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A TITANIC MEMORY A century on, since the grandest liner ever built sank to the bottom of the ocean on its maiden voyage, the legend of the Titanic still captivates imaginations world over. Its 100th anniversary took an international character with commemorating events taking place in Britain, Canada, Ireland and the United States. P16&17
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MANTRI, BABU DOWN WITH SWINE FLU Reports coming in from Visakhapatnam allege that State Cabinet minister G Srinivasa Rao and district collector J Syamala Rao have been infected with the H1N1 virus and are being treated for the flu.
Page Two
MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012
Spirit of Twin Cities
THE WORLD’S MY PLAYGROUND
Backyard tales Catch the Mexican film — The Backyard as a part of the Mexican Film Festival being held at Annapurna Studios Preview Theatre. The movie is an astonishing fictional account of the unending series of murders of young women in Mexico. Where: Annapurna Studios Preview Theatre, Banjara Hills, Rd No1 When: April 16, 6pm onwards Contact: (040) 4914 1234
Show and tell Books n more presents Show and Tell, an activity to promote good expression and communication for 3-8 year olds. The activity aims to improve your child’s ability to communicate well. Where: Books n more, Sivaramkrishna Colony, Marredpally When: Ongoing, 5pm to 6pm Contact: 98859 56728
Hard rock and games The IPL T20 games are on. Head to Hard Rock Cafe to enjoy some matches, great food and interesting drinks all through the IPL season. Where: Hard Rock Cafe, Banjara Hills, Rd No 1 When: Ongoing, 4pm-8pm Contact: (040) 4476 7900
Crepes and waffles Lover of waffles and crepes? Deli9 is offering a crepe and waffle festival. Taste a variety of waffles such as fruit waffle and the classic waffle or a variety of exotic crepes such as caramel apple. The festival is on from April 7-April 21. Where: Delhi 9, Banjara Hills, Rd No 1 When: Ongoing, 8am to 8pm Contact: (040) 6550 666
Contact: (040) 2752 2999
Every Rupee counts Syn at Taj Deccan is offering interesting meal options. The concept behind Calorie for a Rupee is to enjoy a great meal priced according to it’s calorie count. Where: Syn - Asian Bar and Grill, Taj Deccan, Banjara Hills, Rd No 1 When: Ongoing, 12 pm to 3.30pm Contact: (040) 6666 3939
Summer camp
Bangla Ranna
Being ’together’
From April 13 to April 22, The Deccan Pavillion at ITC Kakatiya is offering a Mediterranean dishes. Lunch buffet is priced at `1,049, and dinner costs `1,149. Where: ITC Kakatiya, Begumpet When: Ongoing, 11am-7pm Contact: (040) 2340 0132
Bangla Ranna, a bengali food festival is being held at Aditya Park. Get a taste of the Bengal’s interesting cuisine along with mocktails and cocktails. The food festival is on till April 21. Where: Aditya Park Hotel, Aditya Trade Centre, Ameerpet When: Ongoing, 6pm-11pm Contact: (040) 6678 8888
Goan food festival
IPL special
The Momo Cafe at Hyderabad Marriott and Convention Centre is hosting a Goan food festival. Where: Hyderabad Marriott and Convention Centre, Tank Bund When: Ongoing, 12.30pm onwards
Truffles Cafe is offering a great way to catch the live telecast of IPL season 5. Head to Truffles Cafe for IPL special mocktails, beverages and starters and various other delights. Where: Truffles Cafe, Jubilee Hills, Rd No 36 When: Ongoing,
Mood for Mediterranean
CINEMAS
8am onwards Contact: (040) 2355 0105 For children, summer implies freedom from studies and school, loads of games and fun filled summer camps. The Park is hosting a summer camp for children. Where: The Park, Somajiguda When: Ongoing, 7am onwards Contact: (040) 2345 6789 Together, an exhibition of paintings by Shravan Kumar GK is being held. Where: Iconart Gallery, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12 When: Ongoing Contact: 98499 6879
Water colours Iconart is hosting Aquarelle as a part of it’s Buy Art initiative. Paintings made from water colours are on display. Where: Iconart Gallery, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12 When: Ongoing, 11.30 am onwards Contact: 98499 6879
Go Splash Splash lounge is the perfect
leisure destination for you to unwind. There is also great music, martinis and aperitifs. Where: The Westin, Mindspace, Madhapur When: Monday - Friday, 5pm - 10.30pm Weekends, 8am - 10.30pm Contact: (040) 6767 6828
Asian barbeque If your idea of a perfect evening is friends and great food, then head to The Square, Novotel, Madhapur plays host to an Asian barbeque. Sample grilled specialities from around the world. Where: The Square, Novotel, Madhapur When: Every Saturday, 7pm onwards Contact: (040) 6682 4422
Punjabi delicacies It’s Baisakhi, the festival of colours and vibrancy. Taj Krishna is hosting a Baisakhi special food festival which offers you a variety of Punjabi delicacies. So bring on this festive season with some great food and loads of smiles. Where: Firdaus, Taj Krishna, Rd No 1 When: Ongoing, 12pm onwards Contact: (040) 6666 2323
Big Cinemas, Ameerpet: 30581470; Cinemax, Banjara Hills: 44565555; Cine Planet , Kompally: 61606060; INOX, Banjara Hills: 44767777; Prasads, Tank Bund Rd: 23448888; PVR, Punjagutta: 8800900009; Talkie Town, Miyapur: 40214175; Tivoli, Secunderabad: 27844973
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Hyper Local
Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities
MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012
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Couple live with corpse for 3 days Couple from Mirchowk brutally murder nephew and accuse his mother of kidnapping their daughter
CRIME Mohd Subhan mohd.s@postnoon.com
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n a horrific story of epic proportion, an innocent boy of 11 years was brutally murdered by his uncle and aunt in their rented house at Gurvanagally of Panjesha in Mirchowk police station limits a few days ago and they lived with the dead body for three days before the couple informed the house owner and bolted from the City. The incredible story traces its origin back to June 2010 when their daughter, Ruksar went missing. Mohd Irfan and his wife Sameena hail from Uttar Pradesh. Both were poor, so they came to Hyderabad in search of a livelihood. Sameena later gave birth to two daughters. Irfan worked with a hotel in the City and rented a house in Gurvanagally. After a while,
IRFAN KIDNAPPED HIS NEPHEW AND BROUGHT HIM TO HIS HOUSE. THE HUSBAND AND WIFE HAVE ALLEGEDLY BEATEN THE BOY TO DEATH, ACCUSING HIS MOTHER OF KIDNAPPING. Ruksar went missing and any attempt to trace her failed. Mirchowk Police Inspector S Vekat Reddy said that what happened after the girl went missing is incredible cruel. Irfan and wife suspected that his sister Razia Khatoon with whom they had developed problems had kidnapped the girl to spite him. So Irfan went to his native place and confronted his sister who denied she had ever done anything of the sort. Not satisfied Irfan kidnapped his nephew Ashraf and brought him to his house in the City. The husband and wife have allegedly beaten the boy to death,
accusing his mother to be a kidnapper. The couple and their daughter lived with the corpse for two days when the decomposing body started emitting foul smell. Sameena mustered courage and informed the house owner on the third day and immediately disappeared. The house owner Mohd Rizwan Illyas sought the police help and search of the house revealed the rotting body. “It was a heart-rending and nauseating scene,� a policeman said. Though his parents have been informed, they are so poor and illiterate that they have neither money nor have they travelled before. They are incapable of coming to claim the body. The body has been kept in the mortuary of Osmania Hospital. Mirchowk police registered a murder case and have started investigating the case. A team to nab the couple visited a few places in UP besides their native place. Although the couple has not been traced yet, Reddy said that the team would nab them soon.
Hyper Local
MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012
Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities
Eternal vigil is the price Annoyed citizens complain that the City water supply is highly unpredictable and irregular and it has been giving sleepless nights to many DEEPAK DESHPANDE
WATER Anubha K Singh
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NEWS BRIEFS Relatives agitate after boy student dies
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elatives of Kiran, an VIII class student, who died in the Gurukul Vidyalaya on Saturday night, staged a dharna against the negligence of the staff. Relatives said that it was due to the negligence of the Principal that the boy had died. Demanding monetary help from the government, relatives and organisations staged a dharna at the Ambedkar crossroads.
anubha.k@postnoon.com
YSRC launches mobile application
W
ater playing truant is the most harried tale in the City today. Everyone who depends on municipal water supply lives a miserable life since mercury has crossed 40 degree C. Whatever supply the HMWS&SB manages is made available at unholy hours like half past midnight. In fact, it is not a particular time, it is anytime and one has to be vigilant like eternal vigil for angels. Broadly the water, though feeble in pressure, will com anytime between 6 am and midnight. Wait, it could be 2 am too. Many residents in different parts of the City are facing the problem of when to sleep since the vigil has to continue. Mallesh Kumar, a resident of RK Pet, complains that the supply of daily water comes in irregular way, sometimes early in the morning, sometimes at 9pm or 11pm in the night. First, we get water on alternate days and since the last two months the supply is only for half an hour.” Sadhana Thakur, resident of Mangalhat area and a school principal by profession said that every three days she had to stay at home all day due to irregular timing of water supply. “Water trickles anytime. Sometimes I have to wake up early to start the motor for 15 minutes to facilitate supply of water. Even after complaining so many times the timings are irregular and the whole day is spent just in waiting for water it is highly impossible for me to apply leave every alternate day only to fill water,” she says. It’s not only men and women suffering, but students as well. “I
Helpline GAS BOOKING IVRS NO: HP 9666023456 Indane 9848824365 BSNL Complaints HMWS & SB Complaints
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POLICE CONTROL ROOM: Hyderabad 27852435 Traffic Control Room 27852482 DCP Traffic 23234065, 23243499F Pollution Control Board 23887500 ELECTRICITY: General Complaints Breakdown Section
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Y
SR Congress Party has launched a mobile application for Andriod platform enabled mobile phones. Party chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, launched the official YSR party mobile application. This is the first political party having an official mobile application to reach out to it’s supporters. The application can be downloaded from http://play.google.com or www.ysrcongress.mobi using any Android platform enabled mobile phone. It will have information about the party like news, photos, videos, and press releases.
26-year-old man drowns in Gandipet
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am writing my annual exams and having no or irregular water supply. This adds to the frustration. The worst is when my mother makes me get up in the middle of my studies to fill the water drums because the supply comes only for half- an-hour and all the vessels can be filled only if two or three members are present,” said Naman Thakur, a class VIII student. Empty water tanks and dry taps are common in the City during summers but the main sufferers are the ones who are completely dependent on the HMWS&SB for their daily needs.
WATER SUPPLY: Complaint Cell Sewerage Complaint Hyd. Water Supply HOSPITAL: General Hospital, Sec-bad Niloufer Hospital, Red Hills NIMS, Director, Punjagutta Osmania General Hospital Railway Hospital, Lalaguda Apollo, Jubilee Hills Care Hospital, Banjara Hills Care Hospital, Nampally Care Hospitals, Musheerabad Care Hospital, Sec-bad Kamineni Hospital,
“The HMWSSB water tankers take at least 15 to 20 days for water supply during summer and a private tanker makes a big hole in your pocket. Every summer we are tortured by the behaviour of HMWSSB. The monthly water bill has gone up despite this the service has not improved,” adds Sadhana Thakur. Residents of Mangalhat, Gyanbagh, Panmandi, Goshamahal, RK Pet and nearby areas are put to lot of trouble due to the irregular supply. The timings vary. adding to the woes is the pressure of water which is less.
LB Nagar 155313 23307328 23313163 27505566 23314095 23390933 24600146 27001134 23607777 30418888 30417777 30419000 30416666
BLOOD BANKS: Blood Bank,Narayaguda Chiranjeevi Blood Bank Blood Bank Mediton Goal Red Cross, Vidyanagar ADRM Blood Bank Mythri Charitable Trust NTR Memorial Trust Care Banjara Hills
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AMBULANCES Apollo 23548888, 23607777 Kamineni 24022222 Medwin 23202902, 23204616 Smile Line Dental Hospital 23747979 Red Cross 27627973 Niloufer Hospital 23314095 Gandhi 23320332
26-year-old man died when he made an attempt to learn swimming in Gandipet lake on Saturday. Jani, a resident of City, went to Gandipet lake along with his friends for a picnic. On the insistence of his friends, Jani attempted to swim in the lake. But as he did not know how to swim, Jani drowned within a few moments. The Narsingi police sub-inspector Anjaiah confirmed the news of his death and said that Jani was declared dead after being shifted to hospital by his friends.
Suspect killed in bid to escape from police
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delay by the police in identifying the culprit of communal violence in the City led to the death of a 22-year-old youth Md Ghouse alias Mujju on Sunday. According to locals, Mujju, a resident of Asmangarh was being followed by the police. In an attempt to escape, Mujju jumped off from the second floor of his residence and landed into the sump of his neighbours building and died on the spot.
AIRLINES Airport Director 27903785, 27906001 For Air India Flight Information Toll free (from any network) for IC Flights 18001801407 And for All Flights: 1800227722 Air India has revised its flight timings. For more information call (Toll free) 18001801407, 1800227722 from BSNL/MTNL 04023430334 from other lines and mobile Website; www.airindia.in TOURISM OFFICES AP Tourism, Hyd 23262152/53/54 Sec’bad 27893100 Dept of Tourism 23453110 India Tourism 23261360 AP Tourism information Centre (24x7) 23450444, 23455999
UK Visa Office VFS India Pvt Ltd Building, 8-2-542/A, Sunil Chamber, Road No. 7 Beside Meridian School, Banjara Hills34. Working hours are from 8 AM to 1 PM And 2 PM to 3PM. MUSEUMS Salar Jung Museum AP State Museum Nizams Museum
24523211 232431300/7641 24521029
Readers’ views We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500 033 or even by way of a call on 4067 2222
Hyper Local
MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012
Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities
Danam hints at T sans Hyderabad POLITICS U Srinivas srinivas.u@postnoon.com
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fter previously attacking TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao and the Telangana issue several times, now the minister for Labour Danam Nagender, is now for the bifurcation of the State. He has even hinted at the formation of a separate Telangana state, however sans without Hyderabad. While this may not be agreeable to the TRS, the Minister’s announcement almost sounds like a proposal to the TRS and TJAC. Talking to Postnoon at the C block in the State secretariat, Nagendar said, “The Telangana state could be a reality, but I am not sure if Hyderabad will be a
part of it.” Hyderabad and the people staying here represent the State in total and in this context they cannot be called as Telangana people, he opined. The Congress high command is still working on the issue. He was not sure if any
announcement in this regard would come before the upcoming bypolls. Keeping in mind the political atmosphere the high command has begun contemplating a solution, he said. He admitted that he was one of the signatories to the MoU signed by the Telangana MLAs in 1999 seeking formation of a separate Telangana state. He reminded that “The Telangana legislators’ forum was formed with the active support of then CLP leader YSR who later changed his stance. The political situations have changed drastically now,” he added. Nagender made it clear that he was not a Telangana minister, but a Hyderabad minister. “I am not part of the Telangana ministers or MLAs forum now. They never invited me to any meeting. The CM is also a Hyderabadi but that does not mean he represents only Hyderabad,” Nagendar buttressed his point.
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Kathi scoffs at TRS’s Dalit love Postnoon News feedback@postnoon.com
T
elangana Jagruthi leader Kavitha today announced that after a discussion with like-minded leaders, they would go to court to order the speaker to install an Ambedkar statue in the Assembly presmises. Speaking to Postnoon soon after concluding her 48-hour hunger strike Kavitha said that they would go to the President of India and request for the installation of the statue in the Assembly. She has also set a dead line of August 15 for the said installation. Vivek, Jayprakash Narayan, Raghavulu and Bandaru Dattatreya too demanded that the statue be installed before the dead line. While the deputy speaker Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana and minister Sailajanath assured that a decision in this regard has already been taken, Dalit leader Kathi Padma Rao criticised Kavitha for advocating Dalit
rights. He charged that Kavitha’s family always believed in upper hand for upper castes. He alleged that while her father KCR, the TRS chief, conducts yagnas and poojas at the party office, she speaks about a casteless society. He also suggested that KCR must do the poojas and other things at his house and not at the party office if he is also for the rights of Dalits and a casteless society. He also questioned why the Ambedkar statue was not installed at the TRS party office or at the Jagruthi office if the TRS respect the Dalit leader so much?
AP Congress still at sea Postnoon News feedback@postnoon.com
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s Ghulam Nabi Azad has not cut much ice with the bickering Congress leaders in AP, the party chief Sonia Gandhi is learnt to have deputed senior Congress leader Vayalar Ravi to Hyderabad in view of the forthcoming by-elections to 18 Assembly seats. The chief election commissioner HS Brahma has announced that elections to all the Assembly and Parliament seats will be held before the presidential polls and that the notification will come in 10 days. Before the by-polls the State government is keen on completing the elec-
tions for the co-operatives and municipalities. To this extent the government has indicated to the AP State chief electoral officer Banwarlal and an announcement is awaited. Similarly, the PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana wants DCC presidents elected before by-polls so they will work for the party. But there are rumours that the State may try to defer the bypolls saying that it was not mandatory to go for the polls before the presidential polls. Party seniors at the Congress Legislature Party office indicated dilemma the party faces. There was no clarity on the bypoll issues and the time is running out.
Realty racket in the guise of SEZ
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TDP delegation led by party senior leader Kodela Sivaprasada Rao and Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Dadi Veerabhadra Rao visited the Kakinada SEZ here on Sunday. CPI State secretary Dr K Narayana also visited the SEZ. Both the delegations have taken part in the ‘Vanta Varpu’ agitation being observed by the SEZ victims. Both parties have demanded cancellation of the SEZ and return the 10,000 acres collected in the name of SEZ to the original farmers. Speaking on the occasion, the TDP leaders and Machilipatnam MP Konakalla Narayana Rao have alleged that real estate
business was being done in the name of the SEZ, robbing the poor of their valuable lands. TDP leaders had alleged that it was late chief minister Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy that was responsible for handing over the lands collected in the name of ONGC to KV Rao. Narayana has alleged that there was wholesale real estate business in the name of SEZ. He said that he did not find any indication of industries coming up in the SEZ. He has demanded registration of non-bailable cases against the SEZ management for tormenting the victims of the scam.
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Hyper Local Irregular deals by Jagan revealed: TDP
MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012
Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities
6
Make society accountable SRINIVAS SETTY
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DP Politburo member Yanamala Ramakrishnudu has said that the disappearance of three acres of land in the Emaar Project was part of the mysterious deals of late chief minister Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and the “magic” performed by his son Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. In a statement here on Sunday, Ramakrishnudu said that now reports were coming out that six lakh Indiramma houses had also vanished. The senior TDP leader said that late chief minister, who had plundered the State in the name of Indiramma Houses, had also committed grave irregularities in the name of Indiramma houses. He said that fake bills were produced and money was drawn without even constructing houses. He also alleged that a whopping amount of `23,000 crores of the SC, ST Sub-plan was also diverted by the Congress leaders. Referring to statements of Congress leaders that Y S Rajasekhara Reddy was the fond son of Congress, he said they should also own the irregularities committed by late CM. He said that despite reports about the late YSR’s corrupt deals, Congress leaders still praised YSR. Yanamala has reminded the Congress leaders that the Court had also recognised his corrupt practices. He also said that the government was only concentrating on its political interests.
HC cancels Vijay Sai Reddy’s bail
Anushree Gupta feedback@postnoon.com
“At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom” - Jawahar Lal Nehru
D
espite the lofty vision of India’s first prime minister the status of millions of its children’s has left much wanting. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009’ popularly known as Right to Education Act (RTE) has been specifically designed to plug the holes in education system and ensure its universality. RTE was passed in pursuance of Article 21-A of the Indian Constitution which guarantees ‘Right To Education’ to its citizens in the age group of 6-14 years ‘in such a manner as the state may, by law, determine’. Insertion of this Article in 2002, was followed by the much hyped schemes like Mid-Day meal and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), though universalisation of primary education continued to be a distant dream.
Scope
Functioning
RTE promises a neighbourhood school to each child from the age of 6-14 years which would provide free, compulsory and quality education. The responsibility to provide the same is shared by the Central, State as well as the local government. The act covers various types of schools like the panchayat schools, Sainik schools and private unaided schools, thus, bringing under its purview of both public and private schools.
The duty of getting the child admitted to a neighbourhood school rests on the parent and guardians. In a village school, parents and teachers along with the elected representative can participate in the functioning of the school through ‘School Management Committees’. This committee is expected to perform functions like preparing a school development plan to monitor the utilisation of funds by the school.
RTE makes it mandatory for the private schools to reserve 25% of their seats for children belonging to economically weaker sections. Further, it prohibits any capitation fee or test or interview of child or the parent for admission. Mr Ashok Agarwal who heads Social Jurist, a group of lawyers working towards realisation of Right to Education when asked about the challenges which the Act is likely to face, pointed out that “private schools will continue to escape their responsibility and look for loopholes in the Act, it is only continued pressure from the civil society and the Government
ICONIC CITY
T
he CBI has today requested the State High Court to cancel the bail granted to the Vice-chairman of Jagathi publications Vijay Sai Reddy, who was second person accused in the Jagan assets case. The CBI moved a house motion petition seeking cancellation of the bail. The Chief Justice of the High Court, however, did not accept the petition; but advised the CBI to file the petition on Monday. In view of this, the CBI is likely to move a petition on Monday. It may be recalled that the Special CBI court had, on Friday, graned bail to Vijay Sai Reddy, who has been arrested three months back in the Jagan assets case. Reddy was released on the same evening. Vijay Sai Reddy had a prolonged meeting with Jaganmohan Reddy on Saturday morning.
Impact on private schools
Gokul chaat, Koti
H
yderabad maybe known for its nawabi cuisine but that does not mean it serves only good biryani. Gokul Chaat located in Koti serves one of the best chaats and hundreds throng this eatery everyday. On August 25, 2005, a bomb planted in Gokul Chaat by terrorists exploded, killing 32 people. Yet, it has not effected the Hyderbadi spirit nor that of the Gokul owners who within
Aishwarya Yerra Hyderabad as a City has a lot to offer in terms of heritage and sights. We take a look at the various places that make this City so special
two months reopened the place and again people starting coming there for mouth watering chaats. Like thousands of Hyderabadis can vouch for, Gokul serves absolutely delicious cutlet ragda, pani puri, samosa chaat, dahi papdi and various other items on the menu. Their hot Mirchi bhaji needs a special mention. The best part is that the prices are economical and their portions are generous. Its is one of the best places to go with group of friends and binge on affordable delicious food.
which could lead to the necessary change.” He also mentioned that, “although private schools must be made more responsible to reduce the prevailing rich and poor divide, one must realise that the remedy lies in strengthening the government schools.” Although RTE provides one of the rare opportunities to change India’s image as a land of hungry, poor and illiterate, it is important to realise that a mere constitutional guarantee is not sufficient it must be accompanied by creation of adequate infrastructure by the government and demand accountability for education by the civil society. (The writer is a Nalsar student)
Hyper Local CLASSIFIEDS FABRICATION
MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012
Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities
Walk with mayor to stay fit communities. It may be recalled that the mayor along with Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy had launched the bicyclone initiative on March 18. The main objective of this initiative is to make Hyderabad a clean and green city.
CIVIC Inkeshaf Ahmed ahmed.m@postnoon.com
B
uoyed by the response his recent initiative, Bicyclone, is getting from residents of the corporation, mayor Mohd Majid Hussain is planning to launch another citizenfriendly initiative to improve the health conditions of over 7.5 million residents of the City. The novel idea will be called ‘Walk with Mayor.’ Majid is planning to launch this initiative either in the last week of this month or in the first week of May. The mayor has already directed officials of the corporation to prepare a detailed list of all the localities that fall under the corporation limits. Once the list is prepared the mayor will select a locality on a random basis and launch his Walk with Mayor in that locality. “I thought this
TRAINING
Statistics n n n
was a good way to increase awareness among Hyderabadis about the importance of incorporating an exercise routine in everyday life. It will also help identify the grievances of the residents,” the mayor told Postnoon. Following the directions of the
mayor, the corporation officials are busy preparing the list of localities and colonies located under GHMC limits. As per the statistics available with the corporation, GHMC has a total number of 647 localities under its limits. These localities consist of residential colonies and gated
Expectant mothers should eat well EDUCATION
HEALTH Anishaa Kumar anishaa.k@postnoon.com
100 DAYS TO GO P28
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“B
eing pregnant does not mean that you need to eat for two,” said Dr Barbara Bjarnson, a nutrition expert from Germany, debunking a common saying we hear in every household the minute the women announces her pregnancy. In town for a talk in association with The Birthplace, Dr Barbara spoke to us about the importance of staying fit and eating well during pregnancy. According to Dr Barbara, the biggest
issue is that when most women start their pregnancy they are overweight. “They should maintain a balanced BMI (Body Mass Index) and eat regular food. Changes in diet should be implemented only from the third or the fourth month.” During pregnancy it is advised that woman should ensure they have four main nutrients and vitamins in their diet namely — iron, calcium, iodine and folic acid. Talking about the kinds of food she says, “Vegetables are the best source of vitamins. Although they are low in energy, vitamins are more important. When it comes to fruits, too many fruits should not be eaten due to their high sugar content. Even when it comes to fruit juice the juice should be diluted with an equal proportion of water.” When it comes to the carbohydrate content she advises starchy vegetables and other starchy food products such as bread. “If you are having bread, whole wheat bread is a better option,” she says. Dr Barbara mentions that from the fourth month the only addition to the diet is an extra 250 calories that’s one banana and a handful of cashews. “A handful is actually 10,” she smiles. Recent studies stress on the importance of long chain poly unsaturated fat that can be found in fish and oils such as canola oil, sunflower oil and soya oil. It is said to improve IQ and cognitive thinking, she adds. Talking about people’s understanding about the right kind of food in Germany, she says, “Germany is similar to India with not many people aware about these concepts. There is a need for awareness.”
Total number of localities: 647 Number of localities present in core area: 254 Number of localities located in peripheral areas: 393
Before the launch of this initiative the mayor had announced that he would encourage cycling by developing dedicated corridors for this purpose. The civic body has alloted the Necklace road stretch for bicyling between 5am to 7am every day. The next corridor to be developed for this purpose will be the Hitech city corridor.
GHMC ropes in residents for tax collection Factfile n
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CIVIC Postnoon News feedback@postnoon.com
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fter creating a record by collecting `634 crore worth property tax, the highest amount collected till date in the history of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), the largest civic body in the State is now turning to residential welfare associations for help. This move came after the GHMC extended the last date of payment of property tax for the last financial year to end of this month. Finance wing officials of the corporation have now set a target of another `100 crore through property tax. At a recent meeting, commissioner of the corporation
Property tax collection in 2011-12: `634 crore Property tax collection in 2010-11: `494 crore.
MT Krishna Babu directed officials to launch this initiative and hold talks with representatives of residential welfare associations seeking their help to collect property tax. “The idea is to involve residential welfare associations in collecting property tax dues from residents. This will help the corporation increase its income and undertake development works,” commissioner MT Krishna Babu told Postnoon. According to the official statistics, the corporation has about 12.28 lakh properties under its limits. Out of these properties a total of 10 lakh properties are said to be residential and the rest of the over 2 lakh properties are commercial. The corporation officials are confident that they will achieve the target set by the commissioner by this month end.
Hyper Local
MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012
Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities
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SRINIVAS SETTY & N SHIVA KUMAR
Beef fest turns OU into war zone Postnoon News feedback@postnoon.com
O
smania University, which played host to the ‘beef festival,’ erupted in violence on Sunday. Students belonging to several right wing organisations agitated against the slaughter of bovines. Trouble began when around
200 students supported by right wing student groups shouted slogans against beef eating. Their attempts to barge into the festival were stalled by the police. As the situation tensed up, the mob started throwing stones over the police cordon. The police fired teargas shells to quell the mob. A media OB van was burnt by students and a technician was injured. In all,
five people were injured. The vice-chancellor of the university, professor Satyanarayana Rao termed the situation as “unfortunate”. Allegedly, Rama Rao, a student of MA Sanskrit, was stabbed by a group of students last night in his hostel room. According to his statement, he was resting in his room when a group of unknown men entered
and attacked him. “An injured Rama Rao came with his friends, and filed a complaint against the opposition party. We are going to investigate further,” said a sub-inspector at Kacheguda police station. However, the opposition party claims that no such incident took place and allege that Rama Rao injured himself on purpose to create more tension on the campus. According to reports, a few students who had their faces covered, allegedly attacked women students on Sunday afternoon. According to Raju, an ABVP leader, the group had registered a complaint regarding the beef festival with the VC and other
faculty, but they turned a blind eye to it. According to the ABVP activists, trouble broke out after dinner and they do not know who is responsible for it. But it is learnt that the students’ wing of the ABVP got in touch with BJP leaders as soon as the beef festival was announced. Since BJP is supporting the Telangana cause and most of the participants in the festival were T-supporters, BJP did not intervene, it is alleged. ABVP has called for an OU bandh today. “They have attacked our men. We are taking out a rally to demand that the accused be arrested,” said ABVP national executive member Rama Krishna.
17,064.77 29.74
5,199.60 7.85
BSE
NSE
Business
10g= `28,800
GOLD
1kg= `55,900
SILVER
`51.62
DOLLAR
Matters of saving and spending
Farm sector seeks reform Prudhvi Raju K prudhvi.k@postnoon.com
A
griculture is the principal source of livelihood for around 60 per cent of the population. India is also second largest food producer in the world as fulfills the needs of its 120 crore population. Despite the great importance the sector holds, it is still struggling to grow due to various factors. Many farmers went on crop holiday in the coastal districts of the State as farming is not viable. Farmer suicides has been continuing for more than 12 years in the country proving that no government had taken steps to reform the sector. Agriculture sector did not grow as expected due to various government policies. Liberalisation in 1990 has helped manufacturing and service sector. The country has seen robust financial growth because of the investments poured in by the foreign investors. This has brought new technologies and also made markets open for Indian manufacturing products and services. It not only helped those sectors but also played a crucial role in the growth of the country. However, agriculture was not included in
the liberalisation. Agriculture is always seen to fill the food needs of the countrymen rather than growth of 72 crore farmers, said P Chengal Reddy, secretary-general, Consortium of Indian Farmers Associations. It costs about Rs1,450 to produce a bag (100 kg) of paddy. However, the government set minimum support price (MSP) of Rs1,110. Any business needs at least 10-15 per cent margins for the growth. The farmers are forced to sell at the price fixed by the government despite losses. The same bag of paddy costs around Rs8,000 in the Gulf but
Rachnoutsav Events Academy launched Postnoon News
R
achnoutsav Events, a citybased event management company, has launched a full-fledged events academy in the City. It is the first academy in South Asia to offer an integrated full-time learning program in event management and wedding planning. Rachnoutsav Events Academy will also have a possible tie-up with a South African Wedding planning school to share their experience in handling Indian
detect beta-Amyloid plaque deposition in the brain — an indication of probable Alzheimer's disease. Detection of beta-Amyloid depositions is expected to result in earlier diagnosis and more specific treatment of Alzheimer's disease, Piramal said. PTI
uation by connecting farmer directly to the retailer and also by creating the necessary infrastructure in food storage and supply. Various political parties in the country for their own selfish needs did not let the Bill pass through, said Reddy. The investments in the sector gradually decreased from 1970s by the government. The private sector has much bigger role to play for the growth of the sector. At least, government can facilitate the private sector and bring in investments in the irrigation sector, fertilisers, biotechnology through various reforms. Moreover, there are unnecessary fears inculcated by the NGOs hindering the construction of irrigation projects, research in biotechnology, and also the usage of fertilisers, he alleges. Liberalisation will bring in foreign capital in areas like technology, infrastructure like cold chains and research for production. The farmer also can have tie-ups with various international companies for contract farming and can export the produced to get a better price. The government should take steps in this direction making Indian farming viable and profitable, Reddy adds.
Ajay Banga to head US-India trade council
weddings as well as to train students in Indian wedding planning. The courses include basic Professional Foundation Course in Event Management, Advance Masters Course in Event Management and Advanced Masters Course in Wedding Planning and Designing. The envisaged project will cost `75 crore over 10 years. It will set up five new training centres in next five years and will launch another 10 centres under franchisee arrangement.
Piramal inks Bayer deal MUMBAI: Drugmaker Piramal Healthcare today said it has entered into an agreement to acquire worldwide rights to the molecular imaging research and development portfolio of Bayer Pharma AG. The portfolio includes rights to florbetaben, which helps
the Indian farmer could not have access to those markets. The Government is hindering the growth of the sector by not only the price but also by controlling the interstate and international exports, he said. There are five to six links in the supply chain with middleman exploiting at each level. Around 30 per cent of the price paid by the customer is going to the farmer due to these linkages. Around 50 per cent of the produce goes waste because lack of infrastructure and proper linkages. FDI in multi brand would have helped to overcome this sit-
WASHINGTON: Ajay Banga, president & CEO of MasterCard Worldwide, has been elected next chairman of the US-India Business Council (USIBC), a trade association made of 350 top American and Indian companies. Banga, who became the president and CEO of global payments and technology company in July, 2010, takes over from Harold “Terry” McGraw III, pres-
`81.70
ident, chairman, and CEO of The McGraw-Hill Companies. “As a long time supporter and member of USIBC, I have witnessed the Council’s stature and influence rise dramatically as a direct result of the iconic leadership provided by former chairs Chip Kaye, Indra Nooyi, and Terry McGraw,” said Banga. “It is an exceptional honour to be entrusted with such a legacy and I look forward to building on their successes.” Banga currently serves on the board of Kraft Foods and is a member of such prestigious groups as the Council on Foreign Relations, the Business Roundtable, and the Foreign Policy Association. Banga’s “deep business experience in India, as well his global business acumen and leadership, will be enormously helpful as we move forward to realise the full potential of closer US-India relations,” said McGraw. PTI
POUND MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012 9 NUMEROLOGY
`1.4
crore
is what US-based Bank of America paid to Mukesh Ambani as director’s compensation during 2011.
THUS SPAKE “I think, now, more than ever before, in the US, as in India, there is a clear recognition in advancing the India-US relationship to a new level of higher engagement fully befitting of our strategic partnership,” Nirupama Rao, Indian ambassador to the United States
SUN RISE Japan is considering lending about $60 billion to the IMF to help strengthen a global firewall against contagion from the European sovereign debt crisis, Kyodo news agency said on Sunday. Tokyo is talking with some other key members of the IMF such as China and European nations to finalise their possible contributions to the multilateral lender, ahead of the G20 finance chiefs’ meeting later this week in Washington. If realised, Japan’s contribution could be one of the biggest by a member nation, Kyodo quoted an unnamed government official as saying.
OPENING SHOP Australia's leading bank Westpac today said it will open its first branch in India to increase commercial and wholesale banking business in the region after having received clearance from the Reserve Bank of India. Having operated a representative office in the country for the last five years, Westpac announced it has received in-principle approval for a foreign banking licence to operate in India. The licence allows the bank to now carry out rupee-denominated transactions. Its first branch in India will open in Mumbai.
India‑View
10
MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012
India unveiled
Delhi youth seek right to not vote NEW DELHI: As Delhi voted on
Minefield of controversies awaits new army chief W
hen Lt Gen Bikram Singh takes over as India’s 27th army chief on May 31, he will be the first ever to be elevated to the force’s top job under such negativity and potentially incendiary conditions, which could embarrassingly unravel, as they at times tend to, during his tenure. All previous army — indeed, service chiefs — had taken charge amidst great goodwill and amity. Sadly, the minefield of adverse circumstances and downright pessimism ahead of Gen Singh’s imminent elevation,
regardless of his seniority and soldierly competence, has all the hallmarks of diminishing this highly regarded military office. For Gen Bikram Singh not only inherits a poisoned chalice with regard to deteriorating relations between army headquarters and the ministry of defence, exacerbated further by a series of sensational media reports, but, unlike his predecessors, faces legal challenges ahead of becoming army chief that could embarrass him later. He is a defendant in an alleged fake encounter case in the Jammu and Kashmir HC dat-
ing back to 2001 which could be decided some time during his tenure as army chief. Alongside, he figures prominently in the army’s unresolved Court of Inquiry (CoI) over charges of rape and sexual harassment by some 60 Indian soldiers in 2008 when he was deputy force commander of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The former, more daunting case pertains to the army chief designate’s involvement as Rashtriya Rifles Brigade Commander in an encounter in Janglat Mandi in Anantnag dis-
trict 11 years ago in which Muhamad Abdullah Bhat, 60, a reported LeT cadre was one of two terrorists shot and killed. The petition filed last year by Bhat’s mother and sister, claims that Abdullah was a labourer and not a militant . Both claimed he was killed in a staged shootout. Defence lawyers, however, maintain the genuineness of the encounter, a claim endorsed by the local police on grounds that Brig Singh was injured — and later decorated for gallantry — in the firefight in which a lt colonel and an army jawan too died. IANS
Govt struggles to store bumper crop NEW DELHI: The problem of plenty is once again troubling the government as it does not know where to store the bumper grains to be harvested for the third year in a row. Fears are rising that the grains would be out in the open, rot and be eaten by rodents even as millions go hungry in the country which is planning to enact a right to food law. The government’s plans to create additional storage space have so far moved at a snail’s pace. For instance, of the additional storage capacity of 19 million tonnes (MT) planned by 2012-13 through public-private partnership, only 0.5MT could be created till January 2012. “The states fail to provide land for the purpose,” said a food ministry official, citing the reason for the tardy progress of the scheme. Experts say the gov-
ernment’s move to attract private players to build warehouses and other infrastructure has not succeeded because it does not offer tax benefits to them. With wheat procurement having started this month, the government is looking at a record crop over 90MT this April-June season. But the total storage capacity available is 53.4MT, including 33.4MT with the FCI functioning under the Centre, and 20MT with the states. Of this, ministry sources said, storage utilisation is 76 per cent, leaving around 24 per cent capacity unutilised due to lack of proper planning. According to one estimate, up to seven percent of annual grain production goes waste due to insufficient storage space and inefficient transport and distribution networks. IANS
Sunday for it’s trifurcated municipal corporation, a 19-year-old boy here reached the Delhi Election Commission to demand his right for not voting. Akshay Malhotra, 19, who is from Karampura area of west Delhi, reached Delhi Election Commission on Sunday morning to complain that he was not allowed to practice his right not to vote. “I reached the local polling booth and asked them for the form 11A, but the booth level officers were not aware about it,” he told IANS after registering his complaint. Asked why he did not want to vote for any candidate, he said, “I did not find any of the candidates good enough to vote for. They are all corrupt and even last night, some candidates were distributing liquor here.” The youth added that he is a member of Anna Hazare’s anti-graft movement . Malhotra is not the only one not interested in voting for any of the candidates. Several voters, mostly youth, across the city said they were choosing not to vote. When 27-year-old Mayank Agarwal reached booth No 225 in Anand Vihar area, he wanted to practice his right not to vote under rule 49O. “No one was aware what 49O is. The booth officer contacted the polling officer, and then he contacted his senior... there was a lot of drama and the whole polling booth came to a standstill,” recounted Agarwal. “However, I was later allowed to practice my right not to vote,” he said. Voters can decide not to vote under two rules: First is 490, under which voters fill the form for not voting without taking part in any procedures at the booth. Another rule, 11A, applies when a voter decides not to vote after completing the initial procedures. “If the voter decides not to vote after completing procedures like signing or putting thumb impression against his or her name, getting the ink mark, and going to the voting machine, then he has to do it under 11A,” an Election Commission official said. According to data released by Association for Democratic Research, 139 candidates or 9 per cent have declared criminal cases against them. Of these, 43 have declared criminal cases like murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, robbery, extortion. Of them, BJP has 39, Congress has 28, BSP has 19, and SP has 4 candidates with declared criminal cases. IANS
India‑View
11
MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012
India unveiled
PM opens security meet, flags left-wing extremism NEW DELHI: Left-wing extremism, religious fundamentalism and ethnic violence are major challenges facing the country, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said here on Monday and urged states to fight them together with the central government. “Left-wing extremism, religious fundamentalism and ethnic violence are the major internal security challenges facing the country... I urge the states to fight them together with the centre,” Manmohan Singh said while inaugurating the annual conference of chief ministers on internal security here. “The internal security situation in the country since February 2011 has been by and large satisfactory,” he said. Stating that India needs to strengthen its defence against terrorism, he said this was necessary keeping in mind the growing instability. The situation concerning left-wing extremism was better in 2011 than in 2010 but there
Jaya to host anti-NCTC chief ministers
NEW DELHI: Three nonCongress chief ministers, who are opposed to setting up of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, are likely to meet their Tamil Nadu counterpart J Jayalalithaa separately here today was still a “long way to go”, the prime minister said. He also said the number of districts under the integrated action plan to push development has been increased from 60 to 78 across seven states
Jalandhar factory collapses JALANDHAR: Several workers were feared trapped under debris after a four-storeyed factory building collapsed in Punjab's Jalandhar city, 150km from state capital Chandigarh. Police said that the building of the blanket manufacturing factory, located in the city's Focal Point area, collapsed following a blast in the factory's boiler around midnight Sunday. Over 70 workers were inside the factory — Sheetal Fibres — when the building collapsed. Over 45 workers had been rescued till Monday morning. Many of them had injuries and thus admitted to hospitals here for treatment, said Deputy Commissioner Priyank Bharti. Initial rescue efforts were hampered by the location of the factory being in a congested area and due to darkness. A worker, with serious injuries, was rescued from the debris, officials said. Rescue teams of the district administration were trying to rescue the remaining trapped workers. The rescue work was being carried out by personnel of the fire brigade and police. IANS
to evolve a strategy against the proposed anti-terror body. Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Punjab's Parkash Singh Badal and Orissa CM Naveen Patnaik are expected to meet Jayalalithaa separately at affected by Maoist violence. Referring to the controversial proposal of setting up a National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Manmohan Singh said he would discuss the issue with the chief ministers on May 5.
the Tamil Nadu Bhawan here. The chief ministers are here to attend the Conference on Internal Security convened by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here today. All the four CMs have publicly expressed their opposition to the NCTC which led the Centre to put the move on hold and convene a separate meeting of Chief Ministers on May 5. They had called the move to set up NCTC was against the federal structure. During their meeting with Jayalalithaa, Modi and other leaders would discuss a strategy to be adopted at the May 5 meeting. PTI Union home minister P Chidambaram, who spoke before the prime minister, described left-wing extremism as the most formidable security challenge facing the country. IANS
TOP GUEST
GLOBE AT A GLANCE 5 of family charred to death in Kolkata KOLKATA: Five members of a family were burnt to death this morning after a three-storeyed building in which they stayed caught fire in south Kolkata, police said. Three fire tenders were immediately rushed to the spot at Moore Avenue and the blaze was brought under control. The exact cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained. Investigations are on, officials said. PTI
2 women die, 150 fall ill after drinking water JALGAON: Two women died and over 150 people fell ill after they allegedly consumed untreated and impure water, police said. The victims have been identified as Rukhmabai Shamrao Tayade and Bankabai Bhaltadak . Following the incident, the enraged residents allegedly set the village panchayat office on fire.
Photos of a young Dilip Kumar at a shop near his ancestral home at Mohalla Khudadad in Peshawar, Pakistan. PTI
Govt clinic opens OP ward for transgenders ERODE: A separate outpatient ward for transgenders has been opened at the government hospital here, following a request from them, Dr N Sengottiyan, joint director of health services has said. He made the announcement at a function in connection with ‘Transgender day’ celebrations. The Transgender Association sought free housing facilities for all transgenders in Erode.
Gowda accepts BSY’s suggestions on drought SHIMOGA: Karnataka Chief Minister DV Sadananda Gowda said he had accepted the suggestions of former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa on how to tackle drought situation in the state. The state was adopting measures to combat drought in the state on a war footing and has accepted the suggestions made by Yeddyurappa in this regard, he told reporters here.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh greets newly married Sanjay and Nivedia, daughter of PTI BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi, at their reception in New Delhi on Sunday.
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi administers polio drops to a child during polio immunisation day in Gandhinagar on Sunday. PTI
Around the World
12
MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012
Beyond Borders
Zimbabwe’s wildlife on Chinese workers’ menu V
iewed as prestigious dishes, they would be expensive to serve at banquets back in China. But in Zimbabwe they are relatively cheap. Worse yet, in this cashstrapped country there’s a lack of resources to thwart the appetite for endangered game, conservation groups say. China is investing significantly in mining, agriculture and construction, and its companies bring along thousands of workers. Where there are Chinese in Africa, illegal trade in rare animals inevitably increases, according to experts. One recent case in Zimbabwe involved the gruesome discovery of meat and skeletal remains of 40 tortoises, during a raid on Chinese workers' homes in Masvingo province. The endangered Bell’s Hinged tortoises had been dropped into boiling water while still alive in order to separate the meat from the shell, police and animal welfare officials said. Authorities also found 13 live Bell’s Hinged tortoises — which are protected under international laws governing trade of endangered species — kept in steel drums without water or food. Four Chinese workers were fined $300 each and deported over the killing of endangered tortoises “for personal consumption.” “Our wildlife remains a legacy for future generations of Zimbabweans and we should jealously guard their future wellbe-
ing,” the Zimbabwe National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ZNSPCA) said at the time. “It’s an ongoing trend. If it’s not tortoises, it’s dogs, if it’s not dogs, it’s pythons,” he said. “We’ve even been told that leopard is also in demand.” Chinese “are encouraging local communities to procure the meat for them,” Lanca added. There have been reports of Chinese workers stealing baby tortoises from nature conservancies in Zimbabwe, leading at least one to ramp up security. Lanca said another major concern is trade in endangered animal parts used in Chinese medicine,
including pangolin scales and lion bones. China's embassy in Zimbabwe wouldn't comment on the accusations, but was aware of the tortoise case. Chinese workers "respect the culture here," and "the Chinese people are doing a lot of good things," including helping Zimbabwe's economy, the embassy spokesman added. There’s a saying in China that people from the country’s south are renowned for eating everything with legs except tables, and everything that flies except airplanes. But it’s not just rare animals that are being targeted for the din-
ner plate. Chinese nationals are also said to be buying dogs from villagers. “Some are strays, but they could well be people’s pets,” Lanca said. Two years ago, Chinese engineers installing transmitters in Matabeleland South were accused of stealing local dogs to kill and eat. Several Chinese nationals were arrested after being found brutally slaughtering dogs at their camp, but were released with only a police warning. The problem seems to be continuing: Zimbabwe’s Financial Gazette reported last month on allegations that dogs and cats are being served at upmarket Chinese restaurants in Harare. Last year, China sent a highlevel delegation to Zimbabwe to hold seminars encouraging Chinese expatriates to respect the local culture, after reports of poor treatment and underpayment of workers caused resentment and anger. Lanca said the ZNSPCA doesn’t have the money or human resources to address the new problems caused by Chinese workers. The organization, financed entirely by donors, is already tasked with looking after the welfare of all Zimbabwe’s animals, from pet hamsters to giraffes and everything in between. “We’re terribly, terribly underfunded,” Lanca said, adding: “If we had enough vehicles and manpower, we could take tackle this.” GLOBALPOST
Taking Korean road to ‘stardom’ SEOUL: It was in the mid-2000s when South Korean plastic surgeon Joo Kwon noticed a trickle of Chinese women walking into his clinic, even though he hadn't advertised overseas. "They somehow found a way to the clinic... and nearly all of them said they want the face of Lee Young-Ae," Joo said, referring to a top South Korean actress who starred in the pan-Asian hit drama "Jewel in the Palace". The trickle has now turned into a flood of Chinese packing Joo's JK Plastic Surgery Centre and many other clinics, lured by the looks of South Korean entertainers who have taken Asia by storm. A Hallyu (Korean wave) of pop culture over the past decade has won a devoted fan base in China, Southeast Asia and Japan. The South's TV dramas dominate prime-time airwaves and K-pop
bands sell out concerts and top the charts. Now skilled plastic surgeons in the looks-obsessed South — who often helped beautify Korean stars in the first place — are enjoying an unexpected boom as they do the same for their foreign fans. According to government data, overall medical spending by foreign visitors hit a record $116 million last year. Fourteen per cent sought plastic surgery or skin treatments such as botox. Almost a half of all foreigners seeking a nose job, a facelift, a jawbone reduction or a tummy tuck were from China. Their number nearly tripled from 1,657 in 2009 to 4,400 in 2010. Many star-struck foreigners visit clinics with photos of celebrities like Kim Hee-Sun, a popular actress in Asia, and ask surgeons to emulate her nose angle or eyes. Cut-throat competition
This picture shows a reception hall at JK Plastic Surgery Center in Seoul. AFP/ KIM JAE-HWAN among the country's growing number of plastic surgeons — who now number some 1,700 — made them even more aggressive in trying to lure new clients, he said.
Joo's clinic in Seoul's affluent Gangnam district — home to more than 400 plastic surgery and skin-treatment clinics — is at the forefront of such efforts. AFP
576 years jail, no laughing matter
R
ichard Heeringa, 55, was sentenced on Thursday to 576 years in prison on 17 counts of sexually assaulting a child after laughing at Judge Paul King during his sentencing. Richard Heeringa, 55, was sentenced on Thursday to 576 years in prison on 17 counts of sexually assaulting a child, reported the Huffington Post. Heeringa declined to speak during his hearing, but clearly found the proceedings humorous. He laughed at Judge Paul King as his sentence was read, who then said, "If you're laughing now, stay tuned. You deserve every century that I'm going to give you." According to local news outlet the Denver Westword, Heeringa was found guilty on the 17 charges of sexual assault on a child by a person of trust and on failing to register as a sex offender during his Michigan trial in April 2010. The same day the jury reached its guilty verdict, Heeringa fled in the middle of the night. Heeringa wasn't seen again until his arrest in Detroit in November 2011. A local citizen tipped off police to his whereabouts, according to CNN. He had been living in a Detroit home for about a year under the alias Tim Thurman. Heeringa has two other sex assault cases pending in Colorado and previously served 12 years in prison in Michigan following a sex assault conviction there. He had been on the division's Top 15 Most Wanted list. The press release goes on to state that in 2004, Heeringa was released from prison and met a single mother from Colorado. By 2005, he was living with the mother and her then 12-year-old daughter, who he began sexually abusing. Heeringa allegedly continued to abuse her until January 2008, when the daughter came forward about the abuse. GLOBALPOST
Around the World
13
MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012
Beyond Borders
Kabul siege ends with all militants dead AFP PHOTO / MASSOUD HOSSAINI
GLOBE AT A GLANCE 5.8 quake strikes off Indonesia’s Sulawesi JAKARTA: A moderate 5.8-magnitude earthquake rocked Indonesia’s Sulawesi island on Monday, the US Geological Survey said, The quake struck at 10:17 am (0217 GMT), at a depth of nearly 10 kilometres, 169 kilometres northwest of Kendari. There were no immediate reports of damage. Two huge earthquakes struck off Indonesia’s Sumatra island last week, triggering an Indian Ocean-wide tsunami alert.
Australia to lift some Myanmar sanctions SYDNEY: Australia said on Monday it will lift sanctions against Myanmar’s president and more than 200 others who are currently under travel and financial bans, after a series of reforms in the past year. However, some 130 names will remain on the restricted list, including senior members of the military.
A member of the foreign forces shoots at a building being used by insurgents near the scene of an attack in Kabul.
Smoke rises from the Provicial Reconstruction Team, the site of an attack in Jalalabad on Sunday.
KABUL: All the Taliban militants who launched coordinated weekend attacks on Afghanistan’s capital have been killed and the fighting is over, an official said Monday. The attackers’ last two strongholds — in the diplomatic enclave and near the parliament — had been cleared, Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi told AFP. “All attackers are dead, the fighting is over,” he said. Earlier, gunfire was heard as
response to requests from the Afghans. The US, British, German and Japanese embassy compounds came under fire as militants attacked the city’s diplomatic enclave and tried to storm parliament, sparking a gun battle as lawmakers and bodyguards fired back from the rooftop. Outside the capital, militants attacked government buildings in Logar province, the airport in Jalalabad, and a police facility in the town of Gardez in Paktya
Indo-American wins school board election WASHINGTON:
A young Indian American has created history of sorts after winning the primaries in a school board election in the State of Maryland. Raheela Ahmed, 18, finished first in the Prince George’s County (Maryland) Board of Education elections, while the incumbent School Board Chairwoman, Jeana Jacob, received about 1,000 votes less than her. Jacobs has been the School Board Chair for the past five years, and is vying for her second re-election. She received 25 per cent of votes compared to Raheela’s 34 per cent. If elected in November, Raheela, an undergraduate student at University of Maryland, will become part of a nine-member School Board, which administers the 18th largest school system in the US, with more than 120,000 students and an annual budget of USD 1.6 billion. She had over 50 volunteers to help her go door to door in neighbourhoods and campaign. PTI
police launched an assault on a militant stronghold in the capital’s diplomatic enclave in Wazir Akbar Khan. Kabul was hit by a wave of attacks in three areas on Sunday, with embassies and foreign military bases coming under fire in what Taliban insurgents said was the start of their spring offensive. Afghan security forces took the lead in countering the assault, but a spokesman for NATO forces in the country said they had provided air support in
province, where a NATO helicopter was reportedly deployed against them. The attacks raise fears over the precarious security situation in Afghanistan as NATO prepares to withdraw its 130,000 troops by the end of 2014 and hand responsibility for security to Afghan forces. But US Ambassador Ryan Crocker said the ability of Afghan security forces to respond to the attacks was a “clear sign of progress”. AFP
UN monitors in Syria T
he first UN monitors have arrived in Syria, as part of a peace deal aimed at ending over a year of violence. UN peacekeeping spokesman Kieran Dwyer said the six observers had landed in the capital, Damascus, and would begin work on Monday. The group left New York after the UN Security Council passed a resolution on Saturd ay, authorising their deployment. Earlier, troops reportedly bombarded the restive city of Homs, straining the country’s already fragile ceasefire. The six are the first of 30 monitors approved for the observation mission, although UN and Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, who mediated the plan, hopes to eventually increase the number to over 200. “The other monitors in the advance party are still expected in Syria in coming days,” Dwyer told AFP news agency. ‘World is watching’ Syria’s state news agency Sana said the country “wel-
Mexican presidential candidate for the National Action Party (PAN), Josefina Vazquez Mota, attends a rally in Guadalajara, Mexico. AFP
Swiss woman abducted by gunmen in Mali TIMBUKTU: A Swiss woman has been abducted in the rebel-held northern Malian city of Timbuktu, officials and residents said. The woman, a Christian in her 40s called Beatrice, was kidnapped from her house by armed men, residents said. Most foreigners fled Timbuktu after Tuareg and Islamist rebels seized the town early this month in the aftermath of a military coup.
Tornadoes kill five in US Midwest
Anti-regime demonstration is seen in the early hours of Sunday in Daraa. SHAM NEWS NETWORK/AFP
OKLAHOMA: Tornadoes have hit a large swathe of the US Midwest, killing at least five people in Oklahoma, officials say. Twisters were also reported in Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska as the storm front swept east. The deaths occurred before dawn in the town of Woodward, Oklahoma, after warning sirens failed to sound. At least 29 people were injured.
shelling, which was said to be the fiercest since the truce began at dawn on Thursday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an activist group, said shells had been fired at a rate of one a minute. “As I’ve been stating previously, while we welcome the cessation of violence at this time I warn that the whole world is watching with sceptical eyes whether this will be sustainable,” Ban said.
Colombian singer Shakira (R) speaks as Obama looks on during an event to hand over land titles to the Afro-Colombian community in Cartagena, Colombia. AFP
comes” the monitors, and hopes that the team will bear witness to the “crimes” being carried out by “armed terrorist groups”. Earlier, speaking from Geneva, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed concern after hours of shelling were reported in Homs, and appealed for both sides to abide by the truce. Activists said at least three people were killed in the
Comment
MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012
Fair, free and forthright
Cast’e’ in injustice
Editorials TALIBAN CUTS celebrations short
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he ‘spring offensive’ sprung by Taliban in the heart of heavily-guarded Kabul has once again demonstrated the West has gone off on the wrong tangent in assessing the threat posed by the Islamic militant group — which it drove out of power in 2001. The Afghanistan campaign has become a political, economic and logistics quagmire for the US and its allies as they prepare to hand over power to the fledgling Afghan army. The local forces, though trained by the best and equipped with the most modern fighting gear, has time and again proved that they are far from a professional army. There have been several incidents of the ISAF forces complaining to their senior officers about the unreliability of the Afghan forces in combat situations. The killing of civilians in operations targeted and Taliban and AlQaeda fighters have alienated the local population — the recent massacre of villagers by a deranged marine has only made the situation worse. The Afghan war is far from over.
WHYE WE LOVE free Web
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hen Google founder, Sergey Brin speaks, the world listens, and his rather dystopic vision, in a recent Guardian interview, of an Internet shackled by Apple and Facebook should give us pause. The Web is nothing if it isn’t free, and it is up to us, its denizens to speak out against barriers. We love the Free Web, and we must keep it that way.
14
THE HUMAN ANGLE Babu Gogineni
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n April 14, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi had a golden opportunity to offer a new vision for politics in the country. He was holding a review meeting with his colleagues in UP to understand their party’s recent poll debacle. A predominant view at this meeting was that the more successful parties in the election were able to get solid support from identified caste groups whereas the Congress had neither a workable strategy for harvesting votes, nor a dedicated constituency that could serve as a vote bank. Mayavati’s BSP had the Dalits rooting for it, Mulayam Singh’s SP could depend on the Yadavs, but what about the Congress? Even the Brahmins, the party’s traditional mainstay, were withdrawing their support because they felt marginalised in the absence of any leadership positions in the party machinery. In rhetorical response to this complaint, and to establish that this was not the case, Rahul Gandhi countered “I am a Brahmin and I am general secretary of the Congress party”. For some, the issue is about facts. Would Rahul Gandhi have been appointed general secretary of the Congress if he was not the scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family? Further, since Jawaharlal Nehru, his maternal great grandfather, was an agnostic who rejected caste, Feroze Gandhi, his paternal grandfather, was a Parsee, Sonia Gandhi, his mother, is a Christian who married his father in a Hindu ritual, what would Rahul Gandhi’s caste be? In India one can choose one’s religion and, except in some states, one can freely adopt a religion of one’s choice. But it is a complex law that will decide what one’s caste is when the lineage is not straight forward, because caste is linked to birth, not belief. In any case, why did the young, forward-looking Rahul Gandhi declare that he was a Brahmin? Was it fitting for a person widely believed to be in the line for the PM’s job to identify himself with the insidious, divisive, discriminating, socially incestuous caste system? With its graded system of inequalities based on profession or colour, with its foundation in the dogma of rebirth and pre-destination, and now its deepening association with electoral politics, the caste system continues to be a significant threat to Indian
Trouble in OU
Water Woes
The controversy surrounding the ‘beef fest’ in Osmania University is spiralling out of control. On the surface, it looks like clash of beliefs but I believe it has turned out to be clash of egos between two groups fighting for dominance. For the past two years, OU campus has been rocked with several protests and this latest protest might disrupt the temporary peace prevailing in the campus. I don’t see anything wrong in people eating beef. If some people have problem with what others eat, they need counseling! Shyam Sundar Dilsukhnagar
There’s no end to the water woes in the city. Ground water levels are going below almost in all parts of the city and uncontrolled drilling to install borewells has made the issue worse than it is. I live in the outskirts of the city and our area has been grappling with water problem every summer. Everytime we call the Water board for a tanker, it takes ages for it reach our apartment. Despite several complaints, the water board hasn’t addressed the issue yet. The summer has just begun and if the situation prevails, I am worried that it’ll be extremely difficult to deal with the water woes. S Ramaswamy Kukatpally
democracy and human solidarity. The caste system made it possible to deny the humanity of other humans based on their birth, prescribed different punishments for different castes for the same crime, and weakened society. The fight against the caste system is a fight for human freedom and dignity — and it is a fight for a stronger, modern India. Historically, progress in India has been measured by the advances society made against the privileges and discriminations perpetuated by the caste system. Buddhism started by rejecting the caste system; and in the 11 th century the Hindu religious reformer Ramanuja condemned untouchability and adopted many ‘untouchables’ as his disciples. Minister Sri Basaveswara of Mysore State fought the caste system with great vigour in the 12th century, breaking taboos of purity and pollution while Minister Brahma Naidu of Palnadu in Andhra Pradesh appointed Chenna, an ‘untouchable’, as his army chief in the 14th century. Jyothirao Phule and Ranade in Maharashtra, and Narayanaguru in Kerala weakened the stranglehold of caste on Indian society in the 1800s. One sighs therefore with disappointment that instead of helping weaken it further, Rahul Gandhi added strength to the caste system by self-identifying that he was a Brahmin. That he did so on April 14, the birthday of BR Ambedkar, the author of The Annihilation of Caste, and the principal architect of the
TALK BACK 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
Indian Constitution is stunning in his lack of sensitivity and sophistication. Ambedkar showed how the caste system denied human freedom, how it was a division of labourers rather than a division of labour, and called for its destruction. Today, the discriminatory character of the system is sought to be covered under international law that addresses racism and xenophobia. Caste is based on birth and the caste system is a system of racial discrimination. That there are still over 170 million Dalit victims — the stigma of whose birth is a permanent stain on all of us — is why it should be fought. For the last 20 years the cancer of caste based politics has been spreading in the country. From the contest of principles, politics has been transformed into the nurturing of caste identities. This will seriously weaken social cohesion, dilute the Indian identity and defeat the constitutional goals. Citizens and leaders should take note of the consequences of these immoral politics. Rahul missed an opportunity to do so, but he can still show leadership and declare that he and his party will spurn caste identities and caste-based politics. His example should be followed by the others — it is a matter of dire urgency. If this kind of politics does not stop we may have to say with Julius Caesar that the die has been cast for a steady and sure decline of Indian society — Alea Jacta Est (The die has been cast).
A true inspiration Dr Kiran Krishnamurti is a true inspiration for hundreds of those who want to devote their lives to serve mankind. She has been in the profession for more than 25 years and still she has the same passion towards her work. I know several people, who are aspiring doctors, who dream about big bucks without a real passion towards their profession. When I read about people like Dr Krishnamurti, I feel happy that there are at least some doctors left in this society who have responsibility towards their patients. Suhasini John West Marredpally
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CORRECTIONS CLARIFICATIONS
I
n the article City author is a ‘case’ study (April 15) we stated that Krishank Manne was wanted by the police. He has, in fact given himself up on more than one occasion, and is not on any ‘wanted’ list. We also stated that balladeer Gaddar was present at Manne’s book launch. He was not. The errors are regretted.
It is Postnoon’s policy to correct errors swiftly and fairly
Campus
MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012
15
Breaking the mould Software engineering students are no longer happy being confined to writing code on their computers. They seem to be exploring new and exciting career options. Take a look Vaijayanthi Kari feedback@postnoon.com
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en years ago, EAMCET and engineering were a rage among students. Come January, students throughout the state would be immersed in their books preparing for the exam that would define their lives. But today, it is not uncommon to find engineering students not wanting to pursue a career in their field despite having finished four years of study and some don’t sit for their college placements at all. What is the reason for this rising trend? We ask around.
fashion industry for two years and is now playing a role in Shekhar Kammula’s movie Life is beautiful. “I am now a freelance model and generally do ramp shows and photo shoots for various brands. Engineering is that safe net that you can fall back on at any time in your life. I want to get into movies and if it does not happen then I can get back to engineering at any point of time in my life”. Another student Manuj Natraj of JBIET says, “I don’t know why I took up engineering. It looked like there were so many opportunities in the field. But when I actually went to college, it wasn’t encouraging at all. Neither the students
were great nor the facilities. That’s when I started making music and became part of a funk and blues band called Benkh.”
While many realise during college that they don’t want to take up a career in engineering, there are some who definitely give it a shot and then
decide. Abid Bhushan of Team B Films says “I took up a job with Dell after I graduated. But I realised that I couldn’t go about such a mechanical routine. My heart really wasn’t in my work either. That’s when I started my own production house and started making short films and ads. It isn’t risk free like a desk job but it succeeding isn’t rocket since. To do so, you need to have interest and do a lot of hard work”. The idea of entrepreneurship has always excited students. But now they are actually doing it. While some set up their own production houses, some start small scale companies and let their cre-
Where your aptitude lay H Akshay Neelakantham, a final year engineering student in SVIT college has been in the
aving negligible exposure to different kinds of courses and variety of opportunities while one is in school will only lead to wasting precious years of education. So what would be the possible ways to not make a wrong academic choice?
n Assess yourself and find out what you are interested in. n Find out if you can make a living out of it. n Pick out the right course and not waste time, money and energy. n Be pragmatic and not driven by
fantasy. n Try doing this before you pick out a wrong choice of study for college (4 years in the wrong course can drive you nuts). n Talk to people and take advice. There is nothing wrong in asking for help.
ativity soar. A few actually offer various services and solutions to bigger companies.
Prathyush Reddy and Nayan Kumar, from BITS Pilani Hyderabad set up Pixelvide Design Solutions because they are really passionate about designing. Even at the risk of throwing away the big fat paycheques that their engineering degrees would have fetched them. “After my Intermediate, everyone wanted to do engineering or go to an IIT, and so I just followed the crowd. But later when I got some exposure in college, I decided to do something else. So here I am now following passion and instinct and not being a part of the flock” says Prathyush Reddy.
H‑Factor
MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012
Holistic view of mind, body and soul
18
‘His addiction shattered
MY WORLD’
Drugs can ruin much more than just the addict’s life. It can destroy relationships and make people question their faith and trust in others. But it is hardest to deal with when you realise that the one person you thought, you could have a happy ending with, is hooked to drugs. We speak to Shalini (name changed on request), who discovered her boyfriend was a drug addict, on how she faced this brutal reality of a life ruled by drugs
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ife was pretty normal for me and topics like drugs and drug addicts were not even part of my discussions with family or friends. However, my life took a sharp turn when my boyfriend told me about his drug addiction. I had just met him a couple of days back and we got along really well. Here was this really great guy, that I thought I was going to share a wonderful relationship with, till his announcement rocked my world. News of his drug addiction shocked me. All I could do at that moment was try and sort through all the crazy thoughts running through my head to understand the situation. Thoughts like, “Why didn’t he tell me before?” or “What wrong have I done to deserve this?” started hounding me. But then I realised that I had two choices – take it or leave it. I wasn’t ready to let go of this beautiful relationship and I truly believed we were meant to be together. I decided then and there that I would get through this and get him out of it too. How I planned to do that, I had no idea. Fortunately for me, he was honest with me and told me all about how, why and when he’d started doing drugs. He even told me about how the people who’d been supplying him drugs had been caught, his worry and concerns. The more he told me, the more determined I was to help him. The first thing I did was call everyone on my contact list – even people I hadn’t spoken to in years. I did everything I could to get some drugs for him, I couldn’t bear to see him suffer. But most people turned their backs on me. I guess nobody wants to get their hands dirty in such situations. So there I was all alone, trying to get him ‘stuff.’ I didn’t know what I was looking for, how to go about it and where to look for it? The only thing on my mind was to get him out of his misery and pain. I somehow managed to get a few
drugs for him but that was it. In the meantime, I was so tensed about the whole thing that my work began to suffer and my behaviour too changed. My family could notice the change in me and my friends advised me to let go. I felt betrayed and angry. So angry that I said things I would never otherwise have said to him. Despite everything there was this tiny voice in my head that said ‘Hang on! Don’t let go yet.’ I finally saw a ray of hope when I received a message from him saying that he was going to rehab. I was happy that he was going to be fine, but happier for the fact that he wasn’t going to suffer anymore. I was grateful that he trusted me and acknowledged my support. Once into rehab we couldn’t stay in touch as much. After th-
ree months of not knowing how he was doing, he told me he didn’t know when he’d be back. It hurt me immensely, but I couldn’t let him know. When he did come back, he didn’t contact me for the first three weeks. Those were the hardest three weeks of my life. There were no calls or text messages – all we could do was chat with each other. Four weeks after he’d return I learnt that he had gone back to doing drugs – he had found some injections in his room and couldn’t resist. He requested me to find him a few injections till he got his sleeping pattern back to normal, because he couldn’t sleep without the drugs. I was unsure, because I didn’t want to push him deeper into it, but I eventually agreed. I was upset and he promised that he would not do drugs
again. But he never could stop and we both would be out looking for injections for him. Eventually, he realised that this would never stop and that is when he decided to go back to rehab – this time more determined. Today, he’s back from rehab and things are looking good. But when I look back at all those months when he struggled with his drug abuse, I shudder. It was also the time when I realised who my true friends were, they stuck with me through thick and thin. It also taught me that when it comes to dealing with a drug addict, one needs to be patient. You can’t force somebody to quit, but you can stand by them and give them the strength to quit. (As told to Suvarna Bhambure)
SLIMMING ENSURES HEALTHIER BIRTHS WASHINGTON: Even if obese women eat healthy during pregnancy, their babies may suffer future health problems. So it is advisable to lose body weight before going in for pregnancy, says a news study. “We can see fat sequestered in the placentas of obese mothers when it should be going to the baby to support its growth. The nutrient supply region in the placenta of an obese mother is half the size of that of a normal-weight mother, even when both are eating the same healthy diet,” said Yuan-Xiang Pan, epigeneticist and professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois. Pan, who co-authored the study with Rita Strakovsky, blames what he calls the ‘obesogenic’ environment of the mother, which includes increased triglycerides, high levels of the hormone leptin and elevated amounts of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs) circulating in the obese expectant mother’s body, the journal Biology of Reproduction reports. Triglycerides are the primary fat in our bodies, the main constituent in our energy system. Leptin may play an important role in obesityrelated cardiovascular disease while NEFAs are found in animal and vegetable fats and oils. Triglyceride and NEFA levels are nearly twice as high in obese mothers, even when they consume healthy diets during pregnancy. “My advice is, lose weight well before you become pregnant,” Pan said. Pan compared the placentas of obese rats fed a healthy diet during their pregnancies with the placentas of obesity-resistant rats fed the same diet. Obese mothers gave birth to babies that were up to 17 per cent smaller than they should have been. The consequences for those infants may be lifelong.
H‑Factor
MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012
Holistic view of mind, body and soul
19
PREGNANCY SIMPLIFIED
Even fathers have morning sickness?
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CHEMICALS IN PLASTICS, make-up latest cause of diabetes LONDON: Chemicals called phthalates in plastics, cosmetics and toys are the latest reasons why one may have higher chances of developing diabetes, a study reveals. A study in Sweden has found that people with 'modest' levels of the chemicals in their blood are twice as likely to develop diabetes. Phthalates are used as a softening agent in plastics but they can be used in cosmetics such as self-tan and perfumes.
WASHINGTON: Chomping on nuts leads to higher levels of good cholesterol (Hdl, highdensity lipoprotein) and lower levels of C-reactive protein, which can trigger chronic diseases including heart disease, said a new study. “One of the more interesting findings was the fact that tree nut consumers had lower body weight, as well as lower body mass index (BMI) and waist circumfer-
The researchers analysed data from 1,000 people aged over 70, of which 114 developed diabetes. After taking into account factors known to cause type 2 diabetes, including obesity and high cholesterol, they found people with higher levels of phthalates were more likely to develop diabetes, the journal Diabetes Care reported. Monica Lind, associate professor of environmental medicine at the Uppsala
University, Sweden, said: “Although our results need to be confirmed in more studies, they do support the hypothesis that certain environmental chemicals can contribute to the development of diabetes,” according to a university statement. “We have done other studies into the effects of phthalates and discovered people exposed to them have a higher risk of obesity. On a study we did last year, we found pesticides and those kinds of sub-
Be nutty for good health ence compared to non-consumers,” said Carol O’Neil, professor at Louisiana State University Agricultural Centre, who led the study. The study looked at 13,292 men and women (over 19 years) participating in the 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition
Examination Surveys (NHANES), the Journal of the American College of Nutrition reported. Intake was from 24-hour recall data and tree nut consumers were defined as those who consumed a fourth of an ounce daily. Tree nuts
stances gave people a high risk of obesity and osteoporosis.” “Those pollutants containing phthalates are making people obese and now we find they could get diabetes. These products need to be tested,” Lind said. “Anyone is exposed to them in many ways. People can inhale them if they are used in hairspray or fresheners and food can also be contaminated because of phthalates in packaging,” concluded Lind. IANS comprise almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts, said a statement. Nuts were also linked with a five per cent lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome increase the risk for coronary artery disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Tree nut consumers had a lower prevalence of some other risk factors for metabolic syndrome. IANS
hether you’re a woman who hasn’t yet been pregnant or a man who wants to understand what an expectant mother really goes through, some of these things that occur during pregnancy are all strange. These are the weird things that happen during pregnancy that people probably won’t tell you about. n Your Sense of Smell Gets Better During pregnancy, your sense of smell and taste increases. Scientists hypothesise that this is to help pregnant mothers avoid eating small levels of toxins that might not be dangerous to an adult, but could be deadly to a fetus. As smoke, alcohol and coffee are all particularly noticeable to pregnant women, this theory certainly seems to be true . n Contractions Don’t Stop After Birth Most mothers will have contractions for the first few days after birth. The muscle cramps are the body’s way of stopping excess blood loss. If you give birth at the hospital, you’ll still be drugged up and won’t notice. n You Don’t Really Need To Eat For Two Despite the widespread rumors that say pregnant women need to gain all the weight they can in order to birth a healthy baby, the truth is that most women will only need an extra 300 calories per day. That’s equivalent to about one serving of yogurt and half a bagel. Most women only need to gain about 25 pounds throughout their entire pregnancy. Of course, if you happen to be at the buffet and can’t resist the desserts, go ahead and sneak a little extra. No one will give a pregnant woman a hard time if she pigs out. n Your Feet Can Grow Up To One Full Shoe Size If you’re wondering why your feet will get so big when you only gain 25 pounds, it has to do with the excess pressure on your feet paired with relaxed ligaments in your body. As your pregnancy wears on, your body starts to release the tightness of its ligaments to help with the birthing process. Unfortunately for your shoes, this also means your feet start to lose their arch and stretch out on the sides. The flatter, wider shape of your feet will probably be temporary, but if they grow a lot, it could be permanent. n The Father Might Show Symptoms of Pregnancy It’s surprisingly common for a father-to-be to start gaining weight, getting morning sickness and even feel cramps in his lower abdomen. The condition is known as a sympathetic pregnancy or the Couvade Syndrome, which comes from the french word couvee meaning “to hatch”. Source: www.oddee.com
Spotlight
MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012
20
DEEPAK DESHPANDE
REVELLING IN THE FESTIVE SPIRIT The Andhra Pradesh Punjabi Sabha held the Baisakhi festival 2012 at Hitex. Singer Sugandha Mishra enthralled the crowd with her singing. Sugandha Mishra
Charmee
Finding the connection
Allu Arjun visits an exhibition of paintings by Ramakanth in the Muse Art Galler at the Marriott Hotel. The exhibition is titled the choices we made. Tejadeep Kaur
Shikha Verma
Gurupriya & Rajeev Kaur
Magic Screen
MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012
The glamour behind the glitz
TAAPSEE
bets big on Gundello Godaari Boyapati Srinu to direct Mahesh Babu?
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oyapati Srinu is on a roll. After teaming up with Ravi Teja, Venkatesh and Balakrishna in his first three films, his upcoming film Dhammu has NTR in lead role. Now, we hear that he’s going to team up with Mahesh Babu for his next film. Mahesh Babu has reportedly told Boyapati Srinu to write a complete mass entertainer, although the director is yet to narrate a storyline to Mahesh Babu. If all goes well, this will be the first mass entertainer in Mahesh Babu’s career. For now, Boyapati Srinu is concentrating on the post production of Dhammu which is being touted as a blockbuster in the making. The film starring NTR, Trisha and Karthika will hit the screens on April 27. M M Keeravani has composed the music.
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aapsee has plenty to look forward to in 2012. After Daruvu, she’ll soon be seen in Gundello Godaari, an action love story set in the backdrop of the 1986 floods in Godavari districts. Her character is named Sarala and she is confident that her role will impress the audience. Couple of days ago, she posted couple of pictures of her new avatar on Twitter and since then she has been inundated with compliments. “Thanq for all so lovely compliments twitpals! Gives me so much confidence to keep experimenting wid my roles. What’s d fun working in this industry if I can’t experiment with my look n character! I love surprising u all! Trust me, my character in the movie is gonna b beyond all surprises! Tryin to keep patience till release. (sic)” Taapsee posted on Twitter. She’s paired up with Sundeep Kishan in the film which also stars Aadhi and Lakshmi Manchu (who is also its producer). Kumar Nagendra is the director.
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T-TOWN TWEETIES
@Alwayscharan ALL the best Kalyan BABAI and GB team... I heard the item song and its rockin!! Special thanks to dsp fr giving us such good music.
@ramsayz Just done with the LOGO Launch in tamil 4 #YenEndraalKaadhalEnbein. Was a FAB EVENT!Thank u Murgudoss sir, Linguswamy sir for ur kind Words!
@shrutihaasan Our music director dsp has given us yet another rocking album!! And what a performance at the audio launch! Electric energy !
@_Hansika Heylo tweeps just got bck from Chennai n took a hour out to read ur tweets:) i may not reply to al ur tweets but i do appreciate ur efforts..
@taapsee Y d hell is delhi so cold in mid april! Weather god seems 2b up2 somethng really weird!
M S Raju’s son in Toonega Toonega
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S Raju’s upcoming film Toonega Toonega will mark the debut of his son Sumanth Ashwin. The film’s logo was launched couple of days ago in the presence of D Ramanaidu, Venkatesh, Shyam Prasad Reddy, Kodi Ramakrishna, B Gopal, Koti and Dil Raju. After Vaana, M S Raju had once again taken over the reins to direct this film. Maganti Ramachandran is producing the film and Dil Raju is going to distribute the film. Sumanth Ashwin and Riya are playing the lead roles in this romantic entertainer. Karthik Raja has composed the music. The film’s shooting has been wrapped up and Toonega Toonega is slated for release later this summer.
@shraddhadas43 Back to mumbai, back home, finally! Just for a few days again! Lots of travelling again... I feel like travel agent shraddha. !
@tashu_02 Aaahhh m soo upset....I was all so set to fly to Muscat and last minute delay in the visa... This is soooo not happening. :-(
@sundeepkishan There is something so charming & contagious about Power Stars laughter, can’t help smiling when they show him... bet u guys agree #GabbarSingh.
Magic Screen
The glamour behind the glitz
Katrina excited about new ad S lice is all set to celebrate the great Indian romance with mango through its new campaign featuring brand ambassador Katrina Kaif. Slice has captured the emotions in its new ad film in a uniquely Indian way to welcome the onset of the mango season. Accompanied by the tagline, ‘Ab Ras Barsega ‘, the latest commercial is a new chapter in the extremely popular ‘Aamsutra ‘ series, and it celebrates the abundance of mangoes in every bottle of Slice.
Pataudis connect with Bhopalites
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even months after the demise of former Indian cricket captain and Nawab of Pataudi Mansoor Ali Khan, who had a royal connection with Bhopal, his wife Sharmila Tagore and actor son Saif Ali Khan have successfully established a deep emotional link with people of the City of Lakes that goes beyond the royal heritage. This time the mother-son duo had come together for the first time. Saif, a Bollywood star, and Sharmila, a 1970 ‘s actress but locally addressed as Ayesha Begum, were seen freely intermingling with hundreds of ordinary citizens in city last week. In his brief speech, Saif addressed the Bhopalites, “I am quite moved with your initiative of starting the Nawab Mansoor Ali Khan Award for outstanding and valuable contribution. I want to congratulate you, Aamir Ahmed Khan - you may be an unsung hero but what I learned of you, you are our real role model.” Sharmila too told the gathering, “I am in all appreciation for this award in my husband ‘s memory, who had always admired selfless, pur poseful efforts.” IANS
“Every Slice film is a whole new experience, and though this is my seventh film with the brand, I feel nervous and excited like it is my first one again! That ‘s probably because ‘Ab Ras Barsega ‘ presents me in a whole new avatar. The look is refreshingly new, yet royal and sensuous. I had a great time shooting for the ad and I especially love the qawwali that is simply magical. I ‘m sure Mango Slicefans will enjoy watching the new campaign, right at the onset of the mango season!” said Katrina Kaif.
Sameera is the ‘hero’ of Tezz A
lot of Bollywood actresses are jumping onto the action bandwagon. The latest to join the list is Sameera Reddy. The actress would be seen doing some daredevil stunts in Tezz and looking at her courage, co-star Ajay Devgn calls her the hero of the film. “Sameera is not the heroine but the hero of the film. She has done some amazing action in the film and is nothing less than any hero in the film,” he said in a statement. Sameera was said to be unhappy over not being offered the item song in the film. However, she said she has no complains and enjoyed doing the stunts. “I was not offered the item song but I got to be a Lara Croft in the film. It ‘s an action-oriented character and a strong role. Women in Bollywood never get to perform such stunts. When I was offered the role I was told that I can ‘t complain that my nails are going to break. I enjoyed doing the stunts,” said the 29-year-old actress. Directed by Priyadarshan, Tezz also features Mohanlal, Anil Kapoor, Boman Irani, Kangna Ranaut and Zayed Khan in prominent roles. It is slated for April 27 release. IANS
MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012
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B-TOWN TWEETIES
@realpreityzinta What a game tonight;went down 2 da last ball! Proud of the #Kxip Boyz 4 never giving up & 4staying hungry! ThankU all KXIP fans 4 UR Support.
@RahulBose1 New vodafone ads remind me of cheesy german(?) telematch series. remember them. a time there was nothing else on tv. yes, am that ancient.
@udaychopra The world is coming to an end!!! My PS3 just died on me... NOOOOO!!! Life just doesn’t have meaning anymore!!!
@SrBachchan T 714 - At Studios for shoot for ad... Back... They shooting new Zanjeer next door... Charan playing my role came over... My good wishes !
@kjohar25 I love all you positive and happy people on twitters... there are so many of you that I can never return the love... I thank you all... everyday
@RGVzoomin If Sholay wasn’t made aag wouldn’t have been made..so the real culprit is Sholay... my case rests nd I will shut up for now.
@NeilNMukesh Lessons learnt. Lessons learning. As the days pass by. Ppl who u like talk behind ur back.haha. Weird.
@FarOutAkhtar It seems like the TMC have decided to prove the professor right by behaving like cartoons! #dontarrestme
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The glamour behind the glitz
LGBT cheers Brangelina!
Y
esterday, we heard the glorious news that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are finally engaged. After seven years and six kids, the gorgeous couple is taking the plunge despite their original vow to wait for marriage equality. “I’ve said that we would not be getting married until everyone in this country had the right to get married,” Pitt told Ellen DeGeneres in September. So, how is the gay community handling the engagement? Any hard feelings now that the twosome’s ready to say “I do”? Nope! Turns out, everyone is just as excited about Brangelina’s engagement as we are. Even
Equality California, an LGBT advocacy organisation, publicly expressed their support for the union: “Marriage says ‘we are a family’ in a way that no other word can. It appears that even Brad and Angelina’s children understand the meaning of that special vow,” Rebecca Orr said. “We would never want any committed couple to deny themselves and their families the happiness and security that marriage brings.” Brad and Angie have worked hard to raise awareness for marriage equality, so it’s no surprise the LGBT community is behind the couple’s “promise for the future.” Not only did Equality California give Hollywood’s
hottest their blessing, but they also seem confident that the globe-trotting twosome will continue their campaign. “Brad and Angelina have clearly demonstrated that they are supporters of equality,” Orr explained. “Their marriage just provides one more opportunity to remind all of us why marriage matters to all loving couples and why the exclusion of same-sex couples from the freedom to marry is so hurtful to families.” Excellent point— we’re sure Brad and Angie would agree
COURTNEY LOVE tweets apology
T Liam hemsworth gets a kick
L
iam Hemsworth, who has rocketed to fame following his 6.8 seconds of screen time in The Hunger Games, will be making another appearance in a adrenalised action movie this year, albeit one with a little more testosterone and a lot less social commentary. In The Expendables 2, Hemsworth plays Billy the Kid. Hemsworth was actually supposed to have a role in the first film, but script modifications eliminated his character. “It was a weird moment because I had celebrated with everyone,” says Hemsworth, “and told everyone I was going over to shoot this film, and then it didn’t happen.” The experience of working alongside all those action icons was a bit of a strange one for Hemsworth, who had watched their movies as a child. “It was weird at first, you have to pinch yourself every once in a while,” he says. “I was working with all these guys I grew up watching—it was nuts. Once Jean-Claude [Van Damme] kicked me in the chest by accident. It was like a present, one of the most awesome kicks you could ever receive.”
urns out, if you’re Courntey Love, Twitter is an acceptable means to settle a family fight. Love’s been engaged in a bitter virtual feud with her daughter Frances Bean Cobain after Courtney claimed via Twitter that Kurt Cobain’s former bandmate, Dave Grohl, “hit on” the rock-star offspring. Lucky for Francis, Courtney’s come to her senses and took to Twitter to apologise this morning. Good thing it takes less than 140 characters to say I’m sorry. “Bean, sorry I believed the gossip,” Love tweeted early Saturday. “Mommy loves you.” Courtney sparked the feud on Thursday when she tweeted she wanted to “shoot” Dave Grohl after hearing he hit on Kurt Cobain’s kid. Both Frances and Grohl immediately denied the claims and Bean even insisted Twitter should “ban” her mother. “While I’m generally silent on the affairs of my biological mother, her recent tirade has taken a gross turn,” Frances said in a statement to E! News on Thursday. “I have never been approached by Dave Grohl in more than a platonic way. I’m in a monogamous relationship and very happy.” The Foo Fighter frontman echoed the same sentiment and released his own statement calling the accusations “upsetting, offensive and absolutely untrue.” Well, now that Courtney’s said ‘I’m sorry,’ Francis can move on to her real relationship.
25
Chai Time
KAKURO
How to play Kakuro Kakuro is a popular game similar to sudoku in some ways. But is also suitably different. The key question: ‘How do you play kakuro?’, well here are the rules of kakuro. The answer: The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any size. It has rows and columns, and dark cells like in a crossword. And, just like in a crossword, some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some cells will contain two numbers. However, in a crossword the numbers reference clues. In a kakuro, the numbers are all you get! They denote the total of the digits in the row or column referenced by the number. Within each collection of cells — called a run — any of the numbers 1 to 9 may be used but, like sudoku, each number may only be used once. Let’s have an example to explain this concept more clearly: In the image above, which shows a section of a kakuro puzzle, you will see the numbers ‘26’ and ‘14’ in the top row. Look at the 14. This means that the total of the three cells underneath must sum to 14. Therefore 9, 4, 1 could be the answer, or perhaps 7, 4, 3 and so on... So, how do you work out the actual combination? Well, this is done through elimination and cross-referencing. For instance, as you work out the answers for other kakuro clues, this will naturally limit the valid combinations, and hence the answer for this particular run. Note the second cell in row two — it contains two numbers, 30 and 11. The 30 refers to the vertical run underneath the number 30 and the 11 refers to the two cells to the right, horizontally, of the number 11.
SCRIBBLING PAD
MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012
Take a shot at the brain game while sipping your cuppa
26
QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 The whole song and dance? 4 Cope with change 9 Half of a German resort? 14 ‘Well ___-di-dah ...’ 15 Wall-calendar page 16 What the fat lady sings? 17 Lennon's wife 18 Actress Samantha of ‘Doctor Dolittle’ 19 Sudden invasion 20 Dance step, or Rolling Stones cover song 23 Political power structure 24 Hair-setting item 27 ‘You ain't ___ nothin' yet!’ 28 HH Munro's pen name 31 Like a dipstick 32 Burro 35 Mascara ruiner, sometimes 37 Org in many spy movies 38 It may be made by a rotary saw 41 Organisation of lawyers (Abbr) 43 ‘___ La Douce’ 44 Slow-moving Vermont harvest 45 Plucked instrument 47 Its glass may be stained 49 Fine cotton 53 Ancient Persian ruler 55 Leaves the country? 58 Show with surprises behind doors 61 Campbell or Judd 63 Princes abroad 64 ‘Without further ___ ...’ 65 It may have an attachment 66 Linenlike fabric 67 Outdo 68 Fixture near a toilet 69 Thom McAn purchase 70 One in a wool coat DOWN 1 Hilo greetings 2 Cocktail accompaniment 3 Native American sports legend Jim
4 Singular var of 63-A 5 Religious tenet 6 Feelings of anxiety 7 Ancient Egyptian deity 8 ‘No ___ Traffic’ 9 Fabulous, to a theater critic 10 NASA lunar program 11 Worn and broken-down 12 ___ of Good Feelings 13 Vote of dissent 21 Veranda, in Hawaii 22 Men with a mission? 25 Cotton gin inventor Whitney 26 Swedish pile rug 29 Certain type of reference book 30 Mauna ___, Hawaiian peak 33 ___ Lanka 34 Leftovers for Rover 36 Company that made
Victrolas 38 A week's worth of groceries, perhaps 39 Baseball arbiter, for short 40 Increased, as prices 41 Oohs and ___ 42 Lamb's sound 46 Early arrival (var) 48 Certain Alaskan 50 Come up with a concept 51 Where sheep graze 52 Slanting 54 Inclined 56 Like freakish coincidences 57 Social work er's backlog
SUDOKU
59 Fourth rock from the sun 60 Eastern nurse 61 Bird's beak 62 ‘What ___, chopped liver?’
PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER
THOUGHT OF THE DAY A wacky, trendy outfit on a guy over 40 indicates he's got big issues. – Merrill Markoe
Chai Time STAR POWER
MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012
Your tomorrow today̶Star Power and Tarot THIRUVAIKUMAR
As per Hindu panchang
FOR 17-4-2012
thiruvaikumar@yahoo.co.in 040-27177230 / 9177596118
TAURUS
GEMINI
Your self‑confidence level will be at its peak. You will find ways to clear old and haunting debt problems. Business‑ men, with the help of VIP friends, will sign new contracts with reputed firms.
Employees will be controlled by superi‑ ors; at the same time superiors will also have a soft corner towards them. Exp‑ ectations will get fulfilled but with a delay. Politicians will get importance.
Govt help will come through. House construction will resume and progress well without further hurdle. Bright chances for some to go abroad. Politicians' wishes will be accepted.
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
Differences with spouse will be over. Visa is on the way for those who are leaving abroad. Some have bright chances to get new job. Father's health will improve. Govt sops as expected will come through.
Those who are recently married can get ready to welcome their offspring. Marriage of daughter will get finalised with a good match. Son will get an opportunity to study in a big university.
You will be able to complete long‑since pending work. Financially a satisfacto‑ ry situation likely. Differences with friends and relatives will be resolved. Never guarantee on behalf of anyone.
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
Travel is inevitable due to which you will reap benefits. Some have very bright chance to buy a land or house. Court case will end in your favour. You will clear a major portion of your debts.
In‑laws will extend support and help. Financial help extended to others will be come back. Politicians will be in good terms with high command as the differences will be sorted out.
Money from expected source will come. Friends and relatives will help you. Loan will get sanctioned for construc‑ tion of house. Court case will go in your favour. You end old problems.
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Some will change their residence. Ances‑ tral property will come to you. No need to worry about marriage or higher stud‑ ies of your children. But implement work with proper planning to succeed.
Employees will be overburdened. Take care of your health. Family will be in a peaceful atmosphere. Financial deficien‑ cy will be over. Politicians will zoom ahead by smashing all opposition.
Expenses through brothers might make you upset. Friends and relatives will be happy to take your advise and follow it. Some have good chances to buy a new vehicle by selling an old one.
SUMAA TEKUR
FOR 17-4-2012
tarotreadhyd@gmail.com
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
Ten of Wands – Yo‑ uʼre anxious, depres‑ sed, stressed out and feel as though youʼre close to a burnout. Take a break and rejuvenate yourself. Meet new people.
Judgement – An international trip is possible in the next few weeks. Donʼt get your hopes up too high. It may be a short trip with little down time.
The Sun – Youʼre br‑ ight and cheerful and this happy disposition wins you many frien‑ ds. People even come to you for advice bec‑ ause you are practical.
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
Justice – A hike or a promotion is in the offing. Your bosses recognise your good work and make an offer. It sets you thinking about your future course.
Page of Swords – You need to demand for the resources in order to be able to do full justice to your work. Ask for a bigger team or a larger budget.
The Magician – Intuition is height‑ ened. Romance is in the air and you feel a special connection with someone. You hesitate to open your heart because of fear.
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
The Empress – This is the card of love, romance and fertility. Women looking to get pregnant have a good chance now. Those in love will have a great phase.
Three of Cups – Celebration time! Bring out the bubbly and celebrate your success. Itʼs impor‑ tant to do so to attract more positive energy into your life.
Nine of Swords – Marriage needs atten‑ tion. You and your partner might want to take a holiday together and spend some alone‑with‑ each‑other time.
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Ace of Pentacles – This is the meeting of the left and right brains. Youʼre able to use your creativity and make it work in a largely structured format.
Eight of Swords – You feel restless and on the edge. You havenʼt been sleep‑ ing well and itʼs showing on your health. Take time off and rest well.
The Chariot – Travel is on the cards. This will be an important journey when you meet interesting people who make an impact on your future life course.
For Better or for Worse Stone soup
SOLUTIONS
Boggle POP RAP JAZZ BLUES GOSPEL
Number game
Suduko
Scrabble
Ink pen
COMICS
Fred Basset
ARIES
TAROT READ
27
Vol: 1, No 274 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
100 DAYS TO GO MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012
28
For US, trials take spotlight trials, where a top-three finish is a ticket to the Games. “It’s one of those things — there’s years that I love it and years that I hate it,” former pole vaulter Jeff Hartwig said of the system. Hartwig, now an athletes’ agent, finished 11th at the 1996 Olympics and was primed for another bid in 2000. On June 14 of 2000 he set the American record of 6.03m, but at the trials a month later he failed to record a height and didn’t compete in Sydney. Hartwig suffered the same fate in 2004, but qualified at the age of 40 for the Beijing Games. “I remember not making the team in 2000 was the worst,” Hartwig recalled. “I was in such good shape and had just broken the American record a few weeks before. You have one bad day and in the end none of it matters.” Although the system is unforgiving, Hartwig said he hasn’t heard of a better one. At least the requirements are clear. “It puts pressure on athletes not only to prepare but to deliver within a window of opportunity,” he said. The drawback is that a top medal contender could be ill or injured on the crucial day. Hartwig said it’s a possibility that looms large at this stage.
Rebecca Bryan
LOS ANGELES: As the 100-day countdown to the 2012 Olympic Games begins, all eyes are on London, but America’s top contenders can’t afford to look beyond the US trials looming in June. Michael Phelps (right) owns 14 Olympic gold medals and electrified the Water Cube in Beijing by winning an unprecedented eight gold medals at one Games. But the superstar will line up alongside the rest of the London hopefuls at the swimming trials at Omaha, Nebraska, June 25-July 2, where the top two finishers in each event, plus a handful of other swimmers with a shot at relay berths, will be selected. “The Olympics are probably easier for us than trials are,” Phelps said of the challenge. “Just being able to secure a spot is so important. “It is only the top two. We know that anybody can be there on a given day and all these guys that we have can race hard, so you really have to be prepared during the trials, and if you’re not, you’re not going to make the team.” US athletes face a similarly rigorous test, and plenty of outstanding athletes have seen their Olympic dreams undone at the
‘Plastic Brits’ rile home fans Rob Woollard
LONDON: The sharp influx of overseas-based athletes into the ranks of Britain’s Olympic hopefuls has divided opinion, as the host nation attempts to secure a record medal haul at London 2012. To their supporters, athletes such as the United Statesborn hurdler Tiffany Porter (right) have every right to don British colours in London provided they fulfil the eligibility criteria set down by Olympic chiefs. Critics however disparage the likes of Porter as a “Plastic Brit”, holding her up as a symbol of a perceived win-at-all-costs selection philosophy that flouts the Olympic spirit, if not necessarily the rulebook. “Roughly one-fifth of the Great Britain Olympic team is not British and while, to some extent, this positively reflects the cosmopolitan make-up of our country, in the extreme cases...it amounts to little more than cheating,” was the scathing
assessment of Daily Mail chief sports writer Martin Samuel. For the athletes caught in the crossfire of the debate, the issue has aroused confusion and dismay. One of Britain’s biggest medal hopes is the South Africa-
born world open water champion Keri-anne Payne. “I don’t see why it would be an issue that someone would want to swim or run for Great Britain, surely we should be championing that. It confuses
me,” she says. Another British hopeful is the Canada-born women’s basketball player Sarah McKay. McKay believes the most eloquent response to her critics will be made in the Olympic arena.
Austerity Games faces hurdles Denis Hiault
LONDON: Queen Elizabeth II will declare the London Olympics open on July 27 but while the stadiums are ready, question marks hang over the security of the Games and transport. When the flame is lit, London will become the first city in the modern era to host the Olympics three times, having already had the honour in 1908 and 1948. Last time the event came to London, Britain was still gripped by the effects of World War II which had ended barely three years earlier and the makeshift approach earned it the label the “austerity Games”. With Britain’s economy still in the doldrums, austerity will leave its mark on these Olympics too, albeit to a far lesser extent than in 1948, when competitors were housed in military barracks and university dormitories. Despite a budget of £9.3 billion ($14.8 billion), the Games will be on more modest scale than the spectacular 2008 Beijing Olympics at which China announced its growing global presence. “We are not coming out as a superpower,” noted Britain’s Olympics Minister Hugh Robertson. British Prime Minister David Cameron is nevertheless promising “the greatest show on Earth” and “a celebration of everything that’s great about Britain”. The job of putting the stamp of Britishness on the opening ceremony has been handed to Danny Boyle, the director of the multiple Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire. With the theme ‘Isles of Wonder’, Boyle has promised a fitting curtain raiser before 10,500 competitors from 204 countries do battle. Some £6.5 billion has been spent on modernising the transport system, including the world’s oldest underground train system, and 48 kilometres of Olympic road lanes should help speed the travel of VIPs. Ordinary Londoners though are being urged to work from home or spend an extra hour in the pub after work to ease peak-time congestion. A combined force of more than 40,000 soldiers, police and private security guards will be mobilised for what Cameron called the “biggest and most integrated security operation in mainland Britain in our peacetime history”.
29
MONDAY APRIL 16, 2012
METRE
We were pretty satisfied with how we started but Rahane and Shah took the game away. We know we can come back. We need to get back to winning ways. Daniel Vettori, RCB Captain
Ajinkya Rahane (RR) 260 runs
Munaf Patel (MI) 10 wickets
BRIEF SCORES: KXIP VS KKR
S
6 184
Owais Shah (RR)
11 4S394
Ajinkya Rahane (RR)
35
HIGHEST SCORE
103
Ajinkya Rahane (RR)
BEST BOWLER
5-16
Ravindra Jadeja (CSK)
MI take on DD at home G Aparna Sai feedback@postnoon.com
O
n a high after securing two consecutive victories, Mumbai Indians are all set to take on Delhi Daredevils today on home turf. Having won three of their four games this IPL season, Mumbai would look to defeat their rivals and extend their winning streak. Touted as one of the best teams and with many note-worthy players in the side, MI has proved what mettle they are made of. From winning close contests like the match against Deccan Chargers to securing comfortable wins, Mumbai seem a tough side to defeat atleast on paper. But this does not give them the freedom to be complacent and should instead be wary of a confident Delhi team, which, unlike their performance last season, are in cruise mode this year. The Daredevils seem to have got their tactics right this time as they
emerged victorious in two of their three encounters. The Virender Sehwag led side were exceptional in their previous match when they clashed with the Super Kings from Chennai. Not only was their bowling was upto the mark, their fielding was phenomenal which saw four CSK players lose their wickets to run-outs. Unlike a few other teams participating teams in this tournament, the Daredevils shone in all the three
MI VS DD AT 8 PM ON SET MAX departments of the game. With team effort being the priority, the side has managed to perform well even with the absence of players like the experienced Ajit Agarkar. Mumbai, on the other hand, are likely to go into this match without Sachin Tendulkar, who is recovering from the injury he sustained during the inaugural match. But this will not deter their confidence as they have players like Rohit Sharma, Kieron Pollard, Harbhajan and Lasith Malinga to bank on.
KXIP 134/9 IN 20 OVERS (MANDEEP SINGH 38, SUNIL NARINE 5/19) BEAT KKR 132/7 IN 20 OVERS (DEBABRATA DAS 35, PIYUSH CHAWLA 3/18)
SHAH CREDITS BOWLERS FOR WIN
H
is blazing fifty was one of the highlights of Rajasthan Royals' 59-run triumph over Royal Challengers Bangalore but English batsman Owais Shah said it is his team's bowlers who deserve to be credited for the win in the IPL match here. Shah, who made a 26-ball 60 in the match in which Rajasthan posted a 195-run total, said though his team's score was good, it was not good enough given the solid batting line-up of RCB. "I felt we had a very good score, but not an amazing score, that we were unbeatable. I think the batting conditions were good and our bowlers, especially Pankaj Singh, Siddharth Trivedi and Amit Singh, did a good job," he told reporters. "I stressed the point to Rahul (Dravid) and our bowlers that the total was good but not amazing enough to defend and hence we have to be clever or else we will lose the game," he said. Though Rajasthan do not boast of big names in bowling, Shah said the team believed in its attack. "That's the beauty of our team. We don't have too many big names apart from one superstar (Dravid) who used to play here and now he is retired. It is for the guys to get on with the team and work ethics required to win games," he added. PTI
BRIEF SCORES: RR VS RCB
RR 195/2 IN 20 OVERS (AJINKYA RAHANE 103, ZAHEER KHAN 1/15) BEAT RCB 136 IN 19.5 OVERS (MAYANK AGARWAL 34, SIDDHARTH TRIVEDI 4/25)
PLAYER OF THE DAY P W L T PT NR RR 5 3 2 0 6 0.738 PWI 4 3 1 0 6 0.491 MI 4 3 1 0 6 0.361 DD 3 2 1 0 4 0.82 KKR 5 2 3 0 4 0.217 CSK 5 2 3 0 4 -0.108 KXIP 4 2 2 0 4 -0.417 RCB 4 1 3 0 2 -1.05 DC 2 0 2 0 0 -1.95 P-played; W-win; L-lost; T-tie; NR-net run rate; PT-points
Rajasthan Royals’ Rahul Dravid (R) and bowler Pankaj Singh celebrate the wicket of RCB’s Chris Gayle during their IPL match in Bengaluru on Sunday. AFP/MANJUNATH KIRAN
AJINKYA RAHANE: IPL 5 witnessed the first individual century being hit when this lad from Rajasthan Royals smashed 103 of just 60 balls in his side’s clash against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Sunday. Rahane hammered twelve fours and five sixes enroute to scoring his quick-fire hundred. The 23-year-old player massacred the RCB bowlers. The 14th over, which was bowled by Sreenath Aravind, saw Rahane smash a four of every ball bowled. The centurion was well supported by teammate Owais Shah who scored 60 of 26 balls. Beginning the season on a high note, Rahane’s century saw his claim the orange cap once again which he lost for a while to Chennai Super Kings’ Faf du Plessis.
Playing Field
MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012
The games people play
Watson saves the day for Oz PORT OF SPAIN: Shane Watson hit a patient half-century as Australia reached 208 for five on the first day of the second Test against West Indies on a slow Queen's Park Oval pitch. Mike Hussey, on 26, and Matthew Wade, with 11, were unbeaten at the close, putting on a useful 30-run partnership after both men had survived dropped catches. Watson was Australia's top scorer, making a solid 56 in 219 minutes. "It was hard to get the pace of the ball because it was very slow. Also the ball was very soft," said Watson. "The fields that (West Indies skipper) Darren Sammy set meant it was hard to rotate the strike at times. I was trying to do everything I could to keep the scoreboard moving, but on a wicket like this it does make it difficult." The day was also a mini-triumph for Windies' off-spinner Shane Shillingford who came in for Devendra Bishoo to play his first Test for 18 months after having to undergo remedial work on his action. He bowled 32 overs, taking two for 56, including opener David Warner in Shane Watson acknowledges the cheers of crowd after scoring his fifty. AFP/STAN HONDA his first over.
"It obviously felt pretty good coming back to Test cricket and getting a wicket in my first over," he said. Australia, who won the first Test in Barbados by three wickets, decided to play two spinners for the first time in nearly four years, with Michael Beer coming in to partner Nathan Lyon. Warner (29) and Ed Cowan (28) put on 53 for the first wicket to provide the foundation for Australia, while seamer Kemar Roach was the pick of the West Indies seam attack. He removed Cowan and later Ricky Ponting (seven) before the tea interval. Shillingford bowled the first over of spin in the match in the 15th over and had immediate success. Warner did not quite get to the pitch of his fifth ball but continued through with a drive and the ball came off the outside edge straight to Sammy at slip. Roach, who had opened the bowling from the Media Centre End, was brought back by Sammy at the Brian Lara Pavilion End for a couple of overs before lunch. The third ball of his new spell hit Cowan low on the front pad and despite a review, the opener was on his way back to the pavilion as Australia went to lunch on 74 for two. In the sixth over after the break, Roach took his second wicket. Ponting was man of the match in his last appearance in a Test at Queen's Park Oval, having scored a double-century in the first innings.
Misbah hopes to play in India soon LAHORE: Ecstatic that international cricket is finally returning to Pakistan after three years, Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq is now hoping that his team would get to play against India in a bilateral series soon. Bangladesh and Pakistan Cricket Boards announced yesterday that the former would play an ODI and a Twenty20 match in Lahore on April 29 and 30. This would be the first visit by an ICC Test-playing nation to Pakistan since the terrorist attack on the the Sri Lankan team in 2009. Misbah said he was happy to hear about the
series being played in Pakistan. “One of the most difficult things for me or the rest of the Pakistan team players has been to play away from home all the time in the last three years. It was disappointing not to get a chance to play in front of our people and on our own grounds,” he said. Misbah said he was hopeful that efforts of the Board and its Chairman Zaka Ashraf turn fruitful. On cricket relations with India, Misbah said he would like to see both teams playing against each other more regularly. PTI
30
NATIONAL SPORT Dempo crush Sporting Football Dempo set aside Sporting
Clube de Goa first half challenge as Man of the Match Ranty Martins scored four goals including a hatrick to score a resounding 4-1 win and their foot firmly on course to win the I-League title for the fifth time, here on Sunday. After James Moga cancelled Ranty Martins 9th minute goal in the 37th minute, Ranty scored three more goals in the second half to end Sporting Clube de Goa challenge.
“
"If you take those two (bad) shots away then I would have finished higher. At least I know why those bad shots came, because the old swing came in. Jyoti Randhawa
Rahil guns for top-10 finish Rahil Gangjee was on course for a top-10 finish as he played two solid rounds for a tied 14th position after Round 3 in the TPC Stonebrae Championship in Kuala Lumpur. Gangjee first shot two-under 68 for the second round and then added a one-under 69 for the third round. At three-under 207, he was tied 14th while defending champ Daniel Chopra missed the cut after posting rounds of 74-73 for a total of 147.
Golf
NSR
is India’s current Fifa ranking. Indian footballer Bhaichung Bhutia said the national team should be given ample time in order to make an impact on the international scene. The former India captain said: “The national team has too many young players now so they need time.”
Jeev, Jyoti finish tied 11th Golf Jeev Milkha Singh was unable to
continue the momentum of a brilliant start with four birdies, while Jyoti Randhawa dropped five shots over two successive holes on the back nine to finish tied 11th in the Maybank Malaysian Open, here today. Jeev (72) and Jyoti (74) finished at eight-under, even as South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen atoned for his Masters Tournament heartbreak by cruising to a stylish three-stroke victory. Jeev and Jyoti though were still the top Asians finishers in the tournament.
Playing Field Novak says he can tame Nadal
MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012
The games people play
SPLASH OF SUCCESS
WORLD SPORT Double delight for Sara Tennis Italy’s Sara Errani swept the
Barcelona Open singles and doubles titles on Sunday and dedicated victory to compatriot Piermario Morosini, the footballer who died on Saturday after collapsing in a match. Errani, the seventh seed, took the singles title beating Slovakian third seed Dominika Cibulkova 6-2, 6-2. She then teamed up with Roberta Vinci to win the doubles, routing Flavia Pennetta and Francesca Schiavone 6-0, 6-2.
MONTE CARLO: World number one Novak Djokovic believes he can shatter Rafael Nadal’s bid for an unprecedented eighth Monte Carlo Masters title and use it as a launchpad for an assault on the French Open. While Djokovic has already wrapped up the Australian Open and Miami titles so far in 2012, Nadal, dealing with the effects of another knee problem, has had limited recent claycourt practice. He has not won a trophy of any kind since his sixth Roland Garros title more than 10 months ago. The Spaniard, 39-1 in Monte Carlo with 37 consecutive victories at the venue, is bidding for a history-making eighth straight title at the club. But Djokovic hopes to stop that miracle run. “It feels good to be back, and to be back on clay,” said Djokovic. “I haven’t played it since Roland Garros last year. “But it’s the surface that I grew up on. In Serbia, that’s all we had until a few years ago. And I like to slide as well. I had a great season in 2011 and I hope to continue in 2012.” Djokovic has no complaints about this intense period, with three Masters 1000 events in five weeks leading into the French Open — the only Grand Slam title missing from his collection. “We know how to play them back-to-back (Madrid and Rome next month). It’s a familiar situation,” he said. “I know how to recover and be ready. I’ve been working hard and I’m prepared on clay. This is a surface that requires more physically, you need to be at a high level.” AFP
31
“ (L-R) James Hinchcliffe, (third place), Will Power, driver of the #12 Team Penske Dallara Chevrolet (1st place) and Simon Pagenaud driver (second place) celebrate on the podium at the IndyCar Series Toyota Grand Prix at Long Beach, California, on JEFF GROSS/GETTY IMAGES/AFP Sunday.
Monaco wins Clay Court title
Yes. In the last week or two, yeah. I've never seen that in him, it's not a habitual thing. He’s brought down, he just made the most of it.” Sir Alex Ferguson on Ashley Young whose ‘fall’ earned Man Utd a penalty.
Rose help Bulls beat Detroit Basketball Derrick Rose scored 24
points, including a 3-pointer to force the game into overtime, and Joakim Noah added 20 points and 17 rebounds as the NBA-leading Chicago Bulls defeated Detroit 100-94 on Sunday. Rodney Stuckey, who scored a game-high 32 points for Detroit, missed three free throws late in the fourth quarter to keep Chicago within reach and Rose hit a 3-pointer with six secs left to send the game into an extra period.
HOUSTON: Argentina's fourth-seeded Juan Monaco outlasted US second seed John Insner for a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 triumph on Sunday in the final of the $442,500 ATP US Men's Clay Court Championship. Monaco, ranked 16th in the world, captured his fifth career ATP title and his second of the year after a Febuary crown at Vina del Mar. Before that, he had not won an ATP title since 2007. Monaco, who improved to 5-8 in ATP finals, had reached the semi-finals last month at Miami, losing to the eventual winner, world number one Novak Djokovic. Isner saved 12 of 15 break points that he faced, but lost the only one he saw in the third set to surrender a break in the penultimate game of the match. Monaco held once more to claim the crown after two hours and 27 minutes. Despite the defeat, Isner will become the top-ranked American player in the world on Monday when he passes countryman Mardy Fish and moves up one spot into ninth in the ATP rankings. Isner, who sparked a US semi-final Davis Cup triumph on French clay last week to book a semi-final date with Spain in September, missed a chance for
ANKMOã Carl Pettersson fired a two-under par 69 to win the $5.7 million US PGA Heritage tournament by five strokes over Zach Johnson. Pettersson won the $1.026 million top prize and his fifth career US PGA title to match Jesper Parnevik for the most career US PGA triumphs by a Swedish player.
Luke to surrender No 1 spot Argentina's fourth-seeded Juan Monaco celebrates his victory over John Isner. He won 6-2,3-6,6-3. his fourth career ATP title and the first on clay. Isner, a runner-up to Roger Federer last month at Indian Wells, lost to fellow American Sam Querrey in the 2010 Belgrade final in his only prior clay final. Monaco had lost both prior matches against Isner, including a third-round affair last month at Indian Wells.
Golf England's Luke Donald will surren-
der golf's World No. 1 ranking to Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy on Monday after a poor showing at the US PGA Heritage tournament. Donald fired a level-par 71 on Sunday to finish on twoover par 286 for 72 holes, sharing 37th place, 16 strokes behind winner Carl Pettersson of Sweden. Donald needed to share eighth place or better this week to keep his razor-thin margin ahead of McIlroy in the rankings. He finished six strokes adrift of that mark.
Playing Field
MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012
The games people play
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There’s life in the old Drog yet LONDON:
Referee Martin Atkinson (not pictured) awards this goal to Chelsea scored by Juan Mata (3rd R) against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium in London, England on Sunday. AFP/IAN KINGTON
Spurs sink in Chel’sea’ LONDON: Chelsea thrashed Tottenham Hotspur 5-1 to set up an FA Cup final showdown with old rivals Liverpool after a Wembley semi-final tinged by controversy here on Sunday. Goals from Didier Drogba, Juan Mata, Ramires, Frank Lampard and Florent Malouda saw Chelsea romp into their fourth FA Cup final in six years, with Tottenham’s lone strike coming from Gareth Bale. The win was the perfect preparation for Chelsea ahead of their Champions League semi-final first-leg meeting with Barcelona at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday. But the occasion was marred by controversy before and during the match, with sections of Chelsea’s support chanting and jeering during a minute’s silence prior to kick-off to mark the anniversary of the 1989
Hillsborough disaster. Chelsea were also the beneficiaries of a deeply controversial decision by referee Martin Atkinson for their second goal, scored by Mata, which replays suggested should not have stood. Bale briefly gave Tottenham hope of a fightback with a goal on 56 minutes to make it 2-1 but a sublime finish from Ramires, a stunning 35yard free-kick from Lampard and a late effort from Malouda took Chelsea out of sight. Chelsea captain John Terry later admitted Mata’s hugely controversial goal should not have been awarded. “I thought Mata’s strike hit me and didn’t go over (the line), but the linesman’s seen it and given it,” Terry told BBC radio. “I honestly don’t think it went over the line but the linesman gave it and
there’s nothing we can do about that. Spurs are one of the best sides in the league. It was a great performance and a great result.” Earlier, Tottenham appeared to be the likeliest to break the deadlock in a first half that was slow to get going, only to be denied by the woodwork and a goal-line clearance from Terry. Terry’s last-ditch heroics came on 36 minutes when he blocked a closerange header from Rafael van der Vaart. Four minutes later Spurs threatened again, when van der Vaart’s long ball forward for Emmanuel Adebayor missed everyone and rattled the upright. Yet just when it seemed Spurs were on the verge of an opener, Chelsea took the lead with a goal on 43 minutes that owed everything to the raw power of Drogba.
Fans embarrass Blues LONDON: Chelsea lashed out at fans who embarrassed the Premier League club by disrupting the minute’s silence to mark the anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final with Tottenham. Sections of the Chelsea support jeered and chanted as the two teams stood solemnly around the centre circle at Wembley to honour the victims of the 1989 disaster which claimed the lives of 96 Liverpool fans. Referee Martin Atkinson eventually cut short the minute as the noise from the Chelsea end continued. “Chelsea Football Club is extremely disappointed that a very small minority of fans embarrassed the club today by not honouring the moment’s silence before kick-off,” Chelsea said in a statement. “Chelsea FC believes all moments of respect should be honoured and today we
SECTIONS OF THE CHELSEA SUPPORT JEERED AND CHANTED AS THE TWO TEAMS STOOD SOLEMNLY AROUND THE CENTRE CIRCLE AT WEMBLEY TO HONOUR THE VICTIMS OF THE 1989 DISASTER WHICH CLAIMED THE LIVES OF 96 LIVERPOOL FANS. pay our full respects to all those that suffered as a result of the Hillsborough disaster 23 years ago.” Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo also voiced his dismay. “We are extremely disappointed that a minority or just a few fans decided to speak or sing during the minute’s silence,” Di Matteo said.
Didier Drogba insists his dynamic display in Chelsea’s 5-1 FA Cup semi-final demolition of Tottenham proves he still has what it takes to dominate on the game’s biggest stages. Drogba has endured a difficult campaign marred by prolonged spells on the sidelines due to injuries and inconsistent form and many expect this to be the veteran striker’s final year at Stamford Bridge. The 34-year-old, who is out of contract at the end of the season and has yet to sign a new deal, appeared to fall out of favour during Andre Villas-Boas’s brief reign. But the Ivory Coast star has been given a reprieve by interim boss Roberto Di Matteo and he rolled back the years at Wembley on Sunday with a simply unstoppable goal and the kind of muscular, intelligent performance that makes him a nightmare for defenders to deal with.