FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012 HYDERABAD
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HYDERABAD’S FIRST COMPACT AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER
THE ISI SPY YOU PAID FOR!
REPORT ON P3
JAGAN’S INTENSIFIED STRIKE TO NET MORE CORPORATORS
Even as the State’s Congress leadership is trying to gather its wits over the misdemeanor of GHMC floor leader who crossed over to the YSRC without warning, more and more MLA ‘aspirants’ will be joining YSRCP from the party. The TDP is not safe either.
P4
FEW TAKERS FOR ILLUSIONS
Magic is a dying art. Despite being listed under Andhra Pradesh’s 65 native arts, magic is fading from the public eye. Venu Samarla, a magician who has performed for 32 years, talks about magic, illusion, the science behind magic and how the art receives no encouragement from the people.
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32 PAGES
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012
city events
THE SLENDER TRAIL
Oxford Bookstore, Hyderabad and End of the Night Creations Publication are launching the book The Slender Trail by Baqir Shameem. The book will be unveiled by renowned filmmaker and script writer Aparajita Roy Sinha on December 14 at 6pm.
Weather for Hyderabad
Evening
Overnight
Morning
Afternoon
24°C
21°C
25°C
28°C
Clear with cloudy periods
Mostly clear
Sunny with cloudy periods
A mix of sun and cloud
New Delhi Mumbai Max 22 Max 31 Min 13 Min 22 Mix of sun and cloud
Mostly sunny and clear
Chennai Max 30 Min 25 Mostly cloudy
Bangalore Max 26 Min 14
Mix of sun and cloud
AROUND THE CITY: YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES Contact: 98488 42471
DINING
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
Moplah Magic Moplan cuisine, form Kerala, will be served with Arabic and Samarkandi touches. It will be served for a week at Dakshin. Where: Dakshin, Begumpet When: December 10-16 Contact: (040) 2340 0132 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
SHOWS Theatre festival The fourth annual Samahaara Hyderabad Theatre Festival is going on in the City, where artists will perform plays from various genres. Where: Nift Auditorium, Madhapur When: December 8-16, 7:30pm onwards Contact: info@samahaara.org Ruhaniyat Ruhaniyat is a national film festival in its 12th consecutive year. It is a sufi and mystic music festival. It is known for its soulful songs. Where: Ravindra Bharathi, Saifabad
AT WORK: A rickshaw wala carries a bulk of playing balls for children at Malakpet Cross Roads. When: December 16 6:30 pm onwards 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 City When: December 3-31 Contact: (040) 6682 4422
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, Banjara Hills,
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
Rd No 3 When: Upto December 14 from 9am Contact: (040) 2355 4485 Eclectic iridescence 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, Kavuri Hills When: Upto December 19, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 2311 3709
MISCELLANEOUS Treasure Hunt Amar Chitra Katha is organizing a treasure hunt for kids. Where: Landmark,
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
KMC Retail Mall, Somajiguda When: December 15 2pm onwards Contact: 88855 10382 Photo competition Alliance Francaise, Hyderabad, is conducting a photo competition. The theme is Professions of the world. The winning entries will be sent to Paris. Where: http://hyderabad.afindia.org When: December 3-January 6
Christmas hampers Taj Krishna is giving out the Luxury Santa Hamper and Deluxe Santa Hamper, which include Remy Martin Xo, Lagavulin 16, luxury canali tie, rose petal jam with cane sugar, Kalmata Olives, assorted Christmas chocolate and plum cake to name a few. Where: Taj Krishna, Hyderanad When: Ongoing Contact: (040) 6666 2323
Handloom exhibition Pochampally Handloom Park is organizing IKAT Mela, exhibiting handloom linen, dress material and saris. Where: State Gallery of fine Arts , Department of Culture, Kavuri Hills, Madhapur When: 13-16 December from 6-9:30pm
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
M ANIL KUMAR
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. It is 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
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
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012
City
YESTERDAY’S QUESTION
COULD THE AP POWER CRISIS HAVE BEEN AVOIDED? 80% 20%
YES (A) NO (B)
TODAY’S QUESTION
HAS THE STATE’S CREDIBILITY AS AN EDUCATIONAL HUB TAKEN A BEATING FOLLOWING THE JNTU SCAM? A)
YES
B)
NO
To vote visit www.postnoon.com
JNTU SCAM
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Task Force looks into scam JNTU registrar, NV Ramana Rao’s, announcement that the University is conducting an ‘independent inquiry’ has stumped the police. But the Task Force is determined to look into the issue.
Mohd SUBHAN mohd.s@postnoon.com
The accused n M Venkatesh
T
he Task Force, East zone that busted a shocking racket of brazen tampering with the answer papers of the JNTU examinations are trying to assess the number of students involved in the scam. The whole student community is in turmoil following the arrest of the racketeers. The police have taken into custody 12-member gang involved in intercepting answer papers in transit and getting them rewritten before depositing with the colleges under the University. It is alleged that each student who involved in the racket was charged anything between `15,000 to `20,000 per paper and thus made a pile. Police inquiry is extending to university functionaries without whose helps such a massive scam can’t happen, said additional DCP P Rameshaih. The onerous task now is to find out how many students are affected.
n C Balu Mahender n M Jai Ram Reddy n T Hari n Shaik Mahaldar Hussain Basha n B Keerthi Vardhan, student n Sai Pranay, student n Dheeraj Reddy, student BTech n M Sridhar, BTech final student n E Anvesh, BTech 2nd year n Setty Ravi Shankar n M Rakesh Reddy, student
To gauge this co-operation of the University is essential. But the registrar NV Ramana Rao’s announcement that the University is conducting an
‘independent inquiry’ has stumped the police. The sTask Force was ordered to be formed by the City police commissioner Anurag Sharma to
CRIME
Tale of two countries
An ISI spy caught in Hyderabad was looked after for 10 years spending `1.8 crore of public money, while Sarabjit Singh, an Indian branded a spy by Pakistan, suffers inhuman treatment in a Pakistani jail. POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com
T
he tax payer has a right to ask the government: Why did you spend my hardearned money on a foreign criminal? The story of an ISI agent caught with RDX in Hyderabad points to the incongruity of the cultural ethos of two countries: India and Pakistan. Mohd Ishtiyaq Ahmed, 45, a Pakistani national, must be laughing all the way to his native village in Multan now. He crossed into India via the Gujarat border in 1994 and landed in Hyderabad. Here, he found himself among friends as many of his community were
The AP government spent `1.8 crore on Ahmed’s upkeep. Yesterday, he was taken to the Indo-Pak border and deported. willing to help him, not only with jobs but with a girl to marry. He settled in Tolichowki and enjoyed unbridled freedom. Instead of being thankful, Ishtiaq turned traitor. He was caught with two kgs of RDX explosives in 1997 and a probe found him to be linked to the Pakistani ISI. He was tried and convicted to five years’ imprisonment. In 2002, he was
released from jail, and the AP police, through the home ministry, tried to deport him. However, the Pakistan government disowned him, saying he was not a Pakistani national. The Andhra Pradesh police was forced to take care of him and Ahmed was kept in a police detection centre at Visakhapatnam. After 10 years, the Pakistani government suddenly writes to the Indian government, acknowledging that Ahmed is a Pakistani national. The AP government spent `1.8 crore on his upkeep. And, yesterday, he was taken to the Indo-Pak border and deported. A senior officer who revealed the story to Postnoon wondered, “Why do we do this?”
look into the scam. It has come to light that the accused while ferrying the answer booklets to JNTU’s examination centre would first
take them to students who were clearing their backlogs so they could rewrite their answers after referring to their text books. The students had a deal with the individual who was responsible for taking the answer sheets from the exam centres to JNTU’s examination branch. On Pg 14 a former JNTU student speaks out
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city FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012 LAST YEAR... HERE
CIVIC
On the fringes
Jagan’s intensified strike to net more corporators
L
ast year, we had reported how the City’s party animals were being forced to move their activities to isolated farmhouses that dot the outskirts of the City. However, the police claimed that ‘illegal’ and ‘obscene’ activities occur at these events, and were cracking down on the parties. Random raids were being held to deter the party-goers.
DECEMBER 14, 2011
Unexpected attack may paralyse Congress and TDP camps in the corporation, leading to MIM gaining the upper hand.
NUMEROLOGY
`1.8cr
is the amount spent by the Andhra Pradesh government for the upkeep of suspected ISI spy Mohd Ishtiyaq Ahmed, who was finally deported to Pakistan after 10 years.
It was a surprisingly big turnout. Magic is one among the 65 performing arts native to our State but over the years, we have forgotten to appreciate it. Venu Samarla, magician See page 7
THINGS WE 5LEARNT TODAY The column that teaches everyone something new about the way the City functions.
1
Empowerment or an excuse for backseat driving? The move for 50 per cent reservation for women in local bodies may sound like a good idea, but in many cases, it is the husbands of these puppet women leaders who really run the show.
2
India, the favoured destination for spies. Ten years and `1.8 crore later, a suspected Pakistani spy has been deported. Meanwhile, an Indian accused of being a spy is ill-treated in Pakistan.
3
Md NIZAMUDDIN nizamuddin.a@postnoon.com
E
ven as the State’s Congress leadership is trying to gather its wits over the misdemeanor of GHMC floor leader who crossed over to the YSRC without warning, more and more MLA ‘aspirants’ will be joining YSRCP from the party. The TDP is not safe either. The Jagan raids may take away a part of the TDP strength, sources point out.
According to the deputy mayor, there are no more corporators who would be leaving the party, but acknowledged that MLA aspirants may quit to join YSRC. Around nine corporators from the Congress and four from the TDP are in consultations with the YSRCP and are waiting for the right time to strike, say sources. Top names bandied about include former mayor Banda Karthika Reddy, who wants an Assembly seat. While the Congress leadership is trying hard to convince some of its wayward members, APCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana is still shaken by the resignation of Kaleru Venkatesh, the GHMC floor leader. On Thursday, he has reportedly taken to task all the top leaders from the City in a meeting. Until and unless the leadership decides who would be the next floor leader, deputy mayor
There are rumours that former mayor Banda Karthika Reddy (left) is among the nine corporators from the Congress who are considering joining Jagan’s YSR Congress.
G Rajkumar will head the party in the general body meeting. “When he can resign from the party and as floor leader, why he is continuing as a corporator?”asked G Rajkumar about Kaleru’s stunt. According to him, the people have voted for the party, not for the candidate. “If he feels that he can win an MLA seat in the next General Elections, he should first quit as corporator and win an election,”
he challenged. According to the deputy mayor, there are no more Congress corporators who would be leaving the party, but acknowledged that MLA aspirants may quit to join YSRCP. On December 16, a day after the general body meeting, the Congress will be deciding as to who would lead the party in the GHMC. Corporators of YSRCP have
described the Congress as a ‘sinking ship’ and held that their party was restructuring its strength in view of the General Elections to be held in 2014. “No one would like to stay in a sinking ship. More corporators are likely to join, as our party will be giving what these leaders deserve,” said Singireddy Dhanpal Reddy, YSRCP’s central executive committee member and GHMC corporator.
NEWS BRIEFS
JNTU exam scam taints all students. It is innocent students who will suffer the most after the JNTU scam, as they will also be under suspicion for no fault of theirs.
Eight-year-old beaten up Central teams to assess 11 trains cancelled on by teacher Cyclone Nilam damage December 14-25
Hyderabad Book Fair starts today
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Conflicting orders confound constables. Policemen were totally bewildered after their superior officers issued them contradictory orders.
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No illusions left for Indian magicians. Magic seems to have lost its charm in India, say magicians who are faced with dwindling audiences.
ne more student was beaten by a class teacher today at a private school situated at Batchupally in Shameerpet in the outskirts of the city. Sarauv, 8, a Class II student, was injured and was taken to a private hospital. It is said that the teacher was angry with him for not doing his homework. The Shameerpet police are investigating.
T
wo Central teams will be visiting Hyderabad to assess the damage caused by Cyclone Nilam. The State had submitted a report to the Centre on the damage caused and relief work needed. Revenue minister N Raghuveera Reddy said that the State would go ahead with relief measures and release of input subsidy from its own funds.
A
total of 11 trains will be cancelled due to various maintenance and repair works from December 14 to December 25. Out of these 11 trains, four MMTS trains stand cancelled, two passenger train stand cancelled and five passenger trains stand shortly terminated. More details are available on the IRCTC website.
he 27th Hyderabad Book Fair will begin today at People’s Plaza grounds on Necklace Road. Dr A Chakrapani, chairman of the AP legislative council, V Sunita Laxma Reddy, minister for women’s development, Mohammad Miyan, vicechancellor of Moulana Azad National Urdu University will attend the inauguration.
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city FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012
ALL-PARTY MEET
Pink panther stays undecided All eyes are on the TRS and whether it will accept or reject the UPA invite to attend the all party meeting on Telangana on December 28. INKESHAF AHMED ahmed.m@postnoon.com
The party has been divided on the issue of attending the meeting. A lot of confusion seems to be prevailing among party leaders.
W
hat airs the political scene in the State will put on in the coming days depends a lot on the attitude of the Telangana champion, the TRS party. While the Union Home Ministry’s invitation to the allparty meeting convened by the UPA reached all stake holders in AP, the Telangana patriarch, K Chandrasekhar Rao is yet to make his mind clear. All major parties of the State are invited and each party is asked to send two representatives. The TRS is cut up with the Centre and it had not voted in favour of the FDI Bill. KCR has termed Congress party a villain who played with the sentiments of the people of Telangana time and again. The party has been vertically divided on the issue of attending the meeting. A lot of confusion seems to be prevailing among
the party leaders on the issue. The TRS party senior leader and MLA Koppula Eeswar told Postnoon that the party president KCR and politburo member B Vinod Kumar would attend the
all party meeting to put forth its views on creation of separate Telangana state. “Our party will attend and demand the immediate creation of the T State.” But minutes after Eeswar
asserted this, Vinod Kumar himself shot down the suggestion. He said that the party will take a final decision on the issue in the coming days. “We have not yet decided on the issue of whether to attend the meeting or not. We have a lot of time to decide. We will take a call on the issue after a week's time,” he said. Another TRS leader said he did not know the party line as of now. All this shows how confused the TRS party is on the issue of attending the all party meeting. There is an undercurrent feeling among the party leaders that if it attended, it would be construed as the party’s tacit understanding with the ruling dispensation for the
next general elections. The party is likely to hold its politburo meeting to take the final call.
KUMAR’S POSER
Meanwhile, the TRS is learnt to have taken exception to the ministry’s wording of the letter of invitation. Vinod Kumar said that the content of the letter gives an impression that the all-party meeting is convened at the behest of the T-Congress leaders. The Congress wants to take the credit for the exercise belittling the TRS role. “I demand that the Congress MPs and MLAs from Telangana region should impress upon their party high command to redraft the letter and send another invite to all political parties. The letter should also urge the political parties to spell out their stand on creation of separate Telangana state in Yes or No pattern,” he said. There is also a feeling among the TRS that the all party meeting is another ploy of the Congress to keep the issue hanging till the next elections.
POLITICS
Sunday meet to tom-tom govt achievements M ANIL KUMAR
Congress leaders claim it is a massive brainstorming but critics see this act is window dressing to impress workers and rivals. POSTNOON NEWS feedback@postnoon.com
T
he massive State convention of the Congress party scheduled to be held on December 16 will be a stormy session with the ruling party planning to gear up its machinery across the State for a special operation. The special operation is to widely promote, among the people of the State, all the welfare programmes being implemented by the Central and State governments across the State. The convention is billed to draw some 10,000 party activists, and claims to give a chance to party workers to express their views before the leadership and suggest steps to strengthen the party. The central leaders attending this convention included AICC AP affairs in-charge and Union Health Minister Ghuam Nabi Azad, party’s observer and Union Minister for Overseas
Affairs Vayalar Ravi. AICC spokesperson Janardhan Dwivedi is also likely to attend the day long convention. Speaking to Postnoon on the issue, APCC spokesperson Abid Rasool Khan said that the convention would set out a road map for the party to endear itself further to the people of the State. “It is a known fact that our government is ruling the hearts of the people since the last eight years. Both our governments at Centre and State have implemented scores of welfare programmes for the development of people. We are planning to devise strategies to widely promote our achievements among the people. The convention will help us in achieving this aim,” he said. Khan felt that there is a need for the party to organise such programmes in the wake of rival party’s false propaganda to defame the ruling dispensation. The party is also planning to
devote a special session during the meeting to hold a detailed discussion on all the welfare programmes of the central and state governments including UPA government’s another prestigious programme Cash
Transfer Scheme (CTS) scheduled to be implemented from the New Year. The convention is expected to pass a number of resolutions like raising gas cylinder allocation to nine. The CTS scheme has been
devised by the union government to prevent corruption in Public Distribution System. However, critics of the party see this all an exercise in futility, a sort of window-dressing to impress rivals.
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city FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012
REPORTERS’ DIARY
Of Hyderabadi biryani and Kiran Kumar Reddy SRINIVAS SETTY
M ANIL KUMAR
Akun had ordered barricading the immediate routes leading to the Masjid. This led to a lot of difficulties to the local public. Seeing their trouble, Anand asked the policemen to remove the barricade and they dutifully did it. Soon came the DCP and he asked the cops why they had remove barricades and the cops said Anand sir had asked them to do it. He was livid with anger and said he was in charge of the South Zone security, nobody else. He ordered the barricades back. Later it turned into a fracas in the headquarters and the senior police officers trying to broker peace finally gave their verdict that though Akun is junior to Anand in hierarchy, he is in-charge of law and order in the zone and his is the final word. “Amen!” said the poor cops. (MS)
SOME BRAINSTORMING, THIS!
O
ur Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy’s penchant to go 1-2 hours late to any function he is drafted for is becoming a world famous trait. His coming 75 minutes (thank God!) behind the schedule to the World Junior Table Tennis Championship held at the Gachibowli Sports Stadium on Sunday has been illtaken by the overseas guests who kept looking at their watch with incredible wonder (see picture). So was minister for sports Vatti Vasanth Kumar for whom Kiran’s trademark late coming is nothing new. Even when he came, the protocol of treating an international event was not observed. Representatives of other countries are to be introduced to the CM in an orderly manner which was not done. And, when the CM spoke he talked of Hyderabad’s famous biryani and Chinese foods! Well, well, an audience not being present but only hearing his word can’t be blamed if he takes it for the inauguration of an international food festival. “Grow up, CM! You represent a great State,” is all our reporter told himself. (SS)
OH, NETAS!
To the advantage of the young generation, let this chronicler tell you the story of the national goof the All India Radio did in 1979 when it prematurely announced the “death” of Jaya Prakash Narayan. The then PM Moraraji Desai promptly announced it in Parliament and the world reported it, only to be retracted an hour later that it was a blunder a news agency reporter had committed. In those days, it was radio that gave news breaks, as TV was not popular and newspaper was 24 hours late. But that the situation remains the same 33 years on is obvious from the reports on IK Gujral’s death. Our political leaders are
Congress has been brainstorming for the past 60 years. And one more will not hurt for sure. But the trouble is the Congress brainstorming scheduled for Sunday is billed to have some 10,000 coming to the so dependent on TV for news that they came out promptly with the “shock” they suffered at Gujral’s death only to be on their back foot correcting themselves. When will our netas build their own sources for such developments rather than looking at the scroll news? (IA)
venue. Well, ever heard of such a massive mela of brains? Congress leaders themselves have no idea what it is all about. But many know it is a day of outing for them and since Congress is all about aam aadmi, it is only proper to have a crowd working their brains out. Good Luck, haath! (PK) Contributed by Md Nizamuddin, Inkeshaf Ahmed, Mohd Subhan, Srinivas Setty and P K Surendran
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HOW WILL ADAMS OF GHMC REACT? If the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy’s assurance of 50 per cent reservation by 2014 for women in local bodies is implemented, some men may quit civic politics as they are not in favour of bringing their wives into politics. Even today, wherever seats are reserved for women, it is their husbands who do the backseat driving. And Eves, at least most of them, are happy yielding their prime place to their hubbies. In some instances, a voter who rings up a woman corporator would be talking to her husband, not to her. And many men rejoice at the thought of many others leaving civic politics in private. “So much better,” they say! (MN)
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/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
ONE-UPMANSHIP OF POLICE OFFICERS Discipline is what differentiates a soldier or policeman from the civilians. And discipline is both physical and mental. But if officers who lead the constabulary have no discipline, what happens? They make a butt of joke for the civilians as the following happening points out. The worthies involved are the DCP South, Akun Sabharwal and additional police commissioner (traffic) CV Anand. On Friday, the police had taken special precaution to maintain the fragile communal situation near Mecca Masjid.
A FRESH NEW POINT OF VIEW You can also call or email us at:
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classifieds FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012 CLASSIFIEDS
INTERIOR
HEALTH/ CLINIC
POLITICS T-TDP to name Delhi team
T
elangana TDP Forum convener Yerrabelli Dayakar Rao on Thursday said they would decide on the party representatives to attend the all-party meeting on Telangana issue on December 22 or 23. Rao said their strategy on Telangana issue would be cornering the Congress. Two representatives would be sent to the all-party meeting being conducted by Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde on December 28 in New Delhi. Rao also made it clear that the Telangana Political JAC has no right to set deadlines to TDP on Telangana issue. TDP senior leader Kadiyam Srihari said that they were welcoming the decision of the Centre to hold all-party meeting on Telangana issue. Two TDP members would attend the NSS meeting.
NOTICE
MAGIC
Few takers for illusions M agic is a dying art. Despite being listed under Andhra Pradesh’s 65 native arts, magic seems to fade away slowly from the public eye. Rahul Ramakrishna catches up with Venu Samarla, a magician who has performed for 32 years, to talk about magic, illusion, the science behind magic and how the art receives no encouragement from the people or the government.
Magician Venu Samarla rues the fact that the State has forgotten how to appreciate the art of magic and illusions.
Tell us how the response to your show has been. It was fantastic. There were more than 400 people in attendance today and it was a surprisingly big turnout for the show. I say that because magic is one among the 65 performing arts native to our Telugu state but over the years, we have forgotten to appreciate it.
How long have you been a magician? I have been practising magic since the age of 14. It has been a long journey of 32 years for me. I have performed in USA 12 times and have gone to other countries like Malaysia, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur repeatedly. It is such a pleasure to perform there because the people adore and respect the art form, unlike here.
People often think magic is a farce or a way to dupe people and now with the extensive practice of ‘black magic’, the credibility of this art form seems to have taken a hit, hasn’t it? Frankly, magic is a practice of science. It is all about creating an illusion. Everybody enjoys magic, from a toddler to an 80-year-old man. There are two sides to what we call ‘magic’ — Conjuring and Illusions. I am an illusionist: I make people think I can cut bodies into three, vanish them and bring them back again. Illusion is a difficult practice because it needs a lot of assistants and thorough practise and maintenance of all the props and people involved.
(Top) Children enthusiastically participate at a recent show; (below) magician Venu Samarla
What is your trademark illusion? Oh, I have many. But my magnum opus is dancing sticks in air, body levitation and then the ultimate vanish.
Despite all this rich history, magic continues to be relegated to the back seat when it comes to encouragement. Yes. The State government of AP takes 20% tax on all our performances and has given us nothing in return. If you read the life stories of people like K Lal, Junior Sorcar — they were people who put their lives into this profession but were not revered here. K Lal was a master who was in the field for over 70 years and died at the age of 86 with nothing to comfort him. There was not one sponsor from either the State government or private sponsors. Budding magicians will accept anything to get a
break, whereas the ones who have been on field realise that true pleasure lies in practice and performance. These are the real arts, I tell you, circus and magic. The magician is the convenor of Magician’s Academy, which takes in 30 people per year. He can be reached at www.samarlavenu.in.
HEALTH
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he cardiac team at a Somajiguda hospital successfully performed a new stent technology on a 56-yearold woman recently. Doctors at Yashoda Hospital used a new stent technology to protect the side branch blood vessels during angioplasty, thus avoiding bypass surgery, said Dr Pramod Kumar Kuchulakanti, a senior interventional cardiologist. Approximately 10 per cent of patients have blockages in branching points of the blood vessels. When treating these blockages, the side branch might get closed due to the shifting of
Approximately 500 patients have been treated across the world with this new stent and the results are encouraging. cholesterol or might split, leading to a mild heart attack. When a stent is put in the side branch to prevent this, accurate placement is difficult, and many of these patients are referred for bypass surgery. The cardiology team at Yashoda Hospitals — Dr Pramod Kumar, Dr Ganesh Mathan and Dr Guruprakash — successfully treated a female patient
who was admitted with acute chest pain and main and side branch blockages. The patient, Punnamma from Khammam, underwent a stent procedure last year and developed a blockage again in the main and side branch. The doctors inserted a special stent called ‘cappella - side guard’ into the side branch, and another medicated stent into the main vessel. The patient was discharged after two days. “This is a new technology and we are going to have more varieties of stents to treat the branch point blockages,” added Dr Kumar. So far, approximately 500 patients have been treated across the world with this new stent and the results are encouraging.
city FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012
8
SPORTS N SHIVA KUMAR
Needn’t see to play!
The Andhra Pradesh Blind Cricket Tournament was inaugurated on December 13 at the Saroornagar Stadium. Sixteen teams participated in this State level tournament being organised by Vikalangula Kalyana Vedika.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012
focus
EU MINISTERS AGREE ON BANK SUPERVISOR FRAMEWORK
The European Union’s economy and finance ministers agreed Thursday on the legal framework under which the European Central Bank will supervise eurozone financial institutions starting in 2014. “Historic agreement on the supervisor!” the European internal markets commissioner, Michel Barnier, tweeted after 14 hours of meetings.
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‘Great balls of China’ to defend against apocalypse TOM HANCOCK Agence France-Presse QIANTUN, CHINA: As people across the globe tremble in anticipation of next week’s supposed Mayan-predicted apocalypse, one Chinese villager says he may have just what humanity needs: tsunami-proof survival pods. Camouflage-clad former farmer and furniture maker Liu Qiyuan, 45, inspected his latest creation, a sphere several metres tall he calls “Noah’s Ark”, designed to withstand towering tsunamis and devastating earthquakes. “The pod won’t have any problems even if there are 1,000metre-high waves... it’s like a ping pong ball, its skin may be thin, but it can withstand a lot of pressure,” he told AFP at his workshop in Qiantun, an hour from Beijing. Liu’s seven completed or under-construction pods, made using a fibreglass casing over a steel frame, have cost him 300,000 yuan ($48,000) each, he says, and are equipped with oxygen tanks, food and water supplies. They also come with seat belts, essential for staying safe in storms, Liu said, strapping himself into position before his assistants shook the sphere vigorously from outside. “The pods are designed to carry 14 people at a time, but it’s possible for 30 people to survive inside for at least two months,” he said. Their insulation was such that “a person could live for four months in the pod at the North or South Pole without freezing, or even feeling slightly cold,” he said. One of the spheres even boasts the domestic comforts of a table, bed and flowery wallpaper. Liu claims he came up with the design after watching the 2009 Hollywood disaster film 2012, which is inspired by the expiry on December 21 of the Mayan Long Count, a more than 5,000 year calendar used by the ancient Central American civilisation. “If there really is some kind of apocalypse, then you could say I’ve made a contribution to the survival of humanity,” Liu said.
Farmer Liu Qiyuan poses among survival pods that he built and has also dubbed ‘Noah’s Arc’, in a yard at his home in the village of Qiantun, Hebei province, south of Beijing on December 11. Inspired by the apocalyptic Hollywood movie ‘2012’ and the 2004 Asian tsunami, Liu hopes that his creations consisting of a fibreglass shell around a steel frame will be adopted by government departments and international organisations for use in the event of tsunamis and earthquakes. Liu has built seven pods which are able to float on water, some of which have their own propulsion. The airtight spheres with varying interiors contain oxygen tanks and seatbelts with space for around 14 people, and are designed to remain upright when in water. AFP PHOTO / ED JONES
Apocalyptic predictions have provoked widespread fears among believers, including in China, where two rural counties sold out of candles this month after a panic that three days of
darkness would begin on Dec 21, the Xinhua news agency reported. A businessman in China’s eastern Zhejiang province has received 21 orders for bright yel-
low doomsday survival pods also sold as “Noah’s Ark,” for five million yuan each, the state run China Daily reported. A man from China’s northwestern province of Xinjiang told AFP that he has invested all his savings, approximately $160,000, to build a survival ark, fearing that his home will be engulfed in a doomsday flood. Chinese authorities have sought to reassure citizens, with Beijing’s police force publishing an online notice on Wednesday stating that “the so-called end of the world is a rumour”, and advising citizens to use “scientific concepts”. Liu first conceived of spherical houses to withstand earthquakes, which occur frequently in China, but switched his focus to survival technology after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami,
which claimed nearly a quarter of a million lives. Liu, who is married with a daughter, said many were sceptical when he first outlined his plans. But despite building them he has not sold any, and is worried about repaying loans he took from neighbours and friends to fund his workshop. “I worked for many years without saving much money... I invested most of my money in the pods, because it’s worth it, it’s about saving lives,” he said. Keen to demonstrate the design’s strength to AFP, he used a step-ladder to clamber inside one pod before an assistant reversed a pick-up truck into it, inflicting only a minor scratch on its surface. Peeking out of the hatch, he grinned triumphantly. “No problem,” he said. “I didn’t feel a thing.”
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012
Business
JURY RULES APPLE IPHONE VIOLATED PATENTS
A federal jury on Thursday found Apple guilty of infringing on smartphone call handling and camera patents held by a licensing firm in which rivals Sony and Nokia hold stakes.
Celkon launches tab C
PROVIDENT FUND
Deeper PF cut will help in long term
elkon Mobiles, a City-based mobile company, has launched A200 Dual Core smart phone and CT7 IPS Screen tablet in the market. A200 is 4.3 IPS display phone with 1 Ghz dual core processor. The phone, which runs on Android 4.0.3 (Ice Cream Sandwich) operating system is priced at `8,499. Where as, CT7 tablet has 5 point capacitive multi- touch screen, powered with 1.2 Ghz processor is available at `6,499.
Because of higher contributions to the PF account, you will be able to claim a higher amount as Section 80c deduction in income tax. NUPUR PAVAN BANG AND PURVEE HETAMSARIA feedback@postnoon.com
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here was urgency in Abhi’s voice when he called to ask me if he could see me. I immediately agreed. He was in my office before I could get myself a cup of coffee from the Cafe. What is it Abhi?, I asked. “You look disturbed”. Abhi: Yes. I am disturbed. And who wouldn’t be? My salary just went down because of the Government’s action. Nicky: Really? What did the Government do now? Abhi: The Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) of India has come out with a notification which says that now we will have to contribute towards the provident fund on the basis of allowances as well. This will reduce my take home salary. Nicky: Ah that! You should be happy. Don’t think short term. Think long term. You are forced to save more. Nicky: See, earlier, you and your employer, both contributed 12 per cent each, on your Basic plus Dearness Allowance (DA) only, towards the EPF. Now, suppose your Basic plus DA is `4,000. The contribution will amount to `480 from you and `480 from your employer. There is no contribution on the allowances that you receive. If your allowances total up to `2,000, your take home salary will be `4,000 minus `480 plus `2,000. That is `5,520. And your total contribution to EPFO is `960. Abhi: Yes, this is exactly what happens in my case right now. Nicky: But with the new circular, contribution will need to be made on
Basic plus DA plus Allowances. This means, your contribution will be on `6,000. Hence, the total contribution to the EPFO by your employer (`720) and you (`720) will be `1440. This way, you take home only `5,280 but you save `480 more and your total income goes up by `240, the extra contribution made by the employer! So you should be happy. Abhi: Hmmm... you are right, but I am still not happy about the lower take home salary. You know that I recently got married and have bought a flat too, which comes with a fat EMI. Nicky (laughing): True Abhi. But saving for your old age is important too. And many employees structure their salary to increase allowances
and decrease PF contributions. This means that they are not saving enough. Also, because of higher contributions to the PF account, you will be able to claim a higher amount as section 80c deductions in income tax. Abhi: But the limit for section 80c is `1 lakh right? Nicky: Yes. So it will be beneficial to you only if you are not able to meet the `1 lakh through your life insurance and existing PF contributions. Abhi: So overall, you are saying, the government may not have done such a bad thing! Well, I am not happy, but I do understand the government’s point of view now. I’ll have to think of rationing certain expenditures though!
BSE 5,845.00 `54.53 5,209.05 DOLLAR`55.14 17,179.95DOLLAR NSEPOUND `86.60 `87.89 POUND BSE NSE GOLD`31,553 10g SILVER `62,150 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
19,216.44 2.82
ANAND SHARMA, 6.50 COMMERCE MINISTER
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012
nation UNITED STATES Indian techie convicted of groping woman CHICAGO: An Indian software consultant working in the US has been convicted by a federal jury of groping a woman as she napped last year on a flight from Las Vegas. Prosecutors said it marked third conviction of Srinivasa S Erramilli, 45, for the same offense since 1999, according to Chicago Tribune. He faces up to two years in prison. Erramilli was sentenced to probation after he was convicted in Cook County court of fondling the breast of a woman who sat in front of him on a flight from Detroit to Chicago in 1999, the Tribune said. Three years later, he was sentenced in federal court in Detroit to three years' probation after he was convicted of abusive sexual contact for groping the breast of another woman aboard a flight from San Jose, California, to Detroit. IANS
MAN TRAMPLED TO DEATH BY ELEPHANT
A man was trampled to death by an elephant in Jalpaiguri district today. Md Bashiruddin was guarding his crops when an elephant attacked him and damaged his crops at Angrabhasa gram panchayat near Dhupguri in the wee hours today, forest department officials said.
ECONOMIC REVIVAL
KICK THE BUTT: RAJINI
PC promises more to bolster economy
NEW DELHI: Finance minister P Chidambaram today said the government will take some more steps in the next few weeks to revive the economy and boost investment sentiments."I am confident that the steps we have taken, and some more steps that we will take in the next few weeks, will help turn the Indian economy around," he said. In the recent past, government has taken a number of measures, including opening up of FDI in multi-brand retail and hiking foreign investment cap in the aviation sector, to boost economic growth and restore investor confidence. Besides, yesterday, the Union Cabinet cleared setting up of Cabinet Committee of Investment to fast-track large project entailing investment of over `1,000 crore. "It is too early to say whether the measures have begun to bear fruit, although it is our expectation that they will do
so," Chidambaram said. Concerned over sticky retail inflation, the Minister said: "There is no reason at all to become complacent". While headline inflation has moderated to 7.45 per cent in October, the retail inflation remains high at 9.90 per cent.
Tamil cinema icon Rajinikanth, whose inimitable style of popping a cigarette into his mouth earned him many a fan among youth, has urged them to kick the habit. Addressing a gathering of his fans to mark his 62nd birthday after many years here last night, he said his illness had been caused by smoking, but admitted he was unable to give it up. "I haven't quit smoking, but you should do so," he said adding he recovered from his kidney ailment, involving extensive medical treatment, only by God's grace and the prayers of his fans. The veteran actor, who once extended support to a DMK-led combine in elections against AIADMK, said that he has no political ambitions. Responding to fans' pleas urging him to play a larger political role, he said he would not be an effective leader and had no plans to launch a party, but expressed gratitude to the Tamil people for "providing me with a livelihood."
The economic growth in the first half of the fiscal fell to 5.4 per cent, against 7.3 per cent in the corresponding period a year ago. The growth in 2011-12 fell to a nine-year low of 6.5 per cent. In the current fiscal RBI expects it to be around 5.8 per cent. PTI
CONSERVATION
Himachal to satellite tag snow leopards SHIMLA: They've been captured on camera. Wildlife officials now want to tag satellite collars on the elusive and highly endangered snow leopard in the steep and rocky cliffs of Himachal Pradesh's Spiti Valley, the country's first collaring attempt on this wildcat species. The officials say radio collaring will assist them in learning more about the habitat, range and behaviour of the snow leopards. "Radio collars will help in understanding the behavioural patterns of the snow leopard and the reasons for man-animal conflict," Chief Wildlife Warden
SB Islam said. The state's wildlife department is already monitoring the snow leopards through cameras in the Spiti Valley, the state's northernmost part which borders Tibet. The department, in partnership with Mysore-based Nature Conservation Foundation, has installed 60 camera traps in the valley. Islam said permission to install six radio collars was sought from the minister of environment and forests. Wildlife wing studies show the presence of seven to eight snow leopards per 100 square km in the Spiti Valley.The presence of a sizable population of
Pick
prey species like the Asiatic ibex — a wild goat species — the Himalayan blue sheep and the wolf indicates the valley supports a good population of the wildcats. The snow leopard, a graceful golden-eyed animal with thick fur, padded paws and a long tail, is found in rocky regions at an altitude of 2,700 to 6,000 metres. Apart from the Spiti Valley, the state's Pin Valley National Park, the Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary, the Great Himalayan National Park and the Pangi and Bharmour areas of Chamba district have a sizeable population. IANS
at the
VULTURE SPECIES SPOTTED Three endangered species of vultures have been spotted at the Dying Ering Wildlife Sanctuary in East Siang district by a team of researchers from the Rajiv Gandhi University. The team of researchers including Daniel Mize, RGU Assistant Professor, and Junior Research fellow Rajat Chetry, who undertook research to assess vulture population status in Siang region, said they have come across several species of vulture out of which three endangered species — Gyps Bengalensis, Gyps Indicus and Gyps Tenuirostris were also recorded.
airport,
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012
World
4 MEN CHARGED WITH KIDNAPPING HULK'S SISTER Brazilian prosecutors have charged four men in connection with last month's kidnapping of the sister of Brazil international footballer Hulk. Restaurateur Elio Pereira da Silva, security guard Jose Eliton de Melo Santos and two students are in custody and awaiting trial.
BENGHAZI FALLOUT
Republican blitzkrieg cooks Obama’s Rice Obama issued a statement condemning the ‘unfair and misleading attacks’ and said she would stay on as UN envoy with a spot on his Cabinet. Kerry as replacement? Republican and Democratic senators appeared to unite over a likely replacement: Senator John Kerry. Lawmakers on both sides of the political divide agreed that her departure opened the door for Kerry, the current chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.Kerry is a known commodity. He has served on the Senate FRC for some three decades, ran for president, and is well-traveled in global hot spots like the Middle East.
Senate panel approves CIA torture findings The US Senate intelligence committee on Thursday approved the findings of an investigation into CIA "enhanced interrogation" — techniques the panel's leader decried as "terrible mistakes." The committee voted to approve the 6,000-page report on the former use of the tactics, but they made no immediate plans to de-classify the report.
WASHINGTON: Susan Rice asked President Barack Obama not to pick her as his next secretary of state on Thursday, after becoming a lightning rod for Republicans over the raid on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya. Rice, currently US envoy to the United Nations, is a longtime member of Obama's inner circle, and had been a hot favourite to succeed Hillary Clinton as the top US diplomat in the president's second term beginning next year. But her role as a top defender of the administration over the attack which killed the US ambassador to Libya on September 11, drew her into a furious row with Republicans keen to dent Obama after his reelection victory. "If nominated, I am now convinced that the confirmation process would be lengthy, disruptive and costly, to you and to our most pressing national and international priorities," Rice said in a letter to Obama. Rice told NBC, which first reported her decision, that she was determined not to detract from the crucial first months of Obama's second term. "We're talking about comprehensive immigration reform, balanced deficit reduction, job creation — that's what matters. "To the extent that my nomination could have delayed or distracted or deflected, or maybe even (made) some of
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NORTH PROMISES MORE
North Korea's leader has ordered more satellite launches, state media said on Friday. Hundreds of thousands of North Korean soldiers and civilians rallied in the centre of Pyongyang for a mass celebration of the country's longrange rocket launch, state television showed. Meanwhile, South Korea's navy has retrieved debris from the first stage of North Korea's long-range rocket, which will be analysed to determine its level of ballistic expertise.
NUMEROLOGY
$30
mn
was been raised through ticket sales to the multi-star concert held to raise funds for the victims of Hurricane Sandy.
THREAT TO PRANKSTERS
these priorities impossible to achieve, I didn't want that." Rice's move came amid strengthening indications that Obama is making progress in naming his new national security team. Sources said Republican former senator Chuck Hagel could become secretary of defence. It also signaled the White House, in a showdown over taxes and spending with Republicans on Capitol Hill,
had concluded the political capital that would have been needed to confirm Rice in the Senate could be better spent elsewhere. Obama, who aides say is philosophically and personally close to Rice, issued a statement condemning the "unfair and misleading attacks" on her and said she would stay on as UN envoy with a spot on his cabinet. The president will hold a closed meeting with Rice on Friday at the White House. AFP
NEWS BRIEFS China hostages freed in Colombia for ransom
Myanmar makes new mine protest arrests
Candidate, 94, uses funeral fund for poll
Lanka defends Chinese expansion
BOGOTA: The four Chinese oil workers who were held hostage for more than a year and released in November were set free after ransom was paid, ex-president Alvaro Uribe said on Thursday. "Urgent: there are receipts, proof, that the FARC charged $2 million for the liberation of the Chinese hostages," Uribe wrote in a Twitter message.
YANGON: Myanmar authorities on Friday said they had made a fresh round of arrests over a spate of protests demanding apologies for a police crackdown on a rally at a copper mine last month. Demonstrations have been held across the country in a display of public anger for injuries sustained by dozens in a pre-dawn raid.
HANYU: A 94-year-old man who cashed in his funeral savings to use as an election deposit was out canvassing for votes on Friday. Ryokichi Kawashima is the oldest candidate in the race for the lower house this Sunday and says he felt he had to get involved in politics to stop the younger generation making such a mess of things.
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka has defended China's increased naval presence in the Indian Ocean and rejected claims that it is a threat to India. The ministry quoted its top official, Gotabhaya Rajapakse, saying that Colombo understood China's growing interest and insisted that their bilateral cooperation was purely commercial.
Death threats have been made against the Australian radio hosts at the centre of the royal prank call tragedy, police said, with station management reportedly hiring bodyguards and moving staff to safehouses. Police have launched an investigation after a letter targeting presenter Michael Christian was seized, warning him there were "bullets out there with your name on it". The letter was obtained by Sydney's Daily Telegraph, which said further threats were made . Christian and fellow host Mel Greig, who have been undergoing counselling, remain off air and have not been seen in public since making tearful apologies on television on Monday.
As someone who has weathered my share of political attacks and understands on a personal level just how difficult politics can be, I've felt for her. John Kerry US Senator
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012
Technology EDUCATION
TABLET TECHNOLOGY TAKES TEACHING INTO 21st CENTURY
In September, the British School of Paris (BSP) became one of a handful of schools across Europe to take the plunge and decide to restructure their teaching around the technology that is integral to its students' lives. RACHEL K ROGERS Agence France-Presse PARIS: Emma McCluskey's classroom looks much like any other. A verb chart, posters and pupils' work adorn the walls. The children lean over their desks, seven and eightyear-old brows furrowed in concentration. In its essence, it is a scene that could have been recorded at any time since Shakespeare was at school. Except it isn't. Instead of textbooks, the pupils are pouring over tablet computers linked to a wireless broadband network. There are still pencils in their hands but for how much longer? In an age when toddlers learn to use touchscreens before they can speak, tablet technology is about to take teaching into a brave new word, and McCluskey's students have been invited to the preview. In September, the British School of Paris (BSP), where McCluskey teaches, became one of a handful of schools across
Europe to take the plunge and restructure their teaching around the technology that is integral to its students' lives. Every pupil at the international school on the outskirts of Paris, from four-year-olds to university-bound 18-year-olds and every member of staff, was issued with an iPad at the start of the autumn term. Not everyone was convinced. Parents fretted that their children would be on Facebook, or that an iPad would make them a target for mugging. Three months on, everyone involved is still adapting and the experiment has not been without hiccups. Surfing on the move during break times, for example, had to be banned after a few children took a tumble. But overall, the verdict is positive from both pupils and staff. "Normally it's quite a drabby kind of topic but it's brilliant now," said McCluskey. "We're going to be taking birds eye view photographs with the iPad and then were doing a (virtual) tour of the school."
Like most European schools, the BSP was already linked into a virtual learning environment, with resources increasingly drawn from the Internet and classrooms equipped with interactive whiteboards. But a traditional computer room arrangement meant even a wellresourced school like BSP could only get its pupils online for two hours per week.
It is very different from what education used to be. It's wrong to ask the children to learn in a 20th-Century style when they're clearly living in a different world. Steffen Sommer headmaster, BSP
In that context, giving each pupil the means to access the available resources at their own pace, was a no-brainer for Steffen Sommer, the headmaster of the school. "Unlike us adults, today's children are natives of this technology," he said. "It is very different from what education used to be like. It's wrong to ask the children to learn in a 20th-Century style when they're clearly living in a different world." The tablets did not come cheap. Wear-and-tear and the pace of technological innovation mean they will last only two or three years. The school has also had to shell out 200,000 euros ($256,000) to upgrade its wireless network. In McCluskey's classroom, students follow along on their tablets as she guides them to online math worksheets tailored to their individual abilities. Her students come from all over the world, some initially speak little English, and a few have learning difficulties. Across that spectrum, she reports improved motivation. "When they have to do something on the iPad they really can't wait to get started — if it's in their book it takes them about 10 minutes just to get the date written," she said. "Quite a few people lost their homework last year because we had so many papers and things that we had to give in," said 12-year-old Mia Lawson. With programs for creating interactive resources, a huge number of textbooks available for download, and more than 20,000 educational apps, Apple has spent years positioning itself in anticipation of an explosion of sales of mobile internet devices in the education sector, according to tech website Wired.com's Tim Carmody. "It's not just about engaging students. It's about engaging everyone in the education and publishing industries," he wrote.
OPERATION BLITZKRIEG! The wave of distributed denial of service attacks that hit US banks in October was next-to-nothing compared to what could happen if cybercriminals actually carry through with their plans for next year. According to a report (PDF) released by McAfee Labs, an impending attack on US financial institutions — dubbed Project Blitzkrieg — isn't only a possibility, it's a "credible threat”. Project Blitzkrieg is believed to be headed by an individual known as vorVzakone, according to McAfee. In September, vorVzakone announced a massive fraud campaign to be launched against 30 US banks in spring 2013.
SUMMLY SPEAKING
Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer is looking at buying Summly, an app created by boy genius Nick D'Aloisio to summarize news articles, according to a report from All Things D. Mayer met with the teenage D'Aloisio in recent weeks, unnamed sources told All Things D. The app uses an algorithm to pull out relevant information from news articles and turns them into neat paragraphs that fit on an iPhone screen, while also linking to the full article. Summly would be an attractive buy for Yahoo.
AEREO GETS A PARTNER Despite major TV networks claiming Aereo's illegitimacy, the streaming service now has an official cable TV partner: Bloomberg. Aereo struck a deal with Bloomberg TV today to allow streaming news, according to The Wall Street Journal. Reportedly, Aereo will pay Bloomberg TV for its content, but the terms of the deal were not disclosed. Aereo is the Barry Diller-backed Internet video service that currently provides users in New York with live TV. For $12 a month, Aereo will connect subscribers, via the Web, to a tiny antenna that captures over-theair TV signals and enables the subscribers to watch TV.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012
Comment Play the game for more than you can afford to lose... only then will you learn the game.
UNFAIR WORLD
CHAOS THEORY Rahul Ramakrishna
J
NTU comes under the scanner yet again and now the stink being raised up over mismanaged ways of examinations puts the wrong question inside people’s heads about the profession of engineering. As a former student of JNTU Hyderabad, I held the profession and study of engineering in great regard, almost to the point of believing that we were shaping the world in our little ways. I was proud when Hyderabad’s very own Balanagar industrial units were instrumental in helping the atomic collisions at CERN. But this tender joy was short lived. Because professional education became a commercial business and standards got compromised. Because there was no vacancy for the thousands who graduated as engineers and were left to face the bitterness as a reward. Because the greed of banks, men and money broke their backs and continues to do so, till date. The venom that former students spew at the once-reputed university is a harsh index of the level of damage it has done to an entire generation of students. Am I wrong in believing that it is not long before the words, engineer and fraud will come to mean the same thing. Who then is to be blamed for the laughable scams that come popping out of the university’s closets on a regular basis? Who is to be blamed for the shadow of doubt that now follows every engineer who graduates from this university? The writer is a former student of JNTU.
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THE DECLINE OF FEMALE CIVILIZATION ANONYMOUS ALIEN
Winston Churchill Former British PM
It’s a blame game
HIGH-FLYING THOUGHTS
A Russian official says for the first time that the Syrian government is losing “more and more control” and may lose the conflict against rebels, reports the BBC. Till some days back, Russia was not so pro-rebel. So on whose side are they?
A
successful, charming woman arrives late at an airport, returning from a business trip. She gets in a cab and starts the long drive home. Halfway to her apartment, the cab driver stops, saying he has to urinate. He gets out of the car, opens the back door, climbs in and rapes her. When he’s finished, he gets back in the front seat, drives her home. When he gets her there, he insists that she pay her fullfare. She does. She then drags herself up to her apartment. She considers calling the police, but fears what the police will say: a woman, travelling alone, at night, in a skirt, in a western top – she was “asking” for it. And she fears even worse – that the police themselves might rape her too. Because that’s what she’s heard can happen. She considers going to the hospital – maybe she’s pregnant, maybe she caught a disease. But she fears what the doctor will say to her: a woman, travelling alone, at night, in a skirt, in a western – she was “asking” for it.
So she lies in bed and cries herself to sleep. She will cry herself to sleep for months. The next day, she quits her job. She has no choice. She can never get in a cab again, she’s far too traumatized, and she can’t do her job without taking cabs. She tries to pull herself together. But she has flashbacks, constant flashbacks, of that moment when the cab driver attacked her. And the many moments after when there was no help for her, no place to go, no one to turn to. She returns home. To her village. Her parents know something is wrong, but she tells nobody. Within a month, her parents set her up with a potential husband. They believe that marriage will solve all her problems. That it will remove the heaviness that now permeates her soul. She goes on a “date” with her would-be husband. Gets to know him a bit. She likes him. She starts to trust him. And finally, a few weeks before the marriage, she tells him. He hugs her. He’s supportive. He understands. And for the first time in many months, she feels hope, she feels safe. The next day, her father brings her the news: the marriage has been called off. He doesn’t know why, but her
That is her destiny. That is her curse. The curse of being a woman in a world that looks at femininity as evil. impunity? The doctor who might have called her a whore, preventing her from getting help? Maybe even her parents, who never once spoke to her about the dangers of sexual abuse, and how she could come to them if she ever needed their help? Maybe you’re to blame for putting up with this crap, and allowing this to happen. Allowing society to behave this way. Maybe I’m to blame, for not speaking out about it. But really, this is just a story. A piece of fiction. A cautionary tale, that could never happen. Not even to your daughter. You can reach The Anonymous Alien at AnonymousAlieninIndia@ gmail.com
fiancé’s father called that morning to break the news. She is shattered. Maybe more shattered than even the night she was raped. Because now she realizes, in a very real way, that she is being raped constantly, by everyone, by society, by the world. That is her destiny. That is her curse. The curse of being a woman in a world that looks at femininity as evil. When her parents find her the next morning, her wrists slashed, the blood drained from her body, they are shattered too. They of course blame the breakup. But really, who’s to blame? The cab driver who committed the act? The police, who have endorsed a set of hidden rules that allows a cab driver to rape a woman with
EDITORIALS Chan’s fist is in his mouth Thanks, boys
P
erhaps Jackie Chan should just stick to making films. In an interview to the Southern People Weekly, Chan said “there should be regulations on what can and cannot be protested” in Hong Kong. Of course everyone is entitled to their opinion and may voice it, too. This is not the first time that Chan has made such comments. Three years ago he made similar statements. And there were protests. Again Chan has said it, a sort of reiteration. Hong Kong belongs to China all right, but the mentality of the people is different and does not even remotely match those of their brothers and sisters in China. They are more inclined towards the West, and would be worried if they see a growing influence of China in their land. Hong Kong is a semi-autonomous region which has been a British colony that was returned to China in 1997. If there are protests, that means there are people unhappy with something. In this case, Chan should know what that is. But making statements like “I’m not sure if it’s good to have freedom or not”; and that he was “beginning to feel that we Chinese need to be controlled” is surely going to cost him some fan following. Or maybe he is looking for some role in Chinese politics, who knows.
READERS’ VIEWS
I
t’s a great solace that India has won the T20 World Cup for the blind beating Pakistan in Bangalore while, elsewhere, heads roll and the slugfest of criticism got underway about the pitiable condition of Indian cricket. Perhaps men in blue should learn a bit or two from those who play in the light that shines from within.
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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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012
Music
OUT OF SPICE The critics have spoken — Viva Forever did not spice up their lives. British reviewers were scathing Wednesday about the Spice Girls. "I'll tell you what I wanted, what I really, really wanted — I wanted this terrible show to stop," said Charles Spencer in the Daily Telegraph, riffing on the group's biggest hit, Wannabe.
INTERNET SENSATIONS
NEW ALBUM IN STORES
Internet media has allowed artists to try and break censorship at home and spread their message far beyond frontiers, be it Pussy Riot or the equally prominent Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.
THE PROVOCATEURS STUART WILLIAMS
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ithin the space of less than a year a group of young Russian women in 2012 went from being almost unknown provocateurs to global superstars and a symbol of change in their country. The Russian feminist punk rock group Pussy Riot have only a half dozen songs to their name, no recording contract, have never held a conventional concert let alone sold an album. Yet now they are garlanded worldwide as symbols of a battle for liberty and freedom of speech under Vladimir Putin, praised by personalities ranging from Madonna to Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi. Their extraordinary rise would have been unimaginable in an age before social media and video-sharing, which helped turn fringe anarchists into celebrities whose trademark multi-coloured balaclavas are now instantly recognisable. Pussy Riot first emerged in the autumn of 2011, initially an offshoot of the Russian street art group Voina (War) which had already won a name with subversive stunts.
was hardly to everybody's taste. But what happened on February 21, 2012 made them impossible to ignore. Four members of the group, kitted out in coloured balaclavas, tights and vests managed to perform a “punk prayer” in the altar area of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow imploring the Virgin Mary to “rid us of Putin”. The action itself was chaotic and the girls were rapidly apprehended by security. But all was recorded, the performance was edited that night with a new soundtrack and that video has now been viewed 2.5 million times on YouTube. In a trial denounced as a throwback to Soviet show trials, three of the girls were condemned to two years in a prison camp for hooliganism motivated by religious hatred.
GANGNAM CHINESE-STYLE
Members of Pussy Riot had been involved in some of Voina’s most notorious actions that have included the mock hanging of immigrants in a supermarket and a group sex session in a
Social media and video-sharing, has helped turn fringe anarchists into celebrities whose trademark multicoloured balaclavas are now instantly recognisable.
iTUNES Top 10 songs 1 STUPID BOY 6 YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL Cassadee Pope Nicholas David
2 LET IT BE 7 DIE YOUNG Terry McDermott Ke$ha
3 LOCKED OUT OF HEAVEN 8.DIAMONDS Bruno Mars Rihanna
4 I KNEW YOU WERE 9 GANGNAM STYLE TROUBLE Psy Taylor Swift 10 BEAUTY AND A BEAT 5 HO HEY (FEAT. NICKI MINAJ) The Lumineers Justin Bieber
Moscow zoological museum. In their first major stunt in October 2011 they showered Moscow metro passengers with pillow feathers as they sang for an equivalent of Egypt's Tahrir Square in Russia. They took to the roof of a prison building to serenade detainees arrested in an anti-Putin protest. Only a handful of people saw the protests live but the group astutely mixed footage of the performances with studiorecorded sound to create a compulsive Internet video. Even then the combination of aggressive rap-style lyrics in Russian to a base track of thrash rock
Top 10 albums 1 GIRL ON FIRE Alicia Keys
2 RED Taylor Swift
A few years back, the chances of a contemporary Chinese artist becoming a global freedom icon would have been about the same as Russian punk anarchists with a taste for thrash metal. Ai’s exuberant parody of the video Gangnam Style by South Korean rapper PSY — the most viewed YouTube video of all time — on the surface appears charming but was deemed provocative enough for it to be blocked by the Chinese authorities. The video shows the bearded artist in a bright pink T-shirt imitating PSY’s famous horse dance along with a cohort of assistants. But in a symbol of Beijing’s efforts to silence him he pulls out a pair of handcuffs which are then used to dance a strange pas-de-deux with a fellow activist. Ai disappeared into police custody for 81 days last year as activists were rounded up amid online calls for Arab Springstyle protests in China and was then fined $2.4 million in a tax evasion case. AFP
Bollywood Top 10 Philip Philips
6 UNAPOLOGETIC Rihanna
7 CHRISTMAS
3 MERRY CHRISTMAS, Michael Buble BABY 8 ON THIS WINTER’S NIGHT Rod Stewart Lady Antebellum
4 TAKE ME HOME 9.CHEERS, ITS CHRISTMAS One Direction Blake Shelton
5 THE WORLD FROM THE 10. REBEL SOUL SIDE OF T Kid Rock
1. JE LE ZARA TU LAGA Talaash 1920- Evil Returns
2. HEER 7. CHALLA
Jab Tak Hai Jaan Jab tak hai Jaan
3. JIYA LAGE NA 8. FEVICOL SE Talaash Dabanng 2
4 ISHQ SHAAVA 9. BALMA
Jab Tak Hai Jaan Khiladi 786
5 DAGABAAZ RE 10. MUSKAANEIN Dabanng 2 JHOOTI HAI 6. APNA MUJHE Talaash
Big Boi Out Tuesday, Big Boi's new album Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors looks to be an equally eclectic outing, with a roster of collaborators that draws from the world of hip-hop (Ludacris, T.I., Killer Mike, Kid Cudi, A$AP Rocky), pop (Kelly Rowland), indie rock (Phantogram, Wavves), and electronica (Little Dragon). In other words, don't discount this album just because of its December release date.
DID YOU KNOW...
Britney
Spears is still a pop-culture force to be reckoned with. The X Factor judge earned a whopping $58 million between May 2011 and May 2012, according to Forbes, enough for the magazine to crown her as music's top-earning woman.At no. 2 is Taylor Swift with a piddling $57 million over the same period.
TRENDING...
Courtney Love is not a fan of Paul McCartney performing with the surviving members of Nirvana, telling TMZ that she is "not amused" by the idea. Kurt Cobain's widow said she might have been more impressed if McCartney's late bandmate John Lennon was in Sir Paul's position. "Look," she said, "maybe if John were still alive it would be cool."
Pray Justin Bieber never has anything to do with this creepy Justin Bieber-related news. Two fugitives arrested last month, one in Vermont and the other in New York, had plotted to kill the teen pop idol and several other people, according to New Mexico's Krqe News 13, which reports that investigators believe the two men were conspiring with a convicted murderer they met in prison.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012
spotlight
BOLLYWOOD BELLES
Head to Spoil for a night of Bollywood music. With DJ Manish belting out the latest Bollywood chartbusters, you can jive to Fevicol Se and Angrezi Beat throughout the night.
WORLD OF LUXURY
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The launch of Indian Luxury Expo 2012 that will be organised from December 17 to 19 was a gala affair. Jwala Gutta and model Shilpa Reddy were present at the do. The expo will be held at N Convention Centre.
GROWING BY THE DAY
Arun Athiappan and Vasu Ramasamy, founders of Ticketgoose.com, online bus booking services provider, were present at the press meet where they discussed their plans to begin operations in Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam.
A BALL FOR CHARITY 1
S BALAKRISHNA
2
3
A night to remember 5
4
Heal A Child Foundation held its annual Christmas fundraiser ball at Taj Krishna on Thursday. Guests turned up dressed to the nines for the black tie event. Spotted were Diana Hayden, Elahe and others. 9
6
11
1 Ramana Gogula, 2 3 4 5 6
Nicolette Mithun, Pooja Prateek, Janhavi Sachin, Shilpa Shweta Sabina, Karen, Elahe, Rachana, Kiron
7 Ravitha, Savita 8 Diana Hayden 9 Deepa, Vivek
Khurana 10 Esha 11 Dipthi, Cate,
Meera 12 Kishan,
Sarita
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012
health
ASPIRIN CAN CUT CANCER RISK BY A THIRD Patients at high risk of developing cancer could be prescribed regular doses of aspirin as a preventative measure, British experts say. There is widespread evidence that taking the pain-killer on a daily basis can cut the chances of developing the illness by up to a third, the Daily Mail reported Wednesday.
INFECTION ALERT
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BEWARE OF HOSPITALS You might think you’d be safe from diseases at a healthcare centre. But did you know they are the easiest places to catch an infection? We speak to City doctors. RANJANI RAJENDRA
ranjani.r@postnoon.com
A
nkit had just returned from the hospital after meeting his friend who’d met with an accident. Relieved that his friend was going to be alright, Ankit returned to his normal routine, only to come down with a respiratory ailment. Puzzled at the source of the illness, Ankit consulted his doctor, who told him it might have occurred due to him being exposed to the virus during his hospital visit. You might think you’d be safe from diseases at a healthcare centre. But did you know they are the easiest places to catch an infection? While it is true that many lives are saved at healthcare centres, they also happen to have the highest concentration of virus and bac-
teria that are easily transmitted. Even the cleanest and most efficient hospitals are not risk-free. In WebMD reported that a study conducted in the US found that nearly 48,000 Americans were killed due to infections they caught in hospitals. Startling? However, there are a few simple steps people can take to safeguard against these infections. “Air, water and food borne diseases are very common in hospitals. Respiratory infections like cold or pneumonia are very common, especially if the hospital treats severe ailments like tuberculosis,” says Dr Anish Anand, consultant physician at Apollo Hospital. Young children and the elderly are the most susceptible to these infections as their immune systems are not as strong as an average adult’s. “It is for this precise reason that it is advised that young children not be taken to a hospital,” says Dr Anand.
“Respiratory ailments are the most common as when a patient coughs, the virus is carried in water droplets in the air. This is then easily transmitted to others. Even hospitals that are very well maintained and follow hygiene standards are not completely free of infections,” he explains. He goes on to add, that hospitals treat patients with all sorts of infections and there is always a chance of them being spread. “Food and water borne diseases are also possible scenarios, since many people eat at the hospital cafeterias. So gastroenterological infections are common too,” he says, adding, “These can be contained with personal hygiene. For instance, visitors and hospital staff alike should wash their hands regularly, especially before and after coming in contact with the patient or hospital surfaces. Keeping a good sanitiser handy also helps.”
You can prevent it n Stay clean: Keeping your hands clean can solve a lot of problems. It is the best way to prevent infections. Ensure that you wash your hands well after a hospital visit. More importantly ensure that the health care staff that touches washes their hands before and after doing so. n Protect your skin: Your skin is a natural defence
against infection because it keeps germs out. To prevent infection, make sure all wounds are covered and bandages changed regularly. n Before your surgery: If you are scheduled to have surgery, you will get instructions on what to do before you come to the hospital. This may include how to prepare your skin, medications you
ANEWS PP-LYBRIEFS YOURSELF
should or shouldn’t take, and other instructions depending on the type of surgery. n After your surgery. You may be given instructions about what to do after you leave the hospital. This may include medications, how to care for your surgery site and activities to avoid. www.mountauburn hospital.org
HOUSECALL
Gymrat
Lupus
Gymrat workout planner and log has exercises, progress tracking and routines, weightlifting, cardio exercises and gym tools such as stopwatch. It lets you create your own gym routines with custom goals. The later updates have over 400 excercises. Multiple people can now use the same app at the gym.
Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the blood vessels and connective tissues of the skin and various parts of the body. It is an is an autoimmune disease where the body turns upon itself. Lupus often begins with a skin rash over the nose and cheeks that is shaped like a butterfly and made worse by exposure to the sun. This may be accompanied by tiredness, joint pains, headaches and hair loss.
DID YOU KNOW? Teeth grow six months before birth While few babies are born with teeth in place, the teeth that will eventually push through the gums of young children are formed long before the child even leaves the womb. At 9 to 12 weeks the fetus starts to form the teeth buds that will turn into baby teeth.
PIONEERS Alec Jeffreys Sir Alec John Jeffreys is a British geneticist, known for his work in DNA fingerprinting and profiling. His discoveries have greatly healped forensic sciences in aiding detectives. He is currently a professor at the University of Leicester. Jeffrey has won many awards and honours including Albert Einstein World Award of Science and Fellow of the Royal Society and Honorary freeman of the City of Leicester.
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health FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012
MENTAL HEALTH
RESEARCH
Miscarriages could be due to wrong diagnosis H
undreds of women may be losing healthy babies every year because they are incorrectly diagnosed as having suffered a miscarriage, British experts warned. Modern home pregnancy tests are now so sensitive that women are discovering they are pregnant earlier - meaning many who fear they have miscarried are attending hospital at an earlier stage than in the past. Because a hospital scan cannot detect the earliest signs of life, it may fail to pick up a present heartbeat, leading doctors to remove a healthy foetus,
As many as 400 women may be losing healthy babies every year because of a mistaken diagnosis of miscarriage.
Drug to cure depression Washington Researchers have now discovered a drug that could ease out depression without any side-effects.
A
n experimental drug AZD6765 eased hardto-treat depression within hours, minus side-effects, in a clinical trial conducted by the National Institute of Health (NIH). Prescription anti-depressants, working through the brain’s serotonin system, take weeks to work, which might prompt severely depressed to commit suicide. Ketamine also works in hours, but its usefulness is limited by its potential for sideeffects, including hallucinations. It is being studied mostly for clues to how it works. “Our findings serve as a
proof of concept that we can tap into an important component of the glutamate pathway to develop a new generation of safe, rapid-acting practical treatments for depression,” said Carlos Zarate, of the NIH’s National Institute of Mental Health, which conducted the research, the journal Biological Psychiatry reported. AZD6765, like ketamine, works by blocking glutamate binding to a protein on the surface of neurons, called the NMDA receptor. It is a less powerful blocker of the NMDA receptor, which may be a reason why it is better tolerated than ketamine, according to an NIH
statement. About 32 per cent of treatment-resistant depressed patients infused with ASD6765 showed a clinically meaningful response at 80 minutes after infusion that lasted for about half an hour — with residual effects lasting two days for some. Conversely, 52 per cent of patients receiving ketamine show a comparable response, with effects still detectable at seven days. So a single infusion of ketamine produces more robust and sustained improvement, but most patients continue to experience some symptoms with both drugs.
However, depression rating scores were significantly better among patients who received AZD6765 than in those who received placebos. The researchers deemed this noteworthy, since, on average, these patients had failed to improve in seven past antidepressant trials, and nearly half failed to respond to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Zarate and colleagues say their results warrant further trials with AZD6765, testing whether repeated infusions a few times per week or higher doses might produce longerlasting results. IANS
STUDY FACEBOOK PROMPTS OVEREATING, SPENDING
W
ashington Facebook may lower one’s selfcontrol and tempt him or her into excessive eating or spending, says a new consumer study. “Using online social networks can have a positive effect on self-esteem and well-being. However, these increased feelings of self-worth can have a detrimental effect on behaviour,” says the joint study by Keith Wilcox of Columbia University
and Andrew T. Stephen of Pittsburgh University. Facebook, the largest social networking website, has over one billion active users. A number of studies have found that Facebook usage lowers self-
control for consumers who focus on close friends while browsing their social network, the Journal of Consumer Research reports. Specifically, such consumers are more likely to choose an unhealthy snack after browsing Facebook due to enhanced selfesteem, according to a Columbia and Pittsburgh statement. Greater Facebook use was linked with a higher body-mass index, increased binge eating, a
lower credit score, and higher levels of credit card debt for consumers with many close friends in their social network. “These results are concerning given the increased time people spend using social networks, as well as the worldwide proliferation of access to social networks anywhere anytime via smartphones and other gadgets,” says the study by Wilcox and Stephen. IANS
according to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). As many as 400 women may be losing healthy babies every year because of a mistaken diagnosis of miscarriage. Glasgow University’s Mary Ann Lumsden - who helped to develop new guidance published by NICE Wednesday said in more than half of those cases the misdiagnosis was the result of ultra-sensitive home pregnancy tests. IANS
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012
Entertainment RIDING HIGH
‘I’m okay with people not liking me’ In a candid chat with Postnoon, Samantha opens up about Yeto Vellipoyindhi Manasu, working with Gautham Menon, her tryst with success and coming to terms with reality. HEMANTH KUMAR hemanth.k@postnoon.com
Menon is like a One place family to me now. you want to visit Shooting the film before the world was quite tedious, ends — Paris veryone wants a because Gautham piece of Menon doesn’t say cut even after deliverSamantha these ing two pages of dialogues. Thankfully, days. No wonwe managed to wrap up every scene in der, she’s one of two or three takes. In Ye Maya Chesave, I the most sought-after actressthought Gautham Menon was okay with es in Telugu cinema and her my performance, but in Yeto line up of films Vellipoyindhi Manasu he’s extremely since her One person pleased. I think I have done justice debut couple you want to meet to my character Nithya. Ye Maya of years ago before you die — Chesave is also a film which in Ye Maya Dalai Lama changed my life. It gave me a new Chesave has been start when I didn’t know where my life quite envious, to put it sucwas going. More than anything else, the cinctly. In her upcoming film film gave me a new home in the form of Yeto Vellipoyindhi Manasu, she Telugu film industry. Did you know that has teamed up with her menI have a Ye Maya Chesave’s tattoo on my tor Gautham Menon once back?” again. Unlike Ye Maya Chesave, Earlier this year, she was in news she isn’t a newbie anymore. Yeto after she fell sick which led to a delay Vellipoyindhi Manasu traces the in her ongoing projects and lead pair’s love story over three it turns out that different stages of their lives. the brief hiatus How difficult was it to pull Latest obsesfrom work off? “The best part about the sion — Prathyusha, brought her film is its screenplay structure a foundation which I started closer to realand the dialogues which with three doctors to help ity. “Earlier, I reflect the time frame in which children and women was quite insethe story is narrated. The way cure about how I Varun and Nithya talk to each other in school is completely diflook on screen and in a lot of ways, I was ferent from how they talk in colobsessed with myself. I never even lege. Moreover, I am tried to look beyond that and I think lucky to have I was hard on myself. Now that fear One acted with and insecurity has reduced a lot. I am advantage of being actors like comfortable with people not liking me extremely busy — Not Nani and Jiiva and I am just trying to do a good job to caring about petty who pulled it the best of my abilities,” Samantha conissues off quite elegantly. fesses. Moreover, she has already thought In fact, they pushed the bar high for of what she wants to do in her life me to perform better,” she says. beyond films. “I’ll make a graceful exit, Gautham Menon, the film’s director, perhaps in another 3-4 years. I’m not has been going gaga about how well going to be carried away by success, Nani and Samantha have performed in fame and money. I am not getting any the film. How difficult was the experiyounger and I don’t ence of shooting the film in two different want to wait till I One film languages considering what a perfectionturn 32-33. I which changed ist Gautham Menon is? “When I made would love to setyour life — my debut in Ye Maya Chesave, it was quite tle down and Ye Maya Chesave intimidating. That film worked because have a family. I of great music, Gautham Menon’s diaconsider loving others logues and if I had to repeat the act, I more than myself to be a true success in don’t think it will have the same impact. my life. More than my films itself,” she Things have changed now. Gautham signs off.
E
CINE BYTES
Jabardasth to be dubbed in Tamil
S
iddharth, Samantha starrer Jabardasth is going to be dubbed in Tamil and it has been titled as Dum Dum Pee Pee. Nandini Reddy has directed the film and Bellamkonda Suresh has produced it. Lingusamy has bought the dubbing rights of the film for the Tamil version and it’s likely to hit the screens in early 2013.
Naayak’s audio launch on December 17
A
fter a lot of confusion, it looks like the audio of Ram Charan’s upcoming film Naayak is going to be launched on December 17. Since Chiranjeevi has been invited as the chief guest, the date of audio launch had to be reshuffled numerous times to coincide with his schedule. VV Vinayak has directed the film.
Vetadu Ventadu to release on Dec 21
V
ishal, Trisha starrer Vetadu Ventadu is all set to hit the screens on December 21. The film is a dubbed version of Samar. Thiru has directed the film. The action entertainer is being touted as the biggest budgeted film in Vishal’s career. Yuvan Shankar Raja has composed the music.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012
DITA AND PAULO COELHO
DITA AND KYLIE MINOGUE
DITA’S LUNCH LOOK
DITA AND SWAROVSKI MARTINI GLASS
fashion
NEW HIGH FOR STELLA MCCARTNEY
BRITISH FASHION designer Stella McCartney has had an incredible year, she scooped two major accolades at the British Fashion Awards, she designed Team GB’s Olympic 2012 kit, and now she has been named the most searched-for fashion label on Google's annual Zeitgeist report in the UK for 2012.
ENTER
GLAMOUR
GIRL
She is an international icon, known for her glamourous personal style.On her recent visit to India, we look at how she charmed all with her fashion sensibilities.
The writer is a fashion blogger (www.lovestruckcow.blogspot.com) who attempts to bridge the gap between creator and consumer. As a fashion writer, she hopes to promote Indian fashion among Indians and on a global level too.
BADGE OF HONOUR
CATE BLANCHETT is in the spotlight for her role in The 'Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, isn't worried about being named worst dressed by magazines, insisting she wears the critique as a badge of honour.The actress explained: "If you're worried about that stuff, you can tell. I mean, I've had some doozies. They don't always work. But who are you dressing for? You can't always dress for US Weekly magazine."
DITA ‘S COINTREAU DINNER LOOK
SURABHI CHAUHAN feedback@postnoon.com
R
ecently Dita Von Teese visited India for the very first time and got many people talking. No, she is not an actress. Not a singer or a political figure. She is a burlesque dancer or stripper. What is it about Dita Von Teese that she has more female fans than male ones? Born Heather Renée Sweet in Rochester, Michigan, Dita has revived the art of burlesque in modern times. Wikipedia explains the art form of new burlesque as: “ Neo-Burlesque is the revival and updating of the traditional burlesque performance. Though based on the traditional Burlesque art, the new form encompasses a wider range of performance styles; Neo-burlesque acts can be anything from classic striptease to modern dance to theatrical mini-dramas to comedic mayhem. Neo-burlesque is more focused on the "tease" in "striptease" rather than the "strip". Audiences for neoburlesque shows tend to be mixed gender, age, race, and class.” Dita started performing burlesque in 1992 and focuses on the ‘tease’ more than ‘strip’. A blonde converted to brunette, 5 feet 5 inches in height and a notorious hourglass figure with the help of her corsets has made her an icon of pop culture. While not many have seen her live performances, she is popular around the world because of her unique image and projects she is involved in. Her maiden visit to India was thanks to liqueur brand Cointreau who’s global brand ambassador she is. Cointreau commissioned Indian designer Shivan and Narresh to design and style looks for Dita Von Teese’s India trip and events here. The project was under wraps four months prior to her visit and one got glimpses of a kind of black sari that was retro yet revealing to show off her sensuality and elegance. On November 20,
DITA VON TEESE CELEBRATES HER BIRTHDAY
Dita wore a black lace sari with a lace bandeau blouse and diamond polka earrings and maang tikka for the event. This was a special project for young luxury swimwear designers Shivan and Narresh as they had previously cited Dita to be a muse whom they would love to dress some day. It is her alluring anatomy that makes her a popular choice with many worldrenowned designers and places her above super models and actresses. Dita has been continuously cited in the best-dressed lists and attends fashion shows in Paris, and Milan as a special guest. She receives designer clothes to wear in public as the designers consider her a known face to fashion their creations. This makes her a celebrity who should ideally have a team of people who help her put her look together. Not true. She is one of the rare celebrities who does her own make up, her own hair and chooses her looks all by herself. Her Indian sari look were put together by designers Shivan & Narresh but she still managed to do a complimenting hair and make-up around the looks they conceptualised. It is perhaps her do-it-yourself approach that endears her to the designers, especially her original take
on retro fashion and style. She has been invited by designer labels Giambattista Valli, Moschino Cheap & Chic, Jean Paul Gaultier haute-couture to model for their shows. Von Teese has appeared in the USA Vanity Fair, Vogue, Elle, and has graced the cover of the international issues of nearly every fashion magazine. She has campaigned on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and appeared in their ads as well. Von Teese has performed for some high profile events including those for designers such as Marc Jacobs, Christian Louboutin, Louis Vuitton, Chopard, Cartier and was the first guest star in history at Paris’ famed Crazy Horse (established in 1951) where she has performed several soldout runs. Show designer Christian Louboutin is so much in awe of the dancer that he made her special shoes for her burlesque performances. Dita is also a businesswoman with a line of lingerie, films and book under her belt. Most recently Dita launched a line of dresses. These are a capsule collection of figure hugging retroinspired black dresses. The dresses were first launched in Australia and Britain last month when it debuted on US website shopdecadesinc.com (priced between £373 and £620). More than going for popular trends or designs, Dita has stuck to her own idea of retro glamour and beauty and extended that to the public in forms of dresses.
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Entertainment FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012
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Entertainment FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012
Chai Time
Play & Win
Please send in your filled-in entries to Postnoon, #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500033. The winners will be announced on this page in Sunday’s edition.
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.
Play & Win
voucher from VENKEY’S VEG Restaurant, Nampally
ACROSS
SCRIBBLING PAD
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SUDOKU
PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER
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Play & Win voucher from VENKEY’S VEG Restaurant, Nampally
1 Cogito, ___ sum 5 Eve’s second son 9 Where to look out? 14 Bartlett or Anjou 15 Something that’s often made up 16 ‘Better get ___ on’ 17 Bright thing from gray matter 18 Infinitesimal amount 19 Perfectly clear 20 They link the scapula and sternum 23 Items checked before flying 24 Where a herd might be heard 25 Term of respect for a woman 27 Word of praise at the Met 31 Fox or Bear intro 33 At a great distance 37 Broadcasting 39 Have hummus, eg 40 Abnormal breathing sound 41 Ad-libbed 44 CBer’s vehicle, often 45 ‘East’ on a grandfather clock 46 ‘This Is ___ Tap’ 47 Present-day Persia 48 Intl peacekeeping group
50 Prone to backtalk 51 Gangland guns 53 The Dynamic ___ 55 Rue Morgue perpetrator 58 Cash on hand 64 ‘Adia’ singer McLachlan 66 Banish from office 67 1996 loser to Clinton 68 Accused’s excuse 69 Highland tongue 70 Aerodynamic resistance 71 Answer, in court 72 Wisher’s sight 73 Belted out
DOWN 1 Multigenerational story 2 Alter the appearance of 3 Scottish highlander 4 Vaccine variety 5 Engulfed in flame 6 Monkey bread tree 7 Prefix with ‘plasm’ 8 10-Down, to a butcher or cook 9 Model airplane wood 10 Large Australian fowl 11 Central points 12 Noted Ancient Roman poet
13 Marries 21 Without company 22 ‘At The ___ Core’ (Edgar Rice Burroughs novel) 26 Cross of ‘Desperate Housewives’ 27 Low voices 28 More red, as a tomato 29 Coffee’s allure 30 Minnesota footballer 32 Install to new specifications 34 Forest deities 35 Italian sports cars, briefly 36 Test an airplane again 38 Select, as a career 42 Complete disasters 43 ___ salts (bath additive) 49 West Texas city 52 Garden pest 54 Say under one’s breath 55 ‘... and make it fast!’ 56 Gloomy atmosphere 57 ‘Fifteen Miles on the ___ Canal’ 59 Author Vonnegut 60 Likelihood ratio 61 ‘... ___ lender be’ 62 Ardor 63 Slangy safecracker 65 Lawyers’ org
Chai Time FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012 Thiruvaikumar
STAR POWER for 15-12-2012
27
As per Hindu panchang thiruvaikumar@yahoo. co. in, 040-27177230 / 9177596118
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Your non-stop sincere efforts will ensure success and appreciation by all. Health will be fine. Marriage-related discussions will end favourably. Businessmen will gain govt sops. Long-pending wishes will get fulfilled. Investments in shares will profit.
STRIP TEASE AGNES
Avoid trusting anyone blindly as you might be disappointed later. Misunderstanding with blood relatives will be resolved. Negative trend in the court issue will change to positive and go in your favour. Bank loan will get sanctioned.
Tensions and worries all along will be over. But health may be a cause for concern. Eye infection and heat-related ailments likely. Avoid harsh talk with anyone. Ego clashes between couples will be over. Postponed marriage will take place now.
Your interest in religious activities will increase. New VIP friends will join list. Unexpected fortune likely. Avoid anger and emotional decisions. Troubles, expenses and tension due to blood relatives likely. Keep a vigil on activities of children.
Long-time confusion and dilemmatic issues will be cleared once and for all. All new and innovative efforts will yield desired results. Son will co-operate with you now and accept your advise. Chances are that you get negative thoughts.
You will understand work faster and hence successfully complete any type of assignment given to you. Those opposed to you will now keep quiet. Son will get a promising career opportunity and daughter's marriage will be settled.
You think differently and implement the same successfully. Purchase of a house will be over without any difficulty. Avoid blindly accepting others’ ideas without analysing them with family members and close friends before taking decision.
It is necessary not to magnify issues and solve them with a focus and sincere efforts. As planetary situation is favourable, your new plans will be implemented successfully. Couples will get closer and affectionate towards each other.
You will help those who seek help and do the needful. You get respect wherever you go and your suggestions will be accepted by all. You will find ways to clear haunting debt issues. Purchase of a new house against exchange likely.
TAROT READ
Sumaa Tekur
tarotreadhyd@gmail. com
ARIES:
GEMINI:
Knight of Wands – You’re feeling youthful, adventurous and ready to take on the world with new and creative ideas. Romance is in the air. An old flame returns.
LEO:
Two of Pentacles – Work-life balance will put you in a difficult spot and you’ll have to make some tough decisions. It’s not impossible to do if you keep an open mind.
LIBRA:
PEARLS BEFORE SWINE
Nine of Wands – You feel excellent about the way your job is going and how your plans are clicking to near perfection. Keep time aside every day for your hobby.
SAGITTARIUS:
Three of Cups – Celebration time! Bring out the bubbly and celebrate your success. It’s important to do so to attract more positive energy into your life.
TAURUS:
Five of Pentacles – There’s some misery or disappointment indicated. It may be that some project is getting delayed or that you had higher expectations.
CANCER:
The Fool – You’re jumping in with both feet not quite thinking of the consequences or knowing what to expect. It might be a good experience after all.
VIRGO:
Five of Wands – Don’t let your guard down at any point of time. Be watchful of what others are saying about you. That will impact decisions and growth.
SCORPIO:
Ace of Pentacles – This is the meeting of the left and right brains. You’re able to use your creativity and make it work in a largely structured format.
CAPRICORN:
King of Pentacles – Your focus is on making money and on amassing wealth. You’re at that phase in life where financial security has become important.
PREVIOUS SOLUTIONS
PISCES:
Eight of Wands – This is a lucky phase when all plans are working to your expectation. Time to sit back, relax and have some clean fun. You deserve the break.
NUMBER GAME
You may meet people from your past and that takes you back in time — friends and those who shaped your world view in your younger days.
SCRABBLE
AQUARIUS: Six of Cups –
POOCH CAFE
As planetary situation is not so favourable, you have to make two or three attempts to complete a job. But do not worry as you will succeed though after the delay. Problems in ancestral property will be over. Unexpected fortune likely.
for 15-12-2012
The High Priest – You’re intuitive and know what to do with the uncertainty. Just trust your instincts and go with them no matter what anyone else says.
NON SEQUITUR
Confusion, apprehension and opposition will reduce gradually, which encourages you to march ahead cheerfully. Friendship of ruling party politicians likely; this will prove beneficial in the near future. You will visit famous temples on pilgrimage.
SUDUKO
Financial position will improve considerably. Marriage talks will end favourably. Your stock is set to pile up. Court verdict will be in your favour. Those going abroad will get their visa in time without difficulty. Some have a chance to buy assets.
Boggle TUNA SMELT TROUT PERCH SALMON Vol: 2, No 148 RNI No: APENG/2011/39337 Published for the proprietors, Scribble Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, by V Harshavardhan Reddy, at #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500033 and printed by him at Jagati Publications Ltd, Plot No D-75&E-52, APIE Industrial Estate, Balanagar, Ranga Reddy Dist, Hyderabad – 500037, Editor: Dean Williams – Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. For feedback, please write to: feedback@postnoon. com and for subscription, please call 040-4067 2222, Fax: 040-4067 2211
28
Entertainment FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012
SOON-TO-BE BRIDE
CINE BYTES
A VERY PRIVATE MEHENDI CEREMONY FOR
Vidya Balan
A
ctress Vidya Balan, set to wed Siddharth Roy Kapur, opted for a private mehndi ceremony at her Khar residence on Wednesday. It was attended by her family members, and Vidya's favourite, veteran actress Rekha marked her presence. Vidya wore a yellow sari in typical Bengali style with floral ornaments. She even chose to go simple with her mehdni — rather than the usual full-hand intricate design, Vidya went with round blobs of henna on her palm. The actress had a private family dinner on Tuesday night, and is said to be tying the knot with Kapur, managing director — Studios, Disney UTV today. A wedding reception will reportedly be held in Chennai Saturday. If grapevine is to be believed, the nuptials will be conducted both in Punjabi and south Indian styles. IANS
Third Dabangg to be prequel
A
ctor Salman Khan, who is on a promotional spree for his forthcoming movie Dabangg 2, says the third instalment of the franchise will be a prequel to the first film."We have our third film ready and it will go back and show how Chulbul Pandey becomes Chulbul Pandey. If the second one becomes a hit, we can go to the third one, which is actually the first one. IANS
Never thought audience will award me: Irrfan
A
ctor Irrfan has earned critical acclaim for his work and proven his versatility. But being chosen by the masses for an award is something that leaves him surprised. He was acknowledged for his work in Paan Singh Tomar, as well as Hollywood projects The Amazing Spider-Man and Life Of Pi this year. IANS
I don't need paid audiences: Rajeev Khandelwal
A
ctor Rajeev Khandelwal says he does not need paid audiences as he has enough people who like him anyway. "I am very fortunate that I don't feel the need for a paid audience, they still like me. Every time I get a good reception and welcomed wherever I go. So I am very happy," he said. IANS
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012
10TH WORLD JUNIOR TABLE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Eves provide glimmer of hope Indian girls Spoorthy Karnam and Sutirtha Mukherjee came up with a spirited performance to raise the spirits of Team India as they beat the Wales pair Charlotte Carey and Angharad Phillips in a fierce contest. SRINIVAS SETTY
SYED SHOAIB shoaib.s@postnoon.com HYDERABAD: Indian girls Spoorthy Karnam and Sutirtha Mukherjee provided the muchneeded impetus to Team India on Friday morning in the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium. In the doubles event of the 10th World Junior Table Tennis Championships, the Indian pair beat Charlotte Carey and Angharad Phillips of the Wales 11-9, 7-11, 11-6, 12-10. After losing the first game, the Wales’ girls raised their games a notch or two to take the second one but the Indian girls were up to the challenge and went on to win the third game. The fourth game was a humdinger with the score line reading 5-5, 7-7 and 8-8 after which Charlotte Carey and
India’s Spoorthy Karnam and Sutirtha Mukherjee (L) play Charlotte Carey and Angharad Phillips of the Wales in the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium on Friday. The Indian pair won 11-9, 7-11, 11-6, 12-10. SRINIVAS SETTY
Angharad Phillips took the lead. At this stage, the Andhra Pradesh lass Spoorthy Karnam served a couple of un-playable
backhand services and the game tilted in India’s favour, letting the local favourites take the game and match three games to one.
HYDERABAD TRACK WORK
Musical Note, Fearless Mission impress
Musical Note, Fearless Mission, Bound For Glory, Precisely That and Lots Of Love impressed when horses were exercised at Malakpet racecourse in the City this morning. Sand Track 800 Metres: Bound For Glory (Joshi) 56, 600/42.5 Moved well. Camacho Speed (rb) 1-3, 600/46 Easy. Dazzling Prince (app) Any Given Time (M.Mark) 58 600/43 They finished together. Best Pal (Anil) 57, 600/44 Unextended. Precisely That (Joshi) 56, 600/42 Impressed. Hurricane Dancer (Chary) 55, 600/42 Moved well. Citi Supreme (app) 2y.Fairy Emperor (M.Mark) 1-1.5, 600/44 They moved together. 2y.Lots Of Love (Kiran Naidu) 2y.Skylight Express (Chary) 55, 600/42 Former finished in front. 2y.Lovely Angel (M.Mark) The Challenge (rb) 58, 600/44 Former finished in front. Kohinoor Revanta (Ajit Kumar) 56, 600/42 Moved well. Great Guns (M.Mark) 2y.Amazing Power (app) 2y.Aware (rb) 1-0.5, 600/45 They moved freely. 2y.Flip Side (Dileep) 2y.Shimmering Eyes (Anil) 1-3, 600/48 They moved freely. Enrapture (Kiran Naidu) 1-3, 600/48 Easy. 2y.Equalizer (app) 58, 600/44 Moved well. 2y.Ciel Blu (Kiran Naidu) 1-1, 600/46 Easy. 2y.Golden Flash (Sai Kumar) 1-0 600/45 Unextended. Kohinoor Adhira (Ajit Kumar) 59, 600/44 Moved well. Big Boss (S.Nayak) 58,600/41.5 Moved well. Sand Track 1000 Metres: Musical Note (Togrolu) 1-12.5, 800/57, 600/42.5 Pleased. Glorious View (K.Alam) 1-13, 800/57, 600/42 Moved well. Hawkspring (N.Rawal) 1-15, 800/58, 600/44 Easy. Sand Track 1200 Metres: Westminister (Ajit Kumar) 1-28, 1000/1-12,
800/57, 600/42.5 Moved well. Monsoon Inner Race Grass 800 Metres: Vijays Conquer (Culhane) 56, 600/42 Moved freely. 2y.Galiant (rb) 2y.Ancillery (Imran Khan) 54, 600/41 They moved together. 2y.Palm Springs (Christopher) Garibaldi (S.Nayak) 49, 600/37 Former impressed. Smart Striker (Sai Kumar) 2y.Home Town Hero (N.Rawal) 1-1.5, 600/45 They moved freely. Sea Runner (Pawar) Ice Hill (S.Nayak) 2y.Riverdale (Christopher) 52, 600/39 They moved well. Monsoon Inner Race Grass 1000 Metres: Kianoosh (Deep Shanker) 1-9, 800/55, 600/41 Moved freely. 2y.Fearless Mission (Ravinder Singh) Genius Empress (rb) 12.5, 800/50, 600/38 Former impressed. Monsoon Inner Race Grass 1200 Metres: Daniella (rb) 2y.Sincara (Imran Khan) 1-26, 1000/1-10, 800/54, 600/39 They finished together. Monsoon Inner Race Grass 1600 Metres: See My Style (Harinder Singh) 158, 1400/1-42, 1200/1-27, 1000/1-12, 800/58, 600/44 Moved freely. Gate Practice 1000 Metres: 2y.Amazing Weapon (C.Henrique) Sun Strikes (S.Nayak) Handsome Hawk (Ravinder Singh) 2y.Magical Spell (Joshi) 2y.Advisor (Deep Shanker) 1-6, 800/52, 600/39.5 Handsome Hawk slowlyoff and finshed in the same order. Khabza (app) Zero Tolerance (Ravinder Singh) Meri Merizi (Alikhan) Felisa (Deep Shanker) 1-6, 800/51, 600/38 Zero Tolerance slowly off.
The boys’ doubles teams put up strong performances but lost after initial promise. The Indian pair of Arjun Ghosh and Rohit
Rajashekhar put up a brave display but lost to Michal Bankosz and Patryk Zatowka of Poland 10-12, 11-3, 12-10, 11-6. In a match that was fortunes fluctuate dramatically, the Indian pair lost the second game with a big difference only to come back strongly in the third. While the first close game in India’s favour, this one went against them. The game again swung, with the Polish pair easily winning the fourth game 11-6 ending the fight of Arjun and Rohit. Utkarsh Gupta and Sabhya Virmani too won a hard-fought first game but could not sustain the tempo and eventually lost to Liang Oiu and Marc Rode of Germany 10-12, 11-8, 11-7, 11-6. After winning the first game with a display of tenacious paddling, they lost the next three without much fight.
LEAGUE CRICKET A division two-day Gemini Friends 200 (Navdeep Singh 40, Parvath Singh 63, Yashwanth Reddy 4/64) lost to Continental 201/2 (G.A. Shashidhar 101 n.o., P. Rohit Reddy 50, Yashwanth Reddy 31 n.o.). A 4-A11 division one-day HCA Academy 270 for no loss (Md Taha Shaik 114 n.o., MSR Charan 140 n.o.) bt Reliance CC 131 (Sanketh 37, Samith 4/44, Yash Kapadia 3/38). Hyd Patriots 100 (Farhan Ahmed 6/37, Md Sami 3/15) lost to Green Turf 101/2 (Md Muzzamil 40, Farhan Ahmed 35 n.o.). Lal Bahadur 263/8 (Pavan Singh 41, Siddharth Gupta 100, MA Azeem Warsi 30, Akash 30) lost to United CC 265/6 (Anil 30, Ravichandran 40, Vivek Sharma 40, Vikranth 30, K Shravan 65 n.o.). SN Group 104 (Ghulam Amair 7/45, Shubham Srivas 3/12) lost to RK Puram 104/5 (Amit Shukla 42, Yashwanth 40, Manideep 3/27). Vijay Bharath 217/7 (Sarfaraz 31, Shailesh Kumar 103, Afroze 4/38, Shaik Adnan 3/40) bt Sungrace 141 (Sanjay Reddy 37, Afroze 39, Sailesh 3/19). Classic 158 (Siddharth Modali 4/26, J Gopi Krishna 3/13) lost to Gaganmahal Blues 159/1 (J. Gopi Krishna 38, Manna Singh 88 n.o.). Roshanara 239/7 (Nayan V 65, TP Venu 50, Ramdas Naik 39, Saikanth 5/85) bt Hyderabad Panthers XI 127 (Manish 39, Rahul Raja 31, Nayan Varu 8/21). Time CC 234 (Siva Koti Reddy 32, Kapil Kumar 53, Bal Krishna Reddy 60
n.o., Swamy 3/45, Akul 3/54) bt Lucky XI 151(Praneeth 35, Raghu Ram Reddy 5/30). Abhinav Colts 188/8 (Shiva 66, Joseph 50 n.o., Naveed 4/53) bt SUCC 183 (Mustafa 42, Ameen 38, Praveen 3/34). Satya CC 146/7 (Prithvi Raj 45, P Srinivas Rao 4/38) bt WMCC 128. Red Hills 197 (MA Waseemn 31, Md Abdul Rehman 55, MA Aleem 32, Chandu 3/34) bt Manchester 156 (Vamsi Kiran Kumar 33, Md Abdul Abrar 6/24). Sutton 90 (Bhuvanendhra 35, Yashwanth Reddy 31, P. Vishal 7/13, BH Raj 3/19) lost to Lal Bahadur CC 92/3 (C Sridhar 48 n.o.). Shalimar CC 203 (Bhargav 36, Ganesh 49, Nagesh Goud 5/45) bt Akshit CC 200/8 (Anoop 47, Harsha 33, Nagesh Goud 37, Ganesh 3/37, Akshay 3/63). Apex CC 242/8 (Syed Anwar Ali 60, Md Zaheer 35, AB Azeem 42 n.o., Vijay Kumar Konda 3/79) bt PKCC 160 (Sharath Kumar 42, Vijay Kumar Konda 51, MD Hasham 3/69, Azeem 4/37). Brother John of God U-14 Progress High School 42 (Pratyush 4/23, Karan Kannan 4/15) Janapriya HS 189/6 (Rasheed 47, Bhuvendra 35, Sohail 36) bt Bhartiya Vidya Bhavans J Hills 98 (Sohail 3/8, Nikhil Reddy 3/27). Model Mission High School 44 (Sidhu 4/8) lost to Karminagar 48/3. KV Bolarum 73 (Achutan 34, Harshith 3/28) lost to Bhegas HS 74/1 (Balakumar 35).
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30
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012
2012 AT A GLANCE
SNIPPETS
Rory rules after stellar year Rory won four times in ‘12, including his second major. He became the second youngest ever world No 1, and playing a leading role in Europe’s successful Ryder Cup.win. ALLAN KELLY Agence France-Presse PARIS: Rory McIlroy (in pic) started 2012 as the crown prince of golf. He ended it as the undisputed king. McIlroy won four times during the year, including his second major at the USPGA Championship, he became the second youngest ever world No 1, won the Money Lists on both sides of the Atlantic and played a leading role in Europe’s successful defence of the Ryder Cup. McIlroy also impressed with his easy-going manner and integrity coupled with a healthy confidence in his own abilities and a willingness to put in the hard work on the range when things are not quite right Not since Tiger Woods backed his car into a fire hydrant outside his Florida home in November 2009 unleashing a sex scandal that eventually floored him has golf had a truly dominant golfer at the head of the rankings. And at such a young age, he can realistically expect to be at or near the top for the next two decades well into the 2030s. It was not all sweetness and light for McIlroy in 2012. He made a
Bourdy leads at Dunhill
US captain Watson wants Tiger for 2014 Ryder Cup NEW YORK: Eight-time major golf champion Tom Watson, named on Thursday to be captain of the 2014 US Ryder Cup squad, said that he plans to have Tiger Woods on that team. Citing the 14-time major champion’s hunger for victory, Watson said a healthy Woods would be a certainty on the 12-man US lineup by virtue of a captain’s selection even if he is unable to qualify on points. “I want him on my team,” Watson said. “Tiger is maybe the best player in history. If he’s not on the team,
he’s going to be number one in my picks.” Watson, who at 63 is the oldest captain in Ryder Cup history, had been critical of Woods in the aftermath of his infamous sex scandal. “My relationship with Tiger is fine,” he added. “Whatever has been said before is water under the bridge. No issues.” Watson said he admires Woods for his determination to win and Woods was among the first to applaud his countryman’s appointAFP ment.
strong start to the year, but in his own words “took my eye off the ball” in the late spring and summer, missing four cuts in five outings, one of those coming at the US Open, where he was defending champion. But after a short trip back to the driving range for repairs, he re-emerged with a bang to win the USPGA by eight shots. From there on until his win at the Race to Dubai tournament, he was superb and all his main rivals agree that he is currently the best golfer in the world by a good margin.
WORLD SHORT COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Le Clos wins double
South Africa’s butterfly champ Chad Le Clos added the world short course crown to his collection with a superb victory in the final.
MALELANE, SOUTH AFRICA: Gregory Bourdy shot a bogey-free six-underpar 66 to take the lead after the first round of the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek Golf Estate on Thursday. The Frenchman started the day strongly with a birdie on the par-four first hole, then continued his clean slate with five more on the fifth, sixth, eleventh, 12th and 16th. “I’m very happy, because it’s not an easy course and it’s never easy to play a round without any bogeys. I played a very consistent game and had a lot of birdie opportunities,” he said. AFP
ISTANBUL: South Africa’s Olympic 100m butterfly champion Chad Le Clos added the world short course crown to his collection on Thursday with a commanding victory in the final. Le Clos won in 48.82sec, ahead of American duo Thomas Shields, in 49.54sec, with Ryan Lochte, who captured gold in the 200m freestyle and 4x100m freestyle relay on Wednesday, taking bronze in 49.59sec. “I was a little nervous before the final. Lochte was a bit of an unknown. But I had him and Shields in the lanes next to mine, so it was a good set-up on both sides,” said the 20-year-old Le Clos, whose time was a championship record. Japanese Daiya Seto won his first international title with victory in the 400m medley. His 3:59.15 pushed Hungarian Laszlo Cseh, who
Chad Le Clos (R) celebrates after winning the gold medal in the men’s 100m butterfly final of the FINA World Short Course Swimming Championships on Thursday in Istanbul. AFP PHOTO/MIRA
clocked 4:00.50, into second place. Cseh, a seven-time European champion, has still to claim a world title.
“I did not feel good in the butterfly leg, but I tried to fight. In the backstroke leg I could relax and finish well,” said Seto.
Haug leaves Mercedes BERLIN: Norbert Haug, the head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport, will step down at the end of 2012 after 22 years in charge, it was announced on Thursday. The 60-year-old has led the motorsports division since October 1990 and during that time Mercedes-Benz and its partners won six Formula One world championship titles and claimed 87 Formula One victories. He was instrumental in helping the Formula One team sign Lewis Hamilton to partner Nico Rosberg for the 2013 season, but he hinted at his team’s lack of recent success as the reason behind his resignation. “Since 1991, we had tremendous achievements and wins, for which I want to thank all of my colleagues,” he said in a statement. “Unfortunately, with one victory in 2012 since founding our own Formula One works team in 2010, we couldn’t fulfil our own expectations. “However, we have taken the right steps to be successful in the future. Our team and our drivers will do everything to achieve these goals.” AFP
LeBron, Kobe lead voting NEW YORK: LeBron James and Kobe Bryant top the first voting results for the 62nd NBA All-Star Game announced Thursday by the league while AsianAmerican guard Jeremy Lin trails in his bid for a spot. The showdown of Eastern and Western conference superstars will be staged February 17 at Houston. Miami playmaker James, last season’s NBA Most Valuable Player who led the Heat to last season’s NBA crown, has the overall lead with 641,348 votes while Los Angeles Lakers guard Bryant paces the Western Conference and ranks second overall at 639,419. New York’s Carmelo Anthony, with 573,112 votes, and Boston’s Kevin Garnett, with 218,246 votes, joined James as Eastern Conference front-court leaders with Miami’s Chris Bosh a distant fourth at 210,724. Miami’s Dwyane Wade led the East backcourt with 430,925 votes with Boston’s Rondo in the other guard spot at 382,613. Brooklyn’s Deron Williams was a distant third at 211,426. In the West, Bryant was joined by Chris Paul at 353,603 with two backcourt standouts, Lin and James Harden, next on the list. AFP
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012
ENGLAND’S TOUR OF INDIA
NEWS BRIEFS
Root stands tall in debut India grabbed two wickets before debutant Joe Root's resolute, unbeaten half-century lifted England to 277 for seven at lunch on the second day of the fourth Test match being played in Nagpur.
(Above):England’s Joe Root raises his bat after reaching his half-century against India on the second day of the fourth Test on Friday in Nagpur. BCCI (Below) Matt Prior is bowled by R. Aswhin during the same match.
NAGPUR: India grabbed two wickets before debutant Joe Root's resolute, unbeaten halfcentury lifted England to 277 for seven at lunch on the second day of the fourth and final cricket Test here today. Ravichandran Ashwin bowled overnight unbeaten batsman and stumper Matt Prior for 57 soon after the first drinks session and then Ishant Sharma, replacing the off-spinner, trapped Tim Bresnan with the second new spell to help India wrest the initiative at the VCA Stadium in Jamtha. The two wickets fell in the space of nine balls. England had lost both the wickets at the same score of 242, after adding 43 runs to their overnight total of 199/5, but Root and Graeme Swann prevented further damage in the first session. At the break, Root was not out on 65 off 200 balls, after starting the day at 31, while Swann was unbeaten on 19 with the help of four fours. The duo has so far added 35 runs in 13.2 overs for the eighth wicket while the tourists scored 78 in 32 overs in the pre-lunch session. Sharma had figures of three for 47 at lunch while Ashwin, after a fruitless day yesterday, had one for 46. England slowly and steadily
SRI LANKA’S TOUR OF AUSTRALIA
Skipper’s catch gives SL heart HOBART, AUSTRALIA: Skipper Mahela Jayawardene pulled off a spectacular flying catch to claw Sri Lanka back into contention on the opening day of the first Hobart Test against Australia on Friday. They were up against it after losing the toss when Jayawardene latched on to a magnificent one-handed catch at second slip to dismiss Shane Watson for 30 nearing tea. Australia looked to be working themselves into a powerful position before Jayawardene's screamer off Chanaka Welegedara to give the Sri Lankans some heart on a largely fruitless first day. At tea, the home side were 193 for three with Phil Hughes, on the Test comeback trail,
SCOREBOARD
Australia 1st Innings D. Warner run out (Mathews) 57 E. Cowan c Eranga b Welegedara 4 P. Hughes not out 82 S. Watson c Jayawardene b Welegedara 30 M. Clarke not out 7 Extras (b1, lb2, w1, nb9) 13 Total (3 wkts, 57 overs) 193 Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-97, 3-183 Bowling: Kulasekara 14-1-33-0 (4nb, 1w), Welegedara 14-1-70-2 (3nb), Eranga 10-2-35-0 (2nb), Mathews 7-2-19-0, Dilshan 1-01-0, Herath 11-3-32-0
unbeaten on 82 with skipper Michael Clarke not out seven. Watson had shared in an 86-
run stand with Hughes for the third wicket as Australia were in the process of building a big innings. Only minutes before Hughes had a big let-off when he was caught behind off a noball. Hughes, on his third recall to the team after being dropped a year ago, was on 77 when he was caught but seamer Welegedara's delivery was judged a no-ball by umpire Tony Hill for overstepping. David Warner was run out in the final over before lunch to take some of the gloss off Australia's solid morning. The Australians were sailing along without too many problems before Warner was out in a communication breakdown with Hughes four balls before the break. AFP
SCOREBOARD
ENGLAND 1ST INNINGS (Overnight 199/5) JE Root not out 65 MJ Prior† b Ashwin 57 TT Bresnan lbw b Sharma 0 GP Swann not out 19 Extras (b 5, lb 9) 14 Total (7 wickets) 277 Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-16, 3-102, 4-119, 5-139, 6-242, 7-242 Bowling O M R W I Sharma 26 9 47 3 PP Ojha 35 12 71 0 RA Jadeja 33 15 47 2 PP Chawla 17 1 52 1 R Ashwin 18 3 46 1
built up their innings after resuming the innings this morning. The initial few overs by Sharma and Jadeja, India's most successful bowlers with two wickets apiece yesterday, were played watchfully by the two overnight batsmen Prior and Root. Run-making became a bit easier when Sharma went off the attack after a spell of three overs. Jadeja bowled a bit short at times allowing the batsmen to cut, while leggie Piyush Chawla was also not accurate enough for a packed off-side field. The first boundary of the day came via an edge by Root. He then square cut Chawla's short ball for his second four. PTI
Inzamam, psychologist to help India-bound Pak MURIDKE, PAKISTAN: Pakistan starts a week-long training camp on Friday for its limited overs series against India with former captain Inzamam-ul Haq and a psychologist drafted in, an official said. India and Pakistan play two T20s and three ODIs which starts later this month and comes after India resumed ties stalled in the wake of the 2008 attacks on Mumbai. The training camp begins in Lahore and the team fly to India on December 22 and open with a T20 in Bangalore three days later. AFP
DDCA request for Awana's release NEW DELHI: In a desperate bid to win their final group league match against Maharashtra at home, the Delhi & Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) will request the Indian cricket Board to release their in-form speedster Parvinder Awana from the Indian Test squad. DDCA vice-president Chetan Chauhan told PTI,"I will be speaking to the chairman of selectors Sandeep Patil and request him to release Awana for our next round Ranji Trophy match starting Saturday.” PTI
Laxman pulls out from next Ranji match KOLKATA: Senior-pro VVS Laxman, who is recuperating from a back injury, has pulled out of Hyderabad's upcoming Ranji fixture against Bengal beginning at Eden Gardens from Saturday. "He is still recovering from the back injury. But he's not yet ruled out of the entire season. We may get his services with two more matches left (after Bengal)," media manager T Seshanarayan told PTI. The batsman pulled a back muscle during their tie against MP in which he scored 120 as he played two of the five matches. PTI
SOUTH AFRICA VS NEW ZEALAND South Africa keep faith for Tests, change T20 side CAPE TOWN: The South African cricket selectors kept faith with their Test team but made major changes to their Twenty20 squad ahead of a forthcoming home series against New Zealand. Announcing the squads in Cape Town, selection convener Andrew Hudson said the Test side earned their vote of confidence when they confirmed their ranking as the world's number one Test team by defeating Australia earlier this month. The squad for two Tests against New Zealand, in Cape Town from January 2 and Port Elizabeth from January 11 includes the 11 players who won the final Test against Australia in
The South African selectors kept faith with their Test team but made major changes to their T20 squad. Perth as well as batsman Jacques Rudolph and fast bowler Rory Kleinveldt. There was no place for leg-spinner Imran Tahir, who took heavy punishment in the only match he played against Australia. AB de Villiers will continue to keep wickets despite speculation that Thami Tsolekile might be selected in order to enable De Villiers to concentrate on his batting. AFP
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2012
sports
MEXICO’S MARQUEZ LEAVES RED BULLS FOR LEON Rafa Marquez was released by Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls on Thursday and signed with Leon of Mexico. Marquez joined the US club from Barcelona in 2010 and started 42 of his 44 matches for the Red Bulls, but played in only 15 games this past season.
PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW
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RACISM TROUBLE
‘Won’t take title for granted’ NEIL JOHNSTON Agence France-Presse MANCHESTER, UK: Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck insists his side will not become complacent after establishing a commanding lead in the Premier League title race. United’s dramatic 3-2 victory over second-placed Manchester City last Sunday, when Robin van Persie’s stoppage winner settled an absorbing derby, saw Alex Ferguson’s side go six points clear at the summit. The pulsating win ended City’s unbeaten run in the league this season and inflicted a first home league defeat on the champions since December 2010. With City facing a tricky game at Newcastle, United could extend their lead further if they overcome struggling Sunderland at Old Trafford on Saturday. And United’s England striker Welbeck is confident his team-mates won’t rest on their laurels ahead of a busy festive programmme. “Games come thick and fast and it’s important if you’re picking up the pace over Christmas,” said Welbeck. “It’s a vital period and a time all the
EPL table ahead of the weekend matches Man Utd 1613 Man City 16 9 Chelsea 16 8 Everton 16 6 Tottenham 16 8 West Brom16 8 Arsenal 16 6 Swansea 16 6 Stoke 16 5 Liverpool 16 5
0 6 5 8 2 2 6 5 8 7
3 1 3 2 6 6 4 5 3 4
40 23 30 14 28 17 27 20 29 25 24 21 26 16 26 21 14 12 22 20
39 33 29 26 26 26 24 23 23 22
(played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points)
Manchester United’s Danny Welbeck (front in red jersey) wins a header from rival players in a recent tie agaisnt CFR Cluj-Napoca. AFP/PAUL ELLIS
Derby delight will fire United charge, says Giggs STEVE GRIFFITHS Agence France-Presse LONDON: Manchester United star Ryan Giggs has warned Manchester City that his side’s derby triumph will provide the perfect springboard to wrestle the title away from Eastlands. United moved six points clear of second placed City after an explosive 3-2 win
over bitter rivals in the Manchester derby last Sunday and Alex Ferguson’s team have a golden opportunity to extend their lead this weekend. While City have a tricky assignment at Newcastle, United host Sunderland on the back of four successive league victories and with confidence following Robin van Persie’s stoppagetime winner at Eastlands.
boys look forward to. “It was satisfying to win last weekend. To go six points clear and to do it in a Manchester derby was a great boost for us. We won’t be too complacent, though. Every single point counts.” United have won their last four league games since losing 1-0 at Norwich on November 17. And England winger Ashley Young is determined that Ferguson’s team extend their winning run through the Christmas schedule. “There are so many games and if you can get momentum you can take that into the new year,” Young said.
‘Hope City bounces back’
JASON MELLOR Agence France-Presse
NEWCASTLE, UK: Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany has called for a repeat of last season’s victory at Newcastle as the ideal response to the damaging Premier League defeat by Manchester United. City are keen to bounce back from their dramatic 3-2 derby
loss to Alex Ferguson’s side, and will draw on the positive memories of their last trip to St James’ Park seven months ago en route to being crowned kings of English football. Despite facing a Newcastle team fighting to gain a Champions League place back in May, City triumphed 2-0 with two goals from Yaya Toure, delivering a dominant display that Ko-
mpany ranks as one of the best of the campaign. City, now trailing United by six points, return to Tyneside keen to prove their setback against Ferguson’s team, which ended their unbeaten league record for the season and also shattered a two-year undefeated sequence in the league at the Eastlands, was a blip rather than cause for serious concern.
BRIEFS Chelsea thrash Monterrey 3-1
Barça face Atletico in crunch clash
City star Barry hit with one-game ban
Argentina urges sanctions against Sao Paulo
YOKOHAMA: European champions Chelsea outclassed Monterrey 3-1 at the Club World Cup in Japan on Thursday to set up a mouthwatering final clash with Brazil’s Corinthians. The club dominated large spells of the first half and had the match sewn up shortly into the second — scoring two goals within three minutes of the restart. AFP
MADRID: With Real Madrid trailing by 11 points, Barcelona’s closest threat is from Atletico Madrid who they face on Sunday. Barça have made a record start to the season with a remarkable 14 wins from 15 games and while Real have not been able to live with the pace it has been Atletico who have made an impressive start.
LONDON: Manchester City’s Gareth Barry was given a one-match ban on Thursday after a foul-mouthed rant at an official following last weekend’s explosive Manchester derby. Barry accepted the FA’s charge that he used abusive and/or insulting language in the aftermath of City’s 3-2 defeat against Manchester United. AFP
BUENOS AIRES: Argentine side Tigre on Thursday demanded sanctions against Sao Paulo after losing 2-0 to the Brazilians in the South American Cup final that was marred by serious incidents. Tigre refused to emerge for the second half in the tie against Sao Paulo. AFP
Rio blasts ‘not serious’ UEFA in Serbia row LONDON: Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand accused UEFA of not taking racism seriously after Serbia were fined 80,000 euros following an U-21 match in which England players claimed they were racially abused. Two Serb coaches, as well as four players, were suspended and the team ordered to play their next game behind closed doors following a chaotic European under-21 qualifier in Krusevac in October. England defender Danny Rose was sent off for kicking the ball away in response to what he said was monkey chanting and physical provocation. Scuffles also broke out between players, coaches and supporters at the end of the match. “uefa are not serious at all on racism. Fines do not work at all. They have zero impact on federations/clubs/fans/players. #fact,” Ferdinand wrote on Twitter. “Uefa need to talk to this generation.....they don’t seem to be up to date on this issue?? Harsh punishments needed as a deterrent.” Ferdinand has made no secret of his desire to see tougher sanctions to combat racism in football. His brother Anton was racially abused by John Terry in a match last year with the Chelsea captain given a AFP four-game ban.
CHANGING TRACKS Frank Lampard hints at his Chelsea exit YOKOHAMA: Chelsea star Frank Lampard has indicated that this season may be his last for the English giants, in comments likely to fuel speculation about a possible move to China. The England international midfielder, who has been at Chelsea since 2001, has been linked since March with a move to the Chinese Super League and last month Guizhou Renhe confirmed they were in talks with him. His contract is due to expire in June and following his side’s 3-1 win over Monterrey on Thursday to reach the Club World Cup final in Japan, Lampard said he has yet to be approached by Chelsea with an extension, Kyodo reported. “There have been no talks... about an extension,” Lampard said. “The ball is in Chelsea’s court. I’m a Chelsea player as simple as that.” AFP