MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
WWW.POSTNOON.COM
WEATHER: A MIX OF CLOUDY AND CLEAR SKIES; 27°C
32 PAGES
`3
IT’S CRYSTAL CLEAR, AS BREAKING BAD WINS TOP EMMY Breaking Bad on Sunday won the Emmy award for best drama series, beating Netflix series House of Cards, which was vying to be the first online-only show to take a major prize. Modern Family won the prize for best comedy series at the 65th annual Primetime Emmy awards show, the TV world’s equivalent of the Oscars, in Los Angeles.
PG 16 & 17
HYDERABAD’S FIRST COMPACT AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER
COPS FLOUT THEIR
REPORT ON P4
Or so you would like to tell police who challan you heavily but violate parking rules in front of their police stations.
ANONYMOUS PRANKSTERS The more number of social networking sites, the more number of cyberbullying cases there will be. Read on to know more on this
PG 15
IS KIRAN READY TO FORM NEW PARTY?
OWN LAWS
Leaders close to the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy say the Congress has shortchanged Seemandhra and they will quit if Telangana is cut off from the rest of the State.
PG 5
2
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
city events
PERFECT CARDIO
If being out in the wild is what you look forward to every day, then Bhimashankar is a dream destination for any trekker. It provides a perfect setting for an exciting adventure. The Great Hyderabad Adventure Club is organising it so don’t miss it!
Weather for Hyderabad
Evening
Overnight
Morning
Afternoon
24°C
20°C
24°C
30°C
A mix of clear and cloudy skies
A mix of cloudy and clear skies.
A mix of cloud and sun
Sunny with cloudy periods
New Delhi Mumbai Max 40 Max 31 Min 29 Min 30 Sunny with cloudy periods
A mix of cloud and sun with showers
Chennai Max 37 Min 28
Bangalore Max 30 Min 19
Cloudy with a chance of thundershowers
Mix of cloud and clear. Windy at times
AROUND THE CITY: YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES DANCE
SHOWS
Classic Nights Start the weekend with Monday Classic Nights with none other than DJ Shafi. Spin your night away! Where: Firangi Paani, BJN floor, City Centre Mall, Road No. 1, Banjara Hills When: Sept 23, 8pm onwards Contact: (040) 66683336
Campus Concert Series Spend the night listening to a Hindustani vocal recital by Ranjani Ramachandran. Where: DST Auditorium, University of Hyderabad Campus, Gachibowli When: Sept 23, 6:45pm onwards Contact: 23130000/23133216/23134256
Dandia Nights Sashi Nahata is organising Dandia Dhhoom.The entry is by invitation only. Are you one of the lucky few? Where: Taj Deccan, Road No.1, Banjara Hills When: Sept 25, 3pm to 6pm Contact: (040) 66663939
SMOOTH AS SILK: Actress Priyanka Rao inaugurated the Silk of India Exhibition and sale organised by Poorvi Arts and crafts at TTD Kalyanamandapam. The expo is on till September 29 from 10am to 9pm.
Let’s do some Zumba Probably the best way to burn out a ton of calories is by doing Zumba.Ditch the workout and join the party! Where: 360 Degree Fitness, 2nd floor, Above Tata Croma, Road No. 36, Jubilee Hills, When: Sept 26, 7pm to 7:30pm Contact: 9000111360
Dandiya and Garba Raas Nav-Din Dhamaka ‘13, a nine day Dandiya and Garba Raas workshop for the most awaited festival of the year. Where: Gitanjali Devshala, 154, Sapper’s Line, Balamrai, Secunderabad When: Until Sept 24, 6:30pm to 8pm Contact: 9848250333/ 9848811178
WORKSHOPS
Study Abroad If you are planning to study abroad this year, then do attend the Canadian Universities and College Admissions Fair and Workshop 2013. Where: Taj Krishna, Road No. 1, Banjara Hills When: Sept 24, 11am to 6pm Contact: (040) 30661218/23
Block Printing Have fun with block printing by attending this workshop.
Commissioner & Spl Officer
Helpline GAS BOOKING IVRS NO HP 9666023456 Indane 9848824365 BSNL Complaints HMWS & SB Complaints
198 155313
POLICE CONTROL ROOM Hyderabad 27852435 Traffic Control Room 27852482 DCP Traffic 23234065, 23243499F Pollution Control Board 23887500 ELECTRICITY General Complaints Breakdown Section
155333 23431178 23431179
MUNICIPAL CORPORATION
23262266 24166666R ENC 23225267 Engineering 23220418 MCH Tankbund 23225397 Emergency MCH Circle I&II 24525842 MCH Circle III 24736912 MCH Circle IV 23326975 MCH Circle V 23326976 MCH Circle VI MCH Complaints 1100 Head Office 23225397 IVRS CUM MANUAL ENQUIRY PHONE NUMBERS (TRAIN & RESERVATION) RAILWAYS Rail Nilayam 27833169, 27824216 Railway Information 131 Reservations 135 Recorded Information 1345 Enquiry (IVRS) 1331, 1332, 1333
WATER SUPPLY Complaint Cell Sewerage Complaint Hyd. Water Supply HOSPITAL General Hospital, Sec-bad Niloufer Hospital, Red Hills NIMS, Director, Punjagutta Osmania General Hospital Railway Hospital, Lalaguda Apollo, Jubilee Hills Care Hospital, Banjara Hills Care Hospital, Nampally Care Hospital, Musheerabad Care Hospital, Sec-bad Kamineni Hospital, LB Nagar
155313 23307328 23313163
27505566 23314095 23390933 24600146 27001134 23607777 30418888 30417777 30419000 30416666 39879999
BLOOD BANKS Blood Bank,Narayanguda Chiranjeevi Blood Bank Blood Bank Mediton Goal Red Cross, Vidyanagar ADRM Blood Bank Mythri Charitable Trust NTR Memorial Trust Care Banjara Hills
Where: Colorama Printers, No 7-1-19, Near Railway Station Gate, Begumpet, Secunderabad When: Sept 23-25, 2pm to 4:30pm Contact: (040) 23730328
Hyderabad Student’s Festival The Hyderabad Students Festival 2013 is being held where students of various streams will put up performances for entertainment. Where: Exhibition Ground, Mukkaramjahi Road, Nampally When: Sept 28-29, 10am to 7pm Contact: 9951465546/ 9985822393
Bonsai Training Bonsai training classes are being held by the Agri-Horticultural Society. Where: Public Gardens, Assembly Road, Nampally When: Sept 25-27, 11am to 2pm Contact: (040) 23299779
27567892 23559555 23226624 27633087 27035588 27550238 30799999 30418296 30417445
AMBULANCES Apollo 23548888, 23607777 Kamineni 24022222 Medwin 23202902, 23204616 Smile Line Dental Hospital 23747979 Red Cross 27627973 Niloufer Hospital 23314095 Gandhi 23320332 AIRLINES
Retrospect The band Retrospect is going to be performing at Hard Rock Caf. Go on ahead for some good quality music, drinks and amazing food! Where: Hard Rock Cafe, GVK One, Road No.1, Banjara Hills When:Sept 26, 9pm onwards Contact: (040) 64636375
Airport Director 27903785, 27906001 For Air India Flight Information Toll free (from any network) for IC Flights 18001801407 And for All Flights: 1800227722 Air India has revised its flight timings. For more information call (Toll free) 18001801407, 1800227722 from BSNL/MTNL 04023430334 from other lines and mobile Website; www.airindia.in TOURISM OFFICES AP Tourism, Hyd 23262152/53/54 Sec-bad 27893100 Dept of Tourism 23453110 India Tourism 23261360 AP Tourism information Centre (24x7) 23450444, 23455999 UK VISA OFFICE VFS India Pvt Ltd Building, 8-2-542/A, Sunil Chamber, Road No. 7
Beside Meridian School, Banjara Hills34. Working hours are from 8 AM to 1 PM And 2 PM to 3PM. MUSEUMS Salar Jung Museum AP State Museum Nizams Museum
24523211 232431300/7641 24521029
Readers’ views
We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or # Plot no.550-A1, 3rd floor, Road no-92, Jubilee hills, Hyderabad-500033 a call on 4067 2222
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
news CRIME
City cricket bettor held POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: A city businessman who took time off from his business and began on-the-spot betting during the ongoing Champions League T20 qualifying cricket march played between Faisalabad Wolves and Kanduratha Maroon’s at Mohali has been arrested.
A resident of Bagiratha apartments in Nampally had set up an elaborate betting facility in his flat.
YESTERDAY’S QUESTION
WILL A TIE-UP WITH BJP HELP REVIVE TDP’S FORTUNES? 45%
A)
YES
B)
NO
To vote visit www.postnoon.com
CRIME
Man puts spycam in neighbour’s bath A young jobless man, who found ‘self employment’ in spying on the girls next door with hidden cam, is facing the law. POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: The shameful episode begins with V Sridhar, said to be unemployed, installing a spycam in the bathroom of his neighbour Lala Lajpat Rai Langani at Satya Vihar society in West Marredpally. Lajpat, a businessman lives with his wife and three daughters. It is said the man used vile comments when the girls go out and come in. After initial shock and upbraiding the man for his shameful activity, Lajpat and family began to receive calls telling them to remain silent or their daughters will be exposed. It was then learnt that the man had installed a hidden cam in the bathroom of the neighbour with the help of a male servant who worked in Lajpat’s home.
CITY
3
BHATKAL REVELATION
Dilsukhnagar blast IM City team’s work Indian Mujahideen co-founder’s spills beans on the terrorist outfit’s local modules and their handiwork. POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com
AROUND THE
CITY
The camera had mopped up nude pictures of the girls which he threatened to upload on the internet if their father made Sridhar’s nefarious activities public. The servant from Bihar was dismissed as
he admitted that he was party to the shameful activity. He said in his complaint to the Marredpally police that he had informed the elders of the society who had warned the man against the activity but Sridhar continued his harassment of the girls, Lajpat said. A case has been registered under various offences and he is being questioned.
FAUX PAS
AROUND THE
Arun Kumar Sharma, 33, a resident of Bagiratha apartments in Nampally had set up an elaborate betting facility in his flat, police said. When police reached the spot on a tipoff they found Arun conducting betting with punters on exclusive set of cell phones and LCD that gave live feed of the game. The police have seized an LCD TV, a brown leather suit case with lines set up with 13 cell phone connections, cash and records.
YES (A) NO (B)
55%
TODAY’S QUESTION
SHOULD COPS PRACTICE THE PARKING RULES THEY ENFORCE?
Japan porn dealers arrested after catalogues sent to police sessing obscene material with the intent to sell it in Osaka, news reports said. The suspects had been sending catalogues of illegal porn DVDs to random male customers by mail, and three sets were addressed to the police chief's house accidentally, the reports said. AFP
TOKYO: Six pornography dealers in western Japan have been arrested after mailing their catalogues to the head of Osaka Police Department by mistake, according to local media. Police last week arrested Toshiharu Hidaka, 27, and five other men on suspicion of pos-
HYDERABAD: Modules of Indian Mujahideen are working in Hyderabad, if IM co-founder Yasin Bhatkal is to be believed. National Investigation Agency (NIA) which has got the custody of the man who was brought to the City yesterday is said to have explained it was his IM modules in the City that carried out the blasts in Dilsukhnagar on February 17. Bhatkal, who was granted AROUND THE
NATION
two days transit remand by a Delhi court yesterday after his arrest by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), was brought to the city yesterday. He is likely to be produced before a court here tomorrow, official sources said. Bhatkal’s close associate, Asadullah Akhtar, was earlier arrested by NIA, is presently being interrogated after a local court sent him in 15-day custody of the NIA on September 19. Seventeen people were killed and 100 others injured in the blasts that were triggered by powerful Improvised Explosive Devices planted near Konark and Venkatadiri theatres in Dilsukhnagar on February 21, a crowded shopping area in the City.
CITY BRIEFS Golden Jubilee celebrations at the zoo
Home of City-based doctor burgled
No force on earth will stop birfucation: Congress
SCR appeals to the cattle-herders
Woman robbed in an RTC bus
T
T
S
F
P
o mark the golden jubilee celebrations of the Nehru Zoological Park, “Zootsav” will be held from October 6 to October 10. Many programs were being organized on this occasion, A. Shankaran, Curator of the park said on Saturday. During the golden jubilee celebrations, the entry of the children below 12 years will be free.
he residence of Dr Nandeetha, an inhabitant of Samrat colony in Marredpally, was burgled on Saturday. Valuables and cash was stolen, a complaint with the Marredpally police said. The doctor's family was away when burglars broke into the house after cracking the front door. Valuables worth several lakh and `45,000 were stolen.
enior Telangana Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Palvai Govardhan Reddy on Sunday said the Centre would not retract its stand on the formation of Telangana under any circumstances.Palvai said no force on the earth could stall formation of Telangana State. He stated that the two new States would come into being by this December.
ollowing the derailment of a coach of Kanyakumari-Howrah Express near Kavali Station on Gudur-Vijayawada section yesterday due to cattle run over, SCR made an appeal to the public not to let their cattle stray onto the railway tracks for any purpose. While SCR keeps a vigil, people must ensure take their precautions, it warned.
admavathy. P, a resident of Patencheru complained to the Mahankali police that she was travelling in RTC bus on Saturday from home to Secunderabad when two women boarded on the way, sat either side of her, and when she alighted, found her 52-gram necklace and Rs.5000 stolen from her purse. Police are still investigating.
4
News MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013 LAST YEAR... HERE Minor kidnapped, raped
L
ast year we had reported about an incident of a minor being kidnapped and raped in the City. The 16year-old had been abducted at Kishanbagh bus stand and taken to Ghansi Bazaar where she was gangraped by three men. It also was the third such incident in the City. Read on in today’s edition and see if things have changed since then.
SEPTEMBER 23, 2012
NUMEROLOGY
34 mn
is the number of iPads Apple has sold in the first half of 2013. By stark comparison, Microsoft has managed only 900,000 in the first quarter of the year.
It’s a great honour by the government and a golfer getting the award after seven years means a lot for this game. It’s not that we weren’t performing. Arjuna winner Gaganjeet Bhullar See page 7
THINGS WE 5LEARNT TODAY The column that teaches everyone something new about the way the world functions.
1
The weird combinations of our governors. Now the Telangana Rasthra Samithi is extending a friendship hand to the Congress party it has locked horns with till recently. That, if there was any, is a shift in allegiance for convenience.
2
Sport is a great way to achieve glory. There are enough facilities for people of the country to take up and excel in a sport, and the government too encourages those who do, Arjuna award winner Gaganjeet Bhullar is proof of this.
3
China pampering high profile lawbreaker. For a country that believes in an economic system in which everyone is treated equally, China is quite selective in the way it treats its different jailbirds — so much for communism.
4
Organisers decide who is beautiful. Legendary models Amber Iman and Naomi Campbell launched a scathing attack over the lack of black faces on catwalks just before the start of the Paris fashion.
NOT FINE TO FINE
Cops flout parking rules
The police who fine the common man heavily continue to violate parking rules in front of their own police stations. MOHSIN ALI ali@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: Have you seen traffic police men clicking photographs with digital cameras everywhere in the City to support their challans? They can be seen mostly at signals and at the places where commuters park vehicles for a while. A month-and-a-half ago traffic police launched the `1,000challan drive to discipline drivers to obey the law. The heavy fines were supposed to be a deterrent against the tendency to use mobile while driving, jumping stop signals, driving without proper permits and driving recklessly. Arun Tamirisa, who resides in Banjara Hills finds the fining ways of the police very wrong. "Without providing proper space for parking, charging penalty is not right. The traffic police must develop infrastructure, like constructing parking complexes in all busy areas. If after that people violate parking rules, they should be penalised. Collecting fines from the public without providing basic facilities is like choking them,” he said.
BUT…
Orderly parking though, is not for the police. There are few police stations that have a place for parking even for the police officials. Vehicles are seen haphazardly parked on the roadside or footpaths. Members of the public have a legitimate question when they ask how come police violate the law themselves?
AROUND THE
CITY
Most police stations in the City have no space for parking for the staff and certainly not for the aggrieved public that visit the station. If their vehicles are towed away while they are in the station on a valid reason, it is the people’s problem, not that of the police. “This is a skewed argument,” remarked a citizen of Punjagutta, who obviously did not want to be named. Most of the buildings of police stations were built in Nizam's era and some of them have completed a century. Complaints of currently unsuitable furniture and infrastructure, and the lack of parking have not yielded solutions. In the days of the Nizam parking
Orderly parking though, is not for the police. There are few police stations that have a place for parking even for the police officials. was not an issue with fewer vehicles on the road. Each police station has provided vehicles to its staff; a jeep for the inspector, motorbikes for sub-inspectors and others on duty, and the Rakshak for patrolling and bandobast. All these are parked helter-skelter in front of police stations. Narayanguda, Begum Bazar, Begumpet, Chadarghat, Charminar, Ramgopalpet, Sultan Bazar and Sanjiva Reddy Nagar are a few police stations
that have no space for parking as they are located along main roads. The minimum numbers of staff in each police station is 17 that goes onto a maximum of 100 that may include home guards. When officials were asked by this reporter of this problem they had a stock answer that they were government servants and are not to question but obey orders. “We have no powers to ask for infrastructure apart from stationary and such minor things. We have to get things done, no questions asked,” said one senior police officer. Speaking to Postnoon, Assistant Commissioner of Police P Jaipal said, "Most of the police station buildings in the City were built 40-50 years ago when parking was not an issue. As the number of employees increased and vehicle population went up, it became a serious problem. Now don’t even have empty plots near police stations to ask the government for place to park vehicles. But buildings that have been built recently have enough parking facilities.” Station House Officer, Ramgopalpet Police Station A Ganga Reddy said his station building is 115 years old and has no space for even a single vehicle. He said due to lack of parking space, most of the staff come to the office by bus. “The situation is grim during peak hours. We also suffer deafening noises and inhale vehicle pollution as the main road is also too narrow,” he added.
LOKAYUKTHA SUPPORT
‘Women’s rights still compromised’ HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh Lokayuktha Justice Subhshan Reddy has said there are many laws in the country for the protection of women, but their implementation is far from satisfactory. Speaking at a seminar on Violence against women — whose concern? organised by the All India Women’s Conference on Saturday, he said women are harassed by men in four ways — physically, mentally, spiritually and economically. He advised
AROUND THE
CITY
women to approach the Lokayuktha or the appropriate forum whenever injustice was meted out to them. Inspector General of Police (Welfare) Soumya Mishra gave a few suggestions for women: increase awareness on present issues like the Nirbhaya case, know the fundamental rights, go through
Dr Savitha Menon asked men to live the life of a woman for one day and understand problems faced by women daily. legal reports, and be confident and become role models. Psychiatrist counsellor of Apollo Hospitals Dr Savitha Menon asked men to live the
life of a woman for one day and understand problems faced by women daily. She advised the women to be extra careful, trust themselves and learn to solve problems. Former member of Human Rights Commission Justice Ismail said that whenever there was violence against women, they should take action immediately. He said that moral science classes should be conducted at least once in a week in all schools. NSS
5
News MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
POLITICS
TRS to merge with C, attacks TDP The pink party is savagely attacking the TDP while keeping mum on Congress, which was its main demon until now. It indicates that TRS may be migrating to the Congress camp Md INKESHAF AHMED ahmed.m@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: There seems to be a radical change in the attitude of the separate Telangana agitation champion, Telangana Rasthra Samithi (TRS) following the recent Delhi visit of its president K Chandrasekhar Rao. In a clear indication that it is going to merge with the ruling Congress, the pink party, which had till now been attacking the Grand Old Party, has now shifted its focus to the main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP). It is attacking the TDP almost every day on one pretext or the other. Be it the issue of TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu’s recent bus campaign entitled Teluguvaari Atma Gourava Yatra or his controversial comments that TDP played a crucial role in successfully stalling the creation
TRS leaders are competing among themselves to paint the TDP as a traitor of Telangana. They say it is the main culprit behind stopping the creation of Telangana.
AROUND THE
CITY
of separate Telangana state. The TRS leaders are competing among themselves to paint the TDP as traitor of Telangana. They say TDP is the main culprit behind stopping the creation of Telangana state. Commenting on the issue, a senior TRS leader told Postnoon that irrespective of its merger with the Congress, the TDP deserves the wrath of people for the acts committed by it. “What TDP and its president Chandrababu Naidu have done to the Telangana region and its people is not forgivable. The people of Telangana would definitely throw it into the Bay of Bengal for its betrayal, in the next General Elections. “We only made an attempt to
expose the Telugu Desam Party,” he said. In a fresh attack, the TRS leaders also took pot-shots at the Delhi tour of Naidu and his party leaders. The TRS leaders alleged that Naidu undertook the Delhi tour to once again stall the creation of separate telangana state by raising the ongoing agitation of Seemandhra people for united Andhra Pradesh. “When the Centre announced the creation of separate Telangana state for the first time in December 2009, Naidu played a crucial role in stopping the process of separate Telangana state. He did so by encouraging its MLAs from Rayalaseema to tender their resignations protesting the decision of the Union government. He is trying to do the same this time also,” senior TRS leader Ch. Rakesh told Postnoon.
PLAN B
Is Kiran ready to form new party? Leaders close to Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy say the Congress has shortchanged Seemandhra and they will quit if Telangana is cut off from the rest of the State, but...
POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: Many Congress leaders of Seemandhra, facing ire of the people for their apparent laidback approach to the bifurcation of the State are toying with the idea of parting ways with the Congress. Former minister and Congress senior leader JC Diwakar Reddy has openly said the Seemandhra leaders, including CM Kiran Kumar Reddy were ready to quit but have stayed on only to oppose the Telangana bill. Diwakar said, “We are all thinking about the formation of a
new political party. Union ministers, MPs, MLAs and others should not resign so that they could defeat the Telangana resolution whenever it’s moved in Parliament or State Assembly. Law minister Erasu Pratapa Reddy said the problems would further get complicated if
AROUND THE
CITY
Seemandhra leaders resign. He claimed CM Kiran Kumar Reddy advised them not to put in papers as of now. “Only on his suggestions have we kept quiet. The chief minister further informed
us that if we resigned Telangana Bill would be passed unanimously. Meanwhile, minor irrigation minister TG Venkatesh said they should continue in the posts to defeat the Telangana Bill if
moved in the Assembly. He also alleged that those political parties which gave consent letters for separate Telangana State are now participating in the agitation only to create trouble. He demanded that these parties withdraw their letters submitted to the Centre. The Seemandhra Congress leaders are under tremendous pressure from the voters who believe they did not take the T issue seriously and the Congress was behaving in an authoritarian manner ignoring the apprehensions and pleas of the two regions. “If the party does not care for this region, so be it,” remarked an ex-MP.
NATION BRIEFS Delhi court to confirm death in delhi rape case
Woman’s body found cut to pieces in Mumbai
Man held for raping co-worker
Liqour trade: Women gherao police station
CRPF jawan killed in militant J&K attack
NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court will on Monday hear the trial court’s reference for confirmation of the death penalty awarded by it to four men for hei role in the December 16 gang-rape case. According to newspaper reports, the matter will be heard by a bench headed by Justice Reva Khetrapa.
MUMBAI: The body of a young woman was found cut to several pieces in Mumbai’s Worli area on Sunday night. Mumbai Police said the woman could have been 25years-old and a model by profession. The body was discovered in a severed condition with the head and most of the upper half missing.
NEW DELHI: : A man working for a gift retailer has been arrested for allegedly raping a 22-year-old co-worker after an official party at a club near Manesar on NH8. The accused has been identified as 27year-old Sumit, a native of Bhiwani. The father of the victim had filed a complaint with the Gurgaon Police on Sunday afternoon.
GORAKHPUR: Demanding action against illicit liqour manufacturers and security for the Gram Suraksha Samiti involved in curbing the trade, women of three villages sat on a dharna and gheraoed Tiwaripur Police Station here. The woman alleged that police had failed to check the menace of illicit liquor in the three villages.
SRINAGAR: A Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) jawan was killed today and another injured in a militant attack in the heart of Srinagar city. The attack near Iqbal Park took place at 10.25am when the two CISF jawans were shopping in the busy market near the park, Police said. Several such incidents have occurred this year.
6
News MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
COMIC CON EXPRESS
Joker puts a big smile on the city’s face ARUN D YELLAMATY arunyellamty@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: There was the Batman, the Superman and all other superheroes and villains that exist in the comic cosmos at the first ever Comic Con Express in Hyderabad. But the show-stealer was Joker. Of the many who assumed the Heath Ledger-look, was Rahul, a student, who waxed eloquent about his hero, his villain, happy that the Express was held in the city. "I am big fan of Batman, and a bigger fan of Joker. Though I am not participating in the cosplay, I am glad to be a part of the event,“ he said. The response and attendance were tremendous. About 25,000 people showed up at the two-
The response and attendance were tremendous. About 25,000 people showed up at the two-day event. AROUND THE
CITY
day event. Close to 500 people participated in the cosplay that was judged by MTV VJ Jose. There were five categories and the chosen one among the chosen five won a ticket to Goa. There were workshops and interactive sessions with exclusive launches of comics titles, book signings, competitions.
POLICE HIGH-HANDEDNESS?
GHMC panel seeks top cop’s explanation ALEENA ALICE Aleena.t@postnoon.com
Preventing dignitaries of the city is a serious matter, they remarked. The committee has decided to send a formal note HYDERABAD: The standing committee demanding the explanation of the police of the GHMC chaired by the Mayor commissioner. The standing committee has also today was in an angry mood at the police preventing yesterday the Mayor, deputy dropped the resolution of naming the butmayor and commissioner from reaching terfly park on Jubilee Hills Road No 25. The long pending prothe venue of the foundaposal was to name it tion laying ceremony of AROUND THE after ex-central minister projects by Chief CITY Parvatanemi Upendra, Minister N Kiran Kumar but the standing comReddy. All the committee members thought mittee members thought it fit to name the police acted in a ‘high-handed’ man- after Shyamrao. The resolution of naming ner; and they wanted an explanation Upendra Park was dropped. The committee has taken up 12 resofrom the Cyberabad police commissioner lutions today. At the time of going to over the issue. press, the road conditions and mending of roads were being discussed. Incidentally, Congress MP Anjan Kumar Yadav who had not been attending standing committee was present today.
Preventing dignitaries of the city is a serious matter, they remarked. The committee has decided to send a formal note demanding the explanation of the police commissioner.
T-shirts of popular figures were sold out on day one itself. “I wanted to buy the original superman T-shirt, but it was sold out, there was another store which had Joker T-shirts, but my size was sold out,” says Priyanka Reddy. Organizers were happy with the response the first comic com got in their first visit to Hyderabad. “Hyderabad’s creativity was on display with many local artists showcasing their work and products with the comics fraternity shoring up here from different parts of the country. We are pleased to be here for ‘Comic Con Express Hyderabad’,” said Jatin Varma, Founder, Comic Con India. The session that all Hyderabadis loved was the one with the creators of The Hyderabad Graphic Novel, as they took everyone on a journey
through the mythical past of their city. A session on The Magical Evolution of Tinkle Studios by Amar Chitra Katha, followed by a fun quiz was equally entertaining and engrossing.
7
News MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
CHAMPION TALK
Bhullar sees great future for Hyderabad, India Arjuna award winner Gaganjeet Bhullar, was in town for a golf tournament organised by Starwood properties at Westin. He shares with Postnoon life after receiving the award. ARUN D YELLAMATY arunyellamaty@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: Gaganjeet Bhullar was in a relaxed mood and spoke his heart out on matters of golf and more. About coming to Hyderabad, he said, “This is the second time I’m doing a corporate event in Hyderabad. So, I have seen a lot of differences at Boulder Hills and it is getting better. It’s also good to see the Hyderabad golfing community growing every year.” To the sport growing in the City, he added, “Hyderabad does a lot of corporate tournaments. I was told Mercedes does its tournament here. After looking at Bangalore and Chennai where AROUND THE
CITY
the golfing community is big, I feel Hyderabad will grow, it’s slightly on the slower side. Over the years, it will surely kick off. Boulders Hills opened only a few years ago; unlike Bangalore where the national level pro tournament has been going on close to 15 years. Once Hyderabad has a pro tournament, it will change everything. People will come to know more about golf. I think that will happen soon. I was told that some of the companies are in talks with the Asian Tour to have an international tournament here, and this might happen in a year or two.” Sharing his journey on how he decided to become a professional golfer, he said, “My dad
used to play golf. We had a government golf course near my house and I used to hang out at the place during weekends. I started to enjoy the sport and nature later. I played my first sub-junior tournament at the age of eight; finished second. After that I started competing at the national level and got into the national team very early.” About his love for other sports he said, “I never found any time to check out any other sport... love playing tennis, but never got a thought to play another sport apart from golf.” On Indian golfers making international impact, he said, “About six-seven years ago, none of us had full rights to play on the
Asian Tour. Now there are seven to 10 of us who play regularly on the Asian Tour and three to four guys who play the European Tour. “Actually imagine how Indian golfers have improved! Every year, every Indian is winning an international tournament, and that should be appreciated. Earlier we never had more than one tournament here in India, but we host 3-4 international tournaments now. Apart from cricket, only golf has a completely dedicated channel in India. So, I would say, ‘in India, after cricket it is definitely golf’.” About life after the Arjuna award, the 25-year-old, said, “To be honest, it has not hit me till
now. Maybe it will hit me in a few years. Now I am just leading a normal life. It’s a great honour by the government and a golfer getting the award after seven years means a lot for this game. It’s not that we weren’t performing... golf was neglected. Now golf is a part of Olympics and I am glad that government is paying special attention to the sport.” He did add, “Life has changed after the award. If I tell someone who doesn’t know the sport that I am an Arjuna awardee, then they realise that I am a sportsperson and have done something for sports in the country. I have got that label with me for the rest of my life and that is one thing which you
work hard for.” In India, for many, golf happens only after retirement. When asked if he saw a full-fledged career in golf, especially in India, he said, “It’s happening right now. Golf is my bread and butter. Things have definitely changed. I remember about 15 years ago when Arjun Atwal and Jeev Milka Singh turned pro, the prize money was very low. But now golfers make millions and golf is feeding lot a people in the country and it’s a proper job and career for a lot of people.” Speaking about good golfers, and his idol, he came up with two names. “I admire the personality of Tiger Woods; the way he dresses up and conducts himself... the way he plays under pressure. Vijay Singh is my idol.” Playing in the PGA Tour is his next target. “Now I have 13 weeks in a row in which I will be mostly playing international tournaments. I stand a chance to make it big on international rankings. If I win one or two titles, I will jump into the top 15 in the world. That’s the target, after which I will be eligible to play on the PGA Tour, which is a dream for every golfer in the world.” “I am now signed up with SPG (Starwood Preferred Guest) and have won two tournaments while with them. I feel they are lucky for me and I enjoy their hospitality,” he added speaking on his official sponsors Westin Hotels and Resorts, part of Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide. Golf as a sport for women is also growing, according to him, and Sharmila Nicollet is the player to look out for.
WORLD BRIEFS 25 dead as typhoon hits China, flights hit hard
Rail links Russia and North Korea
Militants to get civilian Iran takes control of trials, Egypt FM tells Kerry Bushehr nuclear reactor
Israeli soldier killed in Hebron shooting: army
HONG KONG: Typhoon Usagi killed at least 25 people after crashing ashore in southern China, throwing the region's transport systems into chaos and leaving tens of thousands of airline passengers stranded in Hong Kong on Monday. Schools and businesses were shut as activity in the normally teeming financial hub slowed to a crawl.
SEOUL: Russia and North Korea have reopened a rail link that Pyongyang hopes will offer a trading boost to the isolated, sanctionssqueezed state. The 54-kilometre (33-mile) track from the Russian border town of Khasan to the North Korean port of Rajin was opened for service at a special ceremony on Sunday.
NEW YORK CITY: Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy on Sunday assured his American counterpart John Kerry that civilians arrested during recent protests across Egypt would not face military trials, a US official said. Several Egyptian human rights organisations have condemned military trials of civilians.
JERUSALEM: An Israeli soldier died on Sunday after being shot by a suspected Palestinian gunman in the southern West Bank city of Hebron, officials said, just two days after another soldier was killed by a Palestinian. Their deaths sparked questions on the fate of peace talks, which were relaunched last month after a three-year hiatus.
TEHRAN: Iran on Monday finally takes control of its civilian nuclear reactor at Bushehr on the Gulf coast, a project begun 35 years ago by Germany, wracked by setbacks, and finished by Russia. The Islamic republic's atomic agency chief Ali Akbar Salehi confirmed on Sunday that Russia would hand over the 1,000-megawatt plant on Monday.
8
News MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
NIC MEETING
HALL OF SHAME
Tempo driver, aides held for molesting US student
PM on ‘will punish the guilty’ trip again Manmohan says abuse of social media to fan violence a major cause for concern. of the National Integration Council (NIC) meet here. The prime minister said the meet had a special significance in light of the communal violence in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh. At least 48 people were killed in communal clashes that broke out in Muzaffarnagar Sep 7. “The Muzaffarnagar violence led to a huge loss of lives and property. We have seen communal violence in Kashmir and
Cops, reluctant to lodge a case, offer to ‘help’ her. They relent as she refuses to settle for anything less. LUCKNOW: Three youth have been arrested for molesting an American student who had to jump off a moving heavy vehicle to save herself, police said. The student had boarded a tempo in Tuliaganj late Saturday. After all the passengers de-boarded the vehicle at different places, the tempo driver, along with his two friends molested the girl. The US national, who lodged a complaint with the police Sunday said, the trio molested her for over 20 minutes and as she tried to raise an alarm they raised the volume of the music in the vehicle. She also noted the number of the tempo and conveyed it to the police. The police was reluctant to lodge a case and instead told
AROUND THE
NATION
the victim that they will “help her”. She, however, said she would not settle for anything less that a formal complaint to be registered.
UTTAR PRADESH
Tight security as VHP’s yatra begins
LUCKNOW: The VHP-sponsored ‘panch kosi yatra’, a religious march, began Monday amid tight security, police officials said. Security forces have been put on high alert around the temple town of Ayodhya and Section 144, which prohibits unlawful assembly, is in place, said officials who added only seers and saints would be allowed to participate in the ritual. Unlike the ‘84-kosi Parikrama’ in August when the state government banned the ritual and arrested hundreds of saints and VHP activists, this time no preventive arrests have been made, an official told IANS. The formal start of the ritual was done Sunday at the Karsevakpuram by the holding of a ‘yagna’ in which Gods were propitiated to ensure that the VHP’s “resolve of building a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya is
Following this, the police lodged a complaint and arrested tempo driver Veeru and his friends Rajan and Ayush. The girl is a US citizen and studies at an institute on Gokhaley Marg and lives in a rented flat at Indiranagar. The victim also told the police that she had to jump off the moving vehicle when it slowed down near Qaiserbagh in order to save herself from the trio. Shiva Shukla, women police station in-charge, said the trio would be paraded before the victim Monday for identification. IANS
AROUND THE
NATION
LUCKNOW: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Monday expressed concern over the increasing incidents of communal violence and said those found involved “will be punished”. “Government should do everything to act against those spreading communal violence, no matter how powerful they are. Anyone from any party found involved in such incidents will be punished,” the prime minister said at the inauguration
GERMANY
Triumphant Merkel to start search for coalition ally
AROUND THE
NATION
AROUND THE
fulfilled”. The Yagna was conducted as per Hindu traditions by Mata Gyaneshwari, Swami Anand Saraswati and Gyaneshwaranand. Sharad Sharma, VHP’s regional spokesman, told IANS that the yatra was being undertaken in the temple town solely with the purpose of their desire for a Ram temple. Tarkeshwar Singh, a police official, said the security arrangements were adequate. Officials said that the ‘panch kosi yatra’ was an annual ritual and the state government did not want to be seen as meddling with day-today affairs of any community and hence decided to wait and watch. IANS
Assam in the past few months,” the prime minister said. “The government needs to take every step possible to deal with this violence,” he said. He also expressed concern over misuse of social media in inciting communal violence. “Social media has been used fan communal violence. Earlier social media was also used to trigger violence against people of the north-east. We must find a way to stop misuse of social media,” he said. IANS
WORLD
BERLIN: The day after her stunning election triumph, German Chancellor Angela Merkel was Monday set to start the process of haggling with potential partners over how to rule Europe’s biggest economy. After a campaign that banked on Merkel’s image as a calm, sensible and reassuring eurozone crisis manager, she led her conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) close to its first absolute majority in half a century.
True to her style, Merkel pledged that “we will use the result responsibly and carefully,” but stressed that she intends to serve out her full term till 2017, as jubilant supporters yelled “Angie, Angie, Angie”. However, the shock demise of Merkel’s junior allies the probusiness Free Democrats after more than half a century in parliament meant she now has to look for a new coalition partner. The most likely candidate was the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), who scored just under 26 per cent. Its candidate Peer Steinbrueck said late Sunday that “the ball is in
Merkel’s court. She has to put together a majority”. An outside option would be a Merkel coalition with the ecologist and left-leaning Greens, who won 8.4 percent,
The most likely candidate was the centreleft Social Democrats (SPD), who scored just under 26 per cent. although both parties in the campaign nixed such an uneasy alliance given their yawning policy differences. Merkel said late Sunday she would wait for the final numbers and than proceed “stepby-step”. AFP
9
News MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
STAND-OFF AT WESTGATE MALL
3 blasts heard in Kenyan mall as forces fight Islamists The explosions followed a sustained outbreak of gunfire that lasted around 15 minutes, the witnesses said.
Indian shot, as he did not know the name of the mother of the Prophet Mohammed LONDON: An Indian man was shot when he failed to answer a question on Islam posed by a heavily-armed gunman who had struck at a mall in Nairobi, a media report here said. Joshua Hakim saw gunmen, some of whom looked to be teenagers, strapped with ammunition belts. They were carrying AK-47 assault rifles. “They were firing indiscriminately, they shot a lot of people,” theguardian.com quoted him as saying Sunday. During a lull in the firing, the gunmen spoke in Swahili for Muslims to identify themselves and leave.
Hakim covered the Christian name on his ID with his thumb and approached one of the attackers. He showed the plastic card. “They told me to go. Then an Indian man came forward and they said, ‘What is the name of Muhammad’s mother?’ When he couldn’t answer they just shot him,” he said. It was not clear from the media report whether the Indian was injured or fatally shot. The hostage crisis that began Saturday has left at least 68 people dead and more than 175 injured.
Al-Shabab At A Glance 1 NAIROBI: Three loud explosions were heard Monday at Nairobi’s Westgate shopping mall, where Kenyan security forces are battling to end a 43-hour-long stand-off with Somali Islamist gunmen, AFP correspondents at the scene said.
The explosions followed a sustained outbreak of gunfire that lasted around 15 minutes, the witnesses said. A Kenyan security source said an assault against Al Qaeda-linked Somali gunmen inside the complex
2
was underway. The AFP correspondent said he heard about 15 minutes of fierce gunfire which then subsided. An AFP photographer at the scene said troops posted around the mall ducked for cover. The photographer said it was “sounded as if the shots were coming from somewhere around the mall, or were being fired from a vantage point in the mall.”
n “The Youth” in Arabic n Formed as a radical offshoot of the Union of Islamic Courts, which controlled Mogadishu, in 2006 n Previously ran much of southern Somalia n Lost some popular support by banning Western aid agencies during 2011 famine n Estimated to have 7,000 to 9,000 fighters Ahmed Abdi Godane is the head of the group. Known as Mukhtar Abu Zubair, he comes from the northern breakaway region of Somaliland.
AROUND THE
WORLD
The army has described the situation as delicate as they try to end the stand-off.
1&4 2&3
Security personnel take positions in the mall. Civilians take cover; a woman being helped by security personnel while she climbs down a vent where she had been hiding to escape the firing.
4
3
The Kenyan army had earlier said it had managed to isolate the Islamist attackers, who stormed the complex at midday on Saturday, killing at least 68 people and taking hostages. Around 200 people were also wounded. The army had described the operation as “delicate” because the gunmen were holding a number of hostages. Shebab rebels said its fighters had carried out the attack in retaliation for Kenya’s military intervention in Somalia, where African Union troops are battling the Islamists. AFP
PICK YOUR
@
Across Stores
ities Twin C
10
News MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
DOUBLE STANDARDS
Hotel-style prison awaits Bo Inmates at the facility — which has housed almost all the high-ranking politicians jailed in China since the 1960s — are given large private cells equipped with soft beds, sofas, desks and an en-suite bathroom, former residents said. TOM HANCOCK Agence France Presse QINCHENG: Fallen high-flyer Bo Xilai can expect hotel-style treatment at a jail for China’s political elite, where he will enjoy comfortable surroundings but be constantly monitored by government agents, former prisoners say. Hidden in wooded hills north of Beijing, guards stand outside the red gate of Qincheng prison, where the once-powerful Bo is widely expected to begin his life sentence after being convicted Sunday of bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power. The jail has high grey walls, but there are no obvious signs of barbed wire or watchtowers. “It’s like a five-star hotel,” said Bao Tong, a former secretary to the ruling Communist Party’s all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee who spent seven years in the prison for opposing the 1989 crackdown on protesters in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. Inmates at the facility — which has housed almost all the high-ranking politicians jailed in China since the 1960s — are given large private cells equipped with soft beds, sofas, desks and an en-suite bathroom, former residents said. “I was pleasantly surprised the first time I saw my room,” Dai Qing, the adopted daughter
of a Chinese commander, wrote in a description to AFP. Dai, who spent 10 months in the prison for supporting the Tiananmen demonstrators, described her cell as about 30 square metres large (320 square feet) and coming “with high ceilings... and even a bathroom”, while prison guards treated her with “warmth and care”. “The head of the prison let me put on better clothes before I left,” she recalled of one occasion when she was let out to visit a sick relative. “He reminded me of my old school headmaster.”
AROUND THE
WORLD
The descriptions present a stark contrast with ordinary Chinese jails, where inmates generally share cramped cells, eat basic food and are encouraged to work, sometimes manufacturing goods for export. Prisoners can choose their clothes, drink milk for breakfast and eat selections of soups and meat dishes for lunch and dinner, they said. Some of the jail chefs used to work in one of Beijing’s top hotels and prepare food to “ministry chief level”, according to a recent report by the Beijing Times. Information about the prison — which does not appear on any Chinese maps — is tightly controlled in China, but a trickle of reports have emerged. The former Communist Party boss in Shanghai, Chen Liangyu, jailed for graft in 2008, wore a western-style suit and practiced tai chi while incarcerated, Hong
Kong media said. Qincheng was expanded in the last year, with an old wall removed to make room for “pavilions, trees and grass reminiscent of a Chinese garden”, the respected financial magazine Caijing reported last month. The descriptions present a stark contrast with ordinary Chinese jails, where inmates generally share cramped cells, eat basic food and are encouraged to work, sometimes manufacturing goods for export. “Qincheng gives the best treatment of any prison in China,” said Chen Zeming, an academic blamed by authorities for helping to organise the Tiananmen protests and who spent several months in the facility. The “Gang of Four”, a political faction including former leader Mao Zedong’s wife Jiang Qing, were sent to the prison following a high-profile trial in 1981. Prison authorities treated senior Party figures better than the Tiananmen activists, Chen said. “Some prisoners were allowed outside to plant vegetables, later I realised one of them was Yao Wenyuan,” he said, referring to one of the Gang of Four. Built in the late 1950s with help from the Soviet Union, Qincheng is the only prison in China to be directly adminis-
tered by state security, rather than judicial authorities. “The prison is directly controlled by the Communist Party’s central committee,” Bao said. “The everyday situation of prisoners is reported directly to them.” Security officials stood outside his room at all hours noting his every change of position, Bao said, while Dai wrote of being constantly monitored. Bo’s status as the son of one of China’s most famous revolutionary generals — and his continued support among the party elite — would ensure his comfort, the former inmates said. “Bo Xilai won’t be mistreated... he will have long periods to breathe the outside air and to communicate with others,” said the academic Chen. Bao added: “If Bo Xilai wants anything, and the central party agrees, then he will get it. If he wants to dance all day, and the party agrees, he can dance all day.” Top officials detained at Qincheng are often released on medical parole years before the end of their terms, according to reports never officially confirmed, and live out their days under house arrest. “After two years, they will say (Bo) is ill and he will be released, and will live next to a lake,” Bao predicted, “or by the sea”.
11
News MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
UNFAIR PRACTICES HELEN ROWE and CAROLINE TAIX feedback@postnoon.com PARIS: Paris fashion gets underway Tuesday with the industry on the defensive following a blistering attack by Iman and Naomi Campbell over the lack of black faces on the catwalks. The pair, two of the fashion world’s best known figures, teamed up with US former model-turned-activist Bethann Hardison earlier this month to launch their broadside. The trio condemned fashion houses that use just “one or no models of colour” in a collection, saying the result was “racism”, even if it was unintentional. They named dozens of labels they considered to be most at fault including Calvin Klein, Donna Karan and Marc Jacobs. “Eyes are on an industry that season after season watches fashion houses consistently use one or no models of colour,” they said in an open letter to fashion week govern-
ing bodies. “No matter the intention, the result is racism. Not accepting another based on the colour of their skin is clearly beyond aesthetic....” they wrote. “It can no longer be accepted, nor confused by the use of the Asian model,” they added, referring to concerns that the scarcity of specifically black models on catwalks is often glossed over by the presence of models from Asia with pale skin. The three then took to the television airwaves in the US ahead of New York fashion week to denounce the status quo, with the Somalia-born Iman, 58, warning that the problem was getting worse rather than better. “There were more black models working then (in the 1970s) than in 2013,” she told US television. “There is a time when silence is not acceptable at all and if the conversation cannot be had publicly in our industry, then inherently there is something wrong with the
There is a time when silence is not acceptable at all and if the conversation cannot be had publicly in our industry, then inherently there is something wrong with the industry. Amber Iman Model/actor industry,” she added. The trio’s charge has caught the industry on the back foot over an issue it has conspicuously failed to resolve. The women said they would monitor this season’s shows for any signs of improvement. The Calvin Klein show at New York fashion week, which wrapped up on September
12, subsequently included five black models in a 35-look collection, a contrast to the one or none of previous seasons. But Didier Grumbach, president of the French Couture and Ready-to-wear Federation, said he felt the accusations were unjustified. “We have 100 shows representing 22 different nationalities. I don’t see how we can be charged with racism,” Grumbach told AFP ahead of the Paris collections. Designers and modelling agencies have said there is a small pool of black models who are in constant demand and therefore difficult to book. Meanwhile, the most anticipated spring/summer 2014 ready-to-wear collections this week will include New York fashion star Alexander Wang’s second show for Balenciaga following his well-received February collection. And all eyes will be on French designer Hedi Slimane with his follow-up to the grunge dominated look of his last women’s ready-to-wear collection for Saint Laurent.
For critics, his work is either bad taste or just ‘not Yves Saint Laurent’, the celebrated fashion designer who died in 2008. For others however, Slimane, known for his skinny tailoring, remains a visionary. Industry watchers will also be keeping a keen eye on the week’s debuts such as the first show by French label Zadig & Voltaire. The label was founded in 1997 by Thierry Gillier, grandson of Lacoste co-founder Andre Gillier. Dutch designer Iris Van Herpen, who presented a haute couture collection in 2011, will also hold her first ready-to-wear show. The 29-year-old has been collaborating with scientists and architects creating an innovative style reflecting contemporary sculpture and art. The Paris spring/summer 2014 ready-to-wear collections start on Tuesday with Christine Phung, Cedric Charlier, Julien David and Moon Young Hee among the first to hit the catwalk. AFP
Parisian catwalks slammed for lack of
BLACK FACES Industry legends Iman and Naomi Campbell launched a scathing attack over the lack of black faces on catwalks.
12
News MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
VIDEOGAMES
No violence please, we’re Japanese
Shoot-em-up offerings from abroad often struggle to gain traction in the multi-billon-dollar Japanese videogame sector where fantasy-style games reign supreme. KYOKO HASEGAWA feedback@postnoon.com CHIBA: The latest version of blockbuster videogame Grand Theft Auto may have stoked a worldwide buying frenzy, but the ultra-violent offering is likely to be a minnow in Japan’s vast gaming market. Shoot-em-up offerings from abroad often struggle to gain traction in the multi-billon-dollar Japanese videogame sector where fantasy-style games reign supreme and sell in the millions — though many in the West have not heard of them. They include the hugely popular Monster Hunter franchise, which has sold 23 million copies and counting since its debut a decade ago. “But most of them were sold in Japan even though we did make an English version,” said a spokeswoman for game creator Capcom. Language translation problems and cultural differences were among the reasons cited for the struggles of foreign game operators in Japan, a rift that was apparent as gamers flocked to the Tokyo Game Show this week. Over 600 games titles were on offer at the four-day extravaganza that wraps up Sunday. Though Japan once dominated the worldwide market with the likes of Super Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog, the country appears to be looking increasingly inward. “The main trends of the videogame market in Japan are divided into two categories: major worldwide successes like Pokemon, Final Fantasy or Biohazard, and games that are specifically designed for core Japanese gamers,” said the Asia
crime Japan stands in stark contrast to Grand Theft Auto’s brutal depictions of urban violence. “Japanese consumers prefer family-use games to those with violent, anti-social or extreme expressions of sexuality,” she said. A report by Internet firm GMO Cloud characterises the difference as “self-escapism versus self-expression”. True or not, Grand Theft Auto is undoubtedly violent, especially when compared to Nintendo’s award-winning “Animal Crossing: New Leaf” in which players take on the role of a mayor running a rural community. By contrast, past versions of Grand Theft Auto have included simulated sex with prostitutes and drunken driving, along with AROUND THE
WORLD
Trend Map institute, pointing to the “overwhelming dominance of games made in Japan”. A blockbuster offering based on the popular comic book “Shonen Jump” reflects a common theme in which many Japanese games are centred around a character well known in multiple media platforms, from so-called manga cartoons and movies to music and television series. Namco Bandai’s AKB 1/149 Renai Sosenkyo, a popular dating simulation game, is the kind of title known to most at home but with little name familiarity abroad — AKB48 is the name of a well-known girl band. “The title isn’t suited to foreign markets,” said Namco Bandai spokesman
Toshiaki Honda. Even Japanese giant Sony is releasing its PlayStation 4 abroad before its hits store shelves in Japan — a first — with executives saying that titles expected to be hits at home won’t be ready in time. Eiji Araki, senior official of mobile social game maker Gree, added: “We’ve learned that characters and visuals favoured in the United States are different from those in Japan.” For some, the unique character of Japan’s gaming market encapsulates the country’s socalled Galapagos Syndrome in which firms concentrate almost solely on the domestic market. The take up in Japan on Apple’s iPhone and Samsung’s
Galaxy smartphones trailed huge sales abroad as many mobile carriers focused on homegrown flip-phone offerings. While iPhone is now selling well in Japan, a ride on the Tokyo subway underscores another unique aspect of the nation’s gaming market — a love of handheld gaming devices. Commuters on the city’s vast transportation network are frequently seen thumbing away on portable devices to pass the time while, at home, consoles outpace the rising popularity abroad of playing games on personal computers For one official at Japan’s Computer Entertainment Rating Organisation, the love of fantasy and role-playing games in low-
profanity-packed dialogue. Carjacking, gambling and killing are the staples of a game in which players take on the role of a psychopathic killer in fictional Los Angeles. When Grand Theft Auto IV was released five years ago it blew away videogame and Hollywood records by taking an unprecedented $500 million in the week after its release, and it shows few signs of slowing with the game’s fifth incarnation released days ago. Despite its foreign pedigree, Hisakazu Hirabayashi, of Tokyobased consultancy firm InteractKK, said he still expects the newest Grand Theft Auto to have relative success among Japanese consumers, at least “for a Western game”. AFP
BEST-SELLING GAMES 2013 North America Grand Theft Auto V (PS3, Xbox 360) Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon (3DS) Call of Duty: Black Ops II (Xbox 360) Injustice: Gods Among Us (Xbox 360) Injustice: Gods Among Us (PS3) BioShock Infinite (Xbox 360) Call of Duty: Black Ops II (PS3) Just Dance 4 (Wii) Halo 4 (Xbox 360) MLB 13 The Show (PS3)
Japan Friend Collection: New Life (3DS) Animal Crossing: New Leaf (3DS) Luigi’s Mansion 2 (3DS) Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 (PS3) Seventh Dragon 2020-II (PSP) Dragon Quest VII: Warriors of Eden (3DS)Uta no Prince-sama: All Star – Limited Edition (PSP)Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMIX (PS3) One Piece: Pirate Warriors 2 (PS3) Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney (3DS)
Europe Fire Emblem: Awakening (3DS) Luigi’s Mansion 2: Dark Moon (3DS) Injustice: Gods Among Us (Xbox 360) Tomb Raider (PS3) BioShock Infinite (Xbox 360) Call of Duty: Black Ops II (Xbox 360) Defiance (Xbox 360) Injustice: Gods Among Us (PS3) FIFA 13 (Xbox 360) Tomb Raider (Xbox 360)
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
Business
SPAIN, MOROCCO SEEK OIL NEAR CANARY ISLES
The Spanish and Moroccan governments are moving forward with plans to explore for oil near the Canary Islands despite opposition from the tourism industry and environmentalists in the Spanish archipelago.
THE TABLET WARS
Microsoft hopes to return to the Surface Details of the new Surface tablet were not known, but many analysts expect a more powerful device to help Microsoft build momentum in mobile computing.
WASHINGTON: A year after its flubbed tablet introduction, Microsoft is back with a new Surface. The US tech giant, which has invited media to a launch in New York, is seeking to correct missteps from its first try and gain a foothold in the tablet market dominated by Apple’s iPad and others using the Google Android operating system. Details of the new device were not known, but many analysts expect a more powerful Surface tablet to help Microsoft build momentum in mobile computing. Microsoft, which is trying to shift its focus to “devices and services” to better compete with Apple and Google, barely made a dent in the sizzling tablet market since introducing the first-generation Surface in October. The company has not released sales figures, but reported tablet revenues of just $853 million in the fiscal year ended in June. Research firm IDC said Microsoft sold 900,000 in the first quarter of the year — a market share of just 1.8 per cent — and even fewer in the second quarter. Apple by comparison sold some 34 million iPads in the first half of 2013. Microsoft was forced to take an embarrassing $900 million writedown for “inventory adjustments” due to weak sales of the new tablet, which has a basic version and a more expensive “Pro” model. Rob Enderle, analyst and consultant with Enderle Group, said he expects the new tablets to be much improved. “This new
release should be massively better than the first one. The trick will be getting folks to look at the product fresh,” he told AFP. Enderle said the first version “was too heavy, too expensive and had poor battery life,” and the upgraded Surface Pro lacked a key element, the Outlook email program. Microsoft appears to have fixed these issues and now has a
chance to gain some traction with a device that aims to serve as a tablet with some of the functionality of a laptop PC. “Right now, people don’t want to carry a large tablet and laptop,” said Enderle. “If you can consolidate into one product, it lightens your load and it’s a lot cheaper.” Jack Gold, analyst at J. Gold Associates, said the first Surface “was not a complete device” and
did not work with many Windows apps. Gold said Microsoft can succeed with “a reasonably priced and performance-oriented Pro” to appeal to business users, but that the company “has to build momentum before Android makes it mostly irrelevant.” Others argue that Microsoft’s strategy has become muddled as it tries to gain ground in the “high mobility” computing segment while still serving the hundreds of millions using conventional PCs on the Windows OS. Roger Kay at Endpoint Technologies Associates said Microsoft has been struggling to serve these sometimes conflicting goals. “The ambiguity of Windows 8 is built into its architecture,” Kay said. “Microsoft has been doing nothing but looking over its shoulder. You need to have your own vision of what people need.” Kay said Microsoft still has a long road to become a meaningful player in mobile computing. “High mobility and that form factor are up for grabs between Apple and Google and perhaps Microsoft, but Microsoft will be a distant third,” he added. Kay said Microsoft’s best chance in the segment was to build momentum with its acquisition of Nokia’s phone business, and extend that into tablets. Kash Rangan, analyst at Bank of America/Merrill Lynch, said Microsoft is hurt by a “diffused focus” as it tries to reorganize, search for a new chief executive and reboot its mobile strategy with its Nokia acquisition.
GOLD`31,300 10g SILVER `58,600 1kg
24C
for
for
DOLLAR `62.48 POUND `100.07
13
AFGHAN TWITTER MEET
KABUL: More than 200 of Afghanistan’s most active users of Twitter and Facebook gathered Sunday for the country’s first-ever social media summit to explore how the Internet is transforming traditional society. Two days of panel discussions and workshops are being livestreamed, blogged and tweeted on subjects ranging from the impact of technology on next year’s elections to how women can avoid being harassed by mobile phone. Technology activists, Internet entrepreneurs, government officials, authors and NGO staff are among the delegates at the gathering at the American University in Kabul.
NUMEROLOGY
$2.2
bn
is the worth of the contract General Electric Co. has won to provide six power plants to Algeria.
GREECE AUDIT BEGINS ATHENS: Greece called for international creditors not to enforce further austerity measures as they began a fresh audit of the country’s finances on Sunday. Monitors from the socalled “troika” of international lenders — the European Union, International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank — were set to start their latest inspection of the Greek economy by meeting Finance minister Yannis Stournaras. The audit will determine the release of a scheduled one billion euro ($1.4 bn) loan instalment from Greece’s ongoing bailout.
THUS SPAKE Let us all fight the money idol, against an unfair system without ethics in which money rules everything. To protect this idolatrous system we abandon the weakest, the elderly, those who have nowhere to sleep... Even the young are abandoned and left without dignity.
BSE NSE
POPE FRANCIS
20,092.66 171.05
5,955.70 56.40
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
Comment
HIGH-FLYING THOUGHTS
Let’s hope India’s Mars Orbiter Mission comes up with new hope of possibilities of living on that planet. With all the violence and bloodshed happening across it, mother Earth is becoming increasing hostile for our survival.
THE SPANISH RESURRECTION
14
THE SICK MAN OF EUROPE REDISCOVERS ITS MOJO
KATELL ABIVEN
THE ARMADA RISES
C
ast as the sick man of the eurozone a year ago, Spain seems at last to be luring back investors despite lingering threats to its recovery. “Viva Espana,” blared a recent report by the global financiers Morgan Stanley, advising clients to invest in bonds from the eurozone’s fourth-biggest economy, which came close to a full bailout in 2012. “Last year, a bit before September, everything was different. We were trying not to read analysts’ reports so as not to get depressed,” said Antonio Carrascosa, leader of Spain’s state bank-restructuring fund, known as the FROB. “Right now, it’s the opposite. We are seeing the start of a recovery.” Having risen in mid-2012 as investors shunned the country, Spain’s sovereign borrowing costs — the yields or rates of interest it must pay on the debt markets to finance its public spending — have fallen sharply. In July 2012 the yield on its benchmark 10-year bond was around 7.5 per cent — a level considered unsustainable by economists. It is now around 4.4 per cent. The Madrid stock market has just broken back through the
9,000-point barrier for the first time since October 2011. “The concerns that were on the world’s front pages a little over a year ago have disappeared,” said Carrascosa. Scrambling last year to stabilise public finances, Spain’s conservative government introduced a series of austere reforms which sparked angry mass street protests. The reforms included spending cuts and looser hiring-andfiring laws for companies, plus a shake-up of the banks to bolster their balance sheets and purge
The government is forecasting that the current quarter will see an end to the recession — the second in a double downturn. bad loans. “With regards to structural reforms, certainly Spain, versus its neighbours, seems to be an exemplary case for progress, namely on the issues concerning
the financial sector, labour market and fiscal framework,” Morgan Stanley’s analysts wrote. The government is forecasting that the current quarter will see an end to the recession — the second in a double downturn sparked by the collapse of a construction boom in 2008. “A year ago, Spain was a problem for the European economy and the world economy,” said Finance Minister Luis de Guindos last week. “Now it is not.” Strengthening exports and an easing in the decline of house-
hold spending “lead us to think that the Spanish economy has come out of recession,” he said. “But this does not mean it has come out of the crisis.” Other analysts were likewise cautious. “We are very much in wait and see mode,” said Fergus McCormick, head of sovereign ratings at the credit rating agency DBRS. His agency currently scores Spain at A minus with a negative outlook, indicating it is creditworthy but at risk from economic shocks. McCormick said he is looking for “signs of progress” in cutting the deficit, job creation and structural changes, warning that more unpopular labour reforms may be needed. “Spain has made a lot of progress so far but has a long way to go, in particular in the labour market,” he said. The government’s latest forecasts tip a 1.3-per cent contraction in overall economic output in 2013 before a return to growth of 0.5 per cent in 2014 and one per cent in 2015. The towering unemployment rate is currently forecast to stand at 27.1 per cent at the end of this year and 26.7 per cent in 2014, staying above 25 per cent until 2016. “The economy is still very fragile and will depend very much on the trust factor, which will determine whether the investment cycle resumes or not,” said Castillo. AFP
EDITORIAL
Trust our politicians to make a mockery of the law
A
fter all the row it kicked up, the suspension of IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal has been revoked by the state government of Uttar Pradesh. With this development happening after she just met Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, the question arises as to what guidelines do we follow in our governance. She was suspended for allegedly ordering the demolition of a mosque being built illegally on government land. This raises speculation that either the CM was waiting till the dust over the controversy settled or has decided unilaterally that she is not to be blamed for the incident after his ego was appeased, for the meeting was the first between Akhilesh Yadav and her since she was sus-
READERS’ VIEWS
pended. For years, books on crime have revealed how criminals work, be it after a bank robbery or gold heist: lie low for sometime till the short memory of the masses rides over the trying times, and when the media and public have got over the news, have your way. The much-read Akhilesh Yadav seems to have followed this policy in this case. Not being able to handle all the flak coming the way of his Samajwadi Party, especially after the recent riots in Muzaffarnagar, he has become desperate to win over at least some of the critics. Whatever the law makes of the revocation, IAS officers across the country, who were aghast at the suspension will feel appeased.
We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or # Plot No 550-A1,3rd Floor, Road No 92, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad-500033 Landmark – Volkswagen showroom or even by way of a call on 4067 2222. Editor: Dean Williams
15
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
campus CYBERBULLYING
WHATS NEW
Anonymous pranksters The more number of social networking sites, the more number of cyberbullying cases there will be. Read on to know more on this AMY ROSE THOMAS amyrose.t@postnoon.com
S
ince the introduction of confession pages in colleges, cyber bullying has increased tenfold. As opposed to Facebook, these confession pages allow one to comment on people without having to reveal their identity. While some posts are anonymously written by romeos professing their love for someone, a majority of the posts are derogatory where individuals write awful comments about their fellow students. “For many it is a platform to vent out their emotions, opening up about things they never had the courage to say otherwise. But, like everything else, there are a few kids who misuse a perfectly sensible forum and turn it into a nasty one,” HR employee, Vamsi Reddy says. Since these comments are anonymous, you do not know who to hold responsible.”One of
my classmates was quite the life of the classroom. She played pranks and spoke to everyone until she was severely bullied on our confessions page. Overnight, there was a change in her behaviour and she stopped talking to anyone in the class. It is evident that she was really hurt by the lewd comments. Since most of these comments are anonymously posted, it’s hard to raise a finger. I personally
think it’s a cowardly act and the people who indulge in it are those who do not have the decency to be honest on someone’s face,” says Ritika Patel, a college student from Hyderabad. Ramesh K, a student from a management college, says he was bullied too, during the first few days at college. “It has only been a few months since I joined college but I already have been linked up with at least four girls. No matter what the truth is, people end up believing things blindly. People love gossiping so anything with a lot of masala in it is worth listening to,” he says going on to add, “The first few days at college with these anonymous hooligans posting hurtful comments about me online affected me quite a bit. I
stopped talking to a lot of girls just because I was linked up with them. But then, later I realised I was being silly and I started to ignore them. When I had turned a deaf ear and a blind eye to their bullying is when they shifted their attention towards someone else.” However, cyberbullying is not restricted to India. According to the latest statistics by the United States Bureau of Justice, two in three kids are cyberbullied once or twice in school. The best way to deal with cyberbulling is to ignore it and show that you are not affected by the comments. You shouldn’t give the satisfaction to the bully that you have been affected by their words. When they understand that their jibes have no effect on you, they will stop. Also make sure that you do not try to find who the person is. In most cases, there are severe consequences which may even lead to death.
UoH cracks the whip on alcoholism and smoking The Hyderabad Central University (HCU) authorities have decided to take action against students who are either caught smoking or drinking alcohol on campus in light of a recent incident where a second year Integrated course student, Mohini Misra, died after falling from the fourth floor of a building under construction.
COLLEGE OF THE WEEK
IIIT
The International Institute of Information Technology is an autonomous university in Hyderabad which was established in the year 1998 and has now emerged as one of the most prestigious institutes offering world class education in the country. Raj Reddy, a Turing Award recipient is the Chairman of the board of governors at IIIT.
APPS FOR GEN Y
STUDIOUS
EVERNOTE
The mentioned The ultimate app allows you to note-taking app, set your class Evernote is perschedules and fect for students. homework deadYou even have lines and store the option of notes and photos digitizing and with ease. When searching for you add your notes you took class schedule, it on paper. This automatically app provides you silences your with an extenphone during the sion for every corresponding browser. For class times. For iPhone, Android android users. and Windows.
18
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
spotlight THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS 1
2
1
Gayatri Shradha & Shilpa 3 Bonnya 4 Sandhya with a friend 5 Nithya & Monica 6 Sonia 7 Farah 8 Samia 9 Nisha 10 Sandhya 11 Shanti
3
4
5
6
CAPTURED!
2
The ‘Metro Chronicles Thru Lenz’ photo exhibition was organ ised at Muse Art Gallery. The exhibition features over 98 photographs of the different modes of transport in the Nizam era. 7
OPEN HOUSE
8
Noted film star and social acitivist, Amala Akkineni inaugurated an open house for a 350 bed multispecialty facility which is nearing completion and set to open early 2014.
9
10
11
TICK-TOCKING BRILLIANCE
RADO presented their latest collection of diamond studded watches at Falaknuma as part of Design Showcase by Sabyasachi Mukherjee.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
health
91 NEW DENGUE CASES IN ODISHA
Twenty seven people have tested positive in the industrial district of Angul followed by Jajpur (14), Dhenkanal (12) and Balasore (11). Blood samples of 13,960 people from across the state have been taken so far, with 4,321 testing positive. - IANS
INITIATIVE
The children will be fed balls made of groundnut, sesame seeds, multigrain powder, ragi, green gram, black gram, Bengal gram or cereals, and cookies.
19
Tamil Nadu to feed kids nutritious nuggets T
he Tamil Nadu government has decided to offer nutritional supplementation to malnourished children in schools, in addition to the mid-day meal programme, to improve their body mass index, an official said Saturday. The scheme, to be introduced soon in Perambalur district, around 275 km from the state capital, will cover nearly 26,000 government school students in grades one to 10 with poor body mass index. The children will be fed balls made of groundnut, sesame seeds, multi-grain powder, ragi, green gram, black gram, Bengal gram or cereals, and cookies. Each of these supplements will have a minimum of 250 calories. “We did a pilot programme last year and found it to be successful, with the students improving their body mass index. Hence we have decided to extend the scheme to around 26,000 students in the district,” District Collector Darez Ahamed of Perambalur told IANS over phone. Ahamed said that children in the school-going age need physical and mental growth crucial for proper health and development. Protein, calorie and micro-nutrient malnutrition at this age could have severe, irreversible, long-
term impact. Malnourished children have reduced mental capacity, and even their motor functions are impeded; their sensory and cognitive skills may be impaired, the official said. Their chances of dropping out of school are higher, as they experience greater fatigue. A malnourished girl could grow into an under-weight or anaemic expectant mother, thus
passing on her disadvantage to her children. “Hence we will provide additional nutrition of 500 calories to school children with a body mass index of less than three percentile, as per the World Health Organisation classification,” Ahamed said. He said that this measure, coupled with deworming tablets, and encouraging the practice of walking not barefoot but with
chappals, and also hand-washing, are expected to improve children’s overall health. Perambalur district is the smallest and poorest of Tamil Nadu’s districts. The nutrition in the noon meal scheme is not sufficient to bridge the growth parameter gap for severely malnourished children here, even though the government already provides eggs and bananas as part of the noon meal. IANS
CRACKDOWN
France makes $270 mn cocaine bust on Venezuela flight
PARIS: French police have seized a record haul of 1.3 tonnes of pure cocaine found on board an Air France passenger plane, Interior Minister Manuel Valls announced. The drugs, seized on September 11, had been packed into 30 suitcases, Valls told a news conference on Saturday in Nanterre, outside Paris, adding that this was the biggest-ever haul in metropolitan France. A source close to the investigation said the flight had originated in the Venezuelan capital
Caracas, adding that the cocaine had a street value of some 200 million euros ($270 million). The operation was carried out in collaboration with Spanish, British and Dutch police, and Valls said “several members of a criminal organisation” had been arrested. Valls said the seizure illustrated the “importance of strengthening international cooperation in the fight against traffickers”, as he displayed the 30 empty suitcases that had
contained the cocaine and were not linked to any of the passengers on the flight. Valls said four tonnes of cocaine had been seized in France since the start of the year. “Such a seizure, in such circumstances, is quite simply exceptional,” French police commander Mohamed Douhane told AFP. “Now an enquiry ... will have to determine if there were other accomplices, whether within the company or at the
arrival or departure airports,” he added. Authorities in Caracas said they had also launched an investigation to determine the origins of the haul. The office of Venezuela’s attorney general said in a brief statement that prosecutors and National Guard anti-drug police are investigating how the cocaine-laden suitcases got aboard the flight at the Simon Bolivar International Airport, and who was behind the smuggling operation. AFP
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
20
THE PAGE DEDICATED TO WOMEN AND THE ISSUES THEY FACE ACROSS THE GLOBE
VANGUARD OF CHANGE
Ireland gets first woman Anglican bishop
T
he Anglican church has appointed the UK and Ireland’s first woman bishop. The Reverend Pat Storey, a rector in Londonderry, was elected by the Church of Ireland as Bishop of Meath and Kildare, in the Republic of Ireland. The married mother of two, who grew up in Belfast, said she was “excited and daunted” by the historic appointment. Michael Jackson, Archbishop of Dublin, said the appointment brought delight to many throughout the Anglican Communion. “Pat herself brings to this work of God a warm personality and a breadth of spiritual gifts,” he said.
All-woman shortlist for BBC award
A
n all-female shortlist for the eighth annual BBC national short story award has been greeted by the chair of judges, Mariella Frostrup, as evidence that the style is “suited to the innovative brilliance of women writers”. Sarah Hall heads the list alongside Lionel Shriver, who appeared on another all-woman shortlist for the BBC award in 2009. By contrast, the Booker prize has never had an all-female shortlist in more than 40 years, and only three of the last 10 Nobel literature laureates have been women.
Women take 80% of clerical jobs
W
omen accounted for about 80 percent of successful applicants for clerical positions at the Osaka city and prefectural governments in fiscal 2013. The success rate of women has soared after eliminating tests on general knowledge and switching to screening methods based on applications and essays. The results show that women are better than men at promoting themselves. But, officials of both the prefectural and municipal governments said: “Ideally there should be an equal ratio of men and women in the workplace such a large imbalance was unexpected.”
AFP/PATRICK BAZ
It doesn’t matter whether what’s growing inside you is a man or a woman. What matters is whether the person it’s growing inside actually wants to be pregnant.
I made a joke and said ‘oh well you’re all sluts’ and everybody laughed and all the women laughed. Was there a single women in there who didn’t laugh?
Sarah Ditum in The Guardian
Godfrey Bloom Ukip MEP
TWO STEPS BACK
WORKING WOMEN
Spending cuts hit women worse, says report
Chinese businesswomen starting to ‘lean in’, too
E
conomists are calling on the UK government to produce a “Plan F” to tackle the disproportionate burden being placed on women by spending cuts. Female-friendly tax and welfare policies are desperately needed to redress the balance, say experts from the independent Women’s Budget Group (WBG), who have produced a report looking at the impact of austerity policies on different types of family groups in England. It finds that women, particularly single parents and single pensioners, have lost much more than men from cuts.
Hundreds of women in forced marriages
H
undreds of women in Ontario are in marriages against their will, with a quarter of them married when they were just teenagers, according to a three-year study looking into the practice. The South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario, or SALCO, released its findings looking at 219 cases of forced marriage that were identified in the province between 2010 and 2012. In 25% of cases, those involved were just 16 to 18 years old when they were married.
Brides to-be prepare to run in a charity event dubbed ‘Fuga de Novias’ (the runaway brides) in Granada. The winners will have their wedding ceremony paid for by event organisers. AFP/JORGE GUERRERO
Tunisia vows to tackle ‘sex jihadis’ The Tunisian Interior Minister said that Tunisian women had gone to Syria where ‘they have sexual relations with 20, 30, 100’ militants.
T
unisia’s women’s ministry said it would come up with a plan to counter the growing number of women travelling to Syria to wage so-called “sex jihad” by comforting militants. “The ministry intends to boost its cooperation with both government and non-government bodies on this issue to come up with appropriate ways to thwart the plans of those who encourage such practices,” a ministry statement said. “The ministry will work to introduce a plan of information, sensitivity and education targeting women and families
everywhere to warn them of the seriousness of these practices,” it said. A crisis group has already been set up, it added. Interior Minister Lotfi ben Jeddou told the National Constituent Assembly on Thursday that Tunisian women had gone to Syria where “they have sexual relations with 20, 30, 100” militants. “After the sexual liaisons they have there in the name of ‘jihad al-nikah’ — (sexual holy war, in Arabic) — they come home pregnant,” he told MPs. Ben Jeddou did not elaborate on how many Tunisian women had returned to the
country pregnant with the children of jihadist fighters. On Saturday, the health ministry statement said it had noted “an increase in the number of young women leaving for so-called jihad al-nikah”, although it did not give any figures. Jihad al-nikah, permitting extramarital sexual relations with multiple partners, is considered by some hardline Sunni Muslim Salafists as a legitimate form of holy war. Reports have said hundreds of Tunisian women have gone to Syria for this purpose, in addition to hundreds of Tunisian men joining jihadists battling the Assad regime.
Z
hang Jingru is one of the growing number of Chinese businesswomen who are being inspired by the best-selling book Lean In by Facebook’s chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg. Zhang has noticed that one of the trends Sandberg describes is true in both the US and China: Although most of the students in her department are women, the vast majority of leadership positions in Chinese media are held by men.
THE WEAKER SEX? Daily drinking a hidden time bomb for women
T
he few glasses of wine women drink each night to take the edge off a stressful day wrangling children or rushing to meet work deadlines pose hidden health risks that may not surface until decades later, experts warn. There has been a dramatic rise in the number of young women binge drinking. But experts are also worried about daily drinking: the alcohol affliction of middle-aged women, which rises in prevalence the older women get.
21
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
Entertainment GLAM DOLL
CINE BYTES
I
leana, a known face down south seems to have shifted her focus to Bollywood films.
The doe-eyed actress is currently working on two big ticket projects in Bollywood. Her latest film, Phata Poster Nikla Hero alongside Shahid Kapur was released last week. She made her dream debut with Ranbir Kapoor in Barfi in which she played a serious character. People tagged as a serious actree but the actress prefers being called the glam girl of Bollywood. “In Bollywood only a glamour image can help us sustain our stand. When I was doing movies in Tollywood, a lot of them were glamorous roles and I am honestly quite happy with that,” she says. While, there may be exceptional cases like Vidya Balan who don’t care much for the glam world. “She is a great actress and I cannot match up to her acting skills and hence want to stick to my genre of glamour oriented roles,” Illeana said.
NTR praises his directors and technicians
W
hile speaking at the audio launch of his movie Ramayya Vasthavayya, NTR made sure to thank V V Vinayak, Rajamouli, Vamsi Paidipally and Krishna Vamsi. He expressed immense happiness over working with Harish Shankar and even complimented cinematographer Chota K Naidu for showcasing him like never before in this film.
Vennela Kishore excited about Doosukeltha
A
ctor Vennela Kishore seems to be extremely busy shooting for his films these days. But what he is most excited about is his upcoming film Doosukeltha. Kishore has apparently expressed his happiness for etching out a hilarious character in the film. Shooting is presently going on at brisk pace.
ILLEANA SAYS SHE IS HAPPY WITH THE GLAMOUR TAG
Noted director Shakthi Chidambaram bereaved
N
oted commercial film director Shakthi Chidambaram’s father passed away at the age of 71. Shakthi is one of two sons and was in shock after his father’s demise. Shakthi is currently busy shooting for his movie Machan and was eagerly waiting to show it to his dad but alas, destiny had other plans.
22
Entertainment MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
THE CRUX OF THE MATTER
CINE BYTES
Bollywood has no stories to tell: John Abraham J ohn Abraham, who has been propagating off-beat and “sensible” films in a space full of masala entertainment, believes that Bollywood currently lacks “sensible” stories to tell. “We lack stories. We have no stories to tell. We put five songs with five comedy scenes and say it’s done,” John told IANS in an interview. That’s one reason why the 40-year-old is loving and enjoying every bit of his new role as a film producer. Thanks to it, he is being able to serve the audience with eclectic movies - the entertaining Vicky Donor and the engaging Madras Cafe. “I love the role of a producer because I make the kind of films which I want to make. I make sensible films. I think ‘Vicky Donor’ and ‘Madras Cafe’ are examples enough about the cinema which I want to propagate,” he said. John, who has been in the film industry for a decade, is all for a healthy mix of genres at the box office. “While we keep making formula films, as a producer and an actor, I want to say let’s make sensible films which the audience will accept. I want to thank them for accepting a film like ‘Madras Cafe’,” he said of his movie, which focusses on the Sri Lankan civil war. In fact, now John, a former supermodel, himself is open to the idea of producing a masala film. “I’d love to produce a big masala film, and I will make sure that you are genuinely entertained by it,” he said. As an actor, he admits it has been “important to be a part of commercial films and to entertain people”. “At the end of the day, people want to laugh and enjoy. But if I am doing a ‘Race 2’, ‘Housefull 2’, ‘Dostana 2’ or a ‘Welcome Back’, it is important that I make sure that a Madras Cafe is also made. “John Abraham is known to do a mix of films. If I do a ‘New York’, I will do a ‘Kabul Express’ as well. It is important to balance it out,” John added. He says it’s been fun to be a part of true blue Bollywood entertainers. “I don’t regret it. They are fun. I am not condescending towards them, but it is good to have a balance of both. I love slapstick comedy. The best case in point is ‘Chennai Express’. I am sure I will enjoy it. But I feel it is interesting to make a ‘Madras Cafe’,” he said. Irrespective of the genre, the story line is prime. “I feel that only a good story line can get you respect. Commercial is a by-product, you will make money... but a good story line will get you respect,” said John. IANS
Sonam and Rhea turn designers
A
nil Kapoor’s daughters Sonam and Rhea are all set to venture into a fashion clothing line. Sonam Kapoor, who is known as a fashionista, along with her sister Rhea Kapoor is now venturing into a line of clothing. Rhea Kapoor has earlier styled her father Anil Kapoor and her sister, Sonam as well, but this time Sonam has got on board with her sister for this project.
Ranbir mimics Big B’s voice on KBC
R
anbir Kapoor can imitate Amitabh Bachchan’s voice quite well. Recently when Ranbir and his mother Neetu Singh were on KBC, and when Bachchan decided to call Rishi Kapoor, Ranbir asked if he could do it. The prank worked so well that Rishi thought the real Big B was someone else.
Vidya launches techbased learning system
A
ctress Vidya Balan launched a mobile phone-based learning system that seeks to make the learning process interesting for children. According to the system, following a missed call on toll free No. 18001208989, a recorded message would play on the return call that would take children through a learning module. This learning system will help children learn English words.
Entertainment MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
23
Entertainment MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
24
25
Entertainment MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
DARK KNIGHT SURPRISES
CINE BYTES
Iron Man stuntman dies in plane crash
H
ollywood stunt artist Dave Riggs, who has appeared in Iron Man and Bond movie Casino Royale, was missing. But it is now confirmed that he was killed in a plane crash, reports contactmusic.com. Riggs was missing since Sep 17, when the accident happened in China. The plane which he was flying in preparation for a local airshow, crashed into a lake. His body was later pulled out of the water.
Bruce Jenner thanks fans for support
F
ormer American athlete Bruce Jenner, who is battling skin cancer, has thanked his fans for their support. Jenner is suffering from a basal cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer, and he is being treated for the disease. “I was diagnosed and have undergone chemosurgery to remove it. I have been struggling with this for several years.”
Jon Hamm to host party for Emmy award losers
C
omic book legend Stan Lee is sure that actor Ben Affleck will do a brilliant job in the role of Batman in Man Of Steel. “He’s a good actor and I wish him all the luck in the world. He’ll probably do a good job as Batman,” contactmusic.com quoted Lee as saying. Fans of the film don’t seem to support the casting, and they have even launched an online petition in order to force the filmmakers to look for a different actor to essay the part. Affleck has been a part of films like Chasing Amy and Dogma. – IANS
A
AFFLECK
will be good as Batman: Stan Lee
ctor-director Jon Hamm will be hosting a party for all those who don’t win any awards at the Emmy Awards ceremony Sunday night. Hamm is nominated in the category for outstanding lead actor in a drama series for his role of Don Draper in Mad Men. He has been nominated five times previously as well, but he never won it. Hamm will be hosting the party with Amy Poehler, who has also never won an Emmy.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
Chai Time
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
Hatred paralyses life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonises it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it. Martin Luther King Jr
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 Backing for plasterwork 6 Cheers’ opposites 10 Ducky shade of blue 14 ‘Adam Bede’ author George 15 War board game 16 Primal impulse 17 Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs hit 19 Poet Teasdale 20 Sweeper’s need 21 Aluminum discoverer 23 Unclean, by Jewish law 25 Therapeutic plants 26 Two-way communications device 32 ‘I, Robot’ author Asimov 33 More than desire 34 Professor’s deg 37 Diminutive 38 Begin, as bad weather 40 Many a jazz combo 41 Used to own 42 Long, involved story 43 Gulliver’s creator 44 Up-tempo jazz style 47 Letter flourish 50 ‘The best ___ schemes ...’ 51 Time for some raids 54 Circus staple 59 Type of wine 60 Dance where ‘you turn yourself around’ 62 Miner’s path 63 Partner of ‘done with’ 64 Musical melodrama 65 Cravings and Japanese coins 66 Flashy car accessories 67 Change south of the border
DOWN
1 Far from family-friendly 2 Moises, Felipe or Jesus of baseball lore
3 Some members of la familia 4 ‘Arrested Development’ character Steve 5 Kind of first-aid pencil 6 Man with dark hair 7 Friction easer 8 It was formerly Christiania 9 ___ terrier (Scottish breed) 10 Tug-of-war 11 A sister of Clio 12 Feel the same way 13 Clues, to a detective 18 Expose, as skin 22 Vice squad venture 24 Pigeon variety 26 ‘___ pleasure!’ 27 ‘70s supergroup 28 Arrive at the airport, say 29 Mary of cosmetics 30 Circle of flowers 31 He’s a doll 34 Morally smug person 35 Sound system of yesteryear 36 Act the loving grandparent 38 ‘St’ in Brazil 39 Over-easy item 40 One more is a crowd 42 Cushy piece of furniture 43 Ginger ale or root beer 44 Fancy bathroom fixtures 45 Cafe patrons 46 Sinewy and lean 47 Floral arrangement 48 Wear away over time 49 Sticky pine stuff 52 ‘To ___ it may concern’ 53 ‘Blame It on the Bossa ___’ 55 Ring of the Fisherman wearer 56 ___ out a living (gets by) 57 You can’t divide by it 58 Young falcon or hawk 61 Beer blast centerpiece
Chai Time MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013 Thiruvaikumar
STAR POWER for 24-9-2013
27
As per Hindu panchang thiruvaikumar@yahoo. co. in, 040-27177230 / 9177596118
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Some have a bright chance to buy a house or land. Comforts are set to increase. Purchase of household items and furniture is likely. Children might face memory loss; get it treated. Respect elders’ suggestions as you will stand to benefit.
STRIP TEASE AGNES
Be careful while expressing opinions as you might be dragged into controversy. Maintain calm when major issues crop up. You are determined to work hard and complete delayed work. Vehicle maintenance will increase and upset you.
Employees will get recognition for sincere work. Petty issues with spouse are possible; try to be cordial and adjust. Students need to concentrate at their studies. But they should avoid deviating from their planned goals.
Hidden enemies may create trouble in the open now; be careful. You will take bold and perfect decisions that will yield desired results. You will get expected help from your friends and relatives and succeed without fail in all undertaken work.
Financial position starts looking up, which will let you relax. Businessmen will march ahead towards growth and prosperity. You will fulfil wishes of spouse and children. Your mind will be occupied with religious thoughts.
Money will come from all the expected sources. Avoid entrusting important work to others. Avoid harsh talk and emotional outbursts. Though it looks like you may not achieve a comfortable situation, you will not face financial crisis either.
You will face issues created by relatives and critics wisely. You will be happy and humorous. But be careful in your talk so that you are not misunderstood by anyone. Official journey undertaken will bring desired results.
Happy events to take place at home will keep the family cheerful. Businessmen will flourish and profits look up. Family issues that have been dragging since long will be resolved. You may undertake a jolly trip with family members.
Children will make you happy and proud. All work will end successfully without facing too much trouble. Powerful VIPs will extend their help to you voluntarily. Your skills will be exposed and receive appreciation from everyone.
TAROT READ
Sumaa Tekur
tarotreadhyd@gmail. com
ARIES:
GEMINI:
Two of Cups – Brown bread, organic food and green tea are all fine. But if you don’t exercise, there’s no way you can balance your fitness programme.
LEO:
Five of Wands – You are about to take on a leadership role. Can’t say it’s what you’ve been looking for, especially because you will have to deal with people.
LIBRA:
PEARLS BEFORE SWINE
The Hanged Man – You are into the theatre of everyday life. You like to dramatise things; make them look bigger than they actually are. Calm down!
SAGITTARIUS:
King of Cups – You have a philanthropic streak, and wish to do something for the larger good of mankind. Take concrete steps in this direction.
TAURUS:
Three of Swords – There are going to be overhead costs no matter much you try to avoid them. So when making the budget, keep a buffer.
CANCER:
Ace of Wands – There are fluctuations in your expectations from people and what they deliver. Have a set agenda and stick to it in order to avoid confusion.
VIRGO:
Queen of Pentacles – There is a transmitter in each of us that signals to something wrong when the communication comes across to us. Keep this radar on.
SCORPIO:
Strength – Keep in touch with your inner feelings and make sure you don’t ignore them. Share your feelings with someone close. It’ll lighten your load.
CAPRICORN:
Four of Wands – Stick to the basics and you will not be in doubt about the final outcome of a project. When the foundation is shaky is when problems arise.
PREVIOUS SOLUTIONS
PISCES:
Temperance – Time to take important decisions. Do not postpone decisions in the hope that you won’t have to ever make them. That will not happen.
NUMBER GAME
Pentacles – You have an interesting story you want to tell the world. There are many ways in which you can share what you feel – writing, art, music, etc.
SCRABBLE
AQUARIUS: Page of
POOCH CAFE
Unexpected financial fortune opportunity is likely. Businessmen have a good growth and profits are likely to soar. You will be determined to complete all assignments better than others. Debt issues might irk you; handle them patiently
for 24-9-2013
Six of Wands – When seen from outer space, we’re all as small as atoms. Whenever your ego threatens to take over thoughts, imagine the tiny you from space.
NON SEQUITUR
Frequent travel is possible. You will complete all work without giving up, despite hindrances. Students will do well and get a good name. You are excited about your son’s career opportunity. You will look very cheerful and active.
SUDUKO
Your financial situation will be good with income from multiple channels. Family will be cheerful. Those planning construction will get help. You will spend time with children and fulfil their wishes. Those trying for a job will get good news.
Boggle BASEBALL SOFTBALL FOOTBALL BASKETBALL Vol: 3, No 62 RNI No: APENG/2011/39337 Published for the proprietors, Scribble Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, by V Harshavardhan Reddy, at # Plot no.550-A1,3rd floor, Road no-92, Jubilee hills, Hyderabad-500033 and printed by him at Jagati Publications Ltd, Plot No D-75&E-52, APIE Industrial Estate, Balanagar, Ranga Reddy Dist, Hyderabad – 500037, Editor: Dean Williams – Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. For feedback, please write to: feedback@postnoon. com and for subscription, please call 040-23541412,
28
Entertainment MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
THE PEOPLE’S PRINCESS
What’s common between Naomi Watts, PRINCESS DIANA? A ctress Naomi Watts, who is essaying the titular role in Diana, shares a sense of humour similar as the late Princess of Wales, who tragically died in a car crash in Paris in 1997. “Regarding similarities between Naomi and Diana - they both like to tell dirty jokes,” femalefirst.co.uk quoted director Oliver Hirschbiegel as saying. Watts agrees with the director. According to her, Diana used to also like telling jokes at the start of her day. “Yes, why not? A good dirty joke, every now and then. Early in the morning, (on set) before conquering the day! Diana used to do that too, that’s true,” she said. The 44-year-old hopes that people will concentrate on the elements which relate her to Diana rather than what makes them different. Watts has earlier been a part of films like Tank Girl, Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering and Sleepwalkers. IANS
CINE BYTES
‘Cory Monteith shouldn’t be given an Emmy’
A
dam Klugman, son of late actor Jack Klugman, doesn’t think late Glee actor Cory Monteith should be singled out from this weekend’s Emmy In Memoriam reel. According to the LA Times, Adam criticised the award show’s plans: “They’re celebrating this self-inflicted tragedy instead of celebrating the life of my father, who won three Emmys.”
Lavigne opens up after marriage
A
vril Lavigne graced fans with a performance at the iHeart Radio Music Festival yesterday, but not before she caught up with E! News prior to hitting the stage. The singer, who married Nickelback’s Chad Krueger back in July, revealed that married life is going well. “I love it and we are really happy.”
Jon Gosselin pulls gun on photographer
I
t’s official. Jon Gosselin does not like having his picture taken. The former Jon & Kate Plus 8 reality TV star pulled a gun on a photographer in Pennsylvania on Friday. Jon got upset when a paparazzo followed him home from his new job as a waiter at Black Dog restaurant in Beckersville and approached her with a handgun and fired a warning shot.
sports
29
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
AMERICA’S CUP
Oracle hold on to stall Kiwis The Americans beat the Kiwis across in Races 14 and 15, staving off a death blow in the regatta
GLENN CHAPMAN Agence France-Presse SAN FRANCISCO: Oracle Team USA notched a pair of wins in the America’s Cup on Sunday, repeatedly denying the Kiwis the one victory they need to claim yachting’s top prize. The Americans beat the Kiwis across the finish in Races 14 and 15, staving off a death blow in the regatta. “We let ourselves down today,” said New Zealand skipper Dean Barker, adamant that the Kiwis will be taking the Cup home with them. “We’ve had a tough few days; things have gone against us but I am certain we can bounce back. “The Kiwis claimed their eighth win in the regatta on September 18, but have been bedeviled by a tenacious Oracle team and wind conditions that caused races to be abandoned or postponed. It was puffy, patchy winds that made Sunday’s races tricky, leaving boats sluggish or zipping
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
Braves, A’s clinch division titles Atlanta claimed their first National League East title since 2005 and Oakland got their second straight American League West crown. LOS ANGELES: The Atlanta Braves and Oakland A’s clinched division titles Sunday but both teams needed a little help to get the job done. Atlanta claimed their first National League East title since 2005 and Oakland wrapped up their second straight American League West crown as Major League Baseball inched clos-
er to the October playoffs. The Braves headed into Sunday’s action with a magic number
start a nose ahead in Race 15 but the USA managed to slip in front and round the first mark with a lead of a few seconds. The Americans built on the lead, laying claim to more favorable sections of the course and denying the Kiwis a chance to close the gap. The USA crossed the finish 37 seconds ahead of New Zealand. The outcome was similar in the first race of the day. The Americans crossed the start nearly even with challenger Zealand in Race 14 but forced them to a side of the course and then darted around the first gate ahead. Oracle proved slighty quicker, out-maneuvering the Kiwis to extend the lead as the course split at the second mark with the America’s heading toward Alcatraz Island and New Zealand going toward the San Francisco waterfront. The Kiwis pressed hard in the pivotal upwind third leg, pulling within 25 meters at times, but the American’s fended off the advances.Oracle crossed the finish 23 seconds ahead of the Kiwis.
along depending on where they were on the course. “There was something happening out there today,” New Zealand wing trimmer quipped when asked whether he suspected a higher power was working against them. “It was a very holy day.” The USA now needs four consecutive wins to retain possession of the Cup, while New Zealand remains just a single win away from triumph in the best-of-17 series. “We believe we can win this, and we’ve got a wave of momentum now getting bigger every day,” said Oracle skipper Jimmy Spithill. The next two races are slated for Monday, when the regatta will become the longest in the history of the 162-year-old Cup, according to organizers. “I still think we are the underdog,” Spithill said. “But with the people we’ve got, strangely enough, they seem to perform better when they are facing the barrel of a gun.” The Kiwis jumped across the
of one to wrap up the division crown.Atlanta beat the Chicago Cubs 5-2 but they won the division before the victory due to Washington losing to Miami in the first game of a oubleheader. Oakland’s Coco Crisp meanwhile clubbed a threerun homer, and Daric Barton and Jed Lowrie each added a solo shot as the A’s overpowered the Minnesota Twins, 11-7. In Chicago, Andrelton Simmons hit a pair of homers for the Braves, who took two of three from the Cubs. Atlanta starter Julio Teheran allowed one run on four hits while striking out seven over six innings. Starlin Castro and Dioner Navarro had an RBI apiece for the Cubs.
EUROPEAN BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS It was a huge relief for France, who had failed to take the title after 13 previous top four finishes.
France get their European glory
DAVID HEIN Agence France-Presse LJUBLJANA: France ended their long wait for European glory by beating Lithuania 80-66 on Sunday to win the 2013 EuroBasket title — their first continental crown. Portland Trailblazers star Nicolas Batum collected 17 points and six rebounds while Boris Diaw had 15 points and his San Antonio Spurs teammate Tony Parker added 12 points for France, who were runners-up to Spain in 2011. It was a huge relief for France, who had failed to take the title after 13 previous top four finishes didn’t produce a crown. And also for Parker, who comes back to play for Team France every summer. “It’s hard to describe how I feel. The journey was unbelievable. I wouldn’t change a thing,” said Parker. “I won the title. I’m a little tired. I felt it in the quarters and
semis. And before the game the coach said trust your teammates. If you score 10 points we will win the final. And he was right.” French coach Vincent Collet was proud that Parker had finally gotten his title. “For so much time he has tried with French basketball to reach this trophy. Finally he got it. That’s simply the natural reward. But it was not the easiest
way,” said the Frenchman. Lithuania were hoping to finally claim a fourth European crown after titles in 1937, 1939 and 2003. But the Baltic side will have to be happy with a second silver after 1995. Linas Kleiza tallied 20 points while Mantas Kalnietis scored 19 points for Lithuania. “Today they were better than us,” said Lithuanian veteran Robertas Javtokas.
sports
30
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
SINGAPORE F1 GP
Hitchhiking Webber get 10-place penalty?
Mark Webber faces a 10-place grid penalty after hitching a ride on Alonso’s Ferrari.
SINGAPORE: Australia’s Mark Webber was facing a 10place grid penalty Sunday after he hitched a ride on Fernando Alonso’s Ferrari at the end of the Singapore Grand Prix. Both drivers were slapped with a reprimand over the incident, which came after Webber abandoned his Red Bull at the end of the race when it started billowing smoke. But according to Formula
One regulations, Webber is in line for the grid penalty at the next race in South Korea for receiving his third reprimand this season. Race officials in Singapore were unable to confirm the grid penalty, which is more likely to be announced ahead of the Korean race on October 6. Trackside video footage showed Webber running on to the track and flagging down
TOUR OF BRITAIN
Race officials in Singapore were unable to confirm the grid penalty. Alonso, who finished second, during his post-race parade lap. Webber then jumped on to the side of the Ferrari and was driven back to the pits, waving
to the crowd as he went. The incident prompted guffaws, but it was viewed more seriously by Formula One officials, who hauled both drivers in front of the stewards. Webber, who is quitting Formula One this year, was told off for going on the track without permission, while Alonso was rebuked because another car had to swerve when he stopped.
NFL
Sir Brad wins Tour of Britain Team Sky’s Bradley Wiggins, Britain’s 2012 Olympic and Tour de France champion, finished in the chasing pack to secure overall victory and take the gold jersey.
LONDON: Bradley Wiggins won his home Tour of Britain on Sunday as compatriot Mark Cavendish took his third stage victory of this year’s race. Omega Pharma Quickstep sprint specialist Cavendish surged away from An Post Chain Reaction’s Sam Bennett of Italy and Italian rider Elia Viviani of Cannondale to take victory in the closing stages of a race that culminated in Whitehall in central London. Team Sky’s Wiggins, Britain’s 2012 Olympic and Tour de France champion, finished in the chasing pack to secure overall victory and take the gold jersey.
Switzerland’s Martin Elmiger was second overall, the IAM Cycling rider 26 secs adrift of Wiggins, with Simon Yates third. Switzerland’s Martin Elmiger was second overall, the IAM Cycling rider 26 seconds adrift of Wiggins, with Simon Yates of the Great Britain Under23 team third. “The feeling at the moment is more just relief than anything else,” said Wiggins, after his first
stage-race triumph since the 2012 Tour de France. “I said I wanted to win it. It is pressure for the whole week. “Until you cross the line you just don’t know. It’s all right to think it’s a bit of a ceremony round London, but it certainly isn’t. You cross the line, you’re pumped up. It’s relief that you’ve finished and fulfilled it for your team and your teammates.” Wiggins, however, won’t have much time to savour this win with his thoughts now turning to Wednesday’s Road World Championships time-trial in Italy.
Colts need Luck to rout 49ers Luck completed 18-of-27 passes for 164 yards and ran for a touchdown as he won the battle of the young quarterbacks by outplaying San Francisco’s Colin Kaepernick. LOS ANGELES: A return to California proved to be just what Andrew Luck needed as the Indianapolis quarterback led the Colts to a 27-7 rout of the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. Luck, who starred at nearby Stanford University during his US college football career, completed 18-of-27 passes for 164 yards and ran for a touchdown as he won the battle of the young quarterbacks by outplaying San Francisco’s Colin Kaepernick. “That was a heavyweight fight right there,” Colts head coach Chuck Pagano said. “Just a phenomenal, phenomenal effort.” Luck got some assistance as the Colts also clamped down on the defense by holding the 49ers to 254 total yards. Indianapolis improved to 2-1 on the National Football League season. They compiled 179 rushing yards, with Ahmad Bradshaw gaining 95
and a touchdown on 19 carries, and the newly acquired Trent Richardson scoring on his first touchdown as a Colt. One week after suffering four turnovers in a 29-3 loss at Seattle, Kaepernick managed just 150 yards on 13-of-27 passing while being intercepted once and losing a fumble. “We have to be better,” Kaepernick said. “I have to be better. I have to be able to make throws down the field.” In Miami, Ryan Tannehill threw his second touchdown pass with 38 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, giving Miami a 27-23 win over the Atlanta Falcons in the Dolphins’ home opener. Atlanta kicker Matt Bryant missed a 35-yarder wide right that would have given the Falcons a six-point lead with 4:46 to play. Tannehill then led the Dolphins on a 13-play drive that ended with Dion Sims’ one-handed catch from a yard out.
sports
31
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
ITALIAN OPEN
Quesne wins Italian Open The 33-year-old went through the back nine in 31, picking up birdies at the 10th, 11th and 15th holes. TURIN: France’s Julien Quesne clinched his second European Tour title Sunday when he won the Italian Open by one shot despite starting the final round four shots off the pace. The 33-year-old went through the back nine in 31, picking up birdies at the 10th, 11th and 15th holes. He then chipped in from short of the 17th green and putted from six feet for another birdie on the last to complete a closing 67. That gave him a 12-underpar total and a one-shot win over Ireland’s David Higgins and England’s Steve Webster. “I am very proud of this back nine. My attitude was very good this week and I think this is the key,” said Quesne, whose previous title came at the Andalucia Open in 2012. “To enjoy a second win on the European Tour is like a dream for me. “I am surprised to be here. The flags were very difficult all week so it was very difficult to make birdies and easy to make some bogeys.” Overnight leader Marcus Fraser of Australia three-putted the 15th and dropped another shot on the par-three 16th. Fraser eventually signed for a 74 to finish joint eighth on nine under.
THE TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP
CL T20
Stenson wins the FedEx jackpot
Stenson beat Jordan Spieth by three strokes, giving him the Tour Championship and its $1.4 million payout, along with the FedEx Cup title with its $10 million. ATLANTA: Sweden’s Henrik Stenson earned the biggest payday in golf by closing with a two-under 68 Sunday to claim two trophies in one day — The Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup title. Stenson finished with a 13under 267 overall score to beat Jordan Spieth by three strokes at the East Lake course, giving him the Tour Championship and its $1.4 million payout, along with the FedEx Cup title with its $10 million prize. “To win both these trophies today it feels incredible,” Stenson said. Stenson became the first
Stenson also won the FedEx Cup playoffs, vaulting past runner-up and two-time FedEx Cup winner Tiger Woods. European to win both the FedEx Cup and The Tour Championship. “I hasn’t sunk in yet,” he said. “But this is going to feel better as week goes on.” Stenson birdied the 15th hole and cruised home with
three consecutive pars for his fourth USPGA Tour title. He also won the FedEx Cup playoffs, vaulting past runnerup and two-time FedEx Cup winner Tiger Woods. “Ever since Scottish Open it has been an incredible run,” he said. “It was a tough day out there today and I am really satisfied with the way I hung in there. I didn’t feel that confident with my game today. I had to battle it a little bit.” Stenson has a half dozen top-three finishes, a share of 33rd and a tie for 43rd at The Barclays since the Scottish Open.
CSK start with a convincing win CSK easily chased down the target of 186, as they reached 187 with seven balls to spare after Mike Hussey and Suresh Raina struck 47 each. RANCHI: Chennai Super Kings started their Champions League Twenty20 campaign with a convincing win over Titans at the JSCA International Stadium Complex here Sunday. Super Kings easily chased down the target of 186, as they reached 187 with seven balls to spare after Mike Hussey and Suresh Raina struck 47 each. Dwayne Bravo struck a quick 38 while Subramanian Badrinath remained unbeaten on 20 off 20 balls to ensure the four-wicket win. Super Kings, however, suffered a poor start as Murali Vijay was bowled by Roelof van der Merwe in the opening over. Till then the Titans had the momentum courtesy AB de Villiers’ brutal innings of 77 and plenty of wayward bowling that took them to 185 for five in 20 overs. But if Super Kings bowlers were wayward, Titans were worse. Raina and Hussey got the freedom to open their arms. The flood gates were opened after Rowan Richards, Morne Morkel and Marchant de Lange gave away 13, 24 and 14 respectively off the third, fourth and fifth over. Raina’s 47 off 28 balls was studde with two sixes and five fours.
CRICKET
Virat Kohli is BSF brand ambassador This is the first time that any central force in India has decided to appoint a brand ambassador. NEW DELHI: Cricketer Virat Kohli has been appointed the brand ambassador of the Border Security Force (BSF), officials said here Sunday. This is the first time that any central force in India has decided to appoint a brand ambassador. “His name (Virat), meaning huge, is synonymous with the force. Plus he is a rising star,” BSF director general Subhas Joshi said at an event at the officers’ mess in south Delhi. After Joshi honoured Kohli in
Joshi hoped that Kohli’s association will be instrumental in enhancing the public image of the border force. the presence of Minister of State for Home Affairs R.P.N. Singh, the Arjuna awardee thanked the BSF for the honour. “I am very proud to be associated with this
patriotic force that is doing a great service to the nation by guarding its borders,” said Kohli. Joshi expressed the hope that Kohli’s association will be instrumental in enhancing the public image of the border force. Speaking on the occasion, RPN Singh said, “It is quite heartening to know that BSF has taken an initiative to reach out to the public and improve its image. This is an innovative idea. I expect all other central force to emulate it.”
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
sports
MOYES ADMONISHES UNITED AFTER DERBY DRUBBING
Manchester United manager David Moyes said he upbraided his players after their crushing 4-1 derby defeat at Manchester City and called for an immediate improvement in their performances.
LEAGUE CUP
32
Suarez set to make comeback against United The Uruguayan was banished to the sidelines by the Football Association after biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic in a league game last April.
TOM WILLIAMS Agence France-Presse MANCHESTER: English football will welcome back Luis Suarez this week when the trouble-prone Liverpool striker returns from a 10-game suspension against Manchester United in the League Cup third round.
The Uruguay international was banished to the sidelines by the Football Association after biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic in a league game last April, but he served the final game of his ban in Liverpool's 10 loss at home to Southampton on Saturday. The shock defeat ended
Liverpool's unbeaten start to the season and saw them concede top spot in the Premier League, but goalkeeper Simon Mignolet says that with Suarez back on board, the team will respond in the correct manner at United on Wednesday. "We've got another game on Wednesday, when we can put
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
More to come from Mesut: Wenger
The playmaker teed up two of the Gunners’ goals in the 3-1 victory over Stoke City and had a hand in the third when his free-kick was parried into the path of Aaron Ramsey by Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic. IAN WINROW Agence France-Presse LONDON: Arsene Wenger believes there is more to come from Mesut Ozil after the Germany international continued his impressive start to life at Arsenal. Ozil has already provided three assists -- more than any other Premier League player -- after just two league games for his new club following his £42.4 million ($66 million, 50 million euros move from Real Madrid. The playmaker teed up two of the Gunners' goals in the 3-1 victory over Stoke City and had a hand
in the third when his freekick was parried into the path of Aaron Ramsey by Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic. Arsenal manager Wenger believes the club record signing is already
showing his qualities, but claims he will display his full repertoire of skills when he has settled into his new surroundings. "When you look at his numbers, the assists are not a coincidence, it is the reali-
ty of his game," Wenger said after a win that left Arsenal top of the Premier League on goal difference from arch-rivals Tottenham. "And I believe once he will be completely integrated you will see even more but he has shown today he is a great player," the Frenchman added. "It shows you that football is football. When you have a ball you make a good pass or a bad pass. The good players make a good pass and the bad players make a bad pass, whether it is in Spain or in England, it is exactly the same.”
things right straight away. I think it's a perfect scenario to get back to it," the Belgian told the Liverpool website. "Luis Suarez is coming back, which can maybe give us a lift." Suarez is certain to receive a hostile reception at Old Trafford due to his feud with United leftback Patrice Evra.
SERIE A
Napoli win can’t stop Roma rise Despite beating Milan 2-1, Napoli failed to dislodge Roma from the top of Serie A. JUSTIN DAVIS Agence France-Presse MILAN: Napoli keeper Pepe Reina ended Mario Balotelli's career streak of 21 successive penalties but failed to see his side reclaim top spot Sunday despite a first away league win over Milan in 27 years. Napoli's 2-1 win was their first Serie A victory over the Rossoneri at the San Siro since a side led by Argentine legend Diego Maradona beat Milan in April 1986. But despite Rafael Benitez's men dominating Massimiliano Allegri's injury-hit side, the Azzurri failed to hold on to the two-goal lead that would have seen them reclaim top spot after Balotelli
LIGUE 1
Monaco hold PSG to remain top Zlatan Ibrahimovic volleyed PSG into an early lead but Monaco's Radamel Falcao bundled in an equaliser. MARTYN WOOD Agence France-Presse PARIS: Monaco came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw with defending French champions Paris SaintGermain on Sunday to keep hold of top spot in Ligue 1. Zlatan Ibrahimovic volleyed
PSG into an early lead in the French capital, but Monaco's 60-millioneuro striker Radamel Falcao bundled in an equaliser for the visitors as the first clash between the league's two financial heavyweights finished level. The draw kept Monaco in first place on 14 points, two ahead of
PSG, who moved into second, ahead of Saint-Etienne on goal difference. "It was a good match. Paris played well but so did we," said Monaco boss Claudio Ranieri. "We tried to win right up until the end and I'm very satisfied. I have no regrets. I know that Paris have a lot of quality, so I'm happy."
reduced the arrears in injury time. It meant Roma, who scored second-half goals through Federico Balzaretti and Adem Ljajic to secure a 2-0 win over derby rivals Lazio, remain top thanks to superior goal difference. Napoli, in second, also have 12 points with both sides now owning a two-point cushion on Inter, Fiorentina and Juventus after their respective wins over Sassuolo, Atalanta and Verona. Despite Roma's positive start to the campaign, coach Rudi Garcia was quick to play down their title hopes. "We can't forget Lazio were in action three days ago [in the Europa League] and sooner or later you pay for those efforts," said the Frenchman. "But it was a crucial win for us.”