Postnoon E-Paper for 01 July 2012 by Scribble Media & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS: FOOTBALL A LA KIEV

he dynamic Italians take on the reigning European and World champions Italy in the final of Euro 2012 today. Will the magic of Pirlo prevail over Spain’s tantalising tiki-taka? Get set for the football match of the year. PG 30 WWW.POSTNOON.COM

WEATHER: CLOUDY WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS; 28°C

Hyderabad’s first compact afternoon newspaper

32 PAGES

ON SUNDAY JULY 1, 2012 HYDERABAD

M ANIL KUMAR

PRANAB’S PLANS UP IN SMOKE? A fire on the premises resulted in smoke engulfing the Jubilee Hall minutes after Pranab Mukherjee addressed MLAs and MPs and left. The fire brigade took over 15 minutes to arrive. REPORT ON PG 3

CITY SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012

BAG A RIDE

Hyderabad Library services

M ANIL KUMAR

Library and librarian services offered to members and groups (institutions) at `3,650 per year (per member). It covers study, career, competition, business of research. Welcome to APSET enrolled. Where: Hyderabad library services, Sagar View Complex When: June 9 to July 8, Contact: (040) 2322 2247, 94412 37751

Dragon festival Have an oriental experience as the Golden Dragon at Taj Banjara presents its Dragon Festival Feast from June 28 onwards. Where: Golden Dragon, Taj Krishna, Banjara Hills When: Ongoing Contact: (040) 6629 3309

Silk expo An exclusive collection of traditional silk and cotton designer saree, suit and dress material from all over India are available at the Nation Silk Expo. The expo is on till July 1. Where: Sri Sathya Sai Nigamagamam, Srinagar Colony When: Ongoing, 9am onwards Contact: (040) 2374 1450

Sunday brunch Spend the perfect Sunday afternoon with Aquaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s special brunch. Where: Aqua, The Park, When: Every Sunday, 12pm to 4 pm Contact: (040) 2345 6789

Mexican brunch La Cantina, at Novotel presents Sunday brunch, an interesting mexican spread, every Sunday. Where: La Cantina, Novotel, Madhapur When: Every Sunday, 12pm onwards Contact: (040) 6682 4422

Being eunuch Being Eunuch, a play highlighting the plight and problems of eunuchs in the country will be presented by Nishumbita on July 13. Where: Ravindra Bharathi, Saifabad When: July 13, 7pm onwards Contact: (040) 2323 1245

CINEMAS

Woodcut workshop The workshop conducted by artist M Ganghadar features various artists and is on from June 30. The exhibition will be on display at Iconart Gallery till July 8. Where: Iconart Art Gallery, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12 When: Ongoing, 11.30am onwards Contact: 98499 68797

Petals exhibition Get set for yet another shopping extravaganza. Petals exhibition will be held on July 6. The exhibition which will be held at Taj Krishna, Banjara Hills on July 6 will feature various new designers. Where: Taj Banjara, Banjara Hills, Rd No 1 When: July 6, 10am onwards Contact: (040) 6666 2323

Saturday night Head to Via Milano every Saturday for a musical evening. Megha Girish performs every Saturday providing the great combination of music and food. Where: Via Milano, Jubilee Hills, Rd No 36 When: Ongoing,

8pm onwards Contact: (040) 6455 6677

Cloth, paper, scissors

Contact: (040) 2752 2999

Kuchipudi recital

An exhibition featuring 22 artists in various medias is on display at Iconart Gallery. Where: Iconart Gallery, Banjara Hills When: Ongoing, 11.30 am onwards Contact: 98499 68797

A Kuchipudi dance recital by Sindhuja will be presented by Nitya Swara at Lamakaan on July 1. Where: Lamakaan, Banjara Hills, Rd No 1 When: July 1, 6.15 pm onwards Contact: 964273 1329

Akruthi Vasthra

Chai pakoda

Crafts Council of India is hosting a textile exhibition from July 4 at Kamma Sangham Hall. The exhibition features artistes from across the country. Where: Kamma Sangham Hall, Ameerpet When: July 4-July 6, 10.30am onwards Contact: 92937 73970

We all love to sit by the window as it rains, with a plate of hot pakodas and some chai. Arena at Taj Deccan brings that feeling to you. Where: Taj Deccan, Banjara Hills, Rd No 1 When: Ongoing, 3pm to7pm Contact: (040) 6666 393

Musical evening

Madhubani workshop

Boondhon ka Paigam, a monsoon musical yearly event will be held on July 12 at Hyderabad Marriott and Convention centre. The musical event will feature Kavitha Seth and Jaswinder Singh. Where: Hyderabad Marriott and convention centre, Tank Bund When: July 12, 7pm onwards

The YMCA Secunderabad is hosting a madhubani painting workshop. The workshop is being felicitated by an artist from Madhubani. A part of the fees earned through the workshop will be used to train underprivileged women. Where: YMCA Secunderabad, West Marredpally When: June 18-June 29 Contact: 98490 07736

Big Cinemas, Ameerpet, 30581470; Cinemax, Banjara Hills, 44565555; Cine Planet , Kompally, 61606060; INOX, Banjara Hills, 44767777, Prasads, Tank Bund Rd, 23448888; PVR, Punjagutta, 8800900009; Talkie Town, Miyapur, 40214175; Tivoli, Secunderabad 27844973

CITY SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012

Man jumps before train

34-year-old youth, B Bheem Kumar, jumped before a running train and died last night. The incident happened between James Street and Sanjeevaiah Park Railway stations, police said. A resident of Mastana Nagar, Kumar was a hotel worker. Sources said that Kumar had been facing severe financial problems in recent times.

TDP to vote for Sangma?

3 murder accused arrested

DP is veering round to the view that it should vote for PA Sangma in the presidential election. Senior leaders are arguing that voting for the UPA candidate Pranab Mukherjee will send a wrong signal as supporting the Congress. Though an NDA candidate, Sangma’s 'secular' credentials are strong. A decision will soon be taken, sources said.

aidabad police solved the murder of a fast food worker, Chiranjeevi Chathri, and arrested three of his co-workers. The victim, a Nepali, was working in a fast food centre at Saidabad. On the night of June 24, he quarreled with Ajay Sunar, Badal Chathri,and Sanjay Bahadur over something related to food and that led to the murder, police said.

Pranab woos small parties M ANIL KUMAR

Md INKESHAF AHMED

ahmed.m@postnoon.com

“I

don’t' believe in miracles. I don’t think miracles will happen," began UPA presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee at his brief chat with media here today. Pranab was taking a jab at the recent remark of the NDA candidate PA Sangma that miracles would happen and he would sail through. Pranab flew in here from Chennai to seek support for his candidature. He addressed a joint session of the Congress Legislature Party and MPs at the Jubilee Hall.

He was accompanied by Ghulam Nabi Azad and Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy. Chiranjeevi who too was with them appeared sidelined as he kept off the stage. Pranab said he would not be meeting the leaders of YSRC, TRS and TDP but appealed to them to vote for him. However, he had granted an audience to the MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi who is believed to have been canvassing votes from non-Congress parties, including the YSRC. Pranab will fly to Bangalore this afternoon. He will visit Odisha on July 11 to campaign in the state for the presidential election, the Congress said on Sunday. He will meet Congress legislators and MPs there and seek their support.

Minor girl falls victim to deceit, murdered Mohd Subhan

mohd.s@postnoon.com

teenage maid who blindly trusted a youth and had developed a sexual relationship with the hope of an eventual marriage met with a gory end when the man with the help of a friend took her to a Markapuram forest area, wrested `30,000 from her, and murdered her. The body was found and the duo is in prison. The sad saga began a year ago when M Yadamma, 16, who hails from Mahbubnagar, came down to Hyderabad to stay and work with her married sister M Santoshi at Kurmaguda in Madannapet. Both belong to a poor peasant family from Mahbubnagar. Additional inspector KPV Raju and SI M Krishna of Madannapet police who cracked the case said that after coming to the City, Yadamma worked as a maid. She came in touch with one K Anjaneyulu, 24, who worked as a construction labourer. He is reported

Anjaneyulu to have promised her marriage and sexually exploited her. Meanwhile, the girl developed some skin disease which led to the discolouring of her body complexion. Anjaneyulu began distancing from her though she pestered him to marry. According to the girl's family, she was madly in love with the youth and she had said she could not live without him. However, the skin problem coupled with his fading interest in her, created a rift between the couple. He told her marriage was not on the cards and she was disheartened. Recently, Yadamma got `30,000 from a chit fund she had joined last year. She was going to

give it to her mother. When told of the money, Anjaneyulu changed his stance and told her he would marry her and asked her to meet him at Imlibun bus stand the next day. The unwary girl acted as he said and both boarded the bus for Mahbubnagar. Anjaneyulu had arranged with his friend Suresh to be at Mahbubnagar with a bike. On reaching, Suresh took the two to Markapuram forest area despite her objections. There the duo drank beer and attacked the girl, wrested money and killed her. Abandoning the body, the two rode back. As she did not return, Santoshi lodged a missing complaint. After the decomposed body was found, the police established her identity and interrogated Anjaleyulu who at first gave contradictory reports but under pressure admitted to the crime and described how they had killed the girl. Police have put the two behind the bars.

Smoke creates panic at meeting venue

he Jubilee Hall, where Pranab Mukherjee addressed MPs and MLAs this morning seeking support for his candidature, was suddenly engulfed in belching smoke few minutes after Mukherjee left the venue. The smoke choked many ministers and MLAs still sitting in the hall. A scramble for the exit began. Some

jumped out of the windows and some suffered minor bruises as a near-stampede began for the door. The smoke had a pungent smell and it heightened panic. What made the situation more grievous was the fact that no fire tender was kept on stand-by though it's mandatory for such venues that host mass gathering.

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CITY SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012

After T party what?

M ANIL KUMAR

It took two consecutive hits (electoral defeats) on its head for the ruling Congress to realise that the simmering statehood issue should be dealt with. THE SUDDEN FLURRY PK SURENDRAN

pksurendran@gmail.com

n our columns Postnoon had suggested more than once that a political solution, not violent agitation, is the right route to search for a peaceful settlement of a Telangana State. Finally, New Delhi seems to have woken up to the reality. The sudden flurry of activity among all Congress satraps, right from Sonia Gandhi to Ghulam Nabi Azad, meeting AP leaders and enquiring about the T State possibility has given hope to a political solution. It took two consecutive hits (electoral defeats) on its head for the Congress to realise that the simmering issue should be dealt with. Some 750 people are believed to have died since the T-stir began four decades ago. Some of them are claimed to be suicides though no orderly investigation has been conducted to find the veracity of the claim. But the loss of life and limb and property for the sake of a separate state has been gigantic. Union home minister P

OF ACTIVITY AMONG ALL CONGRESS SATRAPS, RIGHT FROM SONIA GANDHI TO GHULAM NABI AZAD, MEETING LEADERS FROM ANDHRA PRADESH AND ENQUIRING ABOUT THE T STATE POSSIBILITY HAS GIVEN HOPE TO A POLITICAL SOLUTION. Chidambaram's announcement on Friday that the process to work out the Telangana issue was quickened confirms the Congress resolution to find a solution. But the issue is far more knotty than is commonly understood. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh admitted as much when he said on November 12 last year, "Telangana is a complicated matter and we are trying to evolve a consensus, where all shades of public opinion would agree that what is being done is in the interest of each and everyone. We cannot solve the problem of Telangana by agreeing to Telangana State

while there is disquiet and unrest in other regions of Andhra Pradesh. From the frying pan to the fire is not an appropriate solution to the National problem." The trouble is that only minor players of the State, the BJP, the TRS, the CPI, and the CPI-M have taken a stand on the Telangana issue but other major parties in the state politics — the Congress, the TDP, and now the YSR Congress — are yet to make up their mind about Telangana. This apart, bent on denying Hyderabad to Telangana is the MIM which though a small party has influential voice in the corridors of power. The nagging fear in the Congress camp, Postnoon learnt, is the future of the Congress in this region. AP has been Congress' mascot all these years. If the demand is acceded will the TRS agree to be rechristened as the Telangana Congress? If so the Sonia congress has no trouble granting the wish but what guarantee is there it would be so considering the increasing subnationalist sentiment throughout the country? Nobody is offering an answer because nobody wants to stick his neck out.

FOR A GOOD CAUSE

Trustee of Bhagwan Mahavir Jain Relief Foundation Trust Sunil Pahade and his wife felicitate donors to Mahavir Dialysis Centre at a function in Bantia Garden, Sikh Village, Secunderabad. DEEPAK DESHPANDE

Rainbow nation is an experience

Rajesh Ravindran

rajesh.r@postnoon.com

“Y

ou can’t just go to South Africa, you have to do South Africa,” said Hanneli Slabber, country manager, South African Tourism in India. It’s very convincing. At a meet with the travel agents in the city she showed a video of Mandira Bedi bungee jumping from the world's highest single span arch bridge, the Bloukrans Bridge towers (216 m), above the river of the same name. It’s a comfort to know that with its pendulum system, you are assured "the smoothest, most comfortable bungee jump possible". “You have to walk up the steps to the point from where you jump and you know how high you are. Mandira has been a VJ and knows how to hide emotions. But she looked a bit jumpy before it. But after she did it, she looked a different woman,” said Slabber. Between Mandira’s squeals of elation, the change come over her from conquering one’s fear is palpable. To drive her point further, Slabber recounted another story: “There was an 80-year-old Indian auntie who watched a video of shark cage diving at Gansbaai and went on to do it. Her husband was with her and had watched the video with her too. But as soon as the video ended only she said she wanted to do it. So we got her geared up and put her in the cage and off she went. When she was done, she had the same cool look she had before doing it. It was amazing.” Slabber says no other place can offer you the combinations of activities and places to visit that South Africa can offer. “People think South Africa is just about wildlife and safari. There’s so much more to our

People think South Africa is just about wildlife and safari. There’s so much more to our country Hanneli Slabber country manager, South Africa Tourism country.” For a cultural excursion to understand South Africa’s past there are many options. There’s the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg. “It’s pretty interesting. It recaps the times when apartheid existed in a different way, as, suppose I am a 10-yearold white kid, I can take a ticket as a 30-year-old black woman with another name and go and check out the museum and viceversa. What it gives you is a perspective of another person completely different from you,” Slabber said. And there’s the Robben Island museum where you can spent time in Nelson Mandela’s cell and the Gold Reef City in Johannesburg, where you get a feel of the mining city in the 1880s, the period of the gold rush. You can actually get to see how ore is transformed to that shiny precious metal. Here comes the worrying part: the crime rates in South Africa. “That is one of the most asked questions. I think we just let others do the branding for us. That was one of the major issues that faced us before the World Cup in 2010. But we did a pretty good job. Let me assure you, all the tourist zones are safe and there’s no reason for concern. It’s just like in any other big city,” reassured Slabber. So, interested?

FOCUS SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012

Rob Lever

he firm, which is headquartered in the ironically named city of Waterloo, Ontario, appears on shaky ground. Not only did RIM report a widening loss of $518 million and steep slump in sales, but it also said it would cut 5,000 jobs, nearly one-third of its staff, and delay its important BlackBerry 10 platform until early 2013. The BB10 had been RIM’s effort -- a last-ditch bid, according to some analysts -- to regain traction after losing ground to Apple and smartphone makers using the Google Android platform. RIM shares tumbled 19 percent to close Friday at $7.39, their lowest level since 2003, and down more than 90 percent from their 2008 highs. Societe Generale analysts Andy Perkins and Peter Knox called Thursday’s RIM results “massively disappointing.” They said in a research note that the BlackBerry’s “aging handset portfolio is struggling to stay relevant” and that the company is now losing money

While the company’s global network and technology could represent strategic value, we do not believe that business could be well separated from devices Tal Liani on its phone for the first time. They rate RIM shares a “sell,” and say the only things that might help a turnaround might be “RIM switching to the Microsoft Windows operating system for its new products” or a bid for the “valuable” patents and other intellectual property. A survey by the research firm IDC showed smartphones powered by Google’s Android software accounted for 59 percent of the global market in the first quarter of 2012, with 23 per cent for Apple’s iPhones. That left just 6.4 per cent for BlackBerry, compared with 13.6 per cent a year ago. In the US market, only around five percent of smartphone buyers opted for

BlackBerry in early 2012. RIM’s prospects appear to be turning from bad to worse,” said Tal Liani, a research analyst at Bank of America/Merrill Lynch.”In our view, the risk of total value destruction over the next few years is possible as we cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel.” Michael Walkley and the investment firm Canaccord Genuity said he does not believe the BB10 will be able to turn around RIM’s fortunes, especially with a new iPhone and other devices expected to hit the market later this year. Walkley said RIM, which announced earlier this year a “strategic review,” will likely be sold to salvage any value for stockholders. “We do not believe BB10 devices will turn around its struggling business,” he said. He said the company could be worth $8 a share.” RIM’s market value based on its recent share price is just $3.8 billion. But it has cash holdings of $2.25 billion, 78 million subscribers and a rich array of patents and other assets. But Daniel Ernst at Hudson Square Research urges investors to stay away, saying there may be little to salvage. “While the company’s global network and technology could represent strategic value, we do not believe that business could be well separated from devices,” he said in a note to clients. Morgan Stanley analyst Ehud Gelblum said the next few quarters will be even worse for RIM because of “rapidly deteriorating fundamentals” and a management team which fails to recognize this. “While all the key indicators continue to decline, management appears to be taking a ‘damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead’ approach to running the business,”he said. “We fear that the company could be driving 100 mph straight into a brick wall. We also worry that no company can operate normally, let alone develop, launch and market a brand new, company-wide and globally impacting platform while laying off nearly one-third of its workforce -- it’s just physically impossible from both a worker morale and a manpower talent point of view.” AFP

Is this the end of the road for BlackBerry?

BlackBerry maker Research in Motion is now in a struggle for survival after its latest quarterly report underscoring its deteriorating position

NATION SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012

Three killed in clashes

CVC mulls Tatkal probe

IMPHAL: Three persons were killed

NEW DELHI: Amid widespread com-

and one was injured when people of two villages clashed in interior Manipur's Ukhrul district bordering with Myanmar, official sources said today. Sources said the clashes occurred when villagers of Sihai Khullen went for a picnic at Phangrei hill peak in Chingai Assembly constituency of the district yesterday.

plaints of irregularities in the Tatkal scheme, the Central Vigilance Commission is considering launch of an enquiry to ascertain whether Railway officials are involved in malpractices. Official sources said the CVC is likely to launch an enquiry either by its own officials or through the Chief Vigilance Officer of the Railways.

Diktat cast(e) in stone JAIPUR: A caste council in a in Rajasthan’s Udaipur district ordered residents to ostracise 40 Dalit families when one of them disobeyed its diktat to stop constructing a new house, police said. “A Dalit family was constructing a house in the village. The neighbour who belonged to Rajput community objected to the construction of a sun shed and demanded that the entire portion of the house on his side be razed down,” said a police officer. He added that when the family did not raze the portion, the neighbour approached the caste council in the village. “It slapped a fine of `21,000 on the Dalit family and ordered to expel all the 40 families belonging to Dalits in the village from the society. Supply of groceries, milk, water and other items were also prohibited,” said the officer. These families approached the police on Friday and lodged a case. “We are investigating,” IANS said the officer.

Babus get ultimatum NEW DELHI: The Centre has asked all states to review the working of all-India service officers so that non-performing officials could be retired from services. The Department of Personnel and Training, in a missive, has asked for the review of IAS, IPS and IFS officers, who have completed at least 15 years of service. “A member of the all-India service who has completed 15 years of qualifying service or has completed 25 years of qualifying service or attained the age of 50 years will, invariably, be found to occupy a senior administrative post. “It would not be acceptable to find that such a member has become a mere passenger in the senior level in which he or she is placed. One must always guard against the operation of the ‘Peter Principle’,” SK Sarkar, additional secretary (DoPT), said. The ‘Peter Principle’, coined by psychologist Laurence J Peter and Raymond Hull in 1969, is a belief that in an organisation where promotion is based on achievement, success, and merit, the employees there will eventually be promoted beyond their

Two die in UP hospital fire MORADABAD (UP): Two persons were charred to death after a fire broke out at a private hospital here in the wee hours of today, police said. Around 30 people were present in the hospital when the incident occurred but all rest of them were safe, they said. Fire tenders were rushed to the site and the blaze was doused within an hour.

DAREDEVIL

PTI

level of ability. In common parlance, the principle is also phrased as “employees tend to rise to their level of incompetence”. In January, the Centre had amended Rule 16 (3) of all-India services rule which allowed a performance review only after

THE GOVERNMENT CAN RETIRE OFFICERS IN

“PUBLIC INTEREST” AFTER AT LEAST 15 YEARS IN THE JOB.

completion of 30 years of qualifying service. The new rules gives powers to the government to give retirement to these officers in “public interest” after at least 15 years in the job. The government can again carry out such review after the officer completes 25 years of service or attains the age of 50 years. The DoPT also raised doubts on the efficiency of officers where the overall grade or assessment were mentioned as “average” in the Annual Confidential Report or Performance Appraisal Report.

Nick De Wit of South Africa performs in front of India Gate during the Red Bull X-Fighters Jams in New Delhi on Saturday. PTI

Kashmir tragedy passes sans bloodshed SRINAGAR: As normal life resumed in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley on Saturday, Kashmir survived yet another tragedy — this time without any blood being spilt on the roads. The destruction of the second holiest Muslim shrine of the Valley in a mysterious blaze on Monday threw Kashmiris into a state of shock and mourning, reminding one of a similar tragedy in 1995 when the shrine of the Valley’s patron saint, Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Wali, was destroyed in a blaze in central Kashmir’s Charar-e-Sharief town. The reverence of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jeelani, known as Peer Dastgeer by the Muslims and Kahnoow by the local Hindus, extends back centuries.

The relics preserved inside the over-300-year-old include a hair of the saint’s beard, a Quranic manuscript by Iman Ali Murtaza, son-in-law of the Prophet and another manuscript by Caliph Abu Bakr. The relics are believed to have been brought here by an Afghan governor 337 years ago. As the news about the destruction of the shrine spread, some youths started pelting stones at the security forces, who clamped curfew-like restrictions in the trouble prone areas of the old city. It must be said to the credit of the people that despite the shock and mourning over the destruction of the Muslim shrine, Amarnath pilgrimage continued without a hiccup.

While roads remained deserted during the last five days, nobody stopped or interfered with the hundreds of vehicles carrying pilgrims to the Amarnath Cave. The state government did not go into hiding. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited the shrine site, cutting short his London visit. Governor NN Vohra, Union minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, state Congress chief Saif-ud-Din Soz, and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Mehooba Mufti visited the site in sharp contrast to 2010 summer unrest when all mainstream leaders had gone into hiding. “And if you want to see examples of people who would rather have seen blood spilt on the streets take a look at my timeline”, Abdullah tweeted.

WORLD SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012

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35 killed in Mali clashes

Thunderstorm in US claims 11 WASHINGTON: Sizzling high tem-

BAMAKO: At least 35 people died in

peratures punished much of the eastern United States again on Saturday, one day after hurricanelike thunderstorms killed at least 11 people and cut power supply to millions. Thermometers brushed the 100 degree Fahrenheit (37.7 Celsius) mark from the Mississippi River to the Mid-Atlantic coast.

clashes this week between Islamists and Tuareg rebels in the north Mali town of Gao, according to a new toll released on Saturday by a medical source. An earlier toll released after Islamists claimed control of the key town in Mali’s occupied north on Wednesday said at least 20 people were dead.

World powers OK Syria deal GENEVA; World powers on Saturday agreed a plan for a transition in Syria that could include current regime members, but the West did not see any role for President Bashar al-Assad in a new unity government. Russia and China insisted that Syrians must decide how the transition should be carried out rather than allow others to dictate their fate, as the two powers signed up to the final agreement that did not make any explicit call for Assad to cede power. The deal came despite initial pessimism from participants about the prospects of the Geneva talks amid deep divisions between the West and China and Russia on how to end the violence that claimed at least 83 lives on Saturday. While international envoy Kofi Annan did not name names and said it was up to the Syrians to decide who they wanted in a unity government, he added: “I would doubt that Syrians...

“I would doubt that Syrians... would select people with blood on their hands to lead them.” Kofi Annan would select people with blood on their hands to lead them.” US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made it clear that Washington did not see a role for Assad in the transition. “Assad will still have to go. He will never pass the mutual consent test,” she said. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius took the

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same stance, saying, “It’s clear that Assad must stand down”. “No one can imagine for a moment that Assad will feature in the (new) government, any more than anyone thinks it possible for him to establish a neutral environment” required by the agreement, he said, adding that the transition government “will exclude murderers.”

Cont: 040-33693333, 9010144844

‘Qaeda planning terror attack’

Iraqi students at their graduation ceremony at Technical University of Baghdad on Saturday. This is the first such event held here since the US-led war on Iraq in 2003. The ceremonies had been officially stopped due to the security issues after several attacks took place at the varsity. AFP

BEIRUT: At least 83 people were killed, mostly civilians, in violence across Syria on Saturday, and hundreds more were trapped in Douma as regime forces stormed the town in Damascus province, monitors said. In the single most serious incident, mortar fire killed 30 civilians who were attending a funeral in the town of Zamalka, near Damascus, the Syrian Observatory for Human rights said and also warned of a “catastrophic humanitarian situation” in the city.

AFP

Pakistan minister gets shoe salute ISLAMABAD:

Add: 1-58/6/40&41, Madinaguda, Hyd-50

83 killed as regime forces storm Douma

An angry activist of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) waved a shoe at a minister of Sindh province during his address to party workers in Hyderabad city, Geo News reported. Provincial Law Minister Ayaz Soomro was addressing PPP workers at the Circuit House in Hyderabad, when a party activist named Imran

waved a shoe at him, complaining that the PPP leaders and ministers did not provide jobs despite promises. Imran said they also failed to help the flood victims in the province. Other PPP activists present on the occasion later drove Imran out of the gathering, the report said. IANS

LONDON: AlQaeda is plotting a terrorist attack on a US airliner, Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper reported, citing intelligence sources. The broadsheet said Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) had recruited a Norwegian Muslim convert and given him terrorist training in Yemen, and that the group were believed to have selected a US passenger jet as a target.

Dec 21, 2012 is new Mayan doomsday

Oldest meteor impact crater discovered

LONDON: We only have a few months left to live because

WASHINGTON: The world’s oldest meteorite crater — a

the world will end Dec 21, 2012, according to another Mayan inscription discovered by archaeologists. It is the second discovery of a Mayan tablet predicting doom and gloom on that date. The latest carving was found in a staircase in Guatemala, mirror.co.uk reported on Saturday. Mayan prophecies about the end of time have sparked wild internet speculation about how it will happen — from giant asteroid strikes or black holes swallowing us up to being devoured by ancient gods.

giant impact zone more than 100 km wide — has been found in Greenland. Researchers think it was formed three billion years ago by a meteorite 30 km wide, which, if it hit Earth today, would wipe out all higher life. The crater was “discovered” by scientist Adam Garde as he pored over maps showing nickel and platinum abundance in West Greenland. Garde saw a both simple and extreme explanation for several strange geological features in this region: an impact from a meteorite that may have contained valuable metals.

COMMENT SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012

No slash involved

propos Book Review: Fifty Shades of Grey. The writer of this article should have researched the topic a little more. You twice refer to the book as being based on a “slash fanfiction” series, but this book was actually based on a piece of adult fanfiction. No slash involved. Toni Paschal Via email

EDITORIALS PRANAB TO LEAVE no stone unturned Pranab Mukherjee's second leg of campaigning for his presidential candidature began in Hyderabd today. His real intention of coming here is fishing for non-Congress votes, as it goes without saying he would garner all the Congress votes from the State. Pranab has to try and wean away the TRS, the YSRC and if possible a section of the TDP, if not all. Pranabda need not worry, for the MIM chief Asasuddin Owaisi is hard at work on behalf of the Congress. He already met the jailed YSRC chief Jaganmohan and is trying to woo the TDP too, raking up anti-BJP sentiments. Owaisi is charged with the prospects of TDP votes, as the TDP with six Lok Sabha members, four Rajya Sabha members and 86 MLAs could be the tipping point. Meanwhile, the PM himself is said to have rang up TRS leader K Chandrasekhar and sought his support. This may be the reason or the sudden surge of Congress interests in the Telangana issue.

THE PLAN’S GOOD What about Assad? Kofi Annan’s proposal for setting up a transitional government in Syria to create a neutral background for shifting of power has been approved by the world powers. That’s a good start. But this comes as a blow to the Syrian rebels, as the proposal does not categorically bar anyone associated in the present regime from playing a role in the transitional government. However, the fate of the Annan’s plan hinges on whether Basher al-Assad will have anything to do with it — which is undecided yet.

Mahta should be punished

owever did the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P) legislator Chandrika Mahta get elected? A man so lacking in regard for a woman, how can he be a people’s representative. He should be stripped of his post and should be given the harshest sentence. Vijay Singh Via email

EDITORIALS 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 040-4067 2222.

Loyola issue is ridiculous

he conduct of the vice-principal of the Loyola Academy is regrettable. That’s no way of dealing with issues in an educational institution. Casting aspersions on the charecter of a girl becasue she greeted a male student in the VP’s presence is ridiculous. Ram Babu Via email

Base of the matter: Facebook From the hip

SYED SHOAIB

he latest name on the terror list Abu Jundal, has allegedly confessed to having nine Facebook accounts to hunt new recruits for the Lashkar-e-Taiba. Jundal was one of the six handlers of the ten men who attacked Mumbai on November 26, 2008. Facebook — the top social networking site in the online world — is the biggest cause for the increasing number of breakups in marriages, the reason for umpteen criminal deaths and the continuous cause for breakups in relationships of teenagers and adolescents. In UK, teenager Ashleigh Hall was murdered by serial rapist Peter Chapman after he groomed her on Facebook. According to Jack Doyle in the Mail Online, a crime linked to Facebook is reported to police once every 40 minutes. A company with 901 million users, as on March 2012, is a growing hit with the youth in India too and alarmingly, like most new technology products here, being used indiscriminately. A new social phenomenon of letting the outer world know your minute-to-minute affairs of life is culling out strange patterns in the arena of mass communication. For example, college teachers are finding it easier to tune into their students who take leave on the pretext of an illness and post pictures with friends at a concert! Spouses are finding it emotionally expensive to track their mates even if they are able to do away with high charging detective agencies. The new read-by-all-book, authored by youngster Mark Elliot Zuckerberg, had its startup phase caught in legal tangle with him allegedly having stolen the idea from his swimmer friend during a sleepover! Wall Street analysts could

have given Facebook a lukewarm reception, weeks after the flop of this IPO and many firms could have revealed a tepid assessment of the social-network giant’s share, but the truth is bold on the wall; Facebook is changing the ethical concept of today’s generation. For youngsters who have not gradually graduated from a landline to an SMS culture, the wave of technological changes like morphed pictures on Facebook could be hard to distinguish. Many lives are being marred in the simple name of online crimes and contingencies. The police, however, are finding it easier to crack crimes, thanks to Facebook again. Caught in the rat race of time, what we consume in bulk on the Facebook, please note is only what the writer wants to profess. Facebook falsehood, like most information on the Inter net, could be selective, incorrect,

misleading and with a purported intent of creating malice. With children less than 10 years of age, signing in as 18-year-olds, the site has now opened its flood gates to 13-year-olds too. The more friends you have on Facebook, the faster you are perceived to have arrived in life. It’s making the voyeuristic interest of humans develop much earlier as a lot of personal muck plays out on the virtual space, much like our soap operas. According to CNet News, Facebook has let a plugin that would allow users on websites across the world to “want” specific items. Any new update in the social viral world needs to be used for the betterment of humanity. Critics will tell you that everything from advertisements to the BlackBerry has its own demerits. Like, let’s face it, indiscriminate doling out of personal information to a wide audience is neither going to help the

intelligence levels of a generation with scattered interests nor focus their time on pressing issues of immediate need. Even the cell phone is vulnerable to misuse. An SMS-oriented generation that probably knows the spelling of development only as dvpt is fighting for its rights to write answer scripts in SMS lingo. The latest defence being that even the Oxford dictionary has a new SMS counter like its just-introduced desi section. Media observers and communication specialists in the United States predict that Facebook, though not a passing phenomenon, is definitely a wave that will ebb in the coming years. How much damage it could have printed on to its world pages alongside its popular personal communication agenda is to be seen. The face, they say, is the index of the mind!

BUSINESS SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012

Bombardier in $507mn deal MONTREAL: Canadian planemaker

LONDON: Britain will hold a review

Bombardier announced on Saturday that it had received an order for eight large business aircraft worth $507 million from an undisclosed customer. The client, who according to Bombardier asked not to be named, ordered three Global 6000 and five Global 8000 jets.

Britain to review bank rate into the setting of benchmark interbank interest rates and seek to criminalise rate-fixing, the finance ministry said, following a scandal at major lender Barclays. The independent review aims to restore trust in Libor, a key benchmark reference rate that influences a swathe of other borrowing costs.

Aus brings in carbon tax SYDNEY: Australia on Sunday introduced a controversial carbon tax in a bid to tackle climate change, with Prime Minister Julia Gillard hailing the move amid opposition warnings it will stifle industry. The tax on corporate pollution, which led to demonstrations across the vast nation, will force about 350 major polluters to pay $23.5 for every tonne of carbon they produce.

EU rises to challenge but details missing

conomists and non-euro EU leaders cheered Friday’s eurozone summit deal as a surprise “breakthrough” in efforts to preserve a stable currency, yet crucial details still need to be filled in. With market expectations low ahead of the European Union summit, a deal that bolstered confidence in the euro was wrenched after all-night talks between eurozone leaders, bringing swift relief to crisis-hit Italy and Spain. The single currency leapt in value and bond yields tumbled as it appeared that politicians might finally have got ahead of the markets, though it remained to be seen for how long. EU president Herman Van Rompuy hailed a “real breakthrough” in efforts to prevent future crises as the 17 eurozone members agreed to let the future European Stability Mechanism (ESM) recapitalise ailing banks directly. That means ESM credits will not pass through national budgets, which in a vicious circle simply adds to the sovereign debt of struggling countries. Spain, which has been promised loans of up to 100 billion euros ($126 billion) for its ailing banks was the main beneficiary, but the move could also mean crucial relief for Ireland, where government backing for banks plundered the nation’s accounts. Observers suggested that Dublin might now be able to access private credit this year, which could show EU partners and the world that one bailed-out eurozone country’s problem was finally being sorted out. The ESM is also to be allowed to buy debt directly from eurozone states before they need a rescue, subject to conditions that were still a matter of debate when the summit ended. That would ease pressure on countries which must pay high rates to borrow money and the ESM backstop might not even be needed if private investors were reassured by its simple presence, one high-ranking EU official suggested.

Mural by graffiti artist “Blu” refering to the Greek ailing economy on a wall at the northen greek city of Thessaloniki. “The fact that you have it in reserve is protection in itself,” said the official, who declined to be identified. The ESM must first be ratified however, and the new provisions will only take effect once a eurozone-wide banking supervisory body is set up around the European Central Bank (ECB), which will probably take at least six months. Among details to be worked out is how much sway the supervisor will have over smaller institutions, such as troubled German state-owned regional banks. Another is how the body will deal with big banks outside the eurozone, such as those in Europe’s financial centre London.

In the meantime, eurozone leaders also cobbled together 120 billion euros to boost growth and employment, and launched a pilot “project bond” programme. Economists welcomed the moves but identified a possible stumbling block, a finite amount of funds approved for the ESM that would cover only a fraction of the debt weighing on Italy and Spain. “The ESM’s capacity of 400 billion euros (after the Spanish banking bail-out) is the equivalent of about 15 percent of the Italian and Spanish bond markets,” noted Jonathan Loynes at Capital Economics. If markets want to challenge the latest eurozone plan this is a likely testing ground, analysts

said, warning that the ECB would have to be prepared to act if the ESM was quickly depleted. Another question is the scope of scrutiny that would apply to the finances of countries that receive aid by selling government bonds to the ESM. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Berlin had stuck to its principle of “giving, taking in return, setting conditions and maintaining control,” and Finnish and Dutch officials also reportedly backed strict “conditionality.” Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, a potential beneficiary, made it clear he anticipated less pressure than that exerted by International Monetary Fund monitors on bailout recipients

AFP / IRAKLIS DEIRMENTZIDIS

like Greece, Ireland and Portugal. The outlines of a much discussed eurozone banking union still have to be sketched in meanwhile, with a final decision on how to pursue the plan not expected before the end of the year. Commenting on the grand euro plan, British Prime Minister David Cameron noted with satisfaction that “for the first time in some time we’ve actually seen steps taken” to bolster non-eurozone Britain’s closest trade partner. But as governments accept “the remorseless logic of having a single currency,” Cameron added: “I hope there won’t be a AFP lot of quibbling.”

INTERVIEW SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012

The persistence of passion It took Hemant Gaba, a Delhi-based filmmaker, almost four years to see his dream come true. He tells us more about his journey and the lessons he has learnt so far

HEMANTH KUMAR

hemanth.k@postnoon.com You were working in software industry for seven years. When did you decide to give it all up and pursue filmmaking? I was born and brought up in Delhi.When I graduated from college with a degree in Mathematics, I took up a software job like everyone else since it gave me the opportunity to earn and travel a lot. Honestly, I never thought about directing films. I hardly used to watch films when I was young and I wasn’t exposed to Hollywood or World cinema. One fine day, my friend Pankaj,a professional CA, asked me to get a book Rebel Without a Crew written by Robert Rodriguez. I began reading the book before giving it to Pankaj and I was quite engrossed. I think that’s when I began thinking about making films. During the last two years of my job at UBS, I enrolled myself in a filmmaking workshop in New York. Seven years ago, there were limited options in India when it comes to filmmaking courses and one of the reasons that I wanted to go to New York was to learn more about filmmaking. I didn’t want to be in software industry for the rest of my life, although the money and travel opportunities were great. That’s when I came back to India and thought I could finish making my film within a year.

And that didn’t happen, right? Did you consider going back to the US when things were not going your way? It took me two and a half to write and make the film. I thought that I will end up in a vicious circle if I leave my dream of making a film midway and go back to US to my mundane job. Despite getting screwed up with the delays, I wanted to stay back and complete the film.

How did your parents react to your decision? My father is a retired bank employee and my mother is a housewife. When my father asked me how much profit I’ll make from the film, I told him that I won’t be making any money. They were shocked. I had to convince them that making my own film will be like a graduation for me because there was no time to go to a film school or work your way up the ladder by assisting somebody. The first year went by without any hassle, but for the next 2-3 years,they kept asking me to get back to a regular job. When we screened the film in Delhi last year, they were quite pleased with the response from the audience, but still there’s pressure on me to get married and there’s peer pressure

as well (laughs).

What’s your film Shuttlecock Boys about? Is it inspired from your own life? The film is about four friends who want to be entrepreneurs. Everyday they meet to play badminton and in the process they talk about their dreams and what they want to be in their lives. I wasn’t sure if I’ll be able to able to pull it off, so I chose to make a film inspired from my own life. It’s a very simple story and it’s like a Bollywood off-beat film, just that it’s made in an independent way. Since I had taken an advance screenwriting workshop in New York, I was

MORE THAN THE LACK

OF EXPERIENCE IN FILMMAKING, A MAJOR HURDLES WAS DEALING WITH DISTRIBUTORS.PEOPLE DON’T CARE ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE DONE, IF THE FILM DOESN’T RELEASE IN THEATRES. IT’S AS GOOD AS NOT MAKING A FILM.

confident that I could write the script without any difficulty, but it took me a lot of time to get over the writer’s block.

does a film impress everyone.

How tough is the journey for indie filmmakers? Not many end up making money from their films.

You didn’t have any background in films. Did that result in any hurdles during the process? More than the lack of experience in filmmaking, one of the major hurdles was dealing with distributors.People don’t care about what you have done, if the film doesn’t release in theatres. It’s as good as not making a film. We shot the movie on film, instead of shooting it on digital. When I began making the film, digital cameras were not so popular in India. We ended up spending almost `35 lakhs. Moreover, we shot the film in 18-20 locations in Delhi and it has around 40 characters. Had we shot the film in digital, I could have saved around `15 lakhs. The biggest hurdle came up during the post production process. We had sent the negative to a leading post production lab in Mumbai and they messed up the whole thing. I had to fight with the lab’s owner for almost ten months before they agreed to digitally restore the entire film without charging my an extra money.

Your film has gone to several film festivals in major cities like New York, Chicago, Seattle and Florida. How has the response been so far? My friend and the producer of this film, Pankaj went to attend three film festivals where our film was being screened and the response has been great so far. Ultimately what matters is how many people watch our film when it’s released in theatres. I have realized that there’s a lot of difference between how the film festival audience, critics and viewers receive a film. Quite rarely

Everyone has their own methods to make a film. I feel that making a film is not too tough. It depends on the vision of the director and making an indie film requires a certain amount of courage, discipline and management skills. The biggest issue which indie filmmakers in India are facing now is that there’s no platform to screen the film, except for PVR Director’s Rare. Even they manage to screen 1-2 films a month which is not enough considering the number of indie films being made these days. There’s no reliable video on demand platform here like Hulu, Netflix and iTunes in the US. If there are such avenues in India, at least we can recover something.

What’s next? Have you already begun working on your next film? I am eagerly looking forward to the release of Shuttlecock Boys on August 3. And I have already started writing my next script named Defiance. It’s about a girl who accuses her father of raping her.

GOLDEN YEARS SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012

“Birthdays are for the young” Back in 1958 Pierre Cardin signed up a battalion of students for Paris’s first ever men’s catwalk show. As he prepares for a comeback show on Sunday, the eve of his 90th birthday, the style veteran thinks he still has a lot to offer the modern man

AFP/MEHDI FEDOUACH

Emma Charlton

he last active survivor of the great postwar French fashion houses, the Italian-born Cardin is today sole owner of a sprawling luxury empire, but his catwalk shows are few and far between, his last in Paris a women’s line in 2010. “This is a comeback for me, and it’s a great pleasure,” he said in an interview. “I hadn’t shown a man’s line in Paris for a very long time. It’s a chance to present my style, my personality, what made my name.” “Here is my modern man,” the white-haired designer said as he showed off one of Sunday’s looks in his Paris office, a black felt jacket with sleeves cut very short, faithful to the space-age theme Cardin has mined on and off since the 1960s. “Women show off their legs, so I show off men’s muscular arms,” he explained. “It looks like nothing else, don’t you

agree? And it’s wearable.” Putting on Paris’ first menswear fashion show back in the 1950s, before the advent of male models, required some lateral thinking. “I rang up the university deans across Paris — science, maths, philosophy, medicine — and asked them to send me some students,” he recalled. “Around 100 turned up. And the show was a triumph,” he said. “At the time, some people frowned at seeing a couturier in men’s fashion — but now everyone is in on the game.” Be it branching into men’s fashion or ready-to-wear, brand licensing or pushing into Asian markets, which he was first to do a half-century ago, Cardin blazed a trail that many of his contemporaries have since rushed down.Yet he holds an odd place in the French fashion world, where his relaxed — even cocky — attitude towards licensing his name and making money is seen as somehow incompatible with

There are a lot of great fortunes out there, but mine is one that I earned through creativity, not betting on horses or the stock-exchange Pierre Cardin an artist’s calling. “There are a lot of great fortunes out there, but mine is one that I earned through creativity, not betting on horses or the stock-exchange,” Cardin said of his personal wealth, estimated in 2009 at 310 million euros ($385 million). “What I do, I do with passion,” he said, showing off an article about his latest grand design, a 2.5-billion-euro futuristic skyscraper called the Palace of Light in his native Venice.

Very ambitious but not vain. Cardin, who dreamed up the tower together with his architect nephew Rodrigo Basilicati, will lay the first symbolic stone on September 24, with the target of delivering the project in time for the 2015 Universal Exhibition in Milan. “This is my last great project — for now at least. Because I have to admit I am getting on in age. For the past two years Cardin’s vast empire has been up for sale, but he has yet to find a buyer willing to match his asking price of one billion euros. “I have had a lot of offers, but when it came to setting a figure I always said no in the end. If you want to buy me, you have pay the right price.” While he can be disarmingly immodest, famously boasting he could dine in his restaurant before catching a show at his own theatre and sleeping in his own hotel, he says his feet are still on the ground. In fairness, despite the mam-

moth scale of his business empire — 800 licensed products across 122 countries — Cardin’s office, which sits above his sole Paris clothing store, is not your typical business tycoon’s den. Wildly messy, the furniture past its best, the room is chocka-block with old magazines, press clippings, books and paintings, piled thickly on his desk and spilling out of drawers and off shelves. “This is where I live. This is my life,” he said, thumbing through pictures of himself with Nelson Mandela or Fidel Castro, on the front page of Time magazine in 1968, or Elle from 1973. He could go on for hours — but there is one thing Cardin does not want to mention: turning 90 on Monday. “Oh, no! Let’s not talk about that. Or I’ll have to throw you out!” he jokes. “Birthdays are for the young. I have no need for gifts. I am getting an extra year, and that is AFP quite enough!”

ART AND CULTURE SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012

Starry Night recreated

Emergence of papercut art

ver wondered what the sky must have looked like when Vincent Van Gogh painted his famous Starry Night? Well, Alex Cruz has and he even created his own realistic-looking version of the post-impressionist’s masterpiece, using Photoshop. Ruiz did his in just 7 hours, using matte painting techniques in Photoshop. Art sure has come a long way since the 1800s.

ina Aoyama takes Papercut art to a whole new level by achieving an incredible level of detailed using only scissors.The Paris-based artist takes anywhere from a few hours to several months to complete her lace-like fragile masterpieces, as she needs to keep a steady hand and arm herself with patience throughout the whole creative process.

S Korea’s trick eye museums

lanting a kiss on Mona Lisa’s cheek, riding the legendary Pegasus and even getting peed on by a baby, it’s all possible at one of South Korea’s Trick Eye Museums. They’re called “trick eye museums” and feature well-executed trompe l’oeil (French for “deceive the eye) artworks that either look like they’re coming out of the frame, or that you’re stepping in.

Impressions of the Bronx

AFP/EMMANUEL DUNAND

Past a walkway cutting through roses and delphiniums, visitors see a small bridge arching over some water lilies. Not in France, but in the Bronx, at an extraordinary five-month exhibit recreating Monet’s gardens at Giverny in a down-at-heel New York borough Brigitte Dusseau

he American take on Claude Monet’s garden has already attracted over 100,000 visitors since it opened at the New York Botanical Garden in May. Hardly a detail is missing from the original. The winding central walkway, the iron door that seems to have been aged by time. At the beginning of the walk through the garden, in large Victorian-style greenhouses, visitors find a reproduction of the exterior of Monet’s house at Giverny, replete with its signature green shutters. The entrance is covered in

vines and along the walkway the visitor is greeted by an abundance of roses, carnations, delphiniums and irises – the flowers immortalised in works by the impressionist painter (18401926), who loved gardens so much that he composed them like works of art. A little farther, the water garden has been reconstituted, smaller than the original, but with the same Japanese bridge, bamboo and weeping willows. “The gardens were a constant in his life,” said Paul Tucker, curator of the garden and four other Monet-related exhibits, and also an author of five books on the master French painter. “He tended to them lovingly and with plenty of money and with hired hands,” said Tucker. “He was fabulously rich at the turn of the century.” In this exhibit, visitors can also admire an outdoor pool, where there are several varieties of water lilies — Monet’s favourite flowers, immortalised in the series of eponymous paintings.

Inside the garden’s impressive library, two of the master’s paintings are on display, one of which, entitled “Iris,” on loan from a Swiss private collector, is being shown for the first time in the United States. “I like to think of it as the metaphorical extension of the artist’s hand and eye,” said Tucker. “It’s a very intimate object, an object of great practical importance, but something that is truly united to the body of the artist.” Several documents are also

on display, including photos from the original garden in all four seasons, lists of the plants, receipts and letters. But perhaps the most extraordinary things about the exhibit are the plants and flowers themselves, which will change with the seasons. “We’ve been working on (the exhibit) for about three years,” Karen Daubmann, director of exhibitions and seasonal displays at the New York Botanical Garden, said. Designers worked closely with local archivists and the

Purveyors of style

ART FOR DUMMIES

The Rococo style was highly dominated by feminine taste and influence

hroughout the 18th century in France, a new wealthy and influential middle-class was beginning to rise, even though the royalty and nobility continued to be patrons of the arts. Upon the death of Louis XIV and the abandonment of Versailles, the Paris high society became the purveyors of style. This style, primarily used in

interior decoration, came to be called Rococo. The term Rococo was derived from the French word “rocaille”, which means pebbles and refers to the stones and shells use to decorate the interiors of caves. Therefore, shell forms became the principal motif in Rococo. The society women competed for the best and most elaborate decorations for their houses. Hence the Rococo style was highly dom-

inated by the feminine taste and influence. Francois Boucher was the 18th century painter and engraver whose works are regarded as the perfect expression of French taste in the Rococo period. Trained by his father who was a lace designer, Boucher won fame with his sensuous and light-hearted mythological paintings and landscapes. He execut-

Foundation Claude Monet, which oversees the original garden residence at Giverny. With the exception of the larger flora — the weeping willows and Japanese maple — most of the plants and flowers, chosen carefully for their hues, were planted there as seeds. In total, some 150 varieties of seasonal and perennial plants will be represented, all of which were once used to create the master’s famous garden. The exhibit ends October 21. AFP

ed important works for both the Queen of France and Mme. de Pompadour, Louis XV’s mistress, who was considered the most powerful woman in France at the time. Characterised by elegant and refined yet playful subject matters, Boucher’s style became the epitome of the court of Louis XV. His style consisted of delicate colours and gentle forms painted within a frivolous subject matter. These works mirrored the frolicsome, artificial and ornamented decadence of the French aristocracy of the time. The Rococo is sometimes considered a final phase of the Baroque period.

ENVIRONMENT SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012

Nature’s masons

Global warming behind fires?

o one gives any thought to the tiny creatures that helped to create materials necessary for making such spectacular, long-lived monuments. Limestone is composed largely of crystallised calcium carbonate. Some of it comes from the skeletal remains of well-known creatures like corals, but much of the rest comes from truly remarkable organisms called foraminifera, or forams for short.

evastating wildfires scorching the state of Colorado are linked to a nasty streak of hot weather across the central part of the country, but it's tougher to link them definitively to global warming, climatologists say. Earlier research has found broad trends linking earlier spring weather, rising temperatures suggesting that climate change may play a role in fires.

Mexican desert road to Mars

tudying Mars usually involves tilting one’s head up toward the heavens, but not in the Chihuahuan Desert, where the vast, scorching plain is so inhospitable — and so Mars-like — that scientists seeking insight into that distant planet look down at their feet. Scientists say such an environment resembles that of Mars billions of years ago.

Countdown to extinction?

The ongoing world-wide conversion of agricultural land to other purposes signifies a danger that may bring the human race to a pathetic end P K SURENDRAN

pksurendran@gmail.com

an is raping his only planet so cruelly that Nature journal warns a point of no return for Earth by 2025. Man has radically altered the planet (43%) and when it crosses 50 per cent which is not far, the Earth would give up. But does the rapacious man care? Not by a jug full. The Worldwatch institute has, in its latest report said that an estimated 70.2 million hectares of agricultural land worldwide have been sold or leased to foreign private and public investors since 2000 (www.worldwatch.org) which spells disaster on two counts: conversion of green land to concrete structure adds to heat and CO2 to atmosphere and the other is a looming food crisis. It’s plain land grab in the garb of development, it says. “Land grab” refers to the largescale purchase of agricultural land by foreign investors. Land leases or purchases among domestic actors are omitted. If this too is added, the situation is pretty precarious. Africa has seen the greatest share of land involved in these acquisitions, with 34.3 million hectares sold or leased since 2000. East Africa accounts for the greatest investment, with 310 deals covering 16.8 million hectares. Increased investment in Africa’s agricultural land

reflects a decade-long trend of strengthening economic relationships between Africa and the rest of the world, with foreign direct investment to the continent growing 259 per cent between 2000 and 2010. Asia and Latin America come in second and third for most heavily targeted regions, with 27.1 million and 6.6 million hectares of land deals, respectively. Investor countries, in contrast, are spread more evenly around the globe. Of the 82 listed investor countries in the Land Matrix Project database, Brazil, India, and China account for 16.5 million hectares, or around 24 per cent of the total

There are three things India must do, say economic pundits 1.Urgently limit population growth 2.Scrap SEZ 3.Restrict concrete construction and replace it with ecofriendly materials for structures. This is not a scary story. We’re on the brink.We can save ourselves or sink. hectares sold or leased worldwide. When the East Asian nations of Indonesia, Malaysia, and South Korea are included,

this group of industrialising countries has been involved in 274 land deals covering 30.5 million hectares. The United States and the United Kingdom account for a combined 6.4 million hectares of land deals. The oil-rich but arid Gulf states make up the final group of major land investors, with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar responsible for 4.6 million hectares. The food crisis of 2007-08 helped spark the dramatic uprise in foreign acquisitions in 2009, as investors rushed to capitalise on the rising prices of staple crops. But food prices are not solely responsible for the land-

grab trend. As fuel consumption and oil prices continue to rise, the demand for land on which to grow feedstocks for biofuels will likely rise too, increasing the pressure on limited cropland. Land grab has many nicesounding words. In India it goes in the name of Special Economic Zone which originated in China. These zones cause economic and social displacement of rural population and it leads to strife, besides the environmental adverse impact. All right-thinking people in the ruling elite must realise the dangers of displacing agriculture which is the backbone of all human enterprise and the source of human survival.

FOOD SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012

Nestle in trouble

Why tomato has no flavour

n investigation into Nestle’s cocoa supply chain has revealed “numerous violations” of its labour code, notably with regard to child labour.Health and safety violations, excessive working hours and discrimination were also found, the report said. FLA has made 11 recommendations for Nestle.Nestle said it “fully supports” all recommendations and is acting upon them.

Not all diets are equal

esearchers have found that the genetic trait breeders prize for making tomatoes—which are often picked unripe— uniformly light green and easy to identify while harvesting also contributes to making them less sweet.The researchers at University of California, Davis; Cornell University; and institutions in Spain, analysed 25 varieties of tomatoes, ranging from slicers, used in sandwiches, to cherry tomatoes.

diet based on healthy carbohydrates—rather than a low-fat or low-carbohydrate diet—offers the best chance of keeping weight off without bringing unwanted side effects, a study published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests. The study’s 21 participants, 18 to 40 years old, initially lost 10% to 15% of their body weight.

Wines from the cellars of Gods

A pitstop on the highway ney, Kadai mixed vegetables, Reshmi chicken kebab, Chicken 65/ 88/ 555! do taste better when served in a hut that accommodates the couple and none else. Don’t be too surprised though, if you are served gravy as an accompaniment to fried rice that you ordered; nor if you bite into zeera when you eat it.

SYED SHOAIB

shoaib.s@postnoon.com

ifferent horses excel on different courses, so it is with restaurants too; there are those that dish out good vegetarian food and others non-vegetarian. When a couple forms out of these two groups and wants to dine together, it is bound to wonder which one to go to — vegetarian food is available at nonvegetarian joints, and vice versa, so eat together they can. Only, one of them will have to make a small compromise on the quality of food. If there is one place that addresses this issue nice and proper, it is a dhaba; neither is one category patronised here,

nor is the other ignored. Six kilometres from the Bowenpally junction on the greenest highway in the city, NH7, is New Zee Family Dhaba that the subject of our topic, the hungry couple, can go to. An ample car park ensures that you are into the dining area in a jiffy and with your appetite intact. A range of seating arrangements caters to each individual’s comfort and the variety on the menu adds the spice; Rotis, Butter naans, Tomato chut-

New Zee Family Dhaba Address: 6th Kilometre, Medchal Road Meal for two: `400 Must-haves: Reshmi chiken kebab, Kadai mixed vegetables, Rotis Contact: 93924 88486, 99891 12999 Time: 10.30am to midnight

n Australian winery on Friday unveiled 12 bottles of a rare vintage for sale at an eye-watering price of Aus$168,000 (US$170,350) each, which can only be opened by a speciallytrained wine expert. The wine is held in a unique hand-blown glass “ampoule” designed to provide the ideal environment for the liquor, and this is suspended inside a bespoke glass container which sits inside a wooden cabinet. “It is our understanding this is one of the most expensive Australian wines released in this unique format,” said Penfolds spokeswoman Ildi Ireland. But when the buyer decides to crack open the highpriced vintage, he or she will have to call out a senior member of Penfolds’ wine-making team, the only person with the correct training to uncork the prized bottle. The wine expert will travel to wherever the customer is to remove the ampoule from its glass casing and open the bottle using a specially-designed device. “The wine contained within the ampoule, first released in the 1950s, holds a particular significance among generations of Australian and international wine collectors,” Penfolds said in a statement. The wine, a 2004 Kalimna Block 42 Cabernet Sauvignon, is a rare single-vineyard wine which is only released in stellar vintages. The Block 42 vineyard, planted in the mid-1880s, is in South Australia’s Barossa Valley and Penfolds said it is thought to have some of the oldest continuously-producing Cabernet Sauvignon vines in the world. “There is something really magical about the 2004 Block 42 Kalimna Cabernet,” said Penfolds chief winemaker Peter Gago. “It has an ethereal dimension and a saturated blackness on the palate, it’s extraordi-

narily perfumed with layer upon layer of flavour.” Four artisans were commissioned to produce the ampoule and casings which feature fixtures made from precious metals that help anchor the glass sculpture to the jarrah wood box. Penfolds, which has been producing wines since 1844, is known for its Grange wines — Australia’s most famous. One of the ampoules will remain at Penfolds’ Magill Estate Winery in South Australia, and one will be kept by luxury retailer DFS and feature at the Master of Spirits event in Singapore early in the New Year, AFP Penfolds said.

our artisans were commissioned to produce the ampoule and casings which feature fixtures made from precious metals that help anchor the glass sculpture to the jarrah wood box. Penfolds, which has been producing wines since 1844, is known for its Grange wines — Australia’s most famous.

FOOD SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012 M ANIL KUMAR

With its refreshing surroundings, relaxing ambience and authentic Chinese cuisine, Golden Dragon can do wonders to lift your mood

Nalli Boti Noor’s Kitchen NOOR JAFRI Lamb shanks rich with bone marrow and tender meat, cooked with medium consistency gravy. Ingredients 1. Tender lamb shanks preferably from shoulder - 500 gms 2. Dhania powder - 1and 1/2 tbs 3. Ginger - garlic paste - 2 tsp 4. Red kashmiri chilli powder - 2 tsp 5. Haldi powder - 1/2 a tsp 6. Whole garam masala - 1 tbsp 7. Powdered garam masala - 1/2 a tsp 8. Thick Curd - 1 cup 9. Thinly sliced and fried onions - 1 cup 10. Oil or ghee - 80 to 100 ml 11. Salt to taste 12. Corriander, green chillies and lemon wedges — for garnishing

Procedure 1. Heat the oil, fry the onions and

Dragon’s delight RANJANI RAJENDRA

ranjani.r@postnoon.com

ho doesn’t enjoy a steaming hot Chinese meal? Come evening and most streets are lined with bandis dishing out spicy Chinese dishes and restaurants too hardly ever offer the authentic dishes from this universally popular cuisine. So when I wanted to sample some authentic and not so spicy Chinese food, I decided to head to The Golden Dragon at Taj Krishna. They are hosting the Dragon Festival timed to coincide with the Duanwu festival or Dragon Boat festival celebrated in China this time of the year. The unique part of the festival is that the Chinese make a variety of rice-based dishes to celebrate the festival. So the chefs at Golden Dragon drew up a list of seven rice-based delicacies representing seven different regions of China. And was I taken in or what! Personally, I prefer spicy, tongue-numbing food, but on occasion I do enjoy delicate and subtle flavours. That is exactly what I got at the Golden Dragon.

We started our meal with a fresh Steam Pancake Roll. Made of rice, the translucent rolls were generously stuffed with lettuce and carrots lightly seasoned with salt and pepper. For those with a spicier palate there are always the accompaniments. However, I’d recommend trying these dishes as is first. For soup I settled for the more flavourful Manchow Soup with chicken. I’ve had varied versions of this soup, some that look a sickly white and are topped with fried noodles. But this one was full of warm goodness and had just the right amounts of soya and ginger. The Clear Soup that my friend tried however, was a bit of a letdown with it being too salty. For the main course, we were served some Glutinous Rice that tasted much like the desi khichdi minus the masala. It was comfort food at its best and went wonderfully well with the Kung Pao

Golden Dragon Address: Taj Krishna, Road no 1 Banjara Hills For Lunch and Dinner Meal for two: Rs3,000 plus taxes (approx) Chicken with cashew nuts. The braised soya tofu with garlic and peppers was alright, but then I’m not too much of a tofu fan.

The highlight of the meal however, was the melt-inyour-mouth Steamed Egg with garlic. Honestly, I’m not an egg-lover but I have to admit that this was one dish I didn’t mind sampling. Unlike most other dishes where the condiments overpower the taste of an ingredient, in this dish, the delicate flavour of the egg was intact. The Sweet Glutinous Rice Ball that was served for dessert was interesting, very different from the usual date pancakes and darsans. Much like the South Indian kozhukattai, this Chinese delicacy had a rice dumpling stuffed with red bean paste and jaggery, tossed in mild sugar syrup. It was the perfect way to end our meal. So if you want to experience authentic Chinese cuisine then head for the Dragon Festival. You might just be surprised. We recommend the Steamed Egg and Steam Pancake Rolls.

3. 4.

5. 6.

remove them from the oil and keep aside. In the same oil, add the whole garam masala, when it slightly cools down add dhania powder, accept curds, and onions fry for a while. Add the meat, cook it between 2 to 3 minutes. Crush and mix the fried onions with the curds, and put it in the meat stirring between 3 to 5 minutes, till it’s well - mixed and cooked. Pour about two glasses of water, and pressure cook it for 15 to 20 minutes. Open the cooker, add garam masala powder, chopped coriander and serve hot with lemon wedges.

Chef’s note n

Healthy, rich in protein and tasty preparation, can be served with the main course along with naan or tandoori rotis.

Contact n Noor’s Kitchen n Mobile: 91-9441282318 n Residence: 91-40-23356947

And now like us on :

https://www.facebook.com/ Noorkitchen

HISTORY SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012

July 2

July 3

1937: The Lockheed aircraft carrying American aviator Amelia Earhart and navigator Frederick Noonan is reported missing.

July 3 1608 The city of Quebec was founded by Samuel de Champlain

July 6 1994: The movie Forrest Gump opens in US Theaters and Tom Hanks wins his second oscar.

1971: Jim Morrison dies of heart failure in a Paris bathtub.

July 2

July 4

1881: Only four months into his administration, President James A. Garfield is shot as he walks through a railroad waiting room in Washington, DC.

1776: The Continental Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence, which proclaims the independence of the United States of America from Great Britain and its king.

July 5 1946: French designer Louis Reard unveils a daring two-piece swimsuit at a popular swimming pool in Paris called the Bikini.

July 6 1957: Althea Gibson is first African American to win Wimbledon.

July 7

July 1 1997: At midnight, Hong Kong reverted back to Chinese rule. A few thousand Hong Kongers protested the turnover, which was otherwise celebratory and peaceful.

2005: Terrorists attack London transit system at rush hour.

SPOTLIGHT SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012 DEEPAK DESHPANDE

Destination Drama Drama Salon, Spa & Studio launched at Madhapur on Saturday N SHIVA KUMAR

ON THE

MTV Roadies celebrities Raghu & Rajeev partied hard with the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s PYTs at Cuba Libre on Saturday.

ROAD WITH MTV

1 Shruti 2 Sharon

3 Sonia 4 Richa 5 Sonali 6 Sanjana, Ankita 7 Eesha, Eena 8 Anisha 9 Raghu & Rajeev 1 Deepthi 8

2 Butul 3 Samir Gilani 4 Mahima 5 Sabeena 4

Dancing with the stars Hamstech students were in for a delightful surprise when the cast of hit TV show Dil Dosti Dance visited their campus on Saturday

CINEMA SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012

T-TOWN TWEETIES @tashu_02

@shraddhadas43

@Actor_Siddharth

@actressanjjanaa

Most ordinary ideas and projects can be made extraordinary, by discussing them with right people..!!

Frozen yoghurt is the only best option for a person like me who has a big sweet tooth but on a diet.

I use the cricbuzz app on the iPhone for my cricket fix...it's quite good.

Jus woke up,all charged like a bull, now heading to the audio release-our nxt kannada film "sagar".

@ThisIsDSP

@ramsayz

@actor_Nikhil

@allarinaresh

Hey guyss..!! One pic from my SIIMA performance..!!! RHYTHM makes me crazy! :-))) http://t.co/oSgXhIRR

#NuvvuNaakuNachav on TV, I watched d shoot. Saw bhramanandamgaru 1st time, cudnt stop laughin!

A Jeffrey Archer Novel made me sit at home all of today. Will b home tonight too reading it.

Thanks a lot for all ur wishes....truely blessed

Scarlett Wilson is the new pin-up girl

NTR'sBaadsh ah set to roll on July 9

carlett Wilson is the new pin-up girl in Telugu cinema, if the recent turn of events is anything to go by. The British actress recently made her debut in Bollywood in Dibakar Banerjee’s Shanghai in which she danced for an item number Imported Kamariya. Before the release of that film, she was roped in for an item number in Ram Charan’s upcoming film Yevadu. The latest news is that Puri Jagannadh was mighty impressed with her work in Shanghai and he decided to shoot the item number in his upcoming film Cameraman Ganga Tho Ramababu with Pawan Kalyan and Scarlett Wilson. In the past, Mumaith Khan and Shweta Bhardwaj shot to fame in Telugu after Puri Jagannadh cast them in item numbers in his films and Scarlett Wilson is all set to join this league. Pawan Kalyan and Tamannaah are playing the lead roles in Cameraman Ganga Tho Rambabu and Gabriela Bertante will be seen in an important role. Mani Sharma is composing the music.

TR’s upcoming film Baadshah will start rolling from July 9 in Italy. Sreenu Vaitla is going to direct the film and Ganesh Babu is producing it. Kajal is teaming up with NTR in this action entertainer. Earlier, the shoot was supposed to start on July 1, but we hear that the schedule has been changed and NTR will join the film’s shooting only on July 9. Two songs and some important scenes are going to be shot in this marathon schedule which will go on for over 25 days. Kona Venkat and Gopi Mohan have written the film’s script along with Sreenu Vaitla. “Baadshah will start shoot in Italy from the 9th July. Me and Gopi Mohan would be joining them on 15th. With Sreenu Vaitla & NTR it's fun time (sic),” KonaVenkat posted on Twitter. Thaman is composing the music and he recently revealed that he’s using taiko drums to get some high energy beats for the film’s songs.

Vishnu Manchu turns Good Samaritan

ishnu Manchu surprised everyone recently by donated `1 lakh AP Cine Stunt Directors & Stunt Artistes Union. Not many know that the actor is a qualified stunt expert himself and we hear that he has enrolled himself in the stunt directors union. He revealed that his contribution is to support the association which in turn will help the deprived artistes and in the education and health of their family members. Vishnu Manchu's upcoming film Dhenikaina Ready is expected to hit the screens later this year.Apart from this film, he's also busy in the pre-production of Ravana Brahma, which has Mohan Babu in a lead role.

CINEMA SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012

B-TOWN TWEETIES @AnupamPkher “Confusion is the welcome mat at the door of creativity.” :)

@ActorMadhavan Off to Hawaii for a holiday... from a holiday..feel a lil guilty now. Lol

@iamsrk Have no idea why i do what i do sometimes. Then a friend reminded me, our madness is our only sanity. Made sense or is that more madness? @SrBachchan Another late night it seems .. if its not football, tennis takes over .. high caliber games just so addictive ..

Rajesh Khanna fine, undergoing tests Y

esteryear’s superstar Rajesh Khanna, who is being treated in Lilavati Hospital for the past week, is fine but is undergoing some tests, according to hospital sources. “Rajesh Khanna is fine now. He has not been released from the hospital, but is not in ICU. He is undergoing some tests at the moment. That’s all we can reveal right now,” a source from the hospital said. The 69-year-old, fondly called “Kaka” by his fans, was admitted to the hospital last Saturday and has been undergoing treatment since then. His estranged wife, actress Dimple Kapadia, has been taking care of

him. He has been battling health issues for quite some time. In April, he was admitted to the hospital when he had complained of weakness and was discharged in three to four IANS days.

RAHMAN TO ROCK OLYMPICS

WITH PUNJABI BEATS!

R Rahman is set to team up with Hollywood director Danny Boyle again — this time to compose a song for the London Olympics’ opening ceremony. The music maestro reveals it will be a Punjabi song celebrating Indian influence in Britain. “Clarifying the report on the Olympics track I am composing... It’s a track in Punjabi celebrating the Indian influence in the UK,” Rahman, who worked with Boyle in Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire and

127 Hours, posted on his Facebook page. “It’s a part of a medley in the Olympics opening ceremony, according to Danny Boyle’s creative wishes!” he added. It has also been reported that music composer Ilayaraja’s composition Naanthaan ungappanda, from Kamal Hassan’s 1980 film Ram Lakshman will be a part of the opening ceremony too. The 2012 London Olympics will be held July 27 to August 12. IANS

@bipsluvurself Missing my best friend sue and @deannepanday ! Wish I could get sue back to India!Pack her n get her back Danny! @sonakshisinha Been shooting a really heavy scene since morning! I guess this is what saturated feels like...!!!

@NeilNMukesh Some graphics, story and screenplay that games offer , films don’t. Playing max payne 3 and its simply mind blowing. #newaddiction. @TheShilpaShetty Stepped out of the house fr the 1st time after 40days to take Viaan to the temple today. How time flies.. strangely didn’t miss goin out!:)

Jayasuriya, Madhuri do a Sri Lankan jig B ollywood diva Madhuri Dixit matched steps with legendary cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya as they grooved together to popular Sri Lankan dance form Baila on the dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. Last week, Madhuri requested Sanath to sing a Sri Lankan song for her, and this time around it was Madhuri’s turn to return the favour. As the cricketer requested Madhuri to do some steps of Baila along with him, the actress instantly obliged. She learned the steps from him and both of them did a Baila style jig on popular song Twist from the movie Love Aajkal. Bowled over by Sanath’s sportsman spirit, even other judges, filmmaker Karan Johar and choreographer Remo D’Souza, couldn’t stop themselves and joined them. The episode will be IANS aired Sunday on Colors.

CINEMA SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012

Mary J Blige calls chicken flap a ‘mistake’

inger Mary J Blige says the Burger King commercial that caused major backlash for her was a “mistake.” The clip was released in April and featured Blige singing about the fast-food chain’s new chicken snack wraps. It immediately went viral, and some in the black community said it was stereotypical.

Burger King pulled it after one day and said it was unfinished. In an interview with radio station Hot 97 this week, Blige said Burger King “made me look ridiculous.” She said she thought she “would be shot in an iconic way.” Says Blige: “I wanted to crawl under the bed.” She said she initially did the commercial because she thought it would be a “great branding opportunity.”

Beyonce and Jay-Z attending BET Awards

eyonce will battle her husband for video of the year at the BET Awards, and now both performers are confirmed to attend. Beyonce is the second most nominated act. She’s up for six awards. Jay-Z is nominated for five. Kanye West leads the pack with seven. Two of West and Jay-Z’s collaborative songs are up for video of the year. Beyonce is also nominated twice in the category. The final nominee is Usher. Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj and Usher are set to perform. And Whitney Houston’s mother is part of a tribute for the late superstar that will include other singers. Jamie Foxx, Quentin Tarantino and Tyler Perry will present awards. Samuel L Jackson will host the show, which will be held today at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

New film for Justin?

ustin Long is in line for the lead role in The Ten O’Clock People. The New Girl actor is in talks to star in the project, a modernised adaptation of Stephen King’s 1993 short story, reports Deadline. The Ten O’Clock People follows Brandon Pearson, whose attempts to quit smoking lead him to discover a scary aspect of reality that

shows monsters disguised as humans. Tom Holland wrote the screenplay and will direct the upcoming film, which will start production in September in New York. Long was previously a guest star on Fox’s hit show New Girl, where he played a love interest to Zooey Deschanel’s lead character.

CINEMA SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012

Adele is pregnant R

umor has it… Adele is expecting a baby! Except it’s not a rumor, as the 24year-old Grammy-award winning singer took to her website to announce the happy news herself.”I’m delighted to announce that Simon and I are expecting our first child together,” Adele writes on her blog. “I wanted you to hear the news direct from me, obviously we’re over the moon and

very excited but please respect our privacy at this precious time.” Adele and Simon Konecki, a 36-year-old charity entrepreneur, were first spotted together in January. Just last month, Adele shot down reports that the two were engaged. This is the first child for the singer, and the second for Konecki, who has a 5-yearold daughter with ex-wife, fashion stylist Clary Fisher.

Prometheus to be showcased at Comic-Con R

idley Scott’s Alien prequel Prometheus has been in theaters for almost a month and, although it wasn’t the box office smash that Fox was hoping for, the ambitious sci-fier continues to inspire an impassioned debate between supporters and detractors. Likewise, the film’s viral campaign is still in full swing. It’s unusual for a film that’s already been released to have

a significant presence at the massive annual San Diego Comic-Con. Perhaps trying to build interest in the eventual DVD/Blu-Ray release (or maybe even the inevitable sequel), Fox has unveiled Project Prometheus, a mysterious web site that promises that the film’s fictional Weyland Industries will be “recruiting” at the Con, beginning July 11.

ROSE BYRNE

TO PLAY OWEN’S BOSS IN INTERNSHIP

ose Byrne is returning to comedy. EW reports that the Bridesmaids star is in talks to play Owen Wilson’s love interest in The Internship, which will reunite Wilson with his Wedding Crashers costar

Vince Vaughn. Complicating their potential relationship: Byrne is the boss at a Silicon Valley tech firm, while Wilson is her lowly intern. Well, if Byrne had to have an interoffice fling, safer to do it with Wilson instead of Patty Hewes, we suppose.

CHAI TIME SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012

SUNDAY CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Big laugh (hyph.) 5 Needs 10 Play the slots 16 Trial venue 21 Struck silent 22 -- -ski party 23 Register 24 More than willing 25 Postal matter 26 Colossus 27 Honda rival 28 Circumpolar constellation 29 Mock oranges 31 Sun. homily 33 Act glad 35 Without delay 36 Male guinea pigs 37 Confide in 40 RN's group 41 Garfield's housemate 42 "Big Blue" 45 Thirsty 46 252 calories 48 Foot, in zoology 50 Generally 52 Scorched 54 Mongolian desert 55 Portico 57 Mr. Parseghian 58 Bancroft and Baxter 59 Referees 60 Spurt forth 62 Meatloaf servings 66 Battery fluid 67 Inches along 69 Organized 71 Crewmate of Uhura 72 Bubbly 74 Form 1040 expert 76 Sketches 78 Tease 79 Chalet feature 80 Sanctimoniously 83 Deviled-egg topper 85 Better than lite (hyph.) 88 Grove 89 Indy 500 entrant 90 Hobbyist 93 Flower children 95 Radiate 97 TV news source 98 German white wine 100 Look closely 101 Course finder 106 Got a move on 108 Beet-faced 110 Went on a foray 112 Pith helmet 113 "Midnight at the --" 115 Raucous diver 116 John, in Russia 117 Sent via phone line 118 Zilch 120 Brown seaweed 122 Same, to an annotator 123 Call it a day 124 In front (2 wds.) 128 Bow to gravity 129 Cartoon frame 130 Surfing duo -- and Dean 131 Lemon or clunker 132 Tie down 133 Hawaii's Mauna -135 Payment 137 Because

139 Tampa Bay pro 140 Cause-and-effect law 142 Anka's "-- Beso" 144 Cro-Magnon, to us 148 Delight 150 Heifer, e.g. 153 English novelist Evelyn -155 Faction 156 Return the favor 157 Gardener's flags 158 Chili server 159 Pretty soon 160 Trunk possessors 161 Infer 162 Balked 163 Gridiron gain DOWN 1 Smokehouse items 2 On vacation 3 Estate recipient 4 Wing it (hyph.) 5 Dawdler 6 Queen's home 7 Gross 8 Barbie's beau 9 Former JFK arrivals 10 Art category 11 -- DiFranco of pop 12 Half a couple 13 Honcho

14 Altiplano ruminant 15 Bad weather culprit (2 wds.) 16 Grant, as land 17 Scull propeller 18 Kenya neighbor 19 Kickback 20 Concrete smoother 30 Leaf junctures 32 Needle case 34 Emerging magma 38 Hi-fi records 39 Turn loose (2 wds.) 41 Doctoral exams 42 Newton or Asimov 43 Long seat 44 Extreme enthusiasm 46 Sheep loser of rhyme (2 wds.) 47 Cookbook qty. 49 Ill-humoredly 51 Um's cousins 53 Lamb, for one 54 Feds (hyph.) 56 -- spumante 59 Yen 61 Fiber plant 63 Mr. Goldfinger 64 "Tyger! Tyger!" poet 65 Something sweet 67 Mav's foe 68 Served sherbet

69 More bold 70 Forensic science tool 73 Not as rosy 75 Little dog 77 Piece of parsley 81 Here, in Le Havre 82 1865 yielder 84 Drumbeat (hyph.) 85 Cheesy snack 86 -- mutantur 87 Raspberry stems 91 Antenna type 92 Tiny stream 93 Submarines 94 Whimper 95 Two to two 96 Halfway, briefly 99 Secluded corner 102 Ponderosa son 103 Like locoweed 104 Wagner opus 105 Bill tack-on 107 Alice's cat 109 Marital kin (hyph.) 111 -- -de-camp 114 Latter-day Caesar 117 Wield an epee 119 Kinks' tune 121 Nicklaus' org. 122 Freezes over 123 Had a spread 124 Brooks or Einstein

125 Semi 126 Houdini feat 127 Outlaw 130 Commercial tune 134 Love in a gondola 136 Web-footed birds 137 Riyadh resident 138 Dryden work 140 Accordion parts

141 Grasping 143 They give a hoot 145 Ike's ex 146 Olfactory stimulus 147 Split apart 149 -- kwon do 151 Ames inst. 152 Toshiba competitor 154 Open-wide word PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

CHAI TIME SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012

STAR POWER Date 2-7-2012

As per Hindu panchang

THIRUVAIKUMAR

thiruvaikumar@yahoo.co.in 040-27177230 / 9949870449

TAURUS

GEMINI

All your expectations will get fulfilled. Money will come by from all the expected sources which make you financially strong. Marriage talks will end in your favour.

You will achieve all the planned works as your self confidence will be at its high. Family will be in a happy atmosphere. Though income will be good, savings will erode.

Work burden will increase for the employees. Tensions and delay in works likely. Take good care of mother's health. Avoid standing guarantee for anyone and emotional reactions.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

Financial position will be strong. Your stock is set to pile up. Happy events to be celebrated at home in a line. You will release from pledge your movable and immovable assets.

Your administrative capacities will increase. Loans applied at lesser interest will get sanctioned. Influential politicians will help you. You will meet your old friends.

Your creativity will be at its high. VIPs will become your friends which will be beneficial in your future. All the hurdles faced so far will disappear. Some have good chances to settle abroad.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

Financial position will be just satisfactory. Some of you will be entrusted with honourable posts. Father's health will be a cause for concern. Take good care of him.

You will solve the age old problems by adopting new and innovative techniques. Any good suggestion for the spouse should be accepted as they will yield good result.

You will undertake very challenging tasks but complete them without much difficulty. Govt. sops likely. Minor hurdles are seen but you will manage them easily.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

You will change your attitude totally and march ahead in a new path. Friendship with persons of high esteem likely. Ancestral property will come by.

You will not stop or look back, as you face troubles and hurdles in your works but face them with a determination and emerge as successful. A peaceful atmosphere will prevail at home.

You will understand your strength and weakness. You will take certain bold decisions which will yield good result. A solution will be found to a long time unsolved issue.

TAURUS

GEMINI

Nine of Pentacles – Don’t ignore aches and pains, even if they don’t come in the way of your daily work. Consult a doctor. You never know what it might be.

Eight of Swords – Your intellectual capabilities are heightened and you feel as though you are thinking really fast.

Ace of Pentacles – There are times when you feel disconnected with the work that you do – simply as you are looking at it purely from the monetary angle.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

Nine of Swords Nightmares, restless sleep and anxiety are all taking a toll on you. You feel scared and unsure of what’s to come.

For Better or for Worse Stone soup

Three of Cups – All your hard work is paying off. You may just have to wait a little longer to truly get what you deserve. Enjoy this time.

The Empress – There are no rules on how you should lead your life. Yet, you get a strong feeling that going to a selfhelp book or consultant will help.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

The Moon – Mood swings are likely today. You feel strangely upbeat one minute and very low the very second minute. Just stay with it.

Ten of Wands – You feel burdened by your own expectations. You have set very high standards for yourself and it hurts you that it’s difficult to meet them.

Judgment – The time has come for all your work to be recognized. You will be given your due very shortly. A complete U-turn on a decision is highly likely.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Five of Cups – There is some loss indicated. It may be that you held someone in very high esteem and they have let you down by exposing their chinks.

Knight of Pentacles – Money’s on your mind. You want to focus on making more money. While this may give you a goal, it mayn’t make you very happy.

Five of Swords – You are in conflict with your inner self. You feel deeply about a principle and yet you cannot let go of your ego.

Money

Ink pen

COMICS

SUMAA TEKUR

tarotreadhyd@gmail.com

ARIES

Fred Basset

ARIES

TAROT READ Date 2-7-2012

here was a man who worked all of his life and saved all of his money. He loved money more than anything, and just before he died, he said to his wife, "Now listen, when I die, I want you to take all my money and place it in the casket with me. I wanna take my money to the afterlife." One day he died. He was stretched out in the casket, the wife was sitting there in black. When they finished the ceremony, just before the undertakers got ready to close the casket, the wife said, "Wait a minute!"

She came over with a shoe box and placed it in the casket. When the casket was taken away, her friend said, "I hope you weren't crazy enough to put all that money in the casket." "Yes," the wife said, "I promised. I'm a good Christian, I can't lie. I promised him that I was going to put that money in that casket with him." "You mean to tell me you put every cent of his money in the casket with him?" "I sure did. I got it all together, put it into my account and I wrote him a check."

Vol: 1, No 349 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

2012 LONDON OLYMPICS

60 59 58 57 56

DID YOU KNOW...? n The world’s leading competitors take less than one hour 50 minutes to complete an Olympic-distance triathlon. n The first Olympic Triathlon champions were Brigitte McMahon (Switzerland) and Simon Whitfield (Canada).

54 53 51

n Transitions are crucial in determining the final results, as athletes can gain or lose valuable time on their rivals when they are taking off their wetsuit and putting on their shoes.

50 49

TALLY 2008

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DAYS TO GO

SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012

AUS GERMANY CANADA

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0 0 1

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MEDAL EVENTS August 4 Women’s Triathlon August 7 Men’s Triathlon

TRIVIA The Ironman Triathlon The first modern long-distance triathlon event was the Hawaiian Ironman Triathlon. It included a swim of 2.4 miles, a bike ride of 112 miles, and a marathon run of 26.219 miles. It was conceived during the awards ceremony for the 1977 Oahu Perimeter Relay (a running race for 5-person teams). Among the participants were numerous representatives of both the Mid-Pacific Road Runners and the Waikiki Swim Club, whose members had long been debating which athletes were more fit: runners or swimmers. On this occasion, U.S. Navy Commander John Collins pointed out that a recent article in Sports Illustrated had declared that Eddy Merckx, the great Belgian cyclist, had the highest recorded “maximum oxygen uptake” of any athlete ever measured, so perhaps cyclists were more fit than anyone. Collins and his wife, Judy, had taken part in the triathlons in 1974 and 1975 by the San Diego Track Club in and around Mission Bay, and also the Optimist Sports Fiesta Triathlon in Coronado in 1975.

LEGENDS OF THE SPORT Simon Whitfield (born May 16, 1975) won a gold medal in the triathlon at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. He got up off the ground after he and 14 other riders crashed in the bike race portion of the event and worked his way back near the leaders. In the foot race, he cut down the field one at a time then put on a finishing kick to take the victory. His final time was 1:48:24.02.

Brigitte McMahon (born March 25, 1967) competed at the first Olympic triathlon at the 2000 Summer Olympics. She won the gold medal with a total time of 2:00:40.52, which until 2008 was the fastest time for a female in an Olympic triathlon. Her split times were 19:44.58 for the swim, 1:05:42.30 for the cycling and 0:35:13.64 for the run.

3’S THE CHARM TRIATHLON:

Hyde Park will welcome the world’s best triathletes for one of the most exciting and high profile events at the London 2012 Olympic Games. The precise origins of Triathlon are unknown: some say that the sport began in France between the wars, others that it really developed in the United States during the late 1970s. Whatever the true history, Triathlon is now one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, and the London 2012 competition in Hyde Park promises to draw enormous and enthusiastic crowds

FIELD

OF PLAY

The course is a 1,500m swim, followed by a 43km bike, finishing with a 10km run.

TRIATHLON

GAMES

More than half a million spectators lined the Sydney streets to watch the first ever Olympic Triathlon at the 2000 Games. The six Triathlon events held since the sport’s Olympic debut have been won by athletes from six different countries: Canada and Switzerland in 2000; New Zealand and Austria in 2004; and Germany and Australia in 2008.

THE

BASICS

Triathlon races combine

THE LINGO Transition The changeovers between the three elements of the race Transition time The time it takes each competitor to complete their transition. These times are counted in their overall time for the race Transition area A location within which each athlete is allocated an area for the storage of clothing and equipment

swimming, cycling and running, in that order. Events are conducted over a variety of distances: for the Olympic Games, the men’s and women’s Triathlons will consist of a 1,500m swim, a 43km bike ride and a 10km run. The race is completed from start to finish, with no breaks. The transitions between the swim, the bike and the run are part of the race – crucial seconds can be gained or lost in the transition area

COMPETITION

FORMAT

There are no heats; both the

men’s and the women’s events consist of a single race. The first athlete to cross the finish line is declared the winner.

OFFICIALS

Officials are assigned to many different areas: the start and finish, the transition areas, lap counting, timing, wheel stations, penalty boxes and vehicle control. There is also a competition jury that rules on any protests or appeals. Venue: Hyde Park

THE HISTORY OF TRIATHLON

riathlon is considered by some to have its beginnings in 1920s France. According to triathlon historian and author Scott Tinley, the origin of triathlon is attributed to a race during the 1920s– 1930s that was called variously “Les trois sports”,

“La Course des Débrouillards”, and “La course des Touche à Tout”. This race is held every year in France near Joinville-le-Pont, in Meulan and Poissy. An earlier tri-sport event in 1902 featured running, cycling, and canoeing. There are documented tri-sport eve-

nts featuring running, swimming, & cycling in 1920, 1921, 1945, and the 1960s. In 1920, the French newspaper L Auto reported on a competition called “Les Trois Sports” with a 3 km run, 12 km bike, and a swim across the channel Marne. Those three parts were

done without any break. Another event was held in 1921 in Marseilles with the order of bike-run-swim. Among the participants was American athlete Charles Sector. There are also articles in French newspapers about a race in Marseille in 1927.

SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012

DAYS TO GO

FELIX WINS 200m Jim Slater

Swimming legend Janet Evans calls time on career OMAHA, NEBRASKA:

EUGENE, OREGON: Twotime Olympic runner-up Allyson Felix ran the sixthfastest women’s 200 meters in history on Saturday, winning the final at the US Olympic Track and Field Trials in 21.69 seconds. Felix, embroiled in controversy over a deadlock for the final 100m Olympic spot, served notice she will be a gold favorite in London by surging to the lead quickly and leaving behind a world-class field to set a personal best. Only doping-disgraced Marion Jones, Jamaica’s Merlene Ottey and the late world record-holder Florence Griffth-Joyner have ever run faster than Felix did to ensure she would reach the London Olympics. “I don’t think it has quite sunk in yet,” Felix said. “For so long I have looked at those times and wanted to be on that list. But the job is not done. It’s all about London.” It was the fastest time clocked in the event since Jones went 21.62 in 1998 in South Africa. “It’s very rare for me to come off the corner in the lead,” Felix said. “There were so many strong people in the race you could never be comfortable. I just dug deep and tried to keep going.

“I was thrilled with my race. Everything came together at the right time.” Carmelita Jeter, the reigning world 100m champion and 2011 world 200m runner-up, was second in 22.11 with Sanya RichardsRoss third in 22.22 to claim the other two Olympic berths on offer. There was a 1.0m/sec tailwind. Jeter will go for a 100-200 double in her first Olympics, a choice she only made after winning the 100 last weekend. “It’s one of the best feelings in the world and I’m not even in London yet,” Jeter said. Richards-Ross will attempt a 200-400 double in London. “I’m excited,” Richards-

I don’t think it has quite sunk in yet. For so long I have looked at those times and wanted to be on that list. The job is not done. It’s all about London. Allyson Felix Ross said. “I wanted to be part of this team in two events. They didn’t make it easy for me but I’m glad I made it.” Felix and training partner Jeneba Tarmoh shared third in a 100m dead heat and decided to delay a decision on breaking that deadlock until after the 200 final.

Tarmoh missed out on London in the 200, finishing fifth in 22.35. Aries Merritt, the reigning indoor world 60m hurdles champion, ran the best time in the world this year to win the 110m hurdles final in 12.93 seconds, lowering the 2012 best that had belonged to China’s Liu Xiang at 12.97. Outdoor world champion Jason Richardson was second in 12.98 with Jeffrey Porter third in 13.08 to take the final London spot. Wallace Spearmon, disqualified from a bronze medal spot at the 2008 Olympics for a lane violation, and Shawn Crawford, the 2004 Olympic champion, won 200m semi-final heats to reach Sunday’s final.

Hardy makes it to the Games, finally Rebecca Bryan

OMAHA, NEBRASKA: Jessica Hardy put heartbreak behind her Saturday, seizing an unexpected 100m freestyle victory at the US Olympic trials to earn a trip to London four years after a drugs row kept her from Beijing. Hardy owns the world record in the 100m breaststroke, but finished third in that event behind upset winner Breeja Larson and Rebecca Soni.

She bounced back with a personal best in the freestyle of 53.96sec. But Hardy’s Olympic trials and tribulations go back further than this week. She had made the team for Beijing in the 100m breaststroke when she tested positive for a banned steroid. She withdrew from the team, and eventually served a one-year suspension after a board of arbitrators agreed with her explanation that the banned substance was contained in a tainted supplement and she hadn’t intended to cheat.

Her windmill stroke no longer propels her at world record speeds, but distance freestyle great Janet Evans rated her brief comeback a success even if it didn’t land her a London Olympics berth. “Doing something for myself and inspiring others to maybe go do something they’re scared of doing or maybe outside their comfort zone,” she said of the positives she took from the campaign — which ended in a 53rd-place finish Saturday in the heats of the 800m freestyle at the US Olympic swimming trials. Evans, a four-time Olympic gold medallist, enchanted fans with her three-gold performance at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. She also won the 800m free at the 1992 Games in Barcelona before she retired in 1996. Evans said part of the reason she decided to swim again was so that her children, 5-year-old daughter Sydney and 2-year-old son Jake, could watch her. After she failed to make the 400m free final, Sydney asked her if she’d won. “No, I didn’t win,” Evans replied. “OK,” her daughter said. “I still love you.”

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Turkey and the Netherlands claim big wins HELSINKI: Churandy Martina led a Dutch one-two in the men’s 200m at the European athletics championships, while Turkey claimed three gold medals on the track. Martina, who was stripped of his second-place finish in Beijing’s 200m behind Usain Bolt because of a lane violation called by the US team, clocked 20.42sec, with compatriot Patrick van Luijk taking silver in 20.87sec.

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SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012

BEAUTY

THE BEST

Now, move onto Euro 2016...

Poland, Ukraine hail image boost as Euro 2012 ends

Euro 2012 ends on Sunday with a mouth-watering final between holders Spain and Italy. But thoughts are already turning to the next edition in France in 2016. The main change from this time round will be that the number of teams will increase from the current 16 to 24. Euro 2016 in France is causing few worries for European football’s governing body UEFA after the current one.

Euro 2012 draws to a close, there has been a welcome image boost to the co-hosts. There was widespread concerns about the wisdom of handing European football’s showpiece tournament to Poland and Ukraine. The threat of racist violence loomed large, after the BBC aired a television documentary showing far-right groups at stadiums making Nazi salutes.

Kiev gears up for grand Euro finale

Anya Tsukanova

KIEV: The Ukrainian capital Kiev was on Sunday preparing to host the Euro 2012 final, with a number of heads of state and prime ministers expected, despite a political boycott announced by several European countries. The countdown to the festivities began on Saturday night with a free concert given by British singer-songwriter

Elton John and the supergroup Queen to highlight the AIDS epidemic in Ukraine, which is worst affected by the condition in Europe. On Sunday, a brief closing ceremony will take place in Kiev’s Olympic Stadium before the final kicks off between holders Spain and Italy at 1845 GMT. More than 7,300 police and the Ukrainian secret service will be out in force to keep

Spain vs Italy 12.15am (Monday) Neo Prime order and in a show of strength against hooligans “likely to organise fights and other problems”, a spokesman said. A number of high-profile figures are expected at the

match, among them the Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and Prince Felipe, who have boycotted the country’s two previous matches in Ukraine over the treatment of opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko. Rajoy has said that the boycott was a “sufficiently clear political signal” to Kiev and that he had already indicated his attendance if the national team made the final.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, the Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban will also be in the stands. The European Union has been calling on Ukraine to free Tymoshenko, who is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence for abuse of power during her time as prime minister and has complained of mistreatment.

Special mentality pushes Italy

‘Spain still hungry for success’

Barnaby Chesterman

Tom Williams

Spain v Italy

KIEV: Italy have a special ability to achieve beyond their means in times of difficulty, according to captain and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. History is on the brink of repeating itself in the most curious of manners as the Azzurri prepare to tackle world champions Spain in the Euro 2012 final here on Sunday. Italy are just one win away from landing a major title and once again in the wake of a match-fixing scandal back home. Six years ago following the outbreak of Calciopoli, Italy went on to win the World Cup. Even before that, 30 years ago, the Azzurri won the 1982 World Cup just a couple of years after the Totonero affair, which almost deprived

them of star striker Paolo Rossi, who served a twoyear suspension for his involvement. And now, once again, following the Calcioscommesse football-betting incident, Italy are on the brink of success. Buffon says it’s a peculiarity to the Italian mentality that allows their players to bring out their best under such circumstances.

head-to-head Spain: W7 D11 L8 Italy: W8 D11 L7 n 10 Jun 2012 Spain v Italy 1-1 European Championship group stage n 22 Jun 2008 Italy v Spain 0-0 (2-4 on penalties) European Championship quarter-final n 09 Jul 1994 Italy v Spain 2-1 World Cup quarter-final n 14 Jun 1988 Italy v Spain 1-0 European Championship group stage n 12 Jun 1980 Italy v Spain 0-0 European Championship group stage n 01 Jun 1934 Italy v Spain 1-0 World Cup quarter-final replay n 31 May 1934 Italy v Spain 1-1 World Cup quarter-final Note: Friendlies not listed here.

Del Bosque uncomfortable with favourites tag

KIEV: Xavi says that Spain have not been jaded by four years of success and remain as hungry as ever ahead of Sunday’s meeting with Italy in the final of Euro 2012. Vicente del Bosque’s side are bidding to become the first team to retain a European Championship title, as well as the first side to win three consecutive major international tournaments. Xavi, a key figure in the side that triumphed at Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup, has also won every major honour in the club game with Barcelona, but on the eve of the final, he says his desire still burns as strongly as ever. “We just want to enjoy being in the final of the Euro,” said the mid-

fielder. “Luckily for us, it’s our second (Euro) final. We really want to do well and show people that this team are still hungry to win and that our football is good.” The 32-year-old’s remark about the quality of Spain’s play was telling, as the team have received criticism for the supposed sterility of their possession-based approach.

KIEV: Despite their status as reigning world and European champions, Spain coach Vicente del Bosque does not think his side will go into the Euro 2012 final with Italy as overwhelming favourites. With fancied teams such as Germany and the Netherlands having already fallen by the wayside, Spain are the only pre-tournament favourites to have come close to meeting expectations in Poland and Ukraine. Del Bosque can turn to a core of players from the triumphant campaigns at Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup.

WIMBLEDON 2012 SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012

Andy Murray beats curfew and Marcos Dave James

LONDON: Andy Murray reached the Wimbledon fourth round on Saturday with a 7-5, 36, 7-5, 6-1 win over Marcos Baghdatis in a match which finished just past the 11:00pm Centre Court curfew. The fourth seed will face Croatia’s Marin Cilic, who clinched victory over Sam Querrey in the second longest match in tournament history, on Monday for a place in the quarter-finals. On another day of high drama at the All England Club, three-time finalist Andy Roddick was knocked out, a defeat which sparked more questions over his future in the sport. Scotsman Murray, a semifinalist for the last three years, triumphed at 11.02pm (2202 GMT) under the roof on Centre Court, two minutes beyond the deadline set by the local municipality for health and safety reasons. It was the latest-ever finish at the All England Club. Murray had broken to lead 51 just as the clock hit 11.00pm and was allowed to serve out the match. “When I got up at 4-1 I tried not to sit down. I don’t know what the rules are, maybe the first time that’s happened here,” he said. “Tough conditions. I was

really struggling. I struck the ball a bit better under the roof and served better.” Murray took the first set 7-5 before Baghdatis levelled then tie by taking the second 6-3. Just after 9:00pm (2000 GMT), play was stopped as the roof was closed, a process which took around half an hour. On the resumption, Baghda-

tis broke in the third set for a 3-2 lead before Murray survived a nasty-looking fall to level at 4-4. At 5-5 in the third set, Murray was docked a second point after his spare ball fell from his pocket onto the court during a rally for the third time. He shrugged off that setback to take the set and start his race against time to finish the match

LONDON: Serena Williams believes her Centre Court scare against China’s Zheng Jie was the perfect preparation for the sterner tests that lie ahead in the second week of Wimbledon. Four-time champion Serena narrowly avoided an embarrassing third round exit on Saturday as she fought back from a set down to grind out a gritty 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 9-7 victory over the tenacious Zheng. While the sixth-seeded American would have preferred a routine straight sets win, she is convinced the experience of coming back from the brink will make

SYDNEY: Wimbledon officials spoke to Australia’s Bernard Tomic after the racquet-smashing end to his surprise first-round loss, a report said on Sunday. Repairs were needed when Tomic, 19, damaged court two at the All England Club and he was also fined, the report said. Tomic, a quarter-finalist at last year’s tournament, lost in four sets to Belgian wildcard David Goffin on Tuesday, and repeatedly slammed his racquet onto the grass as he walked to the net to shake hands. “A ‘talking-to’, I think would be the wrong word, we had a word with him,” Wimbledon spokesman Johnny Perkins told Sydney’s SunHerald newspaper. “Essentially, it was ‘this is not really the behaviour we expect, and you have damaged the court’.”

which he did against a physically wilting Baghdatis. David Ferrer came back from a set down to clinch a 2-6, 7-6 (10/8), 6-4, 6-3 triumph over Roddick and goes on to face 2009 US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro. But it was Roddick’s farewell gesture to Centre Court which was the talking point.

Zheng scare was ideal test: Serena Steve Griffiths

Tomic rebuked over rage

her even more battle-hardened in the remaining four matches that stand between her and a fifth Wimbledon title. “It definitely helps me to realize that’s it’s not going to be easy going forward. I just have to stay focused,” former world number one Serena said. “Everyone’s trying to win, but I can win matches like this. Not that I’ve ever doubted that, but it’s always good to have that reconfirmation.” Surviving a tough examination against Zheng was also important for Serena’s morale as she tries to erase the memories of defeat against France’s V Razzano in the French Open first round.

Results — 3rd round Men David Ferrer (ESP x7) bt Andy Roddick (USA x30) 2-6, 7-6 (10/8), 6-4, 6-3 Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG x9) bt Kei Nishikori (JPN x19) 6-3, 7-6 (7/3), 6-1 Andy Murray (GBR x4) bt Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 6-1 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA x5) bt Lukas Lacko (SVK) 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 Mardy Fish (USA x10) bt David Goffin (BEL) 6-3, 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (8/6)

Women Serena Williams (USA x6) bt Zheng Jie (CHN x25) 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 9-7 Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) bt Sara Errani (ITA x10) 6-0, 6-4 Petra Kvitova (CZE x4) bt Varvara Lepchenko (USA) 6-1, 6-0 Victoria Azarenka (BLR x2) bt Jana Cepelová (SVK) 6-3, 6-3.

SPORTS SUNDAY, JULY 1, 2012

De Jonge grabs lead at ATT

BETHESDA, MARYLAND:

Zimbabwe’s Brendan de Jonge seized a one-stroke lead by posting his second consecutive twounder 69 on Saturday in the third round of the storm-hit ATT National. De Jonge birdied three holes but hardly anyone witnessed it in person at the Congressional Country Club after spectators were told to stay away because of a severe storm that struck the area overnight. De Jonge said playing without spectators seemed odd at the start but then once they got going it was all about managing your golf game. “At first it was definitely very strange,” he said. “Then we kind of got used to it. “Just the no buzz. It was hard to get the adrenaline going, kind of felt like you were playing a Tuesday practice round or a qualifier.” Tiger Woods carded a four-

under 67 to climb into a share of second place at minus-six. He is tied with first-round leader Bo Van Pelt (67) and South Korea’s Noh Seung-yul (69).

TIGER

JUST SHORT OF LEAD

Woods moved to within one shot of the lead with four birdies on

his first 10 holes. “It was amazing we even got it in,” Woods said. “So that was good. Today I just tried to make a run and fight back to get myself in the tournament.” The storm snapped trees, tore temporary tents from their foundations and scattered debris

Sky and BMC start battle for Tour rule LIEGE, BELGIUM: Yellow jersey contenders Team Sky scored the first points in what is set to be a thrilling Tour de France campaign by jumping to the top of the team standings on Saturday. Sky’s Bradley Wiggins is hoping to succeed Australian Cadel Evans as the 2012 yellow jersey champion and got off to a great start by taking 10secs off the BMC team leader following the opening prologue, which was won by Switzerland’s Fabian Cancellara. Although at only 6.4km it was a short race against the clock, it has already given an indication of the form of some key riders. Wiggins’ second place, at only 7sec behind Cancellara, came after teammates Edvald Boasson Hagen and Chris Froome had finished fifth and 11th at 11 and 16secs respectively off the winning time of 7min 13sec. While Evans finished 13th at 17secs, American teammate Tejay Van Garderen was an impressive fourth, Philippe

SUNDAY’S OPENING STAGE IS A 198KM RIDE FROM LIEGE TO SERAING AND, WITH A 2.4KM UPHILL FINISH, COULD HOST THE FIRST SMALL SKIRMISH BETWEEN THE YELLOW JERSEY CONTENDERS. Gilbert of Belgium ninth and England’s Steven Cummings 17th at 10, 13 and 18sec off the pace respectively. Although the teams classification is not an indication of who will win the race, both BMC and Sky will be happy to have kept some of their riders among the top 20 on Saturday. Italian Vincenzo Nibali of Liquigas, the 2010 Tour of Spain winner, signalled his intentions with a solid 14th place that means he loses only 11secs to Wiggins.

across the course. Officials delayed the start of the round for six hours then went off the first and 10th tees in threesomes. Because of safety concerns, fans and volunteers were told to stay away so just players, their family members, security and media were allowed in. The USPGA Tour issued a statement saying winds in the range of 70-80 mph (112-128 km/h) were reported in the area near Washington. Along with downed branches around the course, a 75-foot (22m) tree fell on the fairway of the 14th hole and many of the wooden signs identifying the holes were blown down. Woods said he has played without galleries following him for a few holes before but not an entire round. “It was very similar to what we faced when we play overseas in practice rounds or when we have dangerous conditions, thun-

derstorms blow in in the summertime and all the spectators are taken off the golf course and then we go back out and finish in the evening and have a few holes to play,” Woods said. “I’ve played in front of people like this, but not generally for an 18-hole competitive round.” De Jonge finished 54 holes at seven-under 206. “Winning here would be that much more special,” said De Jonge of Harare. “It’s obviously a great tournament with a great field, so that would be a good feather in your cap.” Second-round leader Hunter Mahan stumbled to a two-over 73. He finished three rounds tied with fellow American Billy Hurley (66) at five-under-par 208. Jhonattan Vegas (68) is one stroke back at four-under. Tournament officials said they hope to have most of the downed trees removed by in time for Sunday’s final round.