Epaper 8 june 2013

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magine the dog you feed every day being caught by the municipality supposedly for sterilisation. And when you go to visit, you witness officials killing dogs they have caught one by one. It was this incident that got Hema Bandela interested in animal welfare.

PG 13 WWW.POSTNOON.COM

WEATHER: A MIX OF CLOUDY AND CLEAR SKIES; 30°C

N SHIVA KUMAR

A PLACE TO CALL HOME

THE BASKETBALL DIARIES

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f you weren’t able to make the basketball team at school, there’s no need to feel disheartened as street basketball aka streetball is here to change everything. We feature this variation of the sport.

PG 16&17 Hyderabad’s first compact afternoon newspaper

JUNE 8, 2013 HYDERABAD

32 PAGES

`3

ON SATURDAY

Suffering from thalassemia, three-year-old Shwetha is swimming against the tide. But thanks to the unconditional love of her parents, and the support of friends, she has now been given a fighting chance.

THE PLIGHT OF BABY S

‘CHAMKI IS AN EXTENSION OF ME’

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ince the inception of Galli Galli Sim Sim, Ghazal Javed has been the hands and voice of Chamki.

She talks about Chamki, her life as a muppeteer and much more.

PG 18

SRINIVAS SETTY

REPORT ON PG 4

BRING IT ON!

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ere are some of the new games you can expect to be showcased at E3 2013 that starts on Tuesday.

PG 12

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PAGE TWO SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

WATER BEARERS

Pop-up bazaar Pop-up bazaar -- Art, shop, food, music and fun will be held.

Where: N Convention, Madhapur When: June 9, 3 pm to 11 pm

Classic concert Veena concert by K Preetam.

Where: Sri Gnana Saraswathi Temple, Secunderabad.

When: June 9, 6.30 pm

Reel abilities Sex, Likes & Pokes, a play will be staged.

Where: Lamakaan, Banjara Hills When: June 9, 5.30 pm

Children seen carrying drinking water at Afzuljung near CBS Road.

Movie fest

When: Till June 8, 10 am to 1 pm

Maja Weiss’ Installation of Love will be screened.

Where: International School For Film + Media, Banjara Hills When: June 8, 2 pm

Where: Oriental Kitchen, Park Hyatt When: 19:00 to 23:30 hours(weekdays), 12:00 to 15:30 hours and 19:00 to 23:30 hours (weekends)

Heavy metal festival

Stand up

Heavy metal festival Deccan Rock Edition III will be held.

Where: 10 Lounge & Night Club, Secunderabad When: June 8, 6 pm

Stand-up comedy event will be held.

Where: Aros Lounge Bar, Hitex City When: June 8, 7.30 pm

M ANILKUMAR

Where: Hotel GreenPark, Begumpet When: Till 9th June.

Robo camp Robo camp 2013 will be held.

Where: IIT Hyderabad, Gachibowli When: Till June 8, 10 am to 5.30 pm

Barbecue time

Father's special A grand buffet, cocktail training session and head massage will be organised during the occasion of Father's day.

Where: The Square, Novotel Hotel When: June 16

Saturday sunset bbq will be held tonight.

Where: The Square, Novotel, Kondapur.

When: June 8, 7 pm

R.A.P- Rhythm and Poetry Session

Singaporean food festival

Join MCs Aishan Vali and Zeeshan Siddqui for an evening of poetry.

Where: Lamakaan, Banjara Hills.

When: June 8, 5 pm to 7 pm

Biscuits making A workshop on business making will be held.

Where: Colorama Printers, Begumpet

CINEMAS

Singaporean food festival Enjoy the finest of Asian flavours at Singaporean food festival.

Food fest Afghani Pathani food festival will be held.

Enjoy the finest of Asian flavours at Singaporean food festival.

Where: Oriental Kitchen, Park Hyatt.

When: 19:00 to 23:30 hours (weekdays), 12:00 to 15:30 hours and 19:00 to 23:30 hours (weekends)

Big Cinemas, Ameerpet, 30581470; Cinemax, Banjara Hills, 44565555; Cine Planet , Kompally, 61606060; INOX, Banjara Hills, 447677770, Prasads, Tank Bund Rd, 23448888; PVR, Punjagutta, 08800900009; Talkie Town, Miyapur, 40214175; Tivoli, Secunderabad 27844973

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CITY SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

Journalists’ union elections

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election of Hyderabad Union of Journalists was held at Basheerbagh Press Club. Senior journalist from Telugu newspaper Andhra Jyoti, Y Yadgiri, was elected president. Kotti Reddy and Mohd Mubashiruddin Khurram, staff reporters in Siasat Urdu, were elected as secretary and vice-president. Mohd Shareef was elected treasurer.

Test nails revenue officer

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illage revenue officer S Rahamathullah, 56, of RS Rangapuram Bethancherla, was caught by ACB officials on Friday for taking `5,000 for doing an official favour to an anganwadi teacher. He is alleged to have demanded the money from B Laxmi Devi to process the Pattadar pass books and title deed of the teacher.

Review of Wakf affairs

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ndhra Pradesh minority commission led by Abid Rasool Khan will hold a review meeting on important Wakf affairs including encroachment of thousands of acres of Wakf properties across the State.

Union minority welfare minister Rahman Khan will participate in the review meeting. He will also interact with eminent Muslim intellectuals.

CM rules the roost at meet

Kiran Kumar Reddy clearly dominated the entire four-hour long marathon Cabinet meeting. He also got the Bangaru Talli welfare scheme approved by the Cabinet.

INKESHAF AHMED

ahmed.m@postnoon.com

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hief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy is the king of his Cabinet. His daring decision to sack Dr DL Ravindra Reddy from his cabinet impacted Friday’s Cabinet meeting. None of the “anti-Kiran” ministers dared to raise the issue at the meet.

The expectations of many observers that the meeting would be a stormy affair following the reports of stark differences between the CM and his three Cabinet colleagues — deputy chief minister Damodar Rajanarasimha, transport minister and APCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana, and senior most cabinet minister K Jana Reddy — weren’t fulfilled.

Interestingly, the three ministers had recently gone to Delhi reportedly to complain against the CM to the party high

Ministers come out after the Cabinet meet. command, following the sacking of Ravindra Reddy.

The CM clearly dominated the entire four-hour long marathon meeting. He also reigned over his Cabinet ministers in getting the recently launched Bangaru Talli welfare scheme, his brain child, approved by the entire Cabinet.

When Jana Reddy and Botsa Satyanarayana raised objections by saying that there was no need to make a legislation to implement the Bangaru Talli scheme, Kiran said that he was intending to make a law to implement the scheme with two main objectives: The first, to instil confidence among the beneficiaries of

Bizman kidnapped

‘Lovers’ bolt with boss’s cash

Postnoon News

feedback@postnoon.com

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businessman, Ajay Kumar, and his brother-in-law, Kiran Kumar, were beaten up and the former kidnapped from Begumpet by a gang Thursday night.

Kiran Kumar, a student and resident of Shyamlal building, Begumpet, was at home when he allegedly received a call from a person named Swamy Goud, who asked him to come to the nearest wine shop. Kiran went with Ajay to the shop, where Goud and some others kidnapped them in a car and sped away.

The two were beaten up in the car, which went via Ameerpet, Bora Banda, Somajiguda and Necklace Road, among other places. After hours, the kidnappers threw Kiran out of the car near Lakdikapul, who then lodged a complaint with the police and gave them the car number.

the scheme and the second is to ensure that successive governments do not scrap it by citing various reasons.

The answer given by the CM convinced the entire Cabinet and shifted the focus on other issues on the agenda.

Speaking to Postnoon, minister for civil supplies D Sridhar

Babu said that the marathon meeting was held peacefully, without any hurdles. “There were no stormy scenes during the meeting. It went on peacefully. We have ratified the proposal to bring a legislation to implement Bangaru Tallli scheme during the ensuing Assembly session. A Cabinet sub-committee will make suitable recommendations on how to implement the scheme and the bill would be prepared before its introduction in the house.”

The CM also successfully ensured the approval of a huge vote catching scheme which aims at providing loans to unemployed youth belonging to SC, ST, BC and minority communities with a budget of `2,000 crore without any discussion. He also won the hearts of the tribal community of the State by announcing the constitution of separate scheduled tribe commission on the lines of minorities and women’s commission. The Cabinet also approved a proposal for the constitution of the commission.

Mohd Subhan mohd.s@postnoon.com

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Police have registered a case and investigations have started.

They suspect the crime involves money matters. A special team has been formed to catch the kidnappers.

n accountant and a salesman bolted with cash and the owner’s bike stolen from a computer shop in CTC complex, Park Lane, Secunderabad.

The owner, Dilip Vardhan, 32, lodged a complaint with the Mahankali police. According to Vardhan, Sapna, 34, an accountant, and Harish, a salesperson, were working in his shop for the last few years.

Vardhan said he tours other cities like Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore to purchase materials. When he was in Mumbai this time, Sapna and Harish allegedly withdrew `10 lakh from his account. The money was withdrawn from

Two employees stole `10 lakh and escaped on the boss’s bike when the latter was out of town.

Canara Bank after Harish forged Vardhan’s signature.

They escaped from the City on Vardhan’s bike. When Vardhan returned to the City, other employers informed him that the two hadn’t turned up for work. He tried contacting them, but their mobiles were switched off. He also received an SMS alert for cash withdrawal and panicked.

Upon inquiry, he got to know that the two are relatives and had fallen in love with each other. Sapna belonged to a poor family and maintained Vardhan’s accounts. He also got to know the transaction details from the bank. Vardhan then lodged a complaint with the Mahankali police, who booked a cheating case against the two.

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CITY SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

PICS: SRINIVAS SETTY

ARUN YELLAMATY

arunyellamaty@postnoon.com

Suffering from thalassemia, three-yearold Shwetha is swimming against the tide. But thanks to the unconditional love of her parents, and the support of friends, she has now been given a fighting chance.

Shwetha’s struggle: A tale of love and fortitude W hen you think of a three-yearold girl, you conjure images of a child full of life, bursting with energy, playing with dolls, and eating ice cream and chocolate.

But here is a heart-wrenching story of little Shwetha Pradhan who is fighting to live a life that she has barely begun.

Shwetha, the daughter of P Raju, suffers from thalassemia — a genetic disorder which hinders the body’s ability to produce haemoglobin and she requires a bone marrow transplant in the next 15 days: a treatment that will cost `40 lakh.

Shwetha was just seven months old when her family found out that she suffered from thalassemia, and they had no idea what to do. When they were told by doctors that Shwetha had to be given blood every 20 days, and undergo a weekly test, they were disturbed.

Narrating the episode, Shwetha’s father, who works at the Mebaz Store, said: “I had no idea what to do. We

were told she would have to be given blood every 20 days, I was numb. When we started the process, we used to get it done at the Thalassemia & Sickle Cell Society, Hyderabad. They helped us for a year.”

It was a trying time for the family. “We had to see our little girl with tubes and in pain every 20 days. What a hard life she lives. My wife would be in tears. Shwetha had no clue what was happening to her; she would get up and start playing, but thoughts of her bleak future would break my heart,” he said.

“Shwetha was advised not to eat regular food given to children. My eldest daughter Anitha, 8, used to drink milk with chocolate powder and she [Shwetha] would cry, as

We had to see our little girl with tubes and in pain every 20 days. Shwetha had no clue what was happening to her, she used to get up and start playing but her bleak future broke my heart.

P Raju, Shwetha’s father

she wanted it too, but we couldn’t give it to her. It is hard for us to breathe knowing our daughter is in trouble.

The doctors gave up hope and said Shwetha would live a maximum of 15 years. The government is not helping at all. We need another `20 lakh.”

Tina, Shwetha’s mother, was in tears as she said: “Every time my daughter comes up to me and asks for chocolates and other things which she sees other children eating, I tell her no and she starts crying.”

When Raju lost hope and was bracing for the worst, his boss, the manager of Mebaz, Prakash Devnani started to do all he could. He organised a blood camp within the company and around 200 people donated blood. Prakash also got in touch with Narayana Hrudalaya in Bangalore to play mediator between the family and the US-based donation programme, NMDC. “Through the American donor programme, we were able to find a 10 to 10 match.

Most of the doctors we got in touch with gave up hope. I saw Raju coming to work disturbed and he was so helpless, he wept and one day opened up to us. We, as colleagues and friends, are trying our best to save Shwetha. I believe if we came this far, we can do it.”

If you would like to contribute to Shwetha’s recovery, contact Mr Raju on 9849297467.

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CITY SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

Outsiders’ bolt for Fish med

The controversies surrounding the organisers of the fish therapy saw a downfall in local turnout, but couldn’t hold back visiting crowds in the City for the ‘curative’ fish medicine.

ALEENA ALICE

aleena.a@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: The impact of the controversy that surrounded the organisers of the Fish medicine, a very popular event in the city seems to have dampened the spirits of many local people on the first day of its distribution.

As against an expected 40,000 people, only 10,000 people turned out at the Exhibition Grounds where the Fish Medicine distribution kicked off. This was revealed by D Venugopal, the assistant director of fisheries department, which supplies live murrel fish for its administration. He said that the specula-

TRAFFIC IS CHAOTIC OUTSIDE THE VENUE. THE VEHICLES PARKED INDISCRIMINATELY ON THE ROAD ARE CAUSING A MAJOR ROAD BLOCK AS THE ALLOTTED PARKING SLOTS ARE ALL FULL. PEOPLE ARE FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO EVEN CROSS THE ROAD

N SHIVA KUMAR

tion that surrounded the event following intervention of Lokayukta on the issue of whether to hold the event or not, led to the low turnout of the people for the event. “There is not much crowd this year as compared with the last year’s turnout. Last year we distributed 40,000 tokens for the administration of the fish. But this year on the first day, we hope to sell only about 10,000 tokens due to the low turn out of the fans of fish medicines,” he said while speaking to Postnoon this morning.

The official further informed that they had sold 3,000 tokens so far to the people.

OUTSIDERS

THRONG

However, the event continued to attract huge number of outsiders from various states and countries. Asthma patients from Nepal, neighboring states Maharastra, Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Kerala and West Bengal thronged the venue to take the medicine. The reason for the huge response from these places is obvious from the curative nature of the fish medicine.

“I came here from Kathmandu to administer the medicine to my 12-year-old son who is an asthma patient. I have heard about the curing power of the medicine from friends and relatives. They have succesffuly got rid of their asthma after taking the fish

medicine,” Badri Mahanandan told Postnoon.

It is not only the common people who have come to the city take the medicine. Medical doctors have also come to the venue to give it a shot. “I am a Homeopath. I have come here from Kolkata to take the medicine. I gave Homepathy medicine to one of my Asthma

patients. But it did not cure the illness. But when they took the fish medicine, they got rid of Asthma. I came here to give it a try,” Dr Ashwin Dutta told Postnoon.

ELABORATE ARRANGEMENTS Following the Lokayukta and High court orders, Hyderabad district administration made

elaborate arrangements for the smooth conduct of the event.

The officials have set up 32 counters to distribute the tokens to the visitors.

The police officials have pressed into action 1,000 police personnel to make the security arrangements, which also include installation of 80 CCTV cameras.

Hacride to fire up metal fans The popular French metal band ‘Hacride’ is set to pump up metal lovers in City with their first Indian tour.

S BALAKRISHNA

Arun Yellamaty arunyellamaty@postnoon.com

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acride, the French metallers are set to fire-up the Hyderabadi metal lovers tonight at the Deccan Rock Edition III at 10 Lounge. The concert is being presented by Orka Networks and powered by 9xo.

Last year, the band was in Goa, but the gig got cancelled.

However, the four member band will be performing for the first time ever in India and that too in Hyderabad. They have released their new album ‘Back to where you’ve never been’ this year and are touring India. They will be opening a concert in Kolkata for Ron, ‘Bumblefoot’, the guitarist of Guns N’ Roses.

Luis Roux, vocalist, said, “While we were on our way, we met a Hyderabadi on plane who said that the people in this City love metal and heard the metal scene is good. So, we are looking

forward to the gig, as we have put in a lot of effort for the concert and practised hard to leave a mark in this City.”

The band, started in 2001, surely comes as a surprise with

their innovative musical concept. The band claims general influences as the obvious Meshuggah and Stapping Young Lad, Metallica and also other music luminaries like Death,

Steve Coleman, and Mike Patton.

Talking about their new album, Luis says, “The album stands out in a unique fashion in regard to the rest of the discography. So, it’s always a bit surprising to see how people are going to perceive the new material. Our love for music goes way beyond the boundaries of extreme death metal. I think people can feel it when they listen to Back to where you’ve never been, as the lyrics are different and we don’t talk about Satan and other stuff. We tend to encourage people to focus on their goals and live them.”

What asked of their expectation from the City audience, Luis says, “We are expecting a warm response and want the crowd to go insane, because we play extreme music and we expect strong reaction from people. We are tired of French audience, who just stare at us when we are playing. We expect to witness some real Hyderabad metal

fans.”

“Positive rage, we must say, is what we are looking forward to,” adds Mike.

Speaking on the opportunity to play and open for Ron, ‘Bumble Foot’, Luis says, “We are looking forward to the gig.

Adrien Grousset, the guitarist, is a big fan of his and also Benoist Danneville on bass. What he does with Guns N’ Roses is amazing. But I am upset that Slash was asked to leave the band. We can pay money to get the original band back and play together.”

On asking for an advice he would want to give to aspiring metal bands, Mike says, “I started to play drums when I was 10. I never dreamt that I will be playing in India. You will get a lot of opportunities to travel the world, but there should be a passion for Metal music within you.

“Most importantly, never give up on the dream of being a musician.”

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NATION SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

Odisha varsity-Trinity pact

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hubaneswar-based Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University on Saturday announced that it had inked a pact with Trinity College, London. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between KIIT registrar Sasmita Samanta and national manager Trinity College, London BM Mohamud Ali two days ago.

NBWs sought for Dawood, Shakeel

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Modi must be BJP face, says Goa CM PANAJI: Goa Chief

The Goa Chief Minister said he has got ‘clear signal’ about ‘public opinion in favour’ of Modi because he is in constant touch with the common people. candidate. But he has to be the face of the party.

This is what I am getting feedback of people...I know what is wrong and what is right,” he said.

The Goa Chief

Minister said he has got “clear signal” about “public opinion in favour” of Modi because he is in constant touch with the common people.

“I have some communication with the common people and I get clear signal about that (Modi’s projection),” Parrikar said.

He added that the decision in this regard has to be taken by the party’s top leadership and he will respect that even if his view is not accepted.

Parrikar had two years ago described senior party leader L K Advani as “rancid PTI pickle’’.

Advani absent today too PANAJI: After skipping the office bearers’ meeting held Friday, an “unwell” L.K. Advani is set to miss the first day of party’s national executive meet here Saturday as well.

BJP sources said Advani would not attend the meeting Saturday. There were reports that the senior party leader

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f you have been to Switzerland in the last few years and violated speed limit norms on the roads in the tourist paradise, then be ready to receive judicial orders for paying fine.

The Swiss police has sent formal requests to Mumbai cops since 2008, seeking recovery of hefty fines ranging from `9,000 to `53,000 from a dozen Mumbaikers for speed limit violations.

Chandigarh cop killed Inspector Sucha Singh succumbed to the stab injuries at the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research on Saturday morning.

CHANDIGARH: An inspector of the Chandigarh Police was stabbed to death by a youth in the early hours of Saturday, police said.

Inspector Sucha Singh succumbed to the stab injuries at the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) here on Saturday morning.

The incident took place just a few metres away from the Sector 17 police station in the heart of the city.

A police constable was also injured in the attack by the unidentified youth.

Police sources said that the inspector, who was in a police Gypsy, had stopped the youth near the district court complex around 3am on Saturday.

The youth was being taken in the vehi-

Parrikar showered praise on Modi for his ‘administrative capabilities’ and ‘popularity’.

Minister Manohar Parrikar today openly pushed for projecting Narendra Modi as the BJP’s “face” for the next general elections, becoming the first senior leader to do so in the divided party.

Parrikar, while showering praise on Modi for his “administrative capabilities” and “popularity”, said the Gujarat Chief Minister’s projection would give a tremendous boost to the party’s electoral prospects.

Modi’s projection should come at least six months ahead of the Lok Sabha polls expected around May next year to give “clarity” to the people of the country who “do not like ambiguity”, he told PTI in an interview here.

Parrikar’s open support for Modi came on the sidelines of BJP’s two-day national executive meeting which is expected to discuss the party’s roadmap for the next year Lok Sabha elections and Assembly elections of five states later this year.

“On the basis of public opinion, definitely Modi should be the face of the party. I am not saying he should be declared as the Prime Ministerial

Swiss speeding tickets

elhi Police on Friday moved an application before a city court seeking open non-bailable warrants (NBWs) against underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Shakeel in connection with the IPL spot fixing case. “It has come to our notice that the main bookies and fixers were in touch with Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Shakeel... They gave directions to bookies and fixers in India...," the special cell of Delhi Police said.

was upset about a decision to make Narendra Modi the head of the party’s campaign committee for the 2014 general elections.

Senior party leaders say this is the first time in their memory that the party stalwart has stayed away from a meeting of the national executive.

IANS

Sources said that after the attack, the attacker drove away in the police Gypsy. cle to the nearby police station when he attacked the inspector with a sharp-edged weapon.

Sources said that after the attack, the youth drove away in the police Gypsy. The vehicle was later found near Dhanas village on the outskirts of this union territory. “We are investigating various angles behind this incident," a senior police officer told IANS. Sucha Singh was posted in the Traffic wing of the Chandigarh police.

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WORLD SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

‘Night Stalker’ dies

China probes bus blaze

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hinese police launched a criminal investigation Saturday into a horrific bus blaze that claimed the lives of 47 people, and identified a suspect in connection with the inferno.

While stopping short of saying they believed the fire had been started deliberately, authorities announced that the fire, which engulfed the bus in minutes in Xiamen.

Mandela in hopsital again

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serial killer known as the “Night Stalker” for a chilling spree of 13 killings in California in the 1980s died Friday in custody, officials said. Richard Ramirez, sentenced to death in 1989 for the gory murders committed over a 14-month period, died of natural causes in the Marin General Hospital, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said.

ormer South African president Nelson Mandela, 94, was readmitted to hospital on Saturday with a renewed lung infection and is in “serious but stable” condition, the presidency said. “This morning his condition deteriorated and he was transferred to a Pretoria hospital. He remains in a serious but stable condition,” the President’s office said.

Five killed in Santa Monica shooting rampage The assailant began by killing his father and brother in a burnt-out house before a random string of slayings in Santa Monica, only a few miles from an event attended by President Barack Obama.

Michael Thurston Agence France-Presse

LOS ANGELES: A black-clad gunman killed at least four people in a shooting rampage in the US state of California Friday, before police shot him dead in a college library, officials said.

Wearing black clothing and a tactical vest, the assailant began by killing his father and brother in a burnt-out house before a random string of slayings in Santa Monica, only a few miles from an event attended by President Barack Obama.

One witness described how the gunman, a white male aged 25 to 30 carrying an ammunition belt and a semi-automatic rifle, shot a motorist at point-blank range before hijacking another vehicle.

Police revised the death toll late Friday, telling journalists that five including the gunman were killed, down from earlier reports of seven.

Five more were wounded, including one critically and one who was in “serious but stable condition,” said Sergeant Richard Lewis.

Another suspect was taken into custody but soon released after the shootings, which occurred as Obama was speaking at a political fundraiser a few

The gun debate rekindled

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he shooting is the latest in an all-too regular succession of such rampages, which fuel the gun control debate in America.

They follow last year’s massacre of 20 schoolchildren in Connecticut, and the slaying of 12 moviegoers in Colorado.

Realtives of two victims who were killed during the Santa Monica College shootings are overcome with grief near the scene where an SUV crashed throught the wall of a parking lot across the street from the college June 7, 2013 in Santa Monica, California.

KEVORK DJANSEZIAN/GETTY IMAGES/AFP

miles away in the oceanfront city, just west of Los Angeles.

“At this time, we believe it’s a single gunman. That part of it has been resolved,” Lewis said, adding that the coroner was still working on confirming his identity. That information was expected to be released on Saturday.

The shooting is the latest in an all-too regular succession of such rampages, which fuel the gun control debate in America.

They follow last year’s massacre of 20 schoolchildren in Connecticut, and the slaying of 12 moviegoers in a theater in Colorado.

The incident apparently began with the shootings in a nearby house, which was then set on fire. The Los Angeles Times reported that two bodies found in the burnt-out home were those of the gunman’s father and brother.

A witness who lives opposite

the house told KTLA 5 television she heard gunfire and rushed out of her house to see a man who had apparently just opened fire inside or on the house, which was beginning to burn.

“There was a guy standing on the street in front of my house, in full SWAT gear, with a belt full of ammunition and a semi-automatic rifle,” said the woman, whom the channel identified as Gerry Cunningham.

She described how he walked to a nearby intersection, pointed the gun at a woman in a car and told her to pull over, which she did.

“Then the woman behind her in a car, he waved her through with the gun,” she said.

“She kind of hesitated, she kind of slowed down, and he just fired like three or four shots point blank into her in the car,” Cunningham said.

The gunman then carjacked another vehicle, and a short time later opened fire on a bus and other vehicles, before heading into the Santa Monica College, according to media reports.

Nearby schools and campuses were put on lockdown, police said, amid initial confusion over whether an additional gunman could be at large. In all, six people — all women — were taken to two hospitals, including two in critical condition, one of whom died, according to Dr Marshall Morgan, head of emergency medicine at the UCLA Medical Center.

“Today’s incident is not a college or school shooting, it’s rather a series of shootings that occurred in the city of Santa Monica and culminated with the shooting incident that occurred at Santa Monica College,” said Santa Monica Police Chief Jacqueline Seabrooks.

Obama, Xi bond at desert retreat

General suspended for Skinhead attack: handling of abuse case 5 held in France

RANCHO MIRAGE: Throwing formality aside at a

WASHINGTON: A general who oversees US Army

desert retreat, the US and Chinese leaders pledged a new approach in ties, but President Barack Obama took the rising power to task on cyber-hacking charges. Skipping the usual summit pageantry, Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping both went without neckties at a resort under the blazing California sun as they looked to forge a personal chemistry for the years to come. In their first meeting since Xi assumed power in March, Obama voiced hope that the US superpower and fast-growing China “can forge a new model of cooperation between countries based on mutual interest and mutual respect,” before a leisurely dinner.

troops in Japan has been suspended for allegedly failing to report or investigate an account of a possible sexual assault, officials said Friday. The unusual move underscored heightened concern over sexual assault in the ranks amid a rise in reported incidents and a spate of high-profile scandals. Major General Michael Harrison was suspended by Army Secretary John McHugh and Army chief General Ray Odierno on allegations he “failed in his duties as a commander to report or properly investigate an allegation of sexual assault,” the Army said in a statement. Until the investigation of the twostar general is complete, Major General James Boozer will serve as commander in Japan, officials said.

PARIS: French authorities detained five people late Friday in connection with the death of a leftist student activist following a skinhead attack that sent shock waves across the country. The five suspects, aged between 19 and 32 and including one woman, were due to appear before a judge on Saturday. Earlier Friday French Interior Minister Manuel Valls vowed to crack down on far-right groups after 18-year-old Clement Meric, a student at the country’s prestigious Sciences-Po university, died following a fight with skinheads in Paris. His death on Thursday, the day after the incident, brought condemnation across the political spectrum and prompted thousands of people out onto the streets in Paris and other major cities in protest.

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COMMENT SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

EDITORIALS ROSHNI SHOULD counter the dark The move by the Government of India to win over rural people, especially ones in the far east with schemes that will directly benefit them holds promise.

This is being done to counter the upsurge of activities of Maoists, the underground political party that aims to overthrow the government through people's war.

To reach out to rural youth in the country’s critical Left-Wingextremism-affected districts, the Centre has introduced a placement-oriented skill-development scheme targeting 50,000 persons, mostly tribal youth.

Market-driven skills training will be provided in fields such as mobile repairing, tailoring, construction, nursing and retail. In a holistic approach, trainees will be provided with accommodation too.

The launch of the scheme Roshni comes soon after the brutal Maoist attack on a Congress convey in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar district in which 16 people, including two senior Congress leaders, were killed.

The training will be imparted through public-private and public partnerships. Different training modules of durations ranging from three months to one year shall be taken up to meet the diverse needs of the youth, depending on their entry-level qualifications.

There has never been a dearth of government schemes to aid the public. Time and again it is at the implementation and sustenance levels that these schemes have faltered reducing a well-meaning initiative into a farce. Careful monitoring of progress of the project and accountability of allotted funds will decide the success of Roshni.

WHY WE LOVE...

LK Advani He has spoken his mind, even when he felt “Mohammed Ali Jinnah was a secular leader”.

He has expressed dissent, by attacking the then president of BJP Nitin Gadkari on his blog.

He absents himself from his party’s National Executive meeting to protest Narendra Modi’s proposed candidacy for the top job — the party giving him the go by in the process.

My space, your space Soul Curry SUMAA TEKUR

L

ong flights can be peaceful or difficult based on who’s on the next seat. A couple of weeks ago, I was on a very long flight back home. It was a full flight and I didn’t even get a window seat. Next to me was an old man who was travelling back home with his entire family – wife, daughter, son-in-law and two grandkids. The family did not get seats in the same row. They were all scattered in the cabin.

The man next to me took every opportunity to walk around the cabin to check on his grandkids. He got up to check on his wife. After a few minutes, he got up to remind his son-in-law that he’s vegetarian and that he must tell the flight crew.

I was sleeping for most of the flight but was aware of all this action around me. This enthusiastic granddad once shouted out to this granddaugh-

ter when he spotted the little one across the cabin. I woke up with a start. My heart was racing because I felt something had gone terribly wrong.

After a while, the food was served. The man decided to walk around again and ensure everyone in his family had their meal. I ate watching a movie on the in-flight entertainment system. Then they served us tea. And here’s where the story begins.

The sound of his tea-slurping reached my ears through the loud hum of the flight and through the headphones I had plugged in with the volume at maximum. With every slurp he took, my nerves grated and jarred and shivers of discomfort ran through my spine. I waited and thought it was over. But then there it was again — another slurp. It was the largest cup of tea ever, according to me.

When I took off my headphones and prepared to take another nap, he turned to me and started a conversation. “Where are you coming from? London or the US?” I wish I had pretended to not have heard. For, the rest of my flight was effectively ruined

PERSONAL SPACE INTRUSIONS CAN BE VERY ANNOYING. WE ALL HAVE OUR OWN SETS OF COMFORT LEVELS IN WHICH WE INTERACT. when I answered. He barraged me with questions. I politely answered. Then he gave me long speeches on the state of India, corruption in India, traffic in Indian cities, driving in Phoenix (which he enjoyed very much), his son-in-law’s job, his daughter’s freelance work (which is as good as a full-time job), his grandkids’ names, his favourite restaurants, and much more.

What I realised only later was that when he parted with all this information, he expected me to do the same. When he saw no information being volunteered, he started with: What does your father do? Where do you stay? Are you married? Is your sister married? I finally pretended to be falling asleep

and drifted off into slumber.

When I woke up, he was not on his seat. I took the opportunity to go for a walk and get some tea from the pantry. I was hanging around and talking to the flight crew when, almost out of nowhere, he landed up and wanted to know what I’m drinking, how much sugar I take in my tea, how frequently I drink tea, etc.

Personal space intrusions can be very annoying. We all have our own sets of comfort levels in which we interact. It’s both physical as well as psychic.

This space is different for different people. Many intruders rarely even realise that they’re intruding.

Although easier said than done, using the Zen approach of Let It Be is perhaps the only way to deal with personal space intruders. After a point, the man stopped being annoying.

It’s because of the shift I had made in my own mind. When he was peering into the personal details I was filling up in my landing card, I said to myself: Let it be. It anyway didn’t matter once I had my baggage and I was out of the terminal.

9

COMMENT SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

Roaring pets in ‘poppy palaces’ of Afghanistan Kabul Express SARDAR AHMAD

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or Kabul’s wealthy elite some things are de rigueur: armed guards, a marble-clad mansion, a blacked-out SUV. But one man has taken the flamboyant lifestyle a step further and bought a lion.

Mohammad Shafiq, a 42-yearold businessman, is very proud of his growling pet, which spends its days prowling a roof terrace at his sprawling home in a posh residential area of central Kabul.

“A friend said he had a lion in Kandahar and wanted to sell it to me," Shafiq, who runs a construction company, told AFP. “He knew I loved dogs and birds, but

Urban sketches VISWAPRASAD RAJU

this was more than what I was expecting.

“I had seen lions on television and in the zoo, but never this close. So without any hesitation, I said I will buy it. To me, lions are brave and I respect them. Knowing I could buy one was very exciting."

The lion, still unnamed, is not chained up and has no collar and spends much of the day lying quietly in a corner of the roof terrace above a storeroom, coming down each evening to eat.

Shafiq says he spends about $1,000 a month employing a caretaker to feed it fresh meat bought from a butcher and also paying a vet to check its health regularly.

Tens of billions of dollars have flowed into Afghanistan in the 12 years since the US-led invasion that toppled the Taliban. Some Afghans have

MOHAMMAD SHAFIQ, A 42-YEAR-OLD BUSINESSMAN, IS VERY PROUD OF HIS GROWLING PET, WHICH SPENDS ITS DAYS PROWLING THE ROOF OF HIS SPRAWLING HOME IN CENTRAL KABUL.

become very rich as a result and they are not shy when it comes to flaunting their wealth.

Kabul is dotted with the flashy houses of the nouveau riche, dripping with chandeliers and nicknamed “poppy palaces” — hinting at the shady provenance of at least some of the money in the world’s leading opium producing nation.

But so far Shafiq is thought

to be the only person to acquire such an unusual status symbol.

Shafiq, who says he was a resistance fighter when the Taliban fell and made his money through lucrative construction contracts for clients including the US embassy, said he had owned the male cub for two months and thought it was now about six months old.

“It cost me $20,000, including transport from Kandahar to Kabul by road," he said, declining to explain about how the lion was driven on the 300-mile (480kilometre) route that is often hit by insurgent bombs and ambushes.

He brushed off suggestions he is being cruel by keeping a large wild animal in captivity in a city wrecked by decades of war, and said he though it may have come to Afghanistan via Iran.

But during a visit to the

house by an AFP reporter and photographer, the lion appeared nervous and growled aggressively when anyone approached it.

Shafiq has plans to move it to a large pen in the backyard of another property in the Afghan capital.

Claire McMaster, wildlife director at the World Society for the Protection of Animals, criticised Shafiq, warning that any captive lion posed a serious threat to human life.

“Wild animals should not be kept as pets as it is cruel to hold them in captivity and confined away from their natural habitat, especially as owners are unlikely to meet their complex needs," she told AFP. “The other problem with keeping a wild animal as a pet is that unlike domesticated animals, the size and unpredictable behaviour could lead to serious injury or death to AFP the owner."

Global edits

Secret Lake

The New York Times (US)

What’s All the Fuss About Bikes?

N

ew Yorkers will tolerate almost anything, including obvious inconveniences like overcrowded subways. Why, then, all the anxiety and hyperventilating over something that is indisputably a good thing: the shortterm bicycle rentals that have become available in parts of the city?

One critic has complained that the bikes are yet another instance of behavioral regimentation by the “totalitarians” in City Hall. Lawsuits have been readied, docking stations defaced, parallels drawn between the Bloomberg administration and the Taliban. A protest was held last week in SoHo’s Petrosino Square, where residents feel there should be art instead of bike racks.

Still others have complained about the Citibank logo appearing on bikes and kiosks, a perk for sponsoring the project. But when did commercialism become such a big deal in New York?

The subway system sells ads on its tunnel walls and its entranceways, and sometimes wraps the inside of entire cars in one ultralarge billboard.

BIKE-SHARING WORKS IN PARIS, LONDON, MONTREAL, COPENHAGEN, WASHINGTON, BOSTON, DENVER, HOUSTON, FORT LAUDERDALE, AND KANSAS CITY, MO, TO NAME A FEW CITIES. There are more legitimate worries, mainly about safety. Over the past few years, the city has invested in more than 350 miles of bike lanes, but maneuvering through city traffic will still require great care as well as forbearance by cyclicsts, motorists and pedestrians alike.

Bike-sharing works in Paris, London, Montreal, Copenhagen, Washington, Boston, Denver, Houston, Fort Lauderdale, and Kansas City, Mo., to name a few cities. And already city officials in New York are boasting that in 10 days and despite a few computer glitches, there have been 100,000 rides covering 270,000 miles. This project can work, even with anti-bikers braying on the sidelines.

10

BUSINESS SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

Tech for tourism

Investing in northeast

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lanning Commission member BK Chaturvedi Friday said the government has made major investments in the northeastern states in all infrastructure but there are still large gaps that need to be covered.”The share of investments of infrastructure as a share of GDP has increased from four per cent to eight per cent in the last eight years,” he said.

Property show postponed

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hief Minister Oommen Chandy said Friday the digital technology has opened up vast global markets for start-up businesses in the travel and tourism sector, and that young entrepreneurs need to take advantage of it. “A small home-based business in Kerala can now market itself like big hotel chains to target customers in London or Sydney,”he said.

roperty Bazaar 2013, which was scheduled to be held on June 8-9, 2013 at Lake View Park on Necklace Road, has been postponed to June 21-23. The show, which also takes visitors to see properties they like on site in the City, will be held at HITEX exhibition center with more number of stalls. Further details will be unveiled this coming Wednesday.

LENDING A HELPING HAND

Giving up a lucrative career, Deepak Madabushi started an organisation to help elderly people get their regular health checkups on time.

TRADE TROUBLE

China’s exports growth at 1 % Exports grew just one per cent in May, as sluggish overseas demand hit the country’s exporters.

SRINIVAS SETTY

PRUDHVI RAJU K

prudhvi.k@postnoon.com

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n entrepreneur does a lot of brainstorming before starting up a venture. At times, this over-thinking may kill the business in the ideating stage.

Many ideas are often overlooked due to fewer margins and nonscalability. It is rare to see someone starting a business to check the viability of an idea although it doesn’t offer great margins.

Deepak Madabushi is one such entrepreneur who started MediTrack in a small way in June 2011. His idea is to help elders in getting their health checkups done and to try and fill the emotional gap of their children.

On the birth of the business idea, he says, “I was working with D.E. Shaw and could not get my mother to her health checkups due to my busy schedule.

Although it was a regular checkup, I kept on postponing. Even I looked out for a service which can help elders to get their regular health checkups, but did not find any. Being here, if I could not get the regular health checkup in time, how about the parents of NRIs who are staying here all alone? The idea is to help elders in the process of getting their health checkups on time without postponing it.”

The main target customers are NRIs who are looking for health checkups for their parents. “Most of the time, parents of NRIs tend to stay back here due to many reasons. They do not want to depend on relatives or friends for such help. They want somebody to whom they can talk to and take help from in the pro-

Being here, if I could not get the regular health checkup (for my mother) in time, how about the parents of NRIs who are staying here all alone?

Deepak Madabushi, Founder, MediTrack

cess of checkups,” he says.

Deepak gave up an enticing career to pursue this idea. He worked with various MNCs like Bank of America and DE Shaw.

“After working for five years with D.E. Shaw, I wanted to take a sabbatical for few months. The business idea which I had long ago was still fresh in mind. I started in a small way by doing it all myself. Eventually, I took it off seriously and resigned from my job. I had invested gratuity amount in the business to devel-

op the website and keep it running by mid 2011.”

When asked about the background research he did on his business idea, he says, “I had informal conversations with NRI friends about the idea. They all encouraged me in going ahead with it. I am operating it as a not-for-profit organisation where I keep my needs and spending away from business. I do not want to tap into the emotional and health needs of a person and make money out of it. We charge around $80-$100, which includes the costs for heath checkup, pickup and drop (travelling) and breakfast. Mostly, I take them in my car and get the health checkup done and drop them back safely,” he says.

Explaining the process, he says, “The child or parent can call our helpline number and can request for a health checkup.

They can also choose the type of health checkup and stipulate a time for it. An attendant goes to the patient’s house, picks them up and takes them to the hospital. He is with them throughout the process, helping them, and drops them back home. Once the health reports are out, these are delivered at the customer’s home and are also emailed to the NRI children. If they want, we can upload and maintain their health records online at our website.”

The company also wants to expand into other operations like helping pregnant women in getting their health checkups once it reaches sufficient numbers. “With the growth in volumes, we even can request for discounts in these health checkups and get it passed on to the customers. This will also help in bringing down the fee and also help locals who are looking for such service,” Deepak adds.

BEIJING: China’s exports grew just one per cent onyear in May, slowing sharply from the previous month as sluggish overseas demand hit the country’s exporters, customs authorities said Saturday.

The exports growth to $182.8 billion is far lower than 14.7 per cent recorded in April and below a medium forecast of 5.6 per cent expansion in a Dow Jones Newswires’ poll of economists.

Imports dropped 0.3 per cent to $162.3 billion, customs said in a statement, down from a rise of 16.8 per cent in April and below the economists’ median forecast of a five per cent increase.

China’s trade surplus stood at $20.4billion last month, it said, widening from $18.2 billion in the previous month.

The disappointing trade performance last month was due to “a slowdown in the domestic economy, sluggish foreign demand, companies’ high costs, the appreciation in the yuan’s real value and a worsening trade environment,” customs said.

11

FOCUS SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

A ROYAL NEMESIS PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEON NEAL

The British Royal family tried just about everything to get rid of photographer Ray Bellisario, short of sending him to the Tower.

The palace blocked access to royal engagements, successfully instructed editors not to use his pictures and even took him to court.

Alice Ritchie Agence France-Presse

LONDON: The world’s press will train their lenses on Britain’s new royal baby next month, but after a career spent snapping the family in the most unflattering light, Ray Bellisario will happily leave them to it.

“When there’s a royal wedding, or like now there’s going to be a royal baby, I bugger off,” the photographer says. “I’ve never had an interest in them. It was just bread and butter for me.”

Dubbed London’s first paparazzo — a term he hates — Bellisario was a constant presence at royal events in the 1960s and 70s, taking candid and often embarrassing shots of Queen Elizabeth II and her family.

The royals tried just about everything to get rid of him short of sending him to the Tower of London. The palace blocked his access to royal engagements, complained to the press watchdog, successfully instructed editors not to use his pictures and even took him to court. Now aged 77, Bellisario says he has few regrets about his work on the royals, which paved the way for the kind of off-guard, up-close shots beloved of today’s celebrity magazines.

“Let’s get real — they love it. Without it, where the hell would they be?” he

said. These days Bellisario, a lifelong socialist, makes frequent trips to Cuba to teach journalism at the University of Havana and, since a spinal condition put him in a wheelchair 27 years ago, campaigns for disability rights.

But, resplendent in a cerise suit, pink shirt and peach tie, he shared some of his exploits with us over coffee in London ahead of an auction of his work in September.

Among the estimated 20,000 transparencies is one looking up the queen’s dress as she sat by the lake at Sunninghill Park in Windsor with her sister, Princess Margaret, who was wearing a bathing suit. He had gone searching for Margaret, but was quite surprised when the picture of the queen was exposed in the dark room. “That was purely accidental — I was absolutely amazed,” he says, laughing.

The shots of Margaret prompted the monarch to complain to the Press Council, the then-media watchdog, which in 1964 strongly condemned Bellisario for taking pictures in a private area.

Buckingham Palace had previously taken Bellisario to court for shooting pictures of Princess Anne, the queen’s daughter, and he was fined for breaching a local by-law.

Although he was subsequently blacklisted by

most British newspapers, Bellisario refused to give up and says he knew foreign publications would always want his work.

The royals’ actions were like a red rag to a bull. “It was the worst thing they could have

When there’s a royal wedding, or like now there’s going to be a royal baby, I bugger off. I’ve never had an interest in them.

It was just bread and butter for me.

Ray Bellisario

Bellisario’s collection will be sold by Omega Auctions in London on September 28. The proceeds will go to his legal advice charity, Reach for Rights.

done,” he recalls.

He makes no secret of his dislike of the royal family, describing the queen as “that damn woman”.

“They irritated me first by their presence,” he says.

But he had realised that the new monarch — Elizabeth II took the throne in 1952, around the time Bellisario started working — was an opportunity to forge a career.

One of his first jobs was at London’s Covent Garden, home to the Royal Opera and Royal Ballet, where he borrowed a box to get a good view of the queen’s mother across the auditorium.

He had a problem, though. Bellisario was using a new colour film which required his subject to stand still for 15 seconds.

“How did I get it?” he asks. Grinning at the memory, he starts singing: “God, Save Our...” It was the national anthem, for which everyone in the theatre had to stand.

Bellisario insists his pictures are the result of patience and creativity and that he always stayed within the law — and on the ground. “Never up a tree!” he cries, mock horrified at the idea.

One of his most successful photographs was of Princess Anne falling off her horse in an eventing competition.

He had waited for weeks for the perfect shot, until he caught Anne side-

on flying off her horse, her grimacing face in sharp profile.

Relations with royals went from bad to worse, particularly with the queen’s husband Philip who, according to Fleet Street legend, used to check suits of armour to ensure Bellisario was not inside.

In 1971, Bellisario took Princess Margaret’s husband Lord Snowdon to court for what he claims was a deliberate attempt to run him off the road.

Snowdon was fined £20

for careless driving.

Eventually, however, he grew tired of the battles and went abroad, covering Northern Ireland and the Nigerian civil war.

For a moment, his bravado disappears and his eyes fill with tears as he recalls the endless stream of starving refugee children arriving at Port Harcourt airport in Nigeria. After all, there is one regret, he says — “wasting 15, 16 years of my career photographing the royals”.

PICK YOUR

@

Across Stores

ities Twin C

12

TECHNOLOGY SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

WEBSITE OF THE WEEK www.lostworldsfairs.com he Lost World’s Fair site was developed to showcase the HTML5 capabilities inherent in IE9 by creating interactive posters that take users on a journey to three fabled locales.

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MOBILE GAME REVIEW

APP OF THE WEEK

THEREISNOPAUSEBUTTON

SugarSync

S

ugarSync gives you access to your files from a multitude of devices, no matter if you store them on your laptop at home, desktop computer at the office, tablet, and so on. You can use SugarSync to stream music.

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his is a simple sidescrolling game where the screen automatically scrolls horizontally and all you do is jump to avoid obstacles and reach the end of each stage.

These "endless" scroller games can be a ton of fun on mobile to kill time.

Here are some of the new games you can expect to be showcased at E3 2013 that starts on Tuesday.

BALANARAYAN NT

balanarayan.nt@postnoon.com Destiny Platform: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One Halo creator Bungie’s new IP

will also be a shooter that is set in a dynamic environment, in the sense the things you might see and experience are

not scripted by the developer.

The game has MMO like characteristics and is set in a distant future where human

beings are on the verge of extinction. The developer has not released more information on the game apart from the

technical capabilities, so we’ll have to wait for E3 before we really know what the game will be like.

Knack

The Evil Within

Watch Dogs

Platform: PS4 ony has made some great platformer games in the last generation and they have yet another one in the form of Knack. In the game, you play as a robot that can add elements from the environment to its body to improve its skills.

It was one of the first games Sony showcased during the big PlayStation 4 reveal and it did get a lot of cheers from the audience then.

Platform: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One reated by Shinji Mikami, the man behind the Resident Evil series you’ll be fighting hordes of undead in this new survival horror game.

Many gamers feel that Resident Evil is not as great as it used to be, so one can think of this game as a new take on the classic franchise.

Unlike RE, this game may not be about gunplay or about killing everything that moves. According to the developers the main purpose of the game will be to shock and scare the gamers — a feat very few games have been able to manage.

Platform: PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One his open world action adventure game developed by Ubisoft lets gamers hack into the various electronic devices that are connected to the city's central operating system to clear the objectives. The game makes heavy use of augmented reality and employs stealth components in gameplay. The game’s trailer shows heavy use of parkour along with coverbased shooting system.

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C Quantum Break Platform: Xbox One f you liked the dark, gritty thriller that Alan Wake was, you might like this too. Created by Remedy the same studio that was behind Alan Wake and Max Payne, this sci-fi disaster adventure will come with an interactive television series. The storyline and events in the series will change depending on the action you take in the game, but we’ll need to wait and see how the developers pull this off. It could be similar to Spartan Ops in Halo 4 where the developers kept pushing in new playable rounds every couple of weeks.

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T

The Wonderful 101 Platform: Wii U f you’re one of the few people who bothered to import a Wii U to India this game might be of interest to you. The game has very arcady feel to it much like Team Fortress 2 and in it you get to play and control a group of masked crusaders who are trying to protect earth from aliens. This game, with humorous undertones was supposed to be a launch title for Wii U but has got delayed and is expected to release in the next few months.

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13

ANIMAL KINGDOM SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

PET NEWS

IMPORTANT NUMBERS

Scientists up in arms

A tortured alligator rescued

round 300 researchers and students from around Italy demonstrated in Milan on June 1 to increase awareness for the need for lab animals in biomedical research. The protest was a reply to what the researchers call a “witch-hunt” led by animal-rights activists.

seven-foot alligator has been confiscated and its owner faces animal cruelty charges after it was found caged in a plastic box in an Ohio basement. A video emerged of it being taunted by teenagers who kept it in the basement for 15 years.

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A

Atlantic puffin in danger

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he Atlantic puffin population is at risk in the United States, and there are signs the seabirds are in distress in other parts of the world. In the Gulf of Maine, these birds have been dying of starvation and losing body weight.

CATS AND DOGS The Animal Care Clinic 040-2335 2474 Pet’s World Dog Clinic 98856 46259 Blue Cross of Hyderabad 040-3298 9858, 23544355/ 5523 Vet-N-Pet 040-6553 9535, 93463 05890 Bluplus Pet Clinic 040-2712 1739, 2716 2636 Sri Sai Pet Clinic

040-2779 7458, 9848645350 Claws & Paws 98662 82772 All Creatures Animals Clinic 040-2773 0885 BIRDS Govt Veterinary Hospital 040-2331 9656, 2753 5755 Bird Watcher’s Society 040-2355 6166 Friends of Birds9391048315 SNAKES Friends of Snakes 8374233366

A place to call home Hema Bandela, who is in charge of PFA rescue home in Old City, talks about her bond with animals.

AMY ROSE THOMAS

amyrose.t@postnoon.com

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magine the dog you feed everyday being caught by the municipality supposedly for sterilisation. And when you visit, you witness officials killing dogs they have caught one by one.

It was this incident that got Hema Bandela interested in animal welfare. Luckily, she did manage to save her dog but had to witness many other dogs being killed in front of her. She complained to People for Animals (PFA) and after months of putting pressure on the municipality, this practice was stopped. After this incident, she decided to stick with PFA and help with animal welfare. She is now in charge of a temporary home in the Old City where she takes care of rescued animals and provides them with medical care whenever necessary.

“I still keep a watchful eye on the municipality and with the

PFA ID, I can walk in whenever I want and keep a check on their proceedings,” she says.

What attracted her the most to PFA was its tagline — We bite for their rights.

“The moment I saw the tagline I knew I was going to be part of the organisation. I was conferred the responsibility of the rescue home two and half years ago and since then, I have been able to save lives of many animals. We have a vet, Dr Kirmani, who visits us every

I still keep a watchful eye on the municipality and with the PFA ID, I can walk in whenever I want and keep a check on their proceedings.

Hema Bandela, PFA shelter home in-charge

day. When we get emergency cases, we take our patients to Dr Lakshmi S, who is also the joint secretary of PFA,” she says.

She says she doesn’t entertain people who bring in healthy animals to the rescue home.

“We have capacity to facilitate 30 animals at the home and we use it exclusively for sick animals so that they can be given immediate medical care and later released back on the street.

We always take precautions before keeping puppies in the

rescue home because there are more chances of them contracting diseases,” she says.

Hema’s advice to those who want to help street animals is to never pick up puppies that are staying with their mothers.

“Puppies that have their mothers do not need to be rescued. I get many cases where people bring in healthy puppies.

The streets are much more comfortable for animals than our homes, so if you want to help, get them sterilised,” she says.

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BOOKS SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

SHORT READS Title: Revolutionary Summer: The Birth of American Independence Author: Joseph J Ellis Publisher: Knopf Doubleday This one comes to you from Pulitzer Prize winner Ellis, who is known for crafting beautiful biographies and historical novels. In this book, he traces the men and the incidents that led to American independence.

Title: Joyland Author: Stephen King Publisher: Hard Case Crime And Stephen King is back!

The master of horror’s latest offering comes in the form of Joyland, whose cover is a nod to good ol’ pulp fiction. Devon Jones, 21, works over the summer at Joyland amusement park, but the fun and frolic soon takes a turn for the dark.

Title: The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls Author: Anton DiSclafani Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) When a book is called ‘the most anticipated book for summer 2013’ by the Wall Street Journal, you pay attention. Thea Atwell is sent off to camp after her mysterious role in a family tragedy, and she struggles to fit in.

A LONG WAIT If you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller, this isn’t it. William Boyd’s Waiting for Sunrise is a leisurely stroll into the world of World War I scandals, lovers and spies.

JYOTSNA NAMBIAR

jyotsna.n@postnoon.com

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hrillers usually follow a well-trodden path. They grab you by the scruff of

Priyam Ghosh feedback@postnoon.com

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es, the title of the book speaks for itself. An aid writer that I have known Vanessa Able to be, she has finally managed to complete her writing streak with this travelogue, and that too in a country like India, where the traffic on roads would drive you crazy and the people you ask for help could drive you nuts.

Rash drivers, pathetic helpers and maddening traffic on those really narrow lanes, more than half of which are occupied with people jaywalking, will just leave you wondering as to where you could drive and park your not-too-big car like a Nano on the streets.

The writer avidly speaks of

the neck on the very first page and throw you onto a roller coaster of action, adventure and intrigue.

Now, if you like that sort of thing, then William Boyd’s Waiting for Sunrise might not

be the book for you. The book kicks off in Vienna, where young English actor Lysander Rief is undergoing psychological treatment for his sexual problems. A chance encounter with a high-strung painter at

Title: Bad Monkey Author: Carl Hiaasen Publisher: Knopf This book involves a human arm in a freezer, a fugitive, a kinky coroner, a voodoo witch and a bad monkey. Sounds completely whacked out? The villains are through and through bad, the heroes are all oddballs and Carl Hiaasen remains as hilarious as ever.

the doctor’s office sets the stage for the rest of his stay in Vienna.

Hounded out of the quiet Austrian capital by an unfortunate twist of fate, Lysander runs back home to England.

Just as he’s settling back into his routine life, World War I breaks out. Lysander’s Austria experience makes him an ideal spy, and he becomes an unwilling recruit in wartime intrigue.

His past and present swirl together, leaving him a conflicted man.

It’s slow, leisurely beginning picks up pace as the war breaks out, and people, places and circumstances change at breakneck speed. Boyd captures the confusion and exhilaration of war-torn Europe well, combining the political and the personal effortlessly. Family, lovers, acquaintances and bosses acquire a sinister edge, and no one is what they seem to be.

The characters are welletched and very, very real.

Lysander’s aimlessness, his affections and his actions make him a likeable character, just for his ordinariness. The dynamic women in his life, and his shadowy bosses seem more typical, but their actions set them apart from run-of-the-mill characters.

What I take issue with is the build-up. With so much time devoted to Lysander’s Vienna interlude, it is almost a let-down that hardly any of the people he met there play an important role. They stay on the fringes, influencing but not interfering in the story. It feels like a case of Chekhov’s gun not going off in

Ride in a yellow Nano how you really don’t require money or other resources to accomplish a journey of almost 10,000 kilometres across India.

Yes, she managed to do it all with oodles of patience, determination and probably the world’s cheapest and tiniest car, the Tata Nano.

Her perseverance takes her through everything, right from some really absurd people who take her for a ride and teach the writer how to judge someone by the size of their car, to actually realising how it feels when your GPS fails due to the remote location you are in, and you are stranded in the middle of nowhere.

Name The Nanologues Author Vanessa Able Pages 336 Publisher Hachette India

Travelling has never been this tough, never been this enjoyable and entertaining as Able takes you on a remarkable journey of humour through her scathing comments and lucid writing. Armed only with her

the second act.

The final sunrise feels almost anti-climactic. The denouement is unsatisfactory, especially considering the detail and colour that had gone into the rest of the novel. As the two characters walk into the sunrise, the reader feels left behind.

It does leave you waiting, but it is a rewarding wait. As a novel, rich in detail and nuance, Waiting for Sunrise hits a lot of the right notes. Just don’t expect a racy read with an explosive end.

Name Waiting for Sunrise Author William Boyd Pages 429 Publisher Bloomsbury

odometer, her own speedometer and a trusty slant, this book is a series of comical instances, and a collection of hilarious peopl, who actually add that dollop of sweet and spiciness that transforms this travelogue.

This book could have been more or less like any other travelogue, the difference here being that Able is probably the first one to take you through India in a Lime-coloured Nano.

If you really enjoy travelling to remote areas of a country, then you could totally empathise with the writer, who conjures a crystal clear picture of how travelling in India actually is. And it’s rather different from how you would actually perceive it to be. A hilarious book, from an author that pulls no punches.

15

BOOKS SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

Can you speak dolphin?

Ever wondered why birds sing as dawn breaks? Or what language people who are deaf from birth think in? The book gives you answers.

Some good questions and answers DEEPASHRI V

1

deepashri.v@postnoon.com

How long can you keep a tiger cub as pet?

Even if you and your family avoid featuring on your tiger’s menu, there are the minor social, and, probably, legal difficulties, arising out of the disappearance of your neighbours’ pets. Tigers do not only kill to eat; in the wild they will also suppress local populations of rival carnivores in their territory. These include wolves — and the next door’s Labrador… The correct answer to this, of course, is that no tiger of any age should live socially alongside people.

T

he simplest of doubts prompt the most amazing scientific explanations.

New Scientist’s latest compilation of scientific explanations to questions from the Last Word column of the magazine is a treat to science lovers.

Did you ever wonder why all of hens’ eggs hatch at the same time? Or why most species have an even number legs — why no three legs? Why are athletic tracks anti-clockwise? And why does garlic turn blue in a salad after a few days? Why are there only two sexes?

Questions are answered by experts in that particular field, or by those who have experi-

is it that birds which lay a large num2How ber of eggs are able to

Name Will we ever speak dolphin?

Author Mick O’ Hare Pages 225 Publisher Hachette India

enced something similar. Some questions, answered by more than one person, give contradicting views. Many of these have interesting things for you to read and discover. But a few answers leave you doubtful still, with the explanations not completely satisfying your ‘but hows’ and ‘but whys’.

What makes it interesting is the kind of questions that are

WHAT MAKES IT INTERESTING IS THE KIND OF QUESTIONS THAT ARE ASKED — THINGS WE NOTICE EVERYDAY BUT AREN’T CURIOUS ABOUT.

asked — things we notice everyday but aren’t curious about, or things that evoke our curiosity and the answers to which we’ve always wanted to know — everything from our daily lives.

Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable read, with many “Oh, really?” moments. So, can you engage in a meaningful conversation with a dolphin? You’ll have to read to find out.

hatch them all on approximately the same day?

In the majority of bird species… the parent does not commence incubation until the clutch of eggs, however large, is complete. Most birds will lay an egg each day until an appropriate trigger indicates the clutch is complete. In other groups of birds — notably owls, raptors and cormorants — incubation commences when the first egg is laid…

This strategy ensures maximum chic survival in species with an unpredictable food source… the younger ones may be eaten by their siblings.

WHAT’S SELLING Walden best in fiction

NYT’s best in fiction

Walden best in non-fiction

NYT’s best in non-fiction

n And The Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

n Inferno by Dan Brown

n Business Sutra by Devdutt Pattanaik

n Eleven rings by Phil Jackson, Hugh Delehanty

n Asura by Anand Neelakantan n Oath Of The Vayuputras by Amish Tripati

n And The Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini n The Hit by David Baldacci

n Inferno by Dan Brown

n 12th of Never by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro

n Arjuna by Anuja Chandramouli

n Don’t say a word, by Barbara Freethy

n From Smart To Wise by P Kaipa & N Radjou

n Happy, happy happy by Phil Robertson, Mark Schlabach

n Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

n Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg, Nell Scovell

n Follow Every Rainbow by Rashmi Bansal

n Proof of Heaven by Eben Alexander

n The NaMo Story by Political Life

n Let’s explore diabetes with owls, by David Sedaris

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WOMEN SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

WEBSITES OF THE WEEK Savvy Auntie: A kidfriendly site for those of us who love other peoples’ kids. Because it’s always more fun when you can give them back! This is the first community for cool aunts, great aunts, godmothers and all the women who love kids.

WAHM: An online magazine and resource for work-athome mothers that includes features and advice on finding work, self-marketing and keeping the kids busy while you freelance. It is a go-to profile for anything from money saving tips to getting a child-proof office.

Danielle Laporte: Danielle Laporte is the author of The Firestarter Sessiona and doles out unconventional wisdom for creative and professional types.

From “how to maximize procrastination” to “how to look hot in a professional photo,” her take is refreshing and inspirational.

‘CHAMKI IS AN EXTENSION OF ME’ Since the inception of Galli Galli Sim Sim, Ghazal Javed has been the hands and voice of Chamki. She talks about Chamki, her life as a muppeteer and much more.

Amy Rose Thomas

amyrose.t@postnoon.com

C

hamki, an adventurous and inquisitive schoolgirl in Galli Galli Sim Sim, an Indian version of Sesame Street has made a marked difference in the way the education of girls is being viewed by those in rural India. The voice and hands behind this beloved character, Ghazal Javed talks about her experience of working with children, about Chamki and how her journey as a muppeteer has been so far.

“My journey as Chamki started just by chance. When I landed at the first audition for the role, I wasn’t even aware it

was for Chamki. I was very much interested in theatre and performing arts throughout childhood and during my second year, I accompanied my friend when she went for one of the auditions. After I cleared the first audition I realised how much of a big deal it really was. There were around 5,000 people who had turned up for the audition and after grueling 15 days of auditions I was selected to be Chamki,” she says.

For Ghazal, the favourite characteristic of Chamki is that she is tom-boyish and doesn’t sit around playing with dolls.

“Chamki prefers climbing a tree as opposed to sitting at home playing with dolls. She is a complete tom-boy and this is what I love about her. After getting selected, I was asked to conceptualise for the character and while giv-

ing ideas I kept myself in mind. Chamki is actually an extension of me. She is very positive and inquisitive. I also wanted Chamki to have the wonderment that children usually have,” she says.

She says that performing for Galli Galli Sim Sim is like reliving her childhood without any worries of being judged.

“You are expected to behave in certain ways when you grown up. However, for me

while the camera is rolling, I am a child again. It is wonderful to feel like a six-year-old while at work and I thoroughly enjoy it,” she says.

Apart from Galli Galli Sim Sim, Ghazal is also working on a project All About Tuppets wherein she visits remote areas and teaches children how to smile.

“The project has been launched only since 2011 and I have travelled to different locations in Jammu and Kashmir. My experience there was disheartening. Many children, especially girls have forgotten to smile. It took so much time for them to open up about their problems,” she says.

Check your privilege All About Eve

JYOTSNA N

‘C

heck your privilege’ seems to be the catchphrase of 2013. Any time anyone expresses an opinion, a flurry of detractors come storming out, usually on Twitter, asking the person to ‘check his/her privilege!’

The point of the phrase is to let the speaker know they’re speaking from a place of privilege — being white, growing up in an upper middle-class family, being male, being the usual privileges. F Scott Fitzgerald probably said it best in The Great Gatsby — “Whenever you feel like criticising any one,” he told me, “just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.”

This is true. But it becomes especially true when it comes to feminism, where one size does not fit all.

Feminism is enjoying a resurgence in both developed and developing countries, but the differences are vast. While Femen topless protests might make sense in Europe, where women’s rights have progressed much further, it seems completely flippant in places like Tunisia, where women still struggle for freedom and basic rights.

And in India? A Femen demonstration here would cause more gawking and lewd remarks than a change in mindset. In a country where girl children are murdered every day and women are raped and tossed aside, the fight is at a more brutal and violent stage.

Here in India, we also want our bodies to be our own. We want the right to wear what we please, go where we want to and do what we wish to. But the country is not ready for Femen’s aggressive proteststyle. It isn’t that women aren’t being victimised even in ‘developed countries’. But the mindset, the fight and the avenues of protest are too different right now to have one universal solution.

Before Femen flashes all of us, it would be nice if they checked their privilege.

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SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013 1

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A fashionable cause

A galaxy of stars walked the ramp at a charity fashion show organised by Passionate Foundation at The Park Hotel, Somajiguda. Actors Shamita Shetty, Lakshmi Manchu, Taapsee and Priyamani were among those who rocked the ramp.

7

8

11

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9

4 Taapsee

7 Anu, Sameera

9 Manchu Manoj

2 Shriya Saran

5 Shamita Shetty

8 Lakshmi

10 Sridevi

3 Charmee

6 Priyamani

1 Madhurima

Manchu

11 Shilpa Reddy

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12 Moni Agarwal

Prince on board TVS Motor Company announced Mahesh Babu as its brand ambassador at a press conference on Friday. MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma are other ambassadors of the company.

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RELATIONSHIPS SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

I AM ALL EARS

I

am 27. I have been married for three years and I love my husband very much.

However, the thought of spending the rest of my life with him feels a little pressuring. I want to explore more in the world and for that reason alone, being single seems very tempting. Am I a bad wife?

Dear disturbed wife, First and foremost, no, you aren’t a bad wife. The grass is always greener on the other side for human beings and so is the case with you. If you love your husband so much, you should talk this out with him as a companion and see what he feels. Chances are, he’ll totally understand you as the ‘temptation of being single’ would have crossed his mind too. Moreover, don’t feel pressured by what the future holds, live in the now!

W

omen are more likely than men to opt out of giving a charitable donation, a group of economists have found. An experiment conducted by scholars at the University of Chicago tested people's motivations to give, whether they responded to social pressure or from an attitude of altruism. In the study, researchers visited neighbourhoods to raise money for a local children's hospital and an out-of-state environmental organisation.

The balancing act

In this competitive world where jobs are scarce and takers many, the concept of a work/life balance is almost utopian. Postnoon asks people if this growing imbalance affects their relationships.

NIDHI BHUSHAN

nidhi.b@postnoon.com

F

or most of us, living is like walking on a tightrope, we’re expected to give our all to work, give our all to family and sleep enough only to repeat the cycle the following day. We like to call this constant juggling maintaining a work/life balance.

The truth, however, is that there is no balance in living this way. You can’t have everything and that’s the brutal fact of life. Therefore, the fancy concept of a perfect work/life balance is merely a myth.

Take the example of Nupur Gupta, who has been busting this myth for the past decade. Gupta’s extremely tight schedule comprises waking up at 6 am, readying her two daughters for school, making breakfast, getting ready for work, rushing out of the house, working endlessly with colleagues, returning home around 5 pm, spending a quick 10 minutes with her kids, then going back to her laptop to continue serving her company till 3 am. The silver lining — well, there isn’t one.

We ask Gupta how she maintains her work and her life and if she ever has any self time left.

“In this competitive world, we are expected to do double shifts and work as much as three people collectively did earlier. The truth is that there isn’t another option either because if we don’t put in the

effort, somebody else will.

None of us are indispensable and that’s what drives us this crazy most of the time,” she explains.

The other question that arises out of this is how much a relationship suffers thanks to this imbalance. “I’ve seen my friends go through hell because they are unable to spend any time with their husbands and wives. The key is expectations. Luckily for me, my husband has to put in as much effort as I do, so he understands what I’m going through mostly. In fact, his work includes a lot of travelling and there are weeks when we don’t even get to see each other. But, that’s how it is. It doesn’t affect our rela-

tionship because we both know the value of our jobs — after all, we need to make the rent, the thousand EMIs and school fees for kids. If I had to maintain a balance, I would have to sacrifice a lot in terms of career growth. As of now, I’m not keen on doing that.

Gone are the days when clocking in eight hours was enough,” she says.

Work/life balance or the lack of it also has a lot to do with the attitude of an individual. Take Nikhil Malhotra for example, he doesn’t compromise with his life. “I don’t attend official calls or mails once I’ve clocked in my eight hours. I do not compromise on my work or my life,” he says.

Jon Gordon, author of The Seed: Finding Purpose and Happiness in Life and Work, says the idea that we can achieve balance every day of our lives among our multiple responsibilities, passions and interests is crazy. “We experience guilt from wanting to be with the family we love, yet there is this pressure to be successful and make money,” he says.

Steps to maintain a balance n Prioritise your “to-do” list: Determine when the task must get done and how much time it will really take.

This way, you aren’t working in a false sense of urgency; what needs to get done is clear. n Limit email checks and responses: Throughout the day check email at regular intervals, instead of every few minutes.

This allows you to focus on your to-do list rather than your emails. n Learn to say no: Chances are if you are struggling to find work/life balance, it’s really hard for you to say “no” to commitments and volunteer tasks. This is something most struggle with. Just as a business uses its mission to drive its actions, use a mission statement to help decide what opportunities you accept. n Sleep well: Having a consistent bedtime

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n

n

n

improves your overall health and your sleep quality.

Work ahead as much as possible: Working ahead might not be feasible always, but it’s worth considering as an option.

Prioritise your relationships: Granted, if you want to get to the top of wherever you are, something’s gotta give – you cannot do everything.

But, prioritising time with your spouse boosts one’s ability to work smarter not harder.

Figure out how you recharge: Make sure that you spend time recharging each day.

Recharging energises you, relaxes you, and ensures that you are more efficient.

Make a conscious decision and concerted effort to establish work life boundaries: You have to commit to wanting balance and must encourage yourself to set boundaries and limits.

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CINEMA SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

Shriya is back A as Pavitra

fter a long gap, Shriya Saran is back on screen and this time, she carries the entire film on her shoulders. Directed by Janardhan Maharashi, the film is about a prostitute who is insulted by a politician and as the film unfolds she challenges his supremacy and becomes a politician.

The film also stars Sai Kumar, Sivaji, Thanikella Bharani, Roja and Brahmanadam in important roles. Sadhak Kumar and Maheshwara Reddy have produced the film and MM Srilekha has scored the music.

MANAM

goes on floors

PREMA KATHA CHITRAM is an intelligent drama Sudheer Babu, Nandita starrer Prema Katha Chitram is an intelligent drama with plenty of hilarious moments, but falls short from being a gripping film.

HEMANTH KUMAR

hemanth.k@postnoon.com

F

ifteen minutes into the film’s second half, when the film’s conflict point is established, you begin to wonder if the film should have had a tagline — Touch me if you dare. After all, majority of the film’s best and funny moments occur when the protagonist, Sudheer, touches Nandhu after he begins to develop a soft corner for her. One could argue that the film’s story doesn’t quite make sense since the opening act has got nothing to do with how the film turns out.

In fact, the first 30 minutes of the film talks about a group of four people who plan to commit suicide since they can’t cope with failures in their respective lives. It’s only after a major twist in the film is revealed that the film gets interesting and most part of the second half is a laugh riot. Not that it’s the firstof-its-kind drama, but director J Prabhakar Reddy and writer Maruthi, who also supervised the whole film’s direction, have done a good job in keep the viewers entertained with some

smart writing and hilarious scenes.

The story opens with Sudheer (Sudheer Babu), Nandhu (Nandita) and Praveen planning their death. Each one of them is vexed with their life, but before they die, they want to fulfill one last wish.

During this course of action, Nandhu falls in love with Sudheer and another loner, Giri

Movie: Prema Katha Chitram Cast: Sudheer Babu, Nandita Directed by: J Prabhakar Reddy Rating: (Saptagiri) joins them as they head to a farmhouse to commit suicide. Few scenes later, we are told that Nandhu and Praveen have a different motive behind joining Sudheer and that spirals into something which none of the four people are prepared to handle.

With only four major characters in the entire film, Prema Katha Chitram is a good example of the possibilities one can explore within a limited budget and a small cast. At times, the film treads in the territory of

Lawrence’s Kanchana and Karthik Subbaraj’s Pizza, although it would be unfair comparing Prema Katha Chitram with those two films.

Performances by the entire cast are commendable and it’s Sapthagiri who comes up with most of the hilarious antics that keep viewers in splits in the second half.

For a run time of just above two hours, the film is easily 20 minutes far too long and even after establishing the conflict, the characters in the film go through the routine over and over again to deliver socalled entertainment.

Surprisingly, the ploy works and turns out that there’s nothing much to complain about the overall experience. The film quite intelligently camouflages the fact that it doesn’t have a great story. It’s entertaining and has its good moments, but falls short of being a gripping film.

T

he principal shooting of ANR, Nagarjuna and Naga Chaitanya starrer Manam began yesterday in Hyderabad.

Vikram Kumar is directing the film and it’s being produced

by Annapurna Studios. Shriya Saran is paired with Nagarjuna whereas Samantha is teaming up with Naga Chaitanya for the third time, after Yem Maya Chesave and Autonagar Surya.

The film is said to be a laugh riot and the entire team is quite excited about the film.

“Always nervous before the first day of a new film...

‘Manam’.... Fingers crossed... #silentprayer# (sic),” Samantha posted on Twitter a couple of days ago.

Anup Rubens is scoring the music and Harshavardhan has written the dialogues.

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CINEMA SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

Marriage does not have bearing on my work:

Vidya Balan “I

am enjoying being married,” says Vidya Balan, adding that marriage neither put the brakes on her prizewinning acting career nor does it have any bearing on the kind of roles she would choose in future.

Work-life balance is possible for the actress because the Parineeta girl has found a supportive husband in Siddharth Roy Kapur, managing director of Studios, Disney UTV, with whom she tied the knot at a private ceremony in December last year.

“I am enjoying being married. The good thing is that at the end of the day you get to see each other,” she said.

Praising Siddharth, she added: “He is very supportive. In fact, I did The Dirty Picture (2011) after we got together.”

The 35-year-old doesn’t feel marriage will alter the kind of roles she would take up.

“I don’t think marriage really has a bearing on that. Both of us respect what the other does. I may choose a role which I feel very strongly about, and he may decide to produce a film which he feels very strongly about. You just respect each other’s profession,” she said.

And she is willing to do another Dirty Picture.

“The definition of boldness may not be The Dirty Picture. Even Ghanchakkar is a bold role. I believe that there is an extraordinary in the ordinary and I feel that is what films are exploring these days vis-a-vis different characters.”

“Having said that, it could be another Dirty Picture also and if I feel strongly about it, I will go and do it,” she said.

Post-marriage Ghanchakkar shooting and promotions have been keeping her busy. And she said that she is “enjoying straddling these two worlds”.

“At the same time I don’t have unreal expectations from myself. There are times when there will be slip ups...”

Also busy with Shaadi Ke Side Effects, she admits work sometimes does not allow her and her husband to spend enough time with each other.

“The amazing thing is that in the six months that we have been married, we have both been travelling a lot. Despite the fact that we live in the same house, we have ended up spending lesser time together.”

The actress admits that a certain amount of

responsibility does come after marriage.

“I guess both of us are hard working professionals. Around the time of a release or when I am in the middle of shooting, he understands what my pressures are and I understand what his pressures are. However, now it is different that I also running a house along with my work. I can no longer leave it to my mother to decide what to cook at home,” she said.

Come what may, she won’t quit acting, she says.

“I would love to act till I am 83... Thank god, it worked out for me as an actor because I see myself as an actor, primarily. I think there are enough opportunities,” said the actress.

Post-Parineeta success, her career took a slump, but she bounced back with films like Paa and No One Killed Jessica before hitting the jackpot with The Dirty Picture and Kahaani.

“I have reasons to believe that there will be exciting roles for me at every stage of my life. I don’t see myself taking a break,” Vidya IANS said.

DOUBLE THE FUN T

he super-hit trio of Yamla Pagla Deewana and Apne, Dharam Singh Dhillon (Dharmendra), Paramveer Singh Dhillon (Sunny Deol) and Gajodhar Singh Dhillon (Bobby Deol) is back with in Sangeeth Sivan’s Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 (YPD).

This time, the trio reunites in the United Kingdom where Paramveer has opened a Yamla Pagla Deewana club. Paramveer bumps into Dharam and Gajodhar, the two habitual conmen who are all set to con Sir Yograj (played by Annu Kapoor).

Unaware of the fact that Sir Yograj is bankrupt, the trio sketch out a concrete plan to loot him and that’s where the fun

Movie: Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 Cast: Dharmendra, Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, Neha Sharma, Kristina Akheeva Directed by: Sangeeth Sivan

begins.

Dharam, who is posing as a saint, tells his son Gajodhar to marry Sir Yograj’s daughter. And, like in all Hindi movies, Gajodhar actually falls in love with the daughter (played by Neha Sharma). Meanwhile, an

honest Paramveer develops feelings for Sir Yograj’s elder daughter Reet (played by Kristina Akheeva). The story, if there is any, revolves around how things finally work out in everybody’s favour.

Sequel to the unexpected blockbuster Yamla Pagla Deewana, YPD2 is a must-watch for those who can keep their brains aside while enjoying a movie. Needless to say, this laugh riot has weaved in all the ingredients of a Punjabi story. It’s colourful, energetic and breaks into songs, mostly Punjabi, with absolute ease.

Watch only if you have nothing else to laugh about this weekend.

CINEMA SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

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CINEMA SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

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CINEMA SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

ustin Bieber J heads into space

T

he teen idol has signed up for a spot on a suborbital space flight with Virgin Galactic — at least that’s what the airline’s founder, Richard Branson claims. “Great to hear @justinbieber & @scooterbraun are latest @virgingalactic future astronauts. Cong rats, see you up there!” the billionaire mogul and adventurerannounced on Twitter.

Bieber, 19, didn’t have any comment, but he did retweet Branson’s well-wishes to his 40 million Twitter followers as did his manager, Scooter Braun, who added, “I’m going

to space momma!”

The Biebs has been fascinated with the final frontier for some time now, tweeting back in February, “I wanna do a concert in space.”

That prompted this reply from NASA: “Maybe we can help you with that.” The tickets to hitch a ride on Virgin Atlantic’s rocket-powered SpaceShipTwo don’t come cheap, costing $250,000 a seat. But — given that his net worth is estimated somewhere north of $110 million thanks to sales of his music and his never-ending touring — Bieber can easily afford it.

The Biebs has been fascinated with the final frontier for some time now, tweeting in February, “I wanna do a concert in space.” That prompted this reply from NASA: “Maybe we can help you with that.

SARAH JESSICA

Kanye to miss the birth of his baby

Parker to R Launch SJP Shoe Collection E

ver want to walk a mile in Carrie Bradshaw’s fab designer shoes?

Well now you can — kind of.

Fifteen years after Sarah Jessica Parkerhelped make Manolo Blahnik a household name by playing the shoeobsessed character, the actress is teaming up with the company’s CEO George Malkemus to launch her very own shoe line, SJP. “In a silly way, I think it’s what people have expected of me most because of Carrie Bradshaw,” the former Sex and the City star told Vogue.

And the actress admits that it’s somewhat of a natural progression, following her years playing the fashion icon.

“Because I got to play that role, I wore a lot of shoes and by default I learned an enormous amount,” she admitted. “It’s hard to walk away from that.”

eality TV star Kim Kardashian is reportedly upset with her boyfriend Kanye West’s decision to be away from the delivery room when she gives birth to their first child next month.

Kim, 32, is reportedly “devastated” that her rapper beau doesn’t want to be there to see their child come in to the world, reports thesun.co.uk.

“He won’t be in the delivery room, he’s very squeamish and doesn’t want to be around blood. This is Kim’s worst nightmare,” a source told In Touch magazine.

Kim, who had a baby shower with her close friends and family over the weekend, is concerned that Kanye will miss the birth altogether due to his album release and tour

commitments.

“She’s terrified he will miss the birth of their baby.

She’s having a massive freakout about it,” the source added.

IANS

26

CHAI TIME SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

SUDOKU

THOUGHT OF THE DAY Art is the imposing of a pattern on experience, and our aesthetic enjoyment is recognition of the pattern.

– Alfred North Whitehead

KAKURO

How to play kakuro

SCRIBBLING PAD

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.

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Sweeping story 5 Singer Gentry 11 Show some curiosity 14 Decorate differently 15 Watch variety 16 What a lei person might pick?

17 Fruity fruit?

19 Sandbox user 20 Wasn't left standing 21 High-ranking military officer, slangily 23 Deserves a hand?

26 Slapstick staple 27 Survey 28 Bigwig with a baton 30 Loath 32 Fly's path 33 Stretchy, as a waistband 36 Fruity DC bloom 41 Slight but appreciable amount 42 Hit hard 44 Gotten out of bed 47 Large ornamental bird 50 Legendary Ms Horne 51 The lady in question 53 Lilliputian 54 Feminine 57 Spreadsheet selection 58 Yale student 59 Fruity tea?

64 Obtain 65 Forty winks 66 First name in Bond portrayers 67 Preposition in poetry 68 Works dough 69 Synonym for 19-Across DOWN 1 Unit of work 2 A pop, say 3 A McKinley 4 Thickets of small trees 5 Cotton stuffing 6 A Beatle's spouse

7 Disney classic 8 Proclaim noisily 9 Very small amount 10 Hollywood clashers 11 Manuscript producer 12 Drinkers' toasts 13 Boiler on a range 18 Ninety degrees right of north 22 You can see right through them 23 Sawbones' org 24 Undercover drug agent 25 Cal or Georgia follower 26 Coral creator 29 TV oldie 30 Make amends 31 Word before and after ‘a’ 34 Epitome of simplicity 35 Incline

37 Written composition 56 Neighbor of 38 Potential perch Turkmenistan or pike 57 Gym counts 39 Woodwind lower than 60 Wander (about) a piccolo 61 Anthem author 40 Freshly cut, as a lawn 62 ___ Ridge, Tenn 43 Carry on, as a trade 63 67 degrees, 30 44 Claim minutes 45 Less of an illuPREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER sion 46 Compose, as a poem 48 Straddling 49 Optimal number of golf strokes 51 Make tracks on ice 52 Auburn hair dye 55 Place for tumblers

27

CHAI TIME SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

Aries

Taurus

Gemini

Cancer

Leo

Virgo

Death

Knight of Cups

The Moon

Ace of Swords

Strength

Four of Cups

W

W

ork – Don’t be lazy at work. No matter how small the job is, or what the circumstances are, you need to continue to work professionally.

Romance – You feel like taking a break and you want to stop meeting your partner for a while.

Explain this feeling to them so they don’t feel odd. Health – is your iron intake sufficient?

You may need a full body check-up to ensure you are healthy and fine.

Money – There are new ways of saving money and you need to consult an advisor on the best way to do this. Have a finance plan customised for you. Tarot message – You are moody and irritable. You tend to take your anger out on people who come in your way.

W

ork – You may have to butter up your bosses in order for them to understand your point of view and where you’re coming from.

Romance – There are going to be strange coincidences and in one of these, it is highly likely that you may fall in love.

Health – You may experience pain in some part of your body. You may feel lethargic and unable to perform to the best of your ability and strength. Money – You are tempted to spend a lot of money in making your young ones happy.

Your children are, after all, why you earn and work hard. Tarot message – You are calculative but also do certain things that completely defy logic.

W

W

W

ork –You are lucky because you get support from a colleague who stands by you like a rock despite all the ups and downs you go through.

Romance – By doing small things for each other, you find new love and also are able to sustain the relationship despite the odds. Health – The changing weather may be bringing along some new health challenges. Watch out for heat boils. Money – If you are a mid-lifer, you need to think in terms of a will. It is just smart planning and nothing to worry about.

Tarot message – Changes are on the way and you need to accept these. They may not all be bad. But be prepared for changes you aren’t too happy with.

ork – You have the urge to do more than you’re asked to. Speak to your boss about it.

Romance – Do something nice for your partner. If she likes pink roses, then buy her pink roses. If he likes your cooking, then cook for him. Health – There are some must-dos to maintain good health and without that, there is no chance of you recovering. Eat right; exercise regularly. Money – Use your intuition to get a feel of how much to spend on something and how much to hold back.

Tarot message – You get nostalgic and spend a lot of time thinking of the days gone by. Don’t dwell on these memories too long that you lose track of today.

ork – A blow is expected because you didn’t get the project you worked on so hard. You need inspiration and motivation. Romance – Your partner like to put up a show of your love for each other. But you are a very private person. Health – You may experience some minor aches and pains. Go to a doctor only if these pains come in the way of your daily routine. Money – There are situations where you feel that your expenses are controlled by some other forces. You need to take stock and write your daily expenses down. Tarot message – You seem to be under the influence of those who are cooking up stories about their road to success.

Don’t believe everything you hear.

ork – Your career is about to soar to great heights. You worked very hard to get here. You will get everything you rightfully deserve.

Romance – You are fed up a moaning and groaning partner. You like someone who lives in the moment and enjoys it for what it is. Health – If you think you have a problem, then you most certainly do have a problem. Think positive and all will be fine. Money – There are some ugly truths about money and spending, which you have to deal with in order to be comfortable with finances. Tarot message – There are many opportunities that come your way. Recognise and make use of them.

SUMAA TEKUR tarotreadhyd@gmail.com

Libra

Scorpio

Three of Cups

The High Priestess

W

ork – Your brain may be seeming rusty, especially if you are asked to work on an area of specialization that’s familiar but you haven’t worked on it in a while. Romance – Use your head. Sometimes, approaching the problem too much through your heart means you cannot foresee problems. Health – Go for a long walk every day. Find a lake or a nearby water source by which you can walk. Make it a routine. Money – You need to act fast on the long-term financial planning that needs attention. It’s not just for tax saving but for your own good. Tarot message – You have many desires, as do all human beings. Rein in the need for instant gratification and think of the long term.

ork – Make sure you’re covering all the tracks in a project. Do your homework well and check that there are no loopholes. Romance – You need to spend more quality time with your partner.

That is the only way you can get to know each other better. Health – You may be feeling moony and a little depressed. Do things that make you happy and hang out with other happy people. Money – Expensive shopping sure makes you feel great for the moment but you end up regretting it when you see the credit card bill.

Tarot message – Time is flying like the wind. You need to take stock of things that need to get done and work your way through that list.

W

Date 9-6-2013

Sagittarius

Capricorn

King of Pentacles

Two of Pentacles

Five of Wands

W

ork – Expect a gift from a colleague. It will surprise you and make you wonder if there’s a motive behind it. Romance – It’s a good idea for you and your significant other to join a club – book club, horseriding club – that will make you learn something new together. Health – It’s the monsoon season. It’s tempting to walk in the rain. But you must also be aware of the water-borne infections that might cause harm. Money – On a trip, whether business or personal, take time out to review your expenses. Take good care of your credit cards and cash. Tarot message – You are preparing for the next phase of life and are likely to feel confused about what’s happening to you right now.

W

ork –Treat your time in each office like a journey on the road. It will never go at the same speed you want it to.

Romance – How about a surprise for your loved one? Cook a meal and have a candlelight dinner with conversations.

Health – Watch the intake of meat or heavy, processed foods that are difficult to digest. You need to check on the diet every now and then. Money – Size up your investments and do what’s needed to minimize the loss to you, by way of tax saving or other means. Tarot message – You meet people with similarities and find it interesting to know likeminded people. There are all kinds on this earth.

Keep an open mind.

ork – Be on your guard and don’t mistake a favour for a mere helpful gesture. Romance – You are confused about love and don’t really know what to expect from it. You may be in love but you miss the heady feeling everyone talks about.

Health – Take special care of your hair and skin. You may want to take a course of Vitamin E tablets. It will do you good. Money – Remove the rose-tinted glasses and know that not every investment will bring immediate returns.

If it does, there is something wrong with it. Tarot message – You need to bare your heart. Talk to a trusted friend. Or find a counselor and use a session just to talk about your feelings.

Aquarius

W

Pisces Queen of Cups

W

ork – You need to stay calm and cool while dealing with difficult subordinates. They may test your patience a little too much. Romance – You can sing your way into your partner’s heart, simply because he/she is not listening to your voice but the emotion behind the effort you put in.

Health – Take note of your calcium intake. A glass of milk everyday or every other day is a good idea. Money – You look for easy solutions to your tax troubles. Consult an advisor before you make any decisions about where to put your money. Tarot message – Your heart rules over your head.

You’re tempted to throw logic out of the window.

Not a bad idea, actually.

Vol: 2, No 323 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 040-40672222, Fax: 040-40672211

28

THE SATURDAY QUIZ SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

IN THE NEWS

ed in?

10.How many stages are there in a butterfly’s life cycle?

11. Sports woman Serena Williams is from which country?

12. Which country are Nissan cars from originally?

13. Who played the Hannibal character in the movie Silence of the Lambs?

14. What is eleven thousand eleven in numerals?

15.How many ribs does a human have?

16. Which animal did Samson kill with his bare hands?

17.Who gave voice for the character Princess Fiona in the movie Shrek?

18. Kung fu originated in which country?

Answers

Godfather?

5.When did Charlie Chaplin starrer The Kid release?

6. The first torpedo was produced in which year?

7. Which number is regarded unlucky in traditional Chinese Feng shui?

8. Drink Ouzo originated in which country?

9. Which continent is Qatar locat-

1. 2003 2. Bb 3. 87 4. Sicily 5. 1921 6. 1866 7. 4 8. Greece 9. Asia 10. 4 11. United States 12. Japan 13. Antony Hopkins 14. 11011 15. 24 16. Lion 17. Cameron Diaz 18. Japan

TEST YOURSELF

DO YOU KNOW YOUR PASTA?

CURRENT AFFAIRS

1

2

1 2

Which agency is allegedly collecting telephone records of Americans according to Guardian newspaper?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

The power of love by Celine Dione Bad Side of the Moon

by April Wine

Foreign secretary William Hague announced that Kenyans tortured

by British colonial forces during which uprising will receive payouts totalling 20 million euro?

Come Together by Aerosmith, Michael Jackson, Tina Turner and Howard Jones

Author of 1974 novel Porterhouse Blue died this week.

Who is he?

Dancing Queen by Kylie Minogue

A US carmaker recalled 4,65,000 cars globally to fix a possible fuel leak. which is this carmaker?

4

3

Since You’ve Been Gone by Ted Leo

1. The US National Security Agency (NSA) 2. Mau Mau uprising 3. British author Tom Sharpe 4. Ford

Answers

Helter Skelter by U2

KNOW YOUR COUNTRY

Kiss by Tom Jones and Art of Noise

1

An Indian Premier League team owner was ordered not to leave the country following allegations of spot-fixing. Who is he?

Knockin on Heavens Door by Heaven, Guns 'n' Roses, Avril Lavigne

with Santosh Ghule There’s something fishy about this vase.

What flowers adorn it?

Answer for 69:

Andhra Pradesh is set to sign an MoU with a prestigious university based in the US this year. Which is the university?

PICTURE PUZZLE 70

A meditating hermit.

Which beauty pageant has taken off the bikini round in a bid to avoid causing offence in Muslim-majority Indonesia?

Answers: 1. Bucatini, 2. Conchiglie 3. Tagliatelle 4. Gnocchi

3 4 5

Which Indian state opened its first all-women police station this week?

WHO AM I? I am a chief minister of an Indian state. I am recently in news as I am being touted as the prime ministerial candidate for one of the political parties.

Who am I?

Answer: Narendra Modi

2

A young Bollywood starlet who has acted with actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir khan and Akshay Kumar committed suicide this week. Who is she?

Answers :

3 3

WHO SANG THESE SONGS ORIGINALLY?

1. Jennifer Rush 2. Elton John 3. The Beatles 4. ABBA 5. Kelly Clarkson 6.

The Beatles 7. Prince 8. Bob Dylan

1. In what year was the movie Lost in Translation directed by Sofia Coppola released?

2. When a modern orchestra is playing a piece of music in C, in what key will the most common type of trumpet be playing?

3. How old was Iron Lady when she died?

4. What region of Italy was Corleone family from in The

1. Raj Kundra 2. Jiah Khan 3. Arunachal Pradesh 4.

Miss World 5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Answers

29

SPORTS SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

Recurve archers suspended

T

he national camp at the Army Sports Institute was rocked by yet another controversy when two recurve archers were suspended after being caught in a compromising position. According to a camper, Pawan Xalxo and Gunjan Kumari were found in a compromising position inside the hostel on the afternoon of June 1 and was immediately reported to the Army.

Ferrari back as threat : Vet

Saina Nehwal crashes out

S

D

ebastian Vettel said he believed Ferrari had rediscovered their form and were back among the front-running teams after Fernando Alonso topped the times in Friday afternoon's second free practice session ahead of Sunday's Canadian GP. He said he felt the scarlet scuderia, with widespread support in Montreal, would be hunting victory again.

efending champion Saina Nehwal's hopes of retaining her Thailand Grand Prix Gold title went up in smoke as she suffered a stunning three-game defeat to Singapore's Juan Gu in the quarterfinals of the women's singles competition on Friday. The Indian lost 21-13 12-21 18-21 to eighth seed Juan in a 53-minute match at the Nimitbutr National Stadium.

Kundra faces RR ouster

Even as RR threatened to suspend Kundra if found guilty of “betting and spot fixing”, Delhi Police said he cannot be arrested until they have material evidence against him.

NEW DELHI: Even as the Rajasthan Royals management Friday threatened to suspend its co-owner Raj Kundra if found guilty of “betting and spot fixing”, Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar confirmed the British national cannot be arrested until they have material evidence against him. In a related development, Delhi Police got the custody of alleged bookie Ramesh Vyas, who was arrested by the Crime Branch of Mumbai police May 18, and is being brought to the Capital.

I’m innocent: Raj NEW DELHI: Raj Kundra said that he is innocent, even as RR franchise sought to distance itself from him and threatened to suspend him if found guilty in the spot fixing and betting. “As far as my alleged own act of commission or omission is concerned, I reiterate that I am totally innocent and in any event I wish to make it abundantly clear that if an iota of wrong doing is finally established against me I would unhesitatingly forfeit my share in the franchise,” he said. IANS

NEW DELHI: Former IPL A police officer said Vyas, who was allegedly handling the south Indian betting syndicate of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar, was handed over to Delhi Police Friday.

Rajasthan Royals chairman Ranjit Barthakur and chief executive Raghu Iyer in a joint statement said Kundra was only a minority shareholder (11.7 percent) and he is not involved in the running of the team, while the Delhi Police chief said though Kundra admitted to betting on his team, he could not be arrested on mere suspicion.

Stating that as an IPL franchise the same rules apply for players, management and owners, Barthakur and Iyer said they were working hard as cocomplainants to ensure that all information was made available to the investigating authorities.

“In the last few days, various members of the RR management have been assisting the Delhi Police in their investigation for a better appreciation and understanding of the matter. As we have stated before, we are cooperating with the authorities to ensure a thorough enquiry and will continue to share any such information that they may seek from us in the future,” the franchise said in a statement. IANS

Spurs try to stay sharp ahead of game two MIAMI: If the remainder of the NBA Finals comes anywhere close to the passion and excitement displayed by the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs in game one, the basketball world is in for a real treat.

“It was anybody’s ball game and we just happened to be fortunate to get it,” Spurs

Rajasthan face IPL suspension

coach Gregg Popovich (in pic) said Friday. “A lot of good athletes busting their butts for 48 minutes.”

The Spurs captured the opening game of the best-ofseven championship series by beating the Heat 92-88 on Thursday behind a smothering defensive effort and some late-game heroics by Spurs dynamo Tony Parker. Miami fell behind by seven points with less than two minutes to play but cut the Spurs’ lead to 90-88 with 31 seconds left in regulation time, setting the stage for Parker’s heroics.

It had appeared that the Spurs were going to be called for a shot clock violation in the final seconds.

In this file photo, Raj Kundra poses with alongside his wife Shipla Shetty during a promotional event.

PTI

champions Rajasthan Royals faced suspension from the cashrich tournament on Friday after its co-owner admitted to betting on the Twenty20 matches.

The BCCI has called an emergency meeting of its working committee in New Delhi on Monday to discuss the fate of the team.

“We have taken cognisance of the Raj Kundra issue. We are going to discuss it in our meeting on June 10 and if necessary, stringent measures will be taken,” BCCI interim head Jagmohan Dalmiya said.

Raj Kundra, co-owner of the Royals alongside his Bollywood actress and former Big Brother contestant wife Shilpa Shetty, has admitted to illegal gambling on the competition, according to police. He has since been ordered to hand over his passport.

According to an agreement between the BCCI and IPL sides, if any franchise group or owner acts in a way which has a “material adverse effect” on the reputation of the BCCI or the league then their agreement will be terminated. Rajasthan Royals, who won the inaugural IPL edition in 2008 under Australia’s Shane Warne, have already been thrown out of the IPL before because of ownership issues. AFP

Choi seizes one-shot lead Choi fired six birdies in a five-under par 67 to seize a one-stroke lead.

PITTSFORD: Chella Choi fired six birdies in a five-under par 67 on Friday to seize a one-stroke lead over fellow South Korean Shin Jiyai and American Morgan Pressel in the LPGA Championship.

After steady rain washed out play on Thursday, delaying the start of the second women’s major of the season, Choi was quick to get into the swim on Friday morning with five birdies on the front nine at Locust Hill Country Club.

She added another birdie at the par-four 10th before her only bogey at 13 on a day when she hit all 14 fairways in regulation.

Her accuracy was especially important on the rain-soaked course, where the wet weather

Chella Choi of South Korea waves to the gallery on the ninth green during the weather-delayed first round of the Wegmans LPGA Championship at Locust Hill Country Club on Friday in Pittsford, New York.

AFP/SCOTT HALLERAN

only made the rough more punishing. “I hit a really good driver today,” Choi said. “I hit 14 fairways. So I’m really happy. My goal is just keep in the fairway, so I’m really happy.”

Choi was able to limit her mistakes, even though she played much of her round in rainy weather. Shin played without a bogey, grabbing three of her four birdies on Locust Hill’s back nine. Pressel countered three bogeys with seven birdies, unleashing four straight birdies from the 15th to cap her round and grab her share of second place.

“I played pretty well out there,” Pressel said. “I didn’t put myself in any really bad trouble, which you can certainly find on AFP this golf course.”

SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

WI hold nerve to beat Pak Julian GUYER

Score Board

LONDON: West Indies just did enough to see off Pakistan as they opened their Champions Trophy campaign with a thrilling two-wicket Group B win at The Oval on Friday.

When man-of-the-match Kemar Roach took the first three wickets to fall, Pakistan were 15 for three.

In the end they were all out for 170 with only captain Misbah-ul-Haq, whose 96 not out was his highest score in 118 oneday internationals, and Nasir Jamshed (50) making it to double figures.

But the West Indies suffered a collapse of their own before tailender Roach hit the winning boundary with more than nine overs remaining.

“I let the ball do the work and got the early wickets for the team,” Roach said at the presentation ceremony.

West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo added: “Kemar Roach set the tone getting the wicket in the first over.

“Pakistan bowl in the right areas and it was difficult to play against. I am very happy with the win.”

Meanwhile Misbah said Pakistan’s poor start to the match had been decisive.

“I think the plan was to see off the new ball but we did the opposite and lost too many wickets at the top.

“Credit goes to them because they bowled well.

“The (Pakistan) bowlers bowled their heart out...A little bit more effort could have taken us home.”

West Indies cricketer Denesh Ramdin (R) celebrates after team-mate Kemar Roach (L) hit a four to win the 2013 ICC AFP/CARL COURT Champions Trophy match against Pakistan at The Oval cricket ground in London, Friday.

On the ground where they won the 2004 Champions Trophy, West Indies slumped to 15 for two after giant left-arm quick Mohammad Irfan removed Johnson Charles and Darren Bravo.

Chris Gayle typically drove Irfan, world cricket’s tallest player, for six, only to be bowled for 39 trying to slog off-spinner

Saeed Ajmal.

The match was in the balance at 81 for four after Ramnaresh Sarwan was caught behind off left-arm quick Wahab Riaz.

Kieron Pollard took 18 balls to get off the mark as the West Indies crawled towards victory in front of a crowd of more than 20,000.

But when Pollard was caught behind off Riaz for a 58-ball 30, his side were still 34 runs short of victory.

Sunil Narine soothed West Indies’ nerves with two fours.

But when he fell to Irfan, West Indies were still six runs adrift before Roach slammed the clinching boundary off Junaid AFP Khan.

Misbah angry at Ramdin LONDON: Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq slammed West Indies wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin for wrongly claiming a catch during Friday’s gripping Champions Trophy clash at The Oval.

Misbah scored a career-

Champions Trophy points table Group B P W L T NRPt W Indies 1 India S Africa Pakistan

1 0 0 11 0 0 10 1 0 10 1 0

0 0 0 0

2 2 0 0

NRR

+0.830 +0.520 -0.520 -0.830

best 96 not out in his side’s two-wicket defeat in south London but thought he was out for nought when Ramdin claimed a catch off man-of-thematch Kemar Roach.

Pakistan’s Misbah-ul-Haq hits th ball during the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy match between Pakistan and West Indies at The Oval cricket AFP/CARL COURT ground in London on Friday.

Australian umpire Steve Davis gave Misbah out but, following the intervention of English official Nigel Llong at square leg, the decision was referred to third umpire Tony Hill.

Replays showed that while Ramdin had, initially, caught the ball, he had subsequently allowed it to spill out of his grasp. Eventually it was decided that Ramdin did not have full control over the ball and Misbah was reprieved.

Had he been dismissed, Pakistan would have been 17 for four. As it was, they went on to make 170 all out before their bowlers made West Indies work hard to reach a seemingly modest victory total.

“What can I say about that?

He (Ramdin) should have told (the umpire) what happened,” AFP said Misbah.

PAKISTAN V WEST INDIES Pakistan Imran Farhat c D Bravo b Roach 2 Nasir Jamshed c Rampaul b Narine 50 Mohammad Hafeez b Roach 4 Asad Shafiq c Rampaul b Roach 0 Misbah-ul-Haq not out 96 Shoaib Malik c D Bravo b Narine 0 Kamran Akmal c Ramdin b Narine 2 Wahab Riaz run out (D Bravo) 6 Saeed Ajmal run out (Pollard/Rampaul) 2 Junaid Khan c Gayle b D Bravo 0 Mohammad Irfan c D Bravo b Rampaul 2 Extras (lb 1, w 5) 6 Total (all out; 48 overs) 170 Bowling: O M R W Econ K Roach 10 4 28 3 2.80 R Rampaul 10 0 39 1 3.90 D Bravo 9 0 29 1 3.22 M Samuels 5 0 17 0 3.40 S Narine 10 1 34 3 3.40 K Pollard 4 0 22 0 5.50 West Indies C Gayle b Saeed Ajmal 39 J Charles c Wahab Riaz b Mohammad Irfan 9 DM Bravo c Kamran Akmal b Mohammad Irfan 0 M Samuels st Kamran Akmal b Mohammad Hafeez 30 R Sarwan c Kamran Akmal b Wahab Riaz 1 K Pollard c Kamran Akmal b Wahab Riaz 30 DJ Bravo lbw b Saeed Ajmal 19 D Ramdin not out 11 S Narine c Kamran Akmal b Mohammad Irfan 11 K Roach not out 5 Extras (lb 10, w 5, nb 2) 17 Total (8 wickets; 40.4 overs) 172 Bowling: O M R W Econ M Irfan 9 0 32 3 3.55 Junaid Khan 7.4 0 36 0 4.69 Saeed Ajmal 10 1 38 2 3.80 Wahab Riaz 10 1 42 2 4.20 MD Hafeez 4 0 14 1 3.50

West Indies won by 2 wickets

Haddin leads by example EDINBURGH: Australia ‘A’ captain Brad Haddin hit a century as the tourists recovered from a slow start to reach 335 for six at the end of the first day of their four-day tour match against Scotland in Edinburgh.

The Australian reserves were struggling at 23 for two after Jordan Silk was caught by Preston Mommsen for just four, while Alex Doolan had made only 14 when he was bowled by Iain Wardlaw.

Usman Khawaja and Steven Smith put on 42 for the third wicket before Smith was dismissed by Calum MacLeod and Khawaja went on to make 51 before becoming Wardlaw’s second victim with the score on 138.

The dismissal of Moises Henriques for 20 left Australia on 171 for five, but Haddin and Peter Siddle combined for a partnership of 118 before Haddin was caught behind off the bowlAFP ing of Moneeb Iqbal.

32

SPORTS SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

Nadal blasts Djokovic Nadal moved closer to an eighth French Open title when he defeated Novak.

PARIS: Defending champion Rafael Nadal moved closer to an historic eighth French Open title Friday when he defeated world number one Novak Djokovic 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7 (3/7), 9-7 in a titanic semi-final.

Nadal, the third seed, took his Paris record to a staggering 58 wins from 59 matches after recovering from 4-2 down in the deciding set to clinch victory after 4 hours and 37 minutes.

The 27-year-old Spaniard, bidding to become the first man to win the same major eight times, moved into his 17th Grand Slam final where he’ll face either home hope JoWilfried Tsonga or Spanish compatriot David Ferrer.

Friday’s win was Nadal’s 20th in 35 career clashes -- and 13th from 16 on clay -- against Djokovic.

In a dramatic and controversial final set, Djokovic broke for 1-0 before Nadal levelled in the eighth game after the Serb had been handed a time violation and then lost a point when he collided with the net as he put away a smash.

Djokovic even summoned the tournament supervisor onto the

Spain’s Rafael Nadal celebrates after winning against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic during their French tennis Open semi final match at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris on Friday.

AFP/PATRICK KOVARIK

Rafa happy to suffer PARIS: Rafael Nadal is happy to suffer if it allows him to become the first man to capture the same Grand Slam title eight times when he tackles David Ferrer in Sunday’s final. Nadal, who won the Roland Garros crown in 2012 for the seventh time to pull

clear of Bjorn Borg’s six titles, goes into his 17th Grand Slam final seeking a 12th major overall. Ferrer, will be playing on this stage for the first time and will be handicapped by a 19-4 losing streak against his fellow Spaniard, 16 of those losses coming on clay.

AFP

court to rage over the court conditions as he prepared to serve at 7-8.

Nadal pounced, moving to three match points and clinched victory when Djokovic, who ended with an ugly 75 unforced errors, hit wild and long.

“It’s a very special win for me and congratulations to Novak -- he’s a great champion and he is going to win here at Garros one day," said Nadal, who had lost the pair’s only other five-setter, the record-setting 2012 Australian Open final.

“When I was serving for the match it was against the wind so I knew that it would be a tough game.

“It was a similar match to the one in Australia in 2012 and he won. This time it is me that won and that is what makes sport so big."

Djokovic was furious that his demands for the court to be watered were ignored.

“I was not asking to water the court because I want to make my opponent trip or do something like that. I was doing it for myself, because I felt that it got very dry and it was very slipAFP pery," he said.

Ferrer finally in a Grand Slam final PARIS: David Ferrer wrecked French hopes of a first male champion at Roland Garros in 30 years on Friday when he defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-1, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 in the semi-finals.

It was a crippling blow to the sixth seed who was out to match the feat of Yannick Noah, who last won the title for France in 1983.

But it was a richly deserved reward for outstanding perseverance on the part of Ferrer, who reached his first Grand Slam final in his 42nd appearance, by far the longest wait in the Open Era. In the final, he has the daunting task of going up against fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal, who defeated world number one Novak Djokovic 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7 (3/7), 9-7 in the first semifinal. Nadal leads their head-to-heads 19-4.

It will be the first allSpanish final since 2002 when Albert Costa defeated AFP Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Sharapova aims to Novak blasts court after defeat end Serena sob story PARIS: Novak Djokovic hit out at Roland Garros officials after his epic five-set defeat to Rafael Nadal on Friday, claiming that his demands for the Court Philippe Chatrier surface to be improved were ignored.

The world number one twice battled from a set and a break down to lead 4-2 in the fifth set before a succession of rows with chair umpire Pascal Maria and tournament supervisor Stefan Fransson threw his challenge off course.

Djokovic claimed that the court was too dry and slippery, making smooth movement across the surface too difficult, and he even summoned Fransson onto the court to vent his frustrations at the court not being watered. “Off the court I was told that it’s the groundstaff who make the final decision on watering. The supervisor said it was him who decides," said Djokovic, after AFP his 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7 (3/7), 9-7 loss.

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PARIS: Defending champion Maria Sharapova looks to end nine years of hurt when she tackles world number one Serena Williams for the French Open title on Saturday.

The Russian has not defeated the American since 2004, the year when she burst onto the scene winning Wimbledon and the season-ending WTA Championships.

But Williams too has some history scores to settle as she seeks a 16th Grand Slam title but first in Paris since her maiden triumph in 2002.

The 26-year-old, second-seeded Sharapova, is on a 12-match unbeaten run at Roland Garros but on the other side of the net will be a player who is on a career best 30-match winning streak.

The 31-year-old American’s 6-0, 6-1, 46minute demolition of Sara Errani in the semi-finals was frightening in its intensity and Sharapova has lost her last 12 matches against the American.

Since her wins in 2004, she has managed to claim just three sets, the last of those coming in a 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 defeat in the Miami final in March.

The last match between the two saw Williams win easily 6-1, 6-4 in the final on clay at Madrid last month.

“Despite that record and despite me being unsuccessful against her, I believe that I’m happy to be setting up chances to be going out and facing her -- someone that’s been playing and dominating tennis for almost a year now. You know, her success has been incredible," said Sharapova.

“But going into a French Open final, that doesn’t matter. It all starts from zero. You’ve got to play until the last point, and believe in yourself."

Williams will be out to end 11 years of frustration in a Roland Garros final which features the two top seeds for the first time in 18 years.

The American’s title win at Roland Garros in 2002 came when she defeated sister Venus in a final she says she remembers nothing about.

Since then she has etched her name in the history books of tennis, taking her haul of Grand Slam singles titles to 15, just three shy of Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, who are tied for fourth on the all-time list.