Postnoon E-Paper for 09 July 2012 by Scribble Media & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

J LO PLANS NEW TV SHOW ABOUT LESBIAN COUPLE

THE DEATH OF HISTORY As Islamist rebels rampaged through Timbuktu’s historic 15th-century mosques and shrines, the world remembered with terror the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan. This month Unesco added sites from across the world to its Heritage list. We focus on some that are being destroyed by neglect. P16&17

After launching Q’Viva! The Chosen with estranged husband Marc Anthony, pop star Jennifer Lopez is now developing a scripted show about a lesbian couple. P25

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

IN THE SHADOW OF FUKUSHIMA There’s something foreboding in the songs that children in and around Kudankulam sing. Idinthakarai and surrounding villages have vowed to not let a Fukushima happen here.

EXCLUSIVE P10&11

SON HELD FOR RAPE OF MOTHER A police team from RR district has solved the case of rape and murder of a woman, E Laxmamma, following the arrest of her son E Srinivas Goud. He confessed to the crime and said he did it after his mother refused to give him the two acres P3 she owned.

PENSION WOES FOR WIDOWS The widows of Dhoolpet have been running from pillar to post to get their pension. However, monetary help still seems a distant dream, leaving most of them disillusioned with the government. Some have been forced to resort to underhand ways to get P6 their pension approved.

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MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012 HYDERABAD

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OSCAR-WINNER ERNEST BORGNINE DIES Oscar-winning actor Ernest Borgnine, whose career spanned more than 60 years, has died, his spokesman said.

Page Two

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

Spirit of Twin Cities

WATER BOUND

Street food festival

SRINIVAS SETTY

Head to Taj Deccan for a street food festival being held at Syn— Asian Bar and Grill. The festival that is on till July 10 features food from different South-East Asian countries. Where: Taj Deccan, Banjara Hills Rd No 1 When: Ongoing Contact: 92950 06969

Art-de-konj A painting exhibition depicting artist Aiyudha Pooja Kapur’s passion for horses is on display at Muse Art Gallery till July 20. Where: Muse Art Gallery, Tank Bund When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 2752 2999

Living with the masters A painting exhibition of paintings by artistes such as Akbar Padamsee, Bikash Bhattacharjee, Ganesh Pyne, Jagdish Swaminathan, K G Subramanyan, Krishen Khanna, Ram Kumar, S H Raza, Tyeb Mehta is being held. Where: Kalakriti Art Gallery, Banjara Hills When: July 18 onwards, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 6656 4466

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

Contact: 93688 82225

Kuchipudi performances

A double life

A performance by disciples of Smt Ranuka and Padmabhushan Dr Vempatti Chinna Satyam will be held at Rabindra Bharati. This event will be held on the occasion of the first anniversary celebrations of Noopura Kuchipudi Art Academy. Where: Ravindra Bharati, Saifabad When: July 9, 6pm onwards Contact: (040) 2323 1245

Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Foundation presents A Double Life: An Evening with Alyque. Catch Mohammad Ali Baig in conversation with Alyque Padamsee. Where: HICC, Hitech City When: July 15, 7pm onwards Contact: (040) 6616 3000

Silk expo Head to the National Silk Expo for an exclusive collection of traditional silk and cotton designer suit and sarees, dress material by craftsmen. Where: Raj Rajeshwari Gardens, Sikh Village, Secunderabad When: July 4-July 9,

CINEMAS

New Olds An exhibition featuring designs that show the relation between traditional and old is being held at Salarjung Museum. The exhibition is on till July 8. Where: Salarjung Museum, Afzal Gunj When: Ongoing, 10am onwards

Contact: (040) 2457 6443

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

Monsoon waterscapes

Musical evening Boondhon ka Paigam, a monsoon musical yearly event will be held on July 12. The musical event being held at HICC will feature Kavita Seth and Jaswinder Singh. Where: Hyderabad Marriott and convention centre, Tank Bund When: July 12, 7pm onwards Contact: (040) 2752 2999

The exhibition based on the theme water will features artistes such as Thota Tharrani, JMS Mani, S Jayaraj, Alphonso Arul Doss and Sowmya Das Gupta. Where: Muse Art Gallery, Tank Bund When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 2752 2999

Dragon festival

Just the beat

Miya-Biwi, a comedy play by Udaan Performing Arts is the tale of a couple who are in court for their divorce proceedings. What prevails is a light-hearted and hilarious episode. Where: Lamakaan, Banjara Hills, Rd No 1 When: July 8, 7.30pm onwards Contact: 96427 31329

Head to Cuba Libre, Banjara Hills for Nothing but the beat featuring DJ Siddie Boy. Where: Cuba Libre, Banjara Hills When: July 10, 12pm onwards Contact: (040) 6776 7144

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

Miya-Biwi

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

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Son held for rape, matricide In another shocking incident, the greed for money pushed a man to rape and murder his own mother with the help of his two friends PIC FOR REPRESENTATION ONLY

CRIME Mohd Subhan mohd.s@postnoon.com

“A

n idle mind is a devil’s workshop. This is an inhuman incident and as a woman I feel ashamed of even explaining it. Cheap liquor and illiteracy are leading many men astray. It is inconceivable that a son arranges the rape of his own mother and later kills her for wealth. Very sad,” said the superintendent of police Ranga Reddy, B Rajkumari, while briefing the media on the arrest of a man for the rape and murder of his own mother. A police team of RR district solved the rape and murder of a woman, E Laxmamma, following the arrest of her son E Srinivas Goud. He confessed to the crime and said he did it after his mother refused to give him the two acres of land she owned. A widow, Laxmamma, had

two sons — Srinivas and Bheemaiah. After the death of her husband a few years ago, she resorted to making hooch for a living. She has an ancestral piece of land measuring two acres in Indarcheed village of RR district. Her younger son E Srinivas Goud turned out to be a habitual drinker and a loiterer whose wife left him. As he increasingly

turned abusive, Laxmamma, turned him out of her home. Srinivas lately began to demand his share of the property but his mother refused fearing he would simply squander it all away. After a recent quarrel over this issue, Srinivas allegedly threatened his mother of dire consequences. Laxmamma told her elder son Bheemaiah about the threat. He, however, did not think it would lead to a tragedy. According to the SP, Srinivas arranged to go to his mother’s house with two of his friends, Bassappa and Ramesh, to kill her last Wednesday. Srinivas told the police he had agreed to pay them `10,000 each. The trio went to Laxmamma’s place in an intoxicated condition at night, where Bassappa expressed his desire to have sex with her and sought Srinivas’s consent. The latter agreed. Bassappa then allegedly raped her following which the trio strangled her to death. What they got at the end of it was a pair of gold earrings and `57! The trio then fled the scene.

Laxmamma’s body was discovered the next day by the milkman who alerted the police. Deputy superintendent G Uday Kumar reached the scene. Meanwhile, Bheemaiah, rushed home on hearing the news. He told the police officer about his brother’s threat. A search for Srinivas was ordered. He was found in the house of

ACCORDING TO THE SP, SRINIVAS ARRANGED TO GO TO HIS MOTHER’S HOUSE WITH TWO OF HIS FRIENDS, TO KILL HER OFF LAST WEDNESDAY. one of the accomplices. The police took all the three into custody and they then confessed. Rajkumari was almost in tears when she described how a man arranged the rape and murder of his own mother. Can there be a more heinous crime? She wondered.

NEWS BRIEFS TDP suspends MLA for anti-party activities

he main opposition Telugu Desam Party suspended its MLA Kodali Nani from the party for resorting to anti-party activities. His suspension comes in the wake of Nani’s meeting with YSR Congress honorary president YS Vijayamma this morning in Hyderabad. He is said to be a staunch supporter of the party Rajysabha member N Harikrishna and actor Junior NTR. Rumours doing the rounds in the party circles since the last few days that Nani may now join the YSR Congress which is being led by Kadapa MP YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Thief trying to enter shop electrocuted

thief lost his life due to electric shock at Autonagar area under Vansthalipuram Police Station limits this morning. The incident took place when the thief attempted to enter Chalapati wine shop from the roof of the shop. The ceiling was covered by cement sheets. Vanstalipuram police inspector B Ravindar Reddy confirmed the news. “We have just received the news. He was electrocuted while trying to enter the wine shop. But we are yet to establish his identity," the inspector said. He doubted that the thief might have tried to enter the shop to steal liquor bottles.

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MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities M ANIL KUMAR

Good year in store for Andhra Pradesh, says Bonalu oracle Sudeshna Koka sudeshna.k@postnoon.com

Soon, it will start raining. How much is needed, that much will be given to us. Unlike last year, this year no floods; there will be accurate rainfall. Politically, each party will take care of their constituency.

Smooth ride for cars, tough time for walkers After the PVNR Expressway was constructed, crossing has become a nightmare for pedestrians at Mehdipatnam Md Nizamuddin

On The Road

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he authorities are trying hard to ensure a smooth ride towards Shamshabad Airport, with proposals like road widening on the stretch between NMDC and Sarojini. However, it has yet to address one of the major problems that cropped up after the construction of the PVNR Expressway – pedestrian crossing. For years, pedestrians have had a tough time crossing the highway at one of the largest transit points of the area, Mehdipatnam. Though the authorities boast of constructing one of the biggest flyovers in India, there is no provision for pedestrians to cross safely under the same flyover. Before the construction of the Expressway, most pedestrians used the foot overbridge (FOB). However, the FOB was brought down to make way for the flyover. Speeding vehicles have to

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Adding to the pedestrians’ woes, motorists are making use of the gaps left for pedestrians to take U-turns. As the road is at the same height as the median, it becomes easier for two-wheelers, autos and sometimes larger vehicles like seven-seaters to drive through. It is a common sight between pillars 8-9 and 12-13 at any time of the day, say residents. come to a sudden halt for pedestrians. Adding to their woes, motorists are making use of the gaps left for pedestrians to make U-turns. “It looks like the authorities have failed to notice the problem of the public. Look how the passage meant for pedestrians is being misused by motorists,” says P Raghuram, a resident of Chilkuru. There are three gaps under the flyover between Rythubazar and Chandana Brothers. As the

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road is at the same height as the median, it becomes easier for two-wheelers, autos and sometimes larger vehicles like sevenseaters to drive through. According to locals, there have been some minor accidents. “For stopping vehicles from making U-turns, the authorities should have raised a portion of the median. At least, if it is raised by a few inches, motorists will not venture into this gap,” said MA Razakh, a construction engineer. Top officials from the police department expressed ignorance about the problem. There is a plan to set up a ‘Pelican Pedestrian Signal’, whereby traffic will be stopped for a while, giving time for people to cross. “There are three gaps and after identifying the important crossing, we will be putting up the signal in the near future,” said an official on condition of anonymity. However, he was not clear how much longer it would take for the proposal to be implemented.

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he Ujjaini Mahankali temple streets buzzed with festive fervour on the last day of the Bonalu festival in Secunderabad. Thousands of devotees thronged the temple as early as 3am. Arrangements had been made to deal with the large number of devotees. The festivity was at its peak from 9am onwards when the ratha started, following which Swarnalatha, commonly known as akka, made predictions for this year. Swarnalatha, who has been doing this for the last 15 years, had predicted last year that floods would occur and no separate Telangana state would be declared. The procession marched into the temple to the beats of traditional drums. Swarnalatha, after entering the temple, predicted that this year would be smooth for Andhra Pradesh. “Soon, it will start raining. How much is needed, that much will be given to us. Unlike last year, this year no floods; there will be accurate rainfall,” said Swarnalatha. “Politically, each party will take care of their constituency and temple construction will get over at the earliest,” she said. After the predictions, she met devotees and blessed them.

Swarnalatha, Bonalu oracle People who came from various parts of the City were overwhelmed when she said that Mahankaliamma would take care of her devotees’ needs and would bless each one who served her with devotion. Police officers were stationed at key points to maintain law and order and to ensure that there were no traffic jams, right from Patny up to RP road. Despite the large number of people, everything was smooth and orderly. Measures like providing drinking water, separate lines and controlling vehicular moment helped ensure the smooth flow of devotees. M ANIL KUMAR

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

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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Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities

Decking up the City for mega CBD event begins GHMC set to shell out `70 crore from kitty for beautification works

Parties shift focus to attracting BC voter bank POLITICS

Inkeshaf Ahmed Postnoon News

ahmed.m@postnoon.com

feedback@postnoon.com

he mayor Mohd Majid Hussain, who had vowed “not to spend a paise” from the GHMC kitty for the World Biodiversity Conference taking place in Hyderabad in October is a subdued man today. Not only did he have to go back on his stance but is now poised to spend `70 crore for getting the City spruced up for the mega meeting, where world leaders will converge to thrash out the vexed problem of preserving biological diversity. In a chat with Postnoon on Saturday, the mayor said, though he was not happy at the `125 crore being released by the State government for the event, he would not cavil at it and proceed with the essential works to make the City presentable to the world’s eye. The GHMC had sought `400 crore to get the City decked up for the conference. So, where does the cut hit? “A bio-diversity museum, to begin with.“A green corridor along the route is another.

The CBD kitty State govt contribution `125 crore GHMC contribution `70 crore Corporate companies contribution `8 crore

Biological parks would also remain a dream,” he said. However, he is still pursuing for more funds and if it comes all these will be a reality. With barely three months to go before the mega event, there is still a lot left to do. Over 12,000 people from 190 countries will descend on the City. One great relief, Majid Hussain noted, was the willingness of corporate sector to chip in. “Some 31 companies have promised works worth `8 crore.”

Works GHMC wishes to do COUNTDOWN TO 11TH CBD

elangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) leader and Sircilla MLA K Tarakarama Rao has demanded that the State government stop releasing Nagarjuna Sagar water to the Krishna Delta and divert the same to Nalgonda district for drinking purpose where people were suffering due to the fluoride problem.

He also demanded that the State government release irrigation water to Krishna district only after releasing adequate drinking water to Telangana region. Speaking to the media, KTR alleged that the government was releasing

Corridors `8.64 crore

n Installation of designed

pots (5,900) `179 crore

n Revival and construction

of fountains `75 lakh

n Renovation of parks

`128.56 crore

n Illumination of Tankbund

and seven tombs `2.24 crore n Beautification of Charminar pedestrinisation project `83.20 lakh

‘Give NSP water to Nalgonda’ WATER

n Development of 19

four tmc of water even from dead storage level of Nagarjuna Sagar project to the Krishna delta during nights. He alleged that some of the leaders had looted water in the name of Pothireddypadu projects during former chief minister YSR’s regime. He also demanded that the Centre set up a National fluoride relief center at Nalgonda. He wanted the State government to complete the Sri Ram Sagar Irrigation Project. NSS

ost the recent by-elections, the focus of political parties seems to be revolving around the backward classes in the State. And, the main opposition parties namely TDP, YSR Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party are ahead in the race. While the Telugu Desam is strongly mulling over a proposal to allot one-third of assembly seats in the next elections scheduled to be held in 2014 and sanctioning a budget of `10,000 crore for the development of the backward classes, the BJP is trying to empathise with the BCs by highlighting the failures of the ruling Congress and the opposition TDP in developing the community which constitutes for more than 50 per cent of the votes in the State. The Telugu Desam has decided to take up the issue of the BC community during its crucial two-day State-level meeting which commenced today at the party headquarters. Interestingly, this meeting is being held after the party’s rout in the recent bypolls. The party is worried about desertion by the BC community which has been considered as a strong vote bank of the party since its inception in 1982, during the recent by-

elections. The State-level meeting of the party will see some crucial announcements to woo the BCs in the State. The BJP leaders too are leaving no stone unturned to woo the BC voters towards the party. At a meeting held by backward class organisations and associations two days ago, former Union minister and BC leaders in BJP, Bandaru Dattatreya alleged that both Congress and TDP grossly failed in protecting the interests of the BCs in

TDP WILL TAKE UP THE BC ISSUE IN ITS TWO-DAY STATE LEVEL MEETING AS IT IS WORRIED ABOUT DESERTION BY THE BC COMMUNITY the State and called upon the BC community to evolve into an alternative political force. The newly emerged opposition party, the YSR Congress is also planning to organise a brainstorming session in the coming days in order to attract the BC voters towards the party. Banking upon the schemes launched by former CM YS Rajasekhara Reddy for the upliftment of BCs by providing fee reimbursement to thousands of BC students, the party is confident of attracting a large number of BC leaders to its fold.

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MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities

Pension woes for Dhoolpet widows The widows of Dhoolpet have been running from pillar to post to get their pension. However, monetary help still seems a distant dream, leaving most of them disillusioned with the government N SHIVAKUMAR

Sudeshna Koka sudeshna.k@postnoon.com

ight, colours, music, dance, prayers and food. This time of the year, the Old City is bustling with Ramzan and Ganesh festival activity. But instead of participating in the celebrations, the Lodhi Kshatriya community from Uttar Pradesh in Dhoolpet are brooding in the dark over their unfortunate fate. There are over 2,000 families residing in Dhoolpet who, for centuries, have made their living by making and selling gudumba (hooch). This has proved to be a slow death trap for them. Most men in the community tend to die early due to overconsumption of gudumba, leaving most of the women widowed with young children. As per a government scheme, widows who do not have a male child should get `2,000 as pension per month. In Dhoolpet however, getting pension is a rarity, almost a privilege. Only a few widows get their pension, that too after a long struggle. “I got married at a very young age and my husband died due to alcohol abuse. I have three children and providing them with daily needs is a challenge. If we get some help from the government then it’s always an added value. Today, my children have to work as we do not have an alternative,” said Lakshmibai, one of the young widows in Dhoolpet. Lakshmibai adds that she has been going to the mandal office with pension forms, photographs and the documents required for the past seven years, but there has been no progress. Other residents of the area also complain that despite sincere efforts on their part, the government has failed to give them their pension. Most have given up on the government or any NGO that promises to help them. “Despite the little

money we have, we welcome the MLA and other political leaders, but in the end, all are the same. They make false promises, take our votes and then forget us. We have learnt the hard way that we should never trust them again,” said Kosma Bai, who says she has no hope that she will ever receive her pension. Some have been forced to resort to underhand ways to get their pension approved. “I gave the balwadi school teacher `1,000, for which she did all my work and pro-

SPOTLIGHT ON DHOOLPET

They [politicians] make false promises, take our votes and then forget us. We have learnt the hard way that we should never trust them again. Kosma Bai, resident of Dhoolpet

cessed my form. Since the last two months, I have been receiving my pension,” said Rani, another widow from the area. However, Rani is among the very few who can afford to pay a commission to get a pension. Lakshmibai, who is in her early 20s, has no option but to make gudumba all day long with her daughters. Her mother-in-law, Tulsibai, who is also a widow, does not allow her to work elsewhere or even in another profession. “What can I do? This is how it is,” Lakshmibai smiles, looking at her mother-in-law. A senior member of the community, Mitalibai, who has been living in Dhoolpet for the past 58 years, says, “That is how it is in our community. Girls as young as 17 are married and by 21, they have children. This is a vicious cycle. I don’t see any chances of it stopping any time soon.” This is the ground reality of the Dhoolpet widow community, who have been fighting a losing battle. Despite their efforts, many have not got their pensions and are forced back into the business of making gudumba to survive and escape poverty.

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MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities

HOME APPLIANCES

FABRICATION

A welcome move? A recent move by the US FDA is all set to bring a change to the usual problems associated with HIV testing — late diagnosis, poor treatment and social ostracisation — with a simple home testing HIV kit

MUNICIPAL APPROVAL HEALTH

HEALTH Ranjani Rajendra ranjani.r@postnoon.com

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Power review to be held on July 11

n spite of taking all measures like doubling generation capacity in the last decade, reduction of transmission and distribution(T&D) losses and considerable improvement in infrastructure, the widening demandsupply gap even during the Kharif has become a very concern for power utilities due to several reasons. In the context of critical juncture of power supply position due to these reasons, principal secretary Dinesh Kumar would review power supply position and various aspects of power sector on July 11 at main meeting hall, Vidyut Soudha. NSS

ow often has an individual shied away from getting himself/herself tested for HIV, simply due to the fear of social ostracisation and the stigma surrounding the very topic? The result – delayed diagnosis, poor treatment chances and a life wasted. But a recent move by the US FDA is all set to change this, or so it seems. The FDA has approved a rapid HIV over-thecounter test kit by OraSure. The saliva test kit, that promises to provide results in as less as 20 to 40 minutes from a swab of the upper and lower gums, is set to be available across 30,000 retail outlets in America later this year. It may be recalled that up until now HIV testing was carried out exclusively at medical facilities across the world. But with this move, people will be able to test themselves for the virus in the privacy of their homes. According to experts, this also means earlier detection of the virus in patients and thus better chances of treatment. “This home test, is a very good move by the FDA and will facilitate easier and earlier detection of HIV positive patients. Often patients are very reluctant to go to a medical facility to have themselves tested. There is always a chance that the results will be negative and in such a scenario they wouldn’t want others to

know that there was a chance of them being HIV positive. But now they can test themselves at home. In case, the test turns out to be positive then they can approach a doctor for further confirmation and treatment,” says Dr Sunitha Narreddy, consultant infectious diseases specialist at Apollo Hospital. In terms of healthcare too this test comes as a welcome respite believes Dr Sunitha. “People delay getting themselves tested for the HIV virus and it may progress to full blown AIDS, but this test will cut down that risk. It will improve health in terms of long term treatment and also cut down the rate of secondary infections,” she explains.

While a home test kit is a good move, it is more suitable for people who are well educated and are better informed about HIV/AIDS Dr Jayachandra Reddy, joint director APSACS However, there are still concerns that the test may not always be accurate as clinical trials by the company have shown that it has an 8 per cent chance of false negative or false

Home testing now a reality n On Tuesday, June 3, the US FDA approved the OraQuick InHome HIV test which is the first ever home test for Aids. n The kit soon to be available in 30,000 retail stores in America will help a person obtain a result within 20-40 minutes. n According to clinical tests, the OraSure home HIV test has an expected performance of 92 per cent for test sensitivity, the percentage of results that will be positive when HIV is present. n The test involves taking an oral fluid sample collected by swabbing the upper and lower gums inside a person's mouth, placing the sample into the kit's developer vial and then awaiting the result. n The FDA has added that the result of test which is for both type 1 and type 2 HIV anti-bodies, needs to be confirmed with the help of additional hospital tests. n The test when released in October is likely to cost $17 more than the price of the kit that is sold to hospitals and other clinics. n According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV infections — of which about one in five are not aware they are infected. This test aims to help people become aware of their HIV status. AFP

positive diagnoses. “A saliva test for HIV has been around for some time now but its sensitivity is not as good as compared to the protein tests that we currently use. This is because the level of antibodies in the saliva is lower so the chances of a false negative result are high. This is one reason the NACO has not approved this test for India. While a home test kit is a good move, it is more suitable for people who are well educated and are better informed about HIV/AIDS,” says Dr Jayachandra Reddy, joint director, APSACS (Andhra Pradesh State Aids Control Society). He adds, “Along with an HIV test it is also important that the patient is provided counselling. With this home test kit’s failure rate and the fact that there’s no counselling at hand immediately, chances are that the individual may dismiss the risk and continue with the high risk behaviour.” Furthermore, 60 to 80 per cent of infections in our society occur in the lower economic strata, explains Dr Jayachandra. “If a person is tested at a centre they are immediately told about the treatment options available to them. With a home kit, chances are they won’t be aware about the options and given their economic status, they might just skip treatment. “So in our current scenario, we are probably not yet ready to move to home test kits, at least till people are better equipped to take care of themselves,” he says.

100 YEARS OF INDIAN CINEMA

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

Some of the greatest actors in Indian cinema like SV Ranga Rao, Amrish Puri and Amjad Khan have left a long lasting impression in the minds of the audiences, despite playing character roles. Innumerable films would have fallen apart without their presence. Postnoon gives them their due.

A STEP AWAY FROM Hemanth Kumar

STARDOM

hemanth.k@postnoon.com

hey were destined to do great things when they entered the film industry and set a standard for hundreds of aspiring actors who were still dreaming of making it big. Directors and producers made a beeline to sign them up for their films because no one else could do justice to the role. Meet the character artistes of Indian cinema who have left an indelible mark for generations to come. Perhaps the only thing which they fell short of was the charisma and fan following of some of the biggest stars of their generation; however, there are few things which even stardom can’t eclipse. The best example for this is SV Ranga Rao, one of the greatest actors ever to have graced Telugu cinema. He entered the Telugu film industry around the same time when NTR and ANR were fast becoming the most sought-after actors. Some of SV Ranga Rao’s in films like Mayabazar, Nartanasala, Gundamma Katha were exemplary to say the least. Other actors like Jaggaiah, Gummadi, Suryakantham have been part of innumerable films. Nirmalamma was Telugu film industry’s favourite mother and casting anyone else in a big

budget film instead of her would not go well with the audience. In Tamil cinema, Manorama and Nagesh emerged as two of the most bankable character actors in the 60s and they continued to act for the next four decades. Later, Sivakumar and Srividya excelled in supporting roles. In Malayalam, actors like Thilakan, Jagathy Sreekumar, Nedumudi Venu, Sukumari, KPAC Lalitha made a huge difference in scores of films,

thanks to their experience in theatre. Their contribution to the new wave in Malayalam cinema in 80s is unforgettable. Character actors like Amrish Puri, Amjad Khan, Anupam Kher, Boman Irani, Asrani, Mehmood, Johnny Lever, Irfan Khan, Om Puri, Pran, Ashok Kumar and Aruna Irani ruled the roost for several years playing both negative and comedy roles. Most of them have withstood the test of time despite the popularity of icons from the Kapoor family, Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra. So what makes them so important in the evolution of Indian cinema? The immense popularity of comedians like Brahmanandam, Vadivelu, Vivek, Santhanam throws light on this issue. For over 20 years, Brahmanandam has been making people laugh. He has created a brand of his own which actually makes people pay to watch him on screen. His absence could have turned the table for several hit films. Prakash Raj is another such actor. Very few character actors, in the past two decades, have been able to match the kind of movies and roles which he has done. The true mark of a genius when it comes to acting is to make you forget that they are no less than the lead hero of the film. They might have been a step away from stardom, but some of them were so good at what they did that they found a place in our hearts forever.

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A surge too hard to stomach Prudhvi Raju K

famous fiesta, the San Fermin bull running festival in Pamplona, is taking a hit from the economic crisis as revellers cut corners to save money. The cobbled streets of the northern city are still packed with partygoers from around the world, drawn by the carnival atmosphere and the chance to be chased by half-tonne bulls every morning. But hotels report lower occupancy rates, and sales in restaurants and bars are down. Instead, many people choose to eat homemade food and drink sangria and beer bought in supermarkets

NUMEROLOGY

$1bn THUS SPAKE

4.5 per cent for last 10 years resulting in per capita consumption 14 kg per year in 2011-12. The factors driving per capita consumption are rising income levels and better living standards of people, which will also keep the future consumption of edible oil in India to grow at around 4.55 per cent per annum. Indian edible oil consumption pattern varies depending upon preferences across regions, driven by taste and availability. For instance, Soyabean oil is mainly used in northern and central regions of India due to the local availability of soyabeans. Mustard oil is largely consumed in north-eastern, northern and eastern regions of India, as its pungency is a desired and inher-

ent part of the local cuisine. Palm oil is increasingly used in southern India due to the warmer climate (palm oil gets a cloudy appearance in colder climates) and easy availability from Southeast Asia, he said. India continues to remain deficit in edible oils, with imports accounting for around 55 per cent of domestic consumption. High import dependence is a result of near stagnancy in domestic area under oilseeds cultivation, lower soil productivity, and competition from other crops. Government should encourage higher cultivation of edible oil seeds and promote measures to increase soil productivity through balanced use of fertilis-

ers (phosphatic fertilisers are more important for cultivating oil seeds). However, it is important to raise import tariff values to make domestic cultivation more profitable, although the same would result in inflation and withdraw export duty on de-oiled rice bran cake, he said. Edible oil production is expected to decline due to poor monsoons in the current year, necessitating much higher imports. Low growth in domestic edible oil production and rising share of imports should continue till the medium term too. Within, imported edible oils, there is trend of increasing share of refined edible, due to export duty changes by Indonesia, added Malik.

EU bear run blunts Pamplona bulls’ charge PAMPLONA: Spain’s most

POUND MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012 9

is the worth of an order secured by Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier Aerospace from an undisclosed new customer to produce 15 planes from its future CSeries.

prudhvi.k@postnoon.com

ndia continues to be world’s largest importer of edible oil and one of the largest consumers. Imports of edible oils rose by 57.9 per cent to `46,309 crore in last fiscal from `29,319 crore in 2010-2011. However, the overwhelming rise of imports resulting an increase in the trade deficit of the country. The consumers are also unsatisfied with raising prices of edible oils over time. Global edible oil prices have risen due to expectation of rainfall deficit in key cultivating areas. Further, Indian edible oil prices have increased due to the sharp rupee depreciation against dollar. This made the cost of imported edible oil prices to serve as a benchmark for pricing domestic oils. Delayed monsoon in the domestic markets, resulting in lower sowing of oilseeds is likely to keep domestic prices high in the near term. Overall, international palm oil prices, international and domestic climatic conditions; import duty structure in India and Indonesia; alternative demand for biofuels are factors influencing domestic prices, said Ankur Malik, senior analyst, ICRA. Talking about Indian consumption patterns, he said, Domestic edible oil industry is highly fragmented industry, with palm oil; Soyabean oil and mustard oil are being the three largest consumed edible oils. The past average growth rate in edible oils consumption has been around

`86.61

in the streets during the nine-day festival that began on Friday. Luis Armendariz, manager of the Cafe Iruna, a Parisianstyle spot once frequented by Ernest Hemingway that overlooks the

central Plaza de Castillo, said he expects sales during the festival to be down by 15-20 percent over 2011. This San Fermin festival looks set to be the worst for business since Spain’s economic crisis erupted in 2008 with the collapse of a property bubble that has sent the unemployment rate soaring above 24 percent, the 48-year-old added. The historic centre of Pamplona, the capital of the region of Navarra, was full of people carrying plastic bags full of bottles of

beer and sangria, which they swilled from plastic cups as they stood in groups. Pamplona city hall predicts about half a million people will flock to the city of 200,000 residents over the nine days of the festival, roughly the same as turned out in other years. Hoteliers are less optimistic. The Navarra Hospitality Association predicts hotel occupancy in Pamplona during the fiesta, which dates back to medieval times, will be down by around 10 percent over last year. Fewer people stay overnight and those who do come are saving cash by staying for fewer days, with most checking in for just two nights, said the association’s secretary general, Nacho Calvo. AFP

“The increase in the spreads after the EU summit is also due to statements that I consider inappropriate by authorities of northern countries that had the effect of undermining the credibility of the decisions taken by the EU summit,” Mario Monti, Italian PM

BAD NEWS Japan’s current account surplus plunged 62.6 per cent in May from a year earlier, deteriorating for the 15th straight month, official data showed on Monday. The surplus in the current account, the broadest measure of trade with the rest of the world, stood at 215.1 billion yen ($2.7 billion), the finance ministry said. Economists had expected a surplus of 511 billion yen, according to Dow Jones Newswires.

PITCHING IN The Queensland government Monday joined a High Court challenge by Fortescue Metals against Australia’s controversial tax on the mining boom, claiming it discriminates against the resource-rich state. Fortescue, a major Western Australia-based iron ore firm, launched a legal challenge last month against the Minerals Resource Rent Tax (MRRT) on constitutional grounds. In joining Fortescue, Queensland Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie argued that the tax discriminated between Australia’s states and restricted Queensland’s ability to encourage mining, contrary to the constitution.

Special Report

In the shadow of Yarukkaaga Anuulai Yarukkaaga… Indha Anu ulai NasaAnuulai… Anuulai Tamil Inathai Alzhikkum Anuulai… Maranamennum Thoodu Vandadu… Adu Anuulaiin Vadivil Vandadu... Swargamaga Avan Ninaithathu Adu Naragamaga Marivittadu… (For whom is this nuclear plant… this nuclear plant… The plant that would destroy Tamil people... The harbinger of death has come in the form of a nuclear plant… He thought it was heaven but it has now turned into hell...)

lad in a white embroidered top and brown skirt, 11-yearold Mahima sings from a green hardbound notebook held in her hands. Death, she sings, has taken the form of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project to destroy her village. She calls out to her people to unite in the fight against this “devil”. In this small coastal village of Idinthakarai in Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu, children don’t sing the usual rhymes or film songs, but borrow their tunes and sing songs penned in protest against the nuclear project. At the behest of the gathering, Mahima and her friends huddle on the ground near the Lourdes Matha Church — the venue of the relay fast against the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project — to sing again. Every child in this coastal belt will tell you that they do not want Idinthakarai to be another Chernobyl or Fukushima; they ask the government why a project they do not want is being forced upon them. On July 1, the protest’s 321st day, thousands, including children, gathered at Lourdes Matha Church. Representatives from over 20 organisations addressed the protesters, voicing solidarity with them. Who told these kids about

There’s something in the songs that children in and around Kudankulam sing: for whom is this nuclear power plant if the people for whom it is intended don’t want it? Idinthakarai and surrounding villages have vowed to not let a Fukushima happen here. the dangers that the Kudankulam project poses? “No one,” says Mahima. “I composed these songs after 12 people went on indefinite fast. We learnt about the harmful effects of the nuclear power project on the environment by participating in the protest, watching news on TV and documentaries screened in our village.” The first phase of the indefinite strike in Idinthakarai began on September 11, 2011. Then, women in the 20-28 age group organised campaigns at every college in their taluk to garner support against the commissioning of the nuclear plant. They submitted a memorandum to the district collector and

How it started?

he construction of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant started in 1997, nearly a decade after Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev signed an Inter-Government Agreement for the construction of the two reactors. Currently, two 1 GW reactors are being built by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and Atomstroyexport. It is expected to be the largest nuclear power generation complex in India. Protests against the project intensified after the March 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan. Locals objected to the plant on the basis that more than 1 million people live within a 30-km radius of the powerplant, which far exceeds the Atomic Energy Regulation Board’s stipulations. A PIL has also been filed against it at the apex court. Scientists have stated that Kudankulam’s reactors are safe and the locals’ fears are unfounded. The Centre’s and Tamil Nadu government’s panels of experts which were set up to assess the vulnerability of the project gave it a clean chit.

held a press meet when 127 people went on an indefinite fast. “We went to colleges along with our friends and spoke about the nuclear power plant,” 23-year old Shalini says. “After obtaining permission from the college principal, we took students on a rally to the district office shouting slogans in support of the people on hunger strike.” The tipping point was a prohibitory order that was imposed on villages near the plant on March 19, 2012; that day the government cleared project though it had promised not to. A massive force of 5,000 armed professionals was deployed. All roads leading to Idinthakarai were blocked; The supply of electricity, water and food to the village was cut for nearly two weeks. A 29-year old fisherman, Sangeeth, recalled that people from neighbouring villages brought them essential goods by sea and provided them with food. “If it was not for their efforts, we would not have survived. This brought the villages in the area, which were otherwise always at fighting, together. We look out for each other now,” he says. Following the prohibitory orders, sedition cases were filed against thousands of people here. A fact-finding team, headed by senior journalist Sam Rajappa, reported that between September and December 2011, the police had filed 107 FIRs against 55,795 people and ‘others’. Of these, 6,800 people were charged with ‘sedition’ and/or ‘waging war against the State’. “People have been charged with at least 21 sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Section 121 (waging war against the Government of India) against 3,600 people, and Section 124A (sedition) against

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3,200 people. The Kudankulam police station may have the dubious distinction of being the station where the largest number of ‘sedition’ and ‘waging war’ cases has been filed in the shortest time in the history of colonial and independent India,” the report stated. Youngsters have been playing a major role in the protests. When Section 144 of the CrPC (unlawful assembly) was imposed, young men spent all night alerting villagers of the police action. They planted thorny bushes around the village periphery when there was a threat of the Coordinator of People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) S.P.

Udayakumar being arrested. “The more than 13 days of prohibitory orders imposed on our village changed us completely. Instead of girls, our topics of discussion are now politics and environment. We screened documentary films on the damages caused due to nuclear plants in Chernobyl and Fukushima in seven villages near the plant, including Koothenkuly, Perumanal, Kootapanal, Kootapuli, Periyathalai, Kooduthaalai and Uvari. We plan to continue our campaign to create awareness among people about the environmental impact of the project,” says 23-year-old Vivek, a graphic designer. Vivek left his job in Chennai to support the campaign.

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

Fukushima What has happened in Fukushima has added to our fears. We don’t want this to happen here. Why doesn’t the government understand this? Vivek, who left his job to join the protest

“The dissent against the nuclear plant continues, with more villages joining every day. Villagers from Koothenkuly, Kootapuli and Perumanal have also joined the relay fast,” says Sangeeth. IMPENDING DANGER PMANE has pointed out that more than 1.2 million people live in nearly 150 villages and towns within a 30 km radius of the plant. This exceeds the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board’s stipulations. It is estimated that nearly 33,000 people live within the five-km sterilisation zone and it will be impossible to evacuate these people quickly in case of a nuclear disaster. PMANE submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister in October last year. They say the government has not taken it into consideration.

Social activist Sathish Kumar, who was arrested and charged with waging war against the state for supporting the anti-nuclear protest, points out that no safety guidelines have been followed while setting up the nuclear power plant in Kudankulam. He adds that according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the site must not have experienced any volcanic eruptions in the last 10 million years. The region around the Kudankulam project site had experienced minor volcanic tremors during 1998-2001 and the terrain has signs of past volcanic activity. A summary of the findings published in 16 research papers on volcanism near Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) on land and in the Gulf of Manna (GoM) was included in the report by the Expert Committee of PMANE on December 12, 2011. There were four volcanic eruptions within 32

to 75km from the Kudankulam reactor campus between 1998 and 2001. All eruptions occurred near electric poles. The first occurred on August 5, 1998 at Abhishekappatti, 60km northwest of Kudankulam, 45 days after the commission of the detailed project report (DPR) for KKNPP. The latest eruption occurred four months before the foundations were laid. All sites of eruption are located in the northwest-southeast regions. “When the tsunami hit the region in December 2004, we were able to move everyone to a safe place. What has happened in Fukushima has added to our fears. We don’t want this to happen here. Why doesn’t the government understand this? It has become our duty to make people understand,” says Vivek. Sixteen-year old Rossary Deepa adds, “This project will destroy our livelihood. We have seen how politicians betrayed us after winning the elections. We want to live here and will not stop the protest till they close the plant,” she asserts. Here, youngsters are not only creating awareness about the environment, but also assist in village administration. They also plan to start a self-help group to assist women through a microfinance project. SP Udayakumar credits the women and children to be the driving force of this struggle. “It was their initiatives to get support from schools and colleges that pulled in thousands of youngsters and more women to this protest. We only coordinated the movement,” he explains. As we waited at the bus stop to leave Idinthakarai after a twoday stay, some youngsters requested us to spread the message of their fight. “There must be people fighting for many issues in your state. Tell them about us. We want their support, too. People should know that there are many ways to generate power but not at the cost of people’s lives and livelihood,” says Sangeeth.

10&11

India‑View

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

India unveiled

NATION AT A GLANCE Two thatched houses gutted in TN blaze

COLOURS OF LIFE

KUMBAKONAM (TAMIL NADU): Two thatched houses were gutted here today when a fire broke out following short-circuit, police said. The mishap occurred at 4am and the inmates rushed out on noticing the fire. Fire force personnel extinguished the blaze, sources said, adding, the extent of loss is yet to be ascertained. No casualties or injuries were reported.

Another batch leaves for Amarnath shrine JAMMU:Amid tight security, a fresh batch of 4,025 pilgrims today left for Amarnath cave shrine in South Kashmir Himalayas. The pilgrims comprising 2,761 men, 999 women, 65 children and 200 sadhus left in a cavalcade of 130 vehicles from Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu at around 5.30am for Amarnath.

A vendor sells balloons on the lawns in front of India Gate in New Delhi. AFP

Keshubhai to make it a triangular contest AHMEDABAD: Gujarat is likely to witness a triangular fight in this year’s Assembly polls, as dissident BJP leaders, opposed to Chief Minister Narendra Modi and led by former Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel, are set to float their own party. The other two contenders are well-entrenched ruling BJP and the main opposition Congress. Keshubhai’s group has indicated that he would form a party, and a formal announcement is likely later this month. “It is more than 100 per cent certain that Keshubhai will form a new party and we will contest the elections on all 182 seats. There is no doubt that Keshubhai will lead the party and the state will have a three-way contest,” said Patel’s supporter Gordhan Zadafia, a former minister in Modi government. The Congress, on the other hand, hopes that Patel’s rebellion would help it. “We campaigned hard in Uttar Pradesh in the recent elections but people voted Samajwadi Party to power. The reason was people thought SP to be the alternative to BSP. In the same way, voters, who are very smart, will vote for an alternative here... The only alternative to Modi now is Congress,” said state Congress chief Arjun Modhwadia. BJP camp is maintaining silence on the issue of Keshubhai’s impending exit. Party general secretary Vijay Rupani said that Keshubhai group was yet to announce its plans, and BJP would react only afterwards. The BJP is in power in Gujarat since 1995. PTI

AI flight lands in Pak after glitch MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: A New Delhi-bound Air India aircraft with 128 people on board today made an emergency landing at Nawabshah airport in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province after developing a technical problem with its hydraulic system. All 122 passengers and six crew members on board the Airbus 319 aircraft are safe, officials said. “The aircraft was flying over Pakistani air space when the pilot saw a warning light in the cockpit and sought permission to land at the nearest airport which was Nawabshah,” an Air India spokesperson said in New Delhi. The plane landed at Nawabshah airport in southern Sindh province at 3.37am local time. “Foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai is in touch with the Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan Sharat Sabharwal, who is in contact with the

People wade through water logged road during heavy rains in Burdwan district of West Bengal on Sunday. PTI

Goa to hand over UK woman’s case to CBI PANAJI: Goa home ministry was about to transfer the probe into the alleged murder of British woman Denyse Carole Sweeney to the Central Bureau of Intelligence, police sources said. The case has been reopened after Sweeney’s family refused to believe that she died of drug overdose, as stated by the Goa police earlier. pilot,” sources in MEA said in New Delhi. The pilot has informed that the condition on the plane is “reasonable”, they said. Pakistan defence secretary Nargis Sethi directed has the civil aviation authorities to provide all assistance to passengers and crew of the Air India plane. The captain preferred to have the passengers remain on board the aircraft though Pakistani authorities had

offered to allow them to disembark, the AI statement said. Pakistani authorities offered all possible assistance but the captain said nothing is needed. “The pilot wanted some water and this was sent to the aircraft... Currently, they all are inside the aircraft,” the statement said. He added that an AI aircraft is expected to arrive shortly to take back the stranded passengers and crew to India. PTI

Delhi diverted funds meant for SCs: NGO NEW DELHI: Out of funds worth `1,901.56 crore earmarked exclusively for the welfare of Scheduled Castes, the Delhi government diverted `1,703.93 crore for schemes under the Commonwealth Games, transportation and other projects in 2010-11, a non-government organisation says, citing official data. Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit has denied the charges.

Cops kill Maoist, capture 4 in Odisha BHUBANESWAR: A member of the Maoist People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI) group was gunned down by police in Odisha Monday, a day after a ruling BJD worker was allegedly killed by the group, an official said.

Acting on a tip-off, a special police squad raided the PLFI hideout at Sundergarh district’s Udugaon village, DIG Jaswant Singh Jethwa told reporters. The police retaliated when the gang members opened fire at them.

While one was killed, four others of the group, including their leader, Dilip Singh, were injured, Jethwa said. The injured extremists have been admitted to a hospital. A group member has been detained for interrogation, he said. IANS

People crowd around a local train which derailed at Ballygunge station in Kolkata on Sunday. PTI

Around the World

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

Beyond Borders

Japan has its first N-restart TOKYO: A nuclear reactor in western Japan began full operations on Monday, the first restart since the country shut down its atomic stations in the wake of last year’s crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi plant. Kansai Electric Power Co. (KEPCO), operator of the Oi power plant in the nation’s industrial heartland, said its Unit No. 3 had come back to full capacity early Monday after the reactor was switched on earlier this month. “The reactor has already shifted to a stable output mode without any trouble,” a KEPCO spokesman said, adding that the utility plans to resume operations at another reactor in the same plant later this month. The return to full operations ended a nearly two-month hiatus in the aftermath of the atomic crisis, but comes amid strong anti-nuclear sentiment in Japan

which has seen protesters come out in their tens of thousands. It also comes less than a week after a damning parliamentary report said the accident was a man-made disaster, marked by a lack of oversight and collusion between plant

operator Tokyo Electric Power, the government and regulators. On Sunday, the governor of southern Kagoshima prefecture, who supports the restart, handily won a new term even as the issue divides Japan with strong voices of opposition hanging

over the controversial move. Nuclear restarts were put on hold as the government mulled its options following the 9.0magnitude earthquake and tsunami last year that crippled reactor cooling systems at Fukushima. But in mid-June, Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda gave the green light to restart two reactors at the Oi plant in Fukui prefecture, amid concerns about looming power shortages this summer. Japan had been operating without nuclear power since early May when the last of its 50 working reactors was shut down for a scheduled safety check. The nation turned to pricey fossil-fuel alternatives to fill the gap left by the shutdown of atomic plants which had supplied about one-third of resource-poor Japan’s energy. AFP

GLOBE AT A GLANCE 14 killed in blast near Pakistan-Afghan border ISLAMABAD: At least 14 people, including three women and two children, were killed while seven others injured after a landmine blast occurred in the border town of Chaman Sunday. The landmine exploded when a tractor trolley drove over it in the Tooba Achakzai area near the PakAfghan border. Local residents from the border area were travelling to Tooba Achakzai when the incident took place.

Greek government wins confidence vote ATHENS: Greece’s coalition government breezed through a largely symbolic confidence vote late Sunday, winning the tough mandate of tackling a two-year-old crisis and keeping the country safely in the eurozone. After three days of debate, 179 lawmakers out of the chamber’s 300 voted in favour of the centrist coalition.

STAR AND A FISH

Suu Kyi makes Myanmar House debut

A Hawk ground-to-air missile is launched during a live-fire military missile drill at a military base in Chiupeng, in Taiwan. AFP

‘Obama has slight lead in swing states than rival’ WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama holds a slight lead over his Republican rival, Mitt Romney, in key swing states that could determine the outcome of the 2012 presidential race, a new opinion poll found Sunday. The USA Today/Gallup survey showed Obama ahead of Romney 47 per cent to 45 per cent among registered voters.

NAYPYIDAW: Aung San Suu Kyi made her historic debut in Myanmar’s fledgling parliament on Monday as the opposition leader and her party transform from dissident outsiders to mainstream politicians. “I will try my best for the country,” Suu Kyi told AFP as she arrived at the parliament in the capital Naypyidaw to take her seat as an elected MP for the first time. The 67-year-old, one of the National League for Democracy’s 37 lower house members of parliament, postponed her debut in the fledgling legislature last week to recover from a gruelling European tour and visit her constituency. Parliament, still overwhelmingly led by the military and its political allies, has a number of pressing issues on the table, including economic reforms and recent communal violence in the west of the country. AFP

In a handout photo taken on Sunday and released on Sunday by WildAid, US actor Maggie Q swims with an endangered whale shark off Cancun, Mexico. As an ambassador for international conservation group WildAid, Maggie Q is in Cancun this week to publicise the plight of sharks threatened by demand for shark fin soup in the same week that China AFP/PAUL HILTON announced a ban on shark fin from all official banquets.

Oscar-winner Borgnine dies LOS ANGELES: Veteran actor Ernest Borgnine, the star of dozens of films and television shows who won an Oscar for his portrayal of a shy butcher in love in “Marty,” died Sunday, his manager said. He was 95. “It’s a very sad day. The industry has lost someone great, the caliber of which we will never see again. A true icon,” the manager, Lynda Bensky, said in an email to AFP. “But more importantly the world has lost a sage and loving man who taught us all how to ‘grow young’. His infectious smile and chuckle made the world a happier place.”

Bensky said the actor died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, with his family at his side. Born to Italian immigrants on January 24, 1917 in Hamden, Connecticut, Borgnine was primarily known for his roles in comedies such as the popular TV series “McHale’s Navy” and dramas like the World War II film “The Dirty Dozen.” The US Navy veteran won an Academy Award for best actor for his role in the 1955 film “Marty,” which also took home Oscars for best picture, best director and best screenplay. AFP

Annan in Syria hoping to save peace plan DAMASCUS: International envoy Kofi Annan has arrived in Syria after admitting that his peace plan has so far failed to end nearly 16 months of carnage, as scores more die in the violence-wracked country. "The Joint Special Envoy for Syria, Kofi Annan, arrived in Damascus late Sunday for talks with President Bashar Al-Assad," his spokesman said.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu (L) and South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir at an event on the eve of South Sudan’s Ist independence fete.

Comment

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

Fair, free and forthright

Immortality? Count me out

Will Gabo recover to tell his life’s tale? Fleme Varkey feedback@postnoon.com

t’s ironic that Latin American writer Gabriel García Márquez, a man who once worked wonders using memories is now learnt to be suffering from senile dementia. The writer of stellar works like One Hundred Years of Solitude, News of a Kidnapping, Chronicle of a Death Foretold and Memories of my Melancholy Whores will no longer be able to excite our minds as he did in the past. Gabo, as he is affectionately called, once said, “What matters in life is not what happens to you but what you remember and how you remember it.” True to his words the intellectual pleasure that we derived from his works will always be remembered. One Hundred Years of Solitude his most popular book till date introduced to the world — magic realism and the products of a fertile imagination. He was what you call a magician with words, forever spinning stories out of the most mundane of events, inflating the small and diminishing the sacred. People who know him say he lives, talks and writes this way, taking a minor event and like an expert cook, mixing, mashing and garnishing it until at the end it takes a life of its own. Memories and nostalgia have been his favourite tropes, as it permitted him to talk about the past which he has poured into his short stories and novels. He never seems to tire of evoking or exploring it. Few know that Gabo was always interested in journalism but his desire was for a profession based on his own. He always had the makings of a good journalist because he knew how to write a good story. Márquez has not brought out a new work in several years. Though most have now resigned to the fact that he will not be writing anymore, Jaime García Márquez, his brother hopes that a miracle happens and Gabo is able to finish the second part of his autobiography Living to Tell the Tale. We hope so too.

Hard Talk PK Surendran

am plainly scared, many of you too may be, and all sincere human beings should. Somewhere in Europe and the US, biologists and physicists are engaged in making man immortal. Somewhere in Russia 100 scientists are busy making an exact replica of the brain so that a human-robot could be made. In some other parts of the globe scientists are making a hybrid of human-beast that would be disease-proof, and some others are trying to make a super spaceman who could survive in weightless space. And, the latest, the scientists from different countries are playing god, having found the 'God particle' or God-damned particle. Why this technophobia? You may well ask. Because the history of mankind and his ingenious finds do not inspire confidence. If the past is the yardstick nothing but desperation sets in a layman's mind. We discovered fire, the greatest of all inventions, and we began burning the planet and other fellow beings. We discovered wheels and we began to invade others and kill others more speedily than before. We discovered many drugs and made money from them and left those with side-effects for the powerless. We found how to split atom and used it on human beings and still 1600 nuclear bombs are kept ready for the MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) eventuality. Now, the scariest of all is the attempt to make man immortal. Well, well. You say man is the only rational being of all creatures, right? Wrong. He is the only irrational being; or else how could we ever think of immortality when simple logic defies it. Suppose we become immortal (no death) by 2045, as they claim to be, will we cease procreation? Immortality agrees if there is a freezing point and denies the right of the would-be generation. Because if none of the living human beings will ever die, how can we go on reproducing ourselves? This also means a freeze on sex, the very reason of our existence. This also means the existing people are so selfish that they do not want anymore future generations.

Editorials

This in essence means living in a black hole that defies time. If on the other hand, it is your idea to be immortal and go on procreating, you need a million Earths. We don’t have even one spare Earth, what to talk of a million? And, pray, do you want to live forever? How boring would it be! You want to see the same sun rising and setting, the same stars coming up and fading away day after day, night after night. Well, where is the nature's magic of variety if we are to see each other for eternity? I can't think of a bigger bore in life, and yet, these scientist Joes want it. Good luck to them. If you want to reproduce the human brain, it means you want to bring in yet another imperfect bio-device in the lab. If at all, make a perfect man who has all virtues and no vices. Man is made of five senses and he is the product of water and air. Earth is the only planet in the Solar system with water. Even if you reproduce a replica, what's the use? And, another thing: suppose the machine

takes over reproduction from man, what a great disaster it would be. All products will be identical like the mass produced goods. If all look alike, I am sure we will die of ennui. Tailend Lesson learnt There is much to learn in this respect from Adolf Hitler, besides his ' My Struggle' (Mein Kampf) and anti-semitism. He was history's first man who wanted to create a super Aryan. Bereft of the modern lab, he still tried to make a perfect German who will be superior to all human beings on earth. One night he got up sweating from his sleep, with feverish feelings. He noted, "I saw him (super German) He is intrepid and cruel. I stood in fear before him!’ Two-thirds of the 7 billion plus human beings are suffering from diseases, war, poverty and what not. If only we did something to make this planet livable before aspiring immortality!

THE ENDURING ENIGMA OF Wimbledon

hat makes the aura of Wimbledon? That it’s the oldest tennis tournament in the world? That it’s the biggest and most revered tennis tournament? That it’s the only major that is still played on grass, the original surface, where from it derives its real name lawn tennis? The white and white dress code — austere yet regal and royal? The murmur — of dissent or approval — that one hears from spectators when something passes on the court, the soft clapping applauding their favourites? Its tradition? Its history? Its being the cradle of tennis where giants of the game took their first tiny steps and progressed to achieve immortality through their feats? That the place inspires absolute decorum and proper form in players? In truth, it’s all of these. Even a person who is not really into tennis would watch Wimbledon. They may not know the names of the players who are playing, yet while surfing the channels on telly, they stop involuntarily — it might be for a moment — if it’s Wimbledon. They say cricket is the gentleman’s game: watch Wimbledon, it’s likely you may disagree.

The writer works for Postnoon

WHY WE LOVE Ernest Borgnine

rnest Borgnine once said he saw a light when his mother told him that he was good at making a fool of himself before people, he should be an actor. Ten years later he won an Oscar. There’s an incomprehensible divinity when it comes to art. And one of the few people who could have enlightened us about it has passed away.

Campus

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

Neha Alluri feedback@gmail.com

The ongoing debate about the Common Entrance Test has once again raised questions about the feasibility of our entrance exams. Contrasting our education system with that of other countries is startling in its revelations, take a look United States Of America The United States offers the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) and the American College Testing (ACT), which are standardized tests, that all students (domestic or international) must take to be eligible for admission into any American college irrespective of which subject they wish to study– medicine, engineering or the liberal arts. While these tests factor into admission decisions, colleges also consider essays, extra-curricular activities, a student’s academic performances through secondary school and teacher recommendations. Unlike India, admission into American colleges is not based on test scores alone but instead on a range of criterion.

United Kingdom The U.K only accepts applications through the Universities and College Admissions Services (UCAS) website. All students (domestic and international) must apply through UCAS for admission to any college in the country. Every student applies through the online website, listing their top 5 subject choices. Students are admitted into particular subject areas and not into the college as a whole, like in America. The primary factors

THE FINAL BARRIER effecting admissions are grades and the personal statement (essay). The U.K accepts the General Certification of Secondary Education (GCSE) or any Standard Grade examination to assess a student’s academic ability. As applications to U.K universities are due before final exam scores (exams at the end of secondary school or “plus two”) are released, they consider “predicted” scores submitted by teachers. All students are accepted on a “conditional” offer that can be revoked if admitted students fail to secure their anticipated scores.

Australia All states in Australia use the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR), which is a percentile ranking that compares students and the score secured in the International Baccalaureate (IB) that is an international educational curriculum. Students complete these requirements at the end of year 12. For those who do

not have a recent ATAR score, the scholastic aptitude test - Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) is offered for admission into undergraduate programs. Test scores, high school performance, essays and English proficiency play a role in admission decisions.

Finland Upper Secondary education (an undergraduate program) in Finland is not mandatory.

Secondary school students can opt to undergo occupational training and work. Those who decide to attend college are admitted based on their Grade Point Average (GPA), academic tests and interviews. Admissions are solely based on a student’s academic ability and do not include essays or extra-curricular activities, which is similar to the Indian education system. The most staggering difference

between Finland and other countries in the world is that education in Finland is free!

India India has several entrance exams for admission into colleges. The All India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE) is a competitive test offered to student applying to engineering institutions. The National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET) is a common entrance examination offered to those who want to study medical sciences. The Common Entrance Test is a computerized exam administered to test students interested in business management. One of the most competitive exams, Indian Institute of Technology Joint Entrance Examination or the popularly known IITJEE, is an annual national level test offered to all students applying to any of the sixteen Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). The IIT’s admit one in fifty students.

H‑Factor

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

Holistic view of mind, body and soul

DON’T RUB IT IN If your little one has a cold don’t reach out for that good old menthol rub. It’s just too harsh for infants, warn experts and can leave them with irritated skin

Ranjani Rajendra ranjani.r@postnoon.com

hat’s the first thing most of us reach out for when we suffer from a runny nose and cough? A bottle of mentholbased rub I’d bet. The fact that we’ve been using them since childhood and there are several ads promoting the goodness of these rubs that are supposed to open up congested airways has us convinced that it’s the best thing to do. But does the same rule apply to children? It turns out, that the menthol salve that so many parents have been reaching out for everytime their little one has the cold, might not be such a great idea after all. According to studies, the menthol rub can in fact, narrow down the airways even further and make children even more uncomfortable. It has been recorded in some cases that using mentholbased rubs on toddlers can cause respiratory distress. “Menthol rubs create a cooling effect so people assume it is making breathing easier. But it is not so. In fact, it should not be used very close to the nose anyway even for adults. On the chest is alright,” says Dr Sharmila Asthana,

consultant paediatrician at Apollo Hospital, Hyderabad. “It is not advisable to use menthol-based rubs on children. They don’t help the situation, but only worsen it. The child’s delicate skin can get irritated by the rub and it can cause further problems. For instance, mucus production is increased and not decreased as is commonly believed,” says Dr Bhojraj, a paediatrician at Manasa Hospital at Bangalore. Dr Asthana explains that since a baby’s skin is very delicate, it can easily break out into rashes. “Even sweating or saliva can irritate their skin. Compared to that menthol rubs are much harsher,” she says. In fact, if you read the label of these menthol rubs you will see that they warn against using the product on children below the age of two. “Generally when a child has a cold, it is advised to use a simple steam inhalation procedure to relieve the congestion. It’s best to steer clear of these rubs,” says Dr Bhojraj. Increasing the intake of fluids is a great way to beat that cold instead. Vitamin C tablets, both chewable and the ones that can be swallowed also work. Besides, children always enjoy a tablet in candy form. For children who are old enough to eat solids, warn and nourishing soups like chicken soups are a great option. “To ease congestion and clogged nose in babies, parents can use a bulb syringe that is available in the market. This can be used to suck out the mucus from the nose. Another good idea is using saline drops. There are some readily available in the market, but if one so wishes they can make it at home too with some water and salt,” explains Dr Asthana. She goes on to add that parents can also buy humidifiers and place them in the room that the baby sleeps in. This will create a little humidity in the room and this will help clear the baby’s congestion.

Check for underlying reasons first

Dr Diana Monteiro

I face a peculiar problem with my 11-year-old daughter. She absolutely hates birthdays. While most kids her age have a huge list of demands and are excited about their birthdays, my daughter never wants to celebrate. So much so that over the last few years she falls ill around the time of her birthday and is miserable if we even suggest a party. It is unusual for a child to not look forward to her birthday. There are no specific reasons for a child to hate her birthday or to not want a party, so the reason can be ascertained only by talking to the child. For children in middle childhood (9-11), friends are an important part of their social lives and relationships begin to become complex, and peer pressure increases significantly. It is possible that the child feels isolated by her friends or is being bullied and thus does not want to subject herself to a party and become the target of more. Children at this age can become mean to their peers and if your child is a victim of this, then not wanting a party might be a symptom of a bigger problem. Further, if you feel that your child is not being bullied or isolated, then it’s possible that she is introverted and does not like being the center of attention. Ask her what she would like instead. If she wants nothing for her birthday, respect her wishes, but also explain that you are happy to have her in your life and would like to celebrate that. Suggest a small celebration with only immediate family. Another issue could be a bad experience or knowledge of something bad happening related to birthdays. Talk with your child and be involved in her life. The more you know and can talk to the child, the more you will understand. Don’t push the child for a reason, but discuss the issue and why you want the child to celebrate, but also respect the child’s wish. (The writer is a counselling psychologist at the Hyderabad Academy of Psychology. You can write to her at askdrdiana@gmail.com)

H‑Factor

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

Holistic view of mind, body and soul

Delaying menopause possible Women may be able to delay menopause ‘indefinitely’ — and with it have babies — thanks to an ovary tissue transplant technique already in use Freya Petersen

omen may be able to delay menopause “indefinitely” — and have babies later — with an ovary tissue transplant technique already in use. The ovarian tissue transplant techniques of one American doctor, already being used to treat cancer, were presented at the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology this week in Istanbul, the Daily Telegraph reported. The ovarian tissue can also be frozen and stored. According to reports of successful treatments,

two healthy baby boys and a baby girl, all conceived without IVF, the most recent when she was age 45. Worldwide, 28 women had given birth after having their ovarian tissue “restored,” the Telegraph reported. Most of the children had been conceived nat-

ed Silber saying. “You could have grafts removed as a young woman and then have the first replaced as you approach menopausal age. You could then put a slice back every decade. “Some women might want to

“This is an exciting developing as a fertility treatment, however we would need much more data before claims could be made about the menopause, he reportedly said. “You would have to balance it very carefully, the higher risks of

urally without the need for IVF for drugs. The treatments could also have health benefits, helping women avoid the increased risk of osteoporosis and heart disease linked to menopause, according to advocates. “A woman born today has a 50 per cent chance of living to 100. That means they are going to be spending half of their lives postmenopause, the Telegraph quot-

go through the menopause, but others might not.” A report in Today Online quoted Stuart Lavery, head of IVF at Hammersmith Hospital in London, as saying the findings showed ovarian transplants could last a lot longer than previously thought. Tim Hillard, a gynecologist and trustee of the British Menopause Society, called Silber’s technique “exciting.”

breast and womb cancer that go with having estrogen circulating for longer against the increased risk of heart disease, osteoporosis and maybe dementia that go with the menopause. “Theoretically it could be used as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy, particularly in women who go through the menopause prematurely, but that could be 10 or 15 years away.” GLOBAL POST

A REPORT IN TODAY ONLINE QUOTED STUART LAVERY, HEAD OF IVF AT HAMMERSMITH HOSPITAL IN LONDON, AS SAYING THE FINDINGS SHOWED OVARIAN TRANSPLANTS COULD LAST A LOT LONGER THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT a woman in Belgium gave birth after her ovarian tissue was frozen for decade, and in Italy a woman had a healthy baby girl after her tissue was frozen for seven years. “It’s really fantastic, we didn’t expect a little piece of ovarian tissue to last this long,” the American microsurgeon responsible, Sherman Silber, reportedly said. According to the Daily Mail, Silber had performed transplants of ovarian tissue for 11 women at St Luke’s Hospital in St Louis, Missouri. In 2007, Silber transplanted an ovary from one identical twin to another, with the 38-year-old recipient giving birth the following year. The recipient has now had

HOUSECALL

APP-LY YOURSELF

Cornelia de langue syndrome

ornelia de langue syndrome is a rare syndrome that usually affects children. It is a genetic syndrome that affects one in 40,000 newborns. The symptoms for cornelia de langue syndrome are a mix of physical deformities, development deformities and learning difficulties. When it comes to the physical features one may notice hirsutism (hairiness), long eyelashes, thin eyebrows low-set ears, widely spaced teeth, a short upturned nose and down-turned lips. Children born with this ailment tend to be smaller in size, have hearing and heart ailments, limb abnormalities and may also may be slow lowers. CDL syndrome is of two main types, namely severe CDL and mild CDL. Although there is no specific cure for the syndrome as such, various therapies are available to treat the symptoms such as speech delay.

ink Pad Free is an innovative health app that helps you track your periods and your health. It’s period tracker helps you plan day-to-day activities. It also has an ovulation calculator that helps you plan for pregnancy. One can also monitor and track moods, symptoms, weight, temperature and other menstrual related problems. The application also connects you to a social community so that you can connect, support and exchange health and lifestyle related ideas with women going through the same problems around the world.

Two bystanders better than one when cardiac arrest strikes

hen it comes to cardiac arrest in a public place, two good Samaritans are better than one, according to a new report. Japanese researchers from the Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medicine team found that the odds of survival were better when more than one bystander comes to the rescue — even if they were not fully trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), Reuters reported. The study, which reviewed more than 5,000 cases of adults suffering cardiac arrest in public, out of a hospital, found that the odds of survival went up two-fold higher when more than one person tried to help, according to the Japan Daily Press. When only one person came to the help, 3 percent of victims were still alive one year later, compared with 4 per cent with two responders and 6 per cent with three or more. The study also showed that hands-only CPR — which just involves chest compressions and no mouth-to-mouth breathing — could help adult victims until paramedics arrive. “This study confirms the importance of bystanders responding to cardiac arrest, and the importance of early CPR,” Dr Michael Sayre, associate professor of emergency medicine at Ohio State University in Columbus and a spokesman for the the AHA told Reuters. However, the results of the study — published in the journal Resuscitation — only applied to adults, the report said. And there was no survival advantage to having multiple rescuers for cardiac arrests suffered at home. “However, this beneficial effect is absent in outof-hospital cardiac arrests.”The AHA and other groups said that everyone should learn CPR. IANS

DID YOU KNOW?

Pink Pad Free

Replace your brush after flu

ust recovered from a cold or a viral infection? As important as it is to take the required medication and adequate rest, don’t forget to replace your toothbrush. Yes, it is advised that one should immediately replace one’s toothbrush after an episode of flu, cold or other viral infections. This is because it is believed that the microbes associated with cold and flu may possibly implant themselves on the toothbrush bristles. So, if one fails to replace the toothbrush, these implanted microbes have a chance of re-entering the body resulting in re-infection. And come to think of it, replacing your toothbrush is good for your oral hygiene as well!

Spotlight

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

SRINIVAS SETTY

Global fashion on one stage N Convention Center on Sunday played host to a mega fashion show organised by the Lakhotia Institute of Design.

A great vision

Glamour girl

N Manohar, speaker in the AP legislative assembly inaugurated the Indo-US eye hospital at Malakpet. It was launched in association with Pushpagiri Vitreo Retina institute. The hospital aims to provide affordable treatment and will function on donations and philanthropy. SRINIVAS SETTY

Badminton player Jwala Gutta inaugurated Colarz beauty studio in Madhapur on Sunday. Here she is seen with the studioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s owner Shravani Reddy.

Magic Screen

Thaandavam’s shooting is complete T he principal shooting of AL Vijay’s upcoming bilingual film Thaandavam is complete. The film starring Vikram, Jagapathi Babu, Anushka, Amy Jackson and Lakshmi Rai was earlier shot in Chennai, Delhi and London. The film’s story has been kept under wraps for now, but we hear that Jagapathi Babu is playing the role of a cop in the film. Thaandavam is an action entertain-

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

The glamour behind the glitz

er and it’s among the most waited Tamil films of the year. AL Vijay, Vikram and Anushka are teaming up for the second time after the trio worked together in the critically acclaimed film Nanna. G V Prakash has composed the music and UTV Motion Pictures, which has produced the film, is planning to release the film on September 28.

Vennela 1 1/2 set to release in August

T-TOWN TWEETIES

@RGVzoomin “@VadoothkarRohit: On his spur success of Eega, many directors wanna kill @ssrajamouli due to jealousy but ar afraid he mt get reborn as Eega.”

@actressanjjanaa Been working 18 hours a day last 3 days, back to 12 hours of shoot frm 2row, thank god, wil tweet more regularly 2row on lov u all.

@richyricha

haitanya Krishna, Monal Gajjar starrer Vennela 1 1/2 is finally gearing up for its release. Vennela Kishore had directed the film. Although the film’s shooting was wrapped almost a year ago, the film’s post production took a long time and earlier this year, Anil Sunkara bought the film. Buzz is that some of the scenes in the film were reshot and after completing the entire post production, the film is going to hit the screens in the first week of August. The film, which was mostly shot in Thailand, is being touted as a sequel to Deva Katta’s debut film Vennela. Sunil Kashyap composed the music.

DOOKUDU SWEEPS FILMFARE AWARDS

ahesh Babu’s Dookudu is on an award winning spree. After sweeping CineMAA Awards and SIIMA last month, its bagged six Filmfare Awards in a grand event which were recently held in Chennai, including awards for Best Film, Best Actor (Mahesh Babu), Best Director (Sreenu Vaitla), Best Music Director (S S Thaman), Best Supporting Actor (M S Narayana) and Best Playback Singer-Male (Rahul Nambiar). Among other big winners, Nayanthara won the Best Actress award for Sri Ramarajyam. Shruti Haasan won the award for Best Debut for Anaganaga O Dheerudu. The highlight of the evening was Tamannaah who stunned the crowd with her dance performance. Kamal Haasan, Mahesh Babu, Vikram, Suriya, Dhanush, Sreenu Vaitla, , Deepika Padukone, Kajal Aggarwal, Rana, were among those who graced the event.

Reached Ooty for Sar Osthara shoot. Very picturesque and the weather is awesome :) .Hope it stays like this 4 the next 20 days! #Telugu

@RanaDaggubati “Laugh can be a very powerful thing. Sometimes in life, it’s the only weapon we have.” — Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988)”

@ssrajamouli Hearty welcome to @kicchasudeep into Telugu film industry. Everyone here is raving about your performance. Gr8 going Sudeep. All the best.

@Actor_Siddharth Missed watching the match with my mother who is the best tennis fan I know. Thanks for passing on the bug Amma :)

@prakashraaj Federer again... What composure. Great watching him. Take a bow. Cheers...

@snehaullalheart It was great speaking to @AkasH_ILUall and @RAWNUCK2i3eats now just waiting for @imsonoo to give me his contact details... I keep my promises.

Magic Screen

The glamour behind the glitz

AJAY DEVGN

henever Bollywood stars indulge in philanthropy, they raise doubts of a personal motive. But actor-producer Ajay Devgn is emphatic that his short film on the burning issue of female foeticide has no commercial purpose. Ajay has teamed with his actress wife Kajol for the social message-based short, which is yet to be titled. “The film on female feoticide is not for commercial purposes. It is to create awareness. I think it’s our responsibility to do something that will create awareness about the issue of girl child and female feoticide,”Ajay told IANS in an interview. “I will do whatever I can in this regard, and it is not for business.You can’t view everything from the point of view of business,” he added. The three-minute short is a part of the Maharashtra government’s “Save The Girl Child” campaign. Ajay, who has featured in movies like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Company, the Golamaal series and Raajneeti, is reportedly making the film for free. Thanks to the film, the husband-wife duo will return to the screen two years after Toonpur Ka Super Hero. Ajay, who has a nine-yearold daughter, Nysa, with Kajol, hopes the mindset of people who indulge in female foeticide will change. “I don’t find any difference between a boy and a girl. Earlier, people used to believe that a girl will not be able to support the family, today they are working,” said the 43-year-old actor, who also has a two-year-old son, Yug. He is a strong believer in the saying: “A son is a son till he takes a wife. A daughter is a daughter for the rest of her life. “I personally think that girls take care of their family more than boys. Even after they get married, they come back and still take care of their families. Boys, once they get married, are gone. I don’t know when the mindset of people will change.” According to the 2011 Census, there are 914 girls for

B-TOWN TWEETIES

ê~ääáÉë=~Ö~áåëí ÑÉã~äÉ ÑçÉíáÅáÇÉ W

Priyanka Sharma

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

every 1,000 boys countrywide. “It is sad that female foeticide is still prevalent in our society and it’s not just among people who can’t read or write but is also prevalent among well-off and educated families. It is murderous and ridiculous,”said Ajay. Recently, Aamir Khan dealt with the festering issue on his debut TV show Satyamev Jayate. He brought audiences face to face with startling statistics about the girl child and how the issue has plagued society over the years. While the female foeticide episode of Aamir’s show attracted stupendous viewership, Ajay says it is tough to get audiences to watch films on such a socially relevant subject. What can help, however, is the right promotional strategy. “I would like to blend the message with entertainment. We are making a short film and if that could run in between entertaining films, it will reach out to more people,” he said. “If you tell people to come and see such a film in theatres, they won’t come. It has to be put in between commercial films that people go and watch. That’s how we can create awareness,” added the actor, who is also the brand ambassador of the Mumbai police Alert Mumbaikar campaign. IANS

@SrBachchan T 798 - I often wonder where people get the strength to say ‘I believe in myself’! Hear it so often in interviews of celebrity and sport!!

@sonamakapoor How gorgeous is David Beckham looking. Mrs Beckham you are one lucky lucky lady.

@MadhuriDixit1 No doubt that Wimbledon finals r exciting and IIFA has its charm. For me though, it’s all about dance and entertainment!

@NeilNMukesh For all asking ... I really like and am extremely fond of @sonalchauhan7. While we’re very close friends, we’re not in a relationship.

@GulPanag Grandad birthday was fab. Most of his kids, grand kids and great grand kids were around. Lovely day! Flip side @Super_Milo is unwell :(

@AnupamPkher “A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.” :) Winston Churchill

@FarOutAkhtar Glad to know you’ve all been entertained by the #IIFA show last evening. @shahidkapoor nice one Pappu.

@salim_merchant Salim - Sulaiman live in UK. 14th July at demon ford Leicester and 15th July at the Apollo Hammersmith London. Have u bought ur tickets??

Magic Screen

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

Magic Screen

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

Magic Screen

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

The glamour behind the glitz

One Direction copied my hairstyle: Justin Bieber

J Lo plans new TV show about T lesbian couple

fter launching Q’Viva! The Chosen with estranged husband Marc Anthony, popstar Jennifer Lopez is now developing a scripted show about a lesbian couple. The 42-year-old American Idol judge will executive produce the hour-long drama that centers on a lesbian couple, who bring a teenager into their already child-heavy household, reported Ace Showbiz. Peter Paige and Brad Bredeweg have been hired as the writers. They will join Lopez, Simon Fields and Greg Gugliotta as executive producers. PTI

een popstar Justin Bieber says British-Irish boy band One Direction copied his hairstyle. The 18-year-old ‘Boyfriend’ singer said that he went for a shorter style after he noticed everyone, including the ‘What Makes You Beautiful’ hitmakers’ Liam Payne, had the same style as him, reported Contactmusic. “It was more like - everyone’s got my hair now and I need to change it up a little bit! Once I had my hair, I felt everybody else started to do the same thing, so I decided to change it,” Bieber said. Pointing at a picture of Payne, he added, “I mean, does that look a little familiar? Just a touch.” PTI

Carrie Underwood happiest with husband and dogs

ountry singer Carrie Underwood says her husband Mike Fisher and dogs make her life better. “What makes me happiest? My husband and my dogs Ace and Penny, they are just happy to see me. I don’t have to explain anything to them, they love me unconditionally. They make my life better,” Underwood said. The singer, who rose to fame on American Idol, said that if given a chance she would go back in time and not let her younger self get stressed about career. “At the beginning of my career, I was trying to work out how to keep up with everything and maintain my sanity. I probably got more stressed and worried than I should have,” she said. PTI

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

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

Take a shot at the brain game while sipping your cuppa

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Mercedes' partner 5 ‘Support the ___’ 11 Turned on, as a bulb 14 White-centered cookie 15 Extravagant publicity 16 WSW opposite 17 Turner on the boat in ‘Proud Mary’ 19 ‘That'll be ___ day!’ 20 Particle physicist's particle 21 Tightening tool 23 ‘Shaft’ scorer Hayes 26 Resort for reducers 28 Aesop racer 29 Falafel bean 31 Bar tender? 33 Dark half of a Chinese circle 34 Defunct airline 36 Illegal lottery 41 Choice for rain gear 42 ‘Don't ___ step further!’ 44 Deflects 47 Cover by draping 50 Bowery denizen, once 51 ‘Sure thing, skipper!’ 52 Brewer's hotspots 53 Rubs elbows 56 All clocks are set by it (Abbr) 57 Not feeling 100 percent 58 React, figuratively 64 ‘Seinfeld’ uncle 65 Footnote citation 66 Attack unexpectedly 67 ‘... and so on’ (Abbr) 68 Allegorical cards 69 Barbecue rod DOWN 1 Conk on the bean 2 ‘The ___ of Good Feelings’ 3 Springfield widower Flanders 4 Collection of signs 5 ‘And __ what happened?’ 6 Boarding-pass word 7 ‘Check THAT out!’ 8 Wagner composition 9 ‘Not guilty,’ eg

10 Bad thing to get in a wound 11 Like an asp's bite 12 ‘Come ___ at once!’ 13 Balance on the brink 18 It may be picked 22 Armor defect 23 ‘If looks could kill’ type of stare 24 Body part often kicked 25 Aboriginal Japanese 26 Catalogue issuer of yore 27 Access provider 30 Suffers from sunburn 31 501 and 505 32 Cannonball's trajectory 35 More than double 37 Dum-dum 38 Boring necessity? 39 Things that can be bruised 40 Advertise broadly

43 You see them after they're taken out 44 For a short span 45 End of the rainbow? 46 As a group 48 Comfortable, as accommodations (Var) 49 Appraisers 51 Just waking up 54 Black-bordered news item, briefly 55 ‘Ali ___ and the Forty Thieves’ 56 Agate and amethyst, eg 59 ‘And now, without further ___’ 60 A monarch may be

SUDOKU

snagged in it 61 Across the pool and back 62 ‘Rocky ___’ (film with Mr T) 63 Banned bug-killer

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

THOUGHT OF THE DAY Golf and sex are about the only things you can enjoy without being good at. – Jimmy Demaret

Chai Time STAR POWER

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

Your tomorrow today̶Star Power and Tarot THIRUVAIKUMAR

As per Hindu panchang

FOR 10-7-2012

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

TAURUS

GEMINI

Unexpected fortune opportunity likely. Businessmen will sign new and favour‑ able contracts. You will face problems with courage and succeed. You will have to spend more for events.

Ups and down will be seen in ﬁnancial situation. Legal issues may be faced with regard to property or chances of getting robbed. Be careful in express‑ ing your opinions that drag you down.

Health problem likely; take good care. Negligence might lead to major issues. Plan work properly before execution or face disappointment. Some try to get things done by inﬂuencing you.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

Maternal relatives will bring you ten‑ sion and depression by their behaviour. Some have bright chances to buy land, house or vehicle. Good effects will be more. Couple will be cordial.

Businessmen will ﬂourish well and ﬁ‑ nancial position will be strong. Purcha‑ se of vehicle and property likely. Heal‑ th problem likely; take care. Be careful with opposite sex as tensions possible.

Family will be in a happy atmosphere. Though minor hurdles are faced, you will manage them and come out suc‑ cessfully. Those married recently will be blessed with an offspring.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

Unexpected fortune likely. But in cer‑ tain cases you have to struggle hard to achieve goals. Health needs to be taken care of, especially food habits must be under control. Minor tensions likely.

Family will be in a happy atmosphere. Financial position will be very strong. Marriage talks will end favourably. Those who graduated recently will get a promising career opportunity.

Frequent health problem likely. Take precautions and good care. Debt prob‑ lems will be under control. Chances of misunderstanding with spouse. Main‑ tain calm and avoid such a problem.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

You will march ahead with success in all development work undertaken. Blo‑ od relatives will support and help you in completing held up work. Enemies will become inactive and you will win.

Efforts might not be successful at one time; after several attempts successful will be achieved. Status and inﬂuence will increase. Financial inﬂow will be good and hence strong position likely.

Politicians will be entrusted with new responsibility and plum post. Some will plan a new joint venture business. Father's health problem will be over. Avoid unwanted arguments at work.

SUMAA TEKUR

FOR 10-7-2012

tarotreadhyd@gmail.com

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

Three of Wands – Be willing to throw an extravagant party to celebrate success. It is important to cele‑ brate success as it is to feel bad when youʼre low.

The Hermit – You are likely to meet a gorgeous person, who will change the way you think and make you look at life in a very differ‑ ent way.

Five of Cups – You and your signiﬁcant other make promises to live with each oth‑ er for eternity. It is cute, but make plans for when things donʼt work as per plan.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

The Tower – Some‑ one is getting on yo‑ ur nerves. The beha‑ viour are repulsive and you want to tell them that. Say it in a way that doesnʼt break their heart.

Six of Cups – Pay attention to essen‑ tials and do whatʼs needed on a daily basis so that you donʼt waste time with the planning and transition.

The Magician – Beneath a tough exterior you do have a soft and lovable heart. Allow this to come to the fore every now and then. Do things for others.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

King of Cups – Live in the moment. You always tend to end up thinking of the past, regretting past actions, or of the fu‑ ture, worrying about whatʼs to happen.

Knight of Swords – Someone will tell you a secret and trust you to keep it. Donʼt be tempted to whis‑ per this out to some‑ one else. May be a test of your loyalty.

Page of Pentacles – Your intuition is heightened and you feel great about your current status on the emotional plane. You may even counsel others.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Eight of Cups – You are becoming busy at work and this will ta‑ ke a toll on your heal‑ th. Meditate or spend time every day exer‑ cising to maintain emotional balance.

Queen of Pentacles – You will have to deal with some rather delicate situations. Be diplomatic at all times and do only that which will make you feel content.

Eight of Swords – You are looking out frantically for a job. You are reaching the end of your patience and it is now worrying you a great deal.

For Better or for Worse Stone soup

SOLUTIONS

Boggle PUG HUSKY HOUND POODEL BEAGLE

Number game

Suduko

Scrabble

Ink pen

COMICS

Fred Basset

ARIES

TAROT READ

Vol: 1, No 357 RNI No: APENG/2011/39337 Published for the proprietors, Scribble Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, by V Harshavardhan Reddy, at #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500033 and printed by him at Jagati Publications Ltd, Plot No D-75&E-52, APIE Industrial Estate, Balanagar, Ranga Reddy Dist, Hyderabad – 500037, Editor: Dean Williams – Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. For feedback, please write to: feedback@postnoon.com and for subscription, please call 040-4067 2222, Fax: 040-4067 2211

2012 LONDON OLYMPICS

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DID YOU KNOW...? n The Olympic Games had included the 80 m hurdles in the program from 1932 to 1968. Starting with the 1972 Summer Olympics the women’s race was lengthened to 100 m hurdles.

LEGENDS OF THE SPORT Dayron Robles (born November 19, 1986) is a track and field athlete who specialises in the 110 metre hurdles. He reached the pinnacle of his career in 2008 by setting a world record of 12.87 seconds at the Golden Spike Ostrava meet in June. He then went on to win the Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in 12.93 seconds.

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n The Olympic Games have included the 110 metre hurdles in their program since 1896. n For the 110 metre hurdles, the first hurdle is placed after a run-up of 13.72 metres (45 ft) from the starting line. The next nine hurdles are set at a distance of 9.14 metres (30 ft) from each other. n In 1900 and 1904, the Olympics also included a 200 metre hurdles race, and the IAAF recognized world records for the 200 metre hurdles until 1960. Don Styron held the world record in the event for over 50 years until Andy Turner broke the record in a specially arranged race at the Games in 2010. Styron still holds the world record in the 220 yard low hurdles.

100M/110M, 400M HURDLES:

The 110m hurdles event takes place on the home straight of the Athletics track. Athletes must jump over 10 evenlyspaced hurdles in their lane, before sprinting for the finishing line. Hurdles are the highest for any of the events, at 1.067m. They are designed so that if an athlete hits one it falls forward.

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TALLY 2008

Competition format 100m hurdles

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USA 7 RUSSIA 6 JAMAICA 6

The medals are for all the athletic events at the 2008 Games

MEDAL EVENTS

August 6 Men’s 400m Hurdles August 7 Women’s 100m Hurdles August 8 Women’s 400m Hurdles Men’s 110m Hurdles

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Yordanka Donkova (born September 28, 1961) is a former hurdling athlete notable for winning an Olympic gold medal and bronze medal as well as 9 medals at European indoor and outdoor championships. She still holds the championship record for the European Championships with 12.38 s. Donkova set four world records in 1986. Her time of 12.21 set in 1988, is still the current world record.

OVER THE TOP

DAYS TO GO

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

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7 7 2

The Hurdles races start with heats. The number of heats and the number of athletes who progress to the next round depends on the number of athletes competing. In each heat the best-placed

THE LINGO Stutter step is a footwork technique. The term has fallen out of usage in the modern game, but the technique is still used. The stutter step is basically running forward with small steps while squatting, having the back perpendicular to the ground It is a technique used to approach an obstacle. It allows the player to be in a stable ready position while moving forward. athletes as well as a set number of the fastest losers go through. The draw to determine which heat athletes run in is decided by their ini-

tial seedings for the first round, and then their performances after that. This ensures that the highest seeded athletes are not in the same heat.

Competition format 110m hurdles The Hurdles races start with heats. The number of heats and the number of athletes who progress to the next round depends on the number of athletes competing. The draw to determine which heat athletes run in is decided by their initial seedings (based on their past performances) for the first round, and then their performances after that. This ensures that the highest seeded athletes are not drawn in the same heat.

Competition format 400m hurdles The Hurdles races start with heats. The number of heats and the number of athletes who progress to the next round depends on the number of athletes competing. In each heat the best-placed athletes go through, as well as a set number of the fastest losers across all the heats. The draw to determine which heat athletes run in is decided by their initial seedings (based on previous performance) for the first round, and then their performances after that. This ensures that the highest seeded athletes are not drawn in the same heat. Athletes run the entire race in their lane, which is allocated to them.

HISTORY OF 110M HURDLES

or the first hurdles races in England around 1830, wooden barriers were placed along a stretch of 100 yards. The first standards were attempted in 1864 in Oxford and Cambridge: The length of the course was set to 120 yards

(109.7 m) and over its course, runners were required to clear ten 3 foot 6 inch (1.07 m) high hurdles. The height and spacing of the hurdles have been related to Imperial units ever since. After the length of the course was rounded up to

110 metres in France in 1888, the standards were pretty much complete (except for Germany where 1 metre high hurdles were used until 1907). The massively constructed hurdles of the early days were first replaced in 1895 with

somewhat lighter Tshaped hurdles that runners were able to knock over. However, until 1935 runners were disqualified if they knocked down more than three hurdles, and records were only recognized if the runner had left all hurdles standing.

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

29 1

DAYS TO GO

MARY EYES BOXING GOLD PUNE: The Indian heat is searing in the gym when the power goes out. A physio hurries over with an emergency lamp and boxing star MC Mary Kom resumes battering the punchbag. It’s hardly an ideal training session for an Olympic hopeful, but then glory never came easily for Kom. From her beginnings as a poor farmers’ daughter in a remote and troubled corner of India, “Magnificent Mary” has fought her way up to become five-times world boxing champion. The mum-of-two is now tipped as one of her country’s best bets for gold at London 2012 — a position few could envisage when she began learning to box. “People were discouraging me, saying in India there are not women boxers. That was my first challenge. I took the challenge, I had to prove myself,” she told AFP in Pune, the western Indian city where she is currently training. Kom — full name Mangte Chungneijang Merykom — was born 29 years ago in the northeastern state of Manipur, the eldest of four to parents who struggled to support their family through working on the fields. Growing up with a love of action movies, Jackie Chan and her hero Muhammad Ali, the young Kom realised that her pas-

sion for sport could provide a path out of poverty if she made it big. “So I left studying and focused on training,” she said. “I did everything in athletics: running, discus, javelin, so many. I can do everything.” When she heard that women’s boxing would be included in the Manipur state championships in 2000, she took to the ring and won the tournament just four months later. She tried to keep her new activity quiet from her parents, but when her victory was revealed in the local newspaper, her sceptical father summoned her for a talk. “He was worried about me getting injured and that

People were discouraging me, saying in India there are not women boxers. That was my first challenge. I had to prove myself. MC Mary Kom, Indian boxing star he couldn’t support me financially. But finally I convinced him, and at the last moment he accepted,” she said. Her determination paid off, propelling Kom to a

string of international boxing titles, national honours and financial rewards to help her family. Along the way she found time to set up a boxing academy, get married and have twin boys, who are now aged four and looked after by her husband back home in Manipur while she trains. Despite her obvious drive and talent, Kom said sponsorship deals were a long time coming and the lack of support sometimes upset her. “I don’t know if it’s because we don’t look like Indians,” she said of people from her home state, who live near the Myanmar border and whose facial features are often mistaken for Chinese or Southeast Asian.

Nigeria claim last basketball berth CARACAS: Nigeria seized the last men’s basketball berth at the 2012 Olympics on Sunday with an 88-73 victory over the Dominican Republic in a last-chance game at the FIBA qualifying tournament. Nigeria had shocked favourites Greece in the quarter-finals, but were beaten in the semi-finals on Satur-day by Russia — who book-ed their own place with th-at win. Lithuania had also secured a spot on Saturday with a victory over the Dominican Republic,

leaving Nigeria and the Dominicans to play one last contest for the third and final berth still up for grabs. Ike Diogu, a 10-year NBA veteran who was with the San Antonio Spurs last season before a spell with the Chinese Basketball Association’s Xinjiang Flying Tigers, led Nigeria with 25 points and 10 rebounds. “I’m very happy. We did what had to be done,” Diogu said. “We knew we were going to face teams that are heavyweights, and we did what we needed to do — win.” AFP

From a broken neck to breaking records

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BERLIN: Without a cycling helmet, she would probably have been killed. Three years after surviving an horrific accident, German cyclist Kristina Vogel will arrive at the Olympics as the world team sprint champion and record holder. Her Melbourne world championship triumph was the 21-yearold’s first taste of glory on the world stage and she will be battling alongside Britain’s Victoria Pendleton and Australia’s Anna Meares for Olympic sprint gold medal in London. It is all a far cry from April 20, 2009, when she collided with a minibus while riding her bike near her home in Erfurt. “A minibus took the right of way and I flew threw the windscreen,” Vogel, who was 18 at the time, said. “I am lucky I am not quadriplegic since I broke the fifth vertebrate in my neck on both sides. “I also broke my cheekbone, bones in my hand, sustained a lot of deep cuts, especially in the face and lost six teeth. I was in an artificial coma for two days, spent four weeks in hospital and was strapped to the bed for two and a half of them.” AFP

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German police trade truncheons for medals BERLIN: A group of part-time German police officers will be hoping to trade their truncheons for medals at the London Olympic, thanks to a scheme set up to provide potential medalists with funding. Since 1999, the Federal Police High-Performance Sports Project has been helping put Germany’s top performers on the podium in the Olympic sports of rowing, shooting, archery, athletics, judo, cycling and canoeing. AFP

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Playing Field

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

The games people play

The players participating in the selection trials (in descending order of their rankings)

Results n n n n n n

Lucky Vatnani bt Rafath Habib 3-0; Manan Chandra bt Kamal Chawla 3-2; Brijesh Damani bt Himangshu 3-1; Siddharth Parikh bt Shahbaaz Khan 3-0; Arantxa Sanchez bt Chithra 2-1; Lucky Vatnani bt Neeraj 3-0;

n n n n n

Vidya bt Keerath Bhandal 2-1; Himangshu bt Siddharth Parikh 3-2; Rafath Habib bt Shahbaaz Khan 3-2; Kamal Chawla bt Neeraj 3-1; Brijesh Damani bt Shahbaaz 3-2.

Women’s Snooker ANIL KUMAR

e u c a e k iT me to ta G. Aparna Sai aparna.s@postnoon.com

very sport has its own charm and its particular set of admirers. While most would vouch for cricket in terms of popularity, it comes as no surprise that the other sports, though with a smaller viewership, are pretty much alive. Though the baggage of expectations, politics and expenditure certainly exist in every sport, yet there is no dearth of players when it comes to the other sports

played in our cricket-crazy nation. While the word, “sports” reminds one of games like hockey, football, cricket and tennis to a large extent, it is not always that one associates Billiards and Snooker at the mere mention of the word. Yet a notion of this kind, fortunately does not exist among many and this is clearly visible when one visits the Film Nagar Cultural Centre, Hyderabad where the selection trials for the upcoming Billiards and Snooker World Cup com

petitions are being held. The selections which began on Sunday will conclude on the 16th of this month. Unlike what many would have expected, there were a decent number of spectators who turned up to watch the who’s who of the Billiards and Snooker fraternity take on each other. The World Cup which is scheduled to be held in November in Egypt, will see the best of the players from all across the globe, vying for the top honours. While the players to represent India would be decided at the end of the selection trials (July 16), Sanjay Sawant, the

National Snooker coach is very confident of a good show by the selected Indian team. “There are very good players who have come from all over the country for the selections. Whoever is selected will certainly perform well,” he said. The players also seem to ooze a similar kind of confidence. “Indians usually do well at such major events. Pankaj Advani is one good example,” says local lad, Lucky Vatnani. With this kind of a buoyancy existing among the players and the coaches, one should not be surprised if India rise above the others in the land of the Pyramids.

Vidya Pillai Arantxa Sanchis Neena Praveen Suniti Damani Chitra M Keerat Bhandal

Men’s Snooker Kamal Chawla Brijesh Damani Lucky Vatnani Siddharth Parikh Shahbaaz Adil Khan Rafath Habib Himanshu Jain Neeraj Kumar Manan Chandra I.H. Manudev

Billiards Rupesh Shah Arun Agarwal Alok Kumar Devendra Joshi Dhruv Sitwala B. Bhaskar Sourav Kothari Ashok Shandilya Siddharth Parikh V. Subramaniam Geet Sethi K. Venkatesham

Wimbledon 2012

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

Paes-Vesnina falter at final hurdle

LONDON: Leander Paes and Elena Vesnina will have to wait a little longer for their first Grand Slam title together as they finished runners-up in the Wimbledon mixed doubles event, losing the summit clash to

Mike Bryan and Lisa Raymond, here. The fourth seeded IndoRussian pair suffered a 3-6 7-5 46 defeat at the hands of the second seed Americans after battling for two hours and four minutes

late last night. It is for the second time in this season that Paes and Vesnina have ended runners-up at a tennis Major after losing the final of the Australian Open in January to Bethanie Mattek-Sands and

Horia Tecau. Nevertheless, it was a creditable performance from Paes after a stormy build up to the Wimbledon, caused by the selection drama for the London Olympics. Paes was forced to pair up with lower-ranked Vishnu Vardhan after both Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna refused to play with him. Paes, however, was teamed up with Sania Mirza for the mixed doubles event. Although Sania did not refuse to play alongside Paes, she made it clear that her preferred partner was Bhupathi, with whom she has won two Grand Slam titles.

Paes is the highest Grand Slam title winner for India with 13 trophies, six of them in mixed doubles. In today’s match, Vesnina served brilliantly and Paes too played well but the margin of error was little against the strong pair of Mike Bryan and Raymond, who had a superb all round game. It was the pair of Paes and Vesnina that got the first chance to go ahead but they squandered a break opportunity in the fifth game of the opening set. The break chance came about following a brilliant rally by an agile Vesnina at the net. PTI

Murray wins fans despite loss Federer humbled by sporting legends LONDON: Andy Murray may

have failed in his attempt to become the first British man since 1936 to win Wimbledon, but he has finally succeeded in capturing Britain’s heart, the country’s press said Monday. Murray’s valiant defeat to Roger Federer and his emotional post-match interview exposed sides of the Scot not often displayed in public, and suggests that he may not have to wait long to break his grand slam duck, the papers argued. The nation’s collective bottom lip wobbled when Murray broke down in tears after the match, with watching girlfriend Kim Sears and the Duchess of Cambridge both succumbing to the emotion. “Don’t cry girls, he did us proud”, splashed the Daily Mail across its front page, reflecting a shift in the nation’s complex relationship with its leading tennis player. The centre-right Mail has not always offered its unreserved support for Murray, and he has often been accused of being dour and emotionless on court. He also generated unwanted headlines when he jokingly said

his favourite football team was any one which was playing England. He has since had to endure a well-worn joke that he is only British when he wins and Scottish when he loses. Times columnist Matthew Syed said that the positivity shown in defeat meant he had shaken off the traditional British tag of “plucky loser” and had now become “a winner in waiting. His tennis was, at times,

sublime,” he wrote. “He started fast, got quicker, and was reeled in only when his opponent started reaching levels of genius rarely seen on Centre Court.” The Mail’s Martin Samuel wrote “he did not lose because he choked. He did not lose because he moaned. He did not surrender to injury, or mislay his focus under the incredible weight of history bearing down on him.” AFP

LONDON: Roger Federer praised golf superstar Tiger Woods on Sunday for the American’s support as he stormed to a record-equalling seventh Wimbledon title. Woods tweeted Federer after the Swiss star had claimed a 17th Grand Slam crown by beating Andy Murray 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 in the final, although Federer didn’t need to resort to social media to find that out. Woods had already sent him a personal message of congratulation. “Hats off to Murray for a great fight. But we saw why Fed is the #GOAT,” tweeted Woods, using the short form for ‘greatest of all time’. “I didn’t need to get it through Twitter, I got one from himself,” Federer said. He was very pumped up these last couple days for me. He was very supportive.” Woods currently has 14 majors as he attempts to chase

Roger driven by fatherhood, age LONDON: Roger Federer believes becoming a father and celebrating his 30th birthday inspired him to a record-equalling seventh Wimbledon title. Federer moved level with Pete Sampras on seven All England Club titles and celebrated a 17th Grand Slam crown with his battling 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 win over Britain’s Andy Murray in his eighth Wimbledon final. The win also allowed him to return to the top of the world rankings. down Jack Nicklaus’s all-time best of 18. Federer’s win took him level with Pete Sampras’s record of seven Wimbledon titles and guaranteed a return to the world number one spot where he will start a 285th week from Monday. AFP

Playing Field Kobayashi fined despite apology SILVERSTONE:

Kamui Kobayashi was fined 25,000 euros by the FIA despite his apologising to his Sauber team after injuring three mechanics during a pit-stop in Sunday’s British Grand Prix. The 25-year-old Japanese driver did not brake early enough and wound up overshooting his allocated position, knocking down three mechanics with the right side of his car in the process. Two of the mechanics were taken to the medical centre sporting cuts, bruises and a dislocated thumb, the third mechanic bruised his foot and was treated in the team’s garage. Kobayashi admitted he had not braked early enough and apologised to his team for the accident. “The accident was my fault and I want to apologise to the team,” he said. “Of course I had to push hard for points, but without doubt I braked too late in the pitlane. “The front wheels locked, I couldn’t control the car, and this is how I overshot the pit box. I am terribly sorry this happened, and I hope the three mechanics I hit get well soon.” Despite a strong showing out on the track, Kobayashi lost almost 20 seconds from the incident and wound up out of the points in 11th position. AFP

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

The games people play

Ted harries Troy, wins playoff WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, WEST VIRGINIA: Rookie Ted Potter Jnr drained a four-foot birdie at the third hole of a sudden death playoff on Sunday to edge Troy Kelly for a first USPGA tour win at the Greenbrier Classic. Potter, ranked 218th in the world, finished eagle-birdie as he erased a four-shot deficit in regulation, carding a final-round 64 to join Kelly on 16-under 264. He became the sixth first-time winner on the tour this season. He earned a winner’s prize of $1,098,000 and jumped from 173rd to 51st in the FedEx Cup playoff standings. It was quite a turnaround for the 28-year-old left-hander, who had missed five straight cuts coming into the tournaments. “When you’re missing cuts every week, you get down on yourself,” Potter acknowledged. “I mean, it’s hard to pick yourself back up. But the plus side for me is I was still young. I just knew I had plenty of time and just be patient and it will come back around again.” Potter said the two-year tour exemption that goes with the win “was just a big relief ... knowing that now I’ve got a couple years to try to improve on my game and win some more tournaments.” Kelly, who started the day two shots behind overnight leader Webb Simpson, had five birdies in his four-under 66 on the Old White TPC course.

Choi wins US Women’s Open KOHLER, WISCONSIN: South Korea’s Na Yeon Choi won the US Women’s Open on Sunday, showing a champion’s resolve in the face of adversity to claim her first major title. Choi, 24, fired a one-over 73 at Blackwolf Run for a seven-under total of 281 and a four-shot victory over another South Korean, Amy Yang. Choi had gone into the final round with a six-shot lead thanks to a remarkable 65 in Saturday’s windwhipped third round. Yang carded a one-under 71 for a three-under total of 285, with no other players finishing under par for the event. Choi’s triumph came on the same course where Se Ri Pak won the 1998 US Women’s Open, a victory Choi recalls watching on television as a girl. AFP Simpson, who claimed a first major title with his US Open triumph at The Olympic Club in San Francisco last month, surrendered a one-shot lead on the back nine of the final round here for the second straight year. Four bogeys in five holes from the 12th spelled the end of his challenge and he closed with a 73

Wiggins looks to make history Justin Davis

PORRENTRUY: Switzerland: Bradley Wiggins has played down the much-hyped importance of the two long time trials that could well decide whether he becomes Britain’s first Tour de France champion. “There is so much fuss made about them, but there’s been another eight stages before then,” Wiggins said after defending his slim race lead on the hilly eighth stage here Sunday. “You don’t win the Tour on time trials alone.” But that won’t stop the Team Sky leader from trying to increase his advantage over a select group of yellow jersey rivals in a 41.5 km race against the clock on Monday. After taking the yellow jersey for the first time on Saturday, Wiggins defended it in spite of attempts by defending champion Cadel Evans and Italian contender Vincenzo Nibali to shake him loose. Ahead of Monday’s time trial around Besancon he leads Australian rival Evans by 10sec

with Nibali a further six seconds off the pace and experienced Russian Denis Menchov fourth at 54. As one of the best time triallists in the business, most are expecting Wiggins to increase his lead over his rivals to give himself a worry-free rest day on Tuesday. But he Londoner is taking nothing for granted. “It’s the race of truth, so you’ve got to have the legs ulti-

mately,” said Wiggins, who beat Evans in the last long time-trial last month. “Anything’s possible tomorrow. I try not to think too negatively, and just concentrate on my own race.” BMC leader Evans is no slouch in the race against the clock either, having secured his maiden Tour triumph last year with a stunning time trial performance in the penultimate stage.

that left him tied for seventh. “I kind of made a couple bad swings and judged the wind wrong a bunch of times it seemed like,” Simpson said of his back nine. “It was just one of those unfortunate nine holes where all week everything had been going right and in nine holes everything couldn’t have gone worse.”

South Korea’s Charlie Wi and rookie Charlie Beljan shared third place on 14-under 266. Wi posted a 65 and Beljan a 67. Potter became the second rookie to win on the US tour this season. He had a chance to win at the second extra hole — the 17th that he had eagled in regulation. AFP

Didier to coach France PARIS: France’s World Cup and Euro winning captain Didier Deschamps was named coach of the national side on Sunday, the French Football Federation (FFF) announced on its website. The 43-year-old — who captained France to the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 trophies replaces fellow World Cup and Euro winning team-mate Laurent Blanc, who turned down a new two year contract last weekend.Blanc had guided the French to the Euro 2012 quarterfinals - the minimum requirement of the FFF - but dressing room discord and two outbursts by Samir Nasri had not helped Blanc’s cause. Deschamps immediately became the favourite and lent credence to the fact by quitting Marseille last Monday. “Noel Le Graet, President of the FFF, and Didier Deschamps reached agreement after the conclusion of their talks for him to be named France coach,” read the statement. Both men are to hold a joint press conference on Monday at the federation headquarters at

1530 GMT. Frederic Thiriez, president of the French Professional League (LFP), welcomed the appointment unreservedly. “Didier Deschamps is obviously the man of the moment,” said Thiriez. “The French team needs in this difficult context, a man of his stamp and experience. He can naturally count on the support without fail of the professional football world in France.” Deschamps contract is expected to be for two years - taking him up to the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil. AFP