On this day, Bonnie and Clyde were shot dead after being on the run for years. We take a look at some of the other criminal duos in movie history.
PISTOL PACKIN’ DUOS
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FLASH
EUGENE POLLEY DIES The inventor of the TV remote control has died at the age of 96. Zenith Electronics said Eugene Polley passed away of natural causes on Sunday. His 1955 invention, Flash-Matic, pointed a beam of light at photo cells on each corner of the TV, turning it off and on and changing the channels.
FLASH
Samah Bin Masoor, a wellknown aamil (sorcerer), whose massive family tree has branches spread across most of Old City, vows to convert doubting Muslims into saffron supporters. REPORT ON PG 4
23 bodies identified Twenty-three of the 25 people who died in yesterday’s rail tragedy at Anantapur have been identified, said Additional Director General of Police (Railways) VSK Kaumudi. The tragedy occurred when the Hampi Express from Hubli to Bangalore rammed into a goods train that was halted on the central tracks. The accident was the result of human error. P3
The High Court, this morning, ordered that accounts of Sakshi media group be unfrozen.
pÜ~Ççï=çÑ ãáäáí~êó=äççãë çîÉê=bÖóéí ÉäÉÅíáçåë Despite Egyptian elections today, the deeply entrenched Supreme Council of the Armed Forces will not easily be knocked from its perch. P8
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WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012
Spirit of Twin Cities
QUAINT IMAGERY
Library summer camp
N SHIVA KUMAR
A library summer camp for parents and faculty of UG and PG students will be held from May 10 onwards. The camp will provide guidance for faculty and final year PG students for National/State lectureship and scholarship test(NET/APSET) for `3,650. Where: Hyderabad library services, Sagar View Complex When: May 10 - June 10, Contact: (040) 2322 2247, 94412 37751
The amazing summer shuttle A summer camp for children in the age group of 1-15 and for adults in Thai flowers, stocking flowers and marble painting is being held. Where: Plot-26, Gunrock Enclave, Secunderabad When: 11am-1pm, 11am-5pm Contact:98498 04416, 93921 05310
Numerology Logically numerological, numerologically logical. Everything for you, based on DOB. For appointments call Appaaji. Contact: 95734 11255
German film Catch the German film Head-On (Gegen Die Wand) which is being screened at Goethe Zentrum Zentrum. Where: Goethe Zentrum, Banjara Hills, Rd No 3 When: May 25, 6pm onwards Contact: (040) 2335 0040
Where: Treasure House, Jubilee Hills, Rd No 36 When: Ongoing, 2.30pm onwards Contact: (040) 2355 0118
Where: News Cafe, Inorbit Mall, Madhapur When: Ongoing, 8pm onwards Contact: (040) 4010 1236
Painting exhibition
Yoga Camp
An exhibition of paintings by Lalu Shaw is being held at Shrishti Art Gallery. Where: Shrishti Art Gallery, Jubilee Hills, Rd No 15 When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 2354 0023
The last part of a series of sevenday yoga camp will be held by Yoga Healing Foundation at Saroornagar Indoor Stadium. Where: Indoor stadium lawns, Saroornagar When: Ongoing, 5.15 am onwards Contact: 994820 8556
Summer camp
Theatre workshop
Juxtaposed Perceptions, a solo painting exhibition by renowned artist Ninad Jagadish. Where: Muse Art Gallery, Lower Tank Bund When: Ongoing, May 25 Contact: (040) 2752 2999
Annapurna International School of Film and Media will be holding a Summer Camp program in filmmaking, acting and photography. The first batch is from May 21.The second batch is from May 28 onwards. Where: Annapurna School, Banjara Hills When: Ongoing Contact: (040) 4914 1234
Metamorphosis
Food and cricket
Samahaara is hosting special four week summer acting workshops. The workshops will be held for a duration of four weeks. The workshops are being held at three different places in the City. Where: Vidyaranya School, The Terrace, The Actor’s Studio When: Ongoing , Monday-Friday Contact: 83411 20303
Blood song Blood Song, a radical adaptation of Federico Garcia Lorca’s "Blood Wedding"will be showcased on May 26 and 27 at the Nift auditorium. Where: Nift auditorium, Madhapur When: May 26 and 27, 7.30pm onwards Contact: 98852 88982
A matter of perception
This workshop aims to help child gain confidence so as to participate in a group , perform on stage through it’s fun-filled play methodology.
CINEMAS
Great food and a great game of cricket makes for great news. Head to News Cafe to catch the IPL matches with some great IPL inspired food.
Summer contest Head to Inorbit mall for a summer from May 14 to May 27.
Where: Inorbit Mall, Madhapur When: Ongoing Contact: (040) 4488 0000
Solo exhibition Ramakanth’s Solo Painting Exhibition which deals with the loneliness of a long distance runner is being displayed . Where: Hyderabad Marriott, Tank Bund When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 2752 2999
Mexican brunch La Cantina, at Novotel presents Sunday brunch, an interesting mexican spread, every Sunday. Where: La Cantina, Novotel, Madhapur When: Every Sunday, 12pm onwards Contact: (040) 6682 4422
Water colours A painting exhibition featuring new water colour works by Sunil Lohar called Narrations, Connotations and Interpretations is on display Where: Kalakrithi Gallery, Banjara Hills, Rd No10 When: Ongoing, 11.30 am onwards Contact: (040) 6656 4466
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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SSC results postponed
23 of 25 dead identified Investigation of the cause begins as a list of the deceased is drawn up
T
AFP
ACCIDENT Mohd Subhan mohd.s@postnoon.com
T
wenty-three of 25 people who died in the yesterday’s rail tragedy at Ananthapur have been identified, said additional director general of police (railway) VSK Kaumudi . The tragedy occurred when the Hampi Express from Hubli to Bangalore rammed into a good strain that was halted at the central track. The Express was not supposed to enter the second (centre) track and the accident is the result of this error. A special team under deputy superintendent of police (railway) Guntakal, Harinath Reddy, has been formed to investigate the accident. The investigation primarily hinges on the human error factor in which the driver Y Ratnam and assistant driver Balaraju had allegedly ignored
the red signal. However, it is not clear, how and why the goods train was stationed at the platform. Kaumudi said that in all 36 people are in various hospitals
now, of which, 11 have been shifted to a Bangalore hospital and nine to Puttaparthi. The others are in Ananathapur hospitals. Scores of others who received minor
3
injuries were administered first aid and let go. Superintendents of police Muni Swamy and M Nanjunda Swamy are supervising the rescue and relief operations.
he decision of the State government to postpone the announcement of crucial 10th (SSC) results by one more day led to panic among thousands of parents of the children. Many saw this as a decision of the school secondary board to accommodate the election campaign of the minister for higher education K Parthasarathi, who is busy with election rallies in bypoll bound Tirupathi.
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Sorcerer to exorcise saffron baiters Samah Bin Masoor, a well known amil (sorcerer), whose massive family tree has branches spread across most of Old City vows to convert doubting muslims to saffron supporters
POLITICS Mohd Subhan mohd.s@postnoon.com
T
he Saffron party could not have got a bigger ambassador than this amil (sorcerer). Samah Bin Masoor alias Sumah Chaush, the 60-yearold amil, along with his massive family, counting up to 100 members including several wives, joined the BJP a few days ago. Amil, a familiar figure in Moghulpura of the Old City, vows to be an evangelist converting the ‘misinformed’ minority community to the ‘well-meaning’ BJP. Amil has never had a political position before. The man was roped in by the party’s minority morcha leader Mohd Haneefali. Amil, who has several cases of black magic registered against him is unfazed. He was taken into custody in March with two of his several sons and a wife for alleged sorcery conducted on young victims. The Amil says that he officially married four wives but people
Samah Bin Masoor (third from right) along wth BJP leaders around count his wives to 24! Children and grandchildren would be around 100 (no one is sure, though his children are spread over the whole City). Amil has his ‘treatment centre’ at Moghulpura near Asra Hospital. His last arrest was based on a com-
plaint by one Rubia, 38, of Moghulpura who said she was financially and physically exploited. “BJP is a secular party. Far more secular than the Congress and others. I want to tell my brethren about the false propa-
ganda against the BHP, VHP and RSS. They are not against Muslims. Only the BJP is transparent in its deal with minority and it does not show a double face like the Congress,” he said. His stance sent a glow across the saffron front. Samah Chaush told Postnoon that he had taken the decision after careful consideration of the BJP and its political philosophy. “The BJP has done a lot for the minority welfare but it has never received the return favour.” BJP leader Kishan Reddy who was present to induct the Amil into the party Seemed overwhelmed at the encomium the party received at the hands of the Amil. As for the charge of sorcery against him, he says, he was only helping people in need who had nowhere to turn to. “Khuda will give dua,” he is sure. He said he had been exorcising the evil spirits according to the tradition and scriptures. “It is not black magic. We have certificates from various institutions like Jamia Nizamia, Bareli, Devbandh, Darul Iftaa etc. If we are doing the wrong thing how could we get these certifi-
cates?” he asked. Amil further said, “I’m a Unani doctor. I completed Bachelor of Unani Medicines from the Charminar Unani Hospital in 1975.” The magician runs International Special Needs Institution (ISNI), a charitable trust, since the last one decade in Phoolbagh and NGRI Rajandernagar where hundreds of deprived people get trained in various vocations like tailoring and wax making. “We have a separate wing for ladies at Irani Gally Shahraan where a lady from a parlour trains women to become beauticians,” said Amil’s son Dr Aqueel Samah Masroor. “My father was a footballer and we have a Hyderabad Golden Soccer Club. Former Indian skipper Azharuddin is the president of this Club and we have trained guys for football for our City, State and for the country. In his old age my father is trying to do some good work for public and he is sure that the BJP ought to get its due in the society,” Dr Aqueel says. The magician’s family says that hundreds of people will follow him in to the BJP.
Traffic woes at collector’s grievance cell TRAFFIC Rahul Ramakrishna rahul.r@postnoon.com
I
n Abids, there is no end to traffic woes. Even the collector’s office is not spared from it. Every Monday, Hyderabad’s district collectorate office at Chirag Ali Lane is host to at least 200 to 300 citizens who address their grievances with the collector personally, as part of the “collector grievance cell.” It is on these days, and the rest that the traffic management is chaotic and calls for immediate attention. The collectorate building is
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located in the narrow Chirag Ali lane where usually, the traffic movement is hampered by a lack of traffic sense and management. On Mondays, it gets even worse as all the citizens with their grievances are forced to park their vehicles outside the collector’s office which are preyed upon by the traffic police. Rough handling by the security has also caused a tense atmosphere at the office where the security personnel have disregarded their basic duty of being courteous and helpful to the visitors. Hyderabad’s collector, Natarajan Gulzar when contacted about this issue said, “We are in the process of shifting our premis-
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es and revamping the old premises. In fact, a GO has been issued with regard to this and we are currently considering a few locations in Basheerbagh for the district collectorate and magistrate office.”
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The collector has however assured that he will alert the traffic police about this situation and look into the matter personally after being informed of complaints against rough and rash
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handling of people and vehicles in the office by security personnel. Additional commissioner of police (traffic) of Abids, A Bala Krishna was not aware. He said, “We were never informed of vehicles being towed away. I shall make arrangements on Mondays for vehicle parking.” Although the problem is not just restricted to one particular day of the week, visitors feel that the assurances made offer respite from the traffic woes. D Mangaiha, pension collector at the district collectorate said, “Not just traffic, the security here is rude, not considering the fact that we are elderly and weak. I hope that the collector instills a little discipline in them.”
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
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JAC of all will decide Parakala’s fate The multi-cornered fight in the Parakala constituency rests heavily on the TJAC as various parties slug it out to win its favour, which will help them sweep the upcoming bypolls in the area PK Surendran surendran.pk@postnoon.com
ON THE
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he Parakala’s multi-cornered fight will put all but the winner on ventilator. And, if one peers into the green-room, one will see who the pivotal actors are — TRS and BJP. And who the decision-maker is — the JAC of T. Whom will the JAC jack up is the one question on everyone’s mind. For an answer we will have to wait for 4-5 more days, and then, the fight will most probably be over before the D day — June 12. The barometer of excitement over Parakala shows 46 degree Celsius, and it would reach 50 by next week, forecast political pundits. All the players of state politics are in the arena — TRS, BJP, Congress, YSRC, TDP. But, one thing is clear. No result of the 18 Assembly seats will prove as ticklish as that of Parakala for two reasons: If the TRS wins, it would end the TRS-BJP joint military exercise for Telangana, and if the Lotus wins, it would be a fatal blow to TRS after its loss of Mehbubnagar. The TRS of KCR will then have a tough time trying to revive his credibility.
CAMPAIGN
TRAIL
The Congress has fielded Samma Rao, while YSR Congress party has retained Konda Surekha and Lok Satta has announced Maheswaru Gattaiah as their party candidates. The TDP is to yet to announce its candidate. The saffron party has opted for a surgeon, Dr Vijaya Chandra
Reddy. After having failed to broker peace between the TRS and BJP, the TJAC has taken a shrew step, for which Prof Kodandaram claims credit. The JAC has entrusted the political departments of Osmania and Hyderabad Universities to survey
and report the popular sentiment. Do the voters of Parakala trust TRS or BJP. The JAC will go by the report. “We will respect the sentiment of the people in Parakala. We (JAC) did not want a division of T-votes. But these parties have their political compulsions. We will keep an equi-dis-
tance and trust the study and declare our support after that,” the professor told Postnoon. In short, it is a brilliant stroke of not taking the blame on itself. Like Duryodana and Dharmaputra — both demanding the loyalty of Lord Krishna for the Mahabharat war — both parties are angling for the JAC support. The BJP has the advantages of putting all its energy in Parakala. “The doctor (Dr Reddy) will conduct a surgery on its rivals,” said the senior BJP leader Bandaru Dattatreya joyously. “The TRS ranks resent KCR tactics and suspect that he will tether the TRS stud at the Congress camp if the T state is formed. As for Congress, it’s a divided house. We are all likely to get the TJAC support. We are going to encore Palamur in Parakala, and after that our march to Parliament begins.” The Parakala also holds test for YSRC. If Surekha loses badly, the YSRC has to lose all hopes on Telangana and Surekha’s prospects look bleak in the next general elections. So Parakala will decide the future course of the movement, fate of YSRC, BJP and Surekha and it will become a mile stone in the history of Telangana movement.
Jagan seeks 3 weeks to Irregularities riddle co-op society C appear before CBI ooperative department officer Kiranmai, who was appointed by the State government to conduct an inquiry into the affairs of the TNGOs Housing Society, Gachibowli, has submitted a report to the State government on Tuesday, on the alleged irregularities that took place in the society. Following High Court orders, Kiranmai took up the comprehensive inquiry into the alleged irregularities. The report said that huge irregularities took place in allocation of plots. The persons responsible have not maintained the membership book and allotted plots as they wished.
POLITICS Postnoon News feedback@postnoon.com
T
he YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy, who had sent the Congress and the TDP into a tizzy, by addressing a letter to the Prime Minister alleging that there was a conspiracy to arrest him, today wrote to the CBI seeking three weeks to appear before the agency in connection with the illegal assets case against him and his companies. The CBI had served him a notice today to appear before it on May 28 in connection with the unlawful assets case, reports said. As per the letter, Jagan has sought time till June 15 as he is busy campaigning for the upcoming 18 Assembly bypolls. The letter sent through his lawyer detailed how he is caught up in the non-stop electioneering of his party. Jagan was earlier served a notice by the CBI court to depose before it on May 28. His letter requested the CBI officials to hold on till June 15. Meanwhile,
the Congress leader Botsa Satyanarayana and TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu have rubbished Jagan’s claim that they had been instigating the investigating agency to arrest him before elections. Naidu said it was ridiculous and deserved no answer. Botsa too said it had absolutely no basis.
According to the report, it was proved that they had also allotted 240 plots in the name of benamis. Several employees, who got the plots, were ineligible. No developmental activities took place though the society spent `30 crores. Many of those who got plots had submitted false affidavits. The plots were allotted to the TNGOs and gazetted officers’ belonging to other districts too, the report said. It may be mentioned that the government has allotted 160 acres of land to the TNGOs Housing Society at Gachibowli and Gopanpally in the year 1991. Some of the employees have approached the High Court and filed a petition demanding the Court to abolish the Housing Society and register criminal cases. AGENCY
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WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012
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Sudeshna Koka sudeshna.k@postnoon.com
H
yderabad and Secunderabad might be twins, but they are as different as can be. While the former is known to be a treasure trove of rich Nawabi heritage, Secunderabad still has traces of its British history. Apart from boasting of vast green spaces, Secunderabad is also home to some of the best playgrounds in town. “Every time I come back home to Secunderabad, there are several new things that catch my attention. But the one thing that remains constant are its grounds — Gymkhana and Parade grounds,” says Sukesh K, an advertising professional. Jayanthi Jaisimha, wife of late cricketer ML Jaisimha says, “Change is inevitable. Secunderabad has changed too; today most places have been converted into a concrete jungle. However, there are open lung spaces in Secunderabad like Parade Grounds and Gymkhana
Apart from boasting of vast green spaces, Secunderabad is also home to some of the best playgrounds in town SRINIVAS SETTY
ON SOLID GROUND
Grounds. These prove to be a great relief and make Secunderabad much greener and fresher.” Not just these there are several other grounds like Alwal grounds, Military Dairy grounds, Hasmathpet grounds, Trimulgherry grounds, Picket grounds and most schools in Secunderabad, which were constructed several decades back, have a huge play grounds as well.
Sunita Anand (wk), Indian women cricket team recalls, “I started my career in Secunderabad and we all practice and play in Secunderabad grounds. The best part about the grounds at Secunderabad is that there is no discrimination among people. Mithali Raj the Indian women’s cricket captain plays there as well as young children from orphan homes. This is unlike Hyderabad where it’s very
GHMC to promote rain water harvesting GHMC Postnoon News feedback@postnoon.com
I
n a step to save water, MT Krishna Babu, commissioner of GHMC, has announced that the municipality is holding a massive drive for constructing rain water harvesting structures before the rainy season. Addressing a review meeting with zonal commissioners on Tuesday, the commissioner said that they are planning to construct over 6,000 rain water harvesting structures, which would cost around `6 crores, and will take up construction of 1,500 rain water harvesting structures in each zone. The GHMC will be spending `10,000 for each structure. The commissioner has asked the zonal commissioners to encourage residential welfare associations to construct these rainwater harvesting structures in
their private properties. Krishna Babu pointed out that some progress has been seen in the west zone when it comes to constructing rain water harvesting structures and advised the zonal commissioner of central zone to concentrate on parks in Jubilee Hills for the same. He also requested the local engineering colleges and reputed degree colleges to encourage and motivate people to take up this initiative by conducting rallies. Colleges will be sanctioned `5 lakhs to take up the construction for their surrounding areas. The commissioner instructed the authorities to construct harvesting structures at all the water stagnation points on the roads. The commissioner has also asked the zonal commissioners to encourage gated communities and colonies to take up a 2bin system. He also said that GHMC will bear 50 per cent of the cost of the construction for the bio-compost shed and will train the rickshaw puller to segregate wet and dry waste in the shed itself.
commercialised and expensive.” But it’s not just the joggers and fitness enthusiasts who head to these grounds. It is also a casual hang out space for some professionals. “I work night shifts and finish work at around 5am. After a long night in the office I like to go to the Gymkhana grounds as I find it very refreshing. It is the perfect break for me from the City’s pollution and chaos. It gives me a sense of liberation,” says Vishal Arya, a software employee. A few people however are not too happy with the new set of restrictions that have been imposed on the usage of the grounds. “When I was a child there were fewer restrictions. While the grounds were main-
tained by the army even back then, they would let us use the grounds for longer hours. While the grounds are still open to the public today, the timings are restricted to a few hours in the morning and evening. Incidentally, although there were more people visiting the grounds back then, the premises were still spick and span, but today there is a litter of garbage everywhere," complains Gurishab Singh, a businessman. Over the years, several grounds have had to pave way for urbanisation. The Alwal and Picket grounds are some of the best examples. “We used to have grounds where we would play cricket. But the last time I wanted to go play a game, I noticed that most of the grounds have been converted into parks and playing cricket is no longer permitted. Some of the grounds have disappeared due to commercial projects and today children are forced to hire a ground to play. But how can students afford to hire a ground?” questions Shrikanth N, an IT professional.
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A case of more harm than help Juvenile homes are meant to reform those on the wrong side of the law. But the lack of adequate facilities at such homes in the City seem to be doing more harm than good
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W
hether it’s two 16-year olds in Kolkata raping their friend’s sister and then casually leaving to play football, a Chennai school boy brutally stabbing his teacher for a negative comment in his report card or a teenage girl strangling and cutting her neighbour just for the kick of knowing how it felt to kill — it all comes down to a case of juvenile crime. Juvenile crime is a social responsibility and it can’t be swept under the judicial table. Like elsewhere in the world, India has its share of cases that come under juvenile crime and the numbers are only increasing. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, 30,303 juveniles were apprehended all over India in 2010 out of which 28,763 were boys and 1,540 were girls. What is it that prompts these children to commit heinous acts of violence? “There are two things that affect children which lead them to violence. One is the homeward anti-social or violent parents could pass on the gene. The other is taking cue from elders which includes violence portrayed in the media including cinema. If a child is around adults who behave inappropriately, often a child learns such behaviour and might imitate the same. Besides, if a child does not know limits or is not taught
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to value the feelings of others then they can easily behave in ways that are considered anti-social,” says Dr Diana Monteiro, counselling psychologist, Hyderabad Academy of Psychology. The Juvenile Justice Act, 1986 is ‘an Act to provide for the care, protection, treatment, development and rehabilitation of neglected or delinquent juveniles’ but in reality the number of these children who were actually sent to special homes for treatment and to be taken care of are a mere 19 per cent of the total number of juvenile delinquents caught committing crime as per NCRB data. Apart from that, most of these
‘special juvenile homes’ lack any kind of medical or psychological facilities as well as provision for proper formal education. So, when suddenly they are on the streets again with society frowning on them, it just makes them fall back to their old habits. It pretty much defeats the purpose of juvenile law which is ideally to counsel, divert and protect them from committing such crimes again. Another problem that could arise is that keeping innocent girls in the company of juveniles without counselling tends to influence them and they could get involved in criminal activities too. “Any home with children needs to
proper food, education and sports to motivate them to do something good in their life and never indulge in crime again. They need a powerful way to combat their deflated sense of self and to find a way to give them a creative and constructive outlet for their mental energy. They need extremely efficient counselling to help them deal and overcome their emotional conflicts. They need special programmes for their reintegration into the society. The society needs to face this reality with immediate attention and need to work on certain control measures.
have a nurturing, warm and supportive environments where they are taught good social and personal values. The same applies to a juvenile home. The adults in these homes need to be good parents to these children. They need to be warm and nurturing as well as have high expectations of the child so that they engage in good positive behaviours. If a child behaves badly, immediate consequences need to be in place and they should be punitive measure, but correctional and justified to the inappropriate act. Similarly, if a child behaves well, then their behaviour should be rewarded,” adds Dr Diana.
‘Nawabi’ Marathas flourish in City COMMUNITY Ravi Bhanshali feedback@postnoon.com
F
or Marathis, Hyderabad is not home away from home but an extended home. This community has given much to the City of pearls and has imbibed many cultural strains. Maharashtrians have had their presence in the City for at least 300 years. Marathi organisations say the Maharashtrians living in Andhra Pradesh could be between 10-12 lakhs while the number of them living in Hyderabad could be around 3.5 lakh to 4 lakh. They are concentrated in Shalibanda, Gowliguda, Dhoolpet, Sultan Bazar, Kachiguda and Nallakunta. Many of them are doctors, educationists or lawyers. There are more than 25 Marathi organisations in the City .
Marathwada was part of the former Hyderabad state until May 1, 1960, when it was transferred to Bombay. “As Hyderabad was the capital of the Nizam’s Hyderabad since 1724, people from Marathwada came here for oppor-
tunities,” says DP Joshi, president of Marathi Sahitya Parishad. Old timers note that Maharashtrians were appointed in the Nizam’s army or revenue service. They were called Nawabi Marathas. Pratik Manohar Bhosale had never heard of Hyderabad but was told by his friends in Kanerwadi, a small village in Osmanabad, that it was a land of opportunities. “He says that his life changed after coming here. He spent his entire life here despite not having any relatives here,” says Saroj Bhosale, Pratik’s daughter. There are many like Bhosale who came in search of livelihood. For some like Malini Rajurkar (singer), Dr Pandit (CCMB scientist), Vilas Afzalpurkar (chief justice of High Court) life changed after shifting here. Taking about festivals, Dr Vishwanath Gogate, a member of AP Chitpawan Sangha, a
Maharashtrian association said, “On Gudi Padwa, we make the traditional Puranpoli at home.” “We speak Marathi and Telugu and are fluent in Urdu. We don't feel like outsiders,” says theatre personality Bhaskar Shewalkar. When Satish Surve came to the City, he never knew it would become his home. After 48 years, he cannot think of living anywhere else. “I initially stayed on because of my work and my son’s education. But the City is so peaceful and people are accommodating. I cannot think of shifting base now,” he says. Like many others from his community Satish Surve feels insecure because of the treatment being meted out to North Indians in Mumbai.“If Maharashtrians can ask people from other places to leave then why not the locals here?” Dr Vishwanath Gogate says the community has no problems. Some pinpricks, but nothing serious.
Egypt Elections
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012
Shadow of military looms over Egypt elections With elections today, the deeply entrenched Supreme Council of the Armed Forces will not easily be knocked from its perch
An artist writes a slogan in Arabic that reads “I will never give you peace” next to a graffiti picturing the morphed faces of ousted president Hosni Mubarak (R) and military ruler Hussein Tantawi and presidential candidates Amr Mussa (C) and Ahmed Shafiq (L), near Cairo’s central Tahrir square AFP/MARCO LONGARI Erin Cunningham
CAIRO: Egyptians are headed to the polls in a historic election to choose their first-ever civilian president. But with a constitution yet to be written and a parliament still struggling to breathe under the grip of military rule, just how much power will Egypt’s new leader have? The president-elect, whether Islamist, secular, or of the old regime, will be forced to navigate often-competing constituencies, including Islamists trumpeting the role of sharia law, the wary Coptic Christian minority and Egypt’s stalwart labour movements. But of all Egypt’s constituencies of power, none is greater than the Egyptian military, the institution from which every modern Egyptian leader has emerged and the venerable power base which has presided over the ongoing transition between the revolution that toppled Hosni Mubarak and the election set to get underway on Wednesday. How the newly elected presi-
dent approaches a relationship to the military and to what extent he seeks to challenge its sprawling and secretive financial empire will in many ways give shape to Egypt’s nascent democratic state for years to come. Few of the front-running candidates for Egypt’s top post — including the secular, old-guard Amr Moussa, independent Islamist Abdel Meneim Aboul Fotouh and the Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohamed Morsi — are so far willing to publicly challenge the clout of armed forces, still highly revered by many Egyptians. On Thursday, less than a week before the election, local media reported that the ruling Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) would issue an amendment to the constitutional declaration voted in last year that will define the powers and duties of the incoming head-of-state. Former Brigadier-General and independent military analyst Safwat Al Zayyat said, “There is no real history of a relationship between the
military on the one hand and the executive on the other, because they were always both derived from the same entity.” In 1952, a group of ‘Free Officers’ in Egypt’s military, led by later Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser, staged a coup against the country’s monarch, King Farouk, launching 60 years of continuous military rule. That era ended in February of last year when hundreds of thousands of Egyptians took to the streets in protests that ultimately led to Mubarak, an Egyptian Air Force commander brought to power after the assassination of Anwar Sadat, stepping down after 30 years of rule. “The military institution has largely determined the actions of the executive branch, and in return, the regime gave the army a lot of leeway,” Al Zayyat said. “Allowing them to pursue economic projects and leaving certain civilian positions open for military figures.” Indeed, Egyptians had hoped their 2011 popular uprising
would usher in a new era of civil, democratic rule. Protesters in Cairo’s iconic Tahrir Square, the symbolic epicenter of the revolt, initially welcomed with enthusiasm the military as it rolled into the capital’s streets in battle tanks. Its field commanders and soldiers on the street vowed not to fire on the unarmed demonstrators. Chanting, “The people and the army are one hand,” the activists were hopeful the military was on their side in the fight against the regime. But soon after SCAF assumed control during the revolution, protesters’ hopes for a fresh regime – free of the corruption and widespread torture of the Mubarak period and finally answerable to the Egyptian electorate – were dashed. Since it seized the helm as Egypt’s caretaker government, the military has cracked down on protesters, killing scores of civilians in the last year. Heba Habib contributed reporting from Cairo, Egypt.
8
The Candidates AMR MUSSA: Egypt’s former foreign minister and ex-head of the Arab League, Mussa is seen as an experienced politician and diplomat by supporters, but detractors say he is a Mubarak regime holdover. ABDEL MONEIM ABUL FOTOUH: A former senior member of the Muslim Brotherhood, the moderate Abul Fotouh portrays himself as a consensus choice, touting the range of his support, but some suspect he is more conservative than he admits. AHMED SHAFIQ: The last prime minister to serve under Mubarak, Shafiq is campaigning on a stability and law-and-order platform that emphasises his military background. He is strongly rejected by the youth who spearheaded the uprising. MOHAMMED MURSI: The second choice candidate of the Muslim Brotherhood, after their first choice was disqualified, Mursi’s platform touts the party’s “Renaissance” project, which calls for Egypt’s development along Islamic principles. HAMDEEN SABBAHI: A former member of parliament and longtime activist, Sabbahi is a staunch proponent of the leftist, pan-Arabist policies of former Egyptian president Gamal Abdul Nasser and emphasises his humble beginnings. KHALED ALI: The youngest of the candidates, Ali is a labour lawyer and respected activist who is seen by many as the true “revolutionary” candidate, but he has limited name recognition and many consider him too young to lead. SELIM AL-AWWA: An Islamist thinker with a background of work on Muslim-Christian dialogue, Awwa is running as an independent, and presents himself as a Muslim moderate who is able to bridge religious divides. HISHAM AL-BASTAWISI: The official candidate of the leftwing Tagammu party, Bastawisi is a jurist who became famous for challenging the results of elections held in 2005. He has been endorsed by the April 6 revolutionary group and touts his independent credentials. ABUL EZZ AL-HARIRI: Candidate of the Socialist Popular Alliance party, Hariri is a long-time advocate of social justice and redistribution of wealth, who first become a member of parliament in the 1970s. HOSSAM KHAIRALLAH: Representing the Democratic Peace party, Khairallah is considered a lawand-order candidate and emphasises his military background and security heritage. MAHMUD HOSSAM: A long-time member of Egypt’s despised State Security which was restructured after Mubarak’s overthrow, Hossam also worked with the UN Middle East Human Rights Department. His platform calls for purging the police and restoring stability. ABDULLAH AL-ASHAAL: A legal scholar and diplomat, Ashaal is the candidate of the Islamist Al-Asala Party. His platform includes the “Project for Egyptian National Revival” and emphasises job creation and agricultural reform.
15,913.16 113.25
4,825.15 35.35
BSE
NSE
Business
10g= `29,200
GOLD
1kg= `54,100
SILVER
DOLLAR
Matters of saving and spending
Currency fluctuates, says PM NEW DELHI: With a steep
FB settles ‘sponsored stories’ suit SAN FRANCISCO: Facebook has settled a lawsuit alleging the social network improperly used members for advertising purposes without their consent in socalled “sponsored stories,” court documents showed Tuesday. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed. The suit, which sought classaction status and could have applied to millions of members, alleged that Facebook improperly used advertising when a member indicated he or she “liked” a company. The “like” was passed on to the friends of those members as an implied endorsement of a company or product. The company, which launched a massive public offering last week, is under growing scrutiny for its privacy policies. It is also under pressure from investors to find ways to monetise its social network. AFP
City-based Ybrant Digital is all set to take huge strides in to the digital media business by taking over Experian businesses
Suresh Reddy, chairman and CEO, Ybrant Digital K Prudhvi Raju prudhvi.k@postnoon.com
Y
brant Digital, a City-based global digital marketing company, has come a long way to become one of the top three digital marketing companies in the world. The company started with Vijay Kancharla and Suresh Reddy in 1994 as USA greetings, acquired 11 companies from various countries overtime. Talking about the first business idea, Reddy said, “Initially, we wanted to sell physical greetings but could not get them printed on time. Eventually, we took all those designs, put them on the web and created a virtual greeting card company. The company expanded in to the digital marketing business in 2000 and renamed itself as Ybrant Digital.” “We have built platforms to wish employees with a newsletters engine, corporate and mobile greeting cards way ahead of time. However, we could not sell these to companies. At that time we just wanted to produce the best prod-
uct and the market would buy it. But this proved to be a bad miss. We then began conducting market research and expanded our services according to what the market wanted. We realised that when we make products of our liking we should either have the financial muscle to push it in to the market or the product should be so breakthrough that it takes off by itself,” said Reddy. Ever since, Ybrant has grown by leaps and bounds by acquiring companies to increase and strengthen its product portfolio such as email marketing, display, social media, search and affiliate marketing. The group recently announced that it is in the process of taking over Experian businesses’ PriceGrabber, LowerMybills and ClassesUSA for $283 million. Talking about the reasons for the acquisition, Reddy said, “There is a regular feedback mechanism from customers and sales. We realised that our sales force is strong and adding a couple of products to our portfolio would work. All these products are not
only interesting from a consumer’s perspective, but also from the business perspective, which act as lead generators in consumer finance, shopping and education segments. When asked about bringing these unique concepts to the Indian markets, Reddy said, “We don’t want to rush into the market without proper integration of newly acquired companies. The integration may take nine months to one year. Ybrant is looking at various markets in the world including India. We have been concentrating on the Indian market since last year. In the process, we are setting up offices across all the major cities to bring the systems in place.” Talking about the industry, Reddy said, “Digital marketing is a $70 billion business. Most of the companies have turnovers of $100-200 million. The leading companies have a turnover of $500 million. There is need for growth and a lot of consolidation is going to happen. The market will reach $100 billion in the near future and for us to take a share in this pie is not impossible. We wanted to be the leaders in the market and are among the top three companies in the world. We aim to become a $1 billion company over time.” When asked about why Indian businesses could not produce global products, Reddy said, “We are beginning to see a lot of companies looking at worldwide opportunities. Every country takes time to start making an impact on the world. I believe that Indian businesses are taking huge strides towards that. In spite of our socioeconomic and political limitations, our entrepreneurs are unwilling to be bogged down.”
Amex now plants money trees SAN FRANCISCO: American Express on Tuesday began letting lovers of Zynga games plant money trees on “Farmville” acreage. The financial services titan known for high-status credit cards unveiled an alliance with the San Francisco-based social games star. Players of Zynga’s popular “FarmVille” will be able to earn in-game virtual money as rewards for using specially branded prepaid Serve cards from American Express for shopping out in the real world. “We’re thrilled to expand our relationship with Zynga and provide an easy way for players to earn Zynga virtual game cash by learning about Serve and signing up to receive the many benefits of our digital wallet,” said American Express president of enterprise growth Dan Schulman. “FarmVille” lets players tend to virtual crops with
`87.88
POUND WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012 9
Billion dollar dreams DEEPAK DESHPANDE
fall in the value of rupee, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday said that in a market economy currency goes up and down and there are global uncertainties to which India is not an exception. “In a market economy, currency goes up and down,” Singh told mediapersons in a brief informal interaction at a dinner that he hosted here on completion of three years of UPA-II government. “There are uncertainties, global uncertainities,” he said while adding that India was no exception to the norms. Answering a query, the Prime Minister said he would visit Pakistan at an “appropriate time”. Asked about the negative perceptions of UPA government, Singh said that such a perception will be corrected by “what is happening in reality”. The Prime Minister assured that his government would fulfil its agenda and not disappoint people. IANS
`55.77
help from friends. Players were given the option of planting “Serve Money Trees” on their make-believe farms. Those who plant trees are prompted to register Serve cards, load them with real money and then use them for purchases at shops. AFP
NUMEROLOGY
`1,910billion is the likely IT spending of Indian enterprises in 2012, a 6.4 per cent increase from 2011 spending of `1,640 billion.
THUS SPAKE “Global slowdown due to unfolding of eurozone sovereign debt crisis has, inter-alia, impacted the Indian economy through deceleration in exports, widening of trade and current account deficit, decline in capital flows, fall in the value of Indian Rupee, stock market decline and lower economic growth.” Pranab Mukherjee finance minister
PROFIT PLUNGES US computer maker Dell on Tuesday reported a 33 per cent drop in profits in a disappointing quarterly report for former market leader. The company, which has slipped to third place in the global PC market, said its profit in the first fiscal quarter fell to $635 million. Dell said however, the firm was moving away from its traditional PC base to services.
BAD NEWS Continuing its losing streak for the sixth session in a row, the rupee today lost 43 paise to touch a fresh low of 55.82 against the US dollar in early trade due to increased capital outflows amid a strong demand for the American currency by importers, especially oil refiners. The local currency, which had plunged to an alltime low of 55.39 yesterday, crashed to 55.82 at the Interbank Foreign Exchange market in early trade. Meanwhile, the BSE benchmark Sensex was down by 84.18 points.
India‑View
10
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012
India unveiled
UPA’s dismal 3 years NEW DELHI: The United Progressive Alliance (UPA)-II government completed three years in office Tuesday amid charges of policy paralysis and key initiatives remaining mired in fractious coalition politics. There have been some positives. In the last three years, there have been no big terror incidents, relations with Pakistan have looked ahead and foodgrain production has touched a record 250 million tonnes. But those have been the very thin silver lining in the proverbial black cloud of corruption, government inaction and unending economic woes with the common person forced to cut back on essentials as prices rise steeply. As the helmsman, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh continues to get flak for being noncommunicative and fighting the perception that he’s ceding space to the Congress’ preferred man, Rahul Gandhi. Despite the backing of 300 plus seats in the Lok Sabha, the UPA-II, experts point out, appears to be in a state of drift, with its constituents sparring with each other over much-touted initiatives like the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC). A spate of scams, including the 2G spectrum allocation scandal and the various allegations of graft associated with the 2010 Commonwealth Games, continues to haunt the UPA-II. A combative opposition has hurled charges against Home Minister P Chidambaram over his
alleged role in the 2G spectrum case and an assertive civil society, led by Anna Hazare, is trying hard to pin down the government over corruption. The economy is in a dismal shape, with the rupee plunging to an all-time low of `55.13, inflation is soaring and manufacturing has declined. “There is a general sense of disappointment at the performance of UPA-II. Electorally, it did much better than the UPA-I but there does not seem to be political will to take tough decisions,” S Nihal Singh, veteran political commentator, told IANS. He noted that some stellar initiatives like the NCTC and the Lokpal (ombudsman) bill seemed to be going nowhere. Signature legislations in a limbo include the food security bill, the Lokpal bill and the land acquisition bill. N Bhaskar Rao, a political analyst, said “There is nothing to celebrate... it’s time for serious
introspection, course correction and new initiatives if the UPA-II wants to be re-elected.” Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has played the role of the opposition rather than an ally, forcing the government to backtrack on important initiatives like the FDI in multi-brand retail. On the positive side, the very fact that the government, despite sparring partners, looks set to survive its full term is no mean achievement as it has spared the country bouts of political instability. In a major step targeting the poor, the government also unveiled a reformed package of Mamatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) that promises to uplift millions of people. In the area of foreign policy, the UPA-II has done relatively better and shown some vision in reviving the dialogue process with Pakistan and transforming a once-difficult relationship with Bangladesh. IANS
Par nod to Copyright Act amendments NEW DELHI: Song writers, artistes and performers, deprived of their dues so far, can now claim royalty for their creations with Parliament today approving a law to provide much-delayed justice to them. The Copyright Act (Amendment) Bill, 2012 was passed by the Lok Sabha, which witnessed unusual unanimity on the matter with members from all parties supporting the measure for creative artistes whose benefits are cornered by producers. The bill, passed by the Rajya Sabha on May 17, declares authors as owners of the copyright, which cannot be assigned to producers as was the practice till now. Noting that poor artistes had been left in the lurch as producers cornered all royalties, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said the new law will help them live a good life even in old age as they would continue to get their dues for their work during their heyday. Moving the bill for passage, he gave examples of shehnai exponent Bismillah Khan and music composer Ravi to press home the point that the condition of such excellent artistes was pitiable as they were not able to pay even house rent and hospital charges. The bill makes it manda-
Highlights of the Copyright Act n Amends the Copyright Act, 1957. n Expands definition of copyright to protect owners of literary or musical works. n Protects performers and allows them to make sound or visual recordings of their performances and reproducing them in any medium. n Copyright of a film currently rests with the producer for 60 years. The bill extends copyright to a director as well, but for 70 years. n Makes special provisions for those whose work is used in films or sound recordings. tory for broadcasters — both radio and television — to pay royalty to the owners of the copyright each time a work of art is broadcast. It bans persons from bringing out cover versions of any literary, dramatic or musical work for five years from the first recording of the original creation. The bill received overwhelming support including from the Opposition which appreciated the government for such a step, though belatedly. IANS
2000-year-old stone anchor found PANAJI: Scientists of the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) have found an Indo-Arabic stone anchor off the Kutch coast in Gujarat that offers significant clues to the Indo-Arabic and Indo-Persian trade of the first and second century BC. It was found at a depth of more than 50 metres. The find has been published in the May issue of scientific journal “Current Science”. “Ancient stone anchors serve to understand maritime contacts of India with other parts of the world... Arabs and Persians sailed the Indian Ocean and used the type of anchors under study since the 9th century. Indo-Arabian type stone anchors have been reported from the western Indian Ocean countries, namely east Africa, India, Persian Gulf countries and Sri lanka, suggesting close maritime contacts and trade relations among these countries. “The ports in the Gulf of
Kachchh have contributed significantly to maritime trade since ancient times, and such trade was extensive between Gujarat and the Arab world even during the medieval period,” the study reported. The antique broke into two
Ancient stone anchors serve to understand maritime contacts of India with other parts of the world. pieces while being retrieved. “While the anchor was being retrieved, it fell from the dredger and broke into two pieces along a fracture plane that developed 70
cm below the upper circular hole,” the study reported. Sila Tripathi, a marine archaeologist at the NIO who studied the anchor said more studies needed to be done to determine
the exact source of the rock material. Tripathi said it was most likely of Indian origin. “More studies need to be done to know where it came from, which includes studying
the nature of rock along the entire Western Indian coastline to find a match,” he said. “Further comparative studies of epiclastic rocks from these areas are required to verify whether the stone anchor reported in this study could have been made from one of these rocks. An earlier study showed that stone anchors recovery from Indian waters are made of rocks found along the Indian coast. “As there are no associated finds along with the stone anchor in the present study, it is difficult to determine the exact age. However, on the basis of comparative analysis, similar type of IndoArabian-type of stone anchors have been dated between 9th and 17th century AD in the Indian waters,” Tripathi said. The anchor stone is composed of quartz and feldspar grains floating in a ferruginous matrix. IANS
India‑View
11
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012
India unveiled
Contempt plea against pilots
NATION AT A GLANCE Digitalisation a major achievement: UPA
NEW DELHI: Air India today filed a contempt petition against striking pilots in the Delhi High Court on grounds that the agitators have failed to comply with its previous order restraining them from undertaking the stir. Filing the petition through counsel Lalit Bhasin, AI management said despite the court’s restraint order, several opportunities were given to the striking pilots to resolve their issues but they failed to settle the matter. The counsel for AI is likely to mention the matter before Justice Reva Khetrapal, who had passed the restraint order, for the petition to be heard today itself. On May 9, the High Court
NEW DELHI: The UPA has listed its decision to digitalise the cable sector as one of its major achievements in its report card presented today on completion of three years in office. Digitalisation has to be implemented in the four Metros by June 30, 2012 and in four phases in the entire country by December 31, 2014. The government also said Prasar Bharati had launched a plan to digitalise its network.
had restrained over 200 agitating pilots from continuing their “illegal strike”, reporting sick and staging demonstrations, a day after the airlines management sacked 10 pilots and derecog-
nised their union. The pilots, under the banner of Indian Pilots Guild (IPG), are agitating over the rescheduling of Boeing 787 Dreamliner training and matters relating to their
career progression. The judge had also said allowing such a strike to continue would cause irreparable loss to the company as well as huge inconvenience to the passengers travelling by the national carrier. Filing an injunction suit against the pilots, counsel for AI management Bhasin had termed the strike as illegal and said due to the pilots’ stir, the company has been compelled to cancel some of its international flights. Moreover, as a result of the cancellation of flights, Air India is facing huge financial loss of over Rs 10 crore per day, he had said. PTI
US defence secretary to visit India soon
Delhi court slams panel over girl’s adoption
Calling WASHINGTON: developing the US-India relationship as a priority for the United States, defence secretary Leon Panetta will travel to India in the first week of June, the Pentagon announced. “Developing the US-India relationship is a priority for the US government, and our bilateral relationship is one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century for the United States,” Pentagon press secretary George Little told reporters on Tuesday. Panetta’s first trip to India trip as defence secretary is part of a week-long Asia trip. He will leave here May 30 to participate in the Shangri La Dialogue, an inter-governmental security forum of 28 Asia-Pacific states, in Singapore where he is expect-
NEW DELHI: The Child Welfare Commission’s (CWC) decision to recommend a girl for adoption without the permission of her biological father was termed as a “gross human rights violation”, by a Delhi court. Additional Sessions Judge Kamini Lau’s remarks came while hearing a petition moved by rape convict Bhola who complained that the decision to recommend his biological daughter for adoption was illegal. The child was born to a 17year-old girl after she spent a couple of years with Bhola in south Delhi’s Srinivaspuri. “Great injustice has been done with Bhola, the biological father and natural guardian of baby ‘J’, and I shudder to think of the consequences and the storm which is arising in the life of Baby ‘J’ just because of this one
ed to speak about US defence policy in an era of austerity. He will then travel to Vietnam and India reaching New Delhi in the first week of June. IANS
irresponsible hasty decision,” the court said in its recent order. The mother of the child was 15-year-old when she met Bhola. Both of them started living as husband and wife, until the child was born. Later the mother realised that she had committed a mistake running away from her family and called her parents to take her back. She surrendered the child to the CWC. Without tracing the father of the child, the baby was recommended for adoption under the category of “abandoned/destitute”. Bhola later came to know about it but could not take any steps since he was sent to jail, facing trial in the case related to rape of the child’s mother. “The poor in our country have as much right as do the rich and there cannot be two sets of laws,” the court said. IANS
Humble lifeguard who saved 50 lives Brij Khandelwal
AGRA: River lifeguard Satish Chandra is like Mitch Buchannon, the popular character from American TV show Baywatch who saved people from drowning in the sea. However, Chandra has received hardly any recognition even after saving 50 lives in 33 years. “Every time I jump into the river to save a drowning person I risk my life, but I really don’t care. I’m focussed on saving the person who is struggling for life,” said Chandra, who works at the Central Water Commission’s monitoring station in Agra’s Poiya Ghat. Frail and fatigued, the 55year-old however has no
regrets. “What I did was my call of duty, ordained by the divine power that fuels me and makes me work like a machine, pulling out people in the nick of time from whirlpools and deep waters in various rivers. But recognitions and rewards help satisfy one’s ego and prove great motivators,” he said. He said he had a standard technique to safely return with the person who was drowning. “Normally I hit the water with full power to make way and then I forcibly lift the person. Sometimes the drowning person can endanger your own life by clutching desperately to you, then you have to force him deep down so that he releases you instantly,” he said.
His journey began in Chittor in Rajasthan in 1979. “An officer of the Water Commission was drowning in the river. When I saw him, I immediately plunged in and brought him back safely from the jaws of death.” The feat, watched by nearly 200 people, secured him a job
as a temporary worker with the commission in Udaipur. His journey as a lifesaver has not yet ended. The score is 50 and all recorded. One incident he cannot get over was in 1993 when he failed to save two children from drowning in the Yamuna in Agra. “I shall be glad and satisfied if some state or central honour is bestowed upon me so that others are motivated to follow my example,” he said. Interestingly, each time he has risked his life to save someone, there have been hundreds of witnesses with not one coming forward to jump along with him. “Yes, my body is growing old but my spirit has not waned,” he said. IANS
Govt to sell vegetables at a lower price THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In view of increasing prices of vegetables in the state, Kerala government has decided to make them available to consumers at a price 30 per cent lower than the market rates. The decision was taken at a meeting convened by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.
Women are evacuated from a burning building in Race Course locality in Vadodara on Tuesday. PTI
Bank manager in jail for defrauding customers BURDWAN (WB): A local court today remanded the manager of a nationalised bank charged with defrauding customers in police custody for 14 days. Sudham Chandra Pyne, the manager of Bank of Baroda, Howrah main branch, was arrested from his home in Kolkata earlier in the day by CID sleuths following complaints by a Burdwan-based businessman.
Pack of stray dogs attack, kill deer NAGAPATTINAM (TN): A spotted deer was bitten to death by a pack of stray dogs at a village in the district today, officials said. The deer was chased by the dogs which bit its throat in Settimedu village. Due to loss of blood, the deer died before any medical aid could be given. Forest department officials visited the village and conducted inquiries.
Activists of KMSS take out a torch procession on Tuesday to protest mega dam projects in Guwahati. PTI
Around the World
12
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012
Beyond Borders
WHY AFRICA NEEDS WOMEN POWER M President Joyce Banda plans to make Malawi one of two African countries where homosexuality is not a crime alawi’s new president Joyce Banda is really shaking things up. She announced that she will work to overturn Malawi’s law which bans homosexual acts, reported the BBC. Banda said she wants to repeal “bad laws” when speaking at her first “State of the Nation” address to parliament on Friday, May 18. She has the support of a majority of parliament, so she may well succeed in undoing the legislation that outlaws homosexuality. Banda, 62, is shaping up to be one of Africa’s most interesting leaders. She became president on April 7 after the death of President Bingu wa Mutharika. Banda was Mutharika’s running mate in the 2009 elections, but then fell out with him. Nevertheless when he died of a heart attack she was sworn in as Malawi’s new head of state. Banda is Africa’s second female president, after Liberia’s Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who recently won re-election to a second term. Banda quickly announced that she would be doing things differently from Mutharika, who had alienated donor nations, especially Britain. Banda
Malawi’s new President Joyce Banda during a press conference on in Lilongwe. AFP reversed several of his policies. She devalued the currency, the kwacha, by 30 per cent in a bid to get donor funding restored, reported AP. Many donors cut aid under Mutharika, accusing him of economic mismanagement and political repression. Banda also decided not to invite Sudan’s President Omar alBashir to attend an African
Union summit Malawi is hosting in July. She said she feared the “economic implications” if Bashir visited the country in defiance of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court on war crimes charges over the conflict in Darfur. Malawi’s relations with donors have already improved thanks to Banda’s actions and the
British government, which had been extremely critical of Mutharika, is now urging other donors to restore funding as soon as possible. Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world, with up to 60 per cent of its 15.4 million people living below the poverty line, according to the UN. Foreign aid used to make up a large proportion of the national budget. If Banda succeeds in decriminalizing homosexuality, Malawi will join South Africa as the two countries in Africa where gay sex is not illegal. South Africa’s 1996 constitution prohibits discrimination against gays and allows same-sex marriage. However, many ordinary South Africans remain homophobic and there have been several murders of gays in recent years. Many Malawians and Malawian churches also disapprove of homosexuality. In 2010 two Malawian men were sentenced to 14 years in prison after they announced they would get married. Eventually they were pardoned by Mutharika on “humanitarian grounds only” but he said they had “committed a crime against our culture, against
our religion, and against our laws." according to the BBC. Other African countries are strongly against gay rights. Uganda has a bill before its parliament that calls for harsh penalties for homosexuality. At first the bill called for the death penalty, but the bill has since been changed to call for a sentence of life imprisonment. In parts of Nigeria and Sudan that use Shariah law, homosexuality is punishable by death. In Liberia, Johnson Sirleaf said earlier this year she would keep a law that makes voluntary sodomy illegal. But not all African leaders are anti-gay. Last year, Botswana’s former president Festus Mogae and former Zambian president Kenneth Kaunda urged decriminalization of homosexuality. The two ex-presidents went to Lilongwe, Malawi’s capital, in June 2011 as part of their campaign to reduce HIV transmission. “We can preach about behavioural change, but as long as we confine gays and lesbians into dark corners because of our inflexibility to accommodate them, the battle on HIV and AIDS can never be won,” Mogae said. dil_^imlpq
Taking petting to extremes
Narcotic flotsam Four tons of pot found floating in the Pacific
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ore than four tons of marijuana were recovered by US authorities from the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of California, on Sunday. CNN reported that the value of the pot that was fished out amounted to $3.6 million. The Border Patrol, the US Coast Guard and the Orange County sheriff’s office were all involved in seizing the 160 bales of pot, floating 13 miles off Dana Point, California, said CNN. The seizure was one of the largest of its kind along the maritime smuggling route. Lt Joe Balicki from the Orange County sheriff’s department said the first calls reporting the suspi-
cious bales came around noon, according to The Los Angeles Times. Border Patrol Agent Supervisor Michael Jimenez said the case was unusual as usually such dumps of cargo happened when the drug traffickers were trying to flee the authorities. “At other events, they’ve dumped the bales to get rid of weight if they’re being chased,” he said, according to The New York Daily News. Jimenez added, “What’s more unusual is that the bales were floating with no boat in sight.” Reuters noted that the coastal strip near California has become more commonly used as smugglers try to avoid security on land borders. dil_^imlpq
NEW YORK: People and their pets often end up resembling each other, but image-obsessed Americans are taking that age-old relationship a step further, treating their fourlegged friends to everything from spa facials to testicle implants. In a nation of surgically enhanced human breasts, teeth and skin, perhaps it was just a matter of time before the beauty stakes were raised for pooches and cats. One end of the spectrum features dogs such as Hops, a Maltese terrier who recently was given a blueberry facial, followed by a blow dry, and tooth brushing with chickenflavoured paste, at Manhattan’s Downtown Doghouse spa. Groomer Ani Corless described this as the new normal for lapdogs. “These are manmade breeds and they require maintenance,” she said. Mid-facial, Hops ejected a tiny puddle of vomit, but otherwise did seem to enjoy the attention. More extreme — and painful — makeovers are also gaining ground. New York Republican law-
maker Nicole Malliotakis says animals are subjected to tattoos, earrings, nose rings, chin rings, tummy tucks, even facelifts. Owner of two Chihuahuas called Peanut and Olympia, Malliotakis has proposed a law to ban cosmetic alterations to pets in New York state, calling this “a form of animal cruelty.” But Gregg Miller, founder of a company called Neuticles, says Malliotakis is “nuts” and exaggerating the problem. Miller company leads the world in manufacturing fake animal testicles.
Created from the same silicone used to enlarge women’s breasts, Neuticles fill the space left when a pet is neutered. “We’ve Neuticled well over 5,00,000 pets in the United States and all over the world — dogs, cats, horses bulls, monkeys, rats, water buffalo," Miller said. Prices range between $119 for the XSmall pair and $599 for the XXLarge with attached epididymis. Miller got the idea back in 1993 when he wanted to help his bloodhound Buck overcome post-neutering blues. ^cm
Around the World IMF gives Britain crucial advice LONDON: The IMF on Tuesday urged the Bank of England to cut interest rates and pump more cash into the recession-hit economy, which has been hit hard by the debt crisis in major trading partner the eurozone. The International Monetary Fund also warned that Britain’s coalition government needed to be prepared to cut taxation and increase infrastructure spending, should the recovery fade or the eurozone crisis worsen. “Further monetary easing is required” for Britain to secure a “sustainable economic recovery”, the IMF said in its annual report on the nation’s economy. “Monetary stimulus can be provided via further quantitative easing (QE) and possibly cutting the policy rate.” The BoE’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) slashed interest rates to the current record low of 0.50 percent in March 2009, when it also launched its radical QE policy aimed at stimulating the economy. Under QE, the central bank has so far pumped the economy with £325 billion (402 billion euros, $512 billion) of new cash by purchasing assets such as government and corporate bonds with the aim of giving a boost to lending. The economy clawed its way out of a fierce downturn in late 2009 but has since struggled to recover, and slid back into recession in the final quarter of 2011 on the back of the eurozone crisis and state austerity. ^cm
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WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012
Beyond Borders
Iran, world powers in damage control talks
AFP/ DIETER NAGL
BAGHDAD: Iran and six world powers meet for talks in Baghdad on Wednesday hoping to silence what US President Barack Obama called the “drums of war” and pave the way to a deal that will end decades of enmity. The one overriding issue is Iran’s nuclear programme, which the Islamic republic insists is peaceful but which much of the international community suspects masks an attempt to join the elite club of nations with the bomb. The fear is that a nucleararmed Iran would destabilise the already volatile Middle East and sound the death knell for 60 years of international efforts to prevent the spread of atomic weapons, sparking a regional arms race. Israel, Washington’s closest ally in the region, feels its very existence would be under threat and has refused to rule out a pre-emptive strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Obama took office in January 2009 offering a radical change in approach to his predecessor, George W Bush, in dealings with Iran, famously offering an “extended hand” to Tehran if it “unclenched its fist.” This failed, however, and Iran has since dramatically expanded its programme, enriching uranium to purities of 20 per cent, a level within spitting distance, technically
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director-general Yukiya Amano upon his arrival from Teheran on Tuesday. speaking, of the 90 per cent needed for a nuclear weapon. As a result, talk of war has increased and the UN Security Council has imposed more sanctions on Iran. Additional US and EU restrictions targeting Iran’s oil sector are due to come into force from July 1. But now, both sides “have walked up to the abyss and they have both decided they don’t want to go down it,” said Trita Parsi, author of an acclaimed recent book about Obama’s dealings with Iran called A Single Roll of the Dice. Obama, seeking re-election in November against a Republican challenger accusing him of dawdling over Iran and keen to oil prices come down, is impatient for results,
SAN FRANCISCO: The Internet
Akram Atallah, chief operating officer of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). problem was fixed and that they could securely apply. In January, ICANN began taking applications from those interested in operating Internet domains that replace endings such as .com or .org with nearly any acceptable words, including
SEOUL: S Korea will this week chemically castrate a man repeatedly convicted of sexually assaulting children in the country’s first use of the punishment. Park is serving a 10-year sentence for the attempted rape of a 10-year-old girl. He will be given an injection every three months for the next three years to reduce his sexual urges by manipulating his hormones “whether he likes it or not”.
Yemen needs urgent help: Aid groups
while Iran is feeling the pinch from the sanctions. The P5+1 and Iran met in Istanbul in mid-April and managed to find enough common ground to come to Baghdad, with both sides hailing what they said was a fresh approach from the other. But the Baghdad meeting will put these renewed efforts at rapprochement to the test as they seek to set the parameters of what will be a lengthy and arduous process of compromise requiring unseen amounts of patience and trust. One key way for Iran to win the confidence of the P5+1 will be a suspension of 20 per cent enrichment, while another would be Iran shipping its stock of enriched uranium abroad. ^cm
‘.com’ paves way for ‘revolution’ domain name “revolution” was back in action on Tuesday with the agency in charge of website addresses once again taking applications for online neighbourhoods breaking the “.com” mould. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) had put the process on hold after discovering a flaw that let some aspiring applicants peek at unauthorised information at the registration website. “During the last few weeks, we have fixed the technical glitch that caused us to take the system offline,” ICANN chief operating officer Akram Atallah said in a message at the agency’s website. The window for applying will remain open until the end of May 30 GMT time. Those interested in running new generic top-level domains (gTLDs) online were assured the
GLOBE AT A GLANCE S Korea to chemically castrate sex offender
AFP
company, organisation or city names. Outgoing ICANN president Rod Beckstrom has championed the change as a “new domain name system revolution.” The new system will allow Internet names such as .Apple or
.IMF or .Paris. ICANN says the huge expansion of the Internet, with two billion users around the world, half of them in Asia, requires the new names. Registration costs $185,000 with a $25,000 annual fee after that. ICANN insists that safeguards are in place to protect names of established companies and groups. The software flaw exposed the usernames or file names of 72 applicants, with the information potentially glimpsed by about 30 parties, according to ICANN. Those files could not be opened by other applicants. “It was a subtle bug that only happened under certain circumstances,” Beckstrom told AFP. Applicants whose files were exposed, along with those who had opportunities to peek at information, have been notified. ^cm
RIYADH: Seven aid groups on Wednesday warned Western diplomats that Yemen was on the brink of a “catastrophic food crisis” and urged them to bolster efforts to salvage the situation as they meet in Riyadh for an international conference to help the nation. The agencies include Oxfam, CARE and Save the Children.
Students protest in Montreal as lakhs defy an emergency law restricting protests to mark the 100th day of student protests. AFP
China cancels high-level military visit to Japan BEIJING: China has cancelled a highlevel military trip to Japan, as the neighbours bicker over a disputed island chain and a recent Uighur symposium in Tokyo that angered Beijing. Guo Boxiong, vice chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission and China’s highest ranking military officer, will not visit Japan due to a “work commitment” at home.
‘Device’ claim triggers flight diversion WASHINGTON: A French woman forced a transatlantic flight from Paris to North Carolina to be diverted to Maine after claiming she had a “surgically implanted device.” The US Airways jet with 179 passengers and crew on board landed safely in Bangor, Maine, where the woman was taken into custody by the FBI before the Boeing 767 continued its journey.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez during a cabinet meeting at the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas on Tuesday. AFP
Comment
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012
Fair, free and forthright
Talk back Avoidable crashes It’s astonishing how easy it is to lose one’s life in India. Just board a train or get into a bus, meet with an accident and die. I don't understand why does this happen again and again? Every time we, the common people, have to face the consequence of negligence on part of the people who entrusted with the very responsible job of taking care of fellow human beings. This is outrageous and the government is answerable in this regard. For very clearly, rules are being flaunted and that is why such carelessness repeats so regularly. Should we follow prescribed methods, which are designed scientifically, such things will not occur. Sunil Kumar By email
Good work by police It’s kudos from me to the traffic police who are doing such a wonderful job. In the last month of so, they have become very strict and I have seen so many a checking at loads of places. It’s good to see that. Though a bit inconvenient to us at times, the police are leaving no stone unturned to get the traffic back on the right path in the city. While very clearly this job should have been done a long time back, it is only for instances like these that we have a saying, ‘it is better late, than never’. I am sure that these efforts are going to yield results. The situation in the city was really becoming impossible. Noor Mushtaq Boiguda
Cops on prowl City traffic personnel need to be counselled on the way they discharge their duties. Just because they have the power, they behave not only arrogantly, their behaviour borders on dadagiri. It is common sense that a mishap or wrong should be avoided right in the beginning, instead of taking corrective measure after an incident. But very clearly they thrive in situations in which they can dictate their superiority over near helpless road users. What they get out of behaving this way is anybody’s guess. If things are not improved quickly, a rebellion is just around the corner. Gayathri Madhu Hi-tech City
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. Editor: Dean Williams
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Decisive actions will help, not Acts Fusillade Arun Koshy Philip
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hile the Whistleblowers' Protection Bill, hailed as the ultimate shield that would protect those who expose corruption from harm, is listed for approval by Rajya Sabha in this session, the parched Earth is quenching its thirst with the blood of anti-corruption crusaders. We have seen how the politicians, who otherwise clear laws left, right and centre, keep delaying key legislations that might hurt their ‘interests’. The anti-corruption Lokpal Bill, pending for more than four decades, has been shuttled to yet another committee. We can only hope that this law will come into force before money swallowed by politicians and bureaucrats exceed the gross domestic product (GDP). The Whistleblowers’ Bill also has not been a product of the desire of the political class to help the anti-graft efforts. About a decade back, Satyendra Dubey, an NHAI official who exposed a massive scam in the NDA government’s Golden Quadrilateral project was murdered after his role in the expose was leaked from top government sources. It was the uproar over this incident that forcedsome movement on this legislation. The latest to join the long list of martyrs who lost their lives to the cause of keeping the system clean was Karnataka Administrative Service officer SP Mahesh. The upright officer was bludgeoned to death in the heart of Bangalore. He had exposed massive scams in co-operative societies. His wife told the police that he was attacked at least thrice earlier. A few months back, a young IPS officer, NS Singh, was brutally murdered by the mining mafia in Madhya Pradesh. If we take into account the number of social activists and NGO members who are butchered across the country, the list gets longer. Social activists, journalists, NGO members, honest government officials and RTI activists have been paying with their lives for upholding the right. However, after the initial media hype and public outrage, the state of
Editorials
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affairs returns to normal — and would return to limelight only at the next bloodshed. A recent article in the Outlook by Mathew Samuel, who conducted the Tehelka sting operation that exposed colossal corruption in defence deals, describes the unsavoury ordeal that lies in wait for those who expose corruption in high places. Experience has taught us that an impressive array of laws is toothless as long as there is no effective implementation machinery; the legislation to protect whistleblowers is no exception to this. What we need is an effective mechanism on the lines of witness protection programmes that are in place in developed countries. These countries are able to check corruption to a large extent due to the effectiveness of such programmes. Their governments allocate massive funds to ensure that whistleblowers are not exposed and provide them with adequate security. In cases where the
exposed corrupt are rich and well-connected, the whistleblowers are given new identities by the government itself so that they are beyond any harm. We are a country where a footpath tout can get a driving licence in the name of the prime minister issued for a few thousand rupees. So it doesn’t require rocket science for the government to take a few lessons from their more vigilant Western counterparts to protect the people who risk everything in their lives to expose corruption. We need to create a system of rewards and protection, backed by powerful laws that will enable more people to come out and expose those who eat into public money. The scamsters should be made to realise that ‘eliminating’ informants is not going to be a cakewalk and that the system will take care of those who strive to keep it clean. Satyameva Jayate. The writer works for Postnoon.
THE AGE OF THE ARTS has finally arrived
he Copyright (Amendment) Act 2012 will ensure that authors remain owners of the copyright. All performing artistes like actors, musicians, dancers, magicians, pantomime artists, snake charmers, etc are entitled to copyright protection. This will mean that authors will secure their royalties that can be given only to their legal heirs and will not be assigned to producers. Performers who make sound or visual recordings or their performance in any medium are now protected under the Act. Copyright of a film currently rests with producer for 60 years. This is extended even to the director but with a bonus of 10 extra years. And most importantly it imposes a fine and two years imprisonment for persons indulging in piracy. The new law intends to regulate copyright infringement on TV, radio and the Internet. For too long art and culture have been neglected spheres in our IT-age civilization due to lack of patronage. Arts and culture was patronised and promoted mainly by royalty. Even though the British looked askance at native culture, it is to the credit of the Indian Maharajahs that Indian art continued.
IN EGYPT, A TEST of Spring Fever
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n the first major opportunity to sense the changes caused by the Arab Spring, Egypt goes to the polls. But for those who came out on to the streets to topple Mubarak and his minions, these will be tense times. Whoever comes to power will have to show real resolve against the military. This bellwether will be crucial.
Cinema Paradiso SHAME
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012
THE WHITE RIBBON
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SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK
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ichael Fassbender's superlative performance in Steve McQueen's Shame was hailed as one of the best of 2011. But its box office run tells a different story. Made on a budget of $ 4.2 million, the film grossed a meagre $17.69 million, a far cry from what it should have been.
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masterpiece by Michael Haneke, it figured in almost every critic's list of Top 10 films in 2009, apart from all the top award ceremonies in the world. The film's budget was around $18 million and it ended up grossing nearly $19.3 million at the box office. Such a pity!
oger Ebert called it the film of the decade. Charlie Kaufman was nominated for Palme d'Or at Cannes in 2008 Yet, when it released in theatres, its plot surprised the audience. The film, made on a budget of $20 million, managed to gross just about $4.3 million.
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Michael Haneke's Amour is making waves at the ongoing Cannes Film Festival and it's bound to sweep a lot more awards this year. But will it repeat the magic in cinemas? We take a look at some of the recent film festival favourites that failed to click at the box office Compiled by Hemanth Kumar
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN
TREE OF LIFE
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THE DIVINE BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY
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ilda Swinton's portrayal as a mother who struggles to come to terms that her son is a murderer, was hailed universally. Despite rave reviews, the film couldn't pull the crowd to the theatres. Made on a budget of $7 million, it ended up grossing $5.9 million
ree of Life was one of those highly rated films in film festivals and it was hailed as a divine experience by few critics. Made on a budget of $32 million, the film grossed $54 million. Only the ardent Terrence Malick's fans seemed to have understood the film.
MOVIE OF THE WEEK
Defeating evil
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n the alternative world of the Middle Ages, the ruthless Queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron) has conquered several European kingdoms and plans to take over the Kingdom of England, but she realises that her stepdaughter, Snow White, (Kristen Stewart), is destined to surpass her not only as the "Fairest of them All," but also as the kingdom's suc-
cessor. The Queen learns from her Magic Mirror (Christopher Obi) that the only way to remain in power is to consume Snow White's heart and achieve immortality. But Snow White manages to escape into the Dark Forest and Queen Ravenna summons the Huntsman Eric (Chris Hemsworth) to kill her. Eric, however, takes pity on the young princess and teaches her unique skills in the art of war. Now, with the aid of eight
dwarves, knights from England, and her childhood love Prince William (Sam Claflin), Snow White begins a powerful revolution to kill her stepmother.
Movie: Snow White and the Huntsmen Director: Rupert Sanders Cast: Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth and Charlize Theron
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ulian Schnabel stunned the cinephiles in 2007 with this biography of a man who communicates only by blinking his left eyelid. The much deserved critical acclaim didn't rescue the film at the box office. Made on a budget of $14 million, it ended with $19 million in collection.
H‑Factor
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012
Holistic view of mind, body and soul
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Don’t ignore the signs Hypothyroidism is one of the most common ailments among women yet when it comes to diagnosis and treatment, the initiative is lacking cian, Apollo Hospital. Anishaa Kumar anishaa.k@postnoon.com
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itika was suddenly gaining weight and started to feel very tired. After the initial talks of “is she pregnant” to the “you need to eat well and exercise too,” she decided to visit a doctor. She finally found an answer — hypothyroidism. “Thyroid is an endocrine gland which produces the thyroid hormone. This thyroid hormone helps regulate the metabolism of the entire body. A deficiency of this hormone results in hypothyroidism,” says Dr J Anish Anand, internal medicine specialist, Apollo Hospital. While inefficiency of the thyroid gland to produce the hormone is a primary reason. Another cause could be because of the inefficiency of the pituitary gland which stimulates the thyroid gland, says Dr Pramati Reddy, senior physi-
Symptoms “The most common symptom is extreme fatigue or tiredness as well as unexplained weight gain. The other symptoms include dry skin, difference in relation to temperature (extreme reaction to high and low temperature) and high cholesterol,” says Dr Anish. Dr Pramati mentions that slow metabolism and hair loss can also be symptoms.
Causes In many cases there is no clear reason. Some of the other reasons include iodine deficiency, auto-immunity related problems and in some cases it may run in the family, mentions Dr Anand. He adds that hypothyroidism due to iodine deficiency s very rare nowadays. Dr Pramati says that family history of thyroid can also be a reason.
Treatment Dr Pramati says, “A thyroid
profile is done to diagnose the problem. This is a simple blood test.” Dr Anish says, “It is important to first find out if the problem is clinical or sub-clinical. By sub-clinical one means that the thyroid is slightly elevated but the patient does not have any clear cut symptoms. In such a case, the patient may be asked to come back in a few weeks. In case the situation is clinical, that is the patient has clear symptoms, treatment is immediately started.” According to Dr Pramati, medication includes supplementing the thyroid hormone in the form of a pill which has to be taken once a day. The thyroid levels need to stabilise hence tests are done to check the thyroid level every three months. Treatment for hypothyroidism is usually lifelong as they are chances of the levels fluctuating. Many a times hypothyroidism goes undiagnosed. If not treated on time or if the patient stops taking medication
all of a sudden then it may result in coma. It can thus become life threatening.” Dr Pramati says that undiagnosed hypothyroidisms dangerous if a woman is pregnant as it may harm her unborn child. It may also be a cause for heart problems, diabetes, cholesterol. Talking about other possible causes. Dr Anish says, “According to the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) damaged non-stick cook ware can also be a cause.”
Occurrence When it comes to thyroid related ailments, hypothyroidism is more common than hyperthyroidism. Dr Anand mentions that it is more common in woman.” Dr Pramati says, “Any woman above the age of 20 is at the risk though it is more common for those in the third or forth quarter.” She adds that women nowadays are aware of the problem and ask for thyroid tests if they notice symptoms like menstrual irregularities or weight gain.
Smoking risks closing your artery
Dr Sunil Kapoor
What to expect after the angioplasty procedure In the hospital: n You will have a large bandage at the site where the catheter was inserted. n If the insertion site is at your groin, you will need to keep your leg straight for a few hours. n Nurses will check your heart rate and blood pressure and check the insertion site for bleeding. n You can start walking within 12 to 24 hours. n You will probably go home in a day or two. Once you are home: n Clean the insertion site with soap and water two times a day unless your doctor says otherwise. Other cleaning products, like hydrogen peroxide, can slow healing. Check the insertion site every day for signs of infection, redness, swelling, pus, fever. n You will probably be able to return to your normal activities in a few days. n Do not smoke. Smoking raises your risk of having the artery closed after angioplasty or stent placement. n Keep all your follow-up appointments. Angioplasty is not a cure. You still need to see your doctor and take your medicines. n Take your medicines as directed. If you got a stent, you’ll take antiplatelet medicines to help prevent another heart attack or a stroke. You will likely take aspirin plus another antiplatelet medicine such as clopidogrel. Don’t stop these medicines unless you’ve checked with your doctor first. If you got a drug-eluting stent, you will probably take both of these medicines for at least one year. If you got a bare metal stent, you will take both medicines for at least one month but maybe up to one year. Then, you’ll likely take daily aspirin long-term. (The writer is a senior consultant cardiologist practising at Care Hospitals, Hyderabad)
H‑Factor
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012
Holistic view of mind, body and soul
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Teen diabetes on the rise, new study says
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Snoring increases cancer risk Heavy snoring can make a person’s chance of getting cancer five times more likely Jennifer Mattson
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new study shows sleep apnea can raise the risk for heart attacks, stroke and diabetes and makes a person five times more likely to die from cancer, according to CBS News. The Daily Telegraph reported snoring and other types of “sleep disordered breathing” deprive the body of oxygen. Scientists say low blood oxygen
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levels can trigger the development of cancerous tumours, by promoting the growth of the vessels that feed them. The study, which will be published in an upcoming issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, comes from US and Spanish researchers who examined people enrolled in a long-running Wisconsin Sleep Cohort study. It surveyed over 1,500 peo-
ple who had been battling sleep problems for 22 years and found those with severe sleep disordered breathing (SDB) were 4.8 times more likely to develop cancer, the Telegraph reported. “Clearly, there is a correlation, and we are a long way from proving that sleep apnea causes cancer or contributes to its growth,” study author Dr F Javier Nieto said in a statement as reported by CBS News. “But
HOUSECALL
APP-LY YOURSELF
Amoebiasis
Lose It!
moebiasis is an intestinal infection. It is normally spread when someone eats or drinks something that is contaminated by the microscopic parasite called Entamoeba histolytica (E histolytica). The parasite is an amoeba, a single-celled organism. In many cases, the parasite lives in a person's large intestine and does not cause any symptoms. But when it enters the lining of the large intestine it causes bloody diarrhoea, stomach pains, cramping, nausea, loss of appetite, or fever. In rare cases, it can spread into other organs such as the liver, lungs, and brain.
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animal studies have shown that the intermittent hypoxia that characterises sleep apnea promotes angiogenesis increased vascular growth and tumor growth. Our results suggest that SDB is also associated with increased risk of mortality.” The New York Times wrote findings mark the first time sleep apnea has been linked to cancer in humans and 28 million Americans suffer from the sleep problem. IANS
ou been losing your mind over all those excess kilos that you’ve been piling on? This health app is the perfect way to beat the bulge. Succeed at weight loss with Lose It! Set goals and establish a daily calorie budget that enables you to meet them. Stay on track each day by recording your food and exercise and staying within your budget. According to the iTunes store, the average active Lose It! user has lost more than 12 lbs and more than 85 per cent of their active users have lost weight. Apparently, 96 per cent of users who use Lose It! for four weeks lose weight. Sounds good doesn’t it. The best part – the app is completely free.
early a quarter of all American teenagers have diabetes or prediabetes, a new study has found. The study authors were trying to figure out why American teens have been more susceptible to heart disease in recent years, the Washington Post reported. Heart disease is the number one killer of US adults, and people with diabetes are twice as likely to suffer from the condition. The study also found that diabetes rates in teens are on the rise. Between 1999 and 2008, the study found that teens with diabetes or prediabetes increased from 9 per cent to 23 per cent, HealthDay reported. The study, which looks at data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, confirmed that teenage obesity levels have actually leveled off, the New York Times reported. But at the same time, teenagers with diabetes or prediabetes nearly tripled. “Nationwide, this is the best sampling of youth to inform us about cardiovascular risk factors,” Dr Lori Laffel, a doctor not involved with the study, told the Times. Researchers could not explain why diabetes and prediabetes rates have risen. One guess is that the increasing use of computers has made kids sedentary. “What this is saying, unfortunately, is that we’re losing the battle early with kids,” Dr Stephen Daniels, an expert not involved with the study said. IANS
DID YOU KNOW? Food colouring has bugs
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he next time you read the label on a bag of packaged food and see the terms ‘artificial colouring’ let the alarm bells ring. The oh-so attractive colourings used are allegedly from ground bugs. The FDA does not require companies to be more specific about their food colouring. Therefore, companies choose not to label “crushed beetles for red dye”, a label that might discourage consumers from buying their products. Bugs like cochineal and carmine are used to derive the colour red. The carcasses of these bugs are crushed to derive the colour which is today used in products like fruit juices, gelatins, candies, shampoos and more.
Spotlight
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012
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Models in different hairstyles were seen at the launch of My Salon at Hotel Daspalla’s lawns on Tuesday evening.
Mane care
DEEPAK DESHPANDE
DEEPAK DESHPANDE
A lavish spread Friends and family of Mujtaba Ali Khan & Zareen Khan gathered at Kholanis on Tuesday to attend the couple’s wedding reception. Mujtaba Ali Khan, Zareen
Vikram,Mustafa Ali Khan,Murtaza Ali Khan, Arshad & Ali
Sumaiya
Magic Screen
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012
The glamour behind the glitz
A ray of hope for Adhinayakudu?
B
alakrishna, Lakshmi Rai, Saloni starrer Adhinayakudu will finally hit the screens after a long delay. The film was supposed to release in January this year; however, it was postponed for several reasons including lack of theatres and finance. For the past few weeks, the bigwigs in the industry had met up financiers to whom M L Kumar Chowdhary, the producer of Adhinayakudu, owed money
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T-TOWN TWEETIES
@Actor_Siddharth
and after much deliberation, a compromise was reached. If all goes well, the film might be released on May 31 or June 1. Parachuri Murali has directed the film and Kalyani Malik has composed the music. For the first time in his career, Balakrishna has played a triple role and the buzz is that his performance is going to be a major highlight in the film.
Congratulations @iamsrk on his teams first IPL finals. Great season and excellent win SRK. Godspeed!
@shraddhadas43
Julaayi audio launch in June
T
he principal shooting of Trivikram Srinivas’ Julaayi starring Allu Arjun and Ileana is complete, except for two songs. Trivikram Srinivas is the director of the film. Recently, the film’s lead pair flew to Dubai to can couple of songs and Trivikram Srinivas is reportedly quite happy with the output. “I am a big fan of Trivikram Srinivas’ work and I am glad that I got the chance to work with him. I have seen his earlier film Jalsa several times and I am confident that our combination will rock at the box office,” Allu Arjun said. Rajendra Prasad and Brahmanandam have played important roles in the film. N Radhakrishna has produced the film and Devi Sri Prasad has composed the music. The film’s audio is going to be launched in the first week of June and N Radhakrishna is planning to release the film in the same month.
Today has been the toughest day on 3D dracula malayalam sets, I think aftr dis acting in any other language would b child’s play for me!
@taapsee So finally 3 days left for daruvu to hit d screens. Now excitement n nervousness will start seeping in.
@PriyaWajAnand My Great Great Grandmother ‘Neelam Paati’ taught me how to play 'Pallanguzhi' during my summer vacation in Mayavaram! She lived 4 months short of a 100 years!!! Soo many fond memories of her...
@actressanjjanaa
Sekhar Kammula’s next is Life is Beautiful
S
ekhar Kammula’s upcoming film Life is Beautiful will finally hit the screens in July this year. Soon after directing Leader, he announced a star hunt to cast newcomers in his next film. After a long delay when he finally chose six lead actors for the film, shooting had to be called off for months together after the cinematographer suffered major injuries in an accident. Few months later, the lead actress in the film, who was an NRI, walked out since her work visa had expired. Later, Shriya Saran stepped in to play the lead role in the film. The film was supposed to release back in February; however, due to a series of unfortunate incidents, the release had to be postponed. We hear that the film’s principal shooting has been wrapped up and currently the post production work is going on. Sekhar Kammula hasn’t spoken much about the film except that it’s going to reflect the lifestyle of the youth. The music will be launched in June. Will Sekhar Kammula manage to recreate the magic of Happy Days?
Love peace and harmony to all my lovely followers n ur families... Shooting 2row followed by shifting to Udupi!
@sundeepkishan Steaming hot water 4m the tap, possibility 2 cook with just sunlight... what do we do ? Start advertising the town for low cost living #HydHeat
@RanaDaggubati Morning, a little delayed start at shoot today anyways have only a few hrs wrk today. Using the time to pump some steel instead.
@LakshmiManchu Back in Hyderabad. Awesome launch last night of #Vaaruvan Thalaivan. Keep the love coming.
Magic Screen
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012
The glamour behind the glitz
No bikini for Sonakshi
A
ctress Sonakshi Sinha, who donned an Indian look in her debut film Dabangg and will continue her tryst with traditional outfits in her upcoming films as well, says she is not comfortable wearing a bikini on screen. “It’s a complete no-no to bikini because I am not that kind of a person. I have been bought up in a certain way. I have certain restrictions that I follow and I don’t see any reason to change it because if the audience has accepted me fully clothed, then why would I resort to it?” said Sonakshi. The 24-year-old will be seen in her desi avatar in Rowdy Rathore, Joker, Once Upon a Time Again, Dabangg 2, Son Of Sardar and Lootera. “I am a normal Indian girl who wears jeans and T shirts normally. Born and brought up in Mumbai, so I am used to wearing clothes like that,” Sonakshi added. In recent times, actresses like Kareena Kapoor and Bipasha Basu donned a bikini for the big screen, while Deepika Padukone has flaunted her fit figure in the two-piece swimwear in Cocktail. IANS
RGV — Controversy’s child RGV kicks up yet another storm with his latest revelations on Sanjay Dutt. However, this isn’t his first tryst with controversy. We take a look Hemanth Kumar hemanth@postnoon.com
F
our days after Department released, RGV kicked up a storm in Bollywood after he alleged that Sanjay Dutt and Dharam Uberoi were responsible for the film’s debacle. Department had the worst opening for a Bollywood film this year and it was universally panned by critics. Responding to the criticism, RGV wrote an open letter explaining what he was trying to do especially in terms of how the film was made. So far so good. But he ended up tweeting a lot more than that. “Whatever else happening to Department I am supremely happy tht I don’t gt 2 see the faces of Sanjay dutt nd Dharam uberoi fr rest of my life. Frm forcing me 2 take kangana out of the film 2 constantly cornering me 2 change screenplay I had the most horrible time wrking wth dutt (sic),” RGV posted on Twitter. That’s not all. He took another potshot at Sanjay Dutt and said, “If Dutt n uberoi think I am the bad in Dept let’s wait for zilla ghaziabad nd sohams film whr I am not there 2 spoil their creative inputs (sic).” Last year, RGV landed in trouble when a tabloid reported that he sent
derogatory messages about Rohan Sippy’s Dum Maro Dum a couple of days before the release. RGV and Abhishek Bachchan had a fall out after this incident and Abhishek reportedly walked out of RGV’s Department. However, RGV remained unfazed and said that he didn’t send any such messages. “I highly respect mr.bacchan nd am highly affectionate towards abhishek nd the reasons fr the changes in department ar nthng but date issues (sic),” he posted on Twitter after Rana Daggubati replaced Abhishek Bachchan.
In the past, RGV had also taken potshots at celebrities like Chiranjeevi, Karan Johar and Amitabh Bachchan. Here’s a brief list of some of his controversial tweets. “Just watched Bbhuddah and I am. angry with Bachchan that he is such a ch**iya not to do films like this and am such a l**** not to realise this.” “Chiranjeevi is a phenomenon nd the people of Andhra pradesh are not nd they proved that by not making him a chief minister. But I anyday want to see the people of AP queeing up for chiranjeevis tickets rather than chiranjeevi queeing up for the f****** votes.” “Rc has no loving families...it only has warring families. So all those who liked kabhi khushi kabhi gum better stay away from Rakta charitra.Having said that rakta charitra is meant for men in women and not for women in men.” “I have to bear with my flops and then also with everyones flops because whenever whoever’s flop comes they invariably compare it with Aag. For Tashan they said it’s Aditya ki Aag. For Chandni Chowk... they said Akshay ki Aag. For Kites they said Hritik ki Aag and now its Mani (Ratnam) ki Aag. Let’s all hope and pray that Raa.1 (sic) does not become SRK ki Baarish.”
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B-TOWN TWEETIES
@sanjaysuri Looking forward to Ken Loach’s film “The Angels Share” tonight including the Red Carpet ;) #Cannes2012
@Kailashkher India’s historic day in Art n Music, Copyright bill Passed Unanimously in Both th House in Parliament... its beginning of Big change in India.
@GulPanag Slowly & steadily the State appears to be abdicating it’s responsibility of providing even the basics to the poorest of the poor. #fail
@FarOutAkhtar Nice 1 Homi. Cocktail promo looking good and feeling great... All the best to you, @deepikapadukone, Saif and co.
@RGVzoomin If Dutt n uberoi think I am the bad in Dept let’s wait for zilla ghaziabad nd sohams film whr I am not there 2 spoil their creative inputs.
@akshaykumar Being my usual Rowdy self, jumping on kidnapper's backs & kicking them to the ground. This time it was for one of India’s favourite serials CID!
@SrBachchan T 752 — Interesting cricketers names: Ravi Shas3, Mahendra Singh 2ni, 100Rav Ganguly, Sachin 10Dulkar, VVS 1,00,000sMan, Mun1/2Patel !!
@AnupamPkher Given a choice,where would you like to live? Closer to Sea or Mountains? My choice will always be mountains.:)
Magic Screen
D I S P L A YA
D S RATE ` 150 sq. cm
For Further Details Please Contact Abhinay 9989399972 Nandlal 9951467988 Ravi Chander 8106039919
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012
23
Magic Screen
The glamour behind the glitz
Cruise to star in The Magnificient Seven remake
T
om Cruise is back in the saddle again. With the superstar's career officially back on the upswing thanks to blockbuster box-office grosses for Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol, the actor is now attached to star in a remake of the classic John Sturges Western The Magnificent Seven for MGM. While the studio doesn't yet have a director attached, they're actively searching for a writer to pen the update to the 1960 film, which was itself a remake of Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai. According to Variety, which broke the story, the project is likely a long way off for Cruise, as he's currently full up on commitments for the forseeable future.
Usher breaks down in court U
sher broke down in tears on Monday in an Atlanta court — after his ex-wife's attorney insinuated he cares more about partying than he does about his children. Usher was on the stand for hours in his ongoing custody trial with his ex Tameka Foster — and during questioning, Tameka's lawyer whipped out photos of the singer partying in Europe in February. Usher's fighting for more custody with his kids — but Tameka's lawyer was trying to prove
he'd rather go wild at a nightclub than be a good dad. Usher was also grilled about his alleged drug use. The singer admitted to smoking pot in the past, but when the subject turned to his alleged ecstasy use Usher's lawyer objected. Usher insisted he never used drugs in front of the children — an allegation Tameka made early in their custody fight — but hedged on the subject of seeing his children while under the influence.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012
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Magic Screen
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012
The glamour behind the glitz
Ashley Olsen makes a splash in Hawaii A
Will.i.am carries the Olympic flame
T
his is a bit of a surprise, isn’t it? Black Eyed Peas rapper Will.i.am was honoured with carrying the Olympic flame on Monday while running through the city of Taunton in southwest England. However, he did do a little moonwalk. The musician was a surprise addition to the torch relay on Monday, but according to NBC News in Chicago,
25
shley Olsen took a dip in the ocean during a recent vacation in Maui, Hawaii. The designer wore black bikini bottoms and a printed top while she smiled and enjoyed herself in the waves. The last time we saw Ashley, she was a little more bundled up to meet her pal Leelee Sobieski for lunch in
Will.i.am was aware that he’d carry the torch for almost a year, but was advised not to speak about it. “It feels like a dream, right,” Will.i.am told BBC, “It’s something you always saw on TV growing up, so to be here today in the UK. with all the hard work it took me to get to this level to be able to do that...and now I’m here in the UK running the torch. It’s great.”
NYC. Ashley didn’t walk the red carpet at this month’s Met Gala, but her twin sister, Mary-Kate, attended in a sleek custom-made gown from their line The Row. The duo appeared together on the cover of Elle UK in April, when they discussed their decision to quit acting to focus on their multiple fashion lines.
Howard Stern
can’t deal with kids
I
s newbie America’s Got Talent judge Howard Stern already throwing in the towel? On Monday night’s episode, the controversial radio host threw his hands up and said, “I can’t do it,” after making a little boy cry— yes, cry—onstage. So what happened?! Just to clarify, Stern is not leaving the show, but when it comes to making kids weep, he
just can’t deal. The 58-year-old pressed his “X” buzzer during 7year-old aspiring rapper Mir Money’s performance, and when Stern tried to explain his reasoning to the incredibly adorable kid, Money just couldn’t stop the waterworks from flowing. Yeah, and that even tugged at Howard’s heart. The AGT judge went onstage (while the crowd booed)
to try and give Mir Money a pep talk and explain that he didn’t want to make him cry, which ultimately calmed the young boy down, but it definitely left a lasting effect on Stern. “This job is too rough for me, I don’t really wanna do it anymore… I’m not cut out for this, man. I’m not cut out for it. I’m shaking man, I’m shaking.”
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
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012
Take a shot at the brain game while sipping your cuppa
26
QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Candied tubers 5 Put in a cell 10 ‘Shoulda, woulda, coulda’ thinker 14 Square-footage measure 15 Exit the premises 16 Bedfellow 17 Dad's royal nickname? 20 Prolific writer Asimov 21 ___ l'oeil (visual deception in paintings) 22 ‘Agnes of God’ actress Tilly 23 ___ for tat 26 Rubber ducky's milieu 27 Biology class initials 30 Yet another time 32 Confused noise 34 One feeling sorry for another 36 Breakfast dish 39 Fall off, as support 40 One with dependents 42 Words of praise by King David 44 Subject of a will, sometimes 45 Electrician's alloy 47 Kennel sound 48 Not well, mentally 52 Requiring medical attention 53 Replies of rejection 55 Word in wedding notices 57 Homer Simpson's shout 58 ‘Scram!’ 61 Musical stage production 63 One wearing the pants? 67 ___ mater 68 Muse of love poetry 69 Computer operator 70 Carpe ___ (‘seize the day’) 71 School social 72 Dusty and dry DOWN 1 Washington city or river 2 Antonym for ‘fallen’
3 Social unit living together 4 ‘Lonesome Dove’ genre 5 Renowned toymaker 6 Covered, as expenses 7 It's banked in Bangkok 8 Head off, as disaster 9 Get back, as losses 10 Speak hoarsely 11 Concealed, as a motive 12 90-degree building wing 13 Type of sandwich bread 18 Mo. of Canada's Thanksgiving 19 Completely surrounding 24 Invention beginning 25 Diacritical mark 28 Simpsons' neighbor 29 ‘My feet ___ killing me’ 31 Globe representation 33 Like a catching-up letter 35 Cornered, in a way 37 Keepsake
38 Nashville-based athlete 40 Sporting event 41 Mane site 42 Last Greek consonant 43 Fa-la link on a musical scale 46 Worked with shingles 49 Provide counsel 50 More revolting 51 ‘And ___ off!’ (racetrack announcement) 54 ‘Kama ___’ 56 Pitcher's stat 59 Red-coated cheese 60 More ___ enough 62 Down Under
SUDOKU
birds 63 Possessed 64 Wallach of ‘Tough Guys’ 65 Space-saving abbreviation 66 Enemy PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER
THOUGHT OF THE DAY The satirist shoots to kill while the humorist brings his prey back alive and eventually releases him again for another chance. – Peter De Vries
Chai Time STAR POWER
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012
Your tomorrow today̶Star Power and Tarot THIRUVAIKUMAR
As per Hindu panchang
FOR 24-5-2012
thiruvaikumar@yahoo.co.in 040-27177230 / 9177596118
TAURUS
GEMINI
You will become mentally peaceful. A happy phase in life is to start now. Pl‑ an and build the base for your future now. Employees have bright chances to receive long‑pending promotion.
Be careful in executing work. Neglige‑ nce and haste will make things worse. You have to put in proper efforts to earn elevation or salary revision; so that they will become possible.
Your positive and flexible approach alone can yield better results. Impor‑ tant responsibilities entrusted at office are to be done by only you. Entrusting them to others will bring a bad name.
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
Self‑confidence and boldness are set to increase. You have to remain calm. Ac‑ ting as if you know everything and be‑ ing lazy will spell a bad time. Expected transfer/ promotion are on the cards.
Be positive in your approach to har‑ vest the fruit of success. Employees need to be obedient with superiors and avoid unwanted arguments with anyone. Just accept the unexpected.
All bad effects will disappear. You will see results of the hard work you have put in so far. As good things are about to happen, avoid remind‑ ing anyone of bad experiences.
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
Act with extra caution and a planned strategy to get better results. Emplo‑ yees need to be punctual and adopt a planned strategy to earn a good name. Be in good harmony with colleagues.
Friends and relatives will support you and good events to take place. Your self‑confidence level will be at its high and you take very bold decisions which will yield good results.
Never be negligent in any place and avoid acting in a hurry. It is necessary for employees to work with involve‑ ment even in small work entrusted to you. Never advise your colleagues.
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Adopt slow‑and‑steady methods. Avoid unwanted arguments with superiors and colleagues at workplace. You will climb up the ladder, only when you stop magnifying others' mistakes.
Drive away laziness, do a proper plan‑ ning and execute work to achieve all‑ round success. Punctuality and plan‑ ned strategy alone will bring you suc‑ cess. Never give any advise to anyone.
You will grow very well by putting in good and strategic efforts. Expected transfer or elevation will become a re‑ ality soon. You might face trouble if en‑ trust anyone with your responsibilities.
SUMAA TEKUR
FOR 24-5-2012
tarotreadhyd@gmail.com
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
King of Swords – You may notice a threat from a peer or colleague who m‑ ay be feeling insecu‑ re about position in the office. Donʼt re‑ act to anything yet.
Nine of Cups – Time to take your mission to the next level. An important project youʼre working on will reach the next stage and will need more attention.
Eight of Pentacles – Concerted efforts to avoid a situation may not work. There are some things that are not always going to be in control. Let go, it as an experience.
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
King of Pentacles – Someone in your close circle of friends is likely to play spoil‑ er, ruining your chances of doing something creative and different.
The Emperor – This is the phase of life when loans should be repaid at the ear‑ liest. Take help from a financial advisor and plan your repay‑ ment with ease.
The World – Marriage is on the cards for singles. You have waited a long time and this new phase will also bring you good luck and charm.
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
Ace of Pentacles – There are aspira‑ tional needs that need fulfilling just so you can feel more confident about yourself. Be open to new changes.
The Star – Delay in planning could be costly and may even throw crucial areas of your life out of gear. Plan well and put everything down on pen and paper.
Two of Cups – You are able to cope financially because of your planning skills. You have foreseen a situation where you might have to be without a job.
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
The Wheel of Fortune ‑ Just to be safe, pre‑ pare for a downside. Capricorns are known to be practical and careful. This is a rem‑ inder to stay that way in turbulent times.
Knight of Swords – The focus is on your childʼs higher educa‑ tion. Plan your sav‑ ings in a practical way and make sure everythingʼs taken care of earlier on.
Two of Swords – You have an advan‑ tage in your current situation and you should be smart enough to utilise it. Donʼt allow your ego to come in the way.
For Better or for Worse Stone soup
SOLUTIONS
Boggle AGE DAY COST YEAR SCORE MONTH
Number game
Suduko
Scrabble
Ink pen
COMICS
Fred Basset
ARIES
TAROT READ
27
Vol: 1, No 311 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
Playing Field
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012
The games people play
No distractions for Manny LOS ANGELES: Manny Pacquiao’s devotion to religion and comments against gay marriage will not have an impact as a training distraction or in the ring as the Filipino icon prepares to fight unbeaten American Tim Bradley. That was the message from “Pac-Man” and trainer Freddie Roach on Tuesday in a media conference call ahead of Pacquiao’s June 9 defense of his World Boxing Organization welterweight title at Las Vegas. “Manny Pacquiao is very fired up, very motivated,” Roach said. “He has had a great training session. Everything is right where it is supposed to be. We’ve had a great training camp. Manny’s focus is the best I have ever seen. “I think you’re going to see the best Manny Pacquiao yet.” Pacquiao, 54-3 with two drawn and 38 knockouts, has taken to Bible study rather than nightlife these days, but his punches will carry the same sting when he meets WBO junior welterweight champion Bradley, 28-0 with 12 knockouts. “It will not affect my job,” Pacquiao said. “When I commit my life to the Lord, it’s not about my job. Whatever my job is, that’s a pleasure from God. “I’m just doing my best to work hard and focus on the fight. Training is going good. I’m ready for the fight.” Pacquiao was asked his opinion of same-sex marriages last week in the wake of support for such unions from US
Undefeated junior welterweight champion Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao speaks during a news conference at The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers at Pier 60 in New York ^cmLqfjlqev=^=`i^ov= President Barrack Obama. Pacquiao said he was not in favor of gay marriage, comments he said he knew would touch off controversy. “Somebody asked me what my opiniion of legalizing samesex marriage is,” Pacquiao said. “I said what I think. It is against the law of God.” What fanned the flames was a Biblical quote, one never mentioned by Pacquiao but used in a report, calling for homosexuals to be put to death.
Roach said the controversy should be over by now. “Everyone is entitled to his own opinion,” Roach said. “I don’t think it will be a distraction. TMZ was here for a couple days. We pacified them and that was it.” Roach sees Pacquiao’s piety as a plus, making him fresher as a fighter and more focused and receptive as a pupil. “He’s not as tired. He doesn’t have any night life whatsoever,” Roach said. “He goes to Bible study. Him and God are very
close right now. He’s very focused right now.” Added promoter Bob Arum: “I think this religious awakening has been all for the good.” That might not be good for Bradley. “Tim Bradley is not the kind of boxer we underestimate. He’s a champion,” Pacquiao said. “I don’t know what he’s going to bring into the ring but I’m prepared for whatever he brings on that night. We’re ready for movement or boxing. I’m so ready to fight. It feels good.”
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Donaire, Mathebula in unification bout LOS ANGELES: Filipino star Nonito Donaire and South Africa’s Jeffrey Mathebula will fight to unify their world super-bantamweight titles, according to numerous reports citing comments from promoters. Top Rank vice-president Carl Moretti told ESPN that the fight would be staged at the Home Depot Center near Los Angeles on June 30 or July 7 while other US and Filipino website reports have said the bout would be in Las Vegas. The showdown will match 29-year-old “Filipino Flash” Donaire, 28-1 with 18 knockouts, risking the World Boxing Organization crown against International Boxing Federation champion Mathebula, 26-3 with two drawn and 14 knockouts. Donaire dropped two world bantamweight crowns to move up a division in February and won a 12-round split decision over Puerto Rico’s Wilfredo Vazquez Jnr for the vacant WBO crown. Mathebula, 32, will be an unusual foe for Donaire in that he is taller than the Asian star. The South African won the IBF crown last March with a 12-round split decision over compatriot Takalani Ndlovu, who had won his first fight with Mathebula by split decision in 2010. Mathebula’s only other loss since 2003 came in his only other world title fight, a 2009 split-decision loss at Panama to homenation hero Celestino Caballero for the IBF and World Boxing Association super bantamweight crowns.
Battle for Number One gets under way Adam Hathaway
WENTWORTH: The battle to be the world’s top-ranked golfer will again be a subplot of this week’s PGA Championship which starts on Thursday here at Wentworth. Luke Donald, who deposed Lee Westwood at the top of the rankings when winning last year’s title, is the only player who can topple current number one Rory McIlroy but needs to repeat his victory of 12 months ago to do so. However McIlroy performs, Donald has to finish eighth alone or better to have any chance of reclaiming his place at the head of the rankings. A win for Westwood, who displaced Tiger Woods as number one in October 2010, would leave him just short of top spot. Donald will start the defence of his title playing with England’s Justin Rose and Spaniard Alvaro
Luke Donald of England hits a shot during the final round of The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass Quiros for the first two rounds whilst McIlroy is grouped with three-time major winner Ernie Els from South Africa and Scotland’s
Martin Laird. Westwood is grouped with Ireland’s Graeme McDowell and Thomas Bjorn from Denmark.
There are a record number of 14 major champions in the field including Els who with his course designer hat on has made more changes to the course. Two years ago Els was criticised by his fellow players for altering the course, particularly the par-5 18th that caused drama in last year’s play-off when Westwood hit his approach into the water around the green. Further tinkering ahead of the tournament a year ago also did not meet with the approval of many of the golfers with Ian Poulter being one of the loudest to vent his disapproval. Els has made some minor modifications to the course for the flagship event of the European Tour and is convinced he has finally come up with a fair test of golf. “I think the guys will have a lot better scoring opportunities,” Els
told reporters at Wentworth. “It is a par 72, six-under won last year. I think 14 or 16-under is going to be the winning score and hopefully we will have a lot more smiling faces from the players this year.” The 18th has provided some grandstand finishes over the years and Els believes the latest changes, with players hitting their approach shots from an elevated part of the fairway to a small green surrounded by water will provide the same this year. He added: “It is going to be a great finishing hole. There is water so there is risk and reward if you want to go for it. It is an exciting finish and you can make an eagle there now.” Meanwhile England’s Simon Dyson, the reigning Irish and Dutch Open champion, has withdrawn from the tournament with a hip injury.
63 DAYS TO GO
29
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012
Injury spoils Lee’s hopes WUHAN: Badminton’s world number one Lee Chong Wei was put out for up to a month with a torn ankle tendon at the Thomas Cup in Wuhan Tuesday, casting serious doubt over his Olympic title bid in London. “It is a torn ankle tendon, not a rupture. He will be out for about three to four weeks,” said Tey Seu Bock, Malaysia’s singles coach. “He will go back to Malaysia as soon as possible for another MRI scan.” “It is still OK for the Olympics,” Bock said, adding that Lee was “more upset about not contributing to the team at the Thomas Cup.” But with the London Games starting in July the injury is a major blow to Lee’s preparations, already hampered by a shoulder problem, a bout of influenza and a series of disappointing results this season. Lee landed awkwardly after going two points ahead in his match against Denmark’s Peter Gade. Doctors rushed onto court but the tearful player was in visible pain as he was taken away for scans and treatment at a nearby hospital. Head singles coach Rashid Sidek said they had considered flying Lee immediately back to Malaysia from the tournament in China for treatment, a sign of how seriously they were taking his condition. “We are jinxed at the Thomas
No minute’s silence for Munich: IOC QUEBEC CITY: The International Olympic Committee has scotched any idea of a minute’s silence at the London Olympics opening ceremony to remember Israeli athletes killed at the Munich Games in 1972. The Israeli government wrote to the IOC last month to ask that the 2012 Games open with a minute’s silence remembering the members of the Israeli squad killed by hostagetaking Palestinian militants from the Black September organisation at the Olympic Village in Munich in 1972. “The IOC regularly commemorates the 1972 tragedy and will do so once more in London at a ceremony during the Games, but there will not be a minute’s silence.”
Bubka suspends Olympic official QUEBEC: Sergei Bubka President of the Ukrainian Olympic Committee said he had suspended the secretary-general of his NOC over claims he had sold tickets for the London Olympics on the black market. Bubka, a pole vault legend who has forged a successful career in sports politics, said that he had no option but to suspend Volodymyr Geraschchenko after the BBC had revealed that he had been exposed in a sting operation trying to sell on 100 tickets for the Games. “I immediately suspended Volodymyr Geraschchenko,” said the 48-year-old.
Scozzoli wins 100m swim DEBRECEN,
Cup,” said Bock, referring to the event in 2006 when Malaysia lost their team captain Wong Choong Hang in a similar incident in the quarter finals. The player, once ranked tenth in the world, snapped his Achilles tendon and was put out for six
months. When Lee went down on the court in Wuhan, Bock said the memories of 2006 came flooding back, “but when I saw Lee’s toes moving, I knew it couldn’t be as bad.” The injury scare is the latest in a run of problems to hit Lee as he aims to win gold at the London
Olympics after his arch-rival Lin Dan beat him in Beijing four years ago. At the India Open in April, Lee was stunned in the final by the unseeded South Korean Wan Ho Shon, who beat him in a threegame, 66-minute thriller. AFP
Giggs expresses Olympic desire
Clijsters to retire after US Open
R
yan Giggs has confirmed he wants to play for Team GB at the London Olympics even though his presence would disturb the Welsh Football Association. The association, in common with the governing bodies of Scotland and Northern Ireland, fears that a Great Britain side will undermine the right of the four home nations to appear separately on the international stage. However, the 38-year-old is relishing the possibility of taking part and, alongside his former Manchester United teammate David Beckham, is likely to be one of the three over-aged players allowed in the squad. Giggs ended his career with Wales in 2007. It still left him with a hankering to appear at a major international tournament – Wales last did so when they reached the World Cup finals in 1958 – and Giggs is the only player over 23 at Old Trafford to have been given permission to
HUNGARY:
Italian Fabio Scozzoli won the men’s European 100 metres breaststroke title here on Tuesday and dedicated the victory to the previous champion the late Alexander Dale Oen. The death of Dale Oen, who collapsed and died of unknown causes in the showers at the Norwegian team’s American training base on April 30, has overshadowed the championships with a moving dedication to him by the organisers on Monday which would have been his 27th birthday. Scozzoli had many a battle with Dale Oen finishing third to him in the 2010 European Championship.
Ryan Giggs (L) vies with Philip Bardsley (R). take part. “I’ve put myself forward to be involved,” said Giggs, who has already spoken to the GB head coach, Stuart Pearce. “Whether I get picked we’ll have to see. Everybody is excited about the Olympics coming to
London and different parts of Britain.” Giggs takes little notice of the supposed threat to Wales’s independence in football. “People are going to have different views,” he said.
BRUSSELS: Former world number one Kim Clijsters announced she is to retire after the US Open in September. The 28-year-old Belgian told a news conference that she wanted to sign out in New York where she enjoyed the biggest success of her career winning the the women’s singles title at Flushing Meadow three times in 2005, 2009 and 2010. “As it stands I will end my career at the US Open, That is where I enjoyed my greatest triumphs and it is a very special place for me,” she said. Clijsters has increasingly been dogged by injuries which caused her to draw down the curtain on the claycourt season and concentrate instead on the London Olympics and the US Open.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23 2012
BEAUTY
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GREECE Best EURO performance: winners 2004 Coach: Fernando Santos Leading scorer: all-time – Nikos Anastopoulos (29); current – Angelos Charisteas (25)
THE BEST
&
Most appearances: all-time – Thedoros Zagorakis (120); current – Giorgos Karagounis (114) Association formed: 1926 Nickname: Galanolefki (Sky blue and whites)
GREECE’S FIXTURES
EURO STATS
Friday 8 June: Poland v Greece, 18.00CET, Warsaw Tuesday 12 June: Greece v Czech Republic, 18.00CET, Wroclaw Saturday 16 June: Greece v Russia, 20.45CET, Warsaw
MATCHES PLAYED Overall: P112 W55 D22 L35 F161 A122 Final tournament: P12 W4 D2 L6 F9 A13 Qualifying: P100 W51 D20 L29 F152 A109
Ode to Grecian grit Fernando Santos's team remained undefeated in qualification, a series of narrow victories helping them finish first in their group as they target a repeat of their shock 2004 success ATHENS: Giorgos Karagounis (right)
POSTNOON PREDICTION
Greece have a penchant for pulling a rabbit out of a hat at the Euros. Think back to 2004 and Greece’s defensive route to ultimate victory. This time, however, it may be too much to ask.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Kostas hopes to change his team’s Euro fortunes Lou Economopoulos
ATHENS: Young teenage midfielder Kostas Fortounis could be just the man to raise the low morale of crisis-hit Greece and propel the surprise 2004 champions into the knockout stages at Euro 2012. Despite being just 19 and having experienced the disappointment of relegation in his first season with Bundesliga side Kaiserslautern, Fortounis has reportedly attracted interest from Dutch champions Ajax and Italian champions Juventus. Despite having three years left on his contract with them — earning $255,000 a year — the attacking midfielder is likely to attract further interest after he was called up to the Euro
Lou Economopoulos
knows what it is like to be part of a miracle, when Greece overcame long odds and doubtful pundits to win the 2004 European championships in Portugal. Now 35, the compact Panathinaikos midfielder is hoping for an unprecedented repeat of that success in Poland and Ukraine — or at least a good run in the tournament to give some cheer to a nation in a deep political and financial crisis. "Certainly it is not easy and such repetitions do not happen often. Even countries with great potential have failed to win a second Euro in such a short time," he said in emailed comments to AFP. "Even more so if you consider that here the infrastructure as well as the domestic league are not the best. But we have faith and passion on the team and this overrides any disadvantages." With 115 caps for Greece, second only to Euro 2004 captain Theodoros Zagorakis, Karagounis is used more sparingly now by Greece coach Fernando Santos but is still seen as the spark that can inspire the team as well as younger generation of players. Karagounis is hoping that even with a change in manager since "King" Otto Rehhagel, Greece still has the ability to
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make an impact on the tournament and build on their unbeaten record in qualifying, when they finished top of their group. "The team spirit which distinguishes us as well is the faith in the team and in ourselves with the belief that we can achieve something good," he explained. "Also unique is our passion for achievement while wearing the national emblem and for representing our country, something that makes us perform our best and to give it all in order to qualify for the next round." Karagounis says defending champions Spain, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands will be the teams to watch but warned that surprise package Greece could not be written off.
GREECE GROUP A At a glance Fernando Santos's team were unbeaten in qualifying, owing much of their success to narrow wins. Those were a familiar feature during their stunning Euro 2004 success, and an emphasis on team spirit to compensate for the shortage of star names remains an overriding characteristic. Before Portugal, Greece had participated in two major tournaments; this marks their third consecutive UEFA European Championship appearance.
squad by coach Fernando Santos. Fortounis, who had a impressive spell in the Under-21 side scoring four goals in 14 matches, began his career with fourth division club Meteora Trikala, where from 20082010 he played in 30 matches and scored 26 goals. He moved on to the Super League in the 2010-2011 season playing for Asteras Tripolis where he played in 24 matches and scored one goal which was enough for Kaiserslautern to come calling. A good Euro would not just lift the spirits of the Greek nation, currently reeling with economic and political woes. For Fortounis, the list of callers could be a lengthy one.
Playing Field
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012
The games people play
Heat takes the lead MIAMI: Miami got their swagger back as they scored the opening three points and never trailed to easily beat Indiana 115-83 in game five Tuesday to take a 3-2 lead in their Eastern Conference series. LeBron James scored 30 points and Dwyane Wade had 28 points for the Heat who can wrap up their best-of-seven series with a win in game six Thursday in Indianapolis. “I felt good today,” Wade said. “I just let the game come to me. It is good for me to get two good games in a row.” League MVP James also had 10 rebounds and eight assists for the Heat as he and Wade combined for 27 points in the first half to put the Heat up 49-40 going into the third quarter. Forward Shane Battier also scored 13 points for the Heat who shot a franchise playoff record 61.4 percent from the field. “Shane came out very aggressive,” Wade said. “When the ball starts going down for him, you know it’s a great day because it keeps the floor spread.” Tuesday’s game got physical with each team receiving a flagrant foul in the second quarter. In the last minute of the game Indiana’s Lance Stephenson took a hard elbow to the face area from Miami reserve player Dexter Pittman, who was given
Poland beat Latvia in friendly KLAGENFURT: Euro 2012 hosts Poland gave their few travelling supporters reason to cheer as an under strength side beat Latvia 10 during a pre-tournament tune up here on Tuesday. In a near-empty stadium in Klagenfurt, where they also face Slovakia on Saturday in another pre-Euro friendly, the Poles largely dominated their Baltic opponents. But despite a decent set of performances they only made their mark in the final minutes when Artur Sobiech celebrated his first apperance since 2010 with the only goal. That will give some cause for concern when they start the tournament proper with resilient opponents in their group.
flagrant foul penalty. Stephenson upset the Heat earlier in the series when he was caught on camera giving James the choke sign after the Heat star missed two key free throws in Indiana’s game three victory. Second-seeded Miami have now won two straight in the series and they did it without allstar big man Chris Bosh who suffered a strained abdominal muscle in game one. “We wanted to come in with
much better energy and focus,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. “A lot of good things tonight, but we have to focus on the next one.” Paul George had a team-high 11 points and Roy Hibbert finished with eight points and 12 rebounds for the third-seeded Pacers who got a scare when Danny Granger went down with an ankle injury in the third and did not return. “We learned early in this
series, you don’t get two wins for a blowout,” Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. Miami are now clear favourites to come out of the East with the Chicago Bulls already eliminated. Miami won three of the four from Indiana in the regular season. The only other postseason meeting between the Pacers and Heat was eight years ago in the East semi-finals with Indiana winning in six.
Germany’s ‘Messi’ to be unleashed Ryland James
BERLIN: Teenage rising star Mario Goetze (right) has been dubbed Germany’s Lionel Messi and despite an injury-hit 2012, coach Joachim Loew has said he plans to give him a key role at Euro 2012. Goetze only turns 20 on June 3, six days before the Germans begin their Group B campaign against Portugal in Lviv, Ukraine. Having joined his hometown club as an eight-year-old, he made his Bundesliga debut in November 2009 and was part of the Borussia Dortmund squad crowned German champions
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for the last two seasons. “We call him ‘Goetzinho’,” admitted Dortmund midfielder
Sven Bender. “He raises the standard of those around him, he controls
the ball as though he has a magnet in his boot.” Five days after humbling Hamburg, Goetze made his first start for Germany and orchestrated the 3-2 friendly win over Brazil in Stuttgart as he overshadowed the south Americans and scored his first international goal. “He’s impossible to stop. You don’t get any better than him,” Germany’s former World Cup winning coach and captain Franz Beckenbauer enthused. “His ability is like Lionel Messi’s, as well as his understanding of the game and technique. “On top of that, he plays by instinct — just like Messi.”
Villa out of Euro 2012 MADRID:
All-time Spanish record goalscorer David Villa has lost his race to be fit for next month’s Euro 2012 it was announced on the Spanish Football Federation’s website on Tuesday. The 30-year-old — scorer of 51 goals in 82 internationals — had been a major doubt since breaking his tibia at last December’s World Club Championship. However, the Barcelona star was given time by national coach Vicente del Bosque to prove his fitness but time finally ran out on Tuesday as the defending European champions arrived at their training camp in Austria.
Jose extends Real contract MADRID: Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has extended his contract until June 2016 after taking the Spanish giants to victory in La Liga, the team said Tuesday. The 49-year-old, who joined Real in May 2010 on a four-year deal, said early in May he had no ambition to coach in new countries.
Playing Field
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2012
The games people play
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Do or die for CSK, MI G Aparna Sai aparna.s@postnoon.com
D
efending champions, Chennai Super Kings take on Mumbai Indians in the eliminator today. Both the teams had to wriggle their way to make it to the qualifiers. Chennai, unlike expected, did not fair too well this season. They began the season on a losing note – they were defeated by Mumbai Indians in the inaugural match.
The form of the players too has been a cause for concern. Skipper, Mahendra Singh Dhoni does not seem to perform in a manner that he is famous for. Million dollar baby, Ravindra Jadeja has performed well but only in flashes while Suresh Raina has been a near flop-show this year. Faf du Plessis and Albie Morkel had put up a few match winning performances but will they be able to repeat their acts remains unclear. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians, who were ranked higher than Chennai in this year’s standings, would look to dethrone the champions. The Champions league title holders would look crush Chennai in their
bid to meet Delhi Daredevils in the second qualifier and then the final. But if they lose the battle today, then it curtains down for Mumbai. MI have many players to boast about in their squad. While master blaster, Sachin Tendulkar’s name
Drog days are over for Chelsea
LONDON: Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba confirmed on Tuesday he will leave newly-crowned European champions Chelsea when his contract expires at the end of June. Drogba has been at the Premier League club since 2004, joining from French side Marseille, and has scored 157 goals in 341 appearances helping the Blues win ten trophies. The 34-year-old leaves the London club on a high after scoring a late equaliser against Bayern Munich in the Champions League final on Saturday and then converting the decisive penalty in a dramatic shoot-
out after extra-time. “I wanted to put an end to the speculation and confirm that I am leaving Chelsea,” he told Chelsea’s website. “It has been a very difficult decision for me to make and I am very proud of what we have achieved, but the time is right for a new challenge for me.” Drogba is the club’s fourth all-time highest scorer and his 34 goals in European competition is a Chelsea record by 10 goals. During his eight seasons he won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups, and the Champions League title. “As a team we have accomplished so much and have won every single trophy possible,” said Drogba, who won the Premier League Golden Boot twice. “Saturday was a very special moment for everyone at the club and for all the fans, and I am very proud to have played my part in bringing many trophies to this club, which has been my home for the last eight years. “I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone at the club especially Roman (Abramovich) and my team-mates, many of whom have become very close friends and will be my friends for life. “I would also like to say a very special thank you to the Chelsea fans who have shown me so much love and support over the years. “I wish the club all the best and continued success for the future — you will always be in my heart.” Chelsea Chief Executive Ron Gourlay added: “Didier is undoubtedly a Chelsea legend and will always be part of the Chelsea family.”
is enough to send a chill down the opponent’s spine, Rohit Sharma, Ambati Rayudu, Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Smith are names to reckon with.They have, on numerous occasions held the innings together to see their team sail through.
The Super Kings and Mumbai Indians have met on two instances this season and Mumbai won both the encounters. Will history repeat itself and see Mumbai sail to safety first or will Chennai script a new story, remains to be seen.