Epaper 26 june 2013 by Scribble Media & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013 HYDERABAD

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

32 PAGES

JUST SAY NO 2,00,000. That's the number of people who die due to drug abuse every year. On International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Postnoon takes a look at the far reaching effects of illegal drugs.

PG 16&17

HYDERABAD’S FIRST COMPACT AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER

426 UNRECOGNISED SCHOOLS WILL BE CLOSED DOWN ON JULY 1!

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS? REPORT ON P3

. . . d e s o l c School’s tly permanen

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

city events

MOVIE MATTERS

Movie The Tree of Life, starring Brad Pitt and Sean Penn and Jessica Chastain, will be screened today. Where: Sarathi Studio, Ameerpet When: Today, 6:30pm; Contact: 93910-20243

Weather for Hyderabad

Evening

Overnight

Morning

Afternoon

27°C

21°C

24°C

30°C

A mix of cloudy and clear skies. Windy.

A mix of cloudy and clear skies.

A mix of cloud and sun. Windy.

Slight chance of showers. Windy.

New Delhi Mumbai Max 38 Max 30 Min 29 Min 25 Stray afternoon t-storm.

Chennai Max 37 Min 28

Periods of rain.

Very warm with clouds and sun.

Bangalore Max 31 Min 20 Mix of cloud and sun.

AROUND THE CITY: YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES Montessori School, Dr AS Rao Nagar. When: June 30, 5pm Contact: 9160001494 Website: www.drumberries.com

DINING SHOWS

Food fest Pasta food festival is on. Where: Prego, The Westin When: Till June 30, 7 pm to 11 pm Contact: 040 6767 6828

Celebrity DJ Celebrity DJ Nikhil Chinapa will set the dance floor on fire at Sky, Avasa. Where: Sky, Avasa, Madhapur When: June 29, 9pm onwards Film screening The Green Bandits, a Sleepyhead Production, is a movie that will be screened in the City. Where: Prasads Labs Preview Theatre, Banjara Hills When: June 30, 11am - 1pm Contact: Mansi Gandhi at 9908477444

GIRLS’ DAY OUT: School girls were seen letting their hair down and playing football at Nampally public garden on M ANILKUMAR Tuesday. When: June 29, 10.30 am to 1.30 pm Contact: Padmini Rangarajan, at 98660-81172

Movie time German movie Young Goethe In Love will be screened. Where: Goethe-Zentrum Hyderabad, Banjara Hills When: June 27, 6 pm Contact: 2335-0443

Kitchen queens A cooking workshop for mothers. Where: Andhra Mahila Sabha Arts & Science College for Women,

WORKSHOPS Little wonders A workshop on puppet making for mothers by Sphoorthi Theatre for Educational Puppetry will be held. Where: Lamakaan, Banjara Hills

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

Foodie’s haven Vegetarian and non-vegetarian cooking class will be held. Where: Colorama Printers, Begumpet When: Till June 27, 10 am to 1 pm Contact: 80086-24949 Art attack Aakar Art academy is conducting a

Commissioner & Spl Officer

Helpline

Vidyanagar When: Till June 26, 10 am to 4 pm Contact: 80086-34949 Word club A fun workshop for kids above the age of 8 will be organised. Where: Just books, Jubilee Hills. When: Every Sunday, 10 am to 12 pm Contact: 9849748117

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

painting workshop for kids above the age of 4. Where: Just Books, Jubilee Hills When: Every Friday and Saturday from June 28, Friday - 4 to 5.30pm Contact: (040) 66662323 Techie’s delight DSIR-FMC workshop on technology and patent acquisition will be held. Where: National Institute for Micre, Small and Medium Enterprises, Yousufguda When: June 28, 10 am Contact: Sourabh Gargav, at 93473-45392 Let’s drum together Aao Bajao, an open drun circle by Drumberries is organising its 23 session in the City. Where: Pebble Creek High

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

Kakatiya food Kakatiya Food Festival is on. Where: Bidri, Marriott When: Till June 30, 6.30 pm to 11.30 pm Contact: +91 40 2752 2577

Sunset BBQ Saturday Sunset BBQ is on. Where: The Square, Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre When: Every Saturday, 7pm onwards Contact: 040 6682 4422

Airport Director 27903785, 27906001 For Air India Flight Information Toll free (from any network) for IC Flights 18001801407 And for All Flights: 1800227722 Air India has revised its flight timings. For more information call (Toll free) 18001801407, 1800227722 from BSNL/MTNL 04023430334 from other lines and mobile Website; www.airindia.in TOURISM OFFICES AP Tourism, Hyd 23262152/53/54 Sec-bad 27893100 Dept of Tourism 23453110 India Tourism 23261360 AP Tourism information Centre (24x7) 23450444, 23455999 UK VISA OFFICE VFS India Pvt Ltd Building, 8-2-542/A, Sunil Chamber, Road No. 7

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

24523211 232431300/7641 24521029

Readers’ views

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

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

news

YESTERDAY’S QUESTION

HAS THE AP GOVERNMENT FALTERED IN RESCUE EFFORTS? 91% 9%

YES (A) NO (B)

TODAY’S QUESTION

IS THE KIRAN GOVERNMENT BECOMING A ONE-MAN SHOW? A)

YES

To vote visit www.postnoon.com

EDUCATION

Major upheaval in store for students State education authorities insist they will not allow unrecognised schools to function from July 1. ALEENA ALICE aleena.t@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: Come July 1 and most unrecognised schools in the City will have to close business, say education department officials. Out of the 430 unrecognised private schools that have been listed so far, only 10 have been granted recognition. This year, the education department made it clear that unrecognised schools will not get away and will be taken to task. In order to keep its word, the officials say that from July 1, all the schools that do not have recognition will be taken to task and be shut down. The main reason for schools not getting a no-objection certificate was because of them not com-

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plying with the parameters a school must have, such as location, lab, playground, fire safety, etc. The DEO, Hyderabad, Satish Reddy says, “Not more than 10 AROUND THE

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schools were given recognition recently. The main reason is that they were not able to fulfil requirements like fire safety provisions and parking. These schools have not been able to adhere to standards specified by the education department.” If the government chooses to be firm this time, thousands of students will have to shift to recognised schools. There are hardly four days left for this.

This has not gone down well with parents who believe that the government should have taken some initiative to bring some sort of awareness programme that could help parents decide on the schools. “If a reputed school has

recognition only for one particular branch, as parents we would not know that. Going by the brand name of the school, we will admit our children. It was only after my son got admission in that school did I get to know that this particular branch is not recognised. The list of unrecognised schools only came out on June 1, and most of the schools started the admission process in February itself. The least that the government could do was to ensure that schools do not start the admission process so early,” said Asra Shareef, a parent who got her son admitted in Sri Chaitanya in Ameerpet. The officials in the education department, however, are washing their hands off the matter, saying that parents should be

cautious before getting their child admitted in school. “When we buy any material, we crosscheck a number of times to make sure that the quality of that item is good. Then why is it that parent donvt do that when it comes to admission? Parents must make sure that they check if or not the school is recognised before admitting their child,” says the DEO. For those students who will have to shift out of unrecognised schools to recognised schools, the government has opened the admission process till July 25. “There are nearly 2,000 private unaided recognised schools. For students who have to shift, the admission process is opened till July 25 and the list of the recognised schools is on the DEO Hyderabad website,” he added.

News WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013 LAST YEAR... HERE A study in contrasts

ast year we had reported how students in Rasoolpura receive vastly different standards of education, based on which school they attend. Parents are in a dilemma over where to send their kids to school. Though the government school does its part, it is ﬁlled to capacity. The large private school is economical, but still out of reach for the poorer families here.

JUNE 26, 2012

NUMEROLOGY

CIVIC

MISINTERPRETED

15 new villages to merge with GHMC The proposal is being put forth at the next general body meeting slated for July 3. FILE PHOTO

100tn

of illegal drugs will be burnt in Iran on the occasion of the UN International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

With hundreds of activists and the public on our side, we won’t be fighting as a lone group anymore, so there will be no scope for personal attacks such as these. Thakur Rajkumar Singh, activist See page 5

THINGS WE LEARNT TODAY

The column that teaches everyone something new about the way the world functions.

Now, a Rayala-Telangana state? The rumours that the Centre is toying with the idea of a RayalaTelangana state is the latest topic of discussion.Telangana Rastra Samiti is on record saying they are not willing to accept a Rayala Telangana State.

Expressway sniper now behind bars. The expressway sniper, who was revealed to be a 57-year-old trucker, had been terrorising German roads since 2008. He had shot at some 762 people.

Hate the education system? Check out this institute. The Hyderabad Institute of Liberal Arts, which begins its course on July 1, aims to shift focus from passing an exam to sheer learning.

The mysterious mystics of Myanmar. Myanmar's fortune tellers are thought to be behind several unexplained occurrences in the country.

Internet satellites launched today. This is to provide high-speed internet to under-connected areas.

Md NIZAMUDDIN nizamuddin.a@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: The new villages to join the GHMC are: Kothwalguda (Shamshabad Mandal), Gandipet, Vattinagulapalli, Neknampur, Khanapur, Manchirevula, Kismatpur, Himayathsagar (Rajendranagar Mandal), Kalwancha (Kuntlur from Hayathnagar Mandal), Jillelguda, Kothapeta, Meerpet, Phadishareef (Saroornagar), Jawaharnagar (Shamirpet Mandal) and Dammaiguda (Kesava Mandal). The government has directed the GHMC commissioner to place the matter before the general body and obtain its views, objections and suggestions. The process will follow the communication of the GHMC with the government within a period of 15 days. At first the proposed villages stood at 38 Gram Panchayats. Later the proposal was revised before being placed before the standing committee. The GHMC had

accorded approval and recommended to the government to include 20 Gram Panchayats. Later under GO Ms No.124, MA&UD, the government proposed to include 15 villages. Some of the other proposals to be put forward in the general body meeting, which were passed in standing committee meetings are: AROUND THE

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FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE For the owners of heritage buildings, waiving 75 per cent on property tax for privately owned heritage buildings and reimbursement of 20 per cent of estimated cost for taking up repairs. Or else, a sum of `25 lakh, whichever is less, to be given as financial assistance to the privately owned buildings for taking up renovation and conservation and exemption of property tax.

11TH WORLD CONGRESS

OF METROPOLIS, 2014 To be held in October 2014. The GHMC seeks authorisation from the AP government for administrative sanction for `3.6crore. The expenditure will be towards logistical costs for arranging the World Congress from the internal resources of the corporation.

WATER SERVICE With the implementation of comprehensive water supply services improvement for Malkajgiri municipality. Under AP Municipal Development Project (APMDP) with a total project cost of `338.54crore, GHMC aims at providing regular water supply to the area reeling under shortage. The corporation will share 10 per cent out of the total estimate.

SPORTS COMPLEX Construction of a sports complex at Khajaguda.The GHMC will be seeking an administrative sanction of `600 lakh from the government.

JFK didn’t say he was a jam doughnut! BERLIN: Legend has it that US president John F Kennedy made a whopping grammatical gaffe with his iconic declaration “Ich bin ein Berliner” 50 years ago on Wednesday, essentially telling his audience — and the world — “I am a jam doughnut”. The historical lore was that JFK, in his first faltering words of German, was wrong to use the indefinite article “ein” and should have said “Ich bin Berliner” to declare his solidarity with the embattled Cold War city. Not so, says Anatol Stefanowitsch, a professor of linguistics. “The sentence ‘Ich bin ein AROUND THE

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Berliner’ is grammatically absolutely acceptable,” he told AFP ahead of the commemorations for the June 26, 1963 speech. The phrase came up twice in the speech, delivered in Kennedy’s broad Boston accent. It was his brainchild and translated into German for him by official interpreters — JFK had written it out phonetically on notecards so he would be understood. Stefanowitsch notes that while “Berliner” is a German word for a filled pastry, the context of Kennedy’s declaration made his sentence abundantly clear to the cheering throngs. “That is exactly what Kennedy wanted to do — he did not want to claim to actually be a resident of the city of Berlin but rather to say that he shared something with the Berliners, namely their love of freedom,” Stefanowitsch said. AFP

CITY BRIEFS Body of unidentified youth found in Meerpet

67 per cent clear supplementary exams

Not politicising flood issue, says Naidu

Four police inspectors transferred

total of 67 per cent students cleared Intermediate Supplementary (First Year) exams, according to the BIE secretary Rama Sankar Naik. Out of 6,56,695 candidates who appeared, 4,37,621 candidates cleared. The students who want to apply for recounting and veriﬁcation will have to apply before July 3.

DP chief Chandrababu Naidu has denied that he and his party were politicising the Uttarakhand ﬂoods. Naidu said he came forward to help the victims on humanitarian grounds and asserted that there was no need for his party to politicise such issues. He said his party had organised a ﬂight to shift the pilgrims to their native places.

ity police commissioner Anurag Sharma has transferred four inspectors. S Ravinder is posted at Nampally. J Madan Mohan Reddy was posted at Saifabad as an additional inspector. G Prasad Rao was posted at Punjagutta as an additional inspector and T Sudhakar was posted as SHO at Saifabad trafﬁc police station.

he naked body of a youth aged some 25 years was found with wounds all over his body on the roadside in Almasguda, Meerpet yesterday. The body has not been identiﬁed as yet and is kept in Osmania Hospital mortuary for post mortem and identiﬁcation. Police found name ‘Rajni’ tattooed on his hand.

News WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

RTI ACTIVIST

Threats fail to dissuade him

Most recently known for bringing an MLA to his knees for encroaching on government property, Thakur Rajkumar Singh braves death threats while fighting for the general good. PADMINI C padmini.c@postnoon.com How did your journey as an activist begin? I was an educationalist for a long time but I was not happy at the sedentary occupation. There seems to be so much injustice around. In 2004, I launched an NGO called Human Rights and Consumer Protection Cell (HRCPC) to work in the areas of human rights, consumer protection and prevention of corruption (using the Right To Information Act). After successfully working on a number of cases, I also started working on environmental issues in association with Save our Urban Lakes (SOUL). You have been in the news for going up against political bigwigs on issues of land-grabbing and encroachments... Tell us more. Since we started working on the issues of land-grabbing and encroachments, we have unearthed a lot of scams, some involving political figures. For instance, earlier in the year, I filed a case against the MLA from S e r i l i n g a m p a l l y, Bikshapathi Yadav, for

be sensitised.

illegally taking over a public park in BHEL and setting up a function hall for his personal gain. Because of my complaint, I’ve been targeted and my family was attacked. When you filed a case in the Lokayukta against the MLA, did you fear repercussions? Yes, I did expect that there might be unpleasant ramifications. But I expected them to attack me, not my family. One day, 70-80 people entered my house, threatened my family. They stopped my wife from entering the house and hurled abuses at her and demanded that I withdraw my case in the Lokyukta. Thankfully, the police responded promptly and we were saved. You not only did not withdraw but you recently filed another case against the same MLA. We found information to reveal that the same MLA had grabbed the playground of a government girls’ school in Shantinagar and

Coming back to the issue, how grave is land-grabbing and encroachments in the City? Land-grabbing, pollution and exploitation are the three main issues here. Usually what happens is that all sewage in the City goes into nearest water bodies, contaminating them and become a breeding ground for disease. So when the land-grabbers cover them with mud, those around the area consider it good riddance and don’t complain. Thus, many lakes and other water bodies in the City are going extinct. Thakur Rajkumar Singh (in orange cap) at Eerla Cheruvu

allotted a portion of it to some allied party, the Shanti Nagar Mahila Samakhya. Despite many complaints, no action was taken by the district collector. Do you have faith in the system? Will justice prevail? Definitely. I have full faith in the judiciary. We have received a lot of positive outcomes in the past. In fact, many activists are coming together and bringing our cases to the judiciary so as to put pressure on the executive to perform their functions. What about you? Do you expect to face more trouble continuing down this path? Yes, I do. The day after we filed this case, some women from the Shanti Nagar Mahila Samakhya even burnt my effigy in public, so the message is clear. But what I’m really trusting in is God above.

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But this brings into question once again the issue of protection for whistle-blowers and RTI activists. Do you think there should be a better mechanism set in place? Yes. In fact, that is the main problem with our system. The reason why many people don’t come out in the open is because of this. When it comes to RTI activists specially, the information of the complainants is leaked by corrupt sources to the accused. And death threats follow. Despite going to the police, no FIRs are registered. This has to be rectified. Whether they take action or not, if an FIR is registered, things will be on record and there will be some fear. Higher level officials are helpful but the police on the ground need to

So what should be done? One is to find a way to treat the sewage and stop polluting water bodies. Two, promote awareness and understanding among public to care for these lakes. If we stop polluting them now, in seven to 10 years, they will naturally restore themselves and we will have fresh water. Three, since almost 50 per cent of Hyderabad is now dependent on ground water, there is over-exploitation. There should be infrastructure development along the Outer Ring Road including better rail/road connectivity so that the population spreads out and the pressure on the City is decreased. When pollution is controlled, land-grabbing and encroachments will no longer be an issue. Do you see change happening? More and more activists are working on the issue. More societies are also caring about their surroundings. In the next two to three years, I definitely see a revolution happening. With hundreds of activists and the public on our side, we won’t be fighting as a lone group anymore, so there will be no scope for personal attacks such as these.

NATION BRIEFS 70-yr-old shepherdess murdered

SALEM: A 70-year-old shepherdess was murdered by a man who objected to the goats coming near his hut at Kullampalayam village, police said. They said the two got into an argument over the issue after which the man suddenly struck her on the head with a bamboo rod. She suffered bleeding injuries and was taken to the hospital here.

Britain keen on security co-operation with India

LONDON: Britain is keen to improve co-operation with India and other Asian countries in the ﬁelds of security and intelligence, a senior UK minister has said. “We are keen on improving international cooperation with India and other Asian countries in the ﬁelds of security and intelligence," James Brokenshire, Minister for Security, said.

Jyoti Basu's centenary celebrations on July 8

KOLKATA: Release of a memorial volume, and a year-long programmes throughout West Bengal highlighting his life and philosophy would mark late West Bengal Chief Minister and marxist patriarch Jyoti Basu's centenary celebrations beginning July 8. Basu was at the helm of affairs in West Bengal for over 23 years from 1977.

Sub-inspector killed in train incident

BAREILLY: A policeman posted in Faizabad died after he fell from a moving train in neighbouring Shahjahanpur district, police said here. Sub Inspector Rajendra Singh (42) died after falling from Faizabad-Delhi Express near Baitalya village in Katra area yesterday, they said. Singh was on his way to Delhi when the incident occurred.

Dalit youth beaten to death

BAHRAICH: A Dalit youth was allegedly beaten to death by two youths on suspicion of being a thief in Fakharpur area, a senior ofﬁcer said here. Nankau (28) was beaten by Pradeep Mishra and Kuldeep Mishra on suspicion of theft in Janakpur village on Monday night. Nankau died while being taken to a hospital, he said.

News WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

NORTH INDIA FLOODS

FLIGHT OF FANTASY

From Japan to Canada! A Japanese racing pigeon got lost, flew across the Pacific, eventually reaching Canada.

Fog, rain delay air rescue ops DEHRADUN: The rescue and evacuation operations were delayed in the rain-ravaged Uttarakhand early Wednesday owing to rains and dense fog in some areas, officials said. "After the chopper crash Tuesday, we are moving with caution to ensure that such incidents do not reoccur. We are waiting for the weather to improve," said a senior state official. While at some places the skies had opened up, fog remained a cause of concern, the official added. AROUND THE

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The rescue mission to rescue more than 7,500 people still stranded on the Badrinath route in Joshimath and Harshil is likely to start around noon, officials involved in the operations told IANS. Helicopter services, however, are continuing in Dharasu area of Uttarkashi. But with the inclement weather continuing to affect the rescue, army is now focussing more on the evacuation on foot. Rescuers have been urging people to walk to safety to the army base camps with the help of the troopers guiding them. The people, who have now

Mi-17 cockpit voice recorder found, all 20 dead GAUCHAR: The cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder of the ill-fated Mi-17 helicopter were today recovered near Gaurikund in Uttarakhand a day after it crashed during rescue mission, even as IAF chief NAK Browne ruled out possibility of any of the 20 men on board surviving. Asked if the envelope of safety had been pushed, he said, "I won't say that anything was pushed... In the mountains, especially during the monsoon, weather is always an issue. But, at this point of time, we are not quite sure if it was the weather or a technical problem (that led to the crash)." PTI reached the relief and medical camps set up by army, are waiting for the weather to clear so that sorties of choppers may begin and they can be airlifted to Dehradun, Haridwar and Rishikesh. More than 845 people have been confirmed dead in the natural calamity that hit Uttarakhand June 15. IANS

Black money: India gets watchdog praise NEW DELHI: In a major boost to measures being taken by India against money laundering and terror financing activities, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) today said the country has substantially addressed the deficiencies in its regulatory framework and has become largely compliant with global standards in this regard. FATF is an inter-governmental body that sets standards, and devel-

ops and promotes policies to combat money laundering and terrorist financing for countries across the world. With a substantial improvement in India's regulatory provisions, FATF has also decided to remove the country from its regular followup process for determining its compliance to for anti-money laundering and countering financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) regulations. PTI

OTTAWA: A plucky pigeon that flew across the Pacific Ocean from Japan will be bred by a bird lover in Canada hoping its progeny will make top long-distance racers, an animal rescue official said. The pigeon was discovered tired and thin at a Canadian air force base on Vancouver Island in westernmost Canada and taken to an animal rescue centre near Comox, British Columbia where it was treated for a common bird parasite and nursed back to health. “We believe it took off from land in Japan and got confused or got caught up in a storm and got lost before eventually hopscotching its way to Canada, stopping and sleeping on freighters along the way,” the Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society’s Reg Westcott told

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AFP on Monday. The one-year-old bird was among roughly 8,000 race pigeons released on May 9 in Haboro, Hokkaido, in northern Japan for a 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) race, according to owner Hiroyasu Takasu, 73, of Ishioka, Ibaraki. “I have never heard of

pigeons going to Canada. It’s incredible,” Takasu told AFP in Tokyo. A pigeon’s top range is typically 650km. This one travelled around 7,000km. Takasu decided not to have the pigeon flown back, fearing that the travel back home might kill it. The local Pigeon Racing Society in western Canada offered to take in the wayward bird and set it up with some female birds. AFP

News WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

POLITICS

COMEBACK KING

CONG BRAHMASTRA:

RAYALA-TELANGANA

But will it work? Telangana Rastra Samiti is on record saying they are not willing to accept a Rayala Telangana State. Here are the calculations of the Congress in considering an R-T State instead of T state. MD. INKESHAF AHMED ahmed.m@postnoon.com

CM bat for special package?

HYDERABAD: The rumours that the Centre is toying with the idea of a Rayala-Telangana state instead of Telangana is the latest topic of discussions in the political circles of the State. Telangana leaders from the Congress are aflutter with the reports of Congress’s latest obsession of carving out an R-T state with Hyderabad as its capital. According to the proTelangana leaders, the proposal is politically motivated. The Congress calculation, they say, is that the creation of a Rayala Telangana state would substantially reduce the threat of United Andhra agitation by bringing in a division among its strong votaries.

n the other hand, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy continued to bat for announcement of a special financial package for the Telangana region. He reportedly raised this during his maiden meeting within the newly appointed party in-charge of AP Affairs Digvijay Singh on Tuesday in New Delhi. He raised the same issue during his meeting with Ahmed Patel, the political secretary to party president Sonia Gandhi. The CM requested Digvijay Singh to announce the package before the release election notification for holding Panchayat elections in Andhra Pradesh. According to the CM, the special package for the Telangana region can’t be announced after the release of election notification as it would be construed as violation of model code of conduct.

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The second advantage of carving out the Rayala Telangana state would be to help the Congress party in the next general elections as it would divide the state in two equal parts. The creation of Rayala Telangana state would take away 147 Assembly seats of the existing 294-member Assembly and leave an equal number of 147 Assembly seats for the new state of Andhra region. “The idea of our party is very clear. It does not want to prolong the issue any more as it would be detrimental for the existence of the party in the State which played a crucial role in

The Congress plan, T leaders say, is that the creation of a Rayala Telangana state would substantially reduce the threat of United Andhra agitation by dividing its strong votaries.

the formation two consecutive UPA governments since 2004. Moreover, the Congress believes a R-T would clip the wings of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti and its patriarch K Chandrasekhara Rao whose mercurial attitude is giving headache to the ruling party. The most appropriate decision, according to Congress party leaders, would be to give Rayala Telangana as it would not

only fulfil the aspirations of the Telangana people but also help the centre to keep the united Andhra camp under control,” a senior Congress leader from Telangana region said. Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha and senior minister K Jana Reddy also confirmed the move though they said the final shape of things would be decided by the party high command.

Murdoch relaunches Down Under SYDNEY: The Australian arm of Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, News Limited, will relaunch under the News Corp brand as part of a global revamp, its CEO said Wednesday. Kim Williams said from July 1 the unit would be called News Corp. Australia, to coincide with “the launch of the new News Corp. globally”. News Limited was the foundation of what is now a vast global media empire for Australian-born Murdoch, and the original firm from which News Corp. took its name. AROUND THE

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Shareholders this month gave the go-ahead to a plan to split News Corp. into two distinct firms in a bid to insulate its profitable entertainment assets from slumping newspaper revenues. One company will focus on news and publishing, retaining the News Corp. name, and the other will cover television and film, to be called 21st Century Fox. The “new” News Corp will include newspapers in Britain, Australia and the United States, including The Wall Street Journal and The Times of London. It will also administer digital real estate services, book publishing, digital education and sports programming and pay-TV distribution in Australia. News Limited is a dominant player in the Australian print media industry, owning 70 percent of the nation’s newspapers as well as extensive online assets. AFP

WORLD BRIEFS Bomb targeting senior judge kills 7 in Pakistan

Chinese space crew returns home

US Army to cut 80,000 troops by 2017

1,800-year-old road found in Jerusalem

No concrete outcome from Syria meet

KARACHI: A motorcycle bomb targeted a senior judge in Karachi today, killing seven people, including four security personnel. Justice Maqbool Baqar, senior Judge of Sindh High Court, was heading to the court when the bomb believed to be attached to a motorbike exploded. At least 15 people, including Baqar, were also injured.

BEIJING: Three Chinese astronauts safely returned to Earth today after a 15-day trip — the longest in country’s history — to a proposed space lab set to be ready by 2020, marking the latest success for China’s manned space programme. The Shenzhou-10 spacecraft made a safe landing in Gobi desert in inner Magnolia this morning.

WASHINGTON: The United States Army has announced to reduce its strength by a whopping 80,000 by 2017 as part of a budgetcutting plan, making it one of the largest force reductions since World War II. The cut will include the elimination of entire brigades at 10 installations and two bases in Germany.

JERUSALEM: An ancient highway dating back to the Roman Empire has been discovered in Jerusalem, Israeli authorities said. It was discovered in the Palestinian neighbourhood of Beit Hanina in northern Jerusalem. The newly discovered road was part of the imperial network of roads that led to Jerusalem from the coastal plains.

GENEVA: A meeting of ofﬁcials of the UN, Russia and the US on preparation work for the Geneva Conference on Syria has concluded without any concrete results. UN-Arab League Joint Special Representative for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi, Russian Dy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikhail Bogdanov, and US Under Secretary of State Wendy Sherman attended.

News WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

SPY GAMES

FOR THE RECORD

‘Snowden’s a free man’ Russian Presdient Vladmir Putin confirms that Edward Snowden is still in a Moscow airport transit zone and rejects calls for his extradition to the US. DMITRY ZAKS, MARIA ANTONOVA Agence France-Presse MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin has described US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden as “a free man,” confirming that he is still in a Moscow airport transit zone and rejecting calls for his extradition to the United States. In his first comments about the chase for Snowden that has captivated world attention, Putin on Tuesday said the former CIA agent’s arrival in Moscow from Hong Kong was “completely unexpected” for the Russian authorities. The dramatic announcement ended two days of guessing over the whereabouts of the fugitive, who leaked revelations of massive US surveillance programmes to the media and is now wanted by Washington.

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“It is true that Mr. Snowden came to Moscow,” Putin said at a news conference while on a visit to Finland. “For us, this was completely unexpected.” “He arrived as a transit passenger and he does not need a visa or other documents. He can buy a ticket and go wherever he pleases. He did not cross the state border, as a transit passenger he is still in the transit hall,”

BAD SHOT Expressway sniper of 762 shootings held BERLIN: A 57-year-old truck driver in Germany has confessed he is the mysterious “expressway sniper” responsible for shooting at at least 762 other road users, police said. The Federal Criminal AROUND THE

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Police (or BKA) said the suspect, known as Michael K, worked as a truck driver in Eifel region in southwest Germany. He was allegedly involved in “weird serial shootings” while driving his truck since 2008.

Putin’s reactions to Snowden’s arrival n

“He is a free man.”

“His arrival is completely unexpected.”

“We has no such agreement with the United States”, on extraditing Snowden to the US

“The sooner he selects his final destination point, the better for us and for himself.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives at the airport in Turku, Finland, on June 25, 2013. AFP/ LEHTIKUVA / ANTTI AIMO-KOIVISTO

Putin added. Snowden had been expected to board a flight for Cuba on Monday, reportedly on his way to seek asylum in Ecuador. But he never did and Putin appeared to confirm that he was still uncertain over his onward travel plans. “Mr Snowden is a free man, the sooner he selects his final destination point, the better for us and for himself,” he said.

A LOT OF SQUEALING AND NOT MUCH WOOL The US has urged Russia to use all means to expel Snowden, who reportedly arrived at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport on a flight from Hong Kong on

Sunday, infuriating the US which had issued a request for his arrest in the southern Chinese city. However, Putin insisted that Russia only extradites foreign nationals to countries with which it has a formal extradition treaty. “We have no such agreement with the United States,” he said, calling US allegations that Russia is breaking the law “nonsense and rubbish.” White House National Security spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden later told AFP that: “While we do not have an extradition treaty with Russia, there is nonetheless a clear legal basis to expel Mr. Snowden.” Putin said he would person-

ally prefer not to deal with cases such as those of Snowden and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is holed up in Ecuador’s embassy in London to avoid charges of sexual assault in Sweden. “It’s the same as shearing a piglet: there’s a lot of squealing and not much wool,” he said. WikiLeaks responded by thanking Putin on its Twitter account: “We appreciate President Putin’s supportive comments on Assange and Snowden,” it said. The group also suggested that the US by “cancelling Snowden’s passport and bullying intermediary countries may keep Snowden permanently in Russia.”

Guinness entry with 3,000-year calendar? KOTTAYAM: How many of us know that the day India became independent — August 15, 1947 — was a Friday? Or that then PM Indira Gandhi was assassinated on a Wednesday? All you need to figure out the day of the year, no matter what year, is to refer to a 14page calendar that an X-ray technician here has printed. Shaji Thomas, 47, now eyes an entry in the Guinness AROUND THE

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World Records for his calendar, which in 28 pages captures 3,000 years. At a school reunion, seeing many of his classmates in senior positions, Thomas told them: “Wait and see, I might be an X-ray technician, but I’ll soon have an entry in the record books.” “I have taken the copyright for a 3,000-year (AD 1 to AD 3000) calendar. For now, I have printed a 301-year calendar which runs into 14 pages. The 3000-year one is 28 pages,” Thomas said. Thomas has started documentary procedures for seeking a mention in the record books. “Now I am waiting for all the required papers to apply for both the Limca and the Guinness records,” Thomas said. IANS

ANGRY WATERS

Rising seas washing away Pacific leader’s home island

GIFF JOHNSON Agence France-Presse

MAJURO: As the US urges world leaders to ramp up action on climate change, the leader of one small island chain in the North Pacific Ocean has already got the message — watching helplessly as rising seas slowly erode his birthplace. The idyllic beaches on the island of Buoj where Marshall Islands President Christopher Loeak fished as a boy are already submerged, and the everencroaching ocean now threatens to wash away roads, schools and

airstrips. “The end of the island gets shorter every year. Some places we used to stand on the beach to fish are now in the water,” Loeak, 60, told AFP. Buoj is one of 52 islands in Ailinglaplap, an atoll that a Marshall Islands survey found was one of its most vulnerable to climate change. “I have great attraction to Ailinglaplap,” Loeak said in the capital, Majuro. “I can live on other islands, but I was born and raised there. I always think about going back there to live.” The Marshalls, an island

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nation of some 70,000 people about halfway between Australia and Hawaii, will have a rare moment in the international spotlight in September, when it hosts the annual Pacific Islands Forum. Loeak said he wanted to use the opportunity to send a strong message to the world, particularly larger polluting nations, about the need for action to slow down climate change. “We will not stop telling people that climate change is a real issue for humanity,” he said. “We will be the first to feel it, but it will come to them and they should realise it.”

News WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

CRIME

GRISLY AFFAIR

Four Chinese nationals killed in PNG AROUND THE

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SYDNEY: Four Chinese nationals have been hacked to death in Port Moresby, with one reportedly beheaded and the others dismembered in an attack condemned as “brutal and cowardly” Wednesday by Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill. O’Neill called for calm after the grisly murders, believed to have been committed with knives or swords in the Koki area of the Pacific nation’s capital on Monday night. “I condemn this brutal and cowardly attack on the four Chinese nationals," O’Neill said in a statement. “I want to assure the government of China and relatives of those killed that police will get all the help necessary to track down and bring the perpetrators to justice." The four — three men and a woman — were hacked and stabbed repeatedly by attackers who jumped a high fence outside the bakery they ran near the popular Koki market, according to media reports. AFP

Job racket claims a life Indian travel agents continue to deceive youths with job offers in Saudi Arabia which in reality is currently endorsing a son-of-the-soil policy.

Mohd SUBHAN Mohd.S@postnoon.com

The true picture

HYDERABAD: An unfortunate man who had allowed himself to be inveigled by a glibtongued travel agent with a promise of highly-paid job in Saudi Arabia paid with his life yesterday. G Rameshwar, 40, a resident of Jagtiyal in Kareemnagar district was found unconscious in his house in Chikalguda. He is learnt to have consumed bathroom cleaning acid. Although he was shifted to Gandhi Hospital he died. A suicide note his wife Lata

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found in his pants pocket described how he was driven to suicide. He stated he had become chummy with a travel agent N Rajender a few months ago. Rajender showed him dreams of big money and nice life ahead if one reached Saudi Arabia. Rajender claimed he had a score or more job visa with him and Rameshwar wanted he could bring 20-25 youths

taking `30,000-`40000 from each and claim a big commission. Rameshwar worked day and night and managed to rope in 20 youths and collected seven lakhs from them. The money was pocketed by Rajender promising Raneswhar his share once the candidates left for Saudi Arabia. Accordingly all the youths were flown out to SA where they

were promptly rounded up and returned. The deceived youths who came home empty handed began to pester and threaten Rameshwar. He in turn tried to meet Rajender but found him missing. His mobile phone was found to be switched off. Found himself cornered Rameshwar stated he was taking his own life leaving his wife behind.

his country, a kingdom, has no good track record of protecting immigrant workers. Thousands of Indians were cheated first by unscrupulous Indian travel agents and then by recalcitrant Saudi employers who are charged with not paying salary. Indian travel agents often send workers on visit visa telling the unwary candidates they would be absorbed once they reach there. The situation is acute in the lower jobs, mostly menial works and semiskilled jobs. Recently, the new King Abdulla wanted all Saudi jobs wherever possible should be filled by the natives. This has left thousands of people from other Asian countries such as India, Philippines, Bangladesh, Pakistan surplus.

STAYING SOBER

Want to get rid of alcohol addiction?

Just forget about it! The study, though only tested successfully in rats so far, has found that relapse in alcoholism can be prevented by blocking a molecule that activates memories associated with drinking. JERUSALEM: Researchers in Israel have found a way to prevent relapse in alcoholism by blocking a molecule that activates memories associated with drinking, therefore reducing the craving for alcohol. However, the study which began in 2010 has only been tried successfully in rats so far, Xinhua reported. But researcher Segev Barak from the School of Psychological Sciences and the Sagol School of Neuroscience at Tel Aviv University is confident that

the study could be applied to humans. The researcher was part of the study led by Dorit Ron of the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center at UC San Francisco. Their published paper in Nature Neuroscience could help put a stop to the relapse, by erasing the memories of the alcohol cravings. The study showed that when the rats were given the option between drinking water and low doses of alcohol, 60 per cent

pressed a level that provided them the latter one, and when the dosage increased, so did their dependence on the alcohol. AROUND THE

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“What we found is that when we gave them a 10-day period of abstinence and gave them certain memories of the alcohol, they triggered the need for this substance. We gave the rats a small

amount of alcohol and then scanned their brain to see the reaction, and found that a protein called MPORC1 was activating the neurons in very specific areas of the brain," Barak said. Thanks to this protein, that is implicated in the connection between the neurons, the researchers were able to see exactly which areas of the brain were involved, and were able to “disconnect” this protein in these specific parts of the brain. “We used a drug called

Rapamycin that prevents the activation of the protein. Usually, when it comes to relapses, you have a window of opportunity of four to six hours to prevent the memory from becoming stable, from settling in, so by erasing the memory while it is still not ‘hooked', the brain does not remember it," Barak said. He said the advantage was that no other memories are erased, since they can trace with complete assurance where the memories of the alcohol are. IANS

News WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

EDUCATION

Opportunity to learn, liberally City’s academic luminaries have come together to offer a course aimed at holistic learning.

KANCHAN AGARWAL kanchan.a@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: For those of you who have been questioning our education system, here is some good news. Hyderabad Institute of Liberal Arts, formed by highly qualified academicians in the

City, is offering a part-time 20week program starting from July 1 till December. Promising a fresh example on education, Asshar Farhan, one of the founding faculty members lays down its noble intentions. “The aim is to produce an articulate generation which can criti-

DEMOLITION DRIVE Tension prevails in Golla Basti in Langer House area where the revenue department today launched an eviction drive of nearly 150 houses built on government land. Civic demolition squad with police assistance began the drive when hundreds of those affected gathered. As the day progressed and fracas began, workers of the MIM party too joined. Revenue officials have summoned more police force. PIC: N SHIVA KUMAR

cally engage with issues, is able to ask the right questions, develop their perspective, be confident and comfortable with their thoughts and personality”. The motto of the program is to shift focus from passing an exam to learning. “We figured that all undergraduate institutes are geared towards teaching you how to clear an exam. It starts with preparing you for Class X board exam and goes till the IIT entrance. “We are not preparing you for your first job. The idea comes from the fact that most of our intellectual production comes out of a liberal academic setup. The society needs people who do more than just applying rules,” says Farhan. The need today is to be ready to grow: From one post to another, from a company to a bigger one, from an employee to an entrepreneur. “You need all skills to survive in the world. The course prepares you for your

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The 20-week course is a part-time, twice-aweek, evening course that is open for anyone who has passed Class X. entire life,” he explains. The 20-week course is a parttime, twice-a-week, evening course that is open for anyone who has passed Class X. “Including self-study time, a student needs to spend seven hours a week,” he says. The syllabus is inter-disciplinary broadly comprising of science, social sciences and literature. With a balanced combination of subjects from these streams, they allow themselves an ideal education. Hyderabad Institute of

Liberal Arts is not an affiliated academy. The curriculum has been entirely designed by the faculty, and has no prescribed textbooks but recommended reading and viewings, and lecture notes. The academic council includes professor V Ramakrishna, former faculty member (history) at University of Hyderabad, Vamsi Vakulabharanam, associate professor (economics) at UoH, and other highly qualified intellectuals such as Anant Maringanti, Sangeeta Kamat, Syed Najam Hasan and Asshar Farhan. The course fee is `12, 000 and scholarships will also be given on the basis of merit and need. “For a deserving candidate, fees should be no bar”, insists Farhan. Last date to enrol is June 28, 2013. To enrol, you can visit https://sites.google.com/site/20wola, or follow them on facebook.com/hyderabad-institute, or call on +91 9849026029.

CONNECTIVITY

Internet satellites launched PARIS: The first four of 12 satellites in a new constellation to provide affordable, high-speed Internet to people in nearly 180 “under-connected” countries were blasted into space Tuesday. The orbiters, part of a project dubbed O3b, for the “other 3 billion” people with restricted Internet access, were lifted by a Russian Soyuz rocket from AROUND THE

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Kourou in French Guiana at 1927 GMT, according to a live broadcast on the website of launch company Arianespace. The project was born from the frustrations of US Internet pioneer Greg Wyler with the inadequacy of Rwanda's network. He came up with a plan to bypass costly ground-based infrastructure like fibre-optics or cables by deploying a constellation of small satellites around the equator to serve as a spatial relay between users and the worldwide web using only satellite dishes. AFP

News WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

FIT AS A FIDDLE

DATE THEORY

Women like men best in white tee

Without the costs of major chains and few overheads, boot camps have sprung up around Australia.

Bootcamps LONDON: Men wondering what to wear for a first date can just opt for the good-old white T-shirt! Women find a man in a plain white T-shirt up to 10 per cent more attractive, according to new research. Researchers at Nottingham Trent University in UK found that wearing a plain white t-shirt with a black letter ‘T’ on the front significantly improves the appearance of the wearer’s waist: chest ratio (WCR) a major signal of masculinity and attractiveness to females. The study showed 30 female participants images of different male body shapes, wearing a plain white T-shirt, AROUND THE

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and asking them to mark their perceived attractiveness, health and intelligence. They were then asked to do the same when shown the bodies again but with upright and inverted T-illusions of varying shapes and sizes on the t-shirts. The results showed that upright T-illusions increased attractiveness and health by about 10 per cent, while inverted T-illusions resulted in a drop of attractiveness by the same amount. The upright and inverted ‘T’ with wider horizontal bars showed a bigger average effect, both positive and negative. PTI

IT WORKS, IT’S WORTH IT MADELEINE COOREY Agence France-Presse BONDI BEACH: The sun is rising over Sydney’s Bondi Beach and in the pre-dawn cool, about 30 people are making their way through a set of arduous exercises — tossing weights onto the sand, doing chin-ups and flexing an enormous rope up and down. The group are part of one of the fastest-growing sectors in the fitness market — boot camp — where the confines of the gym and private, individual exercise are shunned in favour of training with a group in the great outdoors, often being pushed by a military-style trainer to a high-intensity workout. “I think I am never going to do this again. I throw up. I hate every minute of it... but the satisfaction... there’s nothing more rewarding," explains Kristie Webster after her session at Bondi. So why does the 26-year-old drag herself out of bed in the dark several times a week, knowing that she’s in for such physical discomfort? “Just for the fact to get fit, to get healthy." “We push them as hard as they can be pushed, but we do it in a motivational way. We’re not like a drill sergeant, we’re there to sort of encourage them," explains her trainer Dan Clay,

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who is originally from Essex in Britain. Clay, who runs the Dangerously Fit company, has seen the popularity of boot camps skyrocket in Sydney in the past five years. “People don’t want to always be stuck in a gym. They want to come down first thing in the morning, they get the beach, they get the sunrise, they get the fresh air. And it’s good for the soul, it’s good for the body, so it’s got really popular," he says. Training in a group provides additional motivation, he adds. “People want to get outdoors and train with their friends," he says simply. Without the costs of major

Pick

chains and few overheads, boot camps have sprung up around Australia, while other physical challenges such as Tough Mudder — hardcore 10-12 mile obstacle courses which can include electric shocks, steep cliffs and walls, and fire — have also proven popular. James ‘Chief’ Brabon, the former Australian army infantry soldier behind Sydney’s Original Bootcamp, is considered a pioneer of the industry. After initially developing his training regime for fellow soldiers, and then their impressed wives and girlfriends, he eventually re-established the brand with gusto in 2003, using one of Bondi’s near neighbours, Coogee Beach. He said he struck scepticism at first, particularly given the trend in fitness at the time towards more gentle exercise such as yoga and pilates. “And then we came out with this disciplined, high-intensity sweat-till-you-drop sort of training, and people were saying ‘No, it won’t work. Won’t work, won’t last, nobody wants to be told what to do'. And what we’ve found, is that everybody wants to be told what to do," he says. “We don’t believe in berating people, and demeaning them, and yelling and scream-

at the

A bootcamp workout list n n n n n n n n n n n n

Push-ups Plyometric Interval training Squats Lunges Squat thrusts or burpees Speed training with sprints Core strength Team competitions Partner exercises Obstacle courses Cool down and stretching.

ing — no one would come back. But basically they want to just be guided. They want to know they are doing the exercises the right way, doing the right type of training." ‘Chief', who teaches five mornings a week, says the military element is just an excuse to be able to push people to a higher intensity. “The pain can sometimes be great but it’s always worth it at the end, you push yourself because you know it’s only 45 minutes," says Stafford Hamilton, who credits Dangerously Fit with helping him shed more than 11 kilograms (24 pounds) since he started nine months ago. “And afterwards you feel fantastic. It’s worth it, it’s worth the pain."

airport,

News WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013 DEMOGRAPHICS

In the US, Asians better off than Whites WASHINGTON: Asian immigrants tend to live in highly segregated enclaves in the United States and their income level is often higher than that of white Americans, said a US study out Wednesday. The nearly 18 million Asian immigrants to the United States are the country’s fastest growing minority group, more than doubling since 1990, said the AROUND THE

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research by Brown University. Data from the US Census provided a snapshot of the Chinese, Indian, Filipino, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese living in the United States and how trends have changed. The report, “Separate but Equal: Asian Nationalities in the US,” found that Indians and Japanese were the most economically advantaged nationalities, while Vietnamese had the lowest incomes and the least education among Asian groups. Still, Vietnamese tended to live in neighborhoods that were about on par with average whites, said the report.

MODERN ENIGMAS

MYSTICS OF MYANMAR Myanmar’s fortune tellers are thought to be behind several unexplained occurrences in the country.

KELLY MACNAMARA Agence France-Presse YANGON: Tiny, frail and barely able to speak, Myanmar’s most famous fortune teller — known as ET — has for years whispered predictions to Asia’s rich and powerful, from generals to foreign politicians. The soothsayer, whose popularity has inspired a recent Thai biopic, is one of a plethora of mystics in Myanmar, where generations of rulers have sought ethereal advice. Sprightly despite a range of disabilities — including, her family say, that her internal organs are all on the wrong side of her body — ET looks every bit the mystic when accompanied by her sister Thi Thi, whose penchant for shawls and elaborately embroidered frocks enhances the spiritualist image. “My sister (is a) very, very grand and special one,” Thi Thi told AFP in a recent interview in Bangkok, adding that her guidance has been sought across the region. “Some is politician, some is business people... Everybody happy, became very famous,” said Thi Thi, who acts as an

The case of Ne Win

ystics have been ascribed great influence Ne Win, the strongman who ruled Myanmar for around three decades, was notorious for his reliance on fortune tellers and their “yadaya” — an occult practice where a symbolic act is performed to influence the future.

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interpreter for her sister. Myanmar’s fortune tellers are thought to be behind several unexplained occurrences in the country, from the abrupt decision by the former junta to relocate the capital in 2005, to bizarre episodes when the generals appeared wearing women’s longyi — a sarong-like skirt.

Normally sartorially conservative, the top brass resorted to cross-dressing “so that a woman would not become president in the country,” said Aung Zaw, editor of the Irrawaddy, a news magazine started by Myanmar exiles, referring to the junta’s fear of democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi. “They are very superstitious,” he said. Mystics have been ascribed great influence in a country where the workings of the secretive junta were kept hidden from the public for decades. Aung Zaw said that amid the wilder speculation were strong indications that the army chiefs did dabble in the dark arts to try to reinforce their power. “There is a lot of interpretation... but they do these things quite often,” he said, adding that the practice of consulting astrologers dated back hundreds of years, with Myanmar’s former kings regularly consulting fortune tellers. Ne Win, the strongman who ruled Myanmar for around three decades, was notorious for his reliance on fortune tellers and their “yadaya” — an occult practice where a symbolic act is performed to influence the future.

CULTURE

Hungry for Indian music The one-man band got the city crowd on their feet when he performed in the Hard Rock Cafe on Tuesday. ARUN DANIEL YELLAMATY Arun Yellamaty@postnoon.com

en Walsh is a man of many roles. The Australian performer, percussionist, composer, instrument maker, collaborator, curator, record label owner, and raconteur was in town on Tuesday and performed at the Hard Rock Cafe. The man who calls himself a one-man band got the Hyderabad crowd on their feet with the many types of music he pulled off. In his first visit to Hyderabad Ben gave his all to rock the crowd: he performed on drum barrels, flute, guitar and even sang: one-man band indeed. Several drummers were in attendance, come to learn from the one of the world’s best. Ben shared with Postnoon how he began. “I went to special high school and later went to performing arts school where I

Man of many roles Ben is a percussionist, composer, instrument maker, collaborator, curator, record label owner, and raconteur.

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Ben says Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Ravi Shankar and many more have influenced him and his music. learned dance, music and drama. I got exposed to a lot of arts; I did a lot of dancing, music, acting and everything. Did a lot of gig, with bands, orchestras, musicals and that’s when I decided that I fully pursue a career in music. I wanted to play something different and out of the box for music.” Talking about his style of playing and music, he said, “My concerts are different, there is a mime, song and interaction with the audience. I use a technology,

modern dance beats, in my drumming. I bring out beats using my legs, I also play the guitar, flute and I am a one-man band. I judge the reactions of the people at the concert and then I decide the things I do, so that people have a good time.” Talking about Indian Music, he said, “I love playing the table; I am fascinated by Indian music, thanks to Bobby Singh I learned to play the tabla. I love classical, Hindustani and Carnatic music. Through Bobby I met and played with Shubha Mudgal, Aneesh Pradhan and many other Indian musicals. I am big fan of classical and folk. Few of my influences are Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Ravi Shankar and many more. “I was hungry for Indian music and heard music of many other Indian musicians. I have touched every Indian percussion instrument possible and tried all of them.”

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

Business

S. KOREA TO SELL LARGEST BANKING GROUP

South Korea has decided to split the assets of Woori Finance Holdings into three groups in its fourth bid to sell its majority stake in the nation's largest banking group, regulators said Wednesday.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

QANTAS, BA IN ROW

Green road to success Two youngsters from the City decided leave their comfortable careers behind and tread an unknown path to bring about a real change. PRUDHVI RAJU K prudhvi.k@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: Rohit Padayal and Shri Sakhare, colleagues who were bored of their routine work life, dreamt of starting unique and innovative enterprise. Their idea was to deliver plants to homes and to the corporate offices with a single click of a button. Gamlaa.com, first online nursery in the country, started on January 26, 2013 with an ambition to cater one crore plants to Hyderabadis in less than five years. About their work background Shri says, “Rohit and I were working as operations manager and marketing manager respectively at IMI mobile. He worked for around six years and I worked for four-and-ahalf years. Although we had comfortable lifestyle and good career prospects, we wanted to start and create something that lasts long and solves a real problem. We created this business that not only helps people but also the environment.” About the business idea, Rohit says, “Buying plants and pots is cumbersome and difficult process for normal people. After long week days, they want to relax or go for cinemas rather going to nurseries in the outskirts. Even if they prefer buying plants, getting pots, plants, and soil home on a two-wheeler is tough. If they hire an auto, the cost is as much as the plants themselves. We wanted to solve this problem by sourcing these plants from different nurseries and deliver to the customers’ doorstep.” Shri adds, “Getting all the plants that one needs from single nursery is also challenging. Many times, the seller doesn't have information or knowledge about the plants. They even give

SYDNEY: Australian ﬂag carrier Qantas launched an investigation Wednesday into claims it purchased headphones made in a Chinese jail where inmates who miss production targets are reportedly beaten and held in solitary conﬁnement. The Australian Financial Review said other big companies also allegedly used products made at Dongguan prison in the southern province of Guangdong, including British Airways and Emirates. Two inmates recently released from the jail, including New Zealander Danny Cancian, told the newspaper they made disposable economy-class earphones for all three airlines. Cancian, who was serving a fouryear jail sentence for manslaughter, said failure to meet production targets meant prisoners were "taken outside and tasered". "It's a very cruel environment. You wake up every morning wondering if you are going to survive the day," he said.

NUMEROLOGY

$21.6

Rohit Padayal (left) and Shri Sakhare, founders, Gamlaa.com.

Growth stats Initial investments

` 5.5- 6 lakh

(includes the salaries of founders)

Plants sold

10,000

Average order value from customer

` 700

Free home delivery across the City for orders above

` 500

Number of retail orders per month

400-500

Gross margins per cent.

outdoor plants for indoors and do not provide even the name of plants. There is no constant and fair pricing — different nurseries sell same plants at different

The business got an overwhelming response from the corporate world, which contributes 50 per cent of its revenues. prices.” The company brings potted plants with necessary information guide like water, sunlight requirements of the plants. It also provides a small packet of free fertiliser for the buyers. “This information is very valuable to the customer in taking care of plant. When customer purchases a pot with the plant, we provide potted plant, which will make customer hassle free from potting,” he says. The duo spent the business incubation days with the plants and gaining the practical knowledge and know-how about

growing plants. “We had to gain knowledge through books and Web. The entire website and brochure was designed while we were growing around 150 plants in our garden to gain the expertise,” says Rohit. The business is relying on word of mouth and also supporting green walks and promoting the brand. “We also help customers to make over their balconies with plants for free, provide suggestions and reply to their questions through Facebook,” he says. Talking about future plans, Shri says, “We want to expand to top 10 cities of the country and also provide franchisee opportunities to Tier-2, and Tier-3 cities in a long term. As of now, we are looking forward to raise investments to build a warehouse and to step in other cities.” Gamlaa.com is also offering various air purifying, medicinal and Fengshui plants.

GOLD `26,500 10g SILVER `40,000 1kg

24C

for

DOLLAR `59.86 POUND `92.35

billion

is the worth of the deal Sprint shareholders approved on Tuesday for SoftBank's proposal to take a controlling stake in the third largest US mobile carrier.

BSICC MEET TOMORROW The 2nd UK South India Business Meet is being organised by British South India Chamber of Commerce (BSICC) at the committee room of Houses of Parliament, Westminster, London on June 27. BSICC promotes and defends the interests of UK Companies in South India, representing UK businesses to the state governments of AP, Karnataka, Kerala, Pondicherry and Tamil Nadu and also to the Indian audiences and the Indian media. AP will be represented by Ganta Srinivasa Rao, minister for infrastructure and investment; Lakshminarayana, chief consultant, Andhra Pradesh Project Facilitators and Consultancy Services Limited; Ambica Krishna, chairman, Ambica Group of Companies and Kottu Jagadeesh Sreenivas, managing director, KV Inﬁra Pvt. Ltd., are other delegates invited to attend the business meet at the British Parliament from Andhra Pradesh.

BSE 18,624.72 5,611.40 NSE 4.43

2.70

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

Comment Two roads diverged in a wood, and I- I took the road less traveled by, and that has made all the difference. Robert Frost American Poet

Rewards and a little pain SIM SIM WISSGOTT Agence France-Presse

“Y

ou’ll be joining us in hell soon!" Slovenians like to joke as neighbouring Croatia prepares to enter the European Union, the first new member in six years and the second only from the former Yugoslavia. In truth, most of the 10 eastern European countries that joined the bloc in 2004 and 2007 are overwhelmingly positive about a union that has brought them infrastructure money, a higher standard of living, more freedom of movement and an escape from Russia’s sphere of influence. Compared to the older EU members, the newcomers — from Estonia in the north to Bulgaria in the south — consistently top Eurobarometer surveys looking at public opinion of the EU. Infrastructure in countries that once stood behind the Iron Curtain has been radically improved in many places, thanks to EU funds. “For the first time, there’s a rubbish collecting service in my grandmother’s village," Cristian Ghinea, a Romanian political anayst, told AFP. Poland, the largest recipient of structural and cohesion funds with an allocated 67.3 billion euros ($88.65 billion) in 20072013, has built or renewed over 10,000 kilometres (6,200 miles) of roads and 1,600 kilometres of railways. Next door in Hungary, the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban — usually so critical of Brussels — has worked hard to bring its deficit in line for fear of losing EU funds that are crucial to its construction sector.

HIGH-FLYING THOUGHTS Achilles has his heel to act up against his purpose when it mattered most. Our modern day Achilles is Rafael Nadal. But his bane is not his heel, but his knee.

IN SEARCH OF THEIR ROOTS

Obamas to visit a place with a ‘Goree’ past

hen Barack and M i c h e l l e Obama visit Goree Island, a potent symbol of the slave trade off the Senegalese coast, it will be a moment to reflect not just on a dark period of American and African history, but on the First Family’s personal story. The horrors faced by thousands of Africans transported from Goree on journeys to the New World will be keenly felt by Obama, whose father was Kenyan, but the tales of their suffering will be even more poignant for his wife, who is descended from slaves. The First Lady is thought to have grown up with little knowledge of her origins, but US genealogist Megan Smolenyak revealed in a 2009 investigation with the New York Times that Michelle Obama’s great-great-great-grandparents were a slave girl from South Carolina and an unknown white man from Georgia. A great-great-grandfather was also a former slave from South Carolina. “So there’s this link between Obama, an American originating from Africa through his father, and his wife, an AfricanAmerican originating from Africa through her ancestors," said Eloi Coly, curator of Goree’s “Maison des Esclaves”

("Slave House") museum. “I think with all these ingredients gathered together, this visit by the Obamas should be very special." The Obamas will make a stop at Goree on Thursday, during their three-country tour of sub-Saharan Africa. It is the president’s second official visit to the region, which will also take in South Africa and Tanzania. The island of Goree, four kilometres (about two miles) off Dakar, processed many of the estimated 12 million Africans who over three centuries crossed the Atlantic Ocean bound in chains, their lives and liberty traded in the US slave market. The Obamas will be shown the cramped cells at the former slave house built by the Dutch in 1776, and the “Door of No Return” which slaves are said to have passed through to board ships taking them on their nightmarish journeys westwards. Doubts about the famed house’s history have been circulating for at least 50 years among skeptics — and even local guides — who say Goree Island was never a major slave centre. But they haven’t stopped thousands of visitors each year taking the 20-minute ferry ride to the island. Visitors to the salmon-coloured Maison des

Esclaves — and its famous stone door, high above a bank of black rocks cascading into the Atlantic Ocean — have included other US presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton, and former South African president Nelson Mandela and the late pope John Paul II. Notable African-Americans visiting Senegal, such as veteran civil rights activist Jesse Jackson, often make a point of stopping by. Settled by the Portugese in 1444 and ruled subsequently by the Netherlands, England and then France, Goree was named by the Dutch who captured the island in the early 17th century, for whom “Goede Reede”

meant “safe harbour". Some of its modern-day inhabitants have complained that the heavy security accompanying the presidential visit feels like another invasion, but most of the locals are looking forward to the occasion. “We are happy to receive Mr Obama here in Dakar, in Africa and on Goree Island," said street cleaner Pape Diallo. “I think when Obama comes here, it is good publicity too. Although tourists will not be coming today or tomorrow, many will come later because where the president of the United States goes, everyone will want to go." AFP

EDITORIALS It’s a stunt gone so wrong

arendra Modi’s pain might have been worse than the pain Julius Caesar felt when his beloved Brutus stabbed him. Modi seemed like a rock when his image-enhancing stunt by personally overseeing relief ops and rescuing 15,000 Gujaratis fell flat like a deflated balloon, but when one of the 15,000 Gujaratis he personally rescued denounced that his claims were mere publicity stunts, he would have felt it. One cannot blame him for the fiasco. It would have seen fitting that the prime contender for the nation’s top jop showed his leadership qualities and what better venue to display them than an area which is yet swaying under the devastation wreaked by

READERS’ VIEWS

nature’s fury? It would have seemed manly. There are several accounts from the past of kings and princes throwing themselves into the face of danger to save their subjects without second thoughts about their personal safety. Our history and mythology brim with such stories. Where Modi went wrong is the intent and then the details. If he were the modest, simple brave man he claims to be, he would have let others do the tom-tomming. And the details… 15,000 Gujaratis rescued? And only Gujaratis? And why only Gujaratis when the man who saved them hopes to be Prime Minister one day, a job that answers for the well-being of the whole nation?

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

Cinema

WILLIAM FICHTNER TO MAKE 'NINJA TURTLE' SOUP AS SHREDDER

William Fichtner was the first victim of Heath Ledger's The Joker, but now he's looking to do some victimising of his own as one of comic book-doms most iconic villains. Fichtner, who also plays main bad guy Butch Cavendish in next month's The Lone Ranger, has revealed to Huffington Post that he's going to lead the Foot Clan as Shredder in Paramount's big-budget reboot of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

CAN’T BE FORGOTTEN

Andaz Apna Apna

ho doesn’t remember Aamir Khan’s repeated bouts of amnesia in Rajkumar Santoshi’s Andaz Apna Apna. One of the first Bollywood movies to use the grave problem in a funny way, Andaz Apna Apna is unforgettable, even for amnesia patients. It was more than funny when Salman Khan uses the old and believed treatment about hitting Aamir Khan on the head at the same place where he got hurt to revive his memory. If you haven’t watched this flick, it’s about time you hit the download button.

SCREEN POOPERS

Emran HashmiVidya Balan starrer Ghanchakkar releases this Friday. Postnoon looks at a few unforgettable Bollywood movies in which the hero suffers from amnesia.

Stick to Ranjhanaas

Remember them? NIDHI BHUSHAN nidhi.b@postnoon.com

Mithya

hen you’re about to die, they say your life flashes in front of your eyes. Mithya starring Ranvir Shorey in a double role and directed by Rajat Kapoor is purely about that. The story, very Donish, is about an innocent guy who is planted in a don’s house because he resembles the don. Ranvir Shorey familiarises himself with the don’s family and spies on them for the police. However, in a twist of fate, he meets with an accident and loses his memory. When awake, Ranvir is surrounded by the don’s family who remind him he is a ‘don’. Ranvir believes everything he is told. But for the police, he’s gone rogue. Life takes an ugly turn when no one sides with Ranvir. Watch it, if you haven’t already.

Salaam e Ishq

ne of those anthologies that have its heart and mind in place, Salaam E Ishq is about love’s many avatars. Directed by Nikhil Advani, the movie traces the lives of couples either trying to find love or are in love. One of the most touching stories is of married couple Ashutosh Raina (John Abraham) and Tehzeeb Hussain (Vidya Balan). Living their happily-ever-after lives, the two are inseparable. However, in an accident Tehzeeb loses her memory and can’t remember being married to Ashutosh. A heartbroken Ashutosh does everything in his power to revive her memory, but all in vain. Watch it if you have a heart.

Sadma

heart-warming story, Sadma stars Kamal Haasan and Sridevi. Directed by Balu Mahendra, the movie is about how Kamal Haasan protects and takes care of Sridevi after she loses her memory and regresses to childhood because of a head injury. In the process, Haasan falls in love with Sridevi and imagines a life with her after, if ever, she gets okay. However, things don’t turn out the way he designed them after Sridevi recovers from her wounds. Watch it with a box of tissues around.

Ghajini

irected by AR Murugadoss, Ghajini is one of the most unforgettable movies when it comes to amnesia. The short-term memory loss that Sanjay Singhania (Aamir Khan) suffers from makes for the heart of the movie. The story revolves

around how Sanjay is determined to exact revenge for his lover’s death despite being able to remember who he is, what happened, where he is, etc, just for a meager 15 minutes. Watch it for the thrill and of course, Aamir Khan’s smoking hot, tattooed body.

Sonam Kapoor says she would love to do a short film. According to the annoying 28-year-old actress who aces the fake girlie giggle, she beats Aishwarya Rai even, short films are an introduction to what can be made into a full-length film. No, Sonam, you are wrong. Short films are not introductions; they are fullfledged films which are short in length. Moreover, if you are unable to contribute anything even when you have the luxury of two hours and more, what makes you think you’ll be able to convey your ‘acting’ in a span of ten minutes?

Item Mess SRK is finally playing a 40-yearold in his upcoming movie. Yes, it’s a start. However, Chennai Express doesn't seem to be a mature choice for the superstar who’s finally accepted his age. The movie, which appears to be filled with South Indian stereotypes, has an item number featuring Priyamani. The song that launched recently shows the South Indian actress jump around in Dappan Koothu style with SRK. What’s wrong, SRK? We thought you were better than this.

TRENDING...

Amitabh Bachchan says on his blog, " I get so envious after seeing all these wonderful ﬁlms, and lament and regret that I am not in them, even in a small capacity, for I love the immense talent and ﬁnesse that today's cinema with its young brigade brings to the world.

Actor Ranveer Singh was so impressed with Vikramaditya Motwane's Udaan"that he was instantly drawn towards accepting the director's new project Lootera. He says Motwane is a special director who will go a long way in the ﬁlm industry.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

spotlight

A FUN TWIST

Bottles & Chimney is hosting Cocktail Wednesday tonight at the pub and DJ Stan will be behind the console churning out the rocking numbers. Head to the pub and have a rocking night.

FUN UNPLUGGED

A touch of glamour

Members of Young Ladies Club assembled at Hotel Marriott for a get-together. Turning up in ethnic wear, ladies were seen bonding over snacks and having a gala time. S BALAKRISHNA

SINGING UP A STORM

Ladies turned up in hordes for Monsoon Karaoke Afternoon hosted by Manisha Kapoor at Aqua, The Park. Spotted were Sheetal, Sonali and others.

S BALAKRISHNA

PLENTY TO CELEBRATE

Sixth annual event of Valmiki Foundation and the second anniversary celebrations of Valmiki Hriday held at Rail Kalarang Function Hall was a colourful affair. Lakshmi Manchu and Aamer Javeed were spotted at the do.

1 Sheetal 2 Manisha Kapoor 3 Neha Gandhi 4 Sonali 5 Ruchita 6 Kavita

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

health

NOW, A CHIP THAT DETECTS DISEASE IN BLOOD DROP Scientists have engineered a cutting-edge sensor chip that can detect diseases from a drop of blood, says a new study. A new study describes how Reginald Farrow and Alokik Kanwal, researchers at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), and their team have created a carbon nanotube-based device to noninvasively and quickly detect mobile single cells with the potential to maintain a high degree of spatial resolution.

c t e t y o o r

For those who have kidney-related ailments or are undergoing dialysis, they know what the ordeal is like. Knowing the ins and outs of kidney disease can be overwhelming but there are ways of keeping them healthy as well. We tell you how.

KEEP THEM HEALTHY

KIDNEYS Y

our kidneys aren’t very big—each is about the size of your fist—but they do important work. They keep you healthy by maintaining just the right balance of water and other sub-

stances inside your body. Once kidney damage starts, it can be slowed, but it can't always be reversed. That's why prevention is crucial. These steps can help keep your kidneys healthy:

What if I have diabetes and kidney disease? n

Drink plenty of water. Healthy people can let thirst be their guide. If you've already had kidney stones, you may be advised to drink at least three to four quarts of water daily to lessen your risk of forming a new stone. When one is stressed, his or her body tends to release hormones that affect various organs of the body including the kidney. In fact, it increases blood pressure. Over some time, the kidney is weakened by these hormones, hence making it susceptible to disease. Eat nutritiously and exercise. You may not associate food and physical activity with kid-

ANEWS PP-LYBRIEFS YOURSELF

ney disease, but a balanced diet and regular exercise help prevent or control diabetes and high blood pressure, two risk factors for kidney disease. A good eating plan emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and non-fat or low-fat dairy products. Protein such as lean meats, poultry, and fish also are part of it. To reduce disease risk, adults should exercise at a moderate pace for 30 minutes or more on most days. Don't smoke. Cigarette smoking slows the flow of blood to the kidneys. When less blood

reaches the kidneys, it impairs their ability to function properly. Smoking also increases the risk of kidney cancer by about 40 per cent. n Talk with your doctor about appropriate medical tests. All adults should have their blood pressure checked periodically. If you're at risk for kidney disease, your doctor also may recommend regular blood or urine tests. n Follow your doctor's advice faithfully if you have diabetes or high blood pressure. That includes taking your medications as directed. It may help reduce your risk of long-term complications, such as kidney failure. Source: http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/

HOUSECALL

iabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure. Diabetes can also damage other parts of your body, like your eyes and heart. If you have diabetes, you will

need to watch your blood sugar and diet to stay healthy. Work with your dietitian to make a kidney-friendly meal plan that helps you keep your blood sugar in control.

The food intake DaVita renal dietitian, Sara Colman, RD recommends some healthy food for people with kidney-related diseases:

n n n

Red bell peppers Cabbage Onions

n n n

Garlic Stawberries Cherries

DID YOU KNOW?

PIONEERS

n n n

Egg White Fish Olive Oil

Micromedex

Colon Polyps

An itch is a stimulus

Virginia Apgar

It feels just like having a medical encyclopedia beside you is handy, so is an encyclopedia about pharmaceuticals. The Micromedex app provides a complete database of Canadian and US drugs. It has all the description you need such as the instructions and side effects.

Colon polyps are growths on the inner lining of the colon and are very common. Colon polyps are important because they may be, or may become malignant (cancerous). They also are important because based on their size, number, and histology, they can predict which patients are more likely to develop further polyps and colon cancer. Only a small proportion of polyps cause symptoms or signs.

An itch is a stimulus affecting the nerve endings between the dermis and epidermis; scientists liken it to a form of pain. But that's neither here nor there. It's usually caused by histamine released in the epidermis. Scratching stops it, either by interfering with the nerve impulses or by temporarily damaging the nerves themselves.

American doctor Virginia Apgar (19091974) developed the ﬁrst system of tests, known as the Apgar score, to assess the health of newborn babies. She was also the ﬁrst woman to be a full professor at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Developed in the early 1950s and quickly adopted by obstetric teams, the method reduced infant mortality and laid the foundations of neonatology.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

Technology A WAY OUT

When it gets

OVERWHELMING Help at hand for those wanting to detox from technology

MARIANNE BARRIAUX feedback@postnoon.com

ired of checking your smartphone every few minutes for new emails, likes or retweets? Do you spend more time looking at your device than chatting to your date? Are you close to a digital burn-out? Fear not, an increasing number of options are available for those seeking to detox from technology, from wallpaper that blocks wi-fi to Internet-free holidays and software that forces you off addictive sites. “People connect all the time, everywhere, in every position — lying down on their bed, at the restaurant, in the waiting room," says Remy Oudghiri, a director at French polling firm Ipsos and author of a book on the subject. More and more people own devices that allow this. In the United States, over half of adults now have a smartphone, while more than a third own a tablet computer. “This sudden surge in connection possibilities, after the initial period of enthusiasm, prompts every user to reflect on

how to continue to enjoy life while taking advantage of their connection. How to avoid becoming dependent," Oudghiri said. French researchers have come up with one solution, creating a special type of wallpaper that blocks wifi, which materials company Ahlstrom is busy developing further with the aim of putting it on the market next year. Spokesman Robin Guillaud says there has already been significant interest in the invention. Schools in particular have made enquiries, keen to prevent students from spending too much time hooked to their smartphones. According to an Ipsos survey, nearly a third of French people now feel the need to disconnect, with similar trends recorded in other countries. Separate research from the same firm found that in 2006, 54 per cent of the French population felt people spent less time together due to the

advent of new technologies, a figure that leapt to 71 per cent last year. Companies have latched onto this lassitude, particularly in the tourism industry where some hotels and resorts offer digital detox packages.

According to an Ipsos survey, nearly a third of French people now feel the need to disconnect. The upmarket Westin hotel in Dublin, for instance, gives guests the option to surrender their smartphones and tablets on check-in and provides them with a detox pack that includes a tree planting kit and a board game. But it comes at a price — 175 euros ($230) per person per night. Other firms are offering more in-depth packages to really get away from it all. The US-based Digital Detox organises tech-free retreats to

remote places in the United States or escape destinations such as Cambodia. “Some of it is marketing", said Thierry Crouzet, a blogger who went cold turkey and disconnected for six months. “There are loads of places that are tranquil. No need to book a tour operator that takes you to the North Pole." Some companies are implementing measures to try and relieve employees from being contactable 24/7. German car maker Volkswagen, for instance, in 2011 decided to stop sending emails to thousands of employees’ Blackberrys between 6.15 pm and 7:00 am. And for those who just cannot resist Facebook, Twitter or Google+, the website anti-social.cc offers software that disables a list of distracting sites for a specified time period. When all else fails, Internet rehabs are starting to spring up, such as reSTART, which bills itself as the first retreat centre programme in the United States. The programme aims to teach participants about healthy eating, getting good sleep and how to address difficult emotions head-on rather than escape online. AFP

GAME ON THE BROWSER Rich activities like games and video calls were some of the last remaining challenges to prove that the Web is a capable and powerful platform for complex tasks. Firefox now allows developers to create high-performance Web applications and enables video calls and file-sharing directly via the browser, all without the need for plugins or third-party software. This is enabled by a supercharged subset of JavaScript (asm.js) that can be used to create high-intensity applications, like 3D games and photo processing, directly on the Web without having to install additional software or use plugins. Using the Emscripten cross-compiler, which can emit asm.js, it is possible to bring high-performance native applications to the Web.

FLAT TRANSISTORS Researchers at UC Santa Barbara in collaboration with University of Notre Dame have demonstrated the highest reported drive current on a transistor made of a monolayer of tungsten diselenide (WSe2), a 2-dimensional atomic crystal categorized as a transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD). The discovery is also the ﬁrst demonstration of an “n-type” WSe2 ﬁeld-effecttransistor (FET), showing the tremendous potential of this material for future low-power and highperformance integrated circuits.

THE WEB IS NOT SAFE

The vast majority of sites that push malware on their visitors are legitimate online services that have been hacked as opposed to those hosted by attackers for the purposes of distributing malicious software, Google security researchers said. The data, included for the ﬁrst time as part of the safe browsing section of Google's regular transparency report, further challenges the myth that malware attacks happen only on disreputable sites, such as those that peddle porn, illicit software ("warez"), and similar content. For instance, on June 9 only 3,891 of the sites Google blocked as part of its Safe Browsing program were dedicated malware sites.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

Entertainment LONG AWAITED RELEASE

he countdown has begun for Ram Charan fans. Twentynine days left for the Yevadu’s release. But there is good news still. In five days time the Yevadu’s audio release will happen. The Ram Charan, Amy Jackson, Shruti Haasan starrer is most anticipated this month. Allu Arjun and Kajal Agarwal will also be seen in the movie but only for a few minutes. Fans are hoping that the music director Devi Sri Prasad- Ram Charan combo works wonders. The teaser of the film was released on Ram Charan’s birthday and met with a lot of success. Vamsi Paidapally is the director of this thriller intertwined with a love story. Dil Raju has produced the movie under the Sri Venkateswara Creations banner.

YEVADU audio release on June 30

CINE BYTES Vamsi Paidipally keen to work with Mahesh

elugu director Vamsi Paidipally has expressed interest in working with superstar Mahesh Babu. However, he is not sure when such a project will materialise. "I would love to work with Mahesh, but I'm not sure when will that happen,” Vamsi said. IANS

Allu Arjun and Harish Shankar to pair up again

llu Arjun is currently busy with the shooting of Race Gurram and Harish Shankar is busy with Ramayya Vastavayya. Once the duo finish their respective projects probably shooting will start for their new film. Sources say that the film is going to be shot abroad.

Anushka looking fabulous for Rudramadevi

hile yesterday we told you how Anushka Shetty was being asked to lose weight for her upcoming movie Rudramadevi. Sources say the results have already begun to show. She is now looking quite toned and fabulous. There is a new glow in her face and this has altered her overall appearance.

Entertainment WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

OLD MELODY

CINE BYTES

Stars don't guarantee success for any film

ajkumar Gupta's maiden directorial project was Rajeev Khandelwal's Bollywood debut Aamir. While the filmmaker has now started working with known names like Vidya Balan and Emraan Hashmi, he says having stars doesn't guarantee the success of any film."Star system was always there in our country, but it depends on the subject of the film. Stars don't guarantee the success of any film.” he said.IANS

Saif, Riteish, Ram Kapoor in triple roles for Humshakals

ctors Saif Ali Khan, Riteish Deshmukh and Ram Kapoor will take on triple roles in comedy entertainer Humshakals, which will go on ﬂoors in September and will hit the screens June 6, 2014.The ' project will be helmed by Sajid Khan. IANS

Manjot Singh to play lead in The Zero Line

ollywood actor Manjot Singh, who has played comic roles in ﬁlms like Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! and Fukrey will take on the lead role in The Zero Line. He will essay a serious character named Bhagat Singh. Directed by Gagan Puri, the ﬁlm is based on IndiaPakistan relations, and highlights how a game of cricket helps to resolve the differences between the two nations, said a statement. IANS

to reprise Tayyab Ali Pyaar Ka Dushman song

ctors Imran Khan and Sonakshi Sinha are all set to recreate the magic of evergreen song Tayyab Ali Pyaar Ka Dushman, picturised on Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh, in Amar Akbar Anthony. Composed by Pritam, written by Rajat Aroraa, rendered by Javed Ali and choreographed by Raju Khan, the current version will see both the young stars performing on the song in Once Upon A Time In Mumbai Dobaara. Their characters—Aslam and Jasmeen — meet for the first time in the track, a statement issued here said. The makers of OUATIM have bought the official rights of the song from Manmohan Desai's 1977 film, it said. PTI

Entertainment WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

AN ACT FOR THE KIDS

CINE BYTES

Y R R E B E L L g n i t c e t HA o r np

o y f i t s e t i o z t z a r a p a p m o r f n e r child

Audience tired of nasty judges: Emma Bunton

inger Emma Bunton, who will soon be seen in the judge’s seat for new reality show Your Face Sounds Familiar, wants to be fair in her judgment on the show as she feels mean judges don’t interest the audiences anymore. “Being nasty is not fun — viewers are sick of people not being very nice to each other. It is about enjoying the acts," thesun.co.uk quoted Bunton as saying. IANS

Carell on his daughter becoming a teenager

hat kind of father is Steve Carell? E! News caught up with the funnyman during the Despicable Me 2 premiere over the weekend, and Carell explained that he could somewhat relate to his character Gru in the ﬁlm, who has three daughters. “She is a fantastic person and I love her," the star said of his 12-year-old daughter, Elisabeth Anne.

Depp travels with Jack Sparrow costume

e’ve heard about Johnny Depp visiting children’s hospitals dressed as Captain Jack Sparrow, but who knew he actually has the Pirates of the Caribbean costume with him at all times? “Sometimes you go to kiddie hospitals and things like that," the actor explained. “I’ll just sneak in and go and surprise a bunch of kiddies through the different wards…It basically turns into a two-, three-hour improvisation and it’s really fun. So I travel with Captain Jack."

alle Berry headed to Sacramento on Tuesday to testify in favour of a new legislation, which would limit the paparazzi’s ability to photograph stars’

children, the Los Angeles Times reports. The bill — SB 606, written by Sen. Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) – aims to also protect the children of public officials. It would modify the definition

of the term harassment, currently meaning an activity that “seriously alarms, annoys, torments or terrorises” a person, to also include recording or taking photographs of a child without

the permission of a legal guardian. The legislation would also ban “following the child’s activities or lying in wait” and targeting a child because of their parent’s line of work.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

Chai Time

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

Lilies that fester smell far worse than weeds. William Shakespeare

KAKURO

QUICK CROSSWORD

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 Where people lose on purpose 4 Food from heaven 9 Detect, as a rat? 14 New Haven Ivy Leaguer 15 For the whole world to hear 16 Dr. Salk’s conquest 17 Teacup part 18 Seisms 20 Ticks off 22 Like Aesop’s grapes 23 Acted snobbishly toward 26 Rye bread seed 31 Peruse again 33 Remove, as a calcium compound 34 “Dancing with the Stars” network 36 Bygone, like days 38 The best overall material? 39 Deal killers 41 Moving-day challenges 43 Part of a blade 44 Kind of hug or therapy 46 Convoy members 48 Senior’s junior 49 “A Tale of Two Cities” setting 51 Hot dog condiment 53 Quick-movement dance 55 Rascally 58 Prefix with “dynamics” 60 Sibling’s offspring, perhaps 61 Certain emergency service provider 67 Universal workplace? 68 Fisherman’s wicker basket 69 Arthur’s mail 70 Hi and Lois’ kid 71 Group of key personnel 72 “By all ___!” 73 “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, ___”

DOWN

1 Appears to be

2 “... above the fruited ___” 3 Film in which Ford was president 4 Bigwig at the podium 5 Fla. neighbor 6 It goes with “neither” 7 Relative of bananas? 8 Committee type 9 Urged 10 Bygone ostrich kin 11 Yellowstone bugling beast 12 Tell a tall tale 13 ___ Alamitos, Calif. 19 Campus gathering place 21 Hostile force 24 Lengthy lurkers of the deep 25 Carpenter’s grooves 27 On the protected side 28 Certain automobile parts 29 Spanish friend 30 Middle Eastern country on the Red Sea 32 Postpone an action 34 ___-Saxon 35 Element no. 5 37 One who assigns an identifying word 40 Soap and water results 42 Cylindrical storage tower 45 Beverage 47 John Hancock and others 50 “... ___ the twain shall meet” 52 ___ generis (of its own kind) 54 “Iliad” king 56 Big news exclusive 57 “Witch of Wall Street” Green 59 Fairy tale baddie 61 Broadcast watchdog letters 62 Nest egg item, briefly 63 Old Glory stripe color 64 Always, to an old poet 65 Org. for doctors 66 Put on

Chai Time WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013 Thiruvaikumar

STAR POWER for 27-6-2013

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

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Politicians are advised to be cordial with co-party men. Those in romance will be happy as good support from both the families is likely. Businessmen might face hurdles and minor tension but they will overcome them.

STRIP TEASE AGNES

Avoid giving up the tasks because you face hurdles. Employees will feel comfortable but financially they will face a deficit situation. Avoid making new debts but try to earn and spend. Financial planning is a must.

Employees will have a favourable trend at the work place. You will complete the purchase of the asset for which an advance has been paid already. Long-nagging health problems will be cured. Keep to a diet that comprises fruits and vegetables.

Take immediate care for the health problems faced. Self confidence and courage levels are set to increase. As good effects are about to take place avoid behaving like a headstrong and lazy person. Promotion and pay hike likely.

Health will be fine and need not worry. Those involved in foreign trade will be big gainers. Media persons and artists will have handful of good opportunities and move forward with a determination. Traders may expect a tough time.

Avoid unwanted arguments and take care of health. Hurdles existed in performing good events will be over and you will succeed in performing them. Debt issue will be under control. Financial position will be very strong.

A major debt issue will be cleared which will make you cheerful. Misunderstanding between couple will be over and they will be in a very peaceful atmosphere. Those faced with chronic disease will feel a major relief.

Need to take immediate and good care by consulting the Doctor without any delay. You might be in a fix to decide on an important issue but you need to go as per your plans and intuition only rather than taking advice from others.

You might be worry some about the future. You will be very much generous but at the same time stubborn in your own decisions. Sudden travels are likely to be undertaken but will yield desired results. Financial position looks solid.

TAROT READ

Sumaa Tekur

tarotreadhyd@gmail. com

ARIES:

GEMINI:

Two of Wands – You are looking for stability and it is coming in its own twisted way. You will be forced to take up a job or be around people you need.

LEO:

King of Cups – You have undertaken a task and you should not rest until you complete it to the best of your satisfaction. Redo a task if you’re not pleased.

LIBRA:

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE

Eight of Wands – Some kind of loss was about to happen but it was averted thanks to your sharp mind. Make use of this fortunate time to do things you like.

SAGITTARIUS:

Six of Wands – You find it hard to concentrate and may stray from the topic at hand. Focus your energies on the jobs that need priority right now.

TAURUS:

Page of Swords – You’re spending a lot of time in quiet contemplation. This is needed to reprioritise and make everything fall in place, as per your expectation.

CANCER:

Four of Pentacles – You will be involved in some financial transactions. All will go well as long as you keep an eye on the details. Don’t leave it to anyone else.

VIRGO:

The Magician – Your thoughts make or mar a situation. You have some happy memories of something. You may be ruining those by thinking of the negative.

SCORPIO:

Nine of Pentacles – You may be thinking of purchasing a new vehicle. Consult people in the know. Waiting for a few months may get you a better deal.

CAPRICORN:

Queen of Wands – You have a tendency to be addicted to something. It could be shopping or playing video games. It will make you restless. Meditate!

PREVIOUS SOLUTIONS

PISCES:

Eight of Pentacles – You come across to peers and colleagues as being too harsh, too judgmental. Tone down your communication.

NUMBER GAME

You may be caught mimicking someone and this person is not going to like it. You deserve a holiday. Take a break and switch off the BlackBerry.

SCRABBLE

AQUARIUS: The Devil –

POOCH CAFE

Politicians need to maintain low profile and maintain cordial relationship with seniors to avoid any action against them. Businessmen need to work focused and daringly to achieve their planned goals. Traders may expect profits.

for 27-6-2013

Ten of Wands – Time to reclaim what’s yours. It could be time, or the right to do what you want to do. Don’t listen to anyone else except your own instincts.

NON SEQUITUR

Newly married will be blessed with an offspring soon. Avoid unwanted anger and emotional outbursts which might spell trouble to you. Be careful while driving as minor accident likely. Avoid interfering in anyone’s personal issues.

SUDUKO

Businessmen will gain good profits with their innovative schemes. Financially a very comfortable situation is likely. Some have bright chance to buy a new vehicle. Tensions and worries likely but keep your cool.

Boggle ORANGE LIME APPLE PEACH PEAR Vol: 2, No 341 RNI No: APENG/2011/39337 Published for the proprietors, Scribble Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, by V Harshavardhan Reddy, at #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500033 and printed by him at Jagati Publications Ltd, Plot No D-75&E-52, APIE Industrial Estate, Balanagar, Ranga Reddy Dist, Hyderabad – 500037, Editor: Dean Williams – Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. For feedback, please write to: feedback@postnoon. com and for subscription, please call 040-4067 2222, Fax: 040-4067 2211

Entertainment WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

DADDYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LOVE

CINE BYTES

Richard Matheson, I Am Legend dies at 87

ichard Matheson, the sci-fi and fantasy novelist and screenwriter influenced numerous modern genre writers and directors and wrote numerous stories and books that were adapted as films including I Am Legend, died on Sunday, according to his publisher. He was 87 and had been ill for some time.

George Lucas marries Mellody Hobson at Skywalker Ranch

eorge Lucas and Mellody Hobson said "I do" Saturday with what we can only assume was an out-of-this-world wedding. Yes, the Star Wars creator and his longtime love got married at Lucas's Skywalker Ranch in Marin County, Calif., at, the filmmaker's rep confirmed to People. Samuel L Jackson was excited about the nuptials.

CHANNING C TATUM'S daddy confessions

hanning Tatum experienced life imitating art with his latest movie White House Down (well, kinda). The actor, who portrays a Capitol policeman that tries to save his daughter, recently became a real-life father to a beautiful baby girl named Everly. "Jenna [Dewan-Tatum] and I weren't pregnant then, but we conceived on that movie," Tatum told E! News during the film's premiere in Washington, D.C., "so it's kinda crazy that I had a daughter on the movie...and now we just had our own little, cutest, most amazing thing ever." Something the new dad admits as being hard for him is being away from his newborn daughter while working in London. "I'm away from her for 12-13 hours and I feel like I come home and I feel like she's changedâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;like her face looks different. You feel like every minute that you miss is horrible."

Naomi Watts, Robin Wright swap sons in Adore trailer

aomi Watts and Robin Wright succumb to forbidden desires in a new trailer for Adore, an erotic drama (previously titled Two Mothers) which tackles a tough subject: Motherloving. The actresses play two Bff mums in Australia who develop sexual relationships with each other's teenage sons, played by Ben Mendelsohn and Xavier Samuel.

sports

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

ON THE RISE

LEAGUE CRICKET

Benjamin sets eyes on IPL ARUN DANIEL YELLAMATY arunyellamaty@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: Twenty-fouryear-old, Benjamin Thomas, scoring this year’s first double century of this season’s Hyderabad cricket league is hoping that at least this year gets a shot at IPL, the young lad who’s half dream came true when he got selected in the Ranji Trophy squad last year and hopes to play for IPL and Ranji this year. Benjamin, who plays for A1 (Three Day) EMCEE, talking about his recent double hundred, that too on his birthday, he says, “this knock is my favorite so far, as we were chasing 400 and we were already 40 for 2 and after that we batted well and I scored a double and

we took a lead in the first innings.” The lad who’s form has been impressive from the last year, which got him a place in the Ranji squad, but did not get chance to play in the eleven. “For me it was half dream come true last when I was selected for Ranji team, but was little disappointed that I did not get a chace.” He adds, “This year, I am working very hard too; I hope to play this year. I get up for practice at 5am and get

TOUR DE FRANCE

back at 10am. Then again I practice from 3pm onwards. I am giving my everything this year and hoping to score more and hopefully play for IPL too.” Like every young cricketer, Benjamin too hopes to play for India some day and says IPL is next goal after Ranji. “I want to play for IPL, that’s how I thing I will get a chance to represent India, I am working extra hard this year.” Talking about tips from seniors and his favorite players he says, “I

always looked up to Ricky Ponting, and Virat is my recent favorite. I played a match alongside VVS Laxman, T.Suman and Rayadu, they were very helpful and gave some very useful tips.” Playing cricket from the age of six, thanks his coach dad, Christopher Thomas for helping him getting so far, “My dad helped me a lot, I used to go to his practices and was influenced to play cricket and even my mom, Kasturi who kept encouraging me. I want to also give credit to my coaches Ashok Singh, John Manoj, Vivek Jaisinha and John Sujay who keep on encouraging me.” Benjamin is a graduate, and says that cricket is his career.

Cricketer Benjimin Thomas during a net practice session at the St John’s cricket ground. SRINIVAS SETTY

Rain plays spoilsport on Day 1 A-1 three days Day 1 Group A Andhra Bank vs R Dayanand at RGICS n SCRSA vs Evergreen at SCRSA Group B n Hyderabad Bottling vs BDL at ECIL n MP Colts vs AOC at AOC n EMCC vs India Cements at Vijayanand (Note: The Day-1 of all the above matches were washed out) Day 1 Group A n (Tanmay Agarwal 70 n.o., Mehdi Hasan 25 n.o., Saaketh Sai Ram 4/51). n

US NATIONAL SWIMMING

US thrive without Phelps PETE CAVA Agence France-Presse

Evans, the Tour veteran with a fighting chance JUSTIN DAVIS Agence France-Presse PARIS: BMC team leader Cadel Evans (above) will line up at the Tour de France on Saturday with a chance of becoming the oldest winner of the world's biggest bike race. But after his under-par performance in a 2012 edition won by Bradley Wiggins, the 2011 champion will leave historical anecdotes to the side as he prepares to upset the victory plans of favourites Chris Froome and Alberto Contador. The race route might change every year, but for 36-year-old Evans the keys to success remain the same. "It will be crucial to be consistent everywhere: on the flat stages and time trials. The climbs will be particularly important

this year. Avoiding bad luck is always key as well," he said. As bad luck goes, Evans has had more than his fair share -including last year when the defence of his title was hit by a viral infection which left him struggling to keep pace in key mountain stages. As Wiggins celebrated making history for Britain, Evans settled for a seventh place finish and, still suffering, pulled out of the Olympic Games. Many fans were left wondering if the 2009 world champion's best years were behind him, but a year later Evans looks to be the only threat to 2012 runner-up Froome and Spain's former twotime winner Contador. Why? Firstly, this year's edition is shorn of several big names. AFP

INDIANAPOLIS: The US National Swimming Championships opened here Tuesday, the first for the sport without the legendary Michael Phelps since 1998. Phelps, the winner of six medals (four gold, two silver) at the 2012 London Games, retired last year as the most decorated Olympian of all-time. The swimmers gathered at the Indiana University Natatorium are competing for berths on the United States team for this year's World Championships in Barcelona, July 28-August 4. Do they feel any pressure to replace Phelps as the face of swimming in the US? "Absolutely not," said Missy

A general view of the pool during day 1 of the 2013 USA Swimming Phillips 66 National Championships and World Trials on Tuesday. AFP/STREETER LECKA

Franklin, a 2012 Olympic standout who won five medals (four gold, one bronze) in London. "I think we have so many incredible team members and so many incredible swimmers in our sport right now. It's an

NBA

honor to be a part of it, and I feel like we all kind of carry that responsibility together." Franklin, best known as a backstroker, won the women's 100-meter freestyle on the opening night of the meet. AFP

Rivers joins Clippers as coach LOS ANGELES: The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles have completed a deal Tuesday which will see Glenn "Doc" Rivers become the head coach of the Clippers in exchange for a firstround pick in the 2015 draft. The 51-year-old Rivers will also take on the title of vice president of basketball operations for the Clippers who decided to not offer a new contract to coach

Vinny Del Negro. The Clippers did not release details of the contract but the American media reported the deal was for three years and worth $21 million. The Clippers are expected to formally introduce Rivers at a news conference on Wednesday. Rivers played for the Clippers during the 1991-92 season but he was best known as a standout with the Atlanta Hawks. AFP

sports

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

WIMBLEDON

Djoker, Serena cruise Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams cruised into the second round as the All England Club recovered from the shockwaves of Rafael Nadal’s first round exit. DAVE JAMES Agence France-Presse LONDON: Top seeds Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams cruised into the Wimbledon second round on Tuesday as the All England Club recovered from the shockwaves of Rafael Nadal’s exit 24 hours earlier. World number one Djokovic, the 2011 champion, beat Germany’s Florian Mayer 6-3, 75, 6-4, in the Serb’s first grasscourt outing of the season and his first match since his shattering five-set semi-final loss to Nadal at the French Open. “It was a big pleasure to play in front of a packed Centre Court against a tricky rival like Mayer. He’s got a great variety of shots and his game is wellsuited to grass,” said Djokovic, who next faces Bobby Reynolds of the United States. Defending champion Williams, chasing a sixth Wimbledon title and 17th major, racked-up her 32nd successive win, cruising to a 6-1, 6-3 win over Luxembourg’s Mandy Minella. Her 57-minute romp on Centre Court briefly deflected attention away from the storm surrounding her controversial comments on a US high school

ROBIN MILLARD Agence France-Presse

US player Serena Williams returns on her way to beating Luxembourg’s Mandy Minella during their women’s first round match on day two of the Wimbledon Championships tournament at the All England Club in Wimbledon on Tuesday. Williams won 6-1, 6-3. AFP/GLYN KIRK

rape case and the fall-out from her criticism of Maria Sharapova’s love life. The 31-year-old took out her frustrations on the hapless Minella, the world number 92 who has never defeated a top-30

Odesnik hits back over new allegations LONDON: Wayne Odesnik was forced to confront his controversial past on Tuesday as the American hit back at the latest claims about his alleged involvement in a doping row. Odesnik, the world number 107, was banned for two years in 2010 after trying to

Not worried by being home alone: Robson

import human growth hormone (HGH), an anabolic agent used by drug cheats, into Australia. The 27-year-old later had half of his ban suspended by the sport’s governing body, the International Tennis Federation, when he agreed to give “substantial assistance in relation to the enforcement of professional rules of conduct”. But Odesnik came under fresh scrutiny recently when his name was reported to have appeared in the handwritten records of a Miami clinic at the centre of a developing doping scandal engulfing American sport. The clinic’s founder, Tony Bosch, is being investigated for allegedly supplying banned drugs to stars, mainly from baseball and boxing. AFP

player let alone one of Williams’s calibre whose French Open title three weeks ago took her majors haul to 16. Victory was also her 75th in her last 78 matches, a run that stretches back to her shock first

round departure at Roland Garros in 2012, the worst Grand Slam exit of her career. Tuesday’s 32nd successive win took her to within just three of the record set by older sister Venus in 2000.

LONDON: Laura Robson will be the only home player contesting the women’s second round at Wimbledon but she claimed talk of an underachievement crisis in British tennis was taking it too far. Robson, 19, the world number 38, knocked out Russian 10th seed Maria Kirilenko 6-3, 6-4 on Tuesday to join Andy Murray as the only British players to get through the first round. All seven of Britain’s wildcards fell at the first hurdle, while Heather Watson -- the only other Brit alongside Robson and Murray to make the main draw on merit -- also tumbled. However, despite the backdrop of doom and gloom, Robson issued a stout defence of her compatriots. “I think everyone had tough matches. Before this week, everyone was playing really well. So it’s unfortunate that no one else made the second round,” she said. AFP

Fedex, Andy eye last 32

LONDON: Defending champion Roger Federer (in pic) and Andy Murray take centre stage at Wimbledon on Wednesday while Maria Sharapova has to settle for a spot away from the two major show courts. Federer, bidding to become the first man to win the title eight times, tackles Ukraine’s Sergiy Stakhovsky on Centre Court. Murray, the US Open and Olympic champion, switches to Court One to play Lu Yen-Hsun, the Taiwan player who beat him at the 2008 Olympics. But Sharapova, the third seed and 2004 champion, takes on Portuguese qualifier Michelle Larcher de Brito out on Court Two. That will raise eyebrows with the low-key clash between Fernando Verdasco and Julien Benneteau, and the match-up featuring Petra Kivtova, the 2011 women’s champion, against Yaroslava Shvedova taking place on Court One. Murray, beaten by Federer in last year’s final, is well aware of

the threat posed by Lu, who also beat Andy Roddick at Wimbledon in 2010. “I know quite a lot about him. I lost to him in the Olympics in 2008 in Beijing. It was a very tough loss for me. I learnt a lot from that match,” Murray said. “He’s made the quarters here before. He’s beaten Roddick here and plays well on grass. So I’ll need to be ready.” If Murray sees off Lu it will

be the 108th Grand Slam match win of his career, taking him further clear of Fred Perry’s record for a British player at a major. Also in action on Wednesday are second seeded Victoria Azarenka against experienced Italian Flavia Pennetta. Lleyton Hewitt, the 2002 champion who put out Swiss 11th seed Stanislas Wawrinka in the first round, takes on German qualifier Dustin Brown. AFP

sports

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

NEW ZEALAND IN ENGLAND

McCullum stars as New Zealand edge England JULIAN GUYER Agence France-Presse LONDON: New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum led from the front with a typically quickfire innings as the Black Caps beat England by five runs to win the first Twenty20 international at The Oval on Tuesday. The skipper’s 68 off just 48 balls, including two sixes and

Brendon hails Rutherford

LONDON: New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum praised Hamish Rutherford for an “outstanding” innings as the Kiwis beat England by just five runs to win the first T20 international at The Oval on Tuesday. McCullum may have top-scored with 68 but it was left-handed opener Rutherford’s dashing 62 that caught the eye during the pair’s second-wicket stand of 114 after Boyd Rankin struck early on his England debut to leave the Kiwis one for one. Defeat meant England had again lost by five runs after going down by that margin in the Champions Trophy final against India. AFP

NZ skipper keen to face Pietersen LONDON: New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum insists he is relishing the prospect of going up against Kevin Pietersen in the second Twenty20 international at The Oval on Thursday, saying the “game’s better” when the star batsman is involved. Pietersen hasn’t played for England since leaving the tour of New Zealand in March with a knee injury that sidelined him from all cricket until last week. But the South Africa-born shotmaker returned to action in spectacular style by making an unbeaten 177 for Surrey in their County Championship match away to Yorkshire, an innings featuring 17 fours and seven sixes. It was a heartening innings for England ahead of next month’s Ashes defence against Australia and Pietersen was specifically named as being available for Thursday’s fixture when England named their T20 squad last week, England could have done with some extra batting firepower at The Oval on Tuesday. AFP

Brendon McCullum plays a shot during the first T20 match against England at The Oval cricket ground in London on Tuesday. AFP/IAN KINGTON

seven fours, was the heart of New Zealand’s imposing 201 for four and although England had a bold stab at a target of 202 it proved just beyond their reach. Defeat meant England had again lost by five runs after going down by that margin in a

Champions Trophy final against India reduced to 20 overs per side by rain at Edgbaston on Sunday. England needed six for a tie off the last ball that would have taken this match into a ‘superover’ and that proved beyond

Ravi Bopara, who finished on 30 not out. The hosts fielded just four players from Sunday’s side in stand-in captain Eoin Morgan, Bopara, Jos Buttler and James Tredwell. McCullum shared a second-wicket stand of 114 with opener Hamish Rutherford, man-of-the-match for his dashing 62, after Boyd Rankin struck early on his England debut to leave New Zealand one for one. After Morgan won the toss, it took fellow Irishman Rankin just four balls to take a wicket when James Franklin was out for a duck, wicket-keeper Buttler holding an inside edge. Brendon McCullum saw a top-edge off Rankin fly 83 yards for a six over Buttler’s head and Rutherford was even luckier when, on 25, a mistimed cut off Jade Dernbach’s first ball was dropped by Bopara at point. Rutherford used his reprieve to slog-sweep and drive off-spinner Tredwell for two sixes in as many balls. But, going for another big hit, off medium-pacer Wright, he holed out having faced just 35 balls including four

ASHES WARM UP

Clarke to lead Australia TAUNTON: Fit-again Australia captain Michael Clarke (in pic) will lead the side in their four-day tour match against Somerset, vicecaptain Brad Haddin confirmed Tuesday. Clarke did not feature in defending champions’ Australia’s group stage exit from the Champions Trophy because of a longstanding back injury and has been sidelined from much of a trip to England that took a dramatic turn Monday when Mickey Arthur was sacked as head coach just 16 days from the Ashes. Now the Somerset match, which starts on Wednesday, will be Australia’s first under new coach Darren Lehmann. “Michael is definitely playing against Somerset, which is great news," said Haddin. “It is the first match of an Ashes tour and the Australian captain is pretty excited about being involved. “He is in a good spot. He

had a good catching session this morning and a bit of a hit, although I didn’t see much of that as I was in the net beside him," the wicketkeeper added. Haddin revealed the Australia team to face Somerset would be: Ed Cowan, Shane Watson, Usman Khawaja, Phil Hughes, Michael Clarke (capt), Haddin (wkt), James Faulkner, Nathan Lyon, Peter Siddle, James Pattinson and Mithell Starc. “That’s the side we have decided to go with. We wanted to give this group a hit," Haddin said. “Chris Rogers has been playing a lot of cricket over the past couple of months (for Middlesex), so he is already in pretty good touch. “I can’t say what the batting order will be because I don’t know. I could guess, but we will let Michael decide that on the day of the game."

Haddin, asked about South African coach Arthur’s sacking, said: “We’ve had a change of coach, but we don’t want to dwell on what has gone on before because that is of no benefit to anyone. AFP

SCORE BOARD New Zealand Rutherford c Hales b Wright 62 Franklin c Buttler b Rankin 0 B. McCullum b Wright 68 R Taylor not out 32 Latham c Bopara b Dernbach 22 Munro not out 0 Extras (lb6, w11) 17 Total (4 wkts, 20 overs) 201 Bowling: Rankin 4-0-24-1 (1w); Woakes 1-0-19-0; Dernbach 40-31-1 (1w); Stokes 3-0-26-0 (1w); Tredwell 2-0-32-0; Bopara 2-0-32-0 (4w) Wright 4-0-31-2 England M. Lumb b N McCullum 29 A. Hales c Franklin b Hira 39 Wright c Latham b McClenaghan 52 E. Morgan c Taylor b Butler 7 R. Bopara not out 30 J. Buttler run out (Latham) 17 B. Stokes not out 9 Extras (lb8, w4, nb1) 13 Total (5 wkts, 20 overs) 196 Bowling: McClenaghan 4-0-371 (1nb, 1w); Butler 4-0-35-1; N McCullum 3-0-37-1 (1w); Hira 40-34-1 (1w); Anderson 4-0-40-0 (1w); Franklin 1-0-5-0

NEW ZEALAND WON BY FIVE RUNS sixes and six fours. Wright, who led the bowling with two for 31, struck again when he yorked Brendon McCullum before Ross Taylor’s unbeaten 32 helped the Kiwis beyond 200. England openers Michael Lumb (29) and Alex Hales (39) posted a fifty stand inside four overs before Lumb played on to Nathan McCullum.

T20 WORLD CUP ICC to decide on venues LONDON: The ICC is likely to deliberate on the venues for next year’s Twenty20 World Cup, scheduled to be held in Bangladesh, during the governing body’s annual conference here. The tournament is scheduled to be organised between March 16 and April 6 in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has recently raised concerns over the delay in setting up proper infrastructure to meet the original deadline set by the ICC. BCB President Nazmul Hasan has already expressed his displeasure over the slow work at two of the four venues, and is likely to address the ICC board on this matter. The members are likely to discuss options - from setting new timelines or conducting further inspections to moving the tournament to another country as a viable alternative. AFP

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013

sports

TEVEZ SET TO JOIN JUVENTUS FROM MAN CITY

Carlos Tevez looks poised to end his stay at Manchester City by joining Juventus, the Press Association reported. Tevez, who joined City from United, will undergo a medical on Wednesday, although he has yet to agree personal terms on a deal which could cost the club up to £13.5million.

CONFEDERATIONS CUP

Brazil out to boost nation with Cup success

Uruguay relish great fixture

CHRIS WRIGHT Agence France-Presse

BELO HORIZONTEL:(AFP) Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari says their Confederations Cup semifinal against Uruguay in Belo Horizonte is a chance to provide a huge morale boost for a nation in turmoil after days of protests against corruption and maladministration. “This is a crucial moment for the Brazilian team," said Scolari as he looked forward to Wednesday’s Confederations Cup semi-final in Belo Horizonte against South American champions Uruguay. “The things we are doing to build a better country will not be in vain if we can keep this up. Find a better life together and not fighting against each other. Then we can live in the country we always longed for." The importance of football can hardly be overstated in Brazil, and most fans still back the hosting of next year’s World Cup, despite anger at a 15 billion dollar bill - many insist the money could have been better sent on showing up sagging public services such as health, transport and education. More than 1.5 million Brazilians have demonstrated against poor public services and corruption in recent days and some marches have turned violent, but polls say two thirds of fans back the World Cup. World football body FIFA voiced confidence earlier that authorities can ensure security

Brazil’s coach Luiz Felipe Scolari (C) gestures as players (L-R) Lucas, Thiago Silva, Hulk, David Luiz, Luiz Gustavo and Neymar stand behind him during a training session in Belo Horizonte on Tuesday. AFP/VANDERLEI ALMEIDA

during Wednesday’s game despite the fact Belo Horizonte was the scene of an ugly 70,000strong protest last Saturday. Regional state authorities have decreed that any demonstrators Wednesday follow a route well away from the stadium and some 5,500 police are set to be on hand just in case of trouble. On the pitch, Brazil will welcome back defensive midfielder Paulinho as they look to win a third straight Confederations title - if they get past Uruguay then eithr world champions Spain or Italy await for Sunday’s final. Paulinho is fit after missing the win over Italy with an ankle injury. Defender David Luiz is also

Scolari backs Paulinho BELO HORIZONTE: Brazil will welcome back midfielder Paulinho as they stiffen the backbone of the side for Wednesday’s Confederations Cup semifinal in Belo Horizonte against South American champions Uruguay. After Tuesday’s training session at the Mineirao stadium, Paulinho appears ready to go having missed the Italy win with an ankle injury. David Luiz is also set to start having been stretchered off against the Italians with a leg injury. set to start having been stretchered off against the Italians with a leg injury.

Striker Fred will once again be part of a forward trio completed by Neymar and Hulk. Fred said: “I am really looking forward to the match - I feel right at home” in the Brazil side where he has been in tremendous recent form, hitting two goals against Italy. Brazil have not lost to Uruguay since Scolari’s first match in charge in his first spell at the helm, in 2001, shortly before he turned his first squad into world champions. But although the Brazilians have won 32 encounters to their neighbours’ 19 with a further 19 drawn, the Uruguayans did win the biggest meeting of all, their legendary 2-1 “Maracanazo” win in the 1950 World Cup final in Rio.

BELO HORIZONTE: Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez (above) is relishing pitting his team against hosts and holders Brazil in Wednesday’s Confederations Cup semifinals, as their long rivalry makes for one of the world game’s top fixtures. Uruguay have been something of a bogey side for the Selecao, who have been wary of the Celeste ever since the latter wrecked their dreams of a first World Cup success by winning the 1950 final in Rio’s famed Maracana stadium. The Brazilians have since landed five world titles leaving all other rivals in their wake in the historical annals of the game. “Statistically we don’t have Brazil’s numbers," said Tabarez, who led the nation of only 3.3 million people to the ’11 Copa America to qualify for this tournament of continental champions. Asked if he agreed with Brazilian goalkeeper Julio Cesar that a Brazil versus Uruguay encounter exceeded even a Brazil meeting with South America’s other heavyweights Argentina, Tabarez praised the goalkeeper for holding that view. AFP

Italy plan innovations against Spain Italy’s players jog during a training session at the President Vargas stadium in Fortaleza,on Tuesday during the Confederations Cup. Italy will face Spain on Thursday. AFP/VINCENZO PINTO

TOM WILLIAMS Agence France-Presse FORTALEZA: Weakened by injury and chastened by the memory of a crushing loss to the same opponents 12 months ago, Italy have vowed to use their imagination when they meet Spain in Thursday’s Confederations Cup semi-final. The match is a repeat of last year’s Euro 2012 final, when Spain cruised to a 4-0 win to

claim an unprecedented third consecutive major international title. Having swept through the group phase at the Confederations Cup with three consecutive wins, the world and European champions were the favourites to advance to the final even before Italy’s injury problems struck. Right-back Ignazio Abate and key striker Mario Balotelli have both been ruled out of the tournament, although midfielders Riccardo Montolivo and

Andrea Pirlo are both expected to feature against Spain. Pirlo missed Saturday’s 4-2 loss to Brazil with a calf injury, while Montolivo took a blow to the head in the same game, but both players have since resumed training. Balotelli’s early departure from the tournament with a thigh injury is a heavy blow, the AC Milan striker having emerged in the last 12 months as coach Cesare Prandelli’s most important attacking player.