FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013 HYDERABAD
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HYDERABAD’S FIRST COMPACT AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER
WAS SAI BABA TEMPLE
the target?
Just minutes before the twin blasts killed 16 innocent people last night, Hyderabad City Police Commissioner Anurag Sharma performed puja at the Sai Baba temple in Dilsukhnagar. Investigators are now speculating whether the temple was the intended target.
M ANILKUMAR
REPORTS: PG2 TO PG10
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013
NEWS BRIEFS Macca Masjid blast survivor faces another blast
Many of the victims were youngsters
BJP demands thorough investigation into blasts
Cops sound high alert across AP; dog squads dispatched
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acca Masjid blast survivor Abdul Wasif Mirza, 25, relived the horror on Thursday night. A garment seller at the Dilsukhnagar bus stand, Mirza, who had lost a leg six years ago in the Macca blast, was one of the many grievously hurt on the terror-filled night of February 21. Fourteen people died in the blast triggered by a cellphone-triggered bomb. Five of the victims died in the police firing that ensued.
he site of the second blast, opposite Dilsukhnagar bus stop, was flooded with students from hostels and coaching classes. Several of the injured and the dead were youngsters. One of the students who visits the locality frequently said that there were lots of coaching centres near the blast site. The perpetrators seemed to have chosen the bus stop here, one of the biggest and busiest, as buses ply from here to all main centres.
alling the Hyderabad bomb blasts "unfortunate", Bharatiya Janata Party president Rajnath Singh on Thursday sought a "comprehensive" investigation into the incident which involved two blasts killing at least 16 people. "This is a very sad and unfortunate incident and I believe it is a constant challenge presented to the country by terrorists. There should be a comprehensive investigation," he said.
olice sounded high alert in Hyderabad and other cities in Andhra Pradesh after the blasts. Police with dog squads began search operations in several busy market areas in Hyderabad and its twin city Secunderabad to find and defuse explosives. Security was beefed up at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad, state secretariat, Charminar and other vital installations, a police official said.
FOG OF TERROR
Bombs were kept on bicycles, say sleuths
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he bombs that caused the twin blasts in Dilsukhnagar were kept on two bicycles, police said. Director General of Police V Dinesh Reddy said they were improvised explosive devices (IEDs) triggered with timers. He described them as "powerful blasts". The terrorists were suspected to have used a mixture of Pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) and ammonium nitrate in the blasts to cause maximum damage. Unlike in the blasts in Pune, where the terrorists used new bicycles, they planted the bombs on old bicycles in Hyderabad. Naga Sai, an officer in the bomb disposal squad, said they are yet to arrive on a conclusion with regard to the nature of explosives.
Dilsukhnagar targeted again after 2002
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he serial blasts that rocked Hyderabad on Thursday is one of the worst terror attacks in the city in recent years. Dilsukhnagar area, where the bomb blasts occurred during the rush hour, had witnessed an explosion in 2002. Two people were killed in that explosion near Saibaba Temple on November 21, 2002. Police had killed two local Muslim youths allegedly involved in the 2002 blast in two separate shootouts the same year. Police had blamed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) for the blast. Ten years later, terrorists have targeted the same area, a commercial hub located to the south of Musi River and about 15 km from the core city area. Dilsukhnagar is home to one of city’s busiest rythu bazaars.
Firefighters use fireextinguishers to douse the flames from the twin bomb blasts that rocked Dilsukhnagar Thursday evening. At least 16 people died and 117 were injured, several of them in serious condition. PTI
Fear grips Old City after blasts in Dilsukhnagar
CM announces `6 lakh compensation
Centre had alerted all states 48 hours before blast
NSG team rushed to City; Black Cats too come to aid
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he serial blasts in Dilsukhnagar triggered a complete shutdown of the area. While a large number of shopkeepers voluntarily shut their shops out of fear, police ordered closure of the remaining establishments. The police force also took over the area near Charminar and Mecca Masjid and almost a curfew-like scenario prevailed by 9pm. Following the serial blasts, phone lines and mobile networks were jammed for a little more than two hours between 7.15pm and 9.30pm.
hief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy expressed deep shock over the serial blasts and announced an ex gratia of `6 lakh each for next of kin of those killed in the attack. He also announced `50,000 to `1 lakh for the injured. He asked the DGP and police commissioner Anurag Sharma to take up rescue operations and provide best medical treatment to the injured. Mayor Majid Hussain also condemned the serial blasts in the City last night. He announced ex gratia of `1 lakh to the deceased.
wo days before the Hyderabad blasts, the Centre had alerted all states that Pakistanbased terrorist groups may carry out attacks in a major city to avenge the hanging of Ajmal Kasab and Afzal Guru. Sources said the central security agencies had sent an advisory on Tuesday asking all states to tighten security in sensitive places as Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Hizbul Mujahideen may launch attacks. Another advisory was sent on Thursday about threats from Indian Mujahideen.
team of forensic experts of NSG, the country's premier counter-terror force, was flown to Hyderabad last night in the aftermath of the serial blasts. The 'postblasts' analysis team have been sent to Hyderabad, sources said, adding experts from the Chennai hub of the 'black cat' commandos force have also been rushed to the Andhra Pradesh capital. The NSG operates the National Bomb Data Centre (NBDC) which has detail information about such acts in the country.
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013
POSTNOON EXCLUSIVE
Was Sai Baba temple the target?
INKESHAF AHMED ahmed.m@postnoon.com
about 500 meters away from the blast scene. Doubts are being raised in police circles on whether the terrorists wanted to plant the bombs in the temple initially? It seems that the visit of the police commissioner forced the terrorists to change their plans at the last minute. The special
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ive minutes before the deadly bomb blast, Hyderabad City police commissioner Anurag Sharma performed puja at the famous Sai Baba temple in Dilsukhnagar. The temple is
team formed to investigate the case has also shifted their focus to this angle. A member of the special team told Postnoon that they are also investigating the case from this angle. Minutes after the commissioner’s visit, the twin bombs exploded near the Konark and Venkatadari theaters.
MISPLACED RESPONSE
CM visit hinders rescue Hampered evidence collection and rescue operations. PK SURENDRAN pk.surendran@postnoon.com
police took it lightly, it seems. Recently, another call informed the police that bombs were placed near Charminar. There too nothing was found. All this points to the situation where the police had enough chances of taking extra precautions and possible arrests, but it did not happen.
BLAST TRAIL
3 possible terror links POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com
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olice manual world over prohibits head of the government from rushing to a spot of high intensity terror blasts. It was done by our Chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy. He was addressing a mother-tongue day celebrations at Ravindra Bharathi, which is some 10 kilometres from the blast venue. This was 20 minutes after the blast. The chief minister and his entourage rushed in disregarding security drills, throwing the rescue operations and evidence collection out of gear. The VIP security reigned supreme and the policemen went into a tizzy and shifting of the injured suffered setback. While senior police officers
It is relevant to note that 15 days ago a serial bomb scare had put the City police on its toes. Anonymous calls had informed the police that bombs were placed in areas near secretariat, DGP office, and AP Assembly. Police made searches and one was arrested. But as no bombs were recovered
told Postnoon that the area was cleared by sniffer dogs, it is unconvincing because a serial blast could not be predicted with any certainty. “The top brass of the police, Dinesh Reddy, has indeed put the CM’s life in danger,” remarked an IAS officer. This could also hamper the collection of evidence. It is
VICTIMS IDENTIFIED n Mohammed Aijaz Ali, 17, resident of Azadnagar, Amberpet. Polytechnic first year student. n Mohammed Rafiuddin, 22, resident of Hafizbaba Nagar, Old City. n Padam Narayan Kulkarni, 45, from Bhalki, Bidar. n N Venkateshwarlu, 50, resident of Malakpet. n K Harish Kartik, 30, resident of Gaddianaram. n Dr B Laxmi Srinivas Reddy, native of Guntur. n V Ramlu, 30, resident of Boudha Nagar, Osmania University and native of Warangal. n M Rajashekhar, 28, native of Mancheriyal, Adilabad District. MBA student. n V Vijay Kumar, 23, native of Mancheriyal, Adilabad District. MBA student. n G Tirupathi, native of Karimnagar District. n G Swapna Reddy, 30, resident of Rakshapuram, Uppuguda, Old City. Student. n R Shivani, 24, resident of Dilsukhnagar. n Anand Kumar, 26, RTC conductor, native of Ananthapur district. Note: At the time of going to press the death toll stood at 16. However, as the condition of several of the injured was critical, it is expected to go up.
indeed a rule that the scene of offence should be cordoned off. Many in the area, who had been running and screaming for help, had been rendered helpless with the CM’s movement. This was followed by Mayor Majid Hussain’s visit, who too rushed to the spot and faced an angry mob of people.
hile the Indian Mujahideen (IM) terror module is being put into focus for the Dilsukhnagar twin blasts that caused mayhem and deaths last night, three more possibilities remain in the background that have possible links that ought to be investigated, highly placed sources tell Postnoon. As the Telangana agitation had hit a blind alley and it was planning a show down with the government on Sunday, which had all the marks of a possible uprising, a local political element and other forces opposed to T could take a violent route to stem the T show, they say. This factor has not been considered as of now, but requires serious consideration. The Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaishe-Mohammed (JeM) of Pakistan had vowed retaliation
for the hanging of Afzal Guru. $It is reported that a group of hardcore militants who met at Quetta after Guru’s hanging had wanted to strike in one of the cities showing ‘economic resurgence.’ These included Mumbai, Noida, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Pune and Ahmedabad. It is believed that they may have zeroed in on Hyderabad as policing has been lax and the leadership had earned a ‘Hindutva face.’ The local political angle is another the police ought to probe, sources said. Political oneupmanship of a local party and its perceived grievances is something that should be looked into.
HOME MINISTER’S VISIT
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Shinde visits blast site
nion Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde today visited the blast sites at Dilsukhnagar here even as the toll in the attack rose to 16. Shinde, who reached Hyderabad by a special flight this morning, drove straight to Dilsukhnagar and went around the blast site. At the time of his press conference, he said 14 people were killed in the blasts and 110 were injured, six of them critically. Investigations have begun and the State government has appointed a probe team, he added. Replying to a query about inputs suggesting that a blast might take
place in Hyderabad, he said there was no specific alert and only a general alert was issued to the states. To another query about the involvement of a group in the blast, he
said such things can’t be said at the moment. The minister, who was accompanied by Andhra Pradesh Governor ESL Narasimhan, CM Kiran Kumar Reddy and Union Home Secretary RK Singh, inspected the fast food centre where the bicycle bomb killed at least eight people on the spot. He then went to the bus shelter about 150 meters away where the second blast killed six people and left many injured. DGP Dinesh Reddy had said it was “definitely the handiwork of a terrorist network” and IEDs were used in the attack. PTI
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Chaos crippled City last night Traffic went haywire and hospitals were flooded after the twin blasts at Dilsukhnagar. RAHUL RAMAKRISHNA rahul.r@postnoon.com
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he Dilsukhnagar blasts, which initially seemed like ‘cylinder blasts,’ benumbed and confused the City to an extent that traffic went haywire as far as Banjara Hills and Jubilee Hills. The death toll kept mounting. The dead and the injured from the blast site were shifted immediately to Yashoda Hospital, Malakpet, and Osmania General Hospital. According to reports, the blasts occurred at 6.50pm and the injured were shifted to the hospitals by 7.10pm. However, traffic congestions and panic caused a delay in transporting the injured. Yashoda Hospital registered 16 victims, 15 men and one woman. The police managed to throw a security cover around the hospitals only after a delay of 20 minutes, while hordes of bystanders, media people and relatives of the victims stormed into the hospitals. Osmania General Hospital
CINEMA
POLITICS
Business as usual for Tollywood
HEMANTH KUMAR hemanth.k@postnoon.com
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he Telugu film industry is showing no signs of slowing down despite the twin blasts which rocked Hyderabad last night. All the film shootings in the City are going on as per schedule. “We have decided to keep the cinema halls open despite call for a bandh. Not just Hyderabad, the theatres will remain open throughout Nizam region,” Vijendar Reddy, head of Telangana Film Chamber of Commerce, said. None of the producers or directors have called off their films’ shooting, despite a State-wide bandh called by BJP, following the blasts last night. “We don’t respond to political bandhs. There’ll be
hospital in a steady trickle until 11.30pm. Other areas surrounding the hospital, especially communally sensitive areas like Charminar and Mecca Masjid were given high security deployment. Business establishments shut shop by 9pm. Inside the hospital, the scenes witnessed were horrific and a direct reminder of the 2007 Dilsukhnagar bomb blasts. “There were no ambulances to carry the dead or the injured. We moved them with our bare hands and into autos and RTC buses. The traffic was uncontrolled in the first 15 minutes after the blast. Reaching OGH was an ordeal,” says Krishna Raju, a local. However, the traffic police swiftly made sure emergency vehicles were given top priority. “We had diverted all incoming and outgoing traffic towards Uppal. One-way traffic flow was created to leave an entire side for emergency vehicles. Tow trucks had to be engaged to clear the streets. We had the traffic in control by 7.20pm,” said DCP PVS Ramakrishna.
registered 36 victims, out of which 25 were injured severely. A total of 10 people sustained serious injuries and were in a critical condition. Around 13 victims were recorded dead at the hospital. So far, the total death toll is 16 people, with over 117 injured in the blasts. Under the sudden pressure, the hospital staff and infrastructure proved inadequate and the decision to move them to other private hospitals came after the death toll saw a steady rise. There was a severe shortage of blood supply and several hundred volunteers came forward to donate blood. No cognitive action or area perimeter was set up to keep visitors or crowds away when the initial victims were being moved. Frequent visits by politicians and local leaders kept derailing the attention being given to the patients. The television media only made matters worse by congesting the entry points of the hospital. Bereaved family members of the victims kept pouring into the
no change in the schedule of Telugu film shootings today and the cinema halls will remain open,” Tammareddy Bharadwaj, chairman of AP Film Chamber of Commerce, confirmed. On the other hand, Vijendar Reddy confesses films are not a priority for families at the moment. “We understand that they are more concerned about their safety. Moreover, because of the bandh, transportation is a big hassle for most people. However, we are confident that occupancy will improve from the evening shows onwards.” Most theatres shut down last night due to security concerns. Late night shows were cancelled. Earlier today, Prasads multiplex resumed its operations and the others are expected to follow suit.
T over terror for govt? Leaders say intelligence was misused to spy on T-activists. INKESHAF AHMED ahmed.m@postnoon.com
result of gross failure of the intelligence department. There is no doubt that the sleuths of the intelligence department are being used to spy on T-activists instead of what they are supposed to do. The exploitation of the intelligence to sabotage the ongoing Telangana agitation is one of the reasons of the department’s failure.” A Congress leader from Telangana also subscribed to this view.
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ollowing the deadly twin bomb blast at Dilsukhnagar, which claimed 16 lives and left 117 people injured, fingers are being pointed at the State’s intelligence department for not preventing the incident. According to leaders of various political parties, the excess use of the limited intelligence by the Congress-led State government for spying on activists related to Telangana agitation, instead of its job of collecting relevant information led to Thursday’s blasts. “The political scene in Andhra Pradesh has been polarised due to the ongoing Telangana agitation. The intelligence department is being used to collect secret information regarding the movements and plans of pro-Telangana activists. The department is apparently not being given ade-
OCTOPUS IN LIMBO quate time to their professional duties. I think it can be one of the reasons for the twin bomb blasts,” said Telangana activist and Telangana Jagruthi founder K Kavitha Rao. BJP senior leader and former union minister of State for home affairs, Ch Vidyasagar Rao (pictured), who knows the functioning of the home department, said, “The bomb blast incident is the
Rao said the State government is yet to learn from the experiences of the previous bomb blasts and pointed out that the State is yet to strengthen its anti-terrorist wing, Organisation to Counter Terrorism Operation (Octopus). “Octopus has become a namesake organisation. It neither has adequate funds nor any mandate to undertake any work. It should be immediately strengthened to avoid such terrorist attacks in the future.”
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013
FIRST REACTION
Cylinder burst, thought people Since the first blast took place near a fast food joint. However, just as people tried to get a grip of the situation, a second blast ripped through the milling crowds near Venkatadari theatre close by.
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s the first blast occurred near a teacum-fast food centre diagonally opposite the busy Konark theatre area here around 1905 hours yesterday, everyone first thought it was a gas cylinder burst. By the time the impact was felt, there were at least five-six bodies strewn around in a pool of blood with footwear and other objects scattered all around the place. Many others had sustained injuries while several vehicles parked there were either burnt or damaged. In both cases, the explosives were fitted to bicycles and parked amid the bustling crowds. Hundreds of people in the vicinity had hardly regained their senses when, in less than five minutes, another blast was heard just about 150 metres away at a crowded city bus stop close to Venkatadri theatre on the main road. Here too, five people were killed instantly as the bomb exploded. The evening show had just ended in Venkatadri and a large audience was making its way out
at that time. The second blast spot has at least 10 bus shelters in a row and, apart from scores of passengers, several small-time vendors would be doing their business on the service road. It’s normally difficult to find even a toe space around the Dilsukhnagar Bus Stand area in Hyderabad from early morning till late in the night, such is the
flow of vehicular traffic and people in the area which is located on the Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway. “The impact of the blast at the bus stop was such that interiors of two shops right behind it in a three-storied building were badly damaged and left one person dead,” an eye-witness said. Dumbfounded shop-keepers and people around after getting
to know what had happened started shifting the victims to nearby hospitals. Police arrived on the scene shortly thereafter but took a little while to cordon off the two blast spots. Local corporator and TDP floor leader Singireddy Srinivasa Reddy was among the first leaders to reach the spot and helped rush the injured to hospitals.
SPORTS UNAFFECTED
SNAPSHOTS
Oz to play in City next week SYDNEY: Australia plan to play the second Test against India in Hyderabad as scheduled next week despite deadly bomb attacks in the city on the eve of the Test series opener, reports said on Friday. The twin blasts on Thursday that killed 14 and wounded dozens raised questions over whether Australia would play the second Test starting March 2. But Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland told Fairfax newspapers the match was still on as planned as Australia prepared for the opening match in the four-Test series in Chennai starting later Friday. “As far as I’m concerned we are playing the second Test in Hyderabad next week. That’s where we are at,” said Sutherland, who is with the team in Chennai. Sutherland told Fairfax he was happy to continue to Hyderabad where the team is scheduled to arrive on
Wednesday. “We’ve got great confidence in the BCCI and the relevant authorities here to be able to prepare as best as possible for whatever issues may change from day to day,” he said. “We’re very comfortable with everything that has been done so far on this tour. We’ll obviously take advice from relevant authorities and work with the BCCI and others here to make assess-
Top police officials from Cyberabad and Hyderabad Commissionerates rushed to the scene while sleuths from the National Investigating Agency (NIA) and the state’s counter-terror unit ‘Octopus’ also joined the investigation to gather clues. As the news spread, curious onlookers thronged the area even as the police had a tough time controlling them. City Mayor Majid Hussain faced protests from local people before Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy reached the area with Home Minister Sabita Reddy and Labour Minister Danam Nagender. DGP Dinesh Reddy was also there. Police sources said that CCTV cameras were installed in the area and their footage would be examined by the NIA and National Security Guards (NSG) to specific clues. It was somewhere close to Venkatadri theatre that an unexploded bomb was recovered on the day twin blasts had rocked Hyderabad in August 2007. A bomb blast had also occurred near the famous Shirdi Sai Baba temple at Dilsukhnagar a few years ago. PTI
ments around Hyderabad but at the same time plans have been in place for a long time,” Sutherland said. “At this stage I wouldn’t be calling into question things going ahead in Hyderabad.” He added that team manager Gavin Dovey had sent players text messages overnight updating them on the blasts and that security had been stepped up. Dozens of extra police reportedly surrounded the Chennai hotel where the Australian and Indian teams are staying. Captain Michael Clarke said his players were focused on the Chennai game. “From the team’s point of view, our focus is wholly and solely on the field because we’ve got people off the field who are experts in what is going on. We’ll be advised by them,” he said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with all the people of Hyderabad who have been affected.” AFP
PARTIAL RESPONSE TO BANDH CALL
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he BJP’s call for an AP bandh today to protest the terror strike in the City received a partial response. In Kurnool, Karimnagar, Anantapur, Nizamabad and Mahbubnagar districts, educational institutions remained closed and business was brought to a halt with BJP activists staging dharna in many places. No untoward incident has been reported so far. Tension prevailed in Mahbubnagar and Nizamabad where some shopkeepers appeared reluctant to shut shop. Police have deployed Rapid Action Force in areas which are reportedly tense. Hyderabad was largely unaffected though all examinations have been postponed.
NUTS, BOLTS FOUND
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arts of nuts, bolts and metal balls were recovered from the bodies of the victims of Dilsukhnagar blasts on Thursday, forensic sources said. Dr Hari Krishna, head of the forensic department at Osmania University told Postnoon last night that almost all bodies yielded metal balls, which ensured a painful death. No timer to set off the blast was recovered. Dr T Hari Krishna said that traces of ammonium nitrate, that caused the bodies to turn black, was evident. A similar pattern had been noted in the 2007 blasts that claimed several lives and injured hundreds that took place at Gokul Chaat Centre and Lumbini Park.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013
TWEETS Blast areas being stamped on, destroying critical evidence. Political slogans being shouted against CM at the site. Aaaargh!! ANUJ GURWARA @ANUJGURWARA Two incidents I was very close, one was #lumbiniparkblast 25/08/2007 and another #Dilsukhnagarblasts.21/2/201 3. I could hear only ambulance sirens when I peep out from door . Initially I thought it’s a cracker or transformer. @SRAVEA Ok so the speculation game has started, Saffron terror, Indian Mujahideen, bhai aap log NIA kyun nahin join karte, aap logon ko sab pata hai Ratnakar Sadasyula @SCORPIUSMAXIMUS Oh ho. Govt had info since last 2days abt d blasts bt no specifics. Of course there were imp. things like FB, Films, Links, Cartoons, blogs. @CILEMASNOB So lucky to have a government that despite having Intel on future terrorist attacks, focuses on censoring blog posts. MIHIR FADNAVIS @MIHIRFADNAVIS India needs a leadership that will prey on terror. Relentlessly. Every minute. Without ideological colour. Enough’s enough. ABHIJIT MAJUMDER @ABHIJITMAJUMDER Sorrow has been expressed. Also been called ‘dastardly act’. Now if only all this can be prevented. Too much to ask? @CHINMAYI In morning only President of India Pronab Mukherjee said Internal security of India is improving :( HyderabadBlasts ANAND GUPTA @ANAND_M_GUPTA Traffic cops helped me take alternate route and avoid DSNR road #Bombblast #Hyderabad HYDERABADSHAH @RAJEXTRA #Hyderabadblasts the motive was very clear, blood, torso and confusion . ARUN UNNIKRISHNAN @SMIRKERARUN Religious terrorism is getting bigger & nastier than political terrorism,nationalist-separatist terrorism,state terrorism. TASLIMA NASREEN @TASLIMANASREEN
I stay only 200 metres away from the blast site. I heard the two blasts. It reminded me of 2007 where the police defused a bomb in the same place when there were blasts in Koti. The bus stop where it happened is a very busy area. A lot of vendors conduct business on the footpath here. A lot of poor people died.
I was not present at the blast site, nor did I hear the blasts. I was at a bus stop close by and then I saw about five ambulances go by. They were all carrying bodies of the injured and maybe even dead bodies. A few passersby informed me that there had been blasts and that’s when the magnitude of the event hit me.
I was near the theatre when I heard some loud sound. Next thing I know, something hit my forehead and I lost consciousness. I’m better now, but still in shock.
NAVIN, IT EMPLOYEE
KARTHIK, ENGINEER
AARTHI, STUDENT
STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE OFFICE OF THE UN SECRETARY GENERAL BAN KI MOON The SecretaryGeneral strongly condemns the indiscriminate attacks against civilians which occurred in the Indian city of Hyderabad. He extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and to the Government and people of India.
‘FAILED TO ACT
US SECRETARY OF STATE JOHN KERRY Saw friend/Foreign Secretary Mathaidiscussed importance of relationship w/ #India, expressed sympathies to brave people of #Hyderabad -JK. US STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON, VICTORIA NULAND We condemn the cowardly attack in Hyderabad, India, in the strongest possible terms, and we extend our deepest sympathies to those affected and to the people of India. The United States stands with India in combating the scourge of terrorism, and is also prepared to offer any and all assistance that Indian authorities may need. BJP PRESIDENT RAJNATH SINGH I express my condolences to the family members of those killed in the blast. This is a condemnable incident. I hope the government will take appropriate action to provide immediate and adequate relief to those injured in the blast.
What happened yesterday was absolutely condemnable. But also, it has revealed the absolute impotence of the government, both at the Centre and the State. If they were incapable of protecting our citizens, at least they should have warned the public. No matter what blame game they play, we hold the Home Minister and all the powers that be morally responsible for the lives lost. As to why it happened, we don’t know yet. But there’s a lot of anger against the State after its dangerous move to execute Afzal Guru and this might be the manifestation. Still, if anyone tries to communalise the situation, that would be shameful.
JASMEET JAIRATH, HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST, AMAN MANCH.
I have been working in Dilsukhnagar for the past five years, and have often passed the blast sites. Last month, because our company was expanding, we moved to Hitech city. Otherwise, it could have been any of us. Even after having the intelligence details that they received two days ago regarding a possible terror attack, still the home minister and chief minister did not act. It’s pathetic. The lethargic reactions is what is giving these anti-state elements the confidence to attack us so blatantly, again and again.
NAVEEN IYER, IT ENGINEER
The serial blasts were less than 50 metres from my animation institute and my regular transport junction. I was at the institute when I heard the deafening blasts. The ground trembled and the windows shattered. I’m perfectly safe but the sound of the blast and the people crying won’t let me sleep tonight. I am just mentally shocked.
My family lives in Dilsukhnagar right next to the Saibaba temple. When I heard, I was terrified. The networks were congested and I couldn’t reach anyone at home. Thankfully, my sister called and informed that everything was safe. However, our neighbours have many family members and friends who had not reached their homes. This is bringing back the memories of the previous serial blasts in Hyderabad. This trend cannot be allowed to continue, we need to take every action necessary to prevent this.
ASAR DHANDALA, STUDENT
RAMYA SHEKHAR, STUDENT
OR TO PROTECT’ PTI
GUJARAT CHIEF MINISTER NARENDRA MODI My condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. Praying for peace and calm there. PRIME MINISTER MANMOHAN SINGH This is a dastardly attack, the guilty will not go unpunished. LOK SABHA SPEAKER MEIRA KUMAR Condemned the loss of lives in the blasts and conveyed her condolences to the bereaved families. TOURISM MINISTER K CHIRANJEEVI Tourism Minister K Chiranjeevi has asked Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to conduct a thorough inquiry into the incident and take action against those guilty. The minister’s office also said that Chiranjeevi had rushed to Hyderabad to meet the victims of the blasts. VICE PRESIDENT HAMID ANSARI Vice President Hamid Ansari also condemned the attack and conveyed his condolences to the families of the innocent victims who lost their lives. He also appealed to the public to remain calm and maintain peace in this difficult hour.
Today, the event will be reported everywhere and all the officials will talk about it and say they are investigating. But tomorrow, it will be business as usual. The core issue is that the government is caught napping every time there’s a terrorist threat. All insights are in hindsight. Why is it never proactive instead of reactive? At least now will our State and Central governments and NIA step forward and take some decision action instead of going on the defensive and blaming each other?
ANKIT AGARWAL, STUDENT
What would these people get taking innocent lives? It is the handiwork of cowards. I strongly condemn this. I shall be speaking to all the authorities that strong measures are taken to save lives of injured. But no innocent should become scapegoat, as in the case of Macca Masjid case.
MOHAMMED MAJID HUSSAIN, HYDERABAD MAYOR
Before you point fingers at other countries and blame others for this, one needs to look at our own system. This incident would have been easily avoided if the cops were more vigilant. The culprit is our own system and if that changes, everything else will fall into place. The site where the blast had happened was in utter chaos even before the incident. If you need such occurrences to stop, you need to remove politicians as heads of government investigative agencies and bring about some changes.
KAMAL KAMARAJU, ACTOR
6&7 TWEETS
Killing innocents is a heinous act... but then accusing innocents to b associated with notorious organizations..joins the club! SYED OMAIS @SYEDOMAIS The problem is that politicians think that common people are exactly like them....everything can be equated with money! #Hyderabadblasts ANDHERA KAYAM RAHEGA @TAMRAJKILLWISH #Hyderabadblasts: Root cause is leaders are short sighted and unaccountable. Outside of elections, we need a forum to make them accountable. RAMAN NAGARAJAN @RAM2NAG It is not just a lapse in security, but a lapse in communication. One authority to another, and all authorities to the public. #Hyderabadblasts ANEESHA BEDI @ANEESHABEDI Twin Blasts in Dilsukh Nagar #Hyderabad. Those dark days are back to haunt again. Does it have to do something with #Owaisi’s release? NIKHIL DESAI @1POINT1 #HyderabadBlasts Families of those killed to get `6 lakhs each. Try & prevent deaths boss. Don’t just behave like a life insurance company RAMESH SRIVATS @ RAMESHSRIVATS First Shivraj Patil and now Shinde: had intelligence but didn’t know where the strike would be! Does the Government want terrorists to RSVP? SUHEL SETH @SUHELSETH Apart from this blast, another most unfortunate thing is we are getting used to all this. Things are seriously wrong!!! MOHAMMED RAHIMODDIN @HYDRAHIM So sad 2 hear about Hyderabad Blasts. My heart felt condolences 2 the families of Victims. To kill innocent people is the most Cowardly act. ANUPAM KHER @ANUPAMPKHER Targeting innocents doesn’t make them heroes.. They might take our lives but they can’t take away our unity&courage. We are Hydarabadis. KONA VENKAT @KONAVENKAT99
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013
AFTERMATH
After the dust settled, the City struggled to come to terms with scoured the blast areas for clues even as hospitals went into
A man and his children wait for news at Osmania General Hospital.
Mayor Mohd Majid Hussain visits Osmania General Hospital.
The police forensic team examines the cycle to which one of the bombs was attached to near Venkatadri theatre.
NSG officers collect evidence near Venkatadri theatre on Friday morning.
The Union home minister, governor and CM at the blast site on Friday morning.
The scene near Konark theatre
OF TERROR
8&9
PHOTOS BY SRINIVAS SETTY, N SHIVA KUMAR, M ANIL KUMAR
the tragedy. Police forensic teams, NSG and NIA officers overdrive to handle the victims pouring in.
A relative comforts a grieving woman at Osmania General Hospital.
Doctors rush a victim to Osmania General Hospital.
shortly after the blast.
The affected areas were crawling with policemen as late as 2.30am.
The forensic team sifts through the debris near Venkatadri theatre.
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013
NATION ON ALERT 2005
Chronology of bomb attacks in India in recent years
October : Three bombs placed in busy New Delhi markets a day before Diwali kill 62 people and injured hundreds.
2006
March: Blasts in a train station and a temple in Varanasi leave 20 people dead. July: Seven high-powered blasts on suburban trains in Mumbai kill 187 commuters and leave 800 injured. September: Thirty-eight people are killed and more than 100 injured in three blasts in Malegaon, Maharashtra.
2007
February: Attackers fire-bomb the Pakistan-bound Friendship Express passenger train, killing 66 people. May: Eleven killed, 15 injured in blast at the Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad. Five more die when police fire on protesters. August: At least 40 people killed and more than 50 injured in two blasts in Hyderabad. November: At least 13 people die in bombings outside court buildings in Uttar Pradesh.
2008
January: Terrorist attack on CRPF camp in Rampur kills eight. February 13: A bomb rips through the popular German Bakery eatery in Pune, killing 16 people including several foreigners. May 13: Eight blasts tear through Jaipur, killing 65 and injuring 150. July 25: One person killed in a low-intensity bomb explosion in Bangalore. July 26: Eight bombs go off in Bangalore, leaving one dead and seven wounded. July 27: A string of 16 bombs hit Ahmedabad, killing 45 and injuring over 160. September 13: A series of bomb blasts rock New Delhi, killing 22 and injuring 98. September 27: Three people killed after a crude bomb is thrown in a busy market in Mehrauli. September 29: One killed and several injured after a low-intensity bomb kept on a motorcycle goes off near a mosque in Modasa, Gujarat. September 29: Five people killed after a bomb kept in a motorbike goes off in a crowded market in Malegaon, Maharashtra October 21: 17 killed in a powerful blast near Manipur Police Commando complex. October 30: A dozen bomb blasts rip through Guwahati, killing at least 71 people and injuring more than 300. November 26-29: Ten Pakistani terrorists, armed with explosive devices, launch a coordinated attack on various high-profile targets in Mumbai, killing 166 people. 2010 December 7: Two-year-old girl killed and 25 others injured in a blast which takes place between the Dashashwamedh and Shitla ghats on the river Ganga.
2011
July: Triple bomb blasts targeting diamond and jewellery trading districts in Mumbai leave 26 people dead. September 7: Bomb blast kills 13 people outside the High Court in New Delhi.
2013
February 21: 16 killed and 60 injured in two explosions in Hyderabad. AFP/PTI
States on alert: Fear, anger grip India State governments have tightened security in their respective jurisdictions and preventive measures are being taken.
A
high alert has been sounded across various states in the wake of the blasts in Hyderabad. Maharashtra has been put on high alert. “I have spoken to senior police officials and directed them to beef up security,” home minister RR Patil said. The police have been asked to keep a vigil on suspicious activity and persons. A general alert was today sounded in Punjab, a senior official said. At vulnerable places, including Bhakra Dam, malls, bus stands and railway stations, the security personnel had been deployed in larger numbers, officials said. Recently, Punjab DGP SS Saini had allayed fears that the state is on terror radar. However, he had asserted that state police is capable to foil evil designs of several militant outfits. Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his deputy Sukhbir Singh Badal had condemned the Hyderabad blasts. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot reviewed the law and order situation in the state. The high-level meeting was attended by home affairs minister Virendra Beniwal, senior police and administrative officials at the CM’s official residence. He said the state home ministry has been asked to issue an advisory to all district police chiefs to be more vigilant in their respective areas. The police sounded a high alert in parts of Karnataka, including the IT hub, Bangalore. Security has been stepped up in sensitive areas, railway and bus stations. The Uttar Pradesh government directed all the districts in the state to take preventive measures. “The government has alerted all the districts that anti-social and antinational elements may disturb law
Railway police use a sniffer dog to check the baggage of a passenger at the main railway station in Ahmedabad, following serial bomb blasts in Hyderabad. At least 18 people were killed and 52 wounded in what the prime minister called a “dastardly act”. AFP
The central security agency had sent an advisory on Tuesday asking all states to tighten security in the wake of a possible terror attack. and order in reaction to serial blasts at Hyderabad,” an official spokesman said. Security personnel have been asked to heighten vigil in airports, bus and railway stations and closely monitor movement of suspicious persons in public places in Kerala. “Security has been beefed up in various parts of West Bengal, including the bordering and coastal areas. We have sent a security alert in all the police stations of the state,” ADG (law and order) Banibrata Basu told PTI.
10g GOLD `30,000 10g GOLD`31,100 1kg `60,100 1kg SILVER `54,300
24C 24C
for for
for for
DOLLAR `54.43 `53.79 `85.15 POUND `83.28
CENTRE HAD ALERTED STATES Two days before the Hyderabad blasts, the Centre had alerted all states that Pakistan-based terrorist groups may carry out attacks in a major city to avenge the hanging of Ajmal Kasab and Afzal Guru. Sources said the central security agencies had sent an advisory on Tuesday asking all states to tighten security in sensitive places as Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Hizbul Mujahideen may launch attacks. The security agencies sent another advisory yesterday saying banned Indian Mujahideen too may try to carry out terror attacks. Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said that all states were alerted about a possible terror strike by militant groups. However, AP CM Kiran Kumar Reddy said these were general alerts and keep coming often. PTI
BSE 6,057.70 5,839.85 NSE
20,025.67 19,303.27 44.10 22.09 9.20 12.40
11
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013
nation
RAILWAYS TO IMPORT HIGH-SPEED ACCIDENT RELIEF TRAINS Aiming to put rescue and restoration work during accidents on fast track, Railways is procuring high-speed self-propelled accident relief trains (SPART) and hydraulic cranes with telescopic boom from Europe. Currently, Railways have 27 self-propelled accident relief trains that run at a speed of 110-km per hour.
WATER DISPUTES
COMPENSATION
Gang-rape victim’s family to get flat
Jaya seeks panels for Cauvery award CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government today requested the Centre to constitute the Cauvery Management Board and Cauvery Water Regulation committee to give effect to all provisions of the final award of the Cauvery water Disputes Tribunal. In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa thanked him for notification of the award and requested him to ensure the other provisions are also given effect. “Now that the Government of India, Ministry of Water Resources, has notified the Final Order of the Tribunal in the Gazette of India, it is binding on all the parties to the dispute,” she said, adding the decision of the Tribunal after it is published in the Gazette of India will have the same effect as that of an Order or a Decree of the Supreme Court. The final award of the
CWDT was notified on February 20. Jayalalithaa said the Tribunal has concluded it would be absolutely necessary to establish a mechanism which should be entrusted with the function/supervision/operation of reservoirs and with regulation of water releases and had accordingly recommended establishment of a CMB and a Cauvery Water Regulation
Committee. “In the circumstances, I request you to kindly ensure that the Ministry of Water Resources constitutes a Cauvery Management Board and a Cauvery Water Regulation Committee forthwith so as to give effect to all the provisions of the Final Order of the Tribunal,” she said, adding she would be “thankful” for “immediate positive response” by the Prime Minister. Jayalalithaa’s demand comes amidst strong opposition from her Karnataka counterpart Jagadish Shettar, who had urged the Centre on Februrary 20 not to constitute the CMB till disposal of civil appeals filed by the state in the Supreme Court. He had said constitution of the Board is the sole prerogative of the Centre under Section 6A of the Act of 1956 and that there is no law to say it has to be constituted.
PROTEST
Lankan MP attacked TIRUCHIRAPPALLI: A Sri Lankan MP on a pilgrimage to a temple in Nagapattinam district was forced to cut short his visit and leave for Chennai after he faced protests by activists of proEelam outfits and political parties. As Karunaratne Jayasurya, accompanied by his wife and son, reached Tiruchirappalli tonight escorted by police after protests at the temple town of Thirukkadaiyur, about 120 km from here, his car was stoned by five MDMK workers, police said. However, there was no damage to the vehicle, they said.
Later, when he arrived at a hotel here, a group of Naam Tamizhar Iyyakkam activists gheraoed his car. Police said they arrested five MDMK workers and 11 Naam Tamizhar Iyyakkam activists in connection with the protests. As the hotel authorities reportedly declined to accommodate him apprehending trouble, he left Tiruchirappalli for Chennai by a flight around 9 pm, police said. He was later escorted by police to Tiruchirappalli to take a flight to Colombo.
NEW DELHI: The central government Thursday approved the allotment of an apartment free of cost to the family of the Delhi gang-rape victim. The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. “The union cabinet gave its approval for allotment of a MIG (middle-income group) flat free of cost by the DDA (Delhi Development Authority) to the family of the victim of sexual violence,” said an official statement. It said the flat would be given through a relaxation in DDA policy and guidelines for allotment of houses on out-of-turn basis. The cost of the flat will be borne by the Delhi government, which earlier gave Rs15 lakh to the victim’s family. The 23-year-old physiotherpist trainee died December 29, 13 days after she was tortured and gang-raped by five men and a juvenile in a moving bus. The accused are currently facing trial.
PTI
Verma report potency being diluted: Shabana
A
ctor-activist Shabana Azmi accused the government of “diluting the potency” of Justice Verma report on sexual crimes by “cherry-picking” its recommendations. “Activists were happy about the suggestions, but government diluted the potency of the recommendations by cherrypicking suggestions. We must keep pressure so that it implements the report in its totality,” Azmi.
Sebi issues Sahara warning NEW DELHI: Close on the heels of ordering attachment of bank accounts, investments and all other assets of two Sahara group firms and their promoters, including group chief Subrata Roy, market watchdog Sebi today cautioned the investors and general public against transacting with these companies and persons. “Anyone transacting with them (Sahara India Real Estate Corp Ltd, Sahara Housing Investment Corp Ltd and their three promoters and directors) would be doing so at their own peril,” the Securities and
Sahara recently ran a major ad campaign with claims that “Sahara has nothing to pay (and) rather Sahara shall soon be eligible to take a big refund from Sebi”. Exchange Board of India (Sebi) said. The regulator said that in furtherance to a Supreme Court order directing refund of investors’ money collected by
these Sahara firms, it has ordered “attachment of all moveable and immoveable properties, bank accounts and demat accounts of these two companies and that of its promoters and directors namely Subrata Roy Sahara, Vandana Bhargava, Ashok Roy Choudhary and Ravi Shankar Dubey”. “Investors and general public are advised to exercise caution and take note of the said orders before transacting with the aforesaid entities/persons in any manner whatsoever,” Sebi said in a public notice. PTI
IANS
Pick
at the
airport,
-
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013
World HERE IT COMES
BIDEN WARNS ANTI-GUN CONTROL LAWMAKERS US IS ‘WITH US’ Just miles from the site of the Newtown school massacre, Vice President Joe Biden warned Thursday that US politicians would pay a price if they refuse to back measures to stem gun violence. Biden said in Danbury, Connecticut that there had been a change in American politics which made it less risky for lawmakers to back the kind of legislation the White House is pushing Congress to pass.
OSCAR PISTORIUS CASE
FRESH POLLS IN EGYPT
Lead police officer replaced This satellite image obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows a winter storm battering the US midwest states on February AFP 21, 2013.
Massive winter storm hits Central US MIRA OBERMAN Agence France-Presse
CHICAGO: A massive winter storm blanketed much of the central United States Thursday, dumping heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain, and even prompting tornado warnings with its high winds. Tens of millions of people in 24 states were expected to be affected by the storm before it peters out when it reaches the Great Lakes on Friday or Saturday. But that won’t bring clear skies. The storm was pulling a second system up from the Gulf of Mexico that is expected to smother parts of the East Coast with up to two feet (60 centimeters) of snow on Saturday and Sunday. The National Weather Service said as much as 17 inches (43 centimeters) of snow had fallen in parts of Colorado and Kansas by Thursday afternoon. Other areas from Oklahoma to Ohio were expected to get between six and 18 inches by the time the storm blows over. Those living on the southern end of the storm were faced with a dangerous mix of freezing rain and sleet, while parts of Arkansas were under an ice storm warning.
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Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi on Thursday called parliamentary elections starting April 27, according to a presidential decree. Voting will take place in four stages with the new People’s Assembly invited to convene on July 6, according to the decree. The polls come at a time when Egypt is gripped by unrest, insecurity and a crippling economic crisis and the country is deeply divided between Morsi’s supporters and a liberal-led opposition.
NUMEROLOGY South African investigating officer Hilton Botha attends bail hearing of Oscar Pistorius.
JOHANNES MYBURGH Agence France-Presse PRETORIA: “Blade Runner” Oscar Pistorius, facing trial for having shot dead his girlfriend, hopes to secure bail Friday as prosecutors struggled to regain lost ground after the replacement of the lead officer in the investigation. South Africa’s police commissioner Riah Phiyega announced that lead officer Hilton Botha was being replaced after local media revealed he faced seven attempted murder charges for having opened fire on a minibus in 2011. “We recognise the significance, the importance and the severity of the matter,” said Phiyega. The country’s top detective, Lieutenant General Vinesh Moonoo would take over the case, she said. Charges against Botha, initially brought in 2009 and later withdrawn, had now been reinstated, said police spokesman Neville Malila. They themselves had only been informed on Wednesday, he added. The development further embarrassed the prosecution, which has seen its evidence repeatedly picked apart during the bail hearing for Pistorius over the Valentine’s
Pistorius’s brother Carl (L), and father Henke during the hearing.
Day killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, 29. Prosecutors do not accept the sprinter’s explanation that he accidentally shot dead the model after mistaking her for a burglar. They have charged him with “premeditated murder” because of relationship problems. But as the bail hearings enter a fourth day Friday, some lawyers following the case say the state has failed to present a strong enough case to keep Pistorius behind bars. “He’ll get bail because of the state’s weak presentation of its case,” attorney William Tintinger told AFP. “The state can’t prove that the killing was premeditated.” Another attorney agreed, adding: “That’s what everyone’s been thinking who I’ve talked to.” Botha’s removal from the case comes a day after Pistorius’ defence team went after him in the witness box. Summing up his case on Thursday, defence lawyer Barry Roux told the court: “The poor quality of the evidence of investigating officer Botha further exposed ... the disastrous shortcomings in the state’s case.” Roux had earlier cast doubt on key prosecution witness evidence suggesting the couple, who had been dating since late last year, had had an argument before the shooting.
NEWS BRIEFS Chavez’s breathing problem ‘persists’
Japan PM seeks united line with Obama
Medvedev in Cuba for trade, energy talks
US: New Iran centrifuge would be ‘provocative’
CARACAS: Venezuela’s cancerstricken president Hugo Chavez is still suffering from respiratory problems, and the evolution of that condition “has not been favorable,” the information minister said Thursday. Chavez, who returned home early Monday after a fourth cancer surgery, will receive more treatment for the breathing issue.
LOS ANGELES: Three people were killed in a shooting and car crash, police said, warning that the suspected shooters remained at large and were “armed and dangerous.” The incident started with an altercation in a carpark, before two high-end vehicles, a Ra-nge Rover and a Maserati, sped out onto the renowned casino-lined Strip.
HAVANA: Russian PM Dmitry Medvedev kicked off a three-day visit to Cuba during which he will meet President Raul Castro for trade and energy talks. As part of Cuba’s bid to tap undersea oil wealth, Russia’s Zarubezhneft is drilling the communist island’s deepest offshore well yet with a Norwegian-owned Songa Mercur rig.
WASHINGTON: The United States warned Iran Thursday that the installation of next-generation centrifuges at one of its main nuclear plants, as reported by the UN nuclear watchdog, would be a “provocative step.” The move “would be a further escalation and a continuing violation of Iran’s obligations,” said a statement.
7
attempted murder charges are faced by the replaced lead detective of the murder case against Bladerunner Oscar Pistorius, who has been accused of killing his girlfriend.
A POPE FROM THIRD WORLD Sixty per cent of Catholics in the United States think it would be a good thing for the next pope to come from South America, Asia or Africa, a Pew Research Center poll said Thursday. Another 20 percent said it would not matter if Pope Benedict XVI’s successor hails from a developing region of the world. Just 14 percent thought it was a bad idea. Pew’s Forum on Religion and Public Life interviewed 1,504 Americans of all faiths, including 304 Catholics, on February 13-18 by telephone, on the heels of the German-born pontiff’s resignation announcement on February 11.
My sense is that their basic view is that nothing is important enough to raise taxes on wealthy individuals or corporations. That’s the thing that binds their party together at this point. Barack Obama US President
13
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013
Technology NEXT-GENERATION BEGINS NOW Sony officially announced their next-generation console, PlayStation 4 yesterday. With PS4, Sony is ditching the proprietary cell processor for more traditional PC parts. Will this bet work for Sony?
SONY’S
MOTION-SENSING BUILT-IN
Sony already had six-axis motion sensing in DualShock 3, but it was very limited. The new feature however utilises the technology from Move and will work along with the new generation eye-toy that ships with all PS4s.
SHARE BUTTON
CONSOLE
Sony still hasn’t revealed the look of the new console, but they did announce the specs of the device around and game developers seem to be happy with it.
A
n APU combines CPU and GPU in one dye, making it faster to compute data as it eliminates a traditional bus controller. APUs from AMD are slowly becoming popular among PC gamers and Jaguar is series is about 5-10 times faster than previous generation of APUs.
AMD NEXT-GEN RADEON GPU
A
s if the APU wasn’t good enough, PS4 will also have a separate GPU that will provide an extra oomph to the games.
8 GB UNIFIED GDDR5 RAM
P
S3 was criticised for low amounts of RAM games could tap into. Sony has fixed that mistake this time
Sony used a trackpad in Vita, which unfortunately hasn’t sold well till now. Developers however are familiar with it and will be coming up with interesting use cases for the component.
You can share footages and screen shots from within games by hitting the button. At any given point of time you’ll be able to share footage of last 15 minutes and this is expected to change the way people view games.
DUALSHOCK 4 CONTROLLER
T
he new controller makes some big additions to the good old DualShock
BIG BET X86-64 AMD “JAGUAR” 8-CORE APU
TRACKPAD
BUILT-IN SPEARS AND HEADPHONE JACK
Built-in speakers are pretty awesome, ask any Wii gamer. Now Sony has taken a leaf out of Nintendo’s handbook and brought the feature to the new DualShock too.
NEW DESIGN ANALOGUE STICKS
DualShock analogues sticks are very easy to manoeuvre, but due to the sloped surface on top gripping it used to be a pain. The new design however will offer a better grip and kudos to Sony for improving it without ripping off Microsoft’s controller design.
ON-BOARD HARD DRIVE
T
he size of the hard disk has not been announced yet, but 500GB and 1TB versions are expected.
BLU-RAY OPTICAL DRIVE
I
nternet connections are not fast enough worldover for Sony to offer games as download only. So the Bluray drive from last gen will be around this time also.
HDMI Analogue video Digital optical audio 802.11b/g/n wifi Gigabit Ethernet Bluetooth 2.1
USB 3.0
OTHER FEATURES
Instant suspend and resume S4 now doesn’t have to be shut down, instead you can leave it in hibernate mode mid-game and resume from the same spot by tapping a button.
P VITA
Stream games from PS4 ow you can stream and play games on PS4 using your PlayStation Vita handheld, much like in Wii U. This feature can come handy if a family member wants to use the TV.
N
STREAM PS3, PS2 GAMES
S
ony acquired game streaming company Gaikai last year and thanks to that technology, you’ll be able to stream games from older consoles over the Internet. This will be a big plus as PS4 itself will not be able to play PS3 game discs. You can also stream demos of PS4 games instantly, even before the download completes.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013
Comment There is no tragedy in missing a putt, no matter how short. All have erred in this respect.
IN THE LIMELIGHT
SHAUN TANDON Agence France-Passe apan’s new conservative Prime Minister Shinzo Abe heads Friday to the White House, where he hopes to show a firm, unified line to influence an assertive China and a defiant North Korea. Abe arrived in Washington on Thursday at a time of growing tensions between Japan and China, which is seen as challenging Tokyo’s control over strategic islands, and days after a nuclear test by Pyongyang. Fresh from a convincing December election victory and with high approval ratings, Abe has taken small steps toward a harder Japanese stance including moving to step up military spending by the officially pacifist state. Danny Russel, President Barack Obama’s top adviser on Asia, said the United States wanted a diplomatic solution to ease tensions but also reiterated a veiled warning to China over contested islands in the East China Sea. Obama “remains supportive of the peaceful efforts to find diplomatic resolution to outstanding issues of territorial claims,” Russel told reporters on a conference call. The president has also “been clear in the United States’ opposition to coercive actions or unilateral steps that threaten the stability of the region,” he said. Abe’s visit comes one month after then secretary of state Hillary Clinton stepped up the tone, warning Beijing not to challenge Japan’s control over the islands known as the Senkaku in Japanese and the Diaoyu in Chinese. The remarks by Clinton triggered a reprimand from China but heartened Abe.
J
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NOT EVEN OSCARS TRUMP DUTY
white-bearded Strada, 64. Since he helped found Emergency in 1994 during the Rwandan genocide the organisation has provided free surgical and medical care to victims of war, landmines and poverty around the world. Salam Centre grew out of a philosophy that proper healthcare is a basic human right, not a business, he said. The modern, spotless hospital would not be out of place in a Western city. It contrasts with the unpaved roads and herds of goats in the surrounding village of Soba, in southern Khartoum.
ABOUT A REAL STAR
Ian Timberlake
Walter Hagen Golfing great
Japan’s Abe to raise China case
HIGH-FLYING THOUGHTS They would say Harbhajan Singh is not the man he was before, a conjurer with an old set of tricks. But Bhajji has always epitomised the lines five lines of Tennyson’s Ulysses which end so: To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
I
talian heart surgeon Gino Strada would really rather not be in Los Angeles for Sunday’s Academy Awards, where a documentary about the life-saving work he does in Sudan is up for an Oscar. “I would prefer to be here and doing surgery,” said the head surgeon at the Salam Centre in Khartoum, which bills itself as Africa’s only high-standard specialist facility offering free open-heart operations. The hospital is featured in Kief Davidson and Cori Shepherd Stern’s “Open Heart,” one of five films nominated in the Documentary Short category. The film tells of eight Rwandan children and teens who travel for life-saving surgery at Salam Centre, which is run by the Italian non-governmental organisation Emergency. Strada said most patients are young, malnourished and suffering from rheumatic heart disease. The condition of chronic damage to heart valves can occur after an acute episode of rheumatic fever, an inflammatory disease that may develop from strep throat. It virtually disappeared from
A UNIQUE ARRANGEMENT
Europe after the early 1960s because children had access to antibiotics, he explained. But in Africa, where many people have “never seen a nurse or a doctor in their life”, Strada said, rheumatic fever is endemic and leads to the continent’s most common form of heart disease, causing an estimated 300,000 deaths a year. “That’s because surgery is not available,” said Strada, who appeared deep in thought. “In Europe you know there is a lot of discussion among politicians: ‘We have to send troops
here, send troops there because we have to stop this massacre’, blah blah blah blah.” “And you have an ongoing massacre of 300,000 per year and no one even mentions it. This is a scandal.” The Rwandans are among hundreds of patients from across Africa — even further afield from Afghanistan and Iraq — who have been treated for free at the six-year-old hospital, along with thousands of Sudanese. “We have shown that establishing centres of top quality is feasible in Africa,” says the
In what Strada calls a unique arrangement, the Sudanese government also contributes. Despite the country’s economic crisis, authorities confirmed they will provide around $5 million (3.7 million euros) this year, covering 40 percent or more of the hospital’s costs, Strada says. But the sharp devaluation of Sudan’s currency since 2011 forced the hospital to reduce the number of annual surgeries from 1,500 to 550 last year. The figure is starting to rise again now, Strada said. “The nomination for the Academy Award, well, it’s maybe a good chance to get this centre better known internationally and hopefully to get support,” he said, adding that the hospital had no role in planning the documentary. AFP
EDITORIALS Must not give up or give in
O
nce again a visitation of terror in Hyderabad. The last time was almost six years ago, and it cannot be said the City had quite recuperated from it. What follows are days of pain and agony, and mistrust of our fellow-beings. The blast sites were chosen to be those where people were in maximum numbers for obvious reasons. Eleven have died and 50 injured; decidedly the work of inhuman, heartless creatures who do not know the value of human lives. Police say this is the handiwork of terrorists, who mayhap were looking for some reason to strike. This is the tragedy of modern day that, despite claims to tolerance and rational thinking, humans have not evolved from resolving issues through violence. What end have they behind this horror achieved by claiming the lives of people who are inconsequential to any of their goals?
READERS’ VIEWS
Those who have died are ordinary men and women. One blast site is a bus stop. No one who might have upset them would be there waiting for a bus to go home or come from work. Or is it that some blood must be spilt so that the voice of villains be heard? This is a warning. There could be more to come. But we must not give up or give in. Much blood was spilt for this nation: during the days of the Raj, partition and after attaining Independence… there seems to be no end. But it must end, because mankind must not cower to the madness of a few perverts. This is the land that sheltered everyone that came to it: nomads, conquerors and the homeless. Bombs and bullets won’t make this land abandon its ideals and values. It had not happened then: it won’t happen now, and ever.
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
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013
Music
TIMBERLAKE ‘KILLED IT’ AT BRITS
Jessica Biel was full of praise for husband Justin Timberlake’s performance at The Brit Awards. She tweeted, “My huz just killed it on the Brits. And the London fans are the t**s!”
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
ARTIST OF THE WEEK
Oscars show to hit musical high note
Barbra Streisand will perform for the first time in 36 years and Adele will sing Skyfall. Sunday’s Oscars show, the climax of Hollywood’s annual awards season, will hit a musical high note, if nothing else. MICHAEL THURSTON feedback@postnoon.com
L
es Miserables — a film performed almost entirely in song — could provide some highlights with eight nominations, while Norah Jones, whose Indian sitar legend father Ravi Shankar died last year, is also due to appear. On the diva legend front, Britain’s Dame Shirley Bassey, who sang two 007 theme songs — Goldfinger in 1964 and Diamonds are Forever a decade later — is due to make her first Oscars appearance. Although full details are yet to be revealed, presumably it will be in the segment of the show celebrating the 50th anniversary of the James Bond movie franchise — along with her fellow British singing star. Adele — in her first live performance since last year’s Grammys — has said it will be “terrifyingly wonderful” to sing the Skyfall theme tune. “It’s an honour to be nominated and to be singing in front of people who have captured my imagination over and over again,” said the 24-year-old Londoner.
“It’s something I’ve never experienced and probably only ever will once!” The musical theme to this year’s Oscars is no coincidence: the show’s producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan produced hit 2007 film Hairspray, 2011’s Footloose as well as multiple TV credits. “The musical as a motion picture genre has had a remarkable renaissance in the last decade,” they said in advance of the show, announcing it will showcase Chicago, 2006’s Dreamgirls and Les Miserables. Oscar winners Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls), Catherine ZetaJones and Russell Crowe will join Les Miz cast members Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Samantha Barks, and Helena Bonham Carter. “We are thrilled that so many talented actors have agreed to bring our vision to life,” the show’s producers said on Wednesday. Meron and Zadan also co-produced 2002’s Chicago, which won six Oscars including best picture — and whose stars will be reunited on
stage at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre on Sunday night. Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellweger, Richard Gere and Queen Latifah were all nominated for the 2002 film, although only Zeta-Jones won a personal prize, for best supporting actress. The cast of Les Miz will be hoping the film can score a musical triumph 10 years on. Its eight nods include supporting actress for Hathaway, who gives a stunning rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream, in a relentless close-up. Musicals have won the best picture Oscar in the past, but not so much recently: before Chicago the last was Oliver! in 1969, after The Sound of Music in 1966 and My Fair Lady in 1965. This year’s show producers’ extensive musical contacts may explain how they persuaded 70year-old Streisand to sing Sunday. Streisand has earned two Oscars, but has only performed at the top Hollywood awards show once before, in 1977 when she sang the winning song from A Star Is Born. “In an evening that celebrates the artistry of movies and music, how could the telecast be complete without Barbra Streisand?” said Zadan and Meron. For Adele, the spotlight will be huge: it will be her first public appearance since she sang Rolling in the Deep at last year’s Grammys show. Skyfall is up for best song — as are “Suddenly” from Les Miz, Pi’s Lullaby from Life of Pi, Before My Time from Chasing Ice, and Everybody Needs a Best Friend from Ted — to be sung by Jones on stage. Adele revealed at this month’s Grammys show that she has been staying in Los Angeles ever since the Golden Globes and will be here until the Oscars. Asked how she felt about the prospect of singing to Hollywood’s finest, and hundreds of millions watching live around the world, she answered, with characteristic frankness: “I’m shitting myself.” AFP
180 Sixteen months after their formation, Palma Violets’ debut album 180 arrived freighted with media anticipation. 180 meets the expectations that have been heaped upon it. The problem lies with the songs themselves. It’s a sense heightened by the Palma Violets’ tendency to write episodic songs, packed with stops and starts and shifts in tempo and mood.
DID YOU KNOW...
Rihanna
celebrated her 25th birthday with boyfriend Chris Brown. The controversial couple partied on holiday in Hawaii, with Rihanna posting a photograph to her Twitter page. “Pour it up pour it up! #birthdaybehavior,’ she wrote on the social networking page. The couple were joined by Rihanna’s brother Rorrey Fenty who posted a picture of himself and a group of friends to his Instagram account.
TRENDING...
Demi Lovato says she’s going to ‘give it my all’ like her X Factor contestants. Demi mentored talent last season on Fox and now she wants to prove she’s got the X Factor on her next album. The Heart Attack singer is using her 2013 album release to shut up any of the haters who may have wondered if she’s experienced enough to judge talent.
British folk band Mumford & Sons jumped to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart after their album Babel won a top Grammy honour, while several other Grammy performers received boosts on the US charts. Babel, which won the coveted Album of the Year prize at the Grammy awards on February 10, sold 185,000 copies.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013
spotlight
NIGHT REVELLERS
On a Friday when all other pubs in the city charge you for entry, Tease proudly stands out. The night is dedicated to the ladies in the house, so head to the pub and have a blast.
S BALAKRISHNA
SUNNY SIDE UP
BUSINESS TALK 1
2
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A three-day Summer fashion exhibition is on at Satya Sai Nigamagamam, Sri Nagar Colony. Tollywood actress Aksha turned up for the launch.
A gala affair British Business Group was launched amid much fanfare at Synergy Hall, Taj Deccan by British Deputy High Commissioner Richard Hyde on Thursday. Spotted were Jeff, Madhu Reddy and others. 4
5 6
7
8
9
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LUXURY ON WHEELS
1 Madhu Reddy
3 Sravan
2 Gaurav Arora, Siddharth
4 John, Priya, Gerry 5 Seema Azaruddin
Reddy
6 Sherry Zaveri, Aleem 7 Shagun, Anjali 8 Jeff
9 Bob 10 Richard Hyde
Hindustan Motors Ltd. (HM) launched its Mitsubishi range dealership in the city, thus raising the number of dealerships in the country to 42. Pride Mitsubishi’s showroom was inaugurated by P Vijayan, Chief Operating Officer and Strategic Business Unit Head of HM’s Chennai car plant.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013
health
GENE LINKED WITH ALZHEIMER'S PLAQUES FOUND
A study combining genetic data with brain imaging has not only identified the APOE gene, tied to the development of Alzheimer's, but has uncovered its link with another gene, called BCHE. The enzyme coded by the BCHE gene has previously been studied in post-mortem brain tissue and is known to be found in plaques (deposits), which cause Alzheimer's.
HEALTH MYTHS
19
HONEY I’M HOME
RANJANI RAJENDRA
ranjani.r@postnoon.com
Old wives’ tales and myths abound when it comes to health. In our new weekly column we bust a few for you. Read on… MYTH: EATING HONEY FROM YOUR HOMETOWN WILL HELP FEND OFF ALLERGIES. Fact: While honey has a lot of benefits, the ability to prevent allergies is not among them. In fact, after studying groups of asthma sufferers, scientists and researchers observed that there was no improvement or deterioration of symptoms among the users after consumption of honey. And since seasonal allergies are triggered by wind borne pollens and not that which is spread by insects, the belief that honey also builds immunity is not backed by any factual evidence.
MYTH: YOU CAN CATCH A COLD FROM BEING TOO COLD Fact: You know your mom worries about you catching a cold every time she thinks you’re exposed to cold weather. Next time you can assure her this is untrue. The common cold is caused by a virus and not the weather. And this virus is usually transmitted by air droplets and it takes around three to five days for
ANEWS PP-LYBRIEFS YOURSELF
the cold to manifest after one comes in contact with the virus. What really happens is that the cold virus survives longer in cold climates when compared to tropical weather. Besides, in cold weather people prefer to stay indoors and this could make the tranmission of the virus a lot easier than when you’re out.
HOUSECALL
MYTH: YOU CAN GET THE FLU FROM THE FLU SHOT Fact: Experts insist that there is absolutely no way you could get a flu from the flu vaccine. For starters, the flu vaccine that is injected contains the virus — but it is dead. It can’t infect you. It does however, have side effects like a sore arm or mild flu like symptoms, which people often mistake to be the flu itself. Another reason for this myth to persist is the fact that most people get the vaccine in a season when the common cold and other such ailments are common. Little wonder then, they think that it is the vaccine causing the problem.
MYTH: USE VINEGAR TO SOOTHE A BURN Fact: Sure home remedies help when it comes to little accidents at home. But it doesn’t always have to be stuff from your kitchen! For instance, although vinegar does help soothe a burn by providing a cooling sensation, it ends up drying your skin even more. What you could instead do is use simple water and soap to rinse the affected area and then pat it dry. You could always use a lotion to help with the dryness. Or if you have aloe vera gel, it works wonderfully too.
MYTH: YOU CAN’T EXERCISE IF YOU HAVE ARTHRITIS Fact: This is nothing more than a myth. In fact, exercise is one of the mainstays of treatment for arthritis. While the joint pain might deter many from physical activity, truth is, this inactivity can accelerate the degeneration of the joint and eventually lead to stiffness. Instead, focus on working out those joints and especially the surrounding muscles. This way the muscles will be strengthened and will take some load off the affected joint. Besides, it helps if the weight on the joint is less.
DID YOU KNOW?
PIONEERS
Runtastic SitUps PRO
Narcolepsy
Swallow and breathe?
Paul C Lauterbur
You can flatten your stomach, build muscle, and get those abs with the Runtastic SitUps PRO app. The app is your personal sit up trainer, which implements an easy-to-follow, scientific sports training plan. The progressive plan will help you build strength and see constant improvement in your overall fitness.
Narcolepsy is a neurological condition affecting the area of the brain that controls waking and sleeping. Narcolepsy causes sudden and uncontrollable attacks of sleep at irregular and unexpected times. About four out of five people with narcolepsy also experience cataplexy, a sudden loss of muscular tone and control which is usually triggered by emotion, for example laughter.
Virtually every other mammal can; even human babies can until they're about 9 months old. Around this time the voice box drops quite low in the neck compared to other animals, which allows us to have a wide range of sounds for speech — but takes our ability to breathe and eat or drink at the same time.
American chemist Paul Lauterbur's work helped bring to the medical world the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to scan internal body structures. He shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with his colleague Peter Mansfield for his work in 2003. His earlier work on nuclear magnetic resonance, which he focused on while in the Army, served as the foundation for his work on MRI.
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health FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013
GET OUT OF YOUR HAIR
BREAKTHROUGH
BAD HAIR DAY?
Be cautious of haircare products Thanks to lifestyle changes, hair problems are becoming increasingly common, doctors say, warning against buying random products over the counter. NEW DELHI: Going by the recent spurt of ads on hair care products, everyone is moaning over hair woes. “Hair problems are becoming common these days and we have noticed an increase of 1012 per cent in patients coming with such problems every year. Similarly, the demand for hair transplants has also increased over the last five years,” said DM Mahajan, dermatologist at Delhi’s Apollo Hospital. The nature of hair problems is varied – hair fall, thinning, baldness, dandruff and scalp problems. “The most common problem that inflicts people across all age groups is hair loss. This is a big concern for women and young males. The second most common problem is dandruff. This is usually related to climate, type of water and soap and shampoo used,” said Mohan Thomas, cosmetic surgeon at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital. The reason for hair loss could be anything – bad lifestyle, poor diet, pollution, hormones or even genetics. But stress is the biggest culprit, doctors say. “Stress is a major factor behind hair loss. Hair is the fastest growing organ in the human body but has less stability. So when there is a change in season, or an exam coming up, it is generally accompanied with hair loss. Plus, there are other factors, like not enough exposure to sun and vitamin D deficiency, peer pressure or anxiety,” Mahajan said. Nitin Walia, consultant in
RESEARCH
the dermatology department at Delhi’s Max Hospital, said that women usually suffer from hair loss post-pregnancy, after menopause, or when there is a hormonal imbalance. “Some patients come to us after trying every possible product bought over the counter. A majority of them have tried home therapies or have gone by their hairdresser’s advice. A word of advice: Companies try to push the sale of their products through beauty parlours; so be careful,” Walia said.
Dandruff and boils on the scalp, if not treated early, can also lead to hair loss later. “Most of the shampoos don’t carry scientific evidence of solving hair problems. They are just cleansers,” Walia said. Breach Candy’s Thomas recalled the case of a 38-yearold woman with grey hair who had been using a branded hair dye for years. Seeing a new product on TV, she decided to try it. “After a cou-
ple of weeks, she noticed tiny eruptions on her scalp. This led to flaking of skin and dryness of hair, further leading to hair breakage. When she approached us, we stopped the product usage and put her on low dose steroid-based creams and sun screens. It took months before the hair grew back to normal,” Thomas said. “I therefore advise people to use medicated products under a doctor’s supervision. Shampoos should ideally have a pH of 4.5-5; otherwise it makes your hair alkaline and dry.” IANS
Unique gel to repair heart tissue SAN DIEGO: A less-invasive and biocompatible gel that can repair damaged tissue in heart attack patients has been developed by American scientists. University of California, San Diego bioengineers have demonstrated in a study in pigs that a new injectable hydrogel can repair damage from heart attacks, help the heart grow new tissues and blood vessels, and improve the health of the heart. The results of the study were published in Science Translational Medicine Wednesday and cleared the way for clinical trials to begin this year in Europe. The gel is injected through a catheter without requiring surgery or general anesthesia — a less invasive procedure for patients, reports Science Daily. Lead researcher Karen Christman, a professor in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of California, San Diego, Jacobs School of Engineering, said the gel forms a scaffold in damaged areas of the heart. “Our data show that this hydrogel can increase cardiac muscle and reduce scar tissue in the region damaged by the heart attack, which prevents heart failure. These results suggest this may be a novel minimally invasive therapy to prevent heart failure after a heart attack in humans.” IANS
Quick fix to hangovers LOS ANGELES: A tiny capsule that mimics the liver in processing alcohol could provide a speedy cure to hangovers, says an American study. A team of researchers led by University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) engineers has identified a method for speeding up the body’s reaction to alcohol consumption.
In a paper published in the peerreviewed journal Nature Nanotechnology, Yunfeng Lu, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, and his colleagues describe how they placed two complementary enzymes in a capsule to speed up the
elimination of alcohol from the body. The enzyme combination within the capsule essentially processes alcohol the way the liver does, reports Science Daily. “With further research, this discovery could be used as a preventative measure or antidote for alcohol intoxication,” Lu said. IANS
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013
Entertainment LOVING THE COMEDY
CINE BYTES
SIDDHARTH BETS BIG ON JABARDASTH
Ram Gopal Varma turns singer
R
GV has reportedly crooned a song in the Telugu version of his upcoming film The Attacks of 26/11. The film is titled as 26/11 India Pai Daadi and the song which RGV has sung is named Netthuti Ruchi Marigindhi. Amar has scored the music and the promo song will be unveiled on February 23. The film will release in Telugu and Hindi on March 1.
Baadshah’s shooting shifts to Switzerland
T
he film unit of NTR, Kajal starrer Baadshah recently flew to Switzerland to can one last song. Last week, a song was shot in Barcelona. Sreenu Vaitla is directing the film. Baadshah is being touted as the most expensive film in NTR’s career and will have a big release on April 5.
Greekuveerudu to release in April
N
“J
abardasth is my first mass comedy film and I must thank Nandini Reddy who used my talent and stardom to extract this sort of performance from me,” Siddharth said talking about his latest film which released today. Siddharth and Samantha have played the lead roles in this comedy film directed by Nandini Reddy. Apparently, Samantha recommended Siddharth’s name for the film and convinced Nandini Reddy that a good actor can pull off anything. Talking about Samantha, Siddharth said, “She has acted in six consecutive Telugu hits so far and Jabardasth is going to be her seventh hit. Almost every reel in the film has great comedy. This is by far my most timepass film.” Bellamkonda Suresh has produced the film and Thaman has scored the music.
agarjuna, Nayanthara starrer Greekuveerudu is gearing up for release on April 19. Dasarath has directed the film and the principal shooting of Greekuveerudu is nearly complete. Nagarjuna will be seen as an NRI who comes to India on an important assignment. Meera Chopra has played an important role. SS Thaman has scored the music.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013
fashion
MICHAEL KORS NAMED MOST POPULAR US LABEL ONLINE
MICHAEL KORS is the online world's most sought-after US brand, according to Digital Luxury Group, an organisation that provides the luxury industry with market intelligence. The American fashion stalwart beat competition from Marc Jacobs who came second and Ralph Lauren who ranked third.
T
he trademark of 57th MercedesBenz Fashion Week Madrid was simplicity. The runway saw models flaunting outfits that were retrained, coherent and usable, those that you would use on a regular basis. Compared to the ostentatious, larger- than-life designs that ruled the roost in the past, collections presented at the show portrayed softer and subtler styles. Francis Montesonos did some time-travelling to retrieve for opening day, his best designs of the 1980s, a period when the designer used “made in Spain” as a fashion statement. Meanwhile, the collection of Teresa Helbig, a designer who shunted aside handcrafted
embroidery to adorn her pieces with geometric figures of methacrylate, was refined. On the second day, Roberto Verino sent his “Luxury Connection” up onto the catwalk, a collection inspired by the radiance and joy of the 1920s and ‘70s, two periods marked by strong public optimism. Generally faithful to the fabrics with plain colours, veteran designer Angel Schlesser displayed a clothing line that cedes ground to fabrics with textures, which he used to create oversize works with an oval cut and masculine hues in a collection that attempts “to make something special from a normal wardrobe.”
ALESSANDRA FACCHINETTI DEPARTS UNIQUENESS
ALESSANDRA FACCHINETTI has stepped down from her position of creative director at Uniqueness. The designer — who formerly helmed both Gucci and Valentino— launched the brand in collaboration with Italian label Pinko in 2011.
22&23
SIMPLY fashionable
Designers brought to the runway clothes that screamed simplicity. Wearable and coherent designs were the order of the day at the 57th Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Madrid.
Entertainment FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013
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Entertainment FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013
Chai Time
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
If you're not failing every now and again, it's a sign you're not doing anything very innovative. Woody Allen
KAKURO
QUICK CROSSWORD
26
SUDOKU How to play kakuro Kakuro is a popular game similar to sudoku in some ways. But is also suitably different. The key question: ‘How do you play kakuro?’, well here are the rules of kakuro. The answer: The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any size. It has rows and columns, and dark cells like in a crossword. And, just like in a crossword, some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some cells will contain two numbers. However, in a crossword the numbers reference clues. In a kakuro, the numbers are all you get! They denote the total of the digits in the row or column referenced by the number. Within each collection of cells — called a run — any of the numbers 1 to 9 may be used but, like sudoku, each number may only be used once. Let’s have an example to explain this concept more clearly: In the image above, which shows a section of a kakuro puzzle, you will see the numbers ‘26’ and ‘14’ in the top row. Look at the 14. This means that the total of the three cells underneath must sum to 14. Therefore 9, 4, 1 could be the answer, or perhaps 7, 4, 3 and so on... So, how do you work out the actual combination? Well, this is done through elimination and cross-referencing. For instance, as you work out the answers for other kakuro clues, this will naturally limit the valid combinations, and hence the answer for this particular run. Note the second cell in row two — it contains two numbers, 30 and 11. The 30 refers to the vertical run underneath the number 30 and the 11 refers to the two cells to the right, horizontally, of the number 11.
ACROSS
PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER
SCRIBBLING PAD
1 Fox's feet 5 Boss on a campus 9 Fair and square 13 Spacious 14 Greengrocer's pods 15 Chomp 16 Trigger man? 18 ___ course (at the proper time) 19 Immigrant's island 20 Ear examination instrument 22 They feature King Abdullah 24 First name in Tombstone lore 25 When a factory whistle may blow 27 Ranking suit, after the bidding 31 ___ Tuesday (Mardi Gras) 34 ‘Mine! I called it!’ 37 ‘It's been ___pleasure’ 38 You may take your last shot at this 42 Unwritten exams 43 Bring home bacon 44 Do some tailoring 45 Tasteless and showy 47 Blarney Stone land 50 Unstable particles 53 Copy machine supplies 57 Like some reactions 60 Sunset, in Los Angeles 61 Israeli Nobel Prize winner 62 Olympic event 65 Went ___ for the ride 66 Highly placed bosses 67 ___ impasse (deadlocked) 68 Pagoda instrument 69 Makes a choice 70 Pollywog's home
DOWN
1 Apple utensil 2 Garlicky mayo 3 How some cracks are made 4 Damascus citizen 5 ‘Man's best friend’ 6 ___ out (supplement) 7 Direction indicator 8 Like some habits 9 Critical point 10 Fix a faux pas 11 Porgy 12 You, in the Bible 15 Cold wind of France 17 Nobel prize site 21 Morsel a horse'll eat 23 Pop 26 Golfer's front or back 28 Citi Field team 29 Fancy chopped liver 30 Vast number 31 Croakin' critter 32 Subtle quality 33 Emperor of Russia 35 Bosom buddy? 36 Like many, post-workout 39 Losing weight 40 Giving out 41 Sergeant's command 46 Ad-___ committee 48 Like an optimist's outlook 49 Catch in a snare 51 Prefix meaning ‘drug-related’ 52 Insomniac's lack 54 A sister of Clio 55 Puerto ___ (San Juan resident) 56 Play the high roller 57 Steep, rugged cliff 58 Angelic headgear 59 Black, in poetic circles 63 Studio site 64 Balaam's mount
Chai Time FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013 Thiruvaikumar
STAR POWER for 23-2-2013
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As per Hindu panchang thiruvaikumar@yahoo. co. in, 040-27177230 / 9177596118
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Close friends and blood relatives will help you on their own in the time of need. You are likely to take bold decision, which will be appreciated by all. Your influence is set to increase and all your chores will get completed without hurdles.
STRIP TEASE AGNES
Enemies will get inactive and you will gain an upper hand. Do not force decisions on your children. Politicians will get into good books of the high command. Employees might face minor tensions at work; Be careful and act with patience.
Money is likely to come from all the expected sources. Employees will be entrusted with challenging tasks and they will prove their skills and get appreciation. Solve family issues within; do not involve a third person. Girls should not fall in love now.
Delayed marriage proposals will resume and progress well. Employees will march forward by discharging their duties well and get suitably rewarded. Purchase or construction of own house for some. Your children will do well in studies; relax.
Keep a vigil on your children’s activities as there are chances of them taking a wrong route. Politicians advised to stay away from unwanted discussions and controversial stands. Chances are likely that they might be warned by the high command.
Family will be cheerful as happy events are to take place in a line. Businessmen will sign new and promising contract agreements. Long-pending wishes get fulfilled. Women advised to stay away from those who misbehave them with; take care.
Real-estate deals might not be successful as expected. Misunderstanding with maternal relatives likely to upset you. Politicians do well in sorting out issues within the party and earn trust of the high command. Mother’s health needs care.
Those trying for new job will get a promising career opportunity. Some are fortunate to go abroad for higher studies or job. Financial position will be strong. Mother’s health problems will disappear. Misunderstanding with relatives will go.
You try to stand different from others and such efforts will be successful. Businessmen will flourish and earn good profits exceeding their expectations. Employees might be entrusted with new responsibilities and they have to work hard.
TAROT READ
Sumaa Tekur
tarotreadhyd@gmail. com
ARIES:
GEMINI:
Two of Swords – Your actions are likely to upset two very important parties. You are unable to choose between the two but will be forced to do so.
LEO:
The Devil – You’re tempted to overeat, to indulge and push your body to do more than it can. Slow down, let the day pass without any excesses.
LIBRA:
PEARLS BEFORE SWINE
Ten of Swords – There’s a dramatic end of a cycle. You are forced to accept change if you’re unwilling to change on your own. Keep that ego in check.
SAGITTARIUS:
Queen of Swords – An intellectual time. You’ve been thinking of creative solutions to a problem. You find the answers when you think through on your own.
TAURUS:
The Lovers – You will be expected to make an important decision today. Weigh all pros and cons well. But you will eventually go with your gut feel.
CANCER:
Death – Some drastic changes to your living situation are likely. You have to step up to the challenges by making alterations to the way you perceive the world.
VIRGO:
The Emperor – You’re a born leader and your leadership skills will be put to the test today when subordinates may question your decision. You handle it.
SCORPIO:
Four of Cups – You get another job opportunity just when you were finalising one. Don’t be in a rush to decide. Look through all options carefully before choosing.
CAPRICORN:
Strength – You have it in you to face the obstacles and come out a winner. Don’t give up or give in. Stick to your stand and it’ll fall in place.
PREVIOUS SOLUTIONS
PISCES:
Knight of Wands – Pay attention to details – whether you are cooking something new for the first time or dealing with something unfamiliar at work.
NUMBER GAME
– You need to consolidate your position and be firm about your decisions. No harm will come your way if you manage to keep all parties happy.
SCRABBLE
AQUARIUS: Four of Wands
POOCH CAFE
Politicians advised not to blame opposition without evidence. Employees advised not to take liberties with superiors as there could be setbacks. Also, interact with colleagues cordially even though they might behave wrongly with you.
for 23-2-2013
Queen of Pentacles – You’re searching for a solution that is easy to implement, and that which does not feel like a missing jigsaw puzzle piece. You get it!
NON SEQUITUR
Court verdict will go in favour in a dragged legal issue. Your in laws will extend support and help you as per expectations. Housing loan will get approved and construction will start soon. Enemies will become inactive. Take care of your health.
SUDUKO
Your harsh talks with which you have been getting into trouble will change now and you will become approachable to all. A minor misunderstanding with your spouse is likely. Politicians advised to be conservative and not to spend extravagantly.
Boggle TIN GOLD LEAD SILVER COPPER Vol: 2, No 217 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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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013
aofcqfkd ^t^v Ang Lee’s Life of Pi narrates the extraordinary tale of a boy who’s lost at sea and all he has for company is a Bengal Tiger and miracles of God.
HEMANTH KUMAR hemanth.k@postnoon.com
L
ife of Pi, directed by Ang Lee, could have been a pointless film right from the beginning. After all, what sort of cruel joy can one get from watching a film about a young boy stranded in the sea who’s desperately waiting for someone to rescue him? Of all the animals in the world, he finds himself in the company of a Bengal Tiger and the eternal ocean which surrounds him. On top of all this pain he endures, he is famished and has to resort to all sorts of techniques to stay alive. Yet, the film is much more than just human suffering. Ang Lee is obsessed with the idea that miracles happen when all hope is lost and Pi Patel, the film’s protagonist, witnesses such miracles on numerous occasions throughout the film. At the age of 16, Pi Patel accompanies his father Pi (Adil Hussain) and mother Geeta (Tabu) when they decide to move to Canada along with all the animals from their zoo in Pondicherry. The ship gets caught in a storm in the Pacific Ocean and just before it sinks, Pi manages to leap onto a life boat. The next morning he realises that he’s accompanied by a zebra, an orangutan, a hyena and a Bengal Tiger named Richard Parker. Slowly all the animals die, except for Richard Parker, and the rest of the film is about the unusual bond which Pi and Richard Parker share in their endless attempts to stay alive before they are rescued. The film, which is based on a novel of the same name written by Yann Martel, is visually breathtaking. Hollywood wisdom suggests that films which are set in the sea have more chances of sinking at the box office, but Ang Lee infuses so much life into the story that Life of Pi made quite a big splash across the world. What is it that works so well in the film? For starters, it’s the unusual bond which Pi and Richard Parker share right from the onset. Pi is very scared of the
tiger and prefers to stay away from the boat even if that means he has to struggle to safeguard the little provisions he has. After a point of time, the two become so desperate to survive that they team up to catch fish, withstand violent storms in the ocean and collect rainwater to drink. One of the best scenes in the film has Pi Patel and Richard Parker ducking when a school of flying fish slam their boat out of nowhere. The 3D effect, for a change, is brilliant throughout the film and exquisite colours of the ocean, which change according to the moods of the characters, have a soothing effect. On the contrary, the enormity of the plot nearly crushes its actors. The book lets you imagine the state which Pi might have been in while undergoing all the suffering including hunger and loneliness, but Suraj Sharma, who played the titular role, is far from perfect. Considering that it’s his debut film, one might be tempted to go easy on him but there’s no denying that there’s a huge difference between empathising with Pi from the book and Suraj Sharma. Even the ever reliable Irrfan Khan, who played the adult Pi, puts on a poker face and merely narrates the story of his life to the writer (Rafe Spall), who himself looks lost. The film’s real star is undoubtedly the Bengal Tiger, Richard Parker who catches our attention right from the moment when it leaps out from the lifeboat to kill the hyena. It takes a moment to realise that most of the scenes, including those involving Richard Parker, are CGI but the sheer grit and enthusiasm which Richard Parker shows in the film has a lingering effect long after the film is over. Some books are difficult to adapt on big screen, but Ang Lee has done a great job in depicting two characters stranded in the middle of the ocean. In the end, Life of Pi is so beautiful, almost to the point of mesmerising, that the imagery has a far more visceral impact than anything else. There lies the problem with the film, but Richard Parker is flawless. Almost.
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013
WORLD TRACK CHAMPIONSHIPS
Irvine wins historic gold Martyn Irvine gave Ireland a first ever world track championships gold medal when he swooped to victory in the scratch event. MINSK: Martyn Irvine (right), 27, shrugged off his loss to Australia’s Michael Hepburn in the individual pursuit to push himself through 60 gruelling laps at the Minsk Arena, attacking 10 laps from the end to edge out Austria’s Andreas Muller on Thursday, just an hour after securing a silver in the pursuit. On the second night of finals, Hong Kong’s Sarah Lee Wai Sze won the women’s 500m time trial while Britain captured the women’s team pursuit. In the men’s team sprint, Germany regained the title they lost last year. Lee Wai Sze won her gold in 33.973sec in the nonOlympic event by beating Germany’s Miriam Welte, who was also second in the 2012 championships.
Germany win men’s sprint gold
G
ermany defeated New Zealand to win the men’s team sprint gold at the world track cycling championships on Thursday. Rene Enders, Stefan Botticher and Maximilian Levy saw off Kiwi trio, Ethan Mitchell, Sam Webster and Edward Dawkins in the final but only by 0.49sec. France took the bronze medal.
However, her winning time was still some way off the world record of 33.10sec set by Australia’s Anna Meares, who won the world title in Melbourne last year. Hepburn, 21, dominated the individual pursuit and won a second gold medal in
two days having helped Australia claim the team pursuit on Wednesday. With a time of 4min 16.733sec over the four kilometre distance, Hepburn was still more than six seconds off the world record held by compatriot Jack Bobridge. Swiss teenager Stefan Kueng claimed bronze behind Irvine. “It was a pretty special feeling getting up for the win there,” said Hepburn after his second win of the tournament. “It’s been a great two days for myself and for the entire team and (great) to come out and do a solid ride as well. But the Olympic team pursuit silver medallist admitted that he almost didn’t make it to Minsk. “My initial decision after the Olympics was to walk
away from the track and that’s what I planned on doing for a few months there but when I looked at the road schedule and the track worlds being early this year it fitted in alright,” said Hepburn. Great Britain retained their women’s team pursuit title, seeing off old rivals Australia for the gold medal. With Olympic gold medal winning Laura Trott and Dani King joined by Elinor Barker, the British were too strong for Australian trio, Annette Edmondson, Ashlee Ankudinoff and Melissa Hoskins in a time of 3min 18.140sec. That was slightly better than their qualifying time of 3min 18.704. Canada’s Gillian Carleton, Jasmin Glaesser and Laura Brown saw off Poland for the bronze. AFP
FORMULA ONE
WGC MATCH PLAY
I’ve done all I can: Sutil
BARCELONA: Adrian Sutil (below) insists he will not be losing sleep over his Formula One fate as Force India decide whether to award the championship’s final available drive to him or French rookie Jules Bianchi. The 30-year-old Sutil lost his seat to Nico Hulkenberg after the 2011 season, but is back in contention with his fellow German now at Sauber and with Force India still having only confirmed Paul di Resta for the 2013 season which starts on March 17. “This team knows me well
Alonso fastest in test
F
ormer two-time world champion Fernando Alonso clocked the best time on the third day of pre-season Formula One testing at the Catalunya circuit on Thursday. The Spaniard had sat out the first four-day session in Jerez earlier in February, but he continued to demonstrate he had lost none of his sharpness over the winter by taking his Ferrari to a best time of 1min 21.875sec off a total of 97 laps. Nico Hulkenberg, in a Sauber, was second fastest with 1min 22.160sec with French driver Romain Grosjean, in a Lotus, laying down the third best time of 1min 22.188sec off 119 laps.
because I spent six years with them,” said Sutil, after clocking the eighth-fastest time in testing on Thursday. “I wanted to show them that I am still quick and that was very important. I can sleep peacefully. I have done all I can to get back into F1. I don’t know who is the favourite for the drive, it’s up to the Force India shareholders to decide.” Sutil admitted that prowess on the track will not be the only criteria when Force India make their decision with a driver’s ability to bring sponsorship to
the team deemed equally crucial. “It has to be something else otherwise they would have confirmed a driver in plenty of time for the first test (in Jerez earlier in February),” he said. “There is some business behind it. It can’t take long anymore as in three weeks there is a race.” Earlier, Force India deputy team principal, Bob Fernley, revealed that both Sutil and Bianchi, who will drive on Friday, will be given equal opportunity to prove their worth. AFP
McIlroy, Woods shunted out in first round MARANA, ARIZONA: World No one Rory McIlroy (L above) and 14-time major champion Tiger Woods fell in the first round of the World Golf Championships Match Play Championship on Thursday. Ireland’s Shane Lowry, ranked 68th in the world and the 64th-seed in the 64-man field, toppled Northern Ireland’s McIlroy 1-up, while Charles Howell defeated Woods 2 and 1 at the Ritz Carlton Golf Club course at Dove Mountain. Lowry, a friend of McIlroy’s from their days in the amateur ranks, made his run on the back nine, chipping
in for birdie to win the 12th hole and winning the 13th with an eagle to gain a two-up advantage. McIlroy pulled one back at 14, but conceded the 15th after finding a series of bunkers. McIlroy then birdied the parthree 16th for a win, but they halved the last two holes with pars, and Lowry emerged victorious. “Obviously it was always going to be a tough match for me against Rory today, but playing against the world number one, I’m feeling quite good now,” said Lowry, who sank a four-foot par putt at 18 to seal the win. AFP
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013
US Indoor
Cilic scrapes into Memphis quarter-finals MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE: Top seed Marin Cilic (below) saved three match points en route to a 76 (7/2), 3-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory over Igor Sijsling on Thursday to book a quarter-final berth in the US Indoor Tennis Championships. Croatia’s Cilic trailed 4-6 and then 6-7 in the third-set, but won the final three points to take the match from his Dutch foe. Cilic next faces Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori, who beat qualifier Donald Young 6-3, 6-3. World number 63 Denis Istomin reached his fourth ATP quarter-final of the season, beating Australian veteran Lleyton Hewitt 6-1, 6-2. Istomin next faces lucky loser Michael Russell, who beat Lukasz Kubot of Poland 6-2, 6-4. In women’s action in this $1.58 million combined ATP and WTA event, top seed Kirsten Flipkens fell prey in the quarterfinals to the upset bug that saw second-seeded Sofia Arvidsson ousted in the second round. Seventh-seeded Slovak Magdalena Rybarikova, the winner of this title two years ago, defeated Flipkens 6-7 (11/13), 7-5, 6-3. AFP
DUBAI OPEN
Angry Wozniacki makes semis She will tackle Petra Kvitova for a place in the final after the 2011 Wimbledon champion underlined her new status as the unofficial favourite by ending the title defence of Agnieszka Radwanska.
Serena, Azarenka penalised for late Dubai pullouts
S
DUBAI: Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki (above) reached the Dubai Open semifinals on Thursday with a 4-6, 61, 6-4 win over Marion Bartoli, shrugging off a code violation in the process. Wozniacki was warned for illegal coaching as the match boiled up to a thrilling finish, apparently because she was talking to her father Piotr. “I’m not sure if it’s coaching if I talk to the coach, but apparently that’s new rules, so I guess that I can’t say anything nowadays,” commented Wozniacki.
Wozniacki was warned for illegal coaching as the match boiled up to a thrilling finish, because she was talking to her father Piotr. “I was telling him things, and all of a sudden I hear I get a code violation. I’m like, okay.” Then she turned the aggravation into laughter. “I was telling him what I
was doing wrong. There’s not much he can say because he knows that if he says yes, then he’s in trouble, and if he says no, he’s in trouble too.” The Czech Republic player again showed that she is in her best form since winning her only Grand Slam title 19 months ago, out-hitting and out-serving the third-seeded Pole, 6-2, 6-4. It followed her victory over former French Open champion Ana Ivanovic on Wednesday and was her best win in 15 months. AFP
erena Williams, the world number one, and Victoria Azarenka, the only unbeaten leading player on the women’s tour this year, have been penalised for their late withdrawals from the Dubai Open. Williams, who had a bad back and withdrew on Wednesday, has had $50,000 forfeited from the WTA’s bonus pool, and zero points imposed for one tournament on her world ranking calculation. Azarenka, who had a bruised heel and withdrew on Monday, had $100,000 forfeited from the WTA’s bonus pool and zero points imposed for one tournament on her rankings calculation. Azarenka’s stronger punishment reflects the fact that hers was the second successive time she had pulled out from the Dubai Open after the entry deadline. Tournament Director Salah Tahlak said: “I had a conference call with the WTA in Florida and they are taking action against Azarenka, relating to her second successive withdrawal.
HOCKEY WORLD LEAGUE
Threat of Olympic axe was a wake-up call: Negre NEW DELHI: The International Hockey Federation today said that it was taken by “surprise” by the scare the game had to go through regarding its Olympic status, with its president Leandro Negre saying that the threat to omit the sport from the Games is a wake-up call for the body. Hockey just about managed to avoid the axe after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) mulled removing the game from the Olympic programme in 2020, before eventually deciding against it. Wrestling, instead, was one of the eight sports, which were dropped from the core group of Olympic sports in the 2020 Games in IOC’ executive council meeting in Lausanne earlier this month.
Lacklustre India prevail over Ireland 3-2 in HWL SS CHOUDHURY Press Trust of India NEW DELHI: A lacklustre India had to sweat it out before pipping Ireland 3-2 for their third consecutive win in the men’s competition of the Hero Hockey World League at the floodlit Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium here on Thursday. The Indians had to go through some anxious moments in the final minutes of the game to register the win, which consolidated their position at the top of the standings with nine points
from three victories. Rupinder Pal Singh (16th minute) and VR Raghunath (39th) converted two penalty corners for India, but it was striker Dharamvir Singh, who scored the all-important winner for the hosts in the 56th minute of the game. For the Irishmen, Conor Harte (27th) and Eugene Magee (51st) were the goalgetters. The Indians were nowhere close to their best as they lacked in coordination and looked tired even as the Irishmen showcased fine exhibition in defending.
India and Ireland players vie for the ball during their FIH Hockey World League Round 2 match at the National stadium in New Delhi on Thursday. PTI/ SHAHBAZ KHAN
“The news that hockey was in the danger zone was a big surprise for us because nobody was expecting such a move,” Negre told reporters on the sidelines of the Hero Hockey World League here today. “But it is a wake-up call for us. The official report has not been finalised yet. It will be finalised in May and from this report we will know our strengths and weaknesses. But hockey continues to remain very strong,” he added. “We are still looking for more information. But the threat is good for us because we don’t like to be in a position where we were caught sleeping.” Negre was particularly pleased with the performance of Bangladesh in the ongoing HWL.
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013
INDIA VS AUSTRALIA
ICC DIRECTIVE
Match evenly poised
The first cricket Test between hosts India and Australia got off to an even contest with the two teams sharing honours in the first session. skipper, Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Ashwin got his second wicket in his sixth over when a well swung ball rattled Hughes’ stumps with the score reading 72 for two. But Australia recovered well and at the end of the morning session, Shane Watson and David Warner were at the crease having made 28 and 58 runs respectively.David Warner who opened the innings with Cowan got his fifty off 77 balls, an innings which included five fours. He was lucky to get there as he was earlier dropped by Virender Sehwag at the slips, off Harbhajan Singh. Earlier, having won the toss, Michael Clarke decided to make his team bat first, on a dry pitch. The Australian openers made the best use of this situation and hit the Indian bowlers all across the ground, with Cowan even lofting a six off Harbhajan Singh’s bowling. The pace bowlers did not seem to make any impact as both Bhuvaneshwar Kumar and Ishant Sharma, on a quick outfield, gave away many runs during the earlier part of the innings. Meanwhile, the Indian team, in a surprising move, decided to drop Pragyan Ohja and instead play debutant Bhuvaneshwar Kumar and Ravindra Jadeja. Many were taken aback with this and felt that, on a dry pitch of this kind, Ohja should have made it to the final 11.
G APARNA SAI
from Chennai
CHENNAI: Australia began their innings on a brisk note against India during the morning session of the first Test match being played at the MA Chidambaram stadium, here, today. But Australia’s smooth run was soon dented when Ravichandran Ashwin (right) struck twice to leave Australia reeling at 126 for two in 34 overs. Ashwin tormented the batsmen from the very first ball he bowled making them slog for every run they got. Cowan, who seemed uncomfortable against Ashwin’s bowling, lost his wicket when he missed connecting the ball, to be stumped by Indian
Scoreboard
Australia 1st innings Cowan st †Dhoni b Ashwin DA Warner not out PJ Hughes b Ashwin SR Watson not out Extras (lb 5) Total (2 wickets) Fall of wickets: 1-64, 2-72 Bowling O M R B Kumar 4 1 15 I Sharma 3 1 17 Harbhajan Singh 10 1 42 R Ashwin 11 2 30 RA Jadeja 6 2 17
29 58 6 28 5 126 W 0 0 0 2 0
Constitution democratic: PCB tells court
KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board has told the Sindh High Court that the new constitution of the board, approved by the country’s President, has made it more democratic as per the directives of the ICC. Pakistan’s former captain, Rashid Latif (above) has filed a petition in the court, which challenged several clauses of the old constitution while terming the appointment of the chairman and director general cricket as undemocratic. At the hearing held today the legal advisor of the board, Tafazzul Rizvi’s reply to the board was read out and it stated that 70 per cent of the objections raised by Latif had been cleared in the new constitution. “I didn’t attend the hearing but my lawyer, Sattar Pirzada, has told me that the PCB, in its reply, has said that 70 per cent changes have been made in the new constitution clauses.”
INTERVIEW
‘If Tendulkar retires, Test cricket dies’
BD NARAYANKAR Press Trust of India
BANGALORE: Sri Lanka’s World Cup-winning former captain Arjuna Ranatunga feels Test cricket would die” if players like Sachin Tendulkar call it quits. “If players like him (Tendulkar) don’t play the longer version of the game, Test cricket will die. I pray to God he continues to play Test cricket. I was very happy to know he has retried from ODIs. For me Test is education and the shorter versions are entertainment,” Ranatunga told PTI. Ranatunga, who guided Sri Lanka to their first and only World Cup title in 1996, said Tendulkar still has a lot of cricket left in him. Asked whether Sachin was on a comeback trail after scoring two centuries in domestic matches, Ranatunga said the Mumbaikar,
despite being 39, is a much better player than some of the younger Indians. “If he plays one good knock, I am sure he will play two-three years more without a problem,” he said. On to issues facing international cricket and Ranatunga came down heavily on the ICC, calling the sport’s world governing body “toothless”. Instead of blaming the BCCI for the non-implementation of the controversial Decision Review System to avoid umpiring mistakes, Ranatunga turned his ire on the ICC. “I am not blaming BCCI, but blaming ICC for not making DRS compulsory. They should not allow home countries to take decisions on the matter,” he said on the sidelines of Sri Lanka Tourism promotion event here. “They (the ICC) shout, but hardly bite. I have always said that they
haven’t changed. ICC should protect the game not individual countries on the DRS issue,” he suggested. Ranatunga said even if the Indian Board pushes the ICC into a corner, it should have the spine to take bold decisions and make it mandatory for all nations to use DRS. “This system is the best thing that has happened to cricket in the last 20 years and I feel DRS should be adopted by all countries. We would have been better batsmen, bowlers and fielders if the DRS was there in our time,” Ranatunga opined. Ranatunga said Twenty20 has ruined cricket as it does not create technically sound players such as Sunil Gavaskar, Tendulkar, Gundappa Vishwanath, Mohammad Azharuddin or Dilip Vengsarkar. “They are more concerned about playing the shorter version of the game,” he said.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013
sports
BECKHAM, BARTON BRACE FOR FRENCH DUEL
The possibility of seeing David Beckham finally make his PSG debut when they take on Marseille in the weekend adds an element of intrigue to the bout. If he does play, there is the prospect of seeing the 37-year-old Beckham go directly up against his fellow countryman, Marseille’s Joey Barton.
EUROPA LEAGUE
Despite win Reds exit Chelsea draw Sparta, Tottenham beat Lyon. CHRIS WRIGHT Agence France-Presse PARIS: Five-times European Cup winners Liverpool came up just short Thursday as they crashed out of the Europa League on away goals at the hands of Russian outfit Zenit Saint Petersburg despite a 3-1 win at Anfield. Two goals down from the first leg, Liverpool looked out for the count after veteran defender Jamie Carragher fluffed an attempted backpass and Brazilian Hulk slipped home the opener to make it 3-0 on aggregate for the visitors. But Liverpool roared back with two goals from Luis Suarez (left) with Joe Allen netting another in between, but the extra goal would not come as Zenit reached the last 16. Deposed European champions Chelsea had to settle for a home draw against Sparta Prague having won the away leg 1-0 after Eden Hazard’s late effort cancelled out David Lafata’s opener. Aside from Liverpool’s anguish it was a successful night for the English contingent with a last-gasp goal from Mousa Dembele booking a last 16 berth for Tottenham, a suberb strike rescuing a 3-2 aggregate win over Lyon after a 1-1 draw.
SPANISH LEAGUE
‘Matches have been fixed’
MADRID: Vice-president of the Spanish Professional League Javier Tebas (right) has claimed games in Spain have been fixed. Tebas’ claims come just weeks after an Europol investigation cited 680 fixed matches across the world, none of which took place in Spain. However, Tebas said Thursday he believes the problems in Spain are more closely linked to ensuring results towards the end of the season than with the gambling syndicates highlighted by the Europol investigation. “Yes, there have been games fixed in Spain and you know it too,” he told the Cadena Cope radio station. “We cannot deny the fact it is very serious. It is a minority, but very serious. In Spain the fix is not linked to betting, but to the standings at the end of the season. It could have been just two or three games, but they are important.” AFP
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Last 16 draw Plzen (CZE) Vs Fenerbahce (TUR) Benfica (POR) Vs Bordeaux (FRA) Anzhi Makhachkala (RUS) Vs Newcastle (ENG)
Stuttgart (GER) Vs Lazio (ITA) Tottenham (ENG) Vs Inter Milan (ITA) Levante (ESP) Vs Rubin Kazan (RUS) Basel (SUI) Vs Zenit Saint-Pet’burg (RUS)
Steaua Bucharest (ROM) Vs Chelsea (ENG) Matches to be played on March 7 and 14