TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012 HYDERABAD
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WEATHER: CLEAR SKIES; 23°C
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HYDERABAD’S FIRST COMPACT AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER
THE WORLD OF FASHION A
s the year draws to a close, we take a look back at the fashionistas who made news this year. We bring you some of the fashion highlights.
‘I’LL WAIT FOR DANIEL CRAIG TO RETIRE’ H
ugh Jackman has joked that he will take the James Bond role when Daniel Craig gives up.
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RUNAWAY
GROOM
A 23-year-old bride attempted suicide after her groom fled with the cash given in dowry an hour before their wedding.
REPORT ON P3
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012
city events
HYDERABAD ROCKATHON
The Great Hyderabad Adventure Club and the Society to Save Rocks are conducting Hyderabad Rockathon 2012, to spread awareness about preserving the rockscape of the City, on December 16 at University of Hyderabad, Gachibowli, from 7:30am to 1pm.
Weather for Hyderabad
Evening
Overnight
Morning
Afternoon
23°C
17°C
23°C
31°C
Clear with cloudy periods
Clear with cloudy periods
Sunny with cloudy periods
Mostly sunny
New Delhi Mumbai Max 22 Max 31 Min 12 Min 19 Partly cloudy
Chennai Max 30 Min 22
Clear skies
Bangalore Max 27 Min 16
Mostly synny, clear skies
Mostly sunny
AROUND THE CITY: YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES When: December 15 2pm onwards Contact: 88855 10382
DINING Moplah Magic Moplah cuisine, form Kerala, will be served with Arabic and Samarkandi touches. Where: Dakshin, Begumpet When: December 10-16 Contact: (040) 2340 0132
Photo competition Alliance Francaise, Hyderabad, is conducting a photo competition. The theme is Professions of the world. Where: http://hyderabad.afindia.org When: December 3-January 6 Handloom exhibition Pochampally Handloom Park is organizing IKAT Mela, exhibiting handloom linen, dress material and saris. Where: State Gallery of fine Arts , Department of Culture, Kavuri Hills, Madhapur When: 13-16 December from 6-9:30pm Contact: 98488 42471
1 Night 2 Give There is a gala dinner to raise funds for the “Girl child education” campaign. It will be launched by activist Amala Akkineni.. Where: Park Hyatt Hyderabad, Road No 2, Banjara Hills When: December 12, 7pm onwards Contact: (040) 4949 1234
SHOWS Sound of Music This musical drama is the theatre version of the 1965 classic performed by Oakridge International School. Where: Shilpa Kala Vedika, Near Cyber Towers, Hitec City When: December 11, 7pm onwards Contact: 93965 55888 Christmas carols Christmas carols will be sung by Global Edge school till the end of December at The Lobby. Where: Novotel & HICC Complex, PO No 1101,
MAKE WAY: Traffic jam caused by buffalo at Nagarjuna Circle, leading to Banjara Hills road.
Cyberabad Post Office, Near Hitech City When: December 3-31 Contact: (040) 6682 4422 Célimène and the Cardinal Alliance Française of Hyderabad & Qadir Ali Baig theatre foundation present Célimène and the Cardinal by Jacques Rampal. Where: Nift Auditorium, Madhapur When: December 11, 7pm onwards Contact: (040) 2355 4485
ART Art exhibition Works of K Muralidhar will be on display, along with his invention, “ecofriendly clay.” Where: The Rainbow Art Gallery,
Commissioner & Spl Officer
Helpline GAS BOOKING IVRS NO HP 9666023456 Indane 9848824365 BSNL Complaints HMWS & SB Complaints
198 155313
POLICE CONTROL ROOM Hyderabad 27852435 Traffic Control Room 27852482 DCP Traffic 23234065, 23243499F Pollution Control Board 23887500 ELECTRICITY General Complaints Breakdown Section
155333 23431178 23431179
MUNICIPAL CORPORATION
23262266 24166666R ENC 23225267 Engineering 23220418 MCH Tankbund 23225397 Emergency MCH Circle I&II 24525842 MCH Circle III 24736912 MCH Circle IV 23326975 MCH Circle V 23326976 MCH Circle VI MCH Complaints 1100 Head Office 23225397 IVRS CUM MANUAL ENQUIRY PHONE NUMBERS (TRAIN & RESERVATION) RAILWAYS Rail Nilayam 27833169, 27824216 Railway Information 131 Reservations 135 Recorded Information 1345 Enquiry (IVRS) 1331, 1332, 1333
Paryatak Bhavan When: Upto December 12 Contact: 99596 31898 Tales of an idyllic world Alliance Française, Hyderabad, is hosting an exhibition of paintings: Tales of an Idyllic World by Bala Abhiram. Where: Alliance Francaise, Banjara Hills, Rd No 3 When: Upto December 14 from 9am Contact: (040) 2355 4485 Eclectic iridescence An exhibition of Dhiren Shasmal’s art work on various themes and styles of painting. Where: Residence Inn, Amar Coop Soc.,Lane Opp. Madhapur PS,
WATER SUPPLY Complaint Cell Sewerage Complaint Hyd. Water Supply HOSPITAL General Hospital, Sec-bad Niloufer Hospital, Red Hills NIMS, Director, Punjagutta Osmania General Hospital Railway Hospital, Lalaguda Apollo, Jubilee Hills Care Hospital, Banjara Hills Care Hospital, Nampally Care Hospital, Musheerabad Care Hospital, Sec-bad Kamineni Hospital, LB Nagar
155313 23307328 23313163
27505566 23314095 23390933 24600146 27001134 23607777 30418888 30417777 30419000 30416666 39879999
BLOOD BANKS Blood Bank,Narayanguda Chiranjeevi Blood Bank Blood Bank Mediton Goal Red Cross, Vidyanagar ADRM Blood Bank Mythri Charitable Trust NTR Memorial Trust Care Banjara Hills
Kavuri Hills When: Upto December 19, 11am onwards Contact: (040)2311 3709 Po10tial A show of recent works by various artists like Anand Bekwan, Jinson Jospeh and Maredu Ramu. Where: Kalakrithi Art Gallery, Rd No 10, Banjara Hills When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 6656 4466
Music workshop There is a 3-day workshop on Hindustani classical music and ghazal singing by Ustad Rajkumar Rizvi Sutradhar and Naadbrah. Where: 3-6-145/9/1/1, Himayatnagar When: December 12-14 6:30pm-10pm Contact: 77990 00792
MISCELLANEOUS Treasure Hunt Amar Chitra Katha is organizing a treasure hunt for kids. Where: Landmark, KMC Retail Mall, Somajiguda
27567892 23559555 23226624 27633087 27035588 27550238 30799999 30418296 30417445
AMBULANCES Apollo 23548888, 23607777 Kamineni 24022222 Medwin 23202902, 23204616 Smile Line Dental Hospital 23747979 Red Cross 27627973 Niloufer Hospital 23314095 Gandhi 23320332 AIRLINES
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Public speaking workshop There is a four-day workshop on effective public speaking at Media Junction. Where: Media Junction, Parthani Towers, , Golconda Cross Roads, Musheerabad When: 13-16 December from 6-9:30pm Contact: 98488 42471
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
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012
City
TODAY’S QUESTION
YESTERDAY’S QUESTION
WERE MPS WHO MISSED FDI VOTING PLOTTING WITH CONGRESS? 60%
WILL THE ALL-PARTY MEET RESOLVE THE T-ISSUE? A)
YES (A) NO (B)
40%
YES
B)
NO
To vote visit www.postnoon.com
CRIME
Groom bolts with cash
Man makes his escape with the dowry an hour before the wedding was to take place. The dejected bride attempts suicide. FOR REPRESENTATIONAL PURPOSES
Mohd SUBHAN mohd.s@postnoon.com
Vehicles set ablaze POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com
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n avaricious ‘groom’ bolted with a huge amount of cash paid as dowry just an hour before the marriage was scheduled to take place, leaving the bride and her parents devastated. In deep depression, the bride attempted suicide by consuming poison, but was saved by timely medical intervention. The crime took place right on the kalyana mandapam (marriage podium) under the jurisdiction of Mangalagiri police station in Guntur district on Sunday. The marriage of G Triveni, 23, was fixed with T Prasad, 32, who works in a private firm in the district. Her father, G Gurvaiah, a businessman, had agreed to pay `4.5 lakh in cash as dowry, besides the usual quota of jewellery and other valuables. The marriage was fixed for December 9 at 12.28 pm. All the preparations were made, guests arrived and the bride and groom were ready when the cash box was handed over to the boy’s parents. Soon after, an hour before the muhurtam, the groom melted away quietly. Triveni saw him leaving. She alerted her par-
CRIME
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ents, who questioned the boy’s relatives and parents. A heated argument took place, at the end of which the parents and relatives of the boy too disappeared in various vehicles. The girl and her parents were inconsolable. Apart from the shame, the fact that the girl’s father had paid dowry was now out in the open. “Was he so desperate?” was the query raised. Soon, a mournful atmosphere
reigned in a place where songs and laugher had been just a moment before. The bride managed to get hold of some toxic liquid (people don’t know how) and tried to commit suicide. She was, however, saved by timely admission to the hospital. The police are trying to locate the deceitful groom and his parents. An officer was reported as saying that he couldn’t understand the wanton greed of some youths.
car and a bike were set ablaze at different places in Old City on Monday night. Cases have been booked against unidentified accused in both cases. The first incident was reported at Dhobi Ghat in Madanapet, where some unidentified people burnt a car belonging to a businessman. The victim, Fahad Ahmed, had parked his vehicle in front of his home as usual. He was asleep when some unknown people allegedly poured petrol on his car and set fire to it. Locals who saw the fire alerted the owner, then notified the police. The police reached the spot and controlled the fire, but so far, the reason of the arson has not been established. Another incident was reported at Narsareddy Colony in Kalapathar, where the bike of Mohd Anwar, who works in a private company, was torched by unidentified people. The bike was parked on the road in front of his house. Miscreants allegedly poured petrol and set fire to his bike. Anwar and his family woke up and managed to control the fire. DCP (south zone) Akun Sabharwal said the police stations concerned have booked cases and have started investigations.
PILGRIMAGE
AP Sabarimala pilgrims suffer neglect ‘Swami Saranam’ chants rent the air in December-January and some two crore Ayyappa devotees from the State mean it literally as they are left high and dry by both the AP and Kerala governments. ANUBHA K SINGH anubha.k@postnoon.com
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he railways has done a disservice to Ayyappa devotees from the State. Instead of starting trains without reservations, the system of reservation that enables booking three months in advance is being misused by travel agents, bemoan devotees from AP. They expressed their wish for more unreserved trains to circumvent the problem. The second largest number of Sabarimala pilgrims, nearly two crore, travel from Andhra Pradesh. Not only travel problems, but also the habit of AP devotees of eating only kuchcha rice makes it difficult for them, as Sabarimala temple managers serve parboiled rice gruel, tapio-
ca and curry for meals in the temple premises. Devotees from Hyderabad said they prefer taking the train as it offers more freedom and comfort than a car or a plane. The rush for witnessing the ‘jyoti’ that mysteriously appears on January 14 has already begun. Every year, there is an increase in the number of devotees visiting Sabarimala. Travel agents and those renting out vehicles say there could be a 30 to 40 per cent increase in pilgrims to Sabarimala this year. Some 11 trains have been engaged for Sabarimala from different parts of the State. The trains offload pilgrims at Kollam, the nearest station to the shrine. The misuse of reservation by agents has made rail travel impossible. “Only lord can save us. We have
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no hope in human beings,” said Rajesh Pallepati, a devotee boarding a train at Secunderabad. “The new trains have been started from last week of November and getting a confirmed berth now is almost next
to impossible,” said Rama Rao, a IT profession and devotee. However, devotees like Brahmananda, a gymnastics coach, said the main problem starts after reaching Sabarimala. Apart from the language barrier,
devotees have to queue for long hours whenever a VIP visits the temple. “Every year, there is an increase in number of devotees, but maintenance by the Kerala government is low,” he said. “Travelling to Sabarimala is a hassle. Pilgrims prefer travelling by bus and private vehicles, but the irony is that even APSRTC services are not up to the mark. It is the duty of the Kerala government to see that pilgrims from different parts of the country get proper facilities. The nearest railway station, Chengannoor, is the most preferred destination. From there, devotees take a bus for Sabarimala. But there are not enough buses. It’s high time Kerala government did something,” says Chiranjeevi Rao who is visiting Sabarimala from for the last 30 years.
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city TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012 LAST YEAR... HERE Not reaching high
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ast year, we had reported how the fire department in the City had only three hydraulic platforms with a reach up to 10-14 floors. With high-rises of 20-plus floors mushrooming in Hyderabad, this shortage could only spell disaster. The news came to light in the wake of the tragedy at the Kolkata hospital, which prompted cities to check their own fire services.
DECEMBER 11, 2011
NUMEROLOGY
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was the revenue earned by Osmania General Hospital by selling generic medicines in a month. Pharma companies make over 10 times the revenue from branded medicines.
About the lights going out (at the first day of the World TT tournament), we were just testing the 250 KV generator that we had roped in as a backup for power supply. V Malapaka, organiser See page 6
CIVIC
Musi to get French help The mayor and the commissioner met delegates of Bordeaux Urban Community to discuss the river rejuvenation project. POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com
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French delegation headed by Christine Bost, vice-president, Bordeaux Urban Community, France, has called on the mayor and GHMC commissioner in their chambers on Monday. The delegation met them in connection with the Musi Rejuvenation project, being taken up as part of the government’s National River Conservation Programme (NRCP). Mayor Mohammed Majid Hussain said that the co-operation of Bordeaux Urban Community, France, will catalyse the Musi Rejuvenation project, which will be taken up by the GHMC. While interacting with the delegates, the mayor explained how the old drainage system of Hyderabad, built by the Nizams 100 years ago, is still able to control the current sewerage system. He added that there was need to improve the facility for the benefit of the public. He also assured that he will be looking forward for the mutual techni-
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Pilgrims face a tough time during peak season. Sabarimala devotees from the State are an unhappy lot, because the travel facilities to the popular pilgrimage site leave a lot to be desired.
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Does a beloved leader become common property? A rival political party has used NTR’s photo on their campaign material, claiming that he is the property of the State.
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Disqualified, but not out in the GHMC. A GHMC corporator may have been disqualified, but the officials are still taking their time over the legal issue.
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No glitches on Day Two of table tennis tournament. After the fiasco on the first day of the World TT Tournament, the next day went off smoothly.
improvement of water quality in Musi river and the second being protection and development of recreational places on the riverfront. He said that GHMC has jurisdiction over 21.5 km that the Musi river flows through, and that the corporation is planning to develop
the river with the support of NRCP within three years. Reacting to the proposal of agreement by French delegates, he said that GHMC will be writing to the AP government for seeking approval for entering a mutual technical agreement with the French organisation.
Kiran gives assurance to farmers
The column that teaches everyone something new about the way the City functions.
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cal exchange between both the cities and hoped that this relationship would go a long way in creating new avenues for the younger generation of the City. MT Krishna Babu, commissioner, said that protection of Musi River will be taken up in two phases; first being the
AGRICULTURE
THINGS WE 5LEARNT TODAY Not having the reach that they intended. A State government scheme, aimed at providing generic medicines for sale at hospitals, has not had the reach the government intended.
Mayor Mohammed Majid Hussain with delegates of the French organisation
Promises that the State would purchase all discoloured paddy and cotton stock.
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determined to purchase the discoloured paddy and cotton stocks from the farmers. Kiran Kumar Reddy held a detailed review with the officials of marketing department, civil supplies corporation and Cotton Corporation of India at his office in the Legislative Council on Monday. The chief minister directed chief secretary Minnie Mathew to appoint special officers of different
hief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy today asked officials to take steps to purchase cotton at a rate which is not less than the minimum support price (MSP) . He also instructed officials to purchase the total quantity of discoloured paddy from the farmers. The chief minister declared that the farmers need not worry, as the government is
departments to co-ordinate with the Cotton Corporation of India officials and monitor on a daily basis the quantity of cotton coming into the market, cotton being purchased and cotton available with the farmers. The chief minister also gave clear instructions to the officials to take immediate steps to ensure that farmers are not put to any hardships. NSS
NEWS BRIEFS Body of auto driver found in tank
21-year-old biker run over at Saidabad
1,250 packets of hooch seized, four held
Emergency landing at Hyderabad airport
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he decomposed body of MA Samad, an auto driver from Mahmood Nagar, who has been missing since December 3, was found in Miralam tank on Sunday. The 45-year-old had disappeared from his home and his family had no clue of his whereabouts, stated a complaint by his son, MA Basheer.
student, Karthik, died in a road mishap on Saidabad Road. The victim, a 21-year-old resident of Roshandullah colony of Balapur, was returning home after meeting his friends at Malakpet on his bike. A speeding car hit him on Saidabad Road and he died on the spot, police said. The car that knocked him down sped away.
he anti-hooch squad arrested four and seized 1,250 packets of gudumba (hooch) from their possession yesterday. The four, P Arjun Singh, J Raju, Kumaraswamy, and P Vijay Kumar, were found to be part of the seller’s chain. They would purchase each sachet for `10 and sell it for `15 a sachet, said the squad officers.
Goa-bound Air Arabia plane from Sharjah made an emergency landing at Shamshabad Airport on Tuesday morning. With poor weather conditions in Goa, the plane from Sharjah, with 160 passengers on board, stayed for hours at the Hyderabad international airport. The flight finally took off to Goa at 9.47 am.
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city TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012
POLITICS
Is NTR a property of State? A ticklish issue has cropped up with the once TDP-man-turned-YSRC KS Rao alias Nani using NTR’s picture in YSRC campaign materials. PK SURENDRAN surendran.pk@postnoon.com
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an one party leader portray the picture of another party leader in his election campaign boards? Law is mute on that. The issue has come up with YSRC leader KS Rao alias Nani of Gudivada portraying TDP founder NTR on the party billboards. Nani is a TDP renegade who joined YSRC in June. TDP MLA of Mylavaram, D Umamaheshwara Rao, has termed the blatant use of NTR’s image as ‘shameful’ and asked Nani to quit and seek re-election if he has any moral values left. Rao also wanted the YSRC leadership to remove the photograph of NTR and stop ‘defaming’ a great leader of the State. This is all the more outrageous as
CIVIC
GHMC flip-flops on disqualification
In his defence, Nani claims that he respects NTR, while disagreeing with Chandrababu Naidu and his coterie. Nani had been critical of TDP leaders. On his part, Nani claims to respect NTR while disagreeing with Chandrababu Naidu and his coterie. Rao criticised Nani for bringing down the image of Krishna district and alleged that the YSR Congress was indulging in horse-trading and was making them hurl abuses at rival parties. He demanded an explanation from the YSR Congress for allowing Nani to speak against the TDP. TDP MLC YVB Rajendra Prasad took exception
to Nani’s remarks against the TDP, Naidu and Balakrishna, and using NTR’s photograph to cash in on the goodwill the leader has on the masses. Prasad said Nani and other YSRC leaders have no right to speak against TDP as the new political outfit was born with corruption money and its chief, Jaganmohan Reddy, was allegedly in several financial fraud cases. He said that YSRC MLA Balineni Srinivasa Rao had openly admitted that the party would soon merge with the ruling Congress, as it would take four to five years for Jagan to come out of jail. However, Nani reportedly has taken the stance that NTR was a mass leader and he is the property of the whole State and its population, not of the TDP alone. Who will solve the issue remains a ticklish question.
STILL DEFIANT
Case of judiciary disqualifying an MIM corporator for violating rules disallowing more than two children for a candidate has enabled a BJP runner-up to replace him, but it has put civic officials in a quandary. Md NIZAMUDDIN nizamuddin.a@postnoon.com
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ot in the recent past has officials of GHMC faced a situation like this. A corporator was ordered unseated by the High Court and the second-in-line replaced him, leading to a stir in the civic politics. It was a shock to the ruling partner, MIM, when the court declared the election of Langar House corporator Ravi Yadav null and void for violating the rule that a candidate having more than two children is ineligible for standing in the civic election. Consequently, BJP candidate Uday Kumar (in picture) was to become the corporator, bringing the MIM tally in the GHMC to 42 and the BJP’s to 6. But the BJP is kept on tenterhooks as the embarrassed GHMC officials are seeking legal opinion. “What legal opinion could be better than the high court ruling?” asked a BJP leader,
who was in anguish over the delay in clarifying the stance. But officials under the steely gaze of MIM are busy pouring over books to find any loopholes to spike the stance, it is alleged. “I am visiting the GHMC office daily for the past two weeks. Hope the matter will be solved soon,” said Uday Kumar, who does not want to stir the ire
of the officials for fear of trouble. Even as every party is preparing itself for the general body meeting on December 15, BJP floor leader Bangari Prakash is engaged in getting the issue settled first. Prakash has forbidden party members from speaking to the media for fear of retribution from the GHMC. An anxious BJP leader said only this much, “We are awaiting response from the authorities in this direction. It may come in one or two days.” Observers have questioned the delay in declaring Uday Kumar as the lawful receiver of the seat. Even a legal hand in the GHMC legal wing is dismayed. “If the legal opinion was a necessary thing, why was it delayed for so many days? The slow progress in this case means that whoever wrote to the Election Commission does not wish to be blamed in declaring a new candidate as corporator,” said the legal expert.
Police detain CPI(M) activists who were protesting outside the Hyderabad Collectorate against the AP government for hiking electricity and water N SHIVA KUMAR charges.
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city TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012
INFRASTRUCTURE
TT series held amidst hiccups Despite several complaints on the first day of the international tournament, the second day of the games turned out to be a relatively smooth affair. SRINIVAS SETTY
RAHUL RAMAKRISHNA rahul.r@postnoon.com
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n the second day of the World Table Tennis Tournament being held at Gachibowli, things smoothened out following the initial hiccups on the first day. Earlier allegations and criticism from various corners about the manner in which the games were hosted and the many technical issues, were put to rest as the organising committee made sure that everything went according to plan. On the first day, it was observed that the power supply flickered thrice while the tournament’s junior championship was being played. And also reports that the authorities had failed to provide enough water for the visitors was also noted and the committee came under criticism for its lacklustre performance. The second day of the games saw a difference and all the complaints died away. According to organising committee member Venkata Malapaka, the committee had put in their best efforts to conduct the games with no discrepancies. “About the lights going out, we were just testing the 250 KV
tioned that the State government did show interests. Whoever has made these allegations should realise that we put in 35 days of camping and study and have looked into finer details such as artificial landscapes worth `3 lakh at the venue. We have pressed 150 liaison officers to the service of all the delegates and have arranged their accommodation in three star hotels located in the surrounding areas like Gachibowli and Hitec City,” Venkata said. All said and done, maybe it was the criticism or maybe it was
The second day saw a difference and all the complaints died away. The committee had put in their best efforts to conduct the games. generator that we had roped in as a backup for power supply. The rest of the allegations that there was no refreshments or drinking water supply for visitors, no proper sanitation are untrue. We have two 5,000 litre tankers of water waiting to be pressed into service and a writ-
ten assurance from APTransco saying that there will be continuous power supply till December 17,” Venkata Malapaka said. Moreover, a lounge was allocated for the media along with transport from a common meeting point in the City. Furthermore, in case of emergen-
cies, two fire engines were stationed at the stadium. What about allegations that the State government’s promise of providing `1 crore for the entire tournament was misused? “It is absolutely untrue. Not a single rupee has been released so far, although it must be men-
just the apathetic City, there was no strong turnout at the stadium. However, in reality no fire engines were stationed at the venue. Water supplies to the visitors was however reinstated and the empty water coolers and refrigerators suddenly sported plenty of water.
CRIME
Diamond theft detected, four held
Two of the accused in connivance with a courier company stole diamonds worth `18 lakh.
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he Mahankali Police have detected an important case of theft of diamonds and ornaments worth `18 lakh and arrested four accused involved in this case on Monday. The brief facts are that, on November 8, the complainant, Gone Sanjeeva Reddy, agent Green Dart Courier, complained that on October 30, their Delhi Branch in-charge informed them that he sent a parcel through Carex (Air Cargo) Cargo Express
Private Limited to their Hyderabad branch of Pan Bazar, Secunderabad for delivery which was further meant to be delivered to Prem Rathan Soni of Himayatnagar, Hyderabad. On October 31, the in-charge of Carex Cargo Mukesh Agarwal informed the firm that they had handed over the parcel to one of their employees, after due verification. But his employees denied receipt of the parcel and requested to take necessary action.
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As per the contents of the complaint, a case was registered at Mahankali police station and investigated. During the process of investigation, the police arrested the accused Moula Ali and Biplabdas (both employees of Green Dart Courier), Basith and Shaik Ibrahim (private people) and recovered the property viz a cover containing diamonds and a necklace studded with the precious stones. They confessed that, due to
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financial problems they had committed this offence with the connivance of Green Dart Employees. The arrested are being produced before the Court for Judicial Remand and Section of Law is being altered to 381, 380 IPC. The case is being investigated by Naresh, sub-inspector of police, under the supervision of inspector K Satyanarayana and ACP, Vasusena.
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classifieds TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012 TRAGEDY Excise constable dies during test
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candidate who had participated in the running event for the excise constable selection test, died due to a heart attack in Kadapa on Monday. According to information, Sanjeev, the candidate, collapsed on the track while taking the running test. He was rushed to RIMS hospital where he died. Sanjeev was a resident of Malluru village. RIMS director said that heart attack was the reason for Sanjeev’s death. NSS
CLASSIFIEDS HEALTH/ CLINIC
SMUGGLING
Bullets deter forest brigands The move to equip forest guards with firearms and intensify vigil along problem areas has effectively reduced the number of smuggling cases this year. M NAZIMUDDIN md.nazim@postnoon.com
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quipping forest guards with firearms and intensified vigil have drastically brought the smuggling down this year. Encouraged with the salutary efforts the forest department has placed procurement orders for 250 more guns for forest guards and 125 revolvers for the officials, said additional PCCF (Vigilance) B Muralikrishna. In 2011 and 2010 nearly 35,000 cases of stealing timber and killing denizens of jungle, were registered. But up to September this year the total cases registered in the State came to 14,290. It is expected that the overall cases would be less than 20,000 as compared to 35,000 in the last two years. “We have stepped up vigil and the forest range have been provided with firearms,” explained Muralikrishna. Officially, AP has nearly 63,814 sq.kms of forested area. However, authorities agree that not all are viable forest
ecosystems. Degradation, encroachment, violation of forest rules result in loss of forest cover. Corruption among forest protection functionaries is another reason for the dwindling forest wealth of the State. The biggest challenge the AP forest managers face is the smuggling of red sanders which commands huge prices in the international market. Thanks to China’s offer of high prices, red sander smuggling along the AP-Tamil Nadu border forests has gone up in the recent past. There were as many as 1,546 cases of red sanders being smuggled last year and till September this year, nearly 927 such cases have been recorded. Forest vigil saves 14.30 tonne of red sander. Some 977 vehicles have been confiscated and 2,651 people arrested. Senior forest officials say the empowerment of the forest guards to open fire if they find people engaged in cutting timber or violating forest rules has generated a fear among smugglers but they too are well equipped.
BOOK LAUNCH
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he book launch of Grey Wolves and White Doves by Dr John D Balian took place at the Landmark bookstore at Somajiguda where the author gave a short introduction to his book. During the course of his interaction with the audience, the author said that he firmly believes that one should never give up and never give in. Perseverance is the key to achieve one’s goals in life. When asked about the book, Balian explained that it’s more like an autobiography as it has borrowed from his experiences. The book talks about the situations and events that Balian himself faced in life and how he wandered through several Middle Eastern and european countries. Originally from a small village in Anatolia and a witness to the Turkish invasion, Balian felt the need to talk about the life he led before moving to the US through his book. “It took a lot of patience to
write this book because I had other matter to attend to like family and my regular job. It took me 10 years to finish writing the book,” says Balian. The book which has received rave reviews revolves around a boy’s journey from the age of 6 to 16 and all the troubles and betrayals that he faces during the course of time. The title of the book relates to the scene, which takes place in the book where grey wolves are the people who are the enemies and the white doves, which actually relates to the birds and also to the fact that even your friends can turn out to be enemies or who can betray you. But that doesn’t mean you don’t stop working towards your goal or move on in life, that’s the message of the book. As mentioned earlier never give up or never give in. The book on the whole is uplifting and inspirational. During the Q&A round when Dr Balian was asked what was the best compliment he had received he said, “My own children are proud of me.”
SRIVANTH KUMAR
Also his oldest reader who lives in Bangalore emailed him telling him that reading the book was just as good as his regular yoga sessions which kept him refreshed, active and alive. According to his reader his book is just as good as yoga. It is compliments like these that Balian holds close to his heart and said that Hyderabad was the fifth book launch in India and that Indians connect to his book on an emotional level. If the book were to be adapted into a movie, it would be a great move feels Dr Balian. For a celebrated author, John Balian turned out to be extremely humble and was a delight to talk to. He had some great views on life and doled out valuable tips for budding authors. The fact that one can connect one’s own real-life experiences with a book and at the same time keep it entertaining, educational and inspiring says a lot about the writer. The book broke the record sales set by 50 shades of Grey. Grey Wolves and White Doves is worth it.
8
city TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012
HEALTH
Govt’s health care initiative remains grounded The State’s initiative to introduce generic medicines on an experimental basis in government hospitals has failed to gather steam, with hospitals like NIMS not having an outlet for the same. Fact file
Gener
RAHUL RAMAKRISHNA rahul.r@postnoon.com
T
he State government’s initiative in revolutionising health care services has not received all the attention it deserves. Because, when generic medicines were introudced for sale in State-run hospitals as part of ‘Jeevandhara’ scheme, what started on an experimental basis remained that way, with hospitals like NIMS not having an outlet for generic medicines. Roughly, there are about 341 drugs prescribed for 85 per cent of the most known ailments like common fever, diabetes, blood pressure etc. These drugs are a lot different from the one’s prescribed because they are cheaper by 30 per cent to 40 per cent of the prescribed drug price but are manufactured by prominent pharmaceutical companies. This way, a person suffering
from fever need not purchase a strip of paracetamol tablets for say, `12 when the same drug, but its generic alternative is available for as cheap as `2 to `3. Now, this worthy social scheme went wrong like all others because it did not find the necessary publicity and awareness to be given by government agencies. Furthermore, the experimental setup of generic medicine outlets in Hyderabad hospitals like Osmania General Hospital and Gandhi Hospital did not see a leap into other hospitals. Also, the proposed outlet at NIMS hospital has remained a distant dream which prompted RTI activists to file a complaint and dig more into its mysteries. According to an interim report based on observations from the project, the Jeevandhara units have managed to rake in an average
monthly revenue between `30 lakh to `52 lakh. The highest revenue generated so far was from Osmania General Hospital which generated `72 lakh. This is meager when compared to private pharmaceutical units that make almost 10 times the revenue in the same month. According to Dr Khalsa Singh, private practitioner and general physician, “Generic medicines need a lot more awareness made in the public about their cost effectivity. Our government has not done great publicity or taken up awareness campaigns about generic medicines. “Plus, it has not seriously looked into the nexus between doctors and pharma companies that tend to promise a cut if a drug of theirs was promoted. So even if you sell dirt cheap medicines, there are not many takers for it, unless you promise them something out of this.”
Even as the complaints filed from the RTI community awaits action, the state of medical supplies in NIMS hospital is not going to get better soon, officials from the APHMH&IDC say. “This is similar to the Jan Aushadhi scheme that came up in 2009 but by 2010 it shut shop, to beat the private pharma giants nexus with doctors, the government has to do a lot more than just open experimental outlets. But then, half the government hospitals lack supplies anyways, and this is a just one of the many issues we have to deal with. Generic medicines may be great, but they need a lot more publicity drive to actually make the idea sell otherwise, there is no way the nexus between pharma giants and doctors can be broken,” says a senior official from AP Health, Housing and Medical Infrastructure Development Corporation (APHMH & IDC).
ic drugs are copies of brand-name drugs that have exactly the same dosage, intended use, effects, side effects, route of administration, risks, safety, and strength as the original drug. In other words, their pharmacological effects are exactly the same as those of their brand-name counterparts. Many people become concerned because generic drugs are often substantially cheaper than the brand-name versions. They wonder if the quality and effectiveness have been compromised to make the less expensive products. The FDA requires that generic drugs be as safe and effective as brandname drugs. Actually, generic drugs are only cheaper because the manufacturers have not had the expenses of developing and marketing a new drug. When a company brings a new drug into the market, the firm has already spent substantial money on research, development. A patent is granted that gives the company that developed the drug an exclusive right to sell the drug as long as the patent is in effect. As the patent nears expiration, manufacturers can apply to the FDA for permission to make and sell generic versions of the drug; and without the startup costs for development of the drug, other companies can afford to make and sell it more cheaply. When multiple companies begin producing and selling a drug, the competition among them can also drive the price down even further.
Source: www.medicinenet.com
focus
9
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012
EDUCATION
Will key reform Bills survive Winter Session chill?
With just one-and-a half years left for the UPA II government to finish its term, major Bills to upgrade as well as regulate the education sector, are pending before Parliament. ARUNIMA RAJAN arunima.r@postnoon.com
T
his is the time of the year, when Delhi becomes an important part of the life of every Indian. As elected representatives from across the country are talking at length about Foreign Direct Investment in retail, there are four key education Bills that are slated to be debated in the Winter Session of Parliament. These Bills, namely — the National Accreditation Regulatory Authority for Higher Educational Institutions Bill, the Prohibition of Unfair Practices in Technical Educational Institutions Bill, Medical Educational Institutions and University Bill, The Educational Tribunals Bill and National Academic Depository Bill — have often been trumpeted as the key elements of the reform agenda of the UPA II government. However, the controversial Foreign Educational Institutions (Regulation of Entry and Operations) Bill, has not been listed for discussion.
CRIPPLING EFFECT
Former HRD minister Kapil Sibal had asserted many times that these reforms are supposed to improve access and quality of the education offered by Indian universities and eventually increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio of the country. However, certain sections of the teaching community feel that this would ultimately lead to reduced state spending on education. This is not the first time that teachers expressed their concern about the proposed Bills of the government. Earlier this year, teachers associations like Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) had staged protests at Jantar Mantar against the proposed education Bills. Members of DUTA allege that these bills promote commercialisation of education and plan to use online medium such as social media to gather momentum for their disagreement. According to Abha Dev
Though the government has introduced new faces like Pallam Raju and Shashi Tharoor in the ministry of human resources development, academics are worried whether the bills would eventually lead to budget cuts for public-funded universities. Habib, assistant professor of Physics, Miranda House, Delhi, public-funded institutes are getting cold feet as they foresee budget cuts based on accreditation, which will be made mandatory under the Accreditation Bill. “Eventually, when the fund allocated by government is going to be based on rating, then public institutes are going to suffer. Within a Central university, there are several colleges, some of them operating even in rural areas, and one cannot expect all of them to have the same level of infrastructure," says Abha. The existing accreditation system of the country comprises of two major accreditation agencies namely, National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) and National Board of Accreditation (NBA). However, accreditation is still not mandatory in the country. The two bodies are ill-equipped to check the quality of the educational institutes across the country. According to sources, these national agencies have done quality check only for a miniscule of universities and colleges.
ONLINE AND SIGNATURE CAMPAIGNS
Critics of the reforms agenda point out that the government is trying to get out of the welfare state mode. According to eminent educationist Anil Sadgopal, the Bills are designed to pave way for the entry of foreign players.
“The bills reflect World Bank agenda of single window clearance in the education sector,” says the former member of Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE). “We are trying to catch the attention of the bureaucrats through signature campaigns. The massive signature campaign against the Foreign University Bill held in Bhopal is a sign of the anger of the teaching community," adds Sadgopal, who is also Member, Presidium of All India Forum for Right to Education. Several professors see Tribunal Bill as an attempt to control the teaching community. "There are established mechanisms for settling disputes within the various departments in an Indian university. Setting up a government controlled tribunal might not work,” says the Prof Sadgopal. One of the other contentious issues of the Bill is the minimum age limit of 55 for the members of the tribunal. According to Vijendar Sharma, Associate Professor of Physics, ARSD College, Delhi, this is to accommodate retired bureaucrats and vice chancellors.
PUBLIC CONSULTATION INADEQUATE Meanwhile, the report submitted by the standing committee on HRD on the Accreditation Bill, suggests that the government has not conducted a widespread consultation on the Bill. "The Bills will reduce the role of state governments. Education being a concurrent subject, the bills are against the federal nature of the Indian Constitution," says PK Biju, an MP of CPI (M).
Key Bills n
n
n n n
National Accreditation Regulatory Authority for Higher Educational Institutions Bill Prohibition of Unfair Practices in Technical Educational Institutions Bill Medical Educational Institutions and University Bill The Educational Tribunals Bill National Academic Depository Bill.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012
Business
US TO SELL OFF ALL SHARES IN AIG
The US Treasury said Monday it will sell off all of its remaining shares in insurer AIG, four years after the government set out $182 billion to rescue the company in the financial crisis.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
10
HOLLANDE OPTIMISTIC
No room for complacency ‘Why take partners and share profit when you do all the hardwork?’ PRUDHVI RAJU K prudhvi.k@postnoon.com
R
inku Jain started her career with odd jobs with need of the hour to support her family. She gradually built a successful recruitment and consulting firm, Recriot. The business grew more than 100 per cent (YoY) since inception and is aiming for `1 crore of revenues in 20132014. Rinku was always among the toppers in the academics and excelled in each job — be it as commerce student at SV University or as a demonstrator for selling music systems in the exhibition grounds. About childhood, she says,” I am from a conservative Rajasthani family, where women are supposed to take care of the family. I always wanted to prove myself and show that women can have a successful professional career while taking care of the family,” Talking about financial security for women she recalls, “My family underwent a financial struggle and everything was on my shoulders after my marriage. Although, I was among the university toppers, I was not reluctant to join as a demonstra-
tor. I thoroughly enjoyed the job and learnt the art of sales.” Rinku also worked as a freelancer before starting Recriot. “Although, I had many offers from corporates, I did not want to leave my baby and go for work. I started off as recruitment freelancer, where you get certain margins when you place right candidates. “After working for two years, it was an offer from the consulting firm for partnership had pushed me to start a busi-
ness. Why partner and share around 60 per cent of revenues when I can do everything, I thought.” Rinku started Recriot with a mere investment of `2,000. I got a computer on rent with Internet connection. There were many initial challenges during the journey. “I never want to approach the clients, whom I knew at the previous job. I had to build the client network from scratch,” she explains. The breakthrough came after
a client, after Recriot persisted with business calls. “He assigned us to recruit for 17 different positions to simply get rid of us. The firm was also not clear about the process and neither did they inform us. I worked round the clock with and recruited 13 employees. They were surprised and upgraded the threemonth contract to an annual one,” she says. The company achieved around `8 lakh revenues in 2007-08 and grew more than 100 per cent (year-on-year) except during recession. The business expanded into consulting business and wants to slowly build diversified service portfolio. About consultancy business, she says, “We did not want to depend solely on recruitment. The new business offers to help various retail players to streamline their processes and get them organised to cut costs.” The eight-employee company is also involved in philanthropic activities by sharing knowledge and giving time to students with disabilities. It also wants to start equal employment portal, which helps various candidates from disadvantaged community to get employment.
MONEY LAUNDERING
HSBC to cough up $1.9 bn
The London-based bank also would pay a civil fine of more than $650 million. WASHINGTON: US authorities plan to announce a record $1.9 billion settlement with British bank HSBC to end allegations of money laundering, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday on its website. The deal could be announced as early as
Tuesday in New York, officials told the Journal. Citing people familiar with the matter, the Journal said that the figure includes nearly $1.3 billion, a record amount for a bank, as part of a deferred prosecution agreement. The
London-based bank also would pay a civil fine of more than $650 million, according to people briefed on the issue, the newspaper said. US lawmakers have accused the global bank of giving Iran, terrorists and drug dealers
access to the US financial system. Criminal investigators have been pursuing some of the same allegations highlighted in the Senate probe, the Journal noted. HSBC in July admitted to poor anti-laundering controls. AFP
for
for
for
for
NUMEROLOGY
$6.1
bn
is the annual loss of German heavy industry giant ThyssenKrupp after two major write-offs.
MORE TIME FOR F&N BID A Thai billionaire has been given another three weeks to propose an improved bid for Fraser and Neave (F&N) after an Indonesian rival offered $10.7 billion for the Singapore conglomerate. In a media statement, TCC Assets — controlled by Thai beverage tycoon Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi — said the closing date for the F&N offer had been extended to January 2 from December 11. This is the second time TCC has been granted an extension after its plans to acquire F&N through a Sg$8.7 billion ($7.12 billion) bid for the shares it does not yet own were stymied by Overseas Union Enterprise (OUE). OUE, a property firm controlled by Indonesia's Lippo Group, offered Sg$13.1 billion in mid-November. Lippo's founder is Indonesian tycoon Mochtar Riady, and his son Stephen is OUE's executive chairman. F&N became a takeover target after selling off its most prized asset, Tiger Beer maker Asia Pacific Breweries, to Dutch giant Heineken in September.
BSE 5,953.05 `54.33 5,209.05 DOLLAR`55.14 17,179.95DOLLAR NSEPOUND `86.60 `87.38 POUND BSE NSE GOLD`31,700 10g SILVER `62,900 1kg
24C
GOLD `29,500 10g SILVER `53,000 1kg
French President Francois Hollande said that the eurozone crisis was "behind us," as he lauded work the European Union has done to "resolve the problems." "The euro crisis, I've said it before, is behind us. We've given Greece the funds it was waiting for. In Spain we've helped keep the banks afloat. In Italy, even if there's political uncertainty, I'm sure the Italians will address it," Hollande told journalists in Oslo. German Chancellor Angela Merkel was not so sure however, telling the broadcaster RTL in an Oslo interview: "I cannot lift the alert completely, I am a prudent optimist."
98.90
33.65
Since our country is a union of states, we abide by its federal character and, therefore, are bound by the consensus on the issue, ANAND SHARMA, COMMERCE MINISTER
19,570.88 161.19
ANAND SHARMA, 44.15 COMMERCE MINISTER
11
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012
nation CULTURE
The India of television Bangalore’s first literature Festival saw discussions on the role of the electronic media in India among other things.
ELIZABETH SOUMYA elizabeth.s@postnoon.com
B
angalore’s first literature Festival saw discussions on the role of the electronic media in India among other things. Thankfully, the authors were not left discussing topics alone on stage, but had a willingly abundant audience for company at the Bangalore Literature Fest last weekend. Among the concluding sessions was ‘Scripting India’ moderated by author and translator, Pavan Verma. Each of the members of the panel, had in some way attempted to ‘script’ or write about India – Well known BBC Correspondent and author of India in Slow Motion and No full Stops in India, Mark Tully; author of India Becoming, Akash Kapur; author of Tales from Shining and Sinking India, Akash Banerjee; author of Imagining India, Nandan Nilekani; and author of The Indian Renaissance: India’s Rise after a Thousand Years of Decline, Sanjeev Sanyal. The portrayal and representa-
“I do believe that this country itself is badly served by its electronic media.” Sir Mark Tully tion of India in the mainstream electronic media was discussed for much of the session. Writer Akash Banerjee with his experience in the electronic media as a reporter pointed out that different narratives are needed to talk about the diversity of India and relying on just one media or TV channel would not be fair. For constraints of time TV is naturally ‘shallow and generic,’ he said. Sir Mark Tully began, “I think obviously, we might be tempted to say there is too much written about India and I am not sure how much wiser India is.” He went on to emphasise that the Indian electronic media wasn’t doing justice to its viewers. “I do believe that this country itself is badly served by its electronic media. I have said this for many years, the electronic media is very important, they do form opinions and far greater opinions than any of us do with our books.” This was followed up by his recommendation for ‘a genuine independent public service broadcasting’. “That will deepen the coverage of electronic media and would have a knock-out effect on
the commercial stations for showing them to be shallow and jejune as they most often are,” he added. Moderator Pavan Verma pitched in with his view, agreeing with Banerjee that expecting too much from the electronic media that lives from hour to hour and day to day, maybe unrealistic. “You cant expect it to provide in-depth insight to unfolding news that’s unfolding at a very rapid pace and provide in depth analysis. Yes, there is scope for reform, there is need for greater objectivity, less hysteria and greater caution.” Banerjee, in defense of the electronic media, explained that most of the programming is driven by TRPs that are a result of what the audience is choosing to watch. Therefore creating a demand for the content that is produced. “Does anyone know what has been the highest grossing program on TV for the last five years?,” he asked the attentive audience. Giving out the answer he revealed Saas, Bahu aur Saadhish, a Hindi soap drama. “This despite any breaking news or bomb blast. If a sizable amount of the population would watch anything else, we would provide that,” he said. Sir Tully retorted that it is this vicious circle that makes it more important to have an alternative to mainstream news and that news and popular soap operas aren’t the only forms of telecast. “You cant say people won’t watch this, if people don’t have a choice.” The session came to close by a comment from a gentleman in the audience, “There’s demand for something and therefore we give it to them seems a little tame to me. Everyone throws out junk at people and say they want it. It’s as if people [who create content] are not taking responsibility for it. You’re in it [media] for a reason, so what is this consumption driven eco-system you’ve created?” he asked. Without anytime left, the question had to be left unanswered.
10-YEAR-OLD DIES AFTER SCHOOL BEATING
In a case of brutal corporal punishment, a 10-year-old boy died allegedly after being beaten up by his teacher in Bilsahaiganj area in the district. Sajid, a class V student at Lakhi Public School in Azad Nagar, was allegedly beaten up by his teacher Rahul over some issue on Monday, the police said today.
WORLD ECONOMY
US predicts rise of Indian might WASHINGTON: US intelligence has predicted that in 2030, India could be the rising economic powerhouse of the world as China is seen today and that it will continue to consolidate its power advantage over Pakistan. “In 2030 India could be the rising economic powerhouse that China is seen to be today. China’s current economic growth rate — 8 to 10 per cent — will probably be a distant memory by 2030,” said the fifth installment of the Global Trends 2030: Alternative Worlds, of National Intelligence Council (NIC), released today. As the world’s largest economic power, China is expected to remain ahead of India, but the gap could begin to close by 2030. “India’s rate of economic growth is likely to rise while China’s slows,” said the report which is aimed at providing a framework for thinking about the future. According to the report, the total size of the Chinese working-age population
will peak in 2016 and decline from 994 million to about 961 million in 2030. “In contrast, India’s working-age population is unlikely to peak until about 2050,” it said. “Also of significance, India will most likely continue to consolidate its power advantage relative to Pakistan.” The NIC report said the diffusion of power among countries and from countries to informal networks will have a dramatic impact by 2030, largely reversing the historic rise of the West since 1750 and restoring Asia’s weight in the global economy and world politics. In a tectonic shift, by 2030, Asia will have surpassed North America and Europe combined in terms of global power, based upon GDP, population size, military spending, and technological investment. China alone will probably have the largest economy, surpassing that of the US a few years before 2030. PTI
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012
World
ACTIVISTS CONVERT JAPANESE BOAT FOR WHALING CAMPAIGN Activists aiming to halt Japan’s whaling fleet Tuesday revealed their new weapon for their latest Antarctic campaign — a US$2 million ship once owned by the government in Tokyo. Lockhart MacLean, captain of the renamed Sam Simon, said the militant Sea Shepherd Conservation Society bought the vessel after a US company, purchased it when it was advertised for sale.
CAIRO CRISIS
SYRIA
Jihadists seize army base DARRET EZZA: Jihadists have seized a strategic army base in northern Syria, a watchdog said, as the EU piled more pressure on President Bashar al-Assad by recognising the opposition coalition as “legitimate representatives” of the people. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported clashes in a northern Damascus district, the fiercest in the area since a revolt against Assad broke out in March 2001. The European Union gave a vital boost to the newly-formed Syrian opposition coalition, describing them as the “legitimate representatives of the Syrian people” following talks in Brussels with its leader Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib. The EU, winner of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, said at the award ceremony in Oslo that the 21-month conflict in Syria must be addressed. “The current situation in Syria is a stain on the world’s conscience and the international community has a moral duty to address it,” said European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso. AFP
Army takes position as 9 hurt in firing The nine were injured after unknown assailants fired at demonstrators at Tahrir Square. CAIRO: Egypt was bracing for rival protests to take place in Cairo on Tuesday over a bitterly divisive referendum on a new constitution, prompting President Mohamed Morsi to order the army to help “preserve security”. Meanwhile, unknown assailants fired at demonstrators at Tahrir Square injuring nine people. The attackers also hurled petrol bombs at the protesters causing a small fire, said witnesses. The duelling demonstrations, organised by Islamists backing Morsi and the largely secular opposition, raised fears of street clashes like ones last week in which seven people were killed and hundreds injured. Morsi’s decree instructing the military to fully cooperate with police “to preserve security and protect vital state
I
Egyptian soldiers sit on an armoured personnel carrier (APC) flying their national flag next to a tank deployed outside the presidential palace in Cairo on December 10, 2012. AFP/GIANLUIGI GUERCIA
institutions for a temporary period, up to the announcement of the results from the referendum” came into force on Monday. Army officers “all have powers of legal arrest,” it says.
The military, which has urged dialogue and warned it “will not allow” the political crisis to deteriorate, has for several days kept tanks and troops deployed around Morsi’s presidential palace.
Israel behind Iran’s nuke secret leaks?
A satellite image of Iran’s military complex at Parchin.
WHO’S CALL WAS IT?
An Australian radio network came under media pressure Tuesday to fully explain who cleared the broadcast of a royal prank call, as the family of a dead nurse embroiled in the hoax appeared in public. In tearful interviews Monday, 2Day FM presenters Mel Greig and Michael Christian said that their call to London’s King Edward VII Hospital — which was treating Prince William’s pregnant wife Catherine — was vetted by others. “It’s not up to us to make that decision (to air),” a sobbing Greig told Australia’s Nine Network.
NUMEROLOGY
SPY GAMES
srael is suspected of carrying out a series of leaks implicating Iran in nuclear weapons experiments in an attempt to raise international pressure on Tehran and halt its programme. Western diplomats believe the leaks may have backfired, compromising a UN-sanctioned investigation into Iran’s past nuclear activities and current aspirations, the Guardian reported.
12
The latest leak, published by the Associated Press (AP), purported to be an Iranian diagram showing the physics of a nuclear blast, but scientists quickly pointed out an elementary mistake that cast doubt on its significance and authenticity. An article in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists declared: “This diagram does nothing more than indicate either slipshod analysis or an amateurish hoax.”
The leaked diagram raised questions about an investigation being carried out by IAEA inspectors after it emerged that it formed part of a file of intelligence on alleged Iranian nuclear weapons work held by the agency. The IAEA’s publication of a summary of the file in November 2011 helped trigger a new round of punitive EU and US sanctions. AGENCIES
NEWS BRIEFS Mali PM quits after being arrested
Philippines typhoon toll tops 700, many missing
Petrol bombs thrown during Bangla protest
Two Tibetans die in latest self-immolations
BAMAKO: Malian Prime Minister Cheik Modibo Diarra announced the resignation of himself and his government early Tuesday just hours after he was arrested at home by soldiers acting on the orders of excoup leader Amadou Sanogo. “I, Cheik Modibo Diarra, I resign with my government,” he declared in a brief speech.
MANILA: The death toll from the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines this year has climbed above 700 with hundreds more missing, many of them tuna fishermen feared lost at sea, the government said Tuesday. Typhoon Bopha had brought floods and landslides across the main southern island of Mindanao on December 4.
DHAKA: Hundreds of protesters in Bangladesh threw petrol bombs at police on Tuesday as opposition parties enforced a nationwide strike demanding elections under a neutral caretaker government. Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at demonstrators in the northwestern city of Rajshahi, while minor clashes erupted in Dhaka.
BEIJING: Two more Tibetans burned themselves to death in protest at China’s rule of the Himalayan region, a rights group said Tuesday, as state media accused the Dalai Lama of turning Tibetan Buddhism into “an evil cult”. Both immolations happened on Saturday in restive Tibetan-inhabited regions of China.
500K
is the number of new entries for the expanded Chinese dictionary of 25 volumes. It will take seven years to fully revise the Hanyu Da Cidian, first published in 1986, for its second edition.
FB OUT OF REACH Facebook was unreachable briefly on Monday after the social network made a change to part of its infrastructure dealing with routing traffic to its online address. “Earlier today, we made a change to our DNS infrastructure and that change resulted in some people being temporarily unable to reach the site,” Facebook said in response to an AFP inquiry. “We detected and resolved the issue quickly, and we are now back to 100 percent. We apologise for any inconvenience.”
The world must know that just as we were not subservient to Syria or Iran in the past, we are not subservient to Egypt, Qatar and Turkey. Khaled Meshaal Hamas leader
13
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012
Technology VIDEOGAMING Angry Birds vs Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Rovio, the maker of the Angry Birds franchise, posted $106.3 million in revenue in 2011. Call of Duty reached $1 billion in the first 16 days of it going on sale.
IS THE GAME OVER? In 2012, the game industry faced a spiral of declining sales, with overall revenue down 24 per cent compared to the same period in 2011. We take a look at the industry ahead of the Christmas buying period. NUMEROLOGY
Online
P L A Y ?
30
Y O U
Is the average gamer’s age who has been playing for 12 years. Eighty-two per cent of gamers are 18 years of age or older.
42%
31% Is the proportion of videogames that were downloaded from the Web in 2011, up from 20% in 2009.
D O On the original Magnavox Odyssey, players had to keep score themselves because the machine couldn't. Nintendo's Game Boy was the most successful system ever, with more than 100 million units sold.
The word Atari comes from the ancient Japanese game of Go and means "you are about to be engulfed".
The Sony PlayStation was originally intended as a CD add-on to the Super Nintendo. When licensing problems and other issues arose, Sony decided to develop the PlayStation as a machine of its own.
G A M E S
DID YOU KNOW…?
The Sega Dreamcast was the first console to implement online play over a phone line.
W H A T
Is how much the Japanese gaming industry is worth.
games n 25% Action and sports n 33% Other
IRAN’S YOUTUBE! Mobile n 47% Puzzle and card
games
Is the proportion of women gamers who are one of the industry's fastest growing demographics.
$20bn
n 42% Puzzle and card
n 12% Action and sports n 41% Other
Console and PC-based n 43.8% Action, sports and
strategy n 18.4% Shooters n 4% Casual n 33.8% Other
Sonic the Hedgehog: n Year: 1991 n Console: Sega n Units sold: 15 million+
Monster Hunter 3rd: n Year: 2010 n Console: PSP n Units sold: 4.12 million
Pac-Man: n Year: 1982 n Console: Atari n Units sold: 7 million
Super Mario Bros: n Year: 1983 n Console: NES n Units sold: 40.24 million
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas n Year: 2004 n Console: PlayStation 2 n Units sold: 17.33 million
The Sims 2: n Year: 2004 n Console: PC n Units sold: 20 million
Halo 2: n Year: 2004 n Console: Xbox n Units sold: 8 million
Wii Sports: n Year: 2006 n Console: Wii n Units sold: 79.6 million
Gran Turismo 5: n Year: 2010 n Console: PlayStation 3 n Units sold: 9.03 million
Angry Birds: n Year: 2009 n Console: Mobile phones Downloaded: 1 billion
OF THEM ALL
Iran has launched a video-sharing site in its latest effort to provide alternative government-sanctioned Internet services. Dubbed "Mehr," the Farsi word for affection, the site aims to attract Persian-speaking users and promote Iranian culture, according to the About Us page reviewed by the Agence FrancePress. "From now on, people can upload their short films on the Web site and access [IRIB] produced material," said Lotfollah Siahkali, deputy chief of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting.
Nothing abstract
Kinect Adventures: n Year: 2010 n Console: Xbox 360 n Units sold: 18 million
The greatest videogames
INSTAGRAM OFF TWITTER Instagram photos have vanished from Twitter as the photo-sharing app turned off all support for the microblogging site. Facebook ended all support today for Twitter cards, meaning Twitter users won't be able to view Instagram photos from within their Twitter feeds. Users are instead greeted by a white space where the image formerly appeared. Twitter noted: "Instagram has disabled photo integration with Twitter. As a result, photos are no longer appearing in Tweets or user photo galleries. While tweeting links to Instagram photos is still possible, you can no longer view the photos on Twitter.”
As patent spats continue to command much of the tech world's attention and corporate resources, a group of prominent companies is taking a stand against a practice it sees as hobbling innovation. Google, Facebook, Zynga and five other tech giants filed an amicus brief with the US State Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, asking the court to reject the patents central to a lawsuit between two financial institutions. CLS Bank sued Alice Corp for infringing on four patents covering a computerised method of having a third-party hold funds in escrow on behalf of two other contracting parties.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012
Comment Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first. Mark Twain Author
From farmers to beggars JASON GUTIERREZ feedback@postnoon.com
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he secluded valley that sheltered Jerry Blanco’s banana crop from communist and Muslim rebellions offered no refuge from Typhoon Bopha, which left him destitute in seconds. Last week’s terrifying storm has left more than 1,600 people dead or missing in the southern Philippines, and all but wiped out the banana plantations that are one of the desperately poor country’s few export earners. “First the strong wind came, then a sheet of rain. Our roof rattled, the house creaked and then the wall was blown away,” Blanco, a 39-year-old plantation worker, told AFP in the southern Philippines. “I looked out across the field, and all the (banana stalks) were felled. Our harvest was gone. The first thought in my mind was, we’ve just lost our future,” the father of four said. Barefoot, shirtless and wearing torn trousers, Blanco stood by the roadside with neighbours who had also suddenly lost everything. Days after Bopha obliterated their town of New Bataan, they were reduced to beggars. For fellow plantation worker Ben Alpor, the disaster meant the three youngest of his seven children would have to stop going to school. “I will not be able to afford it. What little savings we had was in a (children’s) piggy bank, and that has been blown away too,” Alpor, 55, says. “We’ve been reduced to begging for food, when before we had so much to eat.” Ensconced in a valley on the southern island of Mindanao, New Bataan is surrounded by a wall of mountains that had long protected it from storms before Bopha barrelled through.
EURO CRISIS
LETTERS FROM GREECE
Emmanuelle Baillon and Will Vassilopoulos
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lue-eyed Angelina had the misfortune of being born in Greece in 2010, just as the country became engulfed by an economic crisis that has deprived her parents, like so many Greeks, of their jobs and livelihood. Today, Angelina’s family lives in the run-down district of Palia Kokkinia, near the port of Piraeus, where her young parents George and Lia Tsouvalakis face a daily struggle to put food on the table of their tiny, damp flat. George, 31, is a carpenter who used to earn over 2,500 euros ($3,200) a month alongside his wife, a 30-year-old former shop attendant. He owned two cars and a motorcycle and headed a fiveman worksite team that until recently did brisk business at construction sites. But when Lia lost her job and the Greek construction industry foundered, George was left with few options in order to make a living. The family moved into a 30square-metre flat owned by George’s mother, who does not charge them rent, while his brother helps pay their utility bills. George now carves small handicrafts for tourists and sells scrap metal to recycling yards, and in a good month he can
HIGH-FLYING THOUGHTS
Well, as expected Rahul Gandhi has been made the spearhead of the party preparing for the 2014 General Polls. There were doubts if he would come out so soon with new responsibilities after the devastating state poll fiascos. Perhaps he is upto it: or maybe the Congress did not have a choice. Of course, there’s no choice. This is the Congress, for God’s sake!
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A GRIM TALE hope to scrape together 400 euros. In the bad months he makes next to nothing. “Today I want to buy diapers, milk, meat, oil. From the looks of it I will only buy diapers and milk,” George told AFP. The family refrigerator is empty, save for a few ice cubes. Tonight, dinner will consist of a plate of chickpeas and salad. It is a tale heard more and more in near-bankrupt Greece where the recession, continuing for a fifth year, just keeps getting deeper. The latest Eurostat figures, based on 2010 incomes, show that over 21 percent of Greeks are on a poverty ‘threshold’, meaning an annual salary of under 6,600 euros ($8,600) per person, or 13,800 euros for a family of four. But conditions in Greece have deteriorated even further in the ensuing two years, with authorities forced to make major cutbacks in return for EU-IMF loans and doubling the ranks of the unemployed from 644,000 to over 1.2 million. The district of Palia Kokkinia rose around thousands of destitute Greek refugees who fled Turkey in 1922 after the Asia Minor Disaster, the failed Greek military campaign to annexe the region after World War I. Ninety years later, there are similar feelings of hopelessness. “There is no future. Not for this generation or the next,” says George, his voice rising in anger. “I am outraged because we know that all of this happening in Europe did not happen
because people overspent money. It is because those governing wasted money,” he said. Greece nearly went bankrupt in 2010 and had to appeal to the European Union and the International Monetary Fund for bailout loans after the government revealed a hole in the budget that was far worse than previously thought. As wave upon wave of spending cuts were applied to plug the deficit, Greeks looked to the ruling elite for culprits. In particular, the conservative and socialist parties who governed Greece for the last three decades are blamed for chronically failing to tackle tax evasion and corruption, and with stuffing the civil service with excess staff. The cuts have drastically reduced social benefits to the detriment of Greece’s disabled, the infirm and the unemployed. There are over 20,000 homeless in Greece and their numbers
are growing. George and Lia may have a roof over their heads, but they do not qualify for even reduced support payments. “We don’t have help from the state because we don’t fulfil the conditions. You need to be fired from an employer to get unemployment benefits,” says Lia. Sometimes the family eats at church soup kitchens and Lia’s parents help out when they can - though her father’s pension has also been trimmed to a paltry 370 euros a month. George says there is demand for carpenters in Australia, Norway and Sweden. But the family can barely afford cinema tickets, let alone an airplane fare. “We shouldn’t remain in the country anymore. But we don’t have the financial capability to leave,” says Lia. “We did not choose this, the state did all this,” she says. AFP
EDITORIALS Decide it now Pacman’s Rocky moment
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he issue of Telangana is stretched to the point of boredom and farce. The Congress flip-flopping on the issue has damaged the State beyond repair. Apart from economical, the mental divide between brethren has been debilitating, to say the least. Any responsible party at the Centre would have taken up the brief and make its stance clear instead of playing cat-and-mouse game with the TRS. In fact, TRS is the product of the Congress vacillation. The question of a separate state is a matter of expert consideration, not just an issue to be decided by freckled politicians. If the Centre had a sense of propriety, it had have set up a second SRC to consider all the separatist claims and take action. But the way the Union Government gladly bifurcated Bihar and UP makes it clear that it’s the political expediency, not considered opinion, that rules the governance of this country. It’s a sad comment.
READERS’ VIEWS
O
nly a fighter can understand what’s in Manny Pacquiao’s head. After his defeat to Juan Manuel Marquez, his first KO loss in 17 years, his mother has urged him to quit; his wife has urged him to quit, both with tears fuelled by their fears for Manny. He donned the gloves when he was 16, and all these years it’s been a wonder where from this pint-sized man brought on that storm of powerful combinations that was the undoing of many a pugilist. The thing is a man like Manny cannot leave like that: call it quits when he falls: he’s a fighter and once a fighter always a fighter.
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. Editor: Dean Williams
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012
workplace
BRING ON THE PRAISE When it comes to rallying the troops, bonuses aren’t always the best way to go — or the cheapest. You need to praise them as well. As common as holiday bonuses are, some workplace experts argue that the little something extra some companies tack onto paychecks isn’t the greatest way to say thanks for a job well done.
A SHRINK’S WORLD
What about them?
While it can be fulfilling to help people resolve their personal issues, being a psychiatrist can be emotionally draining to say the least. City shrinks talk about how their professional lives affect them. NIDHI BHUSHAN nidhi.b@postnoon.com
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e've often complained about how certain people in our lives bring all sorts of negative energy with them and make huge holes in our so-called aura. We've cribbed, whined and bitched about people who can't stop talking about how crappy their lives are. Everybody knows at least one grumpy old uncle who can't seem to find happiness in anything, a female friend who is constantly battling with her attempts to find a Mr Right and we're sure we all know that sad, self-sympathetic man who can't stop crying about his past love. Phew! That seems like quite a handful, doesn't it? It constitutes maybe a meagre 0000.0001 percent of what psychiatrists and psychologists have to live with — constant cribbing, crying, grieving and so much more. “Psychiatrists are expected to maintain a professional emotional distance from their patients and at the same time they are also required to empathise,” explains Dr Ashok Alimchandani, who has been practising for the past 25 years. Given that he's spent more than two decades in this field, the consultant psychiatrist at
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KNOW YOUR COMPANY
Agilent Technologies With more than 1,500 employees, Agilent Technologies in Gurgaon is a great place to work. Agilent Technologies, a spin-off of Hewlett-Packard Company, broke records on November 18, 1999 as the largest initial public offering (IPO) in Silicon Valley history. From a small garage in Palo Alto, California, to employees around the world serving customers in 110 countries, Agilent has a long history of innovation and leadership in the communications, electronics, semiconductor, test and measurement, life sciences and chemical analysis industries.
DID YOU KNOW...
I would worry about my patients and began over-analysing those around. Dr Savita Date-Menon Clinical psychologist Apollo Hospitals has experienced his share of professional lows. “There have been times when I thought of changing my profession because of the stress that comes with it. The only reason why I had chosen this field is because I wanted to help people come out of problems stronger. But, there have been times when big organisations send their stressed employees to us for their personal gain. They use the fact that employees are taking medicines to cope with a mental issue against them,” says Dr Alimchandani. Like us, psychiatrists too, find comfort in talking. “We talk to fellow psychiatrists who are able to understand. The emotional stress that we go through has been the topic of discussion during many national-level conferences too. We are constantly told to detach ourselves from the problems to be
able to come up with solutions,” says Dr Alimchandani. City-based counselling psychologist Dr Diana Monteiro says being affected by people's problems happens to her all the time. “But that's the good part. Providing the solution won't seem right unless one actually feels and understands the patient’s problems,” says she, who has been practising for the past five years. “Though I'm affected every time, I have learned how to compartmentalise.” Stressful as it is, being a therapist also has its high points. “My problems seem so miniscule in comparison to people's at times. What keeps me going is the fact that I'm able to help someone out of problems, even though the success rate might be 50 percent,” says Dr Monteiro, who finds her glass always half full. “Though there have been times where I thought of quitting, it passes within two hours mostly. I've had people thanking me for keeping them alive – such things always keep me going.” While Dr Monteiro mostly talks to those she is close to, to unwind, she also indulges in some harmless American TV watching to relax her nerves. “From comedies like Big Bang Theory to medical thrillers like Body of Proof, I'm a fan. Usually, I prefer working non-stop for 3-
4 weeks and then take a break for a couple of days,” says Dr Monteiro, adding that she likes reading too. Another City-based clinical psychologist Dr Savita Date Menon, who has been practising for the more than two decades, says she gradually learned how to deal with the psychological baggage that came with the job. “It takes about a few months to a year for us to learn how to compartmentalise and deal with the issue at hand. Initially, I faced difficulties too, I would have headaches, feel exhausted, would take my work home because I would constantly worry about what my patients might be going through and I also began over-analysing those around. So, I was practically working all the time. My mind hardly got any rest,” she recalls. “However, once you get passed the initial stages, you learn to switch off mentally.” Dr Menon, who has also faced her share of highs and lows career wise, says regular exercise has helped her immensely too. “Usually, any activity that is drastically different from my profession helps me stay calm. Also, the fact that the job is immensely fulfilling keeps me going. Seeing people come of problems is incentive enough to stay,” feels Dr Menon.
$500,000 is the amount that Bangalore-based mobile marketing and communications startup ZipDial Mobile raised from Silicon Valleybased incubator-cum-seed fund 500 Startups.
HEALTH AT WORK
An international team of sleep researchers has developed the world's first screening tool to help reduce workplace accidents and illnesses, including cardiovascular disease and cancer, caused by shift work. Published in the journal Sleep, the new tool will enable health professionals to better understand individual vulnerability to the health and safety impacts of shift work.
Although more physicians than non-physicians have known mental health problems prior to suicide, this didn't translate into a higher rate of antidepressant use, according to the study, which appears in General Hospital Psychiatry and provides a look at why physicians may have a higher-than-average suicide rate. Major depression is known to affect female physicians, drastically.
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012
spotlight
STEAK MAGIC
Savour the best Steaks of the world paired with delicious wines. Encounters, makes a world of difference with its world cuisines such as Mediterranean, European and Indian. Head to Encounters for the tasty treat from 7pm.
S BALAKRISHNA
A special online mart
Sucheta, a young entrepreneur has started ‘Just buy’, group of websites. She is being helped in her venture by Shanthi Gurajada, a business development manager.
A new story to tell
Author John D Balian launched his book Gray wolves and white doves at the Landmark Bookstore in Banjara Hills, on Monday. He also spoke in length about his experiences while writing the book.
BOLLYWOOD CONNECTION 1
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MOVIE NIGHT
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Fans of Akshay ‘Khiladi’ Kumar were in for a treat as Anup Chandak and Prashant Agarwal held a screening of Khiladi 786 at PVR Punjagutta. 1 Aakanksha , Anup, Koyal, Radhika , Prashant 2 Radhika, Prashant 3 Vartika, Gautam 4 Rajiv, Manisha Kapoor
The celebration begins The New Year is just weeks away, but that does not stop the party lovers at Spoil from having fun. Spoil held a pre New Year bash on Sunday night.
5 Sunny Anand 6 Abiram 7 Vibha 8 Actress Poonam 9 Shipra Gandhi and friend
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012
health WINTER CARE
DEEPASHRI V
deepashri.v@postnoon.com
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t’s Christmas time. What fun are winter vacations without travel? An ideal winter travel plan would include destinations that give you a real taste of winter, with snowcapped mountains and ice sheets, where words get lost in the mist. Whether you travel within India, to places with freezing temperatures, or to other cold countries, make sure you’re well prepared to brave the chill. Hyderabad does not see such extreme temperatures in winter that could cause chilblains, but travelling to places with severe conditions, especially when you are not used to it, can throw you off guard. Chilblain is a tissue injury that occurs when the skin is exposed to very low temperatures and high humidity levels.
TESTOSTERONE SHOTS TO WARD OFF HEART ATTACKS?
Testosterone shots not only can overcome low libido in men but also protect them against heart attacks, says a US study. A five-shot course of the hormone boosted male sex drive as well as their fitness levels, mood and their ability to concentrate. They also reported weight loss.
Travel wise this winter
You’re all set to take off for that family vacation and are looking forward toulceration, somewith snow. you do, gear affected area gradually. areas of But skin before chilblains than others. For them, If the initial symptoms are loss, or gangrenes. Some people the damage could be more warmto and safe. ignored, chilblains could leadup to to arestay more susceptible severe as compared to a normal
Fact file
Chilblain is a tissue injury that occurs when the skin is exposed to very low temperatures and high humidity levels.
n Symptoms: Skin at the tips of fingers, toes, ears or nose could turn bluish or reddish. There could be itching, pain, blisters in the affected areas. n Treatment: Warm the affected area. Visit a dermatologist. n Chilblains are often mistaken for frostbites. Chilblains occur when you are suddenly exposed to freezing temperatures. n In extreme cases it could lead to ulceration or gangrenes, and the affected area will have to be cut off, doctors say. n To prevent chilblains, keep yourself warm. Gloves and other protective clothing are extremely important.
“Chilblains are not very common in India. If you are exposed to freezing temperatures, there could be vasoconstriction in the tips of fingers and toes, which could lead to bluishness of skin,” said Dr Sunita Shekhar Reddy, dermatologist at ADI clinic in Hyderabad. “Initial symptoms may include itching, redness, or a burning sensation in the skin of the hands, feet, nose, ears and ear lobes,” said Dr Aftab Ahmed, senior consultant physician at Apollo Hospital, Secunderabad. He said the first thing to do, before visiting a qualified doctor, is to warm the
ANEWS PP-LYBRIEFS YOURSELF iPeriod Menstrual Calendar If you can’t keep track of when your period is due (or when your PMS symptoms are going to appear), then download this digital tracking calendar. It records your menstrual cycle, highlights your most fertile days, plus, you can join in the forum.
person. Dr Sunita said for people with an underlying condition (those prone to vasoconstriction), especially smokers, diabetics and those with hypertension, the damage to the tissue could be permanent. “You have to fibrate the part in that case. But if the damage is reparable, it will heal; the tissues will recover.” She said there is no specific medication, and once it sets in, it’s hard to treat. So best thing to do is to prevent it by keeping yourself warm. According to Medical News Today, chilblains, which are also called pernio or perniosis, can be prevented by regular exercise, which will help in blood circulation. It also says that overthe-counter medications are available at pharmacies for chilblains that have not yet turned infectious or formed cracks on the skin.
HOUSECALL Leprosy Leprosy is an infectious disease. It has been known for a very long time. Today, it is mostly called Hansen's disease, named after the person who discovered the bacterium, Gerhard Armauer Hansen. It is caused by a bacterium, Mycobacterium leprae. As of 2004, the estimated number of new infections was about 400,000. Getting the disease is hard, since it requires close contact with someone who has it.
DID YOU KNOW? Intercourse takes place 120mn times on earth On any given day, sexual intercourse takes place 120 million times on earth. Humans are a quickly proliferating species, and with about 4 per cent of the world’s population having sex on any given day, it’s no wonder that birth rates continue to rise.
PIONEERS Leroy Hood Leroy Hood is an American biologist. He won the 2011 Fritz J and Dolores H Russ Prize “for automating DNA sequencing that revolutionised biomedicine and forensic science” and the Lemelson-MIT Prize for inventing "four instruments that have unlocked much of the mystery of human biology" by helping decode the genome. His inventions include the automated DNA sequencer and an automated tool for synthesising DNA.
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health TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012
BREAKTHROUGH
Toothbrush to polish teeth with ultrasonic waves
LONDON: Scientists claim to have developed the world’s first toothbrush which uses only ultrasound waves to clean teeth — meaning there is no abrasive brushing. While manual toothbrushes have long been replaced by whizzyelectric versions boasting super-fast vibrations and expensive whitening heads, the technology remains the same — abrasive particles in toothpaste rubbed against the teeth to remove plaque.
Bubbles created by the special toothpaste are small enough to get between the teeth and into the gums, where they implode.
have to use a conventional brushing motion. The technology also kills any bacteria left on the brush head. Since people can’t feel ultrasound, the company ,Emmi Ultrasonic AG, has added a vibration to the brush to reassure that it’s working. Professor Damien Walmsley, of the British Dental Association, said proper tests need to be done to prove the efficacy of the brush. “The most important factor in maintaining good oral hygiene still remains regular brushing with fluoride toothpaste and avoiding excessive consumption of sweet or acidic food and drink,” he said.
The new Emmi-dent toothbrush makes a staggering 86 million sound waves per minute and uses only these waves to clean the teeth.
PTI
The new high-tech product launched in the UK last week is claiming to be the world’s first 100 per cent ultrasound toothbrush, the Daily Mail reported. Some ultrasound technology has been incorporated into electric designs in the past, but this is the first time it has been used alone, requiring no movement of the brush. The new Emmi-dent toothbrush makes a staggering 86 million sound waves per minute and uses only these waves to clean the teeth. The product will cost 79.95 pounds and the manufacturers claim the ultrasound waves emitted cause millions of tiny bubbles to form in the special 3.99 pounds toothpaste you have to use with it. These bubbles are small enough to get between the teeth and into the gums, where they implode, killing bacteria and dislodging tartar and food debris. This means you don’t
RESEARCH
STUDY
e-cigarettes not safe? BERLIN: Electronic cigarettes, viewed as a healthy alternative to conventional smoking, may not be all that safe, says a latest study from Germany. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research WKI, in Braunschweig, conducted a study to find out whether e-cigarettes polluted the surrounding air. The results of the study pointed to discharged solid particles remaining in the surrounding air for a considerable time. Compared to conventional cigarettes, which constantly emit smoke as the tobacco burns, the electronic equivalent only releases volatile substances when it is turned on. But that is not the only difference between the two stimulants, as the WKI researchers observed. “In the e-cigarette, vapourised substances create an aerosol of ultrafine particles which become even finer when inhaled into the lungs. These tiny nanodroplets disperse over time,” said Dr Tobias Schripp, scientist at Fraunhofer WKI and study co-author. “Conversely, the combustion process discharges solid particles that can remain in the surrounding air for a considerable time,” said Schripp. An e-cigarette comprises battery, atomizer, heating coil and a reservoir for the liquids used for producing vapour. The mechanism is activated either by pressing a button or by suction. Liquids come with or without nicotine, and also contain aromas and flavours like amaretto, almond, vanilla or apple. These liquids are heated up in the atomizer and vaporized at between 65 and 120 degrees Celsius. Propylene glycol is the most usual solvent; it produces the atomized mist that resembles smoke, according to a Fraunhofer statement. An estimated two million people in Germany have already turned to the vapour cigarette. IANS
Stick to healthy diet for weight loss LONDON: Cutting down butter and cheese, biscuits, cakes and crisps and going in for low-fat diet could help shed pounds, according to a new research. In this way, people can get slimmer in six months without dieting. The more fat you stop eating, the more weight is lost, says a new research from the
University of East Anglia (UEA). The results prove for the first time that weight loss is possible simply by choosing foods lower in fat despite a plethora of recent publicity extolling the benefits of low-carbohydrate and no-carb diets, the British Medical Journal reported. Lee Hooper from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, who led the study,
said the regime led to consistent lower weight for at least seven years. “The weight reduction that we found when people ate less fat was remarkably consistent - we saw it in almost every trial. Those who cut down more on fat, lost more weight,” she said, according to the Daily Mail. IANS
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012
Entertainment
MIRCHI’S AUDIO LAUNCH ON DEC 23 The audio launch of Prabhas, Anushka, Richa Gangopadhyay starrer Mirchi will be launched on December 23 in Hyderabad. Koratala Shiva has directed the film and DSP has scored the music
MAKING THE RIGHT NOISES
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CINE BYTES
Biography on Chiranjeevi launched
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eteran Telugu film journalist Pasupuleti Rama Rao has written a biography on Chiranjeevi’s life. The book titled Mega Chiranjeevitham was launched recently in Hyderabad. Akkineni Nageshwara Rao, Allu Arvind, Ram Charan and Suresh Kondeti were some of the guests at the event and all of them praised Pasupuleti Rama Rao for his efforts.
Naayak’s audio launch postponed
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he audio launch of Ram Charan’s upcoming film Naayak has been postponed by another day. It has now been rescheduled to December 16 and the audio launch will be held in Ramanaidu Studios at Nanakram Guda. VV Vinayak has directed the film.
Kadal’s teaser is out
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Ko Antey Koti’s
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harvanand, Priya Anand starrer Ko Antey Koti is making quite a lot of buzz these days. Directed by Anish Kuruvilla, the film is a crime comedy and it also stars Srihari in an important role. Shakti kanth Karthick has composed the music. Recently, when the film’s audio was launched, the songs from the film were post-
ed on the film’s website and Facebook page so that people can download them for free. It indeed is a radical thought and perhaps this is the first time something of this sort has been implemented in Telugu cinema. Kalyan Myneni, one of the producers of the film, says, “The whole idea behind letting people download original music was to combat piracy. In any case,
music strikes the right chord
people end up downloading audio files from different websites within two hours after the audio launch. Our team has worked hard on the music and we want everyone to listen to the songs without compromising on the quality.” The ring tones and caller tunes of the songs and dialogues will be released later this week. It’s been three days since
the songs were uploaded on the film’s official website www.koanteykoti.com and the response has been pretty good so far. “We have been working closely with the team to promote the film on the web. The website has got more than 5 lakh hits and the album itself has pver 20,000 downloads,” Sharath Chandra, co-founder of First Show, informs us.
new teaser of Mani Ratnam’s upcoming film Kadal was unveiled couple of days ago and it has made a big splash on the Internet. A new song Elay Keechan, sung by AR Rahman, was also released along with the teaser. Gautham and Thulasi are playing the lead roles in this film and the complete album will be released on December 17. Kadal will hit the screens in early 2013
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Entertainment TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012
MORE THAN A CITY GIRL
CINE BYTES
Fardeen’s wife Natasha suffers miscarriage
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ctor Fardeen Khan’s wife Natasha was expecting twins but she has suffered a miscarriage. “As delighted as we were to announce Natasha’s pregnancy, I am equally saddened to say she had a late miscarriage,” Fardeen said on Twitter Sunday night. However, Fardeen says Natasha was an emotionally strong woman, and so they are taking the development well. IANS
‘Race 2’ has been most challenging: Jaqueline Fernandez
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riyanka Chopra is on a roll. After winning accolades on her performance of Barfi, bagging Gunday and now she is on roll for her music. It’s nomination time for Priyanka Chopra. She has received her first music nomination for her single In My City by World Music Awards. A multi-ethnic platform its the biggest platform for world music. The source says, “Her music has been liked a lot in the west. She has been nominated under three categories — Best Debut, Best Song and Best Video. Her collaboration with Will.i.am for In my city has been received well.” The source says, “It’s a matter of pride for an Indian artiste to be recognised and nominated alongside some of the best names in the world. Priyanka is absolutely delighted.” Spokesperson confirms the news. In India too she is getting nominated in all awards for best actress for Barfi.
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ctress Jaqueline Fernandez considersRace 2 as her most challenging film. “It is the most negative character I have played. It is very challenging to do something like that. I had to tackle each scene with an underlying thought that the character is concealing a deep dark secret. Every character is dark and that is the beauty of the film,” she said. IANS
People’s opinion matters most to Imran
PRIYANKA receives her first music nomination!
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ctor Imran Khan says he never really gives in to a critic’s opinion because for him appreciation from a large group of people matters the most. “I never really gave anyways to critic opinions because it is ultimately the opinion of one person, so why should I take the opinion of one critic? To me appreciation comes from large number of people,” Imran said. IANS
Entertainment TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012
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Entertainment TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012
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Entertainment TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012
A CHANGE OF OPINION
CINE BYTES
She Went From heroine to villain
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eira Knightley went on an emotional roller coaster as she conceived the personality of her eponymous character in Anna Karenina. First, she loved her as the heroine. Then, she saw why Leo Tolstoy, the novelist that created her, hated her. Finally, she reconciled the two views. “Do I have a right to judge her? No,” she said. “That’s what makes her so fascinating and terrifying.” Knightley plays the tempestuous duchess, who falls in love with another man and leaves behind her son and husband, in the story set in 19th century Russia. The actress said she pored over the book for weeks, making obsessive, colour-coded notes throughout it. “I first read it when I was 19 or 20,” she told TheWrap’s awards editor Steve Pond at a Q&A after the showing. “She was innocent and totally in the right and everyone else was wrong and she was a victim.” “My memory of her was as being the heroine. So I found it actually quite profoundly shocking when we went into production last year,” she added, saying on a re-read, her opinion changed.
Brown parties with girls
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lthough the news of singer Chris patch up with Rihanna has been making rounds, the former was seen partying with many girls. The two seem to have buried the hatchet and grown closer to each other. “She caget it into her head that Chris will never change. given him so many chances since he beat her up in 2009 and he still keeps hurting her by partying with girls,” a close friend was quoted as saying. IANS
Farrell wanted to be a footballer
I
rish actor Colin Farrell says he wanted to be a football player like his father Eamon Farrell. The actor’s father was a professional player with Shamrock Rovers in Ireland. Farrell, 36, could not fit into the role of a sportsperson. “I wanted to be a footballer, but I wasn’t good enough. Certainly, when I was 13 or 14, I knew for sure that I’d dropped the ball, so to speak,” contactmusic.com quoted Farrell as saying. IANS
Morrison recording christmas album
A
ctor Matthew Morrison is working on a Christmas album, which is expected to get released next year around December. Morrison, 34, is best known for his role as Will Schuester in musical-comedydrama Glee and has worked on more than four tracks for upcoming album.“I play the ukulele so I’ve done this Hawaiian Christmas song,” dailystar.co.uk quoted Morrison as saying. IANS
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012
Chai Time
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. Anne Bradstreet
KAKURO
QUICK CROSSWORD
26
SUDOKU 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.
ACROSS
PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER
SCRIBBLING PAD
1 Hardly a hit 5 Ragout of roasted game 10 Togo’s capital 14 Brook 15 All washed up? 16 Curve-billed wader 17 It can put you in an awkward position 18 Indian princesses 19 Battery unit 20 Chinese, Haitians and Cubans, eg 23 Concludes 24 Wander (with ‘about’) 25 Spills hot coffee on 28 Take care of, as a bar 30 ‘Be Prepared’ org 33 Writer Horatio 34 Place to play old records 35 Fair grades 36 Troops led by George Washington 39 GPS suggestions 40 Fly ball trajectories 41 Golfer Els 42 Therapeutic sounds 43 Easy gait 44 Bear witness to 45 Mayonnaise container 46 Fox or Rabbit, to Uncle Remus 47 Climate change 53 Walked off with 54 Poke fun at 55 Two-thirds of DIY 57 Fish-eating bird 58 Rain gutter locales 59 Hackman of ‘Hoosiers’ 60 Easter egg decorator 61 Hardy form of wheat 62 ‘If all ___ fails ...’
DOWN
1 One kind of cook 2 Detroit football player 3 First name in Russian gymnastics 4 Blood bits 5 Young codfishes 6 Jackson and Arkin 7 She played Glinda in ‘The Wiz’ 8 Drop in a letterbox 9 Military rank indicator 10 Fuming mad 11 Pitch-setting instrument 12 Units of wire thickness 13 Winter hours in NYC 21 Short-tailed lemur 22 Trace 25 Pelvic bones 26 Material for some car seats 27 Choreographer de Mille 28 Add a bit of color 29 Immature amphibians 30 Capital of Switzerland (Var) 31 Eighteen-wheelers 32 Up to the present time 34 Purple Heart recipient 35 Ink or bullet holder 37 Adds commentary to 38 ‘___ In’ (McCartney tune) 43 Something to run up or pick up 44 Take to the clink 45 ‘Wild’ one in a deck 46 German-speaking Swiss city 47 Bloodcurdling 48 The ___ Ranger 49 Do a grand jete 50 Surfer’s need 51 ‘Silent Night,’ eg 52 Cotton deseeders 53 Baseball legend Williams 56 Golf prop
Chai Time TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012 Thiruvaikumar
STAR POWER for 12-12-2012
27
As per Hindu panchang thiruvaikumar@yahoo. co. in, 040-27177230 / 9177596118
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Financially a very comfortable position likely. Employees can expect recognition, promotion and attractive pay package. Ancestral property will come; make good use of it. Take a decision only after considering the present circumstances.
STRIP TEASE AGNES
Social status will see an upward trend. With sincere and hard work, you earn name, money and respect. But be careful while expressing opinions as you being misunderstood is very likely. Ego clashes likely between couples.
Unexpected favourable turning points likely to keep you happy. Fortune opportunities likely to knock your door. Brothers will help and extend good support. Court issue will be decided in your favour. Appropriate efforts will bring suitable rewards.
Avoid making fresh debts. Health needs to be taken care of. Misunderstanding with father likely but will be resolved soon. Businessmen will flourish giving them mental peace. Ego clashes likely between couples; there is need to adjust with each other.
Continuous health problem might worry you. Chances of misunderstanding with friends and colleagues. Try to be cordial and avoid such a situation. New responsibilities likely for employees. Some have chances of a fortune through women.
Be cordial with everyone and never confront anyone. Mother's health might be a cause for concern, take good care. Turning points likely, which will put an end to your hardship of long; be extra cautious. Never remain as a desperate person.
Dull and uneasy situation in the family will change gradually. Health needs to be taken care of. Employees will see a comfortable situation at workplace. Those without a job will be favoured with a good and prosperous opportunity.
Stay away from women as there are chances of misunderstanding, wasteful expenditure and worries. An old debt issue will resurface. A court issue will not end in your favour. Those you believed the most might let you down unexpectedly.
Artists will be happy as their dreams get realised. Dull trend will change and life looks very positive. Expenses through children will increase, which might upset you. Businessmen will expand with financial assistance they get and do well.
TAROT READ
Sumaa Tekur
tarotreadhyd@gmail. com
ARIES:
GEMINI:
Queen of Cups – Your face is a mirror to all your thoughts and emotions. If your job involves managing people, then learn to not show your true feelings.
LEO:
Ten of Wands – You’re feeling burdened by the weight of your own expectations. De-stress and let go of the past. That’ll help you look ahead fresh.
LIBRA:
PEARLS BEFORE SWINE
Ace of Swords – You’re taking an extreme stand on an issue and this may be working against you. Let go of ego and meet an issue halfway instead of being stubborn.
SAGITTARIUS:
King of Wands – You’re feeling creative and in control. Bosses love you for your professionalism and peers like your attitude. Great going!
TAURUS:
The Tower – Expect the unexpected today. Delays and disappointments will make you feel restless. You can’t handle it when things spiral out of control.
CANCER:
Two of Cups – Get a partner on board to execute ideas. Two minds working together is better than one. Singles find a lover and wish to deepen the commitment.
VIRGO:
Death – Not physical death. But more like a 360 degree turn in your plans. There’s little you can do to control the turn of events except keep an open mind.
SCORPIO:
Five of Swords – Don’t trust anyone who’s volunteering help. Ask yourself what’s in it for them, and find out if you’re a pawn in a larger scheme.
CAPRICORN:
Queen of Swords – You’re feeling lonely and this may be because you have moved on and the others around you haven’t. Stay focused on the job.
PREVIOUS SOLUTIONS
PISCES:
Eight of Swords – You’re leaving behind some past relationships and moving on. Don’t carry guilt or baggage from any previous bonds that might have only hurt you.
NUMBER GAME
– Overseas contacts are in focus. Those looking for jobs should look abroad. You’ll get a good offer, one that’ll make you see life differently.
SCRABBLE
AQUARIUS: Six of Swords
POOCH CAFE
There is a need to express views after understanding the place, time and situation. Avoid wasting time and work with realisation of responsibilities. An unexpected financial opportunity is not ruled out. Father might face depression.
for 12-12-2012
Ace of Pentacles – Money is in focus. Sit down with pen and paper, and plan your investments. Think practically. Trying to save too much may make life miserable.
NON SEQUITUR
Mixed effects likely. Health needs good care. Unexpected expenses, tension and worries likely in the family. Need to act with patience, solve them and believe that you are capable, which will do wonders. All wishes will get fulfilled.
SUDUKO
Abilities will draw recognition. Success on all fronts and increase in influence likely. You will gain when you work selflessly. Travel undertaken will be successful. Family members will be in good harmony. A fortune will make you comfortable.
Boggle OHIO UTAH TEXAS MAINE FLORIDA Vol: 2, No 145 RNI No: APENG/2011/39337 Published for the proprietors, Scribble Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, by V Harshavardhan Reddy, at #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500033 and printed by him at Jagati Publications Ltd, Plot No D-75&E-52, APIE Industrial Estate, Balanagar, Ranga Reddy Dist, Hyderabad – 500037, Editor: Dean Williams – Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. For feedback, please write to: feedback@postnoon. com and for subscription, please call 040-4067 2222, Fax: 040-4067 2211
28
Entertainment TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012
A LITTLE REGRET
CINE BYTES
‘I’LL WAIT
CBS boss calls Angus’s controversy a “piece of cake”
CRAIG
C
FOR DANIEL
TO
BS CEO Les Moonves says the current controversy surrounding co-star Angus T Jones is “a piece of cake” by comparison. “We took this boy who started with us when he was eight years old, and it seems to be what happens with child stars over the course of time,” Moonves said according to Yahoo.
RETIRE’
H
ugh Jackman has joked that he will take the James Bond role when Daniel Craig gives up. Speaking at the Les Misérables UK premiere, the actor said that he would like to play the iconic British secret agent. The 44-year-old, who plays ex-convict Jean Valjean in the musical movie, previously turned down the role of Bond but said he has some regrets over his decision. Jackman told The Sun that he will wait until Craig becomes too old to play the spy. “I will just wait. The thing about Daniel is that he’s, what, 62 now, isn’t he? He’s falling apart at the seams,” he joked. “So I just keep telling him, ‘I’m ready, whenever you want to let him go’. The good thing is I also have a British passport.” Jackman, who turned down the lead in 2006’s Casino Royale to focus on the X-Men franchise, said of the decision: “At the time it was wrong for me but when I saw Daniel in the movie I thought I should have been more interested, because it was great. “But I am great mates with Daniel and, you know, no-one could have played Bond better.”
Why Pitt feels lucky?
A
ctor Brad Pitt says his life isn’t that remarkable, but he is extremely grateful for the wonderful movie roles he’s taken on. “I still have to get up at 6 am and make breakfast for six kids. I don’t see my daily life as being that remarkable except for the fact that I’ve struck the lottery when it comes to my work and the opportunities it’s given me,” contactmusic.com quoted Pitt as saying. IANS
Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale share a kiss on stage
R
ock stars, parents and partners in life Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale proved their love flame still burns bright after sharing a passionate smooch on stage during their performance at the 23rd Annual KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas at Gibson Amphitheatre.The couple reunited at the event where they met almost 17 years ago.
sports
29
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012
SWIMMING AT RIO
Gen New to shine
SATURDAY FIGHT ECHO
Phelps was under pressure in London to avoid failure against the new breed of swimmers.
REBECCA BRYAN Agence France-Presse LOS ANGELES: Missy Franklin (above), Ye Shiwen, Sun Yang and Yannick Agnel were part of a youth movement in the 2012 Olympic pool that signalled swimming has plenty to look forward to after Michael Phelps. Phelps put the finishing touches on an epic Olympic career in London as exciting young swimmers from around the world promised to carry the sport through Rio 2016. Franklin, just 17 at her first Olympics, left London with
four gold medals and two world records. She helped propel the United States to their familiar spot atop the Olympic swimming medals table with 16 gold, 8 silver and 6 bronze for a total of 30. World record-breaking performances by teenager Ye and Sun saw China confirm their arrival as an Olympic swimming power with five gold medals and 10 overall. Right behind China, France claimed a superb four golds, with Agnel delivering a scintillating 4x100m free relay gold
ahead of the United States before a dominant victory in the 200m freestyle that left American Ryan Lochte trailing in his wake. France’s four golds were one more than they had claimed in all prior Games, and Agnel said he had no intention of letting up before Rio. Traditional power Australia, meanwhile, floundered in London after big guns James Magnussen and James Roberts failed to fire in the freestyle sprints. Australia’s tally of one gold, six silver and three bronze in London was their lowest since 1992, and they were without an individual gold medallist for the first time since 1976. The flop prompted Swimming Australia to back an independent probe into the debacle, with federation chief executive Kevin Neil stepping down in November. That’s the same month that mining billionaire Gina Rinehart promised Aus$10 million (US$10.4 million) to support the country’s leading swimmers.That was good news for talented swimmers like Magnussen, who at 21 still has time to regroup and head to Rio.
WORLD JUNIOR TABLE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Filipino spectators are stunned as they watch the broadcast on television in Manila on Saturday of boxer Manny Pacquiao hitting the canvas to lose his AFP/ JAY DIRECTO non-title bout in Las Vegas.
Philippine media packs pressure on Manny to quit MANILA: Philippine media commentators have put pressure on boxing great Manny Pacquiao to retire after his heavy defeat in Las Vegas, with one comparing him to Parkinson’s disease sufferer Muhammed Ali. The southpaw who turns 34 next Monday has vowed to fight on. But many suspect that 17 years of pro ring combat are now taking their toll on the man once seen by many as the world’s finest pound-for-pound fighter. Pacquiao, a national hero, was knocked out by Mexican rival Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas on Saturday in his second consecutive defeat. “Pacquiao got hit hard but in the end, he was conquered by Father Time after it turned out he
HYDERABAD TRACK WORK Odalis, Askioz give it their best HYDERABAD: Odalis, Askioz, Aerosmith and Molucule caught the eye with impressive runs when horses were exercised at the Malakpet racecourse in the City this morning. Sand track 800 metres Wedding Gift (rb) 2y. Star Wings (Sai Vamshi) 56.5, 600/42.5 Former finished a length in front. Molucule (rb) 58, 600/44 Easy. Santa Fe (rb) 59.5, 600/43.5 Easy. Aerosmith (N Rawal) 57, 600/43.5 Moved well.
India’s Batra Manika serves to Hung Tzu-Hsiang of Taipei in their match in the 10th World Junior Table SRINIVAS SETTY Tennis Championships in the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in the City on Tuesday.
could no longer take a solid punch,” wrote sports columnist Recah Trinidad in the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper. Pacquiao, who fought his way out of poverty as a teenager and is now immensely wealthy, had earlier controversially lost his World Boxing Organisation welterweight crown to unbeaten US fighter Tim Bradley on July 9. Boxing television analyst Ronnie Nathanielsz said that Pacquiao wants a shot at redeeming himself. “The sight of Roach himself riddled by Parkinson’s disease and the great heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, wracked by the disease, sends shivers among many who care deeply for Pacquiao,” Nathanielsz said. AFP
Sand track 1000 metres Odalis (Ravinder Singh) 1-11, 800/55, 600/41.5 Impressed. See My Style (Trainer) 1-15, 800/1-0, 600/44.5 Moved freely. Askioz (Sai Vamshi) 111, 800/55, 600/41 Impressed. Sand track 1200 metres Nasheeta (Imran Khan) 1-31, 1000/1-13, 800/58, 600/44 Easy. Saravagnya (rb)
Smrithiman (Nitin Singh) 128.5, 1000/1-12.5, 800/58, 600/44 They finished together. Sand track 1400 metres 2y. Kallu Mama (Togrolu) 146, 1200/1-28, 1000/1-12, 800/57, 600/44 Moved well. Sand track 1600 metres Kohinoor Angel (app) 2-5, 1600/600 in 1-13.5. Urged. Mock Race on Monday 1200 metres Elzaam (Harinder Singh) Kohinoor Fighter (N Rawal) Montpelier (S Nayak) Magic Million (Kuldeep Singh) Killer Instinct (SS Tanwar) Moghul Emperor (Deep Shanker) Royal Craft (MF Ali Khan) Princess Jaanu (J Vikas) Star Wish (Ajit Kumar) Daniella (Nitin Singh) 1-15, 1000/1-2, 800/50, 600/38. Daniella Planted, Princess Jaanu and Royal Craft slowly off. Elzaam and Kohinoor Fighter were the pick.
30
sports TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012
TENNIS
Serena eyes more Slams The American, who will turn 32 in September, finished the year at three in the world and looks hungry for more Grand Slam glory.
DAVE JAMES Agence France-Presse PARIS: Comfortably into her third decade on tour, Serena Williams (above) remains the dominant power in women’s tennis with her eyes firmly fixed on overhauling Martina Navra-
tilova and Chris Evert’s Grand Slam record in 2013. She was in a class of her own in the second half of 2012, winning Wimbledon, the Olympics, the US Open and then capped it off with a stunning straight sets demolition of Maria Sharapova in the WTA Championships final.
“I definitely think I can improve some more,” said Williams, who now has 15 Grand Slam singles titles. That’s just three off 18 collected by Navratilova and Evert with only Steffi Graf’s record of 22 looking potentially out of reach. “The day I feel that I can’t
improve, I think that’s the day I should probably hang up my racket,” added Williams, whose success in the latter half of the year looked a distant dream in the first six months of 2012. Having missed 12 months of action in 2010 and 2011, battling life-threatening blood clots on her lungs, she was a fourthround loser at the Australian Open. Then, despite winning claycourt titles in Charleston and Madrid, her stunning first round defeat to Virginie Razzano at the French Open was her worst career loss at a major and seemed to beckon the end of the line. But by the time Wimbledon came around in June she was rejuvenated, taking a fifth title at the All England Club in a final where opponent Agnieszka Radwanska at least went down fighting. It was also at Wimbledon where Williams, never far from controversy, celebrated her Olympic gold with an impromptu “crip walk”, a dance linked with America’s violent gang culture. After her trials in the first half of 2012, the American is reluctant to predict another “Serena Slam” where she would hold all four Grand Slam titles at the same time.
SQUASH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Matthew made to struggle World champion Nick Matthew confessed that he was under psychological pressure before his match against Zac Alexander. RICHARD EATON Agence France-Presse
Results on Monday
DOHA: World champion Nick Matthew (right) admitted he was in trouble against Australia’s Zac Alexander who might have been using “reverse psychology”, before carrying his bid to achieve a title hat-trick into the last 16 on Monday. The 32-year-old Englishman was made to fight for survival before coming through 8-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-5 against Alexander who packed his bags for the airport and brought them in the car they shared en route to the arena. “For the first game and a half I wasn’t anywhere,” said Matthew, who was 3-5 down in the second set having lost the first in the world championship
2nd round Chris Simpson (ENG) bt Laurens Jan Anjema (NED x9) 11-4, 811, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9; Omar Mosaad (EGY x10) bt Max Lee (HKG) 11-9, 11-5, 11-4; Gregory Gaultier (FRA x3) bt Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) 11-9, 11-7, 11-9; Ramy Ashour (EGY x5) bt Adrian Grant (ENG) 11-6, 11-2, 11-9; Amr Shabana (EGY x7) bt Joe Lee (ENG) 11-5, 11-2, 11-3; Alister Walker (BOT x12) bt Shaun Le Roux (RSA) 11-9, 11-6, 11-5; Nick Matthew (ENG x2) bt Zac Alaexander (AUS) 811, 11-5, 11-5, 11-5; Tarek Momen (EGY x13) bt Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) 11-6, 11-8, 11-6
(x denotes seeding)
second round tie. “I don’t know if packing his bags was reverse psychology, but he played really well and I had to get my act together. “I was in trouble there and it was ugly for a while. I had to throw tactics out of the window
and just fight and get some adrenaline going. “It wasn’t easy and I had to tell myself to try to enjoy it because I felt maybe a little bit tense. He had packed his bags and it was like I wasn’t going to be there tomorrow.”
WORLDTOUR LIST
Contador’s Saxo Bank in, Katusha out PARIS: Alberto Contador’s (below) Saxo Bank team was awarded a sought-after WorldTour license on Monday, confirming the Danish outfit’s place in cycling’s elite division for the 2013 season. Saxo, along with French outfits AG2R La Mondiale and FDJ and Belgian team Lotto, retained their place in the 18-strong top division, providing them automatic entrance to the sport’s marquee races. However there was no place for Katusha, which means the Joaquim Rodriguez-led Russian outfit will have to rely on invitations from organisers to take part in the grand tours, one-day classics and other principal events. The only change from last season is the inclusion of Dutch outfit Argos, who fea-
ture young German duo Marcel Kittel and John Degenkolb. The sport’s governing body the UCI did not provide any reason concerning the refusal to grant Katusha WorldTour status. “The request from the team Katusha for registration in first division has been rejected,” declared the federation in a statement. “In accordance with UCI regulations, this team’s application has been forwarded to the UCI administration, so that the latter may assess the possibility of registering this team as a UCI Professional Continental Team.” Aside from performance, the UCI’s Licenses Commission also takes ethical and financial criteria into account. “Purito” Rodriguez, 33, claimed victory in the Fleche Wallonne classic as well as the Tour of Lombardy this year. The Spaniard finished second at the Tour of Italy and third in the Tour of Spain as he claimed top spot in the yearend WorldTour standings. AFP
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sports TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012
KANERIA’S LIFE BAN CASE
T20 WC FOR BLIND
Appeal hearing adjourned Kaneria has appealed against the life ban and at the first appeal hearing Westfield was not present. KARACHI: The hearing into Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria’s (right) appeal against a life ban had to be adjourned in London after the counsel for the player objected to the absence of key witness, Mervyn Westfield, from the proceedings. According to details available with PTI, the counsel for Kaneria, QC Tim Maloney, raised the issue that since Westfield was the main witness in the whole case, his presence at the hearing was imperative. Westfield absented himself from the hearing on grounds of ill-health. The former Essex player and teammate of Kaneria at the county was jailed by a crown court for a short period after confessing to accept payments for under-performing in a Pro-40 match against Durham in late 2009. Westfield later also named Kaneria as his alleged corrupter which led to a disciplinary panel
Pakistan drop Afridi LAHORE: Pakistan on Monday dropped big-hitting all-rounder Shahid Afridi from their squad for the three-match one-day international series against archrivals India starting this month. The 32-year-old captained Pakistan in their 2011 World Cup campaign, which ended in a semi-final defeat to India, but has been in poor form of late, managing just 76 runs and five wickets in his last 10 one-dayers. He will miss the 50-over series -- the neighbours’ first in five years -- but selectors kept faith with him for the shortest form of the game, naming him in the 15-man Twenty20 squad. of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) imposing a life ban on Kaneria in June this year. “Although the ECB counsel kept on insisting before the five-
member appeal tribunal that it was not necessary to have Westfield at the hearing but Kaneria’s counsel argued that since it was on the basis of his
confession and testimony that his client was declared a grave danger to cricket,” a source aware of the hearing developments said. PTI
AUSTRALIA VS SRI LANKA
Hughes confident of scoring SYDNEY: Australian batsman Phil Hughes (left) said on Tuesday he has put his disappointing last Test performance behind him and is confident a year of work will pay off when he takes on Sri Lanka this week. Hughes returns to the Test arena at Hobart’s Bellerive Oval, where he played his last Test in December 2011 and scored just 24 runs in two innings against New Zealand. “This is the ground where things probably didn’t pan out
RANJI TROPHY ROUND-UP Delhi 258 and 40 for 3 (Mohit 4*, Manhas 1*) need a further 370 runs to beat Karnataka 192 and 475 for 9 (Binny 85, Pandey 61) Railways 214 (A Yadav 53, Pandey 6-61) and 54 for 5 trail Madhya Pradesh 377 (Rameez 128, Rajan 69, Bangar 4-81) by 109 runs Mumbai 364 for 3 (Rohit 163*, Pawar 78, Shah 54*) trail Punjab 580 (Mandeep 211, Amitoze 91, Inder Singh 76) by 216 runs Bengal 112 for 9 (Tiwary 55, Jadeja 4-48) and 65 for 3 need another 366 runs to beat Saurashtra 209 (Jadeja 70, Saxena 5-17) and 333 for 8 dec (Jackson
118*, Jadeja 68, Vasavada 59, Saxena 6-133) Rajasthan 294 (Kanitkar 100*, Dhurve 6-65) and 29 for 2 lead Gujarat 312 (Parthiv 92, Gohel 63) by 11 runs Baroda 301 (Waghmode 71, Rayudu 64, Chauhan 60, Shah 50) and 4 for 0 beat Odisha 181 (Podder 82, Bhatt 6-73) and 123 (K Patel 4-36) by ten wickets Vidarbha 237 for 6 (Badani 69*) trail Uttar Pradesh 548 for 8 dec (Dagar 116, Alam 100, Kaif 85, Chawla 85) by 311 runs Haryana 257 (Yadav 63) and 75 for 2 trailMaharashtra 540 for 8 dec (Atitkar 190, Jadhav 109, Bawne 86) by 208 runs
Hughes returns to the Test arena at Hobart’s Bellerive Oval, where he played his last Test in December 2011. perfectly on a personal note,” he told journalists in Hobart. “Twelve months down the track, I feel like I’m in a better place now.” Hughes, who turned 24 last
India, Pakistan in semi-finals BANGALORE: India produced an all-round performance to crush South Africa by 288 runs and enter the semi-finals of the Twenty20 World Cup for the Blind along with arch-rival Pakistan here today. Electing to bat after winning the toss, India’s toporder batsmen, Ganesh Bushara (80 off 31 balls), Dunna Venkatesh (79 off 31) and Hitesh Bhai Patel (72 off 26) did the bulk of scoring for the hosts who notched up a mammoth 355. Chasing 356, all the South African batsmen, barring
India will play Sri Lanka in the second play-off on Wednesday, while Pakistan will play England in the first play-off for a place in the final of the T20 World Cup for the blind.
month, was last week handed a second chance in the Australian team after veteran Ricky Ponting retired. He has been in solid form in domestic cricket and appears to have satisfied selectors that he has overcome technical issues which made him vulnerable to the rising ball and led to his axing in the past. “I feel like I’ve done a lot of work,” said Hughes, who has 17 Tests to his name.
Lawrence Ruthven, failed to reach double digits, as Indian captain Shekar Naik (3 for 13) and vice-captain Ajay Kumar Reddy (2 for 14) did most of the damage with the ball. India will play Sri Lanka in the second play-off on Wednesday. In another match, Pakistan roared into semi-finals in style, hammering Nepal by 10 wickets at the Aditya Global Sports Ground. Pakistan will play England in the first play-off in the on Wednesday.
AFP
PTI
NBA
Spurs beat Rockets in OT
HOUSTON, Texas: Tony Parker (right) recorded the first tripledouble of his career with 27 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists on Monday, as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Houston Rockets 134-126 in overtime. Gary Neal nailed seven three pointers and finished with 29 points for the Spurs, who have won five consecutive games. Manu Ginobili finished with 22 points and six assists and Danny Green had 14 points and
half dozen rebounds. Tim Duncan had a doubledouble with 10 points and 13
rebounds for San Antonio, which improved to 11-2 on the road this season. Jeremy Lin tied a career high with 38 points while dishing out seven assists for Houston, who have lost three straight. Omer Asik added 21 points and 10 boards. Chandler Parsons had 20 points and seven boards for Houston in the loss. The Rockets were without guard James Harden because of a right ankle injury.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012
sports
NABI RULED OUT FOR SIX WEEKS
Mohun Bagan midfielder Syed Rahim Nabi has been ruled out for at least six weeks as he underwent a surgery for two fractures on his cheekbone. “Nabi will have to take rest for about four to six weeks and then can then take the field,” said a doctor attending to the star Mohun Bagan player.
PREMIER LEAGUE
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CLUB WORLD CUP
Fulham down Newcastle Colombian striker Rodallega ends goal drought to help Fulham to their first victory in eight outings with a 2-1 win over Newcastle. LONDON: Hugo Rodallega fired Fulham to their first win in eight matches as the Colombian ended his goal drought to seal a 2-1 victory over Newcastle at Craven Cottage on Monday. Rodallega had failed to hit the back of the net since September, but the striker finally notched only his second goal since his pre-season move from Wigan with a second half header to kill off the Magpies. It was sweet relief for both Rodallega and Fulham boss Martin Jol, whose struggling side had blown the first half lead given to them by Steve Sidwell. Although Hatem Ben Arfa equalised for Newcastle early in the second half, Alan Pardew’s team, were unable to avoid a fifth defeat in their last six Premier League matches. They remain only four points above the relegation zone after a 14th successive away match without a win. Jol said: “That was vital for us. I was so happy that we could score the first goal because that’s been our problem in the last couple of weeks. “We showed some character but I felt we should have finished it off earlier.” For Pardew, celebrating two years in charge of Newcastle, it was a miserable anniversary as Fulham took control on a freezing night on the banks of the
Fulham’s Colombian striker Hugo Rodallega heads to score a goal against Newcastle United in their English Premier League football match at Craven Cottage stadium in London on Monday. AFP/ IAN KINGTON
River Thames. “It’s a really soft second goal. You can’t do that as this level,” he said. “We had the game by the scruff of the neck at that point. We played some of the best attacking play of the season, but we still came away with nothing.” Rodallega had the first sight of goal for the Cottagers with a bicycle kick, although his acrobatic effort failed to test Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul. Newcastle’s defence was far too open and the hosts were able to exploit those gaps to take the lead and end a fivehour goal drought in the 19th minute. Damien Duff was the provider as he released Sidwell into the penalty area and the former Chelsea midfielder’s strike looped past Krul via a deflection off Mike Williamson. Dimitar Berbatov should have doubled Fulham’s advantage moments later when he surged through on goal but, with just Krul to beat, the former Manchester United forward shot too close to the Newcastle goalkeeper. Berbatov threatened again after Krul could only palm Sascha Riether’s cross to the Bulgarian, but once more he was unable to convert the chance as the Newcastle keeper recovered to save. AFP
DISASTER REPERCUSSIONS
Britain seeks fresh inquest into deaths LONDON: Britain’s attorney general applied Monday for fresh inquests into the deaths of 96 Liverpool supporters in the 1989 Hillsborough football stadium disaster. Dominic Grieve applied to the High Court to have the verdicts of the original inquests into Britain’s worst sporting disaster quashed so that fresh ones can be held. The original inquests returned verdicts of accidental death but Grieve wants to bring new evidence forward after an independent inquiry published in September exposed a police
cover-up following the crush. “I believe that the case for the High Court to quash the original inquests is a good one,” said the government’s top legal officer. “My application has now been lodged with the court. It is my intention to appear to argue the case at the hearing that will take place in the High Court.” In England, inquests are held to examine sudden or unexplained deaths. They set out to determine the place and time of death as well as how the deceased came by their death. They do not apportion blame. AFP
Benitez denies any pressure YOKOHAMA: Interim Chelsea boss Rafael Benitez (above) on Monday denied feeling any added pressure going into the Club World Cup in Japan, despite his side exiting the Champions League at the first hurdle last week. The London club, appearing in the intercontinental event for the first time, will take on Mexican side Monterrey in the semi-finals at Yokohama International Stadium on Thursday. They come into the tournament on the back of a win at Sunderland on Saturday — a victory which ended a poor run of results, including two draws and a defeat in Benitez’s first three games in charge since replacing Roberto Di Matteo. It also came days after the Blues became the first Champions League holders to fail to progress past the group stage of the premier European competition. “I don’t have any problem in terms of pressure,” said Benitez, who won the Club World Cup as Inter Milan coach two years ago. “I have some experience and I would like to enjoy every minute that I am here and try to do my best and try to win,” the Spaniard told a news conference in Yokohama. Benitez, who was sacked just five days after leading Inter to glory in 2010, said the Japan showpiece provided his team with a good chance to collect some silverware. “Everyone at this club has the same idea as me: to win every trophy that we can,” the 52-year-old said. “So we have this opportunity now. It doesn’t matter if we are in the Champions League or not. This one is very important for us.” AFP