TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013 HYDERABAD
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A FEW GOOD MOVES
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HAVE A SAFE RIDE BACK
The dashing police officers played by Ajay Devgn and Salman Khan respectively in Singham and Dabanng have become role models for Uttar Pradesh policemen. We look at some films that we would advise some of these professionals to see.
With several cases of crimes against women making headlines, female employees travelling home late at night are feeling increasingly insecure. We list some ways to ensure that they travel safely.
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HYDERABAD’S FIRST COMPACT AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER
PF OFFICE IN HIBERNATION
When trying to check or claim PF from the Employees Provident Fund Organisation, don’t be surprised by what the online message tells you. According to officials, the accounts department hasn’t updated its financial records, which has caused a delay in updating PF amount balances for the current fiscal year. The PFO, however, has an answer if your PF dues have been accounted till March 2012. REPORT ON P9
M ANIL KUMAR
The registration rigmarole
UPA on tenterhooks?
If you are in love and want your marriage to be solemnised under the Special Marriage Act, ensure you hire a lawyer who is familiar with the workings of the marriage office.
In light of the Supreme Court coming down heavily on the government and CBI on the coalgate case, the BJP has demanded immediate resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
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Orchestrating a revolution You can’t lead a revolution and hide behind bullet-proof glass — at least not according to Imran Khan, wildcard contender for power at the ballot box in Pakistan next week.
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TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013
city events
CAMPUS CONCERT
The Gunpowder Treason will be performing live at DST Auditorium, University of Hyderabad Campus on May 4 from 6.15 pm. Contact: 2301-0207 / 2313-2110
Weather for Hyderabad
Evening
Overnight
Morning
Afternoon
35°C
27°C
33°C
41°C
Clear with cloudy periods.
Clear with cloudy periods
Sunny with cloudy periods
Sunny with cloudy periods.
New Delhi Mumbai Max 39 Max 35 Min 28 Min 28 Clear
Chennai Max 35 Min 29
Partly cloudy
Bangalore Max 36 Min 23
Partly cloudy
Cloudy
AROUND THE CITY: YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES Banjara Hills When: Till May 3, 9.30 am to 5.30 pm
FEST
The Deviant Digital art on canvas by Aekka Yadagiri Rao. Where: ICON Art Gallery, Road no 12 Banjara Hills When: On till May 3, 11.30 am to 7 pm Contact: www.iconart.in
THEATRE Music fest Banyan Tree's World Music Festival will be held. The day will feature musicians Farah Siraj, Prasanna, Andres Rotmistrovsky, Jake Hertzog others. Where: Taramati Baradari, Gandipet When: May 3, 7 pm Price: Donor passes available for `400 & `250 Contact: Banyan Tree, at 9323119381
WORKSHOPS Summer camp Soft skills programme for children between the age group 8 and 14. Where: Prashanthi Counselling & HRD Center, Secretariat Road When: Till May 2, 10 am to 3.30 pm Contact: 93932-33232
COVERING DISTANCES: Minority school children received bicycles that the Government of AP distributed. The initiative, completed at LB Stadium, was to help the children attend school more often and reduce dropouts. M ANIL KUMAR
When: May 4, 2 pm to 6 pm Contact: 96034-73470 Junior masterchef A summer camp Junior Gourmet is being organised. Where: The Park Hyderabad, Somajiguda When: Till May 3, 10 am Contact: 86860-47000
The art of writing Calligraphy workshop is on. Where: Saptaparni (After School Activities), Banjara Hills When: Till May 3, 9 am to 11 am Contact: 90320-10200
Commissioner & Spl Officer
GAS BOOKING IVRS NO HP 9666023456 Indane 9848824365 BSNL Complaints HMWS & SB Complaints
198 155313
POLICE CONTROL ROOM Hyderabad 27852435 Traffic Control Room 27852482 DCP Traffic 23234065, 23243499F Pollution Control Board 23887500 ELECTRICITY General Complaints Breakdown Section
155333 23431178 23431179
MUNICIPAL CORPORATION
23262266 24166666R ENC 23225267 Engineering 23220418 MCH Tankbund 23225397 Emergency MCH Circle I&II 24525842 MCH Circle III 24736912 MCH Circle IV 23326975 MCH Circle V 23326976 MCH Circle VI MCH Complaints 1100 Head Office 23225397 IVRS CUM MANUAL ENQUIRY PHONE NUMBERS (TRAIN & RESERVATION) RAILWAYS Rail Nilayam 27833169, 27824216 Railway Information 131 Reservations 135 Recorded Information 1345 Enquiry (IVRS) 1331, 1332, 1333
to 2:00 pm Contact: 92461-12461
ART
Summer camp Tailoring training camp for children between the age group of 6 and 16 is being organised. Where: Shilparamam, Madhapur When: Till May 20, 11 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 4 pm Contact: 97013-83359 The joy of reading Oxford Bookstore in association with GHAC and LICH is organising an informative, exciting and fun-filled workshop in social sciences and Humanities for kids. Where: Oxford Bookstore, The Park When: Ongoing, Till May 12, 9:30 am
All About Cycling A half-day interactive workshop on cycling. Where: Alliance Francaise, Banjara Hills
Helpline
Indoor games Scrabble workshop is being held. Where: Saptaparni (After School Activities), Banjara Hills When: Till May 3, 9 am to 11 am
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
DINING Mango fiesta Katriya Hotel is celebrating the summer with delicacies made from the fresh mangoes. .Where: Katriya Hotel & Towers, Somajiguda When: Till April 30, 11 am
Feathered friends Photographs of birds are being exhibited. Where: Goethe-Zentrum Hyderabad,
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
Stage drama The Space Theatre ensemble is staging two plays Paikeachi Zor and Woman River. Where: Muffakham Jah College Of Engineering And Technology (MJET), Banjara Hills When: April 30, 7.30 pm
Mega mugs TGI Friday's announced TGI Friday’s mega mugs offer to coincide with the start of the IPL. Where: TGIF, RK Cineplex When: Ongoing
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
TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013
news
YESTERDAY’S QUESTION
WILL THE CONGRESS GAIN BY APPROACHING YOUNG VOTERS? 20% 80%
YES (A) NO (B)
TODAY’S QUESTION
WILL CHANDRABABU NAIDU MAKE A COMEBACK IN 2014? A)
YES
B)
NO
To vote visit www.postnoon.com
POLITICS
CRIME
Walkathon euphoria fails to nip desertion
TDP continues to lose its senior leaders and many cadres though it generated a glow of confidence after Naidu’s record-breaking padayatra. PK SURENDRAN surendran.pk@postnoon.com
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hile the Telugu Desham Party is still basking in the euphoria generated after its chief’s successful padayatra covering 2800 kilometres, the party seems to be unable to prevent senior leaders from jumping fence. Many of the party’s leaders are worried at the prospects of it losing for a third time and fading into oblivion. “Chandrababu Naidu did a fine job of covering most parts of the state on foot but the party is yet to get rejuvenated,” remarked a MLC. Consequently, the party is witnessing desertion of seniors as Naidu’s charisma fails to cast a spell on them as before. The latest in the news is Dadi Veerabhadra Rao
Chandrababu Naidu did a fine job of covering most parts of the State on foot but the party is yet to get rejuvenated. An MLC of the TDP
Girl student missing from City hostel Police failed to act when she had complained of a sexual attack by the warden’s son. Mohd SUBHAN Mohd.S@postnoon.com
Dadi’s aides point out that their leader was unhappy with the way he was denied re-nomination to the legislative council. He was hurt that Naidu had not even formally informed him about not being nominated to the council. He is learnt to be hobnobbing with the YSRCP for his own political career.
Major absentees
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espite the national outrage at crime and violence against women, the Begumpet police sat over a complaint of physically harassment of a teenage girl in a women’s hostel by the son of the warden in the SR Nagar area. Now, thanks to the police inaction, the girl is missing for the past few days.
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who acted efficiently as the opposition leader in the Legislative council and the other is former minister Kadiyam Srihari. What sparked speculations of these leaders weighing options is their glaring absence at the public meeting of Chandrababu Naidu at Visakhapatnam on the conclusion of his padayatra. Kadiyam Srihari has reportedly been unhappy about Naidu’s stance on Telangana and has been away from party activities since a pretty long period. This prompted other leaders in
the party to attack him.
AVALANCHE OF DESERTION It is learnt that Kadiyam made up his mind to join the TRS. The Karimnagar TDP MLA Gangula Kamalakar has already joined the TRS. It is learnt that former minister P Chandrasekhar is also planning to join the pink brigade. While Pocharam Srinivasa Reddy already joined the TRS, Telangana leaders Venugopala Chary, Jogu Ramanna, Nagam Janardana Reddy and Hariswar Reddy had come out of the TDP.
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he latest in the news is Dadi Veerabhadra Rao who acted efficiently as the opposition leader in the Legislative council and the other is former minister Kadiyam Srihari. What sparked speculations of these leaders weighing options is their glaring absence at the public meeting of Chandrababu Naidu at Visakhapatnam on the conclusion of his padayatra.
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A first year intermediate student in a private college in city, the girl was being persecuted by a wayward son of the warden, Vikas, said the complaint of her father Shankar Naik. Last month teasing progressed to sexual attack, and it was the timely intervention of her roommates of the girl saved her. In this connection a complaint was lodged with the Begumpet police but nothing happened. Worried at the safety of her daughter, father had asked her to return home in Kadappa. Soon after she reached home, the girl was found missing. Naik said by all probability her daughter was forcibly taken away by Vikas who must have followed her to home.
CITY BRIEFS Kiran starts campaign in Karnataka today
Prasanna Kumar as CS posting order today
Applications for setting up unaided colleges
Mayor seeks Google maps of lakes
Businessman beaten up after a petty quarrel
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Kiran Kumar Reddy would start his two day campaign for Congress in Karnataka from today. On the instructions from Congress High Command, he would campaign in the areas which have the concentration of Telugu speaking population. In addition to that, CM would also conduct padayatara and address corner meetings.
he government is likely to issue orders today appointing Prasanna Kumar Mohanty, a 1979 batch of IAS officer, as chief secretary of Andhra Pradesh. He would succeed Minnie Mathew. Minnie was given three months extension which has ended now. Fearing legal wrangles over the issue, the government had already cleared decks for Mohanty.
oard of Intermediatte Education has passed GO MS no. 29, (BIE) inviting applications from candidates interested in setting up private unaided junior colleges in the State starting from the 2013-14 academic year. Applications can be download from BIE website (www.bieap.gov.in) and submit the copies at the Regional Inspector’s Office.
n a strong worded letter to GHMC Commissioner, Mayor Md Majid Hussain has sought the Google maps showing the FTL boundaries, during peak rainy season for the last five years. During the recent visit by the members of Standing Committee, it was observed that many of the lake were encroached without following FTL boundaries.
ome unidentified young men have beaten up a businessman, Yadgiri, after a petty quarrel in Rasoolpura, police reported. It is said Yadgiri was beaten up after he had objected to some men roaming about his residence area and asked them to go away. Police have got some clues as to the identities of the trouble makers, it is said.
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News TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013 LAST YEAR... HERE
CIVIC
Prajavani is a hit but…
The malnourished ones
L
ast year we had reported that 50 per cent of the children in India are malnourished. This fact emerged in a study by the National Institute of Nutrition. This problem stems from escalating food prices which result in the poor cutting their intake of food materials that provide and form the base for health.
APRIL 30, 2012
NUMEROLOGY
1%
A sample survey by the government, conducted in schools in three cities, has shown that more than one per cent of children suffer from diabetes, health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad informed the Lok Sabha Monday.
Beef is staple food for many Christian families. For many poor families it’s a cheap source of protein, a good way of filling your stomach. Josh Pereira Goan Christian Youth Welfare Association See page 6
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THINGS WE LEARNT TODAY
The column that teaches everyone something new about the way the world functions.
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Mistakes can result in good things. For instance the butterfly effect in that we got a new species from weed that came from a consignment of wheat from the US in the 1950s.
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Prajavani works but there’s more to be done. Rarely does a government initiative get kudos from citizens, but Prajavani is different for its quick solutions.
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Even an inmate in a jailhouse has taste and class. Lawyers and inmates are posting reviews of food and facilities on Yelp, a website that is traditionally associated with restaurant and hotel reviews.
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Little Damascus in Egypt’s Cairo? Little Damascus is a sprawling new development in the desert west of Cairo which has become a hub for Syrian refugees.
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In the hands of an artist, guns pump tunes. Mexican artiste Pedro Reyes, makes musical instruments from guns to spread the word of peace.
It’s unable to tackle the most pressing complaints of illegal constructions Md NIZAMUDDIN nizamuddin.a@postnoon.com
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rajavani, a civic administrative initiative that happens weekly, has been providing people with immense relief on many emergency services. “For once, I must give GHMC 100 marks,” said a contented Prajavani participant. Each Monday, scores of residents get their grievances redressed without hassles. “We keep a strict tag of complaints and ensure their disposal in a time frame,” said a monitoring official. Unlike the Face-to-Face which the mayor handles, Prajavani is being conducted by the administrative wing of GHMC, engaging fully the staff in this task on the first working day of the week. Issues related to sanitation,
veterinary services, electricity issues, health-related problems are solved quickly. But the GHMC faces a wall when it comes to illegal construction and encroachments because they all involve courts. But the sad fact remains that all these illegal construction complaints proceed without a hitch with a court stay. “While there is a stay from court, the work proceeds illegally. The corporation is
reluctant to confront court,” observes an official. A total of 10 out of 24 grievances were related to town planning in this week’s Prajavani.
CIRCLE-WISE SCORE
Kapra (circle-1) received the maximum number of grievances 220, out of which 207 were disposed. LB Nagar received 86, of which 70 were
disposed of; and Kukatpally 84, of which 79 were solved during beginning of the Prajavani a couple of months ago. Circle-8, Qutbullapur (circle15) and Malkajgiri are the three which had only few grievances; three, four and eight respectively. A total of 971 grievances were received by the GHMC of which 767 were disposed, with an overall efficiency of 78.99 per cent. This week’s Prajavani was delayed due to some technical problem with the computer. The special commissioner, Navin Mittal, irked by the laxity, has demanded the IT wing to have one more computer from the next Prajavani to speed up the process and avoid such hiccoughs.
BUTTERFLY EFFECT
A beautiful mistake
India owes the US for the pretty Bath White butterfly, which came along with a wheat consignment from there in 1950s.
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he mistake of shipping weed to India along with a consignment of wheat from the USA during the 1950s inadvertently gifted India a beautiful species of butterfly. The simple but elegantly attractive Bath White butterfly, which derives its name from the English town of Bath where it was first recorded in Britain, is now found in the transHimalayan range. Uttarakhand-based lepidopterist Peter Smetacek, who is considered an authority on Indian butterflies and moths, has presented the case of migration of this species in his book Butterflies on the Roof of the World. “Once, I was standing on the lawn talking with a visitor when a female butterfly laid its eggs on a weed a few metres away. This was too good an opportunity to miss, so I gathered the plant and eventually bred the caterpillars that emerged," Smetacek writes in the book published by Aleph. As he tried to unravel the mystery behind the relationship of the butterfly larva and the plant on which it fed, he found that the plant was Virginia Peppergrass or Lepidium virginicum. The butterfly, therefore, came to be known as Bath
The butterfly was first recorded in Nainital district’s Bhimtal town on April 21, 1961 and thereafter became a resident.
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White. "This weed had been brought to India by mistake as part of wheat shipped from the United States during the 1950s and had spread rapidly through the country," says the naturalist, who has already described a dozen species of butterflies and moths new to science. The book is a result of spending a lifetime chasing butterflies in meadows and forests. The butterfly was first recorded in Nainital district’s Bhimtal town on April 21, 1961 and thereafter became a resi-
dent. "The only record I could find was that Virginia Peppergrass had reached Netarhat Plateau in Chhota Nagpur, Bihar. This would mean that the butterfly could theoretically extend its distribution eastwards through Nepal," writes Smetacek who also runs the Butterfly Research Centre in Bhimtal. On checking information available on butterflies in Nepal, he discovered that the species was reported throughout that country in a book published in 2006, although it was not mentioned in a list published in 1951. "As soon as the food plant spread through the Himalayas during the second half of the twentieth century, the butterfly followed and today is found along the southern face of the range from Kashmir eastwards at least as far as the eastern border of Nepal," says the book.
ALL IN A NAME
Iceland or Let’s get lost land?
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celand may soon be known as 'Let's Get Lost Land' or 'Isle of Awe Land' after the two monikers were shortlisted in an online contest to search for a name that best describes the country. The competition "Inspired by Iceland" launched by the country called for suggestions on a new "name" for the country. AROUND THE
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Two finalists have now been chosen from the 25,000 entries that flooded in — 'Let's Get Lost Land' and 'Isle of Awe Land'. Jon Gnarr, mayor of the capital Reykjavik, said while it won't replace Iceland's official name, it will provide inspiration in how it's marketed, News.com.au reported. “A country's name is its identity but that doesn't mean it describes it in the right way," Gnarr said. Other names submitted included 'Best Place to Grow a Beard Land', 'Nice land', 'Pureland', 'Enchantedland' etc. PTI
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News TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013
ALL’S FAIR IN LOVE AND REDTAPE
Marriage registration rigmarole Getting your marriage solemnised under the Special Marriage Act is like an obstacle course. SRINIVAS SETTY
ALEENA ALICE aleena.t@postnoon.com
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o if you are in love and want your marriage to be solemnised under the Special Marriage Act, ensure you hire a lawyer who is familiar with the working of the marriage office, or you muster enough patience to go though the never-ending rigmarole at the marriage office. The Indian Constitution has specially drafted Special Marriage Act 1954, where couples have the benefit of getting a registered marriage without any obstacles. Of late, many couples have been facing problems when they approach various sub-registrar offices in the City to file for a register marriage. In some cases if there is no staff to attend to their queries, couples have been taken for a ride by assistant registrars.
AGRICULTURE Bee-killing pesticides to be banned T
he European Commission received the go-ahead Monday to slap a two-year ban across the EU on use of pesticides blamed for a sharp decline in bee populations, an EU diplomat said. A key committee cleared the way for the EU executive to implement a two-year moratorium on three pesticides that is expected to enter into force late this year, a diplomat told AFP. Countries opposed to the ban, including Britain and Hungary, failed to muster enough support to block it, with 15 nations, incluAROUND THE
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ding France, voting in favour. Germany, which was under sharp pressure from pharmaceutical firms and farmers to oppose the proposal, also voted in favour, a diplomat said. Bees account for 80 per cent of plant pollination by insects, vital to global food production. Without them, many crops would be unable to bear fruit or would have to be pollinated by hand. Pesticide producers Bayer and Sygenta say studies behind the suggested ban are based on flawed science. AFP
If all the documents are produced, registration can take place within 10 minutes. However, there have been cases where marriages have been stalled for over six months because of the callous attitude of the marriage officers. What a couple needs while applying for registration is three passport size photographs, address
proof, and birth certificates to show that they are majors. At the time of registration, three witnesses have to be present. Reshma Bhanu (name changed), an IT professional from Bangalore, fell in love with one of her colleagues, a Hindu. The couple decided to get a registered marriage since they felt approaching
DOCTOR’S COLUMN We are pretty well-to-do. My son is seven and we've been getting complaints that he takes others' belongings. He comes back with things that are not his. Is he a kleptomaniac? What do we do?
their parents would raise unwanted hackles. There were hardly any staffers in the Kukatpally office except for a clerk and an assistant registrar. The assistant registrar refused to take their application stating that the Aadhaar card was not a valid proof. “The officer in charge said that the passport and the ration card have government officer’s inspection for residential proof but in the case of Aadhaar card, there is no verification so it cannot be a valid document for residential proof,” says Reshma. The next time, the couple went with a lawyer. The assistant registrar did not take the rental deed this time, however when the advocate intervened, their application was taken. Marriage officers have a different version. “When couples approach us for registration, we ask them to produce valid documents since we want to ensure
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transparency. Rental deeds are not accepted as residential proof as they can be forged. Also, if couples come after working hours we will obviously ask them to come back later. If they have all the necessary documents at the time of filing for the registration, the procedure can be completed within 10 minutes,” says A Prem Raj, sub-registrar and marriage officer. Advocates feel that vigilance officers should be appointed to ensure that the registration office functions as per the rules. “Knowing that I am an advocate, officers try to fool me about the law. One can imagine the plight of young people who approach them,” says advocate Gopal Krishna Kalanidhi.
Dr Diana Monteiro
‘Focus on changing the behaviour’ behaviour. With your son, it appears to be more a case of him possibly not realising that stealing is wrong. Alternatively it might be that he knows that it’s wrong, but he wants the things that others have and thinks it okay to take whatever he wants. The difficulty is that children of this age can clearly tell you what is right and wrong, however, internalising that in terms of values and ethics has not happened completely yet. This along with the normal impulsivity that kids have, might be the cause of this behaviour. Teach your child right from wrong and each time explain to them why it’s wrong to take others’
things and make them apologise and return it to the person. If your child is wanting things others have and they don’t, consider having a reward system where you reward good behaviour with money that he can save to buy himself what he wants. Help him by teaching him to save and budget and this way you are teaching him two things. It’s rare for a child who steals to continue this behaviour as long as you pay attention to it and focus on changing the behaviour. If the behaviour doesn’t change after you have tried, consider getting professional help of a child counselor. The writer is a counselling psychologist at the Hyderabad Academy of Psychology. You can write to her at askdrdiana@gmail.com.
Tension in UP town after India ranked 38th in monks attacked Index of Democracy
Shiv Sena condemns US over detention
Toll in cracker factory blast goes up to six
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A child who is of school age should typically know that stealing is wrong. Children of all ages can be tempted and thus a young child might be tempted to take something that isn’t theirs without realising that it’s wrong. By age seven, however, a child knows right from wrong and knows that taking something that isn’t theirs is wrong. Kleptomania is an impulse control disorder where a person feels an impulse to steal and can’t control the impulse and steals, following which they experience a sense of relief. For a person with an impulse control issue,
they feel a sense of growing tension before stealing and the tension is released when they steal. Typically, in young children, this disorder is not diagnosed unless there is a clear indication that it is indeed the disorder that is causing their
NATION BRIEFS here was tension in UP's Etmadpur town Tuesday after a group of Jain monks was attacked the night before, leading to protests and a bus being set on fire. Of the six people who had attacked the monks, four had been arrested and the hunt was on for the others, said senior superintendent of police Subhash Chandra Dubey.
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ven as it acknowledges India as the world's most populous democracy, the Economist magazine’s Index of Democracy 2012 ranks India 38th among 165 nations with an overall score of 7.52. India gets high scores for electoral process and pluralism (9.58) and Civil liberties (9.41). The top positions go to Norway (9.93) and Sweden (9.73).
he Shiv Sena Tuesday came out in support of UP minister Azam Khan who was last week detained at Boston airport while on his way to deliver a lecture at Harvard University. Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray said the US must clarify whether the treatment meted out to him was because of his surname or because he was an Indian.
ith one more person succumbing to injuries at Madurai Rajaji government hospital today, the toll in the explosion at a cracker manufacturing unit near Sivakasi has gone up to six, police said today. Three persons died on the spot while eight others were injured, of whom two succumbed to burns day before yesterday.
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News TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013
CHASE ENDS
TECHNICAL SNAG
Fugitive caught with sandalwood A notorious jailbird wanted for killing a tigress in Nehru Zoological Park has been caught with stolen sandalwood. MOHD SUBHAN mohd.s@postnoon.com
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n aircraft carrying senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader LK Advani made an unscheduled landing at the old airport at Begumpet here last night, after developing a technical snag.
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suspect in 138 theft, robbery and burglary cases, 38-year-old Mohd Salahuddin is finally behind bars. He made it to the wanted list of various police stations, before he was caught in a vehicle check at Hafizbaba Nagar. A resident of Jahanuma, the fugitive was with his accomplice Akber Ali, 24, in a van from which 38 kgs of sandalwood stolen from Indira Park was recovered. Salahuddin has at least 15 non-bailable warrants issued against him by various courts. He was declared as an absconder, the Kanchanbagh police officials said. In his 20-year criminal career, Salahuddin has been imprisoned several times.
CRIMINAL CONFESSIONS
Salahuddin told the Kanchanbagh police that he had given up robbery and bur-
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Akber
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glary because his of health issues. He said his “health did not permit” such activities anymore. He added that he had recently been focussing only on spiriting away sandalwood from Nehru Zoological Park
and Indira Park. Salahuddin said he had to leave hardcore crimes out of compulsion and not regret. In 2006, Salahuddin managed a sensational jailbreak from the Cherlapally Central Jail – a high security prison. He sneaked out of cell when it was dark, crept up to the jail’s high walls and jumped over.
BEEF AT STAKE
Meat-starved Goa looks to HC for relief MAYABHUSHAN NAGVENKAR feedback@postnoon.com
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Advani’s DelhiBlr plane lands in City
High Court-imposed temporary ban on the slaughter of animals at a government-run abattoir on Tuesday last has left the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government scurrying to file a report before the court that no illegalities are taking place at the complex. The government has also sought that slaughter of bulls and he-buffaloes be resumed, at the earliest, at Goa Meat Complex, the government-run abattoir. According to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, the government would assert before the court that it would rein in illegalities, both inside and outside the meat complex, by Monday. "We will request the court on Monday to allow the state-run meat complex to slaughter bulls and he-buffaloes," Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said, during a discussion in the house which was initiated through a calling-attention motion brought on by the shortage of beef during the ongoing budget session. Parrikar said the High Court’s order took the state government by surprise, especially since it came even as the court did not issue prior notice to the government in the case. The High Court order followed a petition filed by the Govansh Raksha Abhiyan Goa, alleging illegal slaughtering of animals at the Goa Meat Complex.
The government has also sought that slaughter of bulls and he-buffaloes be resumed, at the earliest, at Goa Meat Complex, the government-run abattoir. AROUND THE
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Evidence submitted to the court by the petitioners partly suggests that young healthy bulls were sanctioned for slaughter by the government veterinarians posted at the meat complex. The High Court bench has appointed a three-member committee to look into the allegations and the committee has been asked to submit a report by April 30. The stoppage of Goa’s sole legally functioning abattoir has kept beef off the counters and off the menu in restaurants in the state. “Beef is staple food for many Christian families. For many poor families it’s a cheap source of protein, a good way of filling your stomach. A little bit of beef makes you feel full and it is nourishing,” says Josh Pereira, who heads Goan Christian Youth Welfare Association. IANS
However, he broke his leg in the process and was caught in a nearby forest later. He has accused the police for dumping theft cases on him. He said that he is a physicallydisabled man now, which makes it impossible for him to rob people. However, Salahuddin confessed to have killed a tigress named Saakhi a few years ago. He added that the wild cat belonged to the Nehru Zoological park. Salahuddin also said that he sold the animal’s skin for a petty sum. Salahuddin proudly declared that he has never killed a human being.
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Advani was on his way from New Delhi to Bangalore to campaign for BJP for the next month's elections in Karnataka. He had to wait for two hours at the airport before Karnataka Chief Minister Jagdish Shettar reached the airport in his special aircraft. IANS
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News TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013
POLITICS
Chief minister, KCR eyeballing each other May 2 Medak Bandh will see a direct confrontation between the chief minister and TRS chief. INKESHAF AHMED ahmed.m@postnoon.com
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he Chief Minsiter N Kiran Kumar Reddy, ebullient after a series of confidence-building measures, has put out an open challenge to the TRS President K Chandrasekhar Rao to obstruct the process of setting up a steel plant at Bayyaram of Khamam district if he can. “KCR said that he would create an earthquake in the
month of May if I did not withdraw the decision of allocating Bayyaram Mining project to Vizag Steel Plant. Let him create the earthquake, I have the
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he GHMC will be laying foundation stones for the Tolichowki flyover, Moghal ka Nala and Kishan Bagh nala in the second week of May. In a review meeting held on projects, Mayor Mohammed Majid Hussain along with commissioner MT Krishna Babu, R Dhan Singh, engineer-in-chief and senior engineering officials discussed the progress of the projects. AROUND THE
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The mayor enquired how many proposals were pending with the government with regard to the projects and about the works pertaining to Bilal Nagar bridge, reasons for delay of work at Kandikal gate and delay in remodeling of muriki nala. He directed the engineer-in-chief to expedite the works on priority basis and asked him to furnish the list of works which are delayed.
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ability and strength to withstand it. I will not cancel the mining allocation project at any cost,” the CM said while addressing a public meeting
yesterday in Medak district, the native district of KCR. Picking up the gauntlet Kiran has thrown at, the TRS President has called for a Medak District Bandh on May 2. In a statement released immediately after the CM’s open challenge to KCR, the TRS president said that he would
create earthquake if the state appeared reluctant to cancel the allocation of the mining project to Vizag Steel Plant and added that the Bandh would pave the way for the onset of the earthquake. The TRS cadres and the Congress leaders are now planning to utilise the bandh call for their show of strength. Political observers are tuning their antennae to see of what magnitude the quake would be and how the CM ride over it.
COALGATE SCAM
AG Vahanvati in dock?
Foundation stones for three flyovers POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com
AROUND THE
The TRS cadres and the ruling Congress leaders are now planning to utilise the bandh call for their show of strength.
Additional Solicitor General Harin Rawal has blamed Attorney General GE Vahanvati of influencing the CBI probe into coal scam.
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ith turbulence refusing to subside for the crisis-ridden government, the Additional Solicitor General, Harin Rawal, Monday blamed the Attorney General GE Vahanvati of influencing the CBI probe into coal scam. He said that besides coal scam, the shadows of Attorney General Vahanvati could be deciphered in other scam related investigations by the probing agency. A night before the apex court bench, headed by Justice R. M. Lodha, was to take up for hearing the allegations of governmental interference into the investigation, Rawal is believed to have written a letter to Vahanvati levelling serious allegation against the first law officer of the country. Rawal, who is likely to step out as government’s law officer, had told the apex court in its last hearing that the March 8 status report of the CBI investigation into the coal scam had not been seen by the political executive.
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he Supreme Court on Tuesday said the sharing of CBI’s report on coal scam with the government has shaken the entire process. The court asked the CBI why was the court kept in the dark about sharing probe report with government. The court said the sharing is erosion of trust and it wants to liberate CBI from the extraneous influences.
The March 8 status report of the investigating agency was submitted to the court in a sealed cover. In an obvious attempt to put the record straight, Rawal is believed to have said that he was being made a “scapegoat”. Rawal’s statement that the status report submitted to the apex court had not been shown to the political executive was contradicted by April 26 affidavit by the CBI Director, Ranjit Sinha.
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Sinha said the status report was vetted by the Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar and the two joint secretary level officers in the prime minister office and the coal ministry respectively.
This draft report was shared with them at their instance, he said in the affidavit. Rawal is learned to have told the attorney general that it was at his instance that he went to attend the meeting convened by the law minister wherein the CBI director and other senior officer of the investigating agency were present. IANS
NEWS BRIEFS Musharraf could be kidnapped
Guatemala’s Mayanstyle time capsule
Boston bomb contained traces of woman DNA
Independent candidate killed in Pakistan
S Korea spy agency raided over poll scandal
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ormer Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf, who has returned home after over four years in selfexile, may be kidnapped, the interior ministry fears. The ministry has said that Musharraf should not be taken anywhere, Geo News reported. Musharraf has been arrested in the case relating to judges being kept in illegal confinement.
time capsule that will not be opened until 2065 has been created by officials in Guatemala who drew their inspiration from the ancient Mayan civilization. The green marble time capsule contains letters and messages and is intended to give those living half a century from now an idea of what life was like in 2013.
woman’s DNA has been found on at least one of the explosive devices used in the Boston bombings, adding a new dimension to the probe into the terror attack that killed three people and wounded over 200 others. The findings have raised the possibility of involvement of a woman in the Boston Marathon twin blasts.
n independent candidate in Pakistan’s upcoming polls and two companions were gunned down in the restive Balochistan province today, the latest in a string of attacks targeting politicians and campaign offices. Unidentified gunmen killed Abdul Fatah Magsi, a candidate in polls to the provincial assembly.
outh Korean prosecutors raided the country’s spy agency as part of a probe into allegations that it meddled in the presidential election in December, a news report said. A team of about 25 prosecutors and investigators from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office seized digital files and documents from the National Intelligence Service.
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News TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013
PAKISTAN CAMPAIGN TRAIL
Orchestrating a revolution You can’t stand behind a bulletproof screen and connect with the people, says Imran Khan of his relentless campaign to win the May 11 elections. AFP PHOTO / AAMIR QURESHI
JENNIE MATTHEW feedback@postnoon.com
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To his supporters he is a hero, but to alarmed detractors he is ‘Taliban’ Khan — soft on Islamist militants.
ties killed more than 20. Attacks targeting the election campaign have so far killed nearly 60 people ahead of the May 11 polls. “We couldn’t take a risk. It’s just too dangerous. I mean you can’t risk the lives of other people,” he said. Khan has two sons by ex-wife Jemima Khan, but they live in Britain and he has not seen them for several months. “My older son worries. You know he worries because he hears what’s going on in Pakistan,” he says. Khan and Nawaz Sharif, the two-time PM whose PML-N party is tipped to win, are the only two leaders addressing big rallies. The three main parties in the outgoing government — the PPP, the MQM and the ANP — have
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the status quo,” he said. But security is clearly a preoccupation. Khan says he’s on the “top five hit list”. He may not use the bulletproof glass screens used by other politicians at public rallies, but he travels in an armoured car with an armed police escort. A rally in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, was cancelled on Sunday after attacks on rival par-
STANDING TALL
Construction crews at the World Trade Center site raised the final two sections of a 408-foot spire to the top of One World Trade Center, making the building the tallest in the Western Hemisphere.
When I came to politics 17 years ago, I had already conquered my fear of dying because I knew I was going to challenge the status quo. Imran Khan Politician curtailed public gatherings in the face of direct Taliban threats. Khan’s campaign is about mobilising the masses, exploiting
disaffection with a corrupt elite, and tapping into anti-American sentiment that blames many of the country’s woes on the US. “If my politics is different... I can’t be standing behind a bulletproof screen and connecting with the people,” he said. His core base is the emerging middle class, which is conservative. But to alarmed detractors he is “Taliban Khan” — soft on Islamist militants and naive in his criticism of the US war on alQaeda and the Taliban. Although Khan believes he will be the next PM, analysts say he is more likely to secure 10-30 seats in the 342-member national Assembly — a breakthrough that could make him kingmaker of an incoming coalition. AFP
ONE WORLD TRADE CENTER HEIGHT
COST OF CONSTRUCTION
1,776 ft $3.8 bn
THE BUILDING WILL BE OPENED LATER THIS YEAR
SEARS TOWER COMPLETED IN 1973
POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com
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1,729 ft
Extra star for a cell with a view hat would you do if you are a lawyer who visited prisons every other day to meet clients? You start reviewing these prisons of course! Lawyers and even inmates in US have started reviewing houses of correction on the basis of the food served in the cafeteria, the attitude of the cops, the level of checking visitors have to undergo and cleanliness.
ou can’t lead a revolution and hide behind bullet-proof glass — at least not according to Imran Khan, wildcard contender for power at the ballot box in Pakistan next week. Visibly tired by 15-hour days, frenetic flying and driving round the country to address tens of thousands in a campaign dominated by threats and fear of attack, the cricket legend is nothing if not focused. “This is a revolution taking place,” he told AFP after a couple of days of hard campaigning in Punjab, his home province and the political backbone of Pakistan which elects a little over half the seats in the Assembly. “When I came to politics 17 years ago, I had already conquered my fear of dying because I knew I was going to challenge
HEIGHT
JAILHOUSE ROCK
COST OF CONSTRUCTION
$150 mn
($780 million adjusted to inflation)
HEIGHT
COST OF CONSTRUCTION
2,722 ft $1.5 bn
COMPLETED IN 2009
They are posting these reviews on Yelp, a website that is traditionally associated with restaurant and hotel reviews. According to a lawyer who reviews these locations, visitors of various prisoners have thanked him for the heads-up. In the last few months, however, these ‘reviews’ have taken a dark turn with former inmates and visitors listing the kind of treatment they received at these facilities. These complaints ranged from physical violence to lack of treatment for sick patients. Prisoners are using the site to vent their frustration as the legal system in most US states does not allow them to sue prisons for poor treatment meted out to them. AGENCIES
WORLD TRADE CENTER HEIGHT
COST OF CONSTRUCTION
1,727 ft $400 mn COMPLETED IN: 1987
($2.3 billion adjusted to inflation)
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News TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013 SUPER SURFING
Get 1 GBPS for $35, says US provider POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com
FINANCE
PF office in hybernation It has been revealed that the Hyderabad PFO has not bothered to update its accounts for over a year. Its website is in an unbelievable mess. M ANIL KUMAR
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smaller Internet Service Provider in the US is providing a connection with a speed of 1GBPS for a mere $35 (Rs1,900 approx.) that will let you download complete movies in a few seconds. Vermont Telephone Company is now offering gigabit service to 600 of its customers for the crazy-low price folks on a trial basis to see if the price point is feasible in the long run. AROUND THE
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Fastest commercial Internet connection n n n n n
Singapore: 54.1mbps download speed South Korea: 48.8mbps download speed Japan: 42.2mbps download speed Latvia: 37.5mbps download speed Romania: 37.4mbps download speed
RAHUL RAMAKRISHNA rahul.r@postnoon.com
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hen trying to check or claim PF from the Employees Provident Fund Organisation, don’t be surprised by what the online message tells you. According to officials, the Accounts department hasn’t updated its financial records, which has caused a delay in updating PF amount balances for the current fiscal year. The PFO, however, has an answer if your PF dues have been accounted till March 2012. All Provident Fund work begins with a visit to the website (www.epfoindia.in), where individuals are advised to check their PF status.
CLARITY REQUIRED
Records maintained of most employees/employers have not been updated after March 2012. Despite one whole year passing by, the records presented on the website are incomplete or absent. Section officers from the Accounts department say that since the fiscal year for 2012-13 has just come to an end and the new financial year 2013-14 has
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begun, the accounts department has slowed down in updating the PF status and claims. “A complete revamp of the data is in the offing by the first week of May. Normally, all data is accounted in the last month of every year, but this time it has been delayed,” EDP supervisor K Bharathi Ramana says.
PFO IN A MESS
The delay like any other is the cause of confusion at the PFO, where many claimants spend hours to know more. Most of them are worried that the EPFO has no record of the PFs being deducted from their salaries as officials don’t have any explanation and the website doesn’t work. Some even complain of their companies or employers are showing as unregistered because of the messy website. Most of the weblinks of the regional centre of EPFO (http://epfo-hyd.ap.nic.in/) are broken. For further clarification, Postnoon approached R Sanjeeva Reddy, the Assistant Provident
Claimants complain that their companies are showing as unregistered because of the messy website. Fund Commissioner, only to find out that he was gone from office even before his shift finished. Couple this with the absence of a working mechanism at the head office, which according to floor manager Sunil, handles over 5,000 PF cases, pension claims and filing work daily. “Because the accounts have not been updated, my PF claims show a meagre `48 after one year
of employment. Reaching the PRO or the Assistant PF commissioner is a pain,” says MS Ravi Kiran, web developer. Syed Ali, a software professional had trouble locating or contacting any of the employees in the office because their phones and the website don’t work. “Everytime I call the dozen odd numbers, the call is automatically cut,” he says. Shailaja Reddy, a private employee of a construction firm says, “A thing as simple as claiming PF or finding out details takes three days because the PRO and commissioners concerned don’t offer any assistance.”
OF LOVE AND WAR
Mexico: Notes replace bullets Firearms are being turned into musical instruments in Mexico, making them an ‘agent of life’ to raise awareness of peace.
The announcement follows Google’s plan to launch ultrahigh-speed Internet connection in Austin by 2014. Google had earlier launched its 1GBPS service in parts of Texas on a test basis. Major Internet companies there had questioned the point of such fast connections. They claimed that customers did not want or demand such speeds from them ever. These companies are now slowly warming up to the concept based on the response Google has got from the market. In India, Startup Village Kochi offers a 1GBPS Internet connection and there are talks of similar speeds being rolled out in India soon. However, no ISP has stepped forward to take up this challenge yet.
PIC CREDITED TO blog.pedroreyes.net
POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com
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ome of the firearms used in the killings of thousands of people in Mexico have gained new uses in the hands of artiste Pedro Reyes, who is turning these instruments of death into musical instruments that raise awareness of peace. “The idea is to transform an agent of death into an agent of life. If arms can make entire cities live in fear and prevent people from leaving their homes, music does exactly the opposite, allowing people to reclaim public spaces and letting all people have a space to co-exist," the artiste said in an interview with EFE. Reyes, for example, turns ammunition clips from AK-47s into the body of an electric guitar. “It’s all about converting all
the negative things that firearms have into something positive. The transformation that the physical matter is undergoing is the transformation that we want to see in society. We believe that the best way to change the world is via art and creativity," he said. Reyes has been working with
arms as a material since 2007, when he organised a voluntary gun donation campaign in Culiacan, one of the regions most affected by the wave of drugrelated violence that official figures estimate has left more than 70,000 dead in Mexico. Firearms donated during the
campaign were melted down and turned into shovels to plant trees. That campaign led to an offer of an arsenal destroyed in Ciudad Juarez, Texas, inspiring the artiste to go beyond guns to grenade launchers, machine guns, shotguns and other weapons seized from drug cartels in northern Mexico. Reyes received 500 crates containing more than 6,700 weapons. Musician Edi Kistler advised him on their musical possibilities. Reyes has made about 70 instruments, the majority of them intended to be played by musicians or displayed at exhibitions. Some of the instruments are being sold by Mexico City’s Labor Gallery for up to $60,000. IANS
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News TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013
LOOK WHO’S HAVING FUN
Girls just want to have fun now!
Doing one of the best jobs in the world is every employees’ dream. Kritika Naidu, one of the 25 candidates shortlisted for the post of Chief Funster, is close to realising hers. FLEME VARKEY fleme.v@postnoon.com
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he feeling of working at one of the six best jobs in the world is incomparable. And if having fun is what you are going to be paid for, then surely you have landed a goldmine. Ask Telugu girl Kritika Naidu who has been shortlisted as one of the candidates for the job of Chief Funster in New South Wales, Australia. There is fun in the job profile itself. Kritika, a civil engineer based in Hyderabad, is one among the 600,000 from over 196 countries in the world who applied for the post and she has made it to the list of shortlisted candidates. The roles for the six best jobs, advertised by Tourism Australia, include Chief Funster in NSW, who would be a social commentator helping with organising and popularising tourism functions like the New
WOMAN SPEAKS UP
First woman speaker elected
Year’s Eve at the Harbour, the Mardi Gras etc., Park Ranger in Queensland, Lifestyle Photographer in Victoria, Wildlife caretaker in South Australia, Taste Master in Western Australia and Outback Adventurer in the Northern Territory.
Kritika, a City-based civil engineer, was one among the 600,000 from over 196 countries shortlisted. The first stage of the contest was when the applicants needed to submit a 30-second video explaining why they were best-suited for the job. Kritika's video consisted of her explaining her work and her active presence in the social network. She also feels her coverage of the T-20 World Cup in Sri Lanka helped her
clinch the spot and not to forget her appeal to the officials about getting little Poko, her stuffed toy (a Koala ) back home. "The selection has definitely thrilled me and I’m excited to be part of this adventure. Since I am already active on social networking sites and exposed to covering events, I am sure I’ll do justice to the role. For the second round, here in India, shortlisted applicants need to gather and supply references to qualify for a final assessment in June – where the best three from each job will be interviewed in Australia. The result for the Best Jobs will be out on June 21," she says. The profile of Chief Funster is the only one that attracted her among the six. Who would want to throw away a chance to visit Australia? You might just spot Kritika at the Sydney Harbour Bridge this New Year's Eve if she is selected.
SHADOW OF LOVE?
Shirin Chowdhury is the first woman Parliament speaker of Bangladesh DHAKA: Bangladesh will get its first ever woman speaker for its parliament as the ruling Awami League parliamentary party unanimously nominated Minister of Women and Child Affairs Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury for the post yesterday. She is likely to be elected without contest as the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by former prime minis-
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ter Khaleda Zia is boycotting the parliament and there was no words from BNP that it will contest. The post fell vacant as Speaker Abdul Hamid was installed as the president of the country last week. The 300-seat Bangladesh parliament has 50 seats reserved for women besides having provision for women to contest the national election.
Bollywood actor Ritesh Deshmukh poses with his wife actress Genelia D'Souza during a special screening of AFP the forthcoming film Bombay Talkies in Mumbai last night.
FIGHTING OBESITY
‘Bad’ fat can convert to ‘good’ fat
LONDON: Scientists have shown for the first time that brown and white fat cells in a living organism can be converted from one cell type to the other, paving way for development of new anti-obesity therapies. The work, by scientists from
ETH Zurich, Switzerland, provides important new insights into brown fat cells. Two types of fat cells can be found in mammals, hence humans: White fat cells function mainly as flexible energy stores filled in times of calorie abun-
dance. The fat is stored in the form of lipid droplets, mobilised when energy is needed. Diametrically opposed in function are the brown adipocytes: These cells specialise in burning energy in the form of fat. New-born babies possess
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substantial amounts of brown fat and utilise it to maintain body temperature. Since it was recent-
ly shown that brown adipocytes also exist in adult humans, research has focused on understanding how brown adipocytes are formed. The goal is to increase brown adipocyte number and activity in obese humans. PTI
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News TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013
HEALTH
Obese in 20s? You could die early POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com
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amilies of chubby youngsters, beware! Men who turn obese in their early 20s are significantly less likely to reach their middle age, a new study published in the British
NATION
Medical Journal has suggested. Also such youngsters are also up to eight times more likely to suffer diabetes, potentially fatal blood clots or a heart attack,
Daily Mail reported. It has been well-known how obesity in adulthood could pose a risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. But it was not clear earlier whether obesity in early adulthood strengthened that risk. For the study, researchers tracked the health of 6,500
BUILDING COLLAPSE
EMIGRATION
Syrians flock to ‘Little Damascus’
Bangla defends disaster efforts SHAFIQ ALAM feedback@postnoon.com
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assel Khalil fled the devastating conflict in Syria with only $400 in his pocket and, together with his family, found refuge in Cairo's "Little Damascus" where he scrapes a living giving guitar lessons. Khalil lives with his lawyer friend Ammar, another Syrian, in an apartment in ‘6th of October’ city on the outskirts of Cairo. They are among hundreds of thousands forced out of AROUND THE
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Although the exact number of people still missing is not known, there were around 3,000 workers on shift at the time of the disaster and more than 2,400 were rescued. "Our army, firefighters, police and volunteers did a very good job. We also have enough equipment," Ahmed added. However, distraught relatives who have stayed at the site of the disaster for news were becoming critical of the recovery operation, fearing that the bodies of their loved ones could be damaged. Rescuers began using heavy
Pick
GIANLUIGI GUERCIA
COLIN BERTIER AND MOSTAFA ABOUL EZZ feedback@postnoon.com
While foreign aid is a regular feature of rescue efforts, the government decided it could handle it on its own. AFP angladesh on Tuesday defended its decision to snub foreign aid after the collapse of a factory complex as anger flared at the recovery operation and towards the building's owner when he appeared in court. With the death toll from the country's worst ever industrial disaster now standing at 382, Western retailers offered compensation to the victims of last Wednesday's tragedy on the outskirts of the capital Dhaka. The government announced plans for another blitz of inspections after it came under pressure from Western brand names for a "credible" safety regime in an industry that has a shocking record of disasters. While foreign aid has been a regular feature of rescue efforts following other large-scale disasters, the Bangladeshi government decided it could handle the situation on its own. "The need for immediate foreign assistance was not felt because our rescue operation has been sufficient and exemplary," Home Secretary Mustak Ahmed told AFP, adding that the government was "grateful" for the offers from Britain among others.
Danish 22-year-old men for 33 years up to the age of 55. Almost half of those classified as obese at the age of 22 were diagnosed with diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, blood clots in the legs or lungs, or had died before reaching the age of 55. IANS
lifting equipment, including cranes, on Monday for the first time after determining that there was little chance of finding anyone else alive in the tangle of concrete. "Our target is to complete the rescue work as fast as possible," armed forces spokesman Shahinul Islam told AFP. "But we're doing things carefully. Some dead bodies could still be seen under the rubble." Grieving relatives have also turned their anger on the owner of the eight-storey building, Sohel Rana, who made his first appearance in court late Monday after being detained on the border with India. He was remanded in custody for a further 15 days. AFP
at the
their country by war. "We do not want to make a life here, but there is no other choice," Khalil told AFP. The sprawling new development in the desert west of Cairo has become a hub for Syrian refugees, but its long parallel avenues lined with residential blocks are a far cry from the narrow streets and bustling markets of old Damascus. Khalil and Ammar are middle class, and were able to afford the trip to Cairo. In contrast, many of their compatriots have only managed to make it to Lebanon next door, or to refugee camps in neighbouring Jordan and Turkey. In Cairo, the new arrivals
airport,
Egyptians are upset that prices have increased in the past two years and Syrians are taking up their jobs. have carved out a "Little Syria" for themselves, where flags of the Free Syrian Army flutter in the cement landscape, and shops brimming with shawerma kebab spits and pastries are frequented by patrons with Syrian accents. "There are tens of thousands here. But there is no work for lawyers or doctors, most jobs are in catering," said Sima Diab, co-ordinator of projects that offer assistance to refugees. The UN high commissioner for refugees said it had registered 38,000 Syrians in Egypt, but with thousands of files still being processed. "The Egyptians are upset with the Syrians. For the past two years, prices have increased and the Syrians are taking up the jobs,” said Mohamed Dayri, regional representative for UNHCR. AFP
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KINGLY AFFAIR
The Dutch have royal blast The Dutch are feting their new king Willem-Alexander by spending millions on kitsch and sometimes kinky orange products.
NICOLAS DELAUNAY feedback@postnoon.com
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rom beer to sex toys and cannabis to furry clogs: the Dutch are feting their new king Willem-Alexander by spending millions on kitsch and sometimes kinky orange products. Brewers have stepped in to celebrate the man who becomes king on Tuesday after a reputedly boozy time as a student at Leiden university that earned him the nickname “Prince Pils,' after the Pilsner type of lager. Limited edition beers honouring the future monarch and his abdicating mother, Queen Beatrix, have sprung up around the country. The “Abdication Beer", produced in the eastern village of Rha, has proved so successful that British brewer Steve Gammage
A file picture taken on April 30, 2012, shows Prince WillemAlexander of the Netherlands participating in a toilet throwing event during Queen’s Day festivities in Rhenen.
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upped his initial production of 1,000 litres to 10,000 litres. “I used different types of malted barley that give the beer an orange hue," he told AFP proudly. And what better to drink the beer in than a long glass bearing the text “Prince Pils becomes King Beer, an excellent reason to toast"?
Crockery, figurines and Tshirts, all bearing portraits of the king and his future queen Maxima, are for sale alongside commemorative orange ties and table cloths bordered with orange crowns. Cakes with orange icing are on offer in almost all bakers, as are orange-coloured chocolate
high heel shoes or WillemAlexander-shaped chocolate bars. “It’s like Cinderella’s slipper, only orange, it’s a princess’s slipper," said a saleswoman who declined to give her name, referring to the chocolate shoe. Almost all shops here have also taken an approach to their marketing and decorations
themed on the national and royal colour, from wrapping paper to window dressing and rosettes pinned to shop assistants. One company is offering leopard-skin lingerie stamped with an orange crown pattern, while an orange mini vibrator with “Ik Willem” printed on the side is selling fast on the Internet. The Dutch pun translates into English as either “I, William” or “I want it". But the trading nation does not want to be burdened with unsellable stock once Tuesday has passed, so retailers also fall back on mainstays that can be sold for sporting events further down the line. Orange wigs, furry clogs, hair-dye, giant sunglasses can all be had. “We expect people to spend several million euros on items linked to the enthronement," said Suzanne van de Graaf, spokeswoman for the Dutch Retail Federation. “An event like this is something people feel positive about, and that means consumers spend more money," she told AFP. Royalthemed products have come from the most unexpected places. A manhole cover manufacturer has paid homage to WillemAlexander, a water management expert, with a commemorative drain cover featuring the royal couple’s silhouette. AFP
DEATH PENALTY
PNG to act on sorcery killings P
apua New Guinea is considering introducing the death penalty for sorcery killings and rape after a spate of horrific crimes against women drew international condemnation, reports said. Attorney-General Kerenga Kua said public opinion had swung in favour of capital punishment after a series of sorcery-related murders including beheadings and torchings, and the gang rape of a US academic. He added he had received more than 100 petitions from human rights AROUND THE
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groups calling for action. “Those horrific, brutal, gruesome killings of the type that a woman was burnt alive to her death should attract death penalty,” The National newspaper reported Kua as saying. “Most of the people want it now as they are fed up of the law and order problems in this country and they want to see a more liberal use of the death penalty.” The Catholic Church condemned Kua’s remarks as “giving in to the same vengeful streak in PNG culture that is part of our current problem” and said the death penalty would not be a deterrent to violent crime. AFP
YOUNG TALENT
Singing up a storm Winner of Idea Rocks Sravani Vadlamani shares her life-changing experience.
AMY ROSE THOMAS amyrose.t@postnoon.com
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inding your true calling can happen at any stage in life. Sravani Vadlamani, a secondyear student of computer science at Vasavi Engineering College, found hers when she ended up winning the Idea Rocks India award and sang with ShankarEhsaan-Loy. For a person who has never learnt music, winning this title is bound to come as a big surprise. She says that her only musical ‘training’ is that after listening to a song, it gets stuck in her head and she sings or rather hums it throughout the
day. “I think I got my musical genes from my father. He plays a few instruments but has never been to any classes. One fine AROUND THE
CITY
day, he bought these instruments and picked up how to play them,” she says. She is not in a hurry to give up her studies for music. “I like computer science and I don’t want to give up one for the other. As a start, I have officially joined music classes. I am planning to balance both music and studies from now on,” she says.
The biggest challenge was the prize in itself. Singing alongside Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy with as little as a day’s practice can be daunting for anyone. The day after she won the competition, she was sent to AS Rao who mentored her for the song she was to sing with Ehsaan and the next day, before she knew it, she was on stage living her dream.”It all felt like a dream. In one week, I am a changed person; having won a big competition and sung alongside maestros in this field. I sang Paint it Red from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara with them,” she says. Sravani was declared the winner after three gruelling
rounds of the competition. Initially, there were as many as 5,000 applications for the show. “There was an online audition in the beginning in which 50 candidates were shortlisted. In the second audition, we were asked to sing three songs each and five of us were selected. In the next two days, we went
around the City and took part in many roadside shows in order to publicise the event. At the end of two days, they declared the winner,” the youngster says. Sixteen others who had won the competition in other cities also took part in the finale and got a chance to sing alongside Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.
TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013
Business
BREAKING BARRIERS
Virgin Galactic's passenger spaceplane, which is designed to take tourists to the edge of space, flew its first rocket-powered test flight Monday, breaking the sound barrier at high altitude.
SOLAR ENERGY
Give me some sunshine
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WELCOME IMMIGRANTS
Unscrupulous sellers take advantage of the ignorance of buyers about different components used in solar power systems.
KSS KUMAR feedback@postnoon.com
T
he growth of the solar industry gave rise to shady products and unethical practices between the players to win over competition. The ignorance of buyers about different solar components used in the solar power system was also used to the advantage of these unscrupulous sellers. An educated customer takes the right decision in buying the product, which not only benefits himself and but also brings change in the industry. This column will help you in choosing the right panels, which is the first step towards setting up an efficient solar power system. Solar panels convert light energy from the sun to generate DC electricity. The type and capacity of the panel determines the amount of electricity it can produce through the light that falls on it. For conventional rooftop applications, a buyer should opt for either monocrystalline or polycrystalline solar panels. These are the most advanced, highly efficient panels and economical with larger silicon levels. Customers can also use other types of panels like CIGS (flexible), BIPV (for large buildings) or thin film modules (for
solar farms) depending upon their utility. The components that are used in the manufacturing of solar panels are back sheet, EVA sheet, PV cells, bus ribbons, glass sheet, junction box and aluminium fixture. It is recommended to use solar-grade low iron and toughened glass sheets. Often, we see manufacturers going with a thin glass (less than 3.2mm). And instead of treated aluminium fixtures, they use low-end ordinary aluminium fixtures. PV cells that are manufactured in the European Union are of top quality. American manufacturers also maintain high standards. However, they are not imported to India due to distance and other factors. Although there are very good PV manufacturing companies in India who make quality PV cells and modules, they are facing hard times due to the low quality modules that are dumped from China and made in India. Most solar companies are not bothered about quality but want to offer the product at a competitive price. Each PV cell can be categorised as A, B or C grade depending on texture, colour, output and size. Some solar companies in India are buying lower grade broken cells in bulk at dead cheap prices from China
Choose wisely 100W solar module basic parameters (in DC) n Pmax (maximum powerwattage of the panel-100w) n Vmp (voltage at max power17.6V) n Imp (current at maximum power-5.68Amps) n Voc (open circuit voltage-21V) n Isc (short circuit current– 7.6Amps) n Imp x by Vmp = Pmax. n Module weight: Around 9kg Due to market sentiments, some players try to produce more Imp. This destabilises the balance and leads to poor battery charging.
and offering them to customers. If a customer buys these modules, he will be compromising on the life of the panel. The major challenge for Indian PV manufacturers is to offer quality products at those prices in China. This gave rise to unethical competition and led to dire consequences for Indian PV companies who are striving for
quality. It is not just small companies but also major brands who are buying these PV cells from China to offer solar products at cheap prices. For them, cost has become of prime importance rather than the growth of domestic companies. Solar panel installation also plays a crucial role in generating optimum power. The sun direction continues to change throughout the day. To get maximum insolation to the panel, it should be erected away from shade, facing south at an angle of 22-23 degrees elevation with proper earthing for the structure. Many sellers calculate that a 100 watt panel produces 100 watt hours per hour. The panel efficiency losses, transmission losses, conversion losses are not calculated. Even high-quality panels have above 90 per cent efficiency only and can produce only 90-watt hours per hour. The customer should also check the TUV and CE certification before opting for a panel. (The writer is the founder of Sri Sresti Marketing Solutions (www.srisms.com).)
Citing the significant contributions of immigrants from India, a leading US think tank has suggested that America must roll out the welcome mat to high skill workers to remain competitive and innovative. While much of the congressional immigration reform debate is focused on a 'path to citizenship' for 11 million illegal immigrants, including some 2,60,000 Indians, a proposal by Senate's "Gang of Eight" focusing on skilled workers "should attract broad support," it said, describing it as 'path to prosperity'. It proposes increasing the number of visas for high-skilled foreign workers and granting permanent legal status.
NUMEROLOGY
4.1%
is Japan’s jobless rate, down 0.2 percentage points from the previous month.
KODAK HANDOVER Eastman Kodak has announced a deal to hand over film and printing businesses to its British pension fund, clearing a key lender's claims that will allow it to exit bankruptcy reorganisation. Kodak said yesterday it was selling its personalised and document imaging businesses to the UK Kodak Pension Plan, its largest creditor, for USD 650 million and the settlement of USD 2.8 billion of claims against the photography pioneer. The deal resolves all potential claims against Kodak, while providing the company the liquidity it needs to exit the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process, said Antonio Perez, Kodak chairman.
THUS SPAKE I believe that different capacities of the mining sector can be activated within five to six months with the goal of substituting the oil sector. MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD IRANIAN PRESIDENT
GOLD `27,300 10g SILVER `45,400 1kg
24C
for
for
DOLLAR `54.18 POUND `83.91
BSE NSE
19519.54 132.04
5933.65 29.55
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TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013
Comment Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves. Albert Einstein Nobel winner
Merkel under French fire n attack by French
A
Socialists on Angela Merkel's drive for belt-tightening coincides with concessions by the German chancellor on austerity, but five months from elections she is loathe to trumpet her flexibility. Senior French politicians sought to calm the waters while the German government played down the remarks, from a leaked document which called Merkel's insistence on eurozone austerity "selfish". The tone in Berlin has softened recently towards its eurozone partners — news that the Netherlands, Spain, Italy and France would not tame their deficits this year to within EUset levels was not met with criticism in the EU's top economy. Merkel simply wished France "success" with its new plan to get its public deficit back under the EU limit of 3.0 percent of output by 2014, a year later than expected. And French President Francois Hollande's desire for gradual reform rather than risking a general strike was also welcomed as a clever political approach in Berlin recently, as his popularity plummets a year after taking power. "Ms Merkel has a conciliatory tone because she has only one fear — that Francois Hollande publicly says 'we'll let the deficits slide', taking the lead of a kind of alliance of southern countries which would end up isolating her in Europe," a Berlin-based European diplomat said. "Merkel with a Hitler moustache at the Greek demonstrations, that wasn't fun. But if the image of Germany worsened to the point of affecting its exports, that would be much more serious," the diplomat added, speaking on condition of anonymity.
HIGH-FLYING THOUGHTS Richard Branson it seems has been true to his word. He has not spent his time whiling away on that Neckker Island of his. In fact,Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShip Two (SS2) made its first ever flight recently.
SYRIA
OBAMA’S ‘THE BUCK STOPS HERE’ MOMENT INSIDE STORY
Stephen Collinson
“T
he Buck Stops here," said the famous sign on Harry S Tr u m a n ' s desk, encapsulating the lonely dilemmas power presents to US presidents, one of which now confronts Barack Obama over Syria. Obama is trapped in a conundrum, partly of his own making, after Syria apparently called his bluff by using chemical weapons in an escalation of an vicious civil war — and in the process, challenged a US "red line." Unless he can find wiggle room, the president may have to reconcile the conflict between a need to prove his personal credibility with a desire to avoid being dragged into another Middle Eastern war. Obama mused on the humbling demands on the modern president when he honored George W. Bush in Texas last week. "There are moments where you make mistakes. There are times where you wish you could turn back the clock," he said. Obama might have been reflecting on the moment last August when, in the heat of his
re-election bid, he warned President Bashar al-Assad that using or moving chemical weapons would change his "calculus" on Syria. That comment came back to haunt him last week, when news broke that US intelligence believes Syrian forces did use chemical weapons. The size of the action, its human toll and whether it was designed as a deliberate test of Obama's limits or to draw America into a new quagmire were unclear. But the revelation sparked heat on Obama to live up to his threats, creating a messy political problem, as calls mounted for him to arm anti-Assad rebels, pummel Syria with air power or establish a no-fly zone. "The president did say that there's a red line, and once the United States lays out a red line, some action has to be taken," said Peter King, a congressman from New York on NBC's "Meet the Press." Obama's predicament laid bare the risk in laying down "red lines" on key national security crises: sooner or later someone might cross them. It is for this reason Obama, unlike Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is reluctant to pinpoint the moment when Washington might strike to thwart any Iranian breakout towards nuclear weapons. Another problem with the
Syria "red line," according to Republican Senator John McCain, is that it convinced Assad any atrocity short of using chemical weapons would not rouse Washington. "The president drew a red line on chemical weapons, thereby giving a green light to (Assad) to do anything short of that, including Scud missiles and helicopter gun ships and air attack strikes and mass executions," he told NBC. Obama's actions on Syria will be closely watched — especially in Tehran. "It's no longer a question of just Syria. It has a lot to do with his personal credibility," former Middle East peace negotiator Aaron David Miller told AFP. "Everyone says no to the
United States these days without cost or consequence. So how he comports himself with respect to Syria will be read, interpreted, by the Iranians and others with great significance." His media team's linguistic contortions reveal the tricky ground Obama is on. Asked Monday to define the red line, spokesman Jay Carney refused to say whether a small scale use of chemical weapons would cross it. The White House, wary of the kind of faulty intelligence that prefaced the Iraq war, wants more clarity on the alleged chemical attacks. US history is pockmarked by unwise decisions driven by a desire to spare the blushes of a president.
EDITORIALS Tame the Dragon now Afghan fiasco
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ir is vitiated on the Ladakh front with China stubbornly refuse to pull back from the encroached Indian territory. In this context, the Opposition is right asking the government what was the point in sending foreign minister to Beijing as the government proposes to do. Statesmen and experts in international affairs have opined that India’s seemingly pusillanimity in dealing with a bullying neighbour all these years have contributed to the daring daylight incursion. While diplomacy and sagacity are laudable tools in a matured government hands, they do not work with an overambitious country like China which loses not a moment to capture neighbours’ fence when the party is looking the other way. Even at the risk of a major escalation on the border, India has to move aggressively on two fronts—a limited military solution and garnering world support against an unreasonable neighbour. China’s unsavoury past actions are good weapons in the hands of India government to expose the boorish dragon. If no decisive action is taken, it would put India in a very poor light before the international community.
READERS’ VIEWS
T
The CIA and MI6 have regularly given large cash payments to Hamid Karzai's office with the aim of maintaining access to the Afghan leader and his top allies and officials, but the attempt to buy influence has largely failed and may have backfired, the Guardian reports. This is what happens when you try to ‘buy’ news.
We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500 033 or even by way of a call on 4067 2222. Editor: Dean Williams
TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013
workplace
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS PROFIT UP BEFORE GALAXY S4 DEBUT Samsung Electronics Co Ltd reported that its sixth straight quarter of profit growth ahead of the debut of its latest Galaxy smartphone, the South Korean IT giant's biggest assault on rival Apple Inc (AAPL.O) yet.
NIGHT SHIFT
HERE’S THE DOPE
Have a safe ride back With several cases of crimes against women making headlines, female employees who are travelling home late at night are feeling increasingly insecure. Here are some ways to ensure that they stay safe. DEEPASHRI V deepashri.v@postnoon.com
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ikita Shah was getting dropped home in her office cab late at night. She was with another friend, also a woman. The cab was stopped by the police for check in the middle of a busy road. The driver was found to be drunk. Nikita was stranded with her friend in the middle of the road at 12.30am. She immediately contacted her higher-ups and the company sent another car to pick them up. But travelling alone at night with a drunk driver, especially at a time when crimes against women escalating in the country, send chills down your spine. Transportation for women working night shifts becomes a cause of everyday concern. Even as most companies impose a rule mandating a security guard to accompany a woman employee when she is being dropped off at night, and even as drivers are instructed that under no circumstance should a woman be dropped last, seldom are these followed. At times, it may not be practical to drop a woman first without doing a huge-round-
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Safety measures during night drop
n Carry chilli powder or pepper spray
I used to be done with my work by 1am. I had to wait till 2.30am alone in the parking lot for my co-workers to come because the cab wouldn’t leave until them. I was invariably the last person to get dropped.
n Be aware of which route you are going on. Don’t doze off in the cab.
Nritya Nimesh media house employee
about of the city. And most drivers refuse to do so. Coemployers, who are men, may not be willing to do so every day for you. Though there are cabs owned and driven by women in several cities, a female driver is not something you can expect in all office environments. Many do not even have a separate cab for women. More often the not, the cab does not take off till it is the
cab is full, and that may cause a further delay. “I used to be done with my work by 1am. I had to wait till 2.30am alone in the parking lot for my co-workers to come because the cab wouldn’t leave until them. I was invariably the last person to get dropped,” said Nritya Nimesh, who used to work at a media house in Mumbai. How then does a woman ensure she is safe?
n Note down the cab number n Verify the ID card of the driver n Contact the drop co-ordinator of your office in case of emergency n Make sure you phone is charged and you have balance n Let someone know where you are n If something is not right, make sure you report the same at office the next day
Last week, an existing rule in Andhra Pradesh that mandates women employees who work in businesses that operate year-round till 11pm be dropped off in office cabs was re-enforced. There has to be a person appointed by the company, who is the drop co-ordinator. Get in touch with him immediately should something go wrong. The rape and murder of Prathiba Srikanthamurthy, a BPO employee in Bangalore, by a man posing to be a company driver, led to a whole new set of rules made with regard to women employees. Every driver will have an identification card, which you must check and verify when you enter the cab. Ensure that your phone is charged and that you let someone know where you are. Note down the cab number. And as a safety precaution, always carry pepper spray or chilli powder. Be alert and aware of your surroundings. Don’t doze off in the cab, especially if you are alone. Do not let the driver take a short cut that is not known to you. Make or fake a call if he takes a different route. *Names of employees have been changed
Run for the money NIDHI BHUSHAN nidhi.b@postnoon.com
B
eing a fitness instructor also requires me to be a good salesperson. Living off gym salaries alone isn’t all that lucrative and it’s necessary to have the ability to sell yourself as a trainer to make more money and develop a good client base. I started off my career as a gym instructor 10 years ago. In this past one decade, I’ve hopped between a number of gyms. My first job, at an akhaada type gym, was the most challenging. The equipment at the gym wasn’t fancy, but client demands were pretty much the same. Everyone wants to lose weight with least amount of effort. I used to earn a meager `1,200 from my first job and the motivation to address unreasonable demands was at an all-time low.
One of my first clients, who weighed at least a 100 kgs, wanted to lose more than half of it before getting married – she said she had only two months to do it. Even she knew it was an ambitious target. But when I told her that so much weight loss was not possible in only 60 days, she told my manager I was being rude. The lesson: people don’t want honesty. My second job was better. I was getting more money and my patience for nonsense improved. In my third and current job at a fancy gym, I’m the head instructor thanks to client base from my second job. Today, I train movie stars, CEOs and professionals. The quirkiest are of course the movie biggies. Another aspect of being a trainer at a fancy gym is being their money savers. Because only around two per cent of gym goers actually opt for a personal trainer, we are told not to help the 98 per cent. It’s boring to just sit around and ‘save’ money for gym owners. We have 12 hours to waste!
TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013
spotlight 1
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PUT YOUR PARTY HATS ON
It’s rock music and hip hop on the menu this Tuesday as the in-house DJ will dole out the best of mixes to get you dancing.Be there at 10 Downing Street to enjoy an evening of fun, music,food and beverages.
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S BALAKRISHNA
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Celebrating with pals Prerna celebrated her birthday with friends and well wishers at 10 Downing Street. The birthday girl was seen enjoying the evening with her close pals.The fun had to be seen to be believed. 7
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PREPARING FOR BATTLE
As part of a unique initiative by Gillette, men from Hyderabad and across the country were invited to come forward to be a Soldier for Women. A panel discussion was held at the event in which actors Chitrangada Singh, Sundeep Kishan and Jwala Gutta took part.
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1 Anju
8 Stuti
2 Sonia 3 Roshni
9 Trishna,
4 Alka 5 Prerna
10 Ankit,
6 Sharon 7 Neha
11 Pavani
Aarthi Ridhi
PROFESSIONAL CARE
Alexander Group of Salon in association with Schwarzkopf Professional launched its first unisex salon in Hyderabad. The salon was inaugurated by Tollywood actor Nithin.
TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013
health
SILICOSIS AFFECTS MINE WORKERS Silicosis is one of the most common diseases that affects Indian mine workers, parliament was informed Monday. Minister of state for labour and employment K Suresh said that elaborate precautions were taken to control dust pollution and to provide adequate ventilation. IANS
VITAMIN DEFICIENCY
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Nerve vitamin: A veggie’s challenge Most vegetarians find themselves taking vitamin substitutes or vaccinations for deficiency of vitamin B12, the chief source of which is meat and seafoods. DEEPASHRI VARADHARAJAN
deepashri.v@postnoon.com
V
itamin B 12 has several important functions in the body. It plays a vital role in gene synthesis, functioning of the nervous system, production of red blood cells, among other things. “Vitamin B12 is called nerve vitamin,” said Dr Sudhir Kumar, senior consultant neurologist at Apollo Hospital. “Deficiency (of vitamin B12) is quite common.” “It causes tingling and numbness,” said Dr Radha Shah, consultant dermatologist, Apollo Hospital, Jubilee Hills. Dr Kumar said it initially affects the peripheral nervous system, causing a burning and tingling sensation in the hands and feet. As it progresses, it affects the spinal cord and causes imbalances in walking. “It can even cause dementia,” said Dr Kumar. “It is common in vegetarians.” In November 2011, The New York Times reported an article, where an elderly woman, first
diagnosed with early Alzheimer’s, was also found to have low levels of vitamin B12. It turned out that the changes in her mental state were due to B12 deficiency, which improved after she took weekly injections for the same. Dr Kumar said it is common in people with poor absorption or mall absorption syndrome, where the small intestine does not properly absorb nutrients. Other factors are pernicious anemia, where a protein necessary for absorption of vitamin B12 is absent, removal of part of stomach or intestine by surgery, diseases of the small intestine and excessive alcohol consumption, according to WebMd (webmd.com). It also adds that vitamin B12 levels of newborns must be checked and if left undetected, it can cause serious damage to the brain and nerves. For vegetarians, Dr Kumar said few tablets and vitamin E supplements, about seven to 10 tablets per month, especially for older people, is prescribed. The richest sources of the vitamin and meat and sea foods. Milk and milk products are also a source of vitamin E, especially for vegetarians.
ANEWS PP-LYBRIEFS YOURSELF
Foods rich in vitamin B12 n n n n n n n n
Salmon Sea food Eggs Variety of meats Some types of cheese Yogurt Fortified cereals Milk
HOUSECALL
CaringBridge
Measles
CaringBridge makes it easy to stay connected to your family and friends while you’re on-the-go. You can make it as private or public as you’d like. Personal data is protected and not sold. It offers many ways for people to care for each other during any type of health event. There is no intrusive advertising. itunes.apple.com
Measles is a highly infectious viral illness. It can lead to serious complications, including blindness and even death. However, it's now rare in the UK due to the effectiveness of the MMR vaccination. Anyone can get measles if they haven't been vaccinated or had it before. The virus is contained in the millions of tiny droplets that come out of the nose and mouth when an infected person coughs or sneezes. nhs.uk
DID YOU KNOW? Your ear works all day long Your ear never stops working, even when you’re asleep. The ear continues to hear sounds, but your brain simply shuts them out. Maybe that’s why you sometimes suddenly wake up, positive you heard something, but with no idea what it was. calmear.com
PIONEERS Frederick Banting Sir Frederick Grant Banting was a Canadian medical scientist, doctor, painter and Nobel laureate noted as the primary discoverer of insulin. In 1923, Banting and John James Rickard Macleod received the Nobel Prize in Medicine. As of September 2011, Banting, who received the Nobel Prize at age 32, remains the youngest Nobel laureate in the area of physiology or medicine. en.wikipedia.org
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TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013
Technology TIGHT COMPETITION
GOOGLE NOW FOR IOS OUT
Google’s Android operating system has gained more market share. What will Apple do next?
ANDROID LEADS
NEW YORK: Google’s Android mobile operating system extended its dominance in smartphones in the US and other major markets in early 2013, according to a survey. Kantar Worldpanel ComTech said Android was used on 49.3 percent of smartphones sold in the US market in the first quarter, compared to 43.7 percent for Apple’s iOS, the operating system for the iPhone. Android has thus boosted its lead from a year ago, when was ahead of Apple by a margin of 47.9 to 44.6 percent. In other major markets, Android was even more dominant — with 93.5 percent of smartphones in Spain, 73.6 percent in Germany, 69.4 percent in China, and 63.3 percent in France. Japan was the only country in the survey where Apple was in the lead, with a 49.2 percent market share to 45.8 percent for Android. But the survey also showed gains in several countries for a relative outsider, Microsoft’s Windows Phone, following the upgraded platform introduced in late 2012.
In the United States, Windows boosted its share to 5.6 percent from 3.7 percent a year ago, Kantar said. Windows grabbed 10.9 percent of smartphone sales in Italy, 7.2 percent in France and 7.0 percent in Britain. “As iOS and Android continue to battle it out for top
Japan was the only country in the survey where Apple was in the lead, with a 49.2 percent market share to 45.8 percent for Android. selling smartphone OS, we have seen Windows steadily grow over the past year and is now at its highest sales share figure so far," said Kantar analyst Mary-Ann Parlato. “Windows’ strength appears to be the ability to attract first time smartphone buyers, upgrading from a featurephone," she said, adding that
this means prospects are positive for Windows, especially in the United States. “With over half of the US market still owning a featurephone, it’s likely that many will upgrade over the coming year, which will ultimately contribute to more growth for the Windows brand," Parlato said.
WHAT NEXT FOR APPLE?
Apple is reportedly working on an update to their operating system that will sport a flatter look similar to the one used by Microsoft in Windows 8, according to people who have either seen or have been briefed on the upcoming iOS 7. According to 9to5Mac, the new look will be unsettling for those who are longaccustomed to the platform. The new interface is said to be “very, very flat,” according to one source. Another person said that the interface loses all signs of gloss, shine, and skeuomorphism seen across current and past versions of iOS. Another source framed the new OS as having a level of “flatness” approaching
recent releases of Microsoft’s Windows Phone UI. There’s been a call from designers across the world to move away from skeuomorphism that has for long been part of iOS experience. Skeuomorphism is the use of textures and elements to make apps look and feel similar to real life products. The main culprits according to users have been the calendar app which has the look of a leather bound diary. Though there will be a drastic change in the way the operating system looks, the functionality will not change at all. The new look, the company hopes, will help them revive interest in the device which seems to be losing consumer interest who now prefer devices manufactured by Samsung. According to a different report more consumers are buying the older and cheaper iPhone 4 instead of the latest device. The company hopes that they will be able to end this cannibalisation with this new update which may not be available for older devices.
After a promo video let the cat out of the bag last month, Google is making it official: with an update to the Google Search application, Google Now is available on iOS. Compatible with both the iPhone and iPad, the update brings almost all of Google’s information cards across from Android. The look and feel of the app is virtually identical on both platforms, a testament to Google’s ability to make well-designed apps on iOS. The main differences between Android and iOS are few; On iOS, the Google Search app can’t be launched with a system-wide shortcut and it can’t do the same kind of background sync that Now can do on Android.
SHAPE SHIFTING MOBILES! The devices could lay down the foundation for creating high shape resolution devices of the future. Researchers including one of an Indian origin have developed prototype mobile devices that can change shape on-demand, and will be unveiled this week. The devices could lay down the foundation for creating high shape resolution devices of the future. The research paper, to be presented at one of the world’s most important conferences on human-computer interfaces, will introduce the term ‘shape resolution'.
Billion and counting Microsoft’s Windows Azure software and related programs have surpassed $1 billion in annual sales for the first time, a sign of progress in the effort to challenge Amazon in cloud computing. The sales milestone for Azure — which stores business infoand programs on remote servers and lets customers access them via Net — was reached in the past 12 months, said Curt Anderson, finance chief for Microsoft’s server and tools unit. Microsoft is counting on Azure and other Internetbased business programs to bolster growth as a global personalcomputer slump erodes demand for Windows software installed on desktop machines.
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TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013
Entertainment
ENTERTAINMENT IS THE ORDER OF THE DAY
MAKING A SAFE BET
NAGARJUNA
Nagarjuna gets talking about his upcoming film Greekuveerudu, latest trends in Telugu cinema, politics and a lot more.
HEMANTH KUMAR hemanth.k@postnoon.com
T
here’s an air of confidence as Nagarjuna gets talking about his upcoming film Greekuveerudu, which is slated for release on May 3. Directed by Dasaradh, who had earlier made films like Santosham and Mr Perfect, Nagarjuna says that it’s going to be a typical Dasaradh’s film. “There are no villains or bad people in the film. It’s a feel good film which talks about relationships and family values,” Nagarjuna says. So, what drew him to take up the role? After all, it does seem like his character in the film has a hangover of the roles he had done in Santosham and Manmadhudu. “I loved my characterisation in the film. Unlike my role in Manmadhudu, I don’t hate women in Greekuveerudu. Here, the character feels that love is a pain and he also believes that one has to be selfish to be successful in life. In fact, I am only guy who has negative shades in the film,” he laughs. Having worked with Dasaradh in Santosham, he says that there has been a remarkable progress in the way Dasaradh brings out emotions from every actor in the film. “When he narrated the story of Santosham, I was so impressed that I forced him to direct the film. It took him a week to make up his mind to direct the film or not. Today, his craft has improved a lot and he’s good at what he does. I should also point out that it’s been a pleasure working with an actress like Nayanthara. She’s extremely professional.” Like most of the recent films, Greekuveerudu too is a family and romantic entertainer. For someone, who has played a wide range of roles in his career spanning more than 25 years, we ask him if the current trend in Telugu cinema is a deterrent for him to try something different? “There was a time when action films were in vogue and today everything boils down to entertainment. I think people prefer it because it’s a safe bet and there’s no doubt that entertainment is the order of the day. I don’t know if I can recreate the magic of Shiva or Ninne Pelladutha. People don’t seem to like intense stuff anymore, isn’t it?” he confesses. And what about politics? “Oh no! Like I said before, I am not interested in politics at all. My father was also under pressure to join politics, but he didn’t. Like him, I am happy acting in films,” he smiles.
CINE BYTES Kahaani’s remake goes on floors
T
he principal shooting of the remake of Vidya Balan starrer Kahaani began couple of days ago in Hyderabad. Sekhar Kammula is directing this film in Telugu and Tamil. Nayanthara is playing the lead role and her name in the film is Anamika. A huge set resembling old city has been built for the film.
Lavanya heads to Slovenia
Race Gurram to gallop from early May
A
llu Arjun’s upcoming film under Surender Reddy’s direction is likely to go on floors later this week. Shruti Haasan is playing the lead role opposite Allu Arjun and the film has been tentatively titled as Race Gurram. More details will be announced soon.
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avanya Tripathi, who’s playing the lead role opposite Vishnu Manchu in Doosukeltha, has joined the film unit in Slovenia where couple of songs are going to be shot on the lead pair. Veeru Potla is directing the film. Apart from this film, she’s has also signed a Tamil film.
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Entertainment TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013
HONOURING THE WORST
T
he veteran performer Madhuri Dixit completed shooting for Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani with Ranbir Kapoor. The item song is choreographed by Farah Khan and the song supposedly marks the Ranbir Kapoor's character Bunny in the film. "Finished filming the song for Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. It was great fun. How u guys like it... I meant HOPE u guys like it," said Dixit on Twitter. "Power House of talent together under one roof! Having a great time with Farah Khan," Dixit said of her team. Karan Johar's Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani directed by Ayan Mukerji is scheduled to release on May 31.
Madhuri Dixit, Ranbir Kapoor complete item song shoot
CINE BYTES Emraan adds quirky touch to Jholuraam
A
ctor Emraan Hashmi, who shot a music video with Altaf Raja, came up with quirky steps for himself and the singer during the shoot. Titled Jholuraam, the song describes Emraan's character in the film and it was shot in Mumbai over the weekend. A source close to the team told IANS.
Big B to cross five million followers
Aashiqui 2 looking up, good weekend haul
A
ditya Roy Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor's romantic-action film Aashiqui 2 seems to be wooing box office as it has earned approximately `13 crore in the opening weekend despite the fact that Hollywood venture Iron Man 3 too came out on the same day.
A
mitabh Bachchan is about to cross five million followers on Twitter. The veteran star has more fans on the social networking site than any other Indian celebrity. “Rushing off to New York for the premiere of Great Gatsby... May 1st NYC, Lincoln Centre at 6PM... more later... love to all,� the actor said on Saturday.
Entertainment TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013
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Entertainment TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013
24
25
Entertainment TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013
NOT SUCH A MUSICAL NIGHT
CINE BYTES
Is Chris Pine single again?
A
SHTON
KUTCHER
ctor Chris Pine is reportedly single again after splitting from model-girlfriend Dominique Piek. The 32-year-old actor got into a relationship with Piek in 2011. “It was a mutual call. They both needed their space. She has been busy with her modelling work and travelling. He’s got Star Trek and his other projects are keeping him busy,” femalefirst.co.uk quoted a source as saying. IANS
gets into a brawl at music fest
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard back on
J
ohnny Depp and Amber Heard are back to doing whatever it is they were doing. The are-they-oraren’t-they pair are back on, E! News confirms, after being spotted rocking out together to the sounds of The Rolling Stones during the band’s surprise concert in Hollywood last night. Depp was also seen holding Heard’s hand as he led her through the crowd.
A
shton Kutcher reportedly got into a violent confrontation with a security guard at Stagecoach, a country music festival, in Indio. Eyewitness says that the actor was not aggressive, it was the security personnel who was “out of line”. Tmz.com reports that eyewitnesses said that Kutcher was in the VIP area near the stage to check out Nick 13 and Dwight Yoakam, when a woman approached him to say, ‘Hi’ and shake his hand. When Kutcher went to greet the woman, security intervened and shoved the two of them and chaos ensued. Kutcher and the security guard went at it, each violently shoving the other. The actor’s friends had to restrain him. The guard demanded that Kutcher be ejected, but the celebrity left on his own. Eyewitnesses said that Kutcher was not the aggressor. They said the security guard was overzealous and out of line. When Kutcher’s representative was contacted for a comment, he declined to make any yet.
IANS
James Franco in The Garden of Last Days
J
ames Franco is planning to helm and star in another novelto-film effort, The Garden of Last Days, Andre Dubus III’s 2009 follow-up to House of Sand and Fog. Per the book’s description, it’s about the intersection of “the lives of three deeply flawed, driven people” — one of whom is a stripper who brings her threeyear-old daughter to work.
TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013
Chai Time
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
What is most beautiful in virile men is something feminine; what is most beautiful in feminine women is something masculine. Susan Sontag
KAKURO
QUICK CROSSWORD
26
SUDOKU How to play kakuro Kakuro is a popular game similar to sudoku in some ways. But is also suitably different. The key question: ‘How do you play kakuro?’, well here are the rules of kakuro. The answer: The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any size. It has rows and columns, and dark cells like in a crossword. And, just like in a crossword, some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some cells will contain two numbers. However, in a crossword the numbers reference clues. In a kakuro, the numbers are all you get! They denote the total of the digits in the row or column referenced by the number. Within each collection of cells — called a run — any of the numbers 1 to 9 may be used but, like sudoku, each number may only be used once. Let’s have an example to explain this concept more clearly: In the image above, which shows a section of a kakuro puzzle, you will see the numbers ‘26’ and ‘14’ in the top row. Look at the 14. This means that the total of the three cells underneath must sum to 14. Therefore 9, 4, 1 could be the answer, or perhaps 7, 4, 3 and so on... So, how do you work out the actual combination? Well, this is done through elimination and cross-referencing. For instance, as you work out the answers for other kakuro clues, this will naturally limit the valid combinations, and hence the answer for this particular run. Note the second cell in row two — it contains two numbers, 30 and 11. The 30 refers to the vertical run underneath the number 30 and the 11 refers to the two cells to the right, horizontally, of the number 11.
ACROSS
PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER
SCRIBBLING PAD
1 Titanic’s downfall 5 It eliminates a suspect 10 From the same tree? 14 Say it’s so 15 Ascended, as from the grave 16 Tibetan holy man 17 Cement ingredient 18 Characteristic carriers 19 Cable TV sports award 20 It’ll put you down for the count 23 Follow, as a suggestion 24 Respectful title in India 25 Bumped into 28 Bridal bio word 29 Many millennia 33 Lapse, as a license 35 Concerning this, to lawyers 37 Primal impulse 38 What a cliche is, essentially 43 General vicinity 44 Grad student’s project 45 ‘The Mick’ of baseball 48 Prepares, as a dinner table 49 ‘Check THAT out!’ 52 Pull the plug on 53 Swiss high-rise? 55 Turkish bath 57 Crucial car part 62 Contented cat sound 64 Braid of hair 65 Like some pickings 66 On the ocean 67 Medicinal herb 68 West Wing underling 69 ___-in-waiting (princess’ attendant) 70 Garden border tool 71 Calendar unit
DOWN
1 ___ States (group that includes
Bulgaria) 2 Demonstrate clearly 3 Device with a mute button 4 ___-Roman wrestling 5 Bearer of the Golden Fleece 6 In ___ of (replacing) 7 ‘Winning ___ everything!’ 8 Traffic toots 9 Take out a policy on 10 Guinness or Waugh 11 Indo-Aryan language 12 Little handful 13 Con’s vote 21 Delivered a low blow? 22 Give the thumbs-down to 26 Cogito, ___ sum 27 College freshman, usually 30 Tramcar lode 31 Customer service call 32 Second-year coeds 34 ‘___ in Boots’ 35 Winter budget item 36 For the taking 38 Unlikely to bite 39 Home to the Zagros Mountains 40 Delivered formally, as a jury 41 Attendance fig, often 42 Wuss 46 ___-di-dah 47 Pass by, as time 49 Tell bigger whoppers? 50 Big name in flatware 51 Carpenter’s tool 54 Whimpered 56 Measure metal 58 Revealing photo? 59 Competed on ‘American Idol’ 60 Pitchfork prong 61 Twinkler in the sky 62 Chum 63 July 4th honoree
Chai Time TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013 Thiruvaikumar
STAR POWER for 01-5-2013
27
As per Hindu panchang thiruvaikumar@yahoo. co. in, 040-27177230 / 9177596118
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Properly planned work gets done successfully. This is the right time to change your residence. Employees will be suitably rewarded for their hard work. Be cordial with family members and avoid hurting anyone by your harsh talk.
STRIP TEASE AGNES
Pay hike and promotion are on the cards for employees. Happy news is on the cards from distance relatives. Health looks fine. Some will undertake practice of yoga and meditation. Income will suit hard work that you have put in.
Guide your children properly with love and put them on the right track. Financially, a strong position likely. Blood relatives will be more affectionate towards you. Businessmen need to keep records perfectly as govt officials might initiate vigilance.
Blood relatives respect your suggestions on important issues. Income looks up rapidly, which makes you financially strong. You act with responsibility, control expenses well and start saving for the future. Employees likely to face ire of superiors.
Employees look cheerful as they complete all work in time. Income will be more than satisfactory and as per expectation, cheering you up. Businessmen reduce their debts as profits jump considerably. Partners will be very co-operative.
Avoid buying luxurious items and extravagance. Businessmen may experience a dull trend; avoid new efforts. Politicians need to act with responsibility and care. Employees may have their demands fulfilled; colleagues might not co-operate.
Take care of parents’ health, which is a cause for concern. Held-up marriage talks will resume and marriage will be performed soon. Businessmen may face a roadblock in an important work but will overcome it with hard work.
Blood relatives may seek help. Employees have a favourable atmosphere at workplace. Superiors too, support them. Businessmen need to be aggressive in collecting old and written-off dues. They can consider minor investments for expansion.
Good turning point in court issue likely. Employees get a relief at workplace and feel cheerful. Superiors too support them. Strained relationship to resume and go well hereafter. Businessmen will do well and income will be as expected.
TAROT READ
Sumaa Tekur
tarotreadhyd@gmail. com
ARIES:
GEMINI:
Knight of Wands – Consider a proposal from all angles before you take a decision. Remember, though, that little is really in your own hands. Fate has a role to play.
LEO:
The Emperor – You attain a feeling of wellbeing, thanks to all the measures you have taken so far in maintaining your mental health. Continue to do the same.
LIBRA:
PEARLS BEFORE SWINE
Eight of Pentacles – You meet someone with similar habits as yours. You thought you were weird. You now have company. The smaller things of life excite you.
SAGITTARIUS:
King of Swords – Blocked communication with a person is ruining your plans. You feel stuck and are not happy. Drop your ego and talk to this person.
TAURUS:
Queen of Pentacles – As the leader of the pack, you shouldn’t mind a few inconsistencies and slip-ups by subordinates. Treat them well and they will improve.
CANCER:
The Hanged Man – You may be feeling uneasy with some nightmares taking away your sleep and your peace of mind. Meditation should help.
VIRGO:
The Fool – Feelings of desperation, panic and fury are going to overtake your thoughts today. They waver a lot and you feel out of control. Calm down.
SCORPIO:
Four of Pentacles – You feel tongue-tied when you have to speak with your bosses and this is not good news for your growth in the company. Loosen up and relax.
CAPRICORN:
Ten of Cups – A wave of sympathy is likely to come your way. It may have to do with the way you have told your story. Deal with it in a practical manner.
PREVIOUS SOLUTIONS
PISCES:
The High Priestess – You’re panicking about something that may or may not be important. Take each day as it comes and don’t get worried sick about anything.
NUMBER GAME
Wands – You’re taking care to avoid a disaster, especially with something that’s important. Good thing, except avoiding can lead to more trouble.
SCRABBLE
AQUARIUS: Queen of
POOCH CAFE
A strong financial position cheers you, and your longpending wishes get fulfilled. Income from various channels likely. Avoid taking important decisions based on suggestions of friends and relatives. Do homework before deciding.
for 01-5-2013
Four of Swords – You may need to rework plans because nothing is going as per your expectations. Delay is costing you dearly. But there’s little you can do about it.
NON SEQUITUR
Postpone plans to change residence for the time being. Health needs attention. Employees might be faced with minor hurdles but superiors will help them to overcome them Parents value your suggestions and extend support.
SUDUKO
Employees must focus well and complete all work within the stipulated time and earn a name. You encourage your children and support them, which benefits their growth. Some are likely to undertake a trip with family. Religious interests are likely.
Boggle SAM NORM CLIFF DIANE FRASIER Vol: 2, No 284 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
28
Entertainment TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013
A NEW BEGINNING?
PICK OF THE WEEK
I
the Best Debut Feature film award at Berlin Film Festival earlier this year and it’s going to be screened at plenty of film festivals across the world later this year.
Kim Mordaunt, best known for his documentary Bomb Harvest, about bomb disposal teams in Laos, reportedly decided to make The Rocket after he met several chil-
dren in war torn parts of rural Laos. The landlocked country is at the doorstep of undergoing a major cultural and economic change and the film explores several aspects of Laotian life. In the film, Ahlo, the character played by Sitthiphon Disamoe, loses his home when the government decides to build a dam in the area and he ends up leading his family and couple of other people on an extra-ordinary journey to find a new home. It almost sounds like a road trip movie on the lines of Motorcycle Diaries, but the context in which the story is narrated gives it a completely different voice. Although it’s too early to predict, we wonder if this would replicate the success of Beasts of the Southern Wild this year? Any guesses?
T t r ibeca a s r u o Film n o h Fe p o s t Set in Laos, The Rocket is about a young boy who leads his dysfunctional family and a couple of misfits to find a new home.
al tiv
win s
O C R K E E H
T
T
t’s not everyday that you hear the name of Laos while talking about cinema. Unlike the adjoining countries in South East Asia including Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, Laos almost feels like a lost civilisation for most of us. This is precisely why it was a big surprise when a 10year-old Laotian boy named Sitthiphon Disamoe won the Best Actor award for his performance in Aussie filmmaker Kim Mordaunt’s debut feature film titled The Rocket. Set in Laos, the film narrates the story of a young boy who desperately wants to prove that he doesn’t bring bad luck to everyone around and to prove that he decides to take part in the most dangerous competition in Laos - The Rocket Festival. The film has already won
The Apartment (1996) The Apartment, directed by Gilles Mimouni, is a French film which deals with love, loss and the heartbreak that comes with it. The film starring Vincent Cassel, Monica Bellucci and Romane Bohringer was highly appreciated for its complex plot which narrates how the lives of three people change dramatically because they were at the wrong place at the wrong time. Fate plays a major role in the film and topnotch performances by Vincent Cassel and Monica Bellucci stand out in the film. It’s not a masterpiece, but you’ll definitely fall in love with it.
At its best, a film should be like a ski jump. It should give the viewer the option of taking flight, while the act of jumping is left up to him. Michael haneke Director
DID YOU KNOW? Paparazzi, a term used to describe photographers who hunt celebrities and are the chief resource for gossip across the world, is an Italian word which comes from a character named Paparazzo in his film, La Dolce Vita. The film was directed by Federico Felini and in the film, Paparazzo plays a journalist photographing celebrities.
Akira Kurosawa, one of the most influential directors of all time, was infamous for his perfectionism. While making period films, he insisted that all the actors should wear their costumes for several weeks, daily, before filming so that they would look lived in. No wonder, his quirks didn’t please a lot of people.
sports
29
TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013
LOCAL SPORTS
SEW win title HYDERABAD: SEW beat NET CRACKER in the final of the Corporate Cricket League 2013. Net Cracker won the toss and elected to bat. They were restricted to 70 in 17 overs. SEW’s Praveeth claimed four for 16. Rohith from Net Cracker was top-scored with 28. Sew reached the target losing just 2 wickets. Ravi Raj top-scored with 51 runs in 22 balls. Brief Scores: NET CRACKER: 71 17 overs (Praveeth 4/16) lost to SEW 72/2 in 8 over (Ravi Raj 51).
RBVRR Memorial Chess Tourney First Round Results: Grahesh Y bt Swathi Y, Rama Devi P lost to Sai Agni Jeevitesh J, Praveen Kumar G bt Manisha Chowdary M, Shreyas P lost to Lakshmi Krishna Bhushan D, Anand Naik B bt Samyuk Marri, Samarateja K bt Sahari J, Bheri Chinna Rao (bye), Durga Prasad P V lost to Raju KSRM, Khan S bt Sabbi Sree Rohitha, Raparla Venkata Raghunandan lost to Sushrutha Reddy, Chandra Sekhar S.S. bt Varshini N, Vidya Moni lost to Harshavardhan Reddy G, Ramesh M bt Naga Sai Charan, Pranav Sharma K lost to Venkataramana P, Raghav Srivathsav V bt Vilok V Gadwal, Abhijeet Ganji lost to Duvvala Suresh, Dhiraj Patil bt Abhijit Polavarapu, Abhilash Vardhan lost to Chetan Sharma, Salini R bt Abhishek Manchukonda, Alladurgam Sreemaiye lost to Samal Ansuman
COMING OUT OF THE CLOSET
NBA’s Collins says that he is gay Basketball centre Jason Collins became the first active player in a major American professional team sport to reveal he is gay. JIM SLATER Agence France-Presse
Obama calls on Collins
WASHINGTON: Basketball center Jason Collins on Monday became the first active player in a major American professional team sport to reveal he is gay — a groundbreaking disclosure greeted with broad support. The 34-year-old free agent who has played for six NBA teams over the past 12 seasons, went public with his sexuality in an essay published on Sports Illustrated magazine’s website. “I didn’t set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport,” Collins said. “But since I am, I’m happy to start the conversation.” Among those backing Collins was US President Barack Obama. “The president called Jason Collins to express his support and said he was impressed by his courage,” a White House aide told AFP. Collins took to Twitter Monday night with a message of gratitude. “All the support I have received today is truly inspirational,” he said. “I knew that I was choosing the road less traveled but I’m not walking it alone.” The revelation has drawn comparisons to the way the spotlight shone on Jackie
WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama called NBA player Jason Collins on Monday to praise his courage after he became the first star in big-time American professional team sports to come out as gay. Collins, currently a free agent who has played for six teams over 12 seasons, made the announcement in a blockbuster article in Sports Illustrated. “The President called Jason Collins to express his support and said he was impressed by his courage,” said a White House aide, on condition of anonymity. Obama, a huge basketball fan and keen amateur player, was responsible for ending the ban on gays openly serving in the military, and last year said he believed gays and lesbians should be allowed to marry. AFP
Robinson in 1947 when he became Major League Baseball’s first black player. “Jason Collins has forever changed the face of sports,” said Human Rights Campaign president Chad Griffin. “No longer will prejudice and fear force gay athletes to remain silent about a fundamental part of their lives.” “Collins has courageously shown the world that one’s sexual orientation is no longer an impediment to achieving one’s
File photo dated June 13, 2003 shows then New Jersey Nets player Jason Collins reacting to a foul call against the San Antonio Spurs in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Collins became the first active player in a major professional American team sport to reveal that he is gay, doing so to Sports Illustrated in a major cover story released on Monday. AFP/DON EMMERT
goals, even at the highest levels of professional sports ... Jason Collins is a hero for our own times.” Still, Collins can expect homophobic taunts from NBA game hecklers the way Robinson endured racial insults without fighting back. “I don’t mind if they heckle me. I’ve been booed before,” Collins said. “Everyone is terrified of the unknown, but most of us don’t want to return to a time when minorities were openly discriminated against.”
NBA PLAYOFFS
Hawks thrash Pacers
ATLANTA, GEORGIA: The Atlanta Hawks pulled even with Indiana in their Eastern Conference first-round NBA playoff series on Monday while the Brooklyn Nets avoided being eliminated by beating the Chicago Bulls. Josh Smith scored a career playoff high 29 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead Atlanta over the Pacers 102-91, pulling the Hawks level at 2-2 in the best-of-seven series, which continues with game five Wednesday at Indianapolis. At New York, Brook Lopez scored 28 points and Deron Williams added 23 to lead Brooklyn over Chicago 110-91, pulling the Nets within 3-2 with game six Thursday in Chicago. The winner faces defending champion Miami in the second round. Smith sparked the Hawks to a 13th consecutive home triumph
Jeff Teague #0 of the Atlanta Hawks drives against George Hill #3, David West #21, and Roy Hibbert #55 of the Indiana Pacers during Game Four of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals on Monday. AFP
over Indiana, with Al Horford adding 18 points, 10 in the fourth quarter, and Kyle Korver coming off the bench to tally 19 points, hitting 5-of-8 3-point shots. “The things Al gives us cant
be duplicated. We definitely needed him,” said Smith. “Kyle just shot the mess out of the ball, made big shot after big shot. Every time we needed it, he buried it.” AFP
Rockets avoid sweep by silencing Thunder HOUSTON, TEXAS: Chandler Parsons scored 27 points to spark Houston over the Oklahoma City Thunder 105103 on Monday as the Rockets avoided being swept out of their first-round NBA playoff series. Thunder star Kevin Durant scored a game-high 38 points but Houston’s defense stopped Oklahoma City in the final seconds to pull within 31 in the Western Conference best-of-seven series, which continues on Wednesday at Oklahoma City. No NBA team has ever rallied to win a playoff series after losing the first three games, but that does not mean the Rockets have given up on their title quest just yet. “Anything is possible,” Parsons said. “Now the pres-
sure is on them and we look forward to an exciting game at OKC.” Omer Asik scored 17 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for Houston, which also had 16 points from Patrick Beverley and 15 from James Harden. AFP
30
sports TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013
US OPEN PREVIEW
Simpson foresees tense finish Defending US Open champion Webb Simpson expects a battle to the 72nd hole when golf's greatest players face each other at the next major championship, the 113th US Open at Merion in June. ARDMORE, PENNSYLVANIA: Defending US Open champion Webb Simpson expects a battle to the 72nd hole when golf's greatest players face the next major championship, the 113th US Open at Merion in June. The testy course offers 13 shorter holes where wedge play will be critical and a final five holes that will challenge even the nerviest of leaders down the stretch. "I don't think they will ever be a point in this US Open where somebody will have it won because the last five holes are so hard that a guy will be hanging on as he comes down the last holes if he has a lead," Simpson said Monday. "But I think that's what will make it more exciting. There will
be birdie opportunities, but knowing, 'Hey, even if I'm three or 4-up I got to step on 14 tee and I got a long ways home.' So that will be exciting for the fans." The same course where Bobby Jones completed a 1930 sweep of the US and British Open and US and British Amateur titles with a US Amateur triumph will play host to its fifth US Open, the first since Australian David Graham won in 1981. Simpson, who won his title last year at Olympic Club in San Francisco, played Merion in the 2005 US Amateur. "I know what the golf course will demand," Simpson said. "A lot of irons off the tee on the first 13 holes, the holes that are shorter. There will be more wedges
Team IZOD golfer and reigning U.S. Open Champion Webb Simpson addresses the media in advance of his charity golf shot at Belk SouthPark in Charlotte, North Carolina on Monday. AFP/CHARLES HARRIS
PAKISTAN CRICKET
Trent named batting coach LAHORE, PAKISTAN: Pakistan on Monday appointed Australian coach Trent Woodhill (right) to help solve their perennial batting problems during June's Champions Trophy in England. The 42-year-old was involved with the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League in Australia and is part of the Delhi Daredevils' support staff in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). He was also New Zealand cricket team's assistant until last year. Pakistan Cricket Board's director of international cricket Intikhab Alam said Woodhill brings rich
OPERATION PUERTO
Ruling to be announced MADRID: The Operation Puerto doping trial involving Doctor Eufemiano Fuentes and four co-accused is set to conclude on Tuesday with Judge Julia Patricia Santamaria set to give her ruling on whether the five were guilty of endangering public health. Fuentes is on trial with his sister and fellow doctor Yolanda, Manolo Saiz, Vicente Belda and Ignacio Labarta. The latter three are accused of facilitating Fuentes' involvement with riders in their teams, whilst it is claimed that Eufemiano and Yolanda Fuentes performed blood transfusions and stored and transported blood bags in a manner that represented a health risk to those undergoing the treatment. AFP
experience as a batting and fielding expert. "We have appointed Woodhill as our national team's batting coach for a period of three weeks and he will help the team during the Champions Trophy," Alam told reporters. The decision to appoint Woodhill followed serious concerns over Pakistan's fragile batting which flopped during their 3-0 rout at the hands of South Africa in the Test series in February this year. Pakistan also lost the five-match one-day series 3-2. AFP
into these greens than most US Opens and so hopefully my wedge game will be sharp. "And then the last five are going to be some of maybe the hardest that we have ever had in the US Open. So you kind of have the best of both worlds." Simpson dismissed the idea of a long or short hitter off the tee having the advantage, citing the importance of second shots. "A guy with a good wedge game and a good mind will have the advantage because you'll have your birdie opportunities. What I remember about Merion is the second that you think I got an easy hole, an iron and a wedge, is the second that you probably will make a mistake,” he said. AFP
OBITUARY Marianna dies at 23 NICOSIA: Cypriot pole vaulter Marianna Zachariadi, a Commonwealth Games silver medallist, died at the age of 23 on Monday after a battle with cancer, doctors said. Zachariadi, who was born in Greece, was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2011 and her condition worsened in the past few of months. She slipped into a coma last week at Attiko Hospital in Greece, and doctors confirmed she had died on Monday morning. In October 2010, she lept to silver at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, repeating a feat at the Mediterranean Games in Italy a year earlier. AFP
CHAMPIONS TROPHY
Afridi dropped from squad LAHORE, PAKISTAN: Pakistan on Monday axed Shahid Afridi from their 15-man squad for the Champions Trophy following the allrounder's below-par performances in South Africa and a domestic competition. The 33-year-old, who still holds the world record of fastest one-day century — off 37 balls made against Sri Lanka in Nairobi in 1996 — has not taken a single wicket in his last six one-day internationals. Undoubtedly the most popular player in Pakistan recently, Afridi has hit just two half-centuries in his last 15 one-day innings, while managing a mere 70 runs and three wickets in four matches for his domestic side this
month. He was also dropped from the oneday squad for last year's tour of India before making a comeback to the team for the limited-over series against
South Africa in March, where his topscore of 88 came in a losing cause. Chief selector Iqbal Qasim said Afridi had not been in good form recently. "Afridi had been selected as a bowling allrounder but he was not up to the mark and couldn't score at crucial occasions so we had to left him out," Qasim told reporters while announcing the squad. "His (Afridi) career is not finished, if he performs at domestic level, he can stage a comeback," said Qasim, a former left-arm spinner. Afridi has 7201 runs and 348 wickets from the 354 one-day internationals he played. AFP
IPL 6
31
BATTLE OF THE TITANS
METRE
6 S 347
I was not nervous when Dravid fell but was more determined to carry on with my plans. We had a strong batting line-up for this match so the confidence was there Sanju Samson Rajasthan Royals batsman
Chris Gayle (RCB) 484 runs
James Faulkner (RR) 16 wickets
Highlights of the RCB Vs RR game n Vinay Kumar became the first bowler to bag 15 wickets (ave.20.60) in ten matches for Royal Challengers Bangalore at the IPL 2013. n RP Singh took his tally of wickes to 86 (ave.24.91) in 75 matches at the IPL. Only two bowlers have claimed more wickets than RP Singh - Lasith Malinga (88),) and Amit Mishra (88). n Rajasthan Royals (173 for six) have recorded the second highest successful chase at Sawai Mansingh Stadium next only to their 197 for five against Deccan Chargers on April 17, 2012. n Rajasthan Royals' above score is the third highest successful chase in the present edition, next only to Punjab's 186 for three against Pune Warriors at Mohali on April 21 and Chennai's 186 for five against RR at Chepauk on April 22. PTI P
W
L
T PT
CSK
9
7
2
0
14 +0.609
NR
RCB
10
6
4
0
12 +0.690
RR
9
6
3
0
12 +0.577
MI
9
6
3
0
12 +0.241
SRH
9
5
4
0
10 -0.197
KXIP
9
4
5
0
8 +0.172
KKR
9
3
6
0
6 -0.016
DD
9
2
7
0
4 -0.761
PWI
9
2
7
0
4 -1.386
P-played; W-win; L-lost; T-tie; NR-net run rate; PT-points
Chris Gayle (RCB),
36 4S 1126
Michael Hussey (CSK)
51
HIGHEST SCORE
TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013
175*
Chris Gayle (RCB)
BEST BOWLER
5-20
James Faulkner (RR)
CSK favourites even away SYED SHOAIB
shoaib.s@postnoon.com
His hard work at the top of the hey may have beaten batting order has Chennai Super Kings in been effectively conthe first leg of their two verted into victories by matches this Indian Ravindra Jadeja and captain Premier League, but Pune Warriors Mahendra Singh Dhoni. India are not in the least expected The CSK is also the team to to be able to put up a repeat perhave won most away formance at the Subrata a big factor in the Roy Sahara Stadium PWI VS CSK matches, ratio of home versus away today. AT 8PM performance of all teams. For not only have PWI In fact, CSK seems to lost four matches on the ON SET MAX be treating the league trot thereafter, CSK have matches like a rehearsal of the bigwon five matches after that only ger matches to come. Their clinical loss, and are going from strength precision of executing wins, opting to strength. to chase on winning the toss, and In Mike Hussey (in pic), the stretching matches to the last over CSK have a match winner who all seem to indicate that they are goes about his job with the disciputting themselves in a difficult pline of a soldier, and the consisposition and winning from there. tency of his high-level perforThis, whether a strategy or not, mance reflect best in the fact that is going to hold them in good he has garnered the man-of-thestead in the knockout stage of the match award four times out of tournament. eight they have played so far.
T
SCORECARD RR VS RCB
WALL RISES TO THE OCCASION
MI VS KXIP
RC Bangalore innings (20 overs maximum) A Mukund b Trivedi 19 (21) CH Gayle c †Samson b Watson 34 (16) V Kohli* c Faulkner b Watson 32 (35) de Villiers† c Faulkner b Sreesanth 21 (13) MC Henriques run out (Faulkner/†Samson) 22 (19) SS Tiwary not out 8 (8) R Rampaul c †Samson b Watson 3 (4) R Vinay Kumar not out 22 (6) Extras (lb 5, w 3, nb 2) 10 Total (6 wickets; 20 overs) 171 Bowling O M R W Econ A Chandila 4 0 39 0 9.75 JP Faulkner 4 0 42 0 10.50 S Sreesanth 4 1 35 1 8.75 SR Watson 4 0 22 3 5.50 SK Trivedi 3 0 20 1 6.66 STR Binny 1 0 8 0 8.00 Rajasthan Royals innings (target: 172 runs from 20 overs) R Dravid* b Henriques 22 (17) Rahane c Singh b Rampaul 2 (7) SV Samson† c Kartik b Rampaul 63 (41) SR Watson c †de Villiers b Singh 41 (31) BJ Hodge b Vinay Kumar 32 (18) STR Binny not out 6 (3) OA Shah run out (Kohli/†de Villiers) 1 (1) JP Faulkner not out 1 (1) Extras (lb 3, w 2) 5 Total (6 wickets; 19.5 overs) 173 Bowling O M R W Econ R Rampaul 4 1 28 2 7.00 RP Singh 4 0 35 1 8.75 R Vinay Kumar 3.5 0 39 1 10.17 MC Henriques 2 0 6 1 3.00 M Kartik 3 0 32 0 10.66 JD Unadkat 3 0 30 0 10.00
Mumbai Indians innings (20 overs maximum) DR Smith c Miller b Chawla 33 (32) SR Tendulkar b Kumar 9 (10) KD Karthik† b Gony 25 (19) RG Sharma* not out 79 (39) KA Pollard not out 20 (21) Extras (lb 3, w 4, nb 1) 8 Total (3 wickets; 20 overs) 174 Bowling O M R W Econ P Kumar 4 0 24 1 6.00 Az Mahmood 4 0 32 0 8.00 P Awana 4 0 16 0 4.00 MS Gony 4 0 43 1 10.75 PP Chawla 2 0 24 1 12.00 DJ Hussey 2 0 32 0 16.00 Kings XI Punjab innings (target: 175 runs from 20 overs) Mandeep Singh b Malinga 9 (8) SE Marsh c Pollard b Ojha 10 (12) M Vohra c Pollard b Johnson 1 (2) DJ Hussey* c Johnson b Ojha 34 (18) DA Miller c Tendulkar b Johnson 56 (34) Gurkeerat Singh† c Smith b Harbhajan 2 (4) Az Mahmood c †Karthik b Harbhajan 9 (13) MS Gony c †Karthik b Harbhajan 0 (3) PP Chawla c Rayudu b Kulkarni 12 (10) P Kumar c Tendulkar b Kulkarni 24 (15) P Awana not out 0 (2) Extras (b 4, lb 3, w 5, nb 1) 13 Total (all out; 20 overs) 170 Bowling O M R W Econ MG Johnson 4 0 29 2 7.25 SL Malinga 4 0 39 1 9.75 DS Kulkarni 4 0 44 2 11.00 PP Ojha 3 0 22 2 7.33 Harbhajan 4 0 14 3 3.50 KA Pollard 1 0 15 0 15.00
Rajasthan Royals won by 4 wickets
Mumbai Indians won by 4 runs
Rajasthan Royals batsman Rahul Dravid plays a shot during their IPL-6 match against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Jaipur on Monday. PTI/ SHAHBAZ KHAN
TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013
sports ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Benteke treble sparks Villa’s joy of six BIRMINGHAM, UK: Christian Benteke (above) scored a second-half hattrick as Aston Villa thrashed Sunderland 6-1 on Monday to give themselves real hope of avoiding relegation from the English Premier League. Victory saw Villa pull five points clear of the drop zone with three games left to play. FA Cup finalists Wigan, who have a game in hand over the Birmingham club, are now in greatest danger of joining already demoted Queens Park Rangers and Reading as one of the three clubs relegated from England’s top flight. Defeat halted Sunderland’s revival under Italian manager Paolo di Canio and this loss was compounded by the sending-off of Stephane Sessegnon. It left the Black Cats as one of three clubs on 37 points and completed a miserable round of matches for the north-east after Sunderland’s arch-rivals Newcastle were hammered 6-0 at home to Liverpool on Saturday. “It was a fantastic atmosphere, the crowd have been brilliant since I’ve been here," delighted Villa manager Paul Lambert told Sky Sports.
REDKNAPP REMAINS QUEENS PARK RANGERS BOSS Queens Park Rangers confirmed Monday that Harry Redknapp will remain as their manager next season despite the London club’s relegation from the Premier League. QPR’s goalless draw at Reading on Sunday saw both clubs demoted and speculation over 66-year-old Redknapp’s future.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI-FINAL SECOND LEG PREVIEW
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Messi fitness key to Barça’s hopes
KIERAN CANNING Agence France-Presse
MADRID: Barcelona admit any chance the Catalans have of overturning a 4-0 first-leg defeat to Bayern Munich in their Champions League semi-final return on Wednesday depends very much on the fitness of Lionel Messi (right). Messi came off the bench in Munich last week to score a wonderful individual goal and set-up a second for Alexis Sanchez in Barca’s 2-2 draw with Athletic Bilbao on Saturday. And Barcelona assistant manager Jordi Roura believes Messi has started to find his feet again after being troubled by a hamstring injury for the past month. “Messi is the best player in the world and obviously when you don’t have him you notice it. He makes the difference," he told a press conference after the Athletic game. “He will continue with his recuperation after the injury. He was very good today and we
‘Inexperience won’t cost Dortmund’
The World Player of the Year looked out of sorts in Munich last week. hope that little by little he arrives at his best level. He will continue improving and the better Leo is the more chances we will have against Bayern." Despite Messi not being at 100%, Barca’s principal problem in the first-leg was their defending and manager Tito Vilanova
KIERAN CANNING Agence France-Presse
has even more problems at the back with Jordi Alba suspended for Wednesday’s clash. Adriano does return from suspension and is expected to replace Alba, however the biggest doubt remains who will partner Gerard Pique in central defence.
PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLERS’ ASSOCIATION
Chairman slams awards comic
LONDON: Professional Footballers’ Association chairman Clarke Carlisle (right) admits his organisation made a big mistake by hiring controversial comedian Reginald D Hunter to perform at their high-profile awards ceremony. Hunter, a black comedian from the United States, stunned an audience made up of leading
Premier League stars and players from the lower leagues as he repeatedly used the word ‘n*****' during his performance at the Grosvenor House hotel in Mayfair on Sunday. Racism in football has become a major issue over the last two years, with Chelsea’s John Terry and Liverpool’s Luis Suarez both receiving bans. AFP
FOOTBALL BRIEFS Rovers ordered to pay up over Berg sacking
Van Persie right to quit Arsenal says Evra
Tudor era begins for Hajduk Split
Torino play down Pogba’s racism claims
LONDON: Indian-owned Blackburn Rovers were ordered to pay £2.25 million ($3.4 million, 2.6 million euros) in compensation to former manager Henning Berg by a High Court judge on Monday. Former Manchester United defender Berg was sacked in December by Venky’s, the Indian poultry firm that owns Rovers, after just 57 days.
LONDON: Man United defender Patrice Evra insists his club’s Premier League title triumph proves that Robin van Persie was right to leave Arsenal. Van Persie infuriated Arsenal fans by quitting their team to join rivals United in a £24 million ($36 million) transfer last year. The Dutch striker’s goals played a key role in United regaining the EPL.
ZAGREB: Croatian First Division side Hajduk Split on Monday sacked coach Miso Krsticevic because of a run of poor results and replaced him with former international defender Igor Tudor. Tudor will be Hajduk’s 28th coach since 2000, with none of his predecessors completing two full campaigns.
MILAN: Serie A club Torino on Monday played down claims by Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba that he was the target of racist abuse by Riccardo Meggiorini during the Turin derby. Juventus won Sunday’s match 2-0 thanks to late goals from Arturo Vidal and Claudio Marchisio to restore their 11-point lead on Napoli.
MADRID: Borussia Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp (above) has insisted his side won’t freeze in the second-leg of their Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid on Tuesday despite their relative inexperience. The German side take a commanding 4-1 lead to the Santiago Bernabeu thanks to Robert Lewandowski’s four-goal haul in the first-leg last week and Klopp is confident his players have built up enough big game experience over the past few years to ensure the big stage doesn’t get to them. “I don’t think any of our players have played in a Champions League semi-final before, but for us it a similar situation to the German Cup final last year," said Klopp, whose side drew 2-2 in Madrid in the group stage. “Then we had to face Bayern Munich after we had won the league and they were giving everything, but my players were very cool on that day because the only way to achieve your dream is to be brave so that is what we try to do. “We could lose the game of course, but the way you lose the game is more important.”
I don’t think any of our players have played in a Champions League semi-final before, but for us it a similar situation to the German Cup final last year. Jurgen Klopp Dortmund manager