Postnoon E-Paper for 05 March 2013 by Scribble Media & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013 HYDERABAD

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

WWW.POSTNOON.COM

SHOW US THE MONEY

With the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora conference starting in Bangkok, Postnoon takes a look at some of the most vulnerable species and conclave’s take on their commercial exploitation.

GHMC contractors slam Corporation for nonpayment of dues.

32 PAGES

ON THE BRINK

P16&17

HYDERABAD’S FIRST COMPACT AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER M ANIL KUMAR

INDIA SEAL WIN

Ashwin and Jadeja ran through the Oz batting line-up in the second innings to give India an innings and 135-run victory in the second Test in the City.

REPORT ON P31 TADBUND UNVEILED NOT A DROP OF HOPE

Tadbund’s slum burns. With summer fast approaching, there are no water resources, only new problems for the residents. Given the warnings of the HMWS&SB and the Secunderabad Cantonment Board that water supply will be inadequate, if not scarce, those waiting last in the line, often the residents of this slum, will bear the brunt.

HEIDI KLUM TO JUDGE AMERICA’S GOT TALENT

Could Heidi Klum be America’s Got Talent’s latest judge? It certainly looks like it! The former Victoria’s Secret supermodel was spotted on the set of the NBC reality show in New Orleans on Sunday, amid speculations she signed on to fill the program’s fourth judge’s chair, a source tells E! News. The Hollywood Reporter reports that Heidi is indeed set to become the show’s fourth judge.

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TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013

city events

NEW À LA CARTE LUNCH

Various dishes like French onion soup, bharwan aloo, roasted chilli lamb, legume au gratin, meat balls in spaghetti, cheese stuffed chicken in wild mushroom sauce, white chocolate spring rolls and country pie will be available at Cinnamon Fusion till March 5.

Weather for Hyderabad

Evening

Overnight

Morning

Afternoon

28°C

19°C

25°C

34°C

A mix of cloudy and clear skies.

mix of cloud and sun.

Sunny with cloudy periods.

New Delhi Mumbai Max 29 Max 35 Min 15 Min 25 Clear.

Chennai Max 30 Min 26

Partly cloudy.

Bangalore Max 28 Min 20

Cloudy

Cloudy.

AROUND THE CITY: YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES mentaries, where amateurs can showcase their talents. Where: St Francis College for Women, Uma Nagar, Begumpet When: March 4, 10.30am onwards

ART French heritage A photographic voyage of French heritage in India with Anay Mann, Gigi Scaria, Rishi Singhal, Serena Chopra, Isabel Saij along with JeanPierre Dubois. Where: Kalakriti Art Gallery, Banjara Hills When: March 16- March 21 11am to 7pm Contact: (040) 6656 4466

Samahaara workshop The workshop will focus on acting on stage, character analysis, movement, voice, stage geography, scene work and improvisation. The minimum age limit is 14. When: Up to April 7, Monday to Friday Where: The Terrace, Road no.7, Banjara Hills Contact: info@samahaara.org

Tribal art Muse Art Gallery hosts a first-of-itskind tribal art exhibition featuring art from the Gond tribal community. Where: Muse, Marriott Hotel & Convention Centre When: Up to March 11, 11am onwards Vibgyor ‘Vibgyor’ is a group art show by seven artists: Maredu Ramu, Harikumar, Sujatha Basu, Srinivas, Narayan Naik, Madhu Kuruva and Abhiram Bairu. Where: Rainbow Art Gallery, GHMC Balayogi Paryatak Bhavan, Begumpet When: Up to March 5, 11am to 7pm Contact: www.rainbowartgallery.in

MISCELLANEOUS

FUTURE STARS: Boys play volley ball at Bowenpally slum in Secunderabad. Where: :Residence Inn, Opp SBH Bank, Kavuri Hills, Jubilee Hills When: Up to March 6 11am to 7pm Contact: (040) 2311 3709

For the love of fauna ‘For the love of fauna’ is a group art exhibition by G Jagadeesh, Jaya Prakash and Maddileti Gaddam.

spaghetti, cheese stuffed chicken in wild mushroom sauce, white chocolate spring rolls and country pie will be available. Where: Cinnamon Fusion, 3rd Floor, SBR Gateway , Madhapur, Hitec City When: Up to March 5, Contact: (040) 6450 6450

DINING All you can eat Guests can taste unlimited amount of food from a variety of cuisines, from hot curries to delicious desserts, at a fixed price. Where: Holy Basil, Radisson Blu Plaza When: Ongoing New à la carte Lunch Various dishes like French onion soup, bharwan aloo, roasted chilli lamb, legume au gratin, meat balls in

Commissioner & Spl Officer

Helpline GAS BOOKING IVRS NO HP 9666023456 Indane 9848824365 BSNL Complaints HMWS & SB Complaints

198 155313

POLICE CONTROL ROOM Hyderabad 27852435 Traffic Control Room 27852482 DCP Traffic 23234065, 23243499F Pollution Control Board 23887500 ELECTRICITY General Complaints Breakdown Section

155333 23431178 23431179

MUNICIPAL CORPORATION

23262266 24166666R ENC 23225267 Engineering 23220418 MCH Tankbund 23225397 Emergency MCH Circle I&II 24525842 MCH Circle III 24736912 MCH Circle IV 23326975 MCH Circle V 23326976 MCH Circle VI MCH Complaints 1100 Head Office 23225397 IVRS CUM MANUAL ENQUIRY PHONE NUMBERS (TRAIN & RESERVATION) RAILWAYS Rail Nilayam 27833169, 27824216 Railway Information 131 Reservations 135 Recorded Information 1345 Enquiry (IVRS) 1331, 1332, 1333

Special lunch A changing menu, with a wide spread of food items, and special packages for kitty and group lunches. Where: Kailash Parbat Above Ebony Gautier, 2nd floor, Road No. 36, Jubilee Hills When: Ongoing Contact: (040) 23558856

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

N SHIVA KUMAR

French classical week Dishes like tournedos rossini, wenier schnitzel, saltimbocca, ossobucco, cordon bleu, a la cheval and diane will be served. Where: Celeste, Faluknama, Engine Bowli When: Up to March 10 Contact: (040) 6629 8585

SHOWS

The Great Oxford Sale Discounts on books, magazines, stationery and gift items. Where: Oxford Bookstore, Tresorie, The Park , 22 Raj Bhavan Road When: Up to March 31, 10am to 10pm Contact: (040) 31002959

Imany World music- jazz and soul. Where: Hyderabad International Convention Centre Novotel & HICC complex Near Hitec City When: March 15, Contact: (040) 2355 4486 The First Cut A festival of short films and docu-

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

Pochampally art mela There is a 10-day handloom products exhibition. Exclusive handloom products like hand-made bed and home linen, dress materials, silk and cotton saris will be on display. Where: YMCA, beside Narayanguda police station When: Up to March 10

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, MARCH 5, 2013

City

YESTERDAY’S QUESTION

IS NARENDAR MODI BEING ISOLATED BY OTHER BJP LEADERS? 60% 40%

YES (A) NO (B)

YES

To vote visit www.postnoon.com

PROTEST

EFLU stir intensifies As their 48-hour ultimatum to the University failed to evoke response, students took out a protest rally today. ALEENA ALICE aleena.t@postnoon.com

JUSTICE

Lokayukta summons revenue minister POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com

tudent stir at the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) campus continues to be grim with the agitated students taking out a protest rally and demanding a probe into the death of a student, Mudassir Kamran, three days ago. Students are not saying what the beginning of the trouble was. It is said that the Proctor Harish Vizra had taken Kamran to the police station on Friday claiming that he was mentally unsound. Kamran is alleged to have hanged himself on Saturday. There are also reports that he had troubles with his roommate Wasim Salim, who has been missing since Kamran’s death. The death of Kamran, a

TODAY’S QUESTION

DO YOU THINK KNEE JERK SPENDING SPREES LIKE FOR COP BREED CORRUPTION?

Kashmiri, triggered protests and their Union, Telangana Students Association demanded that the Proctor be suspended and family of the diseased given `20 lakh compensation. Kamran has two sisters. The

students are demanding that one of them be given a job in the varsity. As their 48-hour ultimatum to the University failed to evoke response, they took out a protest rally today and pledged to intensify the stir.

he Lokayukta, Justice Subhashan Reddy, has issued summons to Ranga reddy collector Seshadri and revenue minister Raghuveera Reddy (in pic) with regard to the issue concerning MRO Subba Rao. The Rao case began a few months back when hundreds of complaints about Serilingampally MRO Subba Rao caught collector Seshadri’s notice. “Despite summons and calls, Subba Rao was so arrogant that he ignored all directions and summons from the district collectorate. And so, the district collector asked him to surrender his duties with immediate effect, which basically meant that he was suspended from his job,” says

Rajkumar, general secretary of Janam Kosam. Complaints against Subba Rao were lodged on his many government land transfers and notations, most of which were motivated by corruption. Despite the immense media pressure, Subba Rao refused to admit his guilt or step down from his office. Trouble began fermenting when Subba Rao pulled political strings and he was reinstated by the revenue department. Lokayukta registered this case and has summoned all the officials for a hearing on March 26.

LAW AND ORDER

Cops issue rules for cyber cafes Police are going all out to ensure that no further acts of terrorism occur in the City and mischief mongers cannot misuse internet facilities and get away with it. POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com

n view of the recent security threats and likelihood of the anti-social elements using the cyber cafes to carry out their nefarious designs, the police have issued certain guidelines for safe usage of internet. The owner of the cyber cafe shall take sufficient precautions so that computers and computer systems in the cyber cafe are not used for any illegal or criminal activity. Cyber cafe owner/network service provider shall not allow any user to use his computer, and/or computer network without the identity of the user being established before use. The intending user may establish his identity by producing any photo identity card issued by any school or college or a photo credit card of any bank or passport or voters identity card or PAN card

issued by Income-Tax authorities or photo identity card issued by the employer or driving license to the satisfaction of the cyber cafe owner. After the identity of the user is established, the owner of the cyber cafe or the manager or the attendant or on his behalf any authorised person managing the

cafe shall obtain and maintain the information including name of the user; age and sex; present residential address; log in and log out time. When a user cannot produce any photo identity card to establish his identity to the satisfaction of the cyber cafe owner/network service provider, he may be

photographed by the Cyber Cafe Owner/Network Service Provider after obtaining his consent using a ‘Web Camera’ hooked onto one of the computers or computer systems in the Cyber Cafe and the User shall be explained that his photograph will be taken and stored in the hard disk of the computer, for verification by Law enforcement authorities, whenever required. This is in addition to the entries made in the log register. In case the User does not agree for storing his photograph he shall not be allowed to use any computer, computer system and /or computer network or access to the Internet in the Cyber Cafe. All time clocks in Cyber Cafes must be regularly checked and synchronized with Indian Standard Time (IST) and with that of the Internet Service Providers. Maintaining proper account of the User as explained shall be the responsibility of the

The owner of the cyber cafe shall take precautions so that computers in the cyber cafe are not used for any illegal or criminal activity. Cyber Cafe Owner/Network Service provider. The log register and the photograph of the User shall be maintained by the cafe owner/ network provider for a minimum of one year and which shall be provided to Law enforcement agencies as and when required. Cyber police authorities may on complaint inspect cyber cafes at all reasonable time to ensure compliance of these rules. If any cafe owner/network service provider fails to maintain log register and records he shall be liable for penalties.

city TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013

POSTNOON SPECIAL

LAST YEAR... HERE Towering threats

ast year we had reported how disgruntled employees were resorting to climbing atop either billboard scaffolding and signal towers threatening suicide if their demands were not met. Former home guard Rambabu happened to be the fourth such individual to resort to such an antic. He climbed atop the AIR tower demanding that he be reinstated into service.

MARCH 5, 2012

NUMEROLOGY

1.47L

students have applied for Eamcet 2013. Of these 77,883 are boys and 69,341 are girls.

‘We worked for CoP but where’s the money?’ While on the one hand the GHMC insists no impropriety was done in CoP spending, Postnoon learns that an internal vigilance probe was launched soon after the international event ended to unearth widespread complaints of non-payment of dues.

Half of our week is spent filling water for domestic needs. The other is spent running behind the tanker services and persuading them to get us water. Sai Kumar, resident, Tadbund

See page 7

THINGS WE 5LEARNT TODAY The column that teaches everyone something new about the way the City functions.

Heading to a cyber cafe? Carry your ID. As per the latest guidelines by City police following the twin blasts, cyber cafes must demand a photo ID proof from patrons. But didn’t something similar happen last time too? Not like it helped.

Students unite in the face of adversity. EFLU students took out a protest rally when the varsity refused to take action against those responsible for a student’s death and compensate his family.

Money once gone, cannot be brought back. The GHMC claimed to have spent huge amounts for beautifying the City. But according to an enquire by its vigilance wing, several contractors are yet to be paid!

Now your mother’s name mandatory for Eamcet. In a bid to cut out malpractice, the board has decided to include students’ mothers’ names in forms.

Who cares about Tadbund? It gives no votes. The area is ignored by the SCB and local leaders too.

Md NIZAMUDDIN nizamuddin.a@postnoon.com

urious is the way the GHMC functions. Officials deny an inquiry was ordered on the messing up of CoP works but the vigilance wing admits it. It is said that under pressure from certain quarters, the enquiry was launched to find out that complaints were made of shoddy works and non-payments. But later, apprehensive of a can of worms being opened in case of a fullfledged inquiry, the issue was put on the backburner, sources say. Even the leader of the Opposition, Singireddy Srinivas Reddy admits that an enquiry was launched. “Yes an inquiry by the vigilance wing was launched,” says the TDP floor leader, brushing it aside. According to him, the probe result must

have come in long ago. This contradicts the claims of the vigilance officials, who clarified that the results are yet to arrive and no such file has reached them. “We shall let out the contents of the inquiry report once it reaches us,” said a senior official from GHMC vigilance to Postnoon. But contractors keep blaming the enquiry for delay in payment for the works done for CoP-11. “They made us work for CoP and now with excuses of ‘some enquiries’, the officials have not cleared our bills”, says Munawer Contractor president, Hussain, Association GHMC. The Association has nearly 500 members. More mystifying is the fact that a close aide to the GHMC commissioner says he does not know anything about the inquiry. “I was not aware of any enquiry as such till now,” he said.

CoP works all proper, insists GHMC

HMC commissioner defends that the massive money spent on beautifying the City for world biodiversity meet was done in a proper manner. With regard to the Postnoon report dated March 4, the GHMC issued a clarification seeking to establish that the hurried makeup of CoP was in right earnest. It says: In October 2011, chief minister had instructed GHMC to go ahead with improvement of the civic infrastructure and beautification of the City and promised to support financially. Accordingly GHMC initially planned lot of works at especially the area near the venue and historic and significant tourist places. The total proposals at an estimated cost of `577.35 crore (`400.04 crore by GHMC, `133.71 crore by R&B department. and `43.60 crore by National Highways) were sent to the government with a request to release at least `300.00 crore to GHMC for execution works. Initially, the GHMC took up works of junction improvements, BT patch works, storm water drains and removal of water stagnation points under budgetary provisions by the GHMC across the entire City to improve overall facilities. Subsequently, 22 corridors of 125 kms length were identified which consist of GHMC, R&B and NH Roads passing throughout the GHMC limits and connecting important hotels & historical places. In anticipation of Government funds, the GHMC took up the improvements of these corridors. In March last, the government accorded administrative sanction for `400.04 crore and directed GHMC to take up the works with its own funds. The government in July last released an amount of `125.00 crore to GHMC. Tender not flouted All the works were allotted duly following tender process only. Only a few works which executed immediately under a lottery basis among willing contractors (52 small works costing `2.35 crore). True, due to inadequate number of BT works contractors and for a variety of other reasons, all BT roads could not be completed before CoP event. Therefore important roads were prioritised and completed or are stopped at safe level before the event, works on other corridors continued even after the event and completed. This was appraised to the CM. For all the works taken up in GHMC whose value is more than `5 lakh quality checking is done by internal Quality Control wing as well as third party agencies. No adverse remarks necessitating rejection of work are reported.

NEWS BRIEFS Cancel Polavaram, demands BJP

36 grievances for GHMC's Prajavani

Osmania doctors slam Kondru Murali

Set up spl mechanism for farmers: CPI (M)

he BJP has demanded cancellation of the Polavaram project sanctioned by the YSR government. Polavaram project is a multi-purpose irrigation project across the Godavari River in India. The BJP’s AP leadership has argued that the project was given to an unqualiﬁed agency, rejecting global experts. It smacks of corruption.

total of 36 grievances were received by the GHMC on Monday for Prajavani programme. While 19 were for related to Town Planning, six were for Engineering Wing, four for property tax, three grievances were for the Health Wing and one each for the Estates, General Administration, UCD and Electrical Wings.

he doctors at Osmania General Hospital condemned the remarks made by Kondru Murali and his penchant for blaming doctors for the state of the hospital. Doctors protested against the State government’s inaction with regard to poor amenities and infrastructure existing in a state-run tertiary hospital like Osmania since several years.

PI (M) member M Malla Reddy urged the government to set up a special mechanism to solve the issues of small and marginal farmers who have been tilling enaam, assigned, tail-end, endowment lands, forest and government lands. He said that farmers, who were given lands under land distribution scheme, have not got certiﬁcates. so far.

city TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013

HYDERABAD BLASTS

NIA given probe to save locals? While handing the investigation over to a central agency seems appropriate, the move might be because some local leaders are afraid of being exposed by the State investigators. PK SURENDRAN surendran.pk@postnoon.com

n the face of it, the handing over of the Hyderabad blasts case of 23/2 seems proper, but on closer look, it is the victory of some local politicians who were afraid of getting exposed if the investigation was carried out by the State police, sources reveal. “Fear of some City leaders that they would be victimised by the State police drove them to appeal to the Union home minister to hand over the case to NIA, which works directly under the Central government,” reveals a senior police officer on condition of anonymity. Brilliant investigators among the State police cadres are cut up with the State government for agreeing to hand over a case that

N SHIVA KUMAR

How political expedience takes precedence over crime investigation and national security is proved with the remission given to the blast suspect, Sayeed Maqbool. needs to go deep into local sources. “Without local support, no blasts of the brazen kind that happened in Dilsukhnagar could happen,” the officer points out. Local politicians know this well and they are afraid of getting exposed if State police teams investigate. How political expedience takes precedence over crime investigation and national security is proved with the remission given to the blast suspect, Sayeed

PUJARA’S CHEERLEADER

Maqbool. The chief minister cancelled the remission yesterday after the investigators established Maqbool’s links. It is known that remission was given to him on pressure from a Citybased political party leader. Maqbool is admitted to have conducted recce in Hyderabad and a lot many more were being worked out. He had also told interrogators that the IM had plans to conduct a dozen blasts in Hyderabad. People are now asking what right the government has to permit remission to terror suspects. Is it not interfering with justice? Officials who have thorough knowledge of terror links in the City know for sure that the key to solving the terror network lies in exposing the local help. “Without this, they will be chasing rainbows and putting up a flop show.”

POLITICS

TDP turns to cinema to take Jagan down Popular actor Nandamuri Balakrishna is being groomed to destroy the YSRC’s hold on Andhra and Rayalaseema regions. INKESHAF AHMED ahmed.m@postnoon.com

When Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara made his double century at Uppal Stadium on Monday, his wife Puja, who was in the stands, M ANIL KUMAR could not contain her excitement.

he main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president, N Chandrababu Naidu, has been preparing a weapon to take on rival YSR Congress president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. He is grooming none other than his brother-in-law, popular Telugu film actor Nandamuri Balakrishna, to destroy the YSR Congress’s clout in Rayalaseema and Andhra regions. The fact that Balakrishna enjoys a huge fan following in both the regions is encouraging the party chief to groom the scion of party founder NT Rama Rao for politics. Balakrishna, who is raring to go into politics, endeared himself as the favourite matinee idol of Andhra and Rayalseema people by portraying faction-ridden characters. His movies portraying him as a faction leader of Rayalaseema were big hits in the State. Some of these movies include

Samarasimha Reddy, Narasimha Naidu and Simha. Senior leaders in the party are saying that Balakrishna alone can destroy the YS Jagan factor during the next General Elections and ensure the victory of the party. According to these leaders, Balakrishna is going to play a crucial role in the coming days in the party. “It is a known fact that due to the strong effect of rival YSRC, the main opposi-

tion TDP could not win even a single seat during the bypolls held after the formation of YSR Congress. Balakrishna has the capability of reducing this effect,” a senior TDP leader told Postnoon. He added that the actor, who had already announced his intention to contest during the next General Elections, would soon launch an extensive tour of Andhra and Rayalaseema regions in coming days.

city TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013

EDUCATION

Eamcet to outsmart cheats

In a welcome step, Eamcet has decided to enter mother’s name in the application to avoid impersonation. It will also allow students of single mothers to leave the father’s column blank. SRINIVAS SETTY

ALEENA ALICE aleena.t@postnoon.com

early 1.5 lakh students who applied for Eamcet this year may see fewer hitches in the results. Authorities have devised a couple of steps to stem malpractice. This year, with the intention of reducing the number of malpractices and to avoid impersonation, filling of the mother’s name in the application form has become mandatory. Speaking on how this system will avoid impersonation, Eamcet 2013 convenor Prof NV Ramana Rao (in pic) says, “Every year, we get thousands of students with a common name, and it so happens that the fathers’ names of these students are also the same. Taking advantage of this, a few students try to get away with impersonation. Hence, to avoid such malpractice, it has been decided to

make the mother’s name mandatory in the application form. Apart from this, it has also been decided that the left hand thumb impression of the students will be taken when they appear for the exam,” he said. Children of single mothers can leave the father’s column blank. “It so happens that sometimes, a few students have single parents. In such cases, they can mention either of the parent’s name, along with any guardian. There is no compulsion that they have to mention the father’s

name in the application form,” added Prof Rao. In order to make sure that students don’t waste time dealing with pencils, provision has been made where students can use blue or black ballpoint pens. “Every

DANGEROUS HYDERABAD

SRINIVAS SETTY

CHAOS CENTRAL

he area outside any school is a study in chaos when the day starts and when school is out. Students running around, school buses honking, parents picking up the kids... the situation can be any traffic policeman’s nightmare. However, there are no traffic cops controlling the gridlock outside Little Flower School in Abids Gunfoundry. The school employees and guards have now taken it upon themselves to ensure that everyone

remains safe. For all their commendable efforts, they do not have the authority that a policeman would, and chaos continues to reign on the streets for half an hour once in the morning and once in the evening. It isn’t difficult to post a traffic policeman to monitor the situation during those short periods twice a day. It shouldn’t be that the authorities wait till some untoward incident happens before stepping in.

minute counts for the candidates appearing for the test. We have been noticing instances where candidates waste half of their time trying to fix their pencils if the lead breaks or anything of that sort. So, to make it easier, the stu-

dents will have to carry a good blue or black ballpoint pen along with them to the examination hall,” said Prof Rao. With the new changes, the candidates who are appearing for the exam seem relieved and have a positive outlook towards the exam. “We are being made to mark the answers with pens in the OMR sheet at the mock tests being conducted by our college every week. Marking with pens does not seem difficult and also, it will save us a lot of time,” says Geetha Kalyani, who will be appearing for the Eamcet this year. So far, 1,47,224 students have submitted the applications for Eamcet-2013. Of these, 77,883 are boys and 69,341 are girls. Though every year the number of candidates appearing for Eamcet has been going up, this year, the authorities feel the number might come down compared to last year.

city

TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013

POSTNOON CAMPAIGN PICS: SRINIVAS SETTY, N SHIVA KUMAR

NOT A DROP OF HOPE There are no legitimate water connections in Tadbund basti. The single handpump that used to provide water has dried up. With summer approaching, only dry days await.

RAHUL RAMAKRISHNA rahul.r@postnoon.com

adbund’s slum burns. With summer fast approaching, there are no water resources, only new problems for the residents. Given the warnings of the HMWS&SB and the Secunderabad Cantonment Board that water supply will be inadequate, if not scarce, those waiting last in the line, often the residents of this slum, will bear the brunt. Tadbund’s population census reveals that there were about 3,000 families living in the small one-odd acre space. In its four decade history, there have not been any legitimate water connections, except for the borewells that have been recently dug in return for votes. So what the slum relies on is three tankers of water which come in every two days. Drinking water connections are another sordid tale altogether. “Half of our week is spent filling water for daily domestic needs itself. The other is spent running behind the tanker services and persuading them to get

us water,” says M Sai Kumar, resident of the slum. A year back, ward member Banuka Narmada, backed by her husband Mallikarjun who usually runs the show as a ‘leader’, promised the residents permissions for boring water connections. “Overjoyed, over 40 connections were laid. Little did the people know that it was all a promise and nothing ever materialised with the water works department of the Cantonment Board. Within a few days, all the connections were seized and cases were lodged against the

TADBUND UNVEILED residents,” Sai Kumar says. There ended the story of groundwater connections. A handpump, that was put to use for several years right after the demarcation of the SCB, ran out of water. “Workers from the water works department complied with our request to re-dig and lay a new pipe. What they did was seal the pump accidentally and it has been lying useless ever since,” a local said. Sanitation is another issue, as

can be expected. The entrance to the slum is a bridge over an open sewerage network. Monsoons wreak havoc by flooding the sewage lines here. Public toilets were also built for the squatter section of the slum comprising 40-odd families. “They built four units for men and four for women. These too are dysfunctional,” Sai Kumar says. Postnoon’s efforts at tracing the ward member or the CEO of the Cantonment Board, who are the authorities of the area, yielded no results. Visitors probing the board or its members are

unwelcome, which was evident from the way the CEO spoke to this reporter over the phone. “I have no answers to your questions. Please do not disturb me, I will call you when I have something to say,” the CEO says. Meanwhile, residents wait for their share of water. The Cantonment Board’s decision to hike the price of water tankers still hangs delicately and summer is fast approaching. For Tadbund’s slum, there is no respite — neither from their water woes, nor from the empty promises of the Cantonment Board.

AGE OF TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013

A PAGE DEDICATED TO THE TRIUMPHS AND TRIBULATIONS OF GEN Z

Socially inclined, are we? Friends are the family of choice for Generation Z, which also shares an easy and rather open relationship with social networking. KANCHAN AGARWAL

kanchan.a@postnoon.com

ollege. Facebook. Friends. A little bit of family. This, in a nutshell, is the social life of this generation. Excepting a few, most adolescents and young adults of today spend most of their time and life with their friends. Their friends are their confidantes and a constant source of support, too. This does not imply they have conflicts with their parents. “They like their parents but prefer the company of friends at most times,” says psychologist S Jayanti. As common as this has been to this age group in the last few generations, the reasons are now different. “Parents are more democratic in their parenting approach. They allow children their own space instead of imposing family time upon them. Also, life is very stressful for kids these days. Parents have high expectations in academics, and the huge sums that they pay for their education only adds to the pressure. Besides, youngsters themselves have big ambitions. When talking to parents, topics mostly tend to drive towards academics and career which the youth wants to avoid, naturally,” she explains. Hence, talking to friends is much more desirable. Since they are going through similar hurdles, there is more common ground here. “I share my personal life with my friends. They know me so well that sometimes I don’t have to say anything to be understood. They never hesitate to advise on my doings. I do the same. We watch out for each other,” says Kartik Parihar, who quite passionately also adds, “My friends are my life.” But that does not mean that family has no value. “If I am with my friends and my parents call, I rush immediately,” says Kartik, whose closest friends are from his school, a group he has practically grown up with. Besides discussing problems, general gossip, plans, fashion trends, family life, love interests and latest updates on Facebook are favourite subjects. Who updated what picture from whose party, who wore what, who looked how pretty, who is

dating whom, who broke up, how many likes did that picture get, who is where doing what — the generation today is up to date about the whereabouts of everything and everyone at all times. This is due to the fact that smartphones are becoming more affordable by the day and parents have no hiccups in providing them too. This has led to a new, some would say annoying, some unavoidable, practice of being immersed into their smartphones even when they are at a social gathering. As attractive as they may find the virtual world of Facebook and Twitter, this addiction has its pros and cons. At this age, they consider their first relationship to be one of those happily-ever-afters. They update their relationship status and post pictures serendipitously, building a long record of it online. “They share everything personal so openly that when they break up, the number of people getting to know of the news is large. When questions are asked or comments passed, it can be a traumatic experience,” explains Jayanti. What kind of grown-ups will this generation turn out to be, one wonders. “They don’t know how to perform a simple bankrelated chore. When they grow up, it is going to be a problem adjusting in the real world. But they will be smarter. They know what they want to do. Their personal growth is better. They will interact socially only when there is need to,” Jayanti predicts. This being a lifestyle to watch out for, there is no denying that children of conscious parents are not as virtual-indulgent. “I am more close to my family, although I would say my friends are a family I choose. We don’t hang out so often on holidays. And I don’t think we will have the time to stay in touch once we graduate,” says Milcah Dubba, who is not a Facebookian. “I log in once in three days maybe. Most of my friends are not active there, either. I tweet a lot, but never anything personal,” she adds. Looks like for those of us who already feel out of place in this tech-savvy world, there is still hope for a bit of old-world charm in our social lives after all.

TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013

focus

NEW CULTURAL REVOLUTION

China’s growing clout over the past decade has seen actors from Hong Kong and Macau drafted into patriotic movies that glorify the country’s past, from the mighty Han Dynasty to the early Communist Party era, Ho added.

POLITICAL FREEDOM

Chan’s China appointment draws Hong Kong ire Chan, who is known for his martial arts skills and daring comedic stunt work, provoked a furious fight-back last December after reportedly suggesting in a Chinese magazine interview that protests in his native city should be restricted.

ong Kong action star Jackie Chan this week joins China’s top political advisory body in a move analysts say highlights Beijing’s growing “soft power” efforts to project unity between itself and the former British colony. But the 58-year-old actor, famous in the West for Rush Hour and Police Story, faces a backlash in his hometown where the mainland is viewed with increasing suspicion. According to professor Sonny Ho, co-director at the Centre for Greater China Studies, Chan was selected to appear at the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) because his stardom could help promote ties. “Jackie Chan is acting under the soft power and united front of the PRC (mainland) government,” he said. The “united front” strategy, he said, was a campaign to promote a strong and peaceful homeland, unified with Taiwan. China’s growing clout over the past decade has seen actors from Hong Kong and Macau drafted into patriotic movies that glorify the country’s past, from the mighty Han Dynasty to the early Communist Party

era, Ho added. The appointment of the martial arts star however was met with derision online in Hong Kong where Chan’s reputation has taken a nosedive in recent years over his proBeijing stances such as calling for limits on the right to protest. Dissatisfaction towards Beijing has risen in recent years over a range of issues from alleged political interference to an influx of mainlanders blamed for driving up property prices and for shortages of baby formula. The announcement of Chan’s appointment was greeted with online derision. “Yet another movie star turns into a CPPCC member. Since when did this negative social trend become so popular?” one user posted on the Sina Weibo microblog site. “Sure, add another big dope to a veritable congregation of big dopes,” ‘ianson’ commented on the website of the South China Morning Post newspaper.

The CPPCC is a 2,000strong advisory body which includes China’s other token political parties and a few celebrities, including former NBA basketball star Yao Ming. The conference, which convenes on Sunday, functions as a high-profile organisation but it is more toothless than China’s essentially rubber-stamp legislature, the National People’s Congress (NPC), which opens its annual session on Tuesday. However the NPC, with nearly 3,000 delegates, has a higher profile this year as it will confirm the completion of

China’s once-adecade power transfer. At the meeting, new Communist Party boss Xi

Jinping will be installed as Chinese president, taking over from Hu Jintao. Chan, who is known for his martial arts skills and daring comedic stunt work, provoked a furious fight-back last December after reportedly suggesting in a Chinese magazine interview that protests in his native city should be restricted. And in 2009, he landed in hot water for telling a forum that “we Chinese need to be controlled”. Pro-democracy Hong Kong lawmaker Emily Lau said his appointment was more evidence that Beijing was not prepared to take the city’s concerns seriously. “Maybe he represents a certain segment of the population but he has also upset quite a number of people. So if Beijing decides to appoint him, it shows you what kind of views they

Nosedive The appointment of the martial arts star however was met with derision online in Hong Kong where Chan’s reputation has taken a nosedive in recent years over his proBeijing stances such as calling for limits on the right to protest.

want to listen to, which is quite unfortunate.” But while increasing numbers of entertainers have allowed themselves to be co-opted by Beijing, Lau was not hopeful many would be willing to voice dissent. “The last time Hong Kong artists came together was on June 4, 1989 (after the Tiananmen Square crackdown on pro-democracy protests),” she said. “Now, many of them are very frightened of upsetting Beijing. The mainland is also now the biggest market so they cannot afford to let go of those commercial opportunities.”

TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013

Business

RUSSIAN MINING BARON RICHEST IN COUNTRY For the second year running, Russian mining magnate Alisher Usmanov retained his position as the wealthiest man in the country on the Forbes magazine's 2013 list of the world's richest. His net worth is estimated at $17.6 billion. He is ranked 34th on the magazine's list of the world's richest.

GREEN CONSTRUCTIONS

BAYER VOWS TO FIGHT

Turning plastic to plus Two City-based entrepreneurs have come up with a solution to reuse plastic bottles as an alternative to bricks in rural house construction. PRUDHVI RAJU K prudhvi.k@postnoon.com

German pharmaceuticals giant Bayer vowed to ﬁght a ruling by the patent authorities in India allowing a local company to produce and sell a generic copy of its anti-cancer drug Nexavar. Intellectual Property Appellate Board has rejected an appeal by Bayer against the decision by a local patent authority to grant a license to generics manufacturer Natco Pharma. The patent authority allowed Natco to make copies of Nexavar on the grounds that Bayer's drug is too expensive for most people in India. The license allows Natco to sell generic versions of the drug at a fraction of Bayer's price. But Bayer said in a statement that "We will pursue the case in front of High Court in Mumbai with a writ petition."

he average time for a plastic bottle to completely degrade is at least 450 years. It can even take some bottles 1,000 years to biodegrade! Ninety per cent of bottles are not even recycled and are simply thrown around, which is not only causing environmental hazards but also indirectly responsible for various problems like clogging of drains. Bottles made with Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET or PETE) will never biodegrade. To find a solution to this growing problem, City-based entrepreneurs; Aruna Kappagantula and her husband Prashant Lingam, founders of Bamboo House India (BHI), have come up with a solution to reuse these plastic bottles as an alternative to bricks in rural house construction. The duo, known for their eco-friendly and social innovations such as bamboo structures, wants to prove that bottle can be alternative for brick. “A 225sqft house of 15ft x 15ft size was constructed with around 4,000 bottles in 15 days at a cost of `65,000. We procured these bottles from scrap dealers in for a rupee initially, and even spend `3-4 per bottle towards the end due to scarcity of bottles, says Prashant. Explaining the costs involved, he said, “The same house can be constructed at a cost of `35,000-`50,000 based on the availability of resources in villages and can sustain for at least 30 years like any other house. We took this as an experiment and constructed the house to show this will be a feasible and viable alternative. With abundance of mud, cow dung, low cost labour and local

NUMEROLOGY sourcing of bottles, this method can definitely evolve as affordable housing.” The basic skeleton was built with bamboo, and entire walling was done with vertical and horizontal placement of bottles with mud for thermal insulation and strength and plastering was done with mud and cow dung with final coat of cement plaster. “A plastic bottle costs a rupee, whereas each cement brick costs around `10 and each red brick costs around `5 apart from high consumption of

Advantages n Low cost n Non-Brittle - Unlike bricks n Absorbs abrupt shock loads n Bio climatic n Re-usable n Less construction material n Easy to build n Green Construction

cement. The amount of heat bricks generate is higher. With the heavy usage of mud and cow dung, the house has a natural cooling effect and fan is not required in non-summer days,” he explains. “In terms of strength, performance is equal to bricks and may be better. We have requested IIT Delhi for further testing of this process and we will be shortly sending bottle wall panels for testing to the campus to further refine the process,” says Prashant. “Usage of plastic bottles in construction is practiced globally. Schools and houses are constructed with these bottles in Africa. In India, nothing much happened on this front. Earlier, there were two similar experiments as part of education and NGO initiatives in the country. However, nobody took this an alternative for mainstream rural housing. “Initially people might have apprehension about building bamboo and bottle houses, but we are sure that with time this

concept will surely catch up. BHI wants to substitute bricks with bottles for our current eco-friendly green house orders like guest houses, pent houses and restaurants. It also has plans to help villagers of Rampachodavaram (agency area) with the know how and construction of bottle-bamboo houses. When asked about practicing it in to mainstream apartment constructions, he said, “It is not bricks but beams and columns take the weight of the house. Plastic bottle walls can be confidently integrated especially where the wall acts as a partition, such as bathroom walls. “There is a desperate need for government bodies to test and validate these methods by which this can taken in to a larger scale for not only affordable but also for sustainable ecofriendly housing,” says Prashant. BHI has also plans to promote the concept among schools and colleges to make the next generation think beyond bricks and cement.

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smartphone are expected to be sold 2013, led by big emerging markets China, Brazil and India.

CHINA GROWTH TARGET 7.5% China has set its 2013 economic growth target at 7.5 percent, unchanged from last year's, according to a speech to be given by Premier Wen Jiabao at the opening of the national legislature Tuesday. China's economy grew 7.8 percent in 2012, its worst performance for 13 years, in the face of weakness at home and in key overseas markets. The economy expanded 9.3 percent in 2011 and 10.4 percent in 2010. "We deem it necessary and appropriate to set this year's target for economic growth at about 7.5 percent, a goal that we will still have to work hard to attain," an advance copy of the speech said. China also set its inflation target for this year at 3.5 percent. The target is lower than last year's, which was set at 4.0 percent. China's actual inflation rate for 2012 came in well below that, at 2.6 percent. "China is still under considerable inflationary pressure this year," the speech said.

BSE 6,057.70 5,728.70 NSE

20,025.67 18,979.08 44.10 101.79 9.20 30.20

TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013

nation

Lok Sabha adjourned till noon

The Lok Sabha was Tuesday adjourned till noon after members from various parties disrupted its proceedings. Failing to restore order, Speaker Meira Kumar adjourned the house till noon.

US honour for Delhi rape victim

ON THE ALERT

BSF personnel patrol the border with Bangladesh on Monday. India's three defence services have reported shortage of officers and other ranks with the army facing crunch of 10,100 officers as on July 1, 2012, defence minister AK Antony told Lok Sabha on Monday. The navy faced shortage of 2,054 officers while the Air Force faced a shortage of 667 officers. AFP/DIPTENDU DUTTA

WASHINGTON: The victim of a gang rape in a Delhi bus, who became the focus of women around India and their fight against gender-based violence, is among ten extraordinary women being honoured on Friday with the Secretary of State's International Women of Courage Award. First Lady Michelle Obama will join Secretary of State John Kerry as he presents the annual award recognising women around the globe who have shown exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for women's rights and empowerment, often at great personal risk. Since the inception of this award in 2007, the State Department has honoured 67 women from 45 different countries. "Known to India and the world as "Nirbhaya" (Fearless), the courageous 23-year-old physiotherapy intern whose brutal gang rape on a moving bus in Delhi in December

She is among 10 extraordinary women being honoured with the International Women of Courage Award. inspired widespread protests, has become the foundation of a popular movement to end violence against women in India," the citation noted. "For millions of Indian women, her personal ordeal, perseverance to fight for justice, and her family's continued bravery is helping to lift the stigma and vulnerability that drive violence against women," it said. Nirbhaya bravely recorded two police statements while in the hospital, repeatedly called for justice against the six attackers, and stated her will to survive to see justice done, the citation recalled. PTI

PAK PM TO VISIT INDIA

Pakistan PM Raja Pervez Ashraf will visit India for the first time this week for a day-long pilgrimage to the shrine of Sufi saint Hazrat Khwaja Gharib Nawaz in Ajmer Sharif, a senior government official said in New Delhi on Tuesday. "He is not expected to meet any Indian political leaders. This is clearly a religious and spiritual trip," he said. It will be the most senior visit from a Pakistani official to India since last April when President Asif Ali Zardari embarked on a similar pilgrimage and then had a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

NAXAL CAMP DEMOLISHED Security personnel demolished a temporary camp and recovered a power clamour bomb during an operation launched in the naxalaffected Sarada forest area of West Singhbhum district, police said today. The explosive weighing 40 kg was planted by the Maoists on the approach road to target the security personnel, who entered the area from the opposite direction and detected it during the long-range patrolling.

Surrogacy law change worries gay couples SYDNEY: Babies born to Indian surrogate mothers for gay and single Australians may be left stateless and unable to leave the country after New Delhi changed the rules, an expert has said. The Indian rule changes circulated to foreign missions late last year, which only came to light in January, bar foreign gay couples and singles from using surrogate mothers to become parents.

The new rules state those opting for surrogacy need medical visas to enter India to collect their children, but the government says they will only be issued to heterosexual couples married for a minimum two years. Surrogacy law expert Jenni Millbank said the sudden change of guidelines could leave parents currently waiting for their babies to be born in

breach of Indian law and may cause problems for Australian immigration officials. "If they (Australian officials) refused to grant citizenship by descent then we would be facing the prospect of children born in India to Australian parents being stateless... with no Indian citizenship, with no Australian citizenship and without the ability to travel across any international bor-

Pick

der," she told ABC television late Monday. Expectant father Paul Taylor-Burn travelled to India in July with his male partner to organise a surrogate and said that at that time there was no restrictions on doing so. Changes to the law have left him uncertain of the future ahead of the birth of his twins. The new rules stipulate that would-be parents must provide

at the

proof that their home country will grant citizenship to any baby born to a surrogate mother. The move follows several publicised cases in recent years of babies born through crossborder surrogacy who have been trapped in citizenship limbo because their parents' countries refused them passports.

airport,

AFP

TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013

World

CHAVEZ’S CONDITION WORSENS

Hugo Chávez has developed a severe new respiratory infection that has left the president's health in a very delicate condition, the Venezuelan government has announced. Reading the latest official assessment, the information minister, Ernesto Villegas, said: "Today there is a worsening of his respiratory function. Related to his depressed immune system there is now a new, severe infection.

BELMOKHTAR’S ALIVE?

POLL WALK Maasai tribes-people leave after voting in Ilngarooj, Kajiado South County, Maasailand, on March 4, 2013 during Kenya's elections. Long lines of Kenyans queued from way before dawn to vote Monday in the first election since the violencewracked polls five years ago, with a deadly police ambush hours before polling started marring the key ballot. The tense elections are seen as a crucial test for Kenya, with leaders vowing to avoid a repeat of the bloody 20078 post-poll violence in which over 1,100 people were killed and observers repeatedly warning of the risk of renewed conflict.

An Al-Qaeda source has confirmed the death of one of the leaders of the organisation's north African wing, in the most significant success yet for the French-led operation against Islamist fighters in Mali. Abdelhamid Abou Zeid, a senior figure in Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), was killed last week in a French bombing raid in the Ifoghas mountains, an AQIM militant said. The source insisted, however, that another Islamist leader, Mokhtar Belmokhtar, was alive and still fighting.

AFP PHOTO/CARL DE SOUZA

NUMEROLOGY

SANCTIONS

UN meets on N Korea today Details of the proposed new sanctions resolution were not immediately available.

UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council will meet Tuesday to discuss new sanctions against North Korea agreed by the United States and China, diplomats said. The closed door meeting was called by the Security Council presidency for 11am (1600 GMT). US and Chinese diplomats were to tell the other 13 council members of progress in their talks on action over the isolated North's February 12 atomic blast. "There won't be a vote on Tuesday, but it could come soon. This is a sign that a draft resolution is about to be handed out," a UN diplomat told AFP on condition of anonymity. Details of the proposed new sanctions resolution were not immediately available. Russia's UN ambassador

Kim tunes to Beethoven

Vitaly Churkin, the council president for March, said earlier Monday that the United States has not yet circulated a draft text on North Korea, but it was expected soon. US ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, has been in talks with her Chinese counterpart, Li Baodong, on sanctions since North Korea staged its third nuclear test to near universal condemnation.

Within hours of the blast, all 15 council members backed a statement which said the North was in "grave violation" of existing UN resolutions and that they would go ahead with an earlier threat to take "significant action" against the North. China, ever fearful of threats to stability on its frontier, has been reluctant to agree to tough new action, diplomats said.

SEOUL: A veteran Japanese maestro will conduct Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in North Korea, his spokesman said Tuesday, in a rare cultural exchange amid lingering mutual suspicion between the two nations. Michiyoshi Inoue and members of his orchestra have already arrived in Pyongyang at the invitation of the North's State Symphony Orchestra ahead of their concert on Friday, the spokesman said. It will be his second concert in the isolated country after a performance in October 2011. "This is a pure cultural exchange and nothing to do with diplomacy," official sources said.

AFP

NEWS BRIEFS S Korean 'comfort women' sue Japan band

SEOUL: A group of South Korean women forced into wartime sexual slavery by Japan ﬁled a defamation suit against a little known, far-right Japanese rock band for calling them prostitutes. A CD containing a song with the allegedly defamatory lyrics by the band "Scramble" was mailed to a shelter caring for so-called "comfort women" in Gwangju.

Japan arrests China boat captain

TOKYO: Japan's coastguard arrested the captain of a Chinese boat on suspicion of illegal fishing in its exclusive economic zone on Tuesday, officials said, amid a territorial row between the two countries. The coral fishing boat with a crew of 11 was spotted by a coastguard patrol plane in waters some 44 KM northeast of Miyako island.

Malaysia launches attack on intruders

LAHAT DATU: Malaysian security forces launched an assault on Tuesday to clear out armed Filipino intruders engaged in a three-week incursion that has left 27 people dead. Prime Minister Najib Razak said that negotiations with the Filipino militants, believed to number 100-300 and holed up in a farming village, had failed.

Amnesty wants bad Fiji cops probed over video

WELLINGTON: Amnesty International called on Fiji's military regime to launch an urgent investigation Tuesday into an online video that appears to show two men being tortured by ofﬁcials. The graphic footage posted on YouTube shows one man being beaten with batons and metal bars, and another being set upon by a dog.

times, a 76-year-old man in Japan was rejected by 25 hospitals in two hours citing lack of beds or doctors to treat him. The man, who was suffering breathing problems, died later.

BEST JOBS IN THE WORLD Australia's tourism industry Tuesday resurrected its hugely popular "Best Jobs in the World" campaign, offering a chance to become a "Chief Funster", "Taste Master" or "Outback Adventurer". The marketing push is targeting the youth segment, which contributes Aus$12 billion (US$12.2 billion) annually in tourism spending and delivers nearly 1.6 million, or 26 percent, of Australia's international arrivals. It follows a similar campaign in 2009, won by Briton Ben Southall, who was paid to become caretaker on a picture-perfect island on the Great Barrier Reef for six months.

I'm not even sure I can dignify that with a response. Patrick Ventrell This was the acting State Department spokesman’s reaction when asked at a press brieﬁng if Washington would appoint Rodman as a US envoy to Pyongyang.

TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013

Technology

G CeBIT 2013

oing lobal

More than 4,000 exhibitors from some 70 countries are expected to set up shop, about the same number as last year.

iWatch better? While Tim Cook has dropped hints that Apple is hard at work on a television to drive the next era of growth, the company’s wristwatch-style device, still in development, may prove more profitable. The global watch industry will generate more than $60 billion in sales in 2013, said Citigroup Inc. analyst Oliver Chen. While that’s smaller than the pool of revenue that comes from TVs, gross margins on watches are about 60 per cent, he said. That’s four times bigger than for TVs, according to Anand Srinivasan, a Bloomberg Industries analyst. So will Apple put aside TV and release their watch first?

Just a joke The interwebs was buzzing last night about Piratebay’s plans to set up base in North Korea after being driven out of Sweden. Eagle-eyed readers who get the concept of sarcasm were however quick to point to out that the torrent site was just pulling a fast one on everyone. For example the blog post on the ofﬁcial site was written by Kim JungBay and that does not sound like the name of PB spokesperson. Also it’s highly unlikely that North Korea can offer the kind of bandwidth for a site like PB. Crowd at CeBIT 2012

RICHARD CARTER feedback@postnoon.com BERLIN: The world’s biggest high-tech fair, the CeBIT, kicks off Tuesday, pinning its hopes on growing tech regions Asia and Africa and the hot topic of social media to beat competition from other high-profile fairs. More than 4,000 exhibitors from some 70 countries are expected to set up shop in the northern German city of Hanover, about the same number as last year despite the weak economic environment, organisers said. However, even with stable exhibitor numbers, the CeBIT is a far cry from its glory days at the height of the dot-com boom, when 8,000 firms would scrap for places in the hanger-like halls of the sprawling fair grounds. CeBIT is battling competition from the swanky Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and the just-finished Mobile World Congress in Barcelona

but Sass insisted that Hanover was still top of the tree. “No matter what other fair you look at, they’re all half as big as us,” said Sass, who said 350,000 visitors swarmed through the stands last year.

CeBIT is battling competition from the swanky Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and the just-finished Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. CeBIT is also the only fair catering to the whole IT sector rather than a specific part, he added, announcing that tech giants like IBM, Microsoft, SAP and Google would be present at this year’s event. The IT industry enters the CeBIT in relatively bullish mood, with German industry group BITKOM forecasting in

the run-up to the fair that global tech spending was poised to rise by 5.1 percent to 2.7 trillion euros ($3.5 trillion) this year. This year’s CeBIT theme is “shareconomy”, the increasing trend of users sharing data and things, with examples being “carsharing” and of course social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Several exhibits will be devoted to shifting the way office communications are run, moving from email — which some experts see as increasingly obsolete — to internal social media platforms. Innovative ways to process vast amounts of data as well as the perennial issues of cloud computing — storing data remotely — and Internet security will also be major topics at this year’s event. But as ever with the CeBIT, it is not all work and no play as there will be the usual display of head-spinning gadgets and pointless but fun applications to entertain the punters.

For those who despair of finding the right items in massive supermarkets, a firm has developed a trolley that communicates with the shelves, points the hapless shopper in the right direction and ticks things off the list. And for the strains of daily life, a communications firm has created an app that gives you a read-out on your stress levels just from testing your voice. Another firm has pioneered the must-have piece of furniture for those accused of being couch potatoes. The chair measures weight, heart rate, blood pressure and other important health data and, if it doesn’t like what it sees, transforms into a rowing machine so you can shift a few pounds while you watch your favourite programme. While the fair officially throws open its doors on Tuesday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel will give the opening speech the night before along with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. AFP

Galaxy eye-phone? Samsung’s next big smartphone, to be introduced this month, will have a strong focus on software. A person who has tried the phone, called the Galaxy S IV, described one feature as particularly new and exciting: Eye scrolling. The phone will track a user’s eyes to determine where to scroll, said a Samsung employee who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the news media. For example, when users read articles and their eyes reach the bottom of the page, the software will automatically scroll down to reveal the next paragraphs of text. It is not clear what technology is being used to track your eyes yet.

TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013

Comment It is written on the arched sky; it looks out from every star. It is the poetry of Nature; it is that which uplifts the spirit within us.

NATION

MICHAEL MATHES Agence France-Presse

hile AIPAC donors know their proIsrael group was powerless to stop Chuck Hagel's Pentagon nomination, many sounded off on the new US defense secretary for his past comments deriding a "Jewish lobby" in Washington. "I just don't think he was the right person for this job," said Vivian Ivry, one of several donors and delegates to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference and who spoke to AFP with resigned frustration about President Barack Obama's controversial pick to head the Department of Defense. "Somebody who speaks about a 'Jewish lobby,' someone who was against sanctions on Iran — you need to have someone in charge of the Pentagon who is going to be a little more evenhanded about his comments." Obama's pick undoubtedly felt like a slap in the face for many staunch Israel supporters in the United States. Seven in 10 Jewish voters backed Obama's re-election bid last November, and some saw little thanks from the president in nominating a man whose remarks about Iran, Israel, nuclear weapons and the US troop surge during the Iraq war ignited a firestorm during his confirmation hearing. The blunt-talking Hagel, 66, is known for his fiercely independent streak and has drawn fire for his opposition to some sanctions on Iran, which Israel and much of the West suspects is trying to develop a nuclear weapons capability.

Bombs aplenty, population and chemical HARD TALK

John Ruskin English art critic

Obama’s new defence secy upsets many

HIGH-FLYING THOUGHTS A man has died without receiving treatment in Japan. What’s shocking is that in two hours time he was refused treatment by 25 hospitals 36 times before he died from breathing problems for which he sought treatment. What’s the purpose of the Hippocratic oath?

Pk Surendran

incere commentators, as opposed to pedagogic wordsmiths, have a painful task : writing about today’s India. Countless times they crib about the country’s lack of commitments and shameful corruption among bureaucracy and political class. But while economic issues like sliding growth parameters such as GDP or budgetary deficit are the domains of economic pundits, what amazes me is the insensitivity of the country’s rulers towards the bloating population that includes illegal footloose adventurers from across the border. Talking of population woe in the planet’s most crowded country is anathema in the today’s socio-political scenario. It is the biggest tragedy, as I perceive. While I do not entirely subscribe to Malthusian arguments of doom when human population gallops, I do believe that almost all problems have a population dimension. Overcrowding leads to a lot many problems that our ruling class hides from us because they believe in quick electoral benefits and consequent capturing of power. They believe financial

security (read amassing ill-gotten wealth) will obviate all problems for them and their children. It is a millennium bloomer. With 400 million of its 1.2billion people living in abject squalor, poverty is certainly the nation’s most pressing problem, the primary cause of which is the unbridled growth of mouths to feed. The latest UNICEF data shows that one in three malnourished children worldwide are found In India, whilst 42 percent of the nation's children under five years of age are underweight. It also shows that a total of 58 per cent of children fewer than five surveyed were stunted. “India is doing worse than sub-Saharan Africa,” remarks Rohini Mukherjee of the Naadi foundation. We spend a gigantic sum of its budget on poverty alleviation schemes which they do not club under one head because it suits the corrupt among bureaucrats to camouflage their squandering money on phantom works. It is not corruption alone that defeats the poverty reduction efforts of India. The major problem is the unbeatable growth in population which includes millions pouring in to the country’s four pores corners. Take a look at the facts.

POPULATION BOMB

nIndia's Population in 2011:

Every year, India adds more people than any other nation in the world, and in fact the individual population of some of its states is equal to that of many a country. 1.21 billion nIndia's Population in 2001: 1.02 billion nPopulation of India in 1947: 350 million

UNLAWFUL IMMIGRANTS

nAs if this was country was not already overcrowded, thousands flow in. In 2010, there were 5.4 million foreign-born people living in India, according to new estimates released by the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. But if we take into consideration the unspecified number of people sneaking from across the border with unsavoury inten-

tions, it would easily be double the number. Even today, India has done precious little to prevent the inflow of Burmese and Bangladeshis. All these people get absorbed easily, given the devil-may-care attitude of bureaucracy and selfish politicians who consider every head a vote. Everyone knows how easy it is to twist and tweak the law of India where getting a ration card or even a passport is a child’s job.

SOCIAL-ENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURE More mouths need feeding and food comes from natural resources. The pressure on natural resources leads to shrinkage in the country’s natural bounty. India is witnessing fast denudation of its forests and other natural wealth, thanks to the ever increasing population pressure and the rule of the muscle. If we honestly take a survey of quality of health in India, we’d be shocked to death.

TAILEND

nWhy do we need nuclear bomb? It is a sheer waste of money and time. When we have ample population bombs and crude bombs available free of cost spending billions on nuclear arsenal is a sheer waste. At least Indian, Pakistan, China and Bangladesh don’t need nuclear bombs.

EDITORIALS What’s it like to eat humble pie

nother stupendous victory in our kitty. India have beaten Australia convincingly once again to go 2-0 in Border-Gavaskar series. This is wonderful cure for the soreness left over from the debacle at the hands of the Englishmen who showed our vulnerabilities even though India were playing on its own shores. Now tides have changed and with it our luck. Nothing seems to be going wrong with the perfect team combination of youth and experience holding the fort and churning out performances ﬁt for legends. But what’s amusing is how commentators have started to heap praises on our men, who were ripped apart without mercy when they were down and out, skipper Dhoni being the main target. His tactics were the magnet for scorn and jibes for being defensive and his poor batting was under the scanner, too. After he led from the front with the bat and won the ﬁrst Test, he is the darling of one and all. In earlier post-mortems done by media houses, it was suggested that R Ashwin be rested. Wonder what’s it like for them to eat their words.

READERS’ VIEWS

Signs of the end

ebels in Syria, after seizing the northern city of Raqqa, tore down a giant poster of president Basher al-Assad. They also brought down a statue of his father Hafez al-Assad. In the footages of the incidents, euphoria with people venting their anger on totems of their ruler and his father is evident. If Assad can take cue from these incidents, he will abdicate and quit the country. The man who clobbered the statute of his father with an axe will be more than happy to do the same to his son.

TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013

workplace

GOOD NEWS FOR JOB SEEKERS

The number of people seeking US unemployment aid fell 22,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 344,000, evidence that the job market may be picking up. The Labor Department says the four-week average of applications dropped 6,750 to 355,000, the first drop in three weeks.

OFFICE VS HOME

COMPANY EVENT PADMINI C padmini.c@postnoon.com

mong the many perks offered to lure talented youngsters into their firms, the work-f rom-home option has always been an important compon ent of the package. The ide a being that increased flexibil ity in the workplace led to not just higher productivity but also higher job satisfac tion. Among the bigwigs, names like Google, Facebook, Twitte Deloitte and even Yahoo we r, re among the companies tha t prided themselves on their emplo yee friendly policies. But last week, an internal memo sent from Yah oo's HR head Jacqueline Res employees announced a rath es, to its er startling change of stand— the rollback of telecommuting. “So me of the best decisions and come from hallway and cafe insights teria discussions, meeting new people, and impromptu team meetin gs... Speed and quality are often sacrificed when we work from home," read the memo. And, not it's just the 20 mil lion to 30 million Americans who work from home at least once a week that are alarmed. It sets a danger ous precedent for the thousa closer home who have also nds come to enjoy the perks of the remote work policy, feel Indian em ployees. “As it is, work from home has always been an apprehensive offering at bes t. And even then, it was though to be an option availed mo t stly by women. But that's a silly myth. I have had tons of people tell me that they get so much mo re work done without the distraction of long pointless meetings, lunches, tea breaks, drop bys from coll eag ues, bosses etc. But with this move by such a big name, every company will now rev aluate it's remote work policy for sur e,” says Srinath K, an HR exe cutive from a Bangalore-based thin k thank. There is an argument also that work from home is ben eficial to companies not in terms of improving employees produc tivity but in that it saves them expens es on office space, improves and reduces attrition. Howe morale ver, many employers feel tha t it doesn't really hold water in the Indian context.

HOMEWORK

BLUES

Ya hoo's decision last week to do away w ith the work-from-home option ha s dragged the polic y back into debate.

“It makes sense for multin ational companies which have employees acr oss the world but not as many offices. But for us her e, it's not required. Besides, with family commit ments, children, household chores and constant dis tractions, the Indian home is not exactly conduc ive to working. Moreover, there is simply no alternative to face to face interactions,” says Diw akar Rama, a senior manager with a PR compan y. But what’s the point of all the technology in the world if we can't use it to wo rk more smartly and efficiently is the retort of you ngsters. Others however say that work from hom e is not all that it's touted out to be anyway. “I used to wo last year but I realised eventu rk-from-home often ally that even though I was more productive, I wa s less visible on my boss' radar. The sad truth is tha t being seen at your desk, burning the midnight oil, does make a stronger impression than if you work elsewhere,” says Manvi Rao, a software engineer with a Hyderabad-based MN C.

Family Day at ADP ADP India’s 13th Family Day event held on Sunday at Gachibowli Stadium, Hyderabad. Around 8,000 employees and their family members/friends witnessed a plethora of fun and entertaining musical performances by ADP’s Rock Band Rave and dance performances by ADP associates & children of MIDAS

DID YOU KNOW...

3,400

is the number of jobs that could be created over the next two years in the oil and gas industry, but many companies are concerned skills shortages could limit their growth and spark a "war for talent", according to a study from Lloyds Banking Group.

TRENDING

Finding a way to offer greater ﬂexibility in the workplace is a great way to keep and retain top talent as work-life balance becomes increasingly important to Australian workers. In fact, a recent survey found that 56 per cent of workers striving for better worklife balance are even declining promotions in favour of greater ﬂexibility.

If you still believe identity theft is a marketing gimmick, it's time to take a look at the Federal Trade Commission report released this week. Identity theft is once again the top complaint in America, as it has been for 13 years. Identity theft complaints surged by 32 percent in 2012 to nearly 370,000, intensiﬁed by the most recent Javelin report.

TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013

spotlight

GROOVE TO THE BEATS

It's electronic dance music and hip hop on the menu this Tuesday as DJ Shafi will dole out the latest mixes from his collection to get the crowd grooving. Head to Firangi Paani for all the action tonight.

S BALAKRISHNA

BLUE IS THE MOOD

Music calls the shots

A wonderful DJ and the mood to have a fun night is what makes up for the requirements of all these party goers. Kismet became their go-to place on Monday night and judging from the way the crowd kept coming in, it is safe to say they had a rollicking night. 6

1 Subanshi 2 Anshul,

Shuba 3 Manisha,

Maneesh 4 Deepashri,

SETTING THE MOOD

S BALAKRISHNA

Rain pub on Monday night was full with party lovers as they boogied the night away. With a great view of the City and good food, not much could keep them from taking to the dance ďŹ&#x201A;oor.

Trividhe 5 Shravani,

Bindu 6 Anisha 7 Meghana 8 Soumia, Ajay 9 Naina

INDULGING IN BEAUTY

Southern beauty Priyamani was spotted inaugurating the latest Lakme salon in the City on Monday. The new salon at West Marredpally is their 14th one.

TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013

health

SOON, SKIN PATCHES TO BEAT PROSTATE CANCER

Oestrogen patches worn by women to relieve the symptoms of menopause could help men fight prostate cancer, scientists claim. Patches giving oestrogen through the skin could be an easy and safe alternative to the hormone therapies used to treat prostate cancer, according to new research published in the Lancet Oncology.

NEUROLOGY

Lost in wonderland? L Maybe not

Can cars appear to be the size of key chains and chairs the size of tree houses? They can, in a neurological condition known as Alice in Wonderland syndrome.

ANEWS PP-LYBRIEFS YOURSELF

HOUSECALL

DEEPASHRI VARADHARAJAN

deepashri.v@postnoon.com

ike how Alice, lost in wonderland, could not make out what is real and what is a figment of her imagination, this syndrome is named after the novel by Lewis Carroll, as patients feel they are losing grasp of reality. According to theregister.co.uk, walls may seem like they are closing in on you, and then they suddenly appear to be moving outwards; tables look like they are floating in mid-air. As opposed to what one may think, this perception disorder has nothing to do with eye sight. In fact, the physical eye is healthy in these patients. AIWS occurs as a symptom of migraine, infectious mononucleosis, acute fever, temporal lobe epilepsy, or due to the intake of certain drugs with side-effects. According to aiws.info, it is also possible to have AIWS with no known underlying cause. A person who has this syndrome has a false perception of any stimulus, said Dr Alok Ranjan, senior consultant neurosurgeon at Apollo Hospital, Jubilee Hills, adding that it is common in migraine patients. “Local change in that part of the brain (responsible for processing the stimulus) causes the syndrome.” Reports suggest there is no known cure for the disease. If there is an identifiable cause, like migraine, then the underlying cause can be treated. “We don’t know the exact cause,” said Dr A Venkat Reddy, consultant neurologist at Poulomi Hospital. “It is predominantly a visual hallucination, where things appear very large or very small. People walking on the road may appear as Lilliput.” In patients where no cause is identified, it gets better with age, Dr Ranjan said. People see beautiful images, greenery, animations, which are really not there, Dr Reddy said. Anti-convulsion, anti-epileptic, migraine prophylactics and anti-depressants are given, depending on whether the cause was identified. “It cannot be cured, but it can be controlled.”

DID YOU KNOW?

PIONEERS

Eat This, Not That!

Otitis

RBCs travel 75K times!

Rudolf Virchow

Think you can spot the stealth health food from the gut bomb? Eat This, Not That! The Game challenges your armchair nutritionist skills with hundreds of fast food face-offs. Are you ready to start winning the war on fat? Test yourself with two exciting game modes and earn your spot on the leaderboard.

Otitis is a general term for infection or inﬂammation of the ear. Otitis can affect the inner or outer parts of the ear. The condition is classiﬁed according to whether it occurs suddenly and for a short time (acute) or repeatedly over a long period of time (chronic). When otitis involves the outer ear and ear canal, it is called otitis externa, often called swimmer's ear. A more severe form can spread into the bones and cartilage.

Red blood cells live for a period of only four months and travels between the lungs and other tissues 75,000 times before returning to the bone marrow to die, being replaced by the bone marrow at the rate of 2 to 3 million a second. Men have more blood, 1.5 gallons as compared to 0.875 gallons for women.

Rudolf Virchow was a German pathologist, anthropologist and statesman, widely credited for his advancements in public health. Known as the "father of pathology," his scientiﬁc contribution of cell theory explained the effects of disease on the body. He also developed a standard method of autopsy procedure. In 1869 he founded a society which is credited with greatly intensifying German archaeological research.

health TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013

BREAKTHROUGH

RESEARCH

‘Junk’ clue boosts hopes for Parkinson’s treatment

RESEARCH CLAIMS

HEADWAY IN HIV CURE

Research has shown that the cancer drug vorinostat alters how HIV genes are turned on and off and in effect wakes up ‘sleeping’ virus. MELBOURNE: Australian researchers claim to have moved a step closer in finding a cure for HIV by successfully luring the “sleeping” virus out of infected cells. According to a statement released by the Melbournebased Alfred Hospital, researchers have shown that the cancer drug vorinostat alters how HIV genes are turned on and off and in effect wakes up “sleeping” virus, which is otherwise not eliminated in patients undergoing standard HIV treatment. Director of infectious diseases at the hospital, Sharon Lewin, said the results from the study are very promising and

nearly all patients who took vorinostat showed that the virus could be woken up. “We know that the virus can ‘hide’ in cells and remain out of reach of conventional HIV therapies as well as the immune system," Lewin said. “Anti-HIV drugs are unable to eradicate the virus because it burrows deeply into the DNA of immune cells, where it gets stuck and goes to sleep. AntiHIV drugs are effective in keeping people healthy but they cannot eliminate a virus that is sleeping. The results will now inform the design of further studies to find a way to possibly cure HIV. “We wanted to see if we

could wake the virus up... This is a very important step but the results of the trial have raised further questions. After waking

Researchers say these new results will now inform the design of further studies to find a way to possibly cure HIV. up the virus, we now need to work out how to get rid of the infected cell. A kick-start to the immune system might help," Lewin added.

“We have an enormous amount still to learn about how to ultimately eradicate this very smart virus," she said. Twenty HIV-positive patients in Victoria were the first in the world to participate in a trial of two weeks of vorinostat. The research, in collaboration with The Alfred Hospital, Monash University, Burnet Institute, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the National Association of People Living With HIV/AIDS, is part of a global effort to find a cure for the virus, and was presented at the 20th Annual Conference on Retrovirus and Opportunistic Infections in Atlanta. PTI

STUDY

Obesity may raise risk of skin cancer

LONDON: A gene linked to obesity and overeating may also increase the risk of malignant melanoma — the most deadly skin cancer, a new study has claimed. Cancer Research UK scientists at the University of Leeds showed that people with particular variations in a stretch of DNA within the FTO gene,

called intron 8, could be at greater risk of developing melanoma. Having a high BMI can increase the risk of various diseases including type 2 diabetes, kidney disease and womb cancer. But the new research published in Nature Genetics is the first to reveal that the gene affects a disease which isn't linked to obesity.

The researchers examined tumour samples in more than 13,000 melanoma patients and almost 60,000 unaffected people from around the world. The results suggested that FTO has a more wide-ranging role than previously suspected, with different sections of the gene being involved in various diseases. PTI

PARIS: A flawed gene implicated in Parkinson’s disease lets proteins build up dangerously in key brain cells, according to a study that throws open new paths for tackling the tragic disorder. Parkinson’s patients suffer from progressive stiffness, slowing of movement and problems in coordination resulting from the loss of nerve cells that make a muscle-controlling chemical, dopamine. A hallmark of the disease is the presence of so-called Lewy bodies, an accumulation of toxic proteins in these vital cells. But how the proteins — the byproducts of normal cellular processes — are allowed to pile up within the cell, eventually killing it, has remained unclear. Researchers at the Einstein College of Medicine in New York took a close look at a gene that controls a dogsbody molecule called leucine-rich repeat kinase2, or LRRK2. A flawed version of the LRRK2 gene has already been fingered, along with other genetic culprits, as being among the inherited causes of Parkinson’s. Delving into this association, the team discovered that a faulty LRRK2 gene turns out an abnormal protein that blocks the task of clearing out the junked-up cell. “Our study found that abnormal forms of LRRK2 protein disrupt an important garbagedisposal process in cells that normally digests and recycles unwanted proteins," said Ana Maria Cuervo, a professor of developmental and molecular biology. One of the big pieces of junk is alpha-synuclein, which “accumulates to toxic levels in nerve cells” when LRRK2 prevents a cleanup, she said. The investigators, publishing in the journal Nature Neuroscience, tested the theory on tissue from lab mice; on brain cells taken from Parkinson’s patients who have the LRRK2 mutation; and on brain cells that had been reprogrammed from skin cells taken from other individuals with Parkinson’s. One option now is to look for drugs that sidestep the LRRK2's brake on cellular clearout, the paper said. “We are now looking at ways to enhance the activity of this recycling system to see if we can prevent or delay neuronal death and disease,” Cuervo said in a press release. “We’ve started to analyse some chemical compounds that look very promising.” AFP

TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013

Entertainment HER MANY AVATARS

rom donning half sarees in Gundello Godaari to flaunting her curves in Shadow, Taapsee seems to be making quite a bold statement in terms of fashion. That she has managed to pull off different looks within the framework

of the characters she has essayed so far is hard to miss. “I love experimenting with my looks. That’s the least I can do,” she quips, adding, “Couple of graduates from NIFT, Divya and Lipsa, have designed my costumes in Mogudu, Shadow and

Chandrasekhar Yeleti’s upcoming film. In Shadow, I took extra care on my costume designs and styling. It’ll not go unnoticed in even a single scene or song,” she assures. Currently, Taapsee is in Mumbai, where she’s busy promoting Chashme Baddoor, her debut film in

Bollywood. Her excitement about the film is palpable and she really has been waiting for a long time for its release. Directed by David Dhawan, the film also stars Ali Zafar, Siddharth and Divyendu Sharma in lead roles. Her next Telugu film, Shadow, is in the

last leg of shooting and a song will be shot in Hyderabad from March 10 onwards. Taapsee will also be seen as a village belle in Gundello Godaari, which is slated for release on March 8. The film is set in the backdrop of the 1986 floods in Godavari.

I love experimenting with my looks:

TAAPSEE CINE BYTES Swamy Ra Ra to release on March 22

ikhil, Swati-starrer Swamy Ra Ra is gearing up for release on March 22. Sudheer Varma has directed this crime comedy, which revolves around the theft of a Ganesh idol. Chakri Chigurupati has produced the ﬁlm. Sunny has scored the music.

Sharwanand teams up with RGV

harwanand has teamed up with RGV for the ﬁrst time in his career. He is playing the lead role in the Telugu version of RGV’s next ﬁlm, titled Satya. “Satya is about a guy who reinvents and re-establishes a nonexistent underworld,” RGV says.

Sukumarudu nears completion

he principal shooting of Sukumarudu is nearing completion. Currently, a song is being shot on the ﬁlm’s lead cast in Ramoji Film City. Aadi, Nisha Aggarwal and Bhavna Ruparel are playing the lead roles. Ashok G is directing the ﬁlm and Anup Rubens has scored the music.

Entertainment TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013

ERR ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION

refuses to play nautch girl on telly

ctress-politician Smriti Irani has turned down a role in Ekta Kapoor's promotional series Ek Thi Naayika, as she is reluctant to portray a courtesan. A Bharatiya Janata Party MP, Smriti prefers to be cautious about her professional decisions. When Ekta, who gave Smriti a huge platform with hit show Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi over a decade ago, asked the actress to play a nautch girl in an episode of Ek Thi Naayika, Smriti asked for a change. Ekta obliged, and asked Sakshi Tanwar to play the part instead. Smriti will now feature in another story in the same show. Confirming the same, Tanuj Garg, CEO Balaji Telefilms, said: "Yes, it's true. Smriti wasn't comfortable playing a nautch girl in the series. So now the story will be shot with Sakshi Tanwar." Smriti was caught in controversy sometime back when a politician mocked at her as a former dancer who had entered politics only some years ago. "A few months ago due to a politician's comments on Smriti's acting career, she was involved in a controversy that got blown out of proportion. It seems to have impacted the way she does television now. Smriti has agreed to do a two-episode story in Ek Thi Naayika for Ekta," said a source. The TV series is a prelude to Ekta and Vishal Bhardwaj's co-production Ek Thi Daayan. It is a unique marketing innovation to promote a movie via a TV series. Eight female actors will be seen in the show for two episodes each, and it will air on Life OK starting mid-March.

CINE BYTES

An electro-classical rock song for 'Freedom'

ivek Agnihotri has shot an electro-classical rock song, a heady mix of classical tunes with rock sounds, for his ﬁlm Freedom. "We have recently shot for a song. It is an electro-classical rock song composed by Rahul Sharma," Agnihotri said. "The song is choreographed by Salman Yusuff Khan. This song will be played throughout the ﬁlm, and it is very different," he added. IANS

Five sizzling item girls for Himmatwala

ajid Khan ropes in five regional film actresses to star for an item song Dhoka in Himmatwala. Incidentally, these girls belong to different parts of the country. Says Sajid, “I have got Sayantani Ghosh from Kolkata, Rinku Ghosh from Bhojpuri films, Amruta Khanvilkar from Marathi cinema, Surveen Chawla from Punjabi films and Mona Thiba from Gujarati cinema.” IANS

Helper commits suicide, Ayushmann saddened

Smriti wasn't comfortable playing a nautch girl in the series. So now the story will be shot with Sakshi Tanwar. Tanuj Garg CEO Balaji Teleﬁlms

ctor Ayushmann Khurana's domestic help was found dead at his Goregaon residence here. The actor says he is "saddened", and that the matter is currently being looked into. The domestic help, Rudra Prasad, 26, hung himself with a dupatta when Ayushmann and his wife Tahira were out of city. The body was discovered Saturday. IANS

Entertainment TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013

PERSONAL TRAGEDY

BRADLEY B

radley Cooper has said that he did not want to win the Oscar he was nominated for at last month’s Academy Awards. Cooper was up for the ‘Best Actor’ accolade for his role in Silver Linings Playbook, but has said that winning an award no longer matters to him following his father’s death, Metro reports. In an interview with GQ magazine, Cooper reflected on the loss of his father two years ago and added that he will not “sweat s**t” about awards after he witnessed his dad’s final moments. “Death became very real. And very tangible. Because my father — someone who had been in my life for 36 years is just f**king gone,” Cooper said. “I watched him dying and I was there by his bed watching him, breathing with him, and then I saw his last breath and he was gone. “I experienced the whole thing. And that was a watershed moment that I was privileged to experience. And it changed everything. Nothing has ever been the same since.” He added: “You know William Blake’s Songs of Innocence? Well, right there, in that moment, the innocence was gone. Done. Never to return. The beauty is that I just don’t sweat s**t any more.” The 38-year-old said that losing his father has made him less nervous about things that he cannot control. “My father gave me two gifts - having me and dying with me. I used to be the kid that got the shakes if I had to talk in public; now, I just don’t get nervous about stuff. I can’t control everything. I don’t want to win an Oscar. It would change nothing. Nothing. The things in my life that aren’t fulfilled would not be fulfilled. Career-wise, right now, it’s better that I don’t win one. I don’t want to win. I don’t.”

DOES NOT WANT TO WIN AN OSCAR

CINE BYTES

Jackson’s doctor finally going on trial

t long last, Katherine Jackson will be taking her civil lawsuit against Aeg Live to trial. The concert promoter was responsible for hiring doctor Conrad Murray to care for Michael Jackson. Murray, of course, was later convicted of involuntary manslaughter. Superior Court Judge Yvette Palazuelos dismissed all but one claim in Katherine’s lawsuit. The mother of Jackson will go to trial to prove Aeg’s negligence.

Adele wanted for second Bond song?

dele is reportedly wanted by Eon Productions to record her second James Bond theme song. The singer-songwriter is said to be top of studio bosses’ lists to produce the theme for the 24th instalment of the spy franchise. “Producers are thrilled by how well the song has been received and hope Adele’s presence on the next ﬁlm will replicate that success," The Sun reports.

Kidman accepts roles on Urban’s advice

ctress Nicole Kidman says she discusses whatever roles are offered to her with husband Keith Urban because her family is more important. “When I’m offered a role, I literally say, ‘Is this going to work for our family?' And I ask Keith about it and there have been times when he said ‘no’ and I’ve not done it, and there have been times when he’s said ‘yes’ and we make it work," Radio Times magazine quoted Kidman as saying. IANS

TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013

Chai Time

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

If you have made mistakes, even serious ones, there is always another chance for you. What we call failure is not the falling down but the staying down. Mary Pickford

KAKURO

QUICK CROSSWORD

SUDOKU How to play kakuro Kakuro is a popular game similar to sudoku in some ways. But is also suitably different. The key question: ‘How do you play kakuro?’, well here are the rules of kakuro. The answer: The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any size. It has rows and columns, and dark cells like in a crossword. And, just like in a crossword, some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some cells will contain two numbers. However, in a crossword the numbers reference clues. In a kakuro, the numbers are all you get! They denote the total of the digits in the row or column referenced by the number. Within each collection of cells — called a run — any of the numbers 1 to 9 may be used but, like sudoku, each number may only be used once. Let’s have an example to explain this concept more clearly: In the image above, which shows a section of a kakuro puzzle, you will see the numbers ‘26’ and ‘14’ in the top row. Look at the 14. This means that the total of the three cells underneath must sum to 14. Therefore 9, 4, 1 could be the answer, or perhaps 7, 4, 3 and so on... So, how do you work out the actual combination? Well, this is done through elimination and cross-referencing. For instance, as you work out the answers for other kakuro clues, this will naturally limit the valid combinations, and hence the answer for this particular run. Note the second cell in row two — it contains two numbers, 30 and 11. The 30 refers to the vertical run underneath the number 30 and the 11 refers to the two cells to the right, horizontally, of the number 11.

ACROSS

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

SCRIBBLING PAD

1 Carousel contents 5 Brighton bloke 9 Roman wraps 14 Russian-spacecraft series 15 Freight car hopper, stereotypically 16 Eaglet nursery 17 Word with ‘history’ or ‘hygiene’ 18 Physics particles 19 ___ brulee (French custard) 20 Dr Seuss classic (with ‘The’) 23 Telepathic gift 24 Rector's colleague 25 Represent by drawing 27 Famous ‘cannonball’ of song 30 Shiver-inducing 33 Unfeathered wing? 34 Poetic metrical units 37 Brew in a teapot 38 Ill-mannered type 40 Ruin of a statue, perhaps 42 Squirrel's home 43 Readies for swallowing 45 ‘... tree falls in the forest and ___ ...’ 47 Night before 48 Home for ecologists 50 Delights 52 Cross to bear 53 Actress Sarandon 55 Barley bristle 57 Symbol of concentration 62 North Dakota State Fair site 64 Washday unit 65 Some of this and some of that 66 Ryan who played Granny 67 Fail 68 Frees (with ‘of’) 69 Restrain from acting 70 Risked being pulled over 71 Part of a church

DOWN 1 Solid voters? 2 Invisible surrounding quality 3 Tiny flying nuisance 4 Mouth moistener 5 Make small talk 6 Bit of an uproar 7 Doubleday of baseball 8 A Spice Girl 9 Stratagems 10 Above, anthem style 11 Special Forces member 12 Intends 13 Escape through a crevice 21 Decree ___ (legal term) 22 Menu phrase, perhaps 26 ‘The Simpsons’ creator Groening 27 Screen siren Raquel 28 Tropical greeting 29 State flower of Texas 30 Japanese food paste 31 Four-time Kent portrayer 32 Fencing weapons 35 ___ Blanc (France's highest peak) 36 Street buddy 39 Bed size smaller than full 41 Partial 44 Talk like Porky Pig 46 Zest for life 49 Blond shade 51 Type of cat or rabbit 53 Buttinsky 54 Proclamation of the czar 55 In the center of 56 One way to transfer money 58 Misfortunes 59 Film excerpt 60 Doesn't just stand by 61 Cooperate with a photographer 63 Unlettered phone number

Chai Time TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013 Thiruvaikumar

STAR POWER for 6-3-2013

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

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Chances of buying valuables and decorating your house as per your choice. Your self-confidence and courage levels will improve with which you take wise decisions, which will yield better results. Journey undertaken will be beneficial.

STRIP TEASE AGNES

Tension and depression will be over. Avoid unwanted apprehensions and taking decisions in a hurry. You reap benefits for the good things done in the past. Family will be in a happy mood. Debts will be controlled and you feel relaxed.

Some are likely to go abroad. Friendship circle is likely to expand. Expenses are likely to be under control, which will let you relax. Employees advised to stay out of arguments with a superior. Health problems likely; take appropriate care.

Artists will get good opportunities and earn name and fame along with improvement in financial status. Blood relatives benefit by your timely assistance. Good news is on the cards. Employees might be upset as their work did not get recognition.

Friends and wellwishers extend help and make you come out of a struggling phase. Avoid anger and emotional decisions for the time being as they might have an impact on your prospects. Employees feel cheerful as problems at workplace disappear.

Businessmen will sail smoothly and there will be a jump in profits. Held-up good events will be performed without any further hurdles. Govt officials advised to be cordial with colleagues at office. Children will make you proud and happy.

Govt-related work might get delayed, which will dampen your spirits. Regarding matters related to your foreign trip, be slow and steady; decisions taken in a hurry might land you in trouble. Those deprived of a child will receive good news.

Couples will be more affectionate towards each other. Love matters gain importance but be careful of consequences and take an appropriate decision. Encourage children and support them in achieving their goals. Social status is set to improve.

Avoid efforts to change your job for sometime as time is not favourable. Employees advised to work with focus and involvement so that all work get done in time and with perfection. You will be more active and complete all work in time.

TAROT READ

Sumaa Tekur

tarotreadhyd@gmail. com

ARIES:

GEMINI:

Knight of Wands – Be careful to not hurt others’ feelings. You may be coming across as quite an unscrupulous monster who thinks only about himself.

LEO:

Two of Pentacles – Humour is the best way to manage many of life’s problems. Have you lost yours to the daily grind called life? Stop, have fun, smile a little.

LIBRA:

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE

Two of Cups – Singles will meet an attractive person from the opposite sex. The chemistry is immediate and you plan to tie the knot or deepen the commitment.

SAGITTARIUS:

Three of Wands – Success is imminent. All your plans are working out fine and your patience in the last few weeks is paying off. Don’t be in a hurry.

TAURUS:

Ace of Swords – There are clouds of confusion. Despite that, you’re able to display clarity of thought. You’re clear about what you need and where you’re headed.

CANCER:

Queen of Pentacles – You’re strong financially, and that is giving you confidence to make tough decisions, whether it’s about living condition or relationship status.

VIRGO:

King of Cups – You’re being emotional about something and it may not be worth so much attention. Look at the big picture and realign your expectations.

SCORPIO:

Seven of Wands – There’s some secrecy surrounding you. People may be hiding something from you. This may not necessarily be a bad thing, though.

CAPRICORN:

Temperance – Travel is on the cards. Spend time with loved ones before you set out on long trips. If travel plans go awry because of fog, be patient.

PREVIOUS SOLUTIONS

PISCES:

The Hanged Man – Spiritual awareness is in focus. You may be in the mood to achieve greater understanding of spirituality and life’s philosophies.

NUMBER GAME

– You’re in the mood to show off ideas and something new that you’ve learnt. Party at home giving everyone a good time is a great idea, too.

SCRABBLE

AQUARIUS: King of Wands

POOCH CAFE

Unexpected financial fortune will keep you in good spirit. Housing loan will get sanctioned and work will start immediately. Postpone purchase of a vehicle for time being. Avoid standing guarantee for anyone. Be careful during driving.

for 6-3-2013

Eight of Wands – This is a lucky phase when all plans are working to your expectation. Time to sit back, relax and have some clean fun. You deserve the break.

NON SEQUITUR

Couples needs to adjust well and avoid ego clashes to lead a happy life. Businessmen have a prosperous time ahead. Be careful while expressing opinions as someone will find fault and magnify your talk. Avoid unwanted arguments.

SUDUKO

Take care of your health by avoiding anger and emotional outbursts. Journey undertaken by businessmen will be successful. Son or daughter might be in love, which will come to your notice; avoid putting a break but analyse the pros and cons.

Boggle BERT ERNIE GONZO KERMIT Vol: 2, No 228 RNI No: APENG/2011/39337 Published for the proprietors, Scribble Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, by V Harshavardhan Reddy, at #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500033 and printed by him at Jagati Publications Ltd, Plot No D-75&E-52, APIE Industrial Estate, Balanagar, Ranga Reddy Dist, Hyderabad – 500037, Editor: Dean Williams – Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. For feedback, please write to: feedback@postnoon. com and for subscription, please call 040-4067 2222, Fax: 040-4067 2211

Entertainment TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013

Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey hits $1bn

t’s ofﬁcial, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has surpassed the billion dollar milestone at the worldwide box ofﬁce. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is a production of New Line Cinema and Metro-GoldwynMayer (MGM), which along with Warner Bros. made the announcement on Sunday. To date, the blockbuster has earned $301.4 million domestically.

Omar Sy joins cast of X Men

roducer-director Bryan Singer continues to release X-Men: Days of Future Past details via his Twitter feed. Latest scoop: French actor Omar Sy (The Intouchables) will join the cast in an unspeciﬁed role. X-Men: First Class cast members Jennifer Lawrence, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Nicholas Hoult are all on board.

Spielberg developing Napoleon biopic

teven Spielberg is working on a Napoleon script Stanley Kubrick wrote in 1961 and abandoned in the seventies. Spielberg told a French TV station he’s developing the project as a miniseries. In 1971, Kubrick said of the biopic, “It’s impossible to tell you what I’m going to do except to say that I expect to make the best movie ever made.” Spielberg made A.I. after Kubrick passed over the reins, so he’s got experience in this area.

THE CHAIR AWAITS

TO JUDGE AMERICA’S GOT TALENT

HEIDI KLUM

CINE BYTES

ould Heidi Klum be America’s Got Talent’s latest judge? It certainly looks like it! The former Victoria’s Secret supermodel was spotted on the set of the NBC reality show in New Orleans Sunday, amid speculation she signed on to fill the program’s fourth judge’s chair, a source tells E! News. Klum is being referred to as “the new judge” on the set and everything points to it being official, our source went on to say, adding that it seems like she is excited to be on AGT and get going. Rumours began circulating on Sunday that Klum was a judge on the show after TMZ posted an on-set photo of AGT filming in New Orleans—the pic showed the name Heidi above one of the judging chairs, along with Howie Mandel, Howard stern and Mel B labelled on the other seats. The Hollywood Reporter reports that Heidi indeed is set to become the show’s fourth judge.

sports

TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013

S KOREAN BASKETBALL

Coach in match-fixing probe

SEOUL: South Korean prosecutors said today (Tuesday) they were investigating a professional basketball coach for alleged match-fixing, following similar scandals in domestic football and volleyball leagues. "The investigation is underway," a spokesman from the prosecutors' office in Uijeongbu city near Seoul, told. He declined to elaborate. The coach, whose name was not revealed, allegedly received some $27,500 won from a gambler about two years ago and rigged games by substituting key players, Yonhap news agency and other media outlets said. The gambler was recently arrested, reports said, citing the city prosecutors. Professional sports in South Korea have been rocked by a series of scandals in recent years, touching football, volleyball, baseball and even motorboat racing. In 2011 prosecutors charged 57 people with fixing the results of 15 matches in the professional football KLeague. AFP

NBA

Heat set record with win The Miami Heat ran their win streak to 15 games by beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 97-81.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN ESOTA: Dwyane Wade (L in pic) and LeBron James starred as the Miami Heat won a franchise record 15th consecutive game on Monday with a 97-81 win over a depleted Minnesota Timberwolves. Wade shot 15-of-20 from the field and also added 10 assists for a 32-point haul while a hobbling James finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds as the Heat recorded a comfortable win. "Everybody knows their roles on this team," said Miami guard Ray Allen. "It takes time but we have figured out a formula on how to win on the road." James was playing with a sore left knee after wrenching it in Sunday's tense 99-93 win over the New York Knicks. Allen had 13 points to help defending National Basketball Association champion Miami eclipse their previous club mark of 14 straight wins, set between December 6, 2004 and January 1, 2005. Allen said the Heat can't affort to get complacent because other teams have no trouble get-

PARIS-NICE CYCLING

Bouhanni wins Stage 1 NEMOURS, FRANCE: French champion Nacer Bouhanni, riding for FDJ, won the opening stage of the Paris-Nice on Monday, taking the 195km race from Saint-Germain-en-Laye to Nemours in a sprint finish. The 22-year-old won a frantic race to the line and just edged Italian duo Alessandro Petacchi and Elia Viviani as he also took the overall leaders yellow jersey. Daniel Gaudin who won Sunday's prologue relinquishes the race lead after Bouhanni picked up a 10sec bonus for winning the stage and is classified above Viviani after bettering the Italian by .18sec.

2020 OLYMPICS Japan PM: Tokyo 2020 will be 'inspiring'

ting motivated to face the reigning champions. "It is a process," Allen said of trying to repeat. "When you make it all the way you forget

US OPEN Japan among qualifying hosts NEW YORK: Courses in England and Japan will host 36-hole sectional qualifying rounds for the US Open golf championship for the ninth year in a row, the US Golf Association announced on Monday. Walton Heath in Surrey, England, and Ohtone Country Club in Japan's Ibaraki prefecture will host sectional qualifying events on May 27 with 11 US sites set to host qualifiers on June 3. Walton Heath, which will host a US Open sectional for the ninth year in a row, was where New Zealand's Michael Campbell qualified on his way to winning the 2005 US Open crown.

about the tough days. "You can't get bored with the process. No win is greater than the next. We have got to start every game the same way.

Allen said Miami recognized they were now the team every rival wanted to beat. "Teams look at beating us as a way to turn their seasons around," he said. "We have to put ourselves in other teams' shoes. We can't ease our way into any games or it will be a long night for us." Derrick Williams finished with a season-high 25 points, while Ricky Rubio had 14 points, eight assists and six steals for the Timberwolves who lost their sixth consecutive contest. Minnesota dropped to 4-22 in their last 26 games. Minnesota was without star forward Kevin Love, who had surgery to repair a broken right hand. Centre Nikola Pekovic also skipped Monday's contest with a abdominal strain. Starting forward Andrei Kirilenko is also out with a strained calf muscle. JJ Barea had four points and was tossed from the game in the final quarter after tangling with Allen. Barea bodychecked Allen as he was driving to the basket, knocking the former Boston Celtic to the floor.

DIAMOND LEAGUE

Blake lines-up Doha meet date PARIS: Jamaica's world 100 metres champion Yohan Blake (in pic) is to get his bid to defend his crown later this year under way at the opening Diamond League meeting in Doha on May 10. The 23-year-old - who took silver behind compatriot Usain Bolt in last year's 100m Olympic final - said he was intending to run the fastest time yet recorded on the traditionally fast Qatari track. Olusoji Fasuba holds the present record of 9.85seconds set in 2006. "I have heard talk of the fast track at Doha (...)," he said on the International Association of Athletics Federations website. AFP

SHIGEMI SATO Agence France-Presse TOKYO: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (left) said on Monday Tokyo could be an inspiration for other cities if it wins the right to host the 2020 Olympics, after becoming the first place in Asia to get the Games in 1964. Promising his government's "fullest" support for Tokyo's new

Olympic bid, Abe told inspectors from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that hosting the Games was his "life-long dream". "Tokyo, 2020, will inspire many others, just as Tokyo did before in 1964," the conservative premier said at a reception welcoming a 14-member team from the IOC evaluation commission.The team, led by IOC vice president Craig Reedie of Britain,

started four days of scrutinising Tokyo's Olympic blueprint and inspecting existing and planned facilities for 2020. It will visit the other candidates, Madrid and Istanbul, later this month before drawing up a technical report on the three bids for the 101 IOC members who will vote to choose the 2020 host on September 7 in Buenos Aires.

sports TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013

INDIAN WELLS PREVIEW

HALL OF FAME

Nadal to use Wells as test Since returning from his injury last month, the 11-time Grand Slam champion Nadal has won 12 of 13 matches in a clay-court swing.

Martina Hingis, Long elected NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND: Former World No 1 Martina Hingis (above) and Australian legend Thelma Coyne Long were among five people named Monday as 2013 inductees into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Two ATP co-founders, Americans Cliff Drysdale and Charlie Pasarell, and Romanian star Ion Tiriac, were also elected to the sporting shrine by a selection panel. A person needs 75 percent support from the group for election. All five will be enshrined on July 13 during ceremonies at the ATP Hall of Fame Championships grass-court event, joining 224 previous honourees from 19 nations. “Being inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame is a tremendous honour," Hingis said. “It is truly a privilege to be part of such an exclusive group of tennis icons." Retired Swiss star Hingis, 32, topped the rankings for 209 weeks and won 43 career WTA titles and five Grand Slam singles crowns, including Wimbledon, US and Australian Open titles in 1997 and the 1998 and 1999 Australian Opens. Hingis, who went 548-133 in WTA singles matches, also won nine Grand Slam women’s doubles titles and one mixed doubles title. She retired in 2003 at age 22 due to injury, made a comeback in 2006 and won three titles before retiring for good in 2007.

NEW YORK: Rafael Nadal (in pic) will use the upcoming ATP event at Indian Wells to test his left knee on hardcourts with hopes he can return to the same competition schedule he enjoyed before his recent seven-month layoff. “Today I know I can play on clay. I will try next week on the hard," Nadal said. “Playing tennis will be a process to adapt my knee to the competition. “I hope I will keep having the chances to play the normal calendar as I did in past years. “I cannot predict the future. I have to see how the knee will last at Indian Wells next week. Having the chance to play at Indian Wells is great. I didn’t know one week ago if I would be able to play at Indian Wells."

After Indian Wells, Nadal could play at a hardcourt event later this month at Miami, then switch to clay ahead of the French Open and grass for Wimbledon before facing hardcourts again in the runup to the US Open. Nadal tried out his knee on the hardcourts on Monday night, playing an exhibition match against Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro at New York’s Madison Square Garden. After two sets of hard-serving, steady rallies and the occasional moment of lighthearted fun, Nadal said he was ready to go. “I am very happy," Nadal said. “It was a sad moment when I had to decide not come to the US Open. It seems like

now everything is great." Del Potro, who won the 90-minute match 7-6 (7/4), 64, said he was surprised at how quickly Nadal has returned to winning tournaments. He predicted it won’t be long

before the left-handed Spaniard is challenging for another Grand Slam title. “It is a good thing for everybody that Rafa is back," Del Potro said. “It is amazing how great he is playing. He is going to be fighting for No 1 very soon." AFP

HOCKEY

Pakistan to play in India LAHORE: Pakistan’s hockey team will tour India next month after a nod from New Delhi for the first five-match series between the South Asian rivals in nearly seven years, official said Monday. The tour is expected to improve sporting relations between both nations following the Pakistan cricket team’s India visit in December — the first series after a gap of five years.

India had suspended all sporting ties with archrival Pakistan after the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai blamed on Pakistan-based militants, which left 166 people dead. Officials from Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) and Hockey India met on the sidelines of an Asian Hockey Federation meeting in Malaysia last week before finalising the tour. PHF secretary Asif

WEIGHTY ISSUES

Bajwa hailed the revival of the series as “a big step". “It will help field hockey of both countries and will give fans of both countries a good opportunity to witness exciting hockey," he told a press conference. Pakistan will cross the border next month and play matches in the cities of Ranchi, Lucknow, Delhi, Mohali and Jalandhar between April 5-15. PTI

Sumo wrestlers grapple with tradition SHIGEMI SATO Agence France-Presse TOKYO: As the sun rises over Tokyo, six men, naked apart from loincloths, stand on sand and stamp their feet repeatedly. Six trunk-like thighs are heaved into the air, pausing for a second before crashing down, the topknots on each wrestler’s head wobbling with the impact. Monotonous it may be.

But no one ever said training to be a sumo supremo was supposed to be fun. "Shift your weight!" "Don't raise your hips too fast!" shouts a retired wrestler now working as a caretaker and coach. The routine, called "shiko", builds strength and bulk in the lower body and lasts half an hour on sandcovered clay in the gym of a stable in downtown Tokyo. Three hours of exercises,

including leg splits and an elaborate foot shuffling routine, culminate in one-onone clashes in a circular combat ring, a traditionsteeped form of wrestling practiced in Japan for hundreds of years. A similar morning training regimen was taking place at Japan's 43 other professional sumo stables, as wrestlers geared up for the next bi-monthly tournament, opening on March 10

in Osaka. The caretakercoach, Masataka Yuho, said the practice had not changed in the four decades since he joined the stable, even as it struggled through some of the scandals that have savaged the sport in recent years — marijuana use and illegal betting. "The atmosphere is totally different, though," said Yuho, 56, of a rule change that allowed live-in wrestlers to own gadgets.

sports TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013

AUSTRALIA IN INDIA

INDIA SEAL BIG VICTORY R Ashwin and RA Jadeja ran through the Australian batsmen in the second innings to give India an innings and 135-run victory in the second Test in the City. Scoreboard Australia 1st innings 237/9 Dec India 1st innings 503 All out Australia 2nd innings EJM Cowan c Sehwag b Jadeja 44 DA Warner b Ashwin 26 PJ Hughes b Ashwin 0 SR Watson c †Dhoni b Sharma 9 MJ Clarke* b Jadeja 16 MS Wade† c Sehwag b Ashwin 10 MC Henriques run out (Jadeja) 0 GJ Maxwell lbw b Ashwin 8 PM Siddle c Kohli b Jadeja 4 JL Pattinson lbw b Ashwin 0 XJ Doherty not out 1 Extras (b 7, lb 6) 13 Total (all out) 131 Fall of wickets 1-56, 2-56, 3-75, 4-108, 5-111, 6-111, 7-123, 8-130, 9-130, 10-131 Bowling O M R W B Kumar 6 4 7 0 R Ashwin 28 12 63 5 Harbhajan Singh 10 7 10 0 RA Jadeja 18 8 33 3 I Sharma 5 2 5 1

Mahendra Singh Dhoni being congratulated on India’s victory on the fourth day of the second Test against Australia at the RGICS at Uppal.

G APARNA SAI aparna.saig@gmail.com HYDERABAD: Australia’s nightmare in India continued as the visitors lost their second Test match against India by an innings and 134 runs, in the morning, here, today. India now go up in

four match Test series 2-0. The spinners once again got into the attack with Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja claiming eight wickets between them. Ashwin claimed five wickets anew to seal victory in India’s favour. The Australians, on the other hand, looked clueless right from the start, today. Trailing by 192 runs overnight, Australia were bundled out for a mere 131 runs,

falling well short of India. Australia began their innings in the morning with their score reading 74 for two. The visitors would have looked forward to posting a reasonable score in their second innings but all their hopes were dashed as the batsmen fell like a pack of cards. Jadeja got into the attack after Ishant Shrma had struck in the third over of the day sending Shane Watson back to the pavilion. Jadeja’s first victim was skip-

M ANIL KUMAR

per Michael Clarke. The batsman tried to defend but the ball turned sharp, dismantling the stumps. Within a span of another five balls of his bowling, Jadeja sent back Ed Cowan. His tryst with the ball continued as he ran out Moises Henriques with a brilliant direct throw and came back to dismiss Peter Siddle. Ashwin, who had already claimed two wickets last evening, continued tormenting

the visitors when he trapped Maxwell in front of the stumps. He then dismissed Matthew Wade and sealed Australia’s fate when he took the last wicket of the innings – James Pattinson. Australia managed to make only 57 runs losing eight wickets in a span of 122 minutes of play today. Meanwhile, India would be rejoicing this victory. The hosts would be extremely glad with their performance so far in the series as they have managed to silence the ghosts of the past. The England series which India lost 1-2 was nothing short of a dreadful dream but with the present situation against the Australians, the Men in Blue can breathe easy. The players seem to be having a dream run as there have been not less than two double tons and the performance of the bowlers has been on par as well.

Spinners not handled well in Oz: Warne

HYDERABAD: Spin legend Shane Warne (right) says there is a "problem" with the way young Australian spinners are "handled" at the domestic level and stresses on the importance of putting more emphasis on aggressive bowling. "I think the problem lies in what we expect from our young spin bowlers and the way they are handled at domestic level by their captains and coaches," Warne said.

"The attitude should always be about taking wickets and not about economy rates: 4/100 off 25 overs is a good result and better than 2/60 off 25 overs," he added on the sidelines of the ongoing India-Australia Test series, in which the visiting spinners' performances have not been up to the mark. Warne said it is not easy to be a wicket-taking bowler and an economical one at the same time. "I believe the expectations are

too high and the young spinners are put under a lot of pressure to be both attacking wicket takers as well as tight economical bowlers, which is very hard to do," he was quoted as saying by 'ESPNcricinfo'. "My guidelines on what to look for in a young spinner is pretty simple; someone who can spin the ball. Any fast bowler that can swing or make the ball move has a chance to take wickets; if they bowl straight they will

struggle. The same criteria applies for spin bowling." He also felt that the advent of Twenty20 cricket, to go with the 50-over format, are a "hindrance" in the growth of young spinners. "Twenty20 and 50 over cricket are a hindrance in the development of a young spinner as you have to bowl differently in those forms; with so many $'s involved in the various 20/20 competitions around the world, it's not an easy situation," he said. PTI

TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013

sports

BENDTNER SUSPENDED FOR DRINKING BINGE The Danish football Federation have suspended striker Nicklas Bendtner from international football for six months after being arrested for drunk driving, they announced on Monday. The 25-year-old, currently on loan at Juventus from Arsenal, was taken to a police station after being caught.

PREMIER LEAGUE

Tevez keeps hopes alive

DIPLOMATIC PLAYER

Carlos Tevez kept City’s faint title hopes alive with a 1-0 win at Aston Villa. LONDON: Carlos Tevez (right) kept Manchester City’s faint title hopes alive as the Argentine striker fired the champions to a 1-0 win at struggling Aston Villa on Monday. Tevez struck on the stroke of half-time after Villa’s Ciaran Clark gifted possession to Edin Dzeko in a dangerous area and the Bosnian set up his teammate to beat goalkeeper Brad Guzan. That was enough to move Roberto Mancini’s side back to 12 points adrift of leaders Manchester United, but City are still a long-shot to regain the Premier League crown they won so dramatically last season. Mancini conceded it would be hard to catch United, but he insisted his team would keep pushing Alex Ferguson’s men right until the end of the season. “We know it will be difficult but we will keep on trying. It was important to stay 12 points behind United and for us the championship is not over,”

Mancini hopes for perfect finish to title BIRMINGHAM, UK: Roberto Mancini was left admitting Manchester City need to win all 10 remaining Premier League matches if they are to snatch the title away from bitter city rivals Manchester United. The City manager, who was speaking after his side had snatched a 1-0 win over struggling Aston Villa on Monday, added United, who hold a 12 point lead over them, would also have to lose several matches if they were to retain the title they won in thrilling fashion on the final day of last season. “It is difficult. We have 30 more points to play for and we need to try to win. We will see what happens at the end.

Mancini said. “We have to keep on winning and see. This is football, nothing is impossible. “We are playing well. We

had good chances and Aston Villa are a good team. It is strange that they are down there and for that reason I am happy with my team.”

Villa remain in the relegation zone, with goal difference keeping Paul Lambert’s struggling team below 17th placed Wigan in the battle for survival. AFP

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PREVIEW

Fergie warns of fixation TOM WILLIAMS MANCHESTER, UK: Manchester United must not obsess themselves with trying to stop Cristiano Ronaldo (in pic) when he returns to Old Trafford with Real Madrid on Tuesday, manager Alex Ferguson has warned. Ronaldo spent six seasons with United after signing from Sporting Lisbon, scoring 117 goals in 290 games and blossoming into one of the finest players

in world football before leaving to join Madrid in the 2009 closeseason. Since arriving in the Spanish capital he has become even more prolific, finding the net 185 times in 184 games, but Ferguson says the second leg of the CL last 16 tie will not be decided by Ronaldo alone.

FORM COUNTS FOR NOTHING IN UNITED GAME: MOURINHO Real Madrid manager Jose

Mourinho says pre-game form can be discounted ahead of his side’s mouth-watering Champions League showdown with Manchester United on Tuesday. Both teams approach the concluding leg of the last 16 tie at Old Trafford buoyed by excellent recent results. United have established a huge lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League and are also in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

FOOTBALL BRIEFS We won’t take Celtic lightly, claim Juventus

Hummels doubtful to face Shakhtar

PSG look to back up Leonardo’s words

Barça puts priority on Vilanova’s health

MILAN: Juventus claim they are not taking the threat of Celtic lightly when the Scottish champions arrive in Turin hoping to pull off a Champions League miracle in their last 16 second leg on Wednesday. Antonio Conte’s side put one foot in the quarter-finals of Europe’s premier club competition for the first time since 2006.

DORTMUND, GERMANY: Borussia Dortmund’s German international defender Mats Hummels remained doubtful for Tuesday’s Champions League last 16, second leg clash with Shakhtar Donetsk according to coach Jurgen Klopp on Monday. Dortmund drew 2-2 with Shakhtar in Donetsk in the first leg.

PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain are under pressure to clinch their place in the quarter-finals of the CL at Valencia’s expense after their latest below-par domestic performance. The French club are top of Ligue 1 and lead Valencia 2-1 from the first leg of their last-16 tie, but a 1-0 defeat away to Reims on Saturday came as a blow to Carlo Ancelotti.

BARCELONA: Barcelona president Sandro Rosell stated on Monday the club’s most important priority this season is the recovery of coach Tito Vilanova, who is currently receiving treatment for cancer in New York. “The absolute priority for the club is the recovery of (Tito) Vilanova, everything else is secondary.

Beckham named China ambassador BEIJING: Football superstar David Beckham (above) has been named an ambassador for the Chinese Super League, the country’s football association said, a move that has been widely anticipated but also criticised. The former England captain will visit three times during the season from March to November to promote the sport in China and attract the global spotlight, the China Football Association said in a statement. “Beckham will come to China to promote youth football and serve as ambassador to the Chinese Super League (CSL),” it said, touting the athlete’s success in boosting the popularity of the sport worldwide. “His arrival will bring international attention to Chinese football and at the same time his personal involvement will be a good way to make Chinese football more international.” State media, however, cast doubt on whether Beckham — currently with French club Paris Saint-Germain — could repair the image of a sport scarred by match-fixing and bribery scandals. A three-year inquiry resulted last month in 33 people receiving lifetime bans and the former club of Didier Drogba, Shanghai Shenhua, being stripped of its 2003 league title. AFP

His arrival will bring international attention to Chinese football and at the same time his involvement will be a good way to make football here more international. China Football Assn in a statement