Postnoon E-Paper for 05 May 2012 by Scribble Media & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

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TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012 HYDERABAD

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TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012

TWILIGHT ZONE

Art exhibition

M ANIL KUMAR

An art exhibition titled Narrations, Connotations and Interpretations recent watercolours is being held at Kalakrithi art gallery. The exhibition is on till May 26. Where: Kalakrithi Art Gallery, Banjara Hills, Rd No 10 When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 6656 4466

Etching prints A group exhibition of etching prints by various talented artists such as Anjani Reddy, Atin Basak,Chippa Sudhakar, Hanumantha Rao, Krishna Reddy and Mahesh Prajapathi is being held. This group exhibition will be on display till May 15. Where: Gallery Space, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12 When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 6554 1836

European film festival A European Film Festival organised by A delegation of the European Union and the embassies of the EU Member States in India from May 10 to May 20 will be held at Alliance Francaise. Where: Alliance Francaise, Banjara Hills, Rd No3 When: April 10 onwards, 6pm onwards Contact: (040) 2355 4483

Yoga Camp The third part of a series of seven days yoga camp will be held by Yoga Healing Foundation in Yousufguda.The last part of the Yoga Camp will be held in Saroornagar from May 20. Where: Krishnakanth Park, Yousufguda When: May 13 onwards, 5.15 am onwards Contact: 98489 92354

Documentary time The documentary Her name is Sabine will be shown at Lamakaan on May 8. The documentary is based Sabine Bonnaire, the autistic sister of the french actress Sandrine Bonnaire. Where: Lamakaan, Banjara Hills, Rd No1 When: May 8, 7pm onwards Contact: 96427 31329

The awakening A painting exhibition titled Buddha — The awakening will be held at Iconart gallery. The exhibition which was inaugurated on May 6 will be

CINEMAS

on display . Where: Iconart Gallery, Banjara Hills, Rd No12 When: May 7 onwards, 11.30 am onwards Contact: 98499 68797

Temps D’Arret Temps d’arret, a hip hop contemporary performance by famous french dancer Miguel Nosibor is being held by Alliance Francaise, Hyderabad in collaboration with Andhra Pradesh Tourism on May 9. Where: Taramati Baradari, Gandipet When: May 9, 7.06pm onwards Contact: (040) 2352 0172

Grill festival Head to the grill festival to sample various grilled delicacies. Thats not all. Along with sampling some great food you can avail a 35 per cent off as it is the anniversary of the restaurant. Where: The Grill Room, Banjara Hills, Rd No 1 When: Ongoing Contact: (040) 6557 7722

Solo painting exhibition Ramakanth’s Solo Painting Exhibition which deals with the loneliness of the long distance run-

ner is being held at Muse Art Gallery, Hyderabad Marriott. The exhibition features works which include oil - on - canvas, acrylics and mixed media paintings. Where: Hyderabad Marriott, Tank Bund When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 2752 2999

Scrabble workshop If those long words leave you confused but you still have the inclination to excel at scrabble. Head to Saptaparni for a scrabble workshop for kids in the age group of 8-14. Where:Saptaparni, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12 When: Ongoing, 10am-12pm, Contact: (040) 6666 7707

Cricket frenzy Mocha and Mocha Express is hosting IPL specials with live screening of the match and various pizzas paying ode to the IPL teams and their spirits. Where: Mocha — Banjara Hills Mocha Express — Inorbit Mall When: Ongoing, 4pm onwards Contact: (040) 23350144

Artistic strokes A painting exhibition titled Twinkle is being held at Inspire Art Gallery. The exhibition features artwork by R Usha Vinod and B Usha Kumar. Where: Inspire Art Gallery, Hyderguda When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 3062 8447

Painting exhibition An exhibition of paintings by Lalu Shaw is being held at Shrishti Art Gallery. Where: Shrishti Art Gallery, Jubilee Hills, Rd No 15 When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 2354 0023

Theatre workshop Samahaara is hosting special four week summer acting workshops. The workshops will be held for a duration of four weeks. The workshops are being held at three different places in the City. Where: Vidyaranya School, The Terrace, The Actor’s Studio When: May 14 onwards, Monday-Friday Contact: 83411 20303

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

FOR ONCE THE POLICE ARE POWERLESS!

FLASH

AI ISSUES ULTIMATUM TO ‘SICK’ PILOTS

City police commissionerate has been in darkness for 24 hours. The transformer that powers the commissionerate has developed a snag that resulted in two of the three phases not working.

Four Air India international flights were cancelled today after about 100 pilots called in sick, evoking a strong response from the airline management, which asked them to return to work by 6pm or face action. Civil aviation minister Ajit Singh termed the strike as "illegal" and said the management of the national carrier would take appropriate action against those involved in the stir.

P3 Hyderabad’s first compact afternoon newspaper

TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012 HYDERABAD

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WEATHER: CLEAR WITH CLOUDY SPELLS; 34°C

32 PAGES

HOW TO MAKE AN INDIE FILM Movies today have bigger budgets than ever before. But once in a blue moon, an indie film, made on a shoe string budget, surprises everyone. Recently, Ee Rojullo, a Telugu film made with a budget of `60 lakh, went on to become a hit. We asked Sreenivas, the producer, to show us the ropes. P14&15

RECESSION PUSHED

PARINEETI INTO ACTING P20 The actress dreamt of becoming an investment banker. But the 2009 recession had other plans.

SC SCRAPS HAJ SUBSIDY In a blow to the Centre, the Supreme Court today struck down the government's policy of giving subsidies to Haj pilgrims. “We hold that this policy (giving subsidies to Haj pilgrims) is best done away with,” said the apex court. The bench also directed the government to reduce the number of its representatives in the Prime Minister's goodwill delegation to two. REPORT ON PG 9

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TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012

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NEWS BRIEFS Spot evaluation of SSC exams completed

he spot valuation of the SSC exam papers is complete and the results will be declared after May 22, said one of the officials of the board. The class X public exams were held during March/April 2012 across the State. It is estimated that more than 10 lakh students appeared for the SSC public examinations. All the students have been eagerly waiting for the announcement of the results.

Petrol bunk cashier attacked

gang attacked a cashier of a petrol bunk in the Old City, zoo road under the Kalapathar police station limits last night. In the melee, cashier Mohd Afzal sustained injuries. Four men on two bikes came to the petrol station around midnight. They filled petrol and demanded mamool from the cashier. When he refused, they attacked him.

A more proactive approach is the need of the day to tackle issues such as security and pollution say Hyderabadis

Need for stronger initiatives rahul.r@postnoon.com

hrough this campaign, we aimed to raise awareness about the need to take up initiatives that will help save our beloved Hussain Sagar that is bogged down by issues right from pollution and women security. Many regulars and first time visitors to the lake seem to share a view on the need to give the lake the treatment it deserves. Zainy Nasir, a student, is a first time visitor to the Hussain Sagar. Eat Street has now become her favourite eatery. She says, “The lake as such is beautiful, but it is unclean. The stench can put people off especially, if they are in close proximity to the lake, enjoying the food and having a fun filled conversation.” Ankita Prasad, an employee at a private firm says, “The

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

198 155313

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

155333 23431178 23431179 MUNICIPAL CORPORATION: Commissioner & Spl Officer 23262266

on the Necklace Road for five hours and make what little money I can by selling peanuts. A week Hussain Sagar back, I was roughed up by a few people and they tried to steal my jewellery.” Ellamma is too scared to go to the police, for fear of being caught in the Ellamma law’s twisted arms. Vehicular movement at night efforts to save and clean the lake need stronger initiatives. Also, has been restricted around the the security at the Necklace lake. The roads from the Prasad’s Road for women is slightly lag- junction have been closed in ging. I have been a victim to order to restrict the entry and comments and teasing and there exit of rash drivers. However, was no member of the lake there are those that still continue to flout the law. Osman Ali, an police in the vicinity.” Despite the commendable auto driver from Qutbullahpur police initiatives, there still is a says, “The roads are never really lack of complete security in the closed, as the barricades are not vicinity of the lake. Ellamma, a placed properly. I still use these vendor at the lake rues, “I work roads and find customers here, SAI RAM REDDY

Rahul Ramakrishna

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

WATER SUPPLY: Complaint Cell Sewerage Complaint Hyd. Water Supply HOSPITAL: General Hospital, Sec-bad Niloufer Hospital, Red Hills NIMS, Director, Punjagutta Osmania General Hospital Railway Hospital, Lalaguda Apollo, Jubilee Hills Care Hospital, Banjara Hills Care Hospital, Nampally Care Hospitals, Musheerabad Care Hospital, Sec-bad Kamineni Hospital,

even after 11pm, when the roads appear to be blocked.” The police department however has good things to say, some indeed commendable, some not. Raju, constable of the Lake Police station says, “Eve teasing has dropped considerably since the constant patrolling of mounted police around the lake. The number of accidents at night due to rash and negligent driving, or even brash racing has gone down absolutely. As per the orders of the commissioner of police, we have sealed the entrances to the Necklace Road which has proved fruitful in reducing accidents and other illegal activities like prostitution etc.” As many issues remain unnoticed and unaddressed the lake and its surrounding areas continue to struggle through the many hurdles of environmental, civic and legal problems.

LB Nagar 155313 23307328 23313163 27505566 23314095 23390933 24600146 27001134 23607777 30418888 30417777 30419000 30416666

BLOOD BANKS: Blood Bank,Narayaguda Chiranjeevi Blood Bank Blood Bank Mediton Goal Red Cross, Vidyanagar ADRM Blood Bank Mythri Charitable Trust NTR Memorial Trust Care Banjara Hills

39879999 27567892 23559555 23226624 27633087 27035588 27550238 30799999 30418296 30417445

AMBULANCES Apollo 23548888, 23607777 Kamineni 24022222 Medwin 23202902, 23204616 Smile Line Dental Hospital 23747979 Red Cross 27627973 Niloufer Hospital 23314095 Gandhi 23320332

Army enrolment rally to be held

n Army Recruitment Rally will be conducted under the aegis of Headquarters Recruiting Zone, Chennai by Army Recruiting Office, Secunderabad from May 29 to June 3 at the Sri Ananthapadmanabha Arts & Science Commerce College Vikarabad to enrol the candidates of ten districts of Andhra Pradesh — Mahbubnagar, Khammam, Ranga Reddy, Hyderabad, Nalgonda, Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Warangal and Medak. Details are available at the Army Recruitment office, Secunderabad.

Municipal employee burnt alive

enuka, a municipal sanitation worker, was allegedly burnt alive by her husband Raju on Monday at their residence. They were residing in Balamrai under the Begumpet police station limits, police said Raju, habituated to liquor, demanded money from her and when she refused, he doused her with petrol and set her on fire. Neighbours informed the police and she was then shifted to hospital where her condition is said to be critical.

AIRLINES Airport Director 27903785, 27906001 For Air India Flight Information Toll free (from any network) for IC Flights 18001801407 And for All Flights: 1800227722 Air India has revised its flight timings. For more information call (Toll free) 18001801407, 1800227722 from BSNL/MTNL 04023430334 from other lines and mobile Website; www.airindia.in TOURISM OFFICES AP Tourism, Hyd 23262152/53/54 Sec’bad 27893100 Dept of Tourism 23453110 India Tourism 23261360 AP Tourism information Centre (24x7) 23450444, 23455999

UK Visa Office VFS India Pvt Ltd Building, 8-2-542/A, Sunil Chamber, Road No. 7 Beside Meridian School, Banjara Hills34. Working hours are from 8 AM to 1 PM And 2 PM to 3PM. MUSEUMS Salar Jung Museum AP State Museum Nizams Museum

24523211 232431300/7641 24521029

Readers’ views We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500 033 or even by way of a call on 4067 2222

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TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012

Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities

SMS alert proves a thumping success Madhapur police efforts to alert citizens on crime receive good response and the system may be extended to other police stations

mohd.s@postnoon.com

ity police commissionerate, the nervecentre of law keeping establishment, has been in darkness for 24 hours. It is said that the transformer that powers the commissionerate has developed a snag that resulted in two of the three phases not working. Consequently, most office equipment including computers, are not working. The stand-by generator worked for two hours and stopped. Power was snapped around noon yesterday. Repair works are going on

Inkeshaf Ahmed ahmed.m@postnoon.com

he crime alert service, cautioning and informing of the crime that takes place, put to practice at the Madhapur police station since last year has been a runaway success, all stake holders say. The SMS system was launched as a pilot project in Madhapur. This station was chosen since it has a heavy population of upper middle class people and IT crowd. Deputy commissioner of police Madhapur Yoganand said, “Hundreds of thousands of migrants who work in scores IT companies reside in Madhapur. We will introduce this crime alert system in other police stations limits very shortly.” “The idea is to alert the residents about the crime taking place in their area. If a theft has taken place in a particular area under our police station limits, we immediately send SMS alerts to the residents and traders of that particular area or locality. This would help enable us in alerting the residents and warn them to be more vigilant,” Madhapur police inspector K Srinath Reddy told Postnoon. He said, the SMS is not just sent indiscriminately. “If a jewellery

For once the police are powerless! Mohd Subhan

POLICE

STATISTICS Name of the police station Madhapur No. of Villages/Colonies 6 Villages, 88 colonies Population 4 lakh shop is burgled, we send an SMS to jewellery shops in that particular area, not to all the residents,” Reddy said. The facility was launched with the help of National Information Center (NIC) and the cost of each SMS is just 10 paise. The police station has included a total of 1,500 contact numbers in its data base so far. “This is an excellent concept. It has helped us a lot since its launch. Especially, during the times bandhs and agitations like the agitation for a separate state by Telangana activists and security related issues, the police sent us SMS alerts. These alerts not only alerted us, it also prepared us to face the situation,” G Yaswanth Kumar, property manag-

er of I Labs, Hitech City. City-based interior designer Humera Anjum emphasised the need to have such a facility in all police stations of Hyderabad and Cyberabad. “This is an excellent system. It is a much needed thing for the residents of Hyderabad, especially since there has been an increase in the number of cases of thefts and crime in the City,” she said. Kumar said added that SMS alerts come in handy for them to make alternative arrangements, which also include transportation to homes for their employees whenever there is an emergency situation. However, Kumar said it had a negative aspect too — the alert sometimes generates a sense of panic.

for all these hours without result. Postnoon’s enquiries found that the Transco functionaries could not yet locate the exact trouble. The all-important feeder line for public, Number 100 of control room, does not work. If you ring you get the tapped reply that the line is ‘engaged,’ which in turn further confuses the ringing public. Almost all the 12 computers of the police control room are silent. Only some BSNL phones were working. Meanwhile, policemen on duty were left high and literally dry with not even an emergency lamp or candle available to come to their rescue. Many of them

were forced to sit outside, fanning themselves with newspapers to ward off the stifling heat. “It was like living in a bhooth bangla,” commented a police constable. An engineer of the electricity department in Transco said cable-damage seems to be the villain. However, efforts are still on to pinpoint the precise problem, he said. When contacted, additional commissioner of police co-ordination Amit Garg, said he too was informed that some cable fault is the cause of the power disruption. He hoped it would be set right soon.

Hyper Local Lok Satta for respecting T people’s aspirations: JP

ok Satta party president Jayaprakash Narayan counseled party leaders from Telangana to make it clear to the people that the party is in favour of a Telangana state emerging as part of a comprehensive and amicable solution and that it alone has clear-cut policies for the region’s all-round development. He added that people’s aspirations cannot be ignored for long in a democracy. Addressing senior party leaders from Telangana districts, JP advised them to strengthen the party and enlighten people on the party’s agenda for Telangana’s development. The party agenda includes eradication of corruption, decentralisation of power, making farming remunerative, restricting liquor consumption, integrated water resources utilisation and development of small towns. JP announced the constitution of a nine-member committee headed by party general secretary G Raja Reddy to enlighten people on the party’s agenda. JP asked the committee members to tour Telangana districts extensively without losing time to strengthen the party. Since the party will contest from Parakala in the bypolls, it should utilise the opportunity to spread its agenda.

TRS accuses BJP of igniting religious clashes

elangana Rashtra Samithi politburo member Shravan here on Monday charged the Bharatiya Janata Party with trying to ignite caste and religious clashes among people of the Telangana region. Addressing the media at Telangana Bhavan, Shravan said that the BJP was not sincere on the Telangana issue. He said that while the movement for separate state was being conducted on apolitical lines, the BJP has been trying to foment trouble by igniting caste and religious feuds in the region. Alleging that the BJP had forged a secret agreement with a rival party, Shravan said that the saffron party was trying to field its candidate in the Parakala byelection as part of that agreement. He also questioned the BJP as to why it remained silent on corrupt practices and ill-gotten wealth amassed by certain politicians when it proclaimed that it would spearhead a crusade against corruption at the national level.

TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012

Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities

Road choked as drainage work lies in limbo CIVIC Osama Salman salman.o@postnoon.com

portion of the road in front of Model House in Punjagutta was dug up for widening the storm water drain about two years ago. However, it has been lying idle since a year and the equipment too has been dumped outside callously, further blocking the road. What started out as a means to help people ease the water problems has now become a nightmare of sorts. The GHMC had taken up underground tunnel works here as part of widening the storm water drain which starts near GVK Mall and connects to the drain near Yashoda Hospital in Somajiguda. The tunnelling could not be taken up as water pipelines and other cable wires were to be shifted. Since a year, there hasn’t been much activity here. A ditch has been dug to lay the huge pipeline. It is blocked by barricades on two sides and a side is blocked by parked autorickshaws and pick-up trucks. However, one side is still unprotected and can be dangerous. This road connects motorists to Banjara Hills from Punjagutta through Dwarkapuri colony, and is widely used as a short cut. But ever since the work has started, it has only enhanced traffic congestion as it blocks almost the entire road leaving little space for traffic

to pass. Though the road was to be blocked completely, motorists are still found to be using it. During monsoons, and even during the light summer showers seen last month, water gushes into the dug-up portion. Due to debris and mud, the road becomes slippery and unmotorable. Many times, two-wheelers have been seen slipping especially when the road is wet, thus resulting in accidents. “I have stopped using this pass completely. I prefer using a longer route to avoid the conges-

tion. The road too is terrible to use. I haven’t seen anybody working here since about a year,” laments T Krishna, a resident of the area. More than residents, the shopkeepers are affected by this. Since there is no parking available here due to the pipeline, customers don’t prefer shopping here. “Model House is famous for shopping in the area. Prior to the digging, there were many customers coming to us. But now we have seen a sharp decline in footfall. In fact, people drive past our

ICONIC CITY AP State Art Museum, Nampally

s children everyone is taken to museums for field trips so that they imbibe knowledge from these outings. One can say that Hyderabadis are a lucky lot as the AP State Art Museum is one of the best in the country and the wealth of history that Hyderabad as a City it houses is immense. has a lot to offer in Located in Public terms of heritage Gardens, Nampally, AP and sights. We take State Art Museum which was earlier a look at the various called Hyderabad places that make Museum is what it is this City so special today due the patron-

Aishwarya Yerra

age from the Nizam II, Mir Osman Ali Khan. The museum has collections ranging from ancient coins, sculptures, paintings, manuscripts, to textiles. It has twin galleries of Buddhist and Hindu sculpture that display art belonging to the Chalukya period. The unique features that set this museum apart from the rest is that it owns an Egyptian Mummy and has the only replication of the Ajanta paintings. This is the numero uno place for history buffs in the City.

parking to reach Punjagutta main road. Our sales have gone down by about 30 per cent since,” says Ravi G, who runs an electronic appliances store in the complex. The GHMC corporator, B Raju Yadav, remained unavailable for comment despite repeated attempts to contact him. By the looks of it, it seems that the work is going to take a long time to finish, if and when it starts. Meanwhile the residents, shopkeepers and motorists have to ‘adjust’ with the inconveniences due to the delay.

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TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012

Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities

Babu’s troubles are homeward bound TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu is bogged down by issues of political tussles within the family. with Junior NTR and Balakrishna looking to undo the ‘wrong’ done during Senior NTR’s time.

POLITICS U Srinivas srinivas.u@postnoon.com

he divided house — the Congress — can take heart. Looking at the TDP home, the Congress could console itself that the issue of power play is not restricted to the Congress party. The TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu is facing multiple problems that threaten to erode his party’s base further. Three members of the family are angling for the chief ministerial gaddi while the party is nowhere near power. Actors Balakrishna and Junior NTR still want to ‘correct’ the historic blunder by which NTR’s legacy was ‘hijacked’ by Babu. But Naidu’s son Lokesh is also waiting in the wings. In fact, Babu too dreams of Lokesh gaining power in the State like Akhilesh Yadav did in Uttar Pradesh.

NTR’s son Nandamuri Harikrishna did not attend the recent TDP politburo meeting. It was clear that Harikrishna and

his son Junior NTR are in no mood to remain with Babu in the party and co-operate with him for coming back to power.

Plan panel wants private sector role in civic services Postnoon News feedback@postnoon.com

n the next five years all the citizen services in the major and medium towns will come under privatisation and corporatisation. The government will charge for all the services for raising funds to meet the demands. The planning commission in its latest report sent to states has suggested that the development schemes of different ministries would have to clear the test of performance. The schemes which fail to meet the set standards may be kept out of the Five Year Plan. “Details will be revealed after the by-polls,” said a ministerial aide. The Planning Commission on April 18, 2012 approved a total plan outlay of 48,935 crore for Andhra Pradesh for the year 2012-13. The total outlay for the State for the current year witnessed an increase of 13.8 per cent against the previous figure of `43,000 crore in the fiscal year 2011-12. At the same time

Plan allotment for 12th five-year plan (2012-17) Transport JNNURM Rajiv awas Yojana National Urban Mission Nation capacity building

`80,843 crore `1,44,000 crore `1,06,694 crore `20,000 crore `18,000 crore

the Commission earmarked `3.60 lakh crore for this privatisation programme across the country in a phased manner. The plan size was finalised in a meeting between the commission’s deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and AP chief minister Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy. But all these allocations have come up with certain conditions. The indication from the Centre was that even small towns must adopt the Public Private Partnership mode and nothing should be rolled out for free. The Commission pointed out that getting an allocation was not the end but the State must also find ways and means to earn for providing service to the citizens. The steering committee on the development of towns has observed that the migration from villages to towns is on the rise and the Government will not be able to create the infrastructure for the rising population. Taking this into account, the planning commission has suggested the government privatise the services and charge for everything. That is the reason the State government has started collecting fee for bills payed in the e-sevas which was earlier free. Housing, poverty alleviation, sanitation, basic infrastructure, water, power and transport would also come under one roof and a different cadre of officials like the IPS and IAS would take care of the same.

Balakrishna himself wants to become chief minister after the 2014 elections. He is a staunch believer in astrology. Astrologers predicted that he is destined to become the chief minister. Junior NTR is also being looked on as the future CM by his fans and followers. Balakrishna promising to campaign for the party and taking up responsibility for the victory is an indication of his determination to become the chief minister. He was instrumental in changing the vaastu of the party office also. He regards Junior NTR as a threat to his ambition and treats the latter with contempt. If the TDP wins in the next elections, it would be either Babu or Balakrishna who would become the chief minister and it would be difficult for Junior NTR later. If TDP loses for the third time, Babu will be forced to retire and the party would be in disarray. At this point, Junior NTR could don

the role of a saviour and lead the party. Junior NTR has been talking loud about his leadership, charisma and his resemblances to his grandfather, senior NTR. The TDP chief is understood to have recognized junior NTR as a potential threat to his son Lokesh who wants to make his mark as a leader in AP politics at the earliest. Thus Junior NTR has become a problem for both Babu and Balakrishna. Both of them are keeping him at a distance, but Junior NTR as such is trying to claim the legacy of his grandfather soon. Babu brought Junior NTR into senior NTR's family fold and got him married to his niece. But the junior is in no mood to take the diktats from Babu. The problem from within the family is far greater than the one from outside for babu. He has to pay special attention to resolve this issue at least before the bypolls if not after the polls.

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TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012

Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities

TALKING POINT SECUNDERABAD

Shamirpet Lake Little did the Jagirdar of Shamirpet area know that his man-made lake would one day become the most popular holiday destination of the City. Shamirpet Lake is popular for being a combination of a water reserve and a deer park where several species of deer can be seen in their natural habitat. The lake has a complex with 12 cottages and restaurant. Its peaceful environs often attract families from Secunderabad who camp and enjoy fishing. The Kattamaisamma temple nearby is another attraction.

Shamirpet Lake

The other twin is a pastiche of the British. One of the largest cantonments, it has a lot to boast about. EME Centre Gurudwara Located amidst the army area, EME Centre Gurudwara is a picture prefect place to visit.The architecture is unique with its marble interiors and beautiful lawns. What makes it stand out is the fact that the huge circular structure has no pillars to support it. And it’s not just the army folks who visit this place of worship. A large number of civilians too make a beeline. The Sunday langar is the special attraction with people swearing by the food served here. For most Sikh families, this Gurudwara is a popular wedding venue. Recently, a new dining hall was constructed to facilitate marriages.

Hakimpet Airbase

Hakimpet

St John’s Church Indeed, Secunderabad is the land of temples and churches. In a year’s time this church will be celebrating 200 years of its existence. It was constructed to serve the spiritual needs of the British Forces stationed at Lancer’s Line. Today, it serves a large cosmopolitan congregation of Anglicans in the City. There is a pleasant calmness to this white coloured structure. The architecture of the church is what attracts many. St John’s Church is cruciform in shape. The Rangoon Teak wood ceiling is supported by graceful columns designed according to the Tuscan order.

Defence Facility Silver House Golf Club

St John’s Church Bison Environmental Park

Moula Ali Dargah

(EME) Lotus Temple

No not just the Old City but Secunderabad too is home to famous mosques and dargahs. The Moula Ali Dargah is a popular pilgrim destination and one among the 11 heritage sites identified by the ‘Heritage Conservation Committee’ of HUDA. The famed Moula Ali Dargah was built by Asif Jahis (Qutub Shahis) in memory of Hazrat Ali, the son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad. There are about 400 steps leading to the top of the hill to the dargah. Needless to say, the view is breathtaking. Our suggestion; visit the place in the evening when there’s a gentle breeze.

Ananda Budha Vihar Moula ali dargah

St Mary’s Church

Sudeshna Koka

Buddha Vihar

St Mary’s Church This is one church that every Secunderabadi relates to. Regardless of their religious beliefs, most of the residents make it a point to visit the church on Christmas Eve. St Mary’s is one of the oldest churches not just in AP but in the world. Unlike other churches in the City, this structure is bright and colourful. It is a typical example of the Indian Gothic style, with curved arches and pointed buttresses. Unlike other Catholic churches, St Mary's has several side altars dedicated to saints. Christmas is one of the best times to visit the church.

ALL LOCATIONS ON THE MAP ARE APPROXIMATE

Ananda Buddha Vihar lies atop Mahindra Hills. It is a Buddhist temple run by a trust for the last 20 years. The temple is a beautiful structure with a long stairway leading up to the main hall. It is said that meditating in this hall can leave you feeling incredibly calm. The Buddha Vihar compound is surrounded by well manicured lawns and a lotus pond. For those who want to get away from the maddness of city life, Buddha Vihar is the perfect getaway. The panoramic view from atop this hill is a sight to behold especially during sunset.

16,838.21 74.50

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SAI RAM REDDY

prudhvi.k@postnoon.com

Millennium Dental Clinic, film nagar main road, opp: cafe melange, jubilee hills, HydPh: 040-31000889

SEMINAR To Get Guidance and free solutions for all your problems connect with angels. To join this new world of meditation attend angel therapy workshop. For registration: 9393858950 www.turya.co.in

hree friends, Gowtham, Raghavendra Prasad and R Rama Raju got together started GAP Miners in 2009 to offer discount based website, upto75.com. Today, the business has 10,000 visitors every day looking for various discounts. It is creating win-win situation for both its customers and businesses — by offering discounts for the customer and bringing more customers to its clients (businesses). Talking about the initial idea, Rama Raju, CEO, GAP Miners says, “There were not many sites which were offering discounts online in 2009. The idea is to offer a discounts both online and offline with cupon codes. The industry and ecosystem was not created and the major challenge is to generate traffic to the website and get the users used to transact online. The game has changed with Groupon entering in to this nascent industry with huge marketing. People started using and transacting online for the first time. This helped to create the market and industry for the discounted websites.” Like any other company upto75.com had initial challenges. The marketing strategy

to convince businesses to pay for the services was not successful. “At a point of time, there were around 200 channel partners (marketing people) on the field to sell the model. The concept was almost new and requesting the businesses to pay for it was an issue. We went for direct selling later, closing the services of channel partners. Most of our investments were gone during the start of the company.” After two years, upto75.com has created its own market in the space. There

SAN FRANCISCO: A jury ruled Monday that Google violated copyrights owned by Oracle Corp. for the Android mobile platform, but failed to agree on whether damages should be awarded in the high-profile trial. In a partial verdict, jurors were unable to decide on a key point of whether Google’s use of copyrighted Java software was “fair use” that made it acceptable. The verdict stymies potential for an Oracle windfall, but the case between the two California tech titans now moves to another phase on whether Java software patents were violated. “There has been zero finding of liability on any copyright so far,” US District Court Judge William Alsup told the rival attor-

neys after the jury left his San Francisco courtroom. “The affirmative defense of fair use is still in play.” The jury, unable to reach unanimous decision on all four questions at issue, concluded that Google infringed on 37 copyrighted application programming interfaces (APIs). It also agreed that Google demonstrated that it was led to believe it did not need a license for using Java.

are almost 11,000 visitors out of which 1500 are downloading cupons and availing offers. There are around 600-700 merchants providing 10-30 per cent offers in various segments like food, travel, hotels, Spas. Talking about the difference between offline and online business, Raju said, “There is huge choice online. Bringing in customer to a specific site is definitely a challenge, where as offline, the customer mostly doesn’t have choice than to choose one in the few shops in the proximity.”

South Indian Bank net profit soars

Cities according to the usage (I) NCR (II) Mumbai (III) Banglore (IV) Hyderabad (V) Chennai (VI) Kolkatta Upto75.com Employees: 22 Investments: $1 million Number of visitors: 10,000-11,000 every day Merchants offering discounts: 600-700 Number of people who avail offers: 1,500 every day Age group of the customer : 20-45 years

Rama Raju R, CEO, GAP Miners

Google violated Java copyright, says jury MUNICIPAL APPROVAL

POUND TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012 7

Living up to the challenge Prudhvi Raju K

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he South Indian Bank has registered highest ever net profit of `401.66 crore for the financial year 2011-2012, which is a 37.29 growth compared to last fiscal. The bank’s net profit for the quarter ended March 31, 2012 has seen a growth of 49.17 per cent at `121.96 crore against `81.76 crore for the corresponding quarter of the previous year. The bank’s total business touched `64,136 crore for the fiscal, which is a growth of 26.95 per cent over last fiscal. While, the total deposits reached `36,501 crore attaining a growth of 22.81 per cent and advances are at `27,635 crore with 32.87 per cent growth. “The robust growth in business coupled with low NPA enabled the bank to attain the present level of performance,” said VA Joseph, Managing Director and CEO.

He adds, “The increase in quality of internet users is what determines the future of the industry. India has 5 million users who are transacting online out of 100 million users. The number has to reach 15-20 million in next three years which will enable the growth of the industry.” The company has 100 per cent growth year on year. It is expected to breakeven this August. It is targeting to increase it user base by 4000 this year and by 10,000 by the end of 2013.

MS offers $99 Xbox consoles with a catch SAN

FRANCISCO:

Microsoft on Monday began testing whether a pricing strategy that has been a hit with smartphones will invigorate sales of its Xbox 360 videogame consoles. The technology titan began offering four-gigabyte consoles bundled with Kinect voice-andgesture sensing controllers at select Microsoft stores in the US for $99. The catch is that buyers must subscribe for two years to the Xbox Live Gold online service for games, films, music and play. The monthly subscription fee was $15, bringing the total cost to about $460 over time. Paying for the console, Kinect, and Live memberships up front at prices advertised online Monday indicated that buyers would break even or perhaps save as much as $40 by paying up front. Microsoft said in its quarterly earnings report last month that market-leading sales of Xbox consoles had softened.

India‑View

TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012

India unveiled

Repacking the ‘Punch’

A LONELY BIRTH

alist colour. A late 19th century Parsee Punch illustration, “A Loving Pair”, makes a political comments about a cross-cultural love. It reads thus: Fergusson (to a native sariclad lady, whom he hugs) “Yes, My Dear, I shall always try to make you happy!” Miss Poona Bai “I am so happy, so joyful for your such kind and sincere attention towards me, my dear Fergusson, that I am unable to express my feelings in words...” (Sir James Fergusson had made an important concession for establishing a native girls’ high school at Poona.) Another cartoon that appeared during a campaign against the British vice-regal’s and Indian gentry’s visits to Simla in the summer reads “The Gentleman Goes to Simla and the dog barks (Holkar and Barking Dog series)”. The dog in the illustration is identified as The Pioneer newspaper. “The remarkable thing is that even though the Indian Punch writers were critical of the ruling British government and its policies, the British never proscribed any of the issues. There was a certain level of acceptance of the humour,” Hasan said. The Parsee Punch is the second in the series of Punch anthology by Hasan. The first volume consisted of pickings from the Awadh Punch, published from Lucknow from January 1877 to 1936. The character sketches in the magazine were described by critics as the “precursor of the modern Indian short story”. IANS

Millions of Olive Ridley hatchlings head out to sea sans mothers

NEW DELHI: Humour has been the golden lining of India’s realpolitik for as long as one can remember. The early kings hired jesters; Mughal emperor Akbar had Birbal and, in the 19th century, quick-witted Indian writers picked up from the British bible of humour, Punch, to laugh like the white “babus”. By the end of the 19th century, at least 70 Indian-style Punchlike papers and magazines had

appeared in over a dozen 12 cities of the country. “Humour unfortunately is now on the decline in public life. The composition of political clans has changed so dramatically that their appreciation for humour is diminishing. Public life has become very combative and politics competitive. The ability to laugh is becoming more of a rarity,” historian and anthologist Mushirul Hasan, the

director of the National Archives of India, told IANS. Hasan’s new humour compendium, “Wit and Wisdom: Pickings from the Parsee Punch” (Niyogi Books) published last month, has reproduced some of the best caricatures from the illustrated Parsee comic weekly paper published for over seven decades from 1854. The cartoons mirror the social and political situation of Bombay and the western provinces of the country in the light of world events. There are also academic accounts of the history of the Parsee community in India and how politics, religion, reforms, identity and foreign affairs affected their lives. The Parsee Punch, like the London Punch, contained 20-36 pages of funny illustrations. The weekly’s name was later changed to Hindi Punch for a more panIndian identity and continued to be published till 1930. The cartoons have a nation-

Indian Buddhism’s spread to China BEIJING: Ruins of a Buddhist temple dating back to 1,500 years ago have been discovered in China’s largest desert, offering valuable insight for historians studying Buddhism’s spread from India to China, Xinhua news agency reported. The temple’s main hall has a rare structure based around three square-shaped corridors and a huge Buddha statue. “The hall is the largest of its kind found in the Taklimakan Desert since the first archaeologist came to work in the area in the 20th century," said Wu Xinhua, the leading archaeologist of the excavation project. It is so far the best Buddhist site for scholars to study how the religion arrived in China from India, and its early development in the country, Wu told Xinhua. Wu, who also heads the Xinjiang archeological team of the Chinese Academy of Social Science, said it could be uncovered after two months of hard work in China’s Xinjiang Uygur region. The ruins are located in the south of the Taklimakan Desert, in the Tarim

Basin, known as the Damago Oasis in the ancient kingdom of Khotan, a Buddhist civilisation believed to date back to the 3rd century BC. Temple halls with square-shaped corridors stemmed from early Buddhist archi-

tecture in India, and gradually disappeared after the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420AD-589AD), when Buddhist architecture in China began to pick up its own characteristics, said Xiao Huaiyan, a member of the excavation team. The innermost corridor extends six metres from both south to north and from east to west, the second corridor measures is 10 X 10 metres in length and breadth, while the hall’s wall surrounds an area of 256 square metres. Also visible on corridor walls are mural paintings of items including the Buddha’s feet, Buddhists and auspicious animals. They are painted in a Greco-Buddhist artistic style, which was seldom seen after the 6th century. Ruins of several residential structures were found to the southwest of the main hall, along with some pottery kilns and ancient coins. There is still a scripture hall, a stupa and residential houses for Buddhists to be uncovered, Wu added. IANS

KENDRAPARA: Emergence of millions of baby Olive Ridley marine turtles along the tranquil Gahirmatha beach has brought cheer to conservationists here. Wildlife lovers are elated as hatchlings broke out of eggshells and crawled towards their seaward journey in the nesting grounds at Nasi Island. About 1.68 lakh turtles had arrived at Nasi-2 nesting ground from March 20 to March 28 to lay eggs on the sandy beach. “Since Saturday night, newborn babies are emerging with mother turtles nowhere in sight. Nasi-2 Island is teeming with baby turtles and wildlife officials of Bhitarkanika National Park stationed at these nesting grounds are the sole witness to this unique natural heritage involving the birth of babies sans mother", forest officials said. Tourists and researchers were denied entry to witness it as the unmanned islands are located in close vicinity of Wheeler’s island defence test range centre, a prohibited territory. “Emergence of hatchlings from egg shells is expected to continue at least for a week. The 1 km beach is virtually littered with newly born hatchlings. The babies are literally jostling for space to move around before their plunge into seawater," Manoj Kumar Mahapatra, Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) Forest Division, said. The babies broke out of the shackles of eggshells and wandered aimlessly around the sandy beach for nearly an hour before making their way to seawater, he said. “Nearly two million hatchlings have emerged out of pits since past 24 hours. The process of turtle birth is expected to continue for few more days," the DFO said. PTI

India‑View

TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012

India unveiled

SC strikes down Haj subsidy NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today struck down the government’s policy of giving subsidies to Haj pilgrims and directed that it be progressively “eliminated” within a period of 10 years. “We hold that this policy is best done away with,” a bench of justices Altamas Kabir and Ranjana Prakash Desai held. The bench also directed the government to reduce the number of its representatives in the PM’s goodwill delegation to two. It said it will look into the functioning of Haj Committee of India and it process for selecting people for Haj pilgrimage. The SC was hearing an appeal filed by the Centre challenging a Bombay HC judgement which had directed the MEA to allow certain private operators to handle 800 of the 11,000 pilgrims earmarked under the VIP quota subsidised by the government. The bench while hearing the plea of the Centre had expanded the purview of the plea and decided to look into the legality of the government’s policy on granting subsidies to Haj pilgrims. PTI

Trade, terror, Iran in India-US talks NEW DELHI: Washington and New Delhi must “continue to expand trade and investment,” US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said here Tuesday. Addressing a joint press conference with external affairs minister SM Krishna, Clinton said, “We have to continue to expand trade and investment. We should be working to having one of the world’s largest trading ties.” While looking to India for “a broad international partnership on Iran,” she wanted pressure to be maintained on Tehran to bring it to the diplomatic table. Clinton Tuesday wraps up her three-day visit that saw her meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Pakistan must act against terrorists including those who

organised the Mumbai attack, Krishna said. He said that the recent terrorist attack in Kabul had highlighted “once again the need for elimination of terrorists and sanctuaries in the neighbourhood.” He said there was also “the need for stronger action from Pakistan, including the bringing to justice of the perpetrators of the (2008) Mumbai terror attack.” Krishna said he and Clin-

ton also discussed “our respective relations with Pakistan.” Krishna said both countries underlined the need for a peaceful settlement of Iran’s nuclear issue through dialogue and negotiations. He said this must be based on Iran’s right as a member of the NPT but it must also abide by its obligations as a non-weapon state. Krishna said India and the US continued to make “tangible progress” in all areas of cooperation. “We expressed the hope that our economic relationship would grow much faster and realise its enormous potential.” He added that there were “issues” on both sides. Krishna pointed out the difficulties faced by Indian IT companies in the US. He said India was committed to providing a level playing field to all US companies within the framework of national laws. IANS

NATION AT A GLANCE LS adjourned over Chidambaram row NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha was briefly adjourned on Tuesday with the BJP seeking a reply from the government on the role of home minister P Chidambaram, who is alleged to have helped his son get financial benefits in the Aircel-Maxis deal. As soon as members assembled in the morning, some BJP MPs staged protests near Speaker Meira Kumar’s podium and disrupted the crucial Question Hour. The Speaker first tried to restore peace in the House asking protesting MPs to go back to their seats. As the MPs intensified their protests, Meira Kumar adjourned the house till noon.

12-year-old boy killed in grenade attack JAMMU: A 12-year-old boy, the son of a Special Police Officer, was killed when suspected militants lobbed a grenade at their house late Monday night in a remote village of Kishtwar district in Jammu and Kashmir. Police sources in Kishtwar said militants lobbed the grenade late Monday night at the house of Shadi Lal, a Special Police Officer (SPO). Lal’s house is in the Dachhan area. The explosion killed his son Inderjit and injured three other inmates. Security forces comprising police and army have launched search operations to catch the militants involved in the attack.

Around the World

TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012

Beyond Borders

A slice of royalty A

t least one enterprising wedding guest at Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding last year must have been planning a head. A slice of the royal couple’s wedding cake has turned up for sale on pfcauctions.com. The bidding already is above $1,700, and the auction doesn’t close until later this month. A printed note from the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall and a program from the couple’s wedding is included in the price. The bidding started at $160. PFC auctions believes the cake is the first slice to make it to auction from the royal wedding in April 2011. The seller’s identity hasn’t been

Iraqi calligrapher Hussein al-Kharsan writes verses from the Koran, Islam’s holy book, in the Shiite holy city of Najaf.

World’s longest Koran NAJAF: Hussein al-Kharsan kneels, bent over a giant sheet of paper, laboriously writing the words of Islam’s holy book, the Koran, in beautiful Arabic script with a traditional wood and feather pen. The 25-year-old Iraqi aims to take an unusual path to fame: writing the longest copy of the Koran in the world. Kharsan says the scroll is to be between 5,500 and 6,000 metres long, or 3.4 and 3.7 miles. His aim, he says, is to set a Guinness World Record. If that happens, it will be another entry on the Islamic holy text, which expressly prohibits the consumption of alcohol, in a record book conceived by the managing director of a brewery. The copy of the Koran was supposed to be shown this year, when Najaf was to be the Islamic Capital of Culture, but that project has been postponed indefinitely amid serial delays and allegations of corruption. It has not however stopped Kharsan, who graduated from Baghdad University’s college of fine arts, from continuing his work inside a religious school in Najaf, despite pains in his neck and back from long hours of carefully writing out one verse after another. “At the beginning, the agreement was to finish the work in six months, on the basis of writing three pages out of 503 pages of the Koran every day,” Kharsan said. “I succeeded at the beginning and worked for 16 hours a day for more than two weeks until I started suffering pains,”

he said. “The doctor asked me to stop working for about a month but I refused and told him that I work with the blessings of the Koran. Now I take pain-killing pills and work for five hours a day, which means I need about a year to finish.” Kharsan, who began participating in Arabic calligraphy competitions when he was just nine years old, writes on four pieces of white paper that are each 1,500 metres long.

‘Leave my mark’ He has succeeded in copying 13 pages of the Koran since he started his work about a month ago. Arabic calligraphy is one of the most prominent forms of Arab and Islamic art. “We are the people of Arabic calligraphy,” said Sheikh Ali Merza, the principal of the school where Kharsan is working on the Koran. “Kufi calligraphy (named after Najaf’s twin city of Kufa) is

At the beginning, the agreement was to finish the work in six months, on the basis of writing three pages out of 503 pages of the Koran every day Kharsan

well known, and when we want to do calligraphy, it is not something new for us because we practised this kind of art historically,” Merza said. He added that Kharsan’s work will be displayed in Najaf, even if the Capital of Islamic Culture project does not go ahead. Guinness World Records does not have any entries for the longest Koran, but the largest printed copy measures two metres (6.5 feet) high and 1.52 metres (4 feet, 11 inches) wide, and was unveiled in Russia last November. The smallest copy, printed in Cairo in 1982 and owned by a Pakistani man, is 1.7 by 1.3 centimetres (0.66 by 0.5 of an inch), but still 571 pages long. The biggest book in the world, meanwhile, measures five by 8.06 metres (16.4 by 26.44 feet) and weighs some 1,500 kilogrammes (3,306 pounds). It is on the life and achievements of the Prophet Mohammed, and was unveiled in Dubai in February. “It is very nice to do work that is related to the Koran or (holy) shrines,” Kharsan said. “This is a blessed work. But at the same time, my name will be part of history, because we compete on an international level.” “I do not take any salary for my work, although there is an agreement that I get a percentage of the budget of the project, which is about 100 million dinars ($83,300).” “I feel proud of what I am accomplishing, and all I want is to leave my mark.” AFP

disclosed, but each of the 650 guests at Will and Kate’s Westminster Abbey wedding received a commemorative tin containing a slice of the royal couple’s multi-tiered fruit cake designed by the legendary Fiona Cairns. A slice of cake from Prince William’s father Prince Charles’ wedding to Princess Diana fetched $1,830 at an auction in 2008, ABC said.

One smart birdie Lost parakeet tells police his home address

iko-Chan the pet parakeet is giving ‘tweeting’ a whole new meaning. According to USA Today, the baby-blue budgie escaped from its home in Yokohama, Japan on Sunday. He flew for some time until finally flying into a hotel window, and “perching on the shoulder of a guest.” The bird was then handed over to

police. Piko-Chan wasn’t affected by their interrogation skills, and remained silent. However after two days, little PikoChan most have gotten home sick. He not only began talking, but he actually recited his home address including the city, district, block and street number of his owner’s residence.

A spokesman for the north Sagamihara police station where the bird was taken, told AFP the bird also shared his name. Piko-Chan’s owner, a 64-yearold woman, had lost one pet parakeet before, according to AFP. Determined to not lose another pet, she taught her bird to recite its home address.

A drink with Branson

ichard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic wants its customers to be able to share a drink with its fearless leader, at least until he melts. The airline this month is planning to serve ice cubes shaped like Branson’s heads to customers in its Upper Class cabins. Virgin sees its “Little Richard” ice cubes as a way for passengers to “enjoy some chill out time” with Branson at the airline’s swanky new bars. Virgin’s bars are the longest onboard any airline in the

world. They come complete with mood-lighting, lots of Swarovski bling and, at least for now, “Little Richards” to stare back at passengers from their gin and tonics. It took a team of four designers using photographs and laser scanners six weeks to create the ice cubes, which exactly match the measurements of Branson’s head. USA Today called the ice cubes likeness to the face of the Virgin brand “uncanny,” and pointed out that designers have done a great job mimicking Branson’s long locks, goatee and grin. “While Richard would love to be able to sit and enjoy a drink with all of our passengers, his schedule means that it simply isn’t possible,” Virgin Atlantic CEO Steve Ridgway said. “Now he is able to join our guests ‘in spirit.’” GLOBALPOST

Around the World Prince Harry honoured by US think tank WASHINGTON: Britain’s Prince Harry appealed on Monday for British and US veterans of the Afghan and Iraq conflicts not to be forgotten as he accepted a coveted humanitarian award from a Washington think tank. Harry, 27, received the

Prince Harry (L) receives the award from Colin Powell. AFP Distinguished Humanitarian Leadership Award from the Atlantic Council -- “with great humility,” he said -- in recognition of the foundation he oversees with his brother Prince William that helps rehabilitate wounded servicemen and women and reintegrate veterans into civilian life. “They have paid a terrible price to keep us safe and free,” the prince, a British army captain who served in Afghanistan four years ago, told. But with foreign forces withdrawing and media attention waning, he said, they were liable to be no longer in the minds of the general public. AFP

TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012

Beyond Borders

US foils Qaeda plot to blow up airliner WASHINGTON: The United States has foiled a plot by AlQaeda’s branch in Yemen to blow up a US-bound airliner near the first anniversary of Osama bin Laden’s death, officials said on Monday. The FBI said investigators were examining the explosive that appeared to be a revamped model of the bomb employed in the Christmas Day plot of 2009, in which a plastic explosive hidden in a Nigerian man’s underwear failed to detonate on a plane headed for Detroit. The plot hatched by AlQaeda in the Arabian Peninsula was uncovered at an early stage and at no point was the public in danger, according to the White House and government agencies. “The device was for use by a suicide bomber on an airliner,” a US counterterrorism official told AFP on condition of anonymity. “At no point were any airlines at risk.” News of the plot was revealed just days after the one-year anniversary of the raid by US Navy commandos that killed Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden at his Pakistan hideout. “I congratulate the CIA for thwarting this reported plot

by AQAP to destroy a USbound airliner using a specific type of bomb that is of new design and very difficult to detect by magnetometer,” Senator Dianne Feinstein, who heads the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a statement. The FBI said the improvised explosive device was seized abroad and was “very similar to IEDs that have been used previously by Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in attempted terrorist attacks, including against aircraft and for targeted assassinations.” Like previous attempted AQAP attacks, the explosive

was non-metallic to avoid detection, officials said. “While similar, a preliminary review of this device shows that it has some significant differences from the device used in the Christmas Day attack. It is clear that AQAP is revamping its bomb techniques to try to avoid the causes of the failure of the 2009 device,” the counterterrorism official said. President Barack Obama was briefed about the plot in April and was told by his deputies that lives were never in danger, said Caitlin Hayden, deputy spokeswoman for the National Security Council. AQAP has been linked to the 2009 Christmas plot and is also suspected of orchestrating a 2010 attempt to blow up cargo planes heading to the United States with explosives concealed in printer cartridges. The latest conspiracy confirmed AQAP as a mounting danger that has gained ground due to unrest in Yemen, officials said. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the United States had to stay alert to the threat posed by Al-Qaeda. AFP

Greece eyes repeat elections AFP

ATHENS: Greece faced the prospect of repeat elections after an anti-austerity protest vote in weekend elections fragmented the country’s political scene, leaving no single group strong enough to take power. The conservative New Democracy party’s sharply reduced score of 18.85 per cent made it the largest party, but Monday’s meetings between party chief Antonis Samaras and other party leaders failed to break the stalemate. The nationalist Independent Greeks and the Communist party refused even to meet with him, while Samaras himself had already ruled out dealing with the neoNazi Golden Dawn, newly arrived in parliament. The task of a forming a new government now falls to the leftist Syriza party, led by Alexis Tsipras. The Leftist parties have said they will try to form their own coalition, after an electorate fed

Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras (L) meets with leader of the New Democracy party Antonis Samaras at the parliament in Athens.

Centre-left heads for victory in Italy ROME: Italy’s centre-left was headed for victory in local elections on Monday, reflecting widespread anger over austerity driving Italians to join other crisis-hit eurozone countries to reject the status quo. With just one-third of ballots left to count, the centre-right was

left scrambling, many blaming the “anti-politics” sentiment sweeping the nation in the wake of the crisis and a slew of corruption scandals involving politicians. In Palermo, two centre-left candidates were ahead and will face off in a second round on May 20 and 21. AFP

up with two years of tough austerity measures boosted their parliamentary presence. Syriza will get his chance to form a government at 2pm (0800 GMT) on Tuesday, state television NET reported. He will be summoned by Papoulias and given three days to form a government. But the parliamentary arithmetic is complicated by ideological differences among the anti-austerity parties. Tsipras has said he would seek a left-wing coalition to reject the “barbaric” measures of the loan agreement that saved Greece from fiscal collapse. The parties opposing Greece’s loan agreement with the EU and the IMF, the socalled memorandum, can muster a narrow 151-deputy majority in the 300-seat parliament. If no party can form a government by May 17 new elections will be called. AFP

GLOBE AT A GLANCE US ambassador to Pakistan to step down ISLAMABAD: The US ambassador to Pakistan, Cameron Munter, is to step down this summer after serving less than two years on the job, a US official told AFP on Tuesday. Munter made the announcement to embassy staff on Monday. The official said it was the ambassador’s decision to go and denied a press report speculating the move was related to poor relationships with Islamabad and Washington.

Netanyahu forms coalition with Kadima JERUSALEM: Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu struck a surprise deal with the opposition Kadima party, drawing them into his government and jettisoning plans for an early election. Kadima agreed to a deal in which Shaul Mofaz would become deputy prime minister and a minister without portfolio in the new cabinet.

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and Chinese Minister of National Defense are seen at a joint news conference at the Pentagon. AFP

Travolta denies masseur lawsuit LOS ANGELES: John Travolta dismissed as a baseless lie on Monday a lawsuit seeking $2 million for alleged assault and sexual battery of a masseur, during a massage session at a Beverly Hills hotel. The lawsuit filed in Los Angeles claims Travolta tried to have sex with the male masseur, whom he had allegedly hired for a $200-an-hour massage in January.

Google self-driving car gets a yes in Nevada SAN FRANCISCO: Nevada has issued a license plate giving Google’s selfdriving car the green light to travel along public roads. The modified Toyota Prius was issued a license bearing an infinity sign next to the left of number “001” after demonstrating its auto-pilot capabilities on highways, neighbourhood streets and even the hectic “strip” in Las Vegas.

Syrian anti-regime protesters make a donkey walk over a portrait of President Bashar al-Assad during a protest in the city Qusayr. AFP

Comment

TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012

Fair, free and forthright

Talk back City evenly spread The story on Secunderabad was a refreshing surprise. While all the time we get to read about its twin, Hyderabad, Secunderabad, which too has had a lively past, is less reported. This though has worked in its favour. The chaos that is prevalent in Hyderabad is not present here. Live as a consequence is easier with fewer civic problems. The air we breathe is also cleaner. Except near the railway station, traffic and population is pretty much spaced out minimising problems that come along with density... I could go on and on about the advantages of living in here. Two words for you; thank you! Leena Lawrence Sainikpuri

Sordid way goes global Not satisfied with corrupting the entire country with our preference for the male child, we are out to spoil the entire world. What a shame too that we are going and exposing are narrow-minded mentality the world over. When will it get into our heads that the law of averages will catch up and we will have to pay a heavy penalty for manipulating nature? To bend nature’s ways for our fancies because we have the money will take a toll eventually. Nature has a way of levelling things, mind you. A fad is okay, but to push it to these levels is to invite a wrath. Stop before it is too late. Veena Ravi Kukatpally

Callous governance hits health care Well, well, well! On one hand there is no dearth of miseries because of health problems coupled with poverty and on the other hand the state government loses opportunity to help in these situation because of nonusage of funds provided to it by the centre for the very purpose. Only recently your paper brought to our notice the plight of people in Nalgonda district where many were suffering deformity because of drinking contaminated water. The government now cannot even get away with citing the nofunds excuse. The callous governance is appalling, to say the least. Nasir Khan Mallepally

Mantra to live out a true life Hard Talk PK Surendran

“A

nd in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years,” so said Abraham Lincoln. Who can deny the truth in this phi-

losophy? When I see all the crime around, I feel sad. Lack of knowledge about what life constitutes is singularly responsible for the virulent corruption in our country. This is my diagnosis; and will be yours too. If we fully understand the cosmic reality and a human life, few would be inclined to get involved in crime and violence. After all, for whom are we amassing wealth? For whose sake are we depriving the weak of their right to life? Who loses at the end? The fact that we have very little active life to enjoy, to love and to leave the scene, is not appreciated by many in the mad rat race. It’s a simple arithmetic. If we take a man’s average life as 60 years, his life ledger comes out like this: Sleep = 8 hours a day Time involuntarily wasted = 2 hours (like we run around for getting our rightful things done, standing in queues, disease, stalled in traffic, etc). Time voluntarily wasted = 1 hour (thinking hard thoughts of others, talking ill of neighbours, etc). Time available for active life = 13 hours a day. Out of the 60 years I mentioned earlier, we have lost nearly half; 30 years of our lifetime, that is. What we are left with is the other half, a little over 30 years. In this time we have an active life to live, to produce, to reproduce, to consume, to love, before we eventually die. In short, providence denies us nearly half of our life. Pray, where is the time to wage war? Or hate others, or hurt? We don’t even have enough time to love. What man can do is to minimise the voluntary wastage of time. Sleep is an essential biological function we can’t do without. The only way to enjoy life, say the wise, is to be

Editorials

CNG is good option Not only is compressed natural gas less expensive than petrol, it is also less polluting. Diesel may also be relatively cheaper, but maintenance of diesel vehicles is higher. Pradip Raja Ranigunj

“A

And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years Abraham Lincoln aware of the passing minutes and realise that the ticked second will never come back even if you offer all your wealth. And, none will reserve a ticket for you up above the sky as many try to convince us. Many men have realised the truth but at a late hour. It is said that the wise learn by intuition and observation, not by experience. All this does not mean one should become a pessimist or a wandering mendicant. All this means enjoying every waking moment, living and loving. The mantra for a happy life, therefore, is the four-letter word — Love. Tailend: What folly the 21st century man does is reflected in the parable of this father and his

INDIAN STRIKE CULTURE won’t win any supporters abroad

ll passengers are informed that the scheduled passenger Flight AI No: 8644 Hyderabad to Delhi has been delayed by 3 hours. Departure will be at 8.00pm ”. This is routine refrain in our airports and passengers have even stopped lifting their eyebrows at such mild discomforts as delay in flight departures, as they now have learnt to factor this routine in their travel plans. With us Indians it is the ‘Adjustment policy’. But the case of pilots calling in sick by the hordes is not being taken lightly. They have been warned that strict action will be taken against them if they did return to work by 6pm today. The Maharaja has perhaps learned his lesson, what with being fined Rs43 lakh by US authorities for failing to post customer service and tarmac delay contingency plans on its website and adequately inform passengers about its optional fee under the new airline consumer rules effective from August 2011. A lesson well learned for the ailing Maharaja.

only son. The father struggled through his life and made quite a pile in his lifetime. His son, he decided, should not undergo the trouble he went through. So he ensured that his son has two mansions, a fat bank balance, a Jaguar to drive and bevy of servants to make his life comfortable. The son, who wanted to live by the sweat of his brow, saw no avenue to test his own mettle. The inevitable happened. The honest boy involuntarily developed a hatred for his parent and began to suspect that the wealth he amassed is the product of many sins, omissions and commissions. He left his mansion for finding work, lived by his earning and refused to take his Dad’s wealth. Father, pining for his boy, lost the pleasure of living. At last, he confronted his son and asked, “Why in the world do you hate me?” The son said, “I would never have hated you if you had considered me an intelligent human being born of your flesh and blood. You left me no scope to prove myself. What do you think I am? A mannequin?” Dad saw the light, but too late in the day to amend. The writer works for Postnoon.

WHY WE STILL LOVE... Mamta Banerjee

hile it is not uncommon for visiting dignitaries (especially when ‘big’ guests land in ‘small’ places) to handout ‘gifts’, to get the high and mighty US of A to invest in West Bengal is no mean an achievement. It takes character to land such a deal and keep the focus out of another that could go against you, the Teesta treaty.

At the workplace

TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012

PERK UP! IT’S ONLY A JOB Money is no longer the draw for potential employees. Youngsters tell us about the perks and benefits that make them choose one job over another Sameena Kenaz feedback@postnoon.com

EVEN FREE PHONES FOR EMPLOYEES AS NEW WAYS TO ATTRACT PEOPLE TO THEM.

ou’ve got it all. A great job with a desired pay cheque, the perfect life, et al. But, there’s something missing. You wish you had more. The perfect job could always get better. More perks and benefits wouldn’t hurt. We’re not talking about the various insurances provided by your company but are refering to the new and crazy perks that have become a rage with people applying for jobs in the recent past. Free food, recreational rooms, great cafeterias, sleeping rooms, flexible work hours, movie tickets and in some cases even free phones for employees which have turned into new ways to attract people to apply to companies. Gone are the days when work meant a 9-5 drab day at office, sitting in front of the computer. Times have changed and employees and organisations are now bending the not-so-flexible rules of the corporate environment according to their whims and fancies. If a company cannot offer recreational facilities to employees, then it drops from their list of places to work at. As Akshay Neelakantam, an Electronical Engineering student says, “There would always be another company which would offer me recreational facilities in today’s competitive world, so why on earth would I choose to work with one that doesn’t!” Its no longer only the paycheque that matters, individuals today have many other demands

ments and expectations from the job” quips Umair, a management student. Resting lounges where

which sometimes tilt towards wacky. “A hot boss, exotic vacations, access and live broadcast of sports, free movie tickets for employees and a gaming zone would be some of my require-

NOW THAT’S WHAT WE CALL PERKS MillerCoors

Intuit

MillerCoors employees are encouraged to test the company products after hours. The on-site pubs in Chicago and Milwaukee offer 13 varieties of beer — for free.

Ever wanted to try Zumba? Or at the least see your co-workers in neon spandex? You can try this, pilates and even Latin-style dance on Intuit's corporate campus. Or, accept the $350 incentive to join a gym. The Mountain View, California, software company employs 7,000 and brought in $3.5 billion last year.

SC Johnson At SC Johnson, 12,000 employees have access to a concierge service that will take care of just about any chore: from returning overdue library books to making sure your dry cleaning gets picked up on time. The Racine, Wisconsin, company is in the business of cleaning products, after all.

COMPANIES ARE USING FREE FOOD, REC ROOMS, CAFETERIAS, FLEXIBLE WORK HOURS, AND IN SOME CASES

Loadspring Solutions This one is quite the kicker: $5,000 and an extra week off for any employee who travels outside the country. Any surprise the Lawrence, Massachusetts, pro-

one can sit, gossip and chill are some more outlandish provisions that the new generation of employees are pining for. To some, good looking peers are something to look forward to

and hence would drive them to work. So, how important is the actual job? “These recreational facilities are nothing but ways to lure people to work for the companies. After a while those things hold no importance and we usually end up getting bored of such things after a while.” says Rachana, a Journalism graduate. Even Ravi K Vadlamani, a consultant with Y-Axis adds, “Free food is not that important but the quality is. Also, proper coffee machines, pick -up and drop facilities all week through are much more important to me than other menial perks.” But, many beg to differ, saying, chilling is as important as working. Umair argues, “If you want to extract the best out of your employees, then you have to give them the best as well. Its a giveand-take process.” So it seems that while big paycheques are obviously a pre-requisite, these additional crazy list of perks seem to be the drawing point for youth today. The inclusion of these bizarre perks at workplaces seem to be an irreversible trend that is putting most local companies on the back-burner for the freshly graduated folk.

American companies are leading the way when it comes to offering their employees something extra. Read on, your workplace will never look the same again

ject management company has grown at an average rate of 75% annually over the past six years?

Ohio State University is only 20 minutes from the company's Orrville, Ohio headquarters.

Cisco

DPR Construction

Don't have time for an oil change? The San Jose-based tech company has a car service on campus twice a week. Possibly a nominal perk for a company that brings in $42 billion annually.

You can drink Merlot in all 17 of the Redwood City, Calif.-based company's offices (save for its Austin, Texas location, which has a saloon).

JM Smucker For employees who have the time, there's no excuse not to get that second degree. The PB&J company will reimburse employees 100% of tuition costs (and there’s no limit on the price tag).

Genentech Genentech, Fortune magazine's 2006 #1 workplace, provides dogsitting for all its employees. If all 11,600 employees of the South San Francisco, Calif., biotechnology company owned animals, that could get expensive.

SAS Institute Employees at SAS have no excuse for showing up to a meeting with a case of bedhead. The software solutions company provides a barbershop, nail salon and skin care at its Drive Cary, NC, headquarters.

Zynga Social gaming giant Zynga CEO Mark Pincus throws a monthly poker game for his staff, complete with professional dealers and tons of cool prizes. Just over 1,300 lucky people get to work for the San Francisco-based company.

H‑Factor

TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012

Holistic view of mind, body and soul

Eye colour linked to vitiligo

Blood ties Ranjani Rajendra ranjani.r@postnoon.com

ho doesn’t dream of having a healthy, bonny baby, who’ll go on to live a long and healthy life? But what do you do when find out that your little bundle of joy has Thalassaemia? According to statistics, there are over 35 million Indians who carry the abnormal gene for thalassaemia. About 10,000 to 12,000 thalassaemic children are born every year in India. Thalassaemia disorder causes lack of oxygen in the bloodstream which cause signs and symptoms such as fatigue, slowed growth and delayed puberty, bone problems, mild to severe anaemia, enlarged spleen, liver or heart, etc.

What it is “Thalassaemia is a disorder in which foetal haemoglobin

(haemoglobin F) continues to be produced even after the birth of the child. Usually before birth babies have haemoglobin F which extracts oxygen from the mother’s blood but cannot process oxygen by itself. After birth this changes to adult haemoglobin,” says Dr SVSS Prasad, consultant haematologist, Apollo Hospital.

Why it occurs There are usually two sets of genes — dominant and recessive — present in everyone. If both parents have the defective gene then the offspring will have thalassaemia. “Sometimes a person may also get thalassaemia due to a genetic mutation. Even if both parents have normal genes, there may be a mutation in the foetus which then develops into thalassaemia,” says Dr Prasad, adding, “thalassaemia is seen more often in certain belts like tribal areas, Orissa, parts of AP, Punjab, Greek-Mediterranean belt etc. Also it can occur when people marry close relatives —

consanguineous marriages.”

Types and treatment There are two types of thalassaemia — thalassaemia major and thalassaemia minor. When one recessive gene combines with a dominant gene it results in thalassaemia minor. In case two dominant genes combine it results in thalassaemia minor. People with the thalassaemia trait only have the gene but it is not expressed. They become carriers of the thalassaemia gene. “What patients with thalassaemia require is fresh haemoglobin and this can be done through blood transfusions. A person with thalassaemia major may require two to three transfusions a month, while thalassaemia minor patients need transfusions once or twice a year. Bone marrow transplant from a sibling is an option too. Transplantation of marrow is a curative treatment and it should be done before organs begin to get affected by the thalassaemia,” explains Dr Prasad.

A simple blood test before entering wedlock can avert Thalassaemia in the offspring, say experts on the eve of World Thalassaemia Day Complications Since there is more effort to produce more blood, the bones expand (blood is produced in the bone marrow). So growth is stunted and thalassaemia patients often have mongoloid features. Also the lack of oxygen gradually begins affecting various organs. Life expectancy for patients with thalssaemia is usually 30 to 40 years.

What you can do “It’s best to avoid consanguineous marriages. Also it is advised that couples get a simple blood test done before entering wedlock to ensure that their future offspring will not be at risk of genetic problems like thalassaemia,” says Dr Prasad.

WASHINGTON: Eye colour can tell whether you’re at risk of serious skin conditions. The blue eyed are less likely to have vitiligo, while the brown eyed may have lower risk of melanoma, says a new study. Vitiligo is an autoimmune skin disease in which pigment loss results in irregular white patches of skin and hair. Melanoma is the most dangerous kind of skin cancer. The study, led by the University of Colorado School of Medicine (UCSM), looked at almost 3,000 people with vitiligo of Non-Hispanic European ancestry, identifying 13 new genes predisposed to vitiligo, the journal Nature Genetics reports. “Genetically, in some ways vitiligo and melanoma are polar opposites. Some of the same genetic variations that make one more likely to have vitiligo make one less likely to have melanoma, and vice-versa,” said Richard Spritz, director of the Human Medical Genetics and Genomics Program at the UCSM. “Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease, in which a person’s immune system attacks their normal pigment cells. We think that vitiligo represents overactivity of a normal process by which one’s immune system searches out and destroys early cancerous melanoma cells,” added Spritz, according to a Colorado statement. People with vitiligo are at higher risk of various other autoimmune diseases, such as thyroid disease, type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Their kin are also at higher risk for these same diseases, even if they don’t have vitiligo. Spritz said this means there must be some genes that push towards these autoimmune diseases in general, while other genes and environmental triggers determine which autoimmune disease occurs and when. So, as scientists learn about the genetics of vitiligo, they are also learning about the genetics of these other autoimmune diseases. IANS

H‑Factor

ALCOHOL more harmful for women Holistic view of mind, body and soul

NEW DELHI: Alcohol in any

amount can be dangerous to anyone but it affects women more than men, with increased health risks like liver and heart diseases and infertility for them, according to experts. According to Monika Jain, a senior hepatologist with Fortis Hospital, “the female physiology is such that it allows for greater toxicity with lesser amounts of alcohol and in lesser time, as compared to males.” “A woman’s body doesn’t break down the alcohol as quickly as a man’s body does. This results in greater levels of alcohol in blood, resulting in greater toxicity,” Jain told IANS. “The enzyme, alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) which breaks down the alcohol in stomach is produced in smaller quantities in women resulting in slower

action as compared to men,” Jain added.

Beyond the physiological effects, the report claims heavy drinking can make a woman vulnerable to violence, sexual assault and death due to alcohol According to a publication by the US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), women who drink heavily face greater health risks than men who drink heavily, with women alcoholics being more prone to liver disease, heart

damage and brain damage. Amongst the other problems, the report claims, chronic heavy drinking can lead to menstrual problems, infertility, and early menopause while drinking during adolescence can interfere with puberty, growth, and bone health. But the most vulnerable are the pregnant women who drink because in their case, even the unborn child is at risk from alcohol, which is a teratogen, a substance that can harm a foetus. “Alcohol consumption by pregnant women can induce problems like Fetal Alcohol Disorder(FAD) and Abruption,” Shivani Gour, a gynecologist and director of Isis hospital, told IANS. “FAD is a major problem with ill-effects ranging from mental retardation to delayed

physical growth. Any amount of alcohol consumed by an expecting mother is enough to harm the unborn child. And then there is abruption, which means premature detachment of the placenta,” she added. “The women are more vulnerable to alcohol because of increased percentage of fat as well as estrogens, which delays alcohol breakdown and increases alcohol toxicity in women,” said Gour. However, the damage is not just physical. Beyond the physiological illeffects, the NIAAA report claims heavy drinking can make a woman more vulnerable to violence, including sexual assault and they are twice as likely as men to die from alcohol-related causes such as suicide, accidents, and illnesses. IANS

TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012

Meningitis B vaccine on its way? PARIS: Researchers said that they are a step closer to developing a vaccine against the type of meningitis that mostly affects Europe and North America and kills hundreds every year. A trial in adolescents in Australia, Poland and Spain showed them developing an immune response without serious side-effects, according to a study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases medical journal. After taking the drug, the test group generated antibodies that are active against 90 per cent of strains in the meningitis B group affecting the United States and Europe. “Our data suggest that this vaccine is a promising and broadly protective meningococcal serogroup B vaccine candidate,” said study lead author Peter Richmond from the University of Western Australia’s School of Paediatrics and Child Health. Meningitis, an inflammation of the lining around the brain and spinal cord, mostly targets teenagers. Many survivors suffer permanent neurological damage and limb or hearing loss. Vaccines exist against types A and C meningitis, but none that is broadly effective against strains in serogroup B, mostly prevalent in industrialised nations.Type A is the primary cause of epidemic meningitis in Africa.”The results showed that three doses produced an immune response, indicating protection, in 80 per cent to 100 per cent of adolescents,” said a statement. “Mild to moderate pain at the injection site was the most commonly reported side effect.”The authors said further trials must be held to determine the duration of vaccine protection.”If additional studies show similar immunogenicity (the ability to produce an immune response) and tolerability, this vaccine might help to reduce the global burden of invasive meningococcal disease,” said Richmond. AFP

HOUSECALL

APP-LY YOURSELF

DID YOU KNOW?

Agromegaly

Fertility tracker

Fingerprints develop early

gromegaly is a syndrome which makes the hand become spade like in appearance. It usually occurs when the body produces too much of the growth hormone. The excessive growth hormone may cause the patient to suffer from frequent headaches. It may also cause the face to alter in shape as the growth hormone causes the jaw to grow, spaces to form between the teeth and the eyebrows may become prominent. Weight gain and thickening of the skin may also occur as the soft tissues may also grow larger. This ailment is said to be more common in adulthood though if it occurs before puberty, it may call excessive growth or gigantism. If Agromegaly is not treated on time, it may have serious affects on the body with the patient suffering from various ailments such as diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic heart disease and arthritis.

or many women, becoming a mother is something that they dream of and hope it happens in the most perfect manner. If you are one of those many women planning to start a family, what to expect.com’s fertility and period tracker can be an interesting option. The app provides a complete calendar which maps out your most fertile days, tips on how to conceive and possible due dates based on the date you conceive. The app also provides access to an online message board, where you can exchange notes and get to know people who are on the same path as you. The app by Everyday Health is free and is made for the iPhone and iPad.

fingerprint can be one’s most important form of identity that is acquired by birth or rather at the foetal age of three months. It is said that a foetus will have developed one of the human body’s most unique trait — a fingerprint by the time it reaches the foetal age of six to thirteen weeks. Though the fingerprints are not completely developed at that time, the whorls of the fingerprint start to form at that time. This is the basis for your future fingerprint as the fingerprints are said to remain the same and do not see any major change. Not only do they never change but fingerprints are also said to be the last characteristic feature that disappears after you die.

Spotlight

TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012

The press meet of Samantha and Naniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s forthcoming tri-lingual film Yeto Vellipoyindhi Manasu took place amidst much glitz and galmour at Ista Hotel, Gachibowli

Curtain Raiser

Samantha

DEEPAK DESHPANDE

Nani

Gautham Menon

C Kalyan

Reshma

A rare collection Actress Sanjjana, Sakshi Tyagi and Siddhi Mhambre showcased the latest from designer Neeruâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s collection titled Kohinoor Sanjjanaa

Sakshi Tyagi

Siddhi Mhambre

Magic Screen

The glamour behind the glitz

TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012

Pawan Kalyan

finds his mojo in Gabbar Singh

awan Kalyan finally seems to have found his mojo, if the latest buzz is to be believed. Harish Shankar and Devi Sri Prasad can’t stop raving about Pawan Kalyan’s energy, especially in the songs. “Damn thrilled watchin “Pillaa” song yday! The cutest picturised mass song! PA1 rocked like never b4.!! Thanx to Harish n Dinesh master..!! The signature step of “Pillaa” wl undoubtedly catch up like fire right from Kids to youth to elders..!! Dinesh Master

Rocked..!! (sic)” Devi Sri Prasad revealed on Twitter. Pawan Kalyan became the heartthrob of the youth a decade ago thanks to his style and it’s been years since fans of Pawan Kalyan have seen him in his best avatars. The long wait seems to be finally over and it’s just a matter of time before Pawan Kalyan sets the screens across AP on fire. Ganesh Babu has produced the film and Shruti Haasan is playing the lead role opposite Pawan Kalyan. Gabbar Singh is expected to release later this week.

@shraddhadas43 Another song I am in love with... ’Pani da rang vekh ke' from Vicky donor!! Got more of guitar instrumentals... beautiful on repeat al d time!

@trishtrashers Had a wonderful bday, feelin rejuvenated, a lil tanned, a lot wiser n ready 2 begin my year ;)

@geneliad Shooting after 3mnths, feels good, gr8 team n a new venture, reveal details in a couple of days.

@sneha_ullal

Ali joins cast of Delhi Belly’s remake

Signed a Telugu movie today... new banners, new avatar, new vision... its a Heroines film so its all #"ME" baby... a thriller.

li, one of the most prolific actors in Telugu cinema, is all set to join the cast of Delhi Belly’s remake in Tamil. Although he has more than 800 films to his credit, Ali has rarely acted in Tamil or Hindi films. Few years ago, he had acted in a Tamil film titled Salute starring Vishal and Nayanthara. We hear that UTV Motion Pictures, which is producing the Tamil version of Delhi Belly, was quite keen on roping in Ali and the actor immediately obliged. He’ll join the cast of the film later this month. Dhananjayan Govind, the head of UTV South, announced that the film has been tentatively titled as Settai. Arya, Hansika, Anjali, Santhanam, Premgi and Kota Srinivasa Rao are going to play lead roles in the film. Kannan is going to direct it. Apart from Kota Srinivasa Rao, very few Telugu actors have found success in the Tamil film industry. It remains to be seen if Ali can break this jinx.

T-TOWN TWEETIES

@Alwayscharan Director Vamsi’s love for me is workin against me. As he is not lettin me go home. Still shootin when I have a flight to catch at 6am.

@RGVzoomin Since me not into Satya and me(va) haven’t seen jayate for a while me won’t talk about Satyamevajayate.

NITHIN BAGS TWO BIG PROJECTS? T

he success of Ishq has opened new doors for Nithin. He had already agreed to act in a film to be produced by Bellamkonda Suresh. Initially, he was in talks with Maruthi, the director of Ee Rojullo; however, the two decided to part ways due to creative differences. The latest buzz is that Bellamkonda Suresh has roped in a Tamil director named Vijay to direct the film. The actress is yet to be finalized for this project. There’s also a rumour that Nithin might star in a bilingual film which will be produced by Gautham Menon. More details about both these projects will be revealed soon.

@actressanjjanaa Genius and Successful people don’t relax on chairs.. They relax @ work, Sleep with dreams & wake up with determination & commitment.

@shrutihaasan There are so many emotional vampires lurking around... it’s always your own responsibility to make your life happy and worth loving.

Magic Screen

TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012

The glamour behind the glitz

Recession pushed Parineeti into acting A ctress Parineeti Chopra holds three degrees in finance and always dreamt of becoming an investment banker. But global recession in 2009 changed her future, and she landed up as an actor. “I am triple-qualified. I have done triple honours in Business, Finance and Economics. I have grown up wanting to be a banker, so studying finance was an automatic thing,” the 23-yearold said. “I went to England and studied in Manchester Business School. Then I went to London because I wanted to work in an investment bank. But recession hit in 2009 and I wasn’t getting jobs and it was not because of my qualification, it was because they couldn’t give jobs to who were not British nationals,” she added. That’s when she had to return home. “I came back to India and I wanted to do an internship for six months and I happened to come to the Yash Raj Films (YRF) office and I was very intrigued by this huge studio in Mumbai. So I said let me try,” said Parineeti, In Ishaqzaade, Parineeti is paired opposite filmmaker Boney Kapoor’s son Arjun. IANS

ARJUN KAPOOR

CREDITS SALMAN KHAN

rjun Kapoor comes from an affluent film family, but he seems to have a sound head on his shoulders. Making his bow in Bollywood with Ishaqzaade, the son of filmmaker Boney Kapoor gives credit to Salman Khan for his acting journey and his sculpted body. “Salman is a brother to me. I look at him in a very emotional way at both the professional and personal levels. Salman bhai is above and beyond a mentor for me,” Arjun said.. Arjun is the son of Boney Kapoor and late Mona Kapoor. Getting a project was not an uphill task for Arjun, but losing weight

was a big struggle for the newcomer. “I was 140 kg and when somebody like him shows faith in you, you take it seriously. I took up this challenge. I travelled with him, worked out with him, lived with him, and ate what he told me to eat. He took me under his wings and it took me four years to lose weight - and losing 50 kg was my struggle,” he added. Times have changed, says Arjun and adds gone are the days when “fathers used to launch their sons. Now it’s the time to make good films.” Arjun Kapoor would be seen alongside actress Parineeti Chopra and the film is slated to release on May 11. IANS

Social issues fine, but no politics for Aamir Khan

ctor-producer Aamir Khan, who is taking up social issues in his first ever television programme Satyamev Jayate, wants to stay away from politics. “I don’t have any offer from Rajya Sabha. Whatever I am doing in my profession, I am able to make more contribution to my society,” Aamir said. In the first episode of the TV show which aired on Sunday, Aamir highlighted female foeticide and its repercussions on society. IANS

B-TOWN TWEETIES

@GulPanag Down my 1st cup of tea. Still not awake. This is tooo early. Even for a bird. How do HIM & his tribe do this every day???! #respect

@bipsluvurself Heading off to Cyprus for a tiny break n shoot of Race 2! The beach bum that I am, think I will love the place! Excited!

@SrBachchan T 735 — Politicians during mid 80’s believed that all issues, lasted not more than 3 weeks when brought up. Sometimes it goes to 25 years!

@NeilNMukesh Going to get some seriously interesting pictures there. My brother @NamanNMukesh is carrying his camera too. So time to capture moments :)

@deespeak I love the nonchalance with which Will Smith confesses that he shot for MIB3 after being off from camera for 4yrs! #win

@Riteishd Shooting in GOA for #KSKHH d heat is killing me and the Humour is keepin me alive

@FarOutAkhtar When life places hurdles in your path, think of it as an opportunity to achieve greater heights. Good night.

@juniorbachchan “@radhawood: And... People don’t know what they want until you show it to them great quote: Steve Jobs”

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The glamour behind the glitz

PROMETHEUSTO BE RATED R

here’s been heavy speculation over whether Ridley Scott‘s sci-fi horror film Prometheus would receive an R-rating. The blockbuster film carries a big price tag, and a PG-13 rating would probably mean a much higher take at the box office. However, when Steve spoke with 20 Century Fox CEO Tom Rothman. Rothman said the movie “will not be compromised either way,” and the studio would accept whatever the MPAA handed down. According to a pre-sale ticket stub, the MPAA has handed down an R-rating for Prometheus. I’m not sure if that automatically makes the movie better, but I’m happy for the opportunity to see an ambitious summer blockbuster with an R-rating. The last R-rated sci-fi summer blockbuster I can recall is 2003’s The Matrix Reloaded. However, it’s late and I’m tired, so I might be forgetting another R-rated summer sci-fi movie released since then. Prometheus opens in 3D on June 8th. Hit the jump to check out the ticket and the film’s trailer.

Glee takes One Direction

his time last year, the Glee cast covered Rebecca Black's viral sensation Friday for their junior prom, and now that they're wrapping up senior year, the Fox crew has taken on the latest song to sweep the nation: One Direction's What Makes You Beautiful. Artie (Kevin McHale), Sam (Chord Overstreet), Mike (Harry Shum, Jr.), Joseph (Samuel Larsen) and Rory (Damian McGinty) take the stage at McKinley High's prom, performing the British boy band's hit. Screaming girls and choreographed boy band moves are, of course, in no short supply. The tuxedoed quintet dances on stage while their peers celebrate senior prom, barely changing the sound or style of the original version.

The dinosaur-themed ‘Promasaurus’ episode will also feature Selena Gomez's Love You Like a Love Song, Ke$ha's Dinosaur, Berlin's Take My Breath Away, and Fergie's Big Girls Don't Cry. After the prom episode airs on Tuesday, May 8, only two episodes of Glee season three remain With several cast members graduating, it's still unclear what the future of Glee -which has been renewed for a fourth season -- will hold.

Amanda hits and runs

manda Bynes might want to consider taking the bus for awhile. On Friday afternoon, the actress, 26, allegedly sideswiped a pick-up truck with her black Range Rover in Los Angeles and continued driving, which prompted the other driver to dial 911. “At 4:25 p.m., we were notified of a possible hit-and-run,” LAPD Sgt. Ben Zucker tells PEOPLE. “The caller followed Miss Bynes for a short distance to a gas station.” An LAPD police helicopter that was already in the vicinity flew overhead as a total of six police cars arrived on the scene and made contact with Bynes,

Sgt. Zucker says. “It turned out the damage to the pick-up truck was so minor that it was very plausible she had no idea that she hit anyone,” Sgt. Zucker adds. “Because of that, we decided not to charge her with hit and run, took a traffic report instead and sent her on her way. There were no arrests made and no one was injured.” Sgt. Zucker says Bynes was cooperative, there was no indication she was under the influence, and both drivers exchanged insurance information. The damage to the alleged victim was minor paint rub to his right front fender, Sgt. Zucker confirms.

Chai Time

KAKURO

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

SCRIBBLING PAD

TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012

Take a shot at the brain game while sipping your cuppa

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Capital and largest city of Ghana 6 Goldman ___ 11 Measure of current 14 ‘The Exorcist’ star Linda 15 Tiny land mass 16 Remote letters 17 Weather factor 19 Vein find 20 Bioelectric swimmer 21 Formerly, on the wedding page 22 Corn throw away 23 Sacred Egyptian beetles 27 Seoul residents 29 ___ Alamos, NM 30 Campus mil grp 32 Long-standing quarrel 33 Slangy ‘yes’ 34 Locust group 36 Nose inserts 39 One-on-one fencing sport 41 Winter driving hazard 43 ‘Black gold’ grp 44 Pertaining to the kidneys 46 Big name in camera film 48 It's human to do it 49 Kind of school 51 ‘Aida’ river 52 Org that recommends flossing 53 Innovator 56 Remove confusion from 58 Dada co-founder Jean 59 ‘Aren't ___ cute couple?’ 60 Lennon's wife 61 Erie Canal mule 62 Like God 68 Pilot's guess 69 Stop worrying 70 Add fuel to, as a fire 71 ‘ ___ the ramparts ...’ 72 Matter-of-factly 73 Sealed up, as a package DOWN 1 Attorney's org

2 151, on a monument 3 One mode of transportation 4 Softer, as a banana 5 Dunned amounts 6 One in the family, informally 7 Burdened beast 8 Dull thump 9 Concerning this, in legal speak 10 Manned the helm 11 Tropical fruit with green skin 12 Birdbrain 13 Roman commoners 18 Bony jabbers 23 Less straightforward 24 Sedan alternative 25 Tree with white bark 26 Celery unit

28 Overseas dollar 31 Theban King in myth 35 Desperate battlefield cry 37 Concealed 38 Metal to be recycled 40 Deserve 42 Soapmaking material 45 Away from the wind 47 Sharpest 50 Kitchen utensil 53 Toyota model 54 Much more than miffed 55 Moraleboosting meeting 57 One from the heart 63 Friend

SUDOKU

64 Prefix with ‘sulfide’ or 12-Down 65 Dandy dresser 66 It gets picked in Hawaii (Abbr) 67 Took the initiative PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

THOUGHT OF THE DAY It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. – Aristotle

Chai Time STAR POWER

TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012

Your tomorrow today̶Star Power and Tarot THIRUVAIKUMAR

As per Hindu panchang

FOR 9-5-2012

thiruvaikumar@yahoo.co.in 040-27177230 / 9177596118

TAURUS

GEMINI

Politicians will have good turning points and will climb the ladder of fame and fortune. Working women will get appre‑ ciation and chances of recognition too. Smooth atmosphere at workplace.

Children will take right directions and hence you need not worry about them hereafter; just keep encouraging them. As expenses compete with income, try to reduce or control the expenses.

You will increase comforts. Bad effects will reduce and good effects will keep you happy. Chances of changes either in residence or job for some. Delayed work will get completed now.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

Unexpected ﬁnancial fortune likely. Those working in MNCs or involved in export and imports will have a good time and opportunities will materialise. Parents' health is a cause for concern.

Financially, a comfortable position likely. Mother's health needs to be taken care of. Govt ofﬁcials, contractors and VVIPs will be beneﬁtted enormously. Couple will be affectionate towards each other.

All problems and worries faced so far will vanish. Whatever problems you face, your boldness will ensure that you attain success. Good deeds done in the past will help you now.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

Health will be ﬁne. Be careful in court issues as no one is believable. Good news on the cards from father. Students need to avoid extra attention in sports and are advised to study well.

You will come out of all problems that you were facing for days. Expenses will be more and will frighten you. You will be bold enough to meet all types of hur‑ dles that come your way; win them over.

Work might get delayed initially but will get completed successfully. Financ‑ ial inﬂow looks to be steady. Health problem likely; take care. Businessmen will have steady proﬁts and business.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Work for which you were aiming since long will get completed today and sur‑ prise you. Written‑off dues will be come. Keep a watch on activities of teenage kids as they might take to bad habits.

Businessmen might face minor proble‑ ms in business. Be cautious in all trans‑ actions. Employees too might face ten‑ sion at workplace due to superiors. Mo‑ ney not to come from expected source.

Put aside all unwanted apprehensions and move ahead with conﬁdence. Your stock is set to pile up. Always be close with children and direct well as their going in a wrong direction is likely.

SUMAA TEKUR

FOR 9-5-2012

tarotreadhyd@gmail.com

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

The Emperor – Yo‑ uʼre reliable and that is your biggest stre‑ ngth. Ensure that you prioritise your tasks, both at home and work, to retain trust of those around you.

Ten of Swords – A bi‑ g job is intimidating you because of the b‑ ig things that seniors have said about it. T‑ hey want you to give your best so are play‑ ing up its importance.

Two of Swords – Con‑ centrate on communi‑ cating clearly. There are many thoughts running in your mind. You need to organise them and present them coherently.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

Two of Wands – Simp‑ lify your daily tasks. Y‑ ou may have too many things to do with too little time. But it all ne‑ eds to be done. Disci‑ pline will get you more than half the way.

Three of Pentacles – You can never over‑ emphasise the impo‑ rtance of something crucial to you. Donʼt bother with ones ma‑ king fun of your ob‑ session of something.

The Sun – The day y‑ ou realise that no tw‑ o people can ever be the same, it will solve many issues for you. Understand that peo‑ ple have different needs and desires.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

Seven of Cups – The focus is on the home. You may be taking up a home redecorat‑ ing project and it will open up your cre‑ ative channels in wonderful ways.

King of Wands – En‑ sure that at the work place, you are very clear about your job role and when you need to shut off. Try‑ ing someone elseʼs jo‑ b is not good for you.

The High Priestess – Intuitively, you are at the right place. You need to trust yourself that youʼre doing ﬁne. If you donʼt feel good with someone, donʼt hang out with him/her.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Eight of Cups – Most people get to eat the dessert last. You may be getting to eat it ﬁrst. While at it, know that you need to burn those calories, sooner or later.

Queen of Cups – It may seem as though you are put in a posi‑ tion where you need to re‑learn all that you already know. Thereʼs no escape. Kill that ego and learn it all again.

Ace of Wands – Som‑ eone may not be rev‑ ealing the whole tru‑ th about something. But you have a feel‑ ing thereʼs more to whatʼs been told. Dig around a bit.

For Better or for Worse Stone soup

SOLUTIONS

Boggle RED TAN PINK BROWN GREEN

Number game

Suduko

Scrabble

Ink pen

COMICS

Fred Basset

ARIES

TAROT READ

Vol: 1, No 296 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

Playing Field

TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012

The games people play

‘Bamboo curtain’ yeilds to pro golf

Venus crashes out on blue clay MADRID: Seven-time grand slam-winner Venus Williams crashed out of the Madrid Open Monday as men’s top seed Novak Djokovic slammed tennis chiefs for not consulting players over a controversial new blue surface. American wildcard Williams, 31, who is struggling to resurrect her career after a long injury and illness lay-off, went down 6-4, 6-1 to German 12th seed Angelique Kerber in round two. This year, auto-immune disease-sufferer Williams has pulled out of both the Australian Open and the Malaysian Open, before reaching the quarter-finals in Miami and Charleston. But her sister Serena Williams went through 6-3, 6-1 in her opening match against Russia’s Elena Vesnina, despite the “early” start time of 11:00 am. “I always hate the early starts,” she said. Reigning women’s champion Petra Kvitova kick-started her title defence with a 6-2, 6-3 defeat of

New Zealand’s Marina Erakovic. The third-seeded Wimbledon title-holder, who defeated Victoria Azarenka in straight sets to lift the 2011 trophy, made it into the second round in 67 minutes, firing five aces and producing 28 winners. There was also smooth progress for China’s Li Na, who beat Spanish hope Silvia SolerEspinosa 6-3, 6-1, while US Open champion Samantha Stosur came from a set down to beat Christina McHale 2-6, 6-4, 6-0 in the second round. Meanwhile world number one and men’s defending champion Djokovic fired a barb at tour chiefs over Madrid’s experimental blue surface, and added that “all players” hoped it would not cause injuries. “The hope of all players is that we won’t have injuries and have a decent week of tennis,” said the Monte Carlo Masters finalist, who skipped the ATP event in Belgrade

AMERICAN WILDCARD AND SEVEN-TIME GRAND SLAM WINNER VENUS WILLIAMS, 31, WHO IS STRUGGLING TO RESURRECT HER CAREER AFTER A LONG INJURY AND ILLNESS LAY-OFF, WENT DOWN 6-4, 6-1 TO 12TH SEED ANGELIQUE KERBER IN THE SECOND ROUND

last week after the death of his grandfather. Djokovic joined with Spain’s Rafael Nadal in criticising ATP chiefs for a lack of consultation. The ATP has had stormy relations with players in recent months and has faced strike calls over their share of grand slam profits. “The only disappointing thing from a player standpoint is that it

was decided without players agreeing to it,” said the Serb. “Players should be agreeing to the change -- there should be some value in what they say. “I’m not blaming the tournament, it is fighting for its own interests. But the ATP should have done a better job on player rights in protecting what the players want.” The proposal from largerthan-life billionaire Madrid impresario Ion Tiriac is on a one-year trial, with the event saying its purpose is to help spectators see the yellow ball more clearly on the blue surface. “The blue clay surface makes this year different,” Djokovic said. “It is the first time in history. It will be interesting for everyone to see what happens. “There is a certain difference compared to red clay, but we have it (blue) in front of us. I tried to prepare for it as well as I could.” AFP

LUANG PRABANG: It’s 7:00 am in Luang Prabang and beneath a jagged line of mountain peaks, high-ranking communist party officials are among a small but powerful crowd gathered silently at the first tee. One swish of the driver and a white ball fizzes down the fairway, prompting warm applause as professional golf finally arrives in secluded, poverty-stricken Laos, long isolated behind the “bamboo curtain”. It’s a small but important step for the Southeast Asian backwater, which has watched as growing neighbours China, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar and even Cambodia embraced the game. Last week’s Luang Prabang Laos Open, at a UNESCO world heritage site on the banks of the Mekong, offered total prize money of $80,000, loose change in a sport where the best players can command $1 million just to turn up and play. But such a purse had never been offered for any sport in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, a oneparty state whose only other big sporting event, the 2009 Southeast Asian Games, was held in reduced form due to lack of facilities. While golf has penetrated nearly every corner of upwardly mobile Asia, it had barely registered in landlocked, hilly Laos, where a bloody civil war ended in 1975 but left it behind the “bamboo curtain.” AFP

Spurs sweeps Jazz out of NBA SALT LAKE CITY: The San Antonio Spurs swept the Utah Jazz out of the NBA playoffs on Monday holding on for an 87-81 win in game four of their Western Conference series. Manu Ginobili scored a teamhigh 17 points and Tim Duncan had 11 points and five rebounds for the top seeded Spurs who went on a 20-2 scoring run in the second half to seize command of the game. “We didn’t lose our composure. That was great,” Duncan said. “We used the clock when we could. We took advantage of plays when we had to and found a way

to close it out.” The Spurs wanted to avoid a similar fate to last season when they suffered an embarrassing first-round loss to eighth place Memphis. France’s Tony Parker had 11 points for the Spurs who beat the Jazz in four straight to reach the second round of the postseason where they will face either Memphis or the Los Angeles Clippers. Al Jefferson tallied a gamehigh 26 points, Devin Harris had 19 points and Derrick Favors finished with 16 points and 10 boards for the Jazz who were trying to

send the series to game five on Wednesday. Utah is now 22-25 all-time in elimination games as no team in NBA history has ever come back from a 3-0 series deficit. “It was a good experience, going out there, playing against the Spurs,” Favors said. “It was a challenge.” San Antonio won 21 of their last 23 regular-season games as they surpassed the Oklahoma City Thunder for the West’s top seed. The Spurs shot 10-of-22 from beyond the arc, while the Jazz failed on all 13 of their three-point attempts. AFP

Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs battles for position with Al Jefferson of Utah Jazz during their NBA Playoffs match at EnergySolutions Arena on Monday. AFP/STEVE DYKES

TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012

METRE

6 466

Chris Gayle (RCB)

31 4S 1309

Ajinkya Rahane (RR)

HIGHEST SCORE

103*

Ajinkya Rahane (RR), Kevin Pietersen (RCB)

BEST BOWLER

5-16

Ravindra Jadeja (CSK)

Warriors to face Royals We were short by 2025 runs, we didn’t capitalise on the middle overs. But 150odd was not a bad total, our fielding and bowling was not upto the mark.

G Aparna Sai feedback@postnoon.com

ld friends, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid, are set to clash as rivals when their respective teams, Pune Warriors India and Rajasthan Royals, meet at the former’s home ground today. Pune Warriors are at the eighth position on the points table. The Warriors have had a miserable run over the past few days losing most of their matches. To add insult to injury, they have lost two ties to the Bulls, a team which no side has lost to this season. Currently, Pune have won only four of the 12 matches they have played. Ganguly has failed to fire on crucial instances while the other players did not have anything spectacular to display. Robin Uthappa has not been upto the mark with his wicket keeping while his pinch-hitting skills seem have gone on a vaca-

Virender Sehwag DD Captain

Virender Sehwag (DD) 468 runs

M Morkel (DD), L Malinga (MI) 20 wickets

Daredevils missing Kevin: Irfan D

elhi Daredevils all-rounder Irfan Pathan has called on the middle-order batsmen of his side to fill in the gap, left by Kevin Pietersen, and also hoped that struggling Kiwi batsman Ross Taylor would soon find his touch. Pietersen has gone back to England as they prepare for a home series against the West Indies. He had scored 305 runs from eight innings at an average of 61 with a strike rate of 147.34. “When Kevin was there, he was performing really well for the Daredevils in the middle-order but now some other batsman needs to put his hand up and perform at his best,” Pathan said after Delhi lost by six wickets to Kolkata Knight Riders. PTI

P KKR 12 DD 11 MI 11 CSK 12 RCB 11 RR 11 KXIP 11 PWI 12 DC 11

W 8 8 7 5 5 5 5 4 2

L N/T PT NRR 3 1 17 0.660 3 0 16 0.880 4 0 14 -0.143 6 1 11 0.013 5 1 11 -0.333 6 0 10 0.144 6 0 10 -0.453 8 0 8 -0.134 8 1 5 -0.557

P-played; W-win; L-lost; N/T-no result/tie;NRR-net run rate; PT-points

PWI VS RR AT 4 PM ON SET MAX

tion. Michale Clarke, whose entry into the side was waited with bated breath, did have his moments but these were unfortunately not for a winning cause. Another defeat could seal the fate of the Warriors and prevent them from reaching the next round. Rajasthan Royals had a similar kind of fate. They have lost many matches consecutively in the recent past. But in their previous match, the 43-run victory against Kings XI Punjab, has given them a renewed ray of hope and has also helped them improve their standings. Rajasthan was certainly not looked up to as favourites but the former champions have the arsenal to fire and bring about their rivals downfall. With Ajinkya Rahane and new entrant Shane Watson having a good day at office, the Royals could have a chance to finish as one of the top four teams. A win in this clash will see the Royals catapult to the fourth position. But will Pune be able to control the reins, remains be seen.

SCORECARD DELHI DAREDEVILS VS KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS Delhi Daredevils innings DA Warner c †McCullum b Kallis 21 V Sehwag* lbw b Kallis 23 Jayawardene run out (Gambhir) 30 LRPL Taylor c Bhatia b Sangwan 16 IK Pathanst †McCullum b Narine 36 Y Nagar b Lee 10 NV Ojha† c Tiwary b Narine 2 M Morkel run out (Lee) 0 S Nadeem not out 0 VR Aaron run out (†McCullum/Narine) 1 Extras (b 1, lb 2, w 11) 14 Total (9 wickets; 20 overs) 153 Bowling O M R W Econ B Lee 4 1 39 1 9.75 PJ Sangwan 4 0 42 1 10.50 JH Kallis 4 0 20 2 5.00 SP Narine 4 0 23 2 5.75 R Bhatia 4 0 26 0 6.50

Kolkata Knight Riders innings (target: 154runs from 20 overs) BB McCullum† c Sehwag b Yadav

G Gambhir* b Aaron

JH Kallis c †Ojha b Yadav

MK Tiwary c Pathan b Morkel

YK Pathan not out

DB Das not out

Extras (b 4, lb 5, w 7)

Total (4 wickets; 18.4 overs)

154

Bowling

W Econ

IK Pathan

9.33

S Nadeem

8.00

M Morkel

8.75

UT Yadav VR Aaron

4 3.4

0 0

30 20

2 1

7.50 5.45

Kolkata Knight Riders won by 6 wickets

DC vs KXIP at 8pm on Set Max

Last hope left for the Chargers

eccan Chargers take on Kings XI Punjab today on home turf. Another defeat for the Bulls and it is curtains down for sure. Though few would term the side, truth is they let go of many chances. If there was a court of law about the manner in which a team played cricket, the Chargers would have been found guilty on many counts — inaccurate bowling, dismal batting and worst, sloppy fielding. DC had numerous opportunities of winning matches during this season like when they played against Mumbai Indians for the first time. But they failed to capitalise on such chances and gifted

away matches to their opponents. Dale Steyn, one of the few players who seemed to be consistently contributing, seems to have lost his form since the past few games. While it is hard to imagine the Chargers improving their standings on the points table, the Kings from Punjab would hope to win against the Bulls and improve their chances of qualifying for the next round. They would hope to wipe out the ghosts from their previous clash when they met RR, losing the match by 43 runs. While DC is most likely to play for pride, KXIP would play with all their might. AS

79 DAYS TO GO TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012

BECKHAM DISAPPOINTS D

avid Beckham failed to shine in his latest audition for the Great Britain men’s Olympic football team in front of the side’s manager, Stuart Pearce, in LA Galaxy’s 1-0 defeat by New York Red Bulls at the Home Depot Center, reported The Guardian. The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and England midfielder had been heartened that Pearce had taken the trouble to fly to California to see him in action, but the 37-year-old was at his poorest on Saturday night, fluffing a series of free-kicks, overhitting his trademark long passes and missing a late, presentable chance to equalise. “He’s coming to see a player that he’s thinking of picking for the Olympics, so he would do it to a number of players,” Beckham said before kick-off. “It’s a little bit easier for him for players in Europe, but, obviously, coming all the way over here is good for me.” Beckham played the full 90 minutes, picking up a booking, and was annoyed by the efforts of his team who won the MLS Cup last season but are stuck in seventh place in the Western Conference after their fifth defeat in nine games.

DAVID BECKHAM FAILED TO SHINE IN HIS LATEST AUDITION FOR THE GREAT BRITAIN MEN’S OLYMPIC FOOTBALL TEAM IN FRONT OF THE SIDE’S MANAGER, STUART PEARCE, IN LA GALAXY’S 1-0 DEFEAT BY NEW YORK RED BULLS

David Beckham of the Los Angeles Galaxy reacts after missing on a scoring opportunity in the second half of the MLS match against the New York Red Bulls at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California. Red Bulls defeated Galaxy 1-0. AFP/VICTOR DECOLONGON

“It’s getting even more frustrating week after week,” said Beckham. “We had our chances and we didn’t finish off the chances that we had. We got sloppy in defence with a couple plays and obviously it’s disappointing to lose at home.” Pearce will name his 18-man squad at the end of May with Beckham attempting to convince his former England team-mate to give him one of the three overage places for London 2012. The Red Bulls took the lead in the 19th minute when Joel Lindpere collected a pass from Jan Gunnar Solli inside the Galaxy penalty area and finished with a powerful shot to score his first goal of the season.

Not going to be an I want my race to send a message easy ride: Dwain Jermaine Gonzales

wain Chambers admits he is braced for a backlash from the British public if he takes part at this summer’s Olympics and has issued a plea for forgiveness before his controversial return, reported The Guardian. The sprinter will be allowed to compete at the Games as long as he meets the qualification standard after the court of arbitration for sport overturned the British Olympic Association’s lifetime ban for drugs cheats. It means Chambers, who tested positive for tetrahydrogestrinone in 2003 and served a two-year ban, is likely to make Team GB because he is the country’s fastest 100m runner at present, although he knows his appearance will not go down well with many people. “I have made a mistake, a

DWAIN WILL BE ALLOWED TO COMPETE AT THE GAMES AS LONG AS HE MEETS THE QUALIFICATION STANDARD AFTER THE COURT OVERTURNED THE BOA’S LIFETIME BAN FOR DOPING

massive mistake, and all I want is another chance to do the best for my country,” he told the Telegraph. “To run in my home Olympics? I would say it was a dream come true but it’s not. Because I didn’t even bother dreaming. I thought I would be sitting at home watching. “Now the reality is if I qualify I will be there. That is something I will cherish, it would be an honour and I want to make sure I do it.”

ight now the Olympics is getting close, and you can feel the buzz about it here in Jamaica. I’ve been running for a while now, and doing well since I was a junior, so people out here know who I am. When I’m out on the streets in Kingston people are always coming up to me and saying “Hey, Gonz, I wanna see you win gold this summer.” Nobody likes that kind of pressure but as a runner in Jamaica you have to get used to it because track and field is a real big deal here. The other thing the people will do is tell me what kind of times my rivals LaShawn Merritt and Kirani James have been running. I can’t really hide from it, you know? But I just tell myself that my sport is all about what you do on the day. Nothing else matters. All I can do is stay focused on what I have to do and not worry too much about what everyone else is doing or saying. Except for my coach Bert Cameron, of course. He’s driving me real hard, reminding me every

day that the Games are getting closer. It is time to get in high gear and start running sharp. We need to be in top shape just to qualify for the Olympics. So everybody down at Racers Track Club is gearing up and getting ready. That goes for Usain Bolt most of all. I think people who don’t know him imagine that he’s this real laid back character, that he hardly trains at all but just turns up and runs. Trust me, right now that

man is working hard. I see it every day. For Bolt the Olympic trials are going to be crazy. Everybody is talking about whether Usain is still the king of speed, and wondering whether Yohan Blake is going to beat him. The whole island will stop to watch that race. Usain has been talking about running crazy times at the London Olympics, 9.4secs or something.

Playing Field

13th Boston Cup inaugurated at SCF

he 13th Boston Cup, 2012 was inaugurated on Monday at the Sports Coaching Foundation Arena by former Indian cricketer Venkatpathy Raju. Speaking on the occasion Mr. Venkatpathy Raju appreciated the organizers for conducting the event The first match of the tournament was played for U-16 categories which was won by Southern Stars CC. Batting first Trophy Roberts could managed to score 65 runs in 6 overs for the loss of 7 wickets Naveen scalped 3 wickets for 12 runs. In reply Southern Stars comfortably reached target in 4.2 overs

TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012

The games people play

without losing any wickets. Srinivas played a superb innings and remained unbeaten on 42. Meanwhile, in another match, Hyderabad Mission High School won the toss and elected to bat first. They made a formidable 102 runs for the loss of 2 wickets in 10 overs. Fahab played a brilliant innings of 36 runs which included 4 fours. Nisar scored 22 which saw him hit 3 fours. In reply, NIOP Academy came close to the target and managed to score 98 runs for the loss of 5 wickets. Adhil topped scored for NIOP Academy scoring 16 runs not out. Nayeem bowled 2 overs scalping 1 wicket for 12 runs.

PERFECT POISE

Players in action during their match between Super Cat and Super Cat-B in the 13th Boston Cup tournament. Super Cat won the match by 29 runs. Having made 84 runs from 6 overs, they dismissed SRINIVAS SETTY their opponents, Super Cat-B for a paltry 55 runs.

Patient Moulika wins thriller T

op seed Moulika Ram’s second round match at the Sinnet Super Series against Sama Sathwika was a test of will and endurance. Sama Sathwika, the under-12 No 1 in India, kept pace with the older and experienced Moulika and was 3-3 at one stage of the game. But experience comes handy in situations like these and Moulika had plenty. She broke the stalemate and slowly yet persistently won one game at a time and went from 3-3 to 4-3 to 5-3 to 6-3 to 7-3. Here Sama seemed reluctant to lose that easy and took the score to 7-4. However, Moulika allowed no slip-up and finished the match 9-4. If Rashmitha Reddy had an edgy start in u-16 round one, she made up for it in the second round beating Mansi Reddy 8-0. So dominant she was that she gave her opponent no chance for a fightback. In the first round against Nisha from Bangalore, she admitted she made errors and hence had to sweat it out a bit to get back into the game and wrap it up 8-3. In the second round, matters were different. The third seed from AP was in top form. Rashmitha stuck to her crosscourt game and won the match hands down. “I just played my natural game,” she said. “I was very cool.It was not so in the first round. I was a bit uneasy. That’s how my game is.With each round, my game gets better and better.”

Moulika Ram in action during her Sinnet Super Series match against Sama Sathwika. Moulika won 7-4.

Playing Field

TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012

The games people play

“Be wary of Bilbao” BUCHAREST: Diego Simeone has warned his Atletico Madrid players to be wary of an intense and fearless Athletic Bilbao when the Spanish sides line up in Bucharest aiming for Europa League final glory on Wednesday. In an impressive five-month spell in charge, Simeone has taken Atletico to their second Europa League final in three years, the Spaniards having claimed their maiden European trophy with a 2-1 victory over Fulham in 2010. But the man who took over in December following the sacking of Gregorio Manzano expects his credentials will be tested to the full by an Athletic side who, although yet to win big on the European stage, will prove tough opponents. “They’re a team with a lot of intensity; a direct style of football; quick and brave — a team that isn’t afraid to play their way, even in away matches,” Simeone told the UEFA website. “They’ve played like that throughout the whole season.

And knowing the team and their coach, I know they will be the same in any game, whether it’s a friendly or a final.” As well as pitting two Spanish sides against each other, the final will also see Simeone pit his tactical nous against former coach Marcelo Bielsa.

Bielsa was Argentina’s coach when Simeone collected the last of his then record 106 caps with the national team at the 2002 World Cup. And while Simeone has expressed his “great admiration” for his fellow Argentine, he believes the coaches’ input will be limited, saying, “The players play it; we just stand outside.” “When it comes to matches like this, those who’ve already played in one know what to expect, but that guarantees you nothing,” he added. While Atletico have the bigger pedigree in Europe and currently sit in fourth, five places above Athletic, in La Liga, Bielsa’s fiery Basques have been one of the most entertaining teams of this season’s tournament. Athletic underlined their ambitions by eliminating Manchester United in the round of 16, ending Sir Alex Ferguson’s hopes of making amends for their Champions League exit by winning the tournament. AFP

Spain eye unique treble Rob Woollard

LONDON: Spain will begin as hot favourites to complete an unprecedented treble next month when the European Championship ventures into new territory in Poland and Ukraine. Winners of Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup, Spain will become the first footballing nation to complete a hat-trick of major championships if Vicente del Bosque’s side retain their crown. No side has ever retained the European championship, underscoring the concentrated competitiveness of the 16-team tournament which many purists regard as superior in quality to the 32-team

Group A Poland, Greece, Russia, Czech Republic Group B Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Portugal Group C Spain, Italy, Republic of Ireland, Croatia Group D Ukraine, Sweden, France, England

World Cup. However Spain retain the nucleus of a side which has carried all before them on their march to World and European titles, easing their way through their qualifying group with a 100 percent record. Del Bosque has warned his side that they cannot afford to ease up, with the failure of both Real Madrid and Barcelona to reach this month’s Champions League final serving as a timely reminded against the perils of complacency. “It’s important that we are not thinking about the last Euro and the World Cup because it is important to have excitement for a new championship like the Euros,” he said.

Blackburn relegated from Premier League LONDON: Blackburn Rovers were relegated from the English Premier League with a match to spare after a 1-0 defeat at home to Wigan on Monday. In a match they had to win to prolong their 11-year stay in the top flight, Blackburn were unable to find a way through Wigan’s defence. Wigan, for whom victory secured their Premier League survival, scored the only goal of the game through Antolin Alcaraz’s header three minutes from time as they recorded their sixth win in eight league games. Blackburn joined bottom of the table Wolves in being demoted, leaving Bolton, QPR and Aston Villa in a battle to avoid the third and final relegation place on Sunday’s final day of the season. Defeat at a rainswept Ewood Park capped a difficult season for Blackburn, whose Scottish manager Steve Kean has faced repeated calls from supporters to quit the north-west club. Fans have also protested against the Blackburn Rovers’ Morten Gamst involvement of Blackburn owners’ Pedersen reacts during Venky’s, an Indian-based poultry firm, the English Premier in the running of the club. AFP

League football match against Wigan Athletic