GAME OF THRONES With China poised to take over the United States as the world's biggest economy in the near future, it's becoming increasingly obvious that the economic landscape of the world is going undergo a massive overhaul. Take a look at the game changers. P16&17 Hyderabad’s first compact afternoon newspaper
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WATER BOARD FLOGS ITS LAND SRINIVAS SE
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With the government and some private parties defaulting on bill payments, the HMWS&SB is forced to take some desperate measures. REPORT ON PG 6
SPOTTED ON THE RUNWAY We look at new and mismatched prints that were seen on the international runways for Spring Summer 2012 season. P20&21
CITY’S THREE-WHEELED TERROR UNLEASHED The growing ‘auto mafia’ near the Jubilee Hills Checkpost is proving to be a nuisance for the passengers and taxi drivers alike. P7
FB VALUE SET ABOVE $85 BN Facebook moved closer toward its hotly anticipated share offering on Thursday, setting a price range that values the social network below some expectations but does establish it as one of the most valuable tech firms. P8
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FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012
Spirit of Twin Cities
LUNAR LANDING
The Berlin wall
M ANIL KUMAR
Goethe Zentrum Hyderabad in association with DEFA Stiftung Berlin and Documentary Circle of Hyderabad presents The Berlin Wall — Memories and Legacies from May 4-May 6. Where: Goethe Zentrum When: May 4-May 6, 4pm onwards Contact: (040) 2335 0443
European film festival A European Film Festival organised by A delegation of the European Union and the embassies of the EU Member States in India from May 10 to May 20 is being held at Alliance Francaise. Where: Alliance Francaise, Banjara Hills, Rd No3 When: April 10 onwards, 6pm onwards Contact: (040) 2355 4483
Chess workshop Always wanted to beat your best friend at a more intelligent game such as chess. Head to Saptaparni for a chess workshop by Ganesh and Ravi. The workshop is open for kids in the age group of four and above. Where:Saptaparni, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12 When: Ongoing, 4pm onwards Contact: (040) 6666 7707
Play time The Hindi Play Dooth , produced by Sifar Theatre Group, directed by Juniad and written by Sumeet is going to be staged at Lamakaan on May 6. Where: Lamakaan, Banjara Hills, Rd No 1 When: May 6, 7pm onwards Contact: 96427 31329
Solo painting exhibition Ramakanth’s Solo Painting Exhibition which deals with the loneliness of the long distance runner is being held at Muse Art Gallery, Hyderabad Marriott. The exhibition features works which include oil - on - canvas, acrylics and mixed media paintings. Where: Hyderabad Marriott, Tank Bund When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 2752 2999
Theatre workshop Samahaara is hosting special four week summer acting workshops. The workshops will be held for a duration of four weeks. The work-
CINEMAS
shops are being held at three different places in the City — Banjara Hills, Madhapur and Saifabad. Where: Vidyaranya School, The Terrace, The Actor’s Studio When: May 14 onwards, Monday-Friday Contact: 83411 20303
Shifting terrain An abstract painting exhibition by Pandurang Deoghare, is being held at Iconart Gallery. The exhibition is on till May 5. Where: Iconart Gallery, Banjara Hills, Rd No12 When: Ongoing, 11.30 am onwards Contact: 98499 68797
Scrabble workshop If those long words leave you confused but you still have the inclination to excel at scrabble. Head to Saptaparni for a scrabble workshop for kids in the age group of 8-14. Where:Saptaparni, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12 When: Ongoing, 10am-12pm, Contact: (040) 6666 7707
Mother’s Day lunch May 8 is Mother’s Day. Make the day special for your mother and your family with the Mother’s Day special brunch. Where: Taj Krishna, Banjara Hills, Rd No 1 When: May 8
Contact: (040) 6666 1070
Nature and women A painting exhibition by Kumaraswamy B is being held at Beyond Coffee. The painting depicts women with other natural forms such as butterflies. Where: Beyond Coffee, Jubilee Hills, Rd No 36 When: Ongoing Contact: (040) 2354 5359
Workshop for kids The Literature, Intellectual and Cultural Hub (LICH) and Oxford Bookstore is hosting a workshop for kids called Enrich which deals with mathematics and science. Where: Oxford Bookstore, The Park, Somajiguda When: May 1 onwards Contact: 92461 12461
Cricket frenzy Mocha and Mocha Express is hosting IPL specials with live screening of the match and various pizzas paying ode to the IPL teams and their spirits. Where: Mocha — Banjara Hills Mocha Express — Inorbit Mall When: Ongoing, 4pm onwards Contact: (040) 23350144
Food and cricket Great food and a great game of cricket makes for great news. Head to News Cafe to catch the IPL matches live and exclusive along
with some great IPL special food. Where: News Cafe, Inorbit Mall, Madhapur When: Ongoing, 8pm onwards Contact: (040) 4010 1236
IPL mela Who said IPL should be only about cricket. Ella Hotel, Gachibowli is hosting an IPL special mela. Where: Mocha — Banjara Hills Mocha Express — Inorbit Mall When: Ongoing, 4pm onwards Contact: (040) 6628 8488
Artistic strokes A painting exhibition titled Twinkle is being held at Inspire Art Gallery. The exhibition features artwork by R Usha Vinod and B Usha Kumar. Where: Inspire Art Gallery, Hyderguda When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 3062 8447
Painting exhibition An exhibition of paintings by Lalu Shaw is being held at Shrishti Art Gallery. The exhibition is on till April 10. Where: Shrishti Art Gallery, Jubilee Hills, Rd No 15 When: Ongoing, 11am onwards Contact: (040) 2354 0023
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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FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012
Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities
Bike falls prey to love story FOR REPRESENTATIONAL PURPOSE ONLY
CRIME Mohd subhan mohd.s@postnoon.com
P
roving arms of the law are long enough, the Gandhinagar police have, after over a year, nabbed a man who was accused of putting to torch a bike that belongs to his love-rival. P Mahinder alias Raju has been held on charge of burning the bike on March 22 last year, and since Raju managed to keep himself away from the police eye, until the other day he bumped into sub-inspector P Shiva Prasad said. Raju had fallen in love with a girl, Laxmi (20). But he realised to his chagrin later that he must content with a rival, R Raghu who was also wooing Laxmi. The girl, it is said, had no qualms going with her two lovers who competed with each other. In the race, Raju was falling behind. After Raju caught the duo red-handed, he decided to do something about it. And, that
was to destroy the vehicle that Raghu used to. To spite his rival, Raju allegedly burned Raghu’s bike. It
is the bike that is giving them freedom, Raju thought. Once it is gone, the two will be grounded, he assumed.
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Woman robbed in front of police Postnoon News
Raju, 24, is a native of Pallagutta village, Station Ghanpur Mandal of Warangal district, he has worked as cook in a hotel and lived in Sabarmati Nagar of Musheerabad. Laxmi studied upto intermediate and she belongs to a poor family. Her father Ellaiah works as a labourer and they are residing at lower Tankbund near NTR stadium. Due to her poverty she stopped her studies and is working in a beauty parlour in lower Tankbund near Banda Maissama temple. A twist to the story is that Raghu happens to be the brother of the parlour owner. This gave him an edge over Raju, it was later learnt during interrogation. Raghu, 25, has done his Master of Computer Applications and is now searching for a job. Laxmi and Raghu developed intimacy working together in the parlour. It has now been discovered that Raju was not traceable because after he burnt the bike of Raghu, the family feared reprisal. So, Raju’s father P Achaiah who is the head chef in a hotel decided to move to Station Ghanpur.
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his morning, Radha Rani,47, a resident of Himayat Nagar was walking to a temple in Basheerbagh area with her husband Venkataih when two bikeborne men whizzed past them and in a jiffy relieved her of a 7 tolas gold chain. This happened right in front of the police commissioners headquarters, a high-security area. As soon as Radha realised what had happened, the snatchers sped away. The husband and wife raised an alarm. But nobody came out of the police headquarters whereas passersby gathered and enquired as to what had happened. If the cops from the commissionerate had immediately chased the bikers, there was hope of catching them, said the victim later. When everything was over, the Narayanguda police team reached the spot and booked a case of snatching. In the shock, the couple had failed to take a note of the license number of the bike. But the trouble, say witnesses is that in the area, many vehicles ply without the statutory number plate .
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In blatant and dangerous flouting of safety laws, massive drilling and blasting of rocks is taking place right on Road No 36. This picture shows rock-drilling on a roadside plot abutting Speaker N Manohar’s residence. GHMC city planner SRINIVAS SETTY Moinuddin told Postnoon that he has no knowledge of it.
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FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012
Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities
A tale of food and feculence Hussain Sagar's banks support scores of eateries which are popular among Hyderabadis. But are the reeking premises of the lake an ideal eating spot? SAI RAM REDDY
Rahul Ramakrishna rahul.r@postnoon.com
H
ussain Sagar, with its natural beauty, is a hotspot for the citizens to unwind. Quite naturally, a plethora of food and beverage restaurants have spawned in this area, with their ultimate selling point being the location overlooking the lake. However, the grim reality of the situation is that many of these joints are not operating legally in the area. Some hotels and entertainment parks have gone to the extent of dumping their sewage into the lake, disregarding environmental rules and the already contaminated condition of the lake. Sewage treatment plants or STP’s, which are mandatory for any recreational park or eatery is absent.
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NEWS BRIEFS Confusion regarding Eamcet counselling
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here was confusion among the Inter students who are writing improvements and supplementary exams in physics. The students do not know if they would be called for counselling by the Eamcet authorities or if they would get the ranks like regular students. Minister for education Parthsarathy clarified that the inter exam was his responsibility and the rest of the process would be dealt by the Higher education department.
350cr sanctioned for Godavari phase 1
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s part of execution of the first phase of Godavari drinking water supply scheme for the city, the Municipal Administration and Urban Development department has sanctioned `350 crores to the HMWS&SB for laying ring mains from the master balancing reservoir of the Godavari to the existing distribution reservoirs at Lingampally, Alwal and Sainikpuri vide GOMs number 188. The water thus drawn will be supplied through the existing distribution net work.
Give tickets only to party leaders: Gandra
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Jalavihar and Ohri’s have been issued notices for not operating an STP in their establishment. The matter is yet to be resolved as the case is in the SC. Senior Environmental Engineer, PCB, D Krupanand
Leased to the Tourism Board by the Pollution Control Board of Andhra Pradesh, the one kilometer stretch is filled with eateries. The opposite end of the lake also harbours a multi-speciality hospital and other restaurants. Law demands that any commercial establishment present on the lake bank should have consent for establishment(establishment (CFE) and consent for operation (CFO) issued by the pollution control board.
Helpline GAS BOOKING IVRS NO: HP 9666023456 Indane 9848824365 BSNL Complaints HMWS & SB Complaints
198 155313
POLICE CONTROL ROOM: Hyderabad 27852435 Traffic Control Room 27852482 DCP Traffic 23234065, 23243499F Pollution Control Board 23887500 ELECTRICITY: General Complaints Breakdown Section
155333 23431178 23431179 MUNICIPAL CORPORATION: Commissioner & Spl Officer 23262266
is no concern for Environmental health and safety. engineer of the PCB, Manager of the D Krupanand said, Waterfront restaurant “Jalavihar and Ohri’s have been issued Hussainsagar says, “Being a closed restaurant, we only notices for not operoffer a view of the lake. ating an STP in their There is no stink or establishment. The smell seeping into our matter is yet to be restaurant. Also, we resolved as the case is are very regular in paylodged in the ing the GHMC to colSupreme Court. lect and treat our These establishments do not possess a consent for sewage and garbage.” Eat Street which offers a operation and despite several notices to which they have not panoramic view of the lake is responded to, they have a free supposedly one of the best hand in running their business- eateries in Hyderabad. Even the general public seems to have no es.” It is surprising that many of qualms about eating next to a these restaurants’ businesses stinking swamp of toxins, as thrive despite their location on many people seem to wave away the edge of a stinking lake. There any health concern.
24166666R ENC 23225267 Engineering 23220418 MCH Tankbund 23225397 Emergency MCH Circle I&II 24525842 MCH Circle III 24736912 MCH Circle IV 23326975 MCH Circle V 23326976 MCH Circle VI MCH Complaints 1100 Head Office 23225397 IVRS CUM MANUAL ENQUIRY PHONE NUMBERS (TRAIN & RESERVATION) RAILWAYS Rail Nilayam 27833169, 27824216 Railway Information 131 Reservations 135 Recorded Information 1345 Enquiry (IVRS) 1331, 1332, 1333
WATER SUPPLY: Complaint Cell Sewerage Complaint Hyd. Water Supply HOSPITAL: General Hospital, Sec-bad Niloufer Hospital, Red Hills NIMS, Director, Punjagutta Osmania General Hospital Railway Hospital, Lalaguda Apollo, Jubilee Hills Care Hospital, Banjara Hills Care Hospital, Nampally Care Hospitals, Musheerabad Care Hospital, Sec-bad Kamineni Hospital,
Rahul Rao, a regular at Eat Street says, “I barely spend more than half an hour here. The food is good and the view of the lake is great, which is more than satisfactory for me. Besides, eating here is relatively lighter on my pocket as compared to the other posh areas in the City.” Last year, a multi-speciality hospital was charged for not operating an STP to treat their own sewage. After serious efforts by the PCB and the HMDA, the hospital now possesses a fully working sewage treatment plant. However, the thriving eateries have found cover with the judiciary that has allegedly ignored their case. When contacted regarding this issue, the general manager of Jalavihar refused to comment.
LB Nagar 155313 23307328 23313163 27505566 23314095 23390933 24600146 27001134 23607777 30418888 30417777 30419000 30416666
BLOOD BANKS: Blood Bank,Narayaguda Chiranjeevi Blood Bank Blood Bank Mediton Goal Red Cross, Vidyanagar ADRM Blood Bank Mythri Charitable Trust NTR Memorial Trust Care Banjara Hills
39879999 27567892 23559555 23226624 27633087 27035588 27550238 30799999 30418296 30417445
AMBULANCES Apollo 23548888, 23607777 Kamineni 24022222 Medwin 23202902, 23204616 Smile Line Dental Hospital 23747979 Red Cross 27627973 Niloufer Hospital 23314095 Gandhi 23320332
overnment Chief Whip Gandra Venkataramana Reddy has demanded that the party high command give party ticket to a party leader only.He said that it was not acceptable to the party leaders if the party gives ticket to Sammarao, a TDP leader joining the ruling party. He alleged that TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu had met union home minister P Chidambaram only to obstruct the formation of a separate Telangana state.
Surprise inspection held by at Miralam
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dhar Sinha, managing director of HMWS&SB, along with D Sunder Rami Reddy, director (technical), HMWS&SB, made a surprise inspection of Miralam filter beds, section office, filling station, and reviewed the working of filters and found that the filtration has been improved after laying of anthracite coal. The Managing Director also reviewed the summer action plan of O&M Din I.
AIRLINES Airport Director 27903785, 27906001 For Air India Flight Information Toll free (from any network) for IC Flights 18001801407 And for All Flights: 1800227722 Air India has revised its flight timings. For more information call (Toll free) 18001801407, 1800227722 from BSNL/MTNL 04023430334 from other lines and mobile Website; www.airindia.in TOURISM OFFICES AP Tourism, Hyd 23262152/53/54 Sec’bad 27893100 Dept of Tourism 23453110 India Tourism 23261360 AP Tourism information Centre (24x7) 23450444, 23455999
UK Visa Office VFS India Pvt Ltd Building, 8-2-542/A, Sunil Chamber, Road No. 7 Beside Meridian School, Banjara Hills34. Working hours are from 8 AM to 1 PM And 2 PM to 3PM. MUSEUMS Salar Jung Museum AP State Museum Nizams Museum
24523211 232431300/7641 24521029
Readers’ views We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500 033 or even by way of a call on 4067 2222
Hyper Local
FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012
Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities
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No tears over deserters, says TDP POLITICS U Srinivas srinivas.u@postnoon.com
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P’s former CM Chandrababu Naidu has troubles galore. The thinning party leader ranks is not the only worry but keeping the flock itself is becoming a gigantic task with YSRC and TRS chipping away at the party ship in unison. Senior leaders like Ummareddy Venkateshwarlu, Mysoora Reddy, Vallabhaneni Vamsi looking for alternatives has demoralised the party and Naidu has to plug the leak quickly in the light of the imminent by-elections to 18 Assembly seats, say party observers. Samma Rao joining the Congress on Wednesday to contest from Parkala has shocked the party. The exodus just before the bypolls has tarnished the party’s image, so much so that many areas are bereft of leaders willing to take up the political challenge. What’s more, Ummareddy openly accusing Chandrababu Naidu for his authoritarian ways
has worsened the situation. Meanwhile, the list of TDP leaders hitch-hiking the YSRC bandwagon is growing. Besides, Vallabhaneni Vamsi, Mohan from Vijayawada, Kodali Nani, a follower of Junior NTR, T Srinivas Yadav from Secunderabad,
Kommi Lakhsmaiah Naidu from Atmakoor are also said to be in touch with the YSRC. Gaddebabu Rao, another heavy weight has already joined the YSRC. But why this exodus? Some senior leaders in the party say that the leaders who were inac-
tive were trying to look at YSRC which was lapping them up to create hype before the bypolls. Lure of money is another reason rumoured in the circles. Mysoora Reddy a former Congress man was expecting a repeat of Rajyasabha membership with TDP. It was given to Devendar Goud from Hyderabad. Devendar returned to TDP after making rounds with his own Telangana party and the PRP. But the TDP leadership for clear reasons, does not put up a worried face. Senior TDP leader Varla Ramaiah said that the exodus will not make any difference to the TDP and that the people who joined Congress and YSRC were dead wood. While this is going on, the Chandrababu Naidu is promising nine-hour free power supply to farmers. Babu also reiterated the promises of free rice, health schemes, pensions and other sops to the people. The leaders and the cadre who are out of power since many years have become financially weak and are in no mood to spend the money as they don’t believe that TDP has a bright future.
A senior leader since NTR’s time said party royalty has become a fable and is no longer valid. “People want power and money at the earliest possible and the exodus was a result of this attitude,” he pointed out. At a time when Chandrababu Naidu is sweating it out on the streets to secure victory for the party, the party candidates are said to be very reluctant to contest. More than 10 seats were filled by the candidates after Babu gave them a pep talk. It is learnt that Babu assured them he would take care of everything including the expenditure for the bypolls. In the earlier contest, the TDP has pumped in money for the candidates but could not win any of the seats. Babu has to make a lot of efforts to see that they contest all the seats in this by-elections. In the face of this exodus, even the family feud is not bothering Naidu. Party leaders are not worried at actor-relative Balakrishna’s entry into the party or Junior NTR’s displeasure with Naidu. The most difficult thing is the loss of credibility of the party at the grassroots, party leaders say in private.
Fall in Engineering enrolment prompts qualitative improvement
Whip JP’s wisdom floors media
Increasing the number of engineering colleges in the State is no longer an option
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eputy chief minister and minister for Higher Education Damodar Rajanarsimha has said that steps would be initiated to improve the quality of Engineering studies in the State. He also assured the students who are appearing for Eamcet that the government will take all steps to protect the interests of the students. He added that only 15 per cent of the students coming out of the Engineering colleges were employable and there was every need to improve the quality of education in these colleges.
Talking to Postnoon, Rajanarsimha agreed that there was no need for increasing the number of colleges in the State as they are already aplenty. It is the quality of colleges that need improving and not the number. He reminded that the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) has permitted closure of 40 Engineering colleges in the state. The managements were forced to close down as no one came forward to run them and the admissions were also very poor. The minister said that 56 institutes have applied for closure and about 40 of them were slated for closure by the AICTE.
No takers for the burgeoning colleges Sl No
Year
Colleges
No of seats
1. 2. 3. 4. 4. 5. 6. 7.
2003 – 2004 2004 – 2005 2005 – 2006 2006 – 2007 2007 – 2008 2008 – 2009 2009 – 2010 2010 – 2011
225 238 262 282 337 530 656 705
65,960 82,225 92,600 98,793 1,18,993 1,74,742 2,26,000 2,52,000
Coming to this year’s controversy on the improvement exam and Eamcet counseling for inter students the minister said that the interest and the future of the students will be the first priority and that the physics exam for the second year was conducted early due to the same reason. Popular educationist Chukka Ramaiah said that the decrease in the number of students enrolling in engineering has resulted in the closure of the col-
leges. Out of the three lakh seats offered by more than 700 engineering colleges in the State, more than one lakh seats remained vacant for the academic year 2011-12. This year there is every chance that about 1.5 lakh seats may remain vacant. Convenor of Eamcet Ramana Rao said that they will see to it that students will be given all the priority to get seats in the State so that they will not opt for other states. Nearly 256 colleges reported less than 100 admissions, indicating a sharp decline in demand for engineering courses. The unions of engineering colleges from rural areas met the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, urging him to write to the AICTE that no permission be given to any new colleges to establish in the State. The government has written a letter to the HRD ministry not to accord permission to any new colleges in the state. The AICTE has also decided that no permission will be given to new colleges to open from next year and new streams or seats will be added here in the State.
ongress MLA and Whip Jayprakash Reddy is one of the visitors who comes to the Chief Minister’s camp office and the State secretariat on a daily basis. He makes it a point to talk to the camping media after every visit. The other day after meeting the officials of the CMO, Jayprakash told Postnoon that the vested interests are spreading lies about him that he had amassed crores. But he has more liabilities than assets. Interestingly, the man who says he has no money to spend lavishly, admits he is planning to launch a television channel soon. Does he realise how much money a television channel guzzles? Where will he get it from? “From public,” was the answer. But when pointed out there are already too many channels and some of them without viewership, he said, “My channel will be different. I will keep enough money as buffer and see that the salaries are paid on time and the fund must take care of itself.” He says his attempt was to bring truth to the public. “Don’t we all want to?” asked some media persons but he had vanished by then.
Hyper Local CM reviews Nellore situation C
hief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Thursday reviewed the political situation in Nellore district with the district Congress leaders in view of by-elections. Reddy held a meeting with the Nellore district Congress leaders in the camp office and discussed the political situation in Nellore Parliament constituency and Udayagiri Assembly segment. He discussed the strategy to be adopted in both the constituencies and ensure victory of the party candidates. The district leaders explained the political equations prevailing in the two constituencies and made some suggestions to be adopted in the by-elections. Hearing the suggestions of the district leaders patiently, the CM opined that all leaders should work together and spare no efforts to ensure the victory of the party candidates. Finance minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, Maheedhar Reddy, MLA Anam Vivekananda Reddy, Congress candidate of Nellore T Subbarami Reddy were present.
AIMMO demands 10 per cent quota for poor Muslims
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ll India Muslim Minority Organisation has demanded that the Union government provide 10 per cent reservation to economically backward Muslim people in education and employment sectors. Organisation president Syed Muktar Hussain lamented that though committees analytically studied living conditions of Muslim people and submitted reports to the Centre in 2007, the government failed to implement their recommendations. Besides, the 15-point programme by PM Manmohan Singh is yet to be implemented. He demanded that the State government ensure fee reimbursement and scholarships to Muslim students on par with BC students in the State. The Telangana Secular Front president Farooq demanded that the State government grant `30 lakh for printing and preserving rare oriental manuscripts in Diaratul Marif-ul-Osmania. He also wanted the government to recruit surveyors and linemen to expedite second survey of Wakf lands and ensure its completion in two months.
FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012
Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities
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Water board pawns its land
SRINIVAS SETTY
DEBT Inkeshaf Ahmed ahmed.m@postnoon.com
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he Hyderabad Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) is facing a drought of a different kind. With a majority of the biggies and the government not paying their regular bills, the Board is now forced to mortgage its property to implement the Godavari drinking water project which benefits Hyderabad. The supplier of drinking water to over 7.5 million residents of Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy and Medak districts, the water board recently thrown up its hands saying, “Save us.” The water board currently has a liability of `580 crore, which it is unable to repay. “The State government had promised us budgetary allocations to pay this loan. We are solely depending on it,” said M Satyanarayana, director (projects), HMWS&SB. Left with little option, the HMWS&SB has mortgaged its properties to avail a loan of `2,000 crore from Hudco (Housing and Urban Development Corporation). The loan is being taken to complete the prestigious `3,375 crore Godavari Drinking Water Supply Project by the end of 2013, which is envisaged to supply 172 MGD to the residents of Hyderabad. Satyanarayana told Postnoon that the financier major would release `1,000 crore in the next 15 days as the formalities of mortgage had been completed. Satyanarayana said it (loan) was for setting up a permanent infrastructure and therefore it is
The Amberpet Sewerage Treatment Plant that has been mortgaged
The cold, hard truth Total cost of the project: `3,375 cr Quantity of water to be sourced: 172 MGD Amount spent so far by State and Water Board: `1,200 crore Budgetary Allocation by the State (2012-13): `400 crore
Filter beds
Some of the prime properties mortgaged by the board 1. Amberpet Sewerage Treatment Plant 2. Nagole STP Center 3. Land acquired for Godavari Drinking Water Supply Project 4. Asif nagar and Miralam
Some of the government defaulters GHMC: `49.4 crores Surround Gram Panchayats: `41.52 crores Rural Water Supply Department: `29.74 crores Surrounding Municipalities: `23.84 crores Military Engineering Services: `7.13 crores Police Department: `5.78 crores Rajiv Gruha Kalpa Corporation: `4.46
an asset. But the board officials grimace when asked how many customers are paying and how many shirking. Of the total of 8 lakh customers on its list, only 3.7 lakh regularly pay their
monthly bills. The remaining simply allow the arrears to mount. As many of them are government offices and influential private players, the board can’t crack the whip. The huge gap
ICONIC CITY Taramati Baradari, Ibrahimbagh
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ncient romances are always a subject of interest and intrigue. No wonder Taramati Baradari is so popular, as it was built as a tribute to the king’s favourite courtesan. Located in Ibrahimbagh, the structure is actually a caravan station where during olden days travellers would stop to rest. And here courtesans would entertain them. Among the courtesans, Taramati had caught the attention of King Abdullah Qutb Shah. Many stories are floated around about
Aishwarya Yerra Hyderabad as a City has a lot to offer in terms of heritage and sights. We take a look at the various places that make this City so special
Taramati, but one says that when she used to sing to the travellers, her voice would carry to the palace and the king was drawn to it. Today Taramati Baradari is managed by the tourism department. The huge pavilion was built using techniques that modern architects say was much ahead of its times. It includes a 500 capacity theatre, an arena that can house 1,600 people and also a banquet hall. The tourism department has also opened a multi-cuisine restaurant here.
between income and expenditure forced the board to revise water tariff in December last year.
Properties worth `2300 crore to be mortgaged The water board has prepared a list of over 100 of its properties earlier following a request by Hudco to avail the loan. Out of them Hudco has selected 30 prime properties for the purpose of mortgage. The board had estimated the total value of these properties as `2,300 crores. It may be emphasised here that the board was forced to mortgage its properties following budgetary allocation of `400 crore by the State. The question many ask is how will the Board, which is left high and dry and unable to meet its daily needs, pay back such massive loans?
Hyper Local CLASSIFIEDS
FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012
Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities
ELECTRONICS
FABRICATION
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City’s three-wheeled terror The growing ‘auto mafia’ near the Jubilee Hills Checkpost is proving to be a nuisance for the passengers and taxi drivers alike SRINIVAS SETTY
TRANSPORT Osama Salman salman.o@postnoon.com
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EDUCATION
Lok Satta joins hands with left
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MUNICIPAL APPROVAL
he Lok Satta Party has decided to join hands with Left parties since there is no point in replacing one traditional party with another since all of them are steeped in corruption and lost their capacity to address people’s problems, said Lok Satta Party Working President DVVS. Varma in a media statement. AGENCY
ho hasn’t experienced haggling with autorickshaw drivers over the tampered metres, their boorish attitude, or in desperate times, begged them? Come to the auto-stand near Jubilee Hills check post, and you will realize that autorickshaw drivers are at a whole new level of rudeness here — they are no less than a mafia. For starters, they don’t let any shared taxis stop and board passengers as this affects their ‘business’. If a taxi driver is caught doing so, he is beaten up, the car windows are damaged and the tyres are punctured — all this right under the traffic police’s nose, who ironically, stand just a few metres ahead at the crossroads. Although haggling with the auto drivers isn’t new, the drivers make sure that the passenger is forced to go only with them and the passengers are charged exorbitant rates. If another auto comes along, he is shooed away with threats and abuses. In turn, the passenger has to either walk a considerable distance to hire another auto or give in to the demands. Although there is a bus bay where a board reads ‘other vehicles not allowed’, autorickshaw drivers wear a callous attitude and park their vehicles here. This not only blocks the bus but also the incoming traffic. In fact, a little ahead, there is a separate parking assigned for auto where a signboard reads ‘Only 6’. However, at any given time there are no less than 12 autos parked. With no sense of hygiene, drivers
relieve themselves on the footpath, which now emits a foul stench. The rickshaw drivers are well established here, much to the dismay of passengers. “I feel scared coming here because most of the time the auto drivers are foulmouthed even to women. They make sure they get their way. Every day, I have to pay at least `30 extra over the metre to reach my home in Marredpally. Since no other mode of vehicle is allowed to stop here, they have a monopoly. Many of my colleagues have started using buses instead as not only are they more economical, but one can avoid the unnecessary arguments,” said Lakshmi D, an employee of a company located close to the auto-stand. “I have witnessed the helpless taxi drivers being beaten up by the auto drivers. This happens almost every day especially after dark. They get into an argument as soon a taxi even comes close. What is surprising is that there is
nobody to stop this madness,” said V Parthav, a passenger. However, when we confronted the parked autorickshaw drivers here, they did not deny shooing away taxi drivers, but acted to be innocent to the hooliganism they have been accused of. “A shared taxi driver takes `20 to drop passengers to Secunderabad or Uppal. We charge only `10 to go till Punjagutta. They are taking away our passengers. We only ask the taxis to move ahead,” said Zahid Khan, an autorickshaw driver. “We never beat anybody up. We only stop the taxis from picking up passengers here. All allegations are baseless,” said another autorickshaw driver, Mohammed Imran. The traffic police seem oblivious to the glaring and increasing issue of the auto mafia. The deputy commissioner of police (traffic), Rama Krishna, said that he wasn’t aware of this. “I will have to look into this. If we find that this is happening, we will take action,” he said.
‘IT’ binds City Kannadigas and Telugus COMMUNITY Anubha K Singh anubha.k@postnoon.com
A
HEALTH Millennium Dental Clinic, film nagar main road, opp: cafe melange, jubilee hills, HydPh: 040-31000889
part from the geographic proximity, the Kannadigas share with Telugus many things, of which common script is the most important. Telugu script is derived from Old Kannada. With this is an a modern relationship that cements the ties of people from the two states — information technology. Bangalore and Hyderabad are cyber cities and that make the two cities witnessing a fair exchange of youth trained in IT. There are more than one lakh families residing in Hyderabad since centuries. “Hyderabad is so much like Delhi and Mumbai, yet so different. This has a lot to do with the warm and accommodative nature of people here. Thanks to the growing
A traditional upanayam (thread ceremony)
IT sector many software engineers from Karnataka have made this City their home,” observed Manorama Devi, member of Karnataka Sikshana Samithi and a resident of Hyderabad for 40 years. The Kannadiga youth are mostly into the IT industry but many Kannadigas who came to the City during the Nizam’s rule are into the food industry. In addition to the community associations there are marriage associations in the City. “The Samyukta Karnataka Sangh helps us find a suitable match in our own community. We strongly believe in marrying within our community. We often gather in any of the association or community halls for bhajans and other religious ceremonies and festivities which also provides an opportunity to interact with our community and is also a meeting point for Kannadigas to find a suitable partner,” adds Manorama.
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Money Matters
Investors
Nupur Pavan Bang
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was waiting for Srikanth to come back to me. I knew that he was convinced about investing in stocks. He had the risk appetite and the ability to take the risk of investing in stocks. But, he did not know how to pick or select stocks. And that is what brings him to my room today. Srikanth: Prof. Nicky, I have been reading the financial newspapers, listening to experts on TV, talking to my friends and family and going through stock price charts. I am not able to understand which stock I should put my money in. Moreover, you had once told me about not putting all my money in one basket. How do I select which sectors and which stocks to put my money in? Can't you do it for me? Prof. Nicky: No. I will not do it for you. I am an academician. Not a financial advisor. But there are people who can do it for you. Srikanth: Really? Who? Are they expensive? Prof. Nicky: Yes, I am not joking. You can invest your money in a Mutual Fund. Mutual Funds are managed by fund managers who have expertise in stock picking and analysing the companies
passed back to
pool their money with Fund Manager
Returns
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based on their performance. In fact, in India, close to `6,00,000 crores is being managed by the mutual fund industry. Srikanth: That is a mind boggling figure! How do they function? Are they expensive? Prof. Nicky: The Mutual Funds take money from many investors and the fund manager invests the pooled amount in the stock markets (or the other markets like debt, money market, commodities). The cumulative returns from these investment, are passed on to the investors, after deducting the expenses of running the fund. Hence the expenses of running the fund and
Samsung Galaxy S3 debuts
the salary of the fund manager is shared by many investors. Srikanth: Seems like a lot of power is given to the fund manager. What if he is not good at his job? Prof. Nicky: Hmmm...the fund managers are governed by strict guidelines on fund objectives, sector weights, risk and other stock selection criteria like liquidity, size and so on. Also, most of the funds hire qualified, experienced professionals as their portfolio managers. A little bit of personal bias is bound to be there and you should be prepared to take that risk. The information about the performance of a fund
is easily available. There are fund managers who are more consistent in giving better returns. You can chose the fund on the basis of who manages it, apart from the looking at the risks and returns. Srikanth: How is the return on a Mutual Fund calculated? Since the fund invests in many stocks, how do we know the return on the fund? Prof. Nicky: Good Question. I am glad you are thinking. In the case of mutual funds, instead of Prices, we have the Net Asset Values (NAVs). The NAV is the net asset of the fund (total assets minus liabilities) divided by the total number of outstanding units. Just like shares of a company, you have units of a mutual fund. The value of a unit is referred to as the NAV. You can calculate the return by taking the difference in NAVs on the date of investment and the date of selling the units divided by the NAV on the date of investment. Srikanth: So it works just like shares? Prof. Nicky: Exactly like it. And you get the benefits of an expert investing your money for you, you save time, you have a better diversified portfolio, and you may even invest in a tax saving scheme if you want. The author is a senior researcher at Centre for Investment, ISB
FB value set above $70 bn
LONDON: South Korea's
NEW YORK: Facebook moved closer toward its hotly antici-
Samsung Electronics on Thursday unveiled its latest flagship smartphone at a London launch as it seeks to cement its position as the world's bestselling mobile phone maker. The Galaxy S3 boasts a 4.8-inch screen (12.2cm), 22 percent larger than the Galaxy S2, the hugely popular predecessor that helped the company overhaul Nokia as the world leader. Despite the larger screen, Samsung says the phone is not much wider than its predecessor due to its smaller frame. Other new developments include "intelligent camera features" which use face-recognition technology; and enhanced voice-activated controls. An improved processor also allows users to watch video and write messages at the same time. AFP
pated share offering on Thursday, setting a price range that values the social network below some expectations but establishes it as one of the most valuable tech firms. An updated regulatory filing called for shares to be priced between $28 and $35, which would value the irm between $70 billion and $87.5 billion. AFP
Stunning stats 900 million active users — 157 million in the US, 45.9 million in India, 45.3 million in Brazil. Most popular social network in every country of the world, with the exceptions of China, Japan, Russia, South Korea and Vietnam. Buys Instagram in April for $1bn Mark Zuckerberg net worth was estimated at $17.5 billion, world’s second youngest billionaire — co-founder Dustin Moskovitz with $3.5 billion who is eight days younger is above him.
Average 526 million daily active users in March 2012. —125 billion "friend connections and 3.2 billion "likes". At least 300 million photos are uploaded on Facebook every day and more than 488 million active users access Facebook using mobile devices. "The Social Network," the 2010 film about the origins of Facebook, won four Golden Globes. Employs some 3,500 people, has announced plans to hire “thousands” more over the next year.
`86.98
POUND FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012 8 NUMEROLOGY
$118
million
is what career-oriented social network LinkedIn will pay to buy a SlideShare service for online hosting of PowerPoint, Keynote and other presentations.
THUS SPAKE "More than 70 per cent Indians surveyed use online channels in dealing with government services and they want more channels in the future," Accenture study
TOUGH TIMES Embattled carrier Qantas said on Friday it will delay the delivery of two A380 superjumbos as part of a further $410 million in spending cuts as it works to turn its business around. The Australian airline had already announced Aus$500 million in cuts in February, which included job losses for cabin crew and pilots as well as in catering, engineering and ground operations. Qantas has also been reviewing its maintenance operations to identify how to keep costs down, which could see more jobs go. Chief executive Alan Joyce said the latest savings would come from delaying the delivery of two Airbus A380s.
BAD NEWS The US Transportation Department has slapped a $80,000 fine on Air India for failing to post customer service and tarmac delay contingency plans on its website and adequately inform passengers about its optional fees. This is the first penalty assessed for a violation of the Department's new airline consumer rules that took effect last August. From August 2011, foreign carriers operating to the US with at least one aircraft of 30 or more seats have been required to adopt contingency plans for lengthy tarmac delays as well as customer service plans, and to post these plans on their websites.
India‑View
10
FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012
India unveiled
Caste prejudices hit anganwadis: Report
Imran Khan
PATNA: Caste and religious prejudices in Bihar’s villages are affecting the central government’s education and health schemes — such as anganwadis — for impoverished families, says a report by the Institute of Human Development. The report, a copy of which is available with IANS, cites cases where upper caste children were not allowed to go to anganwadi centres in Dalit or lower caste hamlets and vice versa. Anganwadis are government sponsored child and mother care centres at the grassroots. Also, anganwadi centres in
Muslim hamlets see no children from upper caste and Dalit families, says the report. Anganwadi centres are part of the Ministry of Women and Child Development’s flagship Integrated Child Development Scheme. The deeply-ingrained biases are depriving hundreds of children from education, midday meals and vaccination, says the report. The report was prepared after an on-the-spot survey of 14 villages of nine districts in Bihar by a team of researchers from the New Delhi-based institute. The report says in Amrahi village of Rajpur block in Rohtas district, upper caste children did
not go to the centre in a lower caste hamlet. This led to many children not getting vaccinated against serious diseases. Vaccination could not take place either in the Dalit Paswan hamlets or the Brahmin hamlets because the Brahmins refused send their children to Paswan hamlets nor allow Paswan children into their area, says the report. In Madhubani district’s Mahisan village, children from backward caste Yadav and extremely backward castes Kahtve and Musahar did not attend anganwadi centres in a Muslim hamlet. Similarly, in Jitwarpur in Araria district, tribal Santhal children did not attend centres in a Brahmin hamlet since only the Brahmin were given food there, the report says. In Dewan Parsa village of Gopalganj district, Paswan children were summoned only when there was an inspection, though the headcount was kept the same throughout the year. Similarly, the caste of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) also face prejudices in their work. It was found that they received cooperation or no cooperation depending upon their caste. ASHAs are an integral part of the rural health care system related to deprived sections of society.
Ministry wary of clubbing Aids dept with NRHM Madhulika Sonkar
NEW DELHI: The Planning Commission’s proposal to merge the two-decade-old Aids control department with the flagship National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) has caused a stir in the health ministry, with some officials even saying it could reverse the gains made by India in bringing down HIV infections. Concerns have been raised over the efficacy and outreach of the National AIDS Control Organisation’s (NACO) HIV-Aids related facilities if delivered through NRHM. India has a population of over 2.5 million HIV positive people, the third largest globally. Over the last decade, the new HIV infections annually have come down by 50 per cent.
We need to take stock of the preparations for this integration where there are multiple issues involved, with the fear of going wrong on sensitive Aids control programmes Health ministry official
“The Planning Commission’s proposal on NRHM convergence is still under consideration. We need to take stock of the preparations for this integration where there are multiple issues involved, with the fear of going wrong on sensitive Aids control programmes,” a senior health ministry official told IANS on condition of anonymity. NACO, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, was set up to combat Aids — allocating funds to voluntary organisations and state Aids control societies, structure policies for targeted interventions, disease-surveillance and implementation of programmes. Post-merger, select NACO services would be available through the public health infrastructure of NRHM. The NRHM was launched to provide accessible healthcare in rural and remote areas.
Facelift for Srinagar makes residents fume Sheikh Qayoom
SRINAGAR: With zebra crossings, road dividers and fences being painted, even during a downpour, Srinagar is being spruced up as top offices reopen here after six months of functioning in winter capital Jammu. But residents are asking if all this is really necessary in the face of more pressing needs. Under a two-century-old tradition of the erstwhile Dogra Maharajas, the seat of governance shifts between Jammu and Kashmir’s twin capitals of Srinagar and Jammu every six months — known as the Darbar Move. “The logic behind shifting the seat of governance lock, stock and barrel between Srinagar and Jammu was that the Dogra Maharajas and their courtiers did not like the bitter winter cold of the valley,” said a college teacher here who did
not want to be named. “Our democratic ‘maharajas’ are no less than their predecessors. The tradition must continue. After all, except for the minis-
ters and senior bureaucrats, all others living in the valley are children of a lesser god in Kashmir,” the teacher said sarcastically. Commenting on the tradition
of shifting the seat of governance between the two capitals, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also said in one of his tweets recently that the tradition of the six-monthly
Darbar Move is outdated and yet he was not sure if he could ever change it. “Do I think the ‘Durbar Move’ is a waste of money? Yes I do. Is there an alternative? I haven’t seen a viable alternative suggested,” Omar posted on his tweet. The problem with the official facelift going on in the city these days is that it is happening in the backdrop of messy traffic management, an even messier urban drainage system and the growing horror of stray dogs that have been biting a hundred locals a day in this city of 1.3 million souls. It is clear that the priorities of the state administration are somewhere misplaced. “Instead of wasting precious paint during rain and thunder, the state authorities should focus on the traffic chaos in the city,” Farooq Ahmad, 28, who works in the Press Enclave area of the city told IANS.
India‑View
11
FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012
India unveiled
Pune varsity guard shot dead PUNE: A security guard of the University of Pune was shot dead by an unidentified youth in the campus on Thursday, sending shockwaves among the student community here, police said today (Friday). The incident occurred around 8 p.m., when the 56-year-old security guard, Prahlad Jogdandkar, caught a young couple allegedly in a compromising position in an isolated spot on the 410-acre lush green university campus. He ordered them to pay a penalty of Rs.500 as per the new rules implemented by the university to check trespassing and shady activities on the campus. The youth quietly paid up and left with his girlfriend on his motorcycle, said an officer at the Chaturshringi police station. However, the youth returned again after half an hour and demanded Rs.100 back from the security guard since he had no money to fill up petrol in his motorcycle. When Jogdandkar refused to refund the money, there was an argument and a scuffle, and another security guard rushed there. Suddenly, the youth whipped out a revolver and fired two rounds at Jogdandkar, and disappeared from the spot. Jogdandkar was rushed to the Sassoon Hospital where he was later declared dead on admission, police said. As part of the overall security overhauling in the city, in January, following a police directive, the university administration had beefed up security on the sprawling campus. IANS
SC questioned on legislative activity
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court was on Thursday told that framing guidelines was a legislative activity and doing so by the court would amount to judicial over-reach. The court concluded the hearing on the framing of guidelines on reporting of sub-judice cases and reserved its verdict. Senior counsel Fali Nariman told the constitution bench of Chief Justice SH Kapadia, Justice DK Jain, Justice SS Nijjar, Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai and Justice JS Khehar that the court could at best go for normative guidelines instead of mandatory guidelines as these would infringe upon the essential freedom of press. The court was told that framing of guidelines would not only amount to judicial over-reach but also open the
flood gates and add to problems instead of easing them. As Nariman, appearing for Sahara India Real Estate Corp, and senior counsel Soli Sorabjee, an amicus curiae, opposed the framing of any guidelines, Chief Justice Kapadia asked if the court could not frame any guidelines to regulate media reporting in sub-judice matters. The chief justice asked what could be the objection if there were principles available in other judgments and the same were spelt out by them. They could be called guidelines, regulations or principles. When Justice Jain wanted to know if the apex court could not frame the guidelines then which institution could do so Nariman told the court that "you can't do that".
The constitution bench was hearing an application by the Sahara on its grievance against a news channel reporting its proposal made to the stock market regulator, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), on securing the money it had raised from the market. The court said that it would frame guidelines for reporting of sub-judice matters. The constitution bench on March 27, commenced the hearing on the application of Sahara. Concluding the arguments on the 17th hearing in the matter, amicus curiae KK Venugopal told the court that there should be a bar on journalists entering a court and reporting its proceedings without being accredited. The accreditation of the apex court reporters should be made subject to adherence to the guidelines. He said that such an arrangement would be in the interest of the administration of justice, as well as parties and witnesses in the court. He told the court that these guidelines would also be in the interest of media. As Venugopal sought to make accreditation subject to adherence of guidelines, the court asked him what about the reporting of proceedings in trial court. At this amicus curiae said that subordinate courts could frame their own rules for coverage of proceedings. IANS
‘Poor regulation caused accident’ LONDON: A global workers’ association has blamed poor training, dangerous working practices and inadequate regulation for the deadly ferry accident in Assam. Seventy-one bodies were recovered so far and around 180 more are missing and believed to be dead. Nick Bramley, chair of the inland navigation section of International Transport Workers Federation (ITF), said in a statement: "This disaster is sadly only the latest in a long series of ferry tragedies in Asia and Africa." "Everything points to poor training, dangerous working practices, inadequate regulation and near non-existent enforcement as being the root causes for this and similar loss-
es of life," he said in a statement on Thursday. "We urge the establishment of modern standards of training
and certification for crew members, of effective safety standards for vessels and their crews and of competent
enforcement regimes both nationally and internationally," he added. On Thursday, eight more bodies were fished out from the river, taking the number of bodies recovered to 71 in Monday's ferry disaster in Assam's Dhubri district. The ferry, which was carrying more than 350 passengers, was hit by a storm near Madattari ghat under Fakirganj police station in Dhubri district and capsized. Only 80 people could be rescued by the local people. The search operation is being jointly carried out by the National Disaster Rescue Force (NDRF), the Border Security Force and the Army. IANS
NATION AT A GLANCE Mukherjee dismisses front runner report MANILA: Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee today dismissed as speculation reports that he has emerged as a front runner in the race for presidential election. "It is speculative. I don't want to comment on it," he told reporters on way to Manila where he will be attending the 45th Annual Meeting of Asian Development Bank's Board of Governors.
Maoist arrested by Special Task Force KOLKATA: A hardcore Maoist, who supplied arms to other extremists, has been arrested by the Special Task Force of Kolkata Police, sources said today. Ajay Chanda, known as Jhulan in Maoist circles, was caught from Esplanade bus stand a few days ago, after which a city court remanded him to police custody for 14 days.
Akshay Kumar (L), and John Abraham, arrive for the world premiere of their movie Housefull 2 AP/PTI in Singapore, on Thursday.
8 women pickpockets held from Delhi Metro NEW DELHI: Eight women pickpockets were arrested from Kashmere Gate metro station in north Delhi on Thursday, said the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which guards the Delhi Metro. According to CISF, the arrest came following a complaint from one of the woman passengers at the station. The arrested women were all in the age group of 20 to 25 years.
4 get life sentence for kidnapping boy INDORE: A local court here today awarded life imprisonment to four persons for kidnapping a child in March 2008. Special Judge SK Singh also imposed a fine of Rs1,000 on the accused Aamir Hussain, Aadil, Lakhan Malviya and Mithun. They were accused of kidnapping Salman (9) from Juni Indore area on March 18, 2008.
Church alleges rigging of panchayat polls PANAJI: Goa Church has warned that it would appeal the people to boycott the forthcoming panchayat election if the state government did not cancel the "rigged" process. Council for Social Justice and Peace, a wing of Goa Church, has written to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, saying that there was growing unrest amongst the people about the process being adopted.
Around the World
12
FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012
Beyond Borders
Professionals at breaking rules AFP/BAY ISMOYO
JAKARTA: Jakarta’s carpooling laws were meant to ease traffic jams. Instead, they have spawned an industry of professional hitchhikers who help drivers comply with highway rules — for a fee. Hundreds of men, women and children line the main arteries of the Indonesian capital every weekday, offering to ride in private vehicles during rush hours, when cars are obliged to carry at least three passengers on key stretches. The “jockeys” -— as they are known — do not stick out their thumbs like typical hitchhikers around the world. Here, one finger signifies a jockey working solo, while two offers a pair, usually a mother with a child in tow or a baby in a batik sling. In a country where millions are struggling to climb out of poverty and into an expanding middle class the jockeys — who charge about a dollar a ride — have turned their services into a career. Jimmy, 22, has jockeying down to a fine art. In the hodgepodge of roadside competitors waiting for a ride, he stands out with his silver-rimmed spectacles and blue chequered shirt tucked neatly into a pair of black trousers. “Chauffeurs in BMWs and
Nuraeni, a ‘3in1’ (one car with three passengers) traffic jockey, gestures as she offers her and her son to commuters in Jakarta. Mercedes cars often pick me up because I can pass off as their employer’s friend or relative. Motorists don’t want to get caught by police so jockeys have to help them minimise the risk,” said Jimmy, who like many Indonesians goes by one name. Cars picking up jockeys can
face fines of up to one million rupiah ($109). But in a country where official corruption is rife, a 200,000 rupiah bribe is usually enough to get off the hook. “Generally, nobody wants to get stuck in a jam with someone with smelly armpits. For my efforts, I ask for an extra 5,000
NO ALTERATIONS NEEDED A 14-year-old, petitions Seventeen to publish unaltered photos
J
ulia Bluhm, a 14-year-old aspiring ballerina from Maine, delivered a petition with nearly 15,000 names to Seventeen Magazine’s editorin-chief, Ann Shoket, on Wednesday. The petition’s demand: Give Girls Images of Real Girls. (As of now, the petition has been signed by over 30,000 people.) Bluhm said, “A lot of my friends are happy in their skin, but I know people who aren’t comfortable and wished they looked differently,” according to the Guardian. She added, “There are pictures all over the media that show photoshopped girls that have no flaws and they are perfect.” The petition reads, “Girls want to be accepted, appreciated, and liked. And when they don’t fit the criteria, some girls try to “fix” themselves. This can lead to eating disorders, dieting, depression, and low self esteem.” It continues, “For the sake of all the struggling girls all over America, who read Seventeen and think these fake images are what they should be, I’m stepping up,” and ends with a challenge thrown to Seventeen Magazine, to print one unaltered, “real,” photo spread every month. A statement from the magazine said, “We’re proud of Julia for being so passionate about an issue – it’s exactly the kind of attitude we encourage in our readers – so we invited her to our office to meet with editor in chief Ann Shoket this morning. They had a great discussion, and we believe that Julia left understanding that Seventeen celebrates girls for being their authentic selves, and that’s how we present them,”. Bluhm said she started the petition aimed at the
rupiah (54 cents) and I usually get it,” Jimmy said. He makes around five trips a day and pockets about $7.50 daily — a good sum in a country where about half of the 240 million population lives on less than $2 a day. But not all jockeys are as savvy or fortunate as Jimmy. Many female jockeys are often sexually harassed in private vehicles, and police regularly lock up riders in squalid cells. By law, they can be jailed for up to 12 months. Nuraini, 39, has worked as a jockey for the past three years to supplement her husband’s meagre income as a motorcycle-taxi driver. “One time when I was still pregnant a driver asked if I wanted some fun. It was very uncomfortable so I quickly got out of the car,” she said, carrying a baby in one arm and holding an eightyear-old daughter by the hand. Nuraini rises at dawn to make the hour-long journey from her village in the suburbs to the city for the morning rush hour, returns home to cook for her four young children and is back on the streets to work the evening. “It’s exhausting. The weather can change from sweltering hot to terribly stormy. Some days, I earn nothing, even if I wait for hours,” she said.
The big switch Scientist finds people who can “switch” between genitals
H
teen magazine because, “A lot of girls read Seventeen magazine. They do a lot to make girls feel good about themselves, stuff like Body Peace. So I thought if they are already doing it, they might like to do more. There have been stories about how much photoshopped images can hurt girls with low self-esteem and eating disorders,”. GLOBALPOST
The jockeys know they are violating the law and could be fined or detained for several weeks if caught. But for the most part police turn a blind eye to the hundreds on the streets each day. “I don’t have a family. I never went to school. If I don’t do this, how will I eat?” asked Praspardi Putra Wibisono, a 16-year-old who was arrested last year and detained for two months. Herlina, 36, has been arrested twice and was detained for six weeks in 2006. “My time in prison was terrible. Eighteen of us were crammed in a stuffy cell full of mosquitoes. We slept on thin bamboo mats and the toilet stank,” she said. “So, why am I still doing this risky job? Simple, I need to live.” The carpooling rule, introduced in 1992, has done little to ease the traffic snarl in Jakarta, which has a population of around 10 million. During the week, millions more from the capital’s outskirts join the rat race, meaning eight million cars ply Jakarta’s streets every day, and at least 1,000 new vehicles are added daily to the grind. Analysts warn that the city could become totally gridlocked by 2014 if major infrastructure changes are not made. AFP
uman sexuality, it appears, has never been more complex. Not to mention elusive. A scientist has studied a group of men and women who report that their sexual identity can switch involuntarily to that of the opposite sex and back again, Scientific American reports. For some people, the switch can occur several times a day. Most of them however, report the frequency is more like once a week. The “switch” is accompanied by the sensation of phantom breasts or genitalia of the non-biological sex. The study, Medical Hypotheses, “Alternating gender incongruity: A new neuropsychiatric syndrome providing insight into the dynamic plasticity of brain-sex,” was published by Laura Case, a graduate student of renowned neuroscientist Vilayanur S Ramachandran. It is based on research with 32 respondents (11 anatomically
female) from an online bigender forum that hosts about 600 members. Scientific American listed the following fascinating quotes from research subjects: “I still have the same values and beliefs, but a change in gender is really a change in the filter through which I interact with the world and through which it interacts with me. “If I’m in male mode and I see someone crying, I’ll think more along the lines of ‘Man up…while if I’m in girl mode I’ll think more long the lines of ‘Oh sweety!’ “I sometimes wake up thinking I have a penis,” says one female respondent, “or that I have no breasts... I usually end up in tears and I can’t get out of bed because once I get up I’ll know for sure it’s not really true and it’s just my mind playing tricks on me, so I just lie there and cry. It’s strange though because I normally don’t even want to have a penis.” GLOBALPOST
Around the World
13
FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012
Beyond Borders
I am in great danger: Chen
GLOBE AT A GLANCE Flasher Belarus priest likely to be defrocked
BEIJING:
MOSCOW: The Belarussian orthodox church may defrock a 60-year-old priest, who was detained for allegedly demonstrating his genitals to passengers at a railway station. The priest was allegedly involved in the act of exhibitionism at the Baranovichi-Polesskiye railway station. The report said that it turned out later that the priest was also drunk and it was not the first time he was detained for such acts.
Blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng told AFP Friday he was in “great danger”, and urged the Chinese government to respect commitments it made about his safety when he left the US embassy. “I am in great danger.... I hope the government will respect the commitments to guarantee my rights agreed to between China and the United States,” he told AFP in a telephone interview. Chen said he never raised a request for political asylum with the US government, but expressed worries that security personnel at his Beijing hospital were preventing US embassy officials from meeting him. “They don’t let the (US) embassy staff come in. I think there are some big problems,”
China police detain, beat Chen supporters BEIJING: Chinese police have detained supporters of Chen Guangcheng at the hospital where the blind activist is being treated, and have beaten two of them, the backers and their relatives said on Friday. Crowds of friends and well-wishers have gathered outside the hospital where Chen is being treated for an injury sustained during his flight from house arrest last month. The wife of one, rights lawyer Jiang Tianyong, said he Chen said. “I haven’t seen them since the day before yesterday (Wednesday).” Chen fled his home in the eastern province of Shandong
was detained at the hospital by Chinese police who beat him and warned him against supporting Chen, before releasing him. Artist and rights defender Liu Yi told AFP that police grabbed him outside the hospital on Thursday, beat him over the head with a bottle and took him into custody for interrogation. Another supporter, Du Yanling, said he was questioned after he left the hospital and warned against speaking out . on April 22, and later recorded a video appeal to Premier Wen Jiabao in which he said he and his family had been subjected to repeated abuses at the hands
Pakistan suicide attack kills 16 people KHAR: A suicide attack targeting police killed at least 16 people, including five policemen, in Pakistan’s northwestern tribal belt along the Afghan border on Friday, officials said. The target of the attack was tribal police in Khar, the main town of Bajaur tribal district, where Taliban linked to Al-Qaeda are active, officials told AFP.
DANCE OF DEATH
Vogue slaps ban on U-16 models NEW YORK: The editors of all 19 editions of Vogue around the world pledged Thursday to use only healthy models no younger than 16 on their editorial pages in an attempt to shift fashion’s approach to body image. Anna Wintour, editor of Vogue’s flagship US edition, and Emmanuelle Alt of Paris Vogue, which touched off a furor in 2010 with a photo spread featuring a 10-year-old girl, are among the editors who agreed to the pact. “Vogue believes that good health is beautiful,” said Jonathan Newhouse, chairman of Conde Nast International and a scion of the New York publishing family that privately owns the world’s most influential fashion title. The editors said that in a sixpoint pact to appear in their respective June issues, they would pledge not to knowingly work with models under the age of 16 or with those “who appear to have an eating disorder.” The editors will also instruct modeling agencies not to send them underage models, require casting directors to check models’ ID prior to photo shoots and encourage “healthy backstage working conditions,” including food options. Fashion designers, meanwhile, will be encouraged — though not obliged — to “consider the consequences of unrealistically small sample (dress) sizes... which encourages the use of extremely thin models.” “We will be ambassadors for the message of healthy body image,” the editors’ pact concludes. AFP
of local authorities. He sought refuge at the US embassy, but on Wednesday US officials announced he had left the embassy for a hospital to receive treatment and be reunited with his family. US officials said China agreed to guarantee the safety of the activist and allow him to attend university. Since entering the hospital, one Chinese official has visited him and discussed his situation, Chen said. “It was an official from the petition bureau (handling complaints from the general public). It is not useful to talk about this. My situation is very, very critical,” he said. Chen further expressed concerns over police beatings of supporters who had come to try to visit him at the hospital. AFP
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega stands with US ambassador Phyllis Powers during her credentials presentation. AFP
West Africa bloc issues warning to coup leaders
A TV grab shows the site of a blast in Makhachkala on Friday. Two blasts near a police post late on May 3 killed at least 15 people and wounded more than 20 in Dagestan, part of Russia’s restive Caucasus region, the interior ministry said. AFP
Paranoid Hitler had ‘messiah complex’: Secret UK analysis LONDON: Adolf Hitler had a “messiah complex” and became increasingly obsessed with the perceived Jewish “enemy within” as World War II turned against Germany, according to a secret 1942 assessment unveiled on Friday. The British intelligence report, which lay apparently unread from the war until its recent rediscovery, found that the Nazi dictator turned to “Jew-phobia” as the likelihood of defeat increased. The wartime analysis, now made public by the University of Cambridge, was commis-
sioned by social scientist Mark Abrams and written by his colleague Joseph MacCurdy, a Cambridge academic. “At the time that it was written, the tide was starting to turn against Germany,” said
Cambridge historian Scott Anthony, who led research into Abrams which resulted in the paper being unearthed. “In response, Hitler began to turn his attentions to the German home front. This document shows that British intelligence sensed this happening. MacCurdy recognised that, faced with external failure, the Nazi leader was focusing on a perceived ‘enemy within’ instead — namely the Jews. “An earlier report found three such tendencies, termed “shamanism”, “epilepsy” and “paranoia”. AFP
DAKAR: West African presidents have threatened tougher action against coup leaders in Mali and Guinea-Bissau who have resisted efforts to fully restore civilian rule. Guinea-Bissau’s ruling military junta, hit with EU sanctions on Thursday, has refused to quit power. In Mali, junior officers who toppled the government in March are still imposing their authority
3 journalists slain in Mexico’s Veracruz state MEXICO: Three men who had worked as news photographers were found slain and dumped together in plastic bags by a canal in the eastern Mexico state of Veracruz, less than a week after the killing in the same state of a reporter for an investigative newsmagazine, officials and colleagues said. Press advocates called for immediate government action.
A Rapier air defence system is deployed as part of security measures prior to the Olympic period in London on Thursday. AFP
Comment
FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012
Fair, free and forthright
Talk back Control damage soon The controversy surrounding the army trucks has now been dragging on for a long time. There has been on development in the case even after all this time. Everyone, including the big players, is busy at the blame game. The army of a country is supposed to protect the entire country. It is the wall that is standing in the way of the enemy. But with these loopholes in the systems in the functioning of our army showing through, it is obvious that there are cracks developing in the wall. This is very disheartening to see and something should be done quickly to minimise damage. Riya Mahapatra Sainikpuri
Save our lakes The basic problem is not with the way the things are planned out. It is with the way these things are implemented in our city. Every time a new government comes to power, a new plan is drafted to save our once-beautiful Hussain Sagar Lake, so the previous plan ends up being a flop. The main reason, I can see for this, is corruption in the system because of which the plans aren't being delivered successfully. The results are there to see and we are and will always be at the receiving end. If the officials are listening, please wake up and save our lakes, not just the Hussain Sagar. Bhramhaji Padma Rao Nagar
Congrats airport staff This is to appreciate the efforts of the security personnel at the RGI airport. The incident of the man being arrested while carrying illegal bullets makes me feel happy because the security was never that good at the Begumpet airport. I shudder to think of the consequences of a lethargic security control. But here, the case looks to be different. The security at the Shamshabad airport is the best and I love the way the forces work there. Job well done folks! Jyotsna Mudduru Alwal
Stem trouble now I had first kept to myself and then nearly forgotten an unfortunate incident that happened to me when I happened to come past the Hussain Sagar Lake one late evening. Hooligans have a field time while authorities turn a blind eye, only God know for what. If something is not done soon to curb this menace, a big nasty incident is lurking around the corner. Jyothsna Somajiguda
Readers’ views We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500 033 or even by way of a call on 4067 2222. Editor: Dean Williams
14
Listen, you’re smarter than they think The Anonymous Alien
I
ndian-produced television shows stink. You know it, I know it, and even the producers of Indian TV shows know it. Want to know why they stink? Because Indians aren’t smart enough to watch ‘intelligent’ or ‘sophisticated’ television shows, so there’s no reason for producers to make them. Or so Indian producers would have you believe. How do I know this? Because I have asked, repeatedly, and across several years, many many Indian producers this question. The conversation goes something like this: Me: “You make such beautifully produced, beautifully written commercials in India, so why can’t you make beautifully produced, beautifully written TV shows in India?” Typical Producer: “The Indian audience isn’t _____________________ (fill in the blank with “intelligent enough” or “educated enough” or “sophisticated enough”) to watch quality television.” Back in the nineteen-seventies and eighties, when the United States was producing such nonsensical junk-television as “Dallas,” “Knots Landing,” “Falcon Crest” and “Beverly Hill, 90210” I heard the exact same arguments from American producers. They believed — really believed — that if they put on quality programming, the American masses who watched “Dallas” would turn off the television and never turn it back on. Then came the nineties. Maybe “Seinfeld” or “Law and Order” was the catalyst, but whatever it was, it started a bonanza of sophisticated, intelligent shows that were challenging and beautifully written and produced. Shows like “The Sopranos,” “West Wing,” “Six Feet Under,” “Sex and the City,” “X-Files” and many others that were frequently of better quality and more entertaining than feature films. And you know what happened when these intelligent, challenging shows hit the airwaves? Did television ratings drop off a cliff? Did the world end? Nope! What happened was the ratings went through the roof. The “masses” that use to watch “Dallas” tuned-in, and so did the
Editorials
T
“sophisticated” audience that had shunned “Beverly Hills, 90210” like it was diseased. And simply put, American television went through a renaissance. The same thing needs to happen now, in India, and fast. Why fast? Because the everexpanding audience of relatively rich (and, from an advertising perspective, desirable) urban Indians is getting increasingly hooked on American television. And if they get really hooked, there’s no reason to think they will ever turn back to Indian television content, even if it does become high quality. And that would be a shame. It would signal the slow death of the Indian television industry, and with it, the cessation of an opportunity to explore — in-depth and in a way only a TV series can — India society and government and family life. So, with that said, here are my suggestions for some terrific (and I think, non-existent) TV shows that Indian producers should jump on: “PMO” — a witty, insightful, biting and completely fictional drama about the inner workings of India’s government at the highest levels. Get a front-row seat as the powersthat-be battle terrorism, domestic riots, industrial corruption, and a relentless press
PRANAB SUITED FOR PRESIDENT’S POST, but Congress stands to lose
he political drama over the presidential election is getting better by the day — and at times more riveting than the saas-bahu soaps. While parties are rallying to support Congress veteran and Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee as the UPA candidate, Pranabda has responded that he is not in the race and the build-up is a creation of media. While Mukherjee has all the experience and skills required to become the first citizen, his role change will cause the Congress more damage than what it stands to gain from making him the president. Throughout the UPA rule, the party has turned to him whenever a crisis comes up. Mukherjee's statesmanship has steered the government safely through several political tempests, some from the Opposition and the others from the UPA allies. More than anything, a party loyalist would serve the government interests better than an independent, towering luminary like APJ Abdul Kalam. The presidential election is a matter of prestige for the government, but it remains to be seen if it will let go off its evergreen ace to save its face.
always looking for ‘breaking news’, while all the while battling corruption allegations targeted at them. Okay, I admit, it sounds a bit like “West Wing,” but why can’t we have a uniquely Indian version, at the same level of quality?” “Fourth Rock” — a sit-com, following a 30something female producer of a terrible Indian soap opera. Every day, she has to deal with the egos, the tantrums and the pain of producing a really terrible show that she doesn’t believe in and that drives her crazy. All right, it’s a bit like “Third Rock,” but way better, no? “The Sharmalas” — an inside look at a smart, urban family whose patriarch just happens to run the Bombay mob. Yes, yes, sounds a bit like “Sopranos,” but from an India slant, it’d be fascinating. Or, here’s a better idea. How about some truly original fare, uniquely Indian, from Indian producers that challenges and starts respecting the intelligence of the Indian TV audience. Now that would truly be entertaining. A foreigner’s observations on living, working, surviving and thriving in India.
WHY WE LOVE... Student visas
T
he student visa is a thing of untold magic. Now that China has stated that blind dissident Chen Guangcheng can apply to study in the US “just like anyone else”. Not only can Guangcheng head to American and study some absolutely pointless subject, but he can imbibe some of the Free Market Capitalism that has so enthralled revolutionaries over the ages. Having trouble at home? Apply for that visa... now!
Rhythm Nation
FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012
15
They create tunes sometimes on impulse and sometimes by instinct. And they are soon to enthrall the jazz lovers in the city. Meet Drift
Indira Atluri indira.a@postnoon.com
J
ohn Coltrane, the famous American jazz saxophonist once said, “You can play a shoestring if you're sincere.” And it is this belief that made Reuben Narain, Pranai Gurung and Sahil Warsi come together – for the love of Bebop, a style of Jazz, and the quest to make life more musical. Originally christened Ghost Dance Orchestra by Reuben, the name later became Drift, an inspiration he got while reading Mark Twain. Pranay, moved from Darjeeling to Delhi 10 years ago, before joining the band, while Sahil is one of the youngest double bassists in the country. Speaking about Bebop, Reuben, the first of the band members says, “Bebop is a genre within jazz – it is a response to popular jazz, where musicians composed tunes for themselves, or for other musicians. It is meant to tease the listener.” Drift’s music can be defined as one in which chords are more expansive, less direct, and more spacey – a trait typical of the Bebop. Interestingly, Reuben wrote pop songs before venturing into Bebop. He says, “I had a singer, and we were together creating pop songs. But slowly, I realized that I needed more space and more freedom, and I found myself moving to Jazz.” The band’s latest song A Feathers Flight was composed in just six minutes. Talking about it, Reuben says, “It is sort of a ballad song played on instrumental guitar that gives you an ‘airy’ feeling – a feeling of being sus-
The Drift pended.” Drift has slowly gained reputation across the country and outside. Recalls Reuben, “We performed a gig in Nepal in 2010 and also went trekking in the countryside, and did bungee jumping. It was an experience we remember fondly to this day. Also, for the first time after 15
iTUNES Top 10
When: May 4, 2012 Where: Aqua, Park years, there was a music fest in Gulmarg in Kashmir where we went to perform — it was freezing cold, but an altogether different experience that we can never forget. Reuben strongly believes
– Fun – Justin Bieber 5. Man’s, man’s man’s world (The Voice Performance) – Juliet Simms 6. What makes you beautiful – One Direction 7. Wild Ones (feat Sia) – Flo Rida 8. Glad you came – The Wanted 9. Shake it Out – Glee Cast 10. Drive By – Train
Somebody that I used to know – Gotye featuring Kimbra We are young
– Fun featuring Janelle Monae Payphone – Maroon 5 ft Wiz Khalifa Glad you came – The Wanted Call me maybe – Carly Rae Jepsen Wild Ones – Flo Rida ft Sia Boyfriend – Justin Bieber Starships – Nicki Minaj What makes you beautiful – One Direction (Stronger) – Kelly Clarkson
private events in Hyderabad, but this is the first time we are performing to the public. And we are very excited to see what the response will be like. Well, we are sure about this much. When Drift comes to Hyderabad, there will be many more additions to the jazz lovers list in the city.
Bollywood Top 10
Billboard Top 10
4. Boyfriend
1. Somebody that I used to know (feat.Kimbra) – Gotye 2. Call me maybe – Carly Rae Jepsen 3. We are young (feat Janelle Monae)
that it is very important for an individual to know the jazz form of music very well, before attempting to teach, or to perform. He opines that the music must not only have been played, but more importantly, improvised. On their upcoming gig in Hyderabad he shares his excitement, “We did perform in a few
– Jannat 2 Sang Hoon Tere – Jannat 2 Jhallah Wallah
Pani Da Rang – Vicky Donor Jannatein Kahan
– Ishaqzaade Rab ka Shukrana (Reprise) – Jannat 2 Aafaton ke parindey – Ishaqzaade Naina re – Dangerous Ishq Rum & Whisky – Vicky Donor Pareshaan – Ishaqzaade Tu hi rab tu hi dua – Dangerous Ishq
It could catch you young Typically associated with the old and frail, arthritis can affect youngsters as well. So the next time you hear those creaking joints, don’t ignore them Ranjani Rajendra ranjani.r@postnoon.com
I
FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012
Holistic view of mind, body and soul
t’s one of those ailments that you wouldn’t commonly associate with the young. It supposedly strikes the ageing and can often leave them in severe pain. But what if we told you that arthritis can affect the young as well? Hard to believe? But there are several incidents of youngsters being affected by arthritis — be it juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, gout arthritis or arthritis that has been induced due to an injury to the cartilage between the joints. Contrary to popular belief, rheumatoid arthritis is frequently seen in youngsters below the age of 16. This sort of arthritis is usually called Idiopathic arthritis and is quite different from how it is normally seen in adults. “Arthritis can occur in children between the ages of 2 and 10. The reasons however, are not always clear. It could affect children with absolutely no family history of arthritis. In some cases, juvenile arthritis could set in after a particularly stressful event in a child’s life,” says Dr N Somasekhar Reddy, consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Apollo Hospital. “In certain cases, the onset of arthritis can be secondary to an accident. This could be termed as post traumatic arthritis. For instance, when an individual sustains an injury it could rupture the cartilage that is present in the joint. If this is left untreated, it could lead to further wear and tear and progress to arthritis. Considering obesity is on the rise these days, several youngsters may find that their joints wear and tear much more easily, another leading cause of arthritis,” says Dr K Raghuveer Reddy, shoulder and knee surgeon at Sai Institute of Sports Injury and Arthroscopy. Children with juvenile arthritis may experience swelling and pain may in hips, neck and jaw. Symptoms like nodules on their elbows, a rash, a fever, swollen glands, tiredness and weight loss. “There are several sub types of arthritis. While in some, the patient’s condition improves by the time he/she reaches teens, in others there may not be any improvement and could become more severe. In extreme cases, it could lead to the patient becoming crippled,” says Dr Somasekhar. “Strict physiotherapy and medication early on is the only way to help reduce the severity of arthritis. This helps postpone joint deformities. Also it has been noticed that children with arthritis might have a stunted growth. In case of an injury to the joint it is essential to treat it aggressively to prevent arthritis,” explains Dr Somasekhar. “Treatments like marrow stimulation, where we puncture the marrow so it heals itself and cartilage transplant also work in helping treat arthritis. For big defects we can also recommend cartilage cell culture, where we grow new cartilage in a culture dish and then transplant it into the affected areas,” says Dr Raghuveer.
18
Scientists uncover ‘dark side’ of beta-carotene WASHINGTON: Consuming excessive amounts of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that imparts colour to carrots, sweet potatoes and certain greens, could be hazardous for health, says a study. Scientists at Ohio State University have found that certain molecules that derive from beta-carotene have an opposite effect in the body — they actually block some actions of vitamin A, which is critical to human vision, bone and skin health, metabolism and immune function. Because these molecules derive from beta-carotene, researchers predict that a large amount of this antioxidant is accompanied by a larger amount of these anti-vitamin-A molecules as well, the Journal of Biological Chemistry reported. “We determined that these compounds are in foods, they’re present under normal circumstances, and they’re pretty routinely found in blood in humans, and therefore they may represent a dark side of betacarotene,” said Earl Harrison, who led the study. “These materials definitely have anti-vitamin-A properties, and they could basically disrupt or at least affect the whole body metabolism and action of vitamin A. But we have to study them further to know for sure,” Harrison was quoted as saying in a university statement. The findings also might explain why, in a decades-old clinical trial, more people who were heavily supplemented with beta-carotene ended up with lung cancer than did research participants who took no betacarotene at all. The trial was ended early because of that unexpected outcome. IANS
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H‑Factor
FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012
Holistic view of mind, body and soul
Tone your body,
dbq=fkql=pe^mb Modified push up Kuldep Sethi feedback@postnoon.com
L
ast week we spoke about modern life stress and how it affects the body. As recommended, it is a good idea to start your exercise routine with simple warm up and breathing exercises. Now that you are well versed with that, let us move on to a new set of exercises that will help tone your body. This workout can be done at anytime or at any place without the need for any special equipment. Working out in a gym is always recommended because working out in the presence of other people with the same goals is indeed very motivating. The variety of equipment and qualified trainers will certainly do you a world of good. But, if you are not ready to do this, you should not force yourself and use it as an excuse to stop working out. Keeping yourself fit is of utmost importance. Lack of time is a very flimsy reason. Here are a few exercises that will not only help you build your confidence, but also get you in shape. This will motivate you to take your fitness a notch higher. Please do consult a physician before starting any kind of exercise regime. Do not forget to keep a strict vigil on your food intake as well. Remember that diet and exercise always go hand in hand. The following exercises combined with the previous week’s workout will help you get a full body workout.
Push ups
n Place your toes and hands on
the floor, making sure your back and arms are straight. Keep your hands slightly more than shoulder width apart and tighten your abdominal muscles. n Inhale as you lower yourself to the floor, stopping as your elbows reach a 90 degree bend. Keep your body from touching the floor. n Exhale and push yourself away from the floor. Don’t lock your elbows, and don’t bend your back. n Do about 6 to 10 repitions.
n Place your hands and knees
on the floor. Keep your glutes and abs tight. Make sure your back is in line with your head and neck. Keep your feet lifted off the floor. n Inhale as you lower yourself to the floor, stopping as your elbows reach a 90-degree bend. Keep your body from touching the floor. n Exhale and push yourself away from the floor. Do not
lock your elbows, and don’t bend your back n Do about 6 to 10 repititions.
The plank abdominal exercise The basic plank exercise, also called a hover, is the starting place if you want to improve your core strength and stability. Here’s how to do it right. n Begin in the plank position with your forearms and toes on the floor. n Keep your torso straight and rigid and your body in a straight line from ears to toes with no sagging or bending. n Your head is relaxed and you should be looking at the floor. n Hold this position for 10 seconds to start. n Over time work up to 30, 45 or 60 seconds.
The squat Squats are some of the best lower body exercises you can do. Why? One reason is that squats are multi-joint exercises which target all the muscles of the hips, glutes and thighs. This version, which requires no weights or equipment (other than a chair) is great for beginners, for anyone with knee problems or for those who are overweight and need a bit more support. It’s also great for anyone wanting to add more functionality into their lives because it mimics the movements we do each time we sit down or stand up. n Place a chair just behind you and stand in front of it with feet about hip or shoulder width apart. n Contract the abs and keep
n n
n n
them tight as you bend the knees and slowly squat towards the chair. Keep the knees behind the toes as you sit down on the chair for a few seconds. Contract the glutes and hamstrings to lift up out of the chair and begin extending the legs. Fully extend the legs until you’re back to standing position. Repeat this for 1-3 sets of 1016 repetitions.
n To progress, squat down
until you’re just hovering over the chair, but not sitting all the way down. n Always keep the knees in line with the toes! Now that you are armed with a warm up, breathing and a few more exercises, continue practicing these. Next week I’ll be back with something interesting. (The writer is a fitness expert and director of 360 Degrees Fitness, Hyderabad)
19
Starting problem, big problem Gym Diaries Sudeshna Koka
Y
ou know that moment when someone asks if you’re doing engineering or medicine and you politely inform them that you’re an Arts student? There’s a blank, confused stare you receive as they try to comprehend what could possibly be wrong with a bright kid like you — were you just bad at studies, were disinterested or simply have a mental disorder. What an Ouch moment it is! I face something similar. I am in my early 20s, am single and according to most people fat (I could be slimmer, but I’m NOT fat). Everytime I meet somebody it’s a huge Ouch moment for me as I am met with statements like ‘Beta this is your age to look fit and healthy’, ‘Oh no no you need to cut down on sweets’, ‘You were so good looking. What happened now?’ and so on and so forth. It’s painful to be at the receiving end of all the free advice from ‘well meaning’ near and dear ones. As much as I’d like to pretend like I don’t care, after a point of time it just starts to get to you. Besides, being in journalism, which is probably a more respectable form of PR, looking good does help. So after a whole lot of convincing myself that I could do with looking a wee bit better, I decided to hit the gym and lose some of those unwanted kilos. And Voila! There’s some more ‘well meaning’ advice coming my way. ‘Not the gym, it’s not a good idea’, ‘Try aerobics instead’, ‘Why don’t you try Hot Yoga or Power Yoga’, to my grandmother’s ‘Just come for daily walks with me beta,’ I had a tough choice. But I’d made up my mind to hit the gym. But zeroing in on a suitable gym was no easy task. I spoke to a zillion friends about which gym was good, which trainer was best etc, before I finally decided to join Gavinz, which I’d heard was a darned good place to go to. Finally, I had a goal, a little dream that I began to nurture to shed the flab and flaunt a svelte new me pretty soon. Excited, I went to the gym with all the enthusiasm of a teeny bopper on her first date. And what do I see? A tonne of good looking men and reed thin girls sweating it out at the gym! I still don’t get why they need to work out in the first place. A HUGE ouch moment for me. Am I back to square one? (The writer is determined to fight the flab. Readers can inspire her at sudeshna.k@postnoon.com)
F‑Folio
Because you are what you wear
SP
TTED N THE
O We look at new and mismatched prints that were seen on the international runways for Spring Summer 2012 season.
Miu Miu
M
iuccia Prada’s Miu Miu collection presented a girly collection but with visible dark undertones. The high-waisted skirts with cropped blouses and handheld bags delivered a concept which is a mix of flirty and serious. The patchwork prints on skirts, jackets and dresses didn’t belong to one family but somehow seamlessly made for a wholesome collection.
Erdem
T
Alexander Wang
W
ang is known to blend sportswear inspired silhouettes into fashion. The Spring Summer collection has bomber jackets, shorts, pants, blouses, dresses, skirts and other easy separates. If you thought floral print could never look tough, then this collection will be an eye-opener.
his young London designer has been the one to look out for since his initial collections. He doesn’t fail to make the editors and retailers sit up and take note with the unusual take on the floral pattern. This season the designer showed softer looks with color palette of powder blue, yellow and white on materials like chiffon, cotton and lace.
Mary Katrantzo u
T
his Greek lady sure knows how to conjure up the most unusual print patterns. The summer collection had prints of flowers, but not in the way you would expect. Digital prints of carnations mix and matched with abstract lines and polka dots. For some looks she even mixed screen prints of metal utensils with the prints of pop color tulip fields.
Emilio Pucci
P
ucci is a fashion house recognized most widely for its signature prints. For this season’s collection, designer Peter Dundas inspiration was Gypsies. Free flowing long skirts and dresses in psychedelic paisley prints highlighted with over-all embellishments and gold jewels were seen on the runway.
FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012
20&21
The writer Surabhi Chauhan feedback@postnoon.com
is a fashion blogger (www.lovestruckcow.blogspot.com) who attempts to bridge the gap between creator and consumer. As a fashion writer, she hopes to promote Indian fashion among Indians and on a global level too.
RUNWAY T
D&G
he last D&G show (now the brand is part of the Dolce & Gabanna line) delivered everything the brand ever stood for: youth, vibrancy, color, and fun. Models walked the runway wearing head to toe print garments. Even the footwear had a print scarf tied around them. The print comprised the Italian opulent baroque patterns in silk orange, green, pink, yellow, turquoise blue.
Yves Saint Laurent
C
lassic Parisian style with a stark image of French women parading on the runway is something to be expected from this fashion house. This season designer Stefano Pilati stuck to these aesthetics but added the unexpected print pattern here and there. The show opened with an abstract 60’s inspired print, simple coat dress. Long skirts in paisley print were paired with white shirts and handheld clutch bags.
Jil Sander
D
Diane Von Furstenbe rg
T
his New York label collection knows exactly what the urban women want to wear. Easy dresses and separates with a unique twist. In the summer collection the patterns were quite pop art with the cut out of flower plant repeated all over the dress. These were graphic prints of different shades patch worked together in a single look.
esigner Raf Simons delivers a collection with a very clean-cut outlook to his ideas. This being his last collection for Jil Sander (he is now the artistic director for Christian Dior), the designer brought back a classic print pattern in a modern setting for the Jil Sander show. This pattern was of the paisley pattern. Shown in blue, yellow, purple and pink over white or black base, the paisley design stood out and could easily be one of the most memorable print designs of this season.
Anna Sui
V
ery rock and roll glamorous, Anna Sui’s summer collection had bold looks in colors like purple, black, and red. Prints played a strong role in communicating the designer’s new vision. Big motifs in mint green on top of a long chiffon dress. Or busy small print floral print matched with the same print bandana hat. Anna Sui’s Spring Summer collection is the one that is playful yet commands authority with use of nipped waist and chunky footwear paired looks.
Spotlight
FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012
22
The city’s party crowd headed to Bottles and Chimneys to celebrate yet another Ladies night
It’s time to disco
Sadhana
Sara, Neelam & Smirti
Archita, Moumita & Sunil
Sahil
DEEPAK DESHPANDE
Becky
Kudos again!
Abhinaya (centre) with friends
Crew of Dammu with Dasari Narayan Rao
NTR
Dammu’s film unit organised the grand success meet in order to celebrate the film’s success. Spotted at the event were some of Tollywood’s biggest names like Dasari Narayana Rao and Dil Raju among the movie’s lead stars NTR and Karthika
Magic Screen
D I S P L A YA
D S RATE ` 150 sq. cm
For Further Details Please Contact Abhinay 9989399972 Nandlal 9951467988 Ravi Chander 8106039919
FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012
23
Magic Screen
FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012
The glamour behind the glitz
Robert Pattinson joins the military T
he Breaking Dawn actor has signed on to star in a new film entitled Mission: Blacklist, about the search for and subsequent capture of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein. Pattinson will star as military interrogator Eric Maddox, the man who spearheaded the investigation to find out where the dictator was hiding. The film, which will be sold at the upcoming Cannes Film Market, is based on Maddox’s book
Amanda Seyfried shows some skin T
he first poster for the 26year-old actress’s upcoming Linda Lovelace biopic is out, and by the hints of bare flesh, her brunette coif and lacy red bra, it’s gonna be a hot time at the multiplex when it hits theaters later this year. Lovelace chronicles the fragile ‘70s icon (Seyfried) as she rises like a meteor through the ranks of the porn industry, eventually achieving international fame making the pioneering skin flick Deep Throat all the while struggling to break free from her abusive husband.The film costars James Franco, Sarah Jessica Parker, Juno Temple, Chris Noth and Sharon Stone.
Mission: Blacklist. It was adapted for the screen and is being produced by by Erik Jendresen and will be directed by Jean-Stephane Sauvaire. The in-demand Pattinson has no less than three films coming up, including period adaptation Bel Ami, Twilight: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 and David Cronenberg’s Cosmopolis, which is premiering in competition at Cannes later this month.
24
Magic Screen
Gabbar Singh wraps up shooting
T
FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012
The glamour behind the glitz
he entire shooting of Pawan Kalyan, Shruti Haasan starrer Gabbar Singh has been wrapped up. The film unit was in Switzerland for the past few days where they canned couple of songs. Couple of days ago, a special train which offers panoramic view of the Swiss landscapes was hired to shoot a part of the song and sources close to the film unit inform us that both these songs have shaped up quite well. “Done with the last day of gs!had such a fan-
tastic time with the entire crew and the whole experience was so fun:) fingers toes crossed :) And switzerland is sooo stunning I had the best time I feel like mountains have really given me some perspective :) (sic)," Shruti Haasan posted on Twitter. Harish Shankar has directed the film and Ganesh Babu has produced it. Devi Sri Prasad has composed the film’s music and all the songs are topping the charts. Gabbar Singh, the official remake of Dabangg, is all set to hit the screens in the second week of May.
25
Rajamouli goes gaga over Sudeep S
udeep, who’s playing the villain’s role in Rajamouli’s upcoming film Eega, can’t stop raving about Rajamouli’s style of working. He was in Hyderabad recently to complete dubbing for his character. Soon after he completed the work, Sudeep stated, “As for Rajamouli, his energy, conviction, vision and enthusiasm is what makes him an epitome of precision. Anyone can look a good actor when he is in his frame.” Meanwhile, Rajamouli was equally appreciative of Sudeep’s acting in the film. “I don’t know which is superior @kicchasudeep ‘s acting or his voice???Whole of yesterday he dubbed for some extremely strenuous scenes in Both Telugu and Tamil.the overall effect multiplied tenfold. Of course by night he was so worn out that he was ready to drop dead...:) (sic)” Rajamouli posted on Twitter. It’s a known fact a major part of Eega is about the conflict between the housefly and Sudeep’s character. No wonder, Rajamouli has focused most of
his attention on Sudeep. Nani and Samantha are also playing the lead roles. M M Keeravani has composed the music. Sai Korrapati is producing the film in Telugu and Suresh Babu is presenting it. The film’s Tamil version, Naan Ee, is being produced by Prasad V Potluri under PVP Cinemas banner. S S Rajamouli is trying his best to release the film in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi on May 30.
Nayanthara teams up with Ajith
N
ayanthara is all set to team up with Ajith for the third time in her career. The duo had earlier acted together in Vishnuvardhan’s Billa which went on to become a blockbuster in Tamil. Fives years later, Ajith and Nayanthara are teaming up once again for a film to be directed by Vishnuvardhan. Arya is also playing an important role in this film. The film will go on floors later this month and most part of the film will be shot in Mumbai. AM Ratnam is going to produce it. Yuvan Shankar Raja is composing the music. Ever
since Nayanthara announced her comeback in films after a long gap, she has been approached by plenty of producers from Telugu and Tamil film industries. For now, she has signed Nagarjuna starrer Love Story, Krish’s Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum and Gopichand’s upcoming bilingual film, apart from this untitled film with Ajith.
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
FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012
Take a shot at the brain game while sipping your cuppa
26
QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Cookie found in many crosswords 5 Operates 9 English church land 14 Teller's partner 15 Indian river entry point 16 Steams up 17 Change your story 18 Overachieving Simpson 19 Leg-foot link 20 ‘Nay’ is one 23 Kind of node 24 Letter from Paul 28 Senatorial affirmative 29 ‘Dukes of Hazzard’ deputy sheriff 33 ‘PulpFiction’co-star ___ L Jackson 34 Leaf like layers 36 Ill-fated Biblical brother 37 Part of a boxing ring 42 Seven to sail 43 Bread dip (var) 44 ‘Dr No’ star Andress 47 Creep through the cracks 48 Make up your mind 51 Drag race participants 53 Weirder than weird 55 Good omen 59 They're not pros 62 Ceremonial practice 63 Conciliatory gifts 64 Journalist Sawyer 65 Noted first name in jazz 66 Downwind, on a ship 67 Bring into harmony 68 Jodie Foster title character 69 Hankerings DOWN 1 Not behind closed doors 2 All-night flight 3 It's nono-brainer 4 Ready to serve, as beer 5 Jamaican citrus fruit 6 Blade, in the joint
7 Facility 8 Barrel slat 9 ‘Ars ___ artis’ 10 Hockeyofficial 11 Bugling mammal 12 ‘The Fresh Prince of ___-Air’ 13 Compass pt 21 Property crime 22 Photo ___ (campaign activities) 25 Lipstick holder 26 Wicked look 27 Building wing 30 ‘... see hide ___ hair of’ 31 Any of several Norwegian kings 32 Missile or grain containers 35 Teen skin affliction 37 Fiddling Roman
38 Bridgeposition 39 Seizing without authority 40 Poetic work 41 Delhi dough 42 Ndamukong of the Detroit Lions 45 Unknot 46 Trailers and mailers 48 Charm City ballplayer 49 Dirty ‘Peanuts’ character 50 Grammar class subjects 52 Lorelei, eg 54 Blue-book composition
SUDOKU
56 Kitchen-flooring piece 57 ‘___ be good for you!’ 58 Schnitzel ingredient 59 Colgate tube letters 60 Having no value 61 ___ chi PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER
THOUGHT OF THE DAY I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying. – Oscar Wilde
Chai Time STAR POWER
FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012
Your tomorrow today̶Star Power and Tarot THIRUVAIKUMAR
As per Hindu panchang
FOR 5-5-2012
thiruvaikumar@yahoo.co.in 040-27177230 / 9177596118
TAURUS
GEMINI
Your activeness will increase and jobs get completed quicker. Others may feel it difficult as they can't cope to your expectations. Financial situation will improve. Family will be peaceful.
Your long‑pending dreams are going to be realised. Bad effects will reduce and good events to take place. Influx of visi‑ tors will increase happiness of the fami‑ ly. Financially, a strong position is seen.
Blood relatives may put you in an em‑ barrassing situation. You will have suffi‑ cient inflow of money to meet expenses but savings will be a distant dream. You will give importance to happiness.
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
Planetary situations are so favourable that all your jobs get fulfilled without any hurdle. Financial situation will be satisfactory. Be careful while expressing your opinions as some might feel hurt.
All plans in your mind will take shape and be implemented soon. You will wo‑ rk non‑stop till you achieve the desired results. You will handle the issues creat‑ ed by relatives very well relatives.
Unexpected events to take place which will surprise you. You will remain bal‑ anced mentally and execute jobs in a planned way. Chances of misunder‑ standing with friends and relatives.
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
Children might behave contrary to your expectations and keep you in tension. Spouse will be more supportive during bad times. Certain work will get delayed. Expenses increase beyond expectations.
Health problems likely, be careful and take care. Debt problems might surface again and put you in depression. Man‑ age the issue with patience. Employees will be favoured with a promotion.
Avoid helping unknown persons which might drag you in trouble. Also, one of your close associates will turn against you and become a traitor. You need to be cautious in financial transactions.
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
You struggle hard and earn a good name. Peaceful atmosphere will prevail at ho‑ me. You have to exercise caution while expressing your opinions. Kid's actions will make you proud and bring cheer.
You will act tough and get all work do‑ ne decisively. Financial situation will improve for better. Major debts will get cleared. Minor clashes with spouse will take place now and then but do adjust.
Unexpected financial income expected. Employees might face temporary trans‑ fer. Unexpected litigations to surface in property matters. Frequent business trips will put you under stress.
SUMAA TEKUR
FOR 5-5-2012
tarotreadhyd@gmail.com
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
Seven of Cups – Do‑ nʼt believe everything you hear or even see. There are many sto‑ ries and rumours flo‑ ating about. You may even be the subject of a few of these.
The Hanged Man – Spiritual awareness is the need of the hour. Try something new. How about power yo‑ ga or the emotional freedom technique? You release your past.
King of Wands – Spending time with friends at a coffee shop with no plan in particular, and talking about this and that, is a good de‑stressor. Do it more often.
CANCER
LEO
VIRGO
The Devil – Youʼre in the mood for some retail therapy. Before you head out, take stock of your finances and make sure youʼre not overstepping your limit. Keep a budget.
The High Priestess – Someone not that cl‑ ose to you will appr‑ oach you with their problems. It may le‑ ave you wondering. Listen donʼt go out of your way to help.
Queen of Pentacles – Youʼre likely to bump into an old friend at a supermarket or at the movies. It will tr‑ igger old emotions. Stay with it and allow it to go at its pace.
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
Eight of Cups – A go‑ od friendship gone sour is not a pleasant experience to reme‑ mber in the later ye‑ ars. You wonder wh‑ at you should have done for it to differ.
Six of Pentacles – Be open to new ideas at the work place and donʼt reject anything anyone has to say. It may also be a fresher in the industry. New ideas bring change.
Queen of Cups – Yo‑ uʼre feeling very emo‑ tional about a person very close to you. It can be a parent or a sibling. Distance your‑ self. Give yourself and this person space.
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Two of Pentacles – Youʼve been manag‑ ing the juggling act rather well and itʼs working out fantasti‑ cally. Youʼre also becoming more aware of the possibilities.
Ace of Wands – Cre‑ ativity needs some out‑ let. You need to look for it. It can be as sim‑ ple as posting some‑ thing on Facebook and getting people to notice how you think.
Ace of Cups – This is a lucky phase and youʼre in for a good run with both career and relationships. A word of caution: Donʼt get too attached to anything.
For Better or for Worse Stone soup
SOLUTIONS
Boggle ANGOLA CANADA FRANCE BRAZIL POLAND
Number game
Suduko
Scrabble
Ink pen
COMICS
Fred Basset
ARIES
TAROT READ
27
Vol: 1, No 292 RNI No: APENG/2011/39337 Published for the proprietors, Scribble Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, by V Harshavardhan Reddy, at #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500033 and printed by him at Jagati Publications Ltd, Plot No D-75&E-52, APIE Industrial Estate, Balanagar, Ranga Reddy Dist, Hyderabad – 500037, Editor: Dean Williams – Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. For feedback, please write to: feedback@postnoon.com and for subscription, please call 040-4067 2222, Fax: 040-4067 2211
Magic Screen
FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012
The glamour behind the glitz
I am not dating anyone
B
ipasha Basu is upset at incessant rumours surrounding her relationship status. She wants the speculation to stop, and says just because she is a fun-loving and outgoing person, this doesn ‘t mean she is dating anyone she meets. “For a long time my name is being yo-yoed with few people. As and when dating, break up, then patch up and marriage stories are being made. I really wish all this stops as none of it is happening,” tweeted Bipasha. “Fun loving person does not mean frivolous. Meeting people does not mean dating them,” added the 33-year-old, who has been linked to actors like Shahid Kapoor and Rana Daggubati. Bipasha is single after her break up from John Abraham. While John is ready to tie the knot with banker Priya Runchal, Bipasha maintains she is still single and busy loving her professional life. IANS
Madhuri devours mangoes! A
Big B completes two years on Twitter
M
egastar Amitabh Bachchan, a regular blogger and Twitterati has completed two years on microblogging site Twitter, and continues to share tidbits from his daily life with his fans. “TWO YEARS on this platform! Amazing! Feels like just started it yesterday! Thank you TwFmXt .. you are all awesome people,” tweeted Big B. The 69-year-old, who tweets under the handle of SrBachchan, writes about his daily activities, his philosophies and rarely comments on issues of national concern. He calls his Twitter and blog fans as his “extended family”. So far he has 2,613,340 followers on Twitter, and has shared 12,985 updates with them. IANS
ctress Madhuri Dixit, who has settled back in Mumbai after a sabbatical from Bollywood, is gorging on Alphonso mangoes. “It is mango season in Mumbai. Had forgotten how good the hapoose amba (Alphonso mango) could be,” tweeted Madhuri. Now she is back in Mumbai for good with her husband and two children. She has already signed two films - Dedh Ishqiya and Gulab Gang. Vishal Bhardwaj‘s Dedh Ishqiya is a sequel to Vidya Balan‘s 2010 film Ishqiya, while Anubhav Sinha’s Gulab Gang will see her playing a female gangster. She will also be seen as a judge in the next season of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa IANS
28
B-TOWN TWEETIES
@NeilNMukesh God plans happiness 4 each of us at the right time.... It’s only that his Calender is not shared with us.
@bipsluvurself Raaz 3 wrapped!Got spoilt silly post wrap! Team pampered me with all my fav yum dishes n desserts!Stuffed! Fab film, fab crew n fab shoot!
@SrBachchan T 731 — The designing of the look on KBC by Rohit 'gudda' Bal... just lifts your spirits when you wear his outfits .. that jacket... hmm
@TheShilpaShetty Today was such a special day... my Sis Shamita and friends Rupali and Kiran threw the most amazin Baby shower fr me. So much fun. Thanku guys.
@AnupamPkher Found a treasure of memories in one of my Dad’s suitcases. Old pic of Mom. Written behind,”My beloved wife, Dulari.”:)
@bomanirani My 1st camera was a Pentax K1000 . Spent hours with it, strapped onto me all the time. Slept with it too and hoped my dreams were captured!
@sonamakapoor Best advice anyone has given me is think for a minute before you speak. Now only if I can follow it.
@priyankachopra So tired today... been at it every day... Uff! Need sow serious coffee!! Yawning is not good at work!!!
29
FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012
METRE
S
6 406
Chris Gayle (RCB)
29 4S 1042
Ajinkya Rahane (RR)
60
HIGHEST SCORE
103*
Ajinkya Rahane (RR), Kevin Pietersen (RCB)
BEST BOWLER
5-16
Ravindra Jadeja (CSK)
KINGS, BULLS LOCK HORNS It was not an easy wicket, the ball did not come on to the bat. But we should have got to 120. We lost a few wickets early. When I got out was the turning point of the game.
bigger totals than that, yet against Punjab, they ran out Rajesh Ravindran of steam. The costliest buy of this edition Ravindra rajesh.r@postnoon.com Jadeja’s lack of form is a concern for Chennai. The man who holds the ate bloomers Deccan best bowling figures this seaChargers have a date son could not do anything with Chennai Super substantial either with the Kings in the latter’s bat or ball in recent games. home ground today. A lot For the Chargers now’s has happened since the two the time to take revenge for teams met last. DC have the shocker of a loss sufstarted to win matches and fered at the hands of the Chennai Super Kings are Super Kings in their opener. struggling. The latter lost They need to keep this their last three matches to rhythm going, as it will be teams which may not be hard and too late to make a deemed as equals with comeback if them. In their they mess up last outing DC VS CSK at this juncagainst the AT 8 PM ON SET MAX ture. It’s a good Kolkata Knight sign that both Riders their Kumar Sangakkara and batting collapsed. The only Cameron White are playing two to make decent scores superbly. were Suresh Raina and MS It may seem ironic that Dhoni. Against the Kings XI Dale Steyn has fared badly in Punjab, once again their matches that DC have won. batsmen did not rise to the But if they are to win today, occasion despite the total to DC must do well in every be chased being 156. The department of the game. Super Kings have chased
L
Sourav Ganguly PWI Captain
Ajinkya Rahane (RR) 458 runs
Morne Morkel (DD) 19 wickets
Screening in rough weather T
he Cricket Association of Bengal's (CAB) plan to install giant screens across the city for the match between KKR and PWI has run into rough weather with the police feigning ignorance. The match is already sold out, leaving thousands heartbroken. Keeping in mind the clash with Kolkata's local boy, Sourav Ganguly, leading PWI, CAB has planned to install giant screens at hotspots including Howrah. However, Joint Commis-sioner of Police Jawed Shamim told that they have not received any proposal from the CAB as yet. “The CAB has not given us any proposal regarding that. If they come up with a proposal with technical feasibility, then we can discuss the issue." PTI
BALLE BALLE TIME
SCORECARD PUNE WARRIORS VS MUMBAI INDIANS Mumbai Indians innings JEC Franklin c Manhas b Kumar 25 SR Tendulkar c †Uthappa b Nehra 34 RG Sharma run out (Smith/†Uthappa) 3 RJ Petersonc Ganguly b Nehra 13 KD Karthik not out 18 AT Rayudu b Kumar 1 NLTC Perera run out (Smith) 0 Harbhajan Singh* c Parnell b Dinda 0 SL Malinga run out (Smith/†Uthappa) 14 PP Ojha run out (†Uthappa) 1 Extras (b 1, lb 3, w 5, nb 2) 11 Total (9 wickets; 20 overs) 120 Bowling O M R W Econ M Kartik 3 0 27 0 9.00 AB Dinda 4 1 34 1 8.50 WD Parnell 4 0 18 0 4.50 B Kumar 3 0 9 2 3.00 A Nehra 4 0 19 2 4.75 MJ Clarke 2 0 9 0 4.50
Pune Warriors innings (target: 121 runs from 20 overs) RV Uthappa† lbw b Patel
18
JD Ryder c Perera b Harbhajan Singh
9
MJ Clarke lbw b Harbhajan Singh
14
SC Ganguly*b Malinga
16
SPD Smith b Ojha
2
M Manhas not out
42
WD Parnell c Peterson b Malinga B Kumar not out
2 10
Extras (w 6)
6
Total (6 wickets; 20 overs)
119
Bowling
O
M
R
W Econ
SL Malinga
4
0
25
2
6.25
MM Patel
4
0
24
1
6.00
Harbhajan Singh 4
0
18
2
4.50
PP Ojha
4
0
24
1
6.00
JEC Franklin NLTC Perera
3 1
0 0
20 8
0 0
6.66 8.00
Mumbai Indians won by 1 run
P DD 10 KKR 10 MI 10 KXIP 10 CSK 10 RCB 10 RR 10 PW 11 DC 9
W 8 6 3 5 4 4 4 4 2
L N/T PT NRR 2 0 16 1.037 3 1 13 0.632 4 0 12 -0.162 5 0 10 -0.280 5 1 9 -0.029 5 1 9 -0.446 6 0 8 -0.061 7 0 8 -0.115 6 1 5 -0.545
P-played; W-win; L-lost; N/T-no result/tie;NRR-net run rate; PT-points
Mumbai Indians' Pragyan Ojha (2nd L) is congratulated after taking the wicket of Pune Warriors’ Steve Smith at The Subroto Roy Sahara Stadium in Pune on Thursday.
Pune Warriors’ Ashish Nehra celebrates after the run out of Mumbai Indians’ Thisara Perera during their match at the in Pune AFP/INDRANIL MUKHERJEE on Thursday.
82 DAYS TO GO FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012
30
READY, STEADY, BOLT! Injury-free, Usain Bolt, is all set to run his first individual race this Olympic season when he competes in the 100m sprint at the Jamaica International Invitational at the national stadium KINGSTON: Sprint king Usain Bolt will run his first individual race of the Olympic season on Saturday when he lines up for the 100m at the Jamaica International Invitational at the national stadium. After running the anchor leg on the Racers’ 4x100m club relay team that clocked a season-leading 37.82 seconds in rainy and cold conditions three weeks ago at the UTech Track and Field Classic in Kingston, Bolt had reported he was injury free and ready to go. “I felt all right, comfortable, smooth, not as smooth as I would normally feel, but I have a few months to get ready and a lot more running to go, so I look forward to getting better,” Bolt said of his early form in a season pointed at the London Olympics starting in July. Training partner Yohan Blake, who will headline the 200m here this weekend, had run a season-leading 9.90 seconds in the 100m at the UTech meet, but with dry conditions expected on Saturday this will likely be eclipsed by Bolt. Bolt is set to leave for Europe next week, where he is scheduled to run several events before returning to Jamaica in
June for the Olympic Trials. A number of world and Olympic champions and medallists have been confirmed for Saturday’s meeting, an IAAF World Challenge event. Word Indoor 60m silver medallist Nesta carter of Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago’s Olympic silver medallist Richard Thompson,
Commonwealth Games champion Lerone Clarke, World Championships relay gold medallists Dexter Lee and Michael Frater, Darvis Patton and Antiguan Daniel Bailey were expected to chase Bolt in the 100m. Blake who ran the second fastest 200m ever -- 19.26 seconds last year -- was originally
expected to clash with former 100m world record holder Asafa Powell in the half lap race. But Powell said Wednesday a nagging groin injury had him re-evaluating his plans to start in the 200m. Norway’s Jaysuma Saidy Ndure, Rasheed Dwyer and Nickel Ashmeade are likely challengers in the 200m field. The female sprints should be competitive with defending Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, 100m world champion champion Carmelita Jeter, Bianca Knight, joint Olympic silver medallists Kerron Stewart and Sherone Simpson, Debbie Ferguson McKenzie and Kelly-Ann Baptiste all confirmed to race in either the 100m or 200m. America’s Jeter won the 100m last year and has the fastest 200m in the world this year of 22.31 seconds, clocked in California last month. Sanya Richards Ross will headline the women’s 400m, where she will go up against Britain’s Christine Ohurugo as well as Jamaicans Novlene Williams Mills, Rose-Marie Whyte and IAAF Diamond League 400m hurdles winner Kaliese Spencer. AFP
I’ve to treat my body like an engine Sarah Stevenson
T
his weekend I had a visit from the mother-in-law, which I hasten to add was a pleasure, so we were keeping her entertained. Friday night was Treat Night, so it was a Chinese, lots of sweets and a DVD. It may not sound like the most hedonistic night of all time, but unfortunately when you’re a professional athlete in training for the Olympics, that’s about as crazy as it gets. It’s just a matter of getting used to the rigid discipline. Of course, as you get a bit older you start pining for a more normal life where you can go out in the middle of the week, eat what you like and have a couple of glasses of wine, but you just can’t do it. If I stuff my face with booze or burgers, then I’m not going to be the best athlete I can be, so I have to treat my body like an engine and make sure it gets the right
fuel. After the Olympics I’ll get to take some time off and do things like that, so I’ve just got to hold out for a few more months. But it is nice to treat yourself now and then so you have something to look forward to. It’s a busy time for Manchester, where I’m based. The marathon was on Sunday, so I went down to support my
friend, Sarah Broadhead, who ran it to raise funds for an amazing facility in which my beautiful mum spent her final days before she passed away last year. I’m really proud of Sarah, so if any Guardian readers could make a donation, however small, we’d be really grateful. Elsewhere in Manchester we had the big foot-
ball derby, which served as a low-key curtain-raiser for the main order of sporting business that’s taking place this weekend: the European Taekwondo Championships. Unfortunately, because of The Knee, I won’t be defending my title. To be honest, I’m not so bothered about that, but I am a bit gutted that I can’t compete because it would have been good preparation for the Olympics. From that perspective, it would have been nice to get some hard, competitive fighting under my belt. It would be good to be fighting and there for the rest of the team, but I’m probably not going to attend because, for me, spending time with friends and family is more important after everything I’ve gone through. If I’m not fighting and competing, going home to Doncaster to spend time with my nearest and dearest who I haven’t seen for a while will help take my mind off it.
Hopefuls to get taste of stadium T
he UK Athletics head coach, Charles van Commenee, admits it is almost impossible to replicate the atmosphere home athletes will face at this summer’s Olympics in London. But around 150 Games hopefuls will nevertheless get a first competitive taste of the Olympic Stadium when they compete alongside this weekend’s British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) championships, according to The Guardian. The likes of European heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis, world champions Mo Farah (5,000 metres) and Dai Greene (400m hurdles) and Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu have opted not to compete, but local favourite Perri ShakesDrayton and pole vault star Holly Bleasdale will take part in the event. Although a number of smaller events have used the stadium AROUND 150 GAMES HOPEFULS WILL GET A FIRST COMPETITIVE TASTE OF THE STADIUM WHEN THEY COMPETE ALONGSIDE THIS WEEKEND’S BRITISH UNIVERSITIES & COLLEGES SPORT (BUCS) CHAMPIONSHIPS
in a limited capacity, this weekend will be the first time the stadium will be open to the general public for an athletics competition. And although a capacity crowd of 80,000 will have to wait until the Games in July and August, the thousands of tickets made available were quickly snapped up by BUCS members. Track athletes and those competing in the vertical jumps will contend stand-alone UKA events, while horizontal jumpers and throws athletes will participate in the BUCS competition fields. Van Commenee said: “Preparing our athletes for what to expect when they walk into the Olympic Stadium at Games time is almost impossible. The noise of an Olympic Stadium when a home favourite walks out just cannot be replicated. This test event will form an important part of some athletes’ preparation. “At this event they will get the chance to familiarise themselves with the Olympic Stadium and we can remove a number of unknown factors for them.”
Playing Field
FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012
The games people play
Webb in lead at Wells Fargo
FANCY FOOTWORK
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA: Webb Simpson admitted his pairing with Tiger Woods made him nervous on Thursday, but it didn’t show as he seized a share of the firstround lead at the $6.5 million Wells Fargo Championship. Simpson, playing with Woods and former US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy of Australia, chipped in for eagle at the par-four eighth hole at Quail Hollow and
TIGER WOODS, MAKING HIS FIRST START SINCE A TIE FOR 40TH AT THE MASTERS, COULDN’T CAPITALIZE ON THE CONDITIONS. HE BOGEYED THREE OF HIS FIRST NINE HOLES AND FINISHED WITH FOUR BIRDIES IN A ONE-UNDER 71. drained a 60-foot birdie putt at 12 en route to his sevenunder par 65. He was tied with former British Open champion Stewart Cink and Ryan Moore for the lead, with five more players — England’s Brian Davis, Rickie Fowler, D.A. Points, Patrick Reed and Australian John Senden — a stroke back on 66. “I was nervous playing with Tiger. I prayed a lot out there,” said Simpson, who lives nearby. “Once I made a couple birdies, I kind of enjoyed it.” Scores were low in hot, humid weather, making for a crowded leaderboard. About half the field broke par. Zimbabwe’s Brendon de Jong, Brian Harman and Billy Mayfair were tied on 67, and another 13 players were tied on 68. Former world number one Woods, making his first start since a disappointing tie for 40th at the Masters, couldn’t capitalize on the conditions. He bogeyed three of his first nine holes and finished with four birdies in a oneunder 71. “I’ve got to obviously not make those little mistakes like that tomorrow,” Woods said. “We’ve got a long way to go, and we’ve got some rain coming probably on the weekend, so we’re going to have to go get it.” Cink, the 2009 British Open champion, capped his round with three successive birdies to notch his lowest round of the year.
CCOB (in light Blue) defeated JJ Nagar (in black) 1-0 at the Peter Thgangaraj Memorial Football Tournament Johnson FC qualified for the quarters from Group B while Red Hills qualified from Group A based on the superior goal difference.
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Camelot is favourite NEWMARKET: Camelot is a short-priced favourite to succeed the great Frankel in Saturday’s 2,000 Guineas and provide his Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien with a sixth success in the English classic. Camelot assumed command of the ante-post market after following up his debut win at Leopardstown last July with an impressive success in his only other start, the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster in October. That performance and O’Brien’s formidable record sees him arrive in Newmarket at a cramped 6-4, yet the trainer struck a cautious note when quizzed about Camelot last weekend, mindful of his experience with St Nicholas Abbey two years ago.
O’Sullivan leads at Worlds O’Sullivan’s advantage was due to an act of sportsmanship by his opponent who called a foul on himself that neither Ronnie nor referee spotted SHEFFIELD: Ronnie O’Sullivan (right) built a 5-3 lead over Matthew Stevens and Ali Carter led Stephen Maguire by the same scoreline at the end of Thursday’s opening session in the World Championship semi-finals. But three-times champion O’Sullivan’s slender advantage owed something to an act of sportsmanship by his Welsh opponent who called a foul on himself in the second frame that neither the ‘Rocket’ nor referee Brendan Moore had spotted. That helped O’Sullivan
establish a 4-0 lead before Stevens, twice a losing finalist, battled back with a break of 80 in the eighth frame reducing the Englishman’s lead to two frames. Meanwhile Carter, runnerup in 2008, put his struggles with Crohn’s disease, a bowel condition he has had to manage for nine years, to one side. “It’s a very long match against Stephen but my problems haven’t beaten me yet and they’re not going to. I’m just delighted to prove to myself and all the doubters out there that I’ve still got it.”
Playing Field
FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012
The games people play
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A tale of two strikers Could Gayle hold key to WI renaissance? Julian Guyer Rob Woollard
LONDON: The FA Cup final could witness a battle of the misfits on Saturday as Andy Carroll (above) and Fernando Torres (right) look for Wembley redemption after enduring seasons to forget at Liverpool and Chelsea. Carroll and Torres became entwined in one of the most dramatic transfer deals in history last year, when Torres’s £50 million exit from Liverpool to Chelsea triggered Carroll’s £35 million departure from Newcastle United to Anfield. Yet the dizzying price tags have appeared to weigh heavily on both strikers ever since that frenzied finale to the transfer window, with both suffering protracted scoring slumps with their new clubs. However, as Wembley looms even nearer, there are signs that both players are ready to start paying back their transfer fees in the currency they were hired to deliver: goals. Torres, who could lay claim to being among the world’s best strikers a few seasons ago, has suffered a horrendous first full season at Chelsea, his once lethal touch in front of goal replaced by a footballing equivalent of the yips. Like Torres, Carroll has shown only occasional glimpses of the sort of form
THE FA CUP FINALS Sat, 9.45pm, Sony Pix that persuaded Liverpool to make him the most expensive English footballer in history, and many remain unconvinced that the 23-year-old was worth the money. However, he has plugged away despite indifferent form, and popped up with the late goal that saw Liverpool into the final with a 2-1 win over Everton. Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish
has been unstinting in his support of Carroll, insisting the tall striker and other members of his side thrive on criticism. “Everyone has been battered,” Dalglish said recently. “Maybe that is what we need to get ourselves going forward. “Everybody is entitled to their opinion but if you want to be a top player, you have to go through most of the emotions you get in football. “Part of that is how you come back from criticism.”
Van the Man calm over his future corresponding award from his peers in the Professional Footballers’ Association. There has been speculation as to whether Arsenal, set for a seventh successive year without a trophy, can hang onto the talented 28-year-old who has been attracting envious glances from Europe’s leading clubs. But van Persie was adamant he would be entering contract negotiations with Arsenal as planned once this season was finished.
Rooney’s goal is trumps LONDON: Arsenal striker Robin van Persie (above, centre) insisted he had no concerns about his Gunners’ future as he collected the Football Writers’ Player of the Year award on Thursday. The Dutch striker insisted he would “always be a Gunner” after topping a journalists’ poll, having already received the
Wayne Rooney’s stunning overhead kick in the Manchester derby in February 2011 has been voted as the greatest goal in the 20 seasons of the Premier League in a ballot of more than 300,000 fans. England striker Rooney acrobatically volleyed home Nani’s 77th-minute cross to take United eight points clear of City in the league standings en route to a record 19th English league title.
LONDON: Chris Gayle could be on the brink of a return to international cricket after pulling out of a deal with English county side Somerset in a bid to revive his West Indies career. Former West Indies captain Gayle, renowned as a big-hitting batsman, has not played international cricket for more than a year following a dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) sparked by critical comments he made about officials in a radio interview. The 32-year-old Jamaican left-hander, also a useful off-spin bowler, signed to play Twenty20 cricket for Somerset this season. However, Gayle issued a statement saying he had made himself available for international cricket again following talks with the WICB. He said he would not be joining southwest side Somerset, even though he has received no guarantees he will be selected by the West Indies. “I wish to advise that as of today [Thursday], I have written to Somerset and advised them that I will not be honouring the commitment I made to them when I signed a contract with them,” Gayle said. “I made it clear to them that my decision was made because of my commitment to West Indies cricket and to West Indies cricket fans, and because I believe that it is time for the WICB to make a decision which will provide a clearer view of my own future.”