MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013 HYDERABAD
WWW.POSTNOON.COM
WEATHER: MOSTLY CLEAR. WINDY AT TIMES; 25°C
32 PAGES
`3
HOW ONE BANGALORE SCHOOL IS USING
CHESS TO AID STUDENTS A Bangalore-based chess school, started by an IIT Madras alumnus, is helping children get a head start by teaching them important life lessons through the game of kings.
P8&9
HYDERABAD’S FIRST COMPACT AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER
CONGRESS DOWN
I’LL NEVER ACT IN A REMAKE
BUT FAR FROM OUT
MAHESH BABU
Mahesh Babu began the year on an extremely positive note and the success of his recent film, Seethamma Vaakitlo Sirimalle Chettu, is quite evident on his face. At a press conference, when asked if he would act in the remake of a spy thriller, Mahesh Babu said, “I’ll never act in a remake. I have no intentions to.”
This is due to the fact that Opposition benches are in disarray. The TDP would not dream of a mid-term poll because the YSRC would be its beneficiary. The TRS and others, meanwhile, are fading.
REPORT ON P5
SUPER BOWL 47 DARKNESS DESCENDS BUT RAVENS SOAR P16,17&29
P21
BRAD PITT
STILL ‘HAUNTS’ ANISTON?
Actress Jennifer Aniston reportedly still can’t get over her ex-husband Brad Pitt and is seeking counseling to get rid of the obsession. “From time to time, she even pulls out a box of mementos she’s kept — love letters, her wedding vows, pictures from their romantic vacations abroad, even one of Brad’s Tshirts that she claims still has his smell on it.”
P28
2
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013
city events
STREETS OF KOREA
Authentic street food from Korea will be served at Syn. Dishes served include samgyetang (a type of soup), bulgogi, odeng and kimchi (a traditional fermented Korean dish). The food fest in on till February 15 at Syn Asian Grill, Taj Deccan, Banjara Hills.
Weather for Hyderabad
Evening
Overnight
25°C
16°C
Clear. Windy at times.
Clear. Windy at times.
New Delhi Mumbai Max 22 Max 27 Min 13 Min 21
Morning
Afternoon
22°C
31°C
Sunny. Windy at times.
Sunny. Windy at times.
Chances of storm.
Mostly sunny.
Chennai Max 30 Min 22
Bangalore Max 29 Min 20
Mostly sunny. Partly cloudy at night.
Mostly sunny.
AROUND THE CITY: YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES Industrial Exhibition is an ongoing event in the City. Where: Exhibition Ground, Mukarramjahi Road, Nampally, When: Up to February 15, 4pm to 11pm Contact: (040) 2460 3015
SHOWS Urban Ballet A French dance show blending classical and hip hop. Where: Shilpa Kala Vedika When: February 6, 7pm onwards Contact: (040) 2355 4486
The Landmark sale Landmark announces its sale of Up to 70 per cent off. Bestselling books starting at `49, 3 for 2 on the top 500 new releases are just some of the offers. Where: Landmark, When: January 25-February 25
Hyderabad 360 Live virtual and visual music by Puce Muse. Where: Qutb Shahi Tombs When: February 17, 7pm onwards Contact: (040) 2355 4486 Yudh Sai Shree Arts presents Yudh, a Bharathanatyam solo by Savitha Sastry on war. Where: Ravindra Bharathi When: February 19, 7pm to 8:15pm Contact: (040) 2323 1245 Confluence Perfect Harmony Productions and Cisne for Arts bring together Zakir Hussain, Bela Fleck & Edgar M for a trio concert. Where: Shilpa Kala Vedika, Hitec City When: February 8, 6:30pm onwards Contact: (040) 2311 2707 French Film Festival Six French films will be screened with English subtitles. Where: Prasads IMAX
COMMUNITY SERVICE: Insight International school hosts a science fare for primary children and a mock ‘rythu M ANIL KUMAR bazar’ for pre-primary children, the proceeds of which will go to charity. When: February 19-21 Contact: hyderabad.afindia.org
DINING Dakshin Ruchulu GreenPark brings all the South Indian cuisines under one roof. It includes dishes from Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Where: Once Upon A Time, Hotel GreenPark, Greenlands, Begumpet When: February 1-10 7:30pm to 11pm Contact: (040) 6651 5151 Cafe Classics Month Truffles cafe pays tribute to some selective cafes and restaurants in India and the world. The cafe will be serving some of their special dishes.
Commissioner & Spl Officer
Helpline GAS BOOKING IVRS NO HP 9666023456 Indane 9848824365 BSNL Complaints HMWS & SB Complaints
198 155313
POLICE CONTROL ROOM Hyderabad 27852435 Traffic Control Room 27852482 DCP Traffic 23234065, 23243499F Pollution Control Board 23887500 ELECTRICITY General Complaints Breakdown Section
155333 23431178 23431179
MUNICIPAL CORPORATION
23262266 24166666R ENC 23225267 Engineering 23220418 MCH Tankbund 23225397 Emergency MCH Circle I&II 24525842 MCH Circle III 24736912 MCH Circle IV 23326975 MCH Circle V 23326976 MCH Circle VI MCH Complaints 1100 Head Office 23225397 IVRS CUM MANUAL ENQUIRY PHONE NUMBERS (TRAIN & RESERVATION) RAILWAYS Rail Nilayam 27833169, 27824216 Railway Information 131 Reservations 135 Recorded Information 1345 Enquiry (IVRS) 1331, 1332, 1333
Where: Truffles cafe Plot no. 376, Road no. 10, Jubilee Hills, When: Up to February 10 Contact: (040) 2355 0105
ART For 'HER' A tribute to Victim X, raising the conscience to respect womanhood through art. Exhibition of installations and mixed media art by a variety of artists. The preview is on February 4 at 6:30pm. Where: Ravindra Bharathi, Saifabad When: February 4-14, 11:30am to 7pm Contact: www.iconart.in The River Moving Within The River Moving Within is an exhibition of art work by Koeli Mukherjee
WATER SUPPLY Complaint Cell Sewerage Complaint Hyd. Water Supply HOSPITAL General Hospital, Sec-bad Niloufer Hospital, Red Hills NIMS, Director, Punjagutta Osmania General Hospital Railway Hospital, Lalaguda Apollo, Jubilee Hills Care Hospital, Banjara Hills Care Hospital, Nampally Care Hospital, Musheerabad Care Hospital, Sec-bad Kamineni Hospital, LB Nagar
155313 23307328 23313163
27505566 23314095 23390933 24600146 27001134 23607777 30418888 30417777 30419000 30416666 39879999
BLOOD BANKS Blood Bank,Narayanguda Chiranjeevi Blood Bank Blood Bank Mediton Goal Red Cross, Vidyanagar ADRM Blood Bank Mythri Charitable Trust NTR Memorial Trust Care Banjara Hills
Ghose. It is inspired by the works of Rumi and 'Narda Bhakti Sutra' and reflects a love for life. Where: Truffles Cafe, Jubilee Hills When: Up to February 8 Buy Art It is an anniversary art show of affordable art by 30 artists. All artworks are priced between `1,000 to `10,000. Where: Iconart Gallery, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad When: January 18-February 18 11:30am-7pm Contact: www.iconart.in
Urban Stampede The run is aimed at encouraging amateurs and seasoned runners alike to take part in a sport that is enjoyable and beneficial. Where: CBIT, Gandipet When: March 3 Contact: urban-stampede.com
MISCELLANEOUS Numaish Numaish is the 73rd All India
27567892 23559555 23226624 27633087 27035588 27550238 30799999 30418296 30417445
AMBULANCES Apollo 23548888, 23607777 Kamineni 24022222 Medwin 23202902, 23204616 Smile Line Dental Hospital 23747979 Red Cross 27627973 Niloufer Hospital 23314095 Gandhi 23320332 AIRLINES
Pochampally IKAT Mela Pochampally handloom park is organising 'Pochampally IKAT Mela 2013,’ a nine-day handloom exhibition of products like hand made bed and home linen, dress materials, silk and cotton saris, dupattas , table mats, covers, cotton shirts and kurtis Where: Minerva (Bibesia) Banquet Hall, Ground floor, Amrutha Mall, Somajiguda When: February 3-11 Contact: (040) 2355 8857
Airport Director 27903785, 27906001 For Air India Flight Information Toll free (from any network) for IC Flights 18001801407 And for All Flights: 1800227722 Air India has revised its flight timings. For more information call (Toll free) 18001801407, 1800227722 from BSNL/MTNL 04023430334 from other lines and mobile Website; www.airindia.in TOURISM OFFICES AP Tourism, Hyd 23262152/53/54 Sec-bad 27893100 Dept of Tourism 23453110 India Tourism 23261360 AP Tourism information Centre (24x7) 23450444, 23455999 UK VISA OFFICE VFS India Pvt Ltd Building, 8-2-542/A, Sunil Chamber, Road No. 7
Beside Meridian School, Banjara Hills34. Working hours are from 8 AM to 1 PM And 2 PM to 3PM. MUSEUMS Salar Jung Museum AP State Museum Nizams Museum
24523211 232431300/7641 24521029
Readers’ views
We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500 033 or even by way of a call on 4067 2222
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013
City
TODAY’S QUESTION
YESTERDAY’S QUESTION
NOW THAT KIRAN GOVT HAS LOST THE NUMBER GAME, SHOULD IT GO FOR A CONFIDENCE MOTION?
DOES THE JUDICIARY’S INTERFERENCE UNDERMINE THE CENSOR BOARD? 82% 18%
YES (A) NO (B)
A)
YES
B)
NO
To vote visit www.postnoon.com
CRIME
CRIME Hubby held for murder
Separated from daughter, woman alleges foul play T
POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com
MOHD YAHYA KHAN
Mohd SUBHAN mohd.s@postnoon.com
A
22-year-old poor Muslim woman from Ranga Reddy district has sought the help of Women Organisation Welfare Society against her Gujarati husband and in-laws who snatched her baby and dumped her on a train to Hyderabad. Raziya Begum, a resident of Kooveri Cheruvu village, narrated her sad story to the organisation chief, Vara Laxmi. Raziya’s parents are labourers who had no money to marry her off with dowry. A marriage agent from Gujarat approached Raziya’s parents with a proposal from one Kaachi Sultan of Beejawadi. No
3
dowry was involved. The marriage was conducted though Sultan was approaching middle age. Only after reaching her husband’s place did she learn he was married once, and his previous wife had left him due to harassment. Raziya became pregnant and delivered a baby girl. Soon, her
in-laws began to pester her for dowry. When mental taunting turned to physical attacks, she begged to return home. They allowed it but only after snatching her baby. Laxmi has begun attempts to contact Sultan. So far he has not responded.
he long arm of the law has caught the man who is alleged to have murdered his wife, burnt her body and coolly walked off. Mohd Nasir, now in custody, reportedly stalked his wife, Farheen, who left him after suffering cruelty at his hands. Farheen told her parents that she would work rather than suffer at his hands. Accordingly, she worked at a beauty parlour and stayed with her parents in Riyasathnagar in Moinbagh. It was a love marriage against the wishes of her parents, the police said. What the exact trouble between the couple was is still not known. The police case states that Nasir had been harassing her to return home but she refused. On February 1, he suggested a meeting. The
Mohd Nasir allegedly killed his wife, caught an auto, bought petrol, came back and burnt her body. two went to Yakutpura railway station and spent hours talking. When officials objected, the two left and on the pretext of giving her a lift, he took her to an isolated place near the railway tracks and killed her. He then engaged an auto, bought petrol, came back and burnt her body. The Reinbazar police had a hard time identifying the body. But having done so, the question of the murderer was solved without trouble as Nasir was seen with her at the railway station. Caught and questioned, Nasir confessed to the crime. Reinbazar inspector S Ranga Rao said he has been arrested.
4
city MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013
GOVERNANCE
LAST YEAR... HERE
City chokes as major projects await approval
Reduce taxes, penalties
L
ast year we had reported how the City needs to act if it does not want to choke and sneeze due to pollution. Environmentalists said that traffic volumes in core areas of the City exceeded the design expectations. Some felt green tax is not the solution. There was a need to scale up public transport and strengthen air quality monitoring systems.
FEBRUARY 4, 2012
NUMEROLOGY
155
species of birds were spotted by the winning team at the HSBC Hyderabad Bird Race 2013 in about 50 kilometre stretch in the City on Sunday.
Every time a child tells you, ‘You can’t do that because pawns only cross one step’, he takes baby steps in to the world of reason... true with any rulebased game. Bharath D, ZugZwang founder
See page 8,9
THINGS WE 5LEARNT TODAY The column that teaches everyone something new about the way the City functions.
1
The number of bird species in the City can surprise you. For most of us who don’t even notice if a bird flies past us, it would come as a surprise that over 100 species were spotted at the bird watch in the City on Sunday, attended by amateurs and experts.
2
Chess helps children perform better. Learning analytical and strategic skills at an early age through chess seems to benefit children in the classroom as well.
3
Various projects pertaining to development of the City, which run into lakhs of rupees, are yet to be finalised at the GHMC general body meets. Md NIZAMUDDIN nizamuddin.a@postnoon.com
I
t has been eight months, since the last general body meeting was held. After the adjournment of the meeting to February 6, questions are being raised on whether there will be proper discussions in the next meeting. Rather, will there be any discussion at all over the items on the agenda? Scores of projects are awaiting approval from the general body for months, some of whose estimations were revised several times, impacting the tax payers’ money. After the general body meet on February 2 was abruptly adjourned by the mayor, citing the furor caused by MIM, many doubt if the agenda items will be discussed. Projects like construction of fish market at Kukatpally, Nacharam and Begumbazar is an example of how the civic body casually handles civic issues. The projects have been awaiting approval since July 4. Pegged at `278 lakh, `249 lakh and `525 lakh respectively, if constructed, they would provide employment for many and will help other markets which are super saturated. With the summer holidays nearing, youngsters would need recreational centres like sports arenas. Even though approved in the standing committee meet, the construction of multipurpose indoor sports complex at Moghalpura play ground has been pending since July. Estimated at `702.33 lakh, the play ground will be very useful for the children of Old City, who rarely see something like this. Similar is the construction of swimming pool and indoor
From sewage diversion to construction of overhead bridges and sports stadiums, these projects have been awaiting approval for months. shuttle badminton hall in Golconda. Its estimation is `204 lakh. Construction of sports complex at Gowlipura at a cost of `245 lakh is another project from Old City, awaiting approval since July. One of the important projects taken up by the GHMC from another department, but
pending approval, is the construction of ROB across the railway lines for the main spinal road from KPHB to Hitec City. Estimated at `3.2 crores, the project got administrative sanction but awaits approval from the council. An ambitious project of GHMC in the recent years, the skywalk from Rathifile bus terminus to Secunderabad bus station, which would provide breathing space for both commuters and pedestrians, awaits approval. With an estimate of `7.2 crore, its cost was also revised recently. Remodeling of Shaikpet Nala and diversion of sewerage in upstream (Shaikpet Lake) have been the much talked
about project in the recent months. With a cost of `386 lakhs and `113 lakh, if not done within few months may choke in the next rainy season and affect the people. Two impactful projects that are pending approval by th corporation are construction of a bridge across Hussain Sagar Surplus Nala near Ashok Nagar with `330 lakh and improvement and modernisation of various lakes or tanks with `125.67 lakh On February 6, it is most likely that they would skip serious discussion due to time constraint. It is also feared that because of the budget session, these items would be forwarded to another session.
Do you know who you are getting married to? A woman, 22, was married off to a man who hid the fact that he was already married. He took away their child and dumped her on a train.
AP CM in Delhi for Telangana talks
T-JAC plans national highway blockade
Girl commits suicide due to unemployment?
1,303 hectares of crops damaged in RR District
4
A
J
R
A
First step towards LGBT rights in Hyderabad. Though confusion prevailed at the LGBT parade in the City, it was still a step in the right direction.
5
IT helps solve people’s problems through Mee Seva. Thousands benefitted through the Mee Seva service, though many requests are still pending.
NEWS BRIEFS ndhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and state Congress chief Botsa Satyanarayana reached Delhi Monday for consultations with top leadership of the Congress party over Telangana issue. They are likely to meet Congress general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is also in-charge of party affairs in the state.
AC co-convener Srinivas Goud said they would block the Hyderabad-Bengaluru national highway on February 24 and the Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway on March 2. They also plan to organise a bus yatra on the Bengaluru national highway from Shamshabad to Alampur in Mahbubnagar district on February 11 and 12.
Anusha, 25, an M pharmacy student, has allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself at her home in Venkateshwar Nagar of Malkajgiri area. Sources said that not landing a job could be the reason, though Malkajgiri police are yet to start investigating the case. Her father, R Chandrasekhar is a railway employee.
bout 1,303 hectares of crops were destroyed by the January 29 hailstorm in RR District. These include 13.7 hectares of paddy, 67.2 hectares of Bengal gram, 57 hectares of sorghum, 63.8 hectares of maize, 42 hectares of red gram, eight hectares of sunflower, two hectares of wheat and 596 hectares of vegetable farms.
5
city MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013
POLITICS
Congress down but not out The opposition benches too are in disarray — TDP would not dream of a mid-term poll because YSRC would be the beneficiary; TRS is hanging and others are of no consequence. INKESHAF AHMED ahmed.m@postnoon.com
T
he Kiran government is lucky. Though it lags in the number game, the opposition parties are unprepared for sudden elections. The only party that has nothing to lose is the YSRC, which is fighting all other parties. The threat of moving a noconfidence motion will loom large on the State government during the ensuing budget session of the House, if the main opposition decides to go ahead with it. If it happens, the Congress party would be in trouble as its effective strength will be 146 in a House of 295 members. But the ruling party leaders and ministers are not losing sleep over it because the circumstances are favourable to them. “It is very difficult for the TDP to move any no-confidence motion at this juncture, because it knows perfectly well that the toppling of the Congress government will only help its rival YSR Congress party,” a leader close to the Kiran camp pointed out.
TWO STRATEGIES
To see that there is no threat to
Where they stand today
n n n n n n n n n n
Congress Party 155 TDP 86 YSR Congress Party 17 TRS 17 MIM 7 CPI 4 BJP 3 CPM 1 Loksatta 1 Independents 3
the government, the Congress party leaders and CM Kiran loyalists are seriously mulling over implementing two strategies. The first is to exercise Anti Defection Law to disqualify the nine party MLAs who have defected to YSRC. The party leaders have already started consulting legal and constitutional experts over exercising the law. The second strategy is to reduce the existing combined strength of opposition parties by accepting the resignations of four sitting MLAs of the Telugu Desam Party. These resignations are currently pending with the Assembly speaker. If the speaker accepts all the four, the combined
strength of the opposition camp will be reduced to 134 seats. If the ruling party succeeds in implementing these two strategies, then the overall strength of
WORLD CANCER DAY
the House will be reduced to 281 seats. This will reduce the magic figure to 142 seats instead of 148. In such a situation, the ruling
party will still have five more MLAs’ support including, one independent MLA to prove its majority on the floor of the House.
GOVERNANCE
State is ‘IT savvy’
Mee Seva, a revolutionary IT initiative of the State, impacts thousands of lives.
POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com
T
(From right) Krishna Babu, GHMC commissioner, badminton coach Pullala Gopichand, actor Bala Krishna, tennis player Sania Mirza and actress Manchu Lakshmi at the ‘Cancer Walk’ at Basavatarakam Cancer N SHIVA KUMAR Hospital on Monday.
he most important objective of this initiative was to bring public services to the homes of citizens. Mee Seva literally means ‘At Your Service.’ The service became popular with each passing day. The State government is currently providing a total of 58 types of public services through various e-seva centers located across the State. This includes 34 revenue, two registration, seven GHMC, four police, three municipality, four civil supplies and four district collectorate services. As of January 31, a total of 1,10,88,236 online transactions took place. Of these, 68,63,633 requests from residents have been served. Among the remaining transactions, about 4.37 lakh requests were rejected for vari-
MEE SEVA DASH BOARD (AS OF 31/01/2013) Total Requests 1,10,88,236 Cat - A 35,27,646 Cat - B 75,60,590 Total Approved 68,63,633 Total Rejected 4,37,391 Pending within SLA 2,28,111 Pending beyond SLA 31,437
ous reasons. The rest are at various stages of processing. State IT minister Ponnal Lakshmaiah said, “It’s a matter of delight for me to see that more and more people of the State become IT savvy and avail services online. According to an estimate, the launch of Mee Seva initiative will help people save nearly `3,000 crore." The State government is making arrangements to offer 100 public services through Meeseva portal in the coming days.
city MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013
6
BIRD WATCHERS
HEMANTH KUMAR
Small Minivet
Green Bee Eater
Indian Roller
The roosting of birders This year’s edition of the Hyderabad Bird Race saw 27 teams competing to spot the highest number of winged-species. And the winning team spotted as many as 155 species. JYOTSNA NAMBIAR jyotsna.n@postnoon.com
O
verheard at the felicitation ceremony of the HSBC Hyderabad Bird Race 2013: “One team spotted 155 bird species!” “What? We managed only 93.” “We should have also gone to Narsapur. Everyone seems to have gone to Narsapur!” Excited birders flocked and chattered after a hard day of birding, full of unexpected sightings and a few disappointments. And though they had been up since 5am, Hyderabad’s birdwatchers were a cheerful lot as they listened to the teams recount their eventful day. The chief guest was Dr Aminuddin Khan, who wears his many hats — psychologist, author, artist, management consultant, lecturer — with élan. His most important achievement though, explained BSAP secretary M Shafaat Ulla cheekily, was that he is a lifelong member of the Birdwatchers’ Society of Andhra Pradesh (BSAP). Dr Khan regaled the audience with tales of his birding adventures, which started when he was a student at Doon School. Dr Khan also seemed very concerned about the semantics of the event. “After a lot of thought, I decided that we should call such a gathering (of enthusiastic birdwatchers) a roosting of birders,” he said, to much applause. He ended poignantly: “I belonged primarily to the 20th
century. But this century is yours. Make it memorable.” The birdwatchers present seemed to take his advice. Many participants commented on the poor condition of the lakes in and around the City, the missing sparrows and the general deterioration of the green spots. Many remembered the pristine Hussain Sagar lake of their childhood, and appealed for change. Despite the poor state of affairs of Hyderabad’s forested areas, the birdwatchers still found humour on their trips. A 14-year-old, who was participating for the first time, said mournfully, “I spent a couple of minutes staring at an orange near the lake, thinking that I had seen some exotic new species.” Another team did the opposite. “We debated for a few minutes and decided that it was just a white cloth on the rock. And then it moved,” the birder said. It turned out that they had been staring at a grey heron all along. And yes, the team with the 155 birds did win. The Red Munias (they were rather insistent on the ‘red’) with Anand, Neetha George, Deepu and Mahipal, chalked up the impressive number, and their bird of the day was the wryneck, a rather rare spotting. Second place went to the Falcons, who spotted 137 species, among which the Tufted Duck stood out. The Shrikes rounded off the top
three, with their spotting of a Greater Flamingo and 111 species in all. This year’s edition of the Hyderabad Bird Race saw 27 teams setting off. From four forest action guards to a sleepy fouryear-old, the 103 participants were a mixed bag of amateurs and experienced birders.
Most of the first-timers promised to be back next year, having caught a bad case of the birdwatching bug. And as BSAP president Aasheesh Pittie said, the single-mindedness of birdwatchers and their concern for the environment could only make this world a better place.
TO SUBSCRIBE, CALL US ON 80082 00713
or SMS „Postnoon‰ to 56161
5
/095 Rs.1 9/: e c 4 r Pri Rs.5 Cove r Price: : 50% g e f n f i O l Sav Tota
A FRESH NEW POINT OF VIEW You can also call or email us at:
040 - 4067 2222 subscription@postnoon.com
city
7
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013
HYDERABAD QUEER PARADE
M ANIL KUMAR
Queer parade succeeded... just The Hyderabad pride parade was many things it shouldn’t have been but what it was, was a step in the right direction. POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com
I
t’s nearing 3pm when the parade reaches its destination, People’s Plaza on Necklace Road. The 500-odd participants, consisting of the LGBT community, women’s groups, other NGOs and straight supporters, that make the party of Hyderabad’s first ever pride parade has dissolved into a couple of hundreds by then. If the sweltering heat is one reason, the almost garish spectacle that the walk has now culminated into is another. The next hour or so is almost painful to watch. The stage is occupied by one set of performers after the next, consisting mostly of the transgender variety, dancing to deafeningly loud, raucous and almost trashy Bollywood numbers. Newcomers are especially bewildered. “I thought this was supposed to be the queer parade, fighting for their rights and all that, what is this campy ganaa-bajaana show then?” a member in the audience remarked bemusedly. It might seem like a valid point. Despite repeated cancellations of permissions and the threat of violence from political parties and hate groups, this march was one that was hard fought for and won by the organisers. To then reduce it to a colourful song-and-dance show seemed to enforce all the stereotypes about the queer community that are already prevalent in the mainstream. But what made it even more sorry was that it was both necessary and effective. For one, a pertinent number of the attendees would have perhaps not have been there if not for the entertainment. And two, it attracted the attention of, and reeled in, enough bystanders who might have otherwise passed the rally without a backward glance. When asked if this was how
they imagined the event to be, a volunteer rebutted, “It’s a celebration. For the first time in this City, we have had a chance to come out in the open and express ourselves on a common platform, so we are singing and dancing. What’s wrong with that?” And what about the turnout? “I would have been happy even if they were 10 people. Anything is better than
For the first time in this City, we have had a chance to come out in the open and express ourselves on a common platform, so we are singing and dancing. Participant LGBT pride parade
the nothing we’ve been seeing so far, “ said another. Indeed. That seemed to be the message lost in the cacophony. Underneath the boisterous outward show, there seemed to be a thread of almost earnest anticipation among the crowd. Not to mention the almost invisible signs that there were brighter things to come for this community. Wide smiles beneath colourful masks. Placards with hopeful pleas. Rainbow coloured flags and sunny bouquets of balloons soaring high in the wind. Groups of straight people turning up in large numbers, standing shoulder to shoulder with their queer friends as a sign of solidarity. Policemen, standing there on the sidelines, tapping their feet to the songs. And so on. For the first time ever, Hyderabad was acknowledging and including the queer community among its own. And so, whatever else it might not have been, the pride parade was successful in that it was a big step in the right direction. And for that, it deserves our respect.
8
special report MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013
EDUCATION
N
ine -year- old Mihika Sanghi raises her hand to answer the question posed by her quiz master. She is happy to score an extra point for the quiz round of her chess class. Ever since Mihika enrolled for the classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, she has been able to beat her opponents in school and perform better in her exams. Mihika is one of the ten children — all below the age of 10 — who have enrolled for the chess training programme conducted in her apartment complex by the ZugZwang Chess School. Sitting in the club house of his suburban apartment complex in Bangalore’s Harlur Road, Bharath Divyang, founder of ZugZwang, narrates the genesis of the school. “The best of ideas come during the unlikeliest and unluckiest of times,” says Bharath. Interestingly, the idea of the school took shape when the young engineer was staying with his cousin. As it was during the recession, Bharath was hunting for a job after completing his MBA from the University of North Carolina. While living with his cousin, Bharath started teaching his nephew how to play chess. It was then that it dawned upon him that learning and teaching the game could be so different. The young graduate then spent the next two years developing the idea into a viable plan with
Chess requires no great investment for a school as a subject of study. I hope one day the same move is taken up by the Andhra Pradesh government. Amala Rao Chess player &teacher
I appreciate the move taken up by schools in Karnataka. There is a lot of scope for such initiatives in our City as well. There are many Anands and Hampis in the making in our City and this talent should not be wasted. Kashif Khan Imam Academician and chess player
a long-term goal. In the process, the curriculum evolved to an embryonic stage. ZugZwang Chess School was formally instituted in March 2012. However, the first class only began in August that year. In their first class, the school had just three students — all of whom are still enrolled — and their parents. Today, in a span of five months, the school has close to 175 students. Young chess enthusiasts point out that winning in chess is 10 times more pleasurable and losing feels 10 times worse as compared to any other game. “I always thought chess was a difficult game. But now I love it,” says Mahika Varma, a student of Inventure Academy.
ACADEMIC BENEFITS
Research shows that there are numerous academic benefits of chess, especially for children in primary school. The game impacts many aspects of child development and learning, like spatial orientation and visualisation. For instance, just looking at the chess board and placing the pieces on the right squares helps a child gain a sense of direction and
understand the space. Visualisation is to the right brain what imagination is to the left brain. Both happen because a child has to imagine the next move before actually making it. In chess, the instincts of a child work in slow motion. It also helps them hone their mathematical calculation. As a child needs to count the number of squares, the number of rows, and the number of columns, it can teach in two classes what a typical abacus course would take three months to achieve. Teachers at ZugZwang say that even kids who are fidgety and who suffer from mild Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) stop in their tracks while trying to solve a problem. Ritu Nanchiappan, who sends her two daughters to the school, says that most chil-
dren learn chess in a half-hour crash course from parents or elders. “My husband is good at chess, but he rarely finds time to teach our children. We don’t want to make our daughters grandmasters, but we are convinced of the academic benefits of learning the game,” says Ritu. Young Masters, the flagship programme of ZugZwang Chess School, focuses on developing critical and abstract thinking, logical reasoning and problem solving. There is also another programme called ‘Accelerated Masters’, especially for children and parents interested in competitive chess.
MIMICKING LIFE
Bharath reasons that chess mimics life — making choices and taking deci-
sions, forward thinking, accounting for the past, reasoning, critical thinking and strategy. “Most people consciously begin all this in their final year of college. Imagine starting it in first grade,” he says. The classes are also aimed at making students think ahead. Calculating even one move ahead helps the child imagine the possibilities, reason out the best choice and then make the best move. “Every time a child tells you, ‘you can’t do that because pawns only cross one step’, he takes baby steps into the world of reason. This is true with any rulebased game,
special report
9
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013
A Bangalore-based chess school, started by an IIT Madras alumnus, is helping children get a head start by teaching them important life lessons through the game of kings. ARUNIMA RAJAN arunima.r@postnoon.com
GETTING AHEAD,
THE KINGLY WAY
but none as simple as chess,” explains Bharath. Once students start mastering the game, it also helps them recognise patterns, which forms the basis of abstract thinking. “In math, one needs to identify the pattern of multiplication with five to ensure multiplication is done right. Chess helps build that much faster at a younger age,” says Debjit Dey, a software engineer who is a coach at the school. At ZugZwang, student participation is given high priority. There are quiz competitions and Olympiads where students from different schools and backgrounds form teams. Thanks to all this, the teachers say that they have seen children improve their social skills.
CHALLENGES
Because everything a child does today goes against the grain of what is required in professional chess, training them is a challenge. A plethora of choices, instant gratification, impulsive behaviour, lack of incentives to concentrate and focus for long and television with remote controls have all led to developing behaviour that is in contrast to what was required of a typical chess player 20 years back. “The challenge is to create a teaching methodology that will decouple the behaviour from the thinking and engender the same thinking, problem solving and reasoning without having to demand introverted behaviour,” says Bharath.
CURRICULUM
The school has calibrated its own curriculum as the founders consider popular chess theories “too simplistic or too complicated”. In ZugZwang Chess School programme, there are eight ranks (levels) of chess. They
have created a list of skills to be developed at each rank and topics to be covered. The focus is on problems solving, so there is a set of chess puzzles — categorised and typed — called ‘chezzles’. The goal is to take a complete novice’s rating to around 500 to 1,800 after eight levels. So, the programme comprises of theory, concrete problems, abstract problems, application problems, quiz and tournaments.
LEARNING AID
The school also offers learning aids, materials and take-home kits for students. “Most chess boards and sets you get in India are tiny and substandard; without rank and file markings. I custom order our chess sets and import them,” says Bharath. ZugZwang Pro Chess Sets include chess mats made of rubber and are quite sturdy, specifically designed for children. The board is 20 x 20 inch in size, which is 1.5 times larger than the biggest set available in India. This helps in two ways. Firstly, visualisation improves subconsciously and children learn the language of chess faster. The back-end team of the institute has also designed bags which have padding required for keeping the chess clocks safe. The institute also provides chess clocks for practice in the first two ranks. In Rank 4, it is mandatory that every child have a clock. The team is also working on some patentable ideas for chess learning aids, such as iPad apps and differently designed chess boards and pieces that help children learn better.
WHY CHESS?
So, why does chess help children so much? “I was an average student at best and not someone who could figure in the top 1,000 among two lakh students. However, without realising it, chess made me an above average student. IIT-JEE preparations take a lot out of you. You need to have sustenance, be persistent, have focus, think out of the box and much more. Somehow chess had prepared me for
the challenges of IIT-JEE exam,” says Bharath, who did his engineering from IIT Madras. Advocates of the game say that chess brings out an emotional commitment that other games or academic subjects aren’t able to at a young age. “Federer cries after losing a grand slam because he is so emotionally committed to the cause of winning. However, for a kid playing tennis, the same level is going to be his first good tournament — which at least 360 classes later. In chess, that stage comes roughly about eight classes later,” says Bharath.
ONLINE TOOLS
The school also extensively uses online tools and is looking to create a few in the near future. In June, the school plans to roll out a chezzles portal, which will have a comprehensive suite of online learning tools to reinforce teaching and increase practice. ZugZwang school authorities have approached a few schools in Bangalore for tieups. “We are approaching schools and hope to begin our programmes in some schools in the next academic year. Inventure Academy and Gnan Shristi are schools that have shown a lot of interest,” says Bharath. As of now, the team conducts classes in cultural centres and at apartment complexes in Bangalore.
Chess helps in the basic ability of problem solving and logical thinking. And making it a subject in school is a breath of fresh air apart from the normal academics. So yes, it is a welcome move. Prashant Narayan Chess player
It is a welcome move and I hope the State government and Board of Education also follow suit. It will guarantee a better generation of students in our City and State. Suresh Chandra Reddy FIDE rated player
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013
Business
CHINA N-REACTOR READY FOR EXPORT IN 2013
A nuclear reactor being developed by China — the CAP1400 — will be ready for export this year, an executive of the SNPTC state nuclear corporation, Gu Jun, said at a conference in the Chinese capital.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Negative, but hopeful Factors such as increase in GDP and fall in inflation may help improve cash flows to infrastructure projects. POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com
I
ndia Ratings, a Credit Rating and Research Agency, has maintained an overall negative outlook for Indian infrastructure projects for 2013, considering project companies’ continued weak credit profiles. However, some sub-sectors have a split outlook. The outlook for power projects remains negative while certain pockets in the transportation sector have a stable outlook. A range of policy initiatives are encouraging and have kindled a sense of optimism. However, the process of addressing fundamental risks through concrete and sustained on-the-ground actions to repair damaged credit quality is likely to be protracted. The policy initiatives include a presidential directive to the state-owned Coal India to sign fuel supply agreements, financial restructuring of distribution utilities, constitution of the Cabinet Committee on Investments and the likely introduction of the Land Acquisition Bill in the ensuing Budget Session of Parliament.
In 2013, a number of projects are likely to default on their bank debt obligations. Alternatively, lenders might be compelled to approve forced debt restructuring packages. This is in view of their weak financial structures and multiple risks including construction delays, plant stabilisation issues and fuel supply constraints in the power sector and traffic under-performance in the transportation sector. Reduced sponsor capacity to extend support would also likely contribute to this phenomenon. In a majority of the agency’s rated infrastructure projects, sponsors have played a significant role in preserving the credit pro-
file of their projects. Deterioration in sponsor’s profile will impair their ability to support projects that have a low economic value. Some macro-economic variables — a pick-up in GDP growth rate, abatement of inflationary pressures and the expected drop in interest rates — may turn favourable during 2013. This may result in cash flows of infrastructure projects experiencing improvement though the ‘lag’ effect would imply that benefits are unlikely to accrue immediately. It maintains a negative outlook for power projects. Many projects face protracted delays — either because of technical issues such as longer plant stabilisation or due to slow land acquisition, constraints in developing railway and transmission infrastructure and delays in operationalising captive coal mines. Fuel shortage, offtake risks and counter-party credit profiles are com-
pounding the issues faced by these projects. Construction delays and traffic under performance will remain the two most important rating drivers for toll road projects in 2013. Many projects exhibit stable characteristics with drastic rating downgrades averted only on account of expectation of continued sponsor support to fund cost overruns and/or bridge marginal revenue shortfalls in case of operating assets. The ratings of availability-based road projects will be stable in 2013 because of low revenue risks and simple maintenance requirements considering the operator-cum-sponsor’s track record in the sector. The regulatory clarity that has emerged from the recent orders on project costs and the levy of airport development fee has provided relief to airport credits. However, global economic uncertainties and slowing growth in India coupled with rising fares have led to negative growth in domestic passenger enplanements; international passenger traffic has grown at a slower rate. This fall is cyclical and it is unlikely that forecasts would not be achieved.
10
BERLU VOWS TAX REFUND
Former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi said if his coalition wins this month’s election, he will give back the money Italians have had to fork out for an unpopular property tax. Berlusconi vowed to scrap the levy and refund the taxes paid on primary residences in 2012 “as compensation for an erroneous decision by the state”. The real estate tax, known as IMU, was abolished by Berlusconi in 2008 but reinstated last year as part of PM Mario Monti’s austerity budget in the crisis-hit country. Berlusconi said he would order the refund if he becomes “economy minister” in a government led by his protege Angelino Alfano.
NUMEROLOGY
$430
mn
is the worth of Japanese aid offer for building a bridge in Bangladesh that has been withdrawn after allegations of corruption.
FIAT-CHRYSLER MERGER? Fiat boss Sergio Marchionne said Sunday that he expected the merger of the Italian car giant and its US partner Chrysler will take place in 2014. “We will succeed in doing it,” he said in an interview with the editor of the Repubblica newspaper. “We and VEBA (the United Auto Workers pension fund— a Chrysler shareholder) have different opinions on the value of Chrysler but we will resolve the problem in 2014.” Marchionne, who heads both companies, had said on January 30 that the ties between the two automakers were “irreversible” and would merge “as soon as I can afford it” but did not put date on the merger.
THUS SPAKE The negotiations are very difficult. ... We are doing all we can so that we can reach an accord ... but the conditions are, at this moment, not yet in place FRANCOIS HOLLANDE FRENCH PRESIDENT
10g GOLD`30,157 10g GOLD`31,100 1kg `60,100 1kg SILVER `58,113
24C
for for
for for
DOLLAR `53.79 `53.01 `85.15 POUND `83.22
BSE 6,057.70 6,027.15 NSE
20,025.67 19,874.20 44.10 93.01 9.20 28.25
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013
nation
LANKAN HELD WITH 82 FAKE PASSPORTS A Sri Lankan national allegedly involved in sending Lankan Tamils living in the state to various countries on fake passports was arrested today and 82 fake passports seized from him, police said. He was nabbed at Devala during a routine vehicle check and handed over to police, who found the fake passports in his baggage.
PAYBACK TIME
11
UP’S VIP BILL `120 cr
CWG scam: Kalmadi & Co charged Hyderabad-based realtor AK Reddy is one among the nine accused. NEW DELHI: Delhi court today framed charges against sacked CWG Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi and nine others for allegedly cheating, conspiring and causing a loss of over `90 crore to the exchequer in a Games-related corruption case. Special CBI Judge Ravinder Kaur framed charges under various provisions of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act against Kalmadi and others, including OC Secretary General Lalit Bhanot, in the case.
Besides cheating and criminal conspiracy, the accused have also been charged with offences relating to forgery and use of forged documents as genuine, criminal intimidation, destruction of evidence
Besides cheating and criminal conspiracy, the accused have also been charged with offences relating to forgery and use of forged documents as genuine, criminal intimidation, destruction of evidence of the IPC and section 13(1)(d) read with section 13(2) (criminal misconduct by public servants) of the PC Act. After framing of charges, the court fixed February 20 for recording of evidence in the case. Evidence will be recorded on a day-to-day basis barring Monday and Friday.
HONOUR KILLING?
FOR A GOOD CAUSE
Youth shot dead, teen lover injured NEW DELHI: A 20-year-old man was shot dead while his teenage girl friend is battling for life after being shot here on Sunday in what police suspect to be a case of honour killing. Jitendra Tomar was found dead around 7 am with a bullet in his chest in north Delhi’s Chauhanpur area, while his friend, Jugnu Singh Yadav, 16, was found shot in her chest inside her home in east Delhi’s Karawal Nagar area around 4.45 am, police said. The two lived in adjacent
Among the other accused are OC’s former Director General VK Verma, former Director General (Procurement) Surjit Lal, former Joint Director General (Sports) ASV Prasad and former Treasurer M Jayachandran. Apart from the six, promoters of two construction firms — PD Arya and AK Madan of Gem International and AK Reddy of Hyderabad-based AKR Constructions are also accused in the case. Swiss Timing Omega is also an accused. PTI
With security seen as a status symbol, the UP government is spending `120 crore a year to provide security cover to around 1,500 VIPs of different hues, deploying as many as 2,913 police officials, officials records show. IG (law and order) Badri Prasad Singh said that 1,476 VIPs were being given security based on “pre-emptive threat perception”. Officials, however, privately admit that the cover to VIPs is “always and largely a political decision”. Official sources say more than 10,000 applications for security cover are pending.
PACHAURI CAUTIONS GOA Goa has to enforce the rule of law especially to preserve its eco-system from the rapacious hordes of tourists who hit its shores by hundreds of thousands annually, Nobel prize winner RK Pachauri said Sunday. “People come to Goa for short periods and they are looking for something in return. They are not concerned about the health of the environment or the regulations. Laws have to be enforced by which tourism does not become ‘distortionary’ in nature,” said Pachauri.
colonies and were reported to be in a relationship, said a police official. Tomar’s family has accused the girl’s kin of murdering their son. However, Jugnu’s father said he saw his daughter lying injured on the stairs inside their house around 4.45 a.m. He claimed she told him someone had shot her. “We rushed her to the hospital,” Yadav told police. Besides the angle of honour killing, police are also probing whether the youth shot the girl before killing himself. PTI
Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan during the Support My School’ telethon with Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai on Sunday. The campaign raised pledges worth `13.6 crore towards the revitalisation of 272 schools across India. PTI
NEWS BRIEFS Fresh snowfall closes Srinagar-Jammu road
Bihar aims to emulate Gujarat milk model
Seven-year-old raped and killed by neighbour
Minor abducted, raped by three persons
SRINAGAR: The SrinagarJammu highway was closed Monday morning following fresh snowfall in the Bannihal sector of the over 300kilometre road. Reports said many vehicles carrying passengers and goods have been stranded on the highway. The Srinagar-Jammu highway is the landlocked Valley’s only road link to the rest of the country.
PATNA: Inspired by the success of Gujarat’s Amul which started the dairy movement in the country, Bihar has drawn up a five-year roadmap to become a major milkproducing state. Aiming to procure 44 lakh litre of milk daily, the dairy roadmap forms part of a comprehensive agriculture policy drawn up by the state for 2012-17.
BARABANKI (UP): A sevenyear-old girl was raped and killed allegedly by a youth in Subeha area, police sources said here. The girl was raped and later strangulated to death by her neighbour Amar Kumar on Saturday night, they said. Police said that accused Amar was arrested yesterday.
MOGA: A 17-year-old girl, a student of Class XII, was allegedly abducted from her house and taken to a deserted tube well in a village where she was raped by three persons, police said today. The victim, who hails from a village under Baghapurana police station, was abducted from her house on February 1.
Pick
at the
I feel particularly upset when I see the Left parties going for (issues such as) cooking gas and electricity prices and aam admi pursuits rather than the broader picture,
airport,
Amartya Sen Economist
-
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013
World SYRIAN CRISIS
Assad fumes at Israeli airstrikes MUNICH: Israel has implicitly confirmed it staged an air strike on Syria last week, with President Bashar alAssad accusing the Jewish state of trying to further destabilise his war-torn country. The foreign minister of Damascus ally Iran, meanwhile, said he welcomed Syrian opposition leader Ahmed Moaz alKhatib’s stated readiness to hold talks with representatives of Assad’s regime. Four days after an air raid, Israeli defence minister Ehud Barak spoke to reporters in Munich on Sunday but refrained from explicitly confirming that Israel staged the strike.
EX-IRAN BANK CHIEF FOUND WITH $70 MLN CHEQUE The former head of Iran’s central bank, Tahmasb Mazaheri, has been found in possession of a cheque worth 54 million euros ($70 million) by German authorities, the Bild am Sonntag weekly reported. Mazaheri, in charge of the central bank until 2008, was searched by customs officers at Dusseldorf airport on January 21 after arriving aboard a flight from Turkey.
MALI
KERRY RINGS UP THE WORLD
No 3 of Ansar Dine arrested
Mohamed Moussa Ag Mouhamed has been arrested near the Algerian border Airstrikes near Kidal TIMBUKTU: France said it carried out major air strikes Sunday near Kidal, the last bastion of armed extremists chased from Mali’s desert north in a lightning Frenchled offensive after a whirlwind visit by President Francois Hollande.
AFP
Syria’s arm depot hit WASHINGTON: Israel’s air strike on Syria last week may have damaged the country’s main research center on biological and chemical weapons, The New York Times reported Sunday. Wednesday’s air strike targeted surface-to-air missiles and an adjacent military complex believed to house chemical agents, a US official told AFP on condition of anonymity. A senior US military official told the Times that any damage to the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Centre was likely “due to the bombs which targeted the vehicles” carrying the anti-aircraft weapons. AFP
French troops patrol in the streets of Gao on Sunday.
GAO: The number-three leader of the armed Islamist group that controlled Timbuktu in northern Mali until last week, Mohamed Moussa Ag Mouhamed, has been arrested near the Algerian border, sources said Sunday. “The number three leader of Ansar Dine (Defenders of the Faith), the one who sowed terror, who ordered people’s hands cut off, who supported the strict application of sharia, was arrested by an armed group,” a Malian security source said. Mohamed Moussa, as he was known in Timbuktu, is being taken to the northeastern city of Kidal, the last bastion of rebels who controlled northern Mali for 10 months before being ousted in a French-led military operation launched on January
12
AFP/SIA KAMBOU
11, the source said. The information was confirmed by a Kidal regional official, Abdoulaye Toure, though the two sources gave conflicting accounts on which of the area’s rival groups had arrested him. The arrest was believed to have been carried out either by the Azawad National Liberation Movement (MNLA), a Tuareg separatist movement, or an Ansar Dine splinter group, the Islamic Movement of Azawad (MIA). Azawad is the Tuareg name for northern Mali. “He was the ideologue of Ansar Dine in Timbuktu,” Toure said. “He was called Ansar Dine’s number three, but in reality he was the brain of the organisation, the doctrine in Timbuktu.” AFP
They (France)has attacked mujahedeen in Mali and America has also agreed to support France. I ask the whole Muslim world to unite because it is an ideological war. Ehsanullah Ehsan Tehreek-e-Taliban
Biden on Mali duty PARIS: US Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Paris Sunday for talks with President Francois Hollande on issues that will include France’s military intervention in Mali, the Syria conflict, and Iran’s alleged bid to build a nuclear bomb. He will then fly to London to meet PM David Cameron.
NEWS BRIEFS Two Chinese ships in disputed waters
Ex-Marine charged with Man tasered outside famed US sniper’s death Buckingham was armed
Australia’s Labor heading for defeat: polls
TOKYO: Two Chinese government ships on Monday entered waters around Tokyo-controlled islands that Beijing claims as it own, the Japanese coastguard said. The maritime surveillance boats arrived in the waters around what Japan calls the Senkakus and China calls the Diaoyus shortly before 9:30 am (0130 GMT).
WASHINGTON: An Iraq war veteran believed to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder has been charged with killing a former Navy SEAL, Chris Kyle, whose exploits in the same conflict were detailed in a best-selling book American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in US Military History.
SYDNEY: Australia’s ruling Labor party is heading for a massive defeat in elections this year, according to polls Monday, as ministers took to the airwaves to insist a win was still possible. In the first national poll since PM Julia Gillard last week announced an election would be held on September 14, Labor has slumped further.
LONDON: A man who was shocked by British police with a Taser stun gun as he waved large knives outside Buckingham Palace was charged on Monday with affray and possessing a bladed weapon in public. Talhat Rehman, 54, was due to appear at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court later on Monday, London’s Metropolitan Police said.
John Kerry spoke with world leaders, including those representing Israel and the Palestinians, in his first phone calls as the new US secretary of state, officials said Sunday. Kerry, the former head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, replaced Hillary Clinton on Friday. America’s new top diplomat spoke with Israeli President Shimon Peres on Saturday, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said in a statement.
NUMEROLOGY
22
activists were handed long jail terms ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment in one of Vietnam’s largest subversion trials for years.
THE AFGHAN PEACE PROCESS Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari are set to hold key talks Monday with British Prime Minister David Cameron on the Afghan peace process. The summit at Cameron’s Chequers country retreat near London is aimed at boosting cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan, amid growing fears that a civil war could erupt when international troops leave Afghanistan next year. “This trilateral process sends a very clear message to the Taliban,” a British government spokeswoman said.
We say that we don’t think that it should be allowable to bring advanced weapon systems into Lebanon, the Hezbollah from Syria, when Assad falls. Ehud Barak Israeli defence minister
13
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013
Technology BLACKBERRY
A good stab at rebirth COMING SOON
The impressive comeback avatar, BlackBerry Z10, faces an uphill battle against entrenched players in the smartphone market.
A
re you ashamed to have a BlackBerry? It’s not exactly a status symbol any more, at least not in the US, after it got left in the dust by the iPhone. Now, there’s a new BlackBerry that wants to get back into the cool club: the Z10. It’s the first phone to run the new BlackBerry 10 operating system, and it is, at first blush, a very good stab at regaining at least some of the cachet of the BlackBerry. The problem is that no one has ever succeeded in turning around a failing smartphone maker. Remember the Palm, anyone? It’s simply a brutal industry. So even if the Z10 does everything it set out to do, it might not be enough to save Research In Motion Ltd, the home of the BlackBerry. The company is changing its name to BlackBerry, but that could just be the prelude to riding the brand into the sunset once and for all. It doesn’t exactly help that the Z10 looks like every other smartphone on the shelf. It’s a flat black slab with a touch screen, nearly indistinguishable at 15 feet from the iPhone 5 or a bevy of Android smartphones. The screen measures 4.2 inches diagonally, a bit bigger than the iPhone but smaller than most Android phones. It will go on sale in the US in March, probably for about $200 with a two-year service contract, in line with the iPhone and other rivals. Turn it on, and the differences become more evident. Older BlackBerrys are great communications devices, but are poor at multimedia and at running third-party apps, something the iPhone excels at. The new BlackBerry 10 software is a serious attempt at marrying these two feature sets, and after a few hours of use, it looks like it succeeds. The Z10 is easier to use than an Android phone. It is more difficult to use than the iPhone, but it is also more power-
ful, giving you faster access to your email, tweets, Facebook status updates and text messages. These communications end up in the “Hub,’’ a window that slides in from the left side of the screen. Whatever you’re doing on the phone, you can get to the hub with a single swipe on the screen, and then go back. It’s a great feature for the always-connected. The software is good for on-the-go types as well, because it’s designed for onehanded use. While texting, you’ll have one hand free for holding your bag or pushing open doors. It’s also completely touchoriented, which isn’t what you’d expect from a BlackBerry. You don’t use a hardware buttons to navigate the phone at all: They’re just to turn the phone on or off, or adjust the volume. To get around, you swipe across the screen. Up, down, right and left swipes all do different things, but they’re fairly easy to remember. Very rarely does BlackBerry 10 display a “Back’’ button on the screen,
which is a blessing. I find Android’s always-present “Back’’ button a huge annoyance, since it’s rarely clear where it will take me. Will it take me back one screen or kick me out of the application I’m in? Only one way to find out: pushing it. BlackBerry diehards will lament the lack of a physical keyboard — they’ll have to wait for the Q10, a model in the more traditional BlackBerry form. That’s due this spring. But before writing off the Z10, these loyalists should try its on-screen keyboard. It’s really very good. It provides more vertical space between the keys, imitating the steel bands that separated the hardware keys on the BlackBerry Bold. It’s very accurate and easy to use. The Z10 will also have a replaceable battery, something lacking on the iPhone. Screen quality will be good, too, at 356 pixels per inch, compared with 326 for the iPhone 5 and 306 for Samsung’s Galaxy S III. Unlike the iPhone, the Z10 will allow you to expand storage with a microSD card, and it sports a chip letting the
phone act as a credit card at some payment terminals and share data wirelessly when tapped against some other phones. The Z10 is heavier than the iPhone, though — at 4.78 ounces to the iPhone 5’s 3.95 ounces. So why does the Z10 and BlackBerry 10 face such an uphill battle? The iPhone and Android have a huge head start when it comes to getting developers to make applications that run on their phones. RIM says BlackBerry 10 will launch in the US with about 100,000 apps. That sounds like a big number, and it includes important apps such as Skype and Facebook. But it’s inevitable that the iPhone will have apps you want but can’t get on BlackBerry 10. There’s no Instagram, no Netflix. It’s also obvious that the number includes some apps that were written for the PlayBook tablet and don’t work well on the smaller phone screen. But the biggest obstacle to a RIM comeback is simply that the iPhone and Android have become the default for phone buyers, and few will see a reason to try something else. Microsoft, which has vastly more resources than RIM, has tried for two years to get people to buy Windows Phones, with very little to show for it. BlackBerry 10 is nice, but I can’t point to anything about it that would make me say: “Forget those other phones: you have to buy this one.’’ AFP
Wine, the popular software that makes it possible to emulate and run Windows software on Linux and Mac systems is soon coming to Android. Following the FOSDEM talk today in Brussels about Wine on ARM there was a brief showing of Wine on Android. Alexandre Julliard, the original developer behind the Wine software, did the very brief demo of Wine on Android. Julliard continues to be employed by CodeWeavers to work on Wine, due to their vested interest in its success due to their Wine-based CrossOver commercial software for Linux and Apple OS X. The software however was very slow so let’s hope it gets better by its final release.
FIND A BUG, GET PAID Want to make $13,500 sitting at home? All you need to do is find a critical bug in Kim Dotcom’s Mega.co.nz, the new storage locker that touts some very high levels of data protection and encryption. With this reward program, Dotcom seeks to further improve his service’s security system. He says that right after the launch, Mega’s security model and implementation came “under intense crossfire” (especially from Ars Technica and Forbes) and has also suffered several attacks. And it’s hoping for more so it can learn to better defend itself from unauthorised intrusions and bolster protection.
A98 NINJA LAUNCHED Micromax A89 Ninja is finally making its way to the customers and the device is currently being sold at Infibeam for `5899. It has a 4-inch muti-touch capacitative screen and can display at a resolution of 480 by 800. It also has dual-SIM slots and the processor is clocked at 1 GHz. The device comes with a memory of 512 MB and has an internal storage space of 2GB. This however can be extended by another 32GB using a micro-SD card. It has a mediocre 2.3 mega pixel camera in the back, but does not have a flash.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013
Comment Friendless. Having no favours to bestow. Destitute of fortune. Addicted to utterance of truth and common sense. Ambrose Bierce Author
Time to drop the B and T from LGBT THE HUMAN CONDITION Dean Williams
F
irst up let me say that I am all for gay rights. In fact, I believe that gay and lesbian couples should be allowed to marry and adopt children (or have them through surrogacy) and the fact that Hyderabad celebrated its first ever Queer Pride parade is truly something to rejoice. Now I have nothing against the transgender community, but unfortunately they are so far behind in their quest for equality that they will hamstring our nascent gay rights movement. The gay and lesbian equality movement is at a cusp; it not only has to deal with an increasingly myopic and conservative middle class, but it also has to hurdle the barriers of religious dogma so deeply entrenched in the ‘Indian’ culture: so the decisions it makes now are paramount. It will be years before those screen icons and sportstars who have locked themselves in the closet deign to emerge, and the community can expect only token support from them for now. The business community couldn’t give two hoots, and politicians have their heads so far up their nether regions that unless someone declared the community a vote bank they wouldn’t lift a finger to help. While the transgender community deserves equality, it will be an albatross (for no fault of its own) round the necks of gays and lesbians, and it must be cut loose. As for bisexuals, I’m with Woody Allen, it merely doubles your chances of getting a date on a Saturday night. In India it’s time LGBT lost the B and T, for its own sake.
HIGH-FLYING THOUGHTS Well, there were many who said he speaks more than he plays, but this is truly sad about poor CR7. The talisman of the team himself giving it away to the oppostion by an own goal! But this is football and it’s sport. Just carry on, Cristiano.
A GAME OF CARDS
14
I AM NIRAADHAR
HARD TALK
PK Surendran
I
am in great company. One of the millions who toil for the ‘government’ which unabashedly wrests my earning in the form of direct and indirect taxes and yet care two hoots for me. In the largest democracy, there are many undemocratic acts. Of which the most brazen is imposing aadhar card on me. The UPA government tells me that I can’t breathe without the aadhar, ignoring the fact that I am niraadhar in this country who have neither privileges nor rights. Yeah, they will correct me, “Why, don’t you have the right to vote?” A fat lot of help it is. I am given a choice to vote for 1) a butcher 2) a thug 3) a rapist 4) a pettifogger! The other day my car dealer tells me I must have the aadhar card to get my vehicle registered. Really? Would they not accept their own document called driving license? “No, the government has ordered aadhar is the key.” You decide. Aping the West. That’s what all Indians do. America and Europe have security card system for jobs and other matters. It’s because they have limited population and they take care of them. In this country, open to plunder from missionaries to terror messiahs, where is the sense of any card? An Indian today has half a dozen cards from ration card to debit card.
All this are redundant, says the government. It is nothing short of Emergency Rule where people have no voice. I am outraged. How can the government decide that my PAN card is useless? It is the very government that had imposed PAN card on me. Or that the driving license or passport are worthless documents? Will the government that proclaims that aadhar card is no proof to citizenship explain what category this accursed aadhar falls in then? Government has allotted a massive fund for this and what are the tangible benefits? Will anybody tell me? In a country where 30 per cent live in hovels and 50 per cent have no safe
drinking water, why does the government zealously pursue a rainbow unless it is a ‘mota maal’ for politicians and officials? I am sure, not long after this very aadhar will fall from grace and prove another matter of inquiry. Many will then pass the buck but by the time I and my millions of countrymen have had already paid the price. Who will compensate us? This is perhaps the only democratic country where governmental actions are not explained. The prime minister or chief minister can float schemes as if they were Rajahs of yore and care less for what the people think. Is it not time we questioned this?
TAILEND The other day, an air passenger produced a voter ID card at the security gate in Trivandrum airport. The CISF officer on duty looked at the card where a black hole represented the photograph. He asked for a PAN card. The gentleman did not have. Driving license? Yes, but forgotten to take, as he is not “driving” the plane anyway. “This won’t do,” the officer shook his head in the negative. The passenger was angry. “Ask the government. Don’t detain me.” Each was right. As the argument gained decibel points, I had to hurry along not to miss my flight. But my mind was at the gate and wanted to know who is responsible for this.
EDITORIALS Chasing the wind
H
ere in Hyderabad there are more reasons to dread Mondays than those listed by our columnist Ajay Hotching. It’s the traffic: it’s heaviest on Monday mornings; in some parts of the city it’s like the flow of electrons in a conductor, choc-a-bloc. The whole city’s wearily comes out of their weekend stupor, still reluctant to be released from their delightful Sundays and then they yell to themselves before the mirror trying to din it into their heads that “it’s that day of the week”. When the realisation happens, it’s a rush. But then it would have been too late. We hope against hope that the roads be less “taken”, but all’s in vain and we have to play the game of Buzzsaw, the national pastime of Afghans. Our neighbours pursue on horses the carcass of a goat, we purse something that never
READERS’ VIEWS
dies, time. There’s not one moment where you do not feel alive in that scramble for time if you are on a bike. There is not the slightest room for error, for an error could mean death. Rules are flouted, pedestrians cursed and spleen vented in form of cuss words which are lost in the honking. And amid all this, the consternation at the construction work for the metro that is eating up space narrowing the roads even more... Even in this hare chase, you will not forget to evoke the juiciest of foul words for those who planned the whole thing, because the routes planned cross several foot-over-bridges over which the ever considerate town planners spent lashs of rupees, which will have to go when the metro comes. The philosophers were right: all’s in vain: it’s like chasing the wind.
We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postpone.com or #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500 033 or even by way of a call on 4067 2222. Editor: Dean Williams
15
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013
campus
MOVIE TIME
Asmita Resource Centre for Women will be screening Salma Hayek-starrer In the Time of the Butterflies at Lamakaan on Thursday.
SONG AND DANCE
TELUGU DAY
Twisting and turning XOP’s ‘Zombie Dance’ performance at Arthashastra was an instant hit among collegians. Postnoon talks to XOP members about their performances, the flash mob they recently organised and more. AMY ROSE THOMAS amyrose.t@postnoon.com
A
poorva Mahi is just 19. But the Loyola Academy student and 24 other students, all in early 20s, are making waves in colleges through their dance performances. The members of the Extra-ordinary Performers group at Twist n Turns dance institution have steadily danced their way up at fests and corporate events. Apoorva, the youngest in the group, has been part of the Extra-ordinary Performers (XOP) for the past six months and has already performed at various college events including Arthashastra that was organised at St Francis College. The group’s “Zombie Dance” was a huge hit. “The best part about Twist n Turns is that we do not have to pay to be part of the group. After getting through the auditions for XOP, we have been getting free training and we get to be part of the group and perform at various events,” she says. Since members of the group have to attend college on weekdays, their weekends are completely dedicated to dancing. “Since dancing is my priority and it is what I intend to do after my graduation, I try to take time out from studies for practices and training,” Apoorva says. “I first danced to I am a Barbie Doll song when I was in grade two,” she reminisces. Apoorva along with another EOP member Adorina Teng Yuipow, a final year student at Loyola Academy, choreographed the flash mob that saw hundreds of girls shake legs
Harivillu the Telugu Club of St Francis College celebrated Telugu Day on 1 February with much fanfare. Students put up various performances during the event.
COLLEGE OF THE WEEK
MCC
at Arthashastra. Adorina Teng Yuipow says that it was a great learning experience training people for the flash mob. “The idea was to dance to the songs that screamed of women power. The last song that we danced to was Beyonce’s Run the World. Our message was that it is no time to be scared and lonely but to be strong. We had many who took part in the flash mob approach us to teach them dancing. After my graduation Apoorva and I are planning to start a studio where we will teach dance,” she says. She says all members of XOP share one dream: make it big as dancers.
Madras Christian College is a liberal arts and sciences college in Madras, India. Founded in 1837, MCC is one of Asia's oldest colleges. The college offers over 30 regular courses in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in Arts, Sciences, and Commerce, besides undergraduate programmes in Archaeology, Musicology and Industrial Fish and Fisheries; and post graduate programme in Social Work.
TRENDING...
College Blender: College Blender is a good resource for finding campus blogs and up-to-theminute news about your school. Just search for your campus and look under the "Blogs" header. Or just ask around about your school.
College Candy: This online magazine is written by college women and includes articles about pop culture, fashion, beauty, relationships and college survival. College writers share their college experience: the good, the bad, and the late night.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013
spotlight
Musical moments
Singer Javed Ali left Hyderabadis in awe when he performed his latest Bollywood hits from Ishaqzaade and Jab Tak Hai Jaan at Jubilee Hills International Club. 1
PARTY ON MY MIND
Gang up with your girl pals and head to 10 Downing Street. You can let go and have a good time as DJ will be belting out the latest chartbusters.
HITTING THE CATWALK 1
18
2
2
STYLE RULES 3 3
Costumes designed by students of Hamstech Institute of Fashion & Interior Design were showcased at the Mid-term fashion show oraganised at the institute. 4
4
5
5
6
1 Parvati, Pooja
2 Javed Ali
3 Bindu
4 Shaili
5 Shobha
7
A NIZAM’S JOURNEY
Australian journalist and author John Zubrzycki’s two titles The Last Nizam: An Indian Prince in the Australian Outback and The Mysterious Mr Jacob: Diamond Merchant, Magican and Spy were launched at Oxford Bookstore on Sunday.
1 Vidya, Bhavya, Joshi
3 Aishwarya
2 Indraja
4 Neharika
5 Lalitha 6 Shravani 7 Saritha
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013
health
KIDNEY TRANSPLANT FOR HIV-POSITIVE PATIENT A 30-year-old HIV-positive patient from Nigeria got a new lease of life after a kidney transplant at a private hospital in Delhi, a doctor said Sunday. According to doctors, kidney transplantation in HIV-positive patients the world over are on the rise, but are yet less in India.
WORLD CANCER DAY
19
CANCER:
Not unbeatable It is not the monster everyone thinks it to be. With 70 per cent of cancers in India being preventable and the remaining 30 per cent treatable, there is every reason to hope things can turn around. Most common cancers in India
RANJANI RAJENDRA
ranjani.r@postnoon.com
D
id you know that 70 per cent of the cancers in India are preventable? And there are three easy solutions available to prevent them — ban tobacco (head and neck cancers), improve personal hygiene (cancer of the cervix) and prevent obesity. So why then does cancer still seem so unbeatable? Why then do WHO estimates state that by 2014 cancer will emerge as the biggest killer? “Despite all the research, scientists are unable to pinpoint what causes cells to grow malignant. What makes normal cells proliferate the regular mechanism of the body is still unknown. Now researchers are working towards signal transduction inhibitors to see how they can keep the cells from feeding off the body’s nutrition and growing,” says Dr
ANEWS PP-LYBRIEFS YOURSELF Withings Health Mate This app stores history of your data, helps you understand it and improve it over time. You can log this data manually or use one of our many compatible tracking devices and apps to automatically track your health. It’s free and is designed for anyone who wants to lose a few pounds, exercise more or keep an eye on their sleep.
HOUSECALL
n Lung and stomach cancers (in men) n Breast cancer (in urban women) n Cancer of the cervix (in rural women) Source: ICMR Mohana Vamsy, chief oncologist, Omega Hospital. One of the major challenges doctors face when it comes to cancer treatment, despite all the medical advancements, is dealing with the unpredictable nature of tumours. “There have been several times when we’ve treated or removed tumours only to have them return or turn more aggressive. It happens a lot with breast cancer,”says Dr Vamsy. Yet, when it comes to cancer in India, the scenario is not as dismal. “The incidence of cancer in India is one third
DID YOU KNOW?
of what it is in the UK or US. Also over the last few years the incidence has not been rising as much. I think we are genetically stronger. It will also help if obesity is kept in check. It contributes to 20 per cent of the cancers in this country. So adopting simple measures like proper walkways to encourage walking among the public can help. Similarly encouraging personal hygiene can help prevent cervical cancer. For instance, in some communities where circumcision is a norm, the incidence of this cancer is much less. It goes to show how much a simple procedure can do,” says Dr Rajan Badwe, oncologist and director, Tata Memorial Centre. He adds that treatment is extremely expensive, which makes it difficult for everyone to avail it. “Research is currently on to tag molecules with radio isotopes, which will target cancer cells directly and effectively. This will also be more cost-effective,” Dr Badwe explains.
PIONEERS
Mouth ulcers
Need for Sleep
J Robin Warren
A mouth ulcer is an exposed nerve. The lining of your mouth is incredibly sensitive and any break in its surface exposes the nerves that lie in and beneath it. Anything that touches them, whether it's food, liquid or a toothbrush, causes pain. It can be difficult to eat, drink and even talk. These last for a week or more until the cause - for example, a rough tooth - is treated. Sometimes a deficiency in iron or vitamin B12 is the cause.
If you say that you're dying to get a good night's sleep, you could mean that literally. You can go without eating for weeks without succumbing, but eleven days is tops for going without sleep. After 11 days, you'll be asleep — forever! Sleep is needed for the regeneration of neurons and for forming new memories.
J Robin Warren is a pathologist who, with Barry J. Marshall, won the Nobel Prize in for their discovery that ulcers are an infectious disease caused by bacteria. At the time Warren began his research with Marshall, physicians commonly believed ulcers were caused by excess gastric acid. The two studied 100 stomach biopsies, finding the bacteria Helicobacter pylori present in almost all of them.
20
health MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013
BREAKTHROUGH
RESEARCH
New cancer treatment with minimal side effects
NEW DELHI: Bringing hope to hundreds of cancer patients, a new technology which delivers high doses of radiation with great accuracy into the human body has been introduced in the Indian capital and will help patients fight the disease with minimum side effects. The CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System is an advanced method of robotic delivery of high precision radiotherapy for treatment of tumors anywhere in the body. "This is another form of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT). Through this technique, we can give high dose radiation at specified locations and spare the normal tissues," PK Julka, Head of Oncology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), told IANS. The technology delivers high doses of radiation with great accuracy in one to five sessions, unlike 30 to 40 sessions for conventional radiotherapy. There are minimal or no side effects as compared to traditional radiotherapy procedures. Though the technique is new in Delhi, it has been in use in Bangalore and Chennai for the last six years, Julka said, adding that it is most effective when the disease is detected in the early stages. A Lancet study published in 2012 showed that cancer killed nearly 556,400 people across India in 2010. In India, among men, oral cancer is the most common cancer, followed by lung cancer, while in women cervical cancer is the most common. This is followed by breast cancer. S Hukku, chairman of the Roentgen BLK Radiation Oncology Centre in BLK Hospital, said over 50 patients had been treated with the new
STUDY
An advanced method of robotic delivery of radiotherapy has minimal or no side effects. But this technique, which is quite common abroad, is not cost effective, sources say.
technology. "We have successfully treated over 50 patients without any complications with the help of this technology. Hope is the most important thing needed to overcome any disease, including cancer," said Hukku, who is a former president of the Association of Radiation Oncologists of India. But the technique, which is quite common abroad, is not
very cost effective. "It has not been introduced in government hospitals. It costs `5 lakh. If the government adopts it, then the cost will come down to `1 lakh. Proposals are there with the government for introduction," said Tejinder Kataria, chairperson of Medanta's radiation oncology division. Doctors said many cancers can be prevented by avoiding
Tobacco plant can cure rabies LONDON: Tobacco may have been dubbed a killer, but a genetically altered version of the plant could provide a low cost cure for deadly rabies, says a study. University of London scientists have developed an antibody from genetically engineered tobacco plants to prevent the virus from attaching to nerve endings around the bite site and from travelling to the brain. "Rabies continues to kill many thousands of people throughout the developing world every year and can also affect international travellers," said Leonard Both, researcher and study co-author work from the Hotung Molecular Immunology Unit at St. George's, University of London, The FASEB Journal reports. Both and colleagues "humanised" the sequences for the antibody so people could tolerate it. Then, the antibody was produced using transgenic tobacco plants as an inexpensive production platform. The antibody was purified from the plant leaves and characterized regarding to its protein and sugar composition. The antibody was also shown to be active in neutralizing a broad panel of rabies viruses. "Although treatable by antibodies if caught in time, rabies is bad news," said Gerald Weissmann, editor-in-chief of The FASEB Journal. IANS
exposure to common risk factors, such as tobacco smoke. In addition, a significant proportion of cancers can be cured by surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy, especially if they are detected early. "Often it is the lack of awareness that poses a major impediment for successful treatment of cancer. Awareness and timely action form the key to fight the disease," Kataria said. IANS
Milk, yogurt for healthy bones WASHINGTON: Dairy products such as milk and yogurt promote healthier hip bones than cream, says a new finding from a Harvard Medical School affiliate. Choosing low-fat milk or yogurt over cream can increase intake of protein, calcium and vitamin D, while limiting
intake of saturated fats, said Shivani Sahni, from the Institute for Aging Research (IFAR), an Harvard affiliate, who co-authored the study. About 34 million Americans alone have low bone density, facing a higher risk for osteoporosis and fractures, especially of the hip, spine and wrist.
"Dairy foods provide several important nutrients that are beneficial for bone health," said Sahni, from the Musculoskeletal Research Team, IFAR, the journal Archives of Osteoporosis reports. "In this study, 2.5 to three servings of milk and yogurt intake per day were associated with better bone
density," she said, according to an IFAR statement. IFAR researchers based their findings on data collected from a food frequency questionnaire completed by 3,212 participants. This research supports the idea that proper nutrition can help combat osteoporosis and fractures. IANS
21
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013
Entertainment CINE BYTES
Kevvu Keka’s team heads to Bangkok
A
Sundeep Kishan in and as DK Bose?
Ban on Vishwaroopam to be revoked soon
llari Naresh, Sharmila Mandre starrer Kevvu Keka is currently being shot in Bangkok. Devi Prasad is directing the film, his second with Allari Naresh after Blade Babji. Kevvu Keka is a laugh riot which revolves around the lives of few Telugu people who live in Bangkok.
K
amal Haasan and the leaders of Muslim groups who were protesting against Vishwaroopam have reached an agreement. The row over the film’s so-called ‘sensitive’ content has come to an end and the TN government is expected to revoke the ban soon.
S
undeep Kishan will soon be seen as a young police officer in An Bose’s debut film, tentatively titled DK Bose. The film’s shooting is in final stages and Nisha Aggarwal is the lead actress. Anand Ranga and Seshu Reddy are producing the film.
READY FOR ACTION I’ll never act in a remake. I haven’t done any so far and I have no intentions to act in a remake in future. (My father) has only quit active politics but I think he’ll continue to act in films. He still enjoys the process. Mahesh Babu, actor
M
ahesh Babu began the year on an extremely positive note and the success of his recent film, Seethamma Vaakitlo Sirimalle Chettu, is quite evident on his face. Currently, he’s busy shooting for Sukumar’s upcoming film in Hyderabad and he has plenty of films to look forward to over the span of the next few months. In a recent interview, when asked if he would like to do a film on the lines of James Bond films, he had expressed his interest in such a film but clarified that he won’t do it until he gets a good script and a director who can handle this theme. Incidentally, his father, Superstar Krishna, had acted in a film titled Gudachari 116 which was a huge hit back in the 70s. Yesterday, at a press conference, when asked if he would act in the remake of a spy thriller, Mahesh Babu said, “I’ll never act in a remake. I haven’t done any so far and I have no intentions to act in a remake in future.” Talking about his father, who had recently announced his retirement from politics and films, Mahesh Babu said, “He has only quit active politics but I think he’ll continue to act in films. He still enjoys the process.” This untitled Sukumar’s film will hit the screens in summer this year and Mahesh Babu confirmed that he’ll soon begin shooting for Sreenu Vaitla’s next film titled Aagadu. After that, he has agreed to act in three more films to be directed by Puri Jagannadh, Vamshi Paidipally and Krish respectively.
e k a m e r a n i U t B c A a B r e H v S e E n H l l I’ MA
22
Entertainment MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013 CINE BYTES
BLUE-EYED BOY OF BOLLYWOOD
BEST TIME TO BE PART OF SHOWBIZ: Trouble-makers can create controversy over any film: Boman
R
eacting to the hullabaloo around Tamil and Telugu film Vishwaroopam, actor Boman Irani says irrespective of the content, if someone wants to pull a film into controversy, he will find a way to do it anyway. “Even if you make a film with the most honest intentions, if someone has to take an objection to it, he will,” he says. IANS
Two-in-one for Vivek in ‘Jayantabhai Ki...’
A
ctor Vivek Oberoi says he got to relive two of his past characters — Chandu of Company and Aditya of Saathiya, in Jayantabhai Ki Luv Story. “My character in Jayantabhai Ki... is a goon similar to Company and a loverboy as the one I played in Saathiya,” the 36-year-old actor said. IANS
Prateik goes underground; getting new image, voice coach
S
mita Patil and Raj Babbar's son Prateik is taking a long introspective sabbatical from the public eye until his next release Isaaq, a North Indian take on Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet, which would be the actor's do-ordie bid to consolidate his precarious position as an eclipsed star son.
IMRAN KHAN
I
mran Khan, a talented actor with chocolate-boy looks, says with the influx of new filmmakers and fresh storylines in the Hindi film industry, this is the best time to be part of showbiz. “So many good and talented young directors, producers and writers are coming in. We cannot hope for anything else,” says the actor. “If films like Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola and Delhi Belly were made 10 to 15 years back, they wouldn’t have worked at the box-office,” Imran says. In a short span of four years, Imran — the nephew of Aamir Khan — has proved his mettle with impressive performances. He says an actor lives for audience appreciation, and that is what he looks forward to through all his projects. “An actor always wants to do something different. We (actors) live only for the appreciation from the audience. We want that the audience to like and appreciate our work,” Imran says. Imran made his Bollywood debut with 2008 film Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na. He was later seen in films like Kidnap, Luck, I Hate Luv Storys, Delhi Belly, Mere Brother Ki Dulhan and most recently in Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola. Over the years, even the business dynamics of the Hindi film industry have changed in a big way. Unlike earlier, when the success of a film was measured by its silver or golden jubilee run at the theatres, the fate of the film is now decided within the first three days of a movie's release itself. Imran agrees and says, "Twenty to 25 years ago, only 300 prints of a film used to be released. Today, even if you release a small film, it will release with 600 prints, and big films will release in 2,500 to 3,000 screens.” IANS
Entertainment MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013
23
Entertainment MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013
24
25
Entertainment MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013 CINE BYTES
DAMAGE CONTROL?
Stewart's
Johnny Depp set to star as Whitey Bulger in 'Black Mass'
J
ohnny Depp may have just found his post-Lone Ranger ďŹ lm. The 49-year-old global superstar hasn't gone in front of the cameras since Ranger wrapped last year. Now, Depp is expected to star in Barry Levinson's new drama Black Mass as notorious mobster Whitey Bulger.
Dina Manzo split from her husband
D
ina Manzo is splitting from her husband of seven years, Tommy Manzo, she conďŹ rmed Saturday. "My secret... I have been separated since October," the reality star, who appeared on Bravo's Real Housewives of New Jersey before moving on to her own show, Dina's Party on HGTV, tweeted. "My heart hurts but Tommy and I will always share a very special love."
Katy Perry and John Mayer take a hike in Los Angeles
T
he couple that hikes together, stays together? Not long after dishing that he is "quite happy" dating Katy Perry, John Mayer was spotted hitting the trails with his ladylove on a hike Friday in the Hollywood Hills at Fryman Canyon. The duo looked like they were having a blast as they held hands and smiled at each other.
love letter to
Pattinson A
ctress Kristen Stewart has sent boyfriend Robert Pattinson a long love letter in a bid to repair their fractured relationship. "Kristen wrote a long letter explaining her love to Rob. She feels that even if he can't forgive her, he should know that she is closer to him than anyone else could ever be," showbizspy.com quoted a source as saying. The couple recently agreed to a trial separation. Meanwhile, Stewart, 22, is said to be angry that Pattinson isn't giving her enough attention while he films The Rover in Australia. "She was devastated when Rob suggested they go on a trial separation, and Kristen has been eager to visit him, but now she is getting seriously angry at Rob because he is so bad at keeping in contact," added the source. With Pattinson out of the country, thousands of miles away working in Australia, Stewart has been missing him badly. "Robert is often starting his working day when Kristen is busy, and vice versa. And he is not the best at sending texts, or keeping in touch in the first place. Kristen is angry with him because she thinks he's not giving her enough attention, it's absolutely killing her," said the source. IANS
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013
Chai Time
Play & Win
Please send in your filled-in entries to Postnoon, #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500033. The winners will be announced on this page in Sunday’s edition.
KAKURO How to play kakuro Kakuro is a popular game similar to sudoku in some ways. But is also suitably different. The key question: ‘How do you play kakuro?’, well here are the rules of kakuro. The answer: The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any size. It has rows and columns, and dark cells like in a crossword. And, just like in a crossword, some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some cells will contain two numbers. However, in a crossword the numbers reference clues. In a kakuro, the numbers are all you get! They denote the total of the digits in the row or column refer-
QUICK CROSSWORD enced 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.
Play & Win
voucher from VENKEY’S VEG Restaurant, Nampally
ACROSS
SCRIBBLING PAD
Play & Win voucher from VENKEY’S VEG Restaurant, Nampally
SUDOKU
PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER
26
Play & Win voucher from VENKEY’S VEG Restaurant, Nampally
1 Spherical shape 4 Guiding principles 10 ___ League (Middle Eastern group) 14 Aloha garland 15 Papal representative 16 Western wolf 17 Ending for ‘puppet’ or ‘profit’ 18 Bikini tests 20 Bard’s ‘frequently’ 21 Artful dodges 22 Money in India 23 One who’s got it coming 25 Sketch artist’s need 26 Seeks the rough age of a fossil, perhaps 31 Jekyll creator’s monogram 34 Par ___ (French airmail) 35 Tooth woe 36 Passenger’s selection 37 Omen 38 Russian playwright Chekhov 39 Nickname for Hemingway 40 Sickly, as a complexion 41 Macintosh screen symbol 42 Oscar-winner Burstyn 43 One unlikely to pass
the bar? 44 Aura, scientifically 46 Shoe buyer’s concern 47 Some former tadpoles 48 Essence from rose petals 51 Star of SeaWorld 54 Bill at the bar 57 Lawn waterers 59 Attorneys’ org 60 Sheltered, on a ship 61 Triangle ratio 62 Lean-___ 63 Clarinet part 64 Settled, as a debt 65 Bleating female
DOWN
1 Table staple, once 2 Coral habitat 3 Human inheritance 4 Battle call 5 April mailing 6 Causes of personality clashes 7 Joan Sutherland or Judi Dench, eg 8 He gave us a lift 9 Dry, for champagne 10 One way to think 11 Win easily, in the sports pages 12 French cleric 13 Big name in stereo speakers 19 Supportive
undergarments 24 Black, on a piano 25 Ball-shaped pounder 26 Houses, in Havana 27 Dispatch boat 28 High school event 29 Directed person 30 Beachwear for the immodest 31 Houses on the market 32 Place for a carnation 33 Prepare to honour the flag 36 ___-pea soup 38 ‘It ___ over till it’s over’ (Yogi Berra) 42 Flowed out 44 Dublin’s isle 45 Arabian peninsula resident 46 Like aged blue jeans 48 Medium in a petri dish 49 Story told around the campfire 50 Apple or maple 51 It’s a little longer than a foot 52 Medical center (Abbr) 53 One of the seven continents 55 Take ___ (respond to applause) 56 Private dwelling? 58 ATM manufacturer
Chai Time MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013 Thiruvaikumar
STAR POWER for 5-2-2013
27
As per Hindu panchang thiruvaikumar@yahoo. co. in, 040-27177230 / 9177596118
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
You will be in a dilemmatic situation as certain important issues cannot be shared even in very close circles. However, you will be able to enjoy life well with your family. Take care of your movable assets as loss is likely. Postpone any new effort.
STRIP TEASE AGNES
Employees might face tension and have to fight to retain their job. Too much of work burden and travel will tire you. But you will come out of all the problems soon. Enemies will become inactive and you march forward without any hindrance.
Boldness and self-confidence levels will be very high, which will help in completing all tasks successfully. Businessmen are likely to get sops from the govt. Debt problems will be over, which will let you relax. A strong financial position will cheer you.
Health problem will put you under depression. Businessmen are advised to complete govt statutory compliances in time; chances of getting penalised high. Children and spouse will be more affectionate towards you. Income inflow cheers you.
Minor health troubles could come and go often. Court verdict will go in your favour after facing many hurdles. Both businessmen and employees will see a good and comfortable time in their fields. Financial inflow is not very comfortable.
You might be upset due to certain unexpected events. Medical expenses likely to go up. Avoid night journey. Money from expected sources might get delayed, which forces a deficit situation; you need to explore alternative ways.
Be careful in expressing opinions and avoid harsh talk that might spell trouble. Real estate matters will bring good gain. Income through maternal relatives likely. Your influence is likely to increase. Mother’s health could be cause for concern.
Good effects are likely to increase, which will make you cheerful. Your health looks fine. Employees and businessmen will be fully geared up to meet any challenge. Financial position will be comfortable as money will come from expected sources.
You will feel frustrated at certain unexpected events, which will anger you. However, with patience, wise action and unrelenting efforts you will be able to handle the issues well and complete all work. Postpone real estate transactions.
TAROT READ
Sumaa Tekur
tarotreadhyd@gmail. com
ARIES:
GEMINI:
Five of Wands – Avoid getting into any conflict situation. You will be tempted to make your opinion known. But only express yourself if absolutely necessary.
LEO:
Six of Wands – You keep busy with a number of commitments, prior appointments and deliveries both at work and at home. Take fewer coffee breaks today.
LIBRA:
PEARLS BEFORE SWINE
Nine of Pentacles – You are financially stable. This gives you the confidence to make some important decisions. You are able to rationalize with clarity today.
SAGITTARIUS:
The Star – There is a ray of hope that all will go well. A project will get the much required push, and you make good progress, which increases confidence.
TAURUS:
Ace of Swords – You experience powerful emotions today. Do not get into taking extreme positions on any matter of importance. Do not take big decisions today.
CANCER:
Eight of Cups – Make a wish and then work towards making it come true. Nothing is impossible if you work hard and be prepared for when opportunity knocks.
VIRGO:
Ten of Cups – Spend time with family. Plan a weekend trip so you get quality time together. You need to switch off from the office to achieve work-life balance.
SCORPIO:
Six of Swords – A surprise mail or message comes from overseas contacts. You may even get a job opportunity. But it may involve making too many sacrifices.
CAPRICORN:
The Moon – Your mother may be driving you up the wall today. Or, she may need you to pay her attention about some home-related issue. Lend a patient ear.
PREVIOUS SOLUTIONS
PISCES:
Knight of Pentacles – Charge ahead with your goals and they will happen. You have the willpower, determination as well as luck to making things work.
NUMBER GAME
– Your every wish is about to come true. If something has been bothering you for a long time, a resolution is near. Keep a low profile today.
SCRABBLE
AQUARIUS: Nine of Cups
POOCH CAFE
You will get confused and health problems upset you. Deficit financial situation add to your woes. You might manage the problem by pledging valuables like gold jewelery. Be careful in a financial transaction that you may undertake.
for 5-2-2013
The Hermit – You need to be left alone to think and plan ahead. Tell loved ones and close friends you need time away and they will respect your need.
NON SEQUITUR
New efforts will be successful. Health will be fine. Good news from paternal side and from VIP friends likely. Real estate deals will bring decent gains. As money matters look bleak, you might be forced to raise a new debt. Businessmen beware.
SUDUKO
Minor tension and unwanted apprehension likely. Also, you might feel afraid on certain issues. You need to talk with politeness and care as you might otherwise be mistaken. However, a happy atmosphere will prevail at your home.
Boggle DAD SON AUNT NIECE COUSIN NEPHEW Vol: 2, No 199 RNI No: APENG/2011/39337 Published for the proprietors, Scribble Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, by V Harshavardhan Reddy, at #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500033 and printed by him at Jagati Publications Ltd, Plot No D-75&E-52, APIE Industrial Estate, Balanagar, Ranga Reddy Dist, Hyderabad – 500037, Editor: Dean Williams – Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. For feedback, please write to: feedback@postnoon. com and for subscription, please call 040-4067 2222, Fax: 040-4067 2211
28
Entertainment MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013 CINE BYTES
Fatherhood is intense, says Channing Tatum
A
ctor Channing Tatum, who is expecting his first child with wife Jenna Dewan-Tatum, says he can’t wait to be a dad, but admits it will be challenging. The 32-year-old previously revealed that he is terrified, but excited about the impending birth. “I mean, I don’t think there is one thing that doesn’t terrify you, but in the most unbelievably beautiful way,” he said. IANS
Beyonce learning pole dance for Super Bowl?
S
inger Beyonce Knowles is reportedly taking pole dancing lessons to prepare for her Super Bowl XLVII halftime show. “Who knows if they’ll use them in the actual performance, but she was grinding away on one like a professional,” dailystar.co.uk quoted a source as saying. IANS
Adele seeks treatment for stage fright
S
inger Adele, who is set to perform at the forthcoming Academy Awards Feb 24, has been visiting a hypnotherapist to cure her stage fright.. Adele is booked to perform “Skyfall” at the ceremony. The singer is suffering from panic attacks and sleepless nights over the performance, say her friends. A source said she was sick before going on stage at Grammy’s. IANS
HOLDING ON TO THE PAST
Pitt still ‘haunts’ Aniston? A
ctress Jennifer Aniston reportedly still can’t get over her ex-husband Brad Pitt and is seeking counseling to get rid of the obsession. “From time to time, she even pulls out a box of mementos she’s kept — love letters, her handwritten wedding vows, pictures from their romantic vacations abroad, even one of Brad’s old, ratty T-shirts that she claims still has his smell on it,” showbizspy.com quoted a source as saying. Aniston, who is engaged to actor Justin Theroux, is so consumed by thoughts of Pitt that she recently enlisted friend and actress Courteney Cox to spy on him by way of their mutual friend David Fincher. “She tells Courteney she is only interested in knowing what Brad and Angelina’s wedding plans are, so that they don’t conflict with her own. But Courteney knows her interest runs deeper,” said a source. Jen asks Courteney to set up dinner dates with David to pump him for updates, said the source, adding that Theroux, “would hit the roof if he knew how much Jen still pines over him (Pitt)... she is beginning to think it could wreck their relationship, so she has gone back into one-on-one counseling — she really wants to dig the old skeletons out of her closet so she can be emotionally unburdened before she walks down the aisle with Justin. Jen realises that it’s high time she let go of her unhealthy attachment... He has obviously moved on... Jen’s very happy with Justin too. But Brad is like a ghost who constantly haunts her.” IANS
sports
29
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013
SUPER BOWL 47
Darkness descends but Ravens soar
The same stadium where survivors of Hurricane Katrina fled for refuge in 2005 was once again plunged into darkness and momentary chaos when the lights went out.
Frank Gore of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates a touchdown in the third quarter against the Baltimore Ravens during Super Bowl XLVII. AFP/TIMOTHY A CLARY
GREG HEAKES Agence France-Presse NEW ORLEANS: The Super Bowl, America’s iconic sporting spectacle, was interrupted for 35 minutes by a power outage on Sunday at the Louisiana Superdome, the first such mishap in the title game’s history. In the same Superdome where survivors of Hurricane Katrina fled for refuge in 2005 only to find peril and heartache, spectators who spent thousands of dollars to cheer their heroes were plunged into darkness and momentary chaos. Joe Flacco threw three touchdown passes and Jacoby Jones returned a kickoff 108 yards for a touchdown to spark the Baltimore Ravens over the San Francisco 49ers 34-31 in the National Football League championship spectacle. But safety and security concerns moved to the forefront 98 seconds into the third quarter when the electricity went out at the 73,000-seat stadium. Some lights returned after a few seconds. Others needed more than half an hour. “We sincerely apologize for
the incident,” Superdome spokesman Eric Eagan said. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell presented the championship trophy to the Ravens after the game without a mention of the power outage that interrupted the contest with Baltimore leading 28-3, swiping the Ravens’ huge momentum. CBS reported that referees said an electrical feed into the Superdome went out, causing the power outage in the gridiron classic, knocking out some electrical equipment on the sidelines of
Ed Reed of the Baltimore Ravens holds aloft the Vince Lombardi Trophy following their 34-31 victory over the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII. AFP/TIMOTHY A CLARY
each team. The National Football League said that “stadium authorities are investigating the cause of the power outage," and promised to provide more information when available. Jones produced the longest scoring play in Super Bowl history on the kickoff of the second half and San Francisco took over from there, facing a third-down play needing 14 yards to ensure they keep possession of the ball. That’s when the lights went out, prompting screams and fans
Joe Flacco (C) of the Baltimore Ravens and teammates stand on the field as a power outage brings Super Bowl XLVII to a halt. AFP/TIMOTHY A CLARY
chanting in rhythm as half the lights in the stadium flashed on quickly, leaving the Super Bowl shut down in a bizarre situation and sending both teams to the sidelines. While the remainder of the lighting powered back into full brightness, players were left in an eerie twilight to try and find ways to stay warmed up and keep their concentration, throwing or kicking balls or stretching with no idea how long their wait would take. While the 49ers failed to convert when the game resumed and were forced to punt, they went on to score 17 points in the third quarter and seized the chance to challenge the Ravens team that had been dominating them. “The Niners handled that really well," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “They came out and flipped the momentum of that game really well.” The power outage came only a few minutes after a half-time show filled with electrical and lighting wizardry that starred pop diva Beyonce, one for which the main stadium lights were turned off.
Past 10 champions 2013 Baltimore Ravens 34 San Francisco 49ers 31 in New Orleans 2012 New York Giants 21 New England Patriots 17 in Indianapolis 2011 Green Bay Packers 31 Pittsburgh Steelers 25 in Dallas 2010 New Orleans Saints 31 Indianapolis Colts 17 in Miami 2009 Pittsburgh Steelers 27 Arizona Cardinals 23 in Tampa 2008 New York Giants 17 New England Patriots 14 in Phoenix 2007 Indianapolis Colts 29 Chicago Bears 17 in Miami 2006 Pittsburgh Steelers 21 Seattle Seahawks 10 in Detroit 2005 New England Patriots 24 Philadelphia Eagles 21 in Jacksonville 2004 New England Patriots 32 Carolina Panthers 29 in Houston
sports
30
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013
DAVIS CUP
Querrey excels in US win
We had a better chance on faster court: Team India
NEW DELHI: The slow courts were best suited to the players who chose to skip the tie and had V M Ranjeet and Vijayant Malik competed on a fast surface, the hosts would have a better chance of winning the Davis Cup tie against South Korea, the Indian team said in one voice today.
The physically demanding slow courts actually suited the Korean players who won the tie 4-1. Players such as Somdev Devvarman, who led the players’ revolt, are supremely fit to play on the slow courts, where retrieving the balls consistently and stamina count the most. PTI
NBA Heat to hot for Raptors
TORONTO, CANADA: LeBron James (below) scored 30 points, grabbed eight rebounds and passed out seven assists to spark reigning NBA champion Miami over the Toronto Raptors 10085 on Sunday. James, last season’s NBA
Most Valuable Player and NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, hit 10-of-16 shots from the field for the Heat, who had lost two of their prior three games but improved to an Eastern Conference-best 30-14. Chris Bosh added 28 points for Miami while Dwayne Wade contributed 23 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals for the Heat. Rudy Gay, obtained by Toronto on Thursday in a trade with Memphis, scored 29 points to lead the Raptors, who fell to 17-31 with their fourth loss in five games.
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA: Sam Querrey (left) rescued the United States from a humbling Davis Cup upset, defeating Thiago Alves 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) Sunday to lift the Americans over Brazil 3-2 in a first-round tie. Querrey’s comeback victory lifted the Americans into a quarter-final tie in April at Boise, Idaho, against Novak Djokovic’s Serbia after Thomaz Bellucci pulled Brazil level with a 2-6, 6-4, 6-7 (7/9), 6-4, 6-3 upset of John Isner. “It’s an amazing feeling. I’m so excited,” said Querrey, who thanked US supporters who missed the start of American football’s Super Bowl spectacle to stay and cheer him to victory. Isner and Querrey, in their Davis Cup home debut, won singles matches on Friday to put the Americans on the brink of advancing. But Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares upset the World No 1 doubles duo of Bob and Mike Bryan on Saturday to keep the Brazilians alive. The Americans have not squandered a 2-0 lead to lose a Davis Cup tie since a 1994 semifinal loss in Sweden. But they came closer than they wanted Sunday. “Relieved is the first word that comes to mind,” US captain Jim Courier said. “This was a really important match for Sam, I think, in his development. We had a couple stumbles but we ended up getting through the tape in the end.”
TOUR OF QATAR
Brent wins first stage in sprint finish
DOHA: US racer Brent Bookwalter of the BMC team won Sunday’s opening stage of the Tour of Qatar, seeing off Swiss rivals Martin Elmiger (IAM) and Gregory Rast (RadioShack) in a sprint finish in tricky, windy conditions. The 28-year-old from Albuquerque edged home for his first professional win after a 145km ride from Katara to Dukhan Beach which saw the riders dogged by Shamal, a strong northerly wind which provided an additional challenge. AFP
Davis Cup Sunday results At Vancouver - hardcourt (indoors) Canada 3 Spain 2 Milos Raonic (CAN) bt Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 Albert Ramos (ESP) bt Frank Dancevic (CAN) 7-5, 6-4 At Turin - clay (indoors) Italy 3 Croatia 2 Marin Cilic (CRO) bt Andreas Seppi (ITA) 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 Fabio Fognini (ITA) bt Ivan Dodig (CRO) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 At Charleroi - clay (indoors) Belgium 2 Serbia 3 David Goffin (BEL) bt Boris Pashanski (SRB) 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 Steve Darcis (BEL) bt Nenad Zimonjic (SRB) 6-2, 6-4 At Jacksonville - hard (indoors) USA 3 Brazil 2 Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) bt John Isner (USA) 2-6, 6-4, 6-7 (7/9), 6-4, 6-3 Sam Querrey (USA) bt Thiago Alves (BRA) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) At Rouen - hard (indoors) France 5 Israel 0 Michael Llodra (FRA) bt Noam Okun (ISR) 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) Richard Gasquet (FRA) bt Amir Weintraub (ISR) 6-4, 6-3 At Buenos Aires - clay (outdoors) Argentina 5 Germany 0 Juan Monaco (ARG) bt Tobias Kamke (GER) 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) Carlos Berlocq (ARG) bt Christopher Kas (GER) 6-2, 6-4 At Astana - clay (indoors) Kazakhstan 3 Austria 1 Andrey Golubev (KAZ) bt Jurgen Melzer (AUT) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 Evgeny Korolev (KAZ) v Andreas Haider-Maurer (AUT) - not played At Geneva - hard (indoors) Switzerland 2 Czech Republic 3 Tomas Berdych (CZE) bt Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5) Henri Laaksonen (SUI) bt Jiri Vesely (CZE) 0-6, 6-3, 6-1
US PGA PHOENIX OPEN
Mickelson wraps up wire-to-wire romp
S C O T T S D A L E , ARIZONA: Phil Mickelson (right) fired a four-under par 67 on Sunday to complete a wire-to-wire victory in the $6.2mn US PGA Phoenix Open, capturing his 41st career title by four strokes. It was the first time a player led every round alone on the way to a tour title since Rory McIlroy’s breakthrough major triumph at the 2011 US Open. “I played really good golf,” Mickelson said. “This is how I’ve been playing for a while and it feels good to get that golf out of me when
I’m at a big tournament.” With a win a week ago by Tiger Woods at Torrey Pines, Mickelson’s triumph showed that two of the game’s stars are in top form.
FORMULA ONE
Vettel wary of Webber
LONDON: World champion Sebastian Vettel insisted on Sunday that he is not the overwhelming favourite for a fourth successive Formula One title and believes his main threat could come from Red Bull teammate Mark Webber. The season roars into action on March 17 in Melbourne, with 19 races scheduled over nine months with the season closer in Brazil on November 24.
“It’s one thing to look back at what we have achieved as a team, but really I feel that we all start again from zero,” said Germany’s Vettel, who became the youngest man to win three straight titles in 2012 at the age of 25. “So we’ve all got the same chances and it will be a long year, a lot of races and a very tough challenge waiting for all of us. “If anything the expectations are
there, people expect something, but more than that, we expect ourselves to do well again so there’s a lot of pressure. It will be tough — tough to beat Mark (Webber), tough to beat the other guys and the other teams because they will try everything to beat us. The best drivers are in the best teams. I think it’s easy for you to work out who they are — Fernando (Alonso) certainly is one of them.,” Vettel said.
Mark Webber of Australia (L) and Sebastian Vettel of Germany pose alongside the new car on Monday. AFP/ MARK THOMPSON
sports
31
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013
PAKISTAN IN SOUTH AFRICA
Battling Pak hope for win Pakistan were 183 for four at the close after being set to make an improbable 480 to win the first Test.
COLIN BRYDEN Agence France-Presse JOHANNESBURG: Pakistan batsmen Misbah-ul-Haq (right) and Asad Shafiq held up South Africa’s push for victory with a defiant fifth wicket partnership on the third day of the first Test at the Wanderers Stadium on Sunday. The match seemed headed for an early finish when the first four wickets fell for 82 runs, but Pakistan captain Misbah (44 not out) and the stocky Shafiq (53 not out) defended grimly for more than three hours, adding an
unbeaten 101. South Africa remained in a strong position to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, however, with a second new ball due after five overs on Monday and only wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed of the remaining batsmen likely to offer sustained resistance to the South African fast bowlers. “With our bowling attack we really back ourselves to finish the game,” said South Africa vice-captain AB de Villiers. “A few cracks are opening up and the new ball will swing around.”
De Villiers said the pitch was better for batting than it had been on the second day when Pakistan were bowled out for 49. “It’s not going around as much as day two but they (Pakistan) played a lot better. They’ve got a lot of pride to play for so we’re not taking anything for granted. “We’ve got a new ball coming up which counts in our favour but we know we have to do the hard work.” Pakistan coach Dav Whatmore admitted that his team still faced a massive task despite the MisbahShafiq stand.
SCOREBOARD South Africa, first innings 253 Pakistan, first innings 49 South Africa, second innings (overnight 207-3) A. Petersen c Hafeez b Umar Gul 27 Smith c Sarfraz Ahmed b Gul 52 H. Amla not out 74 J. Kallis c Asad Shafiq b Ajmal 7 A. de Villiers not out 103 Extras (lb4, nb5, w3) 12 Total (3 wkts dec, 62 overs) 275 Fall of wickets: 1-82, 2-87, 3-99 Bowling: Umar Gul 14-2-58-2 (3w), Junaid Khan 13-1-63-0 (5nb), Rahat Ali 11-1-44-0, Mohammad Hafeez 50-32-0, Saeed Ajmal 18-1-74-1, Younis Khan 1-1-0-0 Pakistan second innings Hafeez c De Villiers b Philander 2 Jamshed c Peterson b Steyn 46 Azhar Ali lbw b Kallis 18 Younis Khan c De Villiers b Morkel 15 Misbah-ul-Haq not out 44 Asad Shafiq not out 53 Extras (lb2, nb3) 5 Total (4 wkts, 75 overs) 183 Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-64, 3-70, 4-82 Bowling: Steyn 18-7-26-1, Philander 17-3-39-1 (1nb), Morkel 18-5-65-1 (2nb), Kallis 12-3-27-1, Peterson 103-24-0 Match situation: Pakistan need 297 to win with six wickets remaining
ICC WOMEN’S WORLD CUP
Kaur’s 107 in vain, India lose Mithali’s comments fired us to do better: Brunt After notching up a convincing 32-run victory over India, England pacer Katherine Brunt said it was Indian skipper Mithali Raj’s comments on their bowling attack that charged them up to perform better during their Group A ICC Women’s World Cup here today. “Mithali’s comments fired us up to be honest. We were already up for this game but once those comments were made, we were up even more,” Brunt said at the post match conference after England beat India by 32 runs. “I think that gave fuel to the fire, and we did a decent job at the start and Holly (Colvin) showed us what spinner can do when they work hard.”
MUMBAI: Harmanpreet Kaur’s (right) brilliant unbeaten century went in vain as India suffered a 32-run defeat against defending champions England in their group A match of the ICC Women’s World Cup here today. Kaur blasted 107 runs in 109 balls, laced with eight fours and two sixes, to become the second cricketer from India to slam a ton in the World Cup. But the 23-year-old from Punjab didn’t get much support at the other end as India made 240 for nine in reply to England’s 272 in their stipulated 50 overs. Fast bowler Katherine Helen Brunt was the top wicket-taker for England as she returned with a four-wicket haul in nine overs, while spinner Danielle Wyatt chipped in with a couple
‘I dreamed of getting a 94 last night’ of wickets. Chasing a target of 273, India had a dismal start as they lost their top three batters — last match centurion Thirushkamini Murugesan, Punam Raut and skipper Mithali Raj — in a span of 34
minutes and by the eighth over. They managed to recover from 29 for 3 as vice-captain Kaur and wicket-keeper batter Karuna Jain steadied the innings with a partnership of 106 for the fourth wicket. PTI
MUMBAI: West Indian opener Stefanie Taylor, who cracked a career-best 171 to star in her team’s comprehensive 205-run win over Sri Lanka in the ICC Women’s World Cup league match today, had a funny thing to share — that she dreamed of making a 94 and not a century.
AUSTRALIA’S TOUR OF INDIA
Australia to send advance party for India tour
SYDNEY: Australia will send an advance party of eight players to India this week to help acclimatise to the playing conditions ahead of the four-Test series later this month, Cricket Australia said on Monday. Chief selector John Inverarity said the squad would travel to India in three separate groups catering for playing commitments in the current one-day series at home against the West Indies which ends next week. “It is planned to have Jackson Bird, Ed Cowan, Moises
Henriques, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle and Steve Smith travel to India on Thursday (February 7),” Inverarity said. He added that all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and wicketkeeper Matthew Wade would leave on Saturday along with opening batsman David Warner, who is recovering from a thumb injury. “The remaining six players — Michael Clarke, Shane Watson, Xavier Doherty, Mitchell Starc, Phillip Hughes, Mitchell Johnson — will travel on
February 11 at the conclusion of the ODI series against West Indies, subject to minor alterations,” he said. “The players in the 17-man squad will travel to India in three separate groups in an effort to find the best balance for players.” Australia, who have lost five of their last seven Tests in India and have not won a series there since 2004, have two warm-up games in Chennai ahead of the opening Test in the same city on February 22-26. AFP
Warne slams rotation policy
SYDNEY: Test great Shane Warne on Monday criticised Australia’s contentious use of the player rotation policy and called for changes to the one-day and Twenty20 formats. Warne, 43, added his voice to other prominent ex-players and the media against the selection policy of rotating players, particularly fast bowlers, to guard against them breaking down from too much cricket. “When we were number one there weren’t mission statements flying around, but we got the selection process right and the best 11 were selected for every game.”
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013
sports LA LIGA
Messi goal saves Barça at Valencia
PREMIER LEAGUE
Aguero brilliance thwarts Liverpool
Defending champs now nine points behind Man Utd.
TIM HANLON Agence France-Presse MADRID: A Lionel Messi (above) penalty rescued Barcelona as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Valencia before their lead at the top was cut to nine points when Atletico Madrid clinched a 1-0 win over Real Betis. The four-time World Player of the Year extended his record scoring run to 12 matches in the league with a penalty after 39 minutes with Valencia having taken the lead through Ever Banega. Although Barca won their last league game at home to Osasuna, they lost a fortnight ago against Real Sociedad and this was a lacklustre display at the Mestalla. Like Real Madrid, who lost to Granada on Saturday, Barca seemed to be suffering the effects of their 1-1 Spanish Cup semifinal first-leg but they still have a significant lead over Atletico. A second-half Diego Costa header saw Atletico maintain their 100 per cent record at home this season and they are seven points clear of their more prestigious city rivals Real. Barcelona’s assistant coach Jordi Roura admitted his side were not at their best. “It is certainly true that we arrived after a tough game and they always take their toll. In the first half it was difficult for us.”
GERRARD IS ENGLAND PLAYER OF YEAR Steven Gerrard was on Sunday named as England’s player of the year for 2012 after winning over 40 percent of a fans’ vote, the Football Association announced. The 32-year-old Liverpool star edged out Danny Welbeck and Ashley Cole to clinch the award.
IAN WHITTELL Agence France-Presse
Mancini optimistic
MANCHESTER, UK: Sergio Aguero (in pic) helped Manchester City avoid a damaging home defeat by Liverpool with an impressive equaliser in a 2-2 draw at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. Liverpool looked well capable of inflicting a loss that would have left the deficit in double digits. Liverpool’s former City youngster Daniel Sturridge cancelled out an Edin Dzeko effort, refusing to celebrate after scoring the first goal City had conceded in 2013, before Steven Gerrard fired the visitors ahead from 30 yards. Aguero salvaged a point for City 12 minutes from time after Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina inexplicably chased him to the edge of the area, giving the
MANCHESTER, UK: Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini insists his team can still retain their Premier League title despite falling nine points behind Manchester United. City were held 2-2 by Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, wasting the opportunity to reduce the deficit at the top of the table to seven points in the wake of United’s 1-0 victory at Fulham 24 hours earlier. But despite the mounting odds, Mancini remained defiant.
Argentine the opportunity to chip over his head and into the open net from a difficult angle. Dzeko’s opening goal had come somewhat against the run of play, but it was the Liverpool equaliser that provided the biggest bone of contention.
AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS
Nigeria advances, Drogba out DAVID LEGGE Agence France-Presse JOHANNESBURG: Nigeria and Burkina Faso reached the Africa Cup of Nations semifinals Sunday as Ivory Coast legend Didier Drogba departed the stage for the last time without the gold medal he craved. The Nigerian Super Eagles
were too quick and slick for the often ponderous Ivorian Elephants and won 2-1 at Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace in north-western mining town Rustenburg through goals from Emmanuel Emenike and Sunday Mba. After the drama of Rustenburg, the crowd 400 kilometres east in Nelspruit had to endure two hours
of drab fare before Burkina Faso edged Togo 1-0 thanks to a Jonathan Pitroipa goal halfway through extra time. Former champions Nigeria face Mali in the first semi-final Wednesday in Indian Ocean city Durban, followed three hours later by Burkina Faso against four-time title-holders Ghana in Nelspruit. AFP
FOOTBALL BRIEFS Bale softens Defoe blow as Spurs hunt Chelsea
Ex-Real Madrid Michel takes Olympiakos job
Injured Defoe to miss England friendly
Schalke’s Keller under pressure after 51 days
LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur lost Jermain Defoe to injury but won 1-0 at West Bromwich Albion through a fine Gareth Bale goal to bolster their push for Champions League qualification on Sunday. Emmanuel Adebayor’s commitments with Togo at the Africa Cup of Nations have left Defoe as Spurs’ only senior striker.
ATHENS: Former Real Madrid and Spain midfielder Michel has been appointed new coach of Olympiakos, the Greek champions and current league leaders announced Sunday. The team said that the former Sevilla coach will be officially presented Monday. He reportedly signed an 18-month deal bringing him 1 million euros.
LONDON: Jermain Defoe has withdrawn from the England squad for Wednesday’s friendly with Brazil after injuring his ankle in Tottenham Hotspur’s 1-0 win at West Bromwich Albion on Sunday. Spurs coach Andre Villas-Boas revealed after the game that the 30-year-old striker would be pulling out of England manager Roy Hodgson’s squad.
BERLIN: Schalke 04 fans on Sunday called for coach Jens Keller to be fired after just 51 days in charge in the wake of the Royal Blues’ “humiliating” 2-1 home defeat to Bundesliga bottom side Greuther Fuerth. Banners reading “Keller Out!” greeted the 42-yearold when he arrived at training in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday.
32
SERIE A
Balotelli has dream Milan start ROME: Mario Balotelli (above) scored a brace on his debut, including a controversial late penalty, to secure a precious 2-1 win for AC Milan over Udinese on Sunday and move the resurgent Rossoneri up to fourth place in Serie A. Champions Juventus remain top after restoring their threepoint lead over Napoli, 2-0 winners at home Saturday against Catania, thanks to a 2-1 win away to Chievo. Balotelli, a former Inter Milan player, told the media on his presentation Friday evening he had come to Milan “to help the club win trophies”. After seeing a drive whizz just past the post on 35 seconds it took him just 25 minutes to show fans of his intentions when he latched on to a through ball to smash the ball past Daniele Padelli in the Udinese goal. Udinese pulled level in the 55th minute when Giampero Pinzi beat Marco Amelia in the Milan goal after being set up by Colombian Luis Muriel. “It’s a great feeling to score, but I have to keep on going,” Balotelli told Sky Sport. I’m very happy despite the fact I’m just getting over what has been a difficult period. I didn’t play a lot (at City) and I could feel it in my legs. Tonight I was relaxed.”
I’m very happy despite the fact I’m just getting over what has been a difficult period. I didn’t play a lot (at City) and I could feel it in my legs. Tonight I was relaxed. Mario Balotelli Milan striker