WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012 HYDERABAD
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HYDERABAD’S FIRST COMPACT AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER
32 PAGES
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012
city events
COLOURS COLLECTION
Works of various Indian contemporary artists like Arvind Kolapkar, Chaitali Morajkar, K. Sukumar, Masuram Ravikanth, Mukesh Salvi, Pallavi Walunj, Pooja Sharma, Santosh Morajkar, Sharad Bhardwaj and Sayed Ali Arif will be displayed at Paryatak Bhavan from 11am-7pm.
Weather for Hyderabad
Evening
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Clear with cloudy periods
Clear with cloudy periods
Morning
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Mostly sunny
Sunny with cloudy periods
New Delhi Mumbai Max 23 Max 29 Min 14 Min 19 Mostly clear skies
Chennai Max 29 Min 22
Mostly sunny, clear skies
Partly cloudy
Bangalore Max 27 Min 16 Mostly sunny. Partly cloudy at night.
AROUND THE CITY: YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES Kavuri Hills When: Upto December 19, 11am onwards Contact: (040)2311 3709
DINING Moplah Magic Moplan cuisine, form Kerala, will be served with Arabic and Samarkandi touches. Where: Dakshin, Begumpet When: December 10-16 Contact: (040) 2340 0132
SHOWS Christmas carols Christmas carols will be sung by Global Edge school till the end of December at The Lobby. Where: Novotel & HICC Complex, PO Bag No.1101, Cyberabad Post Office, Near Hitech Cit When: December 3-31 Contact: (040) 6682 4422
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
Theatre festival The fourth annual Samahaara Hyderabad Theatre Festival is going on in the City, where artists will perform plays from various geres. Where: Nift Auditorium, Madhapur When: December 8-16, 7:30pm onwards Contact: info@samahaara.org
Christmas brunch There is a Christmas Day Turkey Brunch at Marriott Hotel and Convention Center.. European inspired Ginger Bread House will start from December 15. Where: Okra, Hyderabad Marriott Hotel and Convention Center When: December 25, 12:30pm to 4pm
MISCELLANEOUS Treasure Hunt Amar Chitra Katha is organizing a treasure hunt for kids. Where: Landmark, KMC Retail Mall, Somajiguda When: December 15 2pm onwards Contact: 88855 10382
ART 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, PLAY TIME: Children wearing spider man masks and playing near Ibrahimbagh, Golconda. M ANIL KUMAR Banjara Hills, Rd No 3 When: Upto December 14 from 9am Contact: (040) 2355 4485 Eclectic iridescence
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
An exhibition of Dhiren Shasmal’s art work, based 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
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
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 Music workshop There is a 3-day workshop on Hindustani classical music and ghazal singing by Ustad Rajkumar Rizvi Sutradhar and Naadbrah. Those with a basic knowledge of Hindustani music can register. Where: 3-6-145/9/1/1, Himayatnagar When: December 12-14 6:30pm-10pm Contact: 77990 00792 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. Itis a one day event which will include rock walk, rock photography, rappelling and quiz, among other activities. Where: University of Hyderabad, Gachibowli When: December 16 7:30am to 1pm Contact: 98850 39230
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
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
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
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
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012 HYDERABAD
WWW.POSTNOON.COM
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32 PAGES
HYDERABAD’S FIRST COMPACT AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER
PANDIT
RAVI SHANKAR DIES AT 92, BUT THE LEGEND WILL LIVE FOREVER
Legendary sitar player Ravi Shankar, a major influence on musicians ranging from The Beatles to Yehudi Menuhin, has died at the age of 92 after surgery in the United States, his family said.
REPORT ON P9
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012
City
YESTERDAY’S QUESTION
WILL THE ALL-PARTY MEET RESOLVE THE T-ISSUE? 12%
VS Raju, CITU member See page 5
THINGS WE 5LEARNT TODAY The column that teaches everyone something new about the way the City functions.
1
Many faces of technology: Prostitutes get tech-savvy. Just because the number of sex workers on the streets are getting fewer, doesn’t mean that prostitution is disappearing.
2
Who is helping the common man? In a war of words, Chandrababu Naidu accused the Congress of having no original plans of helping the common man. Aam Aadmi is invariably stuck in the battle between parties.
3
Marry the right way: Say no to dowry. Triveni’s story is that of many others in the country and State. Say no to men who demand dowry.
4
Family planning required to compete in elections. GHMC corporators who have more than two children are not eligible for election and a thorough screening process is required.
5
Government should plan long term. Unless there are long-term plans to curb the power crisis, we will lose our industries and workers to other states.
B)
NO
A runner-up elevated to the post vacated by the disqualified winner is the first such instance in Indian civic bodies. What was the scrutiny team doing during his election?
More one-ways in the City?
Md NIZAMUDDIN nizamuddin.a@postnoon.com
T
here are around 10 corporators who have more than two children, making them ineligible for holding the post of corporator, but only two cases have made their way to the courts. A judgement was passed disqualifying a winner (pictured below) that elevated the runner-up (pictured on the right) to the post. Interestingly, the GHMC officials maintain ignorance of more such cases pending in the courts. The Langer House instance of an MIM candidate declared disqualified and elevating the next who got the highest votes to the position has created a flutter among corporators who seem to have been unaware or feign ignorance of the law. According to Mayor Mohammed Majid Hussain, the “legal opinion” from the State’s Election Commission is awaited. “Depending on the legal opinion, the GHMC will take necessary steps towards conducting elections at one or two places,” said the mayor. Even the mayor maintained that no other case is pending in courts. Meanwhile, the officials, for whom the issue has become a headache, claim to have not received any kind of information over the similar cases. One of the officials maintains that unless and until the court
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CITY ROADS
10 corporators ineligible
L
These layoffs will have huge repercussions, not only in the families of employees, but also on the whole economy of the State and the country.
YES
GHMC ELECTIONS
NIMS Investigation
DECEMBER 12, 2011
A)
NO (B)
To vote visit www.postnoon.com
LAST YEAR... HERE ast year on this date, Postnoon had conducted an investigation into the myriad problems plaguing Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, from poor sanitation to dysfunctional equipments and improper waste disposal. An Employee Union member had also said that the biggest problem is that there is no place for attendents, who come from far off places, to stay. A nurse had said typically the patient nurse ration needs to be 1:1 or 2:1 during emergencies, but due to severe shortage of staff, it was 8:1. With no drinking water provided at the campus, patients had to either buy water from the canteen or remain thirsty.
YES (A)
88%
TODAY’S QUESTION
SHOULD THERE BE STRICTER DOWRY LAWS IN THE COUNTRY?
GHMC to propose more one-ways to reduce traffic load. POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com
W declares that a person has been disqualified, the GHMC may not know how many children a particular corporator has. “It should be done during the time of scrutiny. The detractor should submit proof against the candidate. If the occasion passes, only thing he can do is file a petition in court and only when the end result comes we will know if the person has been disqualified,” says Somaraju, secretary. Even some of the observers held there could not be other such cases pending in courts, as proper filing of case requires hard facts based on the certificates of children or copy of ration card in the court. That could only make a strong case
ith the intention of solving the traffic problems on the City roads, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation will be proposing more one ways as a measure reduce the traffic load to the Traffic police. The Mayor Majid Hussain will have a meeting with C V Anand, Additional Commissioner (Traffic) on Wednesday for discussing the possibility of initiating more one-ways at the arterial roads that witness gridlock all the times. “A kind of inner ring, similar to outer ring road is being proposed for implementation that would allow only oneway traffic,” he said. Some of the roads are in congested locations like Koti junction and Secunderabad Railway station, traffic police said. Several other roads are also under feasibility study to reduce traffic snarls during peak hours. The department is also involving people through its Facebook page to know their response.
against the corporator. “Officially, there are no similar cases pending in courts,”confirmed a source. While corporators from the leading parties maintained that there are no other cases pending, people drop names of those who have more than two kids. “What could be done in three days in election frenzy? At least a week’s time could be better for proper screening,”said a Standing Committee member. With the GHMC facing this unique problem at year end, some feel that two of the corporators may go to Supreme Court. But well informed corporators point out that Supreme Court will not accept petitions from local bodies.
NEWS BRIEFS Chain-snatching at Ramnagar
Teenager allegedly kidnapped from home
Senior citizen’s home burgled
GHMC sets deadline for hospitals on fire safety
E
A
T
T
ven as police claim to be keeping a special watch for snatchers, another woman in Ramnagar lost her 3 tola gold chain to snatchers last night. She was walking home in Indiranagar when bike-borne thugs whizzed past her, snatching her gold. Musheerabad police are investigating the case after a complaint was lodged.
16-year-old girl has been allegedly kidnapped from her home yesterday at Kalapathar. A man allegedly came and forcibly took her with him. Shocked parents, after initial inquiries lodged a complaint with the Kalapathar police. It is believed that the girl went on her own volition, but being a minor, it is a case of kidnapping.
he house of a senior citizen, C Vithal, a resident of Seetaphalmandi near Chilkalguda was burgled last night. All the gold in the house was stolen, whose worth runs into several lakh of rupees, police said. Vithal had gone to his son’s house in Vanasthalipuram when the burglary took place. Chilkalguda police are investigating.
he GHMC has set a December 31 deadline for installation of fire safety equipment in hospitals. A review meeting with representatives of ASHA, APNA, DM & HOs of Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts was conducted by GHMC commissioner M T Krishna Babu. He said strict action will be taken against those who don’t comply.
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city WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012
CRIME
CRIME
Wife held for Teams formed to track down runaway groom husband’s murder A groom escaped with a dowry amount of `4.5 lakh on Sunday just an hour before the wedding. Cops are on his trail.
His constant nagging and threatening infused a sense of insecurity in her and she planned his death with the help of others, police say.
Mohd SUBHAN mohd.s@postnoon.com
POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com
A
T
groom escaped from the mandapam (marriage hall) with huge amounts of dowry one hour before his marriage on Sunday. T Prasad has not been traced so far by the police. In this connection, the Mangalagiri police has formed two special teams to nab him and searches are going on at different places of the concerned district and as well as outside his native place. His father and other family members were called by the police for an inquiry, inspector of Mangalagiri police station VV Ramna Kumar said. T Prasad, 32, is a resident of Mangalgiri town and works as a fire man at the fire station at Guntur. His marriage was fixed with Triveni last month. Prasad had taken `4.5 lakh from Triveni’s father and his marriage was fixed. But he, along with his family members managed to escape from the manda-
pam. The girl’s father filed a complaint and a case has been booked. “We are investigating into this matter,” said VV Ramna Kumar told Postnoon over the phone. “We are trying to trace him with the help of mobile tower location.”
POLITICS
Lakshmi Parvati lashes out
Triveni attempted to commit suicide by consuming poison after Prasad ran away with the money. She was taken to the nearest hospital and doctors say she is out of danger. Her parents have started looking for a new match for her.
he Bahadurpura police have arrested six people for the murder of an auto driver, whose decomposed body was found in Miralam Tank on Sunday. It is now revealed that his wife, Ashiya Begum, one of the six people arrested by the police, played a pivotal role in getting him murdered. The 45-year-old Samad is said to have objected to his wife running a chit fund, in which services of many men are taken. An allegedly jealous and suspicious husband wanted Ashia to discontinue the chit fund in order to avoid men’s company. Ashiya is Samad’s second wife and the couple have a son, Abdul Rasheed. On December 3, Samad took out his vehicle for a day’s work. He never returned. In the evening, his wife lodged a missing complaint with the police. On Sunday, Samad’s decomposed body came floating up the lake. After the recovery of the
body, Rasheed lodged a complaint of murder of his father. Police first questioned Ashiya, who gave up after a while and hinted at his murder. She had hired some others to commit the crime. Further probe revealed the role of five other men. Police arrested Ahmed, Zaffer, Ghouse, Mohammed, Ishaq and Ashiya. Assistant Commissioner of Police, Charminar, M Rammohan Rao said they are held for murder conspiracy. The suspects stopped his auto rikshaw and took a ride. On the way, they took him to a bar and made him drink till he lost his consciousness. They took him to the outskirts, stabbed him to death and threw his body in the lake, police said.
NEEDS OF INDUSTRIES A Classified Display Feature
F
ormer chief minister N T Rama Rao’s widow Lakshmi Parvati has joined the issue in the ongoing tiff over installation of NTR statue in Parliament House. She has criticized both the TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu and Union minister Daggubati Purandareswari, daughter of late NTR, who have been claiming credit for the Centre accepting to erect NTR statue. Talking to the media here on Tuesday, she said both of them had no right to even mention NTR’s name as they had dislodged him from power. Accusing them for playing a new drama, she said both of them lacked commonsense to understand that for erection of the statue, they would require the signature of the late leader’s wife. She said she would write to Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar on the issue and said she would be happy if the statue was erected, whoever does it. (NSS)
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city WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012
POLITICS
Co-op polls electrify parties YSRC, which has nothing to lose and everything to gain, is the most excited at the announcement of the co-operative societies’ elections next month. FOR REPRESENTATION PURPOSES
INKESHAF AHMED ahmed.m@postnoon.com
Other parties too are not ready for the polls, but they are better equipped than the Congress. This is especially true of YSRC.
T
he government’s decision to conduct co-operative societies’ elections in 2013 has stirred up the leaders of all parties. The elections are mandatory. If the polls are not held before the term, societies would not be in a position to receive budgetary allocations and grants due to them for their operations and schemes. The fact is the ruling Congress is not quite ready to face the elections. Others too are not but they are better equipped, especially the YSRC, which, with a flush of recent electoral successes, will use the popularity to overrun its lack of organisational set-up. The TDP, TRS and YSR Congress are not quite in disarray as the Congress is. According to the schedule
released by the State government, the elections to the Primary Agricultural Co-operative Societies will be held on January 31 and February 4 in 2013. The election for District Cooperative Central Banks will be
held on February 13. The final leg of elections for AP State Cooperative Banks (APCOB) will be held on February 22 next year. But Congress leaders dismiss the claims of unpreparedness. Party leader Dr N Tulasi Reddy said that the party would win majority number of societies across the State. He hoped that the exodus of leaders to other parties would not affect the prospects of the party in the elections. “Congress is like an ocean. If some people or leaders leave the party, it will not have any effect on its performance. We
POLITICS
TDP to waive loan arrears of women SHGs
have many such examples in the past. This time too, the party will win majority number of societies during the elections,” Reddy said, adding that the party is preparing strategies on how to face the co-operative elections. Reacting on the issue, TDP senior leader E Peddi Reddy said that co-operative bodies’ elections are an opportunity to prove their growing popularity across the State in the wake of party president N Chandrababu Naidu’s padayatra. “The padayatra has helped us expose the misdeeds and failures of the Congress to the core. We have also succeeded in taking our plans and promises into the public. It will help us in winning substantial number of bodies in the elections,” he said.
TRS, YSRC EXCITED
On the other hand, TRS and YSR Congress, which tasted a series
ELECTION SCHEDULE n n n
Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies: January 31 and February 4, 2013 District Co-operative Central Banks (DCCBs): February 13, 2013 AP Co-operative Banks (APCOB): February 22, 2013
of electoral successes during a series of bypolls held since 2009 General Elections, seem to be leaving no stone unturned to utilise the opportunity. The parties are planning to make the most of it by winning as many societies as possible. “We want to leverage the present political conditions. The people have bestowed confidence in us and gave us thumping victories during the recent bypolls. By winning majority of seats, we will retain that confidence of the public,”said a YSRC leader.
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Chandrababu Naidu says the Congress had no original ideas to help the common man.
POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com
H
aving led other parties with its varied policies and strategies like mass contact (padayatra) and 50 per cent reservation for backward castes, the main opposition party, the TDP, has thrown another gauntlet down for the Congress to pick up. The party chief, N Chandrababu Naidu, on Monday promised the waver of all loan arrears of self-help groups (SHG), which have nearly two crore rural women on their rolls. Addressing a meeting at Gundampalli village in Dilawarpur Mandal during his Vastunna Mee Kosam padayatra in Adilabad district, the TDP president said that modalities for such a proposal were being worked out. Interacting with women members of self-help groups, Naidu reminded them of his government’s Deepam scheme, under which 35 lakh LPG connections were given to rural women to relieve them from health hazards of chulla. The TDP supremo said the Congress had no great original ideas to help the common man. It only followed what TDP did during its reign, he added.
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The TDP chief spoke of his government’s Deepam scheme, under which 35 lakh LPG connections were given to rural women. /095 Rs.1 9/: e c 4 r Pri Rs.5 Cove r Price: : 50% g e f n f i O l Sav Tota
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5
classifieds WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012
INDUSTRY Government’s inability to foresee an industrial crisis is singularly responsible for the crisis today, say captains of industry. Many units are shifting to other states. CLASSIFIEDS HEALTH/ CLINIC
NOTICE
Power holidays equal layoffs PRUDHVI RAJU KATHARI prudhvi.k@postnoon.com
A
n astigmatic government with no long-term planning has put the industries, employment and production economy in a grim situation. Power crisis in the State is pushing the manufacturing sector to either cut down on employees or retool their business for survival. The announcement of extending the existing three-day power holiday to industries to a four-day week has made the industries’ position unenviable in the State. Effectively, industries will have no power for 17 days. Consequently, half the strength of employees are staring at pink slips, as industries dispense with their services. AP’s 1.61 lakh small- and micro-industrial units give direct and indirect employment to 37 lakh people in the State. “Will any government give so much livelihood?” asked an anguished captain of the industry. Many power-intensive industries like polymer, steel, textile and cement are suffering due to huge losses. They are removing lossmaking products from the offering to cut down their losses, which is leading them to reduce their production capacities and employees. An employee, Rajeshwar Rao, who was laid off from his job at a polymer factory, which manufactures pet bottles and plastic cement bags in Bolarum industrial area, said, “The company could not sustain and manage to run lossmaking products (less margin products). As it had a diverse product portfolio, the loss-making products were removed, putting almost 160 employees’ livelihoods at stake. Around 80 of them are contract workers who would not get anything after being removed from the job. Almost 50 of them, who work as permanent employees, get 50 per cent salary during this layoff period. The payments are also
17
the number of days that industries in the State will not have power. This comes after the announcement of extending the existing three-day power holidays to industries to four days.
doubtful for staff members due to tough financial condition of the company.” An in-charge of an organic product unit quotes Vijay Mallya who, in exasperation on the unending troubles of Kingfisher, remarked that if only he had hoarded his money like the politicians, he would have had no trouble. “Anyone who puts his money to use and gives employment to many are considered a fool these days,” he had said. Many industries in the Bolarum industrial area are in a state of ruin. The contractual workers were the first victims, followed by regular employees who have been working in these industries for years. “The contract labourers, who come from northern states like Orissa for their living, are working in industrial areas like Puttur and
There will be a cutdown in regular spending. The State will have to suffer fall in GDP and its brand image. VS Padmanabha Raju Member, CITU Shadnagar of Mahbubnagar district. These conditions will definitely push them to move to other states, eventually creating a dearth of manual labour in the State. The government has to take serious steps before these layoffs pass to regular employees from contract labour,” said R Sudha Bhaskar, general secretary, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), AP. “These layoffs will have huge repercussions, not only in the families of employees but also on the whole economy of the State and the country. There will be huge cut down in regular spending, which will leave produce unsold, bringing a huge gap between demand and supply. Over time, the State will have to suffer fall in GDP and its brand image,” said VS Padmanabha Raju, member, executive committee, CITU.
37 lakh
are the number of people directly or indirectly employed by the 1.61 lakh small- and micro-industrial units in Andhra Pradesh. A lot of these workers face loss of employment due to the power move.
There are no positive signs or ray of hope from the industry. Devendra Surana, president of FAPCCI, said, “The power condition in the State is at its worse. We don’t have any hope that the situation will get any better. Industries may be forced to continue in this crisis for another three to four years. However, we are worried that the condition would get critical from February with four power holidays, which will be forced on the industry.” The manufacturing sector is also shifting to other states such as Gujarat and Chhattisgarh. Industries with decent financial backing are expanding their operations to Gujarat and Chhattisgarh and are slowly planning to shut down their units in the State. However, the smaller ones continue to suffer in losses or shut down.
COMMUNITY
More Burmese refugees in City To advertise on this page, contact: 9866074747 For Secunderabad 9290204030 For H y d e r a b a d 9866663212
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Mohd SUBHAN mohd.s@postnoon.com
M
ore Rohingya Muslims, displaced by the ethnic war in Myanmar, keep coming to Hyderabad and camp in various places under the patronage of some Muslim leaders in the City. Inquiries reveal that some 180 more families have arrived, adding to the earlier 300-plus families here. They are being put up at Balapur,
Kishan Bagh, Shastrypuram, Hafiz Babanagar and Zaheerabad. It is learnt that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has been trying to get them refugee status. Nearly 20,000 Burmese are living as refugees in different parts of India. They do menial jobs, besides working in hotels and restaurants and as security guards. Children too work and earn. But there are allegations that some agents make
money out of their misery as they supply these workers to industries and take a considerable cut from their earnings. “We feel very much safe in India compared to Burma and we didn’t want to go back to our native place because curfew was extended for another six months by the Burmese government,” said an elderly Abdul Basheer, who came to the City after a long trek. Another Burmese, Hamid ul
Haq, who came with his wife Fatima Khatoon two months ago, said the Rohingya community had been facing ethnic trouble since 1942. “The successive Buddhist governments assured us of a solution but the situation only worsened, ” he said. He added that the community lost its land and homes and faced persecution. Many in the camp have similar stories to tell. They allege that their government wanted to convert them to Buddhism.
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city WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012
SOCIETY
Prostitution goes online, number on streets goes down The world’s oldest profession is moving with the times. Easier access to the internet and the anonymity offered means that the flesh trade continues to thrive in the City. RAHUL RAMAKRISHNA rahul.r@postnoon.com
S
ince the inception of broadband high-speed internet, crime has found a way to go online. But a trend in the City shows that technology has, in a sense, helped take some kinds of crimes off the streets. But has that benefitted us or made matters worse? In 1996, ‘Mehboob Ki Mehendi’, the only hub of flesh trade known publicly on the street, was torn down. Ever since, the trade has become decentralised and thrives on the sly in many areas of the City. But those who work the streets have a new problem to worry about — that of the anonymity that the web services offer, which are fast proving to be competition. Manjula, a commercial sex worker who works the Punjagutta area, said, “The number of men coming to us has reduced ever since pimps and brokers have started putting up photos and details of girls on the computer (internet). This gives
them protection, anonymity and the chance to wrap up their business quickly before the police get a chance to crack down on them.”
One simple Google search will list dozens of websites with ads of sex workers posing to be escorts and masseurs.
While this means fewer women working the streets, the problem of prostitution has only worsened. All efforts by the police and NGOs are in vain as the Cyber Crime Cell is yet to register a single complaint against online prostitution despite it being
One simple Google search will list dozens of websites with ads of sex workers posing to be escorts and masseurs. “We make a registry of all our customers and those who visit the site the most get regular updates. This way, we keep them in our good books and they do not have to come to us to avail services. We send pictures through email or sometimes, we create a mail ID so that only the privileged can look at the new arrivals,” said Gopal Reddy, a self-proclaimed ‘broker’. Trying to get Reddy’s number is no mean task as his line is always so busy.
CRIME
Five held for stealing antique gold, silver ornaments The antiquity value of the treasure is believed to be `5 crore.
T
he commissioner’s task force, East Zone Team, has apprehended five members of a seven-member gang that had stolen priceless gold coins, gold and silver ornaments. They found the treasure hidden in a wall while demolishing an old house at Doodbowli, and kept it without informing the house owner or depositing it with the government. The team recovered about 1,690g gold coins and jewellery; about 4,200g of silver ornaments and 490g of imitation silver jewellery. The gold and silver ornaments seized were crafted by artisans during the regime of the Mughals, Nizams and others, thus having great archaeological and historical
active for over two years. Inspector G Venkatesham says that this is due to a lack of complaints. “We cannot take any action unless there is a complaint. Furthermore, tracing these businesses through websites or the broker’s phone numbers always leads to dead ends. None of the
importance, according to archaeological officers. Some are from Roman gold coins. The accused, Mohammed Rafeeq and Mohammed Abdul Bari alias Gora, are both labour contractors who took on a contract in October to demolish an old house. They engaged Sara
Ramulu, Mohammed Muneer, Mallesh, Ramulu and Yadaiah, all daily-wage labourers for the work. While demolishing the house, the labourers found gold coins, gold and silver ornaments hidden in a wall. On inquiry, it was learnt that the house was inherited by one Satish Kumar from his grandfather, who purchased the treasure 50 years ago from two brothers, Prem Raj and Anand Raj. The five accused are arrested under Section 20 of the Indian Treasure Trove Act, 1878. The market value of seized material is around `50 lakh and the estimated antiquity value of the material will be `5 to 7 crore, according to the Archaeology Department officers. NSS
women’s organisations have lodged a single complaint so far even though everybody knows about this,” he added. Venkatesham said that action can be initiated only once someone complains about a picture being misused on websites. But even then, there is no guarantee of tracing the guilty. NGOs, however, think this is a joke. V Srivyal from NGO Sphoorthi says it is almost impossible to get a complaint from a sex worker. “Prostitution happens because of mutual consent, and to think of a complaint being registered from either side is funny. That said, tracing online prostitution is really difficult because these are mostly educated women who do it to earn an extra buck. Online prostitution is more sophisticated and organised and most women pose as innocent masseuses, escort girls and fly-by-night visitors. I understand that the police too cannot do much since suo motu action cannot be taken,” she said.
POLITICS State party convention won’t discuss ‘T’ issue: Botsa
A
PCC chief B o t s a Satyanarayana (right) has made it clear that the Statelevel convention of the Congress scheduled to be held on December 16 at LB Stadium, would not discuss either Telangana or United Andhra issues. Speaking to the media at LB Stadium on Tuesday, Botsa said both the issues were very sensitive and the party high command was making efforts to take a decision on the knotty issue. He also said the Centre was seriously thinking on finding a permanent solution to the Telangana issue. Stating that over 10,000 party activists would attend the Congress party meeting, the PCC chief said the State party unit would decide whom to send to
the all-party meeting on Telangana issue on December 28 only after receiving a letter from the Centre. He said the Statelevel party convention would only discuss how to take the schemes of the State and Centre to the people. Minor irrigation minister TG Venkatesh said the chief minister’s post was like barbed wire fencing. Saying that several leaders were yearning for the chief minister’s post in the party, he said that it was not easy to take up that powerful post. Botsa said that a decision on Telangana issue might come before the 2014 General Elections. He also said the World Telugu Conference should discuss Telangana issue. NSS
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city WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012
REVIEW
EVENT
Rare cultural delight
The dialogues of the French play, which were in verse, held the audience’s attention for 1 hour and 40 minutes, even though many had to read the overtitles to make sense of what was happening. S BALAKRISHNA
JYOTSNA NAMBIAR jyotsna.n@postnoon.com
While the world goes gaga over this special day, the City remains remarkably aloof. POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com
W
atching a French play with English overtitles is a rare cultural pleasure, especially in Hyderabad. So on Tuesday evening, theatre aficionados thronged the cosy auditorium at NIFT, Madhapur, for a taste of France. Célimène and the Cardinal, directed and written by Jacques Rampal, takes off from where Molière left his characters in A Misanthrope. Twenty years later, the misanthrope, Alceste (Pierre Azema) is a rich and powerful cardinal, and seems to have softened his views on man’s faults. Célimène (Gaelle Billaut-Danno), the coquette who had society’s most eligible bachelors vying for her hand, is now a sedate 40-year-old, living with her middle-class husband and four children. Alceste now pays Célimène a visit, and the play centres around the former lovers’ meeting. The set is minimalistic and the actors use the space effectively to showcase their various moods. Resplendent in his red cardinal robes, Pierre Azema fits the role of the puritanical, selfrighteous and stern Alceste perfectly. Gaelle Billaut-Danno, too, is brilliant as Célimène, and
City cool to 12-12-12
A
looks beautiful in her pale robe, especially when contrasted with the forceful presence of Alceste. The actors capture the awkwardness, and later, the rekindled feelings between lovers who are meeting after a long time well, with the stilted conversation and the uncomfortable body language. As the play progresses, it is a pleasure to see that the director has developed
the characters of Alceste and Célimène beyond Molière’s vision, making this an excellent standalone play, which can be enjoyed even if one is not familiar with A Misanthrope. The dialogues, which were in verse, held the audience’s attention for 1 hour and 40 minutes, even though many had to read the overtitles to make sense of what was happening.
The play was brought to Hyderabad by Alliance Francaise De Hyderabad and the Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Foundation and was supported by Andhra Bank. It was initially in the line-up of the Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival, but logistical difficulties caused the postponement of the play. But better late than never, we say, and the appreciative audience concurs.
ll the hype and hoopla of today (12-12-2012) being special and people rushing in for getting married have been proved a hearsay. Most of the major kalayana mandapams (marriage halls) in the City had little or no business today. There are some 6,000 small and big halls spread across the City where weddings are performed and not many had any unusual rush. Rather, there had been a heavy rush for TTD tickets for the Ekadashi day darshan on December 23. Ticket seekers created a stampede in the Himayat Nagar TTD office today leading to traffic snarls and injuries to many. The rush hour traffic only worsened the situation in the area. Incidentally, world over this date has a special significance. Twelve happens to be a special number signifying many things like 12 apostles, 12 days to Christmas, 12 zodiac signs etc. And across the world people have been planning special events for this day. In fact, if rumours are to be believed, some expectant couples were even hoping to have their babies delivered today.
MUSIC
Time for a one night stand POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com
O
ne Nite Stand, a Bangalore-based band which is popular for its unique high-energy “dancerock” music, is all set to play at Hard Rock Cafe in the City on Thursday. Known for their lively performances, this is a band that is now recognised as one of India’s most touted young bands. The band comprises Behram (vocals/bass guitar), Hemanth (guitars), Neville (piano) and Abhilash (drums). They got together in the summer of 2007, and within a short time, the band has enjoyed fame and acclaim in India. The music of One Nite Stand includes a range of genres ranging from soft rock to reggae, coupled with some retro, blues and a whole lot of
dance. The band, which is working on its debut album, has built a loyal fan base slowly and steadily in Bangalore and other places in the country. They also pride themselves on
being appealing to a wide range of people, considering that 16- to 70-year-olds seem to enjoy their music. In addition to their own songs, One Nite Stand is known
for their penchant of giving each song an original twist at each of their performances. The four-member band may have started off playing exclusively in clubs in Bangalore, but
their base grew rapidly, and till date, they have played in several cities at several occasions. A major breakthrough for the band was when they shared the stage with Australian cricketer Brett Lee, The White Shoe Theory and Lucky Ali. Since then, the band has gone on to play at and headline several music festivals in the country. And if you were at The Great Indian Oktoberfest 2012 in Bangalore and Hyderabad, you would have got a taste of the bands catchy music. The band recently added a feather to their cap when they headlined at the United By Music festival and the Pin Drop Music Festival, which was held at UB City. The band also played at the premier of Shah Rukh Khan’s Ra.One and at the launch of the Kannada Film Industry’s Moonlight Theatre at Bangalore’s Palace Grounds.
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012
Business
INDIA’S GROWTH PROSPECTS UP: MOODY’S Withdrawal of support to government by an ‘obstinate coalition partner’ and flurry of reforms have improved India’s growth prospects in 2013, said global rating agency Moody’s.
REAL ESTATE
Big rush for Google Chrome notebooks
SAN FRANCISCO: US teachers flocked to school-centric charity website DonorsChoose.org to get Google’s Chrome notebook computers made available to classrooms for just $99 each. DonorsChoose yesterday said that it was no longer taking Chromebook requests from teachers since the allotted supply was exhausted due to “tremendous response” to the offer. DonorsChoose is a website where people can donate money to back class projects or provide gear needed in cash-strapped schools. AFP
Tips for land investments As an area attains more or more market drivers and begins to saturate, plots increase in value manifold. Land is a very good capital investment, too.
SANTHOSH KUMAR feedback@postnoon.com
F
lats are traditionally the most sought-after type of investment property. However, buying land for long-term and potentially higher gains has never lost its attractiveness. Flats are an inflexible format of property, and this fences in the maximum value they can attain. Flats are snapped up in most cases, but at fixed residential prices dictated by prevailing market rates. Land is a very different ballgame. In a growth sector with new market drivers coming in, investing in a plot of sufficient dimensions and the right kind of authorized usage criteria for the area can become attractive to developers from the residential, retail, office and hospitality sectors. As an area attains more or more market drivers and begins to saturate, plots increase in value manifold and can be sold on a seller’s, not a buyer’s market. Also, land is cheap in most cases and represents a very good capital investment.
However, investing in land is not as simple as it may appear. To begin with, there might be (and usually are) any number of legal requirements to meet and procedures to follow before a piece of land becomes a marketable item. Most buyers are aware of the difference between the Agricultural and Non-Agricultural (NA) categories – one cannot put in a development of any magnitude on agricultural land. However, even if the land is clearly NA, one still needs clearance from the local authorities to build on it. Furthermore, one should not purchase land without any idea of whether it is included in some other developmental plan. For instance, the town planning board may have scheduled a highway to run through it, or allocated it to the building of some Government structure. If this is the case, one may own a piece of land and still have no right to do anything with it – including sell it. This is a very real risk when we consider land purchase in one of the cheaper rural areas which are constantly being hawked on the real
estate market. Anyone hoping to develop land will, in any case, require a building permit. A plot must have a clear title and be demarcated properly. Assuming that it has already been sufficiently developed to make it marketable, it still needs to be properly protected from encroachment. Plots gain value only over periods of time - if left unattended, other developments usually encroach on it and this raises legal problems that make the plot unmarketable for the duration of the legal tussle over it. Also, it should have adequate provisioning in terms of ground water and sewage. The absence of either would be a major drawback in a resale scenario. Many buyers think that it is not necessary to engage the services of a real estate consultant for land/plot purchase. The fact is, only an expert can foresee all the complications that can arise with any kind of property, be it ‘raw’ or developed. It makes little sense to run the risk of ‘landing’ up with a ‘dead duck’ plot. Santhosh Kumar is CEO (operations) at Jones Lang LaSalle India.
BSE 5,895.55 `54.26 5,209.05 DOLLAR`55.14 17,179.95DOLLAR NSEPOUND `86.60 `87.43 POUND BSE NSE GOLD`31,700 10g SILVER `62,700 1kg
24C
for
for
GOLD `29,500 10g SILVER `53,000 1kg for
for
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
19,396.08 8.55
ANAND SHARMA, 3.25 COMMERCE MINISTER
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012
nation
SCHOOL COOK PLACES HOT IRON ROD ON KG STUDENTS
In a shocking incident, a woman cook of a private school in Bangalore placed a hot iron rod on the hands of eight kindergarten children for talking loudly in class. The woman cook of the school run by a charity organisation placed the hot iron rod on the hands of the eight children as they were talking loudly in class, police said. The cook was arrested following a police complaint by parents.
OBITUARY
Sitar maestro passes away
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GOVT TO AMEND LAWS
Shankar, whose health had been fragile for the past several years, underwent a surgery in California where he passed away.
WASHINGTON: Legendary sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar, who spearheaded the worldwide spread of Indian music and had a major influence on Western musicians like The Beatles, died today in San Diego at the age of 92. Shankar, whose health had been fragile for the past several years, underwent a surgery on Thursday at the Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, California where he breathed his last. The music icon was admitted to the hospital last week when he complained of breathlessness. “It is with heavy hearts we write to inform you that Pandit Ravi Shankar, husband, father, and musical soul, passed away today,” his wife and daughter, Sukanya and
Ravi Shankar was a national treasure: PM NEW DELHI: Pandit Ravi Shankar was a global ambassador of India’s cultural heritage and a national treasure, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said here Wednesday while condoling the death of the sitar maestro in a San Diego hospital. “An era has passed away with Pt Ravishankar. The nation joins me to pay tributes to his unsurpassable genius, his art and his humility,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a message on microblogging site Twitter. “A national treasure and global ambassador of India’s cultural heritage,” it added.
Anoushka Shankar, said in a joint statement. A recipient of Bharat Ratna in 1996, Shankar maintained residences in both India and the United States. He is survived by his wife Sukanya; daughter Norah Jones; daughter Anoushka Shankar Wright and husband Joe Wright; three grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. “As you all know, his health has been fragile for the past several years and on
Thursday he underwent a surgery that could have potentially given him a new lease of life. “Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of the surgeons and doctors taking care of him, his body was not able to withstand the strain of the surgery. We were at his side when he passed away,” the statement said. “We know that you all feel our loss with us, and we thank you for all of your prayers and good wishes through this difficult time. Although it is a time for sorrow and sadness, it is also a time for all of us to give thanks and to be grateful that we were able to have him as a part of our lives. His spirit and his legacy will live on forever in our hearts and in his music,” they said. A three-time Grammy award winner, Shankar last performed in California on November 4 along with his daughter Anoushka Shankar. Shankar has also been nominated for the 2013 Grammys for his album The Living Room Sessions Part-1 and was pitted against Anoushka in the same category. “Shankar had suffered from upper-respiratory and heart issues over the past year and underwent heart-valve replacement surgery last Thursday. Though the surgery was successful, recovery proved too difficult for the 92-year-old musician,” said another statement issued by the Ravi Shankar Foundation and East Meets West Music. In recent months, performing, and touring, became increasingly difficult. Memorial plans will be announced later. PTI
NUKE POWER
India successfully test-fires Agni-I missile BALASORE (ODISHA): Sharpening its missile prowess, India today successfully testfired its indigenously developed nuclear capable Agni-I ballistic missile with a strike range of 700km from a test range off Odisha coast. The surface-to-surface missile was test-fired from a mobile launcher at about 0830 hrs from launch pad-4 of the Integrated
Test Range (ITR) at Wheeler Island, about 100 km from here, defence sources said. Describing the test as successful, ITR Director MVKV Prasad said, “It was a practice trial conducted by the Strategic Force Command of the Indian Army.” Agni-I, a single-stage missile powered by solid propellants, has a specialised navigation sys-
tem which ensures that it reaches the target with a high degree of accuracy and precision, a defence scientist said. Weighing 12 tonnes, the 15metre-long Agni-I, which is capable of carrying payloads up to 1000 kg, has already been inducted into the Indian Army. Agni-I has been developed by advanced systems laboratory, the premier missile develop-
Pick
ment laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in collaboration with Defence Research Development Laboratory and Research Centre Imarat and integrated by Bharat Dynamics Limited, Hyderabad. The last trial of the Agni-I missile was successfully carried out on July 13, 2012 from the same test range. PTI
at the
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said in order to ensure exemplary punishment for criminals indulging in heinous crimes, especially against women, the state government would make necessary amendments in the acts dealing with such crimes. The state government would make the necessary amendments possible at its level to make tougher laws pertaining to heinous crimes and would pursue the case of other amendments with the Union government.
NUMEROLOGY
9.90%
is the current retail inflation rise. It rose from 9.75 per cent in October to 9.90 per cent in November.
INDO-US PARTNERSHIP Praising Indian efforts in the rebuilding of Afghanistan, a top Democratic leader in the US Congress has said partnership between Washington and New Delhi will play an important role in establishing peace in the war-torn country. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, in a meeting with the Indian Ambassador Nirupama Rao, spoke about the shared values between the two counties. Discussing on the regional situation in South Asia, Pelosi welcomed India’s positive contribution to Afghanistan’s reconstruction, and viewed the US-India partnership having a key role to play in ensuring country’s peace and prosperity. Pelosi and Rao expressed admiration for the contributions made by the dynamic Indian-American community to the development of IndiaUS relations.
airport,
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012
World SYRIA
Rebels are legit, says Obama W A S H I N G T O N : President Barack Obama proclaimed Syria’s newly reframed opposition as the “legitimate” representative of the nation’s people Tuesday, in the most significant US intervention in a brutal civil war. As Washington cranked up pressure on beleaguered President Bashar alAssad, the Obama administration also blacklisted the Al-Qaeda-linked AlNusra Front, which officials here fear seeks to hijack the revolution, as a terrorist group. It was another day of carnage inside Syria, meanwhile, as scores of civilians from Assad’s minority sect were reported killed, in what appeared to be the largest scale revenge attacks against Alawites. The US has edged slowly towards recognizing the opposition Syrian National Coalition, and its move follows similar action by France, Britain, Turkey and the Gulf Cooperation Council regional grouping. The process was slowed by concerns that the coalition, recently reconstituted under US pressure, did not represent all of Syrian society, had links to extremists, and did not fully subscribe to democratic principles. “We have made a decision that the Syrian opposition coalition is now inclusive enough, is reflective and representative enough of the Syrian population, that we consider them the legitimate representative of the Syrian people,” Obama told ABC News.
NELSON MANDELA HAS LUNG INFECTION South Africa’s first black President Nelson Mandela is being treated for a lung infection, the president’s office has said. This is the first time officials have revealed why Mr Mandela, 94, was rushed to a military hospital in the capital, Pretoria, on Saturday.
UP IN THE AIR
10
HOLY TWEET!
N Korea ‘tests’ the world
Rogue state launches rocket in defiance of UN sanctions. ROCKET REACTIONS n The UN Security Council will meet Wednesday to discuss North Korea’s launch of a long-range rocket. n North American Aerospace Defense Command officials said North Korea appeared to have successfully launched an object in orbit on a missile. n China demanded North Korea comply with UN resolutions against using ballistic missiles, the Xinhua reported.
SEOUL: North Korea successfully launched a long-range rocket on Wednesday, in defiance of UN sanctions threats over what Pyongyang’s critics have condemned as a disguised ballistic missile test. North Korea said the threestage rocket, which Pyongyang insists was solely aimed at placing a satellite in orbit, had achieved all its objectives. “The launch of the second version of our Kwangmyongsong-3 satellite from the Sohae Space Centre ... on December 12 was successful,” the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.
“The satellite has entered the orbit as planned,” it added. Officials in South Korea and Japan confirmed that all three stages of the rocket appeared to have separated as scheduled. However, South Korean defence ministry spokesman Kim Min-Seok cautioned that further analysis was required. “There are many factors to determine whether it was successful or not ... we need more extensive analysis. We need more consultation with the United States since our own capability is limited,” Kim told reporters. There was no immediate
comment from Washington. But Japan’s government said it “cannot tolerate” the “extremely regrettable” launch, and Britain “deplored” North Korea’s decision to go ahead rather try to improve its people’s welfare. New leader Kim Jong-Un was believed to be extremely keen that the launch fell around the first anniversary of the death of his father and former leader Kim Jong-Il on December 17. A previous launch of the same Unha-3 rocket in April had ended in failure, with the carrier exploding shortly after take-off.
CHANGING TIMES
Queen ‘loses face’ on Fiji currency
SUVA: Fiji dropped the image of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II from a new range of bank notes and coins unveiled Wednesday, replacing her with plants and animals native to the Pacific island state. Fiji President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau said the new currency was a milestone for
the former British colony, which became independent in 1970 and declared itself a republic in 1987 following a military coup. Nailatikau said the royal family had featured on Fiji’s currency since 1934 but it was time for the country to move on and introduce new coins and notes.
NEWS BRIEFS Sex case against Oz speaker thrown out
NY live longer than other Chavez cancer surgery Americans: mayor successful: VP
At least three dead in US mall shooting
SYDNEY: A sex harassment case brought by a male staffer that led to Australia’s parliamentary speaker resigning was thrown out of court Wednesday after a judge branded it a politically-motivated abuse of process. Peter Slipper quit as speaker in October, six months after his former staffer James Ashby made allegations of harassment.
NEW YORK: New Yorkers are living longers than Americans overall, and the margin is increasing, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Tuesday as he praised his administration’s health policies. A New Yorker born in 2010 has a life expectancy of 80.9 years, 2.2 years longer than the national life expectancy of 78.7 years.
LOS ANGELES: At least three people were killed Tuesday when a masked gunman opened fire at a mall in the western US state of Oregon, sparking panic before apparently turning the gun on himself, police said. At least one person was also injured in Clackamas, south of Portland, a sheriff’s spokesman said.
CARACAS: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was recovering after a successful cancer operation at a Cuban hospital, his vice president said Tuesday. A visibly moved Nicolas Marduro, to whom Chavez delegated power before undergoing his fourth round of cancer surgery in Havana, said Chavez would shortly begin a “post-operative phase”.
Pope Benedict XVI is due to send out his first, much-anticipated Twitter message on Wednesday, with hundreds of thousands of followers already signed up to receive the tweet. Since the pope last week announced he would start tweeting under the name @pontifex, around 625,000 people have registered to follow his main account, in English. Tens of thousands more are following his Arabic, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish accounts.
NUMEROLOGY
$550 m
were received in government pledges totalling for the UN refugee agency’s efforts next year to help millions of displaced people worldwide.
WWF WARNING ON CHINA From tigers to dolphins, animal populations in many of China’s ecosystems have plummeted under decades of development and urbanisation, a World Wildlife Fund study said Wednesday. The conservation group highlighted about a dozen species in different natural habitats across the country in its third China Ecological Footprint Report, saying numbers have fallen dramatically over the years. “The populations of more than 10 flagship and keystone species in China have undergone marked decline that was particularly severe between the 1960s and 1980s,” the report said.
The priority is the recovery of the north and the organisation of elections.... I want to create a government of national unity. Diango Cissoko New Mali PM
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012
Technology iPADS VS HOBBITS
Small Hobbits wary of the smaller iPad The Hobbit director Peter Jackson said filmmakers should embrace new technology to draw in ‘dwindling’ cinema audiences.
T
he Hobbit director Peter Jackson said Tuesday that the future of cinema lay in 3D spectaculars on supersize screens, and that he hated the idea of people watching his latest movie on an iPad. Speaking alongside stars of the epic fantasy, including Martin Freeman and Ian McKellen, at a press conference in London, Jackson said filmmakers should embrace new technology to draw in “dwindling” cinema audiences. “I think we should look at the technology that we have available and say, ‘How can we make the experience more immersive, more magical, more spectacular?’” said Jackson, whose new film is a prequel to his Lord of the Rings trilogy. “There is a degree of jeopardy at the moment with the film industry with all the alternative ways that people have to see movies now, right from their home entertainment systems down to an iPhone and an iPad,” he added. “I really hate the idea that I’m a director making a film for an iPad. That’s kind of depressing. I think I would go and lie on a beach in Fiji and retire if I thought I was really doing that.” Jackson used plenty of technological wizardry to recreate JRR. Tolkien’s classic fantasy for the screen, shooting it in 3D and using 48 frames per second — double the normal amount — to produce a less jerky picture. But the superfast frame rate has divided critics, with some complaining that it makes the sumptuous landscapes of ‘Middle Earth’ — filmed in Jackson’s native New Zealand — look more like a computer game. Jackson has defended the innovation, but he acknowledged on Tuesday that some
Peter Jackson used plenty of technological wizardry to recreate JRR Tolkien's classic fantasy for the screen, shooting it in 3D and using 48 frames per second — double the normal amount — to produce a less jerky picture. new film technologies, such as 3D, needed to improve. Producers have “vaguely talked about” re-releasing the hugely successful Lord of the Rings trilogy in 3D, he added. But veteran British actor McKellen, reprising his role as the good wizard Gandalf for the first instalment of the new Hobbit trilogy, is less of a fan of certain special effects techniques. The movie follows Gandalf, along with unlikely hero Freeman as the hobbit Bilbo Baggins, joining a band of dwarves in their quest to reclaim their lost kingdom from an evil dragon. “The trouble with the dwarves is that despite what they are in real life, they have to look smaller than me on the screen,” McKellen told journalists. He was often filmed in a completely different place from the dwarves in scenes that show them together — which he complained was not at all “congenial to acting, which is about spontaneity”. But Jackson added that some of the techniques used to make the dwarves seem shorter than McKellen were more rudimentary. “A lot of what you see is Ian standing on a box,” he revealed. AFP
GOOD ENOUGH Samsung today shut the tech media by announcing that they won’t be showcasing Galaxy S4 at any event this year. This means tech blogs won’t be able to post poor 3D renders claiming to be the next version of Samsung’s flagship device. If talks are to be believed, this year’s CES will be more about TVs and less about mobile. So expect to see a few hundred more 3D TVs the size of your living room walls that you can’t afford. According to socalled analysts, there is no reason for Samsung to launch a new device considering how well it is selling in the market right now. But wait, that's what they said about Galaxy Note too!
GOSF FAILS TO EXCITE
Google Online Shopping Festival (GOSF) promised us the moon when they announced their plan to bring Cyber Monday to India. The fact that they were launching it on a Wednesday instead of a Monday should have been hint enough, but we waited and we utterly disappointed by the lacklustre discounts. Some, like ebay, were caught trying to sell products at a premium instead of a discount. It’s amazing that companies resort to such cheap tactics in the age of social media.
Yahoo or meh? Remember Yahoo! mail? Turns out a lot of people still use it and it has got a fresh coat of paint and fewer ads in the interface. The company announced a “new look”, which follows the industry trend of minimalist presentation. The Yahoo mail apps for iOS, Android and Windows 8 devices were also updates to coincide with the change on the web front. It needs to be seen whether this will help bring back users who have now defected to gmail and outlook.com.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012
Comment It is the mark of a great man that he puts to flight all ordinary calculations. He is at once sublime and touching, childlike and of the race of giants. Honore de Balzac French writer
Our sitars gently weep THE HUMAN CONDITION Dean Williams
G
eorge Harrison’s guitar will gently weep tonight, somewhere. The passing of Ravi Shankar, the greatest exponent of the sitar the world has ever seen, marks the end of an era. One in which the music of the East and West combined in such enthralling fashion that it rendered the boundaries of geography null and void. It was an era that fought the dogs of war through music and epitomised the triad of peace, love and harmony. Shankar was at the vanguard of that battle along with the Beatles fresh from their Maharishi phase, and the stoically experimental band of British musicians that were about to launch the largest invasion of the continental United States. In India we claim Shankar as one of our own, but the truth is that he never really belonged to us. Shankar belonged to the world and that’s exactly how he wanted it. His Concert for Bangladesh along with Harrison still stands as the greatest contribution by an Indian musician to humanity. He also did more to take the sitar on to the world stage, literally, than any other musician. He was a man of the 60s, the flower in the power, and all that it entailed. He was the most famous Indian liberal of them all, and it is there that his true majesty lies. With his passing many of us will close a musical chapter, which not only taught us that music had no boundaries, but that it didn’t have a race, colour or creed. Goodbye Ravi Shankar.
HIGH-FLYING THOUGHTS
Pope Benedict XVI is due to send out his first, much-anticipated Twitter message on Wednesday, with hundreds of thousands of followers already signed up to receive the tweet. Now the pope will have followers, literally and virtually.
A NATION IN A FIX
12
THE MALI MALADY
VIEW FROM THE INSIDE Fran Blandy
I
n 2012 Mali went from a stable democracy to a country facing a war with jihadists occupying over half its territory, backed by Western powers who fear the arid zone may become a new haven for terrorism. While considered one of west Africa’s flagship democracies, the tinder for Mali’s implosion was long at the ready: a vast, restive desert north inhabited by disgruntled Tuareg nomads and used as a playground by Al-Qaeda operatives. Several hundred kilometres south of its desert towns, Bamako has long ignored rumblings of discontent from marginalised northern communities, and its poorly-equipped army was no match for an uprising which began in January. Tuareg rebels calling themselves the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) launched a fresh revolt, following several in recent decades, this time bolstered by an arsenal from Libya, where many of them had fought for Moamer Kadhafi. Simmering anger amongst soldiers over the pounding they were experiencing at the hands of the rebels prompted a March 22 coup by a group of officers led by Captain Amadou Sanogo who accused ousted leader Amadou Toumani Toure of “incompetence”. Two weeks later he handed
power to an interim government, but political paralysis and bickering continued as did the Tuareg juggernaut, aided by armed Islamist groups who appeared fighting on their flanks in an unclear alliance.
ISLAMIC LAW AND DISORDER
Ansar Dine (Defenders of Faith in Arabic) — one of three armed Islamist groups now controlling northern Mali — was led by kaleidoscopic desert master Iyad Ag Ghaly. He had led a Tuareg rebellion in 1990, later becoming a government mediator with AlQaeda hostage takers and a diplomat in Saudi Arabia. Having become radicalised over the years, Ghaly declared as fighting waged: “I’m not for independence, I want sharia (Islamic law) for my people.” Together the fighters seized the key towns of Kidal, Timbuktu and Gao, where they were joined by Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) offshoot the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO). It later emerged that the Islamists were closely tied to AQIM, whose top leaders were seen at Ghaly’s side. The north African Al-Qaeda franchise has long been involved in drug trafficking, attacks and kidnapping foreigners for ransom in the Sahel with bases in north Mali. With the northern triangle of the bow-tie shaped nation under the fighters’ control, the MNLA declared independence for Azawad, but conflicting views on what would become of
the occupied zone created divisions between the Tuareg and the Islamists. By the end of June the jihadists had chased the secular MNLA from all its key positions and imposed their brutal version of sharia law on the populations. Transgressors were flogged, stoned to death or had their hands amputated and the Islamists set about destroying ancient religious monuments in the fabled city of Timbuktu which were seen as “idolatrous”, prompting outrage around the world. In the meantime some 400,000 people had been displaced from their homes in the midst of the fighting, creating a humanitarian crisis compounded by one of the worst droughts in years as they fled to neighbouring towns and countries. In Bamako, authorities remained deadlocked and powerless.
TO INTERVENE, OR NOT TO INTERVENE Alarmed by the growing threat of having “terrorist groups” occupying an area larger than France, western powers’ interest in driving out the Islamists grew. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) proposed a force of 3,300 regional troops to intervene, and European countries as well as the United States offered logistical support and training. The United Nations approved the plan in principle, but remains lukewarm amid misgivings over the risks of such an intervention force, its capabilities, financing of the mission and its start date. Many of Mali’s neighbours favour negotiation, and regional mediator Burkina Faso has begun talks with the Islamist groups, but ECOWAS is pushing hard for the mission to go ahead. AFP
EDITORIALS
More sanctions on the way for N Korea
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orth Korea successfully launched a long-range rocket and has installed a satellite, close to the first death anniversary of the late dictator Kim Jong-il (be not surprised if the mission of the missile was to send a message to him, for this is the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, anything is possible here). The first attempt which was in April was a failure and Kim Jong-il’s son and the current dictator was particular that the second attempt be successful and should happen before December 17, the day on which his father expired last year. It might have been a matter of honour and pride that about a year into his reign this should happen, which was also his father’s great wish. North Korea may claim to be a modern developed nation, aspiring to join the rank of their betters in the region; however, nothing has changed in the condition of the people, who live in abject
READERS’ VIEWS
poverty. People who have escaped from this nation say they do not think of the dire conditions they live in or ponder human rights violations, because to be able to think, one needs to eat and feel safe, both of which is a dream for millions there. North Korea has once again managed to ruffle the feathers of many a nation and even those who seemed to be friends earlier have joined the ranks of those chiding it. Along with the US, Japan, Britain and S Korea, China too has addressed the issue and sent a strong message that N Korea fall in line with the UN directive. More sanctions are expected to be imposed on N Korea after the UN Security Council meeting. But what does the young tyrant care? He and his father never seemed to care about the severity of suffering of his people ever. Sanctions, or no sanctions, he must be sipping champagne now.
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
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012
Cinema
HOBBIT VS HOBBIT
One hobbit will rule them all—for now, at least. A California federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order barring the release of Age of the Hobbits, a low-budget straight-to-video release from an independent film production company called The Asylum that was slated for release on Tuesday, just days before the opening of director Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
LOOKING TO THE WEST THE WILD BUNCH (1969)
Sam Peckinpah upped the ante for western films with this highly violent and stylised film about a bunch of ageing outlaws who set out for one last score before they call it quits. When the film was released in 1969, it was critically panned especially for its portrayal of graphic violence, but a lot has changed since then. The film starring William Holden, Robert Ryan, Ernest Borgnine, Ben Johnson and Warren Oates has developed a cult following.
THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY (1966)
Sergio Leone’s The Good, The Bad and the Ugly will perhaps remain as one of the most popular western film of all time. The film starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef and Eli Wallach revolves around three gun slingers trying to find gold in the backdrop of American Civil war. The film’s long drawn out gun fight sequences and the climax where all three actors are baying for each other’s blood still remain its most popular sequences.
THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (1960)
Directed by John Sturges, The Magnificent Seven is based on Akira Kurosawa’s classic film Seven Samurai. The film starring Yul
MOVIE OF THE WEEK
Supermen of the Wild West
Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming film Django Unchained is all set to make a big splash on Christmas. Of late, Westerns haven’t been money-spinners for Hollywood, but that wasn’t the case in the genre’s heyday. From John Wayne to Clint Eastwood, several actors left their mark. Here is a list of some of the best Westerns you must watch before the release of Django Unchained. COMPILED BY HEMANTH KUMAR Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, James Coburn, Robert Vaughn, Brad Dexter, and Horst Buchholz is about seven gunmen who are hired to protect a Mexican village from a group of
bandits headed by Eli Wallach. The film’s music score composed by Elmer Bernstein has been ranked as one of the most influential music scores of all time.
UNFORGIVEN (1992)
Clint Eastwood made a comeback to the western genre after a gap of seven years and he chose an unlikely story to direct his western film Unforgiven which released back in 1992. The film starring Clint
Eastwood, Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman and Richard Harris is about an ageing outlaw who takes up one last assignment years after he had embraced non-violence and turned to farming. The film won four Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director.
THE SEARCHERS (1956)
John Wayne, the man who popularised western genre in the 40s, played the lead role on John Ford’s The Searchers which has been hailed as one of the greatest film ever made. John Wayne starred as the middle-aged Civil War veteran who spends years looking for his abducted niece along with his nephew, who accompanies him in this mission. The film was based on a novel of the same name by Alan Le May.
SHANE (1953) Shane rides into a conflict between cattleman Ryker and a bunch of settlers, like the Starretts, whose land Ryker wants. When Shane beats up Ryker's man Chris, Ryker tries to buy him. Then Shane and Joe take on the whole Ryker crew. Ryker sends to Cheyenne for truly evil gunslinger Wilson. We wonder about Shane's relation to Joe's wife Marian. Shane must clear out all the guns from the valley before he can ride off with Joey hollering "Shane ... Shane ... Come Back!"
The Hobbit: An unexpected journey Bilbo Baggins is swept into a quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers.
DID YOU KNOW...
Inception If you take the first letters of the main characters' names in this movie — Dom, Robert, Eames, Arthur, Mal and Saito— they spell "Dreams". If you add Peter, Ariadne and Yusuf, the whole makes "Dreams Pay", which is what they do for a mind thief.
TRENDING...
Actress Amanda Seyfried watched 1972 porn film Deep Throat to help her play troubled adult movie star Linda Lovelace in a biopic. She found the movie funny. "It's just so fabricated and just weird and unnatural. They're so funny. It's the funniest movie," thesun.co.uk quoted Seyfried as saying.
The schedule of romantic comedy Ghanchakkar is said to have been planned in accordance to its lead actress Vidya Balan's real life wedding plans. Ghanchakkar is being rush-completed in time for her wedding. She is tying the knot with Siddharth Roy Kapur, MD Studios, Disney UTV, this month.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012
spotlight
DISCO STATION
Enjoy Ladies night patrol with DJ Manish at Spoil Pub. Free drinks for ladies.The fun begins at 8pm.
S BALAKRISHNA
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A TUESDAY WELL SPENT 2
1 Ravneeth, Tanu
16 2 Ruchika 3 Phulkari
4 Minu & Ashu Gawri 5 Rachna & Gurpreet 6 Pavani Kurana 7 Ashu, Saibha
Ashu and Mini held a workshop at Spoil pub on Phulkari presentation.The AP Punjabi Sabha organised this workshop.
1 Zeba 2 Saba & Shristi 3 Sravanthi Juluri 4 William Darylmple
A TOAST TO
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PUNJAB
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The Afghan story Noted historian and writer William Dalrymple was at Taj Deccan on Tuesday for the release of his new book Return of a King: The Battle for Afghanistan. 4
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012
health
MOTHER'S DRAG CAN TREBLE MENINGITIS ODDS FOR KIDS Pregnant women who puff can treble their baby's chance of developing meningitis, and children exposed to parental smoking are twice as vulnerable to the deadly illness, according to a British research. It is most common in children under five years. It kills one in 20 and disables one in six.
NEUROLOGY
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Missing in action?
An amputation is probably one of the hardest things for a patient, but what is harder is the sensation of still having the amputated limb. We speak to doctors about the phantom limb syndrome. RANJANI RAJENDRA
ranjani.r@postnoon.com
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ohit a happy-go-lucky teenager had a lot to look forward to. He was doing wonderfully well in college and was very well liked by everyone. In fact, he was all set to realise his dream of becoming a sports star when things drastically changed. A horrifying accident left him severely injured and doctors had no choice by to ampute his leg. When Rohit gained conciousness he was devastated. Worse still for weeks after the surgery he continued to feel like his severed limb was still there. He constantly complained of an uncomfortable feeling and sometimes even felt an itching sensation in his missing leg. But every time he reached to massage his limb, he realised it had been amputated. Needless to say, the whole situation left him terribly traumatised. This is a common phenomenon in people who have recently had to undergo an
amputation. Known as the Phantom Limb Syndrome, it is the perception of sensations, including pain, itching and discomfort, in a limb that has been recently amputated. People with this condition continue to experience the limb as if it were still attached to their body, since the brain continues to receive signals from nerves that used to carry impulses from the now
These can help n Heat application n Biofeedback to reduce muscle tension n Relaxation techniques n Massage of the amputation area n Surgery to remove scar tissue entangling a nerve n Physical therapy n TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) of the stump n Neurostimulation techniques such as spinal cord stimulation or deep brain stimulation Source: www.webmd.com
ANEWS PP-LYBRIEFS YOURSELF
missing limb. “Any sensory perception, although it may be in the hand or leg or any other part of the body, is actually perceived in the brain. There is a specific part of the brain that is dedicated to receiving signals from each part of the body. So even if the limb has been amputated, that part of the brain is still intact and continues to perceive sensations,” explains Dr Sudhir Kumar, consultant neurologist at Apollo Hospital.
HOUSECALL
iBreastcheck
Leptospirosis
Breast cancer is emerging as one of the most commonest cancers affecting urban women. This app is in the form of a downloadable video that shows you how to check your breasts, set a reminder and how your current lifestyle is affecting your risk of getting the disease. A musthave for every woman.
Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease. It is caused by spirochaetes of the genus Leptospira. This bacterium affects humans and many animals, including mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles. Leptospirosis is a rare bacterial infection in humans. The infection is transmitted by allowing fresh water that has been contaminated by animal urine (often from rats) to come in contact with the skin, eyes or with mucous membranes.
He goes on to add that this phenomenon does not occur in every patient. “It only affects a few amputees.” Phantom limb syndrome usually presents with symptoms like pain in the missing limb, itching sensation, discomfort, tingling or even a burning sensation in the limb that has been severed. Often patients complain that they cannot describe the sensation in the missing limb. “The symptoms usually persist for a few weeks or months
DID YOU KNOW? Ovum is the largest cell in the body The largest cell in the human body is the female egg and the smallest is the male sperm. While you can’t see skin cells or muscle cells, the ovum is typically large enough to be seen with the naked eye. The sperm cell, on the other hand, is tiny, consisting of little more than nucleus.
after the surgery. It is rather common in the initial period after surgery and then begins to ease a few months later. However, it can be treated with neuropathic pain medications, which help to block these perceived sensations. Behavioural therapy by way of counselling also helps patients with the phantom limb syndrome,” says Dr Sudhir. While the condition does affect a lot amputees, Dr Sudhir says that it is not so common in the City.
PIONEERS Kary Banks Mullis Kary Banks Mullis is a biochemist, author, and lecturer. In recognition of his improvement of the PCR technique, he shared the 1993 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Michael Smith. The process was first described in 1968, and allows the amplification of specific DNA sequences. The improvements made by Mullis allowed PCR to become a central technique in biochemistry and molecular biology.
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health WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012
RESEARCH
BREAKTHROUGH
Now, dissolvable CONDOM to protect against HIV Besides blocking the sperm, the condom could time-release a potent mix of anti-HIV drugs and hormonal contraceptives. LONDON: Researchers have developed a female condom which they claim can protect against pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV by dissolving inside the body and releasing chemicals. Besides blocking the sperm, the condom could time-release a potent mix of anti-HIV drugs and hormonal contraceptives, the Daily Mail reported. Experts claim the ‘discreet protection’ can safeguard people from HIV and unwanted pregnancy by ‘melting’ inside the body. Researchers at the
University of Washington (UW) developed the condom from tiny microfibres through a method called ‘electrospinning’. The cloth-like fibres can be woven from medicine into extremely thin ‘webs’. They are then designed to dissolve after use, either within minutes or over several days. The team was given USD 1 million to develop the technology, which uses an electric field to charge fluid through air to create the very fine, nanometresized fibres. “Our dream is to create a product women
can use to protect themselves from HIV infection and unintended pregnancy,” Kim Woodrow, a UW assistant professor of bioengineering, said. “We have the drugs to do that. It’s really about delivering them in a way that makes them more potent, and allows a woman to want to use it,” Woodrow said. “This method allows controlled release of multiple compounds. We were able to tune the fibres to have different release properties,” co-author Cameron Ball said. One of the fabrics dissolves within min-
utes, offering users immediate protection, while another fabric dissolves gradually over a few days, providing an alternative to the birth-control pill, to provide contraception and protect against Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). While the researchers agree the technology is more discrete, they admit that people may have some doubts. “At the time of sex, are people going to actually use it? That’s where having multiple options really comes into play,” Krogstad told the University of Washington.
STUDY
Mums pass on bad habits
LONDON: Women who drink heavily tend to pass their bad habits to their teen offspring, warns a UK study. The study conducted by thinktank Demos claims that in Britain as many as 2.5 million children, 20 per cent of the total, live with a parent who drinks hazardously. Demos examined a survey of 17,000 adults in their 30s. They were asked how often their mother and
father drank when they were 16, with the options always, often, sometimes or never. The respondents also ranked the effectiveness of the parenting they had received, with four categories ranging from ‘tough love’ at the top to ‘laissez-faire’ at the bottom. Those whose mothers ‘always’ drank were found to be 1.7 times more likely to admit they were now hazardous drinkers themselves. This was
defined as exceeding the safe drinking level of 21 units a week for a man or 14 units for a woman. Similarly, mothers who had ‘always’ drunk alcohol were three times more likely to be described by their children as ‘disengaged.’ The report claimed that a fifth of children, including 90,000 babies, live in families where at least one parent drank ‘hazardously’. IANS
PTI
Sensors to detect cancers early SYDNEY: Researchers are developing a cutting-edge sensor that will help detect and diagnose cancers early, potentially saving many more lives. The new technology is the vision of doctoral researcher Emma Carland from the Swinburne University of Technology. Inspired by her experience helping sick children in intensive care at The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Carland decided to use her biomedical engineering skills to give people a better chance against illnesses. “I maintained and tested lifesupport medical equipment such as drug pumps and respirators, and saw how the kids rely on these tools in their day-to-day struggle for life,” Carland said. “This was a powerful motivation for me to embark on this research.” Her work is based on an optical-fibre touch sensor as fine as a human hair built by her supervisors, Paul Stoddart and Scott Wade, last year to prevent injuring delicate ear tissues during cochlear implant insertion. The sensor is built into an optical fibre — a technology that has revolutionised communications — that sends light between its two ends. Due to its tiny size and fast transmission of signals, optical fibres are often used in medicine, including endoscopies and keyhole surgeries. “A tumour is stiffer than cells from a healthy area,” Carland said. “So, the difference between the sensor’s signals tells you how stiff the tissue is — a diseased tissue, being firmer, will push back at the sensor with more force, resulting in a larger difference.” The long, thin and flexible structure of the fibre sensor will also allow it to be inserted into endoscopes that explore small tissue regions, such as ear, nose, throat cavities and the colon. IANS
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012
Entertainment THE TRUST FACTOR
Aamir brings credibility to his films: FARHAN AKHTAR
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ilmmaker Farhan Akhtar believes superstar Aamir Khan’s link with a supernatural thriller like Talaash itself, spoke volumes about the film’s content.”It automatically speaks something about the content of the film. He is someone who is known to attach himself to a film that has a serious story to tell and something new to share with people,” the 38-year-old said, Monday at the success party of the film.”He is known to do that and when he attaches himself to a movie like Talaash, it automatically sends out a signal to the people that there must be something interesting going on in the movie,” he added. Besides playing the lead as Inspector Surjan Singh Shekhawat, Aamir was also the co-producer of Talaash along with Farhan and Ritesh Sidhwani. Farhan, however, accepts that Aamir’s celebrity status is also a major reason why people come to watch a film.”This is completely apart from his celebrity status. That of course brings in numbers and it brings a lot of people wanting to watch him as fans, but also, I think it brings in a certain credibility to a project,” Farhan said. Farhan also wrote some dialogues in the film, while his sister Zoya co-wrote the story along with film’s director, Reema Kagti. IANS
CINE BYTES
Aamir and I are lucky for each other: Kareena
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ctress Kareena Kapoor, who has two hits with Aamir Khan believes they are lucky for each other. “I think I am lucky for Aamir also and Aamir is also lucky for me, 3 Idiots and Talaash,” she said.” It was reported that Kareena’s husband Saif Ali Khan was going to throw a party for the actress, but she says he never planned such a thing. IANS
I hope kids don’t watch my films
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ctor Emraan Hashmi, who has done several ‘A’ certificate films, finds it surprising that he has a huge fan following among kids. “It’s kind of surprising. I hope they don’t watch my films. I am sure it’s probably a connect from music, television... that medium has always had a great impact,” Emraan said. IANS
Manisha Koirala undergoes successful surgery
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ctress Manisha Koirala, who was recently diagnosed with ovarian cancer, underwent a successful surgery in New York on Monday. “Manisha underwent a surgery on Monday at around 9 am. Her family said it was a successful surgery,” Subroto Ghosh, Manisha’s manager, said. IANS
Entertainment special RECOMMENDATIONS n Baasha n Thillu Mullu n Mullum Malarum n Moondru Mugam n Padayappa n Annamalai n Thalapathi n Aarilirunthu Arubathu
Varai n Netrikkann n Thambikku Entha Ooru
POPULAR DIALOGUES
n Ekambaramnu sonna
vayithula irukura kozhandhai kooda vaaya moodum (If you say the name ‘Ekambaram’, even an unborn child will shut its mouth) ~ Moondru Mugam n Naan oru thadava
sonna... Nooru thadava sonna mathiri. ( If I say it once, it’s equivalent to having said it a 100 times.) ~ Baasha n En vazhi thani vazhi
(My way is a unique way) ~ Padayappa n Naan solrathaiyum
seiven, sollathathiyum seiven. (I’ll do what I say. I’ll also do what I don’t say) ~ Annamalai n Naan eppo varuven
eppadi varuvennu yarukkum theriyathu. Eppo varunumo appo correctaa varuven. (When I’ll come, how I’ll come, nobody knows. But when I need to come, I’ll be there) ~Muthu n Chuma adhurudalla ~
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has been meticulously moulded by directors like K Balachander, SP Muthuraman, Suresh Krishna and KS Ravikumar. A lot of people who are not well versed with Tamil cinema can’t figure out why people are mad about him. The answer might lie in his rags to riches story which is quite similar to most of the plots of his films. Born in a Maratha family on December 12, 1950, Rajinikanth’s original name was Shivaji Rao Gaikwad. At one point of time, he even worked as a bus conductor in Bangalore before he moved to Chennai where he was spotted by K Balachander. “Over the years, Rajini has built a mass fan base because he has stuck to his larger than life image. His punch
here are several theories behind what makes Rajinikanth such a charismatic, larger than life actor who has been ruling Kollywood for over three decades. But none of them truly explain why every word he says or everytime he appears onscreen sends millions of his fans into a delirious frenzy. To decode the Rajini phenomenon Grady Hendrix, a writer at slate.com, once wrote, “If a tiger had sex with a tornado and then their tiger-nado baby got married to an earthquake, their offspring would be Rajinikanth.” While none of this is true, what we can absolutely be sure is of his simplicity offscreen coupled with his uber cool persona on screen which
THE
lines and stylish dialogue delivery worked big time,” Sreedhar Pillar, a senior film journalist, says. Then there are legends about him which are passed on for generations. In 1992, one day, his car was stopped by the
Rajinikanth, one of India’s greatest and biggest superstars, remains nonchalant about all the hype surrounding him. As he turns 63 today, we find out more about the legend of
LEGEND OF
BOOKS BASED ON RAJINIKANTH
TOP
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012
Name: RajinikanthThe Definitive Biography Author: Naman Ramachandran Pages: 244 Publisher: Viking Books
Name: The Name is Rajinikanth Author: Gayathri Sreekanth Pages: 378 Publisher: Om Book International
Name: Rajini’s Punchtantra Authors: Balasubrama nian PC & Krishnamoor thy R Pages: 124 Publisher: Rupa & Co
Shivaji
When I was young, I used to watch only Rajinikanth and Jackie Chan’s films. I couldn’t imagine Rajinikanth playing a villain. In fact, my mother is a huge fan of Rajinikanth.
Rajinikanth is truly a phenomenon. He’s a man who has come up the hard way. It’s an inspiring a journey — from a a bus conductor to a superstar who conquered Kollywood.
He has no starry airs, always appears sans make-up when he is off screen attending events. People find it quite endearing that he leads a simple lifestyle despite his popularity.
Balaji Mohan Director
Sreedhar Pillai Senior journalist
Anantha An ardent fan of Rajinikanth
Watching Sivaji in 3D was truly an unforgettable experience. Even five years after its release, it triggered off euphoria and nostalgia. It’s probably his last formula film. Sudhish Kamath Director
Entertainment special
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012
Sivajis and the MGRs did heroic roles, but Rajini did the alpha male roles much better than the others. He’s also a much better comedian than MGR or Sivaji.” In mid 90s, rumours were rife that he might join politics. While he has kept people guessing about his entry into politics, the actor is showing no signs of giving up his acting career. Last year, he underwent a major surgery and after recuperating he acted in his daughter Soundarya Rajinikanth’s directorial debut film Kochadiyaan. So what keeps his going? He’s most likely to say, with a smile on his face, “It’s all God’s will.” Amen!
policemen to let then chief minister Jayalalithaa pass through. Rajinikanth stepped out of his car and within seconds thousands of people gathered to cheer for him. Jayalalitha couldn’t even come out of her house which forced the policemen to plead him to drive away. Such was his popularity. No other actor since MGR and Sivaji Ganesan has enjoyed such massive fan following. What is the most endearing aspect of Rajinikanth which sets him apart? Anantha, an ardent fan of Rajinikanth, says, “I think a lot of it is because of the style, particularly for those who grew up watching him in the 80s. The others before him, the
Rajinikanth which shows no signs of fading away from memories of millions of his fans. HEMANTH KUMAR hemanth.k@postnoon.com
RAJINI Rajinikanth (L) makes it a point to visit the Himalayas before and after the release of his film. This picture was clicked during one such trip which he went on soon after the release of Shankar’s Endhiran in 2010. As soon as the pictures had hit the Internet, they went viral with Rajinikanth’s fans boasting about the superstar’s simplicity despite his immense popularity back in the South.
After watching Mynaa, Rajinikanth sir sent me a bouquet appreciating me and said that he wish he has been part of the film, even if it was a small role. That was a big compliment! Amala Paul Actress
My craziest experience was chasing him at the audio launch of Robo. I wanted his autograph and I had to squeeze through bouncers to greet him. He spotted me in the crowd. Vrinda Prasad MAA TV Network
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Entertainment WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012
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Entertainment WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012
Chai Time
Play & Win
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KAKURO How to play kakuro Kakuro is a popular game similar to sudoku in some ways. But is also suitably different. The key question: ‘How do you play kakuro?’, well here are the rules of kakuro. The answer: The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any size. It has rows and columns, and dark cells like in a crossword. And, just like in a crossword, some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some cells will contain two numbers. However, in a crossword the numbers reference clues. In a kakuro, the numbers are all you get! They denote the total of the digits in the row or column refer-
QUICK CROSSWORD enced by the number. Within each collection of cells — called a run — any of the numbers 1 to 9 may be used but, like sudoku, each number may only be used once.Let’s have an example to explain this concept more clearly: In the image above, which shows a section of a kakuro puzzle, you will see the numbers ‘26’ and ‘14’ in the top row. Look at the 14. This means that the total of the three cells underneath must sum to 14. Therefore 9, 4, 1 could be the answer, or perhaps 7, 4, 3 and so
on... So, how do you work out the actual combination? Well, this is done through elimination and cross-referencing. For instance, as you work out the answers for other kakuro clues, this will naturally limit the valid combinations, and hence the answer for this particular run. Note the second cell in row two — it contains two numbers, 30 and 11. The 30 refers to the vertical run underneath the number 30 and the 11 refers to the two cells to the right, horizontally, of the number 11.
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Play & Win voucher from VENKEY’S VEG Restaurant, Nampally
1 Brownish gray 6 Hither partner 9 Lavished affection (on) 14 Church music maker 15 It may end in -zoic 16 Ebony counterpart of song 17 Time-capsule item 18 Krypton is one 19 Small finch 20 The opposite of putting on sale 23 By-means link 24 100 cents, in France 25 What a tongue or tail may do 28 Rathskeller fare 30 Where arms may be kept 35 Minor flaps 37 Unwrought iron 39 Brick clay 40 Revealing, as a top secret 44 1988 Summer Games setting 45 Parker's responsibility 46 Arctic seabird 47 Certain track athlete 50 Exchange vows 52 Porcine pen 53 Adult tadpole
55 Gas-tank topper 57 Displaying generosity in a bar 65 Theatrical backdrop 66 Toothpaste type 67 Having escaped 68 Do figure eights 69 Touchdown info 70 Kind of tube or peace 71 Composed on a keyboard 72 Vito Corleone's title 73 Japan resident, say
DOWN 1 Unit of pressure 2 Geometry calculation 3 Hybrid citrus fruit 4 Coin of Pakistan 5 California oak 6 Safe-cracking crook 7 Wax eloquent 8 New Hampshire city 9 Kitchen sink device 10 ‘___ the Rainbow’ (‘The Wizard of Oz’ tune) 11 Spelling of ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ 12 British comedian Idle 13 A metric unit of force 21 Stocking material 22 Make a faux pas 25 Eagles' guitarist Joe
26 Tours ta-ta 27 Words before ‘broke’ or ‘the gold’ 29 Part of a joule 31 Fix up, as text 32 Lymph ___ (germ fighters) 33 Cancel, NASA-style 34 Rocker Kravitz 36 Breeding stallion 38 Abbr akin to ‘yadda, yadda, yadda’ 41 Poorly planned 42 ‘Hee ___’ 43 Upright 48 1,000,000,000 years 49 Tattered 51 ‘The Black ___’ (2006 film) 54 On account of 56 Menial sorts 57 Attention-getting sound 58 Repugnant, to Junior 59 Roll an untimely seven (with ‘out’) 60 Toy on a string 61 Leave nothing to chance 62 ‘Beloved’ novelist Morrison 63 No longer in the docks 64 Swiss city
Chai Time WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012 Thiruvaikumar
STAR POWER for 13-12-2012
25
As per Hindu panchang thiruvaikumar@yahoo. co. in, 040-27177230 / 9177596118
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
You look attractive and all work undertaken also will end successfully. Those in love will be happy as support from both families likely. Businessmen will face hurdles and minor tensions but they will come out with their timely and wise action.
STRIP TEASE AGNES
Professionals like lawyers and chartered accountants will prosper. Deficit financial situation likely. Working women might face internal issues in office that might force them to quit. Govt officials might be sent on leave due to finance matters.
Success is certain in all assignments undertaken. Unexpected fortune likely, which will keep you comfortable and happy. Women will keep their spouse happy by fulfilling their wishes. Avoid friends as you might get cheated and face failure.
Marriage of son or daughter will be performed in a grand manner. Those in search of a job will get favourable news. Unexpected fortune likely with which you will reduce debts considerably. Businessmen will get promising opportunities.
You never agree to wrong doings by anyone. You complete all work that others could not complete. Long-pending court case will come to a favourable end. Though expenses increase, inflow will cheer you. Self confidence level will soar.
You attend celebrations at a relative’s place and feel happy at meeting close relatives and friends. Benefits through spouse likely. Purchase of new electronic gadgets likely. Those jobless will get a job soon. Children will obey and respect you.
Avoid bringing office problems home; likewise tension from home to office. Avoid misunderstanding with family members and be flexible so that a peaceful atmosphere prevails. Businessmen will grow steadily and profits likely to jump.
With unrelenting efforts you are certain to finish all assignments undertaken. Court verdict will be in your favour. A foreign trip will now become reality and you will leave soon. Purpose of the trip also will be successfully accomplished.
You take a suitable decision by coming out of your dilemma. Those awaiting to get married will get good news and marriage will take place soon. Employees might be entrusted with new responsibilities. Businessmen will march ahead.
TAROT READ
Sumaa Tekur
tarotreadhyd@gmail. com
ARIES:
GEMINI:
Three of Swords – Disappointment about a plan not working your way may make you feel low. Let it go and look ahead. Brighter days are coming shortly.
LEO:
King of Cups – You’re being very emotional about something and it may not be worth so much attention. Look at the big picture and realign your expectations.
LIBRA:
PEARLS BEFORE SWINE
Nine of Cups – Your wishes are about to be fulfilled. Don’t ask for something frivolous. Wish for that which will keep you happy in the long run.
SAGITTARIUS:
Four of Pentacles – An elderly person within the family or senior colleague at work will help you navigate a difficult problem. Be grateful and return the favour.
TAURUS:
Five of Cups – Some form of loss is indicated. It could be money or some disappointment. Take it in your stride. Don’t worry because better times ahead.
CANCER:
Nine of Swords – Nightmares, restless sleep and anxiety are taking a toll on your health. Take time off and get away for a few days. Rejuvenate and refresh.
VIRGO:
The Moon – Mood swings can make you irritable to others. Avoid being part of large or small groups, if you can. Stay by yourself and spend time alone.
SCORPIO:
Seven of Swords – There’s some secrecy and conspiracy involved in a project. You’re not being told all the truth and that is hindering your ability to judge.
CAPRICORN:
Ten of Swords – A difficult phase is ending and a new, profitable time is about to start. Transition may be tough, since you’re getting into unfamiliar territory.
PREVIOUS SOLUTIONS
PISCES:
The World – The world is at your feet and all your plans are working perfectly. If there are any minor glitches, you have it in you to manage them.
NUMBER GAME
Creative time. You’re at the peak when it comes to innovation and new ideas. Write down the best ideas for use later.
SCRABBLE
AQUARIUS: Ace of Cups –
POOCH CAFE
You look cheerful and active. Newlyweds will be happy to hear news of arrival of their offspring. Children's inept handling of work might irk you. Sudden journey likely. Father's health needs attention. Problems of employees will be over.
for 13-12-2012
Two of Swords – You may be too rigid in your approach to life and learning. Your own attitude may be preventing you from exploring new avenues. Loosen up.
NON SEQUITUR
Avoid interfering in anyone's personal issues and third person's interference in family also so as to retain harmony at home. Unwanted anger and rigidness will spell trouble for you. Newlyweds can get ready to receive offspring.
SUDUKO
Financial position looks comfortable. Relatives and friends may seek your help in certain important issues, which might put you under tension. Employees will complete challenging tasks without difficulty. Businessmen will crush competition.
Boggle FIT CIVIC ACCORD INSIGHT Vol: 2, No 146 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
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Entertainment WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012
BACK IN THE MARKET
CINE BYTES
I
s there a tear in her beer? Nashville star Hayden Panettiere has broken up with her boyfriend of more than a year, New York Jets wide receiver Scotty McKnight, a source confirms to PEOPLE. But the split doesn't appear to be the stuff of a sad country song. The actress, 23, is still friends with McKnight, 24, and one source tells TMZ that their pals wouldn't be surprised if they got back together. This is Panettiere's second go at a relationship with an athlete. Before dating McKnight she was with Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko for about two years.
Hayden Panettiere splits with Scotty McKnight
I am waiting for a thank you
C
harlie Sheen has claimed that he lent Lindsay Lohan money and is "still waiting" for a thank you. The two stars, who have both achieved notoriety for their offscreen exploits co-star in Scary Movie 5. Sheen told ET that he gave her an unspecified amount of money to cover a payment due. He told the show: "I'm still waiting for a text to say, 'Thank you'. Anything, you know?"
Pamela runs up a high tax tab
R
unning on the beach in a sexy, red one-piece won't pay this bill—we don't think. Actress Pamela Anderson is the latest celeb to be hit with financial woes after facing a new $259,395 federal lien filed in August and a followup state tax lien for $112,118 filed in September, for the 2011 tax year, according to the New York Daily News, for a grand total of $371, 513 owed.
Salt 2 hires a writer
A
ngelina Jolie's 2010 spy flick Salt is back in sequel talks, with Columbia finalising negotiations for a rewrite from Oscarnominee Becky Johnston (Seven Years in Tibet, Arthur Newman). "Johnston's hiring caps off an almost year-long search for a scribe who could reconceive the script with a take that satisfied all parties," THR writes. Kurt Wimmer, who wrote Salt as well as the Total Recall remake, didn't produce something up to Jolie's standards on the first pass.
sports
27
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012
ASIA BOXING SCENE
Hatton’s big quest The popular Briton looks at Asia in the hope of unearthing the next big thing in boxing. PETER STEBBINGS Agence France-Presse HONG KONG: Former world champion Ricky Hatton (left) says that he hopes to find his successor in Asia. A former world light-welterweight and welterweight champion, the 34-year-old Hatton was knocked out on his return to the ring last month, and insists that he will not be coming out of retirement again. It was time to move on, he told AFP in Hong Kong, where he staged a night of boxing on Tuesday under the Asia-Pacific arm of Hatton Promotions, which has set up an office in the southern Chinese city. “This is such a successful, big part of the world and nobody here does boxing so that’s the whole purpose of us
A former world light-welterweight and welterweight champion, Hatton was knocked out on his return to the ring. coming here,” the likeable Hatton said. “The law of averages says there must be some talent out here somewhere and I’d like to raise the profile of boxing out here. “Boxing is a massive passion for me and there’s nothing I’d like better than to be the first promoter to bring a world champion through to this part of the world, to give people someone to be proud of, like the fans were of me.” Hatton insisted that he had laid his demons to rest.
WORLD SWIMMING
Olympians back in action ISTANBUL: The world short course swimming championships starts on Wednesday in Istanbul, four months after the London Olympics but with notable absentees, including megastar Michael Phelps and teenage sensation Missy Franklin. Phelps was never going to figure after taking his bow from the sport with 22 Olympic medals to his name, while 17year-old Franklin — who won four golds and bagged two world records in London — declined to take part. Also missing is 100m freestyle champion Nathan Adrian. Instead, the competition will feature eight Olympic champions, among them Ryan Lochte (above).
HYDERABAD TRACK WORK
Ben Hur, Amazing Princess look good HYDERABAD: Ben Hur, Amazing Princess, Decathlon, Naughty Gal, Golden Queen and Royal Shaan caught the eye with impressive runs when horses were exercised at the Malakpet racecourse in the City this morning. Sand track 800 metres Prince Prashant (Kuldeep Singh) Rio Grande (Pawar) 56, 600/41 Former finished in front. Grigori (Sai Kumar) 57, 600/43 Moved well. Lake King (Pawar) 58, 600/44 Easy. Kohinoor Supreme (rb) 1-1, 600/46 Easy. Bound For Glory (Joshi) 57, 600/41 Moved well. Brahmani (rb) 56, 600/41.5 Pleased. Winning Tactics (Togrou) 57.5, 600/44 Moved freely. Racing Ruby (app) 58.5, 600/44 Unextended. Royal Shaan (Chary) 56, 600/42 Pleased. Art Ace (Kuldeep Singh) 2y. Coral Springs (Pawar) 57.5, 600/42 They moved together. 2y. Baazigar (Mukesh) 58.5, 600/44 Moved freely. 2y. Galiant (rb) 2y. Ancillary (Imran Khan)
1-2, 600/46 They moved together. 2y. Lots Of Love (Imran Khan) Enrapture (Kiran Naidu) 58, 600/44 They finished together. Our Mascot (Imran Khan) 1-2.5, 600/47 Easy. Paying Guest (Anil) 1-2, 600/47 Easy. 2y. Staying The Best (N.Rawal) Star Prospect (B.Shinde) 56.5, 600/40.5 They impressed. Ace Star (Sai Vamshi) 1-2, 600/45 Easy. Sand track 1000 metres Dacathlon (Jodhi) Super Duper (app) 1-13, 800/56, 600/42 Former easily finished a length in front. Naughty Gal (Deep Shanker) 1-11, 800/55, 60/41 Pleased. Chocolate Soldier (Harinder Singh) Kuchipudi (Laxmikant) 1-11.5, 800/55.5, 600/42.5 Former finished in front. Sand track 1200 metres Dauntless (rb) 1-28.5, 1000/1-13, 800/57, 600/45 Urged. Monsoon inner race grass 800 metres 2y. Meri Merzi (rb) 2y. Alastar
(rb) 56.5,600/40 They moved together. 2y. Supreme Secret (Sai Vamshi) 2y. Elora (rb) 59, 600/43 They moved freely. 2y. Black Bolt (Deep Shanker) 2y. Wendy Girl (Deep Shanker) 58, 600/42 They moved freely and finished together. Monsoon inner race grass 1000 metres 2y. Magical Punch (Christop her) Classic Emerald (S.Nayak) 1-8, 800/51.5, 600/39 They moved together. Monsoon inner race grass 1200 metres Homely Helo (Culhane) Vijays Victory (Harinder Singh) 1-25, 1000/1-10, 800/55, 600/40.5 They finished together. 2y. Ben Hur (Imran Khan) Pavan (Alikhan) 1-22.5, 1000/1-4, 800/50, 600/38.5 An impressive pair. 2y. Goldie (Pawar) 2y. Danehill Star/Lenavi (Kuldeep Singh) 1-26.5, 1000/1-11, 800/55, 600/41 Former finished in front. Benita (Alikhan) 2y.
Amazing Princess (Imran Khan) 1-23, 1000/1-8, 800/52, 600/37 Former pushed and finished together. Monsoon inner race grass 1600 metres Stylsih Chieftan (Deep Shanker) Racing Tycoon (Culhane) 1-52, 1400/1-36.5, 1200/1-21.5, 1000/1-7, 800/54, 600/4 They moved well and finished together. Golden Queen (Culhane) 151.5, 1400/1-35.5, 1200/1-21, 1000/1-7, 800/54, 600/39.5 Impressed. Gate practice 1200 metres Felisa (Deep Shanker) Handsome Hawk (Ravinder Singh) 1-22, 1000/1-6, 800/53, 600/39 Latter slowly off. Zero Tolerance (Laxmikant) 2y. Amazing Weapon (C.Henrique ) 1-20, 1000/1-4, 800/51, 600/39 Former slowly off and pushed to finish in front. Smashing Beauty (Ravinder Singh) Over Taker (app) 2y. Sniper Fire (Kiran Naidu) Grand Challenge
(Sai Vamshi) 1-17, 1000/1-4, 800/52, 600/39 They jumped out well and finished in the same order. Winjoy (Togrolu) 2y. Zorro The Legend (Anil) 2y. Vijays Triumph (Joshi) 2y. Just Once (Dileep) 1-18, 1000/1-5, 800/52, 600/39 They took a good jump and finished in a close order. Amber Flame (app) 2y. Mull Of Kintyre/Serious Trouble (Alikhan) 1-28, 1000/112, 800/58, 600/44 They jumped out well and moved freely. Scubarioo (app) 2y. Santa Monica (Christopher) 2y. Sherman Oaks (S.Nayak) Catalina (Imran Khan) 2y. Fenway Court (Kuldeep Singh) 1-20, 1000/1-6, 800/53, 600/39 They jumped out well and finished in the above order. Sun Strikes (Kuldeep Sigh) 2y. Conours (S.Nayak) 2y. Beau Ideal (Christopher) 2y. Par Excellence (Pawar) Yours Truly (Dileep) 1-25, 1000/1-10, 800/56, 600/40.5 Yours Truly slowly off and finished distance behind.
sports
28
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012
US PGA 2013 TOUR
ITF WORLD CHAMPS
Woods seeks boost in ‘13 Woods, who turns 37 on December 30, was pleased to be looking forward to a successful season without any major injury worries.
REBECCA BRYAN Agence France-Presse LOS ANGELES: Tiger Woods (above) took a twisting path to three US PGA Tour titles in 2012, but despite ending a two-year victory drought he couldn’t quench his thirst for more major titles. “I know how it feels when
you win a major championship, and it feels incredible,” Woods said as he reflected on his year. “It lasts with you, and that’s something that I would like to have happen again.” Woods hasn’t won one of golf’s four major championships since his 2008 US Open triumph at Torrey Pines. His pursuit of Jack Nicklaus’s record of 18
majors remains stalled at 14, but Woods believes he has emerged from a tunnel of distractions — his disastrous marital crisis, serious injury and the re-engineering of his swing — and is ready to tackle golf’s challenges in 2013. So, however, is current world No 1 Rory McIlroy. “I still feel I have some of my
best golf to play, and in order to do that, I had to be healthy, and this year is headed in the right direction,” Woods said. “I’m very excited about next year. “Rory is ranked number one. He deserves it. He’s won tournaments all around the world. He’s had high finishes on top of that, and that’s how you do it .... He should be very proud of the season he’s had, and I’m sure he’s excited about what next year holds for him, as well.” Expectations for Woods’s 2012 season were raised when he capped 2011 with a victory in the World Challenge, the 18man unofficial event he hosts for the benefit of his charitable foundation. But things looked dark in March, when he abruptly departed the World Golf Championships event at Doral during the final round as inflammation in his achilles tendon flared up. He quickly quelled speculation that chronic injury might blight the rest of his career, winning his next start at Bay Hill for his first US PGA Tour title in more than two years. Then came another dry spell — a tie for 40th at the Masters, a missed cut at Quail Hollow and a tie for 40th at The Players championship.
SQUASH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Djokovic, Williams crowned
PARIS: Serbia’s Novak Djokovic and US player Serena Williams (above) were on Tuesday announced as this year’s International Tennis Federation world champions, based on their performances in tournaments throughout 2012. The sport’s governing body also said that US brothers Bob and Mike Bryan were men’s doubles world champions for the ninth time in 10 years, while Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci of Italy were the women’s equivalent. Dutch wheelchair tennis legend Esther Vergeer won the title for the 13th year in succession after she won Paralympic singles gold for the fourth Paralympics in a row. Stephane Houdet of France won the men’s award.
EXHIBITION TOURNEY
Saurav loses to Willstrop World No 1 beats his regular sparring partner at their shared base in Yorkshire and the first Indian ever to make the last 16.
RICHARD EATON Agence France-Presse DOHA: World number one James Willstrop gave a warning he is developing his most significant world title challenge yet as he dispatched one of his friends en route to the quarter-finals here on Tuesday. The thoughtful Englishman set aside amicable sentiments with a tight professional mindset during a 11-6, 11-7, 11-2 win against Saurav Ghosal. But more than that Willstrop showed that he is adapting to the demands of a unusually testing cool court by producing a consistently immaculate length, yet varying the pace, and “holding” the ball to produce subtle
disguises. So far he has employed these classical skills better than anyone and, apart from a brief spell in the middle
of the second game when the talented Ghosal sneaked a 6-5 lead, Willstrop controlled the match with masterful economy. “When you go on court each day with each other and spend a lot of your lives together, it’s slightly difficult, but a lot of players have to get used to that it’s part of the togetherness the tour brings,” Willstrop said. “I felt I played really well. There was a lot of stuff going through to the back, but we were both hitting an attacking length, and it was focussed and punishing. I feel very good.” Willstrop will face a surprise quarter-final opponent, the 15th seeded Borja Golan, the first Spanish player to get so far since Austin Adarraga 20 years ago.
Golan achieved this by bringing down the sixth-seeded Peter Barker, a team mate of Willstrop in England’s 2007 world title winning squad, with a typically tenacious 11-7, 4-11, 11-3, 11-3 triumph which would have seemed impossible three years ago when a knee injury almost ended his career. “I didn’t think Peter was a hundred percent because he had a problem with a leg,” the Galician from Santiago de Compostella said generously, referring to Barker’s troublesome hamstring. “But I tried to be focussed on my game. “I remember Austin very well because he was an inspiration to me,” he added.
Nadal to play in Abu Dhabi
MADRID: Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal (above) will make his much-anticipated return from a knee injury at an Abu Dhabi exhibition tournament starting December 27, he announced via social networks on Tuesday. “Can’t wait to get back on court in Abu Dhabi at the end of the month,” Nadal posted on his Facebook and Twitter accounts. AFP
sports
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012
NEW ZEALAND SERIES OF SOUTH AFRICA
Captaincy row as NZ head to SAfrica Chris Moller acknowledged the issue could have been handled better, but stood by the decision. NEIL SANDS WELLINGTON: New Zealand cricket chiefs issued a public apology to axed captain Ross Taylor Wednesday, as a weakened Black Caps side prepared to depart for South Africa without the in-form batsman. Taylor opted to sit out the tour against the Proteas after being replaced as skipper by opener Brendon McCullum last Friday, leaving a gaping hole in the New Zealand batting lineup as the side faces the world’s top-ranked Test team. The axing also exposed deep divisions within New Zealand cricketing circles and provoked a backlash against administrators over Taylor’s treatment. New Zealand Cricket (NZC) chairman Chris Moller acknowledged the issue could have been handled better, but stood by the decision to appoint McCullum and said there would be no sackings at the organisation. “The board has reviewed all aspects of the captaincy issue
The drama is a distraction for any team poised to confront the Proteas, let alone one ranked eighth in the world.
and wishes to publicly place on record its apologies to Ross Taylor and his family for the manner in which events have unfolded,” Moller told reporters. The drama is a distraction any team poised to confront the Proteas at home could do without, let alone one ranked eighth in the world and already without star spinner Dan Vettori and gifted batsman Jesse Ryder. “What’s unfolding at the moment is very disappointing,” McCullum, a close associate of coach Mike Hesson, told reporters this week after denying he had any role in Taylor’s downfall. “I’m sure that will all heal in due course,” he added. McCullum’s optimism appears misplaced, as cricketing greats and media commentators called for heads to roll at NZC amid claims the sport has lost its way under the current leadership. Former coach Mark Greatbatch called for Moller’s departure Wednesday.
SRI LANKA IN AUSTRALIA
29
Sri Lanka old guard target Australia Jayawardene, Sangakkara, Dilshan and Samaraweera, form core of the batting. ROBERT SMITH HOBART, AUSTRALIA: Sri Lanka are putting their faith in the remnants of their “golden generation” as they target their first ever Test win in Australia in the three-match series starting on Friday. Thirty-somethings Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Thilan Samaraweera, who form the core of Sri Lanka’s batting, are shaping as Sri Lanka’s best chance of breaking their 10Test, 25-year winless record. Sangakkara, 35, the international cricketer of the year, would not be drawn on whether this will be his last trip to Australia, but he said an elusive Test win was a prime motivator for the team elders. “When you do get older, you do look for achievements where you haven’t really tasted victory so, here and in India, (there are) Test matches still to win,” Sangakkara said in Hobart. “That’s a great motivator for guys like Dilshan, Mahela, myself and Samaraweera. “We’re the older brigade. But whether we get it or not, the key is to really contribute to the side.”
WORLD JUNIOR TABLE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Grover Sudhanshu and Batra Manika of India play Lee Chia-Sheng and Huang Hsin of Taipei in the 10th World Junior Table Tennis Championships in the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in the City on Wednesday. SRINIVAS SETTY
Since being hammered in their first Test in Australia in early 1988, Sri Lanka have lost another seven matches and drawn two,. They have also never won a Test in India. Sri Lanka’s hopes appear to rest on their batsmen providing enough runs to upset Michael Clarke’s Australia, the world number three Test side, who are embarking on their first series since the retirement of Ricky Ponting.
AFI DRAMA
India orders fresh polls in athletics body NEW DELHI: India’s sports ministry on Tuesday asked the country’s athletics federation to hold fresh elections or face suspension, in the latest crackdown to clean up sports administration. The ministry set aside the election of president, secretary and treasurer in the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) held in April this year and ordered polls to be held within 60 days or by February 28. The announcement came after the ministry last week suspended the national boxing and archery federations over election malpractices and the International Olympic Committee suspended India’s membership over unethical practices. According to the ministry, the clause in the athletics federation’s constitution that only a member of its executive committee could seek election as an office-bearer was “restrictive and violated the government’s sports code”. “The AFI has been directed to amend its constitution and hold elections to the above three posts,” the ministry said in a statement. “If the above action is not carried out the recognition to AFI shall stand withdrawn.”
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2012
sports
IBRAHIMOVIC HAT-TRICK SPARKS LYON ROUT Swedish superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic fired a superb hat-trick to take his league leading scoring tally to 17 goals as Paris Saint-Germain closed within two points of leaders Lyon with a clinical 4-0 victory over Valenciennes here on Tuesday.
LEAGUE CUP
30
Bradford pile misery on Arsenal Arsène Wenger’s turbulent season suffered fresh embarrassment as Arsenal were knocked out of the Capital One Cup quarter-finals by Bradford City of League Two. IAN BAKER Agence France-Presse
Cazorla and Marouane Chamakh missing the first two kicks for the Gunners before Vermaelen’s blunder consigned Arsene Wenger’s side to arguably the most humiliating loss of the Frenchman’s 16-year reign. Wenger, who has often opted to field a weakened side in this competition, decided to name eight of the players that had beaten West Bromwich Albion 20 in the Premier League on Saturday. But there was no sign of any momentum from that win as Arsenal, looking totally out of sorts in temperatures that were below freezing when the game got under way, hit a new low in an already traumatic campaign.
BRADFORD, UK: Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen missed the decisive spot-kick as League Two minnows Bradford City stunned the Gunners with a 3-2 penalty shoot-out triumph after a 1-1 draw in the League Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday. Garry Thompson’s volleyed strike after 16 minutes gave the underdogs a shock 1-0 lead at Valley Parade, but Arsenal thought they had got out of jail when Vermaelen netted three minutes from the end of normal time. However, Bradford went on to win their ninth consecutive penalty shoot-out with Santi
PREMIER LEAGUE
Black Cats rout Reading Sunderland beat Reading 3-0 in a crucial encounter ending a dismal run. SUNDERLAND, UK: Sunderland eased the pressure on under-fire manager Martin O’Neill with a crucial 3-0 win over fellow strugglers Reading on Tuesday. Black Cats boss O’Neill has been subjected to growing criticism in recent weeks following a woeful run of results which saw his side slip into the relegation zone after Saturday’s 3-1 defeat against Chelsea. But they finally ended a dismal run of just two Premier League wins in 23 attempts thanks to goals from James McClean, Steven Fletcher and
Stephane Sessegnon at the Stadium of Light. A first victory in five matches lifted Sunderland up to 15th place, while Reading remain second bottom of the table with just nine points from 16 matches. It took O’Neill’s side less than three minutes to take the lead when Royals keeper Adam Federici could only punch Adam Johnson’s (left) inswinging corner to Republic of Ireland winger McClean and he fired home from the edge of the area. AFP
LOOKING BACK AT 2012
Eng thrills, but racism casts shadow TOM WILLIAMS Agence France-Presse LONDON: English football enjoyed the most heart-stopping climax to a top-flight season ever in 2012, and yet a spate of racism cases drew a pall over the Premier League as the year came to a close. Injury-time goals by Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero on the season’s final day saw Manchester City pip
Anti-racism body slams ‘weak’ FA LONDON: The chairman of an anti-racism group has accused England’s Football Association and the top-flight Premier League of lacking morality and leadership over their handling of recent racism cases. Herman Ouseley also rebuked Chelsea and Liverpool over racism incidents.
Manchester United to the title on goal difference, ending their 44-year wait for the English crown in sensational fashion. Chelsea also toasted a golden year, beating League Cup winners Liverpool 2-1 in the FA Cup final and then edging Bayern Munich on penalties to become the first London club to taste glory in the Champions League. It was not enough to spare coach Roberto Di Matteo.
Wenger refuses to slam Arsenal flops Arsene Wenger (left) refused to criticise his Arsenal flops despite suffering one of the most humiliating nights of his career as League Two minnows Bradford beat the Gunners 3-2 on penalties after a 11 draw in the League Cup quarterfinals.Wenger’s side thought they had got out of jail when defender Thomas Vermaelen forced extratime with an 88th minute equaliser after Garry Thompson’s shock 16th minute strike for the hosts at Valley Parade on Tuesday. But Arsenal couldn’t find the winner in extratime and Bradford went on to book their place in the semi-finals for the first time after Vermaelen hit a post with the decisive spot-kick in the shootout.
CLUB WORLD CUP Oscar to make amends
YOKOHAMA: Chelsea’s Brazilian star Oscar (right) says the bitter memory of a shock semi-final defeat at the Club World Cup two years ago makes him even more determined the lift the trophy this year. The attacking midfielder was on the receiving end
of one of the biggest upsets in the history of the intercontinental championships when Brazil’s International lost 20 to minnows TP Mazembe in the UAE in 2010. AFP