Postnoon E-Paper for 25 June 2012 by Scribble Media & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

Hyderabad’s first compact afternoon newspaper

MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012 HYDERABAD

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WEATHER: A MIX OF CLOUDY AND CLEAR SKIES; 30°C

STATE DITHERS AS MET WARNS OF DRY DAYS While the Union agriculture ministry is speeding up drought contingency plans, AP seems blase to international weather warnings that the monsoon may be a ‘damp’ squib.

REPORT ON PG 4

ASHES 2 ASHES ENGLAND PAY THE PENALTY… AGAIN Italy rounded off the quartet of Euro 2012 semi-finalists as England once again exited a major finals in a penalty shootout. England’s Ashley Young and Ashley Cole failed to convert their penalties. P30

Hiding in plain sight: Our new insight series Slums are generally considered to be the seedy underbellies of our cities, and slum-dwellers the leeching counterparts of us, taxpayers. Over the next two weeks, we intend to change this notion through our campaign and reveal some ground realities: Like the fact that urban poor are among the most vulnerable sections of the society and are often simply victims of birth, poverty and circumstance. Similarly, slumdwellers are a hard-working, aspirational and cohesive unit struggling to make the best of their situation, given their lack of opportunities. These are people who keep the engines of our cities running and given their rising numbers and growing relevance in shaping our futures, it's time we paid heed. The government, municipal authorities, and civil society together have to pitch in with a plan to help slum-dwellers attain access to resources and services that they need and P6 is theirs by right.

INSIGHT INTO... Rasoolpura

32 PAGES

KEY 26/11 TERRORIST ARRESTED After tracking him for more than three years, security agencies have arrested Sayed Zabiuddin alias Abu Hamza, the alleged Hindi P11 tutor of 10 terrorists who carried out the Mumbai attacks.

Page Two

MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

Spirit of Twin Cities

WATER ON WHEELS DEEPAK DESHPANDE

Hyderabad Library services Library and librarian services offered to members and groups (institutions) at `3,650 per year (per member). It covers study, career, competition, business of research. Welcome to APSET enrolled. Where: Hyderabad library services, Sagar View Complex When: June 9 to July 8, Contact: (040) 2322 2247, 94412 37751

Dragon festival Have an oriental experience as the Golden Dragon at Taj Banjara presents its Dragon Festival Feast from June 28 onwards. Open for both lunch and dinner. Where: Golden Dragon Taj Krishna, Banjara Hills When: June 26 onwards Contact: (040) 6629 3309

Being eunuch Being Eunuch, a play highlighting the plight and problems of eunuchs in the country will be presented by Nishumbita on July 13. Where: Ravindra Bharathi, Saifabad When: July 13, 7pm onwards Contact: (040) 2323 1245

Beginners Beginners, a movie by Mike Millis which is based on the, surprises and confusion about love will be screened at Sri Sarathi Studios on June 28. Where: Sri Sarathi Studios, Ameerpet When: June 28, 10am-7pm Contact: (040) 23732050

Cheating cheaters Cheating cheaters is a play dealing with two middle-aged sisters,who set of with the ideo of impersonating begging nuns so that they would be able to send their orphaned niece to an art school. The play is being staged by Masquerade Youth Theatre on June 30. Where: Nift auditorium, Madhapur When: June 30, 7.30pm onwards Contact: (040) 2311 4537

Creative strokes An exhibition of paintings by artists like Fawad Tamkanat, Kavita Duesker and Sayam Bharath Yadav titled Creative Strokes is being held

CINEMAS

at Arts Heaven Art Gallery. The exhibition will be on till June 30 . Where: Arts Heaven Art Gallery, Lakdikapul When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: 99495 71031

Musical evening

Recent works by Rasika Reddy titled Sacred Vanity will be displayed at Kalakrithi Art Gallery from July 2. Where: Kalakrithi Art Gallery, Banjara Hills, Rd No 10 When: July 2 onwards, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 6656 4466

Boondhon ka Paigam, a monsoon musical yearly event will be held on July 12 at Hyderabad Marriott and Convention centre. The musical event will feature sufi singer Kavitha Seth and ghazal singer Jaswinder Singh. Where: Hyderabad Marriott and convention centre, Tank Bund When: July 12, 7pm onwards Contact: (040) 2752 2999

Kashmiri food festival

Album launch Mumbai-based band Blakc will be releasing its sophomore album Mothered land at Hard Rock Cafe, Banjara Hills on June 28. Where: Hard Rock Cafe, Banjara Hills, Rd No 1 When: July 28 Contact: (040) 6463 6375

No Jazz, a funky, rocking Parisian electro-jazz five-piece dance band. The band mixes the original celebratory spirit of jazz with hypnotic rhythms and contemporary sounds. Where: Taj Deccan, Banjara Hills, Rd No 1 When: June 25, 7.30pm onwards Contact: (040) 6652 3939

Sacred vanity

Madhubani workshop

Take a trip to what is often described as ‘paradise on earth’— Kashmir, with a Kashmiri Food festival. The food festival offers a variety of authentic Kashmiri dishes and is on till June 26. Where: Ella Hotels, Gachibowli When: Ongoing, 7.30pm onwards Contact: (040) 2300 2488

No Jazz

The YMCA Secunderabad is hosting a madhubani painting workshop. The workshop is being felicitated by an artist from Madhubani. A part of the fees earned through the workshop will be used to train underprivileged women in this form of painting. Where: YMCA Secunderabad, West Marredpally When: June 18-June 29 Contact: 98490 07736, 99595 57183

Chai pakoda It’s monsoon. How we love to sit by the window as it rains, with a plate of hot pakodas and some chai. Arena at Taj Deccan brings that feeling to you every evening from 3pm-7pm. Where: Taj Deccan,Banjara Hills, Rd No 1 When: Ongoing, 3pm to7pm Contact: (040) 6666 393

Karaoke nights Head to Bottles and Chimney this Tuesday (June 26) for a musical karaoke night with KJ Zaid. Where: Bottles and Chimney, Begumpet When: June 26, 7pm onwards Contact: (040) 2776 6464

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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MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities

Hubby drives woman to death In one week three young wives were either killed or driven to suicide by avaricious husbands and their families. Recently, a young woman ended her life after harassment

CRIME Mohd Subhan mohd.s@postnoon.com

ne more woman E Ratna has reportedly committed suicide by hanging following physical and mental torture by her husband for money, the Madannapet police report. This is the third such incident in one week. Ratna, 24, was found dead in her house at Chandraiah huts, Mdanannapet. She had committed suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling fan. Her husband, E Ravi, was ‘away buying chicken’ when this happened. Sub-inspector P Srinivas Rao explained the sequence. Ratna is from a scheduled caste community and both she and Ravi knew each other since childhood. It is said they developed a liking for each other but it was construed as a brother-sister relationship. When the families realised the duo

was in love, Ratna’s parents objected to the relationship as they felt that two had grown up as siblings and found it hard to accept them as a couple. Despite all opposition, the couple got married six years ago

and had two sons. Ravi earns a living by selling lime at the Madannapet market. All was going well until five months ago Ratna’s father Sarlaiah died under suspicious circumstances. His wife Kalamma

received a sum of `50,000 from the government as ex gratia. Kalamma set aside the money for her other children’s future. However, ever since the money reached the family, Ravi kept asking Ratna to get it from her mother, however, she did not have the heart to wrest the money from her poor mother. This led to a discord between the couple and Ravi began beating Ratna. Two days ago, unable to bear the torture, Ratna committed suicide. In her petition to the Madannapet police, Kalamma revealed Ravi’s cruelty. ACP Santoshnagar S Saikrishna has begun investigations. Incidentally this is not an isolated case. On Friday last, a woman by name Triveni had committed suicide by hanging herself at BJR Nagar under Banjara Hills police station limits due to the harassment of her husband, Ravi Kumar. In another case, on the night of June 11 Swarna, a resident of LB Nagar basti under Jeedmetla police station committed suicide following dowry harassment.

NEWS BRIEFS

Constable recruitment soon

ome Minister Sabita Indra Reddy said a recruitment drive to fill up 20,000 posts of police constables would be conducted soon. She said it would be fully transparent, leaving no room for allegations. Sabita also added that she would cooperate with the CBI in the Jagan assets case.

Abductors get a taste of mob fury

hree men who had abducted a 12-year-old boy in Karmanghat area here received instant justice when locals gathered, freed the gagged boy, and beat two of them black and blue before handing them over to the police. The third one fled the scene. According to reports, three unidentified men took away Srikant while he was playing before his house and confined him to a room not far from there. However, someone noticed the three lurking around and alerted the boy’s parents. Locals gathered at the spot and confronted the men. The boy was rescued, police said. However, the motive of the kidnap is yet to be ascertained.

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MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities

AP oblivious to Met warnings? Md Inkeshaf Ahmed ahmed.m@postnoon.com

he prediction of international weather forecasters that India may get below normal rainfall during the ongoing Monsoon is yet to reach the State government. While the Union agriculture ministry seems to be hurrying its steps to avoid a drought-like situation in the country that was seen in the year 2009, the State government does not even have information about the likely drought that may hit the State in case of low rainfall. Global weather forecasters’ such as Japan Agency for MarineEarth Science and Technology and the International Research Institute for Climate and Society at the Columbia University, predicted that there was little chance of India getting above-normal monsoon this year. This was lent further credence by the UK’s meteorological office, in its long-range global weather forecast. In its report, the agency said that the chance of India getting above-normal rainfall during the entire four-month period of July-September, popularly known as Kharif season, is only 40 per cent. Speaking to Postnoon in an exclusive interview today, agri-

M ANIL KUMAR

culture minister Kanna Laxminarayana said that the government was not aware of the predictions of the international weather forecasters but was quick to add that they were being cautious following reports from the Indian meteorological

All-India summer monsoon rainfall June 01 to Jun 20, 2012 n Actual: 62.1 mm n Normal: 84.3 mm n Departure from Normal: 26.3 per cent n Proportion of Seasonal Normal: 7.1 per cent (Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune) department (IMD). “We have not received any such advisory from the Union agriculture ministry so far. On our part, we are mostly relying on local weather forecasters who say that the State will receive rains in the first week of July," he said. The minister added that they were advising the farmers of raindeficient areas to opt for alternative crops instead of wasting their valuable time. “We are promoting the con-

No contingency Plan

cept of alternative crops where there is low rainfall. I am again appealing to the farmers through your newspaper to opt for alternative crops,” he said.

‘Make Tirupati liquor-free’ Y

SR Congress MLA from Tirupati, Bhumana Karunakara Reddy started an indefinite fast on Sunday demanding that the temple town be made liquor-free. Speaking on the occasion, Karunakar Reddy demanded that sale and consumption of liquor in the town at the feet of Tirumala hills of Lord Venkateswara be banned as it was done in Shirdi. He said the feet of the Lord should be washed with holy water and not with liquor. Karunakar Reddy reminded the

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government that Tirumala temple was a spiritual centre for 100-crore Hindus living across the world. He asked the government to respect the sentiments of Hindus and make the holy city liquor-free. He explained that he had launched the indefinite fast following the wishes expressed by women during his recent election campaign. Interestingly, women came in large number to the bus stand area where he was fasting. NSS

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On the other hand, the State does not have any contingency plan in place to tackle the situation in case of drought. “We don’t have any specific budget for a contingency plan. We are also not getting any funds from the Centre. But if the need arises, we will definitely come to the rescue of the farmers. In the past we provided `1,800 crore to farmers towards input subsidy without any budgetary provision. This time also

we will do the same thing,” Laxminarayana asserted. According to the minister, it was too early to think about a contingency plan as the sowing of seeds has just started in many districts across the State. The minister hoped that the state would receive normal rainfall in coming days and asked the farmers to pray for normal rainfall. “Lets hope for the best instead of being pessimistic,” Laxminarayana said.

Victim demands action Rahul Ramakrishna rahul.r@postnoon.com

rieving relatives of Kali Dayanand, the brain haemorrhage patient who has been a victim of Care hospitals, held a press conference at the Press Club on Sunday, June 24. They demanded the government take stern action against the hospital that has been trying to dupe the victims into shelling out large amounts for an operation that is covered under Aarogyashri . Kali Dayanand’s wife, Anu and cousin Sumanth, addressed the media. Accompanied by

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grieving neighbours, she demanded that the management of the hospital be booked for victimising the poor. Mustafa Quadri, chief spokesperson for the International Human Rights Commission said that they had lodged a complaint on behalf of Dayanand’s family. While the scheme was designed to help the poor, they believe that it is being wasted on a noble profession where corporate hospitals are bent upon making money. While Dayanand is still admitted in the hospital, the family plans to stage a dharna at the hospital.

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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

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MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities

Chiru has bigger plans? POLITICS PK Surendran surendran.pk@postnoon.com

here is, as yet a hazy, nevertheless an emerging contour of a new star power vying for the leadership of the Congress: actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi. It’s not his outbursts against the Congress for not ‘integrating’ his party PRP with the Congress that gives the idea to political observers. It’s his statement that the Congress won two seats where the PRP was strong and his stance that the party was rudderless in the State that sends out a strong signals of bigger things in his mind. His Friday’s famous speech at Ramachandrapuram where the former PRP leader Thota Trimurulu won on Congress ticket, gives goose bumps to the current leaders especially Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy, sources point out. Chiranjeevi has been under pressure to explain how his charisma failed to win some seats especially Tirupati constituency which the central leader Vayalar Ravi had requested

him to win at any cost. The emperor of the dreamland was bitten to the core at the loss of Tirupati which he did not hide. He spewed venom on Congress leaders for the loss. He pointed an accusing finger at minister Galla Aruna whose son Jaya Deva had sought the Tirupati ticket but Chiranjeevi recommended Venkata Ramana. “Venkata sobbed after the loss and said the Congress leaders had

stabbed him in the back.” From the Congress camp TG Venkatesh and J Shanker see nothing wrong in the erstwhile PRP leader’s complaint against the Congress. But many Congress leaders who are also ministers are rattled. “It’s for the PRP to get integrated. Do we have to hold their hands?” asked one minister in anguish. But Chiru’s apparent proximity with Sonia Gandhi and his bravado at Ramachandrapuram that he will show how to lead the party and win seats have spread the whispers that the leader, seemingly regretting the hasty merger, wants his pound of flesh. Chiru is sure that with the present leadership and the way the party is run, Congress may not even be runner-up in the 2014 general elections. “He is surely angling for the mantle of Congress leadership,” a minister remarked. According to general feeling, Delhi is desperately searching for a party leader who has the qualifications of combining caste factors and also exude charisma like YSR did. “Chiru fits in” is the spreading belief. But his detractors too are many who believe that the hero will prove a ‘ box-office flop’ if he wears the mantle of the State leadership with a pledge to bag majority seats in 2014.

ED officials quizzing Friendless, Kiran OMC accused in jail looks around for help A

POLITICS Inkeshaf Ahmed ahmed.m@postnoon.com

“E

tu Brutus?” Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy might be asking this to his colleague and PCC president Botsa Satyanarayana, after Botsa reportedly gave a post-poll analysis to the high command where he blamed the CM for unilateral decisions on candidates in the 18 Assembly bypoll for the dismal performance of the party. If anyone in the ruling party who is the most isolated after the disastrous bypoll performance it is the chief minister who finds himself friendless. His cabinet colleagues say in private that only Kiran is to blame for this. They feel that the no-nonsense attitude

of the CM in dealing with his own party leaders including ministers and lack of public relations skills in reaching out to grass root cadres of the party cost him dear. “Since his elevation to chief minister post, he utterly failed in cultivating friends. The gut feeling of not having experience as cabinet minister before becoming the CM seems to be haunting him still. As a result, he could not become close to any senior ministers. This made him a loner even while heading the government,” one senior cabinet minister from Telangana said. The CM also could not develop friends in party as well. “Kiran Kumar Reddy during his one and half year stint as CM did not hold any exclusive meetings of party leaders to instill confidence in them and project himself as leader. This has resulted in the recent by poll defeat,” the minister added. Botsa is learnt to have told the party leaders in Delhi that the CM unilaterally chose candidates in Rayalaseema region without taking into consideration the views of party leaders. This eventually resulted in the party’s defeat in the region including in his own district Chitoor. The end result is that cabinet ministers and party leaders are now gunning for the CM. But his die-hard supporters still vouch for Kiran and say that he is the best alternative to lead the government. “Can you show us any other leader to run the government? In the present circumstances, he is the best available alternative for the party to run the government,” minister for Tribal Welfare P Balaraju told Postnoon. Ironically, the only hope Kiran has today comes from the weakened TDP which is in no position to topple the ministry.

uthorities of the enforcement directorate (ED) on Sunday visited the Chanchalguda jail to question the accused in the OMC, Emaar Properties and Jagan assets’ cases. It may be mentioned here that the CBI Special Judge’s Court granted permission tothe ED to interrogate the accused in the jail. It is learnt that the ED authorities, who were given only 15 days for interrogation, have started questioning BV Srinivasa Reddy of the OMC and former IAS officer Srilakshmi and former mining department director Raja Gopal on Sunday. The interrogation continued till 5 pm. ED authorities will be questioning Nimmagadda Prasad, Brahmananda Reddy and suspended IAS officer BP Acharya also in the jail in connection with Jagan assets case on Monday. NSS

Babu, Lagadapati plan dharnas in Vijaywada

ijayawada turned tense as TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu and Congress MP Lagadapati Rajagopal planned dharnas against each other on Monday. The TDP chief announced that he would stage a dharna demanding construction of a flyover at the Kanaka Durga temple. The party is alleging that the State government has been ignoring the proposal, which has been long pending. TDP workers made elaborate arrangements for Naidu’s dharna on Monday. However, Lagadapati, the local MP has said that flyover should be taken up only after completion of the ring road. He also announced that he would stage a dharna on Monday. He has even expressed his willingness to meet Naidu and explain the situation. However, the TDP leaders reacted sharply to Lagadapati’s proposal and made it clear that they would not allow him to meet Naidu. They have also criticised the local MP for resorting to a counter dharna, unnecessarily stalling the flyover construction. Lagadapati has changed his tactics and announced that he would himself sanction his own funds for flyover construction, if necessary. As both parties are on a collision path, the police made elaborate arrangements for preserving law and order in the city. NSS

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MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities

Hidden in plain sight Existing in the heart of Secunderabad is a universe unknown to most of us. Postnoon visits Rasoolpura, one of the City’s largest slum settlements, to understand an ecosystem that lives on the periphery SRINIVAS SETTY

Padmini Copparapu padmini.c@postnoon.com

ach year, India’s urban population grows faster than its total population. The UN estimates that in the next few decades, one in every seven people will be living in towns and cities. If that is not alarming enough, consider this. One third of world’s urban population already do not have access to adequate housing and live in acute and absolute poverty.

INSIGHT INTO... Rasoolpura

Slums are the most visible manifestations of this deprivation. Rapid urbanisation, inequitable distribution of resources and the failure of institutional and governmental policies have reduced close to 2 billion people to settle in densely populated settlements with little or no access to basic amenities like housing and sanitation.

Hyderabad itself is home to over 500 slums with two million people, or, one-third of the City’s population, scattered across slums and squatters settlements, states a report compiled by the GHMC. Of that, (while actual figures vary) anywhere between 1 and 2 lakh urban poor reside in settlements that are in their entirety known as Rasoolpura. Tucked away in a bylane of the Secunderabad, Rasoolpura is a universe unknown to most of us. Spread over a five kilometer radius containing settlements like Srilanka Gun Bazaar, Indirammanagar, Anna Nagar and others, it is a densely populated zone that stretches all the way to the old airport. Said to be Hyderabad’s largest and a notified slum by the government, it is under the jurisdiction of the Secunderabad Cantonment Board, whose vision statement incidentally, “aims to provide high quality services with universal access including the poor. It will be slum free, citizen friendly, well-governed and environmental friendly.” The poor in Rasoolpura have access to nothing. Many of the

Slums: The Five Deprivations

he United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) defines a slum household as one that lacks one or more of the following: n Access to improved water An adequate quantity of water that is affordable and easily available n Access to improved sanitation Access to an excreta disposal system, either in the form of a private or public toilet shared with a reasonable number of people. n Security of tenure Evidence or documentation that can be used as a proof of secure tenure or for protection from forced evictions. n Durability of housing Permanent and adequate structure in non-hazardous location, protecting its inhabitants from the extremes of climatic conditions such as rain, heat, cold or humidity. n Sufficient living area Not more than three people sharing the same room.

26,000 families in the settlements scrounge to make a living and scrape a hand-to-mouth existence. They have acute shortage of drinking water, littleor-no access to sanitation, healthcare, quality education, or sustainable means of livelihood. While a number of NGOs like Bhumi and Spoorti have devoted themselves to the cause, nothing much has been to done by officials to change the state of affairs in the area since it took shape forty years ago, when migrant workers from all the State flocked to the City and found refuge in the area. The alarming absence of access to basic healthcare, for instance, is a telling story. For a population of over one lakh, the area has one healthcare dispensary that functions only for a few hours every day. As a direct consequence, most of the children and adolescents here suffer from malnutrition and anaemia, more than 60 per cent of the women are pregnant, and there are thousands of diabetic and cardiac patients in the area. This in a context where a majority of the slum-dwellers are construction labourers or

auto drivers who rely on daily wages and cannot afford to fall sick. While deprivation, exclusion, lack of resources and opportunities are daunting problems, another very real threat to the slum-dwellers of Rasoolpura is the ever increasing threat of displacement. NGOs report that the area these settlers have occupied is disputed land as some of it belongs to the Airport Authorities (AAI) who have leased it from Cantonment. And therefore, if the slum had to be legalised or registered, the Cantonment would have regain the land from AAI (for which it has to have clearance from the ministry of defence) and then give it to the State Government which would in turn hand over the tenure to the slum dwellers. Meanwhile, Rasoolpura — a slum of hope is slowly turning into a slum of despair. As the UN Habitat report states, “They (slum-dwellers) are trapped in an informal and ‘illegal’ world — in slums that are not reflected on maps, where waste is not collected, where taxes are not paid and where public services are not provided.”

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MUNICIPAL APPROVAL

MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities

Safety initiatives needed Training institutes in the City for private bus drivers need to be made a reality PIC FOR REPRESENTATIONAL PURPOSE ONLY

Anubha K Singh anubha.k@postnoon.com

us accidents have become common these days. After every bus accident we extend our heartfelt condolences to the victims and their families, blame the driver and soon forget about the incident till another accident occurs. Most of the accidents are caused due to the driver’s negligence and careless attitude. Postnoon checked with some retired bus drivers and conductors to find out what could be the possible reason behind these gruesome accidents and who should be held responsible for the growing number of accidents. It is a well known fact that once the driver of any private bus takes his seat and crosses the City limits the first thing in his mind is to reach the destination in the shortest period of time. In such an instance, safety and security take a backseat. “In most accident cases, the main culprit is the driver. Many a times just to earn extra money drivers undertake overnight journeys. The driver is the one who takes you to the destination and

also brings you back. In turn he gets very less time to sleep or relax. To overcome the tiredness most of the drivers opt for alcohol without realising the fact that it will only result in accidents,” said a retired bus driver who didn’t want to be named.

Once the bus crosses the City limits or the last check post the operators close the curtains of the windows and make sure the lights are also switched off and a movie is played for the passengers. “The closed windows and movie are done on purpose by the operators so that the passengers do not realise how fast the bus is travelling. All these buses have super suspension system so even if the vehicle is going beyond its speed limit you won’t even realise. This careless attitude

of drivers gives rise to tragedies and ghastly accidents,” adds the driver. Most of these buses are driven at speeds ranging between 130 kmph to 140 kmph. One more main reason is the absence of a second driver. It is mandatory that every bus operator should have minimum two drivers for an overnight journey so that after the first one drives for a fixed distance, the second one is expected to take over but shockingly not even a single bus operator in the City follows the rule. The vehicle is driven by a single driver for more than 12 to 14 hours. “This is mainly because of the shortage of drivers for private buses. The absence of training institutes is one of the reasons that is causing a shortage of efficient drivers. Unlike APSRTC, private bus operators do not have their own training institutes. However, we have requested the State government to open training institutes for private bus operators in the City so that more and more drivers can be trained and appointed,” said, RTA joint transport commissioner G Panduranga Rao.

Public awareness is their aim Apart from regular RTI activists, citizens fail to make use of the Act. Hence, in order to raise awareness about RTI, Hyderabad activists have started a forum called Educators in RTI Service

RTI Sudeshna Koka sudeshna.k@postnoon.com

T REAL ESTATE SUVARNA BHUVI DEVELOPERS ”SUVARNA CITY”IV@shamshabad beside DLF Township on Bangalore Highway.Fully Developed 200&400sqyds plots are available Contact: 9849482826

he first model of making RTI a part of the education sector is being launched in Hyderabad today. The United Forum (UF) for RTI is an umbrella organisation of 70 civil society organisations that have initiated and launched this new programme. Through the campaign, many lecturers, teachers working in the districts of AP and vice-chancellors of various universities are coming together to spread awareness amongst the student community. “Since 2006 we have been working towards creating awareness across the State. We have been conducting seminars, workshops and training classes on a continuous basis. Despite this the low awareness among the student community was alarming. We realised what we were doing was not enough,

which is why we started this community to cater specifically to student groups,” said B Ramakrishna Raju, convener (UF-RTI). The first step of this campaign would be to train the participating lecturers about RTI. These teachers would further train their college

staff and they would guide their students. “There is awareness among citizens but they also have a perception that only activists will file RTI requests. To change this, and help them understand the concept of RTI and kindle the need to know

about the country’s governance, we have launched this campaign,” said Sashank K, UF-RTI member. Students are of the opinion that this move was needed. “In the name of scholarships we get some money in our account, when asked for details there is no answer from the management. About exams, lab and college details in general we do not have a clear picture. In fact, not just my college but in most other colleges students are least informed. At least now a larger group will wake up and ask for more information, which in turn will mean more transparency,” said Kaushik P, a law student. Many lecturers coming from the remote districts of AP will also participate. “There was information and awareness but no bridge to connect students to RTI. This will help not just students but the society at large. Students are a big part of the society and RTI is the best platform to bring a change in the system,” said Dr Sai Babu, VC, Bapatla College of Arts and Science.

100 YEARS OF INDIAN CINEMA

MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

Mere Brother Ki Dulhan

Murder 2

his sequel to the hit Murder was not guaranteed interest like the latter did; Murder had the backing of the biggest album then. Bringing it on a good seven years afterwards, retaining their lucky mascot, Emraan Hashmi and not bothering to maintain any continuity with its namesake seemed to work with this one. It grossed huge sums even while running alongside Salman Khan’s Ready.

Romance and Yash Raj Films are inseparable, so coming from their stable Mere Brother Ki Dulhan was another romantic film with a healthy dose of comedy added to it. Since it is not like movies that had similar concoction had not failed, the success of this one too was not guaranteed. Mixed reviews notwithstanding, this one had the cash registers chiming sweet music.

Ragini MMS Wonder if it were to do with prerelease publicity or simply because of its name, Ragini MMS recovered its making cost in only the first two days of its release. This horrorthriller, from the Ekta Kapoor camp, starred relatively unknown Kainaz Motivala and Raj Kumar Yadav in the lead roles, but made up with the names Jeetendra, Shobha Kapoor and Balaji Telefilms as the producers.

Kahaani

SMALL DREAM,

This one had only a Vidya Balan to boast of in its ensemble of both actors and others that team up to make a movie. Coming off a Dirty Picture, which had a very sexy Balan enacting a mostly scantily clad Silk Smitha, how the audience would react to a heavily pregnant Vidya was uncertain. It went on to prove that you can have a hit without a Khan or a Kumar for that matter.

BIG REALITY Every filmmaker wants their movie to be a hit, but not all films go on to box office success. Of those that do click some are designer hits like Ra.One, while there are others, inconspicuous ones, like Ferrari ki Sawaari that go on to rake in the moolah big time. Here’s taking a look at sleeper hits

Tanu Weds Manu This 2011 movie stars R Madhavan, Kangna Ranaut and Jimmy Shergill in the lead roles, all of who have carved a niche for themselves in intelligent acting. The success of this romantic movie at the box office, particularly in North India, encouraged its makers into dubbing it in… German! Is Shah Rukh Khan, whose movies supposedly do very well abroad, listening?

Pyaar Ka Punchnama

hen a Bollywood movie that stars a Kartik Tiwari, Rayo Bakhirta and another Divyendu Sharma and still goes on to attaining cult status, you have to sit up and take notice. That’s what both the critics and audience did and it went on to be a big hit, even if surprisingly. In keeping with present times, this failed love story of three bachelors ends on a happy note — for all the six!

Vicky Donor How much can one expect from a movie that stars Ayushmann Khurrana, Yami Gautam and Annu Kapoor in the lead roles? Even with the name of John Abraham for its producer, generating interest in it would still be difficult. What probably worked for it is its storyline based on sperm donation and infertility. It was declared a super hit by Box Office India.

Once Upon A Time In Mumbai While Ekta Kapoor is an accepted queen of the idiot box, her flirting with the silver screen every now and then had met little success. Till this movie was released in 2010, that is. Once Upon A Time In Mumbai, a period gangster film changed all that for her. Not just commercial success, it is also a critically acclaimed one, encouraging its makers to go for a sequel.

17,126.16 153.65

5,191.45 45.40

BSE

NSE

Business

10g= `30,055

GOLD

1kg= `52,736

SILVER

`56.41

DOLLAR

Matters of saving and spending

$100

credit has been offered by India to improve Nigeria’s power supply.

THUS SPAKE

Golden glow is on Prudhvi Raju K prudhvi.k@postnoon.com

he gold prices have grown by around 30 per cent in last one year raising the doubts in the growth of sales. “People continue to buy gold for weddings and other special occasions even at these prices. However, the people are buying less gold even though they are spending same amount of money. There is also evolution of things like hollow jewellery, which make the jewellery look heavy but the weight is lower,”said Sanjeev Khaira, MD and country head, UBM India. People buying as an investment are concerned at the moment because of the large depreciation of the rupee value. Even though, global prices are growing at a steady pace, due to 20 per cent depreciation of rupee against dollar in last 18 months pushed the Indian gold price drastically. On the flip side, the uncertainties in Euro zone, North America and manufacturing slow down in China raised concerns

THERE HAS BEEN AN UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH IN LAST DECADE WITH EXPORTS BEING TOUCHED `2,04,823 CRORE IN LAST FISCAL PUTTING INDIA FIRMLY ON THE MAP AS A MAJOR MANUFACTURING HUB. about traditional equity markets pushed the investments in commodities. The value of currency is also getting devalued over time. This attracted attention to gold and increased its sales, he said. Talking about the challenges of India’s gems and jewellery industry, Sanjeev said, “Lack of skilled labour and artisans is one of the important challenges the industry is facing today. It is getting more and more difficult to recruit and train people. Traditionally, the greatest strength of Indian industry is its highly skilled workforce at reasonable wages.” However, to counter balance

this, many businesses invested heavily in manufacturing. There are some sections of buyers, who are still interested in handcrafted jewellery and ready to pay premium for it. The demand for the handcrafted jewellery will continue as long as this is the case. Exports contributed significantly for the growth of industry. The growth in the sector was primarily driven by gold jewellery which registered an increase of 30 per cent in 2012. The exports grew from `57,747.67 crore in 2010-2011 to `79,430.26 crore in 2011-2012. The export is mainly to North America, North Africa and Middle east where there are Asian communities, he explained. The total size of the gems and jewellery industry (both domestic and exports) is around `4,15,000 crore. The financial crisis in other parts of the world may have temporary effect on the growth of the industry. The growing middle class, young population to get married will continue the sales of jewellery in the Indian market, he added.

Greek coalition faces creditor ‘troika’ ATHENS: Greece’s new threeparty coalition heads for a showdown this week with a “troika” of international creditors — the EU, IMF and ECB — over its bid to revise an austerity-centred bailout. The new conservative-led government, backed by socialists and moderate leftists, debuts with creditor auditors arriving to determine how much — or little — has been done and whether or not to disburse much-needed loans.

POUND MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012 9 NUMEROLOGY

US Court scraps suits of Apple, Motorola CHICAGO: An American judge has dismissed lawsuits lodged by Apple and Motorola against each other for copyright infringement. “To suggest that (Apple) has suffered loss of market share, brand recognition, or customer goodwill as a result of Motorola’s alleged infringement of the patent claims still in play in this case is wild conjecture,” Judge Richard Posner wrote in a 38-page ruling. “The parties have failed to present enough evidence to create a triable issue,” added the judge, who also threw out a similar suit against Apple by Motorola Mobility unit, now a Google subsidiary. The cross-firing complaints were filed in October 2010. Apple — the manufacturer behind the iPhone — accused Motorola of violating patents related to multifunction phones, particularly with regard to touchscreen technology. Motorola’s suit addressed Apple’s iPhone, the iPad tablet, iPod Touch and select computers of violating 18 patents, targeting in particular the Apple Store, an application vendor, and the service MobileMe, which allows Apple product users to synchronise calendars, address books, email and more across various gadgets. Posner’s decision is likely to end similar suits the companies have lodged against each other in other American courts, but continues in other countries. AFP

`87.91

The cabinet has been hit by a wave of health troubles just days after coming to power. But it has set out demands ahead of a crucial EU summit on Thursday and Friday, including calls for a two-year extension for applying structural reforms, to 2016. Under pressure from foreign creditors on one side and popular anger against austerity on the other, the government is seen as hopelessly weak by some analysts. But others point

to the broad mandate of the three-party coalition. Analysts agree that the outcome of negotiations over the multi-billion-euro bailout that is keeping the economy on life support will prove crucial to the longevity of the government. The arrival of auditors, originally scheduled for Monday has also been delayed, with a new date yet to be announced. The government already has a mountain to climb and no time to lose. State coffers are

almost empty, with reserves set to last only until late July. Structural reforms pledged in return for loans from the EU and IMF have been delayed. As a result, the creditors lack a clear image of where the country stands, and no new funds can be released until this is clarified by an audit. The exception is an instalment of $1.25 billion left over from before the elections, which is expected to be released by the end of June. AFP

“As far as rupee is concerned we operate in a system that is a market based exchange rate. We intervene only to curb violent fluctuations. I am confident that measures that I outlined will return rupee also to a more stable path,” Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister

Moody’s rate India as stable

etained outlook on India’s rating at stable despite slowdown in GDP growth rate saying that it is unlikely to be even a medium-term feature. Moody’s Investors Service in a statement said, “It is maintaining its stable outlook on India’s rating as various credit challenges — such as weak fiscal performance, tendency towards inflation and an uncertain investment policy environment — have characterised the Indian economy for decades, and are already incorporated into the current Baa3 rating.” On the other hand, it said that certain recent negative trends such as lower growth, slowing investment and poor business sentiment are “unlikely to become permanent or even medium-term features of the Indian economy”. Although, Moody’s expects that global and domestic factors, including shocks in agriculture, could keep India’s growth below trend for a few quarters. On the rupee’s depreciation, Moody’s said it does not raise the government’s own debt service burden significantly. AFP

India‑View

MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

India unveiled

India faces loss of bio-diversity NEW DELHI: India, one of the 17 identified mega-diverse countries of the world, is facing a high rate of loss of bio-diversity due to human settlements, mining, industry and associated infrastructure, according to a Government report. Among the species found in India, only 12.6 per cent of mammals and 4.5 per cent of birds are endemic, as against 45.8 per cent of reptiles and 55.8 per cent of amphibians, says the document prepared by the Environment Ministry. The Environmental and Social Framework Document for “Strengthening Regional

‘Kerala Sigal’ Joseph passes away at 81 ESSAYING SMALL ROLES IN OVER 600 FILMS, JOSEPH HAD HAD SHARED SCREEN

MG RAMACHANDRAN (MGR), SIVAJI GANESAN, NT RAMA RAO AND RAJ KUMAR

SPACE WITH LATE

KOCHI: Well-known Malayalam junior artiste Joseph Rodriguez, nick named “Sigal” by late thespian Sivaji Ganesan, is no more. He passed away unsung at a private hospital here yesterday, a day after performing a small roll in the Malayalam film Kaassh whose shoot was in progress at nearby Edakochi. Rodriguez, 81, look ill on Friday night and was admitted to the hospital. He is survived by wife, a son and a daughter. He had essayed small roles in nearby 600 films and had shared screen space with late MG Ramachandran (MGR), Sivaji

Ganesan, NT Rama Rao and Raj Kumar in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi films. He began singing in local ferries to make both ends meet when he was noticed by veteran singer KJ Yesudas’s father Augustine Joseph, who advised him to go to Chennai. In Chennai, he became a singer and actor in various Tamil plays and was a member of Sivaji Ganesan’s drama troupe. According to industry sources, Joseph got the “Sigal” tag after Sivaji was impressed by his rendition of KL Sigal’s So Ja Rajakumari. Despite being in the industry for several decades, only small roles came his way and he remained as a junior artiste throughout. He was also part of chorus in Malayalam films. Union minister Prof KV Thomas, Malayalam actors Mammooty, Innocent and music director MK Arjunan were among those who paid their respects. The funeral was held at St Mary’s Church at Edakochi here today. mqf

Cooperation in Wildlife Protection in Asia” is prepared for financial assistance from the World Bank under regional International Development Association (IDA) window. According to the document, notable endemics are the Nilgiri Leaf Monkey and the Brown and Carmine Beddome’s Toad of the Western Ghats. India contains 172 (2.9 per cent) of the IUCN designated threatened species. These include the Asiatic lion, the Bengal Tiger, and the Indian white-rumped vulture, which suffered near-extinction situation from feeding on the

carrion of diclofenac-treated cattle, says the report. “Human activities, both directly and indirectly, responsible for current high rates of biodiversity loss are-- habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation due to agricultural activities, extraction (including mining, fishing, logging and harvesting); and development (human settlements, industry and associated infrastructure),” it says. “Habitat loss and fragmentation leads to the formation of isolated, small and scattered populations,” it added. mqf

Two-storey public toilets in Kolkata KOLKATA: Kolkata will get the country’s first two-storey public toilets. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will build 170 such toilets across the city. Each will cost Rs.18 lakh, of which Rs.17 lakh will come from the central government. “Half of them will come up in

November,” KMC mayor-incouncil member Atin Ghosh told IANS. The ground floors will be for women and the top floors for men. Presently the city has 225 public toilets. The toilets will be maintained by self-help groups. “We have decided to build

two-storey public toilets primarily because of space crunch,” Ghosh said. Soon after taking power last year, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had voiced concern over the lack of public toilets in the city and asked Mayor Sovan Chatterjee to solve the problem.

GO, GIRLS, GO!

Female commandos take part in a final training before a passing out ceremony at a commando training centre on the outskirts of Patiala in Punjab. The women are training to be part of the female commando teams to guard Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal as part of his Close Protection Team (CPT). AFP/STR

Chhattisgarh to educate children of naxal-hit areas NEW DELHI: Buoyed by the achievements of over 150 children of left-wing extremism affected areas in securing admissions in reputed engineering colleges, the Chhattisgarh Government has constructed a residential hostel here to educate them. The state-of-the-art residential complex, constructed in about 2,000 sq meter in Dwarka locality here, with a capacity of accommo-

dating at least 100 students will be inaugurated in July 3. “We want to educate more and more children from LWE affected areas. They will be provided better coaching classes and accommodation free of cost. The aim is to ensure better education and skill development of these children so that they can bring positive changes and development back in the state,”

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh told PTI from Raipur. He said a pilot project has brought a significant result in Chhattisgarh. “There were about 150 students from LWE areas of the state who got through various national engineering colleges through ‘Prayas’, a special initiative of the state government,” the CM said. Chhattisgarh had in 2010

launched a programme ‘Prayas’ to provide education to students from the LWE districts of the state and other tribal or backward areas. About 300 such students were provided accommodation in tribal hostels, especially constructed for the purpose, in the state capital Raipur and given coaching for regular courses and competitive examinations. mqf=

India‑View

MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

India unveiled

‘Hindi teacher’ of 26/11 hitmen, Abu Hamza, held NEW DELHI: After tracking him for more than three years, security agencies have arrested Sayed Zabiuddin alias Abu Hamza, alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba ultra and the Hindi tutor of 10 terrorists who carried out the audacious attack in Mumbai in 2008. A total of 166 people had died in the attacks. Zabiuddin alias Abu Jindal, 30, who hails from Georai area of Beed district in Maharashtra, was arrested on June 21 when he arrived in India from a Gulf country, official sources said today. He was produced before a court on the same day and has been remanded to 15 days in custody. India had also secured an Interpol Red Corner notice against him in which he was accused of crimes involving the use of weapons, explosives and terrorism. With his arrest, the mysterious voice recorded during the conversation between 10 Lashker terrorists and their handlers in Pakistan has been identified, the sources said. According to the officials associated with the probe, Zabiuddin had told Lashker terrorists carrying out attack in Nariman House to convey to the media that the “attack was a trailer and the entire movie was yet to come”. The voice was that of Zabiuddin and after this his

NATION AT A GLANCE 7 Indian fishermen missing off Oman coast DUBAI: Seven Indians on board a fishing boat have gone missing from Masirah waters in Oman and may have been kidnapped by pirates, a media report has said. According to the report, coast guard has been informed and the hunt is on to locate them despite adverse weather conditions. All said to be from Tamil Nadu. The boat reportedly went missing from alAshakara coast on Thursday evening.

15 killed as overloaded bus rams into tree AMROHA (UP): At least 15 people were killed and 24 others injured, two of them critically, when a bus rammed into a tree on Amroha-Joya road in the wee hours today. The incident took place at around 2am. While 13 persons were killed on the spot, two others succumbed to injuries in a hospital.

activities were traced before he was finally nabbed in a Gulf country, according to officials. His presence was also stated by Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist arrested during the Mumbai attack, in his deposition before a special court. He told the court that one person by the name of Abu Jindal had tutored 10 terrorists on how to speak Hindi. Missing since 2005, Zabiuddin, who had undergone training at Indian Technical Institute in Beed, had a sudden

IN THE INTERCEPTED TAPES, ZABIUDDIN WAS HEARD USING HINDI WORDS LIKE “PRASHASAN” (GOVERNMENT) AND WAS DIRECTING THE TERRORISTS TO CONCEAL THEIR PAKISTANI IDENTITY AND IDENTIFY THEMSELVES FROM DECCAN MUJAHIDEEN HAILING FROM TOLI CHOWKI IN HYDERABAD.

AGE NO BAR

Chando Tomar, 78, from Bagpat (UP) along with others aims at the target at the three-day PTI rifile shooting competition in Jodhpur, Rajasthan on Sunday.

rise in the ranks of Lashkar-eTaiba after he was indoctrinated by banned SIMI post Gujarat riots in 2002. The Central security agencies had quizzed many arrested terrorists to study the case of Zabiuddin during which it came to light that he had been operating out of terror camps in Karachi and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and was a key figure in the terror group’s plan to carry out the strikes in the country’s hinterland. PTI

Bengal teen dies in well KOLKATA: A teenage boy who fell into an open 30-feet-deep well in Howrah district on Sunday was brought out dead early Monday following 11-hour rescue efforts, officials said. The 17-year-old Roshan’s lifeless body was pulled out from the well in Eksara area by local divers around 2.30 am. He had slipped and fallen into the well around 4 pm on Sunday while trying to draw water, a witness said. The Disaster Management Group personnel, who reached the spot with gas masks around 9 pm, could not enter the well which had lot of toxic gases. Around 9pm a diver went into the well but came out unsuccessful. Around 2.30 am two locals went in with the help of ropes and recovered the lifeless body. PTI

Farmers plough a field at Ghogaon village in Karad on Sunday, after Monsoon rain arrived in Western Maharashtra. PTI

Historical Srinagar shrine gutted in blaze SRINAGAR: Historical Peer Dastgeer Sahib shrine in summer capital Srinagar was gutted in a blaze here Monday morning although the authorities said all the relics of the 11th century saint were safe. “The firefighting is still going on at the shrine although the old wooden structure appears to have suffered massive damage. The cause of fire is being ascertained”.

Uttar Pradesh cop hit by speeding bus, critical LUCKNOW: A station officer of the UP police was mowed down by a speeding bus, police said. The incident took place when Varun Singh was riding a motorcycle. He was crossing Khandari Road when a speeding bus hit him. He was dragged for a few metres. The officer was rushed to the Balrampur hospital where doctors said his condition was critical.

Sadhus before their departure for the annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave shrine at a camp in Jammu on Sunday. PTI

Around the World

MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

Beyond Borders

Big B’s No 1 Iraqi fan

AFP/ ALI AL- SAADI

The smell of love The parties help people find their match by asking people to submit a slept-in T-shirt

ingles looking for dates have turned to pheromone parties to find the right match. The matchmaking parties held in New York and Los Angeles help people find their match by asking “guests to submit a sleptin T-shirt that will be smelled by other participant,” the Associated Press reported. The idea to pick your partner based on their smell is the brainchild of Judith Prays, who said she came up with the idea after failing to find a guy online. Before the party, participants have to sleep in the T-shirt three days in a row, stick it in a plastic bag and freeze it. At the party, singles smell the shirt and decide whether they want to be matched up with the owner. Research shows humans can detect scents to sort out genetic combinations that could lead to weaker offspring, the AP wrote.

Iraqi Adil Hamid Khalaf points to a picture of himself posing with Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan, above his display of Indian movies and music albums, in his bookshop in Baghdad. BAGHDAD:

Adil Hamid Khalaf is like many Iraqi traders, with his tiny store stocked to the brim with VCDs and DVDs. What sets him apart is he can extol, in halting Hindi no less, the glory of 1950s Bollywood classics. Khalaf’s high prices for new movies — he charges as much as $10 whereas others offer knock-offs for 40 cents — and passion for Indian films from a bygone era mean sales are fewer than ever. Unfazed, however, the 65year-old wistfully recalls what he believes was a better era for Bollywood cinema, and life in Iraq, while excitedly relaying anecdotes from his latest meeting with Indian film legend Amitabh Bachchan, whom Khalaf refers to as a “good friend”. “Lambu! Lambu!” Khalaf exclaims, using the Hindi word for tall to describe the six-foot, two-inch actor, with blown-up photographs of their nearannual meetings at Bachchan’s Mumbai home plastered across the walls of the three-metre by one-metre shop in Baghdad’s Najah cinema complex. He shows off a Rado watch he says was gifted to him by Bachchan on a recent visit, and quickly pulls out a fading photograph of him standing alongside the actor and his thenyoung son Abhishek, now 36 and a film star himself. Khalaf originally met Bachchan in 1978, after convincing an acquaintance who worked in another actor’s offices to take him there.

He now visits Bachchan as often as he can and speaks to him in Hindi, which he has learned by watching Bollywood films countless times over the years. But after recalling his meetings with Bachchan and other age-old Indian movie stars — photos alongside Rajesh Khanna, Dharmendra, Mithun Chakraborty and Amrish Puri also adorn the walls of his shop — he returns to his lament that Indian cinema has suffered by becoming too Westernised. “Old Indian movies taught you how to behave with others — they taught you manners, they built your character,” he says, speaking in Arabic. “They taught the viewer how to be good to their parents, to touch the feet of their mothers and fathers.” “Nowadays, Indian movies are filled with action, drugs, knives, pistols, bullets. They are teaching people to kill, not teaching people to behave well.” His complaints over Indian cinema mirror those he, and many of his customers, have of modern Iraq. Khalaf’s business began as a venture with four friends who, after enjoying Indian films at Baghdad’s cinema halls in the 1960s, began selling cassettes of movie songs. At the time, movie theatres in the capital did good business broadcasting Arab, Indian and Western films, with some cinema halls dedicated solely to showing Bollywood flicks. Now, no halls dedicated to Indian movies remain and the

capital’s movie theatres are widely derided by Baghdad’s residents as dens showing pornographic movies and places for gay men to meet, a reputation the industry has struggled to shed in a country where pornography and homosexuality are taboo. Khalaf branched out on his own in 1978, setting up his shop, which he named Wassan after one of his daughters whose picture he has also posted on his shop wall. It features her standing alongside, predictably, Amitabh Bachchan. Ever since, he has made regular trips to India to buy music and movie cassette tapes, before moving on to video CDs and DVDs. Khalaf says he cannot count how many films he has in his shop, with movies dating from the 1920s to ones as recent as 2011’s “Don 2” starring superstar Shah Rukh Khan. He now visits India once a year, mostly to Mumbai — he explains in Hindi, “Koi faidha nahin hai, Delhi ko janay kai liye”, meaning there is no point in visiting the capital, New Delhi, because all he wants to do is buy movies and see Bachchan. “We used to sit and listen to Indian film songs through the night,” Khalaf, says of life in Baghdad in the 1970s and 1980s. “Not anymore.” “Back then, people knew how to behave in cinema halls -- You could take your family there, you could take your daughters there,” he says. “Now, you cannot do that anymore.” AFP

Prays, a web developer who now lives in Atlanta, said she remembered the smell of her former boyfriend. “Even when he smelled objectively bad, I thought he smelled really good,” Prays said. “And so I thought, OK, maybe I should be dating based on smell?”. GLOBALPOST

Afghan brain drain

KABUL: A call by Afghan President Hamid Karzai for more foreign involvement in the country’s higher education system risks exacerbating an already dangerous brain drain, analysts warn. With foreign forces set to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014, the country badly needs highly skilled graduates to help it rebuild and progress economically after more than 30 years of near-continuous war. Karzai on Saturday called for subjects such as medicine and engineering to be taught in international languages such as English or German, and invited foreign institutions to come and fund Afghan faculties. “If France wants they can take over our medical university to teach. They can even bring teachers, books and teach in French,” he told a seminar on reforming

Afghanistan’s education system. “If Germany wants to take over our engineering faculty we will be very happy.” He also said Afghanistan would allocate up to $15 million for scholarships to send more students abroad for higher education next year. Decades of war and conflict in Afghanistan have destroyed hundreds of schools and colleges and many of those who are welleducated have fled to other countries, causing a severe brain drain in the country. Writer and analyst Mostafa Assir warned that Karzai’s proposals were only likely to make the situation worse. “There is no doubt that once Afghans are educated here to an international level, they will not stay — the country is simply not ready to accept them,” he told AFP

Around the World

MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

Beyond Borders

Argentine bishop quits over racy pics

‘Don’t send me to US’

GLOBE AT A GLANCE 70 monks in Thailand injured in bee attack

SYDNEY: WikiLeaks founder

BUENOS

Julian Assange Monday called for diplomatic guarantees he will not be pursued by the United States for publishing secret documents if he goes to Sweden to face criminal allegations. The Australian, 40, said he is prepared to go to Sweden to face questioning over sex assault claims, but fears Stockholm will turn him over to the US where he could face espionage and conspiracy charges over revelations by WikiLeaks. “Ultimately it may be a matter of what guarantees the United Kingdom, the United States and Sweden are willing to provide,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald from the Ecuador embassy in London, where he is seeking asylum. Assange believes Washington will pursue him after WikiLeaks published a cache of sensitive documents, including about the Afghan and Iraq wars, and thousands of diplomatic cables which have embarrassed governments

MOSCOW: Over 70 monks of a Buddhist temple in the north of Thailand have been hospitalised after an attack by a swarm of bees, a media report said. According to the Bangkok Post, the incident happened in the Chedi Luang temple in Chiang Mai province Saturday. Bees from the hives kept in the temple attacked a group of novices monk while they were cleaning the territory. IANS

AIRES:

An Argentine bishop has tendered his resignation after racy photos showed him cavorting with a woman at a beach in Mexico, media here reported Sunday. The bishop, Fernando Bargallo, 57, who led the diocese of Merlo-Moreno outside Buenos Aires since May 1997, has been under pressure to give up the post since photos surfaced this month showing him frolicking and embracing the bikini-clad woman. He wore nothing but swim shorts. In the ensuing scandal, Bargallo initially said the woman was a merely longtime friend, but late last week finally admitted having “amorous ties” with her, according to the Clarin daily. Church officials were not immediately available to confirm or deny reports of the clergyman’s resignation. Pope Benedict XVI, who reportedly has been briefed about the scandal, will make the decision about whether to accept Bargallo’s resignation.

worldwide. “For example, if the US were to guarantee (it would) drop the grand jury investigation and any further investigation of WikiLeaks publishing activity, that would be an important guarantee ... diplomatic commitments do have some weight,” he said. Assange, who has been holed up in the Ecuador embassy for nearly a week to avoid extradition to Sweden, again criticised Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard over Canberra’s handling of his case. The former computer hack-

BROTHERS IN ARMS

er said his situation was “a serious political matter... (that) the Australian government should treat with the seriousness it requires”. “I have been attacked by the US, from the vice president down, as a high-tech terrorist, and by the Swedish prime minister and foreign minister -surely that requires some direct response from the Gillard government.” Assange has said he chose Ecuador’s embassy instead of his home country’s because he felt Canberra had done nothing to protect him, a charge the government has denied. Canberra has said it has limited capacity to help him because he is not in Australia and has not broken any Australian laws. Australia has also dismissed the idea that Washington is keen to get Assange, with Foreign Minister Bob Carr saying Sunday there was “no hint” of a plan to extradite him to the United States. MFC/MP/JIT

Tunisia sends Gaddafi aide back to Libya

Egyptians celebrate the victory of the Muslim Brotherhood’s candidate, Mohamed Morsi, in Egypt’s presidential elections in Cairo’s Tahrir Square on June 24, 2012. Tens of thousands packed into Tahrir Square in the largest celebration the protest hub has witnessed since Hosni AFP/KHALED DESOUKI Mubarak’s ouster, to celebrate their new president-elect, Morsi.

TUNIS/TRIPOLI: Libya’s exprime minister Baghdadi Mahmoudi, who served under slain leader Muammar Gaddafi, has been extradited from Tunisia to his native country, state-run TAP press agency reported. Mahmoudi had fled to neighbouring Tunisia during the uprising against Gaddafi but was arrested in September 2011, Xinhua reported. According to Tunisia’s Radio Mosaique FM, the ex-prime minister was immediately taken into custody by Libyan authorities upon arriving in the capital Tripoli Sunday. IANS

Lonesome George, 100, bids adieu S taff at the Galapagos National Park in Ecuador say Lonesome George, a giant tortoise believed to be the last of its subspecies, has died, reported the BBC. Scientists estimate he was about 100 years old. Park officials said they would carry out a post-mortem to determine the cause of his death. With no offspring and no known individuals from his

subspecies left, Lonesome George became known as the rarest creature in the world. For decades, environmentalists unsuccessfully tried to get the Pinta Island tortoise to reproduce with females from a similar subspecies on the Galapagos Islands. Park officials said the tortoise was found dead in his corral by his keeper of 40 years, Fausto Llerena. While his exact age was not

known, Lonesome George was estimated to be about 100, which made him a young adult

as the subspecies can live up to an age of 200. Lonesome George was first seen by a Hungarian scientist on the Galapagos island of Pinta in 1972. Environmentalists had believed his subspecies (Chelonoidis nigra abingdoni) had become extinct. Lonesome George became part of the Galapagos National Park breeding programme. AGENCIES

Wildfires force evacuations in US west SYDNEY: Wildfires have forced the evacuation of more than 1,000 homes in the western US state of Colorado, authorities said Sunday. The latest blaze broke out Saturday in Waldo Canyon national park, west of Colorado Springs, spreading out over 2,000 acres (800 hectares), according to officials.

Actress Olivia Munn arrives at the Premiere of “Magic Mike” in Los Angeles, California, on June 24, 2012. AFP

Wreckage of shot-down Turkish jet found MOSCOW: Rescue teams have located the wreckage of a Turkish jet, shot down by Syrian forces two days ago, a media report said Sunday. According to TRT state television of Turkey, the jet’s wreckage was found in the Mediterranean waters at a depth of 1,000 to 1,300 metres. The search teams were searching for the two missing pilots in coordination with the Syrians.

26 die in bus accident in Mexico city, 23 hurt MEXICO: A bus plunged into a 300 meter (900 foot) ravine on a road in the southern Mexican state of Guerrero Sunday, killing at least 26 people and injuring 23 others. The victims were on their way to a rally for a Workers Party candidate running for municipal office when the accident occurred on a road between Tlamacazapa and Buenavista de Cuellar.

A penguin whose break-out from an aquarium in Japan gave him a following around the world is to be formally named NO. 337.

Comment

MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

Fair, free and forthright

Talk back A rare mix Just finished reading The Liquid Refuses to Ignite (June 16). It delivers a rare mix of laugh out loud moments of travel-herd observation and a mirror-held-to-yourface-sense-of-selfquestioning that I have not seen in other travel journeys of self discovery. Worth a read if you have travelled the world and bought the trinkets en route …. or if you’ve never travelled without the all-in catering, and fancy an insight into why people do otherwise. Gordon via e-mail

City good for MBA Apropos Lack of B-colleges drives students out (June 19). With an ICET (event 1st ranker) score you cannot get into a good college even in other states too. Good colleges require CAT, XAT, CET, NMAT etc scores. If you are aiming to do your MBA from a good college, crack one of those tests. Otherwise, Hyderabad is not a bad place to pursue your MBA. There are many good B Schools (other than the world renowned and most prestigious Indian School of Business (ISB) in the town now. Narsee Monjee, IMT, IBS etc. I’ve taught in almost all the places in the country and I know the quality of MBA in other states.P lease don’t underestimate the quality of schools we have in Hyderabad. ‘Grass on the other side is always green’.

Kiran via e-mail

Keep our kids safe Bullying is a serious problem (Is your child being bullied? (June 11)) that sometimes leads to suicide. Bullying is a serious matter that’s why I provided my son this safety application from safekidzone called the panic button. This application is very easy to use because it works on mobile phones. It’s a life-saving tool that can easily get help in times of real emergency. I highly recommend this application for parents like me. Let’s armed our kids before its too late. Angela Smith via e-mail

All the presidents and their men Hard Talk PK Surendran

his piece is dedicated to the Gen Y, or rather, the ‘digital generation’ because, going by their miserly reading habit, they may have missed some dramatic history of the presidential intrigues in the past. But the older generation knows it well, I hope. Another presidential election is round the corner. And, this time a nip of excitement is in the air, because it is going to have a semblance of a contest. At least the election has the ruling front UPA and Opposition NDA vertically and horizontally divided. We may hope to have a ball. Going by the arithmetic of the electorate, Pranab Mukherjee is as good as in the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Nevertheless, this election will throw up some cross voting by smaller parties which makes it an interesting contest. And, it should be so, because democracy denotes choice or election, not selection, or putting up a dummy and call it a ‘consensus’ on the might of sheer number in Parliament. Both the UPA-sponsored Pranab Mukherjee and NDA-backed PA Sangma are competent persons who do not have the stains of corruption on their person. But they do not inspire as the first lot of presidents did. To a layman, the office of India’s president appears a curious one. There is a comic touch to it like the royal family of Britain. The government of India is run in the name of President. He is ‘supreme commander’ of the defence forces, and yet, he/she can’t decide on anything, not even free speech. It is the prime minister and his party that decide who should be the lord of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. But there are occasions when the president becomes a decisive factor (for good or for bad) like a hung parliament or an unsure parliament. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed signed the ‘midnight order’ of Emergency declared by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi which earned him the doormat status. Cartoonist Abu had drawn the most damning caricature of him in which the president was shown in a bath tub,

Editorials

signing the order brought to him by his aide through the bath aperture. It was the mighty Madame Indira Gandhi who began the practice of putting what media calls ‘rubber stamps’ in Rashtrapati Bhavan. Her promoting Giani Zail Singh (who famously said he’d sweep the street if Indiraji asked him) is the classic example. Since then the office of president has been denigrated. Whereas the examples of the first three presidents of India, Dr Rajendra Prasad, Dr Sarvepally Radhakrishnan, and Dr Zakir Hussain enthused the Republic, some others were reviled. Since the coalition politics of the post-Indira era, three presidents stand out in stature — R Venkaraman, SD Sharma, and Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Azad. But, boys and girls of digital times, never be misled by the call to elect the “first backward caste president”, “first tribal president”, “first woman president” etc. We have seen how these tags are mere red herring that serves no purpose. I vividly recall the mediamade euphoria at the election of the “first tribal chief minister of India” Amarsinh Chaudhary in Gujarat in 1985. He did nothing

for “tirbals” and went out defamed with corruption charges. The “first scheduled caste” president KR Narayanan never visited his community since becoming the first citizen. Pratibha Patil, the “first woman president”, was a rude shock to the nation. I bet nine out of 10 of you had never heard of her before she was chosen as the Presidential candidate. So, let us not be swayed by the “tribal” tag of Sangma. But one can hope that his stature brings him votes, even as political pulls decide the outcome. Tailend: Recently, a satirical cartoon appeared in the incisive ‘Tughlak’ magazine edited by the inimitable Cho Ramaswamy. It said as an advertisement, “A rare job opportunity for the aged. Position: President of India; age: above 35 [over 80 preferred]; job: speak words of solace to people on Republic Day, keep the mercy petitions of murderers and terrorists pending infinitely, jet around and visit different countries with family; salary: `1.5 lakh per month.”

ALL’S NOT WELL WITH STATE OF country’s borewells

o efforts were spared to save the four-year-old Mahi who died after she fell into the 70foot deep borewell in Manesar in Haryana. Rescuers that include almost 100 officials drawn from Army, fire, police, Gurgaon Rapid Metrorail, health and revenue departments, and locals worked tirelessly for 85 hours in digging the parallel pit to reach the unfortunate girl. But she was found dead, perhaps from shock or maybe suffocation. The four days she spent after she turned four years old need not have been those of fear and travail if the mouth of the borewell had been properly secured. This is not the first instance in which children have fallen into unsecured borewells. In 2006, five-year-old Prince fell and was trapped in a deep open well in Kurukshetra in Haryana (coincidence?) for 48 hours before being rescued by joint forces of Army and firemen from Mumbai. Fate favoured Prince; he was saved on a Sunday when he turned five. Prince was lucky, Mahi was not. There is growing public outcry across the nation slamming Haryana over the incident. If only we adults were a bit more careful…

The writer works for Postnoon

WHY WE LOVE Jimmy Wales

or standing up for a boy who has done no more than set up a website which is among the thousands where masses around the world converge yet faces extradition to the US and a 10-year sentence for copyright violation. Richard O’Dwyer’s battle is ours and we must do everything to stop this injustice.

Campus

MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

Rockin’ through the campus As Manipur firmly establishes itself as the epicentre of rock in the country, we take a look at how music on campus keeps a young generation’s feet planted firmly on the ground Abhaya Srivastava

n the far north-east of India, cut off from the rest of the country except via a narrow land bridge, perhaps the only way to make yourself heard is loud, really loud, rock music. For White Fire’s drummer Elangbam Kumar, that explains why their cover version of the Guns N’Roses song Welcome To The Jungle has become an anthem for the band and a big hit with their fans in the state of Manipur. The state is also an unlikely hub for rock and heavy metal music, boasting a burgeoning festival scene and local stars who have defied social and cultural boundaries to pursue their music. “All my pain and angst found an outlet in this genre of music. It is the attitude and the lyrics which are the biggest draw for us,” 32-year-old Kumar, his tattooed biceps bulging out of a tight T-shirt. Kumar first started playing music at college in Bangalore, where he watched MTV and hung out with students from across the country who were into the “head-banging” style of the West. “There is something raw, rebellious and pure about rock. You can express yourself freely,” he explains, adjusting drums in his makeshift practice room decorated with posters of US heavy metal bands Coal Chamber and Slipknot. “Life here is so frustrating with all the restrictions on us. The entire system makes me angry. The army can stop you on any pretext, unemployment is so high, and we lag behind other states in every way.” Kumar’s passion reflects the feelings of many young Manipuris, who often leave to go to bigger cities for higher education and jobs but then tend to drift back to their home state. For them, rock music is a statement against India’s mainstream culture which seems alien and imposed by national authorities. The backstreets of the state capital Imphal are packed with small recording studios and music shops. Many Manipuris feel that the concept of being “of India” in any meaningful sense is one they find difficult to entertain with a sense of isolation that is not just geographical, but also ethnic, linguistic, economic and politi-

Members of local rock band White Fire, 34-year-old guitarist Kenan Laishram (L), 32-year-old drummer Elangbam Kumar (C), 33-year-old bassist Akoi Konjengbam (2R) and 31-year-old vocalist Alvina Gonson (R), during a musical jam session in a practice room in Imphal. AFP/MANJUNATH KIRAN MORE

cal. Such alienation is common in a number of the Seven Sisters — the group of northeastern states encircled by four other countries and connected to the rest of us by a sliver of land that arches over Bangladesh.

R.E.M.

‘Music is in our blood’

Radiohead

The earliest rock influences arrived in Manipur via Thailand and the rest of southeast Asia over the border into India from Myanmar, known as Burma before 1989. “Back in the early 1980s, the gateway to the world lay to the east,” remembers Vivek Konsam, who runs Riverboat, an eventmanagement company in Imphal. “Second-hand copies of The Rolling Stone magazine, a few tapes of boot-legged concert videos and pirated audio cassettes made their way in through Myanmar,” he says. Youngsters, often unemployed and idle, easily related to the hard-hitting lyrics and earsplitting sounds. “It struck an instant chord with them and that got passed on to the next generation. Music is in our blood now,” says Konsam, who has converted an outhouse of his bungalow into a smart session space available to rent. Konsam has been organising rock festivals in Imphal and has

The band was formed in 1985 when Thom Yorke (pictured), Colin Greenwood, Ed O’Brien and Phil Selway were attending an allboys school in Oxfordshire.

From campuses came musical legends R.E.M. was founded in Athens, Georgia, USA by Michael Stipe and Peter Buck. They quickly recruited other students from the University of Georgia, bass guitarist Mike Mills and drums and percussion player Bill Berry.

Pink Floyd The seminal English band was formed by Nick Mason and Roger Waters, who were both architecture students at the Regent Street Polytechnic in London.

Coldplay The band was first organised by Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland, who met during orientation week at University College London. seen their popularity grow with each edition. “When we started out a couple of years ago, there were just two or three local bands. Now that number has swelled to about 20. Attendance at these concerts has also been growing to several hundred,” he says. But it is not easy in a city like Imphal, which closes down by 7pm every evening and has just a handful of cinemas showing old Manipuri films due to threats by separatist rebels to attack screenings of Bollywood movies.

‘They danced with guns in their hands’ Alvina Gonson, a tribal Christian and one of the rock pioneers of the state, said she had to fight against officialdom to get her singing career on track. “There are two parallel governments in Manipur — the Indian government and the rebels. We are caught in between,” said the 30-year-old, whose talent and blonde good looks have made her a local star, defying cultural barriers. “There are a lot of restrictions

on women here. People don’t appreciate women stepping out of their homes and mingling with the opposite sex. Singing rock is not considered lady-like,” she said. “It is not safe for women to hang around alone after dusk.” Manipur’s situation is complicated by the fact that myriad rebel groups are largely formed on tribal or ethnic lines with rival agendas that regularly erupt into bloody internecine disputes. Gonson, who was brought up by her single mother and writes and composes her own songs in English, says she refuses to fear anyone. “I can stop them but they can’t stop me.” Gonson began by performing for close friends and family. Word soon spread and she was invited by schools and colleges to perform for their functions. Then, in 2006, she was asked by rebels to give a performance at their jungle hideout. “I was scared at first but decided to go. I took my mum with me. The rebels loved my performances, they danced with guns in their hands and kept asking for more. No rebel group has tried to harm me ever since,” said Gonson, adding that she also performs for soldiers in army barracks. “I understand the feelings of both sides,” she said. “I pray for eternal peace for my motherland.” AFP

H‑Factor

MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

Holistic view of mind, body and soul

A RARE REALITY

A rare genetic disorder, Gaucher’s disease is treatable, yet high costs and lack of awareness about it act as roadblock and prevent access to a normal and healthier life

Built-in dengue virus killer found in humans SINGAPORE: Scientists may have

Anishaa Kumar anishaa.k@postnoon.com

ixteen-month-old Harshini’s constant illhealth had left her parents worried and helpless. What started with a bout of pneumonia at the age of 10 months spiralled into a continuous complication. The doctors in her village could find no problem with her till finally she was bought to the City and was diagnosed with an enlarged spleen. Further tests revealed that she had a rare genetic disorder — Gauchers disease. Though Gauchers disease is treatable, the high cost has left her parents helpless. Harshini’s parents have been trying to reach out to the government through various forms of media to seek financial assistance for her treatment.

Gauchers disease Gauchers disease is said to be a genetic storage disorder that affects 1 in 50,000 to 1 in 1,00,000 people. The disease got it’s name from Dr Philippe Gaucher, who was the first to describe the symptoms of the ailment. According to Dr Sharmila Asthana, consultant paediatrician, Apollo Hospital, “Gauchers syndrome is rare to find. A person may get this disorder if both the parents are carriers hence it is known as an autosomal recessive. If both are carriers, there is a 25 per cent chance that the child will have the disease. There is a 25 per cent chance that they will not get the disease and a 50 per cent chance that though they may be a carrier of the disease they will not get affected by the disease.” Gauchers disease is a storage ailment which occurs in the absence or scarcity of an enzyme known as Glucocerebrosidase an enzyme that breaks down the lipids or fats. As the production of the enzyme is low the lipids get deposited in different parts of the body such as the spleen, liver, bone etc and affect that part of the body.

Types There are three types of Gauchers disease. Explains Dr Sharmila, “Type 1 is the most common. In this the brain does not get affected. The symptoms for the same can be noticed at

Harshini with her parents at a fund raising event in the City any time from childhood to adulthood. This form of Gauchers is treatable.” The symptoms for Type 1 include bruising (due to the lowering of platelet count), anaemia, thin-

GAUCHERS DISEASE IS SAID TO BE RARE GENETIC STORAGE DISORDER THAT AFFECTS 1 IN 50,000 TO 1 IN 1,00,000 PEOPLE. THE DISEASE GOT ITS NAME FROM DR PHILIPPE GAUCHER WHO WAS THE FIRST TO DESCRIBE THE SYMPTOMS.

ning of bones, fractures, lung and kidney ailments. Dr Sharmila mentions that in case the ailment is mild there are a few symptoms but in a more serious case, problems such as enlargement of spleen and liver

can be noticed. In such a situation, the prognosis is bad. The treatment for Gauchers disease involves enzyme replacement. “This replacement is not available at all centres and is quite expensive as the enzyme has to either be made genetically or synthetically,” she says. The second type of Gauchers disease is the worst. Dr Sharmila says, “This type occurs mostly in babies. It may show up as early as one to three months. The ailment rapidly advances and in many cases the child will not survive beyond two years of age. Unlike the other types, this type may affect the brain and cause mental retardation. Once brain damage occurs many more problems may crop up.” The third type is a chronic form of the ailment. This may affect the nervous system and the brain. Dr Sharmila says, “This is not as rapid as Type 2. The symptoms for the same can begin from childhood to

early teens. In such a condition enzyme replacement is advised although treatment for problems relating to the nervous system cannot be provided.”

Diagnosis Gauchers syndrome affects both men and women. Dr Sharmila says, “It is not that the ailment is unheard of in India. There are cases but Type 1 is the most common type. It is said that it is more prominent in people of Jewish origin as consanguineous marriages are higher among them.” Dr Sharmila says that when it comes to the diagnosis of Gauchers, a number of tests are conducted. She says, “When children are unwell and show symptoms a number of tests are conducted on them such as blood tests, bone marrow aspiration. With the help of bone marrow aspiration they will be able to find out that there is a deficiency of the enzyme and also the deposition of the lipids.”

hit gold in their fight against dengue. They have located a human antibody that can neutralise and kill its virus within two hours.Significantly, they have also identified a way to reproduce this antibody in large quantities, potentially opening the door to a cure for dengue. The symptoms of dengue are sudden-onset fever, headache (located behind the eyes), muscle and joint pains, and a rash. The alternative name for dengue, ‘break-bone fever,’ which comes from the associated muscle and joint pains. This discovery was made by a combined team from the National University of Singapore (NUS) Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, DukeNUS Graduate Medical School and the Defence Medical & Environmental Research Institute, all based in Singapore.By studying a group of cell lines from recovered dengue-infected patients over two years, the team identified the antibody, could attach itself strongly to a specific part of the dengue virus and inhibit it from attacking other cells. The antibody eventually destroys the virus and at a much faster speed compared to existing anti-dengue compounds. It has been proven to increase the survival in a mouse model infected with the dengue virus, according to a NUS statement. The World Health Organization estimates there may be 50-100 million dengue infections worldwide every year. With no approved vaccines or specific treatment available, dengue continues to be a public health concern.This newly discovered antibody specifically treats DENV1, one of the four dengue serotypes, which accounts for up to 50 percent of the dengue cases in Southeast Asian countries. The research team tested this new antibody with DENV1 types from these countries — with equally promising results, said Paul Macary, associate professor of microbiology at NUS Yong Loo Lin School, who as the principal investigator, led the research team. “This represents the best candidate therapy that currently exists for dengue and thus is likely to be the first step in treating dengue infected patients who currently have no specific medicine or antibiotic to take and may take days to fully recover,” concludes Macary. IANS

H‑Factor

MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

Holistic view of mind, body and soul

Stress can be

GOOD for immune system WASHINGTON: Stress is bad for you — you’ve heard it a thousand times. But it can be good for your immune system, says a study. Short-term stress, the fightor-flight response, a mobilisation of bodily resources lasting minutes or hours in response to immediate threats — stimulates immune activity, said Firdaus Dhabhar, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences and member of the Stanford University Institute for Immunity, Transplantation, and Infection. And that’s a good thing. The immune system is crucial for wound healing and preventing or fighting infection, and both wounds and infections are common risks during chases, escapes and combat, the Journal of Psychoneuroendocrinology reported. Working with colleagues at Stanford and two other universities, Dhabhar showed that subjecting lab rats to mild stress caused a massive mobilisation of several key types of immune cells into the bloodstream and then onto the skin and other tissues, according to a university statement. This large-scale migration of immune cells, which took place over two hours, was comparable to the mustering of troops in a crisis, Dhabhar said. He and colleagues had previously shown that a similar immune-cell redistribution in patients experiencing the shortterm stress of surgery predicts enhanced postoperative recovery. Investigators were able to show that the massive redistribution of immune cells throughout the body was orchestrated by three hormones released by the adrenal glands, in different

DHABHAR SHOWED THAT SUBJECTING LAB RATS TO MILD STRESS CAUSED A MASSIVE MOBILISATION OF SEVERAL KEY TYPES OF IMMUNE CELLS INTO THE BLOODSTREAM

amounts and at different times, in response to the stress-inducing event. These hormones are the brain’s call-to-arms to the rest of the body, Dhabhar said. “Mother Nature gave us the fight-or-flight stress response to help us, not to kill us,” said Dhabhar, who has been conducting experiments for well over a decade on the effects of the

HOUSECALL

APP-LY YOURSELF

Chalazion

Health facts

halazion is the name given to a lump on the eyelid. These lumps are small and mostly have no effect on the vision of a person. It is usually caused due to a blocked gland. As a result of the gland being blocked, the fluid cannot flow out hence it forms a small lump. It is usually located at the end of the eyelid. This blocking of fluid results in the formation of a small, red, sore lump that can often be treated by removing an eyelash that may have caused the problem. Treatments also include antibiotics and hot compress. This may recur for certain people.

major stress hormones on the immune system. The findings paint a clearer picture of exactly how the mind influences immune activity. “An impala’s immune system has no way of knowing that a lion is lurking in the grass and is about to pounce, but its brain does,” Dhabhar added. IANS

ave you ever wondered and been amazed at people’s ability to recall facts about a variety of topics at the spur of the moment? This app makes you aware about various health tips and facts. Health facts is a free-app and is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. This app provides health facts, health tips and medical statistics. The app allows you to share your favourite tips, post them on social networking sites and email them. It covers a variety of spheres, from women’s health, to nutrition, men’s health and much more.

Kids’ cereals are healthier but ads are not: Study

new study from Yale out on Friday concluded children’s cereals are more nutritious today “but there is increased advertising to children for many of their least nutritious products,” the Los Angeles Times reported. The Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity said in its Cereal FACTS report that from 2008 to 2011 food companies spent 34 percent more money targeting children than in previous years. The study rated cereals from Post, Kellogg Co.and General Mills ranging from “very junky to very good.” “Children still get one spoonful of sugar in every three spoonfuls of cereal. These products are not nutritious options that children should consume every day,” said Jennifer L Harris, director of marketing initiatives at the Rudd Center. Overall they found the nutritional quality of the cereals improved for 13 of the 14 brands advertised to children. Of the 22 different varieties available from 2008-2011, 45 percent had less sodium, 32 per cent less sugar, and 23 per cent had more fiber today. The bad news: The study found aggressive marketing campaigns from General Mills Inc’s Reese’s Puffs, Kellogg Co’s Froot Loops and Post Holdings Inc’s Pebbles to children, Reuters reported. All those brands ranked among the lowest for nutritional value and had the highest levels of sugar. GLOBAL POST

DID YOU KNOW? Exercise increases lifespan

at well, exercise and be physically active have always been considered as important and simple ways to stay healthy. But it has now been proven that keeping physically active can also slow the ageing process. Exercise also helps you stay healthy and feel good about yourself. According to a study that was published in 1995, physically unfit men who became fit had death rates 44 per cent lower than those who remained unfit. This study was conducted on 9,777 men between 20 and 82 years. So for those who want a long life, physical activity is something that is sure to top your list of things to do on a daily basis.

Spotlight

MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

Seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best Actor Pallabi Ghosh, launched CMR Kothapetaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s discount offers for the Ashadam season. CMR is offering a discount on gold as well as clothes.

A TALE OF THREE PENGUINS Mystique presented At The Ark At... Eight, a play by Ulrich Hub at Nift, Madhapur on Sunday. The audience was regaled with tales of how three penguins tried to escape the Apocalypse after the dove told them about Noah's Ark. Two tickets and three friends.

N SHIVA KUMAR

Cool collections CS Ramalakshmi, (in white) inaugurated the Lepakshi Silk & Cotton Mela at the TTD Kalyana Mandapam, Himayathnagar on Saturday.

Maximum fun One of the largest extravaganzas of fun and style for children in Hyderabad, the Max kids festival came to an end on Sunday. Max in association with Pogo organised a meet and greet with the kids favourite character Chhota Bheem at Ameerpet.

Magic Screen

MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

The glamour behind the glitz

Eega’s Hindi version to release in 3D?

T-TOWN TWEETIES

@Actor_Siddharth So Chashme Buddoor comes out Aug 24th... promo and music release plans are underway... good luck to our whole team and especially to Davidji :)

@actor_Nikhil Will b watching Gangs of Wasseypur and Teri meri kahaani bck to bck today... GOW 4 Anurag Kashyap and TMK 4 Priyanka Chopra :-)

Srimannarayana

@actressanjjanaa

is almost complete

alakrishna’s upcoming film Srimannarayana is currently being shot in Switzerland and Italy. Two songs are agoing to be canned in this schedule and the film unit will return to India on June 29. With this, the entire shooting of the film will be complete. Parvathi Melton and Isha Chawla are playing the lead roles. Ravikumar Chavali is directing the film and Ramesh Puppala is producing it. “Recently, we shot some extraordinary scenes and a song in Malaysia. I am confident that those scenes will be a major highlight in the film. We’ll begin the post production of the film in July and it’ll will hit the screens in August,” Ramesh Puppala said. Balakrishna is playing the role of a journalist in this action entertainer. Chakri is composing the music.

he Hindi version of Eega might release in 3D, if all goes well. Last year, when S S Rajamouli was asked if he was planning to shoot Eega in 3D, he said that he did give it a thought, but decided not to shoot the film in 3D in the end. Now that the entire film’s shooting has been completed and post production is in the final stage, perhaps, Rajamouli and his team are toying with the idea once again. Recently, on Twitter,

Nithya to make a cameo in Siddharth’s film

ithya Menen is all set to make a cameo in Nandini Reddy’s upcoming film starring Siddharth and Samantha. Buzz is that Nandini Reddy tweaked the script a bit to include Nithya’s role in the film. Apparently, her role brings a major twist in the story. Nithya and Nandini happen to be very close friends and it was Nandini Reddy who introduced Nithya Menen in Ala Modalaindi, which was a huge hit at box office last year. Nithya and Siddharth had last acted together in P Jayendra’s 180. The next schedule of this Nandini Reddy, Siddharth’s film is expected to begin from the first week of July onwards. Meanwhile, Siddharth is busy shooting for his upcoming Tamil film which is being directed by Manikandan and Samantha, who was advised to take rest, is recovering from her illness.

when someone told Sudeep that it would be great if Eega was released in 3D, he stated, “hindi version is being planned in 3D (sic).” Although Rajamouli hasn’t confirmed this news, the question is whether he would spend another 3-4 months for the conversion of the footage from 2D to 3D. The film starring Nani, Samantha and Sudeep is all set to hit the screens in Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam on July 6 and the Hindi version will be released later this year. M M Keeravani has composed the music.

Guys plz send me info of best apps for I pad 4g and the detailed purpose of the app :-) bring it on.

@ramsayz Best Actor, Actress, Director, Film, Music dir, Comedian, etc! Where is an award 4 d BEST WRITER in most of dez events? Every1 4gets d BEGINNING!

@ssrajamouli Response was terrific even the supposed to be posh Orion mall. :) On cloud9 wen crowd chanted "eega eega" Tq Bengaluru will cherish the memories

@shrutihaasan Having the best time in Dubai:):) sooo fun off to la petite maison for dinner yumm is waiting for moi!

@prakashraaj I’m angry with reports in the media that I charge 10 lakh per day? NONSENSE How DARE they think I’m available for so Less. Grow up guys!!!!!

@tashu_02 Gudmorning... heading towards Hyderabad airport now... flying to #Bangalore..!!

Magic Screen

MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

The glamour behind the glitz

Preity glad to work with Saroj Khan

reity Zinta loves being tutored by veteran choreographer Saroj Khan, who is working on a song in the actress’ debut production “Ishkq in Paris”. “Shooting for a song for ‘Ishkq in Paris’ with Sarojji. What a pleasure it is to work with her after so long. She has taught me everything I know,” Preity tweeted. The film, directed by Prem Soni, also features Arjun Rampal and French actress-singer Isabelle Adjani.

Can’t think ‘Mr.India 2’ without Amrish Puri: Shekhar Kapur

emembering Bollywood’s Mogambo Amrish Puri on his 80th birth anniversary, acclaimed filmmaker Shekhar Kapur says he can’t think of a sequel to Mr.India without the actor. “Amrish Puri left an indelible mark on Indian cinema. Can’t think of ‘Mr India 2’ without him. We miss him,” Kapur tweeted on the actor’s birth anniversary Friday. The actor played iconic villain Mogambo in the film. He passed January 12, 2005, due to cerebral haemorrhage. He was 72.

‘3G’

team wraps up Fiji shoot T

he team of Neil Nitin Mukesh and Sonal Chauhan-starrer “3G” has wrapped up its 45day shooting schedule in Fiji. “And its a wrap of the Fiji schedule of ‘3G’. Film 90 per cent complete. Headed back home tomorrow after a 45 day schedule,” tweeted Neil Friday. The movie, directed by Bejoy Nambiar, is a psychological horror. It is produced by Viki Rajani.

B-TOWN TWEETIES

@SrBachchan T 748 -ITALIAAAA !! They win on penalty shoot outs... Ah ! What a moment .. Excitement to the extreme... England fought well, but.

@bipsluvurself I am missing all my friends a lot! Suzie, @deannepanday @RockyS_STAR. @binalss. Life feels empty without them:)

@bomanirani Hey @deespeak are you up for the England/Italia game, or you need company? Say the word. Can round up quite a few 2 am friends. Right guys?

@GulPanag To be selected in competition or to be invited is all together a different thing and yes much harder. Because the film needs to be good.

@sonakshisinha #JOKER refers to a place that does not exist on the global map. Just like #Joker in a pack of cards that does not belong to any colour.

@sonamakapoor Listening to the music from the 80s and 90s two my favs being vaada rahaan sanam from Khiladi and QSQT soundtrack soo gaya from Tezaab.

@rampalarjun Oh wow!!!U guys are the best. Will read all your wonderful wishes to Myra, she turned 7.Thank u all her new chachu’s and god mothers, lol.

@singer_shaan Soham’s been busy on his Phone (Sony Xperia) since morning... Receiving his own Bday Calls and Msgs... He’s 10 today!!

Magic Screen

MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

Magic Screen

MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

Magic Screen

MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

The glamour behind the glitz

Theft spoils Lopez’s Argentina show

ennifer Lopez’s Argentina show was marred by a theft backstage. But the singer didn’t lose anything.The incident took place at the G.E.B.A stadium in Buenos Aires Thursday. The thief is said to have taken away a camera, a computer and a bag that contained passports of the crew, reports contactmusic.com. Lopez’s representative told News Latino that lack of security was to blame for the theft. The 42year-old’s Argentina trip is part of a world tour.

`ÜêáëíçéÉê=kçä~å=

will never do another Batman film, says his wife

hristopher Nolan will “never” make another Batman film, according to his wife. Emma Thomas, who is also the director’s producing partner, has said there is no possibility of him returning to the franchise after The Dark Knight Rises.

When asked by SFX whether Nolan might direct a fourth Batman installment, she reportedly replied: “No. Never.” She went on: “No, that’s truly a never. I can’t imagine a world in which he would ever want to come back. “At a certain point it’s fun to go off and do something different, you know. We’ve spent almost ten years of our lives making Batman films. He was very excited about this film, and the story that he’d come up with, but I just cannot imagine that he would get that excited about another version of the same thing. The Dark Knight Rises opens in cinemas July 20.

Knightley learns to cook A

ctress Keira Knightley, who recently got engaged to James Righton, wants to improve her culinary skills, and she has turned to her mother for guidance. “I’m an alright cook. Not brilliant, but alright. My mum’s a really

good cook, but we had a really small kitchen, so she could never actually teach me any of the stuff that she made. But now she’s starting to,” Knightley was quoted as saying. “I’ve gotten really good recipes, which are excellent. I’m good at, like, a one-pot dish. It’s the timing. I always walk away at a wrong point. And then everything burns! But stews and curries, I’m good at

that,” she added, Asked what famous people she would call if the world was coming to an end, she said: “I don’t have celebrity friends like that. I mean, I have ones that I’d kind of call up to say, ‘Hello, how are you? How is everything going?’ But no, my friends aren’t actors.” IANS

Chai Time

KAKURO

How to Play Kakuro Kakuro is a popular game similar to sudoku in some ways. But is also suitably different. The key question: “How do you play Kakuro?”, well here are the rules of kakuro. The answer: The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any size. It has rows and columns, and dark cells like in a crossword. And, just like in a crossword, some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some cells will contain two numbers. However, in a crossword the numbers reference clues. In a kakuro, the numbers are all you get! They denote the total of the digits in the row or column referenced by the number. Within each collection of cells - called a run - any of the numbers 1 to 9 may be used but, like sudoku, each number may only be used once. Let’s have an example to explain this concept more clearly: In the image above, which shows a section of a kakuro puzzle, you will see the numbers ‘26’ and ‘14’ in the top row. Look at the 14. This means that the total of the three cells underneath must sum to 14. Therefore 9, 4, 1 could be the answer, or perhaps 7, 4, 3 and so on... So, how do you work out the actual combination? Well, this is done through elimination and cross-referencing. For instance, as you work out the answers for other kakuro clues, this will naturally limit the valid combinations, and hence the answer for this particular run. Note the second cell in row two - it contains two numbers, 30 and 11. The 30 refers to the vertical run underneath the number 30 and the 11 refers to the two cells to the right, horizontally, of the number 11.

SCRIBBLING PAD

MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

Take a shot at the brain game while sipping your cuppa

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Arrogant person 5 Best suited 11 Cries of excitement 14 ___ and terminer 15 In an ear-piercing way 16 Almond or pecan 17 Emulating a surgeon, pre-operation 19 "To ___ is human ..." 20 Words rarely uttered by toadies 21 Religious hermit 23 Comparatively coy 26 Checkup sounds 28 Woes, as of the world 29 Show watchers 31 Butcher-shop machines 33 Number before "Liftoff!" 34 Printed mistake 36 Be verbally incoherent 41 Sail support part 42 Note traded for bills 44 Dry creek 47 Accelerator 50 Bridle attachment 51 ___ and haw 52 Hard to get a reaction out of 53 Rub the right way? 56 Chinese river or dynasty 57 Make an inquiry 58 Astound 64 Warren female 65 Television antenna 66 Voice amplifier 67 "... ___ a bottle of rum" 68 Snappy answer to a stupid question 69 During the course of DOWN 1 Coast Guard alert 2 The Big Apple, briefly 3 " ___ the ramparts ..." 4 Sultanate on Borneo's coast 5 Clerical robes 6 Maui finger food 7 252 wine gallons

8 Neatens, as a lawn 9 Say "Offisher, I am shober," e.g. 10 Begin on the home keys 11 Ed of "Married ... With Children" 12 Fling with great force 13 Cause of worry lines 18 Yawn-inducing speaker 22 South Beach locale 23 "Paulo" lead-in 24 Seek prey 25 It's symbolized by a light bulb 26 Bitter-tasting 27 Succulent vegetation 30 Black, in Barcelona 31 Botanical supporters 32 Dirty dog 35 Sarai's husband 37 City on the Saone and Rhone

38 Mary ___ of cosmetics 39 Up-down connector 40 Frost coating 43 Utmost (Abbr.) 44 Assemblage of warships 45 Logician's need 46 Took chances 48 Boardwalk structure 49 Challenging riddle 51 Valentine's Day symbol 54 A good way off 55 "... as they shouted out with ___" ("Rudolph" lyric) 56 Flogging

SUDOKU

memento 59 Who's who piece, for short 60 Place to get smashed 61 "Fire!" preceder 62 Aspen runner 63 Williams the baseball PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

THOUGHT OF THE DAY Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter. – Mark Twain

Chai Time STAR POWER

MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

Your tomorrow today̶Star Power and Tarot THIRUVAIKUMAR

As per Hindu panchang

FOR 26-6-2012

thiruvaikumar@yahoo.co.in 040-27177230 / 9177596118

TAURUS

GEMINI

There will be mixed effects today. You will have apprehensions and certain dilemmatic issues. However, things will settle soon. Financially a strong position likely.

Financial position looks strong and promising. You will deal with all the complicated issues also easily and solve them with self conﬁdence and boldness.

Tensions and ﬁnancially a tight situation likely. Strained relationships will resume again which will bring cheer to you. Expected help and sup‑ port may not come forward.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

Be stubborn in your own decisions, implement them under any circum‑ stances to achieve success in your life. You will be attractive and hence your talks will yield desired results.

You can plan to start new venture as time is getting ripe for the same. It is necessary for you to change your atti‑ tude to suit the present circumstances. Be in good harmony with family.

Good opportunities are in line to knock your door and it is necessary that you make use of them properly and derive gains out of them. Those thinking of a change may go ahead.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

Some have plans to renovate their house which can be taken up. Avoid delay in taking important decisions, need not worry, this is the right time to take decisions and march ahead.

You will look cheerful and active and keep marching ahead with full energy. Your positive approach will bring the expected results. Some have bright chances to leave for abroad.

You will remain focussed and continue making new achievements. Be careful in ﬁnancial matters as there are chances that you might get disappointed.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

You have to make a self assessment and take appropriate action which will make you perfect. Your ability to take calculated decisions make you a strong winner.

Be careful in executing all the works and adopt slow and steady policy. Be careful while driving as minor acci‑ dent likely. Employees also need to be cautious as they migh get hurt.

You will get a good support from relatives, friends and well wishers. Avoid reacting emotionally while implementing your plans as you might face with hurdles.

ARIES

Six of Wands – A surprise is in store for you. It will be a pleasant surprise with a close friend dropping by unex‑ pectedly or a sur‑ prise gift.

SUMAA TEKUR

FOR 26-6-2012

tarotreadhyd@gmail.com

TAURUS

Queen of Wands – Avoid shopping without a reason unless you have high disposable income, which you donʼt know what to do with.

GEMINI

The Devil – Have mercy on someone who is younger than you – in age and experience. You need to be empathetic and treat people with understanding.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

Eight of Pentacles – Your are surrounded by brilliant people and you should make the most of it. Interact with peers and colleagues even outside of work.

Nine of Wands – A holiday to a stunn‑ ing location will rej‑ uvenate you like no other. You will be te‑ mpted to extend yo‑ ur holiday but that looks impractical.

Ten of Wands – There are technical problems in some of your ideas and so may get rejected. You may think they are being rejected for political reasons.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

Seven of Swords – There are many ﬁsh in the sea. If you have suffered a heartbreak recently, donʼt think of it as the end of the world.

Seven of Cups – Stay safe in everything you do, and every‑ where you go. By being careless, you can invite unneces‑ sary illnesses and minor injuries.

Six of Pentacles – Your strength is in your conviction. If you believe you can, then nothing and no one can change that belief. Positive think‑ ing is the first step.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Eight of Cups – Your actions are justiﬁed by some of the recent occurrences and you are relieved. It goes to show that going by your instinct is the best.

Page of Wands – A family member may be seriously ill. Apart from visiting often and providing emo‑ tional support, you can also help by finding good doctors.

Page of Cups – There is never an easy answer to lifeʼs larger questions. You have to ﬁnd what ﬁts your life best. Try a few new ways of working things out.

For Better or for Worse Stone soup

SOLUTIONS

Boggle PIN LANE ALLEY SCORE SPARE STRIKE

Number game

Suduko

Scrabble

Ink pen

COMICS

Fred Basset

ARIES

TAROT READ

Vol: 1, No. 344 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 040-40672222, Fax: 040-40672211

2012 LONDON OLYMPICS

60 59 58 57 56

MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

DAYS TO GO

DID YOU KNOW...? n The pool for the London 1908 Games was built on the infield of the Athletics track at White City Stadium, and the competition was held outdoors. n The first official tie for a gold medal in Olympic Swimming history came in 1984, when Nancy Hogshead and Carrie Steinseifer swam identical times in the 100m Freestyle.

LEGENDS OF THE SPORT Mark Spitz (born February 10, 1950) One of the greatest swimmers of all time, Mark Spitz won seven gold medals at Munich in 1972, each in a world-record time. In Munich he won all seven events he entered. He took both Freestyle titles over 100m and 200m along with the Butterfly golds. He also won gold medals, in the 4 x 100m Medley, the 4 x 100m Freestyle and the 4 x 200m Freestyle.

Jenny Thompson’s (born February 26, 1973) 12 Olympic medals make her the most successful female Olympian to ever compete in the pool. She picked up two gold medals and a silver medal at Barcelona in 1992, before claiming a further three gold medals at the Atlanta 1996 Games in the 4 x 100m Freestyle, 4 x 100m Medley and 4 x 200m Freestyle Relays.

THE WATER BABIES

54 53 52 51 50 49 48 47 46

n Johnny Weissmuller, the first man to swim 100m played the role of Tarzan 12 times on the silver screen. n The crawl technique used in freestyle was developed by J Arthur Trudgeon, who based it on a Native American style of swimming that he discovered during a trip to South America in the 1870s. n Underwater Swimming featured at the Paris 1900 Games. Competitors earned points for the length of time and distance they were underwater.

TALLY 2008 SWIMMING:

45 44 43 42

USA AUS GBR

12 9 6 6 2 2

10 8 2

MEDAL EVENTS

July 28 Men’s 400m Freestyle

July 29 Men’s 100m Breaststroke

39 38

Men’s 400m Individual Medley Women’s 400m Individual Medley Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay

Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay Women’s 400m Freestyle Women’s 100m Butterfly

July 30 Men’s 200m Freestyle Men’s 100m Backstroke Women’s 100m Breaststroke Women’s 100m Backstroke

July 31 Men’s 200m Butterfly Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay

37 36 35

Women’s 200m Freestyle Women’s 200m Individual Medley

August 1 Men’s 100m Freestyle Men’s 200m Breaststroke Women’s 200m Butterfly

The swimming pool is 50m long, 25m wide and 3m deep. It is divided into 10 lanes, although only the centre eight are used for competition.

Women’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay

Women’s 100m Freestyle Women’s 200m Breaststroke

August 4 Men’s 1500m Freestyle

Women’s 200m Backstroke Men’s 4x100m Medley Relay

Women’s 50m Freestyle Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay

August 9 Women’s 10km Marathon August 10 Men’s 10km Marathon

THE LINGO Long course a 50m pool of the type used in Olympic competition, as opposed to a short course measuring 25m Negative split when an athlete swims the second half of a race faster than the first half Tumble turn an underwater roll at the end of a lap, which allows swimmers to push off from the end of the pool with their feet

The largest of London’s Royal Parks, Hyde Park has been open to the public since 1637. The park is home to a number of grassroots sports clubs, including the Serpentine Swimming Club, and regularly hosts major sports events –

were formalised in 1908, when the London Games staged the first Olympic competition in a pool. Women’s events were introduced at Stockholm in 1912.

The basics There are four strokes used: Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke and Butterfly. All four feature in the Individual Medley and Medley Relay events. Olympic races in the pool are conducted over a variety of distances, from 50m up to 1500m. The first to touch the finishing touchpad at the end of the pool in each race is the winner.

Swimming at Games

Competition format

At the first few modern Olympic Games, Swimming events were held in open water. However, the rules

Races start with heats, the number of which depends on the number of swimmers in the event. Swimmers are

qeb=sbkrb

Men’s 200m Individual Medley

August 3 Men’s 50m Freestyle Men’s 100m Butterfly Women’s 800m Freestyle

Field of play

August 2 Men’s 200m Backstroke

34 32

Hugely popular around the world as a leisure activity and a competitive sport, Swimming has featured at every modern Olympic Games. Other than the Marathon Swimming 10km event, held in the Serpentine in Hyde Park, the Swimming competition will take place in Aquatics. Speed, strength and stamina will be key for athletes in the competition which features no fewer than 34 medal events

seeded according to FINA rules. These seedings are used to determine the heat each swimmer starts in. They are also used to determine the lane each athlete swims in. For 50m, 100m and 200m, the top 16 progress to the semis, and the top eight from these compete in the final. As in the heats, the swimmers’ seedings are used to decide which semis they swim in and which lane they are allocated. In 400m, 800m, 1500m and relay events, swimmers progress from the heats straight to the final.

Officials Swimming events officials include timekeepers, start and finish judges, stroke judges, turn judges and an overall chief referee.

HYDE PARK including the London stage of the annual ITU World Triathlon Series. During the London 2012 Olympic Games, the Marathon Swimming 10km and the swimming element of the Triathlon will take place in the park’s famous Serpentine Lake.

For the London 2012 Triathlon, temporary seats will be installed and the

course marked out in June. London 2012 is working with The Royal Parks to minimise the impact of events to the park and its visitors. London 2012 will ensure that the park is left in the same condition that it was received.

MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

DAYS TO GO

OLYMPICS: A COSTLY AFFAIR? PARIS: With the cost of hosting the Olympic Games soaring, the economic benefits of the sporting extravaganza have been called into question as the global economy faces a slowdown in growth. Since Sydney spent four billion euros ($5 billion) to put on the 2000 Games the amounts involved have skyrocketed. Beijing pumped around 40 billion into hosting the 2008 Games. The London Olympics are expected to come in with a 12 billion euro price tag. Sochi 2014 is expected to be the most expensive winter games ever at around 24 billion euros. While the blame is laid on the demands made by International Olympic Committee (IOC), host cities and nations often use the games as a pretext to launch massive infrastructure and construction projects. Through a number of measures, such as limiting the number of athletes and sports, the IOC has succeeded in keeping the operating budgets of the games at around two billion euros. This covers the two weeks of the Games themselves, the feeding and transporting of the athletes and operating the stadiums. Since 1984, costs have always been covered profitably from ticket sales and television and marketing rights. The other part of the budget is for infrastructure.

This can vary greatly, depending on whether host cities need to build lots of stadiums and transport infrastructure to handle the influx of spectators. The Games are also often an opportunity for hosts to carry out long-needed redevelopment, which can increase the price tag even further. “The Olympic Games are often a means to concentrate into two or three years the investments that would normally be spread out over 20 years,” then IOC head Jacques Rogge told AFP in 2008. China went forward on airport and road construction projects that the IOC hadn’t considered as absolutely necessary to host the games, he said.

The Olympics are often a means to concentrate into two or three years the investments that would normally be spread out over 20 years. Jacques Rogge, IOC head For the London Olympics, the infrastructure budget swelled because the British government used the preparations to redevelop huge swathes of East London, including thousands of new

homes and transport links. “This is a choice that we cannot criticise,” Rogge said. It did however triple the initial estimate of the price tag of the Games. “Yes, the IOC has tried to keep down the costs,” IOC executive director Gilbert Felli said recently about Rio di Janeiro redevelopment plans for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Games. “But if a city wants to profit from the Games to build a new metro, rebuild half of its neighbourhoods, there’s nothing you can do. “It will be extremely expensive, but this isn’t the IOC’s business,” he added. Big, rapidly growing countries such as China and Brazil can shoulder the costs.

Gatlin, Gay ready for Bolt challenge EUGENE: Justin Gatlin and Tyson Gay served notice they will be ready to challenge Usain Bolt at the London Olympics in the 100 meters after qualifying for the Games with impressive times on Sunday. Gatlin, the 2004 Olympic champion who could not defend his crown in Beijing while serving a four-year doping ban, won the 100m final at the US Olympic Track and Field Trials in 9.80 seconds. This happens to be the third-best time in

the world this year. “I think there’s a lot left in the tank,” Gatlin warned. “I was pleased with my time and the effort I left on the track.” Gatlin, who won the world 60m indoor crown earlier this year, lowered his own season best from the 9.87 he ran to win last month in Doha and served notice he was aiming at reigning Olympic champion and world record-holder Bolt. “I don’t think I would come back to a sport where I’m OK getting second or third,” Gatlin said.

New policy could see Felix-Tarmoh run-off EUGENE: USA Track and Field announced a new dead-heat policy Sunday that could see a run-off within a week between Allyson Felix and Jeneba Tarmoh for the last US 100-meter berth at the London Olympics. The sprinters were still waiting more than 24 hours after their race just to learn what protocol would be used to break their deadlock for third place in Saturday’s final at the US Olympic Track and Field Trials. No protocol was in place to break a tie for third, the final Olympic berth in any event, which happened when Felix and Tarmoh, both coached by Bob Kersee, finished deadlocked in 11.07 seconds on Saturday. The new plan would allow either athlete to decline her spot on the Olympic team. If neither does, they could choose between a coin flip and run-off to decide the berth. If they agree on an option, that option would be used. If the athletes disagree on the method, a run-off would be used. If both athletes refuse to declare a preference, a coin flip would be used.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

Phelps to swim 400m medley at Olympic trials OMAHA: Michael Phelps dropped one veil on Sunday, confirming his entry in the 400m individual medley at the US Olympic swimming trials. He vowed after the 2008 Games that he wouldn’t swim it again in major a competition. Even after his early entry in the event, he had indicated he might scratch. Instead, the deadline to pull out passed on Sunday with Phelps still slated for an intriguing match-up against Ryan Lochte.

22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

BEAUTY

Lahm slams mole as being a ‘disgrace’

THE BEST

Nasri faces international wilderness again

Germany captain Philipp Lahm has branded the mole who has been leaking team line-ups to the media as a “disgrace” and admits the spy could be damaging their chances of winning the Euro 2012 title. Germany will play their Euro 2012 semi-final in Warsaw on Thursday with Joachim Loew’s team aiming to lift their fourth European crown but first since 1996.

Samir Nasri’s foul-mouthed rant in the mixed zone after the defeat to Spain could push Laurent Blanc to send him into the international wilderness once more. Ironically it was Blanc who recalled him after the 2010 World Cup having been left out of that squad by Raymond Domenech because he was deemed a disruptive influence.

ASHES 2 ASHES

The better side won: Press

ENGLAND PAY THE PENALTY… AGAIN B KIEV: Italy rounded off the quartet of Euro 2012 semi-finalists on Sunday as England once again exited a major finals in a penalty shootout. Both sides had failed to find the net in 120 minutes of play, though Italy had been unfortunate not to win it well before they prevailed 4-2 on penalties as England’s Ashley Young and Ashley Cole failed to convert their spot kicks. It fell to Alessandro Diamanti to slot the winning penalty to send the 2006 World Cup winners on to a semi-final with Germany — who were beaten by the Italians in the 2006 World Cup semi-finals — in Warsaw on Thursday. Holders Spain meet Portugal in Donetsk on Wednesday. Whilst England had very little to offer in attack throughout the match their defence was magnificent in denying the Italians, for whom their ageless playmaker Andrea Pirlo ran the game. Italy coach Cesare Prandelli said that penalties were a lottery but insisted the better side had won. “We did the things we were supposed to do but then we had some luck and we did well,” he said. “When you have penalties anything can happen but we really deserved it.” Despite the result England coach Roy Hodgson was justifiably proud of his players and

could look back on his first campaign in charge with a lot of satisfaction. “I can’t fault the players for their efforts, I thought we were quite magnificent. But by the end they were running on empty,” he told the BBC. Hodgson, who has won over a lot of the critics here after they wondered why he had been cho-

sen and not Harry Redknapp in May to replace Fabio Capello, who stood down earlier in the year, said he had no doubt England would move on from here. “I’m sure we will get up among the top sides its only a matter of time if these players show the same determination that they have done so far.

“There are others to come in so it won’t be long before we are up with the best and winning these sort of matches. England skipper Steven Gerrard was equally dejected. “The players have given eveything,” he told the BBC. “The lads at the back were fantastic, we have done the country proud but we go home heartbroken.”

ritain’s newspapers on Monday lamented England’s defeat on penalties to Italy in their Euro 2012 quarter-final — but they agreed that the better side had won. “A beginning, a muddle and an end: an ordinary team bows out,” said the Times’ Simon Barnes. Barnes bemoaned the “dreadful inevitability” of England’s departure on penalties — they have now lost six out of seven shoot-outs at major tournaments — and the gulf in class between the two teams. The Daily Telegraph argued that for all their endeavour, England’s players would be acutely aware of how far they remain behind the world’s elite. “Italy, and Andrea Pirlo in particular, were vastly superior,” said the broadsheet. “This is not simply the extension of a curse. This was a problem with a footballing culture.” And The Guardian wrote: “There will be many regrets at what might have been after the resilient, disciplined and very occasionally exuberant victories against Sweden and Ukraine.” The unity shown in qualifying from a tough group meant fans could feel better about the tournament than the disastrous World Cup 2010 campaign, the papers argued. Popular tabloid The Sun meanwhile hoped humour would ease the Monday-morning blues. “Anyone for Tennis?”, it asked: Wimbledon starts today.

Wimbledon 2012

MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

Clijsters at peace with decision to retire LONDON: Former world number one Kim Clijsters believes her recent injury problems prove she is right to finally call a halt to her illustrious career. Clijsters confirmed last month that she will retire for the second time after the US Open later this year and the 29year-old has no regrets as she battles to recover from an abdominal injury in time to appear at Wimbledon. The Belgian’s preparations for the grass-court grand slam, which gets underway on

Monday, were hampered when she strained a muscle during the s-Hertogenbosch tournament and was forced to pull out before her scheduled semifinal. Clijsters is confident she will be fit to appear at Wimbledon, but she also missed the French Open due to a hip injury. Feeling her body creaking under the strain of life on the gruelling WTA Tour has convinced Clijsters — who initially retired in 2007 — that she has made the correct decision to

quit before the pain gets any worse. Asked if she had any thoughts about changing her mind, Clijsters said: “No, this is it. I have no regrets. I’m too old to play the game that I want to play physically. “It’s not for family reasons, it’s down to the physical side. I’ve put my body through enough strain and everything. “The whole lifestyle, that’s what I’m dealing with now, the lifestyle I’ve had for the last 15, 20 years.”

The wonders of Petra Kvitova is back at the All England Club 12 months on from her shock victory over Maria Sharapova in the finals last year Steve Griffiths

LONDON: Defending champion Petra Kvitova admits she has only just come to terms with the life-changing experience of winning Wimbledon. Kvitova is back at the All England Club 12 months on from her shock victory over Maria Sharapova in the final and the Czech is finally beginning to understand how different life becomes in the aftermath of such a memorable achievement. The 22-year-old had never even appeared in a grand slam final before beating Sharapova and was hardly known outside her own country. Everything changed thanks to her remarkably composed straight sets win over Sharapova and initially the whirlwind of publicity and increased expectations proved too much for Kvitova. She crashed out in the first round of the next grand slam, at the US Open, and is yet to win a WTA title this year. Sharapova has also avenged that Wimbledon loss with two successive semi-final wins over Kvitova at the Australian and French Opens. But the Czech is convinced she has a much better grip on her life again now and she expects to mount a strong defence of the Wimbledon title.

“After winning Wimbledon everything changes as a player,” Kvitova said. “Inside I’m still the same person as before the Wimbledon win, but I’m more famous in the Czech Republic and around the world now. “The people recognize me everywhere. In the beginning that was very strange for me. Now it’s much better and I know that it’s part of our life, so I’m okay.” As well as the changes offcourt, Kvitova noticed a big increase in the effort levels of her opponents after Wimbledon as they tried to take the scalp of a grand slam champion.

That was a tough obstacle to surmount at first, but she is aware of the dangers of underestimating players now. “After winning Wimbledon everything changes as a player,” she said. “The tournaments after the players want to beat me more. “It was same with me when I was 60 in the world and I had my best game against the top 10 players. “This changed things a little bit for me. It will be same here and it won’t be a surprise now.” Kvitova will be firmly in the spotlight when she steps on Centre Court on Tuesday to

start the defence of her title with her parents watching on as guests in the Royal Box. She is determined not to let the occasion get to her, although it might be harder for her father. “Yes, I’m sure he might cry. It’s going to be emotional for them,” Kvitova said. “I’m trying to not thinking about defending the title here, even though I’m sure it will come to my mind when I step on the court. “I’m very honored to be here as a champion. It’s something that lasts forever. “I think the pressure is there, for sure, but I will try not to think about it when I’m on the court.” Kvitova’s preparations for Wimbledon suffered a setback when she was beaten by Ekaterina Makarova in the first round of the grass-court event at Eastbourne. But she remains confident that a lack of match practice on grass won’t stop her going deep into the second week at Wimbledon. “My preparation wasn’t as good as I would liked. I lost too early at Eastbourne,” she said. “But it was my first match on the grass. I know it’s not really perfect. So I will try to play better here. “I still feel good and I can’t wait to step on the court again.”

David spared further punishment LONDON: David Nalbandian has escaped further punishment for his stormy disqualification from the Queen’s Club final where he injured a line judge after destroying an advertising hoarding. The fiery Argentine was defaulted in the final against Marin Cilic last weekend for his controversial behaviour which was followed by a tirade against the ATP who he accused of forcing players to perform on a dangerous, rain-soaked surface. Nalbandian was fined but was also facing the prospect of a lengthy ban after already having been accused of throwing water at an official during the Australian Open. “No further disciplinary action will be taken against David Nalbandian, who was defaulted last Sunday from the final Queen’s Club,” said an ATP statement. “Nalbandian was sanctioned approximately $70,000 in prize money and fines, and 150 ranking points for unsportsmanlike conduct. “After a review of the incident, the ATP determined that although David’s actions were unacceptable and under ATP rules warranted an automatic default, the injury to the linesman was unintentional. “As such, it was decided that the sanctions already levied against David are sufficient in this case.”

Playing Field

MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

The games people play

Hamilton tight-lipped Vettel frustrated at engine failure VALENCIA, SPAIN: Sebastian Vettel was left frustrated after retiring from the lead during Sunday’s spectacular European Grand Prix and losing vital ground in his chase for a third successive world championship. The 24-year-old Red Bull driver, who set off from pole, dominated from the start but his car’s engine failed on lap 35 and he was forced to retire while his team-mate Australian Mark Webber worked his way up to fourth despite starting near the back of the grid. The defending drivers’ champion had pulled out a comfortable lead and was in command before the safety car emerged midway through the race. Following the re-start, Vettel looked to have things back under control and was re-establishing his advantage before his engine stalled and forced him to hand the lead to eventual race-winner Fernando Alonso of Ferrari. The frustrated German said his team were not sure exactly what had caused the problem.

VALENCIA,

Lewis SPAIN: Hamilton remained tight-lipped on Sunday despite controversially crashing out of the European Grand Prix which was won by Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso . The McLaren driver, who qualified second, had lost second place to Kimi Raikkonen of Lotus and was battling with Williams driver Pastor Maldonado for third before the two collided and the Englishman wound up in the barrier and out of the race while Maldonado wound up sixth. Hamilton admitted the fight with Maldonado was a lost cause as he had run out of grip, but refused to go into any details about the incident. “My tyres were gone,” he said, “I don’t know where I would have finished. Over the last lap or so, my tyres

just went — it was almost like I had flat tyres at the back. “I don’t really know what happened, if I’m honest, I went into the corner and I didn’t come out. “It happened so fast, I really do not remember what happened. All I remember is sitting in the wall with only a lap to go. “You put your heart and soul into some things, and when you don’t get the results that you feel you worked for, it’s very tough, but that’s life.” Maldonado was later handed a 20-second penalty which dropped him to 12th position, but, of course, had no bearing on Hamilton who lost his lead in the drivers’ world championship to race-winner Fernando Alonso of Ferrari. He now lies third with 88 points behind Red Bull driver Mark Webber.

Jenson Button did manage to salvage four points from an otherwise disappointing weekend for McLaren after finishing eighth. “It was a really difficult race to read. Obviously I got a terrible start and I think I was 14th after the start. I just got unlucky. It’s still not a good result but I had fun out there, that’s the main thing, and the car felt good at some times in the race. It’s a lot to work with and I really don’t think anything went in our favour today. It could have been a very different race for us,” said the 2009 champion. Button is currently eight in the standings with 48 points. Meanwhile, Michael Schumacher was over-joyed to be back on the podium after finishing third for Mercedes. AFP

Sammy hopes loss will spur Windies by Julian Guyer

NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND: West Indies captain Darren Sammy said they had been “dominated by the number-one team in the world in all formats of the game” as their tour of England ended without an international win. Sunday’s seven-wicket Twenty20 defeat at Trent Bridge followed 2-0 reverses in three-match Test and oneday international series (rain led to a draw in the third Test and washed out the final ODI). Not that the West Indies will have much time to lick their wounds, given they fly out from Britain on Monday ahead of Twenty20 matches against New Zealand in Florida on

June 30 and July 1. The teams then head to the Caribbean for five one-dayers and two Tests that will take them through to August. “We fly tomorrow (Monday), we’ve got a game on Saturday against New Zealand in Florida and we don’t get a break until August 7,” said Sammy . What made the limited overs defeats all the more galling for the tourists was that the West Indies had believed their best chance of success lay in the shorter formats. However, they lost the two ODIS where play was possible by margins of 114 runs and eight wickets. Sunday saw them recover from being 57 for three at the half-way stage to make 172 for four.

Roque dies of cancer LONDON: Former Liverpool defender Miki Roque has died at the age of 23 after losing his battle with cancer, the English Premier League club announced on Sunday. The Spanish player was on Liverpool’s books between 2005 and 2009 and was part of their FA Youth Cup winning team in 2006. He made just one substitute appearance for the first team in a Champions League clash with Galatasaray in December 2006. After being released by Liverpool in 2009, he joined Real Betis but was diagnosed with pelvic cancer in March, 2011. “Everyone at Liverpool Football Club would like to send their thoughts to Miki’s family at this sad time,” said a Liverpool statement. Former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez tweeted: “I would like to offer my sincere condolences to the family of my former player Miki Roque, it is a tragedy to lose such a good boy so young.” AFP

Long wait over for Leishman CROMWELL, CONNECTICUT: Marc Leishman had to sweat it out before tasting his first PGA Tour victory. The 28-year-old Australian claimed his first PGA Tour title, firing an eight-under 62 to take the clubhouse lead at the Travelers Championship then waited it out as a series of contenders fell by the wayside. “I can’t believe it,” said Leishman. “When I finished I didn’t quite know if it would be good enough. I was pretty confident it wouldn’t be.” Leishman finished at 14-under 266, beginning his fourth round on Sunday six shots back of the leaders. He had eight birdies in his bogey-free round, then waited in the clubhouse for over two hours while a number of challengers, including Charley Hoffman, tried to overtake him. “I was getting ready to have a beer. But I didn’t luckily,” said Leishman of Warrnambool. Hoffman was 16-under heading into the 17th hole but the American blew a two-stroke lead with a double bogey, bogey finish. He plunked his tee shot in the water on 17. He then bogeyed the 18th hole after failing to get up and down from a greenside bunker. Hoffman shot a 66 to finish in a tie for second with Masters winner Bubba Watson who fired a 65. AFP