is judged beyond your ability to memorise. The school which has recently acquired recognition by the government, follows CBSE syl-
labus, conducts exams and in all its capacity ensures a high level of education in science and computer technology. Besides their two annual day functions, extra-curricular activities such as debates, junkyard science fests, environment day and other cultural programmes have been held with active participation from students of schools in the vicinity, too. “Only because they have a simple lifestyle, they shouldn’t have to feel isolated. You should be proud of where you are from,” says Philip. And through their ‘Sponsor a Teacher’ program, these little beings from their small village are more globally exposed than many of us from the city. One of the major contributions they look for is volunteer teachers who can spare a minimum of two weeks and impart knowledge in any subject be it math or music. As a volunteer, your accommodation and food will be taken care of. “We want the kids to feel a part of the world even if they live in a village. By the end of a year, the change in them is noticeable. The volunteers get exposure to a world outside theirs. They are also far more confident than when they join.” The Himalayan Village School is working towards expanding till Class XII. The school that now runs entirely on the couple’s savings would require only so much contribution from each of us to conveniently educate an entire village.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
Business
CHINA TO TAX CARBON EMISSIONS
China will impose a new tax on carbon-dioxide emissions as part of policies aimed at protecting the environment and improving air quality. China has pledged to cut CO2 emissions per unit of gross domestic product by between 40-45 percent in 2020 relative to 2005 levels.
E-LEARNING
10
QANTAS PROFIT CLIMBS
Tech aids enrich education Mobile phones and tablets power growth of e-learning industry.
PRUDHVI RAJU K prudhvi.k@postnoon.com
P
arents, children and schools are embracing the learning through technologies and other also other aids. According to the recent reports, the Indian elearning industry is one fastest growing in the world with 65 per cent YoY. The growth of affordable tablet and mobile devices market also pushed the growth of e-learning industry. Learning through devices like mobile and tablets is also seeing a staggering growth of 60 per cent (YoY). “Parents, who have their kids in primary school, know the importance of e-learning and encourage their children to adopt these new practices. However, there is a little doubt for the parents of older generation. With time, the gap is narrowing and making the parents to understand the importance of e-learning,” said Arindam Nag, founder and director, Learnhive. Explaining the key drivers of the industry, Shiv Shankar, founder and CEO of the Learnhive, said, “ Availability of quality content with low cost tablets along with the generation of tech savvy children are the reasons for the growth of industry. Most of the content is acting complimentary to teach-
ing and enabling learning either in schools, tuition centres or even with the help of parents or at a personal level,” “As of now, learning is taking place both offline (e-learning with out internet connectivity) and online. However, the majority of learning will take place online in the future. Unlike earlier, today e-learning content is produced with multimedia and graphics which needs huge storage space. In contrast, the storage space on tablets is ever decreasing to make it affordable. This will push the growth of elearning to online as there will not be any space constraints.
Updating content and DRM protection of the content will also enable the shift towards online,” said Arindam.
LEARNING AIDS
Learning is becoming holistic with e-learning players trying their best to make the student understand the concept and get strong foundation rather than just marks. In addition to the interactive video content, there are learning aids by players like Butterfly Fields and Learnhive to understand the concepts. “Smart cards is one system, where students can hold the
whole textbook in few cards. These cards summarise the concept to make student understand the gist of whole chapter. These are available as retail card pack (physical cards) as well as applications on mobile, enabling the student to learn from whatever is accessible to him,” said Capt Unni Krishnan, founder and director of Learnhive. “According to a research by Kent University, the best way of learning at home comes from preparing notes (summary) in the form of cards rather than going through the whole text book underlining the concepts. Distributed practice over the time rather than end of the year will also help student immensely. The students can also go back and forth to understand the various concepts of the subject to get the real understanding of the chapter. “Most of the times, it is the foundation that plays a key role in mastering subjects like mathematics. Every chapter is dependent on the concepts of other chapter. Not understanding a concept will keep student learning on hold and make him confused even in forthcoming concepts. Smart cards (Summary and concepts) will help student to revise and learn at his own pace to have a better foundation of the subject,” added Arindam.
China falls into US ‘honeytrap’ WASHINGTON: Call it a case of honey laundering. US officials said Wednesday they had mounted a sting operation against two major firms illegally importing honey from China and selling it on the American market, avoiding $180 million in anti-dumping duties.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement described the bust as "one of the largest criminal antidumping cases in history." The offence involved Chinese honey either being mis-declared as another commodity or trans-shipped through other countries such as India, Russia and Thailand
to avoid trade duties. Five people have been arrested and charged and the two firms, Honey Holding of Texas and Groeb Farms of Michigan, agreed to pay fines of $1 million and $2 million respectively. ICE deputy director Daniel Ragsdale, who announced the results of
what he dubbed "Project Honeygate", warned cryptically: "Honey is just the tip of the iceberg." Dozens of other commodities imported into the US under false descriptions or orgins, authorities said, costing the US taxpayer billions of dollars in lost import duties. AFP
10g GOLD `29,600 10g GOLD`31,100 1kg `60,100 1kg SILVER `53,400
24C 24C
for for
for for
DOLLAR `53.79 `54.41 `85.15 POUND `82.70
Australia's Qantas banked compensation from Boeing for Dreamliner delays and slashed international losses in reporting Thursday a doubling of six-month net profit, but saw more turbulence ahead. The flagship carrier also announced a fleet upgrade, after last year posting its first annual loss since privatisation in 1995 amid tough regional competition, damaging industrial action and high fuel costs. Over July-December 2012, Qantas said its overall net profit jumped 164 per cent from the same period of 2011 to $114 million, and it reaffirmed its strategic focus on Asia under a new alliance with Emirates.
NUMEROLOGY
$1.1
bn
is the worth of the order Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering bagged to build a fixed platform for Norway's Statoil ASA.
BOSTON GLOBE FOR SALE The New York Times, facing a difficult environment for newspapers in the digital age, announced Wednesday a plan to sell The Boston Globe and other New England assets. The Times said in a statement that it has hired Evercore Partners to advise the company and manage the sale process. The company aims to streamline its assets to promote its own marquee brand. The other assets up for sale are: Boston.com, The Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Telegram.com and GlobeDirect, the Globe's direct mail marketing company. Also included in the sale is the company's 49 per cent interest in Metro Boston.
THUS SPAKE We will continue to act vigorously to combat the theft of US trade secrets that could be used by foreign companies or foreign governments to gain an unfair economic edge, US GOVERNMENT
BSE 6,057.70 5,897.50 NSE
19,484.44 20,025.67 44.10 158.31 9.20 45.55
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
nation
MINOR RAPED BY TEENAGER
A four-year-old girl was sexually assaulted allegedly by a teenager in UP’s Ghosi area, police said here today. The girl was sexually assaulted by her 16-year-old neighbour yesterday when she was alone in her house with her two-year-old sister, they said. Police said the accused has been arrested and medical examination has confirmed sexual assault.
BUDGET SESSION
Credible action needed: PM NEW DELHI: Seeking cooperation of all sections ahead of Parliament session, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said “credible action” is needed from all to ensure that the country is least affected by the “formidable challenges” posed by the global economic slowdown. Singh said Parliament was meeting against the backdrop of global slowdown of economic activity which has also affected the country. “It is now a challenge for all of us to take credible action to ensure that we are least affected by this global slowdown,” he told reporters ahead of the start of the Budget Session. “In this context, the way we conduct the financial business now before Parliament will be a crucial determinant of our coun-
SMUGGLING
3 held with gold worth `21 lakh
MUMBAI: Three members of a family were arrested at the international airport here for allegedly trying to smuggle in 760 grams of gold worth `21.75 lakh from Dubai, a customs official said today. Acting on a tip off, the sleuths intercepted Saadat Hussain Shabadri, his wife Shabana Nasreen and his mother Noorjahan at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. Upon inquiry, the trio stated they were not carrying any declarable goods. However, during frisking, 760 grams of gold worth Rs 21.75 lakh was found, according to the officer. They were arrested under the relevant sections of Customs Act and the gold was seized, he said, adding that the trio was released on bail by court. PTI
try’s ability to cope with the formidable challenges our country faces,” Singh said. The Prime Minister said he looked forward to cooperation of all sections of the House. His remarks came against the backdrop of Opposition parties preparing to target the government on chopper scam, price rise, crimes against women and a host of other issues. “On our part, we wish to engage constructively, productively with all sections of the House in the expectation that there would be responsible dialogue, debate among members of Parliament,” he said. “We are looking forward for a very productive, constructive session of Parliament. That is what our country’s people expect Parliament to do,” Singh said. PTI
TN MPs raise slogans NEW DELHI: DMK and AIADMK MPs today shouted slogans over Sri Lankan Tamil issue during the maiden Address of President Pranab Mukherjee in Parliament today. As soon as the president began his address, DMK and AIADMK members raised slogans, apparently referring to the killing of the 12-year-old son of slain LTTE chief Prabhakaran allegedly by Sri Lankan soldiers. Shafiqur Rahman Barq (BSP) also stood up to demand minority status to Aligarh Muslim University. Union Ministers Rajiv Shukla and V Narayanasamy waved at the protesting MPs to take their seats. An unperturbed President, however, continued reading his speech despite the commotion. PTI
CRIME
RAIL BUDGET
Mum sells baby for `5,000 PATNA: A poverty-stricken woman in this Bihar capital has claimed that she sold her two-month-old daughter for `5,000 to a neighbour to raise money for her ailing husband’s medical treatment. “I was compelled by poverty to sell my daughter Nazia to a woman who lives near my house to raise money for my husband’s stomach surgery. It was a hard step but there was no other option for me,” Shama Parveen, mother of three other minor sons, told IANS on Thursday. Shama is a resident of Murgian Tola in the city’s Isopur area. She said that no one came forward to financially help her for the operation of her husband Mohd Sarfaraz alias Munna. “I approached rich and
I was compelled by poverty to sell my daughter Nazia to a woman who lives near my house to raise money for my husband’s stomach surgery. It was a hard step but there was no other option for me,” well off in my locality but no one helped me. After that I decided to sell my daughter to save my husband,” Shama said. Shama said that she mar-
Pick
ried Sarfaraz about 12 years ago. “My husband used to earn his livelihood by working as painter but he is not keeping well for the last two years. Last month, a doctor told us that he would need a surgery that would cost more than `5,000,” she said. Police officials said they have no information about the case. Earlier, a poor woman in Bihar’s Samastipur district sold off her one-and-a-halfyear-old malnourished son for `19,000 to pay off a debt. A similar case was reported last year when a poor woman sold off her four-month-old son for a measly sum of Rs.62 in Araria district to a couple from Nepal. That infant has still not been traced.
at the
11
IANS
Railways to launch 100 trains NEW DELHI: Railways are planning to introduce about 100 trains, including AC double deckers, new passenger services and extension of services to cater to the demands of various states in the Rail Budget 2013-14, a top official told PTI. While services of some express trains have been extended, frequency of certain popular trains have also been increased. Last year, Railways had announced launching of 175 trains including passenger services. Maintaining cleanliness and hygiene in trains and stations, providing quality linen, upgradation of fire-fighting arrangements and new facilities for differently-abled persons are some of the measures likely to be announced. PTI
airport,
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
World NEWS IN PICS
A Syrian girl cries following an explosion in the northern city of Aleppo, on February 20, 2013. The UN says at least 70,000 people have been killed in the near two-year conflict, and puts the number of Syrians who have fled their homeland at more than 850,000. AFP PHOTO/MAURICIO MORALES
This February 20, 2013, image of the Curiosity rover and obtained from NASA shows the first sample of powdered rock extracted by the rover’s drill. The image was taken after the sample was transferred from the drill to the rover’s scoop. AFP
PANETTA SET FOR FOND FAREWELL US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta will get a fond farewell from his NATO colleagues at a two-day meeting beginning Thursday, as the alliance faces a difficult withdrawal from Afghanistan and looks for a new supreme military commander.
12
BLADERUNNER SAGA
CONSERVATIVE SET TO WIN
Pistorius now needs to give compelling reasons why he should be let free during his trial.
Cyprus heads for a presidential runoff on Sunday, with the first round’s rightwing winner, who backs a bailout for the near bankrupt island, expected to beat an independent put up by the discredited communist-led government. Disy party head Nicos Anastasiades, 66, is seen as someone the European Union can do business with, as the country seeks an estimated 17 billioneuro ($23-billion) lifeline.
Cops bungle case, Oscar may get bail JOHANNES MYBURGH PRETORIA: Lawyers for Oscar Pistorius will push for the release of the South African “Blade Runner” Thursday as bail proceedings head into the final stretch after they poked holes in the prosecution’s case that he shot dead his model girlfriend. The Olympic athlete’s lawyers on Wednesday showed up shoddy police investigation and undermined witnesses that had supported prosecutors’ argument that he intentionally killed Reeva Steenkamp, 29, last Thursday. But Pistorius now needs to give compelling reasons why he should be let free during his trial, after having spent a week in detention already. Charged with “premeditated murder”, he has to prove exceptional circumstances that his release is in the interest of justice — a high bar for bail. Under cross-examination investigating officer Hilton Botha agreed that Pistorius’ version of the early morning shooting on February 14 fitted the crime scene. “It sounds consistent,” Botha said. Defence lawyer Barry Roux also cast doubt on key witnesses who suggested a
NUMEROLOGY The father of South African Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius, Henke (right), reacts as relatives comfort each other on February 19, 2013 AFP/STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN
Trigger-happy cop
Other developments
T
he lead detective in the Oscar Pistorius murder case is himself facing seven attempted murder charges for shooting at a taxi in 2009 to try to stop it, police said Thursday.
n South African prosecutors admitted late Wednesday they were no longer sure that a substance found at Olympian Oscar Pistorius’s home was in fact testosterone, rowing back on dramatic court testimony hours earlier.
row between the couple before the shooting. A woman who lives in the same highly secured complex as Pistorius “heard talking that sounded like non-stop fighting from two to three in the morning,” hours before she was killed, Prosecutor Gerrie Nel said. Another witness reported hearing gunshots, screams and then more shots, police said. AFP
n French cosmetics firm Clarins said Wednesday it was dropping an advertising campaign featuring South African track star Oscar Pistorius as he faces charges of murdering his girlfriend. n South African police said on Wednesday there were no signs that Oscar Pistorius physically assaulted his girlfriend before shooting her, after reports a bloodied cricket bat was found at the home of the track star.
NEWS BRIEFS US, South Korea to conduct military drill
The horsemeat scandal spreads to Asia
Two Tibetan teens die after self immolation
Japan vows to keep whale hunt
SEOUL: The US and S Korea announced plans for major annual joint military exercises as regional tensions run high following North Korea’s third nuclear test. A joint air, ground and naval field training exercise known as Foal Eagle will be held from March 1 to April 30. Also, both troops will separately stage a computer-simulated drill.
PARIS: The fallout from Europe’s horsemeat scandal has spread far outside the continent, with an imported lasagne brand pulled from shelves in Hong Kong and a new row over the treatment of horses farmed in the Americas. A host of top players have been caught up in the scandal inlcudes Nestle, the world’s biggest food company.
BEIJING: Two Tibetan teenagers died after they set fire to themselves in protest at Chinese rule, reports and Western rights groups said, in a rare instance of a double self-immolation in the restive region. The former primary school classmates were identified as 18year-old Sonam Dargye and a 17year-old.
TOKYO: Japan vowed on Thursday to continue its whale hunt in the Southern Ocean after clashes with the militant conservationist Sea Shepherd group, which claimed Tokyo had been forced to end the programme. “We are keeping our whaling programme,” a government official at Japan’s Fisheries Agency told AFP.
£700k
is the amount that the Conservatives is said to have earned from donations associated with private dinners with British Prime Minister David Cameron.
‘NO PRESSURE, PLEASE’ A top Iranian envoy said Wednesday that increased Western pressure over his country’s nuclear program could end hopes for a negotiated settlement. Ahead of key new negotiations in Kazakhstan on Tuesday, Iran’s UN Ambassador Mohammad Khazaee said that his country wants talks, but hit out at Western tactics of sanctions along with engagement. Khazaee, Iran’s senior diplomat in the United States in the absence of formal ties between the arch-rivals, warned that more sanctions could doom talks over Iran’s nuclear drive.
That is the basic of the faith — (to be) connected to God, connected to others, to the Church. We need to go back to that fundamental. Luis Antonio Tagle Cardinal of Philippines
13
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
Technology MADE IN CHINA?
Hack Mac: The new mantra After Facebook attack, it was revealed that Apple’s computers were targeted by the malware allegedly made by Chinese hackers.
POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com
A
pple Inc was recently attacked by hackers who infected Macintosh computers of some employees, the company said Tuesday in an unprecedented disclosure describing the widest known cyber attacks targeting Apple computers used by corporations. Unknown hackers infected the computers of some Apple workers when they visited a website for software developers that had been infected with malicious software. The malware had been designed to attack Mac computers. The same software, which infected Macs by exploiting a flaw in a version of Oracle Corp’s Java software used as a plug-in on Web browsers, was used to launch attacks against Facebook, which the social network disclosed on Friday. The malware was also employed in attacks against Mac computers used by “other companies,” Apple said, without elaborating on the scale of the assault. Twitter, which disclosed that it had been breached February 1 and that hackers might gave accessed some information on about 250,000 users, was hit in the same campaign, according to a person close to the investigation. Another person briefed on the case said that hundreds of companies, including defence contractors, had been infected
with the same malicious software. Though this person said that the malware could have originated from China, there was no proof. “This is a new campaign. It’s not like the other ones you read about where everyone can tell it’s China,” the first person said. Investigations into the breaches are ongoing. It was not immediately clear when the attacks had begun, the extent to which the hackers had succeeded in stealing data from targeted systems, or whether all infected machines have been identified. The malware was distributed at least in part through a site aimed at iPhone developers, which might still be infecting visitors who haven’t disabled Java in their browser, the person close to the case said. There is a version that infects computers running Microsoft Windows as well. Security firm F-Secure wrote that the attackers might have been trying to get access to the code for apps on smartphones, seeking a way to infect millions of end-users. It urged developers to check their source code for unintended changes. Apple disclosed the breach as tensions are heating up over US allegations that the Chinese military engages in cyber espionage on U.S. companies. US cyber security firm Mandiant reported over the weekend that it has uncovered evidence that the Chinese military is behind a slew of cyber attacks on US businesses. The
Source of attacks
W
hile most of the companies have reasons to believe that the attacks came from China, most of the computers were infected after they visited a website targeted at developers. The site called ‘iPhoneDevSDK’ still continues to spread malware to all systems that visit it and has Java enabled in the browser. The malware then spread through any network the device is connected to and ultimately tries to steal information from the company’s servers.
White House said it has repeatedly raised concerns about Chinese cyber theft with Beijing. The breaches described by Apple mark the highest-profile cyber attacks to date on businesses running Mac computers. Hackers have traditionally focused on attacking machines running the Windows operating system, though they have gradually turned their attention to
Apple products over the past couple of years as the company gained market share over Microsoft Corp. “This is the first really big attack on Macs,” said the source, who declined to be identified because the person was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. “Apple has more on its hands than the attack on itself.” Charlie Miller, a prominent expert on Apple security who is co-author of the Mac Hacker’s Handbook, said the attacks show that criminal hackers are investing more time studying the Mac OS X operating system so they can attack Apple computers. For example, he noted, hackers recently figured out a fairly sophisticated way to attack Macs by exploiting a flaw in Adobe Systems Inc’s Flash software. “The only thing that was making it safe before is that nobody bothered to attack it. That goes away if somebody bothers to attack it,” Miller said.
QUICK LOOK
Beginning today, Google Drive will let you quickly preview more than 30 file types and quickly flip between files until you find the one you want. You’ll see the new preview automatically if you open a photo, video, or PDF. To see a preview of a Google document, right-click on the file name and select “preview.” Once the preview window is open, you can click on the arrows on either side to flip to other files. And right from within the preview, you can watch video files or scroll through multi-page documents.
STYLE MATTERS
As Google and other companies begin to build wearable technology like glasses and watches, an industry not known for its fashion sense is facing a new challenge — how to be stylish. In a sign of how acute the challenge is for Google, the company is negotiating with Warby Parker, an e-commerce start-up company that sells trendy eyeglasses, to help it design more fashionable frames, according to two people briefed on the negotiations who were not authorized to speak publicly because the partnership has not been made official. Google and Warby Parker declined to comment.
Yahoo’s new look Marissa Mayer isn’t leaving the driving to others. With the revamp of the home page, launched today, Mayer put her stamp on Yahoo’s most visible page and most valuable real estate in terms of revenue generation. The new home page bleeds more Yahoo purple branding and offers customizable content modules, a sprinkle of Facebook social networking, fewer ads, and more speed. Users can also share content from the Yahoo home page via e-mail, Twitter, or Facebook. But the main dish is the content, an endless river of stories running down the page — Mayer calls it a “newsfeed with infinite scroll” — and the carousel of more than 50 stories with images at the top of the page.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
Comment The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.
THE GREAT GAMBLER
JASON GUTIERREZ Agence France-Presse
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ardinal Luis Antonio Tagle wants to bring the Catholic Church closer to people, a vision his fans say comes from a genuine passion for helping the poor and one that could make him Asia’s first pope. The 55-year-old cardinal from a working-class family close to the Philippine capital is being touted at home and abroad as a genuine chance to succeed Pope Benedict XVI during a historic Vatican vote next month. Tagle has a reputation across the devoutly Catholic Philippines as a humble man with a lifelong commitment to helping the poor, while senior Church figures regard him as a moderate progressive who balances conservative doctrines. Tagle, the archbishop of Manila who was appointed a cardinal in November, has refused to discuss his chances for the papacy since Benedict announced he would resign on February 28 due to poor health. But speaking at a public seminar in Manila last weekend, Tagle elaborated on his well-known views that Church leaders needed to do a better job at reaching out to the people within their communities, particularly the youth. “The young want to be connected,” Tagle said at the forum. “That is the basic of the faith —to be) connected to God, connected to others, to the Church. We need to go back to that fundamental.” Eloquent and with a soothing voice, Tagle has also made highprofile speeches in recent years calling for a humbler Church that is more open to the public’s concerns.
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THE ‘MAN’ HAS A SENSE OF HUMOUR BUT... SERIOUSLY
Ajay hotchandani
Ernest Hemmingway American writer
Philippine Cardinal for people power
HIGH-FLYING THOUGHTS Now this is definitely a twist in the plot: the lead detective in the Oscar Pistorius murder case is himself facing seven attempted murder charges for shooting at a taxi in 2009 to try to stop it. Perhaps it helps if people with experience are in charge.
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hile I dread Monday mornings (please see previous article), I do look forward to Saturday and Sunday mornings, because I can sleep in and not have to worry about writing notes. Needless to say when its Saturday morning and my internal clock wakes me up at 6am, I’m not a happy person. I spend all week looking forward to sleeping, eating and playing poker. So one bring Saturday morning I wake up way earlier than I would have liked to. My stomach and brain had a fight and my stomach won, and it wanted Cinnamon Rolls as its prize. Down at the local café I stood in line, weary eyed and hungry. Smell of coffee replacing the scent of the guy in front of me who didn’t shower, when off in the corner I see some friends enjoying breakfast – the type of friends who enjoy waking up early in the morning. Rather than going home, I decided to join them. Amid our conversation about religion, God and coffee the topic of charity came up. I was asked if I wouldn’t mind purchasing a ticket to a Hawaiian themed
night dinner party. It was for charity, so why not? Then they told me something that made me not want to buy a ticket, the party was Saturday. Saturday night is a very ‘religious’ night for me, I religiously go to play poker. I was a bit conflicted, as it was for a worthy cause, I didn’t want to just say no, so I entered into a “Gentlemen’s Agreement” and not the one from Andhra Pradesh. Instead of buying a ticket to the party I agreed to donate half my winnings for the night to the charity. To seal the deal I jokingly said I would sign a contract, and five minutes later they wrote up a contract on a paper napkin with
the following: “I, Ajay Hotchandani, of sound mind and body, hereby do agree that on the night of November 24th, 2012 I shall donate half of my winnings to the Hand-in-Hand Ministry, Belize” I didn’t mind for several reasons; one, it’s for charity; two, I can use it as a tax write off; and three, I signed the contract. On average I would win about $75US, so half would still amount to more than the cost of a ticket. Come Saturday night and I’m playing Texas No Limit Hold’em. About an hour into the game I’m $100 down, when I
catch a lucky break. The next thing you know I’m even, but nowhere near enough to call a donation. I end up in a three way hand where I’m in last place and two cards to come. In the entire deck there was only one card that could save me, and would you believe it — the 10 of hearts came on the river to save me! At the end of the night, after calculating everything, I ended up donating $450.00 to charity. So the following week I go back to the Café looking for people who need charity, because I’m sure that the “man” above is a poker player who works in mysterious ways.
EDITORIALS Highly unfair, Dave Shorter Tweets
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he ebullient British Prime Minister David Cameron fell short of Indian expectation. He said the bloody Jallianwala Bagh a shameful event but did not think the tragedy called for his nation’s apology. It is like going the half way through a bridge and turning back. A futile exercise. Either you talk the whole length and cross over to the other bank or don’t bother at all. In fact, there is no news in Cameron’s effort as he did only echo what the then Secretary of War, Winston Churchill said of it, ‘An outrage.’ In April 1919, several hundreds were killed and more than 1,200 injured at Jallianwala Bagh when British troops led by Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer fired on a peaceful gathering. Unarmed and helpless, a peaceful gathering was subjected to the most heinous crime. And, yet... Japan, the ‘tiny giant’ of the ‘forties, deemed it becoming to seek apology of China for the war time excesses. So did many world leaders. Africa was made to suffer for centuries by the Whites. All these historical wrongs called for at least a ‘Sorry, we apologise’ — the minimum courtesy which won’t undo any wrongs but would provide balm to the later generation. It is inappropriate that Cameroon wants India’s business, but is unwilling to apologise to our forefathers.
READERS’ VIEWS
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witter has asked its members to use just 177 characters to express themselves. The advantages of brevity is of course there, but the reason behind the decision is security concerns. Earlier, users were allowed 140 to 120 including a web link cut. It will be interesting how the Twitterati take to the cut.
We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500 033 or even by way of a call on 4067 2222. Editor: Dean Williams
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
tELEVISION
SEASON 2 ON THE WAY
Mann Kee Awaaz Pratigya which ended in October last year making its way for Veera, said goodbye with a possibility to make its comeback with a Season 2. Sources say that the production house has started planning to make way for the season 2 of the show.
THE BAD BOYS
IMPERFECTION RULES TYRION LANNISTER
He is sipping wine and being serviced by a prostitute that’s our introduction to Tyrion in Game of Thrones. Tyrion is the misshapen dwarf son of Tywin Lannister and the younger brother to Cersei and Jaime. Tyrion is shrewd, educated, and calculating, but receives little respect for this from his father, because of his deformity, and the death of his mother during his birth. In spite of his love for prostitutes and his flawed ways, we couldn’t help but fall in love with the character.
They are a sharp contrast to the conservative idea of 'what a man ought to be'. While some are misogynous and treat women as their toys, others are confused and complicated. However, they have a common factor— they all managed to capture the hearts of the audiences despite their shortcomings. We list flawed but the most-loved male characters on television today.
Among all characters in the popular series Mad Men, it is Jon Hamm's mysterious character Don Draper that is the most intriguing. Don is a woman hater whom you cannot hate. Through the entire run of the series, Don has been portrayed as a serial womanizer. Don presents a puzzling enigma to the characters around him in the series too. Even at the conclusion of the series, his ‘true’ character is not entirely divulged.
JOHN LUTHER
Another tough nut to crack on television today is the character John Luther of British psychological crime drama Luther. John
SHERLOCK HOLMES
Played brilliantly by Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock has an unbelievably quick, observant and logical mind but is just as cold and insensitive to people around him. Besides being a show-off and infamously arrogant, his many bad habits make him much of a nuisance. He is
HANK MOODY
is a talented detective, with the ability to analyse situations quickly. He is a genius when it comes to solving crimes. However, the horrors of Luther's job have given rise to emotional demons which often put him at odds with colleagues and loved ones. This side of his personality makes him all the more endearing.
BARNEY STINSON
He is rich, handsome, spoilt and the most famous serial playboy on TV. His quest for scoring with women is never ending and he incessantly comes
with the most bizarre ideas to trick women into sleeping with him. Barney also nurtures some serious abandonment issues. In spite of all these flaws, Barney is that one adorable friend who honestly wants to be your friend. He may have imposed himself as Ted’s bro and best friend but he has always been there for him as a loyal wingman. When Lily and Marshall break up, Barney secretly fetches Lily for them to patch up. Behind the image of a stylish, vain, indifferent and selfish man, Barney is quite loving, child-like and
TAKE A LOOK
endearing.
untidy unless he is on a case, he indulges in drugs sometimes to no account and he tends to starve himself when his intellect is intensely at work until he faints. He thinks no worse of breaking a law if a case just demands so. Although cold and inexpressive, his love for his only friend John Watson and their landlady Mrs Hudson is keenly noted at times of astute crisis. For all his eccentricity, people fail to understand him, many are intimidated, but those who know him closely know he only loves his work very much and means well.
DON DRAPER
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Perennially in a state of mess, in real life and in his head, Hank Moody of Californication cannot help but involve himself in scandals. He finds himself lonely, empty, devastated and miserable at most times and comes across as a shallow man. His slight aversion to commitment can be seen in his attempts at mending his relationship with his on and off girlfriend Karen, and at being a good father to their daughter Becca. However, situations are always such that a little doing of his, whatever the intention may be, only makes things worse.
MTV Roadies X The MTV Roadies X flagged off its journey in the scenic locale of Kohima in Nagaland, where the new Roadies get familiarised with each other. The series starts off with the two teams getting acquainted at a fun party where Raghu intorduced his team of exThings start to heat up as Rannvijay introduced Abhimanyu the Battleground winner to the team who takes on Gaurav to compete with him. Will the new and ex- Roadies create havoc or get along with each other? Watch the episode that airs this Saturday.
DID YOU KNOW...
Mind Palace
a memory-aiding technique used by Sherlock Holmes(Benedict Cumberbatch) in the TV series Sherlock is not a production of the scriptwriters. It is a method of aiding memory that dates back to ancient Rome. One of history's most famous real-life practitioners was the sixteenth-century Italian Jesuit missionary Matteo Ricci, who introduced the method to China.
TRENDING...
Ari Graynor (For A Good Time Call) will play the lead in Bad Teacher, CBS‘ comedy series adaptation of the hit 2011 movie. Written by Hilary Winston, directed by Don Scardino, the pilot centers on hot, confident, unapologetic former trophy wife Meredith Davis (Graynor) who becomes a teacher to find a new man after her husband leaves her without a dime.
Rachelle Lefevre (A Gifted Man, Off the Map) is making her way Under the Dome, CBS’ anticipated summer series based on Stephen King’s 2009 novel. The 13-episode drama takes place in the New England community of Chester’s Mill, which inexplicably finds itself trapped beneath a massive, transparent barrier. Chaos soon breaks out..
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
spotlight
SHADES OF BLUE
So many artists have interpreted the characters of Radha & Krishna in the past in their own style. Artist Saraswati also painted Radha Krishna from her own imagination with lots of designs in minimum unusual colours, but with varied tones. Visit her exhibition at the Muse Art Gallery. It will be on till March 2.
S BALAKRISHNA
PARTY TALK
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IN DA CLUB
Puja Chandak and her friends celebrated her birthday party at Kismet on Tuesday. With good music and great food, the party was one lively one. 6
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1 Kishan, Sarita 2 Koyal, Sarita,
Komal, Vibha, Divya 3 Neha Gandhi
4 Manisha Kapoor
6 Puja
8 Vibha
5 Ria and Komal
7 Alka
9 Prerna
BRING IN THE COLOURS
Union minister of state Panabaka Lakshmi inaugurated Colours of Rajasthan — a Rajasthani handloom exhibition being held at Kalinga Exhibition Hall, Banjara Hills. The expo will be held till February 24. More than 30 artisans will be exhibiting their work.
PLAYING WITH ART
Artist Jayadevanna TS is holding an exhibition of his paintings at the Rainbow Art Gallery. Titled Darpana, the theme of his paintings is to depict human emotions and lifestyle through channapattana — traditional wooden toys from Karnataka.
S BALAKRISHNA
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
health MENTAL HEALTH
MOUTHRINSE CLEARS PLAQUE BETTER THAN TOOTHBRUSH Mouthrinse beats toothbrush in clearing plaque and gingivitis (inflamed gums), more so than brushing alone, suggests a US research. “It’s simple — mouthrinses can reach nearly 100 per cent of the mouth’s surfaces, while brushing focuses on the teeth, which make up only 25 per cent of the mouth,” says Christine A Charles, who led the study.
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Suffering in silence: The tipping point Years of enduring violence and abuse, and suppressing negative emotions, build up like a toxin within you, until one day you can’t take it anymore.
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he movie Provoked, based on the life of Kiranjit Ahluwalia, who tolerates years of physical and emotional abuse before finally snapping, sends out a strong message about putting up with violence. Oscar Pistorius, the famous paralympic athlete, was arrested for allegedly shooting his girlfriend four times through a closed bathroom door. In what is considered to be a landmark judgement, a Beijing court granted divorce to an American, Kim Lee, who was married to a famous Chinese English teacher, on grounds of domestic violence. But there are millions who do not ask out, who put up with it. Tolerating abuse and domestic violence seems to be a global epidemic. But how much can one take? Last year, the City saw stories of wives hitting their husbands to death or setting them ablaze in their sleep, alleging they couldn’t take the abuse anymore. The tipping point, an irra-
ANEWS PP-LYBRIEFS YOURSELF
DEEPASHRI V
deepashri.v@postnoon.com
tional, impulsive act of violence, may not be the result of one incident, but that of negative emotions suppressed and piled up over ages. “Tolerating violence is like a pot that is simmering and boiling. It might explode over something trivial,” said Dr Savitha Date Menon, clinical psychologist at Apollo Hospitals. “It need not be an enormous issue. It is the last straw on the camel’s back.” One reason why people put up with violence is that it is perceived as a part of societal norm, she said. “It is not health. But it is not seen as abnormal. They are psychosocially trained to tolerate abuse and suffer in silence.” If there is no change in the factors leading to this end, and the abusive
HOUSECALL
environment remains the same, the person can snap again, the doctor said. Dr Sucharita, counselling psychologist at Roshini Counseling Centre, said she has come across cases where the patient has put up with a lot of oppressive behaviour. “They are emotional wrecks. There is no affection. They become negative and distant. They build up a lot of hatred.” She said many of them have undergone a lot of trauma and never found a safe place to vent it out, fearing social rebuke. As a result, most patients internalised the blame and some exhibit parasuicidal behaviour. “There was one woman who was in despair and said she had nothing to look forward to. She wanted to commit suicide,” she said. “Most of them feel helpless. We educate them and tell them they need not keep quiet (about violence). We encourage them to reach out and seek help.”
DID YOU KNOW?
PIONEERS
DailyBurn Tracker
Necrotizing fasciitis
Jell-O has brain waves!
Paul Ehrlich
This is the one app you need to manage your diet, fitness, and exercise. It is a free app that combines training plans with food and calorie tracking. Fully backed by DailyBurn Tracker: the top fitness community on the web. Manage your fitness and health goals on your iPhone and your data is automatically synced to the website.
Necrotizing fasciitis is a major, but rare, condition that affects deep layers of human skin and tissues. The problem is treated very quickly under antibiotics. Many people with the condition may also have other issues, such as diabetes. The condition is caused by bacteria. Other names for the disease are flesh-eating disease or flesh-eating bacteria syndrome.
A bowl of lime Jell-O, when hooked up to an EEG machine, exhibits activity, which is virtually identical to the brain waves of a healthy adult man or woman. A recent study found that 75 per cent of headache patients felt relief when they rubbed capsaicin (the component that makes chili peppers hot) on their nose.
Paul Ehrlich is a German Jewish medical scientist best known for discovering the first effective treatment for syphilis for which he received the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1908 with his partner Élie Metchnikoff. Ehrlich was also a pioneer in the in the fields of chemotherapy, haematology and immunology. He made great strides for the advancement of medicine during his lifetime.
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health THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
STUDY
BREAKTHROUGH
Drug to bust Hepatitis C virus?
Smog causes surge in heart attack deaths A research found that particles generated by burning coal and oil for power stations, and petrol and diesel for transport, increases risk of heart attacks. PARIS: Exposure to higher levels of fine particulates — the airborne pollution that is an emerging problem in many Asian cities — causes a sharp rise in deaths from heart attacks, a study published on Wednesday said. Research published in the European Heart Journal pointed the finger at so-called PM2.5 pollution, which comprises tiny particles measuring 2.5 micrometres across or less. They are mainly generated by burning coal and oil for power stations, and petrol and diesel for transport. Around 30 times smaller than a human hair, PM2.5 particles have long been identified as a respiratory problem, as their size enables them to lodge deep in the lungs. Less understood, though, is their impact on cardiac health. Cathryn Tonne at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine led a study into 154,000 patients in England and Wales who had been hospitalised for a heart attack between 2004 and 2007. They followed the patients for more than three years after their release from hospital. During this period, nearly 40,000 of them died. After stripping out factors that could skew the picture such as socio-economic status and smoking, the researchers found a clear link between exposure to PM2.5 and early death. It far surpassed the risk from exposure to bigger particles called PM10, which are 10 micrometres across. "We found that for every 10 microgrammes per M3 in
PM2.5, there was a 20-percent increase in the death rate," said Tonne. If PM2.5 levels had been reduced to their natural background rate, the total number of deaths would have fallen by 4,873, or 12 percent. The average exposure to PM2.5 in England was 11.0 microgrammes per m3, with the highest in London, which was 14.1 microgrammes per m3. The lowest was in northeast England, which had 8.4 particles per m3. By comparison, the World Health Organisation (WHO) sets down guidelines of a maximum of 10 microgrammes of PM2.5 per cubic metre as an
annual average exposure, and a maximum of 25 microgrammes per m3 over a 24-hour period. Particulate smog is becoming a major problem in Asian cities that have built up over the past decade. In Beijing last month, PM2.5 levels reached 993 microgrammes per m3, almost 40 times the WHO's recommended safe limit, triggering an outcry. "The pollution in Beijing is a huge cause for concern," said Pier Manucci, a professor at the University of Milan and a leading European authority on thrombosis, when asked to comment on the study. "When you think that here in Italy, in Milan, we are concerned
when the concentration of PM2.5 is around 100 and in China it reaches values of 1,000, you can understand the magnitude of the difference in risk and effects." He said that almost all of the research into the link between cardiac risk and pollution was conducted in rich countries, where PM2.5 levels were far lower. "We know the degree of pollution in these countries, thanks to satellite data about aerosol concentrations," Manucci told AFP. "But they pay little attention, except as you notice during the (2008 Olympic) Games, when they decreased the traffic in Beijing." AFP
WASHINGTON: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection affects about 4.1 million people in the United States alone and is the primary cause of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Current therapy against the infection is not particularly effective. Daclatasvir, a direct acting antiviral (DAA) agent, targets one of the HCV proteins NS5A and causes the fastest viral decline, within 12 hours of treatment ever seen with anti-HCV drugs. An interdisciplinary effort by mathematical modellers, clinicians and molecular virologists has revealed that daclatasvir has two main modes of action against HCV and also yields a new, more accurate estimate of the HCV half-life, the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reports. Loyola University Health System and Stritch School of Medicine mathematical modeller Harel Dahari, who co-led the study, said, "Daclatasvir not only blocks the synthesis of the viral RNA within infected cells but also secretion of infectious virus from the cells," said Dahari. This was confirmed in Uprichard's lab using cultured liver cells that support the entire life cycle of HCV infection. IANS
RESEARCH
'Bee venom shots could kill backache'
LONDON: Bee venom shot therapy is rooted in ancient traditional remedies, where bee stings were used to tackle a wide range of ailments. An analysis of studies by University of Exeter researchers found bee venom contained compounds that may ease joint pain. Another trial, conducted by the University of North Carolina, investigat-
ed the effect of bee venom on back and leg pain. Researchers found that it reduced pain by up to two-thirds, but because other treatments were used in the study, it was difficult to pinpoint precisely how much effect the bee venom itself had, the Daily Mail reports. In a new trial, bee venom shots will be compared with salt-water injec-
tions for the treatment of chronic low back pain. Dried bee venom will be turned into a gel and injected into up to 10 traditional acupuncture sites in the lower back. The new trial will involve 100 patients. Half will receive the real treatment, and half will receive dummy injections, and both groups will receive six treatment sessions over three weeks. IANS
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
Entertainment FRIENDS OFFSCREEN
CINE BYTES
Sumanth’s new film begins
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arcelona is turning out to be a quite newsmaker in Telugu film industry these days. It has suddenly become a popular foreign destination for filmmakers who are now making a beeline to explore several locales in Barcelona and other places in Spain. Now, it’s in news for a different reason altogether. Two Telugu films — Iddarammayilatho and Baadshah are currently being shot in Barcelona and incidentally, both these films are being produced by Bandla Ganesh. It turns out that the principal cast of both these films have been bonding quite a lot in Barcelona. NTR and Kajal, who are playing the lead roles in Baadshah, were seen hanging out with Allu Arjun and Amala Paul, the lead pair in Iddarammayilatho. Even the directors of these films Puri Jagannadh and Sreenu Vaitla met up and spent a lot of time with the rest of the cast and crew. It’s a rarity to see two top actors meet up casually in Tollywood, besides this incident in Barcelona is hardly a coincidence. No wonder the incident has been making quite a lot of buzz.
NTR, BUNNY
BOND IN BARCELONA!
he principal shooting of Sumanth’s next film Aemo Gurram Egaraavachchu began yesterday in Hyderabad. SS Rajamouli and Sukumar were also present on this occasion. Thai actress Pinky Savika is playing the lead role opposite Sumanth. Chandra Siddhartha is directing the film. MM Keeravani has scored the music.
Kevvu Keka team heads to Pollachi
A
llari Naresh and Sharmila Mandre starrer Kevvu Keka, which was recently shot in Thailand, is gearing up for a summer release. Devi Prasad is directing the film and the principal cast flew to Pollachi to can few songs. Most part of the film will be completed by mid March.
Gopichand-Nayanthara’s film back on track?
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opichand and Nayanthara had teamed up for a bilingual film to be directed by Bhoopathi Pandian last year, but it was stalled after the director walked out of the film. The latest buzz is that B Gopal is going to take over the film and several changes are being made in the film’s script. The film will go on floors on April 15.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
fashion
GUCCI’S HORSEBIT LOAFER
IN HONOUR of Gucci’s horsebit loafer, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary, a dedicated exhibitopened Wednesday at the Gucci Museo in Florence.The horsebit loafer was introduced in 1953 when Guccio Gucci’s son Aldo expanded the family’s business with the incorporation of footwear.
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ollywood AListers Justin Ti m b e r l a k e and Jessica Biel watched on as Tom Ford's flamboyant collection dazzled London Fashion Week on Monday in the US designer's first major catwalk show since 2005. The former Gucci kingpin conjured up a vibrant spectacle, characterised by luxurious furs, flashes of fuchsia and purple along with slinky black eveningwear and pop-art inspired sequined designs. Timberlake and Biel sat on the front-row at the Lancaster House event, Ford's first major show in eight years. It came hours after Burberry
Ford steals the limelight
Christopher Bailey
RUBY WOO
EVERYWHERE YOU look at the moment it's Rihanna, Rihanna, Rihanna! The singer has just signed a groundbreaking deal with MAC Cosmetics. Described by Rihanna as a "no-brainer," the collaboration includes multiple colour collections which will roll out this year. The first product to launch is RiRi Woo, a lipstick inspired by her favourite MAC red shade, Ruby Woo.
22&23
Designer Tom Ford’s first major show in eight years was the centre of attention at the London Fashion Week.
AFP PHOTO/BEN STANSALL
mastermind Christopher Bailey laid down the marker with a show that the British designer later described as "a little bit sexy, a little bit Establishment". Actresses Kate Beckinsale and Frida Pinto admired Bailey's collection which featured luxurious cashmere claret and beige jumpers, shaved mink coats and various permutations of Burberry mainstay, the trenchcoat. Model of the moment, Cara Delevingne made an appearance at the Hyde Park show, sporting a pair of heart-printed pants beneath a transparent pencil skirt, but ten-year-old Romeo Beckham, son of footballer David and star of the label's advertising campaign, was double booked. AFP
Tom Ford
Entertainment THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
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Entertainment THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
Chai Time
Play & Win
Please send in your filled-in entries to Postnoon, #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500033. The winners will be announced on this page in Sunday’s edition.
KAKURO 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 refer-
QUICK CROSSWORD enced 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.
Play & Win
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ACROSS
SCRIBBLING PAD
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SUDOKU
PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER
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1 Movie critic, at times 6 ‘I, Robot’ author Asimov 11 Tuner on a viola 14 A-list 15 ‘Throw ___ From the Train’ (1987 film) 16 Reinking or Miller 17 Certain air movers 19 William McKinley’s wife 20 Forensic sampling 21 PC key 22 Column crosser 23 Contributing some chips for a hand 27 Ozzie and Harriet, or wrestling holds 29 Curly’s brother 30 Give wolfish looks 32 Coral construction 33 Rooms renter 34 Can’t survive without 36 Spinal vertebrae 39 Mannerly man, briefly 41 Blew a gasket 43 Went down a chute 44 Basketry twig 46 Ambulance attendant 48 Fallopian tube travellers 49 Hosiery spoiler 51 Evening, at La Scala
52 Valuable stone 53 Rouses oneself 56 Meals, more formally 58 ‘Sis-boom-bah!’ alternative 59 Reed or Dobbs 60 Overhead-___ engine 61 ‘Am___believe ...’ 62 What some mothers wear, in an epithet 68 Buzzing insect 69 Have nothing to do with 70 Cinema-chain name 71 USNA grads 72 Musical breathers 73 ‘There’s no ___ sight!’
DOWN 1 Go ‘vroom, vroom’ 2 Pie ___ mode 3 Involuntary muscle movement 4 Chopin composition 5 Family or school get-together 6 Little rascal 7 Slightest bit of money 8 King Hussein’s capital 9 More plentiful 10 Knights’ neighbors in chess 11 Purchase in a Dutch mall, perhaps
12 ___ a positive note 13 Goes at like a beaver 18 Nativity scene setting 23 Spanish friend 24 1951 book of Auden poems 25 Some court attire 26 Shimmer 28 Baltic and Adriatic 31 Cutting sides 35 Spring feast 37 Metal fastener 38 Surname of two presidents 40 You might have a stake in it 42 Tell actors how to act 45 Vehicle on a track 47 Up to the task 50 Phonograph needle’s place 53 Grease someone’s palm 54 Consumed 55 Wrestlers in a round ring 57 ‘___ for the Misbegotten’ (O’Neill play) 63 Part of a stand-up’s routine 64 Super Bowl highlights, arguably 65 UK reference book 66 Prefix with ‘light’ 67 Nine-digit ID
Chai Time THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013 Thiruvaikumar
STAR POWER for 22-2-2013
27
As per Hindu panchang thiruvaikumar@yahoo. co. in, 040-27177230 / 9177596118
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Blood relatives will extend strong support. Employees focus well, complete all work with perfection and in time to earn appreciation from superiors. Plans might hit a roadblock; you will manage the issues wisely and achieve your goals.
STRIP TEASE AGNES
Software professions might face a troubled atmosphere; no need to panic as the situation will become normal soon. Businessmen likely to face a dull trend; partners try to take advantage of situation. Good opportunities await artists.
Mother’s health may be a cause for concern; need to take good care. Govt officials, contractors and VIPs will benefit enormously. Couples will be more affectionate towards each other. Financially, a strong position is likely to keep you cheerful.
Employees can be sure of getting recognition and reward for hard work. All bad effects will disappear and good times ahead. Good turning points likely, which will cheer you. Opportunities to knock at your door; make the best use of them.
Problems in ancestral property will disappear. Haunting debt problems will come to an end. Children will achieve in a big way, which will cheer you up. You are likely to purchase new assets in their name. Good events to take place at home.
You will clear a major portion of haunting debts and relax. Delayed housing loan sanction will now come through and construction to start. Cold war and ego clashes between couples will come to an end; so also with some relatives.
You take bold decisions that will yield desired results. Due to misunderstanding with partners, businessmen will be upset. Sudden trips likely but the purpose will be solved. Some of you might be forced to sell ancestral property.
Transfer and promotion are on cards for the employees as superiors favour them. Family will be in a very cheerful mood. Health problems likely; be careful and take good care. A debt issues may re-surface, which must be handled with a cool mind.
Avoid being alone as you may feel confused and deserted. Encouragement by spouse will work wonders for you. Influx of visitors will keep the family members in a cheerful mood. Avoid taking decisions in a hurry as you may face losses.
TAROT READ
Sumaa Tekur
tarotreadhyd@gmail. com
ARIES:
GEMINI:
Ace of Wands – You are in a fertile period – both with your body and in your imagination. Great time for creative professionals. Some good ideas click.
LEO:
Ten of Cups – You’re feeling settled and in a good mood while spending time with family. An important letter or email is coming your way. Don’t ignore it.
LIBRA:
PEARLS BEFORE SWINE
Two of Wands – You need to wait upon events for them to have the right effect. It might be frustrating but the period of waiting is extremely important.
SAGITTARIUS:
The Fool – You’re ready to jump into a new situation even though you have little experience in that area. It will be a great learning experience. Go with the flow.
TAURUS:
Knight of Swords – Your technical knowledge is much in demand at workplace. You will be asked to step in and help younger colleagues where they feel stuck.
CANCER:
Ace of Cups – This is the cup of life and it brims over with creativity. Juniors at work are turning to you for advice and inspiration and you give them exactly that.
VIRGO:
Four of Swords – You need some rest and relaxation. Take a weekend break and get away. Switch off the Blackberry. Mental relaxation is more important.
SCORPIO:
Five of Wands – Avoid getting into any conflict situation. You will be tempted to make your opinion known. But only express yourself if absolutely necessary.
CAPRICORN:
The Chariot – You’re feeling disconnected with your spouse. You’re preoccupied with other thoughts and want to be left alone. Communicate this clearly.
PREVIOUS SOLUTIONS
PISCES:
The Star – Not everything is lost. If something hasn’t gone your way, it doesn’t mean that it won’t ever. Keep the faith and continue to work.
NUMBER GAME
ds – You’re in charge of a team and are expected to lead with confidence and courage. Your seniors trust fully that you can deliver to expectation.
SCRABBLE
AQUARIUS: King of Swor-
POOCH CAFE
You will plan and undertake a jolly trip with family. Court verdict will go in your favour. Income is expected to come from multiple channels. You need to understand characters of others before associating with them. Expected money will come.
for 22-2-2013
Knight of Cups – You’re feeling emotional today. But make sure you’re not trampling on someone else’s feelings because you are not able to see beyond yourself.
NON SEQUITUR
Women take care of family problems wisely and ensure peace at home. Those planning to start their own business are advised to proceed without any partner. Bad effects are likely to vanish and you can expect good times hereafter.
SUDUKO
Self-employed businessmen will get sanction of the financial assistance applied with a financial institution. Existing businessmen will be successful by introducing new products in the market. Transfer and promotion are on the cards.
Boggle MARS EARTH VENUS NEPTUNE URANUS Vol: 2, No 216 RNI No: APENG/2011/39337 Published for the proprietors, Scribble Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, by V Harshavardhan Reddy, at #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500033 and printed by him at Jagati Publications Ltd, Plot No D-75&E-52, APIE Industrial Estate, Balanagar, Ranga Reddy Dist, Hyderabad – 500037, Editor: Dean Williams – Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. For feedback, please write to: feedback@postnoon. com and for subscription, please call 040-4067 2222, Fax: 040-4067 2211
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
Zeroing in on OSAMA Billed as ‘the story of history’s greatest manhunt for the world’s most dangerous man’, Zero Dark Thirty charts the decade-long search for Osama bin Laden. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, the American fiction movie on post 9/11 events is all about successfully finding “a needle in a haystack”. NIDHI BHUSHAN nidhi.b@postnoon.com
L
ast year’s Zero Dark Thirty is one among the two brilliant movies based on events that shaped American history. Almost like a documentary, the movie does a brilliant job of weaving facts and drama in tracking the long and arduous path to reach Osama bin Laden. Before the audience is exposed to the first scene, they are subjected to voices coming from a black screen. The director uses the sounds to make the viewer relive the fateful day of September 11, 2001 — the panic, chaos and loss that brought the world’s superpower to a standstill. Apart from the black screen
symbolising America’s darkest hour, it allows the viewer to recall their own version of the horror. Director Kathryn Bigelow trusts the viewer and allows them to fill in the blanks, a technique she has used throughout the film spanning 157 minutes. The first scene of the movie shows CIA officer Dan (Jason Clarke) interrogating prisoner Ammar at a ‘black site’. The scene also introduces the film’s lead Maya (Jessica Chastain), a young CIA officer who has spent her brief career, since graduation, focusing solely on intelligence related to Osama bin Laden, leader of terrorist outfit AlQaeda. Though at first, it seems that Maya is uncomfortable with the torture involved in extracting information, it slowly becomes a
part of her investigations as well. Ammar offers Dan and Maya a potential lead after being lied to. The valuable clue — Abu Ahmed, referred to as ‘a needle in a haystack’ by one of the characters, soon becomes Maya’s lead. Skimming through bundles of data and information, and banking on instincts and technology Maya spends eight years only to find that Abu Ahmed, is
Apart from the race to find Osama, the movie also sketches the difficulties and the price that the US government had to pay in achieving that feat.
in fact, one ‘Ibrahim Sayeed’. Maya is shown chasing the lead, interrogating suspects, sometimes violently, for the next hour of the movie, along with her colleagues, including a tough Jessica (played by Jennifer Ehle). In the midst of a political climate change where torture is condemned, Dan warns Maya: “You don’t want to be the last one holding a dog collar when the oversight committee comes.” In one of the pivotal scenes, President Obama is shown making a speech on TV while Maya, Dan and Jessica watch poker faced. Maya’s expression in the scene, or the lack of it, also allows viewers to interpret what she might be thinking at the time — relief or confusion? It is left to us to figure out.
Apart from the race to find Osama, the movie also sketches the difficulties and the price that the US government had to pay in achieving that feat. It shows specifically the challenges that Maya faces while tracking one of the most wanted men in the world. Whether it’s surviving in the otherwise male-dominated CIA force or connecting the dots, the young Maya is constantly tested and put on trial. While writer Mark Boal does a fine job of sketching out the friendship between Maya and fellow CIA officer Jessica, the director gives it the finishing touches by showing brilliantly the Islamabad Marriott Hotel bombing in 2008 and the Camp Chapman Attack in the following year. However, unlike other all American-glory movies, Zero Dark Thirty does not make Jessica’s death in the Camp Chapman Attack the sole trigger for Maya to put all her might in to crack Osama’s whereabouts. It is during the last 40 minutes of the movie that the CIA finally gets their hands on Abu Ahmed aka Ibrahim Sayeed. He is followed in his car and is found to be living in a large urban compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. After months of heavy CIA surveillance, the government reaches an assessment of a 60-80 per cent chance of the compound being Osama’s hideout. However, Maya assesses the chances as 100 per cent. The last leg of the movie, which is the killing of Osama is shot under the unreal green light of night-vision goggles. With remarkable direction, this section of the movie is sure to leave you astounded. However, even though Zero Dark Thirty deserves a pat on its back for direction, screenplay and acting, it’s a great watch more for those who are thoroughly clued into this part of world history.
sports
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
ITALIAN NATIONAL MOTORCYCLE RACING CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW
Mahindra Racing in top gear The only Indian factory team to compete in international motorcycle Grand Prix racing is all set to make co-owners Akkineni Nagarjuna and Nandish Domlur proud. Andrea Locatelli
Michael Rinaldi
Born on October 16, 1996, rider Andrea Locatelli is 168 cm tall and weighs 58 kg. He belongs to Italy’s Alzano Lombardo area and has been attracting the attention of the motorcycle racing community with his winning performances since 2007.
Born on December 21, 1995, Michael Rinaldi is 167 cm tall and weighs 56 kg. He is based in Rimini in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. In 2008, Rinaldi finished second in the well known Italian Championship MiniGP and repeated the performance in 2009. In 2010, he finished fifth in the Italian Cup and bettered that by winning the same event in 2011. He won 5 of 6 races he participated in that year.
Some of his top performances include a second place at the Honda Italia Racing Project in 2007, first place at the Extreme Honda in 2009, and first place at the Trophy Moriwaki and European Champion Trophy Moriwaki in 2011. Locatelli was invited as a special guest to witness the Japanese Moto Grand Prix in 2010. MUMBAI: Mahindra Racing, the only Indian factory team to compete in international motorcycle Grand Prix racing, today announced the signing of 16year-old Andrea Locatelli and 17-year-old Michael Rinaldi as the team’s new riders for the 2013 season of the Italian National Motorcycle Racing Championship (CIV), scheduled to begin in Mugello on April 6 this year. The riders will repre-
In 2012, Rinaldi made his MotoGP and CIV debut. He competed in three MotoGP races during the season and finished in 15th position in Mugello.
Provisional 2013 Calendar sent Mahindra Racing in the Moto3 (250cc, 4 stroke) class of this prestigious championship. The signing of the strong rider pairing bears testimony to the team’s committed efforts to continue their 2012 success at the CIV. Mahindra Racing became the first team from India to win an international motorsport championship in Europe, when they won the Constructors’ Title in the 125GP class of the CIV in
JUNIOR ARCHERY CHAMPIONSHIP
The State girls’ team (from left) K Jyothi, S Lavanya, N Kavitha and A Rabali participate in the Recurve Round in the ongoing 35th National Junior Archery Championship at the SAAP Sports Complex, Gachibowli on Wednesday.
R1-R2 R3-R4 R5-R6 R7-R8 R9-R10
6-7 April 25-26 May 15-16 June 27-28 July 21-22 Sept
Mugello Vallelunga Misano Imola Mugello
their debut year - 2012. The team recorded six victories from eight races, with three spectacular double podium finishes. The CIV Championship is held on the finest racetracks of Italy. For years, this has been one
of the leading national motorcycle racing competitions in Europe, launching some of Europe’s best young motorcycle racing talent into the international arena. From Giacomo Agostini to Valentino Rossi, many of the top names in the World MotoGP championship have been Italian Championship winners. The event is organised by FMI-Federazione Motociclistica Italiana. This follows the Mahindra
Racing team’s recent announcement of the exciting rider pairing of Spaniard Efrén Vázquez and Portuguese teenager Miguel Oliveira for the 2013 Moto3™ World Championship, which begins on April 7 in Qatar. Speaking about his plans for the future, rider Andrea Locatelli said, “I am thrilled to have joined a committed Indian team like Mahindra Racing for the CIV Season 2013.”
HYDERABAD TRACK WORK
Stamp of Class, Baazigar impress
HYDERABAD: Stamp of Class, Baazigar, Rahuls Diamond, Racing Ahead Fairy Emperor and Laguna Beach caught the eye when horses were exercised here this morning at the racecourse in Malakpet. Sand track 800 metres Cristiano (Kiran Naidu) 1-1, 600/45 Easy. Art Connoisseur (S.Nayak) 57, 600/43 Moved well. Vijays Winner (Tograllu) 58, 600/44 Easy. Victory Sky (Chary) 56, 600/40.5 Fully extended. Queen of the Stars (N S Parmar) Garibaldi (S Nayak) 58.5, 600/42.5 Former finished a length in front. Robust (Tograllu) 1-2, 600/47 Easy. Da Xia (Ajit Kumar) 56.5, 600/42 Moved well. Enrapture (Kiran Naidu) 1-2, 600/47.5 Easy. Tico Tico (Imran Khan) 55, 600/43 Retains form. Win And Enjoy
(app) 56, 600/42 Moved on the bit. Deal Maker (Anil) 55, 600/41 Moved well. The Leader (Chary) 1-0, 600/45 Easy. Al Sarraah (Kiran Naidu) 1-2, 600/46.5 Easy. Kohinoor Punch (Ajit Kumar) 58.5, 600/43 Pushed in the last part. Concurs (NS Parmar) 1-2.5, 600/48 Easy. Sand track 1000 metres Shimmering Ice (Anil) Hamilton (app) 1-10.5, 800/54, 600/41 Former finished in front. Proof (Anil) 1-8, 800/53, 600/40 Impressed. Emerald Reef (K Alam) 1-12, 800/55.5, 600/41 Moved well. Rahul’s Diamond ( Anil) 1-11,800/55, 600/41 Caught the eye. Fairy Emperor (app) 1-9, 800/55, 600/41 Moved attractively. Young Sapper (app) 1-10, 800/56, 600/43 Moved well.
Sand track 1200 metres Laguna Beach (Tograllu) 1-30, 1000/1-12, 800/54, 600/40 Impressed. Stamp of Class (Chary) Baazigar (Imran Khan) 1-24, 1000/1-8.5, 800/53, 600/40 Former finished a length in front while latter was easy. Racing Ahead (Tograllu) Winjoy (app) 1-25.5, 1000/1-9, 800/53.5, 600/40 Former impressed while finishing level with more on hand. Winds Of Victory (Tograllu) Play The Music (app) 1-28.5, 800/56.5 They moved together. Desert Bloom (Tograllu) 1-26.5, 1000/ 1-10, 800/55, 600/43 Moved well. Sand track 1400 metres Ciel Blu (Kiran Naidu) 1-46.5, 1200/1-31.5, 1000/1-16.5, 800/1-1.5, 600/47 Easy.
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHT
Peterson looks at redemption His rematch with Khan was scrapped after he tested positive for synthetic testosterone and high testosterone levels, failing the very voluntary doping tests that he had insisted upon. JIM SLATER Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON: Lamont Peterson (in pic), fighting to defend his reputation as well as a world title after a positive doping test, ends a 14-month layoff on Friday in a hometown bout against fellow American Kendall Holt. Peterson, once a homeless child on the streets of Washington, completed a fairytale in December of 2011 with a controversial split-decision victory over England’s Amir Khan for two world light-welterweight titles in the US capital. Peterson, who had been dealing with low testosterone health issues, had the World Boxing Association title revoked but the International Boxing Federation kept him as champion on appeal,
Khan complained the referee in his Washington loss, saying he should not have had 2 points deducted for pushing — points that made the difference.
considering later tests that Peterson passed. The fight with Holt isn’t dubbed “Redemption” for nothing.
“Probably until the day I die they will say certain things,” Peterson said Wednesday. “Once the doctor told me there was no
PRESIDENTIAL COMPLIMENT
Obama says Tiger on ‘another planet’ WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama marveled on Wednesday that playing golf with Tiger Woods was like teeing it up with someone from “another planet.” Obama was still shaking his head at the other worldly skill of the 14-times major champion, after meeting up with Woods for their first-ever round together on Sunday. “He plays a different game than I do,” said the president, an enthusiastic weekend golfer, whose scores are guarded like a state secret. “He is on another planet,” Obama told ABC7 television from San Francisco. “I don’t think either party was nervous, he knew that I wasn’t a big threat to his world ranking and I knew that I better keep my day job.” Woods, the first AfricanAmerican golfer to win a major title from his 1997 triumph at the Masters, and Obama, the first African-American to be elected as US President, teed off at a luxury golf resort in Florida. The world number two
told reporters in Arizona ahead of the WGC World Matchplay Championship in Arizona on Tuesday that playing with Obama was “pretty cool. He’s just a wonderful person to be around.” Woods and Obama defeated US trade representative Ron Kirk and Houston Astros owner Jim Crane, who also owned the resort course where the elite foursome played away from the eyes of the media, who complained about being ditched. Woods, who is chasing the all-time record of 18 major crowns won by Jack Nicklaus, said he was asked to play alongside Obama during an off weekend in his PGA Tour play. “There’s a process that’s involved and I was invited to play,” Woods said. “It was an invitation that certainly you don’t turn down, especially being he’s an avid golfer and so am I. He can certainly chip and putt. “If he ever spent, after these four years, more time playing the game of golf, I’m sure he could get to where he’s a pretty good stick.”
steroid in my body and I didn’t do anything illegal, I was like, ‘Did my doctor give me anything?’ “We’re fighting and rebuilding. Even taking that fight away, you have still got to say Lamont Peterson is a great fighter.” Peterson, 30-1-1 with 15 knockouts, has not fought since defeating Khan but says the rest and workouts have made him a better fighter, not a rusty one.
“I don’t think it’s going to affect me at all,” Peterson said. “A 14-month layoff did me some justice rather than hurt me. It allowed my body to rest and let me work on some things. I was in the gym the whole 14 months. You should see a better Lamont Peterson rather than a ring-rusted Lamont Peterson.” This time, Peterson is having only the basic drug test programme. “In the future I will do my best to do random testing, but random drug tests aren’t cheap,” Peterson said, adding that the basic test “is not a test you can just get over on.” Khan complained that the referee in his Washington loss, saying he should not have had two points deducted for pushing — points that made the difference.
GOLF Snow spoils PGA show MARANA, ARIZONA: Rory McIlroy has golfed in driving rain and umbrella-snapping winds, but Wednesday marked the first time the Northern Irishman ever had a tournament round postponed because of a snowstorm. Snow halted the opening round of the World Golf ChampionshipsAccenture Match Play Championship before McIlroy and Tiger Woods could tee off and before any matchup was completed.Play was suspended
in the late morning and by the time play was called for the day, about four centimetres (1.6 inches) had accumulated on the ground. “I have never seen anything like that at a golf tournament,” said the top-seeded McIlroy. “I’ve seen snow on the course when I was a kid, but nothing like that on any of the tours. It was crazy.” Mark Russell, the PGA Tour’s vice president of rules and competition, remembered seeing snow at a PGA Tour event.
TENNIS
Hewitt advances, Sofi ousted MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE: Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt saved two match points to advance while Swedish defending women’s champion Sofia Arvidsson was ousted on Wednesday at the ATP and WTA US I n d o o r Championships. Former World No. 1 Hewitt, a two-time Grand Slam champion, saved two match points on his serve in the 12th game of the second set before defeating South Korean Lu YenHsun 2-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 in a first-
round match. Hewitt, 31, is making his third appearance at the $1.58 million hardcourt event, having lost in the 2009 semi-finals and 2011 quarter-finals, both times falling to now-retired US standout Andy Roddick. New Zealand’s Marina Erakovic, who lost to Arvidsson in last year’s Memphis final, avenged that defeat by defeating the second seed 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, in a secondround match. AFP
sports
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
ROAD TO 2016 OLYMPICS
IOC: Rio has work cut out IOC inspectors last visited Rio in June 2012 to take stock of the city’s preparations for the Olympics. GENEVA: Rio de Janeiro needs to step up the pace if it is to be ready in time for the Olympics in 2016, the head of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) co-ordination commission said on Wednesday. “We’ve seen solid progress,” said Nawal El Moutawakel (in pic), after wrapping up a three-day inspection trip. “Building work is ongoing and the Organising Committee continues to strengthen its capacity. However, many projects will have to be delivered simultaneously. “We remain confident but we must all stay vigilant and continue to work hard, so that timelines are respected,” she
Prez disagrees with wrestling decision ATHENS, GREECE: International Olympic Academy (IOA) president Isidoros Kouvelos on Wednesday called on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to respect the historical roots of the Olympics and not remove wrestling from the Olympics starting in the 2020 edition. “Wrestling remains inseparable from the concept of the Olympic Games which would be inconceivable without this historic sport in its programme. It is certain, moreover, that there is no future for the Olympic Games if we do not respect its historical roots,” Kouvelos wrote in a letter sent to IOC president J Rogge.
DRUG INVESTIGATION
Armstrong refuses to co-operate
PAKISTAN IN SOUTH AFRICA
Hosts press for clean sweep
COLIN BRYDEN Agence France-Presse CENTURION, SA: South Africa will press for a clean sweep when they meet Pakistan in the third and final Test starting at SuperSport Park on Friday.
JIM SLATER Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON: Lance Armstrong said on Wednesday that he will not co-operate with a US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) investigation into dope cheats in cycling but would be willing to help other anti-doping inquiries. The move greatly diminishes Armstrong’s chances of having his life ban from World AntiDoping Agency (WADA)-sanctioned sport reduced even as it forces USADA to move ahead without his help in looking into
added in a statement released by the Swiss-based Olympic body. Among the concerns flagged up by this week’s inspection trip were the fact that work still needs to begin at a number of sports venues in order to meet the deadlines for test events ahead of the Olympics, the IOC said. In addition, it noted that many hotel construction projects were still to be confirmed in the next few months. Brazil is also in the spotlight over its preparations to host football’s World Cup in 2014.
After a comfortable 211-run win in the first Test in Johannesburg, South Africa were made to work hard before clinching the series with a fourwicket win in the second Test at Newlands in Cape Town. The second victory was achieved on
a surface which captain Graeme Smith said did not suit his team, whose bowling attack is based on world-class fast bowlers. Centurion has traditionally favoured fast bowlers and the South Africans will feel confident they can prevail again.
Afridi wins back place
others involved in doping. “For several reasons, Lance will not participate in USADA’s efforts to conduct American prosecutions,” Armstrong said.
KARACHI: Flamboyant allrounder Shahid Afridi made a comeback to Pakistan’s Oneday squad as selectors included him in side for the upcoming series against South Africa. Afridi, 34, was dropped for the one-day series in India last December but given a chance in the T20 matches. He has also been retained in the T20 squad.
MAK PATAUDI MEMORIAL LECTURE
Pataudi liberated Indian cricket: Gavaskar
CHENNAI: Emphasising the significance of Test cricket when the slam-bang T20 format is gaining huge popularity, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar today asked the game’s administrators to ensure that the longer version of the game remains the “pinnacle” of the sport. Delivering the inaugural MAK Pataudi memorial lecture, instituted in the memory of for-
mer charismatic Indian captain who passed away in 2001, Gavaskar reminded the cricket administrators their duty to ensure the survival of Test cricket. “Test cricket is the pinnacle. That’s the format through which you will be recognised. It’s how you do at Test level. Out of 10 Test playing nations, four or five are major Test countries, who should ensure that Test cricket
remains pinnacle,” said Gavaskar with ICC CEO Dave Richardson in attendance. “It is Test cricket which separates men from boys, I would request all administrators to look into it,” the batting great said. None of the members of Pataudi’s family was present on the occasion as his wife Sharmila Tagore was indisposed. The Indian and Australian
cricket teams also attended the lecture as Gavaskar shared some interesting stories about Patuadi and his charismatic character. Gavaskar said Pataudi liberated the Indian cricket by bringing the element of aggression in the side, which would take beating from any team hands down. Gavaskar said that a big incentive in his playing days was the chance to date. PTI
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
sports
DEL PIERO SIGNS FOR SECOND SEASON DOWN UNDER Italian World Cup winner Alessandro Del Piero Thursday signed on for a second season in Australia’s A-League as his Sydney FC side push for a play-off place. “I’m very happy about this news,” the Juventus and Italy legend told a press conference.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ROUND OF 16
Milan stun Barcelona AC Milan, crowned European champions seven times, had failed to beat the Catalan giants in the competition since a 2-0 win at the Camp Nou in 2000.
JUSTIN DAVIS Agence France-Presse MILAN: Ghanaians KevinPrince Boateng and Sulley Muntari both scored in a lively second half as AC Milan inflicted a shock 2-0 defeat on Barcelona in their Champions League last 16, first leg, at the San Siro here Wednesday. After a promising firsthalf display was taken up a level in the second period, fans of the Rossoneri were given reason to believe that their team can advance to the quarter-finals. “It’s a great win for us,” admitted Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri. “We worked hard as a club to prepare for this match and the lads did a great job. “We could have perhaps done better with the chances we had in the first half, but we never believed we would be going to the Nou Camp with a 2-0 advantage.” Barcelona assistant coach Jordi Roura, standing in for
Beaten Barca complain of pitch after Milan setback
B
AC Milan’s Ghanaian defender Prince Kevin Boateng kicks and scores a goal during their Champions League match against FC Barcelona on Wednesday at San Siro Stadium in Milan. AFP/ G CACACE
Tito Vilanova while he undergoes cancer treatment in New York, admitted the Blaugrana had simply not done enough. “Milan were really well organised and in the first half we controlled the game but we didn’t create as many chances as we’d have liked,” he said, adding, “The result is
what it is but not a disaster.” In a tight first half, Barcelona toyed with the hosts’ defence without really putting ‘keeper Christian Abbiati in danger. Milan sought to get men behind the ball but were still left rueing several missed chances.
arcelona assistant coach Jordi Roura hit out at the state of the pitch after his side were left staring at an early Champions League exit following a shock 2-0 reverse to AC Milan on Wednesday. Ghanaians KevinPrince Boateng and Sulley Muntari scored one apiece in a lively second half as the hosts, impressive defensively throughout, stunned the Catalans in their last 16, first leg, at the San Siro. Roura, standing in for Tito Vilanova while the indisposed coach undergoes cancer treatment in New York, admitted the Blaugrana had simply not done enough.
Jones’ strike earns Schalke draw at Galatasaray
ISTANBUL: Schalke 04 set aside poor recent form to draw 1-1 with Galatasaray in the Champions League last 16, first-leg clash on Wednesday making it a disappointing evening for the hosts recent star signings Didier Drogba and Wesley Sneijder. Turkey striker Burak Yilmaz gave Galatasaray an early lead at the Turk Telekom Arena, but US midfielder Jermaine Jones equalised on the stroke of half-time to give Schalke a slim advantage ahead of the March 12 second leg. Schalke have now lost just one of their
last ten European away fixtures, including victories at Olympiakos and Arsenal, in sharp contrast to their recent Bundesliga form. After just one victory in their last 12 games, this was a huge improvement by the Royal Blues. “We are really happy with the result,” beamed Jones. “We made one or two mistakes and conceded the goal, but all together we played well. “Our goal was important, we’ll see how things go from here. We have earned a lot of respect.” AFP
FOOTBALL BRIEFS Chilean youngster reveals Chelsea deal
Chiefs, Pirates win in close title race
Bottom side Fuerth fire coach Bueskens
Premier League pushing for goal-line technology
SANTIAGO: Up-and-coming Chilean star Cristian Cuevas said Wednesday he will shortly join Chelsea in the English Premier League. Cuevas, an Under-20 international, is currently with O’Higgins in the Chilean domestic league, but he said he will head for Stamford Bridge in June. “I am very happy. It’s all gone through very quickly.”
SOWETO, SA: Leaders Kaizer Chiefs and closest rivals Orlando Pirates won Wednesday to remain two points apart in the South African Premiership title race. Chiefs netted twice to triumph 3-1 at lowly Black Leopards while a goal soon after half-time earned defending champions Pirates a 1-0 home win over Platinum Stars.
BERLIN: Bundesliga strugglers Greuther Fuerth on Wednesday confirmed that they had parted company with coach Mike Bueskens, with the team currently sitting 14 points from safety at the foot of the table. The 44-year-old took charge of Fuerth in 2009 and steered them to promotion last season, when they reached Bundesliga for the first time.
LONDON: The English Premier League on Wednesday confirmed its intention to introduce goal-line technology in time for the start of the 2013-14 season. World football’s governing body FIFA announced on Tuesday that technology providing instant verdicts on goal-line decisions will be used for the at the Confederations Cup.
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WORLD CUP PANGS
Pele slams Neymar, fears for Brazil SAO PAULO: Brazil legend Pele has criticised the showings of youngster Neymar from his old club Santos when playing for the national team, expressing fears the team will not do well at next year’s World Cup on home soil. “I am very worried by the Brazilian side. We had three years with (coach) Mano Menezes and did not obtain any benefit from those three years,” said Pele, 72, in an interview with Estado de Sao Paulo daily published on Wednesday. Pele reserved some of his toughest criticism for Neymar, touted as the Selecao’s big star of the future if he can live up to the hype. “Neymar, every time he plays for the Selecao, he becomes an ordinary player,” complained “O Rei” (the king), who recently returned from a hip operation and who has spent recent weeks tucked away at his house in Guaruja, a coastal town near Sao Paulo, where he has been composing songs - including one for the World Cup. “In all the games abroad he played badly. They all think he can solve the Selecao’s problems (but) Neymar is not ready to shoulder this pressure. He does not play abroad. European football is different from the Latin American game.
In all the games abroad he played badly. They all think he can solve the Selecao’s problems (but) Neymar is not ready to shoulder this pressure. Pele former Brazilian great